The Oluwo of Iwoland Oba (Dr) Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, is one blessed monarch that has been able to use his office to impact lives around him. He recently disclosed that he is blessed with the amount of money to buy luxuries and cars he so desires but it will add no value to his life knowing that people are out there looking for means of survival. The young monarch stated that since he mounted the thrown, he has never sold a plot of land to anyone and he will never do that because its like selling his children property. "I'm wealthy and contented. Money is just one of my instruments God bestowed on me. It bows for me. I can buy any latest vehicles but of what advantage is acquiring material instruments when million Nigerians are hungry. As such, I channel my resources to feeding the orphans, widows and the less privileged in my palace, I rehabilitate roads, assisting in school fees payments and many other humanitarian services. That is my own Bugatti etc, my luxury and happiness "- "I've never sell a plot of land in Iwo since my enthronement and I will never sell. A responsible father doesn't sell his children property, only a father suffering from poverty of ideas does that. Selling Iwo land is like selling my children property. I don't and will never do that. Even, I'm planning to buy some land at the extreme edge of my territory to extend my domain. If I buy land belonging to Oyo at my boundary and change its name to Iwo. That is one of my dreams." Nollywood actor cum producer, Ugezu J Ugezu, has joined his voice with his igbo brothers to criticize the act meted out on unharmed igbo citizens by the Nigerian military recently. The actor took time to call the attention of the Nigerian leaders and its citizens on past situations which has taken place in the country yet nothing was done. Read below his argument; (PYTHON DANCE) There was Ife/Modakeke war, no operation Monkey dance. Hausa/Yoruba war in Ile-ife, no operation Anaconda dance. A cult group called Badoo emerged from nowhere and killed over a hundred souls in Ikorodu-Lagos, no operation fowl dance. Fulani herdsmen invaded Taraba and souls were lost in hundreds, no operation elephant dance. Villages were nearly wiped out in areas occupied by TIVs in Benue state which propmted Gov Otorm to say"my people have been pushed to the wall to the extent that I may not be able to convince them not to defend themselves, yet no operation tortoise dance. Over 400 people were gruesomely murdered in Agatu Local Govt area of Benue State by Fulani herdsmen,no operation fox dance. In Southern Kaduna, uncountable number of innocent men, women and children were slaughtered in blood-daylight. But we never heared of this new dance by the noble Nigeria Army rather apostle Johnson Suleman who spoke up was summoned to explain what he knew about the Kaduna killings. In Plateau state, it was a killing spray, kill anyone at sight. There was no proliferation of arms neither was anyone nor groups prosecuted, yet no operation dragon dance The Abuja/Kaduna road has turned a kidnapping den, former ministers, former Senators etc have been kidnapped, no operation fish-them out dance In Nasarawa State, over 50 police men were mysteriously slaughtered by the Ombatse people, but there was no known operation turkey dance. No one passes through Lokoja/Okene roads anymore, its either you are kidnapped or you are robbed; no one remembers operation tolotolo dance. How do i count them? how do i count all the evils that happened under your very own nose? how do I explain it that of all the vices you claimed you watched from your sick bed in London, the only one that deserves crushing is the ones you described as 'miscreants' in the south east? Its only in the South East the military experiments operation python dance with different categories of pythons. Thank God you know YOU ARE PYTHONS DANCING. We are not pythons. We don't dance, we pursue justice. But note Sir... NO MASQUERADE DANCES FOREVER. (Copied & Modified) 'The big truck is still on ... (R) Congressman Tom McClintock's Town Hall meeting View Photos District Four Republican Congressman Tom McClintock will hold a town hall meeting Wednesday, September 20 in the Bret Harte High School Gymnasium in Angels Camp. The event will start at 6 PM. McClintock was Fridays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. He recently spoke on the US House Floor. Here are his unedited words: Two weeks after the 2016 election, I spoke on the House floor and warned that the greatest single obstacle to meeting the expectations of the American people was the cloture rule in the Senate. I said: Voters elected Republican majorities in both houses of Congress and they expect action. Theyll get it from the President and from the House. But in order for the Senate to rise to this occasion, it must reform its cloture rule when it organizes in January. It didnt. Cloture is the Senate motion to conclude debate, and it is based on a sound parliamentary principle: as long as a significant minority currently 40 Senate members want to continue debate, that debate should continue. But this principle assumes it is an actual debate between real people regarding the merits of the subject directly at hand. But that is not what cloture has become. Today, any Senator can block virtually any bill simply by filing a protest at the desk, and until 60 of the 100 Senators agree to take up the bill, it cannot be heard. Ironically, a motion originally designed to protect debate has degenerated into a motion that very effectively prevents debate. It also hands practical control of the Senate to the Democratic minority, which can effectively veto any proposal by the majority, essentially reversing the result of the election. This is not some act of God or constitutional constraint that has been forced upon the Senate. No, this is a deliberate choice by Senate Republicans NOT to reform their cloture rule. It has rendered the Senate dysfunctional, and with it, the Congress. Earlier this year, the Senate briefly recognized this and chose to reform cloture for Supreme Court nominations but not for legislation absolutely vital to the interests of our country. The news yesterday that the President has capitulated to Democratic demands on the debt limit should come as no surprise. This became inevitable when Senate Republicans turned over control of the Senate to Chuck Schumer by failing to reform cloture. That is how we got wrapped around the axle on repealing and replacing Obamacare. The House could have passed a comprehensive bill that completely and cleanly abolished Obamacare and fully replaced it with all the market and tax reforms that Republicans agreed with and campaigned on popular reforms that put consumers back in charge of their health care decisions and placed those decisions within their financial reach. Instead, the House leadership chose to attempt this through a budget process called reconciliation a process completely unsuited for complex policy reform. They did so for one reason: to bypass the Senate cloture rule. By adhering to the very limited and restricted requirements of budget reconciliation, the House produced a mangled, tangled mess that fell well short of the reforms we had promised and ultimately failed to receive even a simple majority of the Senate. Those who supported this process argued that a clean, complete, comprehensive bill would have been dead on arrival in the Senate for lack of Democratic votes for cloture. I doubt that. Quite the contrary, had the House done its job through regular order rather than try to cover for the Senate Republicans bad choice one of two things would have happened. As Obamacare continued to implode, Senate Democrats would have been seen as the single obstacle to a popular, comprehensive reform. Its entirely possible that eight of the most vulnerable Democrats would ultimately have crossed party lines and supported this rescue of our health care system. Or, far more likely, Senate Republicans would have been forced to come to the same conclusion that they came to with respect to the Supreme Court nomination of Neil Gorsuch and reform this rule. Certainly, we couldnt have been worse off than we are today. I ask that henceforth, the House leadership stop covering for the Senate Republicans, and move all the legislation we promised the American people to the Senate through regular order. It is time we left the management of the Senate to the Senate, stopped enabling their atrocious judgment on not reforming cloture and made very clear to the American public why the reforms they entrusted us to enact arent being sent to the President. Senator Dirksen once noted, When they feel the heat, they see the light. Its time the House and the American people adopted this maxim. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Drug bust in the Chicken Ranch Casino parking lot View Photos Jamestown, CA A Twain Harte man may be feeling a bit of deja vu after being arrested two nights in a row by Tuolumne County Sheriffs Deputies. As reported here early Monday night, 24-year-old Mark Hyder of Twain Harte was busted for drugs after a concerned citizen reported a possible drug deal going down near the ampm on Mono Way. Hyder was found with a hypodermic syringe loaded with methamphetamine, a digital scale covered with white residue. As he was charged with a misdemeanor a judge ordered Hyder released on his own recognizance. On Wednesday night, deputies responded to a report of drug use in the Chicken Ranch Casino parking lot and who did they find standing with security guards Hyder. Deputies searched him and this time discovered hypodermic needles, heroin and methamphetamine. He was arrested. In a Toyota Camry that Hyder had been inside, deputies questioned the driver 33-year-old Sean Bachman and passenger 24-year old Moriah Do, both of Manteca. A records check of the pair revealed they were wanted in San Joaquin County. They admitted to using heroin in the parking lot and were placed under arrest, according to sheriffs officials. The car was searched and numerous hypodermic needles and drug paraphernalia were found inside. All were taken to the Tuolumne County Jail facing charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bachmans warrant was for violating Post Release Community Supervision while Dos centered around charges of transportation and sale of a controlled substance. Once at the jail a search of Do turned up heroin hidden in her clothing. Nigeria makes a lot of money from the oil industry, but it's not only this black gold that keeps Nigerian economy growing. Agricultural products are also the base of the Nigerian economy, supplying food not only for most Nigerians but also exporting crops and fruits to other countries as well. These days, the agricultural sector is facing various challenges, but still developing very fast. What are main agricultural products in Nigeria? What products are exported? Lets find out together. The agriculture sector is considered to be the strongest and most developed branches of economy in Nigeria. Up to 30% of the population is engaged in this industry. There are different sizes of sectors in the Nigerian agriculture: small, medium, and large scale businesses. Nigeria's diverse climate, which varies from tropical to subtropical makes it easy to grow almost all agricultural products in the region. For this reason, more than 33% of Nigeria's land area is cultivated by farmers. Usually, small farms produce more products. It is estimated that they are responsible for about 80% of the total agricultural products. The large scale farms are not very popular in Nigeria, because of the underdevelopment of the economic system. The two main groups of agricultural products in Nigeria: Products for national consumption Products for export It is not only fruits and crops that take the biggest control in Nigerian agriculture branch. There are also cattle herding, fishing, and lumbering sectors being developed. In addition, fishing is also one of the booming agricultural sectors in Nigeria. The fish production varies from 600,000 to 700,000 tons of fish per year. Export from Nigeria abroad Nigerian farmers keep on growing and producing more products. Nigeria does not only satisfy local people's needs but it now exports food to other people in the world. The main agricultural products in Nigeria are rice, cassava, ginger, cocoa butter, and nuts. But in recent years, the country has lost its place as one of the world's largest exporter of cocoa and palm oil. According to U.S. Department of State Country Commercial Guide, Nigeria's total agricultural income is estimated to be approximately US$1.6 billion per year. There have been a lot of efforts made to improve the agriculture sector. These days, Nigerian farmers and big companies do not only supply food to the local population, but export food to different countries. In Nigeria, the agriculture sector takes the second place after oil sector and is the highest priority sector of the Nigerian government to develop. So because it is very profitable, it is crucial to export some products and earn money? Lets look what kind of products Nigerians grow and export. Top agricultural products in Nigeria Ginger Ginger is the most popular spice to trade in the world. It is not only consumed by the local population. Nigeria exports a lot of this spice on the world food market and makes million of dollars every year. If you choose to start a ginger business, you can make a lot of money. The reason for it is simple, you can ship the ginger spice to any country of the world. You can start from small quantity and slowly export in big amounts. READ ALSO: Cash crops in Nigeria and where they are found Cocoa and cocoa butter The cocoa butter is a great product for export, as every country wants to have it. It is used for making chocolate and sweets. In addition, cocoa extracts can be used to make a number of skin care products, such as face masks or hand lotions. Cocoa butter is very popular on the market. Export to the USA or the United Kingdom as these countries usually buy most of Nigerian cocoa butter. Although cocoa is the top product for export and consumption in Nigeria, recently it was noticed that the growth in this sector has decreased. The lack of labor force and power of small farms does not let the cocoa sector develop. So go for it, as Nigeria potentially may produce over 300,000 tons of cocoa beans per year. Palm kernel oil extract Palm kernel oil is the oil made from the pulp of palm fruit. This kind of oil can be used for various types of cosmetics. The usage of this oil is very wide since it contains a lot of minerals and proteins. Nigeria has a lot of palms, so maybe palm kernel oil will be the perfect product for you to export. Give it a try! Sesame seeds This product can not be found in all parts of Nigeria. Sesame seeds are usually produced in Benue and Jigawa states. Nowadays, sesame seeds are on the second place among all products exported from Nigeria. Also, Nigeria is ranked as the 5th largest producer of sesame seeds in the world. Clearly, sesame seeds bring in a lot of dollars for those who export them! Sweet honey Pure and sweet honey is popular addition to pancakes, cakes or any other desserts. Therefore, it can be another product for export from Nigeria to other countries. Currently, a price of a kilogram of honey is about $150 on the international markets. Choose honey for export, since it has a lot of sugar, minerals, vitamins and amino acids in it. A consumer in any country would want to buy it. You can be sure that honey will be a good choice for export on the foreign market. Shrimps As you know, Nigeria is located on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. The coast region in Nigeria is filled with big and delicious shrimps. So, in recent years, Nigerians have built special farms to produce shrimps not only for the locals but for exporting to other countries as well. Shrimps are a good product to export, as not a lot of countries in the world have good shrimps or enough shrimps for export. These days, shrimps are in high demand in such countries as Portugal, France, Belgium, Spain, and the USA. Yam Nigeria is the biggest producer of yams not only in Africa but in the world as well. For example, in 2009, the total profit of yam export was estimated to be $450 million. Nowadays, the export of yam has been declining due to a low quality of the product. Yam has not been certified to be exported abroad, therefore Nigeria government had to minimalize the export of this product. For this reason, the country needs some new, prospective exporters of yam. If you are a farmer or you just plan to export yam to foreign countries give it a try. This is a very good opportunity to start off business, as you have almost no other companies to compete with. Cashew nuts Our favorite snack is cashew nuts! Almost every person loves to eat cashew nuts and this, of course, means that cashew nuts have a big potential for export to foreign countries. Nigeria has a high amount of unprocessed raw cashew nuts. The nuts mostly are exported to India, Brazil, and Vietnam. Once they are shipped, they will then be processed into kernels and shipped again all the way to the Northern America or Europe. Guess what the price for cashew nuts in Europe is? They are sold for $2 per pound, so have you already started to calculate? Chili pepper Chili pepper is a very popular spicy component in various dishes, cooked in Asian and African countries. During all seasons of the year, Nigeria has good weather. Therefore, the weather conditions provide a great environment for growing and producing chili peppers and shipment of them. If you can grow and source for an export opportunity, you are sure to get it. Rice Nigeria is the top consumer of rice in Africa. The country is also one of the largest rice importers in the world and one of the largest producers of rice in Africa. Rice can be exported to any country in the world and also used by the local population in Nigeria. This cash crop indeed is a very popular and essential product. In order to make good profit, the small businessmen sell more than 80 per cent of the total rice and leave only 20 per cent for themselves. It is estimated that the rice business brings more money to Nigerian farmers than any other cash crop in the country. Cassava Nigeria grows up to 20 per cent of the worlds and about 34 per cent of Africas cassava capacity. Most of the cassava is grown in the southern part of the country, and only about 30 per cent is in the north-central part of Nigeria. The crop is mainly cultivated by small farmers and is used only by the local population. Although Nigeria controls the world cassava market, the government and private sector should work together to promote Nigerian cassava on the international food market. In addition, there are still a lot of problems in the production and processing of this product. What are cash crops in Nigeria? People all around the world grow crops not only to have a food for themselves but to earn some money out of it as well. There are different cash crops in Nigeria, which can be divided into two types: Root cash crops, such as Taro (cocoyams), Cassava, Yams, Sweet potatoes. Tree crops, such as Cacao, Rubber, Oil Palm. The tree crops are mostly grown in Nigeria and are not easily found in other countries. Cocoa and oil palm bring good money, and most farmers believe that in future it will bring even more money than cassava production. It was mentioned that farmers contribute a lot to the agricultural sector of the country and therefore earn a lot of money. They grow yams, cassava, millet, cocoa, yams, sorghum, and sweet potatoes on the small farms. So as youcan see, you do not need to have a big farm to become successful. Nigeria breaks all the record of crops' production in the world. Currently, Nigeria is considered to be the biggest producer of Shea nuts. Additionally, the country is also the world second largest producer of millet, sweet potato, cashew nuts, and ground nuts. Nigeria is a country rich in different agricultural products. Although the Nigerian economy depends heavily on the oil industry, it is obvious that due to great human and natural resources, the agricultural sector will develop in future. Approximately 70 percent of the Nigerian population has engaged in agricultural production at least once in their life. Due to a large number of cash crops and fruits in Nigeria, the agricultural sector is very beneficial. All we need to do is to appreciate our capability, choose agriculture as a sector to build your business in and, of course, get support from the government. READ ALSO: General overview of the Nigerian economy and its economic potentials Source: Legit.ng Have you ever considered sharing your own publications at one of the scientific journals? How much money do you need to publish your article? Do not worry about this question as you are about to witness the Top 10 list of journals without publication charges! Continue reading to find out more! Top 10 list of journals without publication charges 10. The Annals of Nigerian Medicine The Annals of Nigerian Medicine is a part of the Medknow publication journals that do not charge authors any fee at all. The journal has an open access policy where you can view and even download more than half a million articles. This particular journal is provided by the Association of Resident Doctors located at the Ahmadu Bello University. It serves as the publication forum for all doctors in Nigeria. It publishes medical theories, reviews, researches, and statistics. 9. The Nigerian Medical Journal The Nigerian Medical Journal is another medical science journal in Nigeria that does not require any fees for publications. The first issue of the journal was published in 1964. This journal is a part of the Nigerian Medical Association. The main topics published are letters, case reports, medical reports, brief scientific views, medical researches, statistics and original articles. It's one of the free publishing journals of the Medknow Publication. 8. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy The Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy is another chance for your the free journal publication! It provides major information about clinical studies in neurology, histochemistry, histology, embryology, anatomy and many other aspects of medicine. In addition, the journal focuses subjects connected with organs, tissues, cells, and architecture of the body. It allows for the free processing of the published articles. 7. Open Journals Nigeria The Open Journals Nigeria is a scientific and academic journal in Nigeria. It's an open access journal offer a lot of benefits to authors. It relies on academic researches. In addition, it has a no-plagiarism rule. Therefore, it can provide you with a full protection against plagiarism. The primary publications of the journal are placed online. It covers a lot of topics. So if you have done academic researches you can publish them in this journal. 6. New Nigerian Journal of Clinical Research The New Nigerian Journal of Clinical Research is another scientific journal that can help you with your medical publications. The short name for this journal is the NNJCR. The main interest of the publication are scientific researches in the field of medicine. The journal represents the scientific view of doctors of Nigeria. It also permits the authors to review and save the published versions of their articles. 5. Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology The first publication of the NJO was presented in 1993. Since then, the journal has publications every year. The journal increased the publication numbers from once a year to twice a year in 2003. The NJO includes a great variety of articles connected with scientific researches in the field of ophthalmology. It also includes various articles connected to the legal practices of Ophthalmology medical news. It has a lot of partners that helps makes it possible to be free of charge as it is a part of the Medknow Group. 4. Nigerian Journal of Plastic Surgery It`s another candidate on the list of journals without publication fee. Plastic surgery is one of the most lucrative branches of medicine. The journal publicizes studies connected with ethical, health and medical issues of Plastic surgery. Articles which provide scientific views for medical studies in the field will be given publishing preference. The journal is also a part of the Medknow Group which offers you a large variety of viewers around the world. 3. The Nigerian Journal of General Practice READ ALSO: What is health education and promotion? The Nigerian Journal of General Practice is another member of the Medknow Publications. It allows publishers to share their work free of charge. The main topics of the journal are related to general medicine. The first issue of the journal was published in 1985. The journal has a long history of publications. 2. African Journal of medical and health Sciences This journal offers a wider audience than the previously mentioned candidates on the list of journals without publication charges. The journal covers technical and medical studies connected to the field of medicine. The viewers of the journal are most interested in the articles with clinical researches. Therefore, authors who specialize in clinical researches will be granted the privilege of being published! 1. Nigerian Journal of Health Sciences It's another journal that is also a part of the Medknow Publications. It covers a lot of interesting topics relating to the various medical researches. Financial problems of free journal publications There are not so many journals in Nigeria that allow free publications for authors. The main reason for that is a lack of resources of the journals. While the medical companies in other countries back their journals Nigerian journals do not have this luxury. Therefore, there is a significant lack of free publishing journals. READ ALSO: What is international relations theory? Source: Legit.ng Are you looking for a reasonable Internet data plan that's worth the price? You can get it with any of these Airtel data plans that we have compiled below for you. Keep reading to learn more about Airtel Nigeria data plans and codes. Most Nigerian spend so much money on Internet data every month. It can be frustrating running out of data. Chances are, you are searching for the best Internet plans and that's how you landed on this page. Well, congratulations because Airtel Nigeria has updated their data plans for their customer to enjoy more value for their money. Here are the latest Airtel data plans and their codes. Airtel Nigeria has two broad categories of Internet data plans: The SmartSPEEDOO Data Plans Airtel UNLIMITED Data Plans SmartSPEEDOO Data Plans There are different types of data plan in this category. They are categorised into: Bundle plans Android plans Social Plans Blackberry Plans Mega Packs Airtel data bundles plans 50MB Daily plan Very affordable. Enjoy 50MB of data for 100 Naira for one day. Expires after 24 hours if not exhausted. USSD Code for activating this plan is *410# 200MB 3-Day plan This is also very affordable and cheap compared to 50MB daily plan. You will enjoy 200MB Internet data for 200 Naira for three days. USSD Code for activating this plan is *412# 5-Star Pack 25MB (5MB Daily) With this plan, you get 5MB every day for five days. Enjoy this plan for just 100 Naira only. This plan is good for people who use Internet just to read online news and check peoples birthday. USSD code for subscribing to this plan is *401# READ ALSO: How to share data on Airtel 350MB Weekly airtime data bundle This plan cost 300 Naira and it is a good value for your money. Enjoy 350MB of Internet data for seven days. With this plan, you can chat, upload images and probably video call on social media. To subscribe to this plan, dial *417# 750MB for 14 days If you can afford more, you get better. This plan cost 500 Naira to enjoy 750MB for fourteen days. It is much cheaper in value when compared to the 350MB weekly plan. You can do a little bit of everything (downloading, chatting uploading pictures, etc.) with this plan. To subscribe to this plan, just dial *418# 2G Pack Plan This plan gives you unlimited Internet access for a certain number of days. There are two types for this plan. You can enjoy unlimited 2G Internet access for ten days just for 200 Naira or unlimited 2G Internet access for twenty-five days for 500 Naira. To subscribe to unlimited 2G internet access for ten days, dial *482*1# To subscribe to unlimited 2G internet access for twenty-five days, dial *482*2# Android data plans Android 1.0 Android 1.0 offers you 1.5G of Internet at a cost of 1,000 Naira. This plan is valid for thirty days. This plan can be used on all devices. To subscribe, dial *496# Android 2.0 This plan gives you 3.5GB of Internet data at the cost of 2,000 Naira. This plan is valid for thirty days. You can use this plan on all devices. Stay up to date with this plan. To subscribe to this plan, dial *437# Android 2.5 With Android 2.5, you get 5GB of Internet data for thirty days. The data plan costs 2,500 Naira and can be used on all devices. With this plan, you can remain connected throughout the month without missing out on any information. To subscribe to this plan, dial *437*1# Android 3.5 This plan gives you 7GB of Internet data at a cost of 3,500 Naira. This plan is valid for thirty days. You can use this plan on all devices. With this plan, you can do much more like streaming music and download movies. Dial *438# to subscribe to this plan Android 4.0 Enjoy 9GB of Internet data for just 4,000 Naira. This plan is valid for thirty days. With Android 4.0, you are getting the best value for your money. Dial *438*1# to subscribe to this plan Social Plans Opera Mini Large This plan gives you 250MB Internet data for twenty-five days. This plan can be used only for Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, We Chat and 2go etc. The subscription fee is 300 Naira. To subscribe to this plan, dial *885*1 BLACKBERRY BB Complete Month This plan works only on BlackBerry devices. 3GB worth of Internet data for thirty days. The subscription fee is 1,000 Naira. To subscribe, simply dial *431# MEGA PACKS MEGA 5 This plan offers you 10GB data allowance at 5,000 Naira with a validity of thirty days. To subscribe, dial *452# MEGA 8 Get 16GB worth of data for thirty days. The subscription fee is 8,000 Naira. Enjoy uninterrupted Internet access for thirty days. You can do so much more with this. Dial *460# to subscribe MEGA 36 MEGA 36 gives you 50GB of data allowance at 36,000 Naira valid for 180 days. This plan is good for you if you need a lot of data over a period of more than one month. To subscribe, dial *406# MEGA 70 If you need large data for you and your family or for your office, this plan can be a good choice. You get 100GB data allowance valid for 365 days. This plan cost 70,000 Naira. Dial *407# to subscribe to this plan MEGA 136 This plan is another one for people in need of a large amount of data. You get 200GB data allowance valid for 365 days. This plan cost 136,000 Naira. To subscribe, dial *408# Airtel UNLIMITED Data Plans Airtel UNLIMITED Data Plans are specially designed for your heavy data Internet use like streaming, downloading and sharing with your friends and family. You can also purchase a router or MiFi to share the Internet with other devices. UNLIMITED 10 Unlimited Internet access for thirty days at 10,000 Naira only. Note that the Airtel Fair Usage Policy will be activated after you have used 40GB worth of data. The Airtel Fair Usage Policy is that your data speed will slow down on Unlimited Data Plans after you reached the threshold for the plan. To buy this plan, dial *462*10# UNLIMITED 15 Unlimited Internet access for thirty days at 15,000 Naira. Fair Usage Policy kicks in after you have used 65GB data. To buy this plan, dial *462*15# UNLIMITED 20 Unlimited Internet access for thirty days at 20,000 Naira. Fair Usage Policy kicks in after you have used up to 100GB data. To buy this plan, dial *462*20# Airtel also has some amazing plans which give you talk time-minutes and SMS at the same time. UNLIMINET Daily Plan This plan costs 200 Naira. You will get 10MB Internet data, 20 minutes talk time and 20 SMS. To subscribe, dial *489*1# UNLIMINET Monthly This plan costs 1200 Naira. You will get 1024MB internet data, 60 minutes talk time and 60 SMS. To subscribe, dial *489*2# UNLIMINET Monthly_I This plan costs 3000 Naira. You will get 1200MB Internet data, 180 minutes talk time and 300 SMS. To subscribe, dial *489*1# UNLIMINET Monthly_II This plan cost 5000 Naira. You will get 2500MB Internet data, 300 minutes talk time and 500 SMS. To subscribe, dial *489*1# You can choose any of these plans above that will give you the best value for your money and also suit your personal needs. For more information, you can contact Airtel Nigeria customer care by dialing 111 or 121 from your Airtel number. READ ALSO: How to transfer airtime on Airtel? Source: Legit.ng - Deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, states that the situation in the southeast region does not warrant a military operation - The senator says the ongoing military operation in the region is causing problems - Ekweremadu calls on the people of the southeast to remain calm The deputy Senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has called for an immediate end to the ongoing military operation in the southeast region. READ ALSO: Breaking: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia Ekweremadu in a statement on Thursday, September 14, said the situation in the southeast region does not warrant the military operation tagged, Operation Python Dance, The Nation reports. The deputy Senate president said the ongoing military exercise was causing problems in the region. He said:The military siege to the South East is uncalled for because there is no prevailing situation in the region to warrant it in the first place. Instead, it is the Python Dance that appears to be creating problems and raising tension in the region. The agitation in the South East at the moment is best resolved by way of dialogue and a sense of inclusion. READ ALSO: Atiku speaks as violence continues between soldiers and Kanu's supporters He called on the people of the southeast to remain calm as he and other leaders of the region were engaging in discussion with the federal government to ensure that the military exercise was called off. I want to assure our people that I have been engaging the presidency and security agencies meaningfully on the issue. It is my hope that the Operation Egwu Eke will be called off. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Until then, however, I call on the military to respect the rights of the citizens. The various videos and reports of gross human rights abuse making the rounds in the social and traditional media are nevertheless very disgusting and disheartening. They should be thoroughly investigated by the relevant authorities with a view to establishing the truth and ensuring that no human rights violator goes unpunished, he said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that soldiers allegedly stormed into the home of the leader of the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in Abia state. In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Thursday evening, September 14, Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the soldiers forcefully gained entrance into his client's house after shooting for about 40 minutes. He said the entrance gate of the IPOB leaders residence was broken-down and forced open. The lawyer however, appealed to IPOB members to remain calm in the face of unprovoked killings, torture, abduction and malicious destruction of property. He assured the group that the entire world was watching and urged them not to take up arms, but continue to conduct themselves in the most civilized manner. In the video below, Legit.ng TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra. Source: Legit.ng - The Abia state police command says a police station in Aba has been attacked by hoodlums - The spokesperson for the Abia police command, Geoffrey Ogbona, states that a police officer was beaten up during the attack - Ogbona denies the reported attack on the residence of the commissioner of police of Abia state The Abia state police command has blamed suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for an attack on the Ariara police station in Aba. READ ALSO: Soldiers allegedly gain entrance into Nnamdi Kanus compound The spokesperson for the, Abia police command, Geoffrey Ogbona, told Premium Times that the attack was carried out around 6.30am on Thursday, September 14, during an ongoing military operation in the area. Ogbona said: Ariaria police station (Aba) was burnt down this morning. The people that did this we are suspecting they are IPOB hoodlums. The people came in their number, besieged the station and one of our police men was beaten up." He however stated that the officer who was attacked by the hoodlums did not die. READ ALSO: BREAKING: Army to withdraw troops from Abia Ogbona said while the violence was underway, the police restrained itself to avoid escalating the violence. He, however, denied media reports that residence of the commissioner of police for Abia state was attacked by IPOB members. That of (attack on) the residence of the Commissioner is not true, he said. What happened there was that the place is close to the residence of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu; so, when people see IPOB members gather around there they may think something like that (attack) was happening. The Ariaria police station which was reportedly burnt by hoodlums, photo credit: Bella Naija PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, following days of reported attacks by suspected members of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), members of the Hausa/Fulani community in Abia state have called for enhanced security for their members taking refuge in various locations. Idris Bashir, the head of the community on Thursday, September 14, speaking with Premium Times from one of the locations where he and his followers are sheltering temporarily in Aba said about two thousand of his community had been displaced following two days of attacks. Bashir, who is also the Chief Imam of Muslims in the South-eastern state said about 25 persons sustained various degrees of injuries and are now being treated in the police clinic and other hospitals. In the video below, Legit.ng TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra. Source: Legit.ng - The Oodua Peoples Congress has condemned the ongoing Operation Python Dance campaign of the army - The group stated there there was no national security threat in Umuahia to warrant such display of force - OPC urged the government to be cautious as the tense situation may dissuade foreign investors from putting their money into the country - The group challenged the federal government to prove its sincerity by restructuring the country as it stated that Nigerias most serious challenges would be solved by restructuring The Nigerian armys ongoing Operation Python Dance campaign in the southeast, has been condemned by the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). According to reports, the group made its comments in a statement signed on Thursday, September 14, by its publicity secretary, Yinka Oguntimehin. READ ALSO: Atiku speaks as violence continues between soldiers and Kanu's supporters Describing the campaign as an obvious attempt to arrest the growing influence of the Nnamdi Kanu led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the group stated that instead of employing military tactics to address the IPOB issue, the federal government should rather engage in dialogue with the pro-Biafra group. The OPC stated that the situation in Umuahia, Abia state, was not a security threat which would demand the deployment of soldiers. The group called for caution as it stated that the IPOB agitation has attracted international support and sympathy. It said investors may be dissuaded from investing in the country if they feel like there is a civil war going on, and reminded the government that history does not favor the suppression of agitating groups. The OPC stated that all efforts must be made to guide jealously the hard earned democracy which individuals and groups fought hard to enthrone. It questioned the sincerity of the federal government as it noted that Nigerias democracy is being threatened daily by injustice, security and the economy. It said these challenges could be solved without bloodletting, if the government would simply restructure the country. It further advised the federal government to take conscious effort to ensure that the incessant bloodletting in the country is arrested instead of aiding it through unnecessary militarization of the country like is being done in the southeast. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian army said its ongoing Operation Python Dance operations in Abia state would continue because its men are yet to receive any order from the general officer commanding the 82 division. This is against claims that the governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, declared that the soldiers would leave the streets of Abia on Friday, September 15. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer reacting to the alleged invasion of his client's house by soldiers. Source: Legit.ng - Ralph Uwazurike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, has condemned the activities of the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra - Uwazurike stated that the groups activities were counter-productive to the Biafra struggle and also dared Nnamdi Kanu to submit to arrest if he is a true leader - The MASSOB leader called on Igbos to stop following Kanu, as he stated that he had no real agenda for Biafra The activities of the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), have been strongly condemned by Ralph Uwazurike, leader of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Guardian reports. Uwazurike made his comments on Thursday, September 14, in Owerri, the Imo state capital. READ ALSO: Operation Python Dance: IPOB issue should be solved with dialogue, not military tactics - OPC Legit.ng gathers that the MASSOB leader stated that IPOBs activities are unhelpful to the Biafra struggle, as it could lead to an unplanned war. Uwazurike challenged Nnamdi Kanu to submit to arrest to prove that he is a true leader. He stated: A real freedom fighter submits to arrest but Kanu has told his members to burn down the country if he is re-arrested, a true indication that he was paid to destabilise MASSOB. He further accused the federal government of making Kanu popular, stating that the IPOB leader would not have gained such notoriety if he had simply been ignored. He further stated: The IPOB has no agenda and I advise Igbo leaders to condemn its activities. Nnamdi Kanu has no agenda and he is only thriving on the relevance given to him by the government. I recruited him and I know his capacities and he is not a leader. I have 25 steps towards actualizing Biafra and Kanu does not have even one agenda. While lamenting that IPOB was working to destroy MASSOBs agenda, Uwazurike also urged Igbos to refrain from attacking northerners, as the army continues with its Operation Python Dance campaign. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Ralph Uwazurike, the founder of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), accused leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, of blackmailing him. Uwazurike, who felt pushed out of the agitation he started, stated that he built Radio Biafra and employed Kanu who in turn started blackmailing him with the platform. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer reacting to the alleged invasion of his client's house by soldiers: Source: Legit.ng - Legit.ng gathered that a young Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) supporter whom reports claim was killed by the Nigerian army, is alive. - The young man has come to declare his presence while explaining how the Nigerian army allegedly rained bullets on them Even though reports appeared online that a Biafran supporter identified as Nnamdi Obi, was reportedly killed during an alleged army invasion at the Afara home of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, proof of him being alive has surfaced. One of Obi's friends who is also a fellow agitator, identified as Iyierioba Uzoezie, however shared pictures of them; maintaining that he is alive even though they are 'not okay'. Uzoezie mentioned Obi and two others who he said were with them at Kanu's house in Umuahia Isiama, Afara, Ibeku in Abia state. Nnamdi Obi, the IPOB agitator. Source: Facebook, IfeanyiCy Njoku. Nnamdi Obi has however come out to say he is alive. He had made his presence known by communicating with people on the social media. See more photos of him here: 1. Ready Source: Facebook: IfeanyiCy Njoku. 2. Protective leaves prevented them from being hit by bullets Source: Facebook: IfeanyiCy Njoku. 3. Obi Source: Facebook: IfeanyiCy Njoku. According to him, the Nigerian army rained bullets on them when they were attacked. He said his enemies are the ones spreading talks of him being killed in the attack when Nnamdi Kanu's house was raided. READ ALSO: Widow cries out after losing mud house to a fallen tree in Imo (photos) This assertion was made known through the Facebook page of IfeanyiCy Njoku. Obi urged everyone to protect themselves whichever way they could. He confirmed that the struggle for secession is toughing up and they must not relent. According to him, he had never experienced the level of attack that he saw when the Nigerian army fired bullets at them. He said he is still in shock but not dead. He claimed God revealed the protective leaves which prevent them from being harmed by bullets because of Nnamdi Kanu. He insisted that the federal government give him Biafra or he would die fighting for the cause. See the recent post made by Njoku conveying Obi's message to everyone dear: READ ALSO: Tunde Ednut fires back at Bobrisky for saying he asked him out (photos) Iyierioba and Nnamdi Obi. Photo: Facebook/Iyierioba Uzoezie Few hours before news about Obi's supposed death went viral, he shared the post below: READ ALSO: Breaking: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia On of the Facebook users, IfeanyiCY Njoku, who reported Obi's supposed death had written: "Rest in Peace Nnamdi. His name is Nnamdi Obi. He was among the people the Nigerian army killed yesterday, Thursday September 14, 2017, at the family compound of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in Afara Umuahia, Abia. Until his death, he was a committed member of IPOB. Rest in peace Obi, one thing must surely kill a man. Even the Buhari army that murdered you, because of your belief and demand for freedom will one day die too . No one lives on earth forever!" READ ALSO: Soldiers allegedly gain entrance into Nnamdi Kanus compound See Iyierioba's post: "Iyierioba, Nnamdi obi, Ikukudike,Somtoo we are alive but not okay." Hmmm! Meanwhile, watch this video to see what Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer had to say about the military invasion of his client's house: Source: Legit.ng - Some loyalists of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti have pitched their tent with Prince Dayo Adeyeye ahead of 2018 governorship election in the state - Fayose had endorsed his deputy as PDP sole candidate for the incoming election - But Adeyeye described the adoption as a huge joke and comedy staged to entertain the people of Ekiti state Some loyalists of Ekiti state Governor Ayo Fayose have moved to the camp of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Prince Dayo Adeyeye. The Nation reports that among those who dumped the governor are: former Commissioner for Public Utilities, Mr. Deji Adesua; former factional House of Assembly Speaker, Dele Olugbemi; and a Special Assistant, Alhaji Musa Kanga. READ ALSO: Fayose under attacks for endorsing his deputy as Ekiti PDPs consensus governorship candidate Legit.ng gathered that they were among thousands of supporters, who welcomed Adeyeye on Thursday September 14 to his campaign office on Ikere road, and staged a road show for him. Kanga led scores of fellow Hausa PDP members in the state, pledging their loyalty and support for Adeyeyes governorship ambition. Other ethnic nationalities that identified with the aspirant are: the Urhobo, the Idoma and the Igbo. Addressing reporters after meeting his supporters, Adeyeye said many prominent party members holding government and party posts would soon join him ahead of the primary. The aspirant described the September 6 adoption of Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola as a huge joke and comedy staged to entertain the people of Ekiti state. The PDP National Caretaker Committee Publicity Secretary described Olusolas adoption, which was masterminded by Fayose, as an irresponsible impunity that has no force of the law. He expressed confidence that the national leadership of the party will conduct a free, fair, transparent and credible primary to produce PDPs flag bearer for the 2018 poll. Adeyeye said: What happened last week at the Government House was a huge joke and an alawada (comedy) in which somebody just decided to entertain the people. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app That was an irresponsible step to take. This is because if you are a leader, you should be the first person to obey the law and not the first person to break the law. You should not do something that will break the party. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Governor Fayose said that he owed anybody apology over the adoption of his deputy for the coming election in Ekiti state. Watch this Legit.ng TV video asking Nigerians who they would vote for in 2019 - Fayose or Buhari? Source: Legit.ng - A mosque in Abia state has been invaded and allegedly destroyed by individuals suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra - The IPOB members allegedly defecated in the property, and also stole various items from it as they wreaked havoc - The miscreants were also accused of destroying the certificates of students who worship at the mosque Suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been accused of invading a Yoruba mosque in Abia state and destroying everything in it. The development was made public by a Facebook user, Yuslah Faruk. READ ALSO: Buhari has done well so far - Obasanjo In the post, a video was uploaded showing the level of destruction inflicted on the property. In the video, a man could be heard lamenting, as he accused the miscreants of also defecating in the place of worship and stealing various items including fans, meter, and even protectors. Various piles of paper were seen splashed about the place as the narrator stated that the criminals had also destroyed the certificates of students who worshipped in the mosque. Registering his displeasure over the unfortunate incident, he stated: It is unfair, this is too much. Yorubas are not interested in anything about Biafra or whatever. These people are wicked and callous, they destroyed everywhere, took their money. He further stated: I believe that God will judge them. See the video: The following pictures were also attached: Various books and documents are seen lying about after the mosque was destroyed (Photo credit: Facebook: Yuslah Faruk) The inside of the mosque was left in disarray by the miscreants (Photo credit: Facebook: Yuslah Faruk) The roof of the mosque was also damaged (Photo credit: Facebook: Yuslah Faruk) The doors of the mosque were pulled out during the attack (Photo credit: Facebook: Yuslah Faruk) PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Abia state police command blamed suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for an attack on the Ariara police station in Aba. The spokesperson for the Abia police command, Geoffrey Ogbona, stated that the attack was carried out around 6.30am on Thursday, September 14, during an ongoing military operation in the area. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of a disabled IPOB member who traveled across the country to support Nnamdi Kanu. Source: Legit.ng - Allegations of attacks on IPOB members by the Nigerian army have continued to grow - The alleged attack on Nnamdi Kanu's compound in Abia state has gained a lot of attention - It has been reported that members of the IPOB in USA have decided to hold a rally at the United Nations In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Thursday evening, September 14, Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the soldiers forcefully gained entrance into his client's house after shooting for about 40 minutes. He said the entrance gate of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leaders residence was broken-down and forced open. Following the alleged invasion, a video surfaced showing people allegedly killed by the Nigerian army. As the reports continue to spread, IPOB members in the United States have resolved to hold a rally to let the world know what is happening in Nigeria. READ ALSO: Suspected IPOB members attack police station in Abia state In a message posted on the Radio Biafra London Facebook page, they said they were protesting the alleged attack on the life of Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigerian government at his home in Afala Ibeku, Ibeku, Abia state. Below is the statement in part: IPOB:USA!!! Rally at United Nations in New York USA!! On: September 09/19/17 TIME: 12pm VENUE: 47th Street and 1st Avenue, New York (NY). Close to United Nations!!! Come with your family and friends. Pro-Biafra supporters plan mass protest at UN Headquarters on September 19 Source: Facebook, Radio Biafra London Meanwhile, the Nigerian army has said its operations in Abia state would continue because its men are yet to receive any order from the general officer commanding the 82 division. PAY ATTENTION: Watch more videos on Legit.ng TV This is against claims that the governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, has declared that the soldiers would leave the streets of Abia on Friday, September 15. A statement by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, the director of army public relations, confirmed that the soldiers are not prepared to leave the state. Watch this video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer speaking on the alleged invasion: Source: Legit.ng - Former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, describes the situation in the southeast as frightening - He warns that the situation in the southeast may not end well if some actions are not taken to prevent further spread of anxiety, anger and danger - The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar III, says Nigeria will not split, but remain one and forge a common front to achieve its goals Doyin Okupe, former spokesperson to ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately summon an emergency council of state meeting over the security situation in the southeast. READ ALSO: Operation Python Dance: IPOB issue should be solved with dialogue, not military tactics - OPC Okupe, reacting to the ongoing military exercise in the region, tagged Operation Python Dance II, described the situation in the southeast as frightening. The former presidential aide in a statement on his site, DoyinOkupe.com on Thursday, September 14, warned that the situation in the southeast may not end well if some actions are not taken to prevent further spread of anxiety, anger and danger. " In times of this type of national distress, we must rely on some human institutions in the country for urgent intervention, he said. READ ALSO: Suspected IPOB members attack police station in Abia state Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Olusegun Obasanjo & Gen Theophilus Danjuma must meet with President Buhari within 24 to 48 hours. I know that Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalam are currently out of the country. An emergency council of state meeting must be summoned to discuss and find immediate and even if temporary solution to this current problem. Since there are no Igbo past heads of states, Ebitu Ukiwe and Chief Alex Ekweme should be invited on this occasion for balancing. Present and past army chiefs of staff including Gen. Ihejerika and Minima should also attend. Two or three leaders of thoughts from the east, including the leader of Ohaneze should also be invited." Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar III, has said Nigeria will not split, but remain one and forge a common front to achieve its goals. Abubakar, who is also the president-general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), appealed to Nigerians to embrace peace and live in unity. He reminded agitators in the country that Nigeria was brought together by an act of God, despite the different ethnic group, religions and diverse rich and beautiful culture. The monarchs plea came in a statement on Thursday, September 14, in Sokoto, just as violence escalated in Abia and its environs in the southeastern part of the country. In the video below, Legit.ng TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra. Source: Legit.ng - A group has advised the federal government to implement the 2014 National Conference report - The group said implementation of the conference report is the only way forward to a successful restructuring - The group also said that major decisions on the restructuring of Nigerian cannot be taken by a political party but based on national consensus A group has urged the federal government to implement the report of the 2014 National Conference convened by former president Goodluck Jonathan. Conference of National Autonomous Ethnic Communities Development Association (CONAECDA) said restructuring of Nigeria cannot be achieved on the ideas of a political party. The group said such major decision must be taken based on national consensus. CONAECDA in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Zuwaqu Kali, the general secretary, Suleman Dauda, and president Ericson Fom, said northern governor must intensify efforts towards the implementation of the content of the conference report. READ ALSO: Suspected IPOB members allegedly go on rampage, invade and destroy mosque in Abia (photos, video) The statement said: "Were concerned about efforts of some categories of people to chart new agenda on the quest for national restructuring. These are the positions of the northern State Governors Forum and Northern traditional rulers on one hand, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on another hand, and the renewed positions of many other agitators. Any position presented by the northern governors and traditional rulers committee, if it does not engage properly with our people, will be considered as the opinion of the committee and not of the over 400 ethnic nationalities of the north." CONAECDA said it believes a common position can be achieved where honest dialogue is allowed. READ ALSO: Operation Python Dance: OPC blows hot, fires warnings to Buhari, army The group also said that the opinion of the diverse peoples of the geographical north, cutting across ethnic and religious communities, is sought and respected on their declaration. A political party is not the same as the federal government of Nigeria. This is why we consider it needful to make it public and to advise the APC leadership and committee on restructuring to consider their assignment and the outcome to be strictly a party affair, which should be subjected to national scrutiny and consensus. It is a dangerous trend to have situations whereby political parties or successive governments jettison the outcome of a national dialogue involving all key stakeholders, such as ethnic nationalities, political parties, religious leaders, civil society, security agencies, and traditional rulers that produced acceptable resolutions simply because they were carried out by different individuals, governments or political parties, the statement concluded. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng earlier reported that the senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District Shehu Sani said the committee set up by the APC to deliberate on the restructuring of Nigeria was a fake move by the party. Sani said the APC was only focused on buying time ahead of 2019 on the issue of restructuring of Nigeria. The senator also said the 2019 election will overtake the restructuring move while in 2021, the issue will start all over again. You can watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians sharing their views on the achievements of the ruling party APC: Source: Legit.ng - The former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, has asked members of the Indigenous People of Biafra to stay calm as the army carries out its operations in the state - The former governor stated that IPOBs actions must be conducted within the ambits of the law, in line with the constitution - Kalu stated that he is dialoguing with federal authorities to find ways to quell the tensions in the southeast state Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been urged by a former Governor of Abia state, Orji Uzo Kalu, to remain calm, as the army conducts its Operation Python Dance campaign. According to reports, the former governor made his comments in a statement issued in Abuja, the nations capital. READ ALSO: Suspected IPOB members allegedly destroy mosque in Abia Legit.ng gathers that Kalu appealed to IPOB members to exercise restraint and obey the law, as he consults with federal authorities to find ways to quell the tension in Abia and restore normalcy back to the state. He stated: In democracy, every group has its fundamental right to express their grievances; but such action must follow due process in line with the constitution of the country to avoid breakdown of law and order. However, in this case, dialogue remains the best solution to solving grievances. The former governor also lamented over the fact that the incidents unfolding were taking place in his own state which he governed for 8 years previously. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian army said its Operation Python Dance campaign in Abia state would continue because its men have not yet received any order from the general officer commanding the 82 division. This is against claims that the governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, declared that the soldiers would leave the streets of Abia by Friday, September 15. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of a disabled IPOB member who traveled across the country to support Nnamdi Kanu. Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian army says it will go ahead to conduct its exercise Egwu Eke - Python Dance II in the southeast region - The director of army public relations, Brig Gen Sani Usman, describes the face-off between the army and members of IPOB in Abia as an isolated issue - The army spokesperson argues that Egwu Eke is not an operation but a training exercise intended to sharpen the skills of soldiers The Nigerian army has accused some unnamed politicians of attempting to cause crisis between its personnel and people in the southeast zone for their selfish interest as it launches exercise Python Dance II. The director of army public relations, Brig Gen Sani Usman, made the accusation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, September 15. READ ALSO: Operation Python Dance: IPOB issue should be solved with dialogue, not military tactics - OPC It is so sad and unfortunate that a particular group of people, for political expediency and mischief, are trying to set the military and Nigerian society against each other. It is sad, it is unfortunate, Usman said while reacting to the face-off between the army and members of some groups in the zone, particularly in Abia. The army spokesman, however, maintained that in spite of the face-off, the army would go ahead to conduct its exercise, Egwu Eke Python Dance II, due to commence on Friday, September 15. It will commence on 15, Sept. 2017. The troops have been conducting themselves professionally within the ambit of rules of engagement and code of conduct and where there are noted infractions, appropriate measures will be taken. Usman described the face-off between the army and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia as an isolated issue which he said was being blown out of proportion by some people. These isolated incidences, instigated by miscreants and mischief makers, therefore, should not be taken as something that should jeopardise the military exercise going on in that place. It is really sad and unfortunate that people will not find time to ask question about the essence and activities involved in respect of exercise Egwu Eke II before jumping into conclusion. The exercise is taking part in the entire South East and Cross River, why should we have problem in one state - Abia. READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB are not helping the Biafran struggle - Uwazurike There is no reported problem in Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Enugu and Cross River states. The army spokesman called for understanding, saying that there is need for all of us to be more responsible, exercise understanding about the issues at hand, support and encourage the military to perform its legitimate duty. The exercise we are having has been scheduled since last year 2016, it is not targeted at any segment of the Nigerian society. As a matter of fact, it was because of the encouraging feedback that we have about the conduct of exercise Python Dance I in 2016 that brought the idea of having another exercise. And being a responsible organisation, people said Python Dance seems to be something awkward, so, why dont you call it in the native language of those people so that they can understand it just like you have exercise Harbin Kunama. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app We have had exercises in other parts of the country. As soon as we are done with exercise Egwu Eke II, we are embarking on exercise Crocodile Smile II which is also a scheduled training exercise in the circle of the Nigerian army training year, 2017. And this time around, beyond the South South Zone, it will be extended to the South West zone, involving 2 Division, 6 Division and 81 Division, Usman said. He argued that Egwu Eke was not an operation but a training exercise intended to sharpen the skills involved. This, he said was to enable them to deal with crimes such as kidnapping, pipeline vandalism and other violent crimes associated with the zone, especially in ember months. I want you to understand that the military do not come out on its own, it will only do so in case there is a need, a constitutional responsibility or need for them to come out in aid of civil authority. On the reported attack by members of IPOB on other ethnic groups in Abia and part of Rivers, he said security agencies had risen to the challenge. Well, there were reported attempts by hoodlums or miscreants to take undue advantage of what has been happening to harass and molest some other persons residing in the south east. For instance, we have had incidents at Oyibo in Rivers and of course, Aba. Security agencies have risen to the challenge. There are some mischievous elements that are peddling information to incite people. People should be wary about information on the social media, Usman advised. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, have been sued over the tension currently ongoing in Abia state between security operatives and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The suit was instituted by the prominent Igbo pressure group, the Alaigbo Development Forum (ADF). The Sun reports that the suit was filed at the Federal High Court in Enugu on Thursday, September 14. The group is reportedly asking the court for an order of immediate withdrawal of the soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the entire southeastern part of Nigeria. The ADF is represented by a team of seven lawyers led by Max Ozoaka who want the deployment of the soldiers to the southeast as illegal for the fact that there is no anarchy in the region to warrant the action. In the video below, Legit.ng TV takes a critical look at Nnamdi Kanu and the struggle for the actualisation of the Republic of Biafra. Source: Legit.ng - Governor Simon Lalong has confirmed that two person died in Jos during a violent crisis - He also sympathised with those that were injured during the incident - The Plateau governor called on community leaders to ensure peace in their domains Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state has confirmed that two persons died and several persons injured in the violence that erupted in Jos, Plateau state. Legit.ng reports that violence erupted on Thursday, September 14, after a disagreement over the Operation Python Dance in Abia that led to tension between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). READ ALSO: IPOB members allegedly attack Hausa community in Rivers (photos/video) Premium Times reports that the governor met with community and religious leaders at the government house in Jos on Friday, September 15 where he confirmed the death of those people. The governor charged community and religious leaders to ensure peace in the communities as he also confirmed that several persons were injured. He said: Community leaders must ensure peace in their domains, I as a governor, I cannot be everywhere, you must ensure that peace reigns. Let us talk to our youth to avoid taking laws into their hands." The governor called on residents of the state, irrespective of religion, ethnic and economic status to remain calm; saying government will ensure protection of lives and property. Government will handle the situation effectively, nobody is above the law. Our security operatives are up and doing. Anyone found wanting will face the full wrath of the law, that is why we imposed curfew. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app We will ensure maximum security measures in all parts of the state to ensure that no citizen is harmed. As I speak with you, similar meetings are ongoing in all our local government councils, he said. Legit.ng had reported that Lalong declared an indefinite dusk to dawn curfew on the state capital, Jos. The governor announced the measure on Thursday, September 14, through a statement by his spokesperson, Emmanuel Nanle, and following reports of disturbances in parts of Jos. Consequently, the Governor has directed an immediate imposition of curfew from dusk to dawn (6pm 6am) within the Greater Jos Bukuru Metropolis, until further notice, Mr. Nanle said. Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Kanu's lawyer talking about the military invasion of his house: Source: Legit.ng - The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has petitioned the European Union on the ongoing military operation in southeast - Nnamdi Kanu accused the army of intimidation, torture, arrest, abduction and killing of civilian populace in the southeast - He also petitioned the European Union High Commission, the presidents of United States of America, Russia, Israel, United Kingdom and France The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has petitioned the European Union on the ongoing military operation in south east region of Nigeria. The IPOB leader in the petitioned dated September 14, accused the Nigerian military of intimidation, torture, arrest, abduction and killing of civilian populace in the southeast. The letter written by the counsel to the IPOB leader, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, was addressed to the secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, the European Union High Commission, the presidents of United States of America, Russia and Israel. READ ALSO: Operation Python Dance: What IPOB members should do - Orji Uzor Kalu Other countries include; the United Kingdom and France. Kanu in his letter called for the immediate intervention of the UN, the EU, the US and these other countries on the invasion of the military in the region. He urged the comity of nations to prevail on the Nigerian government to suspend further military action in the south eastern states of the country and withdraw 'the rampaging troops' from the region. The letter reads: "Unarmed civilians largely made up members of the Indigenous People of Biafra are now being tortured and murdered in cold blood on a daily basis." READ ALSO: IPOB: Governor Lalong gives account of what really happened in Plateau Also attaching video and photographs of victims of the alleged attack, Kanu said the hostility against the IPOB members has escalated to other neigbouring states resulting in bloody casualties. He said: "We have no doubt that the undisclosed reason for deploying troops to south eastern states by the President Buhari-led administration is to attack unarmed and defencesless members of the Indigenous People of Biafra who are merely exercising their constitutional guaranteed rights to self-determination." He added that while innocent bloood are being wasted in the region, the 1999 Constitution as amended did not allow the deployment of soldiers in the region in a manner presently done by the federal government. READ ALSO: Suspected IPOB members allegedly go on rampage, invade and destroy mosque in Abia (photos, video) Kanu noted that without the intervention of the comity of nations, the killings and torture would continue. "The situation in the south east of Nigeria is serious and demand your urgent action Sir. "The modus operandi of the Operation Python Dance II presently adopted by the military deployed in the south east offends all known rules of professional engagement even in a war zone," Kanu added. Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian army said it will go ahead to conduct the Operation Python Dance II exercise in the southeast region of Nigeria. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The army in a statement by the director of army public relation Sani Usman said the face-off between the force and members of the IPOB is an isolated issue. Usman also argued that the operation referred to as the Egwu Eke II is not an operation but a training exercise intended to sharpen the skills of the soldiers deployed to the region. He further accused politicians of making attempts to set the people against the Nigerian army. See the petition below: Nnamdi Kanu accused the Army of intimidation, torture, arrest, abduction and killing of civilian populace in the south east The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has petitioned the European Union on the ongoing military operation in south east He also petitioned the European Union High Commission, the presidents of United States of America, Russia, Israel, United Kingdom and France Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian army said it will go ahead to conduct the Operation Python Dance II exercise in the southeast region of Nigeria. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The army in a statement by the director of army public relation Sani Usman said the face-off between the force and members of the IPOB is an isolated issue. Usman also argued that the operation referred to as the Egwu Eke II is not an operation but a training exercise intended to sharpen the skills of the soldiers deployed to the region. He further accused politicians of making attempts to set the people against the Nigerian army. You can watch this Legit.ng exclusive video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyers reacting the army's invasion of his client's residence: Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian military has categorized the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group - The Defence Headquarters said based on analysis by the military on activities of the group, the Armed Forces has profiled the IPOB as a terrorist organization - The Force advised parents to warn their children to desist from joining the group The Nigerian military has categorized the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group. The Defence Headquarters said following analysis by the military on the various activities of the group, the Armed Forces has profiled the IPOB as a terrorist organization. However, according to a new report in The Nation, the chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, denied that IPOB was labelled a terrorist organisation. The DHQ in a statement signed by the director of defence information John Eneche said after due professional development and recent developments and activities of the group, it has become important to notify the public that IPOB and its members are not as non-violent as they claim. Eneche also warned parents and unsuspecting residents of the southeast and the general public to advice their wards against joining the group. READ ALSO: Nnamdi Kanu petitions UN, EU, US, 4 other countries over military operations in southeast (documents) He said the DHQ also restates its commitment to handling all the security challenges in Nigeria while assuring all citizens of the security of lives and property. The DHQ statement reads: "The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) group which has posed to be a security challenge in the Country, has been metamorphosing from one stage to the other. After due professional analysis and recent developments, it has become expedient, to notify the general public that; the claim by IPOB actors that the organization is non violent is not true. "Hence, the need to bring to public awareness the true and current state of IPOB. In this regard, some of their actions, clandestinely and actively, that has been terrorizing the general public among others include; a. The formation of a Biafra Secret Service. b. Claimed formation of Biafra National Guard. c. Unauthorised blocking of public access roads. READ ALSO: Nigerian soldier warns fellow Igbo brothers, says they should remember their families in the north (photos) d. Extortion of money from innocent civilians at illegal road blocks. e. Militant possession and use of weapons (stones, molotov cocktails, machetes and broken bottles among others) on a military patrol on 10 September 2017. f. Physical confrontation of troops by Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB actors at a check point on 11 September 2017 and also attempts to snattch their rifles. g. Attack by IPOB members, on a military check point on 12 September 2017, at Isiala Ngwa, where one IPOB actor attempted to snaatch a female soldiers rifle. READ ALSO: President Buhari and his Ugandan counterpart Museveni in closed-door meeting in Aso Rock Villa (video) 3. From the foregoing, the Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to confirm to the general public that IPOB from all intent, plan and purpose as analysed, is a militant terrorist organisation. Therefore, parents and particularly unsuspecting residents of the south east and other Nigerians should advice their wards to desist from joining the group. 4. The Defence Headquarters restates its commitment to handling all the security challenges in the Country and further assures all Nigerians of the protection of lives and property." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Legit.ng earlier reported that the IPOB leader in a fresh move petitioned the United Nations, the European Union, the United States of America and four other countries over the activities of the Nigerian military in the south east. Kanu through his lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor accused the Nigerian Army of intimidating, torturing and maiming unarmed resident of the south east region. He further called on the international community to intervene in the ongoing operation and mandate the federal government to withdraw soldiers from the region. You can watch this Legit.ng exclusive video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyers reacting the army's invasion of his client's residence: Source: Legit.ng - Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to the declaration of the IPOB as a terrorist group by the Nigerian army - Fani-Kayode said the pro-Biafra group is not a violent group and pose no threat to human lives - He added that this is a democracy period and as such, things should be handled differently Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to the recent declaration of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group by the Nigerian army. Recall that Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian army in a statement signed by the director of defence information John Eneche said after due investigation, the military has decided that the IPOB is a violent group and as such would be classified as a terrorist group. Fani-Kayode, while reacting to the army's announcement said the IPOB grou is a non-violent organisation in pursuit of a legitimate objective. READ ALSO: Biafra: Police finally reveals cause of Hausa, Igbos crisis in Jos He said: "How can anyone describe an unarmed group of people as terrorists. As far as I am aware Nnamdi Kanu and members of his IPOB have never killed anyone and neither have they been carrying arms. Theirs is a peaceful non-violent struggle in pursuit of a legitimate aspiration and objective. "Violence and arms have no place in that struggle and in my view the military is simply trying to create an atmosphere of terror, fear and intimidation in order to justify their actions in the east and a general clampdown on those they perceive as enemies of the state. "It really is a pity that it has come to this and once again I call for restraint on all sides. This is a democracy and not a military dictatorship." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, the governors of the south east states had a meeting in Enugu state on Friday, September 15, to deliberate on the recent clash between the IPOB and Nigerian Army in the region. The governors met with some leaders of the zone to deliberate and come out with a blueprint on how to address the situation and challenges being posed by Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader. Watch video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer talking about the military invasion of his house: Source: Legit.ng - The southeast governors forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have banned the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra - The decision was taken at an emergency meeting held at the Enugu government house - The Nigerian military had earlier categorized the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group - On his part, Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB petitioned the European Union over the ongoing military operation in southeast region of Nigeria The southeast governors forum on Friday, September 15, proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The decision to ban IPOB led by controversial leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was taken at an emergency meeting held at the Enugu government house. Legit.ng had earlier reported that the meeting was attended by governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Willie Obiano. The southeast governors forum and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have banned the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. Photo credit: Oriental Times Imo state was represented by Eze Madumere, the state's deputy governor. READ ALSO: Military operation is not the solution to Biafra agitation - Obasanjo The meeting also had in attendance Chief Nnia Nwodo, president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, and Gen. Adamu Abubakar, the general officer commanding, 82 Division, Enugu. Reading a communique after the 2-hour meeting, Governor Umahi said: All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed. IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are advised to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the committee of governors and National Assembly members from Southeast zone, through the chairman, southeast governors forum." The decision to ban IPOB activities was taken at an emergency meeting held at the Enugu government house. Photo credit: Oriental Times Legit.ng earlier reported that the governors of the southeast states have entered into a meeting in Enugu state to deliberate on the recent clash between the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and Nigerian army in the region. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The meeting was attended by governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Willie Obiano. Photo credit: Oriental Times Legit.ng also reported that the Nigerian military had categorized the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group. The Defence Headquarters said they followed analysis by the military on the various activities of the group. The DHQ said the Armed Forces had profiled the IPOB as a terrorist organization. You can watch this Legit.ng exclusive video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyers reacting the army's invasion of his client's residence: Source: Legit.ng - IPOB has reacted to the declaration by the Defence Headquarters - The younger brother to IPOB leader says the group does not carry arms - The Nigerian military had categorized IPOB as a terrorist group Following the declaration by the Nigerian military, the Indigenous People of Biafra has said it is a non-violent movement and that it has never carried arms or killed anyone. Prince Kanu, the younger brother of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who spoke on behalf of the group in an interview with Channels Television, on Friday, September 15, said: It is very, very laughable that that is coming from a military intelligence officer. One, IPOB is a non-violent movement. READ ALSO: Southeast governors ban IPOB We do not carry arms; weve never asked anyone to kill for us neither have we killed anyone. If you look at our records, our records are clean and straight. The group also denied the allegation, insisting that it had neither carried arms nor harassed civilians. From inception, Nnamdi Kanu made it clear to the whole world that we are non-violent freedom fighters and that is the way it has been, Prince Kanu said. In a previous report by Legit.ng, the Nigerian military had categorized the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group. The DHQ in a statement signed by the director of defence information John Eneche said after due professional development and recent developments and activities of the group, it has become important to notify the public that IPOB and its members are not as nonviolent as they claim. Eneche also warned parents and unsuspecting residents of the southeast and the general public to advice their wards against joining the group. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app You can watch this Legit.ng exclusive video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyers reacting the army's invasion of his client's residence: Source: Legit.ng - A boat has capsized in the Niger River in Kebbi state - The boat which was carrying 150 passengers reportedly capsized due to overloading - 33 people have been found dead, 84 people rescued while the remaining 30 are still missing Thirty-three people including children have reportedly died while 30 are still missing after an overloaded boat capsized in the Niger River in Kebbi state. The boat carrying 150 passengers reportedly capsized due to overloading. About 85 people were rescued alive while a search party is still looking for the remaining 30 people. READ ALSO: Suspected IPOB members allegedly destroy mosque in Abia The accident happened on Wednesday morning in the remote area of Lolo village, in Nigeria's Kebbi state, but details only first started emerging on Friday. The boat had been carrying traders across the border from Gaya, in the Dosso region of Niger. They were planning to attend a village market in Nigeria. The BBC news reports that a coordinator for Nigeria's National Emergency Management (NEMA), Suleiman Mohammed Karim, told pressmen that the boat had a capacity of 70 passengers but survivors said 150 people plus their goods were on board. Referring to the remaining missing, he said: "Having spent two days on the water, we presume they are all dead." PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, the director-general, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Yunusa Maihaja, has urged state governments and stakeholders to prepare for eminent flooding following signals from the Niger Republic. Maihaja made the call on Wednesday, September 13, in Abuja during a flood coordination meeting with government agencies, United Nations agencies and relevant stakeholders. According to Maihaja, the meeting was organised to support planning and information sharing on priority areas of need to respond to the plight of affected communities. Watch the video below to see victims of the Lekki flood speaking to Legit.ng TV crew: Source: Legit.ng - Following the ban on activities of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra governors of of the southeast region have been mandated to ensure compliance of the ban in their states - The governors appealed to President Buhari to withdraw troops from the southeast - They also reinforced their desire for the restructuring of the country after buttressing their commitment to a united and indivisible Nigeria - The governors also insisted that the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra must hold The governors of of the southeast region, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other stakeholders on Friday, September 15, after a two-hour meeting arrived at the decision to ban activities of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Nnamdi Kanu. The meeting was attended by governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Dave Umahi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Willie Obiano. Imo state was represented by Eze Madumere, the state's deputy governor. The meeting also had in attendance Chief Nnia Nwodo, president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, and Gen. Adamu Abubakar, the general officer commanding, 82 Division, Enugu. A statement after the meeting read: Communique Arising from the emergency meeting of South East Governors Forum at the Exco Chambers Government House, Enugu, on Friday, 15th September, 2017 "In view of the prevailing security situation in the South East and its attendant consequences, the Southeast governors hereby resolves as follows: 1. All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed. IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are advised to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the committee of governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members from the Southeast zone, through their chairman, Southeast governors forum. 2. All governors of Southeast zone are to ensure compliance in their respective states. READ ALSO: Military operation is not the solution to Biafra agitation - Obasanjo 3. Southeast governors forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members do hereby reinforce their commitment to a united and indivisible Nigeria. 4. We also reinforce our desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all national issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian. 5. We reiterate our earlier position that the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra must hold. 6. Accordingly, we appeal to President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammads Buhari GCFR to please, withdraw the military in the southeast zone, while police perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order. 7. Southeast governors have taken concrete steps to protect lives and properties of indigenes and non indigenes in the south east. 8. We are in touch with the Northern governors forum they have assured us of the safety of all our people living in the north and we have also planned to exchange of visits between the Governors and to re-enforce the confidence of Nigerians in this respect. 9. In keeping with our earlier position, we wish to assure Nigerians that full investigation is ongoing on all allegations of killings, maiming and other unlawful conduct in the Southeast zone within this period. The governors and the security agencies are in agreement that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found culpable. 10. We advice all residents of the Southeast to go about their normal businesses as government of each state is committed to protecting everybody. 11. Finally, we advise our people in the south east to please be law abiding. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Nigerian military had categorized the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group. The Defence Headquarters said the various activities of the IPOB group prompted this decision. The DHQ disclosed that the Armed Forces had consequently profiled the IPOB as a terrorist organization. Nnamdi Kanu, on his part, petitioned the European Union over the ongoing military operation in southeast region of Nigeria You can watch this Legit.ng exclusive video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyers reacting the army's invasion of his client's residence: Source: Legit.ng Thanks to the diligent site sleuthing of Kansas City based reader Karrin, we have a venue for our first Kansas City meetup. I expect well have a very good turnout, for in addition to the locals, we should also get some attendees from a Modern Money conference at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, which starts Thursday evening and runs through Saturday. Well start officially at 5:30 PM. Im not sure exactly of the conference schedule, so although I will endeavor to be there from the start, please cut me some slack if I am a bit tardy. Karrin has reserved the Trophy Room at Charlie Hoopers, which I gather is a low-key pub in Brookside. Charlie Hoopers 12 W. 63rd Street Kansas City, MO 64113 http://charliehoopers.com/ Karrin adds: Though walkable from UMKC, tired conference goers in dress shoes may want to catch the Main Street Max bus line that also goes past UMKC. Free parking is available behind the block on which the bar sits, and there are several other public, free, parking lots sprinkled throughout Brookside, as well as street parking. All parking is walkable to Charlie Hoopers, even for tired conference goers in uncomfortable shoes. Bus route from UMKC to Charlie Hoopers https://goo.gl/maps/i16ocpV2cQT2 The Main Street Max can also take people all the way back down to the Plaza, Crossroads, or downtown. You get off at Brookside at 63rd. If you use the Google Maps link, it says that its only 15 minutes in transit, even including walking on both ends. But the bus runs only every half an hour, with the scheduled pickup time at 14 and 34 minutes after the hours at the 52nd Street pickup. If you walk, its 1.4 miles, or a roughly 30 minute hike. Looking forward to this event. See you soon! I dont recall ever seeing a situation like this with a major story in the ten-plus years I have been blogging. At 1:23 PM EDT, the Wall Street Journal published a story as its lead item, Japans SoftBank Wants Big Chunk of Uber, But at Steep Discount. Well describe the article in greater detail below, but its describes as as much as $10 billion but with all but $1 billion at a 30% discount from the $68 billion valuation as of its last funding, although the deal would make a gesture of honoring the old valuation by putting in that $1 billion at the old level. Over 12 hours later, no major financial or tech publication has re-reported it. Look at Recode as an example: A search at the Financial Times on SoftBank shows these as the most recent stories: And at the New York Times, where its DealBook makes a point of being on top of transactions and tech: At CNBC: At Bloomberg, there is a mention of sorts, but only one line in a story on Lyft, Alphabet Considers Lyft Investment of About $1 Billion. Its now one of the top stories on the Bloomberg site. Mind you, the proposed Lyft investment is less than 1/10th of the amount that SoftBank is supposedly willing to put into Uber. In the last sentence of this six paragraph story, the Bloomberg authors make a passing mention of the SoftBank deal: Hes [Khosrowshashis] looking to complete a fundraising deal of his own: Uber is advancing on an investment from SoftBank Group Corp. and others of as much as $12 billion, most of which would allow existing shareholders to cash out. And at Reuters, we have the odd spectacle of a BreakingViews opinion piece keying off the Wall Street Journal account, with no related Reuters news story. Even odder is the premise of the piece, AI is the big driver of SoftBanks Uber move: Artificial intelligence is the backseat driver of SoftBanks move on Uber. Masayoshi Sons tech and telecoms group is close to investing $10 billion in the U.S. ride-hailing giant, the Wall Street Journal says. That reflects the Japanese mavericks belief in the disruptive power of self-driving cars. Huh? As anyone who has been paying the slightest amount of attention to Uber knows, whether it has any self-driving car technology to speak of is the subject of litigation with Alphabet, which alleges that Uber stole pretty much everything it has from Alphabet. Why would SoftBank pay $10+ billion for a probable empty bag? To drive the contrast home, when the Wall Street Journal first reported that SoftBank was interested in investing in Uber, its account was speedily re-reported by everyone who mattered. The failure of other media outlets to take up the Journal story seems even odder given the detail in the piece, sine detail is typically evidence of getting to the bottom of a situation. For instance: SoftBank and its $93 billion tech-focused Vision Fund are proposing to buy at least 17% of Uber and as much as 22% through a combination of share purchases from the company and a tender offer with employees and investors who want to sell, according to people familiar with the matter. As part of the offer, it is seeking two board seats, these people said, adding to Ubers nine sitting directors. Negotiations could conclude as early as next week But the offer faces hurdles. SoftBanks hope of securing a sizable stake is dependent on investors agreeing to sell enough of their shares at a discount of 30% or more from Ubers last valuation of nearly $70 billion through an auction process open to most shareholders, people familiar with the talks said. That would value Uber at around $50 billion, though the price could change based on how many shares investors indicate they are willing to sell SoftBank is also planning a direct investment of at least $1 billion at Ubers current valuation of about $68 billion, these people said. That would help placate existing investors concerned the auction process could devalue the company as it heads toward an initial public offering in as few as 18 months. Other investors joining SoftBank include San Francisco hedge fund Dragoneer Investment Group and New York private-equity firm General Atlantic. The idea of an auction sounds bizarre in this context. The only way I could see it working is if Softbank has a price range, and started by making its offer at the lowest price it thought might fly and seeing how much it got. Its maximum would be determined which price it hit first: the highest price needed to secure all the shares it wanted or the the top price in its offer range. The problem with that is that the highest price SoftBank is willing to pay might not be enough for it to get enough shares for it to obtain the two board seats it wants. So I would assume that the entire deal would be set up so that any offers were contingent on SoftBank getting enough shares in total. In addition, the process of structuring such a process is further complicated by the fact that each funding round had unique terms and the shares are therefore not fungible, unlike the shares of publicly traded stocks. So how does SoftBank run an auction with that complexity? It would have to go something like: We offer X for Class A shares, X1 for Class B shares, X2 for Class C shares and so on, and then keep re-adjusting the prices for each class of stock in successive rounds. Hubert Horan weighed in by e-mail: The individual elements of this story are vaguely plausible but absolutely make no sense in combination. How do you buy a major piece of the company at a deep discount yet maintain the $68 billion valuation? Why would anyone provide critical financing (much less $10 billion in financing) at a critical point in a companys history without establishing direct control over board governance and management? Why would anyone provide critical financing before Waymo and the other huge litigation risks had been resolved/mitigated? Any major investment would affect future governance in a way that would either significantly strengthen or weaken Kalanicks role and leverage. Why would major parties (presumably including Benchmark) sell major bits of their holdings and jeopardize Board seats and leverage over the IPO and future decisions? Why would you pay Khosrowshahi $200 million to join if you already had deal covering the companys biggest near-term strategic challenge? It could be this is part of Kalanicks objective of putting off an IPO as far into the future as possible. But this is at the heart of the unresolved civil war between Kalanick and Benchmark. And it is hard to believe that Khosrowshahis compensation package wasnt tied to completing an IPO in the next two years. He said as much after being appointed, and Benchmark would have never agreed to Khosrowshahi as the compromise CEO if this hadnt been made explicit. My guess all along was that Son was not really following the Japanese business norms that we are both familiar with and that the Japanese press seems to be assuming. If hed been offended by Ubers ongoing violations of M&A protocol, he would have sent discreet (but unmistakable) signals of his disinterest a long time ago. Absolutely none of the other Softbank investments mentioned in the article are remotely comparable to Uber. Several of the hypothetical motives weve discussed in the past (thinks he can get control of Uber at a screaming bargain price; Ubers Asian operations turn out to be collateral for a loan dressed up to look like equity; it really is a Benchmark exit deal that locks in huge gains, etc) could still turn out to be the real explanation, but major elements of the WSJ story are inconsistent with all of them. Now all of these squares may be circled somehow and all of this skepticism will prove to be wildly off base. But a general rule is the longer a deal is in play, the less likely it is to come to fruition. And this SofBank-Uber deal talk is already looking a bit long in tooth. Ultrafast snapshots of relaxing electrons in solids (Nanowerk News) Using ultrafast flashes of laser and x-ray radiation, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (Garching, Germany) took snapshots of the briefest electron motion inside a solid material to date. The electron motion lasted only 750 billionths of the billionth of a second before it fainted, setting a new record of human capability to capture ultrafast processes inside solids! When x-rays shine onto solid materials or large molecules, an electron is pushed away from its original place near the nucleus of the atom, leaving a hole behind. For a long time, scientists have suspected that the liberated electron and the positively charged hole form a new kind of quasiparticle known as core-exciton. But so far, there has not yet been a real proof of its existence. Scientists have a wide range of tools to track excitons in semiconductors in real-time. Those are generated by ordinary light, and can be employed in various applications in optoelectronics and microelectronics. On the contrary, core-excitons are extremely short-lived, and up to now, no technique was available to track their motion and deduce their properties. Attosecond flashes of light and x-rays take snapshots of fleeting electrons in solids. (Image: MPQ, Attoelectronics Group) A team of scientists led by Dr. Eleftherios Goulielmakis, head of the research group Attoelectronics at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, have been able to capture the dynamics of core-excitons in solids in real-time. Using flashes of x-ray radiation lasting only few hundred attoseconds (1 attosecond = 0.000000000000000001 seconds) followed by optical light flashes of similar duration (a tool developed by the group last year) the scientists obtain an ultrafast camera which allowed them to take snapshots of the short-lived excitons in silicon dioxide for the first time. The work is published in this weeks issue of Science ("Soft x-ray excitonics"). Core-excitons live for a very short time because their interactions with other particles in the solid quickly stops their motion, said Antoine Moulet, leading author in this work. In quantum mechanics we say that the exciton loses its coherence, he adds. A key tool to track the dynamics of core-excitons has been the development of attosecond light flashes in the optical range. The work was published by the Attoelectronics group last year. In our experiment we use x-ray flashes to light up core-excitons in solids, whereas the optical attosecond pulses provide the possibility to resolve this motion in real-time, says Julien Bertrand, a former researcher in the group of Goulielmakis, at present assistant professor at Laval University, Canada. The combination of both allowed us to take snapshots of the motion of core-excitons which lived for approximately 750 attoseconds. But the study was not limited to capturing these fleeting motions inside solids. We were able to acquire quantitative information about the properties of core-excitons such as their miniature dimension which were merely bigger than that of a single atom, or how easily they are polarized by visible light, says Goulielmakis. Our technique advances excitonics, i.e. the measurement, the control and the application of excitons in the x-ray regime. But at the same time, it is a general tool for studying ultrafast x-ray initiated processes in solids on their natural time scales. Such a capability has never before been possible in x-ray science. (Natural News) Pharmacy chain giant CVS Health Corporation recently came under fire for allegedly overcharging insured customers for certain generic prescriptions. A lawsuit was filed against CVS claiming that the company participated in a fraudulent scheme. The lawsuit has also alleged that the plaintiff, Megan Schultz, paid $165.68 for a prescription in July which, if bought without using insurance, would have only costed $92. According to Schultz, the pharma giant did not inform her that there was a cheaper option. According to the lawsuit, the problems stem from the co-pays sent back to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). These PBMs serve as intermediary between insurance companies and pharmacies who discuss the prices that insurers have to pay the pharmacies. The charges claim that PBMs regulate the pharmacies that were in-network for the insurance companies. According to the lawsuit, this incentivizes CVS to offer them a portion of their sales so more clients come in. Customers were not aware of this, as agreements between the CVS and PBMs fall under confidential contracts, the lawsuit purported. CVS never told her that paying in cash would allow her to pay 45 percent less for the drug; instead, CVS remained silent and took her money knowing full well that no reasonable consumer would make such a choiceconsumer pays the amount negotiated between the PBM and CVS, even if that amount exceeds the price of the drug without insurance, the complaint read. While the particular prescriptions taken by the plaintiff were undisclosed, the lawsuit claimed that the drugs affected by the purported scheme include amoxicillin, Viagra, Lexapro, and other commonly prescribed drugs. David Balto, a former policy director of the Federal Trade Commission, has called CVS alleged misconduct egregious and noted that PBMs are in need of government regulation. Balto noted that no market is as loosely regulated as PBMs, and that they are taking great advantage of it. Letting PBMs continue in this lax regulatory environment could mean higher drug prices for consumers, Balto added. CVS denied the claims, dismissing the suit as completely without merit and built on false premise. Co-pays for prescription medications are determined by a patients prescription coverage plan, not by the pharmacy. Pharmacies collect the co-pays that are set by the coverage plans. Our pharmacists work hard to help patients obtain the lowest out-of-pocket cost available for their prescriptions. Also, our PBM CVS Caremark does not engage in the practice of co-pay clawbacks. CVS has not overcharged patients for prescription co-pays, and we will vigorously defend against these baseless allegations, the CVS statement read. Walgreens also in hot water for overcharging customers Walgreens has also recently faced similar charges for allegedly overcharging their customers. According to a lawsuit filed against the drug company, a customer paid $22 through his health insurance for a prescription that would have costed him only $10 in cash. A company spokesperson has dismissed the claims, stating that the statements lack merit. The spokesperson also stressed that the company will vigorously defend against the accusations. (Related: Drug company created massive network of fake cancer patients to sell lucrative prescriptions while bribing doctors.) Sources include: University of Adelaide researchers have confirmed that abnormalities in a common brain chemical are linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In the first study of its kind looking at babies outside the United States, researchers from the University of Adelaide's Adelaide Medical School investigated 41 cases of SIDS deaths and discovered striking abnormalities in chemical serotonin within the brain. Serotonin, otherwise known as 5-HT, is a neurotransmitter found in different parts of the human body, including the central nervous system. Among its many roles, serotonin is involved in the regulation of sleep, and also control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This latest research, published in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, confirms and supports the concept that brainstem dysfunction, resulting in significantly altered serotonin expression, is associated with some SIDS deaths. SIDS is the sudden unexpected death of an infant under one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. It is the leading cause of death in infants between one month and one year of age in Australia and the developed world. The research was conducted by PhD student Dr Fiona Bright under the supervision of University of Adelaide Professor of Pathology Roger Byard. Dr Bright today graduated with her PhD from the University of Adelaide. Her work builds on research conducted in the United States at the Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where Dr Bright was based for 18 months during her combined studies. "Our research is significant because it has confirmed that abnormalities in serotonin in the brain are most definitely linked to cases of SIDS. This helps to support the findings of the American research," Dr Bright says. Neuroscience eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today "Serotonin is a key neurochemical that plays an important role in the control and management of the complex respiratory, cardiovascular and autonomic systems within the human infant brainstem. "Our research suggests that alterations in these neurochemicals may contribute to brainstem dysfunction during a critical postnatal developmental period. As a result, this could lead to an inability of a SIDS infant to appropriately respond to life-threatening events, such as lack of oxygen supply during sleep. "Notably, the SIDS cases we studied were all linked to at least one major risk factor for SIDS, with more than half of the infants found in an adverse sleeping position and having had an illness one month prior to death," Dr Bright says. Professor Byard says: "Better understanding of the complex role of these neurochemicals, and the exact causes of their dysfunction in the brain, will help future research to develop potential biomarkers for infants at increased risk of SIDS. "Ultimately, we hope that this work will lead to improved prevention strategies, helping to save baby's lives and the emotional trauma experienced by many families." This research was funded under a Fellowship established by the River's Gift SIDS charity. "River's Gift's primary objective is to fund world-leading SIDS research to make a tangible contribution to the discovery of a cure for this heart-breaking loss of life," says River's Gift General Manager Karl Waddell. "The University of Adelaide research is a significant step towards achieving that objective." It's rare for a faculty member in any physics department to earn a federal grant administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), but that is exactly what Boise State assistant professor and biophysicist Matt Ferguson has done. On July 1, Ferguson was awarded a three-year, $410,000 NIH Academic Research Enhancement Award to study and help explain the basic functions of the human genome. "This award will fund the main focus of my research, which is how to visualize the splicing and transcription of RNA, which is a fundamental process in biology," Ferguson said. First, a basic biology lesson: All life forms, including human genes, consist of strands of DNA that pair together to form double helixes. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) is made from DNA, and is used to create protein in the body out of amino acids a vital function. "The big question that I'm trying to answer with my research is, how does the genome work?" he explained. "About 15 years ago we finished sequencing the human genome, we know all the letters in the book of life, but we don't yet know its grammar and syntax." The human genome is simply the sum total of our DNA. Ferguson explained that when the human genome was sequenced, scientists expected to find more than 200,000 genes within, and all of those to code for protein. But in actuality, only 20,000 genes were discovered, with only 2 percent coded for proteins. "That leaves us with the question: why do we have so few genes and what does the other 98 percent accomplish?" Ferguson said. One explanation for both findings is that the average human gene has nine exons, otherwise known as a segment of a DNA or RNA molecule that codes for a protein, and eight introns, which are non-coding sequences. When you consider the factorial combinations, this amounts to roughly seven billion genes in our genome. However, researchers still do not understand how that alternative splicing is regulated in other words, how coding and non-coding RNA segments know how to link up. This is where Ferguson's research comes into play. Ferguson has constructed a microscope that is unique in its temporal resolution and spatial resolution, which will allow him to test how scientists can understand the regulation of splicing. There are only three such microscopes like this in the world. The NIH grant will help fund the first three basic experiments that Ferguson can conduct, as well as fund a graduate student to aid his research. Ferguson first developed the two-photon laser scanning fluorescence fluctuation microscope while working as a National Science Foundation (NSF) fellow in Montpellier, France. The unique microscope has a 3D orbital tracking feature that allows Ferguson to monitor the number of RNA molecules that are produced in an active site of transcription in a living human cell in this case, a bone-cancer derived cell line harvested from a 15-year-old girl. "These particular cells are flat, which allows me to see it better in the microscope," he said. "They've had three genes integrated into their genome that allow me to visualize RNA molecules as they're synthesized from DNA and spliced and translated into protein." His research could have broad impacts on how diseases are understood and treated. Biological processes are regulated through specific protein molecules called cofactors, or helper molecules, which, when mis-regulated, are susceptible to mutations and are correlated with human disease. "Having this tool will allow us to learn not only how splicing is regulated, how it is mis-regulated and also how that might be treated at the molecular level. We're hoping to first learn more about basic biology and then apply it to prevent or treat diseases in the long term," Ferguson said. According to a new report by researchers from UK, the population of Papua New Guinea has the greatest linguistic and genetic diversity. The language differences across the bends of the river Sepik are baffling and reflect and underlying genetic diversity that was until now not fully appreciated. The study report is published today 15th of September 2017 in the journal Science. Male Huli tribe member in Tari area of Papua New Guinea in traditional clothes and face paint. Image Credit: By Amy Nichole Harris / Shutterstock Papua New Guinea is called a stepping stone in the human movement from Asia to Australia by the researchers. The team of researchers note that the differences in the genetic makeup of the population can be dated back to ten to twenty thousand years only rather than fifty thousand years back when humans first arrived. They found that agriculture was independently found on this island around ten thousand years ago, and this did not change the genetic makeup of the population as was the case in several populations across Europe and in some regions of Asia. Woman of a Papuan tribe in traditional clothes and coloring in New Guinea Island. Image Credit: Byelikova Oksana / Shutterstock Anders Bergstrom, a graduate student at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, UK, who was part of the study team, explained that agriculture tends to homogenize the genetic differences in populations. Sanger Institute geneticist Chris Tyler-Smith, lead researcher further explained that in the Europe for example when agriculture was brought in by the Anatolia farmers, the genetic makeup of the local hunter gatherers that lived then for generations completely got replaced by the new genetic features. This obliteration of the genetic picture is absent in New Guinea and this is a big surprise he said. Traditional Enga cultural show in Wabag, Papua New Guinea. Image Credit: Michal Knitl / Shutterstock Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today For this study the team looked at 1.7 million DNA markers across the genes of 381 Papua New Guinea citizens speaking 85 different languages. For 39 other individuals from the regions they obtained and compared the complete genetic picture. Results revealed were surprising. They found; Residents of Papuan New Guinea were isolated and different from the Asians in the prehistorical periods The persons dwelling in the highlands and the lowlands were separated from each other ten to twenty thousand years ago Those living in the highlands again divided into three groups within the last ten thousand years after agriculture began The lowlanders on the other hand divided into two groups, one each for north and south According to Bergstrom, agriculture techniques along with the genes began to spread simultaneously initially. Then the groups stop intermixing and further genetic exchange could not take place. This meant that the local genetic pool remained intact for each of the separated groups. Initially it was thought that the mountains were keeping the highlanders off the lowlands preventing genetic exchange and homogenization. Then it was noted that the genetic uniqueness was maintained even in the plains where the groups could easily mix around. The team speculates that there may be within group marriages and also intergroup wars and segregations that were keeping the people from different groups from procreating together and mixing the genetic types. This study was hailed as an important landmark by experts in understanding the genetic diversity shown by populations and understanding of how technology and movements across countries can still affect the genetic changes in the populations. People can intuitively recognize small numbers up to four; however, when calculating they depend on the assistance of language. In this respect, the fascinating research question ensues: how do multilingual people solve arithmetical tasks presented to them in different languages of which they have a very good command? The question will gain in importance in the future, as an increasingly globalized job market and accelerated migration will mean that ever more people seek work and study outside of the linguistic area of their home countries. This question was investigated by a research team led by Dr Amandine Van Rinsveld and Professor Dr Christine Schiltz from the Cognitive Science and Assessment Institute (COSA) at the University of Luxembourg. For the purpose of the study, the researchers recruited subjects with Luxembourgish as their mother tongue, who successfully completed their schooling in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and continued their academic studies in francophone universities in Belgium. Thus, the study subjects mastered both the German and French languages perfectly. As Luxembourger students, they took maths classes in primary schools in German and then in secondary schools in French. In two separate test situations, the study participants had to solve very simple and a bit more complex addition tasks, both in German and French. In the tests it became evident that the subjects were able to solve simple addition tasks equally well in both languages. However, for complex addition in French, they required more time than with an identical task in German. Moreover, they made more errors when attempting to solve tasks in French. During the tests, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure the brain activity of the subjects. This demonstrated that, depending on the language used, different brain regions were activated. With addition tasks in German, a small speech region in the left temporal lobe was activated. When solving complex calculatory tasks in French, additional parts of the subjects' brains responsible for processing visual information, were involved. However, during the complex calculations in French, the subjects additionally fell back on figurative thinking. The experiments do not provide any evidence that the subjects translated the tasks they were confronted with from French into German, in order to solve the problem. While the test subjects were able to solve German tasks on the basis of the classic, familiar numerical-verbal brain areas, this system proved not to be sufficiently viable in the second language of instruction, in this case French. To solve the arithmetic tasks in French, the test subjects had to systematically fall back on other thought processes, not observed so far in monolingual persons. The study documents for the first time, with the help of brain activity measurements and imaging techniques, the demonstrable cognitive "extra effort" required for solving arithmetic tasks in the second language of instruction. The research results clearly show that calculatory processes are directly affected by language. Lucideon, the international materials development and consultancy organization, is pleased to announce that Biodensol will be holding a symposium entitled, Novel Silicate and Phosphate Materials for Bone and Tooth Restoration on Tuesday 07 November 2017, 09:00-16:15 at its headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent. Lucideon and the University of Lyon are jointly running Biodensol, a European Commission-funded research project. The project supports three PhD students as they research and develop novel inorganic powders to create new and improved dental products, such as longer-life fillings and adhesives, and products that tackle tooth caries or enamel erosion. The symposium will bring together industry and academia and highlight the role of novel silicate and phosphate materials in hard tissue replacement/regeneration. The day will begin with keynote presentations from Professor Pierre Colon, University of Denis Diderot Paris 7, France, and Dr Jochen Salber, University Clinic Knappschaft Bochum, Germany, who will outline the drivers faced in dentistry and orthopaedics, respectively. This will be followed by an overview of the Biodensol project and oral and poster presentations concerning novel silicate and phosphate materials. Abstracts for presentations are currently being sought and should relate to one or more of the following: innovative chemistries and/or processing routes (including additive manufacturing) and improved mechanical properties and/or re-mineralisation properties. Our research is focused on developing materials that can provide greater functionality and performance in dental products for restorative treatments. Its a really interesting and promising area of research with very important industry applications. We are looking for presenters to join ourselves and our keynote speakers, to present their research in the areas of dentistry and orthopaedics as part of the oral and poster presentation sessions. Federico Lizzi, a PhD Biodensol researcher Dr Phil Jackson, technical manager of healthcare at Lucideon and the Biodensol project supervisor, said: The use of superior materials in bone and tooth restorations will mean more effective treatments, longer lasting devices and implants, increased comfort for patients, and fewer visits for remedial treatment. This event will give those involved in this area of research a chance to showcase their findings and advances, with the added benefit of being able to discuss results and potential follow-on studies with likeminded professionals and academics. To find out more about the symposium, please visit www.lucideon.com/biodensol. Two studies conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School indicated that mothers who were affected with severe infections that required hospitalization are at an increased risk of having an autistic child. The report of the studies which were published in the Nature on 13th September 2017 also suggested possible preventive measures for this condition. In trails on mice, the researchers identified the possibility that maternal infection could to lead to autistic-like behaviors in offspring, which might be dependent on the constitution of bacterial populations in the digestive tract of the mother. Specific changes in the brain which create these behaviors are also identified in the trial. According to the researchers, further validation through human studies could reveal possible methods, like blocking the function of certain strains of bacteria present in the gut of the mother, to decrease autism risk. A 2010 study which involved every child born in Denmark from 1980 to 2005 identified a threefold increased risk of autism in cases of severe viral infections during the first trimester of pregnancy. The study also linked serious bacterial infections (like viral gastroenteritis, influenza, and severe urinary tract infections) in the course of the second trimester with a 1.42-fold increased risk. Mouse models of maternal inflammation had also suggested similar impacts. In a 2016 Science paper, Gloria Choi and Jun Huh (who are also the senior authors of both the current papers) identified Th17 cells - a kind of immune cells - and their effector molecule IL-17, as accountable for this impact in mice. The interactions of IL-17 with receptors in the brain cells of the developing fetus lead to the irregularities called as "patches" in some parts of the cortex. The researchers, in one of the new papers, conducted an in-depth study of the patches to identify if they are responsible for the behavioral abnormalities (like, repetitive behavior and impaired sociability) in those mice. The findings indicated that the patches are more common in S1DZ - a section of the brains somatosensory cortex, which is thought to be responsible for proprioception. Interneurons, the cell population that expresses parvalbumin, were seen reduced in these patches leading to overexcitement in S1DZ. By restoring the normal levels of brain activity in this area, the researchers could reverse the behavioral abnormalities. Also, through overstimulating neurons in S1DZ, they could induce the behaviors in otherwise normal mice. It was also found that the S1DZ sends messages to two other brain regions - the striatum and the temporal association area of the cortex. When the neurons linked to the temporal association area were inhibited, the researchers could reverse the sociability deficits, while, the inhibition of the neurons connected to the striatum enabled them to stop the repetitive behaviors. In the second paper, the authors studied a few additional factors that decided whether or not a severe infection resulted in autism. The findings showed that not all mothers with a serious infection end up having an autistic child and not all the mice in the maternal inflammation model developed behavioral abnormalities, suggesting inflammation during pregnancy as just one of the factors causing autism. Choi explained that the infection should work with additional factors to cause autism. The researchers could also identify that IL-17, which generally takes 3 to 5 days to produce because it is produced by specialized immune cells which take time to differentiate, began to be produced in one day when immune systems in some of the pregnant mice were stimulated. This suggests that this cytokine may be being produced from pre-existing immune cells rather than from differentiated immune cells, In the study, the offspring of mice with one specific type of harmless bacteria, segmented filamentous bacteria were identified to have cortical patches and behavioral abnormalities. When those bacteria were killed using antibiotics, neurotypical offspring were produced. According to Huh, this information strongly suggests the possibility for certain mothers who carry these types of Th17 cell-inducing bacteria in their gut to give birth to children with this inflammation-induced condition. 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 Donald Trump confirms visit to China, Japan, S.Korea Washington : President of the United States, Donald Trump, confirmed that he will be paying a visit to China, South Korea and Japan in November as a part of his Asia tour. Trump on Thursday showed positive signs over visiting Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and his team is still considering whether he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in The Philippines, Efe news reported. The confirmation on Asia tour from POTUS comes amid rising tensions with the North Korea. He said he would "probably" go to China, Japan and South Korea in November and "possibly" attend the APEC summit in Vietnam, adding that Filipino President Rodrigo Duarte had invited him to the ASEAN summit, about which Trump said "we're going to see" whether or not he will attend. Donald maintained silence over the deal China and the United States are working on to combat nuclear threats from North Korea. At the beginning of this month, North Korea conducted its sixth atomic test, the most powerful to date, using a thermonuclear device -- allegedly a hydrogen bomb -- which Pyongyang said it could install on the intercontinental ballistic missiles it has been testing in recent months. In response, the South Korean army has staged live-fire military exercises and joint maneuvers with the US to demonstrate its strength and resolve. It will take until the the 2030s for the US to deploy new Vertical Lift systems (twice as fast and all kinds of new technology) to replace existing combat Helicopters on a large scale. In the meantime, the US army can afford to upgrade about 50 helicopters per year with tech like cockpit automation, improved turbine engines, and active protection against incoming missiles. The Armys No. 1 need is a new armed reconnaissance helicopter to replace the retired Kiowa but they dont have money until we buy out Apaches and we buy out Black Hawks. Theres no money to develop an all-new scout helicopter until the Army finishes modernizing its existing AH-64 gunships and UH-60 transports. Three Kiowa replacements have already been cancelled and the money plowed back into upgrading existing aircraft: the RAH-66 Comanche, ARH-70 Arapaho, and Armed Aerial Scout. Today, there are 2,135 Black Hawks alone, Gayler said, and the Army can only afford to replace or rebuild at most 50 a year. Blackhawk helicopters cost $6-10 million each. Apache helicopters cost $35 million each. The US army will takes decades fielding technology that will be obsolete long before they are done. There is a complete myth out there that common must be better. A force of interchangeable, modular brigades made some sense for Afghanistan and Iraq, where the military had to deploy fresh units to replace exhausted ones with as little disruption as possible, year after year after year. But building up identical brigades required shortchanging specialist capabilities required by higher headquarters. In counterinsurgency, an intensely local kind of conflict, the focus on smaller units mostly worked. One back-to-the-future option under study is reviving the Cold War Armored Cavalry Regiments (ACRs): brigade-size heavy units with their own organic infantry, tanks, artillery, and helicopters, designed to scout and fight ahead of the main force. Todays Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) include all three types of ground troops, but no aviation. Helicopters have been a scarcer and more expensive asset with more intense demands for maintenance and fuel, which is why they are centralized in independent Combat Aviation Brigades for now. Larger drones could end up being part of a solution The US is also considering giant drones for resupplying troops. Drones that could carry about 800 pounds of payload. The civilian Aero-X drone is able to carry up to 140 kilos (310 lbs), at an altitude of 3.7 meters (12 feet), at speeds of up to 72 kph (45 mph) and it cost about $85,000. The US military is beefing it to carry armor and more payload and fly faster. It would be lucky if they could keep the upgraded drone under $1 million a piece. In front of my building on Riverside Drive and West 100th street stands a monument to New York City 's firefighters, the Firemen's Memorial, dating from 1913. Every year on September 11th New York 's firefighters march down the block accompanied by mournful bagpipes, convening at the monument for a remembrance ceremony. After the ceremony I sit on the bench in front of the wreaths and recall the faces of those men who walked into the towers moments before the concrete and asbestos exploded onto them. Anger overtakes my sadness before long. 343 firefighters died in the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers . Another 345 firefighters who worked to recover bodies at the site in the weeks that followed 9/11 have died from obscure forms of cancer. Most were young men, under 40 years old. In total 688 New York City firefighters were killed by the collapse of the trade towers There were no corpses found in that rubble, only bone fragments and human dust, Did they suffer? Did they die in pain or was it over in an instant? What did they feel as their bodies were being pulverized into dust mid-air; as they were being cremated alive. A cauldron of molten steel flowed like lava in the pit beneath for months after 9/11. Yet we are told to believe that no thermite-laced explosives were planted in those towers during the two prior weekends when the towers were closed to the public, that no bunker buster bombs were placed in the sub-basements. right. There have been several films about the evils of Big Pharma but Legal Death: In Drugs We Trust, a new film series in development promises, to be the most unsparing. Unlike academics and medical groups who express "concerns" about Pharma tactics while not wanting to lose its funding, Filmmaker Tim Alexander clearly takes no Pharma money. Filmmaker Tim Alexander is Exposing Big Pharma (Image by Martha Rosenberg) Details DMCA Alexander's film project was motivated by the death of his first cousin in April at the hands of someone under the influence of psychoactive drugs. Karen Smith, a San Bernardino schoolteacher and mother of four, was murdered along with an 8-year-old student by her estranged husband in front of horrified students in her classroom. The killer was Cedric Anderson, a minister and childhood friend of Alexanders whose entire personality changed on psychoactive drugs. Anderson had married Alexander and his wife just a year before his deadly deeds. The murder echoes hundreds and possibly thousands of others recorded in published reports Alexander soon discovered. How bad is the grip Pharma has on the U.S. population? Today, an estimated one in four U.S. adults is on antidepressants. One in eight is on a psychoactive drug. More than 160 die daily from opioids. Since the debut of direct-to-consumer advertising----in which TV watchers ask doctors for drugs they know they need from a disease they diagnose themselves----Pharma has become the third most profitable industry in the U.S. Years ago, the stated goal of Pharma giants was to have healthy people not just sick ones on drugs--quadrupling profits. The plan worked. One night in 1997, as Americans were parked on the couch for their usual episode of Touched By An Angel or Seinfeld, they saw an ad for Claritin, the first prescription drug promoted directly to the consumer. Soon, ads for Meridia, Vioxx, Viagra, Singulair, Allegra, Lipitor and especially antidepressants like Paxil and Prozac followed. Antidepressants were a cash cow for Pharma when it discovered that people with real life problems with their job, the economy and their family would term it "depression" and take a drug. Ka-ching. Soon diseases were created or overplayed, sometimes called disease du jours. Risks of disease and fears that a condition would get worse, were whipped up to sell drugs. Extreme drugs were marketed when milder and cheaper drugs would do. By 2006, Pharma was spending $5.5 billion a year on DTC advertising----as much the U.S. government was spending in an entire month in the Iraq War. No one complained. TV stations, doctors, medical schools, hospitals, medical journals and health web sites loved the Pharma revenue and patients liked to get drugs for the "diseases" they believed they had. There was no money in yelling that the morgues are filling up from suicides, homicides and drug overdoses. As Legal Death: In Drugs We Trust points out, children, the elderly in nursing homes and members of the military are among the biggest victims of the Pharma con to medicate the most vulnerable with SSRIs, opioids, and atypical antipsychotics (like the best selling Abilify) at taxpayer expense. Tim Alexander is brave to take on the most ruthless and well financed foe of U.S. health. See a clip of Legal Death: In Drugs We Trust and support the project here. (Article changed on September 15, 2017 at 16:58) (Article changed on September 15, 2017 at 17:02) The Washington Post reports that Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government has rescinded its offer of a visiting fellowship to whistle-blower Chelsea Manning. Following tantrums from Central Intelligence Agency director Mike Pompeo (who withdrew from a planned speech) and Michael Morell, a former CIA deputy director Michael Morell (who resigned his own fellowship at the school), Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf issued a statement calling the invitation a "mistake" and denying any intent to "honor [Manning] in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds." Harvard is a private university (to the extent possible in a mixed economy featuring various sorts of government funding for students, researchers, etc.). Its leaders are entitled to discriminate as they wish regarding faculty and curriculum. But the Kennedy School's action and Elmendorf's statement are a stain on the nearly 400-year-old university's honor. A ping on the ol' irony meter: Among those who contend that the assassination of JFK was not the act of a lone gunman, the CIA tends to move to center stage as the likely center of a conspiracy to kill the president. While Kennedy's intent to thwart the military-industrial complex in general and the CIA in particular may be exaggerated, he nonetheless enjoys a posthumous reputation for attempting to rein the agency in. Now, more than half a century later, the school that bears his name kowtows to that same CIA over what Julian Assange of WikiLeaks accurately deems a "cry-bully complaint" from Pompeo and Morell. It's sickening. Chelsea Manning is an American hero who, after an illegally long pre-trial detention and a show trial lacking even the pretense of due process, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for exposing the crimes committed by numerous actors within the US government. Former president Barack Obama deserves plaudits for his decision to commute her sentence, and condemnation for not going further with a full pardon, lavish financial compensation for the wrongs done her, and an apology and thanks for services rendered on behalf of of a grateful nation. The Kennedy School's motto is "ask what you can do," presumably as excerpted from JFK's inaugural address: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Chelsea Manning asked herself what she could do for her country and for the freedom of man. She then proceeded to act -- at great personal cost to herself -- on the answers she found to that question. No person on the Kennedy School's current list of visiting fellows is even close to as qualified as Manning to teach the mission implied by the school's motto. Douglas W. Elmendorf's denial of intent to honor Manning or endorse her deeds is a confession that appeasing reprobates like Pompeo and Morell comes before doing the right thing for his students. Shame on Harvard. "All options, including military actions, are on the table." When asked if he was serious about possibly launching an attack on North Korea, Trump replied, "We'll see." Tough words coming from this country's "work in progress" Commander-in-Chief! That kind of macho rhetoric does nothing but exacerbate an already very troubling situation. Instead of those reckless threats we need deep thinking and rational decision-making to prevent some ill-advised action by one side or the other from igniting a massive war. The more that Trump threatens North Korea the more paranoid its leaders become; and the more they intensify efforts to successfully develop a nuclear strike capability. North Korean leaders want this nuclear program as the means by which they can hold the U.S government and its military at bay; they strongly believe that, if they possess this power, U.S. leaders will think twice before they ever take steps to launch any kind of attack on their nation, attempt to depose its current leader, Kim Jong-un; or some leader in the future. Many experts in world affairs believe that if it were not for America's highly aggressive military agenda that has been aimed at North Korea for many decades, that that nation would never have initiated a nuclear development program. It's common knowledge that North Korea has thousands of sophisticated artillery pieces located on its border with South Korea, by which it can launch missiles at any given time that would devastate the city of Seoul and kill untold numbers of its citizens. This is why the U.S. military has, at least so far, decided not to launch an attack against the North and its leader, Kim Jong-un. So we now have a deadly standoff between these two sworn enemies. Negotiations to come to some kind of agreement are not on the agenda at this time. So the impasse continues and North Korea intends to launch more ICBM's until this weapons system is fully functional. Here's another example of how Trump's dangerous rhetoric fans the flames of war; Business Insider reported that, "The White House on Sunday published a readout of President Donald Trump's talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that listed 'nuclear capabilities' as an option for dealing with North Korean aggression; pure madness! That kind of misguided threat should scare everyone in America, North Korea and the entire world. More and more psychiatrists and associated mental health experts are issuing warnings about Trump's mental state; that he shows clear signs of mental instability. What's going to happen if this president, in some fit of rage, loses control and gives the order to launch an attack, possibly a nuclear one, on North Korea? This is not just speculative thinking; this could actually happen at any given time, it's that dangerous Trump keeps prodding China to get involved to persuade North Korea to back off its nuclear program but China is very reluctant to do so. He has threatened to cut off trade with China if continues to refuse to use its powerful influence in this matter. Wow, cutting off trade with the country that manufactures the lion's share of your consumer goods; that's brilliant thinking. U.S. imports from China are about $480 billion so if Trump cuts a significant portion of them off he will bring American commerce to a near standstill, virtually crippling the economy. What would he do next; try to resurrect the U.S. manufacturing sector and restart the process of making the bulk of our own products? Good luck with that! Trump recently tweeted that the U.S. was also going a step further and thinking about stopping all trade with any country doing business with North Korea. Nothing like threatening other major trading partners, including many of our allies; that's bull in a china shop thinking. In the past, when America was in the midst of some monumental crisis, much like this one that involves a nuclear threat, what former presidents stand out as examples of leaders who dealt with them in a controlled, resolute manner in order to defuse a dangerous situation? Two former presidents immediately come to mind. President Franklin D. Roosevelt faced one crisis after another during World War II and he, together with his close advisers, made decisions in a rational, controlled manner. As the war progressed, his leadership convinced Americans that the U.S. would prevail and they would be safe. He was certainly an inspiration to this country's citizens during those trying times. Dwight D. Eisenhower, during that same war when he was a U.S. general and the Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe, also faced various crises in which he had to act decisively but with necessary caution and careful planning. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). In the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Americans have an initial estimate of the damage. However we have yet to assess the costs of "Hurricane" Donald Trump. Moody's Investor Services estimates that Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused approximately $200 billion in damage. Of course, beyond the monetary damages there are psychological and social consequences; millions of people have been dislocated and, to some degree, traumatized. Hopefully, the long-term consequences of the devastating Hurricanes will include changes to government policy: for example, at the federal level, recognition of the reality of Global Climate Change and reduction of the power of the fossil-fuel lobby; and at the local level, changes in city planning and building codes (such as not paving over wetlands.) The long-term consequences of Hurricane Donald are more costly than the damage inflicted by Harvey and Irma. Here are five social costs associated with Trump. Economic Inequality: Trump defeated Hillary Clinton because of economic injustice: Millions of voters -- predominantly white -- felt their lives had not improved during the Obama Administration. They believed Trump's promise to "make America great again." Trump supporters felt he would change the way Washington does business, shake up the establishment, bring good jobs back to the heartland, and substantially improve their lives. Eight months after occupying the White House, Trump has done little to justify his supporters' confidence in him. He has not taken on economic inequality. To the contrary, post-election Trump appears to be a typical Republican politician who sides with the one percent at the expense of the 99 percent. (Trump's tax plan -- still being formulated -- favors wealthy Americans at the expense of working families.) Ignoring economic inequality has long-term consequences. Many economists have observed that the Republican ideology -- "trickle-down" economics -- damages the economy: it fails to address pressing national needs, such as infrastructure repair, and does not increase the disposable income of the middle class. Furthermore, protracted economic inequality jeopardizes democracy. Not only does the Republican ideology favor "big money" in politics but it discourages average Americans from participating in the political process; for example, because they are too busy earning a living to adequately inform themselves about national issues. In addition, economic inequality breeds cynicism, distrust of democratic institutions. Social Injustice: Writing in The New York Times, Emory University professor Carol Anderson observed: "The guiding principle in Mr. Trump's government is to turn the politics of white resentment into the policies of white rage -- that calculated mechanism of executive orders, laws and agency directives that undermines and punishes minority achievement and aspiration" Trump's vociferous August 16th press conference -- where he defended the Charlottesville White Supremacists -- illuminated Donald's true feelings. The primary focus of Trump's prejudice has been immigration. On August 2nd, Trump endorsed a Republican initiative -- led by Senators Cotton and Perdue -- that would dramatically change immigration policy and reduce immigration levels by 50 percent. That same day, presidential aide Stephen Miller appeared at a White House press conference to laud the immigration initiative and claim that current policy has produced a slew of economic problems such as income inequality and a dearth of good-paying jobs. (There's no compelling evidence for this assertion but it plays well with Trump's base.) Besides being immoral, Trump's prejudice undermines American democracy. It jeopardizes the core notion that we are "one nation, indivisible." The United States has thrived because it has been seen as a land of opportunity, a vast "level playing field," where anyone willing to work hard could be successful regardless of gender, race, religion, or national origin. Climate Change: Donald Trump is a climate-change denier and a tool of the fossil-fuel industry. His actions -- whether taking the US out of the Paris Climate Accord or appointing climate-change deniers to top Administration positions -- are deleterious to the health and safety of all Americans. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma proved that we need to drastically curtail carbon emissions (and move millions of Americans to higher ground). International Relations: On January 20th, Donald Trump became the United States leading "diplomat." Unfortunately, Trump does not practice diplomacy; he doesn't believe in negotiating for the common good, striving for a "win-win" agreement where both negotiating partners feel good. Trump is a "deal-maker," which he once capsulized as "the thrill of winning." He's not interested in fair agreements but rather ones where he comes out looking good. Now Donald represents the US in a variety of harrowing matters. He is negotiating with North Korea, Russia, Iran, and China, among others. Furthermore, Trump is negotiating perilous issues such as the proliferation of nuclear arms, global climate change, immigration, and sex trafficking. National Consciousness: We live in a difficult time. Many Americans are experiencing a level of psychological disturbance above-and-beyond what we might attribute to living in the fast-paced modern world. The national zeitgeist features anger, despair, and hatred. Much of this widespread psychological disturbance has been caused by Hurricane Donald. It's unsettling for the nation to be led by an unstable bully. A man who lies all the time. Who does not care about the national interest, but rather what benefits him. A president who does not treasure democracy. From The Nation CIA director Mike Pompeo is using the platform afforded him as a docile member of Donald Trump's outer circle to attack and discredit whistle-blower Chelsea Manning. And Harvard University has now bent to his pressure. Pompeo announced Thursday that he would not fulfill a commitment he had made to appear at Harvard because of Chelsea Manning's appointment as a visiting fellow at the Kennedy School's Institute of Politics. Pompeo dismissed Manning -- a former US Army intelligence analyst who leaked to WikiLeaks nearly 750,000 military and diplomatic documents that revealed details of what she has described as "death, destruction and mayhem" in Iraq -- as "a traitor to the United States of America." "Ms. Manning betrayed her country and was found guilty of 17 serious crimes for leaking classified information to Wikileaks," Pompeo wrote in a letter to Harvard officials. "Wikileaks is an enemy of the United States." The next day the Institute of Politics revoked Manning's invitation and apologized for extending the offer. Manning tweeted that Harvard has decided to "chill marginalized voices under @cia pressure." In another tweet, she wrote: "this is what a military/police/intel state looks like -- the @cia determines what is and is not taught at @harvard." Manning was indeed jailed for her actions. But President Obama commuted her sentence in January -- cutting decades off her 35-year sentence -- and the 29-year-old was released from prison in May. Upon her release, Sarah Harrison, the acting director of the Courage Foundation and former WikiLeaks editor, said, "Chelsea deserves her freedom, and the world's respect, for her courageous, inspiring actions in 2010. Chelsea's releases through WikiLeaks helped bring an end to the US war on Iraq, galvanized Arab Spring protesters and inspired subsequent truth tellers." Daniel Ellsberg, of Pentagon Papers fame, hailed her release from incarceration -- which he said "offends a sense of justice" -- and celebrated her commitment to giving the American people information about what was being done in their name but without their informed consent. Manning has, over the years, been honored as a whistle-blower by the German Section of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms and the Federation of German Scientists, and she has been awarded the Sean MacBride Peace Prize by the International Peace Bureau and the Sam Adams Award by Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence. Click Here to Read Whole Article What started as just another hail-mary claim from one of the many separatist groups in the world recently shifted into a potential escalation which makes the international community and global governance bodies uneasy. At stake, are the security of global trading lines, the consideration regulating entities are given around the world, and their capacity to solve contingencies. The story started in the 1960s, when Spain rescinded its controlling authority over Western Sahara, mostly a strip of desert sand, but home to some people named the Sahrawi. Unable to administer the land for lack of government structures, neighboring Morocco took over, after UN clearance. Spain had conducted little or no investment into the area's development, but Morocco saw the potential of the strip. Nowadays, its imports allow for around 100 Gigawatts of electrical power to be produced in the land, enabling the extraction of resources and the development of the local economy. The Polisario has been trying, ever since the area became economically interesting, to gain control of the entire Western Sahara and oust Morocco altogether, a matter which is being handled by the United Nations. Last May, as the UN negotiation process was about to be stirred again, the Polisario attempted to beef up its position so that it could arrive at the bargaining table and put the gun on Morocco's head. It therefore showered courthouses around the world with requests that any goods originating from Western Sahara , en route to their final destination, be seized wherever they are. Naturally, most courthouses know that their role is to rule upon legal disputes, and not political ones which are left to governing bodies - in keeping with the rule of separation of powers. However, one courthouse had apparently never heard of this fundamental democratic rule, in South Africa. In Port Elizabeth, the local court ordered that the cargo Cherry Blossom, on its way to New Zealand with fertilizer phosphate rock, be arrested in the harbor as it stopped to refuel . Since then, the Polisario has been throwing its weight around, through its unofficial press organization -- the Western Sahara Resource Watch, sending threatening mails to businesses around the world and trying to strike while the iron is hot. "PCS has imported phosphates from Western Sahara for processing in Geismar, Louisiana, for decades. We would like to inform you that trade with and transportation of mineral resources from occupied Western Sahara is politically controversial, highly unethical and potentially against international law.", it sent to a Louisiana company last month . The United Nations has been very silent on the matter, as any coverage would highlight how a local separatist group can baffle its authority. The scent of sulphur around the Polisario comes in two waves. The first is that the motives may well be more financial than democratic. Its claim is to allegedly enforce the Sahrawi people's wish for independence. However, scrutiny on the matter shows a disturbing fact : the Sahrawis stretch across the strip of desert, all the way into Algeria, where they are parked in dire conditions, in refugee camps. On the Moroccan side of the Sahrawi environment, because companies have been developing business in a sustainable way for decades, life is far better for the Sahrawis who find employment, pay, quality housing, services and security. So, despite many reasons to defend the Sahrawi in Algeria, but with danger at key, the Polisario chose to fight on easier ground, where there is less risk, and more money, leaving the Algerian Sahrawis to their dreadful fate. In fact, the European Parliament called upon the commission to investigate, earlier this month, regarding exactions and human rights abuses reported in the Tindouf refugee camp, co-managed by the Polisario and the Algerian Army. "Critics, however, continue to allege that the Saharawis are prisoners in the camps, restricted by both the Polisario Front and their Algerian sponsors from leaving in large numbers. ", the OSF reported. The second scent is the open defiance to international law. For many decades, the international community has striven to reach a certain set of agreements, and modi operandi to sort out differences. Among these agreements, the protection of international trade, definitions of competent authorities, and the creation of international justice bodies. By cutting through the robe of the law, the Polisario is threatening to send it all to the ground, and shows no intention of returning to a more law-abiding attitude. As Xanthe Hall, who writes for Open Democracy, says"we need international law to provide that structure for global security and stability -- now more than ever." Michael Rubin, adds for AEI: "Increasingly, however, South African grandstanding and a judiciary willing to put partisan ideology above law threatens to derail international processes, reward terror, and effectively encourage piracy.". Despite the matter having made relatively little noise in mainstream media, this affair has tremendous potential ramifications. For the first time, a local court has taken it upon itself to declare itself competent on a matter outside of its jurisdiction, effectively grabbing the case out of the United Nations' hands. The UN has struggled, ever since its creation, to maintain its authority, challenged by nature by sovereign states which possess their armed forces, unlike the UN. If the UN does not find a way to resume its control on the Western Sahara question, and restore its negotiation process to its initial course, this could be the beginning of a new era, where its voice will no longer be heard at all. Quicklink Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their quicklinks after publishing them. To see if the quicklink was renamed or re-published, please click here. The triplets on our trip to New York City (Image by Carl J Petersen) Details DMCA The results did not get any better as my wife entered into a general education classroom to observe another effort at mainstreaming. While in the special day classroom, my daughter had received focused attention to keep her on task in the curriculum. However, in this general education classroom the teacher was responsible for teaching an entire class and did not have time for students who could not keep up. Therefore, the students with special needs were placed in the back of the room and given games to play with on their computers. Was just being in the same classroom as students without disabilities supposed to provide academic achievement? Segregated from the rest of the class, she certainly was not improving her social skills.classroom the teacher was responsible for teaching an entire class and did not have time for students who could not keep up. Therefore, the students with special needs were placed in the back of the room and given games to play with on their computers. Was just being in the same classroom as students without disabilities supposed to provide academic achievement? Segregated from the rest of the class, she certainly was not improving her social skills.task in the curriculum. However, in this general education classroom the teacher was responsible for teaching an entire class and did not have time for students who could not keep up. Therefore, the students with special needs were placed in the back of the room and given games to play with on their computers. Was just being in the same classroom as students without disabilities supposed to provide academic achievement? Segregated from the rest of the class, she certainly was not improving her social skills. Unfortunately, pushing for individual results is easier than changing a bureaucratic system the size of the LAUSD. Therefore, while we were able to move our daughter into a different program for the next school year, the fatally flawed system remained in place, continuing to harm the students it was supposed to serve; it is an environment built on good intentions but not properly designed. My daughter now attends John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills where, in the 2012-13 school year, 16% of the students had special education needs. Like her previous school, Kennedy also integrates my daughter and her classmates into general education environments, but in a more thoughtful manner. In her freshman year, tears were brought to our eyes as we watched her participate in her ROTC class inspection, with her typical peers gently encouraging her back into line when she became distracted. This year we watched with excitement as she participated in the school's choir recital, concentrating intently and literally finding her voice. There are several factors that allow this program to succeed while where the other failed. The first is a classroom teacher, Ms. Mary Jo Cormier, who is dedicated to making sure her students reach their full potential. This includes selecting elective subjects that will suit her students' interests and working with the general education teachers to ensure they are prepared to meet each student's individual needs. For most of the day, my daughter is also helped by a behaviorist who can reinforce social cues that she may miss due to her disability and helps keep her on task. Most importantly, the school has an active peer buddy program that allows students in general education to interact with my daughter and her classmates in a supervised setting. They are, therefore, better able to understand the challenges their classmates face and learn how to have meaningful interactions with them. This culminated in the end of the year "buddy prom" where both sets of students celebrated their achievements.working with the general education teachers to ensure they are prepared to meet each student's individual needs. For most of the day, my daughter is also helped by a behaviorist who can reinforce social cues that she may miss due to her disability and helps keep her on task. Most importantly, the school has an active peer buddy program that allows students in general education to interact with my daughter and her classmates in a supervised setting. They are, therefore, better able to understand the challenges their classmates face and learn how to have meaningful interactions with them. This culminated in the end of the year "buddy prom" where both sets of students celebrated their achievements. While this program has been a good fit for my one daughter, it must be emphasized that Special Education derives its name from the fact that the needs of each student are unique. For some students, especially those who are physically fragile, a general education campus is not an appropriate placement. For this reason, the LAUSD developed Special Education Centers that were specially designed and operated to serve the most vulnerable students. Unfortunately, in an effort to reduce costs, the District has chosen to focus on the part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that says "that children who receive special education should learn in the least restrictive environment" while ignoring the section that states to the "maximum extent that is appropriate." Instead of using what Dr. Joy Efron, a retired principal of one of these centers, calls a "success experience", children must now fail in a general education environment before being admitted into these centers. "At Frances Blend School (which was one of several options for blind students), we concentrated on teaching braille, orientation and mobility, listening skills, a variety of access/adaptive skills and as soon as the student had sufficient skills to move on to a more 'integrated' or 'mainstreamed' setting, a decision would be made, involving the parents," Dr. Efron explains. "Now, with that option eliminated, a student must FAIL before getting what that student needs. We don't send a high school student to a graduate physics class at Caltech and make him/her fail before the student can enroll in a beginning high school physics class." If the focus was returned to the needs of the students instead of the needs of the District, these centers could be operated in a way that provides integration along with the required special services. For example, much like the peer buddy system at Kennedy, students who are interested in careers in special education and health care could be enrolled in magnet programs co-located at these schools. This would benefit both sets of students as those with special needs receive meaningful interaction with non-disabled peers and these students receive a jump start to a career. This helps all students reach their full potential. Isn't that the purpose of a high-quality education system? ____________________________________________ Carl Petersen is a parent and special education advocate, elected member of the Northridge East Neighborhood Council and was a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race. He was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action and Dr. Diane Ravitch called him a "strong supporter of public schools." His past blogs can be found at www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Senator Elizabeth Warren (Image by mdfriendofhillary) Details DMCA I never thought I'd run for the Senate. And, for a long time, I really didn't want to. But in the summer of 2011 I started to wonder: "Should I do this?" And then I met a woman who helped make up my mind. On a day so hot that it made your eyelashes frizzle, I held a meeting in downtown New Bedford to talk about what was happening to working families in Massachusetts -- and to see whether or not it made any sense for me to launch a Senate campaign. About 50 people were glued to their metal folding chairs -- not because of anything I said, but because the room had no air conditioning. After the meeting, a woman in her mid-fifties came up to me. She told me she had walked two miles to attend the meeting -- because she didn't have a car. "I'm here because I'm running out of hope. I've read about you for a long time, and I'm here to see you in person, to tell you that I need you, and I want you to fight for me. I don't care how hard it gets, I want to know that you are going to fight." That was it. I was in this fight. So six years ago today, I announced my United States Senate campaign to represent the people of Massachusetts. Six years later, I haven't regretted that decision for one moment. Fighting for working families in Massachusetts and across the country in the Senate is the greatest honor of my life. But I haven't done it alone -- over the past six years, you've been right by my side. Thanks for being a part of this. From Reader Supported News Right now the Democrats, exiled from power and clinging to the edges of federal governance, are dreaming of a revival. But their strategy is a passive one. The Democrats are betting that Donald Trump and his Republican enablers will implode with such force that a power vacuum of epic proportions will result. Their hope is that without getting their uniforms dirty they will naturally fill the power vacuum as voters turn away from the Republicans in disgust. But that ignores the power vacuum within the Democrats' own ranks. Ask most American voters what the Democrats stand for and you're likely to get a lot of blank stares or negative perceptions based on right-wing media talking points. The Democratic Party's decline parallels a departure from issue-based policy and an embrace of policy defined by the donor class. The ideological grist has been replaced by message management and political marketing. Even in their criticisms of Donald Trump, whose conduct is as blatantly unethical and un-American as any president in U.S. history, Democratic officials are largely measured, even tepid, in their remarks. The Democratic Party is a party in search of an identity. To regain majorities in Congress or elect a Democratic president, there must be a clearly defined ideology that voters can grasp, identify with, and feel compelled to rally around. In poll after poll, the most trusted and popular political figure in America is Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders has the respect and the confidence of more voters than any Democratic presidential hopeful, by far. But perhaps most importantly, Sanders has a clearly defined agenda based on an ideology that a broad spectrum of Americans identify with: "Put the interests of America's working majority ahead of the policies of wealth accumulation for the richest 1%." Sanders brings the Democrats something they haven't had in decades: ideological legitimacy. However, in a more pragmatic sense, Sanders gives the Democrats the best shot at major gains in both houses of Congress and the Oval Office. Sanders is not only the overwhelming favorite of the Democratic-Progressive base but he has, more importantly, tremendous credibility and support among the all-important independent voters. Any objective observer of the 2016 Democratic primary contest had to seriously suspect that the DNC and the Democratic Party establishment strongly favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. In fact, they did everything in their power to ensure that Clinton, not Sanders, would be the nominee. Through it all, Sanders, true to his word, remained a loyal team player. Yes, Sanders is a Socialist. Yes, he serves as an Independent in the Senate, not a Democrat, but he has proven a reliable and consistent ally of Democratic positions on critical social issues. He has proven that he can be trusted. Sanders wants change; the Democrats fear it. Like it or not, change is coming. Sanders will challenge the Democratic Party, but he will also surely lift the party and set it on a course to majority representation. The Democrats must seize the day. 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. Kids Girls Boys Women Men Course Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Schedule: Have you been hearing the buzz about enduro racing but weren't sure if it was for you? Got a kid that's been bugging you to let them race? A new event created by the race professionals at the Vittoria Eastern States Cup/Clif Enduro East race series is just what the doctor ordered. The Clif Enduro Lite event will offer an introduction to enduro racing in a stress-free setting at Burke Mountain in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.The Clif Enduro Lite format will offer four fun tracks to entertain all levels of rider but will focus primarily on women, kids and first-timers. The emphasis will not be on results or prizes but on learning and having fun with like-minded mountain bike riders.Pro racer and Burke local Ella Skalwald is gathering a group of seasoned pros to help spread the excitement and ease some fears people may have associated with racing. Says Skalwald: "I am personally very excited about this event because it gives people who are interested in racing, but might feel intimidated, a fun, welcoming and caring space to try it out! We will have a Q&A session with our seasoned racers and then have support at the start of each track. The pros will be there to get people excited and feel comfortable for their run!"There will be numerous classes and age groups so racers will be riding with similar ability and age levels:8 & Under9111214151712141517BeginnerAmateur50+BeginnerAmateur50+Burke Mountain is a fantastic venue and the Clif Enduro Lite event will take advantage of some of the area's best terrain with just the right amount of challenge and variety.Transfer 1: uplift top part of Roly Grail up open slope and right onto CCC rd to Lower J-barLower J-barTransfer 2: up Shire up camp town CCC RdDMA/New Black SmithTransfer 3: up camp town right on CCC Rddown Little ChiefTransfer 4: up Sherburne/Roly Rd to top of liftBlack Forest FinishEveryone has to start somewhere, and this is the place. Before you know it, you and/or your kid will be ready for the next level of racing. Spread the word and we hope to see you all there!Get registered now: https://www.bikereg.com/clif-enduro-lite-at-burke-mountain-vt Date: Sunday, Oct. 1Location: Sherburne Base LodgeRegistration: 7:30-9:00Racer Meeting: 9:15amLift Load: 9:30amAwards: 2:00pmThe Vittoria ESCV Enduro Finals are Sept 23-24 at Killington Resort, VT. The event is open to all! Fedor Holz Poker Masters Documentary: Episode 1 September 15, 2017 Valerie Cross Get a glimpse into the Life of a Champion as cameras follow Fedor Holz on Day 1 of the Poker Masters. A bit jetlagged and content after a Vegas club night out to celebrate a couple friends birthdays, Holz gears up for the series by stocking up some healthy food options after getting up too early on the morning of Event #1. Holz Takes Care of Business Before the tournament begins, Holz meets with some entrepeneurs about a possible business investment and does a quick interview with Remko Rinkema. He tells Rinkema hes been up to a lot different things including short trips and meeting entrepreneurs. Hes enjoying getting to know a completely new area, and spending time at his office in Vienna developing an app and other projects. For Holz, his changing involvement with poker doesnt involve missing out on a prestigious high roller series offered at Aria. I just love poker. I mean thats not going away. Its more in what shape it comes. According to Holz, he will still travel for events like this one that are really competitive and of high quality. His expectations of the Poker Masters is that it will be fun and action-packed, but not too much unlike the regular high roller events he is used to with the same pool of 30-35 players. He says hes especially excited to play against his fellow Germans and as far as side action goes, he got the maximum of himself as he is confident hes going to win the Purple Jacket. As Holz heads to register the event, he runs into Doug Polk and Daniel Negreanu at the cashier cage window, where some more side action on the tournament is discussed. A Bumpy Start Smoothing Out Holz busted two bullets in Event #1 pretty quickly and ended up sleeping until around 3 a.m. still battling with jet lag. As he lay in bed watching Overwatch online, Holz tells the camera that four of the seven German contingency made the first final table, which Holz thinks is pretty pretty awesome and he wishes them luck. While a German did not end up winning Event #1, three of them have a chance to take down Event #2 currently sitting in the number one, number two, and number four spots in the final seven to begin the final table today at 2 p.m. In the number two spot? Fedor Holz. Needless to say, Event #2 has been going much better than the first one for Holz, who multiplied his starting stack by four by the time of the final table of nine redraw. He went in fourth in chips with 490,000 but had a big deficit to cover as Tom Marchese had just over 2 million. Holz was able to chip up in the last couple levels of the night, in part by taking a few pots from Phil Hellmuth. With eight remaining, Holz check-raised from the small blind on a flop of after Hellmuth continuation bet in position, prompting folds from Adrian Mateos in the big blind and Hellmuth, who said to Holz, You always have it huh? before mucking pocket tens face up. Holz showed his inferior pocket sevens before taking that pot, and shortly thereafter, Holz eliminated Dan Shak in eighth place with pocket sevens (again) after he flopped a set against Shaks ace-five suited. Holz finished with 1,138,000 to put him second in chips for Day 2, not far behind fellow countryman Christian Christner. Time will tell if Holz can get his name toward the top of the Poker Masters leaderboard today with three tournaments still to go. With $125,000 locked up, Holz undoubtedly has his sights set on the top prize of $900,000. You can follow Holzs progress in the event by reading the live updates and watching the livestreamed final table action on PokerGO. A deep-stacked day ended with Aleksandr Gofman taking down the partypoker LIVE MILLIONS Russia Main Event for $1,000,000 to become the second Russian in a row to win a partypoker MILLIONS event, after Michal Mrakes in Rozvadov three months ago. Coming into the day seventh in chips, Gofman bided his time in the early stages of the day before accelerating up to pass start-of-day chip leader David Laka heads-up. Gofman earned a cool $1,000,000 in prize money and was warmly embraced by his girlfriend, 15th-place finisher Daria Feshchenko when the final river card was dealt. Position Player Country Payout (CSU) Payout (USD) 1 Aleksandr Gofman Russian Federation 1,160,000 1,000,000 2 David Laka Spain 696,000 600,000 3 Aleksandr Merzhvinskiz Russian Federation 464,000 400,000 4 Anatoliy Zyrin Russian Federation 348,000 300,000 5 Leonid Logunov Russian Federation 232,000 200,000 6 Philipp Zukernik Canada 174,000 150,000 7 Michael Sklenicka Czech Republic 121,800 105,000 8 Vadim Lipovka Belarus 81,200 70,000 Speaking after his victory, Gofman said that it was an amazing feeling. "It's so nice to do it in my home country. I'm happy, but I don't totally understand it yet!" Referring to the deal that never happened, Gofman said he felt relaxed. "I'd already won a lot of money, so I thought 'Let's play!' When I won that big hand against David [Laka], I thought f*ck it - I'm going to scoop this!" Despite having a lead heads-up, Gofman had a distinct focus when it came to the final few hands of his tournament. "When we went heads-up I had double his chips. I asked him if he wanted to play for less or the trophy; if he wanted the trophy he could take it! "I didn't want all the headache or the pictures - I just wanted to win!" Eventual runner-up Laka reflected on his outstanding run of performances in this and the High Roller earlier this week, which he won. "First and second in two tournaments like this - I can't ask for more. It's amazing. I'm exhausted, really! "There were three friends here, one of my friends had to travel back to Spain, but my other friend is here so we can celebrate!" The action-packed day started with short stacks battling it out to stamp their mark on the day's proceedings. Michael Sklenicka doubled through Leonid Logunov with aces versus ace-king, and Vadim Lipovka managed to put a small dent in Laka's chip lead. However, Lipovka would be the day's first casualty when he four-bet ace-queen into the aces of Sklenicka. There was no help for the Belarussian and he was eliminated in eighth place (81,200 CSU/$70,000). By this stage, it was a battle between David Laka and Anatoliy Zyrin for who could be the most aggressive player at the table, with the pair up well over 200 million chips and clear of the rest of the field. The next elimination was Sklenicka in a cooler when he jammed his pocket tens into the ace-king of Laka. The flop gave Laka top-pair, and the ten on the river appeared to give Sklenicka the win with a set, but it gave Laka a straight and Sklenicka was eliminated. He took home 121,800 Casino Sochi Units or approximately $105,000. Eventual winner Gofman and runner-up Laka would have a tussle which foreshadowed their eventual meeting heads-up, which kept Gofman alive when he moved all in for his last 13 big blinds. His pocket sixes hit a set which was enough to best Laka's ace-jack. Next out the door was Philipp Zukernik who ran into Laka's aces when he moved all in for ten big blinds from under the gun with queen-ten. He exited in sixth place (174,000 CSU/$150,000). It was a similar story for fifth-place finisher Leonid Logunov who three-bet all in over Gofman's raise, and also ran into aces. He took home 232,000 CSU or $200,000 for his deep run in the partypoker MILLIONS Main Event. Both Zyrin and Laka had tussled throughout the day, fighting it out not just for the title of winner of this tournament, but for most aggressive. However, Zyrin's day came to an end in the first level back from break. Laka raised from under the gun with ace-king, and Zyrin moved all in with ace-jack. Laka called and sent Zyrin to the rail. There was a short discussion about the possibility of a deal, but it came to nothing and the three players resumed play with Laka still holding strong at the top of the chip counts. It took a while, and Laka relinquished the chip lead to Gofman, but eventually we lost Aleksandr Merzhvinskiy in third. In a strange hand which seemed to happen in fast forward, Merzhvinskiy four-bet jammed with queen-jack suited out of the big blind, and Laka surprised everyone by calling with pocket fives. The fives held and that sent Merzhvinskiy to the rail in third place for 464,000 CSU ($400,000). Heads-up play began with Gofman holding a 2:1 chip lead over his Spanish opponent, who was looking to add the Main Event title to the High Roller he won a few days ago here at the Sochi Casino & Resort. Laka managed to wrestle the chip lead back from the Russian, but minutes later bluffed off over 100 million chips to Gofman. Then all it took was a cooler for Gofman to take down the tournament, much to the delight of his girlfriend Daria Feshchenko. Three Chinese men were charged in federal court with possessing 118 counterfeit credit cards that they intended to use to purchase high-end, luxury items to send to Macau, Hong Kong and around the United States, according to a criminal complaint. Ziwen Weng and Yukai Lu were arrested shortly after they landed on Guam on Thursday. Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency officers conducted a secondary inspection of the two mens luggage and found over 100 access devices that were suspected to be fraudulent Visa credit cards from foreign banks. The cards were wrapped in foil, inside a cigarette box, and further concealed inside shoes and clothing in the luggage, court documents state. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. During an interview with Homeland Security Investigation agents, Weng said he posted an online advertisement on a website that he was in need of work and money. An individual, later identified as Daoqin Liu, replied and recruited him and Lu to travel to Guam from Los Angeles to go shopping, the complaint stated. Weng was told he could earn $10,000 for a week of shopping to Guam. On Sept. 11, Liu met with Weng and Lu in California and gave each man 59 credit cards with their names on them. They were instructed to sign the backs of the cards and hide them in their luggage. Weng and Lu told agents they believed the cards were fraudulent. Liu arrived before the men and had booked a room at Bayview Hotel where agents found him. He admitted to giving Weng and Lu a box of credit cards but said he was not sure the cards were fake. He told agents he had received the cards from an associate of the main organizer who he knows only as Ace and admitted he had made three other trips to Guam from California where he escorted and drove other Chinese men to go shopping at the duty free shop, court documents state. Liu estimated the previous groups had purchased tens of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise that was shipped to Macau, Hong Kong and various addresses in the United States and said he was paid several thousand dollars and reimbursed for the costs to book the travel, hotel and rental cars for the shoppers. He described Ace and the organization he works for to be highly secretive and organized. The U.S. Secret Service conducted a review of some of the fraudulent cards and a system check revealed that the bank decals shown on the front of the card do not match the Visa-assigned bank identification number and lacked security features. Another counterfeit card revealed it was an active account that belonged to an American Express card holder in Japan. The three defendants appeared before District Court Magistrate Judge Joaquin Manibusan Jr. yesterday and were assigned legal counsels who requested that the court consider transferring the case to California where the defendants reside and to be closer to their families. The judge remanded the men to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The major driver for aerospace materials is increased demand for lightweight aircrafts to reduce fuel consumption. Aerospace Materials Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 12:49:50 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/aerospace-materials-market-585 # 763 Words 1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702 Aerospace materials are manufactured and designed to serve aerospace purposes. The materials are designed to withstand high pressures and temperatures, stress resistance, chemical resistance, durability and are also required to be lightweight. The most popular aerospace material is aluminum and has been used since the first plane was built by Wright Brothers. These materials, due to their high performance are also used in other industries and are advertised to emphasize their high performance characteristics.Request Sample Copy of this Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/585 The major driver for aerospace materials is increased demand for lightweight aircrafts to reduce fuel consumption. A rise in commercial aircraft manufacturing has intensified aerospace material demand. Moreover strict regulatory standards have boosted the need for high quality and high performance material. The major challenge is the steep maintenance cost of these materials.Aerospace Materials Market TaxonomyOn basis of MaterialAluminum Alloys1000 series2000 series3000 series4000 series5000 series6000 series7000 seriesSteelCarbon SteelLow carbonMedium carbonHigh carbonUltra high carbonAlloy steelLow AlloyHigh AlloyStainless steelAusteniticFerriticMartensiticTool steelTitanium AlloysAlphaBetaCombinedSuper AlloysComposite MaterialsOthersOn basis of AircraftCommercialMilitaryBusinessHelicoptersOthersAluminum is the most widely used material. Its light weight, high strength and high corrosion resistance properties make it a preferred choice over other alternatives such as steel which is heavier. Advanced steel alloys are used in production of gas turbine engines, landing equipment and other aero-structures. Titanium is used in jet engine parts due to its low density, high strength and corrosion resistance. Super Alloys and Composite Materials are gradually entering the market but require more R&D before being employed on a large scale.The commercial aircraft segment is the largest market segment, with rise in air transportation due to increased domestic and inter-country travel.Aerospace Materials Market OutlookNorth America is the largest market for aerospace materials due to high demand for commercial and military aircraft. The busiest airport in the world, Atlanta handled 106 million passengers in 2015. Aviation is the preferred mode of transport over rail and road transport. Moreover, the US announced a budget of US$ 166.9 Bn, which will includes plans for modernizing current fleet of aircraft. With ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and escalating tensions in Korean peninsula, spending on military aircraft is expected to continue during the forecast period.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market. The region has seen the growth of transit hubs such as Changi Airport (Singapore), Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Beijing, Tokyo and Shanghai. Moreover increased domestic air travel and tourism has boosted the industry. Though major obstacles include high jet fuel prices and airport costs which cut into profits. Popular airlines such as Kingfisher (India), TransAsia (Taiwan) have shut down after suffering losses. Also, national carriers of India and Malaysia have posted high losses and are in debt.Check the Trending Report of Aerospace materials Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/aerospace-materials-market-585 Middle East region is fast growing as a transit hub due to low fuel prices. The rise of carriers such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways can be attributed to this. Though recent diplomatic tensions resulting in airspace restrictions for Qatari airlines indefinitely may drive down the market if the issue is not amicably resolved.Europe is a major aviation hub due to a large tourism industry. France attracted 83 million tourists in 2016, followed by Spain 75 million. Though, recent terror attacks in Paris resulted in a fall in tourists, but the trend is expected to reverse with increased policing and anti-terror activities in place. Increased military spending by EU countries is a result of tensions with Russia which will boost the military aircraft segment.Latin America has experienced a slowdown due to political turmoil in major markets of Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. Whereas Africa is expected to grow strongly over the forecast period due to strong economic growth in the region.Toray Industries in 2017 merged with Toray Composites and Toray Carbon fibers to create a single business entity. The merged entity Toray Composite Materials America is expected to increase efficiency across the supply and product chains.The major players in the market are Toray Industries, Inc., Alcoa Corporation, Cytec Solvay Group, Du Pont, Teijin Limited, ATI Metals, and Constellium N.V.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Website: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ Picric acid in its pure form and also in its metallic structure form can be used as an explosive. It is used as a booster for other explosives and rocket fuels. Picric Acid Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 12:43:44 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/picric-acid-market-699 # 648 Words 1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702 Picric acid, also known as TNT i.e. tri nitro phenol, is mainly used for manufacturing explosives, medicines, and dyes. Picric acid in its pure form and also in its metallic structure form can be used as an explosive. It is used as a booster for other explosives and rocket fuels. In the healthcare industry, it is used to cure mental exhaustion, spinal cord degenerative condition, burn out or exhaustion, and also hackneyed minds. Dyes in which picric acid are used are highly preferred in the textile industry. Final products in which dyes being used are plastic, paint, printing ink, rubber, cosmetics, etc.Request Sample of Picric Acid Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/699 Picric acid is generally stored in an environment with 10% moisture content. This is due to the fact that it explodes when it comes in contact with metal surface since it is usually stored in metal containers. In heating conditions, it forms toxic oxides of carbon and nitrogen, which are hazardous to the human body. According to ACGIH, if picric acid is ingested or inhaled by any person in quantities more than 1-2gms, it may lead to severe poisoning. It is a strong acid among all derivative acids of phenol. However, it is also corrosive and strong irritant.Picric Acid Market TaxonomyOn the basis of type, the picric acid market is classified into:Dry and DehydratedLess than 30% wetD1BD2BMore than 30% wetB4D1BD2BOn the basis of end-user industry, the picric acid market is classified into:DefensePharmaceuticalTextileMiningAgricultureOthersDry and dehydrated picric acid is odorless and yellow colored crystals. It is highly unstable and is used as a high powered explosive. Wet picric acid is slightly less reactive but is unstable and is used in other end-use industries.To Get Discount on this Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-discount/699 The pyrotechnic ability of picric acid allows it to be utilized in explosives. Also, the antiseptic and astringent properties make it a crucial part of pharmaceutical industry. It is also used in the textile industry, as a yellow dye. Moreover, its toxic nature is an advantage while in the form of pesticide. Picric acid finds significant application as an etching agent of magnesium alloys as well.Picric Acid Market OutlookAsia Pacific is the largest and fastest growing region in the global picric acid market. This is due to the high number of end-use segments in India and China. The pharmaceutical, agriculture, and textile industries are witnessing rapid growth in this region. Additionally, growing tensions in South East Asia, has led to arms procurement, which boosts the picric acid market growthNorth America and Europe dominate the arms manufacturing industry.. The increased armament of countries all around the world has led to an arms industry revival, boosting picric acid market as well.Check the Trending Report of Picric Acid Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/picric-acid-market-699 In Latin America, the emergence of Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico as major markets in end-user industries has resulted in market growth. Moreover, increasing agricultural land by logging of Amazon rainforest has resulted in use of picric acid and its derivatives as pesticidesThe Middle East and Africa has witnessed substantial growth in the pharmaceutical industry. With increased medical aid to Africa from the western world, use of antiseptic medicines has grown in this region, resulting in picric acid market growth.Some of the key companies identified across the value chain of global picric acid market are Chemtura, Innospec, BASF, Shell, DOW, GE, Nalco, Afton, Baker Hughes, Chemours, and Biobor.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity. Blister packagings advantages over alternatives include cost-effectiveness, enhanced durability, tamperproof, improved shelf life and lower risk of contamination. Blister Packaging Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 12:38:15 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/blister-packaging-market-694 # 715 Words 1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702 Blister Packaging is a plastic packaging used for pharmaceuticals, small appliances and consumer goods. Their function is to protect the packaged material from air, moisture and contamination from external sources. Blister packagings advantages over alternatives include cost-effectiveness, enhanced durability, tamperproof, improved shelf life and lower risk of contamination. It is a hard material and protects from mechanical damage as well. Blister Packaging is versatile and can be designed to suit specific needs. For example, child-proof seals, individual pouches and calendar packs can be designed.Request Sample Copy of this Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/694 Pharmaceuticals is the largest end-use industry in the blister packaging market. Tablets and capsules are widely sold in blister packaging. The added advantages are assurance of product safety and multiple product packaging. Despite its advantages, blister packaging is non-biodegradable and non-recyclable. This has led to environmental concerns regarding its large scale use.Blister Packaging Market TaxonomyOn basis of technologyThermoformingVacuum FormingPressure FormingCold formingOn basis of blister packing machinePlate typeRoller typeRoller-Plate typeOn basis of product typeBlister CardsFace SealFull Face SealTrapped BlisterFull Card BlisterClam ShellMockTwo pieceTrifoldOn basis of MaterialPlastic FilmsPVCPETPEOthersPaper and CardboardSBSWLCOthersAluminumOn basis of end-usePharmaceuticalElectronics and SemiconductorsConsumer GoodsOthersBlister packaging market can be segmented on basis of fabricating process, thermoforming and cold forming respectively. Thermoformed plastics are versatile, lightweight and aesthetically pleasing. Cold formed plastics have more tensile strength and stiffness. Clamshell packaging is used for consumer goods. They are usually transparent in order to ensure that the consumer can see the contents of the packaging. Blister cards are used in pharmaceuticals industry, and they are manufactured by heat sealing a sheet foil. Plastic films, cardboard and aluminum are used as blister packaging materials.Check the Trending Report of Blister Packaging Market: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/blister-packaging-market-694 Blister Packaging Market OutlookAsia Pacific is the fastest market due to burgeoning growth of the pharmaceuticals industry, which has been driven by large populations in India and China. Increase in the geriatric and infant population has led to surge in demand for medicines. Moreover, relatively low-cost healthcare in countries such as Thailand and India has boosted medical tourism in the region. Lax regulations have hindered exports to countries such as US and Canada. For instance, India-based manufacturer Ranbaxy was banned from drug sales in US due to manufacturing and quality violations.North America and Europe markets are also expected to gain major traction due to high consumption of consumer goods and electronics. Also, the pharmaceuticals industry in these regions is matured and with the high prevalence of lifestyle diseases the market is projected to grow further. The market is supplemented by Latin American and Asian markets.Middle East region population has high disposable incomes which drives consumerism. Electronics and consumer goods are growing rapidly, driving the blister packaging industry as well. Decline in markets of Syria and Iran have been compensated by high growth in the GCC countries.Latin America is a growth engine, with Brazil positioned as the fourth largest pharmaceuticals market in the world. Argentina, Mexico and Brazil are also among the largest producers of non-patented generic drugs, which are exported to over 40 countries from these countries. Mexico being a member of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), has access to the lucrative markets of US and Canada, which has resulted in Mexico becoming a manufacturing hub for international pharmaceutical companies.To Get Discount on this Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-discount/694 Alternatives to blister packaging such as Stretch and Skin packaging are gaining popularity due to increased performance. More durability, toughness, improved aesthetics and lower material use are advantages over conventional blister packaging.The major players in the blister packaging market are Constantia Flexibles, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Klockner (Germany), Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.), Tekni-plex, Inc. (U.S.), and Display Pack, Inc. (U.S.).About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 09:06:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 387 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Indiana Resources Limited--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---West Perth WA (FSCWire) - Indiana Resources Limited (TSX:IXR). has issued a press release with the following headline:Company UpdateTo 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 Indiana Resources Limited, 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/Indiana Resources LimitedSource: Indiana Resources Limited (TSX: IXR, TSX: IDA, ISIN: AU000IDA0, WKN: A2AMKT)Date: September 15, 2017Time: 3:06 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Indiana Resources Limited 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.) Market Data Forecast PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 09:58:40 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 # 730 Words USASales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 According to the report Europe Alginates Market by Type (Sodium Alginate, Calcium Alginate, Potassium Alginate, PGA, Others) by Application (Food & Beverage, Industrial, Pharmaceuticals, Others), and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021) published by Market Data Forecast, the Europe Alginates Market was worth $118.30 million in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 3.89%, to reach $143.17 million by 2021.Browse report details @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-alginates-market-2432/ The market is showcasing moderate potential in the mentioned forecasting period. The market is continuously gaining momentum owing to the growing demand in order to improving food textures. Moreover, diverse uses of alginate such as in pharmaceutical products, textile printing, immobilizing biocatalysts, welding rods coatings, paper manufacturing and binders for fish feeds and releasing agents is likely to fuel growth of alginate market over the forecast period. Increase in consumption of processed convenience food products is expected to propel growth of Europe alginate market over the given forecast period.The industrial textile has been the dominating sector for the demand of alginate over the last few years. Alginates are generally used as thickeners for the paste containing dye, in the industrial textile sector. In food and beverage industry, mostly the use of alginates comes in sauces and ice-creams, acting in the form of a thickening and stabilizing agent. Also, it is used as a separating agent in water oil emulsions and as a softening agent for bakery applications. Applications wise, food and beverage industry is expected to witness substantial growth in the alginate market.Market drivers which are majorly influencing the demand of alginate is coming from the food and beverage manufacturers for its thickening, gelling, stabilizing and emulsifying properties. Reason for its rising demand in F&B industry is pertaining to its extraction from natural seaweeds, as it is considered to be the safest food additive in food industry and also certified by FAO and WHO. In addition, there is also an increased demand from textile industry for its use in designing, printing and dyeing on cotton and jute fabrics.Get Free Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-alginates-market-2432/request-sample The Europe Alginates Market is broadly categorized by Type (Potassium Alginate, Sodium Alginate, Calcium Alginate, PGA, Others) and by Application (Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverage, Industrial, Others). Sodium alginate has a number of application in food and textile printing industry and it is expected that it fuels the market growth of alginate over the given forecast period. Also, majority of demand of alginate in Europe market accounts from food and beverage, paper and textile industry. In food and beverage industry, demand is increasing due its higher demand in preparing products such as jellies, salads, ice cream, alcoholic drinks, lactic drinks etc. On the basis of geography, the market is analysed under various regions namely U.K., Spain, Germany, etc. As per the alginate production, major producing regions are U.K. and Germany, and they contribute majority of market share in Europe market. In terms of value, it is expected that U.K. account for major share in terms of value and also asa lucrative market in near future.Some of the major companies dominating the Europe Alginates Market, by their products and services include Dohler Group, FMC Corporation, Dastech International Inc., Ashland Inc., Brenntag AG, Cargill Inc., E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Company, Kimica Corporation, Dow Chemical Company and Penford Corporation.Purchase this report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/cart/buy-now/europe-alginates-market-2432 Make an Inquiry before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-alginates-market-2432/inquire Browse other region reports:North America Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-alginates-market-2431/ APAC Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-alginates-market-2433/ Latin America Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-alginates-market-2434/ MEA Alginates Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-and-africa-alginates-market-2435/ 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 ShuklaInternational Business Development ManagerMarket Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 13:00:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 383 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for EVIO, Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Bend, OR (FSCWire) - EVIO, Inc. (OTCQB:SGBYD). has issued a press release with the following headline:EVIO Labs to Dramatically Reduce Authorized SharesTo 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 EVIO, Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/EVIO , Inc.Source: EVIO, Inc. (OTCQB: SGBYD, WKN: A12D6X, ISIN: US82662D1081)Date: September 15, 2017Time: 7:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of EVIO, Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. 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Latin America Neurological Monitoring Devices Market by Type and by Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (20162021) Latin America Neurological Monitoring Devices Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 08:55:50 Press Information Market Data Forecast 2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza, Kavuri Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India +1-888-702-9626 (U.S. TOLL FREE), contact@marketdataforecast.com Abhishek Sales Manager +1-888-702-9626 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com/ # 922 Words 2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza, Kavuri Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India+1-888-702-9626 (U.S. TOLL FREE), contact@marketdataforecast.comSales Manager+1-888-702-9626 The Latin America Neurological Monitoring Devices Market was worth USD 0.67 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 7.9%, to reach USD 0.97 billion by 2021.Neuro physiological market vendors will have to utilise resources wisely and focus on product R&D to create flexible and extensively tested user-friendly devices. Manufacturers would also do well to encourage competition, innovation and dynamism, which are essential for success of the market.The advances in the field of neurological research and medicine, availability of sophisticated equipment that monitors and tracks nerve and brain activity to make better diagnosis and offers better treatments to patients, higher incidence of neurological disorders like epilepsy, Parkinsons, Alzheimers and other neurodegenerative disorders, treatments available for many disorders like nerve repair and regeneration and rise in the aging population are driving the market. A large population still cannot afford modern healthcare facilities which is a major restrain for the market.View Full Report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-neurological-monitoring-devices-market-2236/ The Latin America neurological monitoring devices market is segmented on the basis of type into Monitors of Intracranial Pressure & Blood Flow Dynamics and Monitors of Brain Electrical Activity. Monitors of Intracranial Pressure & Blood Flow Dynamics segment is further divided into Intracranial Pressure Monitor, Jugular Venous Oximetry, Transcranial Doppler (TCD) Ultrasonography, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Brain Tissue Oxygen Tension Monitor. Monitors of Brain Electrical Activity segment is sub-segmented into Electroencephalography and Evoked Potentials. Based on procedure the market is segregated into Non-Invasive and Invasive. On the basis of therapeutic application, market is bifurcated into Brain Injuries, Stroke, Dementia, Headache Disorders, Sleep Disorders, Epilepsy, Parkinsons disease and Huntingtons disease. By End User, the market segmentation is among Hospitals, Neurological Centers and Institutions, Clinics & Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Diagnostic Centers and Ambulances.Based on geography the market is analyzed under various countries namely, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Mexico is dominating the neurological monitoring devices market for this region and expected to continue its dominance over the forecast period.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-neurological-monitoring-devices-market-2236/request-sample Key market players include CAS Medical Systems Inc., Compumedics Ltd., Natus Medical Inc., Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, AMD Global Telemedicine, Intel Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, InTouch Health, InTechnology, MEG International Services Ltd., Rimed Inc., Siemens Healthcare, Medtronic Inc., Electrical Geodesics Incorporated, Nihon Kohden Corporation and Advanced Brain Monitoring.Market Segmentation1) Type Introduction Monitors of Intracranial Pressure & Blood Flow Dynamics Intracranial Pressure Monitor Jugular Venous Oximetry Transcranial Doppler (TCD) Ultrasonography Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Brain Tissue Oxygen Tension Monitor Monitors of Brain Electrical Activity Electroencephalography Evoked Potentials Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Type Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Type Market Share Analysis, By Type2) Procedure Introduction Non-Invasive Invasive Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Procedure Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Procedure Market Share Analysis, By Procedure3) Therapeutic Application Introduction Traumatic Brain Injuries Stroke Dementia Headache Disorders Sleep Disorders Epilepsy Parkinsons disease Huntingtons disease Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Therapeutic Application Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Therapeutic application Market Share Analysis, By Therapeutic Application4) End User Introduction Hospitals Neurological Centers and Institutions Clinics & Ambulatory Surgical Centers Diagnostic Centers Ambulances Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By End User Market Attractiveness Analysis, By End User Market Share Analysis, By End UserInquire before Buying at http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-neurological-monitoring-devices-market-2236/inquire Reasons to buy Latin America Neurological Monitoring Devices Market Research Report: Regional and country-level analysis and forecasts of the study market; providing Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untapped Segment-level analysis in terms of technology, component, and type along with market size forecasts and estimations to detect key areas of industry growth in detail Identification of key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) in the market and their impact on shifting market dynamics Study of the effect of exogenous and endogenous factors that affect the global market; which includes broadly demographic, economics, and political, among other macro-environmental factors presented in an extensive PESTLE Analysis Study the micro environment factors that determine the overall profitability of an Industry, using Porters five forces analysis for analysing the level of competition and business strategy development A comprehensive list of key market players along with their product portfolio, current strategic interests, key financial information, legal issues, SWOT analysis and analyst overview to study and sustain the market environment Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies An executive summary, abridging the entire report in such a way that decision-making personnel can rapidly become acquainted with background information, concise analysis and main conclusions Expertly devised analyst overview along with Investment opportunities to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketAbout 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 specialties with competitive pricing options.For more information, 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 Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases Leukemia Therapeutics Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 16:17:57 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/leukemia-therapeutics-market-528 # 673 Words 1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702 Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells and therefore, are occasionally referred to as blood cancer. Most blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. In leukemia, undeveloped blood cells become cancer. Leukemia can be either acute or chronic. Acute leukemia is a fast growing cancer, which usually gets worse rapidly. Chronic leukemia is a slow growing cancer, which gets worse slowly over time period. The treatment and diagnosis of leukemia depends on the type of blood cell affected and whether the leukemia is chronic or acute. Every day, billions of new blood cells are produced in the bone marrow most of them red cells. However, leukemia leads to abnormally high production of white cells. These leukemia cells cannot fight infection the way normal white blood cells do, and in time adversely affect the way major organs function. Eventually, there this not enough red blood cells to supply oxygen, enough platelets to clot the blood, or enough normal white blood cells to fight infection.Request Sample Copy of the Business Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/528 According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U. S. in 2013, 45,360 people were diagnosed with leukemia, leading to 23,549 fatalities (13,625 men and 9,924 women). Leukemia is frequently considered as a childrens condition, though it mainly affects adults. The condition is more prevalent among men than women, and more in Caucasians than African Americans.Leukemia Therapeutics MarketOn the basis of disease condition, the global leukemia therapeutics market is classified into:Acute lymphocytic leukemiaChronic lymphocytic leukemiaAcute myeloid leukemiaChronic myeloid leukemiaOn the basis of treatment, the global leukemia therapeutics market is classified into:ImmunotherapyTargeted TherapyBone Marrow TransplantStem Cell TherapyHigh diagnosis rate in developed economies supporting the leukemia therapeutics market growth in those regionsAccording to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), around 14.1 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2012, resulting in around 8.2 million fatalities. Around 19.3 million new cases of cancer are projected to be diagnosed by 2025. Leukemia cases are projected to be more in the developed world regions such as North America and Europe, owing to genetic factors caused by enhanced radiation exposure. Environmental factors and unhealthy lifestyles are the factors which add to the count. There are about 54,270 new cases of leukemia in the U. S. each year. Leukemia makes up about 3% of all new cancer cases. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, stated that up to one third of the cancer cases which occur in economically developed countries such as the US, and Europe owing to lack of physical activity, overweight (obesity), and/or poor nutrition. Additionally, the demand for effective and safe treatment is gaining prevalence in the market. Around 90% of the leukemia occur in the middle age and develops with the aging. Thus, leukemia therapeutics market is composed to grow with the rise in aging population and increasing incidences of leukemia.Browse Research Report At: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/leukemia-therapeutics-market-528 Similarly, in emerging economies of Asia Pacific such as China, and India, the leukemia therapeutics market is expected to grow promptly due to presence of high unmet needs. However, low diagnosis rate of leukemia and lack of proper healthcare facilities in few Asian and African countries is deterring the leukemia therapeutics market growth in these regions.Key players operating in the global leukemia therapeutics market are GSK, Eisai C., Pfizer, Biogen, Celgene, Novartis AG, Genzyme Corporation, Roche, and Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS). Companies are following new growth strategies such as product launch, product pipeline, merger & acquisitions, clinical trials and collaboration & agreements, to gain competitive advantage. For example, Novartis recently launched tyrosine kinase receptor FLT-3 for the treatment of leukemia. Pfizer implemented product expansion strategy to capture major market share, received Food and Drug Approval (FDA) for its Bosulif drug.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity. Leukemia Therapeutics Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 12:57:37 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/leukemia-therapeutics-market-528 # 685 Words 1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702 Leukemia is a cancer of blood cells and therefore, are occasionally referred to as blood cancer. Most blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. In leukemia, undeveloped blood cells become cancer. Leukemia can be either acute or chronic. Acute leukemia is a fast growing cancer, which usually gets worse rapidly. Chronic leukemia is a slow growing cancer, which gets worse slowly over time period. The treatment and diagnosis of leukemia depends on the type of blood cell affected and whether the leukemia is chronic or acute. Every day, billions of new blood cells are produced in the bone marrow most of them red cells. However, leukemia leads to abnormally high production of white cells. These leukemia cells cannot fight infection the way normal white blood cells do, and in time adversely affect the way major organs function. Eventually, there this not enough red blood cells to supply oxygen, enough platelets to clot the blood, or enough normal white blood cells to fight infection.Request a sample copy of this report: http://bit.ly/2x4CHv3 According to Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U. S. in 2013, 45,360 people were diagnosed with leukemia, leading to 23,549 fatalities (13,625 men and 9,924 women). Leukemia is frequently considered as a childrens condition, though it mainly affects adults. The condition is more prevalent among men than women, and more in Caucasians than African Americans.Leukemia Therapeutics MarketOn the basis of disease condition, the global leukemia therapeutics market is classified into:Acute lymphocytic leukemiaChronic lymphocytic leukemiaAcute myeloid leukemiaChronic myeloid leukemiaOn the basis of treatment, the global leukemia therapeutics market is classified into:ImmunotherapyTargeted TherapyBone Marrow TransplantStem Cell TherapyAsk for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/528 High diagnosis rate in developed economies supporting the leukemia therapeutics market growth in those regionsAccording to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), around 14.1 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2012, resulting in around 8.2 million fatalities. Around 19.3 million new cases of cancer are projected to be diagnosed by 2025. Leukemia cases are projected to be more in the developed world regions such as North America and Europe, owing to genetic factors caused by enhanced radiation exposure. Environmental factors and unhealthy lifestyles are the factors which add to the count. There are about 54,270 new cases of leukemia in the U. S. each year. Leukemia makes up about 3% of all new cancer cases. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, stated that up to one third of the cancer cases which occur in economically developed countries such as the US, and Europe owing to lack of physical activity, overweight (obesity), and/or poor nutrition. Additionally, the demand for effective and safe treatment is gaining prevalence in the market. Around 90% of the leukemia occur in the middle age and develops with the aging. Thus, leukemia therapeutics market is composed to grow with the rise in aging population and increasing incidences of leukemia.Similarly, in emerging economies of Asia Pacific such as China, and India, the leukemia therapeutics market is expected to grow promptly due to presence of high unmet needs. However, low diagnosis rate of leukemia and lack of proper healthcare facilities in few Asian and African countries is deterring the leukemia therapeutics market growth in these regions.Click here to know more about this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/leukemia-therapeutics-market-528 Key players operating in the global leukemia therapeutics market are GSK, Eisai C., Pfizer, Biogen, Celgene, Novartis AG, Genzyme Corporation, Roche, and Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMS). Companies are following new growth strategies such as product launch, product pipeline, merger & acquisitions, clinical trials and collaboration & agreements, to gain competitive advantage. For example, Novartis recently launched tyrosine kinase receptor FLT-3 for the treatment of leukemia. Pfizer implemented product expansion strategy to capture major market share, received Food and Drug Approval (FDA) for its Bosulif drug.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 10:03:01 45% identify Hong Kong as the gateway to the Chinese mainland 36% state the Brexit debate makes trading with Hong Kong or China more attractive Young entrepreneurs with less confidence in Europe most likely to have traded with Hong Kong or China in the last year Research on Behalf of Hong Kong Trade Development Council Reveals That Brexit Has UK SMEs Looking East for Global Growth Rochester PR Jo Williams 020 3874 3057 07825 686 930 jo.williams@rochesterprgroup.com Research for Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in advance of its flagship Think Asia, Think Hong Kong event returning to London on 21 September 2017, found that almost half (45%) see Hong Kong the gateway into the Chinese mainland and other Asian countries. Although confidence for business growth in Europe and Asia are broadly similar (57% and 62% respectively) 36% of UK SMEs state that the Brexit debate has made the prospect of trading with Hong Kong or China more attractive. Over a quarter (28%) of UK SMEs believe that it is easy to set up as a foreign business in Hong Kong and almost a quarter (21%) are attracted to its low tax rates. Additional assets identified include Hong Kongs good levels of English (51%), the long standing political relationship between Hong Kong and the UK (32%) and its proximity to China (36%). The biggest opportunities that businesses recognise for launching into the Chinese mainland is its huge consumer base (42%), followed by its growing middle class (35%) and ability to be early adopters of technology (27%), whilst the challenges include the language barrier (57%), the rule of law and perceived red tape and regulation (both 41%). According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) latest Annual Business Survey on Importers and Exporters, only 5% (104,600 out of a total of 2,129,800 businesses) of UK companies were merchandise exporters in 2015, while the number doubled to 10% (216,000 out of 2,129,800) if services exporters were also included. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council suggests that Brexit offers the UK an opportunity to develop a more independent, autonomous trade policy towards Asia that can play to its economic strengths. Both goods and services (i.e. financial services, high-tech solutions and educational services) exporters are in a prime position to ride on the structural transformation underway in many Asian countries, which are moving towards a service-based economy, bringing benefit to both sides. The research suggests that UK SMEs are underestimating what a well-established route launching into Hong Kong is. When asked how many UK companies currently operate in Hong Kong, 32% could not identify any, while the strongest response (20%) came for 250-500, when the actual answer is closer to 1,000. Not surprisingly the big global names of HSBC and Barclays were the most recognised at 51% and 41% respectively, but even well-established brand names such as Vivienne Westwood and Twinings scored very low at just 7% and 6% respectively. William Chui, Regional Director, Europe of the HKTDC comments: Its great to see that UK SMEs are identifying the benefits of launching into Hong Kong as part of their global growth strategy at this time of European uncertainty. And also, that they are valuing Hong Kong as a hugely well positioned launch pad for businesses wanting to crack the lucrative but notoriously challenging to penetrate Chinese mainland market. What I think a lot of UK SMEs are failing to realise however, is how many UK businesses of their size are making a real success of launching into Hong Kong. Hong Kong is the UKs second-largest export market, third-largest import source and third-largest trading partner in Asia. Hong Kong is also the UKs second-largest source of foreign investment and largest outbound investment destination. Just 16% of businesses surveyed have traded with Hong Kong or China in the past year, but a further 26% have been considering it over that time frame. Interestingly, this appears to be a youth market with the young entrepreneur bracket the most likely to have traded with Hong Kong in the past 12 months (25%) compared with those aged over 55 (15%). The areas in the UK that have put the most consideration into branching into Hong Kong are the North East (41%) followed by London (34%), and then Yorkshire and the Humber (30%). The Think Asia, Think Hong Kong event is returning to London on 21 September 2017. See: http://www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/2017/en/index.html for full details. Media enquiries and media event registration requests should be directed to Jo Williams, Rochester PR, 020 3874 3057/ 07825 686 930 jo.williams@rochesterprgroup.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709150050 One of the very important questions that will come in mind of travelers is about the perfect time to do the tour. In fact, even when you make lots of research and ask for advice for the best time to visit a country, it is not likely that you can plan you trip happen exactly as advised. How about Vietnam? When it should be the best time to make your Vietnam Customized Holidays? Best time to travel to Vietnam PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 08:02:08 Press Information Nadova Tours #49, alley 117, Nguyen Son street Victor Nguyen Marketing Manager +84987818812 email https://www.nadovatours.com/ # 984 Words #49, alley 117, Nguyen Son streetMarketing Manager+84987818812 Just take it easy, the answer is pretty simple and may surprise you a bit, for Vietnam there is no perfect time to visit the country as any time of the year can be good for a Vietnam Tour.Vietnam is a long, S-shaped country which stretches over 1,000 km from North to South and deciding on the best time to visit can be complicated. Due to the countrys length, the weather can change significantly from one region to another. At the moment when the far north mountainous areas have the hard frost or even snow, the beaches in the south still enjoy sunshine and temperature around 32*C. Therefore, travel to any part of Vietnam in any season can be possible and you will encounter both sunshine and rain in differing quantities.With the huge regional variety in climate in Vietnam, the best time to enjoy for example a 3-week Vietnam Holidays will depend on the tour itinerary and the intended places to visit:The North VietnamHanoi capital city of Vietnam and other places in the North has distinct winter and summer season. The summer lasts from May-September with hot and humid weather and temperature can reach 34 - 35C or even higher, the rainfall is also at its highest. Normally, the short, refresh and heavy rain showers arrive in the afternoon and despite of them, the summer months still have the highest number of sunshine hours. The winter is around late December February with cool but mostly dry climate. The sky is often cloudy or foggy and the average temperature is about 17C. So, the best time to visit this part of Vietnam is around October November when the weather is quite pleasant for all kind of activities and average temperature is 22C.If you travel to Halong Bay in the autumn (October November), sometimes you see the mist which may reduce your visibility but the weather can be very pleasant for a relaxing cruise time. In the winter (December February), the climate can be cold and will affect your experience. Another perfect time to visit Halong Bay on a Vietnam Customized Holidays is during the spring time (March - May), as the sky is clearly blue and the days are warm, such great conditions for cruising on the emerald water. In the summer, severe weather such as typhoons or heavy rain may prevent the junk from sailing, though such weather is quite rare.The far north mountainous destinations with stunning landscape like Sapa, Ha Giang or Mu Cang Chai are divided into two seasons: the dry and cold season from October to April and the wet season from May to September, the weather in December to February can be very cold and frost, especially at night. So, the best time for a hiking or trekking tour is around March April when the weather is warmer and drier while the October November period offers the cool and clear days.The Central VietnamThe centre of Vietnam has gorgeous beaches for traveler seeking for great beach breaks or romantic Vietnam Honeymoon Vacations which stretch from Hue to the far south of centre in Nha Trang. The weather here is hot and dry from January to August, with temperature reaches around 30C. For travelers prefer the heat can plan the beach break in the end dry season, while the beginning of dry season can have milder climate. During the rainy season (September November), the rainfall increases and reach peak level around October and November, occasionally typhoon may hit the region.Hue is often cooler than the rest of Central Vietnam, especially early of the year. The mountain range between Hue and Danang can make the weather greatly different between two cities on the same day when you take the drive from one place to another.The far south of Central Vietnam where you can find Nha Trang or Quy Nhon often has a longer dry season (January September), with higher temperature around 32C and little rain. So, this is the perfect time for a Vietnam Family Holidays as you can have great time on the beach with your loved ones. The rainy season here lasts from October to December with almost half of the rainfall in a year falling in October and November.The South VietnamBeing closer to the equator, the South Vietnam has constantly warm weather year-round. Visiting this part of the country on your Vietnam Tour, you will experience the average temperature around 28C. This tropical climate is similar to Thailand or Cambodia which is split into dry season and wet season. The dry season lasts from November to early May and the period of late February to May is slightly hotter and more humid. The wet season begins in May and ends in November with the months June, July and August see the most rainfall of the year. However, the heavy downpours often occur in mid-afternoon and short lasting which rarely impact travelling activities and everything stay green and fresh during this time of year.So, the famous destinations in the South Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta and Phan Thiet Mui Ne can be visited all year round, just remember to keep an umbrella or rain poncho with you in case of heavy downpours.The islands of Phu Quoc and Con Dao in the South which are great destinations for Honeymoon Holidays or Beach Breaks can be enjoyed all year with high chances of sunny days, though short lasting tropical rains can be expected in the afternoon.ConclusionThere is not really a right or wrong time to visit Vietnam as most months of the year you can visit different parts of the country. It all depends on how cleverly you plan your Vietnam Tours to enjoy the best of each destination in its best time.For Vietnam Tours, please visit: https://www.nadovatours.com/travel-style/tour-in-vietnam/ PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-15 11:02:02 Wipro selected as a strategic partner for Data Center Services by innogy Wipro Limited Subhashini Pattabhiraman subhashini.pattabhiraman@wipro.com Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting, and business process services company, announced that it has been awarded a seven-year contract by innogy SE to manage their data center and cloud services. innogy SE is an established European energy company. With its three business areas of Renewables, Grid & Infrastructure and Retail, it is well equipped for the work ahead in a modern, decarbonised, decentralised and digital energy world. As part of the agreement signed in November 2016, innogy transferred its twin data centers in Neurath und Niederaussen in Germany to Wipro on February 1, 2017. The subsequent transition phase ran smoothly. Wipro will leverage its BoundaryLess Data Center offering to help innogy drive a transformation program to rationalize, virtualize and consolidate their IT infrastructure. Marcus Schaper, CIO innogy SE, said, This engagement is strategic to our IT operations. We believe that Wipro is the best partner for us to accompany us on our IT journey around data center services. Therefore, we have not only signed a contract in Germany but also have extended our contract with Wipro in the UK until 2024. Arun Krishnamurthi, Vice President and Global Head - Utilities, Wipro Limited said, We are delighted to expand our partnership with innogy with this engagement. We are confident that our domain expertise in the utilities sector coupled with our deep IT infrastructure services capabilities will successfully support innogys business objectives. Wipro will invest in and maintain the twin data centers in Germany so as to future proof them. This will ensure business agility and drive efficiencies for innogy and other customers in the region. Kiran Desai, Senior Vice President and Head - Global Infrastructure Services, Wipro Limited said, This strategic engagement with innogy reinforces Wipros leadership in the infrastructure space. Our BoundaryLess Data Center solution capabilities coupled with our domain expertise make us uniquely positioned to enable innogys digital transformation journey. Having worked with customers in the DACH region since 2002, Wipro today has 11 delivery centers in the region with German speaking staff across offices in Frankfurt, Fellbach, Meerbusch, Munich, Hamburg, Vienna and Zurich. Over the last three years Wipro has strengthened its digital and infrastructure services through both organic growth and investments in the region. With its on-shore Datacenter in Meerbusch, Wipro offers a broad range of IT infrastructure management services to its European and global customers, which includes hosting critical applications for banks and premier automotive companies. The company works with customers across industry sectors such as retail, automotive, telecom, healthcare, banking and energy and utilities sectors in the DACH region. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 160,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, 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 our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain 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, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709150052 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. Redefine International has placed 171 million of German shopping centre assets under the management of Kintyre. The management instruction for Kintyre includes, the Schloss-Strassen-Center, at Walter-Schreiber-Platz 1 in Berlin-Steglitz and, from 2018, the extensive retail space at the Bahnhof-Altona railway station in Hamburg. Photos: Redefine [] In a move to strengthen its international sales, London-based Laurence King Publishing (LKP) has created a new German subsidiary, Laurence King Verlag, and acquired Amsterdam-based publisher BIS. The new subsidiary is based in Berlin and will publish 30 titles from LKPs list in German each year. The remainder of LKPs English list will be sold in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. LKP has appointed Max Erbe, previously of Ullman and Phaidon in Germany, as managing director of Laurence King Verlag. Also as part of its expansion into Europe, LKP bought BIS, an English-language, Dutch design publisher, in an effort to better reach the Dutch market. Despite the acquisition, BIS Publishers will maintain its independent publishing program, led by managing director Bionda Dias. LKPs full list will be available from Laurence King Verlag and BIS starting January 1, 2018. In addition to growing its presence in Europe, LKP unveiled a new global sales program, led by sales director Adrian Greenwood, and a new distribution partner. In the U.K., LKP is bringing sales of a few national accounts in-house, while all other accounts will be handled by Abrams and Chronicle Books (A&CB). With A&CB brought on, the publisher will be ending its partnership with Thames and Hudson, who sold LKPs list outside the Americas since 1991. (In the Americas, LKP has been, and will continue to be, distributed by Chronicle Books.) Now that we have a reached a certain size, it is only natural that we take more of our sales in-house to be as close to our customers as possible, Laurence King, managing director at the publisher, said in a statement. LKP will also work with A&CB in the rest of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. In Asia, LKP has appointed Sheila Lo as its Hong Kong-based Asia sales manager. Further appointments are planned in South East Asia, Europe, and elsewhere. In Jane Robins's novel, White Bodies, Callie Farrow, who works in a London bookstore, becomes obsessed with every aspect of the life of her glamorous twin sister, Tilda, a well-known actress, after Tilda marries the controlling Felix Nordberg, a wealthy financier. Callie believes that Tilda is in danger. The plot forcefully builds to a shocking finale as Robins skillfully explores the dynamics between sisters, mental health issues, and manipulative behavior. Robins picks 10 of her favorite psychological thrillers. My favorite psychological thrillers are those that truly get under your skin; the sort that make you tell your friends "you must read this, its just so creepy!" I love those authors who create an original, compelling tone that sticks with you long after youve finished reading. Of course, in thriller-writing, impeccable plotting and captivating characters are essential. But its the atmosphere that gives richness to a thriller, that makes you feel that you are totally inhabiting another persons world. And theres nothing more exciting than that! 1. I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh A small boy dies in a car accident. Grieving Jenna Gray, in the aftermath of his death, moves to a remote, ramshackle cottage on a cliff by the sea. The creepiness is in the detail. The Spartan terrain, the dark ocean, the cold wind, an empty caravan park, a door that wont lock This is an excellent, well-crafted psychological thriller, cleverly interspersed with a satisfying police procedural. A remarkable first novel from an author with 12 years experience in the British Police. 2. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn I adore Gillian Flynns whip-smart, witty prose. She makes psychological thrillers sexy and intelligent, and for me, her debut novel, Sharp Objects is her most creepy work. It doesnt have the panache of Gone Girl or the all-out grimness of Dark Placesbut it excels in creating engaging but damaged characters, not least in the protagonist, Camille Preaker, who in her darkest moments carves words onto her own body. Camille is a news reporter whos sent to her home town of Wind Gap to investigate the deaths of two pre-teen girls whose bodies have been found, strangled and with their teeth extracted. 3. Sin by Josephine Hart This short literary classic is as absorbing and disturbing as many a commercial thriller--it's a tale of dark obsession, resentment, destruction, and revenge. The main character, Ruth, is deeply envious of her perfect half-sister Elizabeth, and she sets out to ruin Elizabeths life. Josephine Hart, who died in 2011, wrote beautifully and was a poet as well as a novelist. I have read Sin twice, and know I will return to it before long. 4. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith Tom Ripley is a fantastically creepy character, brilliantly played by Matt Damon in the 1999 movie. But, for me, Patricia Highsmiths spare, atmospheric prose makes this classic novel a richer experience than the film. I love the way she lures us into feeling the pain of the small humiliations that Tom suffersand we see through his eyes the inadequacies of those who have everything that he craves and doesnt have. Its so clever. When Tom becomes a cold and heartless killer, we fear for him nonetheless, and the reader isin parton Toms side as the tension builds, and hes in danger of being brought to justice. 5. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters Oh, how I love Sarah Waters! Her writing is so self-assured and clever. And in Fingersmith she engages with the psychological thriller genre, transporting it to Victorian England. The creepiness here is multi-dimensionalcoming from the evil intent of characters such as Mrs. Sucksby, Gentleman, and Mrs Stiles, the gothic tone, the dramatic twists that shake the readers trust. This novel has everything--orphans betrayed, lesbian lovers deceived, a terrifying mad house, and a totally weird Uncle Christopher in a dark, secluded country mansion. 6. See Jane Run by Joy Fielding This 1991 novel has one of the most atmospheric opening scenes that Ive ever read in a thriller. Jane Whittaker finds herself on the streets of Boston with no understanding of who she is, what life she has led, who her family and friends are and why it is that her dress is stained with blood, and she has $10,000 in the pocket of her frumpy coat. Janes situation is mesmerizing, and we soon realize that theres something extremely unsettling about the glamorous man who says hes her husband, but seems determined to drug her up to the eyeballs and prevent her from revealing a hidden truth. Magnificent. 7. Under Your Skin by Sabine Durrant Sometimes I like to read a psychological thriller in which the creepiness seeps into the kind of middle-class home that I (now) live in myself. This enjoyable novel is set in a well-off residential area of Londonthe sort of neighborhood with an artisan bakery on every corner serving five-star espressos and lattes along with the sourdough loaves and designer granola. Gaby Mortimer is a daytime TV chat show host, with a nanny at home and a financier husband in the city. Early one morning, shes running on the local common, when she comes upon the body of a young woman. Before we know it, Gaby becomes a prime suspect for murder, and her seemingly-blessed life is falling apart. 8. Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes In her debut, Haynes creates an outstanding malevolent character in Lee Brightmanthe handsome, charismatic boyfriend who turns out to be obsessive, manipulative and dangerous. What makes this thriller stand out in a crowded field is the chilling atmosphere that pervades each page as the narrator, Catherine Bailey, realizes that Lee is messing with her mind, "gaslighting" her, by moving small items in her apartment when she is out; making it clear that hes getting closer all the time. In addition, the pacing is brilliant, and the plotting superb. 9. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie The Queen of Crime excelled in concocting complex mysteriesbut this, one of the best-selling books of all timeis a superlative read not just because of Christies intricate plotting, but also because of the profound sense of menace on every page. Eight people are invited to a house on a remote island off the Devon coast, and two servants are already present. In each bed room an old rhyme is hangingTen Little Indians, or in later editions, Ten Little Soldiers. The rhyme describes ten deaths. Thenone by onethe characters are murdered. Given that there are no hiding places on the island, the murderer is evidently one of the ten characters. A masterpiece. Experience shows that avoiding information overload is crucial if measures are to inform grant decisions, say Salil Gunashekar and Sue Guthrie. Assessment panels make extensive use of bibliometrics as an evaluation tool to assist their decisions on research funding. In the UK, the Research Excellence Framework uses bibliometric data to inform its assessments. And the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has employed bibliometric analysis alongside wider information in several awarding panels for major funding schemes. What is less clear, however, is just how these panels use bibliometric information, and what impact it has on the decision-making process. This lack of understanding may be one reason for the scepticism and cynicism about the value of metrics among some researchers. A recently published study by RAND Europe examines this issue, looking at the way assessment panels use bibliometrics. The research is based on interviews with 10 panel members from three NIHR funding programmes: the Senior Investigators competition; the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care; and the Biomedical Research Centres. RAND Europe has provided bibliometric information and advice to these schemes' grant-making panels for almost 10 years. Combining this experience with interviews has enabled us to make some recommendations of better ways to use such information to support funding decisions. One of the risks of using bibliometrics is information overload. We found that, although panel members broadly support the use of bibliometrics as an assessment tool, few had any experience of them before or outside their role as grant reviewers. This means that many do not fully understand the techniques involved and can become overwhelmed by too much data. One crucial issue, therefore, is how data are presented. Visualisations can help, and it is useful to present data in a few different ways, such as in tables and graphs, since different people might find different ways of presentating information more intuitive. Concise, quick reference guides on how to interpret bibliometric analysis could also assist panel members. And training on how to use bibliometrics can support and inform decision making. Another way to reduce the risk of information overload is to focus on metrics that panel members find most useful and in which they have the most faith. Normalised citation scores and numbers of highly cited papersfor example, those in the top 5 per cent or 10 per cent for the fieldwere typically considered most useful. Data provided should be limited to these few reliable and robust metrics. Timing is another issue for grant-review panels. We found that bibliometrics are used where evaluation begins, not where it ends: reviewers found it most useful early in the assessment processthat is, when the data are used primarily in the initial individual assessment of candidates for research fundingbefore they meet other panel members. Such information should therefore be provided well in advance of the panel's final meeting to help inform their individual evaluations. A longer timescale also gives panel members the chance to challenge the bibliometric results, both during the individual assessment period and at the selection-panel meeting. Reviewers value having an opportunity to talk to the bibliometric experts, seeing it as a helpful way to address any concerns about the validity of the information provided and how it should be interpreted. When using bibliometrics, it's important to address and clarify potential biases. One such bias is whether the bibliometric scores' of applicants across different fields of research could be reliably compared with each other. Analyses can also introduce biases related to gender and career stage, disadvantaging women and early-career researchers. To enable the data to be used appropriately and to be credible to panel members, it is crucial to highlight the caveats and drawbacks associated with particular bibliometric analyses when presenting them to the panel. Finally bibliometric analysis should not be used in isolation, especially on major grantsone interviewee described them as part of the sauce, not the meat on the plate. Any analysis should be used to complement wider evaluation criteria. Most panel members felt it was a useful tool for decision-making, alongside other sources of information. To maximise the effectiveness and utility of bibliometrics, panel members must be provided with clear information in a timely manner, with appropriate caveats and explanations. This can help panels make informed decisions on research grants. The right guidance to panel members can help to make the most of bibliometrics. Salil Gunashekar is a senior analyst and Sue Guthrie is a research leader at RAND Europe. This commentary originally appeared on Research Fortnight on September 6, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Developments in the Sahel are cause for real alarm. Insecurity in northern and central Mali, the epicenter of much of the region's al Qaeda-related violence, continues to grow, while Islamist violence has spread from there and from northern Nigeria to Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Just last month, gunmen killed 18 in a restaurant in Burkina Faso's capital, and last week the U.S. announced it was pulling Peace Corps volunteers out of the country. The upswing in terrorist attacks suggests that the region's main al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist groups, four of which unified in March under the name Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), are thriving. Similarly, a surge of attacks in and around northern Nigeria leave no doubt that the Nigerian government's claims late last year of its victory over Boko Haram were optimistic at best. The rise in violence associated with the al Qaeda groups, it should be recalled, is taking place despite the presence in the region of an active French counterterrorism force, known as Operation Barkhane, and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (known by the French acronym, MINUSMA). Both, moreover, came in the wake of the 2013 French intervention in Mali, known as Operation Serval, which wrested control of the northern part of that country from the Islamist groups that now are part of GSIM and presumably wrought significant damage upon them.... The remainder of this commentary is available on thecipherbrief.com. Michael Shurkin is a senior political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. He previously worked in the Intelligence Community, where he served as a political analyst with a focus on West Africa and Afghanistan. This commentary originally appeared on The Cipher Brief on September 13, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Digicel and Cable & Wireless have announced plans to restore the telecom services which were disrupted by Hurricane Irma across the Caribbean. Special measures have been taken in Barbuda, as the island was completely devastated by the storm, while the next hurricane on the list, Jose, may be on its way.The Digicel team is ready and able. We have been ready to get to work to restore service in Barbuda since last Thursday and now we have our opportunity. We are committed to helping Barbudans rebuild after the devastation caused by Irma, and this will be an important step forward, said Vanessa Slowey, CEO of Digi cel , Caribbean and Central America.According to the company, over 200 engineers, technicians and riggers have been mobilised across the region to undertake the required network restoration work.As for Cable & Wireless, the company has admitted strong disruption across Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.Im pleased to report that our mobile network in Antigua and Anguilla are already back to pre-Irma usage levels. There was, however, significant impact to our systems and services in Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks & Caicos Islands, said John Reid, CEO, Cable & Wireless Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has acquired a free-to-air (FTA) DTT frequency in Italy from Scripps Networks Interactive to launch a local version of Spike TV. Launching at the end of October, Spike Italy will target adult viewers with a mix of Viacoms global TV hits alongside international acquisitions and local productions.At the same time, VIMN has also entered into a joint venture with De Agostini Editore for the kids FTA TV channel, Super!, of which VIMN has acquired a 50% stake.Through the deals, Viacom intends to strengthen its position in Italys FTA market, where it already owns and operates two DTT channels Paramount Channel and VH1. Since launching Paramount Channel in February 2016 , Viacom has grown its average monthly reach in Italy by more than 19 million.Our pay TV partnerships remain the priority for Viacom, but free-to-air distribution is helping us grow ratings and revenues in TV markets where free-to-air networks are predominant, said David Lynn, CEO of VIMN.The company has also expanded its local advertising sales operation, VIMN Pubblicita' and Brand Solutions, signing deals to represent TV channels owned by Scripps Networks Interactive, De Agostini Editore and Sony, as well as its own portfolio of 11 channels including MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.Im pleased to confirm this latest step in our ongoing strategy to scale-up our business in Italy, which has the highest number of free-to-air channels of any European TV market and is the third biggest in terms of advertising revenues, added Raffaele Annecchino, president, managing director for VIMN Southern & Western Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Tivu has partnered with Yotta Media Labs to develop an HbbTV app to support all of the features of a vertical network operators application for the Italian free-to-air (FTA) market. The application aims to enhance the usability of interactive services and the viewer experience, narrowing the gap between FTA networks, both terrestrial and satellite, and pay-TV operators.We have been working, since Tivus foundation, with the main TV and STB manufacturers operating in the Italian market for our multi-platform services, like: tivusat (DTH), tivuon (OTT) and DGTVi certifications, said Alberto Sigismondi, CEO of Tivu. Now we believe that thanks to the OpApp we have a unique opportunity to get to the highest level of customer satisfaction and user experience.Tivu, in collaboration with the FreeTV Alliance , has participated in the inception and development of the HbbTV draft Operator Application specification.Tivu, Yotta Media Labs and the FreeTV Alliance are fully committed to the future of operator applications and to the creation of a common standard for FTA TV services and technologies across Europe for the benefit of viewers, manufacturers and broadcasters, stated the company. Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used. The Romanian Defense Ministry says one of its soldiers with the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan has been killed and two others injured after they were attacked by a vehicle packed with explosives. The soldiers were on a patrol in Afghanistan's southern Kandahar region on September 15 when the vehicle crashed into their convoy, the ministry said in a statement. NATO's Resolute Support mission said in a separate statement that a "vehicle-borne improvised explosive device" targeted a patrol of its troops in Kandahar on September 15, wounding a "small number" of its personnel. But the statement made no mention of fatalities and did not indicate the nationalities of the injured. It said that additional information would be disclosed as appropriate. Local officials, however, said the injured soldiers were from Romania, which has been a NATO member since 2004 and is contributing more than 620 troops to the alliance's mission in Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Resolute Support mission, Lieutenant Damien Horvath, told RFE/RL by telephone on September 15 that the coalition could not immediately provide further details about casualties sustained in the incident. But he said there was only one attack on a coalition patrol in the Kandahar region on September 15. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that seven foreign soldiers were killed. The militant group frequently makes exaggerated claims about its battlefield gains. The Taliban was driven from power in Afghanistan by a U.S.-led invasion following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States -- carried out by Al-Qaeda, whose leaders were sheltered by the Taliban. But the government in Kabul is struggling to stamp out insurgents following the departure of most NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2014. "The security situation in Afghanistan remains unstable, with most incidents occurring in the eastern and southern provinces," the Romanian Defense Ministry said in its September 15 statement. "NATO forces securing the military bases and major centers of the country remain permanent targets for possible attacks by insurgents," it added. The Romanian Defense Ministry and the NATO-led coalition said that the inured soldiers were being treated at a Kandahar military hospital. With reporting by AFP, Reuters, and VOA Protests continued overnight on November 12-13 in many Iranian cities as rights defenders warned of a climbing death and arrest tolls, while Tehran responded angrily to outside criticism of the Iranian government's eight-week crackdown. There were street demonstrations overnight in the capital, Tehran, and the cities of Arak, Shiraz, Zanjan, Sanandaj, and Sardasht. Iran has been engulfed by protests and a brutal crackdown triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in mid-September after her detention by morality police for an alleged dress-code violation. Video also emerged on social media of the moment when a 17-year-old was apparently shot by security forces in the city of Karaj. The images showed Mehdi Hazrati pushing ahead of a crowd of protesters before being gunned down. Local media quoted by AFP said Iran's judiciary hadcharged 750 more people in at least three provinces over "recent riots," adding to at least 2,000 others the department has confirmed were already charged in connection with the unrest. A judicial official in the southern Hormozgan Province was quoted as saying the various charges include "incitement to killing," "injuring security forces," anti-state propaganda, and damaging public property. Elsewhere, the Hamamihan newspaper quoted a student activist as saying around 150 students at Al-Zahra University had been suspended overnight following a punishment directed at a gathering there. Al-Zahra University has been one of the hubs of student protest since the current wave of unrest began. The Iran Human Rights group, a nonprofit that operates inside and outside the country, said on November 12 that it had counted at least 326 deaths so far across 22 provinces since the start of the unrest, including 43 children. It said that November 4, when at least 16 people died after security troops appeared to fire on a crowd in the town of Khash, was one of the bloodiest days in the crackdown on two months of protests. The group repeated its call for a more decisive and urgent response from the international community to prevent Iranian deaths. Western sources suspect at least around 14,000 others have been caught up in mass arrests since the protests began. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Qanaani, responded to criticism by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz by saying his video appeal for added pressure on Tehran was "interventionist, provocative, and undiplomatic." In a tweet, Scholz called for more EU sanctions and "to continue to step up the pressure" on the hard-line military Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Iran's political leadership. A day earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron met with a delegation of exiled Iranian rights activists and hailed the women-led protest movement in Iran as a "revolution." France's foreign minister then accused Tehran of "dictatorial practices" and of using dual citizens as hostages, saying a total of seven French nationals are now in Iranian custody, after a video of a purported confession of spying by two French citizens was aired on Iranian television. EU foreign ministers are expected to agree on expanded sanctions against Iran when they meet on November 14. Germany and Iceland have also urged that an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council be convened later this month on the Iranian situation. German news agency dpa reported early on November 13 that some Iranian residents of Berlin were attacked at a protest camp they set up there to show support for women's rights and democracy in their home country. Police said a 26-year-old man with a knife had destroyed banners and threatened some of the Iranian activists. No one was injured and the man was arrested, police added. The German State Protection Office that handles terrorist attacks is also involved due to suspicions that the attack was politically motivated. With reporting by dpa Russia, Iran, and Turkey have agreed at peace talks in Kazakhstan to place observers on the border of a de-escalation zone in Syria for at least six months. The announcement comes as part of a broader plan under which Moscow, Tehran, and Ankara will create four zones in different parts of Syria, a move some critics called a de facto partitioning of the war-torn country. The zones will include, either fully or partly, Eastern Ghouta in the northern Damascus countryside, and the provinces of Idlib, Homs, Latakia, Aleppo, and Hama. The six-month term could be extended in the future. Russian negotiator Aleksandr Lavrentyev said the trio will each send about 500 observers to Idlib, and that the Russians will serve as a military police force. "Observers from these three countries will be deployed at check and observation points in safe zones that form the borders of the de-escalation zone," Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement after two days of talks in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana. Russia, Turkey, and Iran are sponsors of the Astana talks on Syria, which are separate from United Nations-sponsored talks in Geneva. The three countries signed a memorandum in May that called for the creation of the four de-escalation zones. Russia has moved to establish three of them and there has since been a drop in violence between combatants. But differences over the borders of the fourth proposed de-escalation zone have prevented the signing of a formal agreement on the creation of all four zones. The U.S. State Department has said that Washington "remains concerned with Iran's involvement as a so-called 'guarantor' of the Astana process." The U.S. government is concerned about calls for Iranian forces to also be deployed as cease-fire monitors. It says Iran's "activities in Syria and unquestioning support" for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government "have perpetuated the conflict and increased the suffering of ordinary Syrians." Some Syrian opposition fighters also have rejected the idea of Iranian forces being given a role as cease-fire monitors, saying they are not neutral forces. With reporting by Reuters, Anadolu, Yeni Safak, AP, AFP, Kazinform, TASS, Izvestia, Interfax, and RIA Novosti BAKU -- Faiq Amirli, the financial director of the Azerbaijani opposition daily Azadliq (Liberty), has walked free after an appeals court replaced his prison term with a suspended sentence. Amirli, who is also a member of the opposition Popular Front of Azerbaijan (AXCP) party, was released on September 15. Investigators said that Amirli, who was arrested in August 2016, possessed books by Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based Muslim cleric whom Turkish authorities blame for a failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July of that year. Amirli was convicted on July 24 of tax evasion, inciting religious hatred, and violating the rights of citizens under the pretext of conducting religious rites. He has maintained his innocence. Azerbaijani and international rights groups have accused Baku of using Erdogan's crackdown on Gulens followers as a pretext to target critics of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's government. Gulen denies involvement in the coup attempt. Amirli's release comes four days after the director of the independent Turan news agency, Mehman Aliyev, who was charged with tax evasion and abuse of powers, was released from pretrial detention and placed under house arrest. Also on September 11, Azerbaijan's state-controlled APA news agency reported that 14 people who were among dozens convicted of calls to overthrow the government and inciting hatred in the so-called Nardaran case had been granted early release. The same day, Aliyev pardoned Russian-Israeli blogger Aleksandr Lapshin, who was sentenced to three years in prison in July for traveling to the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh without Baku's permission. Azerbaijan is ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index by the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Aliyev, who has been president of the oil-producing South Caucasus country of nearly 10 million since shortly before the death of his long-ruling father in 2003, is on RSFs 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. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calls them "extremists" and says the police should crack down on them. Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky calls them "sectarian arsonists." And in an editorial, the newspaper Vedomosti has asked why Patriarch Kirill has been silent about them. The growing extremism of Orthodox Christian activists -- most notably the threats from a group ominously calling itself "Christian State" against movie theaters showing the controversial film Matilda, which depicts a romantic liaison of Tsar Nicholas II -- was entirely predictable. And so were violent acts like the Molotov cocktail attack on the St. Petersburg studio of Matilda's director, Aleksei Uchitel, and the two arson attacks on cars near the Moscow office of Uchitel's lawyer. Ever since Vladimir Putin returned to the Kremlin in 2012, his regime has encouraged, manipulated, and utilized the most nationalistic, xenophobic, and nativist elements in society for political gain. It was just a matter of time before some of them went rogue. Now, the Kremlin claims to be shocked and appalled about the emergence of radical groups like Christian State. And the recent violence and threats of violence does create the appearance that the Putin regime is losing control over the Frankenstein monster it created. But we would also be foolish not to expect the Kremlin to use this atmosphere of fear to its advantage. What better opportunity, after all, for the Putin regime to present itself as a moderate, measured, and responsible voice of reason. And just in time for election season. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. NOTE TO POWER VERTICAL READERS, VIEWERS, AND LISTENERS: I will be traveling to Washington, Vilnius, and Riga from September 17-October 1. As a result, no Power Vertical products will appear between September 18 and September 29. The regular Power Vertical schedule will resume on October 2. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Two years after arriving Germany seeking asylum, Afghan refugee Ali Hassani is cooking local specialties in a restaurant. But he's in a fortunate minority -- just 10 percent of the hundreds of thousands who came in 2015 have landed a job. (Ray Furlong, Jarda Ptacnik, RFE/RL) A senior Iranian military official has accused Washington of seeking excuses to tear up the nuclear deal Tehran reached with six world powers by demanding inspections of Iranian military sites. Ali Shamkhani, a military commander and secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, made the remarks on state television on September 15. Shamkhani said "Iran has no undisclosed nuclear activity in any geographical location in the country." He said issues raised by the United States are media hype by the Americans so that they can refrain from fulfilling their obligations. Shamkhanis remarks came one day after Washington said it would extend the sanctions relief that Iran was granted under the 2015 nuclear deal but would impose new penalties on Iranian individuals and entities over Tehrans ballistic-missile program. "Waiving some of those sanctions should not be seen as an indication of President [Donald] Trump or his administration's position on the [nuclear deal], nor is the waiver giving the Iranian regime a pass on its broad range of malign behavior," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. U.S. and UN watchdogs monitoring compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement have found Iran has adhered to the deal. However, the Trump administration has frequently charged that Tehran breaks the "spirit" of the deal by continuing to test-launch ballistic missiles and rockets capable of carrying nuclear warheads. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on September 14 that Washington is continuing to develop its policy on Iran and will consider the wider threat it poses beyond just its nuclear program. "President Trump has made it clear, Tillerson said. We must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just Iran's nuclear capabilities. That is just one piece of our posture toward Iran." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on September 14 that Trumps suggestion that the nuclear deal should be renegotiated was pure fantasy. In a Twitter message, Zarif said the deal is not renegotiable, adding that it was about time for [the] U.S. to stop spinning and begin complying, just like Iran. Zarif is due to meet with Tillerson and foreign ministers from other world powers that signed the nuclear deal when they gather on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The other signatories of the Iran nuclear pact are Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. With reporting by Reuters and AFP Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev will pay a working visit to Uzbekistan and attend the opening of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan's capital, Ashgabat. Talking to journalists in Astana on September 14, Nazarbaev confirmed earlier reports that he will visit the two neighboring Central Asian countries on September 16-17. Nazarbaev's press service said earlier that the Kazakh president will take part in the work of the Kazakh-Uzbek business forum in Tashkent on September 16 and will attend the opening of the Asian Games in Ashgabat the next day. Ties between two major players in Central Asia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, have been improving after Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev took over the region's most populous country of more than 30 million following the death of his predecessor, Islam Karimov, a year ago. During Karimov's more than quarter-century rule, Uzbekistan was at odds with its neighbors over issues ranging from border disputes and ethnic standoffs to economic disagreements linked to water distribution and energy transportation across the region. Mirziyoev and his government openly proclaimed that their foreign policy's priority is improving ties with neighboring former Soviet republics. On September 15, Uzbekistan's presidential press service said that Mirziyoev will also attend the opening of the Asian Games in Ashgabat on September 17, where he is expected to hold talks with leaders of other countries. Tajik media reports said earlier that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon will be in Ashgabat on September 17 as well. Based on reporting by Kazinform, Tengrinews, Interfax, news.tj, and RIA Novosti Serbia's Red Cross says it is gathering information from people in Kosovo to help address the needs of the community and not conducting what police allege was an illegal census of ethnic Serbs in the country. "The Red Cross has an obligation to create a social map because it is the responsibility of the Red Cross to provide realistic and objective humanitarian assistance," Vesna Milenovic, secretary-general of the Red Cross of Serbia, told Serbian Radio-Television in a September 15 interview. Kosovar police said a day earlier that they had raided premises used by the organization in the country, confiscating documents suspected of being used for the purported illegal census. They also said that some police officers were injured after being attacked during a raid conducted in the northern city of Mitrovica. The Red Cross of Serbia, a branch of the international Red Cross, also works in Kosovo to support the Serbian minority there. Some Red Cross employees were questioned during the raids, but no arrests were made. Kosovo police, however, said they had launched criminal cases against suspects who allegedly attacked some officers. Long-simmering tensions between Kosovars and ethnic Serbs have been rising in recent months. Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, suspended European Union-sponsored talks with Serbia after Ramush Haradinaj, the recently appointed prime minister, was arrested in France on a warrant from Belgrade in January. A French court refused to extradite him. Serbia, which said the police raids were part of "the continuation of pressure against Serbs" in Kosovo, does not recognize Kosovo's independence. Most of Kosovo's ethnic Serbs live in the north, the area where the raids took place. The EU has urged Pristina and Belgrade -- both seeking to join the 28-member bloc -- to normalize relations and is sponsoring talks in hopes of ending years of hostility. Greg Delawie, the U.S. ambassador to Kosovo, said on Twitter that he was "concerned" about the Red Cross issue and following it "closely." Pakistan's Supreme Court has rejected petitions for a review of a decision it made on July 28 that disqualified former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office over allegations of corruption. The five-judge panel on September 15 dismissed the petitions from Sharif's family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. It did not specify the reasons for its decision. The July 28 ruling employed a little-used constitutional provision to rule that Sharif was unfit to hold office because he did not declare a source of some of his income. The ruling came after an investigation into Sharif's family wealth. Sharif maintains that he did not receive the undeclared funds. He is barred indefinitely from being a lawmaker in Pakistan's parliament. In addition, the Supreme Court ruling disqualified three of Sharif's children, a son-in-law, and Dar -- a member of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. It also ordered a criminal investigation into the finances of the Sharif family and Dar. The allegations that led to Sharif's disqualification are linked to one of Sharif's two terms in office during the 1990s. Sharif's opponents accused him of laundering money from Pakistan and hiding stolen funds in offshore accounts. The money was allegedly used later to buy properties in London. Sharif stepped down immediately after the July 28 ruling but he said Pakistan's people have not accepted the decision. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, Geo News, and dpa A regional official in Pakistan says a suspected U.S. drone strike targeting a house used by militants has killed three people in the northwest of the country. Baseer Khan Wazir, senior administrator of the Kurram tribal district along the border with Afghanistan, said the drone fired two missiles on September 15. Reuters quoted Afghan Taliban sources as saying the attack targeted a Haqqani network militant. "Two missiles were dropped on the home of Maulvi Mohib, and three people have been killed," Wazir said. Voice of America reported, citing tribal sources, that Mohib, a local cleric, was a loyalist of the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, which is allied with Afghan Taliban insurgents. The U.S.-led international force battling the Taliban in Afghanistan had no immediate information on the report. If confirmed, it would be the first U.S. drone strike inside Pakistan since President Donald Trump outlined a new strategy for Afghanistan and pushed officials in Islamabad to ratchet up activities against Haqqani militants. Pakistan denies there are any militant havens within its borders, and relations between Washington and Islamabad have been strained in recent years amid U.S. counterterrorism efforts along the border region -- even though U.S. drone attacks inside Pakistan have become rare in recent years. The last high-profile target of a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan was Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur, who was killed in a 2016 operation. Based on reporting by Reuters, dpa, AP, and Voice of America More than 1,800 troops from 14 countries are taking part in U.S.-led military drills near the western Ukrainian city of Yavoriv. The Rapid Trident exercises, held each year since 1996, began on September 8 and run until September 23. The two-week drills are designed to test and build Ukraine's interoperability with NATO allies and partners. It comes as Russia and Belarus hold joint military exercises, Zapad (West) 2017, involving at least 13,000 troops. (U.S. Army video) MOSCOW -- Maybe its telephone terrorism. Maybe its a secret test of the countrys civil defense. Or maybe its a new form of cyberwarfare. For five days, Russia has been hit by hundreds of fake bomb threats phoned in to universities, schools, hospitals, airports, and railway stations nationwide. Theyve forced police to evacuate tens of thousands, sowing panic and disrupting business across the country. The most recent calls came on September 14 to the upscale GUM shopping center on Red Square, opposite the Kremlin. The posh mall, home to stores like Gucci, Prada, and Hugo Boss, was evacuated, as were 20 schools and two cinemas in the capital alone. Over 100,000 were evacuated from various buildings around Moscow the day before. Yet, no one knows where the calls are coming from. Government and law enforcement have offered no authoritative explanations. The Kremlin -- having initially declined to comment -- on September 14 labeled it telephone terrorism, saying only that the perpetrators were being sought. Meanwhile, fed by an array of anonymous sources cited by pro-Kremlin media, theories and speculation have mushroomed, blaming Ukraine, Islamic State, and even radical Russian Orthodox activists as possible perpetrators. In comments to RFE/RLs Russian Service, experts in the military and security services speculated that the sheer scale could indicate it is the work of the Russian security services themselves -- either as part of an elaborate drill or some false-flag operation to legitimize a crackdown on Internet freedoms. The calls are being made on IP telephones using encryption to scramble the callers location, according to sources cited by the Russian news agency Interfax. The bomb tip-offs are made by a prerecorded voice, the Komsomolskaya Pravda tabloid reported. Ukraine And Islamic State On September 12, Komsomolskaya Pravda, known for its pro-Kremlin views, cited Russian security service sources who blamed the calls -- without providing evidence -- on Ukrainian cybertroops. This explanation has been touted by other Russian media, including Interfax, which cited an informed source on September 14 claiming that 90 percent of the calls had been made from Ukraine via Internet channels. State media have also pointed to Islamic State extremists, casting the phone calls as the latest in a line of radical Islamist attacks in Russia stretching back to the 1990s. On September 14, the RIA Novosti news agency cited a law enforcement source as saying the calls are being placed by individuals abroad linked to Islamic State. The source claimed that investigators could not divulge more information without compromising their investigation. Matilda? One theory mooted by the independent Meduza news outlet held that the hoaxes might be the work of Orthodox radicals protesting a controversial new film depicting a romance between Russias last tsar, Nicholas II, and a ballerina. The film, titled Matilda, was due to hit cinemas this week, though the country's largest cinema chain canceled showings due to threats from Orthodox radicals who called for the film to be banned. Nicholas II, who was murdered along with his family by Bolsheviks, was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, and many devout Orthodox believers consider him a saint. Aleksandr Kalinin, the head of Christian State-Holy Rus, a radical Orthodox group campaigning against the film, told Meduza that the wave of hoaxes could be linked to the film. Kalinin said he received a letter from radicals informing him that there are guys who are prepared to show all these cinema distributors that there are modes of fighting much more effective than arson and other things. The letter appeared to include a threat to use potent but nonlethal methods like phone lines in order to destabilize Russias entire infrastructure, Meduza reported. Drills Or False Flag? Shortly after the bomb alerts began, the local Perm issue of the pro-Kremlin weekly Argumenty I Fakty cited Oleg Ostrovsky, a Defense Ministry official in the Urals region, who suggested the calls were part of antiterrorism drills taking place nationwide. "For the first time in Russia since the U.S.S.R., there are large-scale antiterrorism drills in which all the agencies responsible for state security are taking part. Apart from Omsk, Novosibirsk, Perm, and Chelyabinsk, soon there will be drills also in other big cities, he told the newspaper in an article published on September 12. The newspaper quoted him directly by name before editing the report to remove his name. The report was then deleted from the site altogether. Aleksandr Golts, a military analyst and chief editor of the Yezhednyevny Zhurnal weekly, told RFE/RL's Russian Service said he found the lack of official statement from the security services suspicious since, he said, they usually try to project strength. Our security services are keeping silent, which to an extent forces us to suspect that these were drills after all. As always when drills take place in Russia, they happen fairly stupidly, he said. Others like Gennady Gudkov, a former State Duma deputy and a retired Federal Security Services officer, also speculated that the security services could be behind the calls, although for different reasons. He said authorities might be trying to scare the population over Internet anonymizers, in order to legitimize a state crackdown on online encryption devices. President Vladimir Putin this summer signed legislation banning virtual private networks and Internet anonymizers in measures that take effect on November 1. These are not drills, Gudkov said. They are preparing public opinion for the banning of the Internet. RFE/RLs Russian Service contributed to this story A top aide to Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny says he was attacked on the street with a metal pipe in Moscow, the latest incident in what Navalny calls a state-sanctioned campaign of violence and intimidation against supporters of his presidential bid. Nikolai Lyaskin, head of the Moscow bureau of Navalny's presidential campaign, said on Twitter that shortly after he left the campaign headquarters in the city's central district on September 15, an unidentified assailant struck him several times from behind with the pipe and then fled the scene. "Some scumbag just attacked me from behind," Lyaskin wrote. Lyaskin said in a subsequent tweet that he was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He told Russian media outlets that he was hit once in the back of the head with the pipe, but that the other blows largely missed their mark. The extent of his injuries was not immediately clear. Lyaskin posted photographs of what he said was the weapon, which was wrapped in newspaper. He told the RBK business daily that the weapon was a "steel pipe." Lyaskin said later on September 15 that he was diagnosed with a concussion and posted a copy of the medical report on Twitter. He added that he was filing a police report. The state-run TASS news agency quoted Moscow police as saying they were conducting a probe of the alleged attack. Navalny and his supporters accuse the authorities of giving tacit approval to acts of violence against them by failing to identify and prosecute assailants targeting them. "The attack on Nikolai Lyaskin is, of course, the result of the lack of police action against the scum who carried out earlier attacks," Ivan Zhdanov, a lawyer for Navalny, wrote on Twitter. Navalny posted a photograph of the alleged weapon on Twitter, writing, "What is this if not attempted murder?" Navalny himself suffered a chemical burn to his eye in April when an assailant splashed green antiseptic on the opposition leader's face. He underwent surgery in Spain the following month due to the injury. The anticorruption crusader is attempting to run in the March 2018 presidential election, which is widely expected to hand President Vladimir Putin a new six-year term. Since announcing his candidacy in December 2016, Navalny has opened more than 60 campaign offices in different regions of Russia. In June, however, the Central Election Commission said that Navalny was ineligible to run for public office because of a financial-crimes conviction that he calls politically motivated. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement last week that "radical nationalists and pro-Putin groups have physically attacked and threatened" Navalny's campaigners, and that "official investigations into these incidents have not been effective." HRW added that Russian police are "systematically" interfering with Navalny's attempts to run for president by raiding his campaign offices, "arbitrarily" detaining campaign volunteers, and carrying out "other actions that unjustifiably interfere with campaigning." Putin has not announced whether he will run, but is expected to seek and secure a fourth term. The Kremlin has dismissed Navalny, who finished second in Moscow's 2013 mayoral election with around 27 percent of the vote, as a convict and a marginal political figure. With reporting by Zona.media, RBK, Interfax, and TASS MOSCOW -- For at least the third time in recent months, the European Court of Human Rights has stepped in to prevent a Moscow court from ordering the deportation of an Uzbek citizen back to the authoritarian Central Asian country. Russian human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina wrote on Facebook on September 14 that the European court had barred Moscow from deporting Uzbek citizen Ravshan Rakhimov pending the resolution of his asylum application. In August, the court issued a similar order in the case of Novaya Gazeta journalist Ali Feruz (Feruz is the pen name used by Hudoberdi Nurmatov), after Russian and international journalists argued he could face torture or death if handed over to Uzbekistan. Rakhimov's case has been a rollercoaster from the start. The 37-year-old moved to Moscow with his wife in 2007. His two children, now 8 and 1, were both born in the Russian capital. He worked in construction and kept his papers in order. He never had any trouble with the Russian authorities. But in 2014, his mother told him that his brother and two other men from his home village with whom he'd worked in Moscow had been detained by the Uzbek security forces. Rakhimov says the men were held for 15 days, during which they were beaten and given electric shocks, before they were able to bribe their way out of custody. Rakhimov decided to stop travelling back to Uzbekistan and applied for asylum in Russia. In September 2015, Russia's Federal Migration Service rejected Rakhimov's application, saying that he was ineligible because there was no arrest warrant for him in Uzbekistan. Charged Or Not? The matter rested there until February 2017, when Rakhimov was stopped in one of the routine document checks that are a regular feature of migrant-worker life in Moscow. During that check, police discovered that Uzbekistan had issued a warrant for Rakhimov in December 2014. He was jailed pending possible extradition. According to the Uzbek authorities, Rakhimov advocated the formation of an Islamist state and called for the overthrow of the existing government of Uzbekistan. He allegedly attended lectures and consumed media containing extremist content. He also supposedly recruited others and organized meetings at which extremist materials were distributed. He did all this, the Uzbek government claimed, not in Central Asia, but in Moscow. However, in Rakhimov's case file there is a document from the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to the prosecutor's office dated April 2017 and saying the FSB had no evidence that Rakhimov had been involved in any such activities. In view of the fact that he is not under any investigation in Russia, the FSB wrote, "there are no circumstances hindering the transfer of this individual to the requesting country and there is no threat to the security of the Russian Federation." In March, Rakhimov filed a second application for asylum, citing the new information about his arrest warrant. The Russian authorities rebuffed that application, arguing that his case had already been considered and rejected. Upon a court appeal, the migration authorities' rejection was overturned and the court sent a written admonishment to the officials instructing them to follow the law. Nonetheless, on July 24, Deputy Prosecutor-General Saak Karapetyan ordered Rakhimov's extradition. The case ended up in the Moscow City Court where, on September 7, the court overturned Karapetyan's order. "In numerous reports and other documents by international agencies...it has been stated that the use of torture and mistreatment of prisoners in custody is a widespread and ongoing problem [in Uzbekistan]," the court's decision read. It added that there had been no information that the situation there had changed since longtime autocrat Islam Karimov died in 2016. "How pleasant it is to hear the words 'to be released from custody in the courtroom,'" his lawyer, Roza Magomedova, wrote on Facebook that day. But Rakhimov's problems were far from over. 'With Friends' He was taken into a waiting room to collect his belongings when several people in plainclothes detained him and took him away. When Magomedova inquired after him, police told her Rakhimov had left the building "with friends," which she knew was not true. She immediately went to a police station and filed a missing-persons report. The following day, she got a phone call from a man who said he had shared a cell with Rakhimov, who had asked him to call her when he was released. Rakhimov was being held at the same police station in the Yaroslav district where he'd originally been arrested in February. When Magomedova arrived, she found her client with a broken foot. "As soon as I arrived, I asked why I had been detained," Rakhimov said. "They immediately started beating me." Rakhimov didn't realize his foot was broken until later when it began to swell. Officially, police said he broke the foot while attempted to escape. Rakhimov was hustled straight to the Babushkin district court, where the police report said he had been detained during a document check and it was discovered he had no passport or migrant card. His documents, in fact, were still at the remand facility where he'd been held since February. The judge seemed unconvinced that Rakhimov had not been kidnapped straight from the city court, but was unwilling to let him go free. Instead, she never called the case and Rakhimov and Magomedova sat in the courtroom until 10 p.m. On September 9, a Saturday, Magomedova went to the Yaroslav district police station but was not allowed to see her client. He was being taken back to court, she was told, and she could talk to him there. At the court, however, she was told they don't hear such cases on weekends. When she called back to the police station, she was told Rakhimov had been released because he couldn't be held without charge for more than 48 hours. But Rakhimov didn't appear at home. Magomedova filed a second missing-persons complaint. The next day was a case study in deja vu. A man telephoned and said he'd been in a cell with Rakhimov overnight. Rakhimov was being held at a police station in the capital's Losinoostrov district, again being held on charges of violating migration laws. He'd been released the previous day and then immediately stopped in the next precinct for a document check. When Magomedova reached Rakhimov, she found him with black eyes and bruises on his neck. "I just asked them why they were detaining me," he told her. According to the arrest report, Rakhimov had resisted arrest and needed to be handcuffed. Europe Enters The Fray But this time, Magomedova was accompanied by two members of the Moscow Public Oversight Commission, which monitors human rights. They immediately called an ambulance, and the medics ordered that he be taken to a hospital for head X-rays and a neurological examination. This was done and a medical report was issued, which police confiscated, saying they would add it to Rakhimov's case file. It disappeared. Rakhimov was back in front of a judge on September 11. Despite the Moscow City Court's ruling on September 7 establishing Rakhimov as a refugee, Judge Yelena Mamayeva ruled against Rakhimov. She ordered him fined 5,000 rubles ($87) and deported to Uzbekistan. She said that since he had been detained on September 9, he'd had plenty of time to recover his documents after the Moscow City Court ruling on September 7. The fact that he'd been in police custody during that time was not taken into consideration. The court ordered Rakhimov sent to a detention facility for people awaiting deportation. That's when the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) stepped in, staying the Moscow court's deportation order pending a proper consideration of Rakhimov's asylum application. But the story doesn't end there. On September 14, rights activist Gannushkina posted on Facebook that Magomedova had visited Rakhimov in the detention center. He told her he'd been visited by "officials of the Uzbek Embassy," who had pressured him to sign a document renouncing his right to an attorney and his right to appeal to the ECHR. He didn't sign, Magomedova said. She advised her client not to speak to anyone except her. Written by Robert Coalson on the basis of reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service correspondent Sergei Khazov-Cassia A leading Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations committee says Turkeys recent purchase of antiaircraft missile systems from Russia may have violated a U.S. law that requires automatic sanctions to be imposed against Ankara. Senator Ben Cardin issued the warning on September 14 in a letter to the administration of President Donald Trump. The letter says Ankaras purchase of Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles, which was finalized on September 12, violates U.S. congressional sanctions against Russia that were signed into law in August. Cardin noted that the legislation calls for sanctions on any person that conducts a significant transaction with Russias defense or intelligence sectors. These are mandatory sanctions and constitute a commitment by the United States to deter Russia from attacking the United States and its allies in the future, the letter said. Cardin wrote: As a U.S. ally, it is unfortunate that Turkey has appeared to align itself with Moscow during this critical time. He also asked the U.S. State Department to assess how the deal might affect Turkeys NATO membership and U.S. security assistance to Ankara, which includes weapons sales. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed Western concerns about the $2.5 billion deal, saying NATO only has itself to blame because it has been slow to provide his country with weapons systems. Erdogans spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said on September 14 that good relations between Ankara and Moscow do not represent a break with the West, despite what he said was the discomfort expressed by some NATO allies. Based on reporting by Politico.com, Reuters, and dpa The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. The United States has called on China and Russia to take "direct actions" aimed at reining in North Korea after it launched a second ballistic missile over Japan on September 15. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own." Tillerson's statement came as the United Nations Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on this latest missile launch, which U.S. and South Korean officials said flew far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, though it never actually threatened U.S. territory and fell into the Pacific Ocean after flying over Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. Seoul's Defense Ministry said the missile traveled around 3,700 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometers -- flying higher and farther than any previous North Korean missile. The Pentagon said it was an intermediate-range ballistic missile and there was no threat to North America or Guam. In Japan, however, where the missile set off sirens and warning messages, "it put millions of Japanese into duck-and-cover," said U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis after discussing the launch with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan. The launch came a day after Pyongyang threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for sponsoring tough sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council earlier this week in response to its September 3 nuclear test. North Korea previously launched a ballistic missile on August 29 which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific Ocean, the same flight path followed by the latest test. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in Tokyo that the missile fell into the sea about 2,000 kilometers from Japan's coast, and the government has detected no evidence of missile fragments falling on Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch "outrageous" and urged international action "against North Korea's dangerous, provocative acts that threaten the world's peace." Tokyo and Washington called for the UN Security Council meeting, which was scheduled for 3 p.m. in New York on September 15. The Security Council earlier this week unanimously tightened sanctions against Pyongyang, imposing a ban on the country's textile exports and capping imports of crude oil, in the latest in a series of progressively harsher measures adopted since 2006. The sanctions also called on Russia and China to stop providing new permits to North Korean laborers under a guest-workers program -- a provision that the United States said would eventually end the program after existing permits expire, cutting off an estimated $500 million a year of Pyongyang's revenue from earnings sent back home by the workers. The United States in calling for further action by Beijing and Moscow after the missile launch appeared to be asking the two North Korean neighbors to go above and beyond what was agreed in the last round of sanctions, which was in response to what Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb test. Tillerson called the previously approved sanctions "the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the [Kim Jong Un] regime." Experts have said the bomb detonated underground by North Korea, because of the large earthquake and landslides it caused, showed signs of being many times more powerful than previously tested bombs. The U.S. general who oversees American nuclear forces provided the first U.S. confirmation of that on September 14, saying that he "assumes" the bomb tested was a powerful hydrogen bomb. "The sheer destruction and damage that you can create with a weapon that size is significantly of a concern," said Air Force General John Hyten. With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, and Reuters Facebook's disclosure that Russians purchased political ads on the social network during last year's presidential campaign has prompted action by the U.S. agency that regulates campaign practices. The U.S. Federal Election Commission said on September 14 that it will consider requiring more disclosures for the first time about who placed ads that appear on social media and asked for public comment on whether to revise its current disclaimer requirements, which exempt social-media firms. "Given the revelations of the past few days regarding the secret purchase of thousands of Internet political ads by foreign actors during the 2016 presidential election, there can no longer reasonably be any doubt that we need to revise and modernize our Internet disclaimer regulations," said Democratic Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, who raised the matter before the commission. "The need for us to act grows more compelling every day," she said, "and it is our duty to have these changes in place in time to inform the 2018 elections." Weintraub said the commission should seek public testimony from Facebook, Twitter, and Google to learn more about who is placing political ads on their networks. While foreign governments are allowed under U.S. law to buy ads and publicity for certain issues, they must disclose such spending and it is illegal for them to try to interfere in elections. Russia has denied any efforts to interfere. Last week, Facebook said an operation based in Russia spent $100,000 on thousands of U.S. ads promoting political messages against immigrants and gays. It said it provided its findings to the U.S. Justice Department and congressional committees that are investigating whether Russia meddled in the election. Facebook has not released copies of the ads, which it said it had deleted after discovering they were placed by Russian organizations. But the Daily Beast last week said it was able to retrieve some of the deleted ads and found they actively promoted signature issues in U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign platform, such as calling for the deportation of illegal immigrants and building a border wall between the United States and Mexico. Members of the Election Commission disagreed on whether rules changes were needed and whether the Russian Facebook ads were a problem. "I've drawn no conclusions...about what the ads said or if they're even under our jurisdiction because I have no idea what the text of those ads said," said Lee Goodman, a Republican commissioner, during a meeting on September 14. Goodman said the matter might fall under the jurisdiction of the Justice Department, which enforces laws on foreign agents operating in the country. Commission Chairman Steven Walther said the commission may need the tech sector to help craft regulations. "We should make sure that we're going to be able to get the Googles or some of the people who have the technological expertise to help us move in a constructive direction," he said. Also this week, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee said that executives from Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media companies should be called to testify before Congress about Russia's involvement in the election. "It certainly appears that the Russians were engaged in a multipronged approach in using social media, through paid advertising, through paid event organizing, through dissemination and amplification of false and negative stories," Representative Adam Schiff told reporters in Washington. With reporting by Reuters The missile blasted off from near the Sunan International Airport north of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 2,300 miles directly east, flying over northern Japan and falling into the Pacific Ocean. It was the 15th missile test by North Korea this year and the first since North Korea detonated its most powerful nuclear bomb to date on Sept. 3. The dictator The test proved that North Korean ballistic missiles could reach with ease the American air base in Guam which is at the same distance. Neither the United States nor Japan tried to shoot down the missile. The North American Aerospace Defense Command determined this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America, a spokesman for United States Pacific Command, said in a statement. It also did not pose a threat to Guam. But in Japan an alert was issued on television and via cellphones, warning people to take shelter inside a building or underground. For the White House, the launching prompts a series of diplomatic and military challenges. Yoshihide Suga, chief cabinet secretary to Mr. Abe, said that Japan absolutely cannot accept the repeated outrageous provocative actions by North Korea and lodged an official protest. The UN Security Council will hold urgent consultations on Friday at the request of the United States and Japan. Straight shot up U.S. 31 to I-94 finally open in Berrien County Last few miles had been unfinished since 2004 because of a lack of money to pay for it. Today (Sept. 15), NASA's Cassini spacecraft will dive into Saturn's atmosphere and disintegrate. You can watch the action live right here on Space.com, starting at 4:00 a.m. PDT (7 a.m. EDT). The intentional crash is expected to begin at about 4:55 a.m. PDT (7:55 a.m. EDT, 1155 GMT). Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California will monitor the descent and collect data from Cassini during the 1 to 2 minutes before the friction and heat from the fall destroy the spacecraft. NASA's coverage of the event will begin at 4 a.m. PDT (7 a.m. EDT, 1100 GMT), and you can watch it on the Space.com home page, or on our watch-live page, courtesy of NASA. The coverage will include commentary on the end-of-mission activities and an uninterrupted live stream of the JPL mission control center. You can also watch via NASA TV. [Cassini at Saturn in Videos: Latest Mission Events and Amazing Discoveries] At 6:30 a.m. PDT (9:30 a.m. EDT, 1330 GMT) NASA will host a post-mission news conference from JPL. You can also watch that event live here on Space.com. "We'll be saddened there's no doubt about it at the loss of such an incredible machine," Earl Maize, the Cassini program manager, said during a news conference Wednesday (Sept. 13). "But I think all of us [on the Cassini team] have a great sense of pride We set out to do something at Saturn, we did it [and] we did it extremely well." The $3.26 billion Cassini-Huygens mission a joint effort of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency launched toward Saturn in 1997 and arrived at the system in 2004. The Huygens lander separated from Cassini and plopped down on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan shortly after the arrival. The Cassini probe was scheduled to study the Saturn system until 2008, but the mission was given two extensions that stretched its lifetime into 2017. Now, the probe is nearly out of fuel, and the mission must end. By sending Cassini into Saturn, scientists hope to gather a few bits of in-situ data from the atmosphere of one of the solar system's gas giants. Since April, Cassini has been making a series of loops between Saturn and the planet's innermost rings, "dipping its toe" into Saturn's atmosphere, according to mission scientists. The crash into Saturn's atmosphere will also ensure that Cassini will not collide with one of the Saturnian moons that researchers think could be habitable. Such a collision could risk contaminating those moons with microbes from Earth. Amazing discoveries Cassini's observations of the Saturn system resulted in a long roster of new discoveries, including observations of disturbances and changing features in the planet's rings, and revelations about the potential habitability of some of the system's moons. The spacecraft has taken 453,048 images of the Saturn system during its lifetime, and 3,948 scientific papers have been written based on Cassini data, according to NASA's most recent numbers. The mission also opened up new mysteries that scientists will now have to investigate without the spacecraft, such as how the planet's magnetic field is generated (the prevailing theory doesn't seem to match up with observations), how quickly the planet's solid core rotates (which should determine the official length of a Saturn day), and how material from the planet's rings mixes with its atmosphere. "Not only do we have an environment [at Saturn] that is just overwhelming in its abundance of scientific mysteries and puzzles, we got a spacecraft and a team that could exploit it," Maize said. "It's just been an amazing, amazing mission." Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. This artist's concept shows Cassini's view during one of its final dives over Saturn. Update for Sept. 15: Cassini has made its final plunge into Saturn. See our final farewell here: RIP, Cassini: Historic Mission Ends with Fiery Plunge into Saturn After 20 years spent traveling the solar system and 13 years spent circling Saturn, the remarkable Cassini mission is coming to a bittersweet end. On Friday, Sept. 15, mission scientists and enthusiasts will witness the self-destruction of the Cassini probe, as it burns up and disintegrates in the atmosphere of the ringed planet that it observed over the course of three total missions. [Cassini's Saturn Crash: How to Watch Its 'Grand Finale'] Cassini has gathered new insights and imagery from Saturn, a planet that has long fascinated people's imaginations. To gain a solid understanding of the ways in which this distant spacecraft has contributed to the scientific understanding of Saturn and its more than 60 moons, it's worthwhile look at the numbers: 453,048: The number of images Cassini has taken. One of the many instruments on board the Cassini spacecraft is the Imaging Science Subsystem camera, which uses red, green and blue spectral filters to capture the marvels of the Saturn system. The colors are later combined to make a composite image. Cassini also carries various spectrometers and radar instruments that allowed the probe to observe features that were obstructed, such as the surface of Saturn's moon Titan, which was otherwise hidden underneath the clouds. 635: The amount of data, in gigabytes, that Cassini has collected. The complex scientific dataCassini has sent back to mission scientists on Earth includes electromagnetic spectrum observations, information on dust particles and a collection of Saturn's plasma characteristics. 890 million: The average distance in miles between the Earth and Saturn. It translates to roughly 1.43 billion kilometers. 83: Total minutes it will take the light from Saturn to reach Earth during the end of Cassini's mission. Since the speed of light is quite fast, it is used to measure the distances of faraway objects, such as stars and galaxies. The distance between Earth and Saturn can change, depending on where the planets are in their respective orbits, and therefore the time for light to travel from one world to the other will also change. The numerical values describing Cassini's accomplishments show how significant the 13-year mission truly was. (Image credit: NASA/JPL) 294: Final orbit count of Cassini around Saturn. 2: Number of oceans that the spacecraft discovered. Cassini found that both Titan and Enceladus are home to underground oceans. Many scientists now believe that Earth resembled Titan before life formed here and that Titan and Enceladus could be home to alien microbes. Preventing Cassini from contaminating these worlds is one key reason the spacecraft is being disintegrated on purpose, before its fuel runs out. 3: The total number of missions that the Cassini spacecraft completed. Cassini's journey began in 1997, and it reached Saturn in 2004. It completed its first mission in four years, and in 2008, the spacecraft extended its coverage of the planet with the two-year Equinox mission. In 2010, Cassini began the mission that it ends tomorrow, the Solstice mission. 6,504: The amount of propellant Cassini already used up in lbs., which translates to 2,950 kilograms. The probe set out with 6,565 lbs., or 2,978 kg, of fuel. This narrow gap between the numbers indicates Cassini is running low on fuel. If the probe were allowed to orbit Saturn without any way to for NASA to navigate it, Cassini would be at risk of crashing onto a Saturnian moon and disturbing that body's natural processes. 12,593: Weight in lbs. when Cassini set off with the Huygens probe, fuel, adaptor and other instruments. That translates to 5,712 kg. 4,685: Cassini's current weight in lbs. (2,125 kg) after using up just about all of its fuel and having released the Huygens probe onto the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. 12: The total number of scientific instruments used by Cassini to collect and send data about Saturn, its rings and its moons. Those instruments include the composite infrared spectrometer (CIRS), imaging system (ISS), ultraviolet imaging spectrograph (UVIS), visual and infrared mapping spectrometer (VIMS), imaging radar (RADAR), radio science (RSS), and plasma spectrometer (CAPS). Visit Space.com for complete coverage of Cassini's crash into Saturn on Friday, Sept. 15. As Cassini approached Saturn, it captured an inviting view of the ringed world. Update for Sept. 15: Cassini has made its final plunge into Saturn. See our final farewell here: RIP, Cassini: Historic Mission Ends with Fiery Plunge into Saturn PASADENA, Calif. NASA has released a new e-book highlighting intriguing images and key scientific discoveries from its Cassini mission. "The Saturn System: Through the Eyes of Cassini" reveals the top 100 images from the mission to Saturn that explored the ringed planet and its spectacular moons. "We've had an incredible 13-year mission," Cassini Project Scientist Linda Spilker, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told members of the press Wednesday (Sept. 13). She praised the incredible information the spacecraft has revealed since its arrival in 2004, comparing the flood of data to water from "a giant fire hose." [Cassini's Saturn Crash: How to Watch Its 'Grand Finale'] The cover of NASA's free e-book "The Saturn System: Through the Eyes of Cassini." (Image credit: NASA) The Cassini spacecraft launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004. But on Friday (Sept. 15), the out-of-fuel spacecraft will crash into Saturn to meet a fiery end. You can watch Cassini's mission end on Space.com at 4 a.m. PDT (7 a.m. EDT/1100 GMT), courtesy of NASA TV. The last signal from the spacecraft is expected at 4:55 a.m. PDT (7:55 a.m. EDT/1155 GMT). The collection of images is split into five parts. The first section reveals Saturn in all its icy glory, while the second examines some of the most incredible images of its rings. The large and potentially habitable moons of Titan and Enceladus each warrant their own section. The final chapter covers the other moons of the Saturn system. Each picture contains a link to NASA's website, where full-resolution images can be downloaded in multiple formats. Cassini reveals a close-up look at Saturns rings, though it will get a far closer glimpse during its Grand Finale. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute) Over its lifetime, Cassini has returned more than 450,000 images, according to NASA Planetary Science Director Jim Green. "Every one of them in their own way are absolutely spectacular." An infrared view of Saturns largest moon, Titan, peers through its haze. (Image credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute) The e-book can be downloaded in multiple formats from: https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/the-saturn-system.html Visit Space.com for complete coverage of Cassini's crash into Saturn on Friday, Sept. 15. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Geneva / Switzerland, Sept 14, 2017 / SPS) - International climate and human rights activist Catherine Constantinides confirmed in a statement to the national media her solidarity and support for the Saharawi people and their just struggle for the right to self-determination and freedom. The South African activist considered the suffering of the Saharawi people for four decades to be similar to that of the South African people during colonialism and racial rule. She pointed out that the issue of Western Sahara is the issue of all Africans as the last colony in the African continent, stressing that the Saharawi people can not in any way be forgotten in Africa, calling on all Africans to commit and make every effort to secure the right of the Saharawi people in order to return to his land free and independent. The statement was made on the sidelines of the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, attended by a number of diplomats, NGOs and interested in the Sahara issue. 125/090 C hris Thompson has previously written plays about the rise of the far right (Albion) and the impact of social workers (Carthage). He returns to Bush Theatre for his latest play, Of Kith and Kin, which explores the realities of surrogacy and same-sex parenting. What was the first play to make you want to write plays? Top Girls. What was your background to becoming a playwright? I was a social worker for 12 years and I felt that the job had killed my creativity so I started writing a play as a way to address that. No one was more surprised than me when it was produced. I left social work to write full time in late 2014. Whats the hardest play youve ever written? I was on attachment at the National Theatre studio around that time. As well as leaving my career, I left my relationship and my home - basically I blew my whole life up at once - and while my life was falling apart I went to the NT studio every day and wrote the most mortifying and cringe-worthy play about a heist on Argos in Bromley in 1983 by a drag queen called Bebe LaBeija. I remember sitting in the rehearsal room watching a group of very generous and game actors from the NT rep and Rikki Beadle-Blair, (who all deserved better), covered in sheets and being pushed in shopping trolleys around the Argos storeroom wed constructed for the ballet segment (it was a metaphor), and it finally dawned on me I was having a nervous breakdown. So I moved to New York to have a really good one. And the NT politely declined the play. Which brought you the most joy? I have two memories that I return to often. Firstly, the restraint scene at the centre of my first play, Carthage, when audience members shouted for it to stop. The story isnt chronological, so we all know he dies at the end; its a testament to the direction and performances, but it also taught me the power of structure. And secondly, the noise the audience made when the lights went out at the end of the first reading of my play, Burn. There was electricity in the air that day. Which playwrights have influenced you the most? I dont feel influenced by anyone particular, but I remain provoked by Churchill, Crimp, Orton and Sondheim. What is your favourite line or scene from any play? The Mechanicals in A Midsummer Nights Dream. Whats been the biggest surprise to you since youve had your writing performed by actors? Ive been very moved by the cast Im working with at the moment. Their commitment to rendering the text with clarity, precision and truth is astonishing. Whats been your biggest setback as a writer? For too long, I apologised for being here. And I let my fear of not having my plays produced stand in the way of my integrity and I allowed myself to be treated badly. It was more of a breakthrough really as I spoke up and I wont let it happen again. And the hardest lesson youve had to learn? Explanation kills drama. What do you think is the best thing about theatre? And the worst? The best thing about theatre is the act of congregation. The day my heart doesnt beat faster when the house lights dim is the day Ill quit. Whats your best piece of advice for writers who are starting out? Rip off your comforting veil of self-deception and live a brave and extraordinary life. Are there any themes and stories you find yourself re-visiting with your plays? Change, joy, nation, shame, the double edged sword of intimacy, blame, care, guilt, institutionalisationbut mainly I think I write about love its edges and limits - and whether its possible to be happy and truthful at the same time. Are you on Twitter? Do you find it a help or a hindrance as a writer? I am on Twitter intermittently. I dont feel particularly helped or hindered by it. The same goes for Grindr. Why did you write Of Kith and Kin? I wrote Of Kith and Kin because the Bush Theatre commissioned it. Its being co-produced with Sheffield Theatres, directed by Robert Hastie. It puts a pin in the map of gay relationships now, and asks questions about masculinity and love: how weve wounded a certain generation of men then punished them because they cant love us in the way we want them to. Ive been told its sharp, shocking, funny and heart breaking. It starts with a game of pin the sperm on the egg. How do you spend opening night? On opening night Ill be enjoying the privilege of watching our fantastic group of actors and stage management convene with our audience to tell them our story. Its their night. Autumn 2017's best theatre 1 /12 Autumn 2017's best theatre Hamilton Young Marx Network Labour of Love Oslo Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle Everybody's Talking About Jamie Wings Saint George and the Dragon Albion The Lady From the Sea A Woman of No Importance Whats the best play youve seen this year? Triple Threat by Lucy McCormick. Whats your favourite place to watch theatre in London? Im a sucker for a Frank Matcham. What other art forms do you love when youre not in a theatre? Film. Especially New Wave French cinema. Jean-Luc Godard said, we must confront vague ideas with clear images. Renoir said, you have to make a film thinking that youll change the course of history. But you also must be humble enough to think, if you touch two people, youve done something extraordinary. I always go back to Edmund White, Gregory Crewsdon, Jean-Pierre Melville, Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Keeping up with the Kardashians, The West Wing, Eurythmics, Walt Whitman, Alanis Morisette, Tracy Chapman, Dan Flavin, Faggots, EM Forster, Almodovar, Jacques Brel, Lady Gaga. If the Prime Minister said they were abolishing the theatre tomorrow, what would you do? Id show her the Argos play, shed soon change her mind. Of Kith and Kin is at the Bush Theatre from October 18 to November 25; bushtheatre.co.uk. It is at Sheffield Theatres from September 15 - October 7; sheffieldtheatres.co.uk The business of making a hotel feel homely is by no means a new one, but a new wave of hoteliers is doing it extraordinarily well. More and more botique hotels are opening with consciously cosy and welcoming interiors, which are often inspired by the Scandinavian aesthetic. Here's our edit of three hotels that really create that homely magic. Ett Hem: Stockholm Technically speaking, Ett Hem is a hotel. But its unlike any hotel that youve ever stayed in before. Located in Stockholm, Ett Hem literally translates into A Home and that pretty much sums up its concept. The beautiful building was originally built as a private residence in 1910 and has since been thoughtfully and delicately transformed into a hotel that offers just about everything a travelling guest could wish for, whilst also maintaining a strong sense of home. Relaxed and homely vibe. The cosy lounge and library room within Ett Hem. We recently visited Ett Hem on a trip to Sweden and we were blown away by the array of little touches which come together to make guests feel like they are very much in someone's private residence. This includes the honesty bar in the drawing room - where you help yourself to a drink at any time; a communal dining concept where you eat your meals together either in the kitchen, conservatory or drawing room; and the open kitchen where you can grab a snack whenever the mood hits you or just watch the chef prepare your meal. But, of course, the aspect that most inspired us was the beautifully styled and designed interiors, created by the talented Ilse Crawford. Unique design at Ett Hem etthem.se Though wonderfully unique, Ett Hem isnt the only hotel that is embracing this homely style... The Hoxton hotels: London, Amsterdam and Paris Mismatched furniture and collections of books give guests the sense of relaxing in their own personal living room. The first Hoxton hotel opened in Shoreditch in 2006 and has since been followed by The Hoxton Holborn and The Hoxton Amsterdam, and, most recently The Hoxton Paris, with three more coming soon to NYC, Southwark and Chicago. Each of the hotels has been carefully thought out to provide a space which offer guests more than just a place to sleep. Their lobbies and coffee bars are all beautifully decorated to make its guests feel at home and allow them to immerse themselves in the local neighbourhood. The bustling communal areas are homely and friendly, and at night, transform to make room for private parties, cosy dining and and trendy cocktails. Midcentury furniture and indoor plants gives The Hoxton a cosy feel. The Hoxton hotels are known for their stylish interiors and as being a great meeting point for locals and guests alike. We'd love to entertain guest in The Hoxton's event space. thehoxton.com Sanders: Copenhagen The use of midcentury furniture and warm tones results in a comforting ambiance. Opening this autumn, Sanders is a beautiful boutique hotel located in the historic part of Copenhagen. The interiors have been carefully curated, much like a residential home, resulting in a remarkably warm and intimate vibe. The handpicked and bespoke furniture offer hints of colonial decor, Parisian flair and of course Danish classic design to create a relaxed luxurious and authentic space for guests. The Sanders kitchen, evocative of a big family kitchen. This is very much a luxury hotel, but one that also promises to be profoundly personal and homely. This industrial-chic Sanders bathroom is wonderfully luxurious. hotelsanders.com R aise a hand if you have run into one of these wardrobe predicaments recently: those easy-to-wear work dresses, previously worn to knee-length, suddenly feel like they need several inches more fabric. That mannish shirt, which once bloused over trousers, now seems tapered and corporate. Even those stalwart Breton tops appear to have shrunk in the wash. In the year since your autumn wardrobe was packed away in mothballs, there has been a seismic shift in proportions. 2017 may mark two centuries since the death of Jane Austen but in some ways the aesthetic of her era feels more prevalent than it has for years. It isnt just the enveloping sheaths recently seen in The Handmaids Tale on the catwalks, designers are championing a more conservative, buttoned-up approach to modernity, with the likes of Roksanda and Victoria Beckham embracing high necklines and sweeping hemlines, Sonia Rykiel and Erdem offering ankle-skimming dresses, while ruffled necklines romanced at Valentino and Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. And then, of course, there is Alessandro Micheles on-going retro romance at Gucci, dominated as it is by pretty-but-prim blouses and three-quarter-length pleated skirts of which grandma would no doubt approve. In short, skin is out and propriety is in. Designers are exploring a modern update on the Victorian look, agrees Selfridges director of womenswear, Lydia King. The department store stocks Antwerps Veronique Branquinho (who, for autumn, sent models down the runway clad in floor-length coat dresses teamed with pie-crust blouses and abaya-like gowns) and Russian designer Alena Akhmadullina (think opulent, faintly gothic trouser suits and dresses) to better represent this new modesty movement, along with exclusive pieces by Merchant Archive and Philosophy. Emilia Wickstead / Yannis Vlamos / What is going on? In tempestuous times such as these, it might be tempting to surmise that this is the Hemline Index in action. First presented by the American economist George Taylor in the 1920s, this holds that hemlines rise in times of prosperity and drop when the going gets tougher. But if the hemline index is playing a role, other factors are clearly at work, too. From a socio-political perspective theres been an embracing of diversity, says Ghizlan Guenez, founder of new fashion e-commerce platform The Modist, which advocates more modest versions of designer runway hits. Guenez, a Muslim former private equity director who is based between London and the UAE, dreamed up the site when she grew frustrated by the lack of stylish, modest clothing available, even in Dubai. It launched with 75 designer brands including Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto and Christopher Kane. Whenever possible Guenezs buyers work with brands to exchange a sheer panel for another thats matte, or simply drop a hemline. Were sort of being that bridge between the designers and a huge customer segment that they havent necessarily spoken to in a very focused and personalised manner. The sites offerings speak to the growing influence of the Middle Eastern market. Over the summer, Fenwick of Bond Street launched an exclusive project with Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council to create a pop-up space that celebrated the work of nine Emirati designers and brands. The hugely successful showcase represented 30 per cent of sales within the businesss designer category. So-called Muslim fashion is one of the industrys fastest-growing sectors, estimated to be worth more than 280 billion by 2021, according to a 2016 report published by Thomson Reuters. Indeed, just before The Modists launch this past spring, Halima Aden the 19-year-old, Somali-American model from Minnesota who competed in her states selection round of the Miss USA competition walked the AW17 runways of Kanye Wests Yeezy show in her hijab, as well as those of Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara. Halima is ambitious, confident and beautiful. Her intelligence, determination and courage absolutely correspond to the brands values, explains Ian Griffiths, a native of Derbyshire who has headed Max Mara for 32 years. Aden has since graced the cover of Carine Roitfelds CR Fashion Book, as well as Vogue Arabia and Allure, for which she sported the Nike Pro Hijab power mesh that has just been shortlisted for The Design Museums Beazley Designs of the Year award. Max Mara Gigi Hadids cover of Vogue Arabias first-ever issue in March for which she wore an encrusted veil garnered a more critical reaction. Some accused the part-Palestinian model of cultural appropriation (particularly for an inside shot of her in a hijab) and others pointed out that while Hadid was free to remove her hijab when she chose, there were women who lived in societies where they didnt have that option. Which raises the broader debate: is encouraging women to cover up oppressive? Guenez, for one, argues it isnt. I believe there was a point in time when women associated empowerment with baring all, she says. If youre strong, youre out there with its my body and I should be able to show it. And weve gone through that phase. I think that maybe were becoming a little smarter and understanding empowerment for what it truly is, which is whatever makes you happy and comfortable and whatever your choice is, exercising it is empowerment, whether its covering or baring. Gigi Hadid on Vogue Arabias debut issue Mary Katrantzou, who did her first Middle Eastern presentation with matchesfashion.com in Qatar in 2011, concurs. Each of my collections is designed to embolden women to stand out with confidence, she explains. My collections are not necessarily about being physically revealing, but revealing the aesthetic and personality of our women. I want my work to empower women to embrace fashion as a means of expressing themselves and define their own taste and aesthetic to feel confident in all the roles they occupy each day. At any rate, the new modesty isnt just a matter of catering towards religious or cultural strictures. The reality of this woman is that shes not a particular nationality or religion, says Guenez. Shes really diverse and its for various reasons, but there isnt anyone addressing her needs in a fashionable way. More than half a million people have already tagged #modestfashion on Instagram, representing an aesthetic shift away from tighter, more revealing outfits which, frankly, just feel a little dated. Perhaps the pendulum is swinging back on our overexposed world, dominated by social media oversharing. Who expected former Victorias Secret Angel Miranda Kerr to wed her tech titan fiance, Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel, in such a traditional, long-sleeved Dior couture gown? Or the global street-style trend for dresses worn over jeans? Roksanda Ilincic / Dave Benett/Getty Images for Por I think its a zeitgeist thing and everyone is just letting their personality speak, says Rachael Proud, creative director at Raey (the in-house label launched in 2015 by matchesfashion.com, which had us embracing seriously oversized chinos this summer and lusting after XXL turtlenecks for winter). I think women dress more for themselves now than they ever have before, and with that comes wanting to not worry about which bits of you are being exposed I feel sexier in a longer dress, more confident and ready to tackle a full-on work day and then head to meet friends in the evening. Roksanda Ilincic, whose designs have long championed a more covered-up aesthetic and who has paired high necklines with ankle-skimming skirts and dresses worn over long boots for autumn, agrees: I find myself constantly questioning how beauty is perceived and I think women now more than ever are looking for something that fits with their aesthetic and busy lifestyle. This means modesty is often key. Molly Goddard / Mike Marsland/WireImage All of which may not be bad news in a city that, thanks in part to the English summer and the reality of living in a large (beach-less) metropolis, is not especially synonymous with the bearing of flesh. Our LFW front row is better known for clever tailoring and directional silhouettes. Look at Yasmin Sewells penchant for a turtleneck and oversized layers, or Laura Baileys love of billowing shapes the latter a look that is also embraced by local designers Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha and Shrimps Hannah Weiland, who all favour voluminous dresses that work effortlessly from breakfast meetings to an evening cocktail do. Samantha Cameron is another Londoner who understands the appeal of figure-flattering rather than figure-hugging pieces that fit seamlessly into our busy lives. Modest dressing can be about covering up bits of our body we dont like or cant reveal for religious reasons, she says, but it is also about fashion, style, adding a bit of femininity and also some mystery. For her label Cefinn, Cameron has intuitively brought back the zip-to-collar dress for winter, allowing her woman to adjust the temperature at will. The Modist founder Ghizlan Guenez I think the point is that there is a move away from oversize clothing being frumpy, reflects Proud, a notion that Ilincic agrees is now being championed in both the design room and buying meetings. At the end of the day, she says, the woman is the thing. And who would disagree? A moped driver is fighting for his life after an alleged hit and run in north London. The 21-year-old was driving his moped in Eton Road, in Camden, at about 9.40pm on Thursday when he crashed with a car, Scotland Yard said. The driver of the car failed to stop following the crash. The moped driver was rushed to a central London hospital where he remains in a life threatening condition. An air ambulance was also sent to the scene. Police believe the moped rider was hit by a bright blue Mercedes 4x4 and an investigation has been launched. A Met Police spokesman said: The driver of the car failed to stop at the scene. The car is believed to a bright blue Mercedes 4x4. Detectives from the Mets Roads and Transport Policing Command are investigating and would like to hear from anyone who either witnessed the collision or saw the Mercedes leaving the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Serious Collision Investigation Unit witness appeal line on 020 8991 9555. E xplosives experts have warned that the bomb used in the Parsons Green terror attack could have had the potential to kill dozens of people and cause catastrophic injuries if it had detonated properly. Chemical explosives specialists said the device, which appeared to have been made in a plastic bucket, resembled those used in the attempted terror attacks of July 21 2005. In the 2005 attempted bombings, a group of terrorists planned to copy the devastating 7/7 attack which had killed 52 people just two weeks earlier. But, although the detonator part of the bombs went off, the explosives were not ignited and only one person was injured. Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /36 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters Safety engineering specialist Professor Hans Michels said the home-made bomb left on the Tube carriage on Friday morning was similar to those used during the failed terror attack. Prof Michels, from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London, said: There are a lot of similarities with the aftermath of the second largely failed explosions on the London underground in 2005. In appearance and arrangement the remnants of the device seem highly similar to those of the hydrogen peroxide based devices of 2005. The size of the device and its containment in a plastic bucket is also the same. He said that the explosion appeared not to have been detonated properly, sparing many more potential victims of the attack from being injured. Parsons Green tube station bag on fire The flash flame suggests that the explosion was only partly successful, he said. In particular much of the bucket still seems to be intact and there appear to be no victims with lethal impact wounds. I must speculate that either the mixture was not of the right composition or that the ignition system was inadequate or not properly placed. The fact that much of the bucket is intact supports the latter possibility. Attack: Terrified Londoners were left running from the carriage after the explosion / Reuters Twenty-nine people were injured in the attack - at least ten of those are believed to have been treated for flash burns. But military expert Major General Chip Chapman said further catastrophe had been avoided because the detonator had not been successfully triggered on the explosive. He said that had it exploded as it meant to, it could have killed many people. This doesn't look like a high-end explosive from ISIS such as TATP (triacetone triperoxide) or, if it was, it failed significantly, the booster or detonator didn't go off, he told Sky. That said of course, the most devastating land-based terror attack in Europe, in Madrid, had a similar modus operandi. He added: It's not a high explosive that functioned because the blast and shockwave would have killed multiple people. T he bomb used at Parsons Green seems to be a relatively unsophisticated weapon whose technology is available on the darker corners of the internet. Police have described the device as an IED, a form of bomb developed and widely used in Iraq and Afghanistan. The huge majority used in Afghanistan have been crudely simple, some costing little more than 5. When some former Taliban members joined the Afghan police in Helmand, British explosives instructors were astonished at the dexterity with which they could assemble or dismantle an IED in just a few minutes. Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /36 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters Terror groups, including Islamic State, have recently focused on using the simplest means as weapons cars, knives and even domestic fluids and acids. It is now evident that the type of technology used in todays attack is part of a general underground discussion between extremist groups. We saw this in the abortive attacks with gas cylinders in Barcelona this summer. The ramming of walkers in Las Ramblas going wrong, and the explosion of gas cylinders in a Catalan hideout, revealed a major attack had been stopped in its tracks. They were planning a major bombing, probably in Barcelona, with 120 barrels of gas. Parsons Green tube station bag on fire Todays attack is part of a pattern, and you can always find the pattern with the gift of hindsight. It may well be the work of a lone attacker, but nearly all such attackers, including those who simply run down innocent bystanders on Westminster and London Bridges, do have some support network or sponsor somewhere. They dont come completely out of the blue. This sets the security forces a complex problem. Prevention is very difficult, and a lot of potential attacks have been foiled. But to spot a renegade on the point of switching from radical thinking and talking into extreme action is almost impossible. It is vital to strengthen public awareness, as we all have a part to play. With the threat at its current level, the police and security services need all the help they can get. A manhunt was under way today for the bomber who detonated an improvised explosive device in a terror attack on a rush-hour Tube train. Twenty-two passengers were in hospital today after the explosion sent a fireball through the carriages. Police and MI5 were searching for one or two potential bombers after the device detonated on a District line service at Parsons Green station. Witnesses reported seeing people covered in blood after a flash and a bang in the last carriage at about 8.20am. Pictures posted on social media appeared to show wires protruding from a flaming bucket inside a plastic carrier bag on the train floor. Met assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, speaking outside New Scotland Yard, said there were many urgent inquiries, with hundreds of detectives analysing CCTV and forensic evidence and interviewing witnesses. A woman is comforted by police during the incident / Reuters He said: We now assess this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device. In a series of developments: The bomb is believed to have had a timer. It is thought the device failed to fully detonate. Parsons Green tube station bag on fire There were unconfirmed reports of a second device and that a knifeman was seen running from the scene. US president Donald Trump claimed the suspected terrorist was in the sights of Scotland Yard. Theresa May was holding a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee. Sadiq Khan condemned the hideous individuals behind the attack. Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /27 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters Armed officers surrounded a No 360 bus near Chelsea Bridge. Children were evacuated from Kensington Prep School, which is inside the police cordon, at about 11.15am. The investigation was being led by the Mets counter-terrorism command. The trauma centre at St Marys hospital, Paddington, declared a major incident. At least 10 people were understood to have suffered flash burns. Others were injured in a crush as passengers tried to flee the west London station. None of the injured were said by London Ambulance Service to be in a serious or life-threatening condition. A woman is led to safety after the incident (PA) / Dominic Lipinski/PA The explosion happened as the Edgware Road-bound train from Wimbledon pulled in to Parsons Green. Shuchen Warner, a teacher travelling to work from Caterham, said: There was a surge of fire. I heard a woman screaming. A fireball came down the train. People were running and screaming. I heard a loud bang, there was panic and shock. A womans hair was burned it was terrible. People ran, I fell to the floor... it was like a nightmare. Some people fled down the tracks. Hundreds of passengers, including babies and children on their way to school, were caught up in the attack. The bucket is seen in flames on a Tube train / Sylvian Pennec/Reuters At about 11am, armed police surrounded a single-decker No 360 bus two miles away on Chelsea Bridge. Mr Khan said: Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. Emergency services at the scene / @LondonFire Mr Trump tweeted: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. The Met refused to respond. London Fire Brigade sent six fire engines, two fire rescue units and about 50 firefighters and specialist officers. The District line was suspended between Wimbledon and Earls Court. A counter-terror investigation has been launched after an explosion sparked panic on a packed rush hour Tube train. A total of 22 people were injured following the suspected attack at Parsons Green station at 8.20am. Prime Minister Theresa May said her thoughts are with those injured and thanked the emergency services for their swift and brave response. She and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will attend an emergency Cobra meeting later on Friday. Armed police, paramedics and 50 firefighters are still at the station and part the District line has been shut down between Earls Court and Wimbledon. Armed policemen stand by cordon outside Parsons Green station. / REUTERS None of those injured are thought to be in a life-threatening or serious condition, the London Ambulance Service said. Paramedics took 19 people to hospital and three others took themselves to hospital. Passengers described fleeing in panic after the explosion was triggered shortly after the train doors opened, sending a shot of flames down the carriage. Several commuters said they saw people who had suffered burns or were reportedly injured in the "stampede" away from the platform. In a statement the Met said: "Officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command are investigating after an incident on a London tube train this morning. Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /27 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters "Police were called at approximately 8.20am on Friday, September 15 to Parsons Green Underground Station following reports of a fire on the train. At present we are aware of a number of people who have suffered injuries. It is too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command. Armed police and 50 firefighters were sent to the scene. / Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA The station remains cordoned off and we are advising people to avoid the area. Officers have appealed for anyone with photos from the scene to upload them onto website www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk. The PM said: "My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and the emergency services who, once again, are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident." The aftermath of the explosion as panicked passengers gather in the streets. / AFP/Getty Images Daniel Holden, who was on the train at the time, said: The train had just opened doors at Parsons Green. Then there was a loud bang, heatwave and fire burst. Everybody scrambled forwards and off the train. The stairs at the station delayed people getting out. All emergency services are here now. The alleged source of the explosion. / @RRigs Michael Bennett, 38, told the Standard: I was towards the front of the rear carriage. As the train pulled into the platform there was a huge noise. I wasnt facing it at the time. I just heard a big noise and saw a shot of flames come past. I could feel it singe the back of my head. In all honesty, at that point the door was open and I just ran out onto the platform. At Parsons Green there is just one staircase down. There was a mass of people. I didnt see any staff on the platform. When I got on the platform it just came to a complete standstill. It was clear that some people had fallen on the stairs in the rush and were being stood on and crushed. Six fire engines and 50 firefighters at Parsons Green. / Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA There was probably five or six minutes when no-one was really moving and everyone was piling off the Tube and nobody was able to get down the stairs. There were quite a few people on the platform in tears and shocked. There were people saying there had been an explosion in a bag for life. I saw a woman in her sixties with quite long hair being helped on the platform. Her hair had been burned and she was being helped out. There were people still on the front of the train sticking their heads out wondering what had happened. An injured woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station. / Reuters Six fire engines, one fire rescue unit and a command unit are still at the scene. British Transport Police said an incident is ongoing and its officers are currently at the station. They reiterated the Met's plea to avoid the area as they urged people to remain vigilant to any suspicious behaviour. Natasha Wills, assistant director of operations at the London Ambulance Service confirmed 18 people were in hospital and said the first ambulance crew arrived within five minutes. "As we are very busy dealing with this incident, we would ask the public to only call us in a genuine emergency," she added. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the capital "utterly condemns the hideous individuals" who use terror tactics. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the explosion on a train at Parsons Green Station this morning is being treated as terrorism," he said. Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. I am in close contact with the Met Police, Transport for London, Government and other emergency services who are responding at the scene and leading the investigation. I will be attending the emergency Cobra meeting in Whitehall this afternoon with the Prime Minister." He added: "My sincere gratitude goes to all our courageous emergency responders and the TfL staff who were first on the scene. I urge all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant, and to check Transport for Londons website for travel advice. S cotland Yard has reviewed response policing in parts of London after officers took nearly 40 minutes to reach emergency calls. Police took an average 36 minutes to respond to 999 calls in Redbridge in June, and 35 minutes in Barking and Dagenham. The boroughs are part of a trial super borough which also includes Havering set up in a bid to modernise the force. Camden and Islington were also merged under the scheme and figures show the Met also failed to reach target response times for 999 calls in these boroughs in June. Launched in January, the two areas are paving the way for a shake-up in policing in London which will see fewer senior officers and an end to the 32-borough structure. Critics of the plan say it will leave vast areas under the command of relatively junior officers. Insiders claim that response officers are forced to race on blue lights from an emergency call at one end of a super borough to another miles away. Concerns were raised about figures showing that police were failing to reach the most urgent I-grade or immediate 999 calls within a target time of 15 minutes. Typically, these are calls where a resident is reporting a burglar in their home or where someone is in danger of serious injury. Figures seen by the Standard show response times in the five test boroughs steadily worsened from January when the project began. Insiders say hundreds of priority calls so-called S calls which should be answered inside one hour were not even attended on the day they were made but handed to the next shift. Scotland Yard today admitted some emergency calls were handed over to the following days shift but insisted police control room operators stayed in touch with callers to ensure that lives were not at risk. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Mark Simmons, who is responsible for the trial, said: We have had a problem with response times in these three boroughs [Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering], some of the changes we put in place did not work in the way that we thought they would. We have made significant changes to address that and we have made improvements in response times. They are not back to where we want them to be but they are heading in the right direction. Police say 73 per cent of calls in the three boroughs are now within 15 minutes, compared with 50 per cent in June. The average response time is now just over 10 minutes. A Mayfair beauty therapist has been ordered to stop trading off the name of Victorias Secret despite protesting that she has never heard of the lingerie giant. Manicurist Maria Rosana dos Santos called her business Victoria Secret Beauty and set up a website victoriasecretbeauty.co.uk to draw customers to her parlour, now based in a hairdressers basement. The 50-year-old claimed the business was set up in Victoria and was a secret as customers would have difficulty finding it. But internet dispute service Nominet has ordered her to give up the web address after a complaint from Victorias Secret. In his ruling, Jason Rawkins from Nominet said Ms dos Santos had used a similar logo to the US underwear firm and rejected her claim that she did not know of the Victorias Secret name. Taking into account how well-known the Victorias Secret brand is, together with the very similar form of logo originally used by Ms dos Santos, her claim to have chosen the combined term Victoria Secret innocently is again not credible, he said. I therefore find that she was aware of the Victorias Secret brand at the time when the domain name was registered. She registered the domain name, and has subsequently used it, in order to ride on the coat-tails of that brand and thereby gain a business advantage. Ms dos Santos, who set up her parlour on the second floor of a building in Victoria Street before moving two years ago to the basement in Conduit Street, Mayfair, was originally offered $2,500 (1,847) by the US firm to change her website name, but she rejected the bid for the website she paid 250 for as paltry. She today vowed to continue fighting the ruling. She claimed the company was bullying her and to protect her company she was going to continue fighting the matter on her own as she couldnt afford a lawyer. She said: Im a little fish and theyre the shark worth billions but Im biting back. I chose the name because it made sense for the area. It was in Victoria Street, in Victoria and in a Victorian house on the first floor. Internet reviews of Ms dos Santoss businesses are overwhelmingly complimentary of her beauty therapies and treatments. But one reviewer said she had thought the salon was linked to the lingerie giant, saying: I was slightly misled by the naming of the salon believing it was part of Victoria Secret lingerie chain which influenced my choice at booking my manicure here. A man injured in the Parsons Green explosion has been hailed a legend after he chose to go to work instead of hospital after the attack. Peter Crowley was standing a short distance from an improvised explosive device when it detonated during rush hour on Friday morning, sending a fireball thought the carriage. Instead of seeking treatment for his burnt head, Mr Crowley went straight to his job at a carpet shop nearby. A number of people have taken to social media to praise him, describing him as a trooper and saying he epitomises British resolve. London Tube bombing: What we know so far One Twitter user said: Peter Crowley epitomises British resolve! Someone tried to kill him at Parsons Green explosion but he still went to work! Another added: Respect to Peter Crowley caught up in today's terror attack in London who despite being injured including hair burnt went to work!! One said: Peter Crowley u are a legend. Proper British stiff upper lip. Enjoy time with your family tonight, you deserve it. And another said: That Peter Crowley is a little trooper. Working after being bombed! All Londoners should get their carpets from him to show support. Mr Crowley was leaning against the Tube door on his phone when the device was detonated on the packed Tube train. In an interview with Sophie Raworth of the BBC, he described the "pandemonium" that came after the blast. He said: The train pulled up, doors opened, an explosion happened to the left of me against the doors which dont open, not the platform ones. "A fireballs come over my head and panic set in. Everyones rushed from the Tube, its been complete pandemonium. Ive heard a massive explosion which is like a pressurised sort of sound, like a deodorant can or a kettle exploding and Ive turned, a fireballs come up the top of the carriage. Literally [my] hairs come out today." Mr Crowley's badly singed hair / Nick Crowley After the incident images emerged from the scene showing what looks like a smouldering bucket on the train floor. It is wrapped in a Lidl bag and appears to have flames coming from it. Parsons Green tube station bag on fire Mr Crowley said: The worst gentleman I saw was being helped off the carriage by another couple of people, he had a puffer jacket, it had all melted on his back. He had burns across the front of his face. From what I see now I believe the flash came up from behind him over his head towards myself at the doorway." He added: I'm shaken up now Ive heard it was actually a planned explosion. "Lucky Ill go home and give my wife and kids a big cuddle tonight. [I'm] happy to be here. C ommuters fled in terror after an explosion on board a busy London Underground train in west London this morning. Police declared the blast at Parsons Green station a "terrorist incident" as they launched a manhunt for the person or persons responsible. NHS England said 29 people were being treated in hospitals across London. None are thought to have life-threatening injuries. Witnesses were left "horrified and shaken" following the incident shortly before 8.30am at District line station. Follow live coverage as further details emerge. S chools in west London shielded their pupils from learning of the terror attack in Parsons Green by discreetly going into "lockdown" and not telling children about the attack. A junior school and a nursery school inside the cordon new the site of the terrorist attack had to be evacuated under armed guard, while many others in the area decided to keep students inside for the entire day. Zebedee Nursery School was evacuated under armed guards on Friday morning. Principal Su Gahan posted on Facebook at around 9.30am: "Everyone safe at Zebedee, thank you to those asking. A police forensic tent next to the train at Parsons Green / AP "A lot of action with police outside the gates. We have two armed guards outside the gates." Two hours later she posted: "We are fine. We were guarded by two armed police and then evacuated." Children at Kensington Prep School were also evacuated at around 11.15am. parsons green evacuation Students at Lady Margaret School, a secondary girls' school, were told to stay inside their building on Parsons Green - within the cordon - in the aftermath of the attack, a source said. No one from the school was available for comment. Many of the schools in the area have gone into lockdown in response to attack, even if they are outside the police cordon, a spokeswoman for a local nursery school said. A woman is led to safety after the attack / Kerry Davies/Daily Mail A spokeswoman for Parsons Green Nursery, which has around 50 pupils, said: "We haven't been evacuated but we are on lockdown. "Most of the schools in Fulham are on lockdown as a precaution. "We don't want to take the children outside today, it's the same for most of the schools even the big [secondary] schools. Armed police on board the train / AFP/Getty Images "We haven't told the children we're on lockdown, we don't want to worry them. They are not aware of it." She said the school had been liaising with police, but that it was the school that had decided to go into lockdown and not police instructions. "We had a lot of calls from the parents and we decided that this was best. "When parents come at the end of the day there will be a member of staff at the gate and they can just collect their child and then go." Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /36 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters A spokeswoman for Hammersmith and Fulham Council said they were advising schools, but that head teachers were making decisions on how best to keep students safe. She said: "We are supporting schools at the moment, both in terms of what they should be saying to pupils and what they should be doing. "We are advising them on how best to make sure students get home at the end of the day and we are working on that now. We are in contact with police." Parsons Green tube station bag on fire She urged anyone affected by the attack, including those evacuated from their homes, to go to the respite centre in the community hall on the Lancaster Court Estate where staff from the council were on hand to give advice and support. Lady Margaret School was not evacuated until shortly before 3pm, while a nursery and a primary school inside the cordon were evacuated before midday. Walking wounded: An injured woman after the explosion on the Tube / Stefan Rousseau/PA Armed officers were stationed outside Lady Margaret almost immediately after the explosion, but students were told to stay inside. The girls were evacuated in small groups on to Parsons Green by teachers before being collected by their parents. They were offered a free slice of pizza on the way out of the cordon by local chef Teo Citino, who said he wanted to help those affected by the attack. Bishop of Kensington Graham Tomlin said he had been speaking to staff at Lady Margaret School throughout the day. He told the Press Association: "Clearly, a lot of the girls were arriving when the device went off. "They were quite upset, quite distressed by what had happened, I think it's been a difficult day for the school but I think they've managed magnificently. "I've been in touch with the headteacher and I hear the girls have now been allowed to go home early, thankfully, I don't think there are any casualties there. "A few minutes ago I heard from the chaplain the last girls had left safely from the premises." T heresa May has warned against speculation from overseas in the aftermath of the Parsons Green terror attack after Donald Trump tweeted that the "loser" Tube bomber was already "in the sights of Scotland Yard." Scotland Yard also shot down Trump's "unhelpful" comment in a statement. A spokesman said: "The comments are unhelpful and pure speculation. If anyone has got any evidence or information, please contact the anti-terrorism hotline." The Prime Minister said the terror threat level would remain at severe - meaning an attack is highly likely - but would be kept under review as the investigation progresses. Speaking in Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee she said there would be an increased armed police presence on the transport network in London. Emergency workers help people to disembark a train near the Parsons Green / Pool via AP "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation," she said. "The police and security services are working to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify all those responsible." Mr Trump made the provocative allegation in a trademark tweet as police launched a major manhunt to track down the perpetrators responsible for planting the device on a packed commuter train. "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," he wrote. A forensic investigator at the scene / PA "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" In a press conference later, President Trump was asked if hed been briefed on any intelligence about Parsons Green. He said: Yes I have, on numerous things happening, including North Korea. Trump on London attack: "It's a terrible thing" His claim threatened to spark a fresh row over US-UK intelligence sharing arrangements which have already come under strain since he entered the White House. A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The comments are unhelpful and pure speculation. If anyone has got any evidence or information, please contact the anti-terrorism hotline." A woman is led to safety (PA) / Dominic Lipinski/PA The remarks were echoed by former No 10 aide Nick Timothy, who tweeted: "True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner." There was no immediate response from the White House to questions as to the basis of Mr Trump's assertion. However, it comes after British police temporarily suspended intelligence-sharing with the US in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing in May following a series of leaks to American media. Armed police patrol the train / AFP/Getty Images CBS disclosed the name of the bomber, Salman Abedi, citing US sources, at a time when the British authorities were asking media to withhold the information to protect the investigation. The New York Times then published detailed photographs taken from the bomb scene which had been taken by British investigators. The "special relationship" had already come under strain earlier in the year, when the then White House press secretary Sean Spicer repeated claims that GCHQ, the UK surveillance agency, had been involved in bugging the Trump campaign on behalf of Barack Obama. Theresa May scolded Donald Trump for his tweet / EPA His comments drew a rare public statement from GCHQ denouncing the allegation as "utterly ridiculous". London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who clashed with Mr Trump over his response to the London Bridge terror attack, would not be drawn on the president's latest comments. "I've simply been too busy this morning to look at my Twitter," he told LBC Radio. "My priority is making sure that we do what we can to keep Londoners safe." A City Hall source said: "He hopes people don't speculate on things before we know the full facts. That's quite clear what he thinks about that." Asked about the London terror attack by reporters outside the White House in Washington, Mr Trump said: "It's a terrible thing. It just keeps going and going, and we have to be very smart, we have to be very, very tough. Perhaps we are not nearly tough enough. "It's just an absolutely terrible thing. In fact, I'm going to call the Prime Minister right now. "We have to be tougher and we have to be smarter." S adiq Khan has condemned those responsible for a suspected terror attack on Tube train at Parsons Green and said: "London will never be defeated". Horrified rush hour commuters fled the District Line train after an explosion sent a "heatwave" through packed carriages injuring 18 people. Scotland Yard confirmed they were treating the blast, which happened around 8.20am, as a "terrorist incident" as a bomb squad were rushed to the scene. The Mayor of London said in a statement: "Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. The bucket believed to have caused the explosion at Parsons Green / Kett News "As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. "I am in close contact with the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, Government and other emergency services who are responding at the scene and leading the investigation." Mr Khan confirmed that he will attend an emergency COBRA meeting in Whitehall with Prime Minister Theresa May this afternoon before praising the capital's emergency services in the wake of what is believed to be the third terror attack in the capital this year. "My sincere gratitude goes to all our courageous emergency responders and the TfL staff who were first on the scene," he added. An injured woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station. / Reuters "I urge all Londoners to remain calm and vigilant, and to check TfLs website for travel advice." At least 18 people were injured when a "shot of flames" reportedly swept packed carriages, London Ambulance Service confirmed. A spokesman added that none of the injuries are believed to be serious or life-threatening. People speak with a police officer outside Parsons Green Tube. / REUTERS One passenger told the Standard she saw a lady who appeared to have been burnt and a man with "a wound on his head". Another witness said they have "never been so scared in my life" while images emerged of traumatised commuters outside the station. Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /27 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters Armed police and 50 firefighters descended on at the station which has been cordoned off by police. All trains are suspended between Earl's Court and Wimbledon as emergency services deal with the incident. T heresa May raised Britain's terror threat level to critical after an ISIS "cell" claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on the Tube. The Prime Minister raised Britain's terror threat level to the highest possible stage, meaning another attack could be expected imminently. It came after the terror group ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombing on a packed rush hour train at Parsons Green in west London during the morning rush hour which left 29 people injured. Shortly after ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, the Prime Minister raised the UK's threat level. London Tube bombing: What we know so far The Prime Minister said military personnel would replace police officers "on guard duties at certain protected sites which are not accessible to the public". Mrs May said: The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) has now decided to raise the national threat level from severe to critical. This means that their assessment is that a future attack may be imminent. Following JTACs decision police have asked for authorisation from the Secretary of State for Defence to enact part of the first phase of operation Temperer. Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /36 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters This is a well established plan to provide military support to the police and for this period military personnel will replace police officers on guard duties at certain protected sites which are not accessible to the public. The public will see more armed police on the transport network and on our streets providing extra protection and this is a proportionate and sensible step which will provide extra reassurance and protection while the investigation progresses. The public should go about their business in the normal way and as usual be vigilant and cooperate with the police. A woman is taken to safety by emergency workers / Kerry Davies/Daily Mail Ive said earlier that terrorism is a great challenge of our times but by standing together we will defeat it. It was reported that the bombing was the work of a "detachment" of ISIS, rather than a "soldier" acting alone. The stationary train at Parsons Green / PA Scotland Yard has launched a huge counter-terrorism investigation alongside MI5, while the device is being forensically examined. Pictures posted on social media appeared to show wires protruding from a flaming bucket inside a plastic carrier bag on the floor of a carriage. The suspected device, apparently a builders bucket filled with a white substance that had been placed in a Lidl bag, was seen in flames afterwards, with wires hanging out of the bag. One theory is that the device failed to fully detonate. Detectives are scouring CCTV and examining witness statements for clues in their hunt for one or more suspects. Several passengers suffered burns when the 'bomb' failed to properly detonate / Reuters Mark Rowley, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations of the Metropolitan Police Service said: We are making excellent progress at the moment as we pursue our lines of enquiry to identify, to locate and to arrest those responsible. This is a very complex investigation which is continuing at speed with the full weight of the London counter terrorisms policing resources assisted by colleagues across the country and by our intelligence agency partners at M15. We have hundreds of police officers trawling through CCTV footage, detectives have spoken to tens of witnesses and weve taken a number of calls to the anti-terrorism hotline from members of the public." The flaming remains of the device / Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Members of the public have sent in so far 77 images and videos theyve taken at the scene which are being assessed, he said. Meanwhile the improvised explosive device on the train, the remnants of it have now been made safe and theyve been taken away for specialist examination by forensics scientists. Whilst we chase down the suspects we are strengthening our policing resources on the streets of London and across the country. A victim is led away after the device burst into flames on the packed train (PA) / Dominic Lipinski/PA The public should expect to see extra policing resources armed and unarmed on the streets, additional stop and search using counter terrorism powers and potentially additional road checks. What this means for members of public over the weekend is that at transport hubs, at events and in crowded places they will see these extra resources. Shuchen Warner was travelling to work from Caterham and was just metres from the explosion, which took place in the rear carriage at 8.20am. The teacher said: There was a surge of fire. I heard a woman screaming. A fireball came down the train. People were running and screaming. I heard a loud bang, there was panic and shock. A womans hair was burned it was terrible. People ran, I fell to the floor... it was like a nightmare. One passenger, Chris Wildish, told BBC 5 Live: Flames were still coming out of it when I saw it, and a lot of wires hanging out of it. He said the explosion happened as the train came to a halt after arriving in the station. There was a loud noise, not a bang, more a thumping noise, he said. The bucket believed to have caused the explosion at Parsons Green / Kett News Two things happened first, a very strong acrid, chemical smell, and then a stampede. It was pretty scary. All you see is a wave of people screaming, running towards you. Michael Bennett, 38, who was in the carriage, said it was standing-room only as the Edgware Road-bound train approached Parsons Green. He told the Standard: I just heard a big noise and saw a shot of flames come past. I could feel it singe the back of my head. At that point the door was open and I just ran out on to the platform. At Parsons Green there is just one staircase down. There was a mass of people. I didnt see any staff on the platform. "When I got on the platform it just came to a complete standstill. It was clear that some people had fallen on the stairs in the rush and were being stood on and crushed. Aaron Butterfield, an operations manager, said: As I approached the station people were piling out. They werent even running they were falling over each other to flee. We were told there was an explosion on the District line and someone was running around with a knife. We were told there is a second explosive device somewhere. London Fire Brigade sent six fire engines, two fire rescue units and about 50 firefighters and specialist officers. The District line was suspended between Wimbledon and Earls Court. Mayor Sadiq Khan has condemned the evil and hideous attackers for attempting to destroy our way of life. The Mayor urged Londoners to remain vigilant and said the capital would stand together today as always. The national threat level has now been raised to 'critical' after the evil and cowardly terrorist attack at Parsons Green, he said. As the Prime Minister has said, this is our highest level of security preparedness. I utterly condemn the hideous individuals who target innocent people and attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. He urged anyone who knows anything at all about who might be responsible for this attack to contact police. He added: Everything possible is being done to protect our city and keep us all safe, both Londoners and visitors to the capital. We will never let those who seek to divide us win we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. Anyone with information is urged to call the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321 or 999 in an emergency. L ondon was today warned of an Auf Wiedersehen, Pret exodus of EU workers as Brexit gets closer. Tens of thousands from EU countries including Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic work in restaurants, cafes and hotels in the capital. Many more EU citizens are employed in the City, the NHS, on building sites, at universities and in other jobs. As London Mayor, Boris Johnson highlighted what was dubbed the Pret a Manger phenomenon with thousands of young Eastern Europeans coming to the capital to work in fast-food and sandwich outlets, rather than young people already here doing the jobs. But a growing number of workers whose countries joined the EU in 2004 are now believed to be returning home after the Brexit vote and the slump in the value of the pound. The trend appears to mirror the journeys of the seven British construction workers in Eighties TV comedy-drama Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, who leave behind their wives and girlfriends to find jobs on a building site in Dusseldorf, Germany, but end up returning home. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: London has benefited hugely from EU workers coming to work in the hospitality and other sectors. Unfortunately, a growing number of them are now saying Auf Wiedersehen, Pret and leaving the UK. Brexit presents a major threat to London and yet the Government is not investing sufficiently in training British workers to address labour shortages. Latest figures showed the number of Eastern Europeans working in the UK whose countries joined the EU more than a decade ago fell below a million in the three months to June. There were an estimated 997,000 employees from the so-called EUA8 countries which joined the union in 2004 Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. This number was down by about 11,000 on a year earlier and it is the first time since the referendum that it has dipped below a million. There are 148,000 EU nationals who work in London in restaurants, hotels and distribution, according to the latest ONS figures, 189,000 in banking and finance, 109,000 in construction, 33,000 in manufacturing, 123,000 in public administration and 82,000 in transport and communications. Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: This apparent Brexodus is hugely worrying but sadly not surprising. He called on ministers to give EU nationals here a cast-iron guarantee that they will have the right to remain after Brexit in March 2019. He added: Nearly a third of our construction workers are EU nationals. At a time when we need to address the housing crisis and invest in infrastructure, this workforce is more important now than ever. A leaked Home Office document suggested that after Brexit, low-skilled EU migrants would be offered residency for a maximum of two years and those in high-skilled occupations would be granted permits to work for three to five years. T ributes were today paid to two London friends killed by a 4x4 as they walked back to a campsite on an unlit country lane. Matthew Lind, 31, from Wimbledon, died alongside James Morden, also 31, when the Nissan Pathfinder collided with a group of walkers in the South Downs. Two women, aged 27 and 29, were also injured in the accident in Ringmer, near Lewes, on Saturday. They were all on a weekend break together camping at the nearby Embers site, on the Bentley Farm estate. Mr Morden was a senior statistician at Londons Institute of Cancer Research and the author of dozens of academic research papers. Fatal crash: Matthew Lind Mr Lind was a manager at technology company Compucorp Ltd, having previously worked at digital agency White Fuse Media. Colleagues today told of their shock at the death of Mr Lind, a keen outdoor adventurer who enjoyed bouldering, a form of rock climbing. Andy Pearson, 36, said: He was a great person... everyone really liked him. This is a big hit for people, its just such a shock. He had science degrees from Newcastle university and Birkbeck College, and lived with his girlfriend Lauren in Wimbledon. Mr Morden is believed to have lived in a flat nearby. Charity worked: James Morden, 31, was killed in the smash A neighbour of Mr Lind, Bruno Santiago, said: He was a really nice guy - I am really shocked over this. I just cant believe it. Its so sad. We used to see them come and go, they always looked like such a happy couple. We havent seen her since the accident. Mr Linds sister has flown back from her home in Malaysia to comfort her parents, who were said to be incredibly upset. Mr Morden, an ardent Norwich City fan, had just helped publish a breakthrough research paper on treating breast cancer, as well as academic papers for the University of Sheffield. His father Dennis said: I cant say anything, we are in shock. Rose Cusack and her husband Phil, both vets, gave CPR to the victims at the roadside following the crash at 8pm on Saturday. Mrs Cusack said: We tried to save them but it was obvious the injuries were very bad. Were used to being called to medical emergencies as vets, but nothing like this. The driver of the 4x4, a 31-year-old woman from Uckfield, was uninjured. She has not been arrested. Inquests into the two deaths are due to open in Eastbourne next week. Sussex police are appealing for witnesses or motorists who might have dashcam footage to contact them on collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting Operation Greenwich. P rince Harry is celebrating his 33rd birthday amid speculation that a wedding to actress girlfriend Meghan Markle may be on the cards. Fans of the Royals are waiting to see whether this will be the year the Prince, who is currently fifth in line to throne, will propose to the Suits star after she declared the pair were really happy and in love during an interview with Vanity Fair magazine. Royal observers expect Prince Harry to celebrate today's birthday alongside the US actress. The couple, who have been dating for around a year, are expected to make their first official public appearance together in Ms Markle's home city of Toronto at the 2017 Invictus Games next week. Rumours continue to mount Prince Harry is set to wed actress Meghan Markle / PA Prince Harry will give speeches at both the opening and closing ceremonies, watch a host of sporting events and carry out a number of extra engagements including visiting a mental health and addiction teaching hospital. The Prince, who founded the paralympic-style competition for wounded, injured and sick former and still-serving servicemen and women, is set to arrive in the Canadian city next Friday. Ms Markle's revealing interview with Vanity Fair last week fuelled speculation of an upcoming Royal wedding. Prince Harry at UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 1 /12 Prince Harry at UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 Prince Harry speaks to competitors during the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village in Bath Chris Jackson/PA Prince Harry, Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, plays with Harry Phillips, aged two and a half as he attends the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 held at the University of Bath Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry speaks to competitors during the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village in Bath Chris Jackson/PA Prince Harry speaks to competitors during the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village in Bath Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Prince Harry, Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, with Jester the dog as he attends the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 held at the University of Bath Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Harry speaks to competitors during the UK team trials for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 at the University of Bath Sports Training Village in Bat PA Prince Harry gestures as he speaks to Matt Attwood after he demonstrated some rugby tackle research at the University of Bath Sports Training Village Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Prince Harry speaks to Matt Attwood after he demonstrated some rugby tackle research at the University of Bath Sports Training Village Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA Prince Harry (second right) watches a demonstration by Matt Attwood as part of their rugby tackle research, at the University of Bath Sports Training Village Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA She said: Were a couple. Were in love. Im sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time. This is for us. Its part of what makes it so special, that its just ours. But were happy. Personally, I love a great love story. The interview came just a day after Harry's brother Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge announced they are expecting their third child. Last month, the siblings marked the poignant 20th anniversary of the death of their mother Diana, viewing the floral tributes left in her memory as Harry confessed "all of us lost somebody". Recently, Prince Harrys openness about his battle with mental health following the death of Diana was praised by mental health charities. Having served in the Army and now a full-time royal, Prince Harry is passionate about his charitable causes, from promoting the Heads Together campaign to end stigma over mental health with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to supporting military veterans. Ms Markle admitted press attention of the couple has its challenges but added that Harry has supported her fully since the relationship became public. D onald Trump berated US attorney general Jeff Sessions as an idiot and demanded his resignation, it was claimed today. The US president reportedly blamed Americas most senior lawman for the appointment of a special counsel to lead the investigation into ties between his election campaign and Russia. Mr Sessions, 70, offered to quit, telling friends the tirade was the most humiliating experience of his career. However, Mr Trump was persuaded by senior aides to reject his resignation to avoid fuelling reports of a White House in crisis, reported the New York Times. Mr Trump allegedly accused the attorney general of disloyalty and unleashed a string of insults at the meeting in May. He reportedly felt special counsel Robert Muellers appointment as head of the FBIs Russia investigation was a direct result of Mr Sessions decision in March to recuse himself from the inquiry. Mr Trump reportedly told Mr Sessions that making him attorney general was one of the worst decisions he had made since being voted president. The tempestuous Oval Office dressing down, the details of which emerged for the first time today, was portrayed as a sign of the deteriorating relationship between the president and one of his earliest and most fervent supporters. Attorney General: Jeff Sessions was branded an "idiot" by Donald Trump / AFP/Getty Images Only the fact that Mr Trump had already fired his FBI director James Comey and national security adviser Michael Flynn seemed to save Mr Sessions from a similar fate. Mr Sessions, a former Alabama senator, is said to have stayed in the job primarily because he sees it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to crack down on immigration. If that is the case, Mr Sessions suffered another major setback this week with Mr Trumps apparent U-turn over the fate of the children of undocumented immigrants living in the US. Mr Sessions played a key role in pushing through the plan to end the Obama-era programme that protected so-called Dreamers from deportation. However, Mr Trump backtracked and confirmed yesterday that he has reached a deal with Democrats to safeguard the Dreamers futures in the US. The Republican president later tweeted about the need to protect people brought to America through no fault of their own. The move has been seen in Washington as yet another snub to Mr Sessions. Mr Trump has described his decision to recuse himself as weak. Mr Sessions did so after it was revealed he had not provided accurate testimony to Congress about meetings with the Russian ambassador during the campaign. D onald Trump has said the terror suspect being hunted over an explosion on a rush-hour Tube train was in the sights of Scotland Yard. Twenty-two people have been treated in hospital after an improvised explosive device went off at Parsons Green station on Friday morning, sparking a series of tweets from the US President. He said the explosion, which the Met Police has confirmed is being treated as a terrorist incident, was the act of a loser terrorists who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. The comments sparked a backlash for appearing to criticise the Met Police in the wake of the suspected attack and, if true, leaking British intelligence over social media. Mark Rowley statement on Parsons Green The US President offered no evidence to back up his claim, while Scotland has yet to release any information about who they are hunting. In a series of tweets posted on Friday morning, Mr Trump said: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures 1 /36 Parsons Green explosion incident on the Tube - In pictures Images emerged on social media of flames spilling from a bucket which appeared to be on the train Kett News Emergency services on the platform at Parsons Green Metro An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train Dominic Lipinski/PA Armed police stand by a cordon outside Parsons Green tube station Kevin Coombs/Reuters Police, fire and ambulance crews descended on the station Cllr Daniel Holden An injured woman is comforted outside the station Reuters Bomb disposal and armed police unitson the scene at Parsons Green Jeremy Selwyn Personal belonglongs and a bucket with an item on fire inside it, are seen on the floor of an underground train carriage at Parsons Green station Sylvian Pennec/Reuters Police with a woman after the incident at Parsons Green Metro Nick Crowley shows his charred forehead following an explosion whilst on the Tube Nick Crowley Armed British police officers walk through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London AFP/Getty Images Tube carriage and emergency services on the tracks after explosion Sky News Police and emergency services at Parsons Green Station following reports of an explosion on a tube train. Kerry Davies/Daily Mail An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London Reuters Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley speaks to the media outside New Scotland Yard, London, after a terrorist incident was declared following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A forensics officer on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast which sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A tube train at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train PA A police officer and a sniffer dog pictured near Parsons Green tube station Reuters View of emergency services on the tracks at Parsons Green Sky News Commuters were left traumatised by the incident Reuters Bomb disposal units rushed to the scene Reuters Crowds gather outside Parsons Green tube station AFP/Getty Images A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station Reuters Emergency services tend to panicked commuters outside Parsons Green Tube station Emma (Twitter) Images emerged of a bucket alight reportedly on the District Line train @RRigs Fire crews, police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Police vehicles line the street near Parsons Green tube station Reuters Mr Trump attempted to use the suspected attack to justify his controversial travel ban from Muslim countries, saying immigration rules in the United States must be far larger and tougher. Nick Timothy, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Theresa May, said it was unhelpful to suggest the Met Police knew of the suspect without any evidence. He tweeted: True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner. The bucket believed to have caused the explosion at Parsons Green () / Kett News The Mets counter-terrorism command has launched an investigation into the explosion, which took place at a rear Tube carriage at roughly 8.20am. Pictures posted on social media appeared to show wires protruding from a flaming bucket inside a plastic carrier bag on the floor of a carriage. Mark Rowley, assistant commissioner for specialist operations for the Met Police, told reporters outside Scotland Yard most of the victims are suffering from flash burns. A talented young Financial Times journalist is feared to have been killed after he was dragged into a lagoon by a crocodile in Sri Lanka. Paul McClean, 24, is believed to have been washing his hands in the lagoon while on a surfing holiday when the tragedy unfolded. Witnesses said they saw the young man snatched by the crocodile in the popular surfing hotspot of Elephant Rock, in eastern Sri Lanka, before the animal dragged him into the lagoon. The 24-year-old was seen waving for help by horrified onlookers. Police in Sri Lanka have launched a mass hunt to find Mr McClean, but fear his body may have been hidden by the crocodile in the water. Fawas Lafeer, owner of Safa Surf School, near the scene, told the Mail Online: He was learning to surf and after that he wanted to go to the toilet He went in the jungle, about 800 metres. It was when he was washing his hands that the crocodile took him. A local fisherman witnessed a man being dragged into a river, set back from the beach, by a crocodile. He added: The police were called immediately. They cant do anything because the river is deep and murky, it is not very clear. The Foreign Office did not confirm the reports, but told Sky News: We are assisting the family of a British man who has been reported missing in Sri Lanka." Mr McClean, an Oxford graduate, worked as a journalist for the Financial Times for the past two years. Friends have described him as an incredibly lovely person who was doing terrific work at the paper. A man has been arrested after a soldier was attacked while on patrol in Paris, French officials said. The suspect was armed with a knife during the incident outside Chatelet Metro Station, close to the popular Louvre art gallery, in the centre of the city, La Parisien reported. The soldier, who was on anti-terrorism duty in the French capital, was not injured in todays attack which happed just before 6.30am, armed forces minister Florence Parly confirmed. The incident is one of seven attacks on troops patrolling the city in recent months following the deaths of more than 230 people in terror attacks on France in the past three years. Yesterday Ms Parly told reporters of plans to make France's anti-terror troops "more discreet and unpredictable". She said: "You have to be more unpredictable, more discreet, more manoeuvrable ( ...) not allow the aggressor to have a certain amount of information that would make the operation less efficient and unnecessarily expose the forces involved." The story is being updated. N orth Korea has fired another ballistic missile over Japan, sparking fresh international condemnation of the reckless rogue state. The missile was fired over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning, reaching an estimated altitude of about 478 miles and travelling roughly 2,300 miles before landing in the Pacific Ocean, South Korean officials said. It is the second time dictator Kim Jong-un has fired a missile over Japan in a matter of weeks, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warning the country would never tolerate the dangerous tests. Warning messages were sent to people in Japan not to touch any debris, as North Korea hailed the launch as a clear message of defiance to its rivals. Pedestrians walk under a large-scale monitor displaying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a TV news broadcast in Tokyo, Japan / EPA United States Defense Secreatry Jim Mattis branded the move reckless, but refused to be drawn on whether there would be any military response. Moments after the launch South Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the sea in retaliation, as tensions continue to mount to dangerous levels in the peninsula. Since President Donald Trump threatened the North with "fire and fury" in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. It tested its first-ever intercontinental ballistic missiles in July. People in Japan walk under a large-scale monitor displaying the flying course of the North Korean missile / EPA The growing frequency of the tests has led officials to believe North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both US troops in Asia and their homeland. North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue these tests amid what it calls US hostility - by which it means the presence of tens of thousands of US troops in Japan and South Korea. Robust diplomacy on the issue has been stalled for years, and there's little sign that senior officials from Pyongyang and Washington will sit down to discuss ways to slow the North's determined march towards recognition as a nuclear state. Friday's missile, which Seoul said was the 19th ballistic missile launched by North Korea this year, triggered sirens and warning messages in northern Japan but caused no apparent damage to aircraft or ships. President Donald Trump has warned of "fire and fury" if North Korea attacks the United States / REUTERS It was the second missile fired over Japan in less than a month. The missile was launched from Sunan, the location of Pyongyang's international airport and the origin of the earlier missile that flew over Japan. Analysts have speculated the new test was of the same intermediate-range missile launched in that earlier flight, the Hwasong-12. Hokkaido prefectural emergency official Shuji Koshida said local trains and subways briefly stopped for safety checks but there was no panicking or traffic jams. In a statement Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said: If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. A double murderer who cut up one of his victims and hid part of the body in a suitcase is thought to have been inspired by his own crime novels grisly plot line. Investigators in Spain believe Pierre Danilo could have been acting out the events of a crime novel he co-wrote with a serial killer while serving a previous jail term for drug smuggling, the Times reported. Danilo, 36, knifed hairdresser Alberto Enrique Ferrer to death before dismembering his body in the bath and packing the torso in a suitcase. He then murdered Blas Gamez, a police officer who was investigating Mr Ferrers death. Mr Gamez had visited Danilo at home in Valencia and was stabbed in the chest on Monday. Police officers at the scene shot Danilo dead. Spanish police said they are now exploring a series of theories behind these incidents. Danilo, from Gothenburg in Sweden, was imprisoned in 2004 for 14 years for smuggling drugs from the Netherlands to the US. While in prison, he wrote a novel called With Death as a Shadow with serial killer Ricard AR Nilsson. According to the Times, police believe victim Mr Ferrer, 42, was Danilos lover. One witness described seeing Danilo moving a suitcase, while detectives followed a rough trail of blood traces to the flat where Danilo had gone into hiding after the murder, believed to have taken place on Sunday night. Mr Gamez was stabbed in the chest the same as the murders in the crime novel when he tried to arrest Danilo. T he US will consider military action against North Korea if Kim Jong Un continues to ignore UN sanctions, following his latest missile test. The UN Security Council was called into emergency session on Friday after North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile. The council met to discuss what possible measures to take after Jong Un disregarded the latest round of sanctions with the test - which was an alarming display of technological advancement. Following the meeting, US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, and the national security advisor, HR McMaster, said if sanctions failed military options would be explored. What is different about this approach is: were out of time, right? McMaster said on Friday. We have been kicking the can down the road and were out of road. Briefing: National security adviser H.R. McMaster, right, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley / AP For those who have been commenting about the lack of a military option there is a military option. Now, its not what we prefer to do, so what we have to do is call on all nations to do everything we can to address this global problem, short of war. On Monday the council had unanimously approved its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea over its nuclear test. But in an act of defiance on Friday, North Korea launched an intermediate-range weapon over US ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean. Defiance: A railway station in Seoul shows file footage of a North Korean missile launch / AFP North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Friday its weapons tests demonstrate that it can "turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area". Following the emergency meeting, which was held behind closed doors, the council condemned North Koreas actions as outrageous. It said: "The Security Council stressed that these (North Korea) actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all U.N. member states," the 15-member council said in a statement. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has repeatedly pushed for talks with North Korea in the past, said its tests currently make dialogue "impossible". "The sanctions and pressure by the international community will only tighten so that North Korea has no choice but to take the path for genuine dialogue" for nuclear disarmament, Mr Moon said. World leaders react to North Korea's latest missile launch "If North Korea provokes us or our allies, we have the strength to smash the attempt at an early stage and inflict a level of damage it would be impossible to recover from." France's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country is ready to work on tougher UN and EU measures "to convince the regime in Pyongyang that there is no interest in an escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table". Since US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" in August, the North has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the US Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw the country's first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the US mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target US troops both in Asia and in the US homeland. L ady Gaga has been forced to cancel a concert in Rio after being hospitalised with severe pains. The US pop star pulled out of her slot at the Rock in Rio show in Brazil on Thursday and later posted a selfie from her hospital bed on Instagram. Despite saying that she was devastated not to be performing, the 31-year-old said that she had to take care of her body. Brazil, I'm devastated that I'm not well enough to come to Rock In Rio. I would do anything 4 u but I have to take care of my body right now, she wrote. I ask for your grace and understanding, and promise that I will come back and perform for you soon. I'm so sorry, and I love you so much. An official post on her Twitter account read: Lady Gaga is under the care of expert medical professionals. She sends her love to all her fans in Rio and thanks them for their support and understanding. Lady Gaga - style file 1 /73 Lady Gaga - style file Lady Gaga arrives for the premiere of the film "A Star is Born" AFP/Getty Images August 12, 2008 Onstage during MTV's Total Request Live at the MTV Times Square Studios Getty Images December 12, 2008 At the Z100's Jingle Ball at Madison Square Garden Getty Images June 26, 2009 On the Other Stage at the Glastonbury Festival Getty Images September 7, 2009 Presenting cooperation with 'Monster Cable' at IFA fair Getty Images September 13, 2009 At the MTV Video Music Awards Getty Images September 13, 2009 At the MTV Video Music Awards Getty Images November 3, 2009 At fuse TV's "On The Record" Getty Images December 7, 2009 Meeting Queen Elizabeth II following the Royal Variety performance Getty Images December 8, 2009 At the launch of VEVO January 31, 2010 At the Grammys Getty Images January 31, 2010 Onstage during the Grammys Getty Images January 31, 2010 At the Grammys Getty Images February 16, 2010 At the Brit Awards Getty Images September 12, 2010 At the MTV Video Music Awards Getty Images February 13, 2011 At the Grammys Getty Images July 9, 2011 At Sydney Airport Getty Images November 6, 2011 At the MTV Europe Music Awards Getty Images November 10, 2011 At the Bambi awarding ceremony in Wiesbaden, Germany AFP/Getty Images May 8, 2012 At Narita International airport in Tokyo AFP/Getty Images September 16, 2012 At the Philip Treacy show during London Fashion Week Getty Images August 25, 2013 Performing at the MTV Video Music Awards Getty Images for MTV October 23, 2013 At the Ritz Carlton hotel at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin AFP/Getty Images October 25, 2013 At the Ritz Carlton hotel on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin AFP/Getty Images December 8, 2013 At the Capital FM Jingle Bell Ball at the 02 Arena Getty Images March 2, 2014 At the Oscars Getty Images March 30, 2014 At the Roseland Ballroom Getty Images August 12, 2014 At Narita International airport in Tokyo AFP/Getty Images February 22, 2015 At the Oscars AFP/Getty Images June 18, 2015 At the Songwriters Hall Of Fame annual induction and awards Getty Images for Songwriters Hall Of Fame September 20, 2015 At the Emmy Awards Getty Images November 23, 2015 At the British Fashion Awards Getty Images January 10, 2016 At the Golden Globes Getty Images February 10, 2016 At the Saint Laurent show at The Hollywood Palladium Getty Images February 15, 2016 At the Grammys Getty Images for NARAS February 28, 2016 At the scars AFP/Getty Images March 20, 2016 At the Daily Front Row "Fashion Los Angeles Awards" Getty Images May 2, 2016 At the Met Gala Getty Images November 30, 2016 Performing on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway Getty Images for Victoria's Secret November 30, 2016 With Alessandra Ambrosio backstage prior to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Getty Images for Victoria's Secret December 6, 2016 Meeting Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall during the Royal Variety Performance Getty Images February 2, 2017 Speaking onstage during the Super Bowl press conference Getty Images February 5, 2017 On the field during rehearsals ahead of the Super Bowl half time show AFP/Getty Images February 5, 2017 Performing during the Super Bowl half time show Getty Images February 5, 2017 Performing during the Super Bowl half time show Getty Images February 12, 2017 At the the 59th Grammy Awards AFP/Getty Images April 15, 2017 Onstage at Coachella Getty Images for Coachella September 8, 2017 Attending the press conference for "Gaga: Five Foot Two" at the Toronto International Film Festival AFP/Getty Images September 8, 2017 Arriving for the premiere of her movie "Gaga: Five Foot Two" at the Toronto International Film Festival AFP/Getty Images October 21, 2017 Onstage at Texas University Getty Images for Ford Motor Comp January 28, 2018 At the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards Getty Images January 6, 2019 At the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards Getty Images February 24, 2019 Getty Images May 6, 2019 Brandon Maxwell and Lady Gaga attend The 2019 Met Gala Getty Images June 28, 2019 Before performing at the annual Pride parade in New York City GC Images Gaga real name Stefani Germanotta recently revealed that she has been suffering with fibromyalgia, a condition that can cause pain all over the body. I wish to help raise awareness and connect people who have it. We can all share what helps/hurts," she recently tweeted. After speaking candidly about her battle in her recent documentary, Gaga thanked fans and followers for their outpouring of support. I was so overwhelmed by the empathy, confessions & personal stories of chronic pain in response to my previous post I thought what the hell, she wrote on Instagram. T he wife of hot felon Jeremy Meeks has spoken of her shock when she discovered he was in a relationship with Topshop heiress Chloe Green. Melissa Meeks was married to the ex-convict turned model for eight years before they split after photos were released of him on holiday with the daughter of billionaire Sir Philip Green. He was seen kissing the heiress on a yacht in Turkey over the summer. In an interview on US television, Ms Meeks said: I was in shock. I didnt really know what to do. It wasnt an easy pill to swallow, this is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed. In shock: The wife of Jeremy Meeks speaks out (Inside Edition ) / Inside Edition The new couple have shown off their relationship on social media by posting several images of them hugging. Ms Meeks said she had stood by his side during a difficult period in his life during which he was jailed in 2014 in California for possession of a firearm. He shot to fame when his hot police mugshot went viral, earning him a modelling contract. In her interview on the Inside Edition programme, his wife added: I was happy for him. Did I want him to succeed? Absolutely. But she revealed she felt worried when he found fame and started making money. Youve heard stories. Youve seen stuff happen, she said. Just nine days after his romance surfaced Meeks, 33, filed for divorce from Ms Meeks, the mother of his child. She said: It wasnt an easy pill to swallow. This is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed. I believed in him, I believed in us. I truly thought this would have a happy ending. It didnt have a happy ending for me. Her lawyer Lisa Bloom told the programme her client now wants what she is legally entitled to from a divorce. She added: This is a woman who worked very hard behind the scenes, supporting her family, standing by him during his incarceration and even afterwards. Meeks and Sir Philips daughter, 26, were rumoured to have got engaged after she showed a diamond ring on Snapchat videos, but her spokesman denied this. 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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. Tech companies are no stranger to allegations of sexual discrimination. Accusations against Uber contributed to ex-CEO Travis Kalanick stepping down, while AR firm Magic Leap was another firm to be hit with a discrimination lawsuit earlier this year. Now, three women have filed a proposed class-action suit against Google, claiming it is biased against women when it comes to pay and promotions. The complaint, filed on behalf of all women who worked for Google in California in the last four years, says the company paid women less than men for doing "substantially similar work under similar working conditions," and were less likely to be promoted. Lead plaintiff Kelly Ellis, who was hired as a software engineer for Google Photos in 2010, said she was placed in a "Level 3" position usually assigned to college graduates. When a male software engineer who graduated alongside Ellis was hired a few weeks later, he was assigned to a "Level 4" position, which came with a better salary, bonuses, raises, and equity. My hopes for the Google suit: to force not only Google, but other companies to change their practices and compensate EVERYONE fairly. --- Kelly Ellis (@justkelly_ok) September 14, 2017 Holly Pease, another plaintiff, joined Google in 2005 and advanced to a senior management role. Despite overseeing 50 staff across multiple teams and boasting ten years' experience as a network engineer before Google, she was considered to be a "non-technical" employee, which limited her pay. The lawsuit says she was denied the chance to gain the "technical" classification and was moved out of engineering entirely when she returned from medical leave. The third plaintiff, Kelli Wisuri, came to Google with three years of sales experience but was put in a "level 2" role, the "lowest level available to permanent, full-time employees." The complaint claims men with similar qualifications were place in "Level 3" positions, which have better pay and career tracks. She resigned in 2015 due to "lack of opportunities for advancement for women." The news comes as the Department of Labor continues to investigate Google over claims of "extreme" gender pay discrimination. The search giant has released a statement defending itself against the allegations made in the lawsuit. "We work really hard to create a great workplace for everyone, and to give everyone the chance to thrive here. In relation to this particular lawsuit, we'll review it in detail, but we disagree with the central allegations," spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said. "Job levels and promotions are determined through rigorous hiring and promotion committees, and must pass multiple levels of review, including checks to make sure there is no gender bias in these decisions. And we have extensive systems in place to ensure that we pay fairly. But on all these topics, if we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees." "The world is at a crossroads. Where do we go from here?... The world expects China and the U.S. to properly handle their relationship," Xi pointed out. | Read More 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. Watertown landowners will be involved in new Corps flood-control study After 30 years, a new flood control feasibility study will include the input of landowners and supply a multitude of options other than a dry dam. The man heading up Ontarios effort to lure Amazon to the province said Thursday that while the province would consider sensible incentives, the bid will not offer billions in subsidies to the tech giant. Providing large taxpayer subsidies to the firm wouldnt be fair to other companies that have set up shop in Ontario with little or no government assistance, said Ed Clark, who was appointed last week by Premier Kathleen Wynne to head up the Greater Toronto Regions bid to become the home of Amazons new corporate headquarters. The regions bid to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos will highlight other strengths such as the provinces skilled workforce, Clark said, adding that the province would be willing to make other contributions like helping the company secure land. Read more: GTA municipalities team up in blockbuster bid for Amazon headquarters Several Amazon executives favour Boston for second headquarters, source says Ontario enlists former bank CEO to help with bid for new Amazon headquarters There are clearly places in the United States that will, I use the word, bribe, people to come, he said. (They) say you just tell us what cheque you want us to write, we will write that cheque. Were not in that business. If thats what Amazon is looking for, Ontario will not win, said Clark, who retired as an executive with TD Bank in 2014. But we have proven people are coming to Toronto right now, and to Ontario, because weve just got fantastic people. The online retail giant announced earlier this month that it is hunting for a second North American office, saying it would spend $5 billion to build the new headquarters to house as many as 50,000 employees. The company said it 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 more than 740,000 square metres in the next decade. Clark said the two biggest roadblocks a Toronto region bid will face are the pressure to spend large amounts on tax incentives and potential blowback to the firm created by U.S. President Donald Trumps push to keep American companies from moving operations to other countries. It will be seen as a major political statement if Amazon says the next 50,000 jobs we create are going to be in Canada, he said. Whether they will stand that political heat, we dont know. (Bezos) may well be prepared to take that heat and there are companies that say the most important thing is that they get the people and a tax break here or there isnt going to sway it, Clark said. Cities have until Oct. 19 to apply through a special website, and Amazon said it will make a final decision next year. Amazons current campus in Seattle takes up more than 750,000 square metres, has 33 buildings and 24 restaurants and is home to more than 40,000 employees. At the second headquarters, Amazon said it will hire up to 50,000 new full-time employees over the next 15 years who would have an average pay of more than $100,000 (U.S.) a year. Toronto Mayor John Tory downplayed concerns the citys rising housing costs and congestion issues might hurt the bid. If the region is successful, by the time the facility is built, the city and region will have increased its housing supply and transit capacity, he said. If you go down (Amazons) list and tick the boxes, I would say that this region is as well prepared and represented to bid and to be very competitive as any other in the world. But it doesnt mean that its not going to be a tough competition. Read more about: SHARE: As far as Im concerned the provincial regulators have been absolutely negligent in this area. Thats Jim Aziz addressing Ontario regulations governing credit bureaus, specifically the information available to, and the protection of, consumers. Of course were talking about Equifax, the giant credit bureau currently in public relations meltdown as the result of a web vulnerability that allowed for the criminal hacking of information of as many as 143 million consumers. The hackers portal was a web application framework called Apache Struts. Thats bad news for Equifax. This vulnerability was patched on 7 March 2017, the same day it was announced, the Apache Software Foundation said in a press release. Yet Equifax revealed that the unauthorized access started much later, in mid-May, and continued for weeks, into July. The Apache release didnt mince words: The Equifax data compromise was due to their failure to install the security update provided in a timely manner. So chances are this story is going to go down in ways similar to the Wells Fargo debacle. The CEO of Equifax, Rick Smith, will appear before a congressional committee. The vulnerability of consumers, as opposed to software, will be lamented. The proceedings will become heated. There will be calls for Smiths resignation. For Jim Aziz, an international adviser on credit bureaus, the opportunity now is for the Ontario government to re-examine the ways in which its own governance of credit bureaus, by which I mean both Equifax and its competitor, TransUnion, falls short of international standards. Consumers who have found themselves ensnared in unhappy experiences with the bureaus will not be surprised. One reader, responding to Wednesdays column on the data breach, complained that trying to set the record straight with Equifax over multiple credit cards on his credit report that were not his proved so exhausting that he just gave up. It is a mess trying to deal with them, he wrote. The provinces Consumer Reporting Act does nothing to spur the bureaus into action when information is wrong. When a consumer disputes the accuracy of the information, the act stipulates that the reporting agency within a reasonable time shall use its best endeavors to confirm or complete the information. (The italics are mine.) Back in the 80s, Jim Aziz was the general manager of the Associated Credit Bureaus of Canada. These days he works with the International Monetary Fund and others setting up credit bureaus and credit agencies around the world. He has worked in 36 countries (Kosovo, Sudan). Canada, he says, doesnt cut it. In my activities, with different countries, we regulate the number of days to resolve disputed information in periods of 15 to 30 days, he says. As it is, theres no incentive for the credit bureaus to be expedient in resolving consumer disputes. And yet, the only way to validate the accuracy of the information is for the consumer herself to look at the file. Its standard too for bureaus to inform consumers that after apprising one bureau of an error they should then move on and start the process over again with its competitor. That doesnt do it, Aziz insists. It is the credit bureaus that should bear the obligation of informing each other of errors. Not all credit granters check both files. If youve gone to TransUnion and found an error in your file but its not corrected by Equifax, then you could be harmed by the fact that it isnt corrected, and vice versa. Accessing ones credit report in Canada is another reminder of how out of touch we are. In the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act mandates that anyone can access, annually online, their credit report for free, and theres a central website to help with that. There are three nationwide bureaus in the U.S., so the consumer can get all three at once, or spread them out throughout the year. In Ontario, an Equifax credit report is free only if the consumer submits an application by mail or, impractically, in person. The fee for accessing the report online is $15.50. The government should step in and say, look, were here to protect consumers, Aziz says. Thats consumer information thats in a lenders data base thats being shared with both Equifax and TransUnion so they can make a profit. They make a lot of money using your data and my data and this is the kind of thing from a consumer standpoint that they shouldnt be charging for. If the government is concerned about protecting consumers they should take away that 15 bucks. Enhancing access has other benefits Aziz says research has shown that free credit reports lead to lower delinquency rates. Any initiatives that promote financial literacy, and increased financial smarts, are initiatives to the good. Ontario should join these modern times of which Aziz speaks. There is no down side. jenwells@thestar.ca SHARE: When South African track star Oscar Pistorius stood trial for the brutal killing of his girlfriend, he hired Bell Pottinger, an aggressive British public relations firm, to try to smooth his tattered reputation. President Bashar Assad of Syria and his wife turned to the firm for help in recasting their image. So did Alexander G. Lukashenko, the former dictator of Belarus. In the fraught world of image makeovers, Bell Pottinger stood out for venturing where others feared to go. It courted embattled governments, controversial clients and powerful people who ran afoul of public opinion. Along the way, it reaped hefty fees and became one of Britains most influential public relations firms. But on Tuesday, Bell Pottinger came crashing down after its latest effort, in South Africa, spiraled into disaster. The firm was forced to appoint administrators for its British operations as clients, employees and a major shareholder cut their ties to the firm. Bell Pottingers swift downfall sent shudders through the public relations industry and raised questions about the increasingly combative tactics used by those who engage in what critics call reputation laundering. The firms collapse came after an independent report released last week showed that it had conducted an unethical, race-baiting campaign that exploited divisions between South Africas black and white residents with the goal of diverting attention from a scandal surrounding the countrys embattled president, Jacob Zuma. After the report was issued, Britains Public Relations and Communications Association expelled Bell Pottinger from its ranks, making it the first big company to be forced from the group. James Henderson, Bell Pottingers chief executive, resigned. Clients, including British bank HSBC and luxury firm Richemont, dropped the firm, its reputation as soiled as those of some of the controversial figures it advised. Read more: South Africa drops to junk status after Standard & Poors downgrades credit South Africa drops to junk status after Standard & Poors downgrades credit Bell Pottinger has brought the PR and communications industry into disrepute with its actions, and it has received the harshest possible sanctions, said Francis Ingham, the public relations associations director-general, in a statement. The firms failure underscores the broader pressures roiling the public relations industry in a whipsaw online world, where fake news, Twitterbots, manipulated Google searches and revised Wikipedia pages are valuable tools for helping to shape narratives and recast reputations. Bell Pottingers collapse also highlights the eagerness of politicians, celebrities, companies and governments around the world to hire a communications firm that will sometimes go to extreme lengths to influence opinion and media coverage, or to ignite activism through social networks. Many firms do similar work, but Bell Pottingers penchant for taking on questionable clients raised concerns about its own ethics, especially among its British counterparts. Timothy Bell, a London political and social operator who helped Margaret Thatcher, the former U.K. prime minister, start her political career, was a founder of Bell Pottinger in 1998. The firm counted Airbus and Coca-Cola as clients, but it also advised President F.W. de Klerk of apartheid-era South Africa on how to run against Nelson Mandela and helped a foundation backed by supporters of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former dictator of Chile, fight his detention by Britain for human rights violations. Bell, a gregarious, blunt-spoken man whom Thatcher nominated for knighthood, insisted that there were two sides to every story and that Bell Pottingers job was to make sure that the version it was telling prevailed. He left the firm last year to start a new venture. We help shape client reputations, tell effective stories and run creative campaigns to enhance their brand and deliver commercial success, the firm said on its website. As Bell Pottingers client list grew increasingly controversial, so did the tactics it employed. In 2011, it attracted scrutiny after the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a nonprofit news organization based in London, determined that Bell Pottinger managers had removed negative information from the Wikipedia page for the Uzbek government, which was accused of human rights violations. The managers were also found to have employed search engine optimization strategies to drive articles on Uzbek human rights abuses lower in Google search results for the country. Other investigations by the journalism bureau showed that Bell Pottinger had used similar tactics for other clients. Such methods are not illegal and are widely used by companies, governments and other public relations firms. But Bell Pottinger appeared to test the limits of its approach in South Africa last year when it was hired by Oakbay Capital, a holding company run by the Gupta brothers, members of a powerful Indian family with widespread business interests in South Africa and close ties to Zuma. The South African president, long a target of corruption allegations, was under growing criticism for supposedly allowing the Guptas to influence government appointments and securing lucrative government contracts through cronyism. The Guptas also attracted negative press coverage stemming from accusations that they had used their wealth to influence Zuma as average South Africans languished. After being hired by Oakbay for a monthly fee of 100,000, or about $163,000, Bell Pottinger initiated what it called an economic emancipation campaign. The firm sought to portray opponents of the Guptas and Zuma as agents of white-owned businesses eager to economically disenfranchise black South Africans. The firm edited the Guptas Wikipedia page to tone down negative material and encouraged activists to spread stories online that suggested economic apartheid was deepening in South Africa because of the minority white population. A hashtag, #WhiteMonopolyCapital, circulated on Twitter, and the term white monopoly capital began to be used on a television station owned by the Guptas, according to local news reports. Zuma also spoke of white monopoly capital as being a driving force behind calls for his resignation. The campaign began to unravel when thousands of emails from Gupta company accounts were leaked in May. The messages, published by South African and British media outlets, suggested that Zumas son, Duduazne, a former director of some Gupta-owned companies, had instructed Bell Pottinger to pursue a strategy of racial division along the lines of #EconomicEmancipation or whatever. South Africas main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, accused Bell Pottinger of exploiting racial tensions and reported the scandal to the British public relations association. Henderson, the firms chief executive, claimed that senior Bell Pottinger executives were unaware of the tactics but issued an apology and opened an internal investigation. The inquiry, conducted by British law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, found that Bell Pottinger had breached ethical principles by engaging in a racially divisive and/or potentially offensive campaign. The firm had also sought to mislead or undermine journalists asking questions about the campaign, the report said. The investigation also found that the firm had used unsavvy employees with little knowledge of South Africas political situation. A week after the reports release, Bell Pottinger crumpled into insolvency. SHARE: NAGS HEAD, N.C.All along the coast of the southeast United States, the real estate industry confronts a hurricane. Not the kind that swirls in the Atlantic, but a storm of scientific information about sea-level rise that threatens the most lucrative, commission-boosting properties. These studies warn that Florida, the Carolinas and other southeastern states face the nations fastest-growing rates of sea-level rise and coastal erosion as much as three feet by the year 2100, depending on how quickly Antarctic ice sheets melt. In a recent report, researchers for Zillow estimated that nearly two million U.S. homes could be literally underwater by 2100, if worst-case projections become reality. This is not good news for people who market and build waterfront houses. But real estate lobbyists arent going down without a fight. Some are teaming up with climate-change skeptics and small government advocates to block public release of sea-level rise predictions and ensure that coastal planning is not based on them. Read more: Houston storm a reminder Toronto must do more to tackle climate change: Editorial Quebec towns brace for erosion and flooding as temperatures warm, storms attack Lessons for Toronto from Harvey and Irma This is very concerning, said Willo Kelly, who represents both the Outer Banks Home Builders Association and the Outer Banks Association of Realtors and led a six-year battle against state sea-level-rise mapping in North Carolina. Theres a fear that some think tank is going to come in here and tell us what to do. The flooding and destruction caused by hurricanes Irma and Harvey has again highlighted the risks of owning shoreline property. But coastal real estate development remains lucrative, and in recent months and years, the industry has successfully blocked coastal planning policies based on ever-higher oceans. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump rescinded an Obama-era executive order that required the federal government to account for climate change and sea-level rise when building infrastructure, such as highways, levees and floodwalls. Trumps move came after lobbying from the National Association of Home Builders, which called the Obama directive an overreaching environmental rule that needlessly hurt housing affordability. In North Carolina, Kelly teamed up with homebuilders and realtors to pass state legislation in 2012 that prevented coastal planners from basing policies on a benchmark of a 39-inch sea-level rise by 2100. The legislation, authored by Republican Rep. Pat McElraft, a coastal realtor, banned the state from using scientific projections of future sea-level rise for a period of four years. It resulted in the state later adopting a 30-year forecast, which projects the sea rising a mere eight inches. Stan Riggs, a geologist who served on the North Carolina science panel that recommended the 39-inch benchmark, said the 2012 legislation was a blow for long-term coastal planning. The state is completely not dealing with this, said Riggs, a professor of geology at East Carolina University and author of The Battle for North Carolinas Coast. They are approaching climate change with sand bags and pumping sand onto beaches, which is just a short-term answer. Todd Miller, executive director of the North Carolina Coastal Federation, agrees the state is not doing enough to prepare for climate change. But he says the power play by builders and real estate agents may have backfired, drawing national attention including being spoofed by Stephen Colbert to an otherwise obscure policy document. The controversy did more to educate people about climate issues than if the report had just been quietly released and kept on the shelves, said Miller, who heads an environmental organization of 15,000 members. In Texas, a similar attempt to sideline climate-change science also triggered blowback. In 2011, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), then under the administration of Gov. Rick Perry, attempted to remove references to climate in a chapter in State of the Bay, a report on the ecological health of Galveston Bay. The chapter, written by Rice University oceanographer John B. Anderson, analyzed the expected impacts of sea-level rise and described rising seas as one of the main impacts of global climate change. When TCEQ officials attempted to edit out such references, Anderson and other scientists objected. The whole story went viral, he said in a recent telephone interview. Then they backed off. Since that time, Texas officials havent interfered in other scientific reports, Anderson said, but neither have they consulted with academics on how to manage rising seas, erosion and the prospect of stronger storms. Texas is pretty much in a state of climate-change denial, Anderson said. Theres very little outreach to the research community to address the challenges we face. Andersons lament is one shared by other scientists in the Southeast, where Republicans control nearly all state houses and are generally dismissive of the scientific consensus on climate change. In Florida, where Republican Rick Scott is governor, state environmental employees have been told not to use terms such as climate change or global warming in official communications, according to the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. In South Carolina, the state Department of Natural Resources in 2013 was accused of keeping secret a draft report on climate-change impacts. In Texas, the 2016 platform of the state Republican Party states that climate change is a political agenda promoted to control every aspect of our lives. Anderson said its surprising that sea-level rise is sparking controversy because, in his view, it is the least-contested aspect of climate-change science. Its well accepted, he said, that global temperatures are rising, and that as they rise, water molecules in the oceans expand, a process called thermal expansion. Melting glaciers and ice sheets also contribute to rising sea levels, as does coastal subsidence caused by natural forces and man-made activities, such as excessive groundwater extraction. According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), sea level has risen along most of the U.S. coast the past 50 years, with some areas along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts seeing increases of more than eight inches. By 2100, average sea levels are expected to rise 1.6 to 3.3 feet, with some studies showing 6 feet of rise, according to the NAS. Last year, Zillow matched up its database of 110 million homes nationwide with maps prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showing a projected sea-level rise of 6 feet by the end of the century. Zillow found that, without efforts to mitigate against sea-level rise such as building floodwalls or elevating structures some 1.9 million homes were at risk, worth $882 billion (U.S). This included 934,000 houses in Florida, 83,000 in South Carolina, 57,000 in North Carolina and 46,800 in Texas. This isnt just an academic issue, said Svenja Gudell, chief economist for Zillow, noting that some climate skeptics pushed back against the report, but public response was largely positive. This can have a really big impact on people and their homes and livelihoods. With more than 5,700 kilometres of coastline, tidal shoreline and white-sand beaches, eastern North Carolina is particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise. It also supports a burgeoning real estate industry, serving retirees and vacationers who want to be near the water. In 2010, a group called NC-20 named for the 20 coastal counties of North Carolina was formed to advocate for this industry and others in the region. It originally protested new state stormwater rules. Then it took aim at projections of a one-meter sea-level rise, calling it a myth promoted by man-made global warming advocates on expectations of melting ice. Kelly, the groups current president, said NC-20 was alarmed by a 2010 state document that said the 39-inch benchmark should be used for land-use planning and to assist in designing development and conservation projects. The coalition also feared it could lead to a state website where prospective home buyers could research future water levels. That is nothing more than a SimCity video game, Kelly fumed during a recent interview at the Outer Banks Home Builders Association office near Nags Head, N.C. It all depends on the inputs you put into it. With little state guidance on climate change and flooding threats, some local governments are taking matters into their own hands. In Florida, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council produced a report this year on the multi-billion-dollar impacts of a projected three-foot sea level rise by 2060. In eastern North Carolina, geologist Riggs resigned from the N.C. Coastal Resources Commissions science panel in 2016, citing legislative interference. He has since teamed up with local governments on the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds to address problems of flooding, windblown tides and saltwater intrusion, a threat to local farming. John Trent, chair of the Bertie County Commissioners, said that he has been collaborating with Riggs on a range of projects to prevent flooding in Windsor, the county seat. Three severe floods have hit Windsor since 1999, and Trent says he is wary about what sea-level rise could bring over the long term. Absolutely it concerns us, said Trent, a transplant from Florida who moved to the county in 2000. We are the lowest of the low in this region. Further east, the Hyde County town of Swan Quarter has built a 27-kilometre dike around homes and farms to protect $62 million in flood-threatened property. The dike helped prevent windblown flooding during recent storms, but county officials have some concerns about the future. In Hyde County, youd likely get a consensus that sea-level rise is real and that it is happening, said Daniel Brinn, a resource specialist with the Hyde County Soil and Water District. You might get an argument on why it is happening, but that is about it. Anderson, the Rice University oceanographer, said that coastal homeowners nationwide should pay attention to sea-level rise projections, even if they live in a home that has never flooded before. During hurricane Harvey, Andersons home in Houston was inundated with roughly a foot of water, the first time that had ever happened. Given what Ive been through in recent weeks, I am acutely aware of how important one foot can be, he said. Read more about: SHARE: MONTREALFacebook has become the latest technology company to dig into Montreals burgeoning artificial intelligence sector, announcing the opening of a research lab in the city Friday. The lab, known as FAIR Montreal, is headed by Joelle Pineau, a professor in McGill Universitys computer science department and co-director of Reasoning and Learning Lab. The social media giant follows Google and Microsoft in establishing AI roots in Montreal. The lab is open and ready for business, with the first researchers already setting up shop in a new building. Read more: Artificial intelligence systems learning to accept human guidance Microsoft announces new AI lab Tech industry invests $135 million in Montreal startup Element AI Pineau finished her degree in the United States and came back to Montreal against the advice of some of her American colleagues, who felt it would hinder her ability to do world-class research. She said shes proven them wrong and added she hopes the new lab will give talented researchers in the field another option to stay put. For many years, Ive seen a steady stream of talented AI researchers . . . leaving my lab but also leaving our country, Pineau told dignitaries, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. I hope that some of the students who are here today will find an opportunity that matches their interest and their talent. The Montreal lab will employ 10 researchers to begin, with the aim of tripling that number in the coming year. That would put it on par with three other Facebook hubs currently based in New York City, Paris and Menlo Park, Calif., and serve as recognition that Montreal has quickly developed a concentration of expertise in the area of artificial intelligence. Apart from the lab, Facebook said it intends to invest $7 million in the citys AI community to fund research and students. Yoshua Bengio, a computer science professor at Universite de Montreal and an AI researcher, says Facebook is not just applying artificial intelligence but is also creating new science. Facebook and a few other companies have been really contributing to the best science that is happening in our field in the last few years, Bengio said. This is unusual. Its not what you usually see in industry. But AIs moving so fast and the importance of having the best people in ones company is so critical. Trudeau was joined by Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre and Quebecs innovation minister, Dominque Anglade. Speaking at his alma mater, Trudeau said generations of innovators have found inspiration in Montreal and Canada. So it should come as no surprise that more tech giants are choosing our cities as their homes away from home, he said. Outside the event, a large crowd of mostly students gathered for a chance to meet with Trudeau in his hometown. You think hell sign my textbook? one McGill student quipped as she and dozens others patiently waited for the prime minister to emerge. Read more about: SHARE: FREDERICTONA New Brunswick judge has stepped in to answer a question that has puzzled some of the worlds most prominent thinkers: What exactly does Kafkaesque mean? In a new ruling, Justice Hugh McLellan defines Kafkaesque as the struggle against rules and forces that cannot be understood. The word, arguably one of the most overused adjectives of our time, had become a fundamental issue in a case involving a Fredericton lab janitor fired in 2015 after he didnt go to work for more than a month. Paul Lynch had been jailed for his seventh drunk-driving-related conviction, and claimed to be unable to contact his bosses at the Doctor Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton to tell them why he stopped going to work. Lynch had pleaded guilty to having care and control of a vehicle while impaired after hitting a sign on a highway off-ramp. Because of his prior convictions, he was immediately remanded pending sentencing, and later sentenced to six months in jail. Lynch said he never had a chance to use a phone to contact his employer, and that no one came to his hearing who could have made the call for him. Labour adjudicator John McEvoy ordered the health authority to give him his job back, in a decision that declared no one . . . should face the Kafka-like situation faced by Lynch in respect of his inability to contact his employer. The health authority went to Court of Queens Bench to have the adjudicators ruling quashed, and, although there were other legal questions at play, the reference to the Prague-born novelist became a key issue. The phrase has become the representative adjective of our times, writer Frederick Karl said in his 1991 biography of Kafka. The New York Times, the Atlantic and HuffPost have all run pieces about the meaning of Kafkaesque. One Guardian headline had it: Kafkaesque: a word so overused it has lost all meaning? Health authority lawyer Andrea Folster thought the word was an overreach in the Lynch case. She argued the adjudicators ruling lacks justification, transparency and intelligibility, and the Kafka reference demonstrated McEvoys unreasonableness. This comparison to Kafka . . . is not justified or explained in the decision. There was no such evidence, she said. Folster quoted from the online Urban Dictionary that Kafkaesque describes a nightmarish situation . . . strongly surreal . . . with an ethereal evil, omnipotent power floating just beyond the senses . . . marked by surreal distortion and often a sense of impending danger. In his recent ruling in the case, McLellan offered a definition of his own: A Kafka-like situation, or Kafkaesque, refers to stories by Franz Kafka, with characters struggling against rules and forces that cannot be understood. Kafkaesque is much worse than a Catch-22 situation, where circumstances and rules prevent escape or change. In the end, the judge said he thought the word was fine, and upheld the ruling reinstating Lynch. I am not persuaded that the adjudicators expression Kafka-like indicates error in his perspective or unreasonableness in his decision, the judge said. SHARE: When it comes to two of the big policy battles that loom as the fall sitting of Parliament gets underway next week, prudence dictates that a journalist keeps his or her powder dry. In the debate over the governments proposed tax changes for people with private corporations, as in the case of the Liberal plan to legalize marijuana, what we have so far seen are just the opening manoeuvres in a tug-of-war, the outcome of which in the court of public opinion is far from decided. Some observations on the twin issues: Tax changes for people with private corporations: A lot of noise and fury is attending Finance Minister Bill Morneaus proposed curtailing of the fiscal advantages available to the professionals who shelter their incomes in private corporations. But, so far, the level of engagement of the vocal minority of taxpayers directly affected by the measures and of the opposition Conservatives is inversely proportional to that of the voting public. If and when the so-called ordinary Canadians that both the government and its main opposition claim to champion do get engaged, it is not a given that they will not side with the Liberals. Based only on the proportion of voters who have no access to the tax-saving measures that Morneau aims to curb or eliminate, an observer might surmise that it is the government that has the best hopes of bringing reinforcements to the fore in the battle for public opinion. Thats why it may be best to take with a grain of salt the notion that the government tried and failed to bring about its reform by stealth, in the dead of the night or in this case in the dead of the summer. If only by virtue of the 75-day consultation period Morneau undertook, not to mention the months involved in debating the legislation in both houses of Parliament, the issue was never going to be resolved before the House of Commons got its teeth into the plan. Time will tell whether the Conservatives jumped the gun by hurrying to deploy their heavy artillery against Morneaus reforms. A government forewarned is one that is forearmed, and the Liberals have left themselves plenty of wiggle room. Marijuana legalization: By comparison, the cannabis legalization front has been relatively quiet. But that hardly means peace has broken out in the marijuana trenches. If anything, the government may be living more dangerously, as it strives to change the legal status of pot than it does as it attempts to rein in the tax benefits of private corporations. Anecdotal evidence suggests that voters are more attuned to the cannabis debate than to Morneau s tax changes. While polls have found a potentially supportive audience for the Liberal tax fairness rationale, Justin Trudeaus contention that he wants to legalize marijuana to keep it out of the hands of minors has mostly been met with incredulity. The risk here is not so much that a groundswell of opposition against the concept of legalization will sweep the country, but that its implementation turns out to be so chaotic as to reflect poorly on the competence and the good judgment of the government responsible for rolling out the policy. On that score, think back to the favorable climate that attended the creation of a federal gun registry only to have the latter subsequently become a poster child for government waste and mismanagement. Much as Trudeaus government seeks to wash its hands of the messy details attending the creation of a dozen provincial and territorial markets for cannabis in time for next July, it remains a signature promise of the prime minister. And it is Trudeau who is setting the pace of the transition. The opposition parties: It is early days, but it seems that the take-no-prisoners approach that was one of the less appealing features of the Conservatives in their recent government incarnation has survived the transition from Stephen Harper to Andrew Scheer. But only a party operating in an echo chamber would believe that the way to resonate with more voters is to deafen them with over-the-top partisan rhetoric. As for the New Democrats, their leadership campaign has yet to help them carve a larger place in the Liberal-dominated federal universe. Once a new leader is in place, that task may have to wait until he or she sorts out the partys relationship with its flighty Quebec supporters. Chantal Hebert is a national affairs writer. Her column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Read more about: SHARE: VANCOUVERStephanie Hale remembers jumping up and down and crying tears of joy when she received her acceptance letter from the University of British Columbia. Now, she wishes she had pursued her degree anywhere else. Hale has filed a complaint with B.C.s Human Rights Tribunal alleging the university failed to take action after she reported a sexual assault, leading her to struggle in class and take medical leave. It is the second known complaint the institution is facing. I want there to be a better process for when this happens again, said Hale, 23. There are going to be others, which is a terrible shame. UBC is a really well-respected university and I feel it should set an example for other institutions for how to handle these kinds of incidents. The university has been under fire for its response to sexual assault allegations since 2015, when a group of women came forward to say the school had dragged its heels on complaints about a male PhD student. Glynnis Kirchmeier, who alleged she witnessed misconduct by the man, filed a human-rights complaint the following year. In response to the criticism, as well as to a new B.C. law requiring universities to have sexual misconduct policies, UBC passed a specialized policy earlier this year. It established centralized offices at both its campuses to receive reports, which are to be handled by investigators with sexual-assault expertise. When contacted about Hales complaint, UBC said privacy legislation does not permit it to discuss individual cases. Hale alleges the university discriminated against her based on her sex and mental disability, referring to her anxiety and depression. She says in the documents that she was sexually assaulted, choked and hit by a fellow student in January 2013. The student has denied the allegations. He has previously told The Canadian Press the sex was consensual and she asked him to choke and hit her, which he did although it made him uncomfortable. The Canadian Press does not typically identify complainants in sexual assault cases, but Hale wants her name used. Hale reported the allegation of sexual assault to multiple UBC staff members in 2013, but none suggested she make a complaint or directed her to relevant policies, she says in the documents filed with the tribunal. The university took no action, she says, and she continued to see her alleged attacker in classes. Her grades started slipping, she suffered from nightmares and began to feel suicidal. I felt very lost and alone, she recalled. She went on medical leave in December 2015 and has not returned to school. The following February, she learned of the Non-Academic Misconduct Policy, which previously was one of two policies that dealt with sexual assault. The process was the same one used for theft or vandalism and involved a panel of students judging whether an attack occurred. The human-rights complaint says Hales lawyer wrote a letter to UBC requesting it appoint a properly trained investigator. UBC declined and ultimately the hearing was held without Hale in late 2016. The committee cleared the man of misconduct. Hale is seeking an order requiring the university and her alleged attacker to make up for her lost educational time, her past and future wage losses and complaint-related costs. Shes also asking the university to facilitate the completion of her degree. Finally, shes asking that the university revise its new sexual assault policy. Complainants are still not allowed to file appeals or see the investigators report, unlike respondents, she said. But Sara-Jane Finlay, associate vice-president of equity and inclusion, said the new policy does mean complainants will be provided the report at the end of the investigation. We wanted to make sure that complainants received as much information as they possibly could because we recognized how important that was for resolution and healing, she said. A committee providing input on the policy hopes to discuss creating an appeal process for complainants, she added. Kirchmeier said she is also seeking changes to the policy. She provided a letter from the tribunal dated Sept. 12 that states her complaint is moving forward and UBC must file a response by Oct. 17. She said UBCs conduct toward Hale was jaw-dropping. A number of students across Canada have filed similar human-rights complaints against universities in recent years. Its faster and less expensive than a lawsuit and the tribunal can order policy changes, said Karen Busby, a law professor at the University of Manitoba. She said she didnt know of research on the effect on universities, but there has been a sea change in how employers approach sexual harassment. I would attribute that to the fact that human-rights complaints can be made against employers. SHARE: So many city hall comings and goings as September turns its back on a wet, forgettable summer. Last months farewell to the well-lived public life of Councillor Pam McConnell was just right whimsical, poignant, haunting and real. Just like the councillor and school trustee of 35 years. When do we ever send off a politician with renditions of James Oppenheims Bread and Roses, Phil Ochs When Im Gone and the capper, Who Put the Bomp? In the Cathedral Church of St. James, no less. And what is it about these New Democrat city councillors that so endear constituents and evoke lasting appreciation and love. Yes, love. Dan Leckie. Jack Layton. Pam McConnell... Maybe, its because they loved us first. Maybe its because they dared to spend public money to deliver public benefits to segments of the public doomed to lives of poverty and disengagement, without help. Socialists, yes. And proud of it. Ever since I migrated from the suburban city councils to report and comment on politicians charged with the inner city and the entire Toronto populace, I have concluded that what the suburbs lack in spades is the direct, relentless representation that downtowners get from a succession of councillors. Jane-Finch, Rexdale, Dixon, Malvern, Galloway and Lawrence-Weston Rd. would be more like Regent Park and Alexandra Park if they had been represented by Layton, McConnell and their ilk. Its not just a matter of party, either. Anthony Perruzza is a New Democrat; as is Maria Augimeri and Glenn De Baeremaeker. But these suburban lefties are tame versions of the downtown socialists. And it shows. Meanwhile, if your suburban ward is represented by a right-wing councillor, you are doomed, or endangered, no matter your obvious and public need. How is it possible for north Etobicoke to be so bereft of public gems: amenities that define and mark a place as desirable public space; parks animated or equipped with more than trees and natural trails? Do you hear councillors from suburban at-risk neighbourhoods raising hell at city hall for improvements? Rarely. But you hear them crying about property taxes. You hear them threatening to block traffic if the city dares to improve their neighbourhoods with light rail transit, because, yknow, a subway is coming, in, ah, er, 150 years. And who wants those damned streetcars getting in the way of cars? One of the most controversial councillors of them all, Doug Ford, is about to run for mayor again. At least his brother, the late mayor, had some local and community bona fides. Besides, he engendered sympathy because he presented as goofy. Dougie has neither charm, heart, soul or wit; his is calculated goodness at its cynical and political core. Toronto will benefit from a Doug Ford mayoralty as much as Etobicoke north did from a Doug Ford term as councillor. Not nearly. So, bully for Councillor Vincent Crisanti for endorsing Doug Ford for mayor. Crisanti is the classic old school ward heeler. He attends to local events, drops in on groups frequently to kiss the babies, squeeze the flesh. Yet his ward remains among the poorest. And his affiliation with the Fords, while giving him success at the polls, does nothing to lift Ward 1 from the dumps. If the likes of Layton, Joe Pantalone, Adam Vaughan represented Ward 1, the advances would have been obvious and many. One other going is chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat, leaving at the end of the month. You have read nice things about her in this space. But dont get carried away. Like the man I respect greatly former city manager Joe Pennachetti Keesmaat did not do enough to derail the subway to Scarborough. Both hid behind excuses that they cautioned the politicians against the subway and outlined the massive, unnecessary costs. But, if they did, they engaged in way too benign ways. They knew where the bodies were buried. They knew the damning details and stats and figures that a reporter could mine to show how utterly ridiculous the subway decision was. They did not rail. They did not respond as if their own money, reputation and future were at stake. Instead of leaking that information pointing to the smoking gun they covered up for the politicians, sometimes with incomprehensible gobbledygook. There is a long history of this. Civil servants swallow their tongues, do the bidding of their political masters, and then ride off leaving a predictable mess behind. We must demand and expect more from those close to the emperor. So, just to be clear. Politicians should not be trusted with crafting transit plans. (Just imagine what we will hear in the 2018 mayoralty election). Yes, our system requires elected officials vote and sign off. But we need a way to embolden city staff and consultants and planners to feed their information into a public pot of debate and consideration where the data and conclusions must stand the test of reason, inquiry, study and examination. So much depends on a new approach. The status quo is robbing us blind and sending us to the public poorhouse. Now, after the horses have bolted, we are engaging auditors to tell us exactly how badly weve been duped. Royson James column appears weekly. rjames@thestar.ca SHARE: Until fairly recently, I had stereotyped inane online commenters as ignoramuses living in their parents basements, and had assumed they existed on the fringes of society, only given charge after Donald Trump became U.S. president. Recent articulations in Canadian media have exposed the naivete of my thinking, showing me that ignorance, specifically in terms of understanding racism and colonialism, coupled with an arrogant entitlement of deference have always occupied centre space. While I dont usually waste my time or yours countering the work of other columnists, particularly those who use provocation as a tool to stave off their own impending irrelevance, I would like to tap a recent column in the National Post by Conrad Black as a poster story of white privilege. In it, Black declares racism practically dead in North America, and as rare and unrigorous as the flat-earth society. Read more: The problem with Jagmeet Singhs love and courage reaction to heckler: Paradkar New book on Canadian racism firmly refutes Were not as bad as the U.S. sentiment: Paradkar What white supremacy looks like minus the Charlottesville paraphernalia: Paradkar Black, for those who may not know, is not just a columnist. Like Trump he was a rich boy who grew into a rich man. As a newspaper magnate, he was once a societal leader, a larger-than-life success story that came to a crash when he was jailed for fraud in the U.S. He remains influential in some quarters, which avails him of a platform to express views on a variety of topics. Like Trump, he has fans who extend the Midas Touch philosophy to assume wealth or success in one field comes to mean expertise in all. Like Trump, he has haters. These are people who loathe his ethics, or his personality or his perceived betrayal of Canada. Neither side considers his lack of intellectual and emotional comprehension of racism as a reason to discount his views on that front. This is the ultimate white privilege: being vested with the intrinsic authority to speak on subjects you know nothing about, without consequence. Black denounces racism and says, I cannot think of a more stupid and unjust reason for hiring or not hiring . . . than the ancient points of discrimination such as race and gender. Good for him. But to say this and then say racism has been reduced to a handful of deranged or sub-humanly stupid people, ignores studies on discrimination in hiring practices in the labour market and visible outcomes of that discrimination. Black praises German largesse in taking in Middle Eastern refugees, but fails to note rising xenophobia in the rest of Europe. The great nation ruled when I was born by the Nazis, he says, has in the last three years admitted a million penurious refugees from Africa and the Middle East. He calls himself a historian yet ignores the role of those European nations now closing their doors to migrants in impoverishing Africa as well as the more modern role of the West in messing up the Middle East. That blindness to legacies of violence led him to lament that in Canada native militants had reviled him as a racist just because he had previously said native civilization was barely entering the Bronze Age when the Europeans arrived in North America in the 16th century. As in, he just doesnt understand why imposing European settler yardsticks of progress and implicitly justifying European invasion that resulted in centuries of brutality cannot simply be considered fine and normal. Many who never experience racism view it as a now shunned but once socially acceptable reality of a bygone era, kind of like smoking in the 60s. In line with that thinking, Black draws on history to say most whites considered non-whites inferior, most Chinese considered non-Chinese inferior . . . I and a very large number of readers remember the murder of millions of Chinese and Cambodian and Vietnamese non-communists, and of Rwandans and Sudanese of a minority tribe or religion. This reduction of racism to We all have prejudices, springs from a half-baked understanding of the subject. It creates false equivalence between groups, just like Trump did with all sides at Charlottesville. It results in ideas such as reverse racism racism against whites is acceptable, Black says. Im not surprised when ordinary people shoot off such ideas in their emails to me. I am disappointed, however, when a rich white man with the privilege and authority to open minds instead normalizes ignorance. All humans have prejudices and biases, of course they do. Humans discriminate. But racism isnt just about human bias its bias in the context of societal and historical power dynamics. It is also about supremacy, or the discrimination that is stitched into a socio-economic system that privileges one identity above others. In India, for instance, it benefits upper caste Hindus. In Singapore, it benefits Chinese. In Britain, it privileges men who attended private schools. In North America and many parts of the world, thanks to colonialism, it benefits whites. In my reading of them, serious newspapers no longer publish columns by men saying sexism is a relic of the past, or that glass ceilings are a feminist invention. Yet, such stories on racism by white people are allowed because delegitimizing progress on that front aligns with the interests of the existing racial hierarchy. Power concedes nothing without a demand, said the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1857. It never did and it never will. I understand when working-class whites chafe at the concept of white privilege. What privilege, if youve just lost a job and there are mouths to feed? I suspect some views would soften if they knew white privilege just means that in their exact same circumstance, a darker-skinned person is likely to be worse off. But when rich white people deny racism, it suggests white power is threatened. They attempt to derail advances by dictating the terms of conversation. Increasingly this is taking the form of discussions around, Does racism exist? Its in their interest to keep everyone debating on square one rather than move on to, What are we doing about it? Shree Paradkar writes about discrimination and identity. You can follow her @shreeparadkar. Read more about: SHARE: Two young brothers missing since Tuesday have been found by Toronto police. The pair returned home Friday afternoon. Toronto police asked for the publics assistance Thursday. The boys, aged 12 and 14, were last seen in the area of Wellesley St. E. and Rose Ave. At the time, police were concerned for their safety. SHARE: By American standards I am a severe socialist, by Canadian standards a gentle liberal, by British standards a Labourite. But the main thing I am is exhausted. My hypersensitive liberal tribe wears me out. Things go along swimmingly we agree health care must be fully funded, trees/bike lanes will save a city and suddenly Im flat on the floor, struggling to speak, my hands flapping to signal for water because once again my honest, decent cohort has done another own goal. Heres one example from this week: Michelle Jones and Chelsea Manning at Harvard. The New York Times, a newspaper I sometimes find excessively reasonable, ran a story by the admirable criminal justice Marshall Project on Michelle Jones, a black convict who wasnt admitted to Harvard for her PhD studies. The Times headline read From Prison to PhD: The Redemption and Rejection of Michelle Jones. Jones, 45, had served 20 years in prison for murder, while studying to become a paralegal, doing historical research, and writing dance competitions and plays. Jones was accepted at almost every university she applied to she decided on NYU but was rejected by her first choice, Harvard. Among other problems, some professors noted that she had been found to have minimized her crime in her application to the point of misrepresentation. The details are easily Googled. Jones had a baby named Brandon Sims, who goes almost unmentioned. He was born disabled with a condition that would cause early puberty and restricted height. Jones said she did not want to raise a freak. She beat the little boy regularly, injuring him so badly that when she left him in his filthy room and came back a few days later, he was dead, covered in flies. She told no one, including Brandons father and family, put Brandon in a box, drove out to a wooded area and buried him. His body has never been found. Jones has offered no information. Jones said of her Harvard application that she didnt want the murder to be the lens through which everything Id done was seen. I knew that I had come from this very dark place. But heres where I and the furious liberals part company. Theyre demanding that Harvard grovel for not admitting her. I and presumably other irate applicants say Harvards right. On the other hand, Harvard is wildly wrong to disinvite brave and bright Chelsea Manning as a fellow and to retain Sean Spicer and Corey Lewandowski, leftover liars and thugs. (Spicer isnt part of the university; hes just visiting. Jones would have been a student.) Jones came from a dark place, but Brandons in a darker one, a box deep somewhere in the Indiana dirt. His four years were filled with pain and terror. He has no tombstone. Heres the thing. Child-killers arent popular. They carry, dare I say it, a stigma. Yet smart American liberals I admire dont appear to care. On Twitter they are raining rage. Yet at no time in the liberal spleen machine is Brandon mentioned. I see this reaction among good people who perceive injustice but havent thought it through. Its often most vociferous in doubtful cases such as Joness. Its Orwells Two Minutes Hate for good causes. Another example: Britain has a commission inquiring into the immediate causes of the Grenfell Tower fire that killed at least 80 poor people in London this year. A second chapter will study the buildings previous disastrous refurbishment. The inquiry began Thursday with its chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, being criticized for having a good education and a hyphenated last name, which signals posh. The auditorium where he made his opening statement had fancy chandeliers, which apparently glittered too much. Thousands of documents would be reviewed and hundreds of witnesses interviewed, he said, and was criticized for being legalistic rather than emotional. Area residents found him cold. Moore-Bick is an excellent and experienced judge, precise, not cuddly. And this is the hallmark of liberal Two Minutes Hate. They value feelings over facts, lived experience over statistics. If something feels true, it must be true. Remember truthiness? We forget that piece of Colbert Nation wisdom at our peril. Take another group that is always morally right en masse: city cyclists. Copenhagen and Amsterdam cyclists, dressed for daily life on their sturdy city bikes, are an asset, careful and serene. Toronto cyclists in Lycra, going through red lights on their sharp, thin bikes built for speed, moving on and off the sidewalks, banging on errant cars and threatening pedestrians, are not. I call them the Gangs of Canada. You become a gang when you have a knee-jerk reaction that you know your tribe will share. Few of you will have considered all the angles. The extreme right aims to be cruel; liberals do it unintentionally. Oh, liberals, my dearest liberals! People who want dogs in elementary school classrooms to comfort anxious children feel they are in the moral right. They demonize those who take the opposite view: children who fear or are allergic to dogs, teachers maintaining classroom order and early childhood educators cleaning up dog mess. Dog people may be Canadas biggest urban gang. They head to First Nations reserves and Texas flood zones to rescue dogs, not poverty-stricken humans. I call it shameful, they call it morally immaculate. It is always like this, a pattern repeating like tartan or newsprint. It will never change. I sorrow for my people of the left. SHARE: The number of asylum-seekers crossing into Quebec from the U.S. doubled in August, even as Ottawa attempts to play down the crisis. Although the official count wont come out until next week, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodales office confirmed on Friday the August number for Quebec alone is estimated at 6,000, twice the 2,996 people intercepted by the RCMP in July. Most are Haitians. The new number pushes the total refugee claimants toward the 40,000 mark with four months left in 2017. Thats a big increase; by comparison, Canada received 23,920 asylum-seekers in all of last year. Read more: Task force on Canada-U.S. border crossings to meet, review next steps for asylum seekers Soldiers help with the crush of asylum-seekers at Quebec border Quebec to no longer give welfare cheques to asylum-seekers in convention centre Scott Bardsley, Goodales spokesperson, said the number of irregular border-crossers arriving in Lacolle was around 200 to 250 a day in late July and early August, reaching 12,000 in total. While the number of people coming to seek asylum has moderated, we cannot be complacent. It is far too soon to determine a trend, Bardsley said in an email. While Canadas regular immigration stream is carefully planned and managed in an orderly fashion over the long term, the other stream, spontaneous asylum-seekers, is much smaller and largely unpredictable. Ottawa has blamed the surge on misinformation in migrant communities in the U.S. as people cross illegally to circumvent a bilateral agreement that limits refugees to making asylum claims in the first of the two countries they arrive in. The law only applies to those crossing the border at the official ports of entry. In the past month, the Liberal government has dispatched MPs Emmanuel Dubourg and Pablo Rodriguez to Miami and Los Angeles to speak to the local Haitian and Hispanic communities to inform them about Canadian laws and the fact that the country does not have any special treatment for migrants facing ejection by President Donald Trumps administration. We do not condone irregular migration. Entering Canada illegally is not a free ticket. Those seeking refuge here must follow the proper processes, Bardsley said. Rigorous immigration rules are enforced to ensure that asylum-seekers who are genuinely at risk are welcomed and those who are not are removed. SHARE: DEFIED: A swimming ban at the Hoover Dam. A Welshman was fined $330 (U.S.) after he swam across the Colorado River at the dam on the Arizona-Nevada border, the BBC reported. Arron Hughes, 28, was on a stag trip when he took a dip at the dam, which is about 50 kilometres from Las Vegas. Conveniently, the nearby turbines were not on. His explanation amounted to that it was hot, and I even have a tattoo saying no regrets, thats the type of person I am. DEFILED: A mural by Banksy. A resident of Calais, France, painted over the image painted by the British street artist. The mural, near the Jungle refugee camp, showed survivors on a raft after a wreck, Londons Telegraph reports. Some of Banksys works can fetch millions, but in this case, the resident said the mural, painted in 2015, was fading and looked shabby, and authorities had ignored it. PUNISHED: A Maryland couple who posted prank videos of themselves berating their children have been sentenced to five years of probation. The couple uploaded videos to their DaddyOFive YouTube channel, in which they swore at their children and broke their toys. The probation restricts contact with their children. SPARED: The Hemingway cats. Amid the wreckage of Hurricane Irma, 54 cats who live at Ernest Hemingways house in Key West, Fla., were unharmed, the New York Times reported. The cats, mostly with six or seven toes, are descendants of a white cat owned by Hemingway. Staff at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum refused to evacuate, and protected the creatures. OVERABUNDANT: Kangaroos in Australia. So experts are suggesting that more residents should add them to their menus. The population of wild kangaroos has almost doubled in six years, to 44 million at last count in 2015, the New York Daily News reported. The meat is considered nutritious, but since the roo is the national animal, it comes with a side of stigma. ENDANGERED: The Philippine governments Commission on Human Rights. A vote by legislators reduced its annual budget to 1,000 pesos ($24 Canadian). The commission, which is investigating the violent war on drugs led by President Rodrigo Duterte, had a budget of 749 million pesos (about $18 million), the BBC reported. The legislation is expected to be passed by the Senate before the money can be spent. IMMORTALIZED: Some popular playthings, in the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, N.Y. A dozen finalists have been announced, including the paper airplane, sand and the Wiffle Ball. Ultimately, only two or three will be inducted Nov. 9, chosen with input from teachers and historians among others, for their longevity and ability to inspire creative play. The Wiffle Ball? VAPOURIZED: 141 million pounds on a snap election. That was the cost (about $230 million Canadian) of British Prime Minister Theresa Mays gamble in June. Mays Conservatives lost their parliamentary majority, and also offered 1 billion pounds in extra spending to secure the support of the Democratic Unionist Party. At least the vote ensured that British politics remained interesting. SHARE: A Toronto factory that uses temporary workers to churn out millions of bagels and croissants for major grocery stores and fast-food chains has hired an independent auditor to review its use of temp agencies and its health and safety practices. Were committed to the well-being of everyone that comes into our facilities, all workers, said David Gelbloom, lawyer and human resources manager for Fiera Foods, an industrial bakery where a Star reporter went undercover as a temp worker earlier this year. Weve hired an independent, senior HR professional who is going to audit our HR, going to look at our procedures, health and safety, our workplace. Gelbloom said Thursday that Fiera Foods had also hired an independent auditing company to audit our use of temp agencies and to audit the agencies themselves. He refused to give the name of the HR professional or the auditing company conducting the internal reviews. Fieras announcement of the internal audit came the same day the company pleaded guilty to Ministry of Labour charges related to the death of 23-year-old temp agency worker Amina Diaby. Read more: I went undercover in a Toronto factory where a temp worker died. Heres what I found One year after this temp agency worker died at Fiera Foods, family is still searching for answers NDP slams Liberals on temp work The company was fined $300,000 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, plus a 25-per-cent victim surcharge, following a joint submission with the Crown. (The surcharge does not go directly to the victims family, but is added to a general government fund to assist victims of crime.) The fine is double what the company paid in 2002 following the death of 17-year-old temp Ivan Golyashov. Diaby, a refugee from Guinea in West Africa, was working at Fieras Marmora St. factory Sept. 2, 2016, when her hijab became entangled in machinery, strangling her. She was hired through a temporary help agency and had been working at the plant for a little more than two weeks. Diabys husband, Sanunu Jabbi, cried quietly as the facts of the case were read out. What happened to Amina Diaby was a tragedy, Gelbloom told the Star outside court. She died at our facility and that shouldnt have happened. We take health and safety very seriously at our company. It is a top priority for us. We have to do better, and we will do better. Diaby was the third temp agency worker to die while working at Fiera Foods or one of its affiliated companies since 1999. Gelbloom said the company is going to do everything that we can to make sure something like that doesnt happen again. Crown attorney Shantanu Roy told court that Diaby was not wearing a lab coat at the time of her death, and that her hijab was not secured. It got stuck in a conveyor belt that was not adequately guarded and did not have an emergency stop button within reach. There were no witnesses to her death. Ashley Brown, the lawyer representing Fiera Foods at Thursdays hearing, said the company recognized the magnitude of the incident and had taken numerous measures to improve safety at the factory. Within the last two years the company has invested $500,000 in health and safety initiatives, she said, while they updated uniform regulations and improved training following Diabys death. I think its good because at least they will learn, said Alusine Jabbi, Diabys brother-in-law, after the sentencing. If it saves one persons life, its worth it. No representative of Fiera Foods has ever contacted Diabys family, according to her husband, Sanunu Jabbi. Eight months after Diabys death, the Star sent a reporter to work undercover at Fiera Foods for a month, as part of a yearlong investigation into the rise of temp work in Ontario. Our reporter, who was hired through a temp agency, received about five minutes of safety training, no hands-on instruction and was paid in cash at a payday lender without any documentation or deductions. Fiera Foods owners, Boris Serebryany and Alex Garber, have thus far refused interview requests from the Star. In response to the Stars investigation, some of the grocery stores that sell products made by Fiera Foods said they planned to meet with the company. Were troubled by what we read in the Toronto Star article, Sobeys spokesperson Maureen Hart wrote in an email. We have contacted Fiera and will meet with them as soon as possible to understand what corrective actions they are taking. A coalition of grocery retailers, meanwhile, told the Star they have a Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes not only health and safety but also employment standards, and they expect Fiera Foods to follow it. Our members expect all suppliers, including Fiera Foods, to adhere to all appropriate regulations and legal requirements governing their business, which includes ensuring food safety and a safe, healthy workplace for employees, wrote David Wilkes, spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, which provided a statement on behalf of Costco, Walmart, Metro and Loblaws. As a result of the guilty plea, the Crown withdrew charges against Diabys supervisor at the factory, as well as charges related to two other unrelated incidents that occurred at Fiera Foods in October 2015 and June 2016, when workers suffered critical arm injuries. Theres a lot of lessons to be learned out of Fiera Foods, Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn said following Thursdays guilty plea. If companies think theres a shortcut, theyre fooling themselves. Theres a safe way to do the job, and theres a not-safe way to do the job. Thursday was the first court appearance on the charges related to Diabys death, and Roy, the Crown attorney, noted how extraordinary it was for the company to plead guilty so quickly. Very rarely do we have resolution on the very first day in court, he said. Toronto police are also still investigating Diabys death. To date, no charges have been laid. Diaby was assigned to work at Fiera Foods by OLA Staffing, a temporary help agency based in Woodbridge. The agency was not charged by the Ministry of Labour, but the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is still investigating the companys role in Diabys death. Geetha Thushyanthan, who runs the agency, has declined the Stars interview requests. SHARE: Premier Kathleen Wynne is giving Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown six weeks to retract his false statement that she is on trial in the Sudbury byelection bribery case. Wynne, who had threatened to serve Brown with a libel suit if he had not apologized by 5 p.m. Thursday, has extended that deadline until Oct. 24. Earlier this week Patrick Brown made a statement about the premier that was false and defamatory, Jennifer Beaudry, the premiers director of media relations, wrote in an email Friday. His conduct in the days following his remarks has been just as disappointing. As a public figure, he should recognize that defaming another politician is unacceptable, Beaudry wrote. While Patrick Brown refuses to apologize, we are encouraged that media coverage and public discussion over the last 48 hours has covered just how wrong and misleading his comments were, she added. We continue to consider all of our options at this point in time, and will govern ourselves by the timelines set out in the Libel and Slander Act. According to that provincial law, a notice of defamation must be served within six weeks after the alleged libel has come to the plaintiffs knowledge. On Tuesday, Brown said Ontario had a sitting premier sitting in trial and that Wynne stands trial in Sudbury. His comments came as the premier was testifying as a Crown witness in a Sudbury courtroom where Patricia Sorbara, her former deputy chief of staff, and Liberal activist Gerry Lougheed are on trial for alleged Election Act violations. Both Sorbara and Lougheed deny any wrongdoing. Nicholas Bergamini, Browns press secretary, said Wynnes legal threats will be ignored. We as a province need to put this ugly chapter behind us and move on, Bergamini wrote in an email later Friday. Brown has dismissed her appearance in court as a sorry spectacle and has declined to correct his misstatement. Regrettably, Kathleen Wynne compounded the problem by this threat of a lawsuit. Her baseless lawsuit will be ignored, the Tory leader said Thursday. His refusal to set the record straight had Deb Matthews, the deputy premier, accusing him of bringing Trump-style politics to Ontario. There is a principle in Canada that you do not make defamatory, misleading comments about another political leader, Matthews said Thursday. In Canada, we actually expect people to be honest. There is, south of the border, a change in that culture. I do not want to see that change coming to Canada, she said. Hes a lawyer; he knows exactly what he did. He knows that he said something that was not true about the premier. Wynnes lawyer, Jack Siegel, said, This conduct by Patrick Brown is extremely disappointing. On Wednesday, he served Brown with a letter stating that he made a statement about the premier of Ontario that is false and defamatory. Contrary to your statement, Premier Wynne is not standing trial. Your statement is false and misleading and appears to have been made with the intention to harm the reputation of Ms. Wynne, the lawyer wrote. Last week, Tory MPP Bill Walker (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound) was forced to apologize for comments he made on AM640 radio station in Toronto when he erroneously said the premier was under investigation by police. Browns statement Tuesday came during a Queens Park scrum with reporters from the Star, CBC, The Canadian Press, Radio-Canada, Global, CP24, CTV, Globe and Mail, QP Briefing, TFO, Queens Park Today, Fairchild, CHCH and Newstalk 1010. Before the 2014 election, Wynne launched a similar action against former PC leader Tim Hudak and MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton) over comments related to the gas-plants scandal. That matter was settled in 2015. Read more about: SHARE: OSNABRUCK, GERMANYJust 9 years old when Chancellor Angela Merkel was first elected in 2005, Kristin Auf der Masch cannot really remember a time when Germany was led by a man. But if Auf der Masch, now 21 and an apprentice at a wind energy company in this northwestern city, finds it hard to imagine a male chancellor, she also finds it impossible to imagine a female boss. There are lots of women at my level, and then there is Angela Merkel, she said during a recent classroom debate about the election Sept. 24, when Merkel is expected to win a fourth term. There arent many women in between. Read more: Germany legalizes same-sex marriage despite Merkel voting against it Angela Merkel makes gains in Germany as far right flounders ahead of election Germanys Merkel says America first attitude will hurt U.S. Germany, which has been led by the most powerful woman in the world for 12 years, has a woman problem. During the election campaign and in earlier ones Merkel shunned the word feminist. She has rarely if ever publicly promoted the issue of advancement for women and women in Germany have not advanced much. Even in politics, where the chancellor has proved a role model for many and has vowed to appoint a gender-balanced Cabinet if re-elected, the number of women in Parliament is certain to drop, whatever the outcome of the vote. It is a strange contradiction. Merkel embodies what feminists the world over have hoped to accomplish, but the rest of Germany has largely not caught up. A generation of young Germans has grown up with a woman in the highest office. Children ask their parents if boys can become chancellor. Male rivals struggle to position themselves against Merkel, whose unexcitable and deliberative style has made the fist-banging swagger of her predecessors a parody of the past. Alice Schwarzer, the countrys best-known feminist, put it this way: Since 2005, little girls can decide: Do I become a hairdresser or chancellor? Ask Auf der Masch and the 14 other apprentices in her class how many of the local companies that train them mid-size businesses that make everything from margarine to mobility scooters are run by women. Not a single hand goes up. There are a few female department heads, most of them childless. But collectively the apprentices can think of more managers called Thomas than managers who are women. There are, in fact, more CEOs named Thomas (seven) than CEOs who are women (three) in Germanys 160 publicly traded companies, notes the AllBright foundation, which tracks women in corporate leadership. Ninety-three per cent of all executive board members in these companies are men. Nearly three out of four of the corporations have no women on their executive teams. Obliged by law to publish a target for hiring women at the executive level, most happily wrote down 0 per cent. Because of Merkel, the image of Germany abroad is more progressive than it really is, said Anne Wizorek, a feminist writer who rose to prominence in 2013 when she led a highly visible hashtag campaign against casual sexism. Some things, from child care to corporate governance, have, in fact, changed for women under Merkels watch. But so deep remains the cultural bias against working women, and especially working mothers, that some young commentators now mention Germanys gender issue in the same breath as Americas race issue a piece of historic baggage that has never been fully addressed, elusive and omnipresent at the same time, a sort of national elephant in the room. Just as Obama did not end structural racism in America, Merkel has not ended structural sexism in Germany, Wizorek said. In some ways, Merkels long tenure has actually made things more complicated, she said. We are told: You can become chancellor what more do you want? Wizorek said. I hear that all the time. The few women who do make it to the top, or close to it, speak of the constant torment of being judged. We get no respect from society as working women, said Angelika Huber-Strasser, a managing partner for KPMG Germany and a mother of three. They call us raven mothers, after the black bird (also unfairly) accused of pushing its young out of the nest. There is a feeling of damned if you do, damned if you dont. If you stay at home and have children, youre not contributing to society, Huber-Strasser said. If you work and have children, you are a raven mother. If you work and have no children, youre a cold woman. All paths for women in Germany are difficult. Here, Merkel has not helped. Anka Wittenberg, chief diversity and inclusion officer at SAP, a German software company, already had her three children when she finished a masters degree in economics and sent out job applications. No German company invited her for an interview. She made her career in U.S. companies instead, rising through the ranks of General Electrics German operation before being hired by SAP, a company that is considered unusually progressive for having two women among its eight executive board members (although neither of them is German). We have hardly any female role models that show young women that it is possible to have both: a family and a career, Wittenberg said. Germany is still very much behind. The uber-mother of German lore has roots in the countrys difficult history. The Nazis awarded medals to women who bore multiple children. Then came Germanys division: The West revived the 19th century maxim of Kinder, Kuche, Kirche children, kitchen, church, while in the East, the Communists set up free daycare centres. Eastern mothers drove cranes and studied physics. Until 1977, western wives officially needed their husbands permission to work. By then, their peers in the East had a year of paid maternity leave and shorter work hours if they nursed. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, female employment in the East was near 90 per cent; in the West it was 55 per cent. Today, more than 70 per cent of German women work. But only 12 per cent of those with children under 3 per cent work full time. It is perhaps no coincidence that Merkel has no children and grew up in East Germany. Angela Merkel considers things normal that many women who grew up in West Germany consider anything but normal, said Jutta Allmendinger, a leading German sociologist and president of the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. Merkel has not made gender equality a signature issue. But during her time in office things have quietly evolved. Schools, which traditionally closed at lunchtime, relying on stay-at-home mothers, have gradually lengthened their hours. Child care, once anathema for children under 3, has been vastly extended. A paid parental leave has been introduced that nudges fathers to take at least two months. More recently, the government passed a law obliging large companies to replace departing members of their nonexecutive boards with women until they made up at least 30 per cent. She uses the same style of politics for gender that she uses elsewhere: She does not call for a revolution. She starts an evolution, said Annette Widmann-Mauz, head of the Christian Democrats Womens Union. But women in Germany are still paid 21 per cent less than men the European average is 16 per cent not least because they do not climb the career ladder. In some areas the number of women in leadership positions has been sliding back. Among the publicly traded businesses in Germanys internationally revered Mittelstand, the mid-size companies that are the backbone of Germanys well-oiled export machine, fewer than 4 per cent of executive jobs are held by women. Even the modest progress women have made has been met with a fierce backlash in some quarters. Birgit Kelle, a member of Merkels Christian Democratic Union and author of a recent book called Mother Animal, has accused the chancellor of abandoning conservative values. In my view its almost communism that we practice, she said. GDR 2.0, thats what were going for. The reference was to the former Communist East Germany, known as the German Democratic Republic. I used to be in the mainstream of the party, Kelle said. Now Im being pushed to the right edge. Some of her former party colleagues have defected to the far-right Alternative for Germany party. Its election poster shows women in bikinis, in dirndls or pregnant. Newly minted terms like gender-hype and gender-wahn gender madness are circulating. Some prominent professors of gender studies have had to request protection after receiving threats to their safety. That has Allmendinger worried. This battle is not won, she said. I feel that progress is more fragile here than in countries like America or France. Germany, she said, needs a feminist movement. At the vocational school in Osnabruck, the apprentices yearned for change. The men said they wanted to take parental leave (at least, some did), and several women said they wanted to have a successful career (at least until they have children). But they did not call themselves feminists. Thats too radical, one young woman said. Their teacher, Monika Stadje, 63, said the term still conjured up a caricature of lesbians in motorcycle gear who are very, very angry and dont like men. That helps explain why Merkel, ever mindful of public opinion, has so far refused to claim the label for herself. But some young women wish she would. Why cant she, as one of the most powerful people in the world, for once make a fundamental statement about gender equality? asked Margarete Stokowski, a columnist for Spiegel online. She avoids the whole topic because she knows if she opened it up, she would have to acknowledge just how much is still not OK. Read more about: SHARE: On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin quietly passed a landmark date: He had spent 6,602 days as the top leader of Russia. Though not widely acknowledged, this figure meant that Putin had spent more time in office than Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, who ruled for 18 years and one month between 1964 and 1982 (6,601 days). It also means that Putin is now the longest-serving Russian leader since Joseph Stalin, who led the Soviet Union for almost three decades between 1924 and 1953 10,636 days in total. This may not be the sort of record the Kremlin is keen to publicize. Though the Soviet era is often remembered fondly in Russia, Stalin and Brezhnev were clearly not democratic leaders. Putin is at least in theory. That makes his lengthy time in office more unusual. During his time leading Russia, Putin has dealt with four separate U.S. presidents as well as four British prime ministers and two German chancellors. The Kremlin may also dispute the methodology, as Putin wasnt president for all of his time in office. He first became prime minister of Russia on Aug. 16, 1999, before entering the presidential office May 7 the next year. Later, as the Russian Constitution limits the president to two consecutive terms, Putin stepped out of the Kremlin in 2008 while his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, became president. However, most analysts agree that Putin still held the real power during that tandem presidency. He returned to the presidency in 2012. Putins increasingly lengthy time in office may not appear to be a problem to many Russians as widely noted, his approval ratings remain extraordinarily high. He is widely expected to stand to be nominated as a presidential candidate again for next years elections, according to reports in the Russian media. But there are some signs of a malaise setting in; some Russians have begun to share cynical jokes about Putin that resemble those told during the Brezhnev era. Turnout in recent local elections was low and some polls suggest that a significant minority of the country is not sure whether they want Putin to run for re-election. Still, Putin is likely to win next years election if he runs potentially putting him in office until 2024 (after Medvedev left office, presidential terms were increased from four to six years). He could choose to keep going after that, too both Brezhnev and Stalin died in office and, at 64, Putin is thought to be in good health. At this point, its hard to imagine who could succeed him or how. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump on Friday suggested British intelligence officials were aware of the assailant or assailants behind an unfolding terrorist attack on the London subway, an assertion that British officials called unhelpful speculation. Prime Minister Theresa May alluded to Trumps Twitter post in an interview with reporters, saying I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. Trump had written: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Later Friday, Trump said he had been briefed on the London terrorist attack, and he later spoke with May by phone. According to the White House, Trump expressed sympathy for the people injured and promised to continue working with the British to fight terrorism. The White House summary of the call did not address whether Trump and May discussed the presidents tweet about Scotland Yard. The small explosion on a crowded Underground train during morning rush hour in the capital on Friday wounded at least 29 people, and authorities said they were treating the incident as terrorism. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack or whether the assailant or assailants had been on the radar of British intelligence, as Trump suggested. In short remarks to reporters, Trump said he had been briefed on the explosion but did not elaborate on what he meant in his reference to Scotland Yard. Police in London also alluded to the presidents Twitter post. This is a live investigation and we will provide further updates as it progresses, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Any speculation is extremely unhelpful at this time, the statement said. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about Trumps assertions. Trump used the terrorist attack to revive his push for a travel ban for people from predominantly Muslim countries, an effort that has been hampered by U.S. courts. He wrote on Twitter: The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! It was not the first time Trump seized on a terrorist attack in London to promote his political agenda, including the travel ban and a crackdown on intelligence leaks to the media. In May, Trump joined in the British criticism over claims that U.S. officials disclosed the name of the Manchester concert bomber to reporters. For months, Trump had been pushing for tougher consequences for intelligence leaks, and he pledged America would find and punish the leakers. And in June, Trump used a terrorist attack near the London Bridge to draw support for his travel ban. Other past comments from Trump have also frustrated British officials. Shortly after his election, he said that Nigel Farage a key supporter of Britains vote to leave the European Union should be made the British ambassador to the United States, a decision that, London pointed out, was not Trumps to make. Trump gripped Mays hand when she visited him at the White House, a week after he took office, a gesture that some British critics interpreted as awkward or even aggressive. Last month, May joined other world leaders in criticizing Trumps response to the white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. True or not and Im sure he doesnt know this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner, Mays former chief of staff, Nick Timothy, wrote on Twitter. John D. Cohen, a former U.S. counterterrorism official, said statements such as the presidents about Scotland Yard could hurt an investigation. At this stage investigators are going to be doing everything they can to locate those involved in the attack, and in particular the bomb maker, said Cohen, now a professor at Rutgers University. These types of statements at this stage of the investigation can undermine law enforcement efforts because it discloses key information that the investigators may be using to locate the attackers, and it could put peoples lives at risk. The United States and Britain regularly share intelligence, and if British officials did know the assailant or assailants behind Fridays attack, it is likely that information would have been known to U.S. intelligence officials. In Trumps other morning Twitter posts about terrorism, he said his administration had already made more progress against the Islamic State than President Barack Obamas administration had in eight years. And he called for being proactive & nastyproactive & nasty to fight terrorists. Another Friday morning Twitter post said: Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Trumps travel ban, proposed in January and revised in March, has faced legal challenges and drawn criticism from around the world because of concerns that it amounts to discrimination based on religion. Read more about: SHARE: SEOULNorth Korea leader Kim Jong Un said the country is nearing its goal of equilibrium in military force with the United States, as the United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the Norths highly provocative ballistic missile test on Friday. The Norths official Korean Central News Agency carried Kims comments a day after U.S. and South Korean militaries detected the missile launch from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. It travelled 3,700 kilometres before landing into the northern Pacific Ocean. It was the countrys longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile. The North has confirmed the missile as an intermediate range Hwasong-12, which it also launched over Japan on Aug. 29. The KCNA said Kim expressed great satisfaction over the launch, which he said verified the combat efficiency and reliability of the missile and the success of efforts to increase its power. While the English version of the report was less straightforward, the Korean version quoted Kim as declaring the missile as operationally ready. Kim also said the country, despite limitless international sanctions, has nearly completed the building of its nuclear weapons force and called for all-state efforts to reach the goal and obtain a capacity for nuclear counterattack the U.S. cannot cope with. As recognized by the whole world, we have made all these achievements despite the UN sanctions that have lasted for decades, the agency quoted Kim as saying. Kim said the countrys final goal is to is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the U.S. and make the U.S. rulers dare not talk about military option for the DPRK, referring to North Koreas official name, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. The UN Security Council strongly condemned North Koreas highly provocative ballistic missile test on Friday and demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt its outrageous actions and demonstrate its commitment to denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. Read more: Egypt cuts military ties with North Korea, report says The UNs most powerful body accused North Korea of undermining regional peace and security by launching its latest missile over Japan and said its nuclear and missile tests have caused grave security concerns around the world and threaten all 193 UN member states. North Koreas longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile early Friday from Sunan, the location of Pyongyangs international airport, signalled both defiance of North Koreas rivals and a big technological advance. After hurtling over Japan, it landed in the northern Pacific Ocean. Since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury in August, the North has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw the countrys first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected. The intermediate-range missile test came four days after the Security Council imposed tough new sanctions on the North for its Sept. 3 missile test including a ban on textile exports and natural gas imports and caps on its import of oil and petroleum products. The U.S. said the latest sanctions, combined with previous measures, would ban more than 90 per cent of North Koreas exports reported in 2016, its main source of hard currency used to finance its nuclear and missile programs. North Koreas Foreign Ministry denounced the sanctions and said the North would redouble its efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the countrys sovereignty and right to existence. The Security Council stressed in Fridays press statement after a closed-door emergency meeting that all countries must fully, comprehensively and immediately implement all UN sanctions. Japans UN ambassador, Koro Bessho, called the launch an outrageous act that is not only a threat to Japans security but a threat to the world as a whole. Bessho and the British, French and Swedish ambassadors demanded that all sanctions be implemented. Calling the latest launch a terrible, egregious, illegal, provocative reckless act, British UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said North Koreas largest trading partners and closest links a clear reference to China must demonstrate that they are doing everything in their power to implement the sanctions of the Security Council and to encourage the North Korean regime to change course. Frances Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country is ready to work on tougher UN and EU measures to convince Pyongyang that there is no interest in an escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table. It said North Korea will also be discussed during next weeks annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly. The Security Council also emphasized the importance of North Korea working to reduce tension in the Korean Peninsula and it reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the territory divided between authoritarian North Korea and democratic South Korea. The council welcomed efforts by its members and other countries to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution to the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue. Russias UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, strongly backed the need for dialogue saying the United States needs to start talks with North Korea, which the Trump administration has ruled out. Nebenzia told reporters after the meeting that Russia called on the U.S. and others to implement the political and diplomatic solutions called for in the latest sanctions resolution. Without implementing this, we also will consider it as a non-compliance with the resolution, Nebenzia said, adding that it also may be time for the council to think out of the box on how to deal with North Korea. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by Pyongyangs nuclear and missile tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target U.S. troops both in Asia and in the U.S. homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a U.S. city to protect its Asian allies. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the latest missile travelled about 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum height of 770 km. Guam, which is the home of important U.S. military assets, is 3,400 km away from North Korea. Despite its impressive range, the missile probably still is not accurate enough to destroy Guams Andersen air force base, said David Wright, a U.S. missile expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who initially pushed for talks with North Korea, said its tests currently make dialogue impossible. If North Korea provokes us or our allies, we have the strength to smash the attempt at an early stage and inflict a level of damage it would be impossible to recover from, he said. North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue its weapons tests amid what it calls U.S. hostility by which it means the presence of nearly 80,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan and South Korea. Robust international diplomacy on the issue has been stalled for years, and theres so far little sign that senior officials from North Korea and the U.S. might sit down to discuss ways to slow the Norths determined march toward inclusion among the worlds nuclear weapons powers. South Korea detected North Korean launch preparations Thursday, and Moon ordered a live-fire ballistic missile drill if the launch happened. This allowed Seoul to fire missiles only six minutes after the Norths launch Friday. One of the two missiles hit a sea target about 250 km away, which was approximately the distance to Pyongyangs Sunan, but the other failed in flight shortly after launch. Read more about: SHARE: Consider these figures. Barbuda is barely 155 square kilometers. Hurricane Irma, the Category 5 tropical cyclone that swallowed it Sept. 6, was nearly 650 kilometres across. All 1,800 residents now are homeless, having been evacuated to the sister island of Antigua. The damage is complete, Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbudas ambassador to the United States, told PRIs the Takeaway. For the first time in 300 years, he said, theres not a single living person on the island of Barbuda a civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished. A local broadcaster in Barbuda summarized the situation thus: The islands history will now be described in two epochs. Before Irma and after Irma. Reconstruction could cost up to $300 million (U.S.), Sanders has estimated. The ambassador says he and other local officials are working with the U.S. Congress and the Organization of American States to ensure theres aid, financial and others, so people can begin to repair their homes, their businesses and return to everyday life. But thats still a long way off, officials say. In an interview with local media on Wednesday, Gaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said the devastated island is infested with mosquitoes and water flies. Pets and livestock also have been left to fend for themselves on the wind-swept island. The dogs will look for their next meal among the chicken, pigs, horses and goats, Karen Corbin, president of the Antigua and Barbuda Humane Society, told TIME. One of our recommendations is for the dogs to be removed from the island for the health and safety of the other animals, she said. Antigua fared far better during the storm, and fortunately, Sanders said, the government had supplies brought in from the U.S. mainland before Irma arrived. But most of those rescued and brought to the neighboring island are living in shelters, nursing homes and government buildings, Sanders told the Takeaway. And nearly one-third of the evacuees are children who need to be accommodated in local schools. Its not ideal for anyone, he added. And theres growing concern the rest of world will forget about Barbuda, Sanders told Gray D.C. Next week, Sanders said, if some other thing happens, this can be yesterdays news. SHARE: HAVANARaul Castro seemed rattled. The Cuban president sent for the top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic sonic attacks and the subtle threat of repercussions by the United States, until recently Cubas sworn enemy. The way Castro responded surprised Washington, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told The Associated Press. In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro told U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis that he was equally baffled, and concerned. Predictably, Castro denied any responsibility. But U.S. officials were caught off guard by the way he addressed the matter, devoid of the indignant, how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude the U.S. had come to expect from Cubas leaders. The Cubans even offered to let the FBI come down to Havana to investigate. Though U.S.-Cuban co-operation has improved recently there was a joint law enforcement dialogue Friday in Washington this level of access was extraordinary. Some countries dont want any more FBI agents in their country than they have to and that number could be zero, said Leo Taddeo, a retired FBI supervisor who served abroad. Cuba is in that group. The list of confirmed American victims was much shorter on Feb. 17, when the U.S. first complained to Cuba. Today, the number of medically confirmed cases stands at 21 plus several Canadians. Some Americans have permanent hearing loss or mild brain injury. The developments have frightened Havanas tight-knit diplomatic community. Read more: Mysterious sonic attacks in Cuba target Canadian and U.S. diplomats At least one Canadian diplomat in Cuba also suffered hearing loss, Global Affairs says Two more Americans were affected by health attacks in Cuba, Tillerson says At least one other nation, France, has tested embassy staff for potential sonic-induced injuries, the AP has learned. But several U.S. officials say there are real reasons to question whether Cuba perpetrated a clandestine campaign of aggression. The officials werent authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and demanded anonymity. When the U.S. has accused Cuba in the past of misbehaviour, such as harassing diplomats or cracking down on local dissidents, Havana has often accused Washington of making it up. This time, although Castro denied involvement, his government didnt dispute that something troubling may have gone down on Cuban soil. Perhaps the picture was more complex? Investigators considered whether a rogue faction of Cubas security forces had acted, possibly in combination with another country like Russia or North Korea. Nevertheless, anger is rising in Washington. On Friday, five Republican senators wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging him to kick all Cuban diplomats out of the United States and close Americas newly re-established embassy in Havana. Cubas neglect of its duty to protect our diplomats and their families cannot go unchallenged, said the lawmakers, who included Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a prominent Cuban-American, and the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas. For decades, Cuba and the U.S. harassed each others diplomats. The Cubans might break into homes to rearrange furniture or leave feces unflushed in a toilet. The Americans might conduct obvious break-ins and traffic stops, puncture tires or break headlights. Yet those pranks were primarily to pester, not to harm. What U.S. diplomats started reporting last November was altogether different. Diplomats and their families were getting sick. Some described bizarre, unexplained sounds, including grinding and high-pitched ringing. Victims even recounted how they could walk in and out of what seemed like powerful beams of sound that hit only certain rooms or even only parts of rooms, the AP reported this week. At the time, Washington and Havana were in co-operation mode, working feverishly to lock in progress on everything from internet access to immigration rules before Barack Obamas presidency ended. Donald Trumps surprise election win on Nov. 8 meant the U.S. would soon be led by a president whod threatened to reverse the rapprochement. As America awaited an unpredictable new administration, Cuba faced a pivotal moment, too. Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25. The revolutionary had reigned for nearly a half-century before ceding power to his brother, Raul, in his ailing last years. It was no secret in Cuba that Fidel, along with some supporters in the government, were uneasy about Raul Castros opening with the U.S. There is a struggle going on for the soul of their revolution, said Michael Parmly, who headed the U.S. diplomatic post in Havana from 2005 to 2008. Its entirely possible there are rogue elements. When the first diplomats came forward with their inexplicable episodes and symptoms, the U.S. didnt connect the dots. It took weeks before embassy officials pieced together clusters of incidents, and multiple victims with confirmed health damage. By the time Obama left the White House on Jan. 20, talk of mysterious maladies had reached some officials in Washington. Word of sonic attacks hadnt reached the top echelons of the White House or U.S. State Department, three former U.S. officials told the AP. As Trump took office, a clearer picture started to emerge. On Feb. 17, the U.S. complained to Cubas embassy in Washington and its foreign ministry in Havana. Soon came Castro, seeking out DeLaurentis directly. The attacks halted for a time. But several U.S. officials said it wasnt clear why. It wasnt long before the incidents started again, as mysteriously as theyd stopped. Then the Canadians got hit. Between March and May, several households were hit with symptoms including nausea, headaches and nosebleeds, said a Canadian official with knowledge of his countrys investigation. Then those attacks, too, ended. What culprit would want to attack both the U.S. and its northern neighbour? Cuba has no obvious grievances with Canada. The two countries have close ties. But perhaps Canadians were targeted to muddle the motive and throw investigators off the trail, another possibility U.S. authorities havent eliminated. The Canadians tested some of their staff in Havana and recalled others home temporarily, the Canadian official said. Searching for its own answers, the U.S. Embassy conducted medical tests on staffers. Many were sent to the University of Miami for further examination. The State Department consulted with doctors at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania. The U.S. encouraged those institutions to keep what they knew private. In Havanas diplomatic circles, anxiety spread. The French Embassy tested employees after a staff member raised health concerns, according to a French diplomat familiar with the matter. False alarm; the tests turned up no signs of damage consistent with a sonic attack. The FBI travelled to Havana and swept some of the rooms where attacks were reported a list that included homes and at least one hotel: the Spanish-run Hotel Capri, where visiting U.S. officials occasionally stay. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police flew down, too. Neither law enforcement agency found any sonic device, several officials told the AP. By May 23, the U.S. still had no answers. But something had to be done. The Trump administration expelled two Cuban diplomats from Washington to protest the communist governments failure to protect the safety of American diplomats. Neither country disclosed the expulsion at the time. Cuba didnt retaliate. The next month, Trump imposed some barriers to travel between the former Cold War foes. But there was no hint it was to punish Castros government for the attacks. Trump left much of Obamas broader detente intact, including the two nations reopened embassies. The diplomats suffered in private, until Aug. 9. News reports finally prompted the State Department to publicly acknowledge incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms and were still under investigation. The AP learned they included concentration problems and even trouble recalling commonplace words. Two weeks later, the U.S. announced at least 16 Americans showed symptoms. At that point, the State Department said the incidents were not ongoing. Still, the tally continued to rise first to 19 victims, and then this week to 21. In the meantime, the State Department had to withdraw its assurance the attacks had long ceased. There had been another incident, on Aug. 21. The reality is, we dont know who or what has caused this, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Thursday. And thats why the investigation is underway. SHARE: LONDONA homemade bomb planted in a rush-hour subway car exploded in London on Friday, injuring 29 people and prompting authorities to raise Britains terrorism threat level to critical, meaning another attack may be imminent. The early morning blast sparked a huge manhunt for the perpetrators of what police said was the fourth terrorist attack in the British capital this year. Prime Minister Theresa May, acting on the recommendation of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center, raised the countrys threat level from severe to critical its highest possible level. May said military troops would augment the police presence in a proportionate and sensible step. Earlier, May said the device had been intended to cause significant harm. Still, to the relief of authorities and Londoners, experts said the bomb hidden in a plastic bucket inside a supermarket freezer bag only partially exploded, sparing the city much worse carnage. Read more: Terrorism-related arrests in U.K. hit record high, officials say An insulated bag caught fire on a packed London subway train early Friday, sending commuters running for safety. I would say this was a failed high-explosive device, Chris Hunter, a former British army bomb expert, said of the blast, which caused no serious injuries. Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said was carried out by an affiliated unit. The bomb went off around 8:20 a.m. as the train, carrying commuters from the suburbs including many schoolchildren was at Parsons Green station in the southwest of the city. Witness Chris Wildish told Sky News that he saw out of the corner of my eye, a massive flash of flames that went up the side of the train, followed by an acrid chemical smell. Commuter Lauren Hubbard said she was on the train when she heard a loud bang. I looked around and this wall of fire was just coming toward us, Hubbard said. She said her instinct was just run, and she fled the above-ground station with her boyfriend. Chaos ensued as hundreds of people, some of them suffering burns, poured from the train, which can hold up to 800 people. I ended up squashed on the staircase. People were falling over, people fainting, crying. There were little kids clinging onto the back of me, said another commuter, Ryan Barnett. Passenger Luke Walmsley said it was like every man for himself to get down the stairs. People were just pushing, he added. There were nannies or mums asking where their children were. Police and health officials said 29 people were treated in London hospitals, most of them for flash burns. None of the injuries were serious or life-threatening, the emergency services said. Trains were suspended along a stretch of the Undergrounds District Line, and several homes were evacuated as police set up a 50-metre cordon around the scene while they secured the device and launched a search for those who planted it. The Metropolitan Police said hundreds of detectives, along with agents of the domestic spy agency MI5, were looking at surveillance camera footage, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses. Among questions they were rushing to answer: What was the device made from, and was it meant to go off when it did, in a leafy, affluent part of the city far from Londons top tourist sites? British media reported that the bomb included a timer. Lewis Herrington, a terrorism expert at Loughborough University, said that would set it apart from suicide attacks like those on the London subway in 2005 or at Manchester Arena in May, in which the attackers all wanted to die. Photos taken inside the train showed a white plastic bucket inside a foil-lined shopping bag, with flames and what appeared to be wires emerging from the top. Terrorism analyst Magnus Ranstorp of the Swedish Defence University said that from the photos it appeared the bomb did not fully detonate, as much of the device and its casing remained intact. They were really lucky with this one, it could have really become much worse, he said. Hunter, the explosives expert, said it appeared that there was a bang, a bit of a flash, and that would suggest that, potentially, some of the explosive detonated, the detonator detonated, but much of the explosive was effectively inert. Police and ambulances were on the scene within minutes of the blast, a testament to their experience at responding to violent attacks in London. The city has been a target for decades: from Irish Republican Army bombers, right-wing extremists and, more recently, attackers inspired by Al Qaeda or Daesh. In its recent Inspire magazine, Al Qaeda urged supporters to target trains. Britain has seen four other terrorist attacks this year, which killed a total of 36 people. The other attacks in London near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London used vehicles and knives. Similar methods have been used in attacks across Europe, including in Nice, Stockholm, Berlin and Barcelona. In contrast Fridays attack involved the detonation of an improvised explosive device, said Mark Rowley, head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police. The countrys threat level was briefly raised to critical, meaning an attack may be imminent, after the May 22 suicide bombing at Manchester Arena that killed 22 people. British authorities say they have foiled 19 plots since the middle of 2013, six of them since the van and knife attack on Westminster Bridge and Parliament in March, which killed five people. Police and MI5 say that at any given time they are running about 500 counterterrorism investigations involving 3,000 individuals. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said there had been a shift in the terrorism threat, with attackers using a wide range of methods to try to inflict carnage. Khan, who belongs to the opposition Labour party, said London police needed more resources to fight the threat. Police budgets have been cut since 2010 by Britains Conservative government. The London Underground, which handles 5 million journeys a day, has been targeted several times in the past. In July 2005, suicide bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and themselves. Four more bombers tried a similar attack two weeks later, but their devices failed to fully explode. Last year Damon Smith, a student with an interest in weapons and Islamic extremism, left a knapsack filled with explosives and ball bearings on a London subway train. It failed to explode. U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on Fridays attack, tweeting that it was carried out by a loser terrorist, and adding that these are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. The British prime minister gently rebuked the president for his tweets. I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation, May said. SHARE: TUMBRU, BANGLADESHDays after fleeing their village on the Burmese side of the border fence, a group of Rohingya Muslims watched from just inside Bangladesh as yet another house went up in flames. You see this fire today, said Farid Alam, one of the Rohingya who watched the fire burn from about 500 metres away. That is my village. The villagers said they had escaped days ago, crossing into Bangladesh at the border point of Tumbru and joining thousands of other ethnic Rohingya huddling in the open in the district of Bandarban to escape recent violence in Buddhist-majority Burma. When they crossed the border, they saw land mines that had been newly planted by Burmese forces, Alam said. Read more: Trudeau presses Burmas Suu Kyi on violence against Muslim minority Thousands of Rohingya are continuing to stream across the border, with UN officials and others demanding that Burma halt what they describe as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven nearly 400,000 Rohingya to flee in the past three weeks. That number includes an estimated 240,000 children, UNICEF said in Geneva on Friday. Aid workers say more than half the Rohingya refugees who have fled Burma in the past three weeks have been children, including hundreds who travelled without family members. As of Friday, UNICEF had counted 1,267 children at the camp who had been separated from their families. Amid the disorder of the rapidly expanding refugee settlements in Bangladesh, the unaccompanied children are at particular risk for human trafficking, sexual abuse, child labour and child marriage, said Christophe Boulierac, a spokesperson for UNICEF. UNICEF has set up 41 spaces for children to relax and play, some of which can be moved around the camps. The sites also make it easier for aid workers to identify which children have traveled alone or have been separated from their families. The needs of the children include food and nutritional support, basic health care and psychological counseling. More than 18,000 children have received help through the child-friendly spaces since Aug. 25. But with more than 230,000 children estimated to have arrived in Bangladesh, many more will need help, Boulierac said. The UN Population Fund estimates that two-thirds of the refugees are women and girls, 13 per cent of whom are pregnant or breast-feeding. It has sent dozens of midwives to help with their needs in the refugee camps. And the numbers are likely to grow, Boulierac said. The worrying news is we dont see any indication that this influx is decreasing. Ethnic Rohingya have long faced discrimination in Burma and are denied citizenship, even though many families have lived there for generations. After a Rohingya insurgent group attacked police posts in Burmas Rakhine state on Aug. 25, the military responded with clearance operations. Fleeing Rohingya say security forces shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and threatened them with death. The government says hundreds died, mostly Rohingya, and that 176 out of 471 Rohingya villages are now abandoned. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday described the violence against Rohingya as ethnic cleansing a term that describes an organized effort to rid an area of an ethnic group by displacement, deportation or killing. Amnesty International said Thursday it has evidence of an orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings by Burmese security forces targeting dozens of Rohingya villages over the past three weeks. Human Rights Watch said Friday that 62 villages in Rakhine had been targeted in arson attacks since Aug. 25. Our field research backs what the satellite imagery has indicated that the Burmese military is directly responsible for the mass burning of Rohingya villages in northern Rakhine State, said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, in a statement Friday. We had a big house, we are 10 people in the family, but they burned our home, Alam said as he watched the other house burning Friday. My father was a village doctor, we had a medical store. We had land and cattle, all are gone. Abul Bashar, a 73-year-old Rohingya in Bandarban, said he travelled 15 days on foot to reach Bangladesh on Wednesday and was separated from the rest of his family. He took nothing with him as he fled. I have lost everything, he said. Our homes were burned . . . It was painful, very painful. Elsewhere, along a fence near the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladeshs border district of Coxs Bazar, men, women and children ran after aid trucks as volunteers tossed clothing and packets of dry food. With refugee camps overflowing and hundreds of thousands of Rohingya struggling to find shelter, food and other essential services, aid workers say they are deeply worried by the continuing influx of people by land and water. This is desperate. Its one of the biggest man-made crises and mass movements of people in the region for decades, said Martin Faller, a deputy regional director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, in a statement. People have no food, water or shelter and they are in desperate need of support. No one should have to live like this, Faller said. UN refugee agency spokesperson Joseph Tripura said that, unless authorities address health concerns, we might see a very bad situation in coming days with disease outbreaks. The International Organization for Migration in Geneva believes thousands of people are waiting to take boats to Coxs Bazar, according to Asia-Pacific spokesperson, Chris Lom. There is no sign that this flow is going to dry up. UN agencies fear continued violence in Myanmar may eventually drive up to one million Rohingya into Bangladesh. On Friday, one of the recently arrived men, Moulana Arif Ullah, led about 300 other Rohingya Muslim men in weekly prayer. There are soldiers over there . . . we cant have freedom there, he said to worshippers at a makeshift mosque at the Kutupalong refugee camp. Who can save us? Who can give us food? he asked, shouting and sobbing. Allah, they shouted back. What can we do? We pray to Allah. He will save us, Mohammed Ashikur said as the prayers ended. With files from the New York Times. SHARE: ST. LOUISA white former police officer was acquitted Friday in the fatal shooting of a Black man after a high-speed chase in 2011, reigniting protests in a part of the U.S. that has been at the centre of the countrys debate over police and minority Americans. Hundreds of demonstrators streamed into the streets of downtown St. Louis to protest against the verdict that had stirred fears of civil unrest for weeks. Before the acquittal, activists threatened civil disobedience if Jason Stockley were not convicted, including possible efforts to shut down highways. Barricades went up last month around police headquarters, the courthouse where the trial was held and other potential protest sites. Protesters were on the march within hours of the decision. By Friday evening, 13 arrests had been made and four officers hurt. One officers hand was injured and another was pinned by a bike. A third was hit by a bike, and a fourth struck by a water bottle. None was hospitalized, St. Louis interim police Chief Lawrence OToole said. The case played out not far from the suburb of Ferguson, which was the scene of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, the unarmed black 18-year-old who was killed by a white police officer in 2014. That officer was never charged but eventually resigned. Stockley, who was charged with first-degree murder, insisted he saw Anthony Lamar Smith holding a gun and felt he was in imminent danger. Prosecutors said the officer planted a gun in Smiths car after the shooting. The officer asked the case to be decided by a judge instead of a jury. This court, in conscience, cannot say that the State has proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt or that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defence, St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson wrote in the decision. The judge declared that he would not be swayed by partisan interests, public clamour or fear of criticism. In a written statement, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner acknowledged the difficulty of winning police shooting cases but said prosecutors believe they offered sufficient evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Stockley intended to kill Smith. Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial that police dash cam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was going to kill this (expletive), dont you know it. Less than a minute later, the officer shot Smith five times. Stockleys lawyer dismissed the comment as human emotions uttered during a dangerous police pursuit. The judge wrote that the statement can be ambiguous depending on the context. Prosecutors objected to the officers request for a bench trial. The U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of criminal suspects to have their cases heard by an impartial jury. But defendants can also opt to have the verdict rendered by a judge. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole. He left the St. Louis police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. The case was among several in recent years in which a white officer killed a black suspect. Officers were acquitted in recent police shooting trials in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. A case in Ohio twice ended with hung juries, and prosecutors have decided not to seek a third trial. Several hundred protesters were marching in the streets of downtown St. Louis within hours after a judge acquitted a white ex-cop of murder in the 2011 killing of a black drug suspect. (The Associated Press) Its a sad day in St. Louis, and its a sad day to be an American, Rev. Clinton Stancil, a protest leader, said regarding the acquittal. Fears of unrest prompted several downtown businesses and some schools to close early. Video from St. Louis television stations showed a crowd that swelled from a handful to several hundred in the hours after the verdict and marched through city streets. The group included Black and white protesters and some people carrying guns, which is allowed under state law. Efforts at civil disobedience were largely unsuccessful. When several demonstrators tried to rush onto Interstate 64, they were blocked on an entrance ramp by police cars and officers on bikes. When they tried to enter the citys convention centre, the doors were locked. At times, things escalated. Earlier in the day, protesters stood in front of a bus filled with officers in riot gear, blocking it from moving forward. When officers began pushing back the crowd, protesters resisted and police responded with pepper spray. Later, protesters surrounded a police vehicle and damaged it with rocks. Some in the crowd threw rocks and pieces of curbing at police who tried to secure the vehicle. That led to officers using pepper spray again. As night came, hundreds of protesters moved to St. Louis upscale Central West End section, where they marched and chanted as people looked on from restaurants and hospital windows lining busy Kingshighway. The group tried marching onto I-64 again, but police blocked their path. Some journalists covering the protests said they were targets of threats and violence from demonstrators. A freelance Associated Press videographer said a protester threw his camera to the ground and damaged it. He said later he was using a different camera and protesters told him they would beat him if he didnt put it away. A KTVI reporter said water bottles were thrown at him after a protester taunted him, drawing a crowd. The St. Louis area has a history of unrest in similar cases, including after Browns death, when protests, some of them violent, erupted. In Smiths case, the encounter began when Stockley and his partner tried to corner Smith in a fast-food restaurant parking lot after seeing what appeared to be a drug deal. Stockley testified that he saw what he believed was a gun, and his partner yelled gun! as Smith backed into the police SUV twice to get away. Stockleys attorney, Neil Bruntrager, argued that Smith, a 24-year-old parole violator with previous convictions for gun and drug crimes, tried to run over the two officers. Stockley fired seven shots as Smith sped away. A chase ensued. At the end of the chase, Stockley opened fire only when Smith, still in his car, refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat in the area where the gun was, Bruntrager said. Stockley said he climbed into Smiths car and found a revolver between the centre console and passenger seat. But prosecutors questioned why Stockley dug into a bag in the back seat of the police SUV before returning to Smiths car. The gun found in Smiths car did not have his DNA on it, but it did have Stockleys. Heres a timeline of events leading up to Fridays ruling: Dec. 20, 2011 Stockley and his partner see what appears to be a drug transaction on the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant. As they seek to corner Smith, he drives away and Stockley fires seven shots at his car. Defence attorney Neil Bruntrager said the officers were nearly run over. A two-minute chase begins. Police dash cam video captures Stockley saying, going to kill this (expletive), dont you know it, in the midst of the chase. As Smiths car slows, Stockley tells Officer Brian Bianchi to hit him right now, and Bianchi slams the police SUV into Smiths car. Stockley emerges from the SUV and fires five shots into Smiths car, killing him. Bruntrager said Stockley fired only when Smith refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat toward an area where a gun was found. But prosecutors said Stockley planted a gun. Testing found Stockleys DNA on the gun, but not Smiths. December 2011 Then-police Chief Dan Isom requests an FBI investigation. Stockley is placed on desk duty. February 2012 A wrongful-death lawsuit is filed on behalf of Autumn Smith, Anthony Lamar Smiths 1-year-old daughter. June 2012 St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyces office meets with then-U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan and both agree there isnt sufficient evidence to prosecute Stockley. August 2013 Stockley resigns from the police department one month after then-police Chief Sam Dotson, who took over in January 2013 after Isoms retirement, suspended Stockley without pay for 30 days for violating pursuit and use-of-force policies in the Smith case. September 2013 Stockley, now living in Houston, takes a job as a project manager for TH Hill Associates, according to his online resume. He leaves the company in January 2016. December 2013 The St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners reaches a $900,000 (U.S.) settlement, ending the lawsuit filed on behalf of Smiths daughter. Aug. 9, 2014 Michael Brown is fatally shot by police officer Darren Wilson in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Mo. The killing of the Black, unarmed 18-year-old by a white officer and the November 2014 grand jury decision not to indict Wilson sets off sometimes-violent unrest and leads to scrutiny of police treatment of Blacks in the St. Louis region. May 16, 2016 Joyce announces first-degree murder charges against Stockley. She cites new evidence, but doesnt disclose what it is. Stockley is arrested at his home in Houston. He is freed from jail after the St. Louis Police Officers Association, the union representing most St. Louis officers, posts $100,000 of his $1 million bail. July 24, 2017 Stockley waives his right to a jury trial in favour of a bench trial. Veteran St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson is appointed to hear the case. Aug. 1, 2017 Stockleys trial begins with a crowd of spectators so large several people have to be turned away. Aug. 9, 2017 The trial ends, but Judge Wilson gives attorneys from both sides until Aug. 18 to file post-trial briefs. Aug. 28, 2017 A group of about 50 activists who support Smiths family gather on the steps of the courthouse where the trial was heard and threaten significant civil disobedience if Stockley is acquitted. Organizers say theyll shut down highways, Lambert Airport or downtown businesses. Sept. 15, 2017 Wilson announces a not-guilty verdict for Stockley. SHARE: WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday declared Senate Republicans cant get 60 votes in the Senate and again urged GOP leaders to alter rules for major legislation. He followed his Twitter rant against Senate Republicans with his first comments on Fridays terrorist attack in London to criticize British security officials. Trump has urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to change the chambers rules so legislation can be passed with 51 votes before, something the Kentucky Republican and his caucus oppose. But Friday mornings tweet came as Trump is openly courting Democratic votes, eager to pass a tax bill with Democratic support. He will need at least eight Senate Democrats, and his latest railing against the 60-vote rule casts new doubt on whether he can get enough Democrats on the coming tax measure. Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump The president called the legislative filibuster rule ridiculous, and tweeted this about Senate Republicans ability to get to 60: Cant get votes, END NOW! There is no evidence McConnell intends to change the rules, however. And Trump, as he always does when calling for the change, did not mention that a GOP health care bill failed to get 51 Republicans earlier this year when it died in the Senate. Read more: Trumps about-face on Dreamers leaves his anti-immigration supporters raging Trump and top Democrats reach deal on young immigrants Wynne threatens trade retaliation if Trump imposes Buy American policies On the tax bill, leading Republicans on Capitol Hill want the White House to agree to allow it to move through both chambers under reconciliation rules, meaning it would need only 51 votes in the Senate. Speaker Paul D. Ryan, for instance, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it would be unwise for Republicans not to use the budget reconciliation process for a tax overhaul. If we have a process that allows us for avoiding filibusters, shame on us for not using that process, he said. Trump followed his social media post about the Senates rules with a series of tweets about the latest apparent terrorist attack in London. As officials there said at least 18 were injured after a morning explosion at Parsons Green train station in Southwest London, Trump tweeted that the apparent bombers were in the sights of security officials there, adding those officials and those in the U.S. must be proactive! He called the bomber a loser terrorist, adding these are sick and demented people. But he did not use three words to describe them radical Islamic terrorism that were a big part of his 2016 presidential campaign, as he criticized then-president Barack Obama and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for not using the term. Past American presidents have been quick to express condolences and offer Washingtons full assistance when allies suffered attacks under their watch. Trump did none of that on Friday morning. Instead, he used the attack to make the case for the initial version of an executive order banning individuals from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. He wrote the entry ban should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! He also called for a much tougher counterterrorism approach, especially in cyberspace, which groups like Daesh, also known as ISIS, use to recruit new operatives. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! the commander in chief tweeted. Trump also called for the U.S. and its allies to get nasty in their fight against Daesh and other violent extremist groups, while boasting without providing evidence that his administration in just eight months has weakened Daesh more than the Obama administration did in nearly a decade. Read more about: SHARE: There are many reasons to vote against Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynnes Liberals. The fact that she testified this week in a political bribery trial is not one of them. Opposition politicians are having great fun with the trial of former top Wynne aide Pat Sorbara and Sudbury Liberal organizer Gerry Lougheed, both of whom face charges that they contravened Ontarios Elections Act. New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath calls it an odious scandal. Conservative leader Patrick Brown says it shows just how far this government has fallen. We shall see how Justice Howard Borenstein, the trial judge, finally rules. But at first glance, this allegedly odious scandal seems pretty small beer. The Liberals have done things that were far more odious ranging from the gas plant scandals of Dalton McGuinty to Wynnes privatization of Hydro One. This one is just a typically tawdry nomination battle the kind that all political parties face. At base, it is a story of unrequited love. The Liberals were happy to field mortgage broker Andrew Olivier as their Sudbury candidate in the 2014 general election (which he lost). But when a politically more appealing candidate showed up ready to contest a byelection the next year, Olivier was given the heave-ho. That politically more appealing candidate was Sudburys sitting federal MP Glenn Thibeault, a popular New Democrat willing to change parties. Thibeault was considered a real catch. Among other things, his defection allowed the Liberals to claim bragging rights over the rival NDP. Sorbara and Lougheed were given the job of telling Olivier that it was all over. Whether their statements or promises constituted an offence is the central issue in the trial. Under Ontario election law, it is illegal to give, procure or agree to procure an office or employment to induce a person to become a candidate, refrain from becoming a candidate or withdraw his or her candidacy. The defence argues that since Wynne, as Liberal Party leader, had the power to unilaterally appoint whichever candidates she wanted, there was no need to induce Olivier to do anything. Once Wynne chose Thibeault as Sudbury Liberal nominee, they say, Olivier was, by definition, out of the running. The most interesting allegation, levelled against Sorbara alone, is that she committed bribery under the Elections Act by acceding to Thibeaults demand that the Liberals hire, as paid campaign staff, two of his NDP workers. Whats particularly interesting is that she was charged for agreeing to the demand but Thibeault, now provincial energy minister, was not charged for making it. It is also worth noting that earlier this year the Crown quietly dropped its plan to charge Lougheed with the much more serous offence of criminal bribery. No one has ever charged Wynne with anything. But shes getting the heat anyway. Which is unfortunate since this is one area where the premier is arguably not at fault. There is much not to like about the Ontario Liberals. Their austerity budgeting practices have left health care shortchanged. They have never fully delivered on their promises to fix long-term care. They have casually and for no good reason, privatized or quasi-privatized lucrative public enterprises, ranging from Hydro One to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. Their recent minimum-wage and labour law reforms, while welcome, carry the whiff of deathbed repentance. It is hard to believe that the Liberals are serious. Yes they have had scandals. The decision to set up ORNGE to operate Ontarios public air ambulance service as a private enterprise was a scandal. The decision to incur billions of dollars in penalties by cancelling contracts for privately owned, gas-fired electricity plants that never should have been built was an even bigger one. By contrast, the Sudbury byelection imbroglio was just politics as usual. Messy, yes. And definitely unsavoury. But if you need a reason to vote against Wynnes Liberals, there are better ones at hand. Thomas Walkom appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. SHARE: Finance Minister Bill Morneaus tone-deaf rollout of his governments proposed small-business tax reforms provides an object lesson in how good ideas go sour. The three tax-code tweaks now on the table were never going to be an easy sell. Each aims to limit the ability of relatively affluent Canadians to use the small-business tax regime to create various kinds of shelters that dont necessarily help small business. Thats a laudable goal; tax measures should be used for their intended purpose. But the changes would amount to sizable tax hikes for some and tax hikes are generally not welcomed by those being asked to pay more. Yet rather than anticipate and manage the entirely predictable opposition and understandable concern, the government, in its insensitivity, turned a surmountable obstacle into a major political headache. The result is that they have endangered the sensible goals of the measures now being floated and, far more important, the essential larger project of fixing our overgrown and ineffective tax code. The governments first mistake was the strangely limited scope of the current package of reforms. Morneau has made much of his commitment to tax fairness; as one of his first acts in office, he commissioned a review of tax expenditures with the plausible, if modest, aim of closing $3-billion in unfair and ineffective loopholes. But upon the reviews completion, he did not outline a holistic approach to tax reform. He did not set out the principles that would guide him as he selected the loopholes to close. Rather, seemingly at random, he chose three unlucky oxen for goring. The doctors, farmers, accountants and others who are so exercised about the proposal can be forgiven for pointing out the obvious irony of a tax-reform package put forward in the name of fairness that seems arbitrarily to target just one group. However laudable the objectives, those affected might understandably wonder why us and why this? Thats especially true when other more costly and regressive loopholes remain on the books. For instance, the tax break on executive stock options delivers 90 per cent of its benefit to the top 1 per cent of earners, while doing little to achieve its stated purpose of helping start-ups thrive. Morneau promised to scrap that loophole but caved under industry pressure. Had he not, Ottawa would have saved several times as much as promised by the current proposal. Design depending, the governments package makes sense, but offering it in isolation, absent any larger plans for reform, was a reliable recipe for grief. The second mistake was the ham-fisted manner in which the government communicated its proposal, a performance Wayne Easter, the Liberal chair of the Commons finance committee, decried as god-awful this week. Morneau has said repeatedly that much of the uproar stems from misinterpretations of the proposed changes. But if thats the case, the finance minister surely owns some of the responsibility. In the discussion paper in which the government outlined the reforms, it promised to protect measures that support business growth, while limiting the ability of high earners to dodge paying their share. But in many cases, its not at all clear how the government will determine where to draw the line. Its no wonder so many using these measures for legitimate small-business purposes seem scared. Worse still, with its rhetoric of fighting tax dodgers, the government has effectively vilified a group of people who were simply working within the system given to them. If there is moral fault for the unfairness of the tax measures in question, it doesnt lie with those who exploited them, but with the governments that created them. These are not mere political goofs. When Stephane Dion failed to sell his proposed carbon tax in the 2008 election it killed the idea for nearly a decade. Thats the risk Morneau now runs. But at a time of slow growth, ballooning debt and sagging commodity prices, of rising anxieties about economic justice and inequality, the costs of yet again avoiding the overdue reform of our broken tax code are simply too high. The finance minister has a hard, but vital job ahead; its a shame hes made it harder. SHARE: Days before the events in Charlottesville captured the spotlight the world was focused on the mounting tensions between North Korea and the United States. On Sept. 12, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter said: The first thing I would do is treat the North Koreans with respect. I know what the North Koreans want. What they want is a firm treaty guaranteeing North Korea that the U.S. will not attack them or hurt them in any way, unless they attack one of their neighbours. But the United States has refused to do that. Carter said he would send his top person to Pyongyang immediately, adding, If I didnt go myself. The former president visited North Korea three times between 1994 and 2011. Until were willing to talk to them and treat them with respect as human beings, which they are, then I dont think well make any progress, he said. Canada should urge a negotiated settlement to the Korean crisis, including denuclearization of the entire region, a peace deal to finally end the Korean War and removal of U.S. troops from South Korea. Canada recently used diplomacy to bring a Canadian detained in North Korea home. Now Canada should support a negotiated, peaceful, political settlement of the Korean crisis. Ed Lehman, president, Regina Peace Council, Cupar, Sask. SHARE: Journalisms history of undercover reporting is fraught with contradiction. On one hand, some of the most celebrated reporting of the past century or so resulted from courageous reporters who went undercover to expose injustices and wrongdoing. On the other hand, is the fact that journalisms core value is truth. How can lying to get a story be reconciled with that value? Like so many ethical issues in journalism, this is not a black and white issue. Journalists first obligation is to seek truth and report it. But there are some circumstances when truth can only be discovered by means of deception. In such cases, the overriding value is the public interest. Did the ends justify the means of the Stars Sara Mojtehedzadeh going undercover for a month at Fiera Foods, one of Torontos largest industrial bakeries, to expose working conditions for precarious workers who rely on temp agencies to find work? In my view, this was most certainly justified. The Stars journalistic standards guide makes clear that undercover reporting is a tool of last resort, to be used following extensive consideration at the newsrooms highest level: Undercover reporting, photography and surveillance video should be used rarely and a case must be made that the story to be uncovered is of high public interest, the policy states. In practice, approval for undercover reporting is given only when reporters and senior editors have determined that the story could not be obtained by other means. Here, editor Michael Cooke and managing editor Irene Gentle made the judgment call to allow Mojtehedzadeh to go undercover. They concluded there was indeed no other way to get this information, and most important, that this was a story of strong public interest. Mojtehedzadeh had spent many months investigating temp agencies, seeking information about injustices to some of our communitys most vulnerable workers. In reading through hundreds of Ministry of Labour reports and court documents on workers injuries she found numerous references to heath and safety violations at Fiera Foods Company and Marmora Freezing Corporation, one of its partner companies. She also discovered three deaths had occurred at Fiera or in affiliated companies. The most recent happened last year when 23-year-old Amina Diaby, a refugee from Guinea on her first job in Canada, died when her hijab was pulled into a machine as she worked on an assembly line near the conveyer belt. Diaby was hired through a temp agency and had been working at Fiera Foods for two weeks. We looked at all of the information and concluded that my going undercover as a temp worker was the only way to get this story. We couldnt just ask precarious temp workers to tell us what is happening inside the factory, Mojtehedzadeh told me this week. In past, I have had cases of temp workers who were fired for speaking up to the Star and I did not want to put anyone at risk of losing their job. All of the injury data and the deaths made it clear there was a strong public interest here in the health and safety of temp workers. Fiera Foods has also benefited from public funding, having received some $4.7 million dollars in government loans and grants. In response to questions from the Star, the company said that health and safety is a core principle. Following publication of the Star's investigation, Fiera Foods this week was fined $300,000 after pleading guilty to charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act related to Diabys death. As well, the company told the Star it has hired auditors to examine its health and safety practices and temp agency contracts. If you have not read this investigation by Mojtehedzadeh and Brendan Kennedy, who came into the project to provide further reporting, I hope you do so. Like many readers, I was stunned at what was revealed about the work conditions for these vulnerable workers, both through the undercover reporting and the more classic means of obtaining information. Arguably, undercover reporting is itself a classic reporting technique. In the 2012 book, Undercover Reporting, the Truth about Deception, author Brooke Kroeger argues that undercover work embodies a central discipline of good reporting: the ability to extract significant information or to create indelible, real-time descriptions of hard-to-penetrate institutions or social situations that deserve the publics attention. The New York University journalism professor has compiled an online public database on undercover reporting that provides many example of outstanding undercover reporting (including some past Toronto Star investigations) and numerous thought-provoking articles about the ethics of journalistic deception. Star editor Michael Cooke believes strongly that undercover reporting has a long and noble history and is often courageous work that takes perseverance. Look no further than Nelly Bly, he said, referring to the legendary reporter who went undercover as a patient in a New York insane asylum in the late 1800s. Her sensational account of the dreadful conditions and treatment of the patients got action, fast. So Bly made life better for the mentally ill, Cooke said. And thats what its all about trying to make life better. publiced@thestar.ca SHARE: The annual rankings of colleges often help high school students and parents whittle down the list of potential universities, but it can be challenging to decide which one will generate the best return in terms of earning power once you've invested thousands of dollars -- heck, hundreds of thousands of dollars -- on tuition. Getting the most out of a college education ranges from choosing not only the right type of school but also in reducing how much in student loans you will accrue. PayScale, a Seattle-based compensation data software company, examined 2,441 U.S. associate and bachelor's degree-granting institutions and ranked higher education options by how much alumni earn after graduation. Earning potential should be a factor that all parents and students consider since the amount of student loans accrued can affect both their children and their family's ability to save for retirement. Before Choosing Your Institution While private schools often garner illustrious reputations from their infamous alumni, many influential and prominent figures attended state colleges and were able to borrow less money to pay for tuition and living expenses. "Choose community college and in-state universities over pricey private schools," said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate, a New York-based financial data and content company. Students must consider how much they will earn at their future jobs when they are deciding on how money they need to borrow, because large amounts of debt will hamper their ability to buy cars and homes in the future as well as save for retirement. "If you must borrow, limit the amount of borrowing and calibrate it to your future earnings prospects," he said. "This is where parents have to weigh in. Sorry, but borrowing $100,000 to get a degree in anthropology isn't smart. But I've yet to meet an engineer, data scientist or accountant that can't find work." Students who plan to attend graduate school such as law or business school need to conduct even more planning. While a bachelor's degree was sufficient for some fields in the past, now many industries are " essentially requiring graduate degrees to secure preferred positions, said Robert Johnson, president of The American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, Pa. "Fortunately, some students are heeding warnings about the burden of student loan debt and are changing the way they approach college," he said. "Students must take a longer term view of higher education, factoring in the likelihood of having to fund graduate school." Opting to start their higher education at a community college and transferring those credits into a four-year school is a "cost effective way of earning a degree that preserves some borrowing power for graduate school," Johnson said. Students should explore other options of paying for tuition such as grants, scholarships, work-study programs and part-time employment before choosing a university, said Bruce McClary, spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a Washington, D.C-based non-profit organization. "Taking on too much student debt can get in the way of retirement savings and home ownership and can even lead to major credit problems if the loans are not paid," he said. "While there are affordable loan repayment options for people, it is always best to take the necessary steps to avoid facing loan default. One example is the NFCC's student loan counseling program, a nonprofit service available at studentloanhelp.org." Post-Graduation Saving for retirement after graduation needs to be priority even if you have amassed a large amount of student loans. "Once you graduate, start saving for retirement from the very first paycheck," said McBride. "Don't wait and certainly don't wait until you've paid off your student loans to start saving for retirement. Time is your greatest ally. Paying off low, fixed rate federal student loans is a comparatively low financial priority." Compounding interest is key to amassing a larger amount of money for retirement. Too many students are forced to delay saving because of their student loans and credit card debt. "The stories of individuals burdened by student loans in careers with modest income -- for example, education -- are extensive," said Johnson. "The key to building financial security is to invest 'early and often.' However, people with student debt have a difficult time making ends meet, much less saving for retirement." The sooner consumers can save by cutting back some expenses such as cable or a gym membership help them take advantage of company matching programs in 401(k) plans and not miss out on the greatest advantage - time. "This phenomenon isn't just limited to students taking out debt," he said. "Many parents are delaying retirement or working well past retirement age to compensate for retirement savings lost by paying a child's education." The "greatest financial crisis in the United States and one that is increasing in magnitude" is the lack of retirement income, Johnson said. "It is going to get worse as longevity increases and the retirement income crisis is being exacerbated by the student loan burden," he said. Here are the ten worst schools as ranked by PayScale on what graduates earn five years after graduation and ten years afterwards. WATCH: The Five Worst Colleges For Your Money More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Of all the announcements made by Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Get Free Report this week, most of the discussion has centered around the 10th anniversary edition iPhone X. And that's no surprise, given that the iPhone X represents a major overhaul from its predecessors, enough that CEO Tim Cook called it the "future of the smartphone." Apple is achieving many iPhone firsts through the device, introducing a bezel-less, edge-to-edge screen, a revolutionary 3D sensing chip that'll power many of the phone's augmented reality functions and facial recognition technology. It begs the question that, given all these must-have features in the iPhone X, why would someone choose the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, which officially went on pre-sale today and start shipping on Sept. 22, instead? According to experts, there are a lot of reasons. The most obvious answer is price. Unlike the iPhone X, the $699 iPhone 8 and $799 iPhone 8 Plus are priced more in line with what consumers are used to paying for an iPhone. The iPhone X represents a major step-up for Apple and what it's willing to charge for its top-of-the-line flagship smartphone. While Apple has always been known as a high-margin, premium product smartphone brand, there will certainly be some consumers who cannot afford to plough money into the iPhone X. It's worth noting that it wasn't just average Joes who balked at the iPhone X's $1,000 price tag, either. "If someone is reaching to get to $800, which a lot of people are, there will be people who go out for the 8," said Scott Galloway, a marketing professor at NYU's Stern School of Business. Take a look at the show-stealing iPhone X: Mobile carriers are offering discounts, such as T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS) - Get Free Report , which said it will give customers $300 off a new iPhone if they trade in the iPhone 6 or newer model. But many of them are restricting the discounts to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, not the iPhone X, and others have dialed back their promotions compared to the release of the iPhone 7. Last year, several major carriers offered free iPhone 7s to users who traded in an iPhone 6, 6S or high-end Androids. Telecom executives are now reconsidering aggressive promotions after sizing up the iPhone X's sky-high sticker price. Sprint (S) - Get Free Report CEO Marcelo Claure said his company wouldn't issue big discounts unless competitors decided to. By comparison to the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cost just $50 more than the 32 gigabyte models of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. It's an increase that's likely to be much more attainable for the average consumer, especially if they pay in month-to-month installments, said Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarin. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: "It's probably another buck or two on a month-to-month basis," Bajarin said of the iPhone 8's cost vs the 7. "And you have to look at the powerful CPU, GPU, cameras -- all the capabilities that are built into the 8 that weren't in the 7 or the 6. A $50 bump in price is more than worth it." Sure, the iPhone 8 might look very similar to both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 7, but by most standards, it's nowhere near the same phone. Like the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 model has Apple's A11 Bionic processor, which supports the ARKit platform and, just as importantly, allows for super fast streaming and downloading speeds. Apple also carried over other iPhone X features into the iPhone 8/8 Plus, including wireless charging, True Tone display and an ultra high-quality 12 megapixel camera. Apple could have upped the wow factor with the iPhone 8 models by including dual cameras on both the 8 and the 8 Plus, said BMO Capital Markets analyst Tim Long. Without added features like that, he said he was left feeling so-so about the phones, but for existing iPhone owners that aren't necessarily gadget aficionados, the iPhone 8/8 Plus does its job. "We still believe the new phones will be a meaningful upgrade for consumers who own iPhone 6 or iPhone 6S," Long added. "Indeed, as these are the target buyers of the iPhone 8, we believe most buyers will be impressed with the upgrade." Bajarin echoed that notion, saying Apple's "upper-line models" like the iPhone X are always targeted at first-adopters, or folks who want to get their hands on the latest and greatest technology, such as Face ID. "Apple did two things that were really important: They put the A11 chip in the 8 and 8 Plus and they also put in the exceptional cameras," Bajarin said. "So you have to look at the 8 and 8 Plus not as step children, but as really powerful upgrades to the 7 and the 6." "There will be a tremendous amount of demand for that in the U.S., but also in China, Europe and other areas that consumers still want an updated phone, but where there's some price sensitivity," he added. Apple is a holding in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells AAPL? Learn more now. Did you miss "Mad Money" on CNBC? If so, here are some of Jim Cramer's top takeaways. For an "Executive Decision" segment, Cramer spoke with Mark Schwabero, chairman and CEO of Brunswick Corp. (BC) - Get Free Report , the makers of boats and exercise equipment that last posted strong results with a top and bottom line beat and strong guidance. Schwabero said the value of boats is only increasing and customers are expecting more and more from their boats. Whether it's fishing with friends or spending time with the family, Schwabero said, boating is appealing to a broader audience every year, most of which are average, middle-class Americans. When asked about the effects of the recent hurricanes, Schwabero said that parts and accessories, which represent 25% of Brunswick's boating business, will be the first segment to see the effects. Most replacements, he said, typically appear 12 to 18 months after the event, once families have had a chance to rebuild their homes and the rest of their lives. Turning to Brunswick's fitness business, Schwabero explained that 90% of their business is commercial, with 60% of that number stemming from fitness clubs, and the remaining amount coming from verticals like hospitality, apartments and the military. Brunswick has made three acquisitions in fitness to become a leader in the space. Over on Real Money, Cramer explains his rules for spotting rotations. Get Cramer's insights with a free trial subscription to Real Money. Cramer and the AAP team say they are making a few ratings changes in their portfolio, including for Apache (APA) - Get Free Report and General Electric (GE) - Get Free Report . Find out what they're telling their investment club members and get in on the conversation with a free trial subscription to Action Alerts PLUS. Search Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" trading recommendations using our exclusive "Mad Money" Stock Screener. To read a full recap of this episode of "Mad Money," click here. To watch replays of Cramer's video segments, visit the Mad Money page on CNBC. To sign up for Jim Cramer's free Booyah! newsletter with all of his latest articles and videos please click here. At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had a position in APA, GE. Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) - Get Free Report is said to be considering an investment in Lyft Inc., according to multiple reports. The parent company of Google has reportedly held talks to invest about $1 billion in the ride-sharing company, Bloomberg first reported the possible deal Friday. The investment may come from Google or CapitalG, Alphabet's private-equity arm, people familiar told the publication, but there is no certainty of the deal. If it comes to fruition the deal come be a sign that Alphabet is losing confidence in scandal-ridden Uber Technologies. Alphabet invested $258 million in Uber through its GV venture capital arm in 2013. However, tension has grown between the companies as Alphabet unit Waymo is suing Uber over self-driving car technology. Alphabet shares closed at $940.13 on Thursday, after losing 1.08%. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Softbank Corp. SFTBY has held talks with both Uber and Lyft about possible investments. The Japanese company is reportedly nearing a deal with Uber to buy more than $10 billion in stock. Lyft only operates in the U.S., and was last valued at about $7.5 billion. It has raised about $2.6 billion from investors including General Electric (GE) - Get Free Report and Alibaba Group Holding (BABA) - Get Free Report . Uber was last valued at $68 billion. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Alphabet's (GOOGL) - Get Free Report Google is being sued by former employees over gender pay discrimination. Three women former employees filed a class-action lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court Thursday claiming the tech giant discriminated against women in pay and promotions. The suit comes just over a month after the company was hit by scandal when an employee wrote a 10-page "manifesto" against Google's diversity initiatives and claimed that women were underrepresented because of inherent psychological differences between men and women. Thursday suit, which was filed on behalf of all women employed by Google in the last four years, claims that female employees were "systemically" paid lower compensation then male employees performing similar roles. The plaintiffs also said that Google discriminated against women by "assigning and keeping women in job ladders and levels with lower compensation ceilings and advancement opportunities." It is also claimed that Google promoted fewer women, or promoted them more slowly. "The net result of this systemic discrimination is that Google pays women less than men for comparable work," the filing said. The class action also said Google failed to act to rectify the disparity, referring to it a "willful." The plaintiffs are seeking damages, and want to prevent Google from paying women less for doing substantially similar work than men. The plaintiffs are Kelly Ellis, Holly Pease and Kelli Wisuri. Ellis claims that she was put on a lower starting salary for her position of frontend software engineer than men in a similar position and that she was denied a promotion despites receiving excellent performance reviews. Pease claims that Google placed and kept her in the "non-technical" business ladder, with lower compensation and opportunities for upward mobility. Wisuri also claims that her initial pay was lower than male colleagues. Google said that it didn't agree with the central allegations of the suit. The suit follows an investigation by the Labor Department about the salary practices at the company's Mountain View campus. Alphabet shares closed at $940.13 on Thursday, after falling 1.08%. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) on Friday stated that she has launched an investigation into Equifax's (EFX) - Get Free Report major data breach that compromised the data of 143 million people, Reuters reports. Warren along with 11 other Democratic senators are also set to introduce a bill that would give customers the ability to freeze their credit for free. Warren also has penned letters to Equifax rivals including TransUnion (TRU) - Get Free Report and Experian (EXPGY) as well as regulators and the Government Accountability Office asking for information to gauge whether federal legislation is needed to protect consumers. "I am troubled by this attack - described as 'one of the largest risks to personally sensitive information in recent years' - and by the fact that it represents the third recent instance of a data breach of Equifax or its subsidiaries that has endangered American's personal information," she wrote in a letter to Equifax chairman and CEO Richard Smith. Warren, who sits on the Senate Subcommittee for Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection, stated the proposed legislation would prevent firms like Equifax from charging its customers for freezing and unfreezing access to their credit files. Shares of Equifax were sinking over 2% in pre-market trading on Friday. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Shares of the main airline stocks are on the move Friday morning after JPMorgan published a number of calls regarding the sector in the aftermath of both Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. Shares of American Airlines Group (AAL) - Get Free Report and United Continental Holdings (UAL) - Get Free Report were falling over 1% and 2%, respectively, after the firm lowered its rating on both carriers to "Neutral" from "Overweight" predicated on concerns over higher fuel costs and pricing weakness. Both Hurricanes Irma and Harvey have caused the price of jet fuel to spike. But, JPMorgan hiked its rating on Southwest Airlines (LUV) - Get Free Report to "Overweight" from "Neutral" arguing the airline is better positioned to combat the weakness than the other two and that its valuation is attractive at current levels. Nonetheless, shares of Southwest were in the red during early Friday morning trading. Also in focus, in light of Friday morning's terrorist attack in London, are the stocks of the main hotel companies. Shares of Marriot International (MAR) - Get Free Report were falling in Friday morning trading, while shares of Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT) - Get Free Report and InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) - Get Free Report were also moving lower. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: The biggest risk to the bull market may not be geopolitical. With stocks are record highs, Andres Garcia, CEO of Zoe Financial, is worried about U.S. stock market valuations. While he thinks U.S. stocks can head higher in the short-term, he'd rather be in emerging markets or European stocks in the coming years. It still looks like the market is being dominated by machines and those well-heeled investors who invest knowing full well what those machines are programmed to do. How else could one characterize what the heck is going on with this market? North Korea shoots another missile over Japan on the Thursday evening (morning their time), and that is followed by a reported terrorist incident in the U.K. on Friday that looks to have injured 18 people. Yet the stock market hasn't budged and, in fact it seems, investors have become more bullish. Investors dumped $1.9 billion into U.S. stock funds in the week ended Sept. 14, according to research from Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Crazy time. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Indiana may be headed for job losses in 2023 Batelco, Bahrain's leading telecom operator, will take part and participate in panel discussions at the Telecoms World Middle East and Carriers World Middle East 2017, taking place in Dubai on September 18 and 19. Batelco Group chief wholesale officer Ahmed Abdellatif will lead the Batelco team at the event and take part as a keynote panellist to discuss 'Organisational Evolution'. Abdellatif said that he was very pleased to be joining the discussion on the need for organisational evolution within the wholesale side of the communications industry. The wholesale side of the telecommunications industry is changing rapidly to support the vast changes taking place in the enterprise and retail sides of the business. While this change imperative creates a number of challenges and necessitates complex restructuring decisions, it is also opening the door to a vast array of growth opportunities for those Telcos that are not afraid to commit to making those changes. Telecoms World Middle East is among the biggest and most influential telecom events in the region dedicated to examining the future of telecoms in the Middle East, North Africa, South and Central Asia and across the globe and attracting over 800 attendees from the full spectrum of the industry. Batelco executives participation in keynote panel discussions at such prestigious regional events reflects the companys position as a leading organising that is at the forefront of innovation in the region, the company said. - TradeArabia News Service When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Hey, so I'm looking into traveling to PC in January of 2018, and can't seem to get a definite answer from anyone whether or not a US Travel Document form I-327 will suffice for entry requirements into the Dominican Republic. The DR normally requires a valid passport, but I am only a permanent resident in the USA and do not hold citizenship elsewhere. Is form I-327 a valid substitution for a passport for entry into the DR? Just a couple of thoughts 1. Make sure you have your Visas ahead of time. You probably already have yours, but you'd be surprised st the number of your countrymen who apparently don't realise they need a visa to visit Australia. 2. I'd recommend you spend your first day exploring Brisbane. Overnight there and set off for the Sunshine Coast next day. It's not a smart idea to hop off a long leg international flight & into a rental car in a strange country, 3. You will driving on 3 lane highways for the most part between centres. Something to note, especially in Queensland, is that we have rather a lot of round-abouts ( traffic circles). These are a very efficient traffic management system, but can be confusing to new players. Read up on the rules so you have a good idea about them https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/rules/road/roundabouts Make sure you note & obey the speed limits. We have managed to reduce our road deaths & injuries significantly, but still have too many - hence we are very strict on speeding. Most highways are 100 or 110kph, but can drop down in some areas. These are well signposted, so keep an eye out. A speeding fine won't enhance your holiday! While I'm thinking about driving - make sure you read & understand the parking signs in the street when you park, I know this sounds obvious, but ...we see some wails from people who haven't bothered, parked in the wrong spot,during clearway times or over-stayed the permitted time - and are fined. 4. Australia Zoo. Beerwah is about half way between Brisbane & the Sunshine Coast. The whole drive is only about 2 hours, so I wouldn't bother staying there. There is also a beautiful & much less commercial native animal sanctuary in Brisbane. Lone Pine - http://koala.net/en-au/ 5. Someone upthread mentioned coffee. Here's a guide you may find useful. Sorry about the ads, but it gives the picture, so to speak ;). And yes, we take good coffee so seriously, Starbucks fizzled out & withdrew all but a few stores in quick time . http://www.extracrispy.com/drinks/2496/the-australian-coffee-drinks-that-any-coffee-lover-should-know In Noosa, I would just pick one place to stay & use it as a base. It's not a large area, easy to get around with a car. I probably wouldn't stay right in Hastings street - but I've been visiting for many, many years, so my perspective wouldn't be that of a first time visitor. And lots of people love to be right in the centre. Booking.com is a good resource to find accommodation - but I always book direct with the property. if you haven't already booked, I would do it immediately - you are going in peak holiday period. Hey folks! The last time I was in this part of the world I got to see lovely Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. I couldn't fit Vietnam in the schedule. This time, I'm going to hit up Vietnam and Laos (so my wife can see it too). We have 6 - 7 days in Vietnam and I was thinking we could stick to North and Central Vietnam. We'll save HCMC and the Mekong Delta for another trip. We will be in early November - here is what I currently have: 1. Travel to Hanoi (land in Hanoi, check out the city) 2. Hanoi - Nin-Binh (take in the countryside) 3. Nin-Binh (Tam Coc, overnight train to Hue) 4. Hue (river cruise) 5. Hue - Danang (beach) 6. Danang (Marble Mountain) 7. Danang - Hanoi (Flight to Hanoi, depart onward to Laos) As you can guess, we love the outdoors, local culture/food and prefer to stay away from really large crowds. We would love to hear what you think! Specifically, should we drop one destination and stay a few extra days at one of the others? Thanks so much for your feedback! I hate it when I agree with Scotsman.... ;-) Yep, head to Ninh Binh straight after your Halong Bay cruise. You will probably need to do it by private transfer; cost somewhere around $100; but it will save heaps of travel and time. And yep, still plan to head to Hoi An, but have a back up plan if it looks a bit doubtful. And yep again, to flying direct to Can Tho for the Mekong. And you can do that from Hanoi, as well, if the weather makes Hoi An an unattractive proposition. Scott Listen to DFAT. Use a good insurance company that gives full ground support. World Nomad appears to give a wider range of cover; https://www.worldnomads.com/ I take student exchange groups to Japan and would still be going ahead. There are some very handy apps for safety when traveling in Japan. Load them up on your phone and just be prepared. Having lived there for many years and married into the culture I know that the Japanese have been dealing with this rouge nation's actions quietly for decades. The Japanese are doing drills and upping their call to action notifications. No guarantees in life. "From what I've read people in Japan are not so worried as these threats have always happened." Exactly. Nobody really cares. Apart from media, because they need to sell a story. Today was just a normal day. The test didn't even warrant a mention from the boss during our morning meeting at work. The coming typhoon is of a bigger concern, because it's a 3-day weekend. 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. 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. Militants launched 28 attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in ATO area in Donbas over the past day. One Ukrainian soldier was killed, two more were wounded. This is reported by the ATO press center. The tensest situation was observed in Mariupol direction, where militants used grenade launchers and heavy machine guns to shell Ukrainian positions outside Vodiane (16km north-west of Donetsk). Illegal armed formations also launched seven 82mm mortars near Marinka (35 km south-west of Donetsk). Ukrainian strongholds on the outskirts of Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol), Talakivka (20km north-west of Mariupol) and Hnutove (19km north-west of Mariupol) came under enemy fire. In Donetsk direction, Russian-backed militants fired at ATO troops near Zaitseve (67km north-north-east of Donetsk), using weapons on infantry fighting vehicles and mortars. The industrial area of Avdiivka (18km north of Donetsk) came under grenade launcher fire. Militants also used grenade launcher and heavy machine guns to shell Ukrainian positions near Butovka coal mine (11.4km north-west of Donetsk). In Luhansk direction, illegal armed formations launched attacks on Ukrainian troops outside Krymske (42.5km north-west of Luhansk), using mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. ol The European Investment Bank (EIB) provides Ukraine with strong support in energy and transport infrastructure reforms through the financing of 13 projects. Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Kistion said this following a meeting with Vice President of the EIB Vazil Hudak. In particular, Volodymyr Kistion and Vazil Hudak discussed preparations for the signing of new agreements between Ukraine and the European Investment Bank on financing the modernization of gas production at Ukrainian fields, as well as upgrading the power substations at Ukraines electricity supplying enterprises. This agreement is expected to be signed in December this year. According to Kistion, this agreement is aimed at increasing the efficiency of gas production at the fields of Ukrgazvydobuvannia for the sum of EUR 37 million, as well as the modernization of power substations of electricity suppliers for the sum of EUR 130 million. "Our strategic goal is to become energy independent until 2020. Therefore, the Ukrainian government is ready to provide assistance as much as possible in the carrying out this important project," the Vice Prime Minister noted during the meeting. iy It is important for Ukraine not to rest on what has been achieved, but to move forward, IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton has said in an interview with the Ekonomichna Pravda online newspaper. He noted that the purpose of his visit to Ukraine was to get an update on the economic situation in Ukraine and the progress of reforms. "I came at the time when we are preparing the next World Economic Outlook - our fresh assessment of the global economy, which is very relevant for Ukraine. We also discussed the progress of reform program, supported by the IMF. There have been some delays in this program. At the same time, it's a critical moment for Ukraine to move forward with the reform agenda," Lipton said. According to him, the government, state-owned enterprises were being improved, land reform was underway, and the cleaning of the banking system continued. "If all these things move forward, including fulfilling the commitment on anti-corruption court, Ukraine has good prospects for more rapidly growing economy, and seeing living standards converge to advanced economies," Lipton said. At the same time, he noted that Ukraine was "way behind" in convergence process if compared with many of its neighbors. "It's important not to rest, because growth is positive and because global recovery makes it easier. Ukraine needs to press ahead to improve the situation in the future," Lipton said. According to him, the focus of this review is on pension reform, and on measures to speed up privatization and ensure concrete results in anticorruption efforts. He said that it was equally important that the fiscal and energy sector policies remain consistent with program commitments. op The representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group on the settlement of the situation in Donbas, Leonid Kuchma, believes that economic sanctions against Russia should be strengthened. He said this on Friday, September 15, answering journalists' questions during the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Russia will withstand economic sanctions at the current level. The Soviet Union withstood 50 years of the cold war, and therefore Russia is able to withstand these trade sanctions," Kuchma said. He noted that in order to influence Russia, economic sanctions should be strengthened. ish The land reform remains an important element of the program supported by the IMF, and Ukraine should find a way to get the right decision on this important topic. David Lipton, First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF said this in an interview with the Ekonomichna Pravda online newspaper. "Land reform remains an important element of the program. What was agreed is that more time is needed to get the right decision on this important topic," the IMF representative said. According to him, "For the last quarter of the century Im being told by various politicians that land reform in Ukraine is impossible. It is true that it takes time and benefits come over time. But it shouldn't take 25 years! We see the revival of agriculture, which is clearly among Ukraines strengths. Even agriculture that had been oriented on export to Russia has been very effectively reoriented toward the West," he stressed. As Lipton noted, it is important that there are incentives to invest in agriculture, which means that land should be available for the use as collateral when raising investment capital. Equally important is that farmers have the certainty of access to land over time, so that they are farming the land sustainably, he stressed. ol Ukraine and India have agreed to enhance cooperation in the agrarian sector and to create a relevant intergovernmental commission, according to Deputy Economic Development and Trade Deputy Minister Ukraines trade representative Natalia Mykolska. "As the agrarian sector and the ready-to-eat food sector are promising for Ukrainian producers, we have agreed to create a special working group on agrarian issues under the Joint Intergovernmental Commission, which will meet this autumn. In general, we had very informative and productive meetings with the Indian side, Mykolska said, the ministrys press service reports. According to Mykolska, during the work of Ukraines trade mission in India, the parties discussed the possible entry of Ukrainian agrarian products into the Indian market, in particular apples, berries and stone fruits. The deputy minister also said that representatives of 11 Ukrainian companies in the agrarian and engineering sector conducted more than 100 B2B meetings with potential Indian partners in the cities of New Delhi and Mumbai, and participated in the international food exhibition Annapoorna World of Food India. iy Ukraine should intensify the implementation of reforms, which remains rather slow. President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti said this at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "It's time for Ukraine to stop the years-long practice of half reforms. Reforms cannot be an end in themselves. They should contribute to the sustainable development of Ukraine. However, this requires dismantling the last obstacles to investment in the country. We have facilitated these reforms in recent years, though feeling constant resistance," Chakrabarti stressed. The EBRD President noted that Ukraine should do more to protect proprietary rights and intensify the fight against corruption. Chakrabarti called the recovery of financial sector, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine and land reform among the key reforms to be implemented in Ukraine. ol Transiting Russian gas through the Ukrainian gas transportation system after 2020 remains to be a priority in the activities of the European Commission. Maros Sefcovic , European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union said this at the 14th Annual Meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Ukraine has great potential to become an energy hub. I should note that important gas transiting through Ukraine after 2020 is a priority for the European Union," he said. The European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union praised significant progress in reforming the Ukrainian economy, despite the difficult conditions caused by the war on the eastern border. ol Ukraine has done much in the last two years to reform its economy, European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic has stated. Ukraine has done much in the last two years to overcome the economic crisis, he said at the 14th the Yalta European Strategy (YES) annual meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. According to him, the European Union was concerned about the "potential collapse of Ukraine in the economic sphere, in particular, it concerned the instability of national currency. At the same time, at present the banking sector is reviving, and economic growth is returning to Ukraine," Sefcovic said. He also noted that relations between Ukraine and the European Commission have become much stronger over the past two years, and their potential is constantly growing. iy The creation of an anti-corruption court in Ukraine is an important next step in the fight against corruption, and the International Monetary Fund calls on the government to take this step, IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton has said in an interview with the Ekonomichna Pravda online newspaper. According to him, "anti-corruption requires a very comprehensive approach, something that can't be done by a single institution." "One needs strong prosecution, right judges, enforcement of judgments. It's not a simple process. NABU [National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine] was an important accomplishment. We certainly agree that the creation of an anti-corruption court is an important next step. We encourage the government to do that," Lipton said. Earlier on Friday, September 15, at the opening of the 14th Annual Meeting of Yalta European Strategy (YES), President Petro Poroshenko said that the creation of an anti-corruption court could take one and a half to two years, so it is expedient first to create an anti-corruption chamber, which could begin its work next month. In July 2017, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said after the EU-Ukraine summit that the EU does not insist on the creation of a specialized anti-corruption court in Ukraine and agrees as an interim option to an anti-corruption chamber as part of the existing judicial system. op The Ukrainian side is now working on a list of 144 people held hostage in the occupied territories and the Russian Federation. The representative of Ukraine in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement of the situation in Donbas, Iryna Gerashchenko, said this to journalists during the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES), an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "As of today, we are working on a list of 144 people. Unfortunately, the list has recently expanded," Gerashchenko said. She explained that the list had expanded, in particular after the arrest of 19-year-old student Hryb in Belarus. According to Gerashchenko, over the past few months, some progress has been made, in particular, the confirmation of those Ukrainians who are held in the occupied territories. ish Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin and Foreign Minister of Kenya Amina Mohamed discuss the possibility of cooperation in the fields of tourism, agriculture, education, science and countering terrorism. The bilateral meeting took place within the Athens Democracy Forum, the press service of the Foreign Ministry informs. "During the meeting, the sides discussed the possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in trade and economic (tourism, agriculture), education, scientific and political and legal (countering international terrorism) spheres," the report reads. The foreign minister of Ukraine invited the Kenyan colleague to visit Ukraine. The parties agreed on the continuation of communications in the near future. ish In response to new U.S. visa sanctions on Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Friday Cambodia was suspending its program to recover the remains of U.S. service personnel missing since the Vietnam war. The U.S. on Wednesday announced visa restrictions on high-ranking officials at the foreign ministry and their families. In response, Cambodia is telling the U.S. that co-operation in the search for remains ... will be temporarily suspended, Hun Sen said on Friday. He added that the suspension would be lifted when normal relations were resumed. If the U.S. does not give us them back [remove the visa sanctions], we will not co-operate with the U.S. over this issue, he said. If you do something to me, I will do it back. He went on to appeal to the families of the missing not to blame the Cambodian government, calling on them to blame Washington instead. More than 1,600 Americans remain unaccounted for as a result of the Vietnam war, with about 48 thought to be missing in Cambodia. U.S. Ambassador William A. Heidt said the embassy had yet to receive any notification of the decision. I dont know what the wording will be. I just dont know what they are going to do. You know we value each area of our relationship. We value that cooperation. And if they want to suspend [the program] and if that's what happens, that is unfortunate, he said. Cambodia and the United States have consistently enjoyed very strong cooperation on POW/MIA recovery efforts, which has won Cambodia much gratitude in the U.S. As a result of this cooperation, the United States has been able to identify and repatriate the remains of 42 personnel missing from the Indochina conflict, Arend Zwartjes, U.S. Embassy spokesman, said in an email on Friday. Tensions between the U.S. and Cambodia have escalated since the government banned democracy promotion NGO the National Democratic Institute from the country last month and expelled its foreign staff. Cambodia later accused the United States of being behind an unsubstantiated opposition plot to overthrow the government. U.S. Ambassador William A. Heidt on Tuesday described the accusations as baseless, adding that government officials had completely, and intentionally, mischaracterized what the United States is doing in Cambodia. Chheang Vannarith, executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, said the U.S. will likely take further and stronger measures on Cambodia. Actions and reactions will further damage the bilateral ties, he added. Elizabeth Becker, a veteran journalist who reported on Cambodia in the 1970s, said: Hun Sen seems to be pushing the United States in order to portray America as a villain. Hun Sen is trying to draw attention away from his drastic attacks ... against the Cambodian opposition. So he behaves as a tyrant ... and portrays a foreign nation as the enemy, she added. Cambodia has said it will continue to accept deportees from the United States despite reports it would block criminals from being sent to Phnom Penh, which prompted Washington to impose visa restrictions on senior foreign ministry officials. In a speech on Thursday, Prak Sokhon, foreign affairs minister, confirmed that deportees would still be accepted by Cambodia in accordance with a 2002 agreement between the two parties. We will continue ... until we seek a proper solution for those deportees. We will wait for a better situation to discuss and negotiate about the matter since it is about humanity and mercy, he said. On Thursday, the foreign ministry issued a statement calling the new visa restrictions irrational. Prime Minister Hun Sens son, Hun Manet, posted on Facebook after the U.S. announced the visa restrictions, which he called punitive, that he had been approached by Cambodian-Americans who had asked that Cambodia deny entry to deportees, which would force the U.S. not to carry out the deportations. David Josar, U.S. Embassy spokesman, declined to comment on the developments. Ear Sophal, an associate professor at the Occidental College in Los Angeles, said the visa restrictions were a valid response to Cambodia and would help to improve the human rights situation and democracy in Cambodia. It can get worse if things don't improve. You can always blame President Trump for everything that goes wrong. Truth is, if things improved democratically in Cambodia, it would be easy to remove Cambodia from among the countries sanctioned. More than 550 Cambodians have been deported since the signing of the agreement between the two countries in 2002. While debate continues in Washington about how the latest round of sanctions against North Korea could have been tougher, and U.S. President Donald Trumps administration ponders additional actions, patience is wearing thin in China with the countrys longtime ally and communist neighbor. On the streets and in academic circles, some are beginning to see the North Korea problem not just as a threat to South Korea, Japan and the United States, but to China as well. Not a good neighbor Its dangerous. This is all happening right next door, says one woman surnamed Song, a foreign trader who lives in Beijing. North Korea has been researching and developing nuclear weapons for a long time and almost all of the international community is opposed to that effort, and yet it continues to go its own way. Song says that while China has done a lot to selflessly help North Korea, Pyongyang has done little to repay Beijing. In fact, it has done just the opposite, she adds. It is a country that clearly has no bottom line, she says. Earlier this week, China and Russia, along with other members of the United Nations Security Council, approved a fresh round of sanctions on North Korea that included caps on oil and natural gas imports and a ban on textile exports. The U.S.-drafted resolution included new measures that will prohibit North Koreans from working overseas. The United States wanted an all-out embargo on oil exports, but China and Russia refused to go along with that proposal. Lu Chao, a North Korea expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences in northeast China, says an all-out ban on oil exports to the North would collapse its economy; but, the compromise the two sides reached is still significant, he adds. Cutting energy exports [to the North] by 30 percent will hit North Koreas economy and society hard. That will push Pyongyang to ponder whether it should suspend its nuclear missile tests in order to re-engage with the international society, Lu says. Chinas basic position on North Korea has long been one of no war, no nukes and no instability; but, with North Koreas repeated missile and ICBM launches, as well as its latest nuclear test, Beijing increasingly is finding itself with less and less room to maneuver. Analysts estimate that if exports to the North were completely cut off, it would only have enough reserves to last about 12 months or less. China is the Norths biggest supplier of oil, which is delivered by rail, air and an underground pipeline. Of all the routes, the pipeline is the biggest source of crude oil. And that oil, Lu says, comes from China's Daqing Oil Field. The oil contains a higher level of wax, which could clog or damage the pipeline if it is shut down. The cut of oil supplies by 30 percent, however, will not be an issue for the pipeline, he says. That is, if North Korea, does not take any further action. If it does, sanctions could be tightened even further and a growing chorus of scholars here is advocating that Beijing take a tougher stance. Without a doubt, Chinas relations with the North Korea have hit rock bottom [and] are at a historic low, Lu says. The only roadblock to their relationship is Pyongyangs insistence in nuclear development a red line that China will never, ever tolerate. The United States has indicated it could add further sanctions, if the current U.N. resolution is not fully implemented. In an interview Wednesday with Fox News, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned that the U.S. was prepared to stop trade with any country that did not follow through with the new measures. Tougher approach Among the public in China, some see a need for a tougher approach, even though there is skepticism about the effectiveness of sanctions or whether North Korean leaders Kim Jong Un means what he says. [I support sanctions] if they dont impact the people of North Korea that much. [Sanctions] on the leadership should be tougher, says one man with the last name of Yang, who is a retired engineer. Some see Kims rhetoric as nothing but talk, but also see little room for China to sit by idly. I dont think hell necessarily do what he says. Start a nuclear war or something. Its all political posturing, says another man, surnamed Yang, who works in the financial industry. He says that as a neighbor, Beijing has little choice but to speak up and let North Korea know China disagrees with what it is doing. The best thing would be for everyone to sit down and talk. And I think China should play a mediating role adds one woman, surnamed Wang, who is a doctor and resident in Beijing. The Chinese government has long advocated a return to talks on denuclearization, but those have been stalled for nearly a decade and North Korea has shown no sign it is interested in giving up its weapons. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim warned Friday that the Iraqi Kurdish plan to hold an independence referendum was a "grave mistake." Iraqi Kurdistan regional President Masoud Barzani has called for the referendum on Sept. 25 in the semi-autonomous area. Turkey, which borders the Iraqi Kurdish region, has strong ties with Barzani, but Ankara has been stepping up its pressure to call off the vote. There are 10 days left (to the referendum). Therefore, I want to repeat our friendly call to Masoud Barzani: Correct this mistake while there is still time, Yildirim said Friday to supporters. The warning was followed by Ankara's first direct threat. We don't want to impose sanctions, but, if we arrive at that point, there are steps that have been already planned that Turkey can take, Yildirim added. The warning comes days after the Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, told the Kurds that they would pay a price for the vote. Ankara, with its own restive Kurdish minority, that mainly borders Iraqi Kurdistan, fears an independent Kurdish state could fuel similar secessionist demands. Those fears are heightened by the suspicion that Syrian Kurds on the Turkish border harbor the same independence ambitions. Turkish fears over the referendum have created rare common ground across the country's deep political divide. Balkanization of the Middle East would bring instability, warned Ceyda Karan, a columnist with the Turkish opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper. Borders are not drawn fairly in many parts of the world. The question of where to find fairness in redrawing them is unknown. The United States has voiced strong opposition to the independence vote. On Friday the White House released a statement saying the United States does not support the Kurdish plan to hold a referendum, saying the plan is distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS and stabilize the liberated areas. Further, it says, Holding the referendum in disputed areas is particularly provocative and destabilizing. The Trump administration is calling on the Kurds to cancel the referendum and instead engage in serious and sustained dialogue with Baghdad, which the U.S. has offered to facilitate. WATCH: Iraqi Kurds Prepare for Independence Vote, Despite Opposition Iran has also registered its opposition to the referendum, but Turkey arguably has the most leverage on the Iraqi Kurds. The Habur border gate on Turkey's frontier with Iraq is the main trade route to the outside world for Iraqi Kurdistan, while an oil pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan provides a financial lifeline. Sanctions could prove to be a double edged sword. Habur does not only mean gate to Iraqi Kurdistan, points out former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who set up Turkey's consulate in Iraqi Kurdistan's capital of Irbil. Habur means gate to Iraq and in today's terms means gate to the Middle East as all border gates are closed with Syria. There is the oil pipeline; Iraqi Kurdistan oil, including Kirkuk oil, is being marketed to global markets through (the port city of) Ceyhan. That is a win, win for Ankara, Selcen added. Financial considerations are not the only factors that Ankara has to consider. Ankara is against it (the referendum) but on the other hand, Barzani is the best ally in the region. I think they are not that vocal when it comes to the referendum, says political scientist Cengiz Aktar. Barzani in the past decade has developed a close relationship with Ankara, one built not only on lucrative trade, but on security cooperation. Barzani has provided assistance to Ankara in Turkey's war against the Kurdish rebel group the PKK, which is waging a decades-long insurgency for greater minority rights in Turkey and has bases in Iraqi Kurdistan. Turkish election politics could further restrict Ankara's room to maneuver. The Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum threatens to complicate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's re-election bid in 2019. I understand Mr. Erdogan is trying to balance the traditional Kurdish vote that goes with (Erdogans) AK Party and (Turkish) nationalists, points out former diplomat Selcen, who is now a regional analyst. The Kurdish vote in Turkey traditionally accounts for about 10 percent of Erdogan's support, votes that could be crucial in what is predicted to be a closely fought presidential election. Analyst Selcen suggests the solution to the political conundrum posed by the Iraqi Kurdish independence vote to Erdogan's own ambitions could be to simply do nothing. I think in today's system in Turkey, one should only follow closely what Mr. Erdogan says, and, knowing his usual style and usual rhetoric, I find Mr. Erdogan's position much milder and more moderate. I will speculate that following Sept. 25, the day of the referendum, it will be business as usual between Ankara and Irbil. Darren Aronofsky does not just want audiences to watch his new film mother! He wants to shake them up and leave them thinking about his genre-defying, surreal apocalyptic thriller. Its very much a scary film. Its very much a film that we want to shake audiences, Aronofsky told Reuters. This is definitely a film that we want people to be talking about and giggling about and analyzing and thinking about for times to come, he added. An allegorical tale Aronofsky, 48, mined the depths and descent of the human psyche in films such as Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan. With mother!, released in U.S. theaters Friday, Aronofsky channels his fury with the state of the world into an allegorical story that reflects mankinds selfish relationship with nature, gender, politics and religion. The film centers on Jennifer Lawrence, a beautiful, naive young woman newly married to an older writer (Javier Bardem) suffering from writers block, and the two settle down into the writers secluded home. As Lawrences character, an embodiment of Mother Nature, slowly renovates the property, two strangers, played by Michelle Pfeiffer and Ed Harris, turn up at their doorstep and kick off a series of events that blur the lines of reality and escalate into chaos. I was interested in the home invasion genre the kind of feeling of people coming into your home that wont leave, the director said. Turning that into a nightmare was the journey we wanted to take audiences on, and then we had this other big idea of like trying to capture what it feels like to be in 21st century America, which is a crazy time right now, he added. Reviews mixed The film sharply split critics as it made the rounds at festivals in Venice and Toronto earlier this month, receiving both boos and cheers at screenings. Aronofsky said he welcomed the mixed reaction because it meant the film had caught peoples attention. We wanted to make something big and loud and also something thats immediate, he said. I want everyone to know, hey man, you only come if you want to go on the roller coaster and hold your arms up and scream into the abyss. Thats why its (the film title) got an exclamation point, he added. The German Marshall Fund says it has documented Russian interference in the elections or political affairs of at least 27 countries since 2004, ranging from disinformation campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and other social media to cyber attacks. The Helsinki Commission held a hearing Thursday on Capitol Hill focusing on what it called the "scourge" of Russian disinformation conducted both at home and abroad. Through its active measures campaign that includes aggressive interference in Western elections, Russia aims to sell fear, discord, and paralysis that undermines democratic institutions and weakens critical Western alliances such as NATO and the EU, charged Republican Senator Corey Gardner. Russias ultimate goal is to replace the Western-led world order of laws and institutions with an authoritarian-led order that recognizes only masters and vassals. US election meddling Other experts agreed during a session in which few if any defenders of Russia were represented, reflecting the increasingly adversarial relationship between the two countries. Molly McKew of the communications consulting firm Fianna Strategies spoke with VOA about reports that Russia targeted U.S. voters on social media during last year's presidential election campaign. I think even the Kremlin is surprised at how easy it is to use social media as an amplification tool for the kind of narrative that they do, she said. McKew said opinion polls show most Americans do not believe disinformation could work on them. But she says the Russian government uses marketing and basic psychology to influence people to vote for a certain person or to stay at home on election day. In an era when many get their own personalized news feeds on Facebook or Twitter, she said, people can be targeted individually with what she calls ads, smears or lies. RT, Sputnik broadcasts U.S. complaints of Russian disinformation have focused frequently on the broadcasts of the Moscow-backed RT television network and Sputnik news agency, which have denied they are spreading propaganda. When it was reported this week that the FBI recently questioned a former White House correspondent for Sputnik as part of an investigation into whether it is acting as an undeclared propaganda arm of the Kremlin, the news agency said in a statement: "We are more than happy to answer any questions the [Department of Justice] or the FBI might have. Sputnik is 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." However Broadcasting Board of Governors CEO John Lansing, who also spoke at the forum, agreed with others on the magnitude of the Russian threat and said the United States must counter Russian disinformation, but do so by with objective news and information. The United States will not do propaganda, said Lansing, whose agency oversees U.S.-funded broadcasting around the world. And in fact we have a firewall protection, a legislative firewall that makes it impossible for the government to interfere with our independent editorial decision-making. WATCH: Lansing on countering Russian propaganda Lansing, who oversees the Voice of America and several other U.S. government-funded broadcasters, said he has seen a "global explosion of propaganda and lies," and that his agency is focused on getting accurate information to Russian speakers around the world. The forum was shown a promotional video for "Current Time," a Russian-language news network jointly operated by VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which Lansing said, "helps viewers tell fact from fiction." "The Russian strategy seeks to destroy the very idea of an objective, verifiable set of facts," Lansing said. "The BBG is adapting to meet this challenge head on by offering audiences and alternatives to Russian disinformation in the form of objective, independent and professional news and information." Germany, France elections Melissa Hopper of Human Rights First said Germany appears set to fend off attempts by Russia to interfere in its elections later this month. She said Berlin acted early, after the U.S. election last November, to establish a government-wide task force to counteract Russian manipulation of social media. Hopper also said France was successful in thwarting Russian interference during its elections in April and May, with the French media agreeing not to cover information that came from cyber attacks. But she warned that Russia has quite an arsenal at its disposal, including a worldwide media program with an annual budget of more than $300 million. She said Russian online media weaponizes false media narratives, especially about minority populations such as immigrants or LGBT communities, which can lead to physical threats in the real world. Australia plans to build another detention center for failed asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea (PNG). An existing facility on Manus Island in PNG is due to close within weeks and was found to be unconstitutional by a court last year. The decision has left many detainees in limbo. Australia has detained asylum seekers who try to reach its shores by boat on camps in the South Pacific. About 800 men have been held at a migrant processing facility at Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Around 600 detainees have had their refugee claims approved, and could be resettled in the United States under a deal struck between Canberra and Washington last year. The fate, however, of 200 men at the so-called Regional Processing Center on Manus Island who have had their asylum applications rejected is unclear. About half of this group is expected to be voluntarily deported, but others cannot be repatriated because their countries of citizenship will not accept their forced return. Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton says these men are likely to be sent to another detention camp on the outskirts of the PNG capital, Port Moresby. Those people, which total about 200 that have been found not to be refugees, are to be moved into an alternative place of detention away from the Regional Processing Center given they have no lawful claim to be in PNG, said Dutton. Australia detains all asylum seekers until security and health checks are carried out. Migrants who arrive by sea have been taken to the Australian-sponsored camps in PNG and on the tiny republic of Nauru, which will remain open. Officials have said the policy has deterred asylum seekers from risking their lives at sea trying to reach Australian territory. Rights campaigners, however, have consistently criticized conditions inside the camps, which have been beset by unrest, hunger strikes and allegations of the abuse of child detainees. Inmates at Manus Island have also alleged they have been held in torture-like conditions. Australia grants visas to about 16,000 refugees each year. It has also offered protection to 12,000 people fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq. Bangladesh is protesting a violation of its airspace by helicopters and drones from Myanmar, as tensions between the two countries escalate over a massive influx of Rohingya Muslim refugees into Bangladesh. Bangladesh's foreign ministry summoned the charge d'affaires of Myanmar's embassy in Dhaka and warned the airspace violations could lead to unwarranted consequences. This is the third time in three weeks that Bangladesh has summoned Myanmar's envoy as the refugee crisis of the Rohingya grows. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday that the number of Rohingya refugees who have fled across the border to Bangladesh has climbed to 391,000. Rohingya refugees say Myanmar's military and members of the Buddhist majority have attacked their villages in northern Rakhine state, forcing them to flee. There are reports of villages being burned to the ground and the military deliberately targeting civilians, but access to the region is limited, so the reports can't be independently verified. Dujarric said the first 15 of 35 scheduled trucks of aid provided by the U.N. refugee agency arrived in Cox's Bazaar on Friday, while other agencies are airlifting their supplies into Bangladesh. The spokesman said the World Health Organization launches a vaccination drive on Saturday to immunize refugee children against measles and polio. Also Friday, protests took place in Bangladesh and South Africa over the treatment of the Rohingya Muslims. Thousands of protesters in Dhaka urged Bangladesh's government to go to war over the issue, while a rally in Pretoria, South Africa, by hundreds of people turned violent with police firing stun grenades to disperse an angry crowd. The protests follow other demonstrations in recent weeks in such countries as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Iran. The Rohingya are a minority group largely based in Rakhine. Myanmar's government calls them Bengalis and considers them illegal migrants, even though many families have been in the country for generations. Sectarian violence between the Rohingya and Myanmar's Buddhist majority has flared repeatedly over the past two decades, but the latest round is among the worst so far. A phalanx of police and a campus on virtual lockdown Thursday accomplished the University of California, Berkeley administrations goal of allowing a conservative to speak at the famously liberal university, which has become known more recently for its violent demonstrations between those with opposing viewpoints. Outside, hundreds of protesters were allowed to voice their displeasure over the speech by former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro, chanting no Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA. Others held signs objecting to the university hosting Shapiro. Orderly event, a few arrests For the most part it was an orderly event, attended by respectful orderly people, UC Police Chief Margo Bennett said. The crowd in the street was loud, but not violent. Bennett said four or five people were arrested on city property, though Berkeley police tweeted later Thursday night that nine had been arrested. We had a successful event tonight, UC spokesman Dan Mogulof said, adding that the university is committed to hosting speakers like Shapiro in the future. He estimated security costs could hit $600,000 for the event. Streets were closed and concrete barriers were erected in what many saw as the latest polarizing event to raise concerns about violence in the city. Xochitl Johnson, an organizer with Refuse Fascism, a group protesting Shapiros speech, attacked the university for deploying police for what she said was the creation of a safe space for fascists. She said it was wrong for the school to shut down the campus to let him speak. Shapiro was invited to speak by campus Republicans, who say the liberal university stifles the voice of conservative speakers. Earlier event canceled Police and UC Berkeley officials were criticized last February for giving demonstrators wide latitude and standing aside as anarchists hurled Molotov cocktails at officers and caused $100,000 worth of damage during a planned speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. The event was canceled. A list of banned items Thursday included shields, masks, bandanas, poles and torches, and for the first time in two decades, the city council authorized city officers to use pepper spray to control violence. Four political demonstrations have turned violent in Berkeley since February, prompting officers to come up with new strategies to control rowdy and sometimes dangerous crowds. Thursdays event was being seen as a test run for later in the month, when Yiannopoulos plans to return to campus for what he is calling a Free Speech Week on campus featuring conservative commentator Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, ex-chief strategist for President Donald Trump who has returned to Breitbart News. Campus officials say that event is not yet confirmed. For his part, Shapiro opened his speech by denouncing white supremacy and small-mindedness. He urged people to sit and down and talk to people who have different political views than them rather than yelling at those who are not like them. Get to know people, get to know their views. Discuss, debate, Shapiro said. That is what America is all about. Brazilian President Michel Temer was charged with obstruction of justice and racketeering on Thursday, according to a statement posted on the prosecutor general's office website, threatening to delay the government's economic reform agenda in Congress. It is the second set of criminal charges filed against the president based on the plea-bargain testimony of the owners of the world's largest meatpacker, JBS SA. They accused Temer of taking bribes in return for political favors and of conspiring to buy the silence of a witness who could implicate the leader. The earlier corruption charge, that he took bribes from JBS officials, was blocked in August by Temer's allies in the lower house of Congress, which has the power to decide whether a president should stand trial by the Supreme Court. Temer has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Despite the lower house's move to block the charges, they remain valid and can be pursued by prosecutors once Temer leaves office. His term ends on Jan. 1, 2019. Brazil's top public prosecutor, Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot, will also bring charges against Joesley Batista, the billionaire former chairman of JBS who implicated Temer, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. Batista was arrested on Sunday for concealing other crimes in his plea bargain deal. On Wednesday, Batista's brother Wesley, the chief executive officer of JBS SA, was also arrested for alleged insider trading to avoid hefty losses related to the May plea deal. The arrests of the Batista brothers have improved Temer's prospects of surviving the new charges and serving out his term through 2018. Temer and his allies expect the new charges to be voted in the lower house next month with wider support than he obtained in the 263-227 vote last month blocking a trial. The charges are part of Brazil's sprawling corruption probes that have resulted in ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's conviction and four pending trials; investigations and charges implicating three former presidents and dozens of members of Congress; and guilty verdicts against well over 100 powerful business and political figures. Most of the schemes involve political kickbacks in return for contracts at government-run enterprises or cheap loans from Brazil's state development bank. The racketeering charge against Temer was based on the plea bargain testimony of Lucio Funaro, a businessman who accused the president and his closest aides in the ruling PMDB party of operating a criminal organization to collect bribes in exchange for political influence. The obstruction of justice charge was based on testimony by Joesley Batista that Temer endorsed payments of hush money to try to keep Funaro from talking. A short legislative agenda ahead of an election year, the absence of public pressure to oust Temer and the lack of any convincing replacement for him are also likely to weigh in the president's favor. Given the short timetable, the general public apathy and lack of a viable alternative, it is quite possible that Brasilia will continue to punt this down the road, said Matthew Taylor, a professor at the American University in Washington. Cameroon's government says resurging violence in the Central African Republic has driven another 20,000 refugees into Cameroon this year and prevented the approximately 300,000 C.A.R. refugees who were already in the country from going home. The recent influx has increased humanitarian needs and tensions in border areas of eastern Cameroon. Seven hundred children attend the government primary school in the Timangolo refugee camp on Cameroon's eastern border with the Central African Republic. There were 500 students three months ago. Cameroon's government says most of the new refugees arriving from C.A.R. this year are women and children. Among them is 14-year-old Itna Issiaka, whose parents were killed in Bangui three years ago. Itna fled to Cameroon after her uncle, who was caring for her, was killed in August. Itna sits under a tree and refuses to go to class. She says she feels traumatized when she remembers her friends who are suffering, like Rafiatou, who is still in Bangui. Itna's teacher, Cecile Mvogo, says most of the children find it difficult to integrate into their new environment. Refugee children from C.A.R. have difficulty understanding languages spoken in eastern Cameroon, such as French and Gbaya, Mvogo says, so she uses a kind of sign language to communicate and to make them feel more comfortable. Security issues The conditions in the camps sparse, and refugees complain of water and food shortages. The U.N. refugee agency said as of April, just 5 percent of the funding needed for the refugees this year had been pledged. The government is pleading with donors to mobilize resources to help the refugees, said Rene Emmanuel Sadi, Cameroon's minister of territorial administration and decentralization. Security issues have also contributed to tensions with host communities. Last week, the government of Cameroon arrested 30 refugees accused of harvesting food from local farms. They were sent back to the camps and asked not to leave unless they were returning to their country. In addition, residents and local officials say fighters from the Central African Republic use the border zone in eastern Cameroon as a staging ground. Armed men from C.A.R. have been accused of kidnapping residents for ransom or stealing cattle and money. Businessmen One group of young refugees, however, has found a way to run a business outside the camps. They started their poultry farm on the outskirts of Moloundou with 15 chickens. Three years later, the farm has 400 birds and has hired five staff members, including one Cameroonian. But it wasn't easy. Their first effort was growing and selling vegetables, says Rigobert Abazene. However, some people drove them from the plot of land they had cleared in the bush. They didn't give up. Flavien Malaka, 21, who saw his parents and uncle killed before he escaped to Cameroon, said he and his business partners refused to compromise their futures and the future of their country by forgoing their educations. However, they needed money to pay for school. So, they built the poultry farm with sun-dried bricks they molded themselves. Malaka is now a third-year political science student at Cameroon's Yaounde 2 University. The poultry farm earns enough money to pay the university fees for all 10 young men. A decision by the BRICS nations to name and denounce specific terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere is sparking debate among academics and analysts in China. Earlier this month, the group, comprised of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, extended their support to Kabuls counterterrorism efforts during a meeting in China. The move caused some nervousness in Islamabad, forcing Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif to first visit Beijing and then fly to Tehran, canvassing support for his country. This was the first time China had publicly denounced Pakistan-based terror groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, which had earlier been censured by the United Nations Security Council. Islamabad had reasons to worry about a possible change in Beijings attitude, particularly at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off aid if Pakistan did not change its approach to terrorism. Analysts: Beijing public posturing At least in the public domain, Asifs visit proved fruitful, with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi praising Pakistans efforts to curb terrorism. When it comes to the issue of counterterrorism, Pakistan has done its best with a clear conscience. In comparison, some countries need to give Pakistan the full credit that it deserves, Wang said at a joint news conference with Asif this month. But analysts said this was just Beijings public posturing, adding China was seriously worried about Islamabads inability to curb terrorists residing in Pakistan, including the top leaders of East Turkmenistan Islamic Movement, which Beijing has accused of causing widespread terror in Chinas western region of Xinjiang, home to the countrys Muslim minority Uighur population. Beijing is also worried that rising terrorism might pose serious obstacles to the safety of Chinese citizens engaged in the construction of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The recent killing of two Chinese citizens by terrorists in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan has shaken some of Beijings faith in Islamabads ability to keep terrorism under check. Costly to China? Within China, the decision to condemn two Pakistan-based groups at the behest of India has played out in a controversial manner, with experts associated with government think tanks openly criticizing the countrys leadership. This is too costly to China. Pakistan will be very upset, said Hu Shisheng, director of the official China Institute of Contemporary International Relations. I think it is a strange decision. But Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said the BRICS organization has undergone significant changes. Stressing counterterrorism shows that the BRICS summit, which started from business cooperation, has expanded its cooperation to a more comprehensive level, he said. Hu tried to explain why Beijing agreed to join the BRICS declaration in an interview with the Beijing-based Global Times. China is also a victim of terrorism and is firmly against any kind of terrorism, and thats the main reason that the organizations are named in the declaration, he said. Chinese experts split Chinese experts are divided on this issue ahead of a crucial Communist Party Congress in October, which will determine the next set of leaders after 2017. There are analysts in China who are starting to realize that there are only two allies, North Korea and Pakistan, and both are major international diplomatic liabilities, Ramesh Thakur, professor at the Australian National University said. They think it might be better if China somehow accommodates India, which is a bigger player, and forgets all about Pakistan, which is a liability, he added. While Pakistan appeared unhappy with the BRICS declaration, Afghanistan seemed please. Afghanistan has welcomed it because it is aligned with Afghanistans regional outreach program, Ahmad Bilal Khalil, researcher at the Center for Strategic and Regional Studies in Kabul told VOA. Afghanistan believes that in the current situation in Afghanistan, it is not an internal Afghan war because we believe that it has original linkages (with other countries), Ahmad said, explaining that Afghanistan is the breeding ground for militants who have come in from other countries for training and logistic support. For example, those fighting in Afghanistan are Uzbeks, they are Uighurs, they are Chechens. Pakistanis are also fighting. So, it is a somehow original war and in order to curb it, regional outreach and consensus is a must, he said. Intelligence on terrorists needed Analysts say China, Russia and India desperately need ground intelligence in Afghanistan as well as the tribal areas of Pakistan because their homegrown terrorists are closely linked to the Taliban and other militant groups in these areas. The BRICS declaration also condemned two Pakistan-based terror groups who have been accused by India of conducting attacks in its cities, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which is active in Chinas Xinjiang region. Russia, China and India have all had issues with terrorist groups that claim to be acting in the name of Islam, Lee Branstetter, an associate professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Heinz School of Policy and Management told VOA. An important question is whether the BRICS effort will compliment or compete with the efforts of the United States in the battle against terrorism. Branstetter said, All these countries have a common interest in acting against Islamic terrorism, all these countries have cooperated with the United States in efforts to deal with this problem in the past. So, it is not all that surprising that these nations would have made statements they have made in countering terrorism. CIA Director Mike Pompeo scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard University over the school's decision to make Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of leaking classified information, a visiting fellow. Pompeo called Manning an American traitor. He said he agreed with military and intelligence officials who believe Manning's leak endangered the lives of CIA personnel. Pompeo was scheduled to appear at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government to discuss allegations of Russian involvement in last year's presidential election, the nuclear standoff with North Korea and other global security concerns. Pompeo letter released Minutes after the event was to begin, Douglas Elmendorf, dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, took the stage and told the audience Pompeo was not there and would not speak. We will try to reschedule it as soon as we can, but the CIA director, is obviously, in charge of his schedule, Elmendorf said. We are not in charge of his schedule and he gets to decide when and where he speaks, of course. Several hours later, the CIA released a letter that Pompeo wrote to a Harvard official. Pompeo, who has a law degree from Harvard, said he didnt make the decision lightly. He wrote that he would betray the trust of CIA employees if he appeared. Manning was released from a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 17 after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence, which was commuted by former President Barack Obama in his final days in office. Obama said in January he felt justice had been served. Manning, a 29-year-old transgender woman, formerly known as Bradley Manning, told ABC's Good Morning America in a recent interview that she was prompted to give the 700,000 military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks because of the human toll of the death, destruction and mayhem she saw as an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq. Morell resigns position In his letter, Pompeo reiterated his earlier claim that WikiLeaks is a U.S. adversary "akin to a hostile foreign intelligence service." He stressed that his decision had nothing to do with Manning's transgender identity. It has everything to do with her identity as a traitor to the United States of America and my loyalty to the officers of the CIA, Pompeo said. Harvard's actions implicitly tell its students that you too can be a fellow at Harvard and a felon under United States law, he wrote. Earlier in the day, Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to Elmendorf. Morell told Elmendorf he was resigning immediately over the school's decision to invite Manning to be a visiting fellow at the Kennedy School's Institute of Politics. Morell said he could not be part of an organization that honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information. Pompeo said Morell's exit was Harvard's loss. Harvard also has invited former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Harvard says Manning will be among fellows who will visit the campus for a limited number of events meant to spark campus discussion. The costs of fighting U.S. wildfires topped $2 billion in 2017, breaking records and underscoring the need to address a U.S. Forest Service budget that mostly goes to fires, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Thursday. "Forest Service spending on fire suppression in recent years has gone from 15 percent of the budget to 55 percent or maybe even more which means we have to keep borrowing from funds that are intended for forest management," Perdue said in a written statement. The Forest Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, could be spending that money on logging, prescribed burns or insect treatments, measures designed to reduce the fuel load of forests primed to burn, he said. Perdue said the funding formula used to earmark money for fire suppression is no longer adequate amid fire seasons that have grown longer and scorched larger swaths of public lands, mostly in the U.S. West. At the peak of the region's fire season, there were three times as many large blazes burning out of control compared to the five-year average and almost three times as many personnel assigned to fight them, according to U.S. fire managers. "We are breaking records in terms of dollars spent, acres of national forest land burned and the increased duration of fires," Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke said in a statement. Perdue said Congress should treat major wildfires like other large-scale disasters that are covered by emergency funds. The call comes amid a 2017 season in which the Northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest have been hardest hit. The governors of California, Montana and Oregon declared wildfire emergencies earlier this summer as fires forced the evacuation of thousands, destroyed homes, drove smoke pollution to harmful levels and, in Montana, claimed the lives of two wildland firefighters. Perdue is not the first to call for fire disaster funding. Former President Barack Obama in 2014 endorsed legislation floated by Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Republican Senator Mike Crapo that would have treated the largest fires as natural disasters underwritten by disaster accounts. An overflowing Nile River and heavy rains flooded the South Sudanese town of Bor this week, sweeping away homes and leaving hundreds of families without food or shelter. Marth Aluel Akuei, a resident of the Lekyak area just outside Bor town, used mud to build a dyke around her damaged home. The three grass-thatched structures she owned known as tukuls were washed away in the flood. "We are living in water," Akuei told VOA's South Sudan in Focus. "I am so worried about my children. Anything could hurt them in this flood area. The wind and rain have demolished this house." A resident of the Hai-panjak area, Angeer Majer, 30, said she had to take refuge in a neighbor's house. "It's very bad. My entire house is flooded. I am struggling now to see if I can get plastic sheets so that I can set up a tukul for me and my children," Majer told South Sudan in Focus. Bor-area resident Lueth Alier said he does not feel safe walking to work through flooded areas because the overflowing Nile can bring "hostile animals" to residential streets. "They are very dangerous sometimes, animals, like crocodiles, there in the water," he said. Machar Machol Deng, deputy mayor for administration and finance in Bor municipality, says at least 1,200 households were affected by the flooding. He said Bor authorities are trying to dig passageways so the water can drain, but they don't have the money to finish the work. "The whole government is in financial constraints right now. The little fuel that we had, we utilized it. We have a bulldozer here, and this bulldozer can help us to open the drainages," Machol said. Machol and local residents are appealing to governments and nongovernmental organizations to provide plastic sheeting for shelters, in addition to other aid. When Hurricane Irma battered the Florida Coast, volunteers of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) arranged shelter. After it passed, they provided relief from flood-damaged homes in Naples to uprooted tree trunk clearings in Cooper City, Florida. Abdulrauf Khan, a Pakistani immigrant and assistant executive director at ICNA Relief USA a network of disaster relief and social services has been through all of it. Anytime a natural calamity strikes, hes present. Khan describes his motives as two-fold: a desire to assist his neighbors, while empowering his three children. I have a son who is 18 years old, he begins to recount a vivid memory. He asked me five years ago, Dad, what have you done for this country? Its a simple question that would provide clarity to Khans mission. We have to work and we have to make sure our children feel that ownership of the country, he said. We have to give back. A basic part of the religion From Hurricanes Harvey to Irma, there are many Texans who embrace the work of Muslim relief volunteers, and select others who are hesitant to grant their trust, based solely on religion. But regardless of their reception, ICNA answers the call to assist, and changes some minds in the process. Charity is a big part of Islam, and giving back to the community is a big part of Islam, says Aqsa Cheema, administrative coordinator for ICNA Relief South Florida. Cheema, 22, a generation Pakistani-American who assisted with Irma relief, says she has been in the habit of giving back since she was a kid, attending mosque. You go along with it, and you get the chance to distribute food and do things that can benefit the community, she says. That's just a basic part of the religion. Open hearts, open arms Earlier in the week, as Irmas ruthless winds pounded the state indiscriminately, ICNA facilitated shelter for Floridians any and all Floridians in a Boca Raton-based Islamic Center. Some of their guests said they had never met a Muslim. It was their first experience coming to an Islamic Center, Khan said. They felt like, this is what we feel like when we go to church, when we go to synagogue welcome, and at home. Cheema, who is studying to be a social worker, describes her work as enriching, but never complete. That lack of true fulfillment is what keeps me going, she says. I accept the fact that I can't help everyone, but maybe if I help one person, and someone sees me helping that person, they will be like, Hey, you know what? It felt nice to bring a smile on a persons face. I can help them too. Education at the secondary high school level is now free in Ghana. President Nana Akufo-Addo announced the launch of the program Tuesday, calling it a necessary investment in the nation's future workforce. The response was enthusiastic, with parents and students forming long lines at public schools around Accra this week to register before classes open September 18. The West Africa Secondary School expects to admit close to 700 new students this year. Freshman Charity Oduro was excited that she now has a chance to study business. "My parents don't have money so, yes, I'm going for free education," she said while standing in line to sign up. Ghana introduced free compulsory education at the primary and junior high school levels in 1995 as required by the constitution, but implementation took time. It wasn't until 2014 that the World Bank said Ghana had achieved near-universal access at the primary level. Extending that policy to SHS, or secondary high school, was a major campaign promise of Akufo-Addo. "The countries that have made rapid progress around the world put education at the heart of their development," he said. "Our economy for over a century has been depending largely on the production and export of raw materials. This cannot and will not create prosperity for the masses of Ghanaians." Ghana will spend an estimated $100 million [400 million cedis] for the new program in its first year. The government expects the annual cost to go down in subsequent years. Students will pay nothing. The government will cover tuition, textbooks, meals, school uniforms and other expenses. The goal is to increase enrollment and cut the dropout rate. Ghana's education ministry says it found that as many as 100,000 students pass the Basic Education Certificate Examination each year, then drop out of high school because their families can't afford it. "Oh, it helps us plenty because if you bring your child for the school like this, you pay money. Now, when we came, they didn't collect something from our hand," said Libaba Mohammed, who enrolled her daughter this week. Private schools opposed But not everyone is pleased. Private schools say their enrollment will suffer. "What is to happen to 10,000-plus Ghanaian workers who are currently employed in our schools?" said Joseph Dzamesi of the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools. "What is government's plan to provide a platform that gives our schools a realistic chance to thrive? We, therefore, call on government to, as a matter of urgency, to include private SHS among the schools listed on the self-placement website. Secondly, we call on government to extend its policy of free SHS to cover students in private senior high schools also." Ghana's education minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, refutes fears that private schools will be hurt. "We've had free compulsory universal basic education for over 10 years now, making basic schools free, but the most thriving sector within the basic schools are the private," he said. "We as a government in power don't want to kick out the private sector. Our intent is to provide quality education, remove financial burden for parents who can't [pay] in the public space. Some students choose to go to private schools. The records are there. So [private schools] should be looking within themselves, looking at the space, charting a niche for themselves and offering competitive services." Overburdened system? Ghana's move to a free SHS system also has sparked concerns that schools wont be ready for the large influx of new students this year, which will lead to congestion and a drop in the quality of education. The education minister said the government based its calculations on data from headmasters and on the total number of students who passed the entrance exam. "We should be able to place everybody," Prempeh said. The government has pledged to carry on with a separate, $156 million project that began in 2014 with funding from the World Bank to improve learning outcomes for secondary high school students. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said Thursday that he could veto controversial reforms passed by Congress that critics described as a serious setback in the country's fight against political corruption. On Wednesday, Guatemala's Congress approved a "national emergency" decree to curb penalties for illegal election financing after Morales was linked to suspected irregularities during his 2015 election campaign. The decree was the latest blow to the attorney general's office and the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) after Congress this week voted to preserve Morales' immunity from prosecution. "If it is determined that the [reforms] are harmful to the people of Guatemala and work against the interests of the nation, I will use my right to veto them," Morales said in a brief video posted to his official Facebook page. Morales also urged Guatemalans to remain calm and peaceful amid a charged atmosphere. Critical reaction The reforms were widely criticized in Guatemala, with opposition from the press and various government institutions and the human rights office. The U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, Todd Robinson, expressed his disappointment in a message on Twitter. "Years of malnutrition, insecurity, crime, corruption. Congress? No action. Amazing how fast they act to protect selves from prosecution," he said. "Really? National emergency? What a shame!" Separately, Morales' spokesman, Heinz Heimann, said the president would return a mysterious salary bonus that he had been receiving from the army and that had raised his salary by more than a third, making him one of Latin America's best-paid leaders. "The president returned it out of good faith," Heimann said of the payment, which is being probed by Guatemala's federal comptroller. On Monday, Morales will travel to New York and will head to the United Nations for the annual general assembly the following day. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Friday that North Korea would be "front and center" when Donald Trump attends his first annual meeting of the General Assembly as president. North Korea fired a missile Friday over Japan, its second launch over the country since Trump threatened in August to unleash "fire and fury" against Pyongyang if acts of aggression continued. The latest launch further raised alarm globally about North Korea's developing nuclear and missile programs. Haley's remarks were made during a White House media briefing, at which national security adviser H.R. McMaster said "North Korea remains one of the most urgent and dangerous security problems." Haley said recent sanctions against North Korea had "strangled their economic situation," and there was "not more to do diplomatically." McMaster said the U.N. was "out of time" on the diplomatic front with Pyongyang but added "there is a military option." McMaster, also an Army lieutenant general, called on "all nations to address this problem short of war." In addition to the North Korean crisis, Haley said the Iran nuclear deal and the Syrian civil war would also be administration priorities. National sovereignty Trump is expected to emphasize the importance of national sovereignty as he outlines Washington's role in global affairs during his General Assembly debut. McMaster said one of Trump's main goals was to "uphold [national] sovereignty and accountability," and added that Trump would stress that "each country protects the security of its own people." Trump has repeatedly voiced skepticism of global organizations such as the United Nations, and member nations may be looking for signs of change since the recent departures of White House nationalist advocates such as chief strategist Steve Bannon. Trump has called for a reform of the U.N. to lower "out-of-control costs" and has complained the U.S. funds a disproportionate share of the U.N.'s budget. On Monday, the president will host an event at U.N. headquarters with the intent of gaining support for his reform proposals. Haley said 120 countries had agreed to attend the meeting, at which Trump will propose a "massive reform package" that will make the U.N. "more effective." The annual General Assembly begins Tuesday, when Trump will deliver his first address to the 193-member body. "I think he will make quite an impact," Haley said of the president's address. Harvard University on Friday withdrew a fellowship invitation to Chelsea Manning, the transgender U.S. Army soldier who was convicted of leaking classified data, after two top intelligence experts distanced themselves from the school over the invite. Manning, 29, was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas where she had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States. Harvard Kennedy School of government announced Wednesday that it had invited the controversial figure to be a visiting fellow and speak at a forum. The invitation to speak at the university still stands, said Douglas Elmendorf, the dean of Harvard Kennedy School, in a statement. I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility, Elmendorf said. I see more clearly now that many people view a visiting fellow title as an honorific, so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations. The announcement came after CIA Director Mike Pompeo canceled a speaking engagement at the university Thursday over the invitation to Manning, whom he called an American traitor in a letter to the university regarding his decision. My conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearing to support Harvards decision with my appearance, he wrote. Manning said on Twitter that she was honored to be 1st disinvited trans woman visiting Harvard fellow. They chill marginalized voices under CIA pressure. Also Thursday, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA Michael Morell resigned as a senior fellow at the university, media reported. Good, Manning tweeted after Morell resigned. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Thousands of Iraqi troops, Kurdish Peshmerga and Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces have been deployed on the outskirts of Kirkuk province amid preparations to retake the nearby district of Hawija from the Islamic State. VOA's Dlshad Anwar reports from the region. President Donald Trump and congressional Democratic leaders said Thursday that they were close to resolving the fate of 800,000 undocumented young people brought to the U.S. as children. But for Capitol Hill lawmakers, whose yes or no votes hinge on specifics, the deal was far from done. Trump said Thursday morning that he was "fairly close" to a deal with congressional leaders on a permanent legislative fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in return for "massive border security." WATCH: Trump Wants Border Security to be Part of DACA Deal Democrats broadly favor granting legal residence or citizenship to the DACA recipients. Republicans broadly favor more stringent border security. The question is whether they can find common ground for an agreement that does both. Negotiating DACA votes There already are multiple bills that would provide a legislative fix for the DACA program from the DREAM Act, a bill House Democrats say is necessary because it provides a pathway to citizenship, to the RAISE Act, a more conservative option put forth by Republican Representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida and favored by many other members of his party. The DREAM Act will be a tough sell for many Republicans, who say it grants amnesty to undocumented immigrants. In an approach that would be consistent with Republican versions of DACA legislation, Trump told reporters Thursday afternoon, "We're not looking at citizenship. We're not looking at amnesty. We're looking at allowing people to stay here." "That's a nonstarter," Representative Dave Brat, a Republican from Virginia who is part of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said of DREAM Act legislation. "In terms of what? What package? We don't have a package yet, so we don't know." Representative Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican who is chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said the DREAM Act had too many legislative hurdles to overcome and that there were other compassionate options. Meadows said he wasn't alarmed by reports Trump was close to a deal with Democratic leaders. "It takes a majority of the GOP conference to pass any bill. To my knowledge, there's been no deal that's been struck between [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer, [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi and the president," Meadows said. "At the same time, I can tell you we're working in a bicameral way to try to find a reasonable solution on DACA and other immigration-related issues." Republicans left to wonder But Trump's discussions with Democrats left many Republicans wondering whether they would have the White House's cooperation for their solutions. "Typically, a president of our party would work with our party on a proposal that we would be supportive of, so we're learning now how he wants to operate," Representative Pete Sessions, a Republican from Texas who chairs the Rules Committee, told reporters. "The president engaged, but I don't know that we've seen the president's plan." Sessions added that he needed to know what "the president is offering as a suggestion before I know that I'm for it or against it." Trump risks losing more conservative members of the Republican Congress, who say a DACA deal with Democrats would alienate voters attracted to his tough stance on immigration issues. "If that's blown up here in these negotiations, whether it's his intent or not, they're not going to have a leg to stand on against others when defending our president," said Representative Steve King, a Republican from Iowa. Later Thursday, Trump responded to King's criticism, saying he would only go through with a deal if "we get extreme security, if we get not only surveillance but everything that goes along with surveillance. And ultimately we have to have the wall." Democrats' demands Schumer and Pelosi face challenges from within their own caucus for negotiating with Trump as well. The differing interpretations of their meeting left many House Democrats wondering whether their leadership could trust the president in negotiations. "I'm sure they gave it their all and I'm sure that that's their interpretation," Representative Luis Gutierrez, a Democrat from Illinois and an outspoken defender of DACA recipients, said of the progress after the Wednesday night meeting. "But with Donald Trump, the only interpretation that's really meaningful, it's his, and then you have to put it on the clock to see how long it lasts." Representative Linda Sanchez, a Democrat from California who is vice chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said Schumer and Pelosi had insisted on the DREAM Act as part of negotiations, "not something that's a half-measure, like the Curbelo bill." "We're not interested in not resolving that issue we want a clear legislative solution so we don't have to be kicking the can down the road," Sanchez said. Trump told reporters Thursday that funding for a border wall would happen "a little bit later," but Democrats said they would need to know the uses for "massive" border security funding. "If you're more asking for more border security, then it needs to be for border security, not for more raids across the country because we gave you more [immigration] agents. That's not going to be acceptable," said Representative Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona. But for now, Representative Raul Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona, said the leaders in his party seemed to have found a way to be more effective than Republicans in negotiations with the president. Grijalva told reporters, "Somehow they've been able to tap his ego in a different way." Most members of IGAD back a proposal to allow free movement of citizens within the East African bloc but are facing resistance from South Sudan, where officials remain cool to the measure. Officials and diplomats from the eight-nation bloc discussed the free movement proposal in Juba this week, along with trade, customs and communications issues. Abdelrahim Ahmed Khalil, acting head of the IGAD liaison office in South Sudan, says waiving visa fees across the bloc would promote economic growth. With this protocol, people will have the opportunity to move freely from country to country, to ... own properties and to engage in other activities, Khalil told VOAs South Sudan in Focus. The EUs head of delegation in South Sudan, Stefano De Leo, said free movement would unite all IGAD states. Imagine, you can work in the biggest cities of the region, being respected as the citizens of the country. Your children may study as the children of citizens of other IGAD countries in the same school with the same rights, said De Leo. South Sudanese national Keji Simon, who was raised partially in Uganda, an IGAD member, says getting those rights would make it easier for South Sudanese to live abroad. Like in school, we South Sudanese are not considered so much when it comes to things [like] academics, and sometimes when we fall into problems, when you are a foreigner when youre in that country, you face a lot of problems, he said. Defense concerns But officials in South Sudan, which is mired in a conflict between pro- and anti-government forces that has displaced four million people, are less enthused about the proposal. South Sudans ambassador to the African Union and IGAD, David Buom Choat, says open borders raise defense concerns. Because when you have the citizen of the region, moving within the region, any country will also make sure that their national interest is [protected] and your national interest will be to protect the national security of your country, Choat said. Interior Minister Rier Gatlier said 70 percent of South Sudans population would not take advantage of the proposal because they cannot read or write. They will not go to Uganda to work, to look for job. They will not go to Kenya, they will not go to Ethiopia, they will not go to Sudan. They will remain in our country. Its only thirty percent will be engaging with our member states, he said. Despite the officials reservations, William Barriga, the chief of mission for the International Organization of Migration in South Sudan, insists the free movement proposal makes economic sense. A lot of the goods we consume here in South Sudan are imported from the neighboring countries. For these goods to reach us the movements of people who are moving these goods need to be facilitated, Barriga said. Four Latin American nations will join an attempt to mediate Venezuelas political crisis in new talks later this month, the president of the Dominican Republic said Thursday. Danilo Medina hosted high-level delegations from Venezuelas feuding government and opposition for two days in the latest foreign-led effort to ease a standoff alarming the world. We advanced definition of an agenda on Venezuelas big problems. A commission of friendly countries was agreed, the Dominican leader told reporters, saying Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Nicaragua would join the process. The next talks would be held Sept. 27, again in the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, he added. Critics and allies join process Mexico and Chile have been bitterly critical of President Nicolas Maduros socialist government over rights and democracy issues, while fellow leftist-led Bolivia and Nicaragua are staunch allies. Venezuelans government is eager to ease foreign censure, and its delegates came out of Thursdays talks smiling. A dialogue of peace is being installed so that Venezuela can resolve its affairs among Venezuelans, senior Socialist Party official Jorge Rodriguez told reporters. Earlier, opposition leaders, who faced a backlash from supporters after failed talks with Maduro last year, insisted they had only traveled to push long-standing demands, including a presidential election and the release of jailed activists. At least 127 lives lost Decrying Maduro as a dictator who has wrecked the OPEC members once-prosperous economy, Venezuelan opposition leaders led street protests earlier this year seeking his removal that led to the deaths of at least 125 people. Maduro says they were seeking a coup with U.S. connivance. Though both sides met the Dominican president this week, it was unclear if they had sat down and talked together. The government delegation included Delcy Rodriguez, leader of Venezuelas all-powerful and pro-Maduro Constituent Assembly ,whose creation brought widespread foreign condemnation as it overrides the existing opposition-led congress. The opposition side included Julio Borges, head of that congress, fresh from a trip to Europe where he was received by the leaders of Germany, France and Spain. Dialogue, no dialogue There is no restart of dialogue, the opposition Democratic Unity coalition had said in a statement Thursday morning, saying its representatives were invited by Medina purely to explore conditions for possible negotiations. The opposition coalition decided to send a delegation to meet President Medina in order to expound the objectives of the national democratic struggle, it said. Maduro routinely calls for dialogue, but his adversaries suspect he wants to use talks as a stalling tactic to help his image without producing concrete results. A dialogue process brokered by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and the Vatican in 2016 did nothing to advance opposition demands, which also include respect for the opposition-led legislature and measures to ease Venezuelas economic crisis. Has President Donald Trump reached a tentative agreement with Democratic lawmakers on a plan that would allow more than 800,000 people brought to the U.S. as children to legally stay? Confusion erupted Thursday in Washington after Democrats announced they had reached broad agreement with the president Wednesday night. Trump subsequently said no deal is possible without more commitments to enhance security along the U.S.-Mexico border, though he also asserted an agreement with congressional leaders was "fairly close." Here's how some lawmakers have reacted: Radio Free Asia has joined the ranks of media outlets shuttered under the now almost blanket smothering of an independent press in Cambodia, as U.S. and European diplomatic efforts have failed, so far, to halt the county's descent into authoritarianism ahead of elections next year. The closure of the U.S.-funded outlet, due to what it called intimidation, represents another escalation in opposition to Washington by Prime Minister Hun Sen. Conciliatory overtones made in a news conference Tuesday by U.S. Ambassador William Heidt have failed to halt the government's campaign to paint Washington as the masterminds of a vast conspiracy involving all major opponents of the government. "These are extraordinary allegations. The business of diplomacy is normally carried out with careful and respectful language, the kind of language I'm going to use today. Difficult messages are delivered privately first. Friendly nations seek ways to bridge differences," he told reporters. Two days later, the government mouthpiece Fresh News posted an article declaring the United States "should take a helicopter to transport its citizens from Cambodia, as it did in April 1975." Having spent billions of dollars promoting a stable, nominally democratic Cambodia, the United States and the European Union now have only a beleaguered opposition to show for it. The party's leader, Kem Sokha, was arrested this month in connection with Washington's alleged grand plan. "Basically, after tens of billions of dollars invested in Cambodia, we're back where we were 25 years ago the more things changed, the more they actually stayed the same," said Sophal Ear, author of Aid Dependence in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy. China's deep pockets are often cited as an unstoppable force whittling away Western leverage in Cambodia, and Beijing has offered public support for Cambodia's arrest of Sokha. Returning from China on Wednesday, Hun Sen praised Beijing as "a strong backer who continues to help Cambodia in all circumstance, which no foreign [countries] can break." But Cambodia's economic entanglements are far more complicated than mere aid contributions, and as tension with Western powers intensifies, drastic measures that would be considered unthinkable under normal circumstances could come into play. Access to markets Aid to Cambodia is measured in millions of dollars, but export markets are measured in the billions. The United States is its biggest individual country export market at $3.5 billion, or 22 percent of the total, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), an online resource for economic data. China accounts for just 4.4 percent. Cambodia also benefits handsomely from preferential access to European markets, with its exports there rising from just above $595 million in 2006 to about $5.25 billion in 2016 under a scheme that has both labor and human rights clauses. In comparison, Cambodia has an enormous trade deficit with China of around $3 billion, OEC data show. The EU has withdrawn a country's access to these markets three times: from Sri Lanka in 2010 for human rights violations carried out during that country's civil war, from Myanmar in 1997 for forced labor and from Belarus in 2007 for failing to respect the basic rights of trade unions. "What could trigger such a procedure is a serious and systematic violation of one of the listed fundamental human rights or labor rights conventions," an EU spokesperson told VOA. So while it is true that Chinese foreign investment in and aid to Cambodia increased dramatically in 2015 its foreign direct investment eclipsed all other countries combined at around $1 billion the assertion that the West's relationships with Phnom Penh are rendered meaningless as a result is not the full picture. "The last thing Hun Sen would want would be to provoke the U.S., whether the Congress, White House or U.S. trade representative, to raise Cambodia's market access to the United States. Unrest by textile workers would destabilize the Hun Sen regime and provide grist for the opposition mill," said Carl Thayer, an emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy. There are more than 700,000 registered garment workers in Cambodia in an industry heavily reliant on Western markets. Bigger fish to fry Some are interpreting new U.S. visa restrictions on Cambodians as a punitive measure. But other than that and the usual statements expressing concern and urging transparency, the response in the West has been muted, especially in Washington. "I can only surmise that the State Department is in disarray with the new Trump administration, a new secretary of state with little experience in diplomacy, vacancies at the senior level, and impending budget cuts," Thayer said. "There has been no response by the Trump administration to Hun Sen's cancellation of military exercises with the U.S. earlier this year. Since Trump's Afghanistan speech, in which he nixed nation-building and democracy promotion, who at State will take any initiative against Hun Sen?" Thayer asked. Trump has also abandoned U.S. participation in one of the State Department's sharpest diplomatic tools in Asia, the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Meanwhile, higher priorities are bountiful, even in Asia. "Whether we like it or not, Cambodia is not one of the so-called hot spots of global politics. The international community's focus is on countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan or Myanmar," said Barbara Lochbihler, vice chair for the European Parliament's Human Rights Committee. U.N. and international agencies report the mass exodus of Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar appears unstoppable as nearly 400,000 have arrived in Bangladesh in the last three weeks. Aid agencies are increasing assistance operations in response to the ever-worsening crisis. Chris Lom is the International Organization for Migration's senior communications officer. Lom says there is no sign the flow of desperate people arriving in Bangladesh from Myanmar will end soon. Speaking by telephone from Coxs Bazar, Lom says smoke from burning villages in Myanmars northern Rakhine state is still visible. He says thousands of people who have escaped are believed to be waiting for boats to ferry them to Coxs Bazar. He says many of the people on the move are heading toward a large new government area being set aside for the refugees, but, he adds about half of the 400,000 are living alongside the road, on wastelands or on hills in horrible conditions. They really have nothing. A lot of them are very exhausted," said Lom. "They are hungry. They are often traumatized because they have seen terrible things on the other side of the border and most importantly, they have no access to things like clean water. So, people are going to get very sick, very quickly. The U.N. Childrens Fund reports youngsters account for 240,000 of the Rakhine refugees. To try to head off the spread of killer diseases, UNICEF and the World Health Organization are starting a vaccine campaign against measles and polio on Saturday. The agencies hope to vaccinate about 150,000 children between the ages of six months and 15 years. The campaign will include deworming and provide vitamin A supplements, which prevent blindness in children with measles. Myanmar is the victim of terrorists and "false media" reporting on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state, the country's ambassador to the United States told VOA. Aung Lynn said the country's security forces didn't overreact in responding to attacks on security forces by Rohingya militants on August 25. Since then, nearly 390,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh, as their villages have been burned and looted. The United Nations calls the exodus "ethnic cleansing," and aid workers report destitute people overloading the resources at refugee camps. On Thursday, the U.N. said 40 percent of the Rohingya in Rakhine had fled their homes, and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the violence against them must stop. "How can you say that [the response] is out of proportion? There may be many terrorists who were involved" in the attacks last month, Aung Lynn said. He declined to give Sarah Zaman from VOA's Urdu service an estimate of the number of members of the Arakhan Rohingya Salvation Army, which claimed responsibility for the August 25 attacks. "I don't want to argue with the numbers, but if people are innocent, innocent villagers, they have no reason to flee away from their villages," he said. Myanmar security forces are protecting many Rohingya; they just have to ask for help, he said. However, many refugees and international journalists have reported security forces led the way in burning scores of villages to the ground. 'Genuine villagers' can return The ambassador repeatedly said that international news media weren't reporting the full story and said aid agencies needed to work with Myanmar to give an accurate picture. He said there had been scant coverage of the number of Buddhist and Hindu residents of Rakhine who fled. "We do not want to argue with the false media," Aung Lynn said. He went on to indicate that propaganda from the Rohingya community was responsible for growing international concern about the crisis. "We have a very limited resources. We cannot compare ourselves with the resources that the other side has in this situation," the ambassador said. When VOA asked whether he meant that the Rohingya had more resources than his government, he said, "You can make your own judgment." Aung Lynn said Myanmar was prepared to take back any "genuine villagers" who wanted to return, if they "can prove that they want to live peacefully and in harmony with all other communities." However, they would need to prove they met citizenship requirements. That could be difficult because Myanmar has denied the Rohingya citizenship since 1982, although many families have been in the country for generations. He laid responsibility for the citizenship issue on the Rohingya, saying the government allows them to apply for citizenship, but that they are not cooperating with authorities. "They want to be known as Rohingyas, and since we don't have the nomenclature of Rohingya in the citizenship process, that is the reason things are not going ahead," the ambassador said. Annan plan The Buddhist Bamar ethnic group dominates the population, but the government recognizes more than 100 minority communities. However, Rohingya are not recognized; the government generally considers them to be economic migrants from Bangladesh, and many people in the country call them Bengalis. Aung Lynn said those applying for citizenship could omit ethnicity information on their forms. "If they really want to become citizens of Myanmar, if they meet the requirements, they will be in the process to consider to become citizens of Myanmar," he said. The ambassador said his government had been trying to resolve the Rohingya situation for years. It intends to implement a U.N.-backed plan issued last month by a commission that former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan led. Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has canceled plans to attend the U.N. General Assembly next week in New York. Aung Lynn said by staying home, Suu Kyi was making it clear that Myanmar was committed to resolving the situation. He said the Nobel Peace Prize laureate would meet with U.N. officials and others next week in Myanmar to work toward that goal. But, he said, the people of Myanmar feel they are victims of the crisis. "Of course we are. Because we are the people with the very limited resources, and we have been living with different people for hundreds of years," without religious violence, Aung Lynn said. However, since the end of British colonial rule in 1947, Myanmar has fought several wars against other ethnic groups, including the Karen, the Kachin and the Shan. NATO has called for a global response to North Korea's latest missile launch. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Friday on Twitter, "North Korea's missile launch is another reckless breach of U.N. resolutions -- a major threat to international peace and security which demands a global response." Earlier Friday, North Korea launched another missile over Japan, just days after the United Nations imposed additional sanctions on Pyongyang for conducting its sixth nuclear test. The missile was launched from the Sunan district in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, and flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Yoshihide Suga, Japans chief cabinet secretary, said "We absolutely cannot accept these repeated provocations by North Korea and we strongly protest to North Korea and convey to them the nation's strong anger in the strongest words possible. Warning announcements about the missile blared around 7 a.m. local time in the northern Japanese town of Kamaishi, according to footage from national broadcaster NHK. South Korea's military reported the missile reached an altitude of about 770 kilometers and flew 3,700 kilometers, far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. US threat assessment The U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement, Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) that did not pose a threat to Guam. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined this ballistic missile also did not pose a threat to North America. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the North Korean missile launch "put millions of Japanese into duck and cover," and that top U.S. officials had fully coordinated after the test launch. Mattis spoke to reporters during a visit to the U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees U.S. nuclear forces. The South Korean military responded to the provocation from the North by launching a Hyunmoo-II missile into the sea that traveled the distance it would take to reach the Sunan airfield in Pyongyang, according to a military spokesman. South Korean President Moon Jae-in also convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting to monitor the security situation and prepare for any new emerging threats from North Korea. President Moon ordered (the military) to closely analyze and increase the readiness posture against new type of threats from North Korea, such as EMP (electromagnetic pulse) and biochemical threats, presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. North Korea said earlier this month it was developing a hydrogen bomb that can carry out an EMP attack. Experts disagree on whether the North would have the capability to mount such an attack, which would involve setting off a bomb in the atmosphere that could cause major damage to power grids and other infrastructure. Security council The United Nations Security Council will meet later Friday on the latest North Korea missile test, diplomats said, at the request of the United States and Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for new sanctions to be firmly imposed in response to this latest North Korean missile test that violated Japanese airspace. North Korea has trampled over the strong will of a united international community to a peaceful solution as seen in the United Nations' Resolutions the other day. We absolutely cannot accept these provocations, Abe said. In August, North Korea also launched a ballistic missile over Japan from a region near Pyongyang that flew more than 2,700 kilometers at a maximum altitude of around 550 kilometers. The 15-member Security Council, which includes U.S., China and Russia, unanimously imposed sanctions against North Korea on Monday for its September 3 nuclear test that prohibits textile exports, reduces oil and gas imports, and limits permits for North Korean laborers to work outside the country. In August the Security Council also imposed a ban on North Korean coal, iron, lead and seafood exports. In the last round of sanctions, however, Washington was unable to get Beijing and Moscow to agree to a total oil embargo and authorization to interdict ships suspected of smuggling banned items. Call for new measures U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also called for "new measures" against North Korea and said "these continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation." "We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime," the top U.S. diplomat said. Tillerson noted that China who supplies North Korea with most of its oil and Russia as the largest employer of North Korean forced labor have a unique responsibility in the diplomatic situation. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," Tillerson said. Speaking Friday at the State Department, Tillerson said North Korea is a "global threat and it requires a global response from all nations." Defense Secretary Jim Mattis made similar comments Friday, telling reporters he believes North Koreas actions are only serving to further isolate the country. More and more nations are realizing there's simply no collaboration ((by Pyongyang)) with the international community," he told reporters traveling with him to Mexico City. The North Korean state run newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Friday said in an editorial that "If the U.S. continues to walk on the current course, we will take stronger actions for our self-defense." A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. In the past two years, North Korea has conducted 27 ballistic missile launches and three nuclear tests. At the beginning of this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced plans to develop a long-range ICBM nuclear missile that can target the U.S. mainland. U.S. President Donald Trump had been briefed on the latest launch, the White House said. The Trump administration has called the development of a North Korean ICBM an unacceptable existential threat. Washington has tried to work with Beijing to restrain its ally in Pyongyang through economic sanctions. While U.S. officials say they prefer a diplomatic solution to this nuclear standoff, military force is also an option. As the number of Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar to the relative safety of Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh reaches nearly 400,000, aid groups are escalating their response to an increasingly urgent humanitarian crisis. But despite the push and donations from some governments, the sheer size of the problem leaves agencies unable to fully meet the growing demand, raising fears of serious consequences for the hungry and exhausted population, from disease outbreaks to deaths. If you go down there right now you will still see a lot of people facing open skies if I can put it that way, said Azmat Ulla, Bangladesh country director for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), who later added that the situation is "overwhelming." The needs are varied, he added, from emergency shelter to health services to clean water purification to dignity kits, or essential items for women and girls who have been displaced. Most of the refugees going to Bangladesh are women and children. Among its other duties, the IFRC has provided water to more than 20,000 people and is distributing water storage containers. There are also two mobile medical teams operating, each with a doctor, paramedic and two volunteers. For the first few days theyve seen more than 500 people, and some of these people are suffering from diseases like diarrhea, fever, respiratory complaints, kidney infections, malnutrition as well as bullet wounds and burns, he said. There are also a number of people who are traumatized so we plan to add psychological support to the team. Rohingya Muslims have been fleeing what they say is long-term persecution in Myanmar for decades, but the speed combined with the scale of this latest crisis is unprecedented, experts say. Never before have so many arrived in so short a time. Bangladesh already has hundreds of thousands Rohingya refugees in the country, adding to the burden. This exodus started after insurgents from the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked police posts on August 25, killing at least 12 members of the security forces and sparking a brutal crackdown similar to one that occurred in October 2016 after a smaller assault on outposts that initially killed nine officers. But while last years military operation resulted in allegations of possible crimes against humanity, the latest clashes appear to have been far more deadly, with Bangladeshs government saying the death toll could be in the thousands and senior United Nations officials describing the outflow as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar says it is killing terrorists and doing its best to rescue civilians and avoid collateral damage. It complains of media bias and misinformation, pointing to tens of thousands of Buddhists and other non-Muslims that have had to flee their own homes as an element of the story that has received little attention. Myanmars ambassador to the U.S. rejected has rejected allegations of ethnic cleansing. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called for an end to the violence, and de facto Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi cancelled a planned visit to the U.N. General Assembly, while planning to address the nation in the coming days on the crisis. Meanwhile, Rohingya keep pouring into Bangladesh. The goal post is constantly changing because more people are arriving every day, said Vivian Tan, spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR. Every day you see new sites mushroom, sprouting up from the side of the road. So its quite difficult to keep track of the number of new arrivals and where they are going. Tan said the UNHCR had replenished its own stocks with two airlifts carrying family-size tents, plastic sheets and other essential items such as buckets and sleeping maps. Were currently focusing on the two existing camps Kutupalong and Nayapara where the camp population has more than doubled in the last three weeks. And weve offered the government to scale up our assistance outside the camps, she said. The sense of urgency is made even greater by the fact that many arriving in Bangladesh have completed an arduous and taxing journey by sea, river and overland. The obvious risk is that people dont get the assistance they need, and that we could see a second wave of health problems and even deaths. These people are already very weak having walked for days. I mean the latest I heard was 15 days. Imagine being on your feet for 15 days, Tan said. They often dont have food, clean water is hard to come by so they are exhausted, they are weak, they are starving. So they need assistance in Bangladesh as soon as possible. If they dont get it I shudder to think what could happen. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could be rethinking the scope of his deadly anti-drug campaign after the slayings of three teenagers angered an otherwise supportive public. But analysts say extrajudicial killings are likely to persist. In mid-August, 17-year-old high school student Kian Loyd Delos Santos was shot to death in a city north of the capital, possibly at the hands of police. The death sparked street demonstrations in Manila and a 40 day bell-ringing protest by the Catholic Church. Last week a 19-year-old man was found shot to death and the body of a 14-year-old boy turned up full of stab wounds. Investigators are looking at the police in both cases. Anger in the media The cases threaten to erode support for Dutertes otherwise popular anti-drug campaign, which has come under fire from overseas for its use of extrajudicial killings. The tough-spoken 72-year-old president approved the campaign after he took office in June 2016, pledging to wipe out drugs within six months. Clearly in social media, in popular media, there is widespread anger (toward) the manner that the teens were killed, whether guilty or not, said Eduardo Araral, associate professor at the National University of Singapores public policy school. I think the police would have to be more careful this time because of the backlash and because they know if they cross the line in terms of police operations the president will not necessarily back them up. Some Filipinos worry more because the ruling party-heavy legislature this week allocated a symbolically low 1,000 pesos ($19.50) in 2018 for the countrys Commission on Human Rights, an agency that could question police practices. The funding decision shows Dutertes government is perpetuating a culture of impunity among the ranks of policemen, an arm of the opposition Liberal Party said in a statement on its Facebook page. Thorough, impartial investigation But Duterte pledged via the presidential office website a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of Delos Santos. Should the investigation point to liabilities by one, two, or all, there will be a prosecution and they have to go to jail if convicted, he said on the website, referring the members of the Philippine National Police. That, I can assure you. Experts say Dutertes slap at the police may be a sign that he will refine his violent approach to drugs without calling it off. Duterte had temporarily lightened up in February, with a new focus on stopping excesses by the Philippine National Police after the death of a Korean businessman in custody. His drug enforcement director general, Aaron Aquino, was quoted saying in Philippine media Wednesday he prefers to rehabilitate 1.3 million drug addicts who have surrendered to authorities. After Delos Santos died last month, the Philippine Star online quoted Duterte saying he would not condone killing innocent people. Adding pressure from the public, some Filipinos suspect that upstream drug manufacturers and dealers have escaped the crackdown, Araral said. There is a very high level of questioning about the killings, particularly I think after these events about the three boys, said Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Philippine advocacy organization Institute for Political and Electoral Reform. Definitely this will distract from any government initiatives. Filipinos satisfied with Duterte Dutertes government had earned the satisfaction of 75 percent of Filipinos in the first quarter of 2017, Metro Manila-based research institution Social Weather Stations found. It said 66 percent of people were satisfied with the anti-drug campaign. Survey agency Pulse Asia found in March that 79 percent of people approve of the governments effort to control crime. Common Filipinos often say their neighborhoods feel safer under Dutertes watch than before. The methamphetamine strain shabu anchors street crime around much of the archipelago with a population of 102 million. Any shift in the drug campaign, which New York-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch estimates has led to 7,000 extrajudicial killings, would be intermittent or gradual, analysts warn. It is not clear that President Duterte will make any dramatic changes to his approach in his war against drugs, said Carl Baker, director of programs with the think tank Pacific Forum CSIS in Honolulu. However, there are some indications that his government institutions have felt the need to acknowledge the growing concern over human rights abuses. Any shift in anti-drug work may just mean the police act more carefully around minors, especially in view of CCTV cameras, said Herman Kraft, a political scientist at University of the Philippines Diliman. I think the overall objectives and the strategy is still going to maintain. Thats pretty much how President Duterte has laid out his basic strategy behind the war on drugs, Kraft said. There just might be some holding back if it actually involves young people. The lights are beginning to come back on in Florida after Hurricane Irma rolled through the state last week, and by Friday, more than 80 percent of Floridians had their power restored. While most of Florida has seen its power come back on, state authorities said about 1.92 million homes and businesses still lack electricity. Areas where customers are still without power are dotted across southwest and south Florida, and officials said those people likely wouldnt have their power restored until late next week. President Donald Trump on Thursday handed out sandwiches and water to hurricane victims and emergency workers, who he says are doing an "incredible job" helping Florida recover from this week's powerful Hurricane Irma. Trump visited Naples and Fort Myers Thursday - two hard-hit cities that were right in the path of Irma as it moved up Florida's Gulf Coast. "We are there for you 100 percent," Trump said as he shook hands while standing next to first lady Melania Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Praise for 1st responders Trump had nothing but praise for state and federal officials and first responders. He credits their early warnings and quick post-storm response for keeping the statewide death toll relatively low. "When you think of the incredible power of that storm, and while people unfortunately passed, it was such a small number," Trump said. "People thought thousands and thousands of people may have their lives ended." There are at least 25 storm-related deaths in Florida, while about 50 deaths are reported in the Caribbean, where Irma tore up a number of islands as a Category 5 storm last week. Trump said he plans to visit the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico sometime in the next two weeks. The president has also visited Texas twice since Hurricane Harvey clobbered the southeastern coast and Houston last month. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Thursday the death toll in there is now up to 82. Florida Keys Recovery efforts are slow but steady in Florida. The Florida Keys were the hardest-hit region of the state. Ninety percent of the homes on the islands were destroyed or damaged. The U.S. Coast Guard is clearing roads and searching for more storm victims. Officials said it would be some time before many people are allowed back in to see what is left of their properties. Meanwhile, in a very active hurricane season, Hurricane Max is threatening parts of southern Pacific coast of Mexico. A Category 1 storm with top winds of 130 kilometers per hour, Max made landfall on the Pacific Coast, about 90 kilometers southeast of Acapulco, Mexico, early Thursday evening. Forecasters, however, expect it to quickly weaken as it moves over land. Tropical Storm Jose also is threatening to regain strength Friday and potentially could cause strong rip currents along the U.S. East Coast as it continues to make its way north in the Atlantic. The Kremlin appears to be touting a major shift in policy on east Ukraine and possibly preparing local pro-Russian separatists for the reintegration of the disputed region of the Donbas into Ukraine. A local news site in separatist-controlled Donetsk reported midweek that the Kremlin is likely to engineer the replacement of the current military-tilted Donbas leaders with two former Ukrainian lawmakers, both onetime allies of ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, currently in exile in the Russian capital. The news site, Novosti Donbassa, also reported that Vladislav Surkov, a key member of the inner circle of advisers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, visited Donetsk last month and warned local pro-Russian leaders to start to prepare for reintegration with the rest of Ukraine. Notably, too, in recent weeks, a Russian TV talk-show host, Vladimir Solovyov, whose commentary is taken to reflect Kremlin thinking, has been suggesting on his popular evening program on Russias Channel One that Russia would be better off without the Donbas. Hints of a policy shift In Kyiv, officials say the media hints of a major policy shift, along with Putins surprise support for the deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force to the Donbas, are part of a sophisticated ruse designed to persuade U.S. policymakers not to supply Ukraine with lethal arms. Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said the Trump administration was actively reviewing whether to supply Ukraine with lethal, albeit defensive, weaponry. Ukrainian officials note that Putin first broached the idea of a U.N. peacekeeping mission at a summit where he also issued dire warnings about the U.S. arming of Ukraine. They worry the more steadfast approach adopted recently by the West towards Russia could fall victim to the ruse. US sanctions In recent weeks the U.S. unilaterally strengthened its sanctions regime against Russia, and European leaders have also been tougher in their rhetoric in the wake of cyberattacks and mounting evidence that Moscow has sought to upset European politics by mounting an information war against the West. But some analysts suspect a policy shift may be in the offing. There is a sense that a window for more meaningful negotiationsmight be opening, and that this signal is being sent from Moscow, said Gwendolyn Sasse, an analyst with the Carnegie Endowment, a U.S. policy research group. In a recent commentary, she said, there is a possibility that the economic and medium-term political costs of controlling parts of the Donbas feature in the calculations of key figures in Moscow. UN peacekeepers Ukraine has long called for a U.N. peacekeeping mission, arguing it could serve as a major step in the reintegration of the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics. Russia until last week adamantly opposed the deployment of a Blue Helmet force. But Sept. 5 it submitted a proposal for the U.N. Security Council to consider sending lightly armed peacekeepers to patrol the so-called contact line between Ukraines military and the separatist and Russian forces in the Donbas. The Russian proposal underlined also the importance of Ukraines territorial integrity as well as support for the 2015 Minsk accord. The Minsk accord outlined principles for a resolution of the conflict, but implementation stalled almost immediately after it was agreed by the so-called Normandy Four of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany. Western reaction to the Russian peacekeeping proposal has been hesitant and colored by skepticism. President Donald Trumps special envoy to Ukraine, Kurt Volker, was cautious in response. Germany has been the most welcoming. On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department gave a guarded nod with spokeswoman Heather Nauert, saying, We believe the possibility of a U.N. peacekeeping force for eastern Ukraine is certainly an idea thats worth exploring. Richard Haass, a former U.S. diplomat and now president of the Council of Foreign Relations, said Putins peacekeeping offer may be the start of negotiations. He told VOA in the margins of an international conference in Kyiv, I like the fact something is now in play. Speaking in Kyiv Friday at the same conference, Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko delivered a hard-hitting anti-Putin speech, saying, todays chaos in the world started with Russias annexation of Crimea. History teaches us that Russia cant be trusted, he said. Border patrols U.S. officials say any U.N. peacekeepers deployed to east Ukraine also would have to patrol Russias border, across which, Kyiv and Western powers say, Russia ships weapons and military personnel into the Donbas. Putin in a recent phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly suggested he wouldnt oppose broadening of a peacekeeping mandate to include monitoring of the Russian border. Western wariness U.S. and European diplomats say they have been involved in many fruitless attempts to negotiate a resolution before is matched by a large dose of Ukrainian suspicion. Some Ukrainian officials say the peacekeeping proposal, along with stories of a change of local leadership in the Donbas, which would see a shift away from the gunmen to more civilians, risks sapping Western resolve. His overall objectives are to divide the West, destabilize Ukraine and to get it back under Russian influence; he could continue driving towards those goals with the Donbas back in Ukraine, an Ukrainian official told VOA. In 2019, Ukraine is scheduled to hold presidential elections, and the voters of the Donbas could be crucial in changing the political landscape of the country by helping to vote Poroshenko out of office and securing possibly a more pro-Russian leadership in Kyiv, according to Tetiana Popova, a former Ukrainian deputy information minister. Sanctions hurting Putin While remaining highly skeptical that Putin is serious about the reintegration of the Donbas, she says Western sanctions on Russia are hurting him. He really does have a problem with sanctions and may want to take the pressure off, she said. Reintegration on Putins terms involving granting the Donbas special status would prove highly divisive in the Ukrainian parliament. I dont think there would be the votes there for that to happen, she added. Former Ukrainian intelligence officer Alexey Arestovich agrees sanctions may be causing Putin problems and says he needs the pressure on him reduced ahead of Russias presidential elections next year. The Donbas republics are becoming expensive for him and he fears a new wave of sanctions. So he has to throw a bone for the Western allies so they wont bark at him but quarrel among themselves, he said. A training exercise involving demolitions killed one special operations soldier and injured seven others at the Armys largest base Thursday, just a day after 15 Marines were hurt in a fire while training in California. The soldiers were taken to several hospitals, including the Womack Army Medical Center on base for treatment, said Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the U.S. Armys Special Operations Command, which is based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida, 32, of Dunstable, Massachusetts, was killed during the exercise, Bockholt said. The cause of death is under investigation. Dalida, who enlisted in 2006, was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne). Bockholt didnt know the extent of the other soldiers injuries. Initial reports said the injuries happened in an explosion, but Bockholt says he could not confirm that. There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges, Bockholt said, adding that the command is investigating. Were looking into exactly what happened. The soldiers were students from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and they were at a range on base, the Army said. A day earlier, eight Marines were rushed to a burn center and seven others also were hospitalized after a fire in their amphibious vehicle during training at Camp Pendleton in California. Also, a soldier was killed Tuesday night during hoist training for medical helicopter evacuations at Fort Hood in Texas. About 57,000 military personnel are attached to Fort Bragg, a 161,000-acre base next to Fayetteville, North Carolina. A new forensic lab launched in central Somalia could transform how the Puntland state government handles cases of rape and gender-based violence, and possibly create a model for the rest of the country to follow. The Puntland Forensic Center, funded by the Swedish government and supported by the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), was opened September 6. It brings advanced DNA testing capabilities to a country still lacking in paved roads and reliable electricity. The lab opened less than a year after Puntland enacted its Sexual Offenses Act, the first law in Somalia to criminalize sexual offenses and impose harsh penalties, including jail time, fines and public lashing, on the perpetrators. The lab was designed to provide critical scientific evidence to the police and officials investigating and prosecuting crimes under this new law. "As we were helping [the Puntland government] develop that piece of legislation, the question came of, 'How do we enforce that legislation when it is finally approved?'" said Nikolai Botev, UNFPA's Somalia representative. "This is when the realization came that there are actually no forensic facilities within Somalia." Culture of silence Rape and sexual assault are pervasive in Somalia, where decades of conflict have created persistent instability and crippled the institutions meant to uphold the law. Thirty-year-old Fatima was collecting firewood outside her family's home in a camp for displaced people in Puntland when she was attacked by three strangers. The men gang-raped her so violently that it caused Fatima, who was pregnant, to miscarry. "After I came home, I started to bleed the next night. After three to four days, I lost my four-month-old baby," Fatima told VOA in an interview at a women's health clinic in Garowe. Like many women in this conservative country, Fatima preferred to stay silent rather than endure the stigma of her community. The blame and shame survivors face deters many women from reporting rapes and assaults, creating a culture of silence. "I was shy and said to myself, 'Don't tell your story to anyone because it is shameful,'" Fatima said. She was dressed in a full black niqab that revealed nothing but her eyes through a small slit. Although statistics on the numbers of sexual crimes are largely unavailable, Somalia has been ranked as one of the worst countries to be a woman, and stories like Fatima's are alarmingly common. UNFPA says reports of rape and sexual assault have increased this year, after a devastating drought pushed women like Fatima into displacement camps where they become even more vulnerable. "We're seeing a significant increase of sexual violence, particularly targeting internally displaced people," Botev said. "The whole idea of the forensic center was born out of a bigger idea of how to address gender-based violence, sexual violence in the context of Somalia." A broken system Somalia's government, even at the state level, has yet to recover from decades of war. Many Somali women do not bother to report crimes because they lack faith that the system can, or wants to, help them get justice. Officer Kis Shamis Kabdi Bile stands out in her bright orange sneakers, blue hijab and mirrored sunglasses. As the only woman in Garowe's Criminal Investigation Division, she handles every case of rape and gender-based violence because, she says, most male officers don't even consider them to be crimes. "There are some police officers who say rape is not a big deal and consider it a minor thing," she told VOA in an interview at the police station. "They say that it is nothing new." Bile hasn't been paid in over a year, and conducts her investigations on foot, as the police department doesn't have a car. She says the police need resources and specialized training in how to handle sexual crimes. Many of Bile's cases are taken over by community elders, who settle disputes through Somalia's traditional herr system. Often the rapist's family pays a fine of camels or goats to the survivor's family, or the survivors are forced to marry their attackers. It's frustrating, Bile said. "As you are in the middle of the case, those elders will come and say, 'We are going to negotiate before you finish the case.'" During our interview, a young girl, no older than 15, came to plead for Bile's help. The male police officer assigned to her rape case was insisting she lacked the evidence to go to court, she said, and was encouraging her to resolve her case through the community elders. Bile called the officer in for a strong scolding, and then took over the case. Changing times There are promising signs that Puntland's efforts are already helping more rape survivors to hold their attackers accountable. Data from Puntland's attorney general shows that of the 108 rapes reported in Puntland in 2016, only 14, or 12 percent, resulted in convictions. Almost a third were dropped due to lack of evidence. But since the Sexual Offenses Act was implemented this year, the conviction rate has risen to 27 percent, while the number of cases thrown out for insufficient evidence has dropped to 21 percent. The trend is encouraging to local politicians, who hope the forensic laboratory will build upon the law's early success by providing authorities with stronger evidence in a shorter time so they can investigate and prosecute more cases that will stand up in a court of law. "We used to send DNA from here to Nairobi or from here to South Africa," said Salah Habib Haaji Hama, Puntland's Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs. "So those restraints now are easy. We can manage this and get answers within a timely period. Within hours, within minutes, when we used to have days, sometimes months, to receive those." An important component to the lab's success is providing education, both to the survivors and the wider community, about how DNA testing works and why it's so important. "There's a limited time that they have to report or the results of the lab will not be successful. So we will try to educate them," said Maryan Ahmed Ali, Puntland's Minister of Women. "What is the time limit? What do they have to do? Do they have to take a shower? Do they have to change or wash their clothes?" Understanding the implications of DNA testing could deter potential attackers from committing crimes for fear of being caught. It could also be a game changer for women like Fatima, who said she didn't report the crime because she didn't know her attackers' names. "Who am I going to accuse? I can only accuse a person I know. I can't catch someone who I only saw in the jungle. I can barely remember the faces," she said. A multitude of challenges, including poor infrastructure, potential security threats and lack of qualified technicians, could impede the lab's success, said UNFPA's Botev. Somalia lacks advanced universities and hospitals, so the technicians overseeing the facility all studied abroad. They hope to make the lab a training ground for aspiring Somali scientists. But the greater hope is that more successful convictions will foster increased confidence in Puntland's new system, and encourage more women to report. Ultimately, Ali said, this will help reduce the social stigma and break the culture of silence surrounding rape and sexual assault. "There will not be a stigma. There will not be a discussion about who did this, who did the crime, who did the rape. So it's a big encouragement," Ali said. Somalia has opened its first forensic laboratory to process rape kits. Sexual assault is widespread in the country, according to human rights groups, but few victims come forward and few perpetrators are punished. The new forensic lab in Somalia's Puntland region has been hailed as a step in the right direction, but a long road remains to end impunity for gender-based violence. Neha Wadekar reports for VOA from Garowe, Somalia. Turkey, Russia and Iran agreed Friday to a deal that will see the countries work together to police a de-escalation zone in Syrias Idlib province for the next six months, according to a joint statement issued by the three countries following talks in Kazakhstan. The three nations also agreed to set up a coordination center to monitor the implementation of other de-escalation zones around Syria during the latest round of peace talks in Astana. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, observers from all three countries will be stationed at control and observation points within the de-escalation zones. The observer forces' main task will be to prevent conflicts between the regime and the opposition and to monitor possible violations of the cease-fire, the foreign ministry said in a statement. While the three nations agreed to set up the de-escalation zones, the details about how to enforce the safe zones are still being worked out, Russia's representative at Syrian peace talks, Alexander Lavrentiev, told Russian news agency RIA Novosti. He said the mechanism and concrete locations [of a deployed force in Idlib] will be discussed, according to RIA Novosti. According to Lavrentyev, Turkey, Russia and Iran all will send about 500 observers to Idlib, with the Russian contingent consisting of military policemen. Idlib, which borders Turkey, was captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels. Representatives from both the Syrian government and the rebel groups attended the Astana talks. Lawmakers in Togo began debating presidential term limits Friday, after days of protests calling for constitutional reform and the departure of the ruling family. The West African nation has been ruled by one family for 50 years, and its current president, Faure Gnassingbe, has held power since 2005. Gnassingbes opponents are demanding a two-term limit for presidents, two rounds of voting in elections and the right of the Togolese diaspora to vote. The demonstrations began on September 6, and security forces have used tear gas and physical force, most recently on Wednesday, to disperse the crowds. Government supporters have organized counter protests to voice support for the ruling party. People interviewed this week by VOA in the streets of the capital, Lome, did not mince words about their demands. We have been governed for years, and now were exhausted, said one protester. All that this family has done, sorry. They must go. As soon as possible. Opposition leaders organized a walkout from parliament earlier this week after participating in a special session to address the constitutional crisis. That session ended abruptly following heated debate. For us, its about discussing, studying and adopting the project of revising the constitution, said Isabelle Ameganvi, deputy for the opposition National Alliance for Change (ANC) party. Thats what the Togolese people want, and we will stick to it. Ruling party leaders called for calm and said the president is open to reform. We want to move forward, said Christophe Tchao, deputy for the ruling political party, the Union for the Republic (UNIR). We want this to lead to a consensus that will be a positive state for all Togolese people. UN seeks term limits During the September 6 protests, Amnesty International reported that the leader of an opposition party was confined to his house, which was surrounded by security forces. During earlier protests in August, two were killed and 28 people sentenced to prison terms, Amnesty said. The government also shut down internet access. The U.N. is concerned by the crisis and is calling for the adoption of term limits in the country, saying the era of presidents for life is over in Africa. The global body warned of the possibility of violence like that seen in other parts of the continent where presidents sought to extend their terms. Our main perspective is to advise the Togolese to take those actions to prevent an escalation, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the U.N. Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, told Reuters. We are in a region where the security challenges are real and menacing, and so we dont want to see any deep political crisis. During a discussion on VOAs Washington Forum, Nicolas Babina, president of UNIR France, a branch of the ruling political party, said that reform has always been a high priority for President Gnassingbe. The government, long before the protests, it was the order of the day to make constitutional and institutional reforms, Babina said. Since the opposition parties have created the impression that there is instability and trouble in the country, to appease them, the government has moved up the calendar to address these issues. But opposition leaders say the president has had ample time to make changes. They called for an immediate emergency session of parliament to revise the constitution. We are in an emergency situation. If you look at the number of people who have gathered in the street to call for reform, the people even demanding the resignation of the president. This is an emergency, Michel Kinvi, an opposition representative living in the United States, said on Washington Forum. There has been abuse; there have been acts of violence. Because we are conscious and because we are acting in good faith, we have to follow the emergency procedures instead of the normal procedures, Kinvi said. Jacques Aristide contributed to this report President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to take unspecified action against Iran next month, expressing continued dissatisfaction with the 2015 nuclear agreement signed by Iran and a group of world powers, including the United States. "We are not going to stand for what they're doing to this country," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "They have violated so many different elements, but they've also violated the spirit of that deal. And you will see what we'll be doing in October. It will be very evident." He reiterated that "it's a deal that should have never, ever been made." The United States on Thursday extended some sanctions relief for Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal. But no decision has been made on whether to preserve the deal itself. Imposed sanctions The U.S. Treasury Department, meanwhile, imposed sanctions Thursday against 11 entities and individuals for supporting Iranian activity the Trump administration considers hostile, including cyberattacks against U.S. financial institutions. "Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Iran's provocations, including support for the IRGC-Quds Forces and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyberattacks meant to destabilize the U.S. financial system," U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement posted on the agency's website. IRGC stands for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the branch of the Iranian military meant to protect the country's Islamic republic system. The IRGC's Quds Force is its extraterritorial unit. The Treasury action freezes any assets the individuals and companies hold in the U.S. and bars U.S. citizens, residents and companies from doing business with them. Foreign financial institutions that do business with them risk losing access to the U.S. financial system, according to the Treasury statement. In London on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Iran was "clearly in default" of expectations under the 2015 nuclear deal. While international inspectors have found Iran is meeting requirements to limit its nuclear program, Tillerson said that it was violating language about regional peace and security, citing its ballistic missile program and its support for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. Economic sanctions against Iran were dropped in exchange for Tehran's limiting of its nuclear program. North Korea The U.S. president, returning from seeing hurricane damage and meeting survivors in Florida, also commented on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Amid indications Pyongyang may soon carry out further provocations beyond its recent ICBM launches and sixth nuclear test, Trump said a new response beyond the latest U.N. and U.S. sanctions and warnings was being formulated. "I can't tell you, obviously, what I'm working on. But believe me, the people of this country will be very, very safe," Trump told reporters. "I think that a lot of effort is being put into this. We're looking at what's going on. As we speak, we are literally at it right now." Hours after Trump spoke, North Korea fired a missile from Pyongyang that flew over Japan and about 2,200 kilometers out into the Pacific Ocean. The commander of the U.S. Strategic Command on Thursday was the latest authoritative voice to indicate the North Koreans on September 3 most likely set off a thermonuclear device in a tunnel at their Punggye-ri nuclear test site. "I have to make the assumption that what I saw equates to a hydrogen bomb," Air Force General John Hyten said. U.S. President Donald Trump has invited three Latin American leaders to dine with him next week in New York as he seeks to address the Venezuela crisis and build bridges with the region after an acrimonious start with neighbor Mexico. The political and economic turmoil in Venezuela, source of 10 percent of the oil consumed by the United States, will almost certainly top the agenda when he receives the center-right presidents of Peru, Colombia and Brazil at Trump Tower on Monday evening, diplomats said. "Trump needs to show that he has good friends in the region who share a positive agenda with the United States, but I am not sure he will get what he wants," said a Brazilian diplomat, who asked not to be named to be able to speak freely on the matter. White House officials confirmed Trump will dine with several Latin American leaders on Monday night, with Venezuela expected to be the main topic of conversation. Cuba will also be discussed, one of the officials said. The dinner will take place on the eve of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, who will leave office after elections next year, has decided not to attend. Mexico riled Trump has annoyed Mexico, his country's main trading partner in Latin America, by accusing it of stealing U.S. jobs, threatening to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement and insisting it pay for a border wall he plans to build to keep out illegal immigrants. Trump has no major initiatives under way with other Latin American countries. In fact, two of the countries to be represented Monday Colombia and Peru are members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which the United States withdrew from shortly after he took office. On Wednesday, Trump upset Colombia, the South American nation with the closest ties to Washington, by threatening to blacklist it for failing to stop a surge in cocaine production, most of which ends up sold on the streets of U.S. cities. The two countries have long been close allies in the fight against illegal narcotics but in recent years broadened the focus of their relationship to include trade and Colombia's peace process with leftist guerrillas. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' government rejected the criticism of his country's anti-drug record on Thursday. Shared concern over how to deal with Venezuela, where at least 125 people were killed in four months of demonstrations against the Socialist government, will dominate Monday's dinner, according to Latin America expert Michael Shifter. "Trump and his team are very worried about Venezuela and they want to consult with Venezuela's neighbors Colombia and Brazil, and Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has taken a leading role on the Venezuelan issue in the region," said Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based policy group. Venezuelans flee Thousands of Venezuelans have spilled over the border into Colombia and Brazil, fleeing the once-prosperous oil-producing nation that opponents of President Nicholas Maduro say has become a dictatorship. While the Latin American leaders due to meet with Trump have stepped up pressure on Maduro to free political prisoners and hold general elections, they are unlikely to agree to the tougher unilateral economic sanctions that the U.S. president favors. "Colombia and Brazil prefer a negotiated solution to the crisis and not economic sanctions that will hurt the Venezuelan people more than the government," the Brazilian diplomat said. Meetings due this week in the Dominican Republic between the Venezuelan government and the opposition could be a start in solving the crisis, as long as Maduro is not just out to win time, the diplomat said. The opposition, however, says it has so far agreed only to send a delegation to discuss with Dominican President Danilo Medina the conditions under which talks could begin. Peru has not objected to the financial sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the Maduro government, Shifter said. "But if the U.S. ratchets up sanctions, like cutting off oil imports, and takes a more interventionist position on Venezuela, that could distance the United States from its Latin American neighbors," he said. A week after Mexico was struck by an earthquake that killed scores of people, U.S. President Donald Trump called his Mexican counterpart to express his sympathy. The White House said Thursday in a statement Trump called Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to extend his condolences for the lives lost and homes destroyed due to the earthquake... Trump, describing his conversation with the Mexican leader, told reporters on Air Force One, That whole earthquake is terrible. We paid our respects. Trump said via his Twitter account that he had been unable to reach Pena Nieto for three days because of sketchy cell phone reception in the earthquake area in southern Mexico where the Mexican president was visiting. The White House said Trump expressed his solidarity with the government and people of Mexico as both our countries respond to the recent spate of natural disasters. Pena Nieto said last week the earthquake was the biggest Mexico has experienced in more than 100 years and declared three days on national mourning. President Donald Trump has responded to North Korea's most recent missile launch with a vow that the United States and its allies will not be intimidated. Trump made the remark Friday during a speech to military personnel and their families at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, just outside Washington. He said North Korea's launch hours earlier showed Pyongyang's "utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community." Earlier in the day, NATO called for a global response to North Korea's latest launch of a missile, which flew over northern Japan just days after the United Nations imposed new sanctions on Pyongyang for conducting its sixth nuclear test. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Twitter, "North Korea's missile launch is another reckless breach of U.N. resolutions a major threat to international peace and security which demands a global response." At the United Nations, the Security Council met behind closed doors for more than an hour. Afterward, in a statement, the council condemned the "highly provocative launch" and called on North Korea to reduce tensions on the peninsula. It also urged states to implement U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang, the latest round of which the council adopted Monday. "We are discussing for a while that we are really in a vicious circle: We have a provocation, a resolution and then another provocation," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters. 'Stop it' Nebenzia urged North Korea to "stop it" and said the only political proposal to resolve the standoff was the joint Russian-Chinese "freeze for freeze." That plan seeks to set the stage for a resumption of talks after Pyongyang suspends its nuclear and ballistic missile activity and the U.S. and South Korea suspend their joint military exercises. The statement appeared unlikely to change North Korea's behavior. After the new sanctions were imposed Monday, North Korea called for the Security Council to be broken up, accusing it of being a "tool of evil" working for the United States. The latest missile was launched from the Sunan district in Pyongyang and flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said, "We absolutely cannot accept these repeated provocations by North Korea and we strongly protest to North Korea and convey to them the nation's strong anger in the strongest words possible." Warnings about the missile blared around 7 a.m. local time in the northern Japanese town of Kamaishi, according to footage from national broadcaster NHK. South Korea's military reported the missile reached an altitude of about 770 kilometers (475 miles) and flew 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles), far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. U.S. threat assessment The U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement, "Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile" that did not pose a threat to Guam. The North American Aerospace Defense Command also determined that the missile had posed no threat to North America. The South Korean military responded to the provocation from the North by launching a Hyunmoo-II missile into the sea that traveled the distance it would take to reach the Sunan airfield in Pyongyang, according to a military spokesman. South Korean President Moon Jae-in also convened a National Security Council meeting to monitor the situation and prepare for any emerging threats from North Korea. "President Moon ordered [the military] to closely analyze and increase the readiness posture against new types of threats from North Korea, such as EMP [electromagnetic pulse] and biochemical threats," presidential spokesman Park Su-hyun said. North Korea said earlier this month it was developing a hydrogen bomb that could carry out an EMP attack. Experts disagree about whether the North had the capability to mount such an attack, which would involve setting off a bomb in the atmosphere that could heavily damage power grids and other infrastructure. In August, North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan from a region near Pyongyang. That missile flew more than 2,700 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 550 kilometers. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for new sanctions "to be firmly imposed" in response to the latest North Korean missile test that violated Japanese airspace. 'New measures' urged U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also called for "new measures" against North Korea and said, "These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation." "We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim [Jong Un] regime," the top U.S. diplomat said. Tillerson noted that China, which supplies North Korea with most of its oil, and Russia, as the largest employer of North Korean forced labor, have a unique responsibility in the diplomatic situation. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," Tillerson said. The North Korean state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun on Friday said in an editorial, "If the U.S. continues to walk on the current course, we will take stronger actions for our self-defense." A North Korean state agency threatened Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over the latest nuclear test. In the past two years, North Korea has conducted 27 ballistic missile launches and three nuclear tests. At the beginning of this year, North Korea's Kim announced plans to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike the U.S. mainland. The Trump administration has called the development of a North Korean ICBM an unacceptable existential threat. Washington has tried to work with Beijing to restrain the latter's ally in Pyongyang through economic sanctions. While U.S. officials say they prefer a diplomatic solution to this nuclear standoff, military force is also an option. VOA's U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer and national security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. A senior U.S. arms control official said Friday that Washington would never become a party to the treaty banning nuclear weapons because the accord undermines international security and does nothing to resolve threats posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is set to open for signature at the U.N. General Assembly in New York next week. If 50 countries sign it, the treaty will go into force. The U.S. permanent representative to the Conference on Disarmament, Ambassador Robert Wood, said at a news conference Friday that he considered the treaty a bad idea. He said prohibiting nuclear weapons would not make the world a safer place or reduce stockpiles by even one weapon. He warned that the treaty would exacerbate divisions that already exist in the nonproliferation and disarmament communities. "We are now facing the greatest nuclear challenge that we have faced for quite some time in North Korea's nuclear weapons program and its ballistic missile activities," he said. "And, the ban treaty does nothing and cannot do anything to impact and improve the situation with regard to that challenge that we face." Diplomacy preferred Wood reiterated the Trump administration's position that all options were on the table in dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat. However, he added, Washington's preference is to go the diplomatic route and give sanctions the opportunity to work. Other nations, including Israel, India and Pakistan, have developed nuclear weapons in defiance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The United States does not approve of the programs. In response to a question from VOA, the ambassador said the United States would never recognize North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. "North Korea has basically brought the international community to a very dangerous situation and we cannot sit idly by while the North continues to advance its ballistic missile program, its nuclear weapons program," he said. "They are a great threat to peace and international security." Wood said the U.S. would continue to pressure and isolate the North's government with the hope it will choose a different path, but he warned that patience was running thin. An American drone attack in a remote northwestern border region of Pakistan has killed at least three suspected militants and injured another, said tribal and local security sources. U.S. officials rarely acknowledge drone strikes on Pakistani soil, but if it is confirmed, Fridays attack would be the first since President Donald Trump unveiled his strategy for Afghanistan and South Asia about a month ago. Sources tell VOA that missiles fired from an unmanned aircraft destroyed a house in sem-iautonomous Kurram tribal district, which borders the Afghan province of Khost. The house belonged to a local religious cleric, Maulvi Mohib, who was among the slain men. Tribal sources described Mohib as a loyalist of the Haqqani terrorist network, an ally of the Taliban who are fighting U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan. In his August 21 policy speech, President Trump accused Pakistan of harboring Haqqanis and Taliban insurgents, warning he would no longer be silent about Pakistans safe haven for terrorist organizations. He went on to criticize Islamabad for taking billions of dollars of U.S. aid while housing the same terrorists we are fighting. Pakistani leaders rejected the charges as an attempt to scapegoat" their country for failures of U.S.-led efforts to secure and stabilize Afghanistan. The CIA-run drone operation resumed in Pakistan in March after a nine month unannounced break, but there have been no confirmed strikes since June 13, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism which tracks the U.S. global drone program. Fridays drone strike came a day after Pakistani authorities ordered international medical humanitarian organization, Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), to wind up its relief operations in Kurram. MSN is withdrawing from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, or FATA, because authorities have refused to issue a no objection certificate (NoC) without providing any explanation announced MSF country representative Catherine Moody on Friday. MSF is saddened by the decision The closure brings to an end 14 years of MSF working with the FATA Health Services in Kurram Agency, a statement from Moody read. Pakistani officials have refused to comment on why MSF has been refused a NoC. Britain has raised its terror threat level to "critical" after a bomb attack on the London subway Friday that has been claimed by Islamic State. Prime Minister Theresa May announced Friday after the attack that the country's Joint Terrorism Analysis Center, or JTAC, has decided to raise the threat level from "severe" to "critical" meaning that according to May, "their assessment is that a further attack may be imminent." She said members of the military will begin aiding police, providing security at some sites not accessible to the public. May also said members of the public may see more armed police on the streets and the transport network. Meanwhile, Islamic State has said the improvised explosive device used at Parsons Green subway station early Friday, injuring at least 29 people, was detonated by an IS-affiliated unit. The makeshift explosive device exploded on a packed rush hour commuter train in what police call a terrorist attack. Emergency workers said none of the injuries were believed to be life-threatening. Eight of the injured have been treated and sent home. "There was a loud shriek to my left," said Luke Walmsley, who was close to the explosion and became caught up in the panicked crowd afterward. "And I turned and there were the remnants of a flash and smoke. And then just hordes of people. The stampede had already started." Police descended on the underground subway station at Parsons Green to investigate. A large cordon has been put up around the area and service on parts of the subway network, nicknamed "the Tube," have been suspended. Mark Rowley, a deputy assistant commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, told reporters the blast appeared to be deliberate. After some initial investigation, Rowley told reporters, "We now assess that this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device." Another passenger, Chris Wildish, said there was a "massive flash of flames" scorching the top of the train, followed by the smell of chemicals. He said a number of school children on the rush hour train were knocked around by adult passengers running toward the exits. Images posted on social media appear to show a bucket on fire that had been placed inside a plastic bag close to a rail car door. The blast was the fifth major terrorist attack in Britain this year. In Photos: London subway attack May condemns attack British Prime Minister Theresa May called the West London attack "cowardly" and urged London residents to go about their normal routines, although she said, "The threat level remains at severe." WATCH: May on malicious intent of attacker United Nations Secretary-General Antionio Guterres released a statement saying, "We condemn the attack and we wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured. The U.N. stands in solidarity with the people and government of the United Kingdom." U.S. President Donald Trump called Prime Minister May on Friday to convey his sympathies, the office of the White House press secretary said in a statement. The statement said President Trump "pledged to continue close collaboration with the United Kingdom to stop attacks worldwide targeting innocent civilians and to combat extremism." WATCH: Trump on London attack Earlier, the British prime minister admonished Trump for his initial reaction to the attack. Trump had tweeted, "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" May responded to the tweet, telling the BBC, "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." London police said their investigation into Friday's attack is being supported by MI-5, Britain's domestic intelligence agency. British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson appealed for calm and said it was important not to speculate. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the British capital "will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism." May convened an emergency meeting Friday in response to the attack. War veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa says a faction of the ruling Zanu PF party allegedly led by First Lady Grace Mugabe will bite the dust in the 2018 general elections. He says G40, said to be supporting Mrs. Mugabe to succeed her husband, has completely destroyed Zimbabwe. 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. Opposition parties say Zimbabweans should register under the Biometric Voter Registration exercise launched Thursday by President Robert Mugabe. All formations of the Movement for Democratic Change and several opposition parties said registering to vote in the countrys new voters register would pave the way for the creation of a democratic state in Zimbabwe. In a statement, the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube read in part, MDC would like to urge every party member, supporter, individual and every citizen above the age of 18 years to go and register from today onwards at their nearest registration centre. Regardless of whether one has participated in previous elections, the new voters roll requires everyone to register anew so as to qualify to vote in 2018. As per the demand by the new Constitution adopted in 2013, a new voters roll is being adopted following the scrapping of the old one after revelations it was riddled with ghost voters, lacked transparency and accuracy, making it a hotbed for massive Zanu PF rigging. The party noted that people who are Zimbabwean citizens, are 18 years old and above, have a metal or plastic ID or valid passport and proof of residence, are all eligible to register under the BVR. We would further like to urge those without identity documents including the so called aliens and the Gukurahundi victims to take advantage of the current ID and birth certificates mobile registration process carried out across the country to acquire IDs. Note, those without proof of residence can acquire an affidavit from the registering officer at the polling station where they will be advised accordingly on how to complete it. The newly adopted Biometric Voter Registration system will capture your fingerprint and facial features as part of identification. President Mugabe was the first to register at State House followed by his wife, Grace, and several state and ruling Zanu PF officials. Some opposition leaders and their supporters registered at the Harare International Centre though they were complaining about lack of transparency in the BVR process. Opposition parties argue that Zimbabwe has not secured the required 3,200 BVR kits and servers needed to store the collected voters information, adding that this may be tempered with resulting in the conduction of fraudulent elections next year. The opposition has noted that children turning 18 after January 15 next year wont be able to vote in the next elections as the voters roll will be closed for the elections expected to be conducted in July 2017. The MDC-T is challenging President Mugabes proclamation in court. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is expected in the next four months to register at least 7 million voters using the new system widely criticized by the opposition parties and other stakeholders. 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: On block after block of Houstons Meyerland neighborhood, residents are dealing with the detritus of homes flooded by Hurricane Harvey. (Patricia Sullivan/The Washington Post) The suburban Houston enclave of Meyerland has long presented a facade of prosperity and permanence. Built half a century ago on what had been rice fields, it totals more than 2,000 spacious homes, many with swimming pools, all set amid unfurling green lawns. In 1955, Vice President Richard M. Nixon attended the developments ribbon-cutting. Michael Dell, the billionaire computer entrepreneur, grew up here. Driving through Meyerland, its easy to envy those who are able to live in the neighborhood, the Houston Press noted in a 2014 profile of the subdivision. Three major floods later in 2015, 2016 and now with Hurricane Harvey the envy is dissipating, replaced by the once- unthinkable idea that swaths of Meyerland ought to be abandoned and returned to nature. Beating a retreat from a thriving neighborhood is a rarity in U.S. urban history, but after Harvey, the notion is compelling enough in flood-prone communities that it has drawn support from leading planners in Houston. And exhausted by repeated inundations, some residents say they would welcome a government program to buy out their vulnerable homes. "A fair but extensive home buyout and removal program must be established," according to a report just issued by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. Many properties "have been flooded three or more times since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. . . . We need to identify these areas and remove these homes from harm's way; it is unlikely we can develop strategies to protect them from severe rainfall events." The Harris County Flood Control District, which includes Houston, is moving forward. Officials announced last week that they are actively pursuing the funding necessary to proceed with Harvey-related home buyouts. Such a billion-dollar effort would probably be far-reaching, ranging from Meyerland in southwest Houston to Greenspoint, a lower-income neighborhood on the citys north side, to areas around Ellington Airport southeast of downtown. Those three Zip codes lead Harris County in repetitive national flood insurance claims. Other locales have frequently been underwater, too, and even before Harvey, several thousand people had requested that their property be purchased, according to the flood control district. Buyouts would not only take homes out of harms way but also provide open land that could be used to absorb heavy rains or provide space for enlarging drainage channels. These would lessen flood risks for the rest of the city. Drone footage shot above the Meyerland neighborhood in southwest Houston shows severe flooding from Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 28. Yet large-scale buyout programs often meet fierce opposition. A proposal to abandon some low-lying neighborhoods of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina spurred racial acrimony and other resentments. Ultimately, the idea was dropped. By contrast, nearly all homeowners in Staten Island's devastated Oakwood Beach opted to sell when New York state came calling after Hurricane Sandy. In the wake of Hurricane Irma, similar questions are likely to arise in the Florida Keys, where federal officials said Tuesday that many homes were destroyed or badly damaged. View Graphic Surviving Harvey: A long and fraught recovery In Houston, the nations fourth-largest city, buyouts could be contentious. While City Councilwoman Ellen Cohen, who represents Meyerland, says they should be considered only as a last resort, residents weary from repeated losses and living in dread of the next major rainfall may feel differently. Those like Suzanne Smith say they would leap at an offer for their homes if government authorities were to create a big enough program. Smith, 53, grew up and raised her children in Meyerland, but shes set on leaving. I cant stay in this house where every time I fall asleep I worry it will flood and Ill have to be rescued by a National Guard helicopter, she said last week. Her home on Heatherglen Drive is just two blocks south of the miles-long Brays Bayou, which bisects the neighborhood. She was flooded by Allison in 2001, then again during whats now known as the Memorial Day Flood of 2015 and the Tax Day Flood of 2016. During Harvey, water reached nearly up to the eaves of her home. She lost artwork and $90,000 of inventory for her online menswear business. I cant do this again, Smith said. Even before the hurricane struck on the weekend of Aug. 26, many in Houston were beginning to fathom the depths of the areas flood dangers. As a result, the hurricane didnt uncover a new peril; it added several exclamation points to previously issued warnings. Last year, after the extensive April flooding, a Harris County Flood Control District publication asked a simple question: Will we ever solve our flooding problems in Harris County? The answer, basically, was no. What did that publication advise Houstonians to do? Buy flood insurance. Everyone is at risk for flooding and should take steps to protect themselves and their families, it declared. Advocates of more-aggressive steps hope the widespread inundation from Harvey which reportedly reached more than 100,000 homes will finally spur action. In the past, some flood control officials have minimized the need for more-extensive remedies. They asserted that the 2015 and 2016 floods were rare events, with less than a 1 percent chance of happening in any given year. But the risk appears to have been profoundly underestimated. Decades ago, many older neighborhoods like Meyerland were deemed to be outside the "flood plain" that is, unlikely to ever be underwater. Years of unchecked development upstream have altered the equation, however. New subdivisions, strip malls and office parks have meant more pavement and less land to absorb rain. So more water rushes into the regions drainage system and, downstream, into other Houston communities. The curious result is that some older Houston neighborhoods have become more flood-prone with time. Samuel Brody, director of the Center for Texas Beaches and Shores at Texas A&M University, has a set of slides showing Meyerland's evolving susceptibility. In 1979, only a sliver was considered to be a flood plain to the north and south of Brays Bayou. That began changing significantly in the mid-1980s, and today, almost all of the community is deemed to lie in the flood plain. Over the years, though Meyerland hasnt changed much, Katy and other western suburbs have gone gangbusters, Brody said. More Meyerlands are likely as development upstream continues, he and others warn. As drastic as home buyouts sound, they wouldnt be unprecedented in Harris County. Since 1985, more than 3,000 properties in various areas have been purchased with a combination of $300 million in federal and local funding, according to the flood control district. There remain more than 107,000 properties in federally designated flood plains throughout the county, officials said. What makes the Meyerland area so likely a buyout target is its history of storm-soaked disasters. Federal statistics analyzed by Syndeste, a risk analysis firm, show the community produced more than 3,000 claims totaling $102 million in damages against the federal flood insurance program from the 1970s through mid-August. The most-affected properties are on the streets closest to the bayou. Purchasing enough of them might enable the concrete-reinforced channel to be widened, improving the odds that the rest of Meyerland would stay dry during heavy rains. A man talks on his phone as he wades along a flooded Meyerland street on Aug. 27. (Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP) This would dovetail with a massive county and federal government project underway to enlarge and revamp the bayou. The $500 million project is expected to ameliorate flooding in numerous communities but would not eliminate it in the Meyerland area, according to a Rice University analysis published last year. Some residents oppose talk of buyouts, at least for now. They argue that the changes coming to Brays Bayou, combined with a program to simply elevate homes in the area, can rescue the most- vulnerable ones. Cohen, who also serves as Houstons mayor pro tem, said she would hate to see vacant lots start to dot the community. It just leaves open prairie. A place like Meyerland is a beautiful neighborhood. We really hate to give up on that. Others think the magnitude of the flood risks will force the issue. Jim Blackburn, an environmental law professor in Rices Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, said he understands how people feel losing community and the strong cultural ties they may have there. But this is a triage situation due to the errors and omissions of the past, he said. He estimates that about 10,000 homes should be purchased countywide, an endeavor that could cost $2 billion to $3 billion. Were looking at a lot of money, Blackburn said. But theres a realization, now with Harvey, that weve got to get people out of harms way. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, essentially the county's chief executive, was reported Monday to be considering all options, including accelerated buyouts. Harvey, he said, was a "game-changer." Suzanne Smith, whose home in Meyerland has flooded three times in three years, cleans up her living room after waters from Hurricane Harvey subsided. (Patricia Sullivan/The Washington Post) Dozens of people in Meyerland have torn down older houses and rebuilt ones that loom far above the ground, or have hired contractors to raise their homes. Across from Suzanne Smith, for example, is a house elevated several steps above street level. Even as Harveys torrential rains submerged Smiths home almost to the roof, her neighbors front door stayed dry. Yet lifting a house is expensive, and most Meyerland residents have been unwilling or unable to afford such a project. Smith said elevating her four-bedroom home would cost about $200,000. A federal program offered in 2015 to pay most or all of the cost, but 700 people in the area are on a waiting list for similar work. So far, only 10 houses have been dealt with. I cant wait another eight floods before I lift this house, she said. Instead, barring any other solutions, she expects to sell the lot and move elsewhere. Staying in Meyerland is only costing her money. Real estate prices have dipped since 2015 battered by each cycle of severe flooding. And that was before the latest episode. Smith thinks her property value has dropped from above $600,000 to about $400,000, not much more than the value of her lot. At the same time, the cost of flood insurance from the federal government is high and rising. Her policy costs $5,400 annually and will go up 25 percent each year until she knocks the house down or raises it at least five feet. This is a beautiful area, and its right here next to everything, Smith said. But we cant live like this. We cant do it. I dont know anyone who feels safe in this neighborhood in a one-story home. Whoriskey reported from Washington. Andrew Ba Tran and Dan Keating in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: Surviving Harvey: A long and fraught recovery If they deport us all, who will rebuild? Undocumented immigrants could be key to Texas recovery The flood hit neighborhoods wealthy and poor. The toll in Texas is difficult to calculate. By Ruth Anderah: The infamous Lugogo forest mall key murder suspect Matthew Kanyamunyu has for the fourth time applied for bail before the High Courts Criminal Division. Kanyamunyus 4th attempt to bail has been made through his lawyers of Ochienge Associates. Just like in his previous applications, Kanyamunyu has again put his constitutional right to bail and the notion of presumption of innocence as major grounds for his new application. On August 23rd 2017, Justice Yasin Nyanzi dismissed Kanyamunyus 3rd bail application on grounds that he had made his application before the same judge who declined to release him on bail but with similar grounds. Justice Nyanzi then advised Kanyamunyu to apply for bail as many times as he wished but before different judges. Kanyamunyu is said to have shot dead social worker Kenneth Akena on the night of November 22nd 2016 along Kampala-Jinja Highway as the two got into a quarrel after the deceased allegedly scratched his car. retirement illo (istock) More than 35 years after he revolutionized the way Americans plan for retirement, Ted Benna is still trying to make it easier for people to save. Benna, who is sometimes called the father of the 401(k), has lamented the shortfalls of the system he helped create when he pointed employers to a provision in the tax code that allows workers to set aside pretax earnings for retirement. Today too many people are reaching retirement age with a paltry account balance that is unlikely to carry them through their later years. Illness, job loss and other emergencies can force people to tap their nest eggs sooner than expected. And millions of Americans, about one in two workers, still dont have an easy way to save for retirement. With his latest work, Benna, 75, is trying to tackle the issue of access. The former benefits consultant has released a guide for small-business owners that points them to little-known tools to make it easier for employees to save for retirement all while keeping their costs and liabilities low. His efforts are playing out as House Republicans are considering a key change to 401(k)s as part of their tax overhaul package: Taxing the money that workers place in their savings plans upfront instead of years later when they take it out in retirement. Meanwhile, lawmakers, states and small businesses are experimenting with ways to expand access to retirement accounts, which some say is the biggest obstacle of people saving enough for retirement. Why is it still so hard for Americans to save for retirement? Benna and other experts who have studied ways to help Americans feel financially secure in retirement shared their view. We spoke with Mark Iwry, a former Treasury official who helped define programs meant to encourage people to save through auto-enrollment in retirement plans. Teresa Ghilarducci, an economics professor at the New School for Social Research in New York and a longtime consumer advocate, says the current system needs to be replaced with something that reduces the burden on workers. Here is what they had to say: retirement (istock) Retirement accounts are complicated. When Benna first started trying to persuade employers to use a 401(k), the accounts were supposed to supplement pension income. Instead, many employers tried to save money by freezing or eliminating pensions, making the 401(k) the main retirement plan. In 2015, only 5 percent of employers offered traditional pensions to new hires, down from about half in 1998, according to the benefits consultant Willis Towers Watson. The trend shifted the risk and the burden of preparing for retirement to the worker. As the accounts rose in popularity, they also grew more complicated, Benna said. The original 401(k) had two investment options and could be explained in less than a minute, he said: It was simple and it was attractive. Today, the accounts require ordinary workers to make sometimes complicated investment decisions and to wade through layers of fees charged by financial firms and advisers. It morphed into something that got ugly, Benna said. With that added complexity came a lot of added cost. Look forward retirement payday - retirement written in calendar and highlighter (Jakub Jirsak/iStock) People tend to procrastinate. Many people saving for retirement dont take advantage of a force that could offer a tremendous advantage: time. Thanks to the power of compound interest, or the ability of small investment gains to add up over time, people who start squirreling away money earlier can save smaller amounts than people who begin saving later in life. For every dollar you dont save in your 20s, you need to save three or five dollars in your 50s and 60s to make up the difference, depending on how stocks and other investment markets perform. But in many ways, the system runs contrary to human nature, Ghilarducci says. Its not easy for people who are worried about establishing their careers, starting families and paying off debt to plan for retirement. People dont act like Excel spreadsheets, she said. About one in five workers reach their late 50s and early 60s with no money saved, according to estimates from the Federal Reserve. Consumer advocates and retirement experts say the way to get more people to save is twofold. The first step is to give everyone access to a retirement account. The next is to make it seamless for people to sign up. Workers are much more likely to participate in a savings plan when their employers automatically enroll them. Iwry saw the power of automatic enrollment firsthand nearly 20 years ago. Workers who didnt want to contribute to a retirement account could opt out or reduce their contribution rate at any time. So people have to take action to avoid saving, Iwry says. Weve enlisted inertia on the side of saving, he says. At some companies, the share of workers who were participating in the retirement plan increased to about 90 percent with automatic enrollment, Iwry says. Participation also rose among some groups that were least likely to use a retirement account, including African Americans, Latinos, women and low-wage workers. Half of workers are left out. People who do not have access to a plan at work can open an individual retirement account on their own, but few people ever get around to it. Workers who have access to a retirement plan through their jobs are 15 times as likely to save for retirement, according to AARP. People who work part-time or who work for a small business are less likely to receive a retirement plan through their jobs. Several states have stepped in by passing laws that would create state-run retirement accounts. Under many of the models, states would automatically enroll workers into IRAs or create a retirement marketplace for small businesses that dont have plans. The efforts have faced resistance from some business groups and Republican lawmakers who say they are worried that the programs may encourage employers to drop their existing retirement plans. Now Benna is trying to make it easier for small businesses to offer retirement plans by bringing renewed attention to the payroll deduction IRA, which allow workers to contribute to an IRA directly from their paychecks. The major barriers for a lot of smaller employers are complexity, cost compliance and fear of liability exposure, Benna says. Employers wouldnt need to do much in addition to setting up the payroll deduction similar to the way that they allow workers to have their paychecks split among several checking accounts. In each of Bennas models, the worker is responsible for opening the account and determining how the money should be invested. Employers do not shoulder any liability. retirement (istock) Incentives dont match those who need them the most. The tax code is the governments main tool for encouraging people to save for retirement. Workers dont need to pay taxes on the earnings they put into a retirement account such as a 401(k) and the investments grow tax-free until retirement. But not all workers benefit equally by using these accounts, Iwry says. A person in the 25 percent tax bracket, for instance, saves about 25 cents in income taxes for every dollar saved. Someone in the 10 percent tax bracket saves only a dime. If policymakers want to encourage more low-income and middle-income workers to save, they need to offer incentives that will benefit them, Iwry said. Currently, the tax credit applies only to single people with income up to $31,000 and married couples with income up to $62,000. The credit maxes out at $1,000, but most people who qualify receive much smaller amounts, he said. And despite the benefits of auto-enrollment, Ghilarducci said that any plan that makes participation voluntary is still likely to fall short. Imagine if Social Security were voluntary and you sat around when you were 18 trying to determine if you should pay the [payroll] tax, she says. Ghilarducci says policymakers should create a system that requires workers to contribute a minimum amount to a retirement account that could supplement their Social Security income. Workers would receive lifetime benefits that vary based on how long they worked and how much theyve contributed, similar to a pension. But unlike a pension, workers would not be promised a set dollar amount, she says. The benefits paid off every year can be based on the performance of the investments in the retirement account. Ghilarducci said her proposal has been held back by the same challenges hindering retirement savings overall. Just as individuals are less likely to save until theyre close to their golden years, lawmakers and industry groups may drag their feet on crafting a solution until the retirement crisis is full blown. Oliver Berrill, left, and Lisa Berrill dig into a custom seafood tower at Addies in Potomac, Md. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) Staff writer Everyone knows that it's hard to open a restaurant. What they don't know is that it's even harder to reopen a restaurant especially a beloved, successful one. That's the predicament Jeff Black is in with Addie's, the second iteration of his longtime Rockville restaurant. Everyone loved it. So everyone has an opinion about whether the new one lives up to its predecessor. When I first announced it, I was casual about it. Close friends would be like, You do know how epic this is, right? Black said. I started having all these people contact me: I proposed to my wife there, I had my reunion there. . . . It started to put a lot of weight on my shoulders. I started to worry. I know theres going to be people who have a nostalgic view of certain things. [The Salt Line is an instant hit, with superb seafood and a view to match] I never got a chance to visit the old Addies, so as a pair of fresh eyes I can say: I like what I see. Located in the Park Potomac complex, the restaurant has made its home in a handsome space with tall windows and an ample patio. There are three distinct areas: the citrus-colored bar, the tableclothed and carpeted (read: quiet) formal dining room and a more rustic room that calls to mind the Texas heritage of Black and his grandmother, the restaurants namesake. Few dishes remain from the original Addies menu. The famous ostrich dish is gone, for now: Black says he couldnt find a supplier who would sell it to him fresh, not frozen. The rolls are here to stay, though, and theyre like clouds made of butter. This time, Black is serving them in paper bags that look like school buses another call out to Addie, who was a former kindergarten teacher, as our server explains. The Supreme Seafood Tower lets diners choose 12 items from a lengthy list of seafood and even a few vegetarian) options such as oysters, tuna tartare, shrimp cocktail, lobster tail and heirloom tomato panzanella. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) But the main attraction is the seafood tower. Its like an oceanic choose-your-own adventure: Diners select anywhere between seven and 12 items from a list of about 25. They were Blacks idea, because he loves seafood towers but doesnt like clams. I would go to restaurants and say, can you hold the raw clams? he said. I always felt like I was getting shortchanged because I wasnt getting one of the six or seven items on the tower. He thought it would be nice to have people choose their seafood so no one would be left out. There are even vegan options. [At Mason Dixie Biscuit Co., a southern recipe that brings folks together] Food writer confession: I feel Blacks pain, because I cant eat bivalves. Whenever I order a seafood tower, I end up stuck with the shrimp cocktail. So Addies build-your-own towers were a revelation: I filled mine with butter-poached lobster, a pesto blue-crab salad, broiled octopus, boquerones and, best of all, a tempura soft-shell crab in a spicy, mayonnaisey bang bang sauce. Because some of the dishes are warm and others are cold, and we ended up passing them around like small plates. Its really more like tapas but I wont get caught up on semantics. The list of appetizers and entrees is a much smaller, eclectic mix. The crab cakes no filler here! drew our eye, but the sleeper hit on the appetizer list is a vegan miso mushroom soup. With soba noodles, tofu and tempura maitake mushrooms, its a master class in the art of umami and a nod to Blacks vegan son. Black-pepper-crusted yellowfin tuna sits atop a bed of baby gem lettuce, avocado, sugar snap peas and pickled radishes. (Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post) Entrees are a little more conventional: Theres an Allen Brothers rib-eye steak for two, with mushrooms and an extravagant foie gras butter. Tournedos of beef are given a southwestern treatment, served with a tamale-and-corn relish. And a peppery yellowfin tuna, with charred lettuce and avocado, is a lighter option. [At MGM National Harbor casino, a celebrity chefs restaurant falls flat] Desserts are another taste of the South, with salted caramel banana cream pie among the highlights. A trio of creme brulees served in mini jars were good, but we were slightly put off by the fact that they had the exact presentation as our appetizer of chicken liver mousse, duck rillettes and shrimp pimento cheese. And in the ultimate tease, the dessert menu advertised champagne pops Coming soon! Theyll be available any day now, Black promises, and theyll change seasonally along with the rest of the menu. Because change, as Black reminds us, is the one constant in the restaurant business. People think they'd like their favorite restaurants to stay the same forever, as if suspended in amber, but really, they don't. When you look back, you put your rose-colored glasses on. You dont remember that you had to put a parka on in the wintertime, or in the summer you had to sit outside because it was too hot, or there were holes in the floor, Black said. I try to tell my staff, this is Addies 2.0. Were not going to be the old Addies. 12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac. 301-340-0081. addiesrestaurant.com. Seafood towers $78-$110. Appetizers $9-$24. Entrees $26-$78. Tom Sietsema will return next week. THE DISTRICT New top prosecutor confirmed by Senate The Districts newest U.S. attorney could take office as early as next week. The Senate confirmed Jessie K. Liu late Thursday as the citys top prosecutor. Liu, who was nominated by President Trump in June, will take over the office held by Channing D. Phillips. The U.S. attorneys office in the District is the nations largest prosecutorial office and is unique. The office handles both local and federal cases, from street-level investigations in the District to high-level national security prosecutions and corruption cases. Liu, 44, is a former George W. Bush Justice Department deputy assistant attorney general who served on Trumps Justice Department transition team, and as deputy general counsel at the Treasury Department. Keith L. Alexander MARYLAND Hogan wont sign plan for school compliance Gov. Larry Hogan (R) wont sign a schools-accountability plan that state officials will soon send to the U.S. Department of Education to prove compliance with new requirements for federal K-12 funding. The departments approval of the plan is not contingent upon the governors signature. Hogan informed U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Maryland Board of Education President Andy Smarick of his decision in writing, saying a state law that passed this year despite his veto had forced state officials to create a weak system for rating schools and limited their ability to address those that are low-performing. Josh Hicks VIRGINIA Man charged in killing A 23-year-old man fatally stabbed a woman and attacked another man before wounding himself Thursday morning, police said. Melvin Williams, of Alexandria, was charged Friday with first degree murder in the death of Dasheira Barksdale, 30, also of Alexandria. He remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday, police said. Police said the other victim is a 27-year-old man, identified by family as Durrell Edwards. Rachel Weiner Gov. Larry Hogan (R) says Baltimore meets all of Amazons criteria for the location of a second headquarters. (Carlos Osario/Associated Press) Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) met Friday with top executives from Sagamore Development, the real estate firm owned by Under Armour chief executive Kevin Plank, to discuss how to draw Amazon.com's planned $5 billion second headquarters to Baltimore. The governor also toured the online retailers distribution center in the city and met with company officials. Hogan said he is willing to offer significant investments, including transportation enhancements and financial incentives, to compete for the new headquarters, which is expected to bring 50,000 jobs to the region where it lands. Maryland is competing for the new headquarters with many other states and cities, including Washington, D.C., where Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) on Thursday released a "Hey Alexa" video explaining why she believes the nation's capital would be the best location. Amazon, which plans to make a decision about the location next year, has said it will focus its search on metropolitan areas that have more than 1 million people, a stable and friendly business environment and can draw technical workers. I think we meet all of the criteria, and were going to make a pitch, Hogan said. Were going to go after it as hard as we can. Its going to be a united effort between us and the city and the folks involved in the project. The governor said there is "no question" that he is willing to invest more than the $20 million apiece the state recently offered to keep Marriott International and Northrop Grumman in Maryland. This is about attracting a new corporate headquarters with 50,000 new jobs for Maryland, so its unlike anything weve ever seen before, he said. The governor made clear that the transportation improvements he would propose would not include a revival of the Red Line rail project, which he canceled in 2015 after declaring it was overpriced and not what the city needed. It would do nothing whatsoever for the city, he said Friday. Its not going to get built. Sagamore Development is planning a $5.5 billion redevelopment of Baltimores Port Covington, a waterfront site that previously served as a railroad terminal. The 235-acre project includes a new Under Armour headquarters and a mix of offices, homes, restaurants and green space. Goldman Sachs recently announced it would provide $233 million in private equity for the redevelopment plan, the largest investment by the financial firms Urban Investment Group, which assists struggling areas. Hogan said his office will support any Maryland cities and developers that want to bid for Amazons second headquarters, but that Port Covington probably makes the most sense. I happen to believe that this is the best of the sites that Ive seen, he said. Baltimore City really could use the shot in the arm more than anywhere else. A 14-year-old youth charged in the fatal August shooting of a construction worker in Northeast Washington was on probation at the time of the shooting and had five prior contacts with the juvenile justice system, prosecutors said at a court hearing Thursday. The teen is charged with first-degree felony murder while armed in the shooting of Balmore Mauricio Fuentes, a 34-year-old construction worker who was the crew chief at the site of eight rowhouses in the Trinidad neighborhood near Gallaudet University. District prosecutors charged the teen as a juvenile. The Washington Post generally does not identify suspects charged in juvenile court. Court officials allowed The Post to attend the D.C. hearing, which would usually be closed to the public, with the condition that the teen charged not be named. During the three-hour hearing, prosecutors argued the teen was a danger and said he was with another person when he approached Fuentes and a co-worker and demanded money. Police say Fuentes was shot in the head in what they are investigating as an attempted robbery at around 1:45 p.m. Aug. 23. The shooting occurred in an alley behind Fuentes latest renovation project: a two-story rowhouse in the 1100 block of Oates Street NE. The co-worker told police one of the assailants had a gun and that the 14-year-old pointed at Fuentess pockets during the attempted robbery, D.C. homicide detective Stephanie Garner said. Fuentes co-worker said Fuentes interceded and lunged at the weapon before it fired once. The victim died trying to save his colleague, prosecutor Scott Leighton said in the hearing for the teen. The youths attorneys William Alley and Lilian Fabela Miller of the Districts Public Defender Service said there was no evidence their client was present at the time of the shooting. At the hearing, Garner testified that a security camera near the location captured the audio of the attack but not the scene because of the cameras positioning. Garner said officers could hear one assailant yelling at Fuentes twice to give me your wallet. Fuentes responded, I dont have anything, the detective testified. After the shooting, the teen and the other second assailant ran out of the alley. A video camera captured the running teen sprinting to the right out of the alley and the second person veering left. The co-worker told police that he watched the shooter run to the left, Garner testified. A police officer, who had been parked in a squad car close to the alley where the shooting occurred, told detectives he had seen the youth and the other suspect enter the alley minutes before the shooting and recognized the teen by name from prior exchanges with him. Garner, the homicide detective, recounted the officers statement in court and also testified that the youths probation officer identified him by name after watching the video that showed the two people running from the alley after the sound of a gunshot. [Construction worker fatally shot in Northeast Washington] The gun used to shoot Fuentes was found at the scene, prosecutors said in court. When detectives searched the Northeast home of the teen, they found a bright blue polo shirt and red sneakers, which is the clothing description the police officer and probation officer both relayed as having been worn by the teen at the time of the shooting. The teen was arrested Wednesday. During the hearing, the slight teen, wearing a Penn State hoodie, khaki pants and white Nike sneakers, often bit his fingernails as he sat with his attorneys. His parents were in court for part of the proceeding but were not permitted in during testimony. The attorneys for the youth said the co-worker had told police the two attackers were between the ages of 19 and 20, had not identified their client as one of those and did not say it was the teen who had pointed to Fuentess pockets in his initial interviews with police. The defense team also said that even if their client was present at the time of the shooting, he had not fired the weapon and did not know the other assailant was armed and planned a robbery. Prosecutor Janeese Lewis said that based on the teen's prior arrests, he was dangerous and should not be allowed to return home or be placed in a youth home. Details of the teens previous arrests were not discussed in open court because he is a juvenile. Lewis said that in the youths previous cases, the court offered him two diversion programs that enabled him to avoid being detained. But, the prosecutor said, she feared the youths conduct was becoming more violent. He has prior assaultive conduct that has increased to the most serious assaultive nature a death, Lewis said. Magistrate Judge Sherry Moore Trafford ordered the teen remanded to the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. The teens next hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. Michael Miller contributed to this report. A waterline crack in the hull of a D.C. fireboat caused the vessel to sink last month at a marina in the Southwest Waterfront Park, a fire department spokesman said Friday. The cause was determined after testing by a surveyor. The crack formed on a spot where two pieces were welded together and is hidden behind a sea chest that houses a fire pump, which is part of an on-board sprinkler system. The 29-foot-long Fireboat 3 was built in 2014 and purchased by the fire department for about $300,000. It is the newest boat in the fleet, and fastest, and used primarily for water rescues. Authorities said the boat sank Aug. 23. [D.C. fire boat sinks in Marina] Vito Maggiolo, a fire department spokesman, said the boat is under warranty and the District is in contact with the manufacturer and their insurance company to determine a course of repair and to return it to service. An estimate for repair costs is not yet complete. Maggiolo said an independent surveyor found that the vessel had been properly maintained but that it had undergone recent modifications after fire officials complained about engine issues. The fire department currently has Fireboat 1, the 71-foot John H. Glenn Jr. which was built in 1962 and bought second-hand from the New York Fire Department, along with a backup Boston Whaler built in 1984 and pressed into operation as Fireboat 4. A new vessel Fireboat 2 has been purchased and should be delivered to the department by the end of the month, Maggiolo said. By Ivan Okuda: A proposal by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafire to elevate outgoing Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma as acting Supreme Court judge has hit a snag, after the Judicial Service Commission rejected it technically. The proposal has met stiff resistance after Daily Monitor lifted the lid on the hitherto secret plan to retain Justice Kavuma on the bench on contract. The move would see Justice Kavuma serve at the Supreme Court after he retires this month upon reaching the age of 70. However, several members of the commission, including two representatives from the Uganda Law Society are reported to have expressed reservations with Justice Kavumas promotion. Details in todays Daily Monitor Media and protesters move through the smoke of percussion grenades as protesters and police clash on the streets of DC on the day of the inauguration of Donald Trump as president of the Untited States on Friday, January 20, 2017, in Washington, DC. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) A D.C. Superior Court judge Friday ordered prosecutors to provide additional details about how they will sort through data from a website linked to Inauguration Day protests without violating users privacy and First Amendment rights. Judge Robert E. Morin last month ruled that Los Angeles-based tech company DreamHost must provide authorities with emails and user information of individuals who requested information from the anti-Trump website Disruptj20.org. Prosecutors sought the details in connection with their investigation into violent Inauguration Day riots. Morin on Friday said prosecutors have since failed to outline how they plan to streamline their searches so users of the website with no links to the riots are not caught up in the process. Morin said he wanted to know who in the U.S. attorneys office would review the data and what prosecutors plan to do with information obtained that is not connected to their investigation. The judge said that, at this stage, the Court anticipated the government would have included procedures, or at least methodology, by which this minimization would occur. [Prosecutors and tech company embroiled in battle over info from anti-Trump website] DreamHost CEO Dallas Kashuba. DreamHost is a Los Angeles-based web hosting provider and domain name registrar. (N/A/DreamHost) 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. Prosecutors have filed felony rioting charges against some 200 people who they say participated. DreamHost had challenged an initial request from prosecutors for data, saying it was overly broad. Prosecutors later narrowed that request, and Morin found the government had legal cause for the search and DreamHost must comply. The government must show a compelling interest when it seeks to compel disclosures, such as membership lists, that may indirectly restrict an individuals ability to freely associate, Morin wrote. DreamHost executives have said they are considering appealing the ruling requiring them to turn over the data. Trials for defendants in the rioting cases are set to begin in November and continue through 2018. A spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office declined to comment on Morins request. A hearing has been set for Wednesday. The Districts newest U.S. attorney could take office as early as next week. The Senate confirmed Jessie K. Liu late Thursday as the citys top prosecutor. Liu, who was nominated by President Trump in June, will take over the office held by Channing D. Phillips. [White House to nominate former Justice deputy as U.S. attorney] The U.S. attorneys office in the District is the nations largest prosecutorial office and is unique. The office handles both local and federal cases, from street-level investigations in the District to high-level national security prosecutions and corruption cases against federal officials. Liu, 44, is a former George W. Bush Justice Department deputy assistant attorney general who served on Trumps Justice Department transition team, and as deputy general counsel at the Treasury Department. Jessie K. Liu (Andre Chung/for The Washington Post) Liu, a Yale Law School graduate, will be returning to the D.C. office where she worked as a prosecutor from 2002 to 2006, a period that overlapped with Phillipss time as a front-line prosecutor. A 23-year-old man fatally stabbed a woman and attacked another man before wounding himself early Thursday morning, police said. Melvin Williams, of Alexandria, was charged Friday with first degree murder in the death of Dasheira Barksdale, 30, also of Alexandria. He remains hospitalized in critical condition, police said, along with a 27-year-old man, identified by family as Durrell Edwards. Edwards's sister Shakiylah Edwards told NBC4 that she witnessed the entire attack, which occurred at about 1:30 a.m. Barksdale was trying to break up with Williams, who came to her apartment on the 900 block of N. Henry Street and allegedly attacked her with a knife. He was saying, I told you, its til death do us part, I told you Im going to kill you, Shakiylah Edwards told the station. I was trying to pull her out, but every time I pulled he would stab, she said. Her brother was trying to defend Barksdale, she said, and was stabbed in the process. Williams also stabbed himself, police said. Barksdales father, Darrell Barbour, told The Washington Post his daughter was a funny, warm animal lover who took care of others. What kind of animal didnt she have? he said. Cats, dogs, two ferrets, snakes, birds, everything. He last saw his daughter at a cookout on the Fourth of July, her 30th birthday. She was funny. She was bright. She always wanted to work, wanted to help people, he said. She was a real good person. A Prince William County police officer fatally shot a 15-year-old male Friday morning while responding to a report of a hostage situation at a home in Haymarket, authorities said. The shooting occurred outside the home around 10:45 a.m. in the 6800 block of Hartzell Hill Lane, police said. While en route, officers received information that one of the parties involved had a bomb strapped to his chest and was holding a family member hostage, police said. When they arrived, they found the 15-year-old outside his home. During an encounter with police, the teen brandished a crowbar and began walking toward the officers in a threatening manner, police said. They said the officers gave the teen commands to drop the crowbar but that he refused. One of the officers then fired at the teen, striking him in the upper body, police said. Officers provided immediate first aid until rescue crews arrived, police said. The teen, who has not yet been publicly identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were hurt in the incident. Police searched the area, but no bomb was found. Police declined to say whether anyone else inside the home was injured or had been held hostage. They also declined to say whether the teen was suffering from mental-health problems. Our investigation is obviously going to be comprehensive and meticulous to try to find whatever answers to what occurred today, said Officer Nathaniel J. Probus, a spokesman for the Prince William County police. Amy Terese, a neighbor, said she arrived home about 15 minutes after the shooting and saw at least 10 officers surrounding the teens home, including members of a SWAT team. Some had their guns drawn. Terese said the teens body was lying in the street. She said a SWAT team entered his home with a K-9 team and searched it for approximately 30 minutes before emerging. Terese said the teens body was transferred to a patch of grass near his home and covered. I was super shocked, she said. Ive been living here for five years. Its always felt safe for me and my daughter. Police said the investigation is continuing. Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this report. For three years, Troy Turner held out hope his children were alive a belief he knew ran counter to logic. Jacob, 2, and Sarah, 3, hadnt been seen since they disappeared from Montgomery County in September 2014. The last person known to be with them their mother and Turners then-girlfriend, Catherine Hoggle suffered from deep mental illness. Detectives quickly viewed her as responsible for the childrens deaths. There has always been a faint hope, Turner said Friday. And I know now, with the passage of time, that Catherine killed my babies. Turner spoke to reporters after a hearing in Montgomery County Circuit Court, a proceeding prompted by an indictment the day before charging Hoggle, 30, with two counts of murder. Those charges confirmed repeated indications from police and prosecutors during the long-running case of the childrens fate. I know that they are right, Turner said. And I fully support the charges. Since 2014, Hoggle has been locked in a state psychiatric hospital, held on misdemeanor charges of neglect, abduction and hindering in connection with Jacob and Sarahs disappearances. Doctors have said she is not mentally fit to participate in a trial. The murder charges prompted a review of her bond conditions, and on Thursday, Hoggle was driven by law enforcement from the maximum-security Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, in Jessup, Md., to the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville. For Fridays hearing, she appeared via a video feed from the jail. She said little and stared blankly from the screen into the courtroom. Her attorney, David Felsen, and the countys lead prosecutor, John McCarthy, agreed that Hoggle should be sent back to Perkins for further evaluation and treatment. Theyre trying to look for that cocktail of medications that will create synthetic competency, so that we can move forward on these matters, McCarthy said. There is no question that she belongs in a hospital, Felsen said after the hearing and also said Hoggle deserves a vigorous defense. Were not aware of any evidence linking Ms. Hoggle with any homicide. Earlier: Catherine Hoggle keeps trying to escape from psychiatric hospital A former waitress with an IQ once tested at 135, Hoggle has refused to tell detectives and family members what might have happened to Jacob and Sarah. It is difficult to say when, or if, she would be found well enough to go to trial. Hoggles mother, Lindsey Hoggle, also attended the court hearing Friday. After, she said she believes that her two grandchildren are still alive and that her daughter worked with others under a plan to flee the area with her children. I dont think shes guilty of murder, Lindsey Hoggle said. She has not been able to visit her daughter at Perkins, she said, because Catherine Hoggle has not put her on a visitor list. Lindsey Hoggle said she last spoke to her daughter by phone during a six-month stretch in 2016. This needs to be resolved, Lindsey Hoggle recalled telling her, adding that when she asked about the children, Catherine would say simply: Theyre safe. The case of the Hoggle children burst into the open in the fall of 2014, when Montgomery police officials held a news conference asking for the publics help in a harrowing hunt theyd just started: Three people were missing, a mother and her two young children. At the time, Turner was desperately trying to find all three. Several days later, police spotted Hoggle walking alone down a street in Germantown. She tried to run but was quickly taken into custody. Hoggle wouldn't tell police where the children were, according to arrest records. She was charged with the misdemeanor counts, placed in the county jail, and later transferred to Perkins. Once she was hospitalized, the legal case against her slowed. Prosecutors also werent in a hurry, given that they probably would face the challenge of proving a murder case with absent bodies. Experts on such no-body murder trials say the more time that passes without the victims being found alive, the easier it can be for prosecutors to convince a jury that the victims must have been killed. The murder charges Thursday against Hoggle were prompted by a looming legal deadline. Her original misdemeanor charges carried a three-year limit on how long someone can be held while designated as mentally unfit for trial, McCarthy said. The new charges much more serious felonies mean Hoggle can be held for an additional five years while being designated mentally incompetent, according to McCarthy. He said he hoped that with the right treatment and medication, Hoggle could be restored to competency and taken to trial on the murder counts. The issue of competency is one of two large areas of criminal law and mental health in Maryland. The second is the insanity defense, which holds that if a person was so mentally impaired during the commission of crime that he or she didn't know they were breaking the law, the suspect can be declared not criminally responsible. For such defendants, being found not criminally responsible can mean the difference between staying in a psychiatric hospital rather than a prison. Felsen said no decision has been made about whether to pursue a "not criminally responsible" defense. "The issues of criminal responsibility whether for misdemeanors or felonies in this case are certainly on the table," Felsen said. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Thursday that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogans proposal for funding Metro falls short of a long-term fix for the transit agencys financial difficulties, but he left open the possibility that the plan could serve as the basis for an interim solution. In a letter to Hogan (R), McAuliffe (D) joined D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) in faulting the plan because it does not provide for a new tax or other permanent, dedicated revenue source for Metro. On Monday, Hogan proposed to raise $2 billion over four years in additional funding for Metro, with equal contributions from Maryland, Virginia, the District and the federal government. He ruled out raising taxes in Maryland, which means there would be no quick adoption of a mechanism for dedicated funding that Metro long has sought. McAuliffes letter singled out that missing element, saying to Hogan, We must both ensure that this [financial] commitment is long-term and the funds are dedicated, so that [Metro] is able to finance its current and future capital needs. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, also expressed concern Metro funding would be delayed by Hogans insistence that the federal government increase its contribution to the transit agency. It urged progress toward changes in Metros governance, including creation of a smaller reform board to replace the current 16-member panel. [In reversal, Hogan offers $500 million extra for Metro if Virginia, D.C. and feds match it.] But McAuliffe welcomed Hogans new willingness to increase Annapoliss contribution to Metro. A spokesman for McAuliffe said that while the governor saw dedicated funding as a vital goal for the future, it was not a necessary condition for a short-term plan to raise additional funds for the agency. He views this [Hogan plan] as a positive first step, but he wants to keep working to meet the needs of this system, McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said. The criticisms from McAuliffe and Bowser of Hogans proposal show the regions top officials are still at odds over Metro funding, two and a half weeks after they clashed over the issue in a regional summit . In response to McAuliffes letter, Hogans office said the Virginian should focus on building a regional consensus. Instead of endless delaying and searching for reasons to say no, we strongly encourage Governor McAuliffe to join with Maryland and officially commit to this additional funding for Metro, Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said. Now is the time for all three jurisdictions to join together and bring a strong proposal to the federal government. Mayer also endorsed McAuliffes call to reform the Metro board, starting with the current chairman [Jack Evans] on down. Bowser did not respond to requests for comment on the McAuliffe letter. Her office has not provided a detailed response to the Hogan proposal, apart from a two-sentence statement Monday that without dedicated funding, Metro cannot meet the goals of improving safety, reliability and capacity. But McAuliffes apparent openness to a compromise adds to momentum in the region in favor of a short-term solution, in recognition that anything more ambitious is politically impossible. Several top county officials from the Virginia and Maryland suburbs said this week that they too are open to a version of the Hogan plan, providing that the four years were used to develop a permanent solution. Speaking Wednesday at a regularly scheduled board meeting of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova (D) welcomed Hogans proposal as significant progress. It really helps to move the needle and provides incentive to the District and Virginia to continue to try to find a way to provide the funding that is needed, said Bulova, who chairs COGs Metro Strategy Group. [Metro GM Wiedefeld welcomes Hogans $2B funding proposal, citing political hurdles to dedicated funding.] Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld also said this week that Hogans plan may be the best available alternative for the agency until after gubernatorial elections in Virginia in November and Maryland next year. Underlining the urgency of the debate, Wiedefeld briefed his board Thursday about the need to cover a projected $7.5 billion shortfall in capital funds over the next 10 years, or risk deterioration in safety and reliability. Asked how Metro would fare if it doesnt get the additional money for new rail cars, other equipment and maintenance, Wiedefeld said: Think of the last five-plus years. And think of that getting worse and worse. The McAuliffe missive responded to the surprise move by Hogan on Monday, where he sent McAuliffe and Bowser a letter in which he dropped what had been staunch opposition to giving more money to Metro. McAuliffe welcomed Hogans change of heart, saying, I am glad you now also support new funding for [Metro]. But McAuliffe expressed concern about Hogans insistence any package include an increased contribution from the federal government. Metro board members and the regions congressional delegation have said that could be impossible, given the desire in both the White House and much of Congress to reduce federal transit spending. We recognize that in the current political environment, [increased federal funding] will take time, but are hopeful if we present a united regional position it will help in our efforts with Congress, McAuliffe wrote. At the COG meeting, several officials suggested Virginia, Maryland and the District may have to contribute money, as provided in the Hogan plan, without requiring the federal government match it. Whether the federal government is going to pony up another $125 million [a year], we can all make a personal guess, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda) said. But Berliner suggested the three jurisdictions could each put in an extra $125 million a year, for a total of $375 million, so lets lock that piece in. However, its unclear where the three would get the prescribed contribution, let alone additional money to cover the federal governments share. Politically speaking, McAuliffe is in a weak position to advocate for more funding for Metro. He leaves office in January after one term, as dictated by Virginia law. He has said before that he supported dedicated funding of some sort, but only after Metro showed improvements in safety, reliability and efficiency. The Republican-controlled legislature in Richmond, whose leaders come from outside Northern Virginia, has resisted raising taxes or increasing state spending on Metro. Metro board member Michael Goldman, who represents Maryland, said Hogan doesnt think dedicated funding could pass in the legislative session that begins in January, as the region hopes. I think its fairly clear to the governor that because of the elections in Virginia, and essentially Maryland is ramping up to 2018 being an election year, that nothing is going to come out of the Maryland legislature, in the three months that itll meet at the beginning of 2018. Goldman said the sweet spot for progress on Metro would be in 2019, after the elections are completed. Faiz Siddiqui and Martine Powers contributed to this report. This story has been updated. Longtime Virginia Del. Robert G. Marshall is refusing to participate in debates or candidate forums in his hotly contested race against Democrat Danica Roem, citing what he calls a divisive political climate in Prince William County. In the last few elections, theres been a distinct lack of civility, said Marshall (R), a 13-term incumbent who has participated in candidate forums in the past. Prior to that, it wasnt so bad. You werent automatically identified as a bigot, or a hatemonger or anything like this. That has changed. Marshall, 73, is facing an aggressive challenge by Roem, 32, who would be the first openly transgender person to win elective office in Virginia. So far, Roem has outraised the outspoken conservative by a 5-to-1 margin, collecting nearly $568,000 as of last month from both local and national donors, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Marshall had raised nearly $97,000, the group reported. Some of Roems supporters have added their voices to a chorus of derogatory remarks about Marshall on social media websites, where LGBT advocates refer to him as Bigot Bob because of his sponsorship of a bathroom bill that would have regulated transgender peoples use of restrooms in government buildings. That measure was unsuccessful. Marshall also sponsored Virginias constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage which stood until the U.S. Supreme Court declared such prohibitions unconstitutional. The delegate, wary of providing more ammunition to his opponent, has limited his public exposure during his reelection bid, preferring to interact with voters in small, private settings or through phone calls. He wont allow reporters to accompany him while canvassing for votes and frequently asks that questions be emailed to him so he can reply with prepared remarks. Delegate Danica Roem canvassing as she campaigns for Virginia's House of Delegates 13th District. (Petula Dvorak/TWP) Roem, on the other hand, has received national media attention, including a flattering feature in Cosmopolitan magazine last week. Earlier this month, the Prince William County chapter of the NAACP invited Marshall, Roem and the candidates in two other local House of Delegates races to participate in a Sept. 21 candidates forum. The Democrats all replied yes, said Elle E.J. Scott, vice president of the NAACP chapter. Marshall and the two other Republican incumbents said no, although Dels. Jackson Miller and Tim Hugo cited scheduling conflicts. Marshall told the group that he would respond only to emailed questions, Scott said. She said the event was supposed to feature a moderator asking questions about issues affecting Prince William County, some of which would be submitted in writing from audience members and pre-screened for appropriateness. The organization has offered alternative dates to Miller and Hugo, but Hugo again had a conflict and Miller has not responded, Scott said. Neither of those two officials returned messages for comment. We just feel its important that they get their views out to the African American community, Scott said. Marshalls Republican allies say its smart for an incumbent to avoid engaging with a challenger in a public forum, especially if that opponent is capable of drawing a crowd of supporters eager to focus on issues they think will benefit their candidate. It would totally turn into Danica Roem supporters making it about their sexuality and gender identity, said Prince William County Supervisor Jeanine M. Lawson (R-Brentsville). Theyre so fixated that they cannot help but make it about that. Bill Card, the former chair of the Prince William County Republican Committee, had a more tactical view. I think the general rule of thumb is, if youre way ahead, theres no reason to give the other guy a chance to hit a long ball in one of those things, he said. Roem, who when campaigning focuses strictly on traffic and other local issues, said she thinks Marshall is afraid to take her on in a one-on-one debate over how to alleviate congestion along Route 28 and bring more jobs to Prince William County. Hes trying to control the narrative instead of answering the questions that are most important to the people in his district, Roem said. Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, said Marshalls aversion to public forums could backfire if the election is close. You generally see more people at these meetings than you do at their doors, Farnsworth said. It seems like a good way to lose swing voters. MASSACHUSETTS Ex-CIA boss resignsover Manning hire A former top CIA official abruptly resigned Thursday as a senior fellow at Harvard University over the schools decision to hire Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of leaking classified information. Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to the dean of Harvards Kennedy School of Government, saying he could not be part of an organization that honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information. Manning was found guilty of 17 serious crimes, including six counts of espionage, for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, an entity that CIA Director Mike Pompeo says operates like an adversarial foreign intelligence organization, said Morell, who was a nonresident senior fellow at Harvard. Manning has been invited to be a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy Schools Institute of Politics. The 29-year-old transgender woman, formerly known as Bradley Manning, told ABCs Good Morning America that she was prompted to give the 700,000 military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks because of the human toll of the death, destruction and mayhem she saw as an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq. She told ABC that she has accepted responsibility for her actions. Manning was released from a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., on May 17 after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence, which was commuted by former president Barack Obama in his final days in office. Obama said in January he felt justice had been served. Harvard also invited former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Harvard says Manning will be among fellows who will visit the campus for a limited number of events meant to spark campus discussion. Associated Press NORTH CAROLINA Eight soldiers hurt intraining explosion Eight Special Forces students and instructors were injured in an explosion at Fort Bragg on Thursday, the U.S. Army said. The incident comes just a day after 15 Marines were injured, some severely, when their armored vehicle caught fire in California and two days after a soldier fell to his death from a helicopter in Fort Hood, Tex. The Special Forces soldiers were on a demolition range, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command said on its Facebook page, and were training at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at the time of the incident. The post said the soldiers had been evacuated by air and ground to hospitals in the area. The John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School is home to the Special Forces Q, or qualification, course. The months-long course involves extensive language instruction and specialty training for certain jobs, such as medical sergeant, weapons sergeant and communication sergeant. Thomas Gibbons-Neff NEW YORK Niagara officials to befined for foul water New York state will fine the Niagara Falls Water Board $50,000 for discharging black and smelly water near the falls during a busy tourist weekend, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) said Thursday. The agency will be required to make changes at its aging wastewater plant and obtain state approval before any future discharges. The July 29 discharge caused discolored water to empty into the Niagara River near the American side of the falls on a summer weekend critical to the local tourism industry. The foul-smelling discharge enveloped the dock for the popular Maid of the Mist tour boats. During a visit to Niagara Falls Thursday, Cuomo said the state determined the discharge was the result of basic breaches of protocol at the plant. Local water officials have blamed outdated equipment and miscommunication between employees for the incident. The water board also has been cited for an unrelated discharge in August. Associated Press SOUTH CAROLINA Deputy accused of sexabuse gets no jail time A former South Carolina sheriffs deputy accused of forcing a woman to perform oral sex while he was on duty will not serve any jail time after pleading guilty to misconduct in office. Dereck Johnson, 36, entered the plea on Wednesday, his attorney said. A judge sentenced the former Orangeburg County deputy to five years in prison, suspended to three years probation and community service. Johnson, who could have faced up to 10 years in prison, is also barred from seeking another job in law enforcement. A woman accused Johnson of forcing her to perform oral sex on him after he threatened to arrest her boyfriend during a domestic violence call. Associated Press The earthquake that struck southern Mexico this month was accompanied by fuzzy green smears in the night sky. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images) After a major earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico on Sept. 7, videos of fuzzy green smears in the night sky went viral online. Earthquake lights are a phenomenon so unusual that they border on myth. The first known reports of them are from 89 B.C., with spotty descriptions over the centuries. Recently, theyve been seen during foreshocks and the main earthquake in LAquila, Italy, in 2009, and as flashes of blue lightning over Wellington, New Zealand, at the time of the earthquake there in 2016. "These phenomena are well documented because of so many security cameras running day and night now," says Friedemann Freund at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif. [Earthquake experts wonder whether Southern California is next] Glowing globes Earthquake lights are electric discharges that come out of the ground and can rise up to more than 200 yards in the air, Freund says. Lights are sometimes observed in the days and hours leading up to an earthquake; in other cases, they are visible during or after a quake. How they work is a mystery. Part of the challenge in learning more is that earthquake lights have been described inmany ways: as glowing globes, flickering flames from the ground, or even branches of lightning originating from the surface instead of the sky. In many instances, they could be explained by other phenomena, such as volcanic flames from fissures, streaking meteors and auroras. Its a little bit difficult to ferret out what is a real one and what is not, says Troy Shinbrot at Rutgers University in New Jersey. But whats actually happening? Electric lights One idea is that when igneous or metamorphic rocks are under stress, their molecular bonds break and release ionized oxygen that travels through the rock. The faster we stretch the rocks, the more of these positive-charge carriers are released, Freund says. In this line of thinking, some of these ions can create charged layers at or just below the surface, generating localized electric fields. The strongest fields cause coronal discharges brief bursts of visible light. In some conditions, defects in the mineral structure mean that rocks can even behave as semiconductors that explode as a flash of light when hit by seismic waves. This state lasts for only fractions of a second, Freund says, and then charged particles can break through Earths surface and discharge as an electric discharge into the air. 1 of 38 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad See the aftermath of the powerful 8.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Mexico View Photos The deadly earthquake occurred off the southern coast and set off tsunami warnings. Caption The deadly earthquake occurred off the southern coast and set off tsunami warnings. Victoria Razo Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. Crushed quartz Another possibility is that earthquake lights are a manifestation of triboluminescence, which refers to light released when chemical bonds are broken through rubbing, crushing or scratching. This effect has been demonstrated under certain circumstances by tumbling mixed grains in small-scale laboratory experiments. Similarly, squeezing quartz pushes surface ions out of position, generating a tiny electric current. Its plausible that the same processes could create earthquake lights when faults move and crush rocks together, given that quartz is one of the most common minerals in Earths crust. No matter the idea, it would be difficult to test it in the real world. "However you do the experiment, there's going to be an inevitable big gap between how large an experiment can be a meter, two meters and tens of kilometers, which occur in earthquakes," Shinbrot says. But one thing is clear: With more viral footage emerging every few months, scientists will have plenty of data to sift through. New Scientist Read More Do animals sense when an earthquake is coming? How to prepare yourself when an earthquake or aftershocks strike SPAIN Catalan leader begins secession campaign Tension mounted in Spain on Thursday as Catalonias president opened the yes campaign for a regional independence referendum that has been suspended by courts. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and other supporters of secession gathered at an arena in Tarragona, about 60 miles south of Barcelona, to address thousands of people at the official campaign kickoff. Hello Republic was one of the slogans unveiled at the rally. Spains central government insists that the referendum is illegal, and the Constitutional Court has suspended it pending a formal decision by judges. Police have orders to prevent preparations for the ballot, and Spains top prosecutor has said anybody involved in organizing would be legally liable. To shield Barcelonas civil servants from prosecution, Mayor Ada Colau refused to make municipal premises available as polling places. Colau said Thursday that voting stations would instead open in regional government facilities. Associated Press YEMEN Rebel chief threatens missile attack on UAE The leader of Yemens Shiite rebels threatened Thursday to attack territory in the United Arab Emirates, a key member of a Saudi-led coalition fighting to defeat the Iranian-backed forces and restore an internationally recognized government. In a speech aired on the rebel-run al-Masirah TV, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi said the UAE is now within range of rebel missiles. All companies in the UAE should no longer see it as safe, he said. Since 2015, the Saudi coalition has waged an air campaign against the Houthis and their allies, while enforcing an air and sea blockade of Yemen, where rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014 and drove out President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Associated Press CAMBODIA MIA searches halted over U.S. visa decision Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday that he will retaliate against a U.S. halt on issuing most visas to senior Foreign Ministry officials and their families by suspending missions by U.S. military-led teams searching for the remains of Americans missing in action from the Vietnam War. The pro-government Fresh News website reported that Hun Sen said cooperation with the United States on the MIA searches would be suspended until the two countries resolve the visa ban and several other issues. Government spokesman Phay Siphan confirmed the report. The U.S. government lists 48 Americans still unaccounted for in Cambodia. The U.S. Embassy instituted the visa ban Wednesday, saying Cambodia had refused or delayed accepting Cambodian nationals deported by the United States after being convicted of crimes. The United States took similar measures against Eritrea, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Associated Press Pakistani linked to terrorist group seeks seat in Parliament: A man with links to a U.S.-designated terrorist group is running for a seat in Pakistan's Parliament vacated by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif after he was disqualified from holding office. Sheikh Yaqub was seen addressing a rally in Lahore on Thursday ahead of this weekend's election. Supporters have displayed posters showing Yaqub with Hafiz Saeed, founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. Saeed has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head for alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Group blasts U.N. on sex abuse investigations: A watchdog group is condemning the way sexual abuse allegations are being handled by the United Nations in the Central African Republic. The Code Blue campaign said it has obtained case files that show "egregious mishandling" of accusations against peacekeepers. It said in some cases fact-finders failed to even interview the alleged victims and investigators did not begin work until at least a month after the reported abuse. 20 reported killed in strikes in Syria: Syrian activists said at least 20 civilians have been killed in air and missile strikes across eastern Syria, where U.S.- and Russian-backed forces are racing to take territory from the Islamic State. Turkey-based activist Omar Abou Layla said local activists on Thursday reported "fanatical" levels of strikes on three Islamic State-held towns in the Euphrates River valley. He blamed the strikes on the Russian air force. They could not be independently verified. From news services SYRIA Government forces consolidate gains Government troops and their allies intensified an offensive Friday against Islamic State militants in central Syria, trying to consolidate their control of the area. The Syrian troops and Russian military police patrolled the dusty and desolate streets of Okeirbat, which was recaptured from the extremists Sept. 2. A militant counteroffensive was crushed Thursday amid intense Russian airstrikes. Distant thuds of artillery were heard Friday afternoon and evening, indicating continued fighting. The militants controlled Okeirbat since 2014. Russian military officials showed journalists a bombed-out warehouse that had been used by the extremists to repair and fortify tanks in the once-thriving town of 10,000 people, the largest held by the terrorist group in Hama province. The fight for Okeirbat, which is on a strategic route linking western Syria to Islamic State strongholds in the east, reflects the groups desperation to retain its presence in central part of the country. Associated Press NIGERIA Vigilantes vow to stop using child fighters A volunteer vigilante group that formed to support Nigerian forces in the fight against Boko Haram signed a United Nations-backed agreement Friday to root out children from its ranks. The 30,000-strong Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) has helped the military push the Islamists from towns across the northeast since 2013, as well as providing security for camps hosting people uprooted by Boko Harams eight-year insurgency. Yet the CJTF has drawn criticism from activists who accuse its members of abuses ranging from extortion to rape, and a U.N. report last year said the group had recruited children. Under the agreement, which was backed by the U.N. childrens agency (UNICEF) and the Nigerian government, the CJTF has vowed to stop children from joining or fighting for the group, and to identify and release members under 18. Boko Harams campaign to create an Islamic state has killed at least 20,000 people, uprooted 2.7 million and sparked one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, aid agencies say. Reuters Saudi arrests condemned as crackdown on dissent: Human Rights Watch on Friday condemned the arrest by Saudi authorities of some 30 clerics, intellectuals and activists this week as a "coordinated crackdown on dissent," and Amnesty International echoed the sentiment. The arrests were made after exiled opposition figures urged demonstrations following Friday's afternoon prayers, a call that did not appear to attract much support amid a heavy security deployment. The detentions come amid widespread speculation, denied by officials, that King Salman, 81, intends to abdicate in favor of his son, Crown Prince Mohammed, who dominates economic, foreign and domestic policy. Kurdish parliament votes to go ahead with referendum: The Kurdish region's parliament voted to approve the holding of a controversial referendum on support for independence Sept. 25, according to broadcasts of the session by local television. Kurdish leaders have come under increasing pressure from the United States, a key ally, as well as neighboring Turkey and Iran, to call off the vote, fearing it could plunge the region into greater instability. Ethiopian troops sent to quell deadly ethnic clashes: Ethiopia's government said it is sending troops to a region where deadly clashes have broken out between Oromo and Somali ethnic groups. Officials in the Somali Region of Ethiopia said more than 50 people were killed in an attack against ethnic Somalis in an Oromia town Tuesday. Oromia regional officials say 18 were killed. The two ethnic groups agreed to reconcile their differences in April, but conflicts have flared in many locations since then. From news services Michael Chertoff, U.S. homeland security secretary from 2005 to 2009, is executive chairman of the Chertoff Group, a security and risk-management advisory firm. President Trump will make another decision this month that will affect thousands of people: How many refugees will the United States admit in fiscal year 2018? The president already cut refugee admissions by more than half this year, from more than 100,000 down to 50,000. By way of comparison, the highest ceiling under President Ronald Reagan was 140,000. The president has also signaled, through his executive orders and in his budget proposal, that these cuts will carry over to next year. And in fact, some in his administration are trying to convince him to cut even further. This would be a mistake. Cutting refugee admittances would not only be a moral failure but also damage our national interest abroad and our economy. Of course, security is an imperative, and the refugee resettlement program is secure. U.S. security and intelligence agencies conduct multiple reviews on every refugee admitted, and only those approved for admission by the Department of Homeland Security are granted refuge in the United States. There is also the humanitarian imperative: We are in the midst of the greatest refugee crisis on record, with more than 22 million people seeking safety from violence, conflict and persecution all over the world. The vast majority of refugees nearly 90 percent are hosted by poor and middle-income countries. Only the most vulnerable those whose safety cannot be assured in their countries of first refuge are selected for resettlement. For these refugees widowed women; orphaned children; survivors of rape, torture and brutal religious persecution refugee resettlement is a lifeline. But whats in it for the United States? Strategic allies located near crises host the largest refugee populations in the world. Jordan, Turkey, Pakistan and Kenya are among the top refugee-hosting states. Their willingness to host millions of refugees contributes greatly to regional stability and security, all in regions where U.S. troops are deployed. As our military works to contain terrorist insurgencies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and the Horn of Africa, forcing refugees to return to unsafe and unstable countries would make countering terrorism more difficult. That's why in 2016, when the Kenyan government threatened to close the Dadaab refugee camp and forcibly return more than 250,000 Somalis to an unstable Somalia, then-Secretary of State John F. Kerry got on a plane to Kenya. It's also why the United States should be concerned that more than 700,000 Afghan registered and unregistered refugees have been returned to Afghanistan since 2016 a threefold increase from 2015 at a time when growing instability in Afghanistan and terrorist gains are forcing an increase in U.S. troop levels. If were not willing to do our fair share, how can we ask front-line allies to do more? Maintaining resettlement commitments is also critical to our military, diplomatic and intelligence operations abroad. Tens of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan nationals have put their lives on the line to support intelligence-gathering, operations planning and other essential services. Terrorist groups openly target these individuals because of their cooperation with Americans. Resettlement is instrumental to ensuring their safety a testament to the U.S. military's commitment to leave no one behind on the battlefield. And in a proud American tradition, Republican and Democratic presidents have used refugee admissions to signal support for those who reject ideologies antithetical to U.S. values. In the past few decades, we have raised our admissions ceilings to take in those fleeing communist uprisings, religious persecution and tyranny. Today, the United States must provide unwavering support for Muslims who put their lives at risk to reject terrorist ideologies, many of whom refused to join or be conscripted into terrorist groups, militias and state security forces persecuting their fellow citizens. The Islamic State considers all those who flee its rule as heretics subject to execution. Those who risk their lives and their childrens lives to reject terrorism must know, as a matter of our fight against extremism, that the United States supports and welcomes them. Even in the wake of 9/11, the worst terrorist attack in our countrys history, President George W. Bush deliberately and explicitly maintained a refugee admissions ceiling of 70,000 annually, affirming the United States great humanitarian tradition. Finally, refugees enrich and are deeply supported by our communities. Hundreds of mayors, faith leaders and business leaders have attested to the contributions refugees make. Thousands of Americans donate volunteer hours, in-kind goods and services, and private dollars to support refugees. One study estimates only 39 percent of the costs of resettlement are covered by federal dollars. Despite being among the most vulnerable and destitute when they arrive, refugees thrive. Entrepreneurship among refugees is nearly 50 percent higher than among U.S.-born populations, creating jobs for Americans. More than 57 percent of them are homeowners. Our values and our national security interests argue for raising our refugee ceiling, not lowering it. The president should seize the mantle of Reagan and fortify U.S. leadership on refugees. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu says he's looking forward to meeting "my friend" President Trump next week at the United Nations. But the warm feelings might not be wholehearted. Israel's leaders are deeply disturbed these days by what they see as a mounting threat from Iran and its proxies in Syria and by the reluctance of the Trump administration to do anything about it. The gulf between the two allies was made clear last week when, on the same day Israel carried out an audacious bombing raid on a Syrian military facility, Mr. Trump declared at a news conference that "we have very little to do with Syria other than killing ISIS." From Mr. Netanyahu's point of view, that's exactly the problem. The Israeli leader has spoken out in recent weeks against Iran's steps toward "turning Syria into a base of military entrenchment," including the construction of sites to build sophisticated guided missiles for possible use against Israel and its attempt to consolidate control over a land corridor stretching across Syria to Lebanon. He has objected to a cease-fire brokered by Russia and the United States in southern Syria that, Israel says, allows Iranian-backed forces to hold on to positions too close to Israel's border. And he has said that the international deal limiting Iran's nuclear activities should be scrapped or revised. Throughout the Syrian civil war, Israel has quietly carried out strikes to stop Iran's principal proxy in the region, the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, from acquiring advanced weapons and to prevent Iran's forces from advancing too far south. According to Israel's Air Force chief, there have been close to 100 such missions. But the Sept. 7 attack was something new. It targeted not a warehouse or convoy but one of the Syrian missile production facilities Mr. Netanyahu referred to, on a base that also was reportedly used for the manufacture of chemical weapons and the barrel bombs used by the regime of Bashar al-Assad against civilians. If it slows the production of those deadly weapons, Israels attack will have done a service for humanity as well as itself. It also should have served as a wake-up call for the Trump administration. Mr. Trump has been slow to recognize that the United States has vital interests in Syria beyond eliminating the Islamic State and that those interests dont coincide with those of Russia, which has been working in tandem with Iran. By expanding into Syria, Iran is escalating what is already a major threat to Israel. Since the war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, Tehran has supplied its client with an arsenal of up to 150,000 rockets, according to Israeli sources. Adding precision missiles to that, as well as a new front along the Golan Heights, could make another war inevitable one that could become a direct conflict between Israel and Iran. We dont believe the Trump administration should rupture the nuclear deal, which has restrained Irans dangerous stockpiling of enriched uranium. But the United States should be taking its own steps to block the Iranian entrenchment in Syria that Mr. Netanyahu spoke of. Diplomacy might achieve some of that, but military steps should not be ruled out. The Sept. 10 editorial "Casting light on the 'wage gap' " explained that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is reviewing an Obama-era rule to require companies with more than 100 employees to provide the government with additional data related to employees' earnings, sex, race and other factors. The editorial described the need to balance added costs for businesses against the benefits of additional transparency, which would discourage discrimination and help close the gap between women's and men's earnings. The editorial overlooked that additional reporting requirements can discourage companies from offering women (and men) nontraditional work opportunities and providing flexibility for employees. Research shows that female workers value flexible work arrangements and are sometimes willing to trade some income for other accommodations. Under the new rule, a company would be less likely to consider the request of an employee who wanted to leave the office every day at 4 p.m. in exchange for a reduction in pay. Businesses would be concerned about how such decisions would show up in the statistics as government officials searched for evidence of discrimination. Government forms cannot capture the many factors that employers and employees consider when making decisions about work and compensation. Even well-intentioned regulations can backfire in making workplaces less flexible and less accommodating to women. Carrie Lukas, Great Falls The writer is president of Independent Women's Forum. The Sept. 12 front-page headline "Israel courts Syrians with humanitarian aid on border" implied that the only reason for this extraordinary care is strategic benefit. For decades, Israel has been providing urgently needed humanitarian support to the victims of natural disasters in Haiti, Japan, Nepal and elsewhere, to the Albanian Muslim refugees from the war in Kosovo and U.S. victims of natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey. While self-preservation from Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations dedicated to Israels destruction is itself a legitimate objective, any implication that Israels exceptional acts of kindness described in the article are driven by ulterior motives fails to recognize Israels long tradition of providing humanitarian efforts in crisis situations and denigrates the outstanding caregivers engaged in a noble endeavor. Brent Berger, Bethesda The Sept. 11 news article "Fight against state flag has high court's attention" reported on a municipal judge, Carlos E. Moore, who removed the Mississippi flag from his courtroom. I would be leery of standing before a judge who proudly avowed that he didnt believe his state flag stood for justice. The judge is pursuing a federal lawsuit, at the Supreme Court no less, claiming the state flag encourages violence, promotes white supremacy and sends a message to African-American citizens of Mississippi that they are second-class citizens. He said the message in Mississippis flag has always been one of racial hostility and insult. Mr. Moore caught a break when his case was assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves, who is notorious for a speech on the state's history of racial animosity. Ruling in Mr. Moore's case, he dismissed the idea that the Confederate battle flag celebrates heritage, not hate, and said it is used in Mississippi "to express opposition to racial equality." Mr. Reeves said that the banner promotes carrying out [a] mission to intimidate or do harm. How can current racial unrest be resolved when our judges speak so virulently? Barbara Benfield, Beltsville Columnist I am sometimes asked what world figure I most want to interview. For me, the answer is obvious: Kim Jong Un. The general impression around the globe continues to be that the North Korean leader is crazy, provocative and unpredictable, but I think that he might well be strategic, smart and utterly rational. Because I am unlikely to get that interview, I have decided to imagine it instead. Q: Marshal Kim, why do you keep building and testing nuclear weapons and missiles , even though they result in massive, crippling economic sanctions? A: My nation faces a fundamental challenge survival. The regime is more threatened than ever before. My forefathers had it easy. The Great Leader, my grandfather, ruled with the support of the world's other superpower at the time, the Soviet Union, as well as our gigantic neighbor, China. The Dear Leader, my father, still had Beijing's help for the most part. But today, the Soviet Union is history and China has become more integrated with the Western system. And the sole superpower, the United States, has made it clear that it seeks regime change in my country. And yet, we have survived with our ideology and system intact. How? Because we have built a protection for ourselves in the form of nuclear weapons. Q: But China still provides you with crucial supplies of food and fuel. Don't you see it as an ally? A: China is ruthlessly pragmatic. It supports us for its own selfish interests. It doesn't want millions of refugees or a unified Korea on its border that is a larger version of what South Korea is now, with U.S. troops and a treaty alliance. But I believe that China no longer considers us an ally. It has voted to sanction us in the U.N. Security Council. The current president, Xi Jinping, cultivates close relations with South Korea. He has never met with me, the leader of North Korea, something that the leader of China has always done. Meanwhile, he has had about 10 meetings with the last two presidents of South Korea. At the grand celebrations in Beijing two years ago commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, he placed the president of Russia and the president of South Korea at his side. In North Korea, we pay a lot of attention to ceremonies and what they signal. Q: Is that why you seem to go out of your way to embarrass China and Xi specifically? A: We will not be pushed around. We heard that senior officials in China and the United States were discussing whether to encourage a coup in North Korea to get a more pliable ruler. So I've taken steps to ensure that this can't happen. The man in our government closest to the Chinese, who could have arranged such a coup attempt, was my uncle. The man who would have been my natural replacement was my half brother. Both have been liquidated, as have more than 100 disloyal high-level officials. Q: So will you come to the negotiating table? Will you agree to denuclearization in return for the lifting of sanctions? A: Yes and no. We will readily come to the table. But we will never give up our arsenal. We're not stupid. It's all that is keeping us alive. Look at Saddam Hussein and we never forget that North Korea was named as part of the "axis of evil" a year before the United States invaded Iraq. Look what happened to Moammar Gaddafi in Libya after he agreed to give up his nuclear weapons program. Look at what's happening to Iran right now. After Washington signed a deal and the Iranians have been certified to be adhering to it, President Trump now says he's going to tear it up anyway. Do you think we would be stupid enough to believe American promises after all this? We are a nuclear power. That is not negotiable. We are willing to talk about limits, test bans, freezes but we would need to be given something in return, and not just money. We need security, in the form of diplomatic recognition by Washington and guarantees of nonaggression from China, Japan and the United States. Q: Many Americans worry that you will soon have the capacity and the intention to launch missiles at the United States. A: We will have the capacity. And it serves my purposes to keep you off guard. But why would I strike America and invite a retaliatory counterstrike that would put an end to my regime? Keep in mind, the whole point of this my entire strategy, all our efforts and the hardships we have borne is to ensure that my regime and I survive. Why would I risk that? I believe in assassination, not suicide. Read more from Fareed Zakaria's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. NEW HAMPSHIRE is a small state whose biggest residential college and university campuses are dominated by out-of-state students tens of thousands of them. Under New Hampshire law, they are entitled to vote in state elections, an unremarkable and widely known fact that easily explains why several thousand ballots were cast there last November by voters who registered on Election Day using out-of-state driver's licenses. Yet to Kris Kobach, the de facto head of President Trump's commission on voting integrity, those votes are somehow "proof" that an invading horde of out-of-staters took advantage of the Granite State's same-day registration law to cast "fraudulent votes." In fact, there's no evidence of that. The real fraud is Mr. Kobach himself, Kansass Republican secretary of state and a gubernatorial candidate, who will torture any truth, distort any data and fudge any fact in service to his long-standing goal of suppressing votes, specifically those likely to favor Democrats. Having established himself in his home state as a propagandist, he is now peddling his claptrap on the national stage. Mr. Kobach has made a political cottage industry of such canards, of which the New Hampshire case is a telling example. His method is to cite real numbers, then draw risible and extravagantly sinister conclusions from them. In the case of the Granite State, he cites official figures from last falls elections, when 6,540 voters registered to vote and cast a ballot on Election Day. Of those voters, more than 80 percent, or 5,313, had neither been issued a New Hampshire license nor registered a car in the state 10 months later. Aha, says Mr. Kobach, writing at Breitbart, the right-wing website, now theres proof of fraud: It seems that they never were bona fide residents of the State. In fact, when New Hampshire Public Radio examined the data earlier this year, it found that more than two-thirds of 5,900 day-of-election registrants who had out-of-state driver's licenses lived in college towns, indicating most were students voting perfectly legally. Again, on most of the state's biggest residential campuses, a majority of students usually a sizable majority are from out of state. That's true at the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, Keene State College, Franklin Pierce University and others. It's also true at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., where on Tuesday Mr. Kobach attempted to defend his baseless claim at a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Under fire for his tendentious claims, which he used to cast doubt on the narrow victories in New Hampshire of Hillary Clinton and now-Sen. Maggie Hassan, both Democrats, he said: "Until further research is done, we will never know the answer regarding the legitimacy of this particular election." Thats Mr. Kobach at his most insidious, using innuendo, but never actual evidence, to impugn and subvert American democracy. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaking at a U.N. Security Council emergency meeting over North Korea's latest nuclear test, at U.N. Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 4. (Kena Betancur/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was quoted in the Sept. 12 news article "U.N. agrees to toughest-ever sanctions against N. Korea" as proclaiming, "If North Korea does not halt its nuclear program, we will act to stop it ourselves." Really? How? Assuredly, there's near-unanimous agreement that a North Korean nuclear arsenal is a dismal prospect. But stopping North Korea's program, or achieving outright denuclearization, isn't in the cards. Gambits such as ever-tighter sanctions, entreaties to China, throttling the technology spigot and threats of "fire and fury" have languished. If a simple solution were available, the world's geostrategists would have tried it by now. Given that the odds of stymieing North Koreas nuclear program are almost nil, the world should be focusing on strategies to address North Koreas nuclear membership, such as underscoring the existential risk from the weapons use. Perhaps, for North Korea, regime survival and a louder global voice are the real goals. Meanwhile, less unconvincing polemic by Ms. Haley would be welcome. Keith Tidman, Bethesda Ellen L. Weintraub is a member of the Federal Election Commission. Would you click on that political ad if you knew it had been generated by a Russian troll farm? Probably not. But without knowing that? Well, you might. Indeed, we now know that millions of people did just that during the 2016 election. How can we prevent a repeat in 2018 and beyond? For our democracy to work, the American people need to know that the ads they see on their computer screens and in their social media feeds arent paid for by Russia or other foreign countries. Theres only one federal agency with the power to stem the flow of foreign money into political ads online: the Federal Election Commission, where I serve as a commissioner. On Thursday, we took a small step forward in that quest, but the news suggests we have much more work to do. Last week brought hard evidence of what we're up against. Facebook revealed to the House and Senate intelligence committees a secret Russian effort to buy $150,000 in political advertising aimed at influencing the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), warned that this disclosure was just "the tip of the iceberg." This foreign plot, which went undetected through the entire election season, goes to the very heart of the FECs mission. The Facebook bombshell is solid evidence that foreign powers have the will to disrupt the American political process and the ability to do it invisibly. People can argue in good faith about the merits of unbridled corporate spending in American elections. Me, Im not such a big fan. But no reasonable person would grant full First Amendment rights to a Russian troll farm. Whether Russian bots are engaging in express advocacy (think Vote for Hillary), issue advertising (think Build the wall) or even disseminating news stories (think Pizzagate), if the effort involves any money spent by a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election, its in the FECs jurisdiction, and its illegal. One way to keep bad actors from trying to break the law is by putting robust disclosure requirements in place. Strong new disclosure rules would give us a mechanism to track who really paid for an ad. Permitting ads without disclaimers is an invitation for wrongdoers to act unseen an invitation they seem to have accepted in 2016. Thats why at the FECs public meeting Thursday, I sought to revive a long-stalled rulemaking process that would overhaul federal rules regulations regarding the disclaimers required in Internet political advertising. It has been more than a decade since the commission has fully examined how best to regulate political spending on the Internet an eternity in online years. Fortunately, requiring disclosure of Internet political spending is not rocket surgery. Disclosure rests on firm legal footing, and the FEC is pretty good at making it happen when we have the political will to do so. States such as Maryland and California have also given us models we can work with. At our meeting, the commission unanimously decided to re-open the written comment period on what sorts of disclaimers Internet advertising ought to have. Thats the good news. The bad news is: The FECs Republican commissioners will agree to hold a hearing only if we receive enough substantive written comments. Make no mistake: Foreign interference may well have favored Republicans in the 2016 election, but it could just as easily go another way the next time around. We have every reason to think that the driving force here is not any lasting party preference but a pure desire to disrupt our democracy. The Senate and the public should make sure that incoming FEC commissioners especially now and regardless of party recognize the long- and short-term dangers that foreign interference represents to our democracy, and that they are willing to do something about it. Our campaigns are moving headlong onto the Internet; our laws must catch up. Americans have the right to know whos paying for the ever-more-influential political material thats popping up in our social media feeds. The FEC has the ability and the duty to make sure its not Vladimir Putin. Contributing columnist During her news briefings this week, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has repeatedly suggested that former FBI director James B. Comey may have broken the law and should be investigated. On Monday, in response to a question about Stephen K. Bannon's claim on "60 Minutes" that firing Comey was a huge political mistake, Sanders claimed the dismissal was appropriate in part because Comey had provided false testimony to Congress and had leaked confidential materials. On Tuesday, she argued that Comey's actions "were improper, and likely could have been illegal" and were something federal prosecutors "should certainly look at." She returned again to the charges on Wednesday, claiming it was "pretty clean and clear" that Comey broke the law. To be clear, this prosecution from the lectern is not illegal. Its probably a sign of the times that it doesnt even seem particularly surprising. But it should be deeply disturbing. The president, of course, is the head of the executive branch and the attorney generals boss. But when it comes to criminal prosecution, there is a long-standing norm of Justice Department independence. Presidents typically dont interfere with or comment on criminal investigations. This norm is central to our commitment to the rule of law. It reduces the danger that criminal prosecution may be used for political ends. Presidents typically avoid even the appearance of using the justice system to punish political foes or help political allies. Thats banana-republic stuff its not supposed to happen here. To be sure, presidents slip up from time to time. President Barack Obama was widely criticized last year when he publicly opined, while the FBI investigation was still pending, that Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server did not endanger national security. But President Trump has shown a unique disregard for the traditional independence of the justice system. During the campaign, he famously promised that if elected he would direct his attorney general to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Clinton, his political opponent, and said that if he were president she would be in jail. Since his election there have been other reports of the president seeking to influence criminal investigations. Before he fired Comey, Trump reportedly urged Comey to drop the investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. More recently, the president reportedly asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions whether he could somehow stop the prosecution for criminal contempt of his political ally former sheriff Joe Arpaio. He ultimately allowed the case to proceed only to pardon Arpaio once he was convicted. Now the presidents spokesperson is publicly accusing the former FBI director of breaking the law. Although Sanders hedged her statements by noting it wasnt the presidents job to tell prosecutors to investigate anyone, the message was clear. No one in the Justice Department from the attorney general on down could have any doubt about what the boss thinks should happen. What makes this particular example even more troubling is that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III reportedly is investigating whether the presidents firing of Comey constituted obstruction of justice. So Sanderss comments dont merely reflect a breach of a usual norm. They are an attack on the character of a potential key witness against the president. If prosecutors did something similar in a criminal case, the defense would accuse them of trying to taint the jury pool. Even if Comey is never investigated, the allegations of potential criminality seek to use the power of the chief executive to change the public narrative and cast doubts on Comeys credibility. The whole incident is yet another reminder of the fragility of political institutions governed by rules and traditions that historically have been honored voluntarily by both parties. What happens when someone comes to power who has no interest in upholding those traditions? Sanderss accusations from the lectern are simply one symptom of a much larger problem. Anyone who cares about the integrity of the criminal justice system has reason to be concerned by the behavior of this administration. Randall D. Eliason teaches white-collar criminal law at George Washington University Law School. He blogs at Sidebarsblog.com. Columnist Some political tastes linger in the mouth like spoiled milk or a bad oyster. Consider the shockingly shabby treatment recently accorded by some Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to Amy Coney Barrett, a law professor at Notre Dame Law School who is being considered for a position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Her questioners displayed a confusion of the intellect so profound, a disregard for constitutional values so reckless, that it amounts to anti-religious bigotry. Barrett is an instructive test case of secular, liberal unease with earnest faith, particularly in its Catholic variety. She is, in the description of a letter signed by every full-time member of the Notre Dame Law School faculty, "a brilliant teacher and scholar, and a warm and generous colleague. She possesses in abundance all of the other qualities that shape extraordinary jurists: discipline, intellect, wisdom, impeccable temperament, and above all, fundamental decency and humanity." Barrett is also, not coincidentally, a serious Christian believer who has spoken like one in public. This was enough to make Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), a fellow Catholic, wary. Do you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic? he asked Barrett, evidently on the theory that publicly acceptable religion must come in small, diluted doses. It fell to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), however, to explicitly declare Barrett part of a suspect class. "Dogma and law are two different things," Feinstein lectured. "And I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. . . . When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you. And that's of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for for years in this country." Translation: Don't let your dogma mess with my dogma. Where to start? How about with the fact that Feinstein's line of questioning was itself a violation of the Constitution? Here is constitutional scholar and Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber: "By prohibiting religious tests, the Constitution makes it impermissible to deny any person a national, state or local office on the basis of their religious convictions or lack thereof. Because religious belief is constitutionally irrelevant to the qualifications for a federal judgeship, the Senate should not interrogate any nominee about those beliefs. I believe, more specifically, that the questions directed to professor Barrett about her faith were not consistent with the principle set forth in the Constitution's 'no religious test' clause." How about Feinsteins indifference to the sordid history of anti-Catholic bias? Feinstein leapt past 20th-century suspicions of Catholic allegiances, legal scholar John Inazu told me, to 19th-century bigotry toward Catholic identity: Who you are as a Catholic is of concern. How about Feinsteins ignorance of religion itself? In defending her animus, she called particular attention to Barretts statement that Christians should be building the kingdom of God. That would be the kingdom that Jesus insisted is not of this world, much to the confusion of 1st-century politicians. It is a description of transformed hearts, not a prescription for theocracy. But the deeper problem is a certain type of liberal thinking that seeks to declare secular ideas the only valid basis for public engagement. A neutral public square, in this view, must be a secular public square. Because religious ideas and motivations are fundamentally illiberal, they must be contained entirely to the private sphere. This is a thin and sickly sort of pluralism. It is permissible, in this approach, to advocate human rights because John Locke says so, but not because of a theological belief that the image of God is found in every human being. If your views on a just society are informed by John Stuart Mill, they are allowed to triumph in politics. If your views on a just society are informed by your deepest beliefs about the cosmos, you can never prevail, because this represents the imposition of religion. This is hardly neutrality. It is a conception of pluralism that silences millions of people and reaches back into history to invalidate the abolition movement, the civil rights movement and many other causes informed by boisterous religious belief. In effect, Feinstein would make her secularism the state religion, complete with its own doctrine and Holy Office. A judge is bound by the Constitution, not by any creed as Barrett has affirmed again and again. But having a conscience and a character shaped by faith is not a problem; it is part of a rich and positive American tradition. Someone should inform the grand inquisitor. Read more from Michael Gerson's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook . Jeffrey C. McKay is chairman of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, a member of Virginias Transit Capital Project Revenue Advisory Board and a Fairfax County supervisor. Its no secret that the presence of Metro and the Virginia Railway Express has fueled economic development in Northern Virginia, generating millions in property tax revenue for the counties and cities that subsidize these rail systems. What hasnt been understood until now is the economic value the two systems bring to Virginia. The additional 85,000 households and 130,500 jobs that Metro and VRE make possible in Northern Virginia generate more than $600 million each year in sales and income tax revenues that flow into the states general fund. A recent analysis by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission shows that for every dollar the commonwealth invests in Metro and VRE, it receives about $2.50. Most stock traders would jump at the prospect of such a return. While $600 million represents just 3 percent to 4 percent of the state's general fund revenue, it is significant. That amount covers annual general fund expenditures for Virginia's state colleges and universities, about $316 million, and state police, roughly $266 million. As the commonwealth grapples with its role in funding these two rail systems, it must recognize that it is not just Northern Virginia but also the entire state that reaps the benefits. Adequate funding of transit, and rail in particular, is essential but, historically in the commonwealth, not guaranteed. Revenue from Northern Virginia's 2.1 percent gas tax, much of which is earmarked for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, is anything but stable. Over the past three years, as fuel prices plummeted and revenue dropped, state lawmakers refused a simple fix to stem the loss. Further exacerbating the funding equation is the expiration of state transportation bonds. Starting in fiscal 2019, the amount available to fund transit maintenance and improvements will drop by more than 40 percent. Closing that gap is the job of the General Assembly, which recently received a report from an appointed panel, of which I am a member, providing options for shoring up transit funding in Virginia. Legislators must go further, however, as Metro needs more than $15 billion over the next 10 years and VRE requires at least $2.1 billion over five years to ensure the safety of their passengers and reliability of their service. Identifying and securing dedicated funding for these rail systems is an imperative. Failure to do so could kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Metrorail and VRE, the backbone of our transit network, moving more than 290,000 people on an average weekday in Northern Virginia . But these rail systems do more than provide transportation. They provide workers access to jobs and businesses access to employees and customers, all of whom pay taxes, be they income or sales. The costs associated with world-class rail service are undeniably high, but so is the return. Lack of investment in Metro and VRE puts more than the commonwealths finances at risk. It risks frustrating commuters, alienating tourists, tarnishing our business-friendly reputation and diminishing our quality of life. While Metro and VRE may operate in Northern Virginia, they benefit the entire state. It is time for Virginias legislators to come together and find sufficient and permanent revenue that can be dedicated to transit. So much is riding on it. Columnist The tweet by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) read like a primal scream. "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair," he bellowed. "No promise is credible." King wasnt alone in his horror that President Trump appears on the verge of doing a deal with his old friends, Chuck and Nancy Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) that would write into law protections he had once vowed to undo, for the young dreamers covered by the Obama administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Poor Ann Coulter, seemingly whipsawed on a weekly basis by Trump's political gyrations, exhibited her trademark reticence, declaring the president "dead," advocating Trump's impeachment and musing about the glorious ascension of President Pence. And just a few days after Stephen K. Bannon's "60 Minutes" loyalty oath to Trump, Breitbart savaged the president in a headline borrowed from my 2016 parody song, "Amnesty Don." For good measure, Bannon's website mockingly referred to the president as "Drumpf." Even the president's most loyal lap dog let out a tiny bark Thursday morning when Fox News host Sean Hannity suggested that his love for the president would be "over!" if Trump went back on his word to deport the dreamers. But Hannity, Bannon and King are about to learn the same lesson that Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton, Jeff Zucker, Mika Brzezinski and I discovered in 2016: With Trump, it is never over. His base will stick with him no matter what no matter how loudly and how often the other self-styled leaders of that base take to Twitter or talk radio or any other platform to bleat that Trump has betrayed them. Coulter's and Hannity's abandonment of Team Trump if it really comes to that won't impact the trajectory of this presidency. If Trump's political career is ever brought to an abrupt end, it won't be because a few right-wing carnival barkers found themselves unable to pressure the president into adopting a policy position expulsion of the dreamers that is supported by only 12 percent of Americans. Since his inauguration, Trump has chained himself to these characters deep inside an ideological cave where two-thirds of the American electorate never venture. That political strategy predictably led to a 34-percent approval rating at the start of this month. Now that the president has managed to go a week without aggressively working to provoke more than 200 million Americans, he will be on the receiving side of talk radio's wrath. But if these political entertainers really believe that Trump's political base is going to blow apart over a deal most Americans support, they are as clueless about Trump's political base as Clinton was. Trumps superglue hold over his supporters has flummoxed conservative and liberal commentators alike since he first rode down his golden escalator at Trump Tower in 2015. Others declared his political career over! after he insulted, variously, Mexicans, John McCain, Megyn Kelly, Fox News, body-shamed women, Access Hollywood viewers and a host of others on his trail to the presidency. But many voters sided with the bellicose celebrity they have known since the 1980s. Its the personality that keeps them, not the policies. And that Trump base is not going anywhere now. They are not Coulters book-buying base, they are not Kings Republican voting base and they will never be Bannons populist base. Trumps base is Trumps base, period, and there is nothing that Hannity, Breitbart or King will ever be able to do to change that fact. Trump fans stick with Trump through thick and thin. If you dont believe me, just ask President Clinton. Read more from Joe Scarborough's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. The Gulf Coast has been badly battered by hurricanes in recent weeks. Harvey submerged much of Houston, causing destruction that will take years and billions of dollars to undo; Irma roared north through Florida, and with the power still out across much of the state, the damage is still being tallied. The storms elicited a nation of nervous weather-watchers and exposed several myths. Myth No. 1 A busy year of named storms will be dangerous and costly. This seems intuitive. The Weather Company has raised the number of named storms that it expects to develop in its latest 2017 Atlantic hurricane season outlook, warning of "higher-than-normal landfall risks in the northeast U.S." Colorado State University's seasonal outlook said that the probability of major hurricanes making landfall in the United States was above normal this year "due to the forecast for an above-average season." Actually, there is only some correlation between the total number of storms in a season and the number of storms making landfall. In 2004, there were 15 named storms, and eight struck the United States. In 2010, there were 19 named storms but only two U.S. landfalls. (The total in both years was well above the long-term average for the Atlantic.) It only takes one roaring storm for an inactive season to be considered awful: 1992 saw just seven storms, well below the average, but one of them was Hurricane Andrew, at the time the nations costliest hurricane. How many storms make landfall depends on tropical currents, such as the trade winds, that steer hurricanes. These systems shift around and can strengthen or weaken. For instance, if the Bermuda High current moves closer to the U.S. mainland, as it did in 2004 and 2005, more storms land on our shores. If the Bermuda High moves closer to Africa, more tend to curve over the ocean instead of striking the United States. Myth No. 2 A Category 4 storm will cause more damage than a Category 2. The well-known Saffir-Simpson hurricane intensity scale defines five categories of storms. These levels are based on the maximum sustained wind, which seems like the most meaningful metric. "The lower the pressure, the more intense the hurricane, especially in terms of wind speed and damage," the ABC affiliate in Chicago reported this month. And before Harvey, news outlets suggested that as a Category 4 storm, it would be "stronger" than Katrina. But size matters, too. Both the size of a storm's wind "footprint" and the strength of its winds control the height of the storm surge. Compare Hurricanes Charley (2004) and Ike (2008). Charley packed 120 mph sustained winds and was very small. Ike was about 10 times larger but considerably weaker, with 95 mph winds. Charley's surge along Florida's west coast was in the six-to-seven-foot range, while Ike devastated the Texas-Louisiana coast with a very broad surge reaching 12 to 17 feet in height. The difference in surge heights largely reflected Ike's much larger size. Storm rainfall, which can be catastrophic, also has little to do with wind intensity. Some of our worst coastal flooding disasters from tropical cyclones have come from humble tropical storms: Allison, for example, brought inland Texas about 40 inches of rain in 2001. Myth No. 3 Inland cities dont need to worry about hurricanes. When hurricanes strike the United States, attention focuses on the coastline, where watches and warnings are issued. According to LiveScience, the big cities at greatest risk are coastal ones: Houston; New Orleans; Mobile, Ala.; Tampa; Miami; Boston; New York and others. "If you live hundreds of miles inland," the automobile site Jalopnik put it in an article on how to escape a storm's path, ". . . you don't need to worry." Its true that storms lose 50 percent of their wind intensity within 12 to 18 hours of landfall. But hurricane remnants have surprisingly long reach. Many storms throughout U.S. history have projected formidable hazards hundreds of miles inland, sometimes days after landfall. And tropical remnants that join with preexisting weather systems, such as fronts and jet stream disturbances, have new sources of energy to sustain them. Inland hazards have been particularly devastating over the mountainous regions of the East Coast, where steep terrain lifts tropical moisture. Infamous examples include Camille (1969), which made landfall over Louisiana but killed half its victims days later in a horrific flood in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Agnes (1972) made landfall in the Florida Panhandle but unleashed its worst flooding in central Pennsylvania . And Ivan (2004) first struck Alabama but spun up a record-breaking swarm of damaging tornadoes across Northern Virginia and central Maryland. Myth No. 4 The biggest threat from a hurricane is the wind. Hurricanes are huge, atmospheric vortices, and they are properly feared for their widespread, high-energy onslaughts of wind. The Weather Channel holds that "wind is responsible for much of the structural damage caused by hurricanes." Floridians understandably see wind as their enemy: Hurricane Andrew was a landmark storm, killing 65, to the tune of $27 billion , most of this because of winds exceeding 175 mph. But wind is only one of a deadly triad of impacts that hurricanes deliver. The storm surge a sudden rise in sea level along the coast, where ocean water is pushed inland by the hurricane's strongest winds causes far more fatalities. The maximum surge is confined to the eyewall of the storm, but its effects can be broad: In 1876, a storm surge killed as many as 400,000 people in a single cyclone along coastal Bangladesh. A recent study shows that, in the United States, the majority of hurricane-related deaths come from water. Sometimes this means storm surge, but more often people drown in freshwater. Torrential rains often dump six to 12 inches or more, leading to flash flooding. Hurricane Katrina (2005) produced the highest death toll of any hurricane at least 1,000 since the Okeechobee hurricane in Florida in 1928, and most of the fatalities were drownings. Myth No. 5 Forecasters hype the threat to push a climate change agenda. Rush Limbaugh and Matt Drudge have both said since last year that the media and the National Hurricane Center overhype hurricanes to play up global warming. But the mission of the National Weather Service, which raised urgent warnings about the latest hurricanes, is to protect property and save lives. And it only makes sense for local news outlets and private forecasters to follow their lead; it is a standard, and responsible, practice for these organizations to post every official watch and warning issued by the hurricane center. Furthermore, many scientists are cautious about the connection between hurricane activity and climate change. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for instance, has said a detectable human influence has not yet been discovered, though it projects increases in hurricane intensity during the coming decades. Five myths is a weekly feature challenging everything you think you know. You can check out previous myths, read more from Outlook or follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter. Joshua Kurlantzick is a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. Burma is essentially run by one of the worlds most lauded humanitarians a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a democracy icon. Aung San Suu Kyi, who leads the party in charge of the government, suffered more than two decades of repression, including a long house arrest, rather than leave the country or abandon her quest for elections. Yet since her party took power last year, Suu Kyi the countrys de facto leader, though not its official president has stood by and watched the slaughter and flight of hundreds of thousands of ethnic Rohingya, a Muslim minority more than a million strong. In 2016, Burmas military was engaged in a campaign of brutal suppression in Rakhine state, in the west of the country. Then, scattered attacks by Rohingya militant groups on police posts prompted an even harsher counterattack from the generals, reportedly joined by vigilante groups and other state security forces. That cycle intensified further this summer. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other monitors have cited expulsions of Rohingya from towns, campaigns to burn whole villages and killings by the armed forces in Burma (which is also called Myanmar) . In recent weeks alone, some 370,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh, according to United Nations estimates. The U.N. rights chief calls the campaign in Rakhine a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing." NPR noted that "reports of unbridled murder and arson, rape and persecution have followed [Rohingya] out of Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, sketching a stark portrait of government violence." Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party was also repressed and brutalized by the armed forces during the long era of military rule, refuses to look squarely at the crisis. She has yet to visit the center of the violence, and in her public comments, she has refrained from criticizing the armed forces. This month, she claimed that there was an "iceberg of misinformation" circulating about the situation in Rakhine . Her office has mocked supposed "fake news" about the plight of the Rohingya. And her spokesman told local news outlet Frontier Myanmar that Rohingya "are holding weapons swords, daggers, catapults and home-made rifles" and then seemed to give non-Rohingya carte blanche to shoot Rohingya if they perceived danger from them. Why did somebody who achieved so much good become complicit in so much ugliness? There are several possible, interlocking reasons. First, Suu Kyi's current silence is consistent with her approach to the Rohingya for years: She has never demonstrated much sympathy. On the campaign trail before the November 2015 election, she strove to avoid discussing violence in Rakhine , even though an earlier wave had destroyed Rohingya communities and no militant group had yet emerged there. When she did speak about the Rohingya, she called reporters into a news conference shortly before the vote and told them not to "exaggerate" the difficulties that the Rohingya faced. It's possible that this disinterest reflects Suu Kyi's personal views, but it's impossible to know for sure. One of her best-known biographers, Peter Popham, has written that Suu Kyi is not, at her core, a bigot: She has had senior advisers who are Muslims (although not Rohingya). And "one of the key figures in persuading her to dive into the democracy movement" was a best-selling dissident Muslim author, Maung Thaw Ka, Popham notes. But Suu Kyi does represent her party. And there was little concern among the NLD rank and file in 2015, or even now in 2017, about violence against the Rohingya. Many NLD members, like a significant share of the Buddhist majority, simply think that the Rohingya are outsiders called "Bengalis" by many Burmese who do not deserve to live in the country, even though some have been there for generations. Last year, Suu Kyi reportedly asked the U.S. ambassador in Burma not to refer to the group as Rohingya, a sign that she sees them this way, too. That means there is no political benefit to challenging majority views toward the Rohingya. The NLD did not put up any Muslim candidates during the 2015 national elections. Other former pro-democracy leaders, who also were harshly repressed by the military during the decades of junta rule, have expressed far stronger anti-Rohingya sentiments than Suu Kyi ever has. These sentiments coincide with a growing Buddhist nationalist movement. As a recent International Crisis Group investigation revealed, this political and social movement is building extensive services at the community level. Buddhist nationalist groups offer what the ICG calls "a sense of belonging" for many young Buddhists. Such groups are the type of grass-roots organizations that no politician likes to alienate. Suu Kyi does not depend on the movement's support many hard-line Buddhist nationalists view her as soft on the Rohingya but she also probably does not want a major rift with it. Since taking control of the government at least, the ministries not controlled by the military Suu Kyi has made clear that she has two major priorities: trying to improve Burma's economy and, most important to the government, making peace with the ethnic armies that have waged long insurgencies in northern and northeastern parts of the country. Suu Kyi has launched an ambitious peace process with a number of insurgent groups, clearly seeing it as essential to her legacy and to making the country whole. Her father, the independence leader Aung San, tried to lay the groundwork for a federal Burma and prevent this civil conflict, but he was assassinated not long after he came to an initial agreement with ethnic minority groups. So all other issues are second to the economy and the peace process, as a government spokesman told the New York Times, playing down the relative importance of "democracy and human rights, including press freedom." Suu Kyi may also believe that her ability to stop the brutal military campaign in Rakhine state is limited. Although she is the de facto head of government, the top general, Min Aung Hlaing, maintains a great degree of power. Burmas constitution gives the armed forces control over the military budget and over ministries related to security issues; they are also allotted 25 percent of seats in parliament. Perhaps the army will have less power at some point in the future, after a period of civilian rule and a change in the constitution to reduce its role in politics. But until then, Suu Kyi may judge it impractical to waste political capital challenging the military on an issue many people in her party do not care about. Another problem is that foreign pressure on her to stop the Rohingya crisis seems to have made her even more intransigent. Suu Kyi has always been known as stubborn. (How else does one survive decades under house arrest and other repression?) She also is known to keep her own counsel. She does not have many voices in her inner circle pushing back or offering critiques of her actions voices that could argue for a change in her Rakhine policy. She has a small staff and reportedly gets little input from NLD members of parliament. Fergal Keane, a longtime chronicler of Suu Kyi for the BBC, noted that "last December, when Vijay Nambiar, the UN Special Representative to Myanmar, urged Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Rakhine state, he was rebuffed." Why? Because, as one Suu Kyi adviser told Keane, she simply did not want to be seen as following outside orders. This stubbornness could be multiplied by a feeling of betrayal: The very countries, rights organizations and international leaders who for decades supported Suu Kyi are now inveighing against her. Suu Kyi has not been totally inactive on the Rakhine crisis. She created a commission of experts, chaired by former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan, to investigate the violence. This was an important step, and her government has rhetorically committed to implementing the panels recommendations. Meanwhile, Suu Kyi may see that, despite criticism of how she has handled the Rakhine crisis, most powerful foreign governments are not going to punish Burma. The White House put out a statement this past week noting that it was "deeply troubled" by the violence in Rakhine but has done little else. Elsewhere, Delhi has stood alongside Suu Kyi in condemning Rohingya terrorist groups and has threatened to deport Rohingya seeking shelter in India. Beijing blames the Rohingya militants for the violence. This month, Suu Kyi's security adviser noted that "friendly countries" such as China would block any resolution at the U.N. Security Council criticizing Burma. Given her moral stature, her history and her power in Burma, Suu Kyis inaction has surely worsened affairs. She has shown the military that it can act with impunity, and her public statements have done nothing to challenge people within her party who dont see the issue as important. Her indifference has hurt aid organizations ability to get people on the ground and to potentially raise money to help the Rohingya. Suu Kyi can still make a difference, though. By speaking out more about the plight of the Rohingya, she could boost international aid efforts to keep Rohingya in camps in Bangladesh and temporary places of shelter inside Burma from dying. And in the end, she is the popularly elected leader in Burma; while Buddhist nationalist groups and generals might dislike a visit by her to Rakhine , they would be unlikely to stop her. She knows these things. But she has watched the humanitarian crisis unfold anyway. Twitter: @JoshKurlantzick Read more from Outlook and follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter. President Trump answers a question from the media as he arrives at the White House on Thursday. (Alex Brandon/AP) With chants of "build the wall," warnings of rapists coming from Mexico and an unforgiving promise to deport millions, Donald Trump forged a fundamental bond with millions of frustrated Americans who helped him take over the Republican Party and win the White House. But now the same issue of immigration is straining Trump's ties to hard-line conservatives. Trump's agreement this week with Democratic leaders on a more moderate approach to immigration legislation has sparked bitter talk of betrayal among some of his staunchest defenders on the right and forced many of them to rethink their loyalties amid confusion over what the president favors. When Trump on Thursday signaled his embrace of granting legal status to some immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally by their parents, he prompted new questions about whether he would support an eventual path to citizenship for them and raised doubts about how hard he would fight Democrats for the massive wall he promised along the U.S.-Mexico border. In the eyes of these admirers-turned-critics, Trump's sins include not just a refusal to issue an ultimatum on the wall but his newfound willingness to work with the detested establishments of the Republican and Democratic parties. While party leaders on both sides frame the issue of undocumented childhood immigrants in compassionate terms, others view any accommodation as an affront to U.S. sovereignty and the rule of law. If were not getting a wall, Id prefer President Pence, conservative author Ann Coulter tweeted Thursday. Amnesty Don, declared a bright-red headline on Breitbart News, the website run by former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon one of many political fire alarms set off by die-hard supporters following the sudden breakthrough Wednesday at a White House dinner. [Conservatives unleash anger over Trumps willingness to pursue deal] Yet the lasting political cost of Trumps engagement with top Democrats on immigration remained ambiguous. While Coulter and others vented, several conservative leaders Thursday remained hesitant about breaking with the president publicly given his continued grass-roots support and their desire to focus Republican ire on the leadership in Congress. The jury is still out on whether the base starts to leave him. And Im not sure what the truth is, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said in an interview. If this stands and we end up with amnesty, the base that was pulled together because of immigration will start to peel off in significant ways. But, King added, No one is quite sure about how this will play out and whether its truly what we worry itll be. Trump has cultivated a political persona defined, in part, by his hard-line policy positions but also by the way he speaks as a celebrity populist to the grievances of many Americans amid a fast-changing global economy and culture. In search of a bipartisan victory that has eluded him, Trump has at times attempted to redefine those promises to build a big, beautiful concrete wall, to deport all undocumented immigrants he has said have to go. The thought is that his base on Capitol Hill and in the activist ranks will forgive him because he shares those deeper grievances and anxieties, even if he is an unreliable champion. The presidents statements seemed to evolve by the hour Thursday, reiterating that he would work with Democrats on shielding the thousands of dreamers who rely on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, while also assuring angry conservatives that the border wall remains very important, even if separate from the latest pact. In another tweet, he suggested that the wall he had promised is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls. Hours later, he said that plans for funding the wall, which he once described as a concrete edifice, were yet to come. The wall will come later, Trump told reporters. Then in an email message to supporters signed by Trump, Trumps political committee told supporters: Theres been a lot of noise today. . . Let me set the record straight in the simplest language possible: WE WILL BUILD A WALL (NOT A FENCE). [The Fix: Trump is finding that campaigning to erase Obamas legacy is easier than actually doing so] Polling suggests that Trump has more room to maneuver with his base on the question of dreamers than on other planks of his immigration platform. An analysis of the 2016 presidential election by Hamilton College political scientist Philip Klinkner found that among 2016 Trump voters, 67 percent supported building a southern border wall, 80 percent said speaking English was very important to being American, and 80 percent were opposed to letting Syrian refugees into the United States. But among the same voters, 68 percent said child migrants brought illegally who have been here 10 years and have graduated high school should be allowed to stay in the country. Thats what the White House is wrestling with right now, says Jim McLaughlin, a campaign pollster for Trump who still consults with the White House. Trump waffled during the campaign over how he would handle the dreamers. In the summer of 2015, he said on CNN that he would deal with the group with big heart. Then he changed tack weeks later, telling NBC News of those same migrants, We are going to keep the families together, but they have to go. Behind the scenes of the campaign, Trump spoke often of the possibility of dealing with childhood arrivals with a gentler hand, according to several former Trump campaign advisers. [Trump betrays everyone: The president has a long record as an unpredictable ally] California-based pastor Samuel Rodriguez, who led a prayer at Trumps inauguration, said he spoke repeatedly with Trump during the campaign about the dreamers issue. His commentary and his commitment to building the wall and stopping illegal immigration was very rigid and very fixed, said Rodriguez, who serves as the president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. The moment I brought up dreamers, everything shifted. In fact, at one point he brought up the fact that he was a father and a grandfather. After the election, Trump began to signal publicly that he planned to work something out about young undocumented immigrants. They got brought here at a very young age, theyve worked here and theyve gone to school here, he said weeks after the election. Longtime Trump watchers said they understood Trumps eagerness to convince his core voters Thursday that he remains with them on their animating issue, but warned that he may have gone too far for many of them. The base is revolting. The reality is sinking in that the Trump administration is on the precipice of turning into an establishment presidency, said Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign aide. Days earlier, Bannon said on CBSs 60 Minutes that he was worried about losing the House now because of this, because of DACA, arguing that Republican voters would lack enthusiasm for Trump and the party if they felt it was drifting to the center on immigration. 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, referring to the stalled fight that year over a comprehensive immigration bill. Conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, who is friendly with Trump, mocked the president after news trickled out about a potential immigration deal. [Is Trump advocating amnesty? Ask one conservative lawmaker and watch him squirm.] Exactly what @realDonaldTrump campaigned on. Not, Ingraham wrote on Twitter. She later added, BUILD THE WALL! BUILD THE WALL! or maybe not really. But other Trump-supporting conservatives, such as conservative broadcasters Rush Limbaugh and Fox Newss Sean Hannity, stuck by him, directing their irritation at the media and at congressional Republicans rather than at Trump. They want you to think Trump has sold you out, Limbaugh said on his program. They want you to think that Trump has given away his mandate in exchange for doing deals. . . Hes been frustrated because the Republicans wont do anything, so hes going over to the Democrat side, and hes doing deals. Hannity echoed him. Well Mitch GREAT JOB! Hannity tweeted, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). You failed so miserably with Healthcare and excessive expectations now @POTUS has to deal with Dem Leaders! Hannity added later, I blame Rs. They caused this. They wanted him to fail and now pushed him into arms of political suicide IF TRUE. Paul Manafort resigned from the Trump campaign in August 2016, following reports by the New York Times. (Justin Lane/European Pressphoto Agency) A spokesman for President Trumps former campaign chairman met for more than two hours Friday with a federal grand jury exploring possible coordination between the presidents campaign and the Russian government. Jason Maloni serves as a spokesman for Paul Manafort, the international political consultant who steered Trumps campaign for about five months before the 2016 election. It is not clear why prosecutors subpoenaed Maloni to appear. He began working for Manafort after the campaign, helping Manafort respond to questions about his work on behalf of Trump, as well as his consulting work for a Russia-friendly politician in Ukraine. The grand jury being used by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has been seeking documents and hearing testimony from witnesses. But the grand jury process is secret, and Maloni is one of the first witnesses whose appearance before the grand jury has become public. Maloni exited the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia shortly before noon on Friday, accompanied by an attorney, Erik Bolog. He spoke to reporters outside but declined to answer questions. My name is Jason Maloni. Im president of JadeRoq, he said, referring to his public relations firm. I was ordered to appear today before the grand jury. I answered questions, and Ive been dismissed. Thats all I have to say. Public attention focused on Manaforts foreign ties began when he joined Trump in the spring of 2016 to help professionalize the campaign of the outsider candidate. He resigned from the Trump campaign in August 2016, following reports by the New York Times that his name had appeared in a ledger found in Kiev detailing millions of dollars in under-the-table payments from a Ukrainian political party. Manafort has denied wrongdoing and said reports alleging that he received money improperly from Ukrainian interests are false. The longtime lawyer and GOP strategist faced more scrutiny this year when it was revealed that he had joined Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner, President Trumps senior adviser and son-in-law, in a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton. Before working for the Ukrainian president, Manafort had consulted for other controversial foreign political leaders, including former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos and Angolan insurgent leader Jonas Savimbi. The foreign work could be lucrative. In June, Manafort filed foreign agent registration forms showing that his firm received a total of $17.1 million over two years from Ukraines Party of Regions. Manafort disclosed the total payments his firm received between 2012 and 2014 in a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing. That disclosure made Manafort the second former senior Trump adviser to acknowledge the need to disclose work for foreign interests. The other is Michael Flynn, who served as national security adviser to the president. Like Manafort, Flynn is also under investigation by the special counsel. Flynn has reported receiving remuneration from RT, the Russian television network, in 2015, along with payments from other foreign sources. During the expanding inquiry, Maloni became increasingly visible as a Manafort spokesman. For example, in June, he said that Manaforts foreign-agent filing amendments were being prepared a year ago, before the outcome of the election and well before any formal investigation of election interference began. He emphasized then that Manaforts primary focus was always directed at domestic Ukrainian political campaign work and that Manafort was cooperating with investigators. Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report. At 6:11 Thursday morning, President Trump tweeted that despite news reports to the contrary, he and Democratic congressional leaders had reached no deal on protections for young undocumented immigrants brought here as children. At 6:20 a.m., after a night of fretting by his supporters, he tweeted that the big, beautiful border wall he had long promised "will continue to be built." Then, at 6:28 a.m., he tweeted a duo of missives outlining the very deal he claimed didn't exist. Confusion reigned. The tweets underscore the sense of chaos the president brings to bear on just about everything he encounters a Midas touch of low-grade uncertainty he seems to sow in others and exhibit himself while operating comfortably from within the maelstrom. Eight months into his presidency, Trump may still do what he boasted about on the campaign trail but has yet to achieve: emerge as the magnanimous bipartisan dealmaker who can bring the swamp together. On Wednesday night, in a Blue Room dinner at the White House with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), the president reached a tentative agreement with the Democratic leaders: The young undocumented immigrants known as dreamers would be allowed to stay in the country in exchange for a border security package that does not include funding for Trumps wall. But even as Trump careens toward the sort of immigration deal that has eluded previous presidents the latest capstone to a period of 10 days of sustained bipartisan overtures the process exhibits certain Trumpian hallmarks: namely, a lack of clarity. Often, Trumps underlings, friends, foes and allies never know quite where he stands in part because of the presidents penchant for telling his immediate audience exactly what they want to hear in any given moment. People who meet with the president frequently leave buoyed, an optimism punctured by a nagging question mere hours later: What just happened? On Wednesday evening, as news of the agreement trickled out, Hill staffers sat glued to Twitter trying to discern that very query as aides to both sides scrambled to explain what, in the end, turned out to be disagreements that were largely semantics. Referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects the dreamers, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took to Twitter after 10 p.m., writing, While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. This prompted Schumers spokesman to reply to her tweet with a further explanation: The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement, he wrote. For those on the outside, head-scratching ensued. On Thursday morning, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as Trump traveled to Florida to view damage caused by Hurricane Irma, a White House spokeswoman further muddied the already confused situation, saying: The president has been clear that there will be no amnesty before adding that the administrations plan for immigration changes could include legal citizenship over time. In just 24 hours, the issue unfurled a bit like a madcap comedy: frantic, scattershot and befuddled though headed toward a potentially tidy resolution. Act One was the dinner itself, a meal of honey sesame crispy beef, sticky rice and chocolate cream pie for dessert, with Schumer and Pelosi flanking Trump on both sides. Schumer who is known on the Hill for his takeout orders from Hunan Dynasty during long nights at the Capitol had discussed his love of Chinese food with the president in previous conversations, and the meal also represented their shared hard-line view on trade with China. At one point, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asked, What exactly does the president get out of this deal? As Pelosi, the only woman at the table of 11, tried to make her point that the president gets the cooperation of the Democrats, which he will likely need on a host of issues the men in the room began talking over her and one another. Do the women get to talk around here? Pelosi interjected, according to two people familiar with the exchange. There was, at last, silence, and she was not interrupted again. Act Two was the initial Democratic exuberance, first in the form of a statement Wednesday night from Chuck and Nancy, as Trump has dubbed his Democratic pals, who touted the very productive meeting and wrote: We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides. On Thursday, Schumer was caught on an open mic on the Senate floor, giddily enthusing: He likes us, the senior New York senator said, referring to the president. He likes me, anyway. But this act also included fleeting portraits of the angry and exasperated Republicans, including a curt statement from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and a news conference with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) saying, Im not going to negotiate through the media. The problem, of course, is that Republican leaders dont seem to be negotiating with their president. Hes just not a good negotiator, griped one Hill Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer a candid assessment of Trump. They got out-hustled by the Democrats in how theyre framing this. Act Three and, really, the entire show was Trump himself, holding forth throughout the day, on Twitter and on camera. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? he wrote early Thursday morning. They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security. Once in Florida, he weighed in again, saying, No, were not looking at citizenship. Were not looking at amnesty. Were looking at allowing people to stay here. On the flight back to Washington, he reiterated that he still plans to build a wall Democrats, he said, cant obstruct the wall even if it isnt part of the DACA deal, and he said he has Republican support for his plans. My relationship with Republicans is excellent, he said. Many of them agree with what I am doing. The immigration episode raised nearly as many questions as it answered. But for now, perhaps the most important one remains: Is a deal by any other name like, say, no deal, as the president described on Twitter really a deal? The verdict is still out, but those who know Trump say people shouldnt be surprised if the answer is yes. Hes always been a compromiser, an independent centrist at heart, even as hes gone to the right on some but not all issues, said Christopher Ruddy, chief executive of Newsmax and a Trump confidant. Everyone is so shocked, but this is who he is. Robert Costa contributed to this report. President Trumps latest tendency to turn to Democrats to hash out major legislative deals has left Republican leaders facing a new reality as a daunting fall agenda looms: They are at their lowest moment of influence this year. Despite their control of both chambers and with a GOP partner in the White House, congressional Republicans are laboring, sometimes awkwardly, to project leverage over efforts to rewrite the nations tax laws and craft a bill to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants. Some are privately fuming over the valuable political cover Trump is giving to centrist Democratic senators who are top targets in the 2018 midterms in states the president won. By negotiating with them and appearing at events together, the president is potentially easing their challenge of winning conservative voters. Republicans have played down Trumps talks with Democrats, issued warnings that the effort could prove futile and looked for a silver lining that the president is taking the politically risky lead in shepherding legislation on divisive matters. But so far, none of these approaches have produced what GOP leaders on Capitol Hill hoped they would have after their party won the White House and Congress in November: control. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell R-Ky.) has been overruled by President Trump in some talks with Democrats. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Its not so much their power as their ability to influence the president, said former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele. Trump, he said, is recognizing: I dont just have to play with you, Paul and Mitch. I get to play with Chuck and Nancy as well. "Chuck and Nancy" are Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who over dinner with Trump on Wednesday night agreed to work on a deal to save from deportation young undocumented immigrants who were brought to this country as children. Paul and Mitch, more formally House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), were not invited. Trump called each of them Thursday morning to catch them up well after the rest of the country learned the news. There has been considerable dispute since the dinner about what, exactly, Trump and the Democrats agreed to over their meal of honey sesame crispy beef and chocolate cream pie. To hear Republican leaders on Capitol Hill tell it, whatever it was, it was no big deal. It was merely a deal to make a deal, explained Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), McConnells top deputy. Or an agreement to agree, he said a few minutes later, finding a different way to say the same thing. On the other side of the Capitol, Ryan had to deal with questions at a news conference where he would have preferred to deal with queries about the funding bills he was touting. Have you asked the president to at least check with you before he makes an agreement with Democrats? one reporter asked. Ryan chuckled through the question after sipping from a water cup. First off, theres no agreement, he replied. The president and the chief of staff called me from Air Force One today to discuss what was discussed. And it was a discussion, not an agreement or a negotiation. [Trumps immigration talks with Democrats attract cautious support] Regardless of the label, Trump had sent a clear message: For the moment, at least, McConnell and Ryan have been stripped of much of the deference presidents historically invest in their partys leaders on Capitol Hill. The president's sudden desire to negotiate with Schumer and Pelosi they also struck a deal last week to raise the debt ceiling and keep the government from shutting down, overruling the terms McConnell and Ryan had pushed comes after an unproductive eight months when Republicans mostly relied on their own ranks. It didnt work, most pointedly in the failed effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. After that, some GOP lawmakers said, it was no surprise that Trump was trying a new approach. Some even suggested that the strategy is refreshing. To me, the power to lead is the power to persuade, said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who took part in a bipartisan dinner with the president this week. And we need to do a little more persuasion. As Republicans, we need to win more political arguments. Rather than try to muscle a vote, we ought to come up with proposals and find out what works. Persuading Democrats to support Republican ideas on tax reform, GOP leaders say, will be very challenging. In the Senate, McConnells allies have consistently raised this point as if to signal to the president that his time may be better spent locking down support in his own party. Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the chambers third-ranking Republican, said he was skeptical that many Democrats would want to vote for a tax bill that the White House or the Republicans up here write. Well see, he concluded. But there are questions about how invested Trump is in traditional Republican ideas. He has shown a willingness to stray from GOP orthodoxy before. In the tax reform debate, hes doing it again. In his public appearances and on Twitter, Trump has promised a historic tax cut without acknowledging the difficult trade-offs necessary to close loopholes and offset the revenue lost through major rate reductions. A failure to pay for those lower rates may mean that the cuts could be only temporary dashing one of Ryans central goals. Trump also reportedly told Democrats that he would not cut taxes on the rich. Earlier this week, Ryan appeared to back away from his long insistence that the tax plan would not cut government revenue, thus adding to the federal budget deficit but potentially averting the need to make tough choices. A Ryan spokeswoman said afterward that his remarks did not reflect a change of position. Ryan allies believe that Trump, by cozying up to Democrats, may have done the speaker a favor to help him manage the fractious conservative wing of his conference giving the speaker a rare chance to defend hard-right priorities against Trumps machinations. Senior Republican Senate aides, meanwhile, insisted this week that McConnell and his top deputies control what comes to the Senate floor and when notwithstanding what the president demands. Responding to Trumps immigration meeting, McConnell issued a short statement in which he put a not-so-subtle onus on the president to make the next move: We look forward to receiving the Trump administrations legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues. On the other hand, some McConnell allies see the president setting himself up to be primarily responsible for and taking credit for progress on immigration, an issue that has divided lawmakers for decades. And they welcome that. Thats a fundamentally different place for Congress to be from where they have been, said Josh Holmes, a former McConnell chief of staff. Beyond the difficulty of the legislative debates, Trumps outreach to centrist Democrats such as Sens. Joe Manchin III (W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) has put Senate Republicans on more perilous terrain heading into 2018. A few Republicans said they view some of Trumps gestures as over the top. At one recent tax event in North Dakota that stuck out for many of them, Trump invited Heitkamp onstage and called her a good woman. Heitkamp is up for reelection next year, and McConnell and Republicans view her seat as a prime pickup opportunity. Such moves have generated frustration at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, according to two Republicans familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private sentiments. McConnell entered this election cycle looking at a map ripe for gains to pad his 52-to-48 majority, with many more Democrats than Republicans defending competitive seats and many in states Trump won. But now, fundraisers, strategists and other Republicans with a close eye on Senate races are complaining about candidate recruiting woes they think Trump is fueling, intentionally or not. People are by and large incredibly pissed, said one of the Republicans familiar with the situation. Congressional Republicans are coming to terms with the possibility that they may have to deal with Trump leaning into his Democratic outreach for an extended period of time. The president has shown no signs that he will back off his new strategy anytime soon. Many Republicans really like it, he told reporters on Air Force One on Thursday. He added: Im a Republican through and through, but Im also finding that sometimes to get things through, its not working that way. Ed OKeefe contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost Police in London were searching for the assailant who detonated a homemade bomb Friday that sent a scorching blast of flame and smoke through a London subway car, injuring at least 29 rush-hour commuters and sending panicked crowds scrambling for safety in what police called a terrorist incident. As of Friday evening, authorities had given no details on possible suspects. Security measures were tightened across Londons vast mass-transit network, and the government described the threat level as critical, meaning another attack could be imminent. British media reported that the crude explosive device, carried in a bucket and shoved into a shopping bag, had a timer, suggesting that some degree of bombmaking knowledge was employed. The Islamic State terrorist group asserted responsibility for the explosion on its Amaq News Agency website. Experts cautioned that the group often seeks credit for attacks it may have only inspired, as well as ones it had nothing to do with. The explosion on Londons Tube is bound to rekindle pointed debate about whether countries such as Britain have been tough enough in fighting terrorism. Just hours after the blast, President Trump suggested that Britain needed to be more proactive. Shortly after, Prime Minister Theresa May retorted that such criticism was not helpful. This was a device intended to cause significant harm, May said, but it remained unclear whether the explosive may have detonated prematurely or malfunctioned at the Parsons Green station, about three miles southwest of central London. It was not certain whether the bomber was among those hurt or was now on the run. In a sign that a manhunt could be mobilized, London police appealed to the public to submit cellphone images taken at the scene. British media said that investigators had images of a suspect from closed-circuit television. The homemade device blew up on the inbound train, nine stops from Westminster, the seat of the British government. After the attack, Trump tweeted: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! It was unclear whether Trump had been briefed by his security advisers and knew something of the identity of the assailants. At the time, neither the London police nor the British government had said anything publicly beyond describing the detonation as a suspected terrorist attack. Following Trumps tweets, and without mentioning the American president by name, May said that its not helpful for anybody to speculate on . . . an ongoing investigation. Later, during a brief appearance outside the White House, Trump further hammered a hard-line message, saying: We have to be very smart and we have to be very, very tough perhaps were not nearly tough enough. During a tumultuous election campaign that was interrupted by two terrorist attacks, the British prime minister repeatedly promised harsh new measures. May vowed that if human rights laws get in the way of protecting Britain, she would change those laws. At the time, experts wondered whether Mays tough talk could be matched by more action in a country considered one of the worlds most proactive on counterterrorism. The threat is now so diffuse that it is unclear how those measures could be more effectively used to prevent future attacks, said Raffaello Pantucci, director of the International Security Studies group at the Royal United Services Institute in London. One of the few possibilities would be to impose harsher sentences for terror-related offenses, and that is certainly something being considered. There are only so many things you can do, though, he said. I dont think Britons would want to have armed police officers on every street corner. Shortly after the explosion, the right-wing, populist U.K. Independence Party, or UKIP, tweeted, Thank goodness nobody serious hurt at #ParsonsGreen but we cannot rely on jihadist incompetence. Authorities said the 29 injured largely suffered from flash burns. Emergency services said none of those hurt had life-threatening injuries. We have hundreds of detectives involved looking at [closed-circuit] TV, forensic work and speaking to witnesses, said Mark Rowley, head of Londons police counterterrorism unit. [Britains prime minister: Not helpful to speculate on probe] Parsons Green is in Fulham, a neighborhood of Victorian rowhouses and leafy parks known for its furniture designers and Champions League soccer. Witnesses described a fireball and smoke racing through the subway car, and then a frantic crush of people trying to flee while others attempted to aid those with burns and other injuries. Luke Walmsley, 33, a film editor, was on his way to work during a normal morning commute, listening to music. And then things were suddenly not normal. I heard a scream and then there was a flash, a light and smoke. I actually pulled my earplugs out, and then the screams got louder and louder, he said, recalling people running toward him at the station. It was chaos. It was every man for himself to get down the stairs, and its a very tight exit, he said, describing injured people on the ground. I went back to see if they were okay. Other people attended them, then there were nannies and moms asking where their children were. He said people were helping others who were shocked and burned, bottles of water being poured over burns, quite severe burns, whole legs. [British prime minister takes terrorism fight to cyberspace] In the months since Mays narrow reelection, her government has come up with few new security proposals. Cities have invested in erecting barriers or bollards to make it harder for terrorists to attack popular public spaces. Earlier this week, London police deployed for the first time new high-tech nets laced with tungsten-steel spurs that can be placed on roadways to stop marauding vehicles as heavy as a double-decker bus. The terrorist threat now includes unsophisticated attacks, such as stabbings and vehicle ramming, where the planning cycle is much shorter than it would otherwise be, said Rajan Basra, a researcher with the International Center for the Study of Radicalization, at Kings College in London. This volatility means that the authorities have to intervene a lot earlier. Fridays explosion was the fifth terrorist attack in Britain this year. At least three of the attackers who struck Britain this year were previously known to law enforcement officials. Authorities have acknowledged that it is impossible to keep track of all suspects, and it is believed that British security services are constantly monitoring about 500 people. According to European Union officials, the number of Islamist extremists in the country could be up to 50 times that. [After June attacks in London, Trump picked a fight with the citys mayor] Lauren Hubbard, 24, had just stepped on the Tube at Parsons Green the beginning of her morning commute to her job in the financial district when she felt intense heat. Then she saw flames barreling toward her. I could see the fire, she said. I could feel the heat of it. At first you just panic, then you just run. Kate Llewellyn-Jones, 42, who lives next to the station, said she heard shouting and then a woman ran into her yard. She had lost her shoes in the stampede. This thought struck many: Why attack here? Parsons Green is not a tourist magnet but a leafy enclave. It feels very far away from the center, Llewellyn-Jones said. [Citing London attack, Trump calls for expanded U.S. travel bans] After the recent spate of attacks in London and Manchester, the British prime minister was criticized by the opposition for slashing local police staffs. On Thursday, Britains Home Office announced that police, using broader authorities, had arrested a record 379 people for terrorism-related offenses in the past months, an increase of almost 70 percent. Jennifer Hassan in London, Paul Schemm in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Read more: British police deploy giant futuristic nets in bid to stop terrorist vehicle attacks Terrorism in London seems to confirm Muslims growing dread Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Men carry the coffin of a soldier, killed a day earlier on the Sinai Peninsula, during a funeral in 10th of Ramadan city, north of Cairo, in July. Islamic State-affiliated militants claimed responsibility for the attack. (Fayed El-Geziry/AP) Egyptian security forces are finding themselves increasingly bogged down in their four-year fight against an Islamic State affiliate in the northern Sinai Peninsula, despite billions of dollars in U.S. counterterrorism aid. The struggle has cost the lives of hundreds of police officers and soldiers, including at least 20 in the past week. On Monday, at least 18 policemen were killed when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car near their security convoy. The attack, near the heavily patrolled North Sinai provincial capital of Arish, was followed by clashes as other militants opened fire, a military spokesman said. The Islamic State affiliate, known as Wilayat Sinai, asserted responsibility for the attack, claiming that the bomber "plunged himself into six of their vehicles and blasted his car." The militants also destroyed several military vehicles, as well an ambulance and a firetruck. Two days later, two soldiers were killed in a gun battle after militants staged a failed assault on a security checkpoint in North Sinai, a military spokesman said. Again, the Islamic State asserted responsibility. We see this attack that is supposedly in a completely secure area, and it claims 18 lives, said Mohannad Sabry, the author of a book on the Islamist insurgency in Sinai. Its a signal that things are still not really under control. Similar violence has unfolded every few weeks in recent months, underscoring the insurgencys resilience, as well as its ability to mount complex, multilayered attacks using the local terrain to its advantage. [Egypts upheaval has transformed much of Sinai into a no-go zone] Since July 2013, at least 1,000 members of the security forces have been killed in terrorist attacks across the restive Sinai Peninsula, according to data compiled by the nonprofit Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy. In 2017, more than 200 members of the security forces have been killed there. Wilayat Sinai alone has claimed more than 800 attacks across Egypt since its pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State in November 2014, said Nancy Okail, the Tahrir Institutes executive director. Egyptian security forces, she added, have killed more than 2,500 suspected terrorists in operations in Sinai since 2013, although unofficial numbers reported by local media are significantly higher. Although there have been fewer terrorist attacks this year than last, the number of fatalities has risen, Okail said. That suggests the militants are planning their operations more strategically and with the intent of creating maximum carnage, according to analysts. With the Islamic State nearing defeat in Iraq and Syria, its affiliates are asserting themselves in other parts of the world, from North Africa to Afghanistan to the Philippines. The militant group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has penetrated the mountains of Tunisia and maintains a robust presence in Libya, despite the loss of its stronghold of Sirte last year. In northern Sinai, Islamic State-linked militants are leading the Islamist insurgency launched in the summer of 2013 after Egypts military overthrew the elected Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi. The coup was led by the current president, Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, and the insurgencys stated goal is to topple his government. The Islamic State has also increasingly targeted Egypt's Coptic Christians, who make up roughly 10 percent of the country's 94 million people. The tactic appears designed to sow further division, turning Egyptians against the Sissi government, which has failed to protect the minority community. [After Egypt church bombings, Israel closes southern border with Sinai] In 2015, the Islamic State affiliate in Sinai asserted responsibility for the downing of a Russian passenger plane after it took off from the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. That attack, which killed all 224 people aboard, hit Egypt's economy hard; Russia halted civilian flights to the country, and Britain and other nations stopped airlines from flying to Sharm el-Sheikh, the source of a third of Egypt's annual tourism revenue. Monday's attack came two months after Islamic State militants killed at least 23 soldiers at a remote outpost near Rafah, the Egyptian town bordering the Gaza Strip, in the deadliest attack on security forces in two years. Islamic State snipers have also been killing policemen in recent weeks. This week, Egyptian lawmakers issued a statement vowing to eradicate terrorism, and U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that the United States "will continue to stand with Egypt as it confronts the threat from terrorism." Sabry and other analysts say they think the number of attacks and fatalities in the Sinai region could be much higher than the official tallies suggest. The Egyptian military has prevented journalists, local and foreign, from visiting northern Sinai, and any information released is at the government's discretion. Sabry, who keeps close contact with Sinai tribesmen and other sources, said he has heard reports of recent attacks and clashes near Rafah. But nothing has been reported by the security forces or local media. "It's very difficult to understand exactly what's happening," Sabry said. "There has been an intensified blackout even worse than we normally endure in Sinai." Heba Farouk Mahfouz contributed to this report. Read more: Christians flee Sinai Peninsula in fear of Egypts Islamic State affiliate As ISIS roils neighboring Sinai, Israel keeps this border highway empty Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Iraqi security forces have freed most of northern Iraq from the grip of the Islamic State. But U.S. and Iraqi officials warn that thousands of militants remain in the country and are ready to wage a ferocious fight in a desert region bordering Syria. The bulk of the war against the Islamic State was finished when Iraqi security forces reclaimed the cities of Mosul and Tal Afar this summer. But the battle looming in western Anbar province is expected to be one of the most complex to date. The vast region will be difficult to surround, and clearing it will probably involve coordination among the U.S.-backed forces and the Syrian regime, Russia and Iran. U.S. officials also believe that the Islamic States leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is hiding there. Iraqi forces retook Tal Afar in just eight days, but officials say that was an anomaly and not a new rule. Shiite militias encircled the city for eight months while U.S.-led airstrikes pounded weapons facilities and targeted groups of fighters and their commanders before the ground operation began late last month. While Id like to say that we would see this elsewhere in Iraq and Syria, were not really planning for that, said Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who until last week was the commander of coalition forces in Iraq and Syria. Were planning for tough fights ahead. Those fights also will include the battle for the city of Hawija, whose location in north-central Iraq has made it an ISIS launchpad for small but deadly raids in nearby cities. But the coming fight for Hawija has been complicated by a political dispute. Kirkuk, the province in which Hawija lies, historically has been claimed by both Kurds and Arabs. In 2014, Kurdish peshmerga fighters secured the city of Kirkuk against the Islamic State advance and have remained there since then. Last month, the Kirkuk provincial council voted to participate in a referendum on Kurdish independence planned later this month, raising the possibility that Kirkuk would become part of a fully autonomous Kurdish nation. Iraqs central government, along with the United States, Iran and Turkey, strongly oppose the referendum. Securing Hawija would go a long way toward preventing the Islamic State from staging attacks, said Najmaldin Karim, who has served as the governor of Kirkuk but on Thursday was voted out by Iraqs parliament because of his support for the Kurdish referendum. He has vowed to stay in his position. They can do significant damage to other places from Hawija, he said of the Islamic State, adding that waiting until now to retake the city was illogical. [Here are some of the toughest battles still to be fought against ISIS] Once home to a majority Sunni population of about 100,000, the city has been mostly cleared of civilians. Military planes recently began dropping leaflets promising the estimated 20,000 still in the city that their liberation is near and advising them to avoid gatherings of Islamic State militants. An American counterterrorism official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified battlefield assessments, said some 1,000 Islamic State fighters still in Hawija maintain networks of Sunni tribal sympathizers as well as supply lines running from Anbar into Syria. Does Tal Afar indicate anything that these battles are going to be easy? I dont think so, the official said. There is a lot of fighting left to do. ISIS controlled about one-third of Iraq in 2014, but its territory has shrunk dramatically since Iraqs military regrouped under U.S. supervision and Iranian-backed Shiite militias mobilized to reclaim towns and villages. Today, the Islamic State holds only about 10 percent of its self-declared caliphate in Iraq. Hawija has been largely encircled for a year, by Kurdish peshmerga fighters to the north and Shiite militias and regular Iraqi army forces from the south. Iraqs prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, faces the task of deciding which force will take the lead a decision likely colored by the Kurdish desire to include Kirkuk in their future state. The issue of delaying the Hawija battle has been too related to who will do it and who can claim credit for it, while the people of Hawija suffer, Karim said. Though their forces are near Hawija, peshmerga officials say they have not received any orders to prepare for the fight. We have forces ready for Hawija, but so far there are no orders, and we dont know if we will participate, said Brig. Gen. Halgurd Hikmet, a Peshmerga spokesman. Peshmerga soldiers played secondary roles in the fight for Tal Afar and the much longer battle for Mosul, securing areas around both to prevent militants from escaping or staging incursions into reclaimed lands. Townsend said one of the keys to the rapid success in Tal Afar was that several Iraqi military branches attacked from five fronts, quickly collapsing the Islamic States lines of defense and forcing the militants into a scattered resistance. During the halting three-year campaign to clear Iraq of the Islamic State, Abadi has opted to retake major cities one at a time, giving a military that collapsed in the face of the Islamic State onslaught in 2014 time to rebuild. A senior Iraqi counterterrorism service officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military planning, said some commanders are urging Abadi to launch Hawija in tandem with the effort to retake the Anbar towns of Qaim, Ana and Rawa a chain of Sunni enclaves in the Euphrates River Valley. It is largely seen as the Islamic States last stand in both countries. A spokesman for Iraqs military declined to discuss force composition for Hawija but said there are enough troops to stage the battle for the city and for Anbar concurrently. That fight took on new urgency when the Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced a deal last week to move some 300 Islamic State fighters and their families from western Syria to the Islamic State-controlled town of Bukamal on Iraq's border. Abadi and U.S. officials recoiled at the deal, saying it reinforced the Islamic States presence in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zour and undermines Iraqs security. The United States launched airstrikes to halt the advance of a column of buses to Bukamal by cratering roads and a small bridge. [A boost for Assad as the Syrian army makes gains against ISIS in east Syria] Last week, Iraqi officials from Anbar and Syrian activists said part of the convoy had made it over the border to the Iraqi towns in the Euphrates River Valley, confirming the worst fears of Iraq's leadership and its U.S. military allies. We are considering changing the plans for western Anbar based on these developments, said Saeed al-Jayashi, a government adviser to the Iraqi joint operations command. On Monday, armored units from Iraqs army began to deploy to military bases in Anbar. Bukamal is just across the border with Qaim, and senior Islamic State leaders are believed to be in both towns. Townsend said he believes that Islamic State leader Baghdadi is moving between hideouts in the Euphrates valley, contradicting Russian claims that he is probably dead. The battle on the Iraqi side of the border is also likely to be complicated by the convergence of interests in the area. Forces that are part of a Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance have begun advancing on Deir al-Zour province and could push Islamic State militants into Iraq. The close-quarter fighting also will require the United States and Russia to ensure that the forces they are backing dont come into conflict. According to a Pentagon assessment, between 5,000 and 10,000 militants are in the area. U.S.-backed Syrian forces announced their offensive in the oil-rich province Sept. 9, heightening fears of clashes among forces supported by countries with divergent views over its future. The close-quarter fighting also will require the United States and Russia to ensure that the forces they are backing dont come into conflict. Im reasonably confident that we'll be able to work through this, Townsend said, adding that there have already been conversations with the Russians to delineate sectors for the coming battle. Everyone thats converging down there is trying to defeat ISIS as a first priority, and well use that to our advantage to work through it. Warrick reported from Washington. Read more: Hezbollah accuses the U.S. of putting lives at stake by hounding ISIS convoy Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Ukrainian-born model Svitlana Buchyk was a less-than-ideal witness for federal prosecutors this week in the bribery trial of Sen. Robert Menendez. Though she was called by the prosecution, Buchyks testimony undercut the governments case on some points. She said the New Jersey Democrat and his co-defendant, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen, were very close undermining the notion that the doctor had bribed the senator in exchange for government favors. Buchyk was asked at one point whether she knew why she was in the Newark federal courtroom. No. I dont know why Im here. He has just been forcing me to be here, she said, referring to the lead prosecutor, Peter Koski. Thats why Im here. [Menendez corruption trial gets underway] Prosecutors say that Buchyk was a former girlfriend of Melgens and that when she wanted a visa to come to the United States, Menendez helped her get one. That help, according to the Justice Department, was part of a years-long pattern of corruption in which the wealthy doctor gave the senator private flights, a hotel stay and indirect campaign donations in exchange for using his influence as a senator to help Melgen with personal and professional issues. But in her testimony Tuesday, Buchyk made clear she was not on the side of the government. Just very frustrating, she said at one point, an apparent reference to being called as a witness. She also drew laughter in the courtroom when she complained about her time with the prosecutors, saying, It just seems like very long when Im around them, but its very, very long. When U.S. District Judge William Walls told her she could leave the witness stand, the model exclaimed "Wow!" and pumped her arms in the air. She smiled at Melgen as she left the courtroom. After the first full week of testimony, the legal strategy for both sides in the Menendez trial is crystal clear. Through flight records, emails and witness testimony, prosecutors with the Justice Departments public-integrity section are trying to show the jury that time and again, Menendez sought to use his role as a senator to help Melgen, even though Melgen was not a New Jersey constituent. The defense strategy, drawn out of testimony from Buchyk and others, is equally plain: Convince the jury the senator had no intention of taking a bribe or acting corruptly. Instead, they insist, he was a devoted friend to Melgen the two men so close they called each other hermano, the Spanish word for brother. The two werent trying to hide their relationship in any way, and that shows they are innocent, defense lawyers have argued. The Menendez trial is not a fight over facts but meaning. When Melgen gave Menendez gifts, such as a nearly $5,000 stay in a luxury Paris hotel, was that a bribe or a gift from a friend? When Menendez did things for Melgen, such as intercede with federal health officials when the doctor got into an $8.9 million billing dispute with the government, was that an effort to clear up some bureaucratic confusion or a corrupt attempt to get a dishonest friend out of trouble? Emails are a central pillar of the case, offering what prosecutors say are telling clues of the senators intentions. A key bit of evidence offered at trial Thursday was a series of emails, starting with one from a Washington Post reporter in November 2012 to a Menendez staffer, asking about the senators travels on Melgens plane. The Post reporter asked whether Melgen had taken a trip to the Dominican Republic in 2010 on Melgens private jet and whether he had gotten a letter from the Senate Ethics Committee approving such activity. Three weeks after that query, Menendez got a quote from Melgen for the cost of the trips that had occurred two years earlier. The senator reimbursed the doctor for two of those flights, at a cost of $58,500. In a case in which the jurors will be asked to infer what Menendez thought he was doing when he took things from Melgen, and when he did things for him, the fact that the payment came only after a reporter asked about it could prove significant. The payment also reflects how Menendez was in some ways already boxed in by Senate ethics rules by the time the question was raised. Elliot Berke, a lawyer specializing in congressional ethics issues, said the Senates gift rule allows senators to pay market value to prevent a gift from being given, or to avoid an impermissible gift. So it appears thats why Senator Menendez decided to pay for the flights. The trial is expected to last two months, though Walls has repeatedly voiced frustration that the lawyers may drag it out through extended questioning. The judge has had a short fuse at the trial, chastising the lawyers multiple times a day when he thinks they are straying from the rules of court procedure. Though he has repeatedly warned the prosecutors not to try to create a tabloid atmosphere, its the judge who has shown the most emotion so far. On Thursday, he exploded at both sides for not heeding his prior warnings. Some of you are so arrogant in your activities that you think Im ignoring your disregard of what I told you, he said. I have no dog in this fight. I dont care who wins or loses. But you have to follow the rules of engagement. Like a teacher calling out misbehaving students, Walls then went down the long line of attorneys for both sides and asked them individually to agree to abide by the rules. At other points, though, Walls has tried to lower the temperature in the courtroom. When a former Menendez staffer finished testifying Tuesday, the judge jokingly urged him to run. The witness, Mark Lopes, replied: I will. Thank you. Barrett reported from Washington. A federal judge on Friday blocked the Justice Department from withholding grant funds from places that do not provide immigration authorities access to local jails or give advance notice when suspected illegal immigrants are to be released dealing a major blow to the Trump administrations vowed crackdown on sanctuary cities. U.S. District Judge Harry D. Leinenweber in Illinois wrote in a 41-page opinion that Attorney General Jeff Sessions had probably exceeded his lawful authority when he imposed new conditions on particular law enforcement grants, requiring recipients to give immigration authorities access to jails and notice when suspected illegal immigrants are to be released. The judge blocked Sessions from implementing the conditions not just on the city of Chicago which had sued over the matter but also across the nation, writing that there was no reason to think that the legal issues present in this case are restricted to Chicago or that the statutory authority given to the Attorney General would differ in another jurisdiction. His ruling follows an order from another federal judge in California blocking President Trumps executive order on sanctuary cities. [Chicago sues Justice Department over new police grant rules targeting sanctuary cities] Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks in Washington on Sept. 11. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images) In a statement, Justice Department spokesman Devin OMalley said: By protecting criminals from immigration enforcement, cities and states with so-called sanctuary policies make their communities less safe and undermine the rule of law. The Department of Justice will continue to fully enforce existing law and to defend lawful and reasonable grant conditions that seek to protect communities and law enforcement. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) said the ruling was an affirmation of the rule of law and an assertion of our most fundamental American values. The judge issued a preliminary injunction, which means the administration is blocked temporarily while the case makes its way through the courts. The Trump administration has waged an aggressive campaign against sanctuary cities a term that generally refers to places that are welcoming to undocumented immigrants and resistant to federal authorities efforts to deport those in the country illegally. Trump signed an executive order in January declaring that such places would not be eligible for federal grants, and Sessions has tried to make the threat a reality. In April, the attorney general demanded that several jurisdictions produce proof that they are communicating with federal authorities about undocumented immigrants or risk losing grant funding. In July, he announced new conditions on a particular pool of money the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program requiring recipients to allow federal immigration authorities access to detention facilities and to provide 48 hours notice before releasing suspected illegal immigrants. So-called sanctuary policies make all of us less safe because they intentionally undermine our laws and protect illegal aliens who have committed crimes, Sessions said in announcing the change. These policies also encourage illegal immigration and even human trafficking by perpetuating the lie that in certain cities, illegal aliens can live outside the law. The crackdown, though, has been stymied by the courts. A federal judge in San Francisco largely halted Trump's executive order in April, though his ruling exempted the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which already required places to certify they were complying with an immigration-related law. After Sessions imposed the new conditions, Chicago, which received $2.33 million for itself and neighboring jurisdictions, sued, saying he was exceeding his authority. Chicago also said Sessionss edict would put at risk funds for critical technology to detect when and where gunshots were fired. Leinenweber largely agreed with the city, though he stopped short of saying it need not certify compliance with an immigration-related law tied to the grant. That law effectively says jurisdictions cannot block their employees from communicating with immigration authorities, though Leinenweber asserted it does not require local authorities to assist their federal counterparts. An arm of the Justice Department said Friday it would roll back Obama-era efforts to investigate local police departments and issue public reports about their failings another way in which the Trump administration is trying to adopt a tough pro-police stance. The changes were announced by the departments Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, which is halting a years-long effort begun in the previous administration to investigate and publicize the shortcomings of police departments. Within the Justice Department, the civil rights division has for decades conducted pattern or practice probes of troubled police departments to determine whether there are systemic problems that require a court-appointed monitor to correct. In recent years, however, the COPS office had gradually expanded to do something similar, issuing public reports about problems it found in individual departments. On Friday, the Justice Department signaled that it will leave such work to the civil rights division and that the COPS office would return to its roots advising police departments on best practices, offering training and becoming more collaborative. [Sessions orders Justice Department to review all police reform agreements] Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the move a course correction to ensure that resources go to agencies that require assistance rather than expensive wide-ranging investigative assessments that go beyond the scope of technical assistance and support. Sessions has said he aims to put the Justice Department on a more pro-police footing. Last month, he reversed an Obama administration move to restrict shipments of military surplus gear to police departments, saying in a speech that "the previous administration was more concerned about the image of law enforcement being too 'militarized' than they were about our safety." The attorney general has also argued against actions that hurt police officers morale. We cannot let the politicians, as they sometimes do, run down police and communities that are suffering, only to see crime spike in those communities, he said this summer. Vanita Gupta, the former head of the Justice Departments civil rights division who now works as president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said the decision is another indication of the full retreat from police reform by Jeff Sessions. The collaborative effort, Gupta said, had buy-in from a lot of police chiefs because it was a less intrusive process than a pattern or practice probe. Proponents of the Obama administrations approach had argued that some departments have problems that can be fixed without the intervention of court orders and that the COPS office played a valuable role in finding such problems and recommending solutions. Under the new model, the COPS office would not conduct the kind of investigation or issue the kind of report it did last year in San Francisco after angry protests of fatal shootings by officers. The decision affects about 14 police departments nationwide that had either begun receiving public reports from the COPS office or expected to receive such reports soon. It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of... Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/09/2017 (1886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg theatre company Sarasvati Productions is mounting its 15th year of FemFest, an eight-day program of theatre by women. Its appropriate that the theme of this years batch of shows has the theme of coming of age, not just because the festival is in its teens, but because issues involving young people figure prominently in a couple of the plays that form the double-nucleus of the week-long cavalcade of theatre events. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Actors Erica Wilson (left) and Melanee Deschambeault in a scene from Two Indians, one of two headlining dramas that are part of Sarasvati Productions 15th annual FemFest. Watching Glory Die, by Judith Thompson, one of two presented pieces in the fest, is a fictionalized version of the story of New Brunswick teen Ashley Smith, who died by self-inflicted strangulation while on suicide watch in an Ontario penitentiary for women. The other play, the designated in-house production, is Two Indians by Ontario playwright Falen Johnson. Performed nightly from Sept. 19 to Sept. 22, it is a theatrical debut for filmmaker Sonya Ballantyne, who is taking her first shot at directing theatre. My film work is mostly focused on native women and girls in non-traditional film genres, says the effusive Ballantyne, a 31-year-old Cree artist originally from Misipawistik Cree Nation in Grand Rapids. I do a lot of superhero movies with native girls, she says. The play is a comparatively down-to-earth story of two Mohawk cousins, Roe (Melanee Deschambeault) and Win (Erica Wilson) who come to a reckoning with their tragic reserve past in a Toronto alley outside Roes workplace. The plays city/reserve dynamic of the two characters hits Ballantyne close to where she lives, she says. I grew up on a reservation in northern Manitoba in Grand Rapids, she says. I always saw Winnipeg as a very magical place, which makes people laugh. I was a reserve native who became an urban Indigenous person, she says. So I identify more with Roe. When I first moved here, I was like: Yeah, I finally escaped the reserve and Im better than everyone back home. Its a struggle I continue to face. How do I reconcile both sides of me? Because there is a difference, she says. One of the biggest insults when I was back home was calling somebody a white girl if you lived in the city. Im always struggling with it. Film helped, specifically framing real-world issues facing Indigenous women in fantastical stories. My latest film, which just wrapped, is about a little girl who has the power to heal, she says. She saves her grandmother with the help of an eagle shapeshifter. The experience of directing a play is deepening her experience, she says. When (Sarasvati artistic director) Hope McIntyre invited me to direct this play, I was really nervous about it because Ive never directed something I havent written before, Ballantyne says. Also, Im terrified of getting a stereotypical native story, the sad stuff about how were barely hanging on, survival-wise, she says. I hate those types of stories. So when Hope offered me this to me, and I finally read the play, I was overwhelmed with how similar it was to my own experiences. Curiously, Deschambeault, the 22-year-old actress who plays Roe, says she has had difficulty relating to the character, though she too has transitioned from reserve life at the O-Chi-Chak-O-Sipi First Nation on the shores of Lake Manitoba to nearby Dauphin and eventually Winnipeg, where she studies theatre at the University of Manitoba. Although we have a lot of similarities, were also very different, Deschambeault says. Roe holds a lot of resentment and heavy anger, and Im a fairly happy person. I like to laugh. So its been kind of a challenge for me to find Roe in that sense, to get a hold of that anger. The challenge has been diminished by working with Sarasvati at FemFest, she says. I really appreciate Sarasvati because one of their mandates is to make theatre accessible, and when I was in my first year, I had a hard time hearing about shows and connecting with them. Sarasvati is a very welcoming place to be able to network and learn about those different shows going on. To check out the FemFest program, visit femfest.ca. randall.king@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @FreepKing If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. 2017+FemFest Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. After more than 32 years, two criminal trials and lasting intentions to keep their daughters memory alive, the Derksen family is preparing themselves for a court decision on the fate of Candace Derksens accused killer. Court of Queens Bench Justice Karen Simonsen is now set to deliver her verdict Oct. 18, following a six-week second-degree murder retrial for Mark Edward Grant. Grant was first arrested in 13-year-old Candaces death 10 years ago 23 years after she was found frozen to death in a Winnipeg lumber yard shed. Grants retrial ended in May, with Crown prosecutor Brent Davidson telling the judge she should not give any weight to the DNA evidence that had consumed so much of the trial. Justice Simonsen was tasked with deciding Grants guilt or innocence after hearing from more than a dozen witnesses and many hours worth of dense, DNA-focused scientific testimony over the course of six weeks. Next months date for her to deliver her decision was set this week. PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Wilma and Cliff Derksen outside the courthouse Monday afternoon. In the four months since the trial concluded, Candaces parents, Cliff and Wilma Derksen, have been asked repeatedly when an ending will come in a case that has captured Winnipegs attention for three decades, ever since Candace went missing Nov. 30, 1984 on her way home from school in Elmwood. They said Thursday theyre relieved to know when to expect the judges decision. After watching and listening to Simonsen preside over the trial, the Derksens said they respect the judge and believe shes carefully considered this decision, whatever it will be. They dont envy her responsibility. Shes asked a lot of questions throughout the whole process, she would ask for clarification, she would stop proceedings to understand which Ive never heard a judge do before and I really respected that, Cliff said. Theyre asking themselves how they might react when they finally hear the verdict. I can try to imagine it, I can try to think of every angle, but when it comes right down to it, theres always an unexpected twist. Thats why its always just a touch frightening. Its always traumatic, Wilma said. Its like anticipating a moment that were waiting for, but we also have some apprehension about what itll do to us. Probably even more than justice at this point, we yearn for clarity and for some way to make sense of it. Theyve been searching for answers for years, and theyve been through all of this before. This was, after all, Grants second murder trial in Candaces death. The Manitoba Court of Appeal overturned his 2011 second-degree murder conviction in an appeal that made it to the Supreme Court of Canada. The high court ruled the trial judge erred by not allowing the jury to hear evidence that could have pointed to another suspect, and took into account potential frailties of DNA evidence linking Grant, a convicted sex offender, to the crime. The DNA recovered from slightly more than four metres of twine used to bind Candaces wrists and ankles leaving her hog-tied in the storage shed as she froze to death was heavily criticized by expert geneticists called to testify by Grants defence lawyer Saul Simmonds. On the last day of Grants retrial, the Crown conceded the judge shouldnt rely on the DNA results extracted from the twine, but argued the case turns on more than DNA, suggesting Grant had the means and opportunity to kill Candace. The decision is expected the week after Thanksgiving, and the timing isnt lost on Wilma Derksen. Were thankful for the process, were thankful for being together, she said of her family. But it wont be a celebration of the verdict, whatever it is, because theres no happy ending to this story. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Transport Minister Marc Garneau is pushing back on suggestions his bureaucrats have thwarted progress in restoring service along the rail line to Churchill, as the 16-week disruption passes the deadline for pre-winter repairs. Transport Canada and other ministries are working very hard on this file, Garneau told reporters Thursday. He said his staff are absolutely not holding back progress along the line, and he appeared irritated at the suggestion. Were working this file very actively, Garneau said. We understand the need to have a railway system to Churchill. Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press Minister of Transport Marc Garneau appears as a witness at a committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. An independent engineering report, which rail-line owner Omnitrax commissioned and presented to Transport Canada on Aug. 21, said $43.5-million repairs along the line must start by early September to restore service before the early-November freeze-up. It wasnt until Sept. 8 that the government announced it was prepared to pay for part of the repairs. It also announced appointing Wayne Wouters, the former head of the public service, to negotiate a price with Omnitrax to transfer the rail line to two northern Manitoba groups. This week, former Liberal cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy said Transport Canada staff have shrugged off support for Churchills port and rail line for years. Axworthys comments came amid allegations from Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, and unnamed sources familiar with the talks, that bureaucrats have pushed back against the Prime Ministers Office enthusiasm for transferring the line. Dumas is co-leading the takeover bid. Transport Canada wouldnt confirm reports its staff had presented Wouters with a minus $15 million valuation for the rail line, with Omnitrax estimating its scrap value at up to $30 million. Spokeswoman Julie Leroux said Thursday the department was not in a position to provide further information as negotiations are underway. She repeated previous comments that the Industry Departments regional grant agency was part of the talks to deliver on the governments commitment to support the restoration of rail service. Garneau didnt know when his government is being briefed on the talks. Mr. Wouters is currently out fact-finding at the moment, he said Thursday morning. Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr, who represents the riding of Winnipeg South Centre, recently became the governments lead minister on the issue. On Monday, Carr said the Liberals will do everything that we can reasonably do to restore service before freeze-up. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/09/2017 (1886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When his interpreters phone connection started to die midway through his Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada hearing Thursday, Mohammed Musah mustered enough confidence in his English skills to speak for himself in a do-or-die test of whether or not he deserves Canadas protection. It was either that or have his hearing postponed in an increasingly backlogged system with waits of up to 16 months for a day in refugee court. Fortunately for the LGBTTQ* man from Ghana, he aced it. CAROL SANDERS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Fuseini Umar (from left), Ziyawu Mohammed and Sulemana Abdulai congratulate Mohammed Musah, who found out Thursday his refugee claim has been accepted. They and the other members of the Ghana Pavilion hope they will be accepted too if and when they get a refugee board hearing. Im so happy that Canada has accepted me, Musah said, his eyes filling with tears after being told he can stay. The 28-year-old refugee claimant in Winnipeg was able to explain his situation and answer the questions of adjudicator Jodie Schmalzbauer in Calgary. After two hours of questioning by teleconference, she ruled Musah would be in danger if hes returned to Ghana, where homosexuality is a crime. Musah was part of the so-called Ghana Pavilion of eight asylum-seekers who wore pink LGBTQ Rights Now! shirts while circulating a petition outside Folklorama facilities this summer asking the Canadian government to urge Ghana to decriminalize homosexuality. Musah, who walked into Canada from the United States in July, is the only one of the eight to have his day in court. His fellow Ghanaian petitioners and other refugee claimants in Winnipeg awaiting Refugee Protection Division hearings are being told it could be a year or more before their hearings will take place because of a growing backlog of cases. Musahs lawyer, Bashir Khan, said the refugee board recently informed him claimants in Western Canada waiting for protection division hearings can expect a one-year delay before appearing before an adjudicator. The reason is the mass arrival of claimants from Haiti who have entered Quebec, Khan said. Their hearings are a high priority in the Vancouver office that serves Western Canada, the Winnipeg lawyer said, adding they will be doing many refugee claims by video conference with Quebec. A senior spokeswoman for the board said she couldnt comment on projected wait times for Western Canada, but nationally, considering the current caseload, existing resources and projected finalization rates, its about 16 months. Some refugee claimants will wait a shorter time, while others will wait longer, Anna Pape said of the refugee boards policy, planning and corporate affairs branch in Toronto. The current intake of claims for refugee protection is exceeding the boards operational capacity, which is causing a growing inventory of pending cases. As a result, many cases must wait before they can be heard by an independent decision-maker, she said by email. Long wait times to learn their fate can take a toll on asylum-seekers, Rainbow Resource Centre counsellor Melanie Leslie said. The registered social worker attended Musahs refugee hearing to offer him support. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSMohammed Musa is a refugee claimant and member of "Ghana Pavilion". His refugee claim was heard this morning. SANDERS STORY. Sept. 14, 2017 For others who are waiting months for a hearing, its hard not knowing when it will happen or how it will turn out, Leslie said. Feeling connected to the community can help people cope. For those who dont feel connected, Its more stressful. Theyre really struggling. Its a lot of emotional stress, said Khan, who represents Musah and his fellow refugee claimants from Ghana. They can get work permits and qualify for assistance, but living in limbo is tough, especially for people whove been traumatized, he said. Musah received his work permit three days ago, and plans to begin his job hunt in earnest now that his future in Canada is secure. He quickly shared the news with his fellow Ghana Pavilion members. Thanks be to God! Sulemana Abdulai shouted on the phone when Musah called him after his refugee hearing. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/09/2017 (1886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Winnipeg nurse whose license to practice was suspended despite being acquitted of sexual assault is appealing the ruling. Although the criminal courts acquitted Tousif Ahmed of sexual assault, a College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba committee found it is more probable than not he sexually assaulted the female patient. As a result, the regulatory body imposed restrictions on his practice and suspended his licence for 18 months. In a court of law, the onus is on the prosecution to prove the case beyond a shadow of a doubt, in our regulation, we are working with a balance of probability, said Katherine Stansfield, the colleges executive director. JUSTIN SAMANSKI-LANGILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES a woman, who went to the Victoria General Hospitals emergency department for care, said she was sexually assaulted by a nurse. Our role as a regulator is to protect the public this is a very serious issue. The charges stem from an interaction in January 2014 when a woman, whose name is blacked out in all college documents, went to the Victoria General Hospitals emergency department for care. She had been physically assaulted days earlier. According to her testimony, her eye was bruised, she had scratches on her face, her nose was swollen and there was bruising along her arms, inner thighs and shins. She was out for brunch with friends two days after the assault when she felt sick and vomited, prompting the ER visit. Ahmed examined her. She testified that Ahmed came in and did what seemed to be a normal exam before asking her to take her bra off and lay on the table. At that point she alleged, his hands went under my gown and he kind of cupped my breasts, but didnt really like squeeze or grope them. He then checked her abdomen before he unrolled or lifted her underwear, she testified, and, according to the written decision, continued pressing and took both hands and opened up the lips of her labia. He then asked if she needed anything, to which she responded ice water, she testified. When he came back, she alleged he mentioned the bruises on the backs of her legs and told her to lie down again. At this point, she said he lifted her gown, exposed her thong and told her nothing on your cheeks before leaving the room, she said in her testimony. She told a friend later she felt gross and very violated. She filed a complaint with the college and with the Winnipeg police only after unsatisfying conversations with a nurse manager the following day. The allegations are strenuously denied, Ahmeds lawyer Mark Toews told the Free Press on Friday. We look forward to the court of appeal. Ahmeds appeal goes ahead on Sept. 25, where he will seek to overturn the colleges decision. Even though he was acquitted of the criminal charges, the college committee determined the womans evidence to be more credible than Ahmeds. This is a he-said, she-said situation, it makes clear. The committee found the womans inconsistencies including her use of Tylenol 3, whether the nurse was holding a clipboard and her descriptions of how he allegedly touched her breasts to be immaterial. However, they found Ahmeds inconsistencies to be more severe. The committee wrote it is satisfied that the Member intentionally misled the police respecting (the womans) psychosocial status and that it was clear from Ahmeds criminal trial that post-traumatic stress was something considered after (the womans) complaint against him. Ahmed has not been allowed to be in a room alone with a female patient since the allegations were made. His employment was terminated by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority for failing to tell them about that restriction while the investigation was ongoing, but reinstated following a labour arbitration decision. However, because the college suspended his licence he never did go back to work. A WRHA spokeswoman confirmed Friday he is no longer an employee. Ahmeds suspension took effect the date of the committees October 2016 decision, although the decision was only made public this week, almost a year later. Stansfield called the delay an oversight and said the college is doing an investigation to ensure its processes for publicizing these decisions are clear. Ahmed has seven months left of his suspension and will face limitations if he chooses to re-register with the college. He will not be allowed to be alone with female patients and will have to inform all supervisors and employers of this and provide written confirmation of that to the college. He must also pay $5,000 in costs. His lawyer is hoping to overturn the decision on appeal. The one thing that has sustained me is the knowledge that I did not commit the actions I have been accused of doing, Ahmed testified to the college committee. I have been acquitted of any wrongdoing by the court in Manitoba. My conscience is clear. jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Protesters trying to prevent clear cutting of trees on the Parker lands development site must now clear off the Winnipeg property, a Manitoba judge has decided. Court of Queens Bench Justice James Edmond ruled in favour of the property developer Thursday, saying the law is clear and protesters are not allowed on private property. Local developer Andrew Marquess and his company, Gem Equities Inc., asked for the court order to remove protesters from the south Winnipeg property despite their claims the forested land should be preserved. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Construction continues around protesters who have been camped out on the Parker lands development site since July 14. One or more of the defendants made it clear that they felt civil disobedience was their only option. That belief, of course, is incorrect, Edmond said in his decision Thursday afternoon, after hearing arguments from both sides. The law of private property rights in Manitoba must be enforced. Protesters do not have the right to protest on private property. Protesting on public thoroughfare is permitted. The protesters, their encampments and all of their belongings must be off the property by 6 p.m. Friday, the judge ruled. He emphasized his hope for a peaceful evacuation of the property. While lawyers for Marquess asked for $10,000 from the defendants, Edmond has yet to decide whether hell order the protesters to pay costs. The injunction ordered Thursday is permanent unless the court decides otherwise. Protesters had been camped out on the Fort Garry property since mid-July, halting removal of trees with their Rooster Town blockade, named for one of the last Metis settlements located near the site east of the intersection of Taylor Avenue and Waverley Street. They said were trying to protect Indigenous land rights and fight for ecological preservation. Edmond said he believed their efforts were genuine, but, he noted, no land claims had been filed for the property on behalf of any Indigenous groups. He said if the protesters were unhappy with how the city dealt with the land before Gem acquired it in 2009, they could file a judicial review and direct their complaints to the City of Winnipeg. Kevin Toyne, a lawyer for Marquess and Gem Equities, said his clients are quite happy their property rights have been upheld by the court. It was uncertain how much money they may have lost as a result of the illegal trespassers halting work this summer, he said. The illegal trespassers forced the plaintiffs to incur significant private security costs and legal fees all of which the plaintiffs will be pursuing the defendants for but theres other damages that its still too early to say exactly what they are. This particular development has been delayed. We dont know what that will mean for the future, but whatever it means, the plaintiffs do intend to pursue each and every one of the defendants for the losses that theyve suffered. Jenna Vandal, a university student and one of the named defendants in the case, said she wasnt surprised by the courts decision because, I know the court institution is here to protect and enshrine property rights. She said the group plans to pursue other options to preserve the land. The Metis people, just like their First Nations cousins, would have used this territory around their community for subsistence and for ceremonial purposes. And that in itself, gives the land much value and importance to Indigenous people and Metis people. You know, I thought there was a chance that this could be recognized by the Justice and maybe he could have given us a chance to further pursue these things with the MMF (Manitoba Metis Federation), but he did not. Although the Manitoba Metis Federation didnt file a land claim for the property, Vandal, who is Metis, said she received the organizations support during the protest and court battle. She said MMF officials told her her concerns were legitimate. But they remained pretty silent, Vandal said. Not once did they tell me that they werent interested in this. If they had told me they werent interested, I would have stopped a long time ago. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/09/2017 (1886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The Manitoba government says its comfortable with Ottawas attempts to stem the flow of asylum seekers crossing from the United States. Were very pleased that that the federal government has been proactive in terms of reaching out to the U.S. communities that have been coming to the border as asylum seekers, said Ian Wishart, the provinces education minister who is in charge of immigration. Wishart was speaking Friday at a Toronto meeting between federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen and the provincial ministers who deal with integration and multiculturalism. JEN DOERKSEN/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart answers questions on the re-structuring of the Manitoba student bursary program and how the new budget will impact post-secondary students. They discussed how to shape next years immigration quota, which includes how many people are allowed to move to Canada for economic reasons, and how many UN-registered refugees Canada invites to come from countries abroad. But it was those who arrive in Canada without going through proper channels who took up most of the attention. Near the Manitoba border town of Emerson, more than 700 people have crossed irregularly into Canada this year, largely Somali and Ghanaian citizens. Its illegal to enter Canada outside of a border post but, under international law, people who cross illegally and file asylum claims are shielded from prosecution. On May 31, Premier Brian Pallister called on Ottawa to Go to the Somali community in Minneapolis and speak about the dangers, after a Ghanaian woman died of hypothermia in Minnesota on her way to Manitoba. Conservative MP Ted Falk, who represents the Emerson area, repeated those calls last month, asking Somali-born Hussen to use his background and cultural perspective to dissuade people of Somali dissent from crossing into Manitoba. African diaspora in Minnesota groups told the Free Press last month that thousands of people from Ghana and Liberia are pondering making asylum claims in Canada, as the U.S. tapers off temporary-stay permits and ramps up deportation raids. A federal task force on irregular immigration is working with Ontario and Quebec, sending an MP with Haitian routes to speak to Creole radio in Miami, and a Spanish-speaking MP from Argentina to do similar outreach to Los Angeles. Ottawa says the task force might later include Manitoba, but is focused now on the thousands crossing into eastern Canada. On Friday, Hussen hinted his government might send more people stateside. That work is ongoing; its not finished. It includes many, many groups in the United States, he said, noting consulates are also reaching out to local and social media to put out accurate information and correct false reports. Both Manitoba and Ottawa must be ready should anything change with the number of people heading north, Wishart said. Meanwhile, Wishart is repeating month-long calls for more funding to help Manitoba integrate the hundreds who have arrived. We are pleased that the federal government is engaged on this issue but we need to see action, he wrote on Twitter. The job is not finished until Manitoba gets the resources it needs to address the challenges we face. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/09/2017 (1886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Green party has an alternative to Premier Brian Pallisters proposal to add a health care premium to peoples income tax payments: tax gummy bears instead. The party proposes the province impose a 20 per cent tax on sweets and junk food to promote healthier eating, lower health care costs, and avoid an egregious new health care tax. Its not to say many of us, myself included, havent enjoyed them: your unhealthy fats, your soft drinks, your chocolate bars, said James Beddome, leader of the Green Party of Manitoba. AP Photo/Markus Schreiber The Green Party of Manitoba is proposing the province impose a 20 per cent tax on sweets and junk food to promote healthier eating, lower health care costs, and avoid an egregious new health care tax. But (a tax on junk foods) does create a little more reason to pause, and when people do make those decisions to buy junk food we take that revenue and invest in health care. The Green party estimates such a tax could raise about $30 million annually. Pallister announced this week his government is eyeing a new tax to pay for health care services. The tax would be income-based possibly reaching a maximum premium of $900 per year on income taxes. The premiers office said the government is not considering a junk food tax. Todd MacKay, director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said a junk food tax is a bad idea: Its a another tax. We can dress it up and put it on different things, but at the end of the day its still a tax. Asked if he had to choose between a hike in income taxes and a soft drink-junk food tax, MacKay said, I reject the premise. Its like picking between two flavours of ice cream when I dont like ice cream. A family earning $75,000 in Manitoba already pays $3,000 more in tax than a family earning the same amount in Saskatchewan, he said. Manitoba has the second highest-funded health care system in the country, said MacKay. The Green Party tax would add 25-to-30 cents to a 55-gram bag of potato chips selling for $1.39, Beddome said. All of us would be wise to say maybe rather than of a bag of chips Ill pick up a banana or apple instead.' Manitoba has among the highest rates of diabetes in the country, and the cost eats up nearly $600 million per year alone out of the health care budget. Diabetes also leads to other ailments like kidney and heart disease. There is a clear connection between sugary foods and diabetes. Thats one example we can see where investing in preventative health can save us a lot of money. The cost of dialysis and some of these kidney treatments really add up, Beddome said. Ireland, Mexico, Hungary, and France have implemented a 20 per cent tax on sugar-sweetened drinks. American cities Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle have added a one-cent-per-ounce tax on soft drinks. The Green Party would go beyond sugar drinks and add other junk foods like potato chips, chocolate bars, licorice, gummy bears, that dont have a lot of nutritional value. So we thought lets broaden it. Beddome said junk foods are already categorized and taxed differently for the purposes of the GST and PST. Adding 20 per cent for the health care tax would be an easy implementation. He said studies show a 20 per cent tax hike is a tipping point at which you start to influence consumer decisions. Its not going to stop people eating junk food but thats the number where you start to see an impact. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 15/09/2017 (1886 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The thing about a so-called teachable moment is its only useful if the person involved has the ability and willingness to learn. Sen. Lynn Beyak, it seems, might not possess those attributes. Last April, Ms. Beyak was removed from the Senates Aboriginal Peoples committee after controversial and ill-informed comments about the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC) failure to focus on the good that was done in Canadas residential school system. CPAC Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman tweeted on Thursday that Sen. Lynn Beyak (above) should resign. The senator from northwestern Ontario, who was appointed to the upper chamber in 2013 by then-prime minister Stephen Harper, did not seem to glean any immediate lessons from her ouster, calling it a threat to free speech and an indication political correctness is getting in the way of thoughtful conversation in this country. Five months later, having been freed of Senate committee obligations and, one presumes, given plenty of time to reflect on her earlier comments in the context of the ongoing reconciliation process, Ms. Beyak remains unmoved and, by all appearances, unenlightened. After the recent federal government cabinet shuffle, which included the division of Indigenous affairs responsibilities into two separate portfolios one focused on bureaucratic initiatives such as negotiating treaties and the other tasked with delivery of services Ms. Beyak posted an open letter on her Senate website. In it, she criticized the creation of another ministry, reiterated her praise for residential schools achievements and stated its time to stop the guilt and blame and move forward together. The letter also suggested Indigenous people trade your status card for a Canadian citizenship, with a fair and negotiated payout to each Indigenous man, woman and child in Canada, to settle all the outstanding land claims and treaties, and move forward together just like the (Indigenous) leaders already do in Ottawa. This suggests the senator is unaware that Indigenous people who are born in Canada are, in fact, Canadian citizens. When the issue of Ms. Beyaks perspective on residential schools first made headlines last spring, Sen. Murray Sinclair the principal architect of the TRCs report and recommendations defended his colleagues right to hold unpopular views, while at the same time pointing out that those views have been proven to be incorrect over the years. But that was then, and this is now, when Ms. Beyak has had ample time to capitalize on the teachable moment created by fallout from last Aprils Senate speech. She has either chosen not to seize the opportunity or simply lacks the capacity to do so. Another wave of criticism has been directed the senators way, along with new demands for her resignation, including one from Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman. Mr. Bowman, who is Metis, posted a tweet Thursday morning that said, A Canadian senator s/d know who Canadian citizens are. #makeitawkward #resign Rather than listening to those who seek to point out the error of her ways and perhaps offer a bit of useful enlightenment, Ms. Beyak instead leans on the receipt of letters from the grassroots from across the nation that support her views. Not surprisingly, Conservative Senate leader Larry Smith was quick to reject Ms. Beyaks continuing stance, declaring that additional steps are being taken to address Senator Beyaks ongoing role within our caucus. The statement, issued Thursday, did not specify whether such steps include asking Ms. Beyak to step down. They should. Given every opportunity to listen, learn, reflect and rethink, she has opted to do none of those things. Its time for Sen. Beyak to resign. The 2017 New Zealand election campaign is occurring against the backdrop of deepening international tensions and the danger of world war. Attempting to reverse its economic decline, US imperialism has waged brutal wars against Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria, and is threatening nuclear-armed China and Russia. President Trump has recklessly declared that he is willing to start a nuclear war with North Korea. New Zealands entire political establishment supports the alliance with Washington and is prepared to drag the country into a catastrophic war to defend New Zealands own neo-colonial interests. In defiance of widespread antiwar sentiment, the National Party government, supported by the Labour Party, has sent troops to Iraq and Afghanistan and both parties said they would consider joining a war against North Korea. Billions of dollars have been allocated to the military while health, welfare and education have been starved of funds. Inequality has reached unprecedented levels, one in 100 people are homeless and one quarter of children live in poverty. Whatever the election outcome the next government will intensify the assault on living standards. Labour, the Greens, NZ First and the trade unions have scapegoated immigrants for the social crisis and promoted anti-Chinese xenophobia to condition the population to support war. To fight against war and austerity the working class needs its own party, opposed to all the capitalist parties and based on a socialist and internationalist program. The Socialist Equality Group calls on workers and young people to attend our public meeting to discuss these vital issues and the way forward for the working class. Meeting details: Sunday, October 1, 3:00 p.m. Russell Keown House, Meeting Room 1 Lower Hutt Wellington Admission: $2 On Wednesday, September 13, the state of Ohio put 45-year-old Gary Otte to death by lethal injection. Ottes attorney, Carol Wright, states that Otte appeared to be in pain during the procedure. Wright said that moments after he was injected with midazolam, a sedative and the first of three drugs used in Ohios lethal injection protocol, Otte appeared to be in pain. Wright said she saw Ottes stomach moving up and down abnormally. She also said he cried, although midazolams role in lethal injection protocols is to render the condemned unconscious and unaware of pain when the subsequent drugs are administered. Upon noting Ottes reactions to the midazolam, Wright attempted to leave the viewing area in order to call Judge Michael Merz, a Dayton federal magistrate presiding over litigation challenging Ohios three-drug execution protocol. The corrections staff, however, refused to let her out immediately. They would not allow me to leave the room until several minutes passed, Wright told reporters; according to protocol, she should have been released immediately. It was my hope to alert the court to what I believed was a constitutional violation, she stated. By the time Wright was able to speak to Merz, corrections staff had already administered the second injection. Wright says that the stomach movements and tears stopped at that point; Merz refused to halt the execution. Wright contends that Ohios execution team failed to plan and carry out Ottes execution properly. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman JoEllen Smith defended the methods Ohio used to kill Otte. In an email, Smith contested Wrights claims. She stated that corrections employees had acted within proper security protocol by refusing to allow her to leave immediately. Smith further dismissed Wrights claims that the execution team had not verified that Otte was adequately sedated. The execution was carried out in compliance with the execution policy and without complication, she wrote in her email. Ohio has intransigently persisted in its use of midazolam, despite numerous objections. In 2014, the state became the first in the United States to use the sedative in its lethal injection protocols; Dennis McGuire, convicted of murdering a pregnant woman, appeared to gasp several times during his grisly and haunting execution. Witnesses also recount that he made several loud snoring and snorting sounds. McGuire gasped and choked for 24 minutes before succumbing to the drugs, in one of the most protracted executions on record in Ohio. In January, a federal appeals court responded to litigation by several death row inmates over the use of midazolam by halting executions in Ohio. The litigants and their legal advocatesCarol Wright among themcontended that midazolams use violated Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The legal team cited many well-documented instances of botched executions involving the drug in Ohio, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, and Alabama. In his decision, Judge Merz stated that the use of midazolam as the first drug in Ohios present three-drug protocol will create a substantial risk of serious harm or an objectively intolerable risk of harm. The state appealed Merzs decision in the Sixth Circuit Court, where the judges twisted legal definitions in defiance of both logic and humanity. At the heart of the issue, the court held, was not whether midazolam carried a substantial risk of serious harm, but whether it is sure or very likely to cause serious pain. The state acknowledged that the plaintiffs have shown some risk that Ohios execution protocol may cause some degree of pain, at least in some people, but that the Constitution does not guarantee a painless execution. Such metrics put an unbearable onus onto the plaintiffs and their advocates; the fact that so many of the executions using midazolam were clearly botched falls short of establishing that everyone sedated and paralyzed by the drug will experience terrible pain as they die. Those botched executions might well have been cruel and unusual, but according to these judges, there is a margin of cruelty implicitly allowed by the Constitution. Ohio is not the only state to go to great lengths to defend its ability to murder its citizens. In April, Arkansas put eight of its citizens to death between April 17 and April 27. The state executed two men, Jack Harold Jones and Marcel Wayne Williams, on the same night. Infirmary staff fumbled ineptly for 45 minutes to establish an injection site in Jones neck; they settled on placing the intravenous port elsewhere on his body. Ledell Lee, another man put to death in Arkansas execution frenzy, had documented intellectual disabilities stemming from fetal alcohol syndrome, which by law should have exempted him from execution. Moreover, Lees public defender was drunk during court proceedings, and the judge was having an affair with the prosecutor. Despite an abundance of DNA left at the crime scene, there was no physical evidence connecting Lee to the murder he was accused of. Lee, Jones, and Williams were all victims of Arkansas intent to use up its stores of midazolam before the drugs expired. Two drug makers, Fresenius Kabi and West-Ward, threw their weight behind a lawsuit against Arkansas use of the drugs. The use of midazolam has resulted in demonstrably torturous executions in every state that has used it. The resistance of pharmaceutical companies to the association of their drugs with execution, particularly botched ones, simply led states like Arkansas and Alabama to acquire the drugs illegally through third parties. Attorneys for Ohios remaining death row inmates are appealing the Sixth Circuit Courts decision on the states use of midazolam. However, the Supreme Court has consistently failed to uphold the Eighth Amendment by allowing states to continue to use midazolameven after the drug was procured illegally by those states. The Trump administration is preparing to intensify military and diplomatic pressure on Iran over its nuclear program and more broadly against its interests throughout the Middle East. President Trump and the cabal of generals directing his administrations foreign policy are reportedly discussing plans that would give military commanders and diplomats greater latitude to aggressively confront Iran over ballistic missile tests and its support for militant groups in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson were involved in drafting a document outlining these plans, which was presented to Trump at a National Security Council meeting last Friday. Although details on its content remain vague, an official familiar with the draft made clear its wide-ranging scope. I would call it a broad strategy for the range of Iranian malign activities: financial materials, support for terror, destabilization in the region, especially Syria and Iraq and Yemen, he told Reuters. The proposal, the broad tenets of which are expected to be made public by the end of the month, will increase the danger of a regional war in the Middle East that could rapidly draw in Russia and the major powers. Trump has intensified the anti-Iran stance he took during the 2016 election campaign since coming to office, declaring Teheran to be the chief sponsor of terrorism in the region during a speech delivered in May in Riyadh, the Saudi Arabian capital. He appealed for the creation of a Sunni alliance to push back Iranian influence. The draft plan reportedly includes changes of rules of engagement for US warships, allowing them to respond more aggressively when confronted with Iranian speedboats in the contentious Straits of Hormuz. US commanders are currently allowed to open fire only if they feel the lives of their crew or their ship are in immediate danger. Now, they will be encouraged to rapidly escalate close encounters into armed clashes. Washington is also preparing to proceed more forcefully against Iranian arms shipments to Hezbollah and Yemen, according to Reuters, a justification already cited by Israel when carrying out illegal air strikes inside Syria. The ramping up of American imperialisms military aggression in Syria and Iraq over recent months has produced devastation and led to the commission of ghastly war crimes in Mosul, where one estimate put the civilian death toll at 40,000 from the US-backed assault, and Raqqa, where UN Deputy Secretary General Stephen OBrien estimated that 27 civilians are being slaughtered daily by US bombs. A conflict with Iran would see such brutality meted out on an even larger scale. The war danger could be exacerbated still further if Trump, as appears increasingly likely, refuses to certify Irans compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) by October 15. The deal, struck with Iran by the Obama administration together with the four other permanent members of the UN Security Council, France, Britain, Russia, and China, as well as Germany (the so-called P5 plus 1), compelled Iran to shut down parts of its civilian nuclear program and freeze others. It also obliges Teheran to accede to intrusive inspections of its civilian nuclear facilities. In rallying support for the deal, Obama repeatedly argued that the only alternative was war. Last week, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley gave a strong hint that discussions on decertifying Iran are far advanced. If the president finds that he cannot in good faith certify Iranian compliance, he would initiate a process whereby we move beyond narrow technicalities and look at the big picture, she said in a speech to the American Enterprise Institute. She accused Iran of violating the spirit of the deal and destabilizing the Middle East. The cynicism of such remarks cannot be exaggerated. After all, the Iranian government has quite legitimately charged that Washington, which imposed additional sanctions on Teheran last month over its ballistic missile tests and has refused to lift other restrictions, is violating the 2015 agreement. The JCPOA committed the parties not to stand in the way of the normalization of economic relations with Iran. Haleys comments were all the more provocative given that days before, the International Atomic Energy Agency acknowledged, as it has on numerous occasions, that Iran is in compliance with the nuclear accord. Ditching the nuclear deal is a contested issue within the Trump administration, with Mattis and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster apparently opposed. Far from being motivated by a concern to avoid further escalation, their principal fear is that abrogating the deal would undermine US imperialist interests. This is bound up with a number of interrelated considerations. First, they fear that abandoning the deal would weaken Washingtons position vis-a-vis its European competitors and China, who would almost certainly balk at reintroducing punishing economic sanctions and continue to deepen economic and political relations with Teheran at Washingtons expense. This, in turn, would not only leave Washington isolated and divert attention away from moving to confront its chief rivals, Russia and China, but also hamper the efforts of the ruling elite to rally public support for yet another aggressive war. McMaster and Mattis, known for their hostility towards the Iranian regime, hope to prevent this by stepping up pressure on Iran in other areas, thereby creating the conditions where Iran may be forced into breaking with the nuclear deal, which would weaken the Europeans ability to resist the Trump administrations push for a further military escalation. The rift between the European powers, above all Germany, and the Trump administration has grown over recent months. German politicians criticized Trumps open endorsement of Saudi Arabias diplomatic blockade against Qatar in June, justified by Riyadh on the basis of Dohas ties to Iran. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised the Iranian nuclear accord and proposed it as a model for solving the crisis on the Korean peninsula. The 2015 deal had involved a long, but important period of diplomacy, Merkel said, which had reached a good conclusion. But Haley made clear that those in the Trump administration favoring the abandonment of the nuclear deal are prepared to dismiss European concerns. This is about U.S. national security. This is not about European security. This is not about anyone else, she declared. Her comments underscore that US imperialism will stop at nothing to maintain its hegemony over the energy-rich Middle East by working to sideline potential competitors, including the European powers, and preparing a military confrontation with its chief rivals, Iran, and, above all, Russia and China. The Trump administration has already announced a major escalation of the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan, with the twin goals of consolidating Washingtons position in the geostrategically significant Central Asian region, and cementing its strategic partnership with India against China. Washingtons incitement of and intervention into the Syrian civil war has resulted in an ever more open confrontation with Iran. Over recent months, a series of incidents have taken place where US aircraft have opened fire on Iranian-aligned troops and Iranian drones on the fraudulent pretext of self-defense. Washington is in the process of training Sunni militias at a base in southeast Syria on the Iraqi and Jordanian border with the aim of preventing Teheran and its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, from gaining control of territory in eastern Syria. This would enable Iran to establish a land bridge to Damascus and Lebanon, through which it could supply Assad and Hezbollah. This is an outcome the US, and its closest ally in the Middle East, Israel, are unwilling to tolerate. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Trump on the sidelines of next weeks UN General Assembly in New York, where he is expected to press the US president to cancel the nuclear accord or demand further Iranian concessions. Last week, the Israeli Air Force launched another series of air raids in Syria. Tel Aviv has also been covertly backing Islamist militias to weaken Iranian influence and the Assad regime. If Trump grants his generals the authority to confront Iranian-backed forces more directly in Syria, this would add further fuel to the fire in a part of the world where regional and imperialist powers are increasingly at odds with each other, heightening the prospect of a global conflagration. The North Korean regime fired what is believed to be an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) over Japans northern island of Hokkaido early on Friday morning. According to estimates released by the Japanese government, the missile was launched near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang and travelled some 3,400 kilometres before coming down in the Pacific Ocean. The missile was fired in apparent retaliation for China and Russia joining with the United States and other members of the United Nations Security Council to ratify a raft of new sanctions against North Korea. The sanctions, imposed in response to North Koreas test of a nuclear device last week, are the harshest yet. While they did not go as far as the Trump administration wanted, nevertheless they will worsen the countrys already acute isolation. North Koreas ability to purchase oil has been restricted and gas purchases blocked altogether. Its textile exports and ability to contract labour to work overseas have been banned, on top of previous sanctions against exports of iron ore, coal, lead and seafood. The intensified economic pressure has been matched by flagrant military threats. The South Korean government this week openly discussed the formation of a specialised military brigade whose sole task would be to infiltrate North Korea and assassinate its leader Kim Jong-un and other top political and military personnel. South Korea also tested a precision cruise missile designed for assassination missions. Even more provocatively, a top-level delegation of South Korean opposition party politicians arrived in Washington on Thursday to ask the Trump administration to pressure South Korean President Moon Jae-in to request the redeployment of American nuclear weapons to South Korea. The American military withdrew nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula in 1991. The Pentagon is more than capable of incinerating North Korea, or any other country, from the US mainland, from the air or the sea. In the days preceding the missile test, US Secretary of Defense James Mad Dog Mattis toured nuclear missile launch silos in the US midwest. Air Force general John Hyten, who commands the long-range bombers that can unleash nuclear weapons from the air, boasted to journalists that the US response to any aggression by the North Korea would be the destruction of their entire nation. The key US allies in AsiaJapan and Australiaissued predictable denunciations of North Koreas latest missile test. The Japanese government labelled it an extreme provocation. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull accused North Korea of a dangerous, reckless, criminal act. Later, Turnbull threatened: If Kim Jong-un were to start a war, to attack the United States or one of its allies, he would be signing a suicide note. That would be the end for his government and thousands and thousands of people would die. US President Donald Trump has reportedly been briefed on the latest developments. In his initial response to the missile test, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson directly targeted China and Russia, insisting that both take direct actions. He said China provided the bulk of North Koreas oil while Russia was the largest user of North Korean contract labour. Yet another emergency session of the UN Security Council has been scheduled in New York for Friday. Tillersons statement suggests the US may renew its demand that China and Russia accede to a complete economic embargo of North Korea, enforced by a naval blockade. Washington and its allies are doing everything possible to push the already besieged regime in North Korea into a corner from which it could escape only by a complete capitulation to US demands. In the final analysis, the launching of missiles and testing of nuclear devices is a desperate plea by the reactionary, nationalist clique around Kim Jong-un for better termsincluding its own survival. The military forces of all sides have been placed on the highest levels of alert. There is the undeniable possibility of a full-scale war being triggered by an incident along the border between North and South Korea. The constant talk of a North Korean attack serves only to obscure the far more likely prospect of a massive first strike by the US and South Korea, backed by countries such as Japan and Australia. The illegal doctrine of pre-emptive war has been enshrined as a tool of US foreign policy since 2002. A horrifying logic has been set in motion by the constant rhetoric from Washington that North Korea will not be permitted to have nuclear weapons capable of reaching the US, and that all options are on the table. As the World Socialist Web Site commented on September 6: With each ratcheting up of these threats to unleash a nuclear conflagration, the question is posed with increasing force: Will Washington go to war to make good on its war rhetoric? Have the threats themselvesand the determination to prove they are not mere bluffsbecome a driving force in the march to a potential nuclear war? The 2003 invasion of Iraq was preceded by the barrage of lies that the regime of Saddam Hussein was directly threatening the US and its allies with weapons of mass destruction. Fourteen years later, a comparable script is being playing out, with bellicose calls for North Korea to be annihilated before it attacks the mainland US and destroys cities such as Los Angeles. The reality that North Korea does not have capacity, or the motive, to carry out an attack that would lead to its destruction, is simply being brushed aside. The build-up toward an attack on North Korea is the continuation of 25 years of US interventions and wars to maintain its global dominance. The ultimate target is not just the regime in Pyongyang, but China, which is viewed by the most ruthless sections of the American ruling class as its greatest threat. Any war on the Korean Peninsula would economically and politically destabilise the Beijing regime, as well as fundamentally weaken its strategic and military position. It is precisely the clash of such underlying interests that poses the danger of such a war escalating into a direct confrontation between the US and China, two nuclear-armed powers. The value of any crisis is that it strips away superficial appearances and reveals the essential class character of political parties. The present xenophobic campaign over Australian parliamentarians eligible for dual citizenship has demonstrated the willingness of Socialist Alternative to fall into line with the most reactionary traditions of Australian nationalism, including the countrys archaic and anti-democratic constitution. For the past two months, the Australian political establishment and the corporate press have been gripped by a McCarthyite witch-hunt, aimed at identifying federal politicians who are ineligible to sit in parliament, because they hold, or are entitled to hold, dual citizenship. The furore began in July when it emerged that two federal Greens Senators, Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters, had breached Section 44 of the Australian constitutionwhich forbids federal representatives from holding allegiance, obedience, or adherence to a foreign powerbecause they were unwittingly dual citizens. Both immediately resigned, expressing their support for this anti-democratic provision. Socialist Alternative, a pseudo-left organisation that maintains close ties with sections of the Greens, initially responded with an article on August 1, titled, Demanding loyalty to the state is always reactionary. The article denounced Section 44 as anti-democratic and called for it to be banished, not bolstered. However, as the campaign broadened, and the eligibility of growing numbers of politicians was called into question, Socialist Alternative did a 180-degree about-face. With the matter due to be adjudicated in the High Court, it hailed Section 44 because it appeared that the crisis could bring down the Liberal-National Coalition government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. An article by Louise OShea on August 31 was headlined: Section 44: whats not to like? The article was written in a complacent, unserious and flippant tone, which paralleled the attempts of some corporate media outlets to trivialise the citizenship issue and cover up its serious implications for the working class. The article began: Until very recently, section 44 of the Constitution just seemed like any other archaic anti-democratic measure designed to ensure that only the most respectable and patriotic among the bourgeoisie ever made it into parliament. OShea continued: But now that this quiet achieving piece of constitutional law looks set to bring down a conservative government, Im starting to warm to it... section 44 has managed to achieve what the combined might of the socialist movement, Labor Party and the unions havent: the probable demise of the reactionary Turnbull government. The article concluded with extraordinary praise for the reactionary constitution: All in all, Ive never held any section of the Constitution in higher regard than section 44. Im even thinking of getting it framed and hung on the wall. Ill be sad to see it go when full democratic rights are eventually achieved in Australia. Socialist Alternatives attitude to fundamental democratic rights is based on immediate political expediencythe possible removal of the Turnbull governmentand expresses its complete indifference to the consequences for the working class. While the Coalition government is one of war and austerity, workers and youth cannot be indifferent to how it is removed from office. Whatever the High Court finally decides, the furore over dual citizenship is being exploited to whip up patriotic fervour and shift official politics even further to the right amid a deepening economic crisis of Australian and world capitalism, and acute war tensions in Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Moreover, the Turnbull government is in power mainly because of broad disenchantment among workers and youth with Labor. In government, Labor implemented the same reactionary agenda as the Coalitionwith the backing of the trade unions and pseudo-left organisations such as Socialist Alternative. A new Labor government would only deepen the inroads into the social position of the working class and integrate Australia even more closely into the US drive to war. Socialist Alternatives support for Section 44 and the High Court demonstrates there is no line it will not cross. OShea welcomes the prospect that the High Court will rule that prominent ministers, including Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, were ineligible to sit in parliament. In other words, Socialist Alternative is backing the right of the capitalist state to determine the fate of democratically-elected politicians and even the government. The High Court has been involved in all the attacks on democratic rights. It has rubber-stamped the brutal persecution of refugees, and endorsed anti-terror legislation that has handed the police and intelligence agencies powers to detain people without charge, outlaw organisations and conduct virtually limitless spying operations. The anti-democratic character of section 44 is underscored by the fact that Australia is a nation of immigrants. Around half the population either holds, or is entitled to hold, dual citizenship and, as a consequence, is ineligible to stand for parliament. The ferocious campaign against holding allegiance to a foreign power inevitably will be extended more broadly. If the ruling class and the capitalist state are prepared to discipline their trusted political representatives in this fashion, how will they respond to mounting opposition from the working class to war, austerity and the erosion of democratic rights? The political establishment has already provided the answer. The storm over dual citizenship was preceded by a hysterical campaign spearheaded by the corporate press, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the major parties against supposed Chinese interference in Australian politics and virtually every area of life. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has called for its sweeping powers of detention and interrogation without charge to be extended to root out agents of foreign influence. Amid the growing danger of a US-led war on the Korean Peninsula and escalating confrontation with China, the dual citizenship campaign is aimed at creating a climate where any opposition to war or defence of social and democratic rights will be branded as unpatriotic or treasonous. Workers who take strike action will be denounced as un-Australian and measures will be taken, including through the courts, to suppress them. As it prepares for military conflict and class war, the ruling class is digging into the most reactionary traditions of Australian nationalism. During the two world wars of the 20th century, governments illegalised socialist and anti-war organisations, banned strikes and protests and interned hundreds of thousands of enemy aliens. Socialist Alternatives willingness to support the whipping up of Australian patriotism does not come out of the blue. Along with the rest of the pseudo-left, it has already emerged as a vociferous proponent of the US-led regime-change operations in Libya and Syria, which are part of Washingtons escalating confrontation with Russia and China. Socialist Alternative is part of the conspiracy of silence surrounding Australias central role in the vast US military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region, initiated by the Obama administration, with the backing of the Labor government propped up by the Greens. To the extent that Socialist Alternative has referenced the danger of conflict, it has cast it in terms of supposed Chinese expansionisma position that aligns with the US State Departments attempts to present Washingtons reckless war-mongering as a defensive response. Socialist Alternatives support for the nationalist campaign over dual citizenship is a sharp warning that the layers of the upper middle class for which it speakscentred on the trade unions, academia and the so-called liberal mediaare shifting rapidly to the right. They will line up behind the capitalist state as it seeks to suppress any opposition to war, militarism and attacks on basic social and democratic rights. On Wednesday, just 10 days before New Zealands general election, the UK-based Financial Times and NZ media outlet Newsroom published extraordinary allegations that National Party government MP Jian Yang had been investigated on suspicion of being a Chinese agent. Anonymous sources said Yang, a New Zealand citizen who moved to the country in 1999 and has spent six years in parliament, was investigated by the Security Intelligence Service (SIS). The publications further alleged that security questions were raised when Yang studied at the Australian National University in the mid-1990s. No actual evidence was presented that Yang is a spy. Yang denounced the articles as a smear campaign aimed at damaging the ruling National Party in the election. Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the allegations were fake news fabricated out of thin air. New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English told the media on Wednesday he had been aware of Yangs military background, which was not a secret. Before leaving China, Yang studied and lectured at the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force Engineering College and the University of Foreign Languages in Luoyang, part of the Third Department of the PLA, one of Chinas military intelligence agencies. Yang said he taught English to cadets in Luoyang and was a civilian officer in the PLA. Yang is the latest target in a witch-hunt, in countries allied with the United States, against people accused of being Chinese agents. The Times noted that Canadas intelligence agency had warned in 2010 about Chinese agents of influence in provincial governments. Similar allegations were revived and widened this year by the Australian media and intelligence agencies against politicians, business figures and students. New Zealand, Canada and Australia are members of the US-led Five Eyes intelligence network. This international McCarthyite campaign is bound up with US preparations for war against China, begun during President Barack Obamas administration and accelerated by Donald Trump. Washington sees China as the major obstacle to US domination over the Asia-Pacific region and is seeking to roll back Beijings diplomatic and economic influence. The US military has vastly increased its presence in Asia and staged numerous provocative exercises near Chinese-claimed waters in the South China Sea, while hypocritically denouncing Chinese expansionism in the region. Trump has called for trade war measures against China and threatened a nuclear war against its ally North Korea. The Financial Times wrote that Yangs position in New Zealands parliament raises questions about western preparedness to deal with Chinas increasingly aggressive efforts to influence foreign governments and spy on them. The implication that Yang is a spy was backed up by sources close to the US government. Christopher Johnson, a former CIA analyst now with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a prominent US think tank, told the paper that Beijing sees New Zealand as a softer target for infiltration than the US or Britain and could be using it as a testing ground for future operations in other countries. Peter Mattis from the Jamestown Foundation, a Washington-based think tank whose directors include retired US generals and national security advisors, told the Financial Times Yang was likely to have been in Chinese military intelligence or at least linked to that system. The attack on Yang in the lead-up to the election is clearly intended to shift the politics of New Zealand and other countries into closer alignment with the US drive to war. Successive Labour and National Party governments in New Zealand have strengthened military ties with the US, joined the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and collaborated with operations against China. According to leaks by Edward Snowden, New Zealands Government Communications Security Bureau shares vast amounts of intelligence with the US National Security Agency and has spied directly on China on behalf of the US. Prime Minister English has said he would consider joining a war against North Korea, something Labour also has not ruled out. However, the National government so far has been reluctant to denounce China as an aggressive or expansionist power, as the Australian government and other US allies have done. On September 8, Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee told the New Zealand Herald the US was a very, very good friend of New Zealand but equally China is a very, very good friend of New Zealand. China is New Zealands second-largest trading partner. Yang, who sits on the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, has played a significant role in promoting closer relations between the two countries. Among the broader population there is widespread opposition to Trumps war-mongering and the military-intelligence alliance with the US. A survey published in June of 34,000 people by Fairfax Media and Massey University found that when asked to choose between building closer bilateral relations with the US, the UK and China, only 15.6 percent chose the US. By contrast, China came out tops, with 42.5. The opposition parties, led by the Labour Party, supported by much of the media, are pushing for a more overt anti-China stance and are seeking to shift public opinion by whipping up nationalism and xenophobia. Labour, the Greens, the right-wing populist NZ First Party and the Maori nationalist Mana Party have denounced the governments close business links with China. They have scapegoated immigrants, especially Chinese people, for the lack of affordable housing, low wages, the drugs epidemic and other aspects of the social crisis that is the product of decades of cutbacks and austerity measures. Labour is calling for immigrant numbers to be cut by 30,000, more than 40 percent. Labour and NZ First also have called for greater spending to upgrade the military to ensure interoperability with US forces. Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern refused to comment on the allegations against Yang. NZ First leader Winston Peters, however, said he was told by a Labour Party source that Yang was a spy. Peters said he believed Labour leaked to the media information about the SIS investigation into Yang. Peters, whose party was founded on a platform of opposing Asian immigration, later tweeted: National has been caught out. And New Zealand has been left exposed to being a pawn of the Communists in China. Reflecting the reactionary nationalism of the trade unions, the union-funded Daily Blog joined the chauvinist campaign. Its editor Martyn Bradbury declared that National was wedded and compromised personally to wealthy Chinese interests and voters have to ask some hard questions about where Nationals loyalties actually lie. Unions such as Unite, the Tertiary Education Union, E Tu and the First Union have all joined NZ First over the past year in accusing migrant workers and students of putting pressure on jobs, housing, infrastructure and educational institutions. The Council of Trade Unions has endorsed calls to restrict immigration. As the witch-hunt against Yang underscores, if Labour and its allies are elected they will escalate the attacks on Chinese immigrants and preparations to join a US war against China. The author also recommends: UN chief warns against the march to world war [8 September 2017] US Secretary of State visits New Zealand to counter China [9 June 2017] New Zealand Labour Party deepens anti-immigrant campaign [4 July 2017] Tyrese Gibson shared family photos on Instagram Wednesday saying he just wanted to co-parent his daughter after his ex-wife was granted a temporary restraining order against him. The actor, 38, wrote his ex, Norma Mitchell Gibson, was being bitter, resentful and mean-spirited, and accused her of attacking him. All I wanna do is co/parent nothing else Please. Stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt Ive only prayed that your heart heals and we live our lives separately and peacefully on behalf of our daughter, he wrote on Instagram. Theres someone out here for everybody Norma I know you can see this, Im sorry I got re-married, Im sorry we didnt work out Im sorry you havent been able to find another man since we separated Sometimes you get married and have kids and things just dont work out, but I have NEVER wished harm on you. He continued with, I was hoping by now you got over what we used to be Being bitter, resentful and just felt out mean will has never been good for our daughter . But I see the attacks just wont stop so I believe this too will pass and God and the courts will reveal the truth. The couple were married from 2007 to 2009, and share 10-year-old daughter, Shayla. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, physical and legal custody of Shayla was temporarily granted to Norma, while ordering the Fast & Furious actor to stay 100 yards away from both of them, including Normas home, pending a hearing scheduled for Oct. 2. The actor was not granted visitation rights before the hearing date. In court documents, Norma accused Tyrese of of abusing their daughter on Aug. 19, alleging the actor pushed our daughter to the ground, pinned her face down, put his knees on her back, grabbed her hands with one arm and beat her with the other. PEOPLE reached out to the actors reps but did not receive a response. Norma alleges her ex hit Shayla between 12 and 16 times, leading the child to allegedly later tell her mother that she couldnt sit down due to pain and saying, Mum, Dad beat me so hard that it hurts when I sit down. In her declaration, Norma claims Tyrese was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder as well as manic behavior by three psychotherapists which she said he denied. She also expressed she was deeply concerned about the actor taking their daughter to Dubai, where he has allegedly threatened to travel in the past and stating the he did not return their daughters passport to her when she requested. She also claimed the actor withheld contact between her and Shayla while their daughter stayed with him. Apart from alleging that he abused their daughter, Norma also wrote in her declaration that he was prone to beat on the people he is in conflict with and that he had hit her a number of times in the past including when I was pregnant with our daughter. The actor remarried to Samantha Lee Gibson on Valentines Day in a secret ceremony. When I was in Moscow, a male voice intones during 20th Century Foxs first trailer for its spy thriller Red Sparrow, I heard about a program of young officers trained to seduce and manipulate. To use their bodies. To use everything. They call them sparrows. Thats what she is. She is Jennifer Lawrences title character, a prima ballerina named Dominika Egorova whose career-ending injury has her seeking other options, like becoming a deadly secret agent. Directed by Francis Lawrence, Red Sparrow, judging by the trailer, wont skimp on style. We see its star in a variety of wigs (dark auburn, long blond, short blond) and dresses (red, black, shiny, slinky) as she does all sorts of femme fatale stuff. Theres some (seeming) escort work, a death by garrote, motorcycle joyriding and a quick double-take by a swimsuited Joel Edgerton as the Sparrow struts by in bathing gear nearly as skimpy as his own. In addition to Lawrence (who hits screens tomorrow in Mother!, Darren Aronofskys Rosemarys Baby-meets-the Book of Genesis thriller) and Edgerton (who plays a CIA agent), Red Sparrow also stars Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons. Francis Lawrence directs from a screenplay by Justin Haythe, based on the book by Jason Matthews. Peter Chernin, Steve Zaillian and Jenno Topping produce. Fox releases Red Sparrow March 2. Check out the trailer above. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQUBjoGm1ls&w=605&h=340] Related stories The Method To The Madness Of 'Mother!'s Box Office Marketing PHOTOS: Deadline Studio At TIFF 2017 - Part 3: Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, Benedict Cumberbatch, Steve Carell & More 'Tragedy Girls' Trailer: Brianna Hildebrand & Alexandra Shipp Do Heathers With Knives We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form HGTV fans will soon have a new reason to shop at Target. The Minnesota-based retail giant unveiled plans this week for a new home decor collection called Hearth & Hand with Magnolia. The line, which is slated to hit stores Nov. 5, will be a partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines, the hosts of HGTVs Fixer Upper. News of the collaboration though lauded by some appears to have incensed a number of Fixer Upper viewers. Some blasted the news on Twitter, arguing that the couple, who are evangelical Christians, should reconsider their partnership with Target as the retailer allows transgender employees and customers to use restrooms and fitting rooms that best align with their gender identity. Why are u using Target?I thought youll were Christians.My friends & thousands of others r boycotting them because of their bathroom policies Tom Henderson (@TomHenderson17) September 13, 2017 We don't shop there because of there anti- Christian ways. Also at Target your a target! Don't allow second Amendment rights. Love you guys Pattrick Yockey (@pattrickyockey) September 12, 2017 Really disappointed you guys would partner with a company that exalts what God specifically condemns. Shane Camp (@Shane_A_Camp) September 12, 2017 I don't shop Target anymore. I wish you would had followed your Christian values instead of the almighty dollar. Lost a little respect gange (@czubeck) September 14, 2017 Response to the Gaines Facebook post announcing the line was similarly split. As much as I love Chip and Joanna, not even their product will get me to shop at Target again. Sorry, Ill look for another place to buy your product, one person wrote. Added another: Why would you sell at Target when so many wonderful shops would love to have your merchandise? Sorry I wont be able to buy it, havent set foot in there since they announced either gender can use dressing rooms and bathrooms. In 2016, American Family Association called for a boycott of Target after the company announced that trans staff and patrons would be welcome to use bathrooms and fitting room facilities that correspond with their gender identity. We stand for equality and equity, Target officials said at the time, and strive to make our guests and team members feel accepted, respected and welcomed in our stores and workplaces every day. Similarly, the Gaineses found themselves at the epicenter of a media firestorm last year after a BuzzFeed article reported that they attended an anti-LGBTQ church. In January, Chip Gaines appeared to respond to the controversy in an impassioned blog. Joanna and I have personal convictions, he wrote. One of them is this: we care about you for the simple fact that you are a person, our neighbor on planet earth. Its not about what color your skin is, how much money you have in the bank, your political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, nationality or faith. HuffPost has reached out to a representative for the Gaineses seeking comment. Meanwhile, Chip Gaines said he and Joanna were jubilant about the partnership in a Tuesday blog post on the couples official website. Despite our initial insecurities about partnering with a large retailer, Target has exceeded our expectations every step of the way, he wrote. With our friends, our family and with the people we do business with, we are serious about continually finding common ground. We are thankful to get to work side by side with the people at Target. He then added, We believe we are going to build something really beautiful together and that our positive impact will be far greater now than it would ever be apart. Catch the latest in LGBTQ news by subscribing to the Queer Voices newsletter. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1980: Gay Pride demonstration circa 1980 in New York City. (Photo by Arpadi/IMAGES/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1980: Gay Pride demonstration circa 1980 in New York City. (Photo by Arpadi/IMAGES/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1983: Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade circa 1983 in New York City. (Photo by PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images) A gay rights march in New York in favour of the 1968 Civil Rights Act being amended to include gay rights. (Photo by Peter Keegan/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 25: Participants in the 25 April 1993 gay rights march, held back by a line of parade marshals, scream and yell at a number of religious counter-demonstrators along the parade route. Hundreds of thousands of gay men and women joined in the march and rally to demand acceptance and equal rights. (Photo credit should read ARYEH RABINOVICH/AFP/Getty Images) View along 6th Avenue as hundreds of people march (and drive) towards Central Park in a Gay Pride Parade, New York, New York, June 26, 1975. (Photo by Allan Tannenbaum/Getty Images) JUN 25 1978, JUN 26 1978; Marchers For Homosexual Rights Gather At Civic Center Pavilion; More than 1,000 men and women participated in march from Cheesman Park to the center for their rally. The group has a platform calling for an end of alleged police harassment, leggislative support of lesbian-gay rights and an end to discrimination based on sexual preference. It also asks that homosexuals be allowed to raise children. The marchers carried signs and chanted slogans during their march, which began at about noon Sunday.; (Photo By Kenn Bisio/The Denver Post via Getty Images) View of the gay pride parade in Boston, Massachusetts, 1977. (Photo by Spencer Grant/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1979: Gay Rights Demonstrators circa 1979 in New York City. (Photo by Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images) A crowd of gay rights protesters, including two priests, marching in the New York Gay Day Parade. (Photo by Peter Keegan/Getty Images) This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Photo credit: Getty Images From Country Living Beth Chapman, costar of the A&E series Dog the Bounty Hunter, has been diagnosed with throat cancer, Us Weekly reports. She reportedly revealed the news in a letter she sent to her friends. "After months of a nagging cough, a routine checkup resulted in a diagnosis of stage II throat cancer," she reportedly wrote. "I have what is referred to as a T2 Tumor in my throat that is blocking my breathing. My doctors are suggesting immediate treatment and surgery before the disease progresses." Mom loves you guys #chapmans #family #hawaii #Dogthebountyhunter #dogandbeth #dogandbethlookingfortrouble A post shared by Beth Chapman (@mrsdog4real) on Sep 11, 2017 at 11:28pm PDT According to the report, she is unsure of her prognosis at this point, but is staying positive that the surgery will be a success. "I will fight every step of the way," she wrote. "My husband and children are counting on me to be there for years to come." Saturday afternoon with my wife at our favorite hang out A post shared by @duanedogchapman on Sep 9, 2017 at 3:32pm PDT A representative for the family confirmed the news to Hawaii news network KITV. In a statement, the spokesperson said Beth, along with husband Duane "Dog" Chapman, are maintaining a united front during this tough time. "Beth has been trying hard to remain strong through the worry and fear and anxiety, as she will not know her prognosis until after her surgery. At times, Duane has been inconsolable since hearing the news, but he is determined to remain strong for Beth and their family, 'and pray a lot.' [] Duane shared that people see Beth as a tough lady, but she has a big heart, he told me - and which I know from personal experience." You Might Also Like UPDATED: Lady Gaga announced on Twitter that she will be unable to perform at the Rock in Rio music festival in Brazil due to health concerns, and later elaborated that shes been hospitalized over severe pain. Brazil, Im devastated that Im not well enough 2 (sic) come to Rock In Rio. I would do anything 4 u (sic) but I have to take care of my body right now, she wrote. I ask for your grace and understanding, and promise that I will come back and perform for you soon, she continued in a follow-up tweet. Brazil, I'm devastated that I'm not well enough 2 come to Rock In Rio. I would do anything 4 u but I have to take care of my body right now. xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) September 14, 2017 I ask for your grace and understanding, and promise that I will come back and perform for you soon. xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) September 14, 2017 She added a little later, I was taken to the hospital its not simply hip pain or wear & tear from tour, Im in severe pain. Im in good hands w/ the very best doctors. I was taken to the hospital its not simply hip pain or wear & tear from tour, I'm in severe pain. I'm in good hands w/ the very best doctors xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) September 14, 2017 Gaga has been open about her chronic pain in the past, and also talks about her struggle in the upcoming Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two. She recently revealed that her chronic pain is due to fibromyalgia Story continues In our documentary the #chronicillness#chronicpain I deal w/ is #Fibromyalgia I wish to help raise awareness & connect people who have it. xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) September 12, 2017 Gaga also canceled a concert in Montreal earlier this month due to illness from singing in the rain at her show in New York. To make it up to fans who had traveled to see her, she had pizza delivered to anyone outside her hotel. The first date of her second Bud Light Dive Bar Tour in Las Vegas was also postponed in July for unspecified reasons. The artist was able to attend the premiere of Gaga: Five Foot Two at the Toronto Film Festival last week, however, and performed as well. The documentary will hit Netflix Sept. 22. Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Newsletter Related Video: For more celebrity videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. Two Motel 6 locations in Phoenix are reportedly tipping off U.S. Immigration agents to arrest their undocumented guests. By Richy Rosario Two Motel 6 locations in Phoenix are being accused of calling immigration officials on undocumented guests, The Phoenix New Times reports. The motels, which are based in predominantly Latino neighborhoods, are presumably responsible for 20 arrests between February and August of this year made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, according to court documents obtained by the paper. ICE agents have stated before that they were simply following leads, but the evidence states otherwise. Manuel Rodriguez-Juarez, a 33-year-old landscaper, checked into one of the hotels and presented a Mexican voters ID card as identification. Reportedly, he was arrested six hours later by ICE officials who came to his hotel room. Juarez is now being detained at an immigration holding center in Florence, Ariz., and is seeking asylum. His lawyer, Juan Rocha, believes someone at the hotel tipped off ICE. Im assuming it was a Motel 6 personI dont know who else would have told themthinking, Hey, this guy doesnt speak English, he has a Mexican ID card, Im going to call ICE, Rocha told The New Times. Im thinking to myself, How would they know that? he continued. The client said he gave them a Mexican ID cardbut theres people who visit the U.S. all the time who have Mexican IDs. How does that establish that youre here without authorization? While Motel 6 hasnt responded directly to those arrests, according to The Root, employees did tell the New Times off the record that they do send guest information to ICE. After the report was released, Motel 6 issued a statement via Twitter stating that this was implemented at a local level and that senior management wasnt aware of these discriminatory actions. Statement Regarding Recent Media Reports on Phoenix-area Location pic.twitter.com/MPxaspNA6b Motel 6 (@motel6) September 14, 2017 This post Two Motel 6 Locations In Arizona Reportedly Alert ICE Of Undocumented Immigrants first appeared on Vibe. On Friday morning, at least two abortion clinics in the U.S. were targeted by anti-abortion protesters who stormed the clinics waiting rooms, refusing to leave. The protesters were eventually arrested by local police for trespassing. HuffPost confirmed the arrests with Northland Family Planning in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and Alexandria Womens Health Clinic in Alexandria, Virginia. Two other clinics, one in Columbus, Ohio, and another in Albuquerque, New Mexico, were also reportedly targeted, but HuffPost has yet to receive confirmation. According to Lara Chelian, the Director of Advocacy at the Sterling Heights clinic, there were four arrests made at her clinic. Chelian said that about 20 anti-abortion protesters showed up outside the clinic on Friday morning something that is far from unusual. However, she told HuffPost that five of those protesters stormed the [Northland Family Planning clinics] waiting room and refused to leave. One protester reportedly left when staff threatened to call police. The other four remained, and were later arrested. They must have posted bail immediately because the ones who are arrested are back [protesting] already, Chelian told HuffPost on Friday afternoon. Created Equal, an anti-abortion group whose members participated in the demonstration on Friday posted video footage on Facebook. Participants of the demonstrations appear to have been performing red rose rescues, a concept that originated with Canadian anti-abortion activist Mary Wagner. The 43-year-old wasreleased from a Toronto jailon Tuesday after serving six months while awaiting trial for previous arrests on abortion clinic grounds. Rather than being sentenced with jail time, she was given 30 months of probation. Wagner was photographed and filmed participating in the Sterling Heights demonstration on Friday (shown in a public Facebook video below). Chelian confirmed to HuffPost that anti-abortion protesters were indeed trying to hand out red roses to patients driving into the clinic, and one protestor outside the Sterling Heights clinic uploaded a Facebook selfie with another protester in which she appears to be holding a bouquet of roses. Monica Migliorino Miller, an anti-abortion rights activist and writer who also participated in the Sterling Heights demonstration,said in a video she published on YouTube, the red rose rescue is an act of charity on behalf of the mom scheduled for abortions and, of course, for the innocent unborn who are about to be put to death. Those who took part were willing to embrace the risks for these women and their babies. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Guatemala City (AFP) - Street protests demanding President Jimmy Morales step down erupted across Guatemala on Friday, as the country celebrated its 1821 independence from Spain. The demonstrations come after months of opposition directed at Morales and several lawmakers who are under a cloud of corruption suspicions being investigated by a UN-backed commission. They were also spurred by changes the country's congress had tried to make to criminal laws on corruption that would allow convicted politicians to avoid prison. In the capital, some demonstrators yelled that "Guatemala is in mourning because of these corrupt people." Under the legislative changes adopted on Wednesday, politicians would be shielded from charges of illegal funding, and any convicted of corruption and sentenced to up to 10 years would have the option of paying bail to stay out of prison. But a court on Thursday suspended the changes, which many citizens denounced as a "pact for the corrupt." And late Friday, congress withdrew the controversial reforms, according to the speaker, Oscar Chinchilla. Public indignation at the actions of the elected officials was already heightened after lawmakers had rejected a request by Guatemalan prosecutors and a UN body to have Morales' immunity lifted to face a corruption probe. Morales himself had late last month tried to expel the head of the UN body, the International Committee Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), only to be overruled by the country's top court. The CICIG and prosecutors want to investigate allegations Morales had failed to declare $1 million in campaign funding to his party in 2015, the year he was elected to office. Morales, a former TV comic with no previous political experience, became president on promises to clean up corruption. His predecessor, Otto Perez, was forced to stand down because of scandal revealed by the CICIG in which he and other officials allegedly received bribes to help businessmen avoid paying import duties. Kim Jong-un watches the launch of a Hwasong-12 missile in an undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on Thursday night - REUTERS North Korea will defy sanctions for a 1,000 years, a senior Pyongyang official said, as he shrugged off rising anxiety in Japan following his countrys latest provocative missile test. In a rare media briefing to a handful of reporters in Beijing only hours after Pyongyang fired an intermediate ballistic missile over Japan, the official also warned of the growing power of the Norths military. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guides the launch of a Hwasong-12 missile Credit: KCNA via Reuters North Korea has defied a series of UN sanctions with increasingly provocative tests, including the detonation of what it claimed to be a hydrogen bomb earlier this month and the firing of two missiles over Japan, a close US ally. The latest launch on Friday saw a furious response from Washington which called on Russia and China to do more to economically squeeze the nuclear-armed state. But Choe Kang-il, deputy director general for North American affairs at the North's foreign ministry, said: You can impose whatever sanctions you want, but no matter how long these sanctions last - whether it is for a hundred or a thousand years - we will keep stepping up efforts and continue with our planned tests. The North shocked the world with its sixth and most powerful nuclear test earlier this month. Mr Choe justified the test by saying it was carried out for the sanctity of our autonomy and nationhood, and to reveal the power of our deterrence. Pyongyang has ramped up its testing of military hardware as it seeks to develop a nuclear-tipped missile which could reach the continental United States. Choe Kang-il, the deputy director general for North American affairs at the North's foreign ministry, with reporters at Beijing Airport. Credit: Neil Connor for The Telegraph The North appears to have achieved its furthest missile flight ever with Fridays test, which prompted serious worry in Japan, where sirens were sounded and residents warned to take shelter. Mr Choe, however, said anxiety in Japan was not a concern for leaders in Pyongyang. It is Japans own business if it scares them, he said. Our strategy is to strengthen our deterrence. But despite Mr Choes lack of concern for Japanese citizens, the diplomat did become flustered with his own situation on Friday when he experienced difficulty trying to leave Beijing Airport, which is the main transfer hub for Pyongyang. Story continues With a small group of reporters in close pursuit, the official appeared to head to an escalator which was turning in the wrong direction, before waiting for a lift that failed to arrive and then finally making it outdoors before realizing that he had no airport pickup. Two taxis outside the terminal then refused to take him before he finally found a car. Choe Kang-il, deputy director general for North American affairs at the North's foreign ministry, back seat in a taxi at Beijing Airport. Credit: Neil Connor for The Telegraph Later Kim Jong-un vowed to complete North Korea's nuclear force despite sanctions, saying the final goal of his country's weapons development is "equilibrium of real force" with the United States. The North Korean leader said Friday's Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile fired over Japan had been successful and increased the North's "combat power of nuclear force", KCNA news agency said. In New York the UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" launch. The council unanimously "strongly condemned these launches, condemned further the DPRK for its outrageous actions, and demanded that the DPRK immediately cease all such actions." People walk past a big screen reporting North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch Credit: The Asahi Shimbun A statement, released after a closed-door meeting, did not threaten further sanctions and stressed that all countries must "fully, comprehensively and immediately" be implemented. Meanwhile Donald Trump on Friday lashed out at North Korea warned that advanced US weaponry could make the souls of America's enemies "crumble." He said Pyongyang had "once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbours and for the entire world community." "After seeing our capabilities, I am more confident than ever that our options are not only effective but overwhelming." Trump said at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He continued: "We will defend our nation and our civilisation against all who threaten our way of life. "This includes North Korea." Additional reporting by Christine Wei Former pharmaceuticals company CEO Martin Shkreli is awaiting sentencing for a securities fraud conviction - AP Martin Shkreli, the former pharmaceuticals company CEO who was once branded "America's most hated man", was headed to jail on Wednesday after offering a bounty for Hillary Clinton's hair. Mr Shkreli, dubbed the Pharma Bro, had his bail revoked while he awaits sentencing for a securities fraud conviction. A judge heard arguments about whether the provocative online antics of Shkreli were bad enough to put him behind bars and decided to have him taken into custody immediately. A defence attorney had argued in court papers that Shkrelis recent offer to pay a $5,000 bounty for securing a Clinton hair with a follicle while shes on a book tour was merely a tasteless joke comparable to some of President Donald Trumps derisive comments, not a threat worthy of putting him behind bars. Martin Shkreli in court "Indeed, in the current political climate, dissent has unfortunately often taken the form of political satire, hyperbole, parody or sarcasm," wrote the lawyer, Ben Brafman. "There is a difference, however, between comments that are intended to threaten or harass and comments - albeit offensive ones - that are intended as political satire or strained humour." The attorney was responding to government filings last week that argued Shkrelis behaviour was threatening enough to jail him while he awaits sentencing for his securities fraud conviction. Prosecutors said the posting prompted the Secret Service to use more resources because it ran the risk that many of Shkrelis social media followers would think he was serious. Profile | Martin Shkreli Mr Shkreli, who is best known for hiking up the price of a life-saving drug and for trolling his critics on social media, was found guilty last month on charges, unrelated to the price-fixing scandal, that he cheated investors in two failed hedge funds he ran. The defence had argued that investors got their original investments back and even made hefty profits. Story continues Mr Shkreli has said he feels "exonerated" despite his conviction and thinks theres a "50-50 chance" he wont face any punishment. He chatted with fans on his YouTube channel and sparred with a reporter after last months verdict. "In sum and substance," he said, "I feel exonerated." Mr Shkreli has revelled in his notoriety. In September last year, he auctioned off the chance to punch him in the face. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. As Hurricane Florence plows down the Carolina coast, its anyones guess how much damage it will door how long the region may be without power. For those who might experience a prolonged power outage, here are five steps the experts at Consumer Reports recommend to get you safely through the storm. 1. Write Important Information on Paper During an outage, your cell phone is your lifeline and youre likely to want to keep it charged in case of an emergency. Because you cant depend on your phone indefinitely, write down phone numbers and addresses you might need, such as a nearby hospital, a school thats providing supplies, the local library or storm shelter, or other public places that might have powerplaces where youll be able to go to recharge your electronics and contact loved ones. Then conserve your phones battery life by switching the phone to a power-saving setting, such as airplane mode on an iPhone or economy mode on an Android device. When you make your way to a local shelter or library, its a smart idea to take a power strip, says Maria Rerecich, CR director of electronics testing. This way, when you do find power, you can charge multiple devices at onceor share the makeshift charging station with others. 2. Use Gas to Cook Food That Will Spoil In homes that have lost power but suffered little other damage, you can safely cook on a gas stove. But youll probably need to light the burner with a match or lighter because the electronic ignition on a stove wont work if the power is out. And if you have a gas grill, cooking with it is another option. If you were able to properly store your grill before the storm, in a dry space such as a garage, and notice no water damage to the grill or gas tank, it should be safe to use it to grill food. What to cook, though, is another question. CR has a guide to foods you can make or eat that wont spoil as quickly. Story continues Food in your refrigerator can maintain a safe temperaturebelow 40 Ffor about 4 hours on average. Cook any perishables (raw meat and soft cheese, especially) within this time period; otherwise, toss these items. Even after that 4-hour window, food can spend an additional 2 hours above 40 F before it becomes unsafe to cook. A full freezer should stay cold for about 48 hours after the power is lost; a half-full freezer should stay cold about 24 hours. Anything that you cook but dont eat, youll need to throw out after 2 hours because youll have no way to keep it cool enough to prevent it from spoiling. (You can always share with the neighbors.) Good to know: Lots of homeowners insurance policies will cover the replacement cost of spoiled food, so its really not worth taking the risk of consuming it. If your house is flooded, always toss any food that may have come into contact with floodwaters, advises the Department of Agricultures guide to food safety during storms and hurricanes. 3. If You Have a Generator, Use it Safely Running a generator improperly can kill you in as little as 5 minutes if the concentration of carbon monoxide is high enough. And it happens: An average of 66 people a year die a year from generator-associated carbon monoxide poisoning, according to data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas, so you wont even know youre inhaling it, says Don Huber, CRs director of product safety. No matter what, resist the urge to move a portable generator inside the house or the garage. Operate a generator as far from the house as possibleCR recommends at least 20 feetand direct the exhaust away from doors or windows. If you dont have a transfer switch installed, you can run an outdoor-rated extension cord of the appropriate gauge from the generators outlets to individual appliances, provided the cords are properly rated and you follow certain precautions. The gauge of extension cord your generator requires will be specified in the user manual. 4. No Generator? Unplug Your Appliances. This includes anything with electrical circuitry, from your microwave to your refrigerator to your television. There isnt a particular order to follow, you just need to pull the plugs from the outlets to prevent potential electrical damage. Or, if youre comfortable doing so, you can shut off the main circuit breaker. When power lines are damaged during storms, there can be a spike or surge in the line, says John Galeotafiore, associate director of product testing at CR. Unplugging your appliances can prevent damage to those appliances from a power surge when the utility company restores power. If you see street lights or other households on your block that have successfully turned their lights on, youll know the power is back on. 5. Check on Nearby Neighbors If your family and home are safe and sound, communicate with neighbors and family members to let them know. Check to see if elderly neighbors are able to navigate when the lights arent onor if they might want or need your help. Devise a system to update everyone, if necessary. If there seems to be no end in sight to the power outage, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends seeking out an alternate location with power and heating or coolingassuming youre able to safely drive on the roads. Take your go bag or medical go bag, and any other supplies you might need. Let your neighbors and family know where you plan to go. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2018, Consumer Reports, Inc. Guests returning to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida have been sharing images of the parks, showing some of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma. "The most magical place on earth" closed its gates to visitors for two days as the powerful storm passed. Disneys Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Animal Kingdom closed on Sunday and officially reopened on Tuesday morning. The latest closing marked just the sixth time that Disney World has closed its doors in its 45 years of operation. The parks were last closed in 2016 for Hurricane Matthew. While the parks survived the Category 4 storm with just minor damage, some visitors have tweeted photos of downed trees and flooding. Check out the images of Disney World post-Irma below: FRANKFURT, Germany BMW is reviewing the necessity of car keys, Ian Robertson, the company's board member responsible for sales, told Reuters. The fact that customers now all carry a smartphone and the availability of a BMW app, which allows customers to unlock their vehicle, has made old-fashioned keys less relevant. "Honestly, how many people really need it," Robertson said in an interview at the Frankfurt car show, given that customers no longer had to put the key in the ignition to make the car start. "They never take it out of their pocket, so why do I need to carry it around?," Robertson said, adding that the company was looking at getting rid of keys altogether. "We are looking at whether it is feasible, and whether we can do it. Whether we do it right now or at some point in the future, remains to be seen," Robertson said. This, of course, is reminiscent of Tesla's plans for the Model 3, in which owners can open and operate the car either with a key card from their wallet or with a smartphone app. Reporting by Edward Taylor Related Video: Colombo (AFP) - Sri Lankan police Friday found the body of a 24-year-old British journalist, Paul McClean, who is suspected to have been killed by a crocodile. Divers found McClean's corpse in the mud of a lagoon in the coastal village of Panama, 360 kilometres (225 miles) east of the capital Colombo by road, a police spokesman said. "There were six or seven wounds on his right leg," a police official told AFP. "The body was stuck in mud at about the same place where he was seen last by some others who were with him." A crocodile is believed to have dragged McClean away on Thursday afternoon, the officer said. Police said the body was taken to a hospital at Ampara, the nearest town some 80 kilometres (50 miles) away, for a post-mortem examination which could take place over the weekend. Local magistrate Mohamed Hilmy visited the area where McClean was last seen and ordered an inquest on Monday. "The magistrate ordered witnesses to be present at the inquest on Monday," a police official said. McClean worked for the Financial Times and managing editor James Lamont described him as "a talented, energetic and dedicated young journalist". "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. We are in touch with them, doing all we can to help during this difficult time," Lamont said in the paper's report on his death. British media reports said McClean was holidaying in Sri Lanka with friends. He was on a beach and had wandered away to find a toilet when he stumbled into an area known to be frequented by crocodiles. Other holidaymakers in the area alerted police after McClean disappeared and a search was mounted with the help of navy divers. Crocodile attacks are rare in Sri Lanka. However, earlier this month, wildlife authorities reported that a crocodile had seriously injured a wild elephant in the south of the island. During monsoon floods in May, authorities warned people in inundated areas to beware of stray crocodiles. Kandahar (Afghanistan) (AFP) - A suicide attacker driving an explosives-filled vehicle slammed into a convoy of foreign troops in southern Afghanistan on Friday wounding several soldiers, officials said. The Taliban claimed the attack which Kandahar provincial governor spokesman Fazal Bari Baryalai told AFP "totally destroyed" one of the vehicles carrying Romanian soldiers in Daman district. A spokesman for NATO's Resolute Support train and assist mission confirmed a "small number" of soldiers were wounded. In a WhatsApp message to journalists Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said "seven invading forces" were killed. The militants routinely exaggerate battlefield claims. Provincial police chief General Abdul Raziq told AFP the scene had been cordoned off by foreign forces. The Taliban's latest assault follows the militant group's pledge to turn Afghanistan into a "graveyard" for foreign forces after US President Donald Trump's announcement to keep American boots on the ground indefinitely. Earlier this month two Taliban suicide bombers launched separate attacks around Bagram Airfield, America's largest base in the country, that wounded several US soldiers and civilians. One of those attacks was in direct response to a US leaflet drop in the northern province of Parwan, where Bagram is located, that offended many Muslims in the deeply religious country. 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 Mohammed 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 angered many people and sparked protests. Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's chief prosecutor on Thursday charged President Michel Temer with obstruction of justice and leading a criminal group in the biggest climax yet to the country's ever-growing corruption scandal. The leader of Latin America's biggest and richest country was accused along with six of his heavyweight political allies of taking almost $190 million in kickbacks. In a statement, the office of Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot charged that Temer "acted as leader of a criminal organization" comprising senior officials from his center-right PMDB party. They allegedly took the kickbacks in exchange for contracts at public companies like oil giant Petrobras. The alleged ring operated from May 2016, when Temer first took over from leftist president Dilma Rousseff following her impeachment, Janot's office said. The prosecutor's office said Temer also obstructed justice by attempting to pay bribes to prevent businessman Lucio Funaro -- an alleged middleman in the bribery -- from testifying against him under a plea deal with prosecutors. Temer fired back soon after, calling Janot's accusations "absurd" and accusing the prosecutor of "continuing his irresponsible conduct in order to mask his own mistakes." The criminal charges must be first accepted by the Supreme Court before being sent for debate in the lower house. If the house accepts the charges and a trial starts, Temer would be suspended for 180 days, pending the result. However, the president is widely thought to have enough support in Congress to avoid being forced to trial, allowing him to finish his term at the end of 2018. Janot had already charged Temer with bribe-taking in June but the lower house of the legislature voted overwhelmingly to throw out the charge, preventing him from being tried at the Supreme Court. "The second round of corruption charges against President Michel Temer is likely to be handily rejected," Eurasia Group said in an analysis note. Story continues The charges are part of an onslaught by prosecutors against Brazil's corruption-riddled elite in which dozens of politicians and executives have been convicted or are being charged in embezzlement and bribery schemes. - Meat baron key figure - The three year old corruption probe known as "Car Wash" has discovered that big companies systematically paid bribes to politicians and party campaign coffers. Former leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a fierce opponent of Temer, has already been convicted in one corruption trial and faces five more. Temer's rightwing allies are faring no better. About a third of his cabinet is being probed. There has been even greater urgency in recent days as the hard-hitting Janot winds down his term as chief prosecutor, with his last day at work Sunday. Just on Thursday, police raided the home of wealthy Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, who is accused of obstructing justice, and a day earlier they arrested Wesley Batista, CEO of the world's biggest meatpacker, JBS. In a last-ditch bid to stop Janot, Temer's lawyers appealed to the Supreme Court to have him taken off the case for alleged bias, but on Wednesday the court ruled 9-0 to keep the prosecutor. - Temer's inner circle - The latest charges broaden their scope to Temer's inner party circle and will tarnish his reputation even further. Two of those charged along with Temer were his chief of staff Eliseu Padilha and Moreira Franco, a close confidant who holds a ministerial level administrative post in the presidency. Another was a former minister, Geddel Vieira Lima, who was imprisoned last week after police discovered the equivalent of $16 million in cash stuffed into boxes and suitcases in an apartment he used. One of the keys to the prosecutors' obstruction of justice case has been plea deal evidence from JBS executive Joesely Batista, brother of Wesley Batista. They agreed to cooperate with investigators after admitting that their company had bribed no less than 1,900 politicians. It was Joesely Batista who met with Temer at his Brasilia residence in March and secretly recorded the president allegedly discussing payment of hush money to prevent former allies from testifying against him. Temer denies that the recording shows anything incriminating. However, the plea deal testimony from both Batista brothers is being challenged by Temer's lawyers at the Supreme Court in the wake of revelations that Joesley Batista withheld information from prosecutors. That led to the leniency agreement signed with the brothers being stripped and Joesley Batista being arrested Sunday. Wesley was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of insider trading to profit from the market upheaval created by the scandal. Office of the prosecutor general announces charges against Michel Temer Lower house of congress to vote on whether president should stand trial The charge against Michel Temer is related to the plea-bargain testimony by executives at the meatpacking giant JBS SA. Photograph: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images Brazils prosecutor generals office has filed charges of racketeering against President Michel Temer and six other leading politicians from his party, three of whom are already in jail. Temer and two other men are also accused of obstructing justice. They practiced illicit acts in exchange for bribes by way of diverse public organs, prosecutors said. Michel Temer is accused of having acted as the leader of the criminal organisation since May 2016. Prosecutors said the group, all politicians from Temers Brazilian Democratic Movement party (PMDB), pocketed $188m in bribes. Three of them are already in jail: two former speakers of the lower house, Henrique Alves and Eduardo Cunha, and Geddel Vieira Lima, a former Temer minister arrested for the second time last week after police found $16m in cash in an apartment linked to him. Temer will now face a vote that could decide his presidency in the lower house of Congress his second in a little over a month and if two-thirds of lawmakers agree, he will be put on trial by the supreme court. In a statement, Temer denied the charges and attacked the prosecutor general, Rodrigo Janot, who he said continues his irresponsible march to cover up his own failings. Temer said the new charges were full of absurdities, that prosecutors alleged payments to foreign bank accounts linked to him without providing evidence, and that the charges transform licit campaign contributions into illicit, mix facts, and confuse to try and gain an air of truth. Temer, a resilient and wily politician, was able to muster enough congressional support to see off an earlier charge in August after his administration agreed $1.33bn in funding for lawmakers projects in their own states. Analysts said he was in an even stronger position this time around, in part because Brazil was finally showing some signs of recovering from a debilitating recession. Story continues With the economy already showing more positive signs, he is more protected from the effects of a new indictment, said Rafael Cortez, a political analyst at Tendencias, a consulting outfit in Sao Paulo. The charges are one of the last acts for Janot, whose mandate officially ends on Sunday and who was weakened after the plea bargain deal he struck that led to the corruption charges Temer beat away on 2 August began to unravel. Temer was first charged after a close aide was given more than $150,000 in cash part of $12m in bribes prosecutors allege Temer and the aide were due to receive after intervening in a business deal. Those charges came out of a plea bargain deal forged by executives from the Brazilian holding J&F Investments and the global meat brand JBS. One of those executives, Joesley Batista, had secretly recorded a compromising, late-night conversation with the president in March; another, Ricardo Saud, handed over $150,000 to a Temer aide in cash in a suitcase. Brazilian president Michel Temer. After multiple political scandals, many Brazilians feel they are running out of politicians to trust. Photograph: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images Since then, new recordings and emails have emerged that suggested Batista and Saud colluded with a prosecutor in Janots office who later joined a law firm acting for JBS. They have been jailed. But while the executives may lose the generous benefits included in the deal, prosecutors have decided that the evidence they revealed of billions of dollars in bribes to almost 2,000 politicians, including the president, remains valid. And the prosecutor general has also won some battles. On Wednesday, Janot survived a supreme court vote on whether to remove him from leading the Temer investigations. On Tuesday, a supreme court justice authorised another investigation for corruption and money laundering after the president issued a decree over ports that allegedly benefited a ports company. Temer had already lost six ministers to scandals within his first six months, and saw investigations opened into another eight earlier this year. It is a roll call of very serious denunciations, said Jose Alvaro Moises, a professor of political science at the University of Sao Paulo. This is bitterly ironic for Brazilians, because Temer was only able to come to power because of the multi-billion dollar graft investigation that drove the impeachment of the leftist president Dilma Rousseff, when he was then vice-president. She was ousted on relatively minor charges of breaking budget rules. Last week, however, Janot filed racketeering charges against her, her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and other leaders of their Workers party, accusing the party of pocketing $470m in bribes from 2002 through 2016. Both Lula and Rousseff have denied all the accusations. The Workers party also features in the new charges, with prosecutors alleging that it raided the coffers of the state-run oil company Petrobras to buy the support of allied parties like Temers PMDB. Prosecutors said that after Rousseff was suspended in May 2016, Temers party essentially took over her partys central role in the bribe scheme. Many Brazilians feel they are running out of politicians they can even consider trusting. It is generating the phenomenon of distrust, said Moises, the political science professor. It is a very delicate, very serious crisis. LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he believed that Libya's plans to work toward elections in 2018 were probably "the right timescale". In July, rival leaders pledged in Paris to work towards elections in 2018 and a conditional ceasefire. U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame said constitutional and electoral laws would have to be written to ensure any vote brought lasting change. "Would it be premature to hold the elections within a year? I happen to think that could be about the right timescale," Johnson told a joint news conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "It is very important however, that you don't do it too fast and that you get the political groundwork done first," he added. "There has to be a constitution, there has to be an accepted basis for those elections to take place." (Reporting by William James, writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) A British journalist working for the Financial Times is thought to have been killed by a crocodile while on holiday in Sri Lanka. Former Oxford University student Paul McClean, aged 24, was found dead in mud at a lagoon nicknamed Crocodile Rock, near the coastal village of Panama in the southeast of the country. Witnesses told the Times that McClean had been seen waving in desperation as he was dragged underwater by the beast. A postmortem examination will be carried out later today. Alex Barker, the Financial Times Brussels Bureau Chief, described McClean as a first-class journalist in the making. We were so very lucky to have him as a friend and colleague in Brussels. Well miss him dearly, his tribute continued. Our Brussels tribute to Paul McClean, a terrific FT journalist & wonderful friend. What a talent, what a gentleman. https://t.co/IJbjn2l4ra Alex Barker (@alexebarker) September 15, 2017 The Financial Times editor, Lionel Barber, said on Twitter that McClean was a rising star and the team would miss him dearly. A minutes silence was held in the news room today. McClean joined the paper as a graduate reporter two years ago and was working at the London-based fastFT team at the time of his death. Actress Busy Philipps went ballistic on Thursday after the chairman of the Democratic Coalition Against Trump misidentified her as a young Sarah Huckabee Sanders in an old photo. In an attempted dig at the White House press secretarys facial expression, Jon Cooper tweeted a picture of Philipps from her time on the one-season 1999-2000 TV comedy Freaks and Geeks. That prompted Philipps to respond, I am never getting over this and a whole lot more. Heres Coopers now-deleted post (for which he later apologized): (Photo: Twitter) And here is the Cougar Town stars response: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? IS THIS A JOKE? THIS IS ME FROM FREAKS AND GEEKS. FAKE NEWS. https://t.co/3l8WVntlG3 Busy Philipps (@Busyphilipps25) September 14, 2017 ALSO I LOOK NOTHING LIKE SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL -?!?????!!!!! https://t.co/3l8WVntlG3 Busy Philipps (@Busyphilipps25) September 14, 2017 I AM NEVER GETTING OVER THIS. I AM ACTUALLY DEAD NOW https://t.co/3l8WVntlG3 Busy Philipps (@Busyphilipps25) September 14, 2017 APPARENTLY NOT SINCE HE THINKS IM SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS https://t.co/JQ9yDwZc0i Busy Philipps (@Busyphilipps25) September 14, 2017 Yeah, were not seeing the resemblance either. (Photo: Getty Images) Anyway, Philipps wasnt done. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. ALSO. Pick on a woman for the insane lies she tells. Not cause she looks pissed off while telling them. I love women who look pissed off. Busy Philipps (@Busyphilipps25) September 14, 2017 Coopers Democratic Coalition Against Trump has been taking aim at Sanders after she said that ESPNs Jemele Hill should be fired for calling Trump a white supremacist, and has called for an ethics probe. Story continues My bad! Cooper tweeted after his mistake came to light. He also claimed that Philipps image showed up in a Google search when he was looking for a picture of Sanders. Oops! I deleted this tweet after I found out the pic wasn't Sanders but rather an actress w/ a huge fan base (who now all HATE me, lol). My bad! pic.twitter.com/AdET9yaEUE Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) September 15, 2017 My advice: Just because a Google search identifies an image as being a certain person, take that with a grain of salt! It could be wrong. Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) September 15, 2017 Also on HuffPost Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee participates in the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center on January 14, 2016 in North Charleston, South Carolina. Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas and Republican U.S. 2016 presidential candidate, stands for a photograph with a guest dduring the RISE Initiative black Christian summit in Tinley Park, Illinois, U.S., on Friday, July 31, 2015. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee arrives on stage at the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center on January 14, 2016 in North Charleston, South Carolina. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee speaks at the Growth and Opportunity Party, at the Iowa State Fair October 31, 2015 in Des Moines, Iowa. Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas and 2016 Republican presidential candidate, applauds on stage at the start of the Republican presidential candidate debate at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2015. Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee talks to reporters in the spin room after the first part of the Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center on January 14, 2016 in North Charleston, South Carolina. Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas, announces he will seek the Republican presidential nomination at Hempstead Hall in Hope, Arkansas, U.S., on Tuesday, May 5, 2015. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Montreal (AFP) - Canada's environment minister urged governments to move forward on the Paris climate accord Friday, speaking on the eve of talks over the agreement's implementation. "We have no choice folks, our kids depend on us," Catherine McKenna said in Montreal, where representatives from more than half of G20 members will attend a summit on the global climate pact. Saturday's meeting was requested by Canada, China and the European Union -- who all reaffirmed their commitment to the agreement when Donald Trump announced the United States' withdrawal in June. Nearly 200 countries agreed in Paris at the end of 2015 to limit or reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Their aim is to limit the rise in average global temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2050, compared to preindustrial levels. The Canadian minister also celebrated 30 years of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, alongside the EU's top climate official Miguel Arias Canete and China's representative on climate change Xie Zhenhua. "[The] Montreal Protocol is a success story of governments, experts, NGOs and ordinary people who acted together to overcome the greatest environmental threats in recent history," McKenna said. "We have an opportunity to accomplish even more with the Paris agreement. If we keep working together we can achieve great success in the fight again climate change." An amendment was added to the Montreal Protocol last year by the Kigali Agreement to phase out hydrofluorocarbons, an extremely harmful gas used in refrigerators and air conditioners. "Through the reduction of hydrofluorocarbons under the Montreal Protocol, the Earth can avoid warming by up to half a degree Celsius by the end of the century, while we continue to protect the ozone layer," McKenna said. KABUL/BUCHAREST (Reuters) - A Romanian soldier from a NATO-led mission was killed and two others wounded in Afghanistan on Friday when a vehicle rigged with explosives crashed into their convoy, the Romanian defense ministry said. The soldiers were traveling in a convoy in the Kandahar region, the ministry said in a statement. Romania, a NATO member since 2004, is contributing more than 620 troops to NATO's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan which faces attacks from Taliban fighters. The European Union state has lost 29 soldiers on foreign missions, with 180 wounded, the ministry said. "The security situation in Afghanistan remains unstable, with the majority of incidents occurring in eastern and southern provinces," the statement read. "NATO forces ... remain permanent targets of potential insurgent attacks." The coalition maintains nearly 13,000 troops from 39 countries, as part of a mission to train, advise and assist Afghan troops. U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan have asked for several thousand additional troops, but the request is stalled in Washington, where Trump has expressed scepticism over extending the American commitment. (Reporting by James Mackenzie and Luiza Ilie; editing by Ralph Boulton) Barcelona (AFP) - Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was expected in the Catalan capital of Barcelona Friday, a day after pro-independence leaders launched their campaign for a referendum outlawed by Madrid. Rajoy will meet members of his conservative Popular Party in the evening as tensions mount over Catalan plans to hold the banned vote on October 1 in a region sharply divided over whether they want independence or not. In front of a crowd of 8,000 fervent supporters in Tarragona on Thursday evening, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and other separatist leaders announced the official start of the campaign. "Vote, and in so doing bring light to darkness that has lasted for too many years," Puigdemont told the crowd inside a former bullring to shouts of "Independence," "We will vote" and "We're not afraid!" Organisers broadcast a campaign video that depicted the future of an independent Catalonia, free from "injustice", "threats" and embracing "freedom". - Big cities key - The event topped weeks of mounting tensions as Catalan leaders go ahead with referendum preparations despite Madrid's ban and a court ruling that deems it illegal. In Tarragona on Thursday -- a city where separatists are in the minority -- several critics mingled with hundreds of independence supporters who were unable to get in. "This isn't a government for all Catalans," complained Josep Enric Sabate, a 44-year-old real estate entrepreneur. "This isn't for real, only supporters of independence will go vote, they will win and who knows what will happen after." A poll in July commissioned by the regional government found that 49.4 percent of Catalans were against independence while 41.1 percent supported it. More than 70 percent, though, wanted a referendum to settle the matter. If they win, the separatists vow to declare independence within days for the wealthy northeastern region of Spain, home to around 7.5 million people. Story continues More than 700 mayors have pledged to hold the referendum, but they head up mostly small municipalities. Among the most populated cities, many will not get involved, and question marks remain over the biggest of them all -- Barcelona. Mayor Ada Colau said Thursday that people in Barcelona will be able to vote "without putting institutions or public workers at risk," but she gave no details as to how this would work. The city council, meanwhile, remains divided over the issue. Parties that oppose independence will not take part in the campaign for the vote, and have asked their supporters to boycott it. Carles Ruiz, the Socialist mayor of Viladecans, a town of 65,000 residents, denounced "pressure" on those mayors who refuse to participate in the referendum on social media or in person. "Some post photos of the mayors or of their homes," he told AFP. - 'Right to vote' - Catalonia, which accounts for about one-fifth of Spain's economic output, already has significant powers over matters such as education and healthcare. But Spain's economic worries, coupled with a perception that Catalonia pays more in taxes than it receives in investments and transfers from Madrid, have helped push the cause of secession. The pro-separatist camp argues that a referendum represents their right to self-determination. "What we are doing is exercising the right to vote... that forms part of a basic democratic exercise," Catalan Vice-President Oriol Junqueras told Spanish radio on Friday. They have also criticised what they see as heavy-handed measures by Madrid to stop the vote. Spain's public prosecutor has ordered a criminal probe into more than 700 Catalan mayors who have so far agreed to help stage the referendum and threatened to arrest them if they do not turn up for questioning in court. Prosecutors have also ordered police to seize ballot boxes, election flyers and any other item that could be used in the referendum and launched an official complaint against Puigdemont and other top Catalan officials over their referendum plans. But this only appears to strengthen the resolve of pro-independence Catalans. Junqueras told Thursday's gathering that more than 47,000 volunteers were willing to help out with the vote. The family of Kenneka Jenkins, who was found dead in an Illinois hotels walk-in freezer, has disputed the account of an activist who said that surveillance footage showed there was no foul play involved in her death. Jenkins, 19, attended a party at the Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel and Conference Center on September 8 with friends. Jenkins later went missing and her body was eventually discovered in a walk-in freezer at around 1:00 A.M. on Sunday. Andrew Holmes, a Chicago community activist who has been working with the family on the case, told the Chicago Tribune on Thursday that police had shown him the hotel surveillance footage. 09_14_Kenneka_Jenkins Facebook Holmes said that the footage showed Jenkins waiting in the hotel lobby while her friends returned to the ninth floor room where they had been partying. Jenkins took the elevator to a lower level of the hotel and wandered around, opening different doors. She eventually opened two doors in a kitchen area and went into the walk-in freezer, where the doors close behind her, according to Holmes account of the footage. Holmes said that the footage disproved theories circulating on social media that Jenkins had been murdered by her friends. The important part is we all wanted to know: Did anybody call her down there? said Holmes. Did anybody force her down there? Was there anybody on the other side of the room when she got down there? And the answer to that is no. Read more: Kenneka Jenkins's mother will see surveillance video after Chicago teenager's body was found in a freezer But Jenkins mother, Tereasa Martin, later said that Holmes had not been appointed to represent her family in the case. At a protest outside the hotel on Thursday evening, Martin answered yes when asked by a woman if the information given by Holmes at the earlier press conference was false, the Tribune reported. Story continues In a Facebook Live video posted on Thursday, Martin said that Holmes had called her and asked her to urge protesters to stop picketing the hotel, as it was losing money. Rosemont police said in a Thursday statement that they had released hotel surveillance footage to Martins attorneys at their request. They will now be able to view this footage at their convenience yet still have the opportunity to come to the police station at any time to discuss or review the footage with investigators, said the police statement. It is not clear whether Martin has yet viewed the footage. A spokesman for the Crowne Plaza hotel said on Thursday that the hotel had offered to pay for Jenkins' funeral. In the wake of Jenkins death, videos posted on social media by her friends of the night she went missing sparked wild speculation from observers, who suggested there had been foul play in the case. Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens said on Wednesday that the speculation was convoluting the investigation. Kenneka Jenkins screenshot Screenshot/Monifah Shelton/Facebook Rosemont police said on Wednesday that they had interviewed 12 people involved in the incident, including eight who were present with Jenkins on the night and morning when she went missing. An autopsy conducted by the Cook County Medical Examiners Office on Sunday failed to determine a cause of death. Police are waiting on further investigations and a toxicology report to try and determine what killed Jenkins. Related Articles China condemned North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, but said it was "irresponsible" to blame Beijing for regional tensions after Washington urged it to rein in its ally. After the North's latest test, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on China to use the oil it supplies to North Korea as leverage to pressure the isolated nation into reconsidering its nuclear programme. But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing had made "enormous sacrifices at a great price" by implementing UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. "The core lies in a conflict between the DPRK and the US. The focal point of the contradiction is not China," Hua told a regular news briefing, using the acronym for the North's official name. "China is not the driver behind the escalation of the tensions. China also does not hold the key to the Korean peninsula issue. The initiators of a trouble should end it," she said. "It's irresponsible and unhelpful for the settlement of the issue to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form." China on Monday backed an eighth set of sanctions against North Korea at the UN Security Council after Pyongyang's latest and largest nuclear test, banning it from trading in textiles and restricting oil imports. Washington had called for an oil embargo, but it softened its stance in order to secure the backing of China and Russia. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour," Tillerson said. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own." In New York, the Security Council called an emergency meeting for later Friday after Pyongyang conducted its furthest-ever missile flight over Japan and into the Pacific. "The Chinese side opposes the DPRK's violation of the resolution of the Security Council, and its use of ballistic missile technology for launch activities," Hua said. Story continues "The concerned parties should exercise restraint. They should not take any further action that could aggravate the situation on the peninsula and in the region," Hua added. Asked if Beijing would change its approach, Hua said China will "continue to comprehensively and completely implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council". She said UN resolutions should be implemented in a "balanced and comprehensive way". "That means on the one hand, we should maintain the pressure to prevent the development of the nuclear and ballistic activities from the DPRK," Hua said. "But on the other hand, all parties should take concrete, effective and reasonable actions to create favourable conditions for the early resumption of peace talks, in order to push forward a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue. BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese academics are publicly broaching the idea that China and the United States should share plans on how to deal with a potential conflict on the Korean Peninsula, a sign some say of how North Korea's weapons test may be making Beijing more open to the once taboo subject. Chinese officials have rebuffed top U.S. military brass for years in their efforts to share contingencies for war or regime collapse in Pyongyang, suspicious over Washington's intentions and fearful that such engagement could further alienate North Korea, their once steadfast wartime ally. Jia Qingguo, the dean of the School of International Studies at China's elite Peking University and a respected advisor to Chinese leaders, said in an article this week that with the chances of war increasing daily, it might be time for China to "prepare for the worst". "When war becomes a real possibility, China must be prepared. And, with this in mind, China must be more willing to consider talks with concerned countries on contingency plans," Jia wrote in an article first published on the online East Asia Forum run out of Australian National University. Given recent developments, "Beijing may have no better choice than to start talking with Washington and Seoul", Jia said. Ties between China and North Korea have deteriorated sharply in recent years, to the point some diplomats and experts fear Beijing may become, like Washington, a target of its neighbor's ire. Jia's comments, at the forefront of what is still a sensitive debate in China, were made before North Korea on Friday fired a missile that flew over Japan's northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean. That test came after the U.N. Security Council's latest round of sanctions on Monday banning North Korea's textile exports and capping fuel supplies in response to Pyongyang's accelerated effort to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. Xie Tao, associate dean at the School of English and International Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University, said Chinese academics in years past would typically only express their opinions on whether China should be sharing plans with Washington behind closed doors. "Now you can get all sorts of people from the left and right and they are allowed to make their views public," Xie told Reuters. "You could interpret that as a signal that the Chinese government is perhaps willing now to consider, if not actually join up to, contingency plans," Xie said. "My sense is that there must be some in-depth discussion about what could potentially happen if there is a collapse or internal chaos how Beijing and Washington should respond to this." During a trip to China in August, Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended Chinese military drills at China's Northern Theater Command in the city of Shenyang, which covers China's border with North Korea. Some analysts perceived that as China opening a crack in the door to its own preparations, but neither side are showing their cards to the public. Dunford said in Beijing during that visit that despite Washington's urgings the "conditions aren't set for such a detailed conversation" between the two militaries. U.S. military officials have privately voiced frustration that previous channels established for direct military communications line are essentially unstaffed on the Chinese side. Dunford said creating a round-the-clock "responsive" communications link that could be used in a crisis was a top priority for military ties. For a graphic on North Korea's missile and nuclear tests, click: http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/NORTHKOREA-MISSILES/010050SV1V2/northkorea-missiles.jpg (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Lincoln Feast) A gorilla has found a new home in Cincinnati in a first for the city's zoo since its highly criticized decision to fatally shoot Harambe. Mshindi is a 29-year-old western lowland gorilla who arrived in Cincy from the Louisville Zoo. Watch: Mom of Boy Who Fell Into Gorilla Enclosure: I Watch on My Kids, Accidents Happen He was transferred to Cincinnati as part of a multi-zoo collaborative move recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, according to a statement. The gorilla will first make himself at home in the outdoor habitat before being introduced to females Chewie, 21, and Mara, 22. Mshindi has settled in nicely, said Ron Evans, the Cincinnati Zoos Curator of Primates. We worked closely with Louisville Zoos gorilla staff to learn Mshindis trained behaviors for body presentations and health exams and to get familiar with his likes and dislikes. When working with highly intelligent animals like the great apes, its imperative for keepers from both zoos involved in a transfer to collaborate and exchange detailed information to ensure a smooth transition. Mshindi's introduction also comes as a reminder of a male gorilla that met his controversial end last year. Harambe was killed by zoo officials last year to protect a 4-year-old boy who fell into the habitat. Zoo officials stood by their decision after a firestorm erupted online over his killing. In addition to widespread outrage sparked by video of the 2016 incident, the deceased gorilla became a meme that continues to persist to this day. Watch: Harambe's Grandmother Euthanized At 49-Years-Old It is viral fame that Cincinnati Zoo officials would like to put behind them. And they appear to be doing so with additions like Mshindi and with a remodeled indoor habitat for the apes. "The zoos gorilla groups will rotate outside daily until Gorilla World closes on October 3 for final renovations on the new indoor habitat," the zoo said in a statement. "If you dont catch a glimpse of him in the next few weeks, there will be many more viewing opportunities when the zoos new indoor facility opens later this year!" Story continues Watch: Harambe-Shaped Flamin' Hot Cheeto Sells for $99,000 on eBay Related Articles: Many faith leaders have spoken out since the Trump administration announced it would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in six months. (Photo: Courtesy of Church World Service) Christian leaders and activists gathered Wednesday on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to protect young undocumented immigrants. Falling almost two weeks after President Donald Trump announced that he would terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the event aimed to shine a light on Christian ethics while putting pressure on Congress to pass legislation to protect young immigrants from deportation. As this president has abandoned DACA recipients, as people of faith we are calling on Congress, the administration and the broader public to pass the Dream Act, the Rev. Reuben Eckles, a pastor with Church World Service, told NBC News at Wednesdays gathering. Eckles was referring to a bill first proposed in 2001 that would grant legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, the so-called Dreamers. To demonstrate their conviction, clergy members knelt on the concrete outside the Capitol and washed the feet of DACA recipients, mirroring a moment in Christian Scripture in which Jesus washed the feet of his disciples before the Last Supper. We gather this day to bear witness to Gods command to love others as we love ourselves, especially the immigrant and refugee, said Kentucky-based pastor Laurie Brock in a statement. May our leaders restore our faith in the promises our country has made for decades to transform this country in love, justice, and welcome. Rev. Jennifer Butler, CEO of Faith in Public Life, commented: The Bible says that which we do to the most marginalized among us, we do to Christ himself. To turn your back on the Dreamers is to turn your back on Christ. Deyanira Aldana, a DACA recipient from New Jersey who participated in Wednesdays event, said: I came [to the U.S.] when I was 4 years old to reunite with my family and received DACA when I was 16. It allowed me to get a job that did not mistreat me and did not underpay me. It helped me support my family financially and protected me from deportation. But I worry that without protection for immigrant youth, my younger brother and sister will now be deportable and that our family will be torn apart. Congress must pass a clean Dream Act to protect our communities. Story continues Clergy wash the feet of DACA recipients on Capitol Hill in a gesture of humanity. (Photo: Courtesy of Church World Service) Since the Trump administration announced earlier this month that it would end DACA in six months, punting the issue to Congress to resolve, many religious leaders have spoken out on the urgency of protecting the nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who could be at risk of deportation. Its certainly not Christian, and I would contend its not American, said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York. Pope Francis drew a comparison between immigrant rights and the anti-abortion movement, saying in an interview with reporters aboard the papal plane: A good pro-lifer understands that family is the cradle of life and that its unity must be defended. I believe that this law comes, I think, not from Congress but from the executive branch of the government, the pontiff 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. Members of Trumps informal evangelical advisory board said they disagreed with Trumps decision but would be focusing their attention on petitioning Congress to devise a plan to protect Dreamers. This has been an ongoing effort to make sure were being a voice for the voiceless, said Rev. Tony Suarez. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. I'm an immigrant, son of a farmworker, & honored to serve as a U.S. Congressman. We should all have this opportunity. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/bi54szApXF Rep. Salud Carbajal (@RepCarbajal) January 27, 2017 Great love of my life, my abuelita, became a US citizen when she was in her 80s. She was so proud. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/ygJXGaTdh5 MariaElena Fernandez (@writerchica) January 27, 2017 My dad is a Mexican immigrant who risked it all 2 live & raise a family here +start his own business.He makes America great #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/0y1SYIWXIV Belle (@esabelleeden) January 26, 2017 This is my Mexican fam failing @ taking a pic. We're just a family. Some are citizens some have green cards. #ImAlreadyHome #werealreadyhome pic.twitter.com/oTKiziZF6H Francesca Gamez (@cescathebesta) January 26, 2017 This sits on an island in my apt. A source of inspiration and strength. @DefineAmerican #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/VHfb3iuW5W Jose Antonio Vargas (@joseiswriting) January 27, 2017 My single mother from Mexico put all three of us through college. Her dignity & hardworking rhetoric make this country great. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/Ocra7jJsze alejandra l-g (@exploding_girl) January 26, 2017 #ImAlreadyHome My grandpa served for the USA NAVY from The #Philippines award The Purple Heart Great Grandparents came for #Freedom #USA pic.twitter.com/la96TaUj0Q Nanette Fabros (@ntfabros) January 27, 2017 Happy early-birthday to my Mexican-Immigrant father who came to America with two gallons of water and a box of crackers. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/MirFVMzcJp Yasmin Rey (@myasminrey) January 26, 2017 My U.S.-born grandmother got illegally deported. But nothing or no one will stop us. We persevered!! #ImAlreadyHome https://t.co/wq42Uop97O pic.twitter.com/CUWwDdhP1L araceli cruz (@chelipj) January 26, 2017 Worked in the CA CV fields next to my parents. Earned a BA, MS..have taught 100's of children to read. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/aWS1aP8NOB Solymar (@1phototeach) January 27, 2017 My mother raised 4 kids on her own. 3 went to college, the other serves in the @USMC She works helping the community #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/E2fCEiZA6F Susana Orozco (@SusanDelCampo) January 26, 2017 #ImAlreadyHome My Grandma, the one in the middle, is 1st generation. Her mom came to the US at age 6 in 1909. Proud to be an American Woman pic.twitter.com/jloVszt7V2 Jo Booklover (@jolovesbooks) January 26, 2017 My 90 year old grandmother is a natural born citizen,but my father is an immigrant.#ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/YpFRKErQUl Summer Salazar (@slsanf) January 26, 2017 my dad is an immigrant who risked it all to give his family a better life than what he had in Mexico. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/G12hOA7Bzn pattie (@pattieamaranth) January 27, 2017 My grandparents left Cuba to escape a dictatorship and cleaned floors for years to help me get into school #ImAlreadyHome Christopher Mendoza (@DozaChris) January 27, 2017 I immigrated from Ireland and my husband from Chile. Our kids are Chirish. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/Arnx73Vhxf Sarnata Reynolds (@SarnataReynolds) January 27, 2017 My #Abuelitas came here in the 70s & sacrificed so we could have enough. This year I graduate with my Masters Degree. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/qdXtyoh7ql Daniel T. Clark (@Danieldcclark) January 27, 2017 My mom-in-law left a tiny Honduras village 48 years ago 2 raise 3 kids alone in NOLA & run her biz. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/zTaadi3RbA MariaElena Fernandez (@writerchica) January 27, 2017 My grandfather, Afro-cuban immigrant. Came to play baseball in a racist south. Refused to allow segregation defeat his pride. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/i5oIw4zLDw Thatninjajay (@julianelijah) January 27, 2017 Both my parents were first-generation middle school, high school, & college students. They graduated & gave me the best life. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/T0erRikatY Levi (@Levi_Har) January 27, 2017 My dad immigrated from , worked 3 jobs to put himself thru college, sometimes only had enough $ to buy bag of rice to eat. #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/DOAfO8ec6u Paulina Vera (@Pnvera) January 27, 2017 Born to a military dad and an Argentine Syrian mom who expriencd gov abuse in her own cntry that we wont allow here #ImAlreadyHome Roxanne Krause (@rgenteeny) January 27, 2017 Born during the civil war of El Salvador worked hard to become a citizen of USA #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/php4pbXrsR Erika E (@evesbk) January 27, 2017 My parents came here from South Africa to live in a country that strives to value everyone #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/St2qOoXBcH JanksMarc (@janksmarc) January 26, 2017 My mom braved the desert to get here in search for the American Dream & raised 3 proud Americans who give back to the world #ImAlreadyHome Alba King (@psychenoel) January 27, 2017 Here's me with my dad, who came to the U.S. from Hong Kong seeking opportunity. Eternally grateful to be an American! #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/yny3JBDkjI Curtis M. Wong (@c_wong79) January 26, 2017 At my college graduation in 2014. My sister is now a sophomore @BarnardCollege my dad came to this country for this #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/tRh2EdTHlf Marlene (@MMarleneS) January 26, 2017 When my mom was my age (24), she took a risky 3 day bus ride with a bag chips and bottle of water in search of a better life #imalreadyhome Celeste Zumwalt (@celestezumwalt) January 27, 2017 My Ama came to the US legally & raised 10 kids alone & fostered many more, worked in the fields & marched with Cesar Chavez #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/svC5X7cDF1 Jessica Carmen (@yoyeska) January 26, 2017 My parents built themselves from the ground up. Raised me to work hard & have strong core values. #ImAlreadyHome #1stGenLatinx #WeDIDVote pic.twitter.com/fUSMoekbjM La LuchaNora (@xdswgx) January 26, 2017 Papi. Who came to this country, fought for this country & served in this country for over 30 years! #VietnamVet USAirForce #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/GO5F3I5fIr Meralis Hood (@meralishood) January 26, 2017 Grandma from Ciudad Juarez, great-grandparents from MX. Laborers, educators, WWII vets. Me and my family love this country. #ImAlreadyHome Rob Trucha (@RobertTheJr) January 27, 2017 This woman taught herself English to become a US citizen while being a single mom of three #ImAlreadyHome pic.twitter.com/WeXgRg1tc4 Arleene (@ArleeneValdez) January 27, 2017 my parents escaped Venezuela & its dictatorship so i could have a future full of opportunity & freedom. trust me when i say #ImAlreadyHome y: (@mariahernvndez) January 27, 2017 This article originally appeared on HuffPost. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results There were six lions, seven tigers and a leopard but no bears. Arkansas authorities responding to a report of exotic animals locked in cages on a farm found exactly that in Poinsett County over the weekend. Read: After Ringling Bros. Closure, Activists Zero in on Zoos: 'Animals Deserve Better' Its a really weird story, state Fish and Game Commission spokesman Keith Stephens told InsideEdition.com Wednesday. The exotic menagerie and its owner were killing time while paperwork was being sorted for the animals to be flown from neighboring Tennessee to Germany, Stephens said. Apparently, the group was turned away from a Nashville airport because their documentation showed they were missing a tiger, Stephens said. The big cat, named Suzy, had escaped earlier this month by jumping from the owners truck onto a Georgia highway. It wandered into a residential neighborhood, where it attacked a womans dog. Local authorities later shot and killed the animal. Read: Sickly Tiger Rescued From Backyard Circus Is Now in Love and Happily Married Some local reports said the animals were parked in a warehouse on a farm owned by a friend of the animals' owner. Stephens said state game officials and sheriffs deputies kept watch over the caged cats until the groups documents were in order. The animals were escorted to the state line, where Tennessee authorities accompanied the trucked animals to the airport Tuesday for their flight to Germany. They cats were purchased by a Florida animal troupe from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, which ceased performing in May after 146 years in business. Watch: How a Circus Tiger Got Loose on Georgia Highway Related Articles: The first day of major joint war games between Russia and Belarus began in confusion Thursday, as the militaries of both countries announced the Russians would be moving in opposite directions. The defence ministry in Moscow first announced that units of the Russian first tank army were rushing toward Belarus - a statement swiftly denied by the Belarusian military, who insisted the Russian tanks were heading to training bases in their own country. The confusion only exacerbated fears that the Zapad war games taking place largely in Belarus are a cover for a Russian assault, like those that preceded the annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Belarus' Col.Alexander Prokopenko, left, reads his order to start the drills at a training ground Credit: Vayar m/AP Many have joked that the Russian forcesofficially numbering 3,000might not withdraw at the end of the exercises, and analysts have speculated that they could leave behind military equipment to cut down deployment time in case of conflict. Without question, all participants of the exercises will return to their permanent bases after the exercises, including the Russian units to the territory of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Makarov, spokesman of the Belarusian defence ministry, told journalists. He added that the war games don't hold any danger for Belarus, for neighbouring countries, for Ukraine. Yet while the exercises are designed to demonstrate Russia's ability to fight Nato, they have also eroded Minsk's claims to neutrality and alarmed its neighbours. On Thursday, Poland's defence minister called Zapad 2017 a serious threat to regional security, and Ukraine has been holding its own Unflinching Firmness military manoeuvres this week. Even before it started, Zapad had been rattling Nato and its allies. Sweden is holding its largest military exercises in two decades, responding to a simulated attack from the direction of Russia, and US army tanks and fighting vehicles arrived in northern Poland on Monday as part of the ongoing Operation Atlantic Resolve exercises. Story continues A Belarus' soldier aims his anti-aircraft gun at a training ground at an undisclosed location in Belarus. Credit: Vayar Military Agency/AP Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian president who has long played Russia and the West off each other for aid money, cheap oil and political benefit, has only reluctantly proceeded with this year's biannual joint exercises. Displaying unusual openness, the Belarusian authorities said they have invited more than 80 observers from international organisations and nearby countries. The 12,700 troops officially said to be participatingWestern pundits have estimated up to 100,000 could actually be involvedfall under the threshold for broad international monitoring. Belarus has been trying to distance itself from Russia and establish neutrality in tensions between Russia and the West, and these exercises ruin this, said analyst Valery Karbalevich. A Russian T-90 tank firing in Kubinka Patriot Park outside Moscow during the first day of the "Army 2017" International Military-Technical Forum. Credit: Aleander Nemenov/AFP But Belarus can't refuse because it would be very disloyal to Russia. If it wasn't already clear that the Zapad exercises were a thinly veiled preparation for a conflict with Nato, their supposed aggressor countriescalled Lubeniya, Veishnoriya and Vesbasriyawere located roughly where Lithuania, Latvia and Poland are on a map shown at the Russian defence ministry briefing. Moscow is demonstrating to Washington and Nato it can quickly establish control of Belarus and cut a corridor to the Russian exclave Kaliningrad, headquarters of the Baltic fleet, according to analyst Alexander Golts. For first time in many years Russia is openly working out military actions against Nato members, he said. The war games also showcase Russian military equipment, which was on display to buyers at the Army expo in Moscow earlier this month. Some 140 tanks, up to 150 artillery and air defence units and more than 40 planes and helicopters will participate. But some here worry Belarus is becoming Russia's Western front. For years Moscow has been seeking an airbase in Belarus, and Russia recently proposed creating a joint air defence system with Belarus. Earlier this month, the Belarusian opposition staged a protest against the Zapad exercises as a threat to independence. The main danger is that we are drawn into a conflict. On our territory the Russian army will train to attack the West, said Mykola Statkevich, the recently freed opposition leader. No one wants conflict, but when escalation is happening, no one wants to step down, the likelihood of negative scenarios increases. Uber is quietly increasing the prices of some journeys in and around the London area, the ride-hailing service revealed in an email to drivers. In an attempt to pad the wallets of drivers during slow hours, UberPool ride-shares will be a bit more expensive for passengers. Typically, an UberPool trip is 25 percent cheaper than an UberX journey. Between the hours of 4AM and 8PM on weekdays, however, that discount will be reduced to 15 percent. UberPool is also being disabled at Heathrow Airport, meaning you can no longer get a cheap lift home by sharing with randoms that've also just touched down. The cost of trips in the 'burb boroughs of Spelthorne, Elmbridge and Reigate & Banstead are also increasing to bring them more in line with London prices. The tweaks were noted alongside several improvements to Uber's driver-facing app. These include an alert when a trip is expected to take longer than an hour, in-app messaging between drivers and passengers, and the ability for drivers to share real-time journey info (passengers already had this option). Uber says it's also cooking up a feature that'll tell drivers when and where is the best place to pick up jobs. All good news for drivers, not so much for passengers. Just last week, Uber said it was slapping an extra 35 pence on any non-UberPool trip in London to top up the coffers of its "Clean Air Fund." This pot will be used to give drivers up to 5,000 towards a new hybrid or electric car. The ride-hailing service has set several green goals, including making its London fleet purely electric by 2025. With prices increasing in the capital, it's the perfect time for rival Taxify to shine. Taxify promised to be a cheaper alternative to Uber, but it's currently offline while it butts heads with Transport for London over its private hire licence, or lack thereof depending on which side you're listening to. By Rex Curry DALLAS (Reuters) - Workers in Dallas removed a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a park on Thursday, with police on hand to provide protection after the mayor said the monument was a symbol of injustice and the city council voted to bring it down. The removal came a month after a rally where white nationalists angered at the planned removal of a Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, clashed with counter-protesters. One woman was killed during the Aug. 12 protest, when a suspected white nationalist crashed a car into anti-racism demonstrators. The violence in Charlottesville revived a national debate about whether symbols of the pro-slavery Confederacy of the American Civil War represent heritage or hate. Confederate monuments dot the U.S. landscape. The 14 foot- (4.3 meter) tall statue in Dallas of Lee on horseback riding with an unnamed soldier has been at a city park since 1936, with then President Franklin D. Roosevelt on hand for its dedication. Workers in yellow vests took down the Lee statue and hauled it away on a trailer pulled by a pick-up truck, during an operation lasting about four hours, according to a Reuters Witness. Dozens of bystanders watched while police, including some officers armed with rifles, stood guard. Melinda Gutierrez, a spokeswoman for Dallas police, said in an email she had received no reports of any violence during the removal operation. A city task force on Confederate monuments is set to give a recommendation next month on what will be done with the statue. Lee Park, where the statue stood on a grassy hill near downtown, may also be renamed, city officials said. Earlier this month, a U.S. judge dismissed a lawsuit from the Sons of Confederate Veterans, who were seeking court protection to keep the statue in place in the park. Opponents of Confederate memorials view them as an affront to African-Americans and ideals of racial equality. But supporters of such symbols argue they represent an important part of history, honoring those who fought and died for the Southern states that sought to secede in the Civil War. Story continues The drive by civil rights groups and others to do away with Confederate monuments gained momentum after an avowed white supremacist murdered nine African-Americans at a Charleston, South Carolina, church in 2015. New Orleans and Baltimore are among the municipalities that have removed Confederate monuments this year. (Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin and Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) President Donald Trump may finally be putting his deal-making skills to work in Washington. Over a Chinese food dinner in the Blue Room of the Executive Mansion, Trump seemed to reach an agreement in principle with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi that would preserve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. A week after cutting a deal with the two Democrats to raise the debt limit while funding hurricane relief, Trump once again reached across the aislecutting out Republican congressional leaders in the process. Its unclear whether the deal to protect Dreamers will be consummated or how long Trumps outreach to Democrats will last. As Democrats celebrated, the White House walked back the idea that an agreement had been reached, and the Presidents tweets provided little clarity. While the rumored agreement fits the broad outlines of what lawmakers on Capitol Hill are thinking, the deal will hinge on its details. Whats clear is that days after Trump announced he would rescind DACA with a six-month sunset period, the President is still wrestling with his decision to end the widely popular Obama-era executive action, which threatened to become a political albatross for him and Republicans writ large. Wednesday nights dinner was advertised as an opportunity to begin talks on congressional action to protect roughly 800,000 people brought to the U.S. illegally as children. And yet Democrats walked out stating Trump had agreed to pair the DACA fix with additional border security funding. The White House, which had provided its own bland readout of the dinner, found itself under fire from the GOP base, which opposes action on DACA, and from GOP lawmakers who felt blindsided for the second time in a week. The move highlighted Trumps growing frustration with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, whose failure to replace the Affordable Care Act and criticism of Trumps Charlottesville comments incensed the President. Until now, Trump has depended almost solely on congressional Republicans to implement his agenda. Aides said his newfound embrace of Democratseven if fleetingwas the Presidents warning to his party that he is willing to find new friends. Story continues White House officials argued there was no deal and that Trump did not, as Democrats said, agree to remove border wall funding from consideration as part of a DACA fix. In tweets Thursday morning, Trump said there was no final deal, yet defended the outlines of what he and the Democratic leaders are pursuing. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military, Trump tweeted. Really! They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security. As Trump traveled to Florida to tour damage from Hurricane Irma, he muddied the waters even further. An aide told reporters aboard Air Force One that Trump was open to considering a path to citizenship for the DACA recipients. The President said moments later that he was notand would not be open to amnesty, the politically charged term his base uses in criticizing efforts to provide legal status to those in the U.S. illegally. Trump also said he wants an understanding on building the border wall with Democrats, otherwise were not doing any deal. The head-spinning 14 hours highlights the tensions within the White House and between the President and his party. Trump has pinned his hopes on an enthusiastic base that was willing to tolerate his unorthodox policies and norm-shattering transgressions. A Republican by convenience, Trump holds few core ideological beliefs. Some moderate aides have tried to pull him back to the center on issues like DACA, while his cadre of nationalist advisers pushed for him to end the program. Instead of ideology, Trump is often driven by the pursuit of public affirmation. The criticism he faced over the DACA recision caught him by surprise, leading him to publicly encourage Congress to come up with a fix. Now, as his base objects to the outcome of Wednesdays dinner, Trump is at least rhetorically backing away so as not to alienate his core supporters. With healthcare reform undone and the prospects of tax cuts by the end of the year still daunting, Trumps overarching concern is finding a win for his beleaguered agenda. The President has tended to care little about whom he cuts a deal with or what it containsjust that he can proclaim victory. Here are your must reads: Must Reads Inside the White House Hurricane Response How the federal government responded to two devastating storms [TIME] Rice told House investigators why she unmasked senior Trump officials Republicans say it was appropriate [CNN] GOP to Release Tax Overhaul as Trump Says Rich Wont Benefit Republicans prepare for legislative sprint on a plan they expect would cut taxes for the wealthy [Wall Street Journal] Mueller Probe Has Red-Hot Focus on Social Media, Officials Say Facebook officials likely to face Congress, key lawmaker says [Bloomberg] Trump ethics watchdog moves to allow anonymous gifts to legal defense funds In a reversal of internal policy, the Office of Government Ethics says funds benefiting aides caught up in Russia probes may accept anonymous gifts from lobbyists [Politico] Treasury Secretary Mnuchin requested government jet for European honeymoon Latest embarrassment for the Trump official [ABC] Sound Off DACA. The word is DACA. President Donald Trump asked Thursday morning if he favors amnesty. I dont think its unclear to anybody what those campaign promises were, but it looks to me like hes preparing to keep Hillary Clintons promise rather than his own. Iowa Rep. Steve King, a Trump supporter who opposes any legislative solution to DACA, on CNN. Bits and Bites Why Stephen Bannon Doesnt Scare Washington Anymore [TIME] Attacked in bed, safe a few feet away: Cuba mystery deepens [Associated Press] Regret Not Voting in Last Years Election? Hillary Clinton Doesnt Forgive You [TIME] How An Old-Fashioned Senator Is Living In Donald Trumps Washington [BuzzFeed] An ESPN Commentator Called Trump a White Supremacist. The White House Said Its a Fireable Offense [TIME] ESPN says it accepts Jemele Hills apology after anti-Trump tweets [CNN] The Sole Black Senate Republican Lectured President Trump on Racism After Charlottesville [TIME] Sean Spicer Just Gave Jimmy Kimmel His First Interview Since He Left Team Trump [TIME] Donald Trump: Crooked Hillary Clinton Lost the Election Because She Had No Game [TIME] President Donald Trump criticized his former presidential campaign opponent Hillary Clinton Thursday morning for her loss in the election. Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Trump tweeted. Clinton and her election strategy have come up after she addressed her loss in her new book, What Happened. In it, Clinton cited then-FBI Director James Comeys unexpected investigation announcement, Russia, even herself and others for ultimately costing her the presidential election, Politico noted. The deplorables came back to haunt Hillary. They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game! Trump added in another tweet. Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 The "deplorables" came back to haunt Hillary.They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Trump referenced the now infamous deplorables comment Clinton made while campaigning when she said, You could put half of Trumps supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables, while speaking to donors at an LGBT for Hillary fundraising gala in New York City. Theresa May rebuked Donald Trump over the Parsons Green Tube attack after he suggested those responsible had been in the sights of Scotland Yard. Mrs May called the intervention by the US president unhelpful, as he appeared to claim Britain needed to be tougher and more proactive in the fight against terrorism. The diplomatic row threatened to undermine the special relationship and intelligence sharing arrangements between the UK and US. Mr Trump, not for the first time, also used the attack to justify his controversial proposed travel ban on people from some predominantly Muslim countries entering the US. Following a backlash against his comments the president said he would be telephoning Mrs May right now. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Summarising that call, a White House spokesman said: He conveyed his sympathies and prayers for those injured in the terrorist attack in London. The president pledged to continue close collaboration with the United Kingdom to stop attacks worldwide targeting innocent civilians and to combat extremism. It was unclear whether Mr Trump had received a briefing before making his claims, in which case he leaked British intelligence, or if he jumped to a conclusion without evidence about who was behind the attack. In a series of tweets, Mr Trump wrote: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off and use better! Story continues He added: The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific but stupidly, that would not be politically correct. We have made more progress in the last nine months against Isis [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant] than the Obama Administration has made in eight years. Must be proactive and nasty! The timing of Mr Trumps tweets suggested it was unlikely he had been briefed on British intelligence, and UK security services later said they did not know who was responsible. After chairing a meeting of the Governments Cobra emergencies committee, Mrs May said it was not helpful to speculate on an ongoing investigation, and the police were still working to identify who had carried it out. Pathetic excuse by London Mayor Sadiq Khan who had to think fast on his "no reason to be alarmed" statement. MSM is working hard to sell it! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2017 In Downing Street, Mrs May said: I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. The police and security services are working to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify all those responsible. Her comments were echoed by the Metropolitan Police who said the US presidents intervention was unhelpful and pure speculation. Later, at the White House, Mr Trump was asked if he had any further reaction to the London attack. He said: No, its a terrible thing. It just keeps going and going, and we have to be very smart, we have to be very, very tough. Perhaps we are not nearly tough enough. But that is just an absolutely terrible thing. In fact, Im going to call the Prime Minister right now. Parsons Green London Underground terror attack, in pictures Asked if he had been briefed on the attack he gave an ambiguous answer. Mr Trump said: Yes, I have on numerous things happening, including North Korea. So Ive been briefed, and Im going to get right now for the briefing. He did not say whether any briefing had occurred before or after he sent his early morning flurry of tweets. Mr Trump was speaking outside the White House where Frank Giaccio, an 11-year-old boy, was mowing the lawn after writing to Mr Trump asking if he could. Writing on Twitter, Nick Timothy, Mrs Mays former chief of staff, said of Mr Trumps claims: True or not and Im sure he doesnt know this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner. Forensics officers can be seen next to the evacuated tube train at Parsons Green Station Credit: Peter Macdiarmid/LNP Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor with whom Mr Trump has previously clashed, refused to be drawn on the latest intervention. He said: Ive simply been too busy this morning to look at my Twitter. My priority is making sure that we do what we can to keep Londoners safe. Mr Khan fuelled a row over police cuts, saying London could not be kept safe of the Government continued to cut resources. He said: London needs more resources to keep our city safe. Since 2010 weve lost hundreds of millions of pounds of the police budget, reduced police stations. For a global city like London, we will not be able to keep our citizens safe if the government continues to make the cuts they have been making. "It was quite a terrifying moment" Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor with whom Mr Trump has previously clashed, refused to be drawn on the latest intervention. He said: Ive simply been too busy this morning to look at my Twitter. My priority is making sure that we do what we can to keep Londoners safe. Mr Khan fuelled a row over police cuts, saying London could not be kept safe of the Government continued to cut resources. He said: London needs more resources to keep our city safe. Since 2010 weve lost hundreds of millions of pounds of the police budget, reduced police stations. For a global city like London, we will not be able to keep our citizens safe if the government continues to make the cuts they have been making. President Donald Trump responded to a terror attack in a London Underground station on Friday by saying that the U.S. should expand his ban of travelers from predominately Muslim countries. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 He later told reporters that, we have to be tougher [on terrorism]. Perhaps were not nearly tough enough. Trump signed a revised executive order earlier this year blocking travelers from six majority-Muslim countries, including Syrian refugees, from the United States. Multiple federal appeals courts had blocked the ban, but in June, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from the administration of those rulings, giving the executive order a temporary green light. Trump has previously used a terrorist attack in Britain to promote the ban. In June, he responded to an assault on London Bridge by tweeting, we need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety! He also attacked London Mayor Sadiq Khans response to the attack, prompting Khan to call on U.K. officials to cancel the presidents upcoming visit. Khan, the U.K. capitals first Muslim mayor, responded to Trumps tweets on Friday by saying, Im not going to go there. A police spokesperson told CNN that Trumps comments on Scotland Yard were pure speculation and unhelpful. Story continues British Prime Minister Theresa May also criticized Trumps tweets, saying that, I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. Trumps quick response to the attack belies claims he made in August following the violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he waited two days to condemn the far-right groups behind the event. I couldnt have made it sooner, because I didnt know all of the facts, he said at the time. It was very important to me to get the facts out and correctly. Because if I would have made a fast statement and the first statement was made without knowing much other than what we were seeing. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. In his first visit to Florida since Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on the state, Donald Trump used his national spotlight to encourage one of his supporters to run for Senate. The President travelled to Fort Meyers, Florida to address Hurricane Irma rescue workers and members of the Coast Guard. He was accompanied by Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Governor Rick Scott. Mr Trump, sporting a white USA hat, thanked the crowd assembled. He spoke briefly about the hurricane recovery effort, before turning his attention to Mr Scott. "I have to say, what do I know, but I hope this man right here, Rick Scott, runs for the Senate," Mr Trump said. "I don't know what he's going to do, but I know that at a certain point, it ends for you, and we can't let it end." Mr Scott, whose term expires in 2018, is a Republican favourite to run against incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson. Mr Scott vigorously endorsed Mr Trump in 2015, even before he was chosen as the partys nominee. He accompanied the President on his first dinner out in Washington after Inauguration Day. Mr Scott has received increased media attention in the wake of Hurricane Irma's devastation. The Category 4 storm destroyed a quarter of the houses in the Florida Keys, and killed 24 people across the state. Hundreds of thousands of people are still without electricity. Last weekend, eight people died after being left in a Florida nursing home without air conditioning. Mr Scott used his close relationship with the President to his advantage during the storm, talking with Mr Trump by phone every day as the hurricane approached. The administration quickly approved his request for a disaster declaration. In an interview with Politico, Mr Scott said the President gave him everything Ive asked for. Just spoke to @POTUS - he offered the full resources of the federal government as Floridians prepare for Hurricane Irma, Mr Scott tweeted the day after the storm hit Florida. Story continues On Thursday, Mr Trump called the Governors hurricane response incredible, and bragged that it was being talked about all over. The job hes done is incredible, and I guess Ive been very lucky because, you know, you have a great governor in Texas; you have a great governor in Florida, the President said. ESPNs Jemele Hill is not backing down from comments she made on Twitter earlier this week about President Donald Trump, but she said she regretted putting the network that employs her in an unfair light. Days after calling Trump a white supremacist on Twitter, the ESPN host released a statement about what she called the elephant in the room. Hill wrote that the comments she made about Trump expressed her personal beliefs and that she has unconditional respect for ESPN and her colleagues. So, to address the elephant in the room ... #Facts pic.twitter.com/RTrIDD87ut Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 14, 2017 Hills statement came hours after White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the ESPN hosts messages a fireable offense. On Monday, Hill, who co-hosts ESPNs SC6 with Michael Smith, attacked the president in a series of tweets, labeling Trump a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists. She also said the president was ignorant and unfit to serve. Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists. Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017 ESPN released a statement the following day, saying Hills point of view does not represent the network. ESPN Statement on Jemele Hill: pic.twitter.com/3kfexjx9zQ ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) September 12, 2017 On Wednesday, CNN reported that ESPN issued another statement indicating the network had accepted Hills apology. Jemele has a right to her personal opinions, but not to publicly share them on a platform that implies that she was in any way speaking on behalf of ESPN. She has acknowledged that her tweets crossed that line and has apologized for doing so. We accept her apology. Story continues Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Also on HuffPost A man holds up a sign during a protest against racism gathered in front of the White House, on August 14, 2017 in Washington, DC. Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower. Hundreds of protesters gather outside of Trump Tower. A woman raises her fist at the front of a march down Washington Avenue to protest racism and the violence over the weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival, August 14, 2017 in New York City. Supporters of anti-Trump protestors hold up signs inside Trump Tower ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival, August 14, 2017 in New York City. Pedestrians walk past a 15-foot tall inflatable rat in the likeness of U.S. President Donald Trump at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street up the road from Trump Tower, August 14, 2017 in New York City. A President Donald Trump supporter (left) argues with anti-Trump protesters as they gather outside of Trump Tower. Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue near Trump Tower. Hundreds of protesters gather outside of Trump Tower. Protestors rally on Fifth Avenue. A man holds up a sign during a protest against racism in front of the White House. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The European Commission is preparing a list of legal options on how to make digital multinationals such as Amazon, Facebook and Google pay more tax, Reuters reports. The paper is being prepared for an EU summit taking place on September 29, and will be published by the time the Digital Summit takes place. Pierre Moscovici, the commissioner for economic and financial affairs, taxation and customs, said today that the paper will put "all options on the table." "We believe that the digital economy should be taxed as the rest of the economy. They should pay their fair share of taxes," he said as he arrived at a meeting of EU finance ministers taking place in Estonia. Earlier this week a group of finance ministers from several major European Union economies signed a joint letter calling for a turnover tax to reform tax rules across the bloc by responding to where tech platforms generate revenue, not just where they book profit. "I welcome the letter sent by some ministers... They support the approach of the Commission to launch the CCCTB [Common corporate tax base] -- a structural tax base," said Moscovici. "We will put all of the options on the table." In a state of the union letter published on Tuesday, the EC's president Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed the executive body's intent to come forward by the end of 2018 with a proposal to establish common rules on the taxation of the digital economy. Although any proposal would have to be agreed by all EU member states and the EU parliament before it could be implemented. Some EU countries are angry that the current system allows digital giants to minimize their tax liabilities by using subsidiaries sited in low-tax countries -- such as Ireland, Luxembourg and Malta. Asked by reporters whether the turnover tax being proposed by finance ministers in France, Germany, Spain and Italy is practical, Moscovici said: "There are several options... It's not a one-way avenue," before adding: "We will explore all options" -- including, he said, "taking into accounts works outside the EU," citing the WTO and the G20. Story continues "We need a global approach," he added. Pressed on whether low-tax EU economies would be likely to agree to this type of digital tax reform, which would be likely to disadvantage their own economies, he said: "We are not yet at the stage of the proposals so we cannot say how they would react." One idea Moscovici voiced is that the taxation of digital multinationals could be enshrined within a re-launched CCCTB, which does not currently make reference to digital giants but aims to structurally reform the corporate tax base, though, again, he stressed there are "several options" at this stage. LONDON At least 29 people were injured after a bomb exploded in a West London Underground station during rush hour on Friday, causing a fire inside a train and a stampede of panicking commuters. The blast at the Parsons Green Tube stop was caused by an improvised explosive device, Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Rowley said. Police said they were investigating the incident as terrorism. The self-described Islamic State later claimed the attack was carried out by an affiliate. British Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the United Kingdoms terror threat level has been raised from severe to critical the highest possible level in light of the attack. Authorities identified a suspect thanks to video footage Friday afternoon, multiple news outlets reported. London residents shared photos of the area, with one post showing a bag on fire inside a train car. Several witnesses reported seeing injuries, and a Metro reporter said some people were badly burned. A BBC journalist said she saw a woman taken in ambulance with burns top to toe. One traveler, Sylvain Pennec, told The Guardian, I heard a boom, and when I looked, there were flames all around. Police, firefighters and medical services arrived at the station minutes after the incident was reported around 8:20 a.m. local time. The London Ambulance Service said several people were taken to the hospital, most with burns, but that none appeared to be in serious or life-threatening condition. Three others went to the hospital voluntarily, health officials said. It was the scariest moment in my life... a wave of ppl coming downstairs, school children, elderly... people burned... #parsonsgreen #london pic.twitter.com/p1hPaqswtf Lord Gustavo Vieira (@gacv80) September 15, 2017 Witnesses described a stampede of people rushing off the train. Story continues All of this happened within 15 seconds, Olaniyi Shokunbia told HuffPost. Its just crazy ... [I] saw masses of people running, so I started running myself ... were running down stairways, I see people jumping into people ... not caring if they break their bones. Ive never seen such a thing in my life. Emma Steventon, 27, who lives in Parsons Green, told HuffPost UK she heard lots of screaming and was told to run, but didnt know why. Everyone just got crushed on the stairs, it was like a human pile-on, stampede, it was horrendous, she said. I had a lady underneath me shouting that she was pregnant and the pressure of more and more people falling on top because we couldnt get down the stairs quickly enough. This poor little boy had his face smashed in and he was screaming, she added. It was just like, just hold on, just try and breathe, try not to break anything, it was awful. Firefighters later led passengers off the train tracks, according to The Associated Press. Tim and Karalyne Hyde told HuffPost that they were staying at their daughters nearby apartment when they saw, out the window, tons of people running panicked past the flat ... disorderly, chaotic people were confused and being led in one direction by police. Explosion on Parsons Green district line train. Fireball flew down carriage and we just jumped out open door. pic.twitter.com/pGbfotbfsJ Rigs (@RRigs) September 15, 2017 Train service in West London was partially suspended and the area around the station was closed off with police tape. Some people who live and work inside the cordoned-off area told HuffPost that they were blocked from entering. Holly Leslie, 19, and her mother Susan opened up their home to offer anyone who had evacuated a restroom or place to charge electronics. My uni starts next week, Leslie said. If this were a week later, I would have been on that Tube. Holly Leslie, 19, opened up her home to let people fleeing the #ParsonsGreen attack use restroom or charge their phone pic.twitter.com/BYdslfgzRq Willa Frej (@willafrej) September 15, 2017 The bombing is the latest in a string of terror attacks in the U.K. this year, including three in the capitol. In July 2005, suicide bombings in the London Underground killed 52 people and injured hundreds more. British authorities saw 379 terror-related arrests during the year ending in June 2017, a record high for the nation, according to figures released by the Home Office this week. Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said on Friday. As London has proved again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. The prime minister met with her national security committee on Friday afternoon. My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident, said May. U.S. President Donald Trump responded to the attack by blaming a loser terrorist and then promoting his travel ban in a series of tweets. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Parsons Green is an upscale residential neighborhood about five miles west of central London. Karen Wright, who lives in the area, told HuffPost that Fridays incident is proof that attacks can happen anywhere. It wasnt a matter of if but a matter of when, she said. Were all walking on eggshells. View more photos from the scene below. Police forensics officers work alongside a London Tube train at Parsons Green station in West London on Sept. 15, 2017, after an apparent terrorist incident. A police officer escorts an injured woman from the scene. A woman reacts outside Parsons Green station. People talk on their phones near the scene. At least 22 people were injured in the incident. Armed police officers walk through the carriage of of the Tube train. A Tube train stopped at Parsons Green Underground Station. Forensic officers near the scene. Members of the London Fire Brigade emergency service work near Parsons Green. Police cordoned off an area around the Parsons Green station. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The family of an Illinois teen who was found dead in a hotel freezer is demanding to know how the tragedy could have occurred. The body of Kenneka Jenkins was found Sunday at Rosemont's Crowne Plaza hotel after the 19-year-old disappeared following a house party the night before. Read: Body Believed to Be Missing 11-Year-Old Girl Found in Freezer, Mom Arrested While police initially said Jenkins likely found herself in the freezer while intoxicated before succumbing to the cold, a viral Facebook Live video shared by the teen's friend hours before she died has fueled alternate theories about her death. The mystery has sparked nationwide outcry from people demanding answers, including some famous names. "My prayers and condolences go out to the family of # KennekaJenkins our sisters will be protected and justice will be served," Chance the Rapper tweeted Monday. The next day, Missy Elliott tweeted her support. "I pray they find out who did this to #KennekaJenkins smh," she wrote. "This is very unsettling! This is a worry for every parent out there!" Meanwhile, Jenkins' family was set to review surveillance footage Thursday that was taken in the hours before her death. Cops say the video shows her in an inebriated state. In a separate video, the one that's caused a stir on social media, a woman is seen talking on the phone and smoking in mirrored sunglasses as music plays in the background. Some viewers of the video, which has been played millions of times, believe that a scream can be heard in the background and that Jenkins is reflected in the womans glasses. Jenkins' mother has remained especially visible since her daughter's death began making headlines, in part because she felt like faster reaction on the part of authorities following her disappearance might have made a difference. Teresa Martin says she showed up at the hotel herself to try to find her in the hours after she didn't come home. "I said could somebody please look into the cameras to see if they see my daughter in the hotel...manager said there's nothing we can do," she told reporters at a press conference Sunday. Story continues Twenty-four hours later, after filing a missing persons report, the family got the news Kenneka was found dead in the unused freezer. Watch: London High Rise Blaze That Killed at Least 79 Started in Freezer: Cops "It takes strength to open these doors, the freezer doors. So, if she couldn't hardly hold herself up... How did she find the strength to unlock both the double doors?" Martin wondered days later. Police say they are reviewing about 30 hours of video collected from hotel cameras. The Medical Examiners Office said Wednesday an autopsy on Jenkins' body was inconclusive. The Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel and Conference Center released a statement saying, "The Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel and Conference Center holds the safety, security and well-being of our guests and employees as our top priority and concern. We are saddened by this news, and our thoughts are with the young woman and her family during this difficult time. The hotel staff will continue to cooperate fully with local authorities. All further questions should be directed to the Rosemont Police Department." Watch: Investigation Discovers Some Hotel Rooms Have Hidden Cameras Installed Related Articles: Los Angeles (Etats-Unis) (AFP) - Fifteen US Marines were injured Wednesday, five critically, when their amphibious assault vehicle caught fire during a training exercise, a military spokesman said. The incident occurred at Camp Pendleton, California while a Marine battalion was undergoing a combat readiness evaluation, Marine spokesman Paul Gainey confirmed. "Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident at this time," his statement said. No other details were given about the fire or possible causes. The injured Marines were evacuated to hospitals in the area, with eight taken to the Burn Center at University of California San Diego Health. Three of those were in critical condition and five in serious condition. Two more were in critical condition at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, the Marines said. Amphibious Assault Vehicles have been used by the Marines since the 1970s and are designed for landings from the sea. Wednesday's incident followed two other fatalities at Camp Pendleton, the Marines' biggest base on the west coast of the United States. On August 30, a 22-year-old Marine was found dead during a training exercise. The cause of death has not yet been established. In 2015, a 19-year-old Marine was found shot dead in the head on a firing range at the base. In mid-June, seven sailors were killed when the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship off Japan. COLOMBO (Reuters) - A young British journalist was dragged into a river and killed by a crocodile while holidaying in Sri Lanka, the country's navy said on Friday. Paul McClean, 24, who worked in London for the Financial Times, had been on a surfing holiday in the popular eastern coastal area of Arugambay when the incident occurred on Thursday, the navy said. His body was found on Friday. "The navy was able to recover the body of a foreigner who had been snatched by a crocodile on September 14," the Sri Lankan navy said in a statement. The BBC quoted an eyewitness as saying local people had heard him screaming for help as he was pulled into the river. "By the time they went to the spot where the croc attacked, they couldn't save him because already the crocodile had pulled him inside the water so they couldn't see what was going on," it quoted Fawas Lafeer, the owner of a surf school, as saying. McClean, an Oxford University graduate with a first-class degree in French, joined the FT as a graduate trainee two years ago and worked most recently for the fastFT news service. The FT's managing editor James Lamont described McClean as "a talented, energetic and dedicated young journalist" who had had "a great career ahead of him" at the newspaper. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones," Lamont said. (Reporting by Costas Pitas and Guy Faulconbridge in London and Ranga Sirilal in Colombo; Editing by Gareth Jones) A Florida girl died of carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Irma left millions without power, officials said Thursday. The fumes emitted from a generator in her Lakeland home likely caused her death. A medical examiner concluded that 7-year-old Terryn Wilsons cause of death was carbon monoxide intoxication. Her mother remained in critical condition at a Miami hospital, according to a statement released by the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The girls mother, Shashunda Wilson, 41, discovered her daughter dead Wednesday morning. Her mother operated the generator in the living room as the two slept in a bedroom, officials said. The girls death is part of a series of terrible incidents in the wake of Hurricane Irma, which ravished Florida last week. Over 20 people in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia died from the storms unforgiving wrath. The hurricane landed in the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm. Previously, it was a Category 5 hurricane with 185 mph winds. The storm prompted many to use generators as sweeping winds and massive flooding downed power lines. This was the first time Wilson used the Power Stroke 5500-watt generator and was unaware it wasnt for residential use, Fox-affiliate WTVT reported. Hurricane Irma Photo: Getty Images/ Jose Jimenez "This is the first death our agency has worked related to Hurricane Irma. It's a tragedy when anyone dies, but when a child dies, it's a horrific tragedy," Sheriff Grady Judd said. Terryn Wilson's mother called 911 before noon Wednesday. The child felt dazed when she woke up she told dispatchers. Polk County Fire Rescue arrived at Wilsons home, where they found the mother sitting outside, WTVT reported. Officials transported the two to Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Story continues The mother and daughter lived in a small duplex located at 5124 Dossey Road South. A nearby residence had high levels of CO as well, but no one sustained injuries, according to investigators. Improper generator use has led to numerous carbon monoxide poisoning incidents following Irma, including a 26-year-old Florida man who died at a hospital Thursday after officials discovered him at his home near Hialeah. A dog was found dead Wednesday due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and a house burned down Monday, caused by a generator fire, according to reports. Generators should never be used inside, instead, they should be in a well-ventilated place away from a house, Cherie Jacobs, a Tampa Electric public relations manager told the Associated Press. "This means not in a garage, not in a carport, not in a patio or a deck and this is so you can air out that, ventilate that carbon monoxide, which is deadly," she said. Generators should only be used to power appliances with extension cords, and users should always follow manufacturers' directions, Jacobs added. "Please do not wire that generator to your breaker box or attach it to your whole house using an outlet. That can create a dangerous situation for line crews," she said. "This is called back feed and it creates electricity and sends it on the power lines and if crews are working in your area, that can be very dangerous for them." Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas and health officials suggested that residents keep a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector in their homes. Hurricane Irma Photo: Getty Images/ SAUL LOEB Related Articles Floyd Mayweather Jr. speaks at a news conference after a super welterweight boxing match against Conor McGregor, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP) During his 2016 presidential campaign, then-candidate Donald Trump stirred up a great deal of controversy when a recording from 2005 captured the soon-to-be president describing how to hit on women in extremely vulgar terms. Many people took issue with Trumps tactic to grab them by the [expletive], but one person who had no problem with what he deemed as locker room talk is none other than Floyd Mayweather. Mayweather recently appeared on Hollywood Unlocked to discuss a number of things but came to the defense of President Trump on that particular topic. People dont like the truth, Mayweather said about Trump. He speak like a real man spoke. Real men speak like, Man, she had a fat [expletive]? I had to grab that fat [expletive]. Right? So he talking locker room talk. Im the man, you know what Im saying? You know who I am. Yeah, I grabbed her by the [expletive]. And? Mayweather wouldnt go as far as to say that he and Trump are friends, but did say that he could call him direct at any time. He would go on to say that he needed to find out whats going on so he could relay the message to everybody else who wouldnt take those steps to meet with the current president. This isnt the first time that Mayweather has caused a stir when it comes to the 45th president. Back in November, a picture of Mayweather with Trump and his son surfaced on Instagram. Mayweather didnt shy away from the criticism and decided to attend his inauguration in January. Mayweather reiterated that it wasnt because he and Trump were friends, but because he wanted to attend an inauguration for the next president. I just wanted to say I did it one time in my life, Mayweather said. It didnt matter who the president was. I just wanted to go to be a part of it, to see how it is. But one thing that Mayweather would explain is why people need to stop complaining about the man who currently runs the White House and has been embroiled in a number of controversies since taking office. But for the man who recently dispatched of Conor McGregor and raked in another nine-figure payday, the people that Trump affects are those like him: rich. Story continues A lot of times, its, Aw, man, its going to affect us. My man, if you aint making 400, 500, $600 million, its not going to affect you no [expletive] way. Its only going to affect somebody like me, Mayweather said. Im the [expletive] that should be trippingpaying $34 million, $25 million, $26 million [in taxes]. I should be tripping! But guess what Im saying? Its alright. It is what it is. Ultimately, Mayweather believes that everybody should worry about themselves and not what the president is doing. From Trumps views on immigration and decision to end DACA to what transpired in Charlottesville, Mayweather says that people shouldnt concern themselves with any of it. As bizarre as that may sound, its Mayweathers story and hes sticking to it. A lot of times, we spend too much time talking about and worrying about other peoples business instead of worrying about our own, he continued. I got to where I got toits easy, I make millions and millions of dollars on a daily basisbecause I focus on Floyd. Chelsea Manning has been appointed as a Harvard Fellow, prompting a resignation from the school by former CIA official Mike Morell Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell has resigned from Harvard over the schools appointment of Chelsea Manning as a visting fellow. Mr Morell is a Senior Fellow at the Belfer Centre for Science and International Affairs at the university. In a resignation letter obtained by CBS News, Mr Morell wrote that he fully support[s] Ms Mannings rights as a transgender American, including the right to serve our country in the US military. However, he could not be part of an organisation - The Kennedy School - that honours a convicted felon and a leaker of classified information. Ms Manning, formerly known as Bradley Manning, was a US Army soldier who was convicted by court-martial in July 2013 after she leaked almost 750,000 military and diplomatic documents to the website Wikileaks that contained classified or sensitive information. She began hormone therapy and transitioning while serving her 35-year confinement sentence. Former President Barack Obama commuted her sentence in January 2017, saying that the seven years she had spent in prison from the date of her arrest in 2010 was sufficient punishment for her crimes. Some hailed Ms Mannings document leaks of military airstrikes in Iraq, Afghanistan, and thousands of diplomatic cables as a win for transparency. Others called her a traitor to the US government. Ms Manning had at one point been on trial for charges of aiding the enemy and could have gotten the death penalty had she been convicted. Mr Morell wrote that senior leaders in our military have stated publicly that the leaks by Ms Manning put the lives of US soldiers at risk. According to the Institute of Politics, a separate entity from the Belfer Centre at the Harvard Kennedy School, Ms Manning was invited as a fellow to discuss issues of LGBTQ identity in the military. NEW: Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell resigns as Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy school over hiring of Chelsea Manning pic.twitter.com/qrD7MCdVtx CBS News (@CBSNews) September 14, 2017 Donald Trump recently ordered a ban on transgender from serving in the US military, but gave Defence Secretary James Mattis six months to formulate a plan with how to follow through with the order. Story continues Many active duty soldiers took to social media to say that there were plenty of transgender members of the US military who served honorably and were not convicted of espionage that would be in a better position to discuss the matter. Mr Morell said her appointment would help legitimise the criminal path Ms Manning took. I have an obligation to my conscience - and I believe to the country - to stand up against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information, wrote Mr Morell. Ms Manning will be joined by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, Hillary Clintons campaign manager Robby Mook, and Donald Trumps campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski. Everyone who joins the Arbor Day Foundation in September will receive 10 free trees as part of the Foundations Trees for America program. Through Trees for America, everyone is encouraged to plant trees, which benefit the environment and improves quality of life. With nearly 1 million members and supporters, the Arbor Day Foundation is the nations largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. Everyone joining this month will receive one of the following tree packages based on their location: 10 Arizona Cypress, 10 Live Oak or 10 Mix trees including eastern redbud, white pine, sugar maple, white flowering dogwood, pin oak, red maple, river birch, silver maple, northern red oak, and Colorado blue spruce. The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting between Oct. 15 and Dec. 10. The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge. Easy-to-follow planting instructions are enclosed with each shipment of trees. New members of the Arbor Day Foundation will also receive The Tree Book, which includes information about tree planting and care. To receive the 10 free trees, send a $10 membership contribution to Ten Trees, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, by Sept. 30, or join online at arborday.org/september. Former Vice President Al Gore pointed to investors, instead of governments, as a linchpin in leading progress on fighting climate change. "Governments can be very fickle," Gore, who narrowly lost his bid to become U.S. president in 2001, said at the Milken Institute's Women Leaders' Summit in Singapore on Wednesday. "But once there is a big shift in the investment marketplace, then that generates a momentum that's really unstoppable." Earlier this year, President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris agreement, an international accord aimed at reducing the impact of climate change, despite the objections of many large corporations. But Gore said the role of investors has become more important as climate change worsens. He pointed to recent extreme weather events, including Hurricanes Harvey and Irma as well as devastating flooding in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. "This community [of investors] can avoid an avoidable risk and seize the greatest opportunities in the history of business and commerce by looking clearly at the new reality we face and deploying assets accordingly," Gore said. He highlighted the "really significant" cost reductions for climate-saving technologies, such as solar, wind, batteries and electric vehicles, and noted that the fastest-growing profession is windmill technician. The rise in global sea levels has accelerated since the 1990s amid increasing temperatures, with a thaw of Greenland's ice sheet pouring ever more water into the oceans, a team of international scientists reported in July. In the U.S., the cost of climate change is expected to be steep. A Science study estimates that every one degree Celsius increase in global mean temperature will cost the U.S. 1.2 percent of its economic growth. Separately, a recent assessment by Lloyds estimated that flooding ranked high among the top five risks to global economic growth, and could cost upwards of $430 billion. But Gore added that technological advances were providing solutions to slow climate change, noting that was one of the reasons for the recent release of his new documentary, "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power," the follow-up to his 2006 Oscar-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." Gore noted, however, that lobbying interests could intervene. "The legacy power of fossil fuel companies in many countries is such that they still have the ability to slow down this transition," he said. "But investors who can adopt a clearer view of where we're going in the future have the opportunity and, I would argue, the obligation to their asset owners and their clients to really advocate for a clear-eyed view of where we should be going instead of surrendering to the narrow interests that some of these lobbying communities are pursuing." CNBC's Matt Zdun and Lucy Handley contributed to this report. More From CNBC Soldiers leaving Fort Bragg in North Carolina: Jonathan Drake/Reuters At least 15 soldiers have reportedly been injured and taken to hospital after an explosion at a training field at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The injured have been taken to Womack Army Medical Center, according to WRAL News, with all of the injured members of the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). Were looking into an incident that occurred today on Fort Bragg, said Lt. Col. Robert Bockholt, a spokesman for USASOC. It did incur injuries, but the extent of the injuries are yet to be determined. While military officials had not yet released the cause of the injuries, ABC affiliate WTDV reported that the casualties stemmed from a vehicle rolling over. The incident extends a grim week on US military bases. Fifteen Marines were injured yesterday at Camp Pendleton - located near San Diego, California - when their amphibious assault vehicle burst into flames during a training exercise. Eight of those Marines were evacuated to a burn center at the University of California, San Diego, where three were in critical condition and five were in serious condition as of yesterday, according to a press release from the Marines. The growing roster of servicemembers hurt or killed during drills has paralleled calls for better training. In advocating a bill to allocate more money, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, said on the Senate floor earlier this week that 42 servicemembers have died this summer during training exercises. Perhaps the greatest harm to our national security and our military is self-inflicted, said Mr McCain, a decorated veteran. PARIS (Reuters) - Turkey on Friday released French journalist Loup Bureau who was seized by security forces on the Iraqi border last month, his lawyer said on Friday. Bureau was detained by Turkish border guards in early August after he was found to have photographs and interviews with Kurdish militia fighters among his possessions. "We are pleased to announce the release of journalist #LoupBureau. He will be expelled from Turkey shortly," lawyer Martin Pradel said via Twitter. French President Emmanuel Macron last month expressed his concerns about Bureau's detention in a telephone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. The announcement came as French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian concluded a two-day visit to Turkey. Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia, with which Bureau is accused of having links, to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group. The PKK has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey and is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Bureau's lawyer said a Turkish court had not closed the case. "We must continue to fight," Pradel said in another tweet. (Reporting by Caroline Pailliez; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Michel Rose and Matthew Mpoke Bigg) (Photo: HuffPost) (Photo: Hannah Mckay / Reuters) TOP STORIES (And want to get The Morning Email each weekday? Sign up here.) EXPLOSION ROCKS LONDON TUBE STATION Multiple people were injured after an apparent explosion rocked a West London underground station during rush hour on Friday, police said. Panicked travelers flooded the streets around the Parsons Green Tube stop following the incident, which authorities said they were investigating as terrorism. [HuffPost] [Tweet | Share on Facebook] NORTH KOREA FIRES ANOTHER MISSILE OVER JAPAN The intermediate range missile flew 2,300 miles and landed in the Pacific Ocean. [HuffPost] HARVARD RESCINDS OFFER OF VISITING FELLOWSHIP TO CHELSEA MANNING Douglas Elmendorf, dean of Harvards Kennedy School, called Mannings fellowship designation a mistake. [HuffPost] THEY RISKED EVERYTHING TO ESCAPE POVERTY. THEN THEY HAD TO ESCAPE FORCED MARRIAGE. These Cambodian women were promised a better life in China. Instead, they became pawns in a flourishing bride market. [HuffPost] CONGRATS TO THE CLEVELAND INDIANS On setting the longest winning streak in over a century with their 22nd consecutive victory. Now if only the St. Louis Cardinals could just take a page out of that book... [Reuters] THIS FLORIDA NURSING HOME WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A REFUGE Then it turned into a death warehouse. [HuffPost] WHATS BREWING ITS BEEN A GOOD RUN NASAs Cassini spacecraft will end its groundbreaking 13-year mission to Saturn on Friday with a meteor-like plunge into the ringed planets atmosphere, transmitting data until the final fiery moment. [Reuters] SELENA GOMEZ REVEALS SHE GOT A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT THIS SUMMER From her best friend. [HuffPost] STEVE MNUCHIN SAYS HE REQUESTED GOVERNMENT PLANE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS He wanted it to be a secure flying office. [HuffPost] WHY FREEZING YOUR CREDIT ISNT A GOOD IDEA If your data is already breached, it wont do much for you. [HuffPost] MULTIPLE ENDINGS ARE COMING An HBO executive says Game of Thrones plans on shooting a variety of endings to keep viewers from being spoiled. [HuffPost] Story continues AND FOR THE BIGGEST NEWS OF THE DAY The new Crayola crayon color is... [Mental Floss] BEFORE YOU GO Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Harvard University announced early Friday that it will rescind its invitation for Chelsea Manning to be a visiting fellow during its upcoming academic year. In a blog post published early Friday morning, Douglas Elmendorf, dean of Harvards Kennedy School, called Mannings fellowship designation a mistake. Manning had been invited to spend a day at the Kennedy School under the mantle of visiting fellow, a title that he said was used to describe some people who spend more than a few hours at the school. We did not intend to honor her in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds, as we do not honor or endorse any fellow, Elmendorf said. However, I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility. Chelsea Manning, who served seven years in prison for sharing classified information with WikiLeaks, will no longer be a fellow at Harvard University. The school rescinded her invitation early Friday. (Photo: Heidi Gutman via Getty Images) The universitys decision to withdraw the fellowship invitation followed a day of public pressure. CIA Director Mike Pompeo called Manning an American traitor, and said he would withdraw from an appearance at the Kennedy Schools John F. Kennedy, Jr. Forum. Former CIA Chief Michael Morell also resigned his role as a senior fellow at Harvard over the Manning invite. You have traded a respected individual who served his country with dignity for one who served it with disgrace and who violated the warrior ethos she promised to uphold when she voluntarily chose to join the United States Army, Pompeo wrote. CIA Director Withdraws from Harvard Kennedy School Forum pic.twitter.com/N7YKyGy9H4 CIA (@CIA) September 15, 2017 Manning, 29, served seven years in prison for sharing classified information with WikiLeaks, the largest breach of such intel in U.S. history. The remainder of her 35-year sentence was commuted by former President Barack Obama in January and she was released in May. Harvard originally announced the news of Mannings fellowship on Wednesday, touting her as the Kennedy Schools first transgender Fellow. Story continues Early Friday, Manning responded to the controversy on Twitter. honored to be 1st disinvited trans woman visiting @harvard fellow they chill marginalized voices under @cia pressure #WeGotThis https://t.co/7ViF3GaSec Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 The university offered an apology to Manning, and still plans to invite her to spend the day at the school, Elmendorf said. I apologize to her and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard today for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation, Elmendorf stated. This decision now is not intended as a compromise between competing interest groups but as the correct way for the Kennedy School to emphasize its longstanding approach to visiting speakers while recognizing that the title of Visiting Fellow implies a certain recognition. Others invited to be visiting fellows this year include Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary under President Donald Trump, and Corey Lewandowski, Trumps former campaign manager who was arrested and charged with assaulting a journalist. But it was Manning who sparked outrage. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Former CIA Deputy Director @MichaelJMorell resigns as Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy school over their hiring of Chelsea Manning pic.twitter.com/JORdp4ysHR Mosheh Oinounou (@Mosheh) September 14, 2017 I have an obligation to my conscience and I believe to the country to stand up against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information, Morell wrote in his own letter. Shortly after Morell announced his resignation, Manning fired back on Twitter with a one-word reply: Good. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Meng Meng and Henning Gloystein BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China, blighted by pollution and long known for churning out cheap manufactured goods, is looking to dominate the high-end of a major growth market: solar power. Under a new program, China is pushing the industry to mass market high-performance solar cells so far used mainly in high-tech products like satellites. Making these cells more affordable will likely further boost a sector that has already disrupted global electricity generation. It will also put pressure on international solar cell makers such as Canadian Solar , REC Solar , Sharp <6753.T> and Sunpower which compete with Chinese leaders including LONGi Green Energy Technology <601012.SS>, Trina Solar and JA Solar Holdings . Under its 2017 "Top Runner Program", China's National Energy Administration (NEA) plans to add 8-10 gigawatt (GW) of solar capacity to its existing 80 GW. "This shift ... could have far-reaching implications for the global solar industry, especially vaulting China into the top ranks of countries pursuing solar R&D," Stanford University said in its 2017 report on the solar industry. For a graphic on world vs China solar power capacity click http://reut.rs/2eYTF9H MULTI OUT, MONO IN World solar power generation capacity has ballooned to around 300 GW from just 1 GW in 2000, according to International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) data - and is set to double again by 2020. That growth has largely relied on multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells - sometimes called polycrystalline - in which solar units consist of multiple silicon crystallines. These have been cheaper to produce than the more efficient mono-crystalline cells, which are made from single crystalline units. The price of multi-crystalline cells has dropped to well below 50 cents per watt from $80 in 1980. But prices are now converging as China scales up production of mono-crystalline cells. Energy Trend, a consultancy, says the average price of a Chinese high-efficiency, multi-crystalline cell is now $0.225 per watt, compared to just $0.319 for high-efficiency, mono-crystalline cells. "With poly-silicon products, we have seen the (development) ceiling. Now, we are ramping up investment of mono-solar," said Xie Tian, director of quality management at LONGi Green Energy Technology. "Mono-crystalline can take more than 50 percent of the market," he said, up from around a fifth today. Analysts say demand for mono-crystalline panels is already strong. "Many panel makers... can't meet orders. Their bookings are full until next year," said Jason Tsai of Energy Trend. For a graphic on renewable power generation is outgrowing fossil fuels click http://reut.rs/2jhIr1a NOT NEW, BUT BETTER Mono-crystalline technology is not new, but because of its cost, has mainly been used in high-tech space products. But its use is likely to increase as the cost differential narrows, meaning a higher efficiency can be had at a similar price. Under the "Top Runner" program, pay-outs known as Feed-in-Tariffs will favor high-efficiency projects. "It's much easier to meet the requirements on mono, therefore it (the program) is accelerating investment in mono," said Steve O'Neil, CEO of REC Solar, a Singapore-based panel maker owned by Chinese state-owned ChemChina. Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy, a leader in solar development, said in July the record laboratory efficiency for mono-crystalline was 26.7 percent per cell, versus 21.9 percent for multi-crystalline. While China is driving the shift into mono-crystalline, producers globally are adapting. REC, for example, says it is starting to move into mono-crystallines after focusing largely on multi-crystalline cells. "We've been looking into mono to further improve power output. In early July, we started production of a... mono solar panel specifically designed for Japan's residential market," O'Neil said. Solar cell development doesn't end with mono-crystalline cells, and China's competitors aren't sitting idle. Fraunhofer has developed so-called multi-junction cells with an efficiency of 46 percent, and U.S. aerospace giant Boeing's Spectrolab is developing cells with similar efficiency. For a graphic on solar power cell efficiency click http://reut.rs/2f4Ga8y (Additional reporting by Muyu Xu in BEIJING; Editing by Ian Geoghegan) After President Donald Trump criticized Hillary Clinton for her election loss on Twitter Wednesday, Clinton responded by offering to send him a copy of her childrens book, It Takes a Village. Trumps tweet was issued seemingly in response to the release of Clintons new memoir What Happened in which she gives her account of what led to her defeat at the polls last November. Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss, he wrote. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Clinton fired back by suggesting that Trump read It Takes a Village to learn how to cooperate with others. If you didnt like that book, try this one some good lessons in here about working together to solve problems, she tweeted Thursday with a picture of the book. Happy to send a copy. Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 It is rare that something provides an ah-ha moment, but an initiative called Seeking Education Equity and Diversity (SEED) has been creating these moments for more than 100 people in the Black River Falls community since 2012. In Black River Falls, SEED is a monthly three-hour seminar held Fall through Spring where groups of 20 people or less from all walks of life get together to discuss their perspectives on equity and diversity. SEED is a national program that was started in 1987 by Dr. Peggy McIntosh as a professional development opportunity for PK-12 educators. Mary Jo Rozmenoski, president of the Black River Falls School District, experienced one of these ah-ha moments when attending a SEED session. Rozmenoski said her grandparents were boarding school parents for Native American children while she was growing up. She had always thought that it was a wonderful thing that they had an opportunity to learn to speak English and other things that were taught there. While experiencing SEED, she instead learned that these children were physically removed and forced to speak English. I thought all my life that this was a wonderful thing, Rozmenoski said explaining that this was a personal revelation for herself. Kim Parker, a four-time SEED facilitator, explained that this lesson is common for those that participate in SEED. One of the SEED concepts is, you dont know what you dont know. You only believe what the world has taught you, Parker said. There were just things that I wasnt taught based on the knowledge that I was given. Barbara Blackdeer-Mackenzie, another SEED facilitator, said helping people better understand equity and diversity is the major benefit of SEED. Anybody who has been marginalized-whether thats people with disabilities, people of color, gender and more-all kinds of different people can be oppressed. That might feel like a strong word, but in fact oppression and empowerment are considered when you are mindful of how you behave and how you speak in your own head to others. So SEED to me is a pursuit of social justice, said Blackdeer-Mackenzie. SEED explores how it was we got the messages we did growing up, keeping oppressive systems in place that create societal inequity, and what might help people-all people-live the life we were taught was possible. All people getting treated fairly and equitably. While the Ho-Chunk Nation does provide funding for the program and the meal that is provided, two-time SEED attendee Marcus Lewis explains this is not just a Ho-Chunk 101 session. This is not Ho-Chunk 101. That isnt the point of SEED. It isnt just sitting around talking about treaty rights and our casinos and our trust lands and so forth, Lewis said during a presentation to the Black River Falls School District board. Common topics discussed during a SEED session include racism, homophobia, gender identity, sexual orientation and privilege, which Lewis said does not just include white privilege. It is a really interesting perspective to have a conversation about that with your community members. Its not just white privilege, which I think is the one that gets the most press, but also male privilege, heterosexual privilege, ableism and some other things I think are prevalent, Lewis said. Sowing the SEEDs Since SEED was originally meant as a professional development tool for teachers about equity and diversity, it was first introduced by the Ho-Chunk Nation to the Black River Falls School District in 2012. When SEED was first introduced to the community, it was introduced by the Ho-Chunk Nation for a possible collaboration. So the first SEED group was primarily all staff members, Severson said. Many teachers in the district have now participated in SEED and are leading the charge for teaching with diversity and equity in mind, which is something Severson feels is a great asset for the district. We have a group called the Culturally Responsive Teaching Committee, and that committee contains several people who have been through the whole SEED process, Severson said. I think that the district directly benefits because anytime somebody grows within their own person or within their own professionalism, and feels strengthened by that growth, it positively impacts the work that they do with kids. Lewis said this growth is especially important in a school district like Black River Falls where the population is very diverse. Fundamentally from a numbers standpoint, at least one out of five students that your faculty will run into are not like them. Right? Because we dont have legions of Ho-Chunk or Native American faculty here either. So, we are going to run into different kinds of people, Lewis said explaining that 21-23 percent of the population of students at the district are Native American. As a graduate of Black River Falls, Lewis also admitted that things have changed since he first went to school and that many of these equity and diversity issues are being talked about more openly. When I was in high school and I graduated, how every many years ago, there was no gay-straight alliance, Lewis said. So obviously society is changing, education is changing as well. I think this is just another good thing to add to that. Aside from all of the societal reasons for encouraging teachers to participate in the program, Severson said many of the teachers have gotten even more out of it. Raising an awareness of stereotypes and biases always helps to make people more conscientious in their actions and thoughts and how they impact the fiscal environment. The people who have participated in the SEED groups have reported that they really benefited personally from that, Severson said. Expanding beyond the classroom Even though the program first started as a way to expand equity and diversity in the classroom, the Ho-Chunk Nation has expanded it beyond the classroom to now include the community. SEED is seen as something about working with school districts, but I think it is more than that. It is more than teachers, administrators and school board members. Its the whole community. So, business owners, church goers, just everyone in the community. Everybody is welcome to attend, Michelle Cloud said, who as the division manager-culture and community education, is in charge of SEED for the Ho-Chunk Nation. Something unique about us is nationally a lot of the facilitators focus on school districts and school districts only. As the national group has looked more at rural areas, we are finding that the blend of school district personnel and community has made much richer groups in a lot of different ways, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said. By bringing SEED to the entire Black River Falls community, the Ho-Chunk Nation has been helping lead this initiative for the entire SEED organization. The Ho-Chunk Nation is very much recognized by the whole SEED organization as a group that is really carrying that torch and carrying that message. They are really leaders. There is not as concentrated a SEED effort around this state as there is in our community because of the work of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Severson said. Lewis said this introduction of community members into the conversation was a natural fit for the SEED program the Ho-Chunk Nation wanted to have. The real main message is just about having a conversation and really just deciding as a community how to make things more inclusive and just increase equity across the board. I think the fundamental thing we all have in common is that we want a good community for our children and everyone. This is just a means to help that along, Lewis said. With this infusion of the community into the conversation, the Ho-Chunk Nation felt it would bring even more diversity and equity conversations to the table. Any given person has so many different identities. You know I am female. I am half Ho-Chunk. I am half white, half Norwegian American, half Native American. Those types of things where I identify with all of those different pieces and all of those different pieces when you tease them out into these different marginalized areas, you find out where you stand on different critical issues, Blackdeer-Mackenzie said. Setting the ground rules With community members and teachers, the SEED groups have very specific rules that are used to create trust among the members and allow for amazing conversations. These ground rules are read before every meeting and adhered to by the facilitators, and one of the most important rules happens when everyone walks through the door. One thing that I think is important is dropping your titles at the door. When you enter into that SEED, you are not going to be Mrs. Radcliffe, a third grade teacher anymore. You are going to be Mary Jo. It is that kind of thing. You drop your titles at the door, Rozmenoski said. The first meeting is also really important to set trust among the group, which is why the group is closed after the first session. The way that we build that trust is that the people that come to the first meeting, those are the ones that are going to be in that group. Say we started in October and then somebody hears about it and they want to come in November, we consider the group closed after the first meeting, Cloud said. Facilitators also do their best to make sure everyone is heard, especially when someone says something that may be offensive. There is always the right to say Ouch. What I mean by that is perhaps someone said something or shared something that maybe struck you in a negative way, so you have a right as a member of the group to say Hey, that wasnt cool, Lewis said. Outside of the rules, participants do a wide range of activities during the sessions including journaling, art, discussions, poetry, watching videos and reading articles led by the facilitators, but many of the facilitators explained the discussion often has a life of its own. The facilitators take their cue from the participants in terms of what they want to discuss, Lewis said. This is because even facilitators are a part of the group and participate. We (facilitators) are actually a part of the group. Even just how we sit in a circle. Everybody is the same, again, we are also on our journeys where we are with our life, Cloud said. The SEED program by the Ho-Chunk Nation has so far trained more than 120 people in Black River Falls and Nekoosa, many of which have attended several different SEED groups and moved onto SEED two. SEED groups will be forming again in October and will go through June. The SEED groups will not meet in December this year. If you are interested in joining a SEED group, please contact Michelle Cloud at Michelle.Cloud@ho-chunk.com. The trial for the 2011 murder of Holly Bobo entered its fourth day Thursday in Tennessee. Zach Adams was charged with the rape, kidnapping and murder of the 20-year-old nursing student. Bobo was last seen entering the woods behind her familys home in 2011. Her brother, who saw her walking into the woods, thought she was with her boyfriend at the time. Clint Bobo realized something was wrong when he found blood near the familys home and quickly alerted authorities. The ensuing search for Bobo was the largest and most expensive in Tennessees history but it was to no avail. Bobos remains were not found until three years later when a ginseng hunter stumbled upon her skull in the woods. The prosecution continued to present their case against Adams Thursday. Jason Autry, a key witness in the case, was called to the stand as the trials 25th witness. Autry testified about helping Adams, his friend, dispose of Bobos body. Autry said he initially went to Adams for drugs the morning Bobo went missing, but realized when he arrived that Adams wanted help to get rid of the body. By looking at photographs, Autry showed the jury the place under a local bridge to dispose of Bobos body. It was there, Autry said, that he realized Bobo was still alive. I see a foot moving and I hear a sound of distress come out of the blanket, Autry said. At that time I walked to the door of the passenger side and I told [Adams] This f------ b----- is still alive. Shes heard my name called and me talking and all. Autry said after they realized Bobo was still alive, Adams shot her in the head. Adams, however, has maintained his innocence throughout the case. His lawyer seized upon a lack of forensic evidence tying Adams to the murder. The trial was set to continue in the coming days. Should Adams be convicted, he could face life in prison. Related Articles Hyperloop One released a list of the best new routes for its high-speed transportation based on 10 winning submissions from its worldwide contest. The final routes include locations in the U.S., Mexico, Canada U.K. and India. The 10 routes are: U.S.: Cheyenne-Denver-Pueblo U.S.: Chicago-Columbus-Pittsburgh U.S.: Miami-Orlando U.S.: Dallas-Houston U.K.: Edinburgh-London U.K.: Glasgow-Liverpool Mexico: Mexico City-Guadalajara India: Bengaluru-Chennai India: Mumbai-Chennai Canada: Toronto-Montreal Hyperloop_One_Infographic Photo: Hyperloop One The 10 picks connect 53 urban centers and nearly 150 million people. The routes combined distance stretches 4,121 miles. The winners were picked from hundreds of applicants by a panel of experts in infrastructure, technology and transportation. The contest, called the Hyperloop One Global Challenge, launched in May 2016 and allowed universities, companies and governments to submit their proposals. "The Global Challenge became a movement of thousands of people from more than 100 countries over six continents, Shervin Pishevar, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Hyperloop One, said in a statement. Like us, they believe that Hyperloop will not only solve transportation and urban development challenges within communities, it will unlock vast economic potential and transform how our cities operate and how we live. Our successful test this summer made Hyperloop a reality, and now we're ready to bring our Hyperloop system to the world." The company said it will work with the winning teams to continue analyzing the proposals and will provide ridership forecasts, business case and preliminary technical analysis of the route and corridor, based on the needs of each route. Besides the 10 winners, Hyperloop One will work with 11 other finalist teams on their proposals. Hyperloop One also announced it has launched a feasibility study with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) with support from the company AECOM. The three will examine transportation demand, economic benefits, proposed routes and potential strategies, regulatory environments and alignment with overall CDOT high-speed travel, rail and freight plans, Hyperloop One said. The partnership with CDOT and AECOM directly derived from the Global Challenge. Story continues This is unprecedented and demonstrates how quickly the public-private sectors can partner to make Hyperloop systems a reality around the world, Rob Lloyd, CEO of Hyperloop One, said in a statement. Studies like this bring us closer to our goal of implementing three full-scale systems operating by 2021." Traveling With The Hyperloop One The Hyperloop One will carry passengers and cargo in a pod that travels via a low-pressure tube. The pod accelerates gradually then quickly levitates above the track using magnetic levitation and glides at airline speeds for long distances. Last month, the company announced the completion of its second successful test of its pod. It ran 192 miles per hour (310 kph) on the DevLoop track site in Nevada, just 30 minutes away from Las Vegas on July 29. The pod accelerated for 300 meters then lifted above the track using magnetic levitation before coming to a slow stop. Hyperloop One said the test run achieved historic test speeds traveling nearly the full distance of the 500-meter test track. Related Articles Reykjavik (AFP) - Iceland's prime minister on Friday called for a second snap election in less than a year after a party quit the coalition government because he hid his father's involvement in seeking a clean record for a convicted paedophile. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson said he preferred the election to be held in November, just over a year after the last snap vote which was triggered by the Panama Papers scandal. "It came as a considerable disappointment that we seem to be in the same place as after the general elections in 2016," Benediktsson told a news conference in Reykjavik. The government collapsed on Friday after Bright Future left the three-party, centre-right coalition, stripping it of its one-seat parliamentary majority. "This situation was uncalled for but we will have an election... to let the voters decide," Benediktsson said. "It is impossible to put together a strong majority government which is what Iceland needs now," Benediktsson later told AFP. Bright Future accused Benediktsson of failing to inform the government that his father had signed a letter supporting a convicted paedophile's bid to have his criminal record erased after serving five and a half years in prison. "I was shocked to hear that. I could never sign such a letter and I would never defend such a deed," the 47-year-old Benediktsson said. His father, an entrepreneur named Benedikt Sveinsson, had given support to a man who was convicted in 2004 of having raped his stepdaughter almost every day for 12 years. - 'Breach of trust' - Iceland's previous government had collapsed over the Panama Papers scandal that embroiled several ministers and forced former prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to resign. Benediktsson, whose name appeared in the Panama Papers scandal that revealed offshore tax havens, had delayed the release of a report on tax evasion during the legislative campaign. Story continues The ruling coalition of the conservative Independence Party, led by Benediktsson, the centre-right Reform Party and the centrist Bright Future, was formed only nine months ago after the October vote. Bright Future said earlier Friday that its executive committee "decided to terminate the cooperation with the government" because of a "serious breach of trust". Benediktsson said the announcement came as a "total surprise" and "a great disappointment". "I consider it a sign of weakness by those who desert (the government)". - 'Knocked on doors for favours' - The situation has intensified a fierce public debate over the procedure for rehabilitating convicts, which does not change or reverse a verdict, that had flared in recent weeks over another convicted paedophile who was granted an expunged record. The convicted child molester supported by Benediktsson's father had applied after serving his sentence for "restored honour", which would enable him to expunge his criminal record. It is permitted under Icelandic law and is subject to the support of persons of good character. But now more and more Icelanders see it as a blow for victims. The Icelandic Women's Rights Association said the government collapsed because women were willing to make their voices heard. "People spoke out about violence which women and children were subjected to. People spoke out when convicted abusers knocked on their friends' doors to ask for favours," the association said in a statement. A spokeswoman of the Pirate Party on Friday called for an urgent vote for constitutional reforms, without specifying the changes it sought. "The Pirate Party calls on all other parliamentary parties to comply with this call and invites the president of Iceland ... to approve a new constitution before the parliamentary assembly is suspended," Birgitta Jonsdottir wrote on Facebook. Washington (AFP) - Washington put to one side its longstanding sympathy for its allies in Iraqi Kurdistan on Friday and sternly urged the region to call off its independence referendum. Earlier, Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers had voted to approve the September 25 vote that was set in motion by regional president Massud Barzani, a Washington ally who has publicly kept open the option of postponing it. Washington has long supported Kurdish autonomy and has relied on the region's forces in the war against the Islamic State group, but it fears that now is not the time for the people to seize their freedom. US officials fear the vote, while not legally binding, will hurt Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's re-election chances; complicate ties with Turkey; and disrupt the war against IS. "The United States has repeatedly emphasized to the leaders of the Kurdistan Regional Government that the referendum is distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS and stabilize the liberated areas," President Donald Trump's White House said, in a statement. "Holding the referendum in disputed areas is particularly provocative and destabilizing," it warned. While Baghdad recognizes Kurdistan's autonomy, the precise boundary between the region and the rest of Iraq is unclear. Washington has repeatedly offered to help negotiate a long-term settlement between Arbil and Baghdad, but regional leaders -- including Barzani -- have been increasingly frustrated that warm words have not led to a precise diplomatic timetable. This week, top US envoy Brett McGurk was again in Arbil and attempted to persuade the Kurdish leader to call off the highly-charged popular vote in exchange for a new diplomatic initiative. Under this plan, a well-placed source told AFP, the international community will oversee negotiations on revenue sharing in Iraq's oil budget and payment for Kurdish militia fighters. Borders and military forces would remain in their current positions, and Baghdad would authorize Kurdistan to continue exporting the oil that it currently ships through Turkey in breach of the federal constitution. Story continues Finally, Kurdish parties would take part in the Iraqi government and the 2018 elections. Analysts, however, told AFP that this would not be enough at this stage to convince Barzani to hold off on an independence vote in which he has invested much of his domestic political capital. "They were very unlikely to accept a deal unless the deal had some kind of iron-clad specificity and international guarantee," said Michael Knights, an Iraq expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "The leaders of the US, Britain and the United Nations would have had to commit to the date by which Kurdistan and Iraq would have negotiated Kurdish sovereignty -- or commit to supporting a Kurdish unilateral declaration of independence." Accordingly, and in the face of bitter opposition from Baghdad, 65 out of 68 lawmakers present voted in favor of the September 25 poll as opposition members boycotted the parliament's first session in two years. After the show of hands, lawmakers stood to sing the Kurdish anthem while others raised flags to the sound of applause. The vote was to give a legal framework to the referendum that has also stirred protests from neighboring states, especially Turkey. - 'Very bad thing' - The session was the regional parliament's first in two years, and Barzani's mandate as president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq officially expired in 2015. The Kurdish leadership, made up of Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of Iraq's former president Jalal Talabani, have maintained that the three-year-old battle to drive back IS has made it impossible to hold fresh elections. Two opposition parties -- the independent Goran, which has 24 seats in the 111-seat parliament, and Jamaa Islamiya, which is close to Iran and holds six seats -- had said they would boycott the session. Friday's session in Arbil followed two anti-referendum votes which passed earlier this week in the national parliament in Baghdad, both of which were boycotted by Kurdish legislators. Analysts say the referendum plan, which has stirred Arab-Kurdish ethnic tensions, could mark the end of an era of cooperation during which Baghdad and Arbil battled IS together after it seized swathes of northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014. Turkey and Iran fear the referendum could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. - Divided city - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the vote could prove "a very, very bad thing" for the Iraqi Kurds, whose economy is heavily dependent on oil exports via a pipeline running through Turkey. Turkey's National Security Council will meet on September 22 to decide its official position. On Thursday, the Baghdad parliament fired the governor of the northern province of Kirkuk, Najm Eddine Karim, over his provincial council's decision to take part in the non-binding Kurdish referendum. The oil-rich province is disputed by Baghdad and Arbil and home to diverse communities including Arabs and Turkmens who oppose the vote. Iraqi Kurdistan, whose people were brutally repressed under Saddam Hussein, won autonomy following the dictator's ouster in a US-led invasion, under a 2005 constitution which set up a federal republic in Iraq. By Raya Jalabi ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - The parliament of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region approved a plan on Friday to hold a referendum on independence on Sept. 25, ignoring opposition from Baghdad and the wider region as well as Western concerns that the vote could spark fresh conflict. Parliament reconvened in Erbil, the seat of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, where an overwhelming majority of the Kurdish lawmakers taking part backed the plan. Hours after the decision, the White House publicly called for the first time on the KRG to cancel the referendum, warning that the vote was "distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS (Islamic State) and stabilize the liberated areas." "The United States does not support the Kudistan Regional Government's intention to hold a referendum later this month," the White House said in a statement. It urged the KRG to "enter into serious and sustained dialogue with Baghdad, which the United States has repeatedly indicated it is prepared to facilitate." The regional parliament's decision came despite an intense diplomatic drive by the United States, which has provided critical military aid to the KRG's fight against Islamic State, to persuade the Kurdish leadership to cancel the referendum. The parliament session was the first held since the legislature was suspended nearly two years ago, though only 68 of 111 lawmakers attended due to a boycott by the main opposition movement Gorran. "We've been waiting more than 100 years for this," Omed Khoshnaw, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDR) of KRG President Massoud Barzani, told Reuters. "There is no other way to guarantee that genocide will never be repeated," Khoshnaw told the assembly earlier, referring to the persecution of the Kurds and their expulsion from areas such as oil-rich Kirkuk under late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Some lawmakers wore Kurdish flags and rose to clap and sing the national anthem after the vote. The Baghdad parliament's decision earlier this week to oppose the referendum drew condemnation from deputies in Erbil. "We refuse to accept the Iraqi parliament's decision, which was unlawful," Muna Qahwachi, a Turkman lawmaker, told Reuters. Qahwachi said she had voted in favor of the referendum because she said Turkmen were protected in Kurdistan, unlike in the rest of Iraq. PRESSURE REBUFFED Earlier, Barzani shrugged off requests from the United States and other Western powers to put off the referendum. They fear increased tensions between Baghdad and Erbil will distract from the war on Islamic State militants who still occupy parts of Iraq and Syria. "We still haven't heard a proposal that can be an alternative to the Kurdistan referendum," Barzani told a rally in the Kurdish region, referring to a proposal put forward by the United States and other Western envoys this week. Iraq's neighbors Iran and Turkey also oppose the plebiscite, fearing an independent Kurdish state could fuel separatism among their own Kurdish populations. The opposition Gorran movement boycotted Friday's parliamentary session, the first since a dispute between them and Barzani's KDP caused the suspension of the assembly in October 2015. "Those assembled in parliament today think this is a lawful session, but this is unlawful," Birzu Majeed, the head of Gorran's parliamentary block, told a news conference held while parliament was in session. Lawmakers from a third party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), ensured the required quorum. The PUK is a historic rival of the KDP but supports the referendum plan. Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitary groups have threatened to dislodge the Kurdish forces from the Kirkuk region, which is due to take part in the referendum. Kirkuk is home to sizeable Arab and Turkmen populations and lies outside the official boundaries of the Kurdistan region. It is claimed by both the Kurds and the central government in Baghad. Kurdish peshmerga fighters seized Kirkuk and other disputed territories when the Iraqi army collapsed in the face of Islamic State in 2014, preventing its oilfields from falling into militant hands. (Reporting by Raya Jalabi; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington; Editing by Gareth Jones and Jonathan Oatis) Ambassador Ronald Sanders, the island nation of Antigua and Barbuda's ambassador to the United States, delivered a chilling report on the status of his country in the wake of Hurricane Irma. "The damage is complete," Sanders told PRI's The Takeaway. "For the first time in 300 years, theres not a single living person on the island of Barbuda a civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished." SEE ALSO: Jaw-dropping satellite images show historic Hurricane Irma swallowing Caribbean islands Hurricane Irma hit Barbuda on September 6 as a category 5 tropical cyclone. The 400 mile-across storm entirely swallowed the 62 square mile island, and laid waste to 95 percent of the island's structures. The huge eye of Category 5 Hurricane #Irma completely engulfed the island of Barbuda last night, captured by the Suomi NPP #VIIRS overpass. pic.twitter.com/BKNFgx8r4V UW-Madison CIMSS (@UWCIMSS) September 6, 2017 Codrington Port, Barbuda Codrington Port, Barbuda Image: DGI Imagery This was a huge monster, Sanders added. The island and the people on the island had absolutely no chance. Residents evacuated to neighboring Antigua where they are being housed in shelters. The only living creatures on the island are now pets and livestock. The organization World Animal Protection is attempting to feed and rescue the animals. Sanders told PRI he estimates that reconstruction could cost $300 million, and will take time. That's because rebuilding Barbuda won't be a simple matter of replacing what was once there. Instead, Barbuda must be reconstituted for a world in which another Irma might be possible. Story continues Hurricane Irma struck Barbuda as a ferociously intense Category 5 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 185 miles per hour. The ambassador called upon the international community to provide aid, because Barbuda simply does not have the resources to rebuild. The GDP of Barbuda is $1.4 billion, compared to the United States' $18.57 trillion. We have declared a state of emergency in Barbuda because it is a complete disaster and uninhabitable, he says. We cannot cope with our own resources alone. Before and After Images of Hurricane Irma's Destruction in Barbuda and the Virgin Islands. https://t.co/diSogP3ZRw #StormHour pic.twitter.com/NU9dJVxubi #StormHour (@StormHour) September 12, 2017 He also explicitly linked the need for assistance to climate change. By raising sea levels and increasing ocean and air temperatures, global warming can increase the damage wrought by hurricanes. Irma, for example, was the most powerful storm on record to strike the northern Leeward Islands, and the most powerful ever observed in the Atlantic outside of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Because developed nations disproportionately contribute to global warming through their emissions of greenhouse gases, Sanders indicated that aid is an economic imperative. SEE ALSO: How Hurricane Irma became a monstrous, record-shattering storm, and stayed that way We believe climate change is here to stay its a reality, despite all of the naysayers, he says. We know that these things have occurred as a result of the profligacy of the countries that are rich, and have abused the system. We, unfortunately, who contribute less than naught point naught percent of pollution of the worlds atmosphere, are the worlds greatest victims. If you ant to help Barbuda rebuild, check out how to assist with Hurricane Irma recovery here. Mashable science editor Andrew Freedman contributed reporting. By Alistair Smout (Reuters) - On Friday, a cruise ship carrying around 3,000 passengers will dock at St. John's harbor in the Caribbean island of Antigua. It will not be where the passengers expected to land when they booked, however. The Carnival Plc ship was meant to dock in Saint Martin, 100 miles (160 km) to the northwest. However, Hurricane Irma devastated the island, wrecking its port and infrastructure, and leaving it out of bounds for tourists. Antiguan officials now expect the Carnival Fascination to visit every Friday, and have gotten about 25 calls from major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Lines looking to make stops through the end of the year. For Asot Michael, Antigua and Barbuda's minister for tourism, the unexpected arrival of thousands of tourists is a bittersweet bonus. "We are going to be benefiting. I don't want to benefit from others' misfortune after such a disaster," Michael said. "But because the port is so damaged in Saint Martin, so damaged in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, we're getting some of those cancellations. Those cruise lines now are making ports of call into Antigua." Hurricane Irma left behind a stark divide in the Caribbean ahead of the winter tourism season that is the region's economic lifeblood. As travel to the region picks up again, cruise lines, hotels, airlines and other companies are directing customers to places that are able to host them, and away from the worst-hit areas. Popular winter vacation spots such as Saint Martin, the British Virgin Islands and Saint Barthelemy that were devastated by the storm could be sidelined for weeks or months. In 2016, 29.3 million tourists visited the Caribbean and spent $35.5 billion, both new records, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. For Saint Martin and Saint Bart, the holiday season looks very compromised," said Jean-Pierre Mas, chairman of French travel agency federation SNAV. "My sentiment is that the winter season is lost. Decisions to book for the winter season are taken right now." Busy tourist destinations in the western Caribbean, such as Barbados and Trinidad, were well away from the path of the storm. Cozumel, on Mexico's Gulf Coast, got four additional visits this week as ships were rerouted to avoid the storm's impact, although Cozumel tourism officials said three cruises were canceled. Florida, which was anticipating another record year for its $100 billion a year tourism industry, is expected to rebound in time for the peak winter travel months, Moody's Analytics said earlier this week. Walt Disney Co reopened its Orlando Disney World theme park on Sept. 12. The Florida Keys, however, wrestled with more severe storm damage. [nL2N1LR0N1] [nF9N1L0029] [nL2N1LS1HW] Some travel companies said they are still assessing the situation and had not made firm decisions about rerouting ships. Tour operator Virgin Holidays said that it was beginning to return to regular operations in Antigua, despite damage to some properties on the island. "Antigua wasn't as badly damaged as we feared, and we have reopened tourism there, although three resorts are currently not on sale because of the damage," a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic said. "Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia are three big tourist examples that were not impacted." However, the small island of Saint Martin, which France shares with the Netherlands, could miss out on much of its tourism season. French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday vowed to swiftly rebuild the islands of the French Caribbean, including Saint Martin, and a French public reinsurance body estimated a cost of at least 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) from the damage there and in Saint Barthelemy. [nL2N1LT1SF] [nL5N1LQ09G] Hurricane Irma badly damaged many hotels on the island, such as AccorHotels Mercure hotel. A spokeswoman for Accor said that while nobody had been hurt, the hotel would be closed until Jan. 8 at least. While 70 hotel rooms remain operational, they are being used to house military forces and other staff that are supporting the relief effort. AccorHotels is offering cancellation and reimbursement for those who had booked stays at the hotel. (Reporting by Alistair Smout in London; Additional reporting by Dominique Vidalon in Paris; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -Russia's Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said on Sunday that a former mercenary who was filmed being executed by a sledgehammer blow to the head after changing sides in the Ukraine war was a traitor. Prigozhin, a Russian businessman who founded the Wagner private military group, was responding to an unverified video distributed on Telegram that showed a man identified as a former Wagner mercenary being executed after admitting that he had changed sides in September to "fight against the Russians". In the footage, the man, who gave his name as Yevgenny Nuzhin, 55, was shown with his head taped to a brick wall. UPDATE: 12:33 p.m. EDT Jason Autry alleged he was high on drugs while helping Zach Adams dispose of Holly Bobos body. When he realized Adams had shot her, he wanted to get away from him, Autry said. I had just shot one hell of a load of dope, Autry testified. When I heard the gun go off I came to my senses. I realized this boy made bad mistakes. UPDATE: 12:12 p.m. EDT During testimony Thursday, Jason Autry showed the jury in photographs the area where he and Zach Adams parked underneath a bridge with Holly Bobos body in the trunk of the car. Autry also testified about grabbing Bobos torso to remove her from the car in disposing of the body. Autry said as they were removing Bobo from the car, they realized she was still alive. Previously, they had thought she was already dead. I see a foot moving and I hear a sound of distress come out of the blanket, Autry said. At that time I walked to the door of the passenger side and I told [Adams] This f****** b***** is still alive. Shes heard my name called and me talking and all. Autry said when they realized Bobo was still alive, Adams pulled out a pistol and shot her. Original story: A crucial witness named Jason Autry was called to the stand Thursday as the 25th witness in the murder trial of Holly Bobo. Autry testified about helping Zach Adams, who was on trial for Bobos murder, bury her body. Bobo went missing in 2011 in the woods behind her parents Tennessee home. A 20-year-old nursing student at the time, Bobo was last seen by her brother entering the woods with a man dressed in camouflage. Her brother initially thought the man was her boyfriend, but realized something was amiss when he found blood near the home. Her remains werent found until three years later when a ginseng hunter found her skull in the woods. Zach Adams was later charged with Bobos rape, kidnapping and murder. Autry himself, a friend of Adams, was also charged with Bobos kidnapping and murder in 2014. Autry testified Thursday that he called Adams the morning Bobo went missing looking for drugs. When he arrived, however, he realized Adams wanted help disposing of Bobos body. Story continues He asked me, would I help him bury the body, Autry testified Thursday. And I said, Yeah, I will. But I said I wanted to leave my car somewhere else besides here. I dont want Shane or Dylan to know I got involved. Despite his testimony Thursday, Autrys credibility as a witness has been called into question in the past. In an interview with WTVF several years ago, Autry said he had absolutely nothing to do with Bobos murder. Related Articles On Late Night With Seth Meyers, Jennifer Lawrence was so hung after the premiere of her movie, Mother! that she just couldnt. And by couldnt I mean she couldnt sit up straight and she really wished she was in sweatpants. I hope I dont seem like an alcoholic, she said. No ones getting that vibe off you, joked Meyers. Lawrence described herself as morbidly hungover and this might not be the first time. Meyers went on to ask Lawrence about a bar fight she got in in Budapest. That seems like a dangerous place to get in a bar fight, he said. I mean, for him, she retorted. Turns out the guy she got in a fight with wanted a selfie with the famous actor but she told him no and his reply was, Yeah, well, f*ck you. After that something in Lawrence just snapped. She started dousing him in beers saying, Did you just say f*ck you to me? When the man scurried away to the bar she dumped beer all over his suitcase that he had conspicuously left nearby. Fortunately, Lawrence was with friends and one of them was able to save the beer. My friend Chris came up, grabbed me from behind, and he goes, Don't waste beer. Don't waste beer. And I instantly relaxed. I was like, Of course, what was I thinking? 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. Police investigating the death of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins, whose corpse was found inside a freezer in a hotel near Chicago, announced Thursday they will allow her mother to see surveillance footage. A spokesman for the Rosemont, Illinois police department, Gary Mack, said Tereasa Martin, Jenkinss mother, will be granted permission to watch the video. Officials have examined nearly 30 hours of video collected from 47 hotel cameras. A dozen people who were at the hotel when Jenkins died are being interrogated, according to the Associated Press. Jenkins was reported missing early Saturday after she left her home in Chicago at 11:30 p.m. on Friday. She went to a party at the Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont. After an 11-hour search, police discovered Jenkins' body Sunday morning in a walk-in freezer. Martin said police told her that her daughter was inebriated and that she went inside the freezer, where she died. Martin is questioning this account. Those were double steel doors; she didnt just pop them open, Martin told the Chicago Tribune. Jenkinss death has ignited enormous attention on social media, as videos of her last night have gone viral. A Facebook Live video shared Saturday morning has been viewed at least 4 million times. Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens has blamed social media for convoluting the investigation, adding that police investigations require plenty of time to process evidence and information. Police are doing their best to come to a quick resolution, Stephens said. I think everybody wants to know what happened. Crowne Plaza Hotel has offered to cover funeral expenses for Jenkins, the Chicago Sun Times said. Our hearts go out to Kennekas mother, her family and friends. We hope covering the funeral costs provides a small bit of relief for them, hotel spokesman Glen Harston said in a statement. Related Articles Conspiracy theories about how Kenneka Jenkins died ran rampant after she was found dead in a hotel freezer on the outskirts of Chicago over the weekend. The teen attended a party at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Village of Rosemont, Illinois, but never returned. She was found in the walk-in freezer in a desolate part of the hotel nearly 24 hours after she went missing. Since then, one of the main theories is that Jenkins was set up by her friends, Monifah Shelton and Irene Roberts, to be raped and killed. Police said there was not enough evidence to indicate Jenkins death was a homicide and did not name Shelton or Roberts as suspects. Still, the conspiracy theories continued to swirl. The latest rumor was that Jenkins was a victim of an organ trafficking ring that's why she would found in a freezer, they said. While some people found the accusation dubious, others were convinced. Some of their comments have been posted below: This Kenneka Jenkins situation is deep. People said that hotel is apart of a organ trafficking ring? This some real life Hostel shit. slick rick (@double00don) September 13, 2017 honestly, the most believable theory i've heard on the Kenneka Jenkins story is the organ harvesting one. fatbellystella (@_stelllla) September 13, 2017 Bruh, they're now on Facebook talking about Kenneka Jenkins was frozen for organ trafficking and she wasn't raped by anyone in the room.._ #PhDBae (@eugenejohnson_) September 13, 2017 So we've gone from fake friends, rape culture, and now organ harvesting theories for what happened to Kenneka Jenkins. Okay, cool. Sillyface (@IamBigJay) September 13, 2017 and the owners of the hotel was also owners of an organ place so they were gonna sell her organs for money !! just sick !!! poor lil girl RIP kenneka jenkins (@bandz310) September 13, 2017 Convinced as some netizens might be, it doesnt mean the amateur sleuths are on to anything. There are literally dozens of conspiracy theories that have been offered and countless people who are attempting to play detective and solve the case as to what happened over there, Gary Mack, a spokesman for the Village of Rosemont, told the New York Times in a Wednesday phone interview. Our police officers are leaving no stone unturned as far as trying to put all the pieces together. Jenkins mother, Tereasa Martin, openly criticized police and said someone at the hotel killed her daughter. They think that she walked into a cooler, intoxicated, barely able to hold herself up, she said about authorities, noting doors to walk-in freezers are heavy and hard to open. I believe it was foul play involved. Martin begged for anyone who knew what happened to her daughter to speak up. Please, please, please, I beg you, let me know something, she said. Help me. Help me is apparently what some netizens heard Jenkins whisper in a video Roberts posted to Sheltons Facebook page the night of their friends death. As of Thursday, the clip amassed millions of views before it was ultimately removed from her page. While social media users wanted justice for Jenkins, their amateur detective work was hindering the investigation. It's unfortunate that some of that stuff's convoluting the investigation because all those leads have got to be followed up on, Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens said Wednesday. As I'm sure you've seen, there's a lot of different, conflicting speculation out there, so (police) are doing their best to come to a quick resolution, obviously. I think everybody wants to know what happened. Jenkins mother was shown the surveillance video of Jenkins, but police did not release it to the public. We're trying to be as understanding as we can to the mom and to be as compassionate as we can, Rosemont spokesman Gary Mack told the Chicago Tribune Wednesday. Now that our detectives have had the chance to look at it, we're hopeful it will be helpful to her. Mack wouldnt reveal the contents of the video. Its unclear how authorities found Jenkins body and they would not reveal if there were any lacerations discovered. A cause of death was still pending. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella Related Articles Kenneka Jenkins, the Chicago teen who was found dead in a hotel freezer Sunday, was not forced into the walk-in freezer of the Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel & Conference Center, in Rosemont, Illinois, an activist claimed Thursday. According to community activist Andrew Holmes, he watched one of the surveillance footage from the hotel that is being investigated by the police to find what really happened to the 19-year-old. Holmes told Chicago Tribune that Rosemont detectives showed him the video Wednesday. In the video, Jenkins was seen waiting in the lobby of the hotel, he said. She was alone at the moment and her friends could not be seen nearby. She later took the elevator to a lower level and wandered around, Holmes said, adding that she was seen opening doors in an apparently disoriented manner. Finally, Jenkins opened two doors in a kitchen area and entered the walk-in freezer. Holmes said he did not think there was any foul play involved in the incident and that no one else forced Jenkins into the area where she died. However, he said details about the incident would be clear once the toxicology reports are out. "The important part is we all wanted to know: Did anybody call her down there?" he said. "Did anybody force her down there? Was there anybody on the other side of the room when she got down there? And the answer to that is no." Since Jenkins was found dead early Sunday, online users have been speculating about what caused the teenager's death. Many social media users suggested she was set up by her friends to be raped and killed for money. On Thursday, Rosemont Police Spokesman Joe Balogh told the Tribune the department had released the surveillance video to Jenkins' family and to the Cook County Medical Examiner. The teen's cause of death is yet to be ascertained. Jenkins' mother Tereasa Martin told a Tribune reporter she had not seen the video but was planning to review it with her attorney Larry Rogers. Martin had also openly criticized police and said someone at the hotel killed her daughter. They think that she walked into a cooler, intoxicated, barely able to hold herself up, she said about authorities. I believe it was foul play involved. Story continues She also urged the people present at the hotel at the time of her daughter's death to speak up. Please, please, please, I beg you, let me know something, she said. Help me. Rosemont Police had said Wednesday that videos from 47 surveillance cameras at the hotel as well as the videos posted on social media were being reviewed. More than 12 people, who were present at the hotel on the night Jenkins was found dead, have been interviewed. Jenkins' death has taken the internet by storm and the social media users are still waiting to get information about the cause of her death. Earlier this week, a video was shared on social media, allegedly recorded by Jenkins' friend Irene Roberts and posted to another friend Monifah Sheltons Facebook page, in which the teen could apparently be heard saying, Help me, in the background. Related Articles (Getty Images) Its not hard to see that Toyota teams have been the best in the Cup Series. Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have combined for eight wins in the first 26 races and are all in the top seven in the points standings. Friday, Toyota cars posted the top four practice speeds for Sundays race at Chicago. After practice was over, Brad Keselowski who drives a Ford had this to say: We are all in for a rude awakening. Haven't seen NASCAR let a manufacturer get this far ahead since the 70s https://t.co/LttpCz9vJZ Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) September 15, 2017 Busch, who has developed quite a rivalry with Keselowski, had a mature comeback. Busch then had to say something else too. The two drivers made contact at Watkins Glen in August and in the Xfinity Series race at Michigan in June. Both times Busch went spinning. I think he is infatuated w running into me anyway. https://t.co/sXWEklTDz2 Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) September 15, 2017 Busch wasnt the only one who jumped to defend Toyota from Keselowskis tweet. Truex Jr.s crew chief Cole Pearn asked if Keselowski was born in the 1970s (the answer is no). Were you alive in the 70s ? Cole Pearn (@colepearn) September 15, 2017 And heres what Hamlin had to say. .@NASCAR is showing favoritism to @ToyotaRacing when did this start? #encumbered. Concentrate on your own program bro. Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) September 15, 2017 The playoff points for Hamlins win at Darlington were taken away because his car didnt pass inspection. Its worth noting that Keselowski didnt accuse the Toyota teams of breaking any rules. While we understand Toyota guys wanting to defend themselves, this feels like a stereotypical internet argument where the reaction to the initial reaction ends up amplifying the situation far more than necessary. NASCAR has previously made changes to manufacturers cars if they feel a certain car make has an advantage over the others. The sanctioning body hasnt taken those steps with Toyota, and its unlikely it will before the playoffs are over. Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! By Jorge Pineda and Andrew Cawthorne SANTO DOMINGO/CARACAS (Reuters) - Various Latin American nations will join an attempt to mediate Venezuela's political crisis in new talks later this month, the president of the Dominican Republic said on Thursday. Danilo Medina hosted high-level delegations from Venezuela's feuding government and opposition for two days in the latest foreign-led effort to ease a standoff alarming the world. "We advanced definition of an agenda on Venezuela's big problems. A commission of friendly countries was agreed," the Dominican leader told reporters, saying Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Nicaragua would join the process with others to be announced. The next talks would be held on Sept. 27, again in the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, he added. Mexico and Chile have been bitterly critical of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government over rights and democracy issues, while fellow leftist-led Bolivia and Nicaragua are staunch allies. Venezuelan's government is eager to ease foreign censure of and its delegates came out of Thursday's talks smiling. "A dialogue of peace is being installed so that Venezuela can resolve its affairs among Venezuelans," senior Socialist Party official Jorge Rodriguez told reporters. Earlier, opposition leaders, who faced a backlash from supporters after failed talks with Maduro last year, insisted they had only traveled to push long-standing demands, including a presidential election and the release of jailed activists. Decrying Maduro as a "dictator" who has wrecked the OPEC member's once-prosperous economy, Venezuelan opposition leaders led street protests earlier this year seeking his removal that led to the deaths of at least 125 people. Maduro says they were seeking a coup with U.S. connivance. Though both sides met the Dominican president this week, it was unclear if they had also sat down and talked together. In a statement after Thursday's meetings, the opposition Democratic Unity coalition said it had accepted an invitation by Medina and the United Nations to an "exploratory meeting" in the hope of advancing Maduro's exit by constitutional means. "Only through democratic and non-violent change will it be possible to overcome the current social and economic tragedy afflicting all Venezuelans," it said. The coalition said six countries would be acting as guarantors, and any final accord must include a date for a presidential vote, reform of the national electoral board, release of political prisoners, and emergency humanitarian aid. Any agreement should go to a referendum, it added. The government delegation included Delcy Rodriguez, leader of Venezuela's all-powerful and pro-Maduro Constituent Assembly whose creation brought widespread foreign condemnation as it overrides the existing opposition-led congress. The opposition delegation was led by Julio Borges, head of that congress, fresh from a trip to Europe where he was received by the leaders of Germany, France and Spain. Maduro routinely calls for dialogue, but his adversaries suspect he may use talks as a stalling tactic to help his image without producing concrete results. A dialogue brokered by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and the Vatican in 2016 did nothing to advance opposition demands. (Additional reporting by Diego Ore in Caracas; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool) Louisiana State University Police are investigating the death of an 18-year-old student as a possible hazing incident, the university said Thursday, adding that all Greek life activities at the university would be suspended indefinitely. Maxwell Gruver, a freshman from Roswell, Ga., was transported from a fraternity house to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center Thursday morning, East Baton Rouge Coroner Dr. Beau Clark told TIME. Gruver died in the hospital before noon, but officials have not confirmed the cause of death. Clark will conduct an autopsy on the student Friday. The case involves Phi Delta Theta fraternity, according to LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard. Gruver was a pledge at the fraternity, according to The Advocate, and university police officers were seen in the Phi Delta Theta house on Thursday afternoon, according to the universitys student newspaper, The Daily Reveille. The death of Maxwell Gruver was tragic and untimely, LSU President F. King Alexander said in a statement on Thursday. There are allegations that Maxwells death was related to hazing, but I want to emphasize that this is an evolving situation. We are investigating this matter with the utmost seriousness. As we have continually warned, hazing is dangerous and unacceptable. It will not be tolerated at LSU. Period. Graduates from four decades will receive honors from UW-La Crosse. Most the alumni will return to campus Friday, Sept. 22, to share how their La Crosse experience shaped their lives. They will participate in a My La Crosse Experience panel from 2 to 3 p.m. in Strzelczyk Great Hall in the Cleary Alumni & Friends Center. After the panel discussion, there will be refreshments and an opportunity to network. The event is free and open to all. The seven will receive their awards from the UW-L Alumni Association during a brunch and ceremony beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. Tickets are $25 per person. Reservations are required by Friday, Sept. 15, at www.uwlax.edu/alumni or by calling 608-785-8489. Maurice O. Graff Distinguished Alumnus Award Shelmina Abji, a 1985 graduate, is an empowerment speaker with a passion for accelerating success of girls and women. Shes United Nations Foundation Girl Up Board Member, Angel investor of early tech start-up companies, former vice president at IBM, former co-chair of the Asian Executive Diversity Council, board member of Young Women Empowered. She has a bachelors degree in mathematics from the University of Poona, India, and bachelors degree in computer science from UW-L. The Graff Award recognizes outstanding achievement of alumni who have brought honor and distinction to the university. Long-time administrator Maurice O. Graff instituted the honor in 1977. Rada Distinguished Alumnus Award Hollie Nyseth Brehm (2008) and Patrick Gonzales (2005) will receive the Rada Distinguished Alumnus Award. Brehm has been an assistant professor of sociology at Ohio State University since 2014. She was named to the inaugural list of 30 Top Thinkers Under 30 by Pacific Standard, and earned masters and doctorate degrees in sociology from University of Minnesota. She graduated with majors in sociology and political science, and minors in international studies and Spanish from UW-L in 2008. Gonzales is a published researcher in microbial genetics and genomics, addressing problem of antibiotic resistance. He has done research at the University of Alabama, Birmingham; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.; Washington University, St. Louis. He earned is Ph.D. ini molecular genetics and genomics at Washington University in 2015. He earned his masters degree in biology with a cellular and molecular biology concentration from UW-L in 2005, and earned a bachelors degree in biology from UCLA in 1994. The award recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 20 years, achieved professional distinction and taken part in humanitarian activities. Professor emeritus Ron Rada and his wife, Jane, created the award in 2002. Parker Distinguished Multicultural Alumni Award Jessica McMunn (2005) is a filmmaker and producer of mainly social justice oriented works, including the award winning Soleil. Her first feature film, Raise Your Hand, is in post-production. She earned a bachelors degree in theatre, with a minor in Latin American Studies, from UW-L, and shes completing a masters in production-directing at UCLA. The award recognizes outstanding alumni who have contributed greatly to improve multiracial culture and understanding on campus and in their careers. History professor emeritus James Parker initiated the award in 1997. Burt and Norma Altman Teacher Education Award Lisa Koenecke, Christopher Gleason and Wayne Welch will receive the Burt and Norma Altman Teacher Education Award. Koenecke (1991) is a counselor at River Bluff Middle School in Stoughton, Wis., and a passionate advocate for youth and school counseling. She earned a masters degree in school counseling from UW-Whitewater in 2008. She earned her bachelors degree in psychology from UW-L in 1991. Gleason (2002) has been an instrumental music teacher at Patrick Marsh Middle School in Sun Prairie since 2004. The founder of the Kalahari Band Festival, Gleason was a semifinalist for the 2017 Grammy Music Educator Award. He completed a masters of education degree in professional development from UW-L in May 2002. Welch (1956) is a longtime educator, researcher and author in science education. He was a professor at the University of Minnesota from 1974 to 1995. The Fulbright Research Scholar to New Zealand and Fulbright-Hays Lecturer to Israel has a masters degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania (1960), masters degree in physics from Purdue University (1963) and Ph.D. in in science education from UW-Madison (1966). He earned his bachelors degree in secondary education from UW-L in 1956. The award recognizes outstanding educators and the significant contributions they make to children and communities. Professor emeritus Burt Altman and his wife, Norma, longtime supporters of teacher education, created the award in 2015. All current and future inmates at Wisconsins youth prison under investigation over allegations of abuse can join a lawsuit against the state Department of Corrections moving through federal court, a judge ruled Friday. U.S. Judge James Peterson gave class-action status to all inmates at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls, which means attorneys representing inmates who in January filed a lawsuit in federal court against state Corrections officials could also represent the rest of the prisons inmates and future ones, too. The decision gives attorneys access to information about more inmates experiences there and allows the inmates to be subject to any settlement or verdict that results from the lawsuit. Peterson made his ruling during a telephone conference between Peterson, DOC attorney Sam Hall and attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin and the Juvenile Law Center, who are representing the inmates. The move comes after Peterson in July ordered DOC officials to dramatically reduce or eliminate their use of solitary confinement, pepper spray and restraints to manage behavior of inmates at the Irma prison. During a two-day hearing in the case in June, one juvenile prisons expert called to testify by the plaintiffs said some teen inmates are spending so much time alone in solitary confinement that they purposely behave in ways that will trigger being pepper sprayed so they can receive stimulation and get out of their cells. On Friday, Peterson also ordered attorneys representing the state and the inmates to put together a report by next month on how the facilitys staff is complying with his summer order. The Senate late Friday passed a new two-year state budget after three of four Republicans who held up passage changed their minds after securing veto promises from Gov. Scott Walker. The vote was 19-14. Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, said Friday afternoon that he and two other GOP senators who previously withheld their support for the budget, came to support it after talks with Walker about using his line-item veto authority on parts of the budget. As a result, Walker said he plans to make repeal of the prevailing wage for state construction projects take effect immediately rather than a year from now. Kapenga and Sens. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, and Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, said Walker also plans to veto the budget to allow school districts to conduct referendum votes only on regularly scheduled primary and general election days. The group secured a handful of other vetoes from Walker. Separately, Walker said in a statement late Friday that he would veto a $2.5 million study looking into toll roads in Wisconsin and a provision that would have removed local oversight of rock quarries. The budget went through the state Assembly on Wednesday. The governors signature would end a delay of more than 10 weeks, the longest of its kind in a decade, on the states next two-year spending plan. It also would cap a flurry of activity in the state Capitol this week, in which lawmakers have tackled the budget and a $3 billion subsidy deal for electronics maker Foxconn. The group of four hard-line conservative senators had held out on supporting the budget passed by the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee. They included David Craig, of Town of Vernon, who was the only Republican to vote against the budget. Craig said Friday he remained opposed to the budget due to its overall spending level, which would increase 4.3 percent from the previous budget. Senate Democrats, meanwhile, derided their GOP counterparts for the last-minute hiccups. It demonstrates the dysfunction that is happening the inability to govern, said Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling, of La Crosse. July 1 was the deadline for the GOP Legislature and Walker to enact the budget, which sets state spending levels through June 2019. GOP holdouts posted demands The holdout senators this week released a list of budget demands that included expanding access to private voucher schools outside Milwaukee and Racine, operational changes to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, requiring counties or municipalities that enact wheel taxes to do so by voter referendum and moving up the effective date of the budgets repeal of the states prevailing wage requirement. Another demand: barring the University of Wisconsin System from spending on mandatory diversity, sensitivity and cultural fluency training. Several of those demands were not among the list of vetoes announced Friday. Kapenga said the list was the basis for much of Fridays talks between the three senators and the governor. The last-second jockeying produced a final spate of drama between the Assembly and Senate, which have sparred for months on the budget. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, accused the holdout Republican senators of an eleventh-hour bid to derail an agreement among Republican leaders. Assembly lawmakers easily passed the budget Wednesday, 57-39, and GOP leaders in that chamber said their work was done. In past sessions, lawmakers and the governor have missed the July 1 deadline but typically when the two parties have shared control of state government. Progress on the budget had been delayed by Senate-Assembly disagreements, especially on transportation funding, until last week, when the Joint Finance Committee passed an amended budget. It delays several high-profile freeway expansions in the Milwaukee area and cuts funding for resurfacing and rebuilding existing highways. The plan preserves funding for two ongoing projects in Dane County: one to expand and rebuild Verona Road near McKee Road; the other, U.S. Interstate 39-90 from the Madison area to Illinois. It implements a new fee on hybrid and electric vehicles, which supporters call a move to tax such vehicles more comparably to vehicles powered solely by fossil fuel. It includes a $639 million funding increase for Wisconsin K-12 school districts while boosting the household income limits for participation in the statewide private voucher school program. The UW System gets a $31.5 million performance funding boost, with the extra money tied to certain performance benchmarks, and the systems tuition freeze is maintained. Taxes for high earners and businesses are cut in the budget, which begins to roll back a personal property tax that businesses pay for machinery and tools. It also eliminates, starting in 2019, the states alternative minimum tax, which applies to individuals making between $200,000 and $500,000 a year. It embraces Walkers proposals to eliminate the state forestry tax and allow another round of higher state park fees. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hurricane Max, a Category 1 hurricane, touched down on Mexico's west coast on Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, bearing down on a region popular with tourists that includes resorts like Acapulco, Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa. The storm brought maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (129 km per hour) on Thursday afternoon and was about 55 miles (89 km) east-southeast of Acapulco, the centre said, adding it was moving east at 8 mph (13 kph). The centre warned of heavy rains and flooding in the southern coastal states of Guerrero and Oaxaca. Max will likely be downgraded to a tropical storm on Thursday evening. Category 1 is the lowest level on the five-tier Saffir-Simpson scale that measures hurricane wind speeds. In the state of Guerrero, home to some of Mexico's major tourist resorts, Max could dump as much as 20 inches (51 cm) of rain, the NHC said, potentially triggering flash floods and mudslides. The storm is bad news for Acapulco as tourists prepare to travel to the city to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day this weekend. Meanwhile, tropical storm Norma formed in the Pacific on Thursday, according to the NHC. The storm, which is currently 360 miles (579 km) south of Cabo San Lucas, on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, could become a hurricane by late Friday. Max arrives a week after a powerful 8.1-magnitude quake shook southern Mexico, destroying thousands of buildings in the state of Oaxaca and killing at least 98 people nationwide. (Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter, Julia Love and Miguel Gutierrez; Editing by Andrew Hay and Lisa Shumaker) A California McDonald's cashier has been arrested after cops say she gave birth at work before trying to flush the baby. The San Mateo County District Attorney said 25-year-old Sarah Lockner was working as a cashier at the restaurant in Redwood City this week when she co-workers said she complained of stomach pains. Watch: 2 Charged in Connection With Pregnant Woman's Death After Being Found With Baby A concerned co-worker discovered blood on the floor while checking on the 25-year-old, prosecutors said. After Lockner blamed the blood on a heavy period, prosecutors say a second co-worker opened the bathroom door to a horrifying sight: "a newborn baby face down in the toilet bowl," prosecutors allege. The co-worker called 911 and when authorities arrived, the baby was in Lockners arms, but the newborn wasnt breathing and didnt have a pulse, according to the Los Angeles Times. Paramedics performed CPR and rushed the baby to a hospital. While the infant was resuscitated and is in stable condition, doctors are yet to determine whether the child suffered brain damage. Watch: Pregnant Teen Accused of Manslaughter in Death of Boyfriend in YouTube Stunt Lockner told authorities she didnt know she was pregnant, prosecutors said. In addition to the attempted murder charge, Lockner faces a felony child abuse charge and one charge of great bodily injury. She is scheduled to be arraigned in San Mateo County court on Sept. 18 and is being held on $11 million bail. Watch: 2 Babies Born in Same Burger King Parking Lot 2 Nights in a Row Related Articles: (WASHINGTON) Former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn faced new questions about a 2015 trip he took to the Middle East as part of a private proposal to build nuclear power plants across the region. Two top Democrats said in a letter released Wednesday that he appeared to have violated federal law by failing to report the trip when he renewed his security clearance last year. The lawmakers Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Rep. Eliot Engel of New York also said documents turned over to their staff suggested that Flynn also failed to report contacts with Israeli and Egyptian government officials. The information released by the lawmakers was fresh evidence that Flynn didnt fully account for his foreign contacts and business entanglements even though he was liable for possible federal criminal penalties for lying or omitting such information. Security clearance questionnaires specifically ask applicants to report any meetings abroad or contacts with foreign government officials that occurred in the previous seven years. As a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Flynn maintained a security clearance. His last renewal was in early 2016. Flynn has been dogged by questions about his lack of disclosure of a Turkish lobbying operation and of foreign payments he accepted after leaving the military in 2014. Flynn also was forced to resign his Trump administration post in February after White House officials determined that he had misled them about the nature of diplomatic conversations with Russias ambassador to the U.S. Special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing Flynns foreign interactions as part of his probe into Russias meddling in the 2016 election and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Earlier this year, that investigation incorporated an ongoing federal probe into Flynns Turkish lobbying. On Wednesday, a professional editor who performed contract work for Flynns now-defunct consulting firm said that he was questioned Tuesday by FBI agents. Editor Hank Cox said the agents questions centered on the roles played by Flynn and his business partner, Bijan R. Kian, in the development of an op-ed that ran last November under Flynns name in The Hill, a Washington political newspaper. Story continues The op-ed praised Turkeys president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and urged the extradition from the U.S. of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom Erdogan has accused of involvement in last years aborted military coup in Turkey. The op-ed published on Election Day quickly prompted a Justice Department inquiry that resulted in Flynn acknowledging in March that the work may have aided the interests of Turkeys government. Flynns attorney, Robert Kelner, declined to comment on the letter from the Democratic lawmakers. Flynns legal team has previously said that hed like to cooperate with Congress but only intended to respond to subpoenas that compel him to do so. Flynn has been turning over documents, mostly related to two of his businesses, to the Senate and House intelligence committees in response to subpoenas, but he has declined to speak with congressional committees without a guarantee of immunity. Flynns son, Michael Flynn Jr., also has declined to talk to the Senate intelligence committee, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were private. As members of the minority party, Cummings, the ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs committee, do not have subpoena power. Still, Cummings and Engel asked the companies and Flynn to provide the names and nationalities of any officials he met with during the trip abroad. Cummings and Engel first raised concerns in June about Flynns 2015 Mideast trip after Newsweek reported that Flynn had worked with companies angling to persuade foreign governments and companies to join in a plan to build a cluster of 40 nuclear plants in the Mideast for civilian power needs. The lawmakers also seized on a comment Flynn made in congressional testimony in the summer of 2015, in which he said that he had just returned from the Middle East. In their latest letter, Cummings and Engel write that it appears that General Flynn violated federal law by omitting this trip and these foreign contacts from his security clearance renewal application in 2016 and concealing them from security clearance investigators who interviewed him as part of the background check process. Because of the potential for a criminal violation, the two lawmakers say they are providing Mueller with the responses from the companies. According to the letter and documents released by Cummings and Engel, Flynns Mideast trip was backed by ACU Strategic Partners, a U.S. firm that sent him to persuade officials to support a plan involving companies from the U.S., Russia, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ukraine, Israel and several Persian Gulf nations. Thomas Cochran, an adviser to ACU Strategic Partners, told the lawmakers that Flynn was expected to press Egyptian and other officials to hold off on accepting a rival offer from Russia to finance and construct a smaller system of four reactors in Egypt and two in Jordan. Flynn also traveled to Israel where, Cochran said, he sought to assure Israel that the project would be in its interest. The proposal has never gotten beyond the planning stage. But in his response, Cochran indicated that there could be support from the Trump administration, particularly in its effort to involve both U.S. and Russian interests. In a separate response to the congressmen, ACU Managing Director Alex Copson confirmed that ACU paid Flynns travel expenses and wrote him a $25,000 check for loss of income and business opportunities resulting from this trip. But Copson told the lawmakers that banks records show Flynn never cashed the check. Flynn had previously not disclosed his compensation on his government financial disclosure filed earlier this year, but in August, he filed an amended disclosure that listed he had received more than $5,000 from ACU. Flynn also listed that he was a consultant to another company, IronBridge Group, which was connected to the project. An attorney for retired Rear Adm. Michael Hewitt, the chairman of IronBridge, confirmed to lawmakers that Flynn took the trip, but did not provide details of his foreign contacts. Thomas Egan, an attorney for ACU, said Tuesday that he had received the lawmakers letter, but the company had not yet decided whether it would respond. Michael Summersgill, an attorney for IronBridge, did not respond to a telephone message Tuesday seeking comment. ___ History teachers at Whitney High School in Cerritos, California wanted to recreate the harrowing conditions of the slave trade. (Photo: Florilegius via Getty Images) What is the right way to teach kids about the American slave trade? And when should a parent have a say? For one mother of three, this question is at the center of an ongoing conflict she says she is having with administrators at Whitney High School in Cerritos, California. Sharde Carrington, 31, posted a Facebook message Monday to open up a dialogue about a disturbing history lesson she says was being taught to her sons eighth-grade class. According toCarrington, a teacher sent an email on Sept. 5 with the subject heading Unique Learning Experience to inform parents of an upcoming exercise that would supposedly expose students to the horrors of slavery. The lesson would involve the teachers acting as slave ship captains and students as slaves. Specifically, when class starts, the email reads, we will sternly tell them to line up outside the classroom, use masking tape to tie their wrists together, make them lay on the ground inside the room (which will be dark) shoulder to shoulder with each other (boys and girls are in separate rows), and then while they lay there, have them watch a clip from Roots. Carrington, who is African American, told HuffPost on Thursday that upon receiving the initial email, she cycled through feelings of disbelief, denial, and finally anger. She feared that by presenting the exercise as a unique learning experience, the teachers were being irresponsible at best, manipulative and dangerous at worst. Students, according to the email, were not going to be made aware of the lesson in order to maintain an element of surprise. Carrington later learned that her son already knew about it because ninth-grade students who had previously gone through it had already informed the lower grades. As the mother of a black child, I feared that my sons participation would lead him to experience trauma, perhaps at the cellular level, and have a visceral reaction of anger and fear during the exercise itself, Carrington explained. She knew, right away, that she would not be allowing her son to participate in the lesson. But she had questions and concerns. She wanted to know why this lesson had been given the green light in the first place. Story continues In a response to the eighth-grade history instructors, Carrington stated that her son was forbidden from participating in the demeaning and grossly insensitive exercise, and argued that the experience of slavery cannot be summed up with [masking] tape and a movie clip. Carrington, a paralegal by profession but currently a stay-at-home mom, questioned not only the racial insensitivity to students of color, but also the methodology and logic behind the lesson: Would you simulate rape in order to encourage sensitivity toward survivors? Will children pretend to be in Japanese internment camps as well? Carrington said a counselor responded to her concerns first, then Principal John Briquelet, who assured her that the social studies department chair would soon be reaching out to her. The chairs email, Carrington said, was disappointing to say the least. He wrote that the department has been facilitating the slavery lesson for 10 years, with almost universal appreciation, according to screenshots Carrington posted on Facebook. He said that the exercise came from a nationally recognized supplier of curriculum, and added that while he understood Carringtons concerns for her son, the exercise was not designed to demean students. Rather, the goal was to immerse the largely non-black student population into the harrowing world that your ancestors suffered through so as to gain better insight into their plight. He offered to continue a dialogue with Carrington via email or in person, but he did not back down from the seeming necessity of the slavery role-play. Carrington, who said she couldnt imagine that in 10 years no parent had taken issue with the exercise, was at a loss for what to do next. On Monday, she decided to post the exchange on Facebook (where you can read it in full), asking friends to weigh in on the situation. I knew that I didnt have the time to stop it from occurring this school year, but believe with the power of social media I have a chance to end it for future students, she said. An overwhelming majority of the responses to her story, from people of diverse racial backgrounds, were ones of shock and outrage, with pledges to help spread the word and bring an end to the simulation. While Carrington said the exercise went on as planned last week, she made sure her son was pulled out of class to study in a guidance counselors office instead during that period. She said the eighth-grade counselor has reached out to her to help facilitate a follow-up discussion between Carrington and the three history teachers behind the exercise, though she worries that it will be yet another instance of the department trying to convince me of their points versus listening to mine. As of Friday, representatives at Whitney High School have not responded to several HuffPost requests for comment. Whitney High School, and the ABCUSD school district that it belongs to, is made up of predominantly Asian and Hispanic students. Out of 1,011 children enrolled at Whitney High School, only 19 (fewer than 2 percent) are black. According to Carrington, none of the three history teachers involved are people of color. For her part, the mom is trying to think of better ways to help young students confront the realities and horrors of racism that dont hinge on turning the slave experience into a make-believe experiment. Carrington says she recently contacted an assistant professor in the Africana Studies Department at California State University in Long Beach who is willing to meet with the Whitney High School staff to help them develop a more appropriate way to discuss this matter with the students. Carrington believes that while the exercise is particularly offensive and potentially traumatic for black students like her son, no student, no matter their race, should be forced to participate in it. The teachers promised no psychological harm would be inflicted, but you cannot predict how anyone will respond to being bound in the dark and viewing traumatic images, she said. In a world where trigger warnings are becoming commonplace, to send an unwitting child to school to participate in a cruel activity such as this is just wrong for anyone. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Whitney School has predominantly Asian and white students. Asian and Hispanic or Latino students actually make up the majority. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. A New York mother-of-three, who was severely injured when a tree fell on her and her family in Central Park last month, plans to sue the city for $200 million, her attorney said. Anne Monoky was walking with her three sons when a 75-foot-tall tree suddenly fell and landed on top of the family near West Drive and West 62nd Street in Manhattan Aug. 15. Monoky, 39, was hospitalized after she tried to shield her young children from the toppling tree. But the tree came down on them with such force that it sent Monokys 2-month-old son out of the chest wrap she was carrying him in, her attorney Jordan Merson said during a press conference Wednesday. Monoky suffered a concussion, a broken neck and multiple fractures that have left her bedridden. Every function of life performed by a vibrant mother is replaced by someone else doing the chores, someone else taking care of the baby, someone else making the meals, said her attorney, Tom Kline. Read: Hero Mom Breaks Her Neck While Shielding Kids From Falling Tree in NYC's Central Park Monoky, a fashion editor and social media director for Tory Burch, will be unable to move her neck for three to six months, her lawyers said. She literally needs two people to walk her to the bathroom. She can't be bumped, if she's bumped, that will remove the current stability of her spine potentially, Kline said. Monokys 3-year-old son and her youngest child, though thrown from his carrier, were left mostly unharmed, but her 2-year-old son, Grant, suffered a skull fracture and brain hemorrhaging. Merson reportedly said the injuries Grant sustained could affect his development. Read: 15-Year-Old Girl Dies in Freak Accident After Tree Falls On Her Hammock The Central Park Conservatory, a private group that monitors the parks nearly 20,000 trees, said in August that the tree had been inspected annually over the last six years, most recently in November 2016. Story continues There were no visible signs of decay or disease, but it had decay in its root system, the organization said. Kline said the trees condition exemplified an obvious case of negligence on the part of the Conservancy and New York City. "The filing of the notices of claim is the first step toward getting justice for this lovely family and holding the city and others accountable for failing to keep them and all New Yorkers and visitors to Central Park safe," Merson said. "Too many have been hurt by falling trees and large branches and we intend to get to the bottom of it." Watch: Tree Falls on Wedding Party During Photo Session, Killing Bride's Mother Related Articles: Violence coursing through western Myanmar has sparked an exodus of hundreds of thousands of stateless Muslim Rohingya, generating international alarm at the blistering animosity fuelling a cycle of bloodshed in the region. Here are the main players in the spiralling crisis. The refugees The United Nations says some 380,000 Rohingya -- about 60 percent of whom are children -- have fled to Bangladesh since violence broke out in Rakhine state in late August. That's a third of the Rohingya population in Myanmar. They have arrived in Bangladesh with scant belongings and harrowing tales of attacks from Myanmar's military and Rakhine Buddhists. It is the latest tragedy for the persecuted Rohingya. Many of the Muslim minority trace their lineage in Myanmar back generations, but were rendered effectively stateless by the former junta and are demonised among the Buddhist-majority population as illegal immigrants. The group has been subjected to suffocating restrictions on movement, employment and access to basic services since a previous outbreak of violence in 2012. That left more than 100,000 trapped in squalid camps near the Rakhine state capital Sittwe. Nearly 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also been displaced inside Myanmar in the latest violence. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) Originally calling themselves Harakah al-Yaqin (the Faith Movement), this group burst to prominence in October 2016 with deadly attacks on Myanmar border police. Bigger attacks on August 25 triggered the latest violence, with the army launching a counter offensive that has left hundreds dead and driven a tide of refugees from their homes. ARSA is fronted by Ata Ullah, a commander who is believed to have been born to a Rohingya family in Karachi, Pakistan, and to have lived in Saudi Arabia. Rohingya leaders have long rejected attempts by outside militants to radicalise the population, believing them to be counterproductive. Story continues But observers say oppressive restrictions imposed since the 2012 violence have allowed support for militancy to take root. The group may only have had several hundred trained militants when it launched its attacks, but local Rohingya men are thought to have taken up crude weapons to join the fight in recent weeks. Aung San Suu Kyi As the figurehead for Myanmar's civilian leadership, Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has been a lightning rod for international condemnation of the country's response to the crisis. A flock of fellow Peace Prize winners have decried her for staying silent on the plight of the Rohingya. Suu Kyi has long faced criticism for failing to champion religious tolerance in Myanmar, where a powerful monk-led Buddhist nationalist movement has fed on seething anti-Muslim sentiment. Her party shed all its prominent Muslim figures to contest 2015 polls. Statements from her office attempting to justify the army's assaults have appeared clumsy at best. But the crisis has also underscored the government's inability to control the military, which retains sweeping powers from its years of junta rule and is not subject to civilian oversight. The military Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing commands one of the region's largest armies, a fighting force that has for decades waged wars within the country's borders against fighters from minority groups. Myanmar's army, which ruled the country with an iron fist for nearly half a century, has often used scorched-earth tactics against communities it believes are sympathetic to rebel groups. The military can whip up support among many in the country by presenting its operations as defending local Rakhine Buddhists against what the government has insisted are "extremist terrorists". But the severity of the latest fighting may further unsettle ethnic armed groups engaged in fragile peace talks. And the unrest looks to sour international hopes of engaging with the military to entice it into giving up its autocratic habits. Bangladesh The fresh exodus of Rohingya has generated a humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh, where existing UN-run refugee camps are already packed with Rohingya who fled from previous waves of Myanmar violence. Dhaka, which has refused to permanently absorb the Rohingya, said it plans to build a huge new camp that will house a quarter of a million refugees. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on Myanmar to "stop oppressing innocent people". International community UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned the military campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya. The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for an end to the violence. The statement had the backing of China, which has significant economic interests in Rakhine state, despite Beijing's previous comments supporting Myanmar's military crackdown. As Muslim nations around the world raise alarm over the crisis, Turkey is also planning a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Nestle doubled down on its coffee business Thursday, acquiring a majority stake in high-end coffee brand Blue Bottle Coffee. The Swiss food and drink company is taking 68% of Blue Bottle for about $425 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Nestles stock is so far even on the deal just before market close on Thursday. Blue Bottle Coffee, based in Oakland, California, has about 40 locations in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C. and Tokyo. But what makes the trendy coffee shop special enough that Nestle wants in? Heres what you need to know about Blue Bottle Coffee. What is Blue Bottle Coffee? Started in the early 2000s in Oakland, Blue Bottle Coffee has gained something of a cult following in the independent coffee world. It caters to hardcore coffee fans, with a focus on freshly roasted beans, pour-over preparation and a variety of sourcing options. Blue Bottle Coffee also sells whole bean coffee online, including via subscription packages. The companys name comes from what it says is Central Europes first-ever coffee house in Vienna. Its coffee shops have an airy, minimalist feel, and its logo is a simple silhouette of you guessed it, a blue bottle. Who is James Freeman, founder of Blue Bottle Coffee? Not only is Blue Bottles coffee popular among coveted millennial consumers, but the companys founder has an artsy backstory thats sure to appeal to young people, too. James Freeman started as a professional clarinetist, according to the Journal, but he always loved coffee. So when he lost his job at a music-based startup, he turned his attention to his second passion, and Blue Bottle Coffee was soon born. (He even started the company in a potting shed, according to the New York Times, reminiscent of the many famous startups born in Silicon Valley garages.) Freeman is now the Chief Product Officer, and will continue to help run the company with CEO Bryan Meehan under Nestle. Why is Nestle interested in Blue Bottle Coffee? Blue Bottle Coffee has been expanding rapidly. It had 29 locations at the end of 2016, but expects to have 55 shops by the end of 2017. Nestle says the Blue Bottle deal will help the company expand its coffee reach in the United States. Nestle could also benefit from Blue Bottle fans affinity for the brand. This move underlines Nestles focus on investing in high-growth categories and acting on consumer trends, Nestle CEO Mark Schneider said in a statement. ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's armed forces said on Friday a group campaigning for the secession of a part of southeastern Nigeria formerly known as Biafra had been categorized as a "terrorist organization". The move follows days of tension in which members of the group accused the army of laying siege to their leader's home, which the army denied. A curfew was imposed in Abia state where the residence is located. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group has stepped up calls for secession since its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was released on bail in April after being detained nearly two years on charges of criminal conspiracy and belonging to an illegal society. Secessionist sentiment has simmered in the region since the Biafra separatist rebellion plunged Africa's most populous country into a civil war in 1967-70 that killed an estimated one million people. The military presence in southeastern Nigeria has increased in the last few weeks as part of an operation that the military said was part of efforts to crack down on crime. "The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to confirm to the general public that IPOB from all intent, plan and purpose as analyzed, is a militant terrorist organization," said armed forces spokesman John Enenche in an emailed statement. The statement said IPOB had formed a "Biafra secret service" a paramilitary division, extorted money from people on public roads and attacked members of the armed forces. An IPOB spokesman was not immediately available for comment. The tension is another security challenge for President Muhammadu Buhari in addition to the eight-year Boko Haram jihadist insurgency in the northeast and attempts to maintain a fragile ceasefire in the southern Niger Delta energy hub. Militant attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta last year cut crude production by more than a third. Renewed calls for Biafran secession prompted Buhari to use his first speech after returning from three months of medical leave in Britain in August to say Nigeria's unity was "not negotiable". Amid mounting tensions in the region, the army on Thursday said it was investigating video footage circulating on social media that purportedly showed troops at a checkpoint in Abia using sticks to flog men stripped to the waist and forcing them to drink muddy water. Amnesty International in 2016 accused Nigeria's security forces of killing at least 150 Biafra separatists at peaceful rallies. The military and police denied the allegations. (This version of the story corrects typo in headline) (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Additional reporting by Anamesere Igboeroteonwu; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; editing by Ralph Boulton) ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will pass through London, where he spent five months on medical leave this year, on his way home from the United Nations General Assembly, his spokesman said on Friday. Buhari will depart for New York on Sunday, his spokesman said in an emailed statement. It will be the first time he has left Nigeria since returning on Aug. 19 from Britain, where he received treatment for an unspecified ailment. Spokesman Femi Adesina said Buhari would hold a lunch meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and other leaders, adding: "President Buhari will transit through London on his way back to the country." Buhari will be accompanied on the trip by cabinet ministers and the governors of three states. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama told reporters at the United Nations in New York on Friday that Buhari was in "very good health" and "back to what he was before." "We had a very long cabinet meeting two days ago and he was in excellent form in every way possible," Onyeama said. "He's really leading, he's very, very strong and he's back to his very punishing schedule so it's just fantastic." Adesina did not say whether Buhari would have medical treatment in London and declined a request to comment further. The refusal to disclose details of the president's illness has caused speculation about whether the 74-year-old is well enough to run Africa's most populous country and biggest economy. Buhari was in London on medical leave for two months from January, and again from May 7 to Aug. 19. After the first trip, the president reduced his working day to a few hours, diplomats and government sources said at the time. Since the second trip, however, Buhari's office has released a flurry of photos and statements from his engagements, including meetings with his vice president, heads of the armed forces and economic ministers. (Reporting by Felix Onuah and Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Cynthia Osterman) Renault-Nissan and Mitsubishi are joining forces to produce electric and hybrid cars and become "a global leader in ride-hailing services," they announced. The group, called Alliance 2022, will partner up on 12 electric cars and 40 vehicles with autonomous driving tech by, you guessed it, 2022. "With the emissions rules coming in, it's the end of gas," said Alliance 2022 CEO Carlos Ghosn in a statement. "Between now and 2040 there will be no more diesel and gasoline. This is absolutely a scenario." Alliance 2022 didn't have any vehicle designs or prototypes to show off. However, it did specify that it will launch four shared platforms with the aim of producing over 9 million vehicles on them. Around 75 percent of total sales from the group would come via the common platforms, and by 2022, it aims to generate $240 billion in revenues. Alliance 2022 is going all in on ride-sharing, too. "Becoming an operator of robo-vehicle ride-hailing services is a major part of the new mobility services strategy," the press release states. However, the group didn't unveil many details on those plans, either, merely saying that it would launch 40 self-driving vehicles with different levels of autonomy. Unlike, say, GM and Lyft, Alliance 2022 didn't reveal any plans to team up with a ride-sharing service. It's fair to assume that Renault's recent acquisition of Karhoo, which is set to relaunch this year after being effectively dead, will figure into its plans, though. Nissan is an EV pioneer, having launched the Leaf in 2010, a while before GM and even Tesla had mainstream EVs on the market. Until recently, the same couldn't be said about its Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda, which had focused on hydrogen instead. In the last month, however, both companies have unveiled ambitious EV plans, Honda with the EV Clarity and Toyota via a Mazda alliance. Renault, meanwhile, has had decent success so far with its latest Zoe, which can easily travel 300 km (about 200 miles) on a charge. Mitsubishi, meanwhile, is set to deliver some of the first electric trucks (above) in the US. North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan in longest-ever flight as residents 'duck and cover' North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan, with Guam in range Japanese residents urged to take shelter Tillerson says China must do more North Korean passenger flight takes off 90 minutes after missile launch 'North Korea is a terrorist nation': Test met with anger and fear in Japan Analysis: Missile a message to US - We can strike Guam at any time How war with North Korea could start and what it would look like North Korea has fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean. It was the second aggressive test-flight over the territory of the close US ally in less than a month and it followed the sixth and most powerful nuclear test by North Korea to date on September 3. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile travelled about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) while reaching a maximum height of 770 kilometers (478 miles). Unnerving alert sirens ring out in Japan in response to North Korea's missile launch 00:36 The missile, launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport, flew farther than any other missile North Korea has fired. The distance it flew is slightly greater than between the North Korean capital and the American air base in Guam. Map: Guam in relation to North Korea It was "the furthest overground any of their ballistic missiles has ever travelled", Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Twitter. Physicist David Wright, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, added: "North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile, although the payload the missile was carrying is not known" and its accuracy was in doubt. Sirens sounded and alerts were issued in Japan as residents were warned to take shelter while the missile passed over Hoakkaido. "We can never tolerate that North Korea trampled on the international community's strong, united resolve toward peace that has been shown in UN resolutions and went ahead again with this outrageous act," Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, said. Video of sirens sounding in Niigata, Japan warning citizens of the incoming #DPRK missile from @joshdcaplanpic.twitter.com/yH6jHXGWy1 Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) September 14, 2017 Jim Mattis, US Defence Secretary, called the latest missile launch a reckless act and "put millions of Japanese in duck and cover". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China and Russia to do more to rein in North Korea. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," Mr Tillerson said in a statement. In response to the launch, South Korea's military immediately carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own, the defence ministry said, adding it took place while the North's rocket was still airborne. A South Korean Hyunmoo-II missile is fired toward the East Sea in response to the latest North Korean missile test Credit: EPA One Hyunmu missile travelled 250 kilometres into the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan - a trajectory intentionally chosen to represent the distance to the launch site at Sunan, near Pyongyang's airport, it added. But embarrassingly, another failed soon after being fired. President Moon Jae-In told an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council that dialogue with the North was "impossible in a situation like this", adding that the South had the power to destroy it. In New York, the Security Council called an emergency meeting for later on Friday North Korea last month used the airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over northern Japan. Pedestrians walk under a large-scale monitor displaying the flying course of a North Korean ballistic missile flying over Japan Credit: EPA The North then declared it a "meaningful prelude" to containing the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and the start of more ballistic missile launches toward the Pacific Ocean. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga denounced North Korea's latest launch, saying he was conveying "strong anger" on behalf of the Japanese people. Mr Suga said Japan "will not tolerate the repeated and excessive provocations." 6:07AM 'This latest test is proof" North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile that flew more than 2,300 miles before falling into the Pacific Ocean is a "clear and unequivocal" message to the United States that Pyongyang has the ability to strike Guam. The distance from Pyongyang to Guam is a little over 2,100 miles and North Korea identified it as a target in early August, threatening to launch four Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missiles into waters close to the island. North Korea has threatened to attack the US base in Guam Credit: Reuters The intention, according to analysts, was to demonstrate that Pyongyang would have no compunction in the event of war from targeting the resort island in order to interrupt air attacks on the North as well as efforts to reinforce ground forces on the Korean Peninsula. "From previous launches and the altitude and ranges of those missiles, it has been assumed that Guam is within range of the North's missiles, but this latest test is proof", Garren Mulloy, a defence expert and associate professor of international relations at Japan's Daito Bunka University, told The Telegraph. Read the full analysis here. 5:28AM South Korean missile test fails South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his military to conduct a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response to the North Korean launch. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said one of the two missiles fired in the drill hit a sea target about 250 kilometers (155 miles) away, which was approximately the distance to Pyongyang's Sunan, but the other failed in flight shortly after launch. 4:57AM 'This rocket has meaning' North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under young leader Kim Jong -un as it accelerates a weapons programme designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. Two tests in July were for long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the US mainland. Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum said: "This rocket has meaning in that North Korea is pushing towards technological completion of its missiles and that North Korea may be feeling some pressure that they need to show the international community something." North Korean missile ranges 4:32AM "North Korea is a terrorist nation Some residents in Japan have reacted angrily to the latest test. "Japanese people have not been subjected to this kind of threat since the end of the war more than 70 years ago", Ken Kato, a Tokyo-based human rights activist, told the Telegraph. "People genuinely feel that unless something is done quite soon, then their families are at risk", he told The Telegraph. "This is the situation we are in now and we have to adapt to these realities, but these missile launches and nuclear tests are leading a lot of people to conclude that Japan needs its own nuclear deterrent. A passerby walks under a TV screen reporting news about North Korea's missile launch in Tokyo Credit: Reuters "Personally, the launch did not come as much of a surprise because this is becoming a fact of life for us in Japan", he said. "But there is also a growing sense of anger among ordinary people. "North Korea is a terrorist nation and I expect this situation to escalate even further," Read the full story here. 3:36AM 'It's pretty scary' Residents in northern Japan appeared calm and went about their business as normal despite the sirens warning them of a missile flying overhead. J-Alert going out on a civil defense box in someone's house pic.twitter.com/FZ8jEKJGEO Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) September 14, 2017 It was the second such alert in a matter of weeks, but, for some residents, there was no question of this becoming a routine event. Yoshihiro Saito, who works in the small fishing town of Erimo on Hokkaido, told AFP: "I cannot say that we are used to this. I mean, the missile flew right above our town. It's not a very comforting thing to hear. "It's pretty scary. I heard that it went 2,000 kilometres in the Pacific and dropped in the sea" where 16 of his ships were operating under the missile's flight path." 3:27AM US 'decided not to hit missile on launch pad' The New York Times reports that the Trump administration chose not to take out the missile on the launching pad, even though they saw it being fueled up a day ago. Officials said Vice President Mike Pence was even shown images of the missile during a visit to one of the nations intelligence agencies. A North Korean Hwasong 12missile is paraded across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade in Pyongyang Credit: AP 3:21AM North Korean passenger flight arrives in Beijing Air Koryo flight 151, which left the area of the missile launch 90 minutes after it was conducted, has now landed in Beijing - 10 minutes ahead of schedule. Read the full story here. 3:17AM South Korean leader warns of new threats South Korean President Moon Jae-in says North Korea's latest launch of a missile over Japan will only result in further diplomatic and economic isolation for the North. "President Moon ordered officials to closely analyse and prepare for new possible North Korean threats like EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) and biochemical attacks," Moon's spokesman Park Su-hyun told a briefing. North Korea said earlier this month it was developing a hydrogen bomb that can carry out an EMP attack. Experts disagree on whether the North would have the capability to mount such an attack, which would involve setting off a bomb in the atmosphere that could cause major damage to power grids and other infrastructure. 2:35AM Business as usual at airport The missile was launched at 6.59am from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport. An hour and a half later a passenger flight took off for Beijing. Air Koryo flight from missile launch site @ Pyongyang Sunan Airport is going to arrive at Beijing in about one hour from now pic.twitter.com/KtyAYiOjSx Chad O'Carroll (@chadocl) September 15, 2017 1:45AM Tillerson: China not doing enough Statement from #SecState#Tillerson on #DPRK launch. Says #China is not doing enough. pic.twitter.com/4k67U6sJ6S Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) September 15, 2017 1:44AM Abe: North Korea's actions can't be tolerated Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says United Nations sanctions on North Korea needed to be firmly imposed. Abe said that the international community must send a clear message to North Korea over its provocative actions. "We can never tolerate that North Korea trampled on the international community's strong, united resolve toward peace that has been shown in UN resolutions and went ahead again with this outrageous act." 1:27AM 'Steady as she goes' US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis says North Korea's missile launch over Japan "put millions of Japanese into duck and cover" before it landed in the Pacific Ocean, and added that top US officials had fully coordinated after the test-launch. "We have just got done with the calls we always make to coordinate among ourselves. Steady as she goes," Mattis told reporters traveling with him during a visit to the U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees U.S. nuclear forces. Video of sirens sounding in Niigata, Japan warning citizens of the incoming #DPRK missile from @joshdcaplanpic.twitter.com/yH6jHXGWy1 Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) September 14, 2017 1:16AM UN Security Council to meet on Friday The United Nations Security Council will meet at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Friday on the latest North Korea missile test, diplomats said, at the request of the United States and Japan. The 15-member Security Council unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea on Monday over its Sept. 3 nuclear test, imposing a ban on the country's textile exports and capping imports of crude oil. It was the ninth U.N. sanctions resolution adopted on North Korea since 2006. 1:04AM Pressure on China In confronting North Koreas latest provocation, the focus will almost certainly shift once again to Beijing, China Correspondent Neil Connor says. Donald Trump has warned that the United States would cease trading with any country that trades with North Korea comments which were met with concern in China. And in London only hours before Pyongyang fired its latest projectile, the US secretary of state Rex Tillerson urged China to use its supply of oil to North Korea as leverage against the regime. "That is a very powerful tool and it has been used in the past," Tillerson said at a news conference. "We hope China will not reject that." In 2003, China shut down its oil pipeline to North Korea for three days after a missile launch. Officials said it was due to a mechanical failure, although it was thought to be deliberate and ultimately helped force a climb-down from Pyongyang. 12:51AM US believe it was an intermediate range ballistic missile The US Pacific Command says initial assessment indicates the projectile was an intermediate range ballistic missile. It said the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) determined this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America, nor Guam. "Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation. 12:44AM North Korea tries to win more military space South Korean experts said the August launch was Pyongyang's attempt to make missiles flying over Japan an accepted norm as it seeks to test new projectiles and win more military space in the region dominated by its enemies. The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defence said the latest launch posed no immediate threat to Guam or the Marinas. Here is a map which shows #Guam well within and even exceeding the range of today's test from one of our analysts @Kapitol23pic.twitter.com/V7i6wOuwsP Strategic Sentinel (@StratSentinel) September 14, 2017 12:42AM Trump briefed on launch White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says US President Donald Trump has been briefed on North Korea's launch of the unidentified missile over Japan. "The President has been briefed on the latest North Korea missile launch by General Kelly," Sanders said, referring to the president's chief of staff. 12:40AM South Korea conducts drill in response South Korea's Defence Ministry said the country's military conducted a live-fire drill of a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile in response to the North's launch on Friday. It came two days after it said it conducted its first live-fire drill for an advanced air-launched cruise missile it says will strengthen its pre-emptive strike capability against North Korea in the event of crisis. Watch as South Korea's new Taurus cruise missile hits target 00:45 12:27AM Australia condemns launch Australia, a strong and vocal ally of the United States, quickly condemned the launch. In an interview with Sky News, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "This is another dangerous, reckless, criminal act by the North Korean regime, threatening the stability of the region and the world and we condemn it, utterly. "This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea, recently imposed by the Security Council. It's a sign that the sanctions are working." 12:24AM Map of splash down This is where the North Korean missile landed, 2,000km/1,200 miles east of Hokkaido (map from NHK) pic.twitter.com/OMn0JD8W1I Anna Fifield (@annafifield) September 14, 2017 12:18AM Ready for take-off? LATEST: NK missile was launched from Pyongyang airport. Passengers will be boarding JS151 now at Sunan awaiting take-off, theoretically pic.twitter.com/TrnZ58vblg Chad O'Carroll (@chadocl) September 14, 2017 12:15AM US assumes nuclear test was H bomb The missile test has come shortly after the top commander of U.S. nuclear forces said he assumed the Sept. 3 nuclear test by North Korea was a hydrogen bomb, suggesting a heightened US concern that the North has advanced to a new level of nuclear firepower. Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, commander of Strategic Command, told reporters that while he was not in a position to confirm it, he assumes from the size of the underground explosion and other factors that it was a hydrogen bomb - which is a leap beyond the fission, or atomic, bombs North Korea has previously tested. This before-and-after images courtesy of Planet, show a closer view of the Punggye-ri test site Credit: AFP North Korea claimed they exploded a hydrogen bomb, and while U.S. officials have not contradicted them, they have not confirmed it, either. "When I look at a thing that size, I as a military officer assume that it's a hydrogen bomb," Hyten said. As head of Strategic Command, he would be in charge of all elements of the U.S. nuclear force in the event of nuclear war. "I have to (assume this)," he added, "I have to make that assumption. What I saw equates to a hydrogen bomb. I saw the event. I saw the indications that came from that event. I saw the size, I saw the reports, and therefore to me I'm assuming it was a hydrogen bomb." 12:08AM Missile 'flew furthest yet' Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometres - both higher and further than the previous device. An important superlative here: this is North Korea's longest-range demonstrated flight of a ballistic missile ever. https://t.co/hqV0qltcHM Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) September 14, 2017 However, the intercontinental ballistic missile had the potential to fly further. 12:02AM Is North Korea planning anther nuclear test? Details of the latest launch came within hours of reports suggesting that the North Koreans were preparing to carry out another underground atomic test. Satellite images showed mining equipment and trucks close to the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site. Further activity was also seen close to another underground access point. The main concern had been whether the North Koreans have succeeded in developing a bomb small enough to fit onto an intercontinental ballistic missile. 11:56PM Japan strongly protests missile launch Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says Japan is strongly protesting what it called Pyongyang's latest intolerable provocation. The missile was launched at 6:57 a.m. Japan time (2157 GMT), flew over Hokkaido and splashed down at 7:06 a.m. (2206 GMT) some 2,000 kilometres east of the northern island's Cape Erimo, he said. Japan protests the latest launch in the strongest terms and will take appropriate and timely action at the United Nations and elsewhere, staying in close contact with the United States and South Korea, Suga told reporters. The Japanese government's alert message called J-alert notifying citizens of a ballistic missile launch by North Korea is seen on a television screen in Tokyo Credit: Reuters 11:50PM The alert received by Japanese residents #northkorea launched another #missile. Hearing the sirens out here in #niigata#japan. Thanks for the heads up, J-alert pic.twitter.com/Yd459DPfw8 Michael Bosack (@MikeBosack) September 14, 2017 11:40PM Missile suspected to be same as last test It still could be an ICBM, but it's more likely that it's the Hwasong-12 IRBMthe same thing they tested on August 29. Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) September 14, 2017 You can read more about that missile here. Previous launches have ended in catastrophic failure., so to launch from the capital was quite a risk. 11:37PM Details of flight NHK reports that North Korea launched the missile at 6.57am local time and it flew over Hokkaido towards the Pacific at 7.06am. It splashed down in the Pacific at 7.16am. 11:34PM Japanese residents warned not to approach parts of missile NHK warning that if you find parts of missile that dropped as it flew over do not approach pic.twitter.com/iFHnkYMTNI Joseph Tame (@tamegoeswild) September 14, 2017 11:33PM South Korea convenes emergency meeting South Korea's presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. The North's launch comes a day after the North threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its Sept. 3 nuclear test. The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on Aug. 29 which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters. 11:26PM Japanese residents wanrned to take shelter NHK telling people to take shelter in buildings, or underground, stay away from windows #missile#northkorea#japanpic.twitter.com/HE389O1mnw Joseph Tame (@tamegoeswild) September 14, 2017 By Christine Kim and Michelle Nichols SEOUL/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - North Korea said on Saturday it aims to reach an "equilibrium" of military force with the United States, which earlier signaled its patience for diplomacy is wearing thin after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month. "Our final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the U.S. and make the U.S. rulers dare not talk about military option," North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying by the state news agency, KCNA. Kim was shown beaming as he watched the missile fly from a moving launcher in photos released by the agency, surrounded by several officials. "The combat efficiency and reliability of Hwasong-12 were thoroughly verified," said Kim as quoted by KCNA. Kim added the North's goal of completing its nuclear force had "nearly reached the terminal". North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under Kim's leadership as it accelerates a weapons program designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. After the latest missile launch on Friday, White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said the United States was fast running out of patience with North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. "We've been kicking the can down the road, and we're out of road," McMaster told reporters, referring to Pyongyang's repeated missile tests in defiance of international pressure. "For those ... who have been commenting on a lack of a military option, there is a military option," he said, adding that it would not be the Trump administration's preferred choice. Also on Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned the "highly provocative" missile launch by North Korea. It had already stepped up sanctions against North Korea in response to a nuclear bomb test on Sept. 3, imposing a ban on North Korea's textile exports and capping its imports of crude oil. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, echoed McMaster's strong rhetoric, even as she said Washington's preferred resolution to the crisis is through diplomacy and sanctions. "What we are seeing is, they are continuing to be provocative, they are continuing to be reckless and at that point there's not a whole lot the Security Council is going to be able to do from here, when you've cut 90 percent of the trade and 30 percent of the oil," Haley said. U.S. President Donald Trump said that he is "more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming." He said at Joint Base Andrews near Washington that North Korea "has once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community." MISSILE North Korea's latest test missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan on Friday and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) to the east, the Japanese government said. It traveled about 3,700 km (2,300 miles) in total, according to South Korea's military, far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, which the North has threatened before. "The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile," the Union of Concerned Scientists advocacy group said in a statement. However, the accuracy of the missile, still at an early stage of development, was low, it said. On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Tillerson called on China, Pyongyang's only ally, and Russia to apply more pressure on North Korea by "taking direct actions of their own." Beijing has pushed back, urging Washington to do more to rein in North Korea. "Honestly, I think the United States should be doing .. much more than now, so that there's real effective international cooperation on this issue," China's ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, said on Friday. "They should refrain from issuing more threats. They should do more to find effective ways to resume dialogue and negotiation," he said, while adding that China would never accept North Korea as a nuclear weapons state. North Korea staged its sixth and most powerful nuclear bomb test earlier this month and in July tested long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the U.S. mainland. Last month, North Korea fired an intermediate range missile that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean. Warning announcements about the latest missile blared in parts of northern Japan, while many residents received alerts on their mobile phones or saw warnings on TV telling them to seek refuge. The U.S. military said it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile but it did not pose a threat to North America or Guam. Global equities investors largely shrugged off the latest missile test by North Korea as shares on Wall Street set new highs on Friday. DIFFERENCES OVER DIRECT TALKS Trump has promised not to allow North Korea to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile. Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said the United States needed to begin talks with North Korea, something that Washington has so far ruled out. "We called on our U.S. partners and others to implement political and diplomatic solutions that are provided for in the resolution," Nebenzia told reporters after the Security Council meeting. "Without implementing this, we also will consider it as a non-compliance with the resolution." Asked about the prospect for direct talks, a White House spokesman said, "As the president and his national security team have repeatedly said, now is not the time to talk to North Korea." South Korean President Moon Jae-in also said dialogue with the North was impossible at this point. He ordered officials to analyze and prepare for possible new North Korean threats, including electromagnetic pulse and biochemical attacks. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. (For graphic on North Korea's missile and nuclear tests, click http://tmsnrt.rs/2f3Y8rQ) (Reporting by Jeff Mason and Michelle Nichols; Additional reporting by Hideyuki Sano, William Mallard, Tim Kelly and Chehui Peh in Tokyo, Jack Kim and Christine Kim in Seoul, Mohammad Zargham, Susan Heavey, Makini Brice and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Tom Miles in Geneva; Masha Tsvetkova and Polina Devitt in Moscow; Christian Shepherd in Beijing; Writing by Frances Kerry; Editing by Alistair Bell and Cynthia Osterman) Seoul (AFP) - North Korea fired an unidentified missile eastwards over Japan and into the Pacific on Friday, Seoul and Tokyo said, its latest provocation amid high tensions over its banned weapons programmes. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programmes. That was in response to its sixth nuclear test -- by far its largest yet -- earlier this month, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. The North has raised tensions in the region with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. Its last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan -- its first to do so for years -- sparking emergency sirens and text alerts, before coming down in the Pacific Ocean. Friday's missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan "at around 07:06 am (2206 GMT) towards the Pacific Ocean", Japan's J-Alert system said, with reports saying it came down around 2,000 kilometres east of Hokkaido. "Japan can never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea," Tokyo's top government spokesman told reporters. "We have strongly protested to the North, telling them the strong anger by the Japanese people and condemn with the strongest words possible.' Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometres -- both higher and further than the previous device. It was fired from a similar location near the capital's airport, it added. The South's President Moon Jae-In called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council, a standard procedure after the North fires a missile or tests a nuclear device. Story continues Seoul's military carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own on Friday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the Yonhap news agency reported. In July, Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range. It followed that up with an announcement it was planning to send a salvo of rockets towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, home to significant military facilities. US President Donald Trump threatened it with "fire and fury", heightening fears of conflict. The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures. But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US. By Jack Kim and Kiyoshi Takenaka SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North's external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. Juche is the North's ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. Regional tension has risen markedly since the reclusive North conducted its sixth, and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on Sept. 3, following a series of missile tests, including one that flew over Japan. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. The North reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and South Korea. "Let's reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Japan's Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the North's latest statement. Story continues South Korea's won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns. Despite the North's threats, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s. "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said in an interview with CNN. Related: For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android. South Korea's Unification Ministry also said it planned to provide $8 million through the U.N. World Food Programme and UNICEF to help infants and pregnant women in the North. The move marks Seoul's first humanitarian assistance for the North since its fourth nuclear test in January 2016 and is based on a longstanding policy of separating humanitarian aid from politics, the ministry said. "DANCING TO THE TUNE" The North's latest threats also singled out Japan for "dancing to the tune" of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its "never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people", an apparent reference to Japan's wartime aggression. It also referred to South Korea as "traitors and dogs" of the United States. Japan criticized the North's statement harshly. "This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visiting India, called for strict enforcement of the U.N. resolution, saying the world must force a change. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against North Korea on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. North Korea had already rejected the Security Council resolution, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programs. A tougher initial U.S. draft of Monday's resolution was weakened to win the support of China, the North's lone major ally, and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbor. China in turn favors an international response to the problem. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the international community had reached a "high consensus" on trying to realize a peaceful solution. "We urge the relevant directly involved parties to seize the opportunity and have the political nerve to make the correct political choice as soon as possible," Hua told a regular press briefing. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. (For a graphic on North Korea's missile and nuclear tests, click: http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/NORTHKOREA-MISSILES/010050SV1V2/northkorea-missiles.jpg) (Additional reporting by Christian Shepherd in Beijing, Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, Sanjeev Miglani in New Delhi and Kiyoshi Takenaka in Tokyo; Editing by Paul Tait and Nick Macfie) This intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket was fired from the airport last month - AFP A North Korean passenger flight took off from Pyongyang's international airport about an hour and a half after an intermediate-range ballistic missile was launched from the area. Air Koryo flight 151 departed the airport for Beijing as scheduled at 8.30am local time. About 90 minutes prior to take-off, a missile flew over Japan after being launched from Sunan, the site of the airport. The timing would mean passengers would have been at the airport to witness the launch of the missile. When passengers are flying back to Beijing departing at 8:30 am, we arrange our group to arrive at 7:00 am to check in, go through customs and immigration(as) the flights can get fairly busy, Rowan Beard, a tour manager at Young Pioneer Tours, told NK News. Air Koryo flight from missile launch site @ Pyongyang Sunan Airport is going to arrive at Beijing in about one hour from now pic.twitter.com/KtyAYiOjSx Chad O'Carroll (@chadocl) September 15, 2017 The flight landed in Beijing at 9.50am, 10 minutes ahead of schedule, according to FlightRadar24. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile travelled about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometers (478 miles). It followed a similar launch on August 29 of a relatively untested intermediate-range Hwasong-12 from the runway of the airport. It did not issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) prior to that test, nor before the latest launch, raising fears for aircraft flying along the east of the Korean peninsula or near Japan. This is an incredible photo pic.twitter.com/qExSipD2zS Ben Harris-Roxas (@ben_hr) August 30, 2017 North Korea's missile launches have raised concerns for aircraft in the past. In July, a packed Air France jet en route to Tokyo flew past the location where North Koreas test intercontinental ballistic missile crashed into the Sea of Japan less than ten minutes later, according to a US official cited by ABC news. The airline said it was never in danger but as a precaution Air France-KLM have decided to reroute flights heading north from Japan. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., two authors of the GOPs revised health care bill. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) WASHINGTON Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., says his last-ditch attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare is only a few votes shy of 50 and could pass before the fast-approaching Sept. 30 procedural deadline. Were probably at 48, 49 [votes] and were talking to three more, Cassidy told reporters at a briefing Friday morning. Im pretty confident well get there on the Republican side. But Cassidy, a physician representing a state that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare, cautioned that he had not done a formal whip count. He is optimistic after presenting his bill during a lunch on Thursday of GOP senators. At one point, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., told the group he was co-sponsoring the measure even though hes been urged to lay low on health care while facing a tough reelection race back home, Cassidy said. Afterwards, several senators told him theyd vote yes on the bill. I told my wife when I got home last night that yesterday may have been my best day as a senator, Cassidy said. Another of the bills sponsors, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is pushing the White House and GOP leadership to champion the bill, Cassidy said. President Trump released a statement earlier this week praising their efforts. I sincerely hope that Senators Graham and Cassidy have found a way to address the Obamacare crisis, Trump said. The bill faces long odds, however, with Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., comparing passing it before the deadline to a double-double bank shot in pool. Theres also very little chance Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would bring the measure to the floor unless it was guaranteed to pass, not wanting to repeat the spectacle when the Senates last attempt at repealing Obamacare failed dramatically in July. The procedural vehicle that allows a bill to pass with just 51 votes is set to expire at the end of this month, adding urgency to the effort. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced Friday morning on Twitter he would not support the bill, which he called Obamacare Lite. If just two more GOP senators come out against it, the bill is dead, given that no Democrats support the measure. Story continues I can't support a bill that keeps 90% of Obamacare in place. #GrahamCassidy is not repeal or replace, it is more Obamacare Lite Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 15, 2017 It would take an extraordinary lift to get that done before the deadline but I know theres a lot of interest in our conference to get something done on that, Thune, a member of the GOP leadership team, said Tuesday. The clocks ticking and its a pretty short window. The bill repeals Obamacares individual mandate, employer mandate and medical device tax. It then combines Obamacares different funding streams for states into one block grant that gives states more control over Medicaid and the insurance exchanges. One result of the plan is that states that refused to take federal dollars to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, such as Texas and Virginia, would receive much more funding, which governors could use to cover more low-income residents. Other states, however, would lose billions of dollars of federal funds under the plan, most notably Massachusetts. (One outside analysis found 20 states would lose 35 to 60 percent of their funding compared to current law.) And Congress would have to vote to reauthorize the plan in 2026, or states would lose all of their funding. Graham-Cassidy does a much better job of distributing health care dollars fairly, Cassidy said. Paul tweeted Friday afternoon that the bill redistributes money from [Democratic] states to republican states. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not yet scored the bill, and the Senate parliamentarian would also have to examine it and make sure its eligible to pass under the special reconciliation procedure that only needs 51 votes. Vice President Mike Pence would likely be called in to provide the 51st vote if Cassidy and Graham are able to get to 50. I appreciate Senators Graham and Cassidy continuing to work on a plan to pass the Senate. Ill take federalism over Obamacare any day. Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) September 15, 2017 Mitch [McConnell] has always said show me you can get 50 votes, Cassidy said. Im meeting with senators. My staff is calling staff, whatever we can do to make sure we have 50. Read more from Yahoo News: Who doesn't love a snooze on the beach? Park rangers at Wilson's Promontory in Victoria, Australia were greeted with the rare sight of a subantarctic fur seal just having a bit of a kip on its shores last weekend. SEE ALSO: Save animals from drowning in your pool with the help of this tiny ramp While fur seals are found widespread in the Southern Hemisphere, it's the first time one has visited the national park, located on the very southern tip of the state of Victoria. Only 36 have visited Victoria in history, and the pup, which is estimated to be just one year old, is the fourth sighting this September alone. Image: Matthew Hoskins, Park Ranger Team Leader, Parks Victoria "It's unclear why so many sightings have occurred in the last two weeks, normally there are two to three sightings between May and September each year," Jonathon Stevenson, a Parks Victoria park ranger, explained via email. "It could be random chance or maybe there is a problem with their food supply, forcing the juveniles to travel further afield at this time of year." Although they are listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN with a population of about 300,000, climate change might be increasing pressure on these seals and impacting their habitat. If this little fella had something to worry about, it's that he was alone. Image: Matthew Hoskins, Park Ranger Team Leader, Parks Victoria "Once they are weaned, they leave their mum for good, as she is already about to give birth to her next pup. So this little fellow would have been on his own. Mum was probably about 2000 kilometres (1242 miles) away near Macquarie Island," Stevenson added. If you ever do encounter a seal on a Victorian beach, you'll have to stay at least 30 metres (98 feet) away as required by Victorian law. If you have a dog, it has to be kept 50 metres (164 feet) away to minimise disturbance to the seal and should be kept on a lead although dogs are prohibited from national parks like Wilson's Promontory anyway. Story continues Image: Matthew Hoskins, Park Ranger Team Leader, Parks Victoria "Seals and dogs are fairly closely related in the evolutionary tree and as well as dogs causing greater disturbance, they can pass on diseases to seals or contract diseases from seals," Stevenson said. Besides, who likes being woken up during a nap? [h/t Huffington Post] A huge manhunt is underway for those responsible for a terror attack that sparked panic on a packed London Tube train and left 29 people injured though, miraculously, no one was killed. Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened during the rush hour commute when an improvised explosive device was detonated sending a fireball through the train carriage at Parsons Green station in south-west London. Police reportedly know the identity of the suspected bomber and officers are chasing down suspects. Late on Friday night, Theresa May raise the terror threat level to critical, the highest level, which means authorities think another attack may be imminent. It is the fourth time the assessment has been placed at the highest level for the past 11 years. Passengers, including children, fled the District Line train after the attack, which took place at around 8.20am. Eyewitnesses described a fireball and a wall of flame through the packed London Underground train after the blast, as one commuter described how his hair was left singed by the blast. A huge investigation led by the Metropolitan Polices Counter Terrorism Command is now underway, with hundreds of detectives carrying out enquiries including examining CCTV, forensic work and speaking to eyewitnesses. The Amaq news agency, the media arm of Isis, has claimed responsibility for the attack, though there is no concrete evidence the jihadist group directed the attack. Story continues According to Sky News Home Affairs Correspondent Mark White, security sources say they have identified a suspect involved in the bombing with the help of CCTV footage. Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley suggested there may have been more than one person involved stating that police were chasing down suspects. In a statement outside Scotland Yard, the UKs most senior anti-terror police officer said: Somebody has planted an improvised explosive device on the Tube we have to be open-minded at this stage about him and about potential associates. Injuries 29 people are being treated in hospital after the blast which sent a fireball and a wall of flame through a packed London Underground train (Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire) Bucket bomb eyewitnesses took pictures of a bucket flickering with flames (Picture: Sylvain Pennec/PA Wire) Investigation A huge investigation is underway, including forensic work at the scene (Picture: REUTERS/Hannah McKay) Asked if it was clear whether the person responsible was on the train at the time, Mr Rowley said: Its very much a live investigation and we are following down the lines of enquiry as I said. He said Londoners can expect to see an enhanced police presence, particularly across the transport system across the day and called on anyone with information to contact authorities as a matter of urgency. PARSONS GREEN: MORE ON YAHOO.CO.UK ON LONDON TERROR BLAST Parsons Green: Passengers took selfies as commuters tried to escape London Tube station Woman burned from head to toe by Parsons Green terror explosion Evening Standard comment: How we should respond to Parsons Green explosion Sadiq Khan says London will not be defeated in wake of Parsons Green explosion NHS England said 29 patients in total were being treated at Imperial, Chelsea and Westminster, Guys and St Thomas and the Central London Community Healthcare Urgent Care Centre. Eyewitnesses described the horror of the explosion as images were shared on social media of what was believed to be the device, which some reports have suggested had a timer. Some pictures showed what looked like a white container with flames flickering inside, while other people said they had seen a bag with wires on the train. Sylvain Pennec, a software developer from Southfields, near Wimbledon, was about 10 metres from the source of the explosion when fire filled the carriage. I heard a boom and when I looked there were flames all around, he said. People started to run but we were lucky to be stopping at Parsons Green as the door started to open. He described chaotic scenes as commuters struggled to escape the carriage, collapsing and pushing each other. Mr Pennec stayed behind to take a closer look at what he believed was the source of the explosion, saying it looked like a bucket of mayonnaise. Shock eyewitnesses described the horror as the bomb exploded (Picture: REUTERS/Kevin Coombs) Chris Wildish, who was on the train, said he saw a device in the last carriage. It was a white bucket, a builders bucket, in a white Aldi bag or Lidl bag, he told 5 live. Flames were still coming out of it when I saw it and had a lot of wires hanging out of it I can only assume it was done on purpose. It was standing against the door of the rear-most carriage. This graphic shows where the bomb is believed to have exploded within the busy carriage (Picture: PA) One passenger, named only as Lucas, told BBC 5 live: I heard a really loud explosion when I looked back there appeared to be a bag but I dont know if its associated with it. I saw people with minor injuries, burnings to the face, arms, legs, multiple casualties in that way. People were helping each other. Rush hour Map of where the bomb detonated on the District Line train at Parsons Green (Picture: PA) Another witness, Sham, said he saw a man with blood all over his face. There were loads of people crying and shaking, he told 5 live. There were a lot of people limping and covered in blood. One guy I saw, his face was covered in blood Ive never seen anything like it. (Click the below images) Commuter Robyn Frost was arriving at the station when she saw people trying to escape. She told the BBC: I walked into the station, there was blood on the floor and people running down the stairs screaming get out. People were coming out of the station covered in blood. She added: People have been stretchered into ambulances now. Reaction emergency services raced to the scene after the explosion just after 8am (Picture: Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire) BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth, who was at the scene, said she saw a woman on a stretcher with burns to her face and legs. I spoke to a woman, Laura Bishop, who said she was standing there and all of a sudden heard a bang and saw a wall of flames, flames in the carriage, she said. She saw people who had burns on their hair, burns on their head and the doors opened immediately. Parsons Green explosion. Some people say there was a bag with wires on the train pic.twitter.com/l15MGp6W8p Andrius Solopovas (@ASolopovas) September 15, 2017 She added: I have just seen a woman who was just stretchered off here and clearly her legs are wrapped up and she has burns. She had burns to her face shes conscious, she was taking oxygen and pain relief as well. She seemed to have burns all over her body from top to toe. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May was set to chair a meeting of the Governments Cobra emergencies committee this afternoon to discuss the incident at Parsons Green. She said: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and the emergency services who, once again, are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump slammed the loser terrorist responsible for the attack. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said people had been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way and paid tribute to the professionalism and tireless commitment of the emergency services, urging Londoners to remain alert. Cordon the area remains cordoned off as investigations begin into the terrorist attack (Picture: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) President also said on Twitter that the internet served a recruitment tool for terrorist groups, which Donald Trump has called the perpetrator of a bombing on the London Underground a "loser terrorist" who was "in the sights of Scotland Yard". It is unclear whether the statement was the result of information he has been passed by aides. Police said they were treating the explosion, which occurred at around 8.20 at Parsons Green Underground station, as a "terrorist incident" and they have launched an "urgent manhunt" for the bomber. :: For the latest updates, follow The Independent's liveblog "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," Mr Trump said. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Nick Timothy, former joint chief of staff to Theresa May, said it was "unhelpful" of the US President to suggest Scotland Yard had prior knowledge of the Parsons Green suspect. "True or not and I'm sure he doesn't know this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner," he said in a tweet. True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner. https://t.co/ZndrTXFrAX Nick Timothy (@NickJTimothy) September 15, 2017 It is not the first time the President has been accused of mishandling classified information. US officials in May said Mr Trump had disclosed highly sensitive information to Russian officials that jeopardised a critical source of intelligence on Isis. Story continues Earlier this year, the UK complained to the Americans after sensitive intelligence and on-scene imagery from the Manchester Arena bombing was published by the US media before British police had released it. Home Secretary Amber Rudd said she had been given assurances a similar breach of confidence would not happen again. The Metropolitan Police would not be drawn on Mr Trump's comments on the Parsons Green explosion. A spokeswoman said: "It's not something we would comment on." Counter-terrorism investigators are looking for whoever carried the homemade device, thought to be in a white plastic container, onto the District line Tube carriage. The Underground is well covered by CCTV cameras and detectives are examining the footage to find where those behind the explosion entered and exited the network. Hundreds of detective have been drafted into the investigation, the Met's assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said. Minutes after sending his first tweet commenting on the Parsons Green attack, the US President sent another, claiming that the internet served a recruitment tool for terrorist groups that "we should cut off & use better". He did not immediately provide details of the proposal. Curvy model Manon Edwards used fashion as a way of finding self-love. (Photo: Instagram/chicwithcurves) Growing up in the south of France being a size 12 wasnt easy for curvy blogger Manon Edwards. However, now at 25 years old and a size 16, she has never been happier and is living her best life in California as a model. In a recent post, Edwards shared how wearing a crop top and shorts would have intimidated her in the past, but shes now in a place where she can wear a revealing outfit while still being comfortable in her own skin. Her candid post got more than 1,500 likes. Being plus sized in France is very complicated, Edwards tells Yahoo Style. I was never accepted and always looked down upon. It took Edwards the fake it until you make it philosophy to find self-love. She says it wasnt an easy journey to loving every inch of her body, but she persevered by challenging herself and was able to achieve it. Story continues Edwards began to blog in France and moved to California three years ago. She found herself all alone without her family and friends. But she says the move gave her a fresh start to become the confident woman she is now. I began surrounding myself with positive people who really brought my self-esteem up, she says. It was refreshing for me to find such wonderful support. Vintage curves shot with @unicorntearsxd #Sexy #Curves #Dress #Shot #PlusSize #Model #Beinyourskin #LoveYourself #Happywithcurves A post shared by Manon Edwards (@chicwithcurves) on Jun 9, 2017 at 5:55pm PDT She learned to radiate self-love and confidence. Then Edwards met her now-husband of two years. If I had never stopped wearing black pants all the time and changed my fashion sense into what I always wanted it to be, I would have never moved to Los Angeles for a modeling job and met my wonderful husband, she says. Loving myself brought me a career and a life partner. The way you feel about yourself will affect the way others see you, she says. I began loving who I was, and that gave way for others to love me as well. Edwards says she is grateful for how the U.S. has created a body-positive community that empowers others, thanks to social media. I want to use my platform to help other people who struggle with the way they look, she says. You are beautiful the way you are. Everyone is unique and different. Find that love within yourself. It is possible. Edwards says she also wants women to wear the clothes that they want and ignore what society says looks good only on slim people. Do not limit yourself, she says. Clothing is not just about a shirt or a skirt. Clothing is a tool for showcasing your personality and who you are. Let fashion help you speak up for you. 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. An Ohio woman stabbed her boyfriend several times after reportedly finding him naked on top of her 12-year-old daughter. The woman came across the 31-year-old man laying on top of her daughter early Tuesday. In a "fit of rage," she grabbed a pocket knife and stabbed him five times in his chest and once in the back of his head, a police report stated according to Cleveland.com. RELATED: Click through some of the most outrageous mugshots and crimes The mother and her boyfriend fought over the knife and ended up outside where she called for help. She told police, "her boyfriend tried touching her daughter and she stabbed him." The man reportedly told police his girlfriend believed her daughter had feelings for him and might have been the reason she attacked, according to police records. SEE ALSO: Woman found guilty after wearing fake penis and tricking blindfolded friend into having sex But the woman's child said the man sexually assaulted her, telling her: This is what it is like in the real world when you have a boyfriend. Both the mother and child suffered cuts during the struggle. No charges have been filed, but police are investigating the incident as a possible sexual assault case. President Donald Trump attacked Bernie Sanders single-player health care plan on Thursday, calling it a curse on the U.S. Bernie Sanders is pushing hard for a single payer healthcare plan a curse on the U.S. & its people, Trump tweeted Thursday afternoon. I told Republicans to approve healthcare fast or this would happen. But dont worry, I will veto because I love our country & its people. Sanders introduced the latest version of his Medicare for All health care bill on Wednesday with a third of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate co-sponsoring the legislation. The bill would transform the U.S. health care system into one in which the federal government insures all Americans. ...I told Republicans to approve healthcare fast or this would happen. But don't worry, I will veto because I love our country & its people. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Its not going to pass in a Republican-controlled Congress, but the idea of single-payer health care is gaining popularity among Democratic lawmakers and voters. Sanders responded to Trumps tweets on Thursday, saying that single-payer health care is what he believes the government should be doing. The Vermont Senator also criticized the Republicans health care plan from earlier this year that would have cut costs and caused millions to lose their health insurance. What is a curse is your support for throwing 23 million off health insurance. That's the curse and we won't allow you to get away with it. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 14, 2017 Many other countries already have some version of universal health care, and it has been shown to be effective. In the past, Trump himself has expressed some enthusiasm for these models. In May, for example, Trump praised Australias universal health care system when he told the Australian prime minister: you have better health care than we do. Australias health care system, called Medicare, gives its citizens access to doctors and public hospitals paid for by the countrys government. In 2014, Australias system ranked sixth out of 51 countries in efficiency, while the U.S. ranked 44th, according to Bloomberg. The U.S. spent 17% of its GDP on health care compared to just 9% in Australia. Movieguide Faith and Values Awards (2007) Jennifer Lawrence hits her first red carpet at age 16 on Feb. 20, 2007, after having booked only a few small TV roles. (Photo: Getty Images) At 27, Jennifer Lawrence takes on what she describes as her most challenging role yet in the new Darren Aronofsky thriller Mother!, hitting theaters this weekend. With three films in production for 2018, we can look forward to more stylish red carpet appearances by the Oscar-winning actress in the future and if the past is our guide, shes a welcome presence at any movie premiere. For evidence, take a look back at 10 years worth of memorable red carpet moments starting with her professional breakthrough as a TV actress in 2007. A British journalist has met an unthinkable end while vacationing in Sri Lanka. Paul McLean is believed to have been dragged into a river to his death by one of the island nation's ferocious crocodiles. Watch: Rangers Trap a 13-Foot Crocodile After It Devoured an Entire Cow Managing editor James Lamont of the Financial Times, where McLean worked, called him a talented, energetic and dedicated young journalist. He was just shy of his 25th birthday. McLeans body was identified by friends, according to the paper. His cause of death has not yet been established. "We are liaising closely with his family and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and offering the FT's assistance," said Lamont. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. We are in touch with them, doing all we can to help during this difficult time." A graduate of Oxford University, McLean grew up just outside of London. His body was discovered a day after his fellow travelers alerted authorities after seeing McLean dragged away. Navy search teams aided in the recovery. Read: Hungry Crocodile Propels Itself Out of the Water to Snap Up a Meal One witness told reporters McLean was snatched near a surf spot when he ducked away to relieve himself. While rare, crocodile attacks have been known to happen in Sri Lanka and authorities have warned residents to stay vigilant during recent monsoon flooding. Watch: Reptile Handler Proposes to Girlfriend in Crocodile Den During Feeding Time Related Articles: Republican Senator Tim Scott met with Donald Trump about the President's controversial response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia and diversifying the White House staff: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The only black Republican in the Senate said Donald Trump "got it" after he met with him to discuss the President diversifying his staff and his response to Charlottesville. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the first black Senator from the American Deep South, said that the pair spoke for about 45 minutes and discussed everything from legislative remedies for those living in poverty, to the incident in Charlottesville, to some of the other issues that are important diversifying staff (at the White House). He said Mr Trump "got it" and seemed to understand the Charlottesville situation after the meeting as well as being "on board" with diversifying staff. Mr Scott openly criticised the President for his remarks following the violence that resulted in three deaths - one counter-protester and two Virginia State Police officers - in Charlottesville, Virginia last month. Protesters who wanted to keep a statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E Lee intact were comprised of members of the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis with torches, various white supremacist groups, and others. They clashed with protesters wanting the city to remove the statue because they felt it was a reminder of centuries of brutal slavery and honoured someone who was ultimately a traitor to the US government. Counter-protester Heather Heyer was killed after a car was driven into a crowd. A man has been charged over the killing and a number of other offenses. Mr Trump said that many sides were responsible for the violence in Charlottesville. He later condemned the hate groups in question by name, but kept repeating his stance that there were some good people on the so-called alt-right side and they were just being treated very badly by the US media. Much of the Presidents ire was focused on the medias coverage of the incident and his responses. Mr Scott said he gave Mr Trump some historical context to frame why he was so widely criticised about his response. Story continues While there were folks on both sides, some antagonism on both sides the reality of it was we have three or four centuries of history in this nation around white supremacy, the KKK, neo-Nazis...but they're raping and murdering people of colours for three centuries, Mr Scott said he told the President. However, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders had a different characterisation of the conversation. She said Mr Scott did not express his dismay with Mr Trumps response to Charlottesville and that the two were focused on developing solutions for the future. Mr Scott, in response to Ms Sanders apparent misunderstanding, said he certainly started my comments on why I found the presidents comments unsettling. Overall, the meeting was very productive according to Mr Scott. By Mirwais Harooni and Josh Smith KABUL (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to step up air strikes on Islamist militants in Afghanistan risk increasing civilian casualties and stirring resentment, despite an initial welcome by Afghan officials and international allies. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has avoided vocal criticisms of errant air strikes, but in previous years they sparked intense friction and soured ties between his predecessor, Hamid Karzai, and the international coalition in Afghanistan. With the U.S. set to resume a more active role in the war, many analysts expect a rise in the U.N.-documented first-half figure of 232 civilian casualties from international and Afghan air operations, a spike of 43 percent from a year earlier. "The issue about air strikes is part of a broader package of concerns," said one Western official. "I don't hear Western diplomats saying, 'How many bombs should we drop?' I hear them saying, 'Why are we bombing? What are we doing here, in general?'" During the 16 years since a U.S.-led campaign toppled the Taliban from power in 2001, resentment has repeatedly been fueled by coalition missteps that undermined hard-won progress on the political or military fronts. The exact contours of Trump's plan remain uncertain, but officials of several coalition nations told Reuters they feared more civilians could be harmed, despite avoiding the subject in public remarks. Additional airstrikes can be a double-edged sword for leaders looking to stem Taliban offensives, said Christopher Kolenda, a former U.S. Army officer who served in Afghanistan and worked on American military strategies for the conflict. "Better air support for Afghan forces on the ground will limit gains Taliban can make, and that's helpful in negotiations," he said. "The downside is if this creates a rise in civilian casualties, then you run a high risk of creating a cascade of negative perceptions among Afghans." There is no question Ghani cares deeply about protecting Afghan civilians, Kolenda added, but domestic political challenges and future elections make it inevitable that he will have to address any rise in civilian casualties. By the government's count, civilian casualties have dropped in recent years, a spokesman for Ghani said. "The Afghan government and its international partners' main aim is to provide a secure environment for its people," Shah Hussain Murtazawi told Reuters, adding that Afghan forces coordinate with foreign troops to protect non-combatants. AFGHAN CONCERNS Even as overall civilian casualties by pro-government forces dropped this year, casualties from aerial operations spiked 43 percent in the year's first half, the United Nations says. In the first six months, the U.N. recorded 29 civilian deaths and 85 injuries from Afghan air force strikes, and 54 deaths and 31 injuries in strikes by international warplanes. The prospects of more air strikes provoked mixed feelings in areas hardest hit, where many leaders fear attacks by Taliban or Islamic State, but also worry about the threat to residents. "Air strikes will not bring long-term security," said Abdul Jabbar Qahraman, a lawmaker from the restive southern province of Helmand. "They can defeat enemies when Afghan forces are under a huge attack, but they can also promote hatred between locals and government." In the eastern province of Nangarhar, where Islamic State made its greatest gains before being targeted by joint Afghan-U.S. offensives, the governor's spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, agreed. "Air strikes are important and helpful in many situations, but if they cause civilian casualties repeatedly that may hurt government legitimacy." U.S. Air Force aircraft dropped 503 weapons in August, in the most monthly air strikes since August 2012. American warplanes are also more likely to launch air strikes this year, with the Air Force dropping weapons during one of roughly every four close air support sorties, up from one in every eight last year, and one in every 14 in 2015. International advisers have also pushed the Afghan Air Force to take a greater role in the air war, boosting the number of civilians killed or injured by Afghan bombs and rockets. Pressure will probably grow for Ghani to ensure the Afghan forces take measures to protect civilians, Kolenda added. "Civilian casualties is one of many problems that is damaging the legitimacy of the government," he said. (Additional reporting by Ahmad Sultan in Nangarhar and James Mackenzie in Kabul; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) AIN ISSA, Syria For three months, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been fighting to liberate Raqqa from the Islamic State and have reportedly captured 70 percent of the city. The jihadi group will eventually be kicked out of the city, but what happens after the dust settles remains a matter of some dispute. Some reports contend that the city will be handed over to a council friendly to Damascus a contention vigorously denied by the SDF, which says it aims to set up institutions that exclude the regimes security branches from the city. The struggle for Raqqa is occurring amid intense regional competition for influence in northern and eastern Syria. Russian and Iranian-backed Syrian government forces are advancing to the east in Deir Ezzor and have approached close to SDF lines south of Raqqa, briefly resulting in clashes between the regime and the Kurdish-led forces. To the west of Raqqa, Turkish troops and rebels backed by Ankara have threatened to launch further attacks on SDF positions but have seemingly so far been held back by Russia. The SDF has shown no inclination to hand Raqqa over to one of its rivals. The city will likely become part of the federal region in the future or will remain somehow linked to it. And that means that the best indicator of its fate is the local institutions that have been established in areas already liberated by SDF forces. Towns such as Ain Issa, Tabqa, and Manbij are already grappling with the thorny issues of ties with the Assad regime, social divides among the different ethnic groups, and reconstruction through a network of local councils. The Raqqa Civil Council, which is co-headed by a Kurd and an Arab, has already been established and is now based in Ain Issa. It will move into Raqqa itself once the city is liberated. Omar Aloush is a senior Kurdish member of the Raqqa Civil Council and also has helped establish other councils for towns such as Tal Abyad and Manbij. He told Foreign Policy that after the liberation of Raqqa, the residents of the city will decide if they will join the decentralized federal system established by the Kurds in three regions of northern Syria. This is also what will happen in Manbij, which so far is not part of the Kurdish-led administration that plans to hold elections this year and the next. Story continues The people of Raqqa are those who will manage it, and we will not allow the intervention of the regime in its affairs, Aloush said. The councils that were established in cities like Tabqa, Manbij, and Tal Abyad have a multiethnic makeup, corresponding to the demography of the city. They self-govern the cities through committees that focus on education, reconciliation, security, and the provision of services like electricity and water. The majority of the members are Arab, although Kurds play an important role in advising and setting up the councils. Accepting regime funding, denying regime control Some municipality workers in the liberated areas continue to receive a salary from the regime, a dynamic that local officials are willing to let continue. But they draw a line at allowing the regimes security services to re-establish a foothold in the area. When it comes to the army, intelligence, courts, police, they are forbidden, Aloush said. [Regime militias] are coming for theft, destruction, and the torture of people. These militias cannot enter the liberated areas. An anonymous U.S. official told FP that the Syrian regime continued to pay salaries in areas that fell out of its control since 2012 in order to retain influence there. The same will most likely happen in SDF areas. So it is conceivable that the regime would seek to re-establish such connectivity elsewhere in Syria, the official said. What is clear is that many Syrians do not seek a return to a pre-2011 Syria. On the other hand, there may be a degree of connectivity to the Damascus government that some Syrians could tolerate and benefit from such as civil service or teacher salaries and administrative services. Civilians and officials in towns such as Manbij and Tabqa were also unanimous in saying they opposed the return of the regime. We regard the regime as a ruling gang, and the people reject it, but there are some people that receive a salary from the regime, and this is normal, said Mahmoud Stud al-Tay, 45, a member of the Manbij Civil Council. However, he also drew a line at the return of the states security apparatus or their proxies to Manbij. I met with Iranian militias in the west of Manbij, who do not speak Arabic. They are not acceptable to us, Tay said. Now that President Bashar al-Assads survival is clear, the Syrian regime is trying to convince some Arab tribes to help pave the way for their return to SDF-controlled areas. Thats another pitfall that SDF-aligned officials are trying to stop in its tracks including by threatening those trying to reconcile with the regime with arrest. They can go to Damascus and publish their propaganda there. Its forbidden to publish any of the propaganda of the regime [in the liberated] areas here, Aloush said. Education and womens rights The local administrations problems extend far beyond issues of security. They have also been forced to contend with difficult issues surrounding school curricula and the differing views about womens rights held by the Kurdish and Arab populations. The schools in Manbij, Ain Issa, and Tabqa will continue to follow the Syrian government curriculum. Tay, the Manbij official, said less than 20 percent of teachers still earn their salaries from the regime, while the rest are appointed and receive their salary from the local council. The curriculum will be in Arabic following the old system, but we will remove racist materials and expired material from the curriculum, Aloush, the Raqqa official, said. While there is a strong focus on gender equality in the Kurdish-led areas, the conservative Arab tribes in the region often have different views. The towns of Manbij and Tabqa have not yet banned measures like polygamy, fearing a popular backlash, though Tal Abyad has made the practice illegal. Women would be happy with this decision, but men do not accept this rule, so they protest against this decision, said Farah al-Hussein, 28, who works on education for the Tabqa council. In the town of Manbij, which was liberated from the Islamic State more than a year ago, polygamy is also allowed. Tay said the issue is a matter of personal freedom. Referring to two predominantly Kurdish cities, he added, Our laws are not like the laws of Qamishli and Kobani. The daunting task of reconstruction While the local administrations can handle some reconstruction tasks, they still require international aid for the big-ticket items support, they say, that has not yet been forthcoming. In Tabqa, for instance, much work remains to be done. Ahmad Sulaiman, a tribal leader from the Nasr tribe and the new deputy head of the Tabqa Civil Council, said all of the councils members were volunteers and did not receive salaries or any perks of office. Those who help provide services for the municipalities, he said, are paid salaries that range from $50 to $100 per month. Sulaiman said the council has restored electricity, bakeries, and basic services but that repairing all of the damage wrought by the war was beyond the local councils capabilities. He stressed that there was not enough support for reconstruction and that the nearby Tabqa Dam still sat unrepaired and full of mines laid by the Islamic State. Reconstruction will be a particular challenge for Raqqa upon its liberation. Local officials estimate that it has suffered far greater damage than the other towns in the Kurdish-led areas and while they welcome international help in rebuilding their region, they say American assistance has yet to be forthcoming. President Donald Trumps administration sent a small team of only seven people into areas liberated by the SDF this summer to assess immediate humanitarian needs. What we want is for international organizations to rebuild the infrastructure, such as hospitals, power stations, and drinking water plants, Sulaiman said. The Americans come here and hold meetings, but we have not received any help from them. After the Raqqa operation is over, the SDF-linked council will face several challenges. Will it be able to maintain the loyalty of Arab tribes, and will it be able to provide services and jobs in the newly liberated areas? The regime could attempt to use these issues to undermine and supplant the council but, so far, it has met with limited success. Shifts in the regional powers Syria policy could also affect Raqqas fate. The SDFs dependence on the United States makes it weak: If Washington chooses to withdraw from Syria, the SDF could be forced to make a deal with Russia and the Syrian government. Without U.S. backing, the SDF-held areas could also easily be attacked by Turkey. Kurdish officials say Iran also operates several militias on the ground that oppose any form of federalism in northern Syria. The Assad government is shifting into an active policy of undermining the U.S. military presence on the ground in Syria, and Russia is fully on board with this plan, said Nicholas Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security. Russia does not want to see an indefinite U.S. military mandate in Syria, which Assad fears is being built. However, Kurdish officials believe they have a commitment from the United States to support them in the years ahead. Americas presence in the region is not temporary, because it has interests here, said Abdulselam Ahmed, a Kurdish official in Qamishli. The U.S. does not want to leave the region to Iran and Russia. Even if the United States isnt interested in confronting Tehran or Moscow, its interest in preventing a resurgence of the Islamic State isnt about to fade anytime soon. As they sit on the brink of capturing the groups de facto capital, Kurdish officials believe that they have positioned themselves as Washingtons preferred partner to keep the terrorist organization down for the foreseeable future. As Ahmed put it, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, Even if Daesh is militarily broken, a danger will remain, and the U.S. will try to minimize this danger. Photo credit:DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP/Getty Images (MINSK, Belarus) Russia and Belarus began major war games Thursday, an operation involving thousands of troops, tanks and aircraft on NATOs eastern edge practicing how to hunt down and destroy armed spies, among other maneuvers. The Zapad (West) 2017 maneuvers, which are mainly taking place in Belarus this year, have caused concern among members of the Western military alliance and in neighboring countries. Some NATO members, including the Baltic states and Poland, have criticized a lack of transparency about the exercises and questioned Moscows real intentions. Russia and Belarus say the exercises, which run until Sept. 20, involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops. Russian military officials have said up to 70 aircraft and about 250 tanks, 200 artillery systems and 10 navy ships will also be involved. Estonian Defense Minister Juri Liuk, however, says Moscow could deploy up to 100,000 troops. Leaving weapons in Belarus means the Russian army could prepare bases for a sudden broad attack right at the NATO border, Lithuanian officer Darius Antanaitis said. While the Baltic nations fear the Zapad maneuvers may lead to a surprise Russian attack, the exercises have also been criticized by Belarusian opposition leaders. They say Russia could use the occasion to position a large, permanent contingent of troops in Belarus, leaving the country at the mercy of any armed confrontation involving Moscow. The exercises began Thursday night with units simulating hunting down and destroying reconnaissance agents belonging to illegal armed groups, according to Oleg Belokonev, the Belarusian Deputy Defense Minister. Command points have been set up and fully-functioning command systems created, Belokonev told journalists at a press conference in Minsk, the capital. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, formally notified NATO of the beginning of the exercises on Thursday evening, according to Russian media. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told NATO troops in Estonia last week that the alliance will be closely monitoring Zapad exercises. Story continues Russia-West relations nosedived to their lowest level since the Cold War in recent years after Moscows 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and its support of separatists fighting the Ukrainian government in eastern Ukraine, clashes that have left over 10,000 people dead. Russias Defense Ministry said Thursday that elite parachute units in several Russian cities had been placed on alert to be deployed during the exercises. Organizers have invented three aggressor countries Veishnoriya, Lubeniya and Vesbasriya to whose attacks the Russian and Belarusian militaries will simulate a response. The Baltic States and Poland fear that these monikers are just poorly disguised terms for their own countries. Polands National Security Bureau head, Pawel Soloch, said Thursday the exercises were a demonstration of the Russian states capacity to hold full-scale war action. The degree of mobilization is really impressive, Soloch said on private Radio Zet. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, who often criticizes Russian leaders, said the war games are a sign the Kremlin is preparing for conflict with NATO. We are anxious about this drill it is an open preparation for war with the West, Grybauskaite told reporters. There is also unease in Kiev, and Ukraine is currently conducting its own military exercises. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that Zapad 2017 appears to be a preparation for an offensive war on a continental scale. Both Moscow and Minsk have said repeatedly that the exercises are not a danger for neighboring countries. We are not threatening anyone, Oleg Voinov, an adviser to the Belarusian Defense Minister, told journalists Thursday. We have chosen military bases that are significantly removed from the borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Thursday that Russia had been completely open and transparent about its militarys involvement in the exercises. The most recent Zapad exercises, which occur every few years, took place in 2013, just before Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea. Russia had leased a naval base in Crimea from Ukraine prior to its seizure, and used troops deployed there to quickly take over the Black Sea peninsula. Some people think fears of Russian aggression are being blown out of proportion. Worries over Zapad are overkill. Russians will not seek confrontation, because they know that NATO will be watching this event closely and is certainly ready to react, said Kestutis Girnius, a Vilnius University political analyst. Astana (Kazakhstan) (AFP) - Russia, Iran and Turkey struck a deal Friday to jointly police a fourth safe zone around Syria's Idlib province as part of a Moscow-led plan to ease the six-year conflict. In a joint statement after two days of talks in Kazakhstan, the three powers said they agreed "to allocate" their forces to patrol the zone covering rebel-held Idlib province and parts of the neighbouring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo regions. The talks in Astana, the Kazakh capital, are the sixth round of negotiations Moscow has spearheaded since the start of the year as it seeks to pacify Syria after its game-changing intervention on the side of leader Bashar al-Assad. Regime backers Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey agreed in May to set four "de-escalation zones" in rebel-held territory around Syria to halt fighting between the government and moderate opposition. Since then Russia has forged ahead with establishing three of the zones on the ground by deploying military police to patrol the boundaries of safe areas in the south of Syria, in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, and in part of the central Homs province. - 'Final stage' - However, the three powers had struggled to agree the details of the final zone around Idlib on the border with Turkey, as Ankara and Tehran vied to expand their influence. Idlib was captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels and remains beyond the control of the government. The statement Friday said Russian, Iranian and Turkish forces would be deployed according to maps agreed earlier this month in Ankara, the Turkish capital, but gave no further details of their exact positions or the timing. A joint Russia-Turkish-Iranian coordination centre will be set up "aimed at coordinating the activities of de-escalation forces", the joint declaration said. Russia's chief negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev hailed the deal as the "final stage" in the creation of the four safe zones, insisting it would "create a real path to the cessation of bloodshed" and offer hope for "a return to peaceful life". Story continues Nevertheless, Lavrentyev, acknowledged there remains a "long journey ahead to strengthen trust" between Assad's government and the armed opposition, both of whom sent delegations to the negotiations. Regime representative Bashar al-Jaafari said Damascus "supports any initiative in Syria that stops the shedding of Syrian blood and decreases suffering". A statement on its Facebook page said that the armed opposition noted that no "monitoring mechanism" had been agreed for the new zone in Idlib. "Assad's forces or militias will not be present in any area or part of the de-escalation zones and will not have a role in our liberated zones," the statement said. - 'Bring the momentum' - On the ground the "de-escalation zones" have already seen fighting drop and allowed Damascus and Moscow to turn more of their firepower against jihadists from the Islamic State group. The participants agreed to a fresh round of talks in Astana in October. The United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura called to "bring the momentum of Astana" to broader talks on finding a political solution to the war that the UN has hosted without much success in Geneva. "No de-escalation can be sustained without a comprehensive political process, and that is based in Geneva," he said. Some observers have viewed the Astana process as a means for Russia, Iran and Turkey to keep the West on the sidelines of any resolution to the Syrian conflict that has already led to the loss of over 330,000 lives. By Ece Toksabay and Raushan Nurshayeva ANKARA/ASTANA (Reuters) - Russia, Iran and Turkey will post observers on the edge of a de-escalation zone in northern Syria's Idlib region largely controlled by Islamist militants, the three nations said on Friday. The move is part of a broader plan under which Moscow, Tehran and Ankara will set up four such zones in different parts of Syria, an idea described by critics as de facto partitioning of the war-torn nation. While they hailed the agreement as a breakthrough after months of talks, Moscow, Tehran and Ankara provided very few details and said some issues were still to be worked out. They denied charges of aiming to partition the country, however, saying the zones where they plan to deploy forces would be temporary, although they could be extended beyond an initial six-month term. A top aide to President Bashar al-Assad, Bouthaina Shaaban, said attempts to divide Syria had failed, and reiterated the government's vow to take back the entire country, including "Idlib and other areas". Turkey's foreign ministry and Russian and Iranian diplomats who attended trilateral talks in Kazakhstan said on Friday their observers would be stationed in "safe zones" along the border of the Idlib de-escalation area. The Turkish ministry said in a statement the observers' mission will be to prevent clashes between "the (Syrian) regime and the opposition forces, and any violations of the truce". Russian negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev said the trio will each send about 500 observers to Idlib, and the Russians will be military policemen. Idlib province, in northwest Syria on the border with Turkey, is largely controlled by a rebel alliance spearheaded by the former al Qaeda offshoot Nusra Front. One analyst was unsure how effective the deal would be. "I'm not sure what this deal means in practice or how or if it is going to get implemented on the ground," said Aron Lund, a Syria specialist and fellow at The Century Foundation. "The obvious stumbling block is the fact that much of Idlib is under the control of Tahrir al-Sham, which is viewed internationally as a terrorist group." DEVIL IN THE DETAILS A deal with Russia and Iran, which support President Bashar Assad's government, marks a shift in the policy of Ankara, which backs some of the rebels and raised objections to Russia and Iran's proposals at a previous meeting in July. But the details of the plan remained unclear as the three countries did not make public any of the documents agreed on Friday apart from their joint statement. Russia's Lavrentyev said that the exact deployment locations of de-escalation control forces in Idlib had yet to be determined. Yezid Sayigh, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Centre, said the agreement could pave way for an offensive against Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). "The calls to form a 'unified opposition army' in the northwest under the aegis of groups close to the Muslim Brotherhood suggest that Turkey is preparing a proxy force to move against HTS in western Aleppo and Idlib: as in al-Bab and Jarablus, Turkish units would support opposition forces from behind," he said. A Western diplomat said it was "still unclear what the final outcome will be, notwithstanding there was just a closing ceremony". "How much devil will be in the detail remains to be seen," the diplomat said. Meanwhile, the Astana trio have started discussing setting up national reconciliation committees in Syria and will continue those discussions in late October, Lavrentyev said. The United Nations, which hosts separate Syria peace talks in Geneva, has previously urged Astana to focus on consolidating the ceasefire and avoid political matters. (Additional reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Tom Perry, John Davison in Beirut; Writing by Dominic Evans and Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Hugh Lawson) By Simon Lewis SHAMLAPUR, Bangladesh (Reuters) - For tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, an informal fleet of small wooden fishing boats has meant deliverance from what they say is an indiscriminate assault on their villages by the Myanmar army. Deliverance, however, comes at a price. Some refugees told Reuters they paid as much as 10,000 taka ($122) per adult to boatmen to make the five-hour crossing from Myanmar's coast to ports in southern Bangladesh. While the fishermen say they have a moral obligation to help desperate fellow Muslims escaping persecution, Bangladeshi officials accuse them of profiteering. Ordered to stamp out what they call human trafficking, they have made arrests and even set fire to fishing boats. "Of course we want to keep going back to rescue more people. Our Muslim brothers and sisters are in a bad situation, so I have to go and bring them," said Mohammed Alom, 25, a fisherman in the Bangladeshi village of Shamlapur. Around 400,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh in less than three weeks and people are still coming, by land as well as by sea, after attacks by Rohingya militants sparked a fierce counteroffensive by Myanmar's army. Senior United Nations officials have described the violence as "ethnic cleansing". The influx is placing huge strain on authorities in southern Bangladesh, one of the poorest parts of a poor country. "Don't say rescuers. The rescuers should be going and they should rescue people, not in terms of money," said Lieutenant Colonel Ariful Islam, Border Guards Bangladesh commander in Teknaf on the country's southern tip, referring to the fishermen bringing refugees ashore. "These people are very poor, it's just extorting from them whatever they have. We are helping those who arrived, but we're trying to insist that no human trafficking should take place." "HUMANITARIAN ACT" Reuters interviewed three Rohingya fishermen and two Bangladeshi boat owner-operators, all of whom had made at least two visits to Myanmar in recent weeks. The men didn't believe the profits they made detracted from what they saw as a rescue mission. Shaif Ullah, 34, a Bangladeshi, who co-owns a fishing boat, said he made 100,000 taka ($1,220) rescuing the family of a Rohingya in Malaysia who paid him via BKash, a popular mobile money service, after he returned to Bangladeshi shores. "People from Malaysia and Saudi Arabia call me and tell me to go there to get their family," he said. "They are crying for my help. I take money from them, yes, but it's also a humanitarian act." Two refugees have told Reuters their family members were detained by fishermen or brokers in Bangladesh when they could not pay for the journey. Several also complained they had to hand over gold and other jewelry to boat operators. "We had no chance to negotiate with the boatmen," said Ali Johar, 75, an elder from his village in southern Maungdaw, just across the Naf river that forms the border between Myanmar and Bangladesh, now staying in Shamlapur. He handed over his wife's gold necklace and a gold ring, in addition to 7,000 taka for the rescue of him and about 30 members of his extended family, including young children, he said. "But we are grateful to the fishermen for bringing us here," he said. "There were so many people trying to get here. If they didn't bring us, we would be stuck." BURNING BOATS Pronay Chakma says it was a "stroke of fate" that thrust him into a key role in Bangladesh's response to the crisis. The 31-year-old administrator arrived in Teknaf to start a new job as sub-district assistant commissioner for land on Aug. 23, two days before northwestern Myanmar exploded into violence. "The thing is that, yes, the fishermen can go there, no problem, but if they demand money from the pain of stricken people, is it humanitarian? No," he said. Chakma - a Buddhist member of the Chakma tribe who live scattered throughout South Asia - is an executive magistrate, which means he can hand down jail terms in simple criminal cases. He interrupted an interview with Reuters to sentence a man to three months for possession of five methamphetamine tablets. Chakma and another local official have sentenced at least 100 people to terms of up to six months for continuing to charge Rohingya refugees for ferrying them to safety. "Each and every time we are warning them," he said. "Yes, you can do that, but not in exchange of money." He pointed to the deaths of women and children who, unable to swim, have died after their boats capsized near Bangladeshi shores. Fishermen and local residents told Reuters that authorities have also broadcast messages in their villages by loudspeaker ordering them not to pick up Rohingyas. At least five boats caught bringing refugees in exchange for money have been set on fire on the beach by officials. The boatmen Reuters spoke to said they were cautious about operating in bad weather and rejected allegations of coercion or detaining refugees. Tens of thousands of people may still be waiting to cross the mouth of the Naf river, according to estimates by refugees, fishermen and rights groups. "I would like to go back to bring these people, because Muslims are suffering," said Bangladeshi boat owner Moni Ullah, 38. "For me, it's hard to sit here and not go there, because I have seen so many people crying on the beach." ($1 = 81.9300 taka) (Reporting by Simon Lewis; Additional reporting by Nurul Islam; Editing by Alex Richardson) About 800 years ago, a teenage soldier named Laurentius Loricatus accidentally killed a man. He spent the next 34 years in a cave in Italy atoning for his crime, burning his face with a hot iron and wearing a hooked chain-mail shirt directly on his skin as penance. Loricatus' story is known today because the villagers near his cave petitioned for his sainthood on a 16-foot-long (5 meters) parchment that now resides in the Vatican Secret Archives in Vatican City. However, much of the scroll has been damaged by mysterious purple spots and the spots are similar to ones that mar parchments made of animal skins all over the world, said Luciana Migliore, an ecotoxicologist at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Using Loricatus' scroll, Migliore and her colleagues have finally pinpointed the culprit that damaged all of these parchments: salt-loving marine microbes. This was a shock, Migliore said, because the parchment had been nowhere near the sea. [Cracking Codices: 10 of the Most Mysterious Ancient Manuscripts] "When my students came to me, saying, 'Luciana, we found marine bacteria,' I told them, 'Repeat, please; there is a mistake. There must be a mistake!'" Migliore said. Mystery bacteria The surprising finding was the result of applying new technology to an old problem. Migliore is a toxicologist who usually works on marine plants. At a friend's behest, she started teaching biology in a conservation-and-restoration program. This goatskin scroll from A.D. 1244 is covered in mysterious purple spots. G. Vendittozzi "I thought that I could apply the techniques that I'm used to applying to underwater plants to scrolls and old documents," Migliore told Live Science. [7 Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls] Specifically, Migliore wanted to use next-generation genetic sequencing to see if she could identify the microbes that eat away at old parchments. She and her team chose to restore the Laurentius Loricatus scroll both because of its gripping content and the beauty of the document itself. Story continues The goatskin scroll, which dates to A.D. 1244, has purple dots all along its margins, and the first and last pages are entirely obscured by the mystery pigment. Migliore's team sampled a few millimeter-size bits of the scroll that had already flaked off. They sent these samples to a lab in the United States that does fast, cheap gene sequencing. Inside job The findings showed much more genetic diversity, indicating a wider range of microbes, in the purple spots than in the undamaged areas of the parchment. The genetics told a two-stage story of damage: First, salt-loving, or halophilic, bacteria colonized the parchment. Next, salt-tolerant microbes, particularly the Gammaproteobacteria, took over. What shocked Migliore is that so many of these microbes were marine or aquatic. But when they took into account how skin scrolls were made, the discovery made sense, Migliore said. The first step after removing the hide from an animal was to bathe the skin in a sea-salt bath to help preserve it, she said. This bath would have killed off most microbes that eat away at flesh but it also introduced salt-loving and salt-tolerant marine bacteria. These little microbes huddled in the middle layers of the parchment, where the salinity was just right. When the scroll was read and stored at various monasteries throughout its lifetime, changes in temperature and humidity would have allowed the salt-loving bacteria to grow and thrive. Many of these species produce purple pigments, Migliore noted. Eventually, though, those salt eaters would have seen their supply run out and died off. Their corpses, Migliore said, provided a whole new source of food for the next phase of bacterial colonization. The Gammaproteobacteria moved in and ate not only the dead halophilic bacteria but also the fine collagen matrix of the goatskin parchment. This caused parts of the parchment to flake off, lost forever. Salt curing is one thing that skin parchments around the world have in common, Migliore said, so it makes sense that similar damage is seen in scrolls from all sorts of regions and time frames. (Loricatus' scroll is currently safe from further damage, as it has been kept in climate-controlled conditions since its move to Vatican City in the late 1700s.) There's no reversing the damage to the parts of the parchment where the underlying collagen was eaten away, Migliore said. There may still be a way to remove the purple pigments, though. She and her team are working to determine the pigment structure now. "In this way, this work opens new perspectives, because we have to study to see if it is possible to make something of this parchment," Migliore said. The researchers reported their findings today (Sept. 7) in the open-access journal Scientific Reports. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations US Senator Elizabeth Warren and a handful of her Democratic peers have introduced a bill intended to give consumers more control over the information collected by credit-reporting agencies including Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. The Freedom From Equifax Exploitation Act is in response to a massive security breach at Equifax that compromised the personal information of 143 million people. Equifax reported the hack on September 7th, though the attack itself was live from mid-May through the end of July. Above all, the FREE Act would allow consumers to freeze their credit at any time for free. Typically, credit-rating companies charge for this protection, as Equifax did right after announcing the cyberattack. (It has since waived credit-freeze fees for a limited time.) The bill also expands fraud alert protections and would force Equifax to refund any fees it charged for credit freezes in the wake of the breach. On top of the bill, Warren is spearheading an investigation into the Equifax hack and the wider credit-reporting industry. This is her wheelhouse -- Warren helped establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2011, following the 2007 financial crisis. In a letter to the CFPB and Federal Trade Commission today, Warren asked whether the bureau would benefit from additional authorities to properly oversee credit-reporting agencies. The FTC is also investigating the incident itself. Days after the Equifax breach, Democratic Senators Brian Schatz, Claire McCaskill, Richard Blumenthal, Bernie Sanders, Jeff Merkley and Warren reintroduced the Stop Errors in Credit Use and Reporting Act, which would introduce operational standards for the credit-reporting industry and give consumers more control over their information. Hackers were able to access Equifax's bank of names, addresses, birth dates, social security numbers and other private information because of a flaw in the Apache Struts Web Framework that was made public in March. Equifax didn't properly patch the loophole -- the hack began two months later and was allowed to linger through July. It isn't just the government making moves after the Equifax incident: Credit Karma this week announced it's added Equifax to its free credit monitoring service. South Korea responded to Pyongyangs latest provocative missile test by firing two of its own in a retaliatory show of force on Friday. The Hyunmoo-2 missiles were launched by the South Korean military from an eastern site close to the border with the North, just six minutes after Pyongyang flew a ballistic missile about 3,700 km over Japan and into the North Pacific Ocean. One Hyunmoo-2 accurately hit a simulated target located at the same distance as the North Korean launch site, a military official reported. But the second failed at the initial launch stage and flopped into the water. South Korea's missile system firing Hyunmu-2 missile into the East Sea from an undisclosed location Credit: AFP PHOTO AND South Korean Defence Ministry The official said the Souths military response came while the Norths missile was still flying. It reveals a toughening of Seouls stance towards Pyongyangs military build-up, even as South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ruled out the return of nuclear weapons to his country. If we respond to the situation with an attitude that we will counter a nuclear-armed North with a nuclear-armed South, peace cannot be maintained between the two Koreas, Moon said in an interview with CNN. Furthermore, it will trigger a nuclear arms race in the entire Northeast Asia. North Korean missile test Ahead of a trip to the United Nations next week to address the North Korean crisis, Mr Moon also denied there was any rift with the US after President Donald Trump earlier denounced the Souths talk of appeasement on Twitter. Mr Moon will deliver a speech to the UN General Assembly which is expected to set the tone of his future approach to the North. Meanwhile on Friday, South Korean Foreign Minister, Kang Kyung-wha discussed the latest provocation in telephone calls with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and her Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono. While Mr Tillerson reaffirmed Americas unwavering commitment protecting South Korea and Japan, they also agreed to take powerful and stern measures in a way that leads the North to give up its weapons programmes and enter denuclearisation talks. Ha Tinh (Vietnam) (AFP) - Typhoon Doksuri wreaked havoc on central Vietnam Friday, lashing the coast with fierce winds and heavy rains as tens of thousands were evacuated and three people were reported dead in the country's worst storm in years. Trees and billboards were torn down and thousands of homes damaged as the storm made landfall Friday, causing flooding and power outages along a large swathe of coastline. "The roof of my house was blown off and all the bricks are gone. Here at my small shop, cakes, candies, bread and noodles are all wet," Phan Thi Lan, a vendor in badly hit Ha Tinh province, told AFP. "I don't know how I'll ever have enough money to fix our house," she said, as rain pounded down. Roads were mostly deserted in Ha Tinh province, though emergency vehicles were seen speeding toward the coast, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. Elsewhere in the province, a large telecommunications tower collapsed, reported state-run Vietnam Television (VTV). More than 79,000 people were evacuated across the four provinces expected to be worst affected, the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said. Those who remained in the area fled desperately for safety. "I have never seen such a bad storm. The roof of my house was blown away and the houses of many of my neighbours were also damaged. I ran here to the petrol station," construction worker Nguyen Van Tai told AFP. - Safety first - Vietnam's central coast is routinely lashed by storms, especially during tropical storm season from May to October. But disaster management officials predicted that Doksuri would be the worst to hit Vietnam in a decade. By midday Friday more than 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in Quang Binh province, where one person was also reported killed, according to the province's deputy chairman Le Minh Ngan, speaking on VTV. Another man died in Hue province when a river swept him away following heavy rains, officials said. A third was killed after he was knocked over by heavy rains in Ha Tinh province, according to state media. Story continues The storm packed wind speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour (56 miles per hour), and was expected to weaken throughout the day as it moved toward Laos, according to the Vietnam National Hydro-meteorological Service. Officials earlier said they were still moving people from their homes and had ordered boats ashore. "The number one priority is ensuring people's safety," Agriculture Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said on VTV. Several flights to the area were cancelled Friday, and most schools were closed as residents hunkered down. "The kids stayed at home and there's not much in the markets. I bought enough instant noodles for the family, so I think we're good," Nghe An resident Nguyen Thi Hue, 58, told AFP. The Vietnam Red Cross Society said it was donating $45,000 and sending essential supplies to the area along with volunteers to help affected residents. The government said Thursday it had a quarter of a million soldiers on standby along with a fleet of vehicles and boats at the ready. The Southeast Asian nation has already been hit by severe weather this year, with 140 people dead or missing in natural disasters since January, according to official figures. Madrid (AFP) - Spain's central government launched its latest salvo against Catalonia on Friday, tightening control over regional spending and brushing aside a last-ditch separatist demand for dialogue to allow a banned referendum. "The rule of law works. Maybe some have not noticed, and it would be best if they noticed, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told a meeting of his conservative Popular Party in Barcelona. "The state will keep acting, because that is its duty," he added to applause from the audience, which gave him a standing ovation at the end of his speech. State authorities have piled pressure on Catalonia, threatening to arrest mayors if they facilitate the referendum and ordering police to seize any item that could be used in the vote in a region sharply divided over whether it wants independence. Rajoy said Spain's Guardia Civil police had so far seized "over 100,000 propaganda posters" from Catalonia's regional government related to the referendum, which Madrid deems illegal. Police also searched a printing firm near Barcelona and warned two Catalan newspapers, El Nacional and El Punt Aviu, not to publish referendum advertisements. Madrid went a step further Friday by tightening control over Catalonia's spending to prevent the region from using money to organise the referendum. Budget Minister Cristobal Montoro said Spain's central government would take over the payments of essential services and public workers' salaries in the region to make sure the cash went just to them. But separatists have reacted with defiance. On Thursday evening, Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and other regional players launched their campaign for the referendum in front of a crowd of thousands of cheering supporters in the coastal city of Tarragona, ignoring warnings that the event was "illegal." In an open letter distributed to domestic and foreign media on Friday, Puigdemont and other leaders including Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau denounced "unprecedented repression" by Madrid. Story continues They also asked Rajoy and the Spanish king for a last-ditch dialogue, but were promptly rebuked. "It's ironic coming from those who have refused dialogue save for a very specific issue -- the only one they care about -- the independence referendum," government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo told reporters. - Big cities key - The latest tit-for-tat tops weeks of mounting tensions as Catalan leaders go ahead with referendum preparations despite Madrid's ban and a court ruling that deems it illegal. Catalonia meanwhile remains sharply divided over the issue. A poll in July commissioned by the regional government found that 49.4 percent of Catalans were against independence while 41.1 percent supported it. More than 70 percent, though, wanted a referendum to settle the matter. If they win, the separatists vow to declare independence within days for the wealthy northeastern region of Spain, home to around 7.5 million people. Some 750 mayors have pledged to hold the referendum, but they head up mostly small municipalities. Among the most populated cities, five out of 10 will not get involved, and question marks remain over the biggest of them all -- Barcelona. Colau said Thursday that people in Barcelona would be able to vote "without putting institutions or public workers at risk," but she gave no details as to how this would work. Rajoy urged the "threatened mayors" who have not agreed to help stage the referendum to "remain calm". "We are with you, we are many, we are the majority, and this is a strong democracy that will not accept challenges like the one we have on our table," he said. - 'Right to vote' - Catalonia, which accounts for about one-fifth of Spain's economic output, already has significant powers over matters such as education and healthcare. But Spain's economic worries, coupled with a perception that Catalonia pays more in taxes than it receives in investments and transfers from Madrid, have helped push the cause of secession. The pro-separatist camp argues that a referendum represents their right to self-determination. "What we are doing is exercising the right to vote... that forms part of a basic democratic exercise," Catalan Vice-President Oriol Junqueras told Spanish radio on Friday. The "repression" they denounce includes legal proceedings against Puigdemont and other Catalan officials including members of a newly-created electoral board to oversee the vote. The day after a Washington state high school student opened fire on his classmates, killing one and injuring three others, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich held a press conference to decry the frequency of such shootings. This is a situation that plays out in our society way too often, and we as a society need to make a determination as to whats causing this, he said Thursday afternoon. Knezovich then launched into a list of factors he believes were at play when 15-year-old suspect Caleb Sharpe, who has been identified in court documents, brought both a handgun and an AR-15 rifle to Freeman High School on Wednesday. The sheriff blamed the media: This young gentleman got sucked into a counterculture of violence, a culture that is enamored with school shootings. And media, you are to blame for that, because you keep giving these people headlines. You keep using their names. You have made them heroes to some people. If I had my way, none of these peoples names would ever be remembered. He blamed parenting skills: Where did we really go sideways in raising our kids? Perhaps we taught them to glorify the wrong things. All this violence that they constantly consume has come home to pay a major price. It is time for each and every one of us to say no more to the hate that we see, to the violence that we see. He blamed politicians: [Lawmakers on] both the right and the left, youre both enamored by radicalized hate. You seem to hate everybody and everything. Its time for you to end that too. He blamed the lack of local mental health services: They [the federal government] have pushed this problem to the local level, and the local level is not equipped to deal with it. This is a state and national issue that they better wake up and start dealing with. He blamed video games: You started glorifying cultures of violence. You glorified gang culture. You glorified games that actually give you points for raping and killing people. But when a reporter asked Knezovich how the shooter had access to the firearms used to kill classmate Sam Strahan and injure three others, the sheriff was reluctant to discuss gun control issues. Story continues Minors are not supposed to be in possession of a handgun until theyre 21, he said. You never know how people get ahold of weapons. Those are things well be digging into in trying to figure out what exactly happened here. But its no mystery how Sharpe gained access to the weapons he fired at school. Knezovich acknowledged there is a gun safe in Sharpes house. The teen told police that he knows the combination to the safe and bragged to fellow students that his father purchased guns for him, according to court documents reviewed by The Spokesman-Review. Well have to figure it out and go from there, Knezovich said of the safe. [A]s a parent, you need to take care of how you store those things. The sheriffs resistance to focusing on the firearms in the Freeman High shooting fits with the longstanding effort of gun lobbyists and politicians to avoid discussing the elephant in the room in the wake of tragedies like this. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long been barred from using federal funds to research gun violence. Attempts to lift that ban in Congress have been unsuccessful. Despite firearms killing more than 30,000 people in the U.S. every year, gun violence remains the least researched major cause of death relative to the number of lives it claims, according to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in January. While researchers have found a correlation between weaker gun laws and school shootings in the U.S. where the number of such events far outstrips those in the rest of the developed world the available data are limited, and the CDC cant help fill in the gaps. The resistance by many lawmakers to discuss gun control after a mass shooting has become so commonplace that The Onion now parodies the response after such tragedies, always with the headline No Way To Prevent This, Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens. Still, Knezovich argued at Thursdays press conference that guns have been a constant in the U.S. since long before mass shootings became such frequent news. He leaned on evidence from his own experience. It all depends on the 15-year-old. I can tell you folks, I carried a gun all my life, he said, recalling that his classmates left guns in the backs of their cars during school so they could go hunting afterward. Guns didnt change, we changed, Knezovich said. The sheriffs claim is misleading at best. Gun manufacturing in the U.S. has skyrocketed in recent years, jumping from nearly 5.5 million firearms in 2010 to nearly 10.9 million in 2013, with the overwhelming majority of them staying in the country, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. There are now more guns than people in the U.S. But how the rising numbers of guns or any of the other factors that Knezovich blamed contribute to gun violence will remain unclear so long as the CDC and the researchers who rely on its funding are limited in studying the matter. We never said guns were a disease, Charles Branas, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvanias Perelman School of Medicine, told HuffPost in December. Theres a huge difference between guns and gun violence. Gun violence is the outcome were trying to prevent. Were not trying to prevent guns. Nick Wing contributed reporting. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked for a $25,000-an-hour military jet to fly him and his wife on a honeymoon to Europe, weeks before the couple flew on a government aircraft during the eclipse. The departments inspector general announced on Wednesday that they were investigating the request, which was made because Mnunchin feared he would not have access to secure communications while traveling to Scotland, France, and Italy, ABC News reported. It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft, a department spokesman said on Wednesday. The request was dropped when other secure communications options were found. The White House and Republican leaders are this week planning to detail cuts to corporate and individual taxes that start on September 25. Mnuchins governmental flight to Kentucky raised eyebrows in August after Louise Linton, his wife, posted an Instagram picture of herself getting off the plane and tagged the designers that she was wearing. The flight was during the time of the eclipse, leading to wide condemnation that the trip was conveniently planned for personal travel. Treasury officials defended the trip as official government travel, the Washington Post reported. If youre reading this, its too late. I already crashed Fashion Weekbut not in the way you think. On Sunday, I spent the day attending the festivities, even though I didnt have a single ticket or RSVP to my name. The idea was that Id try to experience one of fashions biggest events as the everyday person trying to attend. While it was difficult (see below for all the #struggles that went down), this ex-fashion gal did manage to get her fix in the endboth from seeing runway collections and the plethora of street style. When entering different shows and presentations, I found that NYFW really is just as exclusive as one would think. Even if youre the best-dressed person in the room, the doormen simply do not care. Their one job is to let ticket holders in and keep crashers out. Thats why its important to find events with extra standing room and consider open-to-the-public runway shows when spontaneously attending at the last minute. Read on to see my hour-by-hour account of how it all went down. 8:00 a.m.: After hopping out of bed, I immediately looked for an outfit that felt cool but easymy usual fashion philosophyand settled on my favorite oversized denim jacket. I paired it with a basic silk tank and a denim mini for a full-on Canadian tux effect (street-style gold). I finished the look with black satin Zvelle mules, a chunky statement necklace-choker combo, Vera Wang sunglasses, and a faux fur clutch from Skinny Dip London. I was ready. RELATED: Josephine Skriver on What Its Like to Be a Model at Fashion Week 9:00 a.m. Once I sussed out my outfit and threw my hair into a half-up do, it was time to finalize my game plan for the day. Sitting down at my computer, I glanced through the NYFW schedule and realized Victoria Beckhams showalthough a long shot in terms of getting inwas happening near my apartment at 10 a.m. After giving it some thought (aka realizing David Beckham could end up making an appearance), I decided it may be worth finding out whether there was extra standing room available for last-minute attendees. By 9:35 a.m., I was out the door with an RXbar as my source of on-the-go clean eating since Id run out of time for a sit-down breakfast before the show. (Pro-tip for NYFW: keep healthy snacks on-hand at all times.) Story continues 10:00 a.m. Just as I predicted, gaining entrance into the VB show was virtually impossible since it was at full capacity. Nevertheless, Id known it was a lofty ambition and still enjoyed seeing the street style looks coming down Broadway in Manhattans Financial District as attendees made their way to the venue. Fashion industry professionals, including Eva Chen and InStyles own Ruthie Friedlander, arrived in chic styles as a crowd of paparazzi snapped photos. After saying hello to a few of my former colleagues, I left wondering if I should have agreed to this challenging taskbut I wasnt willing to give up just yet. Hopping on the A train, I made my way uptown to the Skyline Clarkson Square in SoHo, where many shows were being held. 11:00 a.m. Having just arrived at Skyline Clarkson Square, I walked the perimeter of the building to the other side where the main entrance was located. Once there, the guards said a badge was required for anyone who wanted to gain entrance to NYFW. They must have noticed my unsettled reaction (and bubbling urge to announce that I was, indeed, with the media!) because they followed up with reassurance that some shows did have standby room for last-minute guests. With that, I thanked them and walked off to get lunch. My plan was to return at 1 p.m. and attempt the standby line for Vivienne Tams Spring 2018 show. RELATED: What Its Like to Be a Fashion Editor During NYFW 12:00 p.m. Feeling famished from having only eaten that RXbar, I was ready for a filling meal before my soon-to-be busy afternoon. Regardless of where I ended up having lunch, I was mostly concerned with whether they served coffee (fashion is exhausting). Walking east on Houston Street, I came across a cafe called Chalait. Peering inside, everything was all-white with plants everywhere (aka Instagram heaven). So, I went in and ordered their fanciest PB&J and a large almond milk latte. 1:00 p.m. Arriving back at the Skylight venue, I went straight to the door to ask about these alleged standing lines that the guards had mentioned earlier. Luckily, there was one forming and I slipped into it just minutes before being ushered into Vivienne Tams show. Inside, hundreds were already seated and loud music played as even more filtered into the dark room prior to show time. I walked the aisle down to where standby attendees were supposed to stand and overheard someone say this show wasnt sold out, meaning open seats remained. Quickly, I ducked the line and grabbed a seat in the second row. Score! 4:00 p.m. Again, in an attempt to see at least one more Sunday presentation, I scoured the NYFW schedule and landed on an open-to-the-public show, Joobi. Success again! Though the presentation was much smaller than others Id seen that day, it was no less impressive. Models stood in formation wearing flowing dresses, with bold eye shadow, sallow foundation, and disheveled hair, like beautiful haunted brides. VIDEO: Watch Our Runway Recap of NYFW 6:00 p.m. I successfully attending the Vogue x Free People NYFW presentation, located on the roof of Spring Studios (another popular venue), by chance encounter. The idea with this event was that editors and fashion industry professionals could come and try on Free Peoples latest outerwear collection. A whole host of stylish attendees arrived and sipped cocktails as they took photos wearing the latest coats and jackets from the brands new Coat Check line. 7:00 p.m. I made my way home for a quick dinner before heading off to my final conquest of the evening. 9:00 p.m. To end the jam-packed day, I headed over to see Danny Nguyens runway collection, hosted by Art Hearts Fashion at The Angel Orensanz Foundation. I had no trouble gaining access since there was little to no security outside. All in all, a Fashion Week win! Natalia Vodianova has spent the better part of two decades as a supermodel, but now in her mid-30s and a mother of five the model is devoting most of her time to giving back. She founded the charity the Naked Heart Foundation, which helps children throughout Vodianovas native Russia; she serves as an ambassador for the Special Olympics; she co-founded Elbi, an app designed to make donating to charities simpler, and now shes on the board of directors for the period tracking app Flo. Natalia Vodianova visits Build Studio to discuss The Flo App at Build Studio in New York City. (Photo: Mike Pont/WireImage) Her work with Flo has awakened in Vodianova the importance of destigmatizing female sexual health and periods, two topics that she says were entirely taboo where and when she grew up (in Russia, in the 1990s). Vodianova hypothesizes that she might have made different choices were that not the case. NEW YORK APRIL 26: Model Natalia Vodianova attends the Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century Costume Institute benefit gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art April 26, 2004 in New York City. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Getty Images) I wish I knew that I was precious, Vodianova told a live audience at BUILD series on Thursday. I grew up without a father, and I had a father figure in my grandfather and I loved my grandfather very much but anything like sex is such a taboo topic in Russia that we never had those conversations. Natalia Vodianova in 2004. (Photo: Getty Images) Vodianova went on to say, In a way, I sort of discovered everything by a most persistent guy eventually getting to me, and not letting go ever. I think if someone had told me, Youre precious; youre very very special you should know that. [It was like] Someone building barriers around you as a young girl. My sex experience was not that young; I was almost 17, but I still feel it was too young. Vodianova is certainly doing all she can now to simultaneously battle those taboos and build barriers by helping girls and women realize that their sexual health and sexuality should not be stigmatized. In a campaign for the Flo app called, Lets Talk About It. Period, Vodianova is encouraging women around the world to talk about their periods and remove the social stigma about them. We so often feel that its something shameful and something not to be discussed. Sometimes, even with our best friends, we feel uncomfortable to bring this topic up, Vodianova said of womens health and periods specifically. The stigma regarding womens health and periods is an issue all over the world, she said. Even in some sophisticated offices around the world, you wouldnt find pads or tampons, and this is just one discrimination against women we find very normal, she said. Story continues Essentially what shes doing is telling women everywhere that they are precious, and that taking care of their bodies and reproductive health should not be a point of shame but rather a right and a point of pride. 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. Washington (AFP) - A top US lawmaker defended Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, saying Myanmar's under-fire leader had assured him she is working to get aid to Rohingya Muslims suffering a violent military crackdown. The Southeast Asian nation's first civilian leader in decades has faced international condemnation for a lack of moral leadership regarding the Rohingya, victims of what the UN views as a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a longtime Suu Kyi friend and ally, said that during a telephone call she "agreed with the need for immediate and improved access of humanitarian assistance to the region, particularly by the International Red Cross, and she conveyed that she is working toward that end." A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25, has sent nearly 400,000 refugees from the stateless Muslim minority fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh. Hundreds have been killed. Suu Kyi, who is the de facto head of government in the nation also known as Burma, said it was important that violations of human rights be addressed, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor. The longtime human rights icon and Nobel peace laureate has been berated for failing to speak up for the Rohingya minority amid a crisis that has shocked the international community. McConnell warned against "unfounded criticism" of Suu Kyi, noting that she has no command over the powerful military which ran the country for 50 years. "In my view, publicly condemning Aung San Suu Kyi, the best hope for democratic reform in Burma, is not constructive" and could slow the progress toward a representative government, McConnell said. Last week US senators including John McCain introduced a resolution condemning the violence and calling on Suu Kyi to act. McCain has sought to remove language from a defense spending bill detailing expanded military cooperation with Myanmar. By Jess Macy Yu TAIPEI (Reuters) - A Taiwan court on Friday jailed a mainland Chinese man for 14 months for breaching national security laws, following months of strained relations over China's detention of a national from the self-ruled island. China, which sees Taiwan as a wayward province to be taken back by force, if necessary, severed official communications last year to pressure President Tsai Ing-wen, whose party traditionally favors independence, to concede its position. Zhou Hongxu, formerly a student in Taiwan, was charged for seeking to arrange meetings between a Taiwan government official and a Chinese Communist party official outside Taiwan, in return for payment to the Taiwan official, a court document showed. Zhou "intentionally" jeopardized national security, though the attempt was unsuccessful, the court said in the document released after the verdict. Zhou, who had met the Chinese official at a 2014 event in Shanghai in 2014, did not plead guilty, his lawyer said, despite a confession during the trial that he later described as having been made in improper circumstances. He appeared in court on Friday in a calm mood and dressed in dark colors. The court reduced his sentence, taking into account his confession, and the failure of the bid to breach national security, it said in its statement. On Monday, a Taiwanese activist, Li Ming-che, confessed in a Chinese court to attempting to subvert the Beijing government, videos of his hearing released by Chinese authorities showed, although his wife refused to recognize the court's authority. Li, a community college teacher known for his pro-democracy and rights activism, had gone missing on a trip to mainland China in March. (Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Clarence Fernandez) Tess Holliday Size 26 model Tess Holliday. On Thursday night, seven women of all different body shapes kicked off London Fashion Week in Simply Bes Curve Catwalk the first of its kind. Led by size 26 model Tess Holliday, who recently hit back at claims shes promoting obesity, the models strutted down the runway in stunning florals, velvet, and sequins and they also wore T-shirts emblazoned with their clothing size. Size 22 model Callie Thorpe walked the runway, as did amputee model Kelly Knox who also stunned at Fridays Teatum Jones show. The Curve Catwalk, hosted in Londons Soho, was described as a celebration showing that fashion is for everyone regardless of size or shape. Recently, Simply Be conducted a study that found that 89 per cent of its customers didnt feel their size was represented in advertising, on runways, or in media. The study also revealed that more than 50 per cent felt ignored by mainstream retailers when it comes to clothing displays and adverts. This isnt about thin shaming we just think its time we saw more diversity in terms of size in magazines, in advertising campaigns and on runways at fashion weeks around the globe, said Angela Spindler, chief executive of N Brown Group, the owners of Simply Be. Fashion should not be defined by ability, size, age, color or gender choice, added Knox, who is the U.K.s leading model with a disability. Fashion is for everybody. The London event follows TheCURVYcon 2017 in New York City, which was livestreamed by Yahoo Lifestyle. Now in its third year, the body-positive, curve-embracing event, founded by lifestyle influencers Chastity Garner and CeCe Olisa, took place on Sept. 8 and 9, bringing designers, fitness experiences, influencers, and speakers to town including none other than Chrissy Metz, who stars on This Is Us, to deliver the keynote address. Click through the slideshow to see photos from the Curve Catwalk, and let us know what you think in the comments. Yahoo Lifestyle is live streaming the entire first day of LFW. Head here to watch all the shows and get all the backstage action. Story continues Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty: Identical twin sisters give birth hours apart and its not that rare Serena Williamss baby girl and the meaning behind her name Mom shares hilarious video hiding from fancy moms at her daughters school bus stop 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 bucket which apparently contained the explosive device - REUTERS Theresa May will chair a meeting of the Governments emergency Cobra committee at lunchtime today over the attempted terrorist attack on a London Underground train. The Prime Minister said on Twitter: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident. The attack was also condemned by US president Donald Trump, who suggested the Metropolitan Police knew who the identity of the terrorists but had not acted in time. FAQ | Cobra emergency committee He said: "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Mrs May is now expected to chair a meeting to discuss the response to the attempted attack on the train at Parsons Green station at today. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said he would be attending the Cobra meeting along with other senior police officers. Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, urged members of the public to keep calm and go about their lives in a normal way. Parsons Green London Underground terror attack, in pictures Amber Rudd, the Home secretary, said: "Grateful for the swift response from emergency services at Parsons Green, my thoughts are with the victims of this terrorist incident. "I'm being kept updated and important the police and security services are able to get on with their jobs." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Twitter: "Thoughts with those injured in Parsons Green terrorist incident, and thanks to police, ambulance staff and firefighters who are responding." London (AFP) - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson discussed the need to boost pressure on North Korea in talks with Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Thursday where the Iran nuclear deal was also raised. The two discussed North Korea's "destabilising activities" and the importance of the international community coming together "to put pressure on the regime," May's spokesman said. On the Iran nuclear deal, which is viewed sceptically in Washington, May was "underlining its importance in preventing Iran from procuring nuclear weapons," the spokesman said. Tillerson's policy adviser Brian Hook said the Secretary of State "never misses an opportunity in bilateral, multilateral settings to raise North Korea and the need to increase pressure on North Korea". Tillerson is also scheduled to meet with his British counterpart and a French foreign ministry official in London later on Thursday. British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson reiterated Britain's commitment to tackle "the aggressive and illegal actions of the North Korean regime". "The UK is at the heart of mobilising world opinion with the aim of achieving a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula," Johnson said in a statement ahead of the meeting. On September 3, North Korea detonated its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date, prompting the UN Security Council to implement new sanctions. Although Britain and France backed the US demand for tougher sanctions, the final resolution was toned down to secure backing from China and Russia. In another meeting, Tillerson will also discuss the situation in Libya, where two competing governments and dozens of militias have jousted for power followed the 2011 overthrow of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. The aim of the meeting -- attended by the UN envoy for Libya Ghassan Salame and representatives from France, Italy, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates -- is to "discuss how to break the political deadlock in Libya," Britain's foreign ministry said. Story continues The US hopes the trip will give "new energy and focus to mediation efforts led by the United Nations," Hook said. "The big goal of this is to avoid a military solution," he added, warning that the lack of stability in the country "creates space for terrorists to plot attacks against the West". In July, the UN-backed Government of National Accord headed by Fayez al-Sarraj and east Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar committed to a ceasefire and holding elections as soon as possible. The treasury department is investigating the secretarys request for a $25,000-per-hour US air force plane to fly him and his wife, Louise Linton, around Europe Steven Mnuchin with his wife, the British actor Louise Linton, in Washington. The pair have previously caused controversy with a government trip to Kentucky during the solar eclipse. Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Reuters Steven Mnuchin, the US treasury secretary, requested the use of a government jet for his European honeymoon, it was reported on Wednesday. The treasury departments inspector general is investigating Mnuchins request for a US air force plane with a reported operating cost of around $25,000 per hour to transport him and his wife, Louise Linton, on their honeymoon to Scotland, France and Italy this summer, according to ABC News. Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump and several cabinet members attended Mnuchins wedding to British actor Linton in Washington in June. A spokesman for the treasury told ABC that Mnuchin, 54, a former Goldman Sachs banker, sought the military jet to ensure he had a secure line of communication but aborted the request after it became clear there were other ways to maintain contact. The spokesman was quoted as saying: The secretary is a member of the national security council and has responsibility for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft. Travel on military aircraft is usually reserved for cabinet members who deal directly with national security. Donald and Melania Trump, along with Mike and Karen Pence, attended the wedding of Louise Linton and Steven Mnuchin in June 2017. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for LS Democrats seized on the revelations. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate finance committee, told ABC News: You dont need a giant rulebook of government requirements to just say to yourself, This is common sense, its wrong,. Thats just slap-your-forehead stuff. Mnuchin is already facing an inquiry from his departments inspector general after he and his wife traveled to Fort Knox, Kentucky, at the time of the solar eclipse on 21 August. Counsel Rich Delmar said at the time: We are reviewing the circumstances of the secretarys 21 August flight to determine whether all applicable travel, ethics, and appropriation laws and policies were observed. Story continues Mnuchins office insisted that he was there to attend meetings on tax reform rather than watch the eclipse. The treasury said the couple would reimburse the government for Lintons travel costs. But on Monday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sued the treasury for release of documents relating to the trip. Noah Bookbinder, its executive director, said: We filed an expedited Foia request because Americans deserve more information to determine whether there has been misuse of government resources. Linton, 36, caused further controversy at the time when she posted a photo on Instagram with hashtags of various luxury designers she was wearing. When another user challenged her, Linton went on the offensive: Aw!! Did you think this was a personal trip?! Adorable! Did you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel?! Lololol. The actor later apologised for her tirade. She is also well known for a supposed memoir she wrote of her gap year in Zambia. That book later had to be withdrawn from sale after significant inconsistencies were noted and people questioned her account. There was also a sharp backlash to the white saviour tropes it trafficked in. Mnuchin is understood to have stayed for a period at the Trump International hotel, where he was seen in the lobby with a pet dog. President Trump echoed anti-immigration groups Friday morning when he suddenly condemned any new immigration policy that would allow chain migration. CHAIN MIGRATION cannot be allowed to be part of any legislation on Immigration! he exclaimed. Trump was referring to an immigration-policy concept that allowing immigrants to sponsor nonnuclear family members causes migration to surge. Critics of liberal immigration policies argue that one immigrant will sponsor several others, who in turn sponsor even more. Heidi Beirich, the director of the South Poverty Law Centers (SPLC) Intelligence Project, told Yahoo News that chain migration is a phrase from the anti-immigrant world. It is popular among groups that want to reduce legal immigration levels like the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) and NumbersUSA. President Trump spoke out against chain migration on Friday. (Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: Getty) They dont like it because they argue that it brought all these kinds of undesirables to the United States, Beirich said. Trumps sudden declaration Friday could be of some comfort to immigration hardliners wary of his recent outreach to Democrats and young people protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi shocked Republicans Wednesday night when they announced that he had agreed not to deport the roughly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who had been shielded by DACA. Trump has given Congress until March to come up with a new solution for reforming the immigration system after abolishing DACA, which was enacted by President Barack Obama. The Democratic leaders and Trump apparently agreed to an outline for a potential DREAM Act, which would legalize those former DACA recipients there is some dispute as to whether citizenship is on the table in exchange for additional border security measures. (Both Democrats and the White House have indicated that a border wall would not be part of the deal.) Story continues But Trumps anti-chain-migration position may complicate negotiations going forward, depending on what, exactly, Trump is insisting. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders demurred Friday afternoon when asked about the chain migration tweet. No deal has been reached on this process, she said during a media briefing. He supports making an agreement on DACA. But that would have to include massive border security and interior enforcements. As for chain migration, Sanders said: Were going to be laying our what our specific priorities and principles are. Regardless, immigration supporters see attacks against chain migration as an attempt to shift the U.S. to a less diverse population. Stuart Anderson, the executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, argued that chain migration is a contrived term that tries to scare people but that almost all the people who would be sponsored by a family member come through within the existing numerical limits. In a 2011 op-ed for Forbes, Anderson said wait times for immigrants sponsoring family members are already long because of the State Departments annual limits and that there are U.S. citizens still waiting to be reunited with siblings in the Philippines who submitted application back in the Reagan era. The idea that you would have endless chains of immigrants coming in. It would take many decades, Anderson told Yahoo News on Friday. The idea that some family members come and years later sponsor another family member, thats been part of American history since the 1600s. They are trying to put a negative spin on something thats been taking place in America for almost four centuries. U.S. immigration demographics significantly changed as a result of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, which abolished a national-origin quota system that favored immigrants from Northern and Western Europe. It was passed a year after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the same year as the Voting Rights Act. With the Hart-Celler Act, family reunification replaced national origin as the main deciding factor on permitting hopeful immigrants. There have been smaller changes to the immigration system, but this legislation signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on Liberty Island in New York Harbor set the basic structure thats still in place today. It committed the U.S. to accepting immigrants from all nations on a roughly equal basis. According to FAIR, one of the groups seeking to reduce both legal and illegal immigration, once this family reunification system was implemented in 1965, chain migration spiked: from 32,714 in 1965 to 79,213 in 1970. By 2001, 36 years later, the number of immediate relatives admitted into the country had reached 443,964. NumbersUSA said this resulted in the sprawl, congestion and school overcrowding that damage Americans quality of life. The Trump administration has some ties to FAIR, which argues that less immigration will allow America to manage growth, address environmental concerns and maintain a high quality of life. Julie Kirchner, the former executive director of FAIR, is now the citizenship and immigration services ombudsman at the Department of Homeland Security. Jeff Sessions, who has spoken at FAIR events, is now the attorney general of the United States. Beirich, of the SPLC, told Yahoo News there is no question that the number of immigrants went up because of the Hart-Celler Act. My problem with them is not that theyre saying there is more immigration than in the prior period. Thats true, and we can have a debate about what those numbers would be, she said. But my argument would be that their animus to the immigrants, which is demonstrated by the many statements they made over the years, has to do with them not liking where these people are coming from. Beirich paused for a moment: They dont like their skin color, in other words. Read more from Yahoo News: Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida: Joe Raedle/Getty Images A top ethics watchdog in Washington has a pretty simple message for Donald Trump: See you in court, Mr President. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) tweeted that line after the federal government released just 22 names of people who had visited the President in his Mar-a-Lago resort, and after a months-long legal battle to get the names. Crew was expecting a much fuller list of those who have gained access to the President. After waiting months for a response to our request for comprehensive visitor logs from the Presidents multiple visits to Mar-a-Lago and having the government ask for a last minute extension, today we received 22 names from the Japanese Prime Ministers visit to Mar-a-Lago and nothing else, Noah Bookbinder, the executive director of Crew, said in a statement. Mr Trump isnt the only president in modern history to resist disclosing visitor records. Barack Obamas administration faced pushback after his 2008 election victory when it decided not to disclose visitors to the White House. Crew sued then as well, and the Obama administration settled in 2009, promising to begin regularly releasing visitor log information. The government does not believe that they need to release any further Mar-a-Lago visitor records. We vehemently disagree, Mr Bookbinder continued. The government seriously misrepresented their intentions to both us and the court. This was spitting in the eye of transparency. We will be fighting this in court. Mr Trump has been criticised by ethics groups before as well for his refusal to divest from his vast business holdings upon taking office. The Presidents lawyer said that his decision to put his adult children in charge of the businesses addresses those potential conflicts of interest. The Justice Department indicated, in a letter, that there were other records but that the department does not think those records are subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Story continues The remaining records that the Secret Service has processed in response to the Mar-a-Lago request contain, reflect, or otherwise relate to the Presidents schedules, Chad Readler, acting assistant attorney general, and Joon Kim, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, wrote. The government believes that Presidential schedule information is not subject to FOIA. Litigation related to the records is ongoing. The Department of Homeland Security says that it does not have records kept for Mr Trumps home in New York City. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump says he couldnt call Enrique Pena Nieto because reception was poor Mexican officials say death toll has risen to 98, mainly in Oaxaca Trump with Mexican president Nieto in July, on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg. Trumps message of condolence represents his first public comments on the earthquake. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump has offered condolences to Mexicos president one week after the countrys worst earthquake in a century, claiming he had been unable to reach Enrique Pena Nieto for several days because of bad mobile phone reception. Trumps condolences represent his first public comments on the earthquake, which took place last Thursday and left an estimated 2.5 million people in need of assistance. Mexicos minister of agriculture, Jose Calzada, said on Tuesday that the death toll had climbed to 98 people, mostly in the southern state of Oaxaca. Several US mayors and members of Congress shared their condolences with Mexico in the immediate aftermath of the 8.2 earthquake, as did Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. But the White House did not mention the earthquake until Thursday afternoon. Spoke to President of Mexico to give condolences on terrible earthquake, Trump said on Twitter. Unable to reach for 3 days b/c of his cell phone reception at site. Pena Nieto has travelled twice to areas affected by the quake, but has also spent time this week in the national capital. On Monday he flew to Chiapas state in the afternoon but returned to Mexico City that night. He was in Mexico City on Wednesday morning, before travelling again to Oaxaca and Chiapas states to oversee earthquake relief. Mobile service in the region was working without serious incident, according to accounts on social media. And Pena Nietos Twitter feed has been active since the earthquake. The account has shared dispatches from disaster sites and photos of the the president visiting the affected areas, often photographed by dozens of people carrying cellphones. It is customary for the US to send messages of condolences to countries hit by natural disasters, and the White Houses silence did not go unnoticed especially because Mexico had just offered the US aid for disaster recovery. Story continues In late August, Mexico said it would provide food, generators, medical staff and other aid to help victims of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, near the border between the two countries. Mexico withdrew its offer after its own natural disaster. Given these circumstances, the Mexican government will channel all available logistical support to serve the families and communities affected in the national territory, the foreign ministry said in a statement. Trumps explanation for his slow reaction was greeted with scornful disbelief in Mexico even by critics of Pena Nieto. Lies, lies and more lies. Not bad cellphone reception; tardy reaction from bad US president, tweeted political commentator Denise Dresser. Pena Nietos office confirmed that the two men had spoken on Thursday, but made no reference to any communication problems. Trumps message arrived the same day a Pew Research Center poll showed that more Mexicans view the US unfavorably than at any time in the past 15 years. Nearly 65% of Mexicans surveyed said they have a negative opinion of the US. President Donald Trump sounded off via Twitter on Friday morning after several people were injured in a reported London train terrorist incident, and is now facing British backlash over his rapid response. A reported 18 people were rushed to the hospital on Friday after train passengers fled a car at Parsons Green underground station in West London. There was reportedly a blast on the car, and police have said they are treating it as a terrorist incident. Trump potentially revealed a detail about the culprits involved in one of his morning tweets, saying the perpetrators were "in the sights of Scotland Yard." "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" President Trump tweeted. UK Prime Minister Theresa May was asked Friday about the U.S. president's tweet on the incident, to which she responded critically that it is "never helpful for anyone to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." Click through to read Trump's tweets about the London underground attack: The information Trump tweeted, if true, comes from the U.S. president before it has been announced by British officials -- a situation similar to when classified information was leaked in the U.S. press about the Manchester bombings. Former chief off staff to May, Nick Timothy, also weighed in on the U.S. commander in chief's tweet, saying it was "unhelpful." "True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner," Timothy tweeted. Trump also used the Friday attack on London's underground to call for a "larger, tougher" travel ban. "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" Trump said. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week ruled 5-4 in favor of lifting restrictions on Trump's ordered travel ban until further notice. RELATED: At least 18 injured after London underground blast President Trump demanded an apology from ESPN Friday after one of its hosts labeled him a white supremacist. ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming), Trump wrote on Twitter, minutes after firing off a volley of tweets reacting to an apparent terror attack in London. Apologize for untruth! ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Jemele Hill, a SportsCenter co-host, sparked the controversy Monday by sharply criticizing Trump on Twitter. Besides calling him a white supremacist, Hill also said in a series of tweets that Trump was the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime and a bigot who has empowered white supremacists. Donald Trump, Jemele Hill. (Yahoo News photo-illustration; photos: Alex Wong/Getty Image, Steve Luciano/AP Images for Hashtag, Mike Blake/Reuters) ESPN said in a Tuesday statement that Hills comments do not represent the position of ESPN. We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate, they continued. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked on Wednesday for a reaction to Hills comments and whether the president was aware of them. Im not sure if hes aware, but I think thats one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make, and certainly something that I think is a fireable offense by ESPN, Sanders said. Later Wednesday, Hill posted a statement clarifying that her comments expressed personal beliefs. My regret is that my comments and the public way I made them painted ESPN in an unfair light, she said. ESPN said it accepted Hills apology. The network has faced criticism for injecting politics into its coverage, a charge Hill herself addressed in June. I just hadnt noticed the correlation between us being called more liberal as you see more women in a position on our networkas you see more ethnic diversity, then all of a sudden ESPN is too liberal, Hill said. So I wonder, when people say that, what theyre really saying. The other part of it is that were journalists, and people have to understand, these uncomfortable political conversations the athletes are dragging us here, she added. I didnt ask Colin Kaepernick to kneel. He did it on his own. So, was I supposed to act like he didnt? WASHINGTON Days after expressing amazement at the size of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, President Donald Trump on Thursday suddenly didnt seem too impressed about their ferocity when asked about climate changes impact. Weve had bigger storms than this, the president told reporters while traveling aboard Air Force One back from a trip to survey storm damage in Florida. According to a White House transcript, the reporters question focused on whether the severity of the storms which climatologists say was made worse by climate change had caused him to rethink his views about the threat. If you go back into the 1930s and the 1940s, and you take a look, weve had storms over the years that have been bigger than this, Trump replied. If you go back into the Teens, youll see storms that were as big or bigger. So we did have two horrific storms, epic storms. But if you go back into the 30s and 40s, and you go back into the Teens, youll see storms that were very similar and even bigger, okay? Just days earlier, however, the president was marveling at and bizarrely celebrating the magnitude of the hurricanes and subsequent flooding. Even experts have said theyve never seen one like this! he tweeted Aug. 27 about Harvey. And on Friday he called Irma of epic proportion, perhaps bigger than we have ever seen. Hurricane Irma is of epic proportion, perhaps bigger than we have ever seen. Be safe and get out of its way,if possible. Federal G is ready! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 8, 2017 Hurricane looks like largest ever recorded in the Atlantic! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2017 Harvey which dumped more than 50 inches in parts of Texas and broke the continental U.S. rainfall record is expected go down as the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, with a price tag that could reach some $190 billion, according to a USA Today report. Story continues Irma also shattered several records, including for the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic Ocean (not including the Caribbean Sea or the Gulf of Mexico) and the first anywhere on Earth to maintain top winds of 185 miles per hour for 37 straight hours. The storm also ranked among the strongest tropical cyclones measured at landfall anywhere around the globe, as meteorologist Eric Holthaus noted on Twitter. For days, the Trump administration has dodged questions about the role climate change may have played in strengthening the back-to-back storms. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said it was insensitive to bring up climate change as catastrophic storms were unfolding. White House Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert said causality is something outside of my ability to analyze right now. And asked by CNNs Jake Tapper Wednesday about why he thinks studying climate change is a waste of money, given the recent destruction in Texas, Florida and elsewhere, Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney said the government remains focused on helping victims and there is plenty of time later on to have those discussions, and I know that we will because climate change is a clearly a big topic for the media. The scientific community including experts at the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has long warned that man-made climate change influences extreme weather events. There are certain things we can conclude with great confidence about the way that climate change is amplifying the impacts of these storms, Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University, told SiriusXM last week. Not creating them we cant say that climate change caused Harvey or that it caused Irma. But what we can say is that climate change is amplifying the characteristics of these storms in a way thats making them more dangerous. Trump, a longtime climate change skeptic who has dismissed it as bullshit and a hoax, has worked swiftly to derail Americas actions to combat the threat. In June, Trump announced he would pull the U.S. out of the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, in which nearly 200 countries committed to slashing carbon emissions. 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. WASHINGTON Some of President George W. Bushs advisers used to mock the annual General Assembly of the United Nations for producing mostly small talk in big rooms. One national security aide to President Barack Obama once described a typical presidential schedule of back-to-back-to-back-to-back meetings with other world leaders on the sidelines of the gathering as diplomatic speed-dating from hell. Next week, President Trump will make his first appearance at the annual meeting, which sometimes grips Manhattans grid in motorcade-lock, and give a speech to his largest-ever audience of presidents and prime ministers. No one expects a diplomatic breakthrough theyre rare at what official Washington calls UNGA. But every country in the world, including Americas rivals and foes, will be listening. In Tuesdays address, Trump slaps the right people, he hugs the right people, his ambassador to the world body, Nikki Haley, told reporters in a briefing at the White House on Friday. Haley was sidestepping the question of whether the president would use his remarks to directly confront North Korea and Iran, two of his most difficult foreign policy challenges. Trumps national security adviser, Gen. H.R. McMaster, warned at the same briefing that when it comes to North Korea, Were out of time. Weve been kicking the can down the road, and were out of road. And so, for those who have said and have been commenting about the lack of a military option, there is a military option, McMaster said. Its not what we would prefer to do. So what we have to do is call on all nations, call on everyone, to do everything we can to address this global problem short of war. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and national security adviser H.R. McMaster participate in a news briefing at the White House on Friday. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP) Two major players in the crisis over North Koreas nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile programs Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are skipping the meeting. I think the fact that President Xi and President Putin couldnt be there is not going to change the effect of the talks that we have next week, Haley said. Thats their choice to not show up. Story continues The U.N. General Assemblys not a substitute for bilateral relationships with any nations, McMaster said. In fact, Trump will meet individually, and in groups with a string of global decisionmakers while in New York. On Monday, hell hold talks with leaders of France and Israel, and hell have dinner with Latin American counterparts. On Tuesday, he will meet with the emir of Qatar, currently embroiled in a volatile diplomatic spat with fellow U.S. ally Saudi Arabia. Trump will also hold talks Wednesday with leaders from Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Britain and Egypt and have lunch with African leaders. On Thursday, he will meet with leaders from Turkey, Afghanistan and Ukraine, then a joint lunch with leaders of South Korea and Japan. No one is going to grip-and-grin, Haley insisted. The United States is going to work. And I think with all of the challenges around the world, I think the international communitys going to see that. This is a time to be serious, and its a time for us to talk out these challenges and make sure theres action that follows it. Trump will try, however, to avoid Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. He victimized his own people, denied them their rights under his own Constitution, said McMaster. And I think that the presidents made clear hes willing to talk at some point in the future, but it would have to be after rights are restored to the Venezuelan people. In the past, Trump has not shied from suggesting improvements to the U.N. headquarters on the East Side of Manhattan. In 2012, he described the marble wall that will serve as a backdrop to his speech as looking cheap, and offered to replace it with beautiful large marble slabs. Read more from Yahoo News: British police and a series of British officials have criticized President Donald Trump after he spoke of a "loser terrorist" being behind the bomb attack on Friday in London, before they had identified a suspect or a group had claimed responsibility. Trump took to Twitter to react quickly to the bomb blast that left 22 people injured at Parsons Green Underground station in west London on Friday. "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!" he wrote. The frustration reached the highest level of British politics, with Prime Minister Theresa May telling the BBC: "I never think it is helpful for anyone to speculate." The British leader's former chief of staff Nick Timothy also chimed in on social media. "True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner," Timothy tweeted. The criticism did not end there. The very people carrying out a manhunt for the perpetrator of the attack also said Trump's comments only hurt the investigation. "Pure speculation given we dont know who is involved...Any speculation is unhelpful," a London Met police spokesperson told CNN. After saying that the internet should be "cut off" because of extremists, Trump continued his series of tweets, using the speculation around the perpetrator to tell people he's a better president than Barack Obama. Parsons Green Jack Taylor/Getty He attacked his predecessor, claiming Obama's campaign against the Islamic State militant group was slow and ineffective. "We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama administration has made in 8 years. Must be proactive & nasty!" he wrote. Story continues The attack on a London Underground train came three months after the last attack in the British capital. Britain had suffered four attacks already in 2017, three claimed by ISIS. They include vehicle rammings on two London bridges, one in March and one in June, and one outside a mosque in north London. The other was a suicide bombing in Manchester. Thirty-seven people died in the four attacks. Police are conducting a manhunt for the main suspect, yet to be named, in the attack. "Counter Terrorism detectives are making fast-time inquiries to establish who was responsible for the incident at Parsons Green tube station," London's Met Police tweeted. Witnesses shared images of a burning white bucket with wires hanging from its side. Some passengers were injured and suffered burns in an ensuing stampede. The device appeared to have only partially detonated, according to experts. "Clearly, this was a device that was intended to cause significant harm," said May. This is not the first time that British authorities have been frustrated with their American counterparts. After the Manchester bombing in May that left 22 people dead at an Ariana Grande concert, British and Belgian security officials told Newsweek that U.S. spies were "blabbermouths" for leaking key details about the investigation into the attack. They dont understand the complexities of just blurting it out, and the reasons not to. They just think, Oh, Ive got something to say, for their own personal aggrandizement quite often," a former British spy chief said. Related Articles Sen. Dianne Feinstein recently made it clear she is an anti-religious bigot who does not think someone who is a devout Roman Catholic ought to be a federal court judge. Just maybe, leftist extremists should not be senators. Feinstein, to be sure, does not always fit snugly into the leftist camp, but there are leftist warps in the Californians thinking. Such was obvious in a congressional hearing evaluating the credentials of Amy Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor nominated for the judgeship by President Donald Trump. Feinstein is opposed to her, fearing that, as a judge, she would adhere to tenets of her faith that contradict laws. The evidence? As a Wall Street Journal editorial and other sources point out, it was a document showing she would do no such thing. As a law clerk, Barrett and a co-author wrote an article about judges facing situations in which their religious conscience would not permit them to do what the law requires. The answer, the two said, was for the judges to recuse themselves. But Barrett has also made it clear she is truly of the faith, and Feinstein can just not abide this. Deeply religious people are given to insistence on dogmas that are counter to what large numbers have fought to achieve for years, she said. One thing that strikes me most immediately about this kind of talk, echoed by other Democratic senators at the hearing, is that that all kinds of secular moral convictions are held just as strongly as religious moral beliefs. Do they have a greater claim to veracity? No. A greater claim to goodness? No. Often doing more damage than good, not a few on the left see liberty-shrinking coercion as a suitable means of getting to utopian imaginings. Then theres utilitarian quantification to make the most people happy when it often does no such thing while rejecting fundamental principles. The truth is that, in this peculiar age in which we live, it is socially impermissible in the minds of the politically correct to be even undetectably offensive to just about any group but white males and Christians. Especially when the topic of Catholicism comes up, get ready for someone like comedian Bill Mahr seeking laughs by hatefully treating an ages-old, life-enriching faith standing for love as something smaller than he is. People in public office should be guided by moral understandings along with detailed knowledge and, one can hope, wisdom. But we obviously do not want those moral convictions serving as a substitute for rule of law. We do not want, for instance, what we often get: liberal justices on the Supreme Court inventing new constitutional meanings. At the same time, it is contrary to just about everything this country stands for to have some kind of religious test for public office, including when the test is itself devised in accordance with secular dogmas. At a time when religion is under assault by the so-called New Atheists and the number of churchgoers is dwindling, it might also be appropriate to point out that the Judeo-Christian tradition is what more than anything gave the West justice, liberty, the underlying morality of even many atheists, a sense of community, the maintenance of civilization and the establishment of universities. Horrible things have been done in the name of the faith just as they have been done in the name of just about any other institution you can name, but that does not mean prejudices should be left standing. I am not a Catholic, was raised a Protestant and can in fact recall bumping into anti-Catholic bigotry when I was a teenager and John F. Kennedy was running for president. I actually heard family friends rant about Catholics hiding guns in the basements of churches to help them take over the country, something that even then struck me as absurd. Kennedy, a Catholic, got elected despite all that. I am hoping Amy Barrett gets to be a federal judge. The President took several days to condemn white supremacist violence in Virginia: Getty Donald Trump is being criticised for what some see as an uneven response to tragedy. After the explosion at Parsons Green underground station in London, Mr Trump used the opportunity to denounce terrorism, and to argue that his controversial travel ban should be lengthened. All of that was in the hours after the attack, and in the midst of an investigation on the ground. The President may have been eager to get his message out after the explosion, but some have noted that his quick response contrasts with his response to the Charlottesville attack. When a white nationalist rammed a car through a group of peaceful protesters there, Mr Trump took days to denounce white supremacy saying that he wanted to have a clear picture of what happened. When an explosion rocked Londons Tube, the President didnt show the same restraint. Trump's willingness to jump to conclusions about the London incident stands in stark contrast to his defence of his unwillingness to fully condemn the white supremacists and neo-Nazis behind the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month, CNNs Chris Cilizza wrote. The Presidents response to the violence in Charlottesville has been the source of a fair amount of contention. Trump's slow, muddled response after Charlottesville terrorism in US and his fast, inaccurate reaction to London were both wrong. Appalling Kevin Maguire (@Kevin_Maguire) September 15, 2017 On the day of the attack, the President issued a statement denouncing bigotry and violence on all sides. Then, two days later, Mr Trump denounced white supremacy after sustained and repeated calls to do so. Just a day later, however, he gave an impromptu press conference, and returned to denouncing what he saw as violence from multiple fronts in Charlottesville and in so doing appeared to claim a moral equivalence between the white supremacist who killed Heather Heyer with his car, and left-wing protesters (some of whom were reportedly aggressive, though none were lethal). Story continues Throughout that time, Mr Trump said he wanted to make sure he had all of the facts surrounding the attack, for fear of speaking out without knowledge of what he was talking about. But, that does not appear to be a concern when it comes to the explosion in London (or when it comes to other attacks during his presidency, when he also spoke out speedily). The President spoke out so fast that Prime Minister Theresa May said his statements were unhelpful, and that the investigation was ongoing. Washington (AFP) - Dubbed the "axis of adults," three generals working for President Donald Trump are trying to drill a sense of good order and discipline into a sometimes chaotic White House. The trio -- Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster -- have spent the summer cleaning up crises of Trump's own making, and trying to prevent the North Korean nuclear standoff spinning out of control. The growing influence of the men Trump likes to call "my generals" has reassured some allies and political opponents, while others are raising eyebrows over military men being in typically civilian jobs. "There certainly has been a feeling among many of my colleagues that they are a steadying hand on the rudder and provide a sense of consistency and rationality in an otherwise zig-zagging White House," Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told The Washington Post. The generals' spit-and-polish gravitas was at the fore when Kelly, a recently retired Marine four-star who served in the Gulf War and the Iraq War, was promoted to Trump's chief of staff in July. Kelly, who had been heading the Department of Homeland Security and took over from Republican figurehead Reince Preibus, moved quickly to impose order. He booted the president's brash spokesman Anthony Scaramucci -- far-right chief strategist Steve Bannon left shortly after -- and Kelly reportedly has curtailed who sees Trump, including daughter Ivanka. But Kelly is unable to keep his boss entirely on message, as displayed during the disastrous press conference last month where Trump defended white supremacists after deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. The generals "cannot control everything that comes out of his mouth, but they can slow things down, they can moderate his instincts," said Eliot Cohen, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, who knows Mattis, McMaster and Kelly. Story continues "They can try to get a much more deliberative process than you would have had if somebody else was in charge," he said. - Tough guy - Trump's martial fascination dates back to his youth, when his father sent him to a private military academy in New York, where students wore uniforms and were given ranks. He got five deferments from being drafted during the Vietnam War, but Trump has a reverence for the military and repeatedly pledged "historic" increases in defense spending. Cohen said Trump has "fantasies about what military people are like" because "he's a tough guy and they're tough guys." Trump also hired Michael Flynn, a retired army three-star general, as his first national security adviser but he was soon fired for his undisclosed Russia contacts. Another three-star, retired Army lieutenant general Keith Kellogg, has been appointed to head up the National Security Council. Jonathan Stevenson, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said military folk aren't necessarily best suited for civilian jobs. "The generals are geared towards operational decisions and activity, and usually lack the vision and foresight required to formulate grand strategy and shape the country's direction," Stevenson told AFP. Stevenson said Trump leans on generals for several reasons, including because "he is probably subconsciously aware of the emptiness of his own swagger" and "wants to buy some instant macho." But he added that by serving Trump, the generals risk compromising their hard-wired military values. He pointed to McMaster's attempts to exculpate Trump after it emerged he had divulged sensitive Israel-sourced intelligence to Russian officials, and his support for a new Afghanistan plan that Stevenson called "half-baked." "For all that, there is some hope that the generals will rein in Trump sufficiently to avoid a tragic war on the Korean Peninsula," Stevenson said. McMaster is an active-duty Army lieutenant general who wrote "Dereliction of Duty," a book about leadership failures in the Vietnam War. - North Korea - When Pyongyang blasted a ballistic missile over Japan last month, Trump warned that military options were on the table and insisted negotiations were "not the answer." Mattis quickly dialed the message back, saying the United States was never out of diplomatic avenues in the long-running crisis. A lifelong scholar known for quoting historical figures including Athenian general Thucydides, Mattis is in many ways the opposite of Trump, who has said he reads little. The US press has made much of the apparent divergence, but Mattis insists the men are on the same page. "If I say six and the president says half a dozen, they're going to say I disagree with him," Mattis told reporters. "So let's just get over that." Stevenson said Mattis is key in Trump's administration as he "is a generally sensible man who commands enormous respect from rank-and-file soldiers to senior officials." Some observers however are raising concerns about whether military-minded people are growing too prominent. Retired lieutenant general David Barno and Nora Bensahel of the School of International Service at American University wrote they were particularly troubled by Kelly's ascension to chief of staff, a partisan political role. "By elevating a recently retired general to what is arguably the second most powerful position in the West Wing, the influence of military men in senior administration jobs is no longer confined to the realm of national security," they said. Twitter users stood in solidarity with embattled ESPN host Jemele Hill on Friday using a snarky hashtag. Hill came under fire on Monday after tweeting that President Donald Trump was a white supremacist who surrounds himself with other white supremacists. Hills tweet went viral. In the days since, Hill was reprimanded by her network and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for her to be fired, while Trump demanded an apology. Television writer and producer Michael Green tweeted his support of Hill on Wednesday. I'm in television and I'm also calling President Trump a white supremacist. Anyone else? Michael Green (@andmichaelgreen) September 13, 2017 After his initial tweet, he added the following posts to the thread: Cc: @jemelehill. Thank you for speaking your mind. Michael Green (@andmichaelgreen) September 13, 2017 The hashtag #NaziBucketChallenge soon took off later becoming a trending topic on Friday with users tweeting brief bios of themselves and a line such as Trump is a white supremacist. The hashtag #NaziBucketChallenge is a reference to 2014s #IceBucketChallenge in which everyday folks and celebrities dumped ice water over their head and raised over $220 million for ALS charities worldwide. Take a look at some of the sharpest ones below: I'm a grouchy, old, angry, white guy veteran and even I can see that Trump is a goddamn white supremacist a-hole. #NaziBucketChallenge chaplinlives (@chaplinlives) September 15, 2017 I'm a military veteran, a proud Texan, and a writer, and I'm calling Trump a white supremacist who enables terrorism.#NaziBucketChallenge Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) September 15, 2017 I'm a doctor in the Buckle of the Bible Belt. Trump is a white supremacist. #NaziBucketChallenge Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) September 15, 2017 I'm a Jew a grandmother an RN & a granddaughter of immigrants who fled the Nazis I believe Trump is a white Supremacist #NaziBucketChallenge Wendy Joy (@Wendys_fight) September 15, 2017 I'm a proud Navy Dad, son of a Vietnam Vet, American Muslim man of color, and I'm calling trump a White Supremacist.#NaziBucketChallenge pic.twitter.com/BajI1LzDVU BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) September 15, 2017 I'm a Special needs father, IT Pro, son of a WWII vet. Donald Trump is a white supremacist. He's on the "wrong side". #NaziBucketChallenge Steve Redmond (@sjredmond) September 15, 2017 I'm a video game designer, an author, and a political writer. Trump is a white supremacist. #NaziBucketChallenge Matthew Chapman (@fawfulfan) September 15, 2017 My parents were civil rights workers As little kids,Mom had us stuff envelopes for SNCC. Trump is a white supremacist. #NaziBucketChallenge pic.twitter.com/ZJPJI9moJ3 Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) September 15, 2017 Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Tom Perry and Sarah Dadouch BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Syrian militias will not let government forces cross the Euphrates River in their bid to recover eastern Syria, their commander said on Friday, but Russia said army units had already done so near the city of Deir al-Zor. An aide to President Bashar al-Assad meanwhile said the government would fight any force, including U.S.-backed militias, in efforts to recapture the rest of the country. Syrian government forces supported by Russian air strikes and Iran-backed militias, and a U.S.-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, are converging on Islamic State in separate offensives around Deir al-Zor. The government side has advanced into the city from the west. Last week, they broke an Islamic State siege of the provincial capital, which sits on the western bank of the river. The Deir al-Zor military council, fighting as part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has meanwhile advanced toward Deir al-Zor from the eastern side of the river since launching an offensive into the province a week ago. Military council commander Ahmed Abu Khawla warned government forces and their militia allies against firing across the river as his fighters close in -- something he said had happened in recent days. "Now we have 3 km between us and the eastern riverbank, once our forces reach the area, any shot fired into that area we will consider an attack on the military council," he said. "We have notified the regime and Russia that we are coming to the Euphrates riverbank, and they can see our forces advancing," he said. "We do not allow the regime or its militias to cross to the eastern riverbank." But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Syrian army had already crossed. "The suburbs of this provincial center (Deir al-Zor) have been liberated. Advance units have successfully crossed the Euphrates and are holding positions on its eastern bank," she said, without specifying where. Abu Khawla said this was "mere propaganda ... no one has crossed." Assad aide Bouthaina Shaaban later said the Syrian government was ready to fight the SDF. "Whether it's the Syrian Democratic Forces, or Daesh (Islamic State) or any illegitimate foreign force in the country ... we will fight and work against them so our land is freed completely from any aggressor," she said in an interview with Hezbollah's Al Manar TV. "I'm not saying this will happen tomorrow ... but this is the strategic intent," she said, dismissing suggestions that Washington and Moscow's military decisions would decide Syria's fate. The Russian- and U.S.-backed campaigns against Islamic State in Syria have mostly stayed out of each other's way as the sides seek to avoid conflict, with the Euphrates often acting as a dividing line between the sides. Talks have been underway to extend a formal demarcation line that has separated the campaigns, officials have said. The SDF accused Syrian government forces of attacking its positions near the town of Tabqa in Raqqa province and the United States shot down a Syrian government warplane in June. Abu Khawla said a civilian administration would be set up to run areas of Deir al-Zor province captured from Islamic State by his fighters, including oil fields. The Syrian government was "not fit to lead and rule the people", he said. Oil-rich Deir al-Zor province is Islamic State's last major foothold in Syria and Iraq. It is bisected by the Euphrates River and abuts Iraq. "MOVING FORCEFULLY AND QUICKLY" "Every village around the eastern riverbank of the Euphrates river until the Iraqi-Syrian border is a goal for our forces," he said. "We are moving forcefully and quickly. We do not have a timeline, but we hope soon to free the entire eastern bank." Reflecting the demarcation line, the U.S.-led coalition said on Thursday the SDF was not planning to enter Deir al-Zor city. But while Deir al-Zor city was not an SDF target, Abu Khawla did not rule out the possibility it may become one, saying people in the city wanted to be liberated from "the regime and Daesh at the same time". But "right now, we have a schedule that were following which is the liberation of the eastern riverbanks of the Euphrates", he said. He said Islamic State had "shown fierce resistance" when SDF fighters entered the outskirts of Deir al-Zor on the eastern bank. "The battles are continuous," he said. Abu Khawla, who is in his early 30s, said 10,000 fighters were taking part in the Deir al-Zor campaign, the bulk of them members of Arab tribes from eastern Syria. The campaign is supported by the Kurdish militia that dominate the SDF. "All our soldiers training (is) in the Coalition training camps, they oversee our training and our armament," he said. Abu Khawla was a member of a Free Syrian Army rebel group in Deir al-Zor until Islamic State took over most of the province in 2014 at the height of its expansion in Syria and Iraq. He fled to Turkey before returning to Syria and joining the SDF. "Now we are setting up a civil council parallel to the military council of Deir al-Zor, and this civilian council will run all areas freed from (Islamic State)," he said. (Additional reporting by John Davison in Beirut and Christian Lowe in Moscow, Writing by Tom Perry; editing by Ralph Boulton) By Phil Stewart OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (Reuters) - The U.S. general who oversees America's nuclear forces said on Thursday he was making the assumption that North Korea did in fact test a hydrogen bomb on Sept. 3, crossing a key threshold in its weapons development efforts. Although Pyongyang immediately claimed it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, the United States had previously declined to characterize it. Air Force General John Hyten, head of the U.S. military's Strategic Command, however, said he had a responsibility, as a military officer responsible for responding to the test, to assume that it was a hydrogen bomb, based on the size of the blast. "I'm assuming it was a hydrogen bomb. I have to make that assumption as a military officer," Hyten told a small group of reporters who were accompanying Defense Secretary Jim Mattie on a trip to Hyten's headquarters in Nebraska. "I'm not a nuclear scientist, so I can't tell you this is how it worked, this is what the bomb was. ... But I can tell you the size that we observed and saw tends to me to indicate that it was a hydrogen bomb and I have to figure out what the right response is with our allies as to that kind of event." The North Korean nuclear test, its sixth and by far most powerful, prompted the U.N. Security Council to step up sanctions. It followed a series of North Korean missile tests, including one that flew over Japan and another that the U.S. assessed to be an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM). South Korea's military said shortly after Hyten's remarks that North Korea fired an unidentified missile eastward from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang. A hydrogen bomb usually uses a primary atomic bomb to trigger a secondary, much larger explosion. Such a weapon, with the first stage based on nuclear fission - splitting atoms - and the second on nuclear fusion, produces a blast that is much more power than traditional atomic bombs, or "pure fission" devices. "The sheer destruction and damage that you can create with a weapon that size is significantly of a concern," Hyten said. Hyten said that despite the nuclear and missile tests, North Korea still had not demonstrated that it had a reliable ICBM that could deliver a nuclear warhead. But he noted it was only a matter of time before its scientists achieved that, given the pace of testing. "It's just a matter of when, not if," he said, adding it could be months or years. Experts doubt that President Donald Trump, like his predecessors, will be able to force North Korea to abandon its nuclear program through economic or diplomatic pressure. Current and former U.S. officials have declined to comment on operational planning but acknowledge that no existing plan for a preemptive strike could promise to prevent a brutal counterattack by North Korea, which has thousands of artillery pieces and rockets trained on Seoul. That raises the question of whether the United States might be able to live with a nuclear-armed threat from North Korea. A senior Trump administration official, speaking to reporters last week on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear whether the Cold War-era deterrence model that Washington used with the Soviet Union could be applied to a rogue state like North Korea, adding: "I don't think the president wants to take that chance." Hyten, who would command U.S. forces in a nuclear war, expressed confidence in the U.S. nuclear deterrent. "Do we have the ability to deter North Korea from developing capabilities that could potentially threaten us? That's a different question," he said. "But do I, U.S. Strategic Command, have the ability for the United States to deter an adversary from attacking the United States with nuclear weapons? Yes. Because they know the response is going to be the destruction of their entire nation." (Additional reporting by Jack Kim and Christine Kim in Seoul, Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman) Kim Jong Un is on a roll. After firing a second missile over Japan, successfully testing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and successfully detonating a larger-yield nuclear weapon, the North Korean threat has grown significantly more dire in just a few weeks. General John Hyten, who commands U.S. Strategic Command, recently stated that he assumes that North Korea has successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. He also explained that while North Korea has yet to demonstrate a reliable ICBM that could deliver a nuclear warhead, its just a matter of when, not if. What happens next will profoundly influence the future of the Asia-Pacific for decades to come. Unfortunately, with each North Korean success, Americas prospects of preventing North Koreas further nuclearization grow dimmer. Economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation can and should be intensified, but Chinas willingness to implement severe sanctions against North Korea is uncertain at best. Moreover, Pyongyang has for decades demonstrated its willingness to bear incredible poverty and isolation as the price of a credible nuclear capability. Many outside analysts have speculated that encouraging regime change from within North Korea may be the most viable way out of this conundrum. Of course, as seen several years ago in the Arab Spring, even the most robust-seeming regimes may suddenly collapse, given the right circumstances. Regrettably, Kim Jong Uns recent successes getting closer to fulfilling the decades-old dreams of his father and grandfather have likely strengthened his own domestic legitimacy, and diminished the chances that North Korean elites may choose to depose him. Finally, preventative war is highly unattractive for the United States and its allies, because of North Koreas ability to kill potentially millions of South Koreans, Japanese, and Americans. While the United States would ultimately be successful in a conflict with North Korea, in all likelihood that victory would come at a horrendous cost. Pyongyang knows this and does everything it can to emphasize the costs of war, which means that threats to attack North Korea therefore are likely to ring somewhat hollow to Pyongyang. This fundamentally undermines every attempt to negotiate with North Korea, as it severely diminishes U.S. leverage over what Pyongyang values most its own survival. Given the remarkable pace of successes North Korea has seen in recent days and weeks, and the inability of the United States and the rest of the international community to convince Pyongyang to choose a different path, the implication is clear: The United States will likely have to live with a nuclear North Korea. This does not mean we should accept it. Nor does this mean we should abandon efforts to convince North Korea to give up nuclear weapons. But it does mean that the United States should recognize the reality it faces: These capabilities are real, and it cannot get rid of them without paying a catastrophic price. Can the world live with a nuclear North Korea? Yes, for a time. But not without significant danger. Despite the words of H.R. McMaster, President Donald Trumps national security adviser, North Korea can be deterred at least at the nuclear level. Kim Jong Un is not suicidal. In fact, the need to survive and preserve his regime seems to be the primary impulse behind North Koreas nuclear and missile programs. The American nuclear deterrent remains robust, and the addition of a North Korean nuclear capability is not likely to change that dynamic. Both Russia and China have maintained the ability to strike the United States for decades, and nuclear deterrence has held. There is no reason to believe that North Korea would be any different in this regard. Yet the same cannot be said of a potential conventional conflict on the Korean Peninsula. For 64 years, the combined might of the U.S. and South Korean militaries, including the American nuclear umbrella, have prevented a general conflict from breaking out again on the Korean Peninsula. The introduction of a North Korean nuclear weapon fundamentally and dangerously changes this dynamic. If North Koreas leaders feel safe behind their own nuclear deterrent, they may be emboldened to lash out against their adversaries. Recall the events of 2010, when North Korea first sank a South Korean military ship and then fired artillery at a South Korean island, killing a combined 50 South Koreans. Such dangerous provocations, and worse, may become more common in a world with a North Korean nuclear weapon. A nuclear North Korea may also pose a significant proliferation threat, especially as more drastic economic sanctions take their toll. Other rogue regimes and terrorist organizations could be willing to pay top dollar for North Korean material and know-how. For a regime whose only ideology is survival and isolation, dealing with terrorists and other zealots would pose no ethical problem. These are the primary challenges that living with a nuclear North Korea will pose. Can they be addressed? To a degree, yes. The United States can work with its South Korean and Japanese allies to buttress their military posture in and around the Korean Peninsula in order to strengthen their ability to deter and defend against future North Korean provocations. The United States could also build an international coalition to contain the North Korean proliferation threat, and let it be known that proliferation would come at a terrible price. Yet such efforts will not be sufficient in the long run. The combined dangers of North Korean aggression and proliferation are simply too great to accept into perpetuity. Over time, the United States will have to substantially change the fundamentals of this challenge if it hopes to achieve North Koreas eventual denuclearization. While this strategy could involve negotiations with North Korea to limit, monitor, and eventually do away with its nuclear capabilities, the United States should pursue a strategy that reinvigorates a preventive attack as a more acceptable option. Building toward prevention will require significant investments by the United States and its allies that enhance defense and deterrence, but more broadly it will require us to reorient our posture toward capabilities that what would be needed for preventive attack a combination of offensive and defensive capabilities that would be several orders of magnitude beyond what is presently deployed to the Korean Peninsula and the immediate vicinity. It would also require substantially increasing investments in missile defense capabilities and technologies in order to deny North Koreas ability to successfully strike the United States. Such a force would not only give the American president more viable options; it would imbue American negotiators with more leverage when they sit down with North Korean counterparts. China will certainly object to a major buildup of American military power, and that of its allies, in its neighborhood. Chinas objection to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile battery to South Korea has been substantial, and a greater U.S. military buildup would be far larger and more problematic for Beijing. Yet American leaders could explain that this is the price to be paid for decades of Chinese excuses, denial, and unrealistic pleas for restraint. Unfortunately, Beijing is likely to be far more effectively motivated by the threat of a major buildup of American military power than by the threat of a North Korean nuclear weapon. In international politics, leaders are often forced to deal with problems not of their making. Trump did not create the North Korean nuclear issue, but it is now his responsibility. Denying that the problem exists, or pursuing a strategy that has little to no hope of success, only damages the security of the United States and those of its allies. Unfortunately, we must recognize the reality we face and put in place a strategy that hopefully secures a less dangerous future for generations to come. Photo credit: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States wants to exhaust every diplomatic option on North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes, and to see loopholes in the North Korean sanctions regime closed, U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said on Friday. "Sanctions have not had a real opportunity to bite as hard as we would like them to bite, and that comes from the fact that they have not been fully implemented," Wood told a news conference in Geneva. North Korea fired a second missile over Japan far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, deepening tension after Pyongyang's recent test of its sixth and most powerful nuclear bomb. Washington has in the past accused China, North Korea's main trading partner, of failing to apply enough economic pressure to its neighbour. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday that if China failed to implement the latest U.N. sanctions on North Korea, he would seek new financial sanctions against Beijing. Wood, formally U.S. ambassador to the Geneva-based Conference on Disarmament, said North Korea had exploited "gaping holes" in the sanctions regime to secretly acquire equipment for its ballistic missile and nuclear weapon programmes: "We want to close those loopholes." Asked if war or a U.S. military strike was possible, Wood said: "We are not taking any options off the table but ... we are pursuing the diplomatic track right now. "That's where we are. We want to exhaust all diplomatic options." The United States wanted to see North Korea further isolated, with more countries breaking off or downgrading relations and cutting off trade. He said China had the same interest as the United States in seeking the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, and had helped to apply pressure on North Korea by supporting two U.N. Security Council resolutions. But he said there was much more that China could do, and suggested that Beijing's "unique leverage" was only just coming into play. "We're at a real inflection point with regard to China," Wood said. In a wide-ranging briefing on U.S. disarmament interests, Wood also reiterated President Donald Trump's view that Iran was not fulfilling the spirit of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the 2015 deal that allowed Iran sanctions relief in return for curbing its nuclear programme. "If you look at what Iran is doing with regard to ballistic missile activity ... when you look at the support it is giving to the Assad regime in Syria, to Hezbollah, to Hamas, their funding and support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen ... Iran is not in any way, we think, fulfilling the aspirations of the JCPOA." He cited the preface of the JCPOA, which says the signatories anticipate that the agreement will "positively contribute to regional and international peace and security". Trump must decide next month whether Iran is complying with the deal. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Kevin Liffey) LONDON U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May and London Mayor Sadiq Khan were quick to slam President Donald Trumps response to Fridays terror attack at a London tube station. In a Friday morning Twitter rant, Trump speculated heavily about the perpetrators of a bomb attack that left at least 22 people injured. He referenced the so-called Islamic State, despite there being very little confirmed information about the bombing. He also used the incident as an excuse to push his U.S. travel ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries. I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation, May said on Friday. Ive simply been too busy this morning to look at Twitter, Khan said in response to a question by a British radio station about Trumps tweets. Im not going to go there. My priority today is catch the individual or individuals responsible. Im hopefully the last person whos speculating about these sort of things, he added. A police spokesperson told CNN that Trumps comments on Scotland Yard were pure speculation and unhelpful. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years.Must be proactive & nasty! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 This isnt the first time Trump has angered officials in the U.K., one of the United States closest allies. The U.S. president specifically called Khan out on Twitter in June after seven people died in a terror attack in London. U.K. politicians of all stripes condemned Trump following the spat. May said he was wrong to have lashed out at Khan. Story continues His comments come in contrast to his silence for two days following the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. He justified his inability to condemn hatred by claiming he didnt want to speak because he didnt know all the facts. Also on HuffPost Police forensics officers work alongside a London Tube train at Parsons Green station in West London on Sept. 15, 2017, after an apparent terrorist incident. A police officer escorts an injured woman from the scene. A woman reacts outside Parsons Green station. People talk on their phones near the scene. At least 22 people were injured in the incident. Armed police officers walk through the carriage of of the Tube train. A Tube train stopped at Parsons Green Underground Station. Forensic officers near the scene. Members of the London Fire Brigade emergency service work near Parsons Green. Police cordoned off an area around the Parsons Green station. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Libreville (AFP) - The UN's peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) said Friday that it would probe allegations that investigations into sexual abuse by UN soldiers had been disastrously mishandled. MINUSCA spokesman Vladimir Monteiro, reached by phone in the Central African capital of Bangui, said the force would "examine the allegations." A US-based NGO, Code Blue Campaign, on Wednesday said a confidential source had given it 14 internal case files regarding allegations of sexual offences against CAR civilians by UN troops. Complaints were made against UN soldiers from nine countries -- Pakistan, Zambia, Republic of Congo, Burundi, Morocco, Egypt, Cameroon, Gabon and Niger. But a "sham process" meant these complaints were never probed in depth, it said. In eight of the cases, alleged victims were not questioned to provide evidence; potentially corroborating witnesses were not sought out for interviews; and investigators showed "overwhelming bias" against those who complained, its report said. "In at least four cases, fact-finders gave weight to unsubstantiated assertions suggesting that the accused peacekeepers were the true victims in the incidents," it said. None of the accused has been sentenced, it added. In one case, a woman who said she had been sexually assaulted by a Moroccan UN soldier at Obo, in the east of the country, was questioned for 13 days by nine men, both UN staff and local authorities, according to the report. The investigators concluded that her allegation was false and intended to discredit MINUSCA and gain compensation, it said. "Of the 14 fact-finding inquiries, 10 were conducted solely by UN personnel," Code Blue noted. "Three were conducted jointly by the UN and representatives from the accused soldiers battalions. One was conducted by national investigation officers (NIOs) from the home country of the accused soldiers." Story continues It said: "Only four of the 14 cases we examined have been revealed publicly. How many more cases loom in the shadows? How many more victims?" MINUSCA has faced a host of sexual abuse claims since its force of some 12,000 men arrived in the CAR early in 2014 to help end conflict and bring stability to the deeply poor, landlocked country. When Antonio Guterres became UN chief in January, he promised to crack down firmly on such crimes. The Republic of Congo has already pulled its contingent out of the CAR in the wake of prior allegations of rape. MINUSCA on Friday insisted it "had taken strict measures to combat this problem." "Sexual exploitation and cases of sexual abuse have severely affected the credibility and the reputation of the mission in the past," it admitted. It was a stirring message of unity. On Monday, 16 years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on American soil that saw planes flown into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, and brave passengers divert one into a Pennsylvania field, President Donald Trump honored the memories of the dead and the heroics woven through the actions of so many. At a 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the Pentagon, Trump recalled that moment: On that day, not only did the world change, but we all changed. 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. Listening to those words, its easy to recall how the country came together, led by their representatives in Congress, who, though shaken, stood together, some emerging from the Capitol building the intended target that those passengers in Pennsylvania sacrificed their lives to save to sing God Bless America. Then, in the days after, while sorrow and shock still hung in the air, President George W. Bush visited a mosque to assure American Muslims that their fellow citizens considered them Americans, not suspects. The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam, he said. But it was just a moment. When President Barack Obama visited a mosque in 2016 with the message to Muslims that you fit in here. Right here. Youre right where you belong. Youre part of America, too, the world and, most certainly, our country had changed, hardened into camps of mistrust, recrimination and blame. Many, including our current president, saw almost sinister motives in Obamas outreach. On Fox News at that time, Trump had no kind words for the man whose stature and legacy he now seems determined to overtake or obliterate. Trump said that with a lot of problems in the country, there are a lot of places he can go, and he chose a mosque. For Trump, who had been a leader in questioning Obamas legitimacy as a citizen and a president, the reaction was depressingly expected. Trump has revisited the memories of 9/11 again and again, resolutely when he used New York Citys resilience after the Twin Towers attack to counter primary rival Texas Sen. Ted Cruzs swipe at New York values, and shamefully when he held on tight to the unproved story of American Muslims cheering the deaths and destruction of that day. For his supporters during the contentious 2016 presidential campaign, engaging in an angry feud with the Muslim-American parents of a slain soldier was not a bridge too far. Today we live in a country so eager to fight perceived foreign enemies, it has ignored signs of terror within those who would see danger in diversity and wave the flag without pondering what it truly represents. Steve Bannon, banished from the White House but with a Breitbart megaphone and a direct line to the top, is beating the nationalist drum, criticizing GOP congressional leaders in a 60 Minutes interview, saying, They do not want Donald Trumps populist, economic nationalist agenda to be implemented, and railing against DACA compromise, the Catholic Church and the elite class he is by any measure a member of. Republicans once considered moderates are wondering if being primaried from the right is worth the fight, with some answering no and deciding to bow out. Politicians from both parties look at the long list of tasks ahead, and doubt much can be done. And those such as Trump, who once chided Obama for failing to utter the words radical Islamic terrorism, cannot bring themselves to name events from Portland to Charleston domestic terrorism, or to call torch-bearing neo-Nazis and KKK members and sympathizers surrounding a church and synagogue or behind the wheel of a car careening into peaceful protesters in Charlottesville, Va., by their rightful white supremacist name. The Department of Homeland Security is removing funding from groups that fight that kind of home-grown hate, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions can barely contain his glee as he gets to implement policies that back his long-held disdain for immigration, criminal justice reform and the consent decrees that police departments and communities they cover have warily agreed might bring Americans together rather than cause mistrust and inequity to tear them apart. Among an armed and suspicious populace, divided into us versus them, the most insidious form of war on principles may be exemplified by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, validated by the president, headed by Vice President Mike Pence and staffed with divisive ideologues, such as the countrys leader in rooting out nonexistent voter fraud, Kris Kobach, who has called into question the 2016 election results in New Hampshire, which favored Hillary Clinton and Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan and where the panel met Tuesday. Extreme situations can bring out the best in Americans. But what happens when the floodwaters and the crises recede, and Americans left hurting by circumstances less extreme, but real nonetheless, are looking for someone to blame? History has shown its often Washington (AFP) - The United States Friday urged Iraqi Kurdistan to call off plans for an independence referendum later this month, warning the vote was distracting from the fight against the Islamic State group. Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers voted earlier Friday to hold the referendum on September 25, in the face of bitter opposition from Baghdad and protests from neighboring Iran and Turkey, which fear it will fan separatism among their own Kurdish minorities. "The United States has repeatedly emphasized to the leaders of the Kurdistan Regional Government that the referendum is distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS and stabilize the liberated areas," the White House said a statement. "Holding the referendum in disputed areas is particularly provocative and destabilizing," it added. "We therefore call on the Kurdistan Regional Government to call off the referendum and enter into serious and sustained dialogue with Baghdad, which the United States has repeatedly indicated it is prepared to facilitate." Regional president Massud Barzani, who set in motion the plans for a referendum, has kept open the option of postponing it under American pressure. Washington opposes the referendum on the grounds that it would weaken Arab-Kurdish joint military operations, which have helped send the IS group into retreat in both Iraq and war-torn Syria. The United States has proposed unspecified "alternatives" to the vote, to which Barzani has pledged to give a rapid response. UN ambassador and national security adviser float possibility if new sanctions fail: We have been kicking the can down the road and were out of road The US has warned it could revert to military options if new sanctions fail to curb North Korean missile and nuclear tests, after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in two weeks. The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, and the national security advisor, HR McMaster, told reporters that the latest set of UN sanctions imposed earlier this week after North Koreas sixth nuclear test would need time to take effect, but they suggested that after that, the US would consider military action. What is different about this approach is: were out of time, right? McMaster said on Friday. We have been kicking the can down the road and were out of road. For those who have been commenting about the lack of a military option there is a military option. Now, its not what we prefer to do, so what we have to do is call on all nations to do everything we can to address this global problem, short of war. Haley said the North Korea issue could soon become a matter for the Pentagon and the defence secretary, James Mattis. We try to push through as many diplomatic options that we can, the ambassador said, but she noted that Mondays UN security council sanctions, which capped petrol and oil exports to the regime and banned textile imports, had not deterred Pyongyang from launching a second intermediate range ballistic missile in two weeks over Japanese territory and into the Pacific. In a unanimous statement late on Friday, the UN Security Council said it strongly condemned the missile launch, but did not threaten further sanctions on Pyongyang. The missile flew further than any missile tested by the regime, triggering emergency sirens and text alerts minutes before it passed over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning. Flight data shows the missile travelled higher and further than the one involved in the 29 August flyover of Japan, suggesting the regime is continuing to make advances in its missile and nuclear weapons programmes. Story continues A new UN security council session was called on Friday to address North Korean defiance, but Haley said there was little more that UN measures could do to change Pyongyangs behaviour. It will take a little bit of time but it has already started to take effect, she said. But what we see is that they continue to be provocative, they continue to be reckless and at that point, there is not a whole lot the security council is going to be able to do from here, when youve cut 90% of their trade and 30% of the oil. So having said that, I have no problem kicking this to Gen Mattis, because I think he has plenty of options. However, when he was asked about a possible US military response, Mattis said: I dont want to talk about that yet. He said the North Korean launch was a reckless act which had put millions of Japanese in duck and cover. Many strategic analysts argue there is no feasible military option for curtailing North Korean nuclear and missile development, as any pre-emptive attack would be likely to trigger a devastating barrage on Seoul, without any guarantee that all Pyongyangs missiles and nuclear weapons would be put out of action. The US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, put the onus on Beijing and Moscow to implement the agreed sanctions to the limit. China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour, Tillerson said in a statement. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own. North Korea will be a focus of next weeks international summit at the UN general assembly, but Chinas Xi Jinping and Russias Vladimir Putin will not be attending. Japan has warned North Korea it risked having no bright future and called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council after Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile over Japanese territory for the second time in just over two weeks. Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, called the launch absolutely unacceptable. He said the recent UN resolution banning North Korean textile exports and capping the supply of oil to the country showed the international communitys unified strong will for a peaceful solution. But despite that, North Korea has again carried out this outrageous conduct. He told reporters shortly after arriving back in Tokyo from a trip to India: Now is the time when the international community is required to unite against North Koreas provocative acts, which threaten world peace. We must make North Korea understand that if it continues down this road, it will not have a bright future. The Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing objected to North Koreas latest launch but believed diplomacy was the only way to solve the complicated, sensitive and grim problem. The top priority is now to prevent any provocative acts, Hua told reporters. But Hua rejected the theory advanced, among others, by Trump and Theresa May, the British prime minister that Beijing held the key to thwarting Kim Jong-uns nuclear and missile ambitious. China is not the focus. China is not the driving force behind the escalating situation. And China is not the key to resolving the issue, Hua said. Hua said China had already made great sacrifices and paid a high price in its bid to help rein in Pyongyang: Chinas willingness and its efforts to fulfill its relevant international responsibilities cannot be questioned. In an online editorial, the Communist party-controlled Global Times newspaper said it was the US and South Korea, not China, that needed to guide North Korea into a new strategic direction through dialogue. An isolated North Korea will be more rational if the international society treats it in a rational way, argued the newspaper, which sometimes reflects official views. It said attempts to intimidate North Korea with threats or shows of force would fail. Who is the Enemy Here? The vietnam war Pictures That Moved Them Most While the Vietnam War raged roughly two decades worth of bloody and world-changing years compelling images made their way out of the combat zones. On television screens and magazine pages around the world, photographs told a story of a fight that only got more confusing, more devastating, as it went on. As Jon Meacham describes in this weeks issue of TIME, the pictures from that period can help illuminate the demons of Vietnam. And, in the decades since, the most striking of those images have retained their power. Think of the War in Vietnam and the image in your mind is likely one that was first captured on film, and then in the public imagination. How those photographs made history is underscored throughout the new documentary series The Vietnam War, from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. The series features a wide range of war images, both famous and forgotten. But few people have a better grasp on the role of photography in Vietnam than the photographers themselves, and those who lived and worked alongside them. With the war once again making headlines, TIME asked a number of those individuals to select an image from the period that they found particularly significant, and to explain why that photograph moved them the most. Here, lightly edited, are their responses. Lily Rothman and Alice Gabriner Don McCullin Don McCullinContact Press Images Don McCullin Contact Press Images My picture of the U.S. corpsman carrying an injured child away from the battle in Hue is a rare occasion to show the true value of human kindness and the dignity of man. The child was found wandering the previous night between the North Vietnamese and the American firing lines. His parents had probably been killed. They took the child into a bunker, cleaned him up and dressed his wounds under candlelight. These hard Marines suddenly became the most gentle, loving persons. It was almost a religious experience for me to record this extraordinary event. Story continues The following morning, this corpsman took the child to the rear of the battle zone where he could be handed over for more medical attention. He carried the child as if it were his own, wrapped into a poncho, because it was quite cold. A naked limb is hanging from the poncho. Looking back today on this picture I took so long ago I can see that there is an echo here of the famous Robert Capa image of the woman whose head had been shaved at the end of WWII because she was considered to be a Nazi collaborator and had a child whom she hugs to her chest with a German soldier. I didnt think of Capa when I pressed the shutter, but I believe both images share an emotional impact because they involve children. Though Capas illustrates cruelty, my corpsman illustrates humanity, almost saintliness a man carrying a child away from the sorrow and injuries of war. Howard Sochurek HOWARD SOCHUREK Young guerrillas wear grenades at their belts, preparing to fight the encroaching Viet Minh forces in the Red River Delta, northern Vietnam, 1954. Howard SochurekThe LIFE Picture Collection Tania Sochurek, widow of photographer Howard Sochurek: The conflict in Vietnam spanned almost 20 years. Howard was a staff photographer for LIFE in the early 1950s, when he was first assigned to cover the fighting in what was then Indochina. He was there on the ground for the brutal and historic fall of Dien Bien Phu that marked the end of the French involvement in the region. Its insane to think that these three young children with grenades were going off to fight the Viet Minh army. Sadly, they probably died quickly in the war. This is a photo that Howard felt was very powerful. In 1954, Howard was again on assignment in Vietnam when he was called home to Milwaukee to be with his mother, who was terminally ill. The acclaimed photographer Robert Capa came in to take his place and cover the fighting. A short time later, Capa was killed by a land mine while out on a mission with the U.S. troops. Over the years, Howard would often tell this story and recall sadly that Capa had died covering his assignment. He was immensely proud to receive the Robert Capa Gold Medal Award for superlative photography requiring exceptional courage and enterprise abroad from the Overseas Press Club in 1955. Gilles Caron Gilles CARON Gilles CARON Gilles Caron Fondation Gilles Caron Robert Pledge, co-founder of Contact Press Images: Who is the enemy here? The soldier, seen from the back, facing a Vietnamese woman hugging a baby, with a half-naked boy by her side? Or is it the young woman and her two children being confronted by an American GI? Are there not always two sides to a coin? We are in a small hamlet near Dakto late in 1967, barely two months away from the Tet Offensive. The turning point of the five-year-old war, the offensive by elusive Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces failed in military terms but constituted a political victory in the arena of international public opinion. America was losing the war at home; David was defeating Goliath. Gilles Carons atypical vertical image of a face-to-face encounter exposes deep cultural divide and distrust. Fear, tension and uncertainty are visible in the contained defiance of the mother and the awkward posture of the young warrior clutching his automatic rifle. Other locals and American military are nearby; the anxious glance of the child indicates as much. The contact sheets from that day reveal that the straw roofs would be set ablaze and the hamlet burnt down because of the suspicion that the villagers were harboring communist guerrilla forces by night. In 1970, Caron would be captured by the Khmer Rouge, in neighboring Cambodia, never to be seen again. He had just turned 30. Still images rarely give straightforward answers but they do offer illuminating clues for those who take the time to delve into them. Carons career in photography was very short 1966 to 1970 but his exceptional talent, intelligence, commitment and ubiquity leave us with an unmatched visual legacy. Philip Jones Griffiths Philip Jones GriffithsPhilip Jones Griffiths / Magnu Philip Jones GriffithsMagnum Photos Fenella Ferrato, daughter of photographer Philip Jones Griffiths: Philip Jones Griffiths was born in a small town in the North of Wales in 1936, before the start of the Second World War. When American GIs landed on British shores they exuded generosity to their allies, giving away candy, nylons and cigarettes. I remember him telling the story of being lined up in the playground and being handed a Mars bar by a tall GI. He was instantly suspicious. A Mars bar was a very special thing indeed. Why were these uniformed men just giving them away? This was Philips first glimpse into the efforts of an American army trying to win over hearts and minds. When he got to Vietnam he instantly recognized the same tactic being used there. This image perfectly shows the seductive and corrupting influence of consumerism on the innocent civilians of Vietnam. Philip Jones GriffithsPhilip Jones Griffiths / Magnu Philip Jones GriffithsMagnum Photos Katherine Holden, daughter of photographer Philip Jones Griffiths: This picture was taken by my father, Philip Jones Griffiths, in Vietnam in 1968 during the battle for Saigon. This is not a normal war photograph. It is not often you see enemies cradling each other. However, the American GIs often showed compassion toward the Viet Cong. This sprang from a soldierly admiration for their dedication and bravery qualities difficult to discern in the average government soldier. This particular Viet Cong had fought for three days with his intestines in a cooking bowl strapped onto his stomach. Francis Ford Coppola was so inspired by this image that he included a scene in his 1979 film Apocalypse Now with the famous line, Any man brave enough to fight with his guts strapped on him can drink from my canteen any day. Henri Huet HENRI HUETAP Henri HuetAP Hal Buell, former photography director at the Associated Press, who led their photo operations during the Vietnam War: In all wars, the battlefield medic is often the stopgap between life and death. AP photographer Henri Huet, under heavy enemy fire, saw that role through his lens and captured the uncommon dedication that medic Thomas Cole displayed in this memorable photo. Cole, himself wounded, peered beneath his bandaged eye to treat the wounds of a fallen Marine. Despite his wounds, Cole continued to attend the injured in Vietnams central highlands in January, 1966. This photo was only one of several Huet made of Cole that were published on the cover and inside pages of LIFE magazine. A year later Huet was seriously wounded and was treated by medics until evacuated. In 1971 Huet died in a helicopter shot down over Laos. Tim Page War Zone C Ambush of the 173rd Airborne, 1965. Tim Page It was Larry Burrows who had to teach me how to load my first Leica M3; I got it as a perk having just had this image run as a vertical double truck in a 5-page spread in LIFE in the fall of 65. At the same time that Hello Dolly opened at Nha Trang airbase, a company of 173rd Airborne had walked into an ambush in Viet Cong base zone, known as the Iron Triangle. The sign had read American who read this die. A class of prime youth shredded in seconds. The dust-offs started coming within 30 minutes. I got a ride back to Ton San Nhut and was downtown in Room 401 of the Caravelle in another 30. Mostly, I remember carrying a badly wounded grunt whose leg came off and he almost bled out. The shot was made one-handed as we carried him out of the fire cone. Dirck Halstead DIRCK HALSTEAD Dirck HalsteadGetty Images We rarely see images of Armies in full retreat. Generally, the photographers who might have shot some of those images have long since bugged out, or have been captured or killed. In mid-April of 1975, a small group of American journalists were invited to fly into the small provincial capital of Xuan Loc, South Vietnam, 35 miles north of Saigon, by commander Le Minh Dao. A siege by a massive North Vietnamese force was about to take place. The helicopter Dao sent to Saigon to pick us up deposited us just outside the town. Neither we, nor General Dao, had expected the tide of advancing communist forces to so quickly and completely surround the town. General Dao, however, was full of vim and eager for the battle. Slapping a swagger stick along his leg, he quickly loaded the two journalists who had accepted his invitation, myself and UPI reporter Leon Daniel, into a Jeep and barreled into the town. At first, we thought it was deserted. Then slowly, and one by one, South Vietnamese troopers began to stick their heads out of foxholes they had dug in the streets. Dao yelled that they were prepared to fight the enemy, come what may. However, we noted with more than a little trepidation that none of them were budging from their holes as Dao led us down the dusty street. Suddenly, a mortar shell landed in the dust no more than 10 feet from us. It was followed by a barrage of incoming automatic weapon and artillery rounds. Dao wisely called an end to his press tour. We tore back to a landing zone that we had arrived at less than an hour later. Dao called in a helicopter to evacuate us, but suddenly, the ARVN troops who had been seated alongside the road broke and ran for the incoming helos. In less time than it takes to tell, the panicked soldiers swarmed into the helicopter, which was to be our only way out. Crewmen tried to turn them back, but the helicopter lurched into the air with two soldiers hanging from the skids. At that moment, Leon and I had a sinking feeling that we were going to be part of the fall of Xuan Loc. For us, the war looked like it was about to be over. However, Dao had one more trick up his sleeve, and he called in his personal helicopter behind his headquarters. As we made a run for it, the General grabbed me by the arm, and said, Tell your people that you have seen how the 18th division knows how to fight and die. Now go and if you are invited back, dont come! Joe Galloway BettmannBettmann Archive Joe GallowayUPI/Getty Images I snapped this photo at [the Battle of la Drang], LZ X-Ray, on Nov. 15, 1965. At the moment I hit the button I did not recognize the GI who was dashing across the clearing to load the body of a comrade aboard the waiting Huey helicopter. Later I realized that I had shot a photo, in the heat of battle, of my childhood friend from the little town of Refugio, Texas. Vince Cantu and I went through school together right to graduation with the Refugio High School Class of 1959 a total of 55 of us. The next time I saw Vince was on that terrible bloody ground in the la Drang. Each of us was terribly afraid that the other was going to be killed in the next minutes. When my book about the war, We Were Soldiers Onceand Young, came out in 1992, Vince Cantu was driving a city bus in Houston. His bosses read the papers and discovered they had a real hero pushing one of their buses. So they made Vince a Supervisor and all he did from then to retirement was stand in the door with a clipboard checking buses in and out. A story with a happy ending. Larry Burrows LARRY BURROWS Larry Burrows The Life Picture Collection Russell Burrows, son of photographer Larry Burrows: The fraction of a second captured in most photographs is just that: a snapshot of a moment in time. Sometimes, even in war, that moment can tell a whole story with clarity, but it can be ambiguous too. The photograph that ran in LIFE in late October 1966 of Gunnery Sergeant Jeremiah Purdie, bleeding and bandaged, helped down a muddy hill by fellow marines, didnt really need a caption. The written account around the photograph and a dozen others that brought Operation Prairie to LIFEs readers told of infiltrating troops and of efforts to thwart them of hills taken and given up. The detail not given was that Gunny Purdies commanding officer had just been killed on that hill, the radio operator cut in half. Neither did the article mention that the CO had called in artillery fire on his own position. Purdie was being restrained from turning back to aid his CO. A few frames later, Larry Burrows took another photograph: Purdie is still being held back, but in front of him is another wounded man and Purdies arms are outstretched. The scene is as wretched as the other. Purdie, wounded for the third time in the war, was about to be flown to a hospital ship off the Vietnamese coast and leave that country for his last time. This photograph has come to be known as Reaching Out. My father, Larry Burrows, selected that frame himself, but it wasnt until more than four years later, after he was shot down and killed, that it was published for the first time. The composition of the photograph has been compared to the work of the old masters, but some see it more cinematically: as if you could run a film backwards and forwards to view more of the story. Exhibiting museums have found in it Christian iconography. And at least one psychiatrist treating war veterans has used it in his practice. My father didnt know that Jeremiah Purdie had enlisted in a segregated Marine Corps 18 years earlier, that cooking in the mess and polishing shoes were the limits placed on his service. He didnt know that before Purdies persistence finally earned him a transfer to the infantry, he had taken courses at the Marine Corps Institute, confident that the transfer would come and he would be ready. Unknowable then was also the life Purdie would live after his 20 years in the Marine Corps, or how important to him faith would become. At Jeremiah Purdies packed funeral, there wasnt a man or a woman with a story to tell that didnt mention how, in some way, he had reached out. David Hume Kennerly NEAR DA NANG 1972: A GI on patrol in the jungles near Da Nang, South Vietnam, huddles under a poncho to escape the monsoon rains, 1972. (Photo by David Hume Kennerly) David Hume Kennerly Long-forgotten photographs sometimes leap out at me and I am stunned by certain moments that I documented that were so routine when I made them, but are now infused with new emotion and meaning. This picture of a haunted-looking young American GI taking refuge under a poncho from monsoon rains in the jungles outside of Da Nang while on patrol in 1972 is one of them. The soldiers eyes reveal, and you dont need a caption to explain it, that he most likely experienced hell along the way. During the time I spent with him and his platoon they didnt come into direct contact with the enemy, but there was always a common undercurrent that ran through them, a palpable anxiety and fear about what could come their way in a split second. These men had seen buddies cut in half by shrapnel from an incoming round, or watched a friends head explode from a bullet between the eyes that earned him a one-way ticket home in a body bag. Many had that intense blaze of realization when a comrade was suddenly, violently, unexpectedly gone, and marveled at still being left intact. Some experienced a flash of guilt when in a starkly honest millisecond they thought, Glad it was him, not me. That big ugly candid moment was immediately pushed down, but it would creep back every now and then, especially back in the world when they gave a hug to their new child, the one their dead buddy would never have. This image of the sheltering soldier is particularly compelling to me for what I dont know. What was his next act, and what happened after he returned from Vietnam? The photo didnt win any prizes, might not even been published, but as a flash forward it represents every soldier who returns from any war after the battles were history, guns silenced and the odds of getting killed beaten. Paul Schutzer PAUL SCHUTZER Paul SchutzerTime & Life Pictures/Getty Image Paul SchutzerThe Life Picture Collection/Getty Images Bernice Schutzer Galef, widow of photographer Paul Schutzer: Paul got carried away with all the emotions that happen in war, and he was right in there with the soldiers in battles. He saw everything; he saw the fatigue of the American soldiers, their fear, the prisoners fear. There was one photo of prisoners being guarded by an American soldier about 18 years old. The captives were young children and old women and one woman is nursing her baby. Unfortunately the young soldier was later killed but this image conveyed the senselessness and horror of how the human condition was playing out. The soldiers were very sympathetic to the civilians and one medic befriended them. The last photo in the photo essay shows the medic and a child walking away together, holding hands, and the childs head is burned from napalm. It was the first time that Americans saw and learned that we were using napalm. Paul received many letters saying thank you for what you showed us. David Burnett David BurnettContact Press Images In the days before embeds this generations enforced melding of photographer and military unit there was a certain sense of freedom we owned as photographers, being able to go directly to where the story was. In Vietnam in the early 1970s, the only real limitation was finding a ride. But nearly until the end of the U.S. war, if a helicopter or truck had a seat available, they would take you along. We would often embed ourselves with a platoon or squad, but it was more of a gentlemans agreement than any kind of official policy, based in the main on the idea that we, the photographers, were there to tell their story, and they, the soldiers, realized that unlike them, we didnt have to be there. It was by choice. It created a sense of mutual respect that in many ways is challenged by the new embed ethos. That said, it was often a world of anonymous photographers spending time with anonymous soldiers. So while we would talk with the troops about what was happening that day, there were many moments where in the course of making photographs, I would just keep moving along. I usually knew the unit but looking back now, so much I wish I had noted was simply never written down. It was forever a search for a picture, and you never knew, sometimes for weeks, whether you had that picture or not. My film had to make it all the way to New York before it could be processed and edited. One morning near the end of the unsuccessful Laos invasion of early 1971 (an attempt to cut the Ho Chi Minh trail), I wandered into a group of young soldiers who were tasked with fixing tanks and track vehicles which were regularly being rocketed by North Vietnamese troops just down the road. This soldier and I exchanged pleasantries the way you would in the dusty heat. He went back to work after reading a letter from home, and I moved on to another unit. But for that fraction of a second, in his face, his posture, was all the fatigue and despair of a young soldier who is surely wondering what in the hell hes doing there, so far from home. Catherine Leroy Gilles LaurentDotation Catherine Leroy Catherine LeroyDotation Catherine Leroy Fred Ritchin, Dean Emeritus of the School at ICP: There is something both surreal and strikingly sad in this photograph by Catherine Leroy. An empty helmet is its owner still alive? is shown front and center, resting on the ground in the soft gray light like a discarded soup bowl or a cleaved skull. It is photographed as if forming the center of a broken compass, one without arms, pointing nowhere. In the fairly rendered background a soldier, probably wounded, is seen surrounded by comrades who, somehow, form an awkward Pieta. The violent spectacle has temporarily receded, and the reader, in this previously unpublished photograph, is given its remains, both the sacred and the partly absurd. Leroy went from France to Vietnam in 1966 at the age of 21, with a single camera, no assignments and $150 in her pocket; she would stay until 1968. She managed to get accredited by the Associated Press, covered numerous battles, was seriously wounded by shrapnel that would remain in her body, parachuted into combat (small and thin, she was weighed down so as not to be blown away), was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese (which she used as an opportunity to produce a cover story for LIFE Magazine), and remained obsessed by the war until her death in 2006. Consumed by a ferocious anger at the hypocrisies of politics at various levels, in her last years Leroy created a website and then a book, Under Fire: Great Photographers and Writers in Vietnam, paying homage to her colleagues 40 years after the war had ended. Sal Veder SAL VEDERAP Released prisoner of war Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm is greeted by his family at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, Calif. Sal VederAP I had photographed POWs returning home time and again, and been in Vietnam on two tours myself, as a photographer. On that day, There were 30 or 40 photographers boarded on a flat-bed, including TV. I was photographing a different family and out of the corner of my eye saw the action and turned. I was lucky to get a break. It was a great moment for Americans! The joyousness of the reunion and the coming together of the family as a visual is outstanding because it was the end of the war. We were glad to get it over with. Im thankful that this is my picture. I feel its symbolic, but Im conflicted about it, knowing what I know. The picture is there and it comes back up again. There is no way to avoid it. Nick UT Nick UtNick UtAP Nick UTAP My older brother Huynh Thanh My, who was killed covering the Vietnam War for the Associated Press, always told me that an image could stop the war and that was his goal. I was devastated when he died. I was very young. But there and then, I decided to follow in his footsteps and complete his mission. A few years later on that fateful day in 1972 on the Trang Bang road, my brothers goal was accomplished. No one was expecting people to come out of the bombed-out burning buildings, but when they did, I was ready with my Leica camera and I feel my brother guided me to capture that image. The rest is history. Yoichi Okamoto LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okam As tens of thousands of anti-war protestors rioted in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention, President Johnson and his family watched from the bedroom at his ranch in Stonewall, Texas. Yoichi OkamotoLBJ Library Pete Souza, former White House photographer for Presidents Reagan and Obama: This is truly an incredibly intimate picture. The caption provides pertinent information about the circumstance: the who, what and where. But Im fascinated by the photograph because of the man behind the camera: Yoichi Okamoto. The first civilian hired as Chief White House Photographer, Okamoto also became the first one to truly document the Presidency for history. Its obvious looking at this photograph that he had unfettered access to LBJ and that everyone was comfortable with him being in the room even when the room was the Presidents bedroom. Raymond Depardon Raymond DepardonRaymond Depardon / Magnum Phot Richard Nixon campaigns in Sioux City, Iowa, October 1986. Raymond DepardonMagnum (Translated from the French) After I photographed the Democratic Convention in Chicago, which was very turbulent and contested, I wanted to photograph the future President. I worked for a little cooperative French agency, Gamma, which we had created a few years earlier. I arrived from Miami on the press plane that accompanied the candidate. We were positioned at a little airport in Sioux City. It was the morning. It was windy. Nixon left the plane. I almost did not make the photo the man with the flag and Nixon on top of the aircraft stairs. It was too much. Art Greenspon Art GreensponAP Art GreensponAP Excerpted from a 2013 interview with Art Greenspon by Peter van Agtmael, a Magnum photographer who has covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan: As the first medevac chopper hovered overhead I saw the First Sergeant with his arms in the air. I saw the medic shouldering wounded and then I saw the kid on his back in the grass. I have got to get all this in one picture, I thought. My heart was pounding. Was 1/60 fast enough? Screw it. Shoot pictures. I got three frames off, and the moment was gone. I knew what was in the camera, but when I went to wind back the film, I couldnt. The film in my Nikon had become stuck to the pressure plate from all the moisture. My Leica was soaked, too, and I wasnt sure what kind of pictures it was producing. The weather closed in again. I had given all of my food away so I didnt eat for two days. I wrapped my cameras in a damp towel and put them in my pack. I guarded that pack like a mother hen. I flew out with the second chopper loaded with body bags. A kid headed out for R&R and a floor stacked with KIAs [killed in action]. War sucks. Alice Gabriner, who edited this photo essay, is TIMEs International Photo Editor. Lily Rothman is the History and Archives Editor for TIME. Over the course of her 32-year career as a nurse in OFallon, Missouri, Deanna Cignetti, 67, suffered a torn rotator cuff and bruised ribs at the hands of patients. In another incident, a patient pinned her to the wall with his forearm pressed against her throat. Yolanda Preston, 44, a nurse for 22 years in Michigan, has been screamed at, kicked, punched, bitten and had IV poles thrown at her by patients. While Preston used to think violence came with the career, she now believes that hospitals and accrediting bodies should do more to push back against the notion that this violence comes with the territory of being a nurse. Id like to see hospitals be required to collect and report statistics regarding violence against their staff, said Preston. In order to solve the problem, we need to know exactly how widespread it is. A story HuffPost published about the violence nurses face in the workplace in response to University of Utah nurse Alex Wubbels violent arrest garnered a flurry of passionate responses from nurses who said they were the targets of several assaults throughout their careers. Thats mirrored in national data, which shows that nursing and other careers in the health industry are some of the most dangerous occupations in America. Its shocking to consider that the individuals who are charged with caregiving during other peoples most vulnerable moments are uniquely at risk of verbal and physical assault. But while the patients who lash out against nurses are certainly to blame, it is hospital administrators who have the ability to gather data on the incidents, enforce strict zero-tolerance policies against violence and create environments that discourage assaults. Not doing so is a problem for nurses many of whom fear for their physical safety while at work as well as the industry as a whole. Given the looming nursing shortage, the industry may struggle to bring more people into the fold absent greater incentives. Story continues There is currently no mandate for hospitals to report workplace violence to a federal agency, although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics keeps track of the worst offenses serious assaults that require staffers to take time off from work to recover. From 2011 to 2013, U.S. healthcare workers sustained 15,000 to 20,000 injuries from workplace violence that were so bad that victims had to take time off work for treatment and recovery. Violence is also a more common cause of workplace injuries in healthcare than other industries. BLS notes that violence caused 10 to 11 percent of the serious injuries among healthcare workers, compared to the private sectors 3 percent average. Only a handful of states have passed laws that force hospitals to report violent incidents for the purpose of research and to help identify patterns that lead to assault against healthcare workers. However, both OSHA and the Joint Commission (an independent body that accredits and certifies hospitals) encourage accurate record keeping as part of the effort to prevent workplace violence in hospitals. Until more standards are put in place, informal surveys of healthcare workers are all we have to help grapple with the scope of the problem. A 2014 survey of over 10,000 nurses, conducted by the American Nurses Association, found that 25 percent had been physically assaulted by either a patient or a patients family member. Most hospital assaults take place in the emergency department and psychiatric wards, and because they have the most contact with patients, nurses and nursing aides bear the brunt of this violence. In most cases, patients who assault caregivers tend to have some kind of cognitive impairment due to an untreated mental illness, dementia, substance abuse or delirium. Dementia, brain injuries and adverse reactions to certain medications can trigger confusion, paranoia and fear for which they arent responsible. But there are ways for hospitals to minimize the risks facing nurses and other staff who have the most contact with patients, experts say. One way is for hospitals to be aware of which situations put nurses and other staff at a higher risk of assault, and train employees how to recognize dangerous situations and seek help from another staffer if necessary before beginning treatment. Researchers from the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Michigan analyzed one years worth of violent incidents at a hospital that were perpetrated by a patient or a visitor and published their findings in a 2015 qualitative study. They identified several key scenarios that put hospital staff in danger of being hurt: when a patient first wakes up from anesthesia, when a patient needs to be injected with a needle, or when a patient has to be moved from a wheelchair to a bed were just some of the situations that put workers in harms way. Long wait times and a complicated admissions process also frustrated patients, who sometimes end up taking out their frustration on staff. OSHAs recommendations for protecting staffers against violence consist of creating an environment that doesnt put workers in danger, which means that hospital administrators must play a crucial role in protecting workers from violence. These include providing comfortable waiting rooms, figuring out ways to decrease wait times, removing objects that can be thrown (pictures, vases, other kinds of furniture) from crisis treatment areas, and arranging staff schedules so that nurses and doctors are not alone when they must be in close contact with a patient to treat them. OSHA also suggests that patients and visitors should be able to recognize as they enter a facility that there is a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence, and hospital administrators should be able to figure out a way to make a note in patient files if they have a history of violence. There is some evidence that knowing the contexts for the most common violent scenarios can help hospital workers avoid them and protect themselves. A controlled experiment by the same Michigan researchers found that educating hospital workers about the assaults in their unit led to 50 percent fewer violent incidents six months after the intervention, and a 60 percent lower risk of injuries after two years. Some states are also trying to address the problem with laws that make assault against healthcare workers an automatic felony, but the research is unclear about whether this has been shown to actually decrease assaults. Preston, the Michigan nurse, understands that some patients may not be in complete control of their impulses when they lash out against a health care worker. Given these patients needs, she called on both hospital bosses and accrediting bodies to start taking the issue of assault more seriously lest it begin to affect recruitment. In about 10 years, we are going to have a serious nursing shortage, she said. Its difficult to sell the profession when people see this kind of garbage. Also on HuffPost "As a doula and birth photographer I always want the best care for my clients. Nurses can play a huge role in a women's birthing experience. Sarah Deitrich, an R.N. at Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center in Santa Cruz Ca, goes above and beyond with every patient she cares for her. Her kindness and expertise is like no other in her field. I know when my birthing mamas are in her care they will feel loved, supported, and respected. It is always a privilege when I get to work alongside her." "And she turned around presenting the most beautiful creature they had ever laid eyes on!" "Student midwife Kathy labored for over twenty hours, and L&D nurse Jen stayed by her side for hours. During the course of labor, they chatted and found out they were actually neighbors and are now great friends. What a wonderful way to start to a friendship!" "Mom was having a difficult time effectively pushing. The midwife and L&D nurse decided that the towel pull technique would be the best thing to try. This nurse was amazing! She not only stabilized the mom's foot, she also pulled with the incredible strength, helping her successfully deliver her nine pound, five ounce son." "This was actually the nurse's step grandson. Her husband passed away a couple of years prior to the birth, so it was very emotional." "This amazing mama welcomed two sweet boys. Each with a their own nurse." "This image shows a nurse comforting a mother after the sudden loss of her baby. Its a sad story but sheds light on a very caring nurse, who is shown here gifting this mom with a silver heart charm (in her hand)." "This mama had a great birth team. Here, the nurse is attaching a mobile fetal monitor so the mama could move around. She welcomed her second baby boy to the world shortly after this photo was taken." "This tiny baby was born via C-section at 25 weeks, and cared for diligently by her amazing team of nurses. You can tell they love their job!" "Mom had been in prodromal labor for two days, but this nurse managed to reassure her that everything was fine. She had such a loving way to talk and add a bit of humor to her presence. And she she spoke, mom started to cry healing cathartic tears." "The midwife in the image was so calm and centered on KS at all times. She calmed her when it was all getting too much and bought her back to a calm and focused state." "Knowing that their baby would be born very sick, this family's nurse stayed with them and supported them through the entire labor and delivery. She rejoiced with them as their baby was born and cried with them as he passed. This family will never forget her kindness and support on their hardest day." "The support they shared for the infants, parents and doctors was invaluable." "Walking the L&D ward accompanied by a loving, emphatic and supportive nurse." "This mom had not one but two amazing nurses who stood by her at every step, making sure she could be as comfortable as possible despite her long labor." "For a labor and delivery nurse, the extraordinary miracle of birth can become ordinary. Even after a decade supporting babies, Sarah still radiates joy as she stands next to a miracle being born." "As the laboring mother struggled to figure out the most effective way to push, this nurse decided to get creative and grab a bed sheet. She made a knot at one end then held the other and told the mother to just pull like a game tug of war. She cared for both parents throughout the labor and delivery and celebrated with them as they welcomed their first son into the world." "After a C-section, this nurse helped this stunned dad understand that it was time for him to take the scissors and cut the cord." "Nurse Katrina was amazing! Mama had a little girl who was sunny side up. Nurse Katrina was there for all 4 HOURS of pushing to make sure that both mom and baby were ok." "Danielle is a longtime L&D nurse and a personal friend of Heather, the mama in this image. Danielle ended up not being on shift for the births of Heather's first two children.The two were thrilled when Heather's third labor and Danielle's scheduled shift aligned for Cohen's birth and Danielle was able to support and care for her friend through her all-natural labor and delivery." "Tristan (RN) introduces Keilan to his mother Danielle for the first time in the ICU, almost 48 hours after his birth via crash C-section. Danielle narrowly survived HELLP syndrome, which caused her liver to rupture in early labor. This image was taken just after she first regained consciousness after the C-section and surgery to repair her liver and was able to meet her baby (and learn it was a boy). There was not a dry eye on that entire floor." "This nurse made an effort to be in the room with this mama as much as she needed but still giving her the freedom she wanted, even though there were about 6 other mamas giving birth that day! She was always so sweet every time she came in, and let mama labor the way she wanted to!" Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. NASA will bid farewell to its history-making Cassini spacecraft, which has been studying Saturn for more than a dozen years and is slated to self-destruct in a grand finale on the planet early Friday. Since 2004, the Cassini spacecraft has been orbiting Saturn and snapping groundbreaking photos of the planets rings and moons. The mission has given scientists their closest look at the mysterious planet. No spacecraft has ever ventured so close to the planet before, NASA said in a news release. But because it has been running low on fuel, NASA decided to end its mission by allowing the spacecraft to plunge into Saturns upper atmosphere at 70,000 mph. Doing so will help preserve Saturns moons for future space exploration, according to NASA. Scientists believe the spacecraft will lose its signal shortly before 8 a.m. EDT. During its coverage, NASA will stream live feeds from mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., where scientists will be receiving Cassinis final photos. NASA also plans to host a news conference after the grand finale. Space enthusiasts can watch the Cassini spacecrafts final descent via the live stream above, starting 7 a.m. EDT on Friday. Allies of James Comey have accused the White House of carrying out a smear campaign against the former FBI Director after three days of sustained attacks against him. Speaking yesterday in the White Houses daily media briefing, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Comey had violated the Privacy Act, a law regulating how personal information can be used and publicized by federal government agencies. Read More: Comey So 'Disgusted' by Trump He Tried to Hide in White House Curtains to Avoid Him Huckabee Sanders said the Department of Justice (DOJ) should look into prosecuting former FBI Director James Comey. In response, close Comey confidant Ben Wittes told The Hill the charges against his friend were a disgusting abuse by the White House and its press secretary. GettyImages-450436516 Alex Wong/Getty Images It is, substantially, completely frivolous and it would warrant nothing more than amusement were she not doing it from the White House podium, Wittes, a legal journalist and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution said. Democrat Representative for California Eric Swalwell, a member of the House Intelligence Committee which is investigating the allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government officials, said he believed the White House was engaged in a smear campaign. This is not what cooperative, innocent people do, he said. Cooperative innocent people work with prosecutors, not against them, Swalwell added. The attacks from the White House against Comey began Monday when Huckabee Sanders was asked to comment on statements by former Trump strategist Steve Bannon calling Comeys firing in May the biggest mistake in modern political history. Bannon, who has resumed his old position as editor in chief of the Breitbart news website since his ejection from frontline politics last month, made the comments speaking to CBS 60 Minutes program. Story continues [Comeys] actions were improper and likely could have been illegal. Comey leaked memos to the New York Times ... He politicized an investigation by signaling he would exonerate Hillary Clinton before he ever interviewed her or other key witnesses, Huckabee Sanders said. Trumps shock decision to fire Comey precipitated the appointment of Robert Mueller to the post of special counsel, charged with heading the federal investigation into the allegations of collusion between the Trump 2016 campaign and Russia. The accusations have hung over the first year of the Trump presidency. In his testimony to Congress, Comey said Trump asked him to drop an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who had misled White House officials about contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the transition period after the election. Trump has denied asking Comey for his loyalty or requesting he drop the investigation. The White House has remained unrepentant of its criticism of Comey. Jay Sekulow, one of the presidents personal lawyers, said no one in the West Wing had instructed anyone at the DOJ to mount an investigation, but added that Huckabee Sanders's position made sense to him: I think what Sarah said was rather unremarkable, which was that the Department of Justice should look at [a possible prosecution], he told The Hill. Related Articles NASAs Cassini spacecraft has only a few more hours to live. Its due to finish off its Grand Finale with a fatal plunge into Saturn, destroying itself just a month shy of the 20-year anniversary of its launch. Anyone who feels bad for the spacecraft should keep in mind that it defied the odds to eve make it to this point. As NASA notes, Cassini originally embarked on a four-year mission but scientists extended its tour two times. The second time was in 2010, when its new agenda included using up all of its fuel while flying around Saturn and past its many moons. In recent months it has been on a sort of farewell tour dubbed the Grand Finale, during which it took almost two dozen dives between Saturn and its rings to observe the inside of that gap for the first time. No spacecraft had ever before made that trek into the great unknown gap and scientists werent entirely sure how treacherous the trip would be or whether the spacecraft would make it out alive. Cassini came out unscathed, however, and sent back photos of the journey before going back for another 21 dives over the last four months. Instead of having Cassini slowly fade away into the blackness of space or potentially crash into and contaminate one of Saturns moons like Enceladus or Titan, which scientists want to continue studying and exploring for potential life and habitability, the spacecraft will plunge into Saturns atmosphere. It will burn up and disintegrate, sending back data about its final trip, including the composition of the planets upper atmosphere, for as long as its small thrusters can keep the spacecraft's antenna pointed at Earth, NASA said. This spacecraft will be faithful to Earth until the very end. Cassini launched in October 1997 and took seven years to arrive in Saturns neighborhood of the outer solar system. One of its early tasks was to release the European Space Agencys Huygens probe, which many people may forget was aboard the spacecraft. Huygens was dropped onto Titan in 2005, becoming the first manmade object to land on a body in the outer solar system. The probe sent back data about its descent to the surface to Cassini, which relayed that back to Earth. Huygens spent a total of about three and a half hours exploring Titans atmosphere and surface before its battery power died and Cassini was left all alone. Story continues cassini-saturn Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech During the last 13 years, Cassini has collected images and data that give us new views of many worlds in our solar system, including Saturn itself as well as the largest moon Titan; the potentially extraterrestrial life-supporting Enceladus; and the alien saucer-looking Atlas. It has discovered tiny moons called moonlets barreling through Saturns rings and showed us what Earth and our own moon look like to a faraway observer. All that data and all of the amazing images it has relayed back to Earth will mean that any details Cassini manages to collect and transmit during its final plunge will be just one small piece of its legacy. NASA said, Although the spacecraft may be gone after the finale, its enormous collection of data about Saturn the giant planet itself, its magnetosphere, rings and moons will continue to yield new discoveries for decades. Related Articles The Satanic Temple is challenging Missouri's abortion law on the grounds that it violated a member's religious beliefs. On Monday, The Satanic Temple delivered oral arguments in front of the Missouri State Court Western Appellate District in an effort to challenge the states abortion law. The organization, whichviews Satan as a symbol of personal autonomyand promotes compassion and rational inquiry, is arguing that Missouris abortion restrictions including its informed consent law and mandatory 72-hour waiting period before procedures violated the religious beliefs of one of its members. The temple first filed a complaint in May of 2015 on behalf of a member identified as Mary Doe, who had sought out an abortion. Doe reportedlyhad to drive over three hoursto a Planned Parenthood, taking time off work and paying for a hotel room. In accordance with Missouri law, the clinic told Doe she had to wait 72 hours before she could get the procedure. She was also asked to review a booklet of informed consent materials that assert: The life of each human being begins at conception. Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being. Among the organizations central tenets is the belief that ones body is inviolable, subject to ones own will alone. By promoting the belief that human life begins at conception, the temples attorney James Mac Naughton argued, the state is actively promoting a religious belief that conflicts with Does convictions. Basically [Doe] was preached to by the state of Missouri, and thats an establishment clause violation, Mac Naughton said. Not everyone believes human life begins at conception. The temple argues that the states abortion mandates violate Missouris Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the free exercise clause of First Amendment and the establishment clause of the First Amendment which prohibits the government from enacting laws that seem to favor any religion over another. Missouri is one of six states that require patients are told that personhood begins at conception and one of 13 that require patients are told about the fetus ability to feel pain, according to the Guttmacher Institute. There are mandatory waiting periods in 27 states, but only four have 72-hour waiting periods the longest in the country including Missouri. Story continues The Satanic Temple filed follow-up complaints in 2016, whichwere dismissed. The Missouri attorney generals office argued in court documents dated June 30 that the Cole County judge was right to dismiss the case because the informed consent law only mandated that Doe receive information she didnt agree with. Under the plain language of the statute, the interest in avoiding exposure to information with which one disagrees is not an exercise of religion because it does not involve any act or refusal to act that is substantially motivated by sincere religious belief, attorneys for the state argued. A representative from the attorney generals office declined to comment for this article due to the fact that the case is pending litigation. Despite the roadblocks, Mac Naughton said hes optimistic that Mondays oral arguments would move the case forward. If you want to change the law in court its a slow arduous process, he said. Im optimistic that were going to make a small step forward here. If the appellate court finds the temples complaint to have merit, Mac Naughton said, the case could likely be transferred to the Missouri Supreme Court. The outcome were shooting for is that people who hold sincerely held religious beliefs that human life doesnt begin at conception arent subjected to informed consent laws, he said. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Michael Smith From Popular Mechanics A U.S. Navy attack submarine capable of carrying out top-secret undersea missions recently returned home flying the Jolly Roger-that skull and crossbones pirate flag. But why? The question was on the minds of many this week after Canada-based defense journalist Ian Keddie posted on Twitter the photo of the nuclear attack submarine USS Jimmy Carter. The photo, uploaded to the Defense Video Imagery Distribution System, or DVIDS for short, shows the commanding officer of the Jimmy Carter, Commander Melvin Smith, looking on as the submarine returns to its home at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor. USS Jimmy Carter, 1 of the most secretive subs in the USN, returns to home port flying the Jolly Roger flag - indicating operational action. pic.twitter.com/vpMYZ9xqki - Ian Keddie (@IanJKeddie) September 13, 2017 Flying above Smith, fluttering in the Puget Sound sea breeze, is the skull and crossbones of the Jolly Roger. On the flag is at least one unidentified symbol. The Jimmy Carter also flew the Jolly Roger in April 2017 returning from another patrol. In Navy tradition, the flying of the flag typically signifies a successful mission of some sort. As the Washington Post points out, the practice for subs began in World War II, when Royal Navy submarines flew the flags as a means of signaling a successful mission. Legend has it the flag, traditionally considered the flag of pirates, was adopted after a British admiral in World War I compared submarine warfare to piracy. The black flag adorned with a skull and crossed bones, often features additional signals when it's used in this modern content. Look at this flag from HMS Seraph, a Royal Navy submarine that served in World War II. The flag was created after Operation Mincemeat, a secret mission that involved dropping a cadaver carrying top-secret plans off the Spanish coast as part of a ruse to deceive the Axis. The six daggers on the flag allegedly represent individual clandestine missions. Signalmen on the submarines were responsible for updating the flags with the latest new symbols to reflect newly completed missions. Story continues The flag of the Jimmy Carter is no exception. At least one and possibly two unidentifiable symbols are visible on the flag. But what could they possibly mean? The submarine's background could hold clues. The USS Jimmy Carter was the last of three Seawolf-class submarines built through 1990s and 2000s. Designed to fight the latest Soviet submarines during the Cold War, the Seawolf class is an astonishing 70 times quieter than the previous class of attack submarines, the Los Angeles class. The Seawolf subs were also built with HY-100 steel hulls, giving them a diving depth of up to 2,000 feet-more than three times the diving depth of her predecessors. The Seawolf class was the best, most advanced submarine of its time, but production was halted after three submarines due to enormous cost overruns. The extreme quietness of the Seawolf prompted the Navy to modify the third and last submarine, USS Jimmy Carter, to support clandestine operations. A 100-foot long, 2,500-ton section called the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP) was inserted into the hull, giving the submarine a unique capability. The MMP includes hangars to send and recover remotely operated vehicles/unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs)-sea drones, basically. And it can likely support SEAL delivery vehicles, which are miniature submarines used to transport Navy SEAL commandos. It features work spaces and berthing spaces for up to 50 SEALs, mission specialists, or ROV/UUV operators and maintainers. Unlike her sister submarines, Carter also features auxiliary maneuvering thrusters fore and aft for precise maneuvering near the ocean floor. USS Jimmy Carter under construction, 2004. Via Navsource, U.S. Navy, Electric Boat Ian Keddie tells Popular Mechanics: "The Jimmy Carter represents the USN's most important asset for special operations. The Navy is tight-lipped about the specifics of this but it is likely to have involved intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, or special forces. Some of these operations could involve 'tapping' into seabed cables or deploying UUVs close to shore; considering the Jimmy Carter is based out of Washington, it would be reasonable to guess that any operations took place in the Pacific or East Asian regions but it's impossible to know for certain and that's sort of the point!" Operating from Naval Base Kitsap, the Jimmy Carter's area of operations is the Pacific Ocean and beyond. The obvious mission area is a small Asian country that has recently made the headlines for its nuclear and missile tests: North Korea. What could the Jimmy Carter be doing around North Korea? Well, for starters, many of North Korea's recent missile tests, including a failed test on March 22nd, have been at a site near Kalma International Airport, near the city of Wonsan on the country's east coast. This site is a stone's throw from the Sea of Japan. There are several things the sub could be doing from the sea to spy on the North Koreans. While the Jimmy Carter could land spies and commandos on the beach near Kalma, those people could be captured and would make for a messy diplomatic (and perhaps even military) incident. Drone submarines, however, are a different matter. The Jimmy Carter could be operating a safe distance from North Korea's coastline, sending UUVs to spy on North Korea's missile launches. Drones could surface quietly near the coast, recording launch preparations and the launch itself. They could also point antennas in the direction of land and vacuum up whatever electronic emissions are associated with the launch: cell phone calls, any wireless data transmitted by the launch headquarters or the missile itself, telemetry radar data, and so on. Another possibility: the Jimmy Carter could be tapping North Korea's fiber optic cable that links it with the outside world. A fiber-optic cable runs from Sinuiji, North Korea to Dandong, China, right where the Yalu River empties into the West Sea. During the Cold War, the United States Navy performed several cable-tapping missions against the Soviet Union in the Sea of Okhotsk during Operation Ivy Bells. While the 453-foot long Jimmy Carter is not going to sail upstream into the Yalu River a UUV could, settling down on the cable and installing a tap that could collect the country's outgoing phone calls and Internet traffic. And those strange symbols on the submarine's flag do sort of look like word bubbles or telephones. A Mark 18. Mod. 2 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) is lowered into the water by the M/V Shelia Bordelon during a mine countermeasures training exercise. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Charles Oki As Keddie points out, it's impossible to know for certain exactly what the submarine has been up to. While the above scenarios are based on real-world capabilities and operations, the Jimmy Carter likely has the technology to undertake missions we can't even guess at. It could be years before the truth comes out, but for now we civilians can only speculate. You Might Also Like The violent, allegorical thriller Mother! (now in theaters) is not the kind of film that gets billed as fun for the whole family. Yet its a daring, dazzling showcase for the talent involved in other words, the kind of movie a mother could love, if shes the mother of Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, or director Darren Aronofsky. So are the people who made mother! planning on taking the women who raised them? Watch the Yahoo Movies interview above to find out. Speaking a few hours before the New York City premiere of Mother!, both star Lawrence and writer-director Aronofsky (who have been dating since the film wrapped) said their mothers would be joining them at the screening. My whole family is seeing it, Lawrence told Yahoo Movies. Im mostly worried about my brothers. I have one brother that I know is going to walk out. Twenty minutes. He cant even watch the trailer. He cant watch Willy Wonka. Hes afraid of Oompa Loompas. Aronofsky was quick to assure Yahoo Movies that his dark film has nothing to do with his actual mother, who would be seated next to him at the premiere. Shes great, shes full of love, and Im really, if anything Im kind of freaked out that shes going to see it tonight and be like whoa, what have you done?' he said with a laugh. As for Bardem, he had no qualms about his mothers reaction. Shes coming when it opens in Spain, said the actor. I know shes gonna love it. Watch: Jennifer Lawrence reveals the perils of breastfeeding a robot baby: Read more from Yahoo: The devastating hurricanes that hit Texas and Florida are generating a special plea for a blood drive scheduled Thursday, Sept. 28 at Tomah Memorial Hospital from 1-6 p.m. According to Tomah Memorial marketing and public relations director Eric Prise, BloodCenter of Wisconsin is part of a national network that is seeking assistance from centers across the country. Not only is BloodCenter meeting the needs of more than 50 hospitals across Wisconsin, including Tomah Memorial, it is also providing life-saving donations to facilities impacted by the latest hurricanes, said Prise. He said donations of O negative and O positive blood types are especially needed, as well as blood platelets. This is an important time for BloodCenter, and if area residents are asking themselves how to help those impacted by the disasters, donating blood would be a selfless gesture. BloodCenter of Wisconsin strives to see 800 donors a day, six days a week, to collect the blood needed by patients in the hospitals with which they partner, said Prise. To donate blood, a person must be in good health, at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and have photo identification. Sixteen-year-olds may also donate with parental consent. Forms are available at Tomah Memorial, and online with the BloodCenter of Wisconsin at bcw.edu. Donors can go online at bcw.edu/tomahhospital to schedule an appointment. Prise said walk-ins are also welcome. By Kham Nguyen and Minh Nguyen HA TINH, Vietnam (Reuters) - A typhoon tore a destructive path across central Vietnam on Friday, flooding hundreds of thousands of homes, whipping off roofs and knocking out power in the country's most powerful storm in years. Four people were killed, more than 5,000 houses were submerged, 19 collapsed and nearly 24,000 houses in Ha Tinh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces were damaged, the disaster agency said in a report. Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces bore the brunt of Typhoon Doksuri and power cuts were widespread after winds brought down or damaged thousands of electricity poles, trees and billboards. A television tower in Ha Tinh province collapsed. "There has never been a storm of level nine or 11 that lasted for eight hours straight like this one, causing quite large damage," agriculture minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong told state-run Vietnam Television. More than 116,000 people had been evacuated from Vietnam's densely populated coastal strip in preparation for Doksuri. Winds exceeded 130 km (80 miles) per hour and were expected to weaken as the storm heads to Laos. "It looks terrible, worse than war time," said Tran Thi Hong, principal of the Ky Xuan kindergarten in Ha Tinh province, which lost its entire roof. "I could just cry, it took us so long to build this school," she said. Four fishing boats sank in Quang Ngai province, the disaster committee report said. Many fishermen had dragged their small wooden boats into the streets of coastal towns to try to stop them from being carried away. Around 40 flights were canceled between the capital, Hanoi, in northern Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City, the commercial hub in the south. The eye of the storm skirted Vietnam's most important coffee growing areas and the rains it brought were largely seen as beneficial to the trees, coffee traders said. Rice farmers had rushed to gather in what they could before Doksuri struck. Vietnam often suffers from destructive storms. Floods in northern Vietnam killed at least 26 people and washed away hundreds of homes in August. Last year, more than 200 people were killed in storms. (Additional reporting by Mai Nguyen and Mi Nguyen; Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Nick Macfie) When Dee Ann Newell began teaching parenting courses to mothers behind bars nearly 30 years ago, she kept hearing the same request: Please check on our kids. Our children, theyre just barely hanging on, Newell remembers the women saying. When she visited those kids, what she found were families in great distress financially, emotionally and in so many other ways. Newell launched Arkansas Voices for the Children Left Behind in 1994. Dee Ann Newell (right), pictured with an adult child of an incarcerated parent, founded Arkansas Voices for the Children Left Behind over two decades ago. (Photo: Courtesy of Dee Ann Newell) Over the years, she said, the nonprofit has offered some 38,000 vulnerable kids the comfort, support and opportunities they wouldnt otherwise have had. But the funding hasnt kept up with the need. Today, Arkansas has the fastest growing prison population in the United States. Many of these inmates are parents, including single parents, and they have left about 70,000 children growing up without a mom or dad. Children whose parents are behind bars struggle with feelings of isolation and shame. Theyre at greater risk of developing depression, anxiety, and behavioral issues. Youre grieving someone whos not dead, but for all intents and purposes, theyre not there, said Newell. Theres a lot of trauma. Arkansas Voices matches the children up with mentors and works closely with schools to keep the kids from falling behind. Poor grades and higher dropout rates are an ongoing problem. The fact that African-Americans are overrepresented in Arkansas prison population may even contribute to racial gaps in academic performance. To combat those feelings of isolation, Arkansas Voices brings the children together with other kids dealing with the same issues. The program showed me I wasnt the only person who had a parent who was in prison, said Alexis Beavers, now 23. For a while, I thought I was the only person. The group also helps children maintain relationships with their imprisoned parents. It offers parenting classes to those incarcerated moms and dads. It runs support groups for grandparents, who are often left to care for the kids. And it works with families on the re-entry process if and when parents return home. Story continues Newell, who serves as executive director of Arkansas Voices, actively recruits for her programs. She visits schools and flat-out advertises that shes looking to aid children who have a parent in prison. She said she also tries to hire people who themselves have been affected by incarceration and can truly understand the needs of the clients. She has helped at least 10 similar groups get off the ground, Newell said. She meets with their founders and shares her experience in running programs, finding staff and reaching out to children. Beavers was one of those kids who got help from Arkansas Voices when she most needed it. Her mother was sent to prison when Beavers was 4 years old and is currently serving a life sentence for capital murder and aggravated robbery in relation to two restaurant robberies although Beavers believes the charges were unfair. Alexis Beavers poses for a photo on a visit with her mother, who is serving a life sentence. (Photo: Courtesy of Dee Ann Newell) Raised by her grandparents, Beavers experienced the textbook consequences of having an incarcerated parent. She was quiet and anxious about socializing. She felt like people expected her to amount to nothing because of her mothers record. She worried about other kids teasing her and she often claimed her mother was in the military to explain away her absence. At the root of it all was a deep fear that no one else could understand what she was going through. People have these judgments about me, Beavers said. Strangers often gush about how sorry they feel for her when they hear her mothers story, she said. But when she tells new acquaintances how much she loves art or travel, she said shes often met with disbelief. People wonder aloud how somebody with a parent in prison could possibly have such interests. It was Arkansas Voices that opened up her world when Beavers grandparents couldnt afford to. She was 6 years old when she first got involved with the group. The guidance and activities that Arkansas Voices provided, as well as the regular visits with her mom it arranged, worked to ease the girls anxiety. It helped me not be so angry at the world, Beavers said. Growing up without a parent, you are angry. You see other people with their parents and think, I wish I had that. [Newell] gave us options, Beavers said. She showed us a different life outside of the life that we were living. Arkansas Voices has even helped to ease the trauma associated with visiting a parent in prison. Beavers, who said she now sees her mother about twice a month and talks with her on the phone once a week, has distinct memories as a child of going through metal detectors to spend a few hours in a dreary, colorless room with no games. These days, the nonprofit organizes family days at prisons, when kids and parents can get together in a designated room, eat pizza and sing songs. Its a vast improvement over trying to bond in a stark room where children arent allowed to get up from their chairs, Newell said. Arkansas Voices still helps children across the state visit their parents in various prisons. Due to funding cuts, however, it has a smaller reach than it once did. At its height, the nonprofit had 10 locations around the state. Now it has just one, in Little Rock. Newell has managed to run a lean operation her home serves as the organizations headquarters but shes gravely concerned about money, she said. In the past, the group received significant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she said, but that has declined over the years and all but disappeared under the Trump administration. (HHS did not respond to HuffPosts request for comment.) Newell remains optimistic about her nonprofits future though. Shes looking to the children she once supported to help carry on the mission. Beavers, who currently works as a cashier at a local hospital, is one of those budding leaders. She mentors other kids now and hopes to resume her studies at college soon. She wants to continue working with children forced to grow up with a parent in prison and to change the stigmatization they face. I wish people would understand I am not my parent. Im not my mom, even though she didnt commit a crime. Im not her, Beavers said. I wish that people would just give me a chance. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. MORE FROM LISTEN TO AMERICA The 15 Most Instagrammable Spots In Little Rock, Arkansas How Far Will Your Rent Dollar Stretch Around The Country? Check Out The Full Schedule For HuffPost's Listen To America Tour This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Wellington (AFP) - New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English on Friday declared his election rival Jacinda Ardern's political honeymoon was over and said voters were now more concerned about "money in their pocket". Ardern has enjoyed a spectacular rise since taking over the centre-left Labour Party last month, lifting its vote 20 percentage points to turn the September 23 election into a cliffhanger. But recent polls have showed the 37-year-old's gains have stalled and English said voters were no longer enamoured with what he has called the "stardust" that initially appealed to the electorate. English, who is seeking a record-equalling fourth term for the conservative National Party, said voters' minds were turning to more practical matters as the campaign enters its final week. "I think the public are coming to that point where the interest in the Labour leadership change has gone," he told reporters on the hustings in Wellington. "Now they're looking hard at what's going to work for them and what's going to put money in their pocket." English has campaigned hard on his economic record, arguing his party guided New Zealand through the global financial crisis and has maintained strong growth. He said that key Ardern policies such as free tertiary education would squander a budget surplus built up over years of financial restraint. "Change... increasingly looks like quite a risk," he said. Meanwhile, Ardern was campaigning in the South Island city of Dunedin and received a rock-star welcome at Otago University. There was no sign the "Jacinda-mania" phenomenon was waning as students crowded onto balconies to hear her speak and held up posters portraying her as Star Wars' Princess Leia. Labour has overwhelming support among young voters but Ardern told the students they had to get out and vote if they wanted action on issues such as climate change. "The choice is clear, a Labour government committed to a better, fairer New Zealand -- and one that takes seriously our environmental challenges -- or drifting for three more years," she said. Diana Sirokai is a Hungarian plus-size model who works in cities from London and Los Angeles to New York. Shes an advocate for body positivity and a fashion designer of her own curvy collection with L.A.-based clothing line Xehar. Diana by Xehar is the name of Sirokais line, which includes pieces that encourage women to dress fashionably, no matter their size. Most recently, she practiced the self-love she preaches by posting side-by-side swimsuit photos of herself and Kim Kardashian. Body-positive advocate posts side-by-side photos with Kim Kardashian. (Photo: dianasirokai via Instagram) Inspired by photos of Kardashian posing in a white one-piece bathing suit, Sirokai tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she initially thought she could never pull the look off herself. I loved these images of Kim, and in my head I said theres no way I could do that because as a plus-size girl, we do have bigger body parts, and then I thought I will do it! This is what I stand for with body positivity. The model is no stranger to lingerie and bikini photos, but the idea of copying Kardashian seemed a little out of her comfort zone. During a recent stay in New York, however, Sirokai tracked down city-based photographer Karizza, who has since spoken highly about working with her. Love to work with plus size girls because they are so full of life, so confident and they know how to enjoy the moment! the photographer captioned a headshot of Sirokai. Next week I will start my photo project which has aim to show deep beauty, character, sensuality and unique features of every girl! Story continues Illustrating beauty in all people and all figures is something that aligns closely with Sirokais own work. And once she posted the photos of herself next to Kardashian, the model made these values clear. WE ARE BOTH WOMEN with DIFFERENT BODIES #Slay A post shared by D I A N A S I R O K A I (@dianasirokai) on Sep 14, 2017 at 2:02pm PDT WE ARE BOTH WOMEN with DIFFERENT BODIES, Sirokai captioned the collaged photos, along with other amazing sentiments on her solo shots. My Flaws are my power, another read. The first one she posted said, 10 Things to tell yourself every morning before starting off your day. I am healthy. I am strong. I am powerful. I am happy. I am blessed. I am wealthy. I am grateful. Today I am a better version of myself than yesterday. I can do it. I am loved. Now, with more than 20,000 likes on each of the photos, Sirokai expresses shock about the positive reactions shes received. While she admits to the challenge of posting her own photos next to the celebritys, the experience has allowed her to see how comments on social media can drive people to change themselves. An observation shes seen throughout the comments is how natural Sirokai looks next to the star. However, Sirokai remains set on teaching others not to make such judgments. I am all about keeping it as natural as possible, Sirokai says. I just dont want to judge women or men, because we all go through struggles. With my Instagram and images I hope to inspire all types of women, because we all need support. 10 Things to tell yourself every morning before starting off your day. * I AM HEALTHY * I AM STRONG * I AM POWERFUL * I AM HAPPY * I AM BLESSED * I AM WEALTHY * I AM GRATEFUL * TODAY I AM A BETTER VERSION OF MYSELF THAN YESTERDAY * I CAN DO IT * I AM LOVED #ConfidenceWithDiana @photo_karizza A post shared by D I A N A S I R O K A I (@dianasirokai) on Sep 14, 2017 at 9:43am PDT My "Flaws" are my power. @photo_karizza A post shared by D I A N A S I R O K A I (@dianasirokai) on Sep 14, 2017 at 1:55pm PDT If Kim could pull it off, I can too! Because we are no different. We are all beautiful and unique in our own ways. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. South Park returned for its 21st season Wednesday night, and with its history of tackling controversial current events, it was no surprise that the premiere was centered on white supremacists. But the episode wasnt as much about racism as it was about blue-collar workers losing their jobs to cheaper labor. The line, They took our jobs! has been a long-running joke on the show. Confederate flag-waving people took to the streets of the tiny Colorado town to protest, saying devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home are taking their jobs. Randy interrupted their protest, saying, Will you a**holes knock it off? Dont you know every time you wave Confederate flags around you make the rest of us look stupid? The episode also poked fun at house renovation shows Randy started his own show called White People Renovating Houses. The two storylines crossed when Randy decided to have the blue-collar workers replace virtual assistants Siri and Alexa. As if he were talking to Alexa, Randy said, Hey, Darryl, add Carrara subway tile to my shopping list. But Darryls response was I aint doin it! This job is degrading and menial! And thats when the show took a sharp dig at some fading blue-collar industries. Randy said, Hey Darryl coal mining and truck driving are not exactly jobs of the future, so add Carrara subway tile to my f***ing shopping list! Comedic and sometimes absurd social commentary is what weve come to expect from South Park. Despite rumors that the show would distance itself from controversial current events, this season doesnt appear to be any different. South Park airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. Watch the full episode of South Park here. 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. TEHRAN Iranian state TV says President Hassan Rouhani will attend this year's UN General Assembly meeting in New York and address the assembly on Sept. 20. His upcoming visit to the UN headquarters, reported Wednesday, comes as the future of Iran's landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers is in doubt. President Donald Trump's administration has been debating for months whether to scuttle the nuclear deal, as Trump threatened to do as a candidate. The Trump administration has called for UN inspections of Iranian military installations, a demand rejected by Tehran, and has also ramped up sanctions linked to Iran's ballistic missile program. Rouhani says the US is not complying with the agreement, but insists his government remains committed to it. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Mexico on Thursday, some eight months after a tweet he posted in support of US President Donald Trump's border wall plan raised ire in Mexico City , causing a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "President Trump is right," Netanyahu wrote in late January, shortly after Trump entered office. "I built a wall along Israel's southern border. It stopped all illegal immigration. Great success. Great idea." Israel's Ambassador Yonatan Peled was summoned by the Mexican Foreign Ministry for a reprimand, and the Mexican government issued a statement saying, "Mexico is a friend of Israel, and the Prime Minister should treat us like one." Netanyahu leaving on trip to Latin America (Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO) The crisis was resolved only after President Reuven Rivlin called his Mexican counterpart Enrique Pena Nieto to apologize. While in Mexico City, Netanyahu will sign several agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on space, an aviation agreement, a communications agreement and a MASHAV cooperation agreement. Netanyahu arrived in Mexico after a visit to Colombia , where he signed an MOU between Jerusalem and Bogota in the field of science, as well as a tourism agreement. While in Bogota, the Israel prime minister was welcomed at the presidential palace by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The two leaders first met in private, and later held an extended meeting with Colombia's foreign, defense and agriculture ministers. Netanyahu, right, with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (Photo: AFP) The two sides discussed deepening cooperation in the fields of agriculture, water, technology, innovation and cyber defense, among others. Israel is an observer in the Pacific Alliance, an economic organization made up of Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile, which is the eighth largest economy in the world. Israel plans to deepen its economic cooperation with the countries in the alliance. Netanyahu also visited Argentina as part of his Latin American trip , where he met with Argentine President Mauricio Macri and Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes, who traveled to Buenos Aires especially for the meeting. Netanyahu meets with Argentine President Mauricio Macri (Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO) A series of agreements were signed between Israel and Argentina, including an internal security agreement aimed at deepening and strengthening cooperation between both countries' police and law enforcement authorities in the prevention and detection of criminal offenses and in identifying their perpetrators, primarily through the exchange of strategic information. In addition, the two countries signed a social insurance agreement, a customs agreement and a commitment by Argentina to provide Israel with archive documenting ties between Buenos Aires 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. Following his visit to Mexico, Netanyahu will travel to New York City, where he will meet with US President Donald Trump and on Tuesday speak at the UN General Assembly meeting. Thousands of participants took part Friday in a race to commemorate the 421 Druze fighters who fell in all of Israel's battles and terror attacks. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter This year's race was in memory of Border Policemen Ha'il Satawi and Kamil Shnaan who were killed in a terror attack on the Temple Mount. "It isn't easy for us to attend an event our sons are missing," said members of the Satawi and Shnaan families. "However, they will remain in our hearts, we will not forget them. They sacrificed their lives for the state. " Participants in the race (Photo: Effi Sharir) The race was attended by Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkott, ministers and MKs. The Association for Druze Boys invited the public to participate in the event, together with the leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Muafak Tarif, the head of the Lower Galilee Regional Council, Moti Dotan, and the head of the Hurfeish council and chairman of the Druze community forum Mufid Mar'i. The race was held for the fifth year. In view of the large number of participants, the location of the race was shifted to Nebi Shuaib, near the Golani Junction. Shakib Shnaan , Kamil Shnaan's father, expressed his hope that "we will not feel more discriminated against in the country. May they stop destroying our homes instead of destroying the houses of the terrorists. I'm an Israeli and proud of it." Eisenkott (C) poses at the race, with Labor MK Omer Bar-Lev (R) and other members of the FIDF (Photo: Elad Sasi Media) Sheikh Mustapha Tarif said: "The families of the martyrs feel great sadness and longing for the family members who fell in the defense of the homeland, but there is hope and optimism for the sake of the continuation of life in the state of all of us. Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked also arrived at the scene, saying that "in 1956, the leaders of the community came to the Israeli leadership and asked to apply the draft law to the Druze. Today, more than 80% of the Druze community is enlisted, more than the percentage of Jews. Every one of us who was in the army is inextricably connected with the community and with its sons. " Photo: Elad Sasi Media The Tomb of Yitro (Nebi Shu'ayb), the holiest site for Druze in the Lower Galilee, is located near Karnei Hittin. The new location of the race allows the thousands of participants to be exposed to other landscapes and sites along the Druze Boys Trail, which extends over 226 kilometers and crosses the 18 Druze villages. The murders of Satawi and Shnaan aroused waves of sympathy, solidarity, love and solidarity across borders from thousands of Israelis throughout the country and the world. This year, the race was produced in joint effort between the Association for the Druze Boys, the Friends of the IDF in the United States and Panama (FIDF), the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Jewish National Fund and the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee. Vernon Electric Cooperative sent a crew to Florida early Monday morning to help with hurricane relief efforts. Journeymen Line Workers, Jason Berklund and Jason Johnson, both volunteered to make the trip, and will be gone for at least two weeks. Vernon Electrics crew will be joined by approximately 50 crews from other Wisconsin electric cooperatives all over the state, converging on Florida to help restore power. Last week the Florida Electric Cooperative Association put out a call for assistance in anticipation of widespread outages across Florida because of damage from Hurricane Irma. The Wisconsin Electric Cooperative association coordinated response efforts with the 25 electric cooperatives in Wisconsin. The convoy was expected to arrive in Florida on Wednesday. Education is very important to many Ghanians because it is deemed as the key to success in life. While education is free up to the secondary level in Ghana, quality education is very expensive. But many parents are not deterred; they are willing to break the bank to give their children solid education. But while every parent would want to send his or her ward to the best schools possible, there is also the problem of fees charged. In many cases, parents choose to measure their monthly earnings as against the school fees they are supposed to pay before deciding on which schools to make their children attend. But have you ever wondered how much the various categories of schools charge as fees? American International School (1 Jungle Road, East Legon) Below is a list of the 10 most expensive schools in Ghana and how much they actually charge as fees. The list is in no particular order. Liberty American School The school is located at Abelemkpe on the Dadeibaa street. They offer tuition for nursery, primary and secondary levels. Students of the Liberty American School pay fees of GH30,000. Roman Ridge School The Roman Ridge School is one of the most expensive in terms of fee charging in Ghana. The school charges GH6,000 for tuition fees. It is located at Ridge in Accra and they offer tuition from nursery to secondary level. READ ALSO: 9 headmasters interdicted, 2 fired for extorting cash over Free SHS Ghana International School The Ghana International School charges pupils a sum of GH14,000 as fees. They have nursery, primary and secondary levels. American International School Located in East Legon, the American International School demands from pupils fees of GH40,000. The school also offers tuition at nursery, primary and secondary school levels. Al-Rayaan International School The Al-Rayaan International School is located on the Spintex road. The school uses the Islamic, British and Cambridge curriculum. They charge fees of GH15,000. Al-Rayaan International School ( Spintex Road, Facing Casa Trasacco) READ ALSO: Here are the 11 richest pastors in Ghana today Lincoln Community School The Lincoln Community School, located in Accra offers tuition from nursery to secondary school level. The school operates the American educational curriculum. The school fees is up to $20,000 dollars per year. SOS-Hermann Gmeiner International College The school operates on the British curriculum and charges fees of GH40,800. Located in Tema, the school offers tuition only for secondary school students. Soul Clinic International School The Soul Clinic International School runs for nursery, primary and secondary level. For primary pupils, the charge is GH2,271, while Junior High pupils are required to pay GH2,595. READ ALSO: Ranking: The best SHS schools from Ghana's 10 regions Galaxy International School The schools runs on the British curriculum and serves pupils from nursery to secondary school level. They charge fees of about GH26,000. Ecole Francaise (East Legon) Ecole Francaise The school is located at East Legon in Accra and offers tuition from nursery to secondary school level as well. They operate on a purely French curriculum and charge fees of GH30,000. Share your views on this with us in the comments section below. READ ALSO: Childhood photos of 10 of your favourite Ghanaian celebs Source: YEN.com.gh Ghanaian actress and model, Moesha Boduong has come under attack on social media for what many users have termed as "her excessive bleaching of her skin". Get more news and current issues on your favorite Ghanaian celebrities here on YEN.com.gh Their accusation arose after the actress posted some image on social media. READ ALSO: It makes no sense for Afia Schwarz to cheat; she is not like that - Mzbel defends old friend In the sultry images posted on photo-sharing social network, Instagram, Moesha almost exposed her private part. Photo of Moesha Boduong's fair body and black feet sets social media ablaze with rumors of bleaching That was enough to get Ghanaian netizens, who paid close attention to the image, very much livid and turned up. But that was not all that people noticed. Well, one thing about the photos that Facebook users who are very critical of what people share was her feet which were not fair like her skin. In a post on Facebook by one, Kwasi Osei-Danso Ofori-Atta, he pointed out the difference saying, "So now that the toning/bleaching creams have been banned, how will she finish the work on her feet?". "Photography can deceive anyways, it is possible light didnt fall on her feet and I am also not seeing well. #DiamondByPhrimpong Repeating," he added saying that he could have been mistaken. However, this did not stop many social media users from drawing conclusions about the actress. Many of them took to social media to share their various thoughts on the celebrity's supposed bleaching. This lady also shared her views About some months ago, the Ghanaian government placed a ban on all skin-bleaching materials. READ ALSO: Afia Schwarzenegger laughs at bloggers as her sons head to Kumasi High School Send us a message on our official YEN Facebook group or at info@yen.com.gh. YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Source: YEN.com.gh Popular Ghanaian Hiplife rapper Edem Avornyo known in show business as Coded of music group 4X4 has sent a heartfelt message to his wife, Maame Afua Agyeiwaa Opare on their fifth wedding anniversary. Click here for all the latest arts and entertainment news in Ghana READ ALSO: Student with dreadlocks faces possible exclusion from Free SHS enrollment In an Instagram post, the musician shared a lovely picture of himself with his lovely wife and captioned it with a romantic piece. The couple were spotted on a lovers bench with Maame Afua Agyeiwaa Opare wearing a graduation cap while seated on the laps of her husband. The musician wrote, Today is our anniversary and I want the world to know how much you mean to me. I want them to know how you keep loving and taking care of me, how tolerant you've been with me, how you keep believing in me, how you have always had my back, how tall you've stood when they tried to bring us down and how you've always been my pillar. I know I don't show it to the world enough but I want you to know that I love you and there couldn't ever be a better woman for me. Loved you then, love you now, love you always. Happy anniversary to us. READ ALSO: Afia Schwar's sons benefit from Free SHS program The couple are believed to have dated for seven years and tied the knot on September 15, 2012, exactly five years ago. The couple are known to flaunt their love and affection for each other on all their previous anniversaries and this year has not been an exception. READ ALSO: Christabel Ekeh spotted months after her leaked pictures flooded the internet Edem Avornyo, known in the music industry as Coded was formerly called Abortion and is a part of the award-winning music group, 44. YEN is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YENs official Facebook page. Source: YEN.com.gh MADISON A last-minute deal reached with Gov. Scott Walker and three holdout Republicans to pass the state budget Friday includes promises of vetoes to bring the reluctant lawmakers on board, one of the senators involved with the deal said. Details of what was agreed to will be released after the Senate gives final approval to the budget later Friday night, said Republican Sen. Chris Kapenga, of Delafield. But he said they center around a list of nine demands he and Republican Sens. Steve Nass and Duey Stroebel released Wednesday. Republicans were one vote short of the 17 needed to approve the $76 billion plan before the deal with Walker was struck. The budget was due on July 1, but current spending continued during the impasse. Wisconsin is one of only two states with a July 1 deadline that still doesn't have a budget enacted. The nine demands from the senators included speeding up repeal of the prevailing wage that's slated to occur in September 2018 under the budget and eliminating a provision that did away with local control over rock quarries that produce material for road and construction work. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos declared their demands a "ransom note" and refused to consider amending the budget to make the changes. The Senate doesn't plan to make any changes to the budget, either, Kapenga said. Instead, he said Walker will use his extensive veto power to do enough to win their support. Kapenga said he spoke on the phone with Walker, who is in South Korea on a trade mission, to finalize the deal. Walker said on Wednesday he would be fine with moving up repeal of the prevailing wage from September 2018 to Jan. 1 or earlier. Walker also said he would support finding more savings at the Department of Transportation to win votes for the budget. Sen. David Craig, R-Town of Vernon, is also against the budget and said he remained opposed. "Nothing's changed with me," he said as debate began Friday. The massive bill, which the Assembly passed Wednesday, dictates spending for K-12 schools, Medicaid, the University of Wisconsin and the rest of state government. It must pass both the Senate and Assembly in identical form before it goes to Walker for his signature. Numerous Democratic amendments were rejected Friday. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling said the fact the Republicans had difficulty getting the needed 17 votes "demonstrates the dysfunction that's happening, the inability to govern." She said Democrats remained united against the budget and had not been approached by Republican leadership to help broker a deal to pass it. "It's shameful, this budget," said Democratic Sen. Lena Taylor, of Milwaukee, a member of the Legislature's budget committee. "There's no other way to put it." Republicans have touted the budget as full of good news, pointing to a nearly 6 percent increase in funding for K-12 schools, a tuition freeze at UW campuses and a small property tax cut. Democrats have assailed the budget as a missed opportunity that benefits the wealthy since it would cut income taxes primarily paid by high earners but not reduce income taxes across the board or for poor working families as Walker had urged. They've also criticized it for lacking a long-term funding solution for road projects thus further delaying work around the state and borrowing another $400 million. Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier "When you shake a veteran's hand today, look them in the eye and give them a heartfelt thank you," said USAF Ret. Col. Jen Fullmer, parade grand marshal, who spoke at the event. Education Readings By Allan Alach allanalach@inspire.net.nz I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at Data Driven Into the Weeds Data data everywhere and not a thought in sight Having a data-driven school has been all the rage for a while now, because when you express your ideas, thoughts, and biases in numbers, they qualify as "facts," whereas judgment expressed in words obviously lacks data-rich factiness, and so should be ignored. Yes, the fact that I am 100% an English teacher may make me about 62% bitter about the implied valuing of numbers over words; I'd say I'm at about 7 on the 11-point Bitterness Scale, and that's a fact. Don t Spend A Penny On Education Technology Until This Is Clear Virtual reality is it enough? This keeping up with the Jones is a familiar practice, especially in anything related to technology. That approach, though, can lead to imbalanced education policy, mediocre edtech programs, and a lot of wasted money. Integrating education technology is a complex thing that depends entirely on local and constantly changing factors. Why Students Should Take the Lead in Parent-Teacher Conferences But at schools built on Deeper Learning principles, the meetings are often turned into student-led conferences, with students presenting their schoolwork, while their teachers, having helped them prepare, sit across the table, or even off to the side. The triad then sits together to review and discuss the work and the students progress. The message, once again, is that the students are responsible for their own success. The Power of Visualization in Math The power of this moment, the change in the learning environment, and the excitement of my fifth graders as they could not only understand but explain to others what the problem was about convinced me it was worth the effort to pursue visualization and try to answer these questions: Is there a process to unlock visualizations in math? And are there resources already available to help make mathematics visual? How can teachers introduce forest school principles to their curriculum? More commonly, forest school is part of a bigger educational mix in which pupils enjoy time outdoors perhaps once a week, but the same principles apply: a drive to build young people's independence and self-esteem through experiencing the natural world. Lili Pluck, forest school assistant at Ashdon, says: "It's about learning to realise what is around you, appreciate nature and enjoy the freedom, space and sense of peace. Contributed by Bruce Hammonds: The Internet Is Killing Creativity - And Analog Is About to Make a Comeback In some ways, I think the internet has made it harder to become creative because it encourages us to be interested in all the wrong things. (Note: I differentiate between becoming smarter--educating yourself on every topic ever, which the internet is like freakin' fantastic at, and being creative. Artistically putting yourself out there.) Why my negativity around creativity? Sir Ken Robinson on how schools are stifling students creativity While many Canadian educators struggle to find the solution to students' declining math scores, there's one expert who says we may be looking at the problem the wrong way. Sir Ken Robinson education guru, author and adviser says relentless testing and the push for standardized scores are destroying students' imagination and talent. He argues that schools are stifling instead of nurturing kids' creativity. Reasons Todays Kids Are Bored At School, Feel Entitled, Have Little Patience & Few Real Friends Todays kids come to school emotionally unavailable for learning. There are many factors in our modern lifestyle that contribute to this. As we know, the brain is malleable. Through environment, we can make the brain stronger or make it weaker. I truly believe that, despite all our greatest intentions, we unfortunately remold our childrens brains in the wrong direction. A New Zealand Haeata student gives her view on modern learning Three years ago when we knew some of our local schools would be closing, my school, Aranui Primary, started what was called "modern learning. At first it was really weird and we didn't know what we were doing, but then the teachers got trained in modern learning. Over three years we changed the way we learnt to the way that best suits us so we could self-manage, but not too much depending on how good you were at self-managing. We had stages: Manager, Self-Managed, Self-Directed, and Self-Driven. The Troubling Trend to Collect Behavioral Data on ALL Children As school starts, many parents are being bombarded with information about behavioral data collection on their children. A lot of this is tied to the trendy push for social-emotional learning (SEL), and the attempt to connect behavior with a childs ability to read and do well in school. But its troubling to see schools monitoring the behavior of every child so tightly. Children will not have perfect behavior. From Bruces goldie oldies file: Back to school to see what really happens in New Zealand classrooms Nigel Latta In recent years politicians from the right have given the impression that our schools are failing our current Minister is fond of saying one in five of our children are failing and that the introduction of National Standards will solve the situation. We so often hear stories about how standards have fallen, said Latta, that you would be forgiven for thinking the sky has fallen in. For New Zealand readers - a few articles to consider before the general election on September 23rd, which will hopefully see the end of national standards and charter schools. National Standards which Parties will keep them and which will ditch them? Its election time again, but before choosing which Party to vote for, make sure you know what their education policies are and pay attention to what isnt mentioned, too. This time we are looking at National Standards. Election questions are for all of us lets ask a few questions of ourselves. An election is traditionally an opportunity to ask questions of would-be politicians. More fruitfully, its an opportunity to ask questions of ourselves. Questions to candidates will then follow, but the self-examination is actually the more valuable for democratic engagement. Before we settle on which political party to support this election,. Questions to candidates will then follow, but the self-examination is actually the more valuable for democratic engagement. Nigel Latta: The New Haves and Have Nots Time for Moral Leadership in New Zealand As we begin to focus on the upcoming elections it is surely time to move away from on the personalities of leaders and to focus on the real issues facing our country. NZ National government gets an F for education OPINION: My verdict on the Government's track record in education is that it is an epic fail. The reasons for this verdict are many and varied, but I will focus on three main areas: 1. Our student achievement data is declining nationally 2. Ideology is overriding evidence 3. Trust has been completely eroded in the sector achievement data scholarship, news and new ideas in legal history The signing of a record number of new investments and partnership agreements for inclusive agricultural transformation at the 2017 Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), have boosted Africa's economic growth prospects. The week long forum focused on the announcement of concrete investments in agricultural businesses and the establishment of new and innovative approaches and partnerships to deliver programmers for greater results. Embodying this spirit, the forum saw the signing of numerous agreements and business deals that will be key in bringing to life major agricultural transformation commitments including the $30bn committed at the AGRF in 2016. This charge was led by the African Heads of State present at the forum who were unanimous in their call for urgent action and committed to lead by example. Increasing investment in agriculture Agriculture is an important sector for our economic growth. Studies show that more than half of poverty reduction is attributable to agricultural development against 10 percent for non-agricultural development. This is why we have, in Cote dIvoire, gradually increased investments in the sector over the last five years, which has doubled the incomes of farmers and significantly reduced poverty levels, said the host President, H.E. Alassane Ouattara. Hailed as one of the foremost African agriculture champions, Ouattara committed to increasing his governments budgetary allocation for the sector to 10 percent, of which $200m has already been provided to cocoa and coffee farmers. The value of partnerships between public and private sector We recognise the paramount importance to us, as a people and as a continent, to turn agriculture around to feed ourselves qualitatively and quantitatively. Unless we do that, our people will remain susceptible to hunger and malnutrition, said President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. She further stressed the value of working with the private sector and committed her government to working with business leaders to double the yields of rice farmers. Looking at all the difficulties we are confronted with today and considering this is a major growing sector, we need to work with other heads of state to develop policies that are coherent and that encourage smallholders to form cooperatives for ease of access to financing. We need to work in coordination with our peers so that partnerships between the public and the private sector can play a key role in the future of agribusinesses, said H.E. Komi Selom Klassou, the prime minister of Togo. Partnerships to realise the vision of a food secure and prosperous Africa In his keynote address, Strive Masiyiwa, chair of the AGRF partners group, stressed the importance of uniting all stakeholders with a shared interest in agricultural development. This is an opportunity to mobilise continental leadership and we are honoured to have heads of state here. Our mission is about smallholder farmers, and it is about the women who are the main producers of food. We work in partnership with governments to realise the vision of a food secure and prosperous Africa. The AGRF partnership mobilises other players, including the private sector, to invest in the continents robust agriculture and food sector. We are calling for global support, not in the form of aid, but in investments to enable our young people to find meaningful employment opportunities. The forum heard that great progress had been achieved as part of the $30bn worth of political, financial and policy pledges made in support of Africas agriculture at the 2016 AGRF. Key among these was the announcement of the new $280m Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). PIATA is an innovative and transformative partnership and financing vehicle to drive inclusive agriculture transformation across the continent to increase incomes and improve the food security of 30 million smallholder farm households in at least 11 African countries by 2021. Speaking on behalf of H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, president of Ghana, Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Ghanas minister of agriculture, expressed his countrys renewed support for the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, with a pilot targeting 200,000 of the countrys five million farmers and fisherman in the first year. The theme of the forum was Accelerating the Path to Prosperity: Growing Inclusive Economies and Jobs through Agriculture, which served as the guiding framework for a total of 52 sessions and more than 300 speakers. Throughout the forum, there was great emphasis on the priority areas of increasing the involvement of women and youth in agriculture and agribusiness. Significant deals were also signed by the private, public and NGO sectors. They included: The European Union, which agreed on a new European Consensus for Development Initiative with a value of around $1.5bn. This adds to its existing blended finance facilities for Africa and the neighbouring region with an estimated budget of $2.6bn to leverage more than $44bn of investment in Africa until 2020 Germanys Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) reaffirmed its commitment to the One World No Hunger initiative with 1.5bn per year invested in agriculture Yara, the global fertiliser company, dedicated more than $100m in downstream operations and $130m to develop a mine in Ethiopia Close to $6.5bn worth of investments in palm oil, pulses, potato and rice, mainly in West Africa, were made to cover the next eight years. These included a crowd funding facility to support 10,000 farmers and SMEs with loans of $100 $10,000, a $500m infrastructure investment deal to improve access to farms and markets, and a commitment by Mahindra Agribusiness to buy all green grams produced in Africa for processing in a newly built crushing plant in Ethiopia with a capacity of 40,000 tonnes. The potential within Africa This week has shown what can be achieved when countries across Africa come together and collaborate with all partners including the private sector, said Commissioner Josefa Sacko. At the moment, as a continent, we rely too heavily on external resources to meet our food needs. The potential within Africa means that this doesn't need to be the case for future generations. By helping to provide the millions of smallholder farmers, so many of whom are women, with access to the funding and expertise they need, we can help them thrive not just as subsistence farmers but as successful business people across the region," she added. Dr. Agnes Kalibata, president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), ended the forum with a stirring call to action that brought home to delegates how agricultural transformation not only changes farming but remains the best bet for Africas prosperity. An inclusive agricultural transformation will address many of the continents biggest problems. For example, agriculture can fill the economic growth gap created by falling commodity prices, create high productivity jobs for young people as an alternative to migration to Europe, improve the livelihoods of farmers to move from subsistence occupations to viable businesses, and create a globally competitive agriculture and agribusiness sector to produce the high value processed foods consumed increasingly by Africas growing middle classes. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he will retaliate against a U.S. halt on the issuing of visas to senior foreign ministry officials and their families by suspending missions by U.S. military-led teams searching for the remains of Americans missing in action from the Vietnam War. Cambodias pro-government Fresh News website reported yesterday that Hun Sen said cooperation with the United States on the MIA search would be suspended until the two countries resolve several issues, especially the visa ban. Government spokesman Phay Siphan confirmed the report. The U.S. government lists 48 Americans still unaccounted for in Cambodia. The U.S. Embassy instituted the visa ban on Wednesday, saying that Cambodia had refused or delayed accepting Cambodian nationals being deported by the United States after being convicted of crimes. Four Chinese navy ships have departed for joint drills with Russia in the latest sign of growing cooperation between the two militaries that could challenge the U.S. armed forces role in the Asia-Pacific. A destroyer, missile frigate, supply ship and submarine rescue ship departed this week from the port of Qingdao, home to Chinas north sea fleet, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The drills are being held in the Sea of Japan near the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Xinhua said. The exercises are the second stage of an annual joint drill, the first part of which was held July 22-27 in the Baltic Sea the first time the countries had exercised together in the northern European waterbody. Russia and China are closely aligned on many diplomatic and security issues, with both countries calling for a negotiated settlement of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, preceded by North Korea suspending its nuclear and missile activities in return for the U.S. and South Korea halting their regular large-scale wargames. Julys joint drills in the Baltic stirred concern among countries in the region, where tensions are already high over increased displays of military force by both Moscow and NATO. Both Russia and China say the exercises are not directed at any third parties. The Chinese ships taking part in the exercises are among the countrys most advanced, components of a growing fleet that poses a significant challenge to the U.S. Navys traditional dominance in the Asia-Pacific. Beijing has long chafed at the American presence and is a strong critic of its alliances with Japan, Australia and other countries in the region. China already has the worlds largest navy, with slightly over 300 vessels, compared to the U.S. Navys 277 deployable battle force ships, according to the U.S. Naval War Colleges China Maritime Studies Institute. The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence forecasts it will have 313-342 warships by 2020. While Chinas ships are technologically inferior to those of the U.S. Navy, their sheer numbers allow China a significant presence on the open sea, institute professor Andrew S. Erickson wrote in a recent study. AP On Friday, roughly 900 million miles away, a collection of metal and electronics will crash into Saturn, disintegrating into its atmosphere. It sounds almost routine -- or at least a mere blip on the radar of importance for people grappling with hurricanes, war and political discord. But it's not routine. At least not for the more than 5,000 people who, at one time or another, worked on the Cassini spacecraft mission. For them, it's a thrilling -- and perhaps traumatic -- end to a decades-long journey. "I'm now carrying around an end-of-mission handkerchief to every interview," said Trina Ray, Cassini's Science Planning and Sequencing Team deputy. She joined the mission just before its launch in 1997. "It's part of being a part of an incredible thing, and of course, everybody is so proud of the team, of the spacecraft. There's a lot of pride in what we've done." A journey that kept going The fact that the Cassini mission lasted this long is a bit of a surprise in its own right. "We should not forget that this is first and foremost an engineering marvel," said Jonathan Lunine, a professor at Cornell whose primary role with the mission is as interdisciplinary scientist for Titan's surface and atmosphere studies. He has been involved with Cassini since the 1980s. "I would never have expected that this would have lasted through to the late-middle part of my career." The idea began in the mid-1980s, after the Voyager mission provided intriguing images from Saturn. It developed into a multinational endeavor that launched into space on October 15, 1997. It was supposed to last until only 2007, but two carefully planned extensions, and some impressive fuel management, allowed it to continue until September 15. Then, running on fumes, it will relay its final readings as it crashes through Saturn's atmosphere. "You know, I'm starting to look at the fact we're vaporizing my beautiful spacecraft," said Todd Barber, lead propulsion engineer for the Cassini mission. He's been involved since 1997, six months before launch. "For the longest time, I was in stage 1 of grief: denial, a very beautiful comfortable place to be. But, you know, it's probably time to get through the other stages of grief and start planning for a future post-Cassini." Shuttering a neighborhood Cassini's final descent will bring a wealth of new data for scientists to push our understanding of our solar system, but September 15 also marks the end -- not just for a spacecraft launched 20 years ago but for many scientists and engineers who have dedicated decades to this project. "That just really finally hit home that this is the end, and up to that point, there's always something look forward to," Lunine said. "But now we're really at the end, and I have mixed feelings. It has been a tremendous adventure. Cassini has accomplished enormous things. I've been privileged to be a part of that and to be able to do great science thanks to Cassini data, but it's tough now to think about the fact that it really is going to be over. For the first time really since I was a graduate student, there isn't another Cassini to look forward to." Beyond the loss of the equipment and day-to-day tasks, staff members will have to say goodbye to each other. "It's very much like a neighborhood, and here we are at the end of the mission, and the neighborhood is going to be dissolved, and that's a hard thing to think about," Ray said. Working on the same project with the same people for such a long time naturally forms bonds. Birthdays are celebrated, weddings are marked, children are born, and deaths are mourned. The work begins to blend with the personal, and as the project ends, it's clear those involved are at a loss. "I've not begun to process that part of the grief," Barber said. "I'm going to miss my Cassini coworkers terribly. They've been incredibly professional. It's a family away from home." A unique work environment The bonds created some unique memories -- including some impressive Halloween parties. "We launched in October. Our official project color is orange, so Halloween is about the biggest holiday on Cassini," Barber said. There's also a singing group who would make "Weird Al" Yankovic proud with their willingness to fit mission-related lyrics into popular songs. "We've written over a hundred songs over the course of the 20 years, and it's always topical," Ray said. But of course, the moments that stand out the most include the camaraderie forged as the mission revealed the unknown. Though it occurred nearly a dozen years ago, Lunine can still easily describe witnessing the first images the Huygens probe relayed after landing on Saturn's moon Titan. "Being there with about 25 other people when these images suddenly started shooting across the computer screen -- no human being had ever seen this before, and the intensity of feeling and watching these images flash by as they were downloaded to us was the most memorable moment. It's burned into my memory." Ray shares a similar moment from a 2004 flyby of Titan. "They turned on the spigot, and image after image after image hit the screen, and nobody knew what we were looking at. Every expert in the world was in that room, and they were all pointing at the screen in stunned disbelief." "I have never felt it was routine," Barber added. "I'm working my dream job since childhood. I can't believe there's not a hundred people lined up trying to steal this job from me. It's incredible." A fitting end "Cassini, to me, is the quintessential odyssey of discovery in it's very much like the voyage of Odysseus himself and his crew who could not have imagined that they would spend that much time at sea," Lunine said. "Cassini is the scientific real-life equivalent of that. We have spent 20 years in space, 13 of those years at Saturn discovering things about Saturn, its rings, its moons, its magnetosphere that we did not expect to see and did not expect to be able to follow up on." Ray added, "I will miss Cassini telling me things about the Saturn system every day that we didn't know." Despite her sadness, she is grateful for the journey. "The focus really should be, I think, on how extraordinarily great this spacecraft has been and the people who built and operated her." Barber agrees. For 20 years, Cassini was able to offer hope and wonder amid the bleak news on nightly newscasts. "That just gives me tremendous pride to lift people up for that one minute and just show there's something beyond our petty problems on planet Earth, that there's this excitement and beauty in the cosmos." Teresa Botkin likes to hike with her husband, Ben, and one of their favorites is Rim View Trail in the South Hills. Weve seen deer, sheep and other animals that arent going to bite you, Teresa said. Thats why it surprised her even scared her when during a recent hike the Twin Fallswoman came upon a rattlesnake resting on the trail. We werent even a mile up the trail when all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move, said Teresa, who was walking ahead of Ben, a Times-News reporter. She saw the snake coil, heard its rattle and jumped back. Iran back down the trail and barreled through Ben, the poor guy, she said. They didnt return to look at the snake, figuring if there was one on the trail there might be more nearby. I was told later on that what I did was absolutely wrong, Teresa said. Dont ever jump away from a snake. Since her encounter, shes read up about rattlers Im even intrigued by them, she said and learned a few other things that she plans to remember in the event she encounters another. Will she hike the trail again? Absolutely, she said. But I will be more cautious. Look ahead If youre in an area where signs are posted to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, use caution. Theyre probably not far away. You wont likely find such warnings on remote trails, but if youre in desert terrain, often where theres sagebrush and rock, the snakes might be there anyway. One of the things Teresa learned is that you should always look ahead of you when hiking on trails not just where youre stepping, but several yards in front of you. Youre looking for dark oval patterns that often blend in with rocks on the trail. Teresa said the snake she saw was stretched out on the trail and did not coil until she got close. Be alert, said Kelton Hatch, conservation educator with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Pay attention to your surroundings. This way your chance of encountering a rattler unaware is lessened. Give it room Paying attention to whats ahead of you allows you to make proper judgements if you see a snake. If you encounter a rattler, Hatch said, give it a wide berth and walk around it. Snakes do not have external ears but are sensitive to vibrations and will feel your footsteps as you get close to them. Snakes can strike only within half their length, Hatch said. But dont take chances. Rattlers coil up when they feel threatened, so its difficult to tell how long the snake might be. Stay calm, respect the snake As Teresa learned, quick movements arent good if you stumble close to a rattler unaware. When they start rattling, its a warning for you not to get too close, Hatch said. If youre within a couple of feet, thats pretty close. So what youd want to do is stand still and wait until things de-escalate. Usually, theyll drop and try to slither off. Rattlesnakes arent interested in humans because were too big for them to eat. They bite us only if they feel threatened, or if we startle them. Statistically, Hatch said, most of the bites that occur are on twentysomething males, often who are intoxicated and start teasing the snake. Dont do that, he said. Respect the snake and it will leave you alone if youre not too close. If you feel threatened Theres nothing wrong with killing a snake if you feel threatened by it, said Gary Hompland, conservation officer with Fish and Game. But if youre not within striking distance, there might be other options such as walking around it. Just because you see a rattlesnake doesnt mean you have to kill it, said Hatch. They are beneficial to the environment and good at rodent control. They eat a lot of mice and things like that. What if youre bitten? About 25 percent of all rattlesnake bites are dry, non-venomous bites. But dont take chances. If youre bitten by a rattlesnake, stay calm and seek medical help immediately. Do not cut the wound, as this can cause extensive bleeding, according to BitesandStings.com. Because human mouths are full of bacteria, sucking venom from the wound can cause infection, making treatment more difficult. Tie a tight bandage a couple of inches above the bite. This slows the dissemination of the venom. Do not cut off your circulation, or you can damage the healthy tissue not receiving the proper amount of blood below the wound. Carry a snakebite kit. Kits such as the Sawyer Extractor contain a syringe-like device that extracts venom from the wound without the complications of bleeding or wound contamination. Rattlesnake bites are extremely painful and life-threatening without medical intervention. But according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more people die from bee and wasp stings than rattlesnake bites. Each person reacts differently to bites, Hatch said. But most people who are bitten by a rattler as long as they get medical help make a full recovery without lasting effects from the bite. Going without medical treatment can result in death within the day or following day due to venom disrupting blood flow and the function of vital organs. BUHL More people means more sick people. Its a fact that Buhl is coming to terms with and has prompted St. Lukes to build a new clinic there. The hospital system is building a new 5,700-square-foot clinic on Burley Avenue. Construction will begin in late October or early November. It will allow for a wider variety of services based in Buhl including X-ray equipment and mental health care so residents dont have to travel 30 minutes to Twin Falls as often. The towns family practice clinic closed to new patients eight months ago because it couldnt keep up with the demand. The exception: It accepts family members of existing patients. Current patients couldnt get in to see us for a month, which is not adequate when they have urgent needs, said Dr. Bryan Mason, a family practice doctor who has practiced in Buhl for 3 years. The estimated $2.4 million project is slated for completion in mid-to-late 2018. It will replace St. Lukes existing building on Broadway Avenue South, which has been in use since January 2014. Laura Jacobson and her family used to drive from their home south of Buhl to Twin Falls for medical appointments. But a couple of years ago, she, her husband and their children ages 10, 7, 4 and 4 months switched over to Mason as their primary care doctor. We started using it because its just so much more convenient, she said. They live in the country outside of Buhl and her children go to school in Castleford. Jacobson said theyve always been able to get an appointment when they needed it, although sometimes theres a months wait. She likes the small, quiet clinic, and theres usually only one other person in the waiting room. Its much easier than trying to park at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls, she said, where her children used to go to a pediatrician. Im excited for them to have an expanded facility here, she said. Jacobson even knows the nurse at the Buhl clinic, and their children go to school together. In addition to a family practice physician, the new clinic will include x-ray equipment, lab services, behavioral health and other specialty services. For now, Mason is the only St. Lukes physician in Buhl. St. Lukes plans to add a second physician once the new clinic opens. One of the biggest needs in Buhl is urgent care and same-day services. Mason hopes a larger clinic and an additional provider will allow for walk-ins in the future. Unfortunately, right now, its difficult to provide that, he said. Another need in Buhl is mental health services such as counseling, Mason said. St. Lukes wants to offer at least part-time counseling or social work services on site. The new clinic will also include X-ray equipment something it lacks now. For example, if an elderly patient is sick with potential pneumonia and cant drive to Twin Falls, Mason is left to make a diagnosis without a chest X-ray. To have those services available is going to be great, he said. The new clinic will include three provider areas: space for Mason, a new provider and for rotating specialists to come Buhl. Mason said he grew up in a small mining community in Utah and wanted to practice in a rural setting once he finished medical school. A small town was always inviting to me because that was where I grew up, he said. And he chose family medicine largely because he wanted to live in a small community. Within the city limits of Buhl, there were 4,298 residents last year, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Thats up 176 residents compared with 2010. And that doesnt include any of the surrounding areas outside of town. Mason said its ideal practicing in the Magic Valley because theres great support from a hospital system and specialists nearby. For one of those specialists, Dr. David McClusky, a general surgeon at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, Buhl has deep significance. Its where his grandfather and father were both physicians. McClusky, a third-generation Twin Falls physician who has been in practice since 1982, said hes excited to see their legacy continue. McCluskys grandfather arrived in the Magic Valley in 1908, when Buhl was only 2 years old. He was the primary doctor in the community until his death in 1928. McCluskys father practiced in the Buhl area until he left the area to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. When he returned home to the Magic Valley, he started Twin Falls Clinic and Hospital. Those two generations pretty well covered the health care for many, many years, he said. As a child, McClusky spent many holidays in Buhl. And he tagged along on house calls with his father around town. He said he hopes hell be able to come to the new Buhl clinic on occasion to see patients. It would be fun to complete the circle of health care that started with my grandfather in 1908. TWIN FALLS How many people know what the U.S. Constitution is all about? Not so many, retired University of Idaho interim president and law dean Don Burnett said Thursday. Burnett, Idaho Supreme Court Justice Robyn Brody and David Adler, constitutional law author and president of the Alturas Institute, spoke to a capacity crowd during the College of Southern Idahos Constitution Day program at the Turf Club. The speakers came to town to promote a possible City Club of the Magic Valley, a group whose mission would be to advance civic education and participation. An estimated 82 percent of Americans cant define the rule of law or say how it applies to the Constitution, Burnett said. And that, he said, is an unsettling fact. There is a civil education deficit in this country, he said. This deficit has resulted in a public that is angry at the judicial system, Brody said. Much of the conversation Thursday centered around the role of the judicial branch of the government and the need for understanding the rule of law, or the structure of the legal system. Why is our citizenry angry at those elected to carry out the law? Because people dont understand how the judicial process works, she said. In this era of the end justifies the means sentiment, great tensions exist between branches of government, Adler said. City clubs are an opportunity to raise the issues to a higher level, he said. Sponsors of the Constitution Day luncheon, including the Times-News, hope to spur enough interest to launch a club here. Club membership will be open to anyone in the Magic Valley, said the newspapers publisher, Travis Quast. RUPERT A Paul man who locked a woman and children in a bedroom while he went to work and watched them via video has been sentenced to up to TWIN FALLS The Twin Falls Chapter of the Idaho Writer's League will meet Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Community Meeting Room at KMVT, 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd.N. The event is free. A critique time precedes a short business meeting. Anyone may bring a few copies of a manuscript to be critiqued no more than four pages, double- spaced. The critique used is the modified Clarion method, which is positive feedback. During the business meeting, we will discus the IWL State Conference held in Pocatello on Sept. 22-23. For more information, call 208-421-6632 or email Jciranch@msn.com. KETCHUM A groundbreaking ceremony is set for noon Monday at Guy Coles Skate Park, at Warm Springs and Saddle roads. The city will provide food and drink by local vendors. The 22-year-old park, expanded to include two concrete bowls in 2005, will get bigger and better with rails, elevated ramps and extensions of existing bowls. The Guy Coles Skate Park has always been a community initiated and supported park, Mayor Nina Jonas said. It is great to see the use the park gets and thrilling to see the tricks executed by the local kids. I love it. This summer, the Ketchum City Council approved spending $127,650 to hire a contractor to design, engineer, expand and build a series of new features at the popular urban park. The project was awarded to Dreamland Skateparks LLC, an Oregon company that has built skate and bike terrain parks in cities across Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. The skate park has been a work-in-progress since the early 1990s," said Councilman Jim Slanetz. "In fact, it was one of the first public skate parks in the country, and with this new addition, it will once again be one of the best in the Northwest." Please register attendance by emailing participate@ketchumidaho.org or by calling 208-727-5077. This appeared in the Lewiston Tribune: When hurricanes strike, devastated coastal regions arent left to their own devices. They turn to their fellow Americans to recover. When tornadoes whip through Oklahoma, Kansas and the Dakotas, the country steps forward with rebuilding efforts. And when earthquakes topple buildings, bridges and highways in California, it is met with a national response. The West contends with wildland fires that destroy property and jeopardize lives while filling the air with acrid smoke. Just as climate changes warmer ocean conditions have produced more devastating hurricanes, longer, hotter and drier summers are blamed for more catastrophic wildland fires. The fire season is now 78 days longer than it was in 1970. Since then, the typical summer destroys twice as many acres. And what was once a manageable cost within the U.S. Forest Service budget has now outstripped the agencys ability to do much of anything elseincluding work to prevent future catastrophes by thinning out overgrown fuels. More than 20 years ago, firefighting consumed about 16 percent of the Forest Service budget. Today, its more than half. In 1995, 52 percent of the Forest Service budget went toward managing the national forest system. Thats now down to 29 percent of the agencys resources. In fact, the Forest Service hires more people to fight fires than anything else. As a result, about $700 million has been drawn out of such things as: Recreation spendingdown 15 percent. Wildlife and fisheries habitatreduced 18 percent. Land management planningcut 64 percent. You see it in deteriorating roads, trailheads that are not maintained and campgrounds that have not been updated. Its getting worse. Within eight years, the government expects two-thirds of the Forest Service budget will be consumed by the imperative of containing wildfiresand certainly not doing as much to get ahead of the problem. What would you call that? A natural disaster? To cope with it, Idahoas well as the rest of the Westneeds the nations help. To that end, Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., have promoted legislation that would pay for massive firesthose outside the normal rangefrom national emergency funds. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, is among its supporters. These megafires need to be properly accounted for in our annual budget by being treated as the disasters that they are, Crapo says. In the House, Congressman Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, has sponsored a similar measure. It is time to acknowledge that catastrophic wildfires should be funded like natural disasters so we can ensure that land managers have the resources they need to properly manage our forests, Simpson said. His 64 co-sponsors include Congressman Raul Labrador, R-Idaho. Last week, Crapo and Simpson joined a majority of their colleagues in passing a $15 billion emergency aid package to help Hurricane Harveys victims deal with flooding in the Houston region. But in the Senate, Risch was among 17 Republicans who said no, citing his opposition to raising the debt ceiling. In the past, when they have combined various spending measures into one package, especially a debt ceiling increase without reforms, he has always been very reluctant to vote for it, Rischs spokeswoman Kaylin Minton told the Spokesman-Reviews Betsy Russell. Much the same thing happened in the House; Simpson voted yes. While he was not among the 90 Republicans who voted noLabrador joined 27 House members who did not votehis spokesman, Todd Winer, told Russell: He would have voted against it. The 1st District congressmanwho, if he is successful, will as Idahos next governor plead his states case when trouble comesopposed raising the debt ceiling. And he sees a difference between the federal government restoring the loss of private property in Texas and honoring its commitment to maintain lands it owns in the West. Good luck making that case to the people of Texasand possibly those of Floridaas well as their elected representatives in Congress. More likely than not, they will see Risch and Labrador posturing by opposing a bill they know must pass. Theres only so much money to go around. If you were standing in 5 feet of water, would you want to share any of it with the people who elected Risch and Labrador? Qatars Doha Bank operating in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started downsizing staff as the diplomatic spat between the emirate and its regional neighbors continues and looks to head on. The bank is the fifth largest lender of the small rich monarchy. According to sources familiar with the situation, 10 jobs have been cut so far and the bank is yet to decide whether to send workers on long term leave, if things do not improve. The sources, who have not been authorized to talk, say that between 100 to 200 staff may be asked to go on long unpaid leave. In the face of the boycott and the embargo, Doha bank in UAE has been looking to sell its assets, reports say. Qatar has been quarantined by its neighbors, namely Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain plus Egypt, for alleged funding of terrorism. The four allies cut air, ground and sea links with Qatar. The boycotting countries have also demanded their citizens to stop dealing with Qatari banks and businesses. The measures have dealt a blow to Qatari businesses even though Doha claims it has been able to bridge losses. Foreign customers deposits at banks in Qatar shrank to QAR157.2bn ($43.2bn) in July from QAR170.6bn in June, Qatari central bank data shows, Gulf Business reports. Qatars banking system has lost its rating, moving from stable to negative after Moodys Investors Service assessed the situation last month. Iran has announced that its regional rival Saudi Arabia has sought its mediation in the settlement of the Yemen conflict as the international coalition led by Saudi Arabia seeks to dialogue with Iran-backed Houthi rebels. After years of war, Saudi Arabia reached the conclusion that war cannot be a solution to the crisis, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, chief adviser to the speaker of the Iranian parliament told Sputnik Arabic. Saudi Arabia, since 2015, has been leading a coalition of Arab countries to overcome Iran-backed Houthi rebels who have captured capital Sanaa and control large swathes of the poorest Arab country. The countrys internationally recognized President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi has been forced to leave the capital and to retreat to Aden; the second largest city following a short exile in Saudi Arabia. The Houthi rebels have been also capable of firing rockets into Saudi Arabia, near Riyadh, and afflicting losses. Saudi Arabia and ally United Arab Emirates (UAE) have ruled out Irans role in the political settlement of the conflict, which has caused the death of over 10,000 people. US military officials attending Saudi-led bloc sponsored conference on Qatar, Global Security & Stability Conference in London Thursday suggested that US could remove Al-Udeid air base if Doha continues dealing with Iran. It would be hugely detrimental for Qatar to continue down the path that theyre going right now, said Gen. Chuck Wald, former deputy commander of the US European Command. I think the United States at some point is going to have enough of it and say, were leaving. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt have cut ties with Qatar since June 5 over the tiny Gulf gas-rich countrys alleged support for terrorism. The Saudi-led side had lobbied Washington to remove the military base hosting around 10,000 US forces. Al-Udeid base is the largest US military base in the region. Qatars rapprochement with Iran is part of the causes behind the Gulf crisis. The former US official noted that Saudi Arabia, which was the location of the military base, could be chosen to recuperate the facility. Wald also noted that the UAE and Jordan could be picked to host the US largest contingent in the region. Another former US defense official Dov Zakheim a US-Israeli citizen and chairperson of the Jewish Religious Equality Coalition, noted that Washington might not accommodate with Qatars strong ties with Iran. Qatar for a long, long time has tried to punch very much above its weight: This idea that theyll talk to everybody and anybody, he said. The trouble with trying to do that is that when youre dealing with Iran youre playing with fire. There is nothing that guarantees that we will permanently stay in Al-Udeid, he said. Zakhiem, a harsh critic of Iran, reportedly took part in the negotiations for the establishment of the Al-Udeid. The London conference, also known as a conference of exiled Qatari opposition, is organized by businessman Khalid al-Hail who is said bankrolled by the UAE. 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. While Togos Law Commission started a meeting on Friday to discuss the governments draft legislation on constitutional amendments, an official ECOWAS delegation is currently in Lome to try to defuse tensions between the Government and some opposition parties, hostile to the reform. The delegation, led by Alain Marcel de Souza, president of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held consultations with all parties, whether from the government or from the opposition, as well as with delegates of the civil society, including trade unions, religious leaders Alain Marcel de Souza told the media that he perceived a willingness on the part of all sides to engage in dialogue, to do the reforms. From the consultations we had, it appears that there is a will for dialogue, to undertake reforms demanded by the opposition and many Togolese. The demands stretch back to over a decade Faure, who is the current President of the Conference of Heads of State of ECOWAS, has been in power for 12 years and has three more years on his current and third term. The draft bill examined by the Law commission aims to reform three articles of the Constitution. Articles 52 and 59, which will henceforth stipulate that the President of the Republic be elected for a five-year term, and be eligible for re-election only once, limiting thus the number of presidential terms to two. Once reformed, the third article, N 60, will restore the election of the president through the uninominal suffrage, according to a majority, two rounds system, and no longer through a one round system, as is the case at present. These changes will make it possible to reset the counters for the current Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe. He could thus remain in power until 2030, a situation deemed unacceptable by the opposition, which is denouncing anti-democratic maneuvers. The opposition is adamant against deleting in the new text the phrase in no event shall any one serve more than two terms stated in the 1992 Constitution. The opposition is counting on this phrase to prevent the current president from running for a new presidential race. The five presidents of the G5 Sahel will hold a high-level meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on September 18 in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting will focus on the funding of the joint force. The Presidents of Burkina Faso Roch Marc Christian Kabore, Chad Idriss Deby Itno, Mali Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz, and Niger Mahamadou Issoufou will meet their French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to discuss the operationalization of this common force, which should eventually count 5,000 soldiers from the five member countries. UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogheniri, and Alpha Conde, the current chairman of the African Union (AU), will also take part in the meeting. The meeting will be largely devoted to the question of the financing of the G5 Sahel joint force. With 50 million financed by the European Union, 10 million from each Member State and 8 million from France, the Sahel leaders have as yet only a quarter of the budget needed to launch this force, estimated at nearly 450 million. In the entourage of the G5 heads of state, many do not hide their expectations of greater UN support. At the last Sahel G5 summit in Bamako, last July, Emmanuel Macron urged his counterparts to prove the effectiveness of their force on the ground as soon as possible to convince their international partners still reluctant to co-finance the force. The force headquarters in Sevare, central Mali, was inaugurated by the Malian President on September 9, and its first operations are expected to take place in the coming weeks. The security situation in north-western South Sudan has improved with displaced people returning home, the head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the African country has said, holding he situation in Wau as a model for other parts of the country where displacement rose so far this year. I am pleased to see that the local authorities, the police and National Security have worked to improve the security environment, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to South Sudan, David Shearer, said while visiting Wau. This collaboration could represent a new model for the return of displaced people, he said. It is important that people return to their homes voluntarily, and for that to happen they need to feel safe and confident about their future, he said. The number of displaced people living in the UNMISS Protection of Civilians (POC) site has fallen from 38,000 to 32,500 over the last two months, he noted, adding that many of those people have returned home to cultivate their land. Tens of thousands of people fled violence in April amid revenge attacks between the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA-In Opposition fighters. Speaking to reporters Thursday in Juba, Shearer credited more active patrolling by National Security and the police in Wau for helping to stabilize the area. The UN envoy who lauded the safety sites for saving lives, called for continued work on security, including through UNMISS patrols, so that humanitarian services can be strengthened closer to peoples homes and not just near the POCs. About 213,000 of people are still sheltering at UNMISS Protection of Civilians sites across the country. According to Shearer, the number of people displaced in South Sudan rose to nearly four million during the first half of this year. The UN and its humanitarian partners have appealed for $1.64 billion to provide food, health care and education to help many of the 7.6 million estimated people in need in the country. So far, some 66 per cent of the budget is funded. 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? @PatriciaMazzei Hours after visiting neighborhoods torn by Hurricane Irma on Thursday, President Donald Trump said he was unaware how strong storms could get. I never even knew a Category 5 existed, he said Thursday night at the White House Historical Association reception. The president sounded awed by the one-two punch of hurricanes Harvey and Irma landing over the past three weeks in Texas and Florida. Some of you are from Texas and some of you are from Florida, he said. And you both got hit. In Texas you got hit with the largest amount of water anybody has ever seen. I guess the largest ever recorded. And in Florida you got hit with the strongest winds ever recorded. It actually hit the Keys with a it was a Category 5. I never even knew a Category 5 existed. And they suffered greatly. Trump continued to praise government responders who have had to deal with two disasters at once. More here. Photo credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta, Associated Press Labor Day weekend marked the end of the height of boating season in Montana, and in response decontamination stations at Tiber and Canyon Ferry reservoirs are moving to fall hours. As a result, inspection station hours vary by site. For inspection station hours go to http://musselresponse.mt.gov/Decontamination-Stations. At Canyon Ferry Reservoir, boaters leaving are directed to Silos, Goose Bay, Canyon Ferry Visitor Center and Hellgate decontamination stations. At Tiber, boaters are directed to the Overlook decontamination station. On Canyon Ferry and Tiber reservoirs all boats that are not local boater certified must be decontaminated when leaving the water. Waterfowl hunters on Canyon Ferry Reservoir, including the ponds at Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area, will still need to adhere to normal decontamination requirements when taking a watercraft out of the reservoir when waterfowl season begins Sept. 30. Some highlights from this boating season include: More than 50,000 watercraft have been inspected. Fifteen vessels have been intercepted with mussels so far this season. More than 789 plankton samples have been collected in the state so far this season for mussel early detection analysis. No verified mussel larva or adult mussels have been detected in the waters of Montana this season. Sampling and analysis will be ongoing through the fall. This fall shoreline surveys for adult mussels will be conducted at Tiber, Canyon Ferry and other waterbodies around the state for AIS early detection. Mussel sniffing dogs from Alberta will assist again in October at Tiber and Canyon Ferry in an attempt to identify adult mussels. Enforcement has issued more than 80 citations this year related to invasive species violations. Watercraft owners are reminded that they still must stop at all open inspection stations and watercraft coming into Montana from out of state must be inspected prior to launching. For more information on inspection and decontamination stations in Montana, log on to musselresponse.mt.gov. A Billings man who tried to evade law enforcement officers by hiding in a box spring mattress admitted to a federal drug charge on Thursday. Christian Joseph Nava, 31, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Two other crimes, including possession of a stolen firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, are to be dismissed at sentencing. Officers arrested Nava in early December after a warrant was issued for his arrest for state parole violations, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey. The Montana Violent Offender Task Force got information that Nava, who has a long state record of drug convictions, may have been living at his girlfriends residence and that there had been neighbor complaints about noise and the amount of foot traffic at the apartment, Godfrey said. Task force officers went to the apartment, where Navas girlfriend admitted he was there, he said. Officers heard thumping sounds like furniture being moved as they talked to Navas girlfriend. When officers entered a small bedroom, they found it empty but when they lifted the mattress, they found a handgun, Godfrey said. And when the officers lifted the box spring, they found Nava hiding inside, he added. During a search of the apartment, officers also found a plastic-wrapped ball of meth when they pulled the bed and box spring from a wall, Godfrey said. Navas girlfriend admitted that Nava had been staying at her apartment and that he would provide her meth, which they would use together, he said. In 2011, a state district judge sentenced Nava to more than 17 years in prison, with 10 years to be served at Montana State Prison for conviction of being a persistent felony offender for felony drug crimes. The judge also sentenced Nava to a consecutive five years for a second felony drug possession conviction and an additional two and a half years for violating parole conditions in a 2005 criminal endangerment case. Nava faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine on the federal crime. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan said he would recommend Navas plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Susan Watters, who will sentence Nava. Nava remains in custody. Rain and even snow arrived on schedule Thursday as the National Weather Service out of Missoula posted a banner on its webpage that read Farewell to summer. Fires up and over the Continental Divide were hit first. It snowed Thursday morning on Rogers Pass, prompting the Lewis and Clark Sheriffs office to remove evacuation orders on the Alice Creek fire that was threatening Montana Highway 200 east of the divide. In Lincoln, which is flanked by three active fires, the temperature was in the low 40s all afternoon, with a wind-chill factor of 34. A winter storm warning for the high country went into effect at 6 p.m. Thursday and will remain until noon Saturday. "Fall is here to stay!" the Weather Service banner exulted. "Prolonged cold and wet." The waters of Seeley Lake were re-opened for recreation Thursday, and a community meeting in Ovando planned for Friday evening was listed as tentative. An Inciweb post at midafternoon for the Rice Ridge fire said the Ovando meeting may be postponed due to incoming weather that is expected to bring up to inches of rain over the fire area this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow. Most Weyerhaeuser Co. lands in six western Montana counties were reopened to public access, effective immediately, though campfires are still banned. The announcement came nine days after the timber company, with no such relief in sight, closed all its properties in western Montana, which entail 740,000 acres in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Missoula, Ravalli and Sanders counties. The Nature Conservancy and Stimson Lumber Co. followed suit. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which is charged with enforcing the closures through partnership agreements, had received no word from them as of late Thursday afternoon. "I haven't heard that trespassing has been an issue," FWP's Vivaca Crowser said. "Maybe a few, but I think that all in all people were aware and followed the regs." Flathead Hotshots on the Rice Ridge fire finished hand-firing a major burnout on the blaze, the regions largest, at around 12:30 a.m. Thursday. That completed a four-day process along six miles of Forest Road 477 west of Monture Guard Station Cabin. A Red Flag Warning on Wednesday brought gusty winds but didnt deter an aerial attack as helicopters dropped retardant on the south side of the road that runs between Seeley Lake and Montour. The Rice Ridge fire remained officially at 155,900 acres 2 times the size of any other active fire in the Forest Services Northern Region. That number is certain to be larger. Cloud cover Wednesday night prevented an infrared flight over the fire, and winds gusting to 30 mph on Wednesday pushed fire growth that day. The estimated cost for harnessing Rice Ridge continued to rise more than $1 million a day from $40.1 million to $41.2 million on Wednesday, according to the Northern Region Coordination Center. The Lolo Peak fire remains the most expensive, at $44.1 million. That was an increase of roughly $600,000 from the day before. Managers of the West Fork and Moose Creek fires on the Kootenai National Forest asked in a public post on InciWeb that those offering donations look elsewhere. Thank you for these generous offers, but we dont have a system in place to accept donations or storage capacity for donations, the Thursday afternoon post said. If you would like to help, please consider these alternatives: Donate your time or funds to a local trusted charity or contact your local emergency service organizations to ask for what they might need. *** A surprise run of flames Tuesday on the Sheep Gap fire west of Plains destroyed five pieces of heavy equipment. At 14,000 acres, the Sheep Gap fire is the largest and most active of four in the Highway 200 complex in the Plains and Thompson Falls area. Irv Leachs Northern Rockies Type II incident management team was just arriving at the Highway 200 complex when the blowup occurred in the Swamp Creek area. The fire hooked around its southernmost point and made a run to the south and east. In a news release, Leach said two feller bunchers, one dozer, a skidder and a pickup truck were burned. Firefighters who were completing a shaded fuels break fled to safety ahead of the flames, leaving some equipment behind. It was not a disorganized, chaotic fleeing, fire information officer Gregg DeNitto said Thursday. I dont think anyone was imminently threatened. They just recognized the fire was increasing in activity and moving rapidly and made the decision to get personnel out of there, said DeNitto. In the process they recognized to do that with sufficient time to be safe, the equipment just would not move fast enough. DeNitto said he didnt know how many firefighters were involved. Leach described the incident in the news release. As the afternoon progressed, the temperature and wind began to increase; relative humidity began to decrease and the fire became very active, he said. Because of the very low fuel moistures and poor humidity recovery from the night before, the fire became active and burn(ed) very rapidly. This fire condition and rates of spread made it unsafe for firefighters and equipment operators to remain. A safety decision was made to abandon the operation and retreat to established safety zones. Because of that decision, Leach added, there were no injuries or deaths. It spotted over the existing fire lines and East Fork Swamp Creek Road, prompting Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel to issue mandatory evacuation orders for two dozen homes Tuesday evening. The fire continued its eastward spread Tuesday and was pushed even farther Wednesday and Wednesday night by the winds. At this point theyre doing point protection, structure protection around the residences and trying to identify a good location where to put the next line, DeNitto said, adding the staff meteorologist wasnt . On Thursday morning, the Lolo National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Sanders County and Weyerhaeuser Co. issued a joint expanded area closure in the Sheep Gap fire area, where the fire is burning across the Clark Fork River southwest of Plains. Here's the latest Montana fire news, as of Friday. How you can help: Here is information on how to help. And even more info on how to help. Stay up to date: Follow Montana Wildfires on Facebook or Twitter for fire updates. ... Backburn backfired? Mark Stermitz said the house his family moved into in 2010 was built to be defensible if a wildfire roared through Macintosh Manor. But when the Lolo Peak fire did just that on Aug. 17, blowing up by another 9,010 acres overnight, his was one of two homes that was destroyed. Home threatened: As they desperately tried to save their home in Macintosh Manor last month from a backburn lit on the Lolo Peak fire, Michelle and Dan Shrug said nearby firefighters refused to lift a hand to help them. To my utter disbelief, no one was laying down lines or helping us. They just stood around their vehicles doing nothing. It's snowing! Rain and even snow arrived on schedule Thursday as the National Weather Service out of Missoula posted a banner on its webpage that read Farewell to summer. Fires up and over the Continental Divide were hit first. Beartooth Pass closed: Ice and blowing snow resulted in the closure of the Beartooth Pass from Vista Point and through to the Wyoming border on Friday. Snow arrives: Snow in September never looked so good. Here's what people are saying on social media about it. Fight fire with science: A guest opinion in the Billings Gazette says it's human nature to look for someone or something to blame, "such as environmentalists or the Forest Service. But the fact is we can't log our way out, we can't fight our way out; we can only burn our way out through ongoing fuels treatments. Forest management is complex." Record fires: The Forest Service has spent more than $2 billion battling forest fires around the country a record as wildfires blacken the American West in one of the nation's worst fire seasons. Wildfire photos: Our photographers have been documenting this summer's fire season and its effects. Here are the photos. The Montana secretary of state denied Thursday that he had claimed there were 360 cases of voter fraud in a May special election, saying he was misquoted in news stories. Secretary of State Corey Stapleton sent his chief of staff to read a letter to a legislative committee Thursday, blaming the Associated Press and Lee Newspapers for incorrectly citing a statement he made at a summer hearing. The dispute stems from a July 20 meeting of the State Administration and Veterans Affairs interim legislative committee. The committee meets during the 18 months between legislative sessions and as a part of its general duties receives updates from state agencies such as the Secretary of States Office. At the July meeting, Stapleton discussed a May special election to fill Montanas empty seat in the U.S. House. A recording of the meeting shows Stapleton said: Weve never had voter fraud in Montana this century. I mean nobody. And ask yourself if we had no DUIs, if we had no shoplifting, if we had no sexual assaults, would we really say that we dont have those things? Or would we say we dont have voter fraud because weve never pursued it or we dont understand? Three-hundred I dont know the exact number but in the special election for example over 300 signatures were illegal statewide. The Associated Press later reported: Montanas chief elections officer alleged Thursday that voter fraud may be more common than local officials acknowledge and asserted that more than 360 illegal ballots were cast, but not counted, during the special congressional election in May. The Associated Press on Thursday declined to comment on its reporting, saying it was working to contact its attorneys before commenting. State Sen. Sue Malek, who is chairwoman of the interim committee, in August sent Stapleton a letter asking him to attend Thursdays meeting to provide more information about the claims of voter fraud. She wrote During our discussion with you, we spoke about your offices allegations of voter fraud in Montana. An Associated Press article that appeared the next day cited you saying there were 360 cases of voter fraud in Montana. Stapletons letter Thursday, read by chief of staff Christi Jacobsen, said Lee Newspapers used Maleks letter to continue the incorrect accusation of widespread voter fraud. Stapleton did not attend Thursday's meeting. Stapletons letter said he made no such statement that there were 360 cases of voter fraud. He asked Malek, a Democrat from Missoula, to correct the public record. He also said the Associated Press reporter who wrote the initial story was no longer working at the AP, though that is because the reporters contract ended. The letter also said Stapleton contacted Lee Newspaper editors. Jacobsen later said the Secretary of States Office contacted The Billings Gazette. The Gazette was never contacted by Stapleton with a request for a correction to its reporting. A search of wire reports shows The Associated Press also never sent a correction to state papers. Stapleton did meet with the Gazette in August because he was upset about an editorial written by the paper, but did not cite any factual errors in reporting. A reporter for Lee Newspapers attempted to contact Stapleton via his office phone, cellphone and email before writing a story about Maleks letter in August. Jacobsen replied to an email asking for comment but did not provide a comment. On Thursday she said the Secretary of State's Office uses the terms "illegal" or "not legal" or "mismatched" signatures interchangeably to describe when the signature on an outer envelope of a ballot is deemed not to be the same person whose name is printed on the ballot. "Fraud is a much higher bar, as it requires proving 'intent' to commit a crime, not just showing that one person signed another person's ballot," Jacobsen wrote in an email. Stapletons letter also said there is an active investigation in Butte-Silver Bow County by the sheriffs department concerning three cases of voter misconduct. He also said he anticipates finding additional cases of interest as he reviews the 363 ballots where voters signatures did not match what was on file. Sen. Doug Kary, R-Billings, asked Malek on Thursday if she would apologize to Stapleton. This is about a process, a process that is meant to be foolproof, Kary said. You have the bully pulpit, you can speak as much as you want. I have not heard an apology to the Secretary of State yet. Malek said she didnt intend to apologize. The article was in the paper, she said, adding that the Associated Press filed a records request to get more information about Stapletons claims of 363 illegal ballots. Malek and Lee Newspapers have also submitted requests to Stapleton. Thursday evening Jeffrey M. Hindoien, chief legal counsel for the office, sent Lee Newspapers a letter from Stapleton saying that since the paper's records request was "based on a false assertion," it did not have any documents to supply. It did forward information about one case of voter fraud in Butte where a woman asked that her boyfriend be prosecuted for voter fraud for intentionally voting her ballot. Malek said Thursday she was pleased to finally get a response from Stapleton. We have gotten a response that says that accusation of 360-plus ballots being fraudulently cast in Montana was a misstatement apparently and was never made by the Secretary of State. I would have expected the office to issue a clarification some time ago through the press. Addressing Stapletons general comments in the letter about issues with voting, such as 596 late ballots and 831 ballots without signatures from last Novembers elections, she said: I do not want our democracy undermined and people to believe our elections are not carefully and legally run in Montana. Claims of voter fraud were a common refrain of President Donald Trump when he campaigned last fall and appear to be becoming part of the playbook for some fellow members of the Republican Party. Even after his electoral college victory but loss of the popular vote, Trump has continued to make false claims that nearly 3 million people fraudulently voted for Democrat Hillary Clinton. On Thursday, Malek said the Secretary of States Office reported that Trumps commission on voter fraud had purchased Montanas publicly available voter file, which contains information including a voters first name, last name, registration status, whether they are active or inactive and the reason the voter is designated as active or inactive. The commission, in a move that was widely panned and rejected by most states, had also asked for information including names, voting history, birthdays and the last four digits of the Social Security numbers of voters. Stapleton has clashed with Missoula County, where Malek is from, over mismatched signatures on ballots that were rejected in the May 25 election. Emails obtained by the Missoulian through a records request showed Stapleton and elections administrator Rebecca Connors had a series of harsh exchanges over 91 ballots rejected because of signature issues. Only one ballot was incorrectly counted, but Connors said it was a mistake where a person accidentally voted another person's ballot. The miscounted ballot was found and voided, and the woman was allowed to vote again. The case was reported to the Missoula Police Department and the Secretary of State. As we are painfully aware, the University of Montana is struggling with difficult issues, the greatest of which are arguably the intertwined challenges of enrollment and budgets. Leadership decisions have led us to our current situation, where the two most senior administrative positions at UM, president and provost, are interim appointments and an ongoing search has identified four finalists as presidential candidates. The appointment of a new president provides the rare and exciting opportunity to set a new course by which UM can advance as a flagship university, hopefully even shape its mission to better serve the students, citizens and economy of our state. What must not change, however, is UMs role and responsibilities as a flagship institution. The impact of UMs education, research and outreach missions are too critical to the success of our community and state to be allowed to decline. The two qualities most often used to define a flagship university are its extensive doctoral (Ph.D.) programs and its high research profile. At UM, both of these also add significantly to the quality of many undergraduate programs. In light of these two elements, it is potentially alarming that none of candidates visiting campus are coming from institutions that offer doctoral degrees and are considered research-intensive. Each candidate undoubtedly brings strengths and talents to their present appointments and it may be the case that aspiring presidents need to work their way up through universities of varying sizes and missions, but a review of their resumes suggests that all have minimal or no academic leadership experience at any Ph.D.-granting or research-competitive institution. This is not an elitist or ivory tower bias; the fact is that relevant experience is often a hallmark of future success. It can be contended that a non-traditional candidate may bring fresh ideas and perspectives to problem-solving. That may indeed be true, but when an entire slate of candidates vying for the most senior leadership position at our flagship campus appear to lack academic leadership experience at that relevant level, it should do more than just raise concern. It should lead to a thorough inspection of the selection process. Were there no qualified candidates with leadership experience at a flagship institution? Was academic leadership experience at such a university considered a low priority? Was there a true understanding of the differences between a college and a flagship university? Is there an agenda to reduce UMs standing as a flagship campus? These issues and questions need to be addressed quickly, given both the rapid pace of the search and the need to appoint a president. UM needs an academic leader who has a deep-seated understanding of and a commitment to the mission, role and responsibilities of a flagship university. This is a core value that rarely comes without considerable first-hand experience. Failing to ensure that the incoming president has the ability to lead the University of Montana to the future it deserves would be our biggest failure. In 2014, Gov. Rick Scott of Florida ordered scientists and public servants to delete the phrases climate change or global warming from any of their writings, journals and reports. Watching him now, hypocritically fumbling his way through public warnings for Florida citizens while monster Hurricane Irma swamps his state, its almost painful. How long will Republicans keep electing these fools? Their ignorance doesnt just put their own children in danger, they endanger all creatures. Remember Scotts ignorance the next time Montana deniers speak. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte and numerous old loggers blame our fires on radical environmentalists, forest scientists and environmental regulations meant to protect animals and wild lands. lts as if Daines and Gianforte have been stuck here in a smoke-hazed mental fog, instead of Montana citizens. Pundits from the Heartland Institute and the Heritage Foundation are aggressively denialist. Both were used in opinion columns from recent Sunday Missoulians (Aug. 27, Sept. 3). Read "Merchants of Doubt" (Oreskes & Conway, 2010) and learn how corporate lies drove obsessive profit-seeking even when executives knew their products were gravely harming people. Remember Cigarettes dont cause cancer? Corporate greed is destroying our nations once-great soul, and deniers risk destroying life on earth. Beth Taylor Wilson, Missoula Over the past six years, Montanans have had ample opportunity to see who Tom Woods works for as a public servant. Looking at what he has written, said and done, we can plainly see Woods is a forward thinker who has consistently stood up for Montanans during his three terms in the state legislature. Woods believes in government that is by people, for people. He has used his time in office to take on powerful special-interest groups that all too often dictate policy in Helena. Im talking about Northwestern Energy, hospitals, lobbyists and the legal system. If elected to Congress, Woods will continue this courageous fight against special-interest groups. Tom Woods is well-respected across the aisle and has passed a number of critical bills in the Montana Legislature. These bills include pension reform for teachers, utility rate reform and Medicaid expansion. In passing this legislation, Woods proved once again that a pragmatic approach provides solutions to solving complicated issues. Woods is a straight shooter and a determined progressive who lives his values. I encourage everyone to check out Toms Woods' record and see for yourself why he is the best choice for Montana's lone U.S. House seat. Andy Boyd, Bozeman DEER LODGE A Deer Lodge man this week pleaded not guilty to felony charges of assault with a weapon and two counts of assault on a police officer, also misdemeanor tampering with communication device. Jerry Lee Bowen, 26, remains in jail on $10,000 bond. According to court records, on Aug. 22, police responded to a call of a suicidal man with a gun at a Deer Lodge residence. A woman met police outside saying the defendant was inside with her sons gun, that he had pointed it at her and threatened to kill her and was threatening to shoot himself. The record states officers located Bowen in the hallway, as he held a black handgun to his head, and said he was going to kill himself. He appeared to be intoxicated by drugs. An officer ordered him to put the gun down and tried to calm him. Bowen lowered the gun and was pulling the trigger causing the officer to believe he was going to shoot him or the other officer. In time, the defendant pulled the clip from the gun, removed the cartridge in the chamber and sank to his knees crying. He was taken to the Deer Lodge Medical Center where he was treated for a self-inflicted wound on his left forearm and evaluated by a Crisis Response member. Information on the nature of the self-inflicted wound wasn't available. In other Deer Lodge district court proceedings this week: Bradley J. Masters, 34, of Deer Lodge pleaded not guilty to felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs, methamphetamine, and misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is free on a $10,000 bond. According to court records, police obtained a search warrant for Masters home based on information an officer had accumulated from witnesses or informants over a six-month period. The officer located Masters at a local casino, and during a search of his backpack found syringes, a scale and other drug-related items including a small bag containing a white crystalline substance (meth) and another with a green leafy substance (marijuana). Harley William Whitney of Deer Lodge, who previously pleaded guilty to DUI fourth offense, a felony, was sentenced to a 13-month plus two-year DOC commitment with placement in WATCh, a residential treatment facility. Upon completion of the program he will be under supervision of DOC for two years with credit for 12 days served, fined $5,000 and $560 in court fees. He was remanded to custody. Ralph Kalvan Sharette of Deer Lodge was given a three-year deferred sentence, fined $500 and $110 in court fees for criminal possession of methamphetamine, a felony. According to court records, on Nov. 23, 2016, Sharette was seen in his vehicle by a police officer who knew Sharettes drivers license was suspended and stopped the defendant. The officer requested he empty his pockets, during which a glass container with a bag of .25 oz. methamphetamine was discovered. Boiler goes wacky at St. James St. James Healthcare reported a "boiler incident'' Thursday afternoon that resulted in the fire department and utility being called. There were no injuries and no evacuations. Butte-Silver Bow firefighters and NorthWestern Energy crew members inspected the boiler, and the state boiler inspector was on his way. All backup systems were functioning and there were no safety issues for patients or staff, the hospital said. Details on exactly what happened to the boiler were unavailable. Felony partner, family-member assault Steven Duke, 37, of Butte was arrested Thursday night for felony partner, family-member assault after he allegedly choked a female victim, leaving marks on her neck. According to the victims account, she and Duke had gotten into an argument in a home on the 3600 block of Hartford Avenue. During the argument, police said, Duke allegedly began assaulting her, throwing her on the bed and choking her. The victim later told officers, who responded to the womans call at the intersection of Park and Washington, around 10:30 p.m., that she fought off Duke and convinced him to drive her to the hospital. During the ride to St. James Healthcare, Duke began acting strangely and appeared as though he was not going to drive to the hospital. The victim called 911, police said, at which point Duke got out of the car and left the scene. When officers arrived at the scene, the woman did not request medical attention, but officers observed scratches on the woman and marks on her neck that were consistent with choking. Around 11:40 p.m., police said, Duke returned to the Hartford Avenue home, where he was arrested. He remained in Butte county jail as of Thursday morning. Reckless driver case becomes DUI Police said Terah Frye, 37, Butte was arrested Wednesday on Broadway and Wyoming Streets after witnesses reported she was driving erratically. Police responded to the scene around 11:30 a.m., at which time they spoke with witnesses, who pointed out Fryes vehicle. According to witness accounts, Frye had repeatedly accelerated and slowed down and had run a red light. Witnesses also claimed that Frye appeared distressed inside her vehicle and that she had been waving her hands. Officers suspected Frye to be under the influence of drugs. A drug recognition evaluator administered a field sobriety test. Afterward, Frye was taken to St. James Healthcare for a drug test and was arrested for a misdemeanor DUI charge. Three times the legal limit Police responded to the 3200 block of Moulton Street Wednesday afternoon after they observed a car parked illegally. Police said a man inside, Arley Farwell, 57, of Butte, appeared to be intoxicated. Farwell failed a field sobriety test, police said, and was later taken to the Butte jail where he failed more sobriety maneuvers and blew three times the legal limit on a Breathalyzer. As of Thursday morning Farwell remained in the Butte jail, where hes facing a felony aggravated DUI charge for a fourth or subsequent offense. Banned from Walmart Police responded to Walmart on Harrison Avenue Wednesday night in response to a call from a loss prevention officer who said that he had a woman in custody whom he allegedly caught shoplifting. The loss prevention officer told police that Jessica Weatherly, 26, has been banned from Walmart nationwide for similar incidents and that she had attempted to shoplift stickers, closable bags, a pullover sweater and sleepwear, totaling $45. Weatherly was arrested at the scene for trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia for possession of a glass pipe, which police said they found during her arrest. Threatened with shovel Two people say a homeless man threatened to hit them with a shovel Wednesday night on Main Street after they declined to give him a cigarette, police said. The homeless man left the scene after making the threat, but police dont believe he raised the shovel during the disagreement. Police have submitted a report to the county attorney who will determine whether issuing an arrest warrant for the man is appropriate. Cancer survivors, caregivers, friends, family and supporters will gather Saturday in the Butte Plaza Mall Events Center for the annual local Relay for Life fundraiser. Doors open at 10 a.m., and the event officially begins at 11 a.m. (see schedule on this page). Since 1997, Buttes Relay for Life has been working diligently with the American Cancer Society to raise money to improve the lives of those with cancer and their families. Like the weather, the yearly venues and faces of participants have been ever-changing, but the team approach to fighting cancer has remained constant. With the risk of developing some type of cancer (www.cancer.org) at 1 in 2 for males and 1 in 3 for females, nearly everyone will be touched by this devastating disease. In addition to raising money, the event, which is open to the public, gives the local community the opportunity to celebrate and support their friends and neighbors battling cancer, while providing information and access to services available for those facing the disease. The road traveled is not walked by the patient alone, but by all those around them, said Jenean Kujawa, of Butte, director of this years Relay for Life. Kujawa is also a cancer survivor. When you are the patient, you have the control to set your own attitude and decide how you want to fight your battle. You have control to be positive and to take on each day with a sword and shield, but when you are the caregiver or the loved one, you are helpless and the word cancer takes pieces of you that you never get back." Kujawas grandmother died of cancer, and her father recently was successfully treated for prostate cancer. I know as I have been able to live on both sides of this disease. Sitting as the loved one was far worse a battle for me that being the patient. The struggle and battle are hard enough from a physical and emotional standpoint let alone the costs and Relay for Life is one organization that helps people in our community and across the country. Thats why Im involved with Relay for Life ... because I choose to fight and I choose to stand up to cancer and not allow this disease to rule my life or those whom I love. Kujawa said it took personal experiences with cancer for her to take an active role in the cause. You may be like me where one day this disease did not mean much to you and the next day it becomes a part of your identity and who you are. I dont allow it to define me but I allow it to give me a reason to find strength and appreciate in all things that matter in this world and to not take for granted those I love, the life I lead or the time I have on this earth. Eight brothers of the LaTray family served in the U.S. Armed Services. Only one survives and he is proud of the family's contribution to the nation. An attorney asked Thursday that he be allowed to quit representing a Butte mental health counselor accused of trying to get a client to plant meth and other drugs in the cars of her ex-husband and his wife. District Judge Kurt Krueger did not immediately rule on Matthew Johnsons request to quit the case and have a public defender appointed for Dana Trandahl, 54. The case already became more complicated when the 33-year-old client behind the allegations died in March. Aimee Hardestys cause of death on March 25 was investigated and ruled as a seizure disorder of unknown etiology meaning unknown causes for the disorder the Butte-Silver Bow Coroners Office said Thursday. Prosecutors based felony criminal charges in the case on a secretly recorded conversation Hardesty had with Trandahl in May 2016. Trandahl pleaded not guilty to the charges in July 2016 and has been free on $100,000 bond. The last trial date was set for this past May, but Johnson asked for a delay given Hardestys death. He said it raised new questions, including Trandahls right to confront a key witness. There already were unsettled evidence issues in the case. Krueger said Thursday that Trandahl had to be screened to determine if she is eligible for a public defender before ruling on Johnsons request to withdraw. Johnson cited a complete breakdown in communication and disagreement as to direction of this case as reasons for wanting out. Still, Krueger set a new trial date for Nov. 13 with a final pre-trial conference set 10 days before that. He said it was his understanding that additional motions would be filed before then. County Attorney Eileen Joyce and Ann Shea, a deputy county attorney and lead prosecutor in the case, did not return messages seeking clarifications in their case Thursday. Trandahl pleaded not guilty to felony counts of solicitation of criminal possession of dangerous drugs, carrying a maximum five-year prison sentence, and criminal distribution of dangerous drugs. That carries a maximum of life in prison. She is accused of trying to get Hardesty to plant meth in the cars of her ex-husband, Pat Ryan, and his wife, and mail meth to Ryans lawyer, Tim Dick, in May 2016. Ryan and Trandahl had been in a custody battle for nine years. According to prosecutors, Hardesty told police she received counseling from Trandahl and was on probation for a felony. She suggested that Trandahl was threatening to cause trouble with her probation officer if she didnt follow through on planting the drugs. Butte police obtained a search warrant that allowed Hardesty to wear a transmitting device and on May 26, she recorded a conversation with Trandahl. At one point, Trandahl can be heard telling Hardesty to spill the methamphetamine all over the inside of Pat Ryans car, according to charging documents. Prosecutors say Trandahl had given money to Hardesty to purchase the meth and also told her to mail envelopes containing it to Dick. They also allege Trandahl sold or gave away hydrocodone, an opiate pain killer; Tramadol, a narcotic; and Lorazepam, an anti-anxiety medication, on April 19, 2016. Shea, although declining to comment on specifics in the case when charges were filed, said in her nearly 20-year career as an attorney that shes never seen a case like this before ever. Trandahl filed in January for an entrapment defense, claiming her charges stem from the police coercing her into committing crimes. She also has asked Krueger to throw out an initial recording Hardesty obtained before coming to police, saying secret recordings are illegal in Montana so it should not be admissible as evidence. Hardesty told police she made the recording because as a convicted felon, they wouldnt believe her allegations without it. Prosecutors say it shouldnt be suppressed because it was made before Hardesty contacted police. Both sides filed motions on the issue and Krueger set a hearing on them for this past March 29. But on that day, Trandahl asked that it be delayed and according to court records, it has not taken place. Sage grouse topic at Anaconda meeting ANACONDA A representative from the Teddy Roosevelt Conservation Partnership will be featured speaker at the Anaconda Sportsmans Club meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, in AOH Hall, 106 Cherry St., Anaconda. Scott Laird will talk about sage grouse. Laird joined the TRCP as Montana field representative in February 2016 after working for more than 25 years in natural resource conservation work across the West. He holds a masters degree in Veterinary Parasitology from Oklahoma State University and started his natural resource work as a conservation officer for the state of New Mexico. He then joined the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation where he worked for the next 14 years in several different conservation roles, most recently as director of private land stewardship. Scott also spent several years with the American Prairie Reserve as director of land acquisition. Laird, of Lolo, is based out of the TRCPs new office in Missoula. Wednesdays meeting will also review the clubs summer activities. Madison lifts fishing restrictions; some stretches closed on Big Hole Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks lifted the hoot owl fishing restrictions on the lower Madison River from Ennis Dam to the mouth Friday. With cooler water temperatures, this section has met criteria for reopening. In most cases, according to drought management plans, rivers with hoot owl restrictions due to high water temperatures reopen on Sept. 15 automatically anyway. In Region 3, the only remaining restrictions in place are the full closures of Section I and V of the Big Hole River as follows: From Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the Mouth of the North Fork Big Hole River From Notch Bottom Fishing Access Site to the confluence with the Beaverhead River For up-to-date information on restrictions related to drought, visit fwp.mt.gov/news/restrictions. Archives closed Sept. 22 for staff training The Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives, 17 W. Quartz St., will be closed Friday, Sept. 22, for building maintenance and staff training. The Archives normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: 406-782-3280. Due to the recent cooler weather conditions and precipitation, Stage 1 fire restrictions in parts of southwestern Montana have been rescinded, according to a news release from the Dillon Dispatch Center. Effective Friday, the Stage 1 fire restrictions, which apply to smoking and campfires, have been rescinded in Madison County, Beaverhead County, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, Butte-Silver Bow County, Powell County south of I-90 and Highway 12, and Granite County south of I-90 and east of the Lolo National Forest boundary. This rescission affects lands within the listed counties, state lands under the jurisdiction of Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and lands under the jurisdiction of Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service. Although Stage 1 fire restrictions have been lifted, outdoor debris and pile burning remain closed. For additional information on fire restrictions, visit www.firerestrictions.us. Precipitation fell in Montana this week with nearly three-quarters of the state in severe drought, bringing welcomed assistance to firefighting crews who've worked through a historically tough summer. In northeastern Montana, where exceptional drought covers 25 percent of the state, the moisture isn't enough to reverse crop losses this season. But ag producers are happy to see Mother Nature join the fight against wildfires. "We are thankful for any moisture we receive at this point, particularly for the fire danger relief," said Shelley Mills, Montana State University Extension Ag Agent for Valley County. "Tension has been high for all residents in this area due to the extreme fire danger we have been experiencing." According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the entire state is experiencing less-than-normal moisture, with the vast majority in some level of drought. The last time the National Weather Service monitor in Glasgow registered more than 0.10 inches of precipitation was Aug. 2. Before that, it was July 11. Historically normal precipitation for August in that area is more than an inch. "Two times in four months that we've had a tenth of an inch or more," said Brian Burleson, observing program leader at the Glasgow NWS office. The rain came this week. For most areas it started on Thursday. By Friday morning, more than a quarter-inch of rain had fallen in much of the area. A monitor for NWS, located northeast of Mosby, recorded 1.31 inches. That was about the site of the massive Lodgepole Complex fires that burned hundreds of thousands of acres this summer. About 0.6 inches was recorded north of Winnett and 0.7 inches near Terry, according to the Glasgow NWS office. Many areas closer to the North Dakota border still marked less than a tenth of an inch on Friday morning, Burleson said. The fall sugar beet harvest is ongoing, though a bit waterlogged at the moment. The Western Sugar refinery in Billings reported an early seasonal start of operations on Aug. 30. Randall Jobman, Western Sugars vice president of agriculture for the northern region, told The Gazette on Friday that most of the beets headed for their refinery are still in the ground, but the delay is expected to be short. "This is much-needed moisture for the area," he said. "It will temporarily slow beet harvest down but we expect to able to resume harvest operations early next week." Winter wheat planting is still uncertain for some farmers, Mills said. She said it will depend on how much moisture falls at this time. "The exceptional drought conditions have depleted not only surface moisture but subsoil moisture as well, so we will need a fair amount of precipitation to recharge the soil moisture profile before planting will be considered," she said. She added that they're hopeful strong winter precipitation will set up a productive 2018 season. Some of the precipitation this week fell as snow. Mountain highway passes and other high-elevation spots noted snowfall Friday morning. After this summer, there was little gloom about an overcast and rainy couple of days. We havent had any complaints, said Burleson. Harold Dean Wilcoxson's first job at the family business was cleaning cream cans, which were delivered by local dairy farmers and ranchers. Even as owner later in life, the company said he would show up at 6 a.m. to look for electrical or refrigeration issues in the equipment before doing daily business. Wilcoxson, heir to the venerable Montana ice cream maker, died on Aug. 30. He was 94. He was born on April 15, 1923. As a teen he worked at the factory alongside his father, Carl Wilcoxson, who started the Livingston company in 1912. Wilcoxson graduated from Park High School in 1941 and joined the U.S. Navy the following year. He was aboard the U.S.S. Quincey as electronics chief off of the French coast during the D-Day invasion in 1944. The ship was anchored near Tokyo Bay in 1945 as Japan signed documents of surrender, according to the company. Wilcoxson took over the company a few years after a distribution center opened in Billings. He used his skills in electronics to design his own electrical schematics and floor plans, the company said. Though he was a private man, car enthusiasts took notice of his collection. His 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS-6 appeared on Montana drag strips throughout the 1970s. In a press release about the businessman's death, Wilcoxson was remembered as an exemplary owner and a mentor to others. "He was known as a kind, generous, and hardworking man who spent his entire working life tirelessly building and bettering his family legacy, Wilcoxsons Ice Cream," the release said. "In his 94 years on Earth, he impacted many people with his contagious smile, professional dedication, and timeless friendships." A celebration of Wilcoxson's life will be held at the company's Livingston plant on Sept. 30. Ice cream will be provided. The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Kurt Alme of Billings as the new U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, more than two months the White House nominated him to fill the post. Alme a former First Assistant U.S. Attorney currently runs the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation. In late June the White House announced the nomination of Alme after Sen. Steve Daines Montanas senior Republican congressman recommended him. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, joined Daines in supporting Alme for the role. Kurt Alme is the right man for the job and Im thrilled to see bipartisan support for this well-qualified public servant, Daines said in a statement after the Senate vote. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the largest geographic federal court district in the lower 48 states. Alme must still be sworn in by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Former U.S. Attorney for Montana Michael Cotter along with 45 other U.S. attorneys across the country who were appointed during the Obama administration was asked to resign by President Donald Trump in March. Almes nomination garnered statements of support from the likes of former Montana U.S. Attorney William Mercer and Attorney General Tim Fox. A Montana native, Alme went to high school in Miles City and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1992. He clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Charles Lovell before joining the Crowley Law Firm in Billings. There he practiced nonprofit law, business and estate planning, and tax law, eventually becoming a partner at the firm. In 2001, he was named director of the Montana Department of Revenue before joining the U.S. Attorneys office. He left the office in 2010 to become general counsel at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation an organization that provides tax and charitable planning to help support the ranch, which works with emotionally troubled youth and became its president in 2013. Montana's U.S. senators have chastised Verizon after the company sent out letters in the past few weeks to hundreds of eastern Montana customers essentially telling them they were getting kicked off Verizons cellphone service. After Oct. 17, Verizon told the rural customers, they would no longer be able to use their phone number on a Verizon network. The list of towns affected by the contract termination is in the dozens, from Alzada to Homestead to Zortman. Irvin Weide, who lives outside the tiny town of Ashland east of Billings, said he got his letter on Monday or Tuesday of this week. Its kind of a shot in the foot, he said. Verizon is the only service that actually works at my house. I can get AT&T, but that only works in town. I will no longer have calling abilities on my cellphone at my house. Its going to be a big inconvenience. Weide said hes on his parents family plan, which theyve had for more than 15 years. They have Verizons unlimited data plan, and Weide says he has averaged about 3-3.5 gigabytes of data per month. The letter sent out to customers states: During a recent review of customer accounts, we discovered you are using a significant amount of data while roaming off the Verizon network. While we appreciate you choosing Verizon, after October 17, 2017, we will no longer offer service for the numbers listed above since your primary place of use is outside the Verizon service area. Kyle Wasson, who raises wheat, barley and cattle with his family on their ranch near Loring, said they use cellphone data to check the water in their cows' tanks during the drought. They also use cellphone data to order parts when things break down or to communicate with hired hands on the combine. He was among those surprised that they were getting disconnected, and it was his post on Twitter about the letter two days ago that got attention from the media and the Montana Public Service Commission. We had to sign a two-year contract with Verizon, and so I asked them, How do you guys just drop us? Wasson said. We had to sign with you and would have had to pay a fee to get out early. Its not fair. PSC member Travis Kavulla said he has researched why Verizon pulled the plug on certain customers in rural areas. He said that essentially, Verizon has determined that certain customers who use a lot of data on other networks are costing Verizon money, rather than returning profit, and therefore arent worth keeping as customers. "Turns out their much-hyped unlimited data plan wasn't so unlimited," he said. Verizon has a wholesale agreement with small telecommunications providers in eastern Montana. Those companies are Nemont, Mid-Rivers Communications and Triangle Communications based out of Scobey, Circle and Havre, respectively, and they allow Verizon customers to use their towers. Basically whats happening is these customers have a retail relationship with Verizon, but (Verizons) network isnt the one serving them, he said. Verizon engages in a wholesale transaction with these telecommunications companies where Verizon agrees to pay if customers roam in their territory and use their wireless towers for mobile telephonic service or data. "Here it seems that Verizon realized, Hey, its not even our network providing the service and they are paying a greater amount for the wholesale service. Mid-Rivers Communications has told people who are being dropped by Verizon that theyre not accepting any new customers at the moment, because they dont have the equipment to handle it. Kavulla said the company didnt know Verizon was going to take this action, and they dont have enough cellphones in stock. That leaves people like Weide with no options other than a landline at his house for emergency calls. Im angry about it. My whole familys angry about it, he said. A spokesperson for Verizon, Meagan Dorsch, said the company sent out notifications to 919 customers in Montana earlier this month. Those customers have 2,035 consumer lines that Verizon will no longer service. These customers live outside of areas where Verizon operates our own network and many of these lines use a substantial amount of data while roaming on other providers networks, she said. The roaming costs generated by these lines exceed what these consumers pay us each month. People who live within the area where Verizon operates our own network are not impacted. It doesn't appear that any customers in western Montana were affected. Dorsch said the company sent the notices in advance so customers have plenty of time to choose another wireless provider. On Thursday, U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, sent a letter to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam pushing him to reverse the companys decision to remove rural customers from its network. I am very troubled by Verizons recent decision to terminate contracts for customers living in rural areas of Montana, Tester wrote. Given the importance of wireless communications for maintaining public safety, running a business, and staying connected during emergencies, I strongly urge Verizon to reverse its decision to involuntarily remove rural customers from its network. Tester also demanded to know exactly how many Montana customers were affected by the decision, when the company decided to take action and why Verizon didnt provide more notice. He also raised concerns about the impact Verizons actions will have on peoples ability to make emergency calls. Thursday evening, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines called Verizon's action "unacceptable." "This is yet another example of the rural-urban divide and choosing a bottom-line over a commitment to Montanans," he said in a statement. In the letters, Verizon did say they were going to pay off any debt associated with the purchase of the phone to make the transition easier. The Great Falls Tribune reported that Steve Leitner of Hogeland, a small town a few miles south of Canada, said that 90 percent of the countys ambulance service paging goes through Verizon texts. They also use texts in tactical situations where radios wont work. Wasson said he was able to switch to Triangle Communications, but he still would like answers as to why he was booted with very little warning. He said he was using about 40-50 gigs of data per month, and his family was using about 200 total. That's because they use wireless cameras to watch the water level in the cow tanks, and they often have to send pictures to tractor and combine part shops of the parts they need. Its amazing how much we use cellphones and data out here, said Wasson, the rancher in Loring. Its what we gotta do. Kavulla said the PSC will be monitoring the smaller telecommunications providers in Montana to make sure they provide adequate services. "Unlike Verizon, which doesn't take government subsidies, these rural telecommunications companies do have an obligation to serve," he said. "Those rural networks only exist by virtue of generous federal government subsidies which the PSC approved. We will be watching closely to see if customers make reasonable requests that are not served. (If so,) those revenues will be in jeopardy. I don't think it will come to that, personally." Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Roughly 500 years ago, the Lutheran Church was founded over a schism with the Roman Catholic Church. Five centuries later, members of both congregations, including those in Muscatine, are doing their best to mend fences and move forward united in their goals for a better world and a more accepting faith. To that end, Zion Lutheran Church and Saints Mary and Mathias Catholic Parish will be holding a Common Prayer Service beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, Zion Lutheran Church, 513 Sycamore St., Muscatine. The event begins at 3 p.m. with the Common Prayer Service and continues at 3:30 p.m. with fellowship and hors d'oeuvres. Its been a service 500 years in the making, said Vicar Kyle Seibert of Zion Lutheran Church. Well commemorate the Reformation through a brief common prayer service crafted by the Liturgical Task Force of the Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity. Immediately following our common prayer, we will gather for a time of ecumenical fellowship with hors d'oeuvres. Its a way for Muscatine Lutherans, Catholics, and Christians to join together in prayer and fellowship. It's the first time in the history of Muscatine that anything of this nature has been done, Seibert said, although there have been joint masses in other citiesr. While obviously, the schism between the two groups began in violent fashion with Martin Luthers posting of the 95 Theses on his church door in Lund, Sweden on Oct. 31, the past five decades have seen a considerable softening of the conflict and a movement to reconcile and bridge the differences. Its really wonderful to be a part of it, Seibert said. While we do obviously have our differences of belief we are all Christian and our commonalities are much greater than our differences. The seeds for the local joint effort were planted in March, when Seibert met with Troy Richmond, the pastor of St. Mary and Mathias Catholic Church, and they worked out how they could make it happen. The service being given was written in a joint effort between the Lutheran World Foundation and Pope Francis. Its a fantastic liturgy, I think people of all faiths will really enjoy it, Seibert said. Were hoping this is a very helpful thing, Seibert said. Since these efforts have begun, weve heard so many stories of tensions between family members and families by marriage of different faiths have started to move forward in a better direction." Seibert is also extending the invitation to other faiths. People of all faiths are welcome to attend, he said. Its certainly open to all the community to come together. LONDON Hundreds of London police embarked on a massive manhunt Friday, racing to find out who placed a homemade bomb on a packed London subway train during the morning rush hour. The explosion wounded 22 people and ignited a panicked stampede to safety. Witnesses described seeing a "wall of fire" as the bomb hidden in a plastic bucket inside a supermarket freezer bag went off about 8:20 a.m. while the train was at the Parsons Green station in southwest London. It was not a large explosion, and British police and health officials said none of the injured was thought to be seriously hurt. Yet police said it was a terrorist attack, the fifth in Britain this year. Six hours later, the Metropolitan Police force said there had been no arrests, but hundreds of detectives, aided by intelligence agents, were looking at surveillance camera footage in the subway, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses. The site of the blast is in a leafy, affluent part of the city, not near any of London's top tourist sites. British media reported that the bomb included a timer. It's not clear whether the device was intended to explode when it did. Police were alerted when commuters reported a noise and a flash aboard the District Line train. Commuter Lauren Hubbard was on the train when she heard a loud bang. "I looked around and this wall of fire was just coming towards us. You just run," said Hubbard, who fled the above-ground station with her boyfriend. Others described "absolute chaos" as hundreds of people rushed to get away from the danger. "I ended up squashed on the staircase. People were falling over, people fainting, crying, there were little kids clinging onto the back of me," said Ryan Barnett, 25. Mark Rowley, head of counterterrorism for the Metropolitan Police, said "this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device." He said 18 people had been injured, most with "flash burns." Health officials later said four others hurt in the bombing went to hospital themselves. Rowley said Britain's domestic intelligence service, MI5, was assisting with the investigation, led by the police counter-terrorism unit. He gave no information about potential suspects, saying "It's very much a live investigation." U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that it was another attack "by a loser terrorist," adding that "these are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard." The London police force declined to comment on Trump's suggestion that it knew about the attacker. Photos taken inside the train show a white plastic bucket inside a foil-lined shopping bag. Flames and what appear to be wires emerge from the top. "There was, out of the corner of my eye, a massive flash of flames that went up the side of the train," witness Chris Wildish told Sky News. He said it was followed by "an acrid chemical smell." He said many of those on board were schoolchildren, who were knocked around as the crowd surged away from the fireball. Commuter Richard Aylmer-Hall said he saw several people injured, apparently trampled as they fled. "I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets," Aylmer-Hall, said. During rush hour, the subway train could hold more than 800 people. Aerial footage later showed commuters from other subway trains being evacuated along the elevated track. Transport for London said subway services were suspended along the line. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city "utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life." London has been targeted by attackers several times this year, with deadly vehicle attacks near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London. Beyond the capital, a May 22 suicide bomb attack at Manchester Arena killed 22 people. The London Underground has been targeted several times in the past, notably in July 2005, when suicide bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and themselves. Four more bombers tried a similar attack two weeks later, but their devices failed to fully explode. Last year Damon Smith, a student with an interest in weapons and Islamic extremism, left a knapsack filled with explosives and ball bearings on a London subway train. It failed to explode. In its recent Inspire magazine, al-Qaida urged supporters to target trains. British authorities say they have foiled 19 plots since the middle of 2013, six of them since a van and knife attack on Westminster Bridge and Parliament in March, which killed five people. Separately, French counterterrorism authorities were investigating an attempted knife attack on a soldier patrolling a large Paris subway interchange. The Paris prosecutor's office says counterterrorism investigators have opened a probe into Friday morning's incident at the Chatelet station in central Paris, based on preliminary examination of the attacker's background. The knife-wielding assailant tried to attack a soldier with a special military force assigned to protect prominent sites following deadly Islamic extremist attacks. He was quickly arrested and no one was hurt. Gregory Katz in London and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed to this report. 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 [] 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 [] SAN FRANCISCO A federal appeals court Friday upheld a California law that bans the sale of foie gras made by the force-feeding of ducks and geese. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, overturning a district judges injunction against the law, said California is free to enforce it. The Legislature passed the law in 2004 after finding that forced feeding was cruel and inhumane. Producing foie gras, a pricey delicacy made of the birds liver, typically involves placing a 10- to 12-inch metal or plastic tube into the birds esophagus to deliver large amounts of concentrated food. The law gave producers a grace period of more than seven years to find a new method of making foie gras. Producers and a restaurant that serves foie gras filed suit to overturn the ban on sales. A district judge ruled that the state ban illegally interfered with federal law. Because federal law contemplates extensive state involvement, Congress clearly did not intend to occupy the field of poultry products, the 9th Circuit said. Marcus Henley, the manager at Hudson Valley Foie Gras in New York, said in an email to the Los Angeles Times, We will appeal. This process may take months. Until this appeal is completed, the law and the ban are not implemented and foie gras is legal to sell and serve in California. A decision by the 9th Circuit on whether to review the ruling could take weeks, or even months. The full court could refuse to review the ruling, which would then allow the ban to take effect. Two-star Michelin chef Josiah Citrin, owner of the fine-dining French restaurant Melisse in Santa Monica and Charcoal in Venice, was surprised to hear about the ban again. Its kind of shocking, said Citrin, who has a foie gras torchon on his current tasting menu at Melisse. I dont think anyone was expecting this right now. ... I enjoy eating foie gras, but its not going to end what I do. I just dont like being told what we can and cant use. I think, as chefs, we try to be pretty good to nature and everything around us in general, said Citrin. We have enough political issues right now in this world that are much more important. Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said in a statement that the Champagne corks are popping. PETA has protested against this practice for years, showing videos of geese being force-fed that no one but the most callous chefs could stomach and revealing that foie gras is torture on toast and unimaginably cruel, Newkirk said. Californians are dealing with a late summer outbreak of devastating wildfires. Even the National Guard has been called out to fight them. Last Tuesday, the Legislature began the final, furious days of its 2017 session with hundreds of bills still in limbo, including a package of housing measures that everyone considers vitally important to the states future. And where is the states governor during this uncertain period? He was thousands of miles away, in Vladivostok, Russia, participating in a global economic conference. It would be a cheap shot to say that Brown, who has fewer than 16 months left before his departure from office, is derelict in his obligations to California. Modern communications being what they are, he can remain in touch and in charge although technically he was compelled to hand the reins of governance to Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom during his absence. Those communications would allow him to avoid the fate of his father, Pat Brown, whose governorship and his chances for a third term were spoiled when he happened to be traveling in Europe at the time the Watts riot erupted in August, 1965. The states bumbling response to the riot was laid at his door, probably unfairly. Rather, it would be fair to say that the younger Browns six-day sojourn to Russia, to rub shoulders with top Asian leaders and perhaps Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscores his hope of remaining relevant after his fourth term as governor ends in January 2019. Cleverly, Brown has cast himself as an alternative to President Donald Trump, particularly, but not exclusively, on the issue of climate change a sort of quasi-president of a populous, independent-minded state with a world-class economy. Every government and every business is responsible for making this radical turn, and from Victorville to Vladivostok, California will continue to lead the charge, Brown said of climate change last week as he announced the trip. Clearly hoping to establish some presence and stature independent of office, Brown has become something of a globetrotter since winning his fourth and final term as governor. Two months hence, Brown will make a presentation to a United Nations climate change conference in Bonn. The presiding officer of that conference, Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, has appointed Brown a special adviser for states and regions for the Bonn event. Brown also will take part in New York Citys Climate Week NYC later this month and attend a United Nations General Assembly session. After more than a half-century in public life, two-thirds of it holding one political office or another, and three unsuccessful bids for the White House, its understandable that Brown wouldnt simply retire to his still-to-be-built home in the foothills of Colusa County. However, its difficult for a politician to command attention after leaving office unless that office is president of the United States, unless the politician is a movie star such as Ronald Reagan or Arnold Schwarzenegger or unless the politician is running for something else, like president of the United States. Brown isnt a movie star and, once departed from the Capitol, will simply be an 80-year-old man who may have many interests, such as climate change and nuclear proliferation, but who wont have any authority to affect policy. That is, unless in Browns heart of hearts, he still yearns for the presidency that eluded him three times and believes that lightning could finally strike in 2020. BART is beefing up security efforts with visibly increased patrols Friday in the wake of the explosion of an improvised bomb on a subway in London, agency officials said. Riders will see an increased number of uniformed officers in the downtown San Francisco and Oakland areas Friday, BART Police Deputy Chief Ed Alvarez said at a press conference at the West Oakland station Friday morning. The transit agency is also asking riders to report any suspicious activity as part of its ongoing "See Something Say Something" campaign. Riders can use the BART Watch App to do so. To download the app, visit the iTunes store or BART's website, www.bart.gov. OAKLAND -- Six BART passengers who were beaten, threatened or robbed by mobs of young people in three separate incidents in March and April filed a lawsuit today against the transit agency, accusing it of failing to protect its passengers. Attorney Paul Justi, who represents the six plaintiffs, said the crimes, including one by a mob of between 40 to 60 youths at Oakland's Coliseum station on April 22, were "predictable and preventable" because they were similar and alleged that BART isn't doing enough to make its passengers safe. Speaking at a news conference outside the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse after he filed the suit in Alameda County Superior Court, Justi claimed BART trains and stations are "a safe zone not for passengers but for criminals to rob and beat passengers at will." Justi said the passengers suffered emotional distress and trauma and the suit seeks unspecified general, special and punitive damages. BART's attorney, Dale Allen, said, "There's no legal precedent for this lawsuit to go forward" because the state Legislature has created immunity for all law enforcement agencies since "it's impossible to stop all crimes." Allen said, "BART directors have expressed their regret that these tragedies have happened to these passengers." He said, "BART police monitor 46 stations over 100 miles of tracks and 400,000 passengers and try to stop as much crime as they can with the staffing they have." Three of the plaintiffs are Rusty Stapp, his wife Patricia and their 19-year-old daughter Amanda, who allege in the suit that BART was negligent in allowing the mob of youths to board their Dublin-bound train at the Coliseum station at about 9:30 p.m. on April 22 and failing to coordinate with other police agencies. Stapp, who joined Justi at the news conference, said two male juveniles jumped on him and started punching him and a third juvenile kicked him and he eventually relinquished his cellphone. Stapp said then when his wife checked on him a female juvenile reached over and stole her purse and ran off the train. Stapp said he wasn't seriously injured but had lumps on his head, cuts and bruises and sore ribs. Timothy Howk, who also participated in the news conference, said BART police should have been better prepared for the April 22 attack because he was the victim of a similar mob attack at the Coliseum four days earlier, on April 18, and BART police told him there was another similar attack on April 17. Howk said that at about 10:30 p.m. on April 18 he boarded a Dublin-bound train at the Powell Street station to get back to his home in Pleasanton but as the train approached the Coliseum station a group of teens entered the car where he was seated and began banging on its windows and engaged in loud and raucous conduct to distract passengers. Howk said one of the teens stole his cellphone and he gave chase but the teen turned around, demanded his wallet and threatened to shoot him, with his hand in his pocket in a threatening way as if he were holding a gun there. "It was pretty frightening," Howk said. Another plaintiff in the suit is Mohammad Rasul, who was on the same train as the Stapp family was the night of April 22. The suit says a group of teens stole Rasul's bag, which included a family heirloom ring that had been in his family for six generations, dating back to his family's origins in Afghanistan. The suit alleges that, "BART failed and refused to vigorously pursue any effort to investigate the crime, apprehend the criminals or prosecute the perpetrators." An additional plaintiff is Daniel Mendez, who the suit says is a professional DJ who boarded a BART train at the Dublin station on March 20 to go to the San Francisco International Airport to travel to Miami, where he had an engagement as a DJ for a large international music festival. The suit says a large group of juveniles boarded the train at the Bayfair station in San Leandro and Mendez could sense "the clear and present danger of imminent criminal activity." The suit says one of the juveniles left Mendez's car but immediately returned with two adult males who prevented Mendez from leaving the train and one of the men had his hand in his jacket pocket and Mendez could see the outline of a gun in the pocket. The suit says Mendez was surrounded by a large group of people and "sat in mortal terror for his life for several minutes, waiting to be attacked." The suit says that as the train pulled into the Coliseum station the group grabbed Mendez's suitcase, including his laptop, which contained his entire library of songs, music and DJ materials. The suit says Mendez got off the train at the next station to report the crime but when he told the station agent that he'd just been robbed she was busy eating a meal and "displayed an attitude of complete indifference toward Mendez and simply kept eating her meal." Howk and Rusty Stapp both said they are now nervous about riding BART and when they do so they always sit in the front car so they can be near the train operator. Reflecting on the robbery at the Coliseum station on April 22, Stapp said, "The casualness of the suspects indicated to me that it wasn't the first time they had done it." Looking back on our two-week Portugal odyssey last month, its hard to say whether the greatness of the wines or the history and majestic nature of the places we visited played the greater role in our total enjoyment of the trip. So well call it a tie! Portugals history is a complex web. It began with the monarchy and its religious ties to the Catholic Church that existed for centuries until the 1910 revolution launched the secular First Republic. A 1926 coup detat resulted in the military dictatorship known as the Second Republic, and in 1928 Antonio de Oliveira Salazar seized control of the government and restored a more socially oriented role of Catholicism. Salazar is widely accepted as among the most influential people in Portuguese history and although a stern dictator, his accomplishments were among the most important for Portugal and her people. Numerous Salazar achievements remain in place today, including his construction of five massive locks along the Douro that made the river more navigable and their dams still serving as a major source of hydroelectric power for the country. Illness forced Salazar to relinquish his office as Prime Minister in 1968 and the more Conservative/Nationalist Marcelo Caetano assumed control. The regime collapsed in 1974 as the country evolved into its current democratic leadership. Portugal is second only to Italy with the number of indigenous wine grapes grown in its 19 DOCs (Denominacao de Origem Controlada), 28 IPRs (Indicacao de Proveniencia Regulamentada) and other areas. Depending on the sources Ive read and people Ive spoken to, there are somewhere between 350 and 600 indigenous varietals growing in addition to many international varietals (e.g. cabernet sauvignon, merlot, chardonnay) that have been added in recent years. Wine grapegrowing and winemaking have always occupied a principle role in Portugals religious, social and economic traditions regardless of the government in charge and the religious or secular philosophy in place. The Douro is Portugals most revered appellation and the worlds oldest demarcated wine grapegrowing region with a tapestry of vineyards stretching for miles that scale the precipitously steep hillsides from the rivers edge to elevations ranging to 2,500 feet. And for sheer amazement, many rock wall terraces dating back to Roman times continue to support the vineyards and control erosion. The Marquis of Pombal helped in establishing Douros demarcated borders in 1756 enhancing its importance and facilitating the business of Port wine in Europe and beyond. One year before, in 1755, the Marquis was called upon by King Joseph I to rebuild Lisbon after a cataclysmic earthquake that struck on All Saints Day. There were countless candles burning throughout the city in churches and homes in celebration of the holiday when the quake occurred resulting in massive fires that worsened the devastating damage. A tsunami from the Atlantic soon followed, flooding the city. Port wine can only come from the Douro and its specifically designated varietals. Here, too, the number of varietals is subject to what you read and how its interpreted but ranges upward from 30 to 100 or more. In actuality there are six main blending varietalstouriga nacional, touriga franca, tinta roriz (aka tempranillo), tinta barroca, tinto cao and tinta amarelathat dominate the blends. All Ports are fortified by the addition of neutral brandy (77 percent alcohol) to halt fermentation at a pre-determined moment leaving the winemakers desired specific residual sugar content in accordance with the house style. This is an extremely tricky technique and differs greatly from dry wine production where the fermentation normally proceeds on its own to dryness leaving little or no residual sugar. The Port winemakers skill and tenacity are called into action throughout fermentation as the precise moment of residual sugar concentration occurs at any time of day or night. An hour or two of excess fermentation can make the difference in whether the finished wine is acceptable or not. There are many styles of Port: Ruby, Ruby Reserve, Late Bottled Vintage (LBV), White, Tawny, Reserve Tawny, Aged Tawny, Colheita, Vintage etc. But they really break down into two groupsbottle aged and cask aged. And thats the easy part as Vintage Port is bottle aged while all the others are cask aged. Vintage Port (less than 3 percent of total production) is produced only in declared vintages by the house and the IVDP (Port regulating body) and bottled two years after harvest. Cask aged Ports (with the exception of Colheita and LBV) are blends of vintages and aged in cask for a prescribed number of years. Ruby Ports are held for a minimum of three years and up to seven for Reserves and LBVs. Tawnys are in cask for a minimum of seven years, and the 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-Year bottlings are blends of various vintages averaging (by volume) the age on the label. Colheitas are vintage dated Tawnys and LBVs are essentially vintage dated Ruby Ports. White Ports are cask-aged wines from white varietals grown in the Douro (less than 10 percent of the total crop) and blended in the same ways as Ruby Ports and Tawnys. We tasted somewhere between 70 and 80 different wines during our trip (I guess I should have kept better track!) ranging from Ports of all styles to sparklers and countless red, white and rose dry table wines (both varietals and blends) from many growing areas. We sampled wines from the north in Douro and Vinho Verde, the central regions of Alentejo and the mountainous Dao to the coast with wines from Setubal and Lisboa. All possessed distinctive varietal and regional character and greatly broadened my horizons on the breadth of what else Portugal offers while principally known for its sweet fortified wines. The dry table wines from the Douro are mostly produced from the same varietals used in Port. Vinho Verde can be found in a slightly spritzy style or completely still, primarily from the alvarinho grape. Dao is inland and mostly known for its bold reds. Alentejo is Portugals largest area and grows many different white and red varietals (arinto was an exciting discovery). It is also home to a thriving beef and pork industry and is the principle cork-growing region of the country. Many diverse varietals, including several with international roots, have found a home in the more Mediterranean climates of Setubal and Lisboa to the southwest. Portugal is a land of boundless surprises. Barbara and I await the opportunity of revisiting the country and continuing our exploration of her wines, cuisine and culture. The 2017 harvest is well under way in the Northern Hemisphere, and Puligny-Montrachet in the Cote dOr in Burgundy, France is no exception. According to their website, at Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet, harvest took place from Aug. 29-Sept. 5. And the 2017 harvest marks the first vintage with a new winemaker at this historic winery. Domaine Leflaive was created by Joseph Leflaive in 1910 but the Leflaive family has been established residents in Puligny-Montrachet since 1717. Josephs children, Vincent and Joseph-Regis, inherited the property upon his death in 1953 and in 1990, Vincents daughter Anne-Claude Leflaive and Joseph-Regis son Oliver became co-directors. Upon Anne-Claudes death in 2015, Brice de la Morandiere, great grandson of the founder Joseph Leflaive took charge. Under Anne-Claudes control, famed Burgundy winemaker Pierre Morey made the wine at Domaine Leflaive from 1988-2008, followed by Eric Remy from 2008-2017. In January 2017, under Brice de la Morandiere, oenologist Pierre Vincent became the new general manager. Pierre Vincent is a soft-spoken man whom I met earlier this year during my visit to the winery. He is also charming, funny, humble, serious and passionate, all characteristics that came across as we joined him in his kitchen (the wine cellar) of his new home. Vincent is originally from the southern part of Burgundy where his father raised cattle. Knowing he wanted to work with nature but did not want to do the same thing as his father, he studied wine in Dijon. As a winemaker, he could work with nature, making a connection between the soil the final product. Prior to coming to Domaine Leflaive, Pierre was the technical manager of Domaine de la Vougeraie, owned by the Boisset family, for 10 years. He also told me that he travels regularly around Burgundy and Loire and tastes different wines from different countries in order to find the right approach for his winemaking style. Before winemaking comes into play, Pierre believes that 80 percent of making wine is the work in the vineyard. It is not the winemakers, it is the land, he expressed and it is the soil that makes Burgundy so special. At Domaine Leflaive, which is biodynamically farmed, Pierre oversees 44 hectares of vineyards, including 24 hectares in Puligny-Montrachet, with five hectares of grands crus and 10 hectares of Premiers Crus, and 20 hectares in Maconnais, with three hectares in Pouilly-Fuisse and 17 hectares in Macon-Verze. Ultimately, Pierre wants to express the purity of the wine and looks for balance between the rich and opulent with the acidity in his wines. An oceanic climate with continental tendencies, Burgundys weather changes quickly. And 2017 is no exception. According to reports, 2017 in France started out a bit difficult with March being the warmest month in memory followed by freezing temperatures and frost in April. Weather has affected previous recent vintages. According to Pierre, the typical average yield is four tons per acre but he said 2015 was low and 2016 was terrible. What I heard back, via the importer Wilson Daniels, is that for 2017 the word is that the yields were moderate and the quality of the fruit is good with good acidity. Domaine Leflaive 2017 is now in the cellar going through fermentation, and I am looking forward to trying Pierres first vintage. Back in early April, when I was visiting, I asked him where he thought he would take Domaine Leflaive. He said that his main goal is to continually improve the quality of the wines because there is always room for improvement. And if there was one change he thought he might make, he said that he is looking to possibly change the LeFlaive philosophy of exclusively white wine and buy some red grape vineyards. Now that Pierre Vincent has his first harvest at Domaine Leflaive under his belt, we will see what the future holds. The story zipped across the Internet in August on a sensational two-part premise. A historic mansion-turned museum in New Jersey recently discovered 25 bottles of rare and valuable Madeira wine in its cellar, their labels boasting an import date of 1796. This much is true. The second part fits the category of what might be labeled fake wine news: the Madeira found at the Liberty Hall house, it was breathlessly reported, had been ordered to celebrate the election of America's second president, John Adams. "Some of the original Madeira stock was shipped to the second generation who lived at Liberty Hall, in anticipation of John Adams' presidency," read the NJ.com article on July 9. The story - which offered no evidence for the John Adams claim - nonetheless lit a fire under the media's viral click-makers. The New York Post followed with two articles about the Madeira-Adams connection, citing NJ.com. "Decant be serious!" read one Post headline, its piece saying that the wine "had been shipped to the Hall" for an Adams victory party. NPR, Town & Country magazine's website, and CNN's HLN network also aired or wrote versions of the story. "They say some of the wine cases were in anticipation of celebrating America's second president, John Adams! Whoahhhh!" the on-air HLN reporter said during her segment. But is that true? No, not likely, rare wine experts say. The mansion's longtime owners don't know how or when their ancestors acquired the 1796 Madeira. They have not yet found any receipts or letters detailing the reasons the valuable wine was purchased. The whole idea that their forebears got the wine to celebrate Adams's victory in late 1796? "That's a supposition," acknowledged John Kean, 87, a retired utility executive and president of the Liberty Hall Museum. Kean suspects that his widowed great-great-great-grandmother, Susan Livingston Kean Niemcewicz, bought the bottles in late 1796, following Adams's victory over Thomas Jefferson in the nation's first contested presidential election. Kean thinks that maybe the newly elected president was even Niemcewicz's guest of honor. After all, her late husband, also named John Kean, who died in 1795, was a member of the Second Continental Congress. President George Washington's appointed him to run the Bank of the United States. The couple likely knew Adams quite well. "Certainly a widow would not have ordered a whole bunch of wine for herself, unless she was a closet drunk, and I don't think that was the case," said Kean, laughing. "If [my great-great-great grandmother's] husband was still alive in 1796, maybe they would have drunk this together. But it's our [belief] she was going to entertain at her home in Philadelphia for Adams. President Adams was known as a Madeira drinker and she would have obviously ordered a lot of it for him. But for some reason, she eventually took the wine back to New Jersey, and that's how we ended up with it at Liberty Hall." But it's just his guess. To understand the history of the wine, you have to know the family's history at Liberty Hall. In 1800, Susan Kean married a Polish aristocrat, Julian Ursin Niemcewicz living in exile in America. But he returned to Europe nine years later, and never came back. In 1811, her son Peter Kean bought the property for her, and they became the first Keans to move into Liberty Hall, which was originally built by her uncle, William Livingston, New Jersey's first governor, according to the family's history on the Liberty Hall website. Niemcewicz outlived her son, who died in 1828, and remained in the house with his widow and her grandchildren. Even though her husband abandoned her, Niemcewicz actually renamed the estate in his honor: Ursino. When Niemcewicz passed away in 1833, her grandson, Col. John Kean, inherited the house. Under his stewardship, Ursino grew from a 14-room country house to a 50-room mansion. Plenty of room for his 11 children, two of whom went into national politics. The oldest - a third John Kean - became a member of the House of Representatives, and later the Senate. His younger brother Hamilton Kean also became a senator from New Jersey. By family custom, the property was always passed down to the firstborn son. But Sen. John Kean died without any children. So Sen. Hamilton Kean's son - a fourth John Kean! - inherited the house in 1932. His wife, Mary Alice Barney, eventually scrapped Ursino and restored the original name, Liberty Hall. The property was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974. When she died in 1995, her oldest son - the current Liberty Hall museum president, and fifth John Kean - inherited it. He'd grown up in the house before going off to boarding school, Harvard, and then the Marines. He ran a public utility in New Jersey until his retirement in 1995, and later set up a family foundation to run Liberty Hall as a museum, which officially opened in 2000. Kean's four children are scattered across the country and had no interest in modernizing their ancestral home and living there, he said. In 2007, the family finally sold the house and its 11 acres of land to Kean University, named for the Kean family and Robert Winthrop Kean, a Republican congressman in the mid-20th century. Though he'd owned the house for decades, John Kean said he never wandered down into the cellar to peruse his family's age-old collection of wine, liquor and ale. "I knew the wine cellar was there and used to watch my father go into the basement with a big key and open the door. But I never went in there by myself because it was scary place," he said. "It was dark and gloomy and filled with cobwebs and dust. It was always locked, and I am not sure anyone knew where the key was. But I knew because I remembered my father always getting it from the right-hand cabinet next to the fireplace in the dining room." Last year, amid ongoing renovations, the museum staff finally decided to open the cellar. The stone walls were falling apart. They began taking out each bottle and cataloging everything, eventually discovering 600 bottles and 40 demi-johns of wine. They came across some unlabeled wooden crates, opened them up, and picked through the straw, out of which peaked several bottles whose corks were covered in red wax seal. "LENOX MADEIRA," the label read. "Imported by the late Robert Lenox, Esq., via Philadelphia, in 1796. Bottled, Summer of 1798. Re-Bottled, June 1888." It didn't take long for one of the nation's foremost experts on Madeira wine to get wind of Liberty Hall's Madeira stash. Mannie Berk, president of the San Francisco-based Rare Wine Co., called up the museum and arranged to tour the cellar with a fellow Madeira connoisseur. Berk was bowled over. Liberty Hall's collection of 1796 Madeiras is a rare find. For one thing, it's hard to locate Madeira that had been imported to the U.S. in the 18th century, when Madeira reigned as the drink of choice for affluent Americans. Each bottle, Berk estimates, is worth a minimum of $10,000. And they're still drinkable. All anyone has to do open the bottles, and let the wine air out in a decanter for several weeks. The longer the wine breathes in the open air, the better it tastes, he said. But when Berk began reading the news stories this month about the bottles having been purchased for John Adams' election victory, the expert was dumbfounded. "I was scratching my head. Who came up with that?" he asked. "There's nothing to corroborate the John Adams story." Many of the clues to the wine's history are right there on the bottle itself and the label, Berk noted. The very first date on the label, 1796: That's the year the wine was imported from Madeira, south of Portugal and to the west of Morocco. The Madeira was likely shipped in a barrel, and imported by Robert Lenox, a prominent merchant in New York City who specialized in the brandy-fortified wine. The label's second date, Summer of 1798: That's when Lenox finally drew the wine out of the cask and bottled it for his personal collection, hence the custom-made seal, "R. Lenox," on the hand-blown bottle above the tattered label. "These types of bottles were made for the private use of owners," Berk explained. After Lenox died in 1839, the Madeiras were likely sold out of his estate, but it's not known when or to whom. A second merchant, probably. The label's third date, June 1888: That's the year the wine was removed from the bottles to air out and to rejuvenate its taste. The wine was then re-bottled in the original "R. Lenox" bottles, likely by the new merchant. Then, the merchant created labels in Lenox's honor, calling the wine "Lenox Madeira." Eventually, they were sold. It's not certain when the Keans obtained the Madeira bottles. According to Berk, the earliest the Keans would have acquired the bottles would have been the year of their re-bottling in 1888. Ninety-two years after Adams's victory. (Natural News) Spending a few minutes on mindfulness medication and yoga may boost goal-directed behavior and may even lead to job promotion, a study in Mindfulness revealed. To carry out the study, a team of researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario examined 31 participants who were instructed to perform 25 minutes of Hatha yoga, 25 minutes of mindfulness meditation, and 25 minutes of quiet reading in random order. The results showed that spending 25 minutes daily on yoga and meditation helped enhance the participants brain function and goal-directed behavior. Likewise, the research team observed a marked improvement in the participants emotional response and energy levels. There are a number of theories about why physical exercises like yoga improve energy levels and cognitive test performance. These include the release of endorphins, increased blood flow to the brain and reduced focus on ruminative thoughts. Though ultimately, it is still an open question, lead author Kimberly Luu told the Daily Mail. Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation both focus the brains conscious processing power on a limited number of targets like breathing and posing, and also reduce processing of nonessential information. Although the meditative aspect might be even more important than the physical posing for improving executive functions, there are additional benefits to Hatha yoga including improvements in flexibility and strength. These benefits may make Hatha yoga superior to meditation alone, in terms of overall health benefits, study author Professor Peter Hall said in a separate Psych Central article. Studies: Mindfulness-based programs may relieve job-related anxiety The results of the recent study coincide with two new studies demonstrating the beneficial effects of mindfulness meditation on job-related stress. In the first study, 30 executives from a large oil company were offered 16 weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training, which included a one-day introductory session and single-day training at the end of the fourth and eighth weeks. The executives were also provided with audio recordings of daily mindfulness practices and exercises, instructions on coping with stress, and a supporting workbook. Some of the participants even took part in a daily, 30-minute practice group. The results showed that the 22 remaining participants who finished the training exhibited better physical and emotional health, improved health-related habits, and enhanced sleep at the end of the 16-week study period. They also reported less perceived stress and had lower blood cortisol and blood pressure levels. In another study, 15 faculty and staff from two Australian universities were instructed to undergo a seven-week, modified MBSR program. The program offered weekly 60- to 90-minute mindfulness lessons, instructions in sitting meditation and best practices in performing a body scan and incorporating mindfulness in daily activities. Study data showed that the employees demonstrated increased mindfulness skill, heightened awareness, and improved focus. The employees were also found to sleep better, pay more attention to physical tension, and spend less time thinking about the past and the future. (Related: Study: Best treatment for anxiety is mindfulness meditation.) Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, a psychiatrist at the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, noted that performing mindfulness meditation may serve as a perfect remedy against anxiety attacks. People with anxiety have a problem dealing with distracting thoughts that have too much power. They cant distinguish between a problem-solving thought and a nagging worry that has no benefit. You might think Im late, I might lose my job if I dont get there on time, and it will be a disaster! Mindfulness teaches you to recognize, Oh, theres that thought again. Ive been here before. But its just thata thought, and not a part of my core self, Dr. Hoge said. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk PsychCentral.com Mindful.org Health.Harvard.edu If the best professors engage their students with timely, relevant material, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter delivered in grand fashion Wednesday during Emory Universitys 36th annual Carter Town Hall, grappling with topics straight from todays headlines. From challenges surrounding U.S. immigration reform, global health, human rights and peace-making, to his thoughts about whether Twitter belongs in the Oval Office, and yes, even his preference in peanuts (salted or not?), the 92-year-old statesman fielded questions submitted by first-year Emory students for nearly an hour in a thoughtful, generous exchange. For Carter, its a familiar role. In addition to serving as a state senator, Georgia governor and 39th president of the United States and subsequent work as an acclaimed global humanitarian Carter has engaged in the lives of Emory students and faculty as a University Distinguished Professor since 1982. Thirty-six years ago, I was introduced as the only person who ever used the White House as a stepping-stone for greater things, quipped Carter. Every time I go to North Korea, or to negotiate in Israel, or to visit Gaza, or to try to deal with the problems in Syria or to hold elections in Nepal I am always very proud to say I come as a distinguished professor at Emory University. Introducing the former president, Ajay Nair, senior vice president and dean of Campus Life, praised not only the experience Carter brings as an educator and statesman, but also his tireless commitment to serving humanity, his candor and his quiet courage and unflappable grace in confronting challenges on the world stage. The time-honored tradition played out before a crowd of about 1,400 first-year students, academic leaders and honored guests, who packed the Woodruff P.E. Center gymnasium. My dad went to Emory and remembers hearing Jimmy Carter lecture when he was a student here I was excited at the chance to hear him, too, said Cleopatra Myrianthopoulos, a business and political science major from Port Washington, New York, whose father, Evan, graduated from Emory in 1986. Given the nations current political climate, students like Dominic Lal were especially curious to hear Carters thoughts. This is an opportunity that just doesnt happen every day, said Lal, a neuroscience and behavioral biology major from Conyers, Georgia. Politics and Twitter Politics and policy dominated the evenings question-and-answer forum, which quickly dove into issues at the forefront of national dialogue. When asked his thoughts about President Donald Trumps decision to end DACA, Carter quickly noted that Trump has not ended DACA yet, but instead gave Congress six months to address the long overdue issue of what to do about the children of immigrant families who came to the U.S. illegally. On the same evening that U.S. Democratic Congressional leaders were attempting to work out a compromise with Trump on the topic, Carter reminded students that we dont know for sure whether hes going to say yes or no, because hes said both sides so far. As for immigration reform, I dont see that its a hopeless case. I think the pressure now and the publicity Trump has brought to the immigration issue might have stimulated both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate to be more accommodating in this longstanding argument, I hope. When asked about the merits of a single-payer health care system, now being championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Carter reflected on his own efforts to introduce a bill that would have incrementally phased in Medicare for all, starting with young children. Though such a system would be quite expensive, theoretically, the single-payer insurance program is the best idea, Carter said, adding that he benefited from a similar program in Canada recently when he was hospitalized after overheating during a Habitat for Humanity building project. I went to the hospital and they took good care of me, kept me there overnight, he recalled. The next day, I said, How much do I owe you? (The answer was) Zero. So that was very nice. But the discussion wasnt completely mired in serious political topics. When asked if he would have used Twitter had it existed during his presidency, Carter smiled. If Twitter was around then I may not have been president, he quipped, quickly adding that if it had been available, I certainly would have tried to use it. A legacy of human rights When queried about the best path forward for LGBT students seeing their rights washed away by President 45, Carter said his best advice to Trump would be to promote human rights, to keep our country at peace, and to tell the truth. Asked what one world problem he would choose to solve, Carter acknowledged that his long-held life goal was to bring peace to Israel and its neighbors. But lately, I might elevate the conflict in Syria to the top of my priority list, just to save peoples lives, he added. Carter lamented the fact that partisan politics have cast deep divisions in the nation not seen since the time of Abraham Lincoln. He also bemoaned the impact of what he called the U. S. Supreme Courts stupid decision in the Citizens United case, which ruled that free speech prohibits the federal government from regulating campaign spending by organizations. The result? Political candidates must now raise hundreds of millions of dollars, which distorts the American political system from a democracy into an oligarchy, he said. Building hope, raising peanuts Addressing an audience of eager, young minds, Carter couldnt resist urging Emory students seeking to engage in social activism to consider applying for an internship with The Carter Center, an affiliate of Emory dedicated to "waging peace, fighting disease and building hope." He reminded students that they are now perhaps at the most free stage in your life you enjoy more freedom now to make your own decisions, to do innovative, remarkable things, to try goals you cant reach than youll ever be again. Strive for it. Go all the way you can to achieve those goals, he said. If you have a setback, understand why you had the failure, then set a different goal, but even a higher goal I dont think youll ever run out of goals. The evening began and ended with questions about peanuts and peanut-farming appropriate, given that the occasion coincided with National Peanut Day. When asked by 10-year-old Lucian Nixon, a distant Carter cousin from LaGrange, Georgia, how many peanuts he had grown, Carter reflected on how he had been growing peanuts ever since I was old enough to go into the field and work. At the age of six, Carter recalls harvesting peanuts from his fathers field, washing them and soaking them overnight in salty water. He would rise at 4 a.m. the next day to boil and bag the nuts and take them into town, where he would sell 20 bags of peanuts for a nickel each, earning $1 a day, or as much as a grown man who worked in the fields. By the time he was 12, Carter said he had saved enough money to buy five houses in Plains, which he rented out for a total of about $16.50 a month a practice he continued until he left to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. I learned how to be a carpenter by repairing those houses, he said. He still owns about 3,500 acres of land, 200-300 acres of which he devotes to peanut production, yielding about 400 to 500 tons of the nuts annually. All that youll eat for the rest of your life, he told Nixon. As for his personal tastes, Carter prefers his peanuts slightly salted, while former First Lady Rosalynn Carter likes hers unsalted. We also disagree on whether peanut butter should be smooth or chunky, he said. Despite that weve been married 71 years. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 02:02:32|Editor: ZD Video Player Close File Photo: Paratroopers from the XVIII Airborne Corps headquarters returned from Afghanistan arrive at Green Ramp at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the United States, Dec. 5, 2014. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen soldiers were injured by an explosion during a training accident at a military base in U.S. state of North Carolina, local media reported Thursday. Officials said the explosion happened in one of the training fields of Fort Bragg, the largest military U.S. Army installation by population with over 50,000 active duty personnel. Local reports said those injured, all of them members of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), were airlifted by medical helicopter to Womack Medical Center but it's not clear how badly they were hurt. The incident reportedly occurred when a vehicle rolled over in a remote part of the base. "We're looking into an incident that occurred today on Fort Bragg," USASOC spokesman Lt. Col. Robert Bockholt said Thursday. "It was an incident at a (training) range," the official said. "It did incur injuries, but the extent of the injuries are yet to be determined." Officials are investigating the cause of the incident, Bockholt added. Covering about an area of 161,000 acres, Fort Bragg houses the 82nd Airborne Division and the USASOC that has about 23,000 soldiers spread over several sites. The incident came only a day after some 15 Marines were injured in a vehicle fire following a training exercise accident at a military base in California. Eight of them were treated in the burn unit, with five still in critical condition. "In last 3 years, 4 times as many service members died in training than combat," Senator John McCain of Arizona said in a tweet Wednesday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 02:27:43|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close Rival Palestinian families in Gaza, which lost children in the internal fighting between Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party in 2007, take part in a reconciliation ceremony in Gaza city on Sept. 14, 2017. About 6,000 people, including 14 families out of 400 families which had children killed in the internal fighting, attended the peace ceremony, which was sponsored by the joint social reconciliation committee in Gaza, which includes the two rival groups' representatives. (Xinhua/Wissam Nassar) GAZA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Rival Palestinian families in Gaza, which lost children in the internal fighting between Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party in 2007, made peace at a reconciliation ceremony on Thursday. About 6,000 people, including 14 families out of 400 families which had children killed in the internal fighting, attended the peace ceremony, which was sponsored by the joint social reconciliation committee in Gaza, which includes the two rival groups' representatives. Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, said in his opening speech that the reconciliation had been accomplished between the 14 families. Around 400 Palestinians, either belonging to Hamas or Abbas security forces, were killed during weeks of internal fighting in Gaza in 2007, shortly before Hamas violently seized control of the enclave. "We started today with the social reconciliation in cooperation with the joint national social reconciliation committee," said Ahmad Bahar, deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). "The PLC supports and backs any real initiative to achieve reconciliation. Hamas movement, which has a high ranking delegation in Cairo, is fully ready to promote the process of reconciliation," Bahar added. "I call on Fatah movement and the Palestinian Authority to positively respond to the efforts and finalize the reconciliation," he noted. Nasser Doghmosh, a senior Fatah leader and member in the joint social reconciliation committee, told the ceremony that his movement is committed to the understandings reached in Cairo in 2011 to end internal split and achieve full reconciliation. Fares Abu Qadoos, spokesman of the 400 bereaved families, said all the families are keen to reconcile and push forward towards reconciliation. "They expressed their readiness to forgive despite losing their beloved children for the sake of ending the internal split and living a better life," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 02:57:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian government forces are making a wide-scale progress in the battles against the Islamic State (IS) in the eastern Deir al-Zour city, capturing military bases it had lost in 2016, a monitor group reported on Thursday. The Syrian forces captured on Thursday the town of Bughailiyeh in the suburbs of Deir al-Zour as well as military posts they lost during battles with IS early last year, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The UK-based watchdog group said the Syrian government forces and their allies are trying to lay a siege on the IS-controlled parts of Deir al-Zour capital city. Following last week offensive, which led to breaking the IS siege on the government-controlled areas in the city, the Syrian forces advanced and have become in control of 64 percent of Deir al-Zour, while the IS controls 36 percent of the city. Breaking IS' three-year siege on Deir al-Zour has been carried out in three stages; the first is breaking the siege on the Brigade 137 west of the city, the second phase was breaking the siege imposed on the airbase of Deir al-Zour. The third stage, the Observatory added, is reaching the western entrance of the city through its main road, which links Deir al-Zour with the capital Damascus. The Syrian forces have intensified their shelling against IS positions in Deir al-Zour, by attempting to reach the area of Huwaijet Qate' on the Euphrates river, the Observatory said, adding that the efforts to take that area has fallen so far. It said the Syrian forces are attempting to besiege the IS-held areas to either encircle IS militants, or push them to retreat and withdraw from the city before attacking their positions in the countryside. Deir al-Zour is the last major stronghold of IS, as the terror-designated group is also losing its de facto capital of Raqqa to the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which has captured large swathes of that city in northern Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 03:48:23|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 11, 2017 shows models of Concept One, electric hypercars manufactured by Rimac Automobili in Sveta Nedelja, a township near Croatian capital Zagreb. Founded in 2009 by tech-geek Mate Rimac, Rimac Automobili has become increasingly famous as the manufacturer of the Concept One electric hypercars and provider of relevant technologies. (Xinhua/Gao Lei) by Relja Dusek ZAGREB, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- In Croatia, the southeastern European country where one of the greatest minds in the history was born, there is another man who is changing the auto industry right now. Mate Rimac is just 29, and people call him the next Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor (1870-1873) because his company makes the fastest electric hyper cars and provide battery technology for big names of auto industry like Koenigsegg. "I can't compare myself to him. I was reading a lot about him because he was from Croatia and I was fascinated by the electric motor that he had invented. We do a lot of interesting things here but our achievements cannot even remotely be compared to his", a modest Mate Rimac said during an exclusive interview with Xinhua. Rimac showed his creativeness as a teenager, winning numerous awards from technological invention contests in many countries. As a young man crazy about cars finally got some money by a patent he held. He bought a BMW and became a passionate street racer but ended up blowing up the engine during a race. And that was when he decided to build an electric race car. "I'm crazy about cars all my life and I wanted to prove that cars can be fun and fast when they are electric," Rimac told Xinhua. In 2009, the newly founded company Rimac Automobili was indeed a typical start-up with less than ten employees. In just two years, a group of brilliant minds that started from scratch managed to produce the world's first all-electric hyper car, the Concept One. It was the fastest accelerating electric car in the world. They did it all by themselves. From the motor and battery pack to exterior design and infotainment system. The car was introduced at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and so far, they manufactured a limited quantity of only ten cars, which is understandable concerning the price tag of over one million U.S. dollars. In 2016 the company unleashed its "evil twin", even faster Concept S. Top speed of the car is 365 km/h and it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds. "Cars are very important for us but they are more of a showcase of what we can do. They are showing to other companies what our technology can achieve. They are our billboard", Rimac claims. He explains that making cars is a very difficult business in which many people bankrupted even before they produced their first car. "It is a school example of the industry with the highest entry barriers, so it is a big step to get into it. If you look the U.S., for example, the only new car company in the last 60 years is Tesla. If you look at other car companies in the world, like Volkswagen, Porsche or Mercedes these companies are 60, 70 or 100 years old, have thousands of employees and the budget bigger than our country's budget. The total GDP of Croatia is three times smaller than Volkswagen revenue", he explained why he chose the high-end market. "It's very unrealistic to start immediately with big numbers and small price. The small price is not achievable without big numbers. We wanted to focus on the high market because it was the only way for us to get on the market but also because it is a product of a passion, it is not a product of excel sheet or business plan. I'm crazy about cars all my life and I wanted to prove that cars can be fun when they are electric". Nevertheless, making cars is not Rimac's main business. It is things that they produce and sell for other car manufacturers. Rimac Automobili is becoming a global leader in electric vehicle technology and it is all happening in Croatia, a country with absolutely no history of car manufacturing. "Cars are very important for us but they are more of a showcase what we can do", Rimac said. The main business is things that they produce and sell for another car manufacturers. Rimac Automobili is becoming a global leader in electric vehicle technology. The goal is to become the world's leading supplier for all things electric. "In the end, we are here, we are alive, kicking and growing. We are the proof that you can achieve anything from anywhere, even here in Croatia. It is the easiest way to just leave and go somewhere where things are better, but it should be our duty to do what we can to improve our country. I wanted to create jobs here, to show that it is possible in Croatia and it works. The company is doing well and we get foreign investors. We are a good example of globalization". Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 03:53:26|Editor: yan Video Player Close KIEV, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko here on Thursday expressed his gratitude to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development(EBRD) for supporting the implementation of reforms in Ukraine, the presidential press service said. "We highly appreciate the active role of the EBRD in the introduction of projects in the public sector, particularly in the energy and transport spheres," Poroshenko said during his meeting with visiting EBRD President Suma Chakrabarti. The EBRD's investments are also important for the development of Ukraine's business, Poroshenko said, voicing his hope for the continued cooperation between Kiev and the bank. The EBRD is one the largest international financial investors in Ukraine. Since 1993, the bank invested about 14 billion U.S. dollars in over 370 projects in the East European country. Chakrabarti arrived in Kiev earlier in the day to take part in the 14th YES (Yalta European Strategy) International conference of politicians and businessmen. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 04:48:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday slammed allegations that its program for radical economic transformation is nothing more than a "code name for theft." This came after South African billionaire Johann Rupert accused the ANC of trying to loot the state through radical economic transformation. Rupert's statement "is disingenuous, and extremely opportunistic coming as it does from a beneficiary of apartheid's exclusionary policies such as Rupert," the ANC said. Rupert's "arrogant attitude" is part of the privileged sections of the society that threaten the very idea of a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa, the ANC said in a statement. "We condemn this arrogant attitude towards the majority of South Africans who have an active interest and are drivers of the change envisaged through radical economic transformation," ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said. The ANC defines radical economic transformation as the quest for fundamental change in the structure, systems, institutions and patterns of ownership, management and control of the economy in favor of all South Africans, especially the poor, the majority of whom are African and female. The discourse on radical economic transformation is informed by the racial inequalities which are a legacy of the social engineering and structural underpinnings of the Apartheid political economy that enforced a social order in which access to economic opportunity was an exclusive privilege of white people, according to the ANC. The party has been trying to structurally change the fundamental features of South Africa's political economy and dismantle an economic structure which continues to perpetuate inequality and monopolistic tendencies in favor of the whites. Capital accumulation by a white minority has resulted in a systemic trap of an over concentration of economic assets in the hands of white people and a systematic exclusion of successive generations of black people from sustainable economic livelihood, said Kodwa. The ANC will unapologetically continue to lead the people of South Africa towards improving the collective welfare of the South African people and will not be deterred by naysayers such as Rupert, Kodwa said. "We will instead redouble its efforts to effect the change required to deal with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality," he said. Kodwa said however that the ANC will ensure that radical economic transformation be done in a manner consistent with the stated objectives and within the confines of laws. "For his part, Rupert would be well-advised to desist from derogatory, unfounded statements based on his innate inclination to preserve privilege and prosperity for a few," Kodwa said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 05:08:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A UN human rights expert on Thursday urged the international society to make the right to development a reality for everyone, warning that the right to development is far from being universally recognized and even further from full implementation. "All UN agencies, including development agencies, financial and trade institutions, should put the right to development at the center of their work," Saad Alfarargi, the first UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development, said. In his maiden report to the Human Rights Council, Alfarargi said that more than 30 years after the right to development was established in a UN declaration, millions of people around the world are living with the consequences of the failure to deliver it. People in Africa, in the world's least developed countries, and in developing countries that were either landlocked or small islands were losing out the most, he added. "The international community can not even agree on exactly what the right to development meant, or how to measure progress, and the issue has become increasingly politicized," he said. According to him, this political divide has resulted in a low level of engagement of UN agencies and civil society in promoting, protecting and fulfilling the right to development. "Too many people are unaware that the right to development even exists. We need to raise this low level of awareness and make sure they are all fully engaged in implementing it," he stressed. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 05:29:00|Editor: yan Video Player Close GAZA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Two Islamic Hamas movement militants died on Thursday in the Gaza Strip during two separate military missions, the group's armed wing and medical sources said. The medical sources said that Yousef Aabed was brought dead to the hospital east of the southern Gaza Strip town of Kahn Younis, without giving any more details on how Aabed was killed. Hamas armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, said in a short text message that Aaded is a Hamas militant, and he died during a military mission east of the town of Khan Younis. Earlier on Thursday, medical sources in Gaza city said that Khalil Demyati, 27, from Gaza was brought dead to a hospital in the city, without elaboration on how he died. However, Hamas armed wing said in a short text message sent to reporters that the group mourns its member Demyati, who died during a military mission into one of the tunnels of resistance. Hamas movement, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007, uses tunnels underneath Gaza as a strategic weapon either to store arms, to hide during wars waged on Gaza or to carry out attacks using the tunnels into Israel. There is no accurate figure on how many militants had been killed either into tunnels that collapsed or during military missions. However, several human rights groups said that more than 30 were killed since 2014. Mexican Marine officers guard the scene of a shoot-out in which eight allegedly drug traffickers were shot dead by Mexican Marine officers in Tlahuac, Mexico City, on July 20, 2017. According to authorities among those killed was "Felipe de Jesus 'N'" aka "El ojos" the leader of a Mexico City drug cartel. (AFP Photo/ Pedro Pardo) WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department announced Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on seven Mexican entities and individuals for their links to the country's drug trafficking organizations. The designated entities include restaurants, a bakery and a pharmaceutical distributor, which were believed to have supported Mexican drug trafficking activities or tied to drug cartel network. "Treasury continues to untangle and expose the web of businesses controlled by designated Mexican drug kingpins and their expansive trafficking networks," said John Smith, director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control in a statement. The sanctions would freeze any assets that a blacklisted person or entity holds under U.S. jurisdiction and ban any U.S. individuals or companies from making business deals with them. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 07:09:37|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto speaks during a conference in Mexico City, Mexico, Jan. 11, 2017. (Xinhua file photo) MEXICO CITY, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Thursday asked the United States to find a permanent solution for the beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, most of which are of Mexican origin." Pena Nieto made the remarks while speaking by phone with the U.S. President Donald Trump. In turn, Trump was optimistic that the U.S. Congress "would reach a solution for the young people that are today under this program," the Mexican presidential office said in a statement. During the phone conversation, Trump "expressing his condolences and solidarity to Mexico for the damages caused by the earthquake and Hurricane Katia," while Pena Nieto expressed his solidarity with the U.S. for the impact Hurricane Irma had on the U.S. state of Florida, the statement added. Last week, the U.S. government announced the end of DACA, a program passed by Barack Obama to protect almost 800,000 undocumented migrants from deportation. Beginning in June 2012, DACA stopped thousands of young people who came to the U.S. as minors, also known as Dreamers, from being deported and allowed them to work if they have a high school diploma and a clean criminal record. According to government and academic research, the decision to revoke DACA will affects over 700,000 Mexican citizens in the U.S. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 07:28:55|Editor: An Video Player Close ASTANA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan peacekeepers can go to Syria based on a decision by the United Nations (UN) Security Council, said the country's president here Thursday. "If the UN decides to send such forces, then we, as the member of the organization, can send our military men there," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said. Nazarbayev said that Syria managed to stop the war in some regions and created three de-escalation zones. According to the president, the conflict will not be resolved soon, but Kazakhstan will continue to make contributions to its peaceful settlement. Negotiations on sending troops from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to Syria were held in June. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 07:34:42|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close HAVANA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cuba is moving rapidly to help bring life back to normal, three days after Hurricane Irma tore a swathe across the country, leaving 10 dead. Jorge Cepero, distribution director of the National Electrical Union, said on Thursday the entire national grid had been interconnected, with main power generation units back online. Cepero told reporters that over 70 percent of electric coverage had returned to the island, despite the serious damage caused by the hurricane. According to Cuba's Ministry of Education, classes have been resumed in universities in eastern and western Cuba, after a temporary suspension due to the storm. The Ministry of Transportation also announced that air, land and sea transportation services had been reestablished in almost the entire nation. President Raul Castro has ordered the creation of specialized local brigades capable of repairing all major infrastructure damage, while the government focused on major tasks such as repairing the power grid and maintaining health services, in order to speed up the recovery. On Wednesday night, Castro chaired a meeting with senior officials to point out the measures needed to drive the recovery phase forward, as revealed by the official daily Granma. Hurricane Irma is considered the worst storm to hit Cuba since 1935. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 07:39:44|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close SEOUL, Sept.15 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a ballistic missile eastward Friday morning, South Korean military said. The "unidentified missile" was launched from a site near Sunan in Pyongyang at around 6:57 a.m. (local time), the Yonhap News Agency cited South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying. It flew over Japan to the North Pacific, travelling some 3,700 kilometers with the maximum flight altitude of around 770 km, the JCS added. The South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has immediately convened a National Security Council meeting, as the country's military conducted a ballistic missile training in the east waters, according to the local media. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 07:44:46|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close TOKYO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Friday said a ballistic missile launched from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had flown over northern Japan and fallen into the Pacific Ocean. The government said the missile landed around 2,000 kilometers east off the cape of Erimo in Hokkaido at around 7:16 a.m. local time. The launch came after the U.N. Security Council voted in favor of a resolution toughening sanctions on the DPRK following its sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3. Regarding the latest launch, Japan has condemned the DPRK's "excessive provocation" in the strongest terms, government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga said Friday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 09:24:59|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Artwork "Twisted Stiletto" by British designer Jo Cope is seen on display at the media preview of Shoe Magic experimental shoe design exhibition in Budapest, Hungary on Sept. 14, 2017. The exhibits belong to the Hague Virtual Shoe Museum. (Xinhua/Attila Volgyi) Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 09:20:02|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military said Thursday that it has detected and tracked what they assessed a single ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The initial assessment indicated that it was an intermediate range ballistic missile launch, occurring near Sunan in Pyongyang, at 11:57 a.m. Hawaii time (2157 GMT), the U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement. The missile flew over northern Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean east of Japan, according to the statement. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the missile launch. The U.S. military said this missile did not pose threat to either North America or Guam. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 10:15:18|Editor: An Video Player Close ANTWERP, Belgium, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's 26th convoy fleet to Gulf of Aden and Somali waters arrived at Port of Antwerp on Thursday for a five-day friendly visit, marking the first time that a Chinese navy formation visits Belgium. "Even mountains and seas cannot distance people with common aspirations," fleet commander Wang Zhongcai quoted a Chinese saying at the welcome ceremony, which was attended by Provincial Commander of Antwerp Paul Haccuria and Chinese Embassador to Belgium Qu Xing, among others. In 2000, missile frigate "Wandelaar" from the Belgian navy visited Shanghai, and Chinese navy fleet's visit to Antwerp this time will further enhance mutual understanding and trust, and promote exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, Wang said. Belgium is the first country China's 26th convoy fleet visits after completing its escort mission in Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. China sent its first convoy fleet to Somali waters for anti-piracy mission in December 2008. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 11:20:15|Editor: An Video Player Close A student from the Confucius Institute of the University of Zambia learns Chinese painting at No. 42 Middle School in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, Sept. 14, 2017. Twenty-five students and teachers from the Confucius Institute of the University of Zambia attended a cultural exchange activity in Shijiazhuang on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zhang Shuo) Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 11:05:36|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- An Indian border guard belonging to Border Security Force (BSF) was killed Friday in an exchange of fire with Pakistan troops on International Border (IB) in Kashmir, officials said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 11:10:38|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close HARARE, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Thursday launched a new biometric voter registration ahead of polls set for next year. Mugabe and his wife Grace, along with two vice presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko and their spouses, kick-started the registration process, becoming the first ones to be registered under the new biometric voter registration system, the state-run news agency New Ziana reported. "The Biometric Voter Registration is a new registration for all citizens who are 18 years and above. I therefore urge all eligible Zimbabweans to go to their established centers to register in their numbers," said Mugabe at the launch ceremony at the State House. Zimbabwe is for the first time using the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) system. The registration runs for four months up to Jan. 15, 2018. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairperson Rita Makarau said voter registration will commence at all the country's 63 district offices on Sept. 18, 2017. Voters' proof of residence will determine the area and specific polling station where they will be allocated to vote on polling day, she said. The ZEC said it is targeting to register 7 million voters, up from 6.8 million voters in the 2013 elections. Mugabe, 93, will seek re-election in next year's polls. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 11:35:44|Editor: ZD Video Player Close SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- An Indian border guard belonging to Border Security Force (BSF) was killed Friday during skirmishes between troops of India and Pakistan on International Border (IB) in Kashmir, officials said. The exchange of small arms and artillery was reported along the IB in Arnia area of Ranbir Singh Pura sector of Jammu, the winter capital city of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "The firing is still going on," the officials said. On Wednesday night, three border guards were wounded in a similar exchange. Indian border guards also claimed killing two Pakistani rangers. According to Indian officials, over 300 incidents of ceasefire violations were recorded along the Line of Control (LoC) this year. This year saw a surge in skirmishes on IB and LoC between the two countries. Apart from troop casualties, the firing has claimed civilian lives on both sides, besides prompting migrations of residents from frontier areas. LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India- and Pakistan-controlled parts. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 11:35:46|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military conducted a live-fire drill with its homegrown ballistic missile in east waters on Friday after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) missile launch provocation. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the military staged live-fire drills in the East Sea by mobilizing Hyunmoo-2A ballistic missiles. The live-firing exercise was carried out minutes after the DPRK's missile launch with the approval of President Moon Jae-in, the JCS said in a statement. The DPRK launched a ballistic missile, estimated to have been an intermediate-range one, into east waters from a location near its capital Pyongyang at about 6:57 a.m. local time (2227 GMT Thursday). It flew about 3,700 km over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and landed in the North Pacific, according to the JCS. About six minutes of the DPRK's missile launch, the South Korean military reportedly fired two Hyunmoo-2A ballistic missiles, which have a range of about 300 km. The military authorities of South Korea and the United States had closely monitored the moves of the DPRK forces and found the signs of its missile launch in advance. The signs were reported Thursday to President Moon, who ordered the live-fire drills to be on the standby to show force against the expected missile firings of the DPRK, according to the presidential Blue House. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 12:30:53|Editor: ZD Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday repeated his controversial remarks that there was "blame on both sides" in the deadly white supremacist demonstrations in August. The remarks came only one day after Trump met with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, the lone African-American Senate Republican who publicly criticized Trump's position on the Charlottesville incident for giving comfort to white supremacists and the KKK. "We had a great talk yesterday," Trump told reporters on Air Force One when asked about his meeting with Scott. "I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side," Trump said. "And essentially that's what I said." Antifa is an anti-fascist protest movement that sometimes resorts to violent measures to fight neo-Nazis and white supremacists, which has attracted a lot of attention in the wake of the Charlottesville violence that led to one death and dozens of injuries on Aug. 12. White supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK took to the street on that day in the historic college town of Charlottesville in protest against a city's decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the U.S. Civil War. A 32-year-old anti-racism protester was killed and many others were wounded after a Nazi-sympathizer drove a car into a crowd but Trump first condemned the violence "on many sides", which drew bipartisan criticism. In his latest comments over the incident on Thursday, Trump indicated that he had been right all along. "Now because of what's happened since then with Antifa, you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump might have a point.'" Trump said. "I said, 'you've got some very bad people on the other side also,' which is true." Scott lashed out at Trump's rhetoric in the aftermath of the deadly clashes, saying the president had compromised his "moral authority". When asked about his version of the meeting with Trump on Wednesday, Scott said he didn't go in there to "change who he was." "I wanted to inform and educate a different perspective," he said. "I think we accomplished that and to assume that immediately thereafter he's going to have an epiphany is just unrealistic." Scott's office issued a statement after Trump renewed his position on the Charlottesville violence, saying "Rome wasn't built in a day and to expect the president's rhetoric to change based on one 30-minute meeting is unrealistic." "Antifa is bad and should be condemned, yes, but the KKK has been killing and tormenting black Americans for centuries," the statement read. "There is no realistic comparison. Period." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 12:30:54|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SYDNEY, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Up to 5 million Australian dollars (4 million U.S. dollars) is being laundered every day through Australian banking institutions by organized crime syndicates, according to leaked information that was reported by local media on Friday. In August, The Australian Transactions Reports & Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) launched a civil case with the federal court that claimed the country's largest financial institution, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), breached anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. Similar staggering allegation, now appear to be widespread across all major banks according to unnamed government officials who said "the public would be shocked to know the amount of drug money that was laundered on a daily basis, and the ease with which it finds its way out of Australia." Westpac Bank, ANZ and the National Australia Bank (NAB) along with the CBA, have all been accused of failing to safeguard against money laundering syndicates. But even Australia's smaller banks have had their run-ins with financial investigators when it comes to breaching these regulations. The Bank of Queensland's Punchbowl branch in Sydney was forced to close in 2010, after it was uncovered, a Mexican cartel was using the premises to wash drug money. Another smaller institution, the Bendigo Bank, was also found to be involved in the international movement of blackmarket cash in 2012, when the Australian Crime Commission's "High Risk Funds" investigation, found historic links with the former Yugoslavia. Former National Coordinator of the Criminal Asset Confiscation Taskforce, Nick McTaggart, told local media that the main reason for the failures in preventing money laundering is due to the lack of information sharing between financial institutions, government departments and the policing sector. "Most financial institutions are just ticking the compliance boxes rather than doing the necessary due diligence," McTaggart said. "Technologies such as electronic funds transfer capability also present huge problems." "Any criminal can get a company created today and bounce all the money into one account and then send it offshore and walk away from the company, and no one will ask questions of the company for months." As a result of the seemingly lapse processes, many in political circles have called for a thorough an intensive investigation to uncover what can be done to tighten financial sector regulations. Leader of the opposition in Australian Parliament, Bill Shorten, has campaigned for a full royal commission with broad, wide reaching powers to examine the practices of the country's banks. But some fear a major public inquiry could spell trouble on the Australian share market and create shockwaves among investors. "I think everybody would be happy if the defence against money laundering was tightened as much as is reasonably possible," CMC Markets chief market analyst Ric Spooner told Xinhua. "Just a money laundering inquiry itself would not be seen as a huge concern at this stage." "But If there was a wider royal commission that looked at the banks in general, that would be more of a concern because it would create a lot of uncertainty for investors." In response to the allegations leveled at the banking sector, NAB's chief risk officer David Gall told local media that "people with bad intentions will always try to commit crime." "That's why as a bank and an industry we have to always be vigilant and work with regulators, government and police to find new and smarter ways to prevent financial crime." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 12:30:56|Editor: ZD Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a congratulatory letter to the China Quality Conference, which opened Friday. Xi said he hoped attendees from various countries could share their insights on the international quality trend and experience in quality management. First held in Beijing three years ago, the two-day conference aims to promote quality cooperation. "Thousands of years ago, Chinese quality goods including silk and porcelain went to the global stage, which facilitated exchanges between civilizations," Xi said. "China pays high attention to quality and will strive to provide the world with better products and services." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 12:46:02|Editor: ZD Video Player Close by Zhang Yongxing SUVA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Fijians are now very keen to get to know a changing China and willing to see increasing cultural exchanges between the two countries as they are vital to further promoting the already good bilateral relations, Fijian cultural officials and artists said. "Our two countries' relations are close and we are just like brothers and sisters. Today's Fijians are very keen to know China's rapid development, want to learn from China and work together with China to enjoy a win-win cooperation," Collin Yabaki, director of Fiji's Heritage and Arts Department, told Xinhua at a ceremony held on Thursday by the China Cultural Center to farewell two Fijian delegations that will be visiting China. In the eyes of Yabaki, who has visited China twice with an indelible impression, cultural exchange is a bridge and one of the best ways to help the two countries and peoples deepen their mutual understanding and enhance their friendly cooperative ties. "Through the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed between China and Fiji, the friendly cultural ties between our two countries have been consolidated and strengthened," Yabaki said proudly, adding that "this cultural exchange has really enhanced our citizens' cultural understanding and appreciating cultural creativity that exists in both Fiji and China." Yabaki expressed his heartfelt thanks to China and encouraged Fijian delegates to learn as much as they can and share the knowledge they get from the trips to help build the South Pacific island state's cultural capacity. "Thank you for the heart of generosity, it has enabled our fellow Fijians to visit your country... I believe whatever they learn from these trips will help in the cultural capacity building of Fiji," he said. He believed that China-Fiji relationship can be called a model of friendly cooperation between China and island countries in the South Pacific region. Echoing Yabaki's views, Merewalesi Vueti, director of Fiji's Library Services and Anare Somumu, a Fijian artist, told Xinhua that Fiji treasures its relations with China and they will learn as much as they can from their trips in order to help form closer and stronger cultural ties between the two countries. Vueti, who visited China last year and will lead a six-member Fijian delegation on a 10-day tour to China's central Henan Province in October, said China has been developing rapidly over the past decades, and Fiji and China have a lot to learn from each other. "What I have learned from my previous trip to China is that like China, we have to love and preserve our traditional culture and language as these are the symbols of our country," she said. "Cultural exchange with countries like China is very important because it is one of the best ways to further our two countries' ties. By the way, during our coming trip to Zhengzhou, capital city of China's Henan Province, we will sign with the city library a cooperation agreement aiming at establishing a China Corner at the Fiji Library. " Somumu, who is one of the two artists to attend the 7th Beijing International Biennial Fine Arts Exhibition later this month, told Xinhua that he likes to go to China as such a trip can broaden his vision. "It is my dream to travel to China as this will certainly help open my eyes to the outside world. This will be a good chance and platform for me to learn from my Chinese and other countries' artists while showcasing Fijian culture and build connections," he said. The China Cultural Center, an unofficial organization from China, which was opened to public in downtown Suva, capital of Fiji in 2015, arranged the two groups' visits to China. Deng Xianfu, director of China Cultural Center, said the center is willing to sponsor Fijians for such visits with the goal of helping build the Pacific island nation's cultural capacity. "While promoting Chinese culture here in Fiji, we also like to work toward facilitating cultural development in the country, giving local professionals the opportunity to gain experience and exposure, to be equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to progress the country through effective capacity building," he said. Deng expressed his confidence that his center will play an active role in enhancing mutual understanding, exploring new frontiers of cultural cooperation and promoting mutual learning between China and South Pacific island countries, including Fiji. Gu Yu, deputy chief of mission of the Chinese embassy in Suva, attended the ceremony on behalf of Chinese Ambassador Zhang Ping. He said cultural exchange, which is the common aspiration of the peoples, has become a major component of China-Fiji relations, playing the role as a bridge and bond that connect the hearts and souls of the two peoples. "Being located on the natural extension of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, Fiji is well positioned in the Belt and Road cooperation. A closer cooperation under the Belt and Road framework between our two countries will enable us to tap the great potentials to benefit the country's economic development and improve people's livelihood," he said. "I believe that with the joint efforts of our countries, China-Fiji, China-South Pacific cultural exchanges and cooperation will be broadened and more fruitful results will be achieved." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 12:56:04|Editor: An Video Player Close CHICAGO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin approved an incentive package of 3 billion U.S. dollars for manufacturing giant Foxconn on Thursday. The bill was passed on a bipartisan 64-31 vote to attract Foxconn to build a massive flat-screen display factory in southeast Wisconsin. It would make 2.85 billion dollars available to Foxconn in cash payments if it invests 10 billion dollars and hires 13,000 local workers. If Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signs the bill, it would clear the way for him to ink a final contract with Foxconn. U.S. President Donald Trump announced Foxconn's plan to build a factory in Wisconsin at a White House event in July, accompanied by Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou. The investment plan, labeled by Walker as "the largest economic development project in the history of Wisconsin," involves a virtual village, with housing, stores and service businesses spreading over at least 4 square km, according to media reports. Multiple U.S. states competed over the Foxconn investment, but Wisconsin secured Gou's favor after agreeing to subsidize the enterprise with 3 billion dollars for the next 15 years if Foxconn fulfills its promise to pay an average annual salary of 54,000 dollars to its local employees. Foxconn is the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer, most notable for making iPhones in China. The Wisconsin plant would construct liquid crystal display panels for televisions, computers and other uses. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 13:26:08|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close OTTAWA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The United States will not defend Canada if it is targeted in a ballistic missile attack, according to Canadian television network CTV on Thursday. "We're being told in Colorado Springs that the extant U.S. policy is not to defend Canada," said Lt.-Gen. Pierre St-Amand, deputy commander of Colorado-based North American Air Defense Command (NAADC) and also top Canadian officer at the NAADC. "That is the policy that's stated to us. So that's the fact that I can bring to the table," St-Amand told the Canada's House of Commons Defence Committee, which is studying the extent to which Canada is ready for an attack by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). St-Amand said Canadian and U.S. military personnel at the NAADC headquarters in Colorado Springs work side-by-side detecting potential airborne threats to North America. However, he said Canada would have no role in deciding what to do if the DPRK or any other country fired a missile at North America. Canadian military personnel would instead be forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as U.S. officials decided how to act. St-Amand's comments appeared to confirm the worst fears of many people who believe it is time for Canada to join the U.S. ballistic missile defence shield. Serious concerns over whether Canada should join the U.S. ballistic missile defence program emerged this summer following a series of intercontinental missile tests by the DPRK, including a recent missile launch from Pyongyang. The missile flew over Japan before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it travelled about 3,700 km, reaching a maximum height of 770 km. The current Canadian government in its recent defence policy review chose to uphold a 2005 decision by former prime minister Paul Martin to remain outside of the U.S. missile shield. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 13:56:26|Editor: An 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 is now also 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. 15 (Xinhua) -- The following is a set of numbers related to the wide support of the international community for China on the South China Sea issue: 21 -- In May 2016, the seventh Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held in Qatar issued the Doha Declaration, in which 21 Arab countries expressed their support for China's stance on the South China Sea issue. It is the first such declaration issued by a regional organization, the Arab League, on the matter, which has a strong demonstration effect on the international community. 80 -- Subsequently, more than 80 countries and international and regional organizations have voiced understanding and support for China's position on the South China Sea issue. 120 -- Hundreds of political parties, institutions, leading think-tanks and non-governmental organizations in 120 countries have voiced support for China's stance on resolving the South China Sea dispute through negotiations and consultations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 14:01:28|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close KABUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Five Taliban militants were killed in two separate incidents in eastern Afghanistan, authorities said on Friday. On Thursday, three militants were killed and one other detained after Afghan National Army launched an operation in Joni, an area on the outskirt of Gardez city, capital of eastern Paktia province, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The army personnel also seized one vehicle and rounds of weapons and ammunition after the raid. In addition, two militants were killed after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) they were planting along a road went off prematurely Thursday night in Tagab district of neighboring Kapisa province, the army Corps Selab 201 based in the region said in a statement earlier on Friday. Militancy and counter-militancy traditionally gets momentum in spring and summer commonly known as fighting season in Afghanistan. Local observers believe that the militants would intensify activities in summer to gain more territory and defame the government ahead of winter and snowfall in the mountainous country. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 14:01:30|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BISHKEK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Sapar Isakov on Thursday held a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev discussing bilateral ties, the government's press service reported. The two leaders discussed the implementation of the agreements reached during Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev's state visit to Russia in July, the report said. They also discussed issues of bilateral cooperation and stressed the need to continue the current dynamics of cooperation between the two countries, according to the report. It said Medvedev congratulated Isakov on his appointment as prime minister of Kyrgyzstan. Atambayev signed a decree on Aug. 26, announcing appointments of Isakov and the cabinet members. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 14:06:32|Editor: An Video Player Close NANNING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Yang Hong, vice president of Vietnamese footwear company Binh Tien Imex (Biti's) has not missed a single China-ASEAN Expo in 14 years. During the period, Biti's has become an increasingly popular brand in China, with supply often falling short of demand. But at the ongoing 14th China-ASEAN Expo, Yang admits he has worries. "To expand our businesses in China, we have to find bigger, influential partners instead of continuing to rely on small distributors, who often do not enjoy tax advantages and have limited channels to sell," Yang says. One of the solutions is to expand the business online. Yang says the company is already in talks with Chinese e-commerce giants such as Alibaba for potential cooperation. E-commerce could add 1-2 million yuan (about 152,750 to 305,500 U.S. dollars) to the company's sales every month, Yang says. An increasing number of companies in ASEAN are seeing e-commerce as a new growth engine for China-ASEAN trade. E-commerce giants are also trying to tap into a market with a population of about 2 billion and growing purchasing power. "China and ASEAN has great potential for cooperation in e-commerce," says Qian Keming, China's vice minister of commerce, on the sidelines of the expo, which runs from Tuesday to Friday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Many Chinese e-commerce companies have already launched campaigns in ASEAN, improving bilateral trade. JD.com, for example, sold more than 115,000 Thai durians to Chinese customers in a single day in May, a record on its fresh food e-commerce platform. Suning.com, another e-commerce platform in China, operates a China-ASEAN e-commerce platform, which was established in late 2016. It has had well over 1.2 million orders and sales over 26 million yuan. "For Suning's overseas operation, the Southeast Asia market is of significant strategic value," said Fan Chunyan, vice president of Suning.com. On the sidelines of the expo, the Guangxi branch of China Post signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, promising to sell Malaysian products, including coffee and beauty products, on its e-commerce portal ule.com. Ong Ka Chuan, second minister of the Malaysian International Trade and Industry Ministry, says he believes China's success in e-commerce could assist ASEAN to build a platform for businesses to grow and integrate into the global eco-system. China and ASEAN will have more cooperation opportunities in e-commerce with the help of the Belt and Road Initiative, he says. For e-commerce to further gain steam in ASEAN, many challenges remain, such as in logistics. Tao Yu, vice president of DHGate.com, a cross-border e-commerce site, says customs clearance in some ASEAN countries can still be relatively complicated, requiring local as well as cross-border e-commerce companies to better cope with the issue. Another challenge comes from cross-border payment methods. While third-party mobile and online payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay have gained increasing popularity in China, their presence in ASEAN is still very limited. Pornchai Tarkulwaranont, vice minister of Thailand's Ministry of Science and Technology, says the use of digital currency and online payments is the most important factor to speed up the growth of e-commerce in ASEAN. Advanced technologies such as blockchain are considered as solutions to cross-border payment, and many ASEAN countries, including Thailand, are already experimenting with them, he says. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 14:36:41|Editor: An Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has decided to extend anti-subsidy duties levied on potato starch imported from the EU for another five years, starting Saturday. Potato starch imports from the EU are subject to anti-subsidy duties ranging from 7.5 to 12.4 percent, according to an MOC ruling on Sept. 17, 2011. The latest decision followed a review launched a year ago that found the domestic industry could be harmed if anti-dumping duties were discontinued. Potato starch is widely used in the food industry. The MOC data showed China's apparent consumption of potato starch rose from 330,000 tonnes in 2012 to 400,000 tonnes in 2015. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 14:56:50|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close LIMA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Peru's Congress ousted President Pedro Pablo Kuczysnki's cabinet in a vote of no-confidence early on Friday, pushing the Andean country into its worst political crisis in years. Peru's single-chamber Congress, where opposite Popular Force has an absolute majority, voted 77-22 to dismiss Prime Minister Fernando Zavala's cabinet. Kuczynski now has 72 hours to swear in a new cabinet. While he cannot name Zavala as prime minister again, Kuczynski can reappoint other ministers in his cabinet. Kuczynski dared Congress on Wednesday to revoke its confidence in his cabinet if it insisted on forcing out his second education minister. Kuczynski's former education and finance ministers had been forced to resign amid allegations of ethical breaches, while a third minister quit to avoid being censured. Under Peru's constitution, if Congress does not give a president a vote of confidence for his cabinet twice, the president can summon new legislative elections. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 15:21:55|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close KABUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-five militants were killed amid military and cleanup operations in different places in Afghanistan within the last 24 hours, the country's Defense Ministry said Friday. "The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces launched 16 cordon operations and 12 special operations across Afghanistan over the past 24 hours, killing 25 armed militants and injuring two others," the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates. Among those killed militants was a local Taliban commander named Toor Khan, the statement added. The joint security forces also seized one vehicle and a motorcycle, and destroyed rounds of militants' ammunition and weapons together with three vehicles during the above raids, the statement read. The Afghan air force conducted 109 flights in support of ground forces and launched 18 airstrikes against militants over the period. Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against militants as the war-weary people are facing upsurges in attacks by Taliban and Islamic State (IS) militants across the country. A released Chibok girl (R) hugs her relative in Abuja, Nigeria, May 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Olatunji Obasa) by Olatunji Saliu ABUJA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- For Hauwa Takai, the dream of becoming a lawyer is almost coming true. She hopes to study law, her childhood dream in a university in Nigeria soon. Preparing to go back to school, starting with a pre-degree program specially organized for them in a university in Nigeria's northeastern state of Adamawa, the 17-year-old Takai, together with 105 other girls abducted more than three years ago by terror group Boko Haram in Chibok Town of Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, had a long walk to victory. Considered lucky following their release several months ago by their abductors, the girls, whose experience can be metaphorically likened to that of a person who fell into a lions' den and returned alive, were offered university scholarships by the Nigerian government. Later this month, they will be back to school after undergoing a full rehabilitation by the government. "I am so delighted, I'll be back to school. I want to become great in life, putting behind me the bitter experience I've had," Takai told Xinhua in an interview. Takai and the 105 other girls were among 276 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram while writing their high school final exams at the Government Secondary School in Chibok on the night of April 14, 2014. Fifty-seven managed to escape soon afterward, leaving behind 219. On Oct. 13, 2016, some 21 of the girls were released by their abductors following a negotiation with the Nigerian government. Last May, 82 other girls were released following further negotiation. Altogether, 106 girls were admitted to a government's rehabilitation facility in Nigeria's capital city of Abuja, as two other girls were rescued and one escaped from the kidnappers' den. While in therapy, the girls were prepared to return to school. At the rehabilitation center, the girls received ICT training and learned some livelihood skills, including catering and sewing. Each of the girls was allowed to learn two vocational skills at the rehabilitation center. They also learned the English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Agricultural Science, and Biology -- five higher middle school subjects. They were divided into about five classrooms, where 20 teachers were hired to teach them the various aforementioned subjects. Between two to four girls occupied a room in the hostel provided for them. Two in-house doctors and nurses saw to the girls' medical needs while in rehab. At a ceremony held in Abuja by the government to celebrate the girls' victory as they set forth for school, the young girls had the opportunity to wine and dine again with their respective families whom they had obviously missed. One of their teachers, Felix Biya, told Xinhua most of the girls had regained their self-confidence and were now in "very stable condition." The Nigerian government has said it was still negotiating for the release of the remaining abducted school girls, including other citizens under the Boko Haram captivity. Calling on the captors to come to the table to negotiate the release of those in captivity, Aisha Alhassan, minister of women affairs and social development, said the government has never relented in the negotiation. "And I want to assure you that there is light at the end of the tunnel," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 15:42:00|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close DOHA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani visited Turkey on late Thursday to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, local news agencies reported Thursday. During the meeting, the two leaders held talks on "bilateral ties and regional issues especially the Gulf crisis." Erdogan strongly spoke out against the sanctions imposed on Qatar by the Saudi-led bloc. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a boycott on it, accusing the tiny gas-rich country of supporting terrorism and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival. Ankara has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that left Qatar diplomatically and economically isolated. To help its chief rally in the Gulf region, Turkey has delivered food to Qatar both by air and sea after the Arab boycott against Doha. Moreover, Ankara built a military base in Qatar and reportedly has deployed around 200 troops there. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 16:07:11|Editor: Mengjie 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 is also available on television and online. To help viewers better understand Chinese diplomacy, Xinhua is releasing a variety of reports that include anecdotes, clips from major speeches, facts and figures. BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The following are a selection of keywords concerning China's foreign policy and related explanations: CHINA'S AFRICAN POLICY In March 24, 2013, ten days after being elected president of China, Xi Jinping visited Africa on his first trip abroad as president. Xi announced that China-Africa relations should be guided by sincerity, concrete results and good faith in a speech at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Center in Tanzania. "Friendship and cooperation between the two people has become symbols of China-Africa relations and are well received by the international community," said Xi. CHINA'S NEIGHBORHOOD DIPLOMACY After President Xi took office in 2013, China's neighborhood diplomacy entered a new phase, one featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. "A good neighbor is not to be traded for gold," Xi famously said in 2013. China's neighborhood diplomacy will not only benefit its neighboring countries, but will also contribute to the peace and prosperity of the region and the rest of the world. In October, 2016, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte paid a four-day visit to Beijing, China. The visit presented an opportunity for relations between the two countries to restart on fresh, more positive footing. Duterte's visit, like those by Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyuen Xuan Phuc and Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak, indicates that cooperative relationships are now playing a leading role in regional diplomacy. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 16:47:27|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's new yuan-denominated lending in August hit 1.09 trillion yuan (about 167.7 billion U.S. dollars), up from 825.5 billion yuan in July, the central bank data showed Friday. The M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, at the end of August rose 8.9 percent from a year earlier, slowing down from 9.2 percent recorded a month ago, the People's Bank of China said in a statement on its website. The narrow measure of money supply (M1), which covers cash in circulation plus demand deposits, rose 14 percent year on year, down from the 15.3 percent rise registered at the end of July. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 17:02:34|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close NAY PYI TAW, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi met with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at the Presidential Office in Nay Pyi Taw Friday. The two sides discussed the promotion of education, health, investment and trade. Lam arrived in Myanmar Thursday to attend the 14th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) scheduled in Yangon Saturday. She also met with Myanmar's Vice President U Myint Swe and visited the Maniyadana Jade Hall in the capital. Held in various cities once every two years since 1991, the WCEC aims to provide a platform for Chinese entrepreneurs and the business and industrial sector from around the world to enhance economic cooperation and understanding. HKSAR and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had earlier announced the conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement and a related investment agreement. Following her visits to Singapore and Thailand in early August, Myanmar is the third ASEAN country that the chief executive visited. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 17:32:54|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- An Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) outbreak in Ethiopia's northern regional states of Afar, Amhara and Tigray has infected about 4,500 people over the last four months according to Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Health. Amhara regional state had the highest number of infected people with 3,000, followed by Tigray regional state at 1,200 and Afar regional state at 300. Speaking to reporters on Friday, health minister Yifru Berhan said the diarrhea outbreaks are being controlled through collaboration of his ministry and regional health bureaus. The ministry in particular is working on eradicating possible Acute Watery Diarrhea breeding grounds by treating unhygienic conditions in mining areas, agricultural areas and factories. Berhan also said educational programs on the cause of AWD are being taught in addition to monetary assistance being given to regional health bureaus to deal with diarrhea outbreaks. With Ethiopia's rainy season stretching from late June to September already underway, the ministry has urged community members to stay vigilant to avoid the spread of infectious diarrhea. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 17:37:55|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close ANKARA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The official lawyer of Turkish main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu was detained early Friday in Ankara, local media reported. Celal Celik was taken into custody over alleged links to the Gulen Movement, accused by Turkish government of orchestrating last year's coup attempt. The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office issued the detention warrant as a part of investigations into the followers of Gulen network. Celik is also a CHP high disciplinary board member. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 17:37:56|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday said it opposes ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) against UN Security Council resolutions. The DPRK reportedly fired a missile over Japan's northern island Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday. "China opposes DPRK ballistic missile launches against the UN Security Council resolutions," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. "Currently the situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex, sensitive and serious. All parties concerned should exercise restraint and avoid any acts that may escalate tensions," Hua said. Related: Commentary: Denuclearizing Korean Peninsula should avoid tricky loop, find political means BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- It's time for parties concerned to end the tricky loop on the Korean Peninsula impasse. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 17:58:00|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close LILONGWE, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A magistrate court in Lilongwe, Malawi, Thursday sentenced 44-year-old Angolan, Joad Matateu Manuel, to five years imprisonment with hard labor for attempting to smuggle cocaine through Kamuzu International Airport, KIA. Police Spokesperson for KIA, Sgt. Sapulain Chitonde, said in a statement made available to Xinhua that Manuel, who hails from Luanda in Angola, was arrested on August 30 at KIA when he was about to board Kenya Airways en-route to Nairobi. Upon search of his travelling bags Manuel was found with male condoms containing a liquid which, when examined by the country's National Quality Control Laboratory, was confirmed to be cocaine weighing 2.1 kg. Manuel pleaded guilty before court, according to the police spokesperson, hence the five-year jail term sentence. "The State, through Deputy Director of Prosecution, asked the court to pass an immediate custodial sentence of not less than five years considering that drug traffickers are people with money and a fine would mean nothing to the convict," said Chitonde. He continued: "The state further stressed in the court that Malawi government would never allow to be used as a transit country for dangerous drug dealers and that the Angolan sentence should send warning shots to any would-be-offenders." Manuel through his lawyers, pleaded for a suspended sentence saying he could not understand any language apart from Portuguese and that he suffers from hypertension and custodial sentence would do more harm to him. But the state said Malawi prisons were already keeping convicts with language barriers like Manuel and that the Angolan case would not be unusual. On health services, the state said there was fully fledged health facility at Maula Prison where the Angolan would be confined to serve his jail term and that the facility would take care of Manuel's hypertension problem. The drug was forfeited and destroyed right at the court, according to the police spokesperson, and after serving his sentence, the convict will be deported to his country and he will also be declared a prohibited immigrant in line with section 4 of the Immigration Act. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:13:12|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China here on Friday said that four Chinese fishing ships were searching for a ship of Ecuadorian origin reportedly missing off Peru. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing that the ship with six Ecuadorian crew members on board was reported missing on Sept. 14. "The search is ongoing," said Hua, noting that the four Chinese fishing ships operating nearby received a request for help from the Peruvian coast guard. "We hope the crew members will be found safe," said Hua. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:18:13|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Chief Ahmed Aboul-Gheit on Friday condemned the twin attacks that killed 83 people in southern Iraq. The attacks, carried out by gunmen and suicide bombers near the city of Nasriyah, also wounded nearly 100 according to local media. Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Aboul-Gheit stressed solidarity with the Iraqi people and government in the fierce fight to uproot terrorism, the AL statement said. He hailed the accomplishments and sacrifices of the Iraqi forces for liberating their country completely from the IS militants. The head of the Arab organization called for comprehensive dialogue among the different components in Iraq to solve the current differences and cut off the route for those seeking to harm the Iraqi national security. Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the United States that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country. The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:23:14|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close by Will Koulouris SYDNEY, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- With the Antarctic region serving as a hub of global scientific research, the head of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) said that the collaboration between Australia and China in the region is an "exemplar" of the great relationship between the two nations. Nick Gales, director of the AAD, told Xinhua recently that the partnership between China and Australia in scientific studies in the polar zone that has been going on for nearly 40 years is continuing to blossom, with both nations maintaining and growing a strong working relationship. "With China in particular, we started our relationship with China a long time ago, and we took the first Chinese scientists down to Antarctica as part of the Australian Antarctic program back in the early 1980s," Gales said. "From those very early days we have maintained a really close working relationship with Chinese scientists -- China has become increasingly interested in Antarctica, and has been growing its activities down there." The recent visit in 2014 by President Xi Jinping with a focus on Antarctic collaboration is "extraordinary," according to Gales, who said that the visit further cemented the ties between the two nations in their Antarctic endeavors. "It's very prominent in the relationship between our two countries, and it's a great exemplar of where we work very well together, and collaboratively," Gales said. "One of China's major stations is right next to one of our major stations -- the Zhongshan is right next to Davis -- and so we share a lot of logistics, and we are increasingly collaborating on more and more research projects," he said. "We are really excited. Our relationship continues to mature, and to grow in different areas," Gales said. "The science is really exciting, and doing it with the Chinese who are now really major players in the Antarctic treaty system, is incredibly exciting," he added. As the head of the AAD, Gales is looking forward to a workshop to be held at his headquarters in Hobart in Australia's Tasmania state later this month, which will see representatives from China visit for the first time under the Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening bilateral Antarctic cooperation that was signed by the two leaders in 2014. "From that workshop I think we will take another step again in continuing to expand the number of projects, and the areas with which we work together, and really bring the combined strengths of Australia's logistics and science, along with China's, together," Gales said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:38:28|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BANJUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Gambian President Adama Barrow has laid the foundation stone on Thursday to mark the official commencement of the construction of the Chinese funded International Conference Center at a tune of 50 million US dollars. Barrow said the bond of friendship and cooperation between The Gambia and China is growing stronger within the framework of South-South Cooperation, and that the strategic partnership between the two countries is based on mutual respect and common interest. "The construction of the Center comes at the right time, to showcase the new Gambia, as a viable and peaceful destination, and as a place of democracy, good governance, rule of law, and freedom of speech," he said. The Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia Zhang Jiming said The Gambia International Conference Center is the very first major bilateral cooperation project between China and The Gambia since the resumption of the diplomatic ties. He said it is so far the biggest grant project in terms of finance scale in the history of the bilateral relations. "The project demonstrates China's resolve to closely combine its own development with assisting the development of The Gambia and Africa as a whole so as to realize win-win cooperation for common development," he said. Bai Lamin Jobe, The Gambia's Infrastructure Minister said the building will have a conference hall which will have a capacity of 1,021 persons. According to him, it will have four thematic rooms each with a 200-person capacity, and it will also have fourteen bilateral meeting rooms, four press rooms, banquet halls and offices. He said the contractor is China Jiangsu Provincial Construction Company Ltd and it will last for two years. The two countries established formal diplomatic links in 1974, but China suspended relations in 1995 when Gambia resumed so-called "diplomatic" ties with Taiwan. Gambia severed ties with Taiwan in 2013. China and Gambia resumed diplomatic ties in March 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:43:30|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday called on Somalia government to build strong and credible democratic institutions that will promote peace and stability in the country. The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu lauded the government for its continued progress towards a more inclusive democratic governance system and the peaceful transition to a new government in early 2017. "We encourage all stakeholders to rise above political distractions in order to work together to achieve progress in democratization and good governance," the embassy said in a statement issued to mark the International Day of Democracy. Washington also encouraged the Western-backed government to continue to enhance its commitment to democratization by putting in place the legal and institutional tools needed to make progress towards one-person one-vote elections in 2020/2021. The U.S. also called on Somalia to hasten completion of the constitutional review, and build strong credible institutions that are accountable to the people of Somalia. The statement said the Horn of Africa nation is a country recovering from many years of conflict, and the road to democracy is long and full of challenges. "The United States remains a strong partner to Somalia in its effort to build strong, credible, and democratic institutions that will promote peace and stability in the country," it said. The global community observes the International Day of Democracy on Sept. 15 to raise public awareness about democracy. This year's theme of democracy and conflict prevention focuses on the critical need to strengthen democratic institutions to promote peace and stability. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:43:32|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen on Friday lashed out at the United States for interfering in Cambodia's internal affairs and stopping issuing visas to Cambodian foreign ministry high ranking officials. "I'd like to call on our compatriots to stand up, holding the policy of nationalism, in order to protect our national sovereignty and oppose the interference from the foreign power," the prime minister said during a visit to more than 10,000 garment factory workers in the western outskirts of Phnom Penh. "I don't want to see the events like in 1965 and in 1966 - the anti-American Embassy protests - to happen again, but the spirit of nationalism among the Cambodian people is high and (we) cannot accept your insult," he said. Argument between the two countries has escalated these weeks after the Cambodian government accused the United States of secretly supporting recently-arrested opposition leader Kem Sokha to oust the government. However, the United States denied the allegations. "Cambodia has no intention to make troubles with the U.S., so the U.S. should not watch Cambodia in the bad way," he said. Meanwhile, Hun Sen announced that the country suspended cooperation with the United States in searching for the remains of American soldiers missing in Cambodia during the Vietnam War decades ago. Ninety American soldiers had gone missing in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, and only 41 of them had been found so far, he said. Hun Sen said the suspension was made in retaliation for the U.S. visa ban on Cambodian foreign ministry high ranking officials. The U.S. side said the visa restrictions came after Cambodia refused to accept or unreasonably delayed the return of its nationals, whom the United States seeks to expel. The Cambodian prime minister said Cambodia did not cancel a deportation agreement with the U.S. side, which was signed 15 years ago, but requested the United States to amend the agreement to allow convicted Cambodians to continue living in the country after they had served their prison sentence. Under the effective agreement, Cambodians, who are permanent residents of the United States, will be deported to Cambodia if they are convicted of a felony. Hun Sen said that it is an "inhumane" act to deport those convicted Cambodians, separating them from their family members in the United States for the whole life. Some 550 convicted criminals with Cambodian heritage have been deported from the United States since 2002, many of whom cannot even speak Cambodian language. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:58:48|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close by Peter Mutai NAIROBI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Climate change effects are to blame for the increasing acute undernourishment of children in Kenya, the United Nations said in a report released in Nairobi on Friday. According to the UN, the failure of the March-June long rains, the third consecutive poor rains since early 2016 has contributed an additional 37,000 children across the country below the threshold of acute malnutrition. "Climate-related issues have increased food insecurity in parts of northern Kenya where malnutrition rates have doubled in recent months," the UN report says. The report noted that the country's undernourishment affected 8.8 million people, accounting for 19.1 percent of the population. It states that almost 370,000 children across the country now require treatment for acute malnutrition, including 72,600 who are suffering from the most severe form and requires specialized life-saving care. "In four out of 17 surveys conducted in June and July, acute malnutrition rates were at least double the emergency threshold of 15 percent," the report said. The failure of the March-June long rains, following two extremely poor rains in 2016, have led to widespread crop failure, acute water shortages, and declining production of milk in years, which pastoral children rely on for protein. The report further blames drought related migration, early child marriages and child labor to lack of food and water. "Several schools have closed while others are overcrowded because of migrating children or children who come in search of school-feeding," it says. Following the development in the country, the UN children's fund (UNICEF) has urged for efforts to help fund its drought response. "We need to make nutritious food, safe water and basic health care far more accessible to vulnerable children and families so that malnourished children can recover, and so that those at risk do not fall sick," UNICEF's Representative in Kenya Werner Schultink said. Schultink revealed that the UN agency has reached 60 percent more children with life-saving assistance in the first half of 2017 compared to 2016, yet more and more children are becoming malnourished. UNICEF is repairing water points in the country to help avail water to additional nine million children who lack access to safe water. According to the report, Turkana Central, Turkana North and North Horr in Marsabit in northwestern Kenya registered acute malnutrition rates between 30 and 37 per cent. Across the country, 1.6 million children are now food insecure, up from 1.2 million in February and 600,000 in August 2016. Poor feeding practices, disease outbreaks and limited access to health services in the country are being exacerbated by a nationwide nurses' strike, now in its third month. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017 was jointly prepared by UNICEF, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, World Food Program and the World Health Organization. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 18:58:50|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday said it opposes ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) against UN Security Council resolutions. The DPRK reportedly fired a missile over Japan's northern island Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday. "China opposes DPRK ballistic missile launches against the UN Security Council resolutions," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. "Currently the situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex, sensitive and serious. All parties concerned should exercise restraint and avoid any acts that may escalate tensions," Hua said. In response to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's statement calling on China and Russia to take "direct actions" to rein in the DPRK, Hua said China has comprehensively and completely implemented Security Council resolutions and made great sacrifices for this. "There is no doubt about China's sincerity and efforts in carrying out its international obligations, and its determination to realize denuclearization on the peninsula and uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime," said Hua. She said the essence of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is a security issue and the crux is the disagreements between the DPRK and the United States. "China is neither the focus of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, nor the core to resolving the issue. Neither is it the propellent of the current tensions," she said, urging parties directly concerned to take up their due responsibilities. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 19:08:57|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- At least six Pakistani security personnel were injured in a bomb explosion along Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency, local media reported on Friday. The blast happened near Torkham border crossing at Pakistan side of the border, Dunya News said. The border was closed for all kinds of transport, following the attack. Security forces cordoned off the area for investigation, but the nature of the attack has not been determined yet. The injured have been shifted to a nearby hospital. The attack came a day after Pakistani Army's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that a six member high level Pakistan military delegation headed by director general of military operations of Pakistan Army, participated in the meetings at Ministry of Defense in Afghan capital city of Kabul. In the Pak-Afghan bilateral meeting, important issues linked to cross border firing and attacks, counter terrorism, coordinated actions on respective side along the border and detainees exchange were discussed, the ISPR said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 19:29:08|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close by Robert Manyara ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sherry Zhang, the General Manager of Huajin shoe making factory, is a zealous Chinese investor with a determination to expand job opportunities for Ethiopia's skilled youthful population. In the next five years, her firm that is located in Ethiopia capital Addis Ababa's Eastern Industrial Zone will be prospecting 100,000 jobs for the locals. "We currently have 4,200 employees and next year we expect to increase the number to 6,000," Sherry told Xinhua during a recent tour to the factory. "But our plan is to increase the workforce to 100,000 in the next five years," she added. Ethiopia, an Eastern Africa country with 102 million people has a lower unemployment rate than neighboring Kenya based on the 2017 Human Development Index (HDI) by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Kenya with its 45 million population ranks higher on percentage of unemployed people of working age. It stands at 39.1 percent against Ethiopia's 21.6 per cent with such investments as Huajin likely to drop the rating. The firm which opened its doors in 2012 manufactures shoes exported exclusively to the United States but sources raw materials including leather from local suppliers. Workers here are properly inducted into the system before they are officially taken in to undertake particular duties ranging from piecing the materials together to packaging the shoes ready for the market. They are taken through training on shoe making to enable them understand the process, basic Chinese language to break language and communication barriers as well as the company culture for seamless assimilation into the firm's working environment. "We are very keen on transferring technological and shoe making skills to the Ethiopians so that they are also able to become accomplished entrepreneurs," she said. Employees' social welfare is equally catered for as a canteen is suited within the premises and well equipped with cooks who never miss to prepare 'Injera', the Ethiopians' popular flatbread made from fermented teff flour. According to Sherry, the company hopes to generate annual revenue of 30 million U.S. dollars. By extension, establishment of Huajin is an achievement under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Its financing partner is China-Africa Development Fund created out of FOCAC's resolutions. Experts argue that FOCAC provides a platform for African countries to advance industrialization within their respective territories. "FOCAC presents partnership opportunities for Chinese investments in the African countries. It is however important that focus is put on building youth's technological capacities so that they are able to become entrepreneurs," said Gedion Jalata, the Program Manager for Africa-China Dialogue Platform. Mulugeta Tiruneh, Ethiopian Investment Commission (EIC) One Stop-Shop Service (OSS) Manager for the Eastern Industrial Zone, said the populous nation has the advantage of cheap labor, an attractive incentive to investors. He said the country's investment laws offer incentives to investors, profoundly creating a favorable environment for external business community. "Foreign investors can invest on their own or in partnership with their domestic counterparts in areas open for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment). There are no restrictions on equity ownership in joint-venture investment," said Tiruneh. He added that foreign investors are also exempted from payment of customs duty on imported capital goods, construction materials and spare parts worth up to 15 percent of the value of the imported goods. The World Bank in its Global Economic Prospects reckoned Ethiopia as among the fastest growing economy in 2017, which is projected to grow by 8.3 percent backed by its infrastructural development. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 19:34:10|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close HO CHI MINH CITY, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The 24th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting took place here Friday, seeking measures to sharpen competitive edges of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the digital age. Themed "Strengthening MSMEs' Competitiveness and Innovation in the Digital Age," the meeting in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City was attended by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, ministers from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)'s member economies, and economic experts from international organizations. Addressing the meeting, the Vietnamese prime minister said its theme is one of four priorities of APEC 2017 with three others including promoting sustainable, innovative and inclusive growth; deepening regional economic integration; and enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture in response to climate change. Delegates to the meeting explored ways of facilitating enterprises' access to markets, and deeper integration in global value chains, and creating more favorable business conditions for MSMEs' establishment and development in the digital age. Vietnamese Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said state agencies in charge of assisting MSMEs should catch up with digital trends to accelerate their startups and innovations. According to some delegates, changes in technology in terms of cloud, connectivity, artificial intelligence and big data are creating huge opportunities for every startup, in every sector. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 19:34:14|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close PYONGYANG, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Friday accused the United States of planning to re-deploy tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea. The spokesman for the Institute of American Studies at the DPRK's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Trump Administration is publicizing through the media the "possibility of redeploying tactical nuclear weapons" into South Korea and developing an up-to-date miniaturized nuclear bomb. "Recently, NBC and other American press reported that the Trump administration is currently examining various plans of developing an up-to-date miniaturized nuclear bomb of low intensity to deal with nuclear threats posed by countries like the DPRK and Russia," the official Korean Central News Agency quoted the spokesman as saying. The spokesman said the deliberate leakage of the information about tactical nuclear weapons by the Trump administration "coincides with its moves to impose heinous sanctions, pressure and military threat on the DPRK." It also "raises the alarm about the intention of the U.S. to unleash an actual nuclear war in the Korean peninsula," said the spokesman. "The U.S. has generated the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula by deploying more than 1,000 nuclear weapons into South Korea since the 1950's and turning it into the front-line base for nuclear war, and imposed a constant nuclear threat on the DPRK," he said. The spokesman said the United States had once declared the withdrawal of nuclear weapons from South Korea amid rising anti-nuclear drives in the early 1990's. "But it (U.S.) never stopped blackmailing and threatening the DPRK with its nuclear assets," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 19:44:17|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close JAKARTA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian counter-terrorism agency has returned a total of 15 out of 18 former followers of IS terrorist group to their families after they underwent a de-radicalization program, a senior official of the agency said here on Friday. The 18 persons, who left Indonesia in August 2015 for joining the IS activities in Syria, were deported to Indonesia last month after they escaped the IS group in Syrian city of Raqqa. "This is a momentum for institutions, linked with a fight against terrorism, to help each other, so they (the 15 persons) can be back to their communities," senior official of the agency Colonel Andy Prasetyo said in a statement. "We hope all stakeholders can help to recover the rights of the deported persons," he added. The 18 persons had undergone the de-radicalization program taking place in Bogor town near the country's capital, according to him. According to police, dozens of Indonesian citizens have returned home from joining IS activities in Syria. Indonesia has stepped up de-radicalization campaign in an effort to stop penetration of extremism among citizens. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 19:54:19|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close OSLO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iceland's center-right government that has been in power for just eight months was disbanded Friday as one of its three coalition partners decided to quit due to a "breach of trust" between the party and the prime minister, local media reported. Leaders of Bright Future, a junior partner party in the government, have ended their coalition with the Independence Party and its Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, according to the online newspaper Iceland Monitor. The Reform Party, another junior partner, has called for new elections as soon as possible, the newspaper said. It was revealed on Thursday that Benediktsson's father signed a letter of recommendation so that a convicted pedophile would receive what in Iceland is called "restored honor," which effectively wipes the criminal record of a person who has served his or her sentence. Letters of recommendation are required for this procedure. Minister of Justice Sigridur Andersen, also from the Independence Party, said Thursday night that she had informed Benediktsson of his father's letter in July, Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported. But Benediktsson neglected to inform Bright Future and Reform Party leaders of the letter until last Monday, according to RUV. After the October 2016 election, the Independence Party took a strong lead by securing 21 out of the 63 seats in parliament after winning 29 percent of the ballots cast. Together, the three-party coalition holds a slim majority with 32 seats. The center-right coalition government took office in January after lengthy negotiations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 20:09:26|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Freight was rolling again on Friday morning on New Zealand South Island's Main North Line, 10 months after last November's 7.8-magnitude Kaikoura earthquake. The first train carrying goods from Picton arrived in Christchurch on Friday, marking the start of a five-nights-per-week service, Transport Minister Simon Bridges said in a statement. "Keeping freight flowing easily and efficiently around New Zealand is critical to our economic growth and keeping our communities connected," Bridges said, adding that having this key freight service running again is "an immense achievement," which will take pressure off the inland routes while helping with the rebuild of State Highway 1 during the day. "Today's first rail services, even in a limited capacity, will take around 2,000 trucks off the road each month, building to 4,000 trucks when the line is fully operating again by the end of the year," Bridges said. Following November's quake, there were close to 60 major damage sites, including tunnels, bridges and embankments, and the line had been buried under more than 100 slips and landslides, he said, adding that approximately 60 bridges were damaged and repairs required at more than 750 sites. Repairs have been conducted by over 1,500 workers from KiwiRail, the NZ Transport Agency and their partners in the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery alliance, according to the minister. "The government is committed to restoring the road and rail services along this important coastal corridor," Bridges said, adding that a range of business support packages were provided for the tourism industry and primary sector to rebuild the local economy. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 20:09:27|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China has put 31 people under criminal coercive measures for a construction platform collapse in Jiangxi Province that killed 73 and injured another two, authorities said Friday. In China, criminal coercive measures may include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention or arrest. A State Council investigation concluded that the tragedy was a workplace safety accident caused by issues including lax supervision and the building company's failure to fulfill its work safety responsibilities, according to a report on the State Administration of Work Safety website. On Nov. 24, 2016, a platform being constructed for a cooling tower at a power plant collapsed in Fengcheng, causing a direct economic loss of about 102 million yuan (15.6 million U.S. dollars). Authorities have revoked the top-level contractor qualification and the work safety license of the company responsible, and handed out administrative penalties to other companies and people involved. The State Council also asked local authorities and building companies to draw lessons from the accident, raise awareness about work safety and improve the management for construction safety, according to the report. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 20:34:47|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close XI'AN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Four minutes. Just four minutes is all it takes for the rarest colors on earth to fade in front of a pair of human eyes. Han blue and Han purple, also called Chinese blue and Chinese purple, are made of synthetic barium copper silicate. The pigments were first used in paint in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.), and in large quantities in the Terracotta warriors unearthed from the tomb of Emperor Qinshihuang, China's first emperor, who lived between 259-210 B.C. "Almost every warrior and horse was painted, but after more than 2,200 years the pigments were so old they began to change just 15 seconds after they were unearthed, and within four minutes the lacquer layers that were bound with the pigments broke from the surface," said Xia Yin, director of relics protection department at Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum. "Before the artifacts were unearthed, they were protected by a cooler and more humid underground environment," said Xia, who has spent more than 20 years researching the artifacts. The life-sized clay figures were first discovered in 1974 in the underground mausoleum, the world's largest. But there were no advanced techniques to properly protect the warriors, Xia said. "Photographers did not have the time to take a picture before the paints began to disappear," he said. For the last 20 years, Chinese researchers have collaborated with German scholars on preserving colors on pottery. An exhibition is on in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province, where the mausoleum is located, to show the progress researchers have made in retaining the colors of the excavated artifacts. The exhibition started on Aug. 30 and will last three months. RARE PAINTS No written records have been found on the production of Han purple and Han blue. The rare paints were used on pottery, murals and tomb artifacts during the Western Zhou period (1046-771 B.C.) until the end of the Han dynasty (A.D. 220). However, since then they have disappeared. "Synthetic barium copper silicate is made from azurite, baryte, quartz and other minerals heated together in temperature around 1,000 degrees Celsius. We can try to make the pigments in labs, but it is a very difficult technique, even for today," Xia said. The paints were bound to the surface with lacquer, symbolizing luxury and status. They were used by emperors and noble families. Overall, in the Qinshihuang mausoleum, there are more than ten colors for the Terracottas, including scarlet, pink, green, jujube red, azure, pink-purple and reddish brown. "The colors on the surface of Terracotta warriors show vibrancy and liveliness in the emotions of the Qin people. It is definitely not one of sadness or low spirit," said Yuan Zhongyi, a senior archaeologist and retired curator of the museum. BETTER PROTECTION The first excavation began on Pit No.2 in 1994. Nearly 8,000 life-sized warriors and horses along with tens of thousands of pieces of weaponry have been uncovered in three pits. "We sprayed an antiseptic substance to the layers once the warriors were unearthed, wrapped them with plastic membranes to keep them humid and had skilled workers to clean the surface and work on them in labs," said Hou Ningbin, curator of the museum. The new techniques can keep the paint stable for over ten years, he said. The technology has been used on repairing unearthed artifacts from other parts of China. "Now visitors can see for themselves the scarlet hair bands, pink faces, scarlet lips, purple robes and pants of the warriors. They can also visit our digital museum to explore the vividness of colors on the warriors," Hou said. "The excavated part of the mausoleum is about 1 percent of the total. What we know is the tip of an iceberg. Many more things remain buried underground, but we'd rather things remain as they are now, because we may not be technically ready to protect them yet," Hou said. "The world of colors down below is still a mystery, and we need to be patient." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 20:44:53|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place in London on Friday, leaving at least 22 persons wounded. "Egypt asserted its solidarity with the British government and people in war against terrorism," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. "The accident asserted the importance of mobilizing all the international efforts to uproot terrorism," the statement added. A bomb detonated on a packed London underground train during the morning rush hour on Friday in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident." The incident created chaos in the area as the subway service was shut down and police stopped people from getting close. The blast took place after three deadly attacks hit areas of London this year, including Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and Finsbury Park, and one hit at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 20:54:58|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- East Africa bloc said Friday it was dismayed by the recent wave of terror attacks in Somalia by Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab, which has left several people dead and others injured. The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said Al-Shabaab is bent on trying to destroy the gains that the people and Somali government have achieved through their indomitable spirit, hard work and optimism. "IGAD condemns in the strongest terms possible the recent Al-Shabaab terror attacks on civilians carried out in Mogadishu and areas in the southern part of Somalia, and in which so many innocent citizens lost their lives and as many were injured within a span of two-week time," the bloc said in a statement. The regional bloc offered its heartfelt condolences to all those who have been affected by the terror attacks. "May those who lost loved ones have the strength to withstand the pain and may those who sustained injuries recover speedily," IGAD said. The bloc, which comprises of Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti lauded the courage and bravery showcased by Somalia government soldiers in defending their territory, their government, and their people against the repeated attacks against the institutions of the country. The regional bloc also appreciated the progress to the credit of the government made in bringing the country back to normalcy. "IGAD, yet again, affirms its unwavering solidarity with and support to the government and people of Somalia," the bloc said. The militants have recently increased their attacks against African Union and Somali forces especially in Mogadishu and southern Somalia, which has seen a surge of attacks that resulted in the loss of several strategic towns although the militants mainly held those towns briefly. The African Union Mission in Somalia and Somali forces backed by U.S. military have also intensified airstrikes in southern Somalia recently, resulting in the killing of several militants and some defections. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 21:00:03|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close XINING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A wildlife park on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has welcomed the decision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to downgrade the conservation status of the snow leopard from "endangered" to "vulnerable." According to the IUCN assessment justification, the global population of the species is estimated at between 2,500 to 10,000 and there is a projected decline of at least 10 percent over 22.62 years or three generations. The IUCN red list classifies an "endangered" species as one projected to decline by least 20 percent in 16 years or with a current population of fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. "It means reliable statistics have been found to prove the improved outlook for the species," said Qi Xinzhang, deputy head of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Wildlife Park. "But they are still not safe." Qi also said it is too early for conservationists and protection institutions to celebrate as the animal still faces a high risk of extinction. "Most people in China still know little about snow leopards. We have to work harder to get more people and institutions involved in the protection efforts," he said. "The downgrade will not hamper the Chinese government or the public's willingness to take action to protect the species," said Zhao Xiang, who is in charge of the snow leopard program at Beijing Shanshui Conservation Center. Zhao said the high altitude Himalayan habitat of snow leopard is also one of China's most important water sources and the country's most culturally diverse region. The region is also home to many other rare animals such as Tibetan foxes and manuls, according to Zhao. "The red list is not the only reason we should protect snow leopard," he said. "Last September, the IUCN took giant pandas off the endangered list, which boosted the confidence of many people and institutions in China as their protection efforts had gained positive results," said Qi. "We feel the same about the snow leopard." Qi said more work is required in artificial breeding programs for the species. Snow leopards are a Class A protected animal in China. They live in the Himalayas in central and south Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 meters. They have been spotted in China's Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and Tibet and Xinjiang autonomous regions. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 21:10:07|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close HANOI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of experts and scholars from China and Vietnam gathered here on Friday, discussing experiences in party building and state governance. The Workshop on Party Building and Governance of Vietnam and China in the New Period was jointly held here by the Institute of Chinese Studies under the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Chinese Embassy to Vietnam. Addressing the workshop, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Hong Xiaoyong said exchanges of experience in party building and state governance between China and Vietnam constitute an important part of cooperation between the two parties and two countries. The seminar provides a platform for the two sides to learn from each other, the ambassador said, expressing the belief that it will contribute to the development of the relations between the two parties and two countries. The academy's Vice President Dang Nguyen Anh said both Vietnam and China have made great achievements in reform and opening-up, which are inseparable from the importance attached to the party building and state governance by the two countries. Anh called on the participants to make contributions to the sustainable development of the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 21:10:08|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close By Tao Jun, Hong Dieu HANOI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- On a national road on Friday afternoon in Vietnam's Ha Tinh province lied a big brown container and a blank water tank. It was not a traffic accident but a rage of Doksuri, the most powerful typhoon in the country over the past decade. In the neighboring province of Nghe An, local officials and residents, wearing raincoats, used poles made from tree trunks still fresh with little branches and green leaves to reinforce a dyke in Quynh Luu district. Typhoon Doksuri swept Vietnam's central region, killing at least six local people, the country's Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said on Friday evening. The typhoon with violent winds, whose speed was up to 135 km per hour also blew away roofs of tens of thousands of houses, caused blackouts and telecommunications interruptions in many areas, forced over 30 flights and many train journeys to be canceled. At 11:00 on Friday, the typhoon's eye went to inland of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces, and caused heavy rain in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Tri province, according to Vietnam's National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. In Nghe An, a 83-year-old woman died when part of her house's ceiling fell down due to Doksuri. The typhoon also injured a local man, ripped roofs of over 200 houses, and damaged more than 700 meters of dykes in the province. In Nghe An's Cua Lo town, many seaside roads were inundated because it rained heavily and seawater level rose to over three meters. Some 16,000 people from the province had been evacuated before Doksuri came ashore. In Quang Binh, two people died after falling when they were reinforcing their houses amid Doksuri, said the provincial Flood and Storm Prevention Bureau. The typhoon also injured 10 people, and caused property losses of some 3,500 billion Vietnamese dong (nearly 155 million U.S. dollars) in the province. In Quang Binh's Quang Trach district, 100 percent of schools and medical stations, and 80 percent of houses had their roofs blew away by Doksuri. Four concrete poles fell in the typhoon, causing a medium-voltage line drop to a national road section in Quang Binh's Le Thuy district. Power cuts were reported in many districts in the province. In Ha Tinh, a 30-year-old man died after falling when reinforcing a restaurant in a resort. Meanwhile, over 23,000 houses had their roofs blown away by Doksuri, and many communes were inundated and isolated by flood water, said the provincial Flood and Storm Prevention Bureau. While moving amid Doksuri, a truck and two motorbikes were rollovered by strong winds, injuring two local people in Ha Tinh. The winds also threw some containers and tanks to a national road section, and broke a 100-m television tower in the province's Ky Anh town. Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong, who was present in Ha Tinh on Friday, told local media that people in many areas in the province could not contact by phone because telephone networks were damaged by the typhoon. At 17:00 local time, Doksuri's eye with wind speeds of 90 km per hour at maximum was in Laos' central region. It was forecast to weaken into a tropical depression by Friday night. On Friday evening, water levels of many rivers in Vietnam's central regions, including Ngan Sau, Ngan Pho, La, Giang, Kien Giang and Thach Han, continued to go up. Meanwhile, a hydroelectric plant in Ha Tinh had to discharge its water, so water level of Ngan Sau River continued to rise. Flash floods and landslides were most likely to happen in mountainous areas from Ha Tinh to Quang Tri on Friday night or Saturday morning, forecast local anti-flood and storm agencies. Due to the typhoon, national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines canceled 12 flights, while budget carrier Vietjet Air canceled 21 flights. State-owned Vietnam Railways Corporation did not let some trains depart as scheduled to avoid the typhoon. Sitting in Roon border post in Quang Binh's Quang Trach province on Friday afternoon, Nguyen Thi Chieu, a 56-year-old woman from Quang Phu commune, ate instant noodles along with seven of her nieces and nephews. "When water started going up, we ran away and then took center in the border post. The wind was too terrible. Now, I don't know our house by the sea can stand or not," the dark-skinned woman with a weather-beaten face sighed, casting her eyes somewhere in the thick curtain of darksome rain. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 21:10:12|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has sent condolences to Gaston Browne, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda lashed by Hurricane Irma. In his message dated Wednesday, Li expressed profound condolences to the victims of Hurricane Irma and extended sincere sympathy to the injured and the bereaved families. According to China's Ministry of Commerce, the Chinese government has provided humanitarian aid to Antigua and Barbuda, and launched the emergency mechanism to help with disaster relief and reconstruction after the hurricane. On Sept. 5 local time, Hurricane Irma hit the island of Barbuda, destroying 90 percent of buildings, cutting water and power supplies and leading to many casualties and huge property losses. The prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda said the island of Barbuda was "totally destroyed" and the cost was estimated at billions of U.S. dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 21:15:13|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close TOKYO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Top negotiators from the 11 remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) members will hold a meeting in Japan next week to discuss changing or freezing parts of the trade pact after the withdrawal of the United States, the Japanese government said on Friday. The talks, to run for two days starting from Thursday, would be focused on parts of the pact such as government procurement and the protection of intellectual property, as the 11 member countries are aiming to complete preparatory work by November to put the deal into force, local media reported. The leaders of the 11 countries are expected to meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Vietnam in November. Under current rules, to make the TPP pact come into effect, at least six original signatories have to have successfully ratified the agreement and those six signatories, between them, must represent 85 percent of the total GDP of the 12 original signatories. As the United States which represents nearly 62 percent of the TPP GDP, has drawn out of the TPP, it's impossible to ratify the pact for the TPP to come into effect under current rules. The TPP deal originally involved Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States and Vietnam. It was formally signed by ministers from these 12 countries in February last year after more than five years' negotiation. U.S. President Donald Trump announced in January the withdrawal of the United States from the TPP, saying it would hurt the interests of his countries. File photo shows a refugee family at the Ethiopia-Somalia border on Aug. 22, 2011. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia received 72,890 refugees in the first eight months of 2017 ending August 31, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Speaking to Xinhua on Friday, Kisut Gebreegziabher, Assistant Communications Officer at UNHCR Ethiopia said the largest group of refugees come from South Sudan at 44,000 followed by Eritreans at 17,000 and Somalis at over 6,400. "Refugees from South Sudan fled to Ethiopia to escape civil war, Eritrean refugees mentioned indefinite military conscription and human rights violations for their flight while Somalis mentioned a combination of conflict and drought for fleeing to Ethiopia" he added. The 72,890 refugees recorded in Ethiopia in the first eight months of 2017 have pushed the number of refugees living in Ethiopia to reach 852,721 as of August 21, making the country home to the second largest refugee population in Africa, according to UNHCR. Ethiopia's foreign ministry last month reaffirmed the country's open-door policy for refugees, saying the country has managed to sustain national development together with addressing issues of refugee. Gebreegziabher said UNHCR is giving basic social services to refugees living in 26 refugee camps in six regional states of Ethiopia. The social services given by UNHCR in the refugee camps include education, health, water and sanitation, food security, nutrition support and community empowerment. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 21:55:38|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Over the past few days, Fang Zhong, head of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has become something of an online celebrity. "I hope you choose physics, and fall in love with it," Fang told the freshmen at a Beijing high school on Aug. 29. Fang's remarks were in response to a worrying decline in "love" for physics among senior high school students. Among 290,000 students from east China's Zhejiang who took this year's "gaokao," the annual college entrance exam, only 80,000, or 27.5 percent, picked physics. In Shanghai, it was 30 percent. For many, this seemed like a direct result of changes to the exam. Criticized for early division between science and liberal arts, with students obliged to choose one path or the other, Shanghai and Zhejiang have been running a revised system.X Students can pick any three from six subjects, along with compulsory Chinese, math and English. Students consider physics too difficult and do not want to take risk. "Students who are good at science but weak in physics tended to replace it with a humanities subject," said a physics teacher surnamed Hou in Zhejiang. "Those subjects are 'safer' with smaller gaps in grades." The situation has caused deep concern, especially among educators. "Physics is the basis for many other natural sciences," said Li Yuwei, a physics teacher at the high school affiliated to Beijing Normal University. "Those with a physics background who transfer to other majors are more likely to succeed than those without it," he added. Xiong Bingqi, vice president of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, echoed his worries. "It's not good for producing talent with personality and creativity," he said. These qualities were usually neglected by students and their parents in blind pursuit of higher marks. "As long as that doesn't change, new gaokao will be no different from old gaokao" Li Yuqing, a teacher from northwest China's Gansu Province, pointed out some problems teaching physics in high school. "The teaching is limited to plans, outlines and homework, making it harder for students to do their own thing," he said. Physics teachers need to modify their teaching methods to help students study independently, think for themselves and solve problems. Li Yuwei has come up with a method of teaching four levels of content and complexity, which allows students to find their feet before they pick their exam subjects. "We're trying to make sure that no one who is interested, and good at physics, falls by the wayside, while those who are not so good can retain an interest," he explained. The Ministry of Education has set new standards on science in primary schools, which went into effect this semester. The standards stress inspiring children's curiosity and desire for knowledge, while regulating teaching methods, much to the delight of the teachers. "Younger kids are very curious about a lot of things, making it easier to get them interested," said Liu Ying, doctoral supervisor at Peking University. Still, Xiong Bingqi wants more to be done in terms of the college enrollment system, asking for more rights for colleges to separate exam results and enrollment. "Only by that can we make science education an inspiration," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:10:48|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Friday condemned the launch of another ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). "This manifest violation of Security Council resolutions comes just days after the DPRK conducted its sixth nuclear test," Guterres was quoted by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric as saying. "The Secretary-General calls on the DPRK leadership to cease further testing, comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and allow space to explore the resumption of sincere dialogue on denuclearization," said Dujarric in a statement. The secretary-general "will be discussing the situation on the Korean Peninsula with all concerned parties in the margins of the upcoming high level week of the United Nations General Assembly," he added. The DPRK reportedly fired a missile over Japan's northern island Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:10:49|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Friday revised its 2017 economic growth forecast downwards to 5.5 percent due to prevailing political uncertainty caused by presidential polls rerun. Cabinet Secretary in the National Treasury Henry Rotich told journalists in Nairobi that the prolonged electioneering period caused by nullification of the Aug. 8 presidential polls by the Supreme Court is negatively affecting the business climate. "Investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach towards new projects and this has forced the government to revise downwards its economic growth forecast for 2017," Rotich said during the launch of the Sector Working Groups for the Preparation of the Financial Year 2018/2019 and the Medium Term Budget. Kenya registered a 4.7 percent economic growth for the first quarter of 2017. "This growth was also lower than expected and can be attributed to the drought that affected agricultural sector which is the mainstay of the economy," he said. Rotich said that the government is waiting for growth figures for second quarter of 2017 in order to make an accurate forecast for the entire 2017 Gross Domestic Product growth. The National Treasury is also planning to launch austerity measures in order to cut wasteful spending. "The areas to be targeted will include non-essential spending such as foreign travel and hospitality," he added. "The savings in public expenditure will be used to fund rerun of the presidential polls slated for Oct. 17 as well as drought mitigating efforts," he noted. The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has requested approximately 125 million U.S. dollars to conduct the fresh polls. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:10:49|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BELGRADE, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Hainan Airlines launched their first flight to Serbia's capital on Friday with a ceremony to mark the occasion at Belgrade Airport. The airline's first airplane to arrive in Belgrade, as an extension of its existing flight to Prague, was awaited by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Transport Minister Zorana Mihajlovic, Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Manchang and representatives of Chinese companies in Serbia. Mihajlovic said at the ceremony that Hainan Airlines was one of the best airliners in the world and that by modernizing the infrastructure, the airport would have an opportunity to attract more of such companies. "I am especially satisfied because 200 passengers arrived and got the chance to see and get to know Serbia, and that we will be able to go much more often to China," she said Thanking Hainan Airlines for "believing in Belgrade and Serbia", Brnabic said that the trade balance between China and Serbia has increased by 10 percent in the first seven months of this year comparing to 2016, and Serbia wishes to become the central country within the Belt and Road Initiative. The company launched its Beijing-Prague flight in September 2015 to boost cultural and economic exchange between China and the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) region, and decided to extend it to Belgrade in order to strengthen this exchange and cooperation. The new route from Beijing to Belgrade via Prague includes two flights per week, on Mondays and Fridays. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:20:55|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close KIEV, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The "Normandy Four" diplomatic group on Ukraine's crisis may discuss the possible deployment of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping troops to the country's conflict-hit eastern region of Donbas, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Friday. While addressing the 14th Yalta European Strategy (YES) International conference in Kiev, Poroshenko said that all leaders of the Normandy countries -- Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France -- have shown "absolutely promising progress" in their readiness to discuss the issue. The Normandy Four or the Normandy Format is a group aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine in accordance with peace deals reached in Belarus's capital Minsk, in February 2015. The possible presence of the UN "blue helmets" in the Donbas could help ensure the implementation of the Minsk peace deal adopted by the Normandy format group in February 2015, Poroshenko said. On Sept. 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow will ask the UN Security Council to send peacekeepers to patrol the contact line in eastern Ukraine, and Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on the same day that Kiev was ready to consider the deployment of peacekeeping troops. On Sept. 12, Poroshenko announced that he will initiate the discussion at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly later this week. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:20:58|Editor: An Video Player Close Liu Qibao, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attends a five-day seminar participated by newly appointed ministers of publicity departments of the Party committees at provincial, district, city and sub-provincial levels, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 15, 2017. (Xinhua/Yan Yan) BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has stressed the importance of publicity work in preparation for the upcoming national congress of the CPC. Liu Qibao, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks Friday at the end of a five-day seminar. Newly appointed ministers of publicity departments of the Party committees at provincial, district, city and sub-provincial levels attended the seminar. Liu said that publicity heads should be aware of their great responsibilities and work hard to prevent the spread of erroneous ideas. He also pledged more support for creative work to guarantee the vitality and vigor of publicity work. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:21:00|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close by Ronald Njoroge NAIROBI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's budget for the 2018/2019 financial year is expected to hit 29 billion U.S. dollars, up from the 26 billion dollars for the current financial year, officials said on Friday. Principal Secretary in the National Treasury Kamau Thugge told participants in a budget forum in Nairobi that approximately 19 billion dollars will be raised through taxes and government fees. "The rest will be raised from domestic and external borrowing, including concessional loans from bilateral and multilateral partners," Thugge said during the launch of the Sector Working Groups for the Preparation of the 2018/2019 financial year. Thugge said that out of the total resource envelope of 29 billion dollars only 2.95 billion dollars will be available for discretionary spending. The bulk of the budget will cater for the public wage bill as well as interest payments on domestic and foreign debt. According to Thugge, next year's budget will focus on funding projects that will support strategic investments aimed at promoting economic growth and job creation. Thugge said that the budget deficit for the 2018/2019 financial year is expected to decline to less than 6 percent as part of measures to maintain overall macroeconomic stability. The treasury official noted that the government is committed to reducing the fiscal deficit in order to maintain public debt levels sustainable. "The net present value of public debt as a ratio of gross domestic product (GDP) as of the end of 2016 stood at 47.8 percent," he said, adding it remains below the debt sustainability threshold level, established by Bretton Woods institutions, of 75 percent of GDP. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 22:36:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Alusine Sesay FREETOWN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The atmosphere of grief that engulfed Sierra Leone following a devastating mudslide that hit the capital Freetown on Aug. 14 this year is gradually giving way to a recovery process. The day would ever be remembered in Sierra Leone for it left an indelible print on the minds of thousands of family members, who lost their loved ones in the historical mudslides and flooding that killed over one thousand people. According to government records, nearly five hundred people were buried at Waterloo in the outskirt of the Sierra Leone capital of Freetown. The disaster affected several communities across Freetown, but foremost among them were Mortomeh at Mount Sugar Loaf in the Regent Community where it is believed hundreds are still left buried under the rubble and Kaningo in the Lumley community, where hundreds were swept away by the flooding. One month after the disaster occurred, government and development partners are now focused on a massive recovery process. Temporary housing facilities have been provided at Old Skool in the Regent community, Juba Military Barracks and Kaningo community, for affected victims of the disaster. Mohamed Suma, a private security guard, is one of the lucky people who survived the dreadful mudslide that buried hundreds at Mortomeh. He lost eight of his family members including his seven years old daughter, Memunatu Suma. Mohamed is temporarily housed at Old Skool. He reflected on the fateful day and how he survived. "I can't imagine how it happens. I used to wake up early every morning. On that fateful day, I was standing outside smoking cigarette when I heard a loud roar. I saw the mountain rolling down towards the valley. I could not help but immediately ran away," he narrated. "I could not make an attempt to save my family because it was too late for me," he said. However, being temporarily housed under a tent at Old Skool, Mohamed seems to be overcoming the grief of losing his family to the mudslide. "I have to cope because it has been done. I cannot do anything else but to endure the pain," he said. At the temporal housing facilities provided by the government and partners, affected victims are served with meals twice per day while medical and water facilities are also available. The recovery process is being led by the Office of National Security (ONS). Languba Keili is the communication leader at ONS. He told Xinhua that 50 tents have been built at Juba Barracks, one for each household, while at Old Skool, more tents, each able to house over two households, were built. According to him, all affected victims would benefit from several humanitarian packages while temporarily being housed. "The first package is the Humanitarian Cash Transfer which all affected persons will receive in a three-month installment for their immediate needs. We are starting this September with the sum of Le870, 000 (over 100 U.S. dollars) and in October Le217, 500, and Le217, 500 in November for every household," he said. He continued that the second part would be meant to provide food for all affected persons, who choose to find their own accommodations, starting from this September with a package of food supply for household, while cash transfer of Le783, 000 would take place in October, plus Le783, 000 in November. "All payment will be made through Airtel money transfer and they will receive new sim cards and those who do not have phones will be provided with one reasonable phone by a mobile company," he said. While affected victims are temporarily housed in the three camps, government has secured a large portion of land at Mile 6 in the outskirt of Freetown, to construct permanent structures for the victims. Currently, three local construction companies including Parvifort, Jento Group of Companies and Secon Sierra Leone Limited, are constructing fifty permanent structures for victims at Mile 6. They are doing so as part of their own contribution towards the recovery process. Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone,Victor Bockarie Foh, is in charge of all donations made by individuals, organizations and other development partners. Having received hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars as humanitarian aid, he said the money would be used to construct permanent structures for all affected victims at Mile 6. While the disaster left hundreds of children orphaned, many are being housed at the Catholic Don Bosco Fambul facility in Freetown where they are being cared for. Many have started attending schools as the academic year started in September 11, 2017. They are provided with scholarships by government, individuals and other development partners. With the country poised to prevent future disaster of like nature, the government is also planning to relocate people from disaster prone communities including the hill side and seaside communities respectively. The land which has been earmarked at Mile 6 would not only cater for the August 14 disaster, but also people currently living in disaster prone communities. Although the August disaster left indelible print on the minds of many Sierra Leoneans, especially those directly affected, the government is now fighting tooth and nail to bring solace to the entire nation. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:01:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close DOHA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said that he is ready to sit at a negotiating table to solve the 100 days long regional crisis in Berlin, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported on Friday. "As you know we have had a siege of more than 100 days against Qatar," the Emir told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. "We spoke about Qatar's readiness to sit at the table to solve this issue." Merkel said she was concerned that there was still no solution to the crisis, adding she supported efforts by Kuwait and the United States to mediate an end to the dispute. Earlier, Tamim and Merkel held a meeting Friday at the Federal Chancellery and discussed regional and international developments, especially the Gulf crisis and efforts being made to contain and resolve it through dialogue and diplomatic means as well as through the mediation of Kuwait. During the meeting, they also discussed the joint efforts of the two countries in fighting against terrorism, and to eliminate this phenomenon that threatens the security of the world, within the framework of regional and international efforts to combat all its forms and sources of funding. Berlin is the second trip in the Emir's first route after turkey since the crisis erupted, and he is expected to visit the French capital Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:26:31|Editor: An Video Player Close Photo taken by cellphone on Sept. 14, 2017 shows the site of the accident in southern Thai Province of Phuket. A four-year old Chinese boy drowned at the Patong Beach in southern Thai Province of Phuket on Thursday, the Phuket Consular Office of the Consulate General of China in Songkhla said Friday. (Xinhua) BANGKOK, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A four-year old Chinese boy drowned at the Patong Beach in Southern Thai Province of Phuket on Thursday, the Phuket Consular Office of the Consulate General of China in Songkhla said Friday. Local police told the consular office earlier that a Chinese father and his child were resting on a rock at the Patong Beach before they were dragged away by a wave. Reports from Thai media said the father managed to reach the shore and called for help but his son drowned Meanwhile, two more Chinese tourists nearly drowned at Naiharn Beach in Phuket on Thursday. They were rescued in time and sent to a hospital for treatment. They went back to their hotel last night after being treated, the consular office said on Friday, confirming that these two Chinese tourists are fine now. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:26:32|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TOKYO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese poetry recitation event was held in Yokohama, Japan on Friday to mark the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations. Scholars including Atsuo Ueda, a professor from Obirin University, recited in Mandarin Chinese poems about the long-term history of communication and exchanges between China and Japan, including works of Lu Xun, a leading figure of modern Chinese literature who used to study in a medical school in Japan. Ueda said that the Japanese culture has been largely influenced by the Chinese culture. "Cultural exchanges are vitally important to our future and will provide necessary foundation for further deepening exchanges between the peoples of China and Japan," he said. Tamotsu Ueshima, vice chairman of Japan-China Friendship Association of Kanagawa Prefecture, said that the bumpy bilateral relationship needs more efforts from peoples of both countries. "We will continue to make efforts to enhance friendship between our two countries through hosting communication activities such as this recitation," he added. Apart from the recitation, a photo exhibition also kicked off on Friday, showing hundreds of photos featuring historical figures and exchange activities between China and Japan. The exhibition will run through Sept. 24. The poetry recitation and photo exhibition are both sponsored by the Japan-China Friendship Association of Kanagawa Prefecture. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:26:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Arbil, Iraq, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdish opposition Goran Movement and the regional Islamic group on Friday refused to attend the regional parliament session in Arbil, which planned to discuss the independent referendum slated for Sept. 25. "Goran Movement decided not to attend the parliament session today, which is to be held at the request of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)," Shorash Haji, a leading figure and spokesman of Goran Movement, told reporters here. Marwan Galali, head of the Kurdistani Islamic group, told the reporters "the (Islamic) group will not participate in the session today, because the Kurdistani parties could not reach a political agreement and a roadmap for the political future." Meanwhile, the 111-seat parliament has 24 lawmakers from the Goran Movement, including the Parliament Speaker Yousif Mohammed Sadiq, who has been banned from entering Arbil for two years, while there are six parliament members from the Islamic group. Earlier, the two major Kurdish parties of KDP and PUK announced that the parliament session, originally scheduled on Thursday, would be delayed to late Friday to convince Goran Movement and the Islamic group to attend the first parliament session in two years. An international delegation comprised of the Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter IS Group Brett McGurk, Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Jan Kubis, in addition to the U.S. and British ambassadors to Iraq, met with the President of the Kurdistan region Masoud Barzani and presented the latter an alternative approach for the referendum. On June 7, Barzani announced his intention to hold a referendum on the independence of the Kurdish region from Iraq on Sept. 25. The referendum has been opposed by Baghdad because it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and would distract the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (IS) militant group by the Iraqi forces. The neighboring countries of Turkey, Iran and Syria also feel that the move would threaten their territorial integrity, as large numbers of Kurdish population live in those countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:41:38|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Hundreds of demonstrators take to the streets in downtown Los Angeles on August 13, 2017, protesting white supremacists violence in Charlottesville of Virginia the day before. (Xinhua file photo) WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump signed a resolution that condemns last month's deadly violence staged by white supremacists in Charlottesville, in the U.S. state of Virginia, the White House said in a press release Thursday. The resolution, passed earlier this week by Congress after being sponsored by Democratic Virginia senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, condemned the events in Charlottesville as a "domestic terror attack" and "white nationalists, white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), neo-Nazis and other hate groups." While urging Trump to "speak out against the hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and White supremacy," the resolution also honored an anti-racism protester, who was killed after a neo-Nazi sympathizer intentionally drove a car into a crowd on Aug. 12 in downtown Charlottesville, a historic college town. Before turning into violent clashes with anti-demonstrators which led to dozens of injuries, white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK took to the streets in Charlottesville to protest the city's decision to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee, a general who had fought for the pro-slavery Confederacy during the U.S. Civil War. Trump first condemned the violence "on many sides" and drew bipartisan criticism. But the president repeated his controversial position after meeting with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, the lone African-American Senate Republican who publicly criticized Trump's rhetoric. "I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side," Trump told reporters on Air Force One. Antifa is an anti-fascist protest movement that sometimes resorts to violent measures to fight neo-Nazis and white supremacists, which has attracted a lot of attention in the wake of the Charlottesville violence. "Now because of what's happened since then with Antifa, you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump might have a point,'" Trump said. "I said, 'you've got some very bad people on the other side also,' which is true." In a White House statement issued Thursday, Trump said he opposed bigotry in all forms and was "pleased" to sign the resolution. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:51:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BANGKOK, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Thailand will start the construction of the first phase of the Thailand-China railway project in October, or no later than November, once the environmental impact assessment report is approved, said Thai Minister of Transport Arkhom Termpittayapaisith in an interview with Xinhua. Thailand and China signed two contracts, namely the design contract and the supervision contract, for the 253-km first phase project earlier this month, which will link Thai capital Bangkok and the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima. "Once the relevant environmental impact assessment report from Baan Pachi in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province and Nakhon Ratchasima Province is approved, we will try to start the construction of the first section in October. If we cannot do that, we will definitely start in November, " Arkhom told Xinhua recently. The transport minister said that his ministry has submitted the environmental impact assessment report for 5 times to a committee under the Environmental Impact Evaluation Bureau, and hoped that it will be approved this time. "We have submitted all detailed information of the project and it should be approved this time." The first section, only 3.5 km in length, will be built by the Department of Highways attached to the Transport Ministry in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The construction of other sections, the second 11 km section, the third 119.5 km section and finally the fourth 119 km section, will begin gradually. According to Arkhom, to fully start the construction of the project, they still need to have detailed design of other sections to be put out to tender. "The Chinese side said they will finish the detailed design of the whole project in 8 months after we signed the design contract." The 253 km project is set to cost some 179 billion baht (5.4 billion U.S. dollars). The Thai government will pay for the construction by issuing bonds or seek loans from banks, the minister said, adding his country is also considering loans from a Chinese bank for the signal system, tracks, trains etc. Once completed, the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima railway with a maximum speed of 250 km per hour will be the first standard gauge high-speed railway of the country. But to finally form an artery railway linking Thailand, Laos and China, a 355 km second phase linking Nakhon Ratchasima with Nong Khai on the border with Laos has to be built. "We will talk about making plans for the second phase and geological surveys on Sept. 22 in China," Akhorm said. He said the Thai side hopes to invest by itself to build the second phase, and also hopes both the first phase and second phase of the project will be open to the public at the same year as the China-Laos railway, which is under construction now and set to open to the public in 2022. The transport minister also said he was quite confident of the quality of the Chinese high-speed railway technology as it has built the world's largest high-speed train network. "China has built over 20,000 km of high-speed railways. The Chinese people take high-speed trains every day, and the Chinese side has kept telling me safety and security is their priority, so I am confident of the Chinese technology." He also mentioned that China has agreed to transfer technology to Thais to enable them to drive, maintain and repair high-speed trains. Thailand's long-term goal is to manufacture some components of the rails and the trains as it hopes the railway cooperation can enhance Thai people's skills and boost development of Thai industry, he said. "We want to have this ability to manufacture some components to replace those worn components," Arkhom said, adding that by this way Thailand can also decrease the cost of maintenance. He emphasized the importance of developing human resources for the railway and train industry. "Railways can be used for over 100 years, so we have to have universities, colleges and schools to foster the ability of engineers and workers to maintain our railways and also move forward according to new trends." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:51:44|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RIGA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria, arrived here on Friday to present the OECD's latest economic survey of its new member Latvia. The OECD chief's meeting with Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis focused on the new report, which is the first since the Baltic country's accession to the organization just over a year ago and follows an earlier, pre-accession survey drawn up in 2015. Crediting the Latvian economy's robust growth to structural reforms implemented in previous years, the OECD has raised Latvia's gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for this year to 4.3 percent from 3.0 percent, up from the organization's projection in June. Steady wage growth has been supporting private spending, and Latvia's convergence with the OECD's higher-income countries may have resumed after a break caused by the economic crisis in 2008 and 2009, the OECD said in the report. At the presentation of the survey, Gurria called Latvia the "top reformer" among OECD member states, but he also mentioned a number of problems that have been holding back Latvia's growth and weakening its competitiveness, notably low productivity and social inequality. Kucinskis said during the meeting with Gurria that most of the recommendations provided by the OECD fully corresponded to the main objectives of the government's agenda and include raising productivity, reforming the education and health care systems, as well as closing the income gap. Kucinskis noted that Latvia had already made substantial progress in most of the problematic areas mentioned in the OECD's 2015 recommendations, such as tax reforms, management of state-owned enterprises, consolidation of research infrastructure and improvements to the business environment. Both Kucinskis and Gurria agreed that although much had been accomplished, the reforms had to be continued, using fiscal measures to support structural reforms, ensure better economic opportunities to low-income groups, as well as improve the access to health care, housing and jobs. The OECD chief made a special point of stressing the significance of education reforms in Latvia. Latvia became the 35th member of the OECD on July 1, 2016. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 23:56:46|Editor: An Video Player Close Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar (R) meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy Meng Jianzhu, who is a 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, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Sept. 15, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Yaxiong) LJUBLJANA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia and China agreed on Friday to have more exchanges and cooperation as Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar met with Meng Jianzhu, the special envoy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Meng, also a 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, spoke highly of the development of Sino-Slovenian ties which was established 25 years ago. The Chinese side, Meng said, appreciated the stance of the Slovenian government under Prime Minister Cerar on developing closer ties with China and having more cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative and "China-CEE 16+1 mechanism". China was willing to align its growth initiatives with those of Slovenia, and deepen cooperation in various fields including trade and tourism, so as to bring bilateral ties to a higher level, Meng said. He also highlighted the importance of cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two nations. Both sides should strengthen exchange, enhance communications, and improve cooperation in fighting organized crime and terrorism. It was hoped that both sides could strengthen cooperation in fighting against telecom fraud, which was a growing crime targeting Chinese nationals, Meng added. For his part, Cerar said the development of the Slovenian-Sino relations was maintaining good momentum, and there were notable achievements arising from cooperation in fields such as agriculture, forestry and trade. Cerar said Slovenia, as a real partner of China, would continue supporting the Belt and Road Initiative and engaging in cooperation under the "16+1 mechanism", a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Cerar said his government was very serious about telecom fraud targeting Chinese nationals and won't allow anyone to commit any crime on the Slovenian soil. The Slovenian side will enhance cooperation with China in fighting against telecom fraud, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 00:11:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LAGOS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government on Friday named the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a militant terrorist organization and urged parents to dissuade their children from joining the group. "After due professional analysis and recent developments, it has become expedient to notify the general public that the claim by IPOB actors that the organisation is non-violent is not true," Maj. Gen. John Enenche, Nigeria's defense spokesperson, said in a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos, the country's economic hub. Some of the group's actions include the formation of a Biafra Secret Service, claimed formation of Biafra National Guard, unauthorized blocking of public access roads, and extortion of money from innocent civilians at illegal road blocks, the statement said. Others are possession and use of weapons, including stones, Molotov cocktails, machetes, and broken bottles on a military patrol on Sept. 10, 2017. Enenche added that the group had physical confrontation with troops by Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB actors at a checkpoint on Sept. 11, 2017 and also attempt to snatch their rifles. The Armed Forces of Nigeria wish to confirm to the general public that IPOB from all intent, plan and purpose as analysed, is a militant terrorist organization, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 00:32:00|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- A billion pints of British beer were shipped around the world in 2016, giving the economy an 815 million U.S. dollar-boost, George Eustice, minister of state for agriculture, fisheries and food said Friday. Eustice said the British beer revolution shows no sign of slowing, with more than 500 breweries opened across Britain in the last year to meet the growing global demand for a British pint. The minister said there have been shipments of beer to a record 121 countries and regions, including brewing powerhouses Australia and Germany. A further 2,000 new beer brands, including Sheffield's first craft lager and Arkell's first flavoured beer range, have also been launched -- the highest figures of new beer on the market for over a decade. To build on the momentum, the British government is connecting some of the country's best craft beers with buyers from across the United States and Europe, to put Britain's national drink in the global spotlight and helping boost the bottles of British beer on shop shelves around the world. Eustice said: "The UK beer industry has a lot to celebrate. Our established breweries now export to more countries than ever before, with bottles of British beer on shelves as far as Japan and New Zealand." "The craft beer boom in particular has secured our position at the forefront of the industry and made us a first choice for beer lovers the world over, with major retailers and supermarkets now stocking our smaller, unique brands over global big hitters," he added. Total exports of British beer grew by nearly 135 million U.S. dollars last year. It put beer brewers among Britain's top five food and drink exporters for the second year running, beating some of the most famous British exports like salmon and cheese. Despite being part of a metric European Union, beer in Britain continues to be sold by the traditional imperial pint which equates to 568 ml. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 00:37:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close OSLO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende has accepted the position of the World Economic Forum president and will remain in the ministerial post until mid-October, online newspaper E24 reported Friday. At a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Brende said the job change was a difficult decision. "It has been a privilege to be foreign minister in four challenging and exciting years." Solberg would not comment on who would take over the position of Norway's foreign minister when he leaves the post mid-October. Brende will work with Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, the Swiss nonprofit foundation said in a statement. Schwab remains responsible for the overall strategic development of the World Economic Forum, while Brende will chair the managing board, which has collective responsibility for the execution of the foundation's strategies and activities. Brende was managing director of the World Economic Forum from 2008 to 2009, and was in charge of relations with governments and civil society. In 2011 to 2013, he worked at the foundation again as managing director in policy initiatives and engagement of the forum's non-business constituents. The World Economic Forum is best known for its annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, Switzerland, which brings together thousands of political and business leaders, experts and society leaders to discuss major global challenges, such as poverty, conflicts, climate change and economic development. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 00:42:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close GENEVA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Switzerland's Federal Justice Office said Friday Nekane Txapartegi, a convicted member of the Basque separatist group ETA, who had been facing extradition to Spain, has been freed from custody. Txapartegi was released from extradition custody after Spain withdrew a request against her, the Swiss News Agency reported. A Spanish court had ruled on Thursday that her penalty was time-limited. It repealed the extradition request and international arrest warrant, said Txapartegi's lawyer Olivier Peter. The withdrawal of the extradition request reached the Swiss authorities one day later, the justice office confirmed. Txapartegi was arrested by Swiss authorities in Zurich on April 16, 2016. She had been living under an assumed name in Switzerland since 2009. In 2011, ETA had declared it would cease its violent separatist campaign that had been waged from 1968, killing hundreds of people. Txapartegi had fled Spain that year after a court sentenced her to six years and nine months in jail for supporting ETA, a sentence that was later reduced to three-and-a-half years. Spanish court documents said she had acted as an intermediary for the Basque separatist group and had carried out various missions in Europe and South America. Txapartegi never appealed against the Spanish court's judgements. Txapartegi was denied asylum in Switzerland after the authorities rejected her claim that she was tortured into confessing while in Spanish custody. She had been appealing against both the extradition and asylum decisions. In March, ETA said it would complete a disarmament process by April 8, handing over its weapons to "groups in civil society." Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 00:47:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's biggest city Istanbul on Friday voiced readiness to increase cooperation on tourism, education and health with China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Addressing the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition on tourist attractions in China's northwestern province of Shaanxi, Ismail Gultekin, deputy governor of Istanbul, referred to the fact that his city is at one end of the historic Silk Road, while Xi'an, Shaanxi's provincial capital, at the other end. "We would like to strengthen our cooperation on tourism as 2018 was declared Turkey Tourism Year in China," Gultekin said, suggesting the establishment of direct flights between Istanbul and major cities in Shaanxi. "We're ready to pay a visit to Shaanxi next month with a group of Turkish tourism agencies to plan our strategies for the upcoming year," he said. "We can develop our relations in several fields including education, health and tourism." In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, or the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, which aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient trade routes. Turkey has agreed to align its Middle Corridor project with the Chinese initiative. Qian Bo, the Chinese consul general in Istanbul, noted that more than 10,000 Chinese porcelain pieces, which were made during China's dynasties of Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) and shipped to Turkey through trade along the ancient Silk Road, are now collected by the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. He said that Istanbul now houses some 70 Chinese companies, which have made investments in areas including banking, logistics, equipment repair, telecommunication and new energy. China's direct investment in countries along the Belt and Road over the past four years has amounted to more than 60 billion U.S. dollars, while Chinese companies have set up 56 economic and trade cooperation zones in more than 20 countries, creating nearly 1.1 billion dollars in tax revenue as well as 180,000 jobs, said Qian. With the execution of the Belt and Road Initiative, Shaanxi has transformed itself from a hinterland province to be a place at the forefront of opening up westward, said Li Wei, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. Shaanxi is making efforts to establish a number of centers involving communication, trade, logistics, international capacity cooperation, science education, international travel and regional finance, Li said. In addition, Shaanxi has been exploring new ways to develop economic cooperation and cultural exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road routes, Li added. On display at the photo exhibition included 42 photos featuring natural landscape, historical and cultural heritage sites, and folk custom in Shaanxi. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 00:52:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers saved 68 passengers after a ferry sank in rough seas off Cape Town on Friday. The ferry were en route to Robben Island when strong winds turned it upside down, according to the City of Cape Town. The passengers have all been safely evacuated from the sinking vessel and ferried to the ferry jetty, said Theo Layne, spokesperson for City of Cape Town. No one was believed to be missing, but rescue divers were at the scene to check if any one had been left behind, Layne said. Rescuers managed to save the passengers despite extremely high seas and strong winds, according to Layne. Robben Island, about 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand in Cape Town, is a tourist resort where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned before he became South Africa's first black president in 1994. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 01:22:30|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Turkey signs deal with Russia to buy S-400 missile defense system in its first major weapons purchase from Moscow. (AFP Photo) by Burak Akinci ANKARA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- NATO member Turkey has signed an agreement with Russia on advanced S-400 missile defense system, a multi-billion deal that signals closer ties with Moscow amid tensions with its fellow allies. Military experts, however, say that this powerful surface-to-air system is not compatible with those within NATO. Turkey's NATO allies have warned Ankara that all members are obligated to use weapons that can be integrated with each other's systems, and that Russian arms do not meet the criteria. The U.S. Department of Defense expressed publicly its concerns, saying that "it's a good idea" for NATO allies to buy equipment that can be integrated in the alliance's system. The preliminary agreement would see Turkey receiving two S-400 missile batteries from Russia within the next year, and two more subsequently, according to Turkish sources quoted by the local media. The S-400 missile defense system is designed to detect, track and then destroy aircraft, drones or missiles. It's Russia's most advanced integrated air defense system, and can hit targets as far as 400 kilometers away. No financial details have been disclosed from Ankara and Moscow and there is no schedule on a possible delivery of the system. Turkey has been in NATO since the early 1950s, playing a key role as a frontline state bordering the Soviet Union. But ties with fellow members have been strained in recent years, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pursuing a more assertive and independent foreign policy as conflict engulfed neighboring Iraq and Syria. Tensions with Washington mounted over U.S. support for Kurdish militants in Syria that Turkey considers terrorists, and the relationship with the European Union soured as the bloc pushed back against what it sees as Turkey's autocratic turn since the failed coup of July 2016 against President Erdogan's regime. Just recently, Germany suspended arms sales to Turkey, the latest of a series of differences that led to a sharp degradation to their bilateral ties even though they are close economic partners. "As a sovereign state, Turkey can naturally buy the S-400, but integration to the NATO system is another thing. It is simply not possible to do it unless Turkey is planning to deploy them as part of its national system, outside NATO's realm," explained to Xinhua Ozgur Eksi, defense analyst with C4 Defense, an online defense and military specialized news operator. NATO does not ban purchases of military hardware from manufacturers outside the alliance, but it does discourage members from buying non-compatible equipment. Turkey has bought in 1990s military helicopters from Russia that it used especially in the conflict against armed Kurdish rebels in southeastern provinces, at a time when the U.S. and other western powers banned arms sales to Ankara because of human right issues. The dominant Turkish president swiftly dismissed western criticism by saying, "No one has the right to discuss the Turkish Republic's independence and independent decisions concerning its defense requirements." Anti-western sentiment has risen dramatically in Turkey after the botched coup while relations with Russia have warmed, driven by the personal friendship between Erdogan and President Vladimir Putin. "The S-400 is more sophisticated and advanced compared to the Patriot 3 that the U.S. is offering, but will Turkey intend to accept in her bedroom a stranger that can hear or see all her confidential?" said Eksi, also arguing that with a possible transfer of know-how, the Russian system could prove more costly than predicted. The sides are currently sorting out various technical details and it could take about one year to finalize the project, according to Turkish sources. Disagreements between Turkey, which has the second-largest army by personnel numbers in NATO, and the west have precipitated a rapprochement with Russia, despite of differences over the war in Syria. Analysts underline the need for Turkey to diversify its military arsenal and say that with a single purchase Turkey is not committing itself away from NATO and from its responsibilities inside the alliance. "Turkey is located at the gates of several armed conflicts in a volatile region and has justified concerns for its national security, and despite being a NATO member she is not obligated to buy from specific countries alone," professor Mustafa Kibaroglu, director of the Center for international security studies and strategic research at MEF University in Istanbul told CNN Turk news channel. "Yes, this procurement has troubled NATO and the U.S., but it will be incorrect to say that it is a radical change in Turkey's foreign policy," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 01:22:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM)/northern sector on Friday accused the Sudanese army of attacking the movement's positions in Blue Nile State. "Forces of the SPLM/northern sector have managed to defeat the attacking forces at Taga area at the Angsna Mountains," Mubarak Ardol, spokesman for SPLM/northern sector (Malik Agar faction) said in a statement Friday. "Our forces have repulsed the attacking forces to their areas, inflicted heavy human and material loss among them and confiscated amounts of ammunition and equipment that are currently being listed," he added. The movement regarded the Sudanese army attack as a violation of the cessation of hostilities, calling for national and international condemnation of the attack. The Sudanese army could not be contacted immediately to comment on the rebels' claim. Last July, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir decided to extend a declared cease-fire at all conflict zones for three months until October this year. The SPLM/northern sector also announced earlier cessation of hostilities until November this year. Late last August, the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP), which is supervising the negotiations between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector, started consultations to resume a new round of talks between the two sides. More than ten rounds of peace talks have been held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa between the Sudanese government and the SPLM/northern sector, but have failed to reach a peace deal regarding South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 01:32:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TALLINN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- EU economic and finance ministers and central bank governors stressed the role of the economic and monetary union for the strength of the entire European Union (EU). Participants at the first day of the informal meeting of the EU ministers believe that better utilising the potential of the economic and monetary union is one of the most important aspects of the EU's future, Estonian Finance Minister Toomas Toniste said at a press conference. "All 28 member states are interested in a strong economic and monetary union and a well-managed fiscal policy, especially in these times of strong economic growth in Europe," he noted. The ministers acknowledged new solutions and services of the financial innovation, which needs to be regulated but not over-regulated, he said, referring to the need to minimize the risks connected with financial technology (Fintech). The Fintech field is currently too small to pose a risk to financial stability, however, the fast growth of financial technology brings along the need to map the risks that come with it and form common positions in the EU, said Ardo Hansson, the governor of the Estonian central bank Eesti Pank. "Eesti Pank also added Fintech to its strategy as a priority area in the coming years," he noted. Vitor Constancio, vice-president of the European Central Bank, highlighted the need to make EU governance more efficient and transparent, as well as the structural reform. Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission vice-president for the euro and social dialogue, stressed the need to modernize, as well as the physical stabilization function of the European monetary union. The two-day informal meeting of EU economic and financial affairs ministers is to discuss financial and tax issues related to innovation and the digital economy, one of the priorities of the current Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the rotating six-month position the country assumed in July. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 02:02:45|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close by Alex Osei-Boateng ACCRA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The cocoa industry has been identified as one of the major drivers of deforestation in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, the world's first and second largest producers of the commodity that provides the raw material for chocolate, said a new report released here on Friday. "In the world's two largest cocoa producing countries, Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) and Ghana, the market created by the chocolate industry has been the primary driver behind the destruction of forests," said the report, published by Mighty Earth, a U.S.-based environmental protection organization. It said regulated and protected forests are vanishing at double speed in the two West African countries. According to the report, for years, the world's major chocolate companies have been buying cocoa grown through the illegal deforestation of national parks and other protected forests, in addition to driving extensive deforestation outside of protected areas. In Cote d'Ivoire, many of the country's national parks and protected areas have been entirely or almost entirely cleared of forest and replaced with cocoa growing operations, the report said. In neighboring Ghana, 291,254 acres of protected areas were cleared between 2001 and 2014. During the same time, Ghana lost about 10 percent of its entire tree coverage, and approximately one quarter of that deforestation was connected to the chocolate industry. "Without action, Ghana stands to lose all remaining forests outside its national parks in the next decade," the report warned. Campaign and Legal Director of Mighty Earth Etelle Higonnet urged big chocolate companies to take immediate action to end deforestation once and for all, and remediate past damage. The report urged governments and the cocoa industry to pool resources to monitor deforestation and enforce compliance with zero deforestation policies. It also urged the industry to shift its supply from those who engage in clearance of high carbon stock to shade-grown cocoa. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 02:17:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close VIENNA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Austria's present strong economy will continue into Autumn, though growth momentum appears to have reached its peak, Bank Austria stated in a press release on Friday. While the bank's economic indicators are at their second-highest point in the past six-and-a-half years, chief economist Stefan Bruckbauer said that as they now show a slight decline, this would indicate the growth tempo will not accelerate further for the time being. While the overall mood in Austria is still very positive, disparities are showing in different economic sectors. Optimism in the construction industry has improved even further from summer, though in the services sector it has seen a notable decline. In the industrial sector the mood is also not as positive as it was in summer, Bruckbauer noted. The strong growth in the economy will also not be able to significantly reduce unemployment due to a growing labour force, both this year and next. Enditem Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Feb. 13, 2017 shows a test firing of a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 on Feb. 12, 2017. (Xinhua/KCNA) MOSCOW, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russia strongly condemned the latest missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as such provocation will further worsen the situation around the Korean Peninsula, the Kremlin said Friday. "Russia is deeply worried over more provocative launches, which lead to further escalation of tensions on the peninsula," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Tass news agency as saying. "We strongly criticize such provocative actions and believe that such unequivocal demonstration of condemnation is the sole specific measure that can be taken at the moment," he said. The DPRK reportedly fired a missile over Japan's northern island Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, which came only days after the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of a resolution toughening sanctions on the DPRK. Russian parliament members also denounced the latest move by the DPRK. Head of the Russian State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky said Friday that Pyongyang is playing a "dangerous game," which comes as a clear challenge to the international community. Meanwhile, he noted that the new missile launch proves sanctions and pressure will not work on the DPRK, and that the Korean Peninsula issue should only be addressed with a diplomatic solution. Similarly, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council's Defense and Security Committee Franz Klintsevich also warned that "one cannot rein in North Korea (DPRK) through force and threats, especially by provocations." He suggested countries with actual influence on the DPRK conduct high-level consultation and strengthen dialogue with Pyongyang so as to find a sensible way to deal with the situation. "I think that serious consultations will be held at the international level, and the international community will in fact come up with options that will seriously impact the DPRK," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 02:47:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HOUSTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Houston Mayor Sylveste Turner announced Friday to lift curfew for all of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas. Houston's midnight curfew was introduced on Aug. 29, to prevent looting and other crimes. During Hurricane Harvey's aftermath, Houston looters made the most of crimes of opportunity around the city, prompting the mayor to issue the temporary curfew. According to Texas laws, the punishments are increased or even doubled when the crimes happen in a disaster area caused by the Hurricane Harvey. Harvey blew ashore on Aug. 25 as the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in more than 50 years, displacing more than 1 million and damaged some 200,000 houses in a path of destruction that stretches for over 480 kilometers. At least 70 people have died or are feared dead during Hurricane Harvey's slamming of the areas. The Houston area was hit by severe flooding, after receiving about 1.4 meters of rain. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 02:53:00|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ROME, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Italy will set up a logistical base to help Libya manage migration at its southern border, local media reported Friday. The mission was agreed upon during a meeting in Rome of the Italy-Libya Committee chaired by Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti, Ansa news agency said. Participants included Libyan, Italian, European Union and United Nations delegates. The Libyan delegation "is aware of the efforts of the EU, which has allocated significant resources to stem the flow of migrants across the southern border, (and to) improve the socio-economic conditions of local communities," the Italian Interior Ministry said in a statement. The planned logistical base will support Libyan border patrols and UN humanitarian agencies at the southern border, which Libya shares with Niger, Chad and Sudan. People fleeing war and famine in sub-Saharan Africa pay human traffickers hefty sums to bring them across the desert to Libya, in hopes of boarding boats to Italy once they reach the Mediterranean coast. Once in Libya, the migrants end up in reportedly inhumane detention camps. Also during the meeting, the International Organization on Migration (IOM) said it had helped over 7,300 migrants in Libya camps return to their home countries, and has committed to aiding in 15,000 to 20,000 voluntary repatriations by the end of this year. The UN representatives said they have carried out 650 visits to Libyan migrant detention camps, obtaining the release so far of 1,000 people with legitimate political asylum claims. The UN plan is to get as many legitimate asylum seekers out of the camps as possible and to relocate them to European or non-European countries, including through family reunification. The Libyan representatives believed their coastguard has rescued over 13,500 migrants at sea so far this year, and that there has been a 35 percent drop in migrant flows from Niger. As of Sept. 15, a total of 128,863 migrants and refugees reached Europe by sea and 2,550 died or went missing in the attempt, the IOM tweeted Friday. The lion's share, or 100,325 people, reached Italy and the rest where split between Greece and Spain, the IOM said. This compares to over 360,000 arrivals in southern Europe in the same period last year, according to the IOM. The Italy-Libya Committee is tasked with implementing a Feb. 2 memorandum, which calls for Libya to detain migrants before they reach Italy, and for Italy and the EU to invest in Libya. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 02:58:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close OTTAWA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Facebook is to set up an artificial intelligence research lab in Montreal, the company's first intelligence lab in Canada, and only its second outside of the United States, according to the CTV Friday. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended Facebook's announcing ceremony of the lab in Montreal. "Facebook's new lab in Montreal will underline Canada's status as a global AI powerhouse and a leader in the economy of the future - and encourage other leading tech companies to set up shop here and create good, middle-class jobs for Canadians," said Trudeau. By next year, the lab is expected to employ a team of 20 researchers headed by McGill University's Dr. Joelle Pineau, a leading AI researcher. The researchers will develop new ways of teaching machines the complex relationship between actions and results, known as reinforcement learning. They will also develop dialogue systems for machines and computers that enable them to speak with users in a natural and easily understandable way. In addition to this new lab, Facebook will invest 7 million Canadian dollars (about 5.74 million U.S. dollars) in the broader Montreal-based artificial intelligence community through partnerships with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 03:18:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. industrial production in August fell for the first time in seven months due to Hurricane Harvey, the Federal Reserve said on Friday. Industrial production, an indicator of manufacturing, mines and utilities output, declined 0.9 percent in August from the previous month, the first decline since January and the biggest decline since May 2009, the Fed said. "Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast of Texas in late August, is estimated to have reduced the rate of change in total output by roughly 0.75 percentage point," the central bank said, adding petroleum refining, organic chemicals, and plastics materials and resins are the manufacturing industries with the largest estimated storm-related effects. The manufacturing output, the largest component of the overall industrial production, dropped 0.3 percent in August. Meanwhile, mining output declined 0.8 percent and utilities output fell 5.5 percent last month. A separate report from the U.S. Census Bureau on Friday showed that retail sales also dropped 0.2 percent in August, the biggest decline in six months. The weaker industrial output and retail sales data in August might suggest a slowdown of U.S. economic growth in the third quarter of the year. The U.S. economy is expected to grow at an annual rate of 1.3 percent in the current quarter, lower than three percent in the previous quarter, according to the staff forecast from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released on Friday. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 03:33:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close OSLO, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Iceland's Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson on Friday called for a new parliamentary election after a junior coalition party decided to quit due to a "breach of trust" within the center-right government. "In this situation there is nothing else to do except to have an election and I will do my utmost so that elections will take place as soon as possible," Benediktsson was quoted as saying by online newspaper Iceland Monitor. The Icelandic prime minister and leader of Independence Party added that he aimed to call for elections this November. Early Friday, leaders of Bright Future, one of the three partner parties in the government, said they have ended their coalition with the Independence Party and the prime minister. The Reform Party, another junior partner, has called for new elections as soon as possible, the newspaper said. It was revealed on Thursday that Benediktsson's father signed a letter of recommendation so that a convicted pedophile would receive what in Iceland is called "restored honor," which effectively wipes the criminal record of a person who has served his or her sentence. Letters of recommendation are required for this procedure. Minister of Justice Sigridur Andersen, also from the Independence Party, said Thursday night that she had informed Benediktsson of his father's letter in July, Icelandic public broadcaster RUV reported. But Benediktsson neglected to inform Bright Future and Reform Party leaders of the letter until Monday, according to RUV. After the October 2016 election, the Independence Party took a strong lead by securing 21 out of the 63 seats in parliament after winning 29 percent of the ballots cast. Together, the three-party coalition holds a slim majority with 32 seats. The center-right coalition government took office in January after lengthy negotiations. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 03:58:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LJUBLJANA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec said Friday Croatia remained one of the most important trading partners for Slovenia despite some political issues such as boarder disputes, saying that it was not surprising that Croatia was the partner country of this year's trade fair. Erjavec made the remarks when addressing the end of the International Trade Fair (MOS) in Celje, the industrial and commercial exhibition center in central Slovenia, according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). From this aspect, the problems between the country's governments are not important, said the minister: "What is important is that business executives cooperate with each other and that the relations between the countries are very good in this field." According to Erjavec, Croatia is Slovenia's strategic partner due to its proximity, and also because of the good cooperation between companies on both sides of the border, which opens new opportunities for boosting of ties. "Croatia is the fourth most important partner to Slovenia and the country with most Slovenian foreign investments," Erjavec said. "I would like to see cooperation between the countries to be as good at other levels, especially when we speak about mutual open issues," he added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 04:44:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MINSK, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Belarus has received a loan from Russia amounting 700 million U.S. dollars, the Belarusian Finance Ministry said Friday. The financial loan has been fully transferred to the account of the Belarusian Finance Ministry on Friday, the Ministry said. In August, Russian government approved a draft agreement on the granting of a 10-year state loan to Belarus in the amount of 700 million U.S. dollars. The funds will be used to refinance the previous loan provided to Belarus by the Russian Federation. The loan will be repaid gradually twice a year, in April and October, starting from 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 05:04:12|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BUJUMBURA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Burundi is investigating an alleged attack on Wednesday at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the capital city of Bujumbura, the justice ministry said Thursday. "Early on Wednesday around 2 a.m., six unidentified persons intruded the compound hosting OHCHR Burundian office. One of them reportedly had a gun," said Agnes Bangiricenge, spokesperson of Burundian Attorney General in a statement. According to her, those unidentified attackers "immobilized" guards at that office before entering the office. The attorney general requested people who may have information about the attack to provide it to investigators. She said even though the unidentified managed to enter the compound, they did not either steal anything or hurt anyone. The Burundian government said last October that it has decided to suspend cooperation and collaboration with OHCHR in Burundi for OHCHR's role during the preparation of a biased and controversial report written by three UN experts on violations of human rights in Burundi. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 05:09:13|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DUBLIN, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Ireland on Friday pledged to accept an additional 330 refugees next year as part of its response to the influx of people fleeing war, poverty and political upheaval in the Middle East and Africa. Irish Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said his country will accept 600 program refugees in 2018. "This includes a commitment to take an additional 330 program refugees above the 270 people who are due to arrive in 2018," Flanagan said. This commitment has been made as part of a new EU resettlement pledging exercise for the new year, he said. Ireland has committed to accept 1,040 refugees by the end of 2017 under the resettlement strand of the program and this commitment is on track with 785 people already in the country and the remaining 255 people due in by early 2018. Meanwhile, Ireland has committed to accept 2,622 asylum seekers under the relocation strand of the program. This total is composed of 1,089 people from Greece, 623 people from Italy and 910 people as yet unallocated. In a statement, Flanagan said his country will have met its commitment to formally pledge for 1,089 people from Greece by September 2017. All 1,089 are due to arrive in Ireland by the end of this year or early next year, the Irish minister said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 05:14:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NICOSIA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has asked the parties involved in the Cyprus problem to provide him with specific ideas as to how they would come together again to restart the stalled peace process, a UN official in Nicosia said on Friday. Elizabeth Spehar, the Canadian UN mission chief in Cyprus and a special representative of Guterres, said she conveyed the request during meetings she had with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who leads the Greek Cypriots, and Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community. She said the meetings were in preparation of further meetings Antonio Guterres will have with Anastasiades on September 22, after his address to the UN General Assembly, and Akinci who leads an unrecognized state entity but "customarily will be at the margins of the General Assembly". The four-decade old UN led negotiations on Cyprus came to a new impasse at an international conference in the Swiss Alpine resort of Crans Montana, after which the Secretary General sent the parties to reflect on how to move forward. "And now it seems to be a good time to hear from all of them and to hear their ideas on precisely what their plans are for moving forward. The S.G. would be very interested in particular to hear concrete ideas of how the parties could come together," Spehar said. The United Nations has said the two sides came as close together over the past 30 months as never before. But they failed to reach a final agreement at the Swiss resort of Crans Montana with each one blaming the other. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 05:19:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close HAVANA, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's President Raul Castro praised the pace of recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma, state daily Granma reported on Friday. Huge swaths of Cuba were battered by the category-four hurricane, particularly after storm surge caused severe flooding all along the north-central coast, including capital Havana. "The people have worked very hard and if any benefit can be obtained from this difficult situation, it is to immediately collect experiences to better prepare for future events of this nature," Castro said during a meeting with his cabinet and other high-level officials Wednesday night. The meeting was to assess the aftermath and outline what needs to be done during the recovery phase. About 10 people lost their lives during the natural disaster, a relatively low death toll given the degree of destruction to infrastructure as Irma sideswiped the northern coast last Saturday and Sunday. More than 20,000 construction workers have been mobilized to collect debris, repair roads, bridges, drains, homes and public buildings. Castro warned this year's hurricane season, expected to be "intense," was not over until the end of November. Irma's trajectory through several provinces forced some 1.7 million people to evacuate to higher ground, and about 26,000 remain in temporary shelters, the head of Civil Defense, Gen. Ramon Pardo Guerra, told the meeting. Alfredo Lopez, Minister of Energy and Mines, said about 90 oil wells along the western and central north coast were damaged by storm surge, but skilled staff were working to repair the structures. Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero said the sector was working to ensure the industry is ready for the coming high season beginning in early November. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 05:19:22|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Tekeda Alemu, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United Nations and the President of UN Security Council for the Month of September, addresses a press encounter after UN Security Council closed-door consultations at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 15, 2017. The UN Security Council on Friday condemned "the highly provocative launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)" and expressed commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the crisis. (Xinhua/Li Rui) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday condemned "the highly provocative launch of a ballistic missile" by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and expressed commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the crisis. In a press statement released after closed-door consultations, the 15 members of the council urged all UN member states to "fully, comprehensively and immediately" implement all relevant Security Council resolutions concerning the DPRK, particularly the newly adopted Resolution 2375, which targeted the DPRK's oil supply and textile exports. "The Security Council also emphasized the vital importance of the DPRK immediately showing sincere commitment to denuclearization through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tension on the Korean Peinsula," said Tekeda Alemu, president of the Security Council, in a readout of the press statement. The council members stressed the importance of maintaining peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia at large, and welcomed efforts by council members as well as other states to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the crisis through dialogue, said Alemu, the Ethiopian ambassador to the United Nations. The emergency Security Council consultations were requested by the United States and Japan following the DPRK's launch of a ballistic missile on Friday local time, which flew over Japan's Hokkaido. The launch, which violates Security Council resolutions, came just days after the council imposed fresh sanctions on the DPRK over its nuclear test on Sept. 3. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-16 05:44:38|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HELSINKI, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Eight students were injured, three of them seriously, when a minibus and a large truck collecting milk from dairy farms collided in Suonenjoki, eastern Finland, on Friday afternoon. The injured were students of 15 to 20 years old, returning home after the school day, local media reported. There is no specific school bus system in Finland, and student-use local busses are open also to other passengers. Enditem . . . Digicel Foundation aids Development Centre Delivering the feature address at the official launch of the Centre on Wednesday, Foundation CEO Penny Gomez noted that her company is purported to be the corporate champion for persons with special needs. With a proactive principal and dedicated staff, we have been able to provide support to the school in varying areas. Three of our key programmes are the Therapy-based Education Programme, Aquaponics Programme and Preparing you as well as our inclusion activities - Carnival Kiddi Pump and our Play Unified fun day, Gomez said. The Centre, which has 30 students, is located at the Naparima/ Mayaro Road, Rio Claro. It houses a staff room, therapy room, an open space for the classroom three times the size of what it was, separate bathroom facilities for staff and students and a reception area. Gomez noted the Centre was one of the Foundations Centres of Excellence, a transformative initiative that tangibly addresses the aesthetics of special need schools, ensuring that the space is comfortable and meets international standards. Referring to the relationship with the Centre as a love affair, Gomez added the Foundation also has a huge crush on it proponent- Kelly Ann Langdon-Pascall. Langdon-Pascall is the founder and principal of the centre. Some other officials at the launch yesterday included: Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat; Member of Parliament for Mayaro, Rushton Paray; Board President of the Centre, Keith Rodriguez; and Chairman of the Foundation, Garvin Medera. Minister Rambharat, who delivered greetings, referred to the launch as a landmark event for the community of Rio Claro and the constituency of Mayaro. He hailed former Government Minister Harry Partap who, as a then MP for the other side of the road, was instrumental in getting the property for the Centre. The Minister also commended Gomez and her team at Digicel Foundation for their excellent work across the country. Policewoman shot Abraham and her husband Andy were heading home when they saw a man walk out from some bushes and point a gun in their direction. The 32-year-old officer was taken to the Chaguanas Health Centre and transferred to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) in Mt Hope where she was treated. Sources said that investigators are working on information that the shooting may be linked to a land dispute. Assistant Commissioner of Police Irwin Hackshaw said that investigators are in search of a suspect whose identity and home address is known to them. TT films in spotlight The screenings which will be held on Republic Day, September 24, at MovieTowne Port of Spain, San Fernando and Tobago are sponsored by the Ministry of Community Development Culture and the Arts. Among the feature films to be screened is Quick Pick, by Tobagonian film-maker Miguel K Lashley. It focuses on young construction worker Travis Duke who is out of luck with love, work and money, until a winning lotto ticket changes his fortunes. With no cash in hand yet, he borrows money from a drug lord to kick-start the celebrations and buy a car and a condo. But has Travis put the cart before the donkey? Another feature film in the T+T line up is Clifford Seedansinghs The Lies We Tell, a comedy about a serial adulterer and what happens when the tables are turned. Green Days by the River will open the festival at NAPA on Tuesday. According to Bruce Paddington, founder and ttff festival director: Feature T+T will be a day for Trinbagonians to come together to celebrate who we are, through the cinematic stories of some of the nations finest film-makers. Film is a powerful vehicle for strengthening national identity, instilling national pride and preserving local culture in an increasingly globalised world, Paddington said in a media release. Moko Jumbie by Trinidadian-American director, Vashti Anderson. It tells the story of Asha who, on vacation from England to visit family in rural Trinidad, soon discovers theres trouble in paradise. Drawn to her neighbour, a young fisherman, the strain between the two families, one Indian and one African, is palpable and as Ashas attraction deepens, she must navigate racial taboos, family disapproval, political turmoil, and mysterious hauntings by ancestral spirits. Moko Jumbie, which is Andersons feature film debut, was a selection at the 2017 LA Film Festival. There is also a strong offering of short films in the programme, many from young and emerging film-makers. Salty Dog, by director Oliver Milne, features the familiar faces of actors Nickolai Salcedo and Errol Roberts the salty dog of the title, alongside actress Kandyse Mc Clure. When the rug is pulled from under his feet, Mortimer (Roberts) must navigate the stormy waters of his relationship with his estranged son (Salcedo). As tensions flare between the two and reconciliation seems near impossible, the son starts to check out retirement homes for his father. In Maya Coziers Short Drop when Bartholomew, a retired civil servant, takes a drive downtown, Shanice mistakes his car for a taxi and hops in. Along the way, they encounter a wide range of Trinidadian characters, from cross-dresser Hott Pepper to gang member Tan Tan. It becomes a long day of reckoning with memories, friendships, and revelations. Director Kevin Bhalls beautiful animation, Temple in the Sea, chronicles the life and work of Siewdass Sadhu, an indentured labourer who laboured for years to build a temple in the sea at Waterloo. The story is told through the eyes of a young girl coming to terms with her heritage and identity. Bhalls animated productions have earned critical nominations and local awards, including at the Animae Caribe Festival in 2005 and 2016 respectively. In Visibly Me by Nicola Cross a 47-year-old woman with no partner and no children finds herself invisible and feels she has no choice but to find the antidote. Exploring memory and perspective, the directors deeply personal reflections will resonate with those who have found themselves invisible at some point in their lives. Over 34 T+T films will be part of the Feature T+T Republic Day screenings at MovieTowne with some in competition for awards - for Best TT Feature Film (TT$10,000) and Best TT Short Film (TT$5,000), both sponsored by the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts. Ali shows his colours At secondary school in Trinidad, Ali would encounter the great cubist painter LeRoy Clarke. Clarkes Lam like images painted on the scale of Diego Riveras murals proved to be an ennobling experience for the young student. Douens in the eyes of Ali was a repainting of the French Creole folklore characters already depicted in the works of Alfredo Codallo but now through the lens of an African mythology. A lifelong friendship between the two gentlemen ensued that is cherished to this day, said a media release. While enrolled at the University of the West Indies Ali expanded his visual arts skills by pursuing silk screen, lino block and woodblock printing, lithography and watercolour painting at workshops hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Art Society at the National Museum and Art Gallery. At the UWI, he was influenced by Kenwyn Crichlow and Keith Cadette who enlarged his ideas about composition and colour theory. After he left Trinidad on a Commonwealth split site doctoral award to complete his PhD at Hughes Hall, Cambridge, Ali continued to paint. During this time he became fascinated by the depictions of the natural world based on internal geometric planes used by Paul Klee and the symbolism of the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt. It was there that he best understood Derek Walcotts elevation of the fisherman not the woodcutter; the breadfruit not the oak, and the impressionism of Camille Pissarro which Walcott continuously alludes to in his poetry. Later Ali would meet Isaiah James Boodhoo as he painted canvases inspired by the metaphors in Walcotts Star Apple Kingdom. More recently he has enjoyed the rich surfaces of Richters abstract works, painted to the music of avant-garde composer John Cage. Alis haunt is the Pompidou, Paris. The exhibition opens tomorrow from 5 pm to 8 pm and closes September 27 at 6 pm with previews today from 4pm - 6 pm and tomorrow from 10 am - 2 pm. JAMETTERY Rowley, for the first time, publicly disclosed that A&V Drilling and Workover Limited owner Nazim Baksh is his friend. Rowley said he does not disown his friends when allegations are made against them but also that his friends do not receive special treatment from his administration. He also disclosed that Cabinet is now discovering a problem relating to natural gas production and exports. Reminding reporters Government recently dealt with a red sand shortage issue, Rowley said the gas matter is now being reviewed. He described it as a very large problem which is, in fact, very real. Rowley said Persad-Bissessar has had a lean period bussing marks since the Peoples National Movement (PNM) has been in office. While she can make politics out of any issue she wishes as Opposition Leader, Rowley described her fake oil outburst at a UNC rally last Sunday as, a bit of an overreach. You can behave as an effective Opposition Leader. I think the countrys better for that...but jamettery is not really the way to deal with this thing if you are going to get the best out of it, Rowley said, adding, Sometimes that kind of behaviour itself might be an impediment to getting to the root of the problem. The word jamette comes from the French Patois word diametre and means a loose, low-class and socially unacceptable person (usually a woman). ALL AH WE TIEF SCENARIO Rowley said by Persad-Bissessar making the issue political, it could make the miscreants happy by creating an all ah we thief scenario. I dont subscribe to that and the PNM does not subscribe to that, Rowley declared. He said Persad-Bissessar is well aware, you dont just refer a matter to the Fraud Squad. He said Petrotrin submitted preliminary reports on August 8 and 17, on this matter. Rowley said in both cases, Petrotrin said it had more work to do in determining what the matter is. (See Page 10A) Expressing his hope that Petrotrin will appoint independent investigators soon to examine this issue, Rowley said if the final report confirms the preliminary findings, then it goes on to the Fraud Squad and wherever else you want to send it. Saying all citizens must be concerned about this issue regardless of political persuasion, Rowley said, If this particular matter pans out, it raises greater and more serious concerns about what goes on in Petrotrin. Rowley said he was concerned to the point of frustration that mechanisms to accurately report the States revenues on certain commodities have broken down over time. PM CALLED BAKSH In confirming Baksh is his friend, Rowley said, I am not carrying any chip on my shoulder...my shoulder is very square. The PM said he first heard the news about the fake oil scandal while in the US for a medical check-up. Confirming that he telephoned Baksh about the scandal, Rowley said Baksh flatly denied the allegations. Reiterating that this matter is being handled by Petrotrin, Rowley said, We are all to be held accountable for our own individual conduct. Rowley said the selection of Bakshs daughter Allyson as a government senator was based solely on her own merit. While she participated in the PNMs 2015 general election campaign, Rowley said, I dont think she should be pilloried for anything which does not concern her. Rowley, who is PNM political leader, said he did not know if Baksh or his company contributed financially to the party. While indicating he would be surprised if Baksh did not contribute, Rowley said, I dont know what all of my friends are doing all of the time. I am glad to know there are people who I can count among my friends. In an immediate response, the UNCs Womens Arm slammed Rowleys jamettery description of Persad-Bissessars behaviour as distasteful and demanded an immediate apology from Rowley to all women. The Womens Arm said it continues to be dissatisfied with Rowleys references with regard to women. We hope this alarming occurrence will be rectified since it is reckless and demeaning, the Womens Arm said. PMs friend demands $48M from Petrotrin A&V Drilling contends, in the legal letter penned by Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, SC, that Petrotrin by withholding payment of $48M which represents money owed for oil produced by A&V in June and July, it has acted on a preliminary finding of an audit report which alleges Bakshs company submitted claims for oil amounting in excess of 350,000 barrels from its Catshill, Barrackpore field which Petrotrin says, it did not receive. The legal letter was addressed to Petrotrin chairman Wilfred Espinet and copied to Minister Khan. In the letter, Maharaj claimed that Petrotrin issued 100 tickets to A&V which constituted receipt by the state company of crude oil from A&V from the Catshill field wells. AV is one of several lease operators drilling for crude in the Catshill area in Barrackpore. The letter claimed there were errors on the dates of the low dips on two of the tickets prepared by Petrotrin. It is therefore disingenuous and wholly disproportionate for Petrotrins internal auditors to make findings based on these two discrepancies, Maharaj stated. Further, the A&V lawyer said, there are 18 lease operators assigned to the same tank farm in Barrackpore, but Petrotrin elected not to audit any other operator. Maharajs letter pointed out that Petrotrins audit report incorrectly stated that A&Vs bulk storage tank No. 7, was limited to 4,768 barrels when it is in fact 9,835 barrels as certified by the Ministry of Energy. Maharaj said that reported production is not the same as fiscalisation production. Maharaj informed the Petrotrin chairman that his law firm has since advised A&V that the audit report findings are baseless and without foundation. In fact, he stated that Petrotrin did not consult with A&V before releasing the report and A&V did not have the opportunity to give an input and present written responses. Maharaj is calling on Petrotrin to pay A&V US$6,310,438.66 (TT$48.3 million) for invoices for June and July crude oil supplies from Catshill.The letter also threatened legal action against Petrotrin for defamation. Family happy for intervention Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Stuart Young said during yesterdays post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Anns, the Government would ensure the womans body was returned to TT. He said, though, the body would first have to be flown to Antigua before arriving in Trinidad. Young did not say when the body would arrive. Salvary-Doyles sister, Emily Pasqual, told Newsday the family was grateful for the closure. We just want to thank everybody who have highlighted our story in the media, she said. Salvary-Doyle, 64, and her grandson, Oliver Robert-Gedio, three, were swept to the deaths in raging waters when Hurricane Irma unleashed its wrath on St Martin, one week ago. She was visiting her daughter, Daphne, at her 32 A Rue Round The Pond French Quarters when the tragedy occured. Yesterday, Pasqual said Daphne had since identified the bodies of her mother and son. She contacted the family and said they would be doing autopsies on the bodies in Guadeloupe and that it will take a little time. So, that will be a closure for her. Meanwhile, Pasqual said a celebration of Salvary-Doyles life will be held at the home of another sister, Patricia Salvary, in Vistabella, San Fernando, next Friday. Southerners welcome start of Sando Waterfront project President of the San Fernando Business Association, (SFBA) Daphne Bartlett, as well as former Member of Parliament for San Fernando West Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan, both welcomed the statement by San Fernando West MP, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi that Government had sourced $500 million for an early start of some aspects of the project. However, both Bertlett and Seepersad- Bachan expressed the hope that the original design would be maintained and that it would not be a clone of the Port of Spain Waterfront Development, replete with glass buildings. Seepersad-Bachan, who said she handed over some 3,500 files prepared by southerners on the project to Al-Rawi when he succeeded her as the MP for San Fernando West, said she hopes they maintain the quaint architecture that characterises the southern city. It will be an honour to see the project continue as it was stakeholders from San Fernando who came forward and put this idea together in the interest of San Fernando and its environs. Most important is that it was designed on the basis that it would maintain the old architecture of San Fernando and in keeping with the tourist attraction that is different from Port of Spain. She said she was also happy San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello has taken the decision to relocate the train engine from its temporary home on the Harris Promenade to its original home on Kings Wharf. That is where it belongs, the old toll bell is still there, the museum can be built around it and we could recreate that effect of the Last Train to San Fernando calypso, recalling that she was privileged to witness the historic last train which made its way to San Fernando. Bartlett, who was appointed to chair the committee undertaking the project under the last administration, said while she is no longer consulted, We are very happy the project is going to be started as we have big plans for the southern part of the island. This will create a lot of opportunities, especially for tourism, including sporting tourism. I just hope they maintain the original plan and do not change it. Pointing out that a final project was approved and there was agreement to accommodate firshermen on the waterfront, Bartlett questioned a decision to remove them. She also queried figures relating to the number of squatters to be relocated. I am not sure how they arrived at a figure of 144 squatters because the Land Settlement Agency (LSA) had settled some of them, and there were about 70 left to be settled. I am not sure what part of the plan they will be executing, but I think they need to communicate with San Fernandians who hold the project near and dear to their hearts. The end result must be worthwhile for everyone and bring value to the area. NSSEC: Creating Young Entrepreneurs The simulation will be used in the National Secondary School Entrepreneurship Competition (NSSE C) which aims at giving students from form four to form six, the practical skills and knowledge needed to create a successful business. Gary Lewis, a representative from Innovative Learning Solutions Inc,(the company which developed it, said, Marketplace Live is an online business simulation designed to teach children how a business is run. We want students to be able to practice before they go into the real world where money and jobs are involved. They need the necessary practice, while they develop both their skills and knowledge about business simultaneously. He was speaking at NSSE Cs Teachers Training session on September 12. Marketplace Live offers student users a gradual introduction to the content and an easy interface through video-enriched storylines while fostering teamwork. The program also has a built-in chat facility for groups of students to communicate while they create and manage their own virtual business in the computer industry over six quarters. In his remarks, Christian Stone, the co-founder of More Vino Ltd, who was also instrumental in NSSE C, described the process of creating the competition as astonishing because of the amount of support his team had been receiving. He said over 60 schools signed up, with over 300 students and five sponsors and partners signed on to NSSE C. The competition will bring together secondary schools throughout TT to compete in a dynamic entrepreneurship- simulation game. The gaming experience aims to equip students with essential practical skills and experience to foster their critical-thinking abilities in the domain of entrepreneurship and give them the confidence to make strategic decisions that will help in the development of their future business ventures. Stone said, The role of teachers is to guide students throughout the course of the onlineprogramme as they (students) learn to connect theoretical concepts to practical experiences, while encouraging innovation and critical thinking. He spoke at the Yara Auditorium, Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (UWI-Lok Jack GSB) in St Augustine. Marketplace Live can be accessed by students and teachers while using any digital device with an internet connection. The UWI-Lok Jack GSB as part of NSSE C will also offer $1 million in scholarship prizes for the top 15 students from NSSE C to pursue the new undergraduate programme to be offered by the Graduate School for the Bachelor of International and Sustainable Business, starting in September 2018. Energy Minister to let due process take place Answering questions at yesterdays Senate sitting, Khan said, the report was finalised and was to be forwarded to him for my attention this (yesterday) afternoon. Asked if he had received the August 17 report, from which UNC Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Sunday alleged that lease operator, A&V Oil and Gas Ltd had inflated its oil production figures and defrauded state-owned Petrotrin of about $100 million, Khan said, prior to the August 17 internal audit report, Petrotrin had submitted on August 4 an initial report to him indicating that they have been recorded discrepancies in the volumes of oil shipped from the Exploration and Production Department to the volumes of oil received at the refinery. Petrotrin has also reported that an internal audit was commissioned. Procedurally, he said, the internal audit report would go to the audit committee of the board for its review and then to the full board for its consideration, deliberation and course of action to be taken. However, the report was leaked over the weekend, he said, and it is now in the public domain. The leak, he said, has gotten the whole population anxious as to what will happen but he cannot breach due process. He will await the submission of the report which he expects with a covering letter from Petrotrin. Petrotrins board, he said, met urgently on Tuesday and Wednesday to consider the findings of the report. Asked what steps he intends to take in dealing with the matter, Khan said, to let due process take place. The audit committee of the board and the board have considered the report, he said, and they in their own judgement will determine what further actions or investigations are needed. At this point in time, I cannot intervene and I will not intervene. He was aware, he said, that Petrotrin had stopped payments in the amount of US$6 million to A&V for June and July when the audit was being conducted and pending the outcome of the investigations. PM: Senator Baksh stays He gave the assurance at the third leg of his National Conversations held on Wednesday at St Augustine Secondary School in reply to a question from the floor. Let me ask you a question: On what basis will the daughter of AV Drilling be suspended? The questioner replied that her father is now under probe. Rowley said, He is being investigated. And you think the daughter should be suspended? That doesnt sound to me as though they are connected. Unless of course you are making an allegation against the daughter. I do not find that that is a reasonable conclusion. With most questions posed on youth and schooling, Rowley urged the population to reach out to their local schools in a spirit of voluntarism. He said there is nothing to stop a person from walking in a school, declaring their skills/talents and offering to help pupils. Youth activist Nikoli Edwards suggested the youth portfolio be shifted from the Ministry of Sport to Ministry of Education. Robert Le Hunte is now senator He took the oath of Senator before Senate President Christine Kangaloo at the start of yesterdays sitting of the Senate. Le Hunte filled the vacancy left by former senator Walede Michael Coppin whose position was revoked on August 24 to accommodate his ministerial appointment. Le Huntes initial appointment as Minister of Public Utilities was revoked days after he was sworn in, in August due to having dual citizenship, a position he has since rectified. Japan's Defense Ministry says a ballistic missile fired from North Korea landed in the Pacific Ocean about 2,200 kilometers east of Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Friday morning. Ministry officials said the missile was fired at around 6:57 AM Japan time from Sunan on North Korea's west coast. It flew over Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific Ocean outside Japan's exclusive economic zone about 20 minutes later. The officials estimated that the missile flew about 3,700 kilometers and reached an altitude of about 800 kilometers. They said no debris fell on Japanese territory, and that no ships or aircraft were hit. The officials said the missile was likely a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic type. The North launched a similar type last month. They said the two missiles were launched in similar directions, but that the latest one traveled about 1,000 kilometers farther and climbed about 250 kilometers higher. Friday's missile traveled 300 kilometers farther than the distance between North Korea and the US territory of Guam. Last month, North Korea said it is considering plans to fire missiles at areas near the Pacific island. Sep 15 (ANNnewsCH) - eeeeaa29acaaaSa1000aaeaaaaa aaaSaeea aaeaaaYaYaaaacaaaSazacaacaaaaaa aaaaa15aaeaaaeaaJaaaaiaaczea aaaa iaea eYaeaSeYaaYa Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in have agreed to further increase pressure on North Korea, following its launch of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan on Friday morning. The 2 talked over the phone for about half an hour on Friday evening. Abe said the launch, which came shortly after the UN Security Council adopted a sanctions resolution, flagrantly affronts the international community. He said repeats of such acts must not be overlooked, and that Japan will respond in unity with other countries. Abe stressed the need to bring greater pressure on the North. Moon said that it's necessary to thoroughly implement the UN Security Council's resolution and make more efforts to call on China and Russia for cooperation. The 2 leaders confirmed that Japan, South Korea and the United States will continue to work together to strengthen pressure on the North. 15 Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera has suggested that North Korea's latest missile launch was likely linked to its earlier threat to aim at waters off Guam. The ballistic missile North Korea fired on Friday morning is estimated to have flown about 3,700 kilometers. Onodera told reporters on Friday that the launch showed that the missile could have reached Guam, which is about 3,400 kilometers from the country. Onodera said he believes Pyongyang had the US Pacific territory in mind, given its past statements. In August, North Korea said it was planning to fire ballistic missiles toward waters off the island. Onodera said Japan's Self-Defense Forces did not try to shoot down the missile, as such action was deemed unnecessary. He said interception only takes place when a missile is projected to hit Japan's territorial waters or land. The total amount of money paid to medical institutions in Japan to cover treatment of injuries and diseases fell 0.4 pct from the previous year to 41,286.5 billion yen in fiscal 2016, the health ministry said in a preliminary report Friday. This was the first decline in 14 years on a preliminary report basis, the ministry said, citing as a major reason a 4.8 pct decrease in drug dispensing costs thanks to price cuts for expensive drugs, including for hepatitis C. But there is no major change in the uptrend of medical expenses on the back of the country's aging population, observers said. The overall amount, which does not include costs for treatment shouldered fully by patients and those for diseases and injuries certified as being related to work, represents some 98 pct of Japan's total national medical expenses. Speech by Prime Minister at India-Japan Business Leaders Forum Gandhinagar, Fri, 15 Sep 2017 NI Wire Speech by Prime Minister at India-Japan Business Leaders Forum, Gandhinagar (September 14, 2017) His Excellency Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan; Honourable Ministers and Senior Delegates from Japan; Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Vijay Rupani ; Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Nitin Patel Business Leaders from both countries; Ladies and Gentlemen! It is a real pleasure to be with the business community of Japan and India. That too in the presence of a great friend: Friend of India; Friend of Gujarat and my personal friend Mr. Shinzo Abe Please give a big hand for this great friend and a great leader. My personal engagement with the leadership, Government, Industry and people of Japan is now a decade old. When I first visited Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I had said that.... I want to see a mini Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true. I am happy to see so many friends from Japan happily living and doing business in Gujarat. It also gives me great pleasure to see so many familiar faces here. I am also happy to see that dedicated townships, clusters and institutions have come up to make the Japanese life and work experience better. Today also, one Japanese township has been announced. Gujarat's Industry and Government still cherish the fact that Japan became the first partner country in the Vibrant Gujarat event. Not only did this partnership continue, but our engagement has kept growing. It has resulted in much greater level of engagement of the Japanese industry with the Indian economy. I thank Keidanren, JETRO and other organisations for helping us in this process. The mechanism of Japan Plus has also helped in the process of hand holding. Friends! The Government and the people of Japan have always shown great affection towards me and my country. In fact, 1.25 billion people of India have the same affection for the Japanese people. I am particularly grateful to Prime Minister Abe for his encouragement and support at a personal level. Prime Minister Abe and I do not miss any opportunity to meet. This closeness and understanding has helped us bridge a number of gaps in our bilateral relations. Last year has seen the highest ever disbursement of Official Development Assistance from Japan in a financial year. Similarly, the number of Japanese companies working in India has gone up steadily in the last few years. From the activities launched today, you can see the depth of relationship between the two countries. First is the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project: We are grateful for the support of the Japanese Government for this Project. I hope that the construction of the 500-km long bullet train will begin soon and it would become operational by 2022--23. Along with the High Speed Rail project, a training institute is also taking shape. It will prepare the Makers of a New India the highly skilled manpower required to build, operate and maintain the high speed railway. Second is the Development of Japanese Industrial Townships: Country-wide, four locations have been finalized. Apart from Gujarat, they are located in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Third is our cooperation in auto-mobiles: The Suzuki plant at Maandal is exporting cars world-wide, and foundation has been laid for production of Lithium-ion batteries to power the next generation hybrid and electric vehicles. Fourth is for Human Resource Development through the Japan-India Institutes of Manufacturing They are being developed by Japanese companies. In addition to Gujarat, they will be developed in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi. It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and I when we visited Varanasi together in 2015. I have named it Rudraksh the symbol of love, and a Prasad of Lord Shiva to Humanity. This Rudraksh will be a gar-land of love of Japan for Varanasi. It will also be a tribute to our shared Buddhist heritage present at Sarnath too. For Japans financial assistance to this project, I extend my warmest personal thanks to Prime Minister Abe. You have also seen some other announce- -ments for investment by Japanese companies. On political and strategic side too, this visit of Prime Minister Abe has been very productive. We have concluded a number of agreements on very important matters. All this shows the depth of our understanding and the comfort and confidence which we have with each other. Friends! Over the last three years, we have worked very hard on the front of Ease of Doing Business. A series of administrative reforms have significantly improved the business sentiment in the country. These reforms and initiatives are all aimed at preparing India for the 21st century. They are aimed at transforming the country and making a New India. Powered by the energy of our youth, we are positioning India as a global manufacturing hub. For this purpose, we have launched the Make in India campaign. We are also developing India into a knowledge based, skill supported and technology driven society. A grand beginning has already been made through our drives like Digital India and Skill India. For the same purpose, we have started the Start-up India campaign. India is ranked 3rd in the Global Start-Up Eco-system, and has seen a momentous rise in the past couple of years. The Start-Up India initiative also aims to build a strong eco-system of innovation. On infrastructure side also, my Government has launched ambitious initiatives These projects create and present life time opportunities to investors. This includes 100 Smart Cities Mission, Housing for 50 million homeless, building roads, bridges, ports, railways tracks as well as stations. Friends! Japan can benefit tremendously with the size and scale of our potentials and skilled hands that India offers! In fact, all of Indias development agenda is relevant for Japanese companies. To allow entry of capital and technology, we have worked hard on opening our economy. Every day we are making it easier to invest and do business in India. We have already resolved a number of regulatory and policy issues facing the businesses and companies. We have got very good results of these efforts. I can list out some of the recent global recognitions: India has moved up in the index of Ease of Doing Business of world Bank; We have moved up 32 places in last two years in the Global Competitive- -ness Index of the World Economic Forum this is higher than any other country; We have also moved up 21 places on the Global Innovation Index of WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization in two years. We moved 19 places on the Logistics Performance Index of 2016 of World Bank; and We are 3rd among the top 10 FDI destinations listed by UNCTAD the UN Conference on Trade and Development. Indias biggest tax reform, the GST has been introduced recently. With this, we are also moving towards a modern tax regime, which is transparent, stable and predictable. Today, India has one of the most liberal FDI regimes in the world. More than 90 percent of the FDI approvals have been put on automatic route. We have abolished the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. This liberalization has seen Indias FDI reach 60 billion dollars in the last financial year. FDI flows from Japan have almost tripled in last three years. The new Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code will make it easier for investors to have an exit. We are setting up commercial courts and commercial divisions to ensure speedy disposal of commercial matters. Arbitration proceedings will now become faster as the Arbitration law has been amended. We have also announced a new Intellectual Property Rights policy. These are just a few examples of the direction in which we are moving. We will do more and more; better and better; faster and faster. Friends! India and Japan are ancient civilizations and vibrant democracies. We know how to distribute the fruits of progress and prosperity to the common man. India needs affordable solutions and processes which can ease the delivery of government services to its citizens. Japan needs opportunities where it can deploy its hard earned knowledge and technology. I have been saying that 21st Century is Asia's Century. I have also been saying that India and Japan will play a major role in Asia's emergence. The growing conver-gence between India and Japan on strategic and economic issues has the capacity to stimulate the global economy. I am confident that Strong India and Strong Japan will also be a stabilising factor in Asia and the world. In this mutual and global pursuit I thank Prime Minister Abe and Japan for being a perfect partner. With the strength of our friendship and mutual trust, I invite more and more Japanese people and companies to come, live and work in India. I wish you success in your efforts. I assure you my support wherever it is required. Thank You! Thank you very much. Source: PIB PM's Press Statement during visit of PM of Japan to India Gandhinagar, Fri, 15 Sep 2017 NI Wire His Excellency, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Distinguished Delegates, Members of the media, Konnichiva (Good Afternoon/Namaskar) Im delighted that I got the opportunity to welcome my unique friend, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in India, especially in Gujarat. Prime Minister Abe and I have met several times on the sidelines of global conferences but welcoming him in India is a matter of great happiness for me. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit the Sabarmati Ashram with him. Today both of us visited the Dandi Kutir. This morning, together we carried out the ground-breaking ceremony of Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed railway project, which is being built with Japanese cooperation. This is a very big step. This is not just the beginning of high speed rail. While looking forward at our future needs, I consider this new railway philosophy as the lifeline of a New India. India's uninterrupted progress has now been attached to a much faster pace. Friends, Mutual trust and faith, understanding of each other's interests and concerns, and continuous high level interactions, this is the uniqueness of Indo-Japan relations. The scope of our special strategic and global partnership is not confined to bilateral or regional levels only. We also have close cooperation on global issues. Last year, during my visit to Japan, we had a historic agreement for peaceful use of nuclear energy. I express my gratitude to the people of Japan, Parliament of Japan, and especially Prime Minister Abe for its ratification. This agreement has added a new chapter to our cooperation on the issue of clean energy and climate change. Friends, In 2016-17, India got Japanese investment worth $ 4.7 billion which is 80 percent more than the previous year. Now Japan is the third largest investor in India. It clearly shows how much confidence and optimism is prevalent in Japan towards India's economic development and a golden tomorrow. And by looking at this investment, it can be assumed that in the coming days people-to-people ties between India and Japan will grow further along with a growing business. We already provide visa on arrival facilities to citizens of Japan and now after the collaboration between India Post and Japan Post we are going to introduce a Cool Box Service so that the Japanese people living in India can directly get their favorite food from Japan. At the same time, I would also request the Japanese business community to open more Japanese restaurants in India! Today, India is on the path of a radical change at many levels. Whether it is ease of doing business or Skill India, taxation reforms or Make in India, India is transforming completely. This is a huge opportunity for Japanese businesses. And I'm glad that many Japanese companies are deeply involved with our flagship programs. We will also get to see its direct benefit during our conversation in today's evening program with the business leaders of both the countries. We are the largest partner in Japan's official development assistance programme and I warmly welcome the agreements that have been signed today for the projects in several sectors. Friends, I am confident that our dialogue and the agreements signed by us today will further strengthen the partnership between India and Japan in all areas. With these words, I once again warmly welcome Prime Minister Abe and the high level delegation accompanying him. Ijyo De Gozaimas (Thats all for now) Arigato Gozaimas (Thank you) Thank you very much. Source: PIB PM Modi and Japanese PM Abe lay foundation stone for India's first High Speed Rail project Gandhinagar, Fri, 15 Sep 2017 NI Wire Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today jointly laid the foundation stone for Indias first high speed rail project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Speaking on the occasion, at a large public meeting in Ahmedabad, the Prime Minister spoke of the high ambition and willpower of New India. He congratulated the people of India on the occasion, and said that the bullet train project will provide speed and progress, and deliver results quickly. He said the Governments focus is on increasing productivity through high speed connectivity. The Prime Minister thanked Japan for the technical and financial help given to India, for this project. He praised Prime Minister Abe for the fact that this project is being launched within such a short time. The Prime Minister said that this high speed railway would not only bring two cities closer, but also bring the people living hundreds of kilometers away, closer to each other. He said a new economic system is being developed along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, and the entire area would become a single economic zone. The Prime Minister said technology is useful only if it provides benefit to the common man. He said the technology transfer envisaged in this project will benefit Indian Railways, and boost the Make in India initiative. He said the project would be eco-friendly as well as human-friendly. He said high-speed corridors would be regions for rapid growth in the future. The Prime Minister said that the Government is working to ensure that infrastructure is developed keeping in mind futuristic requirements. He expressed confidence that everyone would work together to complete this project in the shortest possible time. Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the India-Japan partnership is special, strategic and global. He said that he hopes to see the beauty of India through the windows of the Bullet Train, a few years hence. Source: PIB Share Recent reports indicate Nokia (News - Alert) has received hundreds of millions of euros from Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. for 40,000 base stations that it will supply along with Chinas ZTE. The total value of the agreement is approximately EUR 800 million. BSNL (News - Alert) will replace its old base stations in the next two years, Pia Heikkila reports for Kauppalehti. Nokia implements the expansion of networks in the south and west, while ZTE (News - Alert) covers the north and east of the country. President and CEO of BSNL, Anupam Shrivastava, told the Economic Times that the company signed a pre-contract with Nokia. According to the magazine, Nokia won the bidding price and ZTE came second. According to the Business Standard magazine, Swedish Ericsson (News - Alert) was also involved in the offer but was excluded from the project due to its higher bid. ETTelecom in June reported that Nokia has been working with both BSNL and telco Bharti Airtel to build 5G networks under recently signed memorandums of understanding. Thoughts behind these MoUs would be to introduce 5G here, and what are the steps required for the same, besides identifying applications to define the target segment, which will lead to a complete 5G strategy for telcos, Sanjay Malik, head of India market at Nokia, told ET. It is more of a preparatory phase for getting into 5G. Financial Express in March reported that BSNLs answer to Reliance Jio is to bring 5G internet speeds to India. And it noted Nokia with its 5G FIRST solution, including its AirScale radio access portfolio and AirFrame data center platform, would enable that. BSNL is a long-time customer of Nokia. In 2005 Nokia announced it had won a $141 million GSM network expansion with BSNL. Edited by Mandi Nowitz Share Telefonica has agreed to do trials with Nokia (News - Alert) through which it will assess the suppliers 4.5G, 4.5G Pro, and 4.9G technologies. Nokia says these technologies provide companies like Telefonica with a smooth migration path to 5G, while enabling them to leverage their existing network assets. Together, the companies will bring increased capacity to busy cities, suburban, and urban environments using licensed and unlicensed spectrum and Nokias MIMO technology. They will also do trials of Nokias Multi-access Edge Computing solution, which allows for ultra-low latency communications. And theyll explore network slicing on the Telefonica (News - Alert) UNICA cloud platform. "Nokia has defined a comprehensive portfolio of technologies and services that will allow any operator to move to the cloud and 5G at a pace that meets their objectives and the demands of their customers, said Pedro Hernandez, Vice President of Telefonica Global Business at Nokia. We are pleased to leverage these technologies and expertise to help Telefonica transform its network and evolve its service offer to anticipate and satisfy changing market demands." Enrique Blanco, Systems and Network Global Director at Telefonica, commented: "As demand rises, we want to deliver the greatest possible network experience even as we expand our offering to both existing and new customers. Working with Nokia we will explore the potential of key technologies that allow us to do this in the most effective way on the path to 5G." Coriant (News - Alert) is another supplier whith which Telefonica has recently conducted trials. Telefonica Germany this spring completed an alien wavelength trial with the optical company. The purpose of the trial was to demonstrate how existing optical infrastructure can be optimized with disaggregated and optical transmission and open networking capabilities. The trial, which took place earlier this year, ran on Telefonica Germanys existing 10G DWDM dispersion compensated network. It involved disaggregated 100G, 150G, and 200G transmission over live fiber optic links on the network. And it employed the Coriant GrooveT G30 Network Disaggregation Platform. Edited by Mandi Nowitz President Muhammadu Buhari will Sunday depart for New York to join other world leaders at the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 72). Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement on Friday, said the high point of the presidents visit would be his participation in the general debate with the theme Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. Adesina said the president would deliver the countrys national statement during the debate and join other world leaders at the welcoming reception to be hosted by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and also hold a bilateral meeting with the UN scribe. The theme for this years Debate is: Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. President Buhari will join other world leaders at the welcoming reception to be hosted by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and also hold a bilateral meeting with the UN scribe. Equally, the Nigerian leader will hold a lunch meeting with President Donald Trump of the United States of America, along with other world leaders. During the General Assembly, Nigeria will participate in high level meetings on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: Building Momentum for Change, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, a High Level Event organized by the African Union under its Theme of the Year: Roadmap on the Demographic Dividend: from Commitment to Action, among others. At the events, President Buhari and members of his delegation will strive to project Nigeria as a strong moral force and responsible member of the international community. Nigerias commitment to global peace, security and development will also be reaffirmed and where necessary, the need for increased international cooperation in the fight against corruption. Other priorities for the Nigerian delegation at UNGA 72 include strengthening human rights institutions; the rule of law; support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of terrorist acts and recent flooding, and mitigating the effects of Climate Change. The Nigerian delegation will also canvass the support of UN member states for the Buhari Administrations efforts towards combatting illicit financial flows in order to foster sustainable development. Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed with the visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Ugandan President was received on arrival by President Buhari at the Aso Rock villa, Abuja, at about 2.25p.m. Newsmen report that the Ugandas president is on a friendly visit to Nigeria. Newsmen report that the Ugandan president has been showing interest and concern over the activities of the deadly Boko Haram sect operating in Nigeria over five years ago. Museveni was quoted in 2014, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, as warning the Nigerian government against negotiating with the Boko Haram insurgents. It would be a mistake for the government of Nigeria to negotiate with these people. The most important thing is to defeat them, then negotiations can come after that, Museveni told a local Ugandan newspaper in an interview in May 2014 The lawyer to leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has released names of the missing members detained by the Nigerian soldiers. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in a statement, alleged that the IPOB members were being held hostage by soldiers at a location in Aba, Abia state. He gave the names of the detained IPOB members as: Chukwuemaka Umelo (Ejima); Eze Monday; Chibueke Eke; Sunday Isaiah; Gabriel Isaiah; Gentle Odu. Kanus lawyer noted that the six members of the IPOB are a few of the list of numerous members of the group whom their whereabouts are yet to be ascertained. It is important that this development is made public to avoid them being killed in mysterious circumstance, akin to the style of operation in the south east, Ejiofor said. The situation is very serious. We are appealing for prompt intervention of international community before things get out of hands. Ngwa High School Aba is the same place, Nigeria Military personnel attacked and massacred over 100 IPOB members last year, while praying for my client on a day he was scheduled to appear in court. You can check the Amnesty Internationals report that hugely indicted the Nigeria soldiers on the mindless killing of unarmed members of indigenous people of Biafra, last year at Ngwa High school, where they have now turned to their base, he added. The wood dealers comprising of sawyers, saw millers, pullers, engineers, pushers and transporters are now calling on the Lagos State Government to save them from the economic hardship brought upon them by the closure. Rising from an executive meeting of all the associations operating in the market earlier in the week, the leaders of the various associations pleaded with the state government to come to their rescue and open the market for operations. Alhaji Taiwo Ahmed Abdul Qadri, the Task Force Chairman of Sawyers Association said they have taken all steps necessary to get the government to urgently look into their plight. We are appealing to the Lagos State Government to reopen the market. We have sent emissaries to the governor, reached out to the Yaba LCDA Chairman, paramount rulers in Lagos and top politicians in the state to help us appeal to the governor. Since the closure, we cannot feed, send our children to school and provide financial support to our families. We are not up in arms against the government, we are only appealing to the Governor to temper justice with mercy and reopen the market. Appealing further, the President Ifesowapo Nigeria Timber Association, Okanmiyon Mafinuyomi, said what led to the closure of the market was caused by a small group of people in the market and they have secured a commitment from them that they will never operate on the bridge again. He said apart from living in hunger with members of their families, wood merchants are also incurring heavy loss daily We have been living with hunger and pains since the market was shut down almost four weeks ago, Okanmiyon said. Our members in the timber association whose logs were brought from different parts of the country cannot gain access to their goods. The logs of timber run into millions of Naira and they have no opportunity to access the area and salvage what is left of some of their merchants. Okanmiyon also disclosed that sawyers in the wood market are losing some of their woods because they are drying up and getting bad as the day goes by. Lawrence Obiora; the President General Sawyers and Timbers Dealers Association of Lagos also appealed to the state government to quickly the market and save his members from hunger. I want to appeal to the Lagos State Governor because what happened has happened. We appreciate all the efforts he (Governor Ambode) is taking to sanitise the state and market. But the fallout of the closure is telling on all our members- pullers, sawmilers, transporters, Ijaw National, sawyers, traders, engineers and all those who feedfrom this place. We, therefore, appeal to the governor to look into this issue. The socio-economic fallout of the closure is so huge. It has brought untold hardship to us. We support everything the government is doing to sanitise the place. We are just appealing to him look into our plight and reopen the market., Obiora concluded. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government have said that the closed section of the wood market will be reopened, only after the environment has been properly sanitised, cleared of wastes and all drainages have been cleared. When The Guardian spoke to the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Wasiu Anifowoshe, he explained that the government sealed off the market because of poor sanitation and the threat posed by activities of the wood merchants to commuters and pedestrians plying the roads near the market. We have warned the wood dealers times without number to clear the blocked drainages, keep the environment clean and stop using the highway for their market activities because they have become a threat to other road users but they did not heed the call. The government has the duty to take care of the environment and that was why we took that step. Anifowoshe said the government did not close the market to hurt their businesses but the state government has the duty and responsibility to maintain law and order in any part of Lagos. On when the market will be reopened, the Commissioner did not give a specific date but disclosed that as soon as the drainages are cleared and evacuated, and the market sanitised, the wood dealers will be free to go back to their businesses. I cant give a specific date but work is ongoing to evacuate and clear the blocked channels and drainages around the market. We are not here to punish anyone. All we want to do ensure we maintain law and order in the state., said Anifowoshe. The Oko Baba Wood Market is the largest in West Africa and provides jobs for millions of men and women, directly and indirectly. He said in Rustenburg, North West Province of South Africa, on Friday that not all Nigerians in that country were bad. Okolo said that the notion that all Nigerians in South Africa were into crimes was false because many of them in the province had thriving businesses. I am aware that businesses owned by Nigerians have employed many South African and Nigerian youths. Some of the businesses have trained many youths and made them self-employed, he said. Okolo appealed to the Federal Government to empower its mission in South Africa to visit Nigerians in the nine provinces of the country regularly. He said that although the mission was trying its best on the welfare of the people, they needed to do more through more contacts. The major challenge we have is that any crime committed by a non-South African is attributed to a Nigerian. Its sad because after investigation, it will be revealed that the crimes were committed by citizens of other countries. By then, the damage had been done to the image of our country, he said. The spokesman stressed the need for synergy between Nigeria and South Africa on the welfare of our people in that country. Dr. Queen Blessing Itua, the youthful and dynamic Nigerian lady who right on time in the year sacked US Presidents Life Time Achievement Award is in the nation on an exchange mission. She arrived in Nigeria from US with a high-powered delegation of Nigeria Initiative for Economic Development (NIED) of which she is the Co-ordinator. The delegation is on the mission of strengthening the nations foreign trade relations, exploring Nigerias investment potentials and to open doors for further in flow of foreign investments in the country in order to create employment opportunities for the army of jobless Nigerian youths and help grow the nations economy out of recession. Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Audu Ogbeh and his health counterpart, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole were present when the delegation that is currently on tour across the country was received by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in the State House, Abuja, a few days ago. During the meeting, they were told about Nigerias immense economic potentials especially, agricultural produce. The delegation also visited Ogun State on trade mission where they were warmly received by the Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun. Dr. Itua it can be recalled is a pretty woman of substance, a multifaceted and inspirational Global Empowerment Motivator (GEM) making waves in America and across the globe with her several humanitarian project initiatives noted to have been empowering people in need and transforming lives of those living in extreme hunger and abject poverty especially, children and women. Due to the effective way she has been actualizing humanitarian deliverables across the globe, she was on January 18, 2017 showered with highest dual honours by the 44th President of the United States of America, President Barack Obama as well as the Outstanding Citizen of Georgia Award by the Secretary of the state of Georgia. The awards are the highest dual honours for a civilian in the United States. Dr. Itua is a serving international Chief Adviser for Honourable State of Georgia Senator, Donzella James. She is highly reckoned to have been genuinely inspiring people to personal transformation necessary for reaching crowning potential which ignited her passion to founding the Blessings of Africa Empowerment Foundation in Nigeria and Global Empowerment Movement (GEM) in USA, a non-profit organizations dedicated to humanitarian efforts geared towards addressing a common root of impoverished communities. Residents of the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldiers on arrival shot sporadically for about 40 minutes that the invasion lasted.A resident said that other residents were contemplating not spending the night in their homes around the Kanus home for fear of a fresh invasion in the night. But when contacted, the police spokesman in the state, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the command was unaware of the invasion. The spokesman of the 14 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Ohafia, Major Oyegoke Gbadamasi, referred journalists to make their inquiry through dedicated telephone lines. Earlier yesterday, two persons said to be members of IPOB who wore the groups outfits were reportedly shot dead along Bank Road in Umuahia, while another person sustained bullet injuries while coming out from the nearby branch of Zenith Bank. Both incidents occurred around 10:00 a.m. Eyewitnesses said members of the Operation Python Dance 11, after the shootings, quickly took the bodies of the victims and the injured person away.Before the incident, scores of IPOB members were said to be marching along Akanu Ibian / Bank Road, less than 100 meters to the Government House gate singing and asking to know where the soldiers were. This, according to the eyewitnesses, prompted the shootings by the soldiers who were very close. It was also learnt yesterday that the Ariaria International Market Police Station in Aba was burnt. The police spokesman, Ogbonnaya, who confirmed the Aba police station incident, said there was no human casualty.Markets, banks and other commercial houses as well as the Central Police Station, Umuahia closed for business and the streets of Umuahia were deserted. The invasion was carried out shortly after Governor Ikezie Ikpeazu announced that soldiers would be withdrawn from the streets of Aba and Umuahia from today as part of steps to curb rising violence and clashes between the security agents and members of IPOB. Ikpeazu, who announced this in a statement he personally signed, said he would soon meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to find ways of relaxing the Operation Python Dance 11 in the state. He warned that government would no longer tolerate violent demonstrations and destruction of property by anyone. The statement read: The security situation in Abia in the past few days, which led to the deployment of soldiers into our state ahead of the Operation Python Dance 11, has become of great concern to both the government and the citizenry. After several interventions, I want to inform you that by tomorrow morning, there will be withdrawal of soldiers from the streets at Aba and Umuahia, apart from the pre-existing military checkpoints at various locations in the state. With the expected exit of soldiers from the streets, we must warn that we will not tolerate agitators and protesters taking over the streets for any reason at all.The governor condemned attacks on police stations and military posts at Aba and Umuahia and warned against acts that are capable of causing insecurity in the state. We have also observed illegal acts of throwing petrol bombs and setting up of bonfires to obstruct free movements along some roads by suspected miscreants and warn that such acts should stop forthwith. To mischief makers who want to use Abia as their base, I announce to you that henceforth, Abia will be too hot for you to carry out your wicked acts as the government will work with security agents to ensure the protection of lives and property in the state without fear or favour. Ikpeazu warned hoodlums and miscreants, some of whom were allegedly brought into the state by unscrupulous individuals, to burn the Ariaria International Market to cripple the economy of the state and cause widespread suffering.It was this group that originated the rumours of attacks and counter- attacks around the area and also tried to create panic to force people out of their homes to enable them to execute their evil intentions under the cover of orchestrated crises. We have it on good authority that the same group of hoodlums attempted to burn down the police station at Ariaria market early today and security agents are currently on the hunt for them and those outside the state who are sponsoring their evil actions. Not even one of them will escape the full weight of the law, the governor said. Ikpeazu said members and sympathisers of IPOB should desist from spreading false rumours capable of throwing Abia into disorder. The chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, urged the Federal Government to immediately convene a meeting with leaders of the agitators, saying that only the unity of the nation could lead to development. Musa cautioned the government against the excessive use of force to quell peoples agitation against marginalisation.The reaction by the soldiers against IPOB members is bound to happen. What is necessary now is for the Federal Government to sit together with them and resolve this problem. The government should call all the secessionist groups across the country with a view to addressing the agitation for secession by those who felt marginalised in Nigeria. Musa advised that all Nigerians be enlightened that there is no need to go to another war. It is unheard of that those agitating for the creation of Biafra are even flying the flag of such state in the country. This is what made it secession. And no country can tolerate such. There is evidence of marginalisation against the east. For instance, there was a time no Igbo man was in the security services in Nigeria. When Buharis government came into office, there were two instances when he did not appoint any Igbo man in his kitchen cabinet. And when they complained to him, he said they didnt elect him. Marginalisation against the south-east can be proved, he said. The CNPP boss urged south-east governors and their leaders to advise Kanu to negotiate with the Federal Government.Meanwhile, IPOB lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has accused the military authorities of deliberately provoking IPOB to resort to arms struggle. In a live radio programme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State yesterday, Ejiofor stated that rather than take up arms, IPOB would continue to resist provocation. We know the people who are attacking them. They are all over the place. Certainly not the northerners or Hausa in Port Harcourt, he said. He stated this in a reaction to the claim by the Rivers State police command and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) that IPOB members unleashed the violence that erupted at Oyibo town leading to the death of a police officer and wanton destruction of property belonging to northerners. 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. Morocco is a very important partner for the United Kingdom in the fight against terrorism, underlined Thomas Reilly, ambassador of Great Britain in Morocco. The United Kingdom highly appreciates the assistance provided by Morocco during the terrorist attacks in London, the British diplomat said in a statement to MAP, on the sidelines of his participation in the second edition of the private air show and business MEBAA Show Morocco 2017. The British diplomat noted that terrorism is an international scourge that requires international coordination and cooperation to eradicate it and protect our peoples. The ambassador who hailed the strategic vision of King Mohammed VI and the multifaceted reforms conducted during his reign, said in 20 years, Morocco has made extraordinary and impressive progress. Describing relations between Morocco and the United Kingdom as excellent, the diplomat noted that Morocco offers enormous opportunities for both British tourists and British investors. In this context, he said that over 650,000 British tourists visit Morocco each year, which is the third largest number of tourists after the French and Spaniards. During the first half of this year, he said, British tourists have spent more than one billion dirhams in Morocco. Tourism is not just about money, its also about cultural exchanges and rapprochement between the two friendly peoples, he added. We want to be your partners, we want to go to the future hand in hand as equal partners and I am determined that both kingdoms will face the future together, he said. The MEBAA Show Morocco, which took place in Marrakech this week, provided an ideal platform for business suppliers, providers and buyers to network and establish new relationships in North Africa. French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday reaffirmed Frances willingness to play an active role in supporting Kuwaiti mediation with a view to finding a solution to the Gulf crisis. This came after the meeting he held in Paris with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani. The President of the Republic has reaffirmed the will of France, which has relations of friendship and trust with all the countries involved in this crisis, to play an active role in support of Kuwaiti mediation, to ensure that a swift solution to this situation is found, said the French Presidential Palace in a statement made public after the meeting. Talks between the two heads of state covered the current crisis opposing Qatar to its Gulf neighbors, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, plus Egypt. President Macron expressed his concern at the tensions threatening regional stability, hampering political resolution of crises and the effectiveness of our collective fight against terrorism, the Elysee statement said, adding that the French head of state demanded that the embargo measures, affecting the populations of Qatar, particularly families and students, be lifted as quickly as possible. Qatar has been embroiled in a crisis with the Saudi-led quartet since June 5. The Boycotting countries decreed a number of measures against Qatar that they accuse of supporting terrorism and threatening their internal security, cutting air, sea and land links with Doha. Qatar denied the charges, claiming it is victim of a smear campaign. The Elysee statement added that the French President and the Emir of Qatar expressed their shared resolve to deepen cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism and to establish joint mechanisms to drain the sources of financing of terrorism and to prevent radicalization. They also agreed to work together in the run-up to the conference on combating the financing of terrorism to be held in France early 2018, the statement added. A ghost President with ghost achievements came to be the most appropriate description of Algerias ailing president Bouteflika whose public appearances are a thing of the past. As was expected, after three days of waiting in Algiers, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro joined the list of heads of state whose supposed meetings with Bouteflika never took place, further igniting concerns over the Algerian Presidents capacity to govern. Prior to Maduro, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had to call off her visit to Algeria last February due to the failing health of Bouteflika. Few weeks later, Iranian President Hassan Rohanis visit was also postponed sine die. Analysts deem that maintaining a sick President whose physical and mental capacities are shrouded in uncertainty is indicative of a power struggle within the countrys regime. The contending clans within the regime seem not in agreement over Bouteflikas successor. Therefore, they maintain the ailing 80-year old President as a time buying measure in a sign that bodes ill for the countrys future. Bouteflikas health also casts a shadow on the opacity of a regime, where power is generally presumed to reside among groups of military leaders, intelligence officials, businessmen, and politicians collectively known as le pouvoir. Algerias leader rarely appears in public since a 2013 stroke left him confined to a wheelchair. He has since traveled several times to France for medical treatment. Regime opacity and the secrecy shrouding the successor to Bouteflika have also been hampering Algeria from carrying out economic reforms to wean their economy from dependence on hydrocarbons, especially as the languishing oil prices at 50 dollars a barrel are set to last for years longer. Uncertainty over Bouteflikas succession adds to Algerias explosive mix: ailing economy, dwindling oil revenues, widespread corruption, fragile social cohesion and lingering terrorist threat, which make the country a powder keg waiting to explode. Spanish interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido urged the EU to support Moroccos considerable efforts to fight illegal immigration. The EU should lend more support to African partners, such as Morocco, in their colossal efforts in countering illegal immigration, said the Spanish official at a meeting of the EUs justice and domestic affairs council. Zoido, whose remarks were quoted in a statement by his department, stressed that third countries are making huge efforts in this area, which must be recognized and supported by the EU. The Spanish Minister considered that the EUs work in this area must be based on successful bilateral experiences, which must be respected and supported, given the fact that their results are benefiting all EU member states. These statements came at a time Morocco is undergoing increasing pressure from would-be migrants mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa. Spain seemed like a forgotten EU border far away from the tragedies of the refugee crisis that ensued the Arab Spring and the influx of migrants and refugees in 2015. When the EU saw over 1 million sea arrivals in 2015, only a few thousands were registered in Spain, thanks to close cooperation with Morocco where authorities have took measures that drastically curbed illegal migration attempts. Frontex itself recognized the key role Morocco plays in preventing the surge of migration to the EU. In a 2015 report, the EU border agency said that thanks to close cooperation with Morocco, Spain, the only European country adjoining Africa- with two outposts within Moroccos mainland (the Spain-occupied enclaves of Ceuta and Melillia)- has been spared by the wave of refugees and migrants that hit Europe. When 1.3 million asylum applications were lodged in EU countries, only 13.000 were registered in Madrid. At the security level, Morocco stationed 23,000 members of the security forces as well as navy gendarmerie to survey the Mediterranean coast and foil illegal immigration attempts. However, the closure of the Balkan route after the EU-Turkey agreement and the deteriorating security conditions and the crackdown on migration in Libya, push would-be migrants to see in heavily patrolled Moroccan coasts and land borders with Spanish cities of Ceuta and Mellilia an alternative. So far this year, 8000 peoples have taken the Moroccan route in comparison to 2500 in 2012. Thus, Spain has outpaced Italy as the fastest increasing entry point for illegal migrants. As the EU countries continue to trade accusations on the lack of solidarity and as southern EU Mediterranean countries lament the lack of solidarity by their European counterparts in sharing the migration burden, Morocco has launched a migration legalization process to grant migrants, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa, a chance to integrate and benefit from basic services. Fortress Europe, which has been adopting a security approach to tackle the humanitarian challenge of migration, has proven its utter failure in managing migration. The need for a North-South approach taking into consideration the development needs of migrant emitting countries and transit countries such as Morocco is urgently needed. What if Obamacare repeal, but too much? Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images When senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy reintroduced their Obamacare repeal bill on Wednesday, it was largely met with derision. New Yorks Ed Kilgore noted, Obstacles to its enactment include a lack of enthusiasm among GOP congressional leaders, some very questionable features, and perhaps most importantly an immovable September 30 deadline. A News and Observer editorial called it little more than one more desperate attempt on the part of Republicans to do away with Obamacare. Even Republican lawmakers publicly declared that Graham-Cassidy which would basically let states do whatever they want with vastly reduced federal funding, among other radical proposals wasnt going anywhere. Senator Rand Paul said he wouldnt support it, adding, I havent heard anybody talking about it. When asked if he thought it would get a vote, Senator Orrin Hatch said simply, No. But something shifted on Thursday. After making a presentation at the GOP caucus lunch, Graham said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell encouraged everybody to jump onboard, adding, I can tell you this if we had a vote right now we would get 47, 48 votes. Senator John Cornyn told the Hill that hes whipping the vote, saying, My hope is well get that preliminary information back in the next few days. Then, late on Thursday, a few health-care experts started sounding the alarm. Andy Slavitt, who was acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the Obama administration, said Republicans were working on a plan to bring the bill to a vote by the end of the month (thanks to the Senate parliamentarian, after that date it would need 60 rather than 51 votes). Bill sponsors have been trying to get leadership behind them. Now, Defense finishes up Monday and here are actions I'm hearing... 2/ Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) September 15, 2017 Still needs Byrdbath, CBO score & arm twisting, but they have clock time if they push it. As a reminder. 4/https://t.co/ucEqzm4ZDf Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) September 15, 2017 Indivisible, which was crucial in organizing grassroots opposition to various forms of Trumpcare, called on its followers to take action immediately by contacting their senators and urging them to vote no on Graham-Cassidy. Angel Padilla, the groups policy director, warned that McConnell was trying to build momentum for the bill. McConnell spent caucus lunch laying out plan for Graham-Cassidy, bumped next week's CHIP markup, and wants CBO score by end of next week. Angel Padilla (@AngelRafPadilla) September 15, 2017 The deadline for TrumpCare is Sept 30. If we can make it beyond 9/30, we kill TrumpCare for good. Angel Padilla (@AngelRafPadilla) September 15, 2017 McConnell trying to build momentum for bill by telling reluctant Rs that McCain is on board. Govs will be key in stopping bill. Angel Padilla (@AngelRafPadilla) September 15, 2017 This is on Dems to stop now, esp after they cleared the calendar last week for this push. Dems need to slow down all senate biz, incl NDAA Angel Padilla (@AngelRafPadilla) September 15, 2017 Upon closer examination, McCain who was the deciding vote against McConnells push for skinny repeal doesnt seem that gung-ho on the bill, though hes close with Graham. On Wednesday McCain told reporters he supports the measure, despite his passionate call for a return to regular order. If its not through regular order then its a mistake, but it doesnt mean I wouldnt vote for it, he said. But later in the day McCain released a statement saying he needs to see the final bill, and actually does think hearings are necessary. As I have said all along, any effort to replace Obamacare must be done through the regular order of committee hearings, open debate and amendments from both sides of the aisle, he said. Though Trumps fiscal deal with Democrats cleared space on the September calendar to consider Obamacare repeal, there isnt time to get a Congressional Budget Office score, hold hearings on the bill, and bring it to a vote. Some dismissed the new alarm over Graham-Cassidy, saying nothing had really changed. True as it may be, activists learned from the first House debacle never to go to sleep on this. https://t.co/QZerCpNKzQ Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) September 15, 2017 As David Leonhardt of the New York Times pointed out this week, activists now know that they can never count on Trumpcare staying dead: The lesson of the last year has been that Republican health plans can quickly change from long shots to near passage. They often benefit from a lack of attention. When the subject moves out of the spotlight, members of Congress feel more comfortable with the notion of taking health care away from millions of people. When people pay attention and get mad Congress steps back. Even if Graham-Cassidy is a nonstarter, the new glimmer of repeal hope might derail the bipartisan effort to stabilize the Obamacare markets. Leonhardt said it was clear during a recent hearing on that effort that Republicans have a hard time talking publicly about bipartisan compromise so long as the fantasy of a beneficial repeal bill remains alive. Protesters take to the streets in St. Louis. Photo: Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS via Getty Images Former St. Louis cop Jason Stockley was found not guilty of first-degree murder Friday, nearly six years after he shot and killed Anthony Lamar Smith in his car. Protesters gathered in downtown St. Louis after Judge Timothy Wilson read his verdict, declaring that the state had not proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt. As local activists, who had pledged mass disruption in response to a not guilty verdict, took to the streets, they drew support from at least one motorist. I think the verdict is disgusting, Damone Smith, an electrician on his way to work, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Im proud of these people protesting. If you look like me, then you feel like there is no other way to express yourself in the face of this kind of verdict. Time and time again, African-American men are killed by police and nobody is held accountable. Lots of protesters on Tucker, but quiet. pic.twitter.com/XeHlMp728i Jesse Bogan (@JesseBogan) September 15, 2017 The events that led to Smiths killing in December, 2011, began with Stockley, who is white, watching Smith, who was black, going back and forth from a Churchs Chicken to his car in the parking lot. Stockley and his partner parked their car behind Smiths, who responded by ramming the police car and others in the lot before driving away. After a three-minute police chase, Smiths car crashed. This is where the stories diverge. Stockely says he approached Smiths car and saw the 24-year-old reaching for a gun. Thats when he fired five times, killing him. His lawyers argued that he was acting in self-defense. Prosecutors said Smiths killing amounted to premeditated murder. Stockley, they said, shot Smith four times before moving closer for a kill shot. He then crawled into Smiths car, they said, and planted a gun. To prove this they pointed to DNA evidence. The .38-caliber revolver found in Smiths car after the shooting had Stockleys DNA on it, but not Smiths. And then there was the recording, made during the chase, of Stockley telling his partner, Were killing this motherfucker, dont you know. Judge Wilson wrote all of this off. The absence of DNA on the gun does not mean it was not Smiths, he wrote. Regarding Stockleys declaration to kill Smith, the judge said said, People say all kinds of things in the heat of the moment or while in stressful situations. Mayor Lyda Krewson said she was appalled after the verdict was announced. I am sobered by this outcome, she wrote in a statement. Frustration, anger, hurt, pain, hope and love all intermingled. I encourage St. Louisans to show each other compassion, to recognize that we all have different experiences and backgrounds and that we all come to this with real feelings and experiences. The not guilty verdict and subsequent protests were anticipated by some in downtown St. Louis. On Friday morning, some businesses boarded up their windows while barricades were erected around the courthouse and several schools called off class for the day. The police were also out in full force and did not waste much time making their first arrests. Emergency services personnel work at Parsons Green tube station on September 15, 2017. Photo: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images An explosion on a packed London Underground train on Friday morning left commuters scrambling and at least 22 people hurt from non-life-threatening injuries. Police called it was a terrorist incident, and say that an improvised device that only partially exploded caused the blast. We believe the fire at #ParsonsGreen tube station was caused by the detonation of an improvised device, which is being forensically examined Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 15, 2017 PICTURED: The bucket-bomb police say exploded in a London subway station, sending 22 people to the hospital. LATEST: https://t.co/iOYNH9gyWy pic.twitter.com/KkVHnYGoqd World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) September 15, 2017 The explosion occurred at 8:20 a.m. on a train leaving the Parsons Green station in Southwest London. Images circulating on social media show a small flame burning inside a plastic bucket with wires coming out of it. Work colleague was on district line train at Parsons Green when bag exploded #london pic.twitter.com/1yXOsFVAJ1 Andy Webb (@andyjohnw) September 15, 2017 Eyewitness video shows burning suspect package on London underground train at #ParsonsGreen (via @reuterstv) pic.twitter.com/HiOLUHgv5w Julian Druker (@Julian5News) September 15, 2017 Eyewitnesses described feeling a sudden blast of heat. The train was packed, and I was down the other side of the carriage standing up, looking at my phone and then I heard a big boom and felt this heat on my face, hairdresser Natalie Belford, 42, told the New York Times. I ran for my life, but there was no way out. The doors were full of people and the carriage was too packed to move down. So far there are no reported fatalities. Most of those injured suffered from flash burns, caused by sudden exposure to heat. A Metro reporter at the scene said several people appeared to be badly burned, and others were injured in a stampede on a stairwell inside the station. Per the BBC: Emma Stevie, 27, who was on the train when the explosion happened, and said she was caught in a human stampede and crush on the station steps as people rushed away from the train. I wedged myself in next to a railing, I put myself in the foetal position, she said. There was a pregnant woman underneath me, and I was trying really hard not to crush her. I saw a poor little boy with a smashed-in head and other injuries. It was horrible. The injuries from the stampede seemed the worst. Im outside now, there are women crying and people sitting on the floor. No arrests have been made in the attack, and officials appealed to the public to submit any photos or videos from the scene that might help in the investigation. London mayor Sadiq Khan said a manhunt was underway. It is not clear if the authorities have a specific suspect, or suspects, in mind. A manhunt is underway to find the person behind the #ParsonsGreen terror attack, Mayor Sadiq Khan reveals to @mrjamesob pic.twitter.com/bySDhx0VmK LBC (@LBC) September 15, 2017 The U.K. has experienced several deadly terror attacks this year, including a vehicle and knife attack near Parliament, a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, a van and knife attack near London Bridge, and a van attack near a London mosque. Prime Minister Theresa May has called a meeting of the anti-terror Cobra committee for Friday afternoon. My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident, she said. President Donald Trump used the news of a London terror attack Friday morning to promote his travel ban, saying it should be far larger, tougher and more specific but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 In a series of four tweets ostensibly pegged to the London incident, he blamed the terror attack on a loser terrorist, saying these are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Metropolitan Police called Trumps tweets pure speculation given that we dont know who was involved. Such speculation, a spokesman added, was unhelpful. Trump, at least publicly on Twitter, did not offer U.S. assistance in the investigation, or condolences to the victims of the attack, though he did take the opportunity to boast that his administration had done more to defeat ISIS than Obama had done in eight years. We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years.Must be proactive & nasty! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Theresa May. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images President Trump repeated a familiar, disturbing pattern on Friday by weighing in on the particulars of a terrorist attack before all the facts were known, then exploiting the violence to push his nativist agenda. On Friday morning, someone detonated an improvised explosive device on a rush-hour train in southwest London. Nobody was killed, but 29 people have been treated at hospitals, mostly for burns. Pictures and video show a burning bag with wires protruding from it on the floor of the London Underground car. Police are still trying to ascertain who set off the explosion, and whether it took place prematurely (Parsons Green, the area of London where the attack took place, has no obvious landmarks that would make it an attractive target for terrorism). But all the uncertainty didnt stop the worlds most influential internet troll from spouting off. He tweeted that the attacker was a loser terrorist, and announced that the perpetrator (or perpetrators) had been in the sights of Scotland Yard, the London police force. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 He then connected the violence to his unimplemented proposal to ban travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Whether the swipe at English police work was based on information Trump received from intelligence briefings or, more likely, on nothing at all is unclear. But either way, allies in the U.K. did not find it constructive. Prime Minister Theresa May censured Trump, saying, I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. The Metropolitan Police (a.k.a. Scotland Yard) called Trumps speculation unhelpful. Other figures, like Mays former chief of staff, went farther: True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner. https://t.co/ZndrTXFrAX Nick Timothy (@NickJTimothy) September 15, 2017 Trump and May spoke later in the day, and the White House said he conveyed his sympathies over the attack. ISIS claimed responsibility for the Parsons Green attack on Friday afternoon. This is not the first time Trump has tangled with British authorities over terrorism. In June, he sharply rebuked London mayor Sadiq Khan, who he has often criticized, for making the perfectly reasonable statement that Londoners should not be concerned about an increased police presence on the streets, after a vicious attack on the city. Before details on that attack were clear, Trump tweeted an unconfirmed Drudge Report article about possible casualty numbers. He also used the violence to push for his travel ban. Khan then said that a proposed state visit for Trump should be canceled. Trump, who is intensely unpopular in the U.K., told May he did not want to visit until he would find a receptive public. Trumps eagerness to weigh in on incidents involving Islamic extremists, of course, stands in stark contrast to his reticence when it comes to white-on-minority violence. Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images North Korea has reportedly fired another missile over Japan, the same day it warned that Japans four islands should be sunken into the sea. Japanese media is reporting that the missile launched from an area near Pyongyang, and flew over the northernmost island of Hokkaido early Friday morning local time. The missile ended up in the Pacific Ocean about 2,000 kilometers east of Japan, according to The Guardian. Japan's national public broadcaster is warning people to take shelter after North Korea fires a missile https://t.co/ByUznpzC5t Brandon Wall (@Walldo) September 14, 2017 On August 28, North Koreas Hwasong-12 ballistic missile flew on a similar trajectory over Hokkaido, an act that Japan called an unprecedented threat. The details of North Koreas latest weapons test have yet to be fully confirmed by South Korean and U.S. officials, but this act of aggression comes just days after the United Nations imposed even tougher sanctions on the rogue regime. That U.S.-led resolution came after Kim Jong-un conducted a nuclear test on September 3, believed to be its most powerful yet. People watch a news report on North Koreas missile launch in a railway station in Seoul on September 15, 2017. Photo: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images The ballistic missile North Korea launched on Thursday may have flown over Japan, but the message it carried was addressed to Washington and New York as much as it was to Tokyo. The precipitating event for this most recent escalation of tensions in Northeast Asia was Mondays passage of a fresh round of U.N. Security Council sanctions against the rogue regime, including a cap on its oil imports and an embargo on its textile exports. The U.S. had hoped to cut off North Korea from oil markets entirely, but China, its main supplier, balked at that demand, and the final sanctions resolution was watered down. Nonetheless, the sanctions are the toughest ever imposed on the country, although nobody at the U.N. believes sanctions alone will curb Kim Jong-uns nuclear ambitions. Instead, the hope is that they will coerce Kim into restarting negotiations over freezing or scrapping the nuclear program at least at some point, perhaps, once theyve had time to sink in. Russia and China are still pushing a plan to swap a suspension of North Korean nuclear and missile testing for a halt to joint U.S.South Korean military exercises, which looks like a nonstarter with both the Trump administration and South Korean president Moon Jae-in. The new sanctions will certainly sting Pyongyang, as evinced by the grandiose and unhinged statement North Koreas ironically named Korea Asia-Pacific peace committee put out in response. It said Japan should be sunken into the sea, with the U.S. beaten to death like a rabid dog, and expressed fantasies of reduc[ing] the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. That this statement was followed up with a highly provocative missile test within hours is no surprise. On top of terrifying Japan, the launch was clearly intended to demonstrate that Pyongyang can threaten the U.S. as well. The missile traveled about 3,700 kilometers before plunging into the Pacific Ocean which means the U.S. island territory of Guam, 3,400 kilometers from North Korea, is within its range. Last month, the North Korean regime threatened to launch missiles near Guam in its next show of force, in order to demonstrate its ability to strike the island; Thursdays test achieved that objective by other means. The message Pyongyang appears to be sending is bring it on: Sanctions might hurt us, but they wont stop us. The question now is how the other parties to this crisis will respond. North Korea was already going to be a hot topic at the ongoing U.N. General Assembly in New York and a focal point of President Donald Trumps address to it next week, but it is unclear whether a president who is skeptical of the relevance of international institutions to begin with can successfully leverage such an event to actually accomplish anything. A belligerent speech from Trump will likely just set up the next provocation from Kim though it is unclear how much further he can escalate matters without crossing the threshold of war. If the key to securing North Koreas cooperation is China, the Trump administration is sending mixed messages about how it is approaching that country. In a statement responding to the test, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called out China and Russia for their continued trade relations with North Korea specifically Chinas oil sales and Russias use of North Korean migrant labor and pressed them to cut these economic ties. Trump on Thursday said his administration has a good relationship with China and its president, Xi Jinping, and the two countries are working on different things. At the same time, however, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross was telling Politico that there is nothing logically inconsistent about asking for Beijings help with North Korea while also waging a low-key trade war against it. Trump himself recently threatened, however idly, to cut off trade with China entirely if it continued to do business with Pyongyang. Taken alongside the fact that the U.S. has shown no interest in Chinas repeated suggestion of deescalating tensions in the Korean peninsula by pausing war games there, these statements suggest we are not, in fact, on the verge of a breakthrough in this regard. South Koreas President Moon, meanwhile, maintained in a CNN interview on Thursday (before the missile test) that he had no interest in deploying nuclear weapons in his country in response to the North Korean threat, as he does not want to precipitate a destabilizing nuclear arms race in the region. However, the longer the current crisis persists and the worse it becomes, the more pressure Moon will likely face to reconsider that position. Sixty percent of South Koreans told a recent Gallup poll that they supported their country having its own nuclear weapons. Given that the costs to both sides would be unacceptably high, the probability of an actual hot war between North Korea and South Korea, Japan, and/or the U.S. remains low, but in the absence of any forward motion toward a diplomatic solution that reduces tensions, the danger remains that some miscommunication, misinterpretation, or misfired missile will rapidly send the situation spiraling out of control. The same day that CNN reports Roy Moore blamed 9/11 on sodomites and legalized abortion, he gets attacked in Alabama for being supported by trial lawyers. Go figure. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,Inc. One of the hardest things for observers (especially secular Yankee observers) of Alabamas GOP special Senate primary to grasp is that the things that would make Judge Roy Moore a total joke in most of the country just arent that controversial among Alabama Republicans. And this is why Luther Strange and his backers keep going after the Ayatollah of Alabama from the right, treating him as a Big Government swamp creature determined to thwart Donald Trumps righteous crusade against liberalism. We had a prime example just today. CNN reported that Moore told a Baptist church audience that 9/11 might have represented Gods punishment of the United States for our acceptance of sodomy and abortion. This was not in the immediate wake of the 9/11 attacks, mind you, when people were saying all sorts of crazy things. It was in February of this year. This exact line of reasoning got the late Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson in trouble; Falwell wound up apologizing for remarks he made just a few days after the attacks. Youd think this might have produced an opening for opponents of Moores campaign to address his, er, exotic views on church-state separation and his tendency to speak for Almighty God (an angry Old Testament God for the most part, as the 9/11 remarks showed). Thats particularly true of Alabama business interests, which really could do without having to worry about Alabamas image as a cultural backwater being reinforced in a vivid, unforgettable way in the United States Senate. This very day, a spokesperson for the Alabama Chamber of Commerce, which has endorsed Strange, did indeed go after Judge Roy: for being supported by trial lawyers. Maybe this odd effort to make one of the far rights great heroes out as some kind of liberal will work. But if it doesnt, and Moore goes on to lose to Democrat Doug Jones, or wins and proceeds to embarrass Alabama regularly, Alabama Republicans will have no one to blame but themselves. Sponsors of the Graham-Cassidy health-care bill hope John McCains friendship and maybe some tricks and bribes will let them get their last-chance Obamacare repeal and replace bill over the line by September 30. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images With velocity one would not expect of a zombie, the last-chance GOP bill aimed at partially repealing and replacing Obamacare, the Graham-Cassidy proposal, is suddenly being taken seriously by friends and foes alike. The main agent of propulsion was a Senate GOP luncheon yesterday after which Mitch McConnell expressed support for the measure and his deputy John Cornyn offered to get a whip count in place. Lindsey Graham says the bill if voted on right now would get 47, 48 votes, which is of course dangerously close to the 50 needed to rescue the debacle of GOP health-care efforts. The bill is being advertised as a state flexibility approach to solving the problems national health-care legislation has allegedly caused or failed to resolve. It would take all the money currently being made available for both the Medicaid expansion and the tax credits Obamacare created for buying individual health insurance on the exchanges, and dump it all (after a healthy cut and a redistribution of funds to shift money toward states that did not expand Medicaid) into a block grant. The block grant could be used for any health-care purpose, without any guarantees for the people who had been covered under the Affordable Care Act. States could not, however, reenroll people covered in the expansion in Medicaid; theyd have to cover them some other way, presumably via private insurance. The Graham-Cassidy bill also is a vehicle for a radical restructuring of the entire Medicaid program, a goal the GOP has been pursuing for decades. Medicaid would be subjected to a per capita cap, and states would have the option to turn the whole program into a block grant with all federal coverage requirements eliminated (a particularly dire threat for poor people in deep-red states). The pursuit of state-level flexibility extends to Obamacare, where of many of the regulations governing individual health insurance would become optional, including the individual and employer mandates and the bans on price discrimination against old and sick people. All in all, this bill contains most of the nasty provisions of the House and Senate versions of Trumpcare, all obscured by a cloud of state flexibility, which mainly constitutes permission to cut benefits or drop coverage. So why is there a sense of renewed momentum for this last-gasp bill? The key reason for guarded GOP optimism is the close friendship between Lindsey Graham and John McCain, who administered the coup de grace for the July health-care push. The Arizonan has sent very mixed signals on the bill, however, supporting it on the merits but also demanding it proceed through regular order, meaning hearings and full floor debate. That definitely aint happening, for two reasons: the Senate parliamentarian has already ruled the budget resolution that authorizes a 50-vote health-care bill will expire on September 30, and the time for debate on said bill was used up in July. So if Graham-Cassidy is going to be passed, it will happen very quickly (the current plan is for a vote during the week of September 25, or in other words, at the very last minute). With Rand Paul, who stuck with his party on the definitive vote in July, having already announced opposition to Graham-Cassidy, sponsors would need McCain and one other senator in order to get the bill across the line. That will be tough. Its hard to imagine Susan Collins suddenly relenting in her opposition to virtually every GOP health-care bill of the recent past. Yes, she co-sponsored a bill with Cassidy earlier this year which bears a superficial resemblance to Graham-Cassidy. But it did not include the kind of deep Medicaid cuts and elimination of Obamacare tax subsidies that characterize the more recent effort. As for Lisa Murkowski, who resisted all sorts of attempted bribes and threats to get her to toe the line in July, its also hard to see a clear path for her to go along to get along. But we have no way of knowing what kind of fresh inducements might be offered for the last couple of votes, and Graham-Cassidy would definitely generate enough budget savings to fund some pretty lavish bribes. The accelerated timetable for consideration of Graham-Cassidy means the drip-drip-drip of individual senators being pressured to publicly declare their intentions, with provider groups (the bill is already being opposed by the American College of Physicians), citizens, and state governments pressuring them to say nay, may not be replicated. One would normally figure a CBO impact estimate expected to come out at the end of next week, right before the bill heads to the floor might devastate support for this legislation. After all, it seems very likely that a bill with an elimination of the Medicaid expansion and of insurance-purchasing tax credits, a Medicaid per capita cap, and a state option to kill key insurance regulations, would be adjudged as eliminating health insurance for 20-million-plus Americans, just like the previous GOP bills. Theres a rumor going around, however, that CBO will announce it only has time to estimate the impact of Graham-Cassidy on the federal budget before the vote is cast. The Senate parliamentarian will likely say thats all the Congressional Budget Act requires, and the deal could go down before the public becomes aware of the full impact on insurance coverage or premiums. If all this happens, and the bill gets 50 votes, and Mike Pence breaks the tie, amid an outbreak of Republican joy commensurate with the Democratic happiness on July 28 when John McCain made his famous thumbs-down gesture, the House will be put in a real bind. The lower chamber is not constrained by the Senates September 30 deadline, but once it passes, there can be no further Senate votes. That means the House would quite literally be forced to take Graham-Cassidy or leave it as is. By then, its entirely possible CBO will have completed an assessment of the bills impact on coverage and premiums, which will likely be god-awful. And while relatively few Republican senators will be discomfited about the Graham-Cassidy block grant funding formula that shifts dollars from Medicaid expansion to non-expansion states, there are quite a few GOP House members from the states hit hardest, like California and New York. Im sure there are more than a few House Republicans who privately hope this final spasm of Senate activity aimed at repealing and replacing Obamacare subsides as quickly as it arose. But there remains a very small but real possibility that the biggest regrets will be felt by congressional Democrats who cleared the Senate decks for Graham-Cassidy by cutting a fiscal deal with the White House. U.S. soldiers in Georgia. Photo: Vano Shlamov/AFP/Getty Images In recent weeks, hundreds of foreign-born Army recruits have been abruptly cut loose by the military, exposing some to possible deportation, the Washington Post reports. The move has led to panic among immigrant recruits, who enlisted with the understanding that their service would lead to an expedited path to citizenship. Many of them possess rare and valuable skills, including knowledge of highly sought-after foreign languages and medical expertise. Now, after waiting years in some cases to join the program, theyve been discarded. The Pentagon did not explain why the contracts have been cancelled, but there are likely two reasons. First, theres a fear among some in the Pentagon that the program known as MAVNI, or Military Accessions to Vital National Interest, makes the country less safe. In June, NPR obtained a memo sent by Pentagon officials to Defense Secretary James Mattis arguing for the cancellation of the program. The memo said that security concerns related to the recruits create an elevated risk of a terrorist invading the military. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Margaret Stock, who created the program for foreign-born recruits, brushed off that concern, in an interview with NPR, saying, If you were a bad guy who wanted to infiltrate the Army, you wouldnt risk the many levels of vetting required in this program. The other reason is the overwhelming work needed to satisfy the detailed background check required to complete the enlistment process for these recruits. These often drag out for months, or years in some cases, and divert already constrained Army fiscal and manpower resources from their primary roles, the Pentagon memo said. That long process can leave some recruits vulnerable to deportation, with some background checks taking so long that an immigrants legal status will expire before they can begin basic training. Its a Dumpster fire ruining peoples lives. The magnitude of incompetence is beyond belief, Stock told the Post. We have a war going on. We need these people. Photo: Chris Kleponis/Bloomberg via Getty Images Anytime President Trump issued an unequivocal condemnation of the white supremacists who held a violent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month, he quickly found some way to walk it back, defending the remark that kicked off the weeks-long controversy: We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides on many sides. This week, Congress unanimously passed a joint resolution that was meant to put Trump on the record as rejecting white nationalism, white supremacy, and neo-Nazism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States. This was nearly the very least Congress could do to register its opposition to Trumps Charlottesville stance, and on Thursday the president managed to find a way to undercut the resolutions impact even further. During a press conference on Air Force One, in which Trump made incendiary remarks on a number of topics, he was asked about his meeting with Senator Tim Scott, the chambers only black Republican, a day earlier. Scott had told reporters his aim was to inform and educate the president on why his both sides rhetoric was problematic, even if some counterprotesters engaged in violence too. I shared my thoughts of the last three centuries of challenges from white supremacists, white nationalists, KKK, neo-Nazis, so there is no way to find an equilibrium when you have three centuries of history, Scott said. This is how Trump summed up the meeting on Air Force One: [Senator Tim Scott and I] had a great talk yesterday. I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at whats going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially thats what I said. Now because of whats happened since then with Antifa, when you look at really whats happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying, and people have actually written, Gee, Trump may have a point. I said theres some very bad people on the other side also. But we had a great conversation. And he has legislation, which I actually like very much, the concept of which I support, to get people into certain areas and building and constructing and putting people to work. I told him yesterday thats a concept I can support very easily. Hours later, the White House announced that Trump had signed the congressional resolution calling on his administration to speak out against hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and white supremacy. While Trump is known to love a good bill-signing photo-op, the White House just released this statement: W.H. out with statement on Trump's Charlottesville resolution signing. Makes no mention of white nationalists, Nazis. pic.twitter.com/jLVJgMn5qw Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) September 15, 2017 A day after Trumps initial statement on Charlottesville, a White House spokesperson tried to clean up the controversy by issuing this statement: The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred and of course that includes white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi, and all extremist groups. So after weeks of uproar and a history lesson from Senator Scott, the White House has reverted to its original line, minus the condemnation of white supremacists by name. And the president is still trying to explain that he was right to equate Antifa with movements that have killed and terrorized a large segment of the American public throughout the countrys history. Rohingya refugees jump from a wooden boat as it begins to tip over after traveling from Myanmar, on September 12, 2017, in Dakhinpara, Bangladesh. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Myanmars minority Muslim population, the Rohingya, are fleeing into Bangladesh by the thousands. The United Nations estimates that approximately 370,000 of approximately 1.1 million Rohingya have taken refuge across the border in recent weeks, after a Myanmar government crackdown against the Rohingya following a militant attack on August 25. The persecution of the Rohingya reaches back to the origins of Myanmar once called Burma and is deeply intertwined with the countrys Buddhist tradition. But the militarys profound escalation of violence incinerating villages, firing on civilians has spurred the U.N. high commissioner for human rights to call the latest campaign a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Myanmars de facto leader, the celebrated Nobel Peace Prize winner and pro-democracy advocate, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been criticized for ignoring, if not being outright complicit, in the atrocities against the Rohingya. She is now skipping the United Nations General Assembly meeting this month, and says she will address the crisis next week in a speech. But for now, the horror unfolds daily in Myanmars Rakhine State, where the Rohingya population that hasnt fled mostly resides. Daily Intelligencer spoke with Azeem Ibrahim, a professor at the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College and author of The Rohingyas: Inside Myanmars Hidden Genocide, to better understand the humanitarian crisis, and how it is has been shaped by religion and politics, both internal and external. Most experts describe this as an ethnic cleansing a systematic, organized campaign to cleanse the minorities from Myanmar, Ibrahim told Daily Intel. Some go as far as saying this is now a full-scale genocide. How did the Rohingya become such a persecuted minority? We have to take a step back in history during the Second World War. Myanmar, then called Burma, was under British colonial rule. When the Japanese invaded Burma, the majority Buddhist population sided with the Japanese invaders, including current leader Aung San Suu Kyis father, General Aung San, who was one of the founding generals of Myanmar. They sided with the Japanese invaders because they believed Japan would be victorious in the war, and they would expel the British colonial masters. The Rohingya minority, on the other hand, stayed loyal to the British, so that when the war was over, and the British were victorious, there was bad blood. The Rohingya was seen as the enemy. And those grievances persisted? Myanmar became independent in 1948, and the British colonialists left. The country had a relatively peaceful couple of decades until 1962. In 1962, there was a military coup by the army chief of staff General Ne Win. When he came to power, he implemented a program called The Burmese Road to Socialism. Its essentially a communist manifesto. It was a complete and utter economic disaster. So he did what a lot of military dictators do in that situation: tried to find a scapegoat to blame the economic failure on. So the Rohingya became that scapegoat. The Rohingya was the minority of choice for this. Theyre the largest ethnic minority in Myanmar. They look different. They have different features. They are a different color. They speak a different language. And they have a different religion. They had already been scapegoated as the enemy within, and now [the country] could blame all the ills of society on them. On top of that, General Ne Win did what we see a lot of Middle Eastern dictators do today, in that he donned the cloak of religiosity. When things start going wrong, they start becoming more religious, going to the mosque, be seen praying, et cetera. Ne Win did exactly the same thing. He became much more overtly Buddhist. The military then started fulfilling the obligations of Theravada Buddhism, the Buddhism that Burma follows. He made Buddhism the state religion of Burma. The Buddhist citizens could be loyal citizens, but everybody else was a noncitizen. So Buddhism became somewhat weaponized, as strange as that sounds, during this period? One of the questions that gets asked most often is, arent Buddhists peaceful people? But the Buddhism they follow in Myanmar, its not the Buddhism you and I are familiar with. They dont recognize the Dalai Lama, for example. Theravada Buddhism is actually very militant. They believe all other ideologies and religions have to be kept in check, and have to be suppressed in order for Buddhism to thrive. How did this elevation of Buddhism in the military play out in practice? The military passed a number of laws, including the 1974 Emergency Immigration Act, and all the Rohingya were stripped of their citizenship. That was followed by the 1982 Citizenship Law, which said all Rohingya are actually foreigners; theyre actually all illegal immigrants who have come from Bangladesh, and they should all go back to Bangladesh. Go back to Bangladesh? This is the most common narrative. Its been repeated so often in Myanmar that its actually accepted now as fact. Bizarrely, they put a date on it: They say in March 1942, the term Rohingya was manufactured by these illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to give themselves a false identity, and that before 1942, the term Rohingya did not exist. Which is patently false. One of the things I said in my book is that I went to the Indian National Archives in New Delhi, and I dug up documents from the British colonial period, some of them dating back to 1799, 1826, and 1824, which is when the British had done a census of that whole region. It clearly states that one in three souls in that region are Musulmans of Rohingya origin. The term existed back in 1799. So this idea that its a manufactured term, and these people are illegal, is false. The historical record shows theyve been there for centuries. But the monks and the military pushed this paranoid narrative that the Rohingya came here to destroy the Buddhist heritage. Today, you have some extremist groups and other religious Buddhist groups that are calling for the Rohingya to be eliminated. Buddhist Bin Laden. The monks, too? Theres one famous Buddhist monk who was on the cover of Time magazine a couple of years ago, and hes described as a Buddhist Bin Laden. His name is Ashin Wirathu. Hes a very strange character because he wears the Buddhist garb, which is worn to demonstrate your withdrawal from the world. At the same time, he has diamond-studded watches; he flies on a private jet. Its completely contradictory. Hes one of the main instigators of the violence. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and Wirathu and followers of his Buddhist nationalist 969 movement believe that the Rohingya minority have all reincarnated from snakes and insects. So when you actually kill them, youre not actually killing people, youre actually just killing snakes and insects. That laid the foundation for the current situation that were in. Can you give a basic overview of the current situation? The Rohingya faced wave after wave of violence, which began to escalate in 2012. The United Nations has called them among the most persecuted minorities in the world. A recent Harvard study said that one in seven stateless around the world are of Rohingya origin. The Rohingya have basically been removed from their villages. Theyre placed in this huge mass of concentration camps, hundreds of thousands of them, in which theyre denied education, theyre denied health care. Theyre not permitted to marry; theyre not permitted to have children unless theyve got a license. Theyre stripped of all dignity. Now, Myanmars policy is to try to expel them all, and hoping that a third country will take them. In the last few days, hundreds of thousands have poured into Bangladesh. Bangladesh is already hosting about 400,000 Rohingya, and many experts now believe that by the end of this period, you could have 30 to 40 percent of the entire population of the Rohingya being ethnically cleansed just in this short period of time. I just talked to somebody in the camps, and what they told me is that the military this has been reported in Reuters is now mining its border with Bangladesh to ensure all those who left will never come back. This is an organized, systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide. When you say you spoke to somebody in the camps, was it someone who fled? One of my friends is making a documentary on the Rohingya. Hes actually at the border, and hes told me that even as the civilians are fleeing, the Myanmar military is shooting at them. Its completely horrific. Human Rights Watch has obtained satellite images that show that over 100 kilometers of villages [in the Rakhine State] have been burnt to the ground. In some areas, like in Maungdaw, 80 percent of all houses have been completely and utterly burnt to the ground. The response of Myanmar has been that these people are burning their own houses. Photo: Human Rights Watch Those concentration camps, as I understand it, were set up inside Myanmar by the military. But now, these refugee camps are growing in Bangladesh. How is this dynamic playing out on the ground? The camps were initially set up inside Myanmar when the Rohingya were displaced from their villages. Now, the government has realized it just doesnt want these people here anymore. Theyve been preparing for a military offensive for many, many months. Theyve attacked all these camps and villages, and theyre trying to expel the Rohingya, trying to eliminate them, and forcing them to flee across the border. And Bangladesh simply does not have the resources to take care of all these refugees. Theyre an overpopulated country thats struggling to feed its own people. For them to host 400,000 refugees who are pouring over the border this is something they just cant absorb. Some people Ive been speaking to say that [the refugee camps] have a huge shortage of food and medicine. Some of these people havent eaten for days upon days, and they dont have access to any clean water or food. And the international community hasnt really stepped up to provide anything of that nature. I definitely want to get back to the international community. But this most recent crackdown against the Rohingya was reportedly sparked after a Rohingya militant group attacked government forces. How legitimate is this Rohingya insurgency or rebel group, and how much do they factor into the current and past persecution of the group? There was a militant attack on the 25th of August by an organization called ARSA, which is the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. This is a little-known outfit with very little resources. Its relatively new, and its made up of foreigners. The Rohingya, historically, are among the most nonviolent people you come across in Myanmar. But whats happened now is, foreigners have actually come in and have tried to radicalize the Rohingya population. And for the Rohingya, theres absolutely nothing to lose. Why not engage in some violent activity before youre killed yourself? The military and the government have responded overwhelmingly and completely disproportionately. I wrote in December 2016 that the military was having a buildup. I believe it was simply looking for an excuse to try to kill hundreds of thousands of civilians. In some areas, all the Buddhist residents were evacuated, and Myanmar did not evacuate a single Rohingya civilian. The military brought in these helicopter gunships, and soldiers came and started burning the villages and killing people, driving all the Rohingya into the forests and the woods and over the border. That foreign element: Is it a radical, extremist element thats sensing an opportunity? Theyre essentially trying to cash in on the Rohingya persecution. Theyre coming from places like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, thats where the support is coming from. I very much doubt that they were organized indigenously. The Rohingya, when you actually visit them in their camps, theyre among the lowest of the low that youll ever meet. Theres hardly anybody thats literate among them. These people have very little education; theyre unorganized. Theyre just fishermen and farmers. Myanmars de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is starting to get criticism for the Rohingya crisis. What is her role in all of this? Aung San Suu Kyi is actually part of the problem. Here in the West, we like to have our heroes on a pedestal, untarnished. The story of Aung San Suu Kyi is one of those amazing stories; a narrative thats absolutely fantastic. The daughter of one of the founding generals of Myanmar who was then jailed by her fathers former colleagues after he died. Shes Oxford educated; shes beautiful; shes articulate, a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Now, shes out of prison, and shes taking her country to democracy, human rights, and open market. This is the stuff that you make Hollywood movies out of. So when somebody inserts the Rohingya, and a complete indifference to their suffering, it does not fit into that narrative we like to have. Aung San Suu Kyi. Photo: Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images Shes no longer a Nobel Prize campaigner; she is now a politician whos interested in power, and the Rohingya cause is not one she believes is worthy. She denies theres actually anything happening. If you look at her statements, she doesnt even use the term Rohingya. She calls them Muslims and their kin. She says that both sides are to blame for the violence in the Rakhine State. The BBC tried to press her to actually use the term Rohingya, and she refused to use it. And then when she was interviewed by Mishal Husain, whos a very prominent BBC interviewer, she was caught on a hot mic saying, No one told me that I was going to be interviewed by a Muslim. So is Aung San Suu Kyi simply betting that the violence against the Rohingya Muslims is something the West will largely ignore? I think shes indifferent to the suffering of the Rohingya and other minority groups. Shes made a political calculation that she does not want to alienate the military. In many respects, heres where I do sympathize with her supporters. Benazir Bhutto, who was elected prime minister of Pakistan, she said something very poignant: Im in office, but Im not in power. I think Suu Kyis also in that situation: Shes in the office, but she doesnt really have a lot of power. The military still has considerable influence. It controls a quarter of the seats in Parliament, controls the media, and ministries of foreign affairs, borders, and interior. Her supporters will say, She doesnt have a lot of power to do anything about this. You have to wait, and when she consolidates her position, then she will do something. But I think you can probably ask any politician anywhere in the world, and they will tell you that is simply an excuse to kick something into the long grass. Irrespective of the political costs, when you have a genocide going on in your country on such a massive scale, if you cannot even speak it, then you are on the wrong side of history. Suu Kyi also called some of the atrocities fake news being spread by terrorists. How does the broader population in Myanmar see whats going on in the Rakhine State? Is there buy-in, or are they largely unaware? When I was in Myanmar, I had two journalist friends, and I asked them the same question, What is the position of the local population, in terms of whats going on in the Rakhine district? One of them, she said, Basically, the local population has no idea whats going on because the information is so tightly controlled. Those who are aware of whats going on, they basically buy into the government line, that these people are just terrorists who have come over the border illegally to try to destroy Buddhism. Human-rights groups, and the United Nations, to a certain extent, have spoken out. More generally, what has been the international response? The international community has been very behind the mark. Suu Kyi is very effective at what she does, and the cynics would argue the international community has been seduced by her. When she came to power, she set up a number of commissions. She established the Rakhine Commission, in which she appointed Kofi Annan, one of the worlds leading diplomats, to examine the situation in the Rakhine district, and try to ascertain some solution. But this commission was severely restricted. After Suu Kyi started this commission, she came to the United States and gave a speech to the United Nations General Assembly. On the situation of the Rohingya, she basically said, Well, look, these are highly complicated, and historically difficult situations. I started this commission with Kofi Annan, former U.N. secretary-general, and well do something about it. She also had a visit with President Barack Obama in the White House, where Obama lifted all unilateral sanctions against Myanmar. The cynics would argue that she set up those commissions with very little authority and very little power simply to pacify international communities, and the White House and the United Nations. Sanctions are lifted off Myanmar, and the West no longer has leverage over the situation. Kofi Annan reported on recommendations for the commission, which, some of them, are quite robust. But theyve just been ignored. Clearly, shes done a good job of deflecting attention. But why does the international community seem almost indifferent? Complete inaction or interest from the West has much more to do with the politics than with human rights. In 2012, President Obama first visited Myanmar. A visit from the president of the United States is a very big deal. One of the reasons why Obama visited is because Myanmar has been a very closed country under military dictatorship. But as Myanmar starts opening up, what we have also seen is that the whole of Southeast Asia is now being reconfigured and redeveloped for one particular purpose, and thats to meet Chinas insatiable demand for resources. China has now stepped in as the biggest investor in Myanmar. One of the reasons why President Obama visited is that they dont want Myanmar to fall under the sphere of influence of China. If Myanmar becomes a Chinese satellite, that will give the Chinese access to the Bay of Bengal, and to the Indian Ocean. So theres much more geopolitical machination going on behind the scenes between the U.S.-Chinese influence in that region. The human-rights abuses of Rohingya do not fit into that calculation. If there was the will to act, what would you say needs to be done in the short term? Theres a huge population thats gone into Bangladesh. Youre talking hundreds of thousands. The most immediate need would be to ensure those people have the basic necessities shelter, food, medicine. Only the United Nations could do something of that nature, provide support to the government of Bangladesh. Secondly, the United Nations has passed resolutions, but they have to ensure theres a true human-rights-commission inquiry into the behavior of Myanmar. If Myanmar does not cooperate, there has to be some sort of sanction or penalty. I also believe that Kofi Annans commission recommendations should be implemented in full. They dont go far enough, but they are a good start. And longer term? The crux of the problem is the 1982 Citizenship Law, in which the Rohingya were stripped of their nationality. Its illegal under international law to make somebody stateless. That law has to be reversed; thats the crux of the entire problem. But the difficulty now is that the government of Myanmar has almost succeeded in ethnically cleansing the entire population of the Rohingya. This is a catastrophe. Not such a bad place to be. Photo: Nathan Benn/Corbis via Getty Images Do I smoke too much pot? Its a question Ive asked myself over the years, and it raised its uncomfortable head this week as I absorbed the results of the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The first thing to note about the report is the good news. One of the major and legitimate fears of those who have opposed legalization is that teen use would increase. Weed is genuinely harmful to the developing adolescent brain and those of us who passionately advocated legalization argued that making it legal would actually make it harder for teens to get hold of on the black market, and thereby could actually reduce teen use. And so far, happily, weve been proven right. Teen use of weed is now at its lowest since 1994, and has dropped by a statistically meaningful amount since 2014, when the first states legalized it for recreational use. Adult use has continued to rise so that now, 21 percent of the 1825 age bracket smoke weed monthly or more (up from 13 percent in 1990), and 14.5 percent between 26 and 34 (up from 9.5 percent in 1990). But its only marginally up since some states legalized and at the same time theres been a small but meaningful drop in alcohol consumption. Slam dunk for our side. But what stood out for me was how much of the use is concentrated among us daily stoners. In 2002, we were only 12 percent of users; now were over 18 percent. Of the total amount of weed consumed, we comprise a much bigger percentage than anyone else. And daily use of weed is around three times as common as daily use of booze. So what? Well, the question is really something called dependence. The DSM IV definition of this is a little vague. Its not a physiological condition like addiction. Rather its defined thus by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: problems with emotions and mental health, difficulties with family and friends, taking time off from work or school, and being unable to cut down. As a percentage, more pot users admit to such problems than boozers. Am I in denial about these worries when it comes to myself? A little perhaps. I fit a rare profile for a daily stoner. I didnt touch the stuff until I was 36 years old, largely because I have chronic asthma and the idea of smoke in my lungs repelled me. But I was literally seduced into it. A beautiful, blue-eyed, hairy-chested dude I was completely bowled over by turned out to be a hard-core stoner. The night we met, he invited me to smoke with him. I pretended I was totally cool with that, pulled a Clinton by not really inhaling, and thought Id get away with it. I was, however, busted. You dont know how to smoke pot, do you? he asked. And then he showed me. I have a vague memory of what happened next some incredible nonlinear sex was definitely part of it and woke up in the morning after an amazing nights sleep with a ravenous appetite. This alone was a revelation. Id been a chronic insomniac since childhood as well as finding it very hard to sleep well next to someone else. Boom! That was over. More surprising was hunger. At that point, I was taking well over 30 pills a day to handle HIV (in what subsequently turned out to be massive overdosing), and there hadnt been a single day since I started the meds that I hadnt felt nauseous. Boom! Instantly healed. As I tucked into some scrambled eggs at breakfast, I actually enjoyed my first meal in years. That was enough for me. Disrupting my work? Impeding my productivity? A couple years later, as a daily stoner, I was writing a blog round-the-clock along wth a weekly column. In many ways, it helped my productivity by finally ending my insomnia. Its always been hard for me to turn my brain off, and linear, analytical thoughts crowd my mind often to the point of mania. But now, with a mere joint, I unwind quickly after every days work and fall asleep within minutes of lying down. My friendships? Yes, I spend less time socializing than I used to, and my friendships have dwindled to a loyal core. But work itself was more of an impediment than the weed for a long time. And cannabis also gave me a whole new set of stoner friends, some of them now my closest buddies. Theres a brotherhood out there that I would never have encountered before. My mind, moreover, shifted into a much more nonlinear and creative mood when I was high. I never write when stoned. But I do let my mind wander, revisit my writing in my head, see better its flaws, drill down past my defenses, and allow myself to explore alternative ideas. One more thing: My experience of music changed. For the first time, I was able to turn off the ordeal of consciousness and allow myself to listen properly. It hasnt really enhanced my appreciation of food (eating still basically bores me) but it has sharpened and deepened my visual capacities. It can make Cape light even more transcendent and transforming. But my memory? Much worse. My lungs? Theyve taken a hit, even if vaping has helped. Weed may shorten my life by hurting my lungs but endless insomnia might have shortened it more. Could I go cold turkey? I have from time to time, but its not easy, largely because the insomnia always returns. In that sense, Im busted. By some criteria, I am dependent. Others may find that dependence an impediment to their lives and work, and legalizers dont need to deny that. Were all different, and weed most definitely isnt for everyone. But compared with all the other substances available, and most other avenues to chill and friendship, it remains, it seems to me, a no-brainer to legalize it, and for many sane adults, one of Gods great gifts to humankind. Im an alum of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. (Fun fact: I was in a class with Bill OReilly for one semester). And I fully appreciate its outreach, especially in its Institute of Politics, to both sides of the political divide. We need more of that kind of thing in universities, even if it does give a sinecure to Robby Mook, the campaign manager whose staggering incompetence gave us President Trump. But this weeks announcement that it will host Chelsea Manning and Sean Spicer as fellows struck me as out of bounds. The morning, mercifully, Harvard disinvited Manning, its dean admitting to a mistake. Hes right. Manning is a convicted felon who leaked more than 700,000 classified documents as a way to undermine her own country at a time of war. Of the 22 charges against her, she was found guilty of 17. Six of them were violations of the Espionage Act. Her maximum sentence was 90 years. She hasnt been found innocent; she hasnt received a pardon; and she is currently showing no remorse. Her leaks led to the deaths of many Afghans who had risked everything to help us defeat a Taliban that would have executed her in a heartbeat. The documents she leaked enabled the Belarus government and Robert Mugabe to initiate internal purges. She has no record of scholarship (her alleged expertise on AI is laughable); no political experience; and her views remain a puerile parody of the left of the left. Her Twitter feed, when it isnt jammed with lame emoji, contains such deep insights as abolish the presidency. human rights trump the law, no more borders, and abolish ICE. She had already responded to former acting CIA director Michael Morrells resignation from his Harvard position in protest with one word: good. She has also tweeted her hope that Spicer be removed from his fellowship as well. She has no class either. She is also one of the worst representatives for trans people I can imagine especially for those in the military as they come under renewed, irrational assault. One of the oldest slurs against gay servicemembers was that they were all potential traitors, subject to blackmail and attracted to intrigue. But as Jamie Kirchick noted, Mannings legal defense actually cited her conflicts over gender identity as one of the reasons she betrayed her country! She made Trumps arguments for him. We know, of course, why Harvard did this hiring trans people is the highest form of virtue-signaling possible right now. But of all the trans people with distinguished careers and sharp minds, they chose a felon? And of all the trans servicemembers who have served their country honorably and proudly, they picked the one traitor? But they shouldnt be left off the hook with Sean Spicer, either. He is, after all, not your ordinary former White House spokesman. He is someone whose soul fell out on the way to the Oval Office. He willingly, famously told blatant lies to the press again and again and again. He put ambition above any sense of integrity or duty to his country. He was a central, shameless part of this presidents assault on a free press, on liberal democracy, and on the very idea of truth. A university whose motto is Veritas should have nothing to do with him, let alone present him as a mentor to students, one of the explicit roles of the IOP fellows. How would he mentor them? By introducing them to the advantages of shameless mendacity? Yes, hes become a celebrity, largely as a laughingstock, thanks to the genius of Melissa McCarthy. But what he aided and abetted has nothing funny whatsoever about it. If the Institute of Politics is supposed to defend a free press and ethical public service, it just proved it doesnt. One mistake corrected. One more to go. I watched part of Ben Shapiros talk at Berkeley last night. He was a bit of a prick to begin with, and couldnt resist cheap shots at times. But mostly, it was extremely encouraging, especially the question-and-answer session. He was effectively pwned on at least two questions, climate change and abortion. One student asked whether a revenue-neutral carbon tax wouldnt be both conservative in that it doesnt require much of a bureaucracy, and prudent, given the possibility that climate change could be disastrous and why not prepare for the worst? Shapiro said hed never considered such an idea and needed to look at it further. Weak; lame. The idea has been banging around forever. And Shapiro cant say whether hes for it or not? Then he was trounced by a liberal student on the question of why women who have abortions shouldnt be prosecuted. If Shapiro believes, as he does, they have killed a human being, how could they not be? He dodged at first simply saying hed prosecute abortionists. When pressed, he argued that many women have abortions without knowing that they are terminating a human life (theyve been indoctrinated into believing a fetus is the equivalent of a polyp), and so you couldnt prosecute them for murder or manslaughter because they dont have the specific intent the mens rea to kill. But what, the student responded, about those women who absolutely do know what they are doing and still go through with it? Why not second-degree murder, or accessory to manslaughter, or some other charge. In any other circumstance, someone who plays an essential part in a killing would absolutely have to be charged, right? Shapiro retreated to an incoherent position that even though such women have committed a serious crime, in his view, no one wants to prosecute women for such a thing. But that wasnt the question. The question was whether he should logically support prosecution. And of course he should. Those kinds of exchanges are exactly why campuses exist. Kudos to Berkeley for making it happen. They certainly challenged Shapiro more than accusations of his being a white supremacist whose speech is violence. But look at the extraordinary measures and staggering cost it entailed. Security cost $600,000. Traffic was stopped, concrete barriers were erected, and a whole swath of the campus was under lockdown, including the student union and the student center. The place was swamped by cops. Only 18 months ago, Shapiro had spoken at Berkeley with just two bodyguards. I understand why the university and city did that. But if thats what it now takes for a conservative speaker to talk on a college campus, free speech in this country is, quite literally, under siege. See you next Friday. Simon Peter Akuguzibwe There has been a public outcry over the speed at which mobile phone data runs out. The claim from customers is that some telecom firms deplete their internet data. But Simon Peter Akugizibwe, the head of products at Airtel Uganda, explained to Ali Twaha why customers end up losing their data. There have been huge investments in infrastructure but calls and data connectivity still remain poor as you move to rural areas. How are you improving on quality and speeds currently? Speeds are perceptive. By perceptive I mean one person may have high speeds and another may have slow speeds. Also, what people do not consider is the capability of the handsets. There are phones which have slow RAM [Random Access Memory] especially the low-end entry-point phones. So, that person, from experience, will get a phone and wants it to behave as a high end phone. Its like putting a Toyota and a Benz on an open road; of course the Benz will take off effortlessly. So, some people have phones which do not support even the expectations of the customer. They will immediately conclude that the network is slow. There are still concerns that data remains expensive with the market leaders. Do you think the rates are affordable? With Airtel, the value is us having the widest network. A price which is so low is of no value to a customer who cant even access infrastructure for that network. For instance, lets say, Im selling 1GB at Shs 20,000 and another sells it at Shs 5,000 but limited to Kampala. How have you helped someone in Gulu and Mbale? We have many providers who claim to be cheaper but where is their extent of coverage? Now, this becomes a question they need to answer. As you see, the prices keep dropping; there will come a time when prices will no longer be a differentiator among the providers. It will be experience, and experience for a customer is more than just the low price. There has been public outcry on how telecoms work their data meters. Why would someones data just disappear? What I discovered is that a typical voice customer would think that data works the same way as voice. Voice is in such a way that if Im not calling, Im not using [my money]. So, someone comes with a mindset that when Im not browsing and WhatApping, Im not using my data, not knowing that even if a phone is in passive mode, it consumes data. Whether you choose to download a picture from WhatsApp, it doesnt change the fact that it came directly to your inbox, and sometimes it actually goes to auto download. What people dont know is that all those activities deplete the MBs. People think MBs will only deplete when its them sending information, the way voice works. Leaving your phone in passive mode is like leaving your car running and it consumes fuel. The phones that we get nowadays, especially the high-end phones such as Samsung, Apple, Windows, and Lumia use a lot of internet [MBs]. The operating systems of some of these phones depend on their connection to the internet. When the operating system is fully [installed] on the phone, it makes it heavy and would even make the phone slow. So, they design them in such a way that only certain programmes are connected to internet. This is all the education we need to do. We advise that when one is not using the phone, they should disable the data. At what point are we going to see lower cost of data? And what could be the pushing factors? At Airtel, it is a proactive strategy. We dont wait for circumstances to happen. Airtel has always been synonymous with making data more affordable for customers just like the recent price change we did. But also the challenge is about education. Not everyone understands what MB [megabytes] or GB [gigabytes] is. Sometimes people claim their bundles deplete very quickly. The ministry of ICT says it is trying to push for infrastructural sharing among telecoms with an aim of cutting costs. Are there any engagements currently taking place? What Airtel has done is improve the quality experience in key towns by modernizing the network. Once coverage improves, it reflects automatically into more people accessing the service. And when more people access the service, those are improved economies of scale, which lead to affordability. That is why much as we modernized the network, we had to leverage it with price drops to acquire more customers. One place that has continuously had a challenge of infrastructure is the northern region. We have partnered an infrastructure company called BCS and Facebook, where we are deploying over 800km of fiber optic. One of the biggest requirements for high-speed broadband internet is fiber. You talk of modernizing your network over the years but has that really reflected onto lower data prices? There is a huge demand for internet as we see it changing market trends. And one of the biggest indicators of demand is affordability. What we have done in the month of August [2017] was to make our internet packages more aggressive and affordable starting with the lowest bundle at 10MB. It was initially priced at Shs 300. We have now put it at Shs 250. That Shs 50 difference makes a huge gap for the mass market. We have also increased our small 20MBs to 25MBs at a price of Shs 500. We have also gone on to introduce big bundles for the daily packages and made the weekly offers very aggressive. How is the voice segment performing in terms of revenue contribution? The industry has moved. Voice is being phased out internationally but in Uganda, this change has not significantly happened because a huge percentage of our people are in an area where they are illiterate and dont really understand data. So, the use of voice is still a substantial contributor of revenue to all telecoms in Uganda. But data has not grown to a point where we can say that it has overtaken voice although it is growing steadily. Whats your view on Uganda Revenue Authority trying to introduce a tax on data usage? All products are taxed. Voice currently attracts both VAT [value added tax] and excise duty while the data attracts VAT only. This is something that is still being discussed at the policy level. My view is that you cant tax something that is an emerging segment. This product has not yet matured to a point where it should attract other taxes. alitwaha@observer.ug Over the past ten years, Bayimba Foundation has not only transformed the arts and culture contemporary scene, but has also given it a face with the Bayimba International Festival of the Arts. Starting with an audience of less than 20 people in 2008, the festival has steadily grown into one of Ugandas most anticipated events each year. Next week, the festival will be celebrating its 10th edition at the National theatre. Happening for three days, the festival will be celebrating a milestone that has seen them try to fit world or contemporary music on the same stage with the mainstream pop art. This was almost impossible in 2008 when they started. Speaking to The Observer in 2015, Faisal Kiwewa, director of Bayimba Foundation, said they were proud of what the festival had created, especially on the music platform as a whole. With our festival only curating live performances, we challenged mainstream artistes to try it out, he said. It makes us happy that today almost every one of them wants to have a live show when they organize concerts. Happening from September 22 to 24, the festival intends to celebrate a journey of the past 10 editions. In fact, the festivals publicist Philip Masembe says this year will have some of the festivals first supporters back. For instance, the stage backdrop will be designed by Xenson Ssenkaaba, who designed the first editions backdrop. Some of these artists have not only been with us throughout the years, but they have also grown with us, Masembe says. Purcussion Discussion Africa will be performing on Saturday at the mainstage. The cultural music and dance company will be joined by both artistes like Cindy, Mariam Ndagire, Jose Chameleone, Maurice Kirya and Bobi Wine, the headlining act. This year, the festival will as well feature poetry, dance, theatre and fashion with people like Gloria Wavamunno, poet Peter Kagayi and Linda Nabasa showcasing. Just like the old days, the festival will host a silent disco that will be headlined by DJ Rachel. kaggwandre@ gmail.com Armour Energy Limited, an Australia-listed firm, has signed a production sharing agreement with Uganda to explore, develop and produce oil in the Kanywataba block in Ntoroko district. The company becomes the first firm to receive an exploration license under the countrys new competitive bidding round. Irene Muloni, the minister of Energy and Mineral Development, said government was still negotiating with other companies for the remaining blocks and they would be able to sign agreements soon. Muloni told reporters at the energy ministry offices yesterday that sustained low oil prices affected the process of licensing, leading to protracted negotiations. Energy minister Irene Muloni (R) signing the license as Roger Crissey, CEO Armour Energy and other officials look on Under Ugandas production sharing agreements, companies shoulder the entire cost, including risk of exploration. Companies are not entitled to any compensation if they hit a dry well. Armour Energy CEO Roger Crissey said the firm had recently moved from being entirely focused on exploration to oil production as well. He said the company maintained a long-term investment outlook for Uganda. Armour Energy Ltd says on its website that it was focused on the discovery, development and production of world- class gas and associated liquids resources. The firm is also expected to conduct a seismic survey soon and drill at least one well. It will also pay royalty based on the gross total daily production in barrels of oil per day. The rate of royalty [will vary] from 8.5 per cent to 21 per cent, Muloni said. Production sharing will be based on the profitability of the project, she said. The company has paid government $316,000 (Shs 1.1bn) in signature bonuses, research and training fees and annual acreage rental fees. Armour Energy Ltd has also paid a $990,000 (Shs 3.56bn) performance guarantee as 50 per cent of the minimum exploration expenditure for the first period. Cnooc drilled a single well in the Kanywataba block in May 2012, but did not strike oil. In October 2012, Cnooc relinquished the license to government. Government said it was confident the block had hydrocarbons. Meanwhile, Muloni said they had agreed to issue Oranto Petroleum Ltd from Nigeria an exploration license over the Ngassa block. Other companies expected to be given licenses are Waltersmith Petroman Oil Ltd. In the Albertine graben, nine production licenses have been issued to Total, Cnooc, and Tullow. Muloni said the field development plans for the three discoveries of Jobi-East, Mpyo, and Lyec were being discussed between government and the licensees so that they can be issued production licenses. Robert Kasande, the permanent secretary in the energy ministry, said the latest licensing round has seen the government develop a state-of-the-art data room, which remains open to industry players for viewing and purchasing data. amwesigwa@observer.ug Seven law graduates from Gulu University have sued the Law Development Centre (LDC) and Law Council for stopping them from sitting this years LDC pre-entry examination. In their August 22 application filed at the civil division of the High court, the students say their dreams were dashed when they learnt the Law Council had not accredited their course at the university. Through Rwaganika, Baku & Co. Advocates, they argue that since the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) had duly accredited the law course starting 2011, it was arbitrary and illegal to be stopped from writing the pre-entry exam. There is no law, which requires the second respondent [Law Council] to accredit law courses at universities, application partly reads. The decision to refuse to admit the applicants to sit the pre-entry was made arbitrarily; it is discriminatory, unfair and illegal. The application adds that the Law Council took the decision without giving the students an opportunity to be heard, thereby depriving them of their right to a fair hearing, which is in breach of principles of natural justice and the Constitution. The students, who joined the course in 2013, want court to compel LDC to admit them for the postgraduate bar course of the 2017/18 academic year or alternatively allow them to sit the examination. The case, first heard on Tuesday this week before Justice Henrietta Waloya, was adjourned to Friday (today). The applicants are Alex Asiimwe Byaruhanga, Emmanuel Odit, Prossy Akello, Susan Anena, Sancha Magdalene Mugala, Andrew Ogwetta Otto and Samuel Odyek. They will be joined by six more law students from Cavendish University Uganda who had earlier filed a similar case. For any student intending to pursue a postgraduate bar course and to become an advocate, the one-day examination administered by the Law Council is a prerequisite for joining LDC. In an affidavit sworn in support of their application on August 21, Odit says when he picked the pre-entry admission forms and bank slips from LDC, he was not initially advised that he did not qualify for the exam. On June 29, 2017, I paid Shs 50,000 to Stanbic bank, Wandegeya branch and was later issued with a general receipt [by LDC] acknowledging my payment, Odit says. [But] when I picked my application forms from Room 6 and filled them, a lady called Nancy refused to accept them. She told me Law Council had instructed them not to give forms to former students of Gulu University because it had not accredited the university to teach law by the time we were admitted. He adds that Mugala who had paid the same fee had her forms rejected too. NCHE, LAW COUNCIL MUTE Interviewed about the accreditation by Law Council, NCHE spokesman Saul Waigolo said: We are unable to comment on this matter for two reasons; first it is before court and commenting on it will be subjudice and two; NCHE cant comment on something we have not received officially in detail. The secretary Law Council, Margaret Apinyi, was also non-committal when The Observer approached her office. Please, I advise that you seek assistance from our chairperson on that matter. I cannot comment, Apinyi said before referring this reporter to Prof Fredrick Sempebwas chambers along Kampala road. Efforts to reach Prof Sempebwa, who was not in office, remained futile by press time. nangonzi@observer.ug The director general of the Algerian National Security, Maj Gen Abdelghani Hamel has said his country will train Ugandas police personnel in the proper handling of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to fight crime. The next training of Ugandan police officers will be in Algeria in October, many officers are expected to attend different courses such as cybercrime to improve the quality of investigation of cases using modern technology, forensics, counter terrorism and also provide DNA equipment, he said on September 12 during his visit to police headquarters, Naguru. He said the Algerian national police will also oversee the countrywide installation of CCTV cameras in Uganda. The video surveillance platform is one of the several benefits Uganda is getting from a memorandum of understanding signed between the Algerian civil police (Directorate General for National Security) and Uganda Police Force. Uganda vice president Edward Kiwanuka shakes hands with Gen. Abdelghani Hamel president of AFRIPOL and director general Algerian National Security Police spokesperson Asan Kasingye recently said that Algeria is far ahead of Uganda in very many areas, including CCTV surveillance, which government has arranged to install next financial year 2017/18. Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura said Algeria will also train Ugandan officers and advise the forces specialized units. We welcome the cooperation between the two sister forces and thank you for understanding our needs and quickly coming in to assist us in our efforts to modernize the police, Kayihura told the visiting Algerian team of experts at Naguru. The experts were in the country to assess how they can help improve the Ugandan police. The Algerians also attended the East African Police Chiefs Cooperation conference that ends today, Friday. Thirteen African countries attended the conference. Kayihura, who is also the vice chairman of the African Police Organization (Afripol), thanked Algeria for creating the organization, which helps the two countries manage their security better. Algeria 200,000 police officers manning a population of 38 million people. zurah@observer.ug Constitutional court will later this year mark 22 years since its establishment to determine the constitutionality of laws and particular acts or omissions by any person. In this first of three-part series, SULAIMAN KAKAIRE examines whether more than two decades later the court has lived up to this dream by highlighting how it had a fresh start and ended up in a backlog crisis. The sun is almost setting down at one of the three-star hotels in town, where the legal team representing embattled feminist activist, Dr Stella Nyanzi, is embroiled in a discussion of how they will have to deal with the introduction of an application by the state seeking to examine the mental capacity of their client who is subject to criminal proceedings. The application is brought under the Mental Treatment Act 1938 (MTA). To the reasoning of Nyanzis defence team comprising of majorly human rights activist lawyers, it is quite surprising to them, if not embarrassing, that the prosecution could introduce an application under the MTA. They proposed several options, including criminal revision but they seemed to agree on taking the matter to the Constitutional court to challenge the constitutionality of the application. However, therein lay serious concern. Outgoing deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma Going to the Constitutional court is ideally the right thing because it settles this matter with a precedent but when will that decision come? Perhaps after five years or more. We need to deal with this as an urgent matter. Maybe, that option is thought of to strategically stifle the whole proceedings, one of the lawyers opined. This lawyers thoughts are reminiscent of the psyche of the users of the Constitutional court. Peter Walubiri, a seasoned constitutional law litigator, observes that: I have litigated in that court since its inception and I agree to the fact that the court has over time been made inefficient...what it is known for now is to give postmortem orders. This is not normal...Ideally, a litigant goes to court to seek for declarations that promote or protect their rights but when the court delays to adjudicate then, it perpetuates injustice. HISTORICAL CONTEXT According to the report of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC), which gathered the public opinions as to what was to be included in the 1995 Constitution, there was consensus amongst the Uganda population on the need for a permanent institution to safeguard human rights. In his book entitled The Search for National Consensus, former chief justice Benjamin Odoki, who also chaired the CRC, writes that it was this general consensus that made them propose for the establishment of the Human Rights Court/Commission, Constitutional court, etc). Indeed, the Constituent Assembly (CA) deemed it fit to establish the Court of Appeal as the Constitutional court to determine any question as to the interpretation of the Constitution, but, in particular, to examine whether an Act of Parliament or any other law is inconsistent with the Constitution. Mindful of the importance of constitutional interpretation matters, the CA gave further clear directives that during the pendency of a constitutional petition, The Court of Appeal shall proceed to hear and determine the petition as soon as possible and may, for that purpose, suspend any other matter [be it a civil or criminal appeal] pending before it. This provision is re-enacted under Constitutional court (Petitions and References) rules formulated by the Rules committee then chaired by Justice Odoki. The rules committee went further to provide under Rule 10 that: The court shall sit from day-to-day and may, for the purposes of hearing and determining the petition, sit during Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays where the court considers it necessary for ensuring compliance with Article 137 (7) of the Constitution... Walubiri, who is currently leading the legal team representing Nyanzi in the Constitutional court, told The Observer that whereas the historical context shows that there was hope in the court to act as the custodian of constitutionalism, it has instead become the greatest disappointment in the struggle for constitutionalism. The court does not handle matters with utmost urgency or expeditiously as provided by law and in the long run, it has become inefficient in its cardinal role, he said. According to the records, the first cases that were filed in the court while being headed by the then deputy chief justice, Seith Manyindo, were determined within a year. For instance, the case of David Tinyefuza vs Attorney General was filed in December 1996 and determined on April 25, 1997. Other cases filed and determined during the same year include Serapio Rukundo vs Attorney General [1997], Uganda Journalists Safety Committee and Others v Attorney General (Ruling), Charles Onyango and Another v Attorney General, and James Rwanyarare and Another v Attorney General. All these cases were filed and determined in 1997. Towards the end of 2000, this trend changed as cases started to last for more than a year. Indeed, the judiciary carried out the national court case census in order to determine the extent of case backlog in the courts. As of January 2017, the findings indicate the Constitutional court has 359 pending cases, out of which 213 cases were backlog representing 59 per cent. Meanwhile, constitutional applications constituted 45 per cent of the case backlog in the same court. According to the report, there are 117 constitutional petition cases considered to be backlog and 96 constitutional cases applications. Of these, nine petitions and three applications have been in the court for more than 10 years. Generally, the report indicates that poor work attitude and poor performance by some judicial and non-judicial officers in the judiciary are the causes of backlog. Other factors are corruption, ineffective support supervision, lack of skills and lack of knowhow, leadership vacuum for prolonged period, poor case management including lack of control of court processes and management of requests for adjournment. CAUSE OF BACKLOG Weighing in the possible causes of backlog at the Constitutional court, Patricia Mutesi, a senior principal state attorney in the attorney generals chambers, told The Observer that backlog was inevitable because as more people became aware of their rights, they flooded the court. This increased the workload in the court and yet the number of justices in the court was not being increased to match the rate of cases being filed in the court, she said. Mutesi argues that although the court is empowered to enforce human rights, this is possible with a qualifier: it can only do so upon determining a question that deserves constitutional interpretation. Justice Kenneth Kakuru (L) and Justice Remmy Kasule Towards the close of 1990s, the court became aware of this perception and it had to clarify it in the case of Ismail Serugo v Kampala City Council and Attorney General, where it expressed its reservations that it is not a competent authority for enforcing human rights per se as most Ugandans had perceived it. However, it could only go into the arena of enforcing human rights upon interpretation of the Constitution. But, even after the Serugo decision, the backlog continued to build up. Mutesi argues that the subsequent backlog must be understood from the period when the Court of Appeal ran short of coram, especially at a time when some justices retired from the court. Between 2009 [and] 2011 there was a build-up of cases because the Court of Appeal had only four justices yet listening to a constitutional petition required five; so, the backlog can also be attributed to this period, she said. There are litigants who started to abuse the court, especially those who were being investigated to face criminal prosecutions. They would file a petition and, subsequent to it, apply to stay proceedings knowing very well that the court will take long to listen to the petitions. In the 1997 cases of John Arutu vs Attorney General and Charles Onyango and Another v Attorney General, the Constitutional court held that where criminal proceedings are pending in another court in respect to the same matter, then the petition, the Constitutional court petition, should be stayed pending the determination of the criminal matter. Whereas this had been intended to avoid abuse of the court most, especially where litigants could stifle criminal proceedings with constitutional petitions, this position of the law was reversed in 2008 by the Supreme court in the case of Charles Onyango Obbo vs Attorney General, wherein it was held that where the constitutional validity of any law or action awaits determination by the Constitutional court, it is important to expedite the determination in order to avoid applying a law or taking action whose validity is questionable. The Obbo decision opened floodgates yet again. Indeed, the committee that investigated backlog took note of this by stating: There are lots of unnecessary references to the Constitutional court, possibly used as a stalling device. As a result, the higher court then gets bogged down with these cases, and the lower court has to wait for a decision before it can continue. MANAGEMENT CRISIS Isaac Ssemakadde, the chief executive officer of Legal Brains Trust, a civil society organisation that has several public interest cases pending before the Constitutional court, observed that backlog must be understood in the context of rule 20 of the Judicature (Court of Appeal) Rules that grants mandate to the deputy chief justice to manage cases in the court. In my view, this should be the context under which we should understand the backlog. If the court was okay during the times of justices Manyindo, [Leticia] Kikonyogo, [Mpagi] Bahigeine and [Constance] Byamugisha, why is it that it has become less efficient during [Steven] Kavumas tenure? I think there is a management gridlock during his tenure, he said. Ssemakadde argues that vacancies in the court have always been there but good managers knew how to deal with it. Manyindos court used to adopt judges from the High court. This is how justices [Fredrick] Egonda-Ntende and [Patrick] Tabaro came to be identified with the jurisprudence of the court. If not, they became instrumental in shaping it. We have judges at the High court who can manage this task. These people can help in dealing with the backlog. That is how he could have dealt with the situation, Ssemakadde added. Walubiri agrees with Ssemakadde and adds: The current managers have failed to regulate continuous travels by the justices. Sometimes the case is fixed but of the five judges one is absent or two because they have gone for medical treatment or attending a workshop. There are better days to attend workshops. Why fix a case on a day when someone is due to travel out of the country? Walubiri further argues that you can also make provision for summarised judgments and detailed reasoning can come later. There are instances when [Seth] Manyindos court used to do this, he said. Whereas Kavuma has been put on the spotlight by some activist lawyers, Walubiri says that he is not a poor manager per se but his love for promotion diverted him. Kavuma initially let the justices to do what they wanted but when he increasingly wanted to be Odokis successor, he started acting in a very funny way. He could fix cases and select a panel based on the political nature of the case. This was very bad on his part. But, well, the jury is out there, Walubiri said. On his part, Justice Kenneth Kakuru, who formerly litigated in the court and is a justice in the court, told The Observer he cannot agree more on poor management of the court. I do not think that backlog could have been an issue if there was good management. For instance, we have been here since 2013 but some of these cases are not fixed. Why? I think it is poor administration, Kakuru said. Justice Kakuru argues that if the panel of Seven Justices managed to dispose of many cases, how could a panel of 14 fail? From the 14, you can get five justices to sit as permanent members of the Constitutional court, three to listen to appeals, three to listen to civil appeals and the other three can be for reserve. I personally do not have too many matters pending before me yet the court has backlog. I cannot allocate these cases to myself, he said. But, Kakuru also adds that in addition to the poor administration, the court is poorly funded, something that can be traced from the time of its formation. When there were proposals to establish this court, the donors were opposed to it on grounds that it is going to constrain the national resource envelope. In their view, they thought that so long as you have the High court and Supreme court, they would deal with matters. As a compromise position, when the court of appeal was being established, it was resolved that it should also act as the court of appeal. Ideally, this made economic sense, but practically it does not because the constitutional court does not get enough resources. Its budget is for instance, less than that of a division of the High court; the divisions are funded by donors. This court is not funded, Kakuru said. On his part, Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi, a human rights lawyer and litigator in the court, told The Observer that the sole cause of backlog and inefficiency of the court is the appointing authority. The person who appoints the judges is responsible for creating this situation. He deliberately refused to appoint justices until he landed on his trusted cadres. That is how we got these bad managers in the court. I think that the previous people had some sense of justice which is not the case with the current people. Maybe if the new DCJ changes things, Rwakafuuzi said. skakaire@observer.ug This article is a product of The Watchdog and was produced with support from the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME). On Wednesday, September 13, President Museveni spent about four hours at State House Entebbe with journalists, discussing, among other things, the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 and the fast-tracked plan by NRM MPs to scrap the constitutional presidential age limits. Below are some of the questions asked by journalists and answered by the president. The NRM caucus convened yesterday [Tuesday] and passed a resolution to table a motion in parliament seeking leave to present an amendment bill to scrap presidential age limits. The last time you were asked about this, you said it was idle talk. But this was the caucus of the ruling party with over seven ministers present; that surely cant be idle talk. What is your position on that because you are the biggest beneficiary of that amendment if it is passed. Second, in your last interview with NTV, you said that someone at 75 years of age is not fit enough to be a leader. Lets start with the biology; one who is 75 [years old] is he fit? Well, I think we should ask the medical doctors; they could help us with a written report. I dont interfere with their work. Go and ask them to write a medical report about the fitness of somebody who is 75 years, whether they are medically fit to lead. About the NRM people who were involved in some activity; that one is not the official NRM caucus but they are NRM people who in Runyankore are called nyekundiire, they are volunteers and they have got their views. Originally, they were provoked by these malicious people who are busy, busyBut as I said earlier in the interview, for us we did our work in 1993 and 1995 in the CA [Constituent Assembly] when we organised Ugandans and they elected a CA, which wrote a constitution and everything is there. If you want to change the Constitution, how do you do it? If you want to maintain it, how do you do it? For us our work was finished, the rest is for you the young people and the MPs and other leaders. They should discuss in the interest of Uganda and Africa, thats what I would like to say. So, if that issue has come up, debate it and see how to resolve it. Your government is reputed for having brought peace and security. But three months ago we have seen increased cases of murder in Wakiso. What do you think the problem is? We defeated [LRA leader Joseph] Kony, Karimojong cattle rustlers and the rebel ADF, among others. Our UPDF infrastructure is strong and those groups can no longer destabilize Uganda. But recently, starting with the murder of the sheikhs, then Joan Kagezi [senior state attorney] and girls in different parts of the country, there have been some weaknesses we have not been paying attention to. But now I think we have discovered the gaps, and that criminality is going to stop. These urban crimes will be defeated when we use new ways. Some people have been arrested for those murders but we are going to close those gaps. We have spent a lot of energy on war but this is not war, it is crime and it will stop. There is a view that you are too kind to deal with corruption, thats why it has continued to be a problem 30 years after you said youre going to deal with it. Those who know the history of NRM know that we killed soldiers who killed people; therefore, we are not jokers. But those we shot [firing squad], it was obvious that somebody had killed another because it was an overt act. But corruption is not easy to see. It is a covert action. So, when you dont get bwino [evidence], you get into other problems. Uganda now has no refugees outside, even those on kyeyo come back because everybody feels relaxed. They know that no one can touch them in Uganda as long as there is no evidence that one has committed a crime. I dont want to spoil that atmosphere here, thats why I go slow until I get bwino and grab you. Why dont you just amend the Land Act other than the Constitution? Whether it is changing the Land Act or an article of the constitution, the issue we should answer is; is there a problem? If there is a problem, then what is the best way to solve it? For me Im not bothered whether the problem is solved this way or that way. What I dont want is continued paralysis and delay of strategic government projects. The issue of land touches every Ugandan and everybody has views about it. What does government think about holding a referendum for all Ugandans to decide on the issue? It is possible [to hold a referendum] but I think that a referendum should be held on an issue, which is clear. Rationally this issue of land is hard to be decided by many people because it is not a singular issue. A referendum needs one issue that is clear; yes or no, but this issue of land has got many clauses, so how do you frame the question? This is like holding a referendum for the village to decide whether someone is sick or not. The constitution talks about prompt compensation; oftentimes, land is valued but landowners take a long time to be paid. Secondly, many Ugandans dont seem to trust government to acquire land and use it for its intended purpose. Probably it is that mistrust that makes people a bit resistant to surrendering their land for government projects. When government is slow to pay, they pay interest that is what the law says. On trust, you talk about government land, which was converted to other use, that is a different story. For instance, on the UBC land on top of the hill [Nakasero], we now have a huge hotel called Hilton [Pearl of Africa hotel]. That was government land given to a private person as part of investment promotion. This is part of the ignorance that Hon. Kasyate seems to share. The other day a young gentleman in parliament asked me, Mr Museveni do you have shares in Madhvanis company, I said no sir honorable, I have no shares there. But then he said if you dont have shares, why are you defending Madhivani so much? According to him, if I dont have personal shares in the private business of people, I shouldnt defend them yet the job of the modern government is to promote the private sector. Part of the proposed amendment says if the value [of land] has been set, let the owner receive that value and the government project goes on and if he is not satisfied, he petitions a court of law or tribunal. Many who are opposed to this cant imagine an ordinary citizen taking on a government. Even if the court process is time-bound, what are the chances of success, isnt that a valid concern? What is the alternative? Uganda should remain in the dark ages, we shouldnt develop? You have heard that democratically speaking the market value of land is known. Wake up Ugandans and other Africans; the modern world is about the private sector. When you hear that countries are strong, it is because they have got a strong private sector. I have to spend some time on radio speaking about these issues because I sat back thinking that people will understand. But when I hear people argue that; why are you defending Madhivani, is he of the Basiita clan or do you have shares in his company, a member of parliament, leader, what sort of future do you have? You are all here eating beef but you dont know where it is coming from, you dont know how much I suffer with the rain, with foot and mouth disease, with the kyeya [drought]. For you, you are just here with a tie. Simon Kasyate. All of you see beef on the table. Thats why you have not read Adam Smith; you should go back and read him. Why havent you waited for the Justice Catherine Bamugemeire Commission of Inquiry on land matters because it might also come up with issues that require a constitutional amendment. The commission is investigating issues I dont know properly. But this issue [land] we know and we dont need research but a solution and we must not wait for the report. On the issue of having a ceiling on busuulu, that we shall never abandon because first of all this mailo system is satanic; we only kept quiet because we need peace in Uganda. These mailo owners found people here who they turned into squatters in the 1900 agreement. These traitors who collaborated with the whites were given eight miles each and turned our people into squatters and started demanding exorbitant fees in busulu. This led to the peoples resistance in 1920 in the famous Bataka movement. Even in the CA, these owners were saying we should leave them to deal with the squatters but we said no. There are organisations such as kingdoms; religious institutions, why dont you first consult them because they also own a lot of land and, much of it has people. You know me I fought with the Bakopi [the poor] in the bushes; the rich were never with us in the bush. But when we won, we brought on board the rich; therefore, the rich should also listen to us. The peace that was brought by the NRM is benefitting everyone. Therefore, on the issue of land, I would also wish those institutions consulted me. Im also here. bakerbatte@observer.ug Alhaji Abdul Nadduli, the minister without portfolio, has urged President Museveni to stop referring to Buganda officials who collaborated with colonialists as traitors. Speaking to The Observer in a lengthy interview on Thursday, Nadduli, a Muganda from Luweero, said, I want to teach those who come from outside Buganda that saying that people who collaborated with whites were traitors is wrong. He [Museveni] has been in Kibaale giving out land titles; who has he betrayed? The Kabaka gave out titles and you are also giving out titles; how then do you turn around and say that for him [Kabaka] he was a traitor? That is undermining people; we must appreciate the role played by those who came before us. We shouldnt think that its only us who have contributed to this country, Nadduli said, taking on his boss who has been going around the country to persuade people to support the Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 on land. Alhaji Abdul Nadduli, the minister without portfolio Nadduli said Buganda was foresighted in signing an agreement with Europeans in 1894. He said that agreement saved Buganda from becoming a colony. People who have just joined us cant force us to abandon what belongs to us. If they do, this will kill our unity and the next time Uganda disintegrates, we might not fight for it; we might just fight for our different regions so that everybody goes back to where they came from, Nadduli said. At a press conference at State House Entebbe on Wednesday, President Museveni referred to Buganda kingdom officials who collaborated with colonialists as traitors and the resulting mailo land tenure system as satanic. On the issue of having a ceiling on the busuulu [ground nominal fees]; that, we shall never abandon because first of all this mailo land system is satanic. We only kept quiet because we need peace in Uganda. These mailo owners found people here who they turned into squatters in the 1900 Agreement. These traitors who collaborated with the whites and were given eight miles each turned our people into squatters, Museveni said. Nadduli, however, said he will oppose any bill that seeks to transfer the ownership of land to government. He said the current laws starting with the 1900 Buganda Agreement provide for compulsory acquisition of land for government projects. But before change of ownership, he said, there must be adequate and prompt compensation. I dont support any law that gives Museveni or the government ownership over our land because the power to use any piece of land for government projects is already provided for in the laws starting with the 1900 Buganda agreement, Nadduli said. Even you who is currently in power and using it to steal peoples properties, even yours [property] will be stolen one day. This is a government, it has no friendship, today you are in, tomorrow you are out, Nadduli said. Nadduli (L) looks on as President Museveni greets NRM MPs recently He also accused the president of presiding over a system that has increased friction between land and bibanja owners. This Museveni era is the one which has brought conflicts between bibanja and land owners; he should just improve his regime, Nadduli said. Tell me, starting with the 1960s and 1970s; which group came out and evicted people from their bibanja [untitled land]? It is them who have brought this havoc; the law used to be respected, when you need a kibanja you buy it, when you need land you buy it, thats all, Nadduli said. The outspoken former Luweero district chairman also accused the opposition ministers within government of coming up with schemes that are aimed at failing the government. We now have FDC people who are working in the NRM government that they dont want. They have been wondering why the NRM is so strong in the villages; that is why they are bringing this turmoil to turn our government upside down, Nadduli said. Betty Amongi, the minister of Lands who is championing the Constitution Amendment Bill 2017, is a UPC member and wife of UPC president Jimmy Akena. bakerbatte@observer.ug NRM lawyers, strategists and MPs have penned a 13-page research paper in which they outline at least 10 reasons why the presidential age limits in the constitution must be scrapped. Titled Narrative on Constitutional Amendments 2017, the paper attempts to justify why article 102(b), which caps the lower and upper presidential candidature ages at 35 and 75 years, must be dropped from the constitution. This paper gives the rationale as to why this part of the constitution and any other legislative or organizational rigidities must be removed, the paper states in its introduction. NRM supporters at Kololo recently Article 102(b) of the constitution provides that a person is not qualified for election as president unless that person is not less than thirty-five years and not more than seventy-five years of age. The authors of the research paper, The Observer has learnt, are largely key promoters of the lifting of the age limit. They include NRM lawyer Kiwanuka Kiryowa, Igara East MP Raphael Magyezi, Peter Ogwang (Usuk), Robinah Nabbanja (Kakumiro Woman), Arinaitwe Rwakajara (Workers), Simeo Nsubuga (Kassanda South) and Jackson Kafuuzi (Kyaaka South). Others are Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central), Margaret Komuhangi (Nakasongola Woman) and Mariam Naigaga (Namutumba Woman). Interviewed for this story yesterday, Kiryowa refused to comment on his input in the paper. President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is ineligible to stand for re-election in 2021 when his current term expires because he will be 77 years old, two years older than the mandatory 75. But the authors of the research paper argue that the upper age cap is one of the constitutional rigidities that should be done away with. Seventy-five years, they argue, is an arbitrary number that has no justification. To them, not everybody is incapable of leadership at the age of 75 years because some people cannot be president even at a much lower age, whereas others are strong and dynamic, and still have a lot to offer well after clocking 75. Uganda is not an island or unique in terms of governance, they contend, adding, Other countries in the region dont have this kind of archaic restriction in their constitutions. It is important for regional integration that Uganda takes bold steps to harmonize systems of governance with other countries. The East African region and the continent, they claim, can benefit from experienced, committed and capable leadersmore than experimentalism and political maneuvers which they say depicts Africans as mere copycats of other societies, which are at different stages of development. Invoking Article 1 of the Constitution, the authors say power is with the people who will choose how they want to be governed through regular, free and fair elections. Ugandans, according to the paper, have capacity and freedom to choose the person who should lead the country as president through regular free and fair elections in accordance with article 103 of the constitution. That right should be guaranteed, and not restricted, they contend. If voters do not want a particular person to lead them or they are tired of his/her governance style, they will reject that person at the time of elections and vote them out, the paper reads in part. The proponents of the paper attack article 102(b) on grounds that it is discriminatory against Ugandans who are aged 75 and above yet article 32 of the constitution prohibits discrimination based on age and other factors. Members of parliament and other leaders [except the president and district chairperson] do not have this kind of restriction. It is necessary that this imbalance is redressed as provided by the constitution, the paper suggests. Amendment of the constitution, they argue, is permitted as long as the correct procedure is followed. Ugandans have the right to determine the appropriate legislation of their time and to review the laws and make corrections where necessary, the paper argues. Uganda, the authors say, is operating under a multiparty dispensation, which means that parties have the mandate to select the best candidates from their members to compete for political office at various levels. Nobody can dictate to any party the person that party should select to run for presidency , they say, adding, it is up to each political party to choose the candidate who they believe will deliver success at elections and lead the country as president, irrespective of age, gender, tribe, religion or other consideration. President Museveni would be the biggest beneficiary of the age limit amendment The authors say Uganda should copy what they call good examples of other countries like Israel, which permits all their available leadership resources to remain and compete for elections. The country [Uganda] is at the stage of taking off into a modern, middle-income country, they say, adding: this is the time to galvanize all available human resources, particularly its leadership and technical manpower, as long as they are the choice of the people, elected or appointed through the legal and institutionally recognized mechanisms. Whereas they agree with the old adage that even the best dancer leaves the stage, they insist that the peoples right to demand for what they call another rap from a dancer of their preference should be respected. The host cannot send off the best dancer at the time when the people have just warmed up to enjoy the dance because that would be an anti-climax, which is not permissible in organized societies, they say. Its not the dancer who wants to stay on the floor, but the people who will enjoy and value the particular dancers strokes, and therefore demand for his/her stay. dkiyonga@observer.ug The Court of Appeal has declared Robert Kasule Ssebunya, the duly elected Member of Parliament for Nansana municipality, Wakiso district. The judgment read by the deputy registrar Deo Nizeyimana was based on an appeal filed by the incumbent legislator Musoke Nsereko also known as Wakayima, a member of the Democratic Party challenging the decision earlier taken by High court judge, Vincent Okwanga. Robert Ssebunya carried by his supporters after court declared him winner. Photo: Nicholas Bamulanzeki Musoke, the Democratic Party (DP) candidate, had been declared the winner of the Nansana municipality parliamentary seat with 25,053 votes ahead of Ssebunya's 23,415. But Ssebunya, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party petitioned court disputing the results on grounds that the election did not comply with electoral laws and asked the court to declare him the victor. He also accused Wakiso district returning officer, Sarah Bukirwa, of irregularly cancelling results from 24 polling stations with a total number of 7,239 voters. Today, court presided over by the justices Steven Kavuma, Cheborion Barishaki and Hellen Obura, maintained that Nsereko was erroneously nominated to contest for the seat because the name Wakayima Musoke Nsereko, which he used for the nomination, did not appear on the voter's register. Instead, the register has Musoke Hannington Nsereko, the same name which appears on his national identity card, an act which contravenes electoral laws. The law demands that candidates for a particular leadership position must appear on the voters' register. ''I find that the purported change of names null and void", Nizeyimana said adding that Wakayima did not qualify to be a lawmaker. Ssebunya, the first runner-up on February 18, 2016, elections, was then declared the duly elected MP for Nansana municipality. In many of Ugandan towns, entrepreneurial churches are littered all over, with their developers getting money from the vulnerable congregation without shame. What sheer economic criminality! I see lots of legal redress against corrupt businesspeople or civil servants; but I would love to see some pastors taken to court because of conning people. I think Prophet Hosea was right to say my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Pastors succeed because of the ignorance and naivity of many of their followers. Borrowing a leaf from the Yoga tradition from Asia, perhaps it is useful for us to tackle this ignorance from the roots. The Yoga Sutra 4:II argues: the root cause of our sufferings is an ignorance with which we are perpetually associated, which is our constant friend, and whom we can never leave even for a moment. This friend is with us day in and day out. Inside and outside, and becomes one with our nature so that our very thoughts are based on ignorance. We cannot be free unless we liberate ourselves from this ignorance so that we can fully be aware of Jesuss message that the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. Surely, sheer exploitation of many Christians is because a number of them lack knowledge of the scriptures, making them easy prey for greedy pastors who use the Bible as an ATM (automated teller machine). Pastors have seen how easy it is to get rich because people are lazy and believe in handouts, and that miracles will make them rich overnight. It does not make sense that the poor take all the little they have and invest it in their pastors because of being brainwashed into believing they would get rich. My friend, the miracle of becoming rich is by working hard. Churches are for glorifying God, not investments. Woe to those pastors who con people of God by twisting the scriptures. Angelo Munduni Dema, Cleveland, Ohio. Museveni undermines state institutions Observer columnist Semujju Ibrahim Nganda wrote an article titled When Mzee goes, people will know we never had a govt. This article resonated with an increasing belief among some Ugandans that government is Museveni and Museveni is the government. Today, the president seems to be doing everything by himself, as if he has no ministers or state agencies. Why would the president be moving around giving out cash handouts to every small group chanting his name? In his supposed knowledge on economic growth, Museveni thinks that giving unprepared people hard cash without any preparation on entrepreneurial skills will uplift their standards of living. Recent murders of women in Wakiso have seen police chief Kale Kayihura and Security minister Henry Tumukunde pitch camp in these respective places. Unfortunately, this has not stopped the murderers from killing more women. I wouldnt be surprised if President Museveni decided to camp at these places as he has already exhibited on the land question in the country. In his book titled A State and a Soldier, Prof Samuel Huntington argues that when a military regime is sinking, it tends to lose credibility and its cadres lose touch with the common man, forcing the military leader himself to do all state work. It seems our president is headed that way. He ensures that everything rotates around him and it is hard to see any institution. Now that the constitutional amendment on land has hit a dead end, he has decided to do the selling himself. In the judiciary, one is convinced to believe that there is a formula for appointing pro-government judges. But all these are unsustainable. The more Museveni consolidates this grip on power, the harder it gets for him to retire peacefully. Joel Mukisa. joelmukisa13@gmail.com. SGR project should explain delayed compensation When the Standard Gauge Railway project surveyors were earmarking land for the new railway corridor, affected persons were consoled that, unlike past government projects, there was going to be speedy compensation. While registration and assessment of affected persons was accomplished last year, the initial pace of compensation stalled beyond Tororo and several alternating excuses have been given to the anxious project-affected persons. For one year now, people lost the opportunity of realizing returns on the suspended development projects, because, whoever was assessed, they had to halt projects on their land. Imagine a situation where some people had taken loans from the banks or planned to sell off their land! Someone remarked that it feels like being a squatter on your land. Therefore, the SGR project team should explain what is going on. I wish members of parliament representing areas with affected persons could add their voice. Julius Wasswa, jwasswa@uos.de. House-to-house immunization will wipe out polio in Uganda I appreciate the government of Uganda and the ministry of Health for the continued commitment to improving the lives of Ugandans. Before 2002, Ugandan children were vaccinated against killer diseases such as diphtheria, polio, tetanus, tuberculosis, measles and whooping cough. In 2002, government introduced the Hepatitis B and Hib (for Hemophilus Influenza B) vaccines. Uganda was later announced polio-free. Polio is a highly infectious disease, which mainly affects children under the age of five. The virus can be transmitted person-to-person, or spread through contaminated water or food. Polio has no cure and it can only be prevented by immunization. The recent door-to-door campaign against polio which started from September 9 to 11, 2017 was a good initiative. Polio had become non-existent with the global cases declining by over 90 percent since 1988, with only 37 cases reported in 2016. However, with the recent influx of refugees into the country, it is only inevitable that the immunization exercise is revisited because there are chances that these refugees and host communities might be affected by these diseases if not immunized. Natasha Mariam, natashamariam17@gmail.com. letters@observer.ug Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Auburn University will welcome Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager to campus Thursday, Oct. 5, at 5 p.m., in Auburn Arena as part of the universitys Critical Conversations Speaker Series. The daughters of former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, Bush and Hageraccomplished authors, leaders and philanthropistswill participate in a moderated discussion on the topic of Diverse Perspectives on Women Leaders, followed by a Q&A session. "We are delighted that Barbara Bush and Jenna Hager will be joining Auburns Critical Conversations series next month," said Taffye Benson Clayton, vice president and associate provost for inclusion and diversity. "As accomplished women and renowned activists, having their voices as a part of this important dialogue is invaluable." Launched this month, the Critical Conversations Speaker Series welcomes distinguished scholars, journalists and thought leaders to campus to promote diverse ideologies and advance dialogue on topics such as inclusion, intellectual diversity and civil discourse in higher education. On Sept. 1, the series successfully opened with a moderated discussion by internationally recognized Ivy League professors Cornel West and Robert George. Additional fall speakers include authors and scholars Howard Ross, Derald Wing Sue, Frank Bruni and former White House correspondents Donna Brazile and Ann Compton. "As strong women leaders and respected advocates for global initiatives like health equality, literacy and human rights, I know Barbara Bush and Jenna Hager will inspire Auburn students to have important conversations around these issues and what it means to be a woman leader in todays society," said SGA president Jacqueline Keck. Jenna Bush Hager is a contributing correspondent for NBCs TODAY and is the current chair of UNICEFs Next Generation, an initiative dedicated to reducing the number of preventable childhood deaths around the world. Hager traveled throughout Latin America and the Caribbean with UNICEF where she saw firsthand the plight faced by the underprivileged. Her experience inspired her to write "Anas Story: A Journey of Hope," a New York Times best seller based on the life of a 17-year-old single mother living with HIV and determined to shield her child from the abuse and neglect that riddled her own childhood. In addition to Anas Story, she also co-wrote "Read All About It!" with her mother Laura Bush. Hager and Mrs. Bush recently released a second childrens book, "Our Great Big Backyard," which celebrates the centennial of the National Park Service and encourages children to go outside and explore Americas parks. Hager is preparing to release a book of short stories with her sister titled "Sisters First" for release in October. It will take readers on an extraordinary and deeply personal journey behind the scenes of what it is like to be born into a political dynasty, reveal never-before-told stories about their family and uncover the enduring sisterly bond that kept them sane through it all. Barbara Pierce Bush is the CEO and co-founder of Global Health Corps, or GHC, a global community of young leaders working to build the movement for health equity. To date, GHC has fostered more than 1,000 young leaders who believe health is a human right and who take an innovative approach to solving some of the worlds biggest global health challenges. In 2015, Bush was recognized as one of Fast Companys 100 Most Creative People in Business. Previously, she worked at the Smithsonians Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Red Cross Childrens Hospital in South Africa, UNICEF in Botswana and the UN World Food Programme. Bush is a member of UNICEFs Next Generation Steering Committee and on the board of directors of Covenant House International, PSI and the UNs Social Entrepreneurship Council. Doors will open at 3 p.m. on Oct. 5. Attendees are asked to be seated by 4:45 p.m. The event is open to the public and will be livestreamed on the Critical Conversations website at http://aub.ie/CriticalConversations. Qatars resilience in the face of months of economic and diplomatic ostracization echoes in the ears of Saudi Arabiaa regional and religious leader running out of options in its quest to keep the states on the Arabian Peninsula within the confines of its geopolitical agenda. Doha flaunted its perseverance in fulfilling international natural gas orders once again this week, when Energy Minister Mohammed Bin Saleh Al Sada confirmed this fact to diplomats and reporters in Doha. During this blockade we have never missed a single shipment of oil or gas to any of our consumer partners, Al Sada said Tuesday. That shows how committed Qatar is, not only to our economy and reliability but also to consuming countries. Instead of crumbling without political access to the KSA, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, the worlds largest natural gas exporter proved itself to be flexible under severe diplomatic distress. Doha was once dependent on UAEs ports to dock its massive LNG tankers, but once Abu Dhabi issued an eviction order for Qatari ships and cargo, Oman swiftly became Qatars new shipping hub. We made a lot of efforts not to miss a shipment and continue that reputation of utmost reliability, Al Sada added. For example, Qatar didnt declare force majeure, a legal status protecting a party from liability if its unable fulfill a contract for reasons beyond its control. Related: Supermajors Prepare For A Permian Bidding War It is possible that the Oman arrangement was preplanned by Doha in case of a scenario akin to the one now ongoing for three months. Riyadh has long shown disdain for its small neighbors defiance in maintaining relations with Iran, a country with which Qatar shares the South Pars gas fieldthe largest gas field in the world. Over the past few weeks, Doha has only upped the ante, deploying a diplomatic team to Tehran and joining a group of Iran sympathizer Arab countries. Syria and Algeria are the other two most prominent members of this indie band. Qatar has maintained its compliance to the November agreement by OPEC to cut blocwide oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day. Doha, the cartels fourth-smallest oil producer, had a quota of 618,000 barrels per day beginning in January 2017 and continuing through March 2018. August data pegs the states production to 616,000 bpd, safely below the requirements under the agreement harmonized by the KSA. But this fact hasnt earned Qatar any good grace with its former Arab allies. "If the brethren in Qatar think they may have a benefit in their rapprochement with Iran, I'd like to say that they have this evaluation wrong in every way, Saudi Envoy to the Arab League Ahmed al-Kattan said at the groups summit this week, according to Al Jazeera. The Qataris will be held responsible for such a decision." Related: Electric Vehicles: The High Cost Of Going Green He added: "The coming days will prove them wrong because we know that the Qatari people will never accept the Iranians to play a role in Qatar, suggesting the rise of Arab Spring-like fervor that never quite overcame the country in the movements heyday. This made it easy for Doha to tacitly support mass protests in Sunni-led-but-Shiite-populated Bahrainthe country that became one of the initial signatories of the anti-Qatar blockade that began in June. Kuwait is now the lead mediator between Doha and the anti-Doha axis. President Donald Trump recently applauded Kuwaits leadership in the issue, pledging to lend an American hand, if need be. But Qatar insists on keeping Al Jazeera live and maintaining its ties to Iran, and has no economic incentive to change its waysand not that it should. A tightly anti-Iran Gulf would only serve to heighten tensions in a sensitive region. The Qatar-Saudi feud looks to be both long and arduous, but mostly only for the KSAs ego. By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Nearly twenty days (or over 450 hours) after Hurricane Harvey made landfall between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor in Texas, there are a number of signs emerging in our ClipperData that the refinery hub of the U.S. is returning to some semblance of normalcy. Hark, here are but three such examples: Crude waiting offshore is gradually dropping after peaking at the beginning of the week at 31 million barrels - the highest since January. At the start of the week, we saw nearly 50 dirty tankers in the U.S. Gulf, as a backlog built up, ready to deliver to Texas ports as refineries restart. (Click to enlarge) Waterborne crude imports into the U.S. Gulf Coast have averaged 3 million barrels per day for 2017, until recent weeks. Arrivals dropped to close to 1mn bpd in the trading week immediately after Hurricane Harvey's landfall, before rebounding back above 2mn bpd last week. Although flows to Texas ports were halted amid the hurricane, we saw higher volumes heading to Louisiana ports instead. Imports are now resuming to key Texas ports. (Click to enlarge) Related: WTI Breaks $50 As Bullish Sentiment Builds While crude imports rebound, we see a similar trend playing out for product exports. After they dropped precipitously amid Hurricane Harvey, we are seeing them rebounding across the board - from LPG to fuel oil, to gasoline and diesel. Nonetheless, just as with crude imports, product exports are yet to return to their former glory, with so much refinery capacity still offline. (Click to enlarge) By Matt Smith More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinese authorities have busted an oil smuggling group in the Fujian Province, in eastern China, that has since the start of the year smuggled fuel worth US$138 million, Xinhua reports. The police arrested 99 suspects and confiscated 1,700 tons of smuggled fuel. The network, local border police reported, had been operating since June last year and involved four gangs operating nine midsized oil tankers to smuggle the fuel. The total amount of fuel smuggled to date is 180,000 tons. The police seized seven vessels, ten oil trucks, and nine underground storage facilities that the smugglers used for the fuel. No details were provided as to where the fuel was smuggled from or to. Smuggling is causing major headaches right now with regard to the fresh round of sanctions the UN imposed on North Korea. One of the targets of the sanctions was North Korean seafood, but, as Bloomberg reports, North Korean fishermen share the waters of the Yellow Sea with China fishermen, who often buy their produce fresh off the boat and then sell it on Chinese wholesale markets. There are also reports that Russian companies are smuggling crude oil into the sanction-bound country, which earlier today launched another missile that flew over Japan. The sanctions have not yet come into effect and Russian oil traders are in a rush to make a quick buck by shipping oil to North Korea from the northern port of Vladivostok, U.S. government officials report. China is North Koreas largest trade partner and has been reluctant to cut off the countrys access to vital oil and fuel imports on concern about a humanitarian crisis that could spill over the border. It has, however, agreed to reduce its shipments of crude to North Korea, which was part of the sanction round, to come into effect from the beginning of next month. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, more than 22,000 barrels of crude oil, refined products, and chemicals spilled at various sites in Texas, according to company reports to the U.S. Coast Guard that Reuters has reviewed. Apart from the oil and chemicals, millions of cubic feet of natural gas and hundreds of other toxic substances spilled during and after Harvey slammed Texas at the end of August. The spills in the heart of the U.S. refining industry are one of the worst in the past few years, but are dwarfed by the 190,000 barrels that were spilled in Louisiana in the wake of Katrina in 2005. After Harvey, more than 22,000 barrels of crude, gasoline, diesel, petrochemicals, and drilling wastewater spilled from storage terminals and refineries. Of those 22,000 barrels, 10,988 barrels of gasoline and a gasoline blendstock spilled from the Galena Park facility of Magellan Midstream Partners. The spill was caused by Harvey-related flooding, and the product release has since been contained, Magellan Midstream Partners said. Clean-up activities at the facility are continuing and we are currently removing and replacing affected soil, the company noted in its press statement. It expects clean-up activities to be finished within a few weeks, according to Magellans email to Reuters. The Coast Guard has been responding to clean-up efforts at refineries around Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. According to the filings to the Coast Guard, viewed by Reuters, around 365 tons of toxic chemicals, including sulfur dioxide, ammonia, toluene, benzene, and carbon monoxide escaped from storage and refinery facilities. Related: The North Sea Oil Recovery Is Dead In The Water The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Thursday that it had concluded that the probable source of benzene and volatile organic compound readings in the Manchester community in Houston was the roof failure and spill from a light crude storage tank at the Valero Houston Refinery during Hurricane Harvey. EPA investigation into Valero Houston Refinery response and cleanup activities will continue. The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) advocacy group has downloaded data from the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center and created an interactive map of the reported spills. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: South Korea is eyeing independence from nuclear energy, to be implemented gradually over the next six decades, as it seeks to switch to safer clean energy sources. The countrys Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Paik Un-gyu said at a conference in Seoul today that "There is a need to move away from the energy scheme of the past, which focused on promoting nuclear power plants." So far, as part of this shift away from nuclear power and into renewables, the government shut down a nuclear power plant built in the 1970s and temporarily suspended the construction of two new ones. There are 24 nuclear reactors in operation across the country and another four under construction. The phase-out of nuclear power generation capacity was a pledge that South Koreas president Moon Jae-in made before the elections. Last month, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy outlined the main policy points of the shift from fossil fuels to renewables with a special emphasis on the coordination between industrial and environmental policies to secure the best results. Coal will be the first to go under the new government plan: by 2030 coal-fired power plants will be gone and improvements in the efficiency of the remaining facilities should reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030. By that year, Seoul aims to raise the share of renewable sources in the energy mix to a fifth. Related: Super Critical Coal Shortage Sends India Scrambling For NatGas Environmental concerns are not the only driver behind South Koreas shift to renewables. The country, according to 2015 figures, imported 98 percent of the oil, gas, and coal it used. This makes it one of the biggest oil and gas importers globally a dependency that certainly wouldnt sit well with any government. At the moment, according to Climate Action, crude oil and oil products account for 41 percent of South Koreas primary energy consumption, followed by coal at 31 percent, and natural gas at 14 percent. Nuclear power supplies 13 percent of the countrys primary energy consumption. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Secretary of State Dennis Richardson As Oregons chief election officer, my core mission is to maximize voter participation and access, while ensuring election integrity. My office is utilizing new technological tools that will improve election integrity. Through complex data matching techniques, the Elections Division identified 46 voters in the November 8, 2016 election who appear to have cast ballots in both Oregon and another state. Also identified, were ballots submitted under the names of six deceased Oregon voters and two registered Oregon voters who each cast two ballots in Oregon. Although there is no evidence that these fraudulent ballots impacted the outcome of any contest, no level of voter fraud is acceptable. Nevertheless, the suspicious ballots discovered amount to just 1 out of every 38,000 ballots cast in Oregon (.002%). Voters in Oregon can be confident that voter fraud is extremely rare in our state, and when we do find it, we will prosecute. Evidence supporting these findings has been turned over to the Attorney Generals office for criminal investigation and prosecution. Intentionally voting twice is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and up to a $125,000 fine. Every Oregonian who is eligible to vote should be able to vote. We must use all tools available to ensure election integrity so that the votes of those who are eligible to vote are not diluted by those who are breaking the law. In closing, as your Secretary of State, I am working hard to achieve the mission you elected me to do. These election integrity actions, combined with my voter access initiative implemented last April to restore the voting rights of more than 60,000 Oregonians, show the progress we are making. Together, with our county election partners, we are making Oregons election system an example to the nation of honesty, inclusion, and integrity. SC dismissed Nawaz Sharif review petitions against Panama Papers judgement The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar against the Panama Papers judgement of July 28. The court had reserved its verdict on the review petitions after the lawyers for all petitioners completed their arguments earlier in the day. A five-judge SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had taken up the petitions seeking review of the courts July 28 judgement which disqualified Nawaz Sharif and ordered the filing of corruption references against Sharif, his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar and Ishaq Dar. "For reasons to be recorded later, all these review petitions are dismissed," Justice Khosa announced. The reasons for the judgement will be revealed later in the detailed order. With the rejection of the review petitions, Sharif's disqualification as a member of the parliament remains valid. The Sharif family and Dar will now face corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau(NAB) in the accountability court. The apex court on Friday also disposed of an application filed by Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid against NAB, accusing the latter of failing to file an appeal regarding the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case in accordance with the SC verdict. The court decided the application after NAB prosecutor general Waqas Qadeer Dar stated before the bench that the NAB chairman had approved and ordered the filing of an appeal in SC to challenge the 2014 decision of the Lahore High Court to close the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case. "The learned prosecutor general [...] has undertaken that the requisite appeal shall be filed before this Court within the next seven days without fail," the court's short order said. The bench subsequently disposed of the application after Sheikh Rashid did not press it following NAB prosecutor's assurance. Talking to reporters outside the court, PML-N leader and Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rahman said the court decision to dismiss the review petitions was a cause of "disappointment" for her party. She said the court should have reconsidered its verdict to disqualify Sharif for not disclosing the salary he was entitled to receive from Capital FZE. She expressed the fear that Sharif family will not get a fair trial in accountability court if a SC monitoring judge oversees the trial proceedings. Barrister Zafarullah Khan said his party "believe[s] in the system and constitution of Pakistan" and will therefore accept the verdict despite not agreeing with it. Representing Sharif's children and son-in-law Captain Safdar, Advocate Salman Akram Raja earlier in the day argued against the SC judgement. He adopted the arguments given by Sharif's counsel, and further presented some of his own. He said the court had ordered the filing of a reference against Safdar in relation to the Avenfield properties in London, but his client had no connection with the flats and "neither such link emerged from the JIT [Joint Investigation Team] report". Raja said Safdar had signed the trust deed executed between Maryam and Hussain Nawaz regarding the properties as a witness only. At this, Justice Khosa observed that the JIT report had stated Maryam to be the beneficial owner of the two offshore companies which owned the London flats. Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan said the British Virgin Islands authorities had deemed Maryam to be the owner of the said offshore companies and therefore it is incorrect to say that Safdar, Maryam's husband, has nothing to do with the flats. The lawyer argued that his client's fundamental rights will be violated due to the filing of the references. But Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed assured him that no compromise will take place on the petitioners' fundamental rights and right to a fair trial. He reminded the lawyer that his client was free to cross-examine the witnesses during the trial. The Supreme Court had on Thursday asked Sharif to have trust in the court which had always come to his rescue in the past. There is no need to get apprehensive merely because one decision has come against you, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa observed while addressing senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed, representing Sharif. The observation came when Khawaja Haris expressed the reservation that his client might not get fair trial in the accountability court since everything in the corruption references against Nawaz Sharif and his children had been attributed to the Supreme Court. Today, Physicians for Human Rights celebrates the 100th birthday of one of our co-founders, Dr. Carola Eisenberg. With a career spanning well over five decades, Dr. Eisenberg has been a trailblazing physician and human rights advocate. Among her extraordinary achievements, she conducted extensive human rights investigations across Latin America, became the first female dean for student affairs at both MIT and Harvard, and, as a scholar and educator, sparked a passion for human rights across generations of scholars and colleagues. In 1989, Dr. Eisenberg wrote a landmark piece for the New England Journal of Medicine about the influx of women in the medical profession. In the article, she chastised medical faculties for not providing pathways for women to break out of the lower ranks, calling for more women to be elevated to senior leadership roles. Neither I nor any other advocate of womens rights wants to see mediocre women promoted, she wrote. There are all too many mediocre men around already. The New England Journal of Medicine has graciously agreed to make the full text of Dr. Eisenbergs piece available on the occasion of her birthday. Click here to read more. In El Salvador, Dr. Eisenberg documented some of the most horrific atrocities that took place in the 1980s during the countrys civil war. Among the images seared in her mind: farms leveled by napalm; a woman with a phone book stuffed into her mouth; militias gunning people down in the streets. I never believed human beings could do such things to other human beings, she said. It was like Dantes Inferno. Dr. Eisenberg returned to El Salvador two more times. She also visited imprisoned doctors in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship. There, she met a student protester who had been doused with kerosene and set alight, scorching 80 percent of her body and killing a fellow student. Dr. Eisenberg helped transfer the woman to Canada to receive care. A native of Argentina, Dr. Eisenberg left the country before Perons dictatorship, but, as Argentinas Dirty War continued into the 1980s, she heard stories of the violence in her home country. In an interview with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, she said two of her medical school classmates and close friends had been killed by the government. A couple of years later, she said, someone asked me whether I wanted to be part of a new organization with four other doctors to give voice to the people who could not afford to talk. I said yes, so thats how we formed PHR. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, PHRs Board of Directors wrote: From removing gender barriers in the Deans offices at MIT and Harvard Medical School, to investigating human rights abuses in El Salvador and Chile, to committing your time and energy to founding and nurturing PHR through its fledgling years, you have provided a moral compass and have guided us by your example. Today, Dr. Eisenberg continues to advise and mentor all those whose lives she touched. And, of course, she continues to serve as board member emeritus of Physicians for Human Rights. Happy birthday to one of the heroes of the human rights movement. Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the American Authors Association Douglas V. Gibbs is a proud member of the Military Writers Society of America. 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 As you may or may not have heard Common Core is out and the Next Generation Learning Standards are in. The Board of Regents on Monday approved the changes to the English and math standards following a two-year process to get input from educators, parents and other interested parties including more than 4,000 public comments. This came on the heels of criticism that the Common Core standards were not developmentally appropriate and too difficult. State officials say the new standards will still be high. The standards we adopted today continue to be rigorous, to challenge New Yorks students to do more and to prepare them for life in the 21st century, said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa in a news release. Throughout the entire process, we worked collaboratively and transparently, receiving valuable input from educators and parents, as well as experts in teaching English language learners, students with disabilities and our youngest learners. And we will continue to listen as the standards are implemented. We are committed to getting this right for our kids and evolving the standards over time as necessary to do that. State tests will not be based on the new standards until the spring of 2021 to give teachers time to undergo professional development. Among some of the changes are to ensure that play is incorporated into the classroom in the early grades and to spell out and clarify the reading expectations at each grade level. Changes to the math standards include clearly delineating the high school courses that cover certain standards. Hopefully, the expectations remain high for students. It is important to set lofty goals. The state education Department will work with local superintendents, school districts, teachers and staff to implement the new standards. FORT EDWARD An Eagle Bridge man who had sex with a teen who could not legally consent has agreed to a plea deal that includes 2 years in state prison. Jeremy L. Woffenden, 35, pleaded guilty in Washington County Court to third-degree rape for a sexual relationship with a girl under the age of 17 in the town of Jackson. He was not accused of forcing the teen to have sex, but she could not legally consent because of her age. The age of consent is 17 in New York. Woffenden likely faces a two-year prison term, to be followed by 10 years on parole, when he is sentenced Oct. 13 by Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan. He will also have to register as a sex offender. HUDSON FALLS A three-time felon was has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for selling crack cocaine from his Hudson Falls home, police said. Randall A. Ginyard, 37, of Weston Avenue, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan imposed the prison term to be followed by 2 years on parole. Ginyard was arrested in June by Hudson Falls Police. He has served two state prison sentences for local felony convictions in recent years, one for a crack cocaine case in Glens Falls and another for a 2013 weapons possession case in Fort Edward in which he shot at a man with a pellet gun and threatened him with a machete. He was paroled in the pellet gun case last August, after serving three years in prison. The former operator of a popular Glens Falls gym on Thursday lost his appeal of a 10-year prison sentence for selling prescription painkillers. Scott R. Rabine pleaded guilty to two felony charges in 2015, but filed an appeal earlier this year, claiming the 10-year prison term he received was excessive and that he did not understand he was waiving his right to appeal. But the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court rejected his efforts to appeal, ruling Thursday that he waived his right to appeal at sentencing and seemed to understand what he was doing as he signed a written waiver. Contrary to the defendants contention, his waiver of his right to appeal was knowing, voluntary and intelligent, Justice Robert Rose wrote. Rabines lawyer at the time of his guilty plea and sentencing was E. Stewart Jones Jr., widely considered one of the top criminal defense lawyers in upstate New York. Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan, whose office handled the case as a special prosecutor, said his office believed Rabine knew he waived his right to appeal as part of a plea deal. He could have faced up to 60 years in prison for repeatedly selling large quantities of painkillers that played a part in creating the opioid and heroin crisis in the region, Jordan pointed out. The extent of his crimes are still being felt, Jordan said. Rabine, 47, of Fort Edward, pleaded guilty to charges of criminal sale of a controlled substance in connection with four sales of large quantities of hydrocodone pills from his then-gym, Spartan Fitness. He also was accused of selling anabolic steroids on two occasions. He used public assistance to pay for at least some of the pills, which led to welfare fraud allegations and a guilty plea to grand larceny. His gym on Broad Street in Glens Falls was a popular place for local student athletes for years, but it closed shortly after his arrest. Rabine, who had a prior felony conviction before his drug arrest, is serving his sentence in maximum-security Coxsackie Correctional Facility, and is eligible for parole in July 2023. His lawyer for the appeal, Matthew Hug, did not return a phone call for comment Friday. FORT EDWARD The sentencing of a Granville man who tried to kill his girlfriend by repeatedly stabbing her devolved into a shouting match Friday as a judge called the defendants excuses pathetic and sad. Defendant Jonathan W. Vilbrin railed about his sentence, implying it was excessive as he ranted about his defense lawyer and claimed some of the accusations against him were an outright lie. He repeatedly mentioned the drug Zoloft, which he had apparently been taking before the attack. Im getting 17 years for an inch-and-a-half hand laceration and a black eye, he said. His remarks prompted Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan to rip him, calling his comments quite incredible as well as pathetic and sad. Vilbrin continually interrupted him. The judge pointed out the victim may well have been killed if the steak knife that Vilbrin stabbed her with had not broken. Youre lucky youre getting 17 years, McKeighan said. Vilbrin pleaded guilty last month to attempted second-degree murder for the attack on March 21 outside victim Michelle Stevens home in the village of Granville. Police said he waited outside her home in the early morning darkness, ambushing her with a knife and repeatedly stabbing her, then choking her and slamming her head against concrete when he realized the knife blade had broken. She suffered a serious hand injury, but was spared worse injuries. He told numerous police officers who responded that he intended to kill her. Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan revealed Friday that Vilbrin had also gone to the victims home the day before to kill her, but she did not come out while he waited for four hours. In statements to police, Vilbrin is quoted as saying he was upset that she had him arrested weeks earlier on a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly making a sexual comment to a 13-year-old girl who lives in the home. He had been barred from the home by an order of protection. McKeighan and Vilbrin heard a victims impact statement from Stevens, read by crime victims specialist Robin McNeill. She said her hand continues to be limited by the injury she suffered, and she continues to deal with emotional consequences of the attack. I jump every time I hear a noise, the statement reads. I fear danger is lurking around every corner. She wrote, though, that she had forgiven Vilbrin for the assault, but not for the mess you left behind. Washington County Assistant District Attorney Devin Anderson said the breaking of the knife blade was likely the only thing that kept Vilbrin from killing Stevens. The defendant went to the victims house with one plan and one plan only, to kill Michelle Stevens, Anderson said. Vilbrin, 45, did not get into that part of the case during his statement, instead focusing on the fact he was only able to inflict less serious injuries and repeatedly mentioning the antidepressant he had been taking. Some people who take the drug have claimed it made them violent. McKeighan would have none of that, angrily laying into Vilbrin for trying to minimize his actions. Vilbrin, who had no prior criminal convictions, said he planned to appeal. He could have faced up to 25 years for attempted second-degree murder. LAKE LUZERNE A small fire Thursday evening at a two-story home on Route 9N in Lake Luzerne prompted an active investigation, according to Luzerne-Hadley Fire Department Fire Chief Andrew Gilbert. Gilbert said the call about a fire at 492 Lake Ave. came in at 7:06 p.m. Because of the investigation, Gilbert was unable to report any details about the fire, but he did say that firefighters had the fire knocked down in about 20 minutes. There was no one in the home at the time the fire broke out, Gilbert said. At about 9 p.m., Warren County Sheriff's investigators were on scene taking photographs of the home and firefighters from the Luzerne-Hadley Fire Department remained on scene. Warren County Special Operations Unit, Corinth Fire Department and Lake George Volunteer Fire Department, Bay Ridge Fire Department and Luzerne-Hadley EMS were also on scene. Gilbert said the investigation was just getting started at about 9 p.m. Thursday and was ongoing. Lake Avenue was closed for about two hours and opened to one lane a little after 9 p.m. Kathleen Phalen-Tomaselli FORT EDWARD The Fort Ann man accused of choking his 95-year-old grandmother to death was ordered held without bail Friday as a prosecutor detailed what authorities believe could be a motive for the killing. Kevin L. Gonyea pleaded not guilty to seven charges, including second-degree murder, for the July 9 killing of Leona Twiss in her Fort Ann home. He spoke sparingly in a southern accent. Washington County District Attorney Tony Jordan asked that Gonyea be held without bail, saying he had a fairly extensive history that included battery and criminal contempt charges in Florida, and he has few ties to Fort Ann. The proof will show he is a threat to society, Jordan told Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan. Gonyea, 50, had moved to Fort Ann with his wife last summer to care for Twiss and her husband, who died of natural causes last November. Instead, he is accused of killing her in her Twiss Road home. Although police initially hypothesized the killing may have been a mercy killing, because Twiss had dementia and was likely headed to a nursing home, Jordan said he thinks their motive was more personal. He said Twiss was vibrant and energetic for her age. Both Gonyea and his wife, Melissa Gonyea, who faces charges for allegedly helping her husband try to hide a towel that was used to choke Twiss, had made comments about wanting to return to Florida, Jordan said. I would submit it was selfishness, he wanted to go home, Jordan said. I dont think it was at all intended to be an act of kindness. A dozen or so loved ones of Twiss' were in court Friday, and several declined comment after the proceeding ended. Twiss death was initially believed to be from natural causes, as she had no apparent injuries, until Washington County sheriffs officers became suspicious and had an autopsy done. That review found internal injuries consistent with choking, and after further questioning, the Gonyeas were charged three days later. Gonyeas defense lawyer, Greg Teresi, could not be reached later Friday. Gonyea is due back in court on Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. He also faces felonies related to alleged welfare fraud, and faces up to 40-years-to-life in state prison if convicted of all charges. I must have missed the influx of southern rebels who moved to the Adirondacks, but theres no mistaking the displays of Stars and Bars flying from porch roofs and pickup trucks. What these newcomers dont understand is how many Adirondack men suffered and died on southern soil to save the Union. Nelson Goff from Lewis enlisted, was captured and sent to Richmonds notorious Libby Prison. Three years later he staggered home broken and unable to hold a job or support his family. Two of his sons, Jeremy and Chesley, died fighting the rebels and are still buried in southern soil. Edward McManus from Elizabethtown survived the horrors of starvation in two southern prisons before escaping from a cattle car carrying him and thousands of other northern soldiers to the killing fields of Georgias Andersonville Prison. Myron Arnold of Ausable Forks was shot in the leg by rebels and he bled to death on a road near Richmond, Virginia. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: I feel 'betrayed', have 'no respect' for Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag, says Cristiano Ronaldo T20 World Cup: Anil Kumble thinks separate teams in red-ball, white-ball cricket is the way forward Sam Billings pulls out of playing in IPL 2023 in order to focus on longer format of the game An Iowa State University educational and research facility for feed milling and grain science will be getting some substantial seed money, $14 million, from Kent Corporation, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Sukup Manufacturing Co. Kent Corporation is committing $8 million, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board $4 million and Sukup Manufacturing Co. $2 million for the $21.2 million feed mill and grain science complex, which will be funded entirely through private giving. The commitments made by Kent Corporation and Iowa Corn Promotion Board represent the largest gifts each has ever made. Sukup Manufacturing Co.s commitment will be in-kind support, including the complexs grain storage bins. On behalf of the Kent family and Kent Corporation, we are pleased to contribute this legacy gift to Iowa State Universitys new feed mill and grain science facility, said Gage Kent, chairman and chief executive officer of the Muscatine-based Kent Corporation. Our business portfolio includes developing innovative, high-quality, value-added products from locally grown corn, Kent said. As an Iowa-based, global leader in corn wet milling, the production of animal feeds and the manufacturing of food products, it is critical that we support Iowa State in giving students valuable, real-world experiences that will benefit their future employers and industries. Our experience with Iowa States commitment to the Cultivation Corridor and their mission to promote and facilitate growth in agriculture and biosciences helped facilitate this gift. We are very proud to support this effort. The feed mill and grain complex will be located in Ames, on land that has been the site of crop research, seed operations and crop yield performance trials for more than 50 years. At the facility, courses will be taught, research conducted and feeds prepared. We are very grateful to Kent, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Sukup Manufacturing for their lead gifts that will jump-start in-depth planning and development of our feed mill and grain science complex, said Benjamin Allen, interim president of Iowa State University. Their tremendous generosity will help make this facility a valuable addition to hands-on student learning, meaningful faculty research and extension and outreach to industry workforce. The need for such a facility is spurred by increased international demand, including the doubling of commercial feed consumption in Iowa to 15 million tons over the past decade. Iowas economy is heavily dependent upon grain and livestock production, and export trade, said Duane Aistrope, president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. To remain viable and competitive in the future, the grain, feed and livestock industries must continue to improve production and efficiency. Our mission is to protect and preserve the grain that feeds the world, said Charles Sukup, president of Sukup Manufacturing Co. in Sheffield, Iowa. For more information on the companies and complex, visit www.kentww.com, www.iowacorn.org, and www.sukup.com. Man sentenced for striking paper carrier A Davenport man was sentenced Thursday to up to five years in prison for driving while intoxicated and striking a Quad-City Times carrier in late November. Rodolfo Solis-Castenada, 31, will also have his drivers license revoked for a year, Judge John Telleen ordered at sentencing, according to court documents. Solis-Castenada, who has been free on bond, was immediately taken into custody after Thursdays hearing and booked into the Scott County Jail to await transport to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville. Telleen set an appeal bond at $7,500. Solis-Castenada pleaded guilty in June to serious injury by vehicle and operating while intoxicated-first offense. At 3:27 a.m. on Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, police were called to a serious injury crash involving a pedestrian in the 600 block of East 4th Street. Police say Solis-Castenada was driving a white 2007 Chrysler 300 when he unintentionally struck Kevin Haslam, 35, of Davenport, who was standing in the roadway loading items into his vehicle. Haslam suffered a fractured leg, dislocated knee and brain trauma and was flown to University Hospitals, Iowa City, according to police. When talking to Solis-Castenada, police noted that he had watery blood-shot eyes, slurred speech and had an odor of alcohol coming from his breath, according to police. He also showed signs of impairment on standardized field sobriety tests, according to police. According to police, Solis-Castenadas blood alcohol concentration was 0.120, which is above the legal limit to drive. Tara Becker Man charged in cellphone store burglary A Chicago man was arrested Thursday in connection with a break-in at a Davenport cellphone store in March. Jamell D. Watson, 30, faces charges of first-degree theft, third-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony. Bond was set Friday at $10,000 cash or surety. He will be back in court Sept. 22 for a preliminary hearing. According to an arrest affidavit filed by Davenport police in support of the criminal complaint: Police responded about 2:33 a.m. March 16 to a burglary alarm at the Sprint Store, 3875 Elmore Ave. The suspects broke out the front door glass and stole more than $10,000 in property. Police identified a blue 2007 Audi as a suspect vehicle. Later that morning, police located the vehicle in Riverdale, Illinois, in Cook County. A vehicle pursuit ensued and there was a crash. Watson and co-defendant, Cortez R. Morrow, 35, also of Chicago, fled on foot and were arrested. Watson and Morrow admitted they conspired to commit the burglary and theft from the store. A search of the vehicle turned up property that was taken from the cellphone store, according to the affidavit. It was not clear Friday why the two men were not taken into custody in March on the Scott County charge. Tara Becker Two arrested in marijuana investigation Two Davenport women were arrested Thursday night after police say they found more than an pound-and-a-half of high-grade marijuana in their home. Jo Ann Foley, 66, and Heather Jo Finn, 34, face charges of controlled substance violation and failure to affix drug stamp tax. The charges are a Class D felony each punishable by up to five years in prison. Both women posted $10,000 through a bail bond company and were released with a notice to appear in court Tuesday. At 9:16 p.m. Thursday, members of the Davenport Police Departments Tactical Operations Bureau and NETS (Neighborhoods Energized to Succeed) Unit executed a search warrant at 2918 W. 35th St. Police say that during the search of Foleys bedroom, detectives found 283.20 grams of high-grade marijuana and packaging material and a digital scale in the bedroom Police say they found 451.25 grams of high-grade marijuana, packaging material and a digital scale in Finns bedroom. Both women admitted to police that the marijuana belonged to them, and Finn said that she grows it, according to police. Tara Becker A more rigorous academic challenge for their daughter brought Jason and Susan Meredith to top Bettendorf school officials and ended with a special student appeal hearing Wednesday before the Bettendorf School Board. The Merediths sought their daughter's inclusion in advanced language arts and math programs. After a three-hour hearing, the couple got a partial victory when the board ordered Bettendorf Middle School officials to allow the seventh-grader immediately into advanced language arts classes. That the process got to the top level of the district was a continuing theme during the session. The Merediths opened the hearing to make their case, with Susan Meredith, a teacher in the Rock Island-Milan School District, taking the key role. Jason Meredith has been gravely ill for the past year, and is still in the recovery stage, but he also spoke up for his daughter. The Merediths moved to Bettendorf from Andalusia in 2013, especially to offer their children a more challenging education than they felt was offered in their previous school. "We visited Bettendorf, we saw the Performing Arts Center, and felt this was a great opportunity for her," Susan Meredith said. Three months after the high school tour, the family sold what they termed a "dream home," moved to Iowa and enrolled their daughter in second grade, two weeks before the year ended. "We did that to get her into this district," her mother said. Because of the change, the child was not achieving at the highest levels at first, but she made up for lost time in a couple of years, Susan Meredith said. At every step of the way, the Merediths tried to get the child into Bettendorf TAG, or Talented and Gifted program, but was consistently told, "maybe next year." This went on until sixth grade, when their daughter missed one of the criteria marks for the TAG program by one point, her mother said, quoting what she learned from school officials. The couple appealed several times to the school principal, Lisa Reid, who also spoke at the hearing. They eventually met with Michael Raso, superintendent, and Kay Ingraham, director of student services. In addition to recent actions, the couple pulled their daughter, a dancer and woodwind player, out of Bettendorf schools during sixth grade as she qualified for Davenport's Creative Arts Academy. The Merediths said that was a completely different experience from what they had in Bettendorf. However, Jason Meredith's ill health has made transportation into Davenport difficult, and the daughter, this year, wanted to return to Bettendorf Middle School. Still, she did not qualify for the advanced classes, the parents were told. The Merediths said they got conflicting signals from Raso, and were not provided with the correct information on how to help prepare a student for the more rigorous classes. "My daughter is not being academically challenged," Jason Meredith told the board. The family was "blown away" by Bettendorf's facilities, and he said they sold their home in Andalusia and paid a premium to live in Bettendorf to allow her to have a better education. "Every time we think she gets the education she craves, it falls flat," he told the board. He cited several communication issues with middle school officials, and waved conflicting pieces of information in the air to prove his point. "Please just make this right for our daughter," he said. Board members had questions for both the Merediths and middle school adminstrators, who were Lisa Reid, principal, and Jayme Olson, assistant principal. Board member Mike Pyevich asked Jason Meredith about a meeting on Tuesday with Raso, the superintendent. Jason Meredith said he was under the impression that the problem had been solved, and that Raso was going to run the agreement by Reid, the principal. The couple said they were never told a problem like this one could be mediated by the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency. The Merediths chose to have the appeal hearing in open session. They said they didn't expect to have their case go to the school board level, but that they were advocating for their child. In addition, Susan Meredith said she has taken her investigation to the Iowa Department of Education, Des Moines, and she would be prepared to fight for her daughter on a federal level, if necessary. Reid and Olson, from the middle school, showed the board where the child had tested, and where the criteria is established. The criteria includes, a "high recommendation" by a teacher, and progress on various tests. Children in the programs are required to satisfy the majority of criteria; there are four measures in language arts and three in math. Reid also showed criteria for TAG, or advanced classes, in other districts, including Pleasant Valley, Iowa City, Muscatine, Davenport and Clinton. Pyevich asked Reid about how many times a child's parents approach school officials to allow their students into the advanced classes, and the principal said it happens four or five times a year. The board took about 45 minutes to make the judgment, and all board members present agreed on the motion. Board member Paul Castro was not present. Board member Stacey Struck thanked the Merediths and the school administrators. "It's very important for parents to advocate for their children," she said to the couple. DES MOINES Some seriously disabled Iowans covered by privately run Medicaid could be exempted from the controversial managed care program and be treated on a fee basis instead, the director of the state Department of Human Services told an advisory panel Wednesday. That possibility emerged, said Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven, during still unresolved contract talks with the private insurance companies hired to manage the health care program for thousands of the states most vulnerable residents. We are trying to look at all of the options of how do we make it work, and so pretty well everything is on the table, he told the Iowa Council on Human Services. Back in June, six Iowans filed a federal lawsuit asserting that thousands of disabled residents were being denied the right under the privatized program to live safely outside of care facilities such as in their own homes, where some of the plaintiffs said the insurers sharply cut their health benefits. Besides disabled Iowans, the Medicaid program covers thousands of poor and elderly. Those unresolved contract negotiations with the insurers hired to run the program coupled with health care industry uncertainty cast a shadow over the panels effort to chart a fiscal 2019 budget for Human Services effective July 1. Foxhoven asked members of the Iowa Council on Human Services to recommend to Gov. Kim Reynolds a $1.808 billion general fund appropriation that would mean status quo spending for the agency while boosting the states share of Medicaid funding by $112 million. Council members voted 4-2 to approve the 6.9 percent increase, but many said it was unrealistic because it zeroed out the line item for Medicaid capitation rates still being negotiated with the three companies which say they are losing millions of dollars under the current rates. Council Chairman Mark Anderson of Waverly expressed a lot of anxiety over passing a budget plan that includes nothing for the capitation payments fees the companies get each month to deliver care for this or fiscal 2019. The budget itself doesnt pencil out, Anderson said. We know there will be some changes, so its already a budget that cant work. Thats the concern. Kimberly Spading, a council member from Coralville who voted against the budget recommendation, praised agency efforts to deal with a difficult fiscal situation, but said the plan was unreasonable and would put at risk vulnerable Iowans most in need of government assistance. Its just really unattainable. We know that were going to see increases for things and to not fund them is going to be inadvertently hurting somebody, said Spading. I think there are other ways maybe to move things around, but not by making the assumptions that were going to have zero increases in some of those programs. Its not realistic and not fair to providers in some cases and not fair to patients and the citizens of Iowa that need it the most. Foxhoven admitted it is taking longer to negotiate Medicaid rates than he had anticipated. He told council members the state has reached tentative agreement with one company, and he planned to meet with the other two for more talks. The state has contracted with Amerigroup, AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa and UnitedHealthcare Plan of Iowa to manage care for 767,000 Iowans since April 2016. Foxhoven said once the 2018 payment rates for the insurers have been set, talks could start again in about two months aimed at finalizing the 2019 contract with the companies. That way, the legislature can fund programs through June 2019. We are not going to be in a position, if I have anything to do with it, of being approaching July and not have a contract already for 2019. We want that done, he told reporters during a meeting break Wednesday. Human Services officials also outlined cost-containment steps that might be considered if more state spending cuts are ordered including limiting who might be eligible for optional services, possibly reducing or capping the amount of services or eliminating some of them altogether. The council voted to send Reynolds a letter expressing concern about the departments budget and programs going forward, although Anderson said Im confident that the governor is well aware that there are issues. The overall fiscal 2019 Human Services budget includes an additional $4.683 billion that would come from federal matching money or other non-general fund sources. The recommendation now goes to the governor for inclusion in the budget plan she submits to the General Assembly during the next regular legislative session. Hes not suggesting making the Peoples Republic of Johnson County the official name, but Supervisor Rod Sullivan is pretty serious that Johnson County should have a discussion about who its name honors. Hes not suggesting a name change at all. That would be a nightmare, said Sullivan, a 13-year member of the county board. But after reading the history of Richard Mentor Johnson, a former U.S. senator who in 1837 became vice president to Martin Van Buren, Sullivan thinks Johnson might not be the best person to be honored by the countys name. Sullivan would be very surprised if more than a few people knew that history. I knew who it was named after, but didnt know much about his history, he said. The book Sullivan read was quite an eye-opener. According to some histories, Johnson personally killed Tecumseh, the Shawnee chief who led Native Americans in support of the British during the War of 1812. Johnson had a confusing relationship with one of his slaves, Julia Chinn. The law prohibited them from marrying, but he considered Chinn his common-law wife. Together they championed the notion of a diverse society, according to the book, The Vice President and the Mulatto. Chinn was the mother of his daughters. Johnson paid for their education and left them an inheritance but insisted they were his property. The interracial relationship proved a political liability in the mid-19th century, and Democrats refused to nominate Johnson for a second term. Sullivan sees similarities between the use of Johnsons name and recent discussions of the appropriateness of Confederate monuments. People havent given much thought to what they are about, the Iowa City Democrat said. Denny Gruber has given it some thought and doesnt agree. Id have a hard time with that, said Gruber, a retired Solon history teacher and member of the Solon Area Community Foundation that paid $10,000 for a Freedom Rock that includes a depiction of Johnson, Not everybody is perfect. People do good and bad things. Sullivan plans to discuss the matter with the board to see if supervisors have any interest in addressing the issues. If theres not, thats OK. Well go about our business, he said. If people are interested, we can talk about what it might look like. It looks absolutely, positively ridiculous to Curt Phillips, a member of the American Legion Stinocher Post 460 in Solon. People need to grow up and stop acting like a 12-year-old. Thats what I think. Phillips said he has given the matter some thought because there is a depiction of Johnson on that Freedom Rock, which is outside the legions building. It figures this is going on in Johnson County, Phillips said. This whole business of statues and changing names because it might offend somebody is directed at a whole herd of thin-skinned do-gooders who have nothing better to do with their life other than find something else to whine and complain about. Johnson is a war hero from the United States. Hes not a criminal. Hes not a bad guy, said Phillips, a Vietnam-era Army veteran. Why dont we burn the Herbert Hoover Library down? he asked. Theres precedent for re-appropriating a county name, Sullivan said. In 1986, supervisors in King County, Wash., named after an Alabama confederate voted to keep the name but use it to honor civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. There are plenty of Johnsons who could be honored by Johnson County, Sullivan said. A few half serious people have suggested Earvin Magic Johnson and Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Sullivan suggested bluesman Robert Johnson or civil rights leader James Johnson. Although Sullivan liked Lyndon Johnsons domestic policies, his Vietnam legacy would likely be too upsetting for too many. What about Lady Bird? She was one of the original environmentalists, he wrote in his weekly newsletter. Sullivan wont be heartbroken if his colleagues dont want to act on his suggestion, but I can rest assured everyone knows the history of the name. Counties in Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri and Nebraska are also named after Johnson. BLUE GRASS Emily and Logan Lyon were told after an ultrasound at 24 weeks that their baby had a 50/50 chance of living. I prepared myself not to bring a baby home," Emily Lyon said. We prepared for the worst; we didnt set up the nursery and have that fun experience. I couldnt open presents at a baby shower." Today, 13-month-old Lambert Lyon has blonde hair that is starting to get long and his dad thinks he is overdue for his first haircut. He has seven teeth, loves watching movies, likes pigs and elephants and can breathe on his own for two hours each day. He gets enough visitors, Logan Lyon said, they sometimes joke about needing a revolving door. Lambert's grandfather, Dave Martz, stopped by after spending the day at a cattle auction in Kalona, Iowa, and easily coaxed a smile from the baby while sitting of the porch sing. The Lyons live in a farmhouse on a gravel road near Blue Grass,in a farmhouse built in the early 1920s by Logan's great-great-grandfather, Otto Martz. Born with a rare form of Skeletal Dysplasia or Dwarfism, Lambert spent his first 201 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at University Hospitals in Iowa City. With a smaller chest cavity, he relies on a ventilator to keep his lungs inflated. This requires around-the-clock care from nurses from UnityPoint at Home one in the morning, one overnight, with his parents taking over in the evenings after work. Registered Nurse Lea Borders sings along with an animated version of Old McDonald Had a Farm that she and Lambert are watching. Most of the animals in the song can be found just outside. What better way to spend your day than hanging around this guy? Borders said. She sees a lot of improvement in his ability to breathe on his own. Ive only done it (suctioning the breathing tube) a few times since 6 a.m. In March, I did it several times an hour." When Emily Lyon gets home from her job as Scott County 4-H coordinator, she takes over the nursing duties. She learned the skills she needs to care for her son during his stay at the hospital. Suctioning secretions from the breathing tube is a main concern because of difficulties Lambert has coughing and clearing his throat. You never expect, as a parent, to deal with all the medical issues. Im way more organized. I have to be for him. At 12:45 p.m.: The westbound lanes of Interstate 80 are currently closed at the Mississippi River bridge because a semi-trailer lost its load as it was crossing the bridge into Iowa, according to the Illinois State Police. Traffic is backed up to I-88, according to the IDOT website. Traffic is being re-routed off of I-80 onto Illinois 84 at Hampton, Ill. One lane of traffic will be opened as soon as debris is cleared. There were no reported injuries. Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, and Rock Island County Sheriffs Department units are on the scene. JOHNSTON, Iowa In the wake of the starvation deaths of two adopted girls, policy changes and more money are needed to revamp Iowas system for recruiting and retaining parents who adopt foster children, a state senator said Friday. Those tragedies, said Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, have pointed out the weaknesses of having the Iowa Department of Human Services outsource the selection of adoptive and foster care parents to private and nonprofit agencies, and of gradual government workforce reductions that leave fewer child-abuse investigators working more hours. McCoy said he believes the deaths of the two 16-year-olds Natalie Finn of West Des Moines and Sabrina Ray of Perry and the subsequent criminal investigations have highlighted the need for significant reforms in Iowas child-protection system. I think it's going to take tens of millions of dollars, McCoy said during Fridays recording of Iowa Public Televisions Iowa Press, to provide adequate staffing and resources for Human Service officials to take back the full oversight responsibilities of placing children in safe homes and monitoring their care. They're understaffed, they're underfunded and they need more emphasis being put into training, and all of that takes resources, McCoy said. And we have cut $124 million from the DHS budget over last year, which has led to 56 counties in Iowa without child abuse investigators. Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven, who appeared with McCoy on the show, said a number of changes have occurred since he came on board in June and theres more to come. Most notably, he said, his agency is taking a closer look at the people receiving adoption subsidies and making sure adoptive parents have some continued responsibility by taking children to the doctor at least once a year. Foxhoven, who estimated his agency is down about 900 caseworkers since 2012, said there also has been increased efforts to remove bureaucratic and troublesome duties so social workers can focus on managing their cases. The state has hired a consultant to make recommendations on ways to improve Iowas system, and that report will be made public once finalized, he added. Right now, it's important for us to take a look at what we do and let our people get things off of their plate that eats up their time, that doesn't make any sense, and then we could be able to really assess if we added more people, he said. After the show, McCoy told reporters he wants to see the state have professional, licensed social workers doing home visits and assessments for placement of adoptive or foster children. He said he believes most Iowans want lawmakers to revisit the oversight required of children being educated at home. The fact is that once that child leaves the school system, they lose their safety net, they fall off the radar. Its like a plane falling off the radar. They go dark and nobody sees them, and so nobody knows what kind of a hell theyre going through, nobody knows what kind of abuse theyre going through, he said. I know the home schooling coalition is working overtime right now to try to debunk a lot of the fear that people have of home schooling, but most Iowans feel that we should have some safety net and some oversight of these kids. The loss of 250 lives apparently doesnt amount to much according to editorial page editor Jon Alexanders column After 9/11, Can the US Defend Freedom. Aug. 31, I was invited to Quad-City area to meet with local business people and to deliver a lecture at St Ambrose University. I also sat together with Quad-City Times editorial board. In a recent editorial by Mr. Alexander, he commented on last years failed coup attempt in Turkey as it never gained serious traction. The loss of one life is too many, but when 250 innocent people were brutally murdered, and almost 3,000 wounded during a terrorist coup attempt in my country, I question the heart and soul of Mr. Alexander. Turkey is a long-time friend and NATO ally with the US. This week our country and others stood alongside the good people of the US as we remembered a painful part of history: September 11. Mr. Alexander should know all too well the pain, fear and loathing a terrorist attack causes a countryits citizens, its military and its allies. Using Mr. Alexanders words, yes The failed coup attempt lasted just a few hours because brave men and women put their bodies in front of tanks and terrorists to save our country and democracy. The FETO organization, run by cult leader Fethullah Gulen, was behind the July 15 coup attempt. The Gulenist network has penetrated Turkish institutions for more than 40 years and also active in the U.S. through media outlets, business networks and educational institutions to propagate and finance their activities. What Mr. Alexander really should be concerned with is the Gulen movement currently runs the largest charter school network in America. The very terrorist organization that murdered 250 people in just a few hours in Turkey runs some 170 schools in 28 states and has five schools in Illinois. The Gulen movement uses proceeds from these schools to fund its terrorist network in Turkey and around the world. Our country has grown stronger since that attempt as our government works tirelessly within the rule of law to rid our country of terrorists who are also threats to the U.S. and the E.U. Turkey is determined to eradicate the FETO organization while being an active member of the international coalition against ISIL. Turkey has its challenges. Last year, was a difficult year for Turkey as we had a number of terrorist attacks similar to those happened in Paris and Brussels. But I am happy to say, thanks to the resilience of my nation, Turkey maintained economic growth at levels exceeded only by China and India. Turkey currently is the worlds largest refugee hosting country with three million mostly Syrian refugees, also ranking second after the U.S. in humanitarian assistance. I am also happy to report my entire visit to the Quad-Cities was so good and productive that we even started getting concrete results already. Now the Quad-City region is included in Turkish trade missions and we started working with St. Ambrose University to bring students from Turkey. None of these seem to be much of interest to editorial page editor Jon Alexander. With the support and solidarity of friendly American people, Turkish democracy will be stronger than ever. Mr. Alexander, if you can enlarge the context, perhaps you can see Turkey is just like the US: Constantly fighting terrorism, protecting its citizens and helping other countries through economic support and more importantly, mankind. My dear friends and neighbors; why did Donald Trump pardon Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio before sentencing and before 'Sheriff Joe' sought a petition for a presidential pardon? Could Trump's pardon of Arpaio have been a message to all of his current and former subordinates they are under no duty to comply to law, the Constitution, or summons from a special counsel? A message to his friends and family he will keep them out of jail no matter the severity of their crimes? Trump has placed himself above the American system of justice. In Arpaio's pardon, Trump has erased any border that existed between the chief executive branch and the judicial branch. Trump has no allegiance to Republicans or Democrats. He has created a class of citizens who are above the law. Trump's defiance of the Constitution is a warning of fascism lurking in the swamp of today's sharply divided political system. I beg of you, my patriotic friends and neighbors, please do not be complicit in assisting Trump's assault on the Constitution. We, Republicans and Democrats, are now in the midst of the first constitutional crisis since the Civil War. It is time for polarizing politics to end and patriotic Americans of all categories to come together. Jim Turley Eldridge PIERRE | South Dakota's Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a law that would require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes on in-state purchases a defeat the state expected and welcomed in a case that eventually could have national implications for e-commerce. Attorney General Marty Jackley hopes to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider rulings issued mostly before the online shopping boom that exempt retailers from having to collect sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence. He said they give out-of-state online retailers an unfair competitive advantage over local retailers. "Today's decision paves the way to respectfully request the U.S. Supreme Court to provide that much needed fairness to save main streets and jobs across South Dakota," Jackley said in a statement. South Dakota has no income tax and depends heavily on sales taxes, and the state estimates it loses about $50 million in tax revenue annually to e-commerce. Jackley said the U.S. Supreme Court should particularly reconsider its 1992 ruling in a North Dakota case "in light of the extraordinary growth of the internet and the exponential technological advances that have been made in the last quarter century." States have pushed Congress to address the issue without success so far, and one estimate put the loss to states at roughly $26 billion in 2015. South Dakota is the furthest along of several states attempting to overturn the precedent. Many e-commerce companies rely on the 1992 ruling to avoid collecting state sales taxes, while some, such as Amazon, do so despite the precedent. Online retailers Wayfair, Overstock and Newegg challenged the South Dakota law at the trial court level. The state Supreme Court acknowledged that as online sales have risen, South Dakota's revenues have decreased. That prompted the Legislature to pass the law with little opposition last year as a deliberate challenge to several U.S. Supreme Court rulings on how to apply the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, which generally gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate interstate trade. South Dakota is pinning its hopes on a concurrence written by Justice Anthony Kennedy in a 2015 Colorado case that questioned the advisability of abiding by those precedents on sales tax collections given the "dramatic technological and social changes ... in our increasingly interconnected economy," the state's high court noted. It also acknowledged that before joining the U.S. Supreme Court this year, Neil Gorsuch raised similar concerns when he was a federal appeals court judge. But the South Dakota justices wrote that however persuasive the state's arguments may be for revisiting the issue, the 1992 decision has not been overruled and remains the controlling precedent. South Dakota will now take its case to the U.S. Supreme Court, where to be heard, it would need the votes of four justices. The National Retail Federation issued a statement calling on Congress to pass carefully crafted legislation allowing states to require online sellers to collect sales taxes, which it said would be far preferable to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reverses the 1992 decision without addressing the details of implementation. ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. | A young boy sits in the bleachers surrounded by hundreds of people, eagerly waiting. A hush falls over the crowd as the air stands still. Within a second the silence is shattered and replaced with the boom of roaring engines and thunderous applause. The boy in the crowd, watching in awe of the majestic aircraft, was a young Col. John R. Edwards, now the 28th Bomb Wing Commander. Inspired by what he saw, he knew what he wanted to fly. While Edwards didnt immediately know it, this would eventually lead him down the path to the Air Force where he would follow his dreams and take to the skies. As a kid I always wanted to fly; since I was probably eight years old going to a few airshows, Edwards said. The first one I remember was out at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. It was truly awe inspiring and made an impact because Im here today. Now as the wing commander, Edwards took his flight in an Ellsworth, block 16 B-1 bomber, Sept. 6, 2017. This flight was one of many firsthand experiences to the 28th BW being able to support combat airpower - anytime, anywhere. Todays mission is detailed integration with some friendly forces on the ground inside the Powder River training complex airspace, where we are simulating performing close air support with the Air Force Joint-Terminal Attack Controllers to deliver weapons against an enemy target within that airspace, said Capt. Mike Costello, a pilot assigned to the 34th Bomb Squadron. Costello went on to explain that practicing skills they will employ in the real world is fundamental for their job. It ensures their skills are sharp and that they are ready to roll. Its training like this, with actual guys on the ground that is so valuable for us, Castello explained. I think its really good to have Colonel Edwards see the heart of our training program and be able to participate in a high value training scenario like this. The colonels journey to this sortie started several decades ago. Edwards was a Civil Air Patrol Cadet, and under his family, learned the meaning of service. Growing up the aspiring aviator wanted to serve his country like his family before him. With two uncles in both the Navy and Army, as well as having a Green Beret as a father, Edwards knew the military was the path for him as well. Though unlike his family before him, Edwards felt the Air Force would be his best opportunity to serve by doing what he lovesflying. Before I joined the Air Force, I was a Civil Air Patrol cadet in Hawaii, so I had a lot of exposure to flying beforehand, Edwards said. The Civil Air Patrol was a great program and I really liked what we did. During his time in the CAP, Edwards became a private pilot, yet the urge to continue his service to the country lingered. It was at this time he sought and received a scholarship at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Hawaii. He graduated and received his commission in 1995. The next year, Edwards earned his navigator wings and naval flight officer rating from Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, where he would eventually return to become the commander of the 479th Flying Training Group. Although his main aircraft were the T-6 Texan II and T-1A Jayhawk, he ended up working with Ellsworth aircrews in Operation Allied Force, making connections with the wing he now commands. Ive had some deployments with the B-1 throughout my career, in fact during their first major combat deployment as part of Operation Allied Force, Edwards said. We were out there with the Ellsworth B-1s back in 99, and again during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001 to 2002, so I know a lot of the folks in the community. Now, as the 28th BW commander, Edwards leads the B-1s he had worked with all those years ago. Free and fair trade plays an important role in the American economy. It not only leads to more jobs and higher wages, it allows American producers to promote and sell their goods across the globe by leveling the playing field with other competitors. Our farm economy, in particular, benefits from trade agreements. As our number one industry in South Dakota, I continue to promote and prioritize trade agreements that benefit our farmers and ranchers. I continue to hear from South Dakota producers and ag groups who are concerned about the future of trade agreements. At Dakotafest, the State Fair and other events across the state last month, producers repeatedly told me that opening up new markets for American exports will greatly benefit their operations. Foreign markets absorb approximately 20 percent of all U.S. agricultural production today, which significantly contributes to the overall health of the farm economy. The economic benefits of agricultural exports also extend to businesses in rural communities, while overseas farm sales help to buoy a wide array of industries linked to agriculture, including transportation, processing and farm input suppliers. In recent months, President Trump has indicated his desire to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and modify if not completely withdraw from our trade agreement with South Korea. Both of these agreements benefit South Dakota producers because we have no tariffs or limits on the quantity or value of products that can be imported and exported with countries such as Mexico and Canada. In 2016, American farmers sent $20.5 billion worth of exports to Canada and $17.8 billion worth of exports to Mexico, which is the largest market for U.S. corn and soymeal, the second largest market for U.S. soybeans and the third largest market for U.S. beef. Additionally, South Korea is one of our top export markets, with $6.2 billion in ag exports last year alone. We all want the best deal we can get, and I support the presidents goal to make the best possible trade deals that will improve Americas ability to export products. However, simply withdrawing from long-standing trade agreements without a similar structure in place would cause significant harm to South Dakotas producers, and I would strongly oppose such action. Earlier this year, I sent a letter to the new U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, to encourage him to maintain strong relationships with our allies in NAFTA and work to open up new markets around the world for American ag products. I also met with him prior to his confirmation to discuss increasing trade opportunities for U.S. producers. I was pleased to hear that he agrees with me on the importance of trade for our ag economy, and in fact, this spring, the Trump administration announced an agreement had been reached to allow for U.S. exports of beef, poultry and natural gas into China. South Dakota ranchers are now able to sell high-quality beef in this new and lucrative market. I continue to encourage the administration to increase trade access to markets in other parts of Asia and the Pacific Rim region as well. As we continue to discuss new opportunities for trade, I will work with the administration to promote and prioritize South Dakotas agricultural industry. Opening up new markets for trade will bring a much-needed boost to South Dakotas farm economy and lead to higher-paying jobs across the state. LEAD | Concert pianist, composer and songwriter Calvin Jones, a South Dakota native now living in Kiev, Ukraine, has returned home for a weekend performance of his original compositions. And, he couldnt be happier. Born in Eureka, Jones moved to Nebraska with his pastor father when he was 1 year old. But by the time he turned 9, the youngster found himself in Pierre for the remainder of his childhood and graduated from Riggs High School. He later attended colleges in Iowa and Michigan before embarking on his musical career. Since I moved away from South Dakota, its like wow, nothing has ever matched up, the 51-year-old pianist said this week. We grew up by the river, and I have such fond memories of spending summers on the Missouri. Its never been replicated anywhere else Ive ever been. And Jones has been a few places. He has traveled extensively doing solo concerts but now performs with orchestras worldwide. Jones has produced the music for organizations including Life Athletes, Promise Keepers, Hallmark and McDonald's. He also has worked with major producers and directors creating several film scores, including the music for the hit documentary 2016: Obama's America, working with producer Gerald Molen of Schindlers List and Jurassic Park fame. Jones Saturday concert at Leads Historic Homestake Opera House will be his first performance in the U.S. with an orchestra. The 7 p.m. performance will celebrate the opera houses restoration of the second lower wall portion within the theater interior, nicknamed the Ed Ross Wall in memory of the longtime Homestake electrical engineer and Wyodak mine manager, according to Executive Director Sarah Carlson. Accompanying Jones in the historic performance will be a 26-member live orchestra featuring musicians from throughout the Black Hills, directed by Christopher Hahn, assistant professor of music at Black Hills State University. Jones, who has been practicing with the orchestra all week, said Rapid City and the Black Hills remained dear to his heart because he gave his first performance here in 1988. My first solo concert on planet Earth was at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, he said. I always make a point of getting back to the Black Hills and Rapid City, and Ive done two solo concerts here over the past two years. I consider Rapid City my home in so many ways. The celebrated concert pianist, who recently completed recording his newest album, Paramount, with the Taurida Symphony Orchestra in St. Petersburg, Russia, said new classic doesnt really describe the original compositions hell perform on Saturday. I grew up knowing the classics but also the contemporary artists who had a huge influence on me, Jones said. Its a fun combination of strong melodies, rhythms and passionate composition. I strive to make my music excellent and praiseworthy; art that inspires and is uplifting, and hopefully I will leave them with a melody in their brain when they walk out of that theater. Admission to the concert is $20 for adults, $15 for HHOH members, $10 for students ages 11-17. Tickets are available online, may be purchased at the door, or by calling 584-2067. Seating for this performance is general admission, and refreshments will be available for purchase. The Rapid City Police Department on Friday identified 22-year-old Tyler Dennis of Rapid City as the person killed in a one-vehicle rollover crash Wednesday afternoon. The crash happened near the Rapid Creek bridge on West Omaha Street near Mountain View Road. A four-door passenger car struck the bridge at a high rate of speed and left the roadway. The car came to rest near the bike path by Rapid Creek. Police said in a news release that Dennis was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle. Police also said in the release that, prior to the crash, Dennis' vehicle struck two vehicles in the area of Deadwood Avenue and West Chicago Street. Nobody else was injured as a result of those collisions. Police spokesman Brendyn Medina said in a Journal interview that blood was drawn from Dennis and a toxicology report is pending. Medina said some open alcoholic containers were found in the vehicle. A deployment ceremony will be held for more than 90 South Dakota National Guard soldiers Sept. 27 in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center theater. The South Dakota Army National Guard's Company C, 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment, is deploying to the Middle East for a year. The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. and is open to the public. Scheduled speakers include Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Mayor Steve Allender and Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch. The mission of the Rapid City-based aviation regiment is to provide aerial medical evacuation support with its Black Hawk helicopters. The company is comprised of pilots, crew chiefs, medics, aviation operations specialists and other support personnel. Following the ceremony, the unit will report to Fort Hood, Texas, to complete several months of theater-specific training prior to deploying overseas. This will be the third mobilization for the unit since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It was also deployed to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn from 2011-2012 and supported peacekeeping operations in Kosovo from 2008-2009. When, if not now, is the time to talk about global warming and what to do about it? The answer from the Trump administration and the Republican Party, basically, is succinct in its willful ignorance: "How about never?" No rational U.S administration would look at the devastation from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and seek to deny climate change. At present, however, that is not the case. We have a president and an Environmental Protection Agency chief who refuse to acknowledge the obvious. Thoughts and prayers are welcome at times like these, but they are insincere if not supplemented by analysis and action. Future mega-storms will likely be worse, scientists say; the question for policymakers is to what degree. According to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, for scientists to "use time and effort to address" the cause of these massive, anomalous storms would be "very, very insensitive to the people in Florida." Why did Harvey dump unprecedented, almost biblical amounts of rainfall on Houston and its environs? Why did Irma spend longer as a Category 5 storm than any other hurricane on record? Why, for the first time anyone knows of, did we have two Category 4 storms make U.S. landfall in the same season? Why did we have two major hurricanes (Irma and Jose) and a third, somewhat lesser storm (Katia) churning at the same time? As deniers frequently point out, no individual weather event can be definitively blamed on climate change. But the World Meteorological Organization released a statement concluding "the rainfall rates associated with Harvey were likely made more intense by anthropogenic climate change." And regarding Irma, the WMO cited models showing "hurricanes in a warmer climate are likely to become more intense." There are established linkages between a storm's severity and factors such as sea levels, ocean temperatures and the position of prevailing currents such as the jet stream. Global warming has altered all those parameters. This is precisely the moment when scientists at the EPA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, NASA and other agencies ought to be laser-focused on climate change. They should study the characteristics and impacts of this season's hurricanes to better understand what changes global warming has wrought thus far. Climate change never should have become a partisan issue in the first place. There is no red or blue spin on the fact that humans have burned enough fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by 40 percent; or that carbon dioxide traps heat; or that global land and ocean temperatures have shot up; or that Arctic ice is melting; or that sea levels are rising. These things are directly measurable and true. Global warming cuts no slack for political affiliation as Republican Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida now should humbly acknowledge. But because the GOP cynically positioned itself as anti-science, times of trial can never be the right time to talk about climate change. Nor can times when there are no storms. We're supposed to wait for the next Harvey, Irma or Katrina then zip our lips out of "respect" for the victims. President Trump may sincerely disbelieve the scientific consensus or he may be just pretending it's hard to tell. He continues to peddle his fantasy of "beautiful, clean coal" and his empty promise to bring back the industry. Maybe he really doesn't grasp that coal was crushed not by government regulation but by the advent of cheap, plentiful natural gas due to fracking. And maybe Trump doesn't get the fact that the rest of the world recognizes both the environmental and the economic benefits of clean energy technologies. It is likely, I believe, that at some point there will be world-changing breakthroughs in solar power, battery capacity and nuclear fusion. I hope these advances are made in the United States; I fear they will be made in China, Japan or Germany. The Trump administration should at least be insisting that coastal communities in Texas and Florida be rebuilt taking climate change into account. Sea level rise is an unquestioned fact; the cruelest insult to those now suffering would be to pretend it is not. It stands 15 stories tall, supported by a 45-foot circumference base, has 10-inch thick walls, and weighs more than 900 tons. It is the smokestack that stands north of Hamilton on the west side of Highway 93. It was completed 100 years ago as part of a never-built sugar beet processing plant, making it the only smokestack in Montana to never have smoked. After several earlier failed attempts at constructing a sugar beet factory in the valley, the Montana-Utah Sugar Company began building one in February 1917. To be sure there would be enough beets for the factory to process, 40 tons of beet seed arrived from Russia in March. To help farmers, many families from Russia and other eastern European countries were brought into the valley by the sugar company. They were to be engaged on contract to do virtually all of the hard work - planting, weeding, hoeing and harvesting the beets. By June, the workforce had grown to an impressive 150 men. During this time, the sugar company attempted to get control of the Bitter Root Irrigation District, which was going through financial difficulties. This did not come to pass, and ironically, the Montana-Utah Sugar Company itself would soon face financial challenges. In April 1917, the United States entered World War I. This unforeseen development put considerable pressure on the sugar company in terms of financing, manpower, and the costs of steel and concrete. To secure more financing, the company asked local businessmen to subscribe to $500,000 in new shares of the company. Amazingly, $400,000 was fairly quickly promised. The company then appealed to local farmers to make up the $100,000 balance. Ultimately, this proved to be fruitless. By mid June, all work at the sugar factory site had halted. Even so, representatives of the sugar company confidently stated that the Hamilton factory would process the valleys entire beet crop. Soon, the company secured additional financing by selling the remaining $100,000 in bonds to Utah capitalists. Work resumed at the factory site with more than 240 men toiling away. The smokestack was climbing at the rate of one and a half feet a day. But by August, ominous storm clouds appeared. The company announced it was unable to pay for the materials that it had previously received. And, by mid-month, bankruptcy proceedings began against the company, which responded that bankruptcy would merely delay but not stop the construction of the sugar factory. However, in October all of the assets of the Montana-Utah Sugar Co. had been sold to receiver R. A. OHara. These assets were acquired in early 1918 by a new company, Ravalli County Sugar, which stated its intention to complete the sugar factory in that year. Nonetheless, only a month later, the company said all planned work on the factory would cease, owing to a lack of labor. In 1919, all of the valleys beets had to be shipped to Billings for processing. Any talk of a sugar plant in the valley effectively ended. In 1972, Ron Curdy contracted to have two 12-foot tall lighted Rs placed atop the smokestack as a way to advertise his business at Riverside. The Rs were removed in 2010 due to safety concerns. One of the historic Rs can be seen on the east side of the Bitterroot Brewing building in Hamilton. The Ravalli County Fair and Rockin RC Rodeo has been deemed a success, after the final numbers detailing attendance and profit were calculated and presented to the Fair Commission on Tuesday. Ravalli County Fairgrounds Manager Cryss Anderson said although the gate numbers were down from last year a record breaking year - the fair was a triumph. Our gate income this year was a little more than $5,000 over what I had projected, Anderson said. New this year was the ability for fairgoers to use their credit/debit cards at the west and north gates (previously only possible at the main gate). We saw an increase of over $10,000 of cards processed at the gates from last year. Admission to the fair includes the rodeo, which makes rodeo attendance numbers difficult to gauge. What I do know is that the crowd on Wednesday, for Ranch Rodeo, was twice the size as it was last year, Anderson said. The rest of the nights, the grandstands were filled to capacity, which is over 3,000 folks. Anderson reported that parking lots were filled to capacity the Friday and Saturday of the fair, even after expanding the number of parking spaces in the north lot and making significant improvements. Despite the smaller attendance, the food vendor numbers were good, Anderson added. More than half are reporting higher incomes than last year, she said. The booths that are down significantly are those that did not process credit and debit cards, like Cafe Bronc and the Sons of Norway. The requirement for food booths to process credit cards caused a big stir with several non-profit groups pulling out in June. On Sept. 8, Ravalli County Commissioner Jeff Burrows said he disagreed with the credit card requirement. I dont think the fair should have mandated credit cards, Burrows said. I saw food vendors with no credit card signs. There were a number of nonprofits that werent at the fair and they cited the credit cards as the straw that broke the camels back. Yet Burrows agreed that overall the fair was a success. There were negative aspects that snowballed with frustrated people and there are things we need to do better next year, he said. Cryss did a good job - its a big undertaking. She worked hard at it and it was a great fair. Anderson praised her staff, community volunteers and improved fairgrounds. The barns and buildings are outstanding, and the effort that goes into making improvements each year is due to so many great community partnerships and the grit and determination from the dedicated volunteers, she said. If I could gauge my success in overall happiness and smiles, Id be the most accomplished person in the world. Anderson said the fair helped folks make memories and connect with their community in a way that lasts through the generations. We received extraordinary compliments from folks who travel to countless fairs and festivals throughout the country, and we are recognized as possessing the kind of magical county fair that others work hard to replicate, Anderson said. Justine Wagner is Montanas Super Classic Mrs. The Hamilton resident has been investing in the community for years. She has been president of the Hamilton Kiwanis, actively involved in their youth-supportive program, and about to begin her term as Lt. Governor for Kiwanis District One for the Montana District of Kiwanis. Wagner was looking for additional opportunities to be more of a positive presence when she decided pageantry could be the answer - it had been on her bucket list. When I was a little girl my mom and dad used to sing to me Here she comes Miss America and when you're little you think it will never happen, Wagner said. When I was growing up I was on the high school drill team and I always wanted to try out for the Radio City Rockettes, but I never did. Wagner said thats been her one regret in life. Every year, she would watch the Macys Thanksgiving Day parade just to see the Rockettes. She had thought about being in a pageant and it had just kept coming up in her life. Pageantry has been presenting itself to me for many years and I decided yeah, I really want to do this, Wagner said. Id been talking to the pageant director Janet Bierer for about three years and she asked me to judge her pageant in Missoula. After that I decided this was the pageant I wanted to compete for. Americas Super Pageant is a personal development opportunity developed by Bierer in memory of her daughter Allanya DaRay Thorning, who died in July of 2010. The delegates promote the national platform of Seat Belt Use and Awareness with a Buckle Up message. The pageant has age categories and Wagner opted to be in the Montanas Super Classic Mrs. category for 55 and older. I wanted a level playing field, Wagner said. Im not a 30-year-old anymore and the young dont have life experience. Wagner will keep her title for a year and compete for the national title next October. She will talk seatbelt safety plus her own platform companion animal abuse and neglect. Its an opportunity for me to make an impact on our four-legged friends, she said. My animals are my children, I dont have human children, so its an important piece of me. She also will visit schools to talk about seatbelt safety, and will work with humane associations throughout Montana. Every hour someone dies in America simply because they didnt take two seconds to buckle up, she said. Ill be talking to people about when you chain your dog to your house 24-hours-a-day and it doesnt have a house in the winter or in the summer for the heat. It is abuse and neglect. Plus, there is active cruelty and passive cruelty. Wagner said the causes have been important to her all her life and believes that one person can make a difference. Im excited about this, she said. All those little pieces kept floating down through the air like ash. Pageantry just kept presenting itself. Everyone has their own things and their own dreams. Two Bozeman historians are supporting tribal groups call for the removal of Gustavus Cheyney Doanes name from a mountain in Yellowstone National Park. On Saturday, representatives of the Blackfoot Confederacy and Great Sioux Nation will gather at Yellowstones iconic Roosevelt Arch at 1 p.m. to protest the geographical references to Doane and Ferdinand Hayden, historical figures tied to the park that they say had racist and in Doanes case violent pasts. The protest will be preceded by a noon ceremonial ride through Gardiner to Arch Park. Afterward tribal leaders will present an official request for the name change to the National Park Service. Haydens name is attached to a valley north of Yellowstone Lake, and a 10,551-foot tall mountain peak east of Yellowstone Lake is named after Doane. Both features are in Wyoming. I fully support their protest and their effort to remove Capt. Doanes name from that peak if that prevents American Indians from celebrating such a beautiful place as Yellowstone, said Kim Allen Scott, a Bozeman historian who wrote a biography on Doane. Army veteran Doane was a lieutenant under Maj. Eugene Bakers command when the U.S. Army killed an estimated 200 members of Heavy Runners Piegan Blackfeet tribe in Montana territory on Jan. 23, 1870. The camp was mainly composed of old people, women and children, many of whom were suffering from smallpox. The event is known as the Baker, Piegan or Marias massacre. Bozeman author and historian Paul Wylie, who wrote a book on the raid, called Doanes involvement ghastly, truly ghastly. Even 21 years after the event, Doane showed no remorse, Wylie said. In a bid to become superintendent of Yellowstone, Doane wrote Montana Sen. Wilbur Sanders saying in part, I remember the day when we slaughtered the Piegans, and how it occurred to me, as I sat down on the bank of the Marias & watched the stream of their blood, which ran down on the surface of the frozen river over half a mile, that the work we were then doing would be rewarded, as it has been. Chief Stan Grier, of the Piikani Nation based in Brocket, Alberta, said, The folks that were massacred along the Marias River were our people. Protest Grier plans to attend the event with other tribal members, a protest that is a continuation of similar demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline and tribal support of keeping Yellowstone-area grizzly bears protected under the Endangered Species Act. He also said it was timely coming up on the 147th anniversary of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition to Yellowstone. The event will honor the memory of those ancestors massacred, Grier said, who we believe never go away, their spirit lives on. Our ancestors need remembering. Park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said, We welcome productive discussions with the tribes now and into the future about this issue. She also pointed out that changing geographic names is not up to the park; that falls under the control of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which has removed names for features repugnant to native people in the past, such as the word squaw that had been attached to numerous lakes, creeks and peaks. Warthin noted Squaw Lake in Yellowstone is now Indian Pond. Because of that action, Scott said the board has already established precedence to get rid of names offensive to tribes. This is a good thing, he said. We shouldnt have names on places that are hurtful and offensive. I support that. He also noted that the mountain named after Doane is not the one he climbed, so it is also historically inaccurate. Ties to park Doane, a Civil War veteran, had been detailed to Fort Ellis outside of Bozeman at the time of the massacre. Later the same year, in August of 1870, he provided military escort for a six-week expedition of Helena businessmen to explore Yellowstone. Along the way the explorers gave names to many of the features they saw, including Old Faithful, said Lee Whittlesey, Yellowstone Park historian. Following that trip, Doane wrote what many historians feel is the most important account of that trip, Whittlesey said. As a result, Doane was known as the man who invented Wonderland. Hayden led a scientific expedition into Yellowstone in 1871 as head of the U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories. Hayden really wanted to study rocks, Whittlesey said. Indians referred to him as the man who picks up stones running. They thought he was insane. Who would do that? Whittlesey said Hayden had been a surgeon in the Civil War, was highly thought of and was an intellectual in a day that didnt have many intellectuals. He returned to the region on two more trips, including one in 1878 to finish mapping Yellowstone. We still use his map today for its accuracy and statements on the park, Whittlesey said. Haydens writings But the tribal protesters point to Haydens writings as evidence that he was a "white supremacist." Where Doane participated in genocide, Hayden advocated it, the tribes said in a press release. Unless they are localized and made to enter upon agricultural and pastoral pursuits they must ultimately be exterminated, Hayden wrote in his U.S. Geological Survey of Wyoming, published in 1872. In his book, North America, Hayden called Indians savage. He is cruel and treacherous in the extreme, and naturally so, as war and hunting are almost his sole occupations. He also decried giving women the vote. Scott said hes not aware that Hayden did anything other than issue those hateful statements. He never acted on them. So to put (him and Doane) in the same category, I dont know. Zoe Ann Stultz, reference historian for the Montana Historical Society, said she doesnt want to defend Haydens statements but added that when viewed within the context of that time, Haydens statements that tribal people needed to farm and learn to live like whites wasnt unusual. That was how people viewed people of color. Historical debate The Yellowstone protest comes on the heels of rallies in Southern states for the removal of statuary of prominent figures involved in the Civil War, some of whom supported the enslavement of African Americans in that era. In the wake of a nationalist rally that turned violent in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Helena City Council decided in August to remove a downtown fountain erected in 1916 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor Civil War soldiers who fought for southern secession. Members of the American Indian Caucus in the Montana Legislature had requested the statue be taken down, saying it stood for segregation, secession and slavery. Ive thought about this for quite a while when the Confederate controversy was boiling, Scott said. The only place for those monuments was in a Civil War battlefield, museum or cemetery. Although Whittlesey wouldnt step into the debate about whether the place names honoring Hayden and Doane were appropriate, he did say that he would like tribal historians to come forward with place names for Yellowstone features. Wed be among the first people to restore Indian place names if we knew what they were, he said. On Saturday, the protesters will call for Hayden Valley to be renamed Buffalo Nations Valley, in honor of all Tribal Nations that have treaty rights and interests to Greater Yellowstone, and an ancestral connection to this sacred landscape and our relatives, the Buffalo Nation, said Brandon Sazue, of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, and Chief Grier in a press release. Comments and links to reports on science, and its applications. 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Cut,cap and balance! COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh, September 12: 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. 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 Myanmars Rakhine state. At least 313,000 Rohingya have arrived since Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts, prompting Myanmars 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 Raad 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 countrys parliament on Monday night urged the U.N. and other countries to pressure Myanmar to ensure their safety and citizenship once they returned. We dont 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 Coxs 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 Coxs 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 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. Myanmars 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. AFP By Jack Kim and William Mallard SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korea fired a missile on Friday that flew over Japan's northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean, South Korean and Japanese officials said, further ratcheting up tensions after Pyongyang's recent test of a powerful nuclear bomb. The missile flew over Japan, landing in the Pacific about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) east of Hokkaido, Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in a hastily organised media conference. "These repeated provocations on the part of North Korea are unpermissible and we protest in the strongest words," Suga said. The unidentified missile reached an altitude of about 770 km (480 miles) and flew 3,700 km (2,300 miles), according to South Korea's military - far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. Last month, North Korea fired a missile from similar area near the capital Pyongyang that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean. South Korea said it had fired a missile test into the sea to coincide with North Korea's launch. The presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. Japan also convened a National Security Council meeting. The North's launch comes a day after the North threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its Sept. 3 nuclear test, its most powerful by far. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. Australia, a strong and vocal ally of the United States, quickly condemned the launch. "This is another dangerous, reckless, criminal act by the North Korean regime, threatening the stability of the region and the world and we condemn it, utterly," Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an interview with Sky News on Friday. "This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea, recently imposed by the Security Council. It's a sign that the sanctions are working." The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday, banning North Korea's textile exports and capping fuel supplies. The U.S. dollar fell sharply against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc in early Asian hours in response to the launch, though losses were quickly pared in very jittery trade. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem.The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Christine Kim in Seoul and Hideyuki Sano in Tokyo; Editing by Lincoln Feast) Kathmandu, Nepal: At least seven persons died and about two dozen other injured when a passenger bus met with the accident at Shivapuri Rural Municipality-7 of Nuwakot district today on Saturday afternoon. The bus with registration number Ba 1 Kha 6348 that was heading for Kharanitar from Kathmandu plunged about 700 meters into a ravine. According to the police, three persons were killed on the spot while four others had succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment. It is said that the ill-fated bus met with the accident after it skidded off the road and fell some 350 metres down in a house belonging to Anil Tamang. Tamangs wife Sita Tamang was also injured in the incident. According to the Nuwakot police, the deceased have been identified as Lal Bahadur Tamang, 57, Ujjeli Mijar, 35, Sabina Tamang, 22, Sashi Bogati, 21, Laxmi Neupane, 45, Thuli Maya Tamang, 67 and Nawaraj BK, 28. It is feared that the death toll would increase as nine persons have reported as serious among the injured passengers. Nepal Police and the Nepal army had rescued the victims of the accident. The reason behind the accident is yet to be known. CHITWAN: Many calves of endangered one-horned rhino might have been swept away in the flooding in the Chitwan National Park, estimated the CNP. Therefore, the CNP has proposed a rhino count in the next year, breaking the regular routine of conducting a rhino census in every four years. The previous count was carried out in 2015. CNP Chief Conservation Officer Ram Chandra Kandel informed, Around 50 calves of rhino are born every year, and that calves along with their mothers might have been washed away in the disaster. Three rhinos were killed in the flooding, he said. So far eight rhinos that were swept away in the disaster and dumped at an Indian place were rescued and taken to the CNP, he said adding Another is still stranded there. Likewise, a rhino, which was washed in the calamity, is stranded in Narasahi in Nawalparasi and another one is at Tribeni with its calf. CNP Information Officer Nurendra Aryal said the rhino calves remain with their mother for nearly three years. This means that some 150 calves are estimated to be with the mother. The rhinos were swept away by the extensive floods triggered by the incessant rainfall in August. Most of the rhinos rescued from the Indian area are adult rhinos. According to the Park employees, the rhinos in the park are in a state of confusion as they were washed away from their habitat to new places by the floods. Even the rescued rhinos are feeble and emaciated condition as they went without food and post-disaster trauma for nearly three weeks. Chief Conservation Officer Kandel said that they were proposing to hold a rhino census in 2018 for determining the exact rhino population in the park after the flooding. As per the 2015 rhino census, the number of rhinos in the park was 605. Eight rhinos were shifted to Bardia and five to Shuklaphanta from the CNP in the subsequent years. The Park is also planning to hold a tiger census to ascertain the tiger population as they were also washed away by the flood. It is estimated that more than 1000 herbivores including wild boars, deer and spotted deer among others also died in the flood.RSS President Bidya Devi Bhandari KATHMANDU: President Bidya Devi Bhandari today stressed the need for economic empowerment of women along with the guarantee of their equal participation in the decision making process at all levels. Addressing a programme organised in the Capital today to release a documentary Nepali womens struggle and success, the President said the economic factor played a pivotal role in the empowerment of women. On the occasion, the Head-of-State appealed to provide equal treatment and education to daughters and sons without any discrimination. Stating that it was necessary for Nepali women to launch a joint struggle for the further betterment by institutionalising achievements made in the past, the President insisted that constitutional and legal provisions made for equal participation of women in every state organ should be fully implemented. Speaking on the occasion, Speaker Onsari Gharti urged the concerned bodies to focus on the timely implementation of the constitution so as to guarantee the rights of women, Dalits and other oppressed communities. Likewise, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki was of the view of starting from the local level to make sure the womens meaningful participation in the decision-making process. The documentary is about the struggle and success stories of the first woman figures assuming key posts President Bhandari, Speaker Gharti and CJ Karki among others.RSS PM MARKOVIC AT FORUM To open doors to investments from China Prime Minister Dusko Markovic invited Chinese investors to invest in Montenegro and Central and Eastern European countries, and Montenegrin businessmen to open doors to investments through direct contacts with Chinese partners. I am sure that at the Business Forum and at the Round Table of the president of the chamber of capitals you will be convinced of the opportunities offered by Montenegro. I also invite Montenegrin businessmen to use the opportunity to open doors for participation in foreign markets through direct meetings with representatives of economic delegations of China and countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and contribute to the increase of trade, primarily exports. This will make the Forum even more important and will fully meet our goals. It is an opportunity to specifically invite Chinese investors to invest in Montenegro, as well as in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Prime Minister said, addressing the participants of the 2nd Forum of the Capital Mayors of Central and Eastern Europe and People's Republic of China. The Prime Minister assessed that there is an unused space in the 16+1 Cooperation Mechanism. I believe that todays business and bilateral meetings will further encourage Chinese companies to invest directly in this part of Europe. We are pleased with the announcements of establishment of financial and investment institutions and funds within the Mechanism, and we look forward to the forthcoming concrete steps and approved funds for projects that will contribute to further development, the Prime Minister of Montenegro said. Prime Minster Markovic highlighted the crucial role of local self-governments in creating business environment. Investors are looking for destinations in which administrative procedures and bureaucracy will not be a barrier, but only a regular, but effective, step towards the ultimate goal realisation of projects. Montenegro and its cities have done a lot in that field. Today, we are one of the most competitive investment destinations, as evidenced by projects currently being implemented. Those already realised confirm the correctness of our policy and attitude toward the future of our country. Montenegro is becoming an increasingly attractive investment and tourist destination, and this is witnessed by numerous Chinese business delegations who regularly visit us and express their interest in launching and implementing projects in all areas, Prime Minister Markovic noted. The Prime Minister of Montenegro said that by building the motorway and connecting the Port of Bar with the key corridors and markets of Central and Eastern Europe, our country will further strengthen its position and become one of the traffic and logistical hubs on the route through which the trade exchange between Europe and China will take place. In this regard, 16+1 Cooperation Mechanism and the Belt and Road initiative are very important platforms for us, through which we will further present our investment potentials. As a future member of the European Union, we will actively contribute to the continuous improvement of strategic relations with China and the fulfillment of goals in trade exchange and economic cooperation, the Prime Minister of Montenegro said. He added that our country is particularly interested in cooperation in the fields of infrastructure, energy, tourism, agriculture, transport and logistics, culture, education, science and sports. Prime Minister Dusko Markovic suggested to the participants of the Forum to take the opportunity to exchange experiences in the field of environmental protection and sustainable economy, but also in the field of education, stating that acquiring modern knowledge is one of the conditions for improving trade relations. Reports from the Narmada valley in Madhya Pradesh say the water levels have risen to 128.50 metres, higher than ever before, with waters entering starting to enter the historic Rajghat in Badwani district, where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, Kasturba and Mahadev Desai have been kept. An email alert from the anti-dam Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), says that waters have also entered into several other villages, including Nisarpur in Dhar District. Thousands will be affected. Please take urgent action, call and write to the officials to protect constitutional right of life and livelihood. September 15, 2017 WE APPEAL TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY TO STAND WITH PEOPLE OF NARMADA VALLEY AND CALL OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES and ask them to immediately stop filling Sardar Sarovar dam till the rehabilitation is complete as per the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award (NWDTA), state policy and many court judgments. Please call to the following contact numbers, email them and held them accountable for safeguarding the constitutional right of life and livelihood. The Narmada Bachao Andolan reports that the lives of more than 40,000 families are in danger as the obdurate stand of the governments of India and Madhya Pradesh have, without providing rehabilitation as per court directives allowed the Water Level to rise to 128.50 meters, Water enters into Rajghat, Nisarpur and other villages. Protesting Villagers aNBA says a are determined, and will not vacate house, ready to get drowned. People of Narmada Valley have challenged the MP Government accusing it of being aDead for the Narmada Valley.a The Water released from unfilled reservoirs to fill the Sardar Sarovar, murder for celebrating Narmada Mahotsav and dedicating the Dam on Modis birthday is shameful tactics amidst upcoming polls in Gujarat. Badwani, Madhya Pradesh | September 15, 2017: In an unprecedented turn of events, Madhya Pradesh Government coercive measures resulting drowning of more than 40000 families living in the submergence area of Sardar Sarovar Dam. Since yesterday, water level is continuously rising and now reached to 128.50 meters drowning Rajghat, Nisarpur and other villages. Water level is continuously rising after release of large amount of water from unfilled dams just to celebrate the Narmada Mahotsav on Modis birthday. This is nothing but a shameless show of personal obsession by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and disastrous submission by Shivraj Singh Chouhan to the dirty politics supported by Gujarat and Maharashtra Government. Water being released from other dams to fill the Sardar Sarovar, resulting drowning of thousands of families, Houses, bridges, Cattles, trees and large tracts of forest and prime agricultural land. A large number of affected families havenat received the house plots and compensation entitled to them, thousands of applications remain unheard before the Grievance Redressal Authority (GRA), leaving no options to the families but to protest on streets. In Gujarat, the work on the Narmada Canals is also not complete and only able to construct nearly 30% of the total length of Canal network, which exposes the claims of Government to bring water to Kutch and other districts of Gujarat. This is nothing but a politics of giving false hope to people of Gujarat to win elections at the cost of life of lakhs of people of Narmada Valley. This cannot be more shameless act by the elected Government of any democratic country. Appeal to be sent to: The New York Review of Books, September 15, 2017 Gauri Lankesh was the editor of a weekly tabloid published in Kannada, the main language of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. She was murdered on the fifth of September at the gate of her house in Bangalore, shot in the head and chest at close range. Her killers got away on motorcycles. This gangland-style assassination of a journalist would have made a stir in any case, but coming as it did after a series of political murders, it resonated across India and beyond its borders. From the moment she died, the press reported her death not as an individual event but as the fourth in a sequence of assassinations; to the names Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, and M.M. Kalburgi, journalists now added Gauri Lankesh. Politically they were all left-leaning, strongly rationalist, hostile to Hindu orthodoxy, and convinced that right-wing majoritarianism was the mortal enemy of republican democracy. They were also public intellectuals who chose to write in their mother tongues: Dabholkar and Pansare wrote in Marathi, Kalburgi and Lankesh in Kannada. They spoke to a vernacular readership beyond the reach of the countryas English media, with its pan-Indian but paper-thin Anglophone audience. Each of them was shot dead by men on motorcycles with homemade pistols who got away. India has always been a dangerous place for journalists. The Hindi journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati, who in 2002 first published the anonymous letter accusing Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the recently jailed cult leader, of rape, was shot and killed weeks after his story ran. More than thirty journalists have been killed in the state of Assam in the last thirty years. In the newly created state of Jharkhand, with its mining mafias, being a journalist is a conspicuously dangerous business: four journalists have died there since 2000 and no one has been convicted of their murders. Malini Subramaniam, a freelance journalist, was hounded out of Bastar in the state of Chhatisgarh by a vigilante group acting in concert with the local police because her reports on the Maoist insurgency didnat fit the governmentas counterinsurgency narrative. In Madhya Pradesh, a central Indian state, a scandal about corruption in a government-administered examination board was dwarfed by the horror of its aftermath: nearly forty people associated with the scandal as culprits or witnesses died seemingly unnatural deaths, and in 2015, a journalist investigating the case the case died in mysterious circumstances. These incidents are classic examples of violent censorship, of concealment by murder. But the killings of Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi, and Lankesh donat seem to be instrumental violence designed to silence inconvenient revelations. While itas reasonable to be concerned about the impact of these killings on free speech and journalism, to see them primarily as an extreme form of censorship is to underestimate the enormity of the crime. Their murders look more like ideological assassinations designed to punish intellectual dissent. AP Images (far left) Narendra Dabholkar, 2008; Govind Pansare, circa 2014; and M.M. Kalburgi, circa 2014 Lankesh was a muckraking reporter and editor who was also a polemical left-wing critic of Hindu majoritarian politics at every level, regional and national. Dabholkar was a rationalist and atheist married to a Muslim woman who had made the debunking of Hindu godmen and their claims his lifeas work. Pansare was a member of the Communist Party of India, a lawyer and trade union leader who energetically contested majoritarian readings of Indian history. Kalburgi was an epigraphist and scholar whose special field was the literature of a religious sect in Karnataka, the Lingayats. In the struggle over Lingayat identity there were two sides: a conservative one that embraced brahminical Hinduism and a radical one that saw Lingayats as a distinct minority that ought to resist assimilation. Kalburgi outraged the conservatives; he was threatened, forced to recant his views, and eventually murdered. Gauri Lankesh was, like Kalburgi, a Lingayat, and she took his side in this dispute. She was flamboyantly opposed to Hindutva, the majoritarian nationalism sponsored by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We donat know who killed these fouraapart from some preliminary arrests no one has been formally charged with any of these murdersabut given the uniform way in which they were killed, itas reasonable to assume that they were punished for their ideological positions. The intimidation or murder of inconvenient journalists is part of a much wider violent tendency. Since Narendra Modi became prime minister, India has seen a spate of targeted assaults on poor Muslims and Dalits, plebeian groups who deal in hides and skins and cattle and meat. Dalits dealing in cow hides have been systematically thrashed by vigilantes, encouraged by the present regimeas commitment to cow protection. Muslims have been dragged from their homes and beaten to death on the suspicion of having eaten beef. Muslims involved in the cattle trade have been bludgeoned to death on public highways as they begged for their lives, or strung up on trees and lynched. The deaths of Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi, and Lankesh werenat just murders; they were lynchings, no different from the killings carried out by cow vigilantes. Middle-class commentators in India sometimes make the mistake of separating violence against intellectuals from violence against working people. Whether all four executions can be laid at one door, or whether their uniform modus operandi indicates copy-cat killings, there is a ritual quality to these murders. They are the Indian equivalents of the machete murders of rationalists and secularists in Bangladesh, where the Islamist right makes public examples of dissenting Muslims, condemned as apostates. Apostasy isnat a condition generally associated with Hinduism, but Hindutvaas remaking of Indian nationalism in the image of Indiaas religious majority has helped define it: the self-hating Hindu as anti-national traitor. The function of political violence is to let bigotry slip sideways into public conversations. Every lynching, no matter how horrifying, becomes, in time, a matter of debate. Gauri Lankeshas killing was a case in point. Hours after her death, a television journalist tweeted that she got what was coming to her. A businessman from the prime ministeras home state, Gujarat, achieved viral notoriety by tweeting that a abitch died a dogas death and set all the puppies yelping in tune.a This was especially notable because Prime Minister Modi followed him on Twitter. And despite the chorused outrage this tweet provoked, Modi continued to do so. What began as a general condemnation of Lankeshas murder turned into a whispering campaign about her sympathy for insurgent Maoists, her conviction for defamation, her falling out with her brother, and under this sustained, posthumous inquisition, Gauri Lankesh became fair game: a martyred heroine to some, a treacherous virago to others. Liberals have been accused of blaming the murder on the BJP and its affiliated organizations without a proper investigation or evidence. It is entirely possible that Gauri Lankeshas murderers had nothing to do with these specific groups, that perhaps it was the position she took on Lingayat assimilation that got her killed. But knowing the identity of her murderers is less important than understanding what they were doing. For the inquisitors who ordered her killing, Gauri Lankesh was a witch. The driveway ambush was a public burning. United Nations Office of the High Commissioner Human Rights (OHCHR) [Excerpts containing South Asia portions of the statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights] Darker and more dangerous: High Commissioner updates the Human Rights Council on human rights issues in 40 countries Human Rights Council 36th session Opening Statement by Zeid Raad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 11 September 2017 Distinguished President of the Council, Excellencies, Colleagues, Friends, [ . . . ] Mr President, In Myanmar, another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine State a this time, apparently on a far greater scale. According to UNHCR, in less than three weeks over 270,000 people have fled to Bangladesh, three times more than the 87,000 who fled the previous operation. Many more people reportedly remain trapped between Myanmar and Bangladesh. The operation, which is ostensibly in reaction to attacks by militants on 25 August against 30 police posts, is clearly disproportionate and without regard for basic principles of international law. 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. I am further appalled by reports that the Myanmar authorities have now begun to lay landmines along the border with Bangladesh, and to learn of official statements that refugees who have fled the violence will only be allowed back if they can provide aproof of nationalitya . Given that successive Myanmar governments have since 1962 progressively stripped the Rohingya population of their political and civil rights, including citizenship rights a as acknowledged by Aung San Suu Kyis own appointed Rakhine Advisory Commission a this measure resembles a cynical ploy to forcibly transfer large numbers of people without possibility of return. 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. 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. 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. In Bangladesh, I encourage the Government to maintain open borders for the Rohingya refugees, and I urge the international communitys support in helping the authorities receive and better assist the refugee population. Turning to the domestic situation in Bangladesh, I appreciate the Governments constructive engagement with my Office, and I would like to continue to work with the authorities to address the range of very serious human rights issues in the country. I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country. Some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation. 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. I am also dismayed by a broader 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. People who speak out for fundamental human rights are also threatened. 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. Human rights defenders who work for the rights of Indias most vulnerable groups a including those threatened with displacement by infrastructure projects such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Narmada river valley a should be considered allies in building on Indias achievements to create a stronger and more inclusive society. Instead, many are subject to harassment and even criminal proceedings, or denied protection by the State. In Pakistan, the authorities often encourage intolerance for minorities or minority views, with sometimes deadly consequences. Many journalists and human rights defenders face daily threats of violence. Even allegations of blasphemy, or suggestions that blasphemy laws require revision to comply with the right to freedom of thought and religion can lead to vigilante violence. In addition, the Government has used vague and excessive legislation on the digital space, and regulations regarding NGO activities, to limit critical voices and shrink the democratic space. Violence against women remains extremely widespread, including forced marriage, acid attacks and forced and child marriage. I regret the reluctance of both India and Pakistan to engage with my Office on the human rights concerns I have raised in recent months. This includes their 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. 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. In Sri Lanka, I urge the Government to swiftly operationalize the Office of Missing Persons and to move faster on other essential confidence building measures, such as release of land occupied by the military, and resolving long-pending cases registered under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. I repeat my request for that Act to be replaced with a new law in line with international human rights standards. In the North, protests by victims indicate their growing frustration over the slow pace of reforms. I encourage the Government to act on its commitment in Resolution 30/1 to establish transitional justice mechanisms, and to establish a clear timeline and benchmarks for the implementation of these and other commitments. This should not be viewed by the Government as a box-ticking exercise to placate the Council, but as an essential undertaking to address the rights of all its people. The absence of credible action in Sri Lanka to ensure accountability for alleged violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law makes the exercise of universal jurisdiction even more necessary. [ . . . ] Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Cynthia Barnett is the author of three books on water including "Rain: A Natural and Cultural History." She is environmental journalist in residence at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. She wrote this for the Los Angeles Times. Although Cassini was launched in 1997, spending nearly 20 years in the vacuous, freezing, radiation-washed depths of space, traveling to Saturn and spending 13 years in orbit around it, some bacteria "can be tenacious," says Larry Soderblom, an interdisciplinary scientist with the Cassini mission. "We have to make sure we don't leave any of these kinds of Earthly bacteria on these promising moons." International agreements govern planetary protection measures that must be taken by space agencies. Although planetary protection may conjure up thoughts of protecting Earth from marauding alien bugs, there is great effort put into protecting other worlds from our bacteria. It just so happens that Enceladus and Titan are particularly interesting moons that could be habitable for extraterrestrial life, so it would be unfortunate if our bacteria invaded these environments. Advertisement During its mission at Saturn, Cassini discovered plumes of water being vented into space from the icy moon Enceladus. Closer investigation of these plumes, originating from geysers blasting from polar fissures in Enceladus' icy crust, revealed this water was coming from a warm subsurface salty ocean and the water was laced with hydrocarbons and ammonia, or "many of the ingredients that life would need if it were to start in an environment like that," Soderblom tells HowStuffWorks. " " Scientists achieved a deeper understanding of the "tiger-stripe" fissures in the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus, pictured in this composite image of two photographs courtesy of Cassini. Cassini Imaging Team/SSI/JPL/ESA/NASA So, the nightmare scenario would be that, if Cassini was just left to run out of fuel and careen uncontrollably around the Saturn system, there would be a small chance that it could crash into Enceladus in the future and any hitchhiking microbes on board might set up home in this ocean that lies beneath the thin crust. "We try to sterilize spacecraft so they don't carry germs from the Earth," says Soderblom. "But we can't do that thoroughly enough that we can safely dispose of the spacecraft in one of these alien worlds that we may one day want to someday explore for habitability and look for life we don't want to discover the life that we brought there!" Titan was another concern. Saturn's biggest moon is also the only moon in the solar system sporting its own atmosphere. But this atmosphere is like nothing we experience on Earth. Too cold for liquid water, the only liquid on Titan is in the form of methane any water is frozen rock-solid. Although this world is very alien, it does have some similarities to Earth's atmospheric processes. Instead of water, liquid methane falls as rain, creates rivers that cut into the hydrocarbon-rich surface, which in turn make valleys, and flows into vast liquid methane lakes. " " Titan passes in front of Saturn and its famous rings in this photo taken by the Cassini spacecraft. NASA/JPL-Caltech Titan also hides a secret below its surface. After its many flybys of the moon, Cassini discovered that it also hosts a subsurface ocean of liquid water, only much deeper than Enceladus' ocean. Astrobiologists are excited about the possibility of exotic forms of "methane life" on the surface of Titan, but it's yet another moon in the outer solar system with a liquid water ocean that might be habitable for life as we know it. Although Earthlike microbes "wouldn't be so happy" on Titan's surface, Spilker says it's the subsurface water that we'd want to avoid contaminating. In 2005, however, the European Huygens probe landed on the moon's surface. Piggybacking on Cassini since launch as part of the joint NASA/ESA/Italian Space Agency Cassini-Huygens mission, Huygens detached itself, coasted to the moon and descended through its trademark thick yellow haze. But if we've already sent a probe there, why worry about contaminating it with Cassini? "When we landed the Huygens probe on Titan, we had no idea what we'd find on the surface, so it was really the discoveries of Huygens and Cassini that led to these new [planetary protection] requirements," says Spilker. "Also, Titan is not in the same class as Enceladus for planetary protection." To go to Enceladus, she added, any lander would need to be very clean as liquid water is in contact with the moon's icy surface, so contamination of the subsurface ocean would be a very real possibility. Titan's ocean, on the other hand, is deep and doesn't appear to be in contact with the surface, so "this puts [Titan] in a different category," Spilker says. "While care is still taken with Titan, it's really Enceladus that we're most worried about contaminating." If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). New York Times reporting that Prez Trump back in May urged AG Sessions to resign then rejected his letter of resignation | Main | Deputy AG Rosenstein hints at possible changes to federal corporate-crime prosecution policies Brandon Garrett has this new CNN commentary discussing some of the themes in his new book titled "End of Its Rope: How Killing the Death Penalty Can Revive Criminal Justice." Here is hoe it starts and ends: It is time to retire the phrase "tough on crime." There is nothing tough about the harsh punishments that contributed to mass incarceration in this country. In fact, the opposite is true; as the latest data show, a nationwide push in the past decade to move away from these failed approaches has coincided with a remarkable decline in crime. Instead of being "tough," we need to be smart. Multiple states have passed laws to end cash bail, reduce mandatory sentences, invest in addiction and mental health treatment, and divert convicts toward alternatives to incarceration. Even states such as Louisiana, with the highest incarceration rate in the world, just passed reforms and is currently reviewing 16,000 sentences for possible reduction. Cities such as Oklahoma City and Houston have taken new steps to reduce jail populations. And crime continues to fall. According to a Brennan Center report released on Wednesday, violent crime is back down again so far in 2017, after a spike in 2015-16 in certain cities. This year is projected to be the year with the second-lowest crime rate in 25 years. Murder rates are down 2.5%, with declines in cities such as Chicago that accounted for the blip in 2015 and 2016. So contrary to what some politicians say, there is no national crime wave; it is more like a lake drying up. Even the localized crime bumps in a handful of cities seem to be subsiding. We don't need a new war on crime when we are winning the peace.... Now is the time to redouble efforts to focus on deeper reductions in imprisonment, charging, sentencing and release and reentry of prisoners. Even if the President and the attorney general are trying to redouble the war on drugs, as if we were still living in the 1980s, those days are far behind us. Reform is working and crime is still falling. We need to push it farther to shrink our bloated criminal justice system. That is the smart way to get "tough" about crime. "Fragmentation and Democracy in the Constitutional Law of Punishment" | Main | Advocacy for the "the smart way to get 'tough' about crime" September 14, 2017 New York Times reporting that Prez Trump back in May urged AG Sessions to resign then rejected his letter of resignation This new New York Times article reports on notable details of the history of recent tensions between Prez Trump and AG Sessions under the headline "Trump Humiliated Jeff Sessions After Mueller Appointment." Here is how it gets started: Shortly after learning in May that a special counsel had been appointed to investigate links between his campaign associates and Russia, President Trump berated Attorney General Jeff Sessions in an Oval Office meeting and said he should resign, according to current and former administration officials and others briefed on the matter. The president blamed the appointment of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, on Mr. Sessionss decision to recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation a move Mr. Trump believes was the moment his administration effectively lost control over the inquiry. Accusing Mr. Sessions of disloyalty, Mr. Trump unleashed a string of insults on his attorney general. Ashen and emotional, Mr. Sessions told the president he would quit and sent a resignation letter to the White House, according to four people who were told details of the meeting. Mr. Sessions would later tell associates that the demeaning way the president addressed him was the most humiliating experience in decades of public life. The Oval Office meeting, details of which have not previously been reported, shows the intensity of Mr. Trumps emotions as the Russia investigation gained steam and how he appeared to immediately see Mr. Muellers appointment as a looming problem for his administration. It also illustrates the depth of antipathy Mr. Trump has had for Mr. Sessions one of his earliest campaign supporters and how the president interprets disloyalty within his circle of advisers. Mr. Trump ended up rejecting Mr. Sessionss May resignation letter after senior members of his administration argued that dismissing the attorney general would only create more problems for a president who had already fired an F.B.I. director and a national security adviser. Mr. Trump once again, in July, told aides he wanted to remove Mr. Sessions, but for a second time didnt take action. The relationship between the two men has improved marginally since midsummer, as Mr. Sessions has made a public display of hunting for the leakers among the administrations national security officials. His allies said that despite the humiliation, the attorney general has stayed in the job because he sees a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as the nations top law enforcement official to toughen the countrys immigration policies. September 14, 2017 at 06:57 PM | Permalink Comments Sessions. Lawyer. Moron. Dismissed. Replace him with a Life Skills student for an upgrade in policy decisions. Posted by: David Behar | Sep 15, 2017 12:06:40 AM The most demeaning event in Sessions' life was in grade school when he got caught having sex with a dog. Posted by: Al Jackson | Sep 15, 2017 9:40:35 AM As I predicted, Trump is going Democrat. Political scientists even have a term for the effect, Nixon to China. It happens every time. Posted by: David Behar | Sep 15, 2017 9:48:38 AM All hail, Trump, Liar In Chief, Misogynist In Chief, Groper In Chief, Egomaniac In Chief, Moron In Chief, Xenophobe in Chief, All hail. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air. " Posted by: anon14 | Sep 15, 2017 10:38:41 AM anon14. The good news is that lawyers are prostitutes. They cannot be humiliated enough to refuse a job. Posted by: David Behar | Sep 18, 2017 12:55:05 PM Post a comment True to form, Berkeley's City Council meeting on Tuesday night included some lengthy public debate about an issue that's not exactly vital city governance at the moment, and ultimately devolved into some yelling and chaos thanks to nudism/body freedom activist Gypsy Taub. Just last week we learned that Berkeley was considering lifting a decades-old ban (and one that isn't even on the books in San Francisco, which is arguably a less intensely liberal place) on the baring of women's nipples in public. Yes, bare breasts are illegal on the streets of Berkeley go figure! and as an extension of the anti-shaming-of-breast-feeding campaign #FreeTheNipple, Councilmember Kriss Worthington introduced the measure, which says "It is nonsensical and sexist that Berkeley criminalizes the display of the female nipple while allowing the display of the male nipple." As NBC Bay Area reported, the ordinance goes on to say that the female nipple is not inherently sexual if its regularly bared to babies and toddlers, and lifting the ban on toplessness would avoid "future complications ... before they even arise and grow into complex legal issues," especially when it comes to trans men, for instance, who decide to go topless before they've had chest reconstruction surgery. Public comment on the ordinance extended well past 11 p.m. Tuesday, and ultimately the Council voted to table the issue after Councilmembers Sophie Hahn and Susan Wengraf essentially called it a waste of the Council's time. Per NBC Bay Area, Hahn said at the meeting, "We have a lot of fake news. I really question whether this might be a fake womens movement." She added that the proposed ordinance should have first gone through the city's Commission on the Status of Women. I think I would rather die a thousand painful deaths than serve on the Berkeley City Council, but I digress. Following the meeting's adjournment, as you can see in the NSFW video, Taub just loses it at the 16-minute mark and says, "Okay, f*** it. Let's do it. Let's get naked. Let's get arrested." She proceeds to strip as she did many times at SF City Hall over our nudity ban and then jump up on the bench of the council chambers after all the councilmembers and the mayor have already left. On her website, Taub writes, "Sophie Hahn completely disregarded the will of the people. 8 people made public comment. Every single one of them was in favor of the legislation, in favor of letting women decide for themselves whether to wear a bra or not. But Sophie Hahn didnt give a damn about the public." Note that the first speaker who goes up to the podium in the first video above, to whom you can hear Taub say "speak up!," is Taub's 14-year-old son. The videos here and here are NSFW, starting at the 16-minute mark of the first one. 9 arrested as protesters gather at UC Berkeley for talk by conservative speaker Ben Shapiro https://t.co/YyPvgZCXLJ pic.twitter.com/IKlalt970r Los Angeles Times (@latimes) September 15, 2017 Despite a ton of brouhaha and a para-miltary-style battening of the hatches by Berkeley police over the return of a conservative speaker whose last appearance at UC Berkeley a mere 17 months ago barely garnered a tweet, the situation Thursday night was not the epic nightmare battle of antifa vs. alt-right that some had feared. A couple hundred protesters marched in the streets of Berkeley after the scheduled appearance by Ben Shapiro, which was attended by about 700 people, and no major violence was reported. The New York Times reports that UC Berkeley estimates they spent about $600,000 on the additional security they believed was necessary to secure the event. As the Daily Cal reports from inside the Shapiro event, Shapiro said he was not a white nationalist and that he'd spent his career assailing the "alt-right," but then when noted white nationalist and alt-right hero Kyle "Based Stickman" Chapman stood up to ask a question at the event, Shapiro betrayed some of his gray area in these matters Chapman asked a question about "racism against whites," and Shapiro answered by saying something about how affirmative action is a racist policy. The Daily Cal also reports that "trans patriot" Amber Cummings attended the protests outside, to show her "support for free speech," she said, but she did not attend Shapiro's speech. #BenAtBerkeley drew hundreds of protesters to UC Berkeley. Police arrested 9 people - 5 of whom have been ID'd. https://t.co/rxKbzJXvXo pic.twitter.com/7dNDdpPz81 NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) September 15, 2017 There were nine people arrested amid the protests, which went on until about 11 p.m. As ABC 7 reports, among them were four people who arrived in a public park with a banned weapon, and a couple of people arrested for battery. One was arrested for public intoxication and disturbing the peace. Per ABC 7: The greatest drama came from when a group of about two dozen students staged a protest on a walkway over the entrance to the event, where police were conducting careful screenings of ticket holders. The group hung signs that said, "UC protects fascism, not students," and "trans lives matter here." This group appears to be connected to a larger group that the Daily Cal says had been staging a sit-in at the MLK Student Union building, which the campus had ordered closed for security purposes. Students had been sitting in and refusing to leave since 3 p.m. Thursday, and as one of the protesters told the Daily Cal, "We are tired of being pushed out of our spaces. We want to be put before the speakers that are coming to our campus. Its not just the fact that this person says horrible things that do impact communities in different ways. These events are displacing a lot of students." ABC 7 notes that the students had put up signs in the window of the building, near where Shapiro was speaking saying ""stolen land" and "f--k Carol" directed at UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ, blaming her for allowing the event to go forward. Despite there not being as large, violent, or unwieldy of a protest as was feared, UC Berkeley police Chief Margo Bennett tells ABC 7 it wasn't overkill because "we wouldn't have been doing our duty if we didn't look at the worst case scenario." Earlier in the week, the Berkeley Police Department received authorization from the city to use pepper-spray against violent protesters, in anticipation both of this event and a planned "Free Speech Week" scheduled to happen from September 24 to 27. SF Weekly has the full speaker list for that, which as we heard this week is *supposed to* include Steve Bannon and Ann Coulter, and which we now learn will also feature Richard Spencer associate and anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller, alt-right social media personality and conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, and recently fired Google engineer James Damore. Previously: Berkeley Braces For Ben Shapiro Showdown With 'Extreme Security' Earlier this week, the Harvard Institute of Politics announced a list of Visiting Fellows who had been invited to the campus to speak during the 2017-2018 academic year, and among them were ousted White House press secretary Sean Spicer, former Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and recently imprisoned Wikileaker turned trans hero Chelsea Manning. The inclusion of Manning set off a "firestorm" in intelligence and conservative circles, as Fox News reports, prompting current CIA director Mike Pompeo to write an open letter to the university cancelling a scheduled speech Thursday because he wanted no association with "American traitor" Manning. "[It's] a decision I did not make lightly," Pompeo wrote, "[but] my conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearing to support Harvard's decision with my appearance at tonight's event." Also on Thursday, former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell resigned his position as a fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center, in protest of Manning's fellowship honor. Late last night, Douglas Elmendorf, the dean of the university's John F. Kennedy School of Government, posted a statement to the school's website clarifying that while they were not rescinding Manning's invitation to speak, they were rescinding the perceived "honorific" that is the Visiting Fellow title. "We invited Chelsea Manning to spend a day at the Kennedy School," Elmendorf wrote. "On that basis, we also named Chelsea Manning a Visiting Fellow. We did not intend to honor her in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds, as we do not honor or endorse any Fellow." He further clarified, "At any point in time, the Kennedy School has hundreds of Fellows playing many different roles at the School," and if they're invited for more than a few hours they are designated as "Visiting Fellows," "Resident Fellows," "Nonresident Fellows," "Research Fellows," and other titles. And that Manning was being invited to the school's Forum so that students could "ask hard questions and challenge what she has said and done." Elmendorf called the Visiting Fellow designation a "mistake" in retrospect, because of the endorsement it implied of Manning's actions when she was a US soldier who leaked a trove of classified material. The Visiting Fellow program, according to the university, is intended to provide "thought-provoking viewpoints" for students from "experts, leaders and policy-shapers." In reaction, Manning posted to Twitter: The ACLU continues their support of Manning, and her longtime advocate and attorney at the ACLU, Chase Strangio, issued a statement on Harvard's decision saying, in part, "It doesn't surprise me that an institution that has produced many of our most dangerous war criminals & architects of our military & prison apparatuses would remain beholden to the state. Yet the decision to withdraw Chelsea Manning's visiting fellowship in the middle of the night without coherent explanation is disgraceful even for Harvard." Chelsea Manning has exposed war crimes. Mike Morell has defended torture. Were with Chelsea. https://t.co/NoR9DZSzxc ACLU National (@ACLU) September 15, 2017 I am disgusted by the cowardice and cruelty of Harvard's revocation of @xychelsea's fellowship. My thoughts from last night. pic.twitter.com/RF9SFqy8Gf Chase Strangio (@chasestrangio) September 15, 2017 Manning, 29, has slowly been emerging from her four-year imprisonment and into a public life she may have never expected to have. She spoke to a small gathering of hackers and tech folk in San Francisco on Tuesday night, and wrote a thoughtful (and dark!) op-ed in the New York Times that was published Wednesday on the topic of Big Data and the creeping threats to all of our information and privacy. Manning was released from federal prison in May following a commuting of her sentence by President Obama. She served four years of a 35-year sentence for espionage, and had made at least one attempt at suicide while in jail as she complained that she was not being allowed to groom or present as female while in a male prison. Previously: Chelsea Manning Appears In SF, Speaks Out On Privacy In New York Times Screenings Free blood pressure screenings, 9:30-11 a.m. Wednesdays at Countryside Senior Living, front lobby. No appointment necessary. Programs/Self-Help Groups Al-Anon Information Center, call 712-255-6724. Al-Anon and Alateen, meetings locally. For times, dates and locations of area meetings, call 712-255-6724. Alcoholics Anonymous, beginners information, call 712-252-1333. Arc of Woodbury County, serving the mentally challenged, 5:15 p.m. meeting, second Monday of the month at Mid-Step Services, 4303 Stone Ave. For families and interested persons. Child Care Resource and Referral, provides resources, education and advocacy for children, parents, and child care providers. Assists in child care needs. For more information, call 712-277-1180. Co-Dependence Anonymous, 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at First Lutheran Church, Fireside Room. Co-Dependents Anonymous (CODA), 10 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St. Compassionate Friends, 7 p.m. fourth Wednesday of each month (third Thursday in November and second Sunday December) in Mercy Medical Center's Leiter Room. For families who have lost children. Contact Nancy Webb 712-212-4032 or Don Mulder 712-541-5512. Clinics Siouxland District Health immunization clinics, call for appointment, 712-279-6119 or 1-800-587-3005. Information Family and Addictive Illness series, for more information, call 234-2300. Iowa Fathers, 6 to 8 p.m. fourth Tuesday of each month at Hope Lutheran Church, Education Building, 218 W. 18th St., South Sioux City, Neb. Support group to help single, divorcing and divorced parents residing in the state of Iowa. Mercy Pathways Outpatient Program, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, on the third floor, Mercy's Central Medical Building, 801 Fifth St., Suite 360. Provides hope, help, opportunity to connect through group therapy for individuals experiencing personal, relationship, psychiatric issues. For more information, call 712-279-5991. Narcotics Anonymous, meetings daily, various times, dates and locations. For more information, call 712-279-0733. Overeaters Anonymous, 1 p.m. Tuesdays at Wesley United Methodist Church, 3700 Indian Hills Drive; 6 p.m. Tuesdays at St. John's Lutheran Church, 402 Lane Ave., Storm Lake; 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Church of the Nazarene, 226 N. Main St., Viborg, S.D.; 5:30 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. Saturdays at Newman Center, 320 E. Cherry St., Vermillion, S.D.; 10:30 a.m. Saturdays at Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St. A 12-step recovery program for people who have problems with food and weight. No fees. St. Lukes Outpatient Behavioral Health Program, 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday and Thursday on fifth floor of St. Luke's, located at 2720 Stone Park Blvd. Offers several levels of outpatient care including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and group therapy. This program provides support and integrated treatment to individuals experiencing personal or relationship issues as a result of their mental illness. For more information and admission criteria, call 712-279-3906. Sobriety By Faith, 8:30 a.m. Saturdays at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. For more information, call James Mothershead at 712-577-9715. The Link-Recovery and Freedom, 1603 Glen Ellen Road; 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday workshop, and Christian 12-step meeting 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. For all ages. Call Dee at 389-7432. Tarahouse Meditation Center, 8 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 6:30 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, all at 3112 Rebecca St. Three easy 10-minute sessions in small group; beginners welcome. For more information, call 490-6410. Blood pressure and blood sugar screening, 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays in the lobby at Westwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Free to public. Support Groups Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at Hawkeye Club basement, 420 Jones St. For more information, call 277-5935. Celebrate Recovery, Bible-based 12-step recovery group. Thursdays at 6 p.m. at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive. Childcare provided. 712-490-3343. All welcome. PFLAG of Siouxland, (Parents & Friends of Lesbians and Gays), 7 p.m., fourth Monday of January, March, May, July, September and November. St. Mark ELCA Church, 5200 Glenn Ave., in the upstairs meeting area. 712-258-3116. Singles widowed and divorced, all ages, 4 p.m., Sundays. McDonald's at Sixth Street and Lewis Boulevard. 712-252-2675. GriefShare, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814. H.E.L.P. Ministries, spiritual NA support group, "Sunday on Saturday" service 6-8 p.m every Saturday at 513 Main St., Sioux City. Donald, 712-574-1744. HIV/AIDS Support Group, meets weekly. For more information, call Darla or Teri at Siouxland Community Health Center, 712-252-2477 or 888-371-1965. Hospice of Siouxland, seeking volunteers. For more information, call 712-233-4144 and ask for a volunteer coordinator. La Leche League of Siouxland, breastfeeding support group meets every third Thursday at 11 a.m. at Morningside Lutheran Church. Children are welcome. For more information, call Mary at 712-546-7280 or Jacquie at 712-255-2998. Living Each Day Cancer Support Group, 7-8 p.m. second Thursday of the month, Floyd Valley Hospital, Conference Center Room 2, Le Mars, Iowa. Open to all cancer patients, cancer survivors and family members. No charge. Pre-register by calling 712-546-3441 or 800-642-6074, ext. 441. Mom and Baby Support Group, 10-11 a.m. last Monday of the month at the Orange City (Iowa) Hospital, lower level. For new moms and babies. 712-737-5260. Tri-State Sober Project, 12-step meeting, 7:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Friendship Community Church, 305 Sergeant Square Drive, Sergeant Bluff. 6-7 p.m., Thursdays, Transitional Services of Iowa, 1221 Pierce St., Sioux City. Doug's Donors Support Group, information for organ donors and recipients, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Fridays, 5:15-6:30 p.m. second Thursdays of the month at Mercy Cafeteria Woodbury Room. 712-277-1050. Divorce Care, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814. NAMI Siouxland, (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Support Group meets 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month at Friendship House, 1101 Court St. For individuals and family members dealing with mental illness. 712-255-4209. Orphan Sunday, 3:30-5 p.m. Sunday at Sunnybrook Community Church loft, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive. Post Polio Support Group, 11 a.m. first Thursday of the month at Perkins Restaurant by Menards. 712-490-8213. Relationship Support Group, 7 p.m. Fridays at Marketplace Mall. For more information, call 239-3129. Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, Individual and Support Groups. For more information, call CSADV in Sioux City at 712-258-7233; Plymouth County at 712-546-6764; Monona County at 712-423-3443. Advocacy and support available 24 hours a day at 1-800-982-7233. All services free of charge and confidential. Sickle Cell Disease Support Group, 11 a.m. third Saturday of each month at St. Luke's Hospital, meeting room 1. For patients, their family and any concerned member. Call La'Keshia Rainey at 712-203-2019 for more information. Single and Parenting, 6:30 -8:30 p.m. every Tuesday until Dec. 6 at Sunnybrook Community Church, 5601 Sunnybrook Drive, Sioux City. 712-276-5814. Sioux City Association of the Deaf, 7 p.m. third Saturday of the month at Morningside Church of Christ, 5015 Garretson Ave. Regular meeting, September-May; no meeting, June, July, August and December. Siouxland Autism Support Group, second Thursday of the month at Northwest Area Education Agency, 1520 Morningside Ave. For more information, call Julie Case at 712-490-8939. Siouxland Epilepsy Support Group, 5 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at Prestwick Apartment Clubhouse, 4230 Hickory Lane. For anyone diagnosed with seizures or epilepsy and family or friends. For more information, call Steve at 274-6927. Siouxland IC support group, meets quarterly in Sioux City. For patients struggling with interstital cystitis. For more information, call Jacque Dundas 316-641-9766. Siouxland Informational Group for the Blind, 2-5 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at Northern Hills Retirement Community, 4002 Teton Trace. For more information, call 712-266-8926 or 258-8151. Grief support group, 5:30-7:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 5 for 13 weeks (may join at any time), Crescent Park United Methodist Church, 2826 Myrtle St., Sioux City. Scott, 712-899-6315. Siouxland Ostomy Association, 2 p.m. first Sunday of each month (except September, which will be second Sunday; and no meetings June, July, August), in Room 300 at Mercy Medical Center, 801 Fifth St. For more information, call Dick Lindblom at 251-2453. Siouxland Parkinson Disease Support Group, 1 p.m. fourth Monday of the month at Siouxland Center for Active Generations, 313 Cook St. For more information, call Sally Reinert at 402-987-3516. South Sioux City Weight Support Group, 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at St. Paul United Methodist Church, South Sioux City. For more information, call 494-1401 or 494-2133. Disabilities Resource Center of Siouxland, 520 Nebraska St., Suite 101: Women's Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Wednesday of the month; LGBT Support Group, 1:30 p.m. first Friday of the month; Adult ADHD, 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; Advocacy Group, 1:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month. For more information, call 712-255-1065. Take Off Pounds Sensibly, group meetings various times, days and locations in Siouxland. For information on the chapter in your area, call 1-800-932-TOPS. Voice Disorder Support Group, meets as needed at Mercy Medical Center, Buena Vista Room. 712-279-2686. Women's Peer Support Group, in Wayne and South Sioux City, Neb., for those who have experienced domestic abuse. For more information, call the Wayne office at 402-375-4633 or 1-800-440-4633; in South Sioux City, call 402-494-7592. Help and support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services free and confidential. Woodbury County D.M.D.A., noon-2 p.m. first Saturday of the month at Country Friendship Acres, 4501 West St.; 7-8 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at 515 Court St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at 441 W. Third St. in the Community Room; 7-8 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at 409 W. Third St. in the Community Room. Support group for people with disabilities and mental disorders. Natural Mamas in Siouxland, 1 p.m., third Tuesday of each month in the Garretson room of the Morningside Public Library. All ages of children are welcome to come with moms. For sharing natural living tips, recipes, natural remedies and health, homemaking, mothering, etc. For more information, call 402-913-0038 or visit their Facebook page. A Step Beyond support group, 3:30 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, except for August, November and December when it meets at 5:30 p.m. (no meeting in January) at the Christy-Smith Resource Center, 1819 Morningside Ave. For more information, call 712-276-7319. Divorce care, 5 p.m., Sundays. Fireside room, Morningside Lutheran Church, 700 South Martha St. Gamblers Anonymous meetings, 4 p.m. Thursdays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 315 Hamilton Blvd.; 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Morningside Presbyterian Church, 4327 Morningside Ave.; 7 p.m. Tuesdays, St. John Lutheran Church; 7 p.m. Sundays, Hawkeye Club, 420 Jones St.. 712-277-2901. Art therapy support group, 5:30 p.m. second Thursday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. Registration required, call 252-9387. After Breast Cancer Support Group, 5:30 p.m. third Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call Brenda, 252-9370. After Prostate Cancer Support Group, 5:15 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. For more information, call 252-9426. Alzheimer's Association, Big Sioux Chapter Support Group, 2 p.m. second Tuesday of the month; 4 p.m. third Tuesday of the month (under age 65) at 201 Pierce St., Suite 110 (Famous Dave's building); and 6 p.m. first Tuesday of the month at the Barnes and Noble Cafe. For more information, call Emily Lord at 712-279-5802. Christy-Smith Funeral Homes of Sioux City, extensive grief library at the Morningside location. Open to the public during weekday hours. For more information, call 276-7319. Chronic Pain/Chronic Illness Support Group, 7:30 p.m. fourth Wednesday of the month in the lower level of the Orange City Hospital. For more information, call 712-737-5260. Connections Area Agency on Aging, and Mercy Medical Centers Older Adult Services Welcome to Medicare, 1:30-4 p.m., the first Friday of every month at Connections Area Agency on Aging, 2301 Pierce St. To pre-register, or for more information, contact Connections Area Agency on Aging at 712-279-6900. SIOUX CITY | Sioux City's Human Rights Commission is seeking nominations for the War Eagle Human Rights Award. Each year, the award honors a person or group whose efforts improve the civil rights climate in Sioux City. Sioux City residents, businesses, nonprofits and community organizations and students are all eligible for the award. Nomination forms are available at City Hall in the Human Rights office, or on the Human Rights page at sioux-city.org. Forms are due back to the Human Rights Commission by Oct. 23. The forms can be mailed to the Human Rights Commission, Room 410, City Hall, or emaled to pflemming@sioux-city.org. The awards will be presented at the Human Rights Commission's celebration of Universal Human Rights Day Dec. 8 at the Sioux City Public Museum. SPENCER, Iowa | Authorities tased a Laurens, Iowa, man to subdue him after he led them on a chase in a stolen truck and then fled from the scene on foot Thursday evening. Blaine Stockwell, 33, was charged with first-degree theft, assault on a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, and a handful of other charges, according to a news release from the Clay County Sheriff's Department. The release said authorities received a 911 call Thursday that a vehicle had been spotted with stolen license plates from Boone County. A Clay County deputy found the 2016 Ford F-150 in the 4400 block of Highway 71 and began following it. The release said Stockwell, who was driving the vehicle, began driving recklessly and failed to stop when the deputy initiated a traffic stop. The pursuit continued into Buena Vista County and then Palo Alto County, and Iowa State Patrol and Iowa Department of Motor Vehicle Enforcement arrived to assist. Authorities deployed stop sticks, and the truck came to a halt in the 4600 block of 380th Avenue in Palo Alto County. Stockwell then fled on foot into a cornfield and was confronted by officers. After refusing to follow commands, officers tased him and he was taken without incident by Spencer Ambulance to Spencer Hospital. He was then released and transported to Clay County Jail. The vehicle, which was stolen out of Algona, Iowa, caught fire and was a total loss. Stockwell was being held on $20,000 bond. SIOUX CITY | For the second day in a row, some students in the Sioux City School District will be dismissed early from class, due to high heat conditions Friday. The forecast high temperature for Sioux City on Friday is 89 degrees. School officials announced the early-out decision before noon Friday. Students will leave classes two hours in four elementary schools that do not have air conditioning: Bryant, Hunt, Riverside and Sunnyside schools. Pupils will have a full day of classes in the other schools. There was also an early dismissal on Thursday in the same four schools. SIOUX CITY | Big changes are at hand for state Sen. Bill Anderson, R-Pierson, who has accepted a job leading the Cherokee Area Economic Development Corporation. To fulfill the duties of the full-time position, Anderson will soon give up his seat in the Iowa Senate, which will trigger a special election for the GOP-leaning District 3 seat. He also will step down as a staffer for U.S. Rep Steve King, R-Iowa. At some point in the future, Anderson said he and his family will move from rural Pierson to neighboring Cherokee County. The Cherokee Area Economic Development Corp. announced Anderson's appointment as executive director Friday. He succeeds longtime director Mark Buschkamp, who stepped down in August to work for a financial institution in Cherokee. Anderson, a two-term senator, said he is working with Gov. Kim Reynolds' office on the timing of his resignation from the Legislature. He said the special election will be held later this year, in time for a new senator to be seated prior to the start of the 2018 legislative session in January. The winner of the special election would serve the remainder of Anderson's four-year term, which runs through 2018. The new senator also likely would also have a leg up on other potential candidates who would run for the seat in the June primary and November general elections. Senate District 3, which takes in nearly all of Plymouth County and western and northern Woodbury County, including the Morningside neighborhood of Sioux City, is heavily Republican, with 17,635 registered GOP voters compared to 8,741 registered Democrats. Anderson was first elected to the Senate in 2010, defeating Democrat Marty Pottebaum by a wide margin, and then ran unopposed for re-election in 2014. In an interview Friday, Anderson acknowledged he will be going through quite a few changes in his life all at once. A native of Sioux City, Anderson has worked in politics for 19 years, with 10 in the congressional office of King and nine years prior to that for U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. His last day of work for King's office is Sept. 30, he said. "I want to do something else and broaden my horizons," Anderson said. Anderson said a friend employed at the hospital in Cherokee approached him about applying for the economic development post. "It was honestly not anything I sought out...It was something we thought we couldn't turn down," Anderson said. Anderson said when he was dating his future wife Angie, they frequently met in Cherokee as a midpoint point between his home in Sioux City and her residence in Peterson. The couple also held their wedding reception in Cherokee. Since then, Peterson said he has come to know the county well, through his legislative and congressional duties. I love Cherokee County and am excited to have this opportunity," Anderson said. "I look forward to leading CAEDC and working closely with The Marcus Economic Development Group, the Aurelia Development Group and Cherokee Industrial Corporation in addition to all the other communities of Cherokee County. My family and I look forward to this next chapter in our lives in an area we call home." Cherokee Area Economic Development Corp. Board Chairman Brian Freed noted Anderson was selected by an unanimous vote. "The board could not have found a better fit to lead CAEDC," Freed said in a statement. "Bill has the knowledge, passion, drive and network in addition to understanding how business operates to help lead our county to the next level." Rick Mongan, who represents the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors on the CAEDC Board, said Anderson's experience in Des Moines and as an former aide to Grassley and King would be beneficial in his new role. Bill and his wife, Angie, have a son, Joseph, 9, and two daughters, Eva, 7 and Mary, 3. The couple has resided for the past 10 years near Pierson. They own and operate Anderson Professional Services, an accounting and bookkeeping business in Sioux City. Born and raised in Sioux City, Bill Anderson is a graduate of the Sioux City public school system, and a veteran of the Iowa Army National Guard. On Iowa Politics discussed Rep. Steve King's Twitter spat with President Donald Trump, the end of the congressional recess, and the appointment of Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to a position with the USDA. On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast which re-creates the conversations that happen when Iowa's political reporters get together after deadlines have been met. This week's show features James Lynch, Todd Dorman, Erin Murphy, and Bret Hayworth. This week's show was produced by Max Freund and the music heard in the podcast is courtesy of Porch Builder. Chat with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @OnIowaPolitics, and subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher. Know an Iowa musician who should be on our show? Send their band sound files to oniowapolitics@gmail.com. DES MOINES, Iowa | Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, joined a handful of Iowa officials Friday to finalize a multi-billion-dollar grain deal with Taiwan. Under the agreement, which was signed in Des Moines on Friday by a Taiwanese delegation, the Asian nation has agreed to purchase an estimated $2.8 billion in American corn, soybeans and wheat over the next two years, according to a news release from King's office. The deal follows a trip by King to visit Taiwanese officials, including President Tsai Ing-Wen, on behalf of Iowa corn and soybean producers during which he expressed Iowa's interest in the purchase agreement. On Friday, King and a delegation of Taiwanese officials joined acting Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Greg, Iowa Economic Development Authority Chief Operating Officer Rita Grimm, Mark Heckman of Iowa Corn and Rolland Schnell of Iowa Soybean. "It is important for Iowa agriculture that we work to open foreign markets to our home-grown products," King said in the release. "This is a win-win deal which promotes both Iowa's economic interests and also Taiwan's food and national security needs." Prior to Friday's meeting, King had participated in a signing ceremony in Washington during which the Taiwanese government formally announced its intention to enter the trade agreement. SIOUX CITY | The former Navy SEAL who claims he fired the fatal shots killing Osama bin Laden sent a message of positive perseverance as the keynote speaker at the Siouxland Chamber of Commerces annual dinner Thursday night. Robert O'Neill, the former SEAL Team Six leader with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, has deployed more than a dozen times and held combat leadership roles in more than 400 combat missions in four different theaters of war. O'Neill's memoir "The Operator" is a New York Times best-seller. The book depicts the bin Laden raid in Pakistan in May 2011 and his years as a SEAL Team Warrior where he played roles in rescuing former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell and in the liberation of Capt. Richard Phillips after Somali pirates seized his vessel in the Indian Ocean. O'Neill told local media before the speech he hopes the 1,700 in attendance at the Sioux City Convention Center Thursday walk away with the same message he conveys in his book. "(The book) goes through my own memoir about a white kid from Butte, Montana, who doesnt know how to swim, becomes a Navy SEAL, ends up on all of these high-profile missions and ends up killing Osama bin Laden," O'Neill said. "Thats an American story about never quitting. It doesnt matter where you are from or what you look like, you can do anything you want as long as you avoid negativity and never quit." O'Neill, 41, said the skills he learned in the military correlate with the objectives of business professionals. He mentioned both need to keep a good team morale, have successful people skills, manage stress accordingly and both must separate emotions from the decision-making process. "Sales people work the same way as Navy SEALS do. They are the end of a long process. They have someone that thinks of the product, designs the product, packages the product before they sell it," he said. "That is kind of what we did. We had intelligence people, smart people, that found the targets, we had the pilots that take us there and theres a process to get there. We are just the end result." Bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader and architect of the 9/11 attacks, was quickly buried at sea after he was killed. It took intelligence agencies 10 years to track him down in a custom-built hideout near a Pakistani military academy in Abbottabad. The identity of the person who killed bin Laden was not aired publicly for a period of time, although O'Neill said it was known in government circles before it was released. "It didnt make me happy," he said. "I didnt want my name out." He said that changed after learning the story gave victim's families comfort. "I was able to donate my shirt I wore on the bin Laden raid to the 9/11 Memorial," he said. "Part of the deal was that I had a private tour of the memorial. And at the end, there was a group of maybe 30 to 35 family members of people that died in 9/11." He said he met with them and it was the first time he shared the tale of killing the man that was responsible for their loved one's deaths. "Watching their responses, everyone was crying, people had (their) heads in their hands. They told me there will be no closure from 9/11, but this helps with the healing," he said. "A real face, with a real name, someone that was there that saw him (die), theres no conspiracy about it. Thats when I was starting to realize if I can help this many people in this room, I could help thousands just by telling the story." ONeill spent 17 years in the Navy Seals and now lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and travels the country speaking. He also works with the Fox News Channel. The chamber audience also heard from retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Frank Thorp, chair of the Commissioning Committee for the USS Sioux City, who gave a brief update on the new Naval ship. The committee, co-chaired by Chris McGowan, Siouxland Chamber of Commerce president, hopes to raise between $800,000 and $1 million to pay for the weeklong event and establish an endowment to pay for education opportunities for crew members and their families for the 30-year life of the vessel, which is expected to be commissioned next year in Annapolis, Maryland. Outgoing Chamber board chair Lance Morgan also showed a rendering of a future renovated Chamber office building at 101 Pierce St. with a glass rich exterior. The project is anticipated for completion sometime next year. "It's time for a new front for the community," new Chamber board chairs Linda Kalin said if the office building, in proximity to Interstate 29. SIOUX CITY | After a warm week, the weekend weather will turn cooler in Siouxland. The recent days have been in the mid-to-upper 80s in Sioux City. According to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, there will be one more above average warm day on Friday, then temperatures become more seasonal in the following days. On Thursday, a forecast of a high temperature of 90 moved Sioux City School District officials to announce that classes would be called off two hours in the four elementary schools that do not have air conditioning: Bryant, Hunt, Riverside and Sunnyside schools. The forecast for Sioux City calls for a high of 89 degrees Friday, with mostly sunny and breezy conditions, as wind gusts could reach 30 mph. On Saturday, the expected high is 74 degrees, with a 40 percent chance of rain or thunderstorms in the late morning and early afternoon. Sunday looks to be a nice weather day, with sun, a high of 71 and light winds. A chance of rain returns early Monday morning, with a 40 percent chance running from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. The forecast Monday high is 78 degrees, and conditions in Siouxland will warm on Tuesday, with an expected high 85 degrees. Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar. WITSTOCK This outdoor "Battle of the Bands style music festival will be held at Western Iowa Tech Community College, 4647 Stone Ave. 6 to 11 p.m. In case of rain, the event will move inside to the Rocklin Conference Center. Activities for the whole family. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. No alcohol is allowed. Visit www.witcc.edu/witstock for more information. Beauty and the Beast Step into the enchanted world of Broadway's modern classic at the Sioux City Community Theatre, 1401 Riverside Blvd. Performance dates: Sept. 15-17, Sept. 22-24, Sept. 28-Oct. 1. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. except Sunday matinees which begin at 2 p.m. Call 712-233-2719 for ticket information. Plan B @ The Benson Art Show Artwork by three area artists will be featured 5 to 9 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to noon at Bowers Art Studio & Gallery, Benson Building, 705 Douglas St., Studio #240. Abstract paintings and handmade surfboards by Mark Bowden, encaustic paintings by Jenny Bye, and abstract paintings by Jamie Bowers. All artwork will be available for purchase. Call 712-204-4100 for more information. Sexual assault is a criminal matter. Only self-interest fuels the desire among college and university administrators to have any involvement in investigations. And their refusal to just call the cops is threatening the very foundation of the American judicial system -- due process. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy Devos last week announced a review of Title IX regulations dictating how campuses respond to allegations of sexual assault, implemented in 2011 by President Barack Obama's administration. Skeptics of President Donald Trump's administration have every reason to be wary of such a move as a raft of wholly justified environmental and financial regulations are, too, likely to die. From afar, the ultimate goal looks to be wiping Obama's legacy from history, regardless of the merits of his policy. But consider specifically the Devos' critique of Title IX and even the most rabid Trump detractor should -- albeit cautiously -- support the review. Schools throughout the country scrambled to react to pressure from the Obama administration after it started applying the heat over a general lack of seriousness surrounding sexual assault reports on campus. For decades, such allegations were hushed. The reality facing women in college doesn't look good on a promotional pamphlet. It still doesn't. And keeping rape and assault violations under wraps is still about protecting a school's marketing wing more than anything else. Schools had every reason to deal with the matters internally and quietly. But, in 2011, Obama's Education Department started releasing previously internal reports on sexual assault reports on campuses throughout the country. Well-known, respected institutions lost a little luster with the information dump, which laid bare just how prevalent campus rape and assault actually are. Administrators had to respond, if only to salvage institutional reputations. Investigatory committees were impaneled. New processes were created. Finally, victims were offered the protection they deserved. But in their haste to do something, too many schools flirted with downright witch hunts. Story after story has been written about a student who had his reputation and college career destroyed by a trumped up allegation. Some of the accused were expelled. Others booted from campus. And some, ultimately, were innocent. The number's too high even if just a tiny percentage of investigations defame an innocent student or robs him of his presumption of innocence. Universities are not in the business of investigating felonies, nor should they be. In short, call the cops. Let the professionals handle it. Ditch the inherent conflict of interest that renders any university's quasi-judicial process doomed from the start. Due process and the presumption of innocence are fundamental to the American justice system. There can be no justice without it. And conservatives who were leery of Obama's sexual assault regulations have, at least anecdotally, had their initial fears confirmed. Sex is complicated. So, too, is consent. It's not as if college students are, or should be, walking around with formal consent contracts in their hip pockets. And the entire thing gets incredibly muddy when liquor or drugs are added. It's imperative that, finally, victims of sexual assault and rape receive the hearing they deserve. Victim blaming or investigatory skepticism infected the system for far too long and incentived victims to remain silent. But, in society's haste to rectify one injustice, a new one was created where the accused are often punished before the facts are known. Due process -- a tenet of American justice -- is sacrificed at the altar of expediency. Pro-victim advocates have every reason to be dubious about Devos' intentions. The Trump administration has made no bones about its willingness to roll back protections for groups with long histories of being on the receiving end of discrimination. Yet, on Title IX, those suspicions should be tempered -- somewhat -- by a very real desire to protect the constitutional rights of everyone involved. Sergeant Floyd Monument , 2601 S Lewis Blvd., visible along I-29 Possibly the best-known monument in Sioux City, the Sergeant Floyd Monument was completed in 1901 in honor of Charles Floyd, an explorer with the Lewis and Clark Expedition who died here in August 1804. Floyd's grave was originally marked with a post, and his remains had been moved over the years as erosion on Floyd's Bluff threatened the site. After the most recent reburial, in 1895, the Floyd Memorial Association endeavored to build him a better monument. That monument, a large obelisk that looks like the Washington Monument, would become the first National Historic Landmark, in 1960. But why did the association opt to honor Floyd with a massive, Egyptian-style obelisk? Tom Munson, an archival clerk at the Sioux City Public Museum, said it had to do with the Egyptian Revival architectural movement of the era. Obelisk graves from the same time period are commonly seen in cemeteries. "Obelisks were in style," Munson said. Floyd, who was only 22 when he died, was the only member of Lewis and Clark's expedition to perish. Except for dying here, his significance is debatable. "He had really no impact on Sioux City, because he died 50 years before we were a city," Munson said. Latin America September 15, 2017 Brian Mier During the 1960s, legend has it that governor Jose Sarney sat down at a table with a group of cattle-ranching cronies and aerial photographs of Maranhao state, in Northeastern Brazil. They marked boundaries on the photos with pencil and divided up the land. In the decades that followed, these ranchers committed what Brazilians call grilhagem, altering documentation to illegally appropriate land. Sarney and his henchmen fenced off millions of hectares of land, then either kicked out the peasants who were living there, forcing them into mud hut settlements between the road and the fences, or keeping them on as labourers, often paying them with vouchers for use at their own stores and patrolling the grounds with armed guards so that no one can escape. Under Sarneys control, Maranhao state was deforested, and roughly half of its majority Afro-Brazilian and indigenous population migrated to big cities in the Southeast, some of which, like Sao Paulo, saw their populations increase fivefold over a period of a few decades. The case of Jose Sarney, who would become the president of Brazil (1985-90) and three-time Senate President, is just one chapter in the 500-year-old story of how large rural landholders dominate Brazilian political and economic life, which is represented today in the largest political caucus in the Brazilian Congress, the ruralistas, whose majority recently voted to throw out massive corruption charges against current President Michel Temer.[1] Unlike other former European colonies in the Americas, Brazil has never implemented agrarian reform. With the worlds most unequal land division, three per cent of the population owns approximately 2/3 of the arable land.[2] When former president Joao Goulart attempted to enact agrarian reform in 1964, he was thrown out of office in a U.S.-backed military coup.[3] As the resultant dictatorship approached its end in the early 1980s, a new peasant-based social movement arose in Rio Grande do Sul state, called the Movimento de Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (Landless Rural Workers Movement, MST). Incorporating theories from liberation theology and intellectuals like Paulo Freire, Karl Marx, and Antonio Gramsci into practice, landless rural workers organized in groups to occupy fields of stolen land, resist eviction (sometimes fatally), and farm.[4] Using an innovative organizational structure of upwards and downwards democratic accountability through voluntary assemblies at the family, village, regional, state and national levels, the MST quickly spread across the country and now operates in all 26 Brazilian states, with Friends of the MST groups operating worldwide. Although it has yet to reach its goal of enacting agrarian reform and building a socialist society, there are currently 400,000 families living and farming in MST agrarian reform villages across the county and the movement has successfully pressured the government to create a series of innovative policies, such as the Programa de Aquisicao de Alimentos (Food Acquisition Program/PAA), ratified by former President Lula, which requires all public schools and hospitals in rural areas to purchase all food for their meal programs at subsidized prices from local family farmers. The MST has a gender-balanced national directorate of 52 individuals, with two people elected periodically in each of its 26 state assemblies. Gilmar Mauro is a member of the national directorate, representing the state of Sao Paulo. I caught up with him at the MST national secretariat in Sao Paulo on August 25th, 2017, to talk about the current political context and its ramifications for small farmers. Brian Mier (BM): In Brazil, most food is still produced by family farmers. What are some challenges that small farmers face in the current political context? Gilmar Mauro (GM): Most of Brazilian agricultural production is, in fact, produced by family farmers, but they are the group most affected by the policy and program cuts that the current coup government under Michel Temer is enacting. Examples of this include the current lack of access to credit and lack of investment. However, the Brazilian agricultural system was organized to favor exports, especially large-scale agriculture, as part of a strategy to balance the trade deficit in Brazil. Since there is a large deficit in government spending, including servicing the debt, all of the production of commodities in general, whether in agriculture or mining, are geared toward export with the goal of obtaining a trade surplus to stabilize the trade equilibrium. So the priority is on large capital, in detriment to the millions of family farmers who survive by producing food. We have to change this. I dont believe that this only holds true for Brazil, but we have a great challenge to change the agricultural production model. The current model poisons the environment and poisons the population. This agricultural production model destroys natural resources and biodiversity. We have to have a debate in society to discuss the role of agrarian reform, and the debate should be over, what type of food do you want to eat? and how do we want to use our soil, water, and natural resources? If this is the way that Capital is operating, things will continue the way they are, but it will have environmental impacts on this generation and on future ones. If you continue eating these foods from large supermarket chains, it will impact your health and that of those who produce it. We also have to return to the debate over technological paradigms and technologies that do not damage the environment, and that we can use in agriculture in Brazil and the world. We think that agro-ecology is an economic and social alternative that is much more sustainable than this model that we are currently living under. BM: The English-language press even ostensibly progressive newspapers have adopted the conservative mainstream language of Brazilian media to describe the MST. For example, I saw a recent Guardian article which states that the MST invaded a few plantations. Why does the MST instead use the word occupation to describe these activities? GM: Occupation is a term that we use because it is related to the large land holdings that were illegally appropriated by various sectors of Brazilian society, including the corrupt politicians who used public money to acquire land, and what is called grilhagem, which involves illegally forging documents to appropriate large land holdings. I can give you a specific example here from Sao Paulo state. Cutrale, an orange juice producer which also operates in the USA, appropriated land that, in 1908 or 1909, was originally earmarked by the federal government for settlements of recently arrived European immigrants. The villages were never built, and the lands were illegally appropriated by economic groups that destroyed their natural resources. We use the word occupation to describe appropriating illegally-acquired land that is used by large-scale ranchers and farmers that could and should fulfill their social function. This is the reason that, in our understanding, the challenges against the MST and agrarian reform are very intense. Let me put it into historical context. Our first law regulating land was passed in 1850 and slavery was abolished in 1888. Before 1850, land was public and was farmed with slave labour. In 1850, land became something that could be bought and sold and in 1888 slavery was abolished, bringing freedom to labourers. The slaves did not have money to buy land in Brazil. And differently from what happened in most of the world where agrarian reforms took place as a way to develop capitalism in the countryside (for example, there is the story of the union between the bourgeoisie and the peasants during the French Revolution to produce raw materials and food for the workers in the cities so that industry could transform agriculture into a market), agrarian reform never happened in Brazil. Brazil started by land distribution into hereditary captaincies; afterward, through large land grants called sesmarias, the plantation economy consolidated to its current state in Brazil. For this reason, the struggle for land and agrarian reform is a historical, fundamental battle in Brazil. We [the MST] organize occupations as a form of pressure toward agrarian reform. There is a law that permits homesteading in Brazil. If land does not fulfill its social function, it qualifies, in theory, for disappropriation. For land to fulfill its social function, it has to rationally produce, while respecting the environment and federal labour laws. But most plantation owners and ranchers dont respect the environment or the labour laws, and even their unproductive land is rarely redistributed. In other words, we have a historic political problem. This is why we say that the fight for agrarian reform is a fight to change the Brazilian power structure. Brazilian political power is, historically and contemporarily, deeply rooted in the land. Agrarian reform is a way to solve one of our countrys historic political problems. BM: The MST was an important actor in the consolidation of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers Party, PT). The PT partys three historic rallying cries were Political Reform, Urban Reform, and Agrarian Reform. With 13 years in power, neither the Lula nor the Dilma Rousseff administration managed to push through any of these promises. Why does the MST continue to support ex-president Lula and the PT party? GM: That is a good question, that is related to the Brazilian political struggle. Its true. Agrarian reform did not happen in Brazil. We have settlement policies. These settlement policies are the result of a lot of struggles and death in the Brazilian countryside. It is a historical problem that the PT did not solve, that nobody has solved in Brazil, and we have to change the balance of political power to advance the perspectives for deep agrarian and urban reforms. The MST has always positioned itself in Brazilian politics as an autonomous social movement. It has political autonomy. It is not organically tied to any political party, and we respect all the political parties on the Brazilian left. But we are living in a context of retrogression in Brazil and the world where forces, not just neoliberal but an entire neo-fascist ideology, are growing as has happened in other historical eras of crisis. We are facing a coup in Brazil a political coup. It is a political coup that aims to take political power and apply a set of regressive measures to cancel what the working class achieved during recent years, including gains that occurred during the Lula and Dilma governments. Evidently, we did not advance in deep structural reforms, but there were important social advances that are now being dismantled [under the current administration]. Its not particular to Brazil. This is happening in various parts of the world because, in our evaluation, there is a prolonged crisis with no way out in the short term. In fact, I dont know if there is a way out of the economic crisis within the capitalist framework. A part of humanity no longer has space in this mode of production. We are confronting power and resisting against setbacks. This is why we are supporting Lula at the moment. We are acting to form resistance, including electing him to the presidency to move forward with social reforms. Its not what we want for Brazilian society, though. We want to move forward from a perspective of socialization. We defend socialism as a political and economical alternative for humanity, not just for Brazil. Nevertheless, the MST does not have the conditions to do this by itself. The MST is not strong enough to push through agrarian reform. Agrarian reform and changes in the agricultural model depends on a debate within the entire Brazilian working class and changes in the power structure. The MST is an important actor, but it is just one actor that is part of a set of actors. Together, we created the Frente Brasil Popular (Brazil Peoples Front, FBP) with a lot of internal differences. But we understand that we have to face common enemies, and we have to build a unified political culture. We have a culture of political unity for the Brazilian elections, but we do not have a political culture of forming broad fronts for the mid- to long-term. And we are in this process now. I always compare these alliances to a wedding. Two people marry. They are different, even if they have the same gender, but they have common projects, and they develop them together. If one person subjugates another in this marriage, neither of them grow, and the marriage often dissolves. This is what political alliances are like. Common projects have common objectives, and we have to build these objectives collectively. There are static objectives and strategic objectives. Our tactic is to seek alliances with all progressive actors in Brazil and on an international scale to confront the fascist ideology and retrogression. A lot of people fit in this rainbow of alliances, and we need to be generous and patient. Its like raising children. I, like a lot of people, have children. We have to say, did you bathe yet? have you cleaned your room? The left also has to have a historical patience in coalition building. In our point of view, nobody has any absolute truth, but everyone has goals. We all have ideas and we have to talk about these common ideas to face common enemies. Some may want to overcome the neoliberal order, others may go to the point of confronting the coup and neo-fascist ideas but dont want to go all the way to socialism. This is a chapter that we will discuss and debate as the process unfolds, but not by searching for hegemony or allowing ourselves to be homogenized by others. For this reason, the PT is our ally, the Central Unica de Trabalhadores (Unified Workers Central) CUT labour federation is our ally, the peoples social movements in Brazil are our allies, and the other left political parties are also our allies at this moment in history. BM: The largest general strike in many years took place on April 28. The following month there was a huge protest in Brasilia, the largest in that citys history. At that moment it looked like the fight against the coup government was picking up momentum. The second general strike, despite being effective in some cities like Belo Horizonte and Brasilia, was not as large as the first one. And the night that the corruption allegations against Michel Temer were thrown out by Congress there were not very many street protests. It may look like the organized left is losing force at the moment. Is this analysis correct? What are the next steps in the fight against further consolidation of the 2016 coup? GM: This, perhaps, is the central issue for us and for the whole world. There is a structural problem. Sometimes the left focuses on ideological differences that clearly exist cooptation of sectors of the left cant be overlooked either because it exists but it forgets the structural problem that is going on in the world. There is a process within the capitalist productive structure that is changing in the entire world. The productive structurization that started in the 1950s and 1960s is changing due to new technologies and materials that are used today. The Fordist production model created large amounts of stock, used the logic of the production line and permanently produced cyclical crises of overproduction.[5] This has changed in the whole world in part through use of the Toyota production model, which is being perfected around the world. I cant go too far into this because my answer would become very long and complex but we are at a time in history when the worlds largest taxi company doesnt own a single taxi. The largest hotel company doesnt own a room. Large businesses no longer have formal employees. This process of weakening and outsourcing in the workplace is a reality for the entire world. Why am I saying this? Because this impacts the working class organizational instruments. It was one thing to hold a strike during the days of the Fordist model. If you shut down one sector of a factory it would completely freeze the others. Today, many sectors are connected from a labour and financial standpoint. Companies centralize some of their activities and outsource others to various locations around the world. Many workers are now autonomous, without any labour rights whatsoever. So the instrument of the strike, which was fundamental to the working class for a long time, is no longer possible in many sectors of the economy. Many autonomous workers cannot strike because if they stop producing, they stop receiving, and they dont have any financial or physical security. So we have a fundamental question here, from my point of view, and we are debating this within the left. The tools that the working class produced throughout history are not enough to confront the current political problems because they are, generally speaking, defensive measures. They were produced in a specific time in history when capitalist development still allowed advances for the working class. We are entering a new phase in history in which capitalist development is producing setbacks for the working class and it is hard to launch an offensive against this model. It is affecting the union movement. Look at the metallurgical workers in Sao Paulos ABC region, who formed the basis for the birth of the PT party.[6] During the 1960s there was a huge number of metallurgical workers in the region. Today there are 13,000 metallurgical workers in the ABC. During the 1960s and 1970s there were 90,000. And today, with 13,000, they produce a lot more than they did back then. The odds are that this number of metallurgical workers is not going to go up, it will diminish. You can say the same thing about the bank tellers, who suffered huge layoffs during the process of computerization, and all of the other sectors of the working class. This has an impact on the working class political struggle. Is this the only justification? No, but it is a challenge to build new forms of working class organization and representation, to form a dialogue with the working class where it lives, that incorporates location, and integrates regions in ways that enable effective confrontation. I will take a second here to talk about a few mistakes made by the left. One of them was to separate the economic and political struggles. Delegating the economic struggle to the social and labour movements and the political struggle to the Party was a serious mistake. The social and union movements ended up falling into corporatism and economics, and the Party disconnected from the peoples daily lives and turned into a bureaucracy. You cannot separate economic struggle from political struggle. The economic struggle is also a political struggle because you cant separate the present from the future. We are engaged in an important confrontation at the moment but we have to plant what we want in the future now. I will use agriculture to explain this. If you want to harvest avocados, you have to plant an avocado tree. There is no other way to do it. So, if we want a more just society with more solidarity, we have to plant solidarity here and now. If we want a society in which men and women participate equally we have to open up spaces of equality here now, including inside our own homes. If we want a new type of society with new values, we have to cultivate and produce these values in the hearts of our organizations here and now. Since theory cannot be separated from practice, it should have developed like this: new movements have to be built and have to incorporate this concrete economic struggle in a manner that engages with peoples daily lives. An organization that does not respond to the concrete needs of its base doesnt have a reason to exist. Concrete needs have to be integrated to the need of the political struggle. Conversations about daily life, connected to survival, have to be integrated with dialogues about what kind of society we want in the future. These are the challenges that are out there. But to finish my answer to the question fine, if we dont have these new instruments, should we throw everything that the workers ever produced in the garbage? No, because we produced the best that we could. Nevertheless, these instruments are not strong enough to overcome all of the challenges of the moment. We have to modify these instruments and produce new instruments to meet new challenges. Some sectors of the left want to build a new reference point in the masses by passing over historically constructed instruments and tactics. Its obvious that you have to be critical, but you do not build an instrument of popular reference by annihilating another instrument. This is the old problem of vanguardism on the left. Many sectors in the left commemorate the defeat of other left sectors. This is not revolutionary, this is anti-revolutionary. Because new instruments should not be created through the destruction of other instruments, even if they are full of problems and limitations. Whoever has no problems can throw the first stone. Therefore, you have to be humble and understand that we are all individually weak and even while uniting the entire left we are still losing the battle. We are being defeated. So we have to understand that there are a lot of challenges ahead to organize the working class, most of which did not join the Brazilian political struggles. We do have a working class militancy that has been very important. If we hadnt taken it to the streets the coup would have consolidated to destroy the Brazilian left and we are resisting. But this is still too small to oppose this entire offensive by big Capital in Brazil. I think the situation is beginning to change, though; there is a politicization process underway in Brazil and I hope that we will have historic patience, while at the same time, initiatives to increase peoples participation to not always speak to the same people, to modify methods within the left, within our organizations that enable dialogue with the Brazilian people; the working class, first, to understand this moment in history and second, to mount a peoples offense to defeat the coup government in Brazil. BM: The political conjuncture in the United States at the moment is very bad, and there is a growing so-called alt-right, with fascism and neo-nazism on the rise, even in the White House. Some people are aligning themselves with the Antifa movement working against these trends. Is there anything you would like to say to the people fighting against fascism in the United States? GM: Fascism is a danger to humanity, and its not like we dont see it down here we deeply understand it. In all historic times of crisis, alternatives appear, like war, but there is a contradiction. Crises are propitious moments for debate about systems and their contradictions. It is a conducive moment for political debate but during crisis, retrogressive ideas like fascism always arise, and they have to be fought. All sectors have to come together to fight this. This isnt even a question of ideology. If you are human, you have to fight fascism, and its retrogressive ideas and everyone has to unite. It doesnt interest me who is at the forefront, who is behind or who is on the side, but all sectors have to unite to face this. This implies that a degree of generosity and patience is needed. And I believe that the U.S. working class is going to face this and will be victorious, just as we will be here in Brazil and other parts of the world. One of our challenges is how we can unite internationally. Its not enough to struggle just in Brazil, but it has to be done in Brazil just as it has to be done in the United States and every part of the world. We need local actions, but they have to connect to struggles across the entire world. We have to confront these fascist ideas and face the retrogression with the goal of producing new ideas for the world. We need new ideas for economic and social sustainability, to solve the problems of hunger and extreme poverty and to think about what kind of world we need to suit the generations that come after us. I wish lots of successful struggle and lots of luck to you in the United States. And, look, you have a fundamental role. The struggles in the United States have a fundamental role for Brazil and for the entire world. We support you, and we believe that you will be able to effectively face the biggest corporations that practically dominate the entire planet. You can always count on our solidarity. Brian Mier is Extramural Contributor of the Brazil Unit at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA). Daniel Greenfield, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, is an investigative journalist and writer focusing on the radical left and Islamic terrorism.After months of denials, the pretext for Susan Rices eavesdropping on Trump officials has finally been made public. It had been widely known that Obamas former National Security Adviser had contrived to unmask the names of top Trump officials who had been spied on by the administration.And the same media that still treats Watergate as the Great American Scandal had claimed that there was nothing improper in an Obama loyalist eavesdropping on members of the opposition party.Every time Obama Inc. was caught eavesdropping on opposition politicians, it presented its spin in a carefully packaged scoop to a major media outlet. This time was no different.When Obama Inc. spied on members of Congress to protect its Iran nuke sellout, it packaged the story to the Wall Street Journal under the headline, U.S. Spy Net on Israel Snares Congress. The idea was that Obama Inc. was legitimately spying on Israel, that it just happened to intercept the conversations of some members of Congress and American Jews, and that the eavesdropping somehow meant that its victims, Jewish and non-Jewish, rather than its White House perpetrators, should be ashamed.The White House had demanded the conversations between Prime Minister Netanyahu, members of Congress and American Jews because it "believed the intercepted information could be valuable to counter Mr. Netanyahu's campaign." This was domestic surveillance carried out under the same pretext as in the Soviet Union which had also accused its dissident targets of secretly serving foreign interests.Obama and his minions had used the NSA to spy on Americans opposed to its policies. Including members of Congress. They did this by conflating their own political agenda with national security.Since Obamas spin was that the Iran Deal was good for national security, opponents of it were a national security threat.And its fig leaf for domestic surveillance was that a foreign leader was involved.Now get ready for a flashback.Susan Rices excuse for unmasking the names of top Trump officials in the Obama eavesdropping effort was that they were meeting with the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates. The carefully packaged CNN story , which reeks of the Goebbelsian media manipulations of Obama whisperer Ben Rhodes, tries to clumsily tie the whole thing to the Russians. But for once its not about Russia. Its about Islam.The UAE has become best known for being the first regional Muslim oil state to turn against the Muslim Brotherhood and the entire Arab Spring enterprise. It helped mobilize opposition to the Qatari agenda. The ultimate outcome of that effort was that Egypt was stabilized under a non-Islamist president and the Islamist takeover in Libya is looking rather shaky. The Saudi coalition against Qatar, the sugar daddies of Hamas, Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood, has its origins in that effort.When Obama Inc. spied on members of Congress before, it was to protect Iran. This time around, the gang that couldnt spy straight was trying to protect the Muslim Brotherhood. The Iran Deal was never about stopping Irans nuclear program. It certainly does not do that. Nor was it ever meant to do it.Instead the real goal of the Iran negotiations was a diplomatic arrangement with the Islamic terror state. The fruits of that arrangement can be seen from Beirut to Baghdad. They are written in blood and steel across Syria, Israel and Yemen. And that arrangement had to be protected at all costs.Even if it meant spying on Americans. Even if it meant spying on members of Congress.The arrangement that Susan Rice was protecting by spying on top Trump officials was even older and dirtier. It goes back to Obamas Cairo speech and the resulting bloody horrors of the Arab Spring.Both times Obama Inc. was caught spying on American officials to protect its dirty deal with Islam.Obama officials had spied on Americans to protect Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood. Thats more than a mere crime. Its treason. Imagine if Watergate had been about the White House spying on Democrats for the KGB. That is the sheer full scope of what we appear to be dealing with here.Both high-level eavesdropping incidents involve an effort by Obama Inc. to protect Islamist enemies.These efforts checked all the right and wrong legal boxes. The orders were carried out by men and women who know all the loopholes. Each decision was compartmentalized across a network. There were always pretexts. And a media eager to fight for the right of the left to spy on the right.It is as unlikely that Susan Rice will be held accountable for pulling off a crime that makes Watergate into the gold standard of governmental ethics as it is that Hillary will ever go to jail for abusing classified information. The network, which some dub the swamp, has excelled at defending its own.Thats why current National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster protected Susan Rices access to classified information and nurtured all the Obama holdovers behind the leaks while purging those who tried to expose them.It is also why Susan Rices testimony did not leak until CNN was able to roll out its carefully packaged spin.Conservatives excel at zeroing in on abuses like Hillarys email account, the Rice unmasking and the Benghazi cover-up, but falter when it comes to exposing the motives behind them. And so the investigation of the abuses quickly vanishes into a thorny thicket of alibis, technical legalities, cover-ups and licenses. And a baffled public reads about hearings that delve into acts rather than motives.It is vital that we understand not only what Rice did, but why she did it. It is important that we expose the pattern of misconduct, not just the individual act.Susan Rices eavesdropping would have remained hidden if Flynn and his appointees hadnt temporarily obtained the keys to the kingdom. And the network quickly worked to have Flynn forced out and replaced with McMaster. And McMaster has steadily forced out Flynns appointees so that there are no more leaks like the one that exposed the Rice eavesdropping. The swamp looks after its own.Unless there are fundamental changes at the NSC and beyond, we will never know the full scope of the Obama eavesdropping operation. But we still do know a great deal about what motivated it.Susan Rice and the White House didnt just eavesdrop on the political opposition. There was an agenda so urgent that they were willing to pull out all the stops to protect it.Even right down to committing what has become the ultimate crime in the White House.It was the same agenda that dragged us into a war in Libya. The same agenda that was at the heart of the diplomatic efforts of the administration over eight years. That agenda was empowering Islamists.The Obama edition of Watergate wasnt committed merely for domestic political gain. It was carried out for a reason that was encompassed in his address to the United Nations after the Benghazi massacre.The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.This foul slogan led to the first arrest of a filmmaker for political speech in almost a century. It led to the sordid betrayal of our national security and our allies. And to domestic espionage against Americans.The future must not belong on those who spy on Americans to protect Islamism. 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. BALTIMORE Many consumers who initially visited your website were steered toward your paid products rather than your free offer. Those that did find their way to your free offer were hesitant or unwilling to sign up for your offer because of unacceptable terms, some of which you have since deleted. Others never saw the terms of use, because they are effectively hidden. Those who began enrollment in your offer received a message that starts with 'Thank You' in large bold font. This message appears very similar to the types of messages consumers are accustomed to seeing after making online purchases. Many consumers are likely to ignore this message. Many will assume that they have signed up and will not read the message to realize that they have been assigned a future date to come back and actually start the registration. As a result, many will not return on their designated date to actually sign up for the offer (September 13, 2017)Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today issued a letter to Equifax CEO Richard F. Smith, addressing Equifax's behavior in the wake of its data breach, affecting approximately 143 million Americans, and approximately 3 million Marylanders.Attorney General Frosh writes: "I am extremely concerned that a company that is in the business of collecting and maintaining private information, and providing credit monitoring and identity theft protection for consumers, exposed the social security numbers and other personal information of 143 million Americans. I want to know exactly how that happened, but more immediately, I am concerned about the confusion that you have caused for consumers."The letter continues to address how Equifax publicized the breach, and the confusing messaging it provided to consumers who want to take steps to protect their information. In particular, Attorney General Frosh notes: "I believe that certain aspects of your messaging to consumers in the wake of this breach have the capacity to mislead consumers and may violate the Maryland Consumer Protection Act."Attorney General Frosh urges Equifax to take the following steps to help stem confusion for consumers:1. Suspend the sale of all credit monitoring and services.2. Suspend the practice of charging Maryland consumers for credit freezes.3. Provide information for non-English speakers.4. Reconsider asking consumers for the last 6 digits of the Social Security Number and last name. Consumers are already wary of providing additional information.5. Clearly state the free credit monitoring enrollment process and steps consumers must take, especially if they must follow up on another date.6. Ensure consumers see the terms of use before agreeing to them, rather than providing them as a hard to find link.7. Do not automatically re-enroll consumers in any of Equifax's products.8. Do not advertise any products to any consumer who signed up for the free credit monitoring.On September 7, 2017, Equifax publicized that the company experienced a data breach. According to the company, the breach lasted from mid-May through July of 2017. The data breach exposed full names, Social Security Numbers, birth dates, addresses, and driver's license numbers. For another 209,000 consumers, it also included credit card information.The Equifax data breach puts consumers at risk for new account fraud, since it exposes personal information necessary to open new accounts at any point in the future. This information can be used to take out loans, open new credit accounts and other illegal and potentially damaging actions.Attorney General Frosh encourages consumers to take the following steps: Check your credit reports from all three of the major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Reports can be obtained for FREE by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. Unrecognizable accounts or activity could indicate identity theft. Carefully monitor your financial accounts and statements for unauthorized activity. Many financial institutions offer additional layers of protection. It is okay to call your bank to ask if there are any additional steps you can take to protect your account. Consider signing up for the free credit monitoring service from Equifax. This service is designed to notify you of any changes to your credit reports. Equifax has created a dedicated website to assist consumers: www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/ Consider placing a credit freeze at all three credit reporting agencies. A credit freeze is extremely effective at preventing identity thieves from opening new accounts in your name without your consent. A credit freeze won't prevent a thief from making charges to your existing accounts, such as debit and credit cards. Parents or guardians of minor children may also place a credit freeze on behalf of their child. For more information on how to obtain a credit freeze, please visit Visit www.identitytheft.gov/databreach to learn more.The Office of the Attorney General recommends that consumers review their account statements, online accounts, and credit files regularly for suspicious activity. If consumers feel they have been harmed and want to file a complaint, please call our Identity Theft Unit at1-888-743-0023, or visit our website at www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov A copy of the letter sent to Equifax CEO Richard Smith can be found embedded below. Notice is HEREBY GIVEN that the Commissioners of St. Mary's County will hold two Public Hearings on September 26, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. in the Chesapeake Building located at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown, Maryland, to:6:00 p.m. 1) Consider amending Section 203-13, R101.2 of the Code of St. Mary's County, Maryland, by adding the following:Exception 4: One-story detached accessory structure with a floor area not greater than 600 square feet (55.74 square meters) provided however a building permit shall be required.6:30 p.m. 2) Consider amending Chapter 203 of the Code of St. Mary's County, Maryland by adding Section 203-13, R102.7.2 to read as follows:Testing is not required for a satisfactory inspection of additions to one and two family dwellings.Citizens are encouraged to attend and participate in the public hearing.Written comments may be submitted on or before September 26, 2017 to: Commissioners of St. Mary's County, P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, MD 20650, or to csmc@stmarysmd.com.Copies of the proposed Ordinance are available in the Legal Department, St. Mary's County Governmental Center, 41770 Baldridge Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 and under "Public Hearing Notices" at www.stmarysmd.com.Any reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities should be requested by contacting the St. Mary's County Public Information Officer at 301-475-4200, *1342.COMMISSIONERS OF ST. MARY'S COUNTYBy: Bill Hunt, Director of Land Use and Growth ManagementIf you have questions, please email to bill.hunt@stmarysmd.com or call 301-475-4200 *1508.The St. Mary's County Local Behavioral Health Authority is providing one-time only grant funding to qualified providers who are not currently accredited due to financial hardship. Approximately $15,000 will be awarded to each qualified provider for accreditation assistance. The deadline for receipt of proposals is September 30, 2017. For more information or to submit a proposal, please visit the St. Mary's County Health Department's website at www.smchd.org/rfp.As a way of embracing volunteer opportunities in the St. Mary's County community, the Commissioners of St. Mary's County have approved a resolution granting county employees an opportunity to volunteer in the community.The effort is part of Governor Larry Hogan's 2017 Day to Serve Initiative, an outreach effort to support those in need by partnering with community organizations.Day to Serve is an annual month-long community service initiative which began in 2012 as collaboration between the governors of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Mayor of Washington DC to encourage volunteerism among their citizens. Each locality competes by tracking the number of volunteers and their hours served. Governor Hogan provided MD State employee with 4 hours of paid leave to volunteer and has identified the period between September 11 through October 10, 2017 as the 2017 Day to Serve event.The resolution allows employees to use four consecutive hours of paid leave to volunteer in their community during the event. The initiative supports an employee friendly work culture, improves employee morale and promotes employee pride in their workplace.To participate in this community service event, employees are required to obtain approval from their supervisor before volunteering; and upon completion of their volunteer time, provide documentation from where they volunteered. The volunteer time must be completed during the event dates and during an employee's scheduled work hours to qualify for paid leave.County employees can search those Local and State agencies in need of volunteers by going to the Day to Serve website at www.daytoserve.org/maryland James Phillip Nelson, 41, of California, Md. ANNAPOLIS (Sept. 15, 2017)A St. Mary's County man whose Maryland commercial waterman's license was revoked in 2015 for oyster harvesting violations has been banned from any oystering activity on the Potomac River for the coming season.James Phillip Nelson, 41, of California, was convicted in St. Mary's County District Court in February of harvesting oysters from a closed area on the river near Point Lookout. Maryland Natural Resources Police officers determined that Nelson was well within the marked boundary for the protected area.At its meeting Sept. 7, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission decided that Nelson's "brazen" actions required punitive measures. As a result, the waterman cannot serve as a crewman or be aboard a boat that is harvesting oysters during the 2017-18 season. In addition, he was placed on probation and can face further sanctions should he be convicted of future violations.In November 2015, Nelson had his Maryland license permanently revoked by a St. Mary's County District Court judge after he was convicted of harvesting oysters from a polluted area and keeping oysters that were between 28 and 48 percent undersized, a second offense on both counts. He was fined $3,750, with $2,000 of it suspended, and was ordered to pay court costs. He also was sentenced to three years of unsupervised probation on each of the three charges.Nelson has a history of convictions dating back to the mid-1990s involving illegal crabbing, oyster harvesting and hunting. Nathaly Uribe Robledo, 22, came to the United States from Chile, and has spent much of her time advocating for her community through work with CASA and other organizations. (Photo provided by Nathaly Uribe Robledo.) COLLEGE PARK, Md. Cindy Kolade, 24, originally from Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, West Africa, came to Baltimore with her mother when she was 12 years old. (Photo provided by Cindy Kolade.) Jose Aguiluz, 28, was one of several hundred people gathered outside the White House awaiting the administrations decision on Tuesday, Sept. 5th. (Photo by Helen Parshall) Transcript of Jeff Sessions' Remarks on Sept. 5 on Ending the DACA Program Good morning. I am here today to announce that the program known as DACA that was effectuated under the Obama Administration is being rescinded. The DACA program was implemented in 2012 and essentially provided a legal status for recipients for a renewable two-year term, work authorization and other benefits, including participation in the social security program, to 800,000 mostly-adult illegal aliens. This policy was implemented unilaterally to great controversy and legal concern after Congress rejected legislative proposals to extend similar benefits on numerous occasions to this same group of illegal aliens. In other words, the executive branch, through DACA, deliberately sought to achieve what the legislative branch specifically refused to authorize on multiple occasions. Such an open-ended circumvention of immigration laws was an unconstitutional exercise of authority by the Executive Branch. The effect of this unilateral executive amnesty, among other things, contributed to a surge of unaccompanied minors on the southern border that yielded terrible humanitarian consequences. It also denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens. We inherited from our Foundersand have advancedan unsurpassed legal heritage, which is the foundation of our freedom, safety, and prosperity. As the Attorney General, it is my duty to ensure that the laws of the United States are enforced and that the Constitutional order is upheld. No greater good can be done for the overall health and well-being of our Republic, than preserving and strengthening the impartial rule of law. Societies where the rule of law is treasured are societies that tend to flourish and succeed. Societies where the rule of law is subject to political whims and personal biases tend to become societies afflicted by corruption, poverty, and human suffering. To have a lawful system of immigration that serves the national interest, we cannot admit everyone who would like to come here. That is an open border policy and the American people have rightly rejected it. Therefore, the nation must set and enforce a limit on how many immigrants we admit each year and that means all can not be accepted. This does not mean they are bad people or that our nation disrespects or demeans them in any way. It means we are properly enforcing our laws as Congress has passed them. It is with these principles and duties in mind, and in light of imminent litigation, that we reviewed the Obama Administration's DACA policy. Our collective wisdom is that the policy is vulnerable to the same legal and constitutional challenges that the courts recognized with respect to the DAPA program, which was enjoined on a nationwide basis in a decision affirmed by the Fifth Circuit. The Fifth Circuit specifically concluded that DACA had not been implemented in a fashion that allowed sufficient discretion, and that DAPA was "foreclosed by Congress's careful plan." In other words, it was inconsistent with the Constitution's separation of powers. That decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court by an equally divided vote. If we were to keep the Obama Administration's executive amnesty policy, the likeliest outcome is that it would be enjoined just as was DAPA. The Department of Justice has advised the President and the Department of Homeland Security that DHS should begin an orderly, lawful wind down, including the cancellation of the memo that authorized this program. Acting Secretary Duke has chosen, appropriately, to initiate a wind down process. This will enable DHS to conduct an orderly change and fulfill the desire of this administration to create a time period for Congress to actshould it so choose. We firmly believe this is the responsible path. Simply put, if we are to further our goal of strengthening the constitutional order and the rule of law in America, the Department of Justice cannot defend this type of overreach. George Washington University Law School Professor Jonathan Turley in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee was clear about the enormous constitutional infirmities raised by these policies. He said: "In ordering this blanket exception, President Obama was nullifying part of a law that he simply disagreed with..If a president can claim sweeping discretion to suspend key federal laws, the entire legislative process becomes little more than a pretenseThe circumvention of the legislative process not only undermines the authority of this branch but destabilizes the tripartite system as a whole." Ending the previous Administration's disrespect for the legislative process is an important first step. All immigration policies should serve the interests of the people of the United Stateslawful immigrant and native born alike. Congress should carefully and thoughtfully pursue the types of reforms that are right for the American people. Our nation is comprised of good and decent people who want their government's leaders to fulfill their promises and advance an immigration policy that serves the national interest. We are a people of compassion and we are a people of law. But there is nothing compassionate about the failure to enforce immigration laws. Enforcing the law saves lives, protects communities and taxpayers, and prevents human suffering. Failure to enforce the laws in the past has put our nation at risk of crime, violence and even terrorism. The compassionate thing is to end the lawlessness, enforce our laws, and, if Congress chooses to make changes to those laws, to do so through the process set forth by our Founders in a way that advances the interest of the nation. That is what the President has promised to do and has delivered to the American people. Under President Trump's leadership, this administration has made great progress in the last few months toward establishing a lawful and constitutional immigration system. This makes us safer and more secure. It will further economically the lives of millions who are struggling. And it will enable our country to more effectively teach new immigrants about our system of government and assimilate them to the cultural understandings that support it. The substantial progress in reducing illegal immigration at our border seen in recent months is almost entirely the product of the leadership of President Trump and his inspired federal immigration officers. But the problem is not solved. And without more action, we could see illegality rise again rather than be eliminated. As a candidate, and now in office, President Trump has offered specific ideas and legislative solutions that will protect American workers, increase wages and salaries, defend our national security, ensure the public safety, and increase the general well-being of the American people. He has worked closely with many members of Congress, including in the introduction of the RAISE Act, which would produce enormous benefits for our country. This is how our democratic process works. There are many powerful interest groups in this country and every one of them has a constitutional right to advocate their views and represent whomever they choose. But the Department of Justice does not represent any narrow interest or any subset of the American people. We represent all of the American people and protect the integrity of our Constitution. That is our charge. We at Department of Justice are proud and honored to work to advance this vision for America and to do our best each day to ensure the safety and security of the American people. Thank you. (Sept. 15, 2017)While reports circulate that the Trump administration is closer to resolving questions left after last week's immigration announcement, Maryland's illegal immigrants or "undocumented residents" in today's politically correct parlanceare uncertain of what comes next.In conversations following the White House announcement, three of Maryland's "dreamers," as they are often called, told Capital News Service they are worried about their future without the legal protections of theprogram, known as DACA."When you're undocumented, the only thing you can rely on is your community," said. "For a lot of us, this will be the first time that we will be living undocumented as adults with adult responsibilities."Robledo arrived with her mother from Chile 20 years ago on tourist visas, she told Capital News Service."I've been here since I was 2 years old, and I have very little memoryif anyof Chile," she said. "All of my life and my memories, all of my special life events, have occurred here in the U.S.""The main reason my parents decided to come to the U.S. was the lack of opportunity in Chile," Robledo continued. "There was so much economic instability in Chile, and coming to the U.S. meant a better opportunity for a better life."DACA was created in 2012 under an executive order issued by President Barack Obama shielding young undocumented immigrants from deportation and granting them two-year renewable work permits.Since the program began, almost 800,000 people have been approved. To be eligible, immigrants had to be between the ages of 16 and 31 as of June 25, 2012. They also had to have lived in the United States since 2007, according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).Robledo applied for her first permit in 2012 and again when the program was briefly expanded to three-year stays in 2014. She applied most recently in July.President Donald Trump on Sept. 5 gave Congress six months to find a legislative solution to address the program thus allowing the issue to be publicly debated in the legislature in stark contrast to the current unilaterally issued executive order. New DACA applications will no longer be accepted but undocumented immigrants who are already covered can still apply for renewal, as long it is by Oct. 5."I can personally say that (with DACA) I finally felt like an average, normal American teenager," Robledo said.She attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, until financial struggles forced her to withdraw in 2014. Robledo was pursuing a double major in biology and political science with dreams of becoming a representative in Congress. She now works at an insurance agency in Baltimore."I'm very lucky, in a way, and privilegedwhich is kind of an oxymoronto be in a situation where my friends are very supportive of me and my employer is very supportive," Robledo said.The decision, while anticipated, felt "devastating" for Robledo."I know my parents have made it 20 years undocumented, and I know that I can make it if I try, but it will be hard," she said."I'm just so scared of the unknown because my whole life being undocumented so far has been while I was in school," she added. "It's already scary enough knowing that these are the years where you're supposed to set everything in motion for the rest of your life."A coalition of leaders across the country has signed a pledge supporting the DACA recipients. Among those are many Maryland politicians, including 12 state senators and four mayors.Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a joint statement Wednesday that Trump "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides."Trump disputed the account on Twitter, saying that "no deal was made last night on DACA.""We cannot let the Trump Administration get away with tearing apart innocent families and wreaking havoc on our economy in Maryland," Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, said in a Sept. 5 statement.As of March, there were roughly 9,700 Marylanders enrolled in the DACA program, according to data from USCIS.In Maryland, DACA-eligible dreamers are mainly found in three counties, based on 2016 data released by the Migration Policy Institute: Montgomery (roughly 8,000), Prince George's (6,000) and Baltimore (3,000).The DACA-eligible population in Maryland accounts for about 9.5 percent of the state's total unauthorized population, said Jeanne Batalova, senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute.The majority of DACA applicants in Maryland come from four countries: El Salvador (about 7,000 recipients), Mexico (5,000), Guatemala (4,000) and South Korea (2,000), per data from the institute., arrived in Baltimore shortly after her twelfth birthday with her mother from the Ivory Coast. Kolade said she will remain covered by DACA through February 2019."DACA gave me a little bit of the American dream because I was able to provide for myself and provide for my family," Kolade said. "With DACA, I'm able to help my mom with the bills."She and her mother came straight to Maryland because "it's the only place I have family.""Baltimore shaped me into the person I am today," she said. "I'm able to survive on my own and take care of myself."Kolade works as a clinical lab assistant at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. In 2014, she transferred to Towson University from Baltimore Community College. She is still in school, majoring in molecular biology.Kolade is registered under Maryland's DREAM Act and also under DACA, and received her first DACA work permit in October 2012.In 2012, Maryland passed its own DREAM Act to make in-state tuition accessible for its undocumented residents, provided they attended previous schooling in Maryland."With DACA, I really thought I had it all for a minute," Kolade said. "But even though DACA doesn't give us the whole American dream, at least it gave us a chance to go to school, work, and be part of the American society."Trump's announcement has changed Kolade's thinking."You've given us something and you've taken it away from us," she said. "You still have to worry about what happens next. It doesn't matter if it's going to stop in March or two or three years from now. It's really devastating because you don't know how you're going to survive for yourself."Kolade believes the administration's decision to rescind DACA is a sign that Trump doesn't understand that communities other than Latinos depend on the legal protections."Although (African populations) are a small minority, we still depend on DACA and still feel protected by it," Kolade said.Brian Frosh, Maryland's attorney general, announced Monday that Maryland will join Minnesota, California and Maine in a lawsuit against the decision to end DACA."The callous and cavalier action taken by the Trump Administration will destroy the lives of many immigrants who were brought here as infants and toddlers, who love the United States of America, who pay taxes and abide by the law," Frosh said in a statement. "Ending the program would constitute a $509.4 million loss to the state's annual GDP.""When I graduated from community college in Maryland in 2011, there was no DACA," said, who arrived from Honduras when he was 15."I had an associate's degree in nursing, but I was working as an electrician to pay my bills because it was the only job I could get," Aguiluz said. "Then DACA came along and changed my life completely within the span of four months."Upon receiving his Social Security number and work permit, Aguiluz told Capital News Service, he found work in his field almost immediately."I went from being an electrician to having a job as an RN," he said. "After being able to work legally, I went back to school and got my bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Maryland University College."Aguiluz had plans to continue his education, but is now at a loss because "pretty much everything has been placed on hold.""I was looking at my work permit this morning, and I have a stay here until November of next year when my permit expires," he said.In 2012, Aguiluz worked with advocates to pass Maryland's DREAM Act."It's really heartbreaking," he said. "I brought dreamers to the table to register, and now all that information is in the hands of the government. The Department of Homeland Security knows the phone numbers and addresses of all of us."Since Trump's Sept. 5 decision, CASA, a local immigrants rights organization, is focused on helping dreamers get legal assistance before the final deadline."We are holding several DACA renewal clinics," said Fernanda Durand, CASA communications manager. The clinics "help the DACA recipients renew their DACA applications."CASA will be holding three Maryland clinics before Oct. 5, said Durand: Sept. 16 and 30 in Langley Park and Sept. 23 in Baltimore.Aguiluz is afraid of what so much rumor and confusion means for himself and other undocumented immigrants."We are in a particularly unsafe position," Aguiluz said. "They can just go through my door and get me. It's very stressful."However, Aguiluz was smiling while talking to Capital News Service."I don't want to say that this is a sad occasion," he said. "From all the indications, we knew that this was going to happen. I'm here because of my community, the community that I built when we started fighting for the DREAM Act in 2012.""Community is what keeps us in this fight together." Can you float me a loan? Its a common question when your friends know youre flush with cash. Can I hold a ten for a minute? Can you spot me five? Sure, you probably could but will it be hard to collect on that debt or, as in the new noir mystery, Death Goes Overboard by David S. Pederson, will you be paid back swimmingly? The weekend was all set. Detective Heath Barrington had everything planned down to the last detail: he and police officer Alan Keyes were heading to a cabin in Northern Wisconsin, just the two of them, under the guise of a fishing trip. It was 1947, after all, and discretion was absolutely necessary for two professional gay men, but the getaway would be a great chance to see where their new relationship was going. Still, despite his and Alans carefulness, rumors could come from anywhere, which was why Barrington was worried when his boss called him in early one day. Fortunately, the Chief didnt want to quiz Barrington on his love life; he wanted to send the Detective on a special assignment. Milwaukee law enforcement had been following Gregor Slavinsky ever since the small-time hood got out of prison, assuming that hed screw up eventually - and thats exactly what happened: word on the street was that Slavinsky recently borrowed $25,000 from Benny Ballentine, a bigger crook and the guy the department really wanted to nab. Both were booked on a Lake Michigan excursion, and something was afoot. The Chief needed Barrington to find out more. The fishing trip cancelled, Barrington boarded a small luxury boat for a weekend tour. With few fellow travelers two known hoodlums, a henchman, plus a man and his elderly aunt he thought hed have no trouble keeping an eye on everyone, especially since the boats steward was an undercover cop, too. But when a scuffle, a splash, and a missing crook proved otherwise, Barrington knew his assignment had suddenly changed. Slavinsky was nobodys favorite guy but who among the handful of possible suspects had the most reason to kill him? Every cliche ever packed in a noir novel every single one seems to be inside Death Goes Overboard. Youve got mobsters, a fedora-wearing detective in a pinstriped suit, seemingly-prim matrons, and man-hungry blondes eager for marriage. Its like an old black-and-white movie in book form but curiously, you probably wont mind. You wont mind because author David S. Pederson has packed a lot of else in this novel. You dont normally find a soft-sided, poetry-writing mobster in a noir mystery, for instance, but hes here. And then theres the sweetly chaste, budding romance between two men; not so unusual, again, except that one of them is considering something drastic in order to hide his secret, a side-plot thats historically accurate and that fits. So this novel is both predictable and not, making it a nice diversion for a weekend or vacation. If thats the kind of book you enjoy, then Death Goes Overboard will make you buoyant. Toby Ross, one of the more notable porn auteurs from the early 1970s, now offers his fans a porn history lesson. In the 75-minute documentary "Paper Dreams" Ross fondly recalls the "nudie cutie" magazines which titillated gay men during the years before the filmed porn industry became legal. Ross himself was one of those gay men. In "Paper Dreams" he speaks of perusing such a magazine in Switzerland, where he was living at the time. The cute, scantily clad, sometimes nude boys and men that he saw in those pages inspired him to move to California, where he launched his porn career, first as a photographer, then as the director of numerous early gay classics, including "Cruisin' '57" and "Boys of the Slums." Later on in "Paper Dreams" Ross shows us a 1970s film clip which recreates a photo session from one such magazine. Ross himself, a handsome man then in his early thirties, appears in the film as a TV host interviewing the photographer. The photo session itself is quite hilarious. "Smile," says the photographer, as the cute young model complies. Eager to please, the adorable young man opens his shirt and drops his pants as the photographer clicks away. The obviously horny photographer "grabs" every chance he can to touch his model, not because he's attracted to his subject--heaven forbid! No, he's just trying to be helpful! Most of "Paper Dreams" takes on a more serious tone. Ross reminds older viewers, and teaches younger viewers, that it wasn't always so easy to be out or to celebrate our sexuality. There was a time when being gay was an absolute taboo. For many closeted younger and older men of that era looking at magazines with names like "Muscle" and "Demi-Gods" were the only validation of their sexuality which was available to them. These publications were marketed as "educational," though what lessons they were teaching is never quite made clear. At first nudity was strictly forbidden--the models wore jockstraps. Slowly but surely it became OK to show a penis or two. Here's where we get a real history lesson on forgotten gay culture. Ross tells us a little bit about Brian Idol, a stunningly beautiful man who was one of the few models during the 1960s who appeared to have a full-time career posing for these magazines and for short films in which he would do jumping jacks or jog in place while naked. Ross also remembers Bob Mizer, a photographer and filmmaker who began working during the late 1940s--Mizer's artfully lit, carefully posed photos were considered to be the genre's highest quality. It's important that we remember the work of Idol and Mizer--at a time when being gay was still a crime, Idol and Mizer not only celebrated who they were, they let that closeted gay kid in Des Moines--or South Floridaknow that it was OK to be who they were. Through these magazines, those kids learned that they weren't alone. Ross doesn't shy away from the truth. Sometimes there were police raids, with photographers and publishers facing criminal prosecution. Among those arrested was the son of actress Loretta Young, a major movie star during the 1930s and 40s. This is where Ross shows some over-the-top humor. As the "dark cloud" hanging over the industry is discussed, thunder and lightning are shown. The film's narration can also be amusing. With the passage of time, as more and more penises are shown in these magazines, a reference is made to the legendary Summer of Love--the hippie era. The narrator emphasizes the "love" part: "the Summer of Loooooovvvvve" he says as he lowers his voice a few octaves. It's amusing. But overall, "Paper Dreams" is an important work. We can't understand who we are unless we know where we came from. In terms of our sexuality, "Paper Dreams" tells us where we came from. "Paper Dreams" is available on DVD at Amazon. Unappealing title aside, writer/director Eliza Hittmans Beach Rats (Neon) is one of the most captivating and sensitive portraits of sexual confusion you are likely to see anytime soon. And thats saying a lot in the age of Moonlight. Aimless teen Frankie (the scorching British actor Harris Dickinson) has various ways he likes to waste time in the summer, including getting wasted on pilfered prescription meds and pot with his equally adrift posse Nick (Frank Hakaj), Nick (David Ivanov) and Jesse (Anton Selyaninov). Frankie also likes taking seductive shirtless selfies and cruising online gay sex sites such as Brooklyn Boys. Not surprisingly, in terms of sexual attraction, Frankie doesnt know what he likes. At least thats what he tells the men he encounters while hes cruising the web. Some he meets for hookups in parks, cars and motel rooms. Frankies also the kind of conscientious sexual partner who manscapes and is aware of personal hygiene. Frankie doesnt think of himself as gay but he has sex with men. As he tells one trick whos closer to his age than the others, he likes older men because that decreases the chances of them knowing anyone he knows. As if to prove hes one of the guys, Frankie agrees to go out with the aggressive Simone (Madeline Weinstein), whom he meets on the Coney Island Boardwalk. Their first sexual encounter falls flat, which Frankie blames on the combination of drugs coursing through his system. But the truth is, he has no problem getting aroused with guys. Eventually he finds a way to make things works with Simone in order to maintain his cover. However, that doesnt stop him from cruising the gay sex sites. When an online hookup agrees to provide weed, Frankie unwisely includes his buddies in the encounter, and as you can imagine, things go south quickly. Theres more to Frankie than meets the eye. Hes well-spoken and thoughtful. He tries to be a good son to mother Donna (Kate Hodge) and his father dying of cancer in a hospital bed in the living room, as well as a concerned older brother to sister Carla (Nicole Flyus). Hittmans camera loves Frankies body and rightfully so. Not your run-of-the-mill coming out story by any stretch of the imagination, Beach Rats provides no easy answers or resolution. Still, its a welcome addition to growing canon of queer cinema. Rating: B+ 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. Cassini disintegrates NASA A thrilling epoch in the exploration of our solar system came to a close today, as NASAs Cassini spacecraft made a fateful plunge into the atmosphere of Saturn, ending its 13-year tour of the ringed planet. This is the final chapter of an amazing mission, but its also a new beginning, said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASAs Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Cassinis discovery of ocean worlds at Titan and Enceladus changed everything, shaking our views to the core about surprising places to search for potential life beyond Earth. Telemetry received during the plunge indicates that, as expected, Cassini entered Saturns atmosphere with its thrusters firing to maintain stability, as it sent back a unique final set of science observations. Loss of contact with the Cassini spacecraft occurred at 7:55 a.m. EDT (4:55 a.m. PDT), with the signal received by NASAs Deep Space Network antenna complex in Canberra, Australia. Its a bittersweet, but fond, farewell to a mission that leaves behind an incredible wealth of discoveries that have changed our view of Saturn and our solar system, and will continue to shape future missions and research, said Michael Watkins, director of NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, which manages the Cassini mission for the agency. JPL also designed, developed and assembled the spacecraft. Cassinis plunge brings to a close a series of 22 weekly Grand Finale dives between Saturn and its rings (https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/grandfinale), a feat never before attempted by any spacecraft. The Cassini operations team did an absolutely stellar job guiding the spacecraft to its noble end, said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at JPL. From designing the trajectory seven years ago, to navigating through the 22 nail-biting plunges between Saturn and its rings, this is a crack shot group of scientists and engineers that scripted a fitting end to a great mission. What a way to go. Truly a blaze of glory. As planned, data from eight of Cassinis science instruments was beamed back to Earth. Mission scientists will examine the spacecrafts final observations in the coming weeks for new insights about Saturn, including hints about the planets formation and evolution, and processes occurring in its atmosphere. Things never will be quite the same for those of us on the Cassini team now that the spacecraft is no longer flying, said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at JPL. But, we take comfort knowing that every time we look up at Saturn in the night sky, part of Cassini will be there, too. Cassini launched in 1997 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and arrived at Saturn in 2004. NASA extended its mission twice first for two years, and then for seven more. The second mission extension provided dozens of flybys of the planets icy moons, using the spacecrafts remaining rocket propellant along the way. Cassini finished its tour of the Saturn system with its Grand Finale, capped by Fridays intentional plunge into the planet to ensure Saturns moons particularly Enceladus, with its subsurface ocean and signs of hydrothermal activity remain pristine for future exploration. While the Cassini spacecraft is gone, its enormous collection of data about Saturn the giant planet, its magnetosphere, rings and moons will continue to yield new discoveries for decades to come. Cassini may be gone, but its scientific bounty will keep us occupied for many years, Spilker said. Weve only scratched the surface of what we can learn from the mountain of data it has sent back over its lifetime. The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASAs Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Once again three races for amateur drivers dotted the card at Monticello Raceway on Thursday with two events contested in the North American Amateur Drivers Association Fall Trotting Series and one in the Catskill Amateur Drivers Club Pacing Series. Bob Krivelin, Alan Schwartz and Monica Banca were victorious in their respective splits. Krivelin and Schwartz each won a NAADA trot while Bancas victory came in a CADC pacing even. With rain threatening throughout the afternoon Krivelin was the first to reach the winners circle when he guided Permanent Joy to a come-from-behind victory over Tony Verrusos Flirting Duezy in a 1:59.3 clocking over a racetrack rated fast. When the field rounded the second turn in that contest Krivelin moved Permanent Joy to the outside and flushed out Verrusos trotter for cover as Dave Yarock showed the way with Mr Ridgetaker. At the head of the lane Yarocks charge still had command but yielded as Permanent Joy finished strong and rallied to a 1-1/2 length victory over Flirting Duezy. Jennifer Lappe took home the show dough with Fox Valley Steffen. I moved (Permanent Joy) early and we had cover until I wheeled him three deep on the final turn and when I did he trotted by the leaders and was home free, Krivelin said of his 9-year-old Trot For Joy gelding. Dismissed by the bettors and sent off at odds of over 7-1 Permanent Joy, owned and trained by Krivelin, paid $16.80. For Krivelin it marked his 210th career driving victory. Schwartzs triumph with The Fighter came as a result of patience, both before and during the race. Hard to control prior to going behind the starting gate but once there The Fighter acts almost normal. When the gate sprung Schwartz settled in the two hole behind Hannah Millers Hidden Identity and sat patiently behind her as she led him all the way to the top of the stretch where he found room in the passing lane and rallied to a nose victory over a hard charging Brandos Muscle Man ,driven by Monica Banca. Hidden Identity held on for third. I got lucky in that Hannah (Miller) was strong on the lead all the way to the stretch. And at that point I sent The Fighter down the passing lane and we won by the slimmest of margins. But a win is a win , Schwartz said smiling. Owned by Ed and James Hall and trained by Danny Gill The Fighter returned a $10.20 win mutuel. For Schwartz it marked his 12th seasonal driving victory and the 587th of his amateur driving career. Although denied victory in the NAADA trot Monica Banca wouldnt be rebuffed in the CADC pace when she gunned Fox Valley Leo to the lead and made every pole a winning one en route to a 1:57.2 triumph Second place went to Artistic Cruiser driven by Hannah Miller which made all-lady Exacta. Third place went to Bob Hechkoffs Italian Rebel. Once the gate closed he really wanted to go and I had a firm hold on him all the way to the half, Banca said of Fox Valley Leo.. After that I eased up on the lines and he paced on to an easy three length victory Owned and trained by Rick Dane, Fox Valley Leo scored his 7th seasonal triumph. For the Norwegian native it marked her sixth driving victory in just 12 seasonal starts and 20th since she began driving here in 2013. Amateur Day at the races began last Thursday at Monticello Raceway and is slated to continue weekly through November. (NAADA/CADC) An Indictment on the Church Contact: Minister Angela Crudupt, Sent by Jesus, LLC, 563-453-3045, info@angelacrudupt.com LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Minister and prayer warrior, Angela Crudupt, this week officially announced the launch of her two new books, 'Blessed Is' and 'Examine First, Yourself.' Both are powerfully insightful and exhortative books on the Christian virtue and discipline. Crudupt, fearlessly direct, uses her gift as a minister to expose, challenge and motivate the body of Christ through thought-provoking text that inspires spiritual accountability, conviction, submission, and transformation. Uniquely qualified, having overcome a host of abuse and illness as well as ministering in underserved communities, Crudupt exhorts those who are yearning and seeking a greater spiritual alignment to passionately pursue and firmly protect their relationship with Jesus Christ."While many Christian books are rooted in personal testimonies, these books are firmly established in self-discipline, applying scripture and divine revelation to combat modern-day issues plaguing the Church," says Founder of Sent by Jesus LLC, Angela Crudupt.'Blessed Is' offers spiritual understanding to address commonly ignored truths that will challenge and motivate each reader by revealing what it truly means to be blessed by God, providing biblically sound doctrine. 'Examine First, Yourself,' a book about discipleship, dares the reader to take their spiritual responsibility seriously. It is a call to maturity so the reader "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18-19).Crudupt, a worshipper of Christ, ardent minister, fervent prayer intercessor, teacher, entrepreneur, and author of several books, is dedicated to building the Kingdom of God through ecclesiastical church ministry, evangelism, prayer, love and community outreach. She established the ministry Sent by Jesus, LLC in 2014 with the goal of training believers to become disciplined followers of Christ.For more information about author Sent by Jesus ministries, bulk book purchase and author information, please contact Angela Crudupt at info@angelacrudupt.com . Or, visit her website at www.angelacrudupt.com Bishop E.W. Jackson Calls for Nationwide Observances on September 17 - 230th Anniversary of Constitution's Passage Contact: Renyatta Banks, S.T.A.N.D., 757-375-6444, renyatta@standamerica.us CHESAPEAKE, Va., Sept. 15, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- "While Antifa is creating unrest and division and a few racists and white supremacists are using Confederate monuments to get attention, Americans are forgetting one of the most important days in our history. September 17th is the 230th Anniversary of the passage of the Constitution." That statement was issued by E.W. Jackson, President and Founder of STAND, Staying True to America's National Destiny. Mr. Jackson established STAND eight years ago to "unite Americans as one nation under God for the preservation and defense of our Judeo-Christian heritage and values, Constitution, free market economy, national security and the freedom of every citizen." STAND has declared September "American History Month." Says Jackson, "One of the reasons why we are so divided is ignorance of our history and an accompanying loss of national identity. Our identity is in our common heritage and unique Founding principles. These ideas made us the greatest nation on earth long before we became a giant economy with industries and the most powerful military in the world." STAND's Pastors network - Ministers Taking a STAND - along with others around the country are commemorating Constitution Day with readings from the Constitution and stories about America's founding. Jackson, a Bishop and Pastor himself, will be holding a special Constitution Day Service at his own church at 943 Canal Drive in Chesapeake, Virginia at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 17. Bishop Jackson says this is about more than knowing historical facts: "George Santayana said that those who forget history are destined to repeat it. I believe that a nation which forgets its history is doomed to lose its identity, unity and reason for being. America is a providential nation which exists to provide freedom, human dignity and the opportunity to fulfill one's God-given potential. In spite of our imperfections, that is who we are. We do well to remember it." E.W. Jackson is founder & President of S.T.A.N.D. (www.standamerica.us); a nationally syndicated radio host on American Family Radio & Urban Family Talk; Presiding Bishop of The Called Church; and was 2013 Republican Nominee for Lt. Governor of Virginia. twitter@ewjacksonsr; facebook@ewjacksonsr Activists Conduct Acts of Civil Disobedience at Abortion Clinics in Defense of Unborn #RedRoseRescue takes place in US three cities Contact: Mark Harrington, Executive Director, Created Equal, 614-419-9000, Mark@CreatedEqual.org COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 15, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- This morning, in three different cities across the United States, pro-lifers simultaneously entered abortion centers to talk to women scheduled for abortions, and by refusing to leave the clinics when told to do so by law enforcement, they offered an act of non-violent defense of unborn children about to be aborted, resulting in the pro-lifers' arrests. For up-to-the-minute information, go to: facebook.com/CreatedEqual Those defending the unborn entered: Northland Family Planning, 3810 17 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights, MI Alexandria Women's Health Clinic, 101 S Whiting St. #215, Alexandria, Virginia University of New Mexico Center for Reproductive Health, E, 2301 Yale Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM. Once inside the clinics, small teams of pro-lifers peacefully approached mothers seated in the waiting rooms and offered them red roses as a symbol of life. Attached to each rose was a card which on one side read, "You were made to love and to be loved ... Your goodness is greater than the difficulties of your situation. Circumstances in life change. A new life, however tiny, brings the promise of unrepeatable joy." The card also contained phone numbers of local pregnancy help centers. Those involved in the "Red Rose Rescue" talked to women scheduled for abortions, extending to them words of encouragement and offering material help. In addition to reaching out to the mothers, the rescuers chose to remain in the clinic as an act of solidarity with the unborn children scheduled to be killed by abortionists. The rescuers, like any others who recognize an urgent situation, responded to dire circumstances of imminent peril in a spirit of intervention on behalf of innocent babies and beleaguered mothers. The Red Rose Rescue is modeled after the pro-life rescue activity of well-known Canadian activist Mary Wagner, who has repeatedly entered Toronto abortion centers and offered red roses to mothers waiting to have their children aborted. These rescues did not involve the blockading of abortion center entrances or procedure rooms. When police officers arrived on the scene, pro-lifers attempted to continue conversation with women or sat on the floor praying quietly or singing hymns until they were placed under arrest. Monica Migliorino Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society who participated in the rescue at the Michigan clinic, explains: The Red Rose Rescue is an act of charity for women who feel for whatever reason they must have their innocent unborn children killed. Those who took part were willing to embrace risks for these women and their babies. We will go into the very places where the unborn are put to death and extend help to the moms. Should this help be refusedwe will not leave the abortion centers but remain in solidarity with the helpless victims oppressed by the injustice of abortion. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that her work was "to go into the dark holes of the poor." The Red Rose Rescue is an action of going into the dark holes of the poor--namely abortion centers--where the innocent are rejected--and in these dark holes we seek to bring hope, true peace and the presence of God. Those involved in the Red Rose Rescue include two Catholic priests, Fathers Stephen Imbarrato and Fidelis Moscinski, arrested in Alexandria, VA; several veteran pro-life activists, such as Joan Andrews Bell; and pro-lifers from the millennial generation. For additional Information please contact: Sterling Heights, Michigan: Mark Harrington, Created Equal, 614.419.9000, mark@createdequal.org Alexandria, VA: Fr. Stephen Imbarrato, 505.980.3446, frstephen@priestsforlife.org Albuquerque, NM: Bud and Tara Shaver, 505.319.7825, shavermissions@gmail.com Pre-Trib Research Center Relocates to Calvary University Contact: Dr. Skip Hessel,816-322-0110KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 15, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- Dr. Thomas Ice will join the Calvary University faculty as Professor of Bible and Theology in January 2018. Upon Dr. Ice's hiring, Dr. Cone, President of Calvary University, said, "We are excited about Dr. Ice at Calvary University. His work and ministry is emblematic of Calvary University's commitment to the consistent application of the literal grammatical historical hermeneutic and dispensational thought."Dr. Ice is the Executive Director of The Pre-Trib Research Center, set to relocate to the Calvary University campus in January 2018 (though the annual meetings will continue to be held in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area). He founded The Center in 1994 with Dr. Tim LeHaye to research, teach, and defend the pretribulation rapture and related bible prophecy doctrines. Dr. Ice has authored and co-authored over 30 books, written hundreds of articles, and is a frequent conference speaker. He has served as a pastor for 17 years. Dr. Ice has a B.A. from Howard Payne University, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, a Ph.D. from Tyndale Theological Seminary, and has done post-doctoral work at the University of Wales in the United Kingdom.If interested in learning more about the Pre-Trib Research Center, please visit www.pre-trib.org or consider attending the 26th Annual Pre-Trib Conference Dec 4-6, 2017 in Irving, TX.Find out more about Calvary University at Calvary.edu There are fears that Moscow may be moving far more troops into Belarus than it intends to withdraw , establishing a permanent military presence there on the border with NATO countries. And officials in the Baltics and Poland have voiced alarm that the exercises could be used as a cover for Russian aggression, as happened in 2014, when Moscow staged large-scale exercises to camouflage preparations for its annexation of Crimea and intervention on the side of pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. NATO will be monitoring the exercises closely, the alliances secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in an interview recently in Brussels, the site of NATOs headquarters. Russia, he said, is entirely within its rights to train its forces, but has stirred unease by routinely skirting mutually agreed upon rules designed to calm jitters. The lack of transparency increases the risk of misunderstanding, miscalculations, accidents and incidents that can become dangerous, Mr. Stoltenberg said. He called on Russia to respect both the letter and intentions of the so-called Vienna Document, which commits Russia and Western nations to report all exercises with more than 13,000 troops or 300 tanks and to allow foreign observers to monitor those that do. The West has been bracing for the Russian exercises for months. Then, late last month, a scenario outlined by the military leadership in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, described the main task for this years Zapad program: to repel aggression by Veishnoriya, a fictional country that is backed by the West and intent on driving a wedge between Russia and Belarus. The scenario also includes two other fake countries, Lubeniya and Vesbasriya, which form a coalition with Veishnoriya to menace Russian security. The Baltic States and Poland, which fear that the fictional nations invented by Zapad planners are thinly disguised proxies for their own countries, say they believe that the number of Russian troops taking part in Zapad-2017 could reach 100,000. Western nations conduct war games, too, of course. This summer, the United States led an allied force of 25,000 in exercises in Eastern Europe. But the West follows the rules in the Vienna Document, and allows Russian observers to keep a watch. Russia, Mr. Stoltenberg said, has a record of exploiting loopholes in the Vienna Document, habitually understating the number of troops taking part in war games by tens of thousands. Moscow and Minsk insist that this weeks Zapad exercise will involve just 12,700 troops. This means that, like all previous Russian military exercises since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, it weighs in just under the 13,000-troop threshold and is therefore is free of observers from the West. Photo But Estonias defense minister, Margus Tsahkna, has pointed to a tender issued this year by Russias Ministry of Defense for more than 4,000 railway wagons to transport military equipment and soldiers to Belarus. The figure suggests that far bigger military contingents would be on the move than declared, the minister said, a sign that Moscow may intend to leave some behind. The United States military has echoed such worries, with Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who heads the Army forces in Europe, describing Zapad as a possible Trojan horse that would send in Russian forces but not take them out. Belarus, which depends on Russian supplies of cheap energy to keep its economy afloat and shares Mr. Putins belief that the West is plotting to sow division and even to invade, says it has no such concerns itself. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main stor Military exercises, including those conducted by NATO, often feature invented enemies, a practice that blurs their real purpose and avoids upsetting real countries that do not like to be used as a punching bag for military training especially when this involves simulated nuclear attacks. Western experts say they believe that Russian war games in 2009 and 2013 included simulated nuclear strikes against Warsaw and Stockholm. The three fake countries at the center of the Zapad-2017 drills, however, have taken on a virtual life of their own online. While it is not clear who is behind it, a clearly pro-Western satirical Twitter account issues regular announcements in the name of the Veishnoriya Ministry of Foreign Affairs and displays pictures of the fake countrys passport, flag, national currency and other national symbols, all of them invented. We are deeply concerned about the concentration of Belarusian military equipment at the borders of Veishnoriya, reads one message posted by the nonexistent nations Foreign Ministry. Others include a call for volunteers from brotherly countries to repel an invasion from the east and warnings that Veishnoriyans are warlike beasts who will not surrender. Veishnoriya also has a lively account on Vkontakte, the Russian equivalent of Facebook, with posts of beautiful Veishnoriyan women and natives in what is said to be traditional Veishnoriyan clothing. It also has fierce supporters on Facebook, where one fan provided a tongue-in-cheek historical note about the nonexistent countrys martial spirit: Throughout its history, Veishnoriya hasnt lost a single war. Russia has dismissed Western anxieties over Zapad-2017, saying that the exercises are purely defensive. Fueling unease is Russias silence on what exactly the exercises will involve. Belarus has invited foreign military attaches based in Minsk to watch and released some details of its war games with Russia, including airstrikes and tank battles on Sunday and Monday. But it is not clear that the attaches will have the freedom they need to move about and to talk with soldiers. Moscow, for its part, has said only that the exercises threaten nobody and will involve operations in Belarus, in Russias Western Military District and in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, next to Poland. This vagueness, according to NATO officials in Brussels, continues a pattern of obfuscation deeply entrenched since the Soviet era. A declassified C.I.A. report on Soviet military exercises prepared in the 1980s said that deception was always a central feature of Moscows training program, with Soviet forces deploying elaborate ruses to camouflage the real number of troops and purpose of their major exercises. It noted that a Soviet naval exercise designed to practice landing troops on islands off Denmark, a member of NATO, had been disguised as training devoted to the defense of Soviet shores. Measures taken to deceive NATO, the C.I.A. report said, included leaking fake information on Soviet radio frequencies monitored by the West and planting disinformation through human agents. In some cases, the Soviet military deployed special camouflage forces that operated in totally different regions from those taking part in a real exercise so as to mislead NATO intelligence. It also generated phony radio traffic in a manner intended to deceive foreign intelligence to the type of the exercise, its aim, conduct etc. Foreign observers from NATO were never allowed to watch Soviet-era Zapad exercises, and diplomats based in Moscow were barred from visiting regions where the exercises were taking place. That was supposed to change with the signing of the Vienna Document , adopted in 1990 by the Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and updated in 2011, but Russia has always found ways to circumvent the agreement. Mr. Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, said he could not speculate about the real purpose of Zapad-2017, saying that this would become clear only once it was over next week. At the same time, he noted, the exercise fits a pattern of a more assertive Russia that is exercising more aggressively and, through its actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, has shown that it is willing to use military force against its neighbors. Press release Dutch Court of Appeal does not clear Dahabshiil of Terror and Criminal Allegations A Christian-Muslim speaker duo who will appear in a Longview church Tuesday hope to improve relations among all faiths and to combat what they call the Islamophobia industry. A presentation called Faith Without Fear: Standing With Our Muslim Neighbors will take place at 3 p.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal Church. It is an effort to teach local leaders about the Islamophobia industry, which the speakers say distorts peoples perceptions of the worlds second largest religion. Lower Columbia Interfaith Advocates, a coalition of local faith communities, is the sponsor. The speakers, Anacortes native and Lutheran pastor Terry Kyllo and Seattle-based lawyer and Muslim Aneelah Afzali, both say they want people of other faiths, particularly Christians, to understand that they have more in common with Muslims than they might expect. Theres a lot of divisiveness, and not a lot of understanding, said Afzali, the executive director for the Muslim Association of Puget Sound. We want to build the bridges to make this a better country and have better communities. Afzali said it can be crucial just for some Americans to simply meet a Muslim in person. The reality, unfortunately, is that the majority of Americans dont personally know a Muslim and dont know much about Islam, Afzali said. Thats a recipe for disaster when we have an industry that is perpetuating fear and spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation. The Southern Poverty Law Center reports that the number of organizations it labels as anti-Muslim hate groups, such as ACT for America, has skyrocketed in recent years, jumping from 34 in 2015 to 101 in 2016. These groups stage rallies, distribute literature and lobby lawmakers for anti-Islamic policies. The University of California-Berkeley found that between 2008 and 2013, certain Islamophobic groups earned more than $200 million in cumulative revenue. The Faith Over Fear tour will visit 10 cities around Western Washington. Longview is the first stop. Kyllo said outside of visits to Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, he and Afzali intentionally chose to speak in smaller towns, such as Port Orchard and Mount Vernon. Its just really important to us that we have these conversations across the state, and not just in Seattle or Tacoma or Portland, said Kyllo, who grew up in a small Eastern Washington town. Afzali said she and Kyllo are looking forward to starting a dialogue with the citizens in Cowlitz County, where an Islamic presence is nearly non-existent. We really wanted to speak to other communities, particularly small towns where they might not know American Muslims, she said. I actually anticipate that in some cases, I might be the first Muslim some people have encountered in real life, as opposed to on TV or elsewhere. Were reaching out to Trump supporters, evangelical Christians. We want to go beyond the Seattle area, because in other areas, these conversations are not happening. Afzali acknowledged that the attacks of Islamic terrorist organizations make it challenging to dispel suspicion about Muslims in general, but she emphasizes the similarities between Muslims and other Americans. Were helping to change the narrative by giving (skeptics) facts and data, but also recognize that when peoples fears are about physical things (like safety), sometimes the facts arent enough to change minds, Afzali said. We really want to try to address where that fear is rooted, where its coming from, and how we can address the common concerns. American Muslims are like all Americans. Were also concerned about national safety, and we want to make this country great. Kyllo said he feels compelled to stand with Muslims as both an American and a Christian, while Afzali will discuss how the Islamophobia movement is funded, the movements messages, and how it undermines everyones human rights. Kyllo said he and Afzali make for a great team, as Afzali can speak personally about the experiences of a Muslim American, while Kyllo acts a Christian ally. I try to use my white male Christian privilege to create a space where people can hear Muslims for the first time, he said. Reverend Kathleen Patton of St. Stephens said she is excited to have her church host this event, which she feels is necessary. I think in our town, its difficult to be Muslim, Patton said. I think its easy for white folks and Christian folk to overlook the prejudice in our community and not really understand what types of challenges (Muslims) face. I think its important for people who want to be good neighbors to have an opportunity to learn about those challenges and how to learn to make Longview the friendliest, most welcoming, safest community it can be. Although Afzali expects some pushback, she and Kyllo hope to soften peoples views towards Islam. I think weve living in a time where weve forgotten how to recognize other human beings, Kyllo said. Human capacity for tribalism is getting the best of us, and I dont think we have to live like that. We really want to give people this opportunity, and we really hope people turn out, Afzali said. We want to do something that recognizes that were all in this together as Americans. Longview car tab fee? We hope you read the brief in Wednesdays edition of TDN about the city of Longview and road projects. The City Council was supposed to review road funding and a proposed adjustment to the Transportation Benefit District at last nights meeting. In the news brief, the TDN news team highlighted cost overages for street repairs. Specifically, the 15th Avenue repaving project, originally estimated to cost $550,000, reportedly now will cost $950,000. With the cost overages for 15th Avenue and other planned projects, the city is now looking at costs of $1.1 million more than planned. City officials said the cost overages are due to a spike in bid prices. We called the city yesterday to get a better explanation of cost pressures. It seems the original cost projections were based off a study from 2012. Since 2012, the cost of concrete has increased. Also, the bid for 15th Avenue repaving was put out late, meaning most construction companies had already booked jobs. Therefore, only one company actually bid on the 15th Avenue job. Lets hope the council understands the taxpayers didnt want the $20 car tab fee and certainly dont want to see the fee go up. Nordstrom going private? Efforts are underway at Nordstrom to take the company back to private ownership. The Seattle Times reports that the Nordstrom family owns about 31 percent of the company stock and would need to raise enough money to buy the shares they dont own. Publicly-owned companies tend to operate much differently than privately-owned ones. In a public company, the goal is increased profits to grow shareholder value. This means when times are tough, public companies typically cut costs dramatically to maintain profits. In a private company, the goal is to get whatever level of financial return the owners are OK with. In challenging times, this means privately-owned businesses can accept lower profits, not compromise product or service quality, and work to return the business to higher profits as markets improve. Larger retailers have been struggling for years and things seem to be getting worse. Online retailers that dont have physical storefronts, such as Amazon, have captured shoppers who used to go to the mall. Nordstrom seems to think going back to being privately owned will give it the flexibility to retool the business and compete again. We hope Nordstrom survives and does well. The Nordstrom name is synonymous with the Pacific Northwest, and one wed like to see endure. Equifax hack: With the news this last week that Equifaxs data files were hacked, it seems just about everyone in the country has been hacked at one point or another. Apple is able to build an iPhone the FBI cant hack, but companies cant safeguard our data. Equifax will provide affected people with free credit monitoring for a year. Our question is what happens when someones identity is stolen two years from now and they are financially ruined? One year of credit monitoring seems not to be nearly enough. If you want to find out more about the Equifax hacking issue, go to www.equifaxsecurity2017.com. Media sues: The Associated Press, as part of a group of news outlets, is suing the Washington State Legislature over public records access. It seems the Legislature is claiming the public records law excludes them from some disclosures. Specifically, some lawmakers are contending their appointment calendars, text messages and government emails are not subject to the public records laws. This issue is a good example of why taxpayers dont trust government. Please join us in calling legislators from the 18th, 19th and 20th districts and demand they make schedules, messages and emails public. Seattle mayor resigns: In what can only be seen as bad news, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray quickly resigned after a fifth man accused him of sexual abuse. The TDN editorial board has written extensively about pedophiles, teacher-student abuse and sex offenders. Weve consistently editorialized for strict laws and public notices regarding offenders and Mayor Murrays resignation is another example why. Sexual abuse happens far too often in our society. We are constantly reading about teachers, clergy, politicians and everyday citizens abusing people, and a large percentage of the victims are children. Weve researched sex abuse to understand the issue better and theres a pretty consistent pattern to it. Regardless of the study, most indicate girls are more likely to suffer abuse than boys, but boys get abused as well. Abusers largely are family members and almost always male. The victims often either delay telling someone about the abuse or never do. Regardless of the data, our hearts go out to the victims. Childrens Discovery Did you know that our community has a magical place where kids can make discoveries through play? Kids and their parents can have fun and make friends while exploring nature, doctoring, giant Lincoln logs, a market, and boating. I volunteer for the Childrens Discovery Museum in Three Rivers Mall in the Willapa Hills Audubon Society Nature Niche. The museum occupies the former Macys clearance store and is open Wednesdays and Sundays. It features a ping pong ball shower, a wind tunnel, and a harmonograph. Puppets, baby toys, books, shadows, and dance delight our visitors. Admission is free, but we do have expenses. Exhibits, events, painting, refurbishing, and decorating are ably coordinated by Executive Director Dawn Morgan. Thrifty as she is, we need your help to keep us open. On Sept. 21, we will celebrate Give More 24 and tax-deductible donations to the Childrens Discovery Museum will be matched. Many parents tell us that the museum is just what this community needs. Support creative fun by giving at give-more-24.org/designee/childrens-discover-museum. Ann Cordero Longview Defending Israel On Aug. 31, a writer placed Israel and North Korea in the same category claiming that they are both rogue, beggar nations who terrorize others. Possibly if this writer understood the amount of good that comes from the nation of Israel his opinion would change. One of those good things is a program called, Save a Childs Heart, at Wolfson Medical Center in Central Israel. Rather than wishing ill on its Arab foes, this Israeli Hospital treats thousands of Palestinian Arab children as well as Arab children from Iraq and Afghanistan and other places. As far as labeling Israel as an occupier, the truth of the matter is the Jews are entitled to every square inch of Judea and Samaria and much more according to the terms of the international treaty signed at San Remo. (Balfour Declaration) In the 1967 war, Israel again had to defend herself due to the violation of previous truce agreements and being surrounded by nations ready to attack. Linda Weber Meskew Toutle Pet owners Several candidates and citizens cite anecdotal evidence to support a leash law. We seldom view a simple issue like this through the lens of freedom or even good governance, but maybe we should. Compelling others always seems a convenient answer, but seldom really is. Will an ordinance suddenly make irresponsible pet owners responsible? Unlikely. Will it if we coerce responsible pet owners and non-pet owners alike to share the cost of enforcement? Hardly. An animal attack is awful, but does compelling the animals owner to pay a fine make everything okay? Nope. Besides, a responsible pet owner makes things right even without an ordinance. So maybe an ordinance isnt the solution if the goal is responsible pet ownership. How do free people handle irresponsible pet owning neighbors? The Golden Rule doesnt allow us to excuse ourselves with oh, I would never do that. Instead it demands we treat others as if it was us. Definitely harder than calling 911, working cooperatively with that seemingly incorrigible neighbor may actually achieve the desired goal. Food for thought. Jerry Cooper Kelso Canada, China, EU and partners push forward on Paris climate accord Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who will host climate talks in Montreal starting Saturday, has set himself apart from US President Donald Trump, who rejected the Paris climate accord AFP, Montreal : Some 30 environment ministers will push forward on the Paris climate accord at a meeting Saturday requested by Canada, China and the European Union. With more than half of G20 members attending-representing most of the world's largest economies-"this first gathering of its kind aims to further galvanize global momentum for the implementation of the Paris Agreement," the European Commission said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, who will make a brief appearance at the Montreal talks, will again stand apart from US President Donald Trump on this issue and resolutely commit Canada to reduce its carbon footprint, Canadian officials have said. When Trump chose to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord, Canada, China and the European Union immediately reaffirmed their respective commitments to the climate pact, and in July the G20 called the accord "irreversible." Nearly 200 countries agreed in Paris at the end of 2015 to limit or reduce carbon dioxide emissions with the aim of keeping the rise in average global temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, compared to preindustrial levels. On the eve of the Montreal conference, Europe's top climate official Miguel Arias Canete said the EU continues to press for "full and swift implementation" of the accord, noting that progress has been made toward finalizing details of its plan to reduce European emissions by 40 percent by 2030. Despite being the world's sixth-largest oil producer, Canada is "committed to its international climate obligations," said the environment ministry. It hopes to reach its climate goal by massively investing in "clean energy" technologies, a spokeswoman added. Key player China and its special representative Xie Zhenhua will bring to the table a potentially major advancement in transportation. China, along with Britain and France, has announced its intentions to ban petrol and diesel cars starting in 2040. This would bring a huge drop in air pollution in the world's largest car market. And in a speech in Strasbourg on Thursday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reaffirmed the EU's aim of being "at the forefront of the fight against climate change." The US dealt that fight a major setback when Trump pulled the world's biggest economy out of the Paris accord in June. To bolster the EU position, Juncker promised to soon put forth a proposal to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector. Catherine McKenna, Canada's environment minister, will meantime press her counterparts and multinationals chief executives to develop solutions for "a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy." Holding the meeting in Montreal is not coincidence. It is here that negotiations led to the first international agreement on the environment 30 years ago, with a ban on ozone-depleting gases. In addition to Canada, the EU countries and China, nations including Russia, India, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey will be represented by senior ministers. More than 84 dead in IS-claimed Iraq attack Iraqi security forces inspect the site of a bomb attack at a police checkpoint on a highway near the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya on Thursday. AFP, Nasiriyah : Gunmen and suicide bombers killed at least 84 people in southern Iraq in the deadliest attack by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul, according to a new toll released on Friday. Many of the dead in Thursday's attack near the city of Nasiriyah were Shiite Muslim pilgrims, some of them Iranian, officials said. "The death toll has risen to 84 after the discovery of 10 more bodies at the scene of the attack," said Jassem al-Khalidi, health director for Dhiqar province, which has largely been spared the violence that has plagued northern and central Iraq. "Another 93 people were wounded, many of them seriously," Khalidi told AFP. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent reported. The attack was quickly claimed by IS, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. UN envoy Jan Kubis condemned the "cowardly twin attacks... which resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including many pilgrims." Shiites have been the target of repeated attack by the Sunni extremists of IS who regard them as heretics. The area targeted by Thursday's attack lies on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims from Iran and southern Iraq to travel to the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala further north. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against IS in northern Iraq. Rescue workers and members of the security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Burned bodies and vehicles including buses and trucks testified to the violence of the attack. Shelters built of corrugated metal were reduced to scraps of metal, twisted by heat. The area targeted is on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Adding to the pressure on the jihadists, Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Tal Afar and the surrounding region from IS on August 31. Thursday's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters closed in one of the last IS bastions in the country: Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent in that area saw several artillery units positioning themselves around the towns of Rawa and Anna, 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the border with Syria. Export to Europe sees moderate growth in July UNB, Dhaka : Country's export to key European destinations like Germany, the UK, Italy, France showed moderate performance during the first month (July) of the current fiscal (2017-2018) compared to the same period of the previous fiscal (2016-2017). During July, export to Germany, the second largest destination of Bangladesh exportable items, totalled $459.93 million, which was 15.39 percent of the total export earnings for the period. Of the amount, knitwear accounted for $257.04 million, woven garment $166.62 million and home textiles $5.76 million, according to latest figures released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). The EPB figures showed that exports to the UK in July totalled $346.65 million, which was 11.60 per cent of the total export earnings for the one-month period. The export of woven garment to the UK during the one-month period were $153.59 million, knitwear $168.78 million, home textile export to the UK during the period was $7.38 million, and bicycles $4.91 million. Exports to France in July reached $152.26 million, which accounted for 5.10 per cent of the total export earnings for the period. Exports to Italy totalled $122.36 million the last July with knitwear accounting for $78.38 million, woven garment $32.07 million and leather, leather products $1.67 million and footwear with $6.30 million. Exports to Belgium amounted to $86.26 million that included knitwear $33.83 million, woven garment $32.57 million and jute and jute made goods $1.35 million. Export earnings from the USA, the largest market for Bangladesh goods, registered a healthy performance during this July with a robust growth of 17.94 percent totalling $497.36 million, which was 16.65 percent of the total export earnings for the one-month period. The Netherlands, another big export destination for Bangladesh, imported goods form Bangladesh worth $108.05 million during the month of July. The amount included knitwear $41.42 million, woven garment $33.22 million and footwear $12.23 million. Among the other European, the Middle East, Far East and South Asian countries, exports to Russia fetched $34.37 million during this July while that of Japan totalled $76.39 million, Singapore $9.32 million and China $63.56 million. Of the South Asian countries, exports to India amounted to $45.80 million during the July that included jute and jute-made goods $9.58 million and woven garment $10.13 million. Govts, businesses must place HR at heart of dev agenda: UN UNB, Dhaka : Efforts to engage the private sector with the UN's global development goals must be aligned with human rights, a group of UN experts has stressed ahead of a major forum on the issue. Their comments come as global business leaders and governments prepare to convene at next week's UN Private Sector Forum in New York to discuss action and financing of the Sustainable Development Goals. The goals, agreed by world leaders as part of the UN's 2030 agenda for sustainable development, envisage partnerships between the private sector and governments as part of efforts to solve the world's development challenges. "The most powerful way for businesses to contribute to sustainable development is to embed respect for human rights into all their operations and value chains," said Anita Ramasastry, one of the five members of the UN Working Group on business and human rights, who is participating in the Private Sector Forum on September 18. "Governments, for their part, need to meet their own obligations to protect human rights and give businesses incentives to respect the rights of people affected by their activities." The UN experts highlighted 10 key recommendations on how Governments and businesses should embed human rights in partnerships to achieve the SDGs, according to a message UNB received from New York on Friday. The recommendations spell out how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights provide a clear roadmap to include respect for human rights in SDG actions. "The UN's 2030 Agenda references the Guiding Principles and underlines that SDG actions must adhere to international standards. What is needed now, is for Governments, businesses and civil society to work together to put these Principles into practice," Ramasastry added. The role of business in sustainable development will be on the agenda of the annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, which takes place in Geneva from 27-29 November. Eat protein thrice a day to stay stronger Life Desk : Eating protein equally in the three daily meals could lead to greater mass and muscle strength in the elderly, says a study. Many seniors consume the majority of their daily protein intake at lunch and dinner. The new study suggests that breakfast should also be protein rich. "We wanted to see if people who added protein sources to breakfast, and therefore had balanced protein intake through the three meals, had greater muscle strength," said the lead author of the study, Stephanie Chevalier, Assistant Professor at McGill University in Canada. For the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research team examined both the amount of protein consumed and its distribution among people aged 67 and over. Chevalier and her team used the database from a study which included nearly 1,800 people who were followed for three years. They reviewed the protein consumption patterns of 827 healthy men and 914 healthy women aged 67 to 84 years, all residents of Quebec in Canada, trying to establish links with variables such as strength, muscle mass or mobility. The researchers found that participants - both men and women - who consumed protein in a balanced way during the day had more muscle strength than those who consumed more during the evening meal and less at breakfast. - IANS | Toronto Conviction can be based even on a single complete and self-contained testimony Appellate Division : (Criminal) Surendra Kumar Sinha CJ Syed Mahmud Hossain J Mirza Hussain Haider J Jharu and another. ... ..... .............................Appellants vs State ... Respondent Judgment November 15th, 2016 Evidence Act (I of 1872) Section 134 A single testimony if convincing and found to be full complete and self-contained, whether corroborated by other witness or not, is sufficient to bring home the charge and, as such, there will be no illegality in convicting an accused on the basis of such single evidence . ... . (12) Md Abdul Majid Sarkar vs the State, 40 DLR (AD) 83 ref. Nahid Sultana, Advocate-on-Record-For the Appellants. Basir Ahmed, Assistant Attorney-General-For the Respondent. Judgment Mirza Hussain Haider J : This Jail appeal has been filed against the judgment and order dated 7-7-2013 & 8-7-2013, passed by the High Court Division in Criminal Appeal No. 2500 of 2008 heard along with Criminal Appeals No. 2404 of 2008, 2551 of 2008 and Jail Appeals No. 421-423 of 2008 and also Death Reference No. 39 of 2008 allowing Criminal Appeals No. 2500 of 2008, 2551 of 2008 and Jail Appeal No. 421 of 2008 and thereby setting aside the judgment and order of the trial Court so far it relates to accused Abul Kalam Azad and Amirul and also dismissing the Criminal Appeal No. 2504 of 2008 and Jail Appeals No. 422 of 2008 and 423 of 2008 and affirming the judgment and order of conviction and death sentence passed upon the condemned prisoners Mokim and Jharu and thereby accepted the said death reference. 2. Facts, leading to filing of this Jail appeal, in a nutshell, are: That on 28-6-1994 at about 10-00/10-30 am, the victim Monowar Hossain along with some people had been working in his field near the house of one Badal Sarder at Viliage Durlovpur under Police Station-Alamdanga, District-Chuadanga. Suddenly it started raining and all of them look shelter in the house of Badal Sarder. At about 11-00 am a group of people including the accused Mokim and Jharu led by accused Abul Kalam Azad came to the house of Badal Sarder from inside a near-by panboroz and dragged the victim Monowar Hossain to the courtyard of that house wherein on the order of accused Abul Kalam Azad, Mokim and Jharu inflicted the ram dao and a Chinese axe blows indiscriminately upon the victim Monowar Hossain resulting in his eventual death. Thereafter on arrival of the neigbouring people to the place of occurrence the accused party ran away after ensuring the death of the victim. Subsequently, Omaruddin the brother of the victim Monowar Hossain, lodged an ejahar with Alamdanga Police Station against the accused appellant and others under sections 302/34/114 of the Penal Code, whereupon Alamdanga Police Station Case No. 11 dated 28-6-1994 was initiated under the aforesaid sections. 3. The police, after recording the statements of the witnesses under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code and on the basis of confessional statements made by accused Sabironnessa, Md Abdur Rashid, Amirul and Helal Uddin under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, complete the investigation and submitted chargesheet against all the accused persons including the present appellants Jharu and Mokim under sections 302/34/114 of the Penal Code. 4. The records being transmitted to the court of Sessions, Chuadanga, Sessions Case No. 34 of 1997 was started. Ultimately the case was transferred to the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, 2nd Court, Chuadanga for trial who framed the charges against all the accused persons under sections 302/34/114 of the Penal Code which was read over to the accused persons who pleaded not guilty and thereby claimed to be tried in accordance with law. 5. The defence version of the case, as it appears from the trend of the cross-examination of the prosecution witnesses, is that the accused persons are innocent and have been falsely implicated in the case out of previous enmity and bad blood and the alleged confessional statement of the appellant Amirul is a product of police torture, oppression and maltreatment. 6. In trial, the prosecution examined 17 witnesses against which the defence witnesses none. Thereafter the accused persons were examined under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Thereafter, the learned Judge, upon hearing the parties and considering the evidence, both oral and materials on record and also upon considering the confessional statements made under Section 164 of the Code of the Criminal Procedure by the co-accused persons, found five accused persons including the present appellants, guilty of the charges under sections 302/34/114 of the Penal Code and convicted and 'sentence them to death by hanging and also to pay fine of Taka. 1 (one) lac each. In addition to the above the present appellants Jharu and Mokim were also found guilty under sections 302/34 of the Penal Code as the allegation of inflicting deadly blows upon the victim and murdering him has been proved and, as such, sentenced them with penalty of fine of Taka. 1 (one) lac but acquitted them from the other charges brought against them by judgment and order dated 17-4-2008. 7. Being aggrieved by the said judgment and order the convict Abul Kalam Azad, Jharu, Mokim and Amirul preferred the above noted criminal appeals and jail appeals before the High Court Division. On the other hand, the trial Court sent a reference under section 374 of the Criminal Procedure Code before the High Court Division for confirmation of death sentence which has been registered as Death Reference No. 39 of 2008. All the appeals and the death reference were heard together and by judament and order dated 7-7-2013 and 8-7-2013 the High Court Division accepted the death reference in part and confirmed the death sentence imposed upon Mokim and Jahru and thereby acquitted Abul Kalam Azad and Amirul upon setting aside the judgment and order passed by the trial court as against them. 8. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the aforesaid judgment and order of the High Court Division condemned prisoners Jharu and Mokim preferred Jail Petition No. 23 of 2013 before this Division which has been registered as the instant Jail Appeal No.3 of 2016. 9. Mrs Nahid Sultana, the learned Advocate-on-Record appearing on behalf of the appellants submits that the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond all reasonable doubt against the condemned prisoners and, as such, there has been miscarriage of justice as the accused Amirul, on the basis of whose confessional statement under section 164 they were convicted, has been acquitted of the charge by the High Court Division along with the mastermind of the occurrence Abul Kalam Azad who allegedly passed the order of killing the victim and, as such, the High Court Division miserably failed to acquit the appellants. She next submits that the prosecution witnesses did not corroborate each other in bringing home the charge and, as such, the impugned judgment and order of conviction and sentence as well as the acceptance of death reference is liable to be set aside. 10. Per contra, Mr Bashir Ahmed, the learned Assistant Attorney General took us through the depositions of PWs, specifically PW 1,3,5,6 and 7 along with post mortem report and submits that the indiscriminate blows by ram dao and Chinese axe inflicted by condemned prisoners Mokim and Jharu upon the victim Monowar Hossain have been categorically proved. He submits that PWs 3, 5, 6 and 7 have corroborated each other in respect of inflicting the deadly blows upon. the victim by the condemned prisoners Mokim and Jharu and, as such, the High Court Division, on proper appreciation of this aspect, came to a correct finding and accordingly rightly confirmed the death sentence against the present appellants. Therefore there is no scope to interfere with the judgment and order complained of herein. 11. Under these scenario we have examined the materials on record including the evidence of the PWs. It appears that PW- 1 is the brother of the victim who categorically stated the occurrence including inflicting of deadly weapons blows by the condemned prisoner Mokim and Jharu in the house of Badal Sarder upon the victim Monwar Hossain. He specifically mentioned the places on the body of the victim where Mokim with his ram dao in his hand and Jharu with his Chinese axe in his hand inflicted the blows. The other PWs corroborated the evidence of PW 1 whereupon PW 3, 5, 6 and 7 categorically said: ????? ????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ???? ? ???? ?????? ???? ????????? ??? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ???????? ??? ??????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ???? ? ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ????? ???? ???? ???? ??? ???? 12. This version has also been corroborated by PWs 4, 5, 6 and 7. On close scrutiny of the cross examination by the defence it appears that the corroborative evidence of the aforesaid PWs could not be shaken by the defence. The corroborative testimony of the witnesses being sufficient to prove the prosecution case beyond reasonable doubt there remains nothing which could help the appellants to take advantage. From the evidence of PW-ll the Doctor, who conducted the post mortem, it appears that the deadly weapon blow inflicted upon the victim Monowar Hossain as stated by PWs are found to be the reasons of death, which were ante mortem and homicidal in nature. So when the prosecution specifically proved in their corroborative evidence as to on which part of the body of the deceased the deadly injuries were inflicted and the same being supported by the post mortem report and when the prosecution specifically proved that those injuries were inflicted by the condemned prisoners Mokim and Jharu (appellants herein) there remains no doubt in finding them guilty of murdering the victim. A single testimony if convincing and found to be full complete and self Contained, whether corroborated by other witness or not, is sufficient to bring home the charge and, as such, there will be no illegality in convicting an accused on the basis of such single evidence. In the present case the eye witnesses PW 3, 5-7 categorically gave vivid description of inflicting indiscriminate blows upon the victim by the appellant Mokim and Jharu, with the deadly weapons used by them, which are supported/ corroborated by other witnesses as well as by the post mortem report resulting death of the victim and such evidence could not be shaken by the defence. So the Courts below did not commit any illegality in finding the appellants guilty. 13. Moreover, upon reading the confessional statements, which have been corroborated by other accused persons as well as all the PWs, as a whole, it cannot be altogether ignored that the appellant with the intention of killing the victim inflicted indiscriminate blows by sharp cutting weapon used by them which attracted Section 300 "thirdly" of the Penal Code which reads as follows: "300. Except in she cases hereinafter excepted culpable homicide is murder, if the act by which the death is caused is done with the intention of causing death, or- Secondly - ........................... Thirdly. - If it is done with the intention of causing bodily injury to any person and the bodily injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, or- Fourthly. - .............................. 14. Since this clause provides culpable homicide is murder if such bodily injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. This clause comprehends generally the commission of intentionally bodily injury which is intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. When such act is committed with the knowledge that death is the ultimate result of such act or infliction of such bodily injury has probability of causing death the offence is murder. The core of this section is that the knowledge which accompanies the act must be death. The act was so imminently dangerous that it must in all probability cause death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death. The confession as has been corroborated by the PWs, and supported by the post mortem report, clearly reveals that such bodily injury have been inflicted by the present appellants with knowledge and motive to kill the victim and has resulted death of the victim. Therefore the convict appellants cannot escape from the charge of murder punishable under Section 302 of the Penal Code. In the case of Md Abdul Majid Sarkar vs the State reported in 40 DLR (AD) 83 this Division held "when the act was done with the intention of causing such bodily injury intended to be inflicted as was sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. It falls clearly within the 1st, 2nd & 3rd clauses of S. 300 pc." 15. Apart from the above, the Magistrate who recorded the confessional statement of Amirul in his evidence as PW 9 categorically proved the statement under Section 164 which has been made upon following the legal procedure. But the High Court Division found the confessional statement of Amirul to be a retracted one as the same was not voluntary and thus the High Court Division, upon considering the evidence, found that other than the confessional statement the prosecution could not prove the offence beyond all reasonable doubt against Amirul. Accordingly the High Court Division awarded him the benefit of doubt. Thus the confessional statement of Amirul cannot be the basis of conviction of the present appellants. Actually from the discussion of the evidence of PWs 1,3,5,6 and 7 who are the eye witnesses of the occurrence, and their testimony regarding inflicting the deadly blows upon the victim being duly corroborated by the PW 11, the doctor who conducted the post mortem, the High Court Division categorically found that the charge against the condemned prisoner Jharu and Mokim have been proved and accordingly found them guilty for conjointly killing the victim Monowar Hossain at the courtyard of the house of Badal Sarder. After making elaborate discussions on the basis of the fact and law the High Court Division ultimately accepted the death reference against Mokim and Jharu and thereby affirmed the sentence imposed upon them. 16. From the discussions made hereinabove and the law as has been looked into by the High Court Division we are of the view that the condemned prisoner appellants Jharu and Mokim failed to make out a case in their favour by which the judgment and order of conviction and sentence passed by the trial Court and affirmed by the High Court Division can be interfered with. Accordingly we do not find any merit in this appeal. Hence the jail appeal is dismissed. Readers Forum Keep relief operation above politics : Rohingya refugees are in dire need of help to survive, those who have the means to help must come forward and do whatever they can to mitigate their sufferings. We are aghast by learning that twenty truck loads of relief materials sent by BNP for the refugees were barred by Ukhia administration from reaching the helpless people, it is just unbelievable. A most deplorable action in the name of rules and regulations. It looks likes that some other motive is working behind this action, We are puzzled, what could be the reason for which suffering people were deprived from getting the relief materials? We urge not to bring politics in every matter, it is unpalatable. Nur Jahan Chittagong Give back their right to them Rakhine is not the real name of the country wherefrom the Muslims are being evicted by the uncivilized Myanmar government. Its genuine name is Arakan. Sixteen Muslim emperors ruled Arakan between 1404 and 1612 A.D. But taking the advantage of the weak military power, King Bodhapowa occupied the country in 1784 and made it part of Burma. Nevertheless, the Burmese government had to leave Arakan, Asam and Monipur in 1826 after a war with the British government. Ironically, when Burma in 1948 earned independence from the British government, Arakan was handed to Myanmar instead of giving back its independence. So, the Yangoon government had no right to evict the ethnic people from their homeland. We think that the Security Council should adopt a resolution recommending mobilization of the UN forces in the Arakan State and giving back independence to the Rohingya people living all over the world. In this regard, we are sorry to say that communism went to the death bed in 1991 and died on September 12 in 2017 with the Chinese supports to Myanmar. It is a fact that every man acts according to its nature. And that is why the so-called Marxist leaders of China gave support to Pakistan against our right to independence in 1971 and repeated their colonial character after 46 years. As regards Indian policy, we expected something different from the Narendro Modi government, contrarily found exposure. We hope the Bangladesh government will stamd by the unarmed people of Arakan. Ameer Hamzah Dhaka Overhauling of maternal health care service LATEST statistics said on average 'one out of six' pregnant women received health care service in the country from government health clinics while the ratio is one out of every three in cities. It shows large part of the pregnant women are still out of maternal health care services leaving them vulnerable to mishaps. As per report hospitals, clinics, health complexes run by the government, NGOs and private owners provide health care only to 47 percent pregnant women despite having a capacity to give service to 72 percent women at national level. Mismanagement and poor capacity of the government health department is largely responsible for this failure. The situation must improve immediately. Bangladesh government claimed to have achieved significant success in reducing maternal and child mortality in recent past but the low nutrition level of mother and children are still a concern for us. Social stigma and lack of awareness are the prime causes of small number women participation in the basic healthcare services, which have every potential to improve the mothers' health during pre and post labor period and antenatal and neonatal babies. Despite the perceived success, it is still noticeable that a significant number of deaths of women during pregnancy is taking place and many are giving birth to stillborn babies. Better care can prevent many of these unwanted deaths. Quality healthcare is a great impediment to prevent maternal and death of newborn babies in the country but this could be largely reduced if existing facilities were not underutilized. Experts said a woman should see health provider at least 8 times during her pregnancy to detect and manage potential problems. Ante-natal care also offers an opportunity for health workers to provide a range of support and information to pregnant women, including on healthy lifestyles, preventing diseases, and family planning. Newborns should receive essential care immediately after birth. They should be kept in skin-to-skin contact Known as Kangaroo Care on their mother's chest and enabled to breastfeed. Due to apathy of pregnant women to take health service for reasons that vary from indifference to lack of awareness the government should accelerate the midwifery service as best as possible because 58 to 63 percent delivery still take place at home. As 50 per cent pregnant women do not have access to skilled birth attendants at labour time, government should train more women as midwife to assist pregnant women during labor. The network of this service should be enlarged in rural areas while in the city areas, women at poor localities also deserve more such services. Efforts must be significantly increased to safeguard the maternal health of all women everywhere, if the good health and well-being of every family is to be ensured. Fair distribution of relief in Rohingya camps must be ensured HUMANITARIAN assistance have started to arrive in the country for over 400,000 Rohingya refugees and some estimate suggests the number may quickly surge to over a million by year-end. Following Turkey other countries such as India, Morocco and Indonesia have already airlifted relief materials and more such relief will continue to arrive for sometime from now. However what is more important now is to make sure adequate flow of assistance such as food, shelter and medicare to so many people in refugee camps but and also proper utilization of such assistance. Most urgent is to set up a proper leakage proof distribution system to prevent corruption and misuse of resources as there is a growing fear that it may miss targets and end up to the possession of powerful people wielding enough influence over the distribution system. Bangladesh has a long history of mismanagement and inefficiency in handling aid and relief materials since its inception. Various government agencies have misused relief materials even during the recent disaster periods and deliberately looted much of it. For instance, during the recent flash floods in the Haor areas in March this year and also during the latest floods allegations galore against the Ministry of Food and also against the Ministry for Disaster Management and Relief for being too incompetent as moot relief materials did not reach the target groups. It appears that the government is working on a plan to control the relief materials and its distribution to Rohingya refugee camps aiming at achieving political objectives at a time the government leaders are also gearing up an early election campaign. Many fear much of the assistance may be politically used and go unaccounted if political control dominates the system. People have not taken well the recent police obstruction to major opposition party's relief convoy at Cox's Bazar before it started for Rohingya refugee camps at Ukhiya and other locations on Myanmar border. There is no doubt police acted on instruction of the ruling party leaders so that the opposition leaders can't join the humanitarian assistance and remain out of the scene. It is an ominous sign that relief and rehabilitation of the Rohingya refugees may be used exclusively to ruling party's benefits. We want to pass a message at this stage that none should play mindlessly with the plight of the Rohingya people and make them prawn to this or that party's political game plan. Relief distribution system must be foolproof and coordinated with international agencies as a way to stop pilferage. It must be transparent and proper record keeping must be there for ensuring that it is reaching the helpless people without hindrance. The international community is not only sending help to the helpless Rohingyas but also will keep watch on its proper distribution. We should not create any misgiving and in our view a high power monitoring body with representatives of the donors agencies must be in charge of it. EC takes preparation to complete RCC polls by Dec next UNB, Dhaka : The Election Commission has started taking preparation to complete the second election to Rangpur City Corporation by December next. Under the incumbent commission, headed by KM Nurul Huda, it would be the second major election after the Comilla City Corporation held in March last. "The Election Commission plans to complete Rangpur City Corporation election by December 2017," EC acting secretary Helaluddin Ahmed told UNB. "After taking decision in the commission's meeting the poll schedule is likely to be announced in November," he said. The five-year tenure of Rangpur city will expire on February 14 next. But the commission will complete the polls by December next ahead of a public examination in early 2018. The maiden election to Rangpur City Corporation was held on December 20, 2012. Awami League-minded mayoral candidate Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu was elected in the Rangpur city election defeating Jatiya Party-supported candidate. Jhantu was elected securing 1,06,255 votes, while his nearest rival Jatiya Party leader Mostafizur Rahman polled to 77,805 votes. There is a legal obligation for the EC to complete election to any city corporation within 180 days before the expiry of the tenure that starts with the first meeting of the elected representatives. Besides, the EC has also a plan to arrange elections to five other city corporation-Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barisal and Gazipur by August 2018. About the five city corporations, the EC acting secretary said the elections to the five city corporations will be held in time before the expiry of five-year tenure of the cities. The Huda-Commission formed in February last will conduct the major elections to the six cities before the 11th parliamentary elections likely to be held in late December 2018. The Huda-Commission franticly wants to arrange the major city elections in fair and neutral manners for gaining public trust before the next national election, EC officials said. Taking part in the EC's ongoing dialogues, many civil society members, media persons, and political parties also suggested the EC to achieve public confidence through its impartial activities and make its neutrality visible ahead of the general election. The tenure of Gazipur City will expire on September 4, 2018, while that of Sylhet city on September 8, 2018, Khulna city on September 25, 2018, Rajshahi city on October 5, 2018 and Barisal city on October 23, 2018. The election to four city corporations-Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet-were held on June 15, 2013, while the maiden polls to Gazipur City Corporation on July 6, 2013. In 2013, BNP-backed mayoral candidates were elected in five cities defeating AL-supported contestants. Under the present Commission, Comilla City Corporation election was held on March 30 last along political party line with the reelection of BNP mayoral candidate Monirul Haque Sakku. Myanmar exiles pen open letter to Daw Suu Kyi Mizzima : A number of Myanmar exiles have signed an open letter to Aung San Suu Kyi asking her to re-evaluate her position as 'Burmese society is sleep-walking into the abyss of racial hatred and religious bigotry' The following is the letter in full. "As your fellow countrymen, with deep roots in our troubled birthplace, we are writing to you to share our sadness and concern about your personal legacy as the nation's leader, the plight of our people, and the future of Myanmar as a nation. Some of our family members and parents were contemporaries and colleagues of your late father, General Aung San. They made contributions to the country's welfare as he did. When you delivered your first speech in 1988, declaring that "as my father's daughter I could no longer remain silent when the public remains subject to decades of oppression", we were deeply moved and inspired by your determination and courage. Like millions of Burmese we transferred to you, the love, respect and trust which your martyred father earned from our parents and generations of Burmese. In your long years of captivity as a Prisoner of Conscience, we stood by you and did everything in our power, individually and collectively, to secure your freedom and build an international movement in support of your leadership. We did indeed respond to your famous call, "use your liberty to promote ours". Irrespective of our ethnic and religious backgrounds - including Rohingyas, other Muslims, Hindus and Christians, we all rallied to your call to end the oppression of the majority by an elite minority in the Tatmadaw. We rejoiced when you were released, and waited to see how you would rally the nation to our common cause - democracy. But you acknowledged none of your able supporters and fellow dissidents, exiled or formerly jailed, much less consulted with them. Many would have assisted you in any way they could with years of invaluable global experience in many fields. You showed no interest in soliciting any intellectual or professional support. Worse still, we were shocked by your statement that you were a politician - meaning political expediency might guide your decision-making, as if universal human rights and politics were mutually exclusive. Then the make-up of your government caused us concern. None of the well-respected experienced senior NLD leaders were included. No one of outstanding ability and experience was drafted into your cabinet. Most were inexperienced NLD newcomers and the only ones with any real capacity or experience were ex-military, functionaries of the very regime that had incarcerated you, oppressed the nation for the last fifty years, and whitewashed the crimes of our former tormentors and jailers. Where are we headed? Has our democratic transition in Myanmar turned full circle? Are we back under an autocratic regime albeit one that was democratically elected? You need to encourage a free press, allow dissent in the ranks, debate policy differences, and build up the next generation of leaders from all ethnic backgrounds and religions, besides building trust with the generals. We know it is not easy. But they are the building blocks of any reformist agenda. We are not expecting you to do it alone. It can only be done with a strong team. Given the memory of your father and the supreme leadership position that you now hold in the country, we are appealing to you to draw a firm line based on democratic principles and human compassion. Burmese society is sleep-walking into the abyss of racial hatred and religious bigotry. The violence against the Rohingya must end. Whatever the crimes of the militants, it is wrong to kill innocent villagers - men, women, and children, in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan States, especially in Rakhine. You have a moral obligation to act. We also urge you to allow the United Nations and human rights organizations full access to determine what went wrong. Humanitarian aid should also be made available to all those in need irrespective of whether or not they are citizens of Myanmar. We, the undersigned are making this statement with sadness and regret. But we are compelled by the credible reports of the catastrophic turn of events in Norther Rakhine. You can still heal the wounds and lead the reconciliation process. We would like you to take the initiative as the elected leader of Myanmar. It is not too late to do the right thing by your father's legacy. Canada announces more fund for refugees Staff Reporter : Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development of Canada on Friday announced a further $2.55 million as humanitarian fund for displaced Rohingya people coming to Bangladesh from Myanmar. The assistance will be provided by experienced humanitarian partners: the United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF and the World Food Programme. Funds provided by Canada will go toward programs that include: The provision of therapeutic feeding for pregnant women and for children less than five years old; the provision of clinical care and psychosocial counseling for sexual and gender-based violence survivors; the provision of emergency obstetric and newborn care; and the establishment of child-friendly spaces. Till date in 2017, Canada has given $6.63 million as humanitarian assistance to partners in Myanmar and Bangladesh to meet the needs of conflict-affected people, including the Rohingya. Friday's announcement brings Canada's total humanitarian response in 2017 to $9.18 million. With more civilians expected to flee the violence and enter Bangladesh in the coming days and weeks, this new funding will help address life-saving needs of the displaced-particularly women and children, who account for 70 per cent of those in dire need of humanitarian assistance. In line with Canada's new Feminist International Assistance Policy, the initiatives announced today (Friday) will help address some of these challenges and improve the lives of the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. "Canada remains deeply concerned about the violence in Rakhine state and the displacement of more than 375,000 people into Bangladesh since late August. The support Canada is announcing today will help partners provide life-saving assistance to people fleeing violence. It will focus on sexual and reproductive health needs and help women and girls who have faced sexual and gender-based violence," said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie "We also urge the authorities in Myanmar to take measures to protect all civilians from the ongoing violence, and we call for the full, unimpeded resumption of humanitarian assistance activities for UN and international humanitarian organizations in Myanmar," Claude Bibeau added. Army to handle foreign aid Staff Reporter : Bangladesh army will deliver foreign aid to the border town Cox's Bazar that has been overwhelmed with Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar. The Bangladesh authorities came up with the move following criticism of the chaotic conditions in relief supplies at the camps in and around Cox's Bazar, where about 389,000 Rohingyas from Myanmar's Rakhine state have arrived since August 25. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told parliament late on Thursday that the army would handle relief aid that several nations have sent in recent days. "I have given the army responsibility to make sure the relief materials properly reach them (Rohingya) and to oversee in the relief operation," she said. Initially, the army will be responsible for taking the aid to Cox's Bazar. "We've got the directive that the army would receive relief materials sent by foreign nations at the airport and take those to Cox's Bazar," Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan told the media on Friday. But it was not clear whether they would distribute the aid to the Rohingya camps. Relief workers are struggling to cope with the huge numbers, with 10,000-20,000 people crossing the border each day. The United Nations has warned of a looming "worst case scenario" with all of the Muslim minority group trying to leave Buddhist-dominated Myanmar's Rakhine state where a military crackdown was launched on August 25. Aid agencies have said thousands of Rohingyas were half-starving and a major health emergency could break out unless order is restored in aid management. The UN's International Organisation for Migration has said it will form a group of all UN agencies and private groups to coordinate aid work. PM leaves for NY today to join UNGA BSS, Dhaka : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here today for New York to attend the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The prime minister will leave Dhaka for Abu Dhabi by a Bangladesh Biman flight at 2pm today. On Sunday morning, she will leave Abu Dhabi for New York by an Etihad flight, according to the Prime Minister's Office. Bangladesh Ambassador to USA M Ziauddin and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to UN Masud Bin Momen will receive the prime minister on her arrival in New York on Sunday afternoon. During her visit, the prime minister will stay in Hotel Grand Hyatt in New York. Sheikh Hasna will address the UNGA in the afternoon on September 21 and have a bilateral meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the same day. On September 18, the prime minister will attend a high-level meeting on UN Reforms to be hosted by US President Donald Trump and a high-level meeting on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at UN Headquarters (UNHQ). In the afternoon, the prime minister is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with her Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay before attending a high-level follow-up meeting on Global Deal for Decent Work and Inclusive Growth at Convene Conference Centre. On September 19, the prime minister along with other heads of state and government will join the official lunch to be hosted by UN secretary general. The lunch will be followed by a high-level roundtable of the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Women's Economic Empowerment for Leaving No One Behind. The prime minister will join the OIC Contact Group meeting on Rohingya Minorities at UNHQ in the afternoon. Later, she is likely to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. In the evening, the prime minister will attend a reception for the Commonwealth Heads of State/Government to be hosted by British Prime Minister Theresa May and Prime Minister of Malta Dr. Joseph Muscat, current Commonwealth Chair-in-Office. Sheikh Hasina will join a welcome reception of US President Donald Trump in the evening at Palace Hotel at Madison Avenue. Later, she will attend a reception of Bangladesh community at New York Marriot Marquis. On September 20, the prime minister will attend the signing ceremony of the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons at UNHQ and sign the treaty. Later, she is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Kersti Kaljulaid, President of Estonia, at UNHQ. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend a side event titled "SDG Implementation, Financing and Monitoring: Sharing innovations through South-South and Triangular Cooperation" to be organized by Bangladesh in partnership with UNDP and UN Office on South South Cooperation (UN-OSSC) at UNHQ. Later, the prime minister will attend the opening segment of a high-level side event titled "Creating a Policy Vision for SDG Finance: Facilitating Private Sector Investment in the SDGs" to be organized by Bangladesh and Canada in partnership with UNDP at UNHQ. Sheikh Hasina will attend a luncheon roundtable meeting to be organized by Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU). Later, the prime minister will hold a bilateral meeting with Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, UN Secretary General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development. The prime minister will attend a high-level open debate on UN Peacekeeping issues to be organized by Ethiopian delegation in its capacity as the President of UN Security Council for September 2017 at Security Council Chamber, UNHQ. Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hold a meeting with Professor Claus Schwab, Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum and give an interview to Sadanand Dhume of Wall Street Journal. On September 21, President of IBM Virginia Marie Rometty will make a call on the prime minister before a bilateral meeting with Hasgim Thaci, President of Kosovo in her hotel. Later, the prime minister will join the 4th Meeting of the High-level Panel on Water at UNHQ. Later, the prime minister will hold a bilateral meeting with her Nepalese counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba. The prime minister will brief the press on her UN visit in the evening on September 21 at Permanent Mission of Bangladesh in New York. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave New York for Virginia by road on September 22. After staying in Virginia for a week, she will leave for home on September 29. The prime minister will return home on October 2. AI finds evidence of `campaign of burnings` targeting Rohingya villages Rohingyas fleeing into Bangladesh as their villages in Rakhine State were set on fire on Friday. Desk Report : Amnesty International says it has turned up evidence of an "orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings" by Myanmar security forces targeting dozens of Rohingya villages over the last three weeks, according to AP. The human rights group is releasing a new analysis of video, satellite photos, witness accounts and other data that found over 80 sites were torched in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state since August 25 militant attack on a border post. The UN children's agency estimates that as many as 400,000 people have fled to Bangladesh since then. Top UN officials, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, previously have expressed concerns about possible "ethnic cleansing" perpetrated against the Rohingya. But Amnesty's findings released Friday in Myanmar offer some of the most precise evidence that Rohingya areas were specifically targeted. The satellite images, contracted by Amnesty from satellite providers Deimos and Planet Labs, and other source materials point to "80 large-scale fires in inhabited areas, each measuring at least 375 meters (1,230 feet) in length" since August 25, the group said. The data adds to many accounts of villages being burned from refugees who spoke to UN agencies, rights groups and journalists in Bangladesh. "The evidence is irrefutable - the Myanmar security forces are setting northern Rakhine state ablaze in a targeted campaign to push the Rohingya people out of Myanmar," said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's crisis response director, in a statement. "There is a clear and systematic pattern of abuse here. security forces surround a village, shoot people fleeing in panic and then torch houses to the ground," she said. "In legal terms, these are crimes against humanity." Hassan also took issue with claims by Myanmar's government that the Rohingya themselves were setting ablaze their homes. "The government's attempts to shift the blame to the Rohingya population are blatant lies," she said. "Our investigation makes it crystal clear that its own security forces, along with vigilante mobs, are responsible for burning Rohingya homes." Myanmar authorities have curtailed access for journalists and human rights experts to Rakhine in recent months, and Amnesty acknowledged that the breadth of the damage cannot be verified on site. It said the full extent of destruction "is likely to be much higher" than the evidence compiled because cloud cover sometimes blocked the satellite views. The UN-backed, 47-country Human Rights Council in Geneva is expected to take up a discussion on Myanmar on Monday. Myanmar military torches homes near border HRW News, Dhaka : The Burmese military is deliberately burning ethnic Rohingya villages near the Bangladesh border, Human Rights Watch said today. Such acts of arson, after forcing residents to leave their villages, appear central to the Burmese military's ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya Muslim population in Burma's Rakhine State. Human Rights Watch released new satellite imagery and sensory data showing that 62 villages in northern Rakhine State were targeted by arson attacks between August 25 and September 14, 2017. Human Rights Watch identified 35 of these villages with extensive building destruction from very high resolution satellite imagery, and an additional 26 villages that had active fires detected in near-real time with environmental satellite sensors. "Our field research backs what the satellite imagery has indicated - that the Burmese military is directly responsible for the mass burning of Rohingya villages in northern Rakhine State," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director. "The United Nations and member countries should urgently impose measures on the Burmese government to stop these atrocities and end the forced flight of Rohingya from Burma." Human Rights Watch conducted a detailed building damage assessment in 6 of the 35 affected villages and identified nearly complete destruction in each case. The total number of destroyed buildings was 948. On the morning of September 13, Human Rights Watch observed from Bangladesh large plumes of thick, black smoke from the Rohingya border village of Taung Pyo Let Yar in Maungdaw township. A video confirmed to have been taken from a hill overlooking the village shows several buildings burning in the unoccupied village and two large, dark-colored trucks several hundred meters away. Village residents stranded at the border described the vehicles as "military trucks" that had previously entered the village. Three villagers who observed the fires from the hill said that the smoke came from fires set in village buildings. Fatima, 50, who had fled Taung Pyo Let Yar, told Human Rights Watch that after she saw smoke rise from the village, she climbed a hill to see if her home was on fire. When she reached the top, she saw her home engulfed by a column of smoke. Other nearby homes were also burning. She said that she had fled on August 31 when trucks carrying Burmese soldiers arrived in the village. The soldiers jumped out of the trucks carrying guns, frightening her, so she ran several hundred meters into the "no-man's land" at the Bangladeshi border. "When we see the army we just ran away from the village - hundreds ran," Fatima said. "We just brought our children." Mohamed Sahed, 50, climbed the same hill and said that he saw his two trucks and a car burning in front of his house, which was also consumed by fire. He said he saw at least four soldiers in the village. His son, Mohamed Shufi, 24, said that earlier that morning he and two other villagers had re-entered Burma and were heading back to their homes to get wood for cooking at their temporary camp at the border. But when they were still hundreds of meters from the village, a half-dozen Burmese soldiers spotted them and hurled rocks at them using slingshots. The three villagers ran back across the border and hid. Earlier in the week, Human Rights Watch directly observed a Burmese military patrol operating within 600 meters of Taung Pyo Let Yar. Rohingya refugees also said that they saw patrols of at least 40 Burmese soldiers operating within meters of the border fence and several hundred meters of the village nearly every day. Several people at the border said that a Burmese border guard police post was located within 200 meters of Taung Pyo Let Yar, and that since August 31, the Burmese military had routinely occupied houses in the village and used the border guard outpost. Satellite detection of multiple active fires on September 11 and 13 suggest that villages in new areas of Maungdaw township are now being targeted for destruction. Because of heavy cloud cover, it is almost certain that the actual number of fire-affected villages in the townships of Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and Rathedaung is considerably higher. IOM for coordinated humanitarian response Staff Reporter : International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Migration Agency, on Friday highlighted the need for a coordinated humanitarian response to the massive inflow of destitute people fleeing Myanmar and arriving in Cox's Bazar. Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG) agencies operating in Cox's Bazar have appealed for $ 77.1 million to fund the emergency response through year end. Several agencies, including IOM, have committed funding from their emergency reserves. As part of the overall ISCG appeal, IOM launched a Flash Appeal, covering the next three months, of $ 26.1 million to meet the immediate needs of the newly arrived people. The appeal includes $ 100,000 for the coordination of the response. It is estimated that new arrivals have reached 391,000 and there is no sign of the flow of people drying up, as smoke from burning villages in Myanmar's North Rakhine State remains clearly visible from the Cox's Bazar district.The total accumulated number of Rohingya in the country stood till date to 5, 88,579. Within the framework of Bangladesh's National Strategy on Myanmar Refugees and Undocumented Myanmar Nationals (UMNs) in Bangladesh, IOM has been coordinating the humanitarian assistance to people who have crossed in Bangladesh from Myanmar and vulnerable host communities in Cox's Bazar since 2014. Prior to the latest influx, IOM Bangladesh was coordinating humanitarian assistance to some 200,000 living in makeshift settlements and host communities in Cox's Bazar. Lifesaving services delivered by IOM and its partner agencies include clean water and sanitation, shelter, food security, health care, education, and psychosocial support for the most vulnerable individuals, many whom are suffering from acute mental trauma or are survivors of sexual violence. According to the report of cxbcoordination.org, the department of Immigration and Passports of Bangladesh continued biometric registration, with crowds of arrivals waiting in line to be registered. Border guards, local residents and camp committees in the pre-existing makeshift settlements are continuing to direct new arrivals to the new spontaneous settlements. The number of new arrivals seen in host communities is decreasing; significant numbers of new arrivals are still seen along the roadsides at Kutupalong. Figures show the majority of new arrivals are moving from host community villages towards the other sites. Nevertheless, significant numbers of new arrivals in local communities is forming urban and rural slums. The Prime Minister's Office of Bangladesh hosted a meeting in which it was clarified that the National Taskforce would remain in place, with MoDMR playing a strong operational role and lead in shelter and site management. A new camp adjacent to Kutupalong is proposed and will be established under the supervision of MoDMR. The Secretary will be travelling to Cox's Bazar on Saturday 16 September to facilitate planning. The Army will be deployed to support logistics from Chittagong Airport. Despite local regulations, private distribution of relief items occurred throughout the day, causing huge crowds and putting people at risk. The District Administration has established control room opposite the Kutupalong gas station, staffed by police and local administration, whose role includes improved management of the incoming private donations, roadsides and crowds. Humanitarian agencies continue to deliver basic assistance including food, plastic sheets, and water. The Logistics Cluster is sending a representative to assess support for humanitarian agencies in Cox's Bazar. Thousands of the new arrivals are now walking north along clogged roads towards a 1,500-acre settlement site demarcated by the Government. Located between two of the biggest makeshift settlements of Kutupalong and Balukhali, the site will help aid agencies to access over 200,000 new arrivals currently camping or living in the open on waste ground, hillsides or by the side of the road. In these so-called spontaneous settlements, people who arrive from Myanmar exhausted, hungry and often traumatized by the violence that they have seen, are living in terrible conditions, often with no shelter, no food, and no access to clean water or basic services. "To respond to this inflow, which is unprecedented in terms of speed and numbers, we need to ensure a coordinated response among the growing number of agencies bringing lifesaving aid to the thousands of people flooding into Cox's Bazar," said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Director of Operations and Emergencies. "In order to help the most vulnerable, we have to identify who needs what where, and which agency can provide it. This is critical if we are to get help to the people who need it most, as fast as possible," Abdiker added. The Government of Bangladesh, foreign governments, including Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia, and aid agencies on the ground are now racing against the clock to bring in the lifesaving food, shelter, water, sanitation, health and other services that the new arrivals need. The UN's Central Emergency Response Fund, the European Commission and the United Kingdom have also made funding commitments, but agencies face a huge funding shortfall. This is likely to increase as people continue to arrive from Myanmar. Rohingya refugees are not economic migrants, all of them are ready to return Editorial Desk : The crisis facing Bangladesh is more acute than that created by the Syrian civil war, which has seen far more people displaced but over a wider area and into countries with better infrastructure. The number of refugees arriving in Bangladesh since August 25 is almost three times the total that entered the EU by sea this year. In this situation we should not think about them staying within Bangladesh and creating a state within the state. If they are given citizenship and assure safety, none of them will remain in our country. It is possible that some who have resources will try to avoid living in the chaotic and inhumane situation of the camps. That should not worry our government. The government should take steps for registering the Rohingya refugees. There has been complete mismanagement in the camps. It is a good thing that army has been given the task of maintaining discipline. Not only that some refugees are escaping the hardship of the camps, some local people are entering the area in the hope of getting foreign aid. Some criminals are also busy among the helpless refugees for stealing and exploiting. The civil administration totally lacked control over the situation. That is the reason why we have been urging Red Cross and foreign aid agencies to get involved quickly. 400,000 refugees is a lot of refugees to handle for Bangladesh -- estimates by economists include almost USD 1 billion in spending to keep the refugees for one year in Bangladesh at living standards compatible with what most Rohingyas enjoy. While USD 1 billion is a huge number it is nothing to worry about as we can easily get that funds from the UN and other multi and bilateral organizations, not to mention individual donations from rich countries. What is essential is for the agencies to distribute the material and monetary aid directly to ensure that they reach the Rohingya and that it isn't appropriated and sold by corrupt officials in the black market --as has happened in the past for aid, which has been given to Bangladesh. The Rohingya crisis is, first of all, a political issue in Myanmar. The ultimate solution lies in the granting citizenship and ensuring equal rights in their ancestral home. Unfortunately, the United Nations and influential states have done nothing more than criticising. For powerful neighbours such as India or China, but also for many global players, Myanmar is an untapped resource and investment hub waiting to be explored. It has become evident that the humanitarian intervention is reserved for strategic and business usefulness, not to protect the most vulnerable. Until a permanent solution is found in Myanmar, it is the responsibility of refugee hosting countries, including Bangladesh, to ensure that Rohingya people can live with basic human rights and dignity. Rather than making administrative interventions, granting proper legal standards would serve both refugees and the national interest of Bangladesh. 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 Friday, September 15, 2017 at 4:00PM by Murtada click to embiggenHeres our first look at Elizabeth Debicki as Virginia Woolf in Vita & Virginia, currently shooting in Ireland. The film will tell the story of the love affair between the noted author and socialite Vita Sackville-West (played by Gemma Arterton). Set in 1920s London, Vita & Virginia is the sophomore feature of director Chanya Button, following 2015 comedy drama Burn Burn Burn. The clincher here though is the involvement of Dame Eileen Atkins, a Woolf scholar and the definitive authority on the famous writer... Atkins co-wrote the screenplay with Button and the film is based on her play which was first performed in London in 1993 and off Broadway the following year. The play itself is based on the love letters between Sackville-West and Woolf. (Trivia note: Atkins is also in The Hours, which is itself obsessed with Virginia Woolf. She plays the woman who sells the flowers to Meryl Streep) The film will also star Isabella Rossellini in an as yet not announced role. But the marquee part here is Woolf. As we know playing a really famous person can jumpstart a career or take it up a few notches, if the film works of course. And this particular role has been good to at least one other actress. When I saw The Great Gatsby in 2013, I said that itll be remembered as the first film in a great actress long distinguished career. However despite fun turns in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Debicki hasnt really revealed herself as a star yet. Maybe this will be the one. Clearwater Police Department (CLEARWATER, Fla.) -- A 94-year-old grandmother got a surprise visit from police before losing power from Hurricane Irma. Betty Helmuth of Clearwater, Florida, answered her door on Sept. 7 for Officer James Frederick and his colleagues who greeted her with supplies. The touching moment was captured on video by Clearwater Police and shared on the departments Facebook page one week later. "Oh my gosh, Helmuth said to the officers. "Oh gosh, you're good-looking!" Frederick told ABC News that he and his team brought groceries, water and flashlights to Helmuth after her granddaughter, Rachel Copeland of Texas, sent a Facebook message to police asking them to check on her grandmother. [Helmuth] was tremendously grateful, thankful and her personality and smile made it well worth it for us, Frederick said. She [Copeland] went through Hurricane Harvey and had a desire to be sure her grandmother was OK [in Irma] because of what she went through. Copeland said 75 percent of the Texas town she lives in was under water as a result of Hurricane Harvey. When she heard her grandma would be in the path of Irma, she contacted Clearwater police for help. I sent them a message and was just pleading with them, Please anything you can do, please help my grandma, Copeland told ABC News. They responded right away. I really cant say how amazing they were. Copeland said her grandmother was thrilled by the visit. She still talking about how good-looking they are, Copeland added, with a laugh. Theyre seriously all of our heroes. Frederick has since returned to Helmuths home to check on her again. Her power was restored Tuesday, he said. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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. SPARTA What has been more than 15 years in the making will be finished in the next 30 days Spartas Vernon School Park will be completed. Vernon School, Spartas school for black children, opened in 1912 and closed its doors in 1963 after schools were fully integrated. Margaret Anderson, 88, is a graduate of the Vernon School, and has been a vocal member of the Vernon School Committee since it began more than a decade ago. She said she has many fond memories of the school, but said she was not an outgoing student. I was always quiet bashful wouldnt hardly talk unless they asked me a question, she said. Anderson remembered that her principal at the time thought this would cause her and her future husband, Melvin Anderson, problems down the road. He came to our parents and told both of our parents the night we graduated from Vernon School that neither one of us would ever graduate high school because we dont talk, Margaret remembered. She proved him wrong in 1945 when she graduated from DuSable High School in Chicago. Ready to go During a Sparta City Council meeting last month, questions were asked of commissioner Bobby Klausing about the progress of the park a committee of community members and former Vernon graduates have been working to place the park on the old school grounds since 2001. Rosette Clay, of Sparta, wanted to know when playground equipment purchased in 2014 would finally be put in the ground. A meeting was scheduled for Wednesday night, which was moved at the last minute from city hall to the Vernon School site by Klausing. Clay and others showed up to the meeting ready to go. We are tired of them dragging their feet. Its been way too long, said Harry Sams, a former Vernon attendee. At the meeting site, he was also insistent that city labor be used to install the equipment the city itself purchased. He did not want to see the project die in committee again while volunteers came forward. When the group of about 20 to 30 people gathered on the grounds for the meeting, Klausing apologized both for himself and for the city and pointed out that he came meaning business. I hope you see what I brought with me, he said, pointing to a bottle of spray paint and orange marking line. Klausing said he hoped to have the locations for the benches and merry-go-round purchased for the park more than two years ago marked off Wednesday and the equipment installed within 30 days. This diffused a lot of arguments however some were still skeptical that the project would end that quickly, pointing out that the ground has been marked many times before. However, Klausing was insistent. Im ready to have this whole situation resolved, he said in an interview after the meeting. He said he is not sure of the cost to put in the benches and merry-go-round but knew it would be the citys grounds crew that would be doing the work. Cost isnt a matter to me right now, he said. I don't care. I want the Vernon School Committee to be happy. I want them to get what they deserved. A piece of history The Vernon School stayed on the corner of Church and James streets until the 1990s. Sams said everyone was shocked to see it go. He said years after the school closed, the city said the building could not be used at all. The city then later changed its mind, saying a museum or an office building could occupy the space. In the end, the National Guard set up shop there. Sams said because of asbestos, he remembered hearing that the building would be cheaper to repair than demolish. Then, one day the piece of history was gone. All of the sudden, the neighborhood was full of dust, Sams said. He remembered friends coming up to him shocked the school had come down. When he saw the crews on the scene, he said nobody looked prepared to abate the asbestos in the building. Sams questioned the legality of the demolition and wondered what health risks the surrounding neighborhood were subjected to after being exposed to construction dust potentially containing particles of asbestos. Anderson said when she heard that her school had been torn down she was very upset. However, after years of trying to commemorate the school that helped form her, she was happy Wednesday to hear that the park would finally be complete. Sams, Clay and Anderson all said they believed race was a factor in just how difficult and complicated the process of finishing the park had been. They all pointed to alumni doctors, scientists and professors who went on to live distinguished lives, adding that this park was to honor them and the school that helped guide many lives in its more than fifty year history. Theres a lot of people that achieved great things, their foundations starting right there, Clay said, adding that by allowing the park project to languish it was diminishing the experiences of Spartas black community. You are dismissing my history, Clay said, adding that she wants her grandchildren to be able to know where she and her family went to school. Though segregation was a troubling memory, Clay, Anderson and Sams said it was important still to remember the struggle they went through. They said the issues finishing the park are emblematic of larger problems of discrimination in town. Klausing said race was not a factor in the pace of the project. It honestly just fell through the cracks, he said. When he took office in 2015 he said he was left with no notes on where the project was in terms of progress. He said this, combined with pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency regarding the citys aging sewer plant, pushed the project to one side. He said the sewer issues are the focal point of the city until the project is complete. He apologized for the neglect, but said this was the truth of what happened. Race was a topic of discussion during the Wednesdays meeting as well. Cheryl Bloom, a member of Spartas Chamber of Commerce and a volunteer on the Vernon project, spoke out against rumors during Wednesdays meeting. She said she wanted to set the record straight about her involvement in the project, which she said she was sorry she even tried to help complete at this point. She said rumors were floated that it was her racism that stalled the project. That is where I draw the line, she said in a written statement, denying any personal biases or prejudice. I did not stop the project. She cited equipment malfunction, several periods of excessive rain as well as poor organization as what, in recent years, delayed the parks completion. 'Have faith' Wayne Roberts helped Klausing mark off the park and when the opening of old wounds began, he asked those at the gathering to let those memories live in the past. Lets be happy today, he said of the news the park was to be finished. On Wednesday, as friends and family were showing her the layout of the soon-to-be Vernon School Park, Anderson watched, quietly pleased. After watching him mark off the radius of the merry-go-round, she stopped Klausing. Im one of the oldest people here and you have made me very happy, she said to him. As for those who were still dismissive of the citys promise to finish the project in quick order, Anderson had strong words. They are going to do it, have faith, she said. Editor's Note: Marion Commissioner Anthony Rinella indicated Friday to WSIL that he would also run for mayor. He could not be reached for comment as of deadline. MARION City Commissioner Angelo Hightower on Thursday formally announced his intention to run for mayor of Marion in the 2019 election. The announcement, which was made via Facebook, came after much prayer and introspection and at the urging of community members, Hightower said. "There has been much speculation about my political future. Over the years, I have been urged to run for various offices. Over the past year or so, those calls have been growing louder. Let me just say that I hear those voices loud and clear, Hightower said online. Hightower took his seat in 2015 on the Marion City Council after a litigious post-election period during which he took a paid leave of absence after the city filed a declaratory judgment seeking his removal from the police force. In its lawsuit, the city cited an Illinois law prohibiting city officials from serving in multiple offices within the same government, and several appellate court rulings as basis for the suit. In June 2015, Williamson County Judge Brad Bleyer upheld the citys stance in a court ruling. This ruling ended about a year of contentious relationships between Hightower and the Council, which began in July 2014, when Hightower filed a federal discrimination complaint in which he alleged he was passed over for promotion because he is black. On Friday, Hightower reflected on that choice to leave his position as an officer for the Marion Police Department for a career in public service. I was comfortable leaving a position which paid $65,000 to $70,000 to take a $20,000 job as city commissioner because that's how serious I was about maximizing my ability to serve the public," Hightower said. Hightower currently works as a police officer for the City of Carterville, as well as a financial representative at Modern Woodman of America. As to how he would manage his current positions if he were to be elected Marions next mayor, Hightower said part of that will depend on the needs of the city. Marion has been fortunate to enjoy Mayor Butler as a full-time mayor. But we have a full-time city administrator in the person of Gail West, so regardless of the outcome of this election, I expect this will be something we are looking at, Hightower said. The current mayor makes just less than $50,000 per year. In his announcement, Hightower also had high praise for the Mayor Bob Butler. As the sun sets on the career of current Mayor, Robert Butler, it would be proper to reflect upon and appreciate Marions progress during his 14 terms in office. In his 54 years as Mayor, Marion has enjoyed tremendous growth. For that, he should be recognized for being at the helm, during that growth, Hightower said. But, as the sun sets, the sun also rises. With that said, it is time to look to the next generation of leaders to continue Marions preeminent status as the premiere city in Southern Illinois. I am more than able and willing to step up and accept that responsibility. Give me the opportunity to serve you as mayor, and I promise you that I wont let you down. Hightower said that with his numerous years as a public servant, his core competency is people, and that throughout his professional career he has demonstrated the capacity to serve the public to his utmost ability. Hightower also said that in his administration, everyone will have a voice. Cronyism and favoritism will be a thing of the past. I will practice fiscal responsibility and true transparency will be commonplace in all departments. Marion will be a city for everyone, Hightower said. Hightower said he intends to work diligently to attract larger businesses, work with marketing professionals to make Marion an attractive destination for national and international businesses, and look to community elders for guidance. To the person out there who feels marginalized, I hear you. To the person who seeks improved fiscal responsibility from city leaders, I hear you. To the person who wants more responsive and transparent government, I hear you. And in April of 2019, the whole region will hear you, so help me God, Hightower said. Hightower said he is thankful to have the support his long-time partner Courtney, and his two children, Angelo Jr., who is in the U.S. Air Force, and Lorenzo, who was recently was elected to the Marion Junior High School Student Council. MURPHYSBORO The Murphysboro City Council is trying to decide how to respond to a request from a Union Pacific Railroad official to remove piping underneath a west side trestle bridge so the company can complete work that is part of an $85 million project. Mayor Will Stephens shared the information with the City Council at its meeting on Tuesday night. Stephens said he became aware of the issue about 30 to 45 days ago. The railroad is planning to build a new bridge over the highway, the 2200 block of Illinois 149, the mayor said. He said the overpass construction started about three months ago. According to a Union Pacific spokeswoman, the bridge work is part of $85 million the company plans to spend this year as part of ongoing infrastructure investments. The project is part of Union Pacific's multi-billion dollar annual investments across our 23-state railroad network, communications director Calli B. Hite shared in an email. "As part of the Murphysboro bridge replacement, scheduled to start in early 2018, a city-owned water main underneath the property must be relocated," Hite wrote in the email. "Union Pacific has communicated the need for the relocation to the City, and is working with them to coordinate the relocation." During the meeting, City Council members questioned who had the easements and what permits for the work, ultimately deciding to have the city's attorney and engineer delve into the matter. The mayor paraphrased from communications from a Union Pacific Railroad official, who has indicated that he'd like a resolution to the water main issue by the early January. "They write that it is in conflict with the new bridge structure and must be relocated," Stephens told the council. "Union Pacific Railroad will work with the city to determine a new location for the water main to cross the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way, in accordance with our pipeline crossing guidelines. The railroad expects the city of Murphysboro to be responsible for the cost of relocating, protecting or moving the pipeline." Stephens said in an email he didn't have an idea of what it would cost to move the water main, as he had not gotten any estimates, "because I don't believe that we should have to pay any of the cost." CHICAGO Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced Friday that she won't seek re-election to a fifth term, reversing previous public statements that she would run again in 2018. Madigan, who wasn't immediately available for an interview, didn't detail her future plans. "As I look ahead, I believe that the end of my fourth term as Attorney General will be the right time for me to seek a new challenge," the Chicago Democrat said in a statement. "I have dedicated my career to helping people. That will continue to be my focus, and I am looking forward to finding new ways to do that with the passion that I have brought to my work as Attorney General." Four years ago, she briefly considered a gubernatorial run, but announced that she'd seek re-election for attorney general instead. She is the daughter of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and in a 2013 statement said Illinois wouldn't be "well-served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family." Michael Madigan said Friday that his daughter has always stood up for what's right and noted that she's helped pass laws that help victims of sexual assault and fought for homeowners. "No father could be prouder of his daughter's personal and professional accomplishments, and I look forward to watching her continue her commitment to helping people in a new capacity," he said in a statement. Word of an open race for Illinois attorney general was expected to generate furious scrambling for next year's contest. The Republican party-backed candidate for attorney general is Erika Harold, a lawyer and former Miss America. After serving in the Illinois Senate, Lisa Madigan was elected Illinois' first female attorney general in a tight race in 2002. She handily won re-election each of the next three elections. In recent years, she's raised her profile on the national stage, working with federal officials and filing lawsuits on consumer advocacy issues, including mortgage practices, student loan services and against for-profit colleges. During her tenure, Madigan has said enforcement actions against banks, lenders and other financial institutions including settlements over financial misconduct led to recovering over $3.2 billion in relief for Illinois homeowners, communities and state pension funds. She has also pushed laws requiring colleges and universities to respond to sexual violence on campus and protect victims' rights. Recently, her office joined attorneys general nationwide in suing to block President Donald Trump's plan to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation. Madigan said she plans to serve out her term, which ends in January 2019. CARTERVILLE Sometimes being anonymous is not a good thing, as those gathered to watch a screening of the film The Anonymous People Thursday evening at John A. Logan College learned. The film talks about recovery and ways to improve long-term recovery. Allison Hasler, Marion regional health officer for Illinois Department of Public Health, was one of the organizers of the event, which was sponsored by Williamson County Substance Abuse Taskforce. We saw this as a great opportunity to start a conversation in a very public way and deal with recovery in an open, non-judgmental way that would head Southern Illinois in a positive direction, Hasler said. Bradley Bullock, area administrator of TASC and 29 years in recovery, served as moderator of the event. He said most people are very aware there is a crisis in our country regarding opioid abuse. We know what the issue is. Everybody knows what the issue is. We want to talk about answers. We want to talk about solutions, Bullock said. The film stresses that addiction is a disease and not a moral failing. The disease is estimated to affect two-thirds of American families, with nearly 23 million people living in recovery and another 20 million suffering from addiction who are not in recovery. After the film, audience members could ask questions of a panel of local experts in addiction and recovery. Panelists were Cris Corzine-McCloskey, director of Caring Counseling Ministries who is in her 12th year in recovery; Paul Traiano, SIH system director of pharmacy; Anna Jurich, program director for Gateway Foundation; Master Sgt. Jonathan Edwards, director of Southern Illinois Drug Taskforce, Illinois State Police; Williamson County States Attorney Brandon Zanotti, Dr. Michael Blain of Christopher Rural Health Planning Corporation; and Matt Picchietti, clinician with Centerstone, Inc. Denise Glennon told the group about her son who is in recovery. He has completed an inpatient program and is a recovery home in Northern Illinois. I want him to come back home, but I dont think the community here is ready to support him, she said. What is available for him? Dr. Blain suggested starting with Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous and calling the county health department to learn what resources exist. Blain also offers shots that will block the effects of opioids for those at risk of relapsing. Picchietti suggested calling 2-1-1. The number is a hotline for services and can give the caller a list of counselors, NA meetings, doctors and other resources to help someone in recovery. We are in desperate need of a sober living environment in this area, Corzine-McCloskey said. Other audience members asked for detailed information on the services Dr. Blain provides, what is planned for Williamson Countys nonviolent offender program and how to talk to young people about abuse of marijuana. Edwards said 90 percent of the people Illinois State Police deal with started with marijuana. One thing I know about pot is its never made anyone more ambitious, Corzine-McCloskey said. Jurich said there has been an interesting shift in beliefs about marijuana in the past two years. She suggested educating people with facts. Another person asked what to do if they suspected a home in their neighborhood was a drug house. Edwards said there is a hotline to report suspected drug activity. It is 618-435-1982. When asked how to help a person who does not want help, Dr. Blain and several other panelists said you cannot help someone who does not want help. Recovery is the most difficult thing you will ever do, so they have want help, Blain said. Picchietti and Jurich said it is important for loved ones to keep lines of communication open, but still mention recovery. They also suggested counseling for the family member. Finally, the panelists suggested lobbying legislators to increase funding for recovery. We have to expand treatment for opioid addicts. We have to. Its an investment. They have to start increasing funding for these treatment programs, Zanotti said. The question of whether a god exists is heating up in the 21st century. According to a Pew survey, the percent of Americans having no religious affiliation reached 23 percent in 2014. Among such nones, 33 percent said that they do not believe in God an 11 percent increase since only 2007. Such trends have ironically been taking place even as, I would argue, the probability for the existence of a supernatural god have been rising. In my 2015 book, God? Very Probably: Five Rational Ways to Think about the Question of a God, I look at physics, the philosophy of human consciousness, evolutionary biology, mathematics, the history of religion and theology to explore whether such a god exists. I should say that I am trained originally as an economist, but have been working at the intersection of economics, environmentalism and theology since the 1990s. Laws of math In 1960 the Princeton physicist and subsequent Nobel Prize winner Eugene Wigner raised a fundamental question: Why did the natural world always so far as we know obey laws of mathematics? As argued by scholars such as Philip Davis and Reuben Hersh, mathematics exists independent of physical reality. It is the job of mathematicians to discover the realities of this separate world of mathematical laws and concepts. Physicists then put the mathematics to use according to the rules of prediction and confirmed observation of the scientific method. But modern mathematics generally is formulated before any natural observations are made, and many mathematical laws today have no known existing physical analogues. Einsteins 1915 general theory of relativity, for example, was based on theoretical mathematics developed 50 years earlier by the great German mathematician Bernhard Riemann that did not have any known practical applications at the time of its intellectual creation. In some cases the physicist also discovers the mathematics. Isaac Newton was considered among the greatest mathematicians as well as physicists of the 17th century. Other physicists sought his help in finding a mathematics that would predict the workings of the solar system. He found it in the mathematical law of gravity, based in part on his discovery of calculus. At the time, however, many people initially resisted Newtons conclusions because they seemed to be occult. How could two distant objects in the solar system be drawn toward one another, acting according to a precise mathematical law? Indeed, Newton made strenuous efforts over his lifetime to find a natural explanation, but in the end he could say only that it is the will of God. Despite the many other enormous advances of modern physics, little has changed in this regard. As Wigner wrote, the enormous usefulness of mathematics in the natural sciences is something bordering on the mysterious and there is no rational explanation for it. In other words, as I argue in my book, it takes the existence of some kind of a god to make the mathematical underpinnings of the universe comprehensible. Math and other worlds In 2004 the great British physicist Roger Penrose put forward a vision of a universe composed of three independently existing worlds mathematics, the material world and human consciousness. As Penrose acknowledged, it was a complete puzzle to him how the three interacted with one another outside the ability of any scientific or other conventionally rational model. How can physical atoms and molecules, for example, create something that exists in a separate domain that has no physical existence: human consciousness? It is a mystery that lies beyond science. This mystery is the same one that existed in the Greek worldview of Plato, who believed that abstract ideas (above all mathematical) first existed outside any physical reality. The material world that we experience as part of our human existence is an imperfect reflection of these prior formal ideals. As the scholar of ancient Greek philosophy, Ian Mueller, writes in Mathematics And The Divine, the realm of such ideals is that of God. Indeed, in 2014 the MIT physicist Max Tegmark argues in Our Mathematical Universe that mathematics is the fundamental world reality that drives the universe. As I would say, mathematics is operating in a god-like fashion. Mystery of human consciousness The workings of human consciousness are similarly miraculous. Like the laws of mathematics, consciousness has no physical presence in the world; the images and thoughts in our consciousness have no measurable dimensions. Yet, our nonphysical thoughts somehow mysteriously guide the actions of our physical human bodies. This is no more scientifically explicable than the mysterious ability of nonphysical mathematical constructions to determine the workings of a separate physical world. Until recently, the scientifically unfathomable quality of human consciousness inhibited the very scholarly discussion of the subject. Since the 1970s, however, it has become a leading area of inquiry among philosophers. Recognizing that he could not reconcile his own scientific materialism with the existence of a nonphysical world of human consciousness, a leading atheist, Daniel Dennett, in 1991 took the radical step of denying that consciousness even exists. Finding this altogether implausible, as most people do, another leading philosopher, Thomas Nagel, wrote in 2012 that, given the scientifically inexplicable the intractable character of human consciousness, we will have to leave [scientific] materialism behind as a complete basis for understanding the world of human existence. As an atheist, Nagel does not offer religious belief as an alternative, but I would argue that the supernatural character of the workings of human consciousness adds grounds for raising the probability of the existence of a supernatural god. Evolution and faith Evolution is a contentious subject in American public life. According to Pew, 98 percent of scientists connected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science believe humans evolved over time while only a minority of Americans fully accept evolution through natural selection. As I say in my book, I should emphasize that I am not questioning the reality of natural biological evolution. What is interesting to me, however, are the fierce arguments that have taken place between professional evolutionary biologists. A number of developments in evolutionary theory have challenged traditional Darwinist and later neo-Darwinist views that emphasize random genetic mutations and gradual evolutionary selection by the process of survival of the fittest. From the 1970s onwards, the Harvard evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould created controversy by positing a different view, punctuated equilibrium, to the slow and gradual evolution of species as theorized by Darwin. In 2011, the University of Chicago evolutionary biologist James Shapiro argued that, remarkably enough, many micro-evolutionary processes worked as though guided by a purposeful sentience of the evolving plant and animal organisms themselves. The capacity of living organisms to alter their own heredity is undeniable, he wrote. Our current ideas about evolution have to incorporate this basic fact of life. A number of scientists, such as Francis Collins, director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, see no conflict between believing in God and accepting the contemporary theory of evolution, as the American Association for the Advancement of Science points out. For my part, the most recent developments in evolutionary biology have increased the probability of a god. Miraculous ideas at the same time? For the past 10,000 years at a minimum, the most important changes in human existence have been driven by cultural developments occurring in the realm of human ideas. In the Axial Age (commonly dated from 800 to 200 B.C.), world-transforming ideas such as Buddhism, Confucianism, the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle, and the Hebrew Old Testament almost miraculously appeared at about the same time in India, China, ancient Greece and among the Jews in the Middle East, groups having little interaction with one another. The development of the scientific method in the 17th century in Europe and its modern further advances have had at least as great a set of world-transforming consequences. There have been many historical theories, but none capable, I would argue, of explaining as fundamentally transformational a set of events as the rise of the modern world. It was a revolution in human thought, operating outside any explanations grounded in scientific materialism, that drove the process. That all these astonishing things happened within the conscious workings of human minds, functioning outside physical reality, offers further rational evidence, in my view, for the conclusion that human beings may well be made in the image of [a] God. Different forms of worship In his commencement address to Kenyon College in 2005, the American novelist and essayist David Foster Wallace said that: Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. Even though Karl Marx, for example, condemned the illusion of religion, his followers, ironically, worshiped Marxism. The American philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre thus wrote that for much of the 20th century, Marxism was the historical successor of Christianity, claiming to show the faithful the one correct path to a new heaven on Earth. In several of my books, I have explored how Marxism and other such economic religions were characteristic of much of the modern age. So Christianity, I would argue, did not disappear as much as it reappeared in many such disguised forms of secular religion. That the Christian essence, as arose out of Judaism, showed such great staying power amidst the extraordinary political, economic, intellectual and other radical changes of the modern age is another reason I offer for thinking that the existence of a god is very probable. Filing has ended for seats on the South Carolina State University board with only one person seeking to fill one of the 12 open positions. Im absolutely surprised nobody filed, except for one, said Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman. South Carolina State University has been led by an interim, seven-member board since 2015. Members are to serve until June 30, 2018, or until a full new board of trustees is elected and qualified. The new board will have 12 members appointed by the General Assembly and one appointed by the governor. Matthews and other lawmakers have discussed phasing in a new board of trustees, rather than having the General Assembly elect an entirely new board next year. That would allow some current members to remain. Matthews said since only one candidate filed to be on the board, thatll give us (lawmakers) a chance to look at some type of solution or phase-in of new board members. Candidates seeking positions on various college and university boards throughout the state had until noon Wednesday to file. Dr. Wilbur B. Shuler was the only candidate to file for S.C. States board. Hes seeking Seat 6. When asked about being the lone candidate to file for a seat on S.C. States board, Shuler said, I guess Im the only who thought I had something to offer. The 74-year-old retired higher education fiscal manager is also an S.C. State alumnus and an Orangeburg native. I was born on Whitman Street, he said. He now lives a few blocks away on Myers Road. Shuler has an undergraduate degree in business administration and accounting from S.C. State, a masters degree in finance from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University), another masters in higher education administration/student personnel services from the University of South Carolina and a doctorate from the University of Memphis in higher and adult education. Shuler spent the entirety of his career in higher education fiscal affairs and governance. He also served as an evaluator for 30 years with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Prior to returning to S.C. State in 2001, he worked at the University of North Alabama as the chief financial officer for a decade. From 1987 until 1991, he worked as the financial leader at Fort Valley State University and at S.C. State University from 1968 until 1987. I came back to S.C. State in 2001 because I thought I could help them, but there were a few board members who didnt want me there, Shuler said. When I came back to S.C. State, that was the early stages of so many of their fiscal problems, he said. He retired in 2004, but briefly stepped out of retirement to serve as chief fiscal officer at Georgia Highland College and then at South Georgia College. He officially retired in 2012. I have a tremendous amount of experience in governance and finance of higher education, Shuler said. He said as a S.C. State board member, the first thing hell address is improving the fiscal soundness of the university and enrollment. As for other T&D Region residents who filed for seats on other university boards, Orangeburg attorney Charles H. Williams is seeking an additional term on the board of the University of South Carolina and Orangeburg dentist Dr. Robert C. Gordon is seeking an additional term on the board of the Medical University of South Carolina. Donald Trump is being told that amnesty for "Dreamers," or DACA recipients, will only apply to a small, narrowly defined group of totally innocent, eminently deserving illegal immigrants, who were brought to this country "through no fault of their own" as "children." Every syllable of that claim is a lie, and I can prove it. To see how DACA will actually work, let's look at another extremely limited amnesty that was passed in 1986. Farmers wanted temporary guest-worker permits for their cheap labor, so that they could continue pretending that the Industrial Revolution never happened and refuse to mechanize. (And, boy, did that work! We haven't heard a peep about "crops rotting in the fields" since then.) The agricultural amnesty was supposed to apply to -- at most -- 350,000 illegal aliens. It would be available only to illegals who were currently in the country doing the back-breaking farm work that no American would do. Without them, crops would wither on the vine. They were saving us from starvation! Talk about deserving. Are any Dreamers saving us from starvation? But instead of guest-worker permits, then-Rep. Charles Schumer -- from the lush farmland of Brooklyn -- decided to grant full amnesty to any illegals who had done farm work for at least 90 days in the previous year. That's pretty restrictive, isn't it? In the end, "up to 350,000 farm workers" turned into 1.3 million. Oh well, what are you going to do? No use worrying -- let's just move forward and get all these people voter registration cards! This innocent little amnesty for a small, clearly defined group of illegals quickly became amnesty for anyone who applied. The same thing will happen with any other amnesty, no matter how strictly the law is written. (And it won't be written strictly.) In the first few years of the agricultural amnesty, internal Immigration and Naturalization Service statistics showed that 888,637 legalization applications were fraudulent. According to immigration agents, "farm workers" stated in their interviews that cotton was purple or that they had pulled cherries from the ground. Of the 888,637 fraudulent applications, guess how many our government approved. Answer: More than 800,000. The agricultural amnesty was so carefully administered that not one, but TWO of the 1993 World Trade Center bombers were in this country because of it. (More on that in another column.) The main problem with the farm worker amnesty, the DACA amnesty or any amnesty is that everyone involved in the entire immigration apparatus is feverishly working, on the taxpayer's dime, to transform this country into a Third World hellhole. Lawyers for La Raza and lawyers for the government both believe it is their mission to humiliate and destroy white Christian America. (Actually, this country is "biracial Christian America," plus a few Amerindians and anyone else who assimilated to Western European culture.) There are multitudes of them, and they will never, ever stop. Congress could pass a law granting amnesty to any 7-foot-tall, left-handed, red-headed illegal aliens from Lichtenstein -- and hundreds of left-wing outfits would instantly set to work, demanding amnesty for witch doctors, cannibals, pederasts, terrorists and the rest of the multicultural universe that makes America so vibrant. On the other side of the application process would be government immigration bureaucrats who either used to work at La Raza, or hope to in the future. On the off chance that some particularly risible amnesty application is denied by a stodgy rules-follower in our immigration bureaucracy, that denial will be litigated before a federal judge in Hawaii, then appealed to the Ninth Circuit. For two decades after the 1986 amnesty, the federal courts were tied up with dozens of class-action lawsuits brought on behalf of illegal aliens -- regular illegal aliens, farm worker illegal aliens and still-in-Mexico illegal aliens -- challenging every aspect of the law. Is that how American tax dollars should be spent? On endless litigation, brought by America-hating activists on behalf of people who have no right to be in our country and decided by Democrat-appointed judges? (Who are also America-hating activists.) And when their work is done, there will be a lot more Democrat-appointed judges because there will be a lot more Democrats. Lawyers sued over everything -- the absence of Creole interpreters, the requirement that illegals have proof of prior farm work and the rare denials of amnesty. Congress desperately tried passing laws that would prevent courts from hearing these cases -- all to no avail. Left-wing lawyers just had to pick the right judge, and they won. In 2005 -- nearly 20 years after the 1986 amnesty -- the 9th Circuit was still granting amnesty to hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who claimed they had been unfairly denied because they were not in the country for the first amnesty. Seriously. No matter how the law is written, as long as anyone is eligible for amnesty, everybody's getting amnesty. Trump is the last president who will ever have a chance to make the right decision on immigration. After this, it's over. The boat will have sailed. If he succeeds, he will be the president who saved the American nation, its character, its sovereignty, its core identity. But if he fails, Donald Trump will go down in history as the man who killed America. Get your fancy dresses out and tuxedos prepped for Duo Rosa! DUO ROSA emerged, thanks to a wonderful friendship and meeting of musical minds between soprano Stephany Ortega and pianist Lena Kollmeier when they were studying at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Thanks to their comprehensive training in classical and modern music, they are able to approach traditional repertoire with ease, while tackling the challenges of contemporary music and exploring several world music style. Duo Rosa recently launched its first CD "Return, a journey between Europe and Latin America, under the label Etcetera Records, at the Philharmonie Luxembourg in November 2016. After that, the duo started a promotional tour - "Return World Tour - across Europe, the US and the Dominican Republic where Stephany Ortega is from, including appearances at Carnegie Hall in New York, La Monnaie in Brussels, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Santo Domingo. Recently, Duo Rosa received recognition from the Dominican Consulate in Valencia for their "exemplary work at the service of art and culture around the world. Thanks to the support of the Fondation Alliance Francaise in Paris and the Ministry of Culture of Luxemburg, the Alliance Francaise SVG is thrilled to present "Return in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The Fundraising concert will be held at the Peace Memorial Hall on Friday 22nd September 2017, beginning at 7pm. A reduced entrance fee is available for members of the Alliance Francaise and Children under the age of 18. Dont miss this onetime opportunity to indulge your musical senses in an evening of class and elegance Royalty in the House: Miss SVG 2017, Jimmelle Roberts (right) Ist runner-up Nicoleen Lewis (centre) and 2nd runner-up Chrystal Oliver. HAVING BEEN REWARDED for their efforts in 2017, carnival makers here will be anxious to step up preparation for Vincy Mas 2018 - June 29 to July 10. Ricardo Adams, Chairman of the Carnival Development Corporation (CDC), addressing the Vincy Mas 2017 Awards and Prize-Giving Ceremony, Thursday 7th September, at the Murray Heights Hotel, McKies Hill, described 2017 as a learning process, he having served his first term as head of the CDC. Adams acknowledged that no detailed analysis was done as of last week Thursdays ceremony, but said he was satisfied that the growth marked over the past 40 years will continue. He pointed to the collaborative approach that characterised the promotion and management of Vincy Mas 2017. Adams contended that Destination Little Tokyo, the drive that gave rise to a change of venue for the Mardi Gras parade from the traditional Victoria Park to Little Tokyo, erased doubts about novelty. He pleaded for private sector involvement to ensure payment to stakeholders in a timely manner, and disclosed that some $550,000 was paid out in prize monies for Vincy Mas 2017. He anticipates that the same amount will be distributed next year. Calypso/Soca awardees Among those receiving accolades last week Thursday was National Calypso Monarch Lornette Fya Empress Nedd. She rendered excerpts of her winning number Hope is alive. First Runner-up Zamfir Man Zangie, second runner-up Joanna Christopher and third runner-up Glenroy Sulle Caesar were also on hand to receive their awards. Hance John received the Ragga Soca title trophy and treated the audience to a repeat of his winning number, Sugar Mammy. Shernelle Skarpyon Williams mother received the prizes for her son who placed second in the Ragga category. Soca Monarch Delroy Fireman Hooper missed the function. Silta James received the Road March honours on her sons behalf, the third such title for Shertz Problem Child James. Mriah Young Saiah Robertson received the Junior Soca prize. Kristiana Singing Kristy Christopher took home the trophy for winning the Secondary School category of Junior Calypso. It was double delight for the Christopher family, with Kristian Lil Kris Christopher retaining the Primary School crown. Steel Orchestras Members of Starlift Steel Orchestra were more than elated to receive the champions awards as winner of the Senior Panorama, in this the year of their 50th anniversary, displacing FLOW Sion Hill Euphonium in the process. The order was reversed at the Community Bands category of the Junior Pan Fest, with Sion Hill leading the way ahead of Starlift. The Girls High School kept their hold of the title among the School-based Steel Orchestras. Mas, mas and more mas The mas band SVG Players International had lots to celebrate and lots of silverware to receive. They copped the major Band of the Year title, added the Uptown Mardi Gras Parade title, and nabbed the Best Use of Colour award for good measure. Throw in their Junior King of the Bands and Best Section of the Year first places, and a number of second places across the mas competition board, and the Players would have felt rewarded for their years work. BMC Amerijet Magic 103/7 FM Blondie Bird and Friends, Digicel Nelson and Metrocint High Voltage Mas Production were the other standouts among mas competitions for seniors. It was business as usual for Simone Richardson, who returned after a years absence to retake the Queen of the Bands title on behalf of Blondie Bird and Friends. And in similar vein, veteran masquerade Gordon Tarya Boucher was more than happy to receive the title trophy as King of the Bands 2017, making it the 7th occasion on which he had copped that prestigious title. Blondie Bird and Friends, though, was clearly out front as far as Junior Mas competitions were concerned. Other Awards Among rural carnival activity for Vincy Mas 2017, the Ptani Carnival Committee was judged Best Organised, while the Canouan-based Club Nuevo was the Most Improved Rural Festivity Host. Double Click Sounds was rewarded for having played the Best Repertoire of Local Music in rural activities. Miss SVG 2017, Jimmelle Roberts, along with Nicoleen Lewis second and Chrystal Oliver graced the occasion with their royal presence, and collected their rewards. Not to be left out, the Most Uniformed T- Shirt Band went to Guinness, but FLOW carried away the Biggest Monday Band title. (WKA) Irma, a category five storm and one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, swept across the northern islands of the Caribbean, leaving a trail of damage of catastrophic proportions, said to be in the billions of dollars, and death. At least 37 people were killed and thousands left homeless. Antigua and Barbuda While Antigua was spared its wrath, Irma took toll on sister isle Barbuda, leaving one child dead,95% of the buildings without roofs, and about 50% of the population (between 1600 and 1800) homeless. Bahamas Hurricane Irma demonstrated its sheer power as it sucked the waters from a beach in the Bahamas, in a rare weather phenomenon, causing panic as residents feared the development of a tsunami. British Virgin Islands and US Virgin Islands There was widespread damage reported on both island chains - especially to the housing stock in Tortola, BVI. Five persons died in the BVI and at least four in the USVI. Cuba The hurricane battered the north of the island for several hours, with storm surges partially engulfing villages, and whole communities left homeless. Ten people were killed after Irma made landfall. Haiti and the Dominican Republic Both countries were battered by the storm and experienced flooding, but neither had as much damage as initially feared. Irma caused power outages and some damage to roofs and farms in the northern parts of the countries. Puerto Rico Hurricane Irma may have just skirted Puerto Rico, but it brought waves of up to 30ft (9m) off the capital San Juan. Damage was inflicted on that US territorys infra-structure, with more than half of the islands three million residents left without power, and at least three deaths reported. St Martin/St. Maarten, St Barths and Anguilla Irma left Barbuda and turned on St. Martin/St. Maarteen, St Barths and Anguilla - popular holiday destinations. More than two-thirds of the homes on St. Maarten (Dutch side) were destroyed, and the French sided reported damage estimated to be in the region of US1.44 billion. Nine deaths were recorded across St/ Martin/St. Maarteen and St. Barths. Anguilla suffered some damage to its tourism plant. St. Kitts & Nevis St. Kitts and Nevis was spared a direct hit, and authorities there reported only minimal damage, including , moreso on Nevis, water flooding of the airport, fallen trees, broken electricity lines and erosion to some of the coast on the southern western and northern areas. Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos had never experienced a storm of this magnitude. Irma ripped off roofs on the main island, Grand Turk, flooded streets, snapped utility poles and caused a widespread black-out. Left:Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche raised the concern, on behalf of the DPP, about reporting on judicial proceedings. Middle:Israel Bruce, representing the accused Junior Jarvis attempted to limit the purview of the law but was rebutted by the Chief Magistrate. Right:Attorney Ronald Marks, a week earlier, had raised concerns about media reporting in a matter in which he was involved. Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne has advised media personnel not to report names, details or anything that will prejudice the preliminary Inquiry (PI) involving former journalist and Public Relations Consultant Junior Jarvis, who has been charged with the February 14, 2017 murder of Randy Lawrence, 39-year-old Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines employee. Jarvis is also charged with attempted murder, abduction, aggravated burglary, assault causing bodily harm and using a firearm to aid in the commission of an offence. These offences were reportedly committed on February 14. The PI started at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday and was adjourned to the following day. The Magistrate issued the warning on Wednesday after Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche spoke to the law as it relates to reporting on judicial proceedings. The law governing reporting Just before the hearing resumed on Wednesday, the Senior Prosecutor informed the Court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had called a meeting with all prosecutors in relation to a call the DPP said he received on Tuesday evening, concerning the reporting on the matter. According to the Prosecutor, the DPP made reference to Section 98 of the Criminal Code, with specific reference to sub-sections G and H. Sub-section G states that "while a Judicial proceeding is being held or is pending, makes or uses any speech or writing in misrepresenting such proceeding or capable of prejudicing any persons in favour of or against any part to the proceeding or calculated to lower the authority of any person before whom the proceeding is being held or is to be held. Sub-section H states, "Publishes a report of the evidence taken in any Judicial Proceeding which is being held in private or which has been ordered not to be published; in this paragraph "evidence, includes the name and address of any party to the proceeding, any witness or any person mentioned in these proceedings. Delpleche informed the Court that anyone found in contravention of this section could face a maximum penalty of two years in prison. Attorney Israel Bruce who is representing Jarvis sought to have the Magistrate focus her attention specifically on Sub-section H, but Browne rebutted sharply, saying that she knew what sub-section H says. Previously expressed concern Attorney Ronald Marks, who was sitting at the Bar Table, said, "This is a Preliminary Inquiry. The jurors are out there. The recent development came only one week after Marks, representing one of three young ladies charged with the September 4 murder of another woman, told the Court, during their appearance on September 6, that he was concerned about the way the matter was being reported on by the media which, in his view, could jeopardize his clients case or the case for the Prosecution, and asked the media to be careful while reporting on the case. That matter involves Twanecia Ollivierre and Alana Hudson, both 19 of Chapmans and Campden Park respectively and Taylor Mofford, 18, of Belmont who are charged with the murder of Simonia Da Silva, 23, of Fair Hall. Marks is representing Hudson. Left:Randy Lawrence, the victim at the other end of Jarviss ordeal. Right:Junior Jarvis, a fromer acrtive journalist here, is on remand and facing a murder charge, but doing his best to hold body and soul together. Junior Jarvis, a former journalist and Public Relations Consultant, who is charged with the February 14, 2017 murder of Randy Lawrence, 39-year-old Bank of St. Vincent and the Grenadines employee, says he is trying his best to keep a "sound mind, body and spirit. Jarvis, who is on remand at Her Majestys Prisons since February, made the comment on Tuesday while speaking to THE VINCENTIAN, with permission from a police officer, during a break in proceedings at the Serious Offences Court, where the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into Lawrences death was ongoing, up to press time Wednesday. During the brief conversation, Jarvis told this publication, "There is a motto in the prison, Dont waste time doing time, and I have been trying to keep my time occupied by doing what I love most. It is also a learning experience, and I hope to use what I have learnt to help others, inside and outside. Up to press time, seven witnesses testified for the Prosecution, at the PI, being heard before Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne. Jarvis is also facing charges of attempted murder, abduction, assault causing bodily harm, aggravated burglary and using a firearm to aid in the commission of an offence. These offences were also allegedly committed on February 14. Attorney Israel Bruce is representing Jarvis, while Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delpleche leads the case for the Prosecution. Left: Jaundy Martin, whose appointment as Attorney General is imminent, will be only the second person to hold that office since the ULP formed Government in 2001. Right:Judith Jones-Morgan is on record as having the longest unbroken tenure as Attorney General since this country gained independence in 1979. Nineteen years after being called to the bar in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 44-year-old Marriaqua born lawyer Jaundy Martin is expected to be installed as Attorney General, the office of the main legal advisor to the government. THE VINCENTIAN was reliably informed on Wednesday that Martin will succeed Judith Jones-Morgan, who is expected to demit the office of Attorney General this month, after some 16 years of service. THE VINCENTIAN understands that the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) has given the approval for Martin to succeed Jones-Morgan, and he is expected to be officially sworn in soon. Martin, who still resides at Marriqua, was called to the local bar in 1998. He worked in the Attorney General Office from 1998 to 2004, following which he went into private practice. He worked with the private Law Firm Marks, Martin and Associates, as well as Isaccs and Martin, before establishing his own law firm which, to date, is still in operation. Martin had also been called to the Bar in Barbados and did some legal practice there. Trinidadian-born Lawyer Jones-Morgan was sworn in as Attorney General here April 2, 2001, following the March 29, 2001 general elections which brought the Unity Labour Party (ULP) to government, having defeated the incumbent New Democratic Party (NDP), 12 seats to three, ending almost 17 years of NDP rule. Up to press time Wednesday, efforts to reach Jones-Morgan were unsuccessful. Persons left homeless by Hurricane Irma, like those in Barbuda (pictured), could well be dependent on outside aid for some time into the foreseeable future. A Government release early this week advised that a vessel will leave Port Kingstown on Friday, September 15th, 2017, to take food and other supplies to the BVI. Persons interested in sending supplies to their families and friends are asked to ensure that these are brought to national collection points to be announced later, or to the Geest Shed no later than Thursday September 14th, at 3pm. All packages must be properly labelled. No meats or live plants will be permitted, the release said. There will be no charge for the transportation of these supplies to the BVI. In related news, an official Government delegation, comprised of Ministers Camillo Gonsalves and Saboto Caesar and three (3) technicians, is expected to visit several of the hurricane affected islands to meet nationals of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to work out details of a structured recovery assistance response. And skilled workers wishing to volunteer their services or who are desirous of being employed in the reconstruction efforts in Anguilla, Barbuda, BVI and the USVI, are being encouraged to register with the South Central Windward Producers Co-operative. Persons are asked to bring along a valid passport for interview at the Sans Souci Learning Resource Centre from 10am - 3pm Wednesday 13th - Friday 15th of September. Meanwhile, as a first response, this country, through its government, has donated US$50,000 to the British Virgin Islands and a further US$50,000 to Antigua and Barbuda. Also, last Sunday, 2000 pounds of food and water were sent to Hurricane ravaged St. Maarten. Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves assured that this country will do all it can to help the countries that have been affected by the disaster, and more supplies will be sent to some of these countries by the end of the week. Persons with family members in the BVI and other affected islands who are incapacitated in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma wishing to obtain information on possible assistance for returning to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, can do so by calling the following number: 1784 434 4955 Updates will take place during the next 24 hours. Trainees expressing themselves on pan at their graduation ceremony. The SVG Port Authority (SVGPA) continues to invest in its employees and their family members. The latest such demonstration came with the Ports facilitation of the training of twenty- five children and other relatives of employees in playing the steel pan. The participants, during a four-week period of the recent August school break, were introduced to the instruments at sessions held at the Sion Hill Euphonium Steel Orchestras Pan Yard, located in Sion Hill Village. Under the guidance of Tillal Webb, the participants were taught basic music theory as well as the rudiments of playing the steel pan. "Despite some challenges at the start of the programme, they adopted to the playing of the pan well, and I was pleased with their performance on the day of the graduation, Webb acknowledged. At the graduation ceremony, held on Sunday 3rd September and twinned with the annual Sion Hill Euphoniums training programme, the SVG Port Authority batch got an opportunity to demonstrate what they had learned, by rendering four songs, much to the delight of their parents, siblings, relatives, officials and others present. Showing some competence and dexterity, the cohort of young pan players belted out I surrender all;, I am not the only one, Stay with Me and Booty Call, as they touched different genres. Emerging as stand out players were Aaliyah John and Zavio Richardson, who received awards of excellence. This years pan programme was a continuation of the SVGPAs Annual Summer Programme which started in 2013. Left:David Tawei Lee, Taiwans Minister of Foreign Affairs, made it clear that the Peoples Republic of China has never had jurisdiction over Taiwan. Right:Taiwan has provided technical and other in kind support for agriculture and horticulture development projects in SVG. The 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 72) will convene at UN Headquarters, New York, USA, on Tuesday, 12 September 2017. The General Debate will open on Tuesday, 19 September 2017, with a focus on the theme, Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. As has obtained in previous years, the Republic of China (Taiwan) will again make an appeal for acceptance as a full member, an appeal that it hopes will be supported by those UN Member States with which it has diplomatic relations, St. Vincent and the Grenadines included. As a prelude to this, David Tawei Lee, Ph. D, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan, issued a statement in which he reiterates his countrys commitment "to continuing our interaction and cooperation with our friends and partners, and to maintaining global peace, security and prosperity through mutually beneficial collaboration. In support of this, the Minister referenced to Taiwans "experience in such areas as environmental protection, public health and medicine, agriculture, education and ICT has helped our partners develop and grow. According to the Minister, Taiwan has invested over US$6 billion in international medical and humanitarian aid efforts since 1996, benefiting millions of people worldwide, and Taiwans vibrant civil society/civic organizations constantly reach out to the world. Additionally, Taiwan has brought its laws and regulations into line with the UNs human rights conventions, and in terms of living up to democratic values, Taiwan has worked as hard as any countryand perhaps harder than mostto advance equality, the Minister said. And in making a political claim for membership, the minister cited UNs 1971 General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI), which "seated the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in the UN. This resolution, the Minister argued, "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. Continuing, he said, "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. The republic of China (Taiwan) is listed as the worlds 18th largest trading and 11th freest economy. By Trend Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Soviknes has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. When the first Production Sharing Agreement for the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil fields was signed in 1994, independent Azerbaijan took an important step to secure a prosperous development for the country. The government of the late President Heydar Aliyev invited international companies to participate in the development of Azerbaijans energy sector. This laid the foundation for a cooperation that has been mutually beneficial and fruitful. Statoils engagement continues to play an important role in Norways bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, Soviknes said. As the new Production Sharing Agreement for the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli Field is signed, a new chapter of fruitful international energy cooperation opens. The agreement is an important commitment for all parties involved. We are happy to see that Statoil and its ACG partners have chosen to make this commitment together. Norway and Azerbaijan are both significant global energy suppliers, he noted. Todays ceremony is a clear signal that we will remain important players securing large and stable energy supplies to Europe for decades to come. I look forward to seeing our relations develop further. Please accept my congratulations on the signing of the new PSA. I wish all parties involved every success in further development of the ACG fields, and I wish you and your people welfare and prosperity, Soviknes told President Aliyev. Samsung Electronics has established the Samsung Automotive Innovation Fund, a new $300-million fund focused exclusively on the automotive market. The fund will focus on connected car and autonomous technologies, including smart sensors, machine vision, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, connectivity solutions, automotive-grade safety solutions, security, and privacy. In addition to the fund, Harman, which was acquired by Samsung earlier this year, has established a new Autonomous/ADAS Strategic Business Unit (SBU). The new Harman SBU, which will report to Harmans Connected Car division, will work with the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center (SSIC) Smart Machines team to develop key technologies for safer, smarter, connected vehicles. The SSIC Smart Machines team is an advanced automotive engineering group dedicated to enabling next-generation mobility solutions. During this period of extraordinary transformation in the automotive industry, we are excited to play a leadership role in supporting and shaping the future of smarter, more connected vehicles, said Young Sohn, president and chief strategy officer of Samsung Electronics and Chairman of the Board of Harman. The Autonomous/ADAS Strategic Business Unit and automotive fund reflect the companys commitment to the values of open innovation and collaboration. In partnership with OEMs and start-ups, we will make the driver and passenger experience safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable. According to the World Health Organization, road injuries are among the top 10 causes of death worldwide. In the US alone, the most recent data suggests that there are more than 35,000 fatal crashes each year. Samsungs goal in the automotive market is to tackle this challenge by bringing to market technologies, from sensors to data-processing solutions, that will help make cars safer while creating a more comfortable and convenient mobility experience. To address the increasing demand for integrated solutions, particularly those for automated driving, Samsung and Harman will focus on engineering, high-performance computing, sensor technologies, algorithms, artificial intelligence, as well as connectivity and cloud solutions that enable Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and automated driving. There is already a high demand for ADAS solutions, and that demand is rapidly growing with the advancements in connected cars and autonomous driving, said Dinesh Paliwal, president and CEO of Harman. This strategic business unit demonstrates Samsungs and Harmans commitment to answer that call to be the definitive partner for seamless and integrated technologies. It also reflects the incredible power that Samsung and Harman, as a collective force, will bring to our OEM customers as we combine Samsungs scale and resources with Harmans deep automotive experience and networks. Together, we are driving the future of automotive. TradeArabia News Service The creative juices have been flowing in the kitchens at Movenpick Hotels & Resorts where the hospitality firms director of food and beverage Europe has achieved a gastronomic feat the reinvention of traditional Swiss dishes. Thomas Hollenstein has married tradition with the culinary innovation for which Movenpick is famous, taking Swiss recipes that reflect the brands rich heritage and reimagining them to appeal to the modern palates of guests and diners around the world - local cuisine with global appeal. The result is a spectacular new array of Signature Dishes that will become a permanent fixture on restaurant and in-room dining menus at every Movenpick hotel and resort globally from September 1. Bringing local Swiss flavours with a unique twist to its discerning guests, the new dishes range from beef tartare with toasted brioche to a light but flavoursome carrot cake that is ingeniously gluten free. These dishes are quintessentially Swiss, but have been updated to reflect contemporary tastes and trends, said Hollenstein. We made the recipes for these dishes lighter and fresher, but at the same time, retained the ingredients and flavours that have made them so popular for decades, he said. The result is a menu of new contemporary classics that appeal to the palate of modern diners. These dishes give a nod to Movenpicks Swiss roots, reflect the brands 70 years of world-renowned gastronomic experience and showcase once more its culinary inventiveness. The four signature dishes are: Beef tartare : One of Movenpicks greatest culinary successes, steak tartare is a true classic, not only in Switzerland, but around the world. The 2017 take on this dish offers mild, medium or fiery options and introduces brioche toast and butter. Riz Casimir : Curry and tropical fruit flavours suggest an exotic origin, yet Riz Casimir was first invented in the Movenpick kitchen by the companys founder, the legendary Ueli Prager, and has been served in its restaurants since 1952. The latest version complements delicate veal slices with a mild curry sauce and fragrant Jasmine rice. Zurich-style veal : This quintessential Swiss dish has been updated to combine succulent veal with a mouth-watering cream and mushroom sauce, served with a traditional crispy rosti. Carrot cake : A modern take on the traditional Swiss Ruebeli Chueche, this contemporary gluten-free carrot cake is light to bite but big on flavour, and comes topped with a smooth and velvety cream cheese frosting. These new core classics will be featured on restaurant and in-room dining menus at all Movenpick properties, but each hotel and resort will also be given the option to choose from additional Signature Dishes, selecting those that best suit the tastes of their specific restaurant guests. Movenpicks other reinventions include Tomato Soup, Caesar Salad, Club Sandwich, Gruyere Burger, Rosti Bufala Mozzarella e Pomodoro, Wienerschnitzel, Black Angus Entrecote Cafe de Paris and Movenpick Birchermuseli. - TradeArabia News Service The airlines of the Lufthansa Group welcomed around 12.5 million passengers in August, marking an increase of 17.4 per cent compared to the same month last year. The available seat kilometres were up 12.4 per cent over the previous year, at the same time, sales increased by 14 per cent. The seat load factor improved accordingly, rising 1.2 percentage points compared to August 2016 to 85.8 per cent. Cargo capacity increased 2.3 per cent year-on-year, while cargo sales were up 9.8 per cent in revenue ton-kilometre terms. As a result, the Cargo load factor showed a corresponding improvement, rising 4.5 percentage points in the month to 66.4 per cent. Network airlines The Network Airlines Lufthansa German Airlines, SWISS and Austrian Airlines carried 9.2 million passengers in August, 4.8 per cent more than in the prior-year period. Compared to the previous year, the available seat kilometres increased by 2.4 per cent in August although the number of flights stayed the same. The sales volume was up 4 per cent over the same period, raising seat load factor by 1.4 percentage points to 85.8 per cent. Lufthansa German Airlines transported 6.1 million passengers in August, a 3.9 per cent increase compared to the same month last year. A 1.2 per cent increase in seat kilometres in August was a 3.4 per cent increase in sales. Furthermore, the seat load factor was up to 85.8 per cent, therefore 1.8 percentage points above the prior-years level. Point-to-Point airlines The Lufthansa Groups Point-to-Point Airlines Eurowings (including Germanwings) and Brussels Airlines carried around 3.3 million passengers in August. Among this total, 3.1 million passengers were on short-haul flights and 260,000 flew long-haul. This amounts to an increase of 75.7 per cent in comparison to the previous year. August capacity was 108.4 per cent above its prior-year level, while its sales volume was up 108 per cent, resulting in a nearly equal seat load factor which was 0.1 percentage points lower. On short-haul services the Point-to-Point Airlines raised capacity 66.1 per cent and increased sales volume by 67.2 per cent, resulting in a 0.5 percentage points increase in seat load factor, compared to August 2016. The seat load factor for the long-haul services decreased 8.8 percentage points to 87.9 per cent during the same period, following a 385.4 per cent increase in capacity and a 341.2 per cent rise in sales volume, compared to the previous year. The number of passengers on long haul flights of the Point-to-Point airlines in August was around four times higher than one year before. TradeArabia News Service hcoinRemarks-D28.htmlWhen you are at a professional poker table, you need to make sure that you do not do anything stupid that can harm your reputation among other professional players. While the sharks will not care what you do like a fish, the other fishes will be very observant of how you perform. The best way to deal with such wannabe sharks is to avoid doing things that are considered impolite or unprofessional. Here are the things you must avoid doing during poker games. Do not splash the pot When you are playing at high stakes, everyone is observant about how much you are betting. At these moments, do not throw your chips into the already big pot. Place your bet forward and let the dealer announce how much you have bet, so everybody can count it. Avoid string bets Earlier players used to say, I call, and raise whenever making bets. These are called string calls and are not accepted at professional poker tables today. Make your initial call with just one action, and be clear of your actual intention. Do not blame others It is a trait of a personality gambler to blame someone else for their own losses. Do not be that person at the table and accuse others unless you are 100% sure. If you think something wrong has happened, you should report to the floor manager instead of making a scene at the table. Never slow-roll Slow roll is a bad sport and one of the rudest moves that you can play in poker. If you think you are winning and still waste everyones time holding your hand, you will piss off so many people. It is not a clever move, and you may even get punched on the face for pulling off a trick like that. Do not misrepresent your hand Always remember that you are only responsible for what you say, and if your hand and what you say do not match, you will create a bad reputation at the table for yourself. If you say you have a specific card and you dont, you are misrepresenting your cards which is terrible. Do not over celebrate Never over celebrate your wins, no matter how big they are. Being happy for your win is good, but over-celebrating it is bad for two reasons the opponents who lost also deserve respect for playing the bets and letting your emotions out also makes you vulnerable to slow tilt. Slow tilt occurs when a player loses the ability to control emotions and constantly makes poor decisions. Do not comment on folding Players need to respect that other players are still playing. They should avoid talking about their hands after they have folded. This can also get reported to security, and you may be asked to leave the game if an opponent complains about you commenting. Do not tell people about your cards, do not make noises of disgust, and do not show your hand cards to anyone at the table or outside. Its time to gather round the television as a community and witness together a vivid and thorough telling of our shared history in Vietnam. We dont have many of these opportunities to learn about our country at the same time in a communal way; its the modern equivalent of the FDR fireside chats in World War II. And at just the perfect time in our fast-changing and often conflicting ideas about our country, the master storyteller Ken Burns is here with a 10-part PBS series The Vietnam War. One writer called this astounding and sobering march through our recent history required viewing and I agree. It began on Sunday evening. For me as a late-blooming history nut, television documentaries have communicated with a power like no other about the Civil War (Ken Burns again) and the extraordinary exploits of one company of U.S. paratroopers during World War II in Band of Brothers. Heres how it goes for me: I watched Band of Brothers when it first aired. Then I read the Stephen Ambrose book of the same name that inspired it. What a great book that set the standard for giving individual faces to earthshaking events such as D-Day, Bastogne and victory in Europe. Eventually I had to watch the entire 10-part documentary series again when I finally felt I had a glimmer of what happened to U.S. soldiers in those important years of 1942-45. If this series on Vietnam lives up to its reviews and the talents of its producers, it might instantly catapult millions of us finally into well-informed students of Vietnam. We need that and we need it now, while so many of the veterans who went to Vietnam are starting to tell their stories about a time that is almost unknown to their children and grandchildren. The war was famously described as the first living room war because of its vivid, graphic and constant presence in peoples homes on their television sets in the nightly newscasts. This was before the myriad viewing choices today at a time when what three networks showed was what people watched. The documentary series uses enormous resources of home videos, news footage and the unforgettable popular music of the time. Of course, there is Gimme Shelter from the Rolling Stones and expected classics from Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Otis Redding. But surprise atmosphere comes from Vietnamese folk songs by the Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma and gritty original compositions by Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor. The documentary features approximately 80 people who told their own stories about the war, including American soldiers, allied South Vietnamese and Viet Cong who fought against the U.S. and South Vietnam. The journeys of specific soldiers and a re-telling of an early battle from every viewpoint through actual footage, maps and interviews are elements of the series power, according to critics, the ones who say its required viewing for all of us who want to understand a formative event of the last century that still echoes in impact. The 10 parts of The Vietnam War run in the evenings on PBS from Sept. 17-21 and Sept. 24-28. There are a lot of great museums in Casper, but residents sometimes forget they exist, according to Rachel Hedges, the marketing coordinator for the Casper Museum Consortium. People tend to cross a museum off their to-do list after a single trip. However, museums often bring in new exhibits and activities. Below, Hedges recommends five museums that locals should be visiting more frequently. Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum Established in a former Enlisted Mens Service Club, this museum contains 25,000 artifacts and documents 700 personal stories from Wyoming's veterans. War isnt a light-hearted topic, but Hedges said the museums guided tours can be adjusted for all ages, so theres no reason to leave the kids at home. I took my 10-year-old daughter and she enjoyed a tour, she said. For an interactive experience, children can also try on military gear and explore a real tank. The museum currently offers a special exhibit in honor of the 100th anniversary of the United States entry into World War I. The M.L Bishop House Casper residents have probably driven by this historic home a million times without even realizing its worth, according to Hedges. Built by Marvin Bishop in 1907, the house is the first two-story brick building ever constructed in Wyoming. Bishop was a prominent rancher who once ran for governor, and said the house was considered a mansion when it was built. "I love walking in the front door and feelings like youre in 1920," Hedges said. Everything about that house just takes you back in time." The Science Zone With lots of hands-on exhibits, this science museum is especially designed for children to enjoy, explained Hedges. They do a lot of camps and programs for kids, she said. Due to the recent eclipse, the museum is currently focusing on activities that educate children about outer space, even giving them the opportunity to test their own toy rockets. Tate Geological Museum Hedge said this museum of ancient bones and stones showcases everything from the skeletons of lizards to one of a giant mammoth. Visitors can also peer into the Fossil Prep Lab, and watch as new discoveries are prepared for display. "You can ask questions and see what they're up to," said Hedges. The museum is currently working on a tyrannosaurus and triceratops, she added. Werner Wildlife Museum The animals at this museum all have one thing in common - theyre stuffed. Hopefully, that is the closest youll ever get to a grizzly bear, said Hedges. The museum focuses on Wyomings wildlife, but also features some creatures from Africa, Australia and Europe. The extensive animal collection includes bears, wolves, birds, deer, a moose and a walrus. Although tourists often stop by the museum, Hedges said residents sometimes take it for granted. "People come from out of town and go, Wow this is first class amazing stuff," she said. A Casper man serving 52 years in prison for attempted murder lost an appeal Friday in the Wyoming Supreme Court. Clint Webb was convicted in 2015 of attempting to run over his wife in June 2014 on the day she filed for divorce. Natrona County District Judge Daniel Forgey sentenced Webb in December 2015 to 35 to 52 years in prison for attempted second-degree murder, felony property destruction and two counts of aggravated assault and battery with a deadly weapon. In his appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court, Webb alleged that he was not afforded his constitutional protection against double jeopardy, he was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial, the prosecutor in the case committed misconduct and he did not receive effective counsel, among other complaints. In ruling against Webbs arguments, the five justices agreed that the court did not commit double jeopardy, prosecutors arguments were appropriate and Webbs lawyer was not ineffective. The court also denied Webbs speedy trial argument. Webb had initially been charged with only one count in the case, but prosecution later refiled the case and added three charges, including attempted second-degree murder. More than a year passed between the day Webb was charged and his conviction. Although the majority of justices agreed much of the delay in Webbs trial was attributable to the defendant, the minority opinion argued Wyomings speedy trial rule had been stripped of its purpose. Justice Kate M. Fox, who penned the minority opinion, wrote that Webbs trial should be sent back to district court to ensure the prosecution had not refiled the case to avoid the 120-day speedy trial deadline required by Wyoming court rule. Fox was joined in her dissent by Chief Justice E. James Burke. The Natrona County Sheriffs Office is looking for a man who left his halfway house for work and never came back. Edward Smith, 26, left the Casper Re-Entry Center to work at a restaurant around 7 a.m. Thursday. He was expected back that night but never showed up, a sheriffs spokesman said. When Smith did not return at 10:30 p.m. as scheduled, the sheriffs department was contacted by facility staff to report Smiths disappearance. The Casper Re-Entry Center is a privately owned facility that provides rehabilitation and substance abuse treatment to inmates before they are released as part of a contract with the Wyoming Department of Corrections. The Wyoming Board of Patrol describes the Casper Re-Entry Center and other similar facilities as providing an alternative to incarceration or traditional probation/parole supervision. Residents of the facility are required to hold off-site jobs and pay rent as part of their rehabilitation, according to the parole board. Smith was in the step-down program as part of a three-and-a-half- to eight-year sentence he was serving for methamphetamine manufacture and distribution. He was originally sentenced in 2015 in Campbell County, the spokesman said. The sheriffs department has asked for the publics help in finding Smith. Anyone with knowledge of Smiths whereabouts can contact the sheriffs office at 307-235-9282. The University of Wyoming will offer flu shots and free sexually transmitted disease testing to students in the coming weeks. STD rates in Wyoming have been on the rise, particularly among young people, health officials have said. One in 17 Wyomingites between 15 and 24 has chlamydia, according to a university press releases. The state Department of Health has said gonorrhea cases have increased sixfold since 2012. UW officials say theyve offered the testing since 2013 as part of a national program, so the free screenings are not directly related to recent rising infection rates. Students who test positive will receive a call from the Student Health Center and can receive treatment there, said health center director Joanne Steane. Health officials have said Albany County along with Natrona and Laramie counties have some of the highest rates of infection in the state. Last month, state health officials said gonorrhea infections in Natrona County had increased 33 percent compared to last year, and Laramie County experienced an 140 percent jump. The testing will be offered on Sept. 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Center Ballroom. Free pizza will be available. Steane said she wasnt sure if the ratio of young people with STDs was higher on UWs campus because not everyone is tested. Steane urged people to use condoms and to be tested often. Health officials in the past have blamed the increase in STD rates particularly among young people on more anonymous sex because of dating apps, and the belief that partners neednt use condoms because of female birth control pills, which do not protect against infection. Health officials have said abstinence, limiting partners, frequent testing and using condoms are ways to prevent infection. Steane said many infected people up to 75 percent show no symptoms and thus may not know that they have an STD. Thats why its important to get frequent tests. Elsewhere, the university will also be offering $29 flu shots on weekdays throughout the fall at the Student Health Center. Students do not need appointments to receive the treatment. If you get a flu shot, you will be protected against this illness that causes significant fever, muscle pain, cough and sort throat, and can lead to pneumonia and other severe complications, Steanne said. BUFFALO Clearmont is in trouble. Two employees work just four days each week without benefits. The maintenance worker often finishes up by late Wednesday, meaning any public works issues must wait until the next week. Wyoming law requires municipalities to balance service costs, like garbage collection, with user fees. But Mayor Chris Schock said that simply isnt possible in his town of just under 150 souls in Sheridan County. Ive never balanced that line item, Schock at a legislative meeting here Tuesday. Ive always gone in the hole. Point is, Clearmont is hard up and unable to balance its own budget without help from the state. Schock said he relies on the discretionary funds that the Wyoming Legislature allocates to local governments each budget cycle. During the current, two-year budget cycle, $105 million is allocated for cities, towns and counties less than half the amount of previous years, but still an essential lifeboat to communities like Clearmont. If we didnt get our direct distribution I would have to cut these peoples hours down to 15 hours per week, Schock said. What this boils down to is, in the winter time, maybe I clear one or two streets per week. Schocks testimony underlines the top priority of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, which represents the states 99 cities and towns: ensure another $105 million distribution to local governments for the upcoming two-year budget cycle. Tough sell That is an increasingly tough sell, because the money had to be paid out of the Legislatures reserve account last year, amid the drop in revenue from the energy industry. But despite the reluctance of lawmakers, WAM wants to emphasize that towns like Clearmont will be in dire straits if the payments are cut off. To avoid the need for begging the Legislature to renew the payments each session, though, the organization has also proposed a variety of options that would allow municipalities to raise their own funds through permanent local sales taxes or higher property taxes. If that happened, the Legislature would no longer need to provide the direct distribution out of the general or reserve fund. Rep. Mike Madden, R-Buffalo, was supportive of such a prospect. It just takes one headache away and thats what were trying to do, Madden said. Whether the Legislature approves those options or not, WAM Executive Director Rick Kaysen emphasized that cities and towns need the direct distribution for at least one more budget cycle. Its going to take a couple years to put everything together, Kaysen said. Skepticism expressed WAM has presented the local tax options as viable alternatives to direct distribution funding for cities with a large property base and sizeable economy. Smaller communities like Clearmont, Kaysen acknowledged, may always need additional state funding because their populations are too small to pay for municipal operations through local taxes. But several lawmakers remained skeptical that WAM will ever stop asking the Legislature to send direct distribution dollars to every municipality in the state. Sen. Dave Kinskey, R-Sheridan, said he could support allowing local governments independent taxing authority if that would mean the Legislature stopped funding all but the smallest municipalities. WAMs never been able to come up with that list because the minute one town starts to see another town getting something all of the sudden something is off, Kinskey said. To cut the grand bargain you have to say, Here are the small towns and how we provide for them. Kinskey said he objected to the notion that in order to send tens of thousands of dollars to Clearmont for snowplowing he needed to approve the entire $105 million package. Committee lawmakers heard from several small town mayors about the importance of maintaining the direct distribution. Ranchester mayor Peter Clark said that his town relies on various forms of state funding for about 95 percent of its budget. Kinskey, who was previously mayor of Sheridan, said his concern is more with larger cities like Casper, which received $3.3 million this year less than 5 percent of its total budget. In other words, the cities that are the least dependent receive a large percentage of the total distribution. Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director Pete Obermueller said that the sudden elimination of that funding would damage county budgets at a time when both property and sales tax revenue is down about 10 percent compared to last year. The County Commissioners Association is in lockstep with WAM on the need and importance of continuing the $105 million distribution, he said. Obermueller noted that the Legislature already cut the distribution by nearly 50 percent, bringing it to the current $105 million. (Obermuellers father, Rep. Jerry Obermueller, R-Casper, sits on the revenue committee.) But Obermueller also expressed concerns that county governments have with several of WAMs proposals for generating revenue. For example, WAM has proposed that the Legislature allow municipalities to raise their own sales taxes without county approval which is currently required for optional 1-cent taxes but Obermueller said county commissioners should continue to have a say in that decision because county residents shop in cities. The committee approved by a single vote a recommendation that the Legislature pass another $105 million funding package for local governments during its February session, which will set the budget for the next two years. The measure must still be approved by the full Legislature. CAMP GUERNSEY Residents from Platte County and the city of Guernsey joined members of the U.S. military Thursday to celebrate a landmark moment for the community and its military training facilities. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Lt. Gen. R. L. Esmay Center was held north of Custer Avenue at the Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center, with service members, public safety officials and public servants in attendance. Members of the military were joined by the projects architect of record, Alan Wilson, and Guernsey Mayor Ed Delgado to take ceremonial shovels painted gold and chuck dirt at the site where construction will start this month for the new facility. Federal funds are paying the complete construction bill of more than $34 million. The project is composed of three separate buildings a 110-bed enlisted barracks, a 400-person dining facility and a general instruction building adding more than 111,000 square feet to the camps facilities. Wyoming Army National Guard Lt. Col. Loren Thomson said it is a significant moment in the camps history as it upgrades its facilities to train servicemen and women for years to come. This will profoundly change the way Camp Guernsey trains this nations soldiers and serves our country, he said. The general instruction building will triple the size of the old facility on South Guernsey Road, Thomson said. If youve ever been by it, you could blink and miss it, Thomson joked. Its relatively small compared to this new building. An auditorium, numerous classrooms, administrative offices, a large assembly group space, equipment training space and operational space will be featured in the instruction building and are expected to provide a new level of training opportunities at the camp. Additionally, the building will provide emergency shelter capabilities for up to 140 people in the event of disaster. With construction beginning this month, its expected to take 18-24 months to complete, Thomson said. Capt. Dyer, dont look for that new office right away, he said.Brig. Gen. Gregory Porter, Wyoming Army National Guard director of joint staff, said the project was in jeopardy of not happening for a time. But with the combined efforts of the military and civilian communities, he said it will become a reality. This is an example of what the power of strong partnerships can do, Porter said. Weve got great partners in the city, county, law enforcement and everyone here in Platte County. It just doesnt happen without the support of the team. I think all of us can take great pride in whats about to happen here, because at the end of the day, this makes us better at training soldiers for this state and nation. While he doesnt consider Guernsey strictly a military town, Delgado said its a big part of helping the community thrive economically. He said it was a proud moment, as he was part of the team to make the project happen. It is a vindication of hard work, Delgado said. (Wyoming Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner) and I have been friends for years, and weve talked about this for quite awhile. Its only going to make the community better. Its going to be a huge success for this to happen. Guernsey Fire Chief Alan Baldy only came to work in the area in January, but he said its already apparent how important the camp is to the community. The more full-time staff they can bring in when this building here is done is going to bring additional employment, and thats going to be more revenue for the town, he said. Two historians are supporting tribal groups call for the removal of Gustavus Cheyney Doanes name from a mountain in Yellowstone National Park. On Saturday, representatives of the Blackfoot Confederacy and Great Sioux Nation will gather at Yellowstones Roosevelt Arch at 1 p.m. to protest the geographical references to Doane and Ferdinand Hayden, historical figures tied to the park that they say had racist and in Doanes case violent pasts. The protest will be preceded by a noon ceremonial ride through Gardiner to Arch Park. Afterward tribal leaders will present an official request for the name change to the National Park Service. Haydens name is attached to a valley north of Yellowstone Lake, and a 10,551-foot tall mountain peak east of Yellowstone Lake is named after Doane. Both features are in Wyoming. I fully support their protest and their effort to remove Capt. Doanes name from that peak if that prevents American Indians from celebrating such a beautiful place as Yellowstone, said Kim Allen Scott, a Bozeman historian who wrote a biography on Doane. Army veteran (tncms-asset)08659073-39e2-5064-a2a8-ea7f46a9272d[2](/tncms-asset) Doane was a lieutenant under Maj. Eugene Bakers command when the U.S. Army killed an estimated 200 members of Mountain Chiefs Piegan Blackfeet tribe in Montana territory on Jan. 23, 1870. The camp was mainly composed of old people, women and children, many of whom were suffering from smallpox. The event is known as the Baker, Piegan or Marias massacre. Bozeman author and historian Paul Wylie, who wrote a book on the raid, called Doanes involvement ghastly, truly ghastly. Even 21 years after the event, Doane showed no remorse, Wylie said. In a bid to become superintendent of Yellowstone, Doane wrote Montana Sen. Wilbur Sanders saying in part, I remember the day when we slaughtered the Piegans, and how it occurred to me, as I sat down on the bank of the Marias & watched the stream of their blood, which ran down on the surface of the frozen river over half a mile, that the work we were then doing would be rewarded, as it has been. Chief Stan Grier, of the Piikani Nation based in Brocket, Alberta, said, The folks that were massacred along the Marias River were our people. Protest Grier plans to attend the event with other tribal members, a protest that is a continuation of similar demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline and tribal support of keeping Yellowstone-area grizzly bears protected under the Endangered Species Act. He also said it was timely coming up on the 147th anniversary of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition to Yellowstone. The event will honor the memory of those ancestors massacred, Grier said, who we believe never go away, their spirit lives on. Our ancestors need remembering. Park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin said, We welcome productive discussions with the tribes now and into the future about this issue. She also pointed out that changing geographic names is not up to the park; that falls under the control of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which has removed names for features repugnant to native people in the past, such as the word squaw that had been attached to numerous lakes, creeks and peaks. Warthin noted Squaw Lake in Yellowstone is now Indian Pond. Because of that action, Scott said the board has already established precedence to get rid of names offensive to tribes. This is a good thing, he said. We shouldnt have names on places that are hurtful and offensive. I support that. He also noted that the mountain named after Doane is not the one he climbed, so it is also historically inaccurate. Ties to park Doane, a Civil War veteran, had been detailed to Fort Ellis outside of Bozeman at the time of the massacre. Later the same year, in August of 1870, he provided military escort for a six-week expedition of Helena businessmen to explore Yellowstone. Along the way the explorers gave names to many of the features they saw, including Old Faithful, said Lee Whittlesey, Yellowstone Park historian. Following that trip, Doane wrote what many historians feel is the most important account of that trip, Whittlesey said. As a result, Doane was known as the man who invented Wonderland. Hayden led a scientific expedition into Yellowstone in 1871 as head of the U.S. Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories. Hayden really wanted to study rocks, Whittlesey said. Indians referred to him as the man who picks up stones running. They thought he was insane. Who would do that? Whittlesey said Hayden had been a surgeon in the Civil War, was highly thought of and was an intellectual in a day that didnt have many intellectuals. He returned to the region on two more trips, including one in 1878 to finish mapping Yellowstone. We still use his map today for its accuracy and statements on the park, Whittlesey said. Haydens writings But the tribal protesters point to Haydens writings as evidence that he was a white supremacist. Where Doane participated in genocide, Hayden advocated it, the tribes said in a press release. Unless they are localized and made to enter upon agricultural and pastoral pursuits they must ultimately be exterminated, Hayden wrote in his U.S. Geological Survey of Wyoming, published in 1872. In his book, North America, Hayden called Indians savage. He is cruel and treacherous in the extreme, and naturally so, as war and hunting are almost his sole occupations. He also decried giving women the vote. Scott said hes not aware that Hayden did anything other than issue those hateful statements. He never acted on them. So to put (him and Doane) in the same category, I dont know. Zoe Ann Stultz, reference historian for the Montana Historical Society, said she doesnt want to defend Haydens statements but added that when viewed within the context of that time, Haydens statements that tribal people needed to farm and learn to live like whites wasnt unusual. That was how people viewed people of color. Historical debate The Yellowstone protest comes on the heels of rallies in Southern states for the removal of statuary of prominent figures involved in the Civil War, some of whom supported the enslavement of African Americans in that era. In the wake of a nationalist rally that turned violent in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Helena City Council decided in August to remove a downtown fountain erected in 1916 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor Civil War soldiers who fought for southern secession. Members of the American Indian Caucus in the Montana Legislature had requested the statue be taken down, saying it stood for segregation, secession and slavery. Ive thought about this for quite a while when the Confederate controversy was boiling, Scott said. The only place for those monuments was in a Civil War battlefield, museum or cemetery. Although Whittlesey wouldnt step into the debate about whether the place names honoring Hayden and Doane were appropriate, he did say that he would like tribal historians to come forward with place names for Yellowstone features. Wed be among the first people to restore Indian place names if we knew what they were, he said. On Saturday, the protesters will call for Hayden Valley to be renamed Buffalo Nations Valley, in honor of all Tribal Nations that have treaty rights and interests to Greater Yellowstone, and an ancestral connection to this sacred landscape and our relatives, the Buffalo Nation, said Brandon Sazue, of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, and Chief Grier in a press release. LOVELL 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, 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 7 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.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. Even Sheriff Walt Longmire would have had trouble with these neer-do-wells. Longmire is the fictional character in the television series based on books by author Craig Johnson, who used the town of Buffalo, Wyoming, as his setting. Lately thats drawn a lot of tourism attention to Buffalo, which in real life has an unusual historical western tale of its own that mixes law, politics and vigilante mobs: the Johnson County Cattle War. It was the granddaddy of all the range wars, said Bill ONeal, Texas State Historian and the author of The Johnson County War. The intrigue continued even after the notorious shootout at the TA Ranch, which was stopped from being a possible slaughter by the timely arrival of the U.S. Cavalry. Afterward, there were some enormous political repercussions in Wyoming, said John Davis, of Worland, who wrote the book Wyoming Range War: The Infamous Invasion of Johnson County. Event ONeal and Davis will be two of seven speakers at Buffalos two-day event commemorating the 1892 conflict between wealthy Cheyenne cattle barons and their hired Texas gunmen and the angry, armed populace of the Buffalo area. The affair kicks off at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, at the Bomber Mountain Civic Center with a discussion that will also include former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson and his brother Peter. The topic is an interesting one to tackle, from many facets. The literature about the event was so contradictory, Davis said. I at first thought, How would anyone get to the bottom of it? Tunneling into original court records still preserved, reading every issue of the two Buffalo newspapers at the time and spending portions of seven years ensconced in his basement reading and writing, Davis pieced together a narrative of why things happened. The conclusion I came to was that the dispute between big and little cattlemen was created by an agenda of false news, Davis said. The conflict In short, the cattlemen from Cheyenne used local newspapers to whip up Wyoming and national sentiment against settlers in the Johnson County area, which now encompasses the southeast corner of the Bighorn Mountains and a portion of the plains to the east. At the time, the cattleman considered the open range their own, even though settlement was being encouraged by the U.S. government. To preserve their hold on the vast grasslands necessary to feed large cattle herds, some members of the rich cattlemens group the Wyoming Stock Growers Association falsely accused residents of rustling their cattle, lynched innocent small ranchers, assassinated witnesses to murder and drew up a hit list with 30 to 70 names which included the Johnson County sheriff, all his deputies, the newspaper editor and Buffalo businessmen. With hired gunmen in tow, the rich ranchers set off by private train car and then horses to claim the grasslands by force. Constitutionally, it was absolutely reprehensible, ONeal said of the men taking the law into their own hands. But, oh my gosh, what a group of invaders! Along the way, they ran into Nate Champion, considered the historical inspiration for the main character in the book and movie Shane. A crack shot, Champion held off the 50 cattlemen and gunmen long enough for word to reach Buffalo that the well-armed vigilantes were on their way. Champion, who lived near what is now Kaycee, was targeted because he was the key witness in charges against the cattlemen who had earlier hired an assassination squad to kill him. Despite breaking into his cabin and blazing away at Champion in bed during that initial murder attempt, Champion was able to kill one of the men and wound the other. He and friend Nick Ray werent so lucky five months later when the 50 vigilantes arrived and set fire to the cabin, forcing Champion into the open where he was shot numerous times. When they killed him, they killed the last witness to the attempted murder charge, Davis said. Rally to the TA In the meantime, everyone with a pulse, a gun and a horse in the surrounding area a mob estimated at 300 to 400 people was saddling up to confront the vigilantes, despite acting Wyoming Gov. Amos Barbers telegraph to militia across the state to take orders only from him, not from their own sheriff. The opposing sides ran into each other near the TA Ranch. Seeing how badly they were outnumbered, the cattlemen and their sidekicks turned tail and fled to the ranch seeking fortification for what would be a four-day siege. Among the local residents at the standoff was 10-year-old Elmer Brock, whose family was homesteading about 15 miles from Champions ranch. Brocks great-granddaughter, Laurel Hanson, said the boy, along with other youngsters, ran messages to inform neighbors about what was taking place. Earl and Barbara Madsen now own the TA Ranch, which has been restored and turned into a guest ranch and restaurant. Their daughter, Kirsten Giles, helped foster the idea of marking the 125th anniversary of the shootout with the talk by authors, descendants of those involved and, on Saturday, a re-enactment of the shootout along with ranch tours. Its a lot of fun to be the stewards of the history that occurred out here, Giles said. Its almost a hallowed place where these ranchers were holed up, Davis said. Although many visitors to the ranch may not know about its ties to the cattle war, Giles said it is fun to be ambassadors for Johnson County and tell guests about the areas history. Mums the word Thats a change from the years following the confrontation, according to Sylvia Bruner, director of the Johnson County Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. The people who remained in this area made a conscious effort to let it go and not drag up those old wounds, Bruner said. It was very intentional, I think, because it was such a volatile issue at the time. Hanson agreed. She said it was her grandfather who collected stories from those involved in the dispute and wrote them down, but he didnt speak about the incident. It probably wasnt until the 80s that anybody talked about it, Hanson said. It was taboo. You could get sent home from school for talking about it. Its really remarkable that everyone eventually was able to get along, even when they had taken opposite sides in the dispute. As a result, only a few relics from the Johnson County Cattle War are available for display at the museum, including pieces of bullet-riddled wood from the TA Ranch along with firearms that either were used at the shootout or are representative of those used. No justice The rich cattlemen and Texas-hired guns were never prosecuted for their illegal actions, but they came very close to being killed during the shootout. The locals had reinforced two wagons with logs, called a go devil or ark of safety, to create a primitive tank, Davis said. The idea was to push it close enough that men could lob dynamite from behind the mobile breastwork and blow up some of the vigilantes as well as destroy their hideouts the house and barn. Before that, though, Gov. Barber leapt to action after hearing about the siege taking a bad turn for the cattlemen he counted as allies. Barber telegraphed Wyomings two U.S. senators to awaken President Benjamin Harrison and ask that he order the U.S. Cavalry to intervene to halt what could be a slaughter of the cattle barons and their gunmen. When the cavalry arrived, they temporarily imprisoned the 50 vigilantes at nearby Fort McKinney before moving the men to Cheyenne for their safety. Unfortunately for Johnson County residents, there would be no justice. The vigilantes were eventually released on what Bruner called a goodwill bond with a promise that they would return for trial. You can imagine how that went, she said. Plus, Johnson County was billed for the prisoners keep, an amount that bankrupted the small district leaving them unable to mount a prosecution against the invaders who reportedly had commemorative rings and silver cups made to mark their wild ride north. The Johnson County residents only solace may have been that Barber was defeated in that years election and Democrats temporarily gained control of both houses of the Legislature. The incident lives on in western lore. In addition to Shane the conflict was also the basis for the book and movie The Virginian, ONeal said, considered the first western novel. Similarities between the historical event and one of the largest cinematic flops in Hollywoods history, Heavens Gate, are also notable, he said. To me, theres nothing more dramatic than life-or-death conflict, ONeal said. Together with guys wearing big boots and big hats shooting Winchesters, it fires the imagination. Tucson-based Paragon Space Development Corp. has teamed up with a Maryland-based company on a multi-task NASA contract, for work supporting the International Space Station that could be worth up to $500 million over seven years. Under the contract NASA awarded to Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, the ISS Program office will issue task orders to provide spaceflight hardware, software, mission integration and operations services on a commercial basis, with minimal government involvement, the companies said in a news release. The Research, Engineering, Mission and Integration Services (REMIS) contract has a five-year base period with one, two-year option. This multimillion dollar, multi-task contract will be just the beginning of a long successful relationship with SGT (Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies), said Grant Anderson, president and CEO of Paragon. SGT said it was was awarded three of the five contract line items in the categories of engineering, and that Paragons capabilities were key to winning the contract. Paragons innovative solutions and technical approach to meeting NASAs needs were integral to our win, and their proven track record of delivering spaceflight hardware will be key in SGTs ability to win and execute future REMIS task orders, said Mark Greeley, REMIS program manager for SGT. Since its founding in 1993, Paragon has been involved in numerous projects for NASA, and more recently with private space-exploration companies, including development of environmental-control and life-support systems, space suits and flight systems. Paragon said its work under the contract will be managed out of the companys Houstons office and be performed across all facilities, including Paragons Tucson headquarters and Denver office. We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Sept. 15 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. PHOENIX A federal appeals court has blocked a lawsuit against two Tucson police officers in the 2014 shooting in what was supposed to be a vacant apartment. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a trial judges ruling that the officers acted illegally in entering the apartment where they shot and killed 28-year-old Michael Duncklee without first getting a search warrant to enter the unit. Judge Eduardo Robreno, writing for the unanimous three-judge panel, said while Duncklee was a guest of Amber Watts, she had been evicted from the apartment, meaning neither she nor Duncklee had any privacy rights. And the appellate court also said the officers are entitled to qualified immunity in the actual shooting. The judges said that, given the situation, a reasonable officer would not have known that shooting Duncklee violated any clearly established rights. Indeed, the case law makes clear that the use of deadly force can be acceptable in such a situation, Robreno wrote. The shooting stems from a call to police from a woman who said she was employed by an apartment complex landlord for the property in the 3800 block of East Monte Vista Drive and that former tenants were inside a unit that was supposed to be empty. She said she was not at the property and did not provide other identification other than a first name. Police arrived nearly two hours later. After finding the security door and front door unlocked he radioed for backup. Officers Robert Soeder and Allan Meyer entered the apartment with guns drawn, finding numerous belongings against the wall, filling about half the room. On entering an interior room, Meyer said he saw Duncklee holding a large stick, with a woman behind him, saying the man charged at him. The officer said he could not back up because of the clutter and yelled, police, stop, but fired at Duncklees chest when he kept coming at him. Irma Woodward, Duncklees mother, sued the city and the officers. U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez rebuffed a bid by the city to have the case dismissed. She said the woman who called police initially did not identify herself, did not want to be part of the investigation, and may not have had the same legal authority as the landlord. The judge said that meant there was no legal right for the officers to enter the apartment, meaning the entry violated Mr. Duncklees right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizure. Robreno said the entire ruling was flawed. All of the district courts conclusion rest on the premise that Duncklee deserved constitutional protections because of his presence within the vacant apartment, he wrote. In essence, Robreno said, Duncklees claim of privacy rights are linked to his contention that he was an overnight guest of Watts. However, Watts had no privacy rights to assign to Duncklee, the judge said. The reality is that Watts was a trespasser, as she had been evicted from the property, he continued. One who has been formally evicted has no reasonable expectation of privacy in his or her previous residence. And Robreno said Watts was aware of her status, with her key having been taken away. There was no immediate response from the attorney representing Duncklees mother. PHOENIX Arizonas three universities are in compliance with constitutional requirements to keep instruction as nearly free as possible, Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday, despite what Attorney General Mark Brnovich contends. Our universities are accessible and affordable, the governor said. The governor said he and lawmakers had to make some difficult decisions in prior years, making sharp cuts in funding for higher education as well as other priorities. It is only recently the state has started to restore some of those cuts. What that means, he said, is the Board of Regents is doing the best it can to keep tuition not only affordable but maintain a high level of education, with U.S. News and World Report saying Arizona State University is the No. 1 most innovative school in the country, beating out MIT and Stanford. So by those metrics I think the universities are oases of excellence, Ducey said. And they are also quite a value. More to the point, the governor said he believes the regents, in setting tuition and even in imposing sharp increases during the past 15 years are keeping the cost of instruction within what the constitution requires. Ducey, in his comments Thursday, did more than disagree with Brnovichs conclusion that the tuition is unconstitutionally too high. He also criticized the attorney general for seeking to resolve the issue by filing suit and doing so without first talking the to the regents. Im not a big fan of lawsuits, the governor said. When I can I like to reduce the number of lawsuits rather than expand them. And Ducey worried that, no matter what the results, the taxpayers could be the losers. Im hopeful that were not going to be spending a lot of taxpayer dollars with government entities suing government entities, he said. Brnovich declined to respond. On a related note, Ducey said that, as far as hes concerned, those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program should be able to attend state universities by paying the same tuition charged to other Arizona residents. Ive always thought that a child that graduates from an Arizona high school is certainly an Arizona student and certainly should have access under in-state tuition inside our universities, he said. But the governor acknowledged that view is complicated by the 2006 voter-approved law that prohibits the use of state dollars to subsidize the tuition of those who are not legally in this country. And the state Court of Appeals earlier this year said that includes DACA recipients, making in-state tuition off limits to them. That case is on appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court. Ducey said he believes the Obama administration acted illegally in creating the DACA program in 2012. The governor said he agrees with Presient Trump that the real solution not only to the question of tuition but the entire fate of the 800,000 dreamers in the United States and 28,000 in Arizona should be resolved by the action of Congress. The governor said his belief that the universities are complying with the constitutional requirements for instruction to be as nearly free as possible is based on a 2007 Supreme Court ruling. In that case, the justices threw out a claim by some students that a 39 percent increase in tuition put the schools out of compliance. Its already been litigated and answered, Ducey said. Actually, the high court never decided whether the tuition hike passed constitutional muster. Instead, the justices said this was a nonjusticable political question, with the size of each universitys budget and the amount of tuition that needs to be raised to support them left to the discretion of the board. And the justices said that question of tuition is also determined by the amount of aid provided by the Legislature, something they said is totally within the purview of the elected lawmakers. Ducey said, from his perspective, the regents are doing the best they can and acting legally within the context of the state dollars available. We inherited a $1 billion deficit when we came into office, the governor said. The states financial house was not in order, he said. We made some very difficult decisions in those first several years. That included a $99 million reduction in state funding for universities in Duceys first term in office, the largest single one-year cut in the schools history. Now, Ducey said, the state is no longer running a deficit and were able to invest again. The symbol of Tucson that local officials wanted Jeff Bezos to see was right there before us at a press conference Wednesday. It was a striking Southern Arizona saguaro, 21 feet tall, destined for Seattle in an effort to catch the Amazon CEOs attention and make him want to put the companys new headquarters here. But behind the saguaro, covered in banners with the name of Sun Corridor Inc., was another symbol of Tucson. Its not one that anyone wants the outside world to see, but it represents todays Tucson pretty accurately. The signs for Sun Corridor, the Tucson areas economic development group, hung on the end of a battered, abandoned trailer, which sits at the front of the Flamingo Palms Mobile Home Park on West Prince Road. The trailer has a July 24 eviction notice posted on its other end. Its normal for there to be a contrast between what we aspire to and what we are a metro area with a 19 percent poverty rate that ranks us among the poorest cities. And yet, the inevitability of there being an old abandoned trailer behind the set of our sales pitch to Amazon made me think: Were really overreaching when we try to land this deal. The Amazon headquarters project, dubbed HQ2 because it will be the companys second central office after the one in Seattle, is the countrys biggest economic development prize in decades, as Joe Snell, the CEO of Sun Corridor, pointed out Wednesday. Over 15 years, as many as 50,000 people will work there at salaries averaging more than $100,000, the company says. It will likely transform the economy of whatever city it lands in. No wonder Snell and Tucson Electric Power CEO David Hutchens, who is chair of Sun Corridors board, could not resist pursuing it. But of course Amazon has criteria for cities wanting to land HQ2, and we barely meet them, if we do at all. For one, the metropolitan population is supposed to be at least 1 million, and according to the University of Arizona, Tucsons was 1,013,103 at the end of 2016. For another, Amazon refers to wanting to locate in a stable business climate for growth and innovation. The New York Times, which analyzed Amazons criteria and came up with a likely winner Denver eliminated Tucson and a couple of other dozen cities because of our weak job growth. The article singled out Tucson and Birmingham, Alabama, as actually having lost jobs over the last decade. Among our other flaws, we do not have two regular flights that Amazon demands nonstops to New York and Washington, D.C. We cant even argue that we might sustain such flights if given the opportunity, because we have had both in recent years and lost them due to insufficient business. We also dont have much of a mass transit system as required by Amazon. This isnt to say Tucson is a bad place or an impossible choice for Amazon. Its just to say Amazon is out of our league were in Triple A and the real contenders are in the majors. Economic development officials have repeatedly noted that we impressed the Tesla site selectors when they were looking to find a home for the gigafactory that they ultimately placed near Reno. But the Tesla project had criteria that Tucson actually met, including large tracts of land, ample sun for solar power, and proximity to key transportation corridors. For Amazon, we have land, yes, we have a good cluster of logistics businesses, we have a strong university from which the company could draw talent. Good weather. Great mountains. And yes, we have saguaros. On Thursday, the saguaro that is supposed to go to Seattle was still sitting at the site of the Arctic Cactus nursery where the press conference was held. Paperwork is being processed for the saguaros travels, Sun Corridor spokeswoman Laura Shaw told me. For the sake of that saguaro, we should hope the whole trip falls through. It wont survive outdoors in Washington state, of course, nor would it likely survive in the indoor terraria that Amazon built in downtown Seattle. Its a creative publicity stunt, sure. But it cant cover up our shortcomings the same way those banners couldnt cover up the abandoned trailer. Stegeman votes no again A couple of weeks ago I called out TUSD board member Mark Stegeman for repeatedly finding reasons to vote no, on the hiring of or contracts for superintendents. In August, Stegeman voted against the selection of Gabriel Trujillo as permanent superintendent because a contract had not been finalized yet. I disagree with the practice of naming a superintendent or any other administrative position before contract terms have been agreed, Stegeman said at that meeting. Ill be voting no for that reason. It would not matter what the name was. Of course, Stegeman made no secret of the fact that he preferred former C.E. Rose K-8 principal Stephen Trejo as a candidate. His colleagues disagreed. On Tuesday, Stegeman got the chance to show that the contract issue was the real reason for his earlier no vote. The board agreed in executive session to contract terms with Trujillo and simply needed to publicly approve the new contract. Once again, Stegeman voted no. I will support the decision of the board, was Stegemans only comment at the meeting. Apparently, the contract was not the real issue. Disguise: Tuition lawsuit Last week, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich was facing the prospect of a political loser. He had to either sue the Arizona Board of Regents himself, because theyve been offering in-state tuition to DACA recipients, or accept that an outside party would do it and charge Arizona exorbitant legal fees. He chose the only realistic course, which was to sue the regents, because they are obviously breaking the law mind you, a law that is cruel and self-defeating for Arizona. The 2006 voter-approved law requires that no one who is in the country illegally receive benefits like in-state tuition. Sadly, it is not ambiguous. But then Brnovich had a flash of genius! He would go ahead and sue over in-state tuition. But he would also sue the regents because they have not adhered to the state constitutional requirement that tuition at the state universities be as nearly free as possible. The issues are linked, of course, in that they both deal with the cost of education at the states universities. But they are also linked in this way: One, the DACA suit, is politically harmful to Brnovich while the other, the tuition suit, is politically beneficial. Its not surprising he filed them on the same day. Giffords endorses in CD2 Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords endorsement was perhaps the most prized among Congressional District 2 Democrats seeking to challenge Rep. Martha McSally. Now that Ann Kirkpatrick has it, a race is firmly in place between candidates representing the partys two establishment branches. On the left is Mary Matiella, who is endorsed by Rep. Raul Grijalva and supported by Bill Roe, a longtime Dem fundraiser who is vice chair of the state party. On the right, now, is Kirkpatrick. The former congresswoman from Flagstaff has the support of both Giffords and her successor, former Rep. Ron Barber. The University of Arizona will hold its 19th annual Constitution Day program to discuss the Russia probe and President Trumps travel ban along with two significant cases from the 2016 U.S. Supreme Court term. The event is Monday, Sept. 18, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. in the Ares Auditorium, Room 164 in the James E. Rogers College of Law, 1202 E. Speedway. It is open to the public. The five panelists are: G. Murray Snow, federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona; Gregory Garre, global chairman of Supreme Court & Appellate Practice at Latham & Watkins; and law professors Ryan Doerfler, University of Pennsylvania; Lisa Manheim, University of Washington; and Toni Massaro, UA. The panel will be moderated by David Marcus, UA professor of law, and will also discuss Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia Inc. v. Comer, a case involving state funding and religious organizations; and Ziglar v. Abbasi, a case about the rights of federal detainees to sue government officials. The City of Tucson lost in court on the issue of destroying confiscated firearms. The decision to challenge the state of Arizona was made by the council. It turned out to be the wrong decision. The city was charged $100,000 to cover the state's legal fees. This fine should come out of the paychecks of our city council, not our tax revenues. President Trump has reached out to the Democratic leadership in an effort to speed up the legislation he pledged to accomplish. The Republicans do not possess his zeal in moving these projects forward. I believe Senator John McCains "no" vote was the tipping point for Trump. Unable to get the Republican Party to push through legislation, he has turned to the Democratic Party to see if enough of them can be brought on board. Sun Corridor Inc. should save its money. Amazon is not likely to locate a second headquarters in Tucson because one of their top three criteria is good schools. Tucson is lacking in this regard due solely to the Arizona State Legislature's refusal to fund education. This has been going on for at least ten years, and the results are deteriorating physical structures, deplorable salaries for teachers, and the drastic cutting of programs. Here are the news stories you should not miss today, September 15: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc held talks with Hiroshige Seko, Japans Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), in Hanoi on Thursday afternoon, discussing measures to the export of Vietnamese fruits to the Japanese market. Society -- Nearly 60 flights have been canceled due to the influence of storm Doksurin, which has been forecast to make landfall in north-central Vietnam on Friday evening. -- A man was killed and a three-year-old boy gone missing in the north-central province of Thua Thien- Hue due to floods brought about by typhoon Doksuri on Thursday. -- Police in the north-central province of Quang Binh on Thursday arrested a suspect that snatched the handbags of two foreign visitors at the Phong Nha- Ke Bang National Park on Monday. -- Border guard officers in the northern province of Bac Ninh have rescued 15 Javan pangolins from a smuggler and later transferred them to the local forest protection office. The suspect managed to escape after jumping into a river and swimming away. -- Starting today, September 15, dog owners in Ho Chi Minh City could be subject to a fine of up to VND800,000 (US$35) for letting their pets outside of the house without proper protection. -- The Department of Police in the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre is verifying a video footage capturing a traffic police officer pulling out his gun to deal with some aggressive traffic violators. Business -- The Department of Construction in the central city of Da Nang has ordered developers of the Marina Complex project along the Han River bank to cease its construction due to the lack of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. Lifestyle -- Vietnamese photographer Hao Nhien is scheduled to open the countrys first artistic nude photography gallery at the Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Association from September 15 to 18. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Strong gusts and rains are already pounding several north-central Vietnamese provinces as tropical storm Doksuri approaches the mainland, prompting local authorities and residents to batten down the hatches ahead of the storms expected landfall later today. The typhoon was located just 190 kilometers southeast of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh Provinces in the north-central region at around 4:00 am on Friday. Wind speeds near the eye of the storm were recorded at between 115 and 150km an hour while squalls reached183km per hour. Doksuri is forecast to continue traveling northeastward at 20 to 25km an hour before making landfall in provinces from Nghe An to Qung Tri between Friday afternoon and evening. Forecasts predict the storm will make landfall by 4:00 pm on Friday packing winds of 100 to 115km an hour. After hitting mainland Vietnam, Doksure is expected to travel southwest at a velocity of 20 to 25km per hour before weakening into a tropical depression over Laos. Video filmed in Quang Binh on September 15, 2017. Heavy downpours have already hit the central region and several northern provinces since 1:00 am on Friday. According to Le Thanh Hai, deputy director of the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and Quang Binh Provinces are likely to suffer the heaviest toll. Water levels in local rivers will rise until Sunday, posing a high risk of inundation, flashfloods, and landslides in multiple areas. According to authorities in Thua Thien- Hue Province, one man has already been killed and a three-year-old boy has gone missing due to floods brought about by the storm. Nearly 27,000 people in the locality will be evacuated. The Peoples Committee in Ha Tinh Province has also ordered the relocation of over 47,000 residents in order to prepare for the storms landfall. Border guard officers in Quang Ngai Province reported on Thursday that one fishing boat sunk and two others have lost contact after being caught in Doksuris path near the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago. A tree is uprooted in Dong Hoi City. A house in Dong Hoi City is damaged by strong gust. A street in the north-central province of Nghe An is flooded on September 15, 2017. Extreme winds wreck havoc in Quang Binh Province. Extreme winds wreck havoc in Quang Binh Province. Extreme winds wreck havoc in Quang Binh Province. Street signs and trees branches are blown away by the storm in Vinh City, Nghe An Province. A tree is broken in the north-central province of Thua Thien- Hue. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Several street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City have taken to selling their products in the middle of a national highway, despite the obvious dangers of peddling goods on a busy roadway. In an effort to pocket extra cash, these vendors weave themselves through endless lines of trucks and cars on a section of National Highway 1A running through District 12 and Binh Tan District. The vendors typically carry lottery tickets, drinks, fruit, or small bags of boiled peanuts near areas with traffic lights. From 5:00 am to 8:00 pm, they wait for the light to turn red before pushing their carts through stopped vehicles to offer products to motorists. A drink vendor pushes in the middle of the roadway. Photo: Tuoi Tre According to Phong, a 38-year-old drink vendor, using the roadway as a marketplace in the blistering Saigon heat is extremely dangerous and exhausting, but financially rewarding. He claims to earn an average of VND300,000 (US$13.18) to VND400,000 ($17.57) each day on the highway. A vendor waits at the side of the road for potential buyers. Photo: Tuoi Tre Phongs enthusiasm is shared by other traders who say the risk is worth the reward of reaching more customers, especially considering they cannot afford a decent venue for their business. Local residents, however, point out that using the highway as a marketplace might be too risky. According to local resident Thuy, 36, several sellers have been injured while selling goods to commuters. A seller pushes his cart through the middle of the street. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! One Little Indian Records As promised, Bjork has delivered her new single, "The Gate." The dreamy, intimate track is available now via digital outlets. "The Gate" is the first track from Bjork's forthcoming new album, the follow-up to 2015's Vulnicura. In an interview with Nowness, Bjork reveals that the album, which she's said is about "rediscovering love," is titled Utopia. You'll also be able to listen to "The Gate" on a 12-inch vinyl single, which will be released September 22. Utopia is due out in November. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. This weekend on 60 Minutes Allison Langdon meets Foo Fighters Dave Grohl & Taylor Hawkins, plus US Navy Seal Robert ONeill who shot Osama Bin Laden. Winx Horse racing might be the sport of kings, but right now in Australia its a queen who rules the track. A flying machine named Winx. This six-year-old mare has won her last 19 races in a row and this weekend shell be trying to make it number 20. With the victories come the great rewards. Winx has won almost $13.5 million in prizemoney so far. Soon shell become the turfs top earner of all time. But theres more to this amazing madam than just winning. Peter Stefanovic meets the team behind Winx her trainer, jockey and three lucky owners and reports how theyre all having the ride of their lives. Reporter: Peter Stefanovic Producer: Nick Greenaway The Man Who Shot Bin Laden If anyone tried to imagine what a highly skilled, ruthless assassin might look like, Robert ONeills image would not spring to mind. But beyond his friendly face and benign demeanour, ONeill is a man who has spent much of his adult life learning to kill. In May 2011, every bit of the U.S. Navy Seals training was tested when he lined up the western worlds greatest single enemy, Osama bin Laden, in his gunsights. ONeill didnt flinch he pulled the trigger. As Liam Bartlett discovered, hearing his story is chilling enough, but even more worrying are the latest expert warnings that bin Ladens death, far from killing off al-Qaeda, has spurred the terrorists on to greater evil. Reporter: Liam Bartlett Producers: Phil Goyen, Steve Jackson Foo Fighters There was no way reporter Allison Langdon was going to refuse the invitation to interview and spend a couple of days with Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins from the hugely successful band, Foo Fighters. However, she accepted her assignment with a sense of trepidation, because she already knew encounters with The Fooeys tend to be rather unpredictable no one is ever quite sure whats about to happen or why. Grohl and Hawkins have well and truly worked out that every waking moment of life is for living. As well as not having an off switch they also have no filter, which is a nice way of saying their language is as colourful as their lives. But more than anything, these rock legends are great fun, and their musics not too bad either. Reporter: Allison Langdon Producers: Garry McNab 8:30pm Sunday on Nine. On Mondays Four Corners Mark Willacy reports on All that glitters exposing the deals and donations between developers and councils on the Gold Coast. I probably have knocked down more trees and pushed over more trees than anyone else on the entire Gold Coast. Developer Theres nothing subtle about the Gold Coast, from its towering sky scrapers to its bikini clad meter maids. The glitter strip, famed for its stunning beaches, theme parks and nightlife is marketed as Australias endless playground. I think of it as like a boom town. Its beautiful, physically beautiful, but its exciting. Its a little bit trashy at times. I think thats part of its charm. Lawyer Along with the tourists, developers are welcomed with open arms. Theres barely a metre of land that hasnt been built on or earmarked for change in the holiday mecca. Theres so much development going on. You get the development through, you can make a lot of money. Developer The larger than life Gold Coast Mayor, Ferrari driving Tom Tate, is famous for his crash through style and build them big vision. He has his critics, but the one thing about Tom is hell speak his mind and if you dont like it, then you go your own way. Lawyer But in this pro development town, a series of controversial billion dollar proposals has prompted a collection of unlikely allies to come together to say enough is enough. Theres no doubt that the development fraternity have an expectation that their developments will be approved. Architect On Monday, Four Corners investigates how deals are being done on the Gold Coast and whether developer donations are influencing decision making. The Gold Coast is the epicentre of political donations by developers to local councillors. Activist Critics say crucial decisions are being made without proper scrutiny or consultation. There are decisions made about things that even councillors dont know about. We read in the newspaper about how we are going to engage in consultation. Councillor And warn that the public isnt being told the whole truth about massive proposals which will have a lasting impact on one of Australias most important tourist destinations. Monday 18th September at 8.30pm. Foxtel has all the Matt Damon you could want with a Bourne Collection pop-up channel later this month. Five movies (including one without Damon) will feature back to back on Channel 400 from 6.00am on Friday, September 29 through to Monday, October 2. The five movies are as follows: The Bourne Identity (2002) The story of a man (Matt Damon) salvaged from the ocean by an Italian fishing boat. When he recuperates, the man suffers from amnesia, without identity, except for a range of extraordinary talents in fighting, linguistic skills and self-defence. He sets out on a desperate search assisted by the rebellious Marie (Franka Potente), to discover who he really is and why hes being pursued by assassin. The Bourne Supremacy (2004) Jason Bourne is living in India when he is framed by Russian agent Kirill (Karl Urban) for the theft of millions from the CIA. Kirill begins to pursue Bourne, intending to assassinate him. While Bourne and his girlfriend, Marie are on the run, a shot meant for him kills her instead. Vowing revenge, Bourne sets out to prove his innocence and bring the culprits to justice. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) Jason Bourne continues his international quest to uncover his true identity. From Russia to Europe to northern Africa to the United States, he must stay one step ahead of those who would capture or kill him before he has a chance to discover the truth. The Bourne Legacy (2012) When the actions of Jason Bourne spark a fire that threatens to burn down decades of research across a number of secret intelligence agencies, Eric Byer (Edward Norton), the man who built the programs, decides he must sacrifice one of them: Outcome. Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), one of Outcomes six agents, and research scientist Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) go on the run when Byer targets them for termination. But Cross proves to be a far deadlier target than Byer realizes. Jason Bourne (2016) Its been 10 years since Jason Bourne walked away from the agency that trained him to become a deadly weapon. Hoping to draw him out of the shadows, CIA director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) assigns hacker and counterinsurgency expert Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander) to find him. Lee suspects that former operative Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) is also looking for him. As she begins tracking the duo, Bourne finds himself back in action battling a sinister network that utilizes terror and technology to maintain unchecked power. Help India! By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net Violent incidents in Banaras Hindu University have been on a rise in the past three years according to students, and the worrying part is that we are not talking about petty issues here: incidents range from a clash between student groups from different political ideologies to rape of an undergraduate student inside the campus. Support TwoCircles Students add that the campus had been relatively peaceful until 2014, but after the appointment of the new VC Prof. GC Tripathi, things took a turn for the worse. Soon after the VC took charge, violence erupted between Science and Art faculty students for no apparent reason following which students were suspended. And for the first time in many years, the Police entered the campus. Groups of PAC and local police camped inside the BHU for quite a few days. BHU had to issue a clarification on their website regarding the incident, following which the situation calmed down for a bit. However, this did not last long as various students rights groups started protesting against the fee hike and various other issues. The year of 2016 was one of the most violently active years of the university. The year saw a series of clashes between student groups. On April 6, 2016, students of science and arts faculties landed in a tussle with each other. An unknown suspect also fired some bullets from the revolver. The incident left at least ten students injured. Following this incident, the year continued to be violent. Here is a timeline of various incidents that troubled BHU in the recent past: August 13, 2016: A male student of Hindi department was raped by an employee of Institute of Medical Sciences. The accused employee was sent on leave to prevent arrest. No official could speak for the story over the issue. Later on, accused employee was arrested and is facing trial. To make it even more troubling, reports emerged that the incident took place on University Road, just a few meters away from the VCs house. September 1, 2016: Violence occurred between resident doctors of Sir Sunderlal Hospital of BHU and some students over the treatment of another injured student. Students vandalised BHUs trauma center and Dhanwantari hostel at midnight and burnt around 30 bikes of resident doctors. November 24, 2016: Proctorial board members had a fight with students on the matter of parking inside BHU hospital. February 3, 2017: A student named Rahul, a resident of Birla hostel, was beaten up following personal issues with another party. But students made an issue out of this, blocked the road and pelted stones on departments and vehicles. February 18, 2017: Students attacked shopkeepers outside the University over a small dispute of price negotiation. This resulted in a mass brawl between shopkeepers and students of the university which lasted for more than 8 hours. Several civilian properties were damaged. It is important to point out that these are just some of the incidents that we are documenting. Besides this, there are several incidents of protesting students being attacked by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Such incidents have become frequent and have, in fact, picked up since the recent state assembly elections. BHU has always been considered a hotspot of student tussle during the winters. There was a saying inside the BHU campus that BHU Sardi mein aur bhi Garm ho jata hai (BHU gets hot in the winters), pointing towards the fact that most of the student clashes were encountered during the months of Winter. But the trend has changed in the last three years, with every season bringing along a fresh set of troubles. A research scholar of the University, Akhil Kumar Shrivastava, told TwoCircles.net, Earlier the cases mostly belonged to the dispute between administrative officials and students. Now, that does not happen anymore. Shrivastava, who has spent more than a decade in the university studying here since graduation, said, Now the students get angry over even the smallest issue. They can fight with a Paanwala or a food vendor and make a whole violent event around that. And I can say that it is just the development of last three years. Shrivastava is right in many senses. Banaras Hindu University has been conditioned in such a way that there is no place for dissent. Many compare it with other college-level institutes of the state. One postgraduate student from science faculty Karan Singh said, Since GC Tripathi came into the campus, the Universitys behaviour is becoming more like the Allahabad University, pointing towards the heated environment of Allahabad University from where the current VC Tripathi comes. Tripathi is a man of controversial stature. Currently, he is accused of conducting recruitment process by practically defying the reservation quota. When the various students were protesting to open the cyber library for 24 hours, VC Tripathi was quoted as saying, They want to do it as they watch porn in cyber library. During the Lok Sabha election in 2014, TV journalist Rajdeep Sardesai wrongly accused Tripathi of sharing the rally car with PM Modi during the election campaign. When Tripathi heard of this, he said, Rajdeep Sardesai ko aane dijiye, unko campus mein ladkon se pitwaaunga (Let Rajdeep Sardesai come in the campus, I will let my boys beat him), as if he has been controlling the students in the University. One faculty, on the condition of anonymity, told TwoCircles.net, It is right in saying that our VC is now in charge several students, who mostly belong to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. And many times he has set them loose for vandalism and violence around the campus. The extent of the closeness of VC Tripathi with fringe elements can be understood with the fact that Emeritus professor MP Singh at Law College of the University told this reporter once, I have two papers to teach to the law students, and both of those papers contain exclusive mention of Marxism. Now the students who are close to VC record my class lectures and communicate the same to the VC. I dont know what to do with about this kind of support between these two bodies. However, University denies all such allegations and put it on the heads of activist-kind-of-people or so-called-journalists of manipulating and maligning the name of the University. Universitys PRO Rajesh Singh once labelled the last years rape victim as mentally challenged, who was trying to smear the name of the University. In fact, far from apologising about his remarks, Singh said, I can tell from my personal experience that violent incidents are declining inside the University. And they have dropped drastically. And this credit goes to our VC whose constant efforts have made this University a safe place for all. Singh chose to ignore the VCs controversial remarks over Rajdeep Sardesai and protesting students and said, I do not want to go to that page. But I can assure you that VC ji has ensured fewer terminations and suspensions of the students and faculties. Koi ungali agar sad jaati hai, to us ungli ko kaat hi dena chaahiye (If a finger rots, it is good to cut that finger out) was what Singh had to say when we asked about the suspension of the students who were protesting to open cyber library for 24 hours. Singhs comment is also exposed when one looks at the fact that the University is currently involved in a number of cases in the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court has currently scheduled the hearing of a gender discrimination case against BHU, a case where BHU was dictating the girl students of hostels to behave, talk and wear properly. Just a couple of weeks back, a girl was expelled from the hostel on the assumptions of being a homosexual. There was no action is mentioned in the Universitys Constitution for the homosexuality, making it a crime. BHU is surely hitting the newspapers, but it is also clear that most of them are due to all the wrong reasons. Help India! By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter New Delhi: The authoritarian nature of Jamia Millia Islamia against its own students seems to have hit the next level. After sending notices to students and cancelling public meetings because students invited speakers from DU and JNU, the administration has now cancelled the PhD registration of one of its student, Dhrupadi Ghosh, without giving any reasons and explanation. Support TwoCircles The order issued by Dean Prof N.U Khan has given reference to a letter order issued by the registrar on September 7 earlier this month, whose contents have been kept confidential. Ghosh, a PhD scholar in the Department of Sociology, received a letter on Friday morning notifying that her registration has been cancelled with effect from November 7, 2017.The letter cites no reason for cancellation neither has the PhD scholar received any prior notification in this regard. The letter was delivered to me today morning and I was surprised at the move taken by Jamia authorities. They havent given any reason to me about the cancellation and I dont know why they decided to cancel it in my second year of PhD, Ghosh told TwoCircles.net . She is planning to move court if Jamia doesnt revoke the order. Who will compensate my two years? Is speaking for the student rights a crime? The choking of voices is becoming a new normal in the universities, she added. Ghosh is also a student activist and has been vocal about issues related to payment of dues to workers, implementing labour laws in the university, attack on female students by male university guards and police entering the campus without permission. Dhrupadi Ghoshs supervisor, Dr. Neshat Quaisar has expressed shock over thecancellation of her registration. Last week, the administration had issued a show cause notice to another PhD student over her Facebook post on grounds that it maligns the image of the university by circulating false and derogatory information. The show-cause notice was issued to a student activist Talha Rehman, currently pursuing PhD in Islamic studies regarding an event which was organised on August 24 last month in the front lawns of the central canteen and the protest on the following day in front of the Vice-chancellor office. Help India! New Delhi, (IANS): About 15 Muslim NGOs under aegis of the All India Tanzeem Ulama-e-Islam, a Sunni Sufi cleric organisation, on Friday held a protest at Jantar Mantar condemning the despicable acts of genocide against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. They also sought roll back of Indian governments decision to send back Rohingyas to Myanmar in such a dire situation. Support TwoCircles Government of India must start bilateral talks on the Rohingya crisis, open its border for the refugees and provide the basic shelter, food and civil amenities until the situation is not going normal, said the protesters in a release. Calling the act of cruelty contradictory to the teachings of the Buddhism, about 200-odd protesters urged Myanmar to provide appropriate protection to the whole Rohingya community in the country. US President Donald Trump couldnt just leave the events in Charlottesville, Virginia alone. He already screwed up his response to it once, as it was happening, but apparently he just had to return to the scene of the crime and go and do it again. It was a couple of months ago when white supremacists turned out to protest the call to tear down a statue of a Confederate general. The white supremacists the guys who endorsed Trump during his Presidential campaign wanted to preserve their history, even if that history was impeccably racist and pro-slavery. However, some counter-protestors arrived on the scene, as they should, to speak out against the bigotry and hatefulness and racism of the white nationalists. And then one of the white nationalists drove his car through a crowd of counter-protestors, killing one and injuring a few others. On many sides Trump caused controversy when his response to this was to condemn violence on many sides. A lot of people took this as being Trump supporting the alt-right movement and their friendly neighbourhood murderer thats certainly what it seems like, anyway. He used that phrase, on many sides, twice in succession to really get the point across that he thinks white nationalism is awesome and hes got their back. Charlottesville was a terrible tragedy that had been silenced by the recent onslaught of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and other surrounding states and Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys, but Trump has decided to reopen those old wounds and reignite the controversy that surrounded his comments by pretty much repeating them. Trumps newest comments seem to more clearly equate the neo-Nazis with the counter-protestors than his previous on many sides statement. This time, hes met with Tim Scott, the only black Republican with a seat in the US Senate. Scotts intention with the meeting was to make sure that the President understood the distinction between white supremacists and the people opposing them because to a black man with some degree of intelligence, those arent the same thing. Trump was asked about this conversation on Air Force One On a return flight from Florida yesterday aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked about the conversation between himself and Senator Scott, which took place on Wednesday. He started by saying that it was a great talk, although he doesnt seem to have taken much of value from it, because he went on to talk unfavourably about Antifa, the anti-fascist movement that is using violence to attack fascism. Trump added that especially in light of the advent of Antifa, violence in the name of extreme political beliefs should be condemned. President Donald Trump doesnt like a group that targets fascism. Interesting. He said that essentially what he told Senator Scott was to look at whats going on there and see that there are some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. Apparently Trump also believes that, thanks to Antifa, a lot of people are now saying and writing, Gee, Trump might have a point, although whether or not anyone in the entire world besides him has ever written or said that remains to be seen. He said that he told Senator Scott that he has some very bad people on the other side also, which is true. Scott and Trump belong to the same political party, though, so all that Trump could mean by the other side that hes on is the side of black people compared to Trumps side of white/orange people. Its just astounding what this guy comes out with sometimes. Politicians of both the Democratic and Republican parties in US politics have continued to condemn Trumps statements about these matters. US President Donald Trump has been dodging questions about climate change after a huge, deadly hurricane ravaged Texas and surrounding states, and then another huge, deadly hurricane ravaged the entirety of the state of Florida. Reporters were quick to ask him if these devastating storms have changed his mind about climate change, which he believes is a hoax, which is the reason he pulled America, the second largest emitter of carbon in the world, out of the UN treaty to reduce the effects of climate change, the Paris accord. Weve had bigger storms than this After hes spent the last couple of weeks bragging about the historic biggest storms ever that were battering his country, President Trump is now backtracking what he said and contradicting himself, shrugging off the climate change claims and saying, Weve had bigger storms than this. At the time of Hurricane Irma, Trump was tweeting things like, Hurricane Irma is of epic proportion, perhaps bigger than we have ever seen, as it stormed its way towards the Florida Keys, and also, Hurricane looks like largest ever recorded in the Atlantic! It was weird, like these hurricanes that were killing people were something to be proud of. Hes backtracking now, but for all the wrong reasons. Bang is the brand new bilingual Welsh-English drama penned by BAFTA award-winning Welsh writer Roger Williams and after one episode the show has already got people talking. Set in the steel town of Port Talbot, South Wales, the birthplace of Hollywood greats' Anthony Hopkins, Richard Burton and Passengers actor Michael Sheen. Groundbreaking drama "Bang" is a thrilling story about love and the human relationship between a brother, a sister and a gun. The lead role of loner Sam is played by 24-year-old welsh actor Jacob Ifan best known for his lead role as Jake Vickers in the BBC police drama series "Cuffs". His life changes dramatically when he is given a gun and starts breaking the law. His determined sister Gina played by" Doctor Who" actress Catrin Stewart is a police officer who strongly believes the law is there to abide by and she has made it her mission to find the owner of the lethal weapon. The family drama centres around a criminal investigation into the shooting of a well-known local entrepreneur that makes Sam and Gina question their father's murder many years earlier. Creator of Bang, Roger Williams said during an audience Q & A to launch the show "We set out to break new ground with 'Bang'. Reflecting the dichotomies of contemporary South Wales, the series is a crime drama and family saga made in Welsh and English, set against the backdrop of an imposing industrial landscape and beautiful natural vistas. It is about the lawless and the law enforcers." While actor Jacob Ifan admitted I have loved every minute of filming "Bang" and I believe that the way we have filmed it is actually reflective of how people do exist and speak in Wales. Ill be speaking one language to one person and then well switch. I would definitely be interested in doing a second series." Williams who has previously written episodes of the Channel 4 soap 'Hollyoaks' also revealed: 'I could not believe that nobody had rooted a drama series in the area before, it looks so beautiful on the screen." We are inclined to agree with you, Roger. Michael Sheen And, it seems Bang has already attracted the attention of one celebrity fan in particular. Port Talbot-born RADA graduate Michael Sheen. Roger revealed: 'Michael visited the set unannounced and had a chat with all the cast and crew and told us how pleased he was that we were using Port Talbot as the backdrop for the show. Michael is in town a lot because his parents still live there. He is also opening up his own drama school in Port Talbot which is good news for performing arts in the town.' Bang, S4C, airs Sundays at 9 P< Ive just read a book on how to fly the Airbus A380, its a detailed account from take-off to landing by captain Gib Vogel, an A380 pilot. It tracks a flight from London the Dubai, giving all the cockpit and flight details. I love flying and although Ive not yet had the privilege of flying in one of these super beasts this book gave me a fascinating look at the skill needed to fly this plane. In fact, when I finished it I felt sure I could fly one myself! This plane is going to crash! I can just imagine, itll be my first trip on the A380, well be heading to Dubai and suddenly the cabin crew begin panicking and running up and down the aisles as the plane begins to go into a steep decent. Were over Turkey now and I know that we will soon be contacting Dubai control for our landing instructions. It appears the captain and the co-pilot have both come down with some strange sleeping sickness and they need someone to step into the cockpit and take over. I know how to do this First of all, Id deploy the speed brakes to increase the rate of descent. This would make a slight rumble caused by the airflow buffeting over the wings. As the plane approaches the level previously cleared by Control Tower of FL150 (Flight Level) Id be cleared to 7,000 ft. for further descent. Id do this by winding the altitude knob to 7,000 ft. After more conversation with Dubai control tower and checking radar and weather I would check to PFD (Primary Flight Display) that we have the correct descent profile. The auto pilot will be flying after giving me the pseudo-ILS (Instrument Landing System) down to the runway compared to the conventional ILS display then I can see any deviations from the flight path. I call Flaps two, and we drop our speed to 164 kt (knots) I call for the landing gear to drop then call Flaps Three'. The landing checklist is checked on the EWD (Engine/Warning Display) so I can see the landing gear is down and the flaps are in the correct position. I can also see that the cabin crew have finished their own checklist and the passengers are all ready for the landing. A smooth landing I take over the auto pilot to do a manual landing. The auto pilot flashes a red light and an aural warning sound to indicate its been disconnected. There will be no crosswind, Ive already checked this as with a few feet off the runway if there was a sudden wind gust it could cause a go-around, but this time its all smooth and I guide the A380 down onto the tarmac with barely a bump. Im so clever! Taxiing to the gate I disconnect the Auto Braking system and I do the Shut-Down checks. I check myself in the mirror to see if my lipstick is looking good then I step into the cabin to applause and adulation of 850 relieved passengers. So, as we plummet to oblivion I shall press my call button to summon the stewardess. I can fly this plane! I shout above the screams of the passengers. Whats the bet she wont believe me? Donald Trump is continuing his Make America Great Again initiative by cracking down on illegal immigrants. Countries that delay/refuse to welcome back their citizens will apparently be blacklisted. Nations including Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea and Sierra Leone were mentioned. All, with the exception of Cambodia, are African nations. Of the four, only Sierra Leone was not deemed recalcitrant by US Immigration Officials in July. If you dont want them, neither do we The US State Department issued new policies and alerted the offending countries by cable on Wednesday. Officials maintained that if the nations decide to accept their deportees, visa restrictions would be lifted. Of the four countries in question, Eritrea faces the harshest sanctions. According to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, any Eritreans who apply in their own country for most U.S. business or tourist visas, will be rejected. Its not the first time that the US has embarked on a mass deportation of African nationals. 70 Ghanaians were returned in handcuffs in April 2017, after 7000 of them were warned about getting out of the US. For Cambodia and Sierra Leone, the sanctions affect Foreign Ministry workers at or above the rank of Director General and their relatives. Those seeking personal travel visas will be turned down. Guinea officials were surprised at the sanctions but assured their nationals that their Foreign Minister is working to rectify the situation. The US said it would no longer distribute a range of tourist, business and student visas to government officials and their immediate family members who apply from inside the country. But Guinea insists that there must be some kind of misunderstanding. According to its Government, it has never wanted to prevent the return of anyone who broke American law. Despite the sanctions, there are still some exceptions that can be considered, based on humanitarian laws. Protecting our own The US remains adamant that it will not continue to endanger the lives of its citizens by housing foreign criminals. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said: American citizens have been harmed because foreign governments refuse to take back their citizens. The situation seems dire, considering that ICE released less than 3,000 foreigners, many of whom had serious criminal convictions. These included 2,137 Guineans and 831 Sierra Leone nationals. As of Wednesday 13 September, there were also nearly 700 Eritreans and more than 1,900 Cambodians marked for deportation. At a rally in Ohio in July, President Trump likened Americas illegal immigrant situation to a war. He said gang leaders and other foreign criminals were poisoning US communities and the US needed to free itself from such evil. His administration has ensured that the ICE list of recalcitrant nations, has been warned about not taking back their people. According to Immigration officials, Cuba topped the list by being the most unwilling to have them return. Other erring lands included Somalia, India, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Iran, Morocco, and China. So far, none of those have been slapped with visa sanctions. "Days Of Our Lives" spoilers for the end of the week reveal that there will be a lot of tension in Salem. The week will end with more than one confrontation between the characters, and tensions will be very high in Salem. "DOOL" fans will get a huge dose of Sonny, Chad, John, Marlena-Hattie, Brady, Nicole, and Chloe on Friday, and the drama will be thick to end the week. Chad and Sonny learn their fate According to the latest "Days Of Our Lives" spoilers, Chad and Sonny's fate will finally be decided. The two friends have been sitting in a jail cell trying to figure out if they are at all guilty for Deimos Kiriakis' murder. While Sonny had originally believed he may have killed his uncle, it was later discovered that Dario Hernandez had an incriminating photo of Chad that seemingly pointed to him being the killer. So, of course, Chad turned himself in. However, this week the men will finally learn if they're going to be officially charged with the murder, or if they will get to go free and back to their lives. John punches Roman Meanwhile, John Black isn't about to give up on the love of his life. Although Marlena, who is Hattie masquerading as the psychiatrist, dumped John and has been very cold towards him, he is still determined to find out what's going on with her, and when he finds out what it is, he will not like it. "Days Of Our Lives" spoilers report that John will follow Marlena-Hattie and that he'll find out she's seemingly getting back together with her ex-husband, Roman Brady, he'll come to blows with Roman! The two will be fighting over Marlena just like old times. However, it will actually be Hattie they're duking it out over. Brady & Nicole have a huge argument Other "Days Of Our Lives" spoilers reveal that Brady and Nicole will also have a huge blowout fight. The couple's relationship has been on the decline since they returned to Salem after being on the run with Nicole's daughter Holly. The two were happy in Canada, but returning to Salem seemed to put a strain on their relationship, and when Nicole was sentenced to community service at the Horton Center with her ex-fiance, Eric Brady, things went from bad to worse. Brady began to get insanely jealous of Nicole and Eric's relationship and has been raging with anger over it for weeks now. It looks like it is about to all blow up as the two finally confront one another about what's been going on. Chloe thinks Eric's in love with Nicole Also, "Days Of Our Lives" fans will also see Chloe Lane wonder if Eric still has feelings for Nicole. As "DOOL" viewers know, Eric seems to still be head over heels in love with Nicole, but she doesn't quite know it yet. The love triangle is creating all kinds of problems, and with Nicole on her way out of Salem, it looks like things are only going to get worse for her, Brady, and Eric. Sony is working on a new smartphone and the proof lies in its latest GFXBench listing. An unidentified Sony-branded model has shown up on the website. It carries the model number, H4233. But, there is not much that can be guessed about the smartphone on the basis of the model number. The listing pretty much reveals all the specifications set to arrive in the Device. Here are the speculated features and specs According to a report by Phone Arena, the GFXBench listing reveals that the smartphone will feature a 6-inch display with 1,920 x 1,080 pixels resolution. In the storage department, the handset will offer 4GB of RAM (3.7GB) along with 64GB of inbuilt storage (43GB). Sony usually provides users with the ability to expand its storage via the microSD card-slot option. The smartphone is further mentioned to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor (clocked at 2.2GHz). On the basis of this, it is safe to assume that the handset will fall in the mid-range category. The device will also be carrying Qualcomms Adreno 508 for graphics purpose. On the camera front, the smartphone has been listed as featuring a 21-megapixel rear camera with 4K-video recording capabilities. This is perfected with the addition of a 15-megapixel front snapper capable of recording 4K videos as well. The handset will be running on Android Oreo right out of the box, which is considered to be among the top highlights of it. On the connectivity front, the smartphone is listed as including NFC sensors, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and other such basic facilities. Device might run on Android Oreo According to Android Headlines, it doesnt come across as surprising that the smartphone has packed Oreo directly out of the box. Sony had promised that they will deliver the Oreo update as soon as it is made available. In fact, they were also the first ones to have published a list of their smartphones that will be receiving the latest software update. Its recently-launched Xperia XZ1 line-up (Standard and Compact variants) also come with Oreo pre-installed. The smartphones fall in the high-end category and are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip. The company also launched Xperia XZ1 Plus at IFA, 2017 (Berlin). The firm doesnt seem that it is done with smartphone launches this year. In fact, the model spotted on GFXBench might be a Plus variant of Xperia XZ1. The phone might fall in the high-end smartphone category. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner's first trip to China aims to strengthen economic ties Q: You said your trip to China this month "honors longstanding relationships with China". What is the current relationship between Illinois and China? What are the main goals for your first visit to China? A: Illinois has a strong and positive relationship with China that includes valuable economic, educational and cultural ties. My main goals are to foster and strengthen the economic and diplomatic partnerships between Illinois and China, and to identify new opportunities that would benefit both places. Q: Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasizes greatly the importance of province-state level exchanges and cooperation in many sectors. What is your view regarding cooperation between China and the US? What can your state do to further enhance such exchanges and cooperation? A: Illinois is a key trade partner in the US for China. We are the leading state in the Midwest for exports to China, with exports totaling $5 billion in 2016. Our export products included machinery, computers and electronic products, transportation equipment and agriculture and food products. Additionally, Illinois imported more than $32 billion in goods last year from China. Illinois enjoys a strong bilateral partnership with China that extends beyond trade cooperation and includes education and cultural exchanges. We will continue to pursue and enhance cooperation between our two great states both at the local and state levels. Q: You are going to visit Shanghai and Hangzhou, two economically advanced big cities in China, and you may also have the chance to take China's high-speed train from Shanghai to Hangzhou. In Shanghai and Hangzhou, are you also going to visit some Chinese companies in addition to meeting with officials? A: The Illinois delegation will meet with government representatives to re-affirm Illinois' commitment to China. We will also meet with companies in the area to thank them for their investment in Illinois, which includes discussions about potential expansion opportunities. However, we cannot comment on any potential deals being discussed. Illinois has had a presence in Shanghai since 2000 with more than 400 Illinois companies located in China, including Caterpillar, Motorola, John Deere, Andrew Corporation and Illinois Tool Works. We are proud of our strong business ties and look forward to continuing to develop them through relationships made during this trip and into the future. Q: What is the current situation of Chinese investment in Illinois? What are the advantages for Illinois to attract so many Chinese investors? What sectors will you recommend to potential Chinese investors in the years to come? A: Chinese multinational companies interested in doing business in North America will find that Illinois is at the heart of the North American market. We are a diversified economy that is centrally located, with a world-class transportation infrastructure and a highly-skilled workforce. Illinois is home to 37 Fortune 500 companies and boasts three of the top 50 global universities. I am proud to say that Illinois is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, chemicals, life sciences, and professional services. In Illinois, we continue to strengthen industries that we believe align well with the strengths of Chinese companies, such as manufacturing, alternative energy, transportation, logistics and high tech. My goal is for Illinois to be the North American home for the manufacture and assembly of solar panels. That is why companies like Wanxiang and Goldwind are such important partners for Illinois. Q: In addition to economic cooperation, other important sectors for cooperation are trade and investment, education, cultural exchanges and tourism. What is your view on cooperating with China such areas and are there any plans or programs to promote cooperation in these sectors? A: It is wonderful that Illinois and China enjoy a long tradition of cultural and educational exchanges. China is now Illinois' second international market providing visitors to our state. In 2016, Illinois was happy to host 235,000 visitors from the People's Republic of China. Further, Illinois ranks fifth nationwide in attracting international students to our universities. We have nearly 50,000 international students studying at Illinois colleges and universities. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is consistently ranked as having one of the largest international student populations in higher education in the country, with more than 11,000 international students and 2,000 international scholars each year. For the 2016-2017 year, graduate and undergraduate enrollment at the school included more than 5,600 students from China. I am glad that so many Chinese students choose Illinois for their studies. Illinois also has 10 sister cities with Chinese cities, including Chicago-Shanghai, Changzhou-Rockford, Quincy-Jiaxing and Morton-Tiantai. These relationships provide opportunities for us to continue to deepen and strengthen the cultural, educational and business ties between China and Illinois. Q: What else would you like to say to our readers in China and the US? I greatly value the strong relationship between Illinois and China, and I am optimistic about the future of our mutually beneficial partnership. As an aside, I also must note that I believe Chicago has one of the best Chinatowns in Americagreat food, great shopping, and great people! yuanzhang@chinadailyusa.com Bruneian Brandon Ng is just 29 years old but he has already cofounded an innovative startup that aims to solve one of the world's biggest problems intermittent power supply. "The word innovation is overused," said Ng, who is now based in Hong Kong. He believes it is most deserved when referring to solutions that are a little ahead of their time. "If you have a problem and someone proposes a solution that doesn't make sense today but could make sense in two, three, five or 10 years, then there's a much higher likelihood that is innovative, because that's probably genuinely new," he said. In 2014, Ng, together with engineer Luca Valente, cofounded Ampd Energy. The startup developed Ampd Silo - an energy storage system which uses advanced, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to generate reliable backup power supply. Ampd Energy was first runner-up for the prestigious Engadget Best Startup Award at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and Ampd Silo is already generating interest among buyers in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Ng himself was included in Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia 2017: Industry, Manufacturing & Energy. Despite such early success, Ng did not set out to be an entrepreneur or to solve the problem of power supply disruption. Ampd Energy, in fact, was established because of an electric motorcycle. In 2012, Ng was using an electric scooter to navigate the busy streets of Beijing. Working at that time as an investment banker, Ng was on a one-year career break, learning Mandarin at Tsinghua University. He was planning to return to his life in banking in London after mastering Mandarin. But his curiosity over the steep price of fully fledged electric motorcycles pushed him in another direction. He could not understand why electric motorcycles were retailing for $13,000 each, while a gas-powered one sold for just $8,000. So Ng, who has an engineering degree from Imperial College London, partnered with Valente and another engineer. They pooled their savings and produced a prototype of a cheaper electric motorcycle. "We wanted to make electric motorcycles that were both price and performance competitive with gas motorcycles," Ng told China Daily. "The issue with electric motorcycles at that time was always price. How do we get the price down? The biggest issue is (the) batteries - the most expensive component in the finished vehicle. "We spent a lot of time on (developing) these batteries: How do we make the batteries cheaper without compromising safety, reliability, power and packaging?" Ng said standardization of components helped in lowering cost without sacrificing quality. He added that being in China, with its immense manufacturing capacity across various industries and market verticals, gave him access to suppliers that produce high-quality materials at lower prices. The partners' success in developing more affordable electric motorcycles encouraged them to market their products to the Indonesian police force. But the blackout that interrupted a meeting with their distributor in Sumatra sparked a novel business idea. Ng recalled: "We joked with our distributor at the time: Wouldn't it be funny to power the whole building with our motorcycles? But then we thought: Why do we need the motorcycles? Why don't we just use the batteries?" Changing the direction of the business made a lot of sense to Ng. "From a business value standpoint and from an engineering standpoint - because that is what engineers do, solve the big problems - (unreliable power supply) is a huge problem that affects 3 billion people and many enterprises globally. So we decided to shift our vision-mission to solve (the problem of) unreliable power supply," he said. Ng and his partners went back to the drawing board and raised $3.8 million in seed funding, mostly from angel investors. In 2014 they relocated to Hong Kong to join the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park's Incu-Tech incubator program - for handpicked, high-potential individuals - and to work closely with their contract manufacturers in the Pearl River Delta. He said that being in Hong Kong, with its open economy, gave his startup the credibility and network support it needed to grow. Over the next two years, Ng and his team worked to develop a battery-powered energy storage system that can be used when there is a power outage. The result of this research and development was Ampd Silo. Ng said he aims to sell Ampd Silo to hospitals, telcos, banks, government agencies and shopping centers - sectors in which power disruption can lead to significant costs. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would visit China in November, and first lady Melania Trump is expected to accompany him, according to White House and State Department sources. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump said he will visit China, Japan and South Korea in November. "It will be a busy 10 days," he said, referring to his first Asia trip, which may also include Vietnam, according to a press gaggle from the White House. It would be the first state visit to China made by President Trump since he took office in January. He will be the second US president ever to pay a state visit to China within the first year of his presidency, following the 2009 November China visit by then president Barack Obama. It was not immediately clear what would be on President Trump's agenda. On Tuesday, US State Secretary Rex Tillerson said Trump is looking forward to his visit to China, during which he will map out the future development of China-US relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both Tillerson and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi have said that the two countries will work together to make Trump's visit a success. Analysts in Washington and Beijing have said trade and security issues, including the Korean Peninsula situation, will be highlighted during the trip. The visit will come just weeks after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a once-in-five-year meeting scheduled for Oct 18 that will steer the development of the world's second-largest economy in the coming years. US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told a news briefing on Wednesday that "the president plans to travel to China this fall". "I know the president and the first lady look forward to their trip to China," she added. Nauert said that preparing for the president's China visit was one of the subjects of a meeting between Tillerson and Yang Jiechi on Tuesday in Washington. "The president has a strong and close relationship with the Chinese president. The first ladies have a terrific relationship," the spokesperson said. "That is one of the subjects that came up yesterday when the state councilor was meeting with Secretary Tillerson." The US is looking forward to carrying out the first rounds of all four high-level dialogues on a series of issues with China as soon as possible, Nauert said. After the inaugural high-level dialogue on diplomacy and security, which took place in Washington in June, and the high-level dialogue on the economy in July, Beijing and Washington have yet to hold their high-level dialogues on social and cultural issues and the dialogue on law enforcement and cybersecurity. "I believe we've had two of those four meetings, and we look forward to carrying out the rest just as soon as possible," Nauert said. The four dialogues are part of the four-pronged high-level dialogue mechanisms set up by Xi and Trump during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in April. huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com The rivalry between Wework, the US co-working company valued at $20 billion, and Urwork, its Beijing-based competitor with a value of more than $1 billion, may be moving from the work space to a courtroom. WeWork filed a lawsuit in New York against UrWork for trademark infringement in a federal court on Tuesday. It accused the rival of infringing on its trademarks, saying it copied parts of its name and logo. WeWork also demanded that the company stop a planned launch in Manhattan's Financial District later this year, where WeWork dominates the co-working space market. Competition between the two co-working companies, the biggest in their respective countries, has accelerated in their expansion into international markets. Founded in 2015, UrWork is backed by Sequoia Capital China and Alibaba-affiliate Ant Financial, and was recently valued at $1.3 billion after a merger with its domestic rival, New Space. WeWork, reported to be the world's fifth most-valuable startup, said it has more than 200 current or planned locations in 53 cities worldwide. "WeWork has invested substantial time and money building a superior brand to ensure that our brand name is uniquely associated with WeWork and its offerings," a company spokesman said in an email statement to China Daily. "UrWork has no physical presence and no brand equity in the United States, so there is no reason for them to enter our home market with such a confusingly similar name." "We will use all legal options available to us to defend our company name so as to avoid confusion for our current and future members," the statement said. The company and its US partner, Serendipity Labs Inc, declined to comment on the lawsuit, but on its official WeChat account on Wednesday it rejected the lawsuit and said that there was "no legal proof or common sense" to WeWork's charges. UrWork plans to open its first US location in New York and a second location in Los Angeles later this year, where WeWork has 42 and 12 current or planned locations respectively. The two-year-old UrWork startup has raised $236 million in the past few months to help finance establishing 160 locations in 32 cities worldwide over the coming three years, including in Singapore, New York, Los Angeles, London and Taiwan. WeWork is also well-funded for expansion. It just received a $4.4 billion investment from SoftBank Group Corp and its Vision Fund, putting its valuation at what's said to be a $20 billion, and it announced a separate $500 million investment from SoftBank and Hony Capital to expand in China, where its UrWork has about 78 offices. Laguna Beach in southern Orange County, California, is a beautiful coastal destination, offering a choice of sandy beaches, art galleries, restaurants and unique attractions. Go on a weekend trip and visit the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, explore the Laguna Art Museum, and many other great attractions. If you are planning a family vacation, take the kids to see the tide pools along the coastline, go on a self-guided public art tour, ride on the Laguna Beach Trolley, and see a show at the Laguna Playhouse. Here are the best things to do in Laguna Beach, CA. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Crystal Cove State Park Courtesy of Armin Hering - Fotolia.com Crystal Cove State Park is one of Californias largest remaining open spaces and natural coastlines and one of the top Laguna Beach attractions. Located between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove features beautiful sandy beaches, shimmering tidal pools, excellent surf, undulating hills, and thickly wooded canyons and ridges, making it a spectacular natural landscape. Boasting more than three miles of pristine beach and over 2,000 acres of rugged backcountry wilderness, Crystal Cove State Park is popular with outdoor enthusiasts who can take advantage of its magnificent scenery by hiking, biking, scuba and skin diving, swimming, fishing, and surfing in the area. For the less adventurous, tidal pools provide opportunities for extensive exploration, and State Park staff and docents offer interpretive programs year-round including tidal pool walks, guided hikes, and geology talks. -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 2. Heisler Park Courtesy of juancat - Fotolia.com Stretching along the bluffs on Cliff Drive high above Laguna Beach and offering breathtaking ocean views is Heisler Park, a lovely green oasis that provides access to many of the beaches along the shore. Located just north of Main Beach between Aster Street and Diver's Cove, Heisler Park features walking trails, tidal pools, picnic tables, benches, and barbecue stands for fun gatherings and sunset watching. If you are wondering what to see in Laguna Beach, Heisler Park is a great place to start exploring. The park is home to the private Laguna Beach Lawn Bowling Club and a lovely gazebo at the south end, which is ideal for special occasions such as weddings or for spending an evening soaking up the views. -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 3. Pacific Marine Mammal Center Courtesy of belizar - Fotolia.com The Pacific Marine Mammal Center rescues, takes care of, and releases marine mammals back into their natural habitats and is one of the best things to do in Laguna Beach, California. Established as Friends of the Sea Lion in 1971, the marine mammal rehabilitation facility was the first of its kind in California. In 1976, the center moved into a facility that was owned by the city of Laguna Beach and had been used by the local SPCA. If you are wondering what to do in Laguna Beach with kids, this is a great place to visit. The center cares for California sea lions, Northern elephant seals, Northern fur seals, and Pacific harbor seals that are found stranded along the beaches of Orange County, and it offers a wide variety of education programs for children and adults. 20612 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-494-3050 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 4. Laguna Art Museum Laguna Art Museum The Laguna Art Museum is a fine arts museum located on Cliff Drive in Laguna Beach. Founded in 1918 as the Laguna Beach Art Association, the current home of the museum opened in 1929. Today, this section is the Steele Gallery, a part of the museums facilities. In 1986 the museum changed its name to Laguna Art Museum. The museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting works of art by California artists; it is unique in that it is the only museum in the state that collects only California art. The pieces of art often depict the history of the state, and they span all periods and styles from the 19th century to contemporary works. 307 Cliff Drive, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-494-8971 -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Laguna Beach Trolley Laguna Beach Trolley The Laguna Beach Trolley is a free weekend transportation system that operates in the city of Laguna Beach whose trolley runs along the South Coast Highway. The service begins at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the city of Dana Point and travels north as far as Cajon Street in North Laguna Beach. Many tourists start at Laguna Beachs Official Visitors Center: here, they can pick up information about the trolley, local sights, hotels, restaurants, shopping, activities, parking, events, and much more. One of the trolley stops is just a short distance from the Visitors Center. From here, visitors can choose to get off at any of the 34 stops throughout the system. -- You are reading "What to Do in Laguna Beach, California this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in Laguna Beach, California this Weekend" Back to Top 6. Pageant of the Masters Pageant of the Masters The Pageant of the Masters is a ninety-minute stage show of living pictures in which real people pose to recreate the characters of original artworks. World-renowned in the artistry and theatrical illusion of living pictures, The Pageant of the Masters is held every summer during the famed Festival of Arts, Californias annual premier fine art show. Faithfully recreating classical and contemporary works of art with real people, The Pageant of the Masters is held in a vast outdoor amphitheater and accompanied by a professional orchestra and original score, live narration, sophisticated lighting, and complex sets. The Laguna Beach Festival of Arts has been a highlight of the event calendar for over 80 years, showcasing the works of local artists across a variety of platforms and media, including painting, printmaking, photography, handcrafted wood and furniture, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, glass, and more. The Festival of Arts not only features an array of award-winning exhibitions, but also art workshops, demonstrations, daily art tours, live music, and other special events. 650 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-494-1145 -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 7. Crescent Bay Point Park Courtesy of juancat - Fotolia.com Situated at the western end of Crescent Bay Drive on a bluff high above the ocean, Crescent Bay Point Park is small, well-maintained park that features several walking paths and hiking trails and offers breathtaking panoramic views. This pretty bluff-top park and marine refuge has a neat grassy area with benches for admiring the scenery and great areas for scuba diving, snorkeling, and surfing, particularly at Big Hollow. This is a fun place to visit with the whole family. The park does not have restrooms. , From LA -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 8. Laguna Beach Walks Courtesy of kanonsky - Fotolia.com Discover the beauty and history of Laguna Beach on a free, self-guided walking tour through the area. Perfect for visitors wanting to explore and experience this laid-back Californian town or groups looking for a fun activity to enjoy together, Laguna Beach Walking Tours offers an array of tours covering different areas of the town, focusing on a variety of aspects of history and culture as well as fitness, food, and fun. Explore architectural landmarks and public art spaces, visit art galleries and museums, take in beautiful coastal blooms and scenic ocean views, and relax at one of several excellent restaurants, cafes, and bars each tour has something for everyone. Signature tours include the Heisler Park Tour and the Downtown Walk with new tours like the Pearl District and Fitness Walk coming soon. Tours are suited for all ages and fitness levels. Simply request a free map on the web site and go on the self-guided walk when it fits in your schedule. 9. Sawdust Art and Craft Festival Sawdust Art and Craft Festival The Sawdust Art Festival is a fun event dedicated to promoting and celebrating art in Laguna Beach and inspiring the public to take an active role in supporting local artists. Drawing more than 200,000 visitors from around the world each year, the Sawdust Art Festival was designed to both entertain and educate. Here, sawdust-covered paths wind their way through a handcrafted village of fine arts and craftsmanship. The festival also features an array of demonstration art booths that showcases media such as woodwork, painting, glassblowing, and clothing and textile making, as well as a ceramics center, complimentary hands-on art workshops, and a special childrens art booth. Visitors can relax at one of four outdoor cafes and a saloon serving refreshments, and enjoy live music and entertainment. 935 Laguna Canyon Rd, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-494-3030 -- "Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Murphy-Smith Historical Bungalow Murphy-Smith Historical Bungalow The Murphy-Smith Historical Bungalow is an outstanding example of a slice of Laguna Beach history. Managed by the Laguna Beach Historical Society, the bungalow is steeped in history, and visitors can enjoy a docent-led tour of the building and learn about life in Laguna Beach in the early 1920s. Built for the Murphy family in 1923, the bungalow is a typical example of a builder's cottage of that era, complete with multi-gabled roof, clapboard siding, and a porch gable. The cottage lived through two World Wars and is packed with memorabilia, photographs, and items from its long and fascinating history. 278 Ocean Avenue, Laguna Beach, California 11. Self-Guided Public Art Tour Courtesy of kanonsky - Fotolia.com Take in the incredible artworks and sculptures on display along the beachfront with a self-guided art tour. Stroll along the coastline and explore the array of temporary and permanent artworks, ranging from murals and sculptures to themed park benches and signage. The colorful and vibrant artworks are set against a beautiful natural backdrop of shimmering ocean views, and there are plenty of spots along the way where visitors can take a break and relax and enjoy the surroundings. A Tranquil Moment gives you just that it is a leafy enclave in which to escape the hustle and bustle of the beachfront. If you are looking for date ideas in Laguna Beach, Canyon Chess and Checkers offers a fun-filled way to spend an hour over a game of chess. Laguna Beach Visitors Center, 381 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-497-9229 -- "New cool stuff to do in Laguna Beach, California" -- "New cool stuff to do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Laguna Beach Tide Pools Courtesy of samantoniophoto - Fotolia.com The stunning coastline of Laguna Beach is dotted with tidal pools that offer visitors a glimpse of life beneath the sea. The tidal pools lie in the intertidal zone, the area between the high tide and low water line that teems with various forms of fascinating marine life. All of the tide pools are in a State Marine Conservation Area and fall under the protection of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative State, which means that nothing is allowed to leave these areas, including game fish, invertebrates, sand, rocks, and shells. Tide pool docents based on the Main and Treasure Island beaches are available to introduce and guide you through the tide pools and explain more about the fragile ecosystems that survive in them. More California destinations and California beaches. Laguna Beach Visitors Center, 381 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-497-9229 13. Victoria Beach Courtesy of steffstarr - Fotolia.com Located south of Main Beach on Victoria Drive, Victoria Beach is known for its pristine white sandy beach, beautiful blue-green waters, and exclusive residences. Most of this southwest-facing beach lies in front of the private gated Lagunita housing development, which is home to an array of incredible mansions and luxurious homes. One of the main attractions at the beach is the Victorian Tower, a Victorian turret or lighthouse type structure reminiscent of the 16th century that was actually built in the 1920s and has been attracting visitors ever since. There are volleyball courts on the north and south ends of the beach and other popular activities to enjoy in the area include diving, fishing, body surfing, and skim boarding (at the south end). Victoria Beach is one of the most secluded public beaches in the area, and while it has a lifeguard, it offers very limited parking and no running water or restrooms. 14. The Laguna Playhouse Courtesy of JackF - Fotolia.com The Laguna Playhouse is a mid-sized regional theater that presents comedy shows, plays, musicals, childrens productions, and more. Founded in 1920, the theater began by offering play readings and performances in storefronts and in private homes. Built in 1924 on Ocean Avenue in downtown Laguna Beach, the theaters first home was called The Playhouse. The theater continued to operate during the Great Depression and during World War II but eventually outgrew its home. Moulton Theatre was built in 1969 on city-owned land. The theater is known for its extensive education outreach programs, including classes and workshops, the Youth Theatre, the Youth Conservatory, and more. 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-497-2787 15. Main Beach Courtesy of crin - Fotolia.com Main Beach, the largest beach in Laguna Beach, is located in the middle of the city where Broadway Street and Ocean Avenue meet South Coast Highway. The historic 1929 lifeguard tower in the middle of the beach is a well-known landmark on this popular beach. People come to Main Beach to enjoy the sand and the surf, and popular water activities include swimming, body surfing, and bodyboarding. Other activities include basketball and volleyball. There are two basketball courts located at the north end of the beach as well as several volleyball courts. A boardwalk runs the length of the area, and many people walk on this boardwalk or sit and people-watch. More California vacations. -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. Thousand Steps Beach Courtesy of robert cicchetti - Fotolia.com Located where 9th Avenue meets South Coast Highway, Thousand Steps Beach is a wide, sandy public beach that stretches for approximately seven blocks. It is found at the bottom of a set of 223 steep steps that are shaded by a canopy of trees and vines. There are two steep cliffs at either end of the beach that mark the length of the beach. The beach is popular for activities such as body surfing, sunbathing, surfing, volleyball, and more. You can find a large cave at the south end; the entrance is exposed during low tide, and you can walk through the cave to a small beach on the other side. 17. Aliso Beach Courtesy of Andrii Salivon - Fotolia.com Aliso Beach Park is a large sandy beach that is family-friendly. Above the beach are rock formations that are home to various forms of wildlife, and you can participate in popular water activities like paddle boarding, skim boarding, skin diving, surfing, and swimming. Every July, the Skim Boarding World Championship is held at Aliso Beach Park. Other activities include sand castle building, sunbathing, and exploring tide pools. There are lifeguard services, parking facilities, restrooms and showers, and a concession stand that sells food and beverages. There are six fire rings that are available on a first come first serve basis. More places to visit: Things to Do in Healdsburg, Sonoma. -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 18. Table Rock Beach Courtesy of kanonsky - Fotolia.com Table Rock Beach is a small sandy beach owned by the city of Laguna Beach. Visitors walk down a wooden staircase that leads towards a bamboo grass trail before arriving at the beach. There is a tall rock wall formation on the northern end and sandstone walls on the south side of the area. Visitors can get an amazing view of Thousand Steps Beach from the south side of Table Rock Beach. Popular activities at this beach include photography, sunbathing, snorkeling, and swimming, but skim boarding is by far the most popular activity because of the unique shape of the waves. 19. Kush Fine Art Gallery Courtesy of shotsstudio - Fotolia.com Located on Forest Avenue in the Artist Colony area of Laguna Beach, Kush Fine Art Gallery is a gallery that displays and sells pieces of artwork. Opened in 2006 by Vladimir Kush, the gallery sells a variety of pieces including drawings, etchings, oil paintings, watercolors, and sculptures and jewelry made from bronze, gold, silver, and precious and semi-precious stones. Mr. Kush is a Russian born surrealist painter and sculptor who began attending art school at age seven. He immigrated to the United States and set up galleries first on Maui, Hawaii, and later in Laguna Beach and two locations in Las Vegas. 210 Forest Avenue, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-376-8017 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 20. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Courtesy of Pakhnyushchyy - Fotolia.com Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is a 7,000-acre wilderness area located on Laguna Canyon Road. One of the last coastal canyons in Southern California, the wilderness area lies in the San Joaquin Hills that surround Laguna Beach. There are 40 miles of biking and hiking trails that take visitors through a variety of landscapes such as oak, sycamore, and willow woodlands as well as areas of cacti, sage scrub, grassland, and maritime chaparral. There are many different animals living in the park including birds, bobcats, deer, hawks, weasels, and more. In addition to the canyons and ridges, this park contains the only natural lakes in Orange County. 21. Hortense Miller Garden Courtesy of LOBO - Fotolia.com Hortense Miller Garden is a 2.5-acre garden on the upper slopes of Boat Canyon. Established by Hortense Miller in 1959, the garden was planted with more than 800 species of plants, 150 of which are native plants. She was not only a gardener, but also an artist, environmentalist, feminist, and writer. The garden is also home to several kinds of animals including foxes, opossums, raccoons, and skunks. Experienced docents lead two-hour tours of the garden. The house sits perched on a steep side of the canyon and contains many windows with views of the canyon and the Pacific Ocean. 22511 Allview Terrace, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-497-7925 22. La Vida Laguna Courtesy of PhotoeffectbyMarcha - Fotolia.com La Vida Laguna is an outdoor activities tour company that offers a variety of kayak tours that focus on the ocean, the bay, and the harbor. The Laguna Ocean Kayak Tour leads kayakers along the coastline where they see beaches, cliffs, and marine wildlife such as dolphins, sea lions, and whales. The Newport Back Bay Eco Tour explores the natural estuary of Newport Back Bay, the largest natural estuary in southern California. It is a wetland of mudflats and marshlands, and many varieties of birds and fish live in the area. The company offers several other activities such as biking, hiking, paddle boarding, and surfing. Phone: 949-275-7544 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California" Back to Top 23. Laguna Canyon Winery Laguna Canyon Winery Laguna Canyon Winery is a boutique winery that was established in 2003. Grapes are shipped down from Napa and Sonoma counties for processing at the winery. In the winerys tasting room, visitors can try two wines, these are the companys premium brand Laguna Canyon and Purple Paws. Red wines include Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Verdot, Zinfandel, and more, while white wines include Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Reisling. The winery also produces four sparkling wines. It hosts many special events such as WineMaker Dinners, Wine and Cheese Receptions, and private events such as corporate lunches, birthday parties, weddings. 2133 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, California, Phone: 949-715-9463 24. Festival of Whales Courtesy of Sebastien Burel - Fotolia.com South of Laguna Beach on the rugged Southern California coast is the lively city of Dana Point. Located on a beautiful stretch of shoreline where thousands of tourists come to watch dolphins and whales, Dana Point is the location of the annual Festival of Whales, a huge event that attracts people from all over the country. The festival lasts two weeks, and during that time more than 60 events take place in and out of the water, ranging from a fishing clinic for the kids, tall ship races, art shows, and music concerts to the Rubber Ducky Derby, Woodies and Corvette shows. and numerous whale watching trips. It is non-stop fun and action, not to be missed if you are in the area. 25. Glenn E. Vedder Ecological Reserve Courtesy of kanonsky - Fotolia.com Glenn E. Vedder Ecological Reserve - Underwater Park and Tidepools is a reserve for marine life, including plants, game fish, rocks, and shells. The reserve extends from the north section of Main Beach to Divers Cove. There are several areas along the coastline that visitors especially love to explore. The south side of Picnic Beach has a flat rocky area covered with sea anemones that you can easily see during low tide. At RockPile, the tide pool is similar to the one at Picnic Beach, but here you can catch an occasional glimpse of an octopus. At Bird Rock, you can see exciting creatures such as red urchins, sea cucumbers, and sea hares. More California destinations: Long Beach, California. 25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Laguna Beach, California " Back to Top Rhode Islands first known brewery dates all the way back to the 17th century, with the establishment of a brewhouse by Providences Sergeant William Baulston in 1639. In the mid-2000s, the states beer industry boomed again with the national craft beer revival, with dozens of new microbreweries, nanobreweries, and brewpubs opening their doors throughout the region. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Isle Brewers Guild Courtesy of purefeel - Fotolia.com Isle Brewers Guild was opened in 2017 by Devin Kelly and Jeremy Duffy, occupying a multi-building campus today in Pawtucket. The brewery follows a co-operative business model, brewing both its own unique beers and beers produced for other New England craft breweries, such as Massachusetts Newburyport Brewing Company and New Hampshires Great North Aleworks. Staff brewers ales are produced under the companys Guild Brewers series, which allows brewmasters to try their hand at experimental styles and one-offs. Its tap room is open Thursdays through Sundays, allowing visitors to try beers from up to seven members breweries. Food trucks are also hosted on site many weekends, and live music performances are presented periodically. 461 Main St, Pawtucket, RI 02860, Phone: 401-724-1241 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 2. Foolproof Brewing Company Foolproof Brewing Company Foolproof Brewing Company is a unique brewing company based around the concept of experience-based brewing, crafting ales specifically designed for beer-drinking experiences such as cookouts, after-work rounds at local watering holes, or rainy-day session drinking. The brewery was founded by Nick Garrison and offers flight tastings and tours at its Pawtucket tap room at scheduled times on Thursdays through Sundays. Beers offered include the companys Grotto IPA, Ocean State Lager, Barstool American Golden Ale, and Raincloud Robust Porter, which is also sold in peanut butter and vanilla espresso variants. To-go can sales are also offered daily during regular business hours. 241 Grotto Ave #1, Pawtucket, RI 02860, Phone: 401-721-5970 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 3. LineSider Brewing Company LineSider Brewing Company Located in a spacious industrial-style indoor Tap Room with an outdoor courtyard, the LineSider Brewery offers East Greenwich residents and visitors an inviting destination to meet, socialize and enjoy a pint or two of hand-crafted, small batch artisanal beer. The beers are all brewed on site by brewers Jeremy Ruff and Kyle Toste and you will always find 8 to 14 different brews available on tap. Although the brewery does not serve food you are welcome to bring you own food or get something delicious to eat from one of the food trucks which regularly attend the brewery. If you would like to celebrate an occasion at LineSider you can rent the Tap House from Monday to Wednesday. 1485 S. County Trail, East Greenwich, RI 02818, 401 398 7700 , OH -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 4. Buttonwoods Brewery Buttonwoods Brewery Buttonwoods Brewery was opened in December of 2017 by Morgan Clark Snyder, Jr., a former homebrewer and the companys lone full-time employee. The brewery primarily focuses on crafting well-hopped IPAs and simple saison styles, though it offers a varied beer list showcasing a variety of seasonal and barrel-aged favorites as well. Notable ales include the companys Empty Quarter Sour IPA, Harness Passion Saison, Shaolin Land Cream Ale, and Death of the Author American Stout. Draft lists are constantly rotating at the brewerys Cranston tap room, which welcomes well-behaved children. Pints and to-go growler sales are available, along with an outdoor patio offering cornhole games. 530 Wellington Ave #22, Cranston, RI 02910, Phone: 401-461-2337 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Coddington Brewing Co. Coddington Brewing Co. Coddington Brewing Co. was founded in 1995 by Bill Christy, offering 100% all-natural ales and lagers that are handcrafted on the premises of its Middletown tap room and brewpub. The brewery is a popular local hangout, offering a full menu of gastropub-style American fare, including craft burgers, wrap sandwiches, artisan pizzas, and a variety of meat and seafood entrees. Beer styles on tap are rotated regularly, showcasing everything from fruit-forward blonde and wheat ales to classic European styles such as marzens and doppelbocks. A mug club for regular visitors offers discounts on pints, company merchandise, and free meals for special occasions. 210 Coddington Hwy, Middletown, RI 02842, Phone: 401-847-6690 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries this Weekend" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries this Weekend" Back to Top 6. Crooked Current Brewery Crooked Current Brewery Crooked Current Brewery was founded by lifelong Rhode Islanders Nichole Pelletier and Jason Lourenco and is proud to claim its title as the states smallest brewery, located within a 375-square-foot space within a former Pawtucket factory building that also houses a yoga studio. The brewerys branding is themed around the states historical incidents of political corruption, with cartoons on its walls depicting local political scandals and clever beer names such as Immorality Pale Ale, Extortion Eggnog Milk Stout, and Kickback American Wheat. Three or four of the brewerys beers are tapped at any given time, with others available in 32-ounce crowler sizes for takeout sales. Flight tastings are also available at the brewerys tap room, which offers seasonal outdoor seating. 560 Mineral Spring Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02860, Phone: 401-473-8312 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 7. Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island is a Westerly brewery that opened to the public in 2011, founded by husband and wife pair and longtime homebrewers Alan and Jennifer Brinton. The award-winning brewery produces a number of year-round and seasonal releases, including its award-winning Flagship Cream Ale, cult favorite Captains Daughter Imperial IPA, Flying Jenny Unfiltered Extra Pale Ale, and Pour Judgment IPA, brewed in collaboration with local restaurant Pour Judgment Bar and Grill. Its Canal Street tap room is open Wednesdays through Sundays, with pints, flight tastings, and growler sales of its most popular brews available for guests. 63 Canal St, Westerly, RI 02891, Phone: 401-212-7592 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 8. Long Live Beerworks, Inc. Long Live Beerworks, Inc. Long Live Beerworks, Inc. was founded by Armando DeDona, who studied commercial brewing in the United Kingdom before relocating to the Rhode Island region. The seven-barrel brewery focuses on hop-forward styles and cask ales, eschewing the model of releasing flagship beers year round in favor of prioritizing experimental small-batch brews. Its Providence tap room is open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays, with new cask-conditioned offerings released every Friday. Past favorite releases have included its Wesside Citra-hopped IPA and Coarse Grind Espresso Stout, brewed with cold-brew espresso from local coffee company Daves Coffee. Food trucks are available on site during the summer months, with special events hosted periodically in collaboration with community partners. 40R Sprague St, Providence, RI 02907 9. Mohegan Cafe and Brewery Mohegan Cafe and Brewery Mohegan Cafe and Brewery is Block Islands only craft brewery and brewpub, operated by brewmaster David Sniffen. The brewery is located in the islands downtown district on Water Street and serves as a popular hangout for island residents and visitors waiting on nearby ferries to the mainland. It showcases a draft list full of recipes brewed on site, including its English Striper Red Ale, Black Buck Stout, BIPA IPA, and Strawberry Blonde Ale. Lunch and dinner are served daily, with a full menu of pub fare focusing on hearty sandwiches, fresh seafood specials, and pasta and steak options. A full childrens menu is also served, and large-screen televisions present major sporting events. 213 Water St, New Shoreham, RI 02807, Phone: 401-466-5911 -- "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Co. Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Co. Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Co. was founded in 1999 by a group of college friends, the first modern production brewery in the state. Since then, the brewery has produced more than 100 craft brews, including its Flagship Hurricane Amber Ale and seasonal favorites such as its 1639 Pineapple Pale Ale, Comfortably Unaware New England-style IPA, and Storm Blueberry Kolsch. Since 2006, the brewery has also distilled its own craft spirits, making it the states first distillery in over a century, with single-barrel rums, moonshines, gins, whiskeys and amaros available for purchase. Flight tastings of beers and spirits are available at the companys tap room, which also offers daily guided brewery tours, a visitor center, and a gift shop. Private tours for groups of 10 or more are available with advance reservation. Since 2013, the brewery has hosted the Newport Craft Beer Festival in April, which offers VIP pours, beer and cheese pairings, and food vendors. 293 JT Connell Hwy, Newport, RI 02840, Phone: 401-849-5232 11. Proclamation Ale Company Proclamation Ale Company Proclamation Ale Company opened to the public in February of 2013 and opened its new 5,000-square-foot brewery and tap room in Warwick three years later, which increased the brewerys production capacity more than five times over. The brewery has won a Best of Rhode Island award from RI Monthly as the states most in-demand beer company, producing ales in a wide variety of traditional styles, including programs for sour beers, wild ales, and barrel-aged variants. Popular brews include the companys Derivative Pale Ale series, Ethereous and Tendril IPAs, Sun Destroyer Imperial Stout, and Postcursor American Wild Ale. Retro arcade games are offered at its tap room, which also features an outdoor patio and custom art installations. 298 Kilvert St, Warwick, RI 02886 -- "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Providence Brewing Company Providence Brewing Company Providence Brewing Company was opened in May of 2018, paying homage to the historic early 19th-century brewery of the same that is believed to have been opened on Atwells Avenue in 1817. The brewery strives to recreate the historic beer styles crafted by its predecessor, focusing on Bohemian lagers, pilsners, porters, stouts, and lagers. Its tasting room is open to the public Thursdays through Saturdays, offering drafts and flight tastings of its signature beers and brewery-exclusive releases. Growler fills are also sold, along with a variety of exclusive licensed merchandise, including glassware, clothing and accessories, and homebrewing kits. Local food trucks are hosted on site periodically, and a pet-friendly outdoor seasonal patio. 10 Sims Ave Unit 110, Providence, RI 02909, Phone: 401-349-1260 13. Ragged Island Brewing Company Ragged Island Brewing Company Ragged Island Brewing Company was opened in 2017 by Matt and Katie Gray, John and Margo Almeida, and Patrick and Liz Donovan. Since then, the brewery has increased its brewing capacity to 3.5 bbls and has moved to a larger brewing facility at the former Van Hof Nursery facility and garden shop. The local favorite produces flagship ales such as Bean Night IPA, Hydrofoil Double IPA, Coggeshall Pale Ale, and Baulston Porter, with a wide variety of seasonal, experimental, and one-off brews also offered periodically. Rotating beers are available for purchase at its tap room, which showcases beach-inspired decor. 54 Bristol Ferry Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Phone: 401-318-2991 14. Ravenous Brewing Company Ravenous Brewing Company Ravenous Brewing Company is a Woonsocket nanobrewrey that was opened in October of 2012 by Dorian Rave, the first craft brewery in the states northern region. The family-owned brewery produces small-batch artisan ales that require intensive involvement from its brewers, emphasizing a dedication to crafting the highest quality ales possible. Tastings of the brewerys concoctions are available Thursdays through Sundays at its public tap room, with public tours available upon request, offering a chance for visitors to meet the companys head brewers and overview the brewing process. During the winter months, food truck pop-ups are hosted on site periodically. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own food into the tap room or order delivery from a number of nearby restaurants. 10 Industrial Rd, Cumberland, RI 02864, Phone: 401-216-5331 15. Revival Brewing Company Revival Brewing Company Revival Brewing Company was founded by longtime brewmaster Owen Johnson and homebrewer Sean Larkin, who set their business plans in motion after a chance meeting in 2009 and released the companys first beer in 2011. Today, the company is dedicated to crafting distinctive brews across a variety of styles, with a wide range of accessibility for beer aficionados and novice drinkers alike. Many brews are released in conjunction with ingredients from local businesses, such as the brewerys signature White Electric Coffee Stout, brewed with New Harvest Coffee Roasters beans. Other popular brews include the companys Fanny Session IPA, Night Swimah Belgian Wheat Ale, Rocky Point Red Ale, and Paul and Als Pale Ale and Doug and Scarpetti Vanilla Porter, both dedicated to popular Rhode Island radio personalities. The brewerys Cranston tasting room is open seven days a week, with group tours of the brewery available upon request with advance reservation. 50 Sims Ave. Providence, RI 02909, Phone: 401-372-7009 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. Shaidzon Beer Co. Courtesy of gkrivtsov - Fotolia.com Shaidzon Beer Co. was the vision of New England natives and craft beer aficionados Josh and Letourneau and Chip Sampson, who met through a mutual friend in Matunuck and embarked on a plan to create a craft brewery offering globally-inspired beers. Beers available in cans at the brewerys tasting room include its Gino Time Stout, Yeast of the River Nile Belgian Golden Ale, Buffalo Czech Pilsner, Never Tomorrow IPA, and Beau Farmhouse Pale Ale. A number of seasonal and one-off beers are also available periodically for pints and growler fills. The brewery hosts a large number of public special events throughout the year, including Garyz Bar events on its outdoor patio, Saloon Night poker events, and live music performances. 141 Fairgrounds Rd, West Kingston, RI 02892 17. The Beer'd Brewing Company The Beer'd Brewing Company The Beer'd Brewing Company is a Stonington microbrewery that uses its seven bbl brewhouse to craft a variety of traditional beer styles. The brewery is housed within the citys American Velvet Mill building and uses its small production size to its advantage, crafting a variety of experimental brews throughout the year with a focus on hands-on attention to detail in recipes. Favorite brews include the companys Clever_Twitter_Name New England IPA, Hashtags of the Rich and Famous New England-style Pale Ale, Already Taken American IPA, Eight Days a Week American Pale Ale, and Frank and Berry Double IPA. The brewerys tap room is open to the public Thursdays through Sundays and offers growler fills and tastings, encouraging visitors to bring their own food or order delivery from nearby restaurants. 22 Bayview Ave, Stonington, CT 06378, Phone: 860-213-9307 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 18. Tilted Barn Brewery Tilted Barn Brewery Tilted Barn Brewery is an expansion of successful commercial hop farm Ocean State Hops, founded in 2007. The brewery is operated by Kara and Matt Richardson and is Rhode Islands first farm brewery, housed within the couples historic family farm in Exeter. It expands upon Ocean State Hops success, crafting locally-produced beer using ingredients grown directly on the companys farm. Tastings and can sales are offered at the brewerys farmhouse tap room on Fridays and Saturdays, offering pints and sales of popular brews such as the companys Early Riser and Free Range IPAs, Chosen One Double IPA, Peeptoad Pale Ale, Libby American Blonde Ale, and Mount Yasur Coffee Porter. Family-friendly farm walkthroughs are also available, offering background on the history of hop farming in New England. One Hemsley Pl, Exeter, RI 02822 19. Trinity Brewhouse Trinity Brewhouse Trinity Brewhouse was opened in 1995 in downtown Providence, making it one of the states first brewpub restaurants to brew its own beers on site. The brewery is operated by Joshua Miller and is conveniently located near Providence attractions such as the Trinity Repertory Theatre, Dunkin Donuts Center, and Rhode Island Convention Center. It has won a number of regional and national accolades for its brews, including its Brown Copper Maple Brown Ale, Darkness Russian Imperial Stout, and classic Kolsch and ESB styles. A large variety of American gastropub fare is offered, including craft burgers and sandwiches, 12-inch rustic pizzas, and seafood pastas and entrees. To-go growlers are also sold at the brewpub, with drink service provided late into the night seven days a week. 186 Fountain St, Providence, RI 02903, Phone: 401-453-2337 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 20. Union Station Brewery Union Station Brewery Union Station Brewery is located within Providences historic downtown district and is operated as part of the John Harvards Brewery and Ale House chain, originally founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1992. The brewery is housed within a former railroad depot building and serves a variety of award-winning craft beers brewed in house, including its Driving Miss Hazy IPA, Providence Pale Ale, and Shabby Abbey Ale. In addition to drafts of the companys brews, the brewpub also serves an extensive menu of lunch and dinner pub fare, including signature artisan pizzas crafted from spent grains used during the companys brewing process. During the summer months, an outdoor patio is offered, along with weeknight special events and musical performances. 36 Exchange Terrace, Providence, RI 02903, Phone: 401-274-2739 21. Whalers Brewing Company Whalers Brewing Company Whalers Brewing Company is a South Kingstown brewery that was opened in 2011 by Wes Staschke and John Dunlap. Since then, the brewery has been named as Rhode Islands 2018 Brewery of the Year by the New York International Beer Competition and ranked as one of the nations fastest-growing breweries by the Brewers Association. A wide variety of the brewerys beers are tapped at its public tasting room, including its flagship Rise Ale, which features a citrus aroma and spice notes. Other popular brews include its Sirius Sour Ale, Pretender Golden Stout, and Special Spliff New England IPA. Beers are served by the glass or by the flight, with growler fills available for takeout sales. Cornhole games, giant Jenga, and pool tables are available for visitor entertainment, with well-behaved pets and children allowed on site during the afternoon hours. 1174 Kingstown Rd, South Kingstown, RI 02879, Phone: 401-552-0002 22. Beer on Earth Beer on Earth Beer on Earth brewery is on a never-ending mission to brew the best quality ales and lagers in Rhode Island. In addition, they strive to offer visitors a warm and welcoming atmosphere at their Tap Room in Fountain Street. Their beers are different in that they use classic European beer styles enhanced by unique ingredients which are sourced right here in Rhode Island. Because the beers are all brewed on the premises, the beer in your glass tonight is always served fresh and at the peak of its flavor. There are at least 6 brews on tap and 4 are available in cans. You are invited to visit their arty Tap Room to find out more about their brews. 425 W. Fountain Street #104, Providence, RI 02903, 401 885 0580 -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" -- You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries" Back to Top 23. Smug Brewing Company Smug Brewing Company Like many other brewing companies, Smug brewing started off with one man, a love of beer and a brewing kit. Ten years later Smug Brewing is producing some of the best hand-crafted beers in Rhode Island. Smug takes particular care in selecting the finest ingredients for their beers premium grains and barleys from around the world and unique hops from the US, New Zealand and Germany. Using these fine ingredients they are able to produce flavor-forward beers that you will love. The range includes a malty, hoppy peach brew, an NEIPA, a blueberry sour, a West coast IPA and a cold IPA. Visit the Tap Room to find your favorite. 100 Carver Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860, 401 642 5701 24. Lops Brewing Lops Brewing Lops Brewing and Tasting Room is located in a historic building which dates back to 1891; some of the retained original features add to the atmosphere of the tasting room. Because the brewery is dedicated to producing small batches of beer from the freshest possible products, their range of beers is always changing you can check to see if your favorites are available on their social media site. All the beers are brewed on site in the basement brewery and they use locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. From time to time the brewery offers tours check the Special Events tab on their website for more details. 122 N. Main Street, Woonsocket, RI 02895, 401 616 0520 25. Twelve Guns Brewing Twelve Guns Brewing Named for the USS Providence, a vessel which served in the Revolutionary War and boasted 12 guns, Twelve Guns Brewing is located in Bristol, Rhode Island, where they produce a rotating list of 8 beers on tap. In case you are not into beer you can enjoy a selection of curated non-alcoholic beverages in their tasting room. There is usually a food truck in attendance on weekends and a few local restaurants will deliver your choice of take-away. Their beers are all brewed and bottled on-site and fans can bring along their growlers to be refilled. The rotating range includes a selection of Blonde Ales, IPAs, a German-style Fest Beer and an Irish Red Ale, amongst many others. 549 Metacom Ave, Bristol, RI 02809, 401 396 9009 25 Best Rhode Island Breweries You are reading "25 Best Rhode Island Breweries " Back to Top Wild, unspoiled, faraway, mysterious Alaska fires up the imagination and brings out your spirit of adventure. It is now much easier to explore Alaskas magnificent mountains, lodges, fjords, and glaciers and see whales, seals, grizzly bears, and other wild animals than it was even a few years ago. Visit the museums, restaurants and cafes in Juneau and Anchorage and explore Denali, Glacier Bay National Parks. Here are the best things to do in Alaska. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. White Pass & Yukon Route Railway Courtesy of Rocky Grimes - Fotolia.com The White Pass and Yukon Route is a Canadian and American narrow gauge railroad that links Skagway in Alaska and Whitehorse in Yukon. It was built in 1900 during the Klondike Gold Rush the fastest way miners could reach the goldfields. It operated until 1982 and was resurrected in 1988 as a heritage railway. It allows passengers to travel back to the past, riding the rails on a real gold rush train, past waterfalls, glacial rivers, steep gorges, and dense forests that have hardly changed since the time of the gold miners. The train climbs up 3000 feet with passengers aboard parlor cars, both vintage and replicas and with huge windows and observation decks, along the 10-foot-wide train track carved into the mountain. The scenery is breathtaking, and the places the train passes by, such as Dead Horse Gulch or Inspiration Point, fire the imagination and take you all the way up to the headwaters of the legendary Yukon River. 231 2nd, Skagway, AK 99840, Phone: 907-983-2217 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top 2. Kroschel Films Wildlife Center Kroschel Films Wildlife Center Located about 28 miles from Haines, Alaska, the Kroschel Films Wildlife Center is an amazing place where filmmaker and naturalist Steve Kroschel takes care of abandoned or orphaned wild animals from Alaska or Canada. It is not a zoo, though, and the animals live free and unmolested in their natural environment, providing you with some perfect photo opportunities as you walk along a well-groomed trail for about 600 yards through the magnificent Alaskan wilderness. You will encounter 15 species of animals, including grizzly bears, foxes, wolves, lynx, moose, reindeer, owls and others. Steve combines his filmmaking and animal care with a message about the interconnectedness of all life on Earth and natural healing. Mile 18 Mosquito Lake Road, Haines, AK 99827, Phone: 907-767-5464 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top 3. Sealaska Heritage Institute Sealaska Heritage Institute Sealaska Heritage Institute is a nonprofit organization and institute in downtown Juneau, originally founded in 1980 to preserve and protect the region's Tlingit Tsimshian, and Haida indigenous cultures. The institute, which moved into its permanent home at the Walter Soboleff Building in 2015, strives to create a place where Native and non-Native Alaskans alike can learn about their heritage through permanent exhibits and special event programming. The museum's permanent cultural exhibit showcases a variety of works by prominent Native artists, including luminaries such as Wayne Price, Robert Davidson, Preston Singletary, and David Boxley. A traditional clan house dubbed as Shuka Hit is also showcased, along with space for rotating art and cultural exhibits. Three major public art exhibits are showcased on the museum's grounds, including a 40-foot panel exhibit by Robert Davidson paying tribute to a Haida supernatural figure known as "Greatest Echo." 105 S Seward St, Juneau, AK 99801, Phone: (907) 463-4844 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top 4. Kodiak Laboratory Aquarium & Touch Tank Courtesy of Andrea Izzotti - Fotolia.com The Alaska Fisheries Science Center is home to the Kodiak Laboratory Aquarium & Touch Tank, a 3500-gallon freestanding aquarium and touch tank containing species from the Kodiak Island waterways. Common species in the aquarium and tank include crabs, shrimp, snails, starfish and fish. Children and adults alike will enjoy handling the residents of the touch tank. Tour guides are on hand to provide information about the sea life and answer questions. The science center's conference rooms provide fantastic views of the water and visitors can marvel at the massive, 25,000-square-foot complex that houses the aquarium. Things to Do in Kodiak 301 Research Court, Kodiak, AK 99615, Phone: 907-481-1700 -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Alaska this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Alaska this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Alaska Native Heritage Center Alaska Native Heritage Center The Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage is a cultural center, museum and gathering place where visitors can learn about the heritage of eleven of Alaska's major cultures by viewing exhibitions, watching artists demonstrations, songs and dances, and listening to stories. Alaskan Native dancing, Native games demonstrations and mesmerizing storytelling all take place in the Gathering Place. The Hall of Cultures features exhibitions by Alaskan Native artists. Artists sell their art and crafts around the hall. The theatre shows the Heritage Center-produced film, Stories Given, Stories Shared, and many other movies about the different cultures and peoples of Alaska. Even more interesting exhibits await outside the center building there are six life-sized Alaskan Native dwellings scattered in the woods around nearby Lake Tiulana where visitors can see demonstrations of the traditional way of life of different Alaskan peoples. 8800 Heritage Center Dr, Anchorage, AK99504-6100, Phone: 907-330-8000 -- You are reading "What to Do in Alaska this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in Alaska this Weekend" Back to Top 6. The Aurora Ice Museum, Fairbanks, Alaska The Aurora Ice Museum Located in the Chena Hot Springs Resort, the Aurora Ice Museum is open year-round. Created with over 1,000 tons of ice and snow, the museum is kept at 25 Fahrenheit (-7 Celsius), so visitors are loaned parkas to tour the museum in comfort. The museum contains a gallery displaying sculptures by world champion ice carvers Steve and Heather Brice, an observation tower, three bedrooms (polar bear, Christmas tree and childrens fort), a Northern Lights room and even an ice outhouse. An ice alter can be rented for onsite special events or weddings, and the museums chandeliers change color to evoke the aurora borealis. 17600 Chena Hot Springs Road, Fairbanks, AK 99712, Phone: 907-451-8104 -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Alaska" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Alaska" Back to Top 7. Things to Do in Alaska: Running Reindeer Ranch Running Reindeer Ranch Less than half hour from downtown Fairbanks is the Running Reindeer Ranch, where you can learn all you ever wanted to know about these curious animals of the north. The ranch owner and manager Jane, who has lived most of her life in Alaska, will take you on a walk through the beautiful, dense birch forest with the reindeer and engage you in reindeer games, tell you about the forest, the reindeers home, and explain all their adaptations to life in the Arctic. You can watch the reindeer as they run free and happy in their forest world, untrained and often unpredictable, so what kind of adventure you will be having is pretty much up to them. Once the walk is over, Jane will take you to a nice, warm room by a fire, give you cookies and a hot drink and tell you stories about life in the north and, of course, about reindeer. In the summer, she will proudly show you her vegetable garden. Things to Do in Fairbanks Goldstream Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99709, Phone: 907-455-4998 , From LA -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in Alaska" Back to Top 8. Places of Interest in Alaska: Husky Homestead, Alaska Husky Homestead If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to stand on a dog sled speeding across 1000 miles of frozen Alaskan tundra, and you are not prepared to enter the next Iditarod race, then a visit to the Husky Homestead is your best alternative. Legendary Jeff King, four times winner of the Iditarod race and hundreds of other races across North America, has opened his home to those curious about the Alaskan lifestyle, including the hardships, challenges and, of course, the huskies. You can hear great stories from Jeff and his staff, many of whom are also famous mushers, you can play with puppies and watch fully-grown majestic animals both at training and at work. Jeffs home is located within Denali National Park and all visitors are brought in by Husky Homestead buses from Denali hotels. PO Box 48,, Denali National Park and Preserve, AK 99755, Phone: 907-683-2904 9. Alaska Things to Do: Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center Located on the banks of the Chena River in downtown Fairbanks, the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center is a regional visitor center for Interior Alaska and Fairbanks. The center is an interesting and very successful cooperation between the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the Alaska Public Lands Information Center. There is a 9000-square-foot exhibit hall with dioramas and displays featuring rural Alaska seasons and landscapes from the interior. The information center part offers brochures, walking and driving tour schedules, and a vacancy listing, and answers visitor questions and inquiries. There is also a theatre with free films on Alaskas natural and cultural history. 101 Dunkel St, Fairbanks, AK 99701-4806, Phone: 907-459-3700 -- "Best Things to Do in Alaska for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in Alaska for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Alaska Tourist Attractions: Alaska Raptor Center Alaska Raptor Center Even in remote and sparsely populated places like Alaska, wild animals suffer from human encroachment into their habitats and are increasingly injured or killed. Two Sitka ladies decided that someone had to do something about the injured raptor birds and so they developed the Alaska Raptor Center in 1980. They started in their backyard with one injured bald eagle. Eventually, their action attracted other volunteers and they were able to help more birds, so they first moved to a shed on the campus of Sheldon Jackson College and then, in 1991, to the current 17-acre space on the Indian River. The center provides medical care and treatment to about 200 injured birds each year, mostly bald eagles. The main goal is to rehabilitate them and release them back into the wild. Those birds that are too severely injured and would not be able survive in the wild stay in the centers Raptors-in-Residence facility and are visited by tourists and school kids as part of the educational program on raptor birds and environmental conservation in general. Things to Do in Sitka 1000 Raptor Way, Sitka, AK 99835-9302, Phone: 800-643-9425 11. Things to Do in Alaska: Denali Visitor Center Courtesy of TODD - Fotolia.com Before venturing into the magnificent 6,000,000-acre Denali National Park and Preserve, stop by the highly informative Denali Visitor Center, the main parks information and welcoming facility. It includes a restaurant, gift shop and bookstore, bus stop, bag check, and railroad depot. The center is an ideal place for visitors to learn more about what to expect in the park as well as its most interesting features by talking to park rangers, by watching the film "Heartbeats of Denali", and by checking out a small but interesting exhibit area. Many ranger-run activities in the park start at the Denali Visitor Center. Also, most of the trails in the Denali park have an easy access from the center, where you can get the map of all trails. Denali National Park and Preserve, Phone: 907-683-9532 -- "New cool stuff to do in Alaska" -- "New cool stuff to do in Alaska" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Fun Things to Do in Alaska: Alaska SeaLife Center Alaska SeaLife Center Located in Seward, Alaska, on the scenic shores of Resurrection Bay, the Alaska SeaLife Center is Alaskas main public aquarium and its only permanent rehabilitation facility for marine mammals. Since opening in 1998, the center works on preserving the integrity of the marine ecosystems of Alaska using research, conservation, rehabilitation and education. Most funds for the 115,000-square-foot facility came from the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill restitution and its purpose is to remind visitors through interactive activities of the importance of the integrity of Alaska's nature. Through viewing windows, visitors can watch a Stellers sea lion swimming underwater, puffins diving into the waters of a carefully designed habitat, or harbor seals sprawled on rocky beaches. There is a discovery touch tank that engages your senses and the Chiswell Island exhibit, where you can watch what is happening at the Stellers sea lion rookery in Resurrection Bay through a remote camera live video. The center offers self-guided tours as well as special behind-the-scenes tours and animal encounters. 301 Railway Ave, Seward, AK 99664-3801, Phone: 907-224-6300 13. Alaska Activities: Talkeetna Air Taxi Talkeetna Air Taxi To see everything that majestic Denali has to offer in its 8,000,000 acres of Alaskan wilderness would take more than a lifetime. The best way to see it all, ancient glaciers, sky-high mountain peaks and mile-high gorges, is from the air or by flightseeing. Talkeetna Air Taxi promises to show you one of the most magnificent mountain landscapes on Earth from the comfort of one of their ten safe and modern planes as well as a helicopter that will not only fly over Denali but will also land on a glacier so that you can experience a world normally known only to mountaineers after a long, hard climb. All their tours are customized and depend on the weather conditions and current visibility. 14212 E 2nd St, Talkeetna, AK 99676, Phone: 907-733-2218 14. Activities Near Me: Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour, Ketchikan, Alaska Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour An adventure with the Bering Sea Crab Fishermens Tour aboard the legendary F/V Aleutian Ballad is not quite the hair-raising death-defying battle with the sea you saw in the series Deadliest Catch. You will meet the same crew and board the same boat, but the boat has been made more comfortable with a heated amphitheater and a panoramic upper deck. The boat will take you on a comfortable cruise through the calm, protected waters of the Inside Passage around the bays and islands surrounding Ketchikan until you reach the rich fishing grounds. You will watch the crew haul the catch and place some of the animals in a live tank so that you can see them and take photos before they are released unharmed back into the sea. Have a look around on the trip to the fishing grounds and you might spot some of the rich Alaskan wildlife such as bears, bald eagles and seals. The cruise lasts about three hours. Berth #3 Tender Float, Ketchikan, AK 99901, Phone: 888-239-3816 15. Kenai Fjords Tours Kenai Fjords Tours Located about 125 miles south of Anchorage, the small town of Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Departing from Seward, Kenai Fjord Tours will take you on a close-up encounter with ancient glaciers, gray and humpback whales, sea lions, orcas, arctic birds, seals and porpoises. You can see Kenai Fjords National Parks calving glaciers and magnificent alpine and cirque glaciers. Learn about the history of the rugged cliffs of Resurrection Bay and travel deep into the park to experience the unspoiled beauty of the Northwest Fjords. You can choose one of their many day tours the Resurrection Bay Tour, the National Park Tour, the Fox Island Tour with dinner and many others aboard one of their large 95-foot specially designed vessels that can accommodate up to 150 people in the comfort of heated, enclosed cabins and with a large observation deck. The tours last from three to nine hours. 1304 4th Ave, Seward, AK 99664, Phone: 907-777-2852 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. Alaska Tourist Attractions: Jewell Gardens Jewell Gardens Jewell Gardens is a collection of beautiful, organic vegetable and flower gardens thriving in the Alaskan climate. Located in the gardens at the base of the rock wall is the Garden City Glassworks, an onsite glassworks studio, and glass installations created by Glassworks artists feature throughout the garden. The garden railway runs along 250 feet of track through Skagwee, a miniature replica of Skagway as it was 100 years ago. Visitors can visit the gift shop and enjoy a guided tour, followed by either full tea or luncheon at Poppies Restaurant, which opens for lunch daily from 11 am to 3 pm. The restaurant offers views of the garden and serves food and drink prepared with garden-fresh, organic ingredients. Skagway, AK 99840, Phone: 907-983-2111 17. Sitka National Historic Park Courtesy of Acker - Fotolia.com Sitka National Historical Park is a day park run by the National Parks Service. The site uses programming and media to educate the public about the cultural battle that took place between Russian traders and the indigenous Kiks.adi Tlingit people back when Russia was the dominating force in the North Pacific. Totem poles line the parks coastal trail and are part of the visitor centers display, along with other traditional Tlingit objects, such as the hammer that clan leader Katlian used as a weapon in the Battle of 1804. The park also offers the rare opportunity to view an example of Russian colonial architecture in the form of the Russian Bishops House. There is a bookstore with titles on the areas history and traditions and there are ongoing events run by park rangers and scientists. The park houses over 1,000 original glass plate negatives by Elbridge W. Merrill that document the cultural interaction between colonial Russians and the Tlingit. 103 Monastery St., Sitka, AK 99835, Phone: 907-747-0110 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top 18. Alaska Railroad Courtesy of NoraDoa - Fotolia.com The Alaska Railroad offers a train service to Alaskas most popular destinations, such as Denali National Park, Seward, Talkeetna, and Anchorage. The railroad operates two passenger classes, both with full-service dining and bar service; the GoldStar Service class is available on the Coastal Classic and Denali trains, while all trains features the Adventure class. Meals, soft drinks and two alcoholic beverages are included in the GoldStar Service ticket price. Pre-packaged day and multi-day itineraries are available, with accommodation and activities included in the multi-day packages. Both seniors (65+) and military personnel qualify for discounted pricing. All trains accept credit or debit card payments for onboard purchases. Phone: 800-544-0552 19. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Portage, Alaska Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center The animals at the AWCC are typically injured or orphaned and have been brought to the center for care. If the animals cannot be released back into the wild or sent to another center after treatment and rehabilitation, they become a permanent fixture at the AWCC. The center holds public feeding sessions several times a day and during the summer, hour-long shuttle bus tours let visitors watch and learn about the different wildlife. Also during the summer, you can, for an additional fee, take a behind-the-scenes tour where a chaperone takes you through the center so that you can see food being prepared and have a one-on-one visit with an animal resident. Mile 79 Seward Highway, Portage, Alaska 99587, Phone: 907-783-2025 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top 20. Alaska Attractions: Totem Bight State Historical Park Courtesy of porbital - Fotolia.com Totem Bight State Historical Park hosts 15 totem poles and a model indigenous village. Totem poles tell visual stories through symbolic characters carved into the pole, and the totems on display in the park speak of the rich natural resources in Alaska. The villages clan house is typical of those built in the early 1800s, sized for 30 to 50 dwellers with a central fireplace in the one large room. The houses carved posts recount stories, while the front of the house displays a painting which is historically uncommon and signifies abundance. The park teaches young artists totem pole carving and also repairs or creates copies of totem poles left by indigenous people when they moved to find work in the early 20th century. 550 W. 7th Ave, Suite 1260, Anchorage, AK 99501-3557, Phone: 907-269-8400 21. Things to See Near Me: Juneau Whale Watch, Alaska Menno Schaefer/stock.adobe.com There is so much to do in Juneau, which is surrounded by lush rainforests and ancient glaciers and has more trails than roads and more wildlife than people. However, nothing can compare to seeing your first humpback whale slowly emerging from the cold depths of the sea with breath-taking majesty. Juneau Whale Watch is an established local company that will make your encounter unforgettable. Their whale watching adventure takes three to five hours and starts on a bus that takes you from downtown Juneau to the Juneau port at Fishermans Bend in Auke Bay Harbor, where you board one of their custom-made whale watching boats. While cruising the bay looking for whales, keep an eye out for bald eagles, sea lions, seals, black bears, and other Alaskan wildlife. You can see the humpback whales and orcas who often hunt in these waters. Once the whale is in sight, the captain will shut down the engine so that whales can approach the boat, as if posing for the photos. You can stand outside or in the heated cabin with a large viewing window. Things to Do in Juneau 76 Egan Dr Suite 300, Juneau, AK 99801, Phone: 907-723-9209 22. Alaska Tourist Attractions: Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum Located in the Wedgewood Resort and Bear Lodge in Fairbanks is the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, an amazing collection of antique cars and historic fashion that showcases how the design of both clothes and cars changed dramatically between the demure Victorian era and the more cheerful Art Deco age. There are more than 80 antique cars, from horseless carriages, electric cars and steamers to speedsters, midget racers, cycle cars and 30s classics. You can see Alaskas first car, an 1898 Hay Motor Vehicle, 1920 Argonne, 1921 Heine-Velox Victoria and 1906 Compound, all kept in excellent shape and still going strong. The museum also features over 100 antique costumes in its clothing exhibit. 212 Wedgewood Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99701, Phone: 907-450-2100 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska" Back to Top 23. Alaska Tourist Attractions: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Courtesy of Zack Frank - Fotolia.com The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park offers three historical tours led by park rangers. The 30-minute tour of Jeff Smiths Parlor Museum recounts the story of Soapy Smith, the notorious conman and influential Skagaway citizen who was murdered in an 1898 gunfight. The museum also contains Gold Rush period artifacts and local folk art. The tour of the historic district covers four blocks and several of the 20+ buildings managed by the park during the one-hour session. You can also spend 90 minutes learning about the history and wildlife of Dyea, a boomtown during the Gold Rush and current a National Historic Landmark. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Skagway, AK 99840, Phone: 907-983-9200 24. Alaska Vacation: Santa Claus House, North Pole, Alaska Santa Claus House At the Santa Claus House, you can experience Christmas any day of the year. Started by Con and Nellie Miller in 1952, Santa Claus House began as a community trading post where locals could buy supplies, pick up their mail or simply stop in for a few minutes of chit chat and a soda. During the 1970s, the store began to increasingly focus on Christmas items, and today you can find a huge assortment of Christmas gifts, including food, clothing, merchandise, and toys. Take a photo with the 42-foot tall, three-dimensional Santa outside the house or in the photo sleigh, visit the reindeer team, or enjoy some holiday food and drink while browsing. 101 St. Nicholas Dr., North Pole, Alaska 99705, Phone: 907-488-2200 25. University of Alaska Museum of the North University of Alaska Museum of the North Located on the Fairbanks campus of the University of Alaska, the University of Alaska Museum of the North is a great introduction to vast, mysterious Alaska, including its people, history, art, culture, plants and animals, through a range of galleries with permanent and temporary exhibits. A new wing, added in 2005, is an art exhibit in itself, evoking glaciers, alpine slopes and the legendary Yukon River, and has won many awards. The gallery showcases two thousand years of Alaska art from old Eskimo carvings to contemporary sculptures and paintings, both Native and non-Native. Exhibits in the Gallery of Alaska represent Alaska's major cultural and ecological regions, with Alaska's biggest gold display, major displays of Native artifacts, and the worlds only fully restored steppe bison mummy from the Ice Age. The exhibit The Place Where You Go to Listen is a fascinating light and sound display that is constantly changing with the current position of the moon and the sun, aurora borealis activity and the frequent earthquakes. Guests are welcome to relax in the common room with a TV and DVD player, puzzles, and areas for reading. There is also a deck with a gorgeous view. The restaurant features East Coast, seafood, and Tex-Mex dishes so there is something for everyone. Breakfast is always included in the stay and later in the day you can enjoy lunch, supper, or appetizers. 1962 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775, Phone: 907-474-7505 25 Best Things to Do in Alaska More ideas: Russian Bishop's House In 1741, Captain Aleksei Chirikov of the Russian Navy landed in Alaska and the period of Russian colonization in Alaska began. After the Battle of 1804, the Russian settlement of Sitka was founded. From 1808 until 1867, when the Tsar sold Alaska to the United States, Sitka served as the Russian colonys capital. The Russian Bishops House was built in 1842 and is a rare example of Russian colonial architecture. The house served as the administrative center for the Russian Orthodox Church, which had locations across North America, and is a lingering reminder of Alaskas Russian history. A 16-year project by the National Parks Service began in 1973 to make the building look as it did in the early 1850s. The house lets visitors experience life in Sitka during the Russian-American period. 501 Lincoln St, Sitka, AK 99835, Phone: 907-747-0110 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Alaska " Back to Top Plan a weekend trip to Norfolk in Southeastern Virginia where you can take a guided tour of the largest naval station in the world, view over 30,000 objects at the Chrysler Museum of Art, and take a stroll through the beautiful Norfolk Botanical Garden. Best things to do in Norfolk, VA for families include the Virginia Zoo, Nauticus National Maritime Center and Harbor Park. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Chrysler Museum of Art Chrysler Museum of Art Located in the artistic district of Ghent overlooking a small body of water known as The Hague, the Chrysler Museum of Art is one of the major art museums in the Southeastern United States and one of the best things to do in Norfolk, Virginia. Originally founded as the Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences in 1933, the museum grew through a large donation of art by automotive heir Walter Chrysler and today is home to over 30,000 objects that span thousands of years of world history. The collection includes sculpture from the Middle Ages, and American and European paintings by famous artists such as Tintoretto, Eugene Delacroix, Edouard Manet, Auguste Rodin, Paul Gauguin, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Franz Kline. The Museum also houses one of the world's greatest collections of glass, distinguished decorative arts, and an excellent collection of photography. Admission is free. One Memorial Place, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-664-6200 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 2. Norfolk Botanical Garden Courtesy of Microdac - Fotolia.com Norfolk Botanical Garden is a 155-acre public botanical garden that features over forty themed gardens, including seasonal gardens and a special WOW Childrens Garden. Located on Azalea Garden Road, themed gardens include a tranquil Japanese Garden designed in the traditional hill and pond style of Japanese gardens; an Enchanted Forest filled with ancient oak, hickory, and pine trees that creates a haven for birdwatchers and nature lovers; a Hummingbird Garden that boasts a mixture of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees that attract these tiny birds; and an amazing Tropical Display House, which features lush foliage and bright flowers that are found in tropical rainforests around the world. If you are wondering what to do in Norfolk, Virginia with kids, this is a great place to visit. The World of Wonders: A Childrens Adventure Garden is a must for the kids with several interactive educational areas where children can learn about plants and botany through play. 6700 Azalea Garden Road, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757 441 5830 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 3. Fun Places near Me: Virginia Zoo Courtesy of Vladimir Wrangel - Fotolia.com The Virginia Zoo is situated next to Lafayette Park in Norfolk and is home to more than 500 animals from the African elephant to the tiny dart frog, as well as countless plant species. The Zoo features several specific habitats that house animals from Africa, Asia, Australia, North America and a variety of excellent exhibits. Trail of the Tiger features unusual and rare animals from Asia such as Malayan tigers and tapirs, orangutans, oriental small-clawed otters, siamangs, and binturongs. The Zoo is also well known for its beautiful gardens, which are designed to provide fresh plant treats for the zoos residents. The Zoo holds a variety of educational and conservation-focused events throughout the year, including the popular Zoo Snoozes,' where visitors spend a fun-filled night at the zoo, playing games and activities and visiting the nocturnal animals. 3500 Granby St, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-441-2374 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 4. Battleship Wisconsin, Norfolk, Virginia Courtesy of jiawangkun - Fotolia.com Tthe USS Wisconsin is a battleship that served in the Pacific during World War II and later during the Korean War. After being decommissioned, it was reactivated in 1986 and was used during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. After being once again decommissioned in late 1991, it became a museum ship operated by Nauticus, the National Maritime Center. Visitors can take self-guided tours where they can see several areas and levels of the ship including officers staterooms, offices, a post office, a chapel, and the mess where sailors ate their meals. On the 90 minute guided Topside Tour, visitors can see additional areas such as the captains cabin, the admirals cabin, and more. One Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-664-1000 -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Nauticus National Maritime Center Courtesy of jiawangkun - Fotolia.com Founded in 1988, Nauticus National Maritime Center opened to the public in 1994 at the location of the former Banana Pier. The nautical-themed center includes many activities and things to see including a large screen theater, hands-on exhibits and interactive theaters. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is on the second floor where visitors can see other science exhibits, a shark lab, and a horseshoe crab touch tank. Opened in 2007, the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center is a cruise ship pier, an event venue, a marina, and a museum. The USS Wisconsin is also a part of Nauticus. One Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-664-1000 -- You are reading "What to Do in Norfolk, Virginia this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in Norfolk, Virginia this Weekend" Back to Top 6. Naval Station Norfolk Courtesy of Jenny Thompson - Fotolia.com Naval Station Norfolk is the largest naval station in the world. The base takes up about four miles (six km) of waterfront and contains seven miles (11 km) of pier space. There are 11 aircraft hangars and 14 piers as well as 134 aircraft and 75 ships. The base is also the home of the largest number of U.S. Navy forces in the world. There are 45 minute tours guided by naval staff who show visitors the many ships and aircraft carriers in addition to one of the busiest airfields in the U.S. 9079 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-444-7955 -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 7. General Douglas MacArthur Memorial General Douglas MacArthur Memorial The MacArthur Memorial is a museum dedicated to the memory of General Douglas MacArthur. It is located on Bank Street and consists of a welcome center, an education center, an archive and research center, and a theater. The memorial preserves the story of General MacArthur and also those who fought with him during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. In the museum there are artifacts, murals, paintings, sculptures, and vehicles. In addition to the museum, the memorial offers tours, outreach activities, and special events such as film screenings, lectures, and more. MacArthur Square, 198 Bank Street, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-441-2965 , From LA -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 8. Hermitage Museum and Gardens, Norfolk, Virginia Courtesy of Noel - Fotolia.com Located on North Shore Road, the Hermitage Museum and Gardens is a historic home and art museum. The Sloane house sits on the shore of the Lafayette River and is an example of an arts and crafts estate dating from the early 20th century. The Sloane collection consists of more than 40,000 objects that represent 5,000 years of fine art and history from 30 different countries. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum offers temporary exhibits in its Changing Galleries space. The gardens consist of 12 acres of forest, wetlands, and semi-formal gardens that are often used as the setting for special events. 7637 North Shore Road, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-423-2052 9. American Rover, Norfolk, Virginia Courtesy of iawangkun - Fotolia.com Sailing Harbor Cruises is a cruise company located on Waterside Drive. It has been operating the American Rover since 1986 and offers cruises through the waters around Norfolk and surrounding areas. Carrying up to 129 passengers, the ship is 135 feet long and is known for its red sails: these are red tan bark sails. There are two hour narrated harbor cruises and sunset cruises. The topside deck is shaded while the two lounges below deck are climate controlled. On board there is also a bar and a store. The American Rover can be rented for special events such as corporate meetings, birthday parties, weddings, and more. 333 Waterside Drive, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-627-7245 -- "Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Mermaid Factory Mermaid Factory Mermaid Factory, located on West 21st Street between Colley Avenue and Hampton Boulevard, is a craft store and studio that makes clay mermaids and dolphins. All of the mermaids and dolphins are hand made in Norfolk. Visitors can purchase mermaids that have already been hand painted; or visitors can decorate the blank mermaids at the studio by using a variety of materials such as charms, fabrics, glitter, paint, rhinestones, shells, and much more. The studio can accommodate up to 25 people and can be rented for corporate events, parties, and more. The craft shop also sells other dolphin, mermaid, and nautical-themed gift items. 919A W 21st Street, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-233-0733 11. Hampton Roads Naval Museum Hampton Roads Naval Museum Located on Waterside Drive, the Hampton Roads Naval Museum is a maritime museum that is a part of Norfolks Nauticus complex. Operated by the Naval History & Heritage Command, the museum commemorates the history of the U.S. Navys presence in the Norfolk area. The museums collections include ship models, naval prints, and underwater archaeology. It contains material on the 1781 Battle of the Chesapeake, the American Civil War, World War II, and the Cold War. There are also the remains of two Civil War shipwrecks, the USS Cumberland and the USS Florida. Outreach programs include lecture series, guided tours, and special temporary exhibits. One Waterside Drive #248, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-322-2987 -- "New cool stuff to do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- "New cool stuff to do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Harbor Park, Norfolk, VA Courtesy of Daniel Thornberg - Fotolia.com Harbor Park is a 36 acre park that includes a baseball stadium located on Park Avenue on the Elizabeth River in downtown Norfolk. Opened in 1993, the stadium is the home of the Norfolk Tides minor league baseball team and it can seat 12,067 people. There are two decks of seating, a picnic area for private parties, 20 luxury skyboxes, a restaurant with a panoramic view of the playing field, and other concessions selling food and drinks to guests. In addition to baseball games, the park hosts other events such as concerts, high school football games, and an annual Halloween event called the Haunted Harbor Park. 150 Park Avenue, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-622-2222 13. The Grilled Cheese Bistro The Grilled Cheese Bistro The Grilled Cheese Bistro is a cozy, casual, home-away-from-home eatery that serves a menu of classic comfort food and beverages. Owned by Dina Taylor and Chris Streebing who started the restaurant to share their passion for food with their community, The GCB's unique combination of freshly baked bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, locally sourced meats and cheeses and homemade sauces have come to delight the locals, who return time and again. The menu features traditional sandwiches with a twist, such as the Woody Allen, a delicious mix of smoked salmon, fresh dill, brie cheese, and capers, or the Don Quixote with creamy Gouda cheese, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and olive tapenade. Add a fresh garden salad and regular sides like French fries, and wash it all down with an ice cold draft beer or glass of wine. 345 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-233-2512 14. Doumar's, Norfolk, Virginia Doumar's Doumars is a historical, family owned and operated eatery that has been serving classic all-American food for over 100 years. Located on Hampton Road, the casual diner and curb service restaurant is famous for being the birthplace of the waffle cone and for its fantastic made-from-scratch ice cream, as well as North Carolina-style barbecue and killer milkshakes. Founder Abe Doumar created the first waffle cone at the St. Louis Worlds Fair in 1904 and the popular eatery has been serving waffle cone ice creams ever since. If you are looking for romantic date night ideas, this is a great place to try. Tuck into sizzling barbecue, hamburgers, hot dogs, and an array of sandwiches with various fillings, before finishing off with a decadent dessert, ice cream sundae, or custom-made waffle cone ice cream. 1919 Monticello Avenue, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-627-4163 15. The Elizabeth River Trail Maridav/stock.adobe.com The Elizabeth River Trail is a multi-use trail which runs for 10.5 miles along the Norfolk waterfront between Harbor Park Stadium and Norfolk International Terminals. The popular trail is accessible from I-64 to the north and I 264 to the east. There are several options for parking along the trail and several of the business along the trail offer restroom facilities for walkers and runners. You are welcome to walk, jog, run, cycle and skate along the trail slower users are urged to keep right so that faster users can safely overtake. Leashed dogs are also allowed on the trail. The annual Elizabeth River Run is a fun event which takes place each year in September. The Elizabeth River Trail, Norfolk, VA 23510 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. Coastal Food Tours Courtesy of Vankad - Fotolia.com Norfolks vibrant food scene is fueled by eager, talented chefs and ambitious restaurateurs and now you can experience some of the best on a Downtown Norfolk Food Tour. Stroll around the city visiting local restaurants that serve an array of international cuisine, from traditional coastal dishes to ethnic and sustainable fare. Choose from a variety of tours that explore the history of each area and its culinary scene: The Granby Street Food Tour takes you through the heart of downtown Norfolk where you can enjoy a variety of traditional regional dishes as well as the modern cuisine at award winning restaurants. The Historic Ghent Tour explores the beautiful architecture of this century-old suburb, which boasts great shopping and excellent restaurants, including the originator of the ice cream cone! The Ocean View Tour takes you along the picturesque shoreline of Chesapeake Bay which was once a thriving town in the 1850s and is back on the map. Phone: 757-320-2317 17. The Birch, Norfolk, VA The Birch Since opening, The Birch has built up a solid reputation for offering an impressive list of craft beers, both local and imported, and an interesting menu of foreign and grilled cheeses. Friday nights see a special beer and cheese pairing menu served while on other nights, a regular menu of charcuterie plates, bar snacks, and melty grilled cheese sandwiches is on offer. The restaurant enjoys indoor and outdoor seating and hosts a variety of themed festivals each week throughout the year. 1231 W. Olney Road, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-962-5400 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 18. No Frill Bar and Grill No Frill Bar and Grill Located just a stone's throw from the Naro Theater in Norfolk's Historic Ghent, the No Frill Bar and Grill is a casual, relaxed diner with a warm and welcoming atmosphere and a menu of classic American cuisine. Open for brunch, lunch, and dinner every day of the week, the No Frill Bar, and Grills menu offers appetizers that include grilled portabella mushrooms and Nachos Grande, fresh garden salads, and hearty entrees such as meatloaf, Roadhouse ribs, and roasted chicken, as well as favorites such as hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. The desserts and the coffee menu stand out with Key Lime Pie, Coconut Rum Cheesecake, Sheilas Homemade Giant Six Layer Cakes and freshly brewed coffees. Sip signature cocktails and elegant martinis before dinner or bring the kids on a Sunday morning for the Grills famous Sunday brunch. 806 Spotswood Avenue, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-627-4262 19. Hunter House Victorian Museum Hunter House Victorian Museum Hunter House Victorian Museum is located on West Freemason Street in the Freemason District of downtown Norfolk. The historic house was built in 1894 for James Wilson Hunter, a banker and merchant, and his wife Lizzie Ayer Barnes Hunter and their family. Opened as a museum in 1988, the Hunter House contains Victorian decorative arts and furnishings that belonged to the Hunter family. The house is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The museum also hosts many special events. 240 West Freemason Street, Norfolk, VA, Phone: 757-623-9814 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 20. Pagoda and Oriental Garden Jenny Thompson/stock.adobe.com The Pagoda and Oriental Garden offer an oasis of beauty and tranquility in the heart of the downtown waterfront in Freemason Harbor. Here you can lose yourself in one of the areas most attractive outdoor green spaces. The lovely 2-storey Pagoda (a Marine Observation Tower) was a gift to the citizens of Norfolk from the then Governor of Taiwan in 1989. The beautiful Oriental Garden was constructed around the Pagoda, using more than 130 species of oriental plants and trees chosen for their beauty and their symbolism. There is a peaceful Koi pond enhanced by lotus and water lilies, several bridges and waterfalls. The Pagoda Restaurant and Tea House serves lunch, afternoon tea, sunset drinks and dinner. Pagoda and Oriental Garden, 265 West Tazewell Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, 757-622-0506 21. The Virginia Stage Company at The Wells Theatre aerogondo/stock.adobe.com The Virginia Stage Company has been thrilling audiences with professional live theatre performances since 1978. During the last 40+ years the company has presented no fewer than 28 world premier performances at The Wells, their home theatre. Built in 1912, The Wells is an outstanding example of the Beaux Arts style of theatre architecture in Virginia, and deserves a visit in its own right. There is always something enriching happening on stage at The Wells the Virginia Stage Company produce at least 6 shows each year as well as special holiday classics. You can check their website to see what awaits you during your visit to Norfolk. The Virginia Stage Company at The Wells, 108 E. Tazewell Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, 757-627-1234 22. Smartmouth Brewing Company Smartmouth Brewing Company Ex lawyer and home-brewer Porter Hardy established Smartmouth Brewing Company in 2012, as one of the original craft breweries in Hampton Roads. Since then, the company has grown by leaps and bounds and has established a firm following of craft beer fans. Smartmouth Brewing places emphasis on using the very best quality ingredients to produce premium flavourful beers in unique styles. Craft beer enthusiasts are invited to visit their Norfolk headquarters and Tasting Room where you can become acquainted with their special beers. There are always several flagship brews on tap, as well as seasonal beers and limited editions. Most nights you will find a food truck waiting to serve you outside. Smartmouth Brewing Company, 1309 Raleigh Ave, Suite 300, Norfolk, VA 23507, 757-624-3939 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia" Back to Top 23. Moses Myers House The Chrysler Museum of Art Built to accommodate a growing family and to showcase his elevated social prominence, the Federal-style Moses Myers House was built by early entrepreneur Moses Myers in 1792. The house was home to 5 generations of the same family and today it offers visitors an accurate insight into the life and times of this prosperous Jewish family during the Federal period. The imposing house is filled with period pieces, art, crockery, personal effects and kitchen utensils. It is thought that part of the house, which has a separate entrance, was used as the first Synagogue in Norfolk. The house is enhanced by an appropriate garden developed by the Garden Club of Virginia. Moses Myers House, 323 East Freemason Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, 757-333-1087 24. Norfolk Police and Fire Museum Norfolk Police and Fire Museum The Norfolk Police Department is one of the oldest in the U.S., established back in 1797. As you can imagine, there is a great deal of history to admire when you visit the Norfolk Police and Fire Museum, which documents the illustrious history of the services. The museum is divided into the Fire Rescue Museum and the Police Museum, both of which are located at the same address and can be visited together. The Fire Rescue Museum is home to a large collection of uniforms, helmets, fire-fighting equipment and medical equipment. Young visitors are invited to try on a uniform, don a helmet and pose by the fire pole. The Police Museum is equally interesting and both museums are great for adults and children. Norfolk Police and Fire Museum, 401 E. Freemason Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, 757-441-1526 25. Catnip Cat Cafe amenic181/stock.adobe.com The Catnip Cat Cafe invites all cat lovers to stop by and enjoy a delicious coffee surrounded by some of the loveliest kitties in the state. The Cat Cafe concept started in Taiwan and has now spread all over the U.S. Their purpose is simple they aim to have as many shelter cats as possible adopted by caring families who can offer them the ideal home. Catnip Cat Cafe is home to a number of shelter cats who (mostly) live happily together and are pleased to allow human visitors into their sanctuary. For obvious reasons, children under the age of three, who may hurt or startle the cats, are not admitted. Catnip Cat Cafe, 1611-B Colley Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510, 757-500-7218 25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Norfolk, Virginia " Back to Top ETROGCELLO curls of peel prepare to sleep beneath cold vodka snow-thick blanket shreds of autumn gold and gleaming in this womb with no umbilicus this dark cupboard a sweet relief close fevered eyes let changes come to unfurl bright upon our tongues as springtime's sap begins to rise Yes, I am once again making etrogcello! (Here's a glimpse of last year's.) These slivers of etrog peel will rest under vodka in the dark through the winter. Shortly before Tu BiShvat, the New Year of the Trees, I'll strain and sweeten the results: maybe with splenda syrup, as in previous years -- or maybe with local honey, as my friend Bob does. We'll sip the bright home-made limoncello at our Tu BiShvat seder, a link between this autumn's harvest and the first stirrings of the coming spring. 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 Transactions in the domestic gold bar market dropped sharply as many gold holders selling their precious metal for Vietnamese ong to reinvest in business, production and consumption. According to the State Bank of Viet Nam (SBV)s Foreign Exchange Management Department, as local appetite for the precious metal has been declined sharply with only some 10,000 taels (a tael equal to 37.5g) of gold to be traded per day on average, down as much as 75 per cent compared with 2013. Despite the sharp price hike in the global gold market in the wake of a series of world events leading to volatility, such as tensions on the Korean peninsula, the domestic gold market has remained stable. Nguyen Ngoc Canh, director of the department, said that it is quite a contrast to the situation prior to 2013 when the domestic gold market often experienced chaos as the global gold price rocketed. At that time, it was common to see locals queued up in front of gold shops, patiently waiting for their turn to enter and buy the precious metal for speculation. This changed when the SBV removed the regulation on allowing commercial banks to deposit and lend gold in 2013. Instead, gold holders now have to pay fees to commercial banks if they want to use the custody service to store their gold at banks. Thanks to the policy, there is no longer any turbulence in the domestic gold market despite a sharp change in price in the global market. Statistics from the department revealed that the quantity of gold under custody at commercial banks reduced sharply to only 2.89 tonnes by June 31 this year, compared with 32 tonnes in 2013, 21 tonnes in 2014, 10 tonnes in 2015 and three tonnes in 2016. The department attributed the downward trend to gold holders selling gold for the ong to reinvest in production, business and consumption. Given lower demand for gold, the SBV has not had to import any gold bar since 2013. On Thursday, SJC-branded gold was trading at VN36.5 million and VN36.7 million ($1,607-$1,616) per tael for buying and selling, respectively, down roughly VN100,000 against the previous day. The gap between Vietnamese and global gold prices is standing at VN100,000 per tael, shrinking significantly from millions of ong few years ago. VNS HA NOI The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) protested a new US anti-dumping duty on tra frozen fillets from Viet Nam. The US Department of Commerce (DOC) imposed the duty of US$2.39 per kilo after completing a regular administrative review. VASEP said the new tax rate was three times higher than the individual tax rate in the 12th administrative review period, reflecting an unfair and unusual departure from previous anti-dumping regulations. This is the first time that the DOC has made adjustments that lacked legal basis and ignored the usual regulations so far when making the preliminary decision, said VASEP. DOC has applied the duty to tra fillets exported by Go ong Seafood Company Ltd (GODACO). The US department claimed that the company did not co-operate during the review period and failed to provide enough necessary data for DOC. VASEP said this decision is baseless. The assocaition claims GODACO provided sales and production data as requested and answered the DOCs questions in time. If the DOC relied on records and data provided by GODACO to calculate the anti-dumping tax, the company would only be imposed an insignificant tax rate, VASEP claims. We strongly recommend that the DOC carefully review all records and data provided by GODACO as a basis for calculating and imposing accurate and reasonable rates for Vietnamese tra exporters, said VASEP. August exports to US down According to VASEP, the export of tra fish to the US sharply decreased in August. The export value only reached $18.44 million, down 58.5 per cent from July and 54.8 per cent compared with the same month last year. Vinh Hoan Company, the major tra fish exporter of Viet Nam, exported 130 containers to the US in August, down 120 containers from its monthly average volume. VASEP said US inspection of all catfish under the Farm Bill, which came into effect last year, has hampered Viet Nams exports of tra fish to the US. They noted that some large importers of tra fish have their own stores approved by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). However, most ports are short of inspectors from the USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), making the average time from entry to inspection six days. The FSIS inspection programme costs about $0.1 to $0.25 per kilo of tra fish (equivalent to 3-7 per cent of the sale price), lowering the competitiveness of the Vietnamese tra fish in the US market. VNS HA NOI The National Assembly Standing Committee has not approved the Ministry of Finances proposal to almost triple the environmental protection tax on oil and gas consumption, citing potential harm to consumers. The NA Standing Committee on Wednesday discussed on amendments and supplements to several articles of the Law on Environmental Protection Tax. Previously, the ministry proposed an environment tax of VN4,000-8,000 per litre of gasoline, an increase from the current VN1,000-4,000. The ministry also proposed taxes of VN3,000-6,000 per litre of aviation fuel, VN1,500-4,000 per litre of diesel oil, VN300-2,000 per litre of kerosene and VN900-4,000 per kilogramme of mazut. NA chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the Governments current policy was to limit the increase of taxes and fees at this time to reduce businesses difficulties. Ngan said the the maximum tax level of VN4,000 per litre has not been applied to petrol. Therefore, the proposal should be carefully considered. NA vice chairman Phung Quoc Hien said the explanation of Finance Minister inh Tien Dung was not convincing. After examining the amended law, the NAs Finance and Budget Committee said that although Viet Nams tax rate is low relative to other countries, international comparisons were not appropriate due to the lower level of Vietnamese incomes. Petrol, the committee said, already accounts for a relatively high portion of Vietnamese peoples incomes. The ministry has not fully explained the effects of the environmental protection tax hike on the State budget as well as on peoples quality of life. Data and analytics for the tax hike are not really convincing, the NAs report said. In response, Minister Dung said the increased State revenue from the tax hike would be used for socio-economic tasks including environmental protection. He added that the tax increase to VN8,000 per litre would also help improve peoples awareness of the need for environmental protection. The tax hike could prevent petrol smuggling. He also said the Law on Environmental Protection Tax has only focused on petrol, accounting for 93 per cent of the total collection, and not mentioned other products. He said he would ask the ministry to prepare the draft more carefully, with research on the potential effects on quality of life and business production. VNS BINH INH In early August, locals in a mountainous area of the south-central province of Binh inh called rangers to report something odd: a large group of strangers cutting down trees in a nearby natural forest. By the time authorities arrived, they discovered 43.7 ha of natural forest had been completely wiped out, and large swaths already replaced by acacia, a tree commonly grown on industrial plantations. But the culprits remained unknown. On September 9, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered an investigation into the serious deforestation in Binh inhs An Hung Commune and demanded results before October 30. Now, the investigation has made a breakthrough. Binh inh authorities on Thursday discovered a large amount of wood at a woodchip factory operated by Thuong Thao Trading JSC, based in Quy Nhon City. The wood was suspected to have originated from the devastated forest. The companys business activities range from construction and hotel management to wood manufacturing and forest plantation for economic exploitation. The wood-chip factory is located in Tuong Son Village, 10km from the site of the devastated forest. Authorities said their initial investigation suggested the perpetrator of the forest devastation might be a private business with the financial means to employ many people working with machines to fell trees in the natural forest quickly. Suspicion surrounding Thuong Thao became more justified when it was reported that near the destroyed forest was a two to three-year-old acacia forest (30ha) belonging to the company. Binh inh authorities also confirmed that no one had been licensed to plant forest with commercial purposes in that area. According to the Vietnam News Agency, the piles of wood in the factory contained different tree parts, from logs to trunks and branches. An estimation of the total weight of the wood found has not been established. A 2013 decree on handling violations of forest protection regulations stipulates that criminal laws apply to the offence of destroying over 2,000 sq.m of protected forest, or 3,000 sq.m of commercial forest. VNS The National Assemblys Standing Committee on Thursday agreed on the necessity to amend the Law on Competition to address inadequacies in the 12-year-old legislation. VNA/VNS Photo Nguyen Dan HA NOI The National Assemblys Standing Committee on Thursday agreed on the necessity to amend the Law on Competition to address inadequacies in the 12-year-old legislation. The Governments report on amending the competition law said the changes were essential to address shortcomings, including the abuse of market dominance, monopolies and unfair competition. Participants of the Standing Committees session also agreed that the amendment would seek to ensure equal and non-discriminatory competition. They said the group drafting the amended law should review thoroughly the relationship between the competition law and related laws, like the Penal Code, the Administrative Procedure Law, the law on fees and charges, and the law on credit institutions. Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said the amended law already clarified how to deal with legal conflicts with other laws, such as the Advertising Law. Nguyen Khac inh, chairman of the National Assemblys Legislative Committee, said the bill had broadened the scope of regulation and had adopted a new approach more suited to market conditions. Law on Cyber Security In the afternoon session, the Standing Committee discussed the Law on Cyber Security. Minister of Public Security To Lam said there was an urgent need for network security in national security protection. During the process of drafting the Law on Cyber Security, opinions varied. Some said it should focus only on national security, while others said the law should not only focus on protecting national security, but also ensure social security. Lam said the Government believed that given the strong development of science and technology, network security was important for all areas of activity covered by cyberspace. "The situation of network security in our country is increasingly complicated. Many information systems have been targeted by hackers. Every year, there are thousands of attacks aimed at government agencies, financial systems, banking, key information infrastructure, websites of organisations and enterprises in Viet Nam, Lam said. He added that if the network security focused only on national security protection, it would miss other entities that also needed protection. In 2016, Viet Nam detected 135,190 cyberattacks, three times more than in 2015. VNS Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives Chair of the European Parliaments International Trade Committee (INTA) Bernd Lange in Ha Noi on Thursday. VNA/VNS Photo Van iep HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Chair of the European Parliaments International Trade Committee (INTA) Bernd Lange discussed the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) during a meeting in Ha Noi on Thursday. The PM told his guest that Viet Nam regards the European Union (EU) as one of its most important partners and wants to step up co-operation with it, especially with the two sides trade and investment ties growing. He stated that the upcoming signing of the EVFTA will be a crucial milestone, lifting the two sides relations to new heights, as the agreement is expected to benefit businesses and people. Viet Nam always listens to European businesses, the PM affirmed, expressing his thanks to the EU for its efforts to push for the signing of the agreement and asking Lange to do more for the signing to take place soon. He asserted that Viet Nam has given top priority to screening its legal system in service of the signing and ratification of the deal, reflected in the co-operation between its negotiators, ministries and sectors with the EU. Lange stated his willingness to support Viet Nam in trade issues, saying that the EU is making efforts to complete the EVFTA before the summer of 2018, and he supports the agreement being signed soon. He expressed his hope that the two sides would finalise the EVFTA in the spring of 2018 and believed that with a good partnership, both sides would overcome all hurdles and ratify the agreement in 2018. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc assured visiting Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko that the Vietnamese Government offers all possible support to Japanese investors in Viet Nam. During a reception in Ha Noi on Thursday, the PM lauded Japan as Viet Nams fourth largest trade partner and its largest supplier of official development assistance (ODA). He hailed the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (MITE) and the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade for maintaining efficient operations of the Viet Nam-Japan Joint Committee on Industrial, Trade and Energy Co-operation mechanism. The MITE was also praised for assisting Viet Nam in food processing and improving the competitiveness of agro-fishery exports. The host asked Japan to facilitate the licensing of Vietnamese fruit exports to the country, especially litchi and longans, and to help Viet Nam carry out an action plan on priority industries in its industrialisation strategy within the Viet Nam-Japan co-operation framework towards 2020 with a vision to 2030. The two countries should bolster energy collaboration, including building high-capacity coal-fired thermal power plants and smart grids in Viet Nam, he suggested. A working group will be established to step up energy co-operation. The visiting Minister, for his part, said Japan is willing to share experience with Viet Nam in State enterprise reform, adding that it also supports the proposal on loosening requirements for Vietnamese fruit imports. He also pledged to offer a support package to Viet Nam in the process of executing the industrialisation strategy. The minister also asked the Vietnamese Government and the PM to support Japans underway projects in Viet Nam. VNS HCM CITY Surrounded by bamboo, Tran Thi o, 76, quietly splits each bamboo tube into thin wickers for weaving baskets. Many residents of Thai My craft village in HCM City weave baskets like o does every day, but they are all elderly women and men. o says youth are giving up this job for better work in industrial zones. Only old people in the village still do this job because we are old and we love this career. Locals now can not earn a living by weaving as this did previously, o said. I make a pair of baskets a day, getting only VN12,000 (US$0.5), just earning some money to buy candy for kids, she told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper. Previously, bamboo and rattan weaving could feed the whole family and greatly contributed to increased income and reduced poverty in the village, but with the development of the economy, plastic and aluminum products gradually kill bamboo baskets. Thai My Village is not unique. Dozens of traditional craft villages in HCM City are encountering the same human drain. Its 64 craft villages have lived through many difficult periods, but have fallen victim to cultural change, fast urbanisation and global economic integration. Now barely 19 remain. Their production scale has been halved or more, and lacking new orders, many people have turned to other jobs. Weaving is not dead, but it is having a hard time existing. Some people do ikt in their free time for fun, but they dont expect anything more from it, said o. Nguyen Thi Bay, a traditional craftsman in Tan Thanh Tay Commune, reminisces about times when traders and consumers from ong Nai, Tay Ninh and Long An provinces would compete for products. Now, we cannot compete with industrial products due to lack of capital, small scale production, monotonous product design, and backward technology. Regretfully, we have to give up, Bay said. Magic broom Ngo Van Ty from District 6 said his product was very famous in the region. My broom is made entirely by hand and is very strong. Traders in the wholesale market often came to collect the goods. But over the past three years our product cannot compete with others at low prices, Ty said. People like Ty have been left behind, unable to afford a life based on traditional craftmaking. Some villages have been successfully in find an eco friendly niche for their craft products, applying technology together with promotion and marketing. "I have to always update new designs to match trends. To improve export, our products must be more beautiful, durable and lightweight, said Nguyen Huu Ben, director of Thanh Truc bamboo blind production company. Due to love for and regret for my ancestors career, I want to preserve this for my descendants. "For traditional craftsmen, this work is our life, the memory of our lineage. I never quit the job, still do it when someone asks. We are still finding orders and also want to develop our products but we dont have money, said Vo Thi Xuyen of the Binh An mat weaving village in District 8. According to head of the Lua Viet Tourism Company, Nguyen Van My, traditional craft villages risk disappearing not only in HCM City, but also in Ha Noi, Hoi An and Binh Duong Province. The reason is weak co-operation between craft villages and enterprises. To save the villages, the State needs to reduce taxes for them and obtain more investment for infrastructure, My said. Some villages have linked the traditional craftwork with developing tourism services. But they operate on a small scale. Vu Duy Dan, chairman of the Viet Nam Craft Villages Association, said loss of a sustaining craft also leads to loss of community cohesion, making it weaker and more vulnerable. The craft sector should be able to offer a good livelihood and preserve the culture of local people, he said. Tran Truong Son, deputy head of the Farmers Association in HCM City, said establishing co-operatives to manage the remaining 19 villages would be a way of saving them. VNS HCM CITY Custom officials at HCM Citys Tan Son Nhat International Airport have taken a man into custody for allegedly trying to smuggle in dozens of cheetah and leopard fangs and African lion claws. After arriving from Dubai, the man, who has not been identified, tried to leave through the green channel. However, noticing suspicious signs, custom officials inspected his luggage to find the contraband. The city Peoples Procuracy has been handed the case for investigation. The cheetahs, leopard and African lion are classified as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. According to statistics provided by customs, only 5 per cent of passengers go through the red channel and declare goods. VNS HA NOI The World Bank Group on Thursday released its new Country Partnership Framework (CFP) with Viet Nam, focusing on inclusive growth, investment in people, environmental sustainability and good governance. It accompanies Viet Nam as it is transforming further into middle income country status and has graduated from the International Development Association - the World Banks fund for low income countries. The new partnership framework leverages further support for the country by mobilising commercial finance and private sector engagement. It prioritises inclusive growth and private sector participation; investment in people and knowledge; environmental sustainability and resilience; and good governance. The CPF introduces a number of strategic shifts. These include comprehensive engagement to strengthen private sector development and participation across sectors; financial sustainability of public services and transfers; supporting poverty reduction amongst ethnic minorities, through activities that generate jobs and incomes; strengthening linkages between education and the labour market; and promoting and stimulating low-carbon energy generation. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said Viet Nam has been consistently implementing the goal of rapid and sustainable economic development and economic restructuring through promoting quality, efficiency and competitiveness, and preserving and regenerating the eco environment, he said. He believes the CPF agenda for the 2017-20 period will realise Viet Nams development goals and ambitions in the coming decades, helping Viet Nam become a high middle income country with comprehensive growth, intellectual and human development, private sector development and improved State management. Over the period of this renewed partnership, the World Bank Groups engagement in Viet Nam will focus on key reform and development areas that may have transformative impact. And we will mobilise all our institutions World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the instruments and products we have to effect transformative changes, be they lending, policy dialogue, analytical and advisory work and/ or guarantees, said Ousmane Dione. Throughout the CPF period, the IFC will also leverage its investment and advisory services and mobilise long-term financing for investments that bring strong socio-economic benefits, and support the development of Viet Nams capital markets. To help boost the countrys economic competitiveness and advance private sector development, IFC will continue to attract international investors to key sectors of finance, infrastructure, manufacturing, and energy, combining global expertise with local knowledge and leveraging investment returns and social benefits. Through its traditional political risk insurance and credit enhancement products, the MIGA will complement World Bank lending and IFC engagement by mobilising private investment and supporting commercial borrowing by the Government and potentially also by State-owned enterprises. VNS By Le Huong In the central province of Phu Yen, tourists rarely ignore Xuan ai Bay with its unique islet Nhat Tu Son which is shaped like the old calligraphy style word for one - mot. With a total area of 6ha, the two-kilometre-long islet and its hills act like a feng-shui screen preventing waves and wind from reaching the nearby fishing villages of My Hai and My Thanh. Another unique feature of the little isle is that it is linked to the mainland less than one kilometre away by a gravel road just beneath the surface of the sea on which locals and tourists can walk. The hidden pathway only emerges at certain low tides. Hidden road: Walking on a road hidden by water to Nhat Tu Son Island. VNS Photo Le Huong Nguyen Hai Son, a local fisherman, said that in the first half of each lunar month, the water was lower in the afternoon while in the rest of lunar month, the tide was low in the morning. I was walking to the island in the middle of the day when the road was under water, but I felt safe and, as I found out, this was the best time to take photos. From the islet, one can see villages on poles that raise lobsters. Together with nearby Song Cau Town and Cu Mong Lagoon, the bay offers the best seafood in the province. Though the islet is not as spectacular as iep Son Island in central Khanh Hoa Province, its beautiful natural landscape and kind-hearted people are another attraction. Posing: Couple pose by one of the rickety bridges in the area. Photo newsthoidai.vn Legendary bridge Phu Yen Province has many small bays running along the coast. It has a complicated geographical outline that creates lagoons mingling with the land, making it difficult for road traffic. This forces locals to make temporary bridges for daily use. Ong Cop Bridge (or Binh Thanh Bridge) is one among hundreds of such bridges in the area. It is the longest in Viet Nam made of wood and bamboo. The bridge links villages in the north of An Ninh Tay Commune (Tuy An District) with Song Cau Town. From National Road 1A, turn right and keep going about 100m towards the sea. There, one will find a thin 400-metre-long bridge spanning the Binh Ba River, which flows to Tien Chau Port. The fragile bridge is an important route crossing over immense waters that flow to O Loan Lagoon. To save time, many backpackers choose to drive motorbikes across the bridge to reach Ghenh a Dia and other localities in the province instead of going along the National Road. A local villager told me that the bridge is destroyed every year by flood water but is soon re-built. The slim bridge in the middle of an immense water area is an idyllic scene very important to local traffic. Time for a feed: Crabs are highly recommended by the locals at Cu Mong Lagoon. VNS Photo Le Huong Floating meals Cu Mong is the name of a mountain range in the northeast of Phu Yen Province. It is also the name of a pass through the mountain and a lagoon at its foot. The lagoon is famous for its fish and other seafood. An old saying goes: Ca ngon la ca Cu Mong Gao ngon la gao o ong Phu Duong. (Good fish are from Cu Mong Lagoon, Good rice is from Phu Duong Field.) Steady work: Tourists can enjoy a tranquil scene of fishermen working on boats. VNS Photo Le Huong Phu Duong field is at the foot of Cu Mong Mountain range, 12km north of Song Cau Town. Cu Mong is actually a small sea bay with a total square of 26sq.km. It is bordered by Cu Mong Mountain, which runs into the sea. Driving along the lagoon, tourists will find floating cages raising lobsters, sea horses and oysters, which all bring high profits. Taking a meal at a floating restaurant in the area is relaxing. While enjoying local fresh sea food cooked in traditional way, tourists can admire the serene beauty of a peaceful village under the shadow of coconut trees. VNS WATERLOO One person has been charged in the beating and robbery of a Waterloo teen Tuesday. On Wednesday, Waterloo police took Tyteria Arielle Jackson, 16, of Waterloo, into custody on charges of second-degree robbery and first-degree burglary. Jackson is being charged as an adult. The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and other arrests are expected, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. Police said the victim knew some of the suspects in the assault. According to police, at least three youths entered a 17-year-old girls mobile home on Montero Drive around 2 p.m. Tuesday. The intruders began punching and kicking her while she was in bed, and she was dragged onto the mobile homes porch where the attack continued. The girl suffered a concussion, black eyes and other injuries, according to a source close to the family. The attackers also took the girls phone during the incident. Man pleads again in 2013 CF attack WATERLOO A Saudi Arabian citizen is back in jail after pleading to a reduced charge for attacking a woman at her Cedar Falls home in 2013. Hamad Abdul Aziz Alsalman, 27, had initially pleaded to first-degree burglary and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse in 2014 and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. Alsalman believed he would be deported back to his home country and avoid prison time if he pleaded, according to court records. But when immigration authorities let him linger in prison, he appealed, and the plea was overturned in July 2016. The case was put back on the court docket with an August 2017 trial date. But Alsalman entered a plea to assault with intent to commit sexual assault and reduced charge second-degree burglary before trial was scheduled to begin. He was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for burglary with a concurrent five years for the assault charge, and he was given credit for time served. He is currently in the Newton Correctional Facility and will have to register as a sex offender when he is released. Authorities said Alsalman, a university student, had been drinking and crashed his vehicle around 3 a.m. Dec. 31, 2013. He then walked to a nearby home and attacked the woman who answered the door, telling her he planned to have sex with her and kill her, court records state. The womans 4-year-old child woke to the commotion. When she tried to flee, Alsalman tackled her and thrust her head into the snow. Woman arrested in Linn County chase CEDAR RAPIDS A woman has been arrested following a chase in Linn County on Wednesday. Tonkeya Jackson, 37, who lists addresses in Des Moines and Waterloo, was arrested for misdemeanor eluding and interference. She was taken to the Linn County Jail in Cedar Rapids. According to court records, authorities attempted to stop Jackson for a traffic ticket in the area of U.S. Highway 30 on Wednesday, and she fled. The chase reached speeds of more than 100 mph, and officers used Stop Stick anti-tire devices to stop her vehicle. She then ran from police until she was captured. The winners will be named Sunday night when the 69th Emmy Awards are presented at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The show will air at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS with Stephen Colbert as host. In the meantime, guesses will have to suffice. With that in mind, a pair of intrepid Associated Press television critics are going public with their picks for who will win and who should. Will Jeffrey Tambor make it three best comedy actor wins for his performance on "Transparent"? They say: yes and no. Will the distaff whodunit "Big Little Lies" fall to the splashy "Feud: Bette and Joan" for best limited series? They say: No and yes. Here are their forecasts for seven major Emmy races: DRAMA SERIES LYNN ELBER'S PICK Should win: "The Handmaid's Tale." A work of art so revelatory of our time should reign. Will win: "The Crown." It's not just that Hollywood is filled with Anglophiles, although that's one reason the lavish story of young Queen Elizabeth will win. Emmy voters also adore epic sweep (see previous winner "Game of Thrones") and this has it. FRAZIER MOORE'S PICK Should win: "This Is Us." Is this the gutsiest drama on TV? It dares to confront everyday, ordinary life and makes it extraordinary. No wonder it touched hearts. Will win: "The Handmaid's Tale." A classic novel from the past is transformed into a hauntingly up-to-the-minute cautionary tale. No wonder it touched nerves. COMEDY SERIES ELBER Should win: "Atlanta." A tour de force by creator and star Donald Glover epitomizing the small screen's embrace of unexpected and challenging material. Will win: "Veep." Comedies keep winning streaks going, and with just two Emmys so far, it's far behind the five top comedy trophies each that "Modern Family" and "Frasier" collected. MOORE Should win: "Master of None." Moving even beyond the masterful first season, Year Two was a festival of inspired short films, with emotions and ideas supplementing its wit. Will win: "Veep." Despite a field of bright, new and varied candidates, voters will default to this plenty-rewarded, all-too-seasoned Emmy mainstay. ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES ELBER Should win: Sterling K. Brown ("This Is Us"). First among equals in an excellent cast, with a nuanced vulnerability that always keeps the heartbreak on the right side of soap opera. Will win: Brown. His winning turn last year as determined O.J. Simpson prosecutor Christopher Darden shows his versatility. Emmy voters get it. MOORE Should win: Matthew Rhys ("The Americans"). He's so long overdue after five seasons of high intrigue and multiple personas in his role as a Russian spy masquerading as a 1980s American suburban dad!! Will win: "This Is Us" stars Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia will cancel out each other in the voting. That leaves lovably shifty Bob Odenkirk the winner after three consecutive nominations as the lead on "Better Call Saul." ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES ELBER Should win: Elisabeth Moss ("The Handmaid's Tale"). The "Mad Men" curse never lifted for Moss as it did for Jon Hamm, but her subtly fierce portrayal of a woman caught in hell shouldn't be slighted. Will win: Claire Foy ("The Crown"). A lovely and delicate turn, and playing British queens on the big screen worked for Oscar-winners Judi Dench and Helen Mirren, the latter also nabbing an Emmy for the miniseries "Queen Elizabeth I." MOORE Should win: Keri Russell ("The Americans"). She's so long overdue after five seasons of high intrigue and multiple personas in her role as a Russian spy masquerading as a 1980s American suburban mom!! Will win: Elisabeth Moss ("The Handmaid's Tale"), passed over as a nominee seven times in the past for "Mad Men" and other great work. Voters realize it's her turn. ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES ELBER Should win: Donald Glover ("Atlanta"). An auteur who has the magnetism of a star, but it can take time for voters to warm up to a new voice. Will win: Jeffrey Tambor ("Transparent"). He's brilliant, he's won twice before and his transgender role makes a deeply affecting statement. MOORE Should win: Aziz Ansari. Previously known as a clever comic presence, he went even further with this season's "Master of None." That extra credit should translate into an Emmy. Will win: Donald Glover ("Atlanta"). A breakout talent with a fresh and deeply felt comic vision who wouldn't want to give this star an Emmy salute? ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES ELBER Should win: Tracee Ellis Ross ("black-ish"). Putting the indomitable Julia Louis-Dreyfus aside for argument's sake, doesn't Ross deserve respect for combining the rubber-faced charm of Lucille Ball with a modern woman's spine of steel? Will win: Louis-Dreyfus ("Veep"). She is undeniably sublime, and it was announced that next season will be the political satire's last. So, no stinting! MOORE Should win: So many overlooked funny ladies should be here: Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer of "Broad City." Julie Klausner of "Difficult People." Rashida Jones of "Angie Tribeca." Sharon Horgan of "Catastrophe." Sarah Jessica Parker of "Divorce." Since they aren't, and Ellie Kemper is, why not reward her for the gradually wisening naif she plays so irresistibly on "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"? Will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("Veep"). Why would voters stop with five in a row? LIMITED SERIES ELBER Should win: "The Night Of." As consuming as a true-crime documentary but with human frailty made indelible in this superb production. Will win: "Big Little Lies." It's close between Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon's addictive drama versus the juicy "Feud: Bette and Joan," but Kidman and Witherspoon were also hands-on executive producers. Entrepreneurial women prevail. MOORE Should win: Edging out the equally deserving "Big Little Lies" in a photo finish: "The Night Of," a dark and disturbing feast of storytelling, acting, pathos and suspense. Not a false note or a moment of relief. A masterpiece. Will win: "Feud: Bette and Joan." Flashy, lavish and blessed with bravura performances by Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange. Hooray for Hollywood! Lynn Elber can be reached at lelber@ap.org and on Twitter at twitter.com/lynnelber. Frazier Moore can be reached at fmoore@ap.org WATERLOO St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, 2024 Clearview St., will celebrate Deacons Day of Worship at 4 p.m. Sunday. Guest speaker is the Rev. Nathaniel Johnson of Second Missionary Baptist Church in Clinton. Music will be provided by the Gospel Groups, Power of Praise, The Chosen Disciples, Solos by Tellie Bolden, Willie Rockett and the Rev. Willie Campbell. The Rev. Campbell also will speak. The public is welcome to attend. For more information call Jerry Bates at 433-8477. The Rev. Brian Dale is pastor of St. Mark. WATERLOO Gift of Life Church, 1651 Sycamore St., will host the second annual Leadership Conference, Leaders Empowered Given Opportunity to Serve (L.E.G.O.S.), today through Sunday. The conference, featuring local and out-of-town speakers, will begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday and conclude at 11 a.m. Sunday. The opening services at 7 p.m. today, and Saturday, A Night of the Arts, at 6 p.m. are open to the public and no registration is required. Children and youth services will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Cedar Valley SportsPlex. Registration is required. The registration fee includes all conference materials and four meals. For more information or to register, call the Rev. Daphne Williams at 229-9239 or the church, 232-3428. WATERLOO The Mount Carmel Praise Team will host its annual Night of Praise on Saturday featuring several vocalists and choirs from around the city. The program begins at 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public. For more information, call the church at 233-9482. WATERLOO First Presbyterian Church will host a series of presentations this fall on current health care issues faced by aging populations. The sessions will be take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Tuesday and extending through Oct. 24, with a different topic featured each night. The programs will be in Calvin Hall at the church, 505 Franklin St. The public is welcome to attend at no cost, and no registration is required. The program schedule includes: Tuesday Brain Care and Mental Health. Sept. 26 Home Care and Lifelong Links. Oct. 3 Caregiving and Families. Oct. 10 How Do I Pay for Care? Oct. 17 Transitioning to Facilities. Oct. 24 Elder Abuse. Questions may be directed to the Rev. Amy Wiles or Rev. Pat Geadelmann at the church office, 233-6145. WATERLOO The Catholic Parishes in Waterloo are receiving registrations for The Bible Timeline video series, which starts this month and meets for 12 weeks. The Bible Timeline is a series that provides an overview of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. This series will be offered Monday evenings and/or Saturday mornings if a sufficient number of people are interested. Find out more and register at http://waterloocatholics.org/the-bible-timeline. RAYMOND Raymond United Methodist Church, 6903 Lafayette St., is celebrating 150 years in Raymond with an event beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 24. There will be a with worship service, followed by a program and a dinner at the site of the Senior Community Meals. WATERLOO The Iowa Supreme Court has revoked the license of a Waterloo attorney who admitted to taking money from his clients. The state Attorney Grievance Commission had recommended Luke Guthrie receive a three-month suspension, but in a decision handed down Friday the Supreme Court imposed a revocation. In its ruling, the high court noted Guthrie didnt have an arguable future claim to the money he took from clients trust accounts. An attorneys failure to follow the rules governing fees normally results in a less severe sanction; however, theft of client funds is grounds for revocation, the ruling stated. Suspension sought for attorney WATERLOO The Iowa Supreme Court is considering how a Waterloo attorneys theft from his cl The court did credit the fact the thefts took place over a month-long period while Guthrie was suffering from substance abuse and that he took immediate action to address the substance abuse and has maintained sobriety. Guthrie can apply to have his license to practice law reinstated in five years. Guthrie has been practicing since 2006, and the thefts took place in 2015 when he was working for a Waterloo firm. Guthrie allegedly directed office staff to move money from the clients trust accounts to the firms general account and then drew checks on the general account without earning the money, court records state. The incidents include an appeal in a divorce case where he billed for work after the appeal was dismissed. When staff questioned him about the billing, he responded the client likely wouldnt ask for copies of the bill, and if he did, hed have to figure something out, court records state. Guthrie also allegedly billed for a phone conference that never happened in a child custody case, and claimed to have spent time reviewing a family law case eight days before he actually received the physical file, records state. According to court records, Guthrie took a leave of absence from the firm on Nov. 12, 2015, a day after he was arrested on domestic assault charges in Grundy County. The firm later learned of his billing misconduct and told him if he didnt report the violations, the firm would. He reported the conduct in December. Guthrie reimbursed the three clients, and the firms losses were recovered by adjusting Guthries severance, court records state. WATERLOO A second teen has been charged in a Tuesday mobile home robbery where a girl was dragged outside and beaten. On Friday, Waterloo police took Deonshai Shaprece Wise, 16, of Waterloo, into custody for second-degree robbery and first-degree burglary. Wise is being charged as an adult. Authorities allege Wise was one of three youths who kicked in the door of a Montero Drive home around 2 p.m. Tuesday and began beating a 17-year-old girl who was sleeping. The victim was pulled outside, where the attack continued, and the suspects took a cell phone. The girl suffered a concussion, black eyes, a cut lip and other injuries. On Wednesday, police took 16-year-old Tyteria Arielle Jackson into custody on the same charges. Police said the investigation into the attack is continuing. DES MOINES When Iowa lawmakers passed a massive commercial property tax cut in 2013, they promised to backfill city and county coffers to partially compensate for the loss of revenue. But the states lackluster revenue growth may cause legislators next session to consider altering their $152 million annual commitment to help local governments absorb the tax cut. A lot of counties are starting to have concerns: Will that always be around?, said Lucas Beenken, public policy specialist for the Iowa State Association of Counties. Were trying to remind our legislators that was their buy-in. Cities and counties protected the backfill last session with last-minute pleas to lawmakers and then-Gov. Terry Branstad, who advocated for it in the first place. But Branstad has left to become ambassador to China, and some legislators say it is fair game to reconsider the tax replacement. For fiscal year 2019 and going forward, I think thats an open conversation that we ought to have with cities, said Sen. Charles Schneider, R-West Des Moines. If we do start paring back the backfill at all, then I think the best way to do that would be to work with the cities to make sure that were not doing so in a manner that would require them to peel back any critical services. The Senate Appropriations Committee chairman said he would not consider any backfill changes for fiscal 2018, which started July 1. Record tax cut Branstad and lawmakers bragged about Senate File 295 as the largest tax cut in Iowa history, projected to provide $4.4 billion in property tax relief over 10 years as well as $90 million a year in income tax savings. The bill provides a 10 percent rollback on commercial property tax rates over two years and a tax credit for commercial property owners. It also created a new class of property multi-residential that eventually halves taxes on apartment buildings. Initial data from the state Department of Management indicate commercial property taxes have gone down 12 percent statewide since the laws enactment, from $1.285 billion in 2013-14 to $1.125 billion in 2016-17. However, taxes for industrial, residential and agricultural property all have gradually increased over that same period. The new multi-residential property class resulted in tax payments topping $155 million for the 2016-17 fiscal period. State budget experts say its too early and property taxes are too complicated to say whether the record tax cut is working to lower taxes or if it will generate economic growth as its architects claimed in 2013. Good luck untangling that, said Ted Nellesen, who tracks property tax numbers involving cities, counties, school districts, community colleges and special taxing districts for the state Management Department. Varied effects Several provisions of Senate File 295 are being phased in gradually, with the full impact of at least one provision not felt until 2022. Cities and counties with different mixes of property classes including agricultural, residential, commercial and multi-residential and industrial will feel the break differently. In Iowa City, for example, nearly 10 percent of the citys $3.5 billion total taxable value for 2016 came from multi-residential properties. That's nearly four times the 2.5 percent multi-residential properties made up of statewide taxable valuation in 2016. This mix isnt surprising given the large number of apartments in Iowa City for housing University of Iowa students. Local impact The Iowa League of Cities estimates Iowa cities will lose $37.3 million in commercial property taxes this year, with the backfill covering $34.6 million of it. But that difference of less than $3 million for Iowa cities this year will become $15 million by fiscal 2024, League projections show. If that backfill goes away, counties and cities would be nowhere near being whole, League Executive Director Alan Kemp said. In theory, cities and counties could increase taxes to bring in more revenue. But most are already at the maximum rate allowed by the state. Ninety-four of 99 Iowa counties, including Linn and Johnson, are charging the maximum general service levy of $3.50 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value, the Management Department reports. With special exceptions, counties can exceed the $3.50 rate, and 26 counties are doing that this year, with the highest rates in counties on Iowas southern border. Decatur County has the highest rate at $7.50 per $1,000. Of Iowas 943 cities, 808 are at their maximum general fund levy rate of $8.10. Cities can add an emergency levy of up to 27 cents per $1,000, and 367 cities are using that to the full extent for fiscal 2018. City and county officials who dont want to cut public services will need to make up the difference somewhere. I do believe residential property owners will have a higher tax burden because of it, Johnson County Assessor Tom Van Buer said. Backfill at risk Iowas tax revenues have been lower than expected, the states fiscal 2017 budget may have finished $50 million short. Lawmakers already made nearly $118 million in cuts and transfers last year and borrowed $131 million from reserves. This shaky budget picture makes it hard for Gov. Kim Reynolds and the GOP-controlled Legislature to lobby for income tax cuts a cherished priority. Reynolds, a former county treasurer, said she wants to honor the backfill commitment in the near term. But she added, We cant be afraid of putting everything on the table as we move forward in making Iowas tax structure more competitive. Sen. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, said it is difficult to deal with the backfill issue on a statewide basis, given it likely would hurt areas with declining growth disproportionately and result in higher taxes for some Iowa property owners. If we want to hold property taxes down, is cutting that backfill the wisest thing to do? Because there could be a direct effect of seeing increased property taxes in some communities, said Feenstra, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Time isnt on the side of backfill proponents, Feenstra noted. As 2013 recedes into memory, fewer lawmakers will feel beholden to the commitment. Rep. David Jacoby, D-Coralville, ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee and an outspoken critic of the 2013 tax legislation, said proponents promised in three years growth would far offset the revenue reduction, and that obviously has not happened. Jacoby noted the backfill is funded primarily by Iowans paying state income and sales taxes and therefore should be part of a bigger discussion of revamping Iowas property tax system. Just like other tax credits, Jacoby said, we need a simple review of that bill and say if it aint working, lets not continue to do it. WATERLOO As two names were read off, both Union County veterans of the Korean War whose remains never came home, Hal Jackson turned to his friend. I knew em both. Jackson, now the commissioner of the Madison County Veterans Affairs office, lives in Winterset now. But he grew up in Union County with the two men whose names were among dozens spoken aloud Friday, all Korean prisoners of war or those missing in action. Jackson served in the Korean War himself. I lost a lot of friends quite a few, in fact, Jackson said. So did the state of Iowa. One hundred and twenty-four names were read aloud at the Korean War POW/MIA observance at the Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum in Waterloo on Friday. Friday also marked National POW-MIA Recognition Day. All of the 124 men were lost while defending our country, and they were never able to return home, said Billie Bailey, Grout Museum District director. Veterans affairs commissioners from many counties were on hand to accept certificates for those lost. Afterwards they toured the Grouts yearlong Korean War exhibit, The Cold War Ablaze: Iowans in the Korean War. Some family members came in person, including Tammy Walker of Eddyville, who accepted the certificate of her fathers brother, Kenneth Eugene Ford, from Monroe County. My dad, before he passed away, talked about my Uncle Kenny, Walker said. We never forgot him. We always wondered. That concept was illustrated in a refrain: After each countys names were read aloud, the audience chanted, You will not be forgotten. That included the two names from Black Hawk County: Alfred John Martin, who was a prisoner of war, and Richard Edelman McKinstry, who was killed in action. Several other names from Northeast Iowa also were read. The large number of missing, compared to other recent wars like Vietnam, may have been due to the fact that during the Korean War, a lot of territory was given up and never retaken by the United Nations, Chris Shackelford, historic content director at Grout, previously told The Courier. Because of that, remains of many prisoners of war who died in captivity and some killed in action were never recovered. The parents and siblings and spouses and young children were left to wonder and grieve, Bailey said. For them, we will speak the names today and remember, so they will not be forgotten. Mayor Quentin Hart thanked veterans in attendance as well as the Grout Museum for the ceremony, for making sure their sacrifices would always be remembered in the hearts and minds of this community. While there may never be closure, sometimes thats enough, said Walker. Its just nice to know someone hasnt forgotten, she said. Some political tastes linger in the mouth like spoiled milk or a bad oyster. Consider the shockingly shabby treatment recently accorded by some Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to a law professor at Notre Dame who is being considered for a position on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Her questioners displayed a confusion of the intellect so profound, a disregard for constitutional values so reckless, that it amounts to anti-religious bigotry. Barrett is an instructive test case of secular, liberal unease with earnest faith, particularly in its Catholic variety. She is, in the description of a letter signed by every full-time member of the Notre Dame law school faculty, a brilliant teacher and scholar, and a warm and generous colleague. She possesses in abundance all of the other qualities that shape extraordinary jurists: discipline, intellect, wisdom, impeccable temperament, and above all, fundamental decency and humanity. Barrett is also, not coincidentally, a serious Christian believer who has spoken like one in public. This was enough to make Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a fellow Catholic, wary. Do you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic? he asked Barrett, evidently on the theory publicly acceptable religion must come in small, diluted doses. It fell to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, however, to explicitly declare Barrett part of a suspect class. Dogma and law are two different things, she lectured. And I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. ... When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you. And thats of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for for years in this country. Translation: Dont let your dogma mess with my dogma. Where to start? How about with the fact Feinsteins line of questioning was itself a violation of the Constitution? Here is constitutional scholar and Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber: By prohibiting religious tests, the Constitution makes it impermissible to deny any person a national, state or local office on the basis of their religious convictions or lack thereof. Because religious belief is constitutionally irrelevant to the qualifications for a federal judgeship, the Senate should not interrogate any nominee about those beliefs. I believe, more specifically, that the questions directed to professor Barrett about her faith were not consistent with the principle set forth in the Constitutions no religious test clause. How about Feinsteins indifference to the sordid history of anti-Catholic bias? Feinstein leapt past 20th-century suspicions of Catholic allegiances, legal scholar John Inazu told me, to 19th-century bigotry toward Catholic identity: Who you are as a Catholic is of concern. How about Feinsteins ignorance of religion itself? In defending her animus, she called particular attention to Barretts statement Christians should be building the kingdom of God. That would be the kingdom Jesus insisted is not of this world, much to the confusion of 1st-century politicians. It is a description of transformed hearts, not a prescription for theocracy. But the deeper problem is a certain type of liberal thinking that seeks to declare secular ideas the only valid basis for public engagement. A neutral public square, in this view, must be a secular public square. Since religious ideas and motivations are fundamentally illiberal, they must be contained entirely to the private sphere. This is a thin and sickly sort of pluralism. It is permissible, in this approach, to advocate for human rights because John Locke says so, but not because of a theological belief the image of God is found in every human being. If your views on a just society are informed by John Stuart Mill, they are allowed to triumph in politics. If your views on a just society are informed by your deepest beliefs about the cosmos, you can never prevail because this represents the imposition of religion. This is hardly neutrality. It is a conception of pluralism that silences millions of people and reaches back into history to invalidate the abolition movement, the civil rights movement and many other causes informed by boisterous religious belief. In effect, Feinstein would make her secularism the state religion, complete with its own doctrine and Holy Office. A judge is bound by the Constitution, not by any creed as Barrett has affirmed again and again. But having a conscience and a character shaped by faith is not a problem; it is part of a rich and positive American tradition. Someone should inform the grand inquisitor. Tragically, Donald Trump has managed to do that which eluded Barack Obama: Fulfill his campaign promises on immigration. Last week, Trump announced he would end the always-explicitly-temporary Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He also suggested Congress act within the next six months to enact permanent legislation. While it may be satisfying to proclaim, as many immigrant-rights leaders and their allies have, Trumps move was evil, cruel and the worst decision Trump has made, doing so ignores the fact the groundwork was laid by someone else. For starters, a quick recap of how DACA came to be. In 2010, President Obama failed to gather the five Democratic holdout votes that would have passed the full DREAM Act, which included a path to citizenship. Then in late May 2012, Obama issued his executive action on DACA, overruling longstanding objections (on the grounds of constitutionality) by his Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano who, ironically, is now suing the Trump administration for violating administrative procedures and due-process requirements by abruptly ending the program. When DACA was announced in the middle of Obamas re-election campaign, it was seen as a patronizing half-measure since the president had spent all of his limited political capital on passing the Affordable Care Act. There also was widespread misunderstanding and misinformation within the Latino community. Many believed the actual DREAM Act, or another type of amnesty, had become law with the stroke of Obamas pen. By late October, news agencies were reporting some Hispanics who might have considered voting for Mitt Romney based on their views about economic issues were turning toward Obama because of his support of the DREAM Act and immigrant rights in general. Sure enough, Obama coasted into his second term with the help of Hispanic voters. He eventually left office with Latinos primarily remembering him as the deporter in chief. The truth is although DACAs revocation is terribly upsetting for the hundreds of thousands of unlawfully present immigrants and their families, we all knew this day would come. This doesnt necessarily make the situation any easier, but it does no one any good to push the myth young people are suffering solely at the hands of Republicans and a president who was specifically elected to rid the country of as many immigrants legal and not legal as possible. If weve learned anything in the last five years, it is making angels or demons of political opponents isnt productive. Interestingly, this idea of not vilifying or beatifying is being exemplified by the very people who have most benefited from being portrayed as saintly. DACA beneficiaries and other unlawfully present young immigrants are increasingly speaking out against their model minority status within the larger universe of the illegal immigrant population. In a column for The Washington Post, Ph.D. student and undocumented immigrant Joel Sati wrote, Though well intentioned, lauding the Dreamers has the unintended effect of juxtaposing these good, deserving immigrants with the bad ones those with, say, a drug charge from years back who deserve nothing but deportation and marginalization. Narratives of childhood innocence and economic contribution constrict the movement at a time when it needs to include all 12 million [undocumented immigrants]. And supporting DACA has allowed the liberal elite to feel good about ostensibly doing something pro-immigration when, in fact, it hurts our struggle. In an op-ed for The New York Times, author Masha Gessen stated: If immigration is debated only in terms of whether it benefits the economy, politicians begin to divide people into two categories: valuable and illegal. When countries make people illegal, the world comes apart. When we agree to talk about people as cogs, we lose our humanity. We truly have lost our humanity when we give in to hyperbole and refer to an opposing party as evil and monstrous even when leaders like Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, declare (falsely) DACA recipients are by and large gang members and drug smugglers. But how different are those who idealize only certain members of a population of unauthorized immigrants? This country will never reconcile its immigration issues, much less decide who gets to stay and who must go, if it cant acknowledge immigrants are like all other Americans: varied, different and not easily lumped into categories that accurately quantify their worth to our community. 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over. The new Foo Fighters album, Concrete and Gold, is here. It was a bit of a surprise when Foo Fighters first announced Concrete and Gold over the summer, especially since the band was battling rumors of their break-up as recently as a year ago. They dismissed those in March 2016 with a comic video declaring, "for the millionth time, we're not breaking up." Even so, the Foos remained pretty quiet throughout 2016 as they recovered from the massive tour behind their last album, 2014's Sonic Highways. Secretly, though, they were working on a new record. In June, Foo Fighters released a thrashy new song called "Run," accompanied by a video that found Dave Grohl and company tearing up a nursing home while wearing old-age makeup. Later that month, the band announced the full details of Concrete and Gold. At the time, Grohl described the album -- which was produced by Greg Kurstin, known for his work with Adele and Sia -- as "Motorhead's version of Sgt. Pepper." Grohl also teased that Concrete and Gold would be filled with guests. One by one they were revealed: The Kills' Alison Mosshart, Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman, and even Paul McCartney. And don't forget the mystery "biggest pop star in the world" who sang back-up vocals on the album, who was finally revealed to be Justin Timberlake. Along with "Run," Foo Fighters previewed Concrete and Gold with the singles "The Sky Is a Neighborhood" and "The Line." They also played the songs "Arrows," "Sunday Rain," "La Dee Da" and "Dirty Water" on their summer European tour. Foo Fighters will kick off a North American tour in support of Concrete and Gold October 7 in San Bernardino, California with their own Cal Jam 17 festival. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 123telugu.com had recently reported that Nanis Krishnarjuna Yudham will be shot in Prague, Czech Republic. Currently, the movies unit is in Prague, shooting with Nani. The team will camp in this picturesque European city for 20 days. The team is quite thrilled with the films output so far. Nani will be seen in dual roles in this film. Merlapaka Gandhi is directing this film after delivering two back-to-back hits with Venkatadri Express and Express Raja. Krishnarjuna Yudham is being produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi under Shine Screens banner. Venkat Boyinapalli is presenting the film, which has music by Hip Hop Tamizha. 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Mainstream education sector embraces online tutoring There has been a steady growth in the online-based learning industry as universities and organizations have promoted Internet-based learning as a way to reach millions of people. The number of active users who subscribe to online tutoring has increased by several hundred percent in recent years, resulting in its increased acceptance across the U.S. and the rest of the world. For many reasons, online tutoring is an excellent way to help children who are challenged in their academic lives. Online tutoring also eliminates much of the need for printed materials; instead it features tools which make learning more interactive and enjoyable. Digital white boards and related electronic tools make learning more vibrant and fun-filled. Tutoring has traditionally been expensive, making it difficult for most parents to afford it. However, the advent of online tutoring changed the underlying economics, making tutoring accessible to almost everyone. Back-to-school online tutoring The time to go back to school has arrived. With fresh clothes and smart shoes, young scholars welcome a new academic year with hope and excitement. But stress and strain at the beginning of a new academic year can be just as overwhelming for parents as for children. For many students, academic endeavors seem to be a frustrating part of their lives. Online tutoring firm Growing Stars can be a stress reliever for students and parents. For students who are struggling with subjects such as math or science, online tutoring provides an instant way to improve their situations, as they receive one-on-one personalized support. Online tutoring is not just for children who are struggling; many parents use the services of leading online tutoring companies such as Growing Stars to help their children reach their full academic potentials. With tutoring resources available online, students can receive great support and access to additional assistance, such as Growing Stars' homework help designed for math students. Biju Abraham Mathew, Founder and CEO of Growing Stars, Inc., says "As most of today's children have grown up with Internet access, and are more familiar with digital and online devices, online tutoring has become a widely accepted part of education." About Growing Stars Headquartered in Pleasanton, California, Growing Stars operates a teaching hub in India offering effective, convenient, and affordable one-on-one live online tutoring to students around the globe. Online tutors at Growing Stars are available 24 x 7, and offer dedicated academic assistance to students across the United States and other countries. Students who enroll at Growing Stars receive personalized lessons, and parents receive regular progress reports. As a leading online tutoring company with more than a decade in live one-on-one online tutoring, Growing Stars continues to help thousands of students every year to attain better grades in school, and to earn spots at prestigious universities. # # # Ben Pfeiffer at The Paris Review: Four years before his death, John Gardner committed his negative opinions of his contemporaries to print. Gardners On Moral Fiction argues for a moral, life-affirming view of fiction and aims to continue the conversation left off at the end of Leo Tolstoys late-in-life screed What is Art? (in which the Russian master denounces everything hes written as not being true art). Gardner railed against his contemporaries, such as Updike and Thomas Pynchon, accusing them of a tricksiness that elided fictions eternal verities. Most contemporary literature, he claimed, was either trivial or false. On Moral Fictions tone was perceived as deeply conservativeso much so that the American Nazi Party sent Gardner an invitation for membership (he sent back an expletive-filled reply saying, in effect, fuck off). Gardners publisher, Knopf, refused to print the manuscript, but Basic Books eventually did. In an essay published fifteen years after his death, Gardners second wife, Liz Rosenberg wrote, Nearly overnight, he turned from darling of the literary establishment to its pariah. She says she thinks Gardner named names in On Moral Fiction to prove to himself he wasnt afraid. Perhaps, she wrote, he should have been. more here. What's next for SD Gov. Kristi Noem as she heads into her second term? Her kin signal what Kristi Noem hopes to accomplish in her second term: strengthening South Dakota households through various efforts. Royal Air Force construction specialists have been hard at work in Romania to support the UK MoD's latest aircraft deployment, erecting Rubb temporary sunshades to protect their Typhoon jets. Picture credit Sgt Neil Bryden RAF Eight airmen from 5001 Squadron, RAF Wittering, have been building temporary sunshades at Mihail Kogalniceanu (MK) airbase near Constanta on the Black Sea coast. The Rubb military shelters help protect Typhoon fighter jets from the elements. Although the crew was highly experienced, the task was challenging due to rain and high winds. Sergeant Sam Burt (32), the team leader said: The Squadron is hugely experienced with this type of work having worked all over the world including the Middle East, Cyprus and the Falklands. The team of eight included seven mechanics and an electrician. They arrived at MK in April to build the temporary hangars known in the RAF as sunshades. Sergeant Burt added: The weather conditions in the Black Sea area have made this build particularly challenging, not least the very high winds that can come in off the sea. Trying to drag large sections of material in such conditions is too dangerous so weve had to wait until the right moment. The two sunshades, each eight metres wide, are needed to keep the Typhoons and their cockpits from overheating during the summer, while they and their pilots sit on Q (Quick Reaction Alert). Throughout the RAFs deployment to Romania, the jets will be ready to patrol Romanian airspace against any threat. The RAF presence in Romania comprises jets from 3 (Fighter) Squadron based at RAF Coningsby, supported by around 150 personnel drawn from stations across the UK, who make up 135 Expeditionary Air Wing. The RAF mission is to conduct NATO Enhanced Air Policing (eAP) as part of NATOs Assurance Measures. These measures were introduced in 2014 to demonstrate the collective resolve of the Allies, the defensive nature of NATO. The Rubb Military team are currently highlighting their range in the UK Pavilion at DSEI 2017, ExCeL, London. Hollywood veteran Harrison Ford has finally broken his silence over the details of his affair with Carrie Fisher in his book. According to The Independent, the actor revealed that it was really strange for him to know about all such revelations. When asked, whether he had any advance warning about Fishers revelations, he said, Um, to a degree. Yes. But he made it clear that he did not want to go into the specifics. Adding, You know, with Carries untimely passing, I dont really feel that its a subject that I want to discuss. Ford remained silent throughout Fishers promotional tours and interviews for the book, though he was often asked for comment. Fisher and Ford reunited on the big screen for 2015s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and following Fishers death in December 2016, he issued a statement remembering her fearless spirit, though he made no mention of their romance. Actor Idris Elba has said he is no more interested in playing the iconic role of James Bond. The 45-year-old actor said the reason for his disillusionment is as he believes no one wants to see him portray Agent 007, reported DigitalSpy. I think not. But you really need to ask the producers. Like I can just (say), Hey, Im gonna play Bond next! No, its Idris. Hello? No one wants it, Elba said in an interview with Buzzfeed. Last month, Daniel Craig confirmed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he will return as James Bond in the 25th Bond movie. Craig also said that it would be the last time he would step in to play the fictitious British spy, created by Ian Fleming, saying, I just want to go out on a high note, and I cant wait. In a body-blow to Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by the ousted prime minister and his family, challenging his disqualification in the Panama Papers scandal. Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had filed separate petitions challenging the apex courts July 28 verdict in which the 67-year-old leader was disqualified from continuing in office. It was also ordered that corruption cases be filed against him and his children, Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz son-in-law Mohammad Safdar and Dar. A five-member bench of the court headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa heard the review petitions. It was the same panel which had disqualified Sharif. For reasons to be recorded later, all these review petitions are dismissed, Khosa said. The hearing started on Monday and continued through the week. With the rejection of the petitions, Sharif has exhausted all legal options to challenge his disqualification. However, politically, if his party wins next years elections with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, it can amend the Constitution to change the life-time disqualification to a limited period of time. Advocate Salman Akram Raja represented Sharifs children and Safdar, while Advocate Khawaja Harris represented Sharif. Dar was represented by Shahid Hamid. During the hearing, Harris argued that how Sharif could be disqualified for not declaring a salary which he never received. But the court rejected the pleas. Harris also argued that Sharif could not be disqualified for not declaring his assets and only his election could be declared null and void but the court rejected that argument as well. Several other technical objections by the petitioners were also overruled and the court maintained its decision of July 28. The Sharif family and Dar will now face corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in an accountability court. The Panama Papers case in Pakistan is based on leaks that the Sharif children owned offshore companies to manage their properties in London, which opposition alleges were bought with unaccounted money. Patients are evacuated from Krystal Bay Nursing and Rehabilitation Center after losing power in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in North Miam September 15, 2017 A little-noticed provision to arm Iraqi Christians in the House version of a must-pass defense bill is inadvertently fueling unrest between rival militias on the Ninevah Plains, an Iraqi melting pot. The nonbinding provision, inserted by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., a conservative Christian member of the House Armed Services Committee, notes the important role of the Iraqi Christian militias within the military campaign against [the Islamic State (IS)] in Iraq, and the specific threat to the Christian population. It calls on the United States to provide arms, training, and appropriate equipment to vetted elements of the Ninevah Plains Council, a governing council being proposed by Assyrian factions but with no guarantee of being formed. Ever since IS swept across Iraq and began its genocidal campaign, forcing thousands of Assyrian Christians to flee the Ninevah Plains in 2014, Washington has routed military support to Iraqi sub-state militias through the central government in Baghdad. While IS has now largely been ousted from the Ninevah Plains, the group still poses a threat to surrounding areas. Franks told Al-Monitor that he had inserted the language with the expectation that the Department of Defense would use it to bypass Baghdad and provide direct military assistance to favored Christian militias. Its time for the Christians to have direct support there because there are certain things taking place where some of the opponents of the Christians are buying their houses and buying land where, even if they were able to return, theyd be essentially displaced from their homes, Franks told Al-Monitor. And I think that if Christians have some direct support, they would be able to protect themselves and defend their homes and their lands. Assyrian Christians, however, comprise a diverse mosaic of minority groups on the Ninevah Plains, which lie northeast of Mosul, next to Iraqi Kurdistan. Kurdish peshmerga have occupied part of the Ninevah Plains since ousting IS in conjunction with local militias and Iraqi security forces. No legislation in the US has ever helped us, unfortunately ... I think some of it must have been done with good intentions, but it has never resulted in any benefit on the ground. The presence of Kurdish forces on the Ninevah Plains has exacerbated existing political tensions among Assyrian Christian groups that go back years before IS exerted control over the area. The Ninevah Plain Forces, a coalition of Christian militias fighting alongside the peshmerga, support the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), while the rival Ninevah Plain Protection Units (NPU) support making the Ninevah Plains a separate administrative unit under the auspices of the Iraqi central government. The problem with the militias on the Ninevah Plains is that in many cases they deny who theyre backed by, and they have no formal ties to the Kurdistan region typically, Michael Knights, a Lafer fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Al-Monitor. Theyre in theory a free-standing militia, but money flows to them, weapons flow to them from the Kurdistan region. Anti-KRG Assyrian groups, on the other hand, fall under the umbrella of the state-sponsored Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), a wide-ranging group of predominantly Shiite militias that formed following the Iraqi armys evaporation as IS swept across the country in 2014. "Some of these [PMU], they're Christian militias in theory, but actually they've got a whole bunch of Iranian-backed Shiite terrorists working alongside them, said Knights. The NPU insists it does not receive support from Iran and that it joined the PMU so its fighters would receive salaries from the Iraqi government. There is absolutely no connection to Iran, Yacoob Yaco, NPU chairman, told Al-Monitor. If there were any of these concerns or issues, the US military would not have trained us and conducted missions in coordination with us. The NPU and its political branch, the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), strongly object to Franks provision on the grounds that it would only provide arms to rival Christian militias allied with the Kurds. At issue is Franks reference to providing arms to vetted elements of the Ninevah Plains Council. The NPU believes that the reference to the Ninevah Plains Council emerged from a policy document that pro-Kurdish Assyrian factions agreed to at a June conference in Brussels convened by European Parliament member Lars Adaktusson. The ADM has rejected the document on the grounds that it provides undue influence to the KRG at the expense of the central Iraqi government. If the goal is to support local control for Assyrians and other ethnoreligious minorities in the Ninevah Plain, then this council, as currently proposed at the Brussels conference, should be rejected, said Elmer Abbo, president of the Ninevah Plain Defense Fund, a US-based nonprofit that fundraises for the NPU. It's political annexation of the Ninevah Plain that, over time, would create the conditions for formal KRG annexation. All of this is taking place against the backdrop of a Sept. 25 referendum on Iraqi Kurdish independence. While the KRG has faced considerable criticism for including Iraqs disputed oil-rich Kirkuk province in the referendum, it remains unclear whether the KRG will hold the vote in the areas of the Ninevah Plains under its control. The KRG delegation in Washington did not respond to an Al-Monitor inquiry on the matter. Many of them ... have an Iraqi nationalist outlook and they are used to dealing with Baghdad rather than dealing with the Kurdistan region. Anti-KRG Assyrians have pointed to the KRGs replacement of the mayors of two Assyrian-majority towns, Alqosh and Tel Keppe, with pro-KRG mayors as further evidence of Kurdish interference in the Ninevah Plains. While thousands of Assyrian Christians have fled to Iraqi Kurdistan, many believe that the best course for the Ninevah Plains is to seek greater autonomy under Baghdad rather than become part of the KRG. They, as a minority in Iraq, were relatively well treated under former President Saddam Hussein, said Knights. So many of them sort of have an Iraqi nationalist outlook, and they are used to dealing with Baghdad rather than dealing with the Kurdistan region historically. Knights also noted, Within Kurdistan, theres been a major economic crisis for a number of years, and people do not get paid regularly, whereas [Baghdad has] continued to pay their salaries right away through the current economic crisis. The House has already passed the defense bill with Franks language on Iraqi Christians, but the provision is not included in the Senates version of the bill, which is expected to come to a floor vote on Monday. Both chambers will have to agree on a final version, and Abbo believes the language is unlikely to survive reconciliation between the two versions. US policy has consistently stayed clear of actively engaging to support the survival of ethnoreligious minorities in Iraq, he explained. Indeed, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., added an amendment to last years defense bill that would have empowered local security forces in Iraq including ethnic and religious minority groups to deter, hold, or roll back [IS]. That provision, however, did not make it into the final version of the bill. The NPU's Yaco also decried the lack of direct US support. No legislation in the US has ever helped us, unfortunately, Yaco told Al-Monitor. I think some of it must have been done with good intentions, but it has never resulted in any benefit on the ground. He added, I am inviting every member of the US Congress to come to the Ninevah Plain in order to truly understand what is happening and then perhaps they will be able to provide helpful legislation that has an impact, but only if they hear it from us directly and not through foreign entities. Franks, who has also advocated for directly arming the peshmerga, acknowledged the tension between Assyrian factions but argued that direct military support would be enough to get anti-KRG Christians on board. I understand that dynamic, and the Christian groups, if they know that they can get direct support, I think, will certainly embrace that, said Franks. The Kurds understand that Im 1,000% supportive of them, and Im also supportive of the Christians. In the past, Franks said, Baghdad has held up military assistance to non-state groups, including the peshmerga, even as they fought for their lives against the Islamic State. Im convinced if we try to run it through the conventional channels that much of it wont ever get there and that the end result will be that a number of Christians will die and an even greater number would be dispersed, he said. Knights acknowledged the issue, but argued that US pressure on Baghdad ensures that military aid is eventually routed to where it is intended to go. On the authorities in Baghdad, Knights said, They might not like that idea, but they say, Sure, if it has to happen, it has to happen. Irrespective of broader disputes between the KRG and Baghdad, Knights also questioned the general wisdom and efficacy of circumventing Iraqs central government when providing military assistance to non-state forces. It only really works if you loop Baghdad into it, said Knights. If you dont, you really upset the people in Baghdad and thats the very last thing we need to do ahead of Iraqi elections in 2018, when were hoping that the pro-US guy wins. September 15, 2017 BAGHDAD The Iraqi parliaments Security and Defense Committee raised alarm bells Sept. 7 about the political crisis rocking Diyala province northeast of Baghdad, which stretches to the Iranian border. It warned that the Islamic State (IS) could stage a comeback in some liberated areas due to the ethnic, sectarian and political conflict in the province. Diyala province has a population of some 1.27 million people, including a majority of Arabs who are more or less equally divided between Sunni and Shiite, followed by Kurds and Turkmens. As if to underline the prospect of an ethnic conflict, 100 fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) on Sept. 10 took over the municipality headquarters of Mandali and forcibly lowered the Kurdish flag. The mix of sects and national groups in Diyala has placed it in the vortex of ongoing conflict since 2003, Mohammed al-Khalidi, a member and former speaker of the Iraqi parliament, told Al-Monitor. The provinces geographical position on the Iranian border adds to its political polarization and makes it likely the Shiite forces there will be attacked. Khalidi continued, The fact that the province adjoins the Kurdish region adds to the Kurdish influence and there are efforts to further strengthen this, while the Sunni Arabs believe they have the right to run the province as they see themselves as the majority both historically and today. The clout of Sunni opinion was seen in the results of the 2005 election, which saw Sunni parties win a majority on the provincial council. But you have to go back to the recent history of the province to understand the nature of the conflict, Khalidi said. The province was liberated from Daesh [IS] in 2015, and the Shiite PMU forces played a major role in that, which entrenched their presence in the province and strengthened their political role. What happened after the province was liberated was not what was needed. Instead of stability and security, there were kidnappings and tit-for-tat killings that are still ongoing. The most notable act of sectarian vengeance was an IS attack in early 2016 on a cafe in northeastern Baqouba, the provincial capital that is frequented by Shiites. The attack left dozens dead, prompting the Shiite armed factions to respond by burning and bombing several mosques and invading Sunni-majority residential areas of Al-Muqdadiyah. Using the military clout they gained after taking part in the battle, the Shiite forces have taken more power in the city following the defeat of IS. That was very clear when armed men took over the provincial headquarters on Aug. 27 to prevent the firing of Gov. Muthanna al-Tamimi, of the Shiite Badr Organization, which is led by senior PMU commander Hadi al-Amiri, himself from Diyala. Sunnis, who consider Diyala a Sunni province, saw that as an attempt to overturn the political and sectarian balance, which demands that a Sunni from the province hold the position of governor. Writer Haroun Mohammad, a Sunni from Diyala, said on Sept. 7, The leader of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, is effectively the general ruler of Diyala. That corresponds with reports on Aug. 12 that PMU units had caused massive destruction in Al-Muqdadiyah, including setting fire to orchards, as part of a plan to engineer demographic change in the area in favor of the Shiites. Member of parliament Furat al-Tamimi, a Shiite from the Al-Watan bloc, told Al-Monitor that the accusations were unfounded and "aim to stir unrest and create violent chaos in the interests of political groups that dont benefit from stability in Diyala. He continued, There are battles that flare up from time to time due to pockets of Daesh [IS] fighters, and they are dealt with by security forces. But some political figures and media groups maliciously portray them as attacks on Sunni residents. Another fallacy presented by these groups relates to the provincial administration, he said. The provincial council is the body that elected Muthanna al-Tamimi as governor. The Badr Organizations intervention in his favor was to prevent other groups from overthrowing him by force, in violation of the system and the law. All sides are taking part in the administration of the province today. Areas of the province such as Khanaqin and Mandali are on the edge of the precipice of an ethnic conflict that could break out into armed clashes at any time between Kurds, who see the areas as Kurdish, and Arabs, who refuse to see them incorporated into the referendum on independence of Iraqi Kurdistan set for Sept. 25, as they see those areas as Arab. The governments stance on the conflict is reflected in a statement by Saad al-Hadithi, the spokesman for the office of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He told Al-Monitor, Political rivalry in Diyala is acceptable as long as it stays within the law. The government supports the rule of law, and those who cause chaos and harm the residents will be dealt with as outlaws, whatever group they belong to. Any attempt to incorporate disputed areas of Diyala into the KRG violates the Iraqi constitution and the law, and the government will implement Article 140 of the constitution as soon as Daesh [IS] is defeated and calm returns to the disputed areas, he said. While views differ over the situation in Diyala, the presence of different national and sectarian groups in the province cannot be denied. An international organization left the province Sept. 7, prompting rival parties to meet for talks to try to avoid the province sliding into armed clashes and political conflict after the defeat of IS, something that would hobble efforts to reconstruct and create investment opportunities. September 12, 2017 MECCA, Saudi Arabia Despite the poor economic conditions in Egypt, some citizens go to expensive and inventive extremes to perform the fifth pillar of Islam the pilgrimage to Mecca with or without the proper documentation. For this year's pilgrimage, Aug. 30-Sept. 4, Saudi Arabia granted 60,000 hajj visas to Egypt. The visas were distributed among three Egyptian ministries: Roughly 108,500 Egyptians competed for 36,000 visas allocated to the Ministry of Tourism; 50,000 competed for 12,000 visas held by the Ministry of Interior; and about 40,000 vied for 12,000 visas from the Ministry of Social Solidarity. The ministries cover the expenses of the selected pilgrims, including hotel accommodations, transportation and meals. There were also 1,000 visas issued for journalists. But among the many citizens who weren't able to obtain those visas, some turned to other means. Some Egyptians paid for visas that were supposed to be free. A large number of Egyptian parliament members are being investigated for allegedly selling the hajj visas they were granted from Saudi Arabia which this year amounted to 18,000, enough for three for each of the 596 members. They supposedly sold the visas to tourism agencies for 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,830) each. These agencies then sold the visas to pilgrims. A parliamentary investigation into this practice is now underway, and members found guilty will be referred to the parliamentary Ethics Committee and face sanctions. Others applied for business or family visit visas. Making the pilgrimage under these types of visas is risky, because once the pilgrims are in Saudi Arabia, they have to make their way into Mecca unnoticed which makes it difficult to wear the required attire. The Ihram (sacred) outfit, which consists of two unhemmed, white garments, is a key pillar of the hajj. Muslims are expected to don the plain outfit at a designated place before proceeding to Mecca. According to religious teachings, if one does not wear Ihram clothing, a sheep must be slaughtered to feed the poor in Mecca, or the pilgrim must fast for three days during the hajj followed by seven days back home. On the other hand, pilgrims who are caught wearing the attire who don't have a hajj visa are deported and banned from returning to Saudi Arabia for five years. Al-Monitor met with a number of Egyptian pilgrims inside the camps at Mina, 7 kilometers (4 miles) from Mecca, where pilgrims perform the Stoning the Devil ritual. The pilgrims spend four days there, and each day throw pebbles at three pillars that represent the devil. Some citizens who did not obtain hajj visas in the official draw signed up with agencies that recruit workers in the service industry for the hajj. Saudi authorities allocated 26,000 visas to these agencies in 2017. Yahia al-Masry, a pilgrim from Qalyubia who works as a butcher, told Al-Monitor he had taken part in draws before but without success. A friend then advised him to become a hajj laborer. An applicant who qualifies can then buy a hajj work visa for 27,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,530). Walid Abdul Azeem took a different approach, applying for a business visa. "I obtained it through a travel agency in Qalyubia by paying 40,000 pounds [$2,265]. I went through a lot to perform hajj as you must enter from the airports of Taif, Riyadh or Yanbu, unlike legal pilgrims, who enter from the airports of Jeddah or Medina," he told Al-Monitor. Other pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia illegally without any official visa at all by traversing the mountains with the help of Saudi guides, who are paid 500 Saudi riyals ($133) for each person. At one of Mina's camps, Al-Monitor met Badiah Abdul Azeez Shafei from Beni Suef. She traveled on a family visit visa that stated she was accompanying her husband, Mustafa al-Sawwaf someone she doesn't even know. She paid 75,000 Egyptian pounds ($4,250) for the visa. When Shafei received her visa at the airport three hours before her flight, she found out that there was a passenger named Mustafa al-Sawwaf on the same flight, listed as her husband. Some deceptive arrangements come at the travelers' financial and physical expense, and agencies are feeling the backlash. Sharif Sameer, who runs a travel agency in Egypt, told Al-Monitor, We are facing smear campaigns. The main cause behind the disputes between travel agencies and the pilgrims is the [brokers] in rural areas. They deceive those wishing to perform hajj [by giving them] fake itineraries that [supposedly] include hotel accommodations close to the holy mosques in Mecca or Medina and hot meals in the camps in Arafat or Mina." Based on these lies, victims sign on and the brokers get 20,000 pounds ($1,130) as a commission for each one, Sameer said. So what about those "free" courtesy visas the travel agents bought from Egyptian parliament members, the visas that were supposed to be passed on to pilgrims? Shady agents do pass them on for 50,000-70,000 pounds ($2,830-$3,960). And that's just for the visa itself. "Booking a trip with travel agencies includes the visa, flight ticket, accommodation and transportation, which might exceed 100,000 pounds [$5,660]," Sameer noted. Al-Monitor attended an Aug. 28 press conference in Mecca held by Mustafa Madbouli, the minister of housing, utilities and urban communities and head of the Egyptian Hajj Mission. He said the number of Egyptian pilgrims who begin arriving weeks before the actual event "exceeded 100,000 due to the special visas." He stressed that the responsibility of the Hajj Mission is limited to the 60,000 chosen pilgrims. That responsibility includes the guarantee of a comfortable journey, access to medical clinics, hotels near the holy mosques in Mecca and Medina, air-conditioned camps in Arafat and Mina, and hot meals as well as comfortable transportation. A leading security official in the Egyptian Hajj Mission told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, The hajj is for those who are financially and physically able. Nothing could justify making compromises to make a pilgrimage whether through business or family visit visas, which [accounted for more than] 50,000 pilgrims, or when Egyptian workers in Saudi Arabia sneak into Mecca to perform the hajj. It goes against the dictates of Islam and confuses Saudi Arabias calculations, negatively affecting the hajj season. The source added, If the Egyptian Hajj Mission helps Egyptian violators who entered Mecca illegally, it is considered an encouragement to break laws." He made a distinction, however, between those people who were intentionally dishonest and those pilgrims who were deceived themselves. "The first category is pilgrims who use visitor visas, and the second is pilgrims who use courtesy visas. The pilgrims [on visitor visas] violate Sharia and the kingdom's hajj regulations as they enter without wearing Ihram clothing. And then there are those who obtain courtesy visas and agree with travel agencies [or brokers] on a certain program that the agency then ignores. The latter [pilgrims] should be provided with legal counsel, and campaigns against these agencies need to be put in place until they stop these practices and cease to be in the market." September 14, 2017 Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to Russia for a one-day visit Sept. 13 to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high-level officials to discuss the nuclear deal, including inspections, and the situation in Syria. In consideration of Americas policies with regard to the nuclear deal, coordination between Russian and Iran is needed, Zarif told reporters upon arriving at Putins summer residence in Sochi near the Black Sea. We have had good coordination in the past on this issue, and the two countries have supported each others positions at international organizations, and Russia has supported Iran well in the discussions on the nuclear deal. Zarif continued, We are facing mutual challenges. Noting that Syria was a focus of the trip, he added, The most important challenges are regional. Iran and Russia have come to the support of the Damascus government more than any other countries in the ongoing Syrian civil war. Turkey, which has long opposed the government of President Bashar al-Assad and has supported the armed opposition, has recently been in talks with Russia and Iran to de-escalate fighting in parts of Syria. With the cooperation of Iran, Russia and Turkey, there has been progress on the political scene, and we have even been able to prevent many conflicts and confrontations, Zarif said. Regarding the nuclear deal and inspections of military sites, Zarif said, Both the additional protocols and the nuclear deal and their frameworks are clear on inspections and its mechanisms. One of Zarif's comments in particular made headlines across Iranian media: None of these inspections can be an excuse to acquire the countrys secrets. Zarifs remarks on inspections and the nuclear deal were in response to statements by Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Agency, that inspections in Iran had been expanded in regard to staff numbers and imagery. Amano said, Verification in Iran is the most robust regime which currently exists. A little more than a year ago, Amano had complained that inspectors were stretched thin in trying to monitor the entire country. Zarifs trip was the top story in the daily Reformist Shargh, which ran the headline The Nuclear Deal Cannot Be Negotiated Again. Zaynam Ismaili wrote that Putin and Zarif had talked about expanding political and economic ties. US President Donald Trump has made no secret his desire to undo President Barack Obamas signature foreign policy achievement. Reports in US media outlets have suggested that American officials have mentioned to their European partners that they consider extending the nuclear deal beyond the original 10-year duration. Iranian media seem to be taking the US threats in stride. An article in the Reformist Etemaad asserted that Trump will not exit the nuclear deal despite comments by Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United Nations, that Trump could say Iran is not complying with the deal but leave matters in the hands of Congress. The article called Haley one of the most anti-Iranian officials currently in Washington. Kammal Kharazi, head of Irans Strategic Council of Foreign Relations, said Sept. 12 during a meeting with former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans that Iran is ready for every possible scenario. Kharazi believes that other countries will stand up to American pressure regarding the nuclear agreement. September 15, 2017 Labor Party leader Avi Gabbay could not have hoped for better results in his first test of power against his party's apparatus. Convening in Tel Aviv, Labor voted almost unanimously on Sept. 14 to approve changes to the partys charter sought by its new chair something no one before him had managed to engineer, not even former Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Gabbay not only pushed all the amendments through almost intact, granting him broad powers to control the party and its Knesset members, he did so with ease. Gabbays sweeping new powers include picking four candidates for slots on the partys next Knesset list and sole authority to appoint ministers and all senior officeholders in the partys Knesset faction that is, its chair and heads of Knesset committees. This means that Labors Knesset members are at his mercy, including those who vied against him for party leadership: former Minister Amir Peretz, former party Chair Isaac Herzog and Knesset member Erel Margalit. Peretz led the opposition to the charter amendments, but apparently did not enjoy a tail wind at the convention. Herzog and Peretz are seasoned politicians. They fully grasp the meaning of Gabbays changes: Going forward, he is first among equals. He is the be all and end all. He is the locomotive, and they are destined to sit quietly and let him work or risk being blamed for undermining the partys path to power. During the past two weeks, not all had been smooth sailing behind the scenes after the extent of the changes Gabbay sought became known. The charter regulations have been a source of perpetual headache for his predecessors. Several cliques were formed in a bid to torpedo his planned moves. They all ended in a whimper. With the convention victory under his belt, Gabbay will now have to prove what he is made of. His real test, a cruel and demanding one, began the minute he got the green light from his party. Gabbay will have to prove that he deserves the power he has been handed and that he knows how to take his party to power, that he can surge in the polls and pose a real threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. En route, he will have to do battle within the center-left bloc with the chair of the centrist Yesh Atid, Yair Lapid, who views himself as the camps candidate for the premiership and will not step aside without a fight. Gabbays next challenge is huge, as are expectations of him within his party. Having swept up power almost without breaking a sweat, he must quickly prove that he can deliver in regard to Netanyahu who despite ongoing criminal investigations against him and his associates is still the strongest person in Israeli politics. Since his surprise leadership victory in the July 4 Labor primaries, Gabbay has displayed a mix of self-confidence and arrogance in party matters. He does not consult with Labor Knesset members or with his predecessors. He operates like a one-man commando unit, demanding obedience of those around him. This works for as long as he is considered a young, fresh political promise. Gabbays achievement at the party convention, impressive as it was, did not wipe out what is known as the Labor Partys genetic code, a euphemism for its tendency toward squabbling, deal making and back stabbing. Incumbent Labor lawmakers will gradually experience firsthand the meaning of the power and control the amended charter grants Gabbay to appoint his own people at their expense. If Gabbay fails to rise in the polls, Labor's Knesset members will wage war over their standing on the party list for the next Knesset. If Gabbay decides to promise Ehud Barak the No. 2 slot as his putative minister of defense, for example he will turn Amir Peretz, a former defense minister, into a rabid foe. Peretz has already made clear (in his convention speech) what he thinks of Barak and has warned Gabbay against him: I handed the party to him with 19 Knesset seats, and this two-bit tweeter brought the party down to 13 and almost broke it apart. Gabbay does not appear to be too worried. Now that he holds all the cards, he will probably keep ignoring Peretz and his Knesset colleagues. It is a reflection on his character, but also of his belief that he will be the one to mobilize new voters for the party: Mizrahis (of Middle Eastern origins, like himself) and Israelis on the social and geographic periphery, or in others words, moderate supporters of Netanyahus Likud, dubbed Likud light. In recent weeks, Gabbay has shown an impressive ability to achieve his goals. He does not waste time, refusing to postpone the party convention while deflecting behind-the-scenes maneuvers designed to obstruct his path. He heard from the previous Labor chairs Ehud Barak, Isaac Herzog and Shelly Yachimovich that he will not be able to change things if he doesnt do so at the outset. Start as you mean to go, he was told, or risk getting bogged down in the swamp of petty party politics. Gabbay heard them out and took note. Gabbay is not a brilliant speaker, nor is he weighed down by a heavy agenda. He is a product of the new politics, having morphed within a short time from an almost anonymous figure into the head of a major party, courtesy of social media. Gabbay believes that through new media, he will close the gap with rival parties and garner the support of the masses. After being elected Labor chair, Gabbay said his target will be to win 30 Knesset seats. At the convention, he focused on conveying a message of unity in the ranks, in effect telling the Knesset members and activists that their home needs change and renewal. If we cant bring unity to our party, the public will not believe we can bring unity to Israel. If we arent able to change, why should the public believe we can change the country? Gabbay asked. We are here to bring the people of Israel hope for change I pledge that the Labor Party will restore its position as the home of all Israelis. At the convention, Gabbay was flanked on one side by Herzog, his predecessor, and on the other by Yachimovich, Herzogs predecessor. Peretz and Secretary-General Eran Hermoni, whose wings will also be clipped under Gabbay, sat farther away. In photographs, they appear glum. Those images said it all. As long as Gabbay delivers the goods, this forced truce will be maintained. September 14, 2017 HEBRON, Israel Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman granted Aug. 29 hundreds of Jewish settlers in settlements in the Old City of Hebron independence from the citys municipality affiliated with the Palestinian Authority (PA). His decision raised Palestinian public and official ire due to its serious repercussions on the citys already deteriorating geographic and humanitarian situation. Libermans move would lead to the establishment of an Israeli-run municipality. Settlers would receive services from Israeli authorities, whereas they were previously tied to the Palestinian-run municipality of Hebron granting services to Palestinian residents and settlers alike. Sara Daajna, a resident of the Old City of Hebron, said that the decision pushed Palestinian governmental, factional and civil associations in Hebron to call for meetings because they know the bad implications of the Israeli decision on the citizens. As per the decision, Israel would take administrative control thus preventing the Palestinian-run municipality from providing services due to obstacles from settlers after establishing a new Israel municipality in the Old City of Hebron, she told Al-Monitor. Daajna said, The Israeli decision aims at implementing the settlement vision to evacuate the Old City of its citizens and Judaize it, and thus transfer the privileges of Palestinian citizens and Jewish settlers to Israelis. The new decision is dangerous, and everyone [involved] should be held accountable. Daajna said that the repercussions of the decision on the ground will be worse than ever, noting, "The Israeli blockade on the Old City of Hebron persists as dozens of checkpoints are spread throughout. Citizens are facing a clampdown, and the decision will add insult to injury. Walid Assaf, the head of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor that the Israeli decision will divide Hebron and pave the way for the Judaization and division of the Old City. Assaf said, The decision will affect the lives of thousands of citizens in the Old City and its surroundings as well as the workers and home owners. It will also affect the interaction between the different neighborhoods of Hebron and will strip the municipality of its properties and transfer them to settlers as per the comprehensive settlement plan. It will also increase pressure on citizens to expel and forcibly displace them. In January 1997, the PA signed the Protocol Concerning the Redeployment in Hebron with Israel to divide the security control of the city. Area H1 was put under the security and administrative control of the PA, while Area H2 falls under the Palestinian administrative control and Israeli security grip, in the presence of international observers. The Old City is located in Area H2, where Jewish settlers and Palestinian citizens live. The director of the legal department of the Gaza-based International Commission to Support Palestinian People's Rights, Islam Sukkar, told Al-Monitor, Israels latest decision annuls the protocol it signed with the PA and transfers the Palestinian administrative control to a municipality Israel will build for settlers in Hebron. He added, The illegal measures and policies that Israel took against Palestinian citizens and land by transferring some settlers to the Palestinian territories and expelling the citizens of the occupied land violate the provisions of international law and the United Nations resolutions, as well as the PA-Israel agreements such as the Hebron protocol. Legally, this shows that Israel does not respect bilateral understandings. Sukkar believes the Israeli decision proves that the presence of Israeli settlers in Hebron reflects Israels serious violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention provisions (1949) and the additional first protocol appended to it, describing it is a war crime. Sukkar added that the Israelis will suffer the consequences of their decision, saying, The implementation of the decision will prevent the Hebron municipality from providing the needed protection for the city. It will also grant the settlers municipality the right to own lands, properties and spaces, under the pretext of public interest when in fact its objectives are settlement expansion, imposing taxes on Palestinian citizens, restricting their movement and isolating them from the other parts of Hebron. Bilal al-Shawbaki, the head of the political sciences department at the faculty of law and political sciences at Hebron University, told Al-Monitor, Israel wants to tell Palestinians that it will continue entrenching its powers and undermining Palestinian existence. He added, The negotiations and a settlement as an option to manage relations between Israel and Palestinians have gone downhill. Whats worse, the recent Israeli policy is aimed at winning over the extreme right in Israel and promoting the stability of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Shawbaki noted that the PA cannot do much on the ground in its current structure. It can, however, take serious steps to financially support the citizens of the Old City and Tel Rumeida in Hebron. He added, The PA should announce new options beyond the two-state solution and should take advantage of the Israeli policies to justify its new stance before the international community. However, Israel is still safe from any serious international action to control it. Member of the PLO's Central Committee Ahmad Majdalani told Al-Monitor, Israels new decision is different from past ones. The settlers municipality to be established has the right to use the properties of absent citizens. Each empty house would be under the control of settlers who barely amount to 400 people. This aims at connecting the Old City to Kiryat Arba [Israeli settlement on the outskirts of Hebron] and expanding the settlement space to reach the center of Hebron. He noted, The PA needs to take serious steps; condemnation and disdain are no longer sufficient. New sanctions must be imposed on Israel, and it must be held accountable. The PA is moving on all levels, which is pivotal. The United States is playing a key role in convincing Israel to halt settlements, and the door is open for the PA to address human rights groups and the International Criminal Court. September 14, 2017 As the Kurdish independence referendum draws near in Iraq, a war of words is threatening to grow into violence. Some Iraqi paramilitary factions under the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) are increasing their warnings against the vote, and some Kurds are responding with talk of resorting to weapons. Iraqs parliament voted Sept. 14 to dismiss the governor of Kirkuk province, who favors Kurdish independence, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) responded by announcing it is ending its partnership with Baghdad. Reuters reported that the decision to remove the governor, Najmaldin Karim, "comes after Kirkuk an oil-rich province claimed by both the central government in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq decided to take part in a referendum set for Sept. 25 on Kurdish independence." Meanwhile, Karim is ignoring his ouster. This all could lead to a new spiral of violence even before the country rids itself of the Islamic State (IS). The Imam Ali Division, an armed Shiite faction in Iraq backed by Iran and very close to former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, warned Sept. 3 that it will attack Kirkuk if the city is annexed to Kurdistan or to whatever independent state that might be established as a result of the referendum. The division's spokesman, Ayoub Faleh (also known as Abu Azrael), hinted that Iran has given the unit the green light to attack Kirkuk if it decides to secede from Iraq. Kirkuk belongs to Iraq," Abu Azrael said. "We would by no means give up on Kirkuk even if this were to cause major bloodshed." Abu Azrael confirmed he was speaking in his official capacity as the faction's spokesman and commander of its special forces. Hadi al-Amiri, secretary-general of the Badr Organization, an Iraqi political party close to Iran, said his group also will take up arms if Kurdish parties pursue their separatist projects. We will resort to arms if we [as Iraqis] establish a federal system on an ethnic or sectarian basis, Amiri said in a Sept. 4 interview with the Kurdish channel Rudaw. Iran is fiercely opposed to Kurdistan's independence projects, including the referendum, and is particularly against Kirkuks participation. On Aug. 30, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasimi said the decision to include Kirkuk in the referendum is a serious and provocative issue. Maysam Behravesh, an expert on international relations at Sweden's University of Lund, told Al-Monitor by phone, Given Iran's troubled history with Kurds inside and outside of its territory, it will not tolerate a newborn Kurdish independent state, and one presumably close to its arch-foe Israel at that." Behravesh, who closely follows Iran's foreign policy, added, I think if the Kurds either declare independence or take Kirkuk out of Iraqi hands, Iran will be unlikely to intervene directly to oppose or reverse these moves. Yet it will probably act by proxy and unleash its Shia paramilitary forces against the Kurdistan government." On Sept. 12, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution opposing the referendum and asked the administration to order all necessary measures to protect Iraq's territorial integrity. The Kurdish parliamentary blocs refrained from voting on this issue. Not all Kurds support the referendum. Yet the Kurdish parties take these threats seriously. Mahmoud Senkawi, a commander of the Kurdish peshmerga forces and member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) political bureau, warned Sept. 8 against an attack on Kirkuk on the day of the referendum, calling on Kurdish parties to take caution. KRG President Massoud Barzani said in a Sept. 9 TV interview that Kurds are ready to respond in kind should any party enter Kirkuk by force. Many Kurdish parties believe that Iraq's deployment of forces outside the city of Hawija in preparation for that citys liberation from IS poses a threat to thec city of Kirkuk. Once Hawija is liberated, Iraqi forces will be only about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Kirkuk city. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said during his weekly press conference Sept. 6 that Hawija's liberation will be in the hands of Iraqi forces and will not involve peshmerga forces. In other words, Kurdish forces are not to advance from their current positions as Iraqi forces move toward them. In anticipation of these developments, Kurdish authorities deployed additional military forces in Kirkuk province, according to Maj. Islam Zebari, a peshmerga forces officer. Kurdish war journalist Rebin Rozhbayane also confirmed the move to Al-Monitor. Zebari told Al-Monitor that Shiite factions cannot control Kirkuk. Kirkuk is a sacred city for Kurds, which is why authorities in Kurdistan have taken care of it. There are large forces with sophisticated weapons in Kirkuk, not to mention the strong will of the peshmerga forces in comparison with [Iraq's] [PMU], which lack a unified command. He added, It is difficult for them to control Kirkuk, as the geographical location of Kirkuk and its outskirts favors the peshmerga forces. We are on the defensive, and they are on the offensive." This view was supported by Hassan al-Hajjaj, director of the Tactical Experts Cell, which deals with military and security issues in Iraq. There are peshmerga units that are well-trained by US and German forces. Although their tanks are old, these units have heavy weapons, heavy machine guns and modern anti-tank missiles, Hajjaj told Al-Monitor. But this does not mean that Iraq's pro-Iranian PMU can't threaten Kirkuk. Hajjaj said, These factions have the same weapons that the peshmerga forces have, but in smaller quantities. This is why these factions do not seem to have the strength to control the city of Kirkuk, especially considering that the peshmerga forces have a popular base in this city. [The PMU] can, however, attack areas such as Tuz Khormato, which is not fully controlled by the peshmerga. Add to this that the PMU is popular among the Turkmen Shiites in these areas. In recent years, some Shiite factions clashed on several occasions with peshmerga forces in Tuz Khormato, south of Kirkuk. Conflicts of interests and goals will seemingly lead parties that fought IS together to point guns at each other and prevent Iraq from enjoying a period of peace following decades of devastating wars and crises. September 13, 2017 Lebanon paid tribute Sept. 8 to the soldiers who fell during the army's latest offensive against the Islamic State and those executed by the terrorist group after their kidnapping three years ago in 2014. The debate is still ongoing in the political and media arenas on the implications of the successful military operation for Hezbollah and Lebanon's defensive strategy, based thus far on the army-people-resistance triptych. The legitimacy of Hezbollah's involvement in Syria has been built on the rhetoric of protection of Lebanon from so-called "takfiri" groups, a leitmotif that had gained wide popularity, including among some segments of the population traditionally hostile to Hezbollah. Since the Fajr al-Jorud operation launched on Aug. 19 on the outskirts of the villages of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek, near the Syrian border, Hezbollah's legitimacy has suffered in the eyes of some observers. The party of Hassan Nasrallah can no longer be regarded as the pre-eminent national military actor, said Aram Nerguizian, a senior associate with the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The army has demonstrated high-level offensive capabilities when an enabling environment is created, he told Al-Monitor. Retired Gen. Khalil Helou told Al-Monitor, The recent military victory is unprecedented in modern history. The army has not been so effective and professional since 1943. The operation, which lasted less than two weeks and according to the army killed more than 150 jihadists, ended with a deal between Hezbollah and IS to evacuate the remaining fighters trapped in a small portion of the zone they previously controlled to the Syrian-Iraqi border. The Lebanese army has carried out several successful operations since Lebanon's civil war ended in 1990. They have taken place near the Palestinian camp of Mieh w Mieh in 1991 and in the region of Danniyeh nine years later, followed by Nahr al-Bared in 2007 against Fatah al-Islam as well as another successful 2013 operation against the Salafist group of Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir in Saida. It imposed a draconian security plan in the city of Tripoli in 2014, amid the Syrian conflict and the consequent armed clashes that arose between the Alawite Jabal Mohsen and Sunni Bab el-Tabbaneh neighborhoods. But the last battle won by the army has special dimensions: the identity of the enemy the most notorious terrorist group in the world since al-Qaeda and also the speed and efficiency of the operation. Only seven soldiers were killed, according to Col. Fadi Abou Eid in a phone interview. Some equipment is on par with that of the most powerful armies in the region, said Helou. With AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and a M141 bunker buster, a single-shot shoulder-launched weapon designed to destroy fortified structures, the Lebanese army had never had such powerful and modern weaponry as that it received from the United States. The Hellfire missiles are owned by only five countries around the world, while the M141 bunker busters do not exist in any other country except Lebanon outside of the United States, insisted Helou. Yet the supremacy of the army is not unanimously acknowledged among the Lebanese. According to Pierre Abi Saab, deputy editor of the pro-Hezbollah daily Al-Akhbar, The victory of the army would not have been possible without the support of Hezbollah. He added, The party's involvement in Syria since 2013 and its multiple victories have weakened IS and hence created a favorable environment for the success of the army during the last operation which took place without any real fights, as the group was already waning, while Hezbollah and the Syrian army were conducting a simultaneous battle on the other side of the border in the western part of Qalamoun. The army also fought this last battle in no-mans land for the first time in decades, having been progressively deployed over the Syrian border. The majority of the border is now under the purview of the army. The first land border regiment is stretched from Arida to Wadi Khaled, while the second controls the area from Wadi Khaled to Arsal, the third from Masnaa to Rachaya, and the fourth which has been gradually building up its forces this year will be deployed between Arsal and Masnaa. The Lebanese army has every intention of bringing the border security regime it has been building up since 2012 to completion as soon as possible, explained Nerguizian. For Helou, the armys increasing military power, thanks to the United States $1.2 billion in financial support since 2008, confirms the long-standing balance of power between Hezbollah and the army in favor of the latter. He went on, The army now has M109 155 mm self-propelled GPS-controlled artillery as well as combat aircraft, which Hezbollah does not own. These weapons are incomparable in terms of firepower and precision to the Katyusha rockets. Abi Saab disagreed, explaining, First, because the two entities are complementary and not interchangeable, as was proven on the ground during the battle in Arsal and other operations, where Hezbollah played a leading role. Second, he said, The Lebanese army, as competent and capable as it is, does not have 10% of Hezbollahs ground experience acquired in Yemen, Iraq and Syria nor the spirit of martyrdom and resistance that characterizes the party and its fighters. According to him, there is a clear strategy to create tension between the army and Hezbollah. "The US military command in the Middle East contacted its Lebanese counterparts before and during the anti-IS operation, asking them to express their total independence from Hezbollah, he said. Beyond the geopolitical game and the cold war between Washington and Tehran, which supports Hezbollah, to strengthen one entity over the other, one thing is sure. If the army's capabilities are no longer in question, the victory on the field during the last operation did not translate into a political gain for the Lebanese state. The final stage of the battle was finally suspended, against the Americans' wishes and objectives, due to negotiations conducted by Hezbollah and the Syrian regime with IS for an exchange of information and prisoners in exchange for the evacuation of IS fighters to the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor. This unprecedented agreement allowed Hezbollah to force an end to an operation against a terrorist group by the national army and its political command. The deal was, however, double-edged. It also discredited the party, accused by some Iraqis and Lebanese of having flirted with the devil. For many observers, including former military officers, in the absence of a clear local political will to monopolize political and military decisions, Hezbollah will continue to act freely, while the gradual deployment of the army along the border will not prevent the free movement of combatants and weapons to and from Syria. Despite the existence of border regiments and watchtowers provided by the British to prevent smuggling, Hezbollah fighters still cross the border, while weapons are transported through areas where the army has no presence, under the implicit blessing of the government, concluded Helou. September 15, 2017 MOSCOW Russia has been busy. Really busy. The past couple of weeks have arguably been the countrys most bustling period on the Middle East track: On Sept. 12, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu paid a snap visit to Damascus. In his second trip to the region during the past two weeks, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the southern resort city of Sochi. Top representatives of both Khalifa Hifter of the Libyan National Army and Fayez al-Sarraj of the Libyan Presidential Council met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow, with the latter representative also attending to Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov in Grozny. All this activity provides plenty of food for thought on what Russia is up to in the Middle East. What made Shoigus Syria visit exceptional among this flurry of events was that its secrecy was strictly guarded the public and the press only learned about the visit after Shoigu had already spoken with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The Russian Defense Ministry later issued a five-line statement saying Shoigu and Assad discussed their military and technical cooperation to eliminate the [Islamic State (IS)] in Syria. Other matters they discussed, the statement said, included stabilizing Syria, the functioning of de-escalation zones and ensuring humanitarian aid to civilians. Assads office added that the meeting focused on recapturing Deir ez-Zor from IS and strengthening efforts to combat terrorism in all Syrian territory until its utter annihilation." Several days after the meeting, experts and policymakers are still unsure what to make of the visit and whether theres a big new Russian move behind it that would shake up the dynamics in Syria. There are a number of potential explanations at this point that can be roughly packaged into the three following theories. First, the visit had symbolic meanings. Moscow wanted to send a message loud and clear to Assad and the rest of the world that even though the Syrian president has made the Kremlin uneasy on occasion, it still sees him as the sole legitimate leader of Syria and the commander in chief to be taken seriously. Others in the Russian expert community see another symbol in Shoigus visit: The presence of the top Russian general was meant to boost the morale of Syrian troops battling IS for Deir ez-Zor with Russian air cover, and to mark a key milestone of what Shoigu himself called in August an end in the Syrian civil war, with more focus placed on the fight against IS. A second theory suggests that as the top Russian military man, Shoigu came to Syria to inspect the state of affairs within the Russian forces themselves. A source close to Russian diplomatic circles who spoke with Al-Monitor not for attribution said, In recent weeks Russians have suffered big losses. Besides, there are some internal army proceedings that Shoigu needed to fix. The source gave no details. Andrei Frolov, a military analyst and editor-in-chief of the Russian journal Eksport Vooruzheny (Arms Export), told Al-Monitor its normal for the head of the Defense Ministry to inspect his countrys forces and meet with the leader of a foreign country where the troops are fighting especially since he hasnt been there in a long time. Indeed, the last time Shoigu visited Syria to meet with Assad and inspect the Khmeimim airbase was in June 2016. The third theory the one most discussed and most intelligent is that Shoigu was there to discuss the presence of Russian military police in the Idlib de-escalation zone an issue Moscow hoped to nail down in Sept. 14-15 talks in Astana, Kazakhstan. No sooner was the Shoigu-Assad meeting made public than the Russian expert community speculated that Russian military police had been stationed at some of the areas checkpoints. Frolov, however, dismissed this theory: In order to get a few policemen stationed across Idlib, there was absolutely no need for a military official the level of Shoigu to come over. This could easily be done on the ground without his personal involvement. Frolov points to another issue, raised by the French journal Intelligence Online a while ago, about the dispute between Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Russian Defense Ministrys Main Operational Directorate, and Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani. The alleged dispute was over the future composition of the Syrian armed forces. I believe the talks over the future of Syria are coming up to the highest levels now, said Frolov, who said this argument was among potential issues on the agenda during Shoigu's visit. Another Russian source with rare insight to the Shoigu-Assad meeting told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the meeting was, among other things, about ensuring that Iranians [and their affiliates] do not come closer than 40 kilometers [25 miles] to the border with Jordan and Israel otherwise it would continue to trigger Israeli bombing campaigns. The most important issue on the agenda, according to the source, was whether Russians should cross the Euphrates River amid [rumored] US warnings that it would bomb Syrian [regime] and pro-Iranian forces if they do. The United States is supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-Arab alliance that opposes the regime, as they advance toward Deir ez-Zor in an effort to capture the Euphrates River valley. So far, Russian and American flights have been operating in very close proximity over the skies of Deir ez-Zor. Theres an understanding that in order to [seize Deir ez-Zor] successfully, Russians have to start bombing to the north of the Euphrates River, but Moscow is still hesitant to do it and I am not sure they reached any decision at the meeting, he added. Two retired Russian military men who usually share their insights on Russian policies in Syria with Al-Monitor declined to comment on this visit, with one saying he wouldnt want to speculate on such a sensitive issue and the other suggesting that we will soon see the results of the talks whatever they are on the battlefield. September 14, 2017 Genocide is not a word Turks like to remember or use much because it brings to mind the most controversial issue of the country's history. Discussion of the Armenian genocide, a characterization of the tragedy that befell the Ottoman Armenians in 1915, is blasphemous for many Turks and, above all, for nearly all of Turkeys political leaders, irrespective of their political conviction. However, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hasn't refrained from using the word genocide when he is outraged by calamities that befall Muslim peoples around the world. A couple of years ago, to the consternation of Chinese leaders, he used the word for the troubles taking place in Xinjiang, also known as East Turkestan. He had spoken of genocide perpetrated against Uighurs, referring to the Muslim Turkic community of China. The word had been deleted from his lexicon for quite some time. Now, it's back. When the plight of the Rohingya people, the Muslim minority in Myanmar (formerly Burma) living next to the border with Bangladesh, made the news all around the world, he reacted with anger. There is a genocide there, he said. Speaking at his ruling Justice and Development Party's Eid al-Adha celebration in Istanbul, he didn't hesitate to criticize the passivity of the Muslim world and the alleged indifference of the West. They remain silent toward this. All those looking away from this genocide carried out under the veil of democracy are also part of this massacre. He then dispatched his wife, Emine, and his elder son, Bilal, to Bangladesh in a high-profile visit to observe the situation of Rohingya Muslims fleeing across the border. That was the first ladys second visit to the Rohingya people; her first was in August 2012, when Rohingya Muslims were attacked by Myanmars Buddhists and armed forces. At that time, her daughter Sumeyye and then-Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accompanied her. One of Erdogans sycophants in the government-controlled media has now called on the Norwegian Nobel Committee to take back the peace prize from the 1991 laureate, Myanmars de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and give it to Emine Erdogan. Suu Kyi received the prize for her courageous, nonviolent campaign for human rights and democracy, though she is being widely criticized now for her perceived apathy about the Rohingya crisis. The president's consistent concern and sensitivity for the saga of the Rohingya people seemingly has to do more with his striving to become the champion of the worlds Muslims. His star has dimmed in the international arena, particularly in the Western world, and the turmoil in Myanmar presented him with a perfect public relations opportunity. A shrewd politician with roots in political Islam, Erdogan did not miss that chance, as speaking up could be regarded as a wise move to place him and Turkey on the moral high ground in the international political scene. However, it's doubtful his Rohingya stance will be able to salvage his heavily tarnished reputation. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Raad al-Hussein, speaking before the Human Rights Council session Sept. 11, started his speech with a reference to the developments in Myanmar, saying, Another brutal security operation is underway in Rakhine State this time, apparently on a far greater scale. The prince, after citing human rights violations in a number of countries, unexpectedly mentioned Turkey in the context of Myanmar. Concern by Turkey's leadership for the human rights of the Rohingyas and others in foreign countries is deeply welcome, he said. I encourage the government to exercise the same consideration for the human rights situation within Turkey, which continues to deteriorate. I urge the Turkish government not to renew the state of emergency at the end of its term next month. In the meantime, my office will soon release a report on the human rights consequences of the state of emergency. Moreover, the official Myanmar line on the Rohingya issue has a striking resemblance to the state of affairs between Turkish authorities and the Kurds. John Reed wrote in The Financial Times, Aung San Suu Kyi has long echoed the official [insult] that the Rohingya are Bengali nationalists being stirred to sedition by terrorists. Burmese nationalism and Buddhist extremism have surged with democratization and the spread of communication technology in the former pariah state. It's well-known that Turkish officials see most Kurdish demands as illegitimate and the product of Kurdish nationalism aimed at breaking apart Turkey. They consider Kurdish insurgents terrorists. Given the millions of supporters of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), the third-largest force in the Turkish parliament, whose leader and 12 deputies are in jail, Erdogans qualification of the Rohingyas plight as genocide is not convincing. The practices underway against the Kurds, according to the HDP, are not much different. According to UNICEF, more than 370,000 people about 60% of them children have fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh in less than three weeks. Many more reportedly remain trapped. The military operation of the Myanmar security forces is ostensibly a reaction to the Aug. 25 attacks by Rohingya militants against 30 police posts. In Turkey, between July 2015 and December 2016, the resistance in a number of Kurdish-inhabited towns, including Cizre, Sur, Nusaybin and Sirnak, were disproportionately suppressed by the security forces. As a result, between 355,000 and 500,000 people were displaced, according to a detailed report by the UN Human Rights Office. Such inconsistencies do not seem to deter Erdogan from carrying the banner of the Rohingya. He said the Rohingya issue will be discussed in detail when world leaders convene for the UN General Assembly gathering Sept. 19-25 in New York. Yet those inconsistencies may cost him his ambitious objective: leadership of the worlds Muslims. Gov. Kay Ivey attended the groundbreaking this morning of New Flyer's $25 million expansion project in Anniston, taking the opportunity to trumpet the state's newest unemployment rate numbers. New Flyer, the largest transit bus manufacturer in North America, announced a two-tiered expansion that is already taking shape at its Anniston plant. Work will begin soon on a new weld shop which company officials said could potentially lead to the creation of a new shift and hundreds of jobs. But next month will see the opening of New Flyer's Vehicle Innovation Center, or VIC, which the company says could completely transform the future of autonomous and zero emissions bus technology. Wayne Joseph, president of New Flyer's transit bus business, said Anniston was chosen for the project from about nine sites around North America. "We looked at California which seems to be very active in transit buses, but at the end of the day, we chose Anniston," Joseph said. "We just love Alabama. It was the right choice." Anniston's plant currently builds about 15 buses a week. Out of an estimated 44,000 mass transit buses in North America's major cities, New Flyer has made about half, company officials said. Paul Soubry, CEO of the NFI Group, said the VIC was created to position the company at the forefront of technological and vehicle advances. "We're not going to let the future happen, we're going to make it happen," he said. "The next chapter begins now." The expansion will add about 76,000 square feet, increasing New Flyer's Anniston complex to almost 380,000 square feet. Ivey, who arrived at the plant gathering in one of the company's electric buses, praised New Flyer for choosing Alabama for its expansion, which means "good paying jobs for our people." "New Flyer's increased presence in Alabama will bolster the economy and serve as a proving ground for U.S. advanced technology," Ivey said. Speaking to the plant's workers, Ivey also took a moment to deliver good economic news - Alabama's unemployment rate for August was slightly below the national average, at 4.2 percent, the lowest in a decade. She called this "huge, good news." "The word is out there that emerging businesses can come to Alabama and grow and invest," she said. The Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department has conducted training sessions for 20 firefighters from the Monrovia, Harvest, Tony, Triana and Trinity Volunteer Fire Departments during the past two months. The exercises included subjects such as fire growth, roof ventilation, ladder deployment, search and rescue, hose advancement and fire suppression. The training concluded Saturday Sept. 9th with a live fire practice burn at an abandoned house on Old Monrovia Road. Several training scenarios took place where fires inside the structure were purposely lit and then extinguished. Each scenario built upon another. The amount of live fire determined how each responding team would work together and size up the situation, advance the hose line and attempt to prevent the fire from spreading any further than the contained room it was engulfing. Once the team put out each fire the instructors would critique the response, the suppression and communication skills that the advancing team delivered. The training provided an opportunity to instill confidence and tactics that usually cannot be conveyed in a classroom setting. Following the live fire exercises, the fire was allowed to advance, take over and burn down the house. Firefighters evacuated the structure and controlled the burn from outside. Monrovia Fire/Rescue was fortunate to have this house to use as a training exercise. Donations of structures such as this bring a higher level of training that can be shared with other departments to polish the craft of firefighting and to better protect the Monrovia and surrounding communities. Separate drug operations in western Alabama this week led to the arrests of four people and the seizure of drugs, cash and guns. The raids were carried out Wednesday, Sept. 13, at a home in Tuscaloosa, and Thursday, Sept. 14, at a home in Duncanville, said Tuscaloosa Police Lt. Teena Richardson. Task force agents confiscated nearly $80,000 in illegal drugs ranging from heroin to marijuana. On Thursday, the lawmen executed a search warrant on a residence in the 8400 block of Rutherford Drive in Duncanville. During the search, agents seized 5.5 ounces of heroin, 1 gram of methamphetamine Ice, 1 gram of marijuana, four oxycodone pills, and assorted drug paraphernalia with a combined street value of $24,000. Daniel Wayne Jacobs, 37, was arrested at the Duncanville home. He is charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, failure to affix tax stamp, two counts of trafficking in heroin, two counts of unlawful possession of marijuana, two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is set at $3.095 million. Anita Charlene Barbee, 40, also was arrested in the Duncanville raid. She is charged with failure to affix a tax stamp, trafficking in heroin, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond is set at $1.53 million. The following day, a month-long investigation led to the arrests of two more people. That search warrant was carried out at a residence in the 1500 block of Second Avenue in Tuscaloosa. As task force agents arrived on the scene, they said 46-year-old Marlon O'Neal Prentice was trying to leave. He was detained. During the search, authorities confiscated 5 pounds of marijuana and about 6,500 Alprazolam pills worth a combined street value of $53,000. They also seized a 12-gauge shotgun, a semi-automatic handgun and $3,201 in cash. Prentice is charged with failure to affix a tax stamp, trafficking in marijuana, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence. He is in the Tuscaloosa County Jail on $1.53 million bond. Also arrested at the Tuscaloosa location was Larhonda Murray, 44. She is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $20,000. The Huntsville city hall annex, the sister building adjacent to the towering administration building on Fountain Circle, will soon be torn down. The building, which has been closed and fenced off for several months, is costly to keep online and General Services Director Jeff Easter said the city is under an order from the state to remove its long-dormant elevators. The city council approved on Thursday a $45,000 contract with Fuqua & Partners to design a plan to remove the building. The building - part of the municipal complex built in the 1960s - formerly housed the city jail as well as the police department, fire department and municipal court. It's also on the site of a planned private development that's part of a downtown master plan adopted by the city council earlier this year. Eventually, the master plan calls for a new city hall to be built on the site of the current parking deck across Fountain Circle from the current city hall. In advocating for the building to be torn down, Mayor Tommy Battle told the council the jail on the top floor "is a creepy place." "It's time to get rid of it," Battle said. "It's going to be a blight in the future and it's very costly for us to keep up right now. It has a lot of old memories for some of us who were around a long, long time ago. But its memories are not outweighed by the cost." Easter said the demand from the state to remove the elevators should expedite the building's removal, though the design contract would be in place for whenever the council determined to remove the building. "It would be our recommendation that we demolish the building sooner rather than later," he said. "We are currently under demand by the state of Alabama to remove the elevators in the building. There is a state law that says elevators can be out of service for only a limited amount of time and we have exceeded that time. "There is a cost to remove elevators to comply -- $20,000. We don't feel it's prudent to pay $20,000 to remove the elevators and then turn around and demolish the building." There is more to removing the building that simply tearing it down, City Administrator John Hamilton said. The sister buildings are tethered by utilities and the elevation drop from Fountain Circle to the annex's ground level on Church Street could cause safety issues that must be addressed. And, Hamilton said, the cost to keeping an unused building online is unwise. "Even if council took a vote and said we never want to build a new city hall, we would still need to demolish that annex portion of the building because of its condition," he said. "It will be a complex demolition project. It will have to be done in a way that the existing city hall is preserved." Victims of trafficking rings say the networks operate anonymously in shisha bars and coffee shops in Yemen and Egypt. The scars from Adnan Alis recent kidney surgery are fading, but his emotional pain lingers. Ali who is unemployed, divorced and in his early thirties recently found himself facing a stark choice. He could either sign up to fight with the Houthi rebels on the front lines of the war in Yemen, seek work in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, or sell his organs. There are no jobs, and my wife left me for another man, Ali said despondently from his postoperative bed in Yemens Bani Matar district, southwest of the capital Sanaa. After more than two years of war, many working-class Yemenis have turned to selling grocery items and khat a mild, chewable narcotic to make a meagre living. Others have opted to sell their organs to survive. READ MORE: What its like to be a cancer patient in Yemen today In Alis case, he told Al Jazeera that a Yemeni-Egyptian taxi driver who moonlights as an organ broker used to wait outside the Sanaa passport office, where he stalked and questioned Ali, then preyed on his financial insecurities, persuading him to sell his kidney. Ali had gone to the passport office with a plan to visit Saudi Arabia; upon discovering this, the broker showed Ali his own scars and said he had earned enough money from selling his kidney to get married and buy a car. The broker organised Alis passport, contacted an Egyptian organ dealer, and created a fake medical report attesting that Ali was suffering from an illness that required travel to Cairo for medical treatment. The broker and Ali agreed on a $10,000 payment for Alis kidney, which was destined for an elderly man from Kuwait. In Cairo, Ali recalled staying in a small, dilapidated rental apartment in the bustling Giza district for 25 days, while his expenses were covered by the trafficking ring. He was prevented from going outside. Alis case is not unique. Although the scope of the organ trade among desperate Yemenis is unclear, other victims of trafficking rings told Al Jazeera that the networks operate anonymously in inconspicuous shisha bars and coffee shops in Yemen and Egypt. Ali said that the doctor who performed his operation did not warn him of the potential consequences and there was no postoperative care. Patients are compelled to sign a contract that states, It is not our responsibility if complications arise after the surgery, he added. Once the surgery was done, and I received the money, I was on my own, Ali said. More than 20 million Yemenis currently need humanitarian assistance, according to the UN, while it is estimated that the Yemeni Central Banks foreign exchange reserves have dropped from $4.7bn in late 2014 to less than $1bn in September 2016. Salaries for health facility staff, teachers and other public-sector workers have been paid irregularly since September 2016, leaving more than a million state employees and their families without a regular income. Last month, activists on Facebook circulated a photograph of a Yemeni female teacher allegedly offering one of her kidneys for sale, with the caption: This is what a deceptive government with false legitimacy has led us to. I am offering one of my kidneys for sale to save my children from hunger. Salary is life. READ MORE: What is fuelling Yemens cholera epidemic? Wahag al-Maqtari, founder of the Sobol al-Haya Critical Care Hospital in Sanaa, told Al Jazeera that a majority of the victims of organ trafficking in Yemen are men, usually between the ages of 28 and 40. While he could not pinpoint how many Yemenis had resorted to selling their organs, he suggested that from what he has witnessed anecdotally, it appeared it was being carried out on an unprecedented scale. The Yemen Organisation for Combating Human Trafficking, a Sanaa-based non-governmental organisation, has documented 300 cases of organ sales in Egypt since the start of the war in March 2015. This does not reflect a change from the previous five years, but according to the NGO, the real numbers could be much higher, as many cases are going unreported due to the illegality of the practice and religious concerns. Ninety percent of Yemenis who sold their organs have travelled to Egypt, Nabil Fadhil, the organisations founder, told Al Jazeera. The most frequently traded organs include kidneys, liver lobes and corneas, and the price paid to the donor varies, he said. There likely would have been more surgeries outside of Yemen had it not been for the airport closures implemented last year, but some desperate families still make the journey, Fadhil added. Even if done inside Yemen, Maqtari said, the surgeries are carried out surreptitiously. Patients dont approach us directly, he said. They do this with the help of broker networks, and it becomes obvious. A few operations are done in big hospitals with proper medical care; the majority are done in unlicensed or makeshift operation theatres with inadequate equipment or staff, Maqtari added. Only 45 percent of the healthcare facilities in Yemen are fully functional. Under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, approved by the Egyptian parliament in 2010, individuals who sell organs must be penalised but a study carried out by the British Journal of Criminology in 2016 found that rather than tackling the black market organ trade, the law pushed the illegal practice further underground. Elham al-Dulaimi, a doctor at the University of Science and Technology Hospital in Sanaa, told Al Jazeera that her facility upholds a stringent policy by which potential organ donors must obtain permission from judicial authorities before proceeding. Fadhil said that he has documented cases in which Egyptian hospitals have bought organs from Yemenis for $5,000 and then sold them to affluent customers from the Gulf or Western countries for nearly $100,000. READ MORE: Yemen crisis an absolute shame on humanity Khat farmer Hussein Fari Mozghib, a waif-thin man from Ibb with piercing hazel eyes and a delicate bone structure, sold his kidney in October 2014. The $5,000 he received was enough to support his eight-member family for around six months. His joy was short-lived, however, as his health started to suffer. I cannot carry items weighing more than 20 kilogrammes, and in the winter it hurts more, Mozghib told Al Jazeera. When the money ran out, he began working with the trafficking ring and referring cases, earning $1,000 for each person he sent to Cairo. He stopped after being arrested by Yemeni authorities. As Yemens war drags on, the future is anything but certain. But for Adnan Ali, who will soon enter his second marriage with the woman of his dreams and launch a taxi service, there are signs of a brighter future. Arrangements are under way for the wedding, he said, and I am planning to buy a car to run a taxi. I would like the world to help us get our own country back or offer us another country that we could live in. Noor Kajol, 10, comes from Rakhine State, Myanmar, which she fled in recent weeks. My name is Noor Kajol, and I am 10 years old. I was very happy in my old village because I was studying at the madrassa I liked learning about the holy Quran, and I wanted to memorise all of it. I lived with my family; there were seven of us in total. The house was not very big, but I liked living there. We had to flee our homes because the military started shooting us. I was inside the house with my father when they shot him through the window. The bullet hit him in the head, he fell on the floor, and a lot of blood was coming out of his head. I was really scared, and I was crying a lot. We ran away, leaving my father in the house. The military burned the house down, even though my father was still inside. We had to run away to the forest and hide in the trees. We then walked for three days to get to Bangladesh. It was difficult for me because I was hungry and I missed my father a lot. Other people helped us cross the border for free, which was very nice of them. We travelled in a boat with an engine, but I did not enjoy the boat ride because I still missed my father. He was a woodcutter, and everyone liked him. He was a good-natured man, and he loved me a lot. I am very unhappy in Bangladesh because I miss my father so much. It is also very dirty here; there are no toilets or bathrooms. I would like the world to help us get our own country back or offer us another country that we could live in. *As told to Katie Arnold in Kutupalong new shelter camp near Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh. *This interview has been edited for clarity. The plight of Myanmars Rohingya Nearly 400,000 Rohingya, mainly women and children, have fled to Bangladesh in the recent 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 Myanmars Rohingya are This weeks car-ramming attempt in Vancouver, WA is not the first and will not be the last. So who is responsible? On January 29, Fox News republished a post from conservative mouthpiece the Daily Caller (which was originally founded by Fox News host Tucker Carlson) that contained a jocular highlight reel of video clips showing vehicles hitting protesters. The accompanying commentary from writer Mike Raust read, Heres a compilation of liberal protesters getting pushed out of the way by cars and trucks. Study the technique; it may prove useful in the next four years. During that same month, and seemingly inspired by the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock, North Dakota state representative Keith Kempenich from the Republican Party proposed legislation that would waive a motorists liability for any damages caused by striking any person who was obstructing vehicular traffic on a public road, street, or highway, including injury or death. Legislators from multiple states, including North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Rhode Island, and Florida followed suit with similar bills aimed at limiting the liability of any motorist who hits protesters with their vehicle as long as said motorist is exercising due care. While most of these bills failed, North Carolinas passed 67-to-48, and is currently waiting for action in the state senate. As the criminalisation of dissent continues apace under the Trump regime, its almost unsurprising to see this level of animus directed at dissenters, even who chose to protest peacefully but its still shocking. The effect that this outpouring of government, media, and presidential aggression towards protesters has had on the way the public perceives them has yet to be fully understood, but its no real stretch of the imagination to opine that it hasnt exactly helped. The Fox News post remained live until three days after a white supremacist terrorist rammed his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters in Charlottesville, injuring 19 and killing 32-year-old paralegal Heather Heyer. At that point, both Fox News and the Daily Caller quietly removed the video, and Fox News released a statement from Noah Kotch, the editor-in-chief of Fox News Digital, saying, The item was inappropriate and weve taken it down. We regret posting it in January. READ MORE: Charlottesville Witnessing the monstrous attack But, as has become all too apparent, the damage had already been done. The technique that so thrilled Mike Raust and that has been used by terrorists across Europe, the UK, and the Middle East has now become a signature move of American white supremacist terrorists like the one who attempted to mow down a crowd of protesters in in the city of Vancouver, Washington state, this past weekend. With US flags hanging from the sides of his black Chevy Silverado and a Confederate flag sticker proudly affixed to his back window, the driver allegedly put his vehicle in reverse and accelerated towards the protesters, who had gathered to protest a rally by the right-wing group, Patriot Prayer. Witnesses say he then circled the block to confront the angry crowd again, cutting the marchers off. According to local media, Vancouver police initially arrested the driver, but eventually released him without charges. What happened in Charlottesville sent shockwaves through the nation, but James Alex Fields' shocking act of hatred was not the first time that a political extremist had used a car as a weapon on American soil - and as the attempted Vancouver attack shows, it won't be the last, not until legislators and the media take responsibility for their role in the perpetuation of this horrific 'technique'. by Following the charged protests at Berkeley earlier this month, the media latched onto a video shot by Mother Jones journalist Shane Bauer, in which several Antifa activists appear to assault a man on the right-wing side. Many outlets ignored the rest of his reporting and any attempts to contextualise the event, instead zeroing in on the violence. They readily took the opportunity to paint Antifa activists whod received a substantial amount of positive press following Cornel Wests comments on their actions in Charlottesville as an unruly menace. But now that an attempted copycat attack from another white terrorist was narrowly avoided, where is the outrage? Where are the front-page headlines, the op-eds, the cable TV segments? Where is the Tucker Carlson interview with survivors of the Vancouver protest? Save for several write-ups by local news outlets and a mention at the tail end of a Washington Post article, theres been next to nothing. Salon, the Portland Mercury and the Guardian published pieces later on Monday, but the coverage is a mere dribble compared with the floods of negative pieces on the Antifa that have become the norm. The same media outlets who delight in publishing endless depictions of left-wing violence owe it to their readership to do the same when the right wing lashes out. Legislators need to speak out and stand up for their constituents, regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof. The president should roundly condemn right-wing terrorist violence (though given his tepid, divisive response to Charlottesville, perhaps its best he stays mum). Now is the time for Fox News and the Daily Caller to issue a strong, definitive apology for posting the inflammatory, anti-protester footage, to disavow this attack, and to take responsibility for the anti-protester sentiment theyve encouraged. Their silence is deafening, especially as it comes from a source that will trip over itself to howl all lives matter whenever a black or brown person asserts their right to exist. The message thats being conveyed right now is that all lives matter as long as they voted for Trump. What happened in Charlottesville sent shockwaves through the nation, but James Alex Fields shocking act of hatred was not the first time that a political extremist had used a car as a weapon on US soil and as the attempted Vancouver attack shows, it wont be the last, not until legislators and the media take responsibility for their role in the perpetuation of this horrific technique. The Trump Administration made it crystal clear how it feels about dissenting voices quite early on, kicking off its reign with the mass arrest of over 200 J20 protesters at his inauguration and following up with a prolonged war on the free press. Trumps goal is universal adoration and barring that, the silencing of those who refuse to toe the party line. Those in government and the media who support this madness through inflammatory rhetoric, misleading news stories and anti-protester legislation must be held accountable. They have Heather Heyers blood on their hands, and its not going to wash off easily. Kim Kellys writings on music, culture, and politics have appeared in the Guardian, NPR, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, VICE, and Pitchfork, among others. Shes currently an editor at Noisey, VICEs music and culture channel, and is based in New York City. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. The Afghan air force has received its first Blackhawk helicopters from the US, in the latest step towards modernising its fleet. Afghanistan still relies heavily on US airpower, but Afghans are beginning to carry out some operations themselves. The Afghan air force has received its first Blackhawk helicopters from the US, in the latest step towards modernising its fleet. Afghanistan still relies heavily on US airpower, but Afghans are beginning to carry out some operations themselves. The new hardware arrives today, but it will take months before the aircraft can be used, and years before the air force can operate entirely on its own. Al Jazeeras Jennifer Glasse reports from Kandahar. Syrian troops have been on the offensive against ISIL in central Syria for weeks under the cover of Russian air attack. Syrian government forces have pressed their offensive in the province of Hama and captured a new city in Deir Az Zor, aiming to clear the country of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, according to opposition activists and state media. The violence on Friday came as a deal was announced in the Kazakh capital of Astana on de-escalation in the nearby, mostly rebel-held province of Idlib. Syrian troops have been on the offensive against ISIL in central Syria for weeks under the cover of Russian aerial bombardment. READ MORE: Syria diplomatic talks A timeline In August, troops were able to besiege a wide area controlled by the group that has been shrinking ever since. One of the main battles has been taking place near the central town of Okeirbat, which government forces captured in mid-August. Earlier this month, ISIL fighters regained control of the town only to lose it again on Thursday after a crushing attack that involved intense air raids, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Okeirbat was the largest town ISIL held in the central province of Hama. The area is important because it is close to villages loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. If it loses the central region, ISIL will be mostly left in the eastern province of Deir Az Zor as well as a third of the northern city of Raqqa, once the groups de facto capital. The Observatory said on Friday that more than two weeks of fighting has left hundreds dead on both sides. The government-controlled Syrian Central Military Media reported the clashes, saying ISIL positions are being targeted with artillery and rockets. Gains in Deir Az Zor Separately, the government forces also captured a new neighbourhood, al-Bogheliyah, from ISIL in the eastern city of Deir Az Zor, according to Syrian Central Military Media. They have been marching from western parts of the city while US-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been approaching the city from the north. US military spokesman Ryan Dillon said during a Pentagon briefing that the SDF had begun clearing Operations are going on northeast of Deir Az Zor, but that the US-backed fighters have no plans to go into the city, he added. He said that so far the SDF fighters have met light resistance. They have objectives, and they have reached the initial objective of clearing the initial portions of the Khabur River Valley. They have begun that clearance of some of that area, in still ISIS-held territory. Dillons comments appeared to hint that the SDF will leave it to government forces to retake the city. Mohammed Ibrahim Samra, the governor of Deir Az Zour province, said the city has been completely liberated from ISIL. However, despite Samras comments, opposition activists say that ISIL still controls almost 35 percent of the city. A joint statement said on Friday that Turkey, Russia and Iran have agreed on the establishment of a de-escalation zone in Syrias northern province of Idlib during a meeting in Kazakhstans capital Astana. UN says it will investigate latest allegations of mishandling of cases after internal report leaked to US-based NGO. The UN has been hit by a new set of accusations that it mishandled allegations of sexual misconduct against peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR). On Thursday, Code Blue, a campaign by a US-based NGO seeking greater accountability for UN troops, said it had received 14 internal UN reports that detailed fact-finding inquiries into complaints made against troops within the UN peacekeeper mission in CAR (MINUSCA). The reports showed how cases were repeatedly mishandled and botched by UN authorities. Sharanya Kanikkannan, a lawyer with Code Blue, said the UN was filtering out complaints in the early stages and throwing out cases before they could be properly investigated. The filtering ensures that there is no access to justice for the vast majority of victims since they cannot gain access to law enforcement authorities without first convincing UN staff to believe them, Kanikkannan said. If allegations are found to be credible, it is the responsibility of the alleged perpetrators home countries to prosecute them, but if the UN decides that the case is not credible, the case is dropped. Why do some peacekeepers rape? The group said that in eight of the cases, the alleged survivors were not interviewed. Ten of the 14 cases were handled exclusively by UN personnel. One was carried out by authorities from the alleged perpetrators country of origin; the remaining three were joint investigations. Ten of the 14 cases do not appear on the UN website where data is usually released about sexual misconduct cases, Code Blue said. The peacekeepers cited by Code Blue came from Burundi, Cameroon, Egypt, Gabon, Morocco, Niger, Pakistan, Republic of Congo and Zambia. The UN secretary generals spokesperson said on Thursday said the UN was looking into the allegations made by Code Blue, and that he did not believe the leaked files were a representative sample. It is the latest criticism of how sexual abuse has been investigated in the CAR, where the UN peacekeeping mission had the highest number of misconduct allegations in the world last year. The UNs 10,000-strong mission in the CAR has been dogged by accusations of sex abuse since it deployed in 2014 to curb fighting between mainly Muslim Seleka rebels, who had overthrown the president, and Christian militias. Thousands have died, and a fifth of Central Africans have fled violence that broke out in 2013. At least 25 people were killed over the past week as violence continues to erupt in different parts of the country. Do UN peacekeepers do more harm than good? There have been persistent allegations of sexual abuse in the CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti over the past decade. The UN has been accused repeatedly of failing to tackle the issue comprehensively. Earlier this week, the British human rights NGO, Redress, released a report titled Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in Peacekeeping Operations, arguing that UN solutions have been limited and grossly inadequate. The report concluded that there were significant barriers preventing victims from reporting abuse to the UN stemming from limited information about channels to report, fear and the inevitable conflict of interest when the UN receives complaints about the actions of those working under its mandate. Commenting on the report, Carla Ferstman, director of Redress and author of the report, said, It is important that all victims can seek and obtain support and assistance and reparation for the harm suffered. This is not simply a moral obligation on the UN and others setting up and running peacekeeping operations, these are legal responsibilities. The United Nations has vowed to end impunity and to work with the countries contributing peacekeepers to UN missions to do more to combat sexual misconduct among their ranks. In late August, the UN appointed a special coordinator for improving the UN response to sexual exploitation and abuse. The issue is expected to come up next week at the UNs annual General Assembly of world leaders. Additional reporting by Azad Essa @azadessa US president calls historic agreement one of the worst deals Ive ever seen and pledges to act on it in October. President Donald Trump hinted he might move to derail the landmark nuclear agreement with Iran next month. The United States agreed on Thursday to continue for now to exempt Iran from nuclear-related sanctions but slapped new measures on targets accused of cyber-attacks or destabilising the region. The decision to continue to waive the sanctions was expected, but the new sanctions and some tough words from Trump will be seen as a victory for opponents of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Trump is expected to decide before October 15 whether Iran has breached the nuclear agreement, and critics fear he may abandon an accord they say prevents Tehran from building a nuclear bomb. Youll see what Im going to be doing very shortly in October, Trump told reporters travelling with him on Air Force One. The Iran deal is one of the worst deals Ive ever seen. Certainly at a minimum the spirit of the deal is atrociously kept. The Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. Its a deal that should not have ever been made. READ MORE: UN nuclear watchdog defends Iran agreement A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the waiver a holding action. This is the action that the US is taking in the interim while the president and his cabinet come to a final decision in consultation among themselves and in consultation with allies. The Iran deal, approved by Trumps predecessor Barack Obama, was implemented under a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, and enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Under the JCPOA, Iran surrendered much of its enriched uranium, dismantled a reactor and submitted nuclear sites to UN inspection, while Washington and Europe lifted some sanctions. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says Iran has lived up to the terms of the nuclear agreement, but Washington and its allies have been angered by Tehrans other actions. Iran continues to develop and test ballistic missile technology banned under previous UN resolutions, and its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps supports militias in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. Critics say Trump abandoning the deal would pave the way for Iran to resume nuclear enrichment and would send a signal to North Korea and other proliferators that a diplomatic solution can be scrapped at the presidents whim. The consequences of a unilateral withdrawal from the deal would be disastrous, isolating the United States while risking a second nuclear crisis and a disastrous war, said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council and a vocal supporter of the agreement. READ MORE: Trump passes up chance to rip up Iran nuclear deal Obama administration officials who negotiated the deal issued a stark warning that if Trump declares Iran to be in violation of the deal, it could collapse. This could alienate the powers that co-signed the accord Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in London, said Trump would take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just Irans nuclear capabilities. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson agreed that the Iranians have got to behave and fulfil their side of their bargain. They have got to stop adventurist and expansionist plans, causing trouble in Yemen, Syria or anywhere else. But Johnson added: On the other side, we in the UK feel that Iran a country of 80 million people, many of them young and potentially liberal could be won over. I think it is important they see there are benefits from the JCPOA. So we in the UK want that alive. Iran, Turkey and Russia unveil plan in Astana calling for end to hostilities in zones in mainly opposition-held areas. Russia, Turkey and Iran have agreed to set up de-escalation zones in Syria for six months, negotiators for the three countries have said in a joint statement during the sixth round of talks in the Kazakh capital, Astana. The zones will include, fully or partly, Eastern Ghouta and the provinces of Idlib, Homs, Latakia, Aleppo and Hama, according to a statement issued on Friday. The six-month term may be extended in the future. The plan calls for the cessation of hostilities between anti-government groups and forces fighting on behalf of Bashar al-Assad in four so-called de-escalation zones in mainly opposition-held areas of the country, with Russia, Turkey and Iran to act as guarantors. READ MORE: Syrias de-escalation zones explained The statement said representatives from the three countries were still discussing what forces to deploy in Idlib, which is under the control of an alliance spearheaded by the former al-Qaeda offshoot, al-Nusra Front. Delegations from Turkey, Russia and Iran determined the borders of a fourth de-escalation zone that will be established in Idlib province in talks yesterday and today, Anadolu news agency said, citing sources attending the meetings in Astana. The UNs special envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said the creation of a fourth de-escalation zone is a positive development. We really welcome this agreement today because we have always been pushing for de-escalation, he said. This is what the people of Syria haven been asking and the fact of adding new areas to this de-escalation is crucial, Mistura added. It already has reduced fighting in many areas. Turkeys pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said in an unsourced report on Friday that the three countries planned to divide the Idlib region in three, with Turkish forces and opposition fighters in the northwest region bordering Turkey. It said Iranian and Syrian army forces would be deployed to the southeast, with Russian forces in between those two zones. Though the plan for de-escalation zones was signed by Syrian-government backers Iran and Russia in May, diplomats failed to hammer out the details over boundaries and policing during the last round of Astana talks in July. The deal laid out the areas where fighters and government forces should halt hostilities, including air raids, for six months. More than 2.5 million people are believed to live in the zones. This is the first plan to envisage armed foreign monitors on the ground in Syria. Troops from the three countries are expected to help to secure the safe zones. Al Jazeeras Charles Stratford, reporting from Astana, said that the agreement is a sign of progress, but questions loom over its implementation. There are concerns by the opposition with respect to having Iranian forces on the ground as monitors in the designated areas, he said. The opposition is staunchly against any real presence by Iran in Syria. Unhindered humanitarian aid Russia will continue to fly over the areas but refrain from conducting air raids. The Syrian government is to allow unhindered humanitarian aid into opposition-held areas, and public services such as electricity and water are to be restored where they have been cut off. Syrias conflict evolved from a government crackdown on protests in 2011 to become a devastating war that has drawn in world powers, including Russia and a US-led international coalition. Russia has pushed the talks in Astana since the start of the year as it seeks to pacify Syria after its game-changing military intervention in 2015 on the side of Assad. The next round of talks in Astana are scheduled for October Second snap election in less than a year called as one party quits ruling coalition over scandal involving PMs father. Icelands prime minister has called for a snap parliamentary election after one party in the ruling coalition quit the government formed less than nine months ago over a breach a trust. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson said on Friday that he preferred the election to be held in November, just over a year after the last snap vote was held in the country. It came as a considerable disappointment that we seem to be in the same place as after the general elections in 2016, Benediktsson told a news conference in the capital, Reykjavik. We have lost the majority and I dont see anything that indicates we can regain that, he added. I am calling an election. READ MORE: Iceland may become first nation ruled by pirates The government collapsed on Friday after Bright Future left the three-party, centre-right coalition, stripping it of its one-seat parliamentary majority. The outgoing party accused Benediktsson of failing to inform the government that his father had signed a letter to help a convicted paedophile have his criminal record expunged after serving five and a half years in prison. The prime ministers father, an entrepreneur named Benedikt Sveinsson, confirmed on Friday that he had signed a letter supporting his friends application to have his honour restored, a procedure that effectively erases a criminal record. Sveinsson said he had not discussed the letter with anyone. I was shocked to hear that, the 47-year-old Benediktsson said. I could never sign such a letter and I would never defend such a deed. Bright Future said earlier Friday that its executive committee decided to terminate the cooperation with the government because of a serious breach of trust. It is ultimately up to President Gudni Johannesson, whom Benediktsson will meet on Saturday, to make the decision on a new election. Icelands previous government had collapsed over the Panama Papers scandal that embroiled several ministers and forced former Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to resign. Benediktsson, whose name appeared in the Panama Papers scandal that revealed offshore tax havens, had delayed the release of a report on tax evasion during the legislative campaign. The outgoing government would be the shortest living in Icelands history. The leaders of India and Japan have agreed to strengthen defence ties as they seek to counter Chinese influence in the region. Shinzo Abe, Japanese prime minister, was on a two-day visit to India. The leaders of India and Japan have agreed to strengthen defence ties as they seek to counter Chinese influence in the region. Shinzo Abe, Japanese prime minister, was on a two-day visit to India, where he helped launch Indias first bullet-train project, which was made possible by a huge Japanese loan. Al Jazeeras Craig Leeson reports from Tokyo. Kurdish parliament agrees to go ahead with the September 25 vote despite opposition from central government in Baghdad. The parliament of Iraqs autonomous Kurdistan region has approved holding a referendum on independence on September 25 despite growing opposition from Baghdad and neighbouring countries. Kurdish MPs in the regional capital of Erbil, in northern Iraq, convened for the first time in two years on Friday and overwhelmingly decided to go ahead with the vote as planned earlier in the year. The regions vice president, Jaafar Aimenky, who chaired the session, announced the decision after 65 out of 68 politicians present voted in favour of the poll. The central government in Baghdad opposes the referendum, with its parliament having rejected the Kurdish plans in a resolution on Tuesday. Iraqs neighbours, Iran and Turkey, have also expressed their opposition to the plan as they fear an independent Kurdish state could fuel separatism among their own Kurdish populations. READ MORE: Iraq parliament votes to remove Kirkuk governor Fridays vote also followed the removal on Thursday of Najm Eddine Karim as the governor of the Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk. Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), had earlier said on Friday that the vote wont be delayed, despite pressing requests from the United States and other western powers worried that the tension between Baghdad and Erbil would distract from the war on the ISIL group. We still havent heard a proposal that can be an alternative to the Kurdistan referendum, Barzani told a pro-independence rally in the Kurdish town Amadiya. Al Jazeeras Imran Khan, reporting from Erbil, said that despite the vote, there are a number of major obstacles yet to come, especially in the disputed territory of Kirkuk. Ownership of Kirkuk has long been disputed between Iraq and the Kurdish authorities. Though not part of the recognised Kurdistan region of Iraq, the province has a large Kurdish population and is under Kurdish military control. Gorran, the main opposition movement to Barzanis Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), boycotted the parliament session in Erbil. It was a dispute between Gorran and the KDP that caused the assembly to suspend its sessions in 2015. French president calls for removal of sanctions affecting the people of Qatar, in particular families and students. French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the lifting of a Saudi-led embargo on Qatar in effect since June. Macron is calling for the embargo measures affecting the people of Qatar, in particular families and students, to be lifted as quickly as possible, the presidents office said in a statement on Friday after he met Qatars emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Macron expressed his concern over the tensions that threaten regional stability, undermining the political resolution of crises and our collective fight against terrorism, the statement said. READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis All the latest updates Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, accusing Doha of supporting extremism, cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5. The government in Doha strongly denies the accusation. Saudi Arabia and its supporters severed air and sea links with Qatar and Riyadh closed Qatars only land border. Paris backs diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait, a key mediator in the crisis, Macrons office said. Trump to meet Sheikh Tamim Earlier on Friday, in Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said the crisis would be resolved only through quiet diplomacy. We spoke about the need for all the parties to sit at one table again as soon as possible, she said at a joint news conference with Sheikh Tamim. Both Paris and Berlin back diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait, a key mediator in the crisis along with the United States. Meanwhile, the White House said on Friday that US President Donald Trump will meet on Tuesday the Qatari emir on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York. World leaders have condemned North Korea after it conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile, with some calling for even tougher sanctions. Shinzo Abe, Japans prime minister, called on the international community to band together after the projectile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean on Friday. The latest sanctions need to be imposed in full, he said. North Korea needs to be made to understand that if it continues on this path, there is no bright future for it. Al Jazeeras Craig Leeson, reporting from Tokyo, said that the Japanese government had expected the missile launch given North Koreas strong rhetoric on Thursday, threatening to sink the country with a nuclear weapon. READ MORE: North Koreas nuclear weapons: Here is what we know Japan expected this kind of retaliation because of the support it provided to the US with those strengthened sanctions that were pushed through in the UN Security Council on Tuesday. For his part, South Koreas President Moon Jae-in ordered his military to conduct a live-fire ballistic missile drill. Al Jazeeras reporter Andrew Thomas, reporting from Seoul, said: They are demonstrating there that they have the capacity to fire at a launch site immediately or preemptively. They are watching and are ready to respond. Moon said having a dialogue with North Korea is impossible, and the country should face stronger sanctions and pressure from the international community. We should be equipped with protecting ourselves from North Koreas growing nuclear and missile threats and to eliminate those threats by quickly punishing them in cases of provocation against us, he said The White House said US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the latest launch. Trump wants China to do more to rein in North Korea. China, in turn, favours an international response to the problem. James Mattis, the Pentagon chief, said the launch on Friday put millions of Japanese into duck and cover, although residents in northern Japan appeared calm and went about their business as normal after the second such launch in less than a month. Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, called for new measures against Pyongyang and said the continued provocations only deepen North Koreas diplomatic and economic isolation. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own, he said. Taiwan calls meeting Taiwan convened a national security meeting, amid fears of a deterioration in regional security after North Koreas latest missile launch. Our government condemns North Koreas repeated threats of force damaging regional safety and stability, President Tsai Ing-wens office said in a statement. Tsai also called on security and diplomatic agencies to carefully monitor developments and keep close contact with friendly nations to jointly maintain stability and order in the region, according to the statement. The UN Security Council has called for an emergency meeting on Friday. Al Jazeeras Diplomatic Editor James Bays, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said North Koreas missile launch is being seen as an act of defiance by the Security Council. READ MORE: NATO chief calls for united response to North Korea He said the meeting would discuss the situation and the provocative timing of the missile launch, which came just 72 hours after the last Security Council meeting in which additional sanctions were imposed on North Korea. Fridays missile launch also came just days before world leaders meet in New York for the UN General Assembly session, which will be attended by a high-level North Korean delegation led by the countrys foreign minister. While the North Korean delegation typically does not hold meetings with representatives from other countries, Al Jazeeras Bays said that in the past the North Korean foreign minister has met the UN secretary-general. It is possible that there could be a very important meeting with the new secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, he said. Rights groups have condemned the recent arrests by Saudi authorities of dozens of prominent religious figures, intellectuals and activists this week as a coordinated crackdown on dissent. The arrests were made in advance of a call by exiled opposition figures for demonstrations following Friday afternoon prayers, which did not appear to attract much support amid a heavy security deployment. On Sunday, online activists said up to 20 influential Saudi religious scholars had been arrested, including some of the kingdoms most influential preachers. Two days later, there were reports of more detentions of preachers and scholars. READ MORE: IUMS urges Saudi Arabia to free Muslim scholars Human rights NGO Amnesty International on Friday voiced concern over the arrests. In recent years, we cannot recall a week in which so many prominent Saudi Arabian figures have been targeted in such a short space of time, Amnestys Samah Hadid said. The organisation said the rights situation in the Gulf state had deteriorated markedly since Prince Mohammed bin Salman took over as crown prince and heir to the throne on June 21. US-based group Human Rights Watch (HRW) also suggested the arrests could be connected to the princes efforts to consolidate power. These apparently politically motivated arrests are another sign that Mohammed bin Salman has no real interest in improving his countrys record on free speech and the rule of law, said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRWs Middle East director. Whitson added: Outlandish sentences against peaceful activists and dissidents demonstrate Saudi Arabias complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform. Activists this week circulated on social media lists of people detained, including prominent Islamic preachers Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni, as well as some people with no clear links to Islamist activity or obvious history of opposition. READ MORE: Qatar-Gulf crisis All the latest updates Awdah and Qarni, who have millions of followers on social media, were among Saudi scholars who opposed the presence of US troops in the kingdom during the 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait. They have both been accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia has blacklisted as a terror group. The detentions follow widespread speculation, denied by officials, that King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud intends to abdicate to his son, Crown Prince Mohammed, who dominates economic, diplomatic and domestic policy. The Saudi authorities have not commented on the latest arrests of activists. But at the start of the week, the attorney general warned that any attack on national unity or the image of the state amounted to a terrorist crime. Qatari emir restates readiness to sit at the negotiating table during meeting with German Chancellor Merkel in Berlin. The Qatari emir says he is ready to sit at a negotiating table to solve the three-month-long regional crisis. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is on his first foreign trip since Qatars diplomatic rift with its Arab neighbours. As you know we have had a siege of more than 100 days against Qatar, Sheikh Tamim said at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Friday. We spoke about Qatars readiness to sit at the table to solve this issue. Merkels government has announced efforts to mediate in the crisis, which saw Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severing diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June. READ MORE: Qatar presses UN to take action against blockade The Arab states accuse Qatar of backing terrorism, an allegation Qatar denies. Germany has been supporting diplomatic efforts to try and defuse the crisis, with Merkel inviting all sides to sit at the table. She said she was concerned that there was still no solution to the crisis, adding she supported efforts by Kuwait and the US to mediate an end to the dispute. Germany is not a part of this conflict, but would like, in line with its values, to help get this conflict resolved in such a way that all can keep their face, Merkel said. We view with concern the fact that 100 days since the start of the conflict no solutions can yet be seen, Merkel told the joint press conference. And we spoke about the need for all the parties to sit at one table again as soon as possible. READ MORE: All the latest updates of the Qatar-Gulf crisis Sigmar Gabriel, Germanys foreign minister, has said the countrys intelligence service would play a role in clearing up accusations that Qatar supports terrorist groups. Al Jazeeras Dominic Kane, reporting from Berlin, said Germany is attempting to ratchet up diplomatic pressure to get the feuding nations on the same table. The German desire here is to play a more broad role, diplomatically speaking, in the Gulf area and it clearly wants this issue to be dealt with as speedily and peacefully as possible, he said. Sheikh Tamim was expected to fly out to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron later on Friday. Al Jazeeras senior political analyst Marwan Bishara said that momentum seems to be building towards a diplomatic resolution. There is certainly a need to go beyond the last 100 days, now that there is an understanding by every leader around the world that the dispute must be resolved diplomatically, sooner rather than later, he said from London. Al Jazeera tracks the diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the six-year war in Syria. As representatives from the Syrian government and armed opposition groups meet in the Kazakh capital Astana for the sixth round of the Astana talks, Al Jazeera tracks the international initiatives aimed at resolving the six-year Syrian conflict through diplomacy and negotiations. The fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a transitional government have been the main sticking points in negotiations between the two sides. During the five years of diplomatic talks, the government delegation and armed opposition groups have traded barbs, staged walk-outs, and vehemently disagreed on proposed resolutions. More than 465,000 Syrians have been killed in the fighting, more than a million injured and over 12 million Syrians half the countrys prewar population have been displaced from their homes. Though there have been several international initiatives that aimed to bring an end to the war, the two main diplomatic tracks have been the UN-sponsored talks in Geneva, and the talks in Astana, facilitated by Russia and Turkey, who back opposing sides in the war. The talks in Astana are meant to complement the broader political negotiations in Geneva, but have turned out to be more effective. March 2012: Six-point peace plan Kofi Annan, the joint United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria, submitted on March 16 a six-point peace plan to the UN Security Council It also called on all parties to stop the fighting and work with the UN in an inclusive Syrian-led political process to install an effective international supervision mechanism June 2012: Geneva I Based on Annans peace plan, US and Russia officials, along with other major powers, meet in Geneva, Switzerland and agree on a road map for peace, known as the Geneva Communique The document envisions the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers that would oversee elections and put the country on the path to democracy September 2012: Lakhdar Brahimi replaces Kofi Annan as envoy Annan resigns the previous month due to his peace plans inability to secure a lasting ceasefire January 2013: Assads proposed peace plan The Syrian president offers his own peace plan that includes a national reconciliation conference, a new government and constitution The Syrian opposition rejects the peace initiative September 2013: UN Security Council resolution says the Syrian government must dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal January 2014: Geneva II Talks collapse as UN fails to break the deadlock between the opposition and the government The UN blames the Syrian governments refusal to entertain the oppositions demands May 2014: Lakhdar Brahimi resigns, citing impossibility to forge an effective international response to the conflict UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon appoints Staffan de Mistura as Special Envoy for Syria on July 10 June 2014: Assad wins presidential elections Syrian opposition and international backers denounced the election as a farce A few weeks later, the last of Syrias declared chemical weapons shipped out of the country for destruction November 2015: Vienna agreement All 20 members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meet in Vienna and produce an agreement on the need to bring the Syrian government and the opposition to the negotiating table under UN auspices Members affirm their commitment to enforcing the 2012 Geneva Communique for political transition and a nationwide ceasefire December 2015: UNSC adopts resolution 2254 The document becomes the basis for negotiations and serves as a framework for political transition 2254 outlines the UNs support for a Syrian-led political process that establishes credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance and sets a schedule and process for drafting a new constitution within six months The resolution also recommends free and fair elections, pursuant to the new constitution, to be held within 18 months under UN supervision February 2016: Geneva III Talks are suspendedafter three days following disagreements between the opposition and the government over the priority of humanitarian issues such as releasing prisoners. April 2016: Geneva IV Syrian opposition walks out over the escalation in violence on the ground, lack of progress on humanitarian and prisoner issues. December 2016: Russia-Turkey ceasefire Turkey and Russia broker a nation-wide ceasefire that is agreed upon by the Syrian government and the armed opposition January 2017: Astana I The talks sponsors, Russia, Turkey and Iran, agree to set up a trilateral monitoring body to enforce the ceasefire, which took effect on December 30 Representatives of the armed opposition sit face-to-face with a government delegation for the first time Neither the opposition nor the government delegation sign the agreement February 2017: Astana II Ends with the adoption of a document to formalise monitoring of the December ceasefire Parties also agree to continue discussions of a mechanism to exchange corpses and prisoners, including women and children Geneva V De Mistura says warring sides agree to future negotiations based on UNSC 2254, which lays the foundation for a political transition based on accountable governance, a new constitution and UN-supervised elections within 18 months March 2017: Astana III Opposition refuses to attend talks, accuses government of failing to uphold the ceasefire declared in December May 2017: Astana IV Russia, Turkey and Iran agree on plan for de-escalation zones in rebel-held territory The plan calls for the cessation of hostilities between government and opposition fighters in four safe zones to bring relief for Syrian civilians Opposition delegation suspends their participation citing government bombardment of rebel-held areas Geneva VI Talks collapse after four days with no detailed discussions of items on the agenda July 2017: Astana V Russia, Turkey and Iran fail to hammer out details over boundaries and the policing of the four safe zones previously agreed Geneva VII Talks conclude with no breakthrough UN says Syrian government not willing to discuss political transition September 2017: Astana VI University management defends Shapiros visit to campus, as several arrests are made during protests against him. Four hours into the protest against a conservative pundits appearance at the University of California (UC) Berkeley in the United States, violence escalated when police began pushing protesters down Telegraph Avenue. Protesters and supporters of Ben Shapiro began gathering at 4pm (23:00 GMT) on Bancroft Way on Thursday, many having travelled hours by car or plane. While many of them seemed excited to see Shapiro or to speak against him, an equal number simply wanted to experience the type of action they would read about in the news. Im excited to see Antifa in action, Justin Jackson, a 19-year-old student at Chico State University who had driven three hours to the event, told Al Jazeera. Antifa and Shapiro in the same day is exciting, said his friend Liam Thomson, referring to a broad group of autonomous anti-fascist activists in the US. But by the end of the night, Antifa had not appeared. READ MORE: No, Antifa is not the moral equivalent of neo-Nazis Well over a hundred police from all over the state spread over the two blocks. In the hours leading up to Shapiros speech, they arrested two protesters. Twenty-year-old Hannah Benjamin spat on a police officer and was arrested on charges of felonious assault. Sarah Roark, 44, was also arrested for holding a sign that police considered a banned weapon because it was too large. Authorities said several further arrests were made later. Inside Zellerbach Hall, Shapiros speech fell in line thematically with the content of his radio show, to the delight of his fans. Let me suggest to you that if you need counselling because of this speech, he began. Youre a pussy! finished a fan who was wearing a Border Patrol cap. The audience cheered. Shapiro also made points about the virtue of following a traditional lifestyle and of self-reliance. The US is the greatest place that ever existed he said, adding that everyone who was a failure had only themselves to blame. SEE MORE: US anti-racists counter hate Shapiro is the third controversial right-wing speaker the Berkeley Campus Republicans and Young Americas Foundation, two conservative youth organisations, have invited to speak on campus this year. The previous two, former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos and conservative commentator Ann Coulter, cancelled their engagements due to safety concerns. Shapiro is known for his divisive political views. He is against abortion rights and has spoken out against US President Donald Trump and Steve Bannon, Trumps former senior counsellor. Unlike Yiannopoulos, he does not identify as a member of the recently emerged alt-right, which he has called one of two twin cancers eating America. The alt-right, in turn, has targeted him for his views and Jewish background. A 2016 report by the Anti-Defamation League found that Shapiro was the number one target of anti-Semitic violence on Twitter. The anti-fascist organisation, RefuseFascism.org, organised the protest against Shapiro, which they called Berkeley Speak Out: Against white supremacy, misogyny and fascism. The night before the event, RefuseFascism.org advisory board member Sunsara Taylor said Shapiros often-contradictory statements disarm people and legitimise violent speech. We need people to come and sound the alarm on this, said Taylor. Berkeley community members agreed. One group of over two dozen students hid in the building hours before the police showed up. At about 6:45pm (21:45 GMT), they gathered on the balcony above the entrance to protest the event. Two hours later, police let the students leave in groups of two, to applause and drumbeats. After Shapiros speech ended, attendees were herded out the opposite side of the building for safety reasons, according to police. But many returned to the site of the protest. One woman was injured, hitting her head on the pavement. In a campus-wide email, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ defended Shapiros right to come to campus, citing the schools ongoing commitment to free speech. Dan Mogulof, assistant vice chancellor in the office of public affairs and the campus primary spokesperson, estimated that administrators had spent $600,000 on the event. Shapiros speech is one of many scheduled in the next few weeks, including Milo Yiannopoulos Free Speech Week. Yiannopoulos will be joined by Ann Coulter, Steve Bannon, and Mike Cernovich for the event. Andrew Beale and Josh Slowiczek contributed to the report The critical level of threat announced by Prime Minister May means that an attack is expected imminently. The British government has raised the threat level in the country from severe to critical, the highest possible, following an explosion at a London underground station. Prime Minister Theresa May made the announcement on Friday after a briefing at the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre on the blast that left dozens injured earlier in the day. The critical level of threat means that an attack is expected imminently. The public will see more armed police on the transport network and on our streets providing extra protection, May said. This is a proportionate and sensible step which will provide extra reassurance and protection while the investigation progresses, she added. Earlier the British police said that the explosion is being treated as a terrorist incident. The Metropolitan Police said emergency services were called to Parsons Green station in west London at 8:20am local time (07:20 GMT) following reports of a fire on a commuter train. A bucket wrapped in an insulated bag caught fire on a packed London subway train, sending commuters stampeding in panic at the height of the morning rush hour. Photos taken inside a District Line train show a white plastic bucket inside a foil-lined shopping bag. Flames and what appear to be wires emerge from the top. London ambulance service said they had sent multiple crews to the Parsons Green station, and 18 people were hospitalised, though none had life-threatening injuries. READ MORE: How the British media covered the Westminster attack London Transport said services were cut along the line amid reports on social media of the stations evacuation. Flames engulfed one carriage and raced along a train on a west London route to Parsons Green, forcing passengers to trample others as they rushed for an exit, a witness told Reuters news agency. The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), which has said it was behind several attacks on Western cities in recent years, claimed responsibility through its news agency, Amaq. London utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life, Mayor Sadiq Khan said. Several attacks London has been targeted by attackers several times this year, with vehicle attacks near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London. The London Underground itself has been attacked several times in the past, notably in July 2005, when suicide bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and themselves. Four more bombers tried a similar attack two weeks later, but their devices failed to explode fully. Last year Damon Smith, a student, left a knapsack filled with explosives and ball bearings on a London subway train. It failed to explode. Kim Kelly Kim Kelly's writings on music, culture, and politics have appeared in the Guardian, NPR, the Atlantic, Rolling Stone, VICE, and Pitchfork, among other... more s. She's currently an editor at Noisey, VICE's music and culture channel, and is based in New York City. Seated on a boulder, under a tree, near the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Kigoma a lake port city in Tanzania Samaya Yusuf looks around her with suspicion as she narrates her story to the IOM, the UN Migration Agency team. She has a gentle smile. Every now and then, she interlocks her [] Seat... Source : http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... On the morning of September 11, the eyewall of Hurricane Irma passed about 10 miles to the east of my home. With the power out, I sat in an interior space, a hand-cranked radio almost my only contact with the world. Without electricity, Wi-Fi, and cable, that radio remained my only real contact for the next four days. Fortunately, as the heat and humidity rose, a friend with power offered an air-conditioned place to stay. At last, on September 14, power was restored. I'm grateful to those at Duke Energy who worked 24/7 to make it happen. As for FEMA and other government responders, their efforts were about what I expected which is to say, nothing. A cool drink and a snack the morning after the storm would have been appreciated, especially for my many elderly neighbors, but that sort of quick response came only from a well organized Baptist church group the same group that always shows up hours after an emergency. Like everyone else, I'd done a lot to prepare for the storm. I'd topped off the car, loaded up on water, filled the bathtub, stockpiled food and ice, sandbagged the doors, checked the windows for leaks, charged the phones and computer, and cooked some goodies to keep up my spirits as the long night approached. Before and after the storm, I was struck by the many acts of kindness I observed. Nearly everyone was out checking on neighbors. Volunteers, including a handful of jailbirds, were busy filling sandbags around the clock. If you've ever hauled a 40-pound sandbag to your car, you can imagine what it's like filling and loading bags in 90-degree heat. After the storm, I escorted an elderly couple to the movies appropriately enough, a showing of Life of Pi, with its dramatic storm scenes and its theme of survival through hope and faith. I liked that film, my white-haired guest exclaimed, gratitude in her voice for being asked and something more: an expression of that most basic human need for support and concern support that can't come from a government "crisis management center," no matter how well run. My small act of kindness was matched by millions of others across the region. There were the hundreds of thousands of grocery clerks and medical personnel who found a way to work the day after the storm. There were the thousands of others, paid and unpaid, who worked to clear debris. There were the national guardsmen who worked to secure neighborhoods, often in dangerous conditions. And there were millions like myself, private citizens doing what they can. In the worst of the storm, emergency vehicles weren't able to answer calls. It's an uncanny feeling, sitting in the dark with the winds howling, knowing that the usual safety net of fire, ambulance, and police won't be showing up, even if the roof blows. Uncanny, but not entirely bad. It forces us to recognize that, in the final analysis, we are on our own. It's so not just with tropical storms, but with all the other "hurricanes" of life: illness, financial crises, and loss of all kinds. For all of us, there will be a time to stay stronger than we ever imagined we could. And to stay strong for others. Whoever looks to Washington for help will be sorely disappointed. As for coverage of the storm, I've been on an involuntary "news fast" for the last four days. But I don't have to watch the news to imagine what's been said as the national media twist the facts to fit the liberal agenda. No, Florida gas shortages are not the fault of Florida's Republican governor, Rick Scott. No, Irma is not part of a right-wing conspiracy targeting minorities. And no, Irma is not God's wrath on President Trump for withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement. With the exception of those on The View and the rest of the liberal media, most Americans recognize that storms like Irma aren't the "result" of anything. They are normal facts of life for those like myself who choose to live in places like Florida. No major hurricane had struck the U.S. for 12 years until 2017, so we were due. Hurricanes like Harvey and Irma do a lot of damage. The lesson is to prepare, stay calm, and help each other. And to resist the inevitable feeding frenzy to come on the part of the climate alarmists. A storm like Irma makes us realize how little government can do to protect us. It can't fire rockets into the eye-wall and diminish the size of the storm (or, as a friend suggested, drop tons of dry ice into the low-pressure system off the coast of Africa before it develops into a tropical storm). It can't block the storm surge as Irma makes landfall. It can't even reduce the wind damage and flooding that will follow. All it can do is write checks, transferring money from one citizen's pocket to another's, having confiscated a big share for administrative costs. During the storm itself, we're on our own. For some, this will be serious, even life-threatening. For many of us, however, it isn't an entirely bad feeling. This is one time when the role of government not much is made clear. The role of friends and family, and of self-responsibility, is also abundantly clear. On September 10-11, I spent much of the night reading John Worthen's biography of D.H. Lawrence. Lawrence's life was a perpetual hurricane as he tested the limits of censorship and spoke out courageously against any sort of authority that restricted the rights of individuals (including what already in the early 1920s he saw as the threat of communism to Britain and the West). Traveling from Britain to Italy, Ceylon, Australia, New Mexico, and Mexico itself, Lawrence sought that ideal place (Rananim, he sometimes called it). He even thought of founding a sort of Brook Farm, along with Aldous Huxley, John Middleton Murry, and other writer friends, in Florida, of all places. Thank goodness that one didn't come off. I survived Irma with the help of family and friends, and I offered what help I could in return. Irma was a destructive hurricane, and government is offering what aid it can. But that aid, like the infamous Katrina "trailers," is never very effective or very much. Life is always full of crises that government cannot address. Prepare, stay strong, and help each other. That's the lesson of Irma, and of every other crisis in life. Jeffrey Folks is the author of many books and articles on American culture including Heartland of the Imagination (2011). Recent actions by Betsy DeVos, Trump's secretary of education, show that the Trump administration is ready to pick up the banner of men's rights as a legitimate civil rights issue. The feminist jihad against men started fifty years ago with the bald-faced lie that the "system" had been constructed solely by men for the benefit of men. This was always absurd. What feminist pretended was that non-equivalence, which is to say recognizing that men and women are fundamentally different and having laws and mores accept this, is the same as oppression. The wicked silliness of this is manifest to any honest and serious mind. Consider the inability of women in some states to enter into contracts in the 19th century. In fact, this was a protection for women denied men. Women could enter into contracts, but unlike men, women were immune from being sued for breaches. Men had to carry the burden of litigation and financial responsibility, and women were exempt from that burden. Consider also some of the first "progressive" laws passed the laws that denied employers the right to use women or children for dangerous and dirty jobs like mining coal. What this meant was that the worst jobs, the deadliest jobs, and the nastiest jobs were left to men. This reflects how women generally feel about work. Although women are more than welcome to work as crews in wastewater and water lines, very few seek such jobs. Consider also the profoundly offensive idea that women have been unfairly "denied" the right to serve in combat roles in the military. Few men truly wanted to serve in combat roles, and those who did can relate what hell it was in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. The "demand" that women be allowed in combat roles came only after combat was made incomparably safer than it was in those wars. Feminists ignore the fact that women spend most of the money in America, regardless of who sweats in unpleasant jobs to earn that money. Feminists perversely insist that we ought to devote more money and attention to "women's health" issues, despite the fact that only in the last century, women have moved past men in life expectancy and that women have become, since the end of World War II, a majority of Americans for the first time. In short, feminism is not about justice, and it is not about equality, and it is not about fairness. Feminism blindly supports women, whether women are wronged or not. So when law enforcement suggested in the 1980s that in cases of rape without evidence beyond the statements of both parties, both parties should be given a polygraph test, feminists strongly objected. When men at Duke University were obviously defamed by false rape accusations, feminists rallied to the side of the pathologically dishonest female accuser and have never apologized at all for their persecution of these innocent young men. Anyone familiar with the child support program in the latter part of the last century knows how often and flagrantly women lied about the child support they had received, sometimes accusing men who had never missed a child support payment of never making a child support payment. Nothing, of course, happened to these women. Anyone familiar with federal guidelines on domestic violence knows how the rules have been constructed so that no woman, except perhaps for one holding a smoking gun over their husband's body, could ever be arrested, and because these same guidelines demand that someone must always be arrested, countless innocent or battered men had their lives destroyed by abusive wives. Federal programs that give billions to domestic violence shelters for women do not give a dime to any domestic violence shelters for men (which are practically nonexistent and solely supported by private donations). It is high time for courageous conservatives like Betsy DeVos to take up the cause of men in America, who, unlike women a century ago, do not have some rights that the other sex does not, but rather are in every sense and in every way a maltreated, mocked, and abused minority in our land. Men's rights ought to be the clarion call of everyone truly interested in civil rights. But the left could not care less about civil rights for all Americans. The left cares only about power. Senator Dianne Feinstein revealed both the Democrats anti-Catholic bigotry and view of work when she said: "And I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that's of concern when you come to the big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years in this country." She was addressing a Catholic woman who has been nominated to the judiciary. Can you imagine what would happen if a Republican questioned a liberal womans suitability for the judiciary because of that womans religious beliefs? Apparently, according to Democrats, not only can one be black only if one toes the line set by the rich white liberals who run the DNC, but one can only be a woman if one bows to the altar of the DNC leadership. The obvious problem has been discussed extensively; namely the Constitution specifically says that one cant have a religious test for office. Hence the Democrats no Catholics need apply rule is a clear rejection of the Constitution and the rule of law. However, there is even a more deeper indictment of Democrats in the last part of the quote. Before proceeding, lets be clear in this context Democrats are the leadership, the consultants, the big donors, the bureaucrats, and the politicians, not the average Hillary voter. Many if not most of those vote Democratic because the media hides from them what the leadership does; thats why Democratic voters dont know that Hillary was waging a war on the Catholic Church and evangelicals in saying that they were unfit to serve in office unless they put aside their pro-life positions. Feinstein, the epitome of the Democrat leadership, has stated that she was mostly thinking about abortion when she was talking about all that fighting people had done. Yet no one fought for the right of women to kill their daughters for any reason at any time up to the moment of birth if by fight one means using the democratic process to change the laws of the country. Prior to Roe v. Wade, all 50 states had addressed abortion and some states, such as New York and Nevada, allowed abortion under certain circumstances. Yet even in liberal NY there was no support for no-holds-barred, kill-them-at-the-moment-of-birth abortion laws; precisely the law that America woke up to one morning when our true sovereigns -- in the minds of Democrats -- the Supreme Court justices, spoke. Seven of the unelected lawyers who accept the idea that America is a tyranny rather than a republic decided that the Constitution contained a right to privacy even though that right is nowhere mentioned in the document and had not been sighted by thousands of judges for nearly 200 years. That Democratic contention that those seven people were fighting indicates that in their minds the people as a whole are not part of the Democratic process. Rather only the elites -- judges, politicians, big donors, bureaucrats, foreign liberals -- matter. Even now, when voters enact restrictions on abortion -- most Americans want abortion restricted to the first trimester, for example -- Democrats fight not through the democratic process but through the courts where rich lawyers can quash the rights of Americans. Essentially Feinstein is revealing her fascist, but not anti-Semitic, heart by saying that she supports a few rich, mostly white, mostly male, judges deciding the law of the land. Sure, she approves of democracy when it gets her what she wants but if the people dont support her, she is quite comfortable going over their heads and imposing on them what theyve rejected. We see that with DACA. Congress was given a chance to pass DACA and, fearing the voters, it said no. Obama then simply instituted what hed previously said was unconstitutional as a royal fiat. Democrats applauded then and are applauding now; fascists at heart, they reject Democracy if it thwarts their lust for power. We saw it with gay marriage. California passed Prop 8, with Blacks supporting it at the 70%+ level, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. Prop 8 passed with 52% of the voters supporting it. Yet the Democrat governor and the Democrat attorney general refused to defend the law as they were required by their oath of office. That alone shows that Democrats are fascists; its not up to the governor to decide which laws are constitutional or not; thats the job of the courts. However, the state courts supported the legality of Prop 8. Not to be deterred, Democrats took it to a federal court where a closeted gay judge who stood to benefit from ruling against Prop 8 suppressed the will of the people of California. Then to add insult to injury, Democrats applauded when the Supreme Court imposed the redefinition of marriage on all of America, overturning the votes of 55,000,000 Americans who had voted to retain the millennia-old definition of marriage. Given that the Constitution says that only the powers enumerated in the Constitution belong to the federal government and given that defining what is and isnt a marriage is not in the Constitution, its blindingly obvious that the Supreme Court had no authority to change thousands of years of Western Tradition. But Democrats were thrilled; Democracy be damned -- we got what we wanted, was their mantra. It would be hard to find a single Democrat initiative, from legalizing pornography to redefining marriage, which was the result of a concerted effort to change the minds of the American people and use the democratic process to achieve Democratic goals. Feinstein gives witness to the fascist anti-democratic nature of the modern Democratic party. Squishy Republicans who are enamored of the rules that worked 60 years ago when Democrats werent all fascists need to wake up and see were in a war for the soul of America. Are we to be ruled by unelected judges who summon up whatever changes the living Constitution requires to support their left-wing ideologies, or will we be free men and women who determine our own fate? We live in interesting times, and we all need to make a stand against the fascists who wish to enslave us. Nazis have no power in America precisely because people know who they are. If the people find out who the Democrats really are they too will have no power. You can read more of toms rants at his blog, Conversations about the obvious and feel free to follow him on Twitter The media are apoplectic. The latest tweets from President Trump set off continual firestorms by those outraged by his comments. The sheer visceral response to everything this president does would be somewhat amusing if it were not so damaging to our nation. The continual turnover in the White House and in the administration has some news media outlets claiming that this president is doomed. The media explode with cries and exhortations that Trump will be impeached! And yet the president is still in office. The media often accuse Trump's administration of being a revolving door with staff. There has been, without a doubt, tremendous turnover. However, in reality, this is a new paradigm. Trump's style is entirely different from any other president's or elected government leader's, for that matter. During his campaign, Trump went through numerous campaign managers. This would have been fatal for most, but Trump was organized differently. He remembered that it is the mission that is important. The goal in the primary was a delegate majority. Against all odds, he accomplished that. He remembered the mission and brought the right people to bear at the right time. In the general election, despite having almost $1 billion of negative campaigning against him, he won the Electoral College vote. That was the mission. He was successful. It is no accident that he has as some of his closest advisers General Kelly, General Mattis, and Kellyanne Conway, as well as key family members. The Marine Corps, in our training for young officers, trains us to deal with chaos and uncertainty. We thrive on it because we are trained to stay focused on the mission. We task-organize virtually every activity based upon the mission. That unique concept of task organization is foreign to most. Many managers will tell you that it is people first and mission second. That's how organizations fail. A great example is the Veterans Administration, where incompetent leadership cannot be removed by a dysfunctional civil service system that forgets the mission and protects the few at the expense of the many. We are trained in the Marine Corps, and I noticed that the special forces are trained this way as well, to bring the necessary resources to bear to win or to achieve the mission. People are secondary to the mission. People being secondary is an anathema to most people. We recognize, however, in the Marine Corps and in the special forces that putting people first actually jeopardizes everyone, because failure ensues, and people get killed. Leadership is key in this paradigm of task organization because the effective leader knows how to communicate the mission and ensure that the common good is maximized while accomplishing the mission first. In basic training, we frequently subject young Marine officers to constant change. The purpose of this training is to get the officer acclimated to staying focused on the mission, to remain calm, to effectively lead, and to instill a sense of confidence when you bring the best officers to bear to solve the problem and achieve the mission. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Gen. Mattis relieved a regimental commander allegedly for not being aggressive enough in achieving the mission. Both officers were exceptional, but Gen. Mattis felt that the mission was being compromised because it was not being prosecuted aggressively enough. That is the style of task organization, when you bring the best people to bear at the right time to achieve the objective for the common good. It's not about the people; it's about the mission. This concept of task organization and this leadership style usually result in victory. The system rewards accomplishment of the mission rather than the length of time on the job. During the recent presidential election, Hillary Clinton remarked that she had eight years of experience as first lady, experience as a senator, and experience as secretary of state. In the world of task organization, years of service are secondary, while accomplishment of the mission is primary. The task organization concept enables the president to bring the right people to bear on solving the problem and removing them when they have accomplished the objective. People may be going in and out of government service in this administration, but the objectives will in all likelihood be met. Military personnel understand this. Our press does not. The government, the swamp, needs to stop measuring success by the amount of money spent and start measuring by the degree to which people are served and the mission is accomplished. We need to task-organize our government regardless of who is president. We need to accomplish the mission of creating a framework for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness from our government rather than creating a government of overregulation, control, and dysfunction. Col. Frank Ryan, CPA, USMCR (ret.) represents the 101st District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He is a retired Marine Reserve colonel and served in Iraq and briefly in Afghanistan. He specializes in corporate restructuring. He has served on numerous boards of publicly traded and non-profit organizations. He can be reached at FRYAN1951@aol.com. Twitter cofounder Evan Williams has said: I thought once everybody could speak freely and exchange information and ideas, the world is automatically going to be a better place, I was wrong about that. Yet, we cannot speak freely, can we? Say the wrong thing and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) will label you a hatemonger. The nations founders envisioned free speech as a guardrail against the republic veering down an embankment, thinking that if speech were free, someone would be there to call BS when the nation went places not intended or imagined. Yet, today, every progressive (read Democrat, liberal, or leftist) has his nose pressed into everybody elses business lest someone think or say something that might melt a snowflake. We cant have anyone ever offended, or embarrassed, or in any way made uncomfortable by unapproved thought. It is in this way, the language has changed. Whereas the word violence has always meant actions that include actual physical violence, progressives have transmogrified unapproved thought from a mere difference of opinion into an integral component of the definition of violence. Therefore, the violence of unapproved thought can now be met with actual violence because actual violence is not really violence if it is committed against someone with the wrong ideas and the gall to speak those ideas aloud. Its amazing how diversity is not really all that diverse in a world composed of safe spaces and resegregation under a unitary set of acceptable ideas where words no longer mean what we thought they meant. Antifa, which is modern-speak for anti-fascist, is probably the most fascist organization in America today and the same goes for the SPLC and Black Lives Matter (BLM). All lives matter, but saying that is now hate-speech and thus violence, which can be justifiably met with actual violence. Throughout the eight years of Barack Obama, I was afraid to speak out against the man whom I thought was not who he purported to be. I thought he was a horrible president without an ounce of honesty or humility, pushing policies that were detrimental to every man, woman, and child in America. To say so aloud, however, was not permitted, and when I started writing about him, the windows in my house were broken, not once, but twice. That was then; I wonder whats in store now. Today you can say anything you want about the current president -- talk about killing him in the vilest of ways and its not a problem. I seem to recall that a rodeo clown not only lost his job and livelihood but also received a visit from the Secret Service, all because he wore an Obama mask -- and that was before It killed the clown business, making them into monsters that scare little children (and a surprising number of grown men as well). The progressive plan is to restrict what people can say. They have always controlled the conversation, but that is not enough when you want to rule the world. They need to make sure no one ever disagrees with them. Thats the deal with the statues. According to a recent NPR/PBS News Hour/Marist poll, 62% thought the Confederate statues should remain, while only 27% wanted them removed, and even among African-Americans, a 44% plurality of those polled said they should remain. You see, it has nothing to do with statues of dead Democrats erected by dead Democrats a hundred years ago to reinforce the Democratic Partys white supremacist governance in the southern states. It is about making a point. Dont you dare oppose us no matter how ridiculous our demands, or we will not only destroy you publicly and politically but physically as well. Violence has always been an excellent tool for behavior modification. Democrats have staked their future on this strategy, along with the media, their most loyal ally, Antifa, and BLM. They think that people will be terrified by the two thousand or so white supremacists currently active in the country, and not the very violent, very bloody and much better organized hundred thousand Antifa, BLM, and sundry other anti-white, anti-Trump, anti-Republican groups. Yet, didnt the media claim they were anti-racist and anti-fascist? Thats the story they try to sell one broken head at a time, and Antifa/BLM loves them some broken heads. There are no more moderate Democrats; the entire party consists of progressives who have bought into the whole thought is violence that must be met with violence strategy. It remains to be seen how successful this will be in the end; the mere fact that they are successful now does not transfer into success tomorrow. Screaming the loudest often doesnt make you the most popular, but it does get you the most attention -- and it is surely a sign the nation is in deep trouble. Now, in a delusionary quest for eternal electoral supremacy, the Democrats are in an onanistic frenzy, eating their future one statue and one Antifa riot at a time. They are treating their future as a party as if it was another comestible to be thrown into the gaping maw of identity politics. Respectful opposition to Democratic Party policies is no longer accepted; it is reviled. Should one disagree with the Democrats even the slightest on their latest progressive decree, you will be met with paroxysmal fits of rage from spokesmen spewing spittle from their mouths while making scatological charges of all manner of evil against that person. Paramount among the accusations will inevitably be their favorite, racism. Moreover, its no longer only their political opposition. In the regnum that is the Democratic Party, there is no room for moderates, because the Democrats have long stopped being a political party and have become a movement. Welcome into that movement is both Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM). Agree with their tactics and motives or else. For the sake of America, and indeed, humanity as well, I have to believe the populace at large will not buy into this version of Orwells 1984 the Democrats are peddling as the future of the nation, but today, there is real risk inherent in such unapproved thought. The so-called anti-fascist activist group Antifa has always been unapologetic about its tactics. But how do members justify violence? They see Nazis behind every tree, under every bed in America and have decided that the only way to kill the threat is through the use of force. The Hill: While both experts on the movement and activists within it emphasize that not everyone who participates in anti-fascist activism engages in violence, they say the use of force is intrinsic to their political philosophy. "The justification [of the use of violence] is that Nazi ideology at its very core is founded on violence and on wielding power by any means," said Mike Isaacson, one of the founders of Smash Racism D.C., an antifa organization in Washington. Isaacson is unequivocal in his defense of violence as a legitimate tool to combat the creeping threat of what he deems authoritarianism. "There is the question of whether these people should feel safe organizing as Nazis in public, and I don't think they should," said Isaacson. "I don't think anyone should think that someone who is intent on politically organizing for the sake of creating a state-sponsored genocide I don't think is something that we should protect," he said. This hysterically exaggerated worldview, where they define "Nazi" as anyone who disagrees with them politically, is far more dangerous than the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and white supremacists combined. They are better organized than any of those right-wing crazies. And while the right-wing groups can be violent, they do not make violence a necessary adjunct to their activities or a core belief of their ideology. Antifa activists justify their use of violence as self-defense against "the inherent danger of fascists organizing," according to Mark Bray, a Dartmouth historian and author of a recent book on the movement. "The argument is that it needs to be stopped immediately, because if you let it grow, that poses a danger to society," Bray said. Dubbed the "alt-left" by President Trump, antifa has increasingly been making their presence known after his victory in the 2016 election was openly embraced by white supremacists. On Sunday, antifa protesters hurled glass bottles and bricks at police officers monitoring a far-right march in Portland, Ore. And the University of California, Berkeley, is bracing for the possibility of more violent clashes on Thursday, when conservative political commentator and former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro is scheduled to speak. There is no central organizing committee governing antifa, and different affiliated groups have different priorities and governing principles, making it impossible to gauge the growth of the movement in the wake of the election. But activists and law enforcement sources say anecdotally that their numbers have almost certainly swelled. Jim Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, the nation's largest law enforcement union, told The Hill that he has "for sure" seen rising interest in the movement since Trump's election, noting that six months ago he had never even heard of antifa. Mike Isaacson, the Antifa activist mentioned above, appeared on Tucker Carlson last night and proceeded to chill the blood of most of his audience. >> Does Richard Spencer have a right to speak in public? >> Richard Spencer is a danger to society. When he speaks simple public, what he is doing, publicly recruiting people to his very violent movement. >> Tucker: Does have a right to speak in public? >> I don't think he has a right to speak in public unopposed, and that is ultimately what the purpose of antifa is, to show up and oppose him. >> Tucker: You shut people down, you prevent them for speaking, you commit violence against them. I know people who have been knocked down and beaten by people from antifa. That is true. It does happen. We have it on tape. We can roll the tape. You are saying that's justified? >> Yes. I believe that communities have the right to defend themselves against threats to the community. >> Against ideas they don't like. >> No, against people have explicitly said that they want to eliminate those people from our society. >> Tucker: Your completing violence with ideas. >> No, I'm not. >> Tucker: If I have not raised my hand to strike you >> In order to raise your hand to strike me, you have to think you're going to strike me. When you are going out in public as a protester explicitly saying that you want to eliminate most of the people from this country, I believe most of the people in this country have the right to say, no, that's not okay. >> Tucker: Okay, you have a right to say it's not okay. What you don't have a right is to prevent me from saying what I think, even if you disagree, and you definitely don't have a right to commit violence against me, and you're blurring the lines there. By the way, don't you work at a criminal college? Okay, you don't have the right to do that. You have the right to make a counter case. You have see the distinction there? >> Tucker, when I walked into this building, I counted five security guards at the front door and two police cars outside. Are you going to tell me that the violence that they would enact against someone who is looking to do you or any number of the people that work here harm, are you going to tell me that the violence that they enact to protect, preemptively, the staff that are protected also by the barricades that you have >> Tucker: I don't even know I'm honestly not following you. I don't have security, but there is security speak of the security at your building. And the reason there is security at your building, that you have security, ultimately, that security provides a space for nonviolent civil discourse. In my youth, we would have referred to Isaacson possessing a "false consciousness." The way he sees the world is an alternate reality from the way normal people see the world. He can justify violence and he can support violating the free speech rights of those he disagrees with because he thinks white supremacists like Richard Spencer are a huge threat to the community. The reality is very different, of course. Spencer has a small following with zero political and cultural influence. But Isaacson can justify bashing people's heads in because his warped, paranoid vision creates monsters where there are only pathetic losers. The biggest fear of law enforcement is that Antifa will start arming themselves, and with the right-wing crazies already coming to protests with guns, the chances of a violent, bloody clash rise significantly. Nothing would curtail free speech more, because it would give authorities an excuse to shut down all protests and speeches, citing the probability of violence. Our First Amendment rights must be exercised to maintain their viability. Antifa want to prevent that at all costs and will kill to achieve their goals. See also: Harvard's repudiation of the Chelsea Manning fellowship offer is a rebuke to the campus mindset Chelsea Manning has been making quite a spectacle of himself out on Twitter, taking Michael Morrell's and Mike Pompeo's exit from the school as a welcome new opportunity to call attention to himself. He starts with an emoji-filled cheer at news of Morrell's resignation from Harvard after the school's bad judgment in bringing Manning in as a fellow to "mentor" students. Manning declared it "good" that Morrell has pulled out. Not a thought about how Morrell's exit might affect Harvard, because for Manning, it's all about himself and his feelings instead. Note the high emoji count, by the way an advertisement of low intelligence, according to perception, which he may well want. Manning has no degree and 21 felonies, and he seems to relish those facts. Next up, Bill Kristol said he'd prefer to skip Harvard events with Manning around: Manning's response was to point the finger elsewhere, attacking his fellow Harvard fellow, Sean Spicer. Real collegial. With all these resignations exploding around him with all their policy implications, he zeros in on what really matters to him not treason, for which he is famous, but transgenderism, addressing each resignation's added-to-the-bottom disclaimer in those letters in his whiny way first and the emojis flowed: nothing to do with trans rights everything to do with torture, murder, genocide & the military/intel/police state you built #WeGotThis https://t.co/bbM7GFgHiw Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 14, 2017 After that, he gets to his real agenda a juvenile one, shouted only at Antifa protest rallies: no more secrecy, surveillance, torture, murder, and genocide abolish the @cia #WeGotThis Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 14, 2017 In fact, he seemed to revel in the negative attention his Harvard fellowship drew, posting a picture of himself in San Francisco's Dolores Park dividing the gay Castro and bohemian far-left Antifa-succoring Mission districts to call attention to himself, using the puerile language of the high chair: making very bad people very mad today is a good day for us (feat. @KarlTheFog) https://t.co/mC1kDvQ2q2 pic.twitter.com/66NqytKzFe Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 14, 2017 More ideological genius statements about "smashing the state" followed: because we need to dismantle, piece by piece, the bloated military/intel/police state, before it destroys everyone #WeGotThis https://t.co/09UPLk22Bb Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 14, 2017 Then more whining about himself: me, me, me... so @harvard says @seanspicer & @Clewandowski_ bring "something to the table and add something to the conversation" and not me #WeGotThis Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 After that, the unrepentant felon made it all about the party he had injured with his felonies, showing he wasn't contrite in the slightest after getting his pardon from President Obama: this is what a military/police/intel state looks like the @cia determines what is and is not taught at @harvard #WeGotThis https://t.co/09xIJGlhgf Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 And finally, there's Manning's pinned tweet, all full of false bravado and self-aggrandizement. honored to be 1st disinvited trans woman visiting @harvard fellow they chill marginalized voices under @cia pressure #WeGotThis https://t.co/7ViF3GaSec Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 Seriously, does Manning have any sense of what is going on here? Top officials with decades of experience who could be helpful to Harvard's students were pulling out because of his execrable presence, and he thought it was worth cheering about. Then came the whining when Harvard did the logical thing and yanked the "fellowship" from this ignoramus with an anything but distinguished career. After that, it was all bravado, being proud of having his fellowship pulled. Manning would be about as useful as a bicycle to a fish, to use an old feminist term, to Harvard's graduates. He can't help their future careers in government; he can only act as a toxin to take them down and make them unhireable. A survey of his photos on Twitter shows he hangs out at Antifa-type joints and basks in the praise and adoration of the rabid leftists, while someone has given him money to travel around the country with quite a bit of frequency. Manning gets awards as a sort of consumer of awards, but he certainly can't act as a mentor with connections to the students. What pathetic picture that is. And Manning's juvenile response to Harvard's withdrawal of his fellowship shows he wasn't any sort of prize for the elite academic program he was idiotically invited to join. In a crowded waiting room at the doctor's office yesterday, "welcome to Medicare" was the desk clerk's answer to a patient asking why his visit was not covered. That was followed by a verbal altercation, complete with F-bombs, over who was next in line to see the desk clerk. Democrats seem to think Americans want more of this, but President Trump knows that Bernie Sanders's "Medicare for all" is bad medicine, tweeting: Bernie Sanders is pushing hard for a single payer healthcare plan - a curse on the U.S. & its people[.] ... I told Republicans to approve healthcare fast or this would happen. But don't worry, I will veto because I love our country & its people. Even sometime NeverTrump writer David French, at nationalreview.com, thinks the Democratic Party's embrace of single-payer health care on the heels of their Obamacare disaster "could hand Trump a second term": Sober-minded Democrats should be terrified. They just might be handing Trump two terms. While "most of the top Democratic contenders" for the 2020 presidency have signed on to co-sponsor what the New York Post calls the "Dems' new litmus test," otherwise known as "Obamacare on steroids," Mr. French cites several problems for Democrats: The tax bill would be "staggering" one estimate during the Sanders presidential campaign came in at $32 trillion over ten years. "For now, Sanders is concealing how he'll pay for his bag of goodies," says French, "but any single-payer plan would be crushingly expensive," and voters would soon realize that "'free' health care isn't free." The Democrats could no longer "pretend that 'if you like your plan, you can keep your plan,'" adds French. "By design, more than 100 million of those plans would disappear, to be replaced by one of the world's most immense government bureaucracies." And finally, French contends that the move left to single-payer is "symptomatic" of the takeover of the Democratic Party by "the progressive base," which itself "has become too radical for widespread electoral success." A column at vox.com expands on French's second point: Under the Sanders plan, private insurance would be outlawed in almost all cases. The 153 million Americans who receive insurance from their employers would lose that coverage and in its place would receive government insurance[.] ... The private health insurance industry would all but evaporate, and government insurance would, largely, be the only game in town. According to vox.com, the latest Sanders bill would get to that state of affairs in stages over four years, enrolling everyone under 18 in the first year and gradually lowering the Medicare "eligibility age" in ten-year increments down from the current 65: It's not until the fourth year of Sanders's plan that every American would get a "Universal Medicare" insurance card to use for the insurance they need [sic]. Vox.com also notes that the Democrats' rush to single-payer "is a sharp reversal for the party that once relegated the idea to its radical fringe: Just two years ago, Sanders couldn't find a single co-sponsor for his bill." As preposterous as the Sanders plan sounds, Trump's potential opponents in the 2020 presidential campaign seem to think Americans want more, not less, government in their health care. The bill's Senate co-sponsors are listed at huffingtonpost.com: That roster of co-sponsors includes a who's-who list of potential Democratic presidential candidates for 2020, including Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Also backing the bill are Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Al Franken of Minnesota, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall of New Mexico, Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. Even the liberal huffingtonpost.com says "the likelihood of the Sanders proposal passing in the near future would seem to be vanishingly remote," but that doesn't seem to stop Democrats with presidential aspirations from embracing single-payer health care. An editorial at washingtonexaminer.com observes: As Sanders' single-payer bill attracts cosponsors, the port side of the 2020 Democratic primary gets crowded. If they look around, though, Harris, Warren, Booker, and others will realize that most of the country isn't ready to walk this plank with them. The writer adds that "two thirds of Americans are satisfied" with the health care system. "Telling Americans you will replace their plan with one run by an even bigger, less responsive bureaucracy, is not going to go over well." An even more crowded and less responsive waiting room at the doctor's office is not going to go over well, either. See also: Chelsea Manning's sneering, self-pitying tweets about getting dumped by Harvard A fascinating drama played out yesterday at Harvard, as campus-based politically correct thinking slammed into reality, and the grown-ups had to set the boundaries back to common sense. All very publicly. The invitation by the Kennedy School of Government's Institute of Politics to Chelsea Manning to become a visiting fellow has been withdrawn in the wake of a firestorm. What mattered to Harvard more than blogger backlash was the resignation of Mike Morrell from a fellowship at the University's Belfer Center and CIA director Mike Pompeo's cancelation of a planned talk and visit. Morrell's statement (embedded below in a tweet) set off alarm bells that Harvard as a whole was placing its relationship with the intelligence and military sectors of the federal government in peril. He states that he cannot be part of an institution that honors a felon and leaker of classified information. He reminds Harvard that senior military leaders have stated that Manning's leaks put the lives of our soldiers at risk. But here is what got the attention of the real powers at Harvard: Please know that I am fully aware that Belfer and the IOP are separate institutions within the Kennedy School. And that most likely Belfer had nothing to do with the invitation of Ms. [sic] Manning to be a fellow at IOP. But as an institution, The Kennedy School's decision will assist Ms. [sic] Manning in her long-standing effort to legitimize the criminal path that she [sic] took to prominence, and attempt that may encourage others to leak classified information as well. I have an obligation to my conscience and I believe to the country to stand up against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information. It is critical that Morrell specifies that he doesn't blame the Belfer Center. This is what tells other parts of Harvard that they could share in the taint, and possibly lose valuable associations with members of the defense and intelligence communities, past, present, and maybe future. Manning's continuing presence on campus could well become a circus, pressuring others to reckon with the principle that Manning's honor of becoming part of the Harvard community encourages others to leak national security information. Morrell ccs former defense secretary Ash Carter, the head of the Belfer Center, who also must ponder honoring a person who endangered the lives of soldiers. Morrell does not mention other schools than the Kennedy School, but he is generalizing responsibility from the specific unit of the IOP to the school as a whole. One more step like that, and Harvard as a whole comes under threat. If Manning becomes an ongoing circus, that could happen. The real powers at Harvard are The Harvard Corporation and The Board of Overseers. They hire and fire presidents, and they control the money. They think in terms of institutional relationships and the long-term health and status of the oldest and wealthiest university in the country, of which they are the custodians. Anything that threatens those must go. That must be what explains this late-night statement from Kennedy School dean Douglas Elmendorf. To my eyes, the good dean seems a bit worried about his job, as he engages in self-criticism after weaseling around that "fellow" is a pretty generic term that mistakenly he thought did not imply honor. (This obscures the fact that the visiting fellow program to which Manning was invited is a pretty big deal and places very specific teaching obligations on the fellows.) But I see more clearly now that many people view a Visiting Fellow title as an honorific, so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations. In particular, I think we should weigh, for each potential visitor, what members of the Kennedy School community could learn from that person's visit against the extent to which that person's conduct fulfills the values of public service to which we aspire. This balance is not always easy to determine, and reasonable people can disagree about where to strike the balance for specific people. Any determination should start with the presumption that more speech is better than less. In retrospect, though, I think my assessment of that balance for Chelsea Manning was wrong. Therefore, we are withdrawing the invitation to her to serve as a Visiting Fellow and the perceived honor that it implies to some people while maintaining the invitation for her to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak in the Forum. I apologize to her and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard today for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation. This decision now is not intended as a compromise between competing interest groups but as the correct way for the Kennedy School to emphasize its longstanding approach to visiting speakers while recognizing that the title of Visiting Fellow implies a certain recognition. My guess is that Elmendorf, an economist by training, a student of Martin Feldstein, does not understand the national security community very well. I imagine that when someone passed over his desk for approval the list containing Manning, he thought in terms of diversity. The IOP's press release announcing Manning and three others highlighted: "Class includes first transgender Fellow and former White House Press Secretary[.]" Here is Morrell's statement: Former CIA Deputy Director @MichaelJMorell resigns as Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy school over their hiring of Chelsea Manning pic.twitter.com/JORdp4ysHR Mosheh Oinounou (@Mosheh) September 14, 2017 It is not often that we see a major university rebuke its members for living in a bubble. President Trump said that if the wall is not funded, then there is no deal on DACA. This issue has arisen because Trump met with Schumer and Pelosi to discuss DACA and border security, which necessarily includes the border wall. Schumer promptly announced that there was an agreement that Trump would support a statutory replacement for DACA and that the Dems would support increased security at the border but not support a border wall. Schumer is not known as a principled, honest senator. The question is why Trump even met with Schumer and Pelosi to discuss these issues. He knows that the Dems oppose the wall. The background to the meeting is that the Dems will support "increased border security" only if we allow the approximate 800,000 illegal aliens, known as "DREAMers," to remain in the country with eventual voting and citizenship. Why more concern for illegal aliens than for a border wall that would stop illegal immigration and greatly reduce the flow of drugs across the border? The Dems and their cheerleaders in the media show more concern for illegal aliens than for American citizens. The usual reason is that the minor illegal aliens were brought by their parents, and the minor illegals should not be punished for the illegal activity of their parents. But that is similar to saying that if I rob a bank and give the money to my children so they can go to school, buy a house, and have a better life, then my children should not be punished by giving the money back. The illegals have the benefits of our country, such as education, health care, and welfare benefits, obtained illegally by their parents. So why did Trump meet with Schumer and Pelosi? First, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell have failed to move funding for the wall. Trump is trying to deal with Schumer and Pelosi offering DACA for the border wall. Of course, Schumer will deny that the Dems will support a wall, but he knows that is the price for DACA. Trump is forced to deal with Schumer and Pelosi because McConnell and Ryan are either totally incompetent or actively trying to subvert the Trump agenda, or a combination thereof. Trump is dealing with Schumer and Pelosi because he has no choice. John McCain sabotaged the repeal of Obamacare. Ryan has not moved to fund wall. If we only had a Republican Congress! The media are trying to spin Trump's meeting as abandonment of his agenda and breaking his promise to his base to build the wall. Trump is smart enough to realize that if he does not do all he can to build the wall, his presidency will be a failure, and he will lose in 2020. The wall is the symbol of his campaign promises. Trump knows that George H.W. Bush lost because he broke his promise not to raise taxes. President Trump now needs and deserves our support against Ryan, McConnell, Pelosi, and Schumer. Trump has kept his promises where he has the power to do so. Trump has done much on his own, such as appointment of Supreme Court justice Gorsuch, elimination of many Obama regulations, withdrawal from the Paris accords, allowing drilling, and the limited travel ban from designated terrorist countries, and most importantly, he saved our country from chardonnay, alternate nostril-breathing Hillary. President Trump now needs and deserves our support against Ryan, McConnell, Pelosi, and Schumer. Donald Trump had strong words to say about DACA, as when in 2015 he told Chuck Todd that we had to rescind it. He could not have been clearer. But that was then, and this is now. Oh, how times have changed. Now Trump's cutting deals with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and DACA's one of the bargaining chips. (And as an aside, can we please stop saying "DREAMers"? I remember a time when Trump spoke about how he wanted Americans to have dreams. Apparently, "America first" is getting watered down with swamp sludge.) We've now entered an era of cutting deals with a pair of devils. In this new era when talking about the REM sleep crowd, Trump says things like: "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated, and accomplished young people who have jobs?" Alas. So we've got these kids, primarily from Mexico and Central America, who are in the United States illegally "through no fault of their own." OK. Not their fault. So whose fault is it? Well, it's their parents' fault for dragging them across the border, often putting their lives in grave danger while making their first act on U.S. soil an illegal one. Meanwhile, the kids have demands, sometimes expressed via marches and rallies, sometimes by ambushing elected officials in Congress, sometimes waving the Mexican flag as they go, often with a sense of entitlement and a disregard for the Constitution (here, here, here, here). As you might imagine, the left loves this cohort of folks. But don't be fooled by statements that sound compassionate or even grandiose, such as assertions that we need to uphold DACA in order to "protect the integrity of this country" or the claim that these kids are "being stronger than anybody" (here and here). And let's not forget the dramatic claim about how many of them serve in the United States Armed Forces. About 900, to be exact. As Tucker Carlson pointed out, that's 0.01% of the total DACA population, which in terms of statistical significance = 0%. Democrats are salivating at the prospect of gaining a million or more new voters. (Although College Park, Maryland, didn't wait around to see how things play out when the city council recently granted illegals the right to vote.) Irrespective of whether or not you think this demographic group should be allowed to remain in the United States, if they are allowed to stay, that will not be the end of it. It will be the beginning a stepping stone for a path to citizenship and/or for special protections for the parents of these kids (here, here). I remember a time when Trump sounded strong on this issue. But his recent actions supersede his words, and the two no longer align. Not good. The violence and destruction that accompanied Milo Yiannopoulos's unsuccessful attempt to deliver a talk at U.C.'s Zellerbach Hall were thwarted last night at the same venue, thanks to the widely reported expenditure of $600,000 on installing jersey barriers and positioning large numbers of police, authorized to use pepper spray. The Antifa warriors were not up for fight with superior forces. U.C. Berkeley took a bow: Inside Zellerbach Hall on Thursday night, conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro delivered his speech as planned to an engaged, respectful audience of about 600 to 700 people. Police were present inside the hall, but not highly visible, and no hecklers disrupted the hour-and-half-long event. Outside, as many as 1,000 people were gathered some protesters, others onlookers and a group of up to 50 students occupied a breezeway at the ASUC Student Union, where they'd put up a sign, "Students Against Fascism and War," and interacted with the crowd. They exited the building calmly just before the Zellerbach event ended at 9 p.m. "There's a sense of relief and satisfaction that the event was able to go forward without disruption, that those who chose to protest did so in largely nonviolent ways and that, overall, things went as well as could be expected," said UC Berkeley Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Dan Mogulof, at a media briefing later that night. UC Berkeley Police Chief Margo Bennett said the event was "orderly," attended by people who were "respectful and interested" in the speaker and that it concluded peacefully. No arrests were made by campus police until around 9 p.m., when a woman not affiliated with the university climbed over a barricade on Upper Sproul Plaza. Earlier in the day, police had set up a closed perimeter around Zellerbach Hall and surrounding buildings, and the campus's Cesar E. Chavez Student Center, Alumni House, Sproul Hall and the ASUC Student Union were closed. Bennett said the City of Berkeley had made "four or five" arrests before the Shapiro event ended. While she would not say how many officers, some in riot gear, were on duty Thursday, she confirmed that UCPD had been aided by law enforcement from neighboring counties including Contra Costa, Solano and Monterey. "We reached far," she said. Once upon a time, it was "settled science" that demographics would benefit the Democrats. How many times did I hear that Romney got a higher percentage of the white vote than Reagan and still couldn't win? Remember the one about the changing color of the country? Well, it turns out John B. Judis, "the demo guy," wants to amend his theory. Not so fast on this game of demographics, he argues now: On one level, there's no arguing with the math. If you take the percentage of Americans that the U.S. census defines as "minorities" and project their past voting habits into the next decade and beyond, you'll come up with a very sunny version of the Democrats' prospects. There are only two problems with this line of thinking, but they're pretty big ones. For starters, the census prediction of a "majority-minority" America slated to arrive in 2044 is deeply flawed. And so is the notion that ethnic minorities will always and forever continue to back Democrats in Obama-like numbers. Let's look at the second point. I've often argued that Hispanics could start voting for the GOP as the Democrats go farther left on social issues, from abortion to same-sex marriage. Add to this the fact that Hispanics are very often entrepreneurs and small business owners, and you can see a lot of votes for the party that wants smaller government and lower taxes. In Texas, the very conservative Senator John Cornyn and candidate for governor Greg Abbott did well with Hispanics without ever calling for amnesty or open borders. At the same time, Democrat Wendy Davis did not do well with Hispanic women who weren't crazy about her views on abortion. As Mr. Judis develops in the article, going forward, the Democrats will have to have an economic message rather than emphasize ethnic-identity politics. All of that stuff about "racism," "white supremacy," and tearing down Columbus plays well in those precincts that already vote Democrat. It doesn't play so well in the section of town that Democrats will have to succeed in if they want to win back the House. Maybe Democrats should go back and listen to Dr. King's words about judging people by their character rather than skin color. They forgot that part walking home from the "I Have a Dream" speech. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Crackling radio reports early on September 15, 1950 picked up via staticky shortwave radio told Americans of the unexpected, unbelievably high-risk Invasion of Inchon by our armed forces, led by five-star general Douglas MacArthur. That turnaround in the Korean War was the best life-saving military news since five years past, when two A-bombs ended World War II. In the months before Inchon, American Marines and soldiers had been electrocuted on barbwire, tortured, and pushed south to land's end by the evil forces of Communist North Korea. All but a tiny foothold of South Korea had fallen to the enemy. After winning a war fought on six continents and seven seas, America was being humiliated on that small Korean peninsula. That world in which Americans lived changed on the day of MacArthur's highly successful invasion. The brilliantly conceived Invasion of Inchon by MacArthur 67 years ago is considered one of the greatest operations in military history. Seoul was liberated ten days after MacArthur's landing and is now among the world's leading cities. The vibrant economy built by free South Koreans would not exist if MacArthur's Inchon invasion had failed. Unlike Dwight Eisenhower and Black Jack Pershing, who commanded from safe spaces behind the lines, MacArthur led his armed forces into action. MacArthur, then age 70, directed the embattled Inchon landing from the deck of the USS Mount McKinley (her namesake peak later erased by Obama). MacArthur then waded ashore in muddy, treacherous terrain in similar manner to his October 20, 1944 invasion at Leyte, in fulfillment of his "I shall return!" promise. Today, Douglas MacArthur's bronze statue, ten feet tall atop an 18-foot base, stands high above the invasion site in Inchon's Freedom Park. Statues of men are erected to show gratitude for accomplishments and courageous achievements. In a larger sense, we build statues to leave for posterity so that our great, great grandchildren will forever know of this man, his deed, and this time in which we have lived. If today you are a college student, your grandfather will tell you that South Korea is free and prosperous because Douglas MacArthur, his officers, and his men saved South Korea from the malignant communism that still enslaves the people's cousins in North Korea. But your professor will tell you that the MacArthur statue at Inchon must be torn down by a mob because Douglas MacArthur was a war criminal who prevented the "peaceful" reunification of North Korea with South Korea. "His statue is a symbol of war. It must be torn down," says Lee Kwang-ho, assistant director-general of the Inchon Sociality for Peace and Participation. A police guard protects the MacArthur statue from professors and their students, organized by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. The most violent of several attempts to topple the tall statue failed when thousands of Inchon residents and police protected the monument in 2005. Those who tear down our statues are intent on erasing our history from the minds of future generations. During his brief occupation of Paris, Adolf Hitler torn down 17,000 French statues, most of which have never been replaced. A plaque in front of the guarded Inchon statue gives a moving testimonial to Douglas MacArthur's genius: It was here at Inchon that we knew the incalculable height of his genius. With the infinite capacity of his vision he conceived, and on September 15, 1950, he personally executed an almost unbelievable landing operation which instantly turned the course of the war to the triumph of freedom and the salvation of this Republic. This is a deed and this is a man to hold eternally in honored memory. And thus it is by the authority and the contributions of a grateful people that the General Douglas MacArthur Statue Committee consisting of representatives of all walks of life has raised this figure fashioned in General MacArthur's heroic mold by Professor Kyung Seung Kim to overlook this hallowed scene for all ages to come. We shall never forget what he and his valiant officers and men ... did here for us and for freedom. And until the last battle against the malignant infection of Communism has finally been won, may we never forget it was also he who said, "In war there is no substitute for victory." dedicated 9/15/1957 MacArthur was a lone voice calling for the Inchon landing on Korea's west coast. Addressing a Tokyo gathering of doubtful admirals and generals on August 23, MacArthur spoke with a mastery of Aristotelian rhetoric for 45 minutes. He reviewed communism's plan of global conquest, concluding: "I can almost hear the ticking of the second hand of destiny. We must act now, or we will die. Inchon will succeed, and we will save 100,000 lives. I shall land at Inchon, and I shall crush them." Nowhere on Earth is the contrast between liberty and socialism more visible than where the 38th Parallel cuts across the Korean peninsula. The plaque in front of the guarded Inchon statue puts it succinctly: "This is a deed and this is a man to hold eternally in honored memory." Michael J. Fahy is an attorney at law in Chicago. The European Union disbursed a total of 3.6 million (EC$11.6M) to Anguilla, as the first tranche of grant assistance through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) focusing on reform of the education and training system. EU Ambassador Daniela Tramacere announced: This grant is in support of the implementation of the Education Development Plan and is the result of a long standing cooperation commitment with Anguilla. Now Anguilla is trying to cope with the devastation of Hurricane Irma. We have already mobilised humanitarian aid for the region, and once the damages are assessed, we will be looking at reconstruction assistance. The EU believes that support to education is a solid investment in the development of a nation and we are confident that this programme will contribute to the reconstruction of a quality educational system in Anguilla that is accessible, efficient, cost-effective, and affordable for both government and citizens. Under the EU-Anguilla 11th EDF Education and Training Sector Policy Support Programme signed earlier this year, the EU will support governments efforts to improve the quality of education at primary and secondary level, including enhancements in teaching and in schools plants. There is emphasis on the modernisation of the countrys Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) framework and the learning environment. The programme also aims to promote improvements in the strategic management and delivery of education and training, including enhancements in budget transparency and the operationalisation of an Education Knowledge Management System to support evidence-based policy formulation. The expected outcome of the reforms is for all children to be able to complete seven years of quality primary education and five years of an appropriate, affordable quality secondary education, regardless of any physical or intellectual disabilities. The EU has provided development aid to Anguilla since 1976. The overall programme budget for the current 11th EDF intervention is 14.05 million (EC$45.3M) until 2021, with 12.6 million earmarked for the education and training sector as budget support, and the remainder 1.45 million set aside for specific technical assistance needs. This is a 30% increase in funding when compared with the previous 10th EDF allocation for the implementation of Anguillas Medium Term Economic Strategy 2010-2014. Anguilla also benefits from EU assistance channelled through the EDF Caribbean regional envelope for Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), which includes support to Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Territorial Strategies for Innovation and Technical Assistance to Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA). If you can pay the fee Facebook will hook you up with Jew haters Thanks to ProPublica, we know that you can book adverts on Facebook that target anti-Semites. Most Facebook user of would ignore these ads, of course. Active Nazis are thin on the ground. And as the Jewish joke goes, If anyone was going to hate us, thank God its the Arabs. But Jew hating is increasingly popular. I am amazed and disappointed that here isnt more outrage about rising anti-Semitism. Propublica, whose stated mission is to expose abuses of power and betrayals of the public trust by government, business, and other institutions, using the moral force of investigative journalism to spur reform through the sustained spotlighting of wrongdoing has Facebook in its crosshairs. ProPublica says: Want to market Nazi memorabilia, or recruit marchers for a far-right rally? Facebooks self-service ad-buying platform had the right audience for you. Until this week, when we asked Facebook about it, the worlds largest social network enabled advertisers to direct their pitches to the news feeds of almost 2,300 people who expressed interest in the topics of Jew hater, How to burn jews, or, History of why jews ruin the world. All this stuff exists offline. And thanks to the internet, readers and collectors of such racist nonsense can be monitored all 2,300 of them in the gigantic Facebook ecosystem. Id argue that if Facebook owned by a Jew can take their money, then good for them. Free speech and free thought are cornerstones of democracy. If people want to talk about hating Jews and conspiracy theories, let them. So ProPublica paid 30 for promoted posts targeted at those Jew-hating Facebookers. In all likelihood, the ad categories that we spotted were automatically generated Facebooks algorithm automatically transforms peoples declared interests into advertising categories. Which begs the question: who programmed the computer? Rob Leathern, product management director at Facebook, has issued the following statement: We dont allow hate speech on Facebook. Our community standards strictly prohibit attacking people based on their protected characteristics, including religion, and we prohibit advertisers from discriminating against people based on religion and other attributes. However, there are times where content is surfaced on our platform that violates our standards. In this case, weve removed the associated targeting fields in question. We know we have more work to do, so were also building new guardrails in our product and review processes to prevent other issues like this from happening in the future. Of course, hate speech is free speech. That doesnt mean you should set out to assault and intimidate people. It means you are free to say what you want and for it to be freely debated in public. Calling something hateful is too-often used to shut down free expression. So what did Facebook do wrong? Ira Glasser, a former executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, now president of the board of directors of the Drug Policy Alliance, nails it: How is hate speech defined, and who decides which speech comes within the definition? Mostly, its not us. In the 1990s in America, black students favoured hate speech bans because they thought it would ban racists from speaking on campuses. But the deciders were white. If the codes the black students wanted had been in force in the 1960s, their most frequent victim would have been Malcolm X. In England, Jewish students supported a ban on racist speech. Later, Zionist speakers were banned on the grounds that Zionism is a form of racism. Speech bans are like poison gas: seems like a good idea when you have your target in sight but the wind shifts, and blows it back on us. You want to have official endoresment of what can be said? Surely not. As for Facebook, well, its not a public service. Its a profit-making company not a moralising force for spiritual salvation. Anorak Posted: 15th, September 2017 | In: Key Posts, News, Technology Comment | TrackBack | Permalink 'A Good Neighbour' theme opens 15th Istanbul Biennial Reflections on dialogue in age of walls, with a touch of Italy (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 15 - The question of "what makes a good neighbour" is the guiding theme for the 15th Istanbul Biennial, which opens Saturday, September 16 and continues through November 12 with a metropolis of exhibitions, symposiums and workshops along the Bosphorus. The work of 56 artists from 32 countries will be on display free of charge in five exhibition spaces, concentrated above all in the European area of the Galata district, "to be able to walk from one place to the other", event organisers said. This year's edition puts the focus on reflections regarding the idea of home and belonging to a place, as well as on dialogue with others and comparison between those who are different. The event's curators, Scandinavian couple Elmgreen & Dragset, chose the theme "A Good Neighbour" for a Turkey that is coming out of a failed coup and increasingly jolted by conflicts between supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and opposition. It's a country where now, in contrast to the policy of "zero problems with neighbours" theorised by former Premier Ahmet Davutoglu, relationships with those who live just across the border appear both turbulent and very intense: from the new Syrian population, with its more than three million refugees who live in Turkey, more than in any other place worldwide; to regional conflicts; to possible independence with Iraqi Kurdistan through an upcoming referendum. "In a time in which an American president was elected proposing the idea of a wall with Mexico, or in which we are witness to Brexit, we wanted to reflect on the transformations underway in the world," the curators said at the event's presentation, at the Turkish capital's historic French high school Saint Benoit. They said over half of the works for this year's event were conceived ad hoc for the theme. "And there isn't anything we wanted to do that we were impeded in," they said, responding to a journalist's question on censorship in a Turkey that imprisons journalists and intellectual dissidents. The event, which is celebrating 30 years and has become increasingly influential on the artistic scene, is organised by the Istanbul Foundation for the Arts and Culture (ISKV) and sponsored by Koc Holding. Italy will also participate in the event, with the institutional support of the Italian Consolate General and the Italian Cultural Institute in Istanbul, for the artist Monica Bonvicini, with an exposition in the Kucuk Mustafa Pasha hammam in the historic Fatih district. Various parallel events are scheduled at the Italian Cultural Institute, beginning on Friday with a colloquium that will involve the European Institute of Design on the role and the future of managers in the cultural sector. The spotlight will also be placed on the topic of migrants, with a day organised for next week with a local NGO, while on October 23 and 24 there will be a seminar examining the cultures of Italy and Turkey in the 1970s. For the first time ever, the event will also leave behind a permanent installation, with the neon rainbow sculpture "Where Do We Go From Here?" by the Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, an adaptation of the one that went on display in Taksim Square for the 1999 Biennial. The new installation will be placed near the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge.(ANSAmed). CAIRO - Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry at a meeting on London on Thursday "expressed their common commitment to continue cooperation and coordination to complete the ongoing investigations into the Giulio Regeni case," Egyptian foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abou Zeid was quoted as saying by the MENA agency Friday. The case of Regeni, an Italian postgraduate student who was tortured and murdered in Egypt last year, has caused considerable friction between Rome and Cairo. The Italian ambassador to Egypt, Giampaolo Cantini, finally took up his position this week. Cantini replaced Maurizio Massari, who was recalled in spring 2016 in relation to the case of Regeni. Egypt has denied suggestions its security forces, frequently accused of brutal repression of opposition, had anything to do with the death of Regeni, a 28-year-old who was researching Cairo street seller unions. Massari's withdrawal followed friction over Egyptian lack of cooperation in the quest for the truth. But last month Rome decided to send Ambassador Cantini to Cairo, citing recent progress over the case. Earlier this month Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said it was impossible for Rome not to have high-level political and diplomatic relations with such an important neighbour. Madrid takes control of Barcelona finances 48-hour ultimatum. Police block referendum rally (ANSAmed) - ROME, SEPTEMBER 15 - The Madrid government has ousted the Catalan government's financial power by taking control of the region's payments to workers, public services, and suppliers, Montoro said. The decision will become effective if within 48 hours Barcelona doesn't send its weekly financial report to the Madrid government, following Catalan Vice President Oriol Junqueras' announcement Thursday of a block on sending the reports. The aim of the measure by the Madrid government is to avoid, among other things, having public money spent on the Catalan independence referendum scheduled for October 1. Meanwhile, police in the Basque capital of Vitoria blocked, on a judge's orders, a pro-referendum rally with the leader of the secessionist left, Anna Gabriel. "The right to assembly and freedom of expression are threatened" in Spain, Gabriel said. Madrid said it "isn't excluding anything" in its strategy to impede Catalan President Carles Puigdemont from carrying out the referendum, said Spanish government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo following a cabinet meeting.(ANSAmed). If youre considering a subscription to the Disney Plus streaming service, you may be wondering how much it costs. The service is available on both By Yogesh Dubey Editors Note: Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a brief official visit to Myanmar last week. This article was originally published in The Diplomatist Magazine, July 2017, and has been republished with the permission of L.B. Associates (Pvt.) Ltd., a contract publishing house. Myanmar shares a long land border of over 1600 km (994 mi) with India as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. Four of Indias northeastern states: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram share an international boundary with Myanmar. Both India and Myanmar share a heritage of religious, linguistic, and ethnic ties. Myanmar has a substantial population of Indian origin (estimated to be around 1.5 to 2 million). Further, Myanmar is a gateway to Southeast Asia and East Asia regions with which India is seeking greater economic integration through its Look East and Act East policy. In fact, Myanmar is the only Southeast Asian country India shares a land boundary with. Apart from supply of pulses the possibilities of energy supply from offshore blocks in Myanmar and business opportunities emerging from its opening economy underpin bilateral relations with India. India is also expanding on these relations in multifaceted directions. The victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) (in the November 8, 2015 elections) improved opportunities to strengthen the engagement. Various institutional mechanisms have infused dynamism into the growing bilateral ties. The first meeting of the India-Myanmar Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) co-chaired by the Indian external affairs minister and Myanmars foreign minister was held on July 16, 2015 in New Delhi. The JCC acts as an umbrella mechanism to facilitate interaction between various line ministries in the respective federal governments. Further, India and Myanmar are trying to strengthen their defense ties. This is part of the Modi governments Act East policy a more action-oriented variation on the Look East policy first formulated under then-prime minister Narasimha Rao in the 1990s; Act East seeks to strengthen relationships with ASEAN, and East Asia more generally. It is also an acknowledgement of the need for Indo-Myanmar security cooperation. Both countries share a long maritime boundary in the strategically significant Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal apart from the land border, which has led to concerns around transnational issues. Chief among these is the range of insurgent groups in Indias northeast region that borders Myanmar, a security risk for New Delhi that occasionally produces cross-border issues for both sides. Chinas rising influence in the world Belt and Road Initiative The historical Silk Road was established more than 2000 years ago linking China, Central Asia, and the Arab world. Silk was the most important export from China at that time. Now China proposes to establish a modern network of railways, roads, waterways, air-pipelines, information highways, and utility grids that will link China, Central Asia, West Asia, and South Asia. China seeks all round cooperation from them. A bilateral cooperation agreement has been signed with Hungary, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkey. The extension of the China-Iran train connection to Europe is underway. There are also new rail links with Laos and Thailand and high-speed-rail projects to Indonesia. This initiative, called the One Belt and One Road (OBOR), aims to create the worlds largest platform for economic cooperation, policy coordination, trade and financing collaboration, and social and cultural cooperation. India is opposed to the Chinese OBOR initiative since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through Indian territory. CPEC is a flagship project of OBOR, which runs between Xinjiang in China and Gwadar in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. OBOR is now renamed as Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). India just cannot accept that it ignores Indias core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity. Earlier, in May this year, India ruled out participation in Chinas mega BRI summit in Beijing, citing its objections to the CPEC. This was so despite the fact that neighbors Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan were already attending. The United States, too, made a U-turn and decided to attend the summit. A total of 29 countries attended the two-day summit. This hundreds of billions of dollars initiative is expected to cement Chinas dominance over Asia in the coming decades. Beijing has asked New Delhi to view the Belt and Road Initiative through the prism of economics, and not sovereignty. India is Asias third largest economy behind China and Japan. India has one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean. However, New Delhi is already upset over Chinas refusal to allow it entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), although the Xiamen Declaration at the BRICS Summit in China this week acknowledged Pakistan based groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and the Haqqani network as terrorist outfits associated with the Islamic State another major sticking point between India and China. To counteract OBOR or the BRI, India is trying to develop railway connectivity with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal. The two and half year old BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, and Myanmar) Economic Corridor has just been revived for consultation and academics. About Us The Diplomatist Magazine was launched in October 1996 as the signature magazine of L.B. Associates (Pvt.) Ltd., a contract publishing house based in Noida, a satellite town of New Delhi, India. ASEAN Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road & Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at asean@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 ASEAN 2017 An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2017 introduces the fundamentals of investing in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc, concentrating on economics, trade, corporate establishment, and taxation. We also include the latest development news for each country, with the intent to provide an executive assessment of the varying component parts of ASEAN, assessing each member state and providing the most up-to-date economic and demographic data on each. How to Set Up in the Philippines In this issue of ASEAN Briefing magazine, we provide an introduction to the Philippines as well as analyze the various market entry options available for investors interested in expanding to the island nation. We also discuss the step-by-step process for setting up a business entity in the Philippines, highlighting the various statutory requirements for overseas investors. Finally, we explore the potential for Singapore to serve as a viable base to administer investors Philippine operations. Jain, at present, takes care of Hathaway's insurance investments and is at good terms with Buffet. Mumbai: It seems America's master investor Warren Buffet of Berkshire Hathaway Inc does not need to launch a massive hunt for his successor at the multinational conglomerate holding company. Hathaway has invested in many US corporate giants. The list includes American Express, Coca Cola Company, Wells Fargo, IBM and Apple Inc. Ajit Jain, India born Harvard Business School graduate, has been one of the top two contenders for the corner office job at the Hathaway that has investments across major American companies. Greg Abel, chief executive of Berkshire's energy division, is another probable successor of Buffet. Jain's elevation at Hathaway will add one more name to the list of Indian origin CEOs at the helm of top American firms. Jain was born and brought up in eastern Indian coastal state of Orissa, now Odisha. He is a stout follower of his religion, Jainism, a practice that makes him strict vegetarian. Jain is older cousin of Anshu Jain, former Co-CEO of Deutsche Bank. An IIT-Kharagpur pass out, Jain's net worth stands at $2 billion. Buffet, known as Oracle of Omaha, never stops showering words of praise on Jain who has turned around Hathaway's insurance business after joining the company in the early 1980s. At the last annual general meeting of Hathaway held in February this year in Omaha in Nebraska, Buffet had told investors no one brought more money to the company as shareholder than Jain. In Buffet's words, Jain turned around Hathaway's insurance businesses since he came on board in 1985. "Ajit has created tens of billions of value for Berkshire shareholders," Buffett once told his shareholders in a letter. "If there were ever to be another Ajit and you could swap me for him, don't hesitate," he added. From 1985, Jain took over a marginal insurance arm, turned it into a sectoral behemoth with a 'float' of up to $37 billion and brought in a large cumulative underwriting profit. No other insurance CEO has come close to matching such an achievement, Buffet had said back then. Buffet is world's second richest person with a total personal wealth of $76.7 billion, after Bill Gates who continues to remain at number one position with personal wealth of $85.3 billion. Buffet even went on to say that both, Jain and Abel, were much more CEO material than himself. The spy thriller follows on from the blockbuster film Ek Tha Tiger and is being directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Actor Angad Bedi, who will be seen alongside Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in Tiger Zinda Hai, is busy shooting for the film in Abu Dhabi. And hes shooting for some of its most thrilling action scenes, currently. Thanks to the fact that the stunts are rather intense, the production team had arranged for a body double to perform these difficult stunts scenes for Angad in the film. However, the actor braved it out, and chose to perform these dangerous stunts himself. Angad has trained hard for the stunts, and thus wanted to make sure he performs them himself. He took additional training upon reaching Abu Dhabi, and is currently shooting for high octane action sequences, the source said. The spy thriller follows on from the blockbuster film Ek Tha Tiger and is being directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. Ek Tha Tiger chronicled the story of an Indian spy, who falls in love with a Pakistani spy agent during an investigation. However, the details of the sequel are being closely guarded. Aamir, who is co-producing the film along with Siddharth Roy Kapur, has asked director Mahesh Mathai to take a look at Fatimas work. It seems that the link-up stories with his protege Fatima Sana Shaikh arent upsetting Aamir Khan in any way. While the media is having a field day writing about every time the two are spotted together, or about why Aamir is suggesting the actress name for his films, the actor merrily continues recommending her. Even though there has been news that Priyanka Chopra has bagged the Rakesh Sharma biopic supposedly called Salute, opposite Aamir Khan it is learnt that Aamir has asked the makers to audition Fatima and then decide on the girl to be paired opposite him. Aamir, who is co-producing the film along with Siddharth Roy Kapur, has asked director Mahesh Mathai to take a look at Fatimas work. Even though Aamirs wife Kiran Rao did mention that Fatima was not cast in Thugs of Hindostan because of Aamirs suggestion, trade sources say otherwise. A trade insider says, It is quite unusual that Aamir has been recommending Fatima, since he never repeats his heroines. Although Fatima was his daughter in Dangal, she will play his romantic interest in Thugs of Hindostan. It will be an interesting development if Fatima is cast in that film. Sanskriti Media The Good Maharaja, which will be made by the Polish government, will be shot in the European country, informs Omung. Recently, a photo of Sanjay Dutt in a royal attire of that of a king was doing the rounds on social media. After Bhoomi, the actor has collaborated with director Omung Kumar for The Good Maharaja, which will be their second story together. The 58-year-old plays Maharaja Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji, the ruler of Nawanagar, a princely state in British India. So, has Omung signed Sanjay up for a three-film deal with the actor, a la Yash Raj Films? No! answers Omung, laughing. The story was with Sanju and I didnt want to let go of this opportunity. I took the reins of the film as a director immediately. The Good Maharaja, which will be made by the Polish government, will be shot in the European country, informs Omung. He says, Hopefully, we will be sanctioned subsidy from the government, as we are supposed to be shooting in its locations. In fact, it gave even the film title. It even has a chowk after him. Talking more about the film, he says, We havent finalised the female lead role as yet. The film will go on floors only one-and-a-half years later we still have time. Its a huge film. Since this film is backed by the Polish government, we are not even shooting in Jamnagar. We are shooting in Poland itself. I hope that the people find it in their hearts to forgive me, says Priyanka Chopra. After having angered the population of Sikkim with an off-handed comment, Priyanka Chopra has apologised for making a statement about the state being troubled by insurgency. Priyanka had made the comment at the world premiere of her home production Pahuna, a film that talks about refugee crises, told through the eyes of two Nepalese children. Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from the region. This is the first film ever thats come out of that region, because its very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations, she had said at the Toronto International Film Festival 2017 (TIFF) She received a backlash not just from the people of Sikkim, but also Ugen T. Gyatso, the Minister of Tourism of the state. She also released a statement about her comments. It saddens me that a comment I made during a recent interview at TIFF has caused this much pain when that was never the intention at all. I never meant to imply that Sikkim has insurgency. My statement was in context of the film that deals with people who seek refuge after they suffer from conflict. Sikkim is a peaceful, green state with peace loving people. I know that my statements have hurt the sentiments and pride of the people of Sikkim and for that I truly apologise, she wrote. The actress and producer added that she took the blame for her statements. I have always taken pride as being someone who is informed about the world but this time, some of the statements made were incorrect and while I should have been better informed about certain facts, I take full responsibility for what I said. I understand now that our film was not the first Sikkimese film to be made, but our aim has always been to provide local talent, both actors and technicians, a global platform to shine. My team and I have had a wonderful experience working in the state and with the local cast and crew and are thankful to the support extended by the Government of Sikkim. I understand the impact of the statements made and hope that the people and Government of Sikkim find it in their hearts to forgive me, PeeCee concluded. City fans are uniting for an evening of listening to K-Pop hit band BTS. While the genre has seen popularity internationally with even western artists openly applauding it, closer home, it is still a rarity. When you think of music gigs, seldom does one imagine a group grooving to the beats of K-pop. This music genre is originally from South Korea, and is characterised by a wide variety of audio-visual elements. While the genre has seen popularity internationally with even western artists openly applauding it, closer home, it is still a rarity. Madhu Gudi, a marketing professional based in the city, is organising a K-pop listening evening, to bring the genres enthusiasts under one roof. The plan is to host a listening session for popular K-pop band Beyond The Scene (BTS)s latest album Her. Sharing some details about the evening, Madhu says that it is less of a listening session and more of a party. BTSs latest mini-album Her is dropping on September 18. We are inviting anyone and everyone to unwind and groove to their music, she explains. The two-hour event will have themed drinks, games and also a photo booth, Madhu adds. She is hosting the evening along with her best friend Madhura Rumde, an artist manager, who is also a fan of the genre. Madhu, a marketing manager, recalls, I have always loved watching Japanese animation, and Korean horror movies. Madhu Gudi Interestingly, the numbers are strong with the genre the world over. One search on YouTube and you are greeted with K-pop music videos with over millions of views and thousands of likes. Even as K-pop has built itself a huge following throughout the world, Madhu points out that the genre has become a part of Indias playlist only recently. East Asian art is so popular that even western shows and music have drawn inspirations from there, she says. Inspirations and influences are along the lines of the music, the choreography and the production value. But even though India is almost a neighbour, the influence isnt reflected in our art here, says Madhu. Avni Sinha, a student of psychology and a die hard fan of K-pop, agrees. I know a lot of people who are fascinated by the music genre and the bands, but very few openly talk about it, she says. Avni laughs recalling how she just happened to meet a fellow K-pop fan when music just played on her phone, accidentally. Adding that she has been listening to K-pop for over two years now, Avni says that ever since she got to know about the programme, she hasnt stopped raving about it. The minute I discovered it, I signed up for the event. It isnt every day that a K-pop listening session is organised in the city, she says, excitedly. I cannot wait to go there, jam, meet fellow fans, and discover new artists. But why has the growth of the genre in India been so slow? Riddhi Chakraborty, a writer and a fan, explains that it is possibly the combined effect of colours and choreography in this genre that most people find intimidating. I got interested in K-pop with the very popular Psys Gangnam Style the song that was a gateway to K-pop for most people, she says. Madhura Rumde What Riddhi finds most captivating about the genre is how it hides symbolism in its music videos. You neednt understand the language in order to understand the song. The visuals are so strong that one doesnt need to rely on lyrics like the West does. To someone fairly new to the scene, general opinion is that K-pop is bubblegum music, and really childish. But considering how there are multiple aspects to the music, she urges people to try it out. There is a lot of potential to the music that new listeners can discover, she adds. Madhu says that one of their aims is to host people curious about the genre. We are open to BTS fans, but also people who want to know more about K-pop. What better place to discover something new than among fan, she smiles. On September 24, 4 pm onwards, At Brewbot, Andheri (W) Contact 39698091 One trip to Las Vegas with a cousin, Ambar, with whom she doesnt have a particularly warm bond, throws her off-course and changes her life. Rating: Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Sohum Shah, Hiten Kumar, Kishori Shahane Director: Hansal Mehta Its been a few hours since I watched Simran and Im still quite baffled. I cant figure what the film is about or why it was made apart from the fact that its a Rs 30 crore showcase for Kangana Ranaut to flex her acting and stardom muscles. Its fascinating watching Ms Ranaut. Shes so expressive, so free, so unencumbered by the Hamesha Diva Dikho manual that most top female stars adhere to. Ms Ranaut is not scared of looking bad or sounding terrible. She is fearless. But, shes also been repeating herself. Since Tanu Weds Manu (2011), Ms Ranaut has played the motor-mouth bindas babe slightly spunky before and very besharam after two-three pegs - several times over. Queen included. So while I was impressed, I was also mildly bored by her predictability here. With the film itself I was really irritated. Simran tells a strangely disjointed story with enough sparks and scenes to tell us that it could have been something better, something more meaningful and less baffling. The fact that its directed by Hansal Mehta, who made the fabulous Shahid, is very disturbing. What happens to Indian directors when they crossover, especially from high-brow art to fun-&-faltu commercial films? Hansal chala hans ki chaal, Im tempted to say. But in this case, if the drip-feed of gossip stories are to be believed, Ms Ranaut directed most of Simran, and she did it a disservice. Simran is the story of a 30-year-old divorced woman, Praful Patel (Kangana Ranaut), who lives with her parents in Atlanta, Georgia, works a dead-end job, and has been saving up money to be able to buy her own house. One trip to Las Vegas with a cousin, Ambar, with whom she doesnt have a particularly warm bond, throws her off-course and changes her life. A drunken round at the jua table taps into her latent talents as a rather brazen juari, and soon shes a restless, almost compulsive criminal. Her triggers are cliches. Theres the mingy father (played by Hiten Kumar), who is forever talking about money, her shaadi, how much he has done for his family, how much everything costs. And then theres the debt she owes to a set of scary firangis. Small gestures, comments, the spring in her step are like tiny dots that try to come together to create an interesting character: Praful is a cheesy but bold flirt keen on sex, but only with protection and without strings. Praful is not a pushover, but she is insanely stupid. Like, really, really stupid. Praful craves freedom and buying power. And when she experiences it, she transforms. Praful doesnt really care what people, apart from her family members, think of her. She lives by her own rules and is short on social graces. Also, she laughs too much, too loudly, and she haggles. In fact, in the first half of the film, Praful is too cheery. Almost floating four notches above whats happening in the film, as if shes intoxicated on some secret high jinks drug. That Praful is Gujarati somewhat explains her fixated dedication to make paisa, kuch bhi kar ke. But that she pursues it with the urgency and chutzpah, if not scrupulous fussiness, of Oceans 11, remains inexplicable. For years men in movies have spiralled down, been in self-destruct mode, leading to epic heartaches and disappointments, while women have been held the reins as responsible caregivers. And on the few occasions when women have dared to step out to rebel against patriarchy, or just give in to their bodies or whims for a night they have paid for it with their izzat in some form or another. Heavens above and the men below have wrecked havoc on them the dayafter. Here too theres a cost. Only Praful doesnt care. Worse, shes enjoying what she does. Sameer (Sohum Shah), the good, marriageable boy, who makes dharmic apps, goes. While Praful os smitten by the love that this simple, sweet man showers on her, she doesnt really care. The only thing thats important to Praful is Praful. Most filmy female pickpockets or frauds, especially when played by heroines, do bad things because either their brother is being held hostage by some evil man or some ailing parent awaits a life-saving operation. To be aivain bad, for the fun of it is not for women. Definitely not leading, lady stars. In that, in the creation of a female character fashioned after wayward, wastrel men weve seen over and over, is interesting. In everything else, Simran is a dud thats badly written and badly directed. Theres no fluidity in the narrative and apart from Kangana, the only decent actor in the film was the bar guy. I believe his name is Timothy Ryan Hickernell. I understand that there was some epic battle between Ranaut and Apurva Ansari, the national award winning screenwriter who wrote Aligarh and Shahid. He was miffed that Ranaut wanted writing credit, which he says was all his doing. Ranaut insisted on getting the credit. Ansari features as the story, screenplay and dialogue writer in the credits, but after Ranaut, who is Simrans additional story and dialogue writer. Seriously! They should have fought over not taking any credit for writing this scatty piece of trifle. The girls of the school were immediately taken to a hospital after they complained of vomiting, loose motion, nausea and stomach pain. Bhubaneswar: Altogether 230 students, including 150 girls, were taken ill allegedly after eating food in different schools in Odisha's Malkangiri and Kalahandi districts, officials said on Friday. Around 150 girls of a government-run residential school fell ill with symptoms of food-poisoning at Badapada in remote Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri allegedly after eating breakfast on Friday, said Ramkrishna Gond, Project Administrator of Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). The affected girls of the residential school for tribals were immediately taken to a local hospital after they complained of vomiting, loose motion, nausea and stomach pain, he said. They were later shifted to the hospital at Chitrakonda for better medical treatment, Gond said adding a probe was on to ascertain the cause of the incident. Besides Gond, Malkangiri district Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy visited the hospital to enquire about the condition of the girls, who were being provided with proper medical treatment, officials said. Similar incidents were reported from Kalahandi district where 80 students of five schools fell ill allegedly after eating mid-day meal yesterday, officials said. The students of schools at Luma, Kubri, Bandhpari, Ranjendrapur and Dangri villages under Lanjigarh block complained of vomiting, nausea and stomach pain after eating the meal yesterday, they said. The affected students were taken to government hospital at Biswanathpur and two of them were referred to the Bhawanipatna government Hospital. The mid day meal for 176 schools of Lanjigarh block is prepared and supplied by a trust, they said adding the cooked food was sent to different schools by vehicles. The district education officer (DEO), sub-collector and tahasildar visited Biswanathpur to monitor the situation. DEO Pradip Kumar Naik said more than 80 students of five schools had been affected and provided with treatment. Many of them have already been discharged from hospital. He said the situation was under control and the affected students were recovering fast. Kalahandi Collector Anjan kumar Manik said the cause of the illness would be ascertained after enquiry which was in progress. The apex court has asked Centre and all states to file a reply within 3 weeks on steps taken for the safety of children. The Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by two women lawyers seeking implementation of the existing guidelines to ensure safety and security of children in schools. (Photo: File/Representational) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre and all states asking them to file a reply within three weeks on the steps taken for the safety of children. The Supreme Court was hearing a plea filed by two women lawyers seeking implementation of the existing guidelines to ensure safety and security of children in schools. A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar, said that it has already issued a notice on a similar plea filed by the father of the child, who was killed at the Ryan International School. In its plea, they sought the implementation of various existing guidelines on the safety of school-going children. Read: Schoolboy's murder: SIT visits Ryan Int'l school to recreate crime scene Earlier, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the Centre, the Haryana Government and the state's Director General (DG) of Police, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the CBI on a plea seeking a probe by the central agency into the murder of a seven-year-old boy in the toilet of the Ryan International School, Gurgaon. After this, the CBSE issued a circular mentioning guidelines to be adopted by all schools for ensuring the safety of the students. The CBSE, in its circular, directed schools to install CCTV cameras, ensure police verification of staff and regulate entry of outsiders in school buildings. Also Read: Gurgaon student murder: Bus conductor held, cops say sexual assault attempted Seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur was found dead on September 8, inside the toilet of the Ryan International school, with his throat slit. The CBI had called Karti for questioning in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in the Aircel-Maxis deal. New Delhi: Former finance minister P Chidambaran, on Friday, said the CBI should be questioning him instead of harassing his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case and accused the probe agency of spreading misinformation. The Central Bureau of Investigation had called Karti for questioning on Thursday in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father Chidambaram was the finance minister. Karti refused to appear, saying a special court had discharged all the accused and terminated proceedings in the matter, a claim strongly contradicted by the CBI which maintains that the investigation was still on. "In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB recommended and I approved minutes. CBI should question me and not harass Karti Chidambaram. "Sad CBI spreading misinformation. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB officials have recorded statements before CBI that approval given was valid," P Chidambaram said in a series of tweets. According to a CBI charge-sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based M/s Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of USD 800 million in Aircel. (This amounts to approx Rs 5,127 crore, according to existing conversion rates). The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was competent to grant the approval. "However, the approval was granted by the then finance minister. Further investigation is being carried out into the circumstances of the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval granted by the then finance minister. The related issues are also being investigated," the agency had said in 2014. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy claimed the former finance minister had given FIPB clearance to a deal that should have been referred to the CCEA, headed by the prime minister, as it alone was empowered to clear foreign investments of over Rs 600 crore. P Chidambaram, who was examined by the agency in connection with the case in 2014, had issued a statement this year, saying the FIPB approval was granted in the "normal course of business". Govt counsel says the affidavit is in the process of being finalised and an unfinished copy is served upon you (the SC) inadvertently. New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday took back the affidavit it presented in the Supreme Court, which was finalised on September 11 by an official of the rank of deputy secretary in the ministry of home affairs (external affairs division) on the ground that it has not yet been finalised. In the draft sworn affidavit, the Centre had asked the Supreme Court to refrain from interfering with the policy decision to deport Rohingya Muslims as the same had been taken on the basis of objective material before it. As per the procedure, a copy of the affidavit was given to the counsel for the petitioners and the same is presented in the registry. However, later in the evening the Central government lawyer B.V. Balram Das informed the counsel the copy was served on him by mistake. He said: In fact the affidavit was/is in the process of being finalised. Before the affidavit is finalised, reflecting the stand of the Central government after consideration of all departments concerned, an unfinalised copy is served upon you inadvertently. The copy is also not filed in the registry of the Supreme Court. Kindly do not treat it as the affidavit of the Central government. According to the draft affidavit, the decision to deport Rohingyas was being taken to thwart designs of the ISIS and other extremists groups who want to achieve their ulterior motives, including that of flaring up communal and sectarian violence in sensitive areas of the country. It said: A fragile north-eastern corridor will become destabilised in the case of stridency of Rohingya militancy, which the Central government has found to be growing if permitted to continue. There is also a serious possibility of the eruption of violence against the Myanmar government diplomatic missions and against Buddhists who are Indian citizens, who stay on India soil, by the radicalised Rohingyas. Rohingyas are a threat to national security. They have links with terror groups and are likely to be used by the Islamic State. The petitioners said they are registered and recognised by the UNHCR in India in 2016 and are granted refugee I-cards. Around 40,000 Rohingya are living in India. Pravish, 22, had gone to Delhi on September 7 and stayed at his friend's Ashok Thounajoam residence in the Safdarjung area. Imphal: Pravish Chanam who had been missing for the last five days at Noida was found cremated by authorities of the Dr BR Ambedkar Hospital in Noida. The family was not informed despite a missing report being filed. Pravish, 22, had gone to Delhi on September 7 and stayed at his friend's Ashok Thounajoam residence in the Safdarjung area of the city and had gone for a musical concert in Noida on September 8 night. Pravish and his friends, including Ashok Thounaojam along with two others, had gone to attend the concert. Later, around 9:30 p.m., Ashok and his friends discovered that Pravish was missing, and accordingly, his elder brother, Ravikanta Chanam, was notified. A missing report was filed at Knowledge Park Police Station in Gautam Budh district in Uttar Pradesh on September 9. Meanwhile, a post-mortem report conducted on September 11, showed Pravish had died of "haemorrhage and head injuries." The report also said that the time of death was "2 to 3 days". CCTV footage of the hospital showed a dizzy Pravish being brought into the hospital at around 10:30 pm of September 8, said his elder brother Ravikanta. He was later seen going outside the hospital the next day in the morning, September 9. On the other hand, North East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) Convenor Khumukcham Chinglen, who voluntarily had been searching for Pravish for the last five days with family members of the victim said it was found that Pravish was admitted to the hospital by one Dr. Amit, who is yet to be identified. Dr. Amit had found Pravish lying at the vicinity of the concert site and took him to Dr. B R Ambdekar Hospital. He said, the unidentified Dr. Amit had found a semi-conscious Pravish on the night of the concert and admitted him at Dr. B R Ambedkar Hospital at 10.30 p.m. However, the hospital refused to show any medical documents about the admission of Pravish, said NEFIS Convenor Chinglen adding police personnel located opposite the hospital turned down when friends of the deceased searched the site by distributing photos of the deceased. He further said according to police, a call was received by the police in the early morning about the presence of an injured person on September 9 itself and then took the body to the hospital. Chinglen also requested that the state government intervene into the matter and initiate an enquiry. An estimated 3,80,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have fled Myanmar and reached Bangladesh. Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday expressed concern over the plight of Rohingya Muslims and supported the UN appeal to help them. The United Nations had appealed to the entire international community to keep political differences aside and support the ongoing humanitarian efforts to help Rohingya Muslim refugees. We do support the UN appeal to help the Rohingya people. We believe that all commoners are not terrorists. We are really concerned, Ms Banerjee said in a tweet. We have made very clear our concern at the ongoing tragedy of the Rohingyas, people who have been forced to leave their homes. The reports we are getting, the pictures all of us are seeing are heart-breaking to say the least, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson to the UN Secretary-General, had stated on Wednesday. In August, the Centre had declared that the Rohingyas pose serious security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups, and asked the state governments to identify and deport them. An estimated 3,80,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have fled Myanmar and reached Bangladesh after a crackdown by Myanmarese security forces in response to an attack on a military outpost by Rohingya militants on August 25. Deputy CM said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Bahadur Shah Zafars mausoleum in Yangon because he was a good ruler. Lucknow: The syllabus of Uttar Pradesh schools shall soon be changed to downplay the role of Mughal emperors. Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma who also holds a secondary education portfolio, said, Mughal emperors were not our ancestors but were looters. We will change the syllabus accordingly so that our children do not learn untruths. The minister said that the only exception in this list was the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar who he said was a good ruler. Bahadur Shah Zafar had supported Mangal Pandey, the hero of Indias first war of independence. Other Mughal rulers were known to be plunderers and we cannot allow history to eulogise them, he said. The deputy chief minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Bahadur Shah Zafars mausoleum in Yangon because he was a good ruler. The deputy chief minister, however, clarified that this was not a religious issue and the government respected all religions. We honor all religions. Apart from worshipping gods and goddesses, I also visit mazaars, gurudwaras and churches. But we cannot allow our children to read distorted facts of history and, therefore, changes were needed in history, he stated. Mr Sharma further said that A culture where a son kills his father for the throne or cuts off the hands of craftsmen, who built Taj Mahal, cannot be a part of our culture. However, we honor people like Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who is responsible for successful nuclear tests. They said that a bullet hit Bahadur on the left side of his abdomen and he succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital. Srinagar: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed as firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in violation of the November 2003 ceasefire agreement has spread to International Border (IB) in Jammu district of the state. The officials said the Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire agreement for the third consecutive day between the intervening night of September 14 and 15 in Arnia sector of the IB, resulting into the death of BSF constable Bijender Bahadur. He was on duty at a forward post of the BSF in Arnia when the Pakistan Rangers fired mortars and also used small arms fire to target the Indian positions shortly after midnight. They said that a bullet hit Bahadur on the left side of his abdomen and he succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital. The BSF troops retaliated by using same calibre weapon. Our jawans retaliated strongly and befittingly using the same calibre weapons, a BSF spokesperson added. Intermittent exchanges continued till Friday morning, reports said. The BSF said that Bahadur, 32, was a resident of Vidya Bhawan Naraypur village in Uttar Pradeshs Balia district. He is survived by his wife Sushmita Singh. Earlier, the LoC in neighbouring Poonch and Rajaouri districts witnessed repeated ceasefire violations by the Pakistan troops during past couple of weeks. The Indian officials had said on Thursday that two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF earlier during the day. They said the action came after three Indian jawans were injured. in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts on Wednesday. However, Pakistan had denied the charge and accused the Indian troops of initiating firing but along the LoC and the IB called Working Boundary by it. Indias Deputy High Commissioner, J. P. Singh, was summoned to Foreign Office in Islamabad by Pakistans Director General (South Asia and SAARC), Dr. Mohammad Faisal, over alleged ceasefire violations by Indian troops along the LoC which had resulted in the killing of two civilians. The firing, he was told, took place in Phulian sector on the Pakistani side of the de facto border and that also three persons including a woman were injured. Islamabad accused the Indian troops of deliberately targeting civilians and termed it deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws. It urged India to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement and investigate various incidents that have taken along the LoC. However, India has strongly denied Pakistani allegations and said that the incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. The officials said that till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year. On the other hand, Pakistan has claimed that there have more than 700 ceasefire violations by the Indian troops this year, which resulted in the killing of 32 civilians on their side of the LoC. CBI court to hear 2 murder cases against Dera Sacha Sauda head. Army soldiers patrolling in Panchkula, Haryana on Monday. A special CBI court on Monday sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh 10 years of imprisonment in each of the two cases of rapes against him. (Photo: PTI) Chandigarh: In view of the Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs hearing in two separate murder cases on Saturday in Panchkula, security has been beefed up around the city and other parts of the Haryana. The cases related to the murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, allegedly by functionaries and followers of the sect, will be held in the court of special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh. The same court on August 25 convicted Ram Rahim on two counts rape of his female disciples. According to Haryana director general of police B.S. Sandhu, adequate para military and Haryana police personnel are stationed around the court complex in Sector 1 here and other areas in Panchkula town. There are no reports of the dera followers assembling in Panchkula ahead of the Saturdays hearing, unlike the day when the rape judgement was pronounced when over one-lakh followers converged in the town. Ram Rahim has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment on the two counts of the rape of his female followers. He is also the main accused in the murder case of a dera member Ranjit Singh. It has been alleged that Ranjit was shot dead in 2002 at the behest of Ram Rahim. Another victim, journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, was also allegedly killed at his behest in 2002. A senior cop said Ram Rahim is unlikely to be physically present for the hearing as he is lodged at the Sunaria jail near Rohtak. The hearing would take place through video conferencing. Haryana saw deadly violence by dera followers after Ram Rahim was convicted in the rape cases by the special CBI court on August 25, leaving 41 people dead and injuring over 250 people in Haryana. Tauseef Khan was arrested in a cyber cafe in Bodh Gaya. Tauseef Khan had been evading arrest for the last nine years, the police said. Patna: In a major breakthrough, the Bihar police on Thursday arrested 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast accused Tauseef Khan from a cyber cafe. Tauseef Khan had been evading arrest for the last nine years, the police said. The police also arrested two other persons who are suspected to have been providing local support to Tauseef. According to the police, he and his associates were arrested from a cyber cafe in civil lines locality of Gaya. Tauseef Khan is one of the main accused in the Ahmedabad serial blast case. The police has also recovered some incriminating documents from him, said A.K. Singhal, additional director general of police said. According to the police, the accused along with others had visited the cyber cafe but refused to produce identity cards when asked by the owner of the cafe. The owner of the cafe found their behavior suspicious. He alerted the police while Tauseef and his associates were trying to leave the cyber cafe, police sources said. The blast accused was living in Gaya as a teacher and is believed to have trained several youths. Sources also claimed that teams of NIA and Gujarat ATS are expected to reach Gaya and interrogate the suspected terrorists. According to reports, Tauseef lived in Myanmar for several years after the Ahmedabad serial blasts. He is also believed to be having links with banned terror outfit Huji. The police is also trying to find out whether they were planning to carry out terrorist activities to protest the atrocities on Rohingya Muslim refugees in Myanmar. The state home department after their arrest on Thursday directed the police to intensify security in and around Bodh Gaya. The terrorists in July 2013 had targeted the international Buddhist tourists when the Rohingya problem was going on in Myanmar. On September 13, the decision was taken at the party's state secretariat meeting, West Bengal secretary Mishra said. Kolkata: Controversial Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee has been formally expelled by the CPI(M) from its party saying that the decision was taken after its efforts to rectify him failed. The party's West Bengal unit on Friday announced of his expulsion after party general secretary Sitaram Yechury gave his seal of approval on the state secretariat committee's recommendation which was sent to the central committee barely two days ago for consideration. Yechury conveyed his decision to the West Bengal CPI(M) on behalf of the party's politburo. The decision of the 38-year-old parliamentarian was pending for the last two days as the CPI(M) general secretary was out of New Delhi for party work, according to sources. Returning to New Delhi on Friday Yechury made it final. In the afternoon CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra informed Banerjee's expulsion from the party in a statement. Dr Mishra said that Banerjee was expelled from the CPI(M) according to section 19(13) of the party's organisation for 'serious anti-party activities.' He said, "This decision was taken on September 13, 2017 at the state secretariat meeting. The CPI(M) Politburo has approved the decision. In February Banerjee was publicly censured by the party's state committee for his indiscipline." Speaking about the three member inquiry commission against Banerjee the statement mentioned that a decision was later taken as per section 19(10) of the party's organisation to suspend him from the party's state committee at a meeting on June 1-2 for three months in wake of many more serious allegations against him. The CPI(M) state secretary elaborated, "He was also given an opportunity to defend himself. Probing all angles the inquiry commission found him guilty and submitted its report within scheduled time. He was also chargesheeted." Dr Mishra however noted, "Repeated attempts to rectify him however went in vain. Instead of amending himself he continued to tarnish the party's image. Based on the commission's report steps to punish Banerjee was taken from the state committee meeting on August 7-8 and it was brought to the notice of the central committee." The statement reasoned, "Banerjee tried to defame the party further while giving an interview to a TV channel on September 11 based on which the decision to expel him was taken." Snow-clad mountain peaks and a vast expanse of greenery can instantly make you fall in love with switzerland. Europe was always a dream destination for me all my life. The descriptions and depictions of Europe in the books I read and the movies I watched made it all the more enticing for me. The various countries and their unique cultures attracted me. Thanks to my dad S. Thyagarajan, this dream-come-true vacation was made possible for both my daughter and I. We visited nine countries in total! Although a little cliched, my most favourite place was Switzerland. This central European country is known for its spectacular mountain scenery, sparkling lakes and folklore traditions. We stayed at Engelberg (mountain of angels), a village resort. True to its name, it was an amazing place to stay at. The view from our hotel room was that of snow-clad mountain peaks on one side and a vast expanse of greenery interspersed with lakes on the other. The two places that stand out the most in my memory are Rhine Falls and Harder Kulm. Rhine Falls Europes most powerful falls are located on the High Rhine on the border between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zurich in northern Switzerland. The Rhine Falls were formed approximately 14,000 to 17,000 years ago, by erosion-resistant rocks narrowing the riverbed. The funicular trip is a mini adventure by itself I was awe-struck by the thundering beauty and the historical facts related to it. The roar and the sight of the falls bring the zen feeling in us. In spite of its sheer power, it brings about a sense of serenity. Like the words of author Mary Shelley: it was indeed the clear heavens through its glittering ever-moving veil. At 1322 m above sea level, Interlakens (a town in central Switzerland) local mountain, the Harder Kulm offers the best views of Interlaken as well as Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. The short journey of 10 minutes by cable car (otherwise called the funicular) from Interlaken to the Harder Kulm, is well worth the trip and is a mini adventure by itself. You can enjoy the magnificent Swiss scenery from the two-lake bridge there, with a Swiss Fondue lunch! I was in a gastronomic heaven when we had it. It was one of the best meals I had in the entire trip. I got to know some quaint traditions of Switzerland during my trip. One of the interesting things I came across was a pole tied with white and red ribbons outside some houses. When asked we were told that it was how the birth of a baby is announced to the neighbours. This meant the neighbours were invited for tea and a short visit with the new-born. Isnt it adorable? Harder Kulm The locals are cheerful and helpful bunch. Though in this part of Switzerland where we stayed, life was at a slow pace. The days were short and people were laid-back and very friendly. If you are a planning for a trip, carry a lot of winter clothing and cold creams for the skin. Though the best time to visit is between April to October, you can experience the Swiss winters during January and February. (As told to Merin James) Ajay Maken announces signature drive, demo at Jantar Mantar on September 20. New Delhi: Releasing a comparative data of the petrol and diesel prices during the Congress-led UPA regime in 2014 and the present BJP-led NDA government, Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken said the total tax on petrol worth `100 stood at `34.45 during the Congress regime and now at Rs 51.78. Similarly, the taxes on diesel, which now stand at Rs 44.40, was Rs 19.67, when the Congress was in power in 2014. Elaborating further, Mr Maken said the total excise plus VAT increase on petrol in Delhi as on Thursday was 104.42 per cent, while taxes on diesel are pegged at 226.02 per cent. Criticising Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Mr Maken said that the chief minister needs to be reminded that before the Delhi elections, Mr Kejriwal told people that the government can run without taxes. In the same breath, the chief minister promised to enact the Jan Lokpal within a month of coming to power, r Maken said. However, he has backtracked and now is on the same page as Prime Minister Narendra Modi in overburdening people with unprecedented taxes on petroleum products. He said that Mr Kejriwal, who locks horns with the the Modi government on every issue, was, surprisingly, silent on the unprecedented rise in the prices of petrol and diesel. The AAP government too has been equally responsible for higher taxes on petroleum, he added. Mr Maken announced following the signature campaign, the party will stage a protest demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday, September 20 demanding roll back of the hike on petrol and diesel. He said this protest will also be taken to the district and block levels. He said that last year too, the party unit had collected 10 lakh signatures at petrol pumps across the Capital to protest against the rise in the prices of petrol and diesel. The Congress leader expressed concern for the transport sector, which is hit hard by the fuel hike. petroleum prices. The hike will also have a cascading effect on the prices of all essential commodities, Mr Maken added. According to police, though it is suspected that Rajesh shot himself but his family members have alleged that he was killed. The matter has been transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch for investigation, the police said. (Photo: File/Representational) New Delhi: A head constable died under mysterious circumstances on the premises of the Vijay Vihar police station in Rohini in New Delhi, the police said on Friday. It is suspected that Rajesh shot himself on Thursday night, but his family members have alleged that he was killed, they said, adding that a case has been registered on the basis of the allegations. The matter has been transferred to the Delhi Police Crime Branch for investigation, the police said. The head constable was on night duty and around 11 pm on Thursday, his family was informed that he had been taken to a hospital. However, by the time they reached, he had succumbed to bullet injuries, they said. Police said that Rajesh was talking to another head constable in the parking area of the police station before the incident. Later, some policemen heard gunshots and rushed to the spot and saw him lying in a pool of blood. The other policeman was also there, they said. The personnel claimed that Rajesh snatched his service revolver and shot himself. Rajesh's family have alleged foul play, the police said. "The initial inputs point towards suicide. However, the family members alleged murder. Keeping these in mind, a case of murder has been registered," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rishi Pal. A board of doctors has been constituted for the postmortem. Teams of the Forensic Science Laboratory were called to the spot, he said. The Crime Branch will probe whether he had a fight with anyone at the police station or was there any foul play, said another official, requesting anonymity. For all schools, the drivers and conductors should be women, she said, speaking at an event here. Hyderabad: Union minister Maneka Gandhi on Friday suggested appointing women as drivers in school buses and in the non-teaching staff as part of efforts to ensure safety of children. The women and child development minister was speaking against the backdrop of rising concern over the safety of children in schools after a string of attacks, including the killing of a student at a private school in Gurgaon. For all schools, the drivers and conductors should be women, she said, speaking at an event here. The WCD ministry can offer funds under the Nirbhaya fund to train women drivers and helpers in school buses, she said. A meeting is scheduled to be held in Delhi on Monday next to discuss child safety-related issues, she said. Cuffe Parade society latest victim of pipeline issues. Mumbai: The residents of Cuffe Parades Dalamal Co-operative Housing Society were faced with a water contamination problem as a utility pipeline allegedly broke due to Metro III work in the area late on Tuesday. The breakdown led to muddy water gushing out of the societys taps. However, the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporations (MMRC) concerned contractor, L&T, repaired the damage overnight. Fifteen tankers too were made available for the residents. A senior MMRC official said, These incidents are not done callously by metro workers. During work, such things happen. But the MMRC ensures that the damage is repaired immediately to cause less trouble for the residents. Asked about the residents allegation, a civic official said, Yes, the utility pipeline was broken and we had sent our staff immediately to do the needful. The residents started receiving contaminated water from Wednesday morning. The society informed its residents that the waste water line had mixed with the drinking water pipeline. We are relying on water tankers after the pipeline was damaged in the metro work. When we encountered the soiled water, the members of the society approached the metro workers and learnt that the pipeline had been damaged, said Robin Jaisinghani, a resident. Although the issue has been resolved, the residents are advised to avoid using piped water for the next two days. Ever since the metro work commenced, south Mumbai has been facing many issues related to it. In a recent case, the kin of a 93-year-old woman wrote to the MMRCL, stating that she had to be hospitalised due to her sleep pattern getting disturbed because of the noise ensuing from the metro work. Similarly, the 119-year old J.N Petiit Library and Sidharth College on D.N Road have complained about their walls developing cracks, allegedly due to metro work. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the HC refused to stay the tunnelling work for the proposed Metro-3 line along the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route. The court said that it would consult specialists from IIT-Bombay to examine the effect of tunnelling and drilling work on the foundation of several heritage buildings in south Mumbai. The court can direct any capable structural engineering firm or conservation architect to conduct a survey on the condition of these buildings and the effect that the metro work will have on their foundation, said advocate Fredun DeVitre. The petition, filed through him, seeks a stay on the ongoing work at the proposed Hutatma Chowk metro rail station along line III, on the grounds that the work was causing damage to the old buildings, including several heritage structures in the area. Onion prices have gradually risen due to heavy demand from other states, which lost the crops to inclement weather. Even though farmer brought onions for auction at the APMC on Friday, there were no buyers. Nashik: Onion markets in Nashik district remained closed on Friday and are likely to be closed indefinitely as merchants did not arrive for the auctions in protest against the income-tax departments raids on some merchants premises the day before. Chandwad Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) Chairman Dr Atmaram Kumbharde said that farmers brought onions for auction but there were no buyers and the auctions had ceased throughout the district. While the Onion Merchants Association leaders have refused to comment, a merchant who preferred anonymity said that they were trying to sell off the earlier stock. Under these circumstances, we dont know how much stock can be stored under one licence or if the District Supply Officer may check our stocks. So we will sell off the earlier stock and then enter the market. Secondly, onion rates are already down and may fall further, which will infuriate farmers. So we will discuss the issue and possibly begin purchases on Monday or Tuesday, he said. Onion prices have gradually risen due to heavy demand from other states, which lost the crops to inclement weather. On Thursday, income-tax officials conducted searches on seven leading merchants, which continued on Friday. Earlier, the government felt that the merchants were hoarding onion and was closely monitoring the stock position. Due to this scare, the merchants were reluctant to purchase onion and caused a fall in prices. Lasalgaon APMC chairman Jaydatt Holkar said that he was discussing the issue with the merchants. APMC office-bearers will soon hold a meeting with the merchants and appeal to them to purchase onions, he said. Sansari Farmers Society director Sudhakar Godse said that the merchants were responsible for the impasse. The merchants had purchased onions earlier at `5 per kg and hope to sell it at five times that amount, he alleged. Most cholera-hit patients this year were admitted to civic-run Kasturba hospital. Mumbai: With cholera having seemingly made a comeback with three confirmed cases reported from the city since September 1 - taking the number of such cases to seven since January the BMC has started taking steps to prevent further spread of the dreaded disease. The BMC has started house-to-house surveys and undertaken distribution of chlorine tablets which act as germ-killer in water and oral rehydration salt (ORS) tablets in areas where the patients reside. Two new mobile pumps for chlorination have also been installed in E-wards Madanpura and Saat Rasta where two cholera cases were detected last week. Between January and September this year, nearly seven cases have been detected while not a single case was reported last year. According to ward officials, the mobile pump will be useful in injecting chlorine into water to kill the vibrio-cholera bacteria. Dr Om Srivastava, infectious diseases expert who treated three cholera patients at Kasturba hospital, told The Asian Age, Cholera usually affects a number of people from the same vicinity. Once the water is contaminated, it spreads. Cholera, often spread by infected drinking water, can cause severe diarrhoea leading to dehydration and even death if left untreated. If such symptoms are observed, avoid self-medication and rush to your doctor for further treatment, he cautioned. Most cholera-hit patients this year were admitted to civic-run Kasturba hospital. The civic body is looking for leakages in sewage and drinking water lines and is collecting random samples to test for vibrio-cholera bacteria, known to spread the disease. As there is a very real possibility of the disease spreading further in areas where cholera cases have been reported, the civic health department has cautioned all doctors practising in those areas. Specific instructions have been given regarding preventive measures to check spread of the disease. The problem of lack of assessors in some of the courses is a serious problem and one such exam is Masters in Commerce Accountancy. Mumbai: Out of the 477 examinations conducted by the University of Mumbai (MU), only five examination results are pending. These include those of the Institute of Distance & Open Learnings (IDOL) BCom and MCom (Accountancy) subjects. These results are expected to be declared by next week. One major reasons why theres been a delay in declaring the M.Com results is the low number of teachers for subjects like Audit, Accounting and Finance. Around 19,000 MCom students are waiting for their results while there are around 65,000 IDOL BCom students. Lack of assessors is the challenge the varsity is facing right now, said a source. In order to solve this issue, it had earlier given some of its Commerce papers to the outside universities around 26,662 to Aurangabad University, 10,114 to Kolhapur, 12,981 to Nagpur, 6,926 to Pune, 7,419 to Sangli and 502 to Satara. Last month, in order to speed up the assessment process, the varsity had issued a circular that said that it is roping in chartered accountants (CA) in order to access papers like Audit, Taxation and Accounting. However, after certain opposition from the students fraternity, the varsity decided to drop the idea. The problem of lack of assessors in some of the courses is a serious problem and one such exam is Masters in Commerce Accountancy. When asked about the status of these results, the MUs acting controller of examinations, Dr. Arjun Ghatule said, Yesterday (Thursday) we declared the results of regular MCom and we are aiming to declare the rest, including Accountancy and Finance, by next week. As with many of his books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory made it to the silver screen in 1971. London: The hero of Roald Dahls Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book was originally written as a black boy, the authors widow told the BBC on Wednesday. The first Charlie that he wrote about was a little black boy, you know, and Im sure that was influenced by America, Liccy Dahl told BBC Radio 4. The tale of Charlie Buckets adventures at the chocolate factory owned by Willy Wonka was first published in 1964 and is now available in 55 languages. Liccy Dahl said the final decision not to write the main character as a black child was a great pity, adding that it would be wonderful to see a reworking of the book to incorporate her late husbands wish. Donald Sturrock, biographer of the world-famous childrens author, said Roald Dahls agent thought it was a bad idea to include a black hero. As with many of his books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory made it to the silver screen in 1971. But according to Liccy Dahl, her husband wasnt very happy with the film version starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. A second movie version hit cinemas in 2005, directed by Tim Burton and with actor Johnny Depp taking in the role as the eccentric factory owner. Numerous of Roald Dahls other childrens classics have made it onto the screen and stage, many since his death aged 74 in 1990. They include Matilda, about the life of a genius five-year-old, which saw a 1996 film version ahead of a musical production by the Royal Shakespeare Company which opened in 2010. Despite becoming a celebrated author, Roald Dahls became extremely grumpy when he was about to finish a book. I used to say to him, Surely you should be thrilled, because youve finished a book. He said, Yes, but the fear of starting another one, his widow told the BBC. Louisiana State University (BATON ROUGE, La.) -- All Greek activities were suspended at Louisiana State University on Thursday after a freshman pledge died in what is being investigated as a hazing incident. The school announced that freshman Maxwell Gruver, 18, from Roswell, Georgia, died Thursday morning in what LSU media relations director Ernie Ballard termed a "potential hazing incident" at the Phi Delta Theta chapter on campus. LSU President F. King Alexander announced late Thursday that all Greek activities at the school would be suspended pending a thorough investigation of the incident. Officials couldn't offer specifics, but said the involvement of alcohol was being investigated. "We in the LSU community are grieving today," Alexander said at a press conference Thursday. "The death of Maxwell Gruver was tragic and untimely. A young man's life was cut short last night and we mourn the loss and the possible impact he may have had on our region and the world. Our deepest sympathies and prayers go to his family and his friends. There are allegations that Maxwell's death, there are allegations that they were related to hazing, but I want to emphasize that this is an evolving situation. We are investigating this matter with the utmost seriousness. As we have continually warned over and over again, hazing is dangerous, irresponsible and unacceptable and it will not be accepted at LSU, period." He went on, "Alcohol is indeed part of the allegations, but that's part of the investigation." Louisiana State University Police confirmed to ABC News that it was investigating Gruver's death as a potential hazing incident involving Phi Delta Theta. "Maxwell was transported to Our Lady of the Lake [Thursday] morning for a medical emergency and was later pronounced dead at the hospital," a police spokesman wrote to ABC News on Friday. "The case is currently under investigation." The suspension of LSU's Greek activities comes as campuses nationwide are taking a tough stance on alcohol abuse and hazing following high-profile incidents like the alcohol-related hazing death of Tim Piazza, 19, at Penn State's now-closed Beta Theta Pi house. The incident led to criminal charges for 14 members of his fraternity. In addition to LSU suspending all fraternities and sororities, the national chapter of Phi Delta Theta said it would follow suit. "Phi Delta Theta general headquarters is investigating the Louisiana Beta Chapter at Louisiana State University following a tragic event that resulted in the passing of prospective member, Maxwell Gruver," the Phi Delta Theta said in a statement posted to its website. The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroners Office said Friday that Gruver's preliminary autopsy found no internal or external trauma but noted that he had excessive fluid in the lungs and brain. The coroner's office also said "blood and urine tests indicate a highly elevated blood alcohol level plus the presence of THC." Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The company also made it clear that a hardware problem caused the boot loop error, so it is not something which can be corrected. Another interesting thing here is that even if Nexus 6P owners have run out of warranty, Google still is providing them with a brand new Pixel XL instead. Google has planned to deal with an issue which has been affecting a number of 6P smartphone by exchanging them with the newer Google Pixel. A limited number of users have reported a boot-loop problem which is not solvable even by reflashing the device. The issue was first spotted in December 2016, after a Nougat update, but Google has stated that a very few number of people were affected. The company also made it clear that a hardware problem caused the boot loop error, so it is not something which can be corrected, keeping in mind that the Nexus 6P is the last device built by a third-party company, more precisely Huawei. However, Googles latest pixel line differs in this regard. Another interesting thing here is that even if Nexus 6P owners have run out of warranty, Google still is providing them with a brand new Pixel XL instead. However, not all regions are the same, and not all users are guaranteed to get a Pixel XL as a replacement. According to a post on Reddit, users have been receiving Pixel XL replacements for a few days now, but not all of them. For example, in the UK, devices have been replaced with a Nexus 6Ps, which means that they still had it in stock. Also, in Canada, users are getting Google Pixel XL 32 Gb even if they sent a Nexus 6P 128Gb in service. It might not be the best deal, but at least they are getting a new phone. Some aspects remain unclear. For example, there is no information regarding the status of the replacements and if they are refurbished, and the warranty status is also disputed. Some say that the warranty is extended, other says its not. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 MW) and Ratle (850 MW) hydroelectric power plants being built by India. The World Bank in August had said under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of Jehlum and Chenab (File Photo) Washington: India and Pakistan in Washington started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty on Thursday night, a senior World Bank official said. These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries, a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Banks role in relation to differences and disputes is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. Last week US senators including John McCain introduced a resolution condemning the violence and calling on Suu Kyi to act. A Rohingya refugee carries two children in buckets as they arrive at Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf, Bangladesh (Photo: AFP) Washington: A top US lawmaker defended Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday, saying Myanmar's under-fire leader had assured him she is working to get aid to Rohingya Muslims suffering a violent military crackdown. The Southeast Asian nation's first civilian leader in decades has faced international condemnation for a lack of moral leadership regarding the Rohingya, victims of what the UN views as a campaign of ethnic cleansing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a longtime Suu Kyi friend and ally, said that during a telephone call she "agreed with the need for immediate and improved access of humanitarian assistance to the region, particularly by the International Red Cross, and she conveyed that she is working toward that end." A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25, has sent nearly 400,000 refugees from the stateless Muslim minority fleeing into neighboring Bangladesh. Hundreds have been killed. Suu Kyi, who is the de facto head of government in the nation also known as Burma, said it was important that violations of human rights be addressed, the Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor. The longtime human rights icon and Nobel peace laureate has been berated for failing to speak up for the Rohingya minority amid a crisis that has shocked the international community. McConnell warned against "unfounded criticism" of Suu Kyi, noting that she has no command over the powerful military which ran the country for 50 years. "In my view, publicly condemning Aung San Suu Kyi, the best hope for democratic reform in Burma, is not constructive" and could slow the progress toward a representative government, McConnell said. Last week US senators including John McCain introduced a resolution condemning the violence and calling on Suu Kyi to act. McCain has sought to remove language from a defense spending bill detailing expanded military cooperation with Myanmar. Foreign minister says US ignores threats to Pakistan posed by US, India, Afghan nexus. Islamabad: Pakistan is reassessing ties with the United States, defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said, accusing Washington of ignoring the threats to his country from India. Mr Khans remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Mr Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, the Dawn reported. We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But its not for us to satisfy them, he told the media. The government, he said, was reassessing ties with the US, and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Mr Khan said that the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister also expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistans threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests. He said that Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation], he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Mr Khan said that the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US keeps changing the goalposts. Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. The Dawn reported that foreign minister Khawaja Asif would be accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson. Asifs meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistans request after Trumps policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Erdogan hosted the emir for the talks at his presidential palace in the capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Ankara: Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Thursday held talks in Turkey with the emirate's chief ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia. Erdogan hosted the emir for the talks at his presidential palace in the capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Both leaders emphasised the importance of solving the crisis in the Gulf diplomatically and vowed to further bolster relations between Ankara and Doha, said Turkish presidential sources, cited by the state-run Anadolu news agency. They were also joined in the two-and-half hour meeting by Energy Minister and Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, images showed. Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that has seen Qatar left diplomatically and economically isolated. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha, however, denies the claims and Ankara has insisted there is absolutely no evidence to back the allegations. Erdogan has strongly spoken out against the sanctions applied by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Doha. In a show of solidarity, Turkey has also sent cargo ships and hundreds of planes loaded with food products to break the embargo on Doha. After visiting Turkey, the emir is due to visit Berlin on Friday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his first trip to a western capital since the crisis began. Erdogan in July embarked on a regional tour of the Gulf countries, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in a bid to defuse the crisis. But his visit ended without any sign of a breakthrough and Ankara has shown signs of preferring to leave mediation efforts to Kuwait. On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah met with Erdogan in Ankara. Over the last years, Qatar has emerged as Turkey's number one ally in the Middle East, with Ankara and Doha closely coordinating their positions on a number of issues including the Syria conflict where both are staunch foes of President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara has built a military base in Qatar and reportedly already deployed around 200 troops there. The closure of the base was one of the conditions laid by the Saudi-led bloc for the lifting of the sanctions, which was rejected by Doha. But Turkey also does not want to wreck its own relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia and its hugely powerful new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Erdogan has carefully worked to improve Ankara's relations with Riyadh which took a blow over the 2013 ousting of president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, a close ally of Ankara. Rescue workers of security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Burned bodies and vehicles including buses and trucks testified to the violence of the attack. (Photo: AP) Nasiriyah: Gunmen and suicide car bombers on Thursday killed at least 74 people, including Iranians, near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. The attackers struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar, said at least 74 people had died, including seven Iranians, and another 93 people were wounded. That was up from the previous toll of 52 dead and 91 wounded in what was already the deadliest IS attack in Iraq since pro-government forces drove the jihadists out of second city Mosul in July. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against IS in northern Iraq. Rescue workers and members of the security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Burned bodies and vehicles including buses and trucks testified to the violence of the attack. Shelters built of corrugated metal were reduced to scraps of metal, twisted by heat. The area targeted is on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. - IS claim - It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Adding to the pressure on the jihadists, Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Tal Afar and the surrounding region from IS on August 31. Thursday's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters closed in one of the last, IS bastions in the country: Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent in that area saw several artillery units positioning themselves around the towns of Rawa and Anna, 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the border with Syria. The group's only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 kilometres north of Baghdad. IS has suffered a string of defeats on the battlefields of both Iraq and Syria, leaving in tatters the cross-border "caliphate" it declared in 2014. But despite these setbacks, the extremist group still has hundreds of fighters ready to carry out suicide attacks In addition, any military offensive in Hawija is expected to be postponed due to a planned referendum on Kurdish independence on September 25. Acting at the request of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi parliament on Thursday sacked the governor of Kirkuk over his decision for the northern province to also take part in the Kurdish referendum. Sharif and some family members now face criminal cases prepared by Pakistan's anti-corruption body. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif waves to his supporters during a rally in Muridke, Pakistan (Photo: AP) Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court Friday dismissed an appeal from former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif against his disqualification from the premiership over corruption allegations tied to the Panama Papers leak. The Supreme Court removed Sharif in late July following an investigation into the allegations against him and his family, making him the 15th premier in Pakistan's 70-year history to be ousted before completing a full term. The case against the prime minister stemmed from the Panama Papers leak last year, which spurred a media frenzy over the extravagant lifestyles and high-end London property portfolio of the Sharif dynasty. "All these review petitions are dismissed," said Supreme Court justice Asif Saeed Khosa who oversaw the five-member review panel. In a long-winded appeal demanding that his case be reviewed, Sharif's legal team presented 19 points challenging the court's judgement, saying the ruling suffered "from errors floating on the surface". The Supreme Court has also ordered the country's anti-corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau, to open a criminal case against Sharif, his sons -- Hussain and Hassan -- and his daughter Maryam. Last month Sharif led legions of supporters from the capital Islamabad to his hometown, Lahore, in a days-long procession that brought thousands into the streets in a show of force. During the trip Sharif repeatedly blasted the court's actions, saying the decision was an "insult" to Pakistanis. The latest ruling comes days ahead of a by-election to fill Sharif's parliamentary seat in Lahore that is being contested by his wife Kalsum, who is being treated for throat cancer in London. The seat has long been controlled by Sharif and his allies who consider Lahore to be their political stronghold. by Vladimir Rozanskij The Russian Orthodox return to the fore in the Joint Commission and focus on uniatism and "Primacy and Communion in the Second Millennium." Metropolitan Ioannis Zizioulas, historian of dialogue, replaced due to age limit. The fruits of the meeting at Cuba between Francis and Kirill and the visit of Card. Parolin to Moscow. Moscow (AsiaNews) - At the end of a summer of intense contacts and visits between the representatives of the Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow, the renewed understanding between Russians and Catholics seems to lead to the desired result: the resurgence of the official dialogue between Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches, which in recent years had come to a halt on numerous occasions. The Moscow Patriarchate press office this week issued the results of the last session of the Coordinating Committee of the Mixed Commission for the Catholic-Orthodox Dialogue, which took place from September 5 to 9 in the island of Leros (Greece). Usually, the content of these sessions is not rendered public, except for those who work on it. News on progress in the dialogue is rather focused on top-level official meetings, and is circulated by co-presidents and their spokespersons. At present the Commission comprises Catholic Card. Kurt Koch, and Archbishop of Telmessos Job Getcha representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Koch chairs the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity in Rome; Getcha replaced the metropolitan of Pergamon Ioannis Zizioulas, a historian of Catholic-Orthodox ecumenism and a major living orthodox theologian. Archbishop Job, also a renowned theologian, but much younger (43 years old against Zizioulas 86), is a Ukrainian-Canadian who represents the orthodox diaspora in the world. The stages of and obstacles to dialogue The Commission was convened after the Second Vatican Council, with a particularly fruitful phase of work in the 1980s, producing two documents that seemed to pave the way for achieving, if not full, at least a broad mutual recognition between Rome and the Churches of Byzantine tradition, up to sacramental communion. Preceded by the Lima document of 1982 Lima on Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry, approved by the Faith and Constitution Commission of the World Council of Churches, the texts contained the content in the same session of the Munich Session on "The Mystery of the Church: Church and Eucharist in the Light of the Mystery of the Most Holy Trinity ", and then complete the common agreement on" Faith, Sacraments and Church Unity "in Bari in 1987. Mutual recognition of the validity of the sacraments seemed to be one step away, an indispensable condition for healing the wounds between the Churches. The Russians were enthusiastic about the work, indeed they had been somewhat outdated, thanks to the bilateral contacts between Russian and Catholic Orthodox which started right after the end of the Council. The fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of that decade, with the social, cultural and political consequences that followed, also led to an abrupt halt of ecumenical progress, especially on the part of the Russian Church. In the uncertainty of the post-communist "religious revival", Moscow's patriarchy became firmly rooted in the question of the sacramental intercommunion. In 1992 it returned to prohibiting Catholics scattered abroad for Russia, and lacking their own churches and priests, to communicate at Orthodox liturgies; permission was granted in 1969 as a sign of fraternal availability in times of persecution, in conjunction with the first ecumenical talks, but Moscow's patriarchy now considered it superseded. The crisis of Uniatism and primacy In fact, it was the problem of the "Ukrainian question" that created difficulties: since 1990, the "united" Greek Catholics had begun to recover the churches that had been taken from them in the pseudo-synod of L'vov of 1946, organized by Stalin and Chrushchev, who had been forced to join forces with Russian Orthodoxy. Moscow did not intend to hand these churches back to the uniates, or at least ask for a new balance, but the process had already started and was ungovernable, not even by the Vatican. The Russian patriarch then called for the issue to be put on the agenda of the official dialogue, and in 1993 the Mixed Commission approved in Balamand (Lebanon) a document on "Uniatism, a method of union of the past and current search for full Communion". The condemnation of the Uniatism, however, failed to heal the situation in Ukraine, where the tension between Russian, local orthodox and Greek-Catholic orthodox has always remained high, thus constituting one of the factors of the social and military conflict of recent years . Since 1993 the Commission has therefore been at an impasse, with the first attempt at a solution coming almost 15 years later, with the meeting of Ravenna in 2007, where the central topic of ecumenical dialogue, was the primacy . Already John Paul II, at the end of the encyclical letter Ut Unum Sint, had stated that he wanted to revise this aspect of ecclesiastical discipline; the same intention was reiterated by his successor Benedict XVI. In his Presidency of the Council for the Unity of Christians, also Card. Walter Kasper has devoted all his energies to this theme. Ravenna's paper on "The ecclesiological and canonical consequences of the sacramental nature of the Church - ecclesial Communion, Conciliarity and Authority" remained unfortunately pending, endorsed by the Commission, but only after the Russians abandoned the work, stating that it did not consider it appropriate for discussion. In the last decade, representatives of the Patriarchate of Moscow have in fact torpedoed every attempt to resume discussions on the matter, considering it useless and dangerous, as it would further aggravate the dissent not only between Catholics and Orthodox but also within Orthodoxy itself, extending the concept of primacy also to the East. This would have exalted the role of the Ecumenical Patriarch, "primus inter pares" among the orthodox hierarchs, at the expense of the other Patriarchs (especially of Moscow). In fact. the metropolitan Zizioulas, author of Ravenna's text, was considered by the Russians as one of the main obstacles to be removed, and his retirement is certainly one of the factors of the new turning point. From Cuba a new beginning Last year, the Pan-Orthodox Council was held in Crete, which should have clarified any misunderstanding between the Byzantine Churches, but the attempt failed again, as a result of the retreat of Russians, along with Bulgarians and Georgians. 2016, however, presented another great opportunity: the meeting in Cuba between Pope Francis and the Patriarch of Moscow Kirill. Since then, contacts between Russians and Catholics have intensified, not only and not so much thanks to the generic declaration of intent signed in Havana, but above all in the common organization of humanitarian actions in favor of persecuted Christians in the Middle East. Russians and Catholics exchanged several symbolic gestures of great cultural and spiritual value last year, such as the exhibition of Russian icons in the Vatican, the interviews between historians and academics on relations between Rome and Moscow and above all the pilgrimage of the relics of Saint Nicholas to Russia this summer. To crown this new phase, was the official visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, who met with Patriarch Kirill and President Putin in August, prefiguring a new phase of intense collaboration. Immediately after him, in fact, at the beginning of September, a delegation of representatives of Catholic institutes and structures involved in ecumenical relations, was received with full honors by the Patriarch and the entire Permanent Synod of Bishops, the decision-making body of the Russian Church. The Russian Orthodox rule In this new phase, the theme of primacy in the ancient Church appears to be definitively set aside, to move to the subject "Primacy and communion in the second millennium and to our day." The continuity with Ravenna's text is only apparent: the ancient primacy must be a common element of universal ecclesiology; instead, the second millennium presents papal pretensions and schisms, beginning with that of 1054 between Rome and Constantinople. The Russians received baptism precisely at that time, but did not participate in the schism, and may therefore arise as arbitrators between the First and the Second Rome. In addition, as the statement issued by the Moscow Patriarchate emphasized, the Russians insisted on returning to the question of the Uniatism, resuming the Balamand paper and the other discussions of the late 1990s on the subject. The Catholic Church seemed to have closed that confrontation for years, but perhaps willingness to reopen the matter was expressed. Pope Francis many symbolic gestures which show that his desire to set aside the robes of the "primacy", have further inspired the new ecumenical turning, which seems to be dominated by Russian Orthodoxy. by Sumon Corraya The pastoral visit is set for 30 November to 2 December 2017. The local Church has set up ten multi-faith subcommittees whose members will meet the pontiff. Muslim politicians are looking forward to the visit. "I hope he will talk about the violence that women are forced to submit to, said a government adviser. Protestants are helping to organise the visit. Dhaka (AsiaNews) In Bangladesh, Catholics, Protestants and Muslims are wait wit joy for Pope Franciss visit. The pontiff will be in Dhaka from 30 November to 2 December 2017, where he is expected by politicians and believers of all religions. For the occasion, the local Church organised a meeting yesterday, involving 45 leaders. Nirmal Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, told AsiaNews that "Pope Francis is an extraordinary person. Those present stressed the importance of media to advertise the trip. Thus, the pope's message will reach all strata of the population." The Catholic Bishops Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) promoted the event. Important individuals met in the capital to express all their closeness to the pope and reaffirm their availability to cooperate ahead of the imminent pastoral journey. "I welcome you, Card Patrick D'Rozario, archbishop of Dhaka and CBCB president, told participants. We are all gathered here for a special programme." He then gave the floor to other speakers who shared their hopes and views. Gowher Rizvi, historian and international affairs advisor to the prime minister, said that "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina strongly wanted this visit, attended by people of all faiths. This is a beautiful thing." Dr Kamal Hossian, one of the authors of the countrys constitution, added: "The people of Bangladesh will learn the values of the pope. With his visit, [we will] learn to respect each other." Hossain Zillur Rahman, a politician and legislator, and Abdul Moyeen Khan, member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, are also looking forward to welcoming the one called a "man of peace." Government advisor Rasheda K Chowdhury hopes that Pope Francis will also address the issue of violence against women. "I hope he will talk about the violence that women are forced to submit to, and encourage improvements in the conditions of marginalised women, she said. Pope Francis is very influential." "We are happy to welcome the pope, said Bishop Paul Shishir Sarker, of the (Anglican] Church of Bangladesh. For our part, as Protestants, we will contribute to the organisation" of the visit. Meanwhile, the local Church has set up ten subcommittees, with people from different religious background, who will take part in meetings with Francis. by Mathias Hariyadi Various assemblies of Indonesian religious renewed their commitment to pluralism. Sisters and priests visit various religious and cultural centres. Community initiatives and organisations promote interfaith dialogue. Jakarta (AsiaNews) A spirit of pluralism and tolerance among religious groups is spreading across Indonesia countering Islamist trends that have recently influenced the countrys political life. Some have called this the Ahok effect after Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, the former Christian governor of Jakarta, who was convicted of blasphemy in a trial subjected to political pressures. The Catholic Church has always been active in interfaith dialogue, and has renewed its commitment through initiatives involving priests, nuns, and religious, in particular, participants at plenary assemblies of nuns' associations (IBSI) and Indonesian religious orders (KOPTARI) held this week in Padangbulan, Lampung province. A delegation of some 63 nuns and scores of priests visited religious and cultural centres in a meeting with the local communities. The group also visited the Buddhist Jinarakkhita Education Centre (STIAB), a training centre for Buddhist monks, and Putri Dinnayah, an Islamic school for girls. The theme of this year's IBSI National Conference was Orchestrate Global Solidarity to Boost the Quality of Nationalism". The four-day gathering was divided into several sessions, each dedicated to a specific topic. One was The Spirit of Solidarity among women as read in the Bible", led by Fr Paul Suparno, a Jesuit from Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta (Central Java). Another important issue discussed was the Counter Women Trafficking Commission (CWCT). "In our tight schedule, we feel united as consecrated nuns in carrying out the mission of the Church through our various apostolate, Sister Maria Monika Ekowati, IBSIs new head, told AsiaNews. It is with this spirit that we shared our common interests and past experience to support hope." Sister Anne Marie, superior of the Dominicans, liked the theme of this year's conference. "It closely relates to how Indonesian religious respond to Biblical joy in Indonesian society, which is pluralistic in terms of ethnicity, languages, values, and traditions." Across the country, the Ahok effect touches everybody in Indonesian society. Through its parishes and organisations, the Catholic Church offers various programmes and initiatives that allow its members to work in interfaith groups. This is the especially the case with some moderate Islamic associations like GusDurian, a youth movement affiliated with Nahdlatul Ulama (Nu), the countrys largest Muslim organisation. In Blitar, East Java, some GusDurian activists performed traditional dances for the congregation of St Marys Parish Church during the celebration for the Virgin Mary's nativity. by Kamran Chaudhry The ten-day mission involves the distribution of various items to a hundred families, moved by the need to help "Muslim brothers". Refugees are ordinary, peace-loving people caught between rival groups." Lahore (AsiaNews) A lay Catholic of Lahore is leaving for Thailand next week to help Rohingya Muslims fleeing Buddhist-majority Myanmar amid a security crackdown. During his ten-day mission, Samuel Pyara, president of Bright Future Society (BFS), plans to help a hundred families with medicine, food items and clothes. Pyara will visit refugee camps along the border between Mae Sot, in Thailands Tak province, and Myawaddy, in Myanmars Kayin State. In 2015, he handed out relief items in the same area to some fifty displaced families. "There are many challenges, he told AsiaNews. These people are usually living in the jungle, starving with their children. Many of them become victim of snake bites. Especially the children looked pale and terrified. The terrain is very rough. It is a painful experience. "We are very much concerned about the plight of our Muslim siblings who are in dire need of support. Several Christian-led organisations and minority wings of political parties held protests and press conferences against the ongoing tyranny [in Myanmar]. I am doing this for humanity." Like most Pakistanis, Pyara has no idea about armed militant groups in the Rohingya community like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which attacked some 30 police and military outposts on 25 August in Rakhine State. The counteroffensive by Myanmar security forces caused the Rohingya exodus. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, some 370,000 have crossed the border into Bangladesh. Some 30,000 people from other Rakhine ethnic groups have also been displaced. The latter accuse the Muslims of atrocities against them. Pyara spoke about the situation of other minorities in Myanmar who have long been in conflict with the military. "Based on my conversation with displaced families, I believe that they are ordinary, peace-loving people caught between rival groups. Christians in Kachin State also need international action but we are helpless, as journalists and aid workers are being denied entrance in Myanmar." In his views, Bangladesh holds the key to solving Rohingya crisis. "Rohingya are ethnic Bengali-speaking Muslims and must be accepted by Bangladesh. This is the only solution of their plight," he said. Founded in 1996, BFS works for disaster victims, human rights, elderly, disabled children, poor students and sets up clean water facilities. Last year it conferred the Good Samaritan award to Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is considered the 'Mother Teresa of Pakistan, a few months before his death. On 20 September before his departure, Pyara plans to give the same award to colleagues of Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Ruth Pfau, who started Leprosy treatment in Pakistan, and died last month. The jihadists hit a security checkpoint and a restaurant on the outskirts of the city. Over 90 injured, six militants killed in the clash with security agents. The area is an important means of communication used by Shiite pilgrims to reach the holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala. Baghdad (AsiaNews / Agencies) - At least 74 people, including several Iranian citizens, were victims of the twin bombing claimed by militants from the Islamic State (IS, formerly Isis) in Iraq. Jihadist militants hit near the southern city of Nassirya, causing over 90 wounded some of them seriously. They targeted a security checkpoint and a restaurant. The agents stopped another attack on a second restaurant, triggering a shootout with the attackers; six extremist militias were killed. Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy head of the Department of Health of the Shiite majority in Dhiqar province, speaks of dozens of victims including seven Iranian citizens. It is the worst attack on Iraqi territory perpetrated by the men of the "Caliphate" since the liberation of Mosul in recent weeks, a longtime stronghold of jihadists in the country. Local sources report that the attackers were disguised as members of the security forces of Hashed al-Shaabi, a Shiite paramilitary alliance that fights - alongside the army and the police - Daesh [Arabic acronym for IS] in northern Iraq. Nassiriya is about 345 km south of the capital Baghdad and is largely inhabited by Shiite Muslims. Abu Ali, one of the dozens of people present at the time of the attack, reports that he was heading to the Fadek al-Zahra restaurant together with his wife when, a short distance away, he saw a group of paramilitary groups trying to force their way inside. "We continued to walk in the direction of the venue," he continued, thinking that they were Iraqi troops. A few seconds later we heard gunshots and people screaming. " "My wife - he concludes - shouted 'terrorists' and fled." The assailants then fled after killing most of the customers present at the time in the restaurant. The carcasses of burnt-out vehicles still lie at the scene of the twin attack, including dozens of cars, trucks and public transport vehicles. The affected area is crossed by an important communication channel used by Shiite pilgrims and foreign visitors, especially Iranians, to reach the holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala, to the north. The Islamic State has claimed the attack in a statement on Amaq webite, often used by jihadists to relaunch propaganda and calls to holy war. The text exults for the death of "dozens of Shiites". The Iraqi Parliament has condemned the "cowardly" gesture that has targeted "innocent people". MPs have not spared criticism of security members inside and around the city, for failing to prevent the massacre. Meanwhile, the Iraqi army's offensive against Jihadist militias continues, which last week took control of the city of Tal Afar. Now the next goal is the Al-Qaim jihadist bastion, on the border with Syria. Along with the town of Hawija, in the province of Kirkuk, 300km north of Baghdad, it is one of the last IS strongholds in Iraq. The "mystery" of the Sorrowful Virgin "is more than to reflect, to contemplate". "Contemplate the Mother of Jesus, contemplate this sign of contradiction, for Jesus is the winner, but on the Cross." Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Under the cross Mary " gave birth to us all: She gave birth to the Church". It is the "mystery" associated with the Blessed Virgin Mary illustrated in todays Gospel on the day of her liturgical feast and the focus of Pope Franciss homily at Mass at Casa Santa Marta. We need to contemplate the Mother of Jesus, said the Pope, we need to contemplate this sign of contradiction, because Jesus is victorious, but upon the Cross. This is a contradiction, he said, that we cant understand. It takes faith to understand it, at least to come close (to understanding) this mystery. Mary knew and lived her whole life with a pierced heart. She followed Jesus and heard the peoples comments, sometimes for Him, sometimes against. But she was always right behind her Son. Thats why we call her the first disciple. It was Marys concern, continued Pope Francis, that brought about this sign of contradiction in her heart. She was there at the end, in silence, at the foot of the Cross, watching her Son. Perhaps she heard comments like: Look, theres the Mother of one of the three criminals. But, said the Pope, she showed her face for her Son. Pope Francis said he was offering these few and simple words to help us contemplate this mystery in silence. In this moment, beneath the Cross, Mary gave birth to the Church and to all of us: Woman, says her Son, behold your children. He doesnt say Mother, he says Woman. This strong and courageous Woman was there to say: This is my Son. I do not deny Him. More than a call to reflection, said Pope Francis, todays Gospel is a call to contemplation. May the Holy Spirit, he concluded, be the one to tell each one of us that which we need (to hear). An open response to sanctions decided by the UN. Yesterday, North Korea threatened to destroy Japan and reduce the United States into "ash". Critics of China and Russia who still support the Norths economy. Emergency meeting of the Security Council. Seoul (AsiaNews) - For the second time in a few weeks, North Korea launched another ballistic missile over Japan. Southern Army sources say the missile reached an altitude of about 770 km and traveled for 3700 km until it landed in the sea around the island of Hokkaido. On August 29, Pyongyang had launched another missile with a similar trajectory, but shorter. On September 3, it conducted a nuclear test, claiming it was an experiment with a potent hydrogen bomb. Because of this, on September 11, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to increase economic sanctions. Todays launch seems to be a contemptuous response to the UN move, continuing to pursue the project of nuclear power capable of hitting the US. Yesterday, the Northern State Agency, the KCNA, threatened to destroy Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes." The reactions to the last launch were not short in coming. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has stated that Tokyo will "never tolerate" such "dangerous and provocative actions". South Korean President Moon Jae-in condemned the "thoughtless provocation" and said "in this way dialogue [with the North] becomes impossible". US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has condemned the launch and criticized Russia and China, who have protected North Korea from heavier sanctions from the Security Council. "China - he said - provides North Korea with most of its oil. Russia employs the largest number of North Korean prisoners in forced labor. " At the request of Japan and the United States, the UN Security Council will meet today. Before they had to submit a certificate that documented the conversion to Islam of their promised bridegroom. Tunisia in the forefront of human rights: freedom of conscience and greater protection for women. Tunisia (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Muslim women may marry men of different religious confession, announced Said Garrach, the spokesman Tunisian President, yesterday. "All texts related to the interdict of Tunisian marriages with a foreigner, the 1973 circular and all similar texts have been deleted," he wrote on Facebook. And he added: "Congratulations to the women of Tunisia for the consecration of their right to freedom of choice of their spouse". Previously, promised brides had to deliver a certificate of conversion of the future husband to Islam. Only a few have been able to recognize their marriages in the absence of such a document, and only at the price of a legal battle. Tunisia is once again a state-of-the-art country in the protection of human rights. Among the Arab-Islamic countries, its constitution is the only one to guarantee freedom of religion (Article 6) and conscience. Additionally, in August, Tunis approved a law against gender violence, which also abolished the possibility of rapists to escape justice if they marry their victims. The example was followed by Jordan and Lebanon. There are still discriminatory norms in Tunisian law, such as those concerning inheritance, which provide that the woman inherits half that of her brothers. But with respect to their "sisters" in the Middle East, they enjoy many rights: they can do any profession, they have rights in many spheres and hold half of the posts in law and medicine. In addition, the law prohibits polygamy and allows the woman to divorce men. Rex Tillerson and British former diplomat make positive comments. Military still casts their shadow over Suu Kyis administration. Criticizing her jeopardises the democratic transition. [F]oreign countries made their assumption based on questionable facts they obtained," said ruling party spokesman Aung Shin. Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) Some in diplomatic circles have expressed understanding for Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is involved in the difficult process of national reconciliation now threatened by tensions in the countrys north-west. At home, she is backed by civil society and nationalist groups who reject accusations against the Myanmar government over the Rakhine crisis. But internationally, pressures are mounting over the humanitarian emergency in Bangladesh, overwhelmed by the influx of nearly 389,000 Rohingya fleeing military operations by Myanmar security forces. Faced with the size of the Rohingya exodus, the United Nations has not hesitated to refer to it as ethnic cleansing and speculate about the worst case scenario. Yesterday, the Security Council called on Myanmar to take "immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine State. The European Parliament also expressed serious concerns over the situation, calling on Myanmars military to stop immediately its abuses. Meanwhile, refugees are telling stories of massacres, fires, torture and gang rapes. The assembly is also threatening to strip Aung San Suu Kyi of the human rights award it had given her. Whilst condemning the "persecution" of the Rohingya, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is more sympathetic. He said the US appreciated the "difficult and complex situation" the Noble Prize laureate finds herself in, sharing political power with the military, which still controls most of the state institutions, especially in matters related to security. In office since April 2016 after the first free elections in decades of military dictatorship, Aung San Suu Kyi promised to break her silence on 19 September in a televised speech. Although the UN has described the anti-Rohingya action as ethnic cleansing, some Western diplomats from countries vying for influence in Myanmar with China - claim that abandoning Suu Kyi and re-imposing sanctions could undermine the countrys democratic transition. [I]f we want to improve the situation, we need to understand before we condemn, said Sir John Jenkins, Corresponding Director (Middle East) at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), and until January 2015, British ambassador to Saudi Arabia. First, suffering in Myanmar is not the preserve of Rakhine Muslims. From 1958 onwards a harshly militarised system of rule systematically oppressed everybody, including Burman, Shan, Mon, Karen, Kachin, Chin, Karenni, Palaung, Kokang, Rakhine Buddhist and Rakhine Muslim and even army recruits themselves. It spared no one. It wrecked the economy, destroyed civil society and turned the many communities that make up Myanmar against each other. So when people criticize Aung San Suu Kyi for not taking effective action immediately to halt the oppression of Rakhine Muslims, I groan. Even to start to repair the fabric of Burmas wounded society is a generational task. Everyone has a claim on her attention and that of the new and hobbled Myanmar government. Suu Kyis electoral triumph in 2015 is a fragile one. The 2008 constitution gives the military three key security ministries, a permanent blocking veto in Parliament and freedom from civilian oversight. It also blocked Suu Kyi from becoming president, leaving her as state counsellor and foreign minister. And this is the key to the current situation. Analysts suspect that ethnic tensions in the countrys northwest are fuelled by the military. As a guardian of the nation and of Buddhism, the Armed Forces like to reassert their power from time to time and undermine the country's democratisation process undertaken by the State Councillor. "We don't love the military, but we are together on this one," said Nyan Win, a top official with Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), who the country's former junta had detained for nearly three years. "Our sovereignty can't be violated and that is why we are united." "These people are illegal immigrants, that's for sure. But the international community never mentions that," he added. Aung Shin, an NLD spokesman, said only Myanmar citizens understand the situation in Rakhine as "foreign countries made their assumption based on questionable facts they obtained". Many in Myanmar fear that Rohingya Muslims threaten other ethnic groups in Rakhine State. Since Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) militants launched attacks on 25 August, six non-Muslims have been killed and nearly 30,000 were displaced in the state. By Sophia Casanova, PhD Candidate - Mining Engineering, UNSW from www.shutterstock.com As humans spread out across the Earth, the locations of new colonies were driven by the accessibility of resources: not only food and water, but also arable land, forests and minerals. Access to such resources remains important as the economy moves into space. Here, water has emerged as the pre-eminent resource to exploit first. The question then becomes, from where will we extract the water? Along with the Moon and near Earth asteroids as potential sources, Mars is an important candidate. Read more: Space mining is closer than you think Eyes on Mars Mars is the focus for human settlement in space, largely due to Elon Musks Space X, Mars One and NASAs activities in this regard. The NASA human landing site selection committee proposed 47 potential sites for a human occupied base on Mars. They considered not only scientific regions of interest but also resource regions of interest where there is accessible water. A number of conditions need to be met for an exploration zone to be considered useful for prospecting for water. Water needs to be accessible, located near the surface, and of sufficient size and concentration to meet the user needs. For operational reasons the Mars water site also needs to be located with a latitude less than 50. This ruled out the previously identified large surface ice deposits in the high latitude polar regions of Mars. Buried ice The Protonilus - Deuteronilus Mensae region on Mars is located in the northern mid-latitudes of Mars (~8E and 60E 38N and 50N). MOLA NASA/JPL, Author provided This region is host to numerous land forms which appear to contain large buried ice deposits, hundreds of meters thick and several kilometres wide. If the ice is preserved as we believe, these features would represent a significant resource easily capable of satisfying the requirements for a human base. It is for this reason that three exploration zones have been proposed in the region. At the low pressures in the Martian atmosphere, and the temperatures in equatorial regions, ice can sublime directly from the solid to gas state (evaporation being the transition from water to gas). The features we are observing protect ice under a layer of debris. Because of this, it is not possible to evaluate directly the quantity of ice present. Instead we must rely on data collected by orbital spacecraft to work out the geological properties and potential water resources available. CTX-NASA/JPL, Author provided If we were able to make measurements on the planet itself (as we can usually do on Earth), things would be much clearer. However, there have been no landed rover missions to this region of Mars, so we are reliant on remotely sensed data. There is still a lot to be learned from data collected by satellites orbiting Mars. These give us high resolution imagery of the surface, along with insight into the geological properties of these features. Read more: Dear diary: another day in the life on Mars We can make informed assessments about how much water there is, and where it is distributed, as well as about what lies over it (which will have to either be drilled through or excavated to reach the water). These interpretations can be used to guide future exploration activities, and assist equipment design and mine planning operations. Rover missions could provide more certainty but planning such a mission will not occur until after site selection, and insight into the feasibility of mining ice deposits on Mars to support human missions to the Red Planet. Other mining in space Its not only Mars which is being investigated as a potential source of water in space. The Moon with its supply of polar water ice is being considered as a potential resource to supply proposed lunar bases or propellant for Mars missions. The Lunar Resource Prospector mission set to launch in the early 2020s will help us better understand the resource potential of the Moon. Read more: All of humanity should share in the space mining boom Asteroid mining companies such as Deep Space Industries and Planetary Resources are looking to exploit water stored in near Earth asteroids and are working towards exploratory missions in the near future. There are a large number of technical issues that must be navigated before such an ambitious mining enterprise is considered low-risk enough to be feasible. These are challenging, but not insurmountable. A significant international effort is afoot to solve the problems with several companies, the major space agencies and the government of Luxembourg committed to the task. Representatives from these stakeholder groups will be in Australia to discuss these issues at the Off-Earth Mining Forum to be held in Sydney, September 20-21, 2017. Sophia Casanova is a PhD Candidate at the University of New South Wales. She is a recipient of the University Postgraduate Award. Andrew Dempster works for UNSW. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is co-chair of the Forum mentioned in the article Serkan Saydam receives funding from Australian Research Council and ACARP, he is co-chair of Off Earth Mining Forum mentioned in the article. Originally published in The Conversation. (Ann Muse/Bigstock.com) (Ann Muse/Bigstock.com) The future of official events for Australia Day is increasingly in doubt, particularly in Melbourne where yet another councils has voted to abandon the national celebration out of respect for indigenous people.Australia Day on 26 January commemorates the anniversary of the arrival in 1788 of the first fleet of British ships at Pork Jackson in New South Wales. It is a national holiday when all things Australian are celebrated.The day has official events, such as citizenship ceremonies, and the ubiquitous barbeque and beach picnics are all part of the day of celebrations.However, more and more councils are voting to ban official celebrations as they believe they ignore the true origins of the country from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.In Melbourne Yarra and Darebin councils have already voted to end celebrations on what many indigenous Australians refer to as 'invasion day' and now Moreland council in the city has followed suit.The councils have been heavily criticised by the Federal Government and assistant immigration minister Alex Hawke suggested that such votes are divisive.'Australia Day is a recognition of our shared history and the Turnbull Government, along with the vast majority of Australians, indigenous and nonindigenous, fully support Australia Day remaining on January 26,' he said.'Ratepayers of Moreland, who have not been consulted and who did not sign up to dumping Australia Day have every right to feel ashamed and angered by this divisive move. The Turnbull Government remains resolute in its commitment to safeguard the integrity of citizenship ceremonies in Australia and our national day,' he added.But a majority of councillors in Moreland voted not just to abandon the official events but also to remove all references to Australia Day on its official literature and website. But it does plan to hold a citizenship ceremony in January 2018.However, it may not be allowed to continue with citizenship ceremonies as other councils who have abandoned Australia Day have been told by the Government that they have violated the Australian Citizenship Ceremonies Code and have therefore been stripped of their authority to administer citizenship ceremonies.Hawke said that the future of Moreland's ability to hold official citizenship ceremonies will be discussed. 'The Government will consider Moreland Council's motion and the nature of the public debate and consider further action as appropriate,' he explained.Calls to change Australia Day have grown in recent years and resulted in a lot of protests with more councils expected to follow with votes on its future in their areas. The Australian Government insists that a majority of Australians support keeping the event on 26 January. Many more believe that moving the date would be appropriate, thus distancing the event from what some people regard as an invasion. Photo of Shanghai, China courtesy of Alex Needham via Wikimedia Commons. China is setting a deadline for automakers to end the sale of fossil-fuel powered vehicles as the country looks to reduce oil consumption and pollution and push for the development of electric vehicles. This will make the country the biggest market to make this move, and will accelerate the countrys electric car market, according to Bloomberg. The electric car market is led by companies including BYD Co. and BAIC Motor Corp. Regulators are working on a timetable for the ban, according to Automotive News. China, following the U.K. and France, is the latest country to phase out vehicles using gasoline and diesel. The country has also set goals for EV and plug-in hybrid cars to make up at least a fifth of its light-vehicle sales by 2025. The government also offers subsidies to automakers who produce new-energy vehicles, according to Automotive News. Photo of London road in Knightsbridge courtesy of Allen Watkin via Wikimedia Commons. Uber will ban its drivers in London from using vehicles that are not hybrid or fully electric by 2020 in an effort to curb illegal levels of pollution in the city. Approximately half of all of Ubers journey miles in London are driven by greener vehicles via the UberX, the companys low-cost service, according to Reuters. Uber has about 40,000 London drivers. For other cities in the United Kingdom, the deadline of drivers having hybrid and electric deadline is 2022, according to the Guardian. Uber will help its drivers who want to switch to greener cars with a more than $197 million fund, paying up to $6,784 per upgrade from a petrol or diesel vehicle, according to Reuters. The company will also offer the first 1,000 Londoners who scrap an older diesel car, $2,035 in credit to use on Uber. 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. Sunday afternoon at Minute Maid Park the Houston Astros are holding another edition of the popular Dog Day promotion where fans can purchase special tickets and bring their four-legged family members. Kate Upton, the fiancee of new Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, has a dog that has its own Instagram account. Her pet boxer named Harley has become a star on his own after six years of being by her side. Work has begun to repair Vidor Middle School, which was badly damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. While repairs are being made, fifth graders will attend school in a separate wing at Vidor High School. The sixth grade students will go to the junior high. Vidor is slated to begin school Tuesday, Sept. 19. iStock/Thinkstock(BERKELEY, Calif.) -- A large demonstration took over the campus of the University of California, Berkeley on Thursday night once again to protest a planned speech by a controversial conservative. This time, it was the editor-in-chief of Dailywire.com and former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro who was invited to speak by the Young America's Foundation, a conservative college group, and Berkeley's College Republicans organization. The invite sparked outrage and protests that had the city's police taking unprecedented steps to keep the peace. Inside Zellerbach Hall, about 200 to 300 people of mostly pro-Shapiro students listened to his speech. He attacked the left, made the case for why he's not a white supremacist and launched into a profanity-laced rant about antifa. We did it. Conservative ideas can be heard at UC Berkeley. Thanks to @benshapiro for partnering with us. #YAFonCampus #BenAtBerkeley pic.twitter.com/pKpTvxQmN4 YAF (@yaf) September 15, 2017 Attendees were ticketed and made their way through metal detectors before entering the hall. Outside, a few hundred demonstrators where kept back by a large show of police force. Officers dressed in riot gear lined up behind concrete barricades while protesters with a bullhorn rallied on the street. Thursday's event was the first since the Berkeley City Council modified a ban and allowed police to use pepper spray if needed. Police announced they have made nine total arrests outside the event on Thursday night. Even hours before the speech, Berkeley Police said they had made three arrests for people carrying banned weapons in the area surrounding the hall. Sarah Roark, 44, and Michael Sullivan, 29, were both arrested for possession of a banned weapon, while Hannah Benjamin, 20, was arrested for possessing a weapon and battery of a police officer. After the Shapiro speech, attendees exited far away from where demonstrators were staged with a heavy line of police protecting them. We and our law enforcement partners continue to closely monitor events. #BenAtBerkeley pic.twitter.com/I9ofWS3kvM Berkeley Police (@berkeleypolice) September 15, 2017 Shapiro's event may be a precursor for later in September when right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos plans to hold "Free Speech Week" at Berkeley with a lineup that includes author Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, President Donald Trump's ex-strategist and recently rehired head of Breitbart News. Campus officials told The Associated Press the event is not yet confirmed. Previous visits by Yiannapoulos and Coulter have both been cancelled at Berkeley in 2017. ABC News' Mark Osborne contributed to this report. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Port Arthur Police and the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office served a criminal search warrant at a Port Arthur nursing home Thursday, alleging that its administrator was criminally negligent in evacuating residents during Tropical Storm Harvey. According to the search warrant signed by Jefferson County Criminal District Court Judge John Stevens, Lake Arthur Place administrator Jeff Rosetta's failure to evacuate residents or execute a safety plan before the storm hit and his behavior during a police-supervised evacuation on Aug. 30 "resulted in the injury of patients under the care of his facility." The Port Arthur nursing home and rehabilitation facility flooded during the storm, and patients were evacuated in boats and trucks by officials and volunteers to the Port Arthur Little Theatre before being taken to area hospitals. > > PDF: Read the warrant here In an affidavit attached to the search warrant, PAPD Detective Brian Fannette wrote that "there were several days of warning, and several days to prepare a plan and have the resources in place to execute the evacuation or any plan that would have provided adequate safety and living conditions for those elderly individuals" who live in the facility. Despite forecasters' warnings of "catastrophic flooding," he wrote, "appropriate action by Rosetta did not timely occur." Fannette wrote that PAPD Detective Mike Hebert arrived in a boat at the facility about noon on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and found 10 to 12 inches water inside the building. Patients were in beds and wheelchairs in their rooms and in hallways, Hebert said, and ones in wheelchairs "had their lower extremities submerged in the floodwaters." "Det. Hebert said it was obvious that the patients needed immediate assistance to evacuate and be placed out of harm's way," Fannette wrote. Rosetta, however, accused Hebert of being a "fake cop" and told him to leave the facility, Fannette said. Hebert began working with the director of nursing to begin the evacuation, and Rosetta pushed Hebert out of the way to try to reach a patient who was being evacuated, he wrote. Hebert and another PAPD officer "had to physically restrain Rosetta with handcuffs" to stop him from interfering with the evacuation, Fannette wrote. He said Rosetta continued to call the detectives "fake cops," and "made it clear he was not willing to allow the patients to leave or assist the Port Arthur Police Department to find a solution." Volunteers who tried to help with boats were told by Rosetta that they couldn't evacuate anyone, and that the National Guard "was on the way," Fannette wrote. Hebert was not aware of National Guard involvement. According to the affidavit, "medical documents will show some of the individuals sustained injury as a direct result of the catastrophic flooding and the evacuation finally orchestrated at the last minute by citizens," Fannette wrote. The warrant included computer systems, medical records and waste management containers at Lake Arthur Place, as well as Rosetta's cell phone and any communications "including but not limited to text messages and email communications" between Rosetta and the Senior Care Centers corporate office since Aug. 18 regarding the facility's evacuation plan. Hebert said Thursday that no arrests have been made but said a physical altercation occurred with an unnamed employee while the warrant was being executed. That employee was detained and released, he said. Officers removed filing cabinets and computers from the building. Hebert was unable to confirm whether there had been any deaths related to the facility or the evacuation and said officers "are still following up with family members right now." He called the experience "very traumatic" for residents, their families and the officers who responded on Aug. 30. He said returning there Thursday was emotional. "I don't go to sleep at night without thinking about this facility," he said. He called the volunteers who came with boats to help with the evacuation heroes. Senior Care Centers said Tuesday that the company does not comment on pending litigation. They referred a request for comment to statements on their Facebook page, which defended staff's actions. "On Aug. 30, unknown volunteers forcibly removed our residents. Our team was not informed of the volunteers' authority or proper training to do so, and our caregivers, who were trying to protect our residents in the chaos of the situation, were physically restrained during the evacuation," president Andrew Kerr said in the statement. The statement alleged that volunteers were not coordinating with authorities. Residents of Lake Arthur Place and Cypress Glen, both owned and operated by the Amarillo-based company, have applied for and been granted restraining orders against the facilities. The orders will preserve evidence the residents say is needed for possible future actions. The applications for the orders accuse the administrators and company of failure to timely evacuate patients and causing injuries. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz Read previous article here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate More than 1,200 Port Arthur residents will be sheltered in air-conditioned tents at two locations within the city, Mayor Derrick Freeman said on Friday, after a week of debate over the city's shortage of temporary housing. About 250 displaced people were moved Friday night from the shelter at Thomas Jefferson Middle School to 20 large tan military-style tents outside the Robert A. "Bob" Bowers Civic Center. Each tent holds 12 to 14 cots. > > MORE: Mall becomes second tent site A second temporary building with another 250 beds will be set up by today in front of the Civic Center, which is undergoing repairs after flooding while it was used as a shelter during the storm. Instead of smaller tents, the structure will have common spaces with curtain partitions, as well as raised floors and vinyl sides. Some of the tents will be designated for families, and the shelter's incident commander said single people will likely be placed in the larger structure. All residents will be assigned a tent and given a wrist band that can be scanned by officials to identify them. In addition to the 500 housed at the Civic Center, a second location elsewhere in the city will be opened for up to 750 people, according to Freeman. He did not release the second location or details about the shelter, saying it hasn't been finalized. The priority for the two sites will be for people who don't have alternative options, Freeman said. That includes people staying in shelters in Port Arthur, Dallas, Garland and San Antonio, and evicted tenants. Once those residents are placed, space will be available for homeowners, but they have alternatives through FEMA including the STEP program, designed to make residences safe and habitable, and trailers, he said. He urged residents who haven't contacted FEMA within the last week to do so, as the county wasn't put on the Disaster Housing Assistance list until Monday, opening up more options for assistance. The Thomas Jefferson shelter needed to close before school starts on Monday. The new temporary shelters are operated by BCFS, a private non-profit which is contracted by and takes orders from the Texas Department of Emergency Management. Workers began setting up the tents early Friday morning, and will continue to add amenities through today, including a field clinic providing 24-hour medical services and a cafeteria serving three hot meals each day. The clinic will be staffed by nurse practitioners, physician assistants and registered nurses, and a total of seven EMS units will be available for responding to emergencies and transporting patients to area hospitals. Restrooms and showers are both wheelchair-accessible, Freeman said. Temporary fencing will be installed around the perimeters of the shelters to secure them, and Texas Department of Public Safety officers and law enforcement officials from other areas will be brought in to staff the site. "We will maintain a fairly significant law enforcement presence, and we'll be planning to beef it up if the numbers go up," said the on-site commander, who declined to be named because he works on a rotating basis. Alcohol, drugs and weapons are not allowed, he said. "If those are found, the person will be asked to hand them over," he said, and if they refuse to comply, they'll be asked to leave. He did not share specifics about the vetting process, saying only that "we do what is necessary" to keep people safe. The "tent city" will have case managers on site to help residents transition to long-term housing, and mental health clinicians for 24/7 crisis intervention. Port Arthur officials plan to announce a hotline residents can call to get a space in the shelter, Freeman said. The move comes after a long week of uncertainty. Freeman announced Tuesday that 600 residents would be housed on floating barges, a plan that fell through Thursday when theboats failed Coast Guard inspections. Ford Park was floated as a possible location, and then eliminated. "Ford Park is currently being used for responders to free up hotel rooms for survivors," FEMA spokesman Robert Howard said. "The space and requirements for a survivor to live vs. a responder are different." Freeman said some of the issues with finding a shelter location have "been out of my hands," including the barges' failed inspections and coordination with state and federal agencies. He didn't provide a timeline for returning residents from shelters in other cities back to Port Arthur, saying that coordination with other emergency management officials is ongoing, but said repatriating them is a top priority. "We're fighting for our people and our future," he said Friday afternoon, standing in the shelter in Thomas Jefferson's larger gym. "Wherever they are now, we want them to rebuild here," he said, noting that long-term population loss is a concern. Evacuees at the shelter were given blue bins to move their belongings in, and were bused to the new site. In the school's small gym, a quieter offshoot from the main shelter, TJ physical education teacher Julie Spencer went around to each resident, telling them about the tents and making sure they knew where they'd be moved to. She's volunteered at the shelter since the day it opened, she said, making sure things run smoothly in "my gym." "They're going to move you all tonight, it's going to be real nice," Spencer said to a man packing his few belongings into a blue bin. She and Olga Reasons, who have taken on the unofficial management of the small gym, drove to the Civic Center to see the tents and report back to the residents, who they said have become like family in the last two weeks. Reasons said they wanted to answer questions and calm the anxiety of not knowing where they were going, an uncertainty familiar to Annia Winn, 67, who evacuated from New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina 12 years ago. "I couldn't believe it was happening again," she said Friday, sitting in her wheelchair surrounded by cots in the gym, waiting for more information about the move. She took a Styrofoam container of food from a volunteer and passed it to her mother, Duffie Thomas, 89, before taking another for herself. They were carried into boats when they left their rental home during the flood after waiting overnight for a rescue. The family returned this week to find their belongings on the curb. Their landlord expects repairs to take a few months, Winn said, but until then, "I just haven't got a clue." She's considered going back to New Orleans, she said, but her grandsons are in school in the area, and she worries about taking care of her mother. For now, she's trusting they'll be moved to a safe place in the tents, and looking for more answers. "It could be worse, there could be no place to go," said James Mouton, 49, who was gathering his belongings at TJ. He said he wants to return to his neighborhood near Gilham Circle, but isn't sure he'll be able to. He needs to find a job to pay to fix his truck and replace his lost belongings, but without transportation he isn't sure where he'll get hired, leaving him trapped and frustrated. Asked how he felt about moving to the tents, he shrugged his shoulders. "This is where I'm at," he said. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz The following hospital and health system credit rating and outlook changes and affirmations took place in the last week, beginning with the most recent. 1. S&P places Samaritan Healthcare on CreditWatch Negative S&P Global Ratings placed Des Plaines, Ill.-based Samaritan Healthcare's general obligation bonds on CreditWatch Negative. 2. Moody's assigns 'Ba1' rating to Temple University Health System's bonds Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Ba1" rating to Philadelphia-based Temple University Health System's proposed $247.3 million series 2017 revenue bonds. 3. Moody's assigns 'A1' rating to Self Regional Healthcare's bonds Moody's Investors Service assigned its "A1" rating to Greenwood, S.C.-based Self Regional Healthcare's proposed $43 million series 2017 revenue refunding bonds. 4. S&P downgrades rating on Centegra Health System's bonds to 'BB+' S&P Global Ratings downgraded Crystal Lake, Ill.-based Centegra Health System's series 2012 and 2014A bonds to "BB+" from "BBB." 5. Fitch places Northwell Health on Rating Watch Negative Fitch Ratings assigned its "A" rating to New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health's proposed $1 billion series 2017A. Stay in the know with Becker's Hospital Review's weekly roundup of the nation's biggest healthcare news. Here's what you need to know this week. 1. Irma forces 35 hospitals across 3 states to evacuate: 9 things to know Hurricane Irma hit southwest Florida Sept. 10 and continued its destructive march north, forcing at least 35 hospitals across Florida, Georgia and South Carolina to evacuate patients or shut down. 2. 4 killed in Duke University Health System helicopter crash Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Health System's Life Flight helicopter crashed Sept. 8 in North Carolina, killing four people. 3. Police shoot, kill armed Irma evacuee at North Carolina hospital The man police shot and killed Sept. 10 at Novant Health Huntersville (N.C.) Medical Center was traveling from Florida to New York to escape Hurricane Irma. 4. Tenet explores strategic options, including sale: 9 things to know Shares of Tenet Healthcare surged 14 percent Sept. 13 shortly after The Wall Street Journal reported the Dallas-based hospital operator hired banking advisors to evaluate strategic options, including a sale of the company. 5. University of Chicago Medicine to rebrand, alter leadership structure University of Chicago Medicine, a four-hospital system, revealed its intent Sept. 14 to rebrand, adopt a new logo and alter the leadership structure of its executive team. 6. Man shoots, kills mother in ICU of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center A man shot and killed his 70-year-old mother in the ICU of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., Sept. 12. 7. Missouri hospital at risk of losing Medicare funding CMS is threatening to cut off Medicare and Medicaid funding to Mercy Hospital Springfield (Mo.) Sept. 22, unless it resolves patient safety issues. 8. 10 happiest, unhappiest states in the US Minnesota is the happiest state in the U.S. 9. Many Florida hospitals reopen, while others left without water, sewage service: 9 things to know Many hospitals across Florida are returning to normal operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, while others are not ready to reopen. 10. Kaiser Permanente, Target to open 31 retail clinics in southern California Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente revealed plans to launch 31 retail clinics in Target stores across southern California. 11. CEO of Florida's Mount Sinai: 12-year hurricane preparedness project enabled our hospital to stay open during Irma Steven Sonenreich, who serves as president and CEO of Miami Beach-based Mount Sinai Medical Center, explained how the hospital's hurricane preparedness project allowed the hospital to remain operational during Hurricane Irma to Becker's Hospital Review. The former executive director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations, the development and commercialization arm of Cleveland Clinic, has been charged for his role in a conspiracy to defraud the hospital system out of more than $2.7 million, according to the Department of Justice. In 2012, Cleveland Clinic Innovations formed Interactive Visual Health Records to develop a visual medical charting concept into a marketable product. The former executive director of CCI, Gary Fingerhut, hired a person identified in court documents as "W.R." to serve as a consultant and then chief technology officer at IVHR. Mr. Fingerhut and W.R. were prohibited from receiving financial benefit or having financial interests in the companies Cleveland Clinic did business with, unless expressly approved by the Clinic. According to the DOJ, W.R. worked with others to incorporate a shell company, known as iStarFZE, and used the shell company to submit a bid to Cleveland Clinic to design and develop IVHR's software. W.R. did not disclose his financial interest in iStarFZE to Cleveland Clinic, and he rewarded Mr. Fingerhut financially for not disclosing the fraud scheme. Between August 2012 and November 2014, Mr. Fingerhut accepted about $130,000 in payments from W.R, according to the DOJ. Through the scheme, W.R. and others defrauded Cleveland Clinic of more than $2.7 million. Mr. Fingerhut, who was fired by CCI in June 2015 following a report from the FBI stating he made financial transactions that violated the health system's policies, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and one count of making false statements. The charges against Mr. Fingerhut were brought by way of a criminal information, according to the DOJ. On Thursday, Mr. Fingerhut's attorney released the following statement on his client's behalf, according to cleveland.com. "I apologize for the bad decisions that I made; they were wrong and I am deeply remorseful. I hurt my family, my former employer and my community and I take complete responsibility for my actions." More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Roofing company sues BJC HealthCare, seeks to halt campus renewal project Operator of 2 New York City hospitals pays $4M to settle false claims, Stark Law allegations Man pleads not guilty to killing his mother at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri in St. Louis said it stopped covering outpatient MRIs and CT scans at hospitals without prior authorization due to "enormous" price variations, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. On July 1, Indianapolis-based Anthem ended coverage of hospital-based MRIs and CT scans in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin, and expanded the policy to Ohio Sept. 1. Hospitals will need to submit a precertification request for any patient receiving an MRI or CT scan at the facility, and the imaging service will only be covered at the hospital if Anthem deems the request medically necessary. The change aims to incentivize the use of cheaper alternatives at freestanding facilities. Jay Moore, MD, senior clinical director of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, told St. Louis Post-Dispatch the payer is seeing price "differences of like 500 percent" for the services. "It just doesn't make sense. It's ridiculous in terms of the amount of cost differential." Missouri Hospital Association spokesperson Dave Dillon told the publication, "Everything is more expensive in the hospital because we're a 24-hour-a-day operation." To learn more about the change in policy, read the FAQ from Anthem. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below A 26-year-old man working in the Tata Consultancy Services went missing in Finland from September 11. Reportedly, Hari Sudhan from Chennai was operating in Finland on a contract basis from 2011. His company alarmed his parents in Chennai and lodged a complaint to the Finland police as he went missing. According to media reports, Hari last spoke to his parents on Friday. He usually goes out with his friends during weekends. Hari did not turn up to work on Monday, say reports. Director Venkat Prabhus next big film is 'Party' that has been under production for some time now. The shoot of Party is currently happening at Fiji Islands and the bombastic cast includes Jai, Shiva, Kayal Chandran, Nivetha Pethuraj, Regina Cassandra, Sanchita Shetty, Jayaram, Sathyaraj and Ramya Krishnan. The latest is that the shoot of Party is heading towards a wrap. The team is expected to return to Chennai from Fiji Islands on the 19th of September. They are currently supposed to be shooting in full swing. After returning to Chennai, it is said that they might have around 10 days of shoot left to be completed here. The movies post production work has also sparked off simultaneously. For a change, Premgi Amaren will be composing music for both Party as well as Vaibhavs RK Nagar produced by Venkat Prabhu. Stay tuned to this space for more updates. Here are 10 of the top jobs advertised within the last week across Northern Ireland. This weeks jobs come from a full range of sectors and offer the opportunity for development, leadership and much more. Every Friday, NIjobfinder.co.uk is sharing the 10 top jobs over 25,000 from across the Northern Ireland. External Affairs Advisor The Federation of Small Businesses is seeking to hire an External Affairs Advisor who will be part of a team working to engage with the media and the political system in Northern Ireland. The ideal candidate would be one who has excellent communication skills to highlight the policy work of FSB to a wide range of stakeholders and ensure that the interests of its members are represented to the Northern Ireland Executive and UK Government. Youll require experience across political lobbying and a sound knowledge of the political landscape in Northern Ireland. The role has a starting salary of 34,000 per annum. Closing date: 1st October (Belfast Based) Find out more about this role. Senior IT Network Engineer N4Networx Ltd is currently recruiting for a Senior IT Network Engineer to provide technical services and support to firms across the United Kingdom. The ideal candidate will have a background in server management, LAN/Wan network technologies, Microsoft Exchange, Small Business Servers and email systems. Youll need to have a third level qualification in an IT related subject and experience. Alongside the formal qualifications and experience, youll also require a passion for development and be motivated to excel in a progressive environment. The salary scale is from 25,000 to 35,000 per annum. Closing date: 11th October (Lisburn Based) Find out more about this role. Financial Controller Tobermore is currently looking for a financial controller to aid the commercial growth and development of its 230-strong workforce. The role has arisen from the retirement of the existing Finance Director and offers genuine opportunities for growth to the right candidate. The ideal candidate will be one who has strong leadership qualities and a sound commercial acumen. Youll need to be a qualified accountant or have an accredited accounting qualification plus 3-5 years of experience within an engineering environment. The salary scale is from 45,000 to 55,000 per annum. Closing date: 9th of October (Magherafelt Based) Find out more about this role. Senior Scientific Officer Crop Pathology The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute is looking to appoint a Senior Scientific Officer to lead the Crop Plant Health Team, a nationally recognised team of postgraduate researchers. The candidate will play a vital role in the provision and forward planning of the department and will develop strategic management initiatives to ensure the goals of the project and AFBI are met. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in a scientific discipline which is related to agriculture and have at least 2 years experience in plant pathology or virology, matched with previous success in a managing a funded research study. The salary scale is from 30,000 to 40,000 per annum. Closing date: 6th October (Belfast Based) Find out more about this role. Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications Belfast City Council is recruiting for a Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications. Belfasts first community plan is currently in development and has set ambitious goals to help build prosperity and a better quality of life for those living in the greater Belfast area. The ideal candidate for this position will require an innovative approach to the challenges faced by the wider community and will be able to strategise a coherent plan of action with a strong operational focus. Youll be a conceptual thinker with a proven track record for success and competitive strategy. The salary is circa 70,000 per annum. Closing date: 2nd October (Belfast Based) Find out more about this role. Project Co-ordinator Workable (NI) Action Mental Health is looking to hire a Project Coordinator to provide exceptional line management to Employment Support Officers throughout the province. Action Mental Health provide employment support to those who suffer from mental issues to help ensure they lead fulfilling careers. The ideal candidate will have management experience and be able to support the needs of officers and facilitate and communicate any changes in service. The salary is from 28,800 to 32,000 per annum. Closing date: 22nd September (Antrim Based) Find out more about this role. Partnership Development Manager The Family Fund of Northern Ireland is currently seeking to hire a part-time Partnership Development Manager to help benefit the families raising disabled or seriously ill children. The role will involve developing long-lasting and meaningful relationships with stakeholders to ensure that the needs of the beneficiaries are met. The ideal candidate would have experience in campaign delivery and developing new projects to meet the needs of service users. This post is home based with regular travel and the appointee will require an in-depth knowledge of the disability sector. The role has a salary of 38,681 pro rata. Closing date: 29th September (Home Based) Find out more about this role. Head of Digital Learning Northern Regional College is hiring for a Head of Digital Learning for their Ballymena Campus. As the delivery of education changes, so do the needs and requirements of academic institutions to provide digital learning solutions. The purpose of this role will be to lead and manage the digital learning team and to oversee the development of a digital strategy for online and blended learning. The ideal candidate will be educated to degree level and have a substantial knowledge of digital technologies and their application. The salary scale is from 46,096 to 48,701 per annum. Closing date: 22nd September (Ballymena Based) Find out more about this role. Personal Assistant (PA) to the Chief Executive The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) are looking to appoint a Personal Assistant for their Chief Executive. The candidate will be required to administrative and secretarial support to the Chief Executive in a proficient and confidential manner. SEUPB have many exciting new challenges, including the implementation of its overseas development and innovative projects to improve the well-being of those living in Northern Ireland, Bordering Counties and Western Scotland. The ideal candidate will experience within a PA role. The salary scale is from 23,925 - 24,975 per annum. Closing date: 29th September (Belfast Based) Find out more about this role. With 100s of jobs uploaded each week, nijobfinder.co.uk is the number one place to find your next move. Follow us on Facebook to see the latest jobs and set up email alerts to ensure your dream job wont pass you by! Belfast International Airport claimed it could add one million extra seats a year if air passenger duty (APD) was scrapped as it yesterday revealed a dramatic turnaround from a 1.6m loss to strong pre-tax profits. Managing director Graham Keddie said the airport was bidding for new airlines and discussing adding additional flights with existing carriers. Mr Keddie spoke to the Belfast Telegraph as it was revealed that turnover at the airport had risen from 31.1m to 34.8m for the year ending December 2016. Belfast International also recorded pre-tax profits of 611,000, rebounding from a 1.6m loss. Passenger numbers rose during the period, climbing 17% from 4.4 million to 5.2 million. Mr Keddie expects 5.8 million passengers this year. The increase put the airport on course to reach a passenger number record, fuelled by the arrival of Ryanair and increased traffic for other airlines. "Passenger numbers were up 17%, which is a huge amount of growth," Mr Keddie said before praising the airport's ability to manage costs and growth in other parts of the business such as concessions. "Those are the things that have driven it (the airport's performance)," he added. "It has freed up more cash for capital expenditure." While Belfast International is already planning approximately 13m of investment, that could rise in light of the positive results. "The passenger numbers for us have really driven the growth," Mr Keddie said. "We reckon that in the last 18 months, over 800 jobs have been created on the site. "With our staff numbers, they grew 12% last year, and this year we have added 13%. "As we speak, we have 200 staff. We are up from about 157 in 2015." Asked whether the airport could add new routes or airlines, Mr Keddie (right) replied: "We talk to them (carriers) constantly. We are looking around and talking to one of our carriers about additional aircraft, biding with a new airline and in the mix with a number of different carriers. "It would help if we had a route development fund. "The big one for us is APD. If the Chancellor can get rid of APD, we have the sign-off for one million extra seats. It would be massive for jobs, not just for us, but the other two airports as well. With APD (removed) we would be able to grow dramatically." Operating profit at the airport was 2.8m, more than five times the figure a year earlier. "Passenger growth is leading to investment by our providers, with food and beverage provider SSP showing the way with an investment of 2.5m in its outlets," Mr Keddie said. "JD Sport has taken the last unit we have available and we're currently looking at ways of creating additional retail space airside to accommodate investor demand. "We will add hundreds more jobs during 2018 with major investments that are in the pipeline. "We will also work to add new routes from existing and new airlines. "We are offering a real alternative to Dublin, which is suffering from a strong euro. "We will continue to draw more lucrative business from the Republic of Ireland in 2018." Bombardier is cutting almost 100 staff amid fresh cuts at the struggling aerospace giant, it can be revealed. It's understood staff are being briefed about the loss of around 95 workers, primarily support staff, and both permanent and agency. It comes as the Canadian-owned plane making giant, which employs more than 4,000 workers in Northern Ireland, is facing an uncertain future here. DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill have written to US Vice President Mike Pence over the "very grave economic threat" facing Bombardier in Northern Ireland, warning it could have repercussions for the peace process. It follows the eruption of a transatlantic trade war that could impact on more than 4,000 Bombardier workers here. The row centres around a legal challenge by rival North American aerospace manufacturer Boeing. A spokeswoman for Bombardier said: "Following the 7,500 global workforce reductions announced by Bombardier Inc. last October, we have reviewed our manpower requirements in Belfast and regret to confirm that we must reduce our workforce levels by up to 95. Those impacted will be functional support personnel, including managers and professional staff. "We acknowledge the impact this will have on our workforce and their families and will explore opportunities to help mitigate the number of compulsory redundancies. "However, we need to continue to cut costs and improve the efficiency of our operations to help ensure our long-term competitiveness." US giant Boeing is objecting to the sale of the Canadian firm's aircraft - in particular its flagship CSeries passenger jets - at what it claims is a below-market rate, subsidised in part by a $1bn bailout from Quebec's regional government. The challenge by Boeing, if successful, could effectively price out and cut off Bombardier's largest market in the US and lead to major job losses. Prime Minister Theresa May has already spoken to President Donald Trump over the issue. She is also due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau next week. More than 1,300 homes could be built in Co Antrim along with a new motorway road link as plans progress with an ambitious scheme. Developers have submitted a pre-application notice for the development of a new link road on the M1 motorway at Sprucefield, and the Knockmore Road junction, outside Lisburn. The application has been made by developer Neptune Carleton. A consultation is due to take place at the end of this month to gauge public opinion over the plans. A letter from planning consultants Clyde Shanks says "public consultation information sessions" are due to take place at the Premier Inn on the Hillsborough Road on September 25 and 26. If the plans, which could include 1,300 homes on the large site at Blaris, get the go-ahead, it would be one of the largest residential property developments to be built in Northern Ireland in recent years. A spokeswoman for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council said: "As with all planning applications, all proposed developments pertaining to the area are subject to satisfactory planning considerations. "All planning applications for the area will be considered and decided on through the council's planning committee." Meanwhile, elsewhere in Co Antrim around 600 new homes are to be built as part of a 100m scheme. Nuport Developments is planning the huge projects in Larne, on the Ballyboley Road, and at the Ballyhampton Road. It's now holding a public consultation on the plans. The developers say around 120 construction jobs will be created during the build, which will take between five and 10 years to complete. The development at Ballyboley includes plans to build around 500 new family homes which will include a mixture of detached, semi-detached, townhouses and a small number of apartments. The second proposed development on the Ballyhampton Road includes 135 homes. This week, it was also revealed that Northern Ireland's largest housebuilder, Lagan Homes, is set to tap into the huge demand for properties in the Republic of Ireland by entering the market next year. The company, which is owned by Kevin Lagan and connected to the wider Lagan Group, is understood to have already held discussions with a number of parties regarding site acquisitions and operations. It is believed the business will initially focus on construction in the Dublin commuter belt, where a growing demand for homes has fuelled soaring prices. In June, the construction giant was given the green light to build 500 new homes at Millmount Village on the outskirts of Dundonald. The developer's arrival in the Dublin market is likely to see it compete with established companies such as stock market-listed Cairn Homes and Kennedy Wilson Europe for valuable sites around the capital. However, Lagan Homes focuses on building houses rather than apartments. During the summer, Cairn Homes agreed to pay 107m (96m) to buy part of RTE's Montrose campus in Dublin. The largest growth was in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry sector The Irish economy grew by almost 6% in the second quarter of this year, new statistics have shown. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said the country is on target for gross domestic product growth of 4.3% in 2017. "On the basis of today's data, there will be no significant change to the GDP forecast this year," said Mr Donohoe. He added: "Today's data provides clear evidence of continued momentum in the economy this year. "Importantly, the growth in the economy is broadly balanced, with positive underlying contributions from both the domestic and external sectors." According to the Quarterly National Accounts figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) released on Friday, the economy grew by 5.8% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same time last year. Overall economic output or GDP rose by 1.4% between April and June compared to the first quarter. Apart from small contractions in the construction and real estate sectors, all other sectors of the economy experienced some growth. The largest growth - 15.9% - was in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry. The figures also show that GNP, which factors out profits from multinationals, fell by 4.6% in the second quarter. In addition, consumer spending - which the CSO noted is "an important measure of economic activity" - fell by 1.1% in the three-month period. Mr Donohoe said the strength of the domestic economy is also reflected in strong employment growth as well as tax receipts to the end of August which increased by almost 5% compared to the same period last year. However, he warned that the Government cannot be complacent. "Despite the positive developments highlighted in these figures we must not be complacent. "In particular, the recent appreciation of the euro emphasises the need to continue to improve our competitiveness, including by focusing on costs we can control, by boosting our productivity and ensuring sustainable public finances. "That is what the Government will continue to do," he said. Northern Ireland star James Nesbitt will repeat history on hit series Cold Feet - by baring his bum for the camera. The Coleraine star famously bared all during the show's original run 20 years ago when his character Adam serenaded love Rachel, played by Helen Baxendale, with a rose between his cheeks. And James will once again reveal his bottom in the name of art in a new scene to be aired later this month. He joked: "The director seemed very keen for that to happen. Expand Close James Nesbitt as Adam in Cold Feet / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp James Nesbitt as Adam in Cold Feet "It was probably something in (creator and writer) Mike Bullen's weird, dark, and - I hope - subconscious mind. There's something cyclical about Adam getting his arse out," the Daily Mirror quoted the 52-year-old actor as saying. Director Louise Hooper joked: "I thoroughly enjoyed it." The scene airs in episode four on September 29, this time with Tina, played by Leanne Best. Cold Feet returned in 2016, with more than six million viewers tuning in to discover what happened to the beloved characters. Expand Close Cold Feet's Fay Ripley, John Thomson, Hermione Norris, Robert Bathurst and James Nesbitt / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cold Feet's Fay Ripley, John Thomson, Hermione Norris, Robert Bathurst and James Nesbitt It saw Nesbitt, Hermione Norris, Fay Ripley, John Thomson and Robert Bathurst now contending with the stress of middle age. The Manchester-based series originally ran for five series between 1997 and 2003, with more than 10 million tuning in for the emotional finale. Actor Tom Vaughan-Lawlor has said his fears about taking on the leading role in a film about the IRA's Maze prison escape was "more personal" and had "nothing to do with the politics". The Dublin actor stars as republican prisoner Larry Marley in Stephen Burke's new film Maze. He was an orchestrator of the 1983 escape which was the biggest jail break in British prison history when 38 inmates fled one of the highest security prisons in Europe. The film held its Northern Ireland premiere in Belfast on Thursday and has so far received huge critical acclaim. However there have been arguments the film will 'glamorise' the event in which one prison officer died as a result of the escape and another was seriously injured. Read More Vaughan-Lawlor said he did have some misgivings about taking on the role. "My fear in doing the film was nothing to do with the politics, it was more personal in terms of being able to understand experiences of someone growing up in those times," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "As a middle class Dublin kid I'm going to play a part of a working-class Belfast IRA volunteer and that experience was such a journey for me. "And yet this whole conflict, this whole dynamic, (was) only like a hundred miles up the road." Maze centres on the relationship between Vaughan Lawlor's character and a warder played by Barry Ward. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Maze actors Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Barry Ward, and director Stephen Burke in Belfast for the premiere at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. (Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press) PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) , Stephen Burke (director) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) , Stephen Burke (director) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actor Tom Vaughan Lawlor in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actor Tom Vaughan Lawlor in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actor Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actor Tom Vaughan Lawlor in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Actor Tom Vaughan Lawlor in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. (Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press) PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 14/09/2017 Actors From L-R Tom Vaughan Lawlor (stars as Larry Marley) and Barry Ward (prison warder) in Belfast for the premiere of the MAZE at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke takes place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Photo: Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 14th September 2017 The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere is Tom Vaughan Lawlor. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 14th September 2017 The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere is Tom Vaughan Lawlor. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 14th September 2017 The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere is Tom Vaughan Lawlor. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 14th September 2017 The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Barry Ward and Tom Vaughan Lawlor. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 14th September 2017 The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Barry Ward, Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Stephen Burke Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th September 2017 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Joanne Kane and Una McGinn William Cherry / Presseye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th September 2017 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Sinead Coyle, Stephen Burke and Orla McGardy. William Cherry / Presseye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th September 2017 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Orlaith Mac Eoin Nanus, Lawrence McKeown and Caoilfhionn Mac Eoin Nanus William Cherry / Presseye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th September 2017 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Orlaith Mac Eoin Nanus and Caoilfhionn Mac Eoin Nanus William Cherry / Presseye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th September 2017 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Paul Connolly and Anne Marie McAvoy William Cherry / Presseye Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 12th September 2017 - Photo by William Cherry/Presseye The premiere of new film 'MAZE' starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and directed by Stephen Burke is set to take place in Belfast on Thursday evening in association with the Belfast Film Festival. The film, inspired by the real-life story of the 1983 Maze prison break-out orchestrated by Larry Marley, saw 38 IRA prisoners attempt to escape from one of the most high-security prisons in Europe. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor stars as Larry Marley, an IRA member and chief architect of the mass breakout alongside local Belfast actor Martin McCann. The film received critical acclaim after its first festival outing at the Galway Film Fleadh in July and will be released by Lionsgate UK on September 22nd. Pictured at the premiere are, from left to right, Michelle and Marie McGreevy William Cherry / Presseye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maze actors Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Barry Ward, and director Stephen Burke in Belfast for the premiere at Movie House Cinema on the Dublin Road. (Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press) He said: "I think (Maze) offers up a very balanced and quite a thorough investigation of two men on opposing sides and it shows them ... from being diametrically opposed to noticing really deep similarities between the two." Maze is released in cinemas from September 22. Host Pamela Ballentine with Game of Thrones star Ian McElhinney at Ulster Tatler Awards in Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) Rebecca McKinney, Cool FM presenter, pictured with Ireland and Ulster rugby stars Ian Henderson and Craig Gilroy at Ulster Tatler Awards in Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) Marie Jones celebrates winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ulster Tatler Awards at Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) Belfast playwright Marie Jones has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement accolade at this year's Ulster Tatler Awards. A prominent figure in the Northern Ireland theatre scene, Marie's career is recognised across the world from Ireland to London and New York City. She was a founding member of the Charabanc Theatre Company and is known for her hit plays Stones in His Pockets, A Night in November and Fly Me To The Moon. Marie was also awarded an OBE in 2002. Expand Close Marie Jones pictured with her husband, Game of Thrones actor Ian McElhinney (Stephen Davison) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Marie Jones pictured with her husband, Game of Thrones actor Ian McElhinney (Stephen Davison) Ulster Tater editor Chris Sherry said Marie was an extremely worthy winner of the award, adding: I have followed her work for years and not only admire her writing but believe she is a marvellous representative for Northern Ireland and is the epitome of what the Lifetime Achievement award represents. Northern Ireland actor and playwright Dan Gordon presented the award in front of more than 400 guests at Belfast City Hall on Thursday. Expand Close Darren Clarke and wife Alison / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Darren Clarke and wife Alison She is one of the most prolific and successful artists ever to emerge from Northern Ireland, said Mr Gordon. She writes sell-out plays that go to straight to the publics heart. When she was in her early 30s, frustrated by the nature and scarcity of work for women in theatre she and four other actresses founded their own company Charabanc. It was whilst at Charabanc that she first felt the urge to write. She said As soon as I started to write, I could hear the voices; they were there within me. To this day she continues to produce work that goes to the very heart of what makes our society tick warts, laughs and all. Previous winners of the Ulster Tatler Lifetime Achievement award include Dame Mary Peters, James Galway, Brian Friel, Phil Coulter, Gloria Hunniford, Michael Longley, Gerry Armstrong, Barry McGuigan and Terri Hooley. Expand Close Host Pamela Ballentine presents Ulster Tatler Awards at Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Host Pamela Ballentine presents Ulster Tatler Awards at Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) The glamorous awards evening was hosted by Pamela Ballantine. Mr Sherry said the event was a huge success, with the standard of local talent "so high and every category was jam-packed with worthy nominees". He added: I want to extend huge congratulations to the winners from each category and all those shortlisted, who should all be extremely proud of what they have achieved within their businesses throughout the last year. Expand Close Rebecca McKinney, Cool FM presenter, pictured with Ireland and Ulster rugby stars Ian Henderson and Craig Gilroy at Ulster Tatler Awards in Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rebecca McKinney, Cool FM presenter, pictured with Ireland and Ulster rugby stars Ian Henderson and Craig Gilroy at Ulster Tatler Awards in Belfast City Hall. (Stephen Davison) Ulster Tatler Awards: Category Shortlist Winners Fashion Boutique of the Year Sarah Alexandra Boutique (Newtownards) Interiors Showroom of the Year Atelier Design (Belfast) Hairdressing Salon of the Year Bridgeen King Hair (Castlewellan) Beauty Salon of the Year Galgorm Resort and Spa (Ballymena) Restaurant of the Year Coppi (Belfast) Hotel of the Year Galgorm Resort and Spa (Ballymena) Charity of the Year Lagan Dragons (Belfast) Independent Travel Agent of the Year Oasis (Belfast) Website of the Year Kukoon.com (Belfast) Business Woman of the Year Alison Clarke ACA Models (Belfast) Business Man of the Year Jack Hamilton Mash Direct (Comber) Public House of the Year The Speckled Hen (Lisburn) Celebrity of the Year Adrian Dunbar Sports Person of the Year Rory Best The mother of a man killed in an IRA bombing has criticised the lack of Government action to secure compensation from Libya. Hamida Bashir said it had broken her heart. Her son Inam (29) was one of two people who died in the 1996 Docklands bombing in the middle of London's financial district. Mrs Bashir has been campaigning for redress for other victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism. She said she was appalled by the Government's failure to set up a reparations fund. "Today the Government broke my heart," Mrs Bashir told the Belfast Telegraph. "As I have said, I will not accept or require any compensation for the loss of my beloved son, but I support all those who have been left severely disabled by Gaddafi and the IRA. "The Government should be ashamed of themselves because they have disgraced all the UK victims of terror." Inam and John Jeffries died when the massive lorry bomb exploded on February 9, 1996. It caused 150m of damage and left more than 100 people injured. Mrs Bashir said the lack of action by the Government contrasted with other countries, including the United States. In 2008 it emerged Libya had paid $1.5bn (1.1bn) to a US compensation fund for terror attacks blamed on Tripoli. They include the 1988 Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people and the 1986 bombing of a Berlin disco that killed three. Mrs Bashir added: "How can it be that US, France and German lives were valued but those in the UK were worth nothing? "This report shows the Government has great words of false sympathy but in reality they don't care as we are all expendable. The Government has made me cry today as they truly don't care." Willie Frazer, who heads a victims group that has worked with the Docklands Victims Association and the McCue and Jury legal team on the issue of Libyan compensation, said the response was "unacceptable". He said the Government would be seen as weak and incapable. Mr Frazer added: "We cannot fault the work of the NI Select Committee or their commitment to the victims of Libyan-sponsored terrorist violence. "Their report sought to recommend a meaningful solution. "The Government's go-it-alone, you're on your own response is completely unacceptable and lacking in moral courage, contrary to the dedication and determination of the victims and their families." Lawyer Jason McCue, who represents a series of IRA victims, said the Government's actions were "shameful". "The British Government's response to a parliamentary inquiry that clearly found it wanting and not performing its duty of care to victims of terrorism is to continue to do nothing, make poor uneducated excuses and demonstrate complete hypocrisy," he said. Andrew Mackinlay, a former Labour MP and a long-standing victims campaigner, said: "This is a callous, calculating fob-off by the Government. "Successive governments of Blair, Brown, Cameron and now May have betrayed the victims of these terrorist outrages." Two men who locked up a priest as they carried out an armed raid on a cathedral in west Belfast have confessed their crimes. Owen Maughan (37) pleaded guilty at Downpatrick Crown Court to nine offences across two indictments, including the aggravated burglary of the parochial house at St Peter's Cathedral on July 13, 2015. Maughan, previously with an address at the Travellers' camp on the Glen Road in west Belfast but now at Maghaberry Prison, was armed with a gun or imitation firearm when he stole cash and jewellery and falsely imprisoned Fr Peter Carlin. It was reported at the time that Fr Carlin was assaulted and locked in a room overnight. Standing handcuffed in the dock, Maughan also confessed to aggravated burglaries at St Michael's Church on Finaghy Road North, a property on the Circular Road in Dungannon and a house on Park Lane in Newcastle. He pleaded guilty to attempted burglaries at St Colmcille's Church in Holywood and a house in Castlewellan; burglary of a pound shop in Newcastle, and allowing himself to be carried in a stolen car. Patrick Maughan (33), from Birchdale Manor in Lurgan, also admitted offences arising from the burglaries at the two churches, and the burglaries in Dungannon, Newcastle and Castlewellan. He further pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, the attempted possession of a firearm, resisting police, possessing cannabis and failing to stop after a road accident. The offences on which the Maughans are jointly charged occurred between July 22 and 24, 2015. Fr Denis Ryan, a 70-year-old priest from Australia providing holiday cover at St Michael the Archangel, was threatened at the parochial house when two men forced their way in. They ransacked the house, normally home to parish priest Fr David Delargy, before making off with cash and keys after triggering an alarm in the adjoining church. Later that night a former church sacristan and his wife were threatened and held at gunpoint during an aggravated burglary at their home on Circular Road in Dungannon. The couple live next door to the parochial house for Dungannon parish, leading to speculation that they may have been targeted by mistake. The Maughans were arrested after police chased a stolen car from the Saintfield Road in Co Down to the Seven Mile Straight in Co Antrim. Both men were remanded in custody until sentencing next month. Police insist that removing flags is not their responsibility after a group of south Belfast residents demanded PSNI officers took action over the issue. Scores of Union and loyalist flags were erected on the Ormeau Road and many nearby streets in June ahead of the annual Twelfth celebrations. The South Belfast Residents Against Flags (SBRAF) claim it is time the authorities stepped in. "The majority of residents oppose the erection of flags in shared spaces but feel too intimated to act. As a group, we've sought support from the PSNI and political parties and it's time that the authorities stepped in and listened to the voices of the majority," a SBRAF spokesperson said. However, the PSNI said it is not for them to remove the flags. PSNI Chief Inspector Gavin Kirkpatrick said: "The removal of flags is not an issue for the PSNI. Police will only act to remove flags if there are substantial risks to public safety. "We work with communities and partners to respond to any issue where there is a concern for public safety or where a criminal offence has occurred." The SBRAF said an online petition created in June against the flags in the area received over 2,500 signatures, and that a rally in Cherryvale Park saw more than 200 attendees come together in opposition. In June SBRAF held a protest attended by residents following the erection of the flags in the mixed area. SDLP MLA Claire Hanna, Green MLA Clare Bailey and Sinn Fein MLA Mairtin O Muilleoir were among the crowd, but there were no political speakers at the rally. SBRAF founding member Dominica McGowan said: "The online petition and the rally show that there is clear community support to remove these flags in shared spaces. "However, three months later and there is still no sign of these flags coming down. The Ormeau Road area is a diverse area and we do not feel it's fair to 'mark' the territory with unionist flags so we are asking for support for the flags to be removed." The SBRAF said it "continues to build momentum and has recently seen a surge in interest following a call for support through leafleting in recent weeks". It added: "The group have requested meetings with all political parties represented in south Belfast to voice their concerns over the issue. To date they have secured meetings with all parties except the DUP and UUP." Probation officers and staff in Northern Ireland have been warned by police they are under an increased threat from dissident republican terrorists. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) contacted the Probation Board to advise that the threat level against some members has been raised, particularly in republican areas. Board chiefs have briefed its 400 members of staff about the threat. Security advice has been provided to all staff and the PSNI is to provide personal security at some sites. The Probation Board confirmed they were advised about the risk on Thursday. The organisation said the increase in risk does not apply uniformly across PBNI and attacks against the majority of staff and premises remain unlikely. Those living in and premises located near republican areas are thought to be at greater risk. PBNI said it has been working closely over the last 24 hours with the Department of Justice and police. PBNI chief executive Cheryl Lamont said work will continue despite the threat. "The Probation Board for Northern Ireland provides a public service to all local communities. Indeed our staff are part of the local community. "As trained social workers, probation officers provide services to tackle addiction, mental health problems and deal with domestic violence and sexual offending which impact on all communities across Northern Ireland. "Everything we do is about protecting people and ensuring there are fewer victims of crime," said Ms Lamont. "Therefore it is extremely disappointing that we have been informed that the level of threat of attacks against PBNI has been assessed as having increased. "We will continue to work with the vulnerable, those who have offended and those who have been victims of crime just as we have done over the last 40 years," she added. Board chairwoman Vilma Patterson said: "Probation staff, who are some of the most dedicated and committed people I have ever met work tirelessly to make communities here safer. "Every probation officer is trained to assess and manage risk and reduce the number of victims of crime. Therefore this news is all the more frustrating and disappointing." She added: "The Board which is made up of representatives from the entire community stands firm with colleagues throughout the probation service". Former justice minister Claire Sugden said she was deeply concerned by the threat. "This is a new threat. People are taking advantage of the political vacuum. "We need to be aware of the problem that exists when there is no political leadership," she said. Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since the collapse of powersharing at Stormont in January. Ms Sugden added: "The Probation Board work very hard to protect the community, to keep our community safe. This threat against them is cowardly and deeply concerning." Alliance MLA David Ford, who was the region's first Justice Minister, said: "I utterly condemn those who are now threatening this group of public servants and call on them to immediately lift the threat and allow Probation staff to work freely without hindrance. Public services union NIPSA demanded the threat be withdrawn immediately. General Secretary Alison Millar added: "We condemn in the strongest possible terms a threat against any worker but especially those providing an excellent public service for all our communities." A Queen's University student is pursuing a landmark legal challenge against a Belfast letting agent for levying what he believes are unfair and unjustifiable extra charges on tenants. Paul Loughran took the action after being charged 'admin' and 'application' fees by separate agents, none of whom could properly explain what those fees meant. The former QUB Students' Union vice president is being supported and represented by Housing Rights NI and the Pro Bono Committee of the Bar Council of Northern Ireland. The case itself is up for its final hearing next month, with a written judgment expected in the weeks after. Should he be successful, it is possible that tenants who have paid these fees in the past will be eligible to reclaim them - and it is estimated that millions have been paid in recent times. "Practically all the Belfast letting agents are doing it," said Paul, who is doing a Masters degree in conflict transformation and social justice. "Some charge more than others ... if you ever challenge the letting agents as to what the fees are actually for, a lot don't even have a justification for it," he said. Belfast native Paul and two housemates were each charged a 30 'admin' fee by Piney Rentals LTD in 2014-15 for a property in Stranmillis. The 25-year-old was also charged 36 by F5 Properties the following year, when he and two friends opted for a house in Stranmillis and, this time, they were each charged what the agency referred to as an 'application fee'. Mary Gill, who is currently studying for a Masters in urban and rural design at Queen's, took out a lease with Property People in July and she was also charged 45 for an 'admin fee'. Paul, who was a vice president of Queen's Students' Union from summer 2015 to summer 2017, said he started a landmark test case in September 2016 against the 30 'admin fee' charged by Piney Rentals Ltd in 2014-15. "The case is testing The Commission on Disposals of Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 which was introduced in the 80's after lobbying by student groups who argued it was unfair that letting agents were charging tenants these fees," he said. "The legislation states that if any costs are associated with the lease then the landlord who is using the letting agency should be the one issued with these costs as they are the party receiving the service from the letting agency. "If my case is successful, it is possible that tenants who have paid these fees in the past will be eligible to reclaim them - there are estimated millions that have been paid in recent times." Piney Rentals Ltd's solicitor Desmond Carr, who is a director in the commercial litigation team at Tughans, explained that the case is "about the legality of letting agent fees in Northern Ireland". "It is not about whether such fees ought to be banned; that is a political issue, which is currently being considered by the Department of Communities," he said. "The case is being defended on the basis that there is at present nothing prohibiting such fees. "My client, like many agents, charges a fee in good faith to the tenant because they provide a service to the tenant. We decided to defend the case because of the potential significant and unfair impact a negative outcome could have for a lot of local businesses." Julian Yarr, managing partner, A&L Goodbody; Richard McClean, managing director, Independent News & Media NI; Janet McCollum from Moy Park; James Brokenshire, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; Mark Thompson, head of office, A&L Goodbody Belfast, and David Elliott, Independent News & Media at the event The Secretary of State has warned that without a deal between the DUP and Sinn Fein Northern Ireland is on a "glide path" toward greater Westminster intervention. James Brokenshire said he still believed an agreement to restore power-sharing was possible but if it didn't happen the Government would have to step in and pass a budget next month. Sinn Fein responded by claiming that the approach of "successive Tory Governments" had contributed to the Executive's collapse. Speaking to business leaders at Queen's University, Belfast, last night, Mr Brokenshire said: "If things don't change we are on a glide path to greater UK Government intervention. But I believe we can change course. "This can be achieved with political leadership and with support of the people of Northern Ireland - including communities and businesses. "There is much at stake. Risks, yes. But also so many opportunities, because I firmly believe in the huge unlocked potential there is right across Northern Ireland." Mr Brokenshire said local parties "must come together and reach agreement in the short window of time that remains". He stated: "If this does not happen within a short number of weeks, we risk greater political decision-making from Westminster - starting with provision for a 2017-18 budget this autumn. Expand Close The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed representatives from the Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2017. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed representatives from the Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2017. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. "This is not what anyone wants and would profoundly be a step back, not a step forward. "But in the continuing absence of devolution the UK Government retains ultimate responsibility for good governance and political stability in Northern Ireland as part of the UK - and we will not shirk from the necessary measures to deliver that." The Secretary of State said "intensive dialogue" between the DUP and Sinn Fein was ongoing. "These discussions have been constructive and I'm hopeful that further progress will be made as they continue," he said. "The issues remain relatively small in number and are clearly defined. But difference remains... ultimately we cannot force an agreement. That has to come from the parties themselves." Mr Brokenshire said it was in the interests of "growth, prosperity and the people of Northern Ireland" for power-sharing to return. "For nine months government has effectively been in the hands of civil servants, rather than politicians who are rightly accountable to the public for the decisions they make," he said. Expand Close The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed representatives from the Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2017. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed representatives from the Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2017. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. "This has meant there has been no political direction to tackle the fundamental challenges facing Northern Ireland, including the reform and transformation of critical public services. "We believe in devolution. It is right that decisions over services - like health, education and economic development - are taken by politicians in locally accountable political institutions." Mr Brokenshire said he welcomed "the growing voice of businesses, trade unions, the voluntary sector and others in stressing the need for the return of devolved government". He told the assembled business leaders: "We all want to see the parties come together and form an Executive. "They need to hear from you about just how important it is for you to see them working together for the good of Northern Ireland." Expand Close The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed representatives from the Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2017. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, addressed representatives from the Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2017. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. He said restoring power-sharing would get "the devolution of corporation tax back on track to enable Northern Ireland to cut its rates to attract investment and jobs". Responding to the Secretary of State, Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy last night said: "James Brokenshire's time would be better spent implementing the aspects of the agreements for which he has responsibility and acting with rigorous impartiality than threatening the talks process. "The approach of successive Tory Governments in playing fast and loose with the agreements has contributed to the collapse of the Executive. "They are part of the problem and (must) act to fully implement their commitments." DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds has accused Sinn Fein of rejecting a "common sense proposal" to save power-sharing at Stormont. Mr Dodds said Arlene Foster's offer to legislate for the Irish language within a set period if the Executive was restored was rejected just 90 minutes after it was made. He also accused Sinn Fein of prioritising its "narrow self-interests over the common good". However, the republican party hit back and said the DUP was not in a position to lecture anyone about common sense or selflessness. Writing for The House political magazine, Mr Dodds said his party's "reasonable" proposal had been welcomed by Fianna Fail and Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney. "I call our proposal common sense because it was the way any other legislature would deal with a similar issue," he said. "Sinn Fein wants the Irish language protected in legislation. Therefore it makes sense for a draft Bill to be tabled in the Assembly. Let MLAs debate it, scrutinise it, propose amendments to it and ultimately pass it. That's democracy. That's how sound legislation is made." The North Belfast MP also insisted that "one political demand" should not be allowed to halt much-needed health and education reforms and economic progress. "Surely the lesson of the last decade has been that Northern Ireland only moves forward when everyone works together," Mr Dodds said. "A winners and losers approach will only guarantee failure in both the short and long-term. "Attempts by Sinn Fein to prioritise their narrow self-interests over the collective good help no one. "The coming days and weeks will be a real test of Sinn Fein's political maturity and commitment to the people of Northern Ireland." Mr Dodds warned that unless agreement was found quickly, direct rule would be introduced because Northern Ireland could not "continue on cruise-control with no hands on the steering wheel". "Those currently holding Northern Ireland to ransom continue to peddle a myth that the Irish Government will have some role in governing Northern Ireland. They will not," he said. "The patience of the Ulster people is world-renowned, but they are being pushed to the brink by those who think narrow political interests should trump matters of life and death." However, Sinn Fein Foyle MP Elisha McCallion said the DUP could not lecture others on common sense when it had signed up to support "every Tory budget and every piece of Tory Brexit legislation without even having seen them". Mrs McCallion added: "If the DUP are seriously concerned about public services and the well-being of people who live here, they would tear up their blank cheque to the Tories. "And they would end their denial of rights to citizens here - the same rights which are protected in law everywhere else on these islands." A former law lecturer who went on the run from court in England before a jury found him guilty of downloading indecent images of children has been sentenced in his absence. Julian Myerscough, 55, a former criminal law lecturer at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, absconded from Ipswich Crown Court in September 2015 and travelled to Ireland. He was convicted, shortly after he went missing, of 13 counts of possession of indecent images of a child and three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. A warrant for his arrest was issued and he was spotted on a ferry from Holyhead to Ireland. He was detained at a Dublin city centre hotel by Garda officers under a European Arrest Warrant in October 2015. However he thwarted extradition efforts with a series of appeals over two years, and has now been released from prison in Ireland as the High Court in Dublin deemed too much time had passed. A decision was taken to sentence him in his absence at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday. Myerscough, originally from Bolton but who was living in Lowestoft, Suffolk, was sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, Suffolk Police said. He had been remanded in custody after first appearing before the High Court in Dublin and Suffolk Police were working with Irish officials and the National Crime Agency to bring Myerscough back to the UK. However, he lodged a number of appeals to his extradition with the Irish courts, and in August 2017 the High Court in Dublin directed that he should be released from prison, deeming that too much time had passed and he was being unlawfully detained. Myerscough was convicted of similar offences in 2010 when he was given a 15-month prison sentence. Judge Emma Peters, sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court, said that just because he had been in custody in Ireland for two years, it did not necessarily mean this would be taken off his sentence. Detective Sergeant Simon Fitch, of the Protecting Vulnerable People Directorate, said: "Julian Myerscough was twice convicted of possession of indecent images of children - most recently 13 counts of possession of indecent images of a child - as well as three counts breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that was put in place following his first conviction. "After fleeing Ipswich Crown Court while his trial was going on, police launched a manhunt to trace him and following close liaison with the National Crime Agency and Irish police he was successfully detained in a hotel in Dublin under a European Arrest Warrant, hours from boarding a flight that would have taken him to Hungary. "We immediately began attempts to extradite him back to the United Kingdom, but he has done everything possible to challenge, frustrate and delay these efforts, culminating in the High Court in Dublin ruling he should be freed from custody in Ireland. "Julian Myerscough is a convicted sexual offender and I am pleased that he has finally been sentenced. However, he appears to be unable to accept responsibility for his own actions and seems determined to avoid facing his punishment. "He may currently be living as a free man, but I am confident justice will catch-up with him eventually and will we continue our efforts to return him to the United Kingdom so that he can serve the sentence handed down to him yesterday." Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson surveys the damage in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands after Hurricane Irma battered the region (Georgina Stubbs/PA) More than 60 tonnes of UK aid has now reached the Caribbean to support the victims of Hurricane Irma. The British assistance effort now involves more than 1,000 military personnel, 50 police officers and 30 aid workers. And a further 60 tonnes of supplies are en route to the British overseas territories in the Caribbean on board HMS Ocean, which along with other essential items is carrying 5,000 hygiene kits, 500,000 water purification tablets and 10,000 buckets. The latest update from the Department for International Development (DfID) came as an international body signalled it would resist UK pressure to change its rules so that the assistance can be classed as part of the aid budget. 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 Downing Street has made clear that Prime Minister Theresa May is frustrated with rules set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) which mean overseas development aid cash cannot be allocated to relatively high-income countries like Antigua, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands. International Development Secretary Priti Patel has written to the OECDs Development Assistance Committee (DAC) calling for reforms to reflect the vulnerability of island states which stand in the path of tropical storms like Irma. The DAC has said it is open to discussing issues of concern with its member countries and it is important to stay relevant in a world with changing realities. 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 But chairwoman Charlotte Petri Gornitzka told the BBC: We are not keen overall to reopen rules that very often. Assistance provided in the past few days by the UK includes: :: Restoration of electricity to the main power station on the British Virgin Islands with the help of UK troops and DfID logisticians; :: Deployment of six medical health experts to Antigua to assess the healthcare capacity and the potential for disease outbreaks; :: Air delivery of more than 150 shelter kits and 720 litres of water to the Turks and Caicos Islands; :: Flights delivering nearly five tonnes of food and water to Anguilla and three tonnes to the British Virgin Islands. 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 Ms Patel said: The Government has been working non-stop to get vital assistance to the victims of Hurricane Irma in the last week. Aid continues to arrive on the affected islands on a daily basis, and well continue to do all that is needed to get people back on their feet. We are also looking at long-term recovery on the islands. We want to get families back into houses, and schools and hospitals working again as soon as possible. The UK Government has announced 57 million in support for the immediate recovery effort, and has said it will match any donations to the British Red Cross hurricane appeal up to a maximum of 3 million. 18-year-old man was arrested by Kent Police in the port area of Dover on Saturday, September 16, under section 41 of the Terrorism Act Police officers taking part in an operation in Cavendish Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, as part of the investigation into the Parsons Green bombing. Police officers taking part in an operation in Cavendish Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, as part of the investigation into the Parsons Green bombing. Armed police have searched a property in Surrey following the Parsons Green bombing and the arrest of a man in Dover. Residents in the Cavendish Road area of Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, were told to leave their homes while officers carried out a search at a residential property. No arrests were made. Mojgan Jamali, who lives in Cavendish Road, said she was told by police she had "one minute" to pack her bags, grab her children, and leave her home as police carried out urgent evacuations. The mother-of-three told the Press Association: "I was in my house with my children and there was a knock at the door from the police. "They told me to leave. They said: 'You have one minute to get out of the house and get away.' "I just got out, I got my three children and we left the house and the street. "We didn't know what was going on. There was a lot of rumours going on, a lot of stories, people saying this and that, but we didn't know. "Earlier the police came around and asked if we could look after another family in our home for a little while, which I was obviously happy to do. "But then they came back later and just said we had one minute." Mrs Jamali, 33, said she did not know where to go, so decided to take her children - aged between five and 10 - to the shops. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @ASolopovas of emergency services outside Parsons Green tube station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident. Pic: @ASolopovas/PA Wire PA Emergency services outside Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday September 15, 2017. See PA story TRANSPORT Explosion. Photo credit should read: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire PA Members of the emergency services work alongside an underground tube train at a platform at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station.. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images A armed British police officer walks through the carriage of a London underground tube carriage at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images An image taken from a user generated content uploaded on social networks on September 15, 2017, shows a white container burning inside a London Underground tube carriage. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. Pic: PA wires AFP/Getty Images Armed police close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire PA An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London after an explosion on a packed London Underground train. Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire PA Members of the emergency services work alongside an underground tube train at a platform at Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. "We are aware of an incident at Parsons Green tube station. Officers are in attendance," London's Metropolitan Police said on Twitter. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017. Pic wires AFP/Getty Images An armed British police officer stands with a member of the emergency rescue services near to Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Handout photo issued by James Treen of emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Pic: James Treen/PA Wire PA Handout photo issued by James Treen of emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Pic: James Treen/PA Wire PA Emergency services attending incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Pic: Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire PA Handout photo issued by Richard Aylmer-Hall of emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Pic: Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire PA An armed British police officer works near Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Members of the emergency services work outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images People stand in the street by a Police car close to Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017. Pic Wires AFP/Getty Images BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Handout photo issued by Sylvain Pennec of a bucket on fire on a tube train at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday September 15, 2017. See PA story TRANSPORT Explosion. Photo credit should read: Sylvain Pennec/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. PA Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / ===RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / @RRIGS - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS NO ARCHIVES - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS FROM FROM ALTERNATIVE SOURCES, THEREFORE AFP IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DIGITAL ALTERATIONS TO THE PICTURE'S EDITORIAL CONTENT, DATE AND LOCATION WHICH CANNOT BE INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED == / DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Handout photo issued by Sylvain Pennec of a bucket on fire on a tube train at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday September 15, 2017. See PA story TRANSPORT Explosion. Photo credit should read: Sylvain Pennec/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. PA Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017. Pic / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVASDANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Handout photo taken with permission from the Twitter feed of @ASolopovas of emergency services outside Parsons Green tube station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident. Pic: @ASolopovas/PA Wire She said: "I had to do something to keep them entertained and to keep their minds off it - it's obviously pretty scary. I'm trying to keep them calm. "But I know two people on this street who don't have a car and they don't have a phone to contact their relatives. "I hope this gets settled soon, that we can get back to normal." She said there had been an increased police presence on the street since Friday, adding: "I only had to open the door and I saw police everywhere." The raid follows the arrest of an 18-year-old in Dover. He remains in police custody having been detained on suspicion of being a terrorist by Kent Police on Saturday, September 16. The arrest was described by Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu as "significant". Read More Despite the arrest, investigators - who it is understood are linking the attack to Islamist extremism - are continuing their probe and the threat level remains at critical, which means a further attack is feared to be imminent. The country's top counter-terrorism officer indicated that a potential network of plotters could have been involved. Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said police were "chasing down suspects", while suggestions were made by Donald Trump that the bomber was known to Scotland Yard. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close An image taken from a user generated content uploaded on social networks on September 15, 2017, shows a white container burning inside a London Underground tube carriage. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. Pic: PA wires AFP/Getty Images Handout photo issued by James Treen of emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Pic: James Treen/PA Wire PA Handout photo issued by James Treen of emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Pic: James Treen/PA Wire PA Emergency services attending incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Pic: Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire PA Handout photo issued by Richard Aylmer-Hall of emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Pic: Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An image taken from a user generated content uploaded on social networks on September 15, 2017, shows a white container burning inside a London Underground tube carriage. Police and ambulance services said they were responding to an "incident" at Parsons Green underground station in west London on Friday, following media reports of an explosion. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. Pic: PA wires Police declined to say where the suspect was from, whether he was the suspected bomber or the precise details of the offence for which he was arrested. His capture took place in the port area of the city, which is the busiest ferry hub in Europe and serves as a commercial gateway to the French coast, including Calais and Dunkirk. A key strand of the investigation has focused on CCTV as officers comb through footage to establish who planted the device, and when and where it was placed on the train. Security minister Ben Wallace suggested CCTV images of the bomber could be released as part of the manhunt for those responsible, but Scotland Yard subsequently denied there were any plans to do so. The suspect is expected to be moved to a south London police station. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: "We have made a significant arrest in our investigation this morning. Although we are pleased with the progress made, this investigation continues and the threat level remains at critical. "The public should remain vigilant as our staff, officers and partners continue to work through this complex investigation. We are not, at this time, changing our protective security measures and the steps taken to free up extra armed officers remain in place. "This arrest will lead to more activity from our officers. For strong investigative reasons we will not give any more details on the man we arrested at this stage." A vast manhunt was launched after an improvised device partially exploded on a District Line train at Parsons Green station during the Friday morning rush hour, injuring 30. Three victims remain in hospital, NHS England said on Saturday. Troops have been dispatched to key sites across the country to free up armed police officers after the country's terror threat level was raised to its highest point. The force said it has spoken to 45 witnesses and 77 images and videos have been sent to detectives by members of the public. Friday's device reportedly contained the explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and nails, but is thought to have only partially detonated from inside a bucket. Parsons Green station was reopened in the early hours of Saturday. There were fears the number of those hurt could have been much higher - with the real potential for life-threatening injuries - had the bomb, which was concealed within a supermarket carrier bag, fully exploded. It is not yet known whether the bomb, which was reportedly fixed with a timer, went off at its intended target. The train - bound for Edgware Road - was just pulling into the station in south-west London when the device detonated in the rear carriage, sending passengers fleeing to safety. Have you been caught up in the incident? Email digital.editorial@belfasttelegraph.co.uk or call 028 9026 4428. A group of lawyers working to free innocent prisoners has covered Bob Dylans I Shall Be Released in dedication to its clients, and the results are pretty moving. The California Innocence Project, which has freed 27 people with a total of 300 prison years between them, offers pro bono services to clients it believes have been wrongly convicted. 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 group took to the stage at this years Innocence Network Conference to perform the 1968 hit in front of hundreds of other Innocence Network lawyers from around the US. The stirring performance is enhanced with the images of its exonerated clients, and the length of time spent in jail for each case from five years to as many as 36 years behind bars. Since its birth in 1999, the organisation has also exonerated 157 people from death row. It is part of the Innocence Network and is one of several Innocence organisations around the US which work to free innocent people from jail. About 240,000 children have fled Burma's Rakhine state into neighbouring Bangladesh over the last three weeks, according to a UN agency. The figure - amounting to about 60% of an estimated 391,000 Rohingya refugees - includes about 36,000 children under a year old, said Unicef spokeswoman Marixie Mercado. She added that the children's agency also estimates about 52,000 pregnant women. Ms Mercado said the figures include about 1,100 unaccompanied minors who have crossed over the past week. She spoke at a regular briefing in Geneva that included comments from many UN agencies addressing the crisis in Bangladesh. Ms Mercado said: "As everybody here is going to tell you, the needs are seemingly endless and the suffering is deepening." Chris Lom, Asia-Pacific spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration, said by phone in the briefing that the figures were rough estimates, adding: "There's not somebody with a clipboard registering them." A Rohingya insurgent group attacked police posts in Rakhine on August 25, and the Burmese military responded with "clearance operations". Fleeing Rohingya say security forces shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and threatened them with death. The government says hundreds died, mostly Rohingya, and that 176 out of 471 Rohingya villages have been abandoned. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres described the violence against Rohingya as "ethnic cleansing", and A mnesty International said it has evidence of an "orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings" by Burmese security forces targeting dozens of Rohingya villages over the last three weeks. With refugee camps overflowing and hundreds of thousands of Rohingya struggling to find shelter, food and other essential services, aid workers say they are deeply worried by the continuing influx of people by land and water. "This is desperate. It's one of the biggest man-made crises and mass movements of people in the region for decades," said Martin Faller, a deputy regional director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. UN refugee agency spokesman Joseph Tripura said that, unless authorities address health concerns, "we might see a very bad situation in coming days" with disease outbreaks. UN agencies fear continued violence in Burma may eventually drive up to a million Rohingya into Bangladesh. AP An entire city police force has been dismissed in metropolitan Manila after some of its members were accused over the gruesome killings of three teenagers and others were seen on surveillance cameras robbing a house. The 1,200-strong Caloocan police force in the Philippine capital will be relieved in batches and replaced, said metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde. The officers will undergo 45 days of retraining, after which those facing no charges can be reassigned to other stations. The Department of Justice has started an investigation based on a murder and torture complaint against four Caloocan policemen allegedly linked to the killing of 17-year-old student Kian delos Santos during an anti-drug raid last month. The parents of two other teenagers - 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz and 14-year-old Reynaldo de Guzman - have also filed murder, torture and planting of evidence complaints against two Caloocan policemen. Last week, security camera video purportedly showed 13 policemen robbing a house during an alleged drug raid. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's crackdown on drugs, which has left thousands of suspects dead, has come under renewed scrutiny since police gunned down Kian. Police described him as a drug dealer who fired at officers during a raid, but his family and witnesses said the student was shot as he pleaded for his life. Witnesses pointed to evidence, including a village security video, which they said showed two police officers dragging Kian away shortly before shots rang out and he was found shot in the head, holding a pistol with his left hand although his parents said he was right-handed. Police officers testified at a Senate hearing that Kian was not the man seen being dragged in the video, although several witnesses doubted the statement. His death was followed by another outcry over the killing of former University of the Philippines student Mr Arnaiz. Police said he was killed when he shot it out with police after robbing a taxi driver last month, but a government forensic expert said he was apparently handcuffed, tortured and shot five times. His parents say he went out with Reynaldo to buy a snack on the night of August 17 but never returned home. They found Mr Arnaiz in a morgue 10 days later. Reynaldo's body was found floating in a creek in a city north of Manila last week. His head was wrapped with packing tape and his body bore about 28 stab wounds. AP Once again the victims of terrorism have been cruelly let down. This time it is not the fault of local politicians who cannot agree the way forward on legacy issues, but instead it's the fault of the Government Once again the victims of terrorism have been cruelly let down. This time it is not the fault of local politicians who cannot agree the way forward on legacy issues, but instead it's the fault of the Government. It has turned down recommendations from an all-party committee to seek compensation for those killed or injured as a result of Libyan arms and explosives shipments to the IRA in the 1970s and 1980s. The Government has not only declined to use its political or financial clout to force the Libyans to pay up for the sins of former dictator Gaddafi, but outrageously said it would not be in the national interest to go down that route. The American government did not take that attitude when it forced Libya to hand over $1.5bn (1.1bn) dollars in compensation for the deaths of its citizens in terrorist outrages such as the Lockerbie aircraft bombing. But the UK Government, whose prime duty should be the safeguarding of its citizens, obviously takes a different view, even though the recommendations came from MPs of all parties. It should be remembered that Gaddafi sent tons of arms and explosives to the IRA during the Troubles. That arsenal was used to deadly effect to kill hundreds of civilians, police officers and members of the security forces. The explosives were also used to devastating effect in England, blowing up large scale financial targets. Hamida Bashir's son was killed in one of those explosions at the Docklands in London in 1996. Her response to the Government's refusal to seek a compensation scheme for other victims should make the Prime Minister and her advisers hang their heads in shame. The Government, she said, has broken her heart. Northern Ireland-born MP Kate Hoey, a member of the all-party committee, was equally scathing of the decision and others have been equally vociferous in their condemnation. But should we really be surprised at this outcome? The victims of terrorism on these islands have been let down by successive Governments at Westminster on the issue of Libyan compensation. Bereaved relatives have even been denied in many cases the truth about why their loved ones died and any hopes of justice for their deaths has long vanished in all but the most optimistic of minds. This latest blow is just another snub to people who have suffered for too long. In 1994 Bill Clinton gave North Korea $5bn and two nuclear reactors, hoping to curb its push to nuclear weaponisation. In 2015, Barack Obama led the way to legitimise and fund Iran's nuclear ambitions and dreams of world hegemony. Today's crisis on the Korean peninsula is the preview of the real battle to come. Korea is a regional threat. Iran has grander designs. Iran is intensely watching the jousting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. If the West blinks and North Korea is allowed to have its nuclear arsenal, Iran will be unstoppable. Iran and its proxies have carried out attacks in Argentina, the Middle East, North Africa and elsewhere. It would gladly sacrifice a few million shahids in the conflagration with Israel. A nuclear North Korea will guarantee a nuclear Iran. The West will have to capitulate to the caliphate or fight. Europe has already thrown in the towel. The fate of the free world rests with America. LEN BENNETT Ottawa, Canada The controversy created by Boeing over Delta Airlines' firm order for 75 Bombardier CS100 jets, and options on another 50, threatens jobs in Belfast. Boeing has accused the Canadian manufacturer of "dumping" 125 airliners, selling them at vastly reduced prices - according to Boeing, under $20m per aircraft against a unit production cost of over $33m. The journal Aviation Week suggests that Boeing's claim isn't supported by other manufacturers, while the website Flight Global describes it as a "backhanded compliment" to Bombardier. Delta have stated that Boeing didn't offer new 737-700s, or 737-MAX-7s, but an assortment of secondhand Embraer E-190s and Boeing 717s (formerly Douglas DC-9s). Moreover, Boeing didn't offer delivery within the timescale Delta needed. It has also been noted that Boeing offered United Airlines reduced prices (a 73% reduction) on 737-700s that threatened the company's future viability. The reason for such reduced prices? To undercut Bombardier for United's order. Bombardier had good reason to offer low prices to Delta. Securing a large order from a major carrier would help break the Boeing/Airbus stranglehold on the narrow-body airliner market. Moreover, early aircraft in a production run are always more expensive, so Bombardier could argue that they were charging the price that would later prevail. Boeing complained to the US Department of Commerce. A decision is expected on October 4, although the department may announce penalties to be imposed on Bombardier before then. That's in spite of some US airlines supporting the C-Series; Boeing doesn't offer aircraft in the 100-140-seat category. So, will the decision favour Boeing or Bombardier? Representations have been made to the US authorities, including Theresa May's phonecall to President Trump, but, if judged by past experience, Boeing will prevail. The company has form. In the late 1990s, the US Air Force had to replace many of its oldest KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, a variant of the Boeing 707 airliner. Over 700 Stratotankers were produced for the USAF, which also bought the C-135 Stratolifter. Such orders helped put Boeing in the lead position for producing civil airliners. Many KC-135s are still flying, but are expensive to fly and maintain. Thus, a competition for a replacement for the oldest machines was announced. Boeing submitted the KC-X, a variant of its 767 wide-body airliner. It had already gained a contract to lease 767s, as KC-767s, to the USAF and won the competition. The only other submission - a variant of the Airbus A330 - was offered by Airbus's parent company, EADS, and the US aerospace giant Northrop Grumman. This was the Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-role Tanker Transport), designated the KC-30. When the Boeing order was cancelled, following allegations of irregularities in the process for awarding the contract, a new procurement programme was announced and formalised in January 2007. Once again, the competition was between Boeing's KC-767 and the KC-30. This time, EADS/Northrop Grumman announced plans to build the KC-30 in a new factory in Mobile, Alabama, where A330 freighters would also be built. On February 29, 2008, the USAF proclaimed the winner: the KC-30. This aircraft could carry 20 per cent more fuel than the KC-767, as well as more cargo. The KC-767 scored only on being cheaper. Designated KC-45, almost 180 EADS/Northrop Grumman aircraft were ordered. But Boeing lodged a protest about the order to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The protest was upheld and the USAF had to issue a third competition, with new criteria. Those criteria seemed to favour Boeing, according to Northrop Grumman, who withdrew. EADS remained in the process, still promising to build the tankers in Mobile. It was not to be. Boeing was awarded the contract and the new tanker became the KC-46. The weight and influence of one of the USA's largest companies had been brought to bear in the fight, and had won. Boeing isn't just part of what President Eisenhower called "the military-industrial complex". It is the largest and, arguably, most influential part of it. No longer only the Boeing company of old, it includes Convair, McDonnell Douglas, North American and Rockwell, as well as Vertol helicopters, and is involved in space technology, in addition to building aircraft and missiles. However, Bombardier now faces not only Boeing, but the US administration, from the president down. In spite of being neighbours, the US also has form in the shape of damaging Canadian industry, especially the Canadian aviation industry. During the 1950s, the Avro Canada Company built a long-range fighter, the CF-100 Canuck. Before the Canuck entered service, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) decided that its replacement should be a supersonic, missile-armed fighter. Avro Canada designed a new fighter to meet the RCAF's requirement. That fighter was the Avro CF-105 Arrow. Aviation authority Bill Gunston OBE wrote of the CF-105: "In its planning, design and flight-test programme, this fighter, in almost every way the most advanced of all the fighters of the 1950s, was as impressive and successful as any aircraft in history." It was never to enter service. Although Avro Canada tried to sell the CF-105 to the USAF and the RAF, the US government was opposed to purchasing 'foreign' aircraft and favoured US industry. However, the USAF was impressed, since the CF-105 was well ahead of anything then in service. Britain ordered CF-105s, but the 1957 Defence White Paper meant cancellation of the order. While building, first flight and testing were going on in Canada, the US government was bringing Canada into its North American Air Defence scheme (NORAD), to which John Diefenbaker's new government signed up in 1957. It was the death knell for the CF-105. Although work continued on the aeroplane, it was clear that Canada couldn't afford both it and NORAD. On 'Black Friday' - February 20, 1959 - Diefenbaker announced the cancellation of the CF-105 programme. The Avro Arrow would be replaced by McDonnell F-101 Voodoo fighters and Boeing Bomarc B surface-to-air missiles. Production jigs, completed aircraft, plans and drawings were all destroyed on the orders of the government. Avro Canada had to pay off almost 15,000 employees, with a similar number laid off in the supply chain and ancillary industries. Before long, Avro Canada had been wound up. Many in Canada still believe that Diefenbaker bowed to pressure from the US government. That may not be true, but it was very much a case of the big neighbour prevailing. American interests came first. Canada's burgeoning aviation industry was all but destroyed. Bombardier is virtually all that remains of it. With Donald Trump's 'America First' ideology, what are the chances of a decision in favour of a Canadian company this time? Jez Tozer Reverend Peterson Feital had never truly known himself until art brought him face-to-face with his own soul. Clad in the vestments that marked him as a member of the Church of England, he stood before Jez Tozer, a London-based photographer who has produced editorial for publications such as Japanese Vogue, GQ Style, and Arena. But Rev. Feital didnt just want to be photographed. He wanted to be captured. I want you to show me what you see in me as an object of art, he told Tozer, that I cant see myself. And so the shoot commenced and the shutter clicked. But something was missing. Peterson, said Tozer, I want you to do what you do when you are on your own. I want you to pretend for a moment that I am God and you are praying. The request took Rev. Feital aback for a moment. It was kind of a weird thing to say, in some ways, because it was almost like someone is coming into somewhere really, really private, he says of the experience. But then I realized that this is the work of an artist. If I dont let him into this private place, hes never going to get the essence of what I am. And so Rev. Feital let Tozer in, and for the first time in his life, allowed an artist to see who he was in private, dancing and praying and making noises to God in the way that he would do in the privacy of his own home. He soon forgot about the camera. When the shoot was finished, Tozer showed Rev. Feital one particular photoone of the vicar spinning, his robes flying into the air as if of their own accord. Peterson, he said. This is it. This is the photo of your life. This is you. And it was. Rev. Feital describes the way his vestments moved in the photo by saying that it looked almost like the breath of God was in it. Until he saw that picture, he had never fully seen himself. Art captures what a mirror cannot, reflecting not just the self, but the soul as well. This is a truth that Rev. Feital knows uniquely well. He is, perhaps, the most fabulously-inclined vicar in all of England, mingling with the worlds most famous clothing designers, models, and creatives, as he works to bridge the gap between faith and fashion. Speaking with Rev. Feital brings to mind two words: passionate empathy. This Brazilian-born member of the Church of Englands clergy cares about all people, but he has a special place in his heart for creatives. The minister to the creative industries for the Diocese of London, Rev. Feital is a man who stands between two seemingly opposite worlds. In one hand, he holds the glitzy world of fashion, and in the other, the somber, yet joyful realm of theology. And somehow, he makes it all work, ministering to some of London's top creatives. We were fortunate enough to catch up with the busy vicar of fashion for a brief chat about who he is, what he does, and why he does it. Lets take a look at what he has to say about holding one of the most unique roles in the world. Can you tell us a little bit about who you are and what you do? I am the Chief Executive of a charitythe first charity ever dedicated to the wellbeing of creatives in the creative industries, called The Haven London. Im also the missioner to the creative industries for the London diocese of the Church of England. This is the first post, as well, that Ive ever had. On top of that, I am also the first theologian in the UK, to the best of my knowledge, to be looking at fashion in the Biblelooking at the theology of fashion, as it were. I am from Brazil, and Ive been in the UK for 17 years. I try the best I can to live my life with as much excitement as I was born withbut Im a serious man, too, obviously. For the people who dont know me, one of the questions people always have about me is: why fashion? Why the church? Why is a Brazilian doing this? These are the questions people ask me all the time. And I say the answer is very simple. I find fashion is one of the most interesting subjects, one that has been widely discussed by sociologists, fashion historians, and all of that. But from a Biblical point of view, very few people have done that. Fashion that is something that is very much part of the fabric of the scriptures, and thats why I find it fascinating. But in the 21st-century, fashion is about identityfashion is about culture, is about setting the trends. And also, there are rituals in fashion that I find quite fascinating. Personally, I grew up in a country where to be someone you have to strive to become either a lawyer or a medic. So, creativity, when I grew up, was not something that Brazilian people were exposed to, and certainly men were not allowed to [participate in], but thats very much the culture. And so I broke away from that by simply accepting the fact that I love the arts, and I love creativityits what brings me alive. Its in my DNA. Theology is very much my field of study, but I think theology has a huge potential for imagination and for creativity. And thats why Im using all these things. And I think that I have not even begun to scratch the surface of the huge amounts of imagination that we can have. Your work in fashion and the arts is an unexplored territory for the churchor at least for the modern church. It isand its quite an interesting point that youre making. A few weeks ago the Church of England decided that its not important for the clergy to be wearing the vestments anymore. There is a huge discussion on the topic. Whats interesting is that one of the arguments is that what the clergy wear is quite alien to a lot of people. You see, I used to think that was the case as well, but once I started working with creatives, I realized it actually was the opposite. Because some people who have never been to church actually find some of the allegory and some of the creativity, some of the designing, some of the fabric that they see the ministers wearing a point of reference. They know what theyre getting. And it is a point of discussion in so many ways. And I think that it just sometimes has these assumptions that people find that alienating without actually being with the group themselves, if you see what I mean. One of the most fascinating conversations I always have with the fashion designers and with the common person on the streets when they realize Im studying theology and fashion, is never about how much thats off-putting, but actually how that is interesting because they havent had that explained to them for many, many years. So it is a point of conversation in culture. And just a few weeks ago, one brand, did a very interesting campaign, in which theyre using lots of imagery from the Bible, with their own imagination, to actually talk about whats happening in the world right now. So I think that there really is a divorce between what the Church sometimes is saying and the question culture is actually asking. It is between these two things that I feel most comfortable. Thats a unique position to be in. It is, it is. And I think fashion also has to do with the question of gender. Gender and sexualitytheyre not the same. Its not the same discussion. So it is also part of this conversation that the Church needs to understandthere are so many things that we need to be talking about right now. Theres poverty, theres huge amounts of suffering happening in the world, theres uncertainty in so many things. Its not that we shouldnt talk about all these things at all, about gender and sexuality, particularlywe should, but we should find better ways of having this dialogue. Because we cant be attacking people. We cant. That is the most un-Christian thing ever. "What is the Church of England actually doing to get involved in London Fashion Week?" "That is part of my work during London Fashion Week. During Fashion Week, Ill be attending some shows to talk about the importance of body and fashion, and how culture is moving on. Ill be attending some fashion shows, myself, because Ive been invited. In those fashion shows, its quite interesting, because most of the time its never just one thing. Its always two things that happen. One is, because Im a vicar and Im in that environment, very often people would say to memodels would sayIm a little bit nervous on the catwalk today, can you say a prayer? Or the designers would say I havent slept for days. The collection hasnt quite gone how we expected. Please, rev., could you send some thoughts? You know, because they dont use the word prayer, but I know what they mean. Which, again, is really a lovely place to be, and it is very important. This is me. But most of the time, Im also there with my Ph.D. researcher, where Im looking at what the new trends are, Im looking for Christian iconography or any religious iconography and asking questions about that. But Im also looking at the stories. I meet a lot of new, up-and-coming designers, and its quite an opportunity to go to big fashion shows and big brands, but, obviously, Im not there to criticize their work ever. Thats not what I do. Im there to support what theyre doing, but Im also there investigating, if you like, what culture is saying right now. Fashion designers are also storytellers, as much as designers, as much as stylists, and I like to have conversations with them all as much as I can. Many feel that fashion is every bit a language as the spoken word. "Absolutely. For me, I have a huge respect for fashion designers. Especially now, because they have a new collections so often, the huge amount of imagination is exhausting. The chaos that theyre living is absolutely excruciating because they have to face the critics. And this is where I feel that what I do with The Haven is to say to the guy Yes, a critic may come to you today and say something difficult about you or about your work, but tomorrow they may not. What we need to remember is we need to have grit. Grit is something so undermined, because people can be quite fragilefor a fashion designer, as for any professional, what they do is very close to their heart. But when you put yourself out there, people can criticize you and it can feel like a personal attack. And I think this is why I say [criticism] is not what I do. My job is to support them. Would you be able to give a little information about The Haven? The Haven is an independent charity that looks after the spiritual and mental well-being of the shapers, storytellers, creatives, and artists in London, and the world, really. What we do is that we offer specific pastoral care that is designed and tailored to the creative mind. We offer workshops for creatives where they can learn about resilience, where they can learn how to deal with the criticism, how they can be better emotionally to do the work they do. But its also for the creatives who want to explore spiritualitywere also open to that conversation. The whole aim of the charity is to help the creatives to thrive, to do what they do best, which is to tell their stories, but we want to be part of the narrative. We want to change this idea that creatives tend to be shallow peopletheyre not shallow at all. This is completely one of the most unformed opinions someone can have of a creative. Its also saying to them, Youre not on your own. The world lives and breathes creativity. Everywhere we go, everything we touch has been touched by a creative. So, its not to say that creatives are on a pedestalno one should ever be put on a pedestal. That, in itself, is a dangerous place to bewere not built to be idols. Were human beings. But we want them to know that, in the chaos of the lives they live, we are there for them, and we will do the best we can to get them to where they want to be, in confidence. All we do at the Haven is absolutely about confidentiality. Thats what we do. But now we are starting our fundraising campaign because we need to find a home to house our work, and we need to attract supporters to our causethe work has grown too much. London has nearly one million creatives working in the creative sector. Thats a lot of people just in London." It seems youre on the cutting edge compared to many other Christian institutions. Thats an interesting thing. I think, where I am as a person, is a very fragile place to be. A lot of people that I speak to, when they meet me, tend to assume the Church is breaking new grounds. Yesthe Church is breaking new grounds, and I am very glad that I am in that place. But it takes me, as a person, a huge amount of self-drive, because I have to be so driven, so focused in what I do. There are so many setbacks that happen on a daily basis with my work and with what I do, but Im committed to it. I never really wanted to be famousits not one of the ends of my life. But I read a lot about individuals like Mandela, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Malcolm Xall these kinds of giants, and lots of women who worked and became pioneers in the field of science and politics. Ive always been so transfixed by those figures. Because what those people didthey didnt set out to become legends. They wanted to change something that they found fundamentally important in their lives. This is something that I want to do with my life. I want, not to be famous, but if I happen to leave something when I die, I want to have left some sort of life in which what I did matteredmattered so much that it helped other people to live their lives better. It made a difference. All Im looking for is an opportunity to say to people: In a world that is so fractured, we can afford to trust someone from time to time. Thats what it takesan opportunity [for creatives] to trust someone with their life story, to someone who cares. Not someone who just wants to hear a story because theyre going to sell stories, but because someone listened and wants to make a difference. Thats what I hope to do. In Conclusion: A Man of Two Worlds One idea was clear after speaking to Rev. Feital: it has never been more important for the Christian Church to reach out to the world and make itself relevant in its message. It should model peace and present the world with a rhythm that is counter-cultural, and an alternative to help people to find meaning, healing and comfort. Rev. Feital proposes a shift: in the past the church has been historically known as patron to the arts, whereas now he wishes the Church to be seen as patron to the artist. But most of all, he wants others to know that the Church's mission is to understand and empathize with whoever may be hurting. As a man who deeply understands the subtle language of fashion just as well as the intricacies of spirituality and Christian theology, Rev. Feital is quite likely the most qualified member of the clergy to reach out to the glamorous world of fashion. The man known as the Red Carpet Curate" has just the right combination of education, theological training, and style to make a big splash as both minister and fashion expert, and stands to begin rebuilding the bridge between faith and culture. Where art reveals the soul of man, Rev. Feital wants to begin healing it. This is important. When the Church engages culture in a way that heals, comforts, and cures, it fulfills a major part of its mission to, as Christ said, love one another. It is in Rev. Feitals parting words that we see this connection, and the sincere love he holds for Londonsand the worldscreatives. I know this is something unorthodox for a vicar to say, but I will say it anyway. Ive been in and out of many, many churches, and I felt really empty being there, and sometimes a little bit bored, toountil the day that I discovered, for myself, that God is a source of creativity, of energy, of light. My world was turned upside down as I was looking at some beautiful works of art that made me feel alive again. And I just want to say to creatives: I feel alive because of you." Wesley Baines is a graduate student at Regent University's School of Divinity, and a freelance writer working in the fields of spirituality, self-help, and religion. He is also a former editor at Beliefnet.com. You can catch more of his work at www.wesleybaines.com. One million Rohingya refugees or the entire Muslim population of Myanmars Rakhine state could flee from there to Bangladesh by years end, senior U.N. officials warned Thursday as they called on the international community to do more and be prepared in responding to a fluid humanitarian crisis. So far, an unprecedented influx has seen almost 400,000 refugees pour into southeastern Bangladesh since Aug. 25 amid a resurgence of violence in Rakhine, U.N. officials told a press briefing in Dhaka, adding that this number could go much higher. As many as 10,000 to 20,000 refugees were crossing the border every day, they said. We have to estimate the worst case is a scenario where everybody goes out [of Rakhine], said Mohammed Abdiker Mohamud, director of operations and emergencies for the International Organization of Migration (IOM), the U.N.s migration agency. Mohamud was responding to a question from a BenarNews reporter on whether the two agencies feared that Rakhines entire Rohingya population could spill across the border, if reported atrocities targeting Rohingya civilians went on unabated. And we cannot just put our heads in the sand and think everything will be OK, he said. 800,000 refugees in Bangladesh The 400,000 refugees who have arrived in Bangladesh during the past three weeks represent more than a third of Rakhines Muslim population, based on figures in a report published last month by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, a body appointed by Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and headed by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The new arrivals also bring the total Rohingya refugee population in southeastern Bangladesh to more than 800,000, including those who fled earlier outbreaks of violence in Rakhine. "[W]hat the country is facing is a quite serious humanitarian situation. As I said, 400,000 people in about two to three weeks is a very, very large number of people to have to respond to, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner George Okoth-Obbo, who had toured refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh a day earlier, told reporters as he sat with Mohamud at the briefing in Dhaka. We all acknowledge that, while a lot of work has been done, there is a lot more which still has to be done. We have to step up the approach, he said, although both officials commended Bangladesh for its efforts in letting in the wave of new arrivals, despite a huge number of refugees already sheltering in the southeast. Asked whether the international community had done enough to respond to the situation, which U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday had described as catastrophic, Mohamud replied, [M]y honest opinion is not yet. We like to see more be done. Are we looking at 600,000? Are we looking 700,000? Are we looking at a million people arriving before end of this year? the IOM official said, adding, That is something putting all of us in a very difficult position in how we are going to respond to this crisis. When the influx began, humanitarian agencies originally predicted that as many as 80,000 refugees could cross into Bangladesh, but more than four times that figure have come over from Rakhine in less than three weeks, Mohamud said. Mohammed Abdiker Mohamud (left), director of operations and emergencies at the International Organization for Migration, and George Okoth-Obbo, an assistant high commissioner at the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR), brief media in Dhaka about a humanitarian crisis resulting from a massive influx of Rohingya refugees into southeastern Bangladesh, Sept. 14, 2017. [Kamran Reza Chowdhury/BenarNews] Unprecedented crisis Also on Thursday, Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi officials would call for the Rohingya problem to be resolved when she attends the 72nd session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Hasinas government has called on Myanmar to stop the violence in Rakhine that has pushed hundreds of thousands of Rohingya into Bangladesh, and to take back all the refugees. Bangladesh has been confronting an unprecedented crisis to provide humanitarian assistance to lakhs [hundreds of thousands] of Rohingya, and their repatriation to their own country, Ali said in a statement, which was read out during a news conference at the foreign ministry. At this critical moment, Bangladesh will place its proposals at the General Assembly of the United Nations for the settlement of the Rohingya problem, raising the main causes of the crisis before the international community, the minister said. Diarrhea, other illnesses reported Meanwhile, in southeastern districts of the country inundated by the wave of arrivals since late August, humanitarian agencies say they have been struggling to provide shelter and relief to refugees because the fast-moving volume of newcomers has strained resources. According to a BenarNews correspondent in Coxs Bazar district, the camps and makeshift settlements that are sprouting up on hillsides lack clean water and sanitation, and cases of diarrhea are spreading among the refugees. Eighty percent of the patients I have been treating are children and 90 percent of them have been suffering from diarrhea and fever, Abdus Samad, one of two local volunteer doctors in the Tanbru area near the Myanmar border, told BenarNews on Thursday. The International Committee of the Red Crescent has also been providing medical treatment to refugees in different parts of Coxs Bazar. Over the last several days, our medical teams have given treatment to some 3,000 patients. Most of them have been suffering from diarrhea, fever and other diseases, Dr. K.M. Abdullah Al Masud, a field officer with the Red Crescent, told BenarNews. He attributed the outbreak of illness to a lack of clean drinking water and people defecating in the open. Diarrhea can spread in an epidemic form unless potable water and proper sanitation systems are put in place, Masud said. ARSA denies terror links Across the border, Myanmar security forces and militia in Rakhine have been accused of targeting Rohingya civilians in atrocities such as killings and burning of Muslim homes and villages, according to eyewitness accounts from refugees arriving in Bangladesh. Defending itself against the allegations, the Myanmar government has blamed an insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), for much of the violence. Coordinated attacks by ARSA insurgents on Myanmar border police posts in Rakhine on Aug. 25 triggered the latest cycle of violence. On Sept. 10, ARSA declared a unilateral ceasefire for a month to allow humanitarian agencies and NGOs to deliver aid to affected parts of Rakhine, but Myanmar authorities rejected the offer of a truce. On Thursday, ARSA issued a statement saying it was deeply concerned over reports of some 400,000 people having fled horrors that are inhumane and beneath dignity of all human beings. The new statement came out two days after the global terrorist organization al-Qaeda announced that its fighters would come to the defense of Rohingya Muslims, according to security analysts, including BenarNews columnist Zachary Abuza. ARSA feels that it is necessary to make clear that it has no links with Al Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria Lashkar-e-Taiba or any other transnational terrorist group, and we do not welcome the involvement of these groups in the Arakan [Rakhine] conflict, ARSA said. ARSA calls on states in the region to intercept and prevent terrorists from entering Arakan and making a bad situation worse, it added. People stand outside the Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school in Kuala Lumpur after the fire that killed 23 people, Sept. 14, 2017. A fire that ripped through an unlicensed Islamic religious school in Malaysias capital on Thursday, killing at least 21 children and two teachers, may be treated as a case of arson, officials said. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah School in Kuala Lumpur has been operating for 16 years without an official permit, officials said, as the government said it would set up a task force to look into the safety of similar schools across the predominantly Muslim country. The bodies of the victims found in the three-storey dormitory of the school located in Datuk Keramat Street had been mostly charred, said fire department officials. The victims, aged between 10 and 17 years, were trapped behind barred windows and a locked door, officials said. Witnesses told reporters they were woken by cries for help from inside the burning building. Firefighters said they found the bodies piled on top of each other, indicating that the victims tried to flee but were trapped by metal window grills. We are investigating that this blaze could have been caused by mischief, Khirudin Drahman, Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director, told reporters. "Our investigation is pointing that it is not from short circuit. If it was, the fire will not be that huge. He also dismissed early reports that an overturned mosquito coil could have sparked the fire. Fire investigators, he said, were focusing on the mischief angle after they found two heavy cooking gas cylinders in front of the dormitorys door. The school, about a 15-minute drive from the iconic Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers and which is classified as a tahfiz center where students learn to memorise the Quran, had housed 36 students and six teachers, but did not have fire security permit and occupational certificate, officials said. It is not immediately clear why the school was not given an operating permit despite being in business for more than a decade. The school had submitted the architectural plan, Noh Omar, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government minister, told reporters. However, the department had not given the school permission to use the building, Noh Omar said. The Star newspaper said there were 519 private tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. More than 200 fires are said to have been recorded nationwide at private religious schools over the last two years. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said a committee would be set up to look into the safety aspects of these private religious schools which he said were reluctant to register with the authorities for fear that the government would interfere with their curriculum. Tahfiz schools are not under the federal governments Education Ministry, but are regulated by religious councils in states where they are located. This is not the first time such incidents have happened. Hence, this issue must be addressed, Zahid told reporters, according to the state-owned Bernama news agency. Regardless if the centre is privately run or not, there will be no compromise as it involves the deaths of many children. Six students were also critically injured after jumping out of a window on the top-most floor, according to reports. Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Amar Singh said the bodies of the victims were found on top of each other and authorities believe the fire started at the dormitorys front door, which was the only exit. And the absence of hinged grills also caused the victim to be trapped in the fire, he said. The tragedy attracted the attention of the Malaysian King, Sultan Muhammad V. Indeed, at this moment, the country is saddened by the tragedy, the King said in a rare statement released by the controller of the Royal Household. Family members gather at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital morgue while waiting for the release of the bodies of the fire victims, Sept. 14, 2017. [FadzilAziz/BenarNews] Gruesome images anger people But the rapid spread of gruesome pictures of the victims and videos that soon flooded social media ignited angry comments from religious figures, politicians and psychologists. I plead with all of you not to spread viral videos and pictures of the blaze through social media, Zubaidah Jamil Osman, president of Malaysian Society of Clinical Society, said in a statement. The (video) clips can be very traumatizing and disturbing for those who are trying to cope with these challenging and difficult times. Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, right, talks to reporters at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital about the school fire that killed 23, Sept. 14, 2017. [FadzilAziz/BenarNews] UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, said basic safety standards could have prevented the tragic deaths. UNICEF calls for the establishment and enforcement of safety procedures and safeguards in all schools across Malaysia to ensure that such an unfortunate incident does not happen again, said Marianne Clark-Hattingh, the UNICEFs Malaysia representative. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Mas Aliza Ali Bapoo, cousin of three orphans Muhammad Shafiq Haikal, 13, Muhammad Hafiz Iskandar, 11, and Muhammad Harris Ikhwan, 10 said she was the closest to the three siblings who had just enrolled into the school 10 months ago. It appeared that Shafiq, according to Mas, had a premonition of his death as he had recently called her mom telling that he would be going soon. Probably that was a sign they were going to leave us. Forever, she said. Norhayati Khalid, 42, mother to 11-year-old Amiel Asyraf Abdul Rashid, said she had just met her son hours before the fire. I brought him his favourite food, Pataya fried rice and, before I left, he handed me this letter, she told BenarNews, sobbingly at the hospital mortuary. The letter, handwritten on a school exercise book page, sought forgiveness for any wrongdoing he had done. Hata Wahari contributed to this report. Brothers Muhammad Shafiq Haikal, 13, Muhammad Hafiz Iskandar, 11, and Muhammad Harris Ikhwan, 10, were among those who died in the fire. [Courtesy of relative of the deceased] A soldier takes cover behind a building as government forces deploy near ground-zero of the battle in the southern Philippine city of Marawi, Sept. 14, 2017. Philippine troops are close to retaking the entire southern city of Marawi, with Islamic State-linked militants believed to be cornered within two neighborhood blocks, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Friday. He declined to give a definite timeline, saying that three previous deadlines he had set were not achieved. But, he said, troops were doing their best to liberate Marawi, the countrys only Muslim city, which has become a wasteland of pockmarked buildings and ruined homes amid a battle that has lasted almost four months. Theres only little resistance left. This is just one-half village wide. Thats why Ive been told my ground commanders that the end is near, Lorenzana told reporters. Just a little more patience. He said that apart from the United States, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, which have been helping with intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism operations, the European Union, China and Japan have also offered to assist in rehabilitating the once-scenic lakeside city. In all, Lorenzana said, about 50 billion pesos (about U.S. $1 billion) would be needed to rebuild and rehabilitate the city, whose more than 200,000 residents abandoned it when the fighting broke out on May 23. The defense departments war chest would be depleted by the end of the year, with most of the money already spent on funding the campaign to win back Marawi, Lorenzana said. This years Philippine defense budget exceeds 130 billion pesos (U.S. $2.6 billion). If the fighting lasted till the end of 2017, the military would face budgetary constraints, he warned. Wed need replenishment, Lorenzana said. Rare access to heart of war zone The battle began in May, when hundreds of militants led by Isnilon Hapilon, the Abu Sayyaf militant group leader and acknowledged head of the Islamic State in the Philippines, went on a rampage in Marawi. They were backed by local fighters from the Maute group and fighters from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, making Marawi the center of gravity for IS militancy in Asia. Fighting has been vicious, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. As of Tuesday, 666 militants, 147 soldiers and policemen and 47 civilians had been killed, making the fighting the costliest in terms of casualties in recent memory. President Rodrigo Duterte, after admitting that the government had underestimated the militant force, put the entire southern region of Mindanao under martial law, giving the military full control over security in order to crush what he called a rebellion. And apart from the casualties, the militants are believed to be holding dozens of hostages, whom they have been using as human shields. They have also managed to slow down the government advance by deploying snipers in strategic positions. But the military finally dislodged the rebels from Marawis Grand Mosque two weeks ago, and allowed a few journalists to accompany the advancing soldiers this week. BenarNews reporters who were on the trip reported massive destruction, and gun battles punctuated by bombs dropped by Air Force planes. The destruction was massive. The smell of death hung in the air, and dogs gnawed on human bones. Tempest Wind Washington, meanwhile, announced on Friday that it would conduct bilateral, inter-agency counter-terrorism drills with the Philippines in the middle of the month. The drills, called Tempest Wind, are designed to test and improve the ability of both nations to rapidly plan, coordinate and conduct counter-terror operations. The exercises are to take place locally and in Hawaii, with the drills expected to include rapid decision-making and tactical responses, the U.S. Embassy in Manila said in a statement. In addition to important information exchanges, Tempest Wind is recognized as a way to test force readiness and exercise interoperability, it said. These assessments will help to focus future bilateral training efforts to enhance the crisis response capabilities of both nations. The United States is already providing crucial support to Filipino forces in Marawi by gathering intelligence data and flying drones, even as its forces are not allowed to directly engage in combat. 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. 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For Immediate Release, September 15, 2017 Contact: Vera Pardee, (858) 717-1448, vpardee@biologicaldiversity.org Why Did Trump Ditch Airplane Pollution Standards? Records Sought on EPA's Work Stoppage on Plan to Curb Aircraft Emissions WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity submitted a Freedom of Information Act request yesterday seeking records related to the EPAs decision to stop work on an aircraft carbon dioxide emissions standard. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has quietly deactivated an initiative to implement a carbon emissions reduction requirement for jet engines in new plane models. Aircraft are the third largest source of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, and their emissions are rising steeply. Its truly troubling that the Trump administration has stopped all work on reducing the airline industrys skyrocketing carbon emissions, said Vera Pardee, senior counsel at the Centers Climate Law Institute. We just cant tackle the climate crisis without confronting airplane carbon pollution. The EPAs refusal to curb these emissions demonstrates a reckless disregard for climate threats like the monster storms we just saw in Florida and Texas. In July 2016, the EPA issued its finding that aircraft greenhouse gas emissions drive climate change and endanger public health and welfare. This determination requires officials to set limitations on airplane pollution under the Clean Air Act. This year, the UNs International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed to aircraft emission standards, though they fall short of what the industry is projected to achieve regardless. If the US does not set standards at least as stringent as those of the international community, US manufacturers must seek hard-to-get exemptions for their aircraft to fly outside of the US, unless their planes comply with the ICAO standards voluntarily. In 2010, the Center and allies successfully sued to compel the EPA to determine whether airplane emissions endanger human health and welfare. The EPA finally made that determination in 2016. Every other country on earth has already agreed to airline emission standards that at least prevent serious backsliding, said Pardee. Trumps destructive conduct threatens our planet and undermines American business interests and technological leadership. For Immediate Release, September 14, 2017 Contact: Jennifer Molidor, (707) 888-9261, jmolidor@biologicaldiversity.org Public Records Sought on EPA, Beef Lobby Collusion to Weaken Water Protections WASHINGTON The Center for Biological Diversity submitted a Freedom of Information Act request today seeking communications between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and beef-lobbying groups. The filing seeks information about EPA Administrator Scott Pruitts participation in a promotional video for the National Cattlemens Beef Association in which he urges ranchers to flood the agency with comments in favor of repealing the Clean Water Rule. Its bizarre and appalling that our nations chief environmental official starred in a beef-industry infomercial attacking protections for our water supplies, said Jennifer Molidor, a Center senior food campaigner. Americans deserve to know why Pruitt would support the private interests of this incredibly polluting industry. Livestock operations have polluted 35,000 miles of U.S. rivers and contaminated groundwater in 17 states. Each year American beef production creates 489 billion pounds of manure. Improperly stored manure creates toxic byproducts that frequently leak into rivers, lakes and streams. In addition 167 million pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of fertilizer used to grow animal feed leak into waterways. The Clean Water Rule, a clarification of the Clean Water Act ordered by the Obama administration, prohibited the dumping of waste in navigable waters without a permit. The rule exempts most agricultural drainage ditches. As the attorney general of Oklahoma, Pruitt sued to halt the rule. Industry groups filed similar lawsuits. In all cases the rule was ultimately upheld. Pruitt took office already determined to slash Obama-era safeguards like the Clean Water Rule without concern for the dangerous fallout of losing these protections, said Molidor. Its the EPAs job to protect our environment from big polluters, not the other way around. For Immediate Release, September 14, 2017 Contact: Bob Wright, Friends of the River, (916) 873-5258, BWright@friendsoftheriver.org Barbara Barrigan-Parilla, Restore the Delta, (209) 479-2053, barbara@restorethedelta.org, John Buse, Center for Biological Diversity, (323) 533-4416, jbuse@biologicaldiversity.org California Groups Challenge Legality of Proposed Bonds for Delta Tunnel Project SACRAMENTO, Calif. A coalition of conservation groups today challenged the legality of proposed bonds that will be used to pay for the construction of the Twin Tunnels project. Also known as California WaterFix, the tunnels would divert water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta to Southern California. The groups Friends of the River, the Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Planning and Conservation League, Restore the Delta, and Sierra Club are challenging the California Department of Water Resources claim that it has lined up commitments to repay $11 billion in bonds to construct the project, as state law requires. The groups contend that the project cannot secure all of its approvals a precondition of issuing the bonds and that the department is seeking to illegally shift a substantial share of the cost of California WaterFix to state taxpayers, rather than ensuring that the recipients of the water be responsible for all costs, as the law requires. Just last week the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Interior blew the whistle on a $50 million dollar scam that illegally shifted costs for this project from Big Ag water contractors to the general public, said Adam Keats, a senior attorney with the Center for Food Safety. These bonds suffer from essentially the same problem, as they fail to ensure that Californias taxpayers will not be stuck holding the tab for this boondoggle of a project. The groups seek a court order declaring the bonds invalid, which would prevent DWR from securing required funding for the project to go forward. Todays filing is an answer to a lawsuit filed earlier by DWR seeking a court order to validate the bonds by declaring them legal. A ruling against DWR in this action could be fatal to WaterFix because the projects success hinges on funding promises many yet to be inked by the recipients of the project water. The conservation groups also earlier filed a challenge to the WaterFix environmental review under Californias Environmental Quality Act. DWR is attempting to unlawfully subsidize the WaterFix project in direct violation of the Delta Reform Act, which requires that the water contractors who will receive the water pay all costs required for the construction, operation, and maintenance of any new Delta water conveyance facility, said Bob Wright, representing Friends of the River, Restore the Delta, the Planning and Conservation League, and the Sierra Club. For Immediate Release, September 14, 2017 Contact: Michael Robinson, (575) 313-7017, michaelr@biologicaldiversity.org Wildlife Services Kills Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf in Arizona First Mexican Wolf Gunned Down by USDA for Cattle Predation in 10+ Years SILVER CITY, N.M. Wildlife officials revealed today that the U.S. Department of Agricultures Wildlife Services agency killed a Mexican gray wolf in eastern Arizona in August the first time in more than 10 years that the government has killed one of these critically endangered animals because of livestock predation. The female one of only a small number of Mexican wolves in the wild was part of the Diamond pack. Its sickening that the Trump administration is so heartless it would gun down Mexican wolves on behalf of the livestock industry, said Michael Robinson, conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. The Diamond pack has needlessly lost a member of its family, and the recovery of endangered Mexican gray wolves has taken an unnecessary step backward. The killing represents a return to a discredited policy of killing wolves punitively in the same locations where sloppy livestock-management practices typically draw wolves into conflicts. Along with the one-sentence summary of the wolfs killing released today, it was revealed that a dead cow found around the same time as other cattle that were killed by wolves was necropsied and found not to have been killed by wolves, but instead to have died from ingesting twine. Those circumstances suggest the likelihood, as has happened in countless other instances, that the Diamond pack scavenged on the cows carcass and wolves were then drawn to prey on nearby, vulnerable cattle. This was the 15th Mexican wolf shot by the government since reintroduction began in 1998. Dozens of other wolves have been removed, alive, from the wild. A growing body of research shows that killing wolves does nothing in the long run to reduce losses of livestock. Instead, stock can be protected through means accepted among ranchers in other regions who coexist with wolves, such as the Midwest. Effectively protecting cattle or sheep requires ranchers to remove livestock carcasses, enact seasonal calving to limit vulnerable calves exposure to wolves, and provide a consistent human presence to scare wolves away. The government has required no such measures to prevent conflicts between Mexican wolves and livestock on public lands. The government killed this wolf in secret and is hoping that her death wont cause a stir, said Robinson. Unfortunately we know that persecuting wolves becomes disturbingly habitual for some wildlife managers, and that runs directly counter to what the science says is best for recovering carnivores and reducing conflicts. Background The last Mexican wolf killed by the government for killing livestock was the mother of at least one pup in the Durango pack in New Mexico, shot in July 2007 after that pack was purposefully baited into killing stock in order to prompt its destruction. After the Bush administrations U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to kill that female, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson persuaded the federal agency to reverse its order, but it was too late. Before it was convinced to stop the slaughter, the agency had killed and removed so many wolves that it caused a 24-percent drop in the Mexican wolf population. Mexican wolves were first pushed to the brink of extinction through a program of federal trappers and poisoners that, beginning in 1915, sought to kill every wolf in the western United States. By the late 1920s, few wolves existed anywhere in the United States. In 1950 the Fish and Wildlife Service expanded its poisoning program to Mexico as a foreign-aid program. By the 1970s, when the Endangered Species Act was passed and the Mexican wolf had been placed on the endangered species list, only five wolves could be captured for an emergency captive-breeding program. Three of those wolves and the progeny of four others already in captivity were successfully bred to save the subspecies from extinction and allow for reintroduction into the U.S. Southwest in 1998 and into Mexico in 2011. In June the Fish and Wildlife Service issued a draft Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan for public comment before finalizing such a plan in November, pursuant to a settlement agreement with the Center for Biological Diversity and our allies. The Center and independent scientists criticized the draft plan for relying on killing wolves and for planning to remove them from federal protection with too few wolves in arbitrarily limited areas. Starting your day with a cup of mushroom coffee can give a much-needed twist to your daily regimen. Many speak of its benefits, and some even prefer it to regular coffee. But given its unique Cross-border money transfer services have been given the go ahead from South Africa to mobile wallets in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique and Uganda. Ambar Sur TerraPay, the worlds first mobile payments switch, announced this week that it has successfully obtained regulatory approval from the South African Reserve Bank to launch cross-border money transfer services in South Africa. This makes TerraPay the fifth company to be licensed as a category three Authorised Dealer in Foreign Exchange with limited authority, also known as ADLA 3, to conduct low value international money transfers in the country. TerraPay is building global payments infrastructure for low-value cross-border transactions. The service interconnects mobile wallet service providers, financial institutions and money transfer operators in key send and receive markets. The license enables the company to enter into cross-border low value person-to-person payments in South Africa. The South Africa market is highly complementary to TerraPay's international money transfer network in Africa, Europe and Middle-East countries. In the Initial roll-out, TerraPay will enable cross border money transfers from South Africa to mobile wallets in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique and Uganda. According to the World Bank, the global average cost of sending remittances was 7.43% of the amount sent by remitting customers. For remittances sent from South Africa, the average cost was 16.71%; more than double of the global average. TerraPay will enable cross border money transfers from South Africa to mobile wallets in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique and Uganda. Ambar Sur, founder & CEO of TerraPay said, As per a report from FinMark trust, the bulk of remittance flows from South Africa are destined for Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Lesotho, with 85% of all migrants originating from these countries. Moreover, almost 70% of transfers to these countries are conducted informally, since the high cost of formal money transfers is a major barrier to accessing formal remittance channels. TerraPay is taking an aim to solve this problem of the migrants, by facilitating instant and cost-effective low value money transfers to mobile wallets. We are now open for business in South Africa and are actively looking to build strategic partnerships to further expand our footprint in the Southern Africa region. South Africa is a major send, as well as a receive market. Apart from sending remittances to all neighbouring Southern African countries, the country also receives remittances from UK, Australia and US. TerraPays global network is expected to support the growing demand for instant transfers in the region. TerraPay, the worlds first mobile payments switch is a global transaction processing, clearing and settlement service for mobile wallets. It provides the interoperability engine that enables customers to send and receive real-time transactions across diverse payment instruments, platforms, and regions. A new report, published by World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (Wan-Ifra), Reality check - making money with Facebook', challenges news publishers to not only rethink their revenue and relationship strategies with Facebook but also that of all platforms. This past spring, Wan-Ifra and its World Editors Forum formed an expert, ongoing working group of publishers from all over the world to address the critical issues presented by platforms that influence news media. This report focuses solely on the monetary issues associated with Facebook, the platform with the most reach. This report drills down to the core of issues surrounding the monetisation challenges but also the opportunities of working with a platform such as Facebook, said Vincent Peyregne, CEO of Wan-Ifra. Crucially, it sheds light on the broader issue of business model innovation and dealing with digital disruption, not just from Facebook. Industry expert, Grzegorz Piechota wrote report Wan-Ifra called on industry expert Grzegorz Piechota, who has written about Facebook and platforms on numerous occasions, to write the report. He conducted this research while he was studying digital disruption at Harvard Business School (from this month, he works at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, University of Oxford). Greg has spoken to publishers. He is outspoken and entertaining in his approach, writes Wan-Ifra global advisory director Nick Tjaardstra in the introduction to the report. He has interviewed contrarians such as Scott Galloway, but also backs up this report with many useful data points and strategy tools that can be applied in your own business; in short, highly recommended reading. Crucially, the report draws some of its findings from a survey of Wan-Ifras expert group of 150 publishers to gauge their experience and gain their insights on how they are working with Facebook. Reports findings and recommendations In general, news publishers cannot rely solely on monetisation programmes offered by Facebook and other digital platforms. Wan-Ifra members reported that Facebook contributed on average 7% of their digital business revenue. 2Facebooks cost of revenue that includes any payments to news publishers represents a significantly lower share of revenue than do content-provision costs of other major platforms such as Google, Spotify or Twitter. In other words, Facebook seems to share proportionally less revenue with content creators than other platforms do. Although Facebook and other platforms promise to improve their monetisation programmes and in the future can share much more revenue with the industry than they do today, this source of funding is not likely to become sufficient for all publishers in all markets, our calculations demonstrate. As this report shows, new revenue sources such as digital subscriptions, e-commerce and branded content may bring news publishers greater returns than monetisation programmes on the platforms in the short term, and in the long term, they seem to offer greater opportunities than digital display advertising can provide. A number of publishers shared their thoughts and strategies on Facebook and Piechota presented some key case studies on: Gazeta Wyborcza: Polish publisher is using Facebook for business growth Paralos Curiosos: Spanish-language startup piggybacks Facebook to success BuzzFeed: An evolving business model and gamble on FB TV New York Times: Using Facebook to drive subscriptions BILD: A deep evaluation of Instant Articles The report can be downloaded free for Wan-Ifra members, click here. There is a charge for non-members. Deployed in Ivory Coast and Senegal, YUP mobile banking already has more than 30,000 open wallets and nearly 600 agents. YUP, Ivory Coast. YUP is a mobile money solution for accessing a full range of transactional and financial services even without a bank account. Based on an Agency Banking model, i.e. a network of third-party agents with whom the bank has formed partnerships (service stations, distribution trade, etc.), YUP is accessible via an expanded network of distributors equipped with adapted terminals and, of course, via the mobile banking app of Societe Generale's different banks throughout Africa. The launch of Yup is now complete in Ivory Coast and Senegal and a launch is planned by the end of 2017 in Ghana and in Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Togo and Guinea in 2018. The target is to open one million wallets in the next three years, to double Societe Generale's individual customer base in sub-Saharan Africa and create a network of 8000 agents to serve their users. With YUP, Societe Generale is widely available, local, and easy to use, to meet the needs of customers who have, until now, not been offered or have access to many banking solutions. YUP is a transactional platform that will soon have mobile financial services added on. YUP's customers can withdraw, deposit, and transfer money, pay bills, buy phone credit, and make payments to merchants. The YUP solution also digitises corporates' payment flows. Soon, financial services like payday advances, credit, savings products, and international transfers will be added. YUP is for customers with or without bank accounts. YUP is for anyone with a mobile phone (smartphone or traditional mobile phone), no matter which telco they use, thanks to the partnership with Tagpay. Tagpay is a French fintech in which Societe Generale is a shareholder. It developed NSDT contactless authentication technology, which is innovative and more intuitive for users than existing solutions on the market. YUP is based on the innovation ecosystem at its Innovation Lab in Dakar, on the Jokkolabs premises. That is where the new applications rolled out on YUP are written, in partnership with our customers and African start-ups. Deployed in Ivory Coast and Senegal, YUP already has more than 30,000 open wallets and nearly 600 agents. YUP will continue its development with launches planned in Ghana and Cameroon before year end, and then Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Togo in 2018, before expanding to the entire network. "Africa is inventing the future of banking. The project's key ambition is to be a part of this revolution by offering a simple transactional tool that's accessible to all residents of the countries in which Societe Generale does business, be they individuals or corporations, group customers, account holders with our competitors, or customers without bank accounts. This last category makes up 80%-90% of the population depending on the country, and it's a major financial inclusion challenge in which the Group wants to take part through YUP," says Alexandre Maymat, head of the Africa/Mediterranean Basin and Overseas region. NAIROBI, Kenya - Somali broadcast journalist Abdullahi Osman Moalim has died from injuries sustained on September 10 when a suicide bomber attacked a cafe in Beldweyne where members of the press gather, Somalia's Minister of Information, Abdirahman Omar Osman, and the journalist's colleagues, told CPJ. tang90246 via 123RF Abdullahi, who worked with the privately owned station Radio Codka Hiiraan and the state-owned broadcaster Jubbaland TV, suffered head injuries after being struck by shrapnel in the attack, according to Hassan Aweis, the director of the Mogadishu section of Jubbaland TV. Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, a Somali journalist, told CPJ that Abdullahi, 24, and a group of other journalists were waiting in the cafe for a press briefing that was due to take place in the nearby office of the governor of Hiiraan region. Two other journalists, who also work for Radio Codka Hiiraan and other media outlets, were injured in the attack, according to Ismail Sheikh Khalifa, secretary-general of the Somali Media Association. Abdi Shakur Mohamed Hassan, who also works for Star FM Radio and Saab TV, and Abdulkadir Omar Ibrah, who is also a correspondent for RTN TV and Simba Radio, sustained minor injuries and have been discharged from the hospital, Ismail said. Journalists in Somalia often congregate in restaurants and cafes near political offices while they wait for press conferences or to interview officials, Ismail told CPJ. At least 62 journalists have been killed in relation to their work in Somalia since 1992, making it one of the worlds most dangerous places to be a reporter. The killing of Abdullahi Osman Moalim and the injuries of two other journalists underscore that Somalia remains an extremely hostile environment for the press, said CPJ Africa program coordinator Angela Quintal, in New York. We call on authorities to do everything in their power to investigate this suicide attack and curb the cycle of violence." At least three people were killed and over 10 injured in the attack, according to reports. The militant group Al Shabaab released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, according to reports. Al Shabaab frequently targets places where journalists gather, CPJ has found. At least 62 journalists have been killed in relation to their work in Somalia since 1992, many of them in bombings, making it one of the worlds most dangerous places to be a reporter, according to CPJ research. Facebook's Africa Safety Tour team is this week meeting with leading South African and Zimbabwean representatives, civil society, and experts, giving training, and facilitating workshop sessions on the topic of online safety. Photo via Unsplash We want everyone to feel safe when using Facebook, says Emilar Gandhi, public policy manager for South Africa, Facebook. Protecting the privacy and safety of the people who use Facebook is at the heart of everything we do and that is why this Safety Tour is so important to us not only to educate on the tools that we have in place but to create open conversations. Africa Safety Tour events: Following a competitive, five-way pitch process for the iconic Windhoek Beer brand, M&C Saatchi Abel Johannesburg has been appointed as the lead agency to drive the brand's growth. The agency will be tasked with building on the brand's legendary intrinsic story and with continuing to develop a powerful emotive connection with its various target audiences across South Africa and Namibia. M&C Saatchi Abel demonstrated a strong creative and partnership approach. The agency team displayed a keen ability to cut through the clutter and land on a powerful idea for Windhoek Beer. We are confident they are the right partner to assist us in our journey to continuously grow the brand and further entrench it as an icon of quality and craftsmanship, says Dana Katz, Windhoek Beer Marketing Manager. The Windhoek Beer win comes five months in for M&C Saatchi Abels newest Partner and ECD, Adam Weber, who together with Makosha Maja-Rasethaba, Group Head of Insights and Alan Bell, MD for the Johannesburg agency, will lead the account. Its both exciting and a great responsibility to be entrusted with Windhoek Beer, an iconic brand that is nearly 100 years old, says Weber. Throughout its history, the brand has always stood for something truly authentic. Thats a powerful place from which to drive Windhoek Beers compelling story. This is a hugely exciting challenge, says Maja-Rasethaba. Windhoek Beer, like many brands, finds itself in a highly contested and cluttered category. Our job is to strip away all the layers and complexity to get to that beautifully simple idea that will shift the brand into a dynamic new trajectory of growth. Thats what we call Brutal Simplicity of Thought. Alan Bell, MD for the Johannesburg agency, says the team cant wait to get started on Windhoek Beer. We have a talented and diverse team of 70-plus people, he notes. But it isnt just about diversity in numbers, it is about delivering the very best diversity of thought that then leads to the most powerful ideas for the brands we work on. The 9th Most Awards were held at The Wanderers Club in Johannesburg last night, announcing Massiv Media as Media Owner of the Year and PHD as Media Agency of the Year. Both companies featured in previous years. The Most Awards recognise and rank the service efficacy of South African-based media owner sales teams and their media agency partners to ultimately motivate them to improve the efficacy of their businesses through service performance. Sandra Gordon Sandra Gordon, CEO of Iconic Group and founder of the Most Awards opened the ceremony by giving a brief introduction to what the Most Awards are really all about and what they indicate regarding the industry this year. "The Most Awards doesnt set the trends, but certainly the stability, independence and veracity of the research can give very clear indications of where sales teams and media agency frontline staff are performing or not performing. It reflects this year an industry in flux. There are massive differences in the rankings this year, both in agencies and owners. However, theres no doubt that media-agency and -owner teams continue to exceed expectations ... they build up their game, stand up and stand up for the rest of the sheep thats what this is all about, people who stand up and make a difference for the companies and themselves." This year's winners Media Agency Legend: Bryan Gibson Media Owner Legends: Noel Coburn and Terry Moolman Media Owner Rising Star: Darren McKinnon Media Agency Rising Star: Kelvin Storie Shepherd Award: Gordon Muller Bell Award: Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro) The Most Legend and Rising Star Awards are presented to individuals in recognition of their commitment to the media industry. Nominations for these awards are submitted by respondents to the survey and the winner is selected by a panel of previous winners using specially selected criteria. These awards cannot be won more than once. The Most Lamb Awards, for companies that do not receive the minimum number of 30 votes, but who excel in terms of great service delivery and knowledge, went to Spark Media Digital and Vizeum Cape Town. The Most Africa Awards are presented to South African based media owner and media agency teams. The Media Owner Africa Award went to Alliance Media and The Media Agency Africa Award was won by Omnicom Media Group (OMG) Africa. The Full-Service Media Agency Award was picked up by PHD and the Traditional Specialist Media Agency Award went to Alphabet Soup. In the radio category, Mediamark Radio once again took top honours while Cinemark won the cinema category for the second time and e.tv was top of the television category. Massiv Media won the out-of-home (OOH) category and Google Inc was ranked number one in the digital category. Ads24 took the honours in the newspaper category and Ndalo Media won the magazines category. There is growth in the number of media sales consultancies and the winner is MMAP. The Bell Award acknowledges an individual with a stellar track record of contribution to the sector. The nominees extend outside of the media owner and agency work environment, acknowledged as independent thought leaders with flair and integrity. The award went to Jonathan Shapiro, famously known as Zapiro, who has had a long and distinguished career in the Jesters space. Few will recognise his face as he prefers to use his creativity and intelligence to further the independence of the fourth estate. He is a winner of numerous awards locally and globally for his bravery and skill at using his ever-sharp pen as a weapon to parody, lampoon and ridicule people in power. The Shepherd Award acknowledges an individual who selflessly contributes time, knowledge and expertise to improving the media industry. This special award went to Gordon Muller who is respected by the marketing and media industry for his knowledge and passion. He has contributed to numerous industry bodies as well as to the development of media teaching in the country. Brad Aigner MD of research house Freshly Ground Insights (FGI), commented positively on the 2017 Most Awards survey, We were very pleased that almost 600 people voted this year, which is our biggest sample size in the nine years that we have been conducting the survey. It is reassuringly indicative of its relevance and importance to our industry. Gordon adds that over the years the number of research participants has increased. The event attracts over 600 top people and our sponsors go out of their way to ensure a true celebration of excellence in many engaging and memorable ways. The Most Awards is by the media for the media; recognised as the top media event in the country. Full list of Most Awards 2017 winners Media Owner of the Year Massiv Media 2nd Ads24 3rd Cinemark Media Agency of the Year PHD 2nd Alphabet Soup 3rd The MediaShop (JHB) Media Agency Legend Bryan Gibson Media Owner Legends Noel Coburn and Terry Moolman Media Owner Rising Star Darren McKinnon Media Agency Rising Star Kelvin Storie Bell Award Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro) Shepherd Award Gordon Muller Media Agency Lamb Vizeum (Cape Town) 2nd Hitch Digital Media 3rd Posterscope Media Owner Lamb Spark Media (digital) 2nd Conde Nast Magazines Media Owner Africa Alliance Media 2nd JCDecaux (Africa) Media Agency Africa Omnicom Media Group Africa Full Service Media Agency PHD 2nd The MediaShop (JHB) 3rd Vizeum (JHB) Traditional Specialist Media Agency Alphabet Soup 2nd Mediology Media Owner Category Awards Media Owner Radio Mediamark Radio 2nd The Media Connection 3rd Primedia Broadcasting Media Owner Cinema Cinemark 2nd Cinevation Popcorn Media Owner Television e.tv 2nd DStv Media Sales 3rd The Home Channel, BDTV and Ignite Media Owner Out of Home Massiv Media 2nd Relativ Media 3rd Primedia Outdoor Media Owner Newspaper Ads24 2nd Times Media Group 3rd Independent Media Group Media Owner Magazines Ndalo Media 2nd Media24 Lifestyle 3rd Caxton Magazines Media Owner Digital Google Inc 2nd The SpaceStation 3rd Mediamark Digital Media Sales Consultancy MMAP 2nd Mark1 Media 3rd Red Cherry Media To enquire about ordering full Most research reports email Sandra Gordon at sgordon@stonesoup.co.za on call her on 082 450 8113. For more information, visit Wag the Dog Publishers' website or The Media Online. After a recent pitch process which saw Windhoek Beer appointing a new lead agency, Techsys Digital were absolutely thrilled to be chosen as their digital partner. Techsys Digital has worked with Windhoek Beer on a number of digital campaigns over the last five years, so the new partnership is a strategic decision to ensure ongoing innovation and strong brand growth through digital. Andrew Walmsley, founder and managing director of Techsys Digital says: We couldnt be happier to keep producing quality work for one of our most pioneering brands. We are excited to continue striving for greatness on this journey with Windhoek Beer! Want to partner with Techsys on a project? Contact us today on 021 788 6896 or az.oc.syshcet@ofni. Or visit our website or Facebook page! ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire - The chocolate industry is indirectly driving massive and illegal deforestation in Ivory Coast, fuelling a catastrophic decline in wildlife, a green group said on Wednesday. "In several national parks and other protected areas, 90 percent or more of the land mass has been converted to cocoa," the group Mighty Earth said in its investigation. Yakov Oskanov via 123RF "Less than four percent of Ivory Coast remains densely forested," it said. "The chocolate companies' laissez-faire approach to sourcing has driven extensive deforestation in Ghana as well." Disastrous habitat loss Habitat loss has been disastrous for protected species, ranging from chimpanzees and leopards to pygmy hippos and elephants, it said. The animals are forced into ever-smaller areas, making it easier for them to be tracked down and slaughtered by poachers. In Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer, accounting for 40 percent of world output, "deforestation has pushed chimpanzees into just a few small pockets, and reduced the country's elephant population from several hundred thousand to about 200-400," the report said. A "shocking" trade It said major chocolate brands were indirectly involved in a "shocking" trade, in which growers produced cocoa in national parks, who sold it to middlemen, who then sold it on to a handful of firms that control roughly half of the world's market. From there, it was sold to big chocolate companies. "According to our analysis, 291,254 acres (117,900 hectares) of protected areas were cleared between 2001 and 2014," Mighty Earth said. Over the same period, Ghana, another big West African producer, lost 7,000 square kilometers (2,700 square miles) of forest, or about 10 percent of its entire tree cover. Around a quarter of that deforestation in Ghana was connected to the chocolate industry, the report charged. Moving towards deforestation-free supply chains Traders Cargill, Olam and Barry Callebaut, which are named in the report, say on their websites that they are aware of the problem of deforestation in the cocoa sector, and have set up to programmes for deforestation-free supply chains. Leading chocolate and cocoa companies, under an initiative launched by Britain's Prince Charles, have promised to come up with a "framework of action" to end deforestation in the industry. Their project is due to be unveiled at the world climate conference in Bonn in November. Deforestation is not only destroying habitat but is also a major contribution to global warming. The world demand for chocolate stands at around three million tonnes annually, a figure that rises between two and five percent each year, in a market worth around $100bn (84 billion), according to the report. Most of it is manufactured and consumed in Europe and North America. Source: AFP The minister of mineral resources has undertaken, in writing, not to implement the reviewed Mining Charter until judgment has been handed down in the Chamber of Mines' review application of the legislation. Mosebenzi Zwane, minister of mineral resources This is in stark contrast with his comments at the Africa DownUnder Conference in Perth, Australia last week, where he told the international mining community that the charter is law and that companies have 12 months within which to comply. The chamber and legal counsel representing mineral resources minister, Mosebenzi Zwane, presented the ministers written undertaking to the High Court of Gauteng (Pretoria) for noting. This is the second written undertaking the minister has given to avoid legal proceedings in respect of the Reviewed Mining Charter. His comments caused further damage to investor confidence in an industry already struggling to secure investment. The ministers latest written undertaking now includes a commitment to provide clarity about his undertaking to suspend implementation whenever he discusses the charter in the public domain, a statement from the chamber said. In the interests of expediting the review process, the chamber has agreed that the matter be heard on 13 and 14 December 2017 before a full bench of judges. Over the past few months we have spent many hours with top social development investors and not-for-profit organisations, discussing the challenges and triumphs encountered when working to bring maximum positive change and opportunity to all people in South Africa. Keri-Leigh Paschal and Hlengiwe Zulu at the recent Nation Builder In Good Company conference. Historically, the social investor (or donor) has been the distributor of funds, and the NPO has been the implementing partner. The growing disparity, however, between the wealthy and those living in poverty has put additional pressure on both the NPO and business sectors to find solutions that have scalable and sustainable models. To attain and formulate these solutions, it has become increasingly important to measure and ensure the quality of ones impact. This greater impact can only be achieved when the business and NPO sectors partner as peers in addressing our countrys social issues. Social-private sector partnership conundrum The collaborative sessions hosted by Nation Builder around the country have seen the social-private sector partnership conundrum as a big topic one that is harder to navigate than anticipated. From this finding, the expert collaborative panels embarked on a journey of setting out some best practice guidelines on how to best navigate these private-social sector partnerships for greater social good (or social impact). As a starting point, a few foundational principles were established: Social impact takes time and therefore partnerships need to be built over the longer term to see their impact materialise. The NPO and business sectors have incredible knowledge and skills which together will make the most sizeable impact. Therefore, its imperative to view the other as an equal, and as equally valuable, despite playing different roles. Partnerships are only successful when the values and vision around the ultimate outcomes are aligned. When looking at these principles, it feels very much like looking at a marriage preparation course. A course that assists people in getting ready for the ultimate partnership that should, if well maintained and managed, have the most sizeable impact on society for generations to come. A marriage process We therefore concluded that social investment is like a marriage process and, in particular, like a traditional Zulu marriage process. At the coming-of-age, Zulu children go through Umemulo, a process that verifies that the young girl is fully grown and fit for partnership. Within the partnership model, this phase is an essential one, where both the business and NPO are independently solidifying their vision, mission and purpose. Once the mandate is established, its time to start looking for suitable and compatible partners. This is the courtship phase. During this phase, you look for partners that align with your vision. It is essential to discuss motives for the partnership (such as purely B-BBEE, or to innovate/educate fellow South Africans). Values and desired outcomes should also be addressed to ensure that the partnership is between like-minded entities. When a potential good match (or a few good matches) has been found, the Lobola negotiations start. What we love about the cultural Lobola negotiation process is that elders from both parties meet to discuss expectations, terms and financial contributions. These elders also form a level of accountability within the marriage a safety net for both parties if either one doesn't stick to their commitment or want to exit prematurely. Finalising the negotiations most often results in some form of MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) being drawn up similar to an antenuptual contract which is signed before the official union is celebrated. It is always important to remember in this part of the partnership journey that all parties bring unique and essential elements to the partnership. One may contribute financially and the other with experience or credibility, but both are equally valuable and need to be acknowledged as such to ensure a successful and impactful partnership. The journey begins The wedding day finally arrives after all the negotiations and legalities. Its a wonderful day that publicly celebrates and marks the start of a new partnership. So often we think that the journey ends here, but this is where it really begins. All the planning, future expectations and goals need to be worked on and attained together. A relationship between two very different entities needs to be nurtured and grown. It is essential to regularly touch base on progress and commitments (M&E), as well as spend time building the relational element which builds trust and allows for transparency and better solutions to be established when the unexpected influences the programme. The marriage is where the beauty lies and where the potential to have a lasting impact on peoples futures and lives is realised. Social-private sector partnerships are unlikely to be for eternity but, ideally, for a long enough period of time to realise this shared objective without creating any long-term dependency on one another. May we all engage in many more meaningful and impactful partnerships that have a lasting legacy, and keep some of these key principles in mind when finding and committing to partner with each other in changing the future of our country. This piece formed part of the In Good Company Conference 2017 hosted by Nation Builder and themed 'What South Africa Can Teach The Word'. Despite popular belief, I don't necessarily agree that Agile has killed the business analyst (BA), but it doesn't mean that something can't be learned from this growing belief. Marc De Villiers It is always an interesting moment when any business position becomes threatened, by changing business environments or even outdated methodologies. With the rise of Agile software development, the role of the traditional BA has come under threat. Their role is shifting and the question isnt whether BAs are still necessary, but what a business analyst would look like in an Agile world. The traditional business analyst To understand whether an agile BA could exist and what that would look like, we first have to look at what a traditional business analyst is and how they function. According to the International Institute of Business Analysis, business analysis serves to maximise the value delivered by an organisation to its stakeholders. The traditional role of a business analyst is to record the needs and wants of the stakeholders and then relay those requirements to the development team. The BAs role is important as they form the bridge between the organisation delivering the product and the stakeholders. The focus is not on software, but rather on providing solutions to business problems and to facilitate the development process. What is Agile? But in an Agile world, the traditional BA can seem to be redundant. Agile tries to bridge the gap between the development team and the stakeholder through the collaborative effort of the team, so it may seem like a business analyst may not be necessary. We then have to ask ourselves whether the emergence of Agile has killed the traditional business analyst. The simple answer is no, but to better understand why, we have to understand the principles of Agile software development. Agile is largely a response to old and outdated software development methods which could not cope in an ever changing business environment. Broadly speaking, it seeks to uncover better ways of developing software with a focus on being able to adapt in an unstable business environment. Photo by Helloquence on Unsplash Traditional software development attempts to finish the project all in one go and predict any potential changes or issues at the start of the project. Agile software development, however, builds software incrementally, through a collaborative team effort. The focus is on adaptability as work is broken down into small sprints and work is reviewed and changed at the end of each sprint. Agile is essentially a collaborative team effort; it uses the combined skills of a diverse group of people, rather than just the skills of developers. With this focus on a collaborative effort, the Agile manifesto outlines four core principles: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan There is a clear focus on adaptability and a strong relationship between the team and the stakeholders. This is effectively the role of the traditional business analyst. Agile software development focuses on the principles of collaboration and open communication rather than on completing the project all in one go. If the principles are the core of Agile, then any environment or person who adopts these principles becomes Agile. So what does this mean for the traditional business analyst? Business analysis: from traditional to agile The business analyst isnt dead; they have simply become an Agile business analyst. Agile business analysts arent Agile because they work in an Agile software development team but because they hold the Agile principles. Then how do we define an Agile business analyst? An Agile business analyst is defined by the following characteristics: Adaptable: Agile requires you be adaptable and constantly open to change. This has been a key definer of the traditional BA as they have always needed to adapt to the business process. Goal oriented: The goal of the Agile BA is to bring value to an organisation by solving business problems. The Agile BA must always be able to see the bigger picture and how that fits in with the development process. Innovation: As with everything the Agile BA does, business problem solving is at the heart of it. The Agile BA must constantly look for new approaches to solving a problem; you must constantly innovate. Leadership: Because of collaboration and communication are at the heart of an Agile environment, the Agile BA must foster these principles and facilitate communication between the team and the stakeholders. Empathy: The Agile BA deals with the business sponsor, customers, users, solution team, technical personnel and management. They are the mediator and therefore large amount of empathy is needed to be the link between all the boundaries. Business oriented: While the Agile software development team is focused on the technological issues the Agile BA is focussed on the needs of the business and the project. Anticipation: The Agile BA must constantly anticipate a problem and the impact of that problem not only on a specific business area, but on the whole organisation. Agile is a way of working. The traditional business analyst is not dying, but changing, constantly adaptingin a changing business environment it is becoming Agile. So fear not if you are a business analyst, as through the Agile principles you have an important role to play in an Agile world. A new three-year, $25m partnership between GE and Hewlett Packard Enterprise will bring cyber security and other GE Digital solutions to the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey region, targeting critical industrial operations. The agreement will focus primarily on cyber security solutions in operational technology, with the potential to move into other digital solution in the future. One of the first solutions this partnership will focus on is OpShield from GE Digital. The solution was created specifically to protect critical infrastructure, drawing on years of embedded device testing and assessments of hundreds of industrial facilities. It reduces risk of cyber-related unplanned downtime; improves asset protection from cyber-related damage; helps safeguard protected health information (PHI); reduces risk of damage to reputation and intellectual property theft due to cyber incidents; and increases customers confidence to connect and optimise assets. In the first year of the partnership, GE Digital cyber security solutions will be distributed through the HPE Channel Partner Network across the MEA &T region, with a particular focus on the Gulf, Levant, Northern Africa, South Africa, and Turkey. The companies have also agreed to discussions around bringing Predix-based applications to the market. Predix is the platform for the industrial internet of things connecting machines, data, and people to power the digital industrial companies of the future. The 2017 Baxter Dance Festival will be held at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town from 5-14 October 2017. The 13th edition of the dance festival will feature over 64 new pieces by 73 choreographers. The 2017 Baxter Dance Festival will consist of the main programme, the off-main programme, and the fringe programme. The main programme will include invited and commissioned works, as well as the work of recognised professional choreographers and companies. Road by Oscar Buthelezi. (L-R) Muzi Shili & Oscar Buthelezi. Photo by Herman Verwey The off-main programme will showcase the work of up-and-coming choreographers (including student work), and the fringe programme includes work by youth groups, dance schools, school groups, traditional dance groups, and others. Moving Into Dance Mophatong from Johannesburg will open the festival with two performances on Thursday, 5 October and Friday, 6 October 2017 at 8pm. Other dance companies showcasing their work festival include the Cape Dance Company, Dance For All, Eoan Group School of Performing Arts, JazzArt Dance Theatre, the Kirvan Fortuin Company, La Rosa, New World Dance Theatre, and Taare. Showcasing SA dance Choreographer, dancer, and teacher Themba Mbulis will headline this years festival. Every year, the Baxter invites choreographers to apply for the commissioned work. This year, the Baxter invited individual dancers to audition to be part of the commissioned work with Mbuli. Mbuli is the 2016 Standard Bank Young Award recipient and has been performing for 17 years; he graduated with a certificate in performing arts in 2017. Mbuli is an associate artistic manager and co-founder of the Broken Borders Arts Project. He is also a co-founder and the choreographer and artistic director of the Unmute Dance Company, which was formed in 2014 to help pioneer integrated dance in South Africa. Since its inception in 2004, the Baxter Dance Festival has seen more than 500 local choreographers showcase their work. It has featured at least 4,000 dancers, presenting a range of dance styles and genres, from more than 400 studios, dance schools, projects, and professional companies from across the Western Cape. We continue to be blown away by the ongoing support and encouragement we received from local dance communities in the city, province, and beyond. This support shows particularly in the growing number of applications and participants we receive each year, says Nicolette Moses, artistic director of the Baxter Dance Festival and associate producer and planning manager at the Baxter Theatre Centre. Booking for the 2017 Baxter Dance Festival is through Computicket on 0861 915 8000, online at www.computicket.co.za, or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. To attract investors, Nigeria's Kaduna state wants to repair aircraft. But would its planned facility be only the fourth on the continent, as the state's governor's account tweeted? albert22278 via pixabay Located in Nigeria's northern heartland, the state of Kaduna aims to boost its economy by attracting more investors. One way it wants to do this is by putting up a centre to service aircraft. (Note: Another is to attract mining, with state governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai previously claiming Kaduna has more gold than South Africa, but we couldn't find proof of that.) A centre to service aircraft - known in the industry as a "maintenance, repair and overhaul" facility - would help make Kaduna a hub for both passengers and cargo, authorities said. It would also save airlines the millions of dollars that they spend on maintenance abroad, the governor's official handle tweeted in August. When the Kaduna State MRO facility is built, airliners will get to save between $600,000 to $1M that they spend on maintenance abroad. https://t.co/6eJEUqqr8r Governor Kaduna (@GovKaduna) August 12, 2017 It is "important to note that in the whole of Africa, there are only three maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities", the governor's account further motivated. Important to note that in the whole of Africa, there are only 3 Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities for aircrafts. Governor Kaduna (@GovKaduna) August 12, 2017 Does this claim get off the ground? No word from state officials on source of claim Africa Check contacted Kaduna state authorities and governor El-Rufai's aide on new media, Maryam Abubakar, for the source of their data, but we received no response. Michal Swoboda, a freelance aviation consultant based in Poland, told Africa Check that maintenance, repair and overhauls "can be very limited, basic tasks performed at an airport (line maintenance) or complex maintenance checks including structural work (base or heavy maintenance)". Furthermore, MRO facilities can be in-house (affiliated to airlines) or independent, aviation analyst Daniella Horwitz told Africa Check. She has widely covered aircraft maintenance on the continent. Such facilities need to be approved by aviation authorities - either the national authority where it is located or general ones such as the European Aviation Safety Agency and the American Federal Aviation Administration, Swoboda added. Maintenance is tightly regulated by a UN agency, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, as non-compliance can have fatal consequences. 'More pressing priorities' for Nigeria In Nigeria, the idea isn't a new one. The state of Akwa Ibom is reported to have abandoned the construction of a $50m aircraft repair area in 2015. If aircraft checks and repairs were done locally, Nigeria could save $500m annually and create up to 10,000 jobs, a June 2017 aviation seminar heard. But John Ojikutu, a member of Nigerian aviation industry think-tank Aviation Round Table and retired Nigeria air force pilot, said that the country's states had more pressing concerns, such as building more schools and hospitals. No facilities listed for Nigeria or West Africa Africa Check counted at least 49 providers offering different kinds of aircraft maintenance and repairs in the directory of Airline Update - a website that provides commercial aviation information. This directory is continuously updated as data is received from the companies, Paul Ellis, a UK-based retired pilot who runs the website, told Africa Check. It shows South Africa has 15 companies that offer both heavy and light maintenance in at least six different airports. Kenya has seven in at least three airports, while Morocco has six in at least three airports. None is listed for Nigeria or any country in West Africa. Another directory, that of the industry lobby African Airlines Association, lists nine internationally approved African MRO companies on its website, with seven of these owned by major African airlines. These companies perform base, component, line or engine checks and repairs out of about 15 airports on the continent. Africa's major hubs in Johannesburg, Nairobi and Addis "If the Kaduna state government is thinking only of sub-Saharan Africa, and excluding South Africa, and counting just those MROs that provide third-party heavy (base) maintenance, he [the state government] might be correct. Otherwise, not!" Ellis said. "I do not think it is correct to say there are only three MRO facilities in the whole of Africa," Horwitz told Africa Check. "There are many small MRO facilities all over Africa, but they are not really hubs, as they probably only service one airline and tend to have one hangar." She said that at the start of 2017, there were three major MRO hubs on the continent: in Johannesburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). These are big centres where airlines from other parts of the world come for aircraft maintenance and which generally have more than one operator for servicing. Horwitz has flagged a skills shortage and the lack of enough aircraft to sustain major maintenance operations on the continent as key challenges for the region. Conclusion: Africa has three aircraft maintenance hubs, but many more facilities Nigeria's Kaduna state said that Africa has only three facilities to repair aircraft, as it made a case for building its own and become a key continental aviation player. But aviation experts said the continent has more than three, with Africa Check counting nearly 50 firms that provide such services. South Africa, Kenya and Morocco have the highest number. If Kaduna state were referring to major repair hubs it may have had a stronger case, as experts say there are currently three in the region. However, the governor's office specifically referred to "facilities", but we will be generous and rate the claim an exaggeration. Source: Africa Fact Check via All Africa young84/iStock/Thinkstock(DETROIT) -- Abdul El-Sayed is a 32-year-old physician, Rhodes Scholar and became youngest person to lead a major American citys health department when, at the age of 30, he was brought in to rebuild Detroits Health Department after the city went bankrupt. I was never supposed to run for office, at least not in my own mind, El-Sayed said. But after the Flint water crisis, El-Sayed, who was nudged to run for office by President Bill Clinton at his college graduation, decided it was time to enter the political fray. Despite his trepidation, El-Sayed, the son of Egyptian immigrants, is now waging an aggressive campaign to become Michigans next governor. If he's successful, he could be sworn in as Americas first Muslim governor in 2019. A Muslim candidate? El-Sayed bristles at the notion that he's a Muslim candidate, calling his faith irrelevant to whether or not he is the best person to hold Michigans top office. Im not running to be the first Muslim governor of Michigan. Im running to be the governor of Michigan and I also happen to be Muslim, El-Sayed said. El-Sayed acknowledged the difficulties the American Muslim community faces 16 years after the 9/11 attacks. Theres been a deep curtailing of our civil liberties, starting with the Patriot Act and the large bureaucracy that's been built to surveil people who are just trying to live their lives, El-Sayed said. The minute that you are looked or glanced at when you walk through a public place because of the scarf on your head or the beard on your face and the complexion of your skin, those make it hard. El-Sayed remains optimistic about his ability to communicate his message despite the sensitivities surrounding religion in America. People have always asked, how are you going to have a conversation with people in Donald Trump's America? And my push-back is it's not Donald Trump's America, it is our United States of America, El-Sayed says, Its the same responsibility that Americans have shared in our country since its inception. Rethinking the Democratic dogma Trumps unexpected 2016 win in Michigan has prompted much soul-searching in the Democratic Party, and El-Sayed has not shied away from voicing criticism. The central challenge that Democrats are facing right now is that they are relying on a system of funding that is antithetical to the ideals that they claim to support, El-Sayed says, repeating the rallying cry of the fiery populist Bernie Sanders. What Bernie has been able to demonstrate for Democrats is that actually telling the truth is going to be about truly and deeply advocating for real people and communities across our state and our country. But as he praises Sanders, El-Sayed acknowledges that Trump was able to tap into an anxiety that runs deep in a state left reeling by the 2008 financial crisis, even as it has seen its unemployment rate drop below 4 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We look at unemployment numbers, which are relatively low, but if you look at labor participation it has stagnated tremendously over the past decade, El-Sayed said, Both Bernie and Trump were tapping in to that reality. I think Bernie with a set of solutions and a focus on solving them, I think Trump with a focus on exploiting them. Hitting the road Thus far El-Sayed has visited 81 cities and 35 counties in the state of Michigan according to his campaign, and embarked on a second listening tour of the state this week, taking a cue from Sanders and Trump who he said were having conversations with everyone and left no voter behind. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. What was supposed to be a public forum on the peace process in Bago Region this week turned into more of a lecture when the question and answer portion of the event was cut. The Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee of Bago Regions September 12 meeting in Kyaukkyi township attracted a crowd of about 400 people. They [the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee of Bago] explained how the JMC came into existence and about the peace process. The ceremony ended after the [Southern] Commands commander gave the closing speech, Naw Ta Bee Thar, a local civil society representative told KIC News. The question and answer session wasnt included. The people who attended the ceremony felt weird because they had to leave after listening to the talks. [The JMC] should have given the public a chance to ask questions. Local MP U Tin Sann Oo, who is also the chair of the Bago Regional Hluttaws Ethnic Affairs Committee, blasted the JMC for failing to be transparent. He said that local residents had attended the event hoping to discuss local issues that are important for the JMC to hear and respond to. Seven members of the 14-member Bago Region JMC attended the meeting, including the JMC chair, Major General Myat Kyaw, who leads the Southern Command, and committee vice chair Saw Lin Aung. The committee members responded to allegations about their lack of transparency by noting that they have been meeting with the public every month. Question and answer sessions were included in the previous meetings. It just wasnt included on the agenda this time, Say Htoo Blad, a civilian representative member of the JMC told KIC News on September 13. People have been talking about the need to include the question and answer session. We will submit this [request] during the next [JMC] meeting. The Bago Region JMC was established in Taungoo on October 14, 2016. The committee is comprised of 14 members: five representatives from the Karen National Union [KNU], five representatives from the Tatmadaw and four civilian representatives. Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION PR Newswire MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 Represents $300 million transaction by CGI MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - CGI Group Inc. (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB) announced today that it intends to enter into a private agreement with Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec ("la Caisse") for the repurchase for cancellation of 4,854,368 of its Class A subordinate voting shares ("Class A Shares") held by la Caisse for a price of $61.80 per Class A Share, which represents a discount to today's closing price of the Class A Shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX"). The transaction will be made in connection with the periodic portfolio rebalancing of la Caisse. Once completed, la Caisse will continue to hold approximately 46.2 million Class A Shares, representing approximately 16% of CGI's total outstanding shares. "La Caisse rebalances its portfolio periodically, during the right conditions, to ensure our depositors capture the benefits from our portfolio's gains. CGI has delivered excellent results for its shareholders, and this transaction is an opportunity to monetize a portion of our investment in the company," said Christian Dube, Executive Vice-President, Quebec, of la Caisse. "We will continue to remain a significant shareholder of CGI, as we believe this important information technology leader is well-positioned to grow and succeed in the long-term." "This transaction is immediately accretive and consistent with our value creation strategy, prioritizing the use of cash based on the highest return opportunities," said George D. Schindler, President and Chief Executive Officer, CGI. "We remain very well positioned to continue executing our Build and Buy profitable growth strategy through our strong cash flow generation and access to our credit facility." A favourable decision was obtained from the Autorite des marches financiers to exempt CGI from the issuer bid requirements under securities legislation applicable to the transaction, which will be made at a discount in accordance with the decision and is expected to be entered into later today and settled on September 19, 2017. The share repurchase will be made under CGI's normal course issuer bid ("NCIB"), the renewal of which was announced on February 1, 2017. Under the NCIB, CGI is authorized to repurchase up to 21,190,564 Class A Shares by February 5, 2018. The NCIB allows for purchases outside the facilities of the TSX by private agreements pursuant to exemption orders issued by securities regulatory authorities. As at September 13, 2017, 8,827,200 shares had been repurchased under the NCIB. Information regarding the share repurchase, including the number of Class A Shares purchased and aggregate price paid, will be available on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com following the completion thereof. CGI will not issue any additional press release in respect of this share repurchase. About CGIFounded in 1976, CGI Group Inc. is the fifth largest independent information technology and business process services firm in the world. Approximately 70,000 professionals serve thousands of global clients from offices and delivery centers across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, leveraging a comprehensive portfolio of services, including high-end business and IT consulting, systems integration, application development and maintenance and infrastructure management, as well as 150 IP-based services and solutions. With annual revenue in excess of C$10 billion and an order backlog exceeding C$20 billion, CGI shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Website: www.cgi.com. About Caisse de depot et placement du QuebecCaisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2017, it held $286.5 billion in net assets. As one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure, real estate and private debt. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages. Forward-Looking StatementsAll statements in this press release that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements and this information represent CGI's intentions, plans, expectations and beliefs, and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, of which many are beyond the control of the Company. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. These factors include but are not restricted to: the timing and size of new contracts; acquisitions and other corporate developments; the ability to attract and retain qualified members; market competition in the rapidly evolving IT industry; general economic and business conditions; foreign exchange and other risks identified in the press release, in CGI's annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") and in other public disclosure documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities (filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (filed on EDGAR at www.sec.gov), as well as assumptions regarding the foregoing. The words "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", and similar expressions and variations thereof, identify certain of such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. In particular, statements relating to future performance are forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or on this forward-looking information. SOURCE CGI Group Inc. Officially opened in October last year, Strawberry Beauty Salon offers a niche service to clients who are on the go and wish to treat themselves to a bit of me time without disrupting their busy schedules. Located at Zambezi Towers in the Central Business District of Gaborone, owner of the Salon, Bongani Ncube is confident that they are offering a one of a kind solution without breaking the purse of their clients. Services that they provide include an array of beauty treatments, body massages, waxing, manicures and pedicures. Bubbly and very open about the experience that they provide, he tells BG Style that the experience can only be found within their premises and nowhere else. Speaking during an interview, Ncube accompanied by Head Therapist/Manager Florence Togara explains the business was conceptualised when his family relocated to Botswana from South Africa. His wife used to frequent a similar type of business in South Africa, and she saw a gap in the market for something similar. But initially, he did not see the potential for this business. And it took some convincing before he relented, and the rest is history. Choosing the location was a walk in the park, they needed a place that was centrally located and which was easily reachable. We realised that there was need for a niche offering in the market, he says. He points out that they are not a Spa, but a beauty salon offering various services to their business clients who in most cases are pressed for time. Our clients are business people who might have an hour during lunch time for a treatment, and can go back to work afterwards, says Ncube adding that the experience that they give their clients starts from the minute that one walks in through their doors. Strawberry Beauty Salon also prides itself for offering privacy in an intimate and clean environment, and also uses quality products. According to Togara when it came to products that they use, they went for some of the best products in the market such as Bio Sculpture that can only be used by certified and trained personnel. Other products that they pride themselves for using include Nimue for facials which are also used by a trained therapist. It is a good product and cleans the skins from the inside out. Clients get better results, she says. Prices range from P100 for filing and polishing, P200 for gel nails as well as between P200-P600 for a massage. One of their popular product offering is a Four Hands massage, a treatment that she highly recommends to everyone who desperately wishes to get rid of stress. The massage sees two therapists working on a client at the same time, and she swears that one will leave their premises a changed person. I promise you it is a must try, and you will not regret it, she says. All clients can also look forward to a non-alcoholic Strawberry shot on the house. Other small things that their clientele can look forward to include being able to conduct online bookings, as well as an electronic customer management system. On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Botswana Museums Act, Mike Brook recently launched his seventh book about Botswana in as many years. The new release is titled Botswanas Monuments and Museums, and it is extremely important for the preservation of culture and heritage and also contributes significantly to the economy of the country through enhancing tourism says a press release. Monuments come in many different shapes and sizes, from beautiful scenic landscapes to archaeological sites going back to the Stone Age. To date, there are 12 museums across the country, covering different aspects of heritage and culture, varying from Philately to Diamond Mining, but with generally a strong focus on cultural heritage and tradition. Before 1966, Botswana was under colonial rule under the Bechuanaland Protectorate; there were a number of proclamations made to protect heritage, including the Bushman Relics and Ancient Ruins Protection Proclamation of 1911, the year in which the Livingstone memorial was proclaimed, the first ever monument to be given such protection in the country. This Proclamation prohibited the removal of the protected relics and ancient ruins without the written permission of the Resident Commissioner. In 1968, following the 1967 Act to establish a National Museum and Art Gallery, the National Museum based in the capital, Gaborone, commenced under the management of a Board of Directors, chaired by Kgosi Bathoen II and was officially opened by the then Acting President, Hon Quett Masire, in September 1968, the release says. Botswana has adopted the word monument to describe in-situ examples of Botswanas heritage, history and culture. Botswana has over 2500 National Monuments and relics sites, of which 100 have been gazetted by way of statutory instrument No. 58 of 2006 (Declaration of National Monuments Order, 2006). The National Monuments and Relics Act of 2001 ensures that the sites are adequately protected. The day to day management of these sites, where possible, has been shifted to the level of the community, often through the founding of a trust, so that local people are given the opportunity to be able to benefit directly from the resources of the area where they live, it says. In 2001, the Tsodilo Hills, located in the Ngamiland District, North West Botswana, became Botswanas first UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also a protected area. It contains over 4,500 rock paintings in an area of approximately 10 km within the Kalahari Desert. The second UNESCO World Heritage Site to be developed in Botswana, the Okavango Delta, was proclaimed UNESCOs 1000th site on 22nd June, 2014, in Doha, Qatar, for its exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance, outstanding ecological biodiversity and hydrological processes and for the protection of threatened and endangered species. The press release also points out that there are now plans in place to get approval for more UNESCO World Heritage Sites; at least seven more sites have been proposed. The Botswana Department of National Museum and Monuments (DNMM) has already embarked on heritage tourism at some monuments, forming part of the 100 monuments project. They include Tsodilo Hills, Gcwihaba Caves, Mogonye Gorge, Moremi Gorge, Old Palapye, Mamumo, Lekhubu Island, Domboshaba, Majojo, Kolobeng and Matsieng Footprints. These sites are economically viable and the surrounding communities have benefited in terms of jobs, improved livelihoods, training, capacity building and learning new skills. Most of the sites have taken a long time to reach their goals and still continue to strive to achieve more, it explains. The establishment and ultimate launching of the gazetted 100 monuments in 2006 for heritage tourism is in line with the DNMMs ultimate vision of the sustainable management and conservation of these sites. In June 2012, a declaration of National Monuments Order, established an additional nine national monuments. The latter part of the book documents the history, development and current status of Botswanas twelve museums, including the National Museum and Art Gallery, which is where everything started 50 years ago, with the proclamation of the National Museum and Art Gallery Act of September 1967, it highlights. The book is available at Exclusive Books and Botswana Craft shops. BIHL in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development hosted a special evening on Thursday that was dedicated to celebrating Botswanas indigenous artworks on Thursday evening. The intimate event was held at the National Museum, and was attended by a number of well-known faces amongst them the Assistant Minister of Youth, Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Kefentse Mzwinila and the BIHL Board Chairperson, Dambe Groth. Pieces that were on display at the Octagon and Main Gallery were artworks that formed part of the 2017 edition of the National Baskets & Crafts exhibition of the annual Presidents Day Celebrations. They ranged from photographs, traditional Lokgapho, an array of quilts and many more. The highlight of the evening was seeing all those who were in attendance giving the many pieces that were on display the love and appreciation that they deserve. Speaking at the event, BIHL Group Chief Financial Officer Kudakwashe Mukushi explained that Botswana indigenous artworks continue to attract demand from overseas investors and therefore hold considerable potential for diversifying the local economy. Mukushi said they were passionate about their partnership with the Ministry and Batswana craftsmen because this sector holds immense potential for generating substantial revenues, creating sustainable employment and enhancing local industries including that of manufacturing and tourism. People travel the world to collect art pieces in prestigious galleries and heritage sites. This in turn attracts business to vendors, transport, communications, hospitality and more industries and Botswana has the talent and dynamism to attract this kind of creative investment into our economy. The economic viability is evident and we stand to benefit greatly as a nation if we channel greater investment into our indigenous artistry, he says. The Night at the Museum exhibition is an annual event that forms part of BIHL Trusts sponsorship of the annual Presidents Day celebrations. This years exhibition marks BIHL Trusts 2nd consecutive year of participation in the MYSC-championed campaign. BIHL Trust remains committed to supporting Botswanas creative arts. In 2015, for example, the Trust collaborated with local craftsmen to establish the #RhinosInTheCity nationwide rhino conservation campaign and Thapong Visual Arts Centre to erect the BIHL Roving Gallery. In 2016, in addition to sponsoring the Presidents Day awards and hosting the Night at the Museum, the Trust sponsored the Heritage Trail along Gaborones Independence Avenue, illustrating key milestones achieved in Botswanas 50 years as a Republic using photographs from the national archives. For his part, the Assistant Minister hailed the corporate networking session. Giving the keynote address, he pointed out that the role of the Baskets and Crafts exhibition is to highlight the role that the artists play in the economy. He also explained that art exists in every culture for a purpose. It allows artists to express what can not be put into words. It is a medium of expression and it facilitates social discourse, says the Assistant Minister adding that it was an important tool for social commentary. The Arts and Culture community and the nation at large the mourning the passing of the legendary pioneer of the arts and music promoter, Soares DJ Katumbela. The face behind Streethorn, Katumbela was one of the most recognised and reputable forces of local jazz and his footprints cannot be easily forgotten. A memorial service for the man affectionately known as SK was slated to take place yesterday (Thursday) at Botswana Craft. A hard worker, and gentle soul, SK always spared time to anyone who wished to talk about the arts and its development locally. At the time of his passing, he was slated to receive a Presidential award during the Independence celebrations. A genius behind the Re Batswana Music Ensemble concept, he sought to take the local arts to the international scene. And he worked tirelessly on the project that saw the outfit thrilling revellers at venues in China, Switzerland and Sweden. The music and cultural exchange tour programme dates back to 2011, when producer, Katumbela recognised the need and value in promoting local artists abroad. The genesis of the project can be traced to various music trips to Europe that were coordinated by Streethorn. The trips first started in 2011, when Shanti Lo and John Selolwane performed at the Stockholm Pride Festival in Stockholm, Sweden. The following year, a cultural exchange between Botswana and Swedish musicians followed. Shanti Lo and Selolwane collaborated with Swedish artists at several venues in Stockholm, and facilitated music workshops at Kulturama Arts School and SMI (Stockholm Musikpedagodiska Institute). It was funded by the Swedish government and supported by Hellsten Hotel. It was extended to Ireland where the duo performed with Irish artists. And through the events, there was a demand for Botswana music. It was then that Streethorn realised that future trips to Europe ought to involve a larger entourage of local artists. Profits at B&Q owner Kingfisher are expected to tumble when the DIY firm reports half year results next week, after it was hit by wetter than usual summer weather and amid a slowing property market. Analysts at broker Jefferies forecast that pre-tax profit for the first six months of the year will fall 18% to 351 million, with a hefty chunk of the decline coming from transformation costs. Chief executive Veronique Laury is overseeing a turnaround at the firm, which has seen Kingfisher close underperforming stores and rejig its product offering. A second quarter trading update issued by Kingfisher last month warned that the programme had caused "business disruption", and came alongside lacklustre figures. Total sales at B&Q fell 7.7% to 967 million as a slowing housing market in the UK following the Brexit vote means a potential slowdown for DIY retailers. Like for like sales at B&Q dropped 4.7% in the period, with Kingfisher also pinning the fall on tough comparatives from last year and a strong first quarter in 2017, when better weather meant shoppers bought seasonal products early. George Salmon, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Kingfisher were at pains to point out its second quarter was impacted by seasonal swings, but the declines were sufficient to ensure like-for-like sales at B&Q joined the French divisions Castorama and Brico Depot in negative territory. "This underwhelming Q2 update followed an unspectacular first quarter, meaning aggregate half year numbers are unlikely to bring much joy for investors this time." However, total sales are expected to rise from 5.7 billion to 6 billion, helped by the continued success of Screwfix. In August, Kingfisher said the trade-focused chain saw like-for-like sales rise 10.8% as its strong run of form shows little sign of slowing down. Screwfix has been the stand-out performer for Kingfisher of late, regularly clocking up double-digit sales increases. In March, Kingfisher signalled it had finished a B&Q store closure programme, which has seen it shut 65 shops and slash around 3,000 jobs in the UK and Ireland over the last two years. As part of Ms Laury's revival, she is aiming to boost profits by 500 million a year by 2021 and she is also likely to update the market on her turnaround efforts. Mr Salmon added: "While it would be nice to see Veronique Laury outline a more upbeat outlook, her update on the potentially transformative ONE Kingfisher plans is likely to carry greater weight. "The ambitious plans remain some way off completion, but given the targeted 500 million per annum cost saving, the tone of the update on progress will be important. "So far, the group has remained optimistic, despite elements of disruption creeping in." Students at Colaiste Chill Mhantain in Wicklow have produced a touching song inspired by loved ones suffering from a stroke, Alzheimer's, and other illnesses, writes Amy Ryan. The students worked together to write 'Your Love Still Guides My Way', in two hours. The lyrics reflect 16-year-old Irlanda Lorita's experience of her father who suffered a stroke nearly five years ago. Full-time musician and songwriter Luan Parle teamed up with the Irish Music Rights Organisation to conduct a song writing and performance workshop with the 2nd - 6th year students. "I knew straight away this group was special," said Luan. "All the elements were there. The students were all so talented and they really supported each other. It all flowed so easily, it was a really special moment," she added. The students wrote the song, provided the vocals and played the instruments for the single which will be released on iTunes next Friday, September 22. All of the proceeds will be donated to The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and The Irish Heart Foundation. Before the stroke, Irlanda Lorita describes her father as "smiley and cheerful" and recounts the heart-breaking story of what followed after the life-changing incident. She said that her father wasn't the same person he was before the stroke and he felt she had "kind of lost him". Her father could no longer do 'normal things' anymore - go for a walk, drive or play instruments. "He wasn't the same person after the stroke," said Irlanda. "He couldn't walk or play the accordion. That really changed him. "You only get glimpses of him smiling sometimes and that is what gives me that warm feeling. I think 'Oh ya, that's still my dad in there' because he's not the same person, he's got a completely different life. "He's kind of trapped in a way," she added. Luan said that Irlanda started speaking about her father when she asked for ideas from the class about themes for the workshop. Irlanda's story hit home for Luan who had also lost her father to a stroke four months previously. Then, other students in the class began sharing their stories about loved ones suffering with Alzheimer's and other illnesses. "Hearing this song might ease it for them in a way because music is such a great way to express yourself and express how you feel," said Irlanda. "I was blown away by the song and by the theme of the song. I related to it in a way and I think it touched all of us," said Luan. "We want the song to help raise awareness for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland and The Irish Heart Foundation, they are really great." It is available to pre-order now from iTunes for just 99c. Minister Charlie Flanagan today announced that Ireland intends to accept 600 refugees in 2018. This commitment has been made as part of a new EU resettlement pledge. Minister Flanagan said: "This includes a commitment to take an additional 330 programme refugees above the 270 people who are due to arrive in 2018. This demonstrates Irelands continuing commitment to play a full and active part in the EU efforts to meet the challenges of the migration crisis." Minister Flanagan said the Government was responding to an "unprecedented humanitarian crisis". "The aim of the programme then as now is to offer a welcome safe haven for families and children who have been forced to leave their homes due to war and conflict," he said. Minister Flanagan said over 1,300 people, including 650 children, have found a new home under the programme. Minister Flanagan confirmed that Ireland will have met its commitment to formally pledge for 1,089 people from Greece by the end of this month with all 1,089 due to arrive in Ireland by the end of the year or early in the new year. He stressed the need to examine solutions to eliminate dangerous journeys for migrants, including removing the initiative from the people smugglers through in-country supports, direct investment, resettlement programmes and other legal pathways. He praised communities around the country for welcoming refugees. "Ireland has always lived up to its international humanitarian obligations. We have a reputation as a kind, generous people open to the world. I am delighted that the people of Ireland have responded with compassion in welcoming those who have suffered greatly but have found in Ireland a place of refuge." Ireland has committed to accept 1,040 refugees by the end of 2017 under the resettlement strand of the programme. The programme has accepted 785 people already and the remaining 255 people are due by early 2018. Of the 785 persons in Ireland under resettlement 359 are adults and 426 are minors. Rank-and-file gardai have said the breath test scandal was entirely the fault of Garda management and warned they would not be scapegoated, writes Cormac O'Keefe. The Garda Representative Association, with some 10,500 members, said that a culture of competition among senior officers drove the problem. In a strongly-worded statement, the GRA sent out a clear indication that it would fight any disciplinary action against members by local management. The report into the breath test scandal, conducted by Assistant Commissioner Michael OSullivan, has been sent to regional and divisional bosses to investigate possible breaches of discipline. In its first public comment on the OSullivan report, published on September 6, the GRA said: No one can categorically say that it was our members falsifying data we have numerous examples of supervisors and managers having input into this system. It said there was little or no training and that the process of recording breath tests was obviously flawed. The GRA questioned why Garda management required data on the number of negative breath tests at a time when Garda resources were scarce or diminishing. The full version: GRA spokesperson John O'Keeffe's interview with RTE Crime Correspondent Paul Reynolds over breathalyser data controversy pic.twitter.com/74XKy5157C RTE News (@rtenews) September 14, 2017 "This data was utilised as a crude measure of productivity, and fed into a culture of competition among senior ranks to improve their promotion chances, it said. The association said it had raised the issue of falsification of crime statistics, at its annual conference in April 2013. During the height of the recession, when Garda numbers had been significantly reduced, we were told by Garda management and propagated by Government that crime figures were falling, it said. We blew the whistle and said that crime figures were being massaged downwards, and we were vindicated by the Garda Siochana Inspectorate and latterly the Central Statistics Office. The GRA claimed that it was clear from the breath test report that Garda management did not wish to be blamed for the debacle. But it is entirely of their own making, said the GRA. Their obsession with data collection, for no clear and distinct purpose, while our members were issued with endless directives at a time of under-resourcing, no training, increased workloads and an unclear system of collation, was a policy of failure, the statement said. It warned: Our members will not be scapegoated for ill-considered policies, and this should be the focus of political attention. If the people of Ireland have been let down; then it is in the management and deployment of scant resources to appease the need for purposeless data by those in power. This story first appeared in the Irish Examiner. Update 12.13pm: The Taoiseach has said controversial comments made by broadcaster George Hook about rape are indicative of attitudes in Irish Society. Leo Varadkar told RTE he strongly disagrees with the remarks which have prompted a massive backlash against the Newstalk host. Mr Hook was suspended from his position today amid a continuing public outcry. "I strongly disagree with the comments that he made. Nobody who is raped or sexually assaulted is ever responsible for that in any way. I totally disagree and abhor the comments that he made," Mr Varadkar said. "He has since then, of course, apologised profusely and I think he does understand what he said on this issue on that occasion and also in the past was unacceptable. "I think it's indicative of attitudes that still exist in Irish society that need to change," he said. Earlier: Newstalk have confirmed that George Hook has been suspended from his duties at the station. Managing Editor Patricia Monahan said that comments made were totally wrong and inappropriate and should never have been made. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned Hook's comments while speaking on Morning Ireland earlier this morning. Varadkar said he thinks it is indicative of attitudes that still exist in Irish society that need to change. Newstalk can confirm that George Hook has been suspended from his duties at the station. The process re: his comments last week is ongoing. NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) September 15, 2017 In a statement posted on their website, Newstalk confirmed the news. "Newstalk has confirmed that George Hook has been suspended from his duties at the station. The process regarding his comments last week is ongoing. It came after the comments were condemned by groups such as the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). On Monday, George Hook offered a "profound apology" for his recent comments about rape. Newstalk last week issued an unreserved apology for the comments. Managing Editor Patricia Monahan said that comments made were totally wrong and inappropriate and should never have been made. Probation officers and staff in Northern Ireland have been warned by police they are under an increased threat from dissident republican terrorists. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) contacted the Probation Board to advise that the threat level against some members has been raised, particularly in republican areas. Board chiefs have briefed its 400 members of staff about the threat. Security advice has been provided to all staff and the PSNI is to provide personal security at some sites. The Probation Board confirmed they were advised about the risk yesterday. The organisation said the increase in risk does not apply uniformly across PBNI and attacks against the majority of staff and premises remain unlikely. Those living in and premises located near republican areas are thought to be at greater risk. PBNI said it has been working closely over the last 24 hours with the Department of Justice and police. PBNI chief executive Cheryl Lamont said work will continue despite the threat. "The Probation Board for Northern Ireland provides a public service to all local communities. Indeed our staff are part of the local community. "As trained social workers, probation officers provide services to tackle addiction, mental health problems and deal with domestic violence and sexual offending which impact on all communities across Northern Ireland. "Everything we do is about protecting people and ensuring there are fewer victims of crime," said Ms Lamont. "Therefore it is extremely disappointing that we have been informed that the level of threat of attacks against PBNI has been assessed as having increased. "We will continue to work with the vulnerable, those who have offended and those who have been victims of crime just as we have done over the last 40 years," she added. Board chairwoman Vilma Patterson said: "Probation staff, who are some of the most dedicated and committed people I have ever met work tirelessly to make communities here safer. "Every probation officer is trained to assess and manage risk and reduce the number of victims of crime. Therefore this news is all the more frustrating and disappointing." She added: "The Board which is made up of representatives from the entire community stands firm with colleagues throughout the probation service". Former justice minister Claire Sugden said she was deeply concerned by the threat. "This is a new threat. People are taking advantage of the political vacuum. "We need to be aware of the problem that exists when there is no political leadership," she said. Northern Ireland has been without a functioning government since the collapse of powersharing at Stormont in January. Ms Sugden added: "The Probation Board work very hard to protect the community, to keep our community safe. This threat against them is cowardly and deeply concerning." Alliance MLA David Ford, who was the region's first Justice Minister, said: "I utterly condemn those who are now threatening this group of public servants and call on them to immediately lift the threat and allow Probation staff to work freely without hindrance. Prosecutors in Northern Ireland intend to proceed with legal action involving a veteran republican charged in connection with the murder of Jean McConville, a lawyer told a court. However, no view was aired in court by a barrister on whether Ivor Bell's dementia diagnosis made him unfit for a criminal trial. A further hearing is planned for an intervention by his lawyers. The test for prosecution of the 80-year-old, which involves an assessment of the evidence against an accused, was met, Judge Adrian Colton at Belfast Crown Court was told. Bell faces two counts of soliciting the IRA abduction and killing of the Belfast mother-of-10 in 1972, but the court has heard medical evidence his condition means he would not be able to participate fully in proceedings. Ciaran Murphy QC, for the Prosecution Service, said: "There has been a review of this case carried out on the basis of significant submissions by the defence over the summer. "The Prosecution Service have indicated to the defence that they intend to proceed." Mrs McConville, a 37-year-old mother, was dragged from her home in Belfast's Divis flats complex by an IRA gang of up to 12 men and women, accused of passing information to the British Army - an allegation later discredited by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. She was shot in the back of the head and secretly buried 50 miles from her home, becoming one of the "Disappeared" victims of the Troubles. Bell, from Ramoan Gardens in west Belfast, denies charges connected to the case. His counsel Desmond Hutton said to proceed to trial would be "oppressive". His elderly client was diagnosed as suffering from dementia. Mr Hutton said a series of reports confirmed that diagnosis and indicated that he is unable to participate in the trial process and would be "unfit to be tried". He added: "Continuation of proceedings is likely to exacerbate his condition. "Defence received yesterday a letter from the Crown to indicate that following a review the Crown had confirmed that the test for prosecution was met." He said: "We do feel that that is an oppressive position. "In the circumstances we would seek to make an application to the court prior to any arraignment." That hearing was set for next month. It was not until 1999 that the IRA admitted to Mrs McConville's murder when information was passed to police in Ireland. Her remains were eventually found on Shelling Hill beach in Co Louth by a member of the public in August 2003. Nobody has been convicted of her murder. The case against Bell is based on the content of tapes police secured from an oral history archive collated by Boston College in the United States. Academics interviewed a series of former republican and loyalist paramilitaries for their Belfast Project on the understanding that the accounts of the Troubles would remain unpublished until their deaths. But that undertaking was rendered meaningless when Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detectives investigating Mrs McConville's death won a court battle in the US to secure the recordings. It is alleged that one of the interviews was given by Bell, a claim the defendant denies. Ryanair has lost an EU court case, meaning they will no longer be able to impose Irish labour laws on its workforce. The ruling by the European Court of Justice halts the airline's policy of their employees and any contract disputes being subject to Irish law. Irish secondary schools could be facing industrial action. Almost nine out of ten members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland have rejected the new public service pay agreement. The union has said the result reflects anger at pay inequality in the profession. They have also voted by 81% for industrial action, up to and including strike action. TUI President Joanne Irwin believes it is too soon to say if we can expect school closures. "What will happen now is we will go into the Public Services Committee on Monday, we will register the vote of TUI members and our executive committee will decide then what to do with the industrial action mandate," she said. The Government has rejected calls for a UK reparations fund for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA attacks. Compensation claims are a private matter and the Foreign Office is helping those affected pursue claims with the North African country's authorities, the official response added. MPs said it would be "deeply disappointing" to victims of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi-sponsored republican terrorism. Kate Hoey, a senior Labour member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster, said: "The Government response is as unsurprising as it is unacceptable. "They are telling people to seek justice on their own, to bear the cost and overcome the language barrier of obtaining compensation directly from the Libyan Government. "There is a duty to represent the victims, just as the US and German governments fought for compensation for their citizens." A previous Libyan regime armed the Provisionals with massive amounts of weaponry, extending the Northern Ireland conflict and causing enormous human suffering, the committee said in a report published earlier this year, which recommended the reparations fund be established. It held lengthy hearings with victims of IRA bombings which used Libyan Semtex plastic explosives. These included the bombing of a Harrods department store in 1983, the bombing of a Enniskillen Remembrance Day ceremony in 1987 and bombings in Warrington in 1993, and in London's Docklands in 1996. The bereaved and injured are pressing for UK Government support in their campaign for compensation paid out of the large number of frozen assets seized from the toppled Gaddafi administration. While the USA, France and Germany negotiated multi-million-pound settlements with Gaddafi for its citizens impacted by Libyan-sponsored terrorism, the previous Labour government in the UK has been heavily criticised for not striking a similar deal. The current Government said it considers compensation claims to be private matters and that the Foreign Office facilitates victims to engage with the Libyan authorities to pursue compensation. The official response said it was not in the UK's national interest to use political or financial support to Libya as leverage to secure recompense for victims. A Government statement said: "The Government notes the committee's recommendation that the UK should establish a fund to provide financial compensation and support specifically to the victims of Gaddafi-sponsored terrorism, while simultaneously taking forward negotiations with the Libyan authorities. "HMG has considered in detail the feasibility of establishing such a fund and at this stage has concluded that it is not a viable option. "The Government also notes the potential challenges of making additional UK resources available specifically to the victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, which would need to be considered carefully against Government support to victims of terrorism more generally, including in Northern Ireland." It said it continued to raise the issue of compensation for victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism with the Libyan Government at the highest levels. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson most recently raised this with Prime Minister Fayez al Serraj during his visit to Libya on 4 May 2017 and again when visiting Tripoli on 23 August 2017. The official response said compensation from Libya was possible in cases like the Lockerbie aircraft bombing because of evidence the attacks were planned and executed directly by the Libyans. It added: "By contrast, Libya was a third party in IRA terrorism: the Gaddafi regime provided support to the IRA but did not direct or carry out the attacks itself. "This in no way lessens Libyan responsibility, but makes it more challenging to pursue compensation." AP The Script have treated fans to another show in Dublin on Thursday, September 8, 2018 in the 3Arena. Due to demand @thescript add a third show @3arenadublin on 8 February 2018. Tickets on sale now! https://t.co/Emgq5xv4ns pic.twitter.com/sqCW0A23HD The trio had sold out their shows in Belfast and Dublin but have added another date in Dublin to their tour. The tour follows the release of their new album, Freedom Child. Our brand new album #FreedomChild is out right now! Amazing to share it with you all! Stream and download here: https://t.co/ZJb4yjRp8j pic.twitter.com/jh0qdFyuHM the script (@thescript) September 1, 2017 Tickets are 59.80 including service charge and are on sale now. Head over to Ticketmasters website to get your hands on them. Better hurry! About 240,000 children have fled Burma's Rakhine state into neighbouring Bangladesh over the last three weeks, according to a UN agency. The figure - amounting to about 60% of an estimated 391,000 Rohingya refugees - includes about 36,000 children under a year old, said Unicef spokeswoman Marixie Mercado. She added that the children's agency also estimates about 52,000 pregnant women. Ms Mercado said the figures include about 1,100 unaccompanied minors who have crossed over the past week. She spoke at a regular briefing in Geneva that included comments from many UN agencies addressing the crisis in Bangladesh. Ms Mercado said: "As everybody here is going to tell you, the needs are seemingly endless and the suffering is deepening." Chris Lom, Asia-Pacific spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration, said by phone in the briefing that the figures were rough estimates, adding: "There's not somebody with a clipboard registering them." A Rohingya insurgent group attacked police posts in Rakhine on August 25, and the Burmese military responded with "clearance operations". Fleeing Rohingya say security forces shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and threatened them with death. The government says hundreds died, mostly Rohingya, and that 176 out of 471 Rohingya villages have been abandoned. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres described the violence against Rohingya as "ethnic cleansing", and Amnesty International said it has evidence of an "orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings" by Burmese security forces targeting dozens of Rohingya villages over the last three weeks. With refugee camps overflowing and hundreds of thousands of Rohingya struggling to find shelter, food and other essential services, aid workers say they are deeply worried by the continuing influx of people by land and water. "This is desperate. It's one of the biggest man-made crises and mass movements of people in the region for decades," said Martin Faller, a deputy regional director of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. UN refugee agency spokesman Joseph Tripura said that, unless authorities address health concerns, "we might see a very bad situation in coming days" with disease outbreaks. UN agencies fear continued violence in Burma may eventually drive up to a million Rohingya into Bangladesh. A man believed to be an American citizen who was fighting with Islamic State militants has surrendered in Syria and is being held in American custody. A Pentagon spokesman said the man surrendered to Syrian Democratic forces around Tuesday and was turned over to US military force in Syria. Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said the man is being legally detained as a known enemy combatant. The decision to legally detain the man as a "known enemy combatant" comes as the Trump administration has been working to craft a detention policy, which could determine whether the US will resume sending detainees to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. President Barack Obama did not send any new detainees to Guantanamo and the currently there are only about 40 people held there. Trump has expressed a willingness to send new detainees to the site, but so far has not. It is not clear if the detainee, who has not been identified, and the American forces holding him are still in Syria, but the plan is to take the man into Iraq, where he would be then turned over to the US State Department or Justice Department. Washington said they are working out what they will do with the man if he is confirmed as an American. If his citizenship is confirmed, he would be the second known American who was taken into custody for fighting with IS insurgents. Trump administration officials have said that there are three viable options today for taking enemy combatants off the battlefield: they can be killed, they can be apprehended and released after a few weeks which could involve interrogation, or they can be captured and handed over to a third party. The third approach causes concern about the possibility that detainees outsourced to a third party could be treated inhumanely. Suspects accused of terror-related offences, including Americans, also can be dealt with in US courts. Pardiss Kebriaei, a senior staff attorney for the Centre for Constitutional Rights, said that even if the detainee was directly fighting in the war he must be "charged promptly or released, not held indefinitely, and treated humanely in the interim." As an American, Kebriaei said, "this person retains his constitutional rights, and he must be dealt with through the civilian criminal justice system". A Virginia man who joined IS in Syria and Iraq for several months surrendered to Iraqi Kurdish forces in northern Iraq in March 2016 and was flown back to the United States to face charges. A jury in a federal court in Virginia took only four hours to convict Mohamad Khweis, 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, on terrorism charges. Khweis could potentially face 20 years or more in prison when he is sentenced in October. His lawyers acknowledged that he left his home in Virginia in December 2015 to join IS militants, but argued that didn't make him a terrorist, claiming the defendant said he was only there to "check things out." AP A former Church of England priest has been convicted of a string of sexual offences against two boys dating back to the late 1980s. Jonathan Graves, of East Sussex, England is the third former priest from the Diocese of Chichester to be convicted following an investigation into concerns about several priests. The 60-year-old was found guilty of 12 sexual offences, against two boys known to him, while he was priest at St Luke's Church at Stone Cross, near Eastbourne, in the Chichester diocese. One of the victims was aged between 11 and 13 and the other between 12 and 15. He is on police bail and will be sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on Monday. British Detective Inspector Jon Gross, of Sussex Police, said: "The past has caught up with Jonathan Graves. "The evidence in this case has revealed how he used his position as a reverend to select his victims and befriend them before callously abusing them for his own sexual gratification. "His crimes have had a lasting impact upon those he abused. "The hurt caused by the sexual abuse itself has undoubtedly been compounded by the psychological scars of the abuser being a trusted and influential figure in each of the victims' lives. "I have enormous admiration for the courage the victims have shown in coming forward to the police, and for remaining steadfast in seeing this matter through to conclusion. "I hope these verdicts bring some form of closure to them." A Sussex Police spokesman said: "Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss looked into the case of Jonathan Graves in 2010 as part of a review for the Diocese of Chichester looking at previous concerns about several priests. "The report was sent to Sussex Police in 2011. "Following a review of all information held by the diocese on the cases covered, the force began an investigation, Operation Perry, and Graves is the third and last of the priests to be convicted. "The two other clergy, Robert Coles and Gordon Rideout, have already been convicted in separate trials and sentenced to terms of imprisonment." French police say a man has been arrested after attacking a soldier at a metro station in Paris. The suspect, who made a reference to Allah, was carrying a knife, but no-one was hurt. Update 3.50pm: London Police are reviewing CCTV in the hunt for those responsible for the terrorist blast on a tube train this morning. It is understood the footage shows a suspect placing the device on the train. Twenty-two people were injured at Parsons Green station when the homemade bomb partially detonated. The Taoiseach has said the Irish Embassy in London has reported to the government that no citizens are caught up in today's events. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said he is "shocked by the incident". A statement from Minister @simoncoveney expressing his solidarity following the Parsons Green incident today: https://t.co/ZngO9AKUXq pic.twitter.com/wX09bVm3oC Embassy of Ireland (@IrelandEmbGB) September 15, 2017 Major General Chip Chapman, the former Head of Counter Terrorism at the Ministry of Defence in the UK, said the response will already be well advanced. "The security services and the police will already be asking is this a lone wolf? Which I suspect it's not. It part of a network? Is there a further attack to come? "Of course, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre will be looking at do we need to do anything about the threat level if they think there's a network," he added. Update 3.22pm: Scotland Yard said the area surrounding Parsons Green Tube station has been evacuated so specialist officers could "secure the remnants of the improvised device and ensure it is stable". A spokesman added: "A small number of residents will be affected by the evacuation, which encompasses an area approximately 50 metres in radius." The Tube station remains closed. The evacuation has been necessary whilst officers secure the remnants of the improvised device & ensure it is stable #ParsonsGreen Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 15, 2017 Update 2.53pm: The UK Prime Minister Theresa May has condemned the "cowardly" Parsons Green terror attack, saying: "This was a device intended to cause significant harm." She also delivered a rebuke to Donald Trump over his claim the Parsons Green Tube bomber was "in the sights" of Scotland Yard. Following a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee, the Prime Minister said: "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." London Ambulance said it had taken 19 patients, mostly with minor injuries, to three London hospitals - St Mary's, St Thomas' and the Chelsea and Westminster. PM: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident. UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 15, 2017 Update 1.53pm: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which earlier declared a major incident at St Mary's Hospital to deal with the attack, tweeted: "St Mary's Hospital has now been stood down from the major incident." A forensic tent on the platform at Parsons Green station in west London after Scotland Yard declared a terrorist incident following a blast Update 12.57pm: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan told LBC: "There is a manhunt under way as we speak." Update 11.57am: A huge counter-terrorism investigation has been launched after a bomb was detonated on a packed London Underground train. At 8.20am, an improvised device was detonated on a #LondonUnderground train at #ParsonsGreen station. Here's what happened pic.twitter.com/WqNyai8ON5 Sky News (@SkyNews) September 15, 2017 The Transport Salaried Staffs Association called on London's mayor to hold a safety summit following the incident. General secretary Manuel Cortes said: "Our union has long been concerned that we are not doing all we can to maximise safety on our Tube and on London's public transport network." Witnesses described scenes of terror and panic after the blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a District line service at Parsons Green in West London. Britain's top counter-terror officer Mark Rowley said: "We now assess this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device." Eighteen people were injured in the explosion, with most of them suffering "flash burns". US President Donald Trump denounced the attack on Twitter saying: "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" The Met declined to comment on Mr Trump's claim. Mr Rowley said the investigation is being led by the Met's counter-terrorism command, with support from MI5. Speaking outside Scotland Yard, the assistant commissioner said: "There are many urgent enquiries ongoing now with hundreds of officers involved - looking at CCTV, forensic work and speaking to witnesses. Asked if it was clear whether the person responsible was on the train at the time, Mr Rowley said: "It's very much a live investigation and we are following down the lines of enquiry as I said." He said Londoners can expect to see an "enhanced police presence", particularly across the transport system across the day. And he called on anyone with information to contact authorities as a matter of urgency. He added: "Finally I would ask the public to remain vigilant across London and to be alert in assisting us but not alarmed." Update 11.28: 18 people were taken to hospital after the Parsons Green explosion, London Ambulance Service said. Mr Rowley said it was understood that "most" of the 18 injured were suffering from "flash burns". Update 10.21am An explosion on a packed Tube train in Parsons Green, west London, is being treated as a terrorist incident, Scotland Yard said. Scotland Yard has declared a terrorist incident after a blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train. A major incident has been declared at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington in response to the Parsons Green explosion. Prime Minister Theresa May is to chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee this afternoon to discuss the terrorist incident at Parsons Green. The PM said: "My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and the emergency services who, once again, are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident." Pictures posted on social media appeared to show wires protruding from a flaming bucket inside a plastic carrier bag on the floor of a carriage. The Metropolitan Police urged anyone with photographs from the scene to upload them to www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk to aid the investigation. Earlier: Emergency services were called to a London Underground station after reports of an explosion on a train. Pictures appeared to show an explosion in a bucket towards the rear of a train. An injured woman is assisted by a police officer close to Parsons Green station in west London. The incident occurred at Parsons Green Tube station on Friday morning. A metro.co.uk reporter said passengers suffered facial burns. The Metropolitan Police said: "We are aware of an incident at Parsons Green Tube station. Officers are in attendance." British Transport Police said: "We're aware of an incident at Parsons Green station. Officers are at the scene. The station is closed." Transport for London said it is "investigating an incident at Parsons Green" and urged customers travelling between Wimbledon and Earls Court to use alternative routes. A London Ambulance Service spokesman said: "We are on scene alongside the Metropolitan Police at Parsons Green." London Fire Brigade said they were called to the incident at 8.21am on Friday. Media technology consultant Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, was sitting on the District Line train bound for central London when panic unfolded at around 8.20am. He said he saw several people injured, having apparently been trampled as they tried to escape. He told the Press Association: "I was blissfully reading my paper and listening to a podcast and suddenly the whole world charged past me down the platform, down the Tube. "I was on the Tube, we had just stopped at Parsons Green, I was on my way up from Wimbledon towards Paddington and suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. "It was an absolutely packed, rush-hour District Line train from Wimbledon to Edgware Road. "I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets. "Some people got pushed over and trampled on, I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews. "Since then, every emergency vehicle in London has gone past me, fire engines, ambulances, every type of police vehicle." Mr Aylmer-Hall added: "I don't think anyone was hurt by the actual device or whatever it was." Natasha Wills, of London Ambulance Service said: "We were called at 8.20am to reports of an incident at Parsons Green underground station. "We have sent multiple resources to the scene including single responders in cars, ambulance crews, incident response officers and our hazardous area response team, with the first of our medics arriving in under five minutes. "Our initial priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries. More information will follow when we have it." Photo of "bomb" used in #London tube-attack. Looks like UK has reached the "low-tier jihad"-level. pic.twitter.com/A7B3jwcKS3 Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) September 15, 2017 BBC correspondent Riz Lateef, who was at the station travelling to work, said there was "panic as people rushed from the train, hearing what appeared to be an explosion. "People were left with cuts and grazes from trying to flee the scene. There was lots of panic." One passenger, named only as Lucas, told BBC 5 live: "I heard a really loud explosion - when I looked back there appeared to be a bag but I don't know if it's associated with it. "I saw people with minor injuries, burnings to the face, arms, legs, multiple casualties in that way. "People were helping each other." Transport for London said Tube services were suspended between Edgware Road and Wimbledon. In a statement, Scotland Yard said: "Police were called at approximately 8.20am to Parsons Green Underground Station following reports of an incident on a Tube train. "Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police are in attendance along with the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. "We would advise people to avoid the area." Another witness, Sham, said he saw a man with blood all over his face. "There were loads of people crying and shaking," he told 5 live. "There were a lot of people limping and covered in blood. "One guy I saw, his face was covered in blood - I've never seen anything like it." Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: "The incident shows once again that Tube staff are the first responders in emergency situations and the clear need for safety and security to remain the number one priority and for the resources and staffing to be in place to deal with all eventualities." Counter terrorism detectives are now on the scene at #ParsonsGreen #LondonUnderground pic.twitter.com/Pxn1Iy1Ym1 Sky News (@SkyNews) September 15, 2017 Downing Street said Prime Minister Theresa May was "receiving regular updates" on the situation at Parsons Green. Chris Wildish, who was on the train, said he saw a "device" in the last carriage. "It was a white bucket, a builder's bucket, in a white Aldi bag or Lidl bag," he told 5live. "Flames were still coming out of it when I saw it and had a lot of wires hanging out of it - I can only assume it was done on purpose. "It was standing against the door of the rear-most carriage." "Mass shouting and screaming... a lady said she'd seen a bag go off" says witness #LondonUnderground #Parsonsgreen pic.twitter.com/zKLxdfvzme Sky News (@SkyNews) September 15, 2017 Passengers on the train behind the affected Tube witnessed terrified passengers sprinting away up the tracks. They were then held in their train for over an hour before being evacuated on to the tracks themselves. Nicole Linnell, 29, who works for a fashion label, said: "We saw people running down the tracks. About 30 or 40 people. "They were running down the tracks outside our train. "It was absolutely terrifying. Running on the tracks is the last thing you want to do so we were like 'What's going on?' "After about an hour we were evacuated off the train on to the tracks. About 10 to 15 people at a time." Melanie Heyside had been at a gym nearby and intended to get on a District Line train to go to work. She told Sky News: "I just was about to open the doors to leave the studio and then all of a sudden Swat cars completely stormed and blocked the street and police jumped out with their armour and were telling people to 'move, to move'. "So I was inside with a group of other people and we weren't really sure what to do." She said they were told to leave the area, which she added was populated by schoolchildren and others going to work, as quickly as possible. Supermarket Lidl has offered to assist a police investigation into the terrorist incident on the London Underground, after one of its bags was apparently used to hold the improvised bomb. The German-owned grocery chain issued a statement just hours after social media photos of the affected District Line carriage showed a still-burning bucket inside a Lidl-branded reusable bag. "We are shocked and concerned to have learned of an incident at Parsons Green this morning and our thoughts are with those affected," Lidl UK said. "We will, of course, support the authorities should they need our assistance in their investigations. We are closely monitoring the situation as it develops over the course of the day." A spokesman for the supermarket also confirmed that what seemed to be an insensitive tweet, purportedly sent out by Lidl UK's twitter account on Friday morning, was fake. Twitter user @jesuiscanard appeared to retweet a Lidl UK tweet from 10:32am which read: "We are proud to officially have the strongest bags. Great value for just 10p." The user went on to say that the comment was "Bit too soon, Lidl. Bit soon." However, Lidl UK confirmed that the tweet was a hoax and a view of its official Twitter account showed no evidence of the purported tweet. AP North Korea has fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang in a continuation of weapons tests, according to the South Korean military. Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said the missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport on Friday. Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy has rejected calls by Catalan officials for negotiations on a referendum on the region's independence, saying the law does not allow it. Officials in Catalonia and the north-eastern region's capital, Barcelona, asked in a letter released on Friday for fresh dialogue on holding the vote with the government's permission. "The prime minister can't make something illegal into something legal," said Inigo Mendez de Vigo, the minister of culture. The central government says constitutional reform through a strong majority in the national parliament is the only avenue for a legal referendum. Madrid has rejected the unilateral vote planned for October 1, but separatist politicians launched the Yes campaign on Thursday as they press ahead with the vote despite a ban by the country's courts and a criminal investigation into three out of four Catalan mayors actively supporting it. In the letter, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and Barcelona mayor Ada Colau also say Spain has launched "an offensive of repression without precedent". The letter says a copy is being sent to King Felipe VI. Meanwhile, Spain's finance minister has said the central government has decided to take over payments of essential services in Catalonia. Cristobal Montoro said the government is also giving officials in Catalonia 48 hours to comply with a new system to scrutinise public payments to ensure that no public funds are being used on the illegal vote. Mr Montoro's ministry ordered regional authorities in July to send weekly spending reports instead of monthly reports, but on Thursday, Catalan vice president Oriol Junqueras, who is in charge of economic affairs, said he would stop providing them because the scrutiny was politically motivated. The extraordinary measures were justified, Mr Montoro said, for budgetary stability in Catalonia and to defend Spain's legal order. AP Theresa May has raised concerns with Donald Trump over his claim that the perpetrators of the Parsons Green Tube bombing had been "in the sights" of Scotland Yard. After chairing a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee, the Prime Minister publicly rebuked the US president, saying it was not "helpful" to speculate on what was an ongoing investigation. Mrs May is understood to have raised the issue during a "cordial" telephone call. The president's intervention threatened to place fresh strain on the US-UK intelligence-sharing relationship, which has come under pressure a number of times since he entered the White House. In a trademark tweet issued within hours of the blast, Mr Trump wrote: "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. The Metropolitan Police said the US president's comments - which did not correspond with any information released by the UK authorities - were "unhelpful" and "pure speculation". Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley later hit out at "uninformed" comments being made about the attack on social media. He said: "The last thing I'd like to say about the investigation is that during the course of the day there has been some uninformed speculation on social media and from journalists and I would like to emphasise that is unhelpful as we try to pursue this fast-moving investigation." Mr Trump said he told Mrs May the US is committed to wiping out terrorism and described her as a "wonderful woman". "I want to say that our hearts and prayers go out to the people of London who suffered a vicious terrorist attack," he said. "I spoke with a wonderful woman, British Prime Minister Theresa May, and relayed America's deepest sympathy, as well as our absolute commitment to eradicating the terrorists from our planet." Mr Trump appeared to sidestep questions over whether he had been given a run-down of intelligence about the attack, saying he had been briefed "on numerous things" including North Korea. In Downing Street, Mrs May said: "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation. "The police and security services are working to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify all those responsible." Downing Street said Mr Trump had offered his condolences over the attack during the telephone call. A spokesman said: "President Trump called the Prime Minister earlier today to offer his condolences over this morning's cowardly attack in London. "They also discussed North Korea's latest missile test, agreeing it was a reckless provocation and that China must now use all its leverage to bring pressure to bear on the North Korean regime to ensure they change course and end these illegal tests." The latest spat comes after British police temporarily suspended intelligence-sharing with the US in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing in May following a series of leaks to American media. CBS disclosed the name of the bomber, Salman Abedi, citing US sources, at a time when the British authorities were asking media to withhold the information to protect the investigation. The New York Times then published detailed photographs taken from the bomb scene which had been taken by British investigators. The "special relationship" had already come under strain earlier in the year, when the then White House press secretary Sean Spicer repeated claims that GCHQ, the UK surveillance agency, had been involved in bugging the Trump campaign on behalf of Barack Obama. His comments drew a rare public statement from GCHQ denouncing the allegation as "utterly ridiculous". London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who clashed with Mr Trump over his response to the London Bridge terror attack, would not be drawn on the president's latest comments. "I've simply been too busy this morning to look at my Twitter," he told LBC Radio. "My priority is making sure that we do what we can to keep Londoners safe." A City Hall source said: "He hopes people don't speculate on things before we know the full facts. That's quite clear what he thinks about that." In a statement, the White House said: "President Donald J. Trump spoke with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom to convey his sympathies and prayers for those injured in the terrorist attack today in London. "The president pledged to continue close collaboration with the United Kingdom to stop attacks worldwide targeting innocent civilians and to combat extremism." Donald Trump has threatened to spark a new row over intelligence-sharing between Britain and the US after he claimed the Parsons Green Tube bombers had been "in the sights" of Scotland Yard. In a trademark tweet, the US president called for a "proactive" response to dealing with the terrorist threat. "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," he wrote. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" His comments, which did not correspond with information released by the Metropolitan Police, were condemned as "unhelpful" by former No 10 aide Nick Timothy. "True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner," he tweeted. Scotland Yard refused to be drawn on the remarks. A spokeswoman said: "It is not something we would comment on." There was no immediate response from the White House to questions as to the basis of Mr Trump's assertion. However, it comes after British police temporarily suspended intelligence-sharing with the US in the wake of the Manchester Arena bombing in May following a series of leaks to American media. CBS disclosed the name of the bomber, Salman Abedi, citing US sources, at a time when the British authorities were asking media to withhold the information to protect the investigation. The New York Times then published detailed photographs taken from the bomb scene which had been taken by British investigators. The "special relationship" had already come under strain earlier in the year, when the then White House press secretary Sean Spicer repeated claims that GCHQ, the UK surveillance agency, had been involved in bugging the Trump campaign on behalf of Barack Obama. His comments drew a rare public statement from GCHQ denouncing the allegation as "utterly ridiculous". London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who clashed with Mr Trump over his response to the London Bridge terror attack, would not be drawn on the president's latest comments. "I've simply been too busy this morning to look at my Twitter," he told LBC Radio. "My priority is making sure that we do what we can to keep Londoners safe." A City Hall source said: "He hopes people don't speculate on things before we know the full facts. That's quite clear what he thinks about that." AP The UN Security Council was called into emergency session today after North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile, to discuss what to do now that Kim Jong Un has ignored its latest round of sanctions. France's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country is ready to work on tougher UN and EU measures "to convince the regime in Pyongyang that there is no interest in an escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table". It said North Korea will also be discussed during next week's annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly. The intermediate-range weapon North Korea launched early Friday from Sunan, the location of Pyongyang's international airport, hurtled over US ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean. The launch signalled both defiance of North Korea's rivals and a big technological advance. Since US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" in August, the North has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the US Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw the country's first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the US mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target US troops both in Asia and in the US homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a US city to protect its Asian allies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the missile launch as a serious violation of Security Council resolutions, coming less than two weeks after the North's sixth nuclear test, which also violated a UN ban. The Security Council's emergency meeting on Friday was behind closed doors. On Monday the council unanimously approved its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea over its nuclear test, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb. The US said the measures, including a ban on textile exports, combined with previous sanctions would ban more than 90% of North Korea's exports reported in 2016. North Korea's Foreign Ministry denounced the sanctions and said the North would "redouble its efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country's sovereignty and right to existence". South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said the latest missile travelled about 2,300 miles and reached a maximum height of 478 miles. Guam, which is the home of important US military assets, is 2,112 miles away from North Korea. Despite its impressive range, the missile probably still is not accurate enough to destroy Guam's Andersen Air Force Base, said David Wright, a US missile expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists. North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Friday, without mentioning the latest missile test, that its weapons tests demonstrate that it can "turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area". South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who initially pushed for talks with North Korea, said its tests currently make dialogue "impossible". "The sanctions and pressure by the international community will only tighten so that North Korea has no choice but to take the path for genuine dialogue" for nuclear disarmament, Mr Moon said. "If North Korea provokes us or our allies, we have the strength to smash the attempt at an early stage and inflict a level of damage it would be impossible to recover from." North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue its weapons tests amid what it calls US hostility - by which it means the presence of nearly 80,000 US troops stationed in Japan and South Korea. AP The Finance Brokers Association of Australia ( FBAA ) has held its very first professional development day to focus solely on the issue of mental health.Mental stresses come at brokers from multiple different angles, FBAA executive director Peter White told Australian Broker.We are in a highly stressful environment. Living on commissions is not an easy gig, let alone the regulatory stress that were put under. It comes in different directions to us and its just something we cant turn a blind eye to.The event itself was held in Melbourne yesterday (14 September) with more than 130 brokers in attendance. Five specialist speakers presented on the day including founder of the Workplace Mental Health Institute Pedro Diaz and Beyond Blue ambassador Tony McManus.Everybody was very supportive and very much on par with needing to have this conversation on mental health. As an industry, we tend probably not to talk about this.According to ASIC data, there are more than 26,000 consumer brokers in Australia including those beyond the home loan space, White said.With one in five people suffering a mental health disorder right this moment, the person within a couple of desks of you is probably having struggles of their own.Its important for brokers to know where these struggles could go especially with one person committing suicide every three hours in Australia from a mental health issue, he said.Its something that is close to all of us and is something as an industry we tend not to talk about. We need to have the conversation sooner rather than later to make sure that people are ok because once you get beyond that, thats when you need professional intervention. Sometimes, that comes a bit too late.The stigma around acknowledging mental health issues stems from broking in the past which used to be a more male-dominated industry, White said.Blokes just dont talk about it and they should. Its not tough to talk about problems like this. Of course, its not exclusive to men but I think thats part of the historic problem. We want to see those barriers removed. And of course, this isnt just a male problem. Sometimes it affects women as well and in some areas more so.The topic of mental health will also be brought up at the FBAAs industry conference this November with Angry Anderson of Rose Tattoo giving his thoughts on the issue. Eagles can tie franchise record, but first they have to fix one issue Employees at the Farnham branch of groundwork and civil engineering company Rudridge have been recognised for the impressive milestone of 20 years of combined service at the business. Linda Mowbray, who works in internal sales, and Andy Robinson, Yard Supervisor, have both been at Rudridge Farnham for 10 years and were presented with the companys long service pin and certificate. Linda and Andy will also receive vouchers for the companys internal employee rewards scheme, which can be used online to purchase items from a choice of over 1,000 different outlets. Paul Duke, General Manager at Rudridge Farnham, said: Its a fantastic achievement to have reached this milestone. Linda and Andy have seen the success of the business over the last decade, and watched Rudridges tremendous growth over that time. Undoubtedly Linda and Andy have played a big part in that success with their sales and yard work. Were grateful to them for their dedication, and tremendously proud of the amazing team here at Rudridge. Hemel Hempstead has become the 10th branch to open this year as Selco Builders Warehouse continues its rapid expansion plans. The new branch features the full Selco offering, including a selection of products available at trade prices, Selco Hire and a comprehensive kitchen design service. In addition, Selco offers numerous online services including Click and Collect within 30 minutes, a next day courier service with over 6,500 products available, and the opportunity for tradespeople to create their project lists online and through an app. Declan Ronayne, Chief Executive of Selco, said: Opening 10 new branches in one calendar year has been a huge undertaking and its testament to the entire Selco team that we have achieved that. We pride ourselves on being the one-stop-shop for tradespeople offering a huge selection of products available at trade prices, and we are delighted to be taking this service into new areas around the UK. We are a genuine multi-channel builders merchant, which allows our customers the chance to access their building materials in the most convenient way possible for them, whether that be coming into branch, through our website or through our recently launched app. In keeping with each new branch opening, Selco gave away 3,000 to local charities in Hemel Hempstead through its Selco Stars initiative to mark the opening. Picture caption: Selco Hemel Hempstead branch manager Mark Upton (centre left) and Selco Builders Warehouse Chief Executive Declan Ronayne (centre right) officially open the new branch with Selco Hemel Hempstead staff and representatives from the three charities receiving 1,000 watching on. This year the Rainy Day Trust partnered with Pavestone to run a banger rally to the French Riviera in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. Off mains drainage specialists Marsh Industries put themselves in the driving seat, being the first team to drive into Monte Carlo after a four-day drive passing through eight countries along the way. The car, a stylishly liveried 22-year old Toyota Celica, purchased for less than 500, looked the part for the rally and was driven by the winning team Marsh Team comprising MD Steve Boyer, Jon Bradley and Lydia Boyer. More than 30 cars took part in what is now an annual event for the merchanting industry that raises thousands of pounds for worthy causes. Visiting France, Belgium and Luxembourg on the first day the Marsh team had an easy start of the 1600-mile expedition. Friday saw them travelling back into France, Switzerland and staying the night in Vaduz the capital of Liechtenstein. Team member, Lydia Boyer, said: Saturday was the real test for all involved as it meant tackling the Stelvio Pass, arguably one of the most dangerous roads in the world. After crossing Austria all that lay between team Marsh and the last overnight stop in Verona, Italy, was the 48 hair pin turns and 2760m drop down through the mountains. Luckily the mighty little Celica took it in her stride much to the relief of the drivers! said Lydia. Sunday morning saw the final leg into the rallys finishing point, Monte Carlo, Monaco. Never a company to be left behind the Marsh team were up early hoping to be the first team to drive into the principality and at 1.20pm they achieved that. Surrounded by cars costing 1500 times more than the Celica, heads turned from the Ferraris and Lamborghinis outside the casino to our trusty Celica, said Lydia. So many people were quick to step up and take a few snaps of the successful little car! Throughout the Rally, the teams will have a series of challenges to complete with points awarded for challenges completed successfully, quality of fancy dress and age and engine size of the car purchased. The older and more dilapidated the car, the more points granted! In total, the Pavestone Rally raised over 140,000 for the two charities and provide the teams with memories to last a lifetime. Ibstock, is playing its part in ensuring construction students are equipped with the materials needed to hone their skills, by donating 12,000 of its bricks as part of an ongoing partnership between the brick manufacturer and the Construction Skills Village. The donation was spilt across Construction Skills Village facilities in Barnsley, Doncaster and Scarborough, where it will be used to help students develop their brickwork skills on a safe learning site. Simon Rogers Head of Marketing at Ibstock, said: As the UKs largest brick maker, its not only essential we continue to invest in the production facilities and resources required to meet the increased demand for bricks but, its also important we play a part in ensuring the skills needed to deliver construction projects are also available. Thats why we are keen to support initiatives such as the Construction Skills Village. Our donation will allow students to develop their brickwork skills on a live site environment, helping them to gain valuable experience in the trade. Graham Ratcliffe, Managing Director of Northern Regeneration, said: The provision of tools and materials is one of the Skills Villages biggest costs and, as a community interest company, support from companies such as Ibstock is a huge help. The bricks will really support the development of our students and their journey to employment. In addition to donating bricks, Ibstock also supplied each Construction Skills Village site with a number of sample panels to enable the students to become more familiar with the extensive range of brick colours and textures manufactured by Ibstock. The Construction Skills Village provides people in Barnsley, Doncaster and Scarborough with the learning opportunities needed to help address the construction skills shortage and close the gap between education and the construction industry. Local builders merchant Travis Perkins offered a free breakfast to residents and commuters in Belgravia to celebrate their heritage in the local area and to raise awareness around a planning request which threatens the historic Travis Perkins branch in Pimlico. Martin Meech, Group Property Director at Travis Perkins plc, said: The Travis Perkins branch, previously Newsons Timber Yard, on Pimlico Road has been serving the Belgravia community for over 175 years and were passionate about keeping the branch in operation for years to come. We want to highlight our roots and heritage in the area, and to raise awareness of our contribution to the community. Councillor Jason Williams, representative for Churchill Ward in Belgravia, also joined the Travis Perkins apprentices and local branch staff in distributing copies of Belgravia Today, a special edition newspaper focused on the Timber Yard and its history. Jason Williams, Councillor for Churchill Ward, said: I was delighted to support the Save Newsons Timber Yard campaign today, as Travis Perkins staff engaged with the local community on their morning commute. I very much hope the local community can retain this Timber Yard they cherish so dearly and I will continue to do everything I can to support the campaign. In 2016, a Westminster City Council planning committee granted permission to the Grosvenor Estate to redevelop the timber yard into two 10,000 sq. ft. retail spaces and expensive residential apartments. Over 2,000 local residents signed petitions urging the Grosvenor Estate to withdraw their planning application and to keep the timber yard. The judicial review is set to rule on the fate of the timber yard, with a decision expected on 31st October. Homeowners are dropping flood insurance despite rising risk The number of homeowners covered by the National Flood Insurance Program in New Jersey has dropped 17.5%. Godrej & Boyce confirmed on Friday it would join an industry consortium being formed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to build workhorse rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs) to send local and global satellites into space. The space agency has set 2020 as the deadline for the first privately built rocket to be launched into space. It is at a nascent stage right now. The discussions are going on how to form a consortium and who will do what, said Jamshyd N Godrej, chairman, Godrej & Boyce, on Friday. So far, has built PSLV rockets used for the Moon and Mars missions on its own but has been constrained in scaling up to meet the growing global demand for launch services of smaller satellites. Besides, it also has to devote resources to build heavier rockets, satellites and launch deep space missions. This has prompted the space agency to look at private firms to build PSLV rockets under its guidance. Godrej produces Vikas, the rocket engine that powers both the PSLV and the heavier Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), besides various systems such as antennae and thrusters for . If you have to really develop a major aerospace industry in India you need all these building blocks. with different expertise have to come together, said Godrej. Globally, there has been an explosion of that are building small and mini satellites but there is a shortage of launchers. Firms such as PlanetLabs and Spire Global have used the PSLV to hurl their satellites into space and the opportunity is only growing. is restructuring Antrix Corporation, its commercial arm, so that it can work in partnership with the private sector and promote homegrown space technology for global markets. Godrej is also investing in building its aerospace capabilities to service both the local and global markets. such as Rolls Royce and Boeing want components from India. They want in large numbers, not on a small scale, said Godrej. He also concurred with a Boeing executives assessment that Indias private sector lacked the capability to manufacture complex military aircraft under transfer of technology. In September, Boeing India chief Pratyush Kumar had said only Hindustan Aeronautics had such capability, which Godrej said is a fact. US-based $4.7-billion is planning to assemble Indian Motorcycle and terrain vehicles in India. Till now, the company had been importing these vehicles mainly from the US for the domestic market. The local fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market grew six per cent by volume in July, triggering hope of a revival in the sector that was struggling to grow. Data from consumer analytics firm Kantar Worldpanel, show that recent growth was aided by 12 per cent expansion of the rural FMCG market and seven per cent growth in overall foods and beverages (F&B) category. A detailed analysis of historical data, however, reveals that a low base may have played a key role in the recent uptick in the sale of chips, biscuits, shampoos, and soaps. Tata Projects Ltd (TPL) has announced that its joint venture with Daewoo of Korea has been declared the lowest bidder in two packages of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project. The Tata group is looking at all options on its telecom business, including an exit, with Tata Teleservices losses touching a new high in financial year 2017 and no clarity on returning to profitability in the near future. The stock of BSE-listed fell by 5.2% on Friday on media reports that the telecom business would be shut down. is much smaller than the unlisted Tata Teleservices in terms of subscribers and revenue. Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander who masterminded the deadly attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims in July, was killed by security forces in Srinagar on Thursday along with another Pakistani terrorist, police said. Yielding to the demand of the family of seven-year-old Pradhuman Thakur, who was found murdered in Gurugram's Ryan International School, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said the CBI will probe the brutal murder. He also announced the government was taking over the administration of Ryan International School in Gurugram where Pradhuman studied. Briefing the media after visiting Pradhuman's distraught family in Gurugram, Khattar, who himself turned emotional at the meeting, said: "The investigation into the murder, being done by the Haryana Police, will now be done by the CBI. The case is being handed over to the CBI for investigation." He said that the school will be taken over by the district administration of Gurugram for three months and the Deputy Commissioner will be in-charge of running the affairs of the school. Pradhuman was murdered on September 8 inside the Ryan International School in Bhondsi area on the Sohna Road in Gurugram district. Police alleges that school bus conductor, Ashok Kumar, 42, killed him with a knife after the boy resisted an attempt to sodomise him. Pradhuman was found dead with his throat slit inside the school's washroom within an hour after his father dropped him at school on Friday morning. The case snowballed into a major issue of safety and security of children in schools, with vociferous protests held by parents and activists outside Ryan schools in several states. Citing example of refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka residing in India, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government over sending the Rohingya Muslims back to Myanmar, saying that Rohingya refugess should be allowed to take shelter in the country just like other refugees are. Owaisi also mentioned about the noted Bangladeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen, who has been living in India in exile since 1994 and asserted that if the former can be the sister of Prime Minister Modi, why can't Rohingyas be his 'brothers'. "If Taslima Nasreen can stay here, why can't Rohingyas? If Taslima can be the prime minister's sister, can't Rohingyas become his brothers?" Owaisi said, while addressing a gathering here. #WATCH: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi speaks on Rohingya refugees in India pic.twitter.com/OXUgqq4eq7 ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 "Is this humanity to send those people back who have lost everything? This is wrong. Under which law, can the Centre send all the Rohingya refugees back?" he added. He even questioned India's wish to get a permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council. "The Indian Government wants a permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Will this be there attitude as a super power? Can the Centre send back those Muslims back, who even have the permission of the Human Rights Council to stay here?" Owaisi said. Further referring to the Sri Lankan refugees staying in Tamil Nadu, Owaisi said that they were allowed to stay in India even after being accused of spreading terrorism. He even mentioned about the Chakma people of Bangladesh, who came to India in 1971 and have been living in Arunachal Pradesh, and Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who is treated as a guest in India. "Isn't a refugee staying in the camps of Tamil Nadu, even when it was claimed that these refugees are involved in spreading terrorism? Why were they not sent back to Sri Lanka? After the formation of Bangladesh, the Chakmas came to India, and got the status of refugees," he said. Owaisi even requested the Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government to not see Rohingyas as Muslims, but to consider them are refugees. "We hope that the government of India gives shelter, an opportunity to live a respectful life and a future to their children, because the Indian Constitution gives the Right to Equality and the Right to Life, not only to its own citizens, but to all refugees as well," he said. Meanwhile, India has sent the first consignment of humanitarian assistance to Dhaka, in response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh. This development came days after Bangladesh briefed India about the problems faced by it due to the influx of refugees from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. As per reports, on August 9, the government had told the Parliament that according to available data, more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, are presently staying in India. The UNHCR had said that at least 2,70,000 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. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has expressed solidarity with Bangladesh over the Rohingya crisis and said India is putting pressure on Myanmar to take back refugees who have fled the Buddhist-majority nation, a top aide of Bangladesh Prime Minister has said. More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in Bangladesh, close to the border with Myanmar. "She (Swaraj) called our Prime Minister last night and conveyed her country's solidarity with Bangladesh over the Myanmar refugee issue," Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina deputy press secretary Nazrul Islam told PTI. Swaraj, he said, told the Bangladesh premier that the crisis by now appeared as an international issue while India was trying to put "pressure bilaterally and multilaterally on Myanmar to stop persecution on ethnic minority Rohingya Muslims" and take back the refugees who fled to Bangladesh. According to the spokesman, Hasina, on the other hand, said Bangladesh was forced to offer refuge to the refugees on humanitarian grounds as they fled their home at Myanmar's western Rakhine state to evade atrocities. He said Hasina explained to Swaraj the helplessness and miseries of the refugees, particularly of the minor children and women, and said Bangladesh is trying to address their basic needs. "She (Hasina) told Swaraj that Bangladesh required external supports to handle the refugee issue and return them to Myanmar," the spokesman said. Hasina said her government allocated land for makeshift shelters of the Rohingyas "but, it will certainly create a big problem for Bangladesh if they stay for long". The premier's spokesman said Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla was present at the Hasina's Ganabhaban residence when Swaraj called. Swaraj's call came hours after the external affairs ministry issued a statement expressing India's readiness to provide Bangladesh "any assistance" in tackling the refugee crisis. India, on Friday, rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Dhaka earlier said Bangladesh required India's assistance in its efforts to handle the situation and send the refugees back home. "The entire world today is worried over the Rohingya issue (and) their (India's) concern and stand beside us is very crucial at this moment," ruling Awami League general secretary and senior minister Obaidul Quader said earlier this week. A natural-color image of Saturn from space, the first in which Saturn, its moons and rings, and Earth, Venus and Mars, all are visible, is seen in this NASA handout taken from the Cassini spacecraft. Photo: NASA/Reuters In what could lead to more trouble for fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, whose extradition India has been seeking in loan default and money-laundering case, now Britains Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has also begun a probe against the beleaguered liquor baron. The Indian government on Thursday told the Supreme Court that Rohingya refugees were a threat to security, pushing back against the condemnation of its plans to deport them. Security has been tightened in Panchkula town in Haryana ahead of a crucial hearing in two separate murder cases against Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and others here on Saturday. The cases, related to the murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and former Dera manager Ranjit Singh, allegedly by functionaries and followers of the sect will be held in the court of special CBI judge Jagdeep Singh. The same court had, on August 25, convicted Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on two counts of rape of female disciples. Haryana Director General of Police B.S. Sandhu said on Friday that adequate para military and Haryana Police personnel had been stationed around the court complex in Sector 1 here and other areas in Panchkula town to maintain law and order. There are no reports of the Dera followers assembling in Panchkula ahead of Saturday's hearing, unlike the rape case hearing where over one lakh followers had converged in the town. Police officials here said that rapist Ram Rahim will not be physically produced in the CBI special court on Saturday. The hearing will take place through video conferencing as Ram Rahim is lodged in the District Jail in Sunaria near Rohtak. Chhatrapati and Ranjit Singh were murdered in 2002. The sect chief is an accused in both murder cases as these were carried out allegedly at his behest. Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by the CBI court on August 28. His conviction led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana, leaving 38 people dead and 264 injured. Isolated incidents of violence were also reported from Delhi and several other places in Punjab. On Friday, the defence ministry announced the successful development of the most challenging missile India has developed so far the . Fired from a fighter aircraft travelling at over 1,000 kilometres per hour, the destroys an enemy fighter 65-70 kilometres away. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived this week in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat for what was the tenth meeting between the two leaders since Modi came to power in 2014. The centrepiece of the visit has been the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project. Modi and Abe laid the foundation stone for the bullet train in Ahmedabad on Thursday, with the former lauding Japan as India's friend for having extended a Rs 88,000 crore loan at just 0.1 per cent interest. Further cementing their bilateral ties, India and Japan on Thursday also signed 15 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), which dealt with wide-ranging issues such as bilateral relations, defence and security cooperation, and supporting each other for a permanent seat on the United Nations expanded Security Council. 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. Two months after the roll out of the goods and services tax (GST) regime in July, the order books of exporters are said to have taken a hit with estimates pegging the impact to up to 15 per cent across industries and product categories. Continuing to press its demands for relief under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, the textile industry has now sought refund of the accumulated input tax credit at the fabric stage, citing cost escalation of the value chain. With India and Japan declaring that the key to global economic progress lies in the development of both the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited more Japanese investments in India even as agreements were announced for setting up four Japanese industrial townships in India. "I invite more and more Japanese to come live and work in India," Modi said in his address at the India-Japan Business Plenary here in the presence of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is on a two-day official visit to India. "Today, four locations have been announced... Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu... for setting up Japanese industrial townships," he said while also noting that the number of Japanese companies working in India had grown substantially over the years. Modi referred to the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed rail project, the ground-breaking ceremony for which earlier in the day in Ahmedabad was attended by both Prime Ministers Following delegation-level talks between the Prime Ministers on Thursday morning, an agreement was signed between the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to accelerate and facilitate Japanese investments in India. In his address at the business plenary earlier, Abe said the "key to global economic development in the future is the development of the two seas... Indian Ocean and the Pacific, which would touch a wide region extending from Asia to Africa." Abe said that Japan's state-of-the-art technology combined with "India's vast talent pool" would enable both to have the competitive edge in the global marketplace. Abe also said that carmaker Suzuki, which has a 2.5 lakh annual capacity in Gujarat, will increase its overall production capacity in the state to 7.5 lakh units annually. Maruti's Japanese partner Suzuki will also set up lithium-ion battery unit at Hansalpur in Gujarat in partnership with Denso and Toshiba, which will start production by 2020. The partners will invest $180 million in the plant to produce batteries for electric vehicles. At the business plenary, it was announced that 15 Japanese companies had entered into agreements to invest in Gujarat. Modi announced that India was the highest recipient of Japanese official development assistance (ODI) last year Myanmar stands accused by rights groups of ethnic cleansing and human rights violations after violence broke out in the northwestern state of Rakhine, triggering an exodus of about 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to southern Bangladesh. Andhra Pradesh to construct over 5 lakh affordable houses in urban areas in 15 months AP Minister of Housing & Urban Development meets Shri Hardeep Singh Puri The Andhra Pradesh Government today assured the centre that over five lakh affordable houses will be built in urban areas of the State under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) in the next fifteen months.Progress of PMAY(Urban) in the State was discussed in detail when the Andhra Pradesh Minister of Housing & Urban Development Dr. P. Narayana met the Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri here today. Noting that Andhra Pradesh was sanctioned the highest number of houses under PMAY(Urban), Shri Puri enquired about the progress of this mission in Andhra Pradesh.Dr. P. Narayana informed Shri Puri that the State Government spent considerable time in identifying appropriate technology for constructing houses under PMAY(Urban) while at the same time conforming with the norms for disaster resilience etc. He said that after detailed consideration, the State Government chose shear wall technology for this purpose and recently Foundation Stone was laid for construction of over one lakh dwelling units under PMAY(Urban). Dr. Narayana also stated that construction of 5.39 lakh houses for urban poor sanctioned by the central government under PMAY(Urban) will be completed in the next fifteen months. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri complimented the Andhra Pradesh Government for this commitment and also for good performance under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban). Dr. Narayana discussed the proposal for Vijayawada Metro Rail project and sought early clearance. Shri Puri informed him that as and when the revised proposal is received, it will be given due consideration, keeping in view the focus of the State Government on improving public transport infrastructure in the State. Indigenous Development of Trawl System by DRDO R&DE (Engrs), a premier system engineering laboratory under Armament & Combat Engineering (ACE) cluster of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently undertaken the design and development of Trawl System for the minefield area in the battle zone to meet the operational requirements of Indian Army. The indigenous developed Trawl System is employed for breaching of land mines and creating a vehicle safe lane, through a minefield for the advancing columns of mechanized forces in combat zone. The equipment consists of Trawl roller, track width mine plough and electro- magnetic device (EMD), which caters to the need of all types of mines usually encountered by the battle tank in such a scenario. The Trawl System developed by DRDO is capable of breaching a variety of land mines including passive and active influence mines. The Trawl system recently crossed a major milestone with the successful completion of blast trials in collaboration with HEMRL Pune, which demonstrated the survivability of the equipment, when subjected to successive series of blast directly underneath it. The fieldable prototype of the Trawl System is in final stage of realization and would be shortly ready for conduct of User Evaluation Trials by the Army. The indigenous development of Trawls by DRDO is an important step towards achieving self-reliance in area of critical military equipment under Make in India initiative and would result in saving of precious foreign exchange for the country. MJPS/NAo/NM/RP Minister of State (Law, Justice & Corporate Affairs) Shri P. P. Chaudhary seeks paricipation of the Companies in Swachhta Hi Seva campaign of the Government of India and contribute 7 % of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending to Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK) during Swachhta Hi Seva campaign among others. The Union Minister of State for Law & Justice and Corporate Affairs Shri P. P. Chaudhary has sought the full participation by the companies in Swachhta Hi Seva campaign of the Government of India. This campaign is starting from today and will continue till 2nd October, 2017.The Minister Shri Chaudhary said since the inception of the CSR provision under the Companies Act,2013, the Companies have undertaken a wide range of outstanding initiatives for attaining equitable growth in the country. He said that it is now time that the Corporates/Companies start contributing immensely to Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) as part of their CSR efforts. Shri Chaudhary further said that the Government has set-up the Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK) to attract CSR funds from the Corporate Sector and contributions from individuals and philanthropists in response to the call given by the Prime Minister on 15th August, 2014. In a letter to the heads of more than 11 lakh companies in operation and as a step towards making their contribution to SBM, the Minister of State Shri P. P. Chaudhary asked them to: i) Contribute around 7% of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spending to Swachh Bharat Kosh (SBK) during Swachhta Hi Seva campaign, ii) To direct their employees to go outside their corporate premises and undertake cleanliness drive in identified localities, and iii) Sponsor billboards for Gram Panchayat(s) carrying the Swachhta message. The Minister of State Shri P. P. Chaudhary said that with these efforts, he is hopeful that the unflinching support by the companies for the SBM will go a long way in creation of a clean India as envisaged by the Father of the Nation. In a similar letter written to the Presidents of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Institute of Cost Accountants of India(ICOAI), the Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, Shri P. P. Chaudhary has sought their cooperation and participation of their members and students in Swachhta Hi Seva campaign. Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi addresses at the National Seminar on Enhancing Opportunities through Social Engineering" on the occasion of Engineers Day" Technology is a tool for transformation: Shri Naqvi Union Minister for Minority Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said here that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been utilising the resources of the country through latest technology for welfare of the poor and weaker sections and fulfilling the vision of New India". Addressing at the National seminar on Enhancing Opportunities through Social Engineering"organised by The Institution of Civil Engineers (India) in New Delhi, on the occasion of Engineers Day", Shri Naqvi said that technology is a tool for transformation". Shri Naqvi said that Indian technology and technocrats are one of the best in the world. Be it defence sector, infrastructure, Railway, space technology, Indias engineers and other technocrats have made the country proud through their talent. The Minister said that the Government has created a vibrant and positive atmosphere" for technocrats and other professionals. He said that the Centre has been utilising various technologies to make peoples life more comfortable. Through technology, we have filled the gap between governance and the common people. Shri Naqvi said that the Government has been utilising the technology to ensure leakage proof" and transparent system for welfare of the common man. India is moving towards becoming a digital economy". Money meant for welfare of the common people is being going directly to bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer" (DBT). Crores of students are getting their scholarships directly into their bank accounts though DBT. The Minister said that engineers play a crucial role in nation building. Through their creative thinking and dedication and hard work, they give a new direction to the country. Shri Naqvi said that it is true that providing basic amenities and infrastructure is the responsibility of the Government. At the same time, engineers, doctors and other professionals have also a role to play in this regard. They can make the peoples life easier through their innovative ideas and fulfilling the vision of New India". Shri Naqvi said that the Centre has ensured a better atmosphere for technocrats and other professionals. They are coming back to India and are contributing to the vision of New India". AK Shri Rajnath Singh to operationalise the New Intelligence Set-up of SSB on 18th September The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will operationalise the New Intelligence Set-up of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at a function here on September 18, 2017. On the occasion, he will also launch the Welfare and Rehabilitation Board (WARB) App and distribute scholarship to the children of SSB martyrs.The SSB has been mandated the responsibility of guarding the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders where there are no restrictions on the movement of people on either side. The border population on both sides has strong regional, cultural and economic ties. There is trans-border movement of criminals and anti-national elements which pose a major challenge on the border in the context of the visa free regime. Besides, SSB has also been declared as the Lead Intelligence Agency (LIA) for both the Indo-Nepal and Indo-Bhutan borders. Thus, it was felt that a well knit intelligence network of the highest capabilities that can function and deliver would be the prime requirement of comprehensive border management. This was quite essential as the operations of SSB have to be intelligence based so as to prevent criminals and smugglers from taking advantage of the friendly borders with Nepal and Bhutan. MHA has accordingly sanctioned 650 posts in various ranks from Battalion to Frontier Headquarter. The Mobile App named WARB" is available on Google Play store and is user friendly. It contains various useful features to facilitate retired CAPFs and Assam Rifles personnel to get their genuine grievances redressed, seek skill development training through National Skill Development Corporation under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna, re-employment and other relevant and important information. This mobile App shall also help retired personnel to have better coordination with WARB and its field formation at states/UTs and district level. Its a matter of great pride that 43 Officers and personnel of SSB have sacrificed their lives for national security. In this year only in Chirang district of Assam Shri Amal Sarkar in an encounter with NDFB militants not only killed one militant but also sacrificed his life. SSBs Women Welfare Association SANDIKSHA" has taken up the task to help out children of such martyrs. SSBs Women Welfare Association is providing financial help to children of martyrs who are still studying in school, colleges and universities to continue their studies. Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar takes meeting with the representatives from the Central Trade Unions Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Labour & Employment took a Meeting with the representatives from the Central Trade Unions on 14thSeptember 2017 at Shram Shakti Bhavan, New Delhi to discuss some of the provisions in the draft Industrial Relations Code. The Meeting was attended by the representatives from 10 Central Trade Unions viz. BMS, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and NFITU (Dhanbad). This was the first interaction meeting of Shri Gangwar with the Trade Union representatives, after taking over the charge of Ministry of Labour & Employment. Representatives from Trade Unions appreciated the efforts of Sh. Gangwar for the working class in his earlier days in Textiles Ministry. The Labour Minister assured the participants that the Ministry will work together with the Trade Unions for the protection of interest of the workers. Successful Development Trials of Astra Missile The final Development Flight Trials of Astra - Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile (BVRAAM) were successfully conducted over the Bay of Bengal, Off the Coast of Chandipur, Odisha during 11-14 Sep 2017. A total of seven trials were conducted against Pilotless Target Aircrafts (PTA) successfully. The missions included engagement of target at very long range, engagement of high manoeuvring target at medium range and multiple launches of missiles in salvo to engage multiple targets. All the sub-systems including the indigenous RF Seeker performed accurately, meeting all the mission parameters and objectives. Two missiles were also launched in the combat configuration with warhead and the targets were neutralized. This effort for building a state-of-the-art BVRAAM by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), together with Indian Air Force (IAF) has completed the development phase of the weapon system successfully. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has played a role in modifying the aircraft for weapon integration. More than 50 public and private industries have contributed in building the Astra weapon system. Dr S. Venugopal, Programme Director led the launch operations and flight trials along with the teams from multiple organisations. The Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRDO, IAF Air Force, Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) and industries for the successful trials of ASRTA Missile. Chairman DRDO and Secretary Department of Defence (R&D) Dr S. Christopher congratulated the Team Astra" (DRDO, IAF, DPSU & Industries) for developing and flight testing such a formidable class of weapon system. Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems Dr G. Satheesh Reddy, said the technologies developed under the programme will be the building blocks for development of more variants of Air-to-Air and Surface-to-Air Missiles. MJPS/Rajib Union Home Minister launches Swachhta Hi Sewa" campaign of Ministry of Home Affairs The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh launched the Swachhta Hi Sewa" campaign of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), at ITBP campus, Tigri here today. A Swachhta pledge was also administered by the Union Home Minister to the Force personnel on this occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh said that the Government is confident to fulfill Prime Ministers vision of making India Open Defecation Free (ODF) by October, 2019. He said that providing toilet facility at home will ensure safety and dignity of women. He also said that Swachhta Hi Sewa campaign will help in improving nutrition and productivity of our children. For Swachhta, the Government is implementing Rs 12,000 crore Action Plan through 76 ministries, he added. He said that the use of technology for creating wealth from waste is Governments priority. Shri R. K. Pachnanda, DG, ITBP conveyed his gratitude to the Home Minister and MHA for giving the opportunity to the ITBP for hosting Swachhta Hi Sewa" campaign programme and assured that the Force will participate in the campaign in letter and spirit. The Home Minister along with senior ITBP officers and jawans participated in cleanliness drive around the unit campus. A Swachhta demonstration by ITBPs women personnel was presented. Theme song created and composed by ITBP personnel on cleanliness was also presented. The Swachhta drive undertaken today will culminate on Gandhi Jayanti i.e. 2nd October, 2017. The Ministry of Home Affairs and all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will clean the areas in and around official and other premises. The MHA will undertake cleanliness drive in all rooms, and vicinity of North Block, NDCC-II building etc for awareness generation and community mobilization activities. Three former female employees of Alphabet Inc's Google filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the tech company of discriminating against women in pay and promotions. The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in California state court in San Francisco, comes as Google faces an investigation by the US Department of Labor into sex bias in pay practices. The lawsuit appears to be the first to make class action sex bias claims against Google, but is only the latest instance of a major tech company being accused of discriminating against women. The Department of Labor sued Oracle America Inc in January, claiming it paid white men more than women and minorities with similar jobs. Microsoft Corp and Twitter Inc are facing sex bias lawsuits, and Qualcomm Inc last year settled claims for $19.5 million. Meanwhile, Uber Technologies Inc in June said it would make a series of changes after a former engineer in a blog post accused the ride-hailing service of condoning rampant sexism. The plaintiffs in Thursday's lawsuit are a former Google software engineer, a former communications specialist and a former manager who worked in various roles at the Mountain View, California-based company. They say Google pays women in California less than men who perform similar work, and assigns female workers jobs that are less likely to lead to promotions. "While Google has been an industry-leading tech innovator, its treatment of female employees has not entered the 21st century," Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the women, said in a statement. Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano denied the claims in a statement. She said employment decisions are made by hiring and promotion committees, and are vetted "to make sure there is no gender bias." "If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees," she said. The plaintiffs say Google violated California laws requiring equal pay for similar work and prohibiting unfair and unlawful business practices. They are seeking to represent a class of women who worked at Google in California over the last four years. The Labor Department investigation stems from a 2015 audit in which the department says it discovered sex-based wage gaps among Google workers. The department last month appealed an administrative judge's July decision that rejected its request for contact information for more than 20,000 Google employees. McDonald's Japan took a series of hits starting in 2014 that threatened to crack its Golden Arches: a supplier was selling expired chicken, a human tooth was found in French fries and a child was injured by a plastic shard inside a sundae. Of the various kinds of films to address genocide, the biopic is probably the most familiar. Weve all seen them: based on a true story, popular but prestigious, making a vast atrocity comprehensible through the eyes of an individual. The Killing Fields (1984), Schindlers List (1994) and Hotel Rwanda (2004) are all classic examples, though there are much earlier ones Ravished Armenia introduced Western audiences to the Armenian genocide as long ago as 1919, for instance. fired a missile that flew over Japans northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, deepening tension after Pyongyangs recent test of its most powerful nuclear bomb. North Korea fired another ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, a direct challenge to the United States and China just days after a new sanctions resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council that was intended to force the country to halt its accelerating nuclear and missile tests. In a massive setback to Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by the deposed Prime Minister and his children against the July 28 Panama Papers judgment. A five-judge SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had taken up the petitions seeking review of the court's ruling which disqualified Sharif and ordered the filing of corruption cases against him and his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. "For the reasons (to be) recorded later, all these review petitions are dismissed," Justice Khosa announced. The reasons will be revealed later in a detailed order, the Dawn online reported. With the rejection of the review petitions, Sharif's disqualification as a member of the Parliament remains valid. The Sharif family and Dar will now face corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau in the accountability court. Speaking to the media after the verdict, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Fawad Chaudhry said the court's decision is a victory for the nation, Geo News reported. The bench also comprised Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan who along with the latter two headed the special implementation bench in the Panama case that oversaw the work of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that examined the references to the Sharifs and Dar in the Panama Papers. On July 28, Sharif was dismissed by the apex court and stepped down after a probe into the Panama papers scandal revealed he had not declared income received from a firm owned by his son in Dubai. The Panama Papers revealed in April 2016 that three of his four children had set up offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands through which they owned property in London, leading the top court to order an investigation after a year of protests by the opposition. After Friday's decision, the Sharif family and Dar will have to seek justice in the Islamabad Accountability Court, where three cases against the Sharif family and one against the Finance Minister have been filed. The members of the Sharif family have been summoned by the accountability court on September 19 and Dar on September 20. The emerging humanitarian crisis that has been rocking Myanmar - where an estimated 370,000 Rohingya have been forced out of the country has prompted broad international condemnation. But so far it has translated into little concrete action. The plans to stop accepting refugee applications from children with U.S.-based parents from three violence-riddled Central American countries El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala according to the summary of a presentation the State Department made recently to refugee organizations. An unexpected meeting of the minds between President Trump and Democratic leaders on Thursday made real a possible deal in Congress to pair enhanced border security with legislation to protect young, undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. Shares of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India were trading higher by up to 4% on BSE in otherwise subdued market on rising crude oil prices as demand outlook brightens. Afghan medical students on Friday held a peaceful protest in Islamabad regarding their registration in Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) Afghan Doctors and medical students were admitted to Baqai Medical University University on the basis of scholarship scheme floated by the Prime Minister c of Pakistan for Afghan students. The Afghan students, who have graduated and those studying, are not getting registration in PM&DC. PM&DC has allocated certain admissions seats to medical universities but Baqai Medical University has admitted Afghan students above its designated limit, which is in violation with PM&DC rules. As a result, PM&DC has declined to register Afghan students and as per violation of PM&DC rules, it has given penalty of certain amount of fine to which the University has no intention to pay. Without PM&DC registration, the students claim that they are unable to complete their house jobs, post graduation studies, practice their profession and can't verify their degrees by higher authorities. The Baqai Medical University has discussed the issue of Afghan medical students with Prime Minister's secretariat and Higher Education Commission Pakistan, but authorities didn't respond positively. Afghan students have discussed the issue with Higher Education Commission Pakistan, Consulate and Embassy of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan but the issue remained unresolved till now. Afghan students allege that they are undergoing mental torture from the last several years and as a result compelled to hold a peaceful strike in our university on Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Celebrities should be sure of what they are speaking, especially on a foreign soil," says filmmaker Ashoke Pandit citing global star Priyanka Chopra's latest comment on Sikkim. The 'Baywatch' star has courted fresh controversy after calling Sikkim a state 'troubled with insurgency' in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival 2017. Speaking about it, the 60-year-old told ANI, "There's no doubt that Priyanka, who is an icon of this country, did a mistake, a blunder. Now that she has apologized, I think the matter should end here." Adding, "But there's no doubt that celebrities have to be particular in talking about things they are very confident upon otherwise things go on a wrong turn. It is important for people to know about that particular place before making a statement and that too on a foreign soil." For the unversed, shortly after her comments, the social media went into a spin following which PeeCee issued an apology letter to Sikkim tourism minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A suicide bomber targeted a convoy of foreign forces in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar on Friday afternoon. A Romanian forces' convoy was attacked near the Kandahar Airport when a suicide bomber blew up his explosive-laden car close to it, Tolo News reported. According to the sources, three Romanian soldiers were wounded in the blast. More details were awaited. On August 1, seven foreign soldiers were killed when a suicide bomber targeted a NATO convoy in Kandahar and Taliban claimed the responsibility for the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 'Star Wars' fans, now you can also be a part of Princess Leia's journey. According to The Hollywood Reporter, profiles in History shared that they will be putting the star's personal, hand-annotated shooting scripts of the classic films up for auction during their three day Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds personal property action on October 7-9 in Los Angeles. The first script up for auction is Fisher's personal, hand-annotated shooting script from 'Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.' The 158-page script features annotations by Fisher underlying subtext and context for Leia's dialogue. It is estimated to sell for USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Also up for auction is Fisher's bound presentation script for the original 1977 Star Wars film, 'A New Hope', signed by series creator and the film's director, George Lucas. Lucas inscribed the 156-page script, "To Carrie with much love, George." It is estimated to be sold for USD 20,000- USD 30,000. Another 'Empire Strikes Back script', this a bound presentation script with a title page reading 'Star Wars Episode Five: The Empire Strikes Back'. Finally, Fisher's bound presentation script for 'Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi' signed by George Lucas is also being auctioned. The title page reads, "Star Wars Episode Six Revenge of the Jedi Screenplay." Lucas marked an inscription on it - "For Carrie. Easy to say lines, George." The 107-page script also features 13 vintage promotional stills of Fisher as Princess Leia from various scenes in the film. It is estimated to sell for USD 20,000 - USD30,000. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar announced the 'Swachhta' Ranking 2017 for Higher Education Institutes at an event held at the Banquet hall in Hotel Ashok, New Delhi. Chitkara University was ranked third among the universities category for its hygiene campus and cleanliness activities out of the campus. A total of 3500 institutions took part in the Swachhta Ranking 2017 scheme out of which 25 best institutions were selected under four categories for award. The rankings were announced based on multiple segments including - cleanliness standards, cleaning systems, waste disposal methods, greenery in the institute campus, and campus accessibility. Campus hygiene included the availability of toilets in hostels, academic building condition, toilet condition and maintenance, running water facility, garbage clearance in campus and frequency and disposal system of garbage among other things. In activities outside campus, the Ministry awarded marks for adopting village or neighbourhood and activities taken to achieve the spread of cleanliness and hygiene. Chitkara University believes in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and the University addresses the social, economic and hygiene environmental impacts of its operations and helps to meet sustainable development goals. In line with its mission and values, Chitkara University is very insightful to the impact of activities on its students, employees, as well as on the regional community and the environment. Chitkara University as an organisation sees Corporate Social Responsibilities as the voluntary actions that the university takes to address both its competing interests and welfare of the society. Chitkara University brings Corporate Social Responsibility to life in impactful ways. Although Chitkara University has its name on a national map, University gives back to the local communities in which we live, work and play. The Centres' trademark of "social responsibility" goes beyond general notions attributed to charity; rather we uplift the decorum, efficiency, and sustainability of people and communities around us. Chitkara University community-giving is centered on educational and workplace willingness, employee volunteerism and hygiene sustainability activities. "It is a pleasure to stand among the top 25 hygiene institutions in the country. The Swachhta rankings announced by the Union Human Resources Department has not only certified Chitkara University as a hygiene campus, but also increased the responsibility of constantly adopting best hygiene practices to achieve the next level of cleanliness inside and outside the campus," said Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Vice Chancellor of Chitkara University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adrenalin eSystems Limited (AeSys), a global product and software solutions company in HR automation, today announced that The Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd. has gone live with Adrenalin, a global HCM solution internally re-branded by Insular as I-CON. This is a significant step by Insular Life towards digitizing the employee experience and accelerating the digital transformation efforts of the company. 780+ employees spread across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to benefit from the power of single source of employee information. The Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd. also known as Insular Life, is the first and largest Filipino life insurance company in the country. Founded on November 25, 1910, Insular Life serves the Filipino people by providing individual and group life, health and retirement insurance products. Insular Life currently employs 780+ employees and is operating across the Philippines with more than 50 field offices or branches. Insular Life deals with multiple portfolios in the insurance domain. The is driven on market conditions; the dynamic nature of the work requires greater involvement of HR to augment the resources that will arise from time to time. Insular Life needed a comprehensive, easy to understand, centralised HR system that could help them overcome the following challenges: Optimizing value of 201 File for purposes of decision making; Facilitating benefits administration vis-a-vis separate approaches for different employee group; Providing accurate references for employee development and movements based on required and actual competency levels; and Streamlining processes and reduce paper routing in personnel administration. After rigorous evaluation process, Insular Life decided to on-board Adrenalin-Transformative Digital HR. Insular Life selected Adrenalin HR modules such as HR Foundation, Employee Life Cycle, Workforce Administration, Self Service, Reports (iReporter) to help consolidate its HR system, to put employee first and help them succeed, and to provide real time employee insights for management's decision. With I-CON powered by Adrenalin, Insular Life aims to achieve improvement in efficiency of HR processes, HR related data consolidation and data accuracy, reduction of paper use, creating a communication channel for management and the employees through employee portal and ease of access to employee related insights. Dr. Krishna G V Giri, Chairman & CEO of Adrenalin eSystems says, "The world of HR is Changing. Digitalization is changing the way HR team is managing employees in an organization and it ensures data driven insights help the team to improve overall performance and productivity. Our partnership with Insular will ensure the HR team will achieve the goals by exploring the infinite possibilities with Digital Technologies." Florian C. De Leon - Insular Life HR Head says "Adrenalin HCM implementation which we collectively call at Insular Life as I-CON, is HRD's core initiative in its efforts to "digitize employee experience". This supports the digital transformation efforts of the company. Our vision is to become a high performance organization and ensure we have a single system across all touch points, streamline process and achieve seamless digital experience, enhanced employee experience and leverage the power of data insights to achieve business outcomes and drive organizational change. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exiled Tibetans protested in front of the iconic "Broken Chair" in Geneva ahead of the 36th United Nations Human Rights Council Session against the atrocities being committed by the Chinese Government and demanded independence for Tibet. Dawa Norbu, representative of Tibetan community of Switzerland, said, "We are here to protest ahead of the 36th United Nations Human Rights Council Session meeting as we want to make them (UN members) aware of the prevailing human rights situation in Tibet. We want our voices to be heard and the reason is why UN is not acting against the Chinese government. We want to make them aware that what wrong Chinese Government has done in past few years." Holding placards 'Who is responsible for self-immolation -The Chinese government' and raising slogans "we want justice", exiled Tibetans protesters called for a "Free Tibet". "Chinese have demolished Larung Gar Tibetan Buddhist Institute, one of the largest centres of Buddhist learning in Tibet. Now, they are trying to control the entire Buddhist institutes in Tibet," Dawa Norbu added. The protesters said the situation in Tibet is very dire at the moment. "Whatever development activities are being done by China in Tibet, it is being done for their own people. We are concerned about indigenous Tibetetians who live there and have no freedom to speak, no freedom to practice their religion and arbitrary arrests are made and people who have been arrested have no access to the lawyers, they are languishing in jails for years and we are deprived of justice," Norbu said. Tibetans raised issues ranging from the gross violations of human rights in Tibet, the resurgence of immolation protests in Tibet to the 1949 China's illegal occupation of Tibet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that the entire is raising its voice against the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and was calling upon the Myanmar Government to take their citizens back. "The Canadian prime minister has phoned Aung San Suu Kyi so that Myanmar takes back Rohingyas. The diplomats of 45 countries and representatives of two international organisations during their recent visit to Cox's Bazar have expressed deep concern over the atrocities against the Rohingyas," The Daily Star reported Prime Minister Hasina, as saying, in her speech at the Bangladesh Parliament. "The U.N. Security Council also urged Myanmar to stop the repression on the Rohingyas and highly lauded Bangladesh's role for giving shelter to the refugees," she added. She got emotional when she shared her experience of visiting Rohingyas in Ukhia, which she described as inhumane. "It was hard to hold back tears when I heard about the ordeal and atrocities," Hasina said. Hasina further said that the atrocities carried by the Myanmar authorities were beyond description. "It is not possible for them to live there. Therefore, we have decided to arrange a temporary accommodation for them at the Bhasan Char, also known as the Thengar Char," she added. She stressed on "where and how we will keep the refugees, although we have given them shelter on humanitarian grounds." Hasina is hoping that Myanmar authorities will take back the refugees who have taken shelter in Bangladesh and will provide security to them. On Wednesday, Hasina had dubbed the atrocities, unleashed by the military in the Rakhine state, as "acts against humanity and violation of human rights." "Myanmar has to take back its nationals and give them a safe place to live in their homeland. The international community should put pressure on the country as it is committing such atrocities against Rohingya people. This has to be stopped," Hasina said. She added that Bangladesh wants to maintain peace and good relations with its neighbouring countries, further urging Naypyidaw to end the persecution of the Rohingya minorities. She visited a Rohingya refugee camp, along with a delegation in Kutupalong. Earlier, the United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, had said that at least 2,70,000 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After claiming that he would form his own political party, actor Kamal Hassan on Friday said that he would be willing to work with Rajinikanth if the superstar ever decides to enter politics. However, he added that he would not enter politics in haste. "There are questions whether I will join hands with Rajinikanth in politics. If Rajini enters politics I'll join hands with him, the actor said. In a recent interview to the leading website, the actor asserted that he was thinking of launching a political party. Voicing his opinion on the present political scenario in Tamil Nadu, the megastar said "The sacking of V.K. Sasikala as the general secretary of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was a "solid step forward." On the work front, Hassan is busy with post production work of his forthcoming film Vishwaroopam 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has affirmed the Indian Government's full support to Bangladesh's stance over the Rohingya issue. Sheikh Hasina's Deputy Press Secretary Nazrul Islam said that Sushma spoke to the Bangladesh Prime Minister over the phone and conveyed the message to her, The Daily Star reported. Sushma emphasised that India is trying to build bilateral and multilateral pressure on Myanmar to stop the persecution of Rohingya Muslims as well as to take back the refugees sheltered in Bangladesh. "The Rohingya problem is not an issue for Bangladesh alone; rather, it has turned into a global matter from a regional one," Sushma told Hasina. The Rohingya Muslims, who have taken refuge in Cox's Bazar and Teknaf border areas in Bangladesh after they fled the barbarous persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine State, are now suffering due to an absence of food, shelters, medicines, sanitation facilities and clean water. Yesterday, India sent a consignment of humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh, in response to the humanitarian crisis. This development came days after Bangladesh briefed India about the problems faced by it due to the influx of refugees from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. Meanwhile, Hasina said that the entire is raising its voice against the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and was calling upon the government to take their citizens back. Prime Minister Hasina will also make a formal proposal at the upcoming 72nd United Nations General Assembly session for an early implementation of recommendations by the Kofi Annan-led Commission. The Advisory Commission recommended that the Myanmar Government take concrete steps to end the enforced segregation of Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims; ensure full and unfettered humanitarian access throughout the state; tackle Rohingya statelessness and "revisit" the 1982 Citizenship Law; hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable; and end restrictions on freedom of movement, among other recommendations. Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali said that Prime Minister Hasina would highlight the root cause behind the longstanding humanitarian crisis and place specific proposals for early solution during her address at the general debate on September 21. Prime Minister Hasina will also urge the leaders to play an effective role in stopping the genocide of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reacting on the ongoing Rohingya crisis, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday said that India had already given space to the refugees of 23 countries and so, others shouldn't moralise the situation. Speaking to ANI here, RSS leader Indresh Kumar said, "India's land is already limited. If we will think in terms of humanity, then we had already given space to 23 countries refugees. So it's better that others should not advice about humanity." Kumar further urged that Muslim countries should come forward and accept Rohingya muslims. "Rohingya muslims are not basically from India. Bangladeshi also sent them back because they were indulged in some illegal activities. I believe,the Muslim countries should come forward and accept Rohingya Muslims." "If they will spread violence then nobody will assimilate them," he added. Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh that the Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre would file an affidavit on the matter of deportation of Rohingya Muslims in Supreme Court on September 18. "We will file the affidavit on the 18th of September in the Supreme Court," said the Home Minister. On September 11, the Home Ministry of India prepared a copy of an affidavit that termed Rohingya Muslims as a threat to the security and asked the Supreme Court to not prohibit the government's move to deport illegal Rohingya immigrants. Terming Rohingya refugees as a threat to the security, Singh also said that the issue of illegal foreign immigrants would be dealt with a firm hand. Minister of State (Home) Hansraj Ahir on Wednesday said that the issues of law and order would be faced if the Rohingya immigrants stay in the country permanently. Meanwhile, two Rohingya Muslim refugees have urged the Supreme Court to direct the Central government to not deport them to Myanmar. The two Rohingya Muslim refugees, Mohammad Sallimullah and Mohammad Shakir, who had knocked the doors of the apex court in this regard, today told the court that they would face a certain death on being deported to Myanmar. The Rohingyas fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar. Rohingya, described by the United Nations as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012. According to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, at least 2,70,000 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has assured that the ministry and the Indian Army are competent enough to safeguard the lives of the people from any external threat. "I assure the people of India that Defence Ministry and our soldiers are completely prepared so citizens can live peacefully with their families," she told media here. The Defence Minister further said that the ministry is keeping a close eye on the ceasefire violation carried out by the Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC). "I will not precisely talk about ceasefire violations at this time but I can assure that we and the Home Ministry are closely monitoring the ceasefire violations," she added. Reacting to a question on Doklam issue, Sitharaman said that India's position on Doklam has already been established. "The External Affairs Ministry has already given a statement regarding it so I would not like to add anything to it," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian-origin psychiatrist from Telangana, Dr. Achyut Reddy, was stabbed to death in Kansas, United States on Thursday. Dr. Reddy's parents and brother reside in the Miryalaguda town, in the Nalgonda district of Telangana. Dr. Reddy had been working as a psychiatrist in Wichita, Kansas for the last 25 years. He was living with his wife, two daughters, and a son, informed his brother Aravind Reddy. "He had been working there since 1960. He completed his academics in Nalgonda and Hyderabad. From there, he migrated to the U.S. He has been there only since then," his father Bhadra Reddy told ANI. The doctor's family was shocked to hear the unfortunate news. "I came to know about the incident this morning that he was dead when somebody attacked him. Our family is shocked. My brother is very close to my heart. I am left alone," said Aravind Reddy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Condemning the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old boy at the Ryan International School, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday promised for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)-led investigation in the case. Khattar after meeting the father and mother of the deceased told media here, "I strongly condemned the murder of seven-year-old at Ryan International School. I inform you that now this case is handed over to the CBI for investigation. However, the Haryana Government will continue its investigation till the case is handed over to CBI." Khattar further asserted that his Government will monitor the school management closely for three months. After meeting the Chief Minister, the father of the deceased, Varun Thakur stated that he has full faith on the administration and the judicial system. "I urged the school's management to be alert so that such incidents should not take place in future," he said. Pradyuman Thakur was found dead inside the toilet of the Ryan International school, with his throat slit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pakistan Foreign Office on Friday said that it had received India's written pleadings to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in connection with case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage. According to a June 13 order, the ICJ, principal judicial organ of the United Nations, Pakistan has to submit a counter-memorial on December 13 . India has submitted its Memorial (written pleadings) on Wednesday to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the regard. The ICJ has suspended the death sentence of Jadhav after India moved the court in May, requesting immediate suspension of the death sentence. The Foreign Office spokesperson said a legal team headed by the Attorney General of Pakistan was examining the memorial and that Pakistan would submit its response to the court in December this year. Earlier, in its arguments before the court on May 15, India had expressed its fear that Pakistan could execute Jadhav even before the court gave its verdict. Pakistan had rejected India's request for consular access 18 times, which is a violation of the Vienna Convention. "The position of the Government of Pakistan, especially highlighting the acts of espionage, terrorism and sabotage committed by Commander Jadhav in Pakistan, which resulted in the loss of many precious and innocent lives of Pakistanis, would soon be submitted at the International Court of Justice," the Express Tribune quoted a statement issued by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson . Indian has accused Islamabad of violating the Vienna Convention by failing to provide him with consular access and for being in breach of international human rights law. New Delhi also appealed the court to impose emergency measures for Jadhav's execution to be suspended until the legal battle in the Hague concludes. On April 10, Jadhav was given the death sentence by a military court in Pakistan for alleged "espionage and subversive activities". Pakistan claims it arrested Jadhav in March last year from its restive Balochistan province, where the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor culminates. India, however, maintains that Jadhav was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concern over the plight of Rohingya Muslims, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday came out in support of the refugees and asked the United Nations (UN) to help them. Expressing her views over the issue, Mamata took to Twitter stating that "We do support the @UN appeal to help the Rohingya people. We believe that all commoners are not terrorists. We are really concerned". We do support the @UN appeal to help the Rohingya people. We believe that all commoners are not terrorists.We are really concerned Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 15, 2017 Earlier in the day, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday on its plans to deport Rohingya Muslims. More than, 3,80,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have fled Myanmar and reached Bangladesh after a crackdown by Myanmarese security forces in response to an attack on a military outpost by Rohingya militants on August 25. And around 40,000 Rohingyas are staying in India illegally and the Rohingyas are largely located in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan. Last month, the West Bengal government had announced that it would distribute identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to Rohingya children lodged in juvenile justice homes across the state after UNHCR officials in India wrote to the West Bengal government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CLOUDSEC, the leading internet security conference in Asia Pacific and Europe, today held its seventh annual event in Mumbai today. Hosted by Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE:4704), CLOUDSEC 2017 gathered more than 700 industry experts from across the globe to meet renowned industry thought-leaders who shared their insights to the community. Over 20 eminent speakers provided next-generation solutions, and instructed the organizations to 'Level-Up' their fight against cybercriminals. "Security can no longer be considered as an after-thought in the larger scheme of things, rather it should be a well-thought out investment by enterprises, looking to catapult themselves in a competitive and technology-driven environment. Companies need to adopt stringent measures to stay ahead of cyber criminals," said Dhanya Thakkar, Managing Director and Vice President, APAC, Trend Micro. He further added, "CLOUDSEC is the best platform for attendees to build their threat intelligence and improvise their knowledge through the track sessions, panel discussion and other activities. It gives them the opportunity to know and be aware of the latest security strategies and the ways to protect against the attackers." Present at the event, Nilesh Jain, Country Manager (India and SAARC), Trend Micro said, "Targeted attacks, Ransomware and Email Compromise (BEC) are some of the newer and stealthier security challenges faced by enterprises of today. As the cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem become more interconnected, it is essential for organizations to reevaluate and redefine their understanding of threats, risks, and solutions in an ever-changing landscape." During the event, Bill McGee, Senior Vice President of Hybrid Cloud Security, Trend Micro, offered insights on the latest and upcoming trends in cloud computing, which may challenge current information security mindset and practices. Simon Piff, Vice President of Security Practice, IDC, explained the future of IT security technologies and focused on the structural changes organizations need to make to ensure that the depth of innovation can be best leveraged to create a holistic and robust enterprise security strategy and Sunil Varkey, Vice President and CISO, Wipro Technologies, elaborated on trust and assurance, in the digital world. Also present at the event was, Christophe Durand, Police Senior Superintendent, Interpol Global Complex for innovation (IGCI) who explained how an enhanced attribution process could help in mitigating the cyber risk. Vishal Salvi, Chief Information Security Officer, Infosys, shared his perspective on Ransomware and how companies need to treat data protection proactively, getting the right solutions and processes in place to prepare for the inevitable attack. The event concluded with a closing keynote on evolving era of cloud by Nilesh Jain, Country Manager (India and SAARC), Trend Micro; Mohit Pande, Country Manager - India, Google Cloud and Arun Kumar Parameswaran, Managing Director, VMware India, who were the panelists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea has fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang that landed in the sea after passing over Japan. It was the 15th missile test by North Korea this year and the first since North Korea detonated its most powerful nuclear bomb to date on Sept. 3. The missile blasted off from near the Sunan International Airport north of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 2,300 miles, flying over northern Japan, The New York Times quoted South Korean military as saying. South Korea's presidential Blue House has called an urgent meeting of its national security council. The Guardian quoted Japan's public broadcaster NHK as saying that the missile passed over the northern island of Hokkaido and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km east of Japan. The government said there was no danger to people or shipping from missile debris. The launch comes a day after Pyongyang threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution (UNSC) imposing new sanctions against it for its 3 September nuclear test. According to experts, North Korea on September 3 detonated its largest nuclear bomb to date, a device four to 16 times larger than anything it had previously tested The UNSC on Monday unanimously adopted new sanctions on North Korea for conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on September 3. The sanctions are designed to accomplish six major goals: cap North Korea's oil imports, ban textile exports, end additional overseas labourer contracts, suppress smuggling efforts, stop joint ventures with other nations and sanction designated North Korean government entities. North Korea previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on 29 August which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters. North Korea has launched more than 80 missiles since Kim Jong-un came to power in 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 98 school girls were rescued on Friday from a school complex of Odisha's Malkangiri after they allegedly suffered from food poisoning. According to reports, school children of Girls Education complex of Badapada High School near COB Badapada suffered food poisoning after eating flattened rice in breakfast. They later started vomiting and fell sick. On receiving information, officials from nearby Border Security Force camp made efforts to save the children and ferried them using speed boat to Chitrakonda civil hospital. About 35 girls of the total affected are reportedly critical. This is not the first incident of food poisoning in Odisha. On Thursday, over 150 students of four primary schools fell ill after consuming mid-day meal in Odisha's Kalahandi's Lanjigarh block. The affected students were admitted to government hospital at Biswanathpur after they complained of vomiting, loose motion, nausea and stomach pain. Two girl students of Bandhapari Kasurba Gandhi Vidyalaya were referred to Bhawanipatna government hospital but were later admitted to Burla VSS Medical College and Hospital after their condition turned critical. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's top court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar against the Panama Papers judgement of July 28. A five-judge Supreme Court bench had taken up to review petitions filed by the family of Nawaz Sharif against the apex court's July 28 verdict over the Panama Leaks decision, the Dawn reported. Justice Asif Saeed Khosa announced, "For reasons to be recorded later, all these review petitions are dismissed." However, the reasons for the judgement will be revealed later in a detailed order. The rejection of the review petitions continues Sharif's disqualification as a member of the parliament. The Sharif family and Dar will now face corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the accountability court. Nawaz Sharif and his family have also been summoned by an Islamabad-based accountability court for September 19, a day after a trial in corruption cases against the ruling family officially began. Apart from Nawaz Sharif and his sons - Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz - his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law captain (retd) Safdar were also summoned in the Avenfield reference. Sharif and his sons had been named in the three references, while Maryam and her husband are the only respondents in the same reference. Meanwhile, another reference against Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for possessing assets beyond his known sources of income is yet to be taken up by the court. Sharif and his sons have been summoned in a reference pertaining to the Flagship Investment and other companies with the directives to appear in person and face the charges levelled in the reference. On July 28, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court, while disqualifying Sharif under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution had asked the NAB to file four references in the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) as well as that already available with the Federal Investigation Agency and the NAB. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said that petroleum products should be brought in the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Talking to media, Pradhan said, "We have to have a rational tax management. Both the state and union governments have to come to this consensus that petroleum products must come under the GST mechanism." He, however, remained non-committal on the rising diesel and petroleum prices in the country. "You have to appreciate the changing scenario. Everyday there is a pinch and relief. Due to natural calamities in the coastal areas of the United States, 13 percent refining capacity has been reduced which impacts the international market and which is now pinching," he said. The Minister further said that for a robust economy, the pricing freedom should remain with the oil companies. Commenting on Congress Party's threat to stage a country-wide protest against rise in excise duty of petrol and diesel, Pradhan said that the grand old party has looted the people while it was in power for 15 years, whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are using the profits to benefit the consumers. Defending the higher duty, he said that, "The government's budgetary allocation in past three years under rail, road, agriculture, irrigation, drinking water, education, health care as increased. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday kicked off the fortnight-long 'Swachhta Hi Seva' campaign from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. The campaign, which aims to take Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cleanliness initiative 'Swachh Bharat Mission' to a higher trajectory, was launched from Ishwari Ganj village near here. The President also made people take a pledge whereby they resolved to create a clean, healthy and new India. "Today, we are fighting a different battle - battle against uncleanliness," he said. Addressing the gathering, the President said that India is fighting a decisive battle for cleanliness and hygiene. President Kovind also urged the people to take up responsibility for the cleanliness of their surroundings. "Cleanliness is not the responsibility of only sanitation personnel and government departments; it is a multi-stakeholder movement. Together we should make the effort to clean our houses, public places, villages and cities," he said. He also said that the aim is all-round cleanliness and hygiene everywhere, with implications for health and sanitation and overall prosperity of the people. "We should make united efforts for cleanliness. It is not only the responsibility of the sanitation staff but all of us. Ensuring cleanliness will be the true tribute to Mahatma Gandhi," he said, adding diseases, including mental illness, can happen due to unclean atmosphere. The President also lauded the efforts made by the people of Ishwariganj in helping with the imitative. "The responsibility shown by people of Ishwariganj village to make their village open defecation free is laudable. I hope others will take a cue from this village," he said. He also had a word of praise for those women who refused to marry into homes without any toilets. Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Ram Naik; Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath; Sushri Uma Bharati, Union Minister of Drinking Water & Sanitation, and Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Lok Sabha MP from Kanpur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sanatan Sanstha on Friday shunned the reports of being involved in killing of journalist Gauri Lankesh. Sanatan Sanstha in a statement said that false news that its activists are involved in the killing of Gauri Lankesh are being spread with the assistance of few media houses. "This is nothing but an attempt being made by anti-Sanatan and anti-Hindu elements to deviate the investigation," Chetan Rajhans, Sanatan Sanstha's spokesperson said. Rajhans informed that on this issue, the role of Sanatan Sanstha will be informed to the media shortly through a press conference. This comes after the murder of 55-year-old senior journalist, who was shot dead on September 5, evening at her residence in Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar by some unidentified assailants. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Friday will hear a plea filed by two women lawyers seeking implementation of the existing guidelines to ensure safety and security of children in schools. A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and A.M. Khanwilkar, said that it has already issued a notice on a similar plea filed by the father of the child, who was killed at the Ryan International School. In its plea, they sought the implementation of various existing guidelines on the safety of school-going children. The Supreme Court earlier had issued notice to the Centre, the Haryana Government and the state's Director General (DG) of Police, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the CBI on a plea seeking a probe by the central agency into the murder of a seven-year-old boy inside the Ryan International School. After this, the CBSE issued a circular mentioning guidelines to be adopted by all schools for ensuring the safety of the students. The CBSE, in its circular, directed schools to install CCTV cameras, ensure police verification of staff and regulate entry of outsiders in school building. Seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur was found dead inside the toilet of the Ryan International school, with his throat slit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena on Friday continued its attack on India and Japan's joint venture of bullet train. In the editorial of its mouthpiece, Saamna, the party said that if Indian railways had taken lessons from Japan on the safety formula of its railway system, the country would have been happier. The latest attack comes in the wake of derailment of the Jammu Rajdhani Express, one of India's premiere trains. The incident happened on Thursday, the same day when foundation was laid for the bullet train by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Juxtaposing the introduction of bullet train with the derailment of the Rajdhani Express, the Shiv Sena drew the point of Indian railway's misplaced priority. "Japan has been running bullet trains since 1964, and that too at the speed of 500 to 600 km per hour," said the editorial and added that the important point here is that why there have been no accidents in Japan despite trains running at such speed. The bullet trains in Japan get cleaned in mere seven minutes, and it gets ready to run again. Moreover, a delay of even one minute is questioned, claimed Saamna. On the other hand, the party said that the Indian trains already running at low speed get derailed, but no one is held answerable for the same. "Hence, the major question is why shouldn't the strategy of Japan's guarantee of rail safety be learned, and why shouldn't its formula of clean and safe travel be adopted?" the editorial questioned. "Today, if the government had instead learned the technology of Japan's rail safety measures, then the country would have been happier," it further said. The editorial concluded by adding, "The Rajdhani Express is India's current bullet train. At least, save it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An eight-year-old boy was allegedly beaten up by a female schoolteacher for not finishing his homework in Gujarat's Surat city. Pradyuman, studying in fourth grade of Little Star High School in Udhna, was allegedly thrashed by his teacher on Tuesday with a wooden stick for not completing his English homework. The CCTV footage of the school has captured teacher Naina while she was mercilessly beating the child. The boy had sustained injuries on his back. Parents of the thrashed boy have lodged a complaint against the teacher with the Udhna Police Station after which the teacher was arrested on Wednesday. A case has been registered in this regard. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TAB Capital, a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), entered into an association with the Nucleus Software, a leading provider of lending and transaction banking solutions to the global financial services industry. As a part of the association, TAB Capital will implement Nucleus' FinnOne Neo Cloud solution to support the end-to-end digitisation of their lending business, thus strengthening TAB Capital's position in the digital lending market and providing easier access to loans for the MSMEs. Over 30 million companies operate in the MSME sector, contributing 45 per cent of the manufacturing output and 40 per cent of the exports. However, lending to MSME segment has been constrained by cumbersome, time consuming and inefficient processes. The company will deploy FinnOne Neo Cloud to take advantage of the benefits that cloud technology brings, including reduced time to market, on-demand scalability, and market-leading security. The company will also implement Nucleus FinnOne Neo Lending Mobility solutions - mCAS and mCollect - for leveraging the power of mobile in loan origination and collections, thereby helping TAB Capital further drive efficiency, cost reduction and faster decision-making. Nucleus FinnOne Neo Lending Mobility helps banks and NBFCs manage the end-to-end loan life cycle of their customers on mobile devices. The solution helps banks on-board customers faster, deliver better services and simplify collection processes. "TAB Capital was incepted with the vision to digitalise lending and bring conventionally underserved segments into the purview of financial inclusion. To the same accord, we are glad to announce our association with Nucleus Software and looking forward to working with them as we turbo charge our growth by offering new-age lending solutions and outstanding customer experiences," said CA Abhay Bhutada, Founder and Managing Director at TAB Capital Limited. "The MSME sector is an important part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' and 'Digital India' initiatives. The government has recently announced new schemes for empowering rural and the MSME sector. It is important to ensure that this segment has easy access to affordable credit and we are happy to be contributing towards this digital push. With FinnOne Neo Cloud, the company will be able to scale faster and provide easier access to innovative loan products," added Vishnu R. Dusad, CEO, Nucleus Software. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Friday announced that archakas (Preists) and employees working in the temples will be paid salaries on par with the government employees. The announcement will be implemented from November 2017. Rao said, "The Dhoop Deep, Naivedyam programme, which is being implemented in 1805 temples, will be extended to another 3000 temples in the state." The CM also declared that a Dharmika Parishad has been constituted to supervise and monitor temple related issues. "The situation of government bossing over the temples should go. This is the reason why we are forming Dharmika Parishad to take care of the temple administration and other issues thereby reducing the government's role. The temple administration will be entrusted to the Dharmika Parishad. For the welfare of Brahmins we have launched Brahmin Welfare Parishad with Rs 100 crore fund," the CM said. In the past 1805 temples were given Rs 2,500 per month for the Dhoop, Deep naivedyam. Now, the Telangana government has increased it to Rs 6,000. "We will give Rs 6,000 per month to another 3,000 temples in the State," the CM mentioned. The announcement was made in the meeting with the archakas who came from all over the State at Pragati Bhavan here on Friday. . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump on Friday targeted ESPN media after a media professional from the channel attribute him as white supremacist. Taking to twitter Trump said "ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth." ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Recently, ESPN anchor Jemele Hill said "Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists." But Trump, through his tweet on Friday, sided with the conservative commentators who say it's really liberal bias that is poisoning ESPN and dragging down the business. When White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked about it on Wednesday, she said Hill's criticism of the president should be considered a "fireable offense by ESPN."The next day, on Fox News, Sanders reiterated this. Earlier, Trump slammed media for bringing disregard to America by accusing it of "trying to take away our history and our heritage" at a campaign-style rally at Pheonix, Arizona. Trump labeled the media as "the source of division" in the United States. He claimed that the media "would rather getting ratings and clicks than tell the truth." In a scathing attack Trump has said, "The only people giving a platform to these hate groups is the media itself and the fake news." He then mocked the media present at the rally, accusing news outlets of "turning the cameras off" at the rally and cutting off coverage of the event. "For the most part honestly, these are really, really dishonest people, they're bad people," Trumpsaid of the media at the rally in Phoenix. "I really think they don't like our country, I really believe that." He called out more media outlets by name, but praised Fox News and Sean Hannity for their "fair" coverage of his presidency. Trump strongly defended his response to violence in Charlottesville, Virginia , at his first public rally in Phoenix since his remarks initiated a national debate about whether his a statement had emboldened racists. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will meet 3 p.m. EDT on latest missile test by North Korea. According to reports, the United Nations Security Council will meet at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Friday on the latest North Korea missile test at the request of the United States and Japan. North Korea has fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang that landed in the sea after passing over Japan. It has further ratcheted up tensions after Pyongyang's recent test of its most powerful nuclear bomb. The South Korean military said that the latest missile launch took place in Pyongyang just before 07:00 local time on Friday (22:00 GMT on Thursday). It was the 15th missile test by North Korea this year and the first since North Korea detonated its most powerful nuclear bomb to date on Sept. 3. The missile blasted off from near the Sunan International Airport north of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 2,300 miles, flying over northern Japan, The New York Times quoted South Korean military as saying. South Korea's presidential Blue House called an urgent meeting of its national security council. Japan's government strongly protested against North Korea's missile test and called it Pyongyang's latest intolerable provocation. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo will never tolerate North Korea's "provocative" acts. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said he thinks the missile that North Korea fired on Friday was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), given its firing range, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported. It is notable that the UNSC on Monday unanimously adopted new sanctions on North Korea for conducting its sixth and largest nuclear test on September 3. The sanctions are designed to accomplish six major goals: cap North Korea's oil imports, ban textile exports, end additional overseas labourer contracts, suppress smuggling efforts, stop joint ventures with other nations and sanction designated North Korean government entities. It was the ninth U.N. sanctions resolution adopted on North Korea since 2006. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an unfortunate incident, four children died by drowning in a pond in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki. The children had gone for a swim when the incident took place. Soon after the incident, the police reached on the spot, and began the search for bodies with the aid of local villagers. The children were residents of Tajpur Ward three of Fatehpur area and have been identified as Danish (10), Kaif (9), Arshad (12), Ubaid (11). A case has been registered and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that the Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre would file an affidavit on the matter of deportation of Rohingya Muslims in Supreme Court on September 18. "We will file the affidavit on the 18th of September in the Supreme Court," said the Home Minister. On September 11, the Home Ministry of India prepared a copy of an affidavit that termed Rohingya Muslims as a threat to the security and asked the Supreme Court to not prohibit the government's move to deport illegal Rohingya immigrants. Terming Rohingya refugees as a threat to the security, Singh also said that the issue of illegal foreign immigrants would be dealt with a firm hand. Minister of State (Home) Hansraj Ahir on Wednesday said that the issues of law and order would be faced if the Rohingya immigrants stay in the country permanently. Meanwhile, two Rohingya Muslim refugees have urged the Supreme Court to direct the Central government to not deport them to Myanmar. The two Rohingya Muslim refugees, Mohammad Sallimullah and Mohammad Shakir, who had knocked the doors of the apex court in this regard, today told the court that they would face a certain death on being deported to Myanmar. The Rohingyas fled to India after violence in the Western Rakhine State of Myanmar. Rohingya, described by the United Nations as the world's most persecuted people, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012. According to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, at least 2,70,000 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that his government will strive to generate employment in the state. Khattar said that in his regime 1.2 lakh employment opportunities will be created in Haryana. Addressing the gathering at the Digital Haryana Summit 2017 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the Haryana Government has raised the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 250 to 500 for IT and IT enabled companies. Khattar further said that the state will invest Rs 20,000 crore in Haryana to promote State as 'Electronic and Manufacturing Hub'. He also stated that under the Startup policy the Haryana Government will develop Two lakh square meter land, and said, "We have created two funds of fifteen and 100 crore for startups. Khattar also said that Haryana has become the first state to launch cyber security policy, adding that, "We will open cyber police station." Khattar also said that his government has launched the 'Saral portal' where people can get more then 150 services online. "Besides that we have also launched Harpath Application to repair potholes, roads, and colonies in the state," Khattar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs is considering market borrowings to incentivize speedy execution of urban infrastructure projects under various new urban missions launched over the last two years. This was stated by the Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri while addressing 'Public Affairs Forum of India' on challenges and opportunities of rapid urbanization. Shri Puri said To overcome the severe infrastructure deficit accumulated over long years, huge order of investments is required. To meet various contingencies and to ensure fund availability to meet the targets under new urban missions, we are thinking of mobilizing resources from the market. We have undertaken an assessment of requirement of funds till 2022 and likely flow of funds. To ensure assured fund flow, setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle to tap the market is under examination. Once this idea is firmed up, we will take it forward in an appropriate manner. The Minister assured that the Government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will spare no efforts to realize a new Urban India and will work shoulder to shoulder with State and city governments in the true spirit of Team India. He further noted These are happening times in India and Urban India is an integral part of this exciting and challenging journey. I am confident that success will be with the people of India. Elaborating on the ongoing efforts to further improve urban governance, planning and execution, Shri Puri announced that a comprehensive evaluation of implementation and outcomes of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) will be undertaken which will serve several purposes, it being the first concerted effort to make a difference in urban sector. He said The terms of evaluation will cover the extent of realization of stated goals of JNNURM, an assessment of improvement in urban governance further to implementation of reforms, identification of lacunae and reasons for shortfall in physical and financial progress. This evaluation will provide useful guidance to city and State Governments in the context of current thrust on urban rejuvenation. JNNURM was implemented during the period 2005-14, before it was wound up by the previous government. This government, however, continued to finance some of the incomplete projects based on certain criteria, to enable their completion. Referring to the impact on the ground of new urban missions, Shri Puri said that though the new Missions like Smart City Mission, AMRUT and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) were launched only a little over two years back, substantial work is being executed on the ground with hundreds of projects under implementation. He asserted that visible impact will be visible in the next few months and expressed confidence that targeted outcomes will be achieved within given time frames. To prove his point, the Minister gave an account of performance during 2014-17 and the earlier ten years. Elaborating on the paradigm shift in urban development approach of this Government, the Minister said The city level action plans for improving urban infrastructure under different new missions have not been drafted in Delhi. They all emanated from the ground level and are collective expression of the aspirations of the citizens and city governments. Ownership of these plans is with them and not with Delhi. So, they have the obligation of ensuring their timely implementation. Shri Puri announced that a National Conclave of States and Union Territories will be organized for a high level mid-tem review with Ministers of the progress of various urban missions, for sharing of experiences for mutual benefit and a structured discussion on speeding up of implementation to meet time bound targets. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wipro announced before market hours today, 15 September 2017 that it has been awarded a seven year contract by innogy SE, an European energy company, to manage their data center and cloud services. Wipro announced that it has joined The Linux Foundation as a Silver Member. The Linux Foundation is a nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source technologies. Wipro has identified open source technologies as one of the strategic client themes to drive transformation across the enterprise. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 2017. HCL Infosystems announced that the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), vide its letter dated 13 September 2017, has given its approval for the reclassification of the promoters and members of the promoter group of the company as public shareholders. A total of 10 erstwhile promoter entities were reclassified as public shareholders viz. Apollo Trading and Finance holding 0.6% stake end June 2017, BFL Investments and Financial Consultants (0.6%), Vireet Investments (0.82%), AKM Systems (5.38%), Gita Chowdhry (0.07%), Ajai Chowdhry (0.09%), Poorva Malhotra (0.01%), Kiran Malhotra (0.03%), Shiven Malhotra (0.01%) and Akshay Chowdhry (0%). The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 2017. Hinduja Ventures announced that its board on 14 September 2017, accorded its approval for making an aggregate investment of Rs 7.94 crore by subscribing to 7.89 lakh equity shares of Rs 10 each offered to the company on rights basis in the proportion of 1 new equity share for every 28 equity shares (1:28) by Hinduja Leyland Finance (HLFL) at a price of Rs 100 per share and 4,883 equity shares of HLFL renounced in favour of the company at a price of Rs 100 per share. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 2017. Corporation Bank has fixed Marginal Cost of Funds Based Lending Rate (MCLR) from 15 September 2017. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 2017. MCLR for overnight loans will be 8.1%, the rate for one month will be 8.1% and for three months it will be 8.2%. Ujaas Energy announced that it has received letter of award from Oil India for engineering, procurement and construction contract for Solar Energy Generation project of 500KW at pump station of Oil India at Jorhat in Assam. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 2017. Piramal Enterprises announced that administrative committee of the board of directors of the company approved the allotment of 3,300 secured, redeemable, non-convertible debentures having face value of Rs 10 lakh each totalling Rs 330 crore on private placement basis. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 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.) Wipro rose 0.63% to Rs 285.70 at 9:25 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has been awarded a seven year contract by innogy SE, an European energy company, to manage their data center and cloud services. The announcement was made before market hours today, 15 September 2017. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 9.68 points, or 0.03% to 32,232.25. On the BSE, 22,000 shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 4.29 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 287 and a low of Rs 284.40 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 303.55 on 11 September 2017. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 205 on 9 November 2016. Separately, Wipro announced that it has joined The Linux Foundation as a Silver Member. The Linux Foundation is a nonprofit organization enabling mass innovation through open source technologies. Wipro has identified open source technologies as one of the strategic client themes to drive transformation across the enterprise. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 14 September 2017. Wipro's consolidated net profit fell 8.13% to Rs 2082.60 crore on 2.58% fall in net sales to Rs 13626.10 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q4 March 2017. Wipro is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ragusa (Italy), Sep 15 (IANS/AKI) Police in Italy's Sicily on Friday arrested 15 mafia suspects accused of extortion against local businesses, of money laundering and fraud. A company and agricultural land was impounded during the operation, police said. The suspects allegedly belong to the Sicilian mafia's Ventura clan whose stronghold is the town of Ragusa. They were detained after a probe coordinated by anti-mafia prosecutors in the eastern port city of Catania, which identified the clan's leadership and organisational structure, said police. A total 102 officers, sniffer dogs and helicopters were deployed in Friday's operation, according to police. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adding to its range of 'Mix' digital cultural products, the British Council will launch 'Mix the Body' platform through which users will be able to choreograph unique dance sequences on their phones using British choreographer Wayne McGregor's dance language and dancers from Bengaluru-based Attakkalari contemporary movement arts company. "For 'Mix the Body' we asked Wayne to help us deconstruct his work and then create a way to share his unique dance language with the world. We've teamed up with Bengaluru-based Attakkalari," British Council India's Director Alan Gemmell told IANS. "So when we launch, users will be able to choreograph a unique dance - on their phones - using Wayne's dance language and dancers from Attakkalari and Wayne's company. It looks beautiful and will be amazing," he said after the launch of the 'Mix the City Kolkata', an interactive music platform that connects the city with its music and its people. Asked on the variety of 'Mix' products ('Mix the City' and 'Mix the Play') and the ones in store, Gemmell said the Mix products also "try to deconstruct an art form and democratise it a little". "With the Mix products we're trying to take the best of our offline work online. I think at our best our work is trying to promote curiosity, make people a bit more reflective, celebrate diversity. We always try to have a great user experience and interface too. So we've taken that as our secret sauce and infused it in all the 'Mix 'work we do," he said. "We're humble about making such grand statements - but I hope that when people use 'Mix the Play', they think a little bit about what it means to be a director or what it means to be a musician or music producer when they use 'Mix the City'. I also hope that some future directors, musicians and producers will have been inspired by these initiatives," he added. "Mix the City Kolkata" features 12 exciting Kolkata-based musicians: Tanmoy Bose, Somnath Roy, Kaushiki Chakraborty, Pradyumna Singh Manot, Mainak 'Bumpy' Nag Chowdhury, Deepsankar Bhattacharjee, Subir Ray, Abir Singh Khangura, Varun Desai (Yidam), Rupashree Bhattacharya, Golam Fakir and Punjab Band. Each musician is filmed at a celebrated location across the city. In Kolkata, the locations that have been filmed in are as varied as the music itself, including well-known landmarks, arts spaces, neighbourhoods and even hangout zones. --IANS sgh/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 33-year-old businessman who was also associated with a Hindu outfit was gunned down here by three bike-borne assailants, police said on Friday. The incident occurred on Thursday night when Ranjeet was standing outside his residence in Seelampur in east Delhi. "It appears to be a case of personal animosity. Three assailants on a bike stopped near Ranjeet and fired some half a dozen rounds. The assailants escaped after Ranjeet collapsed on the ground," a senior police officer said. The police were examining CCTV cameras to identify the killers, the officer added. Ranjeet was President of the Bajrang Seva Hindu Dal, police said. Along with his wife Sarita and other family members, he had lived in Seelampur for over 25 years. --IANS sp/mr/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Friday demanded withdrawal of central excise duties and other taxes on petrol and diesel and said it will hold a demonstration at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday to press for this demand. Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said the party unit in Delhi will launch a campaign at petrol pumps across the city to protest the price hike and collect 10 lakh signatures which will be submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Maken said that considering the fall in the prices of crude oil in the international market, the prices of petrol and diesel should be Rs 34 and Rs 32, respectively. "While the Narendra Modi government has spelled out absurd reasons like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma for the increase in petrol and diesel prices, it has dealt a devastating blow to the savings of the common people by brazenly increasing central excise duty 11 times in the past 3.5 years," Maken told the media. "There has been 133.47 per cent increase in excise duty on petrol and 400.86 per cent on diesel. There was also an increase in VAT of 73.34 per cent on petrol and 91.31 per cent on diesel since May 2014 by the Delhi government," he added. Maken said the Modi government has also robbed 18.11 crore LPG consumers by increasing prices of subsidised cylinder by Rs 75 in the past three years. "The BJP government has not even spared the poorest of the poor. Kerosene prices have recorded a double-digit growth throughout this fiscal," he added. --IANS sid/him/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major show of defiance to the international community, North Korea fired another ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, creating new tension in the region after its nuclear bomb test less than two weeks ago. The missile was fired from Sunan district near Pyongyang and reached an altitude of about 770 km, travelling 3,700 km before landing in the sea off Hokkaido, South Korea's military was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. It flew higher and further than one fired over Japan late last month, the reports said. Speaking after the launch, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was "totally unacceptable" and went against "the international community's strong, united will for a peaceful solution" to the Korean crisis. South Korea responded within minutes by firing two ballistic missiles into the sea in a simulated strike on the North. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also condemned the North Korean launch and the UN Security Council will meet at the request of Washington and Tokyo. China, North Korea's ideological ally, called the missle test "a violation of UN Security Council resolutions". "China objects to the North's move to launch missiles by using ballistic technology in violation of UNSC resolutions," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. Friday's missile test followed the release of a statement on Wednesday in which the North Korean state news agency KCNA threatened the "four islands of the (Japanese) archipelago should be sunk into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche", referring to the ruling ideology of North Korea. The Japanese government issued a J-Alert and advised "people to stay away from anything that could be missile debris". The launch also seemed to be intended to send a message to the US, flying a distance equivalent to that from North Korea to Guam, the US territory that has come under threat from Pyongyang in recent weeks. North Korea has fired 21 missiles during 14 tests since February, further perfecting its technology with each launch. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to check the menace of multiple driving licences being issued to individuals, the central government will soon introduce linking of Aadhaar with driving licences, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Friday. The Minister for Electronics and Information Technology said that after linking PAN with Aadhaar, the government would now link Aadhaar with driving licences. Speaking at the "Haryana Digital Summit-2017" here, Prasad said: "I have already had a word with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in this regard and the process to link Aadhaar with driving licences would be set in motion soon. Aadhaar is a safe and secure tool for good governance and empowerment." "Aadhaar represents digital identity, not physical identity, and that digital identity confirms physical identity. The purpose of linking PAN with Aadhaar is to stop money laundering," he said. The Summit was organised by the Haryana government with a view to bringing together industry experts, visionaries, thought leaders, policy makers, academicians and co-operative heads on a single platform. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain were also present at the Summit. Prasad said he was proud of the Indian IT industry which had held high the Indian flag in 200 cities of 80 countries across the globe. While reiterating the commitment of the central government towards providing affordable and inclusive technology to the people, he said the concept of Digital India would help create an inclusive society. About 30 lakh people are directly working in IT companies across the country, out of which a third are women. "Digital India is a means to bring a smile on the faces of the poor and common people. The central government has opened 30 crore accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojna, and these have been linked with Aadhaar during the last one-and-half years. The beneficiaries are now getting subsidy under various schemes directly in their bank accounts." Besides, 455 mandis across the country have so far been linked with eNAM, the online trading portal for farmers. As many as eight crore soil health cards have been issued to the farmers in the country with digital profile of their crops. "India's digital economy is growing fast, and by 2020 it is expected to provide job opportunities to 50-70 lakh youths," he said. While lauding the efforts of the Haryana government led by Chief Minister Khattar, Prasad said that with the launch of Cyber Security Policy (on Friday), the state had become the first state in the country to implement this policy. "Haryana has the potential to become an electronics and mobile manufacturing hub," he said, adding that with the setting up of Atal Seva Kendras in the state, Haryana had taken a lead in the country in terms of technological advancement. Assuring all support of his ministry to the Haryana government for bringing about a digital revolution in the state, he urged the entrepreneurs present at the Summit to adopt 20-30 villages having the facility of optical fibre network to provide Wi-Fi facility there and help in digital transformation of villages. Speaking on the occasion, Khattar urged the Union Minister to provide assistance for connecting all the 6,500 villages of the state with Wi-Fi facility. "I would also urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide a special package to Haryana for this purpose. Wi-fi facility is being provided in about 100 villages in the first phase but optical fibre network has been laid out in almost all villages of the state," he added. Describing Digital India as a dream of the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Khattar said they had set a target to provide digital literacy to 12 lakh people in the state. "Under 'Saral Scheme', a unified platform will be prepared for the delivery and tracking of more than 380 government schemes and services. From Friday onwards, the people will be able to track over 130 schemes through website or SMS from the comfort of home," he said. --IANS pradeep/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police were investigating reports of an "explosion" in a carriage of a London Tube train on Friday. Officers and ambulance service were on the scene at Parsons Green in south-west London, reports the BBC. Transport for London tweeted: "We are investigating an incident at Parsons Green." Train services between Earl's Court and Wimbledon on the District Line were suspended. --IANS ksk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung called for intensifying the over three month-long agitation in northern West Bengal, fresh clashes broke out between the party cadres and police in Kalimpong on Friday. As many as 15 GJM cadres including a councillor, Bimala Chhetry, were detained in Kalimpong, said IG Darjeeling Manoj Verma. Pro-shutdown GJM cadres attacked police at Kalimpong motor stand with bricks prompting police to baton charge and lob tear gas shells to control the situation. At least six persons police personnel and and picketers were injured. A school bus ferrying students was also attacked near Tista Bazar along National Highway 10. The students were on the way to a hospital from their hostel for routine check up. Gurung on Thursday had warned if tripartite talks on Gorkhaland were not held immediately, the situation in the Darjeeling hills would further worsen. "Tripartite talks have to be held as soon as possible, else the situation in the hills will deteriorate and the state government would be responsible for it," Gurung said in an audio message from an undisclosed location. Urging the pro-shutdown activists to further intensify the "picketing" from Friday, Gurung said the government would have to take responsibility if any untoward takes place in the hills. Gurung's comments came two days after the second phase of the government sponsored all-party meeting in Jalpaiguri, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee agreed on a few points with the hill parties but refused to commit, stating legal issues. --IANS str-sgh/pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Harvard University on Friday rescinded a visiting fellowship offered to Chelsea Manning, the transgender US soldier convicted of espionage for leaking national security secrets, after it faced strong backlash. "I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility," Douglas W. Elmendorf, the Kennedy school's dean, wrote in a 700-word statement released earlier on Friday. The Kennedy School's Institute of Politics on Wednesday announced the offer to Manning, 29, along with three others, The Washington Post reported. As part of the programme, visiting fellows appear on Harvard's campus for speaking engagements and events, interacting with undergraduate students on "topical issues of today", the school's initial announcement explained. Elmendorf decided to withdraw the invitation after realising that "many people view a Visiting Fellow title as an honourific", though the school had not intended to "honour (Manning) in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds". She is still welcome to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak at the school's John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, the dean said. "I apologize to her and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard today for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation." In response, Manning accused the school of suppressing "marginalized voices" and caving to pressure from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The Washington Post reported. "This is what a military/police/intel state looks like. The CIA determines what is and is not taught at Harvard," she tweeted. The dean's decision came hours after CIA Director Mike Pompeo withdrew from a planned appearance on Thursday at the Kennedy School and chastised the institution for calling attention to Manning. In a etter to the event's organizers, Pompeo, who earned a law degree from Harvard, branded Manning an "American traitor" whose actions and ethos contradict the intelligence agency's most basic and sacred values. "Harvard's actions implicitly tell its students that you too can be a fellow at Harvard and a felon under United States law... I believe it is shameful for Harvard to place its stamp of approval upon her treasonous actions." In 2007, while on leave from service in Iraq, Manning sent hundreds of thousands of classified and sensitive documents to WikiLeaks, including the video known as "Collateral Murder" that showed US military killing dozens of unarmed Iraqi citizens. After six years behind bars, she was released from Fort Leavenworth prison on May 17 when, in one of his final acts as US President, Barack Obama commuted her sentence, saying "justice has been served". --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Haryana Police on Friday arrested the driver of Honeypreet Kaur, the controversial adopted daughter of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the disgraced chief of the Dera Sacha Sauda sect. Pradeep Kumar, was arrested by a team of the Haryana Police from a location near the religious town of Salasar in Rajasthan, police sources here said on Friday. The sources said that the arrest could help the police to know the whereabouts of Honeypreet, whose real name is Priyanka Taneja and has been absconding since August 25 evening. She had accompanied the disgraced godman till the CBI special court in Panchkula where he was convicted on August 25 on two counts of rape. She even accompanied Ram Rahim in the government helicopter from Panchkula to Rohtak after he was convicted in the rape cases and was being shifted to the prison near Rohtak. The Haryana Police have booked Honeypreet for sedition and being involved in an alleged conspiracy to help Ram Rahim escape after his conviction. A lookout notice has been issued against Honeypreet. Honeypreet, who is in her mid-30s and is considered closest to Ram Rahim, and has been his heroine in the five films that he has directed, produced and acted in, in the last three years. Though both (Ram Rahim and Honeypreet) call themselves as the 'father-daughter' duo, her former husband had accused both of having an illicit relationship. Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by the CBI court on August 28. His conviction led to violence in Panchkula and Sirsa in Haryana, leaving 38 people dead and 264 injured. Isolated incidents of violence were also reported from Delhi and several other places in Punjab. --IANS js/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A renowned Indian doctor who expounded a system called "Absolute Yoga" has been stabbed to death in Kansas state in the US. One of his patients was arrested for the killing, police said. Achutha Reddy, a psychiatrist who hailed from Telangana, was murdered at his clinic in East Wichita on Wednesday night. An Indian American man, Umar Rashid Dutt, was arrested and charged with first degree murder, according to TV station KAKE. Reddy, 57, is the second Indian killed this year in Kansas. Another Telangana resident, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was shot dead in Olathe in February. Media reports quoted the police as saying that the assailant repeatedly stabbed the doctor after a conversation. The attack on Reddy began in his clinic and ended in a nearby lane as the fleeing doctor was chased down by the assailant. Police Lieutenant Todd Ojile said on Thursday that the office manager of Reddy's Holistic Psychiatric Services heard a disturbance in the doctor's office on Wednesday evening around 7 p.m. and saw the assault taking place. The manager tried to stop the attack, allowing Reddy to flee. But Reddy was chased by the assailant and killed in a second assault in an alley behind the clinic, Ojile said. He said Reddy had several stab wounds and was pronounced dead by the emergency medical team that responded. Dutt was arrested near a country club a short time later when a security guard alerted police to a man covered with blood in a car, Ojile said. Reddy's wife Beena is also a doctor. Fellow doctors and members of the community described his death as a tragic loss to society. Hailing from Nalgonda in Telangana, Reddy graduated from Osmania Medical College in 1986. He moved to the US where he completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita. Reddy was affiliated to various hospitals in the region and was known to be a yoga and fitness expert. He expounded a system he called "Absolute Yoga". According to TV station KAKE, a Wichita State University spokesman said Dutt, arrested for Reddy's murder, was a former student and was last enrolled in the spring of 2015. He is being held in prison on a $1 million bond. Dutt's neighbours and a former teacher said although he was "kind and very quiet", he was also rebellious and involved with wrong company. Ryan Schrader, who taught Dutt for three years in high school, told a US TV station that he remembered discussions on him being sent to India as one of several ideas to "get him on a better path". The Wichita Eagle newspaper quoted Denis Knight, president of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, as saying: "The Medical Society is heartbroken over the loss of Reddy." April Marie Schlenker from Kansas State University said: "Reddy was so unique to anyone else I have ever met in the therapy/psychiatric world. He connected almost instantly with people. His eyes held wisdom and secrets and joy." A patient, Cecilia Smith, credited him with saving her life. She told KWCH TV. "I tried killing myself, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been here today." In a statement, Reddy's family said it "wants to thank each and every one that made his life a joy every day". --IANS al-soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Standing by its philosophy of 'Fitness is life, leading fitness brand Reebok has come up with second edition of its #FitToFight campaign with Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut. This year the campaign fights looming gender demons of eve-teasing. Launched last year, the #FitToFight campaign with Kangana inspired women to become better versions of themselves, not just physically but also mentally and socially. It culminated with the brand's first #FitToFight award ceremony where stories of women heroes like Deepa Malik and Geeta Tandon were recognised. This year the fitness brand is back with #FitToFight 2017, to fight eve-teasing, read a statement. Talking about the campaign, Kangana, Brand Ambassador of Reebok India, said: "Even after 11 years of being in this industry, I am constantly battling perceptions and misconceptions, and breaking stereotypes every single day. Therefore, I identify very strongly with Reebok's FitToFight campaign and specially this year's theme 'Girls Don't Fight'." "Reebok has addressed very topical issues, things that we as women have unfortunately encountered at some point in our lives. I believe that each woman has a story within herself - of hardships and hope, battles and strength, sorrows and faith - and I hope that through #FitToFight these stories get a platform for others to draw inspiration," she added. With this campaign, Reebok takes the stands that the world is wrong in their belief that girls don't fight. "Girls Don't Fight" puts the ordinary Indian woman at its core and shows her how fitness helps tackle the varied challenges imposed on her. The focus is on breaking stereotypes and staring down challenges and in doing so, Reebok aims to break the most perpetuated stereotype faced by every woman and tell the world that girls, in fact, can and do fight. Announcing the second edition of the campaign and talking about this year's theme "Girls Don't Fight", Silvia Tallon, Senior Director Brand Marketing, Reebok, said: "I am proud to be a part of the Reebok family; being associated with a brand that celebrates the strength each woman carries within herself is indeed a matter of pride." "FitToFight is a platform for each woman to share her personal story with the world - from her struggles to her victories. With Girls Don't Fight we wanted to address social issues that will resonate with each woman at some level." The film starts with the protagonist, Justine Rae Mellocastro, a black belt in choi Kwang do, professional hairstylist and a competitive swimmer in real life, being encountered by the menace of eve teasing. Through fitness she is seen garnering mental strength to fight the perithers to draw inspiration." --IANS nv/sug/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed the French government in its plans to reform the labour market, the media reported. Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin along with France's Prime Minister on Friday, Merkel said that President Emmanuel Macron had vowed to carry out the reform during his election campaign, and he was now putting his plans into action, Efe news reported. The head of the German government considered that Macron had grounds to implement the reforms as he had outlined them during his campaign, and received popular support in the presidential and parliamentary elections. Subsequent wins in the elections gave Macron's government a "strong legitimacy" to move ahead with the changes he had presented during the campaign, Merkel said. Edouard Philippe for his part pointed out that the government had been elected based on the measures and had "a very strong democratic legitimacy". The protests, concern of others and the opposition were part of democratic exchange, Philippe said. Earlier in the week, France saw large-scale nationwide protests by members of trade unions, who marched in rejection of the new measures being introduced into the labour market, including making it easier for companies to hire and fire employees. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto asked the US to find a permanent solution for the beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, most of which are of Mexican origin. Pena Nieto on Thursday made the remarks while speaking by phone with the US President Donald Trump. In turn, Trump was optimistic that the US Congress "would reach a solution for the young people that are today under this program," the Mexican presidential office said in a statement. During the phone conversation, Trump expressed "his condolences and solidarity to Mexico for the damages caused by the earthquake and Hurricane Katia", while Pena Nieto expressed his solidarity with the US for the impact Hurricane Irma had on the US state of Florida, Xinhua news agency cited the statement. Last week, the US government announced the end of DACA, a program passed by Barack Obama to protect almost 800,000 undocumented migrants from deportation. Beginning in June 2012, DACA stopped thousands of young people who came to the US as minors, also known as Dreamers, from being deported and allowed them to work if they have a high school diploma and a clean criminal record. According to government and academic research, the decision to revoke DACA will affects over 700,000 Mexican citizens in the US Meanwhile, the US Treasury Department announced Thursday that it had imposed sanctions on seven Mexican entities and individuals for their links to the country's drug trafficking organisations. The designated entities include restaurants, a bakery and a pharmaceutical distributor, which were believed to have supported Mexican drug trafficking activities or tied to drug cartel network. "Treasury continues to untangle and expose the web of businesses controlled by designated Mexican drug kingpins and their expansive trafficking networks," said John Smith, Director of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The sanctions would freeze any assets that a blacklisted person or entity holds under US jurisdiction and ban any US individuals or companies from making business deals with them. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A suspect who has been arrested over the murder of Indian psychiatrist Achutha Reddy in the US state of Kansas, was once sent to India to "straighten out", informed sources told the media. The 21-year-old suspect identified as Umar Rashid Dutt, is being held in prison on a $1 million bond after his arrest on Wednesday night shortly Reddy, 57, was murdered in his clinic in East Wichita. Dutt was a patient of Reddy's. Dutt's neighbours and a former teacher on Thursday told local TV station KWCH that although he was "kind and very quiet", he was also "rebellious and involved with wrong company". Ryan Schrader, who taught Dutt for three years in high school told the station that he remembered discussions on him being sent to India as one of several ideas to "get him on a better path". The station did not say where in India he was sent to or when. Schrader said that Dutt had differences with parents over his future and he was not sure of going to college. Dutt, who grew up in Wichita with his parents and sister, completed high school in 2014 and did a few semesters at Wichita State University but did not graduate. "Sometimes he would be talking about smoking, partying and a lot or drinking with his friends. "There were often a lot of arguments between him and his parents like his mom would walk by and see that maybe he wasn't paying attention so she would be like 'Omar you need to focus, you need to really care about your education'," Schrader told KWCH. The neighbors described Dutt as "kind and very quiet", and those who knew him said he was not violent. Reddy is the second Indian killed this year in Kansas. Telangana resident Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in Olathe in February. Kuchibotla's murder has been denounced as a white racist hate crime. --IANS al/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea on Friday launched a missile that flew over northern Japan before plunging into the Pacific Ocean, the South Korean military said. The still-unidentified missile was launched around 6.30 a.m. (local time) from east of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, according to South Korea's military Joint Chiefs of Staff. The officials said that the rocket could have reached an altitude of 770 km and flew for a total of some 3,700 km. According to the Japanese government's missile alert system, the missile overflew the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and fell into the Pacific Ocean, Efe news reported. Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the missile fell into the ocean some 2,000 km from the town of Erimo in eastern Hokkaido without being seen to do so by any ships or aircraft in that area. Suga also said that no damage had been reported as a result of the missile. Specifically he said that no potentially dangerous debris had fallen from the missile, confirming that no aircraft or ships in the region have been hit or damaged as a result of the launch and missile's flight. The South Korean President's Office immediately called a meeting of that country's National Security Council and troops of the Asian nation undertook a ballistic missile test in the Sea of Japan to the east of the Korean Peninsula in response to the launch. This is the first missile launch by North Korea since the end of August, when the Kim Jong-un regime fired another projectile over northern Japan, and the first weapons test since Pyongyang carried out its sixth, and to date most powerful, nuclear test on September 3. (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.) Rome, Sep 15 (IANS/AKI) A total of 100,325 migrants have arrived in Italy by sea this year till September 13 - around 23 per cent fewer than over the same period last year, the United Nations migration agency reported on Friday. The biggest group of boat migrants were Nigerians (16,622) followed by Guineans (8,857) and Bangladeshis (8,747), according to the International Organisation for Migration, which cited Italian government data. Overall arrivals to Europe by sea as of September 13 were 128,863, less than half the 298,663 who landed over the same period of 2016, IOM reported. The sharp drop in migrant arrivals comes as Italy has led the European Union's efforts to curb sea crossings from Libya, supplying funds, equipment and training for Libya's border and coast guard, and striking deals with local groups in control on the ground in the largely lawless countries, as well as with the neighbouring transit countries of Niger, Chad and Mali. The IOM has already overseen the voluntary returns of more than 7,000 migrants to their home countries, a figure that will rise to 15,000-20,000 by the end of this year, Italy's Interior Ministry said on Friday. A further 1,000 migrants interviewed by UN officials in detention centres in Libya have been granted international protection and may soon be relocated to countries in Europe and elsewhere, the Italian interior ministry said. At a meeting in Rome on Friday an Italian-Libyan committee chaired by Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti, it was also agreed to create a "logistical base" for border guards on Libya's southern flank, the ministry said. The Italian project, funded by the EU, will also aim to facilitate the presence of UN organizations in the area, according to the ministry. The Italian-Libyan committee is tasked with implementing a memorandum signed by the two countries on February 2. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a massive blow to Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by the deposed Prime Minister and his children against the July 28 Panama Papers judgement. The ruling PML-N called the verdict a "disappointment" while Sharif's daughter and party leader Maryam Nawaz said "revenge was being taken in the name of accountability". A five-judge SC bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had taken up the petitions seeking review of the court's ruling which disqualified Sharif and ordered the filing of corruption cases against him and his children -- Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. "For the reasons (to be) recorded later, all these review petitions are dismissed," Justice Khosa announced. The reasons will be revealed later in a detailed order, the Dawn online reported. With the rejection of the review petitions, Sharif's disqualification as a member of the Parliament remains valid. The Sharif family and Dar will now face corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau in the accountability court. While addressing a women convention in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz, reiterated that Sharif was disqualified because he did not take income from his son. "Do you accept this unjust verdict?" She asked NA-120 voters in Lahore, adding "If you are against the verdict then vote for lion on September 17." Talking to reporters outside the court, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader and Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rahman said the court's decision was a "disappointment" for her party. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan thanked the Supreme Court for ending what he referred to as the "rule of the mafia". He said Sharif tried his best to pressurise the Supreme Court with "gimmicks" like his GT Road Rally after his disqualification. He said the Sharifs had attempted to get the monitoring judge removed during court proceedings to delay the cases against them, but their efforts have failed with the Supreme Court's dismissal of review petitions. PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry termed the decision as "victory for good governance". Advocate Salman Akram Raja, who represented Sharif's children and son-in-law, said the decision of the apex court will have a far-reaching effect on several areas, including electoral laws. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Law, Zafarullah Khan, termed the verdict "unjustified". The bench also comprised Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan -- who along with the latter two headed the special implementation bench in the Panama case that oversaw the work of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that examined the references to the Sharifs and Dar in the Panama Papers. On July 28, Sharif was dismissed by the apex court and stepped down after a probe into the Panama papers scandal revealed he had not declared income received from a firm owned by his son in Dubai. The Panama Papers revealed in April 2016 that three of his four children had set up offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands through which they owned property in London, leading the top court to order an investigation after a year of protests by the opposition. After Friday's decision, the Sharif family and Dar will have to seek justice in the Islamabad Accountability Court, where three cases against the Sharif family and one against the Finance Minister have been filed. The members of the Sharif family have been summoned by the accountability court on September 19 and Dar on September 20. --IANS soni/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The family of a dairy farmer murdered in Rajasthan allegedly by cow vigilantes has sought a court-monitored probe into the killing and demanded shifting of the case out of the state after police gave a clean chit to six accused. Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Jaisinghpur village, 15 km from Nuh town in Haryana, was lynched by suspected cow vigilantes in April at the Behror crossing while returning home after buying cows from Jaipur. Khan's son Irshad, who was present when the murderous attack took place in Alwar, told the media here on Friday that those given clean chit by the Rajasthan Police were among the attackers. "They beat him up in front of my eyes," Irshad said. His family said five others got bail on the ground that they were not present at the spot during the crime. "If no one was there, who killed my father," a distraught Irshad asked. Irshad said he had got death threats for pursuing the case and demanded the shifting of the case from Rajasthan to Haryana or elsewhere. "Last time I went to Behror regarding the case, they (people close to the accused) stopped their car near ours and told me that they'll shoot me if I came back," Irshad told IANS. Irshad said he was not called for identification before the six of the accused were given the clean chit and five others bailed out. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who was present on the occasion, said those given the clean chit were named by Pehlu Khan in his dying declaration which the police ignored. "Investigating agencies have been pressurised by the BJP and gross injustice is being done to the bereaved family," he said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is responsible for instigating this kind of violence all over the country," the Congress leader said. Congress leader Shehzad Poonawalla said the Supreme Court has used a dying declaration as a standalone evidence in many cases, but the Rajasthan Police let off the accused in Khan's case on flimsy grounds. --IANS nkh/tsb/dg (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 Friday paid tributes to engineer and scholar M. Visvesvaraya on his birth anniversary -- celebrated as Engineer's Day in India. "Tributes to Bharat Ratna M. Visvesvaraya on his birth anniversary. An exemplary engineer himself, he is a source of immense inspiration," Modi tweeted. "I salute all engineers on Engineers Day and appreciate their paramount role in the development of our nation," he said. Visvesvaraya was the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. He was given Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 1955. --IANS ao/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Qatar will sign a 15-year agreement with Bangladesh to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) starting from 2018. According to the agreement, which will be signed on September 25, Qatar's RasGas will provide to Bangladesh an annual of 1.8 million tonnes of LNG for the first five years and 2.5 million tonnes a year for the remaining 10 years, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. The agreement is considered as the first LNG import deal of Bangladesh, and the deal underscores the rise of South Asia as a new market for fuel, according to Qatari media. South Asia is emerging as a market of potential for LNG, with Pakistan and Bangladesh set to join India as major consumers. Bangladesh is planning to invest heavily in fuel imports. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Myanmar government committee investigating the Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state said adhering to the rule of law was the best means to resolve the ongoing humanitarian crisis, an statement said on Friday. A panel was set up this week to find "pragmatic" solutions to restore "security and the rule of law" in Rakhine, from where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya minority Muslims have fled to Bangladesh since an August 25 rebel attack on military and police outposts, reports Efe news. The committee was convened to implement recommendations presented on August 24 by the Advisory Commission, a group of international observers led by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the statement said. A day before the current violence erupted, Annan had presented a plan to Myanmar authorities to deal with the sectarian problems between the Rohingya and the Buddhist majority gripping Rakhine state. The UN estimates that at least 370,000 have so far fled across the border with about a 1,000 casualties since the crisis erupted. Meanwhile, Zaw Htay, a spokesman for Myanmar's Presidential Office, said the reason people abandoned their homes was because many were told to leave by family members who were involved in terrorist activities. "Some of them are directly involved with terrorist activities and some are sympathizers for the terrorist group," Zaw Htay wrote in an email to CNN on Thursday. "And some are running away to avoid arrest by police because they had some connections with the terrorist group." The government has said that 176 out of 471, or 37.4 per cent of all Rohingya villages were now empty of people, and an additional 34 villages were "partially abandoned". The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, when asked on Wednesday if he considered the displacement of thousands of Rohingyas to be ethnic cleansing, said: "When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" "I call on Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country." Prior to the current wave of violence, Myanmar's population of Rohingya was estimated to number about 1 million. --IANS ksk/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after the Bombay High Court rejected the anticipatory transit bail plea of Ryan International Schools' trustees, an NGO fighting for students said on Friday that "the trustees must be put behind bars to set an example". Mithilalok Foundation Chairman Birbal Jha, which is providing legal assistance to the family of the seven-year-old student who was murdered on September 8 in the school's Gurugram branch, said legal teams were ready in New Delhi and Chandigarh to challenge the anticipatory bail applications of the trustees, likely to come up later on Friday. "The Bombay High Court has given interim stay on their arrests till 5 p.m. today. Hence, the trustees may approach the Supreme Court or the Chandigarh High Court for relief. "Our lawyers are stationed at both the courts. We shall spare no efforts to ensure the trustees go behind bars to set an example," Jha told IANS. The Bombay High Court had on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory transit bail plea of the school trustees but granted a conditional interim stay on their arrest till Friday 5 p.m. The trustees -- Augustine F. Pinto, his wife Grace and their son Ryan -- were ordered by Justice A.S. Gadkari to deposit their passports with the Mumbai Police by 9 p.m. on Thursday, failing which the interim protection would not be given. They complied with the order, deposited their passports with Mumbai Police and left for New Delhi. According to the school sources, Augustine F. Pinto, 73, is reportedly ill with multiple ailments, including Alzheimer's disease. This is the first time the trustees have suffered a major setback in the murder case of Pradhuman Thakur. The child was found with his throat slit inside the school washroom last week within an hour after his father dropped him. However, independent legal experts opine that in case they fail to get relief, the Pintos would be required to surrender before the police by 5 p.m. or face arrest. Besides, the victim's father, Barun Chandra Thakur, who intervened through his lawyers Sushil K. Tekriwal and Mamta Tekriwal, the Parents Group for Students Welfare lawyer Manoj Dhall and the Ambedkar Students Association through lawyer Gunratan Sadavarte also strongly opposed the Pintos' anticipatory transit bail application. Earlier this week, a Haryana Police team questioned several staffers and managers at the school headquarters here in Kandivali and examined documents and records. The case has snowballed into a major national issue concerning safety and security of children in private schools, with vociferous protests by parents and activists outside the Ryan schools in several states including Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. --IANS qn/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two staffers of the Sri Radha Rani Temple here have been arrested for allegedly raping a pilgrim from Odisha, police said on Friday. Kanhaiyya Yadav, a watchman, and a cook, Panga Thakur, were taken into custody on Thursday evening on the basis of the pilgrim's medical report. The victim alleged she was raped on September 11 in the temple premises, police said. The action came after Mathura's Senior Superintendent of Police Swapnil Mamgai intervened as local police allegedly did not act on the victim's complaint. The two accused have been suspended by the temple management, according to Krishn Murari Goswami, a senior temple official. --IANS bk/pgh/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump confirmed that he will travel in November to China, South Korea and Japan as part of his Asia tour, media reports said. Trump on Thursday did not rule out also visiting Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and his team is still considering whether he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in The Philippines, Efe news reported. When asked about the Asia trip by reporters accompanying him on Air Force One on his visit to Florida to view damage from Hurricane Irma, Trump confirmed the trip despite the rising tensions with North Korea. He said he would "probably" to go China, Japan and South Korea in November and "possibly" attend the APEC summit in Vietnam, adding that Filipino President Rodrigo Duarte had invited him to the ASEAN summit, about which Trump said "we're going to see" whether or not he will attend. The mogul did not want to discuss his strategy regarding the tense and volatile situation with Pyongyang, but he said that the people of the US are "very safe". His negotiating strategy, however, seems to involve China, with which he said he has "a great relationship", as well as with that country's president, Xi Jinping. However, the president said he did not want to tell reporters what the US and China are currently working on to deal with the North Korea's nuclear ambitions and its possible threat to the region and even to US territory. At the beginning of this month, North Korea conducted its sixth atomic test, the most powerful to date, using a thermonuclear device -- allegedly a hydrogen bomb -- which Pyongyang said it could install on the intercontinental ballistic missiles it has been testing in recent months. The intensification of weapons testing by North Korea, which also this month launched a missile that overflew northern Japan before landing in the Pacific, has brought condemnation from the international community and the threat of an arms race in the region. In response, the South Korean army has staged live-fire military exercises and joint maneuvers with the US to demonstrate its strength and resolve. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A US drone strike on Friday killed three suspected militants in a compound in Pakistan's northwestern tribal area of Kurram, officials said. According to the security officials, two missiles were fired near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border from an unmanned aerial vehicle, killing three suspected militants and injuring another, Dawn online reported. The identities of those killed and wounded remained unclear. US drone attacks inside Pakistan have become infrequent over the past few years. In its last high-profile attack inside Pakistan, the US had in May 2016 killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan. In June, a drone strike had killed a commander of the deadly Haqqani network in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu district. Haqqani network leader Abubakar and his partner were killed when a drone fired two missiles at his house in Speen Tal area of Hangu. In April, a suspected US drone strike had killed several Taliban militants in North Waziristan close to the Afghanistan border. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Treasury Department announced it has imposed sanctions on 11 entities and individuals for supporting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for cyber-attacks against the US. The sanctions announced on Thursday targeted one entity engaging in supporting IRGC ballistic missile program, two Ukraine-based entities supporting designated airlines, and two Iran-based networks responsible for cyber-enabled attacks against the US financial system, Xinhua news agency cited a statement by the Treasury. "Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Iran's provocations, including support for the IRGC-Qods Force and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyber-attacks meant to destabilize the US financial system," said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement. Treasury's actions will freeze all the assets the designated entities and individuals may hold in the United States and generally prohibit US individuals from doing business with them. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday that Iran's nuclear deal with the powers is not renegotiable. "The #JCPOA is not (re)negotiable. A 'better' deal is pure fantasy," Zarif tweeted on Thursday, adding that it was time for the US to "stop spinning and begin complying, just like Iran." After years of tension with the West, Iran struck a deal with the five world powers of Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany in July 2015, under which Iran agreed to limit its uranium-enrichment activities in return for the lifting of western and international sanctions. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Achutha Reddy, an Indian psychiatrist who was killed in the US state of Kansas, was mourned by his colleagues, patients and community members who remembered him as a man of compassion. Hailing from Telangana, Reddy, 57, was murdered in his clinic in East Wichita, on Wednesday night. The police has arrested a 21-year-old man identified as Umar Rashid Dutt, as a suspect in the killing. Dutt was a patient of Reddy's. In a touching tribute on Thursday, patient Cecilia Smith credited him with saving her life. Cecilia Smith told KWCH TV: "I tried killing myself, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been here today. Donna Lloyd and her husband who were Reddy's patients for nearly 20 years, said: "He was the kindest, sweetest most loving, caring doctor you would ever want to talk to." Reddy, who introduced yoga in his treatment, opened his Holistic Psychiatric Services in 2003 after practicing in Wichita for over two decades. In a statement, Reddy's family said it "wants to thank each and every one that made his life a joy every day". The society "is heartbroken over the loss of doctor Reddy", the Wichita Eagle daily quoted Denis Knight, president of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, as saying "Doctor Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and everyone of us needed and gave it freely," Brenda Trammel, a psychotherapist at his clinic, told the daily. April Marie Schlenker from Kansas State University said: "Doctor Reddy was so unique to any one else I have ever met in the therapy/psychiatric world. He connected almost instantly with people. His eyes held wisdom and secrets and joy." While some posters demanded hanging of the killer or giving strong punishments, a medical professional, Pedro Murati, said: "In these sad times we must remember what Achutha would have wanted after such a horror." "Projecting anger towards the mentally ill would be the last thing on his mind." Reddy is the second Indian killed this year in Kansas. Telangana resident Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in Olathe in February. Kuchibotla's murder has been denounced as a white racist hate crime. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday paid tributes to BSF trooper Brajendra Bahadur Singh, who was killed in Pakistani firing in the R.S. Pura sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Adityanath said Singh will "always be remembered for the supreme sacrifice he made in the defence of the country". He also extended his sympathies to the bereaved family. Singh was a resident of Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. The state government has committed to extend all possible help to his family. He was critically injured at the Shahnaz forward post on Friday. --IANS md/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Launching a scathing attack on Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday termed the Congress scion's latest observation on dynasty in India a " disgrace". "Rahul Gandhi's statement (in the US) was a disgrace and an onslaught on the wisdom of the Indian people. It is about time the real potential of the Indian democracy was realised. And that can be done only when merit, and merit alone, and the ability to lead and deliver will really determine the leadership," Jaitley told Times Now news channel. Speaking at an event at the University of California, Berkeley, on September 11, had said that most Indian political parties were dynastic and Indian functioned like that. Jaitley said that at a time when India was producing world leaders in various fields, including science and technology, medicine and economics, it was a disgrace to tie up the country's to dynasties. "It is national disgrace for somebody to say as far as politics is concerned we can only depend on a few families. Please don't forget politics influences policy. Therefore, politics deserves much better. It deserves the best. "When you become prisoners to a dynasty, or a political system becomes crowd around a family, then at least in the 21st century you can't get the best out of that system. I think India deserves much better than a leadership based only on dynasty," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. Andhra Pradesh registered a Gross Value Addition (GVA) of 11.72 per cent to its economy in the first quarter of 2017-18 fiscal, thanks to the fisheries sector that alone contributed 42.09 per cent. The national GVA average in the Q1 was recorded at 5.6 per cent. Growth in industries and services sectors in the state recorded a decline compared to the corresponding period, while the state fell short of its overall target in economic growth, achieving 11.72 per cent against the target of 16.23 per cent. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu released these figures at a meeting with all top bureaucrats in the state here today. In monetary terms, the overall GVA achieved was Rs 1,19,652 crore against the target of Rs 1,24,480 crore. Agriculture and allied sectors contributed Rs 23,374 crore, industries sector Rs 34,599 crore and services Rs 61,679 crore, according to government statistics. The statistics also revealed that per capita income grew by Rs 14,214 to Rs 1,22,376 during 2016-17 fiscal, a 13.1 per cent increase over the previous year. AP stood sixth overall in the country in per capita income with the national average being Rs 1,03,219. The growth rate of industries sector declined from 10.49 per cent in the Q1 of 2016-17 to 8.05 per cent in the current year's Q1. The target set by the government was 14.65 per cent. Notably, numerous MoUs, to set up new industries and facilities in the state, were signed during the annual Partnership Summit held earlier this year. The government, however, did not release the figures related to industrial investments that actually materialised. In the services sector, the Q1 achievement was 8.67 per cent against the target of 13.90 per cent. In the corresponding quarter last year, the GVA of services sector was 10.16 per cent. Overall, the agriculture and allied sectors registered a growth of 27.60 per cent, slightly more than the target of 26.21 per cent. But it was only the fisheries sector, with a GVA of 42.09 per cent, that helped the overall growth of the primary sector. Being a coastal state, AP is rich in aquaculture and prawn culture alone recorded 66.86 per cent growth while marine fishing grew at 4.18 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Rifles(AR) have apprehended a NSCN(K) ultra and two NSCN(IM) overground workers in a series of operations against the two outfits from Longding in Arunachal Pradesh since Thursday. The AR Longding battalion under the aegis of DAO during its operations at Niausa village and Longding town on Thursday evening and this morning apprehended the rebels, Defence spokesman Col Chiranjeet Konwer SAId. A self-styled lance corporal of the NSCN(K) was apprehended based on specific intelligence inputs and a pistol and live ammunition was recovered from his possession, the spokesman said. In another operation, two overground workers of NSCN(IM) were apprehended from Niausa village in the district. The security forces have been carrying out aggressive operations in the south Arunachal Pradesh which has struck a blow to the extortion activities by the underground outfits in the area, the spokesman added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Assam Assembly today passed a bill to ensure that state government employees take care of their parents and siblings with disabilities, or face a 10 per cent cut in their monthly salary. This deducted amount would be given to their parents and siblings for their upkeep. The Assam Employees' Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring Bill, 2017, aims "to provide for accountability for employees of the state government or any other organisation in Assam in taking care of their parents and divyang (disabled) siblings and in matters connected therewith or incidental thereto". Introducing the proposed legislation in the House, which is also called the Assam Employees PRONAM Bill, state minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said there are instances of parents going to old age homes as their children did not look after them. The PRONAM bill has been brought in so that if employees don't take care of their parents and divyang siblings then 10 per cent of their monthly salary will be deducted for the upkeep of their parents and disabled siblings, he said. The purpose of the bill was not to interfere with the private life of state government employees but to ensure that their parents and siblings with disabilities in the event of being neglected could lodge a complaint with the employee's department, Sarma said. The department would deduct 10 per cent of the employee's monthly salary and give it to their neglected parents and disabled siblings, the minister said. After discussion on the bill, the House passed it by voice vote. Sarma said a similar bill will be introduced later for MLAs and MPs, employees of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private companies operating in Assam to take care of their parents and divyang siblings. Former chief minister and opposition Congress leader Tarun Gogoi, in a press meet today, termed the PRONAM Bill an "insult to the Assamese society" as the people of the state have a tradition of looking after their old parents and siblings. Claiming such a bill interfered with the private life of government employees, Gogoi said, "Our culture is to not only look after our old parents and own siblings educating them but also take care of even cousins and other relatives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 33 people drowned after an overloaded boat carrying traders from Niger capsized in northwest Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said today. NEMA coordinator Suleiman Mohammed Karim told AFP that the accident happened in a remote area of Kebbi state on Wednesday morning. "Thirty-three bodies were salvaged from the river while 23 are still missing... We presume they are all dead. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladeshi troops will deliver aid to desperate Rohingya refugees massed in Cox's Bazar, authorities said today, as fresh satellite images lent weight to allegations of a "scorched earth" campaign by Myanmar's army to drive out the Muslim minority. The relief effort for the estimated 391,000 Rohingya who have arrived at the border town in the last three weeks has been ad hoc and plagued by disorganisation as local aid workers are overwhelmed by the human tide. With fears mounting that those in most need are not receiving basic aid -- despite handouts by local volunteers -- Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the army would be deployed to distribute aid sent by donor nations. Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan on Friday told AFP the orders had reached the crisis zone. "We've got the directive that the army would receive relief materials sent by foreign nations at the airport and take it to Cox's Bazar," he said. It was not immediately clear how quickly food and medicine would reach the refugees, many of whom are huddled on roadsides and patches of land. But the World Health Organisation and UNICEF said they would launch vaccination campaigns on Saturday against measles, rubella and polio, targeting 150,000 newly arrived children. UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado said they were also screening children for malnutrition. Last week, there were more than "1,100 unaccompanied and separated children, and we estimate that those numbers will rise sharply", she added. Around one third of Myanmar's Rohingya population have fled northern Rakhine state for Bangladesh since August 25, when raids by Rohingya militants triggered the massive military campaign. The United Nations has warned that the rest of the population may soon follow, deepening the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Bangladesh where some 10,000 refugees are arriving daily. Myanmar faced renewed pressure Friday as fresh satellite images emerged of scorched villages across Rakhine state, fuelling accusations the military is systematically driving out Rohingya Muslims in what the UN says is an ethnic cleansing campaign. Human Rights Watch said 62 villages in the Rohingya- majority area have been targeted by arson attacks, with more than half showing "extensive building destruction". Amnesty International also released images of dozens of razed communities, alleging Myanmar's security forces have led "systematic" clearances of Rohingya Muslim settlements. "Rakhine state is on fire," said Olof Blomqvist, a researcher with Amnesty International, in a "clear campaign of ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar security forces". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's first Centre for Animal Law has been established at the city-based NALSAR University of Law. Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the centre today, according to a release issued by Humane Society International (HSI). Humane Society International, India will work with NALSAR University to steer and coordinate the activities of the centre, it said. HSI-India Managing Director N G Jayasimha, who has been appointed as the honorary director of the Centre said "today is a historic day for India. We hope that the Centre for Animal Law will be the first of many institutions dedicated to the study of animal issues in India and elsewhere." The Centre will create curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing topics for research. It will also conduct workshops on animal laws and animal welfare issues with judicial magistrates, animal welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in the government, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday on its plans to deport Rohingya Muslims, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today. The Supreme Court had asked the government to file the affidavit on a plea against the deportation of illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants to Myanmar. "We will file the affidavit in the Supreme Court on September 18," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. The plea, filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who are registered as refugees under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), claimed they have taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there. They challenged their deportation on several grounds, including violation of international human rights conventions. The issue came to the fore after the Home ministry had in July said illegal immigrants such as the Rohingyas posed grave security challenges as they might be recruited by terror groups, and asked state governments to identify and deport them. It had directed the state governments to set up a task force at the district level to identify and deport illegally-staying foreign nationals. The government told Parliament on August 9 that according to available data, more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the UNHCR, were staying in India. However, some inputs indicate that around 40,000 Rohingyas are staying in India illegally and the Rohingyas are largely located in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan. (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.) China should not build a road through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as it is disputed territory, a leading Chinese scholar said here on Saturday. Shen Dingli, associate dean at Shanghai-based Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, was speaking at a session titled 'Emerging World Order' at the ongoing Pune Dialogue on Security here. "China should consult with India if it is okay to build a road in 'PCK (Pakistan-controlled Kashmir)'. The Chinese should not build the road in the disputed territory because it is under dispute between India and Pakistan. But why does China fail to ask? We should consult together and build it together. Why only consult with Pakistan and not India?" he said. Talking about the recent Dokalam stand-off, he said Dokalam is a disputed place between China and Bhutan, so China should not build infrastructure there. India and China should resolve their border issues through "give and take", Shen said. Wang Dong, another Chinese scholar, said India and China hold the key to shape the emerging world order. "If we can effectively manage our differences, we can take steps further," he said. Shaida Mohammad Abdali, Afghanistan's Ambassador to India, said India has been fighting terrorism for decades, but was not allowed to join in the global anti-terrorism fight earlier, else the situation would have been different. A Taiwanese court has sentenced a man from mainland China to 14 months in prison for breaking its national security laws, days after a Taiwanese pro-democracy activist was convicted of political subversion in China. Taiwan's official Central Agency said Zhou Hongxu was convicted of trying to bribe a Taiwanese foreign ministry official into giving him classified information. Zhou has been held since March, when the official told authorities about the attempted bribe. Last week, the Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che was convicted in a Chinese court of subverting the power of the state, though supporters said he'd been forced to confess to crimes he didn't commit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that his government will set up a new museum in the memory of renowned Hindi poet Dushyant Kumar Tyagi. A controversy had erupted recently when the Bhopal Municipal Corporation announced a plan to demolish buildings in TT Nagar, one of which houses a museum of memorabilia related to Tyagi, as part of the Smart City project. "Dushyant Kumar was the first writer of Hindi ghazals. The state government will build a museum in his memory," Chouhan said at a function to mark Hindi Diwas here yesterday. He also announced that his government was planning to take legal steps to ensure that shops in the state have Hindi signboards. "Legal measures will be taken to make Hindi names on shops and information plaques mandatory. A campaign will have to be launched with the society's support to apprise new generation of the power, capability and potential of Hindi," Chouhan added. He also announced that private universities would be directed to set up Hindi departments. "Speaking in English and ignoring Hindi is a sign of mental slavery. There is a need to increase the acceptance of Hindi," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Christian man in Pakistan was today sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a WhatsApp message to a friend that insulted Islam, his lawyer said. Nadeem James Masih was charged in July after his friend Yasir Bashir told the police that he sent him a poem on the messaging service that was insulting to Islam. Following the incident, Masih fled from his home in Sara-e-Alamgir town in Punjab province to escape an angry mob that had gathered there, but later surrendered to the police. Lawyer Anjum Wakeel said his client Masih was "innocent". "My client will appeal in the High Court as he has been framed for having an affair with a Muslim girl," he claimed. Wakeel said the case against his client was heard inside prison due to security reasons, and today the judge found him guilty and sentenced him to death. A police official said the family of Masih had been taken into protective custody and moved to an undisclosed but safer location. Pakistan, a Muslim-majority state, has a population of nearly two million Christians. The minority community has previously been targeted by hardline religious groups and militants for blasphemy in Pakistan. In 2015, a Christian couple was burned in a brick kiln for desecrating the Quran. Two years before that, a mob had burnt down nearly 125 homes of Christians in Lahore for alleged blasphemy by a Christian man. The controversial blasphemy laws were introduced by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq in the 1980s and anyone charged under them becomes an easy target for extremists. Civil rights groups argue that some Muslims use the laws to settle personal disputes with the minorities. Former Punjab governor and liberal politician Salman Taseer was gunned down by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, in January 2011 in Islamabad when he spoke about the need to review the blasphemy laws. Qadri was hanged to death last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CIA Director Mike Pompeo has cancelled a talk at the Harvard Kennedy School after it hired Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow. In 2013, Manning was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment for releasing confidential military and State Department documents. The sentence was then commuted by the then-President Obama toseven years, dating from the beginning of her confinement in 2010. "My conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearingto support Harvard'sdecisionwith my appearanceat tonight's event," Pompeo said in a letter to the Ivy League university. Pompeo said Manning betrayed her country and was found guilty of 17 serious crimes for leaking classified information to Wikileaks. "Wikileaks is an enemy of the US, akin to a hostile foreign intelligence service. Leaders from both politicalparties denouncedMs Manning's actions as traitorous and many intelligence and military officials believe those leaks put the lives of the patriotic men and women at the CIA in danger. And those military and intelligence officialsare right," he said. "Indeed, Ms Manning stands against everything the brave men and women I serve alongside stand for. Let me be clear, this has nothing to do with Ms. Manning's identity as a transgender person. It has everything to do with her identity as a traitor to the United States of America and my loyalty to the officers of the CIA," Pompeo said in his letter. Critical of Harvard's decision to hire Manning as a visiting fellow, Pompeo said this implicitly tell its students that you too can be a fellow at Harvard and a felon under US law. "While I have served my country as a soldier in the United States Army and will continue to defend Ms Manning's right to offer a defense ofwhy she chose this path, I believe it is shameful for Harvard to place its stamp of approval upon her treasonous actions," he said. Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell also resigned from his post as a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School after the university announced to have hired Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CID will share the details of its probe into the killing of rationalist M M Kalburgi with the Special Investigation Team probing the Gauri Lankesh case, a top official said today. Gauri was shot dead outside her house by unidentified men who came on a motorcycle on September 5. The modus operandi bore a grim resemblance to the way rationalists Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and Kalburgi were gunned down. Additional director general of police (CID) C H Pratap Reddy told reporters that the CID had succeeded in establishing that a similar type of pistol was used to gun down Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and Kalburgi who was killed in August 2015. "The modus operandi in all the three previous cases was similar. Murderers came on motorcycles and shot them dead. Initial reports suggest that in the Gauri Lankesh case too, the assailants came on a bike and shot her dead," he said. However, he said at this point it would be premature to say it was the handiwork of the same gang who killed Kalburgi. "The SIT is working on it and they are better positioned to say anything on this," Reddy said. Even 11 days after the incident that caused nationwide anger and protests, the SIT is yet to get any breakthrough into the case. The SIT has said it was also looking into whether any right-wing organisation was involved or it was the handiwork of Naxalites, who were reportedly unhappy with the efforts of Gauri to bring them into the mainstream. A 21-member SIT headed by IGP (Intelligence) B K Singh is probing the case and the state government has also announced a Rs 10 lakh reward to anyone providing clues about the killing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A civilian contractual employee was found dead at a naval base here this morning in a suspected case of accidental death, the Navy said. 37-year-old Michael G, hired byZoom Enterprises, for working at INS Dronacharya (gunnery school of Navy), was found dead inside the base, a statement by the Navy said. "It is a suspected case of accidental death," it said without elaborating. Police are investigating the incident, the statement said, adding the body has been sent for postmortem to the general hospital at Ernakulam. The deceased was unmarried and a resident of Fort Kochi, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for finalising a location in the state for developing a Japanese industrial township and a human resource development institute. Tamil Nadu was among the states which had been finalised for the projects, Modi had announced at the India-Japan Business Leaders meet in Gujarat yesterday, which was also attended by his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe. Referring to the proposed township and establishment of the Japan-India Institute of Manufacturing for HRD in Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami thanked the prime minister for it. "On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu and on my behalf, I express my heartfelt thanks to you for your announcements," Palaniswami said in a letter to the prime minister. The chief minister said the initiatives "will not only enhance the industrial growth of Tamil Nadu, but will also contribute to the nation's development". The prime minister had yesterday said four locations had been finalised for developing Japanese industrial townships in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP president Amit Shah today accused the Congress of "indulging in family fiefdom since Independence" and said there was no place for merit in that party. He claimed that only the Left parties and the BJP had "internal democracy", while there was no such concept in any other party. Referring to Jharkhand, Shah asked the gathering, "Who will run the party after Guruji (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha president Shibu Soren)? Does anyone have any confusion about it," apparently hinting at JMM working president and Shibu's son, Hemant Soren. Similarly, he asked the gathering if they had any confusion about who would become the Congress president after Sonia Gandhi. Shah said in the BJP, intra-party polls were held every three years and anyone could become its president as the person was not elected on the basis of which family he belonged to. He said the top post in the saffron party was all about commitment and merit and on the basis of that, he, who was a booth-level president of the party years ago, had become its national president. Shah said the BJP was not in politics to grab power and described it as the "most democratic party" in the country. "There should be three important things for a party -- internal democracy, functioning on principles and track record," he said. Stating that almost 1,650 political parties were formed in the country in the last 70 years since Independence, Shah asked the gathering how many of these parties had internal democracy. He said while the BJP had been working to take the country to the top, the Congress was engaged in "politics of family fiefdom since Independence" and added that "there is no place for merit" in that party. Shah also alleged that Lalu Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had no system and added that such parties could do no good to the country. The BJP chief, who was here in connection with his 110- day countrywide tour, released the 'Deen Dayal Upadhyaya - Sampurna Wangmai (thoughts in totality)', a collection of thoughts of RSS ideologue Upadhyaya, and thanked Dr Mahesh Sharma and his team for bringing it out. He lauded Upadhyaya for his selfless work for the country and the party and laying the path for a 10-member outfit to become a party of 11 crore members. Shah said it was a right decision by the Centre and 18 BJP-ruled states to celebrate Upadhyaya's birth centenary year. The BJP chief criticised the policies formulated soon after Independence, saying these were based on the policies of western countries and cited the example of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee resigning from the Jawaharlal Nehru Cabinet over differences as regards the policies. Stating that several western countries had only one crop, while India had three, he wanted to know how could one follow the agriculture policies of the western countries in India. Shah said there should be strong policies to build the nation. Praising the Raghubar Das government in Jharkhand, the BJP chief said all eyes were on the state. "There is no corruption, but stability and transparency," he added. Referring to the "bimaru" (sick) states, Shah claimed that Bihar had shed the tag and so did Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. "Uttar Pradesh will also come out of it after five years as the BJP has formed a government with a three-fourths majority there," he said. Shah described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "forward looking leader" and said he had earned laurels and respect for the country from all over the world. "Because of his (Modi's) initiatives, all the countries are now trying to build a good relation with India," he added. On the other hand, Shah said, during the 10-year rule of the UPA, people had to wait for days to hear prime minister Manmohan Singh speak. He claimed that the Modi government had successfully stopped the bungling of Rs 57,000 crore with the use of DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) in government schemes. It had opened bank accounts for all the poor people in the country, he said, adding that it had also successfully distributed LPG connections among 2.8 crore BPL families in rural areas. Shah claimed that the BJP government at the Centre was committed to electrifying all the villages in the country by May 26, 2018. He said the government had constructed 4.5 crore toilets in the country in the first three years of its rule and it was committed to building toilets in all Indian households by 2022, the year the country would be celebrating the 75th anniversary of its independence. Shah said India had excelled in all the sectors including space science, where it had made a record by launching 104 satellites at one go by a single rocket. He said the defence personnel were waiting for the One Rank One Pension for over five decades and it was the BJP government, which honoured its promise by transferring Rs 8,500 crore to their bank accounts. Shah also described last year's surgical strikes, carried out by the Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as one of the biggest achievements of the government, and said they restored self-confidence and honour in every Indian. He claimed that the country witnessed a paradigm shift under Modi and added that the government was now not reforming, but transforming the country in all the sectors. The government had a vision for all the people of the country and not for some, Shah said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police is on alert after a mutilated body of a woman in her 30s was discovered from Milak railway station here today, officials said today. Her face has been smashed with bricks to such an extent that police officials said they are yet to establish an identity. Her clothes were also torn, raising suspicions that she might have been raped. Circle Officer O.P. Arya indicated that the woman was married and the assailant crushed her face to hide her identity. Superintendent of Police Vipin Tada said today that all police stations of the district have been put on alert to track down the culprits as soon as possible. Tada added that three teams headed by senior police officers have been formed. The body has been sent for postmortem. Forensic department sleuths have collected the victim's blood samples and footprints of the assailants from near the platform where the body was found. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Custodial death is a crime and such incidents indicate the "apparent disdain" of the State to the life and liberty of prisoners, the Supreme Court said today. Observing that there was no let up in the cases of custodial deaths, the apex court asserted that there must be a genuine desire to ensure that guarantee to a life of dignity is provided even in prisons, otherwise the fundamental right to life and personal liberty would remain a "dead letter". If the fundamental right to life and liberty was to be given its true meaning, the Centre and the state governments must accept the reality and not proceed on the basis that prisoners could be treated as "chattel", it said. Passing a slew of directions over unnatural deaths and prison reforms across India, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said that despite several cases and repeated decisions by the apex court and high courts, there seems to be no let up in custodial deaths. "This is not a sad but a tragic state of affairs indicating the apparent disdain of the state to the life and liberty of individuals, particularly those in custody," the bench said in a 43-page order. "The constitutional courts can go on delivering judgment after judgment on this issue and award compensation, but unless the state realises that custodial death is itself a crime and monetary compensation is not necessarily the only appropriate relief that can be granted to the next of kin of the deceased, such unnatural deaths will continue unabated," the bench said. It also said that there must be "a genuine desire to ensure that guarantee to a life of dignity is provided to the extent possible even in prisons, otherwise Article 21 of the Constitution (protection of life and personal liberty) will remain a dead letter." The top court observed that unless the State changes the mindset and takes steps to give meaning to life and liberty of every prisoner, jail reforms could never be effective. "This message goes out loud and clear, as also the message that the dignity of the individual is not a plaything for those in authority," it said. The bench said review of all prisons with a "humanitarian nuance" was needed to eliminate the cases of deaths in jails. "But it is important for the central government and state governments to realise that persons who suffer an unnatural death in a prison are also victims - sometimes of a crime and sometimes of negligence and apathy or both," it said. The top court asked all the high courts to register a petition on their own to identify the next of kin of the prisoners who admittedly died an unnatural death after 2012 and award suitable compensation to them, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded. It directed all states to appoint counsellors and support persons to counsel prisoners, particularly the first-time offenders, and also study availability of medical assistance to them and take remedial steps wherever necessary. "We request the Chief Justice of the high court to register a suo motu public interest litigation with a view to identify the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the NCRB during the period between 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter and awards suitable compensation, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded," it said. The bench asked the Secretary General of the apex court to send the copy of its verdict to the Registrar General of every high court within a week. The top court also directed the Ministry of Woman and Child Development to discuss with the concerned officials of state governments "and formulate procedures for tabulating the number of children (if any) who suffer an unnatural death in child care institutions where they are kept in custody either because they are in conflict with law or because they need care and protection". The court directed the Centre to ensure circulation of its model prison manual, monograph prepared by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on suicides in prison and the communications sent by NHRC from time to time to states, the Nelson Mandela Rules and guidelines on investigating deaths in custody issued by the International Committee of the Red Cross within one month to prison incharges of every states. The General Assembly of the United Nations had adopted the standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules) in 2015. "All efforts should be made, as suggested by the NHRC and others, to reduce and possibly eliminate unnatural deaths in prisons and to document each and every death in prisons - both natural and unnatural," the bench said. It also asked the Centre to direct the National Crime Rrcords Bureau (NCRB) to explain and clarify the distinction between "unnatural and natural deaths in prisons" as indicated on its website and its annual reports. It asked states to conduct training and sensitisation programmes for senior police officials of all prisons on their functions, duties and responsibilities and also the rights and duties of prisoners. The bench directed government to consider extending the time or frequency of meetings by the family of a prisoner and also explore the possibility of using phones and video conferencing for communications, also with lawyers. It asked the states to conduct a study, which would also include a performance audit of the prisons as done by the CAG, on overall conditions in jails and facilities available there. It also said that suggestions regarding establishment of 'open jails' or was "certainly worth considering" by states. The bench was hearing a 2013 PIL on prevailing inhuman conditions prevailing in 1,382 prisons across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government has issued an advisory to schools asking them to spread awareness among students about the symptoms of swine flu and preventive measures. "Schools are advised to create awareness among children about the do's and dont's with respect to Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) during morning assembly. "They should be encouraged to practice personal hygiene," the advisory sent to school principals read. "Children with flu symptoms should be advised to stay at home, until they get fully cured," it added. Advising students to wash their hands frequently and teaching them the right manner of coughing and sneezing not touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands are among the do's and don'ts prescribed in the government advisory. According to Health ministry data, swine flu has claimed over 1,586 lives so far this year, which is almost six times more than deaths recorded last year, with a total of 31,787 cases reported across the country till September 10. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The demonetisation exercise "worsened" the financial position of newspapers due to fall in advertisements, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) said today, urging the government to "support and strengthen" the industry. It also condemned incidents of violence and attack on media offices and journalists, describing them as "undisputedly serious threats to the freedom of press". The society also appealed to the government to desist from constituting any more wage boards for journalists and non-journalists as no other industry has such a practice. "The Indian newspaper business is heavily dependent on advertising revenue and demonetisation has worsened the situation by squeezing spends across almost all categories of advertisers," INS' outgoing president Somesh Sharma said at the 78th Annual General Meeting here. Noting that media in general and newspapers in particular are at an "inflection point", he said, "This is an apt time to support and strengthen the newspaper industry instead of subjecting it to taxation squeezes and attacks on revenue streams". He said the INS was vigorously pursuing with the government "reasonable" fiscal and labour policies. Condemning attacks on media people by anti-social elements, he appealed to state governments and local law and order enforcing authorities to deal with such incidents "firmly with an iron hand" to ensure safety and protection of the press. Speaking about the wage boards, he said in the liberalised economic environment in India, there is no reason for continuing with the statutory wage fixation for newspaper employees. "Since no other industry has wage boards, there is no rationale for persisting with such boards for the print media alone. "I strongly appeal to government to desist from constituting any more wage boards for both journalist and non-journalist employees in newspaper sstablishments," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran today said a public meeting will be held on September 19 at Tiruchirappalli to urge the Centre to exempt Tamil Nadu from the ambit of NEET. Dhinakaran said the meeting will be held at Uzhavar Sandhai grounds at Tiruchirappalli at 4.30 pm on September 19. Hitting out at Chief Minister K Palaniswami's regime as "atrocious," he alleged the government posed "obstacles" in holding the meet. Such "hurdles" have been "shattered" and permission to hold the meet has been received from court, he said in a statement here. Dhinakaran said he will be delivering his special address on the NEET issue that day. While anti-NEET meet was held by Opposition parties led by the DMK, BJP had organised a meeting to support the national test all at the same venue in Tiruchirappalli days ago. Protests against NEET intensified in Tamil Nadu after a Dalit medical aspirant, Anita had committed suicide recently. Though she had got high score in her Plus Two exam, she could not score enough in NEET to get medical admission. It may be recalled that the local authorities had reportedly denied nod for the meet to Dhinakaran camp and the matter went to court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today hit out at dynastic politics, saying dynasty in democracy is "nasty", days after Rahul Gandhi talked about the phenomenon being present in the Indian system. "There is discussion about dynasty. Dynasty and democracy cannot go together. Very simple... It weakens our system. Dynasty in democracy is nasty," he said at a book launch but added that his remarks were not linked to any party. He said he used to voice similar views earlier too but now he hesitates as he is out of politics. Naidu, however, made it clear that he is not referring to any political party while speaking against dynasty. "I am not keeping in mind any particular party -- this party or that party -- as someone said everybody is trying to follow each other." Speaking at the University of California in Berkeley, Rahul had earlier this week said that dynasties are commonplace in India, from politics to business, and stressed that a person's capabilities are more important than pedigree. "Most parties in India have that problem So...Mr Akhilesh Yadav is a dynast. Mr Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi in DMK) is a dynast... Even Abhishek Bachchhan is a dynast. So that's how India runs. "So don't get after me because that's how India is run. By the way, last, I recall, Mr Ambanis are running the business. That's also going on in Infosys. So that's what happens in India," Gandhi had said listing several prominent Indians born into famous families. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Election Commission team today visited Gurdaspur to review preparations for the October 11 bypoll for the Lok Sabha seat. Avinash Kumar, Secretary, Election Commission of India, accompanied by Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi who was sent there on deputation, and Manjit Singh Kang, Additional Election commissioner Punjab, held a meeting with the district officials of Gurdaspur and Pathankot to review poll preparedness. The chief electoral officer directed the administrations of both the districts to complete the election process in a peaceful manner and enforce model code of conduct in true spirit. He said the administration should provide voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines to employees deployed on the election duty. The team further directed the police administration to further strengthen security in border areas of two districts. The Inspector General of Police (Border range), SPS Parmar, has demanded paramilitary force from the Central government for deployment in the border areas. The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll has been necessitated by the death of BJP MP Vinod Khanna. Polling will be held on October 11 and the results will be declared on October 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eleven teenage girls from Madhya Pradesh were rescued from factories in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu where they were taken by two persons under the pretext of providing them good jobs, a senior police officer said today. Police arrested the two persons from this district for allegedly luring the girls, all in the age group of 15 to 17 years. "The Dindori District Police, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu Police, arrested two persons and rescued eleven minor girls from different factories in Coimbatore district on September 13. These minor girls were taken there under the pretext of jobs, but they were made to work in factories," Inspector General of Police (IG), Shahdol range, IP Kulshresth said. The girls are residents of different villages in Dindori district. "On the information provided by the girls, the police arrested two brokers identified as Munna Paraste of Dhangawan village and Shankar Paraste of Dukri village. They are being interrogated," he added. The IG said the rescued girls were brought to Dindori yesterday. "Dindori police got the information on September 10 that these girls were taken to Tamil Nadu. Later, a team was constituted and sent to Coimbator," the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The arbitrary line that Mortimer Durand drew in 1893 on a small piece of paper continues to bleed Afghanistan, says former diplomat Rajiv Dogra who has come out with a book on that country's history and misfortunes. "Afghans are a proud people. Their greatest desire is to be left alone. Unfortunately their geographical location has been their misfortune. Invading armies trampled upon Afghanistan on their way to conquer the riches of India," he says. Dogra was India's Ambassador to Italy and Romania, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Agencies in Rome and the last Consul General in Karachi. He says every great ruler, and each great power, ranging from Alexander to Genghis Khan, the Mughals, the British, the Russians, the Americans and even a regional power like Pakistan has tried to conquer Afghanistan. "But Afghans refuse to bend. That's why Alexander had famously said: 'May God keep you away from the venom of cobra, the teeth of tiger and the revenge of the Afghans'." "Durand's Curse: A Line Across the Pathan Heart", published by Rupa, has several fascinating details from long- buried archives of history. Dogra says the "Durand's Curse" has been a journey of discovery for him. "I was shocked by the venom of the British as colonial masters. Their cruelty was limitless. The English media was supportive, and the world was powerless against the most powerful empire of that time. "It is equally shocking to discover that the British had systematically kept under wraps the deception of the Durand Agreement. No one knew how Mortimer Durand made the Afghan Amir Abdur Rahman sign a document in English - a language that he could neither speak nor write," he told PTI. He says his book is the "first in the world to reveal these secrets. It is a belated lament about the misfortunes of a simple but brave people. It is their 'cri de coeur' (passionate outcry) and an appeal to the conscience of the world". On how the idea of the book came to him, Dogra says that it was natural that after writing on India and Pakistan he should weave the theme about Afghanistan. "Around that time there was also a change in American administration, and Trump's ideas about Afghanistan were different from those of Obama's. So flux was inevitable. That made up my mind. The result was a story that has never been told before," he says. The research part was tough, he says. "I do not have the training of a historian. Whereas, this was a mysterious chapter of history which the British wanted people to forget," he says. "There was nothing to help me in the process of research because no one had so far written a book on this subject. So it was back-breaking work of 15 to 16 hours a day for months together. But in the end, my persistence paid off. I am happy that I have been able to present the truth to Afghans and to the world," Dogra says. According to him, he had to combine the skills of a diplomat with the curiosity of an investigator to look for clues about what actually happened on that winter day of November 1893 in Kabul. The Durand Line, he says, was an artificial imposition. "It was never meant to be a boundary as I have proved in my book. The Afghans have never accepted it. And every Afghan government has rejected this line." Ideally speaking, the Afghan territory should begin at the Indus, he says. "That is the natural and geographical boundary between India and Afghanistan because the culture, the language, the social mores and indeed the DNA of the people west of Indus are different from ours on this side of the Indus. "But the British had a phobia of Russia. Consequently, they forced the artificial construct of a Durand Line on an unwilling and resentful population. Some call the Durand Line the biggest British crime of the 19th century." Asked what is the way out for Afghanistan now, Dogra says it should be left alone to manage its affairs. "But that seems unlikely. If Afghanistan continues to be treated like a vast chess game, then someday its people's frustrations could boil over. All Pathans could rally in its support then," he warns. There are no easy answers to a very complex situation, he says. "It was bad enough when Pakistan was pushing for strategic depth. Now the US, Iran, Russia and China are also competing for control even as a toxic mixture of Taliban, al Qaeda, IS and sundry other terrorist organisations seek to shape Afghanistan to their radical image. The result is a dead end tunnel," he rues. On India's role, he says New Delhi has been a steadying influence; not just in recent years but almost ever since independence. "We have built schools, hospitals, hydroelectric dams, highways and most importantly a sense of confidence among the people that India is a friend for all seasons and all reasons." Dogra has a wish list for the future. "I would like to give greater emphasis to people-to- people contact. To do that meaningfully, a radio and a TV channel beaming programmes in Pashto is a must," he suggests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today picked up a broom and swept a lane in the busy Crawford Market here while launching the 15-day sanitation campaign - 'Swachhta hi Seva'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged his council of ministers to "make India clean" and ensure that the 'Swachhta hi Seva' (cleanliness is service) fortnight, starting today across the country, is a grand success. The cleanliness fortnight, marking the third anniversary of the launch of the 'Clean India Mission', is being celebrated in the country from today to October 2. Launching the campaign in Maharashtra, Fadnavis along with his cabinet colleague Subhash Desai, MLA Raj Purohit, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and sanitation workers swept the lanes of the Crawford Market in south Mumbai, collected the waste and disposed it in a dust bin. Later, Fadnavis appealed to the residents of the city and the state to come forward and join the government's effort to keep their surroundings neat and clean. "If we have to keep our city and surroundings clean, then we have to dedicate a few minutes daily on cleanliness. We have to make our city clean and beautiful," he said. The chief minister also stressed on the importance of segregating dry and wet garbage at the source of the origin, and appealed to the people to help the BMC in this mission. Fadnavis later tweeted, "Participated in Swachhta Abhiyan at Crawford Market this morning to mark 3rd anniversary of #SwachhBharatMission ! #SwachhtaHiSeva." "Hon @narendramodi ji has appealed us to join for massive Jan-Andolan for sanitation from 15th Sept to 2nd Oct," he said in another tweet. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is coordinating the campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United Nations said today that its first aid convoy in three years had reached Syria's Deir Ezzor city via road after government troops broke a jihadist siege last week. Trucks carrying "life-saving items" like wheat flour, canned foods and nutrition and maternal health items for 15,000 families reached Deir Ezzor yesterday, UN humanitarian agency spokesman Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva. "This is the first UN aid delivered by road to Deir Ezzor since the city was retaken," he told reporters in Geneva. While the first from the UN, the convoy was not the first to reach the city since the siege was broken on September 5, with trucks carrying in food aid from the Syrian Trade Association last week. And the some 100,000 people who were estimated to be trapped in the government-held area during the siege that began in 2014 were not completely cut off from aid before then. The UN carried out 309 successful airdrops of aid during the siege, Laerke said today. The Syrian government was also able to periodically bring in supplies by helicopter. The UN refugee agency said Friday that it had sent in five trucks carrying shelter materials, plastic sheeting and solar lamps for 30,000 people. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests before spiralling into a bloody civil war. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pneumonic plague has killed five people in Madagascar since August, a top health official said, but stressed the situation was under control. "We have detected 22 suspected cases of pneumonic plague, including five deaths," said senior health ministry official Willy Randriamarotia. "There have been no deaths since Monday," he said, adding that there was widespread panic in the eastern region of Tamatave "which has not seen the plague for 100 years." Plague killed millions of people across the world in earlier centuries. The first death in Madagascar's recent outbreak came on August 28 when a passenger in a bush taxi died en route to Tamatave. Two others who came in contact with the passenger also died, while two more people succumbed to the disease in the province of Antananarivo. About 300 people have been treated so far for plague, the health ministry said. There have been outbreaks every year in Madagascar since 1980, especially fuelled by rats fleeing forest fires. Plague can be cured with antibiotics, but can be fatal within 24 hours if it affects the lungs. The high incidence of the plague in the country has been attributed to a combination of factors, including poor hygiene and insufficient healthcare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following are the top business stories at 2030 hours today: DEL39 BIZ-LD TRADE New Delhi: India's exports recorded a double digit growth of 10.29 per cent after a gap of three months to USD 23.81 billion in August, mainly on account of rise in shipments of chemicals, petroleum and engineering products, government data showed today. BOM12 BIZ-RBI-RESERVES Mumbai: The country's forex reserves surged by USD 2.604 billion to reach an all-time high of USD 400.726 billion in the week ended September 8 on account of rise in foreign currency assets, RBI data showed today. DEL19 BIZ-AADHAAR-LICENCE Gurugram: The Centre will soon start linking driving licence with Aadhaar, Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today. DEL28 BIZ-RBI-CAD Mumbai: India's current account deficit(CAD) rose sharply to USD 14.3 billion -- or 2.4 per cent of GDP -- at the end of first quarter of 2017-18, mainly on account of an increased trade gap. DCM42 BIZ-GST LD-TRANSITION New Delhi: As much as Rs 65,000 crore out of the nearly Rs 95,000 crore tax collections in July -- the first month of GST -- have been claimed as transitional credit by taxpayers, prompting the CBEC to order a scrutiny of all cases above Rs 1 crore. DEL13 BIZ-LD STOCKS Mumbai: North Korea's latest missile test that flew in the face of UN sanctions kept the market on its toes as the Sensex today ended with a measly gain, helped by a flurry of late buying. DEL17 BIZ-TATASONS-MISTRY New Delhi: Tata Sons, the promoter of major operating companies of the Tata group, is planning to convert itself into a private limited firm from a public limited one, which has been opposed by the family of ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry. DCM20 BIZ-GST-GOM New Delhi: The group of ministers set up to look into the technical issues faced by GST Network, headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, will hold its first meeting tomorrow. DCM47 BIZ-AGRI-ONION Nasik: Six out of 16 wholesale mandis here have been shut for onion trading after a sudden steep fall in prices to Rs 11/kg, the district administration said today. DCM57 BIZ-DIGITAL-JOBS Gurugram: India's burgeoning digital economy is expected toprovide job opportunities to about 50-70 lakh youth in the country by 2020, Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today. DCM63 BIZ-FINMIN-DEBT New Delhi: India's external debt came down by USD 13.1 billion or 2.7 per cent to USD 471.9 billion at the end of March this year on annual basis mainly due to decrease in NRI deposits and commercial borrowings. DEL40 BIZ-BLUEWHALE-ADVISORY New Delhi: A government advisory on 'Blue Whale Challenge Game' has asked guardians to monitor their children's online and social media activity to ensure that they are not engaging with the deadly game which has led to a spate of suicides in India and other countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A young French reporter who has been held on terror charges in Turkey for the last seven weeks is set to be freed today, his lawyers said. The came a day after French Foreign Minister Jean- Yves Le Drian had pressed Turkish leaders on a visit to Ankara to free 27-year-old journalism student Loup Bureau. Bureau's lawyers said "we have the satisfaction to announce that he is being freed" while Christophe Deloire, of Reporters Without Borders, said on Twitter that Bureau's release was "imminent" and he would return to Paris tomorrow. While there was no confirmation of his release from Turkish officials, his French lawyer Martin Pradel said that he would be "expelled from Turkey shortly". "The judge has ordered his release and expulsion from Turkey," the journalist's Turkish lawyer Mesut Gerez told AFP. "He has been handed over to the police and sent to a deportation centre. He will be deported this evening or tomorrow," he added. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the news, saying on Twitter, "I rejoice at the freeing of Loup Bureau. It is a great relief for us all." He had previously sought to secure the reporter's release in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also met Le Drian yesterday. Bureau, a journalism student who has worked with French television channel TV5, was detained in late July at Habur border post in southeastern Sirnak province on the Iraqi- Turkish frontier. He was charged with membership of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group Ankara says is a terrorist organisation. Washington, however, sees the group as the main force leading the fight against Islamic State jihadists on the ground in Syria. Pradel said Bureau's release would be "a huge relief for his family and friends. "The court in Sirnak has not however dropped the case and we have to keep up the fight," he added. Bureau's arrest had further heightened alarm over press freedom in Turkey under Erdogan, with foreign reporters also caught up in a massive crackdown following a failed coup in July 2016. Turkey ranks 155th on the latest world press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders, falling below Belarus and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In June, Ankara released and deported French photojournalist Mathias Depardon who was held for a month on charges of supporting terror groups. He was also detained in Turkey's restive southeast. Germany's Die Welt correspondent Deniz Yucel was imprisoned in February and has been personally accused by Erdogan of working as a "terror agent". According to the P24 press freedom website, there are 171 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were detained under the state of emergency imposed after last year's coup attempt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 27-year-old swine flu patient from Ghaziabad, who had developed an acute respiratory syndrome, has received a fresh lease of life after she was put on ECMO, an external life support system. Yashi, housewife and mother of a two-year-old daughter, and doctors under whose care she was treated at a private hospital, today interacted with reporters and shared the challenges they faced. "She was diagnosed with swine flu in August and when she was shifted to the Fortis hospital, her condition had rapidly deteriorated and she developed difficulty in breathing. Her condition worsened and she was unable to maintain her saturations. So, she was put on a ventilator support. "Chest x-ray was suggestive of a condition called ARDS. Every possible manoeuvre in ventilator was being tried, but unfortunately the patient did not show any improvement. So, we decided to put her on ECMO," said Sandeep Dewan, Director of Critical Care at FMRI Gurgaon. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome or ARDS is a condition where lungs are unable to function properly and the patient is unable to maintain normal saturations. "In ECMO (Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation) technique, as the name suggests, a device is connected to the body from outside. "The blood supply in the veins is routed to the heart through a pump and another apparatus, which perform the function of a heart and a lung, thus allowing cardiac and respiratory support to the patient," Dewan said. Yashi was administered ECMO in the second week of August and mobilised on it for few days before being shifted to ward and later discharged. The senior doctor said, the decision to apply ECMO to a patient must be taken within a window of six days from the time the complications are diagnosed, otherwise it is likely to not prove effective. "In case of Yashi, she was brought to the Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh, where her condition was worsening and the family agreed for the ECMO. "But, since her condition was not good, we brought the ECMO set up to Shalimar Bagh facility and after putting her on it, she was shifted to FMRI Gurgaon," he said. Dewan said the ECMO can be mobilised in case of patients who suffer from reversible lung or cardiac failure. "The procedure takes about two-three hours and at our hospital, the survival rate is about 58 per cent," he said. Delhi-resident Vidushi, 31, who also had been mobilised on ECMO at the FMRI Hospital after being diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, shared her challenges. The FMRI claimed that it was the "first hospital in the country to administer ECMO on a tuberculosis patient". Dewan said, the technique is not very prevalent because, vis-a-vis in the West, say in the US, as it needs a lot of expertise. Also, the initial cost of getting the ECMO administered is huge, he said. The senior doctor said besides, Fortis, the technique is also available for patients at the AIIMS and the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala government today ordered a probe by an expert team into a complaint that a 9-year-old girl suffering from blood cancer contracted HIV after blood transfusion at the Regional Cancer Centre here. Taking a serious view of the complaint by the girl's father, Health Minister K K Shylaja directed constitution of a panel, headed by the Joint Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr Sreekumari, to probe the matter. The Minister said the committee has been asked to submit a report after conducting an immediate probe. She also said that the government would bear all expenses for further treatment of the girl. According to police, the girl was being treated at the Alapuzha Medical College from where she was referred to the RCC here for further treatment. Noticing swelling in one of her eyes, the doctors here had carried out various tests, including a blood test, which revealed she was HIV positive, they said. RCC authorities, in a statement, said the institution had already started an immediate departmental inquiry into the incident when the allegation came up. They said the girl had come with the report of a blood test conducted in external laboratories. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited the girl and her family at the hospital in the morning and demanded a comprehensive probe into the incident. Those responsible should be dismissed from service, he said, adding that the government should give financial assistance to the family. Chennithala made this demand during a telephonic talk with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after visiting the family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to ensure timely completion of a hospital in south Goa, the health department has decided to allow state-run agency Goa Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) to procure the required instruments. Goa Health department which is mandated to procure the instruments required for functioning of the under construction district level hospital has decided that GSIDC should do it. "We are planning to inaugurate the district hospital in South Goa before next Independence Day. A special committee has been formed to monitor the completion of this facility on a regular basis," Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai, in whose constituency the hospital is being constructed told reporters in presence of Health Minister Vishwajit Rane today. "We have set up a target of one year to complete the hospital. To get it ready within the deadline, the regular monitoring of the completion of the project is required," he said. GSIDC has been constructing the hospital building while it was expected that health department will procure the necessary equipment. "We have decided to mandate GSIDC procure the necessary equipment for which a committee comprising of expert doctors would be constituted," Rane said. He ruled out that the project would be developed on public private partnership (PPP) basis. "Health department will be incharge of the hospital project," he said, adding, the facility would replace Portuguese era Hospicio hospital located in the district. Sardesai said all the required facilities would be installed in this hospital so that the people do not have to travel to Goa Medical College and Hospital located near Panaji. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nagaland Governor P B Acharya today launched the 'Swachhta Hi Sewa' (Cleanliness is Service) campaign at Super Market area here. In his brief address, the governor while maintaining that cleanliness was next to Godliness said that one should keep their surroundings clean in order to live healthily. He also emphasised on the importance of having good clean public toilets. Maintaining that most of the households in the state were equipped with proper toilets, the governor, however, emphasised on construction of more public toilets. The governor also called on the people of the state to keep their surroundings and colony clean. "For tourism to flourish in our state we must keep our towns and villages clean", he said. Stating that the government and municipal councils were just facilitators, Acharya challenged all to make a clean Kohima and to set an example for others. The governor along with minister for Road and Bridges Dr Neikiesalie Kire, Parliamentary Secretary for Housing Levi Rengma, Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar and other senior bureaucrats symbolically cleaned the Super Market area in the heart of Kohima town. Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Nagaland also simultaneously launched the campaign at its Directorate with Director of Water and Sanitation Support Organisation (WSSO) Y Tep delivering the keynote address. He informed that marking the campaign till October 2, various programmes have been sorted which including mass cleanliness drive and construction of toilets throughout the State. He also administered Swachhta Hi Sewa pledge to the officials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra government today extended the deadline by seven days for receiving applications from farmers for its loan waiver scheme. The decision to extend the deadline, which was earlier till today, will benefit around 44 lakh farmers, an official in the chief minister's office here said. "The chief minister has instructed that the date to receive online applications for the loan waiver scheme be extended by seven days. Farmers can now submit their applications till September 22," the official said. The decision will benefit around 44 lakh farmers who could not submit their applications by September 14, he said. As per the official figures, there have been 98,09,248 registrations till now, while 50,68,711 applications were received. The state government had in June this year announced a Rs 34,000 crore crop loan waiver for the marginal farmers. Named as 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Krushi Sanman Yojana', the scheme aimed at benefiting about 89 lakh farmers. Congress secretary Al-Nasser Zakaria said the government's decision to extend the deadline for applications will remain an eyewash until the actual loan amount is disbursed to the farmers. "This government is known to have a soft corner for the trading community. As far as farmers are concerned, the government's performance has been abysmal. Let us wait and watch till the actual money is disbursed. We will then know if justice has truly been done to the farming community," Zakaria said. The opposition NCP since said the government extended the deadline as the online system of receiving applications did not work. "The best example of technological failure in Maharashtra is the online results of Mumbai University. Yet, all results are not out. Similar is the failure with online applications, which is a dud. Hence, they have extended the deadline," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The central government plans to mobilise funds from the market to finance its mega urban schemes including Housing for All and Smart City, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said today. The Modi government has committed central assistance to the tune of around Rs 3 lakh crore under various new urban missions, a senior ministry official said. The government would contribute Rs 48,000 crore for Smart City Mission, Rs 50,000 crore for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), and Rs 14,650 crore for Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) by 2019-20. Besides, around Rs 1.80 lakh crore would be required as central assistance for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) by 2022, considering the projection of over one crore affordable houses to be built in the next five years. The government seeks to ensure housing for all urban poor by 2022 under PMAY(U). "If you have unlimited resourcese...How we plan to go about it! Well, we are at an advance stage of considering market borrowing to finance some of the mega urban schemes," Puri said at an event here, in his first public address on urban schemes after taking over as the minister. "Of course, we have to be careful on how that has to be done (market borrowing) but I am happy to inform you that this is at an advance stage of consideration," he added. Puri, however, did not specify the amount the government was looking to mobilise from the market. "Once the utilisation of funds which are coming from the Centre as planned is over, then there is need for additional incentives to go beyond...We require a huge amount of money as against the present trend of budgetary allocation. Money is available in the market," he said. Amid concerns that the results of Smart City Mission are not seen much on the grounds, Puri said, "I would like to assure all of you that tangible gains on the grounds will be seen in the next few months." Under AMRUT, he said 1.39 core urban households will be provided with water connections and sewarage networks will be improved from the present 30 per cent to 60 per cent, besides developing 1,900 open spaces and green parks. Underlining that 340 cities, out of 500 selected for AMRUT, have got the credit ratings to enable them issue municipal bonds to mobile resources, Puri said. Pune has already mobilised Rs 200 crore through the bonds and "a few more cities are set to do so", he added. If refugees from Tibet,Bangladesh and Sri Lanka can stay in India, why not the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has said. He also cited the case of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who has taken shelter in India for over a decade now following threats from Islamic fundamentalists in her country. Attacking the NDA government over its stance on Rohingyas, who are fleeing Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state, he said, "Is it humane that you want to send back those who have lost everything. This is wrong." If Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen can take shelter in India, why not the Rohingya Muslims? he asked while addressing a gathering here late last night. "When Taslima Nasreen became your sister, can't Rohingya become your brother, Mr Modi," Owaisi, the Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad, said. The BJP government at the centre should not see the Rohingyas as Muslims but as refugees, he maintained. "We want to tell the BJP government, don't look at them as Muslims. They are refugees," he said. "India gave shelter to refugees from Tibet, those from Sri Lanka and Chakma refugees from Bangladesh," Owaisi said. "When it was told that they (Lankan refugees) are taking part in terror, what was done? They were shifted from one camp to another," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader alleged. The Constitution of India gives right to equality and that applies to refugees as well, Owaisi said. "The BJP government says we will send all Rohingyas back. We want to ask the Indian prime minister, under which law you will send them back, which law?" he asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today said the Centre is utilising technology to make people's life comfortable and attain the vision of 'New India'. Addressing a seminar on the occasion of Engineers' Day here, the minority affairs minister also hailed the country's technocrats for being "one of the best in the world" and appreciated their efforts for making India proud. "The government has been using the latest technology for the welfare of the poor and the weaker sections for fulfilling the vision of New India," a statement quoted him as telling those in attendance at the event organised by The Institution of Civil Engineers. Lauding the country's engineers, the minister said the government has created a "vibrant and positive atmosphere" for the technocrats and other professionals to work. He noted that a "large number" of professionals would earlier prefer to work in other countries, but are now coming back to contribute to the vision of 'New India'. "The government has been utilising various technologies to make people's life more comfortable. We have filled the gap between governance and the common people through use of technology," Naqvi said. The minister said the government has embraced technology to put in place a transparent system and referred to direct benefit transfer (DBT), which, he said, ensures the money meant for public welfare reaches directly into people's bank accounts. "India is moving towards becoming a 'digital economy'. Crores of students are getting their scholarships directly into their bank accounts though DBT," he said. Naqvi said engineers they have a crucial role to play as the government discharges its responsibility of providing basic amenities and infrastructure. "They can make the people's life easier through their innovative ideas and fulfilling the vision of New India," he said. The statement said India has continued to climb up in the Global Innovation Index rankings and in this year's rankings, the country has jumped to 60th position from previous 81. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today asked the AAP government and the authorities concerned to explore the possibility of allotting land for a minority school which has been functioning from tents since its demolition over 40 years ago during the Emergency. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar asked the Delhi chief secretary to co-ordinate and hold meetings with all the agencies including the Delhi Development Authority and the municipal body. The court expressed concern after it was told that the minority school has been functioning from tents and sought to know the status and the outcome of the meeting on the next date of hearing, December 12. The court's direction were issued during hearing of a PIL seeking reconstruction of the building of the minority school which has been functioning from tents since its demolition on June 30, 1976 during Emergency. Earlier, on August 12, 2015, Additional Standing Counsel Sanjoy Ghose, appearing for the Delhi government, had said that they were keen to resolve the issue. He had told the court that the government was exploring all possibilities to allot land for a minority school. The PIL filed by civil activist Firoz Bakht Ahmed has contended that the state of affairs at the Qaumi School was "sad and pitiable" as it was functioning from the grounds of the Eidgah at Quresh Nagar in Old Delhi after its building was demolished. The plea has alleged that despite promises of land and building, nothing was done and the school continued to function in a "tattered, tented and tinned structure, without a building" since 1976. The PIL, filed through advocate Atyab Siddiqui, contended that children from the "down-trodden and backward class have to suffer due to threats of closure, makeshift classrooms, leaking roofs and no proper facilities. "A hostile and inclement environment can hardly be conducive for learning. With competition in board examinations reaching stupendous proportions, children from such schools are placed at a huge disadvantage from the very inception of their schooling life." The petition said it was obligatory on the state to provide infrastructure including a school building and the civic authorities have failed to discharge the statutory onus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court has directed the counsel for S A Basha, an Al-Umma leader serving life term for the 1998 Coimbatore serial bomb blasts, to file a counter to a petition by an Hindu outfit opposing a plea for his premature release. Advocate K Gopinath, also the general secretary of Hindu Munnetra Kazhagam, had filed a petition opposing the plea by Basha's daughter for release of her father. Gopinath had argued that the habeas corpus plea by Basha's daughter Mubeena was not maintainable and needed to be dismissed. Whe the habeas corpus plea came up for hearing on September 12, a division bench of Justices A Selvam and Pon Kalaiyarasan directed the counsel for Basha to file counter to the impleading petition. It then posted the matter for further hearing to October 9. Gopinath had earlier pointed out that 60 people were killed and over 300 injured in the serial bomb blasts, perpetrated by Basha, in Coimbatore on February 14, 1998. The serial blasts had taken place ahead of BJP leader L K Advani's campaign meeting here. He had said a judicial panel headed by Justice P R Gopalakrishnan had probed the incidents and had confirmed that Al-Umma, a terrorist outfit, was responsible for the attacks and that the trial court had also found Basha to be the mastermind of the same. Basha was arrested in 1991 by Coimbatore city police in connection with a murder case and was remanded to judicial custody. The trial court awarded life imprisonment to him in the case. He was also arrested in connection with the 1998 serial bomb blasts cases. The sessions court had on August 1, 2007, convicted and sentenced him to life imprisonment. Basha's daughter, in her plea, sought the benefit of section 428 of the CrPC for setting off the period of incarceration already served by her father in the 1991 murder case against the jail term served in the blast case. She contended that thesentences were ordered to run concurrently with the previous conviction in which too her father had been given life term. She also referred to a 1994 scheme of the Tamil Nadu government for premature release of life convicts on humanitarian grounds after 20 years of actual imprisonment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hurricane Max hit Mexico's southern Pacific coast as a Category 1 storm and was expected to move inland into Guerrero state, a region that includes the resort city of Acapulco. The US National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Max for the coastline between Zihuatanejo and Punta Maldonado. The centre said Max should weaken as it moves over land but could bring "life-threatening flash floods and rainfall" to Guerrero and Oaxaca states. Max had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph), was located about 90 kilometers east-southeast of Acapulco and was heading toward the east at 8 mph (13 kph), the hurricane center reported. The area where Max is making landfall is a sparsely populated area dotted with fishing villages. Acapulco, about 60 kilometres from where the hurricane made landfall, was hit by strong winds and rain that blew down some branches on the city's coastal boulevard. Also yesterday, Tropical Storm Norma formed farther out to the west in the Pacific and was expected to strengthen and head toward the resort-studded Baja California Peninsula. Norma was located about 580 kilometres south of the twin resorts of Los Cabos at the peninsula's southern tip. The storm had winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was moving north at 6 mph (9 kph). On that track Norma could be at hurricane strength near Los Cabos by Sunday or Monday. Los Cabos was hit by Tropical Storm Lidia in early September, causing at least five deaths. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punk band Husker Du's Bob Mould has paid his tributes to drummer Grant Hart, who passed away due to liver cancer. He was 56. Mould, 56, penned a hearfelt anecdotal note on Facebook to his band member, with whom he spent nine years of his life creating "amazing music together". "It was the Fall of 1978. I was attending Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota. One block from my dormitory was a tiny store called Cheapo Records. There was a PA system set up near the front door blaring punk rock. "I went inside and ended up hanging out with the only person in the shop. His name was Grant Hart," he wrote, alongside their black-and-white photograph. Mould said they stopped working in 1988 and went on to pursue solo careers, leading their own bands to tell "individual stories" in different ways. He called him "a gifted visual artist, a wonderful story teller and a frighteningly talented musician". "Everyone touched by his spirit will always remember. Godspeed, Grant. I miss you. Be with the angels," he wrote. Mould said the of Hart's passing was not unexpected to him and offered condolences to his family, friends and fans around the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gross revenue collections by the Mumbai zone of the Income Tax department grew 13.17 per cent at Rs 1,03,837.6 crore, surpassing the national average at 11.81 per cent as on September 14. Mumbai zone's gross collection was at Rs 91,753.5 crore in the year-ago period. The country's gross revenue collection also grew 11.81 per cent at Rs 3,36,402.6 crore from Rs 3,00,874,6 crore a year ago. Similarly, the Mumbai zone's revenue collection from international taxation also grew 36.64 per cent at Rs 8,591.6 crore from Rs 6,287.9 crore a year ago, department sources told PTI here today. Meanwhile, Pramod Chandra Mody took over as principal chief commissioner of income tax and head of Mumbai zone of the department from Pawan Parmar Singh here today. Singh, who was holding the additional charge as chief commissioner of international taxation in Mumbai, has been transferred to Bhopal as principal chief commissioner of income tax and head of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh states for the department. Singh is due to retire on October 31. Prior to it, Mody was working as principal chief commissioner of income tax in Ahmedabad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iceland's prime minister today called for a second snap election in less than a year after a party quit the coalition government because he hid his father's involvement in seeking a clean record for a convicted paedophile. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson said he preferred the election to be held in November, just over a year after the last snap vote which was triggered by the Panama Papers scandal. The government collapsed on Friday after Bright Future left the three-party, centre-right coalition, stripping it of its one-seat parliamentary majority. "This situation was uncalled for but we will have an election," Benediktsson told a conference in Reykjavik. "There is nothing else to do in Iceland but to let the voters (decide)," he added. Bright Future accused Benediktsson of failing to inform the government that his father had signed a letter supporting a convicted paedophile's bid to have his criminal record erased after serving five and a half years in prison. Benediktsson's father, an entrepreneur named Benedikt Sveinsson, had given support to a man who was convicted in 2004 of having raped his stepdaughter almost every day for 12 years. The last government collapsed over the Panama Papers scandal that embroiled several ministers and forced former prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson to resign. Benediktsson, who was implicated in the Panama Papers scandal that revealed offshore tax havens, had delayed the release of a report on tax evasion during the legislative campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Idris Elba has said he is no more interested in playing the iconic role of James Bond. The 45-year-old actor said the reason for his disillusionment is as he believes "no one" wants to see him portray Agent 007, reported DigitalSpy. "I think not. But you really need to ask the producers. Like I can just (say), 'Hey, I'm gonna play Bond next! No, it's Idris. Hello?' No one wants it," Elba said in an interview with Buzzfeed. Last month, Daniel Craig confirmed on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" that he will return as James Bond in the 25th Bond movie. Craig also said that it would be the last time he would step in to play the fictitious British spy, created by Ian Fleming, saying, "I just want to go out on a high note, and I can't wait. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The police arrested an illegal arms dealer from Sonagachi area and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from his possession, a police officer said today. Acting on a tip-off, some officers of Burtolla police station caught Susanta Dutta (35) and recovered one 9mm pistol, one 7mm pistol, 30 rounds of 9mm cartridges and 15 rounds of 7mm cartridges from his possession, the senior police officer said. "He is infamous as a notorious arms dealer. We have been looking for him for quite some time and nabbed him late yesterday night," the officer said. Susanta alias Lalu is a resident of Ichapore in North 24 Parganas district. He was arrested from Abinash Kabiraj Street and Durga Charan Mitra Street crossing, the police officer added. "He was there for selling the arms and ammunition to unknown miscreants who fled the spot sensing trouble," the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India is pushing Myanmar both bilaterally and multilaterally to take back Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled the Buddhist-majority nation following the ethnic violence, a top aide of Bangladesh Prime Minister quoted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as saying. More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in Bangladesh, close to the border with Myanmar. Swaraj, in a phone call, yesterday spoke to Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina and assured her of India's full support to Bangladesh's stance over the Rohingya issue, Hasina's Deputy Press Secretary Nazrul Islam was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.Com. "India's position is the same as Bangladesh's over the Rohingya issue," Nazrul quoted Swaraj as telling Hasina. "She also spoke about India pushing Myanmar both bilaterally and multilaterally so that they take back their refugees. What India is saying is that Myanmar must stop atrocities against Rohingyas," he added. Hasina said the government has designated land for makeshift shelters of the Rohingya people, but if they stayed here for long, it would pose a big problem for Bangladesh. Hasina also said she would raise the Rohingya issue at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. India, yesterday, rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. India's High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 57-year-old Indian-American doctor has been stabbed to death allegedly by an Indian-origin patient near his clinic in the Wichita city of Kansas. Psychiatrist Achutha Reddy, who hailed from Telangana, was found dead with multiple knife wounds in an alley behind his clinic in East Wichita on Wednesday, police said. One of his patients, 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt, also an Indian-American, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder. Reddy was pronounced dead on the scene by the police, Lt Todd Ojile, section commander of the homicide division at the Wichita Police Department, told reporters at a conference yesterday. The incident happened on Wednesday evening. The police received the call around 7.20 pm. The accused man was found at a country club after a security guard reported a suspicious person sitting in a car in the parking lot with blood on his clothes. "During the investigation, we learned that the 21-year- old suspect was a client of Dr Reddy and had been at the office. The suspect was in the business for a short time. He left and then later came back with Dr Reddy and they went into an office there," Ojile said. "After going to an office, a disturbance was heard. An office manager entered into the office and observed the suspect assaulting Dr ready. She attempted to stop the assault which allowed the doctor to flee the office," he said. Umar chased the doctor out of his office, and stabbed him multiple times, Ojile said, adding that the reason for the murder has not been ascertained yet. Umar has been held on USD one million bond. According to Wichita State University, he was a former student and was last enrolled in the spring of 2015. "His tragic loss will be felt by many. In today's world mental health resources are stretched thin. Many looked toward Dr Reddy for help in their times of crisis. As many providers in the mental health profession, he offered hope to many suffering from mental illness," Wichita Police Department said in a statement. Reddy graduated from a medical school at Osmania University in India in 1986 and did his residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1998. He specialised in psychiatry. Holistic Psychiatric Services psychotherapist Brenda Trammeldescribed it as a great loss. "Dr Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and everyone of us needed and gave it freely," she said. "He would often tell me you have to have freedom to live life to the fullest and this is how he lived his life. He thought of himself as our father and his job was to guide us to do well in our lives. He expected the best from all of us and we gave it to him with the same abandon he gave to us," Trammel said. The Indian American community in Wichita has expressed shock over incident. "With a heavy heart, we regret to inform our community, that a member of our Wichita Indian Community has lost his life last night. We will provide more information as it becomes available," Cultural Association of India-Wichita said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The HRD Ministry today clarified that the institutions created through an Act of Parliament do not need an FCRA licence to receive foreign funds. The Home Ministry had on Wednesday cancelled the FCRA licences of several hundred organisations, including DU, JNU and IIT Delhi, barring them from receiving funds from abroad as they had failed to file annual returns for five consecutive years. "Institutions created through an Act of Parliament are exempted from filing returns as they are covered under the annual government audit," a senior HRD Ministry official said. Citing Section 50 of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010, the official said the statutory bodies created though central or state Acts are exempted from the FCRA. They are required to have their accounts compulsorily audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, he added. "IIT Delhi was filing returns even after the completion of audit," he said. The institutions whose FCRA licences have been cancelled include: JNU, DU, IGNOU, IIT Delhi, Panjab University, Indian Council Of Agricultural Research, Gargi College and Lady Irwin College. Supreme Court Bar Association, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning & Architecture, Delhi and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation. Doon School Old Boys Association, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Dr Ram Monohar Lohia International Trust, Co-ordinating Voluntary Adoption Resource Agency have also been barred from receiving donations from abroad and their FCRA registrations cancelled. The official said there was no information or notice about "non-filing of returns or any other compliance pending". The organisations whose FCRA licences have been cancelled are mostly societies, NGOs and trusts, he said. "Names of such statutory centrally funded institutions, which are exempted from filing returns, figure in the list," he added. IIT Delhi had yesterday claimed that there were "procedural lapses" in the cancellation of its licence. According to norms, no organisation is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under the FCRA. It is mandatory under the law for such organisations to submit income and expenditure statement to the government annually else their registration is cancelled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani congratulated Doordarshan on completing 58 years today, saying its signature tune and programmes evoke fond memories. Doordarshan had a modest beginning with an experimental telecast in Delhi on 15 September 1959, with a small transmitter and a make shift studio. Today, the division of Prasar Bharati is one of the largest broadcasting organisations in the world in terms of studios and transmitters, according to its website. It runs over 22 channels across the country. "58 years ago @DDNational transformed lives of every Indian. Its signature tune and programs evoke fond memories," Irani said in a tweet. She also posted a picture with the Doordarshan logo and the text-- "Congratulations to Doordarshan on completing 58 years"--written by its side. In his tweet, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said, "For 58 yrs @DDNational has brought Indians together, binding them through a single thread. Happy b'day to this unifying national institution!" Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash also extended his wishes to the Doordarshan family. Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi S Vempati tweeted, "Best wishes to entire Doordarshan family marking 58 years. You played an influential and formative role in lives of generations of Indians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen and suicide bombers killed at least 84 people in southern Iraq in the deadliest attack by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul, according to a new toll released today. Many of the dead in yesterday's attack near the city of Nasiriyah were Shiite Muslim pilgrims, some of them Iranian, officials said. "The death toll has risen to 84 after the discovery of 10 more bodies at the scene of the attack," said Jassem al- Khalidi, health director for Dhiqar province, which has largely been spared the violence that has plagued northern and central Iraq. "Another 93 people were wounded, many of them seriously," Khalidi told AFP. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent reported. The attack was quickly claimed by IS, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. UN envoy Jan Kubis condemned the "cowardly twin attacks... Which resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including many pilgrims." Shiites have been the target of repeated attack by the Sunni extremists of IS who regard them as heretics. The area targeted by Thursday's attack lies on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims from Iran and southern Iraq to travel to the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala further north. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran actor Harrison Ford said it was "strange" for her him when his "Star Wars" co-star Carrie Fisher revealed their secret three-month affair in her memoir "The Princess Diarist". At the time of their affair on the set of "Star Wars" in 1976, Fisher was just 19. Ford was 33, and married to his first wife, Mary Marquardt, with two children. He and Marquardt later filed for divorce in 1976. In an interview with GQ, the 75-year-old actor said, "It was strange. For me. (I was warned) to a degree." Fisher's book, which was released a month before her death last December. "You know, with Carrie's untimely passing, I don't really feel that it's a subject that I want to discuss," Ford added. Fisher will make her final "Star Wars" appearance in the upcoming "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," and though Ford's character, Han Solo, was killed in "The Force Awakens", the actor has not ruled out a return. "I mean, I'm finished with Star Wars if Star Wars is finished with me. I can't imagine (they're not finished with me). But it is science fiction. "I'd rather not (return). You know, at this point I'd rather do something else. Just because it's more interesting to do something new," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 70 eminent authors including those from India gathered today in Boulder for the third-edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) in the US state of Colorado. The three-day festival beginning today at the prestigious Boulder Public Library examines the human experience through the reflections and imaginations of distinguished contemporary authors from across the globe, organisers said today. The prominent authors include author-columnist, diplomat and India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna; Michael Rezendes from the Boston Globe's famed 'Spotlight' team who exposed the Catholic church scandal and Suki Kim, the only reporter to have gone undercover in North Korea. Iconic poet Anne Waldman; diplomat and author Vikas Swarup of "Slumdog Millionaire" fame; Christina Lamb author of "The Africa House" and "I Am Malala", co-authored with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai; Emmy Award-winning writer Kayhan Irani and Alberto Ruy-S?nchez, fiction and non-fiction writer, poet and essayist from Mexico City are among other eminent authors attending the festival. "As the world goes increasingly digital, we find that it is becoming all the more important to keep the love for the written word alive. Today's youth are less likely to spare time to actually sit down and read a book even if it is in the form of a Kindle Edition or an audio podcast," said Sunil Buch, CEO Zee Live and Xee Talent. In this digital age, it is initiatives like the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival that are helping to revive the passion for the written word amongst the youth and to nurture the spirit of love towards literature, he said. "Zee JLF at Boulder is a rooted, local festival. An essential, grounded sense of community combines with a deep cosmopolitanism, reaching across oceans and continents and cultures, bridging Jaipur and Boulder," said Namita Gokhale, one of the festival directors. William Dalrymple, another festival director, said for the third time, they present at Boulder a mini taster platter -- a sort of pocket-sized Jaipur?transplanted from the Aravallis to the Rockies. "ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival is a unique celebration of writing that has grown into something bigger and more wonderful than anything we could ever have hoped for when we first conceived this festival nearly a decade ago," he said. Zee JLF at Boulder features art and cultural showcases including an exhibition from the awardees of the Ojas Art Award 2017 for traditional Bheel Art from one of the many tribal communities from India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Varun Dhawan today said the debate on nepotism in film industry started by Kangana Ranaut was right to a certain extent but blown out of proportion. Earlier this year, the "Queen" star had called Johar "flag-bearer of nepotism" on his own chat show, stoking a major controversy. The matter escalated further at an award function when Varun along with hosts for the event, Karan Johar and Saif Ali Khan, mocked Kangana over the issue. The trio was criticised on social media for the joke made at the expense of the actor and had to eventually apologise for the same. When asked about Kangana's accusation that Johar has only launched "star kids", Varun, son of filmmaker David Dhawan, said, "Who all has he launched by now? They're all star kids right? Then it's not an accusation, it's the truth..." "To a certain extent what she (Kangana) is saying is right. I think this matter was blown up. She was just trying to get a point across. She wanted to say it in her own way but people stretched it too much. But we are a fraternity," Varun said. The actor was in conversation with journalist Mayank Shekhar at the Jagran Cinema Summit, here. However, Varun said Johar had also launched a lot of budding filmmakers who had no connections in the industry. "But Karan has also launched a lot of directors like Shashank Khaitan, who is a very dear friend of mine. He is from Nashik and had nothing to do with film family. He gave a script to Karan, who believed in his dreams. "Karan had also made 'Gippy' where he launched a girl... Even Sidharth (Malhotra) isn't from the industry," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lawyers in Kashmir today suspended work to protest the "continuous questioning and harassment" of Kashmir High Court Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom by the NIA in connection with a case related to the funding of separatist activities in the valley. A general body meeting of the Bar Association also took place at the High Court in which the members expressed "resentment and anguish" over the "continuous summoning" of Qayoom to the NIA office in Delhi, a statement issued by the association stated. "The strike shall continue till the president of the Bar Association returns from New Delhi," it added. Qayoom, considered close to pro-Pakistan separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani who heads the anti-national conglomerate Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, was asked by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to appear before it earlier this month. His name had cropped up during the interrogation of some of those arrested by the probe agency. The case was registered on issues of raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including through hawala channels, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A medical team of experts today began its probe into the case of a 9-year-old blood cancer patient being tested HIV positive allegedly after getting a transfusion of infected blood at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) here. Taking a serious view of a complaint by the victim's father, Kerala Health Minister K K Shylaja directed constitution of a panel, headed by Joint Director of Medical Education (DME), Sreekumari, to probe the matter and submit a report. The minister said the state government would bear all expenses for further treatment of the girl. The minor girl was being treated at the Alappuzha Medical College and later referred to the RCC. The state human rights panel has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter. Kerala Human Rights Commission (acting) chairperson P Mohandas said stringent action should be taken against the hospital staff if they were found guilty. It also urged the Left-led state government to compensate the girl's family. "The commission has ordered a high level probe. RCC director and health secretary should submit an explanation regarding the incident within three weeks," an official release said here. According to the police, the girl was being treated at the Alappuzha Medical College from where she was referred to the RCC for further treatment. Noticing swelling in one of her eyes, doctors at the RCC institute had carried out various tests, including a blood test, which revealed that the girl was HIV positive, they said. The RCC authorities said the girl had approached them with the report of a blood test conducted in external laboratories, and that they have ordered an immediate departmental inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala visited the girl and her family at the hospital earlier today and demanded a comprehensive probe into the incident. "Those responsible should be dismissed from service," he said, adding the government should give financial assistance to the family. The Congress leader made the demand in a telephonic talk with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttarakhand Police is mulling to issue a red corner notice against Amit Raut and his son Akshay, main accused in a kidney transplant racket which was busted at a charitable hospital near here recently. A police team has also been dispatched to Mumbai after it emerged that Amit Raut might be hailing from Maharashtra, police said. "In view of the possibility of the accused trying to flee the country, a red corner notice could be issued against the duo (Amit and Akshay)," Uttarakhand DGP Anil Raturi said. The officer said the forces had been successful in gaining access to some of Raut's female associates whose information was being used to track him down. The DGP also announced that members of the police team who played a crucial role in unearthing the racket would get a cash reward of Rs 20,000 each. The racket was busted at the Gangotri Charitable Hospital in Lal Tappad area of the district on September 11. A middleman hailing from Mumbai named Javed has been arrested in connection with the case. He alleged that kidneys were illegally removed from donors and transplanted to affluent people from Gulf countries like Oman in return for hefty sums of money. The investigation into the case has been handed over to SP (rural) Sarita Dobhal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron today urged the lifting of a Saudi-led embargo on Qatar in effect since June. Macron is calling for "the embargo measures affecting the people of Qatar, in particular families and students, to be lifted as quickly as possible," the president's office said in a statement after he met with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Macron "expressed his concern over the tensions that threaten regional stability, undermining the political resolution of crises and our collective fight against terrorism," the statement said. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, accusing Doha of supporting extremism, cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5. Riyadh and its supporters severed air and sea links with Qatar -- which denied the allegations against it -- and closed its only land border, cutting off vital routes for imports including food. Paris backs diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait, a key mediator in the crisis, Macron's office said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man attacked two women with a hammer in a town in central France today before fleeing the scene, in an apparent hate attack, the local prosecutor said. Anti-terrorism prosecutors are "following the case" but have not taken it on formally, Chalon-sur-Saone's prosecutor Damien Savarzeix told AFP. A source close to the investigation said earlier that the assailant was thought to have psychological problems. One of the women, hit in the back of the head, needed four stitches, the prosecutor and police said in a joint statement. The two attacks occurred within minutes of each other, the statement said. A police helicopter took part in the manhunt as well as around 50 police officers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Maneka Gandhi today suggested appointing women as drivers in school buses and in the non-teaching staff as part of efforts to ensure safety of children. The women and child development minister was speaking against the backdrop of rising concern over the safety of children in schools after a string of attacks, including the killing of a student at a private school in Gurgaon, Haryana. "For all schools, the drivers and conductors should be women," she said, speaking at an event here. The WCD ministry can offer funds under the Nirbhaya fund to train women drivers and helpers in school buses, she said. A meeting is scheduled to be held in Delhi on Monday next to discuss child safety-related issues, she said. Replying to a query, the minister observed that a substantial part of social media platforms is "vicious" and a hashtag is already in place to address online trolling in social media. Gandhi also said that a bill to check the problem of trafficking of girls is on the anvil. On measures taken to address the problems of women, she said they can complain on her ministry website about any inappropriate behaviour. A complaint can be lodged if any organisation does not have a committee to look into cases of sexual harassment at work places, she said. Gandhi said she was working on the problem of NRI men abandoning their wives. Shelters for helpless widows would be opened at some places, including Varanasi and Gaya, Gandhi said, adding that a service (named 'mahila e-hut) to market products made by women from economically weaker sections has been created on the internet. The ministry has also been setting up 'Sakhi' centres, where women in distress get different types of help, across the country, the minister said. However, such centres have not been established in Delhi and West Bengal as chief ministers of both the states did not show enthusiasm, she alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today slammed the BJP-led NDA Government for the alleged delay in examining the state government's proposal to resolve the National Green Tribunal ban on coal mining. The chief minister also warned the people of the state about a "misinformation campaign" on the issue. "What prevents the BJP government from further examining this or are they intentionally blocking it... That means they are conniving to deprive our people from the benefit of the provision of the Constitution," he said. He was reacting to BJP leaders' claim recently that it would resolve the ongoing NGT ban on coal mining in Meghalaya within a span of six to eight months if elected to power in 2018. The state government had taken up with the Government of India (GOI) to invoke Para 12 A (b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution in order that the provisions of the Coal Mines Nationalisation Act, 1973 and MMDR Act 1957 are exempted through a presidential notification. "The outcome of such exercise is that Centre has constituted a Committee headed by the Union Cabinet secretary to examine this proposal of the state government as per the provision of the Constitution of India," he said. The members of the Committee constituted by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also include secretaries of ministries of coal, mines, environment and chief secretary of Meghalaya. He said a number of meetings had taken place and that the state government was sincere in this regard. Questioning the delay, the chief minister said, "Are they (BJP) trying to clandestinely deprive the right even if you are delaying and depriving that is also deprivation?". He also alleged that a misinformation campaign is going on now. Mukul said, "I would like to warn our friend from this misinformation campaign because what does the law of the land provides...". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has been awarded National level "Rajbhasha Keerti Award' for the third consecutive year. MPEDA Chairman A Jayathilak received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind on September 14 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, an official release said here today. This award has been given to The Marine Products Export Development Authority(Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt. of India), Kochi, for the best Implementation of Official language in the organisation, it said. The organization is committed to continuing the endeavor to achieve excellence in the future too, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea today fired an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, the US Pacific Command said, asserting that the launch did not pose a threat to America. In a statement United States Pacific Command (PACOM) said it "detected and tracked" what it assess was a single North Korean ballistic missile launch at 11:57 AM (Hawai time). "Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM). The launch occurred in the vicinity of Sunan, North Korea and flew east," said Commander Dave Benham, Director of Media Operation PACOM. "The ballistic missile overflew the territory of northern Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean east of Japan. We are working with our interagency partners on a more detailed assessment and we will provide a public update if warranted," Benham said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said the ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America. It also determined that the missile did not pose a threat to Guam. "Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," Benham said. Center for National Interest Director of Defense Studies Harry J Kazianis said North Korea had once again defied the international community with another missile test and once again flying over Japan. "This launch, or any provocation from North Korea, should not shock us anymore," he said. "Kim Jong Un, despite years of sanctions and international pressure, seems committed to the goal of developing a full-fledged nuclear weapons program and is willing to take increasingly dangerous steps to achieve his objective," Kazianis said. He said to build out its nuclear deterrent, Pyongyang will continue to test all sorts of different types of missiles and nuclear weapons. "We should expect many more tests in the months and years to come, and every time, the world will hold its collective breath that such tests do not create a crisis that could result in a shooting war, a war that could be waged with nuclear, chemical or potentially biological weapons," he said. Meanwhile, the White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed about the missile launch. The President has been briefed on the latest North Korea missile launch by General Kelly," White House spokeswoman Sarah HuckabeeSanders said. The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on North Korea today. The meeting has been convened at the request of the US and Japan. North Korea's latest launch comes after the Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on Pyongyang over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programme. UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for a political solution to the current situation on the Korean peninsula, which has worsened in recent months in the wake of a series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests by Pyongyang. The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously passed a US-drafted resolution that imposes strongest sanctions ever on North Korea, including restricting its oil imports and banning textile exports, to curb the reclusive nation's nuclear programme. North Korea has termed the sanctions as "evil" and vowed to accelerate its weapons programme. On September 3, North Korea conducted its largest nuclear test which the reclusive country said was a hydrogen bomb. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea has test fired an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan, but the launch did not pose a threat to the US, the US Pacific Command said today. In a statement United States Pacific Command (PACOM) said it "detected and tracked" what it assess was a single North Korean ballistic missile launch at 11:57 AM (Hawai time). "Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM). The launch occurred in the vicinity of Sunan, North Korea and flew east," Cmdr Dave Benham, Director of Media Operation PACOM said. "The ballistic missile overflew the territory of northern Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean east of Japan. We are working with our interagency partners on a more detailed assessment and we will provide a public update if warranted," Benham said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America. It further determined this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to Guam. "Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," Benham said. Center for National Interest Director of Defense Studies Harry J Kazianis said North Korea has once again defied the international community with another missile test-and once again flying over Japan. "This launch, or any provocation from North Korea, should not shock us anymore," he said. "Kim Jong Un, despite years of sanctions and international pressure, seems committed to the goal of developing a full-fledged nuclear weapons program-and is willing to take increasingly dangerous steps to achieve his objective," Kazianis said. To build out its nuclear deterrent, Pyongyang will continue to test all sorts of different types of missiles and nuclear weapons, he said. "We should expect many more tests in the months and years to come, and every time, the world will hold its collective breath that such tests do not create a crisis that could result in a shooting war-a war that could be waged with nuclear, chemical or potentially biological weapons," he said. Meanwhile, the White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed about the missile launch. The President has been briefed on the latest North Korea missile launch by General Kelly," White House spokeswoman Sarah HuckabeeSanders said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The engineering community in Nagaland today commemorated Engineers' Day with a call to contribute to sustainable development and rise to new challenges. "Besides implementing the basic technical and scientific knowledge of the engineering discipline, engineers also have to contribute and promote sustainable development that meets today's necessities without adversely affecting the future needs of upcoming generations," said Commissioner and Secretary to the state government for Information and Technology and Power, K D Vizo. Engineers have to work according to the new challenges and necessities, and be present in every infrastructural development field, Vizo said at an event organised by the Federation of Nagaland State Engineering Service Associations (FONSESSA) here. Engineers' Day is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya, regarded as one of the greatest engineers of India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Commission for Women has written to the Punjab government and summoned the state DCP in a 23-year-old case of abduction and molestation of a French tourist, allegedly involving the grandson of former chief minister Beant Singh. Katia Darnand, a French national, had accused Gurkirat Singh Kotli, grandson of then chief minister Beant Singh, and others of abducting and molesting her in 1994. But all the accused were acquitted on April 10, 1999 as Darnand did not return to testify against the accused. "We have issued a notice to the Punjab government as well as summoned the DCP to give us an explanation. This is in response to a petition asking us to reopen the case because it was very shoddily conducted," said NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam. The petition was presented by Delhi BJP councillor Gurjeet Kaur and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Parminder Singh Brar. "The complainant Gurjeet Kaur appealed to the Commission to reopen the case and order a fresh trial saying appropriate sections of IPC were not included in the case against former CM Beant Singh's grandson Gurkirat Kotli who attacked, kidnapped, molested and probably raped Katia Darnand on the fateful day of August 31, 1994," according to a press statement from SAD. In an open letter in a national daily last month, Darnand recounted the horror and wrote that she still felt the injustice that allowed the accused to be acquitted even though she had identified them all. She also referred to the recent case in Chandigarh where Varnika Kundu, the daughter of an IAS officer, was allegedly stalked by Vikas Barala, son of the Haryana BJP chief. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with UN officials demanding Myanmar halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven nearly 400,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized yesterday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived Wednesday in wooden boats on beaches near Shah Porir Dwip fishing village described ongoing violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village, suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Myanmar soldiers and police. "When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage," Abdul Goffar said. Myanmar presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that out of 471 "Bengali" villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Myanmar use that term as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Myanmar has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages, a claim the UN human rights chief criticized as a "complete denial of reality." UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at UN headquarters yesterday that 10,000 people reportedly crossed the border that in the last 24 hours. Combined with the Rohingyas who fled during the last round of violence in Rakhine state last October, Dujarric said "it's estimated that some 40 per cent of the total Rohingya population have now fled into Bangladesh." An estimated 60 per cent of the Rohingyas arriving in Bangladesh are children, Dujarric said. The crisis and refugee exodus began on August 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Myanmar's military retaliated with "clearance operations" to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Myanmar soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. Facing growing condemnation globally, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend UN General Assembly meetings September 19-25 to instead deal with what the government said were domestic security issues. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Wednesday that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Rakhine state. The term "ethnic cleansing" is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group by displacement, deportation or even killing. And Amnesty International said yesterday that it has turned up evidence of an "orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings" by Myanmar security forces targeting dozens of Rohingya villages over the last three weeks. The UN Security Council has called for "immediate steps to end the violence" and ensure civilian protections. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Investigation Agency has taken over from the Delhi Police special cell the probe into the links of an alleged ISIS operative Shajahan Velluva Kandy who was deported from Turkey in July this year. Shajahan VK was arrested by the Delhi Police special cell on July 1 this year after he was deported by Turkish authorities. Hailing from Kannur in Kerala, Shajahan was allegedly trying to sneak into Syria to join the ISIS when he was held by Turkish agencies and was deported back to India. "The NIA has taken over the case and started the investigation," a statement from the agency said here today. It said he is an ISIS operative who travelled to Turkey/ Syria for carrying out terrorist activities after fraudulently obtaining his passport in the fake name. "Another accused who had arranged the fake passport for Shahjahan, Mohd Mushtafa alias JP from Mannady, Chennai was also arrested earlier," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Benchmark Nifty ended flat today at 10,085.40 points on weak global cues after North Korea launched another missile over Japan. Asian and European shares dipped after North Korea's latest missile launch, demonstrating Pyongyang's defiance against intensifying UN sanctions. The key indices traded volatile, tracking lower Asian peers, but rebounded in the final hour on buying in IT, auto and metal counters. The Nifty opened lower at 10,062.35 and moved in a range of 10,115.15 and 10,043.65 before closing at 10,085.40, a marginal loss of 1.20 points, or 0.01 per cent. It saw an intra-day movement of about 71.50 points. Sector-wise, Infra fell 0.51 per cent, followed by PSU Bank 0.50 per cent, FMCG 0.48 per cent, Pharma 0.46 per cent, Private Bank 0.34 per cent, Realty 0.33 per cent and Bank 0.27 per cent. Gainers included CPSE 1.01 per cent, IT 0.99 per cent, Metal 0.35 per cent, Media 0.32 per cent and Auto 0.21 per cent. Major index losers were Dr Reddy's, IndusInd Bank, ACC, Tata Power and Aurobindo Pharma. Gainers were ONGC, Bajaj Auto, Coal India, Infosys and Bharti Infratel. A total of 690 scrips advanced, 991 declined while 77 remained unchanged. Total securities that hit their price bands were 144. Turnover in the cash segment jumped to Rs 34,741.23 crore from Rs 27,692.34 crore yesterday. A total of 16,008.17 lakh shares changed hands in 11,347,991 trades. The market capitalisation of listed firms on the NSE stood at Rs 1,34,15,936 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has turned down Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's plea to allow him to retain the bungalow alloted to him when he was the deputy chief minister. The 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow of Tejashwi has now been alloted to Sushil Kumar Modi, the Deputy Chief Minister in the JD(U)-BJP coalition government. The reallocation of ministerial bungalows was made in August, through an order of the Building Construction Department, to accommodate 14 ministers of the BJP and one of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in the new government. "There will be no change in the office order for allocation of bungalows for anybody -- whether of the ruling NDA or opposition," Building Construction Minister Maheshwar Hazari told PTI today. "The 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow would now be earmarked in the name of the deputy chief minister, while the 1, Polo Road bungalow, which Tejashwi would swap with Sushil Modi, would be the permanent address of the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly," Hazari, who is from the JD(U), said. Tejashwi, the younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, had written a letter to Kumar following the office order, with a prayer to allow him to retain the 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow. On Tejashwi's letter, Kumar had on Monday said, "One should not develop any personal attachment towards a government facility. Today I am on the seat, but it is not permanent." The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) criticised the government order reallocating the bungalows. "When Sushil Modi had ceased to be the deputy chief minister in 2013 and become the leader of opposition in the Legislative Council, he was allowed to retain his 1, Polo Road bungalow," RJD spokesman Mritunjay Tiwari told PTI. "Why can't Tejashwi Yadav be treated similarly?" he wondered and claimed that the government had taken a "vindictive approach" towards the leader of opposition as he was "creating trouble" for both the chief minister and the deputy chief minister. As per the government order, the 3, Deshratna Marg bungalow, which was earlier allotted to Tejashwi's elder brother and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav, has now been marked for the chairperson of the Legislative Council. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea fired an unidentified missile eastwards over Japan and into the Pacific today, Seoul and Tokyo said, its latest provocation amid high tensions over its banned weapons programmes. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programmes. That was in response to its sixth nuclear test -- by far its largest yet -- earlier this month, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. The North has raised tensions in the region with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. Its last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan -- its first to do so for years -- sparking emergency sirens and text alerts, before coming down in the Pacific Ocean. The missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan "at around 07:06 am (2206 GMT) towards the Pacific Ocean", Japan's J-Alert system said, with reports saying it came down around 2,000 kilometres east of Hokkaido. "Japan can never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea," Tokyo's top government spokesman told reporters. "We have strongly protested to the North, telling them the strong anger by the Japanese people and condemn with the strongest words possible.' Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometres -- both higher and further than the previous device. It was fired from a similar location near the capital's airport, it added. The South's President Moon Jae-In called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council, a standard procedure after the North fires a missile or tests a nuclear device. Seoul's military carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own on Friday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the Yonhap agency reported. In July, Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range. It followed that up with an announcement it was planning to send a salvo of rockets towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, home to significant military facilities. US President Donald Trump threatened it with "fire and fury", heightening fears of conflict. The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures. But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Friday said it is opposed to any foreign investments, including that from Japan in India's region and is against any third party's involvement in resolving its border disputes with India. Reacting to Japan's plans to step up investments in the northeastern states during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to India, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told the media that China is opposed to any foreign investment in the "disputed areas". "You also mentioned Act East policy. You must be clear that the boundary of India and China border area has not been totally delimited. We have disputes on the eastern section of the boundary," she said. "We are now trying to seek a solution through negotiations that is acceptable to both sides. Under such circumstances, various parties should respect such aspects and any third party should not be involved in our efforts to resolve the disputes," she said. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as southern Tibet. Hua said there was no mention of China anywhere in the India-Japan joint statement nor she has seen any "innuendoes" referred to Beijing as stated by the media. "To be frank we are also closely following the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to India. I read the joint statement carefully but I have not found the statement mentioned the term China at all," she said. About the references to Indo-Pacific, which included the South China Sea in the joint statement and calls for the countries to resolve the disputes peacefully, she said the statement mentioned disputes to be resolved through dialogue. "We know that to resolve the disputes the directly concerned parties have to uphold the rights to freedom of navigation, over flights entitled to countries under law. This is China's position," she said. In an indirect reference to Japan, she said, "We also hope various parties can uphold the rights to freedom of navigation of over flights by countries in various waters." China and Japan have a dispute over the uninhabited islands called Senkakus by Japan and Diaoyu islands by China in the East China Sea where naval ships of both the countries aggressively patrol the waters around the islands. About the connectivity projects, and implicit criticism of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Hua said, "I haven't seen any innuendoes. I have not seen that." Hua hoped that close ties between India and Japan is conducive to the regional peace and stability. "I should also add that the India and Japan are important countries in Asia. We hope the normal development of the relationship can be conducive to regional, peace and development and play a constructive role in this process," she said. Pieces of art depicting Adolf Hitler have been found in the bowels of Austria's parliament -- more than 70 years after the Nazi leader's death. Workers renovating the 134-year-old building came across the four paintings, two busts and a relief in a cupboard in the cellars, officials said today. "It's not really a surprise when you clear out a building after 130 years," a spokeswoman for the parliament told AFP. "We know that the building was used as a 'Gauhaus' (local Nazi party headquarters) during World War II and we expected to make discoveries like this." The artefacts have been given to two historians currently working on a history of the parliament building during the country's Nazi period (1938-1945). The major renovation of the neo-classical parliament is set to last several years. Lawmakers are meeting in the meantime in the nearby Hofburg palace. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US will not succeed in Afghanistan without the support and cooperation of Pakistan which has been a source of "significant challenges" in the war-torn country, President Donald Trump's nominee for the American ambassador to Afghanistan has told lawmakers. If confirmed by the Senate, John R Bass said in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he will try to change the Pakistan government's approach and how try to find the best resolution to the problem. "Obviously, Pakistan has a key role to play (in Afghanistan). They've been, as we know, a source of some of the significant challenges in Afghanistan, in enabling the Taliban to rest and refit, plan coordinated attacks. So, we've got a lot of work to do," Bass said. Responding to lawmaker's questions on Wednesday, Brass said the US "will not succeed if we do not have the support and cooperation of" Pakistan, its neighbours and the wider circumference of significant countries in the wider region. "I think one of the things working in our favour as we pick our way through this complicated landscape is that generally speaking, everyone wants to see the same result in Afghanistan. It's not in anyone's interest for Afghanistan to remain a sink hole of violence and a safe haven for extreme terrorism," he said. "So, the challenge we've got is to ensure that we've got a common approach among all of these countries, about how we achieve that result we all want to see," Brass said. He said these countries have an enormous stake in the stability and relative security of Afghanistan. "Ensuring that neighbours and this wider set of countries continue to support the Afghan government in its efforts, not simply to deal with violence and terrorism inside the country but to also build that government capacity so that if we do get to a political settlement, there's a capable government that can negotiate with the Taliban and then perform the basic functions of government on the other side of that," Brass said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People who violate the legal age of marriage will not be eligible for Assam government jobs, says the 'Population and Women Empowerment Policy of Assam' which was presented in the state Assembly today. For participation in government the policy states that "persons both male and female, who violate the legal age of marriage will not be eligible for any employment or employment generation schemes of the government." It also said that "candidates having two children only will be eligible for employment in the government." The policy states that government employees are to strictly follow the two children family norm to serve as role models for the society. The policy was to ensure safe motherhood, achieve gender equality, provide health care and welfare services for elderly and differently abled, increase public awareness of population and reproductive health issues, said Health, Finance, Education minister Himanta Sarma while moving the policy in the House. The policy also aimed to promote responsible adolescent and youth behaviour besides promoting the economic benefits of migration and urbanisation while controlling their adverse social and health effects, Sarma said. Pointing out that Assam with one of the most complex demographic scenarios in the country is facing a demographic challenge today, it said, "the population of Assam increased to 3.12 crore (2011 Census report) from 2.66 crore (2001 census). "Although there is a decline in the decadal growth of population, the rate of growth as 17.07 is at an unsustainable level.". On the specific challenges faced by the state, the policy said, "Assam represents a highly diverse demographic canvass with people of different linguistic, ethnic and religious backgrounds inhabiting this ancient land." "Customary laws, social practices and traditions pertaining to child births and marriage, and behavioural patterns in each of these communities vary. Underage marriage and polygamy are practiced in certain communities." Stating that Assam Government is committed to the objectives and goals set out in the National Policy on Population and National Policy for Women's Empowerment, the policy said, "the government also recognises that rapid population growth could severely derail progress in reaching our primary goal to achieve a high quality of life for all our population in Assam that is sustainable with available resources." It said "the government therefore proposes a policy that incentivises families to optimise family size and allows them the freedom to aspire for higher standard of living. "Its goal is that every family in Assam should have access to quality education, health care and employment opportunities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Petronet LNG Ltd, India's biggest importer of gas, will partner with Japan's Mitsubishi and Sojitz Corp to set up Sri Lanka's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal near Colombo, its CEO Prabhat Singh said today. "Petronet will be the leader of the joint venture with the largest shareholding," he told reporters after the company's annual general meeting here. Without disclosing the shareholding, he said the Sri Lankan government will also be a partner in the project. Petronet officials will visit Tokyo this month and Colombo in October to finalise the project details, he said. Sri Lankan government had earlier this month issued a Letter of Intent to the company to build a floating LNG import facility to supply gas to power plants and the transport sector in the island nation. While the capacity of the import terminal, to be set up at Kerawalapitiya on the west coast, is yet to be decided, Petronet had in its proposal to the Sri Lankan government proposed a 2-million tonne facility that would cost about USD 250 million. Sri Lanka has plans to build a 300-mw gas-fired power plant in Kerawalapitiya adjoining an existing power plant. The existing plant, which uses oil to generate power, will also be converted to LNG once the terminal is set up and gas imports start. LNG has become significantly cheaper in the last year and many countries have started switching their power plants to LNG. The LNG terminal, which will import super-cooled natural gas in ships, will take 2-3 years to build, the top executive said. The terminal in Sri Lanka is part of Petronet's vision to own 30 mt per annum of LNG import and re-gasification capacity by 2020. Petronet already operates a 15-mt per annum import facility at Dahej in Gujarat and has another 5-mt terminal in Kochi in Kerala. It has signed preliminary agreement to build a 7.5-million tonnes LNG terminal in Bangladesh and is also looking at setting up a smaller facility in Mauritius. Singh said Dahej is also being expanded to 17.5 mt over the next two years. The India-Japan collaboration comes after a string of Chinese successes in Sri Lanka. China has managed to revive its flagship USD 1.4-billion Colombo Port City project and is also engaged in expansion of major infrastructure projects it built in the past. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today launched the 'HARPATH portal' for mapping roads in the state. He launched the portal in the presence of Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad during the Haryana Digital Summit-2017 in Gurugram. The chief minister said with the help of this portal, people could give information to the government about the condition of roads. On receiving information, the government would ensure the repair of roads and remove obstacles in the smooth flow of traffic, Khattar said. If concrete action is not taken on the feedback, responsibility would be fixed for the same, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indore-based snacks maker Prataap Snacks' estimated Rs 482-crore initial public offer (IPO) will open for subscription on September 22. The issue, with a price band of Rs 930-Rs 938 per equity share, will close on September 26. The Rs 482-crore issue size includes Rs 200 crore through fresh equity issue and the rest from the offer for sale. It will also offer a discount of Rs 90 per share to eligible employees of the company. The company, which makes products under the 'Yellow Diamond' brand, aims to use the proceedings to expand the capacity of chips by 50 per cent and double that of namkeen, marketing and brand building activities and to retire the debt on its books. The Sequoia Capital-backed company, which clocked a revenue of Rs 903 crore last fiscal, also plans to enter the sweet snacks category in a fortnight's time, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Amit Kumat told reporters in Mumbai. Sequoia Capital's stake would reduce to 49 per cent post IPO from 63 per cent at present, while the other three promoters -- Arvind Mehta, Amit Kumat and Apoorva Kumat's shareholding will come down to approximately 24 per cent from around 33-34 per cent at present. The organised snack category in India is estimated to be Rs 22,000 crore in size and growing at 10-11 per cent. has been clocking a CAGR of over 27 per cent. Edelweiss, JM Financial and Spark Capital are managing the issue. Taking the central government's ambitious cleanliness drive to a higher trajectory, President Ram Nath Kovind today kicked off the fortnight-long 'Swachhta Hi Seva' (Cleanliness is Service) campaign from Uttar Pradesh. The campaign, aimed at highlighting the Narendra Modi government's flagship cleanliness initiative 'Swachh Bharat Mission', was launched from Ishwari Ganj village near here. The president also made people take a pledge to keep their surroundings clean. "Today we are fighting a different battle - battle against uncleanliness," he said. Kovind said every person in the society was "rashtra nirmata" and invited NCC cadet Manish Dwivedi, who belongs to Kanpur, to the Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet him. "The responsibility shown by people of Ishwariganj village to make their village open defecation free is laudable. I hope others will take a cue from this village," he said. "We should make united efforts for cleanliness. It is not only the responsibility of the sanitation staff but all of us. Ensuring cleanliness will be the true tribute to Mahatma Gandhi," he said, adding diseases, including mental illness, can happen due to unclean atmosphere. Kovind also had a word of praise for those women who refused to marry into homes without any toilets. He also appreciated actors Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar for their support to the cause. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik said it was more important for a household to have a toilet than a place of worship. "Even if you do not have 'devghar' (place of worship), you must have toilets," he said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked the president for launching the campaign in his home state. "The UP government has been associated with the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and has constructed 10 lakh toilets so far. The target is to construct 78 lakh toilets by December 31, 2017 and make the state open defecation free (ODF) by October, 2018. I have written a letter to all the village heads for their support in this regard," he said. The chief minister said four districts - Shamli, Bijnor, Hapur and Ghaziabad - had been made open defecation free, while by December 31, 2017, 30 districts would be brought under the ODF category, and by October next year, all the 75 districts in in the state will become open defecation free. "We have made an anti-land mafia task force and the land freed from thus will be utilised for construction of houses for poor," he said. Speaking on the occasion, Union Drinking Water Sanitation Minister Uma Bharti noted the the main idea behind the campaign was to fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's dream of clean India and meet the prime minister's target of making the entire country open defecation free by 2019. "The government is confident of fulfilling the prime minister's vision of making India open defecation free by October, 2019," she said. The sanitation initiative, which is being coordinated by the ministry of drinking water and sanitation, will include 'Shramdaan' or voluntary work. The nation-wide campaign will see mobilisation of people from all walks of life, including the prime minister, Union ministers, CMs, MPs and NGOs to undertake 'Shramdaan' for cleanliness and construction of toilets and make their surroundings free from open defecation. It will target cleaning of public and tourist places too. The ministry has made elaborate plans along with the state governments to reach out to poor and marginalised and provide them with sustainable sanitation services. The government has identified special dates during the campaign period. September 17 has been reserved for the voluntary work and cleanliness and construction of toilets. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is scheduled to visit a village in Karnataka on September 17 and offer Shramdaan for toilet construction and general cleanliness. On September 24, citizens at panchayat and municipal levels will take up voluntary work. On September 25, cleaning of public places, bus stands, hospitals will be done. A special cleanliness drive is planned for 15 identified places on October 1. The Doordarshan will also hold a world premiere of the film 'Toilet: Ek Prem Katha' on September 17, birth date of Modi. On October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, which is also the Swachh Bharat Diwas, awards for essays, short film and painting competitions will be given. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the second day of his visit to his home state Uttar Pradesh, President Ram Nath Kovind today paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay at a park named after him. The president reached the park this morning and paid tributes to Upadhyay. He was accompanied by Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries. After paying tributes, the President returned to Raj Bhawan, where he had stayed last night. Kovind met some people before leaving for Kanpur to launch 'Swachhta hi Sewa' (Cleanliness is Service) campaign. The president yesterday arrived here on a two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh on his first visit to the state after assuming the high office. Yesterday he paid tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar at Ambedkar Mahasabha and attend a civil reception programme at Indira Gandhi Pratisthan here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Priyanka Chopra today apologised for hurting the "sentiments and pride" of the people of Sikkim by incorrectly describing the state as insurgency-hit. The state government had condemned the actor and demanded an apology while social media users dubbed her "politically illiterate". In an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, the actor-producer had said her film "Pahuna" was the first film to come out of the region which was troubled with insurgency. Hoping to pacify the government and the people of Sikkim, the "Quantico" star issued a lengthy statement to apologise. "It saddens me that a comment I made during a recent interview at TIFF has caused this much pain when that was never the intention at all. I never meant to imply that Sikkim has insurgency. My statement was in context of the film that deals with people who seek refuge after they suffer from conflict," she said. Describing Sikkim as a "peaceful, green state with peace loving people", she said, "I know that my statements have hurt the sentiments and pride of the people of Sikkim and for that I truly apologise." The actor said she took "full responsibility" for her remarks and admitted that she should have been better informed. "I have always taken pride as being someone who is informed about the world but this time, some of the statements made were incorrect and while I should have been better informed about certain facts, I take full responsibility for what I said," she said. Priyanka also retracted her statement that "Pahuna", which is produced by her, is the first film to come out of Sikkim. "I understand now that our film was not the first Sikkimese film to be made, but our aim has always been to provide local talent, both actors and technicians, a global platform to shine... "I understand the impact of the statements made and hope that the people and Government of Sikkim find it in their hearts to forgive me," the actor said. She also praised the government and the local people for supporting her during the shooting of the movie. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) today declined a plea by India Horizon Fund for an interim stay over Religare Enterprises' move to invest up to Rs 500 crore in its arm Religare Capital Markets. The tribunal also observed that there was "deliberate suppression of material facts" from it by IDBI Trusteeship Services Ltd, a consenting party in the suit, which has already approached the Bombay High Court on the same issue. "Having heard the counsel for the parties on the grant of interim relief, we are of the considered view that no interim relief could be granted at this stage," said a two-member tribunal bench headed by Chairman Justice M M Kumar. Institutional investor, India Horizon Fund along with IDBI Trusteeship Services, had moved NCLT seeking a stay over the proposal by Religare Enterprises to invest in Religare Capital Markets for repaying debt related to Mauritius business and capital needs of Indian business. The NCLT observed that IDBI Trusteeship Services Ltd had made no disclosure to it about the suit before the Bombay High Court, where it was declined interim relief on the same. "Moreover, at this stage, the locus standi of the petitioner, if it is left alone without the consenting party (IDBI) would be only 5.59 per cent and therefore, there would be valid doubt for its locus standi," the tribunal added. India Horizon Fund moved the NCLT under section 241, 242 and 244 of the Act 2013, which deals with oppression of the minority shareholders and mismanagement. The sections mandate that only parties or individuals who own more than 10 per cent stake in a company can appeal at the NCLT. "In view of the above, we decline to exercise our equitable discretion of granting any interim relief," the tribunal added. The petitioners, however, have claimed to meet the criteria along with the consent letter of IDBI. The NCLT has directed Religare Enterprises to file its reply within four weeks and any rejoinder by the parties in two weeks and has fixed next date of hearing on November 8, 2017. "Let the reply be filed within four weeks with a copy in advance to the learned counsel for the petitioner. Rejoinder, if any, to be filed within two weeks," it added. Religare Enterprises' shareholders have given their approval to an ordinary resolution through postal ballot, the company said today in a regulatory filing. As per the voting result, 55.63 per cent shareholders voted in favour of the proposal while the remaining 44.37 per cent were against it. The voting result also showed that 99.95 per cent of total votes cast by public institutional shareholders were against the resolution. Promoters did not participate in the voting. However, 99.03 per cent of the public non-institution shareholders who participated in the voting were in favour of the proposal. The voting was closed on September 9. In the postal ballot notice issued in July, Religare Enterprises had said it proposed to make further capital investment of up to Rs 500 crore in Religare Capital Markets (RCML). RCML subsidiary Religare Capital Market International, Mauritius Ltd (RCMIML) had availed of 'stand-by letter of credit facility' (SBLC) of USD 72.5 million from Axis Bank in 2014. "The SBLC facility is falling due for repayment. Since RCML and RCMIML are in losses and have negative cash flows, they need support from the holding company, which is Religare Enterprises Ltd," the July 26 notice said. Religare Enterprises said it will use part of sale proceeds from divestment of its health insurance business to make investment in RCML. (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.) Actor Robert Pattinson has revealed he considered ditching his London home in favour of living in a camper van. The "Twilight" star said when he is not shooting films he just goes around east London on a pushbike and he almost made a Stealth van - a general white van which is a home in disguise - his full-time home. However he decided against it because of insurance issues, reported Contactmusic. "I go around on my bike, so I'm basically a ghost. I nearly did it, I was 100 per cent going to live in a van, but not just any van - a stealth van! It's a special niche, not like living in a trailer," he said in an interview to Esquire UK magazine. "Stealth vans look like a normal Transit van, so you can park on the street, put signs on saying you're a plumber or whatever and no one would notice. You can just leave in the middle of the night and, like, drive to Nebraska. I'd love that so much. And I was like, 'I'm still young, this is my chance..." On why he never went through with it, he added, "Once you build a toilet and shower yourself, you can't get it insured and blah, blah, blah. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The functioning of Sambalpur Sadar Tehsil office and Sub-Collector office was affected today as the employees resorted to pen down strike in protest against the attack on a female Revenue Inspector (RI) by a woman lawyer. The employees of both the offices staged dharna on the premises of the office of the sub collector demanding the action against the woman lawyer. The laywer allegedly assaulted the RI in the sub-collector's office premises last evening over sending of an application of caste certificate to another district. Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Arora said both the RI and the lawyer have lodged complaints against each other. "We are investigating into the incident," he said. Sambalur Bar Association president Atanu Ghosh said, the RI is the daughter of a lawyer. "This is internal matter and we will resolve the issue amicably," Ghosh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A plea seeking framing of "non- negotiable" child safety conditions and implementation of guidelines to protect school children from sexual abuse and murder today prompted the Supreme Court to seek responses from the Centre and all state governments. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud issued notices and sought the responses within three weeks from the Union Human Resources Ministry and all state governments and union territories on the plea filed by two women lawyers, Abha R Sharma and Sangeeta Bharti. The top court tagged the plea of the lawyers along with the petition filed by the father of seven-year-old Pradyuman, who was killed allegedly by a bus conductor at Gurgaon's Ryan International School. The Supreme Court will also hear on Monday the plea of a man, whose 9-year-old son died last month allegedly under mysterious circumstances in a private school in Ghaziabad, seeking a CBI probe in the case. The PIL, filed through lawyer Sujeeta Srivastava, has raised the issue of children "being exploited and subjected to child abuse repeatedly within the boundaries of the schools" and demanded that central and state governments notify a set of "non-negotiable" child safety conditions for schools. It has sought proper implementation of existing guidelines of authorities including the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) on prevention of child abuse in schools. Referring to the guidelines, it said every school is required to have a "child protection policy which should be understood, explained and signed by all employees or recruits". All new employees must go through a day-long orientation programme on issues relating to child protection within a month of their joining, the plea said referring to the guidelines. The guidelines say that each school must have child abuse monitoring committee with two students as representatives and a through police verification was needed before employing a person in a school, it said. The PIL also referred to the National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy of 2013 and the Model Education Code prepared by National University for Educational Planning and Administration in 2015 and demanded that they be implemented. The women lawyers also suggested some guidelines, including that there should be "no liquor vendors, hawkers, stalls selling tobacco and other such tobacco based product that is panmasala, cigarettes, gutkas" within a kilometre radius of the schools. If a person employed with the schools was found guilty of any other criminal offence, his or her services should be immediately terminated, it said. The plea also suggested formulation of guidelines, including maintenance of records of entry and exit of all persons, staff and parents. A female attendant has to be employed outside the washrooms, toilet and changing rooms in all schools for pre-nursery to primary sections, it said. The plea has been filed at a time when the country is grappling with the issue of children's safety in schools after the death of Class 2 student Pradyuman at the high-profile Ryan International School in Gurgaon. He was found with his throat slit on the morning of September 8 in the school toilet. Police allege that 42-year- old bus conductor Ashok Kumar killed him with a knife after the boy resisted an attempt to sodomise him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (SC) today asked all high courts to register asuomotu petition to identify kin of prisoners who admittedly died an unnatural death after 2012 and award suitable compensation to them. Passing a slew of directions on prison reforms, the apex court directed all state governments to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. It also directed all states to study the availability of medical assistance to prisoners and take remedial steps wherever necessary. "We request the Chief Justice of the high court to register a suomotu public interest litigation with a view to identify the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the NCRB during the period between 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter and awards suitable compensation, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded," a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. The bench asked the secretary general of the apex court to sent the copy of its verdict to the registrar general of every high court within a week. "The state governments are directed to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. In this regard the services of recognised NGOs can be taken and encouraged," the bench said. The top court also directed the Ministry of Woman and Child Development to discuss with the official concerned of the state governments "and formulate procedures for tabulating the number of children (if any) who suffer an unnatural death in child care institutions where they are kept in custody either because they are in conflict with law or because they need care and protection". The bench is hearing a 2013 PIL on prevailing inhuman conditions prevailing in 1,382 prisons across the country. India's services exports contracted by 1.57 per cent to USD 13.17 billion in July this year, according to the Reserve Bank data. Services imports too recorded a negative growth. It declined by 1.65 per cent to USD 7.33 billion. The services sector contributes about 55 per cent to the country's gross domestic product. As per the RBI, "the trade balance in services ( net export of services) for July was estimated at USD 5.84 billion. The RBI data is provisional and undergoes revision when the Balance of Payments (BoP) data is released on a quarterly basis. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP president Amit Shah is coming on a two-day visit to Uttarakhand on September 19 to take stock of the party's affairs in the state where it swept to power in March this year with a thumping win. The programme details of the party president finalised by the state unit have been approved by the central leadership, UKD BJP president Ajay Bhatt told reporters here today. Shah, who is visiting the state for the first time after piloting it to a thumping victory in the state assembly elections, will be accorded a rousing welcome by supporters in the city after landing at the Jollygrant Airport at around 9:30 am on Tuesday, Bhatt said. Scores of party workers will extend a warm welcome to the party president at various points including Doiwala, Rispana and Araghar en route to Madhuban hotel where he will hold meetings with the party core group, MPs, MLAs and cabinet ministers. During his two-day visit Shah is also likely to have a meal in a Dalit household. However, the timing for this and the household where Shah will have a meal have not been decided yet, Bhatt said. Shah is also scheduled to inaugurate an e-library with 4000 books at the BJP's state office here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British designer brand Simon Carter today announced its foray into the India market through an exclusive partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion Retail. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL) had in May last year signed a licensing agreement to bring the London- based designer brand to India. The brand, which launched its store in Mumbai, plans to open 10 more outlets in cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Chandigarh by the end of FY'18. "ABFRL will be investing about Rs 20 crore for brand building, manufacturing and product development besides about half a crore which would be the per store opening cost," ABFRL CEO Vishak Kumar told PTI. He further said the collection will be a mix of imports from UK and merchandise created by the company in India. Simon Carter's product range comprises of suits, jackets, shirts, blazers, jewellery and accesories for men, among others. "This is a very interesting segment as there is no other established player in areas like jewellery and accesories for men and we see this at a about Rs 250-300 crore brand in the next three years," Kumar said. Simon Carter retails his collections in 40 countries around the world. ABFRL has a portfolio of fashion brands with about 8,000 points of sale across the country which include more than 2,000 exclusive ABFRL brand outlets. Kumar said in the next two months around three stores will be opened in Delhi followed by Bengaluru and others. Simon Carter brand is also available online for sale on Myntra and on www.Simoncarter.In. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police detained six personnel of the Indian Navy for allegedly creating ruckus at a bar in port town of Vasco. The incident took place last night when the six personnel, attached to INS Gomati, created ruckus at the bar, but were later released, inspector Nolasco Raposo said. They were sent for medical examination and then released after questioning, the officer said. A complaint was filed by the owner of the bar against them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An apex body of Tamil Nadu government employees, spearheading the week-long strike, today informed the Madras High Court bench here that they were temporarily suspending their agitation forthwith in view of the court's stay on it. The court had on September 7 stayed the indefinite strike on a PIL seeking ban on the stir. When it came up for hearing, justices K K Sasidharan and G R Swaminathan, of the HC's Madurai bench, rejected the plea of office bearers of Joint Action Council of Government Teachers and Employees Organisations (JACTO-GEO) that they had to convene a general body meeting for withdrawal of the strike. "When the court has stayed the strike, there is no question of getting the permission of the general body to withdraw the strike," the judges said. Office bearers of JACTO-GEO then informed the court that they were temporarily suspending the strike with immediate effect. The High Court also directed the state chief secretary to appear before it on September 21 to ascertain her views on the grievances of employees and teachers. The judges expressed hope that the government would consider the employees' demands with an open mind in view of unconditional suspension of the strike. The employees were on strike from September 7 demanding among other things implementation of pay revision, which was due since last year, and regularisation of casual workers. T Sekaran, in his public interest litigation (PIL), had alleged that the strike had been called to 'threaten' the state government and to get more pay. The employees were already getting adequate salary and if the pay was further hiked, the government would not be able to implement welfare programmes, he had submitted. During the previous hearing, the bench had observed that teachers should not use strike as a tool and could press for their demands through other means. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi government has decided to rope in retired IPS officers to help it address the issue of students' safety in schools. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had a meeting today with members of retired IPS officers association during which the issue was discussed. The decision comes against the backdrop of increased concerns about student safety in schools following the killing of a seven-year-old student in a Gurgaon school and rape of a five-year-old girl by a school peon in Delhi. "If retired IPS officers volunteer to come forward for security and safety of students, it will be a great help. We can also run an orientation programme for the teachers in this regard," Sisodia, who holds the Education portfolio, said. "We can also constitute a 'neighbourhood watch team' where retired officers can visit nearby schools and recommend measures to ensure safety of students on their premises," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has been briefed on North Korea's launch of an unidentified missile over Japan, according to White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "The President has been briefed on the latest North Korea missile launch by General Kelly," Sanders said, referring to the president's chief of staff. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump today called British Prime Minister Theresa May after the London terror attack and pledged to continue "close collaboration" with the UK to stop attacks worldwide, the White House said. An improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on a packed underground train at a London station today, injuring at least 22 people in the fifth terrorist attack this year, which May said was "clearly intended to cause significant harm". During the telephone call, Trump conveyed his sympathies and prayers for those injured in the attack, the White House said in a statement. "The president pledged to continue close collaboration with the United Kingdom to stop attacks worldwide targeting innocent civilians and to combat extremism," it said. Earlier, Trump in a brief interaction with reporters described the attack as a terrible thing. "It is a terrible thing -- just keeps going and going. And we have to be very smart and we have to be very, very tough, which perhaps we're not nearly tough enough. That is just an absolutely terrible thing," he said in response to a question. Meanwhile today, when Trump called the terrorist incident in London as another attack "by a loser terrorist", May rebuked him by asking not to "speculate". She dismissed the speculative tweet from Trump that claimed Scotland Yard had the so-called "bucket bomber" in terror attack on a London Underground train in their "sights". The explosion, on a District Line Tube in the British capital's southwest, occurred as the train pulled into Parsons Green station. Commuters said they heard a bang and saw a fireball inside the carriage when the "bucket bomb" exploded. Several people suffered facial burns, some reportedly were even trampled in the rush to escape. But none of the injuries were life threatening. Scotland Yard said it was a terror incident and they "assess" an IED triggered the blast. A hunt was on for a suspect the British media labelled as the "bucket bomber". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump has signed a resolution condemning white supremacists and hate groups, hours after reviving his assertion that there were "bad dudes" among the people who assembled to oppose a white nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. "You know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also," the president told reporters aboard Air Force once, sparking another round of criticism that the president has failed to adequately condemn hate speech. The resolution, passed by Congress earlier this week, condemns "the violence and domestic terrorist attack that took place" in Charlottesville as well as white supremacists, neo- Nazis and other hate groups. It also urges the president and his administration to "speak out against hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and white supremacy," and calls on the Justice Department and other federal agencies to "use all resources available" to address the growing prevalence of those groups. "As Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms," Trump said in a statement announcing the signing. He called on Americans to move forward "as one people" and "to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans." Trump's earlier comments on Charlottesville came one day after he met in private with Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate's lone black Republican, at the White House. The two discussed the president's past remarks blaming "many sides" for the violence and death around a Confederate statue. Recounting his conversation with Scott, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday: "I think especially in light of the advent of antifa, if you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. And essentially that's what I said." "Antifa" is short for "anti-fascist," an umbrella description for far-left-leaning militant groups. Trump added that more and more people are starting to agree with him. "A lot of people are saying in fact a lot of people have actually written, 'Gee Trump might have a point,'" Trump said. "I said, 'You got some very bad people on the other side also,' which is true." Trump last month said there were "very fine people" among the nationalists and neo-Nazis protesting the possible removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville. Scott said he told the president that there was no comparison. "We had three or four centuries of rape, murder and death brought at the hands of the (Ku Klux Klan) and those who believe in a superior race," he told reporters at the Capitol. "I wanted to make sure we were clear on the delineation between who's on which side in the history of the nation." Scott bluntly criticised Trump for assigning blame in a way that put white supremacist protesters on equal footing with counterdemonstrators who turned out for the August 12 protests, sparked by Charlottesville officials' decision to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee. That remark, Scott said, compromised Trump's moral authority as president. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said that he will announce his decision on the Iran nuclear deal in October, which is currently under review by his administration. "You'll see what I'm going to be doing very shortly in October. But I will say this: The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen," Trump told reporters travelling with him abroad Air Force One to Florida. "Certainly, at a minimum, the spirit of the deal is just atrociously kept, but the Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should have never, ever been made. And you'll see what we're doing in a couple of weeks. It's going to be in October," he said. However, he did not say what action he is contemplating. "You'll see. You're going to see. But we are not going to stand for what they're doing to this country. They have violated so many different elements, but they've also violated the spirit of that deal. And you will see what we'll be doing in October. It will be very evident," Trump said. Earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in London that the Iran policy review is still underway. "The Trump administration is continuing to review and develop its policy on Iran," he said. "We continue to look at some of the reckless, malign behavior of the Iranian regime. We consider it to be reckless. We consider it to be dangerous. And I think it's always worth reminding folks just how bad that government can be - not the people," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump will travel to Asia in November and will visit countries like China, Japan and South Korea. "It will be a busy 10 days," Trump told reporters abroad Air Force One travelling with him to Florida. Trump said this while responding to a series of questions on his travel to Asia later this year. "Probably be visiting (to China). I was invited by the (Chinese) President. We'll probably all be going over as a group sometime in November," he said. "And we'll be doing Japan, South Korea, possibly Vietnam with a conference," he added in an apparent reference to the ASEAN Summit in Philippines. However, he did not say if he will travel to Philippines and Vietnam. Trump said he has a good relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We have a very good relationship with China and with the President of China. We are working on different things. I can't tell you, obviously, what I'm working on. But believe me, the people of this country will be very, very safe," he said. "I think that a lot of effort is being put into this. We're looking at what's going on. As we speak, we are literally at it right now, and you will be seeing what we'll be doing?" Trump said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish police today detained the main opposition party leader's lawyer as part of a probe into the group led by the US-based Islamic preacher blamed for last year's failed coup, state media reported. Celal Celik, a lawyer for the secular main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, was taken into custody in Ankara after a police raid at his home, state-run agency Anadolu said. According to his biography on the party's official website, Celik is a former judge who now also works as a member of the party's High Disciplinary Committee (YDK). Celik is accused of being close to a former science, technology and communications advisor to Kilicdaroglu, Fatih Gursul, who was detained in December over alleged links to the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, Anadolu reported. Turkey accuses Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, of ordering the attempted putsch, allegations which he strongly denies. The detention comes after allegations Celik cancelled his subscription with satellite TV provider Digiturk after it removed Gulen-linked television channels Bugun and Samanyolu, Anadolu and private agency Dogan said. There were suspicions he cancelled it because of "instructions from Gulen", Dogan agency reported. Celik will be taken to Istanbul, Anadolu said, as the investigation is conducted by the Istanbul chief public prosecutor. Over 50,000 people have been arrested since July 2016 over suspected connections with Gulen while nearly three times that have been suspended or fired from the public sector. Kilicdaroglu has been fiercely critical of the government and the subsequent crackdown, accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of a "civilian coup". Critics including Kilicdaroglu say the purge has gone well beyond the coup plotters and targeted all kinds of dissidents but the government argues it is necessary to remove real threats to the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN Security Council today strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" launch of a missile that flew over Japan and demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt such actions. In a unanimous statement backed by China, the council said the launch was carried out just three weeks after a first missile overflew Japan and less than two weeks after Pyongyang's sixth and biggest nuclear test. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A US drone attack today killed at least three Taliban militants, including a commander, in Pakistan's unruly tribal region near the Afghan border, security officials said. Two missiles were fired near the Pak-Afghan border from an unmanned aerial vehicle, killing the suspects and injuring another, they said. Maulana Muhibullah, a militant commander, was killed along with other militants in the strike in the Charmanak area, linked to the Afghan district of Paktika, the security officials said. "Two missiles were dropped on the home of Maulvi Mohibullah and three people have been killed," Baseer Khan Wazir, the senior most administrator in Kurram, was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. Locals also confirmed the death toll and the killing of the militant commander and his bodyguard. An official of the agency said that the house, which got completely destroyed after the attack, was being used by militants for the last few days, the report said. This is the first drone attack since US President Donald Trump announced his new Afghan policy and also criticised Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists. In June, a drone strike had killed a commander of the deadly Haqqani network in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A bipartisan group of nine top American Senators has urged the Trump administration to take action on removing barriers to the export of tree nuts especially pecans from the US to India. India's current high tariffs on pecans are affecting American pecan farmers, and have created a disparate trade barrier compared to some other tree nut producers, the Senators wrote in a letter to US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer. The letter is also signed by Senators Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, James Inhofe, Johnny Isakson, Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich, David Perdue, Luther Strange and John McCain. "There are fewer nations in the world that hold greater potential for economic cooperation and trade partnership with the US than India. Our shared democratic values and common commitment to free markets present American businesses with tremendous possibilities in South Asia," the Senators wrote in the letter dated September 12, which was released to the press yesterday. "As you and the administration continue to explore new opportunities to grow the economy through trade and promote American agriculture, it is imperative that a key part of strengthening our trade relationship with India is reducing the tariffs that are impeding US agricultural exports," the Senators told Lighthizer. The current tariff on US pecans entering India is approximately 36 per cent, while the tariff for other similar products, such as pistachios and almonds, is much lower at 10 per cent, the letter said. "Reducing the tariff on all tree nuts will encourage increased imports of a type of commodity that enjoys popularity in India and will generate greater revenue for the country," it said. For pecans in particular, any increase in imports from the US would not impact domestic pecan production in India because the country currently produces very little, if any, pecans, they argued. Additionally, increasing US pecans imports to India presents an opportunity to advance issues important to rural America. The pecan industry contributes over USD 3.75 billion to the rural economies of the 15 pecan-producing southern states stretching from the Carolinas to California, and exports alone over the last 10 years added an additional USD 1.25 billion in economic activity in rural America. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Vatican has recalled one of its diplomats from Washington and opened an investigation into allegations that he viewed images of child pornography, the Holy See's press service said today. The Vatican said US authorities had informed it on August 21, via diplomatic channels, "of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images by a member of the diplomatic corps of the Holy See accredited to Washington. "The Holy See, following the practice of sovereign states, recalled the priest in question, who is currently in Vatican City," a statement read. The Vatican, which did not name the "priest" in question, added a judicial investigation was under way and that efforts had been made through "international collaboration to obtain elements relative to the case." Given the investigation remained at a preliminary stage, the case was subject to confidentiality, the Vatican said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court today denied bail to a woman director of two Dubai-based firms, arrested in connection with a money laundering case arising out of the Rs 3,600 crore VVIP chopper scam. Shivani Saxena, director of Dubai-based M/s UHY Saxena and M/s Matrix Holdings, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and is presently in judicial custody. "The application is dismissed," Justice A K Pathak said while upholding the trial court's July 29 order dismissing her bail plea. Saxena was nabbed on July 17 by the ED from Chennai under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Recently, the ED chargesheeted her and the companies under various sections of the PMLA. Saxena and her husband Rajiv Saxena are residents of Palm Jumeirah, one of the most expensive properties in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dubai. The charge sheet, which will be considered by the trial court on September 19, contains the names of Saxena and her husband, also one of the directors in both firms. Rajiv Saxena has been evading ED summons and not joining the probe, the ED has alleged. The agency has so far not arrayed him as an accused. The ED has alleged that the two Dubai-based firms and Shivani Saxena were the ones through whom "the proceeds of crime have been routed and further layered and integrated in buying the immovable properties/shares among others". The agency claimed its probe found that AgustaWestland, United Kingdom, had "paid an amount of Euro 58 million as kickbacks" through two Tunisia-based firms. "These companies further siphoned off the said money in the name of consultancy contracts to M/s Interstellar Technologies Limited, Mauritius and others which were further transferred to M/s UHY Saxena and M/s Matrix Holdings Ltd, Dubai and others," the charge sheet has said. The ED had also claimed that Rajiv was the "beneficial owner of M/s Interstellar Technologies Limited, Mauritius". It has alleged that both the Dubai-based companies of the couple "received the proceeds of crime in their respective Dubai bank accounts" from the Mauritius-based firm. The ED, in this case, had also arrested Delhi-based businessman Gautam Khaitan who is currently out on bail. The probe in the deal had gathered pace after a Milan (Italy) court in April 2016 had sentenced Italian defence and aerospace major Finmeccanica's former chief Giuseppe Orsi and AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini on corruption charges in the sale of these helicopters to India. The Milan court order also mentioned the name of former IAF chief S P Tyagi. After this, the ED and the CBI began a fresh round of questioning of the accused in this case and collection of further evidences. The ED had registered a PMLA case in 2014 and named 21 people, including Tyagi, in its money laundering FIR. On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore paid by the firm for securing the deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 70th raising day of the Western Command, the frontline operational command of the Indian Army which played an active role in the wars against Pakistan, was celebrated at its headquarters at Chandimandir in Punjab's Panchkula district today. Lt Gen Surinder Singh, general officer commanding-in- chief (GOC-in-C) of Western Command, laid a wreath at the 'Veer Smriti' to pay homage to the martyrs on the occasion, a defence spokesperson said. The unit was raised in September, 1947, as Delhi and East Punjab Command and re-designated as Western Command in January, 1948. "Western Command has a glorious history of having participated in all the major conflicts, both on our Western and Northern frontiers, and carved a niche for itself replete with saga of bravery, grit and determination," the spokesperson said. He also highlighted the instrumental role the command played in blunting the Pakistani aggression in 1947, 1965 and 1971. On October 26, 1947, after Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India, Western Command was put in charge of all Indian Army operations to seize the area for India. Western Command, has also time and again, provided succour to the civilian population, he said. "Be it during natural calamities, undertaking counter- terrorist operations or participating in nation-building activities, troops of the Western Command have always been in the fore-front in providing aid to civil authorities," the spokesperson added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar has assured central trade unions that his ministry will work in cooperation with them to protect interests of workers. The minister had called the meeting of all central trade unions to discuss some of the provisions of the draft Industrial Relations Code yesterday. "The labour minister assured the participants that the ministry will work together with the trade unions for the protection of interest of the workers," a labour ministry statement said. The meeting was attended by the representatives from 10 Central Trade Unions -- Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and NFITU (Dhanbad). This was the first interaction meeting of Gangwar with the Trade Union representatives, after taking over the charge of the Labour Ministry. The representatives from trade unions appreciated the efforts of Gangwar for the working class in his earlier days in the textiles ministry, the statement said. However, the unions unanimously opposed the certain provision of the code which according to them would encourage hire and fire policies. The new industrial relations code proposes to raise the ceiling on number of workers for units that can go for closure, retrenchment or layoff without government approval to 300 from 100. At present, all units with up to 100 workers are not required to seek government nod for closure, retrenchment or layoff. The government has completed tripartite discussions on these two codes to seek view of stakeholders, including the industry, unions and states. The code on industrial relations will subsume Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, the Trade Unions Act, 1926, and the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946. The labour ministry has plans to condense nearly 44 labour laws into four codes-wages, industrial relations, social security and safety, health and working conditions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 44-year-old woman was arrested in connection with a case of road rage in which she allegedly assaulted and abused two Army personnel in south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, the police said today. Later, Metropolitan Magistrate Lovleen granted bail to the accused Smriti Kalra after she was produced before the court. The incident took place on September 9 but was reported to the police on September 13 after which a case was registered and the woman arrested, they said. An Army subedar was going towards Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station to drop off five of colleagues in a truck on September 9. When the truck reached Rajokri flyover, a Tata Indica car overtook it. In his complaint, the army subedar alleged that the car was being driven ahead of them by Kalra in a zig-zag manner. He claimed that despite them blowing a horn, she refused to give them way, the police said. The army subedar also claimed that Kalra blocked their way when they tried to move towards the left or the right side. Subsequently, the driver stopped the truck. The army subedar asked him to talk to Kalra to explain the situation. The army constable who was driving the truck tried to speak to the woman but she allegedly held his collar, slapped him and hurled abuses at him. She apparently blamed the constable for being an Army personnel after which he came back to the truck and sat in the driver's seat. Kalra got off from her car and continued to hurl abuses. She came to the truck and banged on its windows. She then started abusing the army subedar, who was sitting inside, the police said. The army subedar tried to ask her about their fault but she kept abusing them. He got down to speak to her but she abused him and also slapped him a couple of times, they said. Lady who assaulted Army Personnel arrested by @DelhiPolice under Non Bailable sections. Her name is Smriti Kalra and lives in Gurugram. pic.twitter.com/8azeZHWrIY Jitender Sharma (@capt_ivane) September 15, 2017 While this was happening, a traffic jam had built up and many people were standing there. The army subedar's colleagues also got down. Realising that the situation might get out of hand, the woman walked towards her car and sped off. However, the army subedar had asked his colleague to do a video recording of the incident. This recording was submitted to the police on September 13. Subsequently, Kalra was arrested from her house in Gurugram and her car seized. A purported video of the incident showing the woman slapping the army personnel has also gone viral on social media. Kalra, a graduate in Home Science, got married to an Army officer's son in 1995. She got a divorce in 2008 over marital issues. (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 woman ultra was killed in an encounter with the police in Gadchiroli district of east Maharashtra today. The skirmish broke out in Pendhri camp area in the district this morning when a police team was patrolling the border area, an official release said. During a heavy exchange of fire that ensued, a woman naxalite was killed, it said, adding that the identity of the slain Maoist could not be established immediately. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese handset maker Xiaomi has partnered HRX, the active lifestyle brand co-owned by Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, to launch a new edition of its Mi fitness band. Priced at Rs 1,299, the Mi Band - HRX Edition will be available from September 18 on Mi.Com and Mi Home stores. It will be available across Flipkart, Amazon, and Myntra from September 20. "Indians are becoming more fitness conscious and this category is at an extremely dynamic stage. The Mi Band is a great fit in the category as reflected by the great response received for the Mi Band 2," Xiaomi Vice President and India Managing Director Manu Jain told PTI. He added that by partnering HRX, Xiaomi is investing in the product further. "This is not an endorsement deal, it's a partnership for a new device. Hrithik provided inputs on features can be incorporated to make the product more relevant," he said adding that the new edition is both innovative and utilitarian. "I always envisioned HRX to be a platform that could inspire people to be the best version of themselves. Partnering with Xiaomi... Is an opportune decision as they are in sync with our philosophy... I believe that this will be the next best buy for all fitness enthusiasts," Roshan said. Mi Band - HRX Edition will have a battery life of over 23 days on a single charge, OLED display and can monitor steps, calories burnt and sleep patterns. It supports display notifications for incoming calls or text messages as well. However, the new edition does not have a heart rate monitor that the Mi Band 2 featured. Citing IDC data, Xiaomi said 3.5 million units of Mi Band 2 were sold in the April-June 2017 quarter. Xiaomi was the numero uno wearable vendor with market share of 13.4 per cent in the said quarter. In the Indian market, Xiaomi had a 10.1 per cent share of the wearable market in the January-March quarter of 2017, ranking number two after GOQii. Shipment details of the second quarter for India market are yet to be announced. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 25-year-old British journalist, who was on a vacation in Sri Lanka, has died in a crocodile attack, police said today, a day after he had gone missing. Paul McClean of the Financial Times and his friends had been surfing in Panama village on Sri Lanka's eastern coast. He was reported missing around 3 pm local time yesterday. "We have found his body," a police spokesman at the village, more than 200 kilometres east of Colombo, told reporters. The official said the body has been sent for autopsy. The crocodile appears to have attacked McClean when he left his friends to go to toilet. The body was found later in a lagoon. Residents said crocodiles often visit the area. According to a report in the Financial Times, the young reporter joined the newspaper two years ago as a graduate trainee. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. We are in touch with them, doing all we can to help during this difficult time," James Lamont, the FT's managing editor, was quoted as saying in the report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Marianna Parraga and Catherine Ngai HOUSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Washington's recent sanctions against Venezuelan state-run oil company PDVSA have started to ensnare its U.S. unit, Citgo Petroleum, making it harder for the refiner to obtain the credit it needs to purchase crude, according to six traders and banking sources. Fewer oil providers are willing to sell cargoes to Citgo on open credit, instead requiring prepayment or bank letters of credit to supply its 749,000-barrel-per-day refining network, the sources said. Two sources at Canadian suppliers said their companies are no longer allowed to trade with Citgo directly, and have begun selling cargoes through third parties to avoid the credit risk. Citgo's three U.S. refineries in Illinois, Texas and Louisiana account for about 4 percent of domestic fuel capacity, and are major suppliers of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. If financial troubles raise the cost of obtaining crude, its profits would be squeezed, making the company less competitive. Citgo had remained immune from its parent's straits until this year. But U.S. sanctions levied in recent months against Venezuelan officials, PDVSA executives and the country's debt issuance have deterred banks and suppliers from extending even routine credit, the sources said. Citgo's main crude supplier is Venezuela, but the company also buys U.S. and foreign oil. It has told some providers they can charge more to reflect the added credit risk. "We are now more conservative when dealing with PDVSA or any of its units," said an executive from a trading firm with a long term business relationship with PDVSA. "Banks that have refused to provide credit have a very rational thinking, they don't want to be exposed to sanctions. It does not take too much to have banks nervous," he added. The U.S. government did not intend sanctions to affect existing private credit agreements at Citgo or PDVSA. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in August said "short-term financing for most commercial trade" between the United States and Venezuela, including the petroleum flow, was exempted. Citgo declined to comment. Venezuela's Economy Vice President Ramon Lobo on Thursday said the government is facing "a series of difficulties" as result of sanctions, which he considered an attempt to push the country to insolvency with a "financial blockade." RENEGOTIATING SUPPLY DEALS While Citgo was not directly sanctioned in August, it was barred by name from transferring dividends or distributing profits to PDVSA or the Venezuelan government. Citgo has provided nearly $2.5 billion in dividends to its parent company since 2015, according to Fitch Ratings. That restriction raised alarms among its longterm banking and trading partners in the United States. As a result, Citgo is "trying to renegotiate its supply terms," said a trader from a firm that is requiring Citgo to prepay for purchases. The company is worried about a higher debt default risk as well as the sanctions. Citgo also has other problems. Its Gulf Coast refineries are being forced to buy more crude on the open market to offset a declining flow of oil from PDVSA. From June through August, PDVSA supplied only half the volume of Venezuelan crude it was to send Citgo under a 220,000-bpd supply contract, according to trade flows data. At the same time, Venezuela increased oil deliveries to Russia's Rosneft to pay for loans. Even Citgo's 167,000-bpd Lemont refinery in Illinois, which largely processes Canadian oil, is having trouble retaining credit arrangements with its traditional providers, according to three traders from crude suppliers that are no longer allowed to sell directly to Citgo. In August, Citgo executives traveled to Canada, as they typically do once a year, but this time sought to assure marketers in Calgary that the firm was financially stable. "I don't think anyone was very convinced," a source involved in the talks said. SAVED BY THE SWISS Citgo has a long standing agreement to buy oil on preferential terms from Switzerland-based trader Mercuria Energy, without obtaining letters of credit, according to four of the traders. But when Mercuria is unable to provide crude to Citgo, the refiner goes to the spot market, where many of its providers demand prepayment or letters of credit to secure payment within 30 days of every cargo discharge. The sources said traders, refiners and oil firms have been rebuffed in recent weeks after seeking letters of credit from a list of banks suggested by PDVSA and Citgo, which includes Citibank, JP Morgan, Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas, ABN Amro, and Deutsche Bank. "This is not a credit issue, nobody thinks Citgo is unwilling to pay. But banks have to protect themselves from fines, so they typically go beyond what the sanctions require," said a banker who has been dealing with Venezuela for years. The banks declined to comment on specific clients. Citgo's attempt to address the credit problems has been to suggest suppliers mark up their prices, three traders said. But that "only transfers the credit risk from the bank to the oil provider," one of them said. A similar tack was used by PDVSA last year before intermediaries began requiring prepayment. In most cases, cargoes that arrive in Venezuelan ports now wait for weeks before a bank transfer is received. Minister Lobo and traders said PDVSA has started talks to change its preferred currency to euros from dollars for some business relationships, an idea that has failed in previous years. President Nicolas Maduro last week said the OPEC-member could also use China's yuan, India's rupees, Russia's ruble and Japan's yen. (Reporting by Marianna Parraga in Houston and Catherine Ngai in New York; additional reporting by Nia Williams in Calgary and Corina Pons in Caracas; Editing by David Gregorio) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google in August announced Android 8.0 Oreo and released a list of smartphone manufacturers that will be updating their devices soon. The Pixel and Nexus devices will be the first among the first smartphones to receive the update and Google has already confirmed that the carrier testing is underway and the devices will receive it soon. Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp on Thursday announced fresh investments of around Rs 3,800 crore in Gujarat to set up a third car production plant. The company along with its partners Toshiba and Denso will also invest around Rs 1,150 crore for a new unit to produce lithium ion batteries. Announcing the fresh investments, Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) chairman Osamu Suzuki said the company will invest Rs 3,800 crore on the third plant which will have a production capacity of 2.5 lakh units annually. When the third plant starts functioning fully, the SMC's Gujarat plant will have a total capacity of 7.5 lakh units per annum, according to a PTI report from Gandhinagar. The new investment in enhancing capacity of the Hansalpur plant will take the company's total investment in the facility to around Rs 13,400 crore, where it has already put in Rs 9,600 crore on two plants along with another engine and transmission production unit. The Hansalpur-based plant is Suzuki Motor Corp's first whollyowned unit in India. He, however, did not elaborate on the time for commissioning of the third plant. The first two plants also have capacity of 2.5 lakh units per annum, while the engine and transmission unit has a capacity to produce 5 lakh units a year. The overall production capacity of SMC along with its Indian arm, Maruti Suzuki's two plants in Haryana will increase to 22.5 lakh units annually. Currently, the first plant at Hansalpur produces premium hatchback Baleno. The second plant along with the engine and transmission units is expected to go on stream in 2019. He said with the new investment, the company's Hansalpur facility will will help in generating employment for 10,000 people, including suppliers. "We will also construct a hospital and school near Hanslapur facility, he added. Suzuki said as part of strategy for adapting to new technologies, SMC along with its partners Toshiba and Denso will invest USD 180 million (around Rs 1,151 crore) to manufacture lithium ion batteries. The batteries will be used for hybrid vehicles manufactured in India and export these genuinely manufactured in India vehicles to international market," Suzuki said. The increase in petrol and diesel prices in the past few months - since the implementation of daily revision of fuel cost - has now triggered a debate if the new pricing mechanism is putting a burden on consumers. Earlier, the prices were fixed twice in a month, but now the change in price happens at 6 a.m every morning. The steady increase in prices had somewhat gone unnoticed till the petrol prices touched a three year high. The government, however, has not taken any definite step to stop the rise in fuel prices owing to the dynamic daily revision in prices. Acording to experts, the problem of rising oil prices is not about the system of daily revision but instead the government's gradual increase in taxes on fuel in the past few years. In fact, Minister for Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan has made a statement saying that inclusion of petroleum under GST is the only way for rational pricing. Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan today batted for the inclusion of petroleum products under newly-introduced Goods and Services Tax or GST. In a tweet, Pradhan said: "Petroleum products inclusion in GST only way for rational fuel prices." The Minister's statement has come in the backdrop of recent price hike in petrol and diesel products in the country. Earlier this week, the price of petrol in Delhi touched Rs 70.38 per litre and in Mumbai it had gone up to Rs 79.48 per litre. In last three months, petrol price in Delhi has shot up by Rs 7 . On July 1, the prices of petrol in the national capital was Rs 63.09 and diesel price was just Rs 53.33 per litre. So what caused this sudden rate hike? The Petroleum Minister while talking to reporters blamed the international events for recent spike and said that the global prices have risen due to factors like hurricane in the United States. "As a result of these hurricanes, 13 per cent of US refinery capacity was shutdown," Pradhan said. The Minister refused to intervene in the pricing matter saying that he cannot interfere in the day-to-day affairs of oil marketing companies . However, Pradhan's arguments did cut any ice with the Congress which held the government's excessive excise duty responsible for price hike. Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken in a press conference said that the prices of petrol and diesel have touched the highest levels in the history of the country despite a fall in the prices of crude oil in the international market. "This is a cruel joke by the BJP and AAP governments," Maken said. So who is really to blame for? It's the government's excessive taxes that have led the prices this high. Some reports suggest that the cost of petroleum prices in India is more than any other Southeast Asian countries. Last time when the petrol price touched Rs 70 was 2014 and the price of crude oil in the international market was USD 98. However, the prices of crude oil have come down to around USD 50. What made the difference was taxes that the Centre levied to control fiscal deficit. In 2014, the excise duty on petrol was Rs 9.48. Today it has gone up to Rs 21.48. In Delhi, the Value-added Tax levied by state government has gone up 27 per cent from 12.7 per cent in 2014. Same has happened with diesel. In 2014, the excise duty on diesel was Rs 3.56 but today it has shot up to Rs 13.47 per litre. By some accounts, the government tax on petroleum products make up for around 50 per cent of the total fuel prices. Indian Oil Corporation recently released a data in which it explained the whole price build-up and who charges what. Data showed that for 1 litre of petrol, IOC paid Rs 26.65 to refineries, which it later sold to dealers at Rs 29.96. Then dealer charged Rs 3.24 as commission. That made the total cost of fuel Rs 33.20. However, the data showed that government levied excise duty of Rs 21.48 and VAT Rs 14.76 which made the total price of petrol for consumers Rs 69.43 in Delhi on September 2. Same goes with diesel price. Currently, petroleum prices change on a daily basis. This is the reason that the Minister is advocating for the inclusion of petroleum products under the GST. Currently, the government taxes on petrol and diesel are around 50 per cent of the fuel cost. However, GST has four taxes brackets with highest 28 per cent. If the GST Council decides to bring these products under the new tax regime then the prices would come down at least by 22 per cent, presuming that the Council puts it in the highest bracket of 28 per cent due to fear of exchequer loss. This calculation has prompted the Minister to say that bringing petroleum products under the GST is the 'only way for rational fuel prices'. Ahead of the GST launch on July 1, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that the Centre was all for inclusion of petroleum products under the new taxation system and sooner or later the GST Council will have to take a decision on it. Jaitley further said: "As was decided by the Empowered Committee of states' Finance Ministers, we have brought petroleum in the constitutional amendment for the GST. It is zero rated and tax will only be applied when the GST Council decides." Six out of 16 wholesale mandis in Nashik have stopped onion trading after a sharp decline in in prices to Rs 11 per kg. The average wholesale price of onion in Nasik, which was ruling at Rs 20/kg early this month, has now declined to Rs 11/kg, as per official data. Wholesale rates in other onion markets in Maharashtra have also fallen. In Lasalgaon, Asian's biggest wholesale market for onion, rates were ruling at Rs 15/kg today. "We have closed trading in six mandis since yesterday and they will open on Monday. Other 10 mandis are open. The mandis are closed due to sudden onion price fall," Deputy District Registrar of Cooperative Society Nilkanth Kare was quoted by news agency PTI. Onion prices started falling sharply since yesterday. On a daily basis, onion arrival in mandis is about 20,000 tonnes. Onion prices had touched the peak of Rs 25/kg few weeks back and now have come down to Rs 10-11/kg, he added. "The exact reasons are still not known. It is believed the prices fell on reports of income tax raids on onion traders and also because of rise in onion imports," Kare said. Income tax officials raided the premises of some big onion traders in Nashik, prompting other traders in the district to slash prices. Farmers at agricultural produce wholesale markets in Lasalgaon stopped the auction as prices plummeted by almost 35 per cent following the raids. Prices at Lasalgaon onion wholesale market reportedly went down to Rs 900 per quintal from Rs 1,400 per quintal seen on Wednesday. The lowest wholesale prices of onion recorded for the day were Rs 500 per quintal. Farmers decided to stop the auction went back with their produce instead of selling it at such low prices. The decline in prices has caused onion farmers to worry, as the produce from the kharif season will start to roll in bulk in the coming weeks. While some portion of onion harvest has already begun to arrive at the wholesale markets, the volume is expected to pick up in days to come. Also Read: WPI inflation rises sharply to 3.24% in August Reports stated that income tax officers conducted raids and searches at offices, godowns and residences of several big traders in Lasalgaon and Pimpalgaon areas of Nashik. These raids were in relation to the hike in onion prices seen during the course of past few months and are expected to go on for two more days. These traders reportedly account for 30-40 per cent of total onion supply in Indian markets. Average onion prices in wholesale markets of Maharashtra had grown from Rs 450 to Rs 2,450 between May 31 and August 10, according to a report by The Times of India. The prices had skyrocketed to a 20-month high even though there was no dearth of supply. Speculations had attached this steep rise in onion prices to hoarding by traders. Also Read: Onions worth Rs 20 crore go missing in Madhya Pradesh Onion prices had gone up to Rs 40 - Rs 50 per kilogram in retail markets across the nation due to increase in wholesale markets. Even retail prices for onion in and around Lasalgaon went up from Rs 10 to Rs 30. The prices started to slide back to normal after a two-member committee visited Lasalgaon on August 18 to reverse the sudden upsurge in onion prices. Suzuki Motor Corp, the Japanese parent of India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki on Thursday said it would invest Rs 1,150 crore for a new unit to produce lithium ion batteries in Gujarat. Suzuki along with two manufacturers Toshiba and Denso will also invest around Rs 1,150 crore for a new unit to produce lithium ion batteries which will be operational by 2020. According to a report in TOI, Suzuki Motor has decided to make electric cars at its factory in Gujarat. Suzuki will also manufacture electric cars for world markets. Suzuki will set up a lithium-ion battery factory that will power electric, hybrid cars using clean fuel technology. Denso, owned by Toyota, will provide the technology, while Toshiba will chip in with cell modules, it said. The three Japanese entities inked an agreement to form a joint venture to tap growing popularity for electric vehicles in India and supply lithium-ion battery packs in the country. Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) Chairman Osamu Suzuki said the company will invest Rs 3,800 crore on the third plant which will have a production capacity of 2.5 lakh units annually. The Hansalpur-based plant is Suzuki Motor Corp's first wholly-owned unit in India. It is expected that the batteries will be used to power Maruti and Suzuki's electric vehicles, some of which could be all-new ones, while others will be clean-fuel variants of existing petrol/diesel models. The new investment in enhancing capacity of the Hansalpur plant will take the company's total investment in the facility to around Rs 13,400 crore, where it has already put in Rs 9,600 crore on two plants along with another engine and transmission production unit. When the third plant starts functioning fully, the SMC's Gujarat plant will have a total capacity of 7.5 lakh units per annum. He, however, did not elaborate on the time for commissioning of the third plant. The first two plants also have capacity of 2.5 lakh units per annum, while the engine and transmission unit has a capacity to produce 5 lakh units a year. The overall production capacity of SMC along with its Indian arm, Maruti Suzuki's two plants in Haryana will increase to 22.5 lakh units annually. Currently, the first plant at Hansalpur produces premium hatchback Baleno. The second plant along with the engine and transmission units is expected to go on stream in 2019. He said with the new investment, the company's Hansalpur facility will will help in generating employment for 10,000 people, including suppliers. "We will also construct a hospital and school near Hanslapur facility," he added. Apple iPhone X has been the talk of the town for all its "revolutionary" features. However, crediting them for the all the technology inside the device might not be the right thing. Android has had most of these features from as early as 2009 but they failed to leave a mark like the American tech giant. Apple may have not done some of these innovations first, but it sure knows how to do it right. These five technologies have been present since a few years now but never really made it to mainstream smartphones because they lacked refinement. These five features have been spotted on the latest iPhone X, which in a way has left most tech-heads in awe of its beauty. However, we can't give all the credit to Apple when it comes to these ground breaking technology. Face ID- FaceID has been in Android phones since 2011. The sophistication was nothing compared to the latest devices, but since then companies have been working on the technology. Samsung has even used it in their flagship device this year but still seems a bit slower to actually replace the fingerprint scanner. Though it was almost certain that Apple will be launching FaceID to unlock the iPhone X, but there were speculations that the tech giant would feature the touch ID as back up. However, Apple ditched it entirely. Such was the confidence in the FaceID. Ironically, during the event, Apple's software head Craig Federighi was demonstrating FaceID and it malfunctioned. The device refused to unlock. However, Apple came up with logical explaination about the failure. The device was handled by many before it was placed there. The numerous invalid face-scans blocked the device. Wireless Charging- The concept of wireless charging has been around since almost eight years now. Despite the convenience, there was hardly any acceptance for the simple reason that the wireless charging pads are relatively expensive and are hardly found outside developed countries like America. iPhone X introduced the Qi certified technology which makes it compatible with current charging pads used with other Android smartphones. Bezel-less display- This year has been the year of bezel-less displays and Apple has in a way just followed a growing trend when it comes to this technology. However, this technology has been at the forefront since two years starting from Sharp Aquos. This was followed by one of Xiaomi's most original smartphone ideas, the Mi Mix. This device had much more refinement but still didn't make it big due to lack of availability. This year's Mi Mix 2 was launched one day before Apple and came with an impressive 93 per cent body to display ratio. OLED displays- Samsung handles almost 97 per cent of the world's total OLED production. This in itself is indicative that it has featured in a lot many Samsung devices much before Apple even struck a deal for OLED panels. OLED panels need special fabrication process which requires special state of the art assembly lines. Apple's iPhone X production is estimated to slowdown due to the high demand and since the American brand does not want Samsung to have a bargaining advantage, they are looking for new partners to produce OLED panels. Augmented reality- Though Apple was boasting of being the first to make a device for augmented reality, there are few Android phones in the market that can claim a similar feat. Tango is an augmented reality platform created by Google which enables devices to be aware of their relative position with their surroundings. Again, despite being present since some time now, the technology is underutilized by developers. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP/Getty Images(VATICAN CITY) -- The Vatican has recalled one of its diplomats to the U.S. after being notified that he may have violated U.S. laws on child-pornography images. The U.S. State Department notified the Holy See on Aug. 21 of the possible violation of pornography laws by the diplomat stationed at the Vatican embassy in Washington, D.C., a Vatican press statement on Friday said. "The Holy See, following the practice of sovereign states, recalled the priest in question, who is currently in Vatican City," the statement said. A U.S. State Department official told ABC News that the United States requested that the Vatican embassy in Washington waive diplomatic immunity for the individual, but the request was denied. The State Department only asks for a waiver of diplomatic immunity when "the prosecutor advises that he or she would prosecute but for immunity," according to department guidance in a June 2015 handbook. State Department officials referred any questions about possible allegations of criminal wrongdoing by the diplomat to the Justice Department. The Vatican said in its statement that it has opened its own investigation with "international collaboration." The priest's name has not been released. The staff of the Vatican embassy or nunciature in Washington includes the ambassador, a French-born archbishop named Christophe Pierre, and under him, three counselors who support him, according to the Vatican yearbook. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also weighed in on the matter, calling for "an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation in cooperation with law enforcement." "We hope the Holy See will be forthcoming with more details," said the conference president, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, Texas, in a statement. "The protection of children and young people is our most sacred responsibility." In 2015, a similar case involving a high-level Vatican diplomat in the Dominican Republic resulted in charges. Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski became the first high-level member of the clergy to be formally charged with child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography by the Vatican's criminal court according to Catholic News Service. He was defrocked and died while awaiting trial in Vatican City. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. | BY Ricki Green | Edith Cowan University (ECU) has reappointed 303MullenLowe Perth as its preferred supplier for all brand, traditional and digital marketing services. The appointment follows ECUs standard procurement process to retain a preferred supplier for up to 6 years. ECU first appointed 303MullenLowe in 2001. ECUs director of marketing and communications, Julia Turner, said she was looking forward to continuing ECUs long and successful partnership with 303MullenLowe. Says Turner: Were excited to continue working with 303MullenLowe to take ECUs traditional and digital advertising activities to the next level. With offices in both Perth and Sydney, they offer personalised, responsive service as well as the opportunity to tap into their wider experience on the east coast. ECU has also appointed Perth-based full service agency Rare to work on specific campaigns as required. Says Turner: Were looking forward to seeing Rares fresh perspective on future special projects involving either traditional or digital advertising, or both. Turner also thanked Longtail for its contribution to ECU. Longtail was appointed in 2012, alongside 303MullenLowe, specifically to plan and implement digital campaigns. | BY Ricki Green | Queensland Government has launched a new social marketing campaign called Go Local via Engine Group. Small businesses are the lifeblood to growth in local communities. The Go Local campaign celebrates small businesses across Queensland and promotes the benefits of buying locally and supporting local small businesses. Engine Group Managing Director, Tim Weger, said: We want to encourage consumers to purchase thoughtfully and consider the impact they can have on their own local community. We also want to encourage the 414,000 small businesses in Queensland to leverage the tools available through the Office of Small Business. Central to the new campaign is a TVC that visually demonstrates the power of $10 spent in a local bakery and sets up the campaign idea that when you go local you grow local. The integrated campaign is running state-wide in TV, digital, social, press and radio. Creative Agency: Engine Group Tim Weger Managing Director Ken Roney Creative Director/Senior Art Director Nic Harman Senior Writer Jim Strachan Senior Art Director Kirsty McRuvie Business Director Megan Nguyen Graphic Designer Production Company: The Producers Mitch Kennedy Director/DoP Noelle Jones Producer Post Production Company: Cutting Edge Post Stills & Video Content: Compadre Picture Co Sam Scoufos Photographer/Cinematographer | BY Ricki Green | SumoSalad is on a mission to help create a happier, healthier Australia with its new spring campaign, This Is How I Flex created by Sydney-based agency Futurekind. SumoSalad is calling for Australians to stand proud of their health and how they take care of themselves in their new campaign for Spring, bringing the Flextiarian trend to life in a celebration of our individual choices for wellbeing. Futurekind developed the campaign for Sumo from concept creation to strategy, production and media execution. With a short turnaround times and a lean approach required, Futurekind produced and directed a 1-day campaign shoot racing through an ambitious 16 scenes in 12 locations for all 3 Influencers and 4 Star Sumo Members to capture both the campaign video and stills. The Spring campaign celebrates individuality in our lifestyles and being proud of personal choices. With popular figures Commando Steve of Biggest Loser, Erin Holland our former Miss World Australia and Dr Zac Turner from The Today Show Sumo is bringing to life the fun, individual and unexpected ways we choose to Flex in our lifestyle. Being a Flextiarian is about not only taking care of ourselves and the planet, but enjoying a balanced and healthy lifestyle with variety and choice in the food that we eat. Sometimes the word boring has been thrown around when it comes to salad, or even for eating healthy. The campaign challenge was to get past outdated (and positively unhelpful) ideas that salad might be boring, or unsatisfying. Sumo wanted to get its customers to understand the concept of being healthy as something fun, fresh and inspiring that will satisfy on every level through a creative, authentic and personal experience. | BY Ricki Green | The Equality Campaign has aired a new TV spot during last nights The Bachelor finale. An emotional appeal to all Australians, the spot features moving real wedding footage contributed by members of the LGBTI community and urges Australians to vote yes for every Bachelor and Bachelorette. To create the spot, Leo Burnett Melbourne joined forces with AIRBAG, ARC Edit, Manimal and Nylon. Media placement during the finale was generously donated by The Bachelors major sponsor, Wrigleys Extra. Says Andrew Woodhead, creative director, Leo Burnett Melbourne: Choosing The Bachelor finale was a purposeful move to not only target a certain demographic, but to make the point that everyone should have the right to get married. We also hope that more marketers will follow Wrigleys lead and consider donating a portion of their media plan so that messages like this get the air time they deserve. Says Tim Gartrell, director, The Equality Campaign: The campaign appreciates the spirit in which this air time and creative has been generously donated. Opportunities like this really help the campaign cut-through all the noise around Marriage Equality which is simply about dignity, respect and fairness for LGBTI Australians. Australians know this is about a fair go for all and allowing people to just get on with their lives with the person they love. Marriage Equality takes from no one and makes our country a fairer and more inclusive place to live. Says Alison Levins, marketing director, Wrigley: We are proud to be able to provide this opportunity to convey the important message of marriage equality for all Australians. Wrigley has donated this spot because we simply believe that everyone deserves their own grand finale in love. Says Adrian Bosich, director, AIRBAG: These emotional wedding moments are universal, and engage with a sense of the familiar, with heartfelt moments of humanity as love brings two people together in front of their family and friends. Marketers wishing to donate to this campaign are welcomed to contact The Equality Campaign directly. Corporates: Janine Middleton: janine@equalitycampaign.org.au General donations: Brooke Horne: brooke@equalitycampaign.org.au Client: The Equality Campaign Campaign Director: Tim Gartrell Campaign Director: Helen Ross-Browne Advertising and Brand Director: Kirk Marcolina Digital Campaigner: Steph Lee Media donated by: Wrigley Australia Marketing Director: Alison Levins Marketing Manager: Alexandra Hume Agency: Leo Burnett Melbourne Chief Creative Officer: Jason Williams National CEO: Melinda Geertz Creatives: Katarina Matic, Andrew Woodhead & Sarah McGregor Account Director: Rhys Thomas Senior Producer: Eliza Malone PR: Katy Denis Production Company: AIRBAG Director: Adrian Bosich Head of Production: Martin Box Post Producer: Nick Venn Production Assistant: Megan Glass Edit Company: Arc Edit Editor: James Ashbolt Editorial Producer: Olivia Carolan Editorial Assistants: Damien Magee and Lucas Baynes Grade/Online Company: Manimal Grade/Online: Ryan Brett Grade/Online Producer: Chelsea Nieper Sound: Nylon Music: Sarah Blasko/ Crowded House | BY Lynchy | Tomorrow (September 16th) is Malaysia Day and the country will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its independence and the 54th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia. To celebrate, AirAsia has released a new commercial, via Directors Think Tank, that portrays the uniqueness and diversity of Malaysians today. Todays Malaysia is a multi cultural melting pot where different cultures share their language, art and cuisine along with the common goal of being a strong, accepting and thriving Constitutional Monarchy, said Directors Think Tank director Wei Peow. To capture this in an authentic and fresh way, it was important to steer clear of traditional stereotypes. We chose to re-mix these by showing genuine people who were proficient in skills and practises normally associated with cultures other than their own. In the spot Directors Think Tank shot a graceful Chinese woman performing a traditional Indian dance, and a young Indian girl practising Chinese calligraphy with meticulous precision. This juxtaposition enabled us to create a unique story telling thread. It was also an opportunity to showcase many of Malaysias famous locations in a new way. So we featured places like the Kue Teow stall in Penang, the Tea Plantation in the Cameron Highlands and the traditional activities of East Malaysia among others, said Wei Peow. As AirAsia is a contemporary brand that radiates a positive youthful energy, we used a fast frenetic editing style and a bold sound track composed of rap style vocals, ambient atmospherics and both traditional and modern musical elements representing the various races and cultures that make up todays Malaysia. Credits Client: AirAsia Group Head of Branding: Rudy Khaw Brand Manager: Darynne Goh Creative Director: Prem Kumar Art Director: Raihan Nazifah Film Director: Wei Peow Exec. Producer: Pat Singh DOP: Julian Oh Line Producer: Shu Ying Production Manager: Subash Krishnamurthy Production Coordinator: Gray Loi Production Team: Yong Jia Lyn & Liew Shi Wen Editor: Mindy Wong Post Production: APV Media "I feel there are a lot of parents that may like to be involved but can't, due to work and other commitments, so the easier we make the role of being on a committee, the more uptake of helpers we would have," she said. Ms Moss said: "It's the greatest method to reduce HIV transmissions that have been achieved medically and it's great that we finally have the opportunity to trial this in Canberra alongside all of our other state and territory colleagues across Australia." Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. It is the second time this year that WorkSafe has slapped an improvement notice on the education directorate, with the first issued in March after ongoing issues of occupation violence against teachers at a southside high school. I found Keith Hill's suggestion that people who plan to vote "no" in the gay marriage survey (September 13) should abstain amusing. The "yes" vote will probably win anyway and all his suggestion would do, if adopted, is to reduce the credibility of the outcome. If I vote "yes", it will e.g. be because I know how much a certain gay friend of mine would like to marry her long-time partner but, if I vote "no", it will be because of people like Keith Hill trying to shut down opposition to the proposal and because our Andy thought he had the right to waste $22,000 of our money painting rainbows on our busses. 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. Subaru just dusted off a nameplate they havent used in a while: the Rex. This time though, its not being attached to a sub-compact mini or... Three weeks after it celebrated its world premiere, the new Volkswagen T-Roc is already available to order. Pricing starts at 20,390 ($24,248) in Germany, for the entry-level grade, which is powered by a 1.0-liter TSI petrol engine, rated at 115PS (113hp). Customers can also order the brands small SUV with the 190PS 2.0-liter TSI or with the 150PS 2.0-liter TDI diesel. Both units are getting the 7-speed DSG auto gearbox and 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Later on, Volkswagen will also add other engine options for the new T-Roc, including the 150PS (148hp) 1.5 TSI, 115PS (113hp) 1.6 TDI, and 190PS (187hp) 2.0 TDI. Depending on specification, the Volkswagen T-Roc can be had in two-tone paintwork, which includes a contrasting roof, A-pillars and side mirror casings, a first for a VW model. At the same time, it also features standard Front Assist and Lane Assist systems, and it can also be fitted with Traffic Jam Assist, as part of the optional equipment. The Volkswagens T-Roc launch coincided with the German Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. PHOTO GALLERY The worlds worst Transformer has returned as Ford has revealed it was behind the bizarre car seat guy incident in Arlington, Virginia. For those who dont remember, a local news team caught up with what they thought was an autonomous Ford Transit Connect. However when reporter Adam Tuss approached the van, he soon discovered it was being driven by a guy disguised as a car seat. He was caught off guard and ended up saying What are you doing? Im with the news, dude. Dude! That seemed to be the end of the story but Ford has now confirmed the incident was part of a test they were conducting to communicate a vehicles intent by soliciting real-world reactions to a self-driving car on public roads. As Ford explains, drivers can simply nod or wave at a pedestrian to let them know it is okay to cross the street. Since autonomous vehicles dont have a driver, this eliminates that simple form of communication. Ford considered multiple ways to communicate a vehicles intent but ideas such as symbols and a text display were rejected for various reasons. The company eventually decided to go with lighting signals since braking and turning indications are already standardized and widely understood. In order to test the system, Ford equipped a non-autonomous Transit Connect with a light bar. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute team then developed a seat suit to help conceal the driver and make people believe the vehicle was fully autonomous so Ford could evaluate their encounters with the van. Ford probably wasnt expecting to make the news but they developed a system were two white lights move side to side to indicate vehicle is about to come to a stop. A solid white light indicates the vehicle is driving autonomously and rapidly blinking lights indicate the vehicle is beginning to accelerate from a stop. Ford record over 150 hours of data from test and says the information will be valuable to understanding if other road users change their behaviors in response to self-driving vehicles and the signals they employ. The company went on to explain the test is part of a larger goal of creating an industry standard for visual communications for autonomous vehicles. Video Photo Gallery The Fit may be the smallest vehicle Honda sells in America, but its not its smallest model in Japan. In fact, back home, Honda offers an extended wagon/minivan version called the Shuttle, and its just announced a series of revisions for the model. Just released a couple of years ago, the Honda Shuttle is still relatively new. But theres always room for improvement. In this case the enhancements come down principally to the safety systems, but theres more to it. The latest Honda Sensing suite of electronic aids include eight functions, all standard across the range regardless of trim or spec. Those include radar and camera sensors for scanning the road ahead, automatic braking, lane departure, adaptive cruiser control, and more. Along with the Sensing systems, Honda has also installed a revised powertrain in the hybrid model, incorporating a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a seven-speed dual-cluch transmission and integrated electric motor. Theres a conventionally powered version of the same with a CVT, both versions available in either front- or all-wheel drive. The adaptable cabin space has room for five and features an upgraded infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Theres new LED fog lights as well, but thats about the extent of the exterior changes. Honda sells about 2,500 of these every month in the Japanese Domestic Market, with prices for the upgraded model ranging from 1.7 to 2.5 million yen or roughly $16-23k in equivalent American funds. Photo Gallery Taken into its second generation just last week, the all-new 2018 Nissan Leaf is trying out a virtual Nismo suit, and its not only for kicks. A previous report said that such a version of the electric compact hatch could be on the table, but that doesnt necessarily mean that its coming though, as an official decision has yet to be taken. However, if the good folks over at Nissan decide to put it into production, then it could look pretty much similar to what we see here, in the rendering penned by XTomi. Changes include not only the black and red accents that adorn its body, but also tweaked bumpers, side sills, and sportier wheels, in addition to the Nismo badge applied to the slightly modded grille. The new generation Nissan Leaf will go on sale in Japan, next month, while the first units of the zero-emission car will arrive at dealers in Europe and North America early next year. Prices start at near $30,000 in the United States, before government incentives. PHOTO GALLERY Samsung has announced a $300 million fund that will help to further the development of autonomous technologies. In a statement, the technology company said it will set up a new business unit within the Harman audio giant thatll create a platform which carmakers can adopt to run both a vehicles infotainment system and self-driving capabilities. As part of its hefty autonomous technology commitment, the company will invest almost $90 million into TTTech, an Austrian developer of platforms and safety software for connected vehicles. In a statement, president and chief strategy officer of Samsung Electronics and chairman of the board of HARMAN, Young Sohn said During this period of extraordinary transformation in the automotive industry, we are excited to play a leadership role in supporting and shaping the future of smarter, more connected vehicles. The Autonomous/ADAS Strategic Business Unit and automotive fund reflect the companys commitment to the values of open innovation and collaboration. In partnership with OEMs and startups, we will make the driver and passenger experience safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable, he said. PHOTO GALLERY Funding your retirement It's Your Money - 4:00 am Photo: Contributed Artists are welcome to attend an art conference taking place during the Penticton Art's Rising Festival. The four day Connections Art Show and Conference will feature a variety of workshops from Sept. 21 to 24, with several classes happening throughout each day. On Thursday, Sept. 21, anyone who has signed up prior to the event should meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Shatford Centre and travel with leaders to prearranged locations to paint. They ask that everyone comes with painting supplies, prewire canvas and your own transportation. "One day is going to be a pioneer painting, where people go into the surrounding outsides and paint a painting," said Julie-Ann Miller. "If you havent done this before it gives you a chance to go with people who have gone before and get some instruction on how to set things up and what to do." On Friday, Sept. 22, there will be six different advanced artists teaching several demonstrations of different techniques. Throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday, there will be a variety of workshops all displaying different forms of art that the instructors are masters of. All of the workshops are open to any local artist. For more information or to purchase tickets visit the Shatford Centre website. Photo: Okanagan College Students who are receiving this years awards. Six students are starting college with less financial stress, after receiving a scholarship or bursary from a local organization. Rick and Yasmin Thorpe and Friends, established in 2007, gives financial awards to students who are a graduate or will be graduating from a high school in the South Okanagan-Similkameen. Makeena Hartmann, Hailey Grunow and Mickella Di Lorenzo Biggs, recent graduates of Princess Margaret Secondary School in Penticton, along with Ericka Bidwell from Summerland Secondary, each received a $2,500 scholarship for secondary school graduates. Matthew Ironside of Penticton and Timothy Bey of Princeton were awarded with a $1,000 each for trades and technology. Its really nice to have help when you are going to school, because costs can be a barrier, Hartmann said. Its rewarding to see the effort I put into my studies is being recognized and appreciated through this scholarship." In addition to the high academic achievement of the recipients, the Thorpes look for students who are dedicated and contribute to their communities. Grunow has been actively volunteering in Penticton to fundraise for dry grad, LGBTQ anti-bullying initiatives and the Penticton YES Project, all while working two jobs. When I learned I received the scholarship I had tears of joy, Grunow said. Having the financial burden off my shoulders means I dont need to work as much, and allows me to pay forward the Thorpes generosity by spending more time giving back through volunteering. Photo: Google Street View The premiere screening of "Out of the Interior" will take place at the Oliver Theatre on Sept. 17. A documentary highlighting old cinemas across the Okanagan and Kootenay regions will premiere at the Oliver Theatre, Sunday. Filmmakers Curtis and Silmara Emde travelled to theatres through the province which will be featured in their movie, titled Out of the Interior: Survival of the Small-Town Cinema in British Columbia. Curtis Emde, who is originally from Vernon, said the motivation behind the film was curiosity for many old theatres continuing to operate in the province, especially with the need to convert to digital, which costs between $80,000 to $100,000 dollars. "There seems to be a tendency for people in the Interior to support their theatre as a matter of habit, as a matter of routine. It's part of their lifestyle," Emde said. He added that he, his wife and their son, who was born about three months into the filming, were treated with excellent hospitality from the owners of cinemas they dealt with across the region. "We'd shoot the cinema, we'd interview the people and then they'd buy us lunch or take us out for a coffee or something. It was wonderful." Emde added that there is a sequence in Penticton featured in the film. "We did meet, a couple times over the course of a year, the people in Penticton who were attempting to reopen the PenMar theatre." There are 11 scheduled screenings of the movie between Sept. 17 and Oct. 5, including five screening at theatres in the Okanagan. In the South Okanagan, the film will also be shown at the Summerland Community Arts Centre on Oct. 5. Photo: OMRA The Okanagan Motorcycle Riders Association is hosting its 30th annual toy run this weekend. On Sunday, just after 9:00 a.m. riders will meet at The Peach and make their way to Summerland, Oliver and Okanagan Falls, collecting toys and donations for the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Penticton. "Last year we had about 300 toys and $1,700 that we turned over to them," said Toy Run director Roy Colmer. "There are lots of needy people in the community now with the prices of food going up and everything." The St. Vincent de Paul Society is dedicated to helping those in need in the South Okanagan. When purchasing a toy to donate keep in mind that there are many teenagers in need. Gift cards, cellphones and spa certificates are great options for gifts. Upon arriving back to Rotary Park at about 1:30 p.m. the Lions Club will barbecue hamburgers for lunch. There will also be 50/50, a toonie draw and door prizes. "Our club likes to help out at Christmas time, especially because of the need to put a toy under the tree for a child who might otherwise not have a toy," Colmer said. All proceeds will go towards putting a present under the tree for youth in need. Photo: Contributed Revelstoke RCMP are investigating after three pit bull terriers were freed in two break and enters at a local animal shelter. The first incident occurred Monday night at the Victoria Road shelter. Police say a chain-link fence was cut to access the male pit bull. The second incident took place Wednesday at the same shelter, when a suspect pried open two kennels and stole two female pit bulls. The dogs were seized after a vicious attack on April 21. Police say they are considered a risk to the public. The public is advised not to approach the animals and to call police if they are seen. Photo: TOTA The provincial government is giving a boost to Okanagan tourism in the wake of a summer season muted by floods and forest fires. The province announced Thursday it is providing the Thompson-Okanagan Tourism Association and Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association with $200,000 each to help with industry impacts from the wildfires. Destination BC has worked with with regional marketing organizations to develop a provincial marketing plan to help B.C.'s tourism industry recover from this most unusual season. During the last few months, Destination BC has kept travellers informed about areas that are affected by wildfires, while ensuring tourists know that most areas of B.C. remain open for business. Tourism is a major economic driver in B.C., employing 127,000 people throughout the province, supporting nearly 19,000 tourism-related businesses and contributing $7.4 billion toward the province's gross domestic product. In 2015, the B.C. tourism industry generated $15.7 billion in revenue, a 5.3 per cent increase over 2014, and a 37.3 per cent increase from 2005. Photo: wikimedia commons Greyhound is looking to end service in the Similkameen Valley Greyhound Canada has applied to the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board to pull all operations out of the Similkameen Valley. The bus service is looking to eliminate stops in Princeton, Keremeos, Hedley, Eastgate and Manning Park by rerouting the Vancouver to Osoyoos route through Kelowna and Penticton. That route, along with routes between Alberta and Vancouver, Kamloops and Kelowna, and Kelowna to the Kootenays would also see service reduced to just two trips per week. The request is a part of a larger application that would see Greyhound cease service to all of Northern B.C., which has been met with widespread outcry and opposition from residents. Greyhound has been losing considerable amounts of money in an unsustainable manner from its intercity passenger bus operations in British Columbia over the past eight years, the company writes in its rationale to cut the service, noting it lost $12.9 M last fiscal year operating bus service in B.C. The company says it deeply regrets the impact the move could have on the public, but it is in the broader public interest to maintain service with fewer options than to have Greyhound abandon its B.C. operations all together. Data provided by Greyhound shows ridership numbers steadily declining in the Similkameen over the past four years. For some people that is their only mode of transportation to move them from their community, down to Vancouver, Boundary-Similkameen MLA Linda Larson said. But, I have also seen the buses, and there is nobody on them. Larson said she is concerned about the impact the changes could have on Similkameen communities, but is torn and understands Greyhound is running a business. Keremeos Mayor Manfred Bauer said the proposed cuts would have a very negative impact on the community, particularly for those that need to travel to the Lower Mainland for medical appointments. It doesnt necessarily need to be low income, it just needs to be people with medical conditions that can't drive anymore, he said. What about in the winter? A lot of older people don't like to drive on icy and snowy roads. He said Keremeos will be joining Princeton and other impacted communities in sending a letter to the transportation board, asking them to decline the cuts. MLA Larson said she would also be signing onto the letter. Bauer added they will also likely encourage residents to voice their own opinions to the board, who is reviewing the application and accepting public comment until Oct. 13. If approved, Greyhound will kill the routes in Jan. 2018. Photo: Google Maps A woman was assaulted in Buckley Park Wednesday night. Surrey police are looking for a man who assaulted a woman in a park Wednesday night Just after 6 p.m., a man attempted to assault a woman who was walking her dogs on a trail in Buckley Park, near the 19600 block of 48th Avenue. The woman said she was able to fight off the man and get to safety. While she was not physically injured, she was upset by the incident. The man fled the area on foot. Police are reaching out to the public to help find the suspect. He is described as a skinny, 5-foot-8 Caucasian man in his late teens with chin-length, shaggy dark brown hair. He was wearing a black hoodie and black track pants when the incident took place. Anyone with information about the man can call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502. A gated condo complex under development in Richmond is raising eyebrows. Not because it's a high-end facility for the rich but because it's for cars, not people. The Trove Club, where units start at $600,000, has housing advocates pointing to the widening gap between rich and poor. "In a region where half of British Columbians live and $500,000 actually won't buy you enough bedrooms for a couple of kids, it's frightening to see," UBC prof Paul Kershaw, founder of Generation Squeeze, told CTV. PR material for The Trove calls it "a community of like-minded individuals with a passion for cars and a luxurious way to savour the benefits of owning a supercar." Developer Hungerford Properties says 80 per cent of the 45 units are already reserved. But Kershaw believes measures are needed to address housing affordability, not encourage pricey play spaces for the ultra rich. "We need to build a real estate market that's about homes first," he said. Kershaw says local governments need to imagine how neighbourhoods might change "to add more density, add more units that can price our kids and grandkids back into the neighbourhoods where they grew up." with files from CTV Vancouver Photo: Thinkstock.com Statistics Canada says the amount Canadians owe compared with their disposable income climbed higher in the second quarter. The agency says household credit market debt as a proportion of household disposable income increased to 167.8 per cent, up from 166.6 per cent in the first quarter. That means for every dollar of household disposable income there was $1.68 in credit market debt. The increase came as household income increased 1.2 per cent while household credit market debt rose 1.9 per cent. Total household credit market debt, which includes consumer credit, mortgage and non-mortgage loans, totalled nearly $2.08 trillion in the second quarter. Mortgage debt increased 1.6 per cent to $1.36 trillion, while consumer credit grew 2.4 per cent to $609.6 billion. Photo: The Canadian Press Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was considering her legal options Thursday after the Opposition leader refused to retract comments that she warned could lead to a defamation lawsuit. Wynne's opening shot to Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown came Wednesday, minutes before she testified as a witness in a trial in Sudbury, Ont., involving two Liberals facing Election Act bribery charges. Her lawyers sent Brown a letter demanding he withdraw comments that suggested Wynne is personally on trial and apologize. The next day, Brown made it clear he wouldn't be doing either. He responded to multiple questions about why by repeating that it was a "sad day for Ontario" to see the premier "humiliated" by testifying in court. Brown called the legal threat "baseless," even though Wynne previously sued Brown's predecessor, former Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak. Wynne, speaking to The Canadian Press in Washington, D.C., wouldn't say whether she will proceed with a lawsuit. "We'll see what happens," she said. "My letter stands. It speaks for itself." Jack Siegel, Wynne's lawyer, called Brown's response "extremely disappointing." "Fair political criticism is one thing, but as a public figure himself, one might have thought that he would recognize that untruths that defame another politician are unacceptable," Siegel said in a statement. Wynne is not on trial or even under investigation, but offered voluntary testimony, her lawyers noted. Photo: Contributed A Saskatchewan family says it has "lost the light" of their lives after a little boy was killed in a dog attack. The six-year-old boy was found dead after RCMP and emergency medical personnel responded to a call Wednesday evening in Riceton, about 50 kilometres southeast of Regina. Two large-breed dogs, reported to police to be Alaskan malamutes, were seized by the Regina Humane Society. "The dogs were known to the deceased and his family," RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Embree said Thursday in Regina. "The circumstances of the incident are currently being investigated by Milestone RCMP. This includes investigation into what may have prompted the attack. It is unclear whether one or both dogs were involved." Police wouldn't say who owned the dogs or release the name of the child but the boy has been identified on social media as Cameron Mushanski. Bill Thorn, with the Regina Humane Society, said two of the society's officers took custody of the dogs immediately after the boy's death. "Basically, ownership was transferred to us and, at the order of the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, the animals were euthanized," Thorn said Thursday. "They will be tested for rabies, which is fairly standard procedure in something like this, just to see if that or any other medical factor might have been a factor in what happened." 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. Photo: Google Street View A smattering of rain and cooler temperatures have eased fire concerns a little in the East Kootenay. On Friday morning, the Regional District of East Kootenay rescinded an evacuation order for parts of the Moyie Lake area. The Lamb Creek fire burning near the lake prompted the evacuation of residents a few weeks ago. This follows a day after residents of Elk Valley were told they were no longer under evacuation alert from a fire burning near that community. The Friday morning downgrade from evacuation order to alert affects residents of the townsite of Moyie, and several roads and properties on the east side of the lake. While some were told they could return home, people in several areas near the lake are still under evacuation order. These areas remain on order as the Lamb Creek Fire is still an active fire and firefighting operation, RDEK officials announced. Our goal is to get residents in this area home as soon as we can; however, it needs to be safe." Tensions have eased a little in the Elk Valley, since officials lifted an evacuation alert in place since Tuesday. Concerns about two huge fires burning in the area had prompted the alerts for much of the Elk Valley, including the community of Elkford and regions surrounding Sparwood. Officials say rain and cooler temperatures have reduced fire behaviour, but they urge citizens to be ready for conditions to change again. Although the alert has been lifted, it is important for residents to remain aware and prepared should conditions on either of the fires change, said RDEK Information Officer Loree Duczek. In spite of the rain received in parts of the region, conditions still remain dry and we all need to continue to stay vigilant. The alert had prompted schools in Elkford to close. Classes resumed for both Rocky Mountain Elementary and Elkford Secondary School on Friday. The two fires that prompted the evacuation alert are among the largest still burning in the province. The Quinn Creek fire is currently estimated at 10,445 hectares and is burning southwest of Elkford, while the White River Complex of three fires has a combined total of approximately 25,640 hectares. Photo: The Canadian Press University of British Columbia student Stephanie Hale. Stephanie Hale remembers jumping up and down and crying tears of joy when she received her acceptance letter from the University of British Columbia. Now, she wishes she had pursued her degree anywhere else. Hale has filed a complaint with B.C.'s Human Rights Tribunal alleging the university failed to take action after she reported a sexual assault, leading her to struggle in class and take indefinite medical leave. It is the second known complaint the institution is facing. "I want there to be a better process for when this happens again," said Hale, 23. "There are going to be others, which is a terrible shame. UBC is a really well-respected university and I feel it should set an example for other institutions for how to handle these kinds of incidents." The university has been under fire for its response to sexual assault allegations since 2015, when a group of women came forward to say the school had dragged its heels on complaints about a male PhD student. Glynnis Kirchmeier, who alleged she witnessed misconduct by the man, filed a human-rights complaint the following year. In response to the criticism, as well as to a new B.C. law requiring universities to have sexual misconduct policies, UBC passed a specialized policy earlier this year. It established centralized offices at both its campuses to receive reports, which are to be handled by investigators with sexual-assault expertise. When contacted about Hale's complaint, UBC said privacy legislation does not permit it to discuss individual cases. Hale alleges the university discriminated against her based on her sex and mental disability, referring to her anxiety and depression. She says in the documents that she was sexually assaulted, choked and hit by a fellow student in January 2013. The student has denied the allegations. He has previously told The Canadian Press the sex was consensual and she asked him to choke and hit her, which he did although it made him uncomfortable. Hale reported the allegation of sexual assault to multiple UBC staff members in 2013, but none suggested she make a complaint or directed her to relevant policies, she says in the documents filed with the tribunal. The university took no action, she says, and she continued to see her alleged attacker in classes. Her grades started slipping, she suffered from nightmares and began to feel suicidal. "I felt very lost and alone," she recalled. She went on medical leave in December 2015 and has not returned to school. Hale is seeking an order requiring the university and her alleged attacker to jointly make up for her lost educational time, her past and future wage losses, and costs related to the complaint. She's also asking the university to facilitate the completion of her degree. Finally, she's asking that the university revise its new sexual assault policy. Complainants are still not allowed to file appeals or see the investigator's report, unlike respondents, she said. Photo: Contributed Surrey resident Jared McClure is facing six charges of robbery and one charge of theft of a motor vehicle, for what Surrey RCMP called a series of bank robberies between Jul. 31 and Aug. 21. McClure, 34, was arrested on Aug. 30, which followed eight alleged bank robberies in Surrey, Coquitlam and Vancouver. The frequency of this individuals crimes and the risk he posed to public safety cannot be overlooked. These type of offenders are often involved in other crimes in the community and have little regard for others safety," Staff Sgt. Dale Carr said. Officers from other Lower Mainland cities continue to investigate if McClure may be linked to other bank robberies that have occurred in the region. Surrey RCMP said 13 bank robberies have taken place in the city this year, and alleged suspects have been charged in 10 instances. Photo: Contributed The Toronto-Montreal travel corridor has been identified as one of the strongest candidates for a hyperloop system that could cut the travel time between the cities from five hours to just 39 minutes. The route is the only Canadian winner among 10 international entries chosen in a competition sponsored by Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One and now will be studied to determine commercial viability. Hyperloop is a technology promoted by Tesla founder Elon Musk which would place passengers or cargo in a cylindrical vehicle which accelerates via electric propulsion through a low-pressure tube, lifting above the track using magnetic levitation. The vehicles are expected to glide at airline speeds for long distances due to ultra-low aerodynamic drag. The route proposed by the Canadian arm of U.S. engineering firm AECOM would include a stop in Ottawa. The proposal suggests a trip from Toronto to Ottawa would take 27 minutes and the Ottawa-Montreal leg would take another 12 minutes. It says the next logical step would be to extend the hyperloop system into the U.S., west to Detroit from Windsor, Ont., and east from Quebec to Niagara Falls and Buffalo and on toward Chicago, New York and Boston. It adds that connecting Canadian ports to an extended network could enable long-haul cargo deliveries to customers within hours instead of days. The nine other winning entries include four in the United States, two in each of the United Kingdom and India, and one in Mexico. Hyperloop One also announced it has struck a public-private partnership with the Colorado Department of Transportation and AECOM which will begin a feasibility study for a system in that state. Photo: CTV Just weeks after Greyhound Canada asked for permission to cut a number of routes in British Columbia, the company has applied to chop or change even more of its bus routes through the province. Documents on the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board website show Greyhound has applied to eliminate a total of nine routes, including Prince Rupert to Prince George and Dawson Creek to the Yukon boundary. Additional routes that Greyhound hopes to abandon include one from the University Endowment Lands in Vancouver to Whistler, and Victoria to Vancouver. The company has also applied to scale back the frequency of 10 routes including those linking Vancouver to Pemberton, Kelowna, Osoyoos, Prince George and the Alberta boundary. Several other routes through the southern Interior and Similkameen are also slated for service reductions, with Greyhound applying to trim twice-daily service between Kamloops and Kelowna, via Vernon, to twice a week. In August, Greyhound defended its application to stop service along Highway 16, the so-called Highway of Tears, citing high costs and low ridership, but Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta says Greyhound, not small communities, is responsible for the service reductions. "Slowly I am seeing a deterioration of service to rural communities through no fault of our own but through questionable management decisions on the part of Greyhound," Ranta says. Officials with the Passenger Transportation Board could hold public consultations as part of the decision process on Greyhound's application and its website shows the board will accept written comments about the application until Oct. 13. Photo: BC Wildfire Service The B.C. government is lifting the provincial state of emergency declared more than two months ago ahead of what would become the worst fire season on record. The declaration that expires at midnight tonight was made July 7 after dozens of out-of-control wildfires broke out in the province's Interior, forcing thousands of people from their homes. The state of emergency allowed for better co-ordination between agencies responding to the fires and to public safety needs, and a $100-million fund was made available to support the thousands of evacuees. More than 11,700 square kilometres of land has been charred since April 1, which the BC Wildfire Service says is the largest area burned in the province's recorded history. The wildfire service says it has spent more than $510 million on fighting the flames so far this year and fires continue to burn out of control in southeastern B.C., where some people are still under evacuation order. The last time the province called a state of emergency was in August 2003, also in response to wildfires, but that period only lasted six weeks. Photo: Nicholas Johansen UBC Okanagan now has a new transit exchange. A new transit exchange opened at UBC Okanagan this week, providing new bays for buses at the growing university. The almost $5-million project was completed just in time for the new school year, making the existing drop-off and pickup areas less cluttered, and providing room for more transit service in the future. The project was funded by the federal and provincial governments, while the land was donated by the university. The new transit hub was built in part of an existing parking lot beside the Engineering, Management and Education building. Transit is really popular, especially... where parking is an issue, said student union president Trophy Ewila. I think most students do use the transit. UBC Deputy Vice-Chancellor Deborah Buszard said access to the campus has been one of its greatest challenges, and better transit is part of solving that problem. The UBCO campus is now used by about 10,000 students, and 15 per cent of Kelowna's transit riders are students there. During the next 20 years, the campus population is expected to double. While the completion of the transit exchange does not come with increased service as of now, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran says there is now room for increased service in the future. Photo: Contributed Highway 1 has been temporarily reduced to single-lane alternating traffic three kilometres west of Chase. The lane closure is necessary to allow crews to remove a vehicle involved in an accident that happened Thursday morning. At around 5:45 a.m., a Honda Civic clipped the side of a logging truck, sending the big rig into the ditch where it smashed a power pole, breaking the power line in the process. The logging truck then caught fire. Kamloops and Chase fire departments attended the scene to extinguish the fire. The accident forced the closure the Trans Canada Highway to allow fire and ambulance crews to deal with the situation. Photo: Thinkstock.com British Columbia's seniors advocate says half the seniors living in provincial residential care facilities rate their quality of care as good or excellent but almost as many say they don't have any friends to do anything with in their facility. Isobel Mackenzie released a landmark report Friday billed as the largest survey of its kind in Canada of elderly people living in B.C.'s residential care facilities. She says the two-year project involved 22,000 people living in such facilities and makes eight recommendations after conducting thousands of interviews with seniors. Mackenzie says many seniors say they want more flexibility in their lives, including less regulated meal times, improved activities and increased interactions with others. The advocate says almost 90 per cent of those questioned feel safe and almost as many say they are treated with respect, but 60 per cent say they don't get to bathe as often as they'd like. The report concludes only 57 per cent of residents report that the care facility regularly feels like home. Photo: The Canadian Press A judge has scheduled a new date for Bill Cosby's retrial on charges he drugged and molested a woman more than a decade ago. Judge Steven O'Neill on Friday ordered the retrial to begin on April 2. He says jury selection can get underway before then. The retrial was initially set for November, but last month O'Neill granted a request by Cosby's new lawyers to delay it so they could get up to speed on the case. The 80-year-old comedian's first trial in June ended in a hung jury. "The Cosby Show" star is charged with knocking out accuser Andrea Constand with pills and sexually assaulting her at his home near Philadelphia in 2004. He has said the sexual encounter with the former Temple University worker was consensual. Photo: Vancouver Coastal Health Another overdose prevention site has opened in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside in an effort to relieve pressure on two nearby sites that have had 120,000 visits since last December. The Molson site, named after the former Molson Bank Building where it's located, will be the seventh overdose prevention facility in the few blocks that make up the impoverished neighbourhood. B.C. Addictions Minister Judy Darcy says in a news release there is a great need for each of the sites, which record a total of about 700 visits every day. Dr. Patricia Daly, Vancouver's chief medical health officer, says many of the services are being led by peers, people who have real-life experience with substance use. Daly says those peers can help drug users feel more comfortable and encourage them to access other health services. B.C.'s coroners' service says 876 people died of illicit drug overdoses in the province in the period ending July 31 and many of those died in private residences while using drugs alone. Photo: The Canadian Press United Nations World Food Program Executive-Director David Beasly. The number of chronically hungry people in the world is on the rise again after a decade of declines, the United Nations reported Friday, citing intensifying conflicts, floods and droughts. In an annual report on the state of food security, the UN said 815 million people were chronically undernourished last year, 38 million more than the previous year. While the number is still below the 900 million hungry people registered in 2000, the UN warned that the increase "is cause for great concern." Sixty per cent of the world's chronically hungry people were in areas experiencing man-made conflict. "This is a shame. This is an indictment of humanity," said the head of the World Food Program, David Beasley. The UN has said some 20 million people face possible famine in parts of South Sudan, northeast Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen. Overall, 11 per cent of the world's population was hungry last year. The heads of major UN agencies warned that without concerted action, the ambitious goal set by world governments to end hunger and prevent malnutrition by 2030 will not be reached. "This has set off alarm bells we cannot afford to ignore," the UN leaders said. While the report blamed conflicts as the main driver of food insecurity, hunger is worsened when conflict areas are also affected by climate-related problems such as droughts and floods linked in part to the El Nino phenomenon. And while malnutrition statistics are often seen as evidence of food scarcity, the UN noted that there are several types of undernourishment, including obesity. In fact, the UN registered more overweight and obese children in most regions of the world and in all regions for adults. In 2016, the report said, 41 million children who were under age 5 were overweight. Photo: The Canadian Press After eight months of living in isolation on a remote Hawaii volcano, six NASA-backed research subjects will emerge from their Mars-like habitat on Sunday and return to civilization. Their first order of business after subsisting on mostly freeze-dried and canned food: Feast on fresh-picked pineapple, papaya, mango, locally grown vegetables and a fluffy, homemade egg strata cooked by their project's lead scientist. The crew of four men and two women were quarantined on a vast plain below the summit of the world's largest active volcano in January. All of their communications with the outside world were subjected to a 20-minute delay the time it takes for signals to get from Mars to Earth. They are part of a study designed to better understand the psychological effects that a long-term manned mission to space would have on astronauts. The data they gathered will help NASA better pick crews that have certain traits and a better chance of doing well during a two-to-three year Mars expedition. The space agency hopes to send humans to the red planet by the 2030s. The Hawaii team wore specially-designed sensors to gauge their moods and proximity to other people in the small, 1,200 square-foot (111-square meter) dome where they have lived. The devices monitored, among other things, their voice levels and could sense if people were avoiding one another. It could also detect if they were next to each other and arguing. The crew played games designed to measure their compatibility and stress levels. And when they got overwhelmed by being in such close proximity to teach other, they could use virtual reality devices to escape to tropical beaches or other familiar landscapes. The project is the fifth in a series of six NASA-funded studies at the University of Hawaii facility called the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, or HI-SEAS. NASA has dedicated about $2.5 million to the studies at the facility. Photo: The Canadian Press A homemade bomb planted in a rush-hour subway car exploded in London on Friday, injuring 29 people and prompting authorities to raise Britain's terrorism threat level to "critical," meaning another attack may be imminent. The early morning blast sparked a huge manhunt for the perpetrators of what police said was the fourth terrorist attack in the British capital this year. Prime Minister Theresa May, acting on the recommendation of the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center, raised the country's threat level from "severe" to "critical" its highest possible level. May said military troops would augment the police presence in a "proportionate and sensible step." Earlier, May said the device had been "intended to cause significant harm." Still, to the relief of authorities and Londoners, experts said the bomb hidden in a plastic bucket inside a supermarket freezer bag only partially exploded, sparing the city much worse carnage. "I would say this was a failed high-explosive device," Chris Hunter, a former British army bomb expert, said of the blast, which caused no serious injuries. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, which it said was carried out by an affiliated unit. The bomb went off around 8:20 a.m. as the train, carrying commuters from the suburbs including many school children was at Parsons Green station in the southwest of the city. Witness Chris Wildish told Sky News that he saw "out of the corner of my eye, a massive flash of flames that went up the side of the train," followed by "an acrid chemical smell." Commuter Lauren Hubbard said she was on the train when she heard a loud bang. "I looked around and this wall of fire was just coming toward us," Hubbard said. She said her instinct was "just run," and she fled the above-ground station with her boyfriend. Chaos ensued as hundreds of people, some of them suffering burns, poured from the train, which can hold up to 800 people. The Metropolitan Police said hundreds of detectives, along with agents of the domestic spy agency MI5, were looking at surveillance camera footage, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses. Speaking to reporters late Friday, Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said police were making "good progress" and that the public should be reassured that more police and troops will be on the streets. Sign up for our newsletter Three members of the Hamilton County Emergency Medical Service, part of the five Tennessee ambulance strike teams, deployed to Florida in the wake of the destructive storm Irma, and returned on Thursday, having completed their six-day mission. HCEMS Paramedic supervisors Lt. Brian Bricker, Lt. Billy Burnette and Lt. David Burdett, deployed to Florida for a possible 14-day mission. Lt. Burdett acted as the team leader. Other agencies making up the Region III team were Cheatham County EMS, City Of Bartlett Fire Department EMS, Memorial Hospital EMS, and Puckett EMS. The Region III team deployed on Friday, from Chattanooga as part of Tennessees Hurricane Irma response to help local, state, and federal officials in Florida deal with the impact of Hurricane Irma, the second catastrophic hurricane to strike the United States this season. Tennessees Hurricane Irma teams had a total of 151 members to include: a 40-person nurse strike team; five ambulance strike teams with 57 members; three urban search and rescue teams with 40 personnel; two healthy incident management teams with 10 personnel; and a four-member team of emergency management officials. We were privileged to have the opportunity to provide emergency equipment and services to local, state and federal officials and helping the people of Florida before, during and following the destruction of Hurricane Irma, said Lt. Bricker. The coordinated efforts of each government agency, health care institution and team member was quick, organized and effective. We anticipated a longer stay in the Florida area; however, the coordinated preparedness and immediate response to the disaster by many agencies led to less need, said Lt. Burdette. The recovery continues in Florida and our team here in Chattanooga Region III will be available as needed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Florida community as they begin the process of rebuilding their communities. The ambulance strike teams were developed as a voluntary program by the Tennessee Department of Health EMS to assist in local, state and regional disasters. Hamilton County Emergency Medical Service is part of Tennessees Region III Team. Captain Eric Ethridge of HCEMS acts as the Region III Ambulance Strike Team coordinator. Captain Ethridge said, I am glad to have all of the Tennessee Ambulance Strike Teams home today, but especially proud of our team and glad Region III was able to assist the citizens of Florida. This was an effort supported by many departments within each agency that provided assets to the deployment. Many behind the scenes people made this possible. With its new facility for the manufacture of laboratory instruments, Sartorius provides high-quality production conditions and an advanced, efficient work environment. The biopharmaceutical and laboratory equipment supplier officially opened its approximately 42-million-euro new building as part of Sartorius Campus in the presence of some 250 guests, including Lower Saxony's Governor, Stephan Weil, and the Mayor of the City of Goettingen, Rolf-Georg Kohler. Around 450 employees build laboratory instruments, such as balances, ultrapure water systems and moisture analyzers, at this facility covering about 25,000 square meters, or nearly 270,000 square feet, in the industrial zone of Grone in Goettingen. The production facility, to which the State of Lower Saxony and the German federal government together contributed 4.2 million euros, represents the largest single investment of Sartorius Campus. On the whole, Sartorius is investing around 500 million euros in its Campus up to completion of construction scheduled for the end of 2018. The new Group headquarters will combine two Goettingen sites and, apart from providing more capacity for manufacture and administration, offers an attractive work environment. Moreover, the Campus grounds covering around 170,000 square meters, or 1,829,865 square feet, can be used to further expands its facilities. The new building combines different manufacturing sites, formerly spread out at various locations, all under one roof: parts manufacture, prototype construction, calibration center, an extended vocational training workshop and an administration complex. Glass expanses of close to 7,000 square meters, or 75,350 square feet, provide plenty of daylight throughout all areas of the building; a modern office design permits efficient work. As highly accurate balances are also calibrated inside, the building is protected from temperature fluctuations and protected by a foundation isolated from vibration by decoupling. Katarina Nilsson, Executive Vice President of HR & Organization in Sapa, will be appointed EVP of People & HSE in Hydro. The appointment is pending merger clearance and closing of the Sapa transaction, expected in the second half of 2017. Katarina Nilsson holds a Master of Law degree from Lund University in Sweden and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese studies from the University of London. A Swedish national, she has broad international experience, including from Asia as head of the China offices for the law firm Vinge for several years. Nilsson joined Sapa in 2015, and has held senior management positions in Sapa since. Katarina Nilsson will replace Hanne Simensen, who has been appointed to a new position in Hydro. Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a laboratory instrument that will greatly reduce the cost of analyzing carbon isotopes. Among other things, this will allow scientists to measure how much of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere came from burning fossil fuels, and to estimate fossil fuel emissions in an area as small as a city or as large as a continent. Carbon atoms occur in heavy and light forms, or isotopes, and measuring the relative amounts of each can reveal the source of the carbon. Oxygen atoms are represented in gray and carbon isotopes are in orange. Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a laboratory instrument that can measure how much of the carbon in many carbon-containing materials was derived from fossil fuels. This will open the way for new methods in the biofuels and bioplastics industries, in scientific research, and environmental monitoring. Among other things, it will allow scientists to measure how much of the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the atmosphere came from burning fossil fuels, and to estimate fossil fuel emissions in an area as small as a city or as large as a continent. This is possible because carbon atoms occur in heavy and light forms, or isotopes, and measuring the relative amounts of each can reveal the source of the carbon. Using carbon isotopes in this way is not a new idea, but it requires extremely precise--and expensive--measurements. The new instrument, developed by NIST chemists Adam Fleisher and David Long and based on a technology called cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS), promises to dramatically reduce the cost of those measurements. "Measuring carbon isotopes is an extremely useful technique, but until now, it has found limited use because of the cost," said Long. "Lowering the cost will open the way for new applications, especially ones that require testing a large number of samples." The key to these measurements is carbon-14, a radioactive (yet harmless) isotope of carbon that is formed in the upper atmosphere. That carbon-14 finds its way into all living things. Unlike regular carbon, carbon-14 is unstable, with a half-life of 5,730 years. When living things die, they stop incorporating carbon into their bodies, and their carbon-14 starts to decay away. Scientists can calculate how long ago something died by measuring how much carbon-14 is in its remains. That technique is called carbon dating, and scientists use it to date things like Neanderthal bones and ancient plant fibers. Fossil fuels also are the remains of living things, mainly plants that died hundreds of millions of years ago. Virtually all their carbon-14 decayed away eons ago, so anything derived from them is marked by the absence of measurable amounts of carbon-14. But carbon-14 is extremely rare, and to use it for identifying fossil fuels, scientists need to be able to measure it at concentrations as low as 1 part in 10 trillion. That's the equivalent of a single grain of sand in 60 dump trucks full of the stuff. To measure concentrations that low, you need an extremely sensitive measurement technique, and such a technique already exists. Archaeologists have been relying on it for decades. But that technique requires a particle accelerator to separate the isotopes (the heavier carbon-14 accelerates more slowly than everyday carbon-12), along with a facility to house it and a team of PhDs to run it. The CRDS instrument that Fleisher and Long have developed can sit on a laboratory benchtop and is relatively inexpensive to operate. CRDS instruments analyze gases by detecting the wavelengths of light they absorb. For instance, CO 2 that contains carbon-14-so-called heavy CO 2 -absorbs a slightly different wavelength than regular CO 2 . To measure how much heavy CO 2 you have in a CO 2 sample, you first inject the sample into the instrument's measurement cavity (the "C" in CRDS), which is a tube with mirrors inside at either end. You then tune a laser to the exact wavelength that only heavy CO 2 absorbs and shoot a burst of it into the cavity. As the laser light bounces between the mirrors, some of its energy is absorbed by the gas. The greater the absorption, the greater the concentration of heavy CO 2 . To achieve the required sensitivity, Fleisher and Long enhanced existing CRDS technology by engineering a system that chills the cavity to a uniform minus 55 degrees Celsius and minimizes temperature fluctuations that would throw off the measurement. Making the cavity very cold allows their instrument to detect very faint signals of light absorption, the same way that you might be able to hear a pin drop if you made a room extremely quiet. This and other improvements boosted the instrument's sensitivity enough for accurate carbon dating. To test biofuels and bioplastics, you would first burn those materials, then collect the resulting CO 2 for analysis. This would allow you to test a fuel mixture to determine what fraction of it is biofuel. In the airline industry, for example, this would be useful because some countries require that aviation fuels include a specific biofuel percentage. Such tests could also be used to verify that bioplastics, which sell for a premium, do not contain petroleum-derived compounds. To estimate fossil fuel emissions in a geographic area, you would collect many air samples across that area and analyze the atmospheric CO 2 in those samples. Areas with high fossil fuel emissions, such as cities and industrial zones, will have below-normal concentrations of heavy CO 2 . "Fossil fuel emissions dilute the concentration of heavy CO 2 in the air," said Fleisher. "If we can accurately measure that concentration after it's been diluted, we can calculate how much fossil fuel emissions are in the mix." A report from the National Academy of Sciences estimated that 10,000 samples a year, collected at carefully chosen locations around the United States, would be enough to estimate national fossil fuel emissions to within 10 percent of the actual value. Such a system of measurements can increase the reliability of national emissions estimates. This would be especially useful in parts of the world where high-quality emissions data are not readily available. YouTube has shut down key North Korean channels, infuriating researchers who say the information is key. (BBC) TOKYO YouTube has shut down two more channels broadcasting North Korean content, frustrating researchers who say that the information is crucial for understanding North Korea's leadership, economy and military, as well as the human rights situation in the country. YouTube, owned by Google, has blocked the Uriminzokkiri channel for "violating YouTube's community guidelines" and the Tonpomail channel run by Chongryon, initially for "violating YouTube's community guidelines" and then because of a "legal complaint." Advertisement YouTube's community guidelines ban videos that include violent, sexual or harmful content, or breach copyright. Google also asks users to flag content that may violate the law. The decision to block the channels is "a grave setback to the work of open-source researchers," said Curtis Melvin, who runs the North Korea Economy Watch blog and works at the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Advertisement "These North Korean videos are indispensable sources of information for us on the outside," Melvin wrote in an open letter to Google and YouTube. Researchers use the videos for purposes including tracking Kim Jong Un around the country; identifying new economic, security, and military infrastructure; knowing what the North Korean government is telling its own people; and interpreting the messages that North Korea sends to other governments, including that of the United States. The videos were also useful for corroborating or disproving other information about North Korea, Melvin wrote. The move "hurts efforts to track activities of interest in a closed country at the worst possible time," Joshua Pollack, editor of the Nonproliferation Review, wrote in a long thread on Twitter protesting the decision. Uriminzokkiri is a propaganda outlet linked to the North Korean regime and publishes text and videos portraying Pyongyang's views. Its recent posts include a video warning the Trump administration that it should be "keeping its eyes and ears open from now on," and an interview with the sons of an American soldier who defected to North Korea in 1962. Uriminzokkiri also runs a website and has Facebook and Twitter pages, all of which are still active. The Tonpomail channel was run by Chongryon, the association of North Koreans in Japan, and broadcast North Korean state news and other media. The Stimme Koreas channel was also blocked but was then reinstated, both without explanation. Advertisement YouTube's decision to abruptly close the channels follows its shuttering in December of North Korea's state television channel. This was apparently done to avoid breaching U.S. sanctions against the regime. Google was concerned not about the content in the channel but at the prospect of the North Korean government earning money from YouTube through advertising. YouTube said that the decision to close the Uriminzokkiri and Tonpomail channels was made for legal reasons. "We love that YouTube is a powerful platform for documenting events and shining light on dark corners around the world, but we must comply with the law," YouTube spokeswoman Jessica Mason said in a statement. "We disable accounts that repeatedly violate our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service and when we are required by law to do so." Whenever someone complains to YouTube that an account may be owned by the North Korean government, the company investigates. If there is reasonable evidence that the channel is directly or indirectly owned by North Korea, YouTube disables it. The channel could be violating American law even if it wasn't making money for the regime, according to one person familiar with YouTube's decision. Advertisement An executive order issued by President Barack Obama in 2015 bans American people and companies from providing "financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the government of North Korea." The United States government had also sanctioned North Korea's Propaganda and Agitation Department and key officials in it, including Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong. But the latest U.N. Security Council resolution against North Korea - passed Monday, after YouTube blocked the channels - froze the assets of "the most important North Korean regime organs," including the Propaganda and Agitation Department, which the U.S. mission to the United Nations said helps the North Korean regime "keep its people down." Analysts who study North Korea took to Twitter to complain about the decision, saying that it would severely hamper their ability to find out information about a country that is already the world's most closed. After the channels were shut down, Martyn Williams, a journalist who runs the North Korea Tech website and has direct access to North Korean broadcasts, tweeted some photos of "IT successes" that the state media organs had been bragging about. This was a perfect example of information that researchers need to try to figure out what is happening in North Korea, said Melvin. That includes developments in industries that rely on technology, such as the ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs. Chef Ben Lustbader, right, works in the kitchen of the restaurant Giant, on Armitage Avenue in Chicago, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Chicagoans already know their city has a vibrant, diverse and rapidly growing restaurant scene. But what will it mean now that the rest of the country knows it too? If the reaction to Chicago last month being designated Bon Appetit's Restaurant City of the Year a recognition that goes to the most innovative and exciting dining scene in the country is any indication, it may lead to more restaurant startups and a harder time finding tables. Advertisement "Chicago feels emblematic of food trends that are going on around the country right now, and the chefs here are doing it better than anybody else," Bon Appetit Senior Editor Julia Kramer said. The Bon Appetit designation caps years of increasing cachet for Chicago's restaurant scene, and boosts its reputation as a city that's moved far beyond its meat-and-potatoes past. Advertisement Culinary powerhouses and pioneers from Rick Bayless to Grant Achatz are now joined by rising star chefs who have emerged as their own forces to be reckoned with and have the Michelin stars to prove it. With annual James Beard Award nominees in the double digits and scores of other awards from stalwarts like Zagat, Chicago's chefs are now considered alongside the best of the traditional coastal powerhouses like New York and San Francisco. The Bon Appetit recognition, Chicago restaurateurs say, proves more Americans outside the Corn Belt are taking notice. This is only the third time the magazine has named a city of the year. Washington, D.C., won in 2016 and San Francisco won in 2015. While the award certainly means bragging rights for the city's chefs and restaurant owners, it can also be an economic boost. Take it from the nation's capital. "There's no doubt whatsoever that 2016 was a banner year for area restaurants and (winning Restaurant City of the Year) amplified our image," said Kathy Hollinger, president and CEO of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. The restaurant industry in Washington had been growing steadily for a decade, she said, but the Bon Appetit recognition, coupled with nods from the Michelin Guide and Zagat, accelerated bookings and spurred increased restaurant openings."There was a lot of growth and a lot of restaurants that opened in a pretty small footprint," Hollinger said. It all came together to drive up sales far past projections. Restaurant sales for 2016 in D.C. were projected to hit $2.8 billion. The final tally was $3.6 billion, according to the association. And that growth is continuing. Hollinger said developers building commercial and residential complexes in the D.C. area are courting restaurants in a big way, and some restaurateurs have said the award made their decision to open easier. "The momentum was there because neighborhoods were growing and the city was growing and (developers) knew restaurants were the center of that," she said. "And the accolades help to push an independent operator over the edge to open." The attention should have an even greater impact in Chicago, said Bon Appetit's Kramer. "I feel much more confident in Chicago continuing to steadily evolve than I feel about San Francisco or D.C.," she said. Advertisement She pointed to high costs in San Francisco that make it almost prohibitive for fledgling chefs to open restaurants, and said some believe that Washington's luster as a dining hot spot lessened slightly after the Obama administration ended. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 The pasta dish sortallini got its name because the pockets are rectangles instead of the traditional round tortellini shape. They are filled with cheese and served with guanciale, pine nuts and a light sauce with basil and tomatoes. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) "For Chicago, I have no worries whatsoever," Kramer said. "It's still a place that you can afford to take risks. I think it can only can get better." Giant, the Logan Square restaurant that calls its food contemporary Midwestern, and the Danish-inspired Elske restaurant in West Town, located in an area alternatively known as the West Loop and Fulton Market, were the only two Chicago restaurants named to Bon Appetit's "Hot Ten" list of best new restaurants in America. The list was released shortly after the magazine announced its city award. Two other Chicago restaurants Mi Tocaya Antojeria and Smyth and the Loyalist were finalists. The chef-owners from both Giant and Elske say while they already had busy dining rooms at peak dinner times thanks to their local foodie followings, empty tables got harder to come by soon after the announcement. "Last year, there was a solid three-week lull for back-to-school," said Giant chef-owner Jason Vincent. "This year, we haven't seen the lull." "We're no longer just getting Logan Square hipsters. We're getting people from all over the country," he added. Elske owners David and Anna Posey said they noticed customers are planning further ahead to snag a table, and selecting more reservations on say, a Wednesday at 5 p.m. Advertisement Chefs David and Anna Posey at Elske. He is the onetime chef de cuisine at Blackbird, while she worked at Blackbird, Everest and The Publican. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Restaurant industry boosters in Chicago are confident of an uptick in eateries as well. "I expect new restaurant (openings) to thrive," said Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association. "Ten years ago, West Madison Street was nothing and look at it now," he said. "And now we're looking at new restaurants opening in neighborhoods like Lakeview, Uptown and Edgewater too." "Chef-driven" neighborhood restaurants, or those with a prominent culinary leader behind the scenes, which younger diners flock to, will continue to lead the way, Toia said. "We're a culinary epicenter," he said. "We have a little bit of everything from Rick Bayless to Tony Mantuano. And we keep bringing young talent here. You can still come to Chicago and be your own restaurateur. It is still affordable." Toia, who's also on the board of Choose Chicago, the city's tourism arm, also predicted an increase in out-of-town visitors. Mike Kostyo, senior publications manager at food research firm Datassential, agreed. "Today it's not unheard of for travelers to plan entire trips around eating or to visit a city solely because of the food scene," he said. "That's particularly true today, when food trends move so quickly and even the smallest cities have amazing restaurants using local ingredients in interesting ways; you have to work harder to stand out." Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 10 The duck liver tart boasts a sliver of silky-smooth liver mousse astride a toothsome buckwheat crust. On top, a layer of dried and ground parsley adds the vivid-green color and pebbled texture of an artificial putting surface (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) The magazine's recognition is also a welcome sign for chefs preparing to forge out on their own. "The biggest impact of an award like this is that it encourages visitors and people in Chicago to try something new," said Erling Wu-Bower, a co-executive chef of Pacific Standard Time, a restaurant set to open in River North in the fall. "Most of the dining destinations in the U.S. used to be on the coasts, plus cities like Austin (Texas) and New Orleans. Chicago was more of a 'come get your deep dish and eat your steak' kind of place. Getting called out by Bon Appetit makes people realize they can come here and eat meals they won't be able to have in any other city." Does the recognition give Wu-Bower's fellow co-executive chef Cosmo Goss and his partners more confidence that they're opening the new restaurant at the right time? "I hope so, because literally all of our eggs are in this basket," Goss said. Aaron Steingold, with his wife, Elizabeth Abowd, and culinary director Joshua Ramatowski, opened Steingold's of Chicago, a spin on a traditional New York Jewish deli, last month. Steingold said he started to see a marked increase in out-of-towners visiting Chicago restaurants earlier this year when he was the opening general manager at Trench in Wicker Park, and he expects the accolades to drive more of that tourism. Bon Appetit's Kramer said she didn't expect the overwhelmingly positive and supportive reaction by many Chicago's restaurateurs even ones not receiving individual accolades. "I think that speaks so highly of the Chicago restaurant scene," she said. "They just want to be part of it. And they are excited for what's to come." Advertisement sbomkamp@chicagotribune.com Twitter @SamWillTravel Equifax is scrambling to contain the fallout from the disclosure that a massive data breach compromised the sensitive personal data of as many as 143 million consumers, leaving them at risk of identity theft. In the days since Equifax announced the hack, outraged consumers reported struggling to determine whether they'd been affected and having trouble accessing fraud protection services Equifax offered. Equifax is facing inquiries from lawmakers, the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, including Illinois' Lisa Madigan, along with multiple lawsuits seeking class-action status. Advertisement As of Friday, the company's stock price plummeted 35 percent since Sept. 7. The breach has already prompted proposed legislation that would let consumers freeze their credit for free. Fees vary by state, and cost $10 in Illinois. Advertisement One bill, introduced in the U.S. Senate Friday by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, would also require all credit agencies refund fees charged for credit freezes in the wake of Equifax's breach. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. In the Illinois legislature, Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago, on Tuesday introduced a similar measure banning freeze fees. Additional information Equifax has provided appeared to do little to stem the backlash. Equifax publicly disclosed the data breach Sept. 7, saying hackers accessed data including Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, for another 209,000 consumers, credit card numbers. According to Equifax, that announcement came nearly six weeks after it had discovered the breach, which took place between mid-May and July. The company said it acted immediately to stop the hack, hired a cybersecurity firm to review the scope of the breach and data affected and "took appropriate steps" to begin notifying consumers as soon as it had enough information. But Equifax's explanation of the specific vulnerability hackers used to access the sensitive data suggests the breach could have been prevented. The Apache Software Foundation, which oversees the software Equifax used, issued a patch correcting the flaw in March and said the breach "was due to their failure to install the security updates provided in a timely manner." Since Equifax's announcement, several state attorneys general have launched investigations into the breach, and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy said Tuesday the state intends to file a lawsuit alleging Equifax failed to maintain appropriate safeguards protecting consumers' personal information. Madigan said the Equifax hack was more concerning than other recent data breaches because of the scope it potentially affects about half of all Americans, and 5.4 million Illinoisans and the type of personal information exposed. Several consumer lawsuits seeking class-action status have also been filed, including three in the U.S. District Court in Chicago. The most recent, filed Thursday by three Cook County residents, alleges Equifax did not take reasonable precautions to protect consumers' data and failed to give them timely warning of the breach, preventing them from addressing potential fraud. Advertisement In the meantime, customers said they struggled to get answers and assistance from Equifax. Equifax set up a website, www.equifaxsecurity2017.com, where customers could determine whether their data were potentially exposed. But its website and call center struggled to handle the flood of inquiries. The day after it announced the breach, Equifax said it was "ramping up" its website and call center team, which had tripled in size. Chicago-based credit reporting bureau TransUnion also scrambled to cope with the deluge of inquiries. The company kept call centers open over the weekend and brought in an outside contractor to help, but still struggled to keep up, TransUnion Chief Financial Officer Todd Cello told analysts earlier this week. Many consumers also weren't satisfied with the remedy Equifax initially offered a year of free identity theft protection and credit file monitoring. Equifax had to clarify that enrolling in the service did not require consumers to waive certain legal rights, as the program's terms of use required at the time, nor would it automatically bill consumers when their free year was up. Experts encouraged consumers to consider a more aggressive step: placing a credit freeze, which bars credit bureaus from releasing their credit reports, preventing identity thieves from opening lines of credit. Advertisement So many sought to freeze their credit that Equifax said it was still experiencing technical difficulties tied to the number of requests a week after announcing the hack, despite the fact that it initially charged a fee for the service. The company later agreed to drop the fee through Nov. 21 and issue refunds to customers who had already paid. But consumers still need to pay fees, which vary by state, at the other major credit bureaus, and could end up paying again if they need to unfreeze credit before making a big purchase, opening a new credit card or seeking a loan. Reports that three Equifax executives sold nearly $1.8 million in corporate stock shortly after the company learned of the breach but before it notified the public sparked another backlash. Equifax said the executives weren't aware of the hack when they made the sales, and they still own thousands of the company's shares. But 37 senators signed letters sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission asking the agencies to investigate whether the stock sales violated insider trading laws. lzumbach@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @laurenzumbach Andy Schaudt is an invisible man. He is wearing a "seat suit" to make it look like his Ford Transit Connect van is driving itself. Advertisement His bespectacled face is obscured by a fake headrest hood. His torso is tucked behind custom-sewn upholstery armor, like the pads protecting a Yankees catcher but in meticulously chosen black and stone leather hues to mirror Ford's usual inanimate seats. The automaker is trying to devise a "standard visual language" so its self-driving cars can communicate with humans. The company is testing a bar of flashing white lights on the windshield meant to replace the little nods and go-ahead half-waves that keep people from getting into crashes. Advertisement And that means some deception in the service of progress. Ford tapped a half-dozen Virginia Tech Transportation Institute researchers, Schaudt among them, to spend August tooling around Arlington pretending not to be there. They drove more than 1,800 miles and collected 150 hours of 360-degree video from six cameras mounted on their gray van. It's satisfying work, but it can be uncomfortable at times, jolting usual conventions in the way strangers interact. One of Schaudt's colleagues apparently didn't get going quickly enough when a light turned green, prompting another motorist to speed around to the right and begin to yell. Then he saw nobody there "and said it out loud - there's nobody driving this car!" Schaudt's said. Aggressive drivers want to employ "communication methods that aren't exactly required for navigation," Schaudt noted. So when they conclude there's nobody's there to scream at, "it's a jaw dropping moment." Other times, it's Schaudt and his colleagues who can get a bit thrown. "It's kind of awkward when you are in the vehicle and somebody's looking right in the window at you. And it's ok for you look at them, because you're behind this hood and they don't see you," Schaudt said. "But you still kind of look away." The Virginia experiment was the brainchild of Ford engineer John Shutko, who has been pushing the idea of the light bar with colleagues from other car companies around the world. He said Ford doesn't see a competitive advantage in the research, but instead wants to share its findings as a way to improve safety and get people more comfortable with driverless vehicles. Advertisement Shutko had been spending his days thinking about the inside of autonomous cars - and how passengers will react to having no driver. How would the car need to communicate with them if it needed to change routes because of a back up, something an Uber driver could just mention casually? As he burned through those questions, he came up with another big one. "When you pull the driver, how's that going to impact civilians and others on the outside of the vehicle?" Shutko said. It was somewhere between and "Ah ha!" moment and an "Oh no! moment." "It was like an 'Oh goodness!' Now we're going to have to think about something beyond what we normally think about," Shutko said. It's an opportunity, he said, years before going into production, "to start to understand how people will behave around this type of technology." Shutko and his team discarded the idea of using words on the outside of the van to signal people, saying they were too confusing in a multilingual world. And he said symbols, too, can be ambiguous. Research has shown, for example, that all sorts of people don't know what the symbol for rear defrost in their car means, he said. So they went with lights. A solid white light is meant to signal the van is driving autonomously. A flashing light means it'll be accelerating. And when two lights move side to side - the engineers call that The Hoff Signal, as in David Hasselhoff from "Knight Rider" - it means the van is yielding. Advertisement On a drive Wednesday to demonstrate the seat suit, the blue sleeves of Schaudt's Virginia Tech shirt poked out by his knees. But he held the wheel down low so people couldn't' see them. And they didn't. A cook at Cheesetique, taking a smoke break on an Arlington, Virginia, sidewalk, stared through the rolling van's front windshield. Nothing. "You could tell no one was actually driving the car," said Travis Hicks. "Sooner or later, it's going to be back to the future." Many people didn't even seem to see the van. An elderly woman with a dog didn't look up as it rolled toward her. The jaywalker on her phone didn't even notice Schaudt was there. Advertisement "For the most part people are busy. They're going about their day. They're on their phone and they're just kind of moving through the world," Schaudt said. "Sometimes you could drive for a few hours and nothing out of the ordinary would happened, which is a finding in and of itself." The Harley-Davidson store is seen on North Michigan Avenue, with a first-floor entrance and second-floor retail space at the base of the Ritz-Carlton Residences in downtown Chicago. (RKF) The Harley-Davidson store on North Michigan Avenue will close at the end of this year, with hopes to open a smaller shop on Navy Pier. Store owner Fox Powersports, which plans to open a motorcycle dealership and Harley shop near Wrigley Field by late 2018, is in talks to lease about 2,000 square feet at Navy Pier, said Fox President Diane Maher. Advertisement That would be about one-third the size of the Michigan Avenue retail space at the base of the Ritz-Carlton Residences. Fox Powersports, a division of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Fox Motors, also has Harley dealerships in Glenview and Libertyville. A Navy Pier shop would help bridge the yearlong gap between the Mag Mile closure and the Wrigley opening, Maher said. Advertisement "Depending on how it goes, we would consider staying there long-term along with Wrigleyville," Maher said of Navy Pier. "We really want to try Navy Pier. It's a great tourist destination, and we sell a lot of Harley-Davidson T-shirts to tourists. The size (of the Michigan Avenue space) is just a little too big for what we need." It will be the second Harley retail shop to shutter in the area in recent years. A different franchise owner had a Harley shop at Rush and Ohio streets, in a space now occupied by burger chain Shake Shack, before the Michigan Avenue store opened in 2015. The landlord, an affiliate of the Terra Foundation for American Art, has hired Anthony Campagni and Elan Rasansky of brokerage RKF to find a new tenant for the Harley space. The Harley space includes a 576-square-foot entrance and 5,656 square feet on the second floor, according to RKF. Second-floor space is more challenging to lease, but it comes at a significant discount: an asking rate of $150 per square foot. That's a fraction of the $400 to $600 per-square-foot asking rents for ground-floor space on the avenue, Campagni said. "We believe we're offering value for a tenant that wants to achieve brand recognition by being on Michigan Avenue," Campagni said. The vacancy comes at a time of uncertainty for many retailers, many of which are reducing store counts amid the rise of e-commerce. Yet some companies are opening splashy flagships in order to better distinguish their brands. Just across Erie Street to the south, Starbucks plans to convert a four-level Crate & Barrel shop into a Roastery flagship by 2019. At 43,000 square feet, it will be the world's largest Starbucks. Less than a half-mile south, Apple is set to open its riverside store Oct. 20. Advertisement rori@chicagotribune.com Twitter @Ryan_Ori A mechanic works on a car at Sherman Dodge in Skokie, which broke with a dealership bargaining committee to sign its own agreement with its unionized mechanics. (Kristan Lieb / For the Chicago Tribune) In hopes of having their mechanics back at work by Monday, the bargaining group representing new-car dealerships affected by a nearly eight-week strike has presented a proposed agreement to the union. The terms are similar to those the Automobile Mechanics' Local 701, the union representing the mechanics, has been offering to dealerships that broke ranks with the bargaining group, said Mark Bilek, spokesman for the New Car Dealership Committee. Advertisement A union representative did not respond immediately Friday to requests for comment, but Local 701 said in a post on its website that it was reviewing the proposed agreement. Nearly 2,000 mechanics at almost 140 new-car dealerships throughout the Chicago area walked off the job Aug. 1, demanding a contract that resolves issues such as uncompensated work time. Since then, many dealerships have had to shut down repairs completely. Advertisement Late last month, some dealerships started reaching separate agreements with their unionized workers. About 30 dealerships have signed interim agreements with their employees, according to a post on the union's website. The bargaining group presented its "last, best and final" contract offer to the union last week. Union members rejected the offer in a vote Monday. That offer proposed increasing base pay hours for journeyman service technicians (the highest classification) from 34 hours to 35 hours, according to the committee's website. The base pay issue has been a major sticking point throughout negotiations. Bilek declined to comment on the specifics of the agreement. He said if the union votes for the proposed agreement, it could be the first step in finalizing a contract. "We'd love to get everyone back to work by Monday," Bilek said. "There (are) conversations going on to try to get it done." amarotti@chicagotribune.com Twitter @AllyMarotti Bahamian police on Sept. 9, 2008, watch over the Morton Salt plant in Great Inagua, which suffered damage when Hurricane Ike passed over the small Bahamian island. The plant also suffered significant damage when it was hit by Hurricane Irma last week. (Ronna Gradus / Miami Herald) Morton Salt's salt production facility on Great Inagua, the southernmost island of the Bahamas, sustained significant damage from Hurricane Irma last weekend, the company confirmed Thursday. The Chicago-based company employs 145 people at the island site, from which it harvests a massive amount of salt from the ocean. Morton Salt closed the plant on Sept. 6 as the storm approached and all employees made it through the storm safely, spokesman Paul Jackiewicz said in an email. Advertisement But the facility sustained structural damage, the extent of which is still being assessed, Jackiewicz said. The Bahama Journal quoted a local official calling it "millions of dollars" worth of damage. Jackiewicz said that estimate wasn't "provided or verified by Morton." Advertisement "We already have a specialized team on the ground in Inagua to conduct a full assessment of any impact on our operations. Given that this process is still underway, we cannot provide specific details on the extent of the damage," Jackiewicz said, adding that it was premature to say how it might affect Morton Salt's overall business. Morton Salt, acquired by the German firm K&S Group in 2009, bought the Inagua site in 1954. "Morton Salt is committed to its presence on Inagua and we intend to resume operations there as soon as safely possible," Jackiewicz said. Morton's salt field on the island where sea water is turned into commercial salt spans 30,000 acres, representing about 7.5 percent of the island's roughly 400,000 acres, he said. Morton is the island's largest employer. gtrotter@chicagotribune.com Twitter @GregTrotterTrib Army Spc. Kershawn Quinones and Sgt. David Quinones had their firstborn child, David Noah, in Aurora after being evacuated from Fort Stewart in Georgia. ( Rush Copley Medical Center ) While Hurricane Irma certainly brought its share of despair and destruction when it hit last weekend, the storm was also responsible for a surprise delivery for Isabel Quinones. The Aurora woman's 10th grandchild, who was scheduled to be born at an Army hospital in Georgia, instead entered the world at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora after his parents, both stationed at Fort Stewart, were forced to evacuate to avoid Irma's wrath. Advertisement The circumstances surrounding the baby's birth were far from ideal: With her delivery date only a week away, Spc. Kershawn Quinones and her husband, Sgt. David Quinones, a 2012 graduate of West Aurora High School, had no choice Sept. 8 but to join thousands of other evacuees on jam-packed roads. But Isabel Quinones is more than thrilled that she was able to welcome her newest grandchild right here in Aurora. Isabel Quinones had plans to go to Georgia after the baby was born and was "very surprised" when her son and daughter-in-law showed up at her front door late Saturday afternoon. Advertisement "We were very worried because the hurricane was coming," she said through a translator. But her son, the only one of her six children who lives out of state, has a way of surprising her. And only his siblings knew he was headed to Illinois. David Noah Quinones was born at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, weighing 8 pounds 11 ounces, less than two hours after his mother arrived through the emergency room at Rush Copley. "If we would have still been driving," the new mother said, "we would have had to pull over, and I would have had the baby on the side of the road." Kershawn Quinones, who met her husband both are mechanics in the Army, said because she was only about a week from delivery, she was supposed to leave in an earlier evacuation with other women who were more than 30 weeks pregnant. Instead, she chose to stay behind and wait for her husband to leave with the rest of the base. Their evacuation adventure did not start all that well. After a frustratingly slow 40 miles in heavy traffic, the couple stopped at a McDonald's to eat, only to discover David had left his wallet back at the base. "So we had to turn around and go get it," which only made him that much more nervous, he said. The traffic, they said, continued to be horrendous until exiting Tennessee, and they were not able to finding lodging for the night until around 3 in the morning. Heading to Cleveland, where Kershawn's family lived, was an option, but the couple decided on Aurora, as David had not seen his family since February, when he came back for the funeral of his father, Fernando, who died of cancer complications. While David admitted he had plenty of concerns on that tedious drive north with his very pregnant wife, Kershawn remained calm. Her biggest concern, she insisted, was their health insurance that would only cover the cost of a nonmilitary hospital stay if it occurred within a 48-hour window of an emergency such as Irma. Advertisement When she went into hard labor late Tuesday, the couple had already made tentative plans to use Rush Copley because of a family friend who worked there. Less than two hours after she was admitted, David Noah was born. The evacuation for Fort Stewart was lifted Thursday, but the young family will use David Quinones' 10-day paternity leave to remain here for a while. At this point, "we have no idea what we are going back to," he said of the base and the home they rent. "I'm a little nervous, but am trying not to think about it," he said. Instead, his focus is on that beautiful baby boy who will someday be told of the adventures surrounding his birth. "He is awesome," said the proud dad. And Isabel Quinones, whose other grandchildren are age 5 and older, could not agree more. Advertisement "This little one is special," she said, not just because of his surprise delivery in Aurora but because he so closely resembles the grandfather he never had a chance to meet. "I wish we could keep him with us," she said of the infant. "But I'm going to spoil him while he's here." dcrosby@tribpub.com Twitter @dencrosby Longtime Naperville resident Bettye Wehrli is passionate about the U.S. Constitution and the republic for which it stands, and about one bit of early Americana in particular. "In the hot, sweltering summer of 1787, (Constitutional Convention) delegates from all 13 colonies met in secret, to adopt the Constitution," said Wehrli, a self-described, voracious "reader of history." Advertisement "On Sept. 17, when the delegates came out of what is now Constitution Hall in Philadelphia, they announced to the crowd waiting that they had signed the Constitution," she said. "A waiting woman asked (delegate) Benjamin Franklin, 'Well, Dr. Franklin, do we have a monarchy, or do we have a republic?' And Franklin replied, 'We have a republic, if we can hang on to it.'" Wehrli believes the Constitution - drafted and signed more than 11 years after the Declaration of Independence - is sometimes given short shrift by students of American history and citizens in general. Toward that end, she has again organized an observation of Constitution Week, which lasts from Sunday through Saturday. Advertisement Wehrli is librarian for the Fort Payne Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Naperville. The national DAR organization after World War II "wanted a public remembrance of Sept. 17, 1787, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law in 1956, that Sept. 17-23 be recognized as Constitution Week in perpetuity," she said. As she had done in the past, Wehrli enlisted the help of Gail Rattray, a Naperville Public Library employee who has experience as a graphic designer-illustrator. That led to creation of a colorful Constitution Week display for the Nichols Library's main lobby, and a smaller, companion display in the downstairs children's section. The children's display features a table laden with a mere handful of the hundreds of books the library offers young people concerning the Constitution and American history. In a playful nod to the Constitutional Convention, there also is a long scroll of paper for children to sign, in much the same way delegates affixed their names to the Constitution. This year marks the seventh - and final - time the Constitution-themed display will appear at Nichols Library or the 95th Street or Naper Boulevard branches, where it has been on an annual, rotating basis. Parts of the display have become fragile with age, and Wehrli said she believes it might be "time for something different." Wehrli expressed "the deep appreciation the DAR has for the Naperville library system and all of the employees who have made it possible to have a showplace for this display." The compliment was returned by Julie Rothenfluh, the library system's executive director, who said library employees are "very happy to support (the DAR) and the Constitution. It's our role, as a community place, to make the community aware of what's going on." Wehrli added her hope library patrons would take the time to reflect on the importance of the Constitution, and its preamble in particular. "I think the most important three words in the English language are, 'We, the people," Wehrli said. "And I think there's an innate need in everybody's life to have freedom, don't you?" Advertisement wbird@tribpub.com What's in a name? For recent James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Rich Melman, it began 40 years ago with an involuntary emission of sound, which led to his restaurant empire. Here's the story of how RJ Grunts and other notable restaurants around town got their names. RJ Grunts At this Lincoln Park restaurant that launched the Lettuce Entertain You enterprise, the R and J came from the initials of Melman and business partner Jerry Orzoff's first names. As for the Grunt? It was the sound that Orzoff's girlfriend reportedly made when she ate, said spokeswoman Nicole Aylward. Blackbird Paul Kahan was sitting on his back porch in Lincoln Square, watching the Cubs play on television. Frustrated when the pitching staff gave up another home run, he flipped the channels and landed on a public television documentary. The French farmer on screen compared the Merlot grape to a chubby little blackbird. The name stuck when Kahan opened his West Loop restaurant in the late 1990s. Topolobampo Some 30 years ago, Rick Bayless and his wife, Deann, were driving down the coast of Baja California when they reached the city of La Paz. The car ferry that crossed the Gulf of California to the Mexican mainland arrived at a town called Topolobampo. "It was a crummy little town, nothing romantic about it," Bayless said. "But once I learned how to say it, and got the rhythm of it, I fell in love with the name." Heaven on Seven Chef Jimmy Bannos was taking a shower. He watched the steam rise up and thought of steam from his gumbo, billowing to the heavens. And his Cajun restaurant would be on the 7th floor of the Garland Building in the Loop. "Like I've always said," Bannos said, "every good idea comes from the washroom or when you're drinking." Sun Wah In the 1970s, Eric Cheng worked at a restaurant in New York called Sun Sun, meaning "New New" (a common term of endearment in Chinese is to repeat a word twice). When Cheng and his business partners went their separate ways, he was feeling nostalgic about his homeland, so he called his barbecue restaurant Sun Wah, meaning "New China." His restaurant relocated to Chicago's Argyle Street in 1987. Alinea Recently ranked the sixth best restaurant in the world by Restaurant magazine, Alinea is another name for the pilcrow, the symbol proofreaders use to denote a new paragraph. "It embodies the philosophy of what we're trying to do," said restaurant partner Nick Kokonas. "The beginning of a new train of thought. There really wasn't a second choice for a name." Taxim The name comes from Taksim Square in Istanbul, which during the Ottoman Empire was the cultural center of Constantinople. Taxim is also a musical term, referring to a break in music, typically preceding an emotional and expressive solo. "I thought it would be a nice metaphor for the restaurant," chef David Schneider said. "A break from the (Greek food) people are used to." Chilam Balam In the Mayan language, roughly translated to "Book of the Jaguar Priest." Yes, the same book prophesying the world will end in 2012. "Actually, that got kind of lost in translation," chef Chuy Valencia said. "The Mayans believed in replenishing Earth's natural resources. Mostly though, it's a catchy name." San Soo Gab San Literally translated to "mountain water valley mountain," it's the name of a mountain in North Korea known for its scenic views. kpang@tribune.com Twitter @kevinthepang The days are getting shorter and cooler, but weekends are still buzzing with activity. Check out an end-of-season outdoor soiree for a good cause, chow down on nachos with one of the last street fests or get to know Hungarian food: 1) It seems like tacos are becoming as ubiquitous as hot dogs and pizza these days, and that's reason enough to celebrate. This weekend, Lakeview Taco Fest returns for its fifth year, and as you can imagine, it'll be a bacchanal honoring all the fillings you can stuff in a delicious tortilla. Taking place in the heart of the Southport Corridor between Addison and Roscoe, the Taco Fest features a line-up of 13 vendors competing for title of best taco, including Beat Kitchen, Dona Tola, Tuco and Blondie and Taco Joint. Arts, crafts, a children's play area and even a lucha libre (Mexican wrestling) presentation will be available, as will beer tents pouring Sam Adams (a festival sponsor). Finally, two stages will feature mariachis and local tribute bands like 16 Candles, Too White Crew and Boy Band Review, among others. Free to attend, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, and Sunday, Sept. 17. Southport Avenue between Roscoe Avenue and Addison Street. Advertisement 2) The days for outdoor barbecues are all but numbered get one more under your belts while you still can. Growing Home and Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits are teaming up this weekend for the non-profit organization's fifth annual benefit backyard bash, featuring other local food purveyors. Stations set throughout Bang Bang's patio will highlight food from Jam, Animale, The Radler, Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Table, Donkey and Stick, with drinks by Forbidden Root and Chicago Distilling Company, 164 Brewing and wines provided by Candid. An auction and raffle will dole out prizes to lucky participants, while all event proceeds benefit Growing Home, which operates urban farms throughout the South Side while providing employment training. $85, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits, 2051 N. California Ave., www.growinghomeinc.com 3) Get your local beer fix at this Saturday's Independence Park Beer Fest. Benefitting the park's special education group's efforts for new uniforms for the Special Olympics Winter Games, the fest features brews from 16 local and national breweries, like Old Irving Brewing, Marz Community Brewing and Right Bee Cider. Food trucks and live music keep things lively. Tickets include a tasting glass for all four hours of drinking. Admission is 21+, $40 ($50 at the door), 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, Independence Park, 3945 N Springfield Ave., tickets at www.independenceparkchicago.com Advertisement 4) Head to Pilsen for a taste of Mexico. The Pilsen Community Market takes up its weekly location with a focus on Pilsen's Mexican culture, with food, arts and crafts from a number of neighborhood vendors. Swing by for bites from La Ciudad Taqueria, Yvolina's Tamales and more, or items from Mojo Owl, Golden Sapphire and others. Free to attend, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. Corner of 18th and Halsted streets. 5) Experience Hungarian food culture firsthand by visiting Norridge Park this weekend for the 7th annual Taste of Hungary Festival. Events kick off on Saturday, for a jam-packed day of traditional and lively heritage. Everything from friss sult kolbasz (fried sausage), csirkepaprikas (chicken paprikash), to kurtoskalacs (chimney cake) will be in abundance, along with kid-friendly games, live music and traditional Hungarian dancing. $20 admission (includes two meal tickets), $7 each additional sampling; $5 children's admission (under 6 years old free), 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. 8260 W. Foster Ave., Norridge. jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com Twitter @joeybear85 WICKER PARK Mississipi Delta-style grub comes to Chicago by way of The Delta, owned by Memphis-raised Eldridge Williams (Girl & The Goat, The Promontory, Bangers & Lace). With a bar and back patio, the restaurant serves a selection of tamales and dishes from gnudi with sherry etouffee to a whole fried chicken. 1745 W. North Ave., 773-360-1793, www.thedeltachicago.com HYDE PARK Eric Nance, catering to his vegetarian wife and his "meataterian" daughter, decided to create the new Litehouse Whole Food Grill in an effort to serve organic food that would appeal to his whole family. Fettuccine alfredo bowls with choice of protein have been popular; other options include wraps and salads. 1660 E. 55th St., 773-633-2587, www.litehousewholefoodgrill.com Advertisement RIVER NORTH A factory in New Hampshire will rush handmade chocolates to the first Chicago location of L.A. Burdick Chocolates. The brand is known for its hot chocolate, which comes in dark, milk, spicy dark or white chocolate. Look out for the chocolate mice and penguins too. 609 N. State St., 312-635-8975, www.burdickchocolate.com LINCOLN PARK Aloha Poke's largest location has opened. The menu has build-your-own poke bowls with rice or mixed greens, sashimi-grade tuna, salmon or tofu, and a plethora of toppings like ginger, avocado and pineapple. The restaurant features a gallery wall with artwork from Chicago and Hawaii photographers. 818 W. Fullerton Ave., 773-697-9352, www.alohapokeco.com Advertisement LAKEVIEW A second location of Rotary Sushi is set to open in Boystown. The Aurora location serves "agemono" deep-fried items like a mango cheese spring roll and takoyaki (octopus balls), as well as an assortment of sushi and bento boxes. 3219 N. Broadway, www.rotarysushi.com Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > ICYMI RANDOLPH ROW Graham Elliot and Matthias Merges' new cocktail bar and restaurant Gideon Sweet will create mini, movable feasts starting in November. LINCOLN PARK Marisol opened at the MCA. It is headed by Lula Cafe chef and owner Jason Hammel. GOLD COAST Somerset by the Boka Group is now open. With high ceilings, two floors, and an outdoor space, Boka Group partner Rob Katz says the restaurant has a "'67 yacht club feel." BOWMANVILLE Half Acre has opened a second taproom with a distinct food and beer menu. Closings STREETERVILLE Two-Michelin star Tru will close after 18 years of business. Lettuce Entertain You will reconcept the space. The other day Karl Ove Knausgaard, famed Norwegian novelist and master chronicler of banality, came through town and said very little. He was here to begin a short tour of the United States or rather, Chicago and a handful of East Coast cities. He doesn't like to leave his children back in Norway for too long, but he has a new book: "Autumn," a kind of letter/encyclopedia written for his then-unborn daughter. If "My Struggle," the six-book cycle that made him an international literary sensation, focuses inward on the mundanities of Knausgaard's daily existence, "Autumn," the first of a four-book seasonal series, looks out into the world and finds epiphany in the taken-for-granted: There are chapters on jellyfish and plastic bags, buttons and toilet bowls, limes and chewing gum. On the first day of his tour, Knausgaard wore a blue work shirt and leather jacket with a stain on the back and a rip in the left shoulder. His pupils were bright blue and the whites were quite white. He never seemed to blink. He stuffed his hands deep into his front pockets. He was tall, and his hair was a cresting wave of silver. His face was deeply lined and, though smiling, he appeared haunted. He also looked famous. In Norway, he said, "people are always coming at me, so I live in the countryside," but in the U.S., "it's a bit easier. The nice thing is I get invitations and people often want to show me things." Advertisement In Chicago, this meant the Smart Museum of Art in Hyde Park, which is closed on Mondays, but not for Knausgaard. As he arrived, a small contingent of curators and museum staff awaited him in the lobby. If it were not for his permanently weathered appearance and jeans, you might have mistaken him for a visiting dignitary; indeed, to celebrate his book reading later that night, flyers pasted across Hyde Park heralded: "Summer is Ove." Advertisement He put out his cigarette and stepped inside the glass doors. Robert Bird, a curator of the museum's new exhibition on the everyday life of Soviet citizens after the Russian Revolution, reached for the author's hand. He said the show that they were previewing was "novelistic," and partly inspired by Knausgaard and his narratives of everyday life. Knausgaard said, "Hmmmm." "These images, for instance," Bird said, pointing to a row of Soviet propaganda posters, "these give a sense of how people lived with slogans and exaltations 'Do this! Go here!' (Soviets) were often concerned about minutia, so posters were often meant to inform the daily existence of the Soviet people. But, of course, things get complicated." Knausgaard said, "Hmmmm." Bird, and co-curators Christina Kiaer and Zachary Cahill, led the writer to a small trove of Soviet calendars, beautiful and dizzyingly complex objects, dense assemblages of symbols that, Bird noted, "intended to reorganize time." Knausgaard leaned ever so slightly toward the pieces. There was a moment of suspense: What did he ... think ...? He liked it! His eyes widened, which translates roughly to WOW! Since "My Struggle" started appearing in English in 2012, we have learned a great deal about Karl Ove Knausgaard, both formative and ephemeral. In "My Struggle," across 3,600 pages and six volumes, we have learned he once got drunk and slashed open his face with broken glass; we have learned how he makes waffles; we have learned about his determination to become a writer; we have watched him get more comfortable with fatherhood. In "Autumn" we learn that his favorite novel is "Madame Bovary," and that he has had problems with head lice, and that he was a bedwetter. We have learned that his late father, abusive and alcoholic, stirs beneath all of it. We have learned these things somewhat by design "somewhat" because, as Knausgaard, 48, has often said, when he began "My Struggle," he simply wrote and didn't slow to ask if it was good or cliched. He wrote for the exhilaration of committing his thoughts. For "Autumn" he spent an hour daily picking a subject "then two writing, but when I picked (a subject) there was no going back I had to finish each (chapter) in a single sitting." Advertisement Today, in his native Norway, Knausgaard is so woven into the cultural woodwork that, when new Knausgaard novels arrive, some companies stake off (tongue-in-cheek) Knausgaard-free workspaces. Internationally he is often called the 21st century's Proust, our finest contemporary writer on the subject of time and memory, so compulsively readable despite (or because of) his focus on the minutiae of our lives that, as the New Yorker's James Wood put it, "even when I was bored, I was interested." But Knausgaard himself? From the man, we learn little. We learn the third book in the new cycle will be "a classic narrative about nothing." We learn that when the Guardian newspaper's review of "Autumn" was reprinted recently in Norway, the headline translated to "This Book is a Pile of (Expletive)." His famed ability to understand the prosaic: We learn "it came out of this feeling that trying to write a great novel, and contribute to great literature, was killing me," that he is "not normally interested in minutiae. I don't notice things myself, not really. I am in a bubble. I am a self-obsessed person, not good at taking in the world. So I do it in writing." We also learn that Knausgaard is polite and doesn't ask questions. "Here you see the most Stalinist film in the show," Bird said, pointing to a flickering image on a gallery wall, an eerie hymn to Soviet motherhood. The Norwegian said, "Hmmmm." Kiaer stopped before another film, of a woman at a parade putting on gloves, arranging her belongings, seemingly unaware of the parade, or the camera watching her. Knausgaard was transfixed. He stared a long minute at the woman on the wall. Watching him watch is like watching Sherlock Holmes: You're waiting for a flash of thought to explode behind his eyes. Except, Knausgaard is not a ham, and not effusive. Advertisement He said, "Hmmmm." Cahill stepped in. He noted the way the sound flowed between the areas of the exhibit, the way the sound of one voice overlapped with the sound of another and created a "To use one of those Norwegian words," Bird said, interrupting, "a bit of a maelstrom." Knausgaard almost showed a flash of teeth and settled on his heels. He said, "Hmmmm." They drove to lunch, headed west across Washington Park. Kiaer narrated: "We are leaving the University of Chicago campus area and crossing the park and generally the area on the other side of park is ..." "Dodgy," Bird said. "This is a very segregated city." Advertisement Kiaer: "You've heard of the high murder rate in Chicago?" Knausgaard: "Hmmmm." Kiaer: "Murders are concentrated on South and West sides. We live on the North." Bird: "There was a shooting ..." Kiaer: "One car chasing another, shooting. Robert and I (who are married) were standing in the kitchen. We are not familiar with the sound of gunshots and we realized those were gunshots, and we have big glass windows and we dropped to the floor." Bird: "Total exception." Advertisement Kiaer: "Yes. This street we're on (Garfield) I shouldn't say this street is called 'Murder Row,' considering we have our esteemed guest here ." Knausgaard looked out the window at the street and didn't respond. Lunch was long silences, three curators keeping up a friendly chatter, doing their best. Bird, a dead ringer for actor Gerard Butler, asked Knausgaard, who looks born to play a veteran fisherman or lighthouse keeper: "Did you notice the colors of the exhibition walls?" Knausgaard stared at him blankly. "What do you think of the color of ..." Bird asked again. Knausgaard nodded and smiled. Kiaer said: "Robert! What's he going to say?" Cahill: "Do you write when you travel?" Knausgaard said, "If I have time..." then trailed off. Kiaer: "Are you a morning or evening writer?" Advertisement Knausgaard: "Morning." Cahill: "Ah . Karl, do you know anything about our local history?" When it was time to leave, Knausgaard thanked them warmly, stepped onto the sidewalk and lit a cigarette. He was headed to the North Side, to visit Wilco's rehearsal space; he's friends with drummer Glenn Kotche. And then it was off to shoot a segment for WTTW's "Chicago Tonight." He took a deep drag on his cigarette. He looked uncertain, awkward. "Everything is awkward today," he said. cborrelli@chicagotribune.com [ RELATED: 'My Struggle: Book Five': Karl Ove Knausgaard continues long, unretouched story ] [ Review: 'My Struggle: Book Four' by Karl Ove Knausgaard ] [ Karl Ove Knausgaard reflects on 'My Struggle' ] 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) Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 101 Soft Science extends that legacy on its third album, Maps (Test Pattern), and adds its own twists. The soft, almost cooed vocals of singer Katie Haley bring a pop veneer. Read the review. (Test Pattern) Chicago Tribune Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash arrives for the start of his trial at the courts of justice in Vienna, Austria on Feb. 21, 2017. Firtash was arrested in Vienna in March 2014 on an American warrant charging him with bribery and other offenses. (Ronald Zak / AP) The U.S. government has "thousands of intercepts" that can be used as evidence against Ukrainian billionaire oligarch Dmitry Firtash, federal prosecutors told a judge Friday as the fight over his extradition to Chicago rumbled on. But lawyers for Firtash who has ties to President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort walked back their recent claim that Firtash could be brought from Austria to the U.S. "within weeks." Advertisement Firtash, who has links to Russian President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin, has been fighting extradition from Vienna since 2014. Accused of masterminding an international titanium mining racket involving Chicago-based Boeing, he wants U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer to throw out his case before Austrian authorities put him on a plane to Chicago. His lawyer, former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, on Friday said Firtash's long battle in the Austrian courts should wrap up "within two to four months," an apparent downgrade from the "great risk" of imminent extradition he had previously warned of. Advertisement Webb said Firtash preferred to remain in Austria while the case is being argued because he couldn't run his business if he were "in shackles in the MCC" a reference to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago. And Webb took offense to Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu's warning that Firtash might skip his $174 million bail and flee Austria on a private jet if Pallmeyer quickly rules against him. Bhachu wants Pallmeyer to delay ruling over whether she has jurisdiction to hear the case until Firtash is in U.S. custody. Adding to his revelation earlier this week that the U.S. secretly recorded a phone call in which Firtash discussed a co-defendant's trip to Chicago to meet with Boeing executives, Bhachu said the government has "tens of thousands" of documents and "thousands of intercepts" that can be used against Firtash. The latest revelation about the scale of U.S. wire tapping may add to the intrigue surrounding Firtash's ties 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 was raided as part of special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation of alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, and he spent the better part of a decade advising ousted pro-Russia Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, to whom Firtash was a key supporter. Pallmeyer said she would rule within the two-to-four-month window that Webb requested. kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews The Snook Inn in Marco Island, Fla., apparently survived Hurricane Irma. The hurricane ripped it up some, but the old bar survived. And Stan's in Goodland made it, too, the place where we'd drink beer on Sunday afternoons. But the fish house where I once sold a nice fat permit off my boat suffered badly. Advertisement Snook Inn co-owner Dennis Passini told the Naples Daily News that he hopes to be open by October. "That'll be a big party for me," he said. Advertisement The Chicago connection to Marco Island has stood for decades now. Many have homes there, and Chicagoans are flying down, worried what they'll see, worried about what Irma left them. Many will have to fix their homes and boats again, and tell their families what is there and what is not. It's an odd thing, walking through a place you love that's been savaged by weather, when the birds are back and the sun is out. It's like watching someone you care about after they've been badly injured. They move slowly, wincing, and catch your eye, and there are no words for it. Years ago, my parents built a home in Marco. We had a nice fishing boat with a modified hull so we could take it into the Gulf for grouper or up into the mangrove creeks, over oyster beds to hunt snook in the winter. Dad planted a lemon tree outside our bedroom window when Betty and I were married. She still remembers the blossoms. But we lost him in 1992, and Mom said she couldn't look at the house without him. And then, just a few months after the funeral, when she decided to sell it, Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. Debris litters the street following Hurricane Irma at Marco Island, Fla., on Sept. 11, 2017. (Loren Elliott/Tampa Bay Times ) So after the storm I flew down as many Chicagoans flew down this week worried about what I'd see. I went alone. It wasn't a vacation. It was a reckoning. Andrew had ruined the southeast coast of Florida but spared Marco. There was the screened lanai to fix, a few roof tiles to replace, but it was nothing like the damage of Irma. Once the contractors were set, I had a day or two to myself. We'd already sold the boat, but a friend lent me his skiff, so I put a couple of beers and sandwiches into a cooler, took my rods and tackle box and went off down the Big Marco River. Advertisement With the bridge behind me, I headed south toward Stan's and Goodland. It was hot the way only Florida in late summer can be hot. Dead hot. From the skiff you could see what the storm had done. The hurricane had put his head into those mangroves and shook it, ripping them as if he had teeth. And along the back ends of homes, you could see long fingers of ripped screen flapping into the sky. And then past Goodland and on toward Coon Key and the flats with sea trout on them, then down through the shoals to Cape Romano, and a snooky beach just as the tide was dropping. There's something nice about fishing alone, something good, rigging up, wordless, thoughtless, casting and driving demons out of your head. Dad loved fishing, too, coming out with us, my two brothers and Betty and me. We learned about tides and where to hunt when they dropped and where to go when they rose. We'd fish and argue all day, then take our catch and grill and drink gin and tonics with bitters and talk into the night. A Chevrolet Bel Air classic car sits under a fallen palm tree from Hurricane Irma in Marco Island, Fla., on Sept. 11, 2017. (David Goldman/AP ) So it was odd being out there alone, missing my brothers, Peter and Nick, Betty, my dad, thinking about selling the house, thinking about what was gone. But then I remembered the time we'd gone out for blacktip shark and got mostly skunked. Advertisement The last and worst rod in our boat back then was an ancient cherry wood bass pole, from some old widow's garage sale. I'd rigged it with thin, 6-pound test line strung with tiny gold hooks to catch pinfish for shark bait. After a long, fishless day, my brother Nick cut off the pinfish hooks and tied on a green and gold lead headed jig, not even bothering with a leader. His self-mocking gesture was made even more pitiful because of a shred of hope still left in him, as he made that last wistfully ironic cast. His fight with the huge 42-inch snook on 6-pound line lasted about an hour. It was Homeric, the stuff of legend. She had shoulders on her, bending that cherry wood rod, pulling us all over the shallows. And after he'd landed it, we snapped a photo he later printed on a T-shirt, now lost, and it took another 15 minutes to properly revive and release her. We were all chattering loudly, excited and happy. So out there after Andrew, alone in another man's skiff after a storm, I laughed out loud at how we shouted advice at Nick during the snook fight, and his big grin when he reached down, grabbed her by the lip and lifted her out of the water. And now after Hurricane Irma, I'm thinking about all the Chicagoans heading down to Marco, assessing Irma's bite, worried, and remembering their good family times. Advertisement In that borrowed boat back then, alone off Cape Romano, what I remember is that my smile froze on my face for just a second and I was caught between time: thinking of what we'd had, what we'd lost. The things you remember after the storm. Listen to "The Chicago Way" podcast with John Kass and Jeff Carlin and guests Tom Bevan, publisher of RealClearPolitics.com, and Tribune editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis, at wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway. jskass@chicagotribune.com Twitter@John_Kass Dave Hutchens, chairman of Sun Corridor Inc. and president and CEO of UNS Energy Corp., and Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor Inc., sent a 21-foot saguaro cactus to Amazon headquarters in Seattle on Sept. 13, 2017. The pair are trying to get Jeff Bezos attention in a bid to bring Amazons planned second headquarters to Tucson and southern Arizona. (Mamta Popat/Arizona Daily Star) The desire to be loved and wanted can make people do crazy things. That can be the only explanation for the fact that the other day some Arizona business leaders strapped a 21-foot saguaro cactus to a flatbed truck in Tucson and dispatched it to Jeff Bezos at Amazon headquarters in Seattle. Advertisement Bezos, who runs the company that hopes to run our lives, recently announced that Amazon plans to open a second headquarters, employing 50,000 people, in a North American city as yet to be named. Denver? Boston? Atlanta? Toronto? Austin? Dallas? Chicago? Advertisement Scores of suitors are lining up, as eager as contestants on "The Bachelor," to prove that they're The One. Ergo, the cactus. "We wanted to make sure Mr. Bezos and his team notice us," one Arizona business leader was quoted as saying in a news release, "and send a message of 'we have room for you to grow here for the long term' nothing signifies that better than a Saguaro." Saguaros, the prickly gift suggests, are a guy's best friend. The saguaro is a beautiful, statuesque plant, a symbol of the American West and considered by some to be practically sacred. It has a park of its own, Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, but as the city spreads, development encroaches on its desert territory. Digging one up one that, based on its size, is probably at least 100 years old and lashing it on a truck didn't please everyone in Tucson. While some social media reviewers loved the stunt "so Tucson," said one others used words like "embarrassing," "soulless" "mindless" and "appalling." "Nothing screams we are stupid more than delivering a live Saguaro cactus to Seattle," huffed one Facebook poster. Advertisement "They should have sent the city council," another sneered. "Oh wait, the saguaro is sharper and smarter." And this: "How about we stop groveling at the feet of mega-corporations and support and grow our own local talent and businesses? Also, pretty sure that saguaro won't be very happy in Seattle." A few mentioned that they'd seen the trussed-up cactus heading north. "I was behind that dam thing on I10," someone reported, "flung rocks, dirt, and sand all over me!!!!" "I hope," another commenter sniffed, "this is satire." But no. The things humans do out of desire to impress and be loved merely seem that way. Advertisement And sometimes the outlandish is what it takes to score. So in this contest for Amazon's hand, how can Chicago compete with that giant saguaro? Let us consider a few truly Illinois things we might ship to Jeff Bezos to get him to notice us too: A 21-foot Chicago-style hot dog. Twenty-one feet of deep-dish pizza, boxed and stacked. Twenty-one feet of Asian carp, arranged belly to belly. The Bean. Sure, we'd miss it, but what is one beloved sculpture compared with 50,000 jobs? Advertisement Twenty-one feet of local politicians. Take your pick. The Michael Jordan statue outside the United Center. It's only 12 feet tall, but it's a giant. And sure, we'd miss it, but see "The Bean." The Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza. See "The Bean." A live white oak tree, the official Illinois state tree, which, when mature is taller than a saguaro. Twenty-one Divvy bikes, unscuffed. That new Amazon bookstore in Lakeview, dismantled and reassembled in Seattle. Advertisement Twenty-one feet of books by local authors bought at independent local bookstores. Twenty-one hundred pounds of Chicago snow. Twenty-one miles of red light camera tickets, stacked end to end. Twenty-one potholes. We won't miss them. I realize these suggestions may sound silly, but so did shipping a saguaro until it happened. On the other hand, Chicago could do what a confident, talented suitor does, which is to step back, smile and say, "I know I'm hot. I'd treat you really well, but I'm not going to beg you." Advertisement mschmich@chicagotribune.com Twitter @MarySchmich A Roseland neighborhood man is accused of sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl at her mother's workplace in May, authorities said. Antoine Richards, 47, appeared in bond court on Thursday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child. Advertisement Richards sexually abused the girl while her mother worked at a senior living facility, Assistant State's Attorney Craig Taczy told the judge. The child first told her cousins, and then her mother, Taczy said. Advertisement Police responded to a 911 call on July 6 after the incident, which happened on the West Side in May, according to Officer Thomas Sweeney, a Chicago police spokesman. Richards, of the 11100 block of South Normal Avenue, was arrested Tuesday. A judge ordered that he be held on a $750,000 bond. Chicago Police Officer Hector Alfaro has lived in the United States since he was 3, when his parents moved from Mexico with three children in tow. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps and then the Chicago Police Department. He had children, then grandchildren. Citizenship was always in the back of his mind, he said, but life got in the way night shifts, children, other responsibilities. The years turned into decades. This year, he finally decided to act. Wearing a suit and holding a small American flag, Alfaro, a 21-year veteran of the police department, took the oath of allegiance with eight other military veterans and active service members Friday. "I knew it was important for me to do this," said Alfaro, who is a spokesman in the department's Office of News Affairs. "I knew this day would come." His wife Maria and sister Nancy beamed at him, watching in the audience at the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services Chicago field office. "He was really nervous," Maria Alfaro said after the ceremony. "I'm very proud of him." Chicago police Officer Hector Alfaro, right, is sworn in Sept. 15, 2017, as a U.S. citizen during a ceremony that included several other public servants becoming citizens. (Chris J. Walker / Chicago Tribune) Alfaro's younger sister Nancy was the only sibling in her family born in the United States. She said she has been waiting for this moment. "This is the only country they know," Nancy Alfaro said of her older siblings. "It's always been home." The naturalization ceremony was among four in the city and suburbs for more than 200 new citizens Thursday and Friday. The events were held to celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, both on Sunday. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., spoke to the new citizens, speaking of her birth in Thailand during the Vietnam War. "I did not speak English until I was 8 years old," Duckworth said. "I know what it is to translate for your parents." She lauded the group for their military and law enforcement service. They included sailors from the Great Lakes Naval Station and new citizens from seven countries, including China, Mali and Peru. "I know for many of you getting to this place to prepare to take this oath was not easy," Duckworth said. For the Alfaro family, the day was the culmination of years of building a life in Chicago. Inspired by her husband, Maria Alfaro has just started her own paperwork to become a citizen. Alderman Ariel Reboyras, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson at the Chicago Police Department Graduation ceremony at Arie Crown Theater in Chicago on Aug. 29, 2017. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) Relatives of those killed in police shootings as well as community activists called on both Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan on Thursday to include them in Chicago police reform efforts, saying they feared their voices would be lost. "We are asking for what is due to us," Tiffaney Boxley, whose son, Joshua Beal, was shot by police in 2016, said in a shaky voice at a news conference at City Hall . "It's important our voices be heard, that we have our say. Mayor Emanuel, his children are not affected. And Lisa Madigan, nor her family. It's us, the black and brown community that is being affected." A scathing U.S. Department of Justice report in January concluded that for decades Chicago police have disproportionately targeted African-Americans and Hispanics for excessive use of force and other civil rights violations. The investigation found widespread failures, including the inability to properly train officers or hold them accountable for misconduct. The investigation came in the wake of the court-ordered release in late 2015 of police dashboard camera video showing a white police officer shooting black teen Laquan McDonald 16 times. Officer Jason Van Dyke faces first-degree murder charges. The news conference outside Emanuel's office was the first time that the victims' families, who are plaintiffs in a pending federal lawsuit also seeking police reform, have spoken out since the process was upended this summer. Advertisement Emanuel at first embraced pursuing a consent decree a court agreement for police reforms enforced by a federal judge but after tepid interest by the Trump administrative in such a move, he backed off the commitment to court oversight. Then late last month, he agreed to a consent decree after Madigan sued the city to force the action. Black Lives Matter Chicago member Jonathan Projanksy said the plaintiffs would like Madigan to meet with them to get their input. Advertisement "We hope the attorney general would see the importance of ... making sure those most affected are a part of the decision-making process," he told a reporter after the news conference. In an emailed statement Thursday, Madigan said she has been in contact with attorneys representing the families and civil rights groups. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "We are already in the process of scheduling a time to meet with them," the statement read. Attorney Sheila Bedi, who represents the families and community organizations who filed the lawsuit, confirmed that a meeting was being scheduled but also said her clients are "not merely interested in an another meeting or listening session." "Instead their aim is to negotiate with the Attorney General and the City for the purposes of developing a resolution to CPD's rampant violence and dysfunction," Bedi said in the statement. The city didn't immediately respond. Thursday's news conference included activists from all over the city. While their distrust was evident, those gathered said they remained committed to helping fix the department. "Right now it seems they are trying to cut us out," said Arewa Karen Winters, an aunt of Pierre Loury, a 16-year-old boy who was fatally shot by police in 2016. "We just felt kinda slighted that she turned around and she filed her lawsuit and there is the mayor behind her. At the end of the day, we all really want the same thing. We want a better police department." Advertisement asweeney@chicagotribune.com Members of Congress are pushing federal agencies to update maps that provide information about potential environmental risks to the Great Lakes. The "Environmental Sensitivity Index" maps are maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Some haven't been revised in more than 20 years. The maps are detailed guides highlighting vulnerable locations, structures and natural resources near the lakeshores. They're used during emergencies to protect wildlife habitat, species and structures most likely to be affected by an oil spill or other disaster. Legislation introduced Thursday in the House and Senate would require NOAA and other agencies to update maps for each coastal area of the Great Lakes and repeat the task every seven years. Michigan lawmakers from both parties are sponsoring the bills. A 19-year-old prison inmate serving time for an attempted sexual assault is facing new charges after DNA evidence linked him to another attack, prosecutors said. Rico Walker, 19, appeared before a judge Friday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault. Advertisement The attack happened July 11, 2015, in the 500 block of West 117th Street in the city's West Pullman neighborhood when Walker was 17, police said. It was about 2:50 a.m. when the 26-year-old victim had gotten into a quarrel with her fiance, who locked her out of a house. She left, in bare feet, and began walking around the neighborhood trying to find someone who would let her use their phone, prosecutors said. Advertisement Walker spotted her and began following her up and down the street and even up to a porch where he tried to talk to her. When she told him to leave and threatened him with a broom handle, he snatched it from her and placed a "hard object'' against the back of her head, according to prosecutors. After forcing her into a nearby alley, he sexually assaulted her and then ran away with her clothes, prosecutor said. Naked, sobbing, and covered with bruises and cuts, she went back to neighbors, who called 911. Responding officers covered her with a blanket and took her to a hospital. Around March of 2017, detectives received results from the Illinois State Police crime lab that showed Walker's DNA matched the swab taken from her at the time of the crime, prosecutors said. Last year, Walker was convicted in an unrelated case of attempted sexual assault, home invasion and robbery, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections. He was sentenced to ten years and was in custody at the Menard Correctional Center when the new charge was filed. Jacob Tolbert, 28, was denied bail in a fatal shooting after an argument over a drug corner. (Chicago Police Department) A man who was shot in 2016 died after a second shooting in June over a West side drug spot, prosecutors said. New details were disclosed Friday afternoon in court as the alleged gunman in the fatal attack, Jabob Tolbert, 28, faced murder charges. Advertisement Shortly before 10 a.m. June 24, Hakeem Howard was standing outside a convenience store at the corner of Avers and Chicago Avenues. Prosecutors said the corner is a popular spot used by dealers to sell drugs. Advertisement Howard, 23, was confronted by a group who demanded he stop selling cannabis because the spot belonged to them. An argument broke out and Howard was punched in the face and soon after he was physically jumped by the group, prosecutors said. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Tolbert pulled out a weapon during the brawl and shot Howard in the right side of his abdomen. After he was shot, Howard ran to the store and collapsed, prosecutors said. Tolbert fled the scene in a 2-door silver Monte Carlo that someone else was driving. Howard, of the 6300 block of South May Street was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital. He died June 27 after remaining intubated and unresponsive, officials said. He had previously lived a few blocks from where he was shot, according to public records. Chicago police officers located the Monte Carlo that was parked on Tolbert's family property. Video surveillance in the area caught the fatal shooting including the brawl, prosecutor said. Two witnesses came forward and identified Tolbert as being present at the time of the shooting, and later video recordings showed Tolbert during the shooting, prosecutors said. Another witness,a friend of Tolbert, identified him as the person who killed Howard. Howard was wounded in a shooting July 19, 2016 in the 3700 block of West Ferdinand Street, he was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said. At a bail hearing Friday, Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. denied Tolbert bail. SPRINGFIELD Before Bruce Rauner was elected governor, he crisscrossed the state touting his business acumen and vowing to travel the world on his "own dime" to recruit companies and spur investment in Illinois. When then-Texas Gov. Rick Perry launched a campaign to poach companies from Illinois, Rauner said his fellow Republican was just "doing his job" because governors "should compete to recruit businesses and create jobs." Advertisement "You know, this is not rocket science. Springfield is not some complex thing where you need an advance engineering degree to understand," Rauner told reporters at a Chicago campaign stop. "This is common sense. This is people, this is negotiation." But Rauner's travel plans encountered a ground stop during his first 2 1/2 years in office, time spent battling Democrats who control the legislature over his economic agenda. The governor said he didn't feel it was appropriate to head out on recruiting missions during a historic budget impasse, though Rauner said he did make "quick trips" to cities like San Francisco, Boston and New York. Advertisement With the budget now settled over the governor's objections, a deal cut on education funding and staff turmoil dying down, Rauner is trying to take advantage of a rare period of stability to change the narrative on his administration. This week, that reset took the form of a trip to Japan and China, which Rauner's office says is the governor's first international trade mission. "Now we have a budget. It's not balanced. And we couldn't get reforms. But I can't afford to wait any longer. We have got to bring businesses here," Rauner said shortly before his departure. "And that's what I'm going to try to accelerate in the coming months, and that's the reason for the trip." Rauner paid for himself and two staffers to take the eight-day trip, spokeswoman Elizabeth Tomev said. The governor's security detail that accompanied him is funded by the Illinois State Police. The trip started in Tokyo for the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association conference, which is designed to foster partnerships among business, education and government leaders to further trade and investment between states in the Midwest and Japan. The visit comes as Illinois seeks to land a manufacturing plant from Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda, which includes plans to hire as many as 4,000 workers. DeKalb and Rochelle are said to be in the running, and economic development officials from those towns are among the governor's delegation. They are joined by representatives of the state's economic and commerce agencies, as well as officials from utility giant Commonwealth Edison and the University of Illinois. The overseas trip was greeted as a welcome change of pace by the state's business community, a group that widely backed Rauner's bid for office as he promoted a wide-ranging economic plan he said would cut regulations and spur job growth. Little of that has materialized amid strong pushback from Democrats, who have blocked Rauner's efforts to limit collective bargaining rights and overhaul the workers' compensation system. "My first reaction is, it's about time," said Richard Paullin, executive director of the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago. Advertisement "In my view, the governor symbolically helps open doors for Illinois businesses. And even though he is a symbol, he can be a very effective one getting Illinois in front of Japanese and Chinese investors and the commercial community," said Paullin, who lived in Japan during the 1970s as a consultant to trading companies. "And the real problem is we have 49 other competitors. Every other state is looking to do the same thing, and if you don't get on an airplane and you don't get in front of them they will go elsewhere." In addition to Japan and China, Rauner has suggested he may visit Australia, with a focus on investment in infrastructure. "So your ideas and advice on specific proposals, specific initiatives around the state, get 'em ready because I'm going to start hustling," Rauner told a gathering of road builders in July as he talked up his work as a private equity investor before going into politics. "That's my, what I did for 32 years was out networking and selling deals and cutting agreements with other business folks. And I'm looking forward to doing it," he added. "Doing that and Springfield is a, you know, it's a different world. Other baloney comes into it. Practical, pragmatic, common-sense reasonable things don't happen in Springfield. But they can be done in the business sector." Democrats argue it's too little too late, pointing to damage done by the budget impasse, including widespread layoffs at social service agencies and universities, and hundreds of small businesses across stretched to the limit as they wait on the state to pay them billions of dollars in overdue bills. Democratic governor candidate J.B. Pritzker's campaign says Rauner might have difficulties attracting business after his "manufactured budget crisis devastated the Illinois economy." Advertisement Rauner "bad-mouthed the state, and is now trying to convince businesses to come to Illinois," Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. "If Rauner wants to attract businesses, he should figure out how to lead our state instead of running it into the ground." Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, said face-to-face meetings will give Rauner the chance to demonstrate his business skills in an environment he's previously excelled in, unlike the Capitol where his efforts have often been thwarted politically. "Trying to wrangle the legislature into a pension reform bill is one kind of challenge, convincing a logistics company that Illinois has great infrastructure and location is a completely different challenge and one I am glad he is prepared to take," Maisch said. Maisch also said the governor may face some hurdles in selling Illinois after a particularly rocky period. But he said it's important for Rauner to be there to answer specific questions and concerns. "He's got two points to make," Maisch said. "First of all, we are entering an era of more stability. It wasn't a great outcome, but it does re-establish some stability. And the second point is I think he has a lot stronger footing in saying we recognize we have to address some shortcomings. A governor who says everything is great would have less credibility." Rauner has long complained about what he says is a poor business climate in Illinois. In addition to changes to collective bargaining and the workers' compensation system, he's also called for term limits on lawmakers and a property tax freeze which he says will signal to employers that "it's a new day" in Illinois. Advertisement The governor stood by his criticisms this week even as he asks businesses to build in Illinois. "It's not contradictory. What it is is the truth. It's the fact. We have some of the greatest attributes to build businesses of any state in America. We also have some of the most heavy restrictions and regulations and highest taxes. Those are the facts," Rauner told Chicago radio station WBEZ 91.5-FM in a phone interview from Japan. "Illinois tends to be one of the slowest-growing states. And it's despite O'Hare (International Airport), despite our infrastructure, despite our education. Those are world-class. It's because of our regulations and our taxes. So if we can change those and we're working to do it we've had some progress. Boy, we can boom." While much of Rauner's economic agenda has stalled, Republicans point to a revamp of the Economic Development for a Growing Economy tax credit that Rauner signed into law as a tool that can attract new businesses and help existing ones grow. Rauner told WBEZ his office is working to put together a package of proposals to try to lure Amazon's second headquarters to Illinois, noting that during his administration the online retailer has built and expanded several warehouses in the state. Crossing his fingers is Republican Rep. Keith Wheeler of Oswego, whose district stands to lose hundreds of jobs when Butterball closes its Montgomery plant and Caterpillar shuts down a machine production plant in Aurora. Advertisement "It's been 21/2 years of focusing on internal issues," Wheeler said. "If the governor can build the groundwork for opportunity that will help the families that are impacted in my district, that would be a tremendous, huge step forward." Chicago Tribune's Kim Geiger contributed from Chicago. mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com Twitter @moniquegarcia HAVANA Raul Castro seemed rattled. The Cuban president sent for the top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic "sonic attacks" and the subtle threat of repercussions by the United States, until recently Cuba's sworn enemy. Advertisement The way Castro responded surprised Washington, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told The Associated Press. In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro told U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis that he was equally baffled, and concerned. Predictably, Castro denied any responsibility. But U.S. officials were caught off guard by the way he addressed the matter, devoid of the indignant, how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude the U.S. had come to expect from Cuba's leaders. Advertisement The Cubans even offered to let the FBI come down to Havana to investigate. Though U.S.-Cuban cooperation has improved recently there was a joint "law enforcement dialogue" Friday in Washington this level of access was extraordinary. "Some countries don't want any more FBI agents in their country than they have to and that number could be zero," said Leo Taddeo, a retired FBI supervisor who served abroad. Cuba is in that group. The list of confirmed American victims was much shorter on Feb. 17, when the U.S. first complained to Cuba. Today, the number of "medically confirmed" cases stands at 21 plus several Canadians. Some Americans have permanent hearing loss or mild brain injury. The developments have frightened Havana's tight-knit diplomatic community. At least one other nation, France, has tested embassy staff for potential sonic-induced injuries, the AP has learned. But several U.S. officials say there are real reasons to question whether Cuba perpetrated a clandestine campaign of aggression. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and demanded anonymity. When the U.S. has accused Cuba in the past of misbehavior, such as harassing diplomats or cracking down on local dissidents, Havana has often accused Washington of making it up. This time, although Castro denied involvement, his government didn't dispute that something troubling may have gone down on Cuban soil. Perhaps the picture was more complex? Investigators considered whether a rogue faction of Cuba's security forces had acted, possibly in combination with another country like Russia or North Korea. Nevertheless, anger is rising in Washington. On Friday, five Republican senators wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging him to kick all Cuban diplomats out of the United States and close America's newly re-established embassy in Havana. Advertisement "Cuba's neglect of its duty to protect our diplomats and their families cannot go unchallenged," said the lawmakers, who included Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a prominent Cuban-American, and the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas. ___ For decades, Cuba and the U.S. harassed each other's diplomats. The Cubans might break into homes to rearrange furniture or leave feces unflushed in a toilet. The Americans might conduct obvious break-ins and traffic stops, puncture tires or break headlights. Yet those pranks were primarily to pester, not to harm. What U.S. diplomats started reporting last November was altogether different. Diplomats and their families were getting sick. Some described bizarre, unexplained sounds, including grinding and high-pitched ringing. Victims even recounted how they could walk in and out of what seemed like powerful beams of sound that hit only certain rooms or even only parts of rooms, the AP reported this week. Advertisement At the time, Washington and Havana were in cooperation mode, working feverishly to lock in progress on everything from internet access to immigration rules before Barack Obama's presidency ended. Donald Trump's surprise election win on Nov. 8 meant the U.S. would soon be led by a president who'd threatened to reverse the rapprochement. As America awaited an unpredictable new administration, Cuba faced a pivotal moment, too. Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25. The revolutionary had reigned for nearly a half-century before ceding power to his brother, Raul, in his ailing last years. It was no secret in Cuba that Fidel, along with some supporters in the government, were uneasy about Raul Castro's opening with the U.S. "There is a struggle going on for the soul of their revolution," said Michael Parmly, who headed the U.S. diplomatic post in Havana from 2005 to 2008. "It's entirely possible there are rogue elements." ___ When the first diplomats came forward with their inexplicable episodes and symptoms, the U.S. didn't connect the dots. It took weeks before embassy officials pieced together "clusters" of incidents, and multiple victims with confirmed health damage. Advertisement By the time Obama left the White House on Jan. 20, talk of mysterious maladies had reached some officials in Washington. Word of sonic attacks hadn't reached the top echelons of the White House or U.S. State Department, three former U.S. officials told the AP. As Trump took office, a clearer picture started to emerge. On Feb. 17, the U.S. complained to Cuba's embassy in Washington and its foreign ministry in Havana. Soon came Castro, seeking out DeLaurentis directly. The attacks halted for a time. But several U.S. officials said it wasn't clear why. It wasn't long before the incidents started again, as mysteriously as they'd stopped. Advertisement ___ Then the Canadians got hit. Between March and May, between five and 10 households were hit with symptoms including nausea, headaches and nosebleeds, said a Canadian official with knowledge of his country's investigation. Then those attacks, too, ended. What culprit would want to attack both the U.S. and its northern neighbor? Cuba has no obvious grievances with Canada. The two countries have close ties. But perhaps Canadians were targeted to muddle the motive and throw investigators off the trail, another possibility U.S. authorities haven't eliminated. Advertisement The Canadians tested some of their staff in Havana and recalled others home temporarily, the Canadian official said. Searching for its own answers, the U.S. Embassy conducted medical tests on staffers. Many were sent to the University of Miami for further examination. The State Department consulted with doctors at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania. The U.S. encouraged those institutions to keep what they knew private. ___ In Havana's diplomatic circles, anxiety spread. The French Embassy tested employees after a staff member raised health concerns, according to a French diplomat familiar with the matter. False alarm; the tests turned up no signs of damage consistent with a sonic attack. The FBI traveled to Havana and swept some of the rooms where attacks were reported a list that included homes and at least one hotel: the Spanish-run Hotel Capri, where visiting U.S. officials occasionally stay. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police flew down, too. Neither law enforcement agency found any sonic device, several officials told the AP. By May 23, the U.S. still had no answers. But something had to be done. The Trump administration expelled two Cuban diplomats from Washington to protest the communist government's failure to protect the safety of American diplomats. Advertisement Neither country disclosed the expulsion at the time. Cuba didn't retaliate. The next month, Trump imposed some barriers to travel between the former Cold War foes. But there was no hint it was to punish Castro's government for the attacks. Trump left much of Obama's broader detente intact, including the two nations' re-opened embassies. ___ The diplomats suffered in private, until Aug. 9. News reports finally prompted the State Department to publicly acknowledge "incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms" and were still under investigation. The AP learned they included concentration problems and even trouble recalling commonplace words. Two weeks later, the U.S. announced at least 16 Americans showed symptoms. At that point, the State Department said the incidents were "not ongoing." Advertisement Still, the tally continued to rise first to 19 victims, and then this week to 21. In the meantime, the State Department had to withdraw its assurance the attacks had long ceased. There had been another incident, on Aug. 21. "The reality is, we don't know who or what has caused this," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Thursday. "And that's why the investigation is underway." Lederman reported from Washington and Gillies from Toronto. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris, Jake Pearson in New York, and Matthew Lee, Bradley Klapper and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed. North Korea leader Kim Jong Un said the country is nearing its goal of "equilibrium" in military force with the United States, as the United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the North's "highly provocative" ballistic missile test on Friday. The North's official Korean Central News Agency carried Kim's comments on Saturday a day after U.S. and South Korean militaries detected the missile launch from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. It traveled 3,700 kilometers as it flew over Japan before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean. It was the country's longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile. The North has confirmed the missile as an intermediate range Hwasong-12, the same model launched over Japan on Aug. 29. The KCNA said Kim expressed great satisfaction over the launch, which he said verified the "combat efficiency and reliability" of the missile and the success of efforts to increase its power. While the English version of the report was less straightforward, the Korean version quoted Kim as declaring the missile as operationally ready. He vowed to complete his nuclear weapons program in the face of strengthening international sanctions, the agency said. The U.N. Security Council accused North Korea of undermining regional peace and security by launching its latest missile over Japan and said its nuclear and missile tests "have caused grave security concerns around the world" and threaten all 193 U.N. member states. Kim also said the country, despite "limitless" international sanctions, has nearly completed the building of its nuclear weapons force and called for "all-state efforts" to reach the goal and obtain a "capacity for nuclear counterattack the U.S. cannot cope with." "As recognized by the whole world, we have made all these achievements despite the UN sanctions that have lasted for decades," the agency quoted Kim as saying. Kim said the country's final goal "is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the U.S. and make the U.S. rulers dare not talk about military option for the DPRK," referring to North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. He indicated that more missile tests would be forthcoming, saying that all future drills should be "meaningful and practical ones for increasing the combat power of the nuclear force" to establish an order in the deployment of nuclear warheads for "actual war." Prior to the launches over Japan, North Korean had threatened to fire a salvo of Hwasong-12s toward Guam, the U.S. Pacific island territory and military hub the North has called an "advanced base of invasion." The Security Council stressed in a statement after a closed-door emergency meeting that all countries must "fully, comprehensively and immediately" implement all U.N. sanctions. Japan's U.N. Ambassador Koro Bessho called the missile launch an "outrageous act" that is not only a threat to Japan's security but a threat to the world as a whole." Bessho and the British, French and Swedish ambassadors demanded that all sanctions be implemented. Calling the latest launch a "terrible, egregious, illegal, provocative reckless act," Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said North Korea's largest trading partners and closest links a clear reference to China must "demonstrate that they are doing everything in their power to implement the sanctions of the Security Council and to encourage the North Korean regime to change course." France's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country is ready to work on tougher U.N. and EU measures to convince Pyongyang that there is no interest in an escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table. Friday's launch followed North Korea's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3 in what it described as a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles. The North flight tested its Hwasong-14 ICBMs twice in July and analysts say the missiles could potentially reach deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target U.S. troops both in Asia and in the U.S. homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a U.S. city to protect its Asian allies. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who initially pushed for talks with North Korea, said its tests currently make dialogue "impossible." "If North Korea provokes us or our allies, we have the strength to smash the attempt at an early stage and inflict a level of damage it would be impossible to recover from," he said. Robust international diplomacy on the issue has been stalled for years, and there's so far little sign that senior officials from North Korea and the U.S. might sit down to discuss ways to slow the North's determined march toward inclusion among the world's nuclear weapons powers. WAUKESHA, Wis. A Wisconsin girl who admitted to participating in the stabbing of a classmate to please horror character Slender Man will avoid prison after a jury determined Friday that she was mentally ill at the time of the attack. Anissa Weier trembled as the jury's verdict was read after a week of testimony and some 11 hours of deliberations. She wasn't available afterward, but her attorney said Weier was relieved and cried following the verdict. Advertisement "I'm very thankful to the jurors for taking the time to look at what was really going on with her," Maura McMahon said, her own eyes wet from crying. Weier and Morgan Geyser lured classmate Payton Leutner into the woods at a park in Waukesha, a Milwaukee suburb, in 2014. Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times while Weier urged her on, according to investigators. A passing bicyclist found Leutner, who barely survived her wounds. All three girls were 12 at the time. Advertisement Both Weier and Geyser told detectives they felt they had to kill Leutner to become Slender Man's "proxies," or servants, and protect their families from the demon's wrath. Weier, now 15, pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide in a deal with prosecutors in August. But she claimed she was mentally ill during the attack and not responsible for her actions, in a bid to be sent to a mental institution rather than prison. A plea agreement called for her to spend at least three years in a mental hospital if judged mentally ill, and 10 years in prison if not. McMahon said she hopes the case reveals that children may be dealing with mental health issues lost on adults who have become too busy with their own lives to pay attention and resources abound to help them. "Life is better for children when adults around them are in communication with each other," she said. Deputy District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz declined comment. Leutner's family left the courtroom in silence; a victim witness coordinator told reporters the family had no comment. Judge Michael Bohren ordered a pre-commitment investigation report on Weier and said he would hold a hearing to decide how long to commit her after the report is completed. He could sentence her more severely than the plea agreement calls for, including up to a 25-year commitment, the same as the maximum prison time she could have received. The jury's verdict came after some 11 hours of deliberations, and about an hour after it had appeared to reach a verdict in Weier's favor only to see it rejected by Bohren. Though that first verdict wasn't read in court, defense attorney McMahon said 10 of 12 jurors the minimum required by law voted Weier was mentally ill. On a second question that jurors had to decide whether she was criminally responsible for her actions 10 jurors also voted she was not. Advertisement But it wasn't the same 10 on both questions, according to McMahon. Bohren ordered the jury to resume deliberations. In closing arguments, McMahon told the jury that Weier was lonely, depressed and descended into "madness" that warranted a mental hospital rather than prison. McMahon said Weier's unhappiness stemmed from her divorce, and she latched onto Geyser. Together they became obsessed with Slender Man, developing a condition called shared delusional disorder, McMahon said. Weier believed Slender Man could read her mind as well as teleport and would kill her or her family if she talked about him, she said. Slender Man, a fictional creature of the internet, is a paranormal being who lurks near forests and absorbs, kills or carries off his victims. In some accounts, he targets children. Some renderings show him as a long-limbed, lean man in a black suit, with no face; others with tentacles protruding from his back. "This sounds crazy, because it is," McMahon said. "This was a real being to this child and she needed to protect those around her. At 12 years old, she had no way to protect herself from (Slender Man) except for Morgan's advice and they swirled down into madness together." Advertisement Szczupakiewicz, the prosecutor, countered during his closings that the stabbing was calculated. He said the girls had planned the attack for at least four months. He asked jurors to consider why if the girls were so afraid of Slender Man they waited so long to attack Leutner. He also pointed out that Weier told a detective she wasn't frightened of Slender Man until after the attack, when Geyser told her she had made a deal with the monster that he would spare their families if they killed Leutner. "It comes down to did she have to or did she want to?" Szczupakiewicz said. "It wasn't kill or be killed. It was a choice and she needs to be held criminally responsible." Weier, bespectacled and dressed in a long gray-and-white cardigan, visibly trembled in her seat during the closings. Wisconsin law requires only 10 of 12 jurors to render a verdict on whether a criminal defendant wasn't responsible for her actions due to a mental condition. Geyser has pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted first-degree intentional homicide by reason of mental disease or defect. Her trial is set to begin Oct. 9. In this April 13, 2017, file photo Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo answers questions at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. Pompeo canceled a scheduled appearance at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, Sept. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP) WASHINGTON CIA Director Mike Pompeo was a no-show for a scheduled appearance Thursday at Harvard University the same day a former top CIA official abruptly resigned as a senior fellow over the school's decision to hire Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of leaking classified information. It's unclear if the two events were related. The CIA did not immediately respond to questions about why Pompeo did not appear. Advertisement Minutes after the event was to begin, Douglas Elmendorf, dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, took the stage and told the audience Pompeo was not there and would not speak. "We will try to reschedule it as soon as we can, but the CIA director, is obviously, in charge of his schedule," Elmendorf said. "We are not in charge of his schedule and he gets to decide when and where he speaks, of course." Advertisement Earlier in the day, Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to Elmendorf. Morell told Elmendorf he was resigning immediately over the school's decision to invite Manning be a visiting fellow at the Kennedy School's Institute of Politics. Morell said he could not be part of an organization that "honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information." "Manning was found guilty of 17 serious crimes, including six counts of espionage, for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, an entity that CIA Director Mike Pompeo says operates like an adversarial foreign intelligence organization," said Morell, who was a non-resident senior fellow at Harvard. This file photo taken on May 18, 2017 shows an Instagram account screen capture portrait of transgender former soldier Chelsea Manning which she posted one day after being released from a top-security US military prison. (Handout / AFP/Getty Images) The 29-year-old transgender woman, formerly known as Bradley Manning, told ABC's "Good Morning America" in a recent interview that she was prompted to give the 700,000 military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks because of the human toll of the "death, destruction and mayhem" she saw as an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq. She told ABC that she has "accepted responsibility" for her actions. Manning was released from a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 17 after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence, which was commuted by former President Barack Obama in his final days in office. Obama said in January he felt justice had been served. Harvard also invited former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Harvard says Manning will be among fellows who will visit the campus for a "limited" number of events meant to spark campus discussion. National security adviser H.R. McMaster, right, and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, participate in a news briefing at the White House, in Washington, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (Carolyn Kaster / AP) WASHINGTON How has North Korea responded in the five weeks since President Donald Trump threated Pyongyang with "fire and fury?" A trio of missile launches and a hydrogen bomb test that is the communist nation's most powerful to date. And what have the U.S. and its allies achieved? A new set of U.N. sanctions that even Trump declared a "small step," extensive talks and a rhetorical two-step that leaves them where they have been for years. While Washington warns of military options, it says it still wants a peaceful solution. Advertisement "We will defend our people and our civilization from all who dare to threaten our way of life," Trump said at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Friday after Pyongyang conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile. "This includes the regime of North Korea, which has once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community." Diplomacy on the North Korean nuclear standoff has been stalled for years. And there's little sign that talks involving the U.S., North Korea and other interested countries can be arranged amid the almost weekly barrage of weapons tests and threats, let alone stop the North's determined nuclear march. Advertisement Trump heads to the U.N. General Assembly meeting next week with the same suitcase of bad options as his predecessors. Only now, the threat is heightened. North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both U.S. troops in Asia and the American homeland. "We've been kicking the can down the road, and we're out of road," H.R. McMaster, Trump's national security adviser, told reporters on Friday. U.S. options range from everything to accepting North Korea as a nuclear power to using military force in a bid to destroy its arsenal and even oust leader Kim Jong Un. Like his predecessors, Trump has opted for choices somewhere in between: economic sanctions and talk of eventual diplomacy or military action, depending on how North Korea responds. On Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" test of an intermediate-range missile, which hurtled over U.S. ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean. But the North has ignored countless international reproaches previously. At the White House, McMaster called on nations to aggressively enforce recent U.N. sanctions to increase economic pressure. "For those who have said and have been commenting about the lack of a military option, there is a military option," he insisted. "Now, it's not what we would prefer to do." Experts have long questioned if the U.S. could indeed attack North Korea, given its ability to cause massive casualties south of the border. Some 25 million people live in the metropolitan area of Seoul, U.S. ally South Korea's capital, well within range of the North's extensive artillery. North Korea also has the world's largest standing army. Those arguments were buttressed from within Trump's administration last month when Steven Bannon concurred that America was essentially bluffing about military options, shortly before he was pushed out as the president's strategic adviser. Advertisement Trump's U.N. envoy called North Korea "reckless." "At that point, you know, there's not a whole lot the Security Council is going to be able to do," Ambassador Nikki Haley said, claiming global sanctions already have cut off 90 percent of North Korea's trade and 30 percent of its oil. Lisa Collins, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said other nations will be watching the United States at the U.N. next week to determine Trump's next steps. She expected a Trump call for maximum pressure on North Korea. "I don't think that he'll stray too much outside of the boundaries of that," Collins said. "Hopefully there will be coordination with allies on their policy lines before he adds anything to the speech about North Korea." Sharon Payne, 68, sits among other people in support of an Obama Foundation Community Benefits Agreement for the new Obama Presidential Library in front of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago on Sept. 13, 2017. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) As longtime Woodlawn resident Sharon Payne sat listening to former President Barack Obama explain why he didn't want to sign a contract promising certain jobs and benefits to South Side communities Thursday night, she could feel her stomach sink. It didn't matter what Obama was saying about the future Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. All Payne could focus on was the people she felt were left out of his explanation. Advertisement "It feels like there's a master plan to get rid of the poor and even get rid of the working poor," said Payne, 68, who has lived in the neighborhood for 37 years and was among those who camped outside the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place ahead of the meeting to draw attention to the push for a community benefits agreement, or CBA. "Some people will be displaced because of this, and they will not speak on that," she said. "The center is a fine idea, but I don't like the way they are going about it." Advertisement At the Obama Foundation's first public meeting on Thursday, Obama appeared on a screen through a conference call to answer questions. It was then that Obama said that while a CBA is an effective tool for developers, he doesn't see it as a right fit for this project because it's funded by a nonprofit. He asked residents to trust that their interests would be addressed in the process of developing and constructing the multimillion-dollar Presidential Center. "Michelle and I feel very confident in our ability to make sure we have a very inclusive process," he said of the former first lady. "I've been there I used to be the organizer insisting on accountability to the community," he said. "I am not going to guarantee that every single person in the community is going to be perfectly happy with every single decision we make, because if that were the case nothing would ever get done," he said. "It's not any person in the community who is going to feel as though they weren't heard and the process wasn't transparent." Obama's message was a major blow to the dozens of residents and organizers who have been gathering to iron out a list of ways they think the center could benefit the struggling neighborhoods closest to the Jackson Park site. Many of them are the same ones that spent years picketing and protesting for a medical trauma unit to be placed on the South Side. Some of them participated in a hunger strike to keep Dyett High School open. In many ways, the activists' demand to have a legal contract guaranteeing specific amenities highlights the historic distrust so many South Side residents have with large institutions, the city and the University of Chicago. Advertisement Their push also reveals how desperate residents are to have their schools, housing, transportation systems and parks improved and not get pushed out of the neighborhood by rising rents and housing prices. On Friday, the activists vowed to continue their push even if they have to take a new approach. "The foundation and us we need to put our heads together and there has to be some serious conversations and some serious dialogue," said Anton Seals Jr., a South Shore resident who leads the Bronzeville Regional Collective. "Right now, the Obama Foundation doesn't have to be accountable to anyone," he said. "The move for a CBA was not just about the Obama Center. What we were saying to the [former] president is our city, our country, needs to have a framework for how to negotiate with communities that have long been divested in." Seals said he, too, worries most about seeing the region become vibrant and then the very people that endured it when it was at its worst get pushed out by higher rents, increased property taxes and even parking restrictions and regulations that make daily life burdensome. "We are seeing this happen in every major city Brooklyn, Detroit, D.C. gentrification and wealthier, mostly whites, and people of color with means, move in where the market is responding to their demands," he said. "And there is not protection for the people who are most vulnerable. Advertisement "This is Chicago and there is just no trust in government," he said. On Thursday, Obama said he agrees South Side residents should be the ones that benefit the most from the new center. In fact, he said he and Michelle Obama selected the South Side specifically to rejuvenate the neglected and long overlooked neighborhoods. His message resonated with some. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > In fact, Obama got a standing ovation when his face appeared on screen and he joined the conversation. As he spoke, there was applause and cheering a testament to the approval he still garners. Carol Adams said she could hear that both the foundation leaders and the activists agree on how they want the community to benefit from the center. That's the starting point for the next conversation, said Adams, who is a longtime South Shore resident and the former head of the DuSable Museum of African-American history. "Those of us who are longtime members of this community know our communities have suffered greatly from a lack of investment," she said. Advertisement "The upside is the level of engagement," she said. "Folks aren't out there in opposition to the center. They just want to know how they fit in. "I haven't talked to one person against the center being in our community we just want our lives to be better because it happened." lbowean@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lollybowean Hillary Rodham Clinton, escorted by Leonard Riggio, chairman of Barnes and Noble, arrives to sign copies of her book "What Happened" at a book store in New York, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Seth Wenig / AP) In "What Happened," Hillary Clinton's new 512-page recollection of what was perhaps the most painful and awkward election in American history, the former secretary of state recounts an infamous presidential debate moment she shared with Donald Trump. "We were on a small stage, and no matter where I walked, he followed me closely, staring at me, making faces. It was incredibly uncomfortable," Clinton writes. "He was literally breathing down my neck. My skin crawled." Advertisement In her mind, Clinton recounts, she weighed two options: "Do you stay calm, keep smiling, and carry on as if he weren't repeatedly invading your space? Or do you turn, look him in the eye, and say loudly and clearly, 'Back up, you creep, get away from me, I know you love to intimidate women but you can't intimidate me, so back up.' " Option B, as the kids like to say, would have escalated things rather quickly, with the added bonus of seeming a teeny bit unhinged. Clinton, of course, chose the more repressed Option A: "I kept my cool, aided by a lifetime of dealing with difficult men trying to throw me off." Advertisement Ah, yes. It's difficult to pinpoint the most painful Hillary Clinton moment of the many painful Hillary Clinton moments that populate "What Happened," but this one certainly comes close. Think about it: Even now, after months of time to reflect and ruminate and engage in self-soothing techniques like downing chardonnay and "one-nostril breathing," Clinton is completely oblivious to what any decent politician would have realized, if not in the heat of the moment, but at least in hindsight: There was an obvious Option C. I'm referring, of course, to one of my favorite moments in presidential debate history, when a rather creepy Al Gore sidled up to a cheerful George W. Bush, looking like he may or may not be considering a duel or a gentlemanly bout of fisticuffs. The year was 2000, and the heated topic that catapulted Gore's blood pressure skyward brace yourself, for in the scope of today's tabloid-splashed politics, this will seem rather quaint was details of the "Dingell-Norwood bill" for HMO reform. Gore edged closer, quietly lurking, deadly serious. After ignoring him for a few moments, Bush turned, acted mildly surprised to see him, and greeted him with a bemused, dismissive nod. The audience broke into laughter. They loved it. Gore did not. Well, as we all know, Hillary Clinton is no George W. Bush. She is also, as "What Happened" strains to remind us over and over and over again, no Donald Trump. And while many Americans might wonder why on Earth anyone would spend their free time reading a book rehashing what should be fairly obvious by now Hillary Clinton is not a very good politician. However, "What Happened" does manage to offer some valuable insights. Unfortunately, they're not the ones the author intends. Let's talk about David Foster Wallace, shall we? Clinton does, bringing up his famous 2005 "This is Water" commencement speech in her chapter titled "On Being A Woman in Politics." She's referring to the deeply moving and widely read address in which Wallace discusses human nature and life's various struggles, noting that "the most obvious realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about." The speech opens with an anecdote about two fish that fail to recognize that they are completely immersed in water. This, according to Clinton, "sums up the problem of recognizing sexism especially when it comes to politics quite nicely." When I read this, I briefly looked around the room, aghast, hoping to share my astonishment. Alas, I had no company, save for the battered ghost of irony silently popping pills in the corner. For heaven's sake, Hillary Clinton! Wallace was talking about self-centeredness, and about our frail human tendency to cast our own obsessions and cloistered view of reality our "lens of self" on the world. You know, like a certain failed politician's annoying habit of blaming sexism and misogyny for at least 80 percent of anything that goes south. Through Clinton's lens, Sen. Elizabeth Warren's problem isn't that she's a kooky liberal Democrat who could single-handedly send the economy careening off the cliff. It's that she's seen as a "shrill woman." Most of Clinton's problems were completely self-made, yet here she is, explaining away: "The Puritan witch hunts might be long over, but something fanatical about unruly women still lurks in our national subconscious." Well, it lurks in someone's subconscious, certainly. Advertisement Between cutesy stories about counting the calories in "Flavor Blasted" Goldfish and sitting on Quest bars "to warm them up" no, I have no idea what this means, either and occasional eruptions of disdain toward people who weren't inspired by her desperately uninspiring campaign, a larger thread unspools throughout the pages of "What Happened." Government, in Clinton's view, can solve almost every issue, from child-raising to microeconomic trends to playground interpersonal relations. ("Many kids asked what I would do about bullying," she writes, "which made me want to be president even more. I had an initiative called Better Than Bullying ready to go.") Which brings us back to David Foster Wallace, and the end notes of his "This is Water" speech: "There is no such thing as not worshipping," he told the students of Kenyon College. "Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship." For many, that choice turns out to be government, or politics, or political power. One wonders if Clinton read the full "This is Water" speech; one also wonders if Clinton is earnest when she writes that "the White House is sacred ground." It certainly makes for awkward reading just like the whole of 2016. National Review Heather Wilhelm is a National Review columnist and a senior contributor to The Federalist. Inmates at Cook County Jail attend an algebra class in November 2015. A Chicago Public Schools inspector general report says the school at the jail fraudulently awarded credits and inflated attendance of inmates. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) One of the most valuable opportunities offered to young Cook County Jail inmates is a chance to go back to school. To earn a high school diploma. To choose a different path that leads to a better life, not another jail term. But many of those students were cheated of that chance at the CPS-run York High School in the jail, according to a report from Chicago Board of Education Inspector General Nicholas Schuler. Advertisement Among the IG's appalling findings: Many students received credits they didn't earn. For instance: One student was shot to death a week after being released from the jail but still was listed as present in class. He was posthumously and fraudulently awarded a semester's worth of credit for one class. The principal allegedly pressured teachers to issue the dead student even more credits, but the teachers refused. No wonder one teacher called the school a "credit mill." Advertisement Students were often marked as enrolled when they'd already left jail. In all, 342 students were kept on the rolls for 14,664 days longer than they should have been over four school years. The school falsified and inflated attendance figures for students in jail and even for those who'd already left. In the 2015-16 year alone, for instance, dozens of students who'd already been released from jail were reported as present for a full school day 351 times. Some students were enrolled beyond their 22nd birthdays, violating CPS guidelines. A few students were as old as 27 to 29. No surprise, then, that York boasted high attendance and credit-attainment figures compared to its peers the kind of numbers that earn principals stellar evaluations and promotions. Instead, the report said: "The evidence suggests that, despite the favorable graduation, credit-attainment and attendance rates reported, actual student learning has been minimal." Schuler has called for the principal, who is not named in the report, to be fired. So far, however, the district says it is still "investigating." That's more than two months and counting. We're sure that CPS has to grind through time-consuming bureaucratic protocols in such cases. Luckily Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart doesn't. He recently barred York's principal from the jail. "We felt there needed to be a fresh perspective from a new principal given that many of the findings were laid at the feet of the principal," Cara Smith, Dart's chief policy officer, tells us. She's right. York needs a full-time principal with unquestioned academic integrity, not one under a cloud of allegations. CPS now has brought in a retired principal to take over operations while the district investigates the charges. Advertisement If the IG's allegations prove true, it wouldn't be the first time CPS has been caught falsifying statistics. Or the second or third time. One of the most embarrassing incidents happened in 2015. The district was caught improperly inflating high school graduation rates, forcing officials to backtrack. CPS vows that it now takes pains to ensure its numbers are above reproach. But this new report demonstrates again why the district has earned relentless scrutiny and skepticism of its academic statistics. "This marks the fifth consecutive year the OIG has reported on the falsification of student records in CPS schools," the report dryly notes. Don't go for six, CPS. Administrators and teachers at York or any other school don't pay the steepest price for misreporting student attendance and achievement. Students do. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks about campus sexual assault and enforcement of Title IX, the federal law that bars discrimination in education on the basis of gender, Sept. 7, 2017, at George Mason University in Arlington, Va. (Jacquelyn Martin / AP) For much of this decade, Americans have debated how college administrators should handle allegations of campus sexual assaults. How to balance the rights of the victim and the accused. How to punish perpetrators and deter predators. How to make campuses safer. The Obama administration urged colleges in a notorious 2011 "Dear Colleague" letter to get tougher on sexual assault allegations or possibly forfeit millions in federal funding. The 19-page guideline reminded officials they should use a low burden of proof, "preponderance of evidence," when weighing an accused student's guilt or innocence. It also prompted the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to open many more inquiries into colleges for their allegedly slipshod handling of sexual violence allegations. Advertisement But the crackdown also generated an intense backlash among accused students and their families, who claimed their rights were trampled by inept campus judicial systems too heavily tilted in favor of alleged victims. Now Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has signaled that the Trump administration soon will send the "Dear Colleague" letter to the shredder. "Through intimidation and coercion, the failed system has clearly pushed schools to overreach," DeVos said in a recent speech. "With the heavy hand of Washington tipping the balance of her scale, the sad reality is that Lady Justice is not blind on campuses today." Advertisement She added: "It's no wonder so many call these proceedings 'kangaroo courts.' " So how will DeVos change federal policy? Unclear. She says she's still soliciting ideas. In her speech, however, DeVos mentioned several proposals from lawyers' groups that would raise evidence standards or set up independent panels to handle complaints, possibly on a regional basis. We have a better idea, Secretary DeVos: Don't create an elaborate new system. Let the criminal justice system in place local prosecutors and police handle these cases. That's what they're equipped to do in ways that college tribunals and well-intentioned administrators are not. Law enforcement authorities have plenty of experience because sexual assault is not, regrettably, an isolated crime or one limited to colleges. It is alarmingly widespread, on campus and off. More than 20 percent of female undergrads at various colleges said they were victims of sexual assault and misconduct, according to a 2015 survey by the Association of American Universities. Yet young women who skip college have an even higher chance of being sexually assaulted than their college peers, according to federal figures released in 2014. Why shove aside college administrators, faculty members and security forces in these cases? Because they lack the expertise and the resources of local authorities to investigate allegations, to process evidence, to interview witnesses and ferret out the truth. For years, college authorities have mishandled campus sexual assault cases. One reason: Some college officials are more concerned about their schools' reputations (and, possibly, their jobs) than with helping police and prosecutors aggressively pursue allegations. Law enforcement authorities can approach a heater case without fretting over a university's reputation or ranking. Campus administrators also are ill-prepared to parse ambiguities and difficult judgments that can make these cases challenging. Prosecutions often pivot on he-said she-said accounts of whether sexual contact was consensual. Alcohol or drugs often are involved. Some victims decline to pursue charges. But civil authorities are accustomed to navigating those treacherous waters; college administrators aren't. "Washington has burdened schools with increasingly elaborate and confusing guidelines that even lawyers find difficult to understand and navigate," DeVos says. "Where does that leave institutions, which are forced to be judge and jury? Where does that leave parents? Where does that leave students?" That's the right question. Washington has a vital role here: Smaller. The next Dear Colleague letter doesn't need to be 19 pages. It can be a brisk paragraph. It should instruct campus officials to get out of the way of cops and prosecutors. Hand over these sensitive cases to the professionals. Let them do their jobs. 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. Lincoln-Way projected thousands more students would be arriving to District 210. After a $225 million referendum measure in 2006 to build two new schools was passed, however, the population growth didn't materialize. (Chicago Tribune graphics) (Chicago Tribune Graphics) For more than a year, federal investigators along with Daily Southtown reporter Gregory Pratt, now with the Tribune, probed Lincoln-Way High School District 210 and its former superintendent, Lawrence Wyllie. That scrutiny led to the announcement Thursday that Wyllie has been indicted on federal fraud and embezzlement charges. Among the allegations: That Wyllie, 79, took $50,000 in school district funds for a personal project the construction of a dog obedience school on district property. And that he allegedly took an additional $16,500 from district coffers to give himself a "retirement stipend." He also allegedly pocketed $14,000 of taxpayer money, calling it compensation for unused vacation days. And he is accused of fraudulently inflating the district's financial outlook by using bond funds to pay for operating expenses, which created an additional $7 million in debt for the district. Advertisement We leave to the judicial system all questions of guilt or innocence. Wyllie's lawyers say their client, a "model educator in Illinois for 55 years," is innocent. Lincoln-Way taxpayers have Pratt to thank for doggedly churning out story after story that exposed the alleged misuse of funds. Beyond this south suburban school district, though, the case serves as a sobering reminder to school board members everywhere, and every elected board and commission member for that matter: Scandal, disgrace and indictments happen when oversight officials don't do what they've been elected to do that is, carefully scrutinize the actions of their superintendents, finance directors and other day-to-day managers. Advertisement Lawrence Wyllie, the former superintendent of Lincoln-Way High School District 210. (Lincoln-Way High School District photo) Were Lincoln-Way school board members daydreaming when they approved the dog training school Wyllie dubbed "Superdog," or, as Pratt reported, the $368,148 infusion into Wyllie's annuity account on top of the salary he received? Were they asleep for the three-year period during which Pratt reports that Wyllie used his district-issued credit card for $30,000 in expenses that included sweaters, books, meals and an oversized teddy bear for his office? Being a member of a village or school board shouldn't just be an ego trip it requires serving as firewall to the kind of alleged mismanagement that, in Lincoln-Way's case, got the affluent district on the state's financial watch list. There's also a crucial lesson here for taxpayers. It's their money that's getting pocketed in these scandals, their kids' education that's at stake, and their votes that can make all the difference between a school board member who cares and one who couldn't care less. Too often, suburban municipal and school district elections amount to popularity contests that steer clear of assessing a candidate's acumen for sound governance and skeptical oversight. All too often, voters blindly check the familiar ballot names of incumbents. Or they pick a name that simply has a nice ring to it. Or, specifically in school board races, they rely on endorsements from the local teachers union, which has reasons to want friends on the board. Ah, yes, the board. Maybe when prosecutors and defense attorneys finish telling their stories, all of us will know the answer to a question with implications larger than Lincoln-Way: Where was the school board? Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Less than four months ago, Attorney General Lisa Madigan indicated she would run for a fifth term in 2018. "That is, in fact, the plan, yes," she said at a news conference. Not so fast. Madigan announced Friday she would not seek re-election, knocking the Illinois political establishment off its cocksure forecasting track. She has been a staple on the Democratic ticket since 2002, has maintained popularity statewide and was considered the front-runner in next year's election against the only announced and active Republican candidate so far, attorney and former Miss America Erika Harold. Advertisement "It should be a happy day for Illinois," Madigan told us during a phone call Friday afternoon. "We can have somebody work in public service, decide on their own terms to go elsewhere and do something great. I'm going to take a break, do something different." No, she's not running for governor (yet) or Chicago mayor or the U.S. Senate. She is not terribly interested in being a judge: "That's not me. They sit. I can't sit all day." She won't say what her next step will be she insists she will focus on the attorney general job until she retires next year but the possibilities are vast. Advertisement Finally, she is free. Madigan stepped into the attorney general's job at the age of 36. She had been a one-term state senator and seatmate of then-state Sen. Barack Obama. She ran for attorney general on a promise to pursue corruption throughout government, saying allegations of wrongdoing "must be investigated, no matter if they involve Democrats, Republicans or even my father." And she did, at first, sparring with Gov. Rod Blagojevich and investigating early pay-to-play allegations within his administration. She took steps immediately following his arrest to remove him. She helped block a shady casino deal, skewering some of the state's most influential and moneyed players. But her credentials on confronting corruption eventually faded. She focused her mission instead on consumer advocacy and anti-fraud initiatives, prosecuting predators in the mortgage, financial and student loan industries, and advocating for more transparency in government. All good things. But that was never enough to test Madigan's talents. The attorney general's office was a bad fit. With her father as the polarizing House speaker, with his vast and influential network overseeing policy and politics in this state, and with his refusal to get out of her way, she was boxed in. Scandals came and went, always investigated by some other law enforcement entity, and her profile among good-government types began to sink. Yet she still probably could have coasted to another term. Now she's out, exploring other options. Maybe she'll run for office down the road. Maybe she'll sign on with a well-heeled law firm, the better to save for college costs for her daughters, now 12 and 9. Maybe she'll pivot more dramatically in her professional pursuits. Whatever her next move, let's hope it represents a clean break from anything overlapping with the speaker's office. Taxpayers deserve independent representation throughout government. She deserves to finally be free of that other title, "the daughter of." Advertisement This job contained her. The next one doesn't have to. Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Opponents and advocates of the Cook County soda tax wait to speak to board members during the board meeting on Sept. 13, 2017. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) After testifying against the soda tax at Wednesday's Cook County Board meeting, Stephanie Dremonas described her title as a "second generation owner" of Pete's Fresh Market. The distinction was a nod to her owner father, who came to the United States from Greece as a teenager, opened a produce stand on Chicago's South Side with his brothers, and grew the business into one of Chicagoland's most popular grocery stores. Today there are seven Pete's Fresh Market stores in the city and five in the suburbs: Calumet City, Evergreen Park, Oakbrook Terrace, Bridgeview and Oak Park. Five more stores are scheduled to open soon. Advertisement Not one of them will be in Cook County. High property taxes, a minimum wage hike and new taxes on plastic shopping bags and sweetened beverages persuaded the family-owned business to look elsewhere to expand, she said. Advertisement "I have three minimum wages to follow," Dremonas said of the Chicago, Cook County and state minimum wage laws, all different. "I pay over $4 million in real-estate taxes. So you have to find a cheaper way of doing business and none of them have been in Cook County." Three of the five new stores will open in DuPage County. You're welcome, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and Willowbrook. The other two locations have not been announced. What a legacy, Cook County government officials. You've snipped off your feeding hand. A homegrown, taxpaying business owner committed to offering quality products in struggling and middle-class neighborhoods has had enough of your anti-business, anti-growth, anti-jobs agenda. Brilliant move. Other business owners shared similar stories at Wednesday's meeting. Representatives of Culver's Restaurants, Valli Produce and Boz Hot Dogs all said the business climate and the soda tax convinced them to not open new facilities or to expand existing ones in Cook County. Despite the damage to businesses and widespread complaints from consumers, half of the Cook County Board still supports the soda tax, which took effect Aug. 2. A decision on whether to repeal it will take place next month. Are you listening, South Side and south suburban commissioners? Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is committed to keeping the tax in place, and her allies include those who represent communities desperate for job growth. Take Cook County Board member Deborah Sims, who has been on the board since 1994. She represents parts of Chicago's South Side, Calumet Park, Riverdale, Dolton, Dixmoor, Harvey, Markham, Oak Forest, Ford Heights, Chicago Heights and Country Club Hills. Sims is a strong supporter of the soda tax, even though her suburban mayors have said it is hurting their communities especially those along the Indiana border, which already get slammed by Cook County's higher sales tax. Advertisement According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois (tied with Nevada) had the nation's highest unemployment rate among blacks in 2016 at 12.7 percent. That compares to 8.9 percent in Indiana, 10.6 percent in Wisconsin and 9 percent in Missouri. So let's follow the logic: Sims supports proposals that hurt job growth in her communities, several with predominantly African-American populations, despite her communities' desperate need for help. Don't take our word for it. Listen to Dremonas. Better yet, take a drive through Harvey or Ford Heights. The empty lots and foreclosed homes tell the story of how bad policies impact real lives. This soda tax is supposed to be about curbing consumption of sugary beverages while funneling revenue to Cook County government. Here's what else it is: A jobs killer. On top of all the other jobs-killing policies advanced by the Democrat-majority Cook County Board for decades. How's it working out? Advertisement Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Attempting to divine President Donald Trump's decision-making process is like trying to untangle yarn with one sticky finger. Many try, all fail, and the reason, I believe, is it's near impossible for any human to fully fathom Trump's absolute self-absorption. His mind seems to function solely and reflexively for the protection and elevation of Donald J. Trump. Advertisement With little patience for forethought or afterthought, he's a man consumed by the present and convinced that every decision is the right one and that every outcome makes him look perfect. This leaves his detractors continuously baffled, probing for trains of thought where there aren't even tracks. And now, given Trump's enigmatic, logic-defying mental gymnastics on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, even his most loyal supporters are flummoxed. Or angry, nicknaming their hero "Amnesty Don." Advertisement Angry is how Trump has left many in his life, as his Trump-centric mind alleviates him from the burdens of guilt, empathy, compassion and common sense. Consider the unfolding drama around DACA, the program that protects people brought into the country illegally as children from deportation. Trump said on the campaign trail, decisively: "They have to go." It was a central part of his staunch, anti-immigrant message. So it wasn't surprising when, on Sept. 5, Trump had Attorney General Jeff Sessions, announce that the DACA program was being rescinded. Sessions said: "The effect of this unilateral executive amnesty, among other things, contributed to a surge of unaccompanied minors on the southern border that yielded terrible humanitarian consequences. It also denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens." Both of those statements are, of course, false, but that was the argument the Trump administration put forth: The job-taking DACA recipients had to go! Later that same day, however, Trump tweeted that if Congress can't "legalize DACA" then "I will revisit this issue!" Now this humanitarian-crisis-causing executive amnesty must be legalized so the hundreds-of-thousands-of-American-jobs-stealing DACA recipients can stay? Trump was asked if he was backpedaling on the decision and he said he wasn't. Then, on Wednesday night, Democratic lawmakers Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer met with Trump and followed the meeting with a statement saying they had reached a deal that would protect people in the DACA program while providing a border security package that would not include money for a border wall. Advertisement Republicans and a slew of passionate Trump supporters were up in arms. The president appeared to be caving on two of his core campaign promises, ending DACA and building a big, beautiful wall. On Thursday morning Trump tweeted: "No deal made last night on DACA." One hour later, he sent three tweets, one explaining that part of the wall he promised everyone the one fans chanted about at his campaign rallies was actually underway as a "new renovation of old and existing fences and walls." The other two tweets praised the young people protected by DACA remember them, the "illegal alien" job stealers? asking whether "anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs." Confused? Of course you are. No rational person could possibly think any of this makes sense. So Trump opponents are asking "What is this guy thinking?" and Trump supporters are asking "What is this guy thinking?" and everyone is trying to tease out what might come next. I'd argue that presupposing that Trump is thinking at all, or that he has a plan, is a huge mistake. Advertisement Did he actually change his mind and feel sympathetic for the young people protected by DACA? Did he see the negative reaction to the decision to end the program and decide he doesn't want the negative press? We know Trump has been furious at Sessions for recusing himself from the ongoing Russia investigation, a decision that led to the appointment of a special prosecutor. So did Trump do all this just to undercut someone who ticked him off? Or maybe Pelosi and Schumer and Trump were having a friendly chat over Chinese food at the White House and the president just thought, "Hey, I feel good and happy right now, I think I'll side with these guys." The possibilities are endless, and it's not possible for any of us to make even an educated guess because we're dealing with a person who exists alone in his own reality. Everything centers around him. Everything begins and ends with him. Every decision he makes is the best decision, and if he later decides something else, then that becomes the best decision. In a story in the Washington Post, Ashley Parker wrote: "Often, Trump's underlings, friends, foes and allies never know quite where he stands in part because of the president's penchant for telling his immediate audience exactly what they want to hear in any given moment. People who meet with the president frequently leave buoyed, an optimism punctured by a nagging question mere hours later: What just happened?" We need to stop asking that question and stop looking for answers. There are none. Advertisement There is only Trump, and the answer he hears is always: "Trump did everything right." Which is great, for him. But perilously bad for our country. rhuppke@chicagotribune.com The Tribune's Sept. 13 editorial concerning the need for "a higher ed overhaul" couldn't be more on point. The seed for today's system of higher education was planted in the 1960s and 1970s when higher ed was the "golden child" in Springfield and when there were far fewer social priorities competing for state funding. New institutions were created and others were vastly expanded (including the explosive growth of community colleges) in the state. At the time, the major concern was better meeting the needs of "underserved students." Fast-forward to 2017: Advertisement Illinois has overbuilt brick-and-mortar facilities for higher ed. Higher ed is no longer the "golden child," and the General Assembly's willingness to provide funds for it has sharply diminished. Advertisement The state has allowed unwarranted "mission creep." Most Illinois universities have expanded into new (for them) curricular areas, thereby creating much duplication of effort and unnecessary increases in costs. Many community colleges have sought to move beyond their charters in efforts to offer four-year degree programs. Tuition and fees have sky-rocketed making college unaffordable for many who are unwilling to take on significant debt. The "value" of a college degree is being challenged. Demographic changes adversely affected enrollments leaving institutions strapped for students and money and prompted lowered admission standards and new costs for providing remedial instruction to the "unready." As with retail sector, the dawn of the digital era has disrupted the higher education marketplace by providing online educational alternatives that diminish the need to devote as much brick and mortar space for instruction. Another disrupter is the growth of for-profit colleges, which attract students who may have otherwise enrolled in traditional institutions. Further, out-of-state institutions and local private colleges have become sophisticated marketers and poach students from a weakened and shaky Illinois system. The essential higher education needs of Illinois citizens can be met far more cost-effectively than at present. Reorganization and "right-sizing" must become a priority because the current system is not sustainable especially if one cares for academic quality, integrity, students and taxpayers. Charles F. Falk, Schaumburg President Donald Trump answers a question from the media as he arrives at the White House on Sept. 14, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Brandon / AP) I love Americans. When we're not arguing about politics, we argue about people who are arguing about politics. I woke up Friday morning to a Twitter storm from President Donald Trump, whom I follow so you don't have to. Advertisement After firing away at such obligatory topics as the Islamic State, North Korea's nukes, and what he called "another attack in London by a loser terrorist," he got to something really important. He slammed ESPN for allowing SportsCenter anchor Jemele Hill to be mean to him. "ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!" Advertisement Oh, boohoo. That's our Donald. When a news company fails to show enough appreciation for his wonderfulness, well, it must be "failing" (his favorite label for The New York Times) or "lying" (CNN). For a commander in chief who constantly gripes about "politically correct" liberals, Trump's inner "snowflake" a mocking conservative label for people perceived as overly sensitive and fragile is on a hair trigger, even when he would be better served by his own silence. Hill has issued an apology for a series of Monday tweets in which she called the president a "white supremacist" who has largely surrounded himself with other white supremacists. She did not retract her sentiments, which were tweeted on her own time and Twitter account, but she did say she was sorry that her comments "painted ESPN in an unfair light." For the record, I don't call President Trump a white supremacist. I agree with humorist Andy Borowitz's line in The New Yorker: "No one has done more than Trump to prove white people are not superior." The Hill dust-up was in danger of dying out when White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders brought it back to life. Responding to a reporter's question in Wednesday's press briefing, she said Hill's criticism of the president should be "a fireable offense by ESPN." That triggered a response from, among others, the Democratic Coalition, an anti-Trump super PAC that filed an ethics complaint against Sanders with the Office of Government Ethics for essentially calling for Hill to be fired. Too bad. As a spokesperson for Trump, she was just doing her job. Unfortunately her boss is not a model of restraint. Another backlash erupted in conservative media, accusing ESPN of a double standard. The network fired former Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling last year after he tweeted a vulgar internet meme against pro-transgender bathroom policies. A lot of Schilling's defenders fail to mention that he was a repeat offender, despite having been warned repeatedly to obey the network's rules on discussing politics. Advertisement Hill had never been disciplined except for a 2008 suspension when she was an ESPN columnist for a joke that compared rooting for the Boston Celtics to rooting for Adolf Hitler. Note to fellow commentators: To avoid being misunderstood, avoid using Hitler's name to refer to anybody but Hitler. Ironically, Trump was being called a white supremacist at a time when he was making public gestures of racial outreach. In the wake of his equivocal reaction to white supremacist protests that left one woman dead in Charlottesville, Va., last month, Trump invited Tim Scott, the Senate's only black Republican, to show his commitment to "positive race relations," as his staff described the meeting. Scott, like many others (including me), had expressed disgust with Trump's insistence that "both sides," racists and antiracist protesters, were responsible for the violence that followed a torchlight protest against the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. When a reporter asked Sen. Scott after that meeting if the president had expressed regret, Scott paused and replied without glee that, "He certainly tried to explain what he was trying to convey." I'm sure. While allowing that there were "some antagonists" on the antiracist side, Scott argued that they were far from the moral equivalent of "white supremacists, white nationalists, KKK, Nazis" and other hate groups "who over three centuries of this country's history have made it their mission to create upheaval in minority communities as their reason for existence." Advertisement Unfortunately this president has been loath to do what his predecessors in both parties have done: Declare clearly and forthrightly that he does not want the votes of those who support him for racist reasons. Even after his meeting with Scott, Trump resumed his "both sides" argument. At least he did sign a resolution that Congress had passed that condemns white supremacists and hate groups. That's a healthy sign. Whether the president views himself as a racist or not, he needs to avoid sounding like one. Clarence Page, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/pagespage. cpage@chicagotribune.com Twitter @cptime In February 2017, Taja Price's toddler son stayed for a few days in the Joliet Township home where Semaj Crosby lived with several adults and children. The boy was returned to her with long bruises on his legs, records show. (Stacey Wescott) The state agency responsible for protecting the children in Semaj Crosby's home assigned unmanageable caseloads to investigators in its Joliet field office and allowed supervisors there to intimidate and mistreat workers, the Tribune has found. As allegations of child abuse poured in from the Joliet Township house where 17-month-old Semaj would be found dead in April, investigators in the Department of Children and Family Services ' local office sometimes handled 30 or more new cases per month well over nationally recognized standards. Meanwhile, supervisors often bullied staff members and doled out the easiest assignments to favored workers, according to Tribune interviews with current and former investigators. Some of the most sensitive and complex abuse cases were given to interns the last DCFS investigator who saw Semaj alive, hours before she was reported missing, was an intern, according to DCFS records. Advertisement Semaj's death remains under investigation by Will County authorities more than four months after she was found wedged under a couch in her home, where at least six adults and as many as 15 children lived. On Friday, the coroner announced she had died of asphyxia and declared the death a homicide. The case has rattled DCFS and lawmakers, who asked how the agency could have failed to protect Semaj despite 11 investigations at her home beginning in April 2015. The agency commissioned two reports on lessons it had learned from Semaj's case. The reports found that investigators never determined the identities of many adults who cared for children in the bug-infested home and that cases were closed quickly after those adults assured them the kids were safe. Advertisement DCFS has said the reports reflect the agency's willingness to answer tough questions and correct problems. But neither report addressed what workers described as chronic mismanagement of the agency's understaffed Joliet office. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 44 Monique Nolden of Chicago, left, holds a photo of Sema'j Crosby, while holding hands with Joliet residents Destini Hayes, center, and Briana Johnson during a prayer in the vacant lot at Second and Iowa avenues in Joliet, minutes from where Sema'j was found dead two years ago, Saturday April 27, 2019. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune) The two official DCFS reports an internal study completed in May and a July analysis by Casey Family Programs, a Seattle-based nonprofit also failed to mention other problems the Tribune has previously reported. In January, the Joliet office began awarding $100 gift cards to investigators who closed the most cases quickly, a practice that the agency later called a serious mistake and said it quickly stopped. The Tribune also found that DCFS investigators filed crucial reports on Semaj's case only after she died, with some interviews and findings documented several weeks late, in violation of agency policy. A longstanding federal court consent decree known as "B.H." effectively prohibits DCFS from assigning more than 153 new cases per year. But in 2015, as the Joliet office began its series of investigations at Semaj's home, two investigators were handed more than 250 new cases and five others had more than 220, according to DCFS records. Caseloads got even worse in 2016 and the start of this year. Investigating a case involves conducting multiple interviews with children and family members, as well as doctors, police and others, and gathering sensitive law enforcement and medical reports. Interviews can be complicated by domestic violence, drug abuse and criminal activity in the home, and investigators sometimes face threats, harassment and even assaults as they weigh whether the state should take custody of endangered children. In the wake of Semaj's death, DCFS Inspector General Denise Kane is investigating the heavy caseloads at the Joliet office, the Tribune has learned. Kane declined to comment. DCFS officials told the Tribune they have been making a concerted effort to reduce caseloads in the office and are getting the problems under control. The agency temporarily brought back retired employees to close out open investigations, recently changed the requirements for hiring new investigators and took steps to fill vacancies faster, they said. "We have been working aggressively," said Neil Skene, senior deputy director for strategy and performance. "Today we have a much more stable workforce than two years ago, and we are beginning to actually get ahead of the problem." State Rep. Mary Flowers , D-Chicago, said she was not convinced that problems at the Joliet office have been solved. "In order to save the children, we are going to have to clean that office out," Flowers said. "Obviously, the quality of the people in that office is having a negative impact on the families in that county. They are not doing their job. The poor families of this state need to become a priority." Advertisement Four current and former Joliet field office investigators complained to the Tribune that supervisors doled out easier assignments to a favored few, among other allegations. All spoke to reporters on condition that they not be named, as they still held government jobs and feared workplace retribution. "The good workers got (thrown) under the bus," said one former child protection investigator. "It was about who knew who." Another investigator described being overworked and pressured by supervisors to close cases quickly, saying she left the office after about a year because of the "toxic" work environment. She described driving around Will County all day, then returning to the office shortly before 5 p.m., only to be given another assignment or having to spend hours inputting her case notes. "I was never home," she said. "It was terrible, just terrible. I just couldn't take the stress." Records show high turnover in the Joliet office. Of the 21 investigators listed in internal DCFS caseworker rosters in January 2015, all but four were gone from the office by July 2017, the Tribune found. Camahni Jones holds a sign honoring the life of Semaj Crosby as the Justice for Semaj Action Group holds a news conference on Sept. 7, 2017. The gathering sought answers about the toddlers death and was held in front of the Will County Courthouse in Joliet. ( Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune ) Over the same period, Northern Illinois DCFS area chief Desiree Silva repeatedly sent memos to then-operations chief Michael Ruppe about the urgent need to fill empty investigative positions. In one report she described a "vacancy crisis" across DCFS' northern region, which includes the Joliet office. Advertisement George Sheldon, former director of DCFS, traveled to the office in June 2015 to address staff complaints but allowed supervisors to attend his sessions, and few if any workers felt comfortable enough to be candid, according to Tribune interviews. By 2016, nine Joliet investigators including newcomers to the agency were above the B.H. limit, and eight of them handled more than 200 new cases, internal DCFS case tracking records show. One investigator handled 283 new cases last year, agency case-tracking data shows. The first investigation in Semaj's home, in April 2015, was conducted by an investigator who was assigned 21 new cases that month and 22 the next. She found credible evidence that one of the men who sometimes lived in the home, Semaj's father, James Crosby, had abused his 5-year-old son by whipping him with a belt after the boy got in trouble at school, government records show. The second investigation, launched a year later, was handled by a supervisor who took on a high caseload. She was assigned 39 new cases in April 2016, 24 in May and 17 the next month, DCFS records show. For a time, the investigation was handed off to a retired former investigator who had been brought back temporarily to close pending cases, the Tribune found. Ultimately, the supervisor concluded that there was insufficient evidence to sustain an allegation that children from Semaj's home were running loose at all hours in a nearby park while adults in the house were selling drugs and drinking, DCFS records show. Joliet restaurant worker Taja Price told DCFS that her son Jordan came home with bruises on his legs after visiting his father at the home where Semaj Crosby was living. The agencys investigation had not been completed by the time Semajs body was found more than two months later. ( Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune ) DCFS later learned that the supervisor had failed to cite the previous abuse investigation in her report probably because an incorrect name was used for Semaj's mother, Sheri Gordon. Similar shortfalls and errors emerged in subsequent cases as investigators probed allegations that the children in Semaj's home were beaten, molested and neglected. Advertisement When Semaj's 7-year-old brother reported in January that their mother, Gordon, hit him in the head with a shoe repeatedly and did the same to his siblings, the case was assigned to an investigator who handled 271 new cases in the previous year, the Tribune found. He was a relative newcomer to the office, getting his first cases in September 2015. He closed this allegation within a week, citing insufficient evidence, after the children in the house denied any excessive corporal punishment and an outside social worker told the DCFS investigator she "did not have concerns related to the allegations," according to a report. Will County Board Minority Leader Herbert Brooks Jr., D-Joliet a former state elder abuse investigator who has been pushing for answers in the Semaj Crosby case said he understands how high caseloads can add to pressure on investigators and empathizes with the local DCFS workers. "You only have two eyes, and you can't be eyes on all the cases all the time, and that's when something might fall through the cracks," Brooks said. "So it does weigh heavily, heavily on the caseworker. Sometimes you can't sleep at night because a ball was dropped on your watch." One of the 11 DCFS investigations at Semaj's home concerned the toddler son of Joliet restaurant worker Taja Price. The boy had stayed there for a few days in February to visit his father but came home with long bruises on his legs, according to DCFS records and an interview with Price. No one has been charged in that case. The investigation, which records show was given to a DCFS worker with less than six months on the job, had not been completed by the time Semaj's body was found more than two months later. Advertisement If the investigation had been more prompt and thorough, Price said, authorities might have taken steps to protect Semaj. "I think that baby would still be alive," Price said. "She could have been saved." dyjackson@chicagotribune.com gmarx@chicagotribune.com Twitter @poolcar4 Previously in this series we've highlighted some of the best female chefs in Chicago, but with craft cocktails becoming as important to a meal as the food itself, going behind the scenes with some of the women mixing and shaking things up was a must. We talked to three of our favorite female bartenders in the city and asked them to share their favorite drink to make. Advertisement Julia Momose Oriole Advertisement 661 W. Walnut St. 312-877-5339 Born and raised in Japan, Julia Momose's training spans across continents. She started working in the industry as a dishwasher while finishing up high school and, as she says, "had the chance to watch some very incredible bartenders at work." After moving to the U.S. to study interior architecture and design in college, Momose was searching for a job to pay her way through school. She found an opening for a bartender position, but when she went to apply, they turned her down. "They told me they don't hire college girls because they're unreliable," Momose said. "I told them that I was serious and asked them to let me prove myself." The bar hired her as a cocktail waitress, where she worked her way up to a position behind the bar. She also found a job at a campus catering company where she learned from the women she served. "There were a number of older ladies at events we catered that drank very traditional cocktails," Momose said. "I was exposed to a lot of classic cocktails and I started to study the history of them and how they came to be." Momose went on to become the first woman to bartend at The Office (955 W. Fulton Market), a speakeasy-style bar underneath The Aviary. She now calls Oriole in the West Loop her "home base," where she creates the cocktails, including "zero-proof" virgin cocktails, and alcohol pairings with the restaurant's tasting menu. Favorite drink on the menu: "One that I really love is the Oriole Old Fashioned ($14). That's been one of the more inspiring cocktails for me, and one of the ones that really got me interested in making (cocktails): balancing spirits, bitters, sugar and water and playing around with elements I wanted to use. It introduces Amaro liqueur and has red date vinegar for a fun twist and some Asian influence. The whiskey is a Kansas City whiskey; they add a touch of sherry to the whiskey based off an old definition of whiskey where it says you are allowed up to two percent of sherry in finishing a whiskey, a rule from when it was first being made in the US." Advertisement Azhriel Frost of Baptiste and Bottle. (Handout) Azrhiel Frost Baptiste and Bottle 101 E. Erie St. 312-667-6793 Growing up on an island off the coast of Washington state, Azrhiel Frost didn't have a conventional childhood. She taught herself to read and write and began working at the age of 13. "I've been in the industry for 17 years now," Frost said. "I basically learned everything I needed to know about history and geography through the evolution of alcohol throughout the world and how they made it." For Frost, one of the best parts about bartending is getting to know other people. When she earned a management position and then became a mixologist at swanky cocktail lounge, The Aviary (955 W. Fulton Market), her job was entirely focused on the creation of the drinks rather than the social aspect of bartending. She decided she needed to go back to basics. Advertisement Now, working as the lead bartender at Baptiste and Bottle, Frost is able to do what she does bestcompose craft cocktails while getting to know the people she serves. "I really think of myself as a chef of alcohol rather than a bartender," Frost said. Favorite drink on the menu: "We have a lot of fun with crazy ingredients: dry ice, smoke. I really enjoy making the Spanish Coffee ($25) because I get to light it on fire. It's got Kahlua, coffee, Bacardi 151 and it's topped with whipped cream." Ashley McDowell of Remedy. (Handout) Ashley McDowell Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > Remedy 1910 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-698-7715 Advertisement Ashley McDowell is an asset to the Chicago bar scene. She started bartending at age 21 in a position that she describes as "your average shot-pouring, beer-opening bartender" and now, at age 29, she's leading the beverage service and creating drinks for Remedy in Bucktown. Before moving to Chicago, McDowell trained under one of the biggest names in cocktail creation. Brian Van Flandern, a professional mixologist and author of numerous cocktail booksincluding "Vintage Cocktails" which won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for best Cocktail book in the World 2009helped to broaden McDowell's horizons on the idea of what a cocktail can be. "Brian really opened my eyes to the world of cocktails, that they don't just have to be liquor and bitters and simple syrups," McDowell said. "It can be anything from baby food to herbs to actual fish, anything. The sky's the limit. That's really what drew me to mixology." Favorite drink on the menu: "My favorite drink that I've created would be The Western ($10). It's simple, one of my first cocktails I helped create that involved herbsthat whole idea (of using herbs) was not in my mindset back then. It has Tito's, pineapple juice, agave nectar and rosemary. It was really a door-opening cocktail for me." @AudreyGorden | agorden@redeyechicago.com [ Still thirsty? More of RedEye's bar coverage ] Rather than putting a ton of effort into an outing and then just hitting one spot, why not extend the adventure? This week we're pairing a free visit to Shedd Aquarium with a Divvy bike ride. Main attraction: Shedd Aquarium Advertisement 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive 312-939-2438 How much: Free for Illinois residents during September. ($19.95 for Chicago residents after September) Advertisement Discover the underwater animal world at Shedd Aquarium while basking in the fact that the experience is 100 percent free of charge. Throughout September, Shedd is offering free admission to anyone with a valid Illinois I.D. Make sure to check out the current special exhibit, Amphibians, to play a game of hide-and-seek with species best known for their natural disguises. If you're feeling extra sting-y, check out the Stingray Touch exhibit to get up close and personal with the fascinating fish. Don't stop: Divvy bike station Outside Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive How much: $9.95 / day Put the pedal to the metal and accelerate your outing by grabbing a Divvy bike outside of Shedd Aquarium. For $9.95 a day, you can take unlimited 30-minute rides. The warm weather is fadingdon't miss out on the opportunity to explore the city and enjoy the outdoors without a coat and mittens. Hop on a bike and ride along the lakefront, or pedal to dinner and treat your date to a nice meal with your savings from the zero-cost aquarium visit. Check out our Divvy guide for more ideas on how to make the most of your trip. @AudreyGorden | agorden@redeyechicago.com Do you have a two-for-one outing idea to share with us? Email agorden@redeyechicago.com with the details. A second man has been charged with murder in connection with the June shooting death of a 34-year-old Aurora man on the city's East Side. Martin Garcia, 23, of the 600 block of North Root Street, Aurora, walked in to one of the city's hospitals with gunshot wounds of his own in the early morning hours of June 10, after he was allegedly involved in the killing of Rodolfo Rocha, 34, of the 1100 block of Superior Street, police said Friday. Advertisement Aurora detectives and agents with the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force arrested Garcia without incident Thursday at his home, according to a statement the Aurora Police Department released via Facebook. Garcia is charged with six counts of first-degree murder and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, according to police. Advertisement Anthony C. Medina, 23, of the 1100 block of Gates Street, was charged in June with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the same shooting. A grand jury indicted him on related charges in July. Rocha had been with a group of friends when two men walked up to the group, made gang-motivated statements, and started shooting from handguns, police said. "Rocha was the only one of the group that could not run away after the men began firing," police stated. About 12:35 a.m. June 10, police responding to a reported shooting said they found Rocha on the ground in front of a home on the 1100 block of Grove Street. Rocha had several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. A patrol officer saw Medina, who matched the description of one of the shooters, walking in the area about 1:55 a.m., stopped him, and brought him in for questioning. He was then connected to the shooting, according to police. Meanwhile, Garcia walked into an Aurora hospital with gunshot wounds. Police said early on they believed the wounds were probably related to the East Side shooting. Police said Garcia, who was not listed in jail records as of Friday afternoon, was scheduled for bond call Friday. Three days after the shooting, Garcia was admitted to Stateville Correctional Center in connection with 2015 charges for illegally possessing a gun in a vehicle, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records, which show he was released on parole June 30. Advertisement Medina is in the Kane County jail, where records show his bail is $3 million, and is next due in court Sept. 28. In August, he pleaded not guilty to charges of armed violence, being an armed habitual criminal and at least two counts of murder, the Beacon-News reported. Medina's prior convictions include felony gun charges in 2012 and 2015, according to Kane County and Illinois Department of Corrections records. He was paroled from Menard Correctional Center, a state prison, in December 2016. hleone@tribpub.com Twitter @hannahmleone Equifax has said it has made changes to address customer complaints since it disclosed that it exposed vital data on about 143 million Americans. In the wake of the problem, Geneva police are offering tips on identity protection. ( Mike Stewart/AP ) The Geneva Police Department's Crime Prevention Team is offering several identity protection tips in the wake of a national credit reporting agency security breach earlier this month. The Equifax data theft compromised personal information from about 143 million Americans, exposing them to potential identity theft, the deparment said. Advertisement Geneva police offered steps people can take as a result of this hack: Visit Equifax's website at www.equifaxsecurity2017.com to determine who has been impacted. Advertisement Regardless who has been affected, people should check their credit to see if anyone has attempted to open an account using their personal information. Residents can contact their local police department to file a report if they have become a victim of identity theft. Utility bills focus of Aurora program Aurora area residents are invited to have personal utility bills analyzed by a Citizens Utility Board representative from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave. in Aurora. The public is invited, Admission is free. A board representative will analyze consumers' phone, electric and natural gas bills. Consumers should bring copies of invoices, according to a press release about the event. For registration, email events@citizensutilityboard.org or call 312-263-4282. West Aurora citizens group to meet The West Aurora Concerned Citizens neighborhood group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Fifth Ward Community Room at West Aurora Plaza. Advertisement The guest speaker will be Larry Frieders, pharmacist and owner of The Compounder. He will discuss alternative medicines and natural remedies. For more information on the meeting, call Pat Malin at 630-844-9223. Special Olympics fundraiser at comedy club The St. Charles Police Department is hosting a Special Olympics Illinois fundraiser at Zanies Comedy Club, 4051 E. Main St. in St. Charles, at 8 p.m. Sept. 29. Tickets are $25. To order, call the St. Charles Police Department at 630-377-4435. According to a press release from the event, $20 from every ticket purchased will benefit Special Olympics Illinois. "The money raised from events like these helps the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois receive medical and dental screenings, limits the cost of participating in events and purchasing equipment, and much more," said St. Charles Police Officer Jennifer Bresnahan, the event's organizer, in the release. Advertisement The scheduled performer for the evening is comedian Lenny Schmidt. Tickets must be purchased prior to the show, and there is a two-item food or drink minimum during the performance. The show is open only to those aged 21 years old or older. Kids Expo set for Phillips Park State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) is inviting area families to attend the upcoming Kids Expo and Touch-a-Truck event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center's center, north and south parking lots at 828 Montgomery Road in Aurora. The Kids Expo and Touch-a-Truck event will include a modern fire engine, tow truck, ambulance, mail truck, Aurora Library Bookmobile, construction truck, a Pace bus, a 1964 antique fire truck, an Aurora Police Command Center vehicle and other police vehicles. A medivac helicopter landing will take place at 10:15 a.m. with a subsequent lift off at 11:30 a.m. There will be a free car seat safety check from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Brookfield Zoo animals from 12:30 to 1 p.m., and Fox Valley therapy dogs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Face painting, art and engineering activities will be held for children, according to a press release about the event. Advertisement Food and beverages from Gobble Doggs food truck and coffee and smoothies from Java Plus will be available for purchase. Artists wanted in Sugar Grove Local artists are invited to submit entries for the Fall Show at Gallery 125 in the Sugar Grove Public Library, 125 S. Municipal Drive in Sugar Grove. The topic of the show is "The Warmth of Seasons," with a loose focus on fall, family and warmth, according to a press release about the event. Art of all types may be shown including mixed media, sculpture, small pieces, oil, acrylic and photography. The fall show will be in the library from November through January. More information about submitting for the exhibition is on the library's web page at www.sgpl.org under the "About Us" section for Gallery 125. Brandon Page, left, with his mother, Pamela Page-Daddezio, and brother, Kevin Page. Brandon Page was 19 when he died, and his family said he struggled with heroin addiction. (Pamela Page-Daddezio photo) Alone, Pamela Page-Daddezio drove 5 miles from her West Side Aurora home, across the Fox River, to the East Side house she calls the "devil's playground." More than two and a half years had passed since her older son, Kevin Page, moved out of the house on the 800 block of Second Avenue. Now her son Brandon Page was missing, and she heard he might be there. Advertisement Disappearing like this seemed out of character for 19-year-old Brandon Page, who moved back in with her in January. He was sleeping when Page-Daddezio left for work the morning of May 3. When she returned, he was gone. A week and a half went by without even a text message from the teen, who had always stayed in touch, even if he was in trouble. It was her only lead, so Page-Daddezio drove to the pale yellow house on Second Avenue and knocked on the door. Advertisement She didn't find her son. Seasons changed before she found out how close she'd come. Brandon Page had been dead for several months when a cleaning crew hired by a prospective buyer discovered human remains in the home's garage, the coroner said. The death investigation opened Aug. 18 was the 14th report that Aurora police took at the address this year. They had already recorded at least three drug law violations and four in-state warrants, according to public records obtained by The Beacon-News through a public records request. Police reports describe used syringes scattered throughout the single-family home, four bedrooms filled with trash and "an overdose victim that had been concealed by throwing the victim into a garage full of garbage." The body of Brandon Page, 19, was found in the garage of a house on the 800 block of Second Avenue in Aurora, authorities said. (Hannah Leone / Beacon-News) Kane County Coroner Rob Russell described the garage that day as a "dumpster," with bags of waste piled 4 feet high. There were needles in the garage as well as in the home, which was a "known drug house," Russell said. And there was Brandon's Page's body. "It's sad to think somebody's life was just thrown away like that," Russell said. Investigators couldn't tell whether the body was male or female, but they quickly surmised it could be Brandon Page's, as dental records eventually proved. "It's an ongoing investigation, no one has been charged," Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said Thursday. According to Page's family, he was addicted to heroin. Advertisement Though his death is a suspected drug overdose, other possibilities can't be ruled out yet, Russell said. Unable to test fluid, the coroner had to submit a tissue sample for testing, a longer process Russell said may take three to five weeks. The way this year has gone, Russell said he's expecting even more overdose deaths than in 2016, when the county had 55. In 2015, there were 35. With misuse and addiction considered a national crisis, overdoses of heroin and other opioids kill more than 90 Americans daily, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. For Page-Daddezio, it's important that Brandon Page is remembered as more than a drug user. He tried going to meetings, sought help at a residential program and later immersed himself in church, family and work, Page-Daddezio said. "I got to watch his transformation, giving his heart to the Lord," Page-Daddezio said. "Satan can take the addictions and tear your body down, but he didn't get his heart." Brandon Page, she said, was a loving son with a sarcastic streak who graduated from high school a semester early, found work through a temp agency and felt protective of his mother. He was known to police but did not have any serious arrests, according to area court documents. Advertisement But the joyful young man belting out hymns had a void that religion alone couldn't always satisfy, his mother said. Page-Daddezio described a life repeatedly uprooted as the father to her two boys became a felon and she became a single mother. Page-Daddezio became pregnant at 16 with Kevin, and again about nine years later with Brandon. Hoping to build a future, the family moved to Arizona, where instead the boys' father developed a criminal record. Brandon Page was 3 years old when his mom took her sons back to Illinois, she said. Over his desk, Brandon Page hung photographs of two girls he'd been friends with in high school. Both lost their lives to heroin, Page-Daddezio said, and Brandon Page kept their photos up to remind himself his life had a purpose. Any relapse could be his last, Page-Daddezio said. "It's important to me that I don't sugarcoat the addiction of drugs," she said, "because it's real, and it will destroy you." Coming to terms with his brother's death has been complicated for Kevin Page, who said his own addictions alcohol, painkillers, heroin grew from a quest to ease physical pain. Absorbing the weight of his brother's troubles, and knowing his father only through correspondence from prison, clearly got to Brandon Page, Kevin Page said. "It makes me not want to use anymore, but it makes me want to use to forget," he said. "What sucks about heroin is once the high is over, it makes you more depressed than you were before." Advertisement Now, he must live with the grief of introducing his brother to the drug that may have killed him. They were sitting in a parked car after Kevin Page got off work, where a ladder had smashed his finger. He said he was uninsured and needed something to numb the pain. His brother offered Vicodin, but he turned it down. What Kevin Page had was stronger. "(Brandon) tried just a tiny amount and was like, 'Wow, this is 1,000 times better than Vicodin,'" Kevin Page recalled. "And I said, 'Yeah, and 10,000 times cheaper.'" Brandon Page found his own dealers, and Kevin Page said he parted ways with the house when he moved out, but he said he feels responsible. "I'm not the one that killed him," he said, "but I feel like if I hadn't shown him what it was and shown him that house. ... But at the same time, it's an epidemic, and I'm sure he would have found out how to do it." Advertisement Page-Daddezio said her younger son opened up to her about his addiction, saying temptation seemed inescapable in Aurora, where he knew too many people. During his struggle, she said she made it a habit to leave him encouraging notes. "Today is a NEW DAY," reads one, in black marker. "God loves you & so do I. Focus Positive. Love Mom." Sometimes, he wrote her back. "Thanks for never giving up on me," Brandon Page wrote in blue pen, punctuating the sentence with a smiley face. "I couldn't thank you enough." In her Aurora kitchen, Pamela Page-Daddezio reads through notes between her and her younger son, Brandon Page, who was found dead in an Aurora garage in August. Page-Daddezio said he struggled with heroin addiction. (Hannah Leone / The Beacon-News ) The brothers tried to help each other quit, Kevin Page said. His brother's efforts inspired him to try harder because he knew his brother looked up to him. Kevin Page thought maybe if he stayed clean, his brother would too. Advertisement Brandon Page stayed sober for close to seven months the last time, Kevin Page said. "That's the problem with this drug," Kevin Page said. "You do it for years, you get clean for six, seven months, you try to do it again, it doesn't work the same way. Your tolerance goes down really fast." When Brandon Page didn't call or come home that night in May, Page-Daddezio knew something was wrong, she said. Wary of the place, she made sure someone knew she was going to Kevin Page's old house. But she went, she said, because "what do you do when it's your baby?" A former roommate of Kevin Page's answered the door. Others piped in. No one had seen Brandon Page in at least a month, maybe two, Page-Daddezio recalled them telling her. They offered to take her number, she said. She asked them that if they saw her son, tell him she loved him. Advertisement "Here I am, running around looking for my son," Page-Daddezio said. "They didn't even blink an eye. ... To find out they had his body in the garage that whole time." Kevin Page said he wished it had been him, not his brother. "Hopefully he can be my guardian angel and help me stay clean myself," he said. hleone@tribpub.com Twitter @hannahmleone Bulldog Ale House is slated to open later this year near Fox Valley Mall in Aurora. (Steve Lord / The Beacon-News ) An Aurora City Council committee recently recommended liquor licenses for two new restaurants getting ready to open in the city. The Government Operations Committee unanimously recommended a regular full liquor bar license for the Bulldog Ale House and a similar license for Dixie's Bistro. Both restaurants are on the far East Side, and both plan to be open by the end of the year. Advertisement Bulldog Ale House will be on the northeast corner of Commons Drive and New York Street, in a place that once housed several different steakhouse and buffet restaurants. The building has been empty for a while. The lot is right across New York Street from Fox Valley Mall. Advertisement This will be the 11th Bulldog Ale House in the Chicago area. Officials said they hope to have the restaurant open by the end of the year. "I'm happy someone's taking that location," said Ald. Richard Mervine, 8th Ward, a committee member. Dixie's Bistro will locate in Butterfield Village Center, 1515 Butterfield Road, just off the intersection of Butterfield and Farnsworth Avenue. It will be the fourth restaurant to be owned or operated by Mike Poulakidas and his family. They own and operate O'Malley Bar and Grill on the near East Side and The Spartan House on the West Side. They also manage Leland Legends restaurant in the first floor of Leland Tower Apartments downtown. "We're very excited about the progress Aurora is making," Poulakidas told committee members. The 75-seat restaurant will have a Southern-style menu, featuring such items as Southern Fried Chicken and Southern Breaded Catfish, he added. Both restaurants will have Class E licenses, for full liquor bars. Dixie's Bistro will have an E-1 license, which will allow it to have a limited menu late at night. Advertisement Committee members also recommended a new restaurant liquor license for Gillerson's Grubbery, an established restaurant on West New York Street downtown. The restaurant had a change in one of the partnership owners, which required a new license. The City Council's Committee of the Whole will look at the applications soon, with the full City Council expected to vote on the items at a Sept. 26 meeting. slord@tribpub.com After several delays, the trial of a Chicago man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Aurora five years ago appears ready to begin Monday. Corderro Pollard was among three men initially charged with having sex with a Joliet woman while she was too intoxicated to consent after a night out drinking in August 2012. The evening ended up at the Kenilworth Avenue residence where Pollard lived at the time. Pollard has pleaded not guilty to aggravated criminal sexual assault and criminal sexual assault. Advertisement Attorneys in the case on Thursday told Kane County Judge John Barsanti that they were ready to proceed to trial. A June trial date was postponed by Barsanti after Pollard's attorney requested more time to investigate. The other men Eric Stallworth and Shammrie Brown were also charged with sex assault after the initial Aurora police investigation. Stallworth pleaded guilty to unlawful restraint in 2015 and was sentenced to probation and periodic imprisonment. Advertisement Prosecutors accused Brown of failing to intervene on the woman's behalf during the assault, but dropped that case a few months later and instead charged him with misdemeanor battery. His case remains pending with a Sept. 26 hearing scheduled. Brown is listed in court filings as a potential witness for prosecutors. Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. The third attempt by Kane County prosecutors to revoke the bond of former Aurora priest Alfredo Pedraza-Arias fell short Thursday. Kane County Judge Linda Abrahamson agreed with Arias' attorney David Camic's request to strike the motion by prosecutors which sought to either raise the amount Arias would need to get out of jail or remove any possibility he could be released from custody while awaiting trial on sex abuse charges. Advertisement The state's attorney office has pursued the bond issue in recent months out of concern that Arias, who has been ordered to be deported, will be removed from the country before being tried. His trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 27. Arias, 51, is currently held in Kane County Jail on allegations he fondled two girls under the age of six at Aurora's Sacred Heart Church between 2012 and 2014. He had been free on bond until Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials took him into custody in May as he left a hearing at the Kane County Judicial Center. Advertisement Immigration officials reported Arias' temporary religious worker non-immigrant visa was revoked in September 2016 as a result of his indictment. A federal judge issued a deportation order in June, which prompted Kane prosecutors to act by filing the first of its three bond motions. Abrahamson concurred with the first two requests in July. Someone posted Arias' bond within days of the first hike, which eventually landed Arias back in the custody of immigration officials. Arias has remained in the jail since July 28 after Abrhamson's second bond increase, records show. Arias is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing Oct. 6. Dan Campana is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. West Aurora School District 129 is working on an apprenticeship program for high school graduates, part of an ongoing focus in the district on career and technical education. The program, which is set to center on certified nursing assistant training, is designed to help students learn the skills they need both to work and to transition from life as a student to life as an employee, district officials said in a statement. For employers, the benefit is designed to be a skilled and competent staff that can provide high-quality care, according to the district. Advertisement "(We) really want to make sure that we strengthen that partnership with our local businesses and local organizations to make sure that we're doing the right thing to provide skilled workers that are work-ready when they exit our system," district spokesman Tony Martinez said. Students would take certified nursing assistant courses during their time at West Aurora High School and take a state exam. They would enter the one-year, 2,000-hour program after graduation and passing the exam, said Cynthia Garcia, West Aurora's director of extended learning and career pathways. Advertisement The program would provide them with a mentor at their workplace who would continue to work with the district, she said. The mentor would not only help with job skills, but also with skills to help the new apprentices navigate a workplace. The program comes as West Aurora is working to place a new career center, the Weisner Family Center for Career Development, and other programs at the site of the former Dreyer Medical Clinic. The work is among the construction funded through $84.2 million in voter-approved bonds. One building at the campus is set to house two of the district's three existing "career pathways" programs, health occupations and information technology. A manufacturing training center is planned for another building. To create the apprenticeship program, the district worked with the U.S. Department of Labor and the American Health Information Management Association Foundation, according to district officials. The program is believed to be the first federally registered program in a health field at the secondary level in Illinois, they said. Garcia said employers would get first access to West Aurora graduates, could get some federal grant dollars and likely would save money up front, because apprentices begin work at a lower salary than traditional employees. They would also receive a certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor's office of apprenticeship showing they are a federally registered apprenticeship training site and would be listed on a national register, according to the district. Students who successfully complete the program would receive a certificate and $500 toward tuition, which is expected to make up at least some of the difference between an apprentice's salary and the pay a full-time employee receives. The money is designed to encourage students to continue their education, Garcia said. "From the district perspective, we expose our students (to) this pathway to immediate access to employment after graduation," Martinez said. The program is expected to be funded by both district and federal money, Garcia said. Final numbers will depend on the employers that participate, she said. Advertisement West Aurora officials are talking with several Fox Valley companies about participating, including Symphony of Orchard Valley rehabilitation and care center, Garcia said. West Aurora students already work at the center for clinical experience, and the apprenticeship program would allow them to continue working with some of the same residents who already know them, Symphony Administrator Brittany Herwig said. She said her hope would be that apprentices continue to work at Symphony after the program ends, and possibly attend nursing or other schools. The center encourages employees to attain further education, she said. "Something like this is an added benefit to the community and to the residents and to (West Aurora) students," she said. As the program is put in place, West Aurora is set to expand and revamp its certified nursing assistant high school courses, Garcia said. District officials could set up a program for high school students to also earn credits from Waubonsee Community College, she said. Garcia said she is working to have a pilot program up and running in summer 2018 for students who graduate in May, and is hoping at least 10 students will be interested in participating. Advertisement She hopes to expand the program to other career areas if it works well during the first year, she said. She has begun talking about a manufacturing apprenticeship, and the Department of Labor has advised the district to look at culinary programs, she said. sfreishtat@tribpub.com Twitter @srfreish Buffalo Grove resident Mark Davis pets one of the numerous cats he keeps at his house. Officials started removing them earlier this month. (Ronnie Wachter / Pioneer Press) Buffalo Grove authorities recently have found themselves in a unique situation, having to remove dozens of cats from a home after fielding reports from passersby who have been alarmed by the number of felines at the residence. A local ordinance prohibits residents from keeping more than four cats at a time, but Joe Arizzi, property maintenance inspector for Buffalo Grove, said homeowner Mark Davis isn't facing village citations after cooperating with village officials about the cat removal, which started earlier in September. Advertisement But the situation is a complicated one for Davis, who said he can no longer afford veterinary care for many of the cats but also feels like he has to choose between which of his "children" to keep at his home and which ones to give up to Buffalo Grove authorities, who removed three of Davis' cats already and are in the process of trying to find shelters or new homes for the cats. "I have too many cats, but I love them," Davis said. "You don't want to give up the animals you love." Advertisement Both village officials and Davis have said he has owned about 25 cats at his residence near Buffalo Grove High School at one time before officials started removing them earlier this month. For Davis, he said he never intended to keep so many cats at his residence, noting how he got his first cat, named Sheeba, to keep him company after his wife of a quarter century, Carol, died in 2008. But he said he never spayed or neutered the cats, which allowed them to multiple in numbers. With dozens of cats at one time, Davis has kept them well fed and kept the house clean, according to local police and building and zoning officials with the village. In late August, a gray striped kitty that Davis named Tiger died after losing weight, Davis said. He said he doesn't know the exact cause of the death, but said he can't afford proper veterinary care for the cats. The reasons why an individual comes to own so many pets can vary, said Wendy Antaramian Powell, senior therapist at the Lake County Health Department. Many cases involve obsessive compulsive tendencies that can be brought on by the loss of a loved one or some other traumatic event, Powell said. Individuals often start collecting to fill the void after being faced with a personal loss that is difficult to overcome, she said "It has all to do with the loss," Powell said. "Everything stopped at that point. It's this internal state to make things right." In the case of Davis, the situation is an uncommon one for Buffalo Grove authorities, said Meghan Hansen, community outreach officer for the Buffalo Grove Police Department. Local police have been working with Arizzi and his staff with the removal of Davis' cats. Advertisement After receiving one of the first complaints from passersby in the area on Aug. 15, Buffalo Grove officer Randall Smith noted how Davis have kept the cats fed and clean but outlined other issues raised by Davis over the amount of cats at his home. "(Davis) said he was too attached to them and was concerned about their well-being," Smith wrote. "Also, he couldn't afford to have them spayed or neutered." But Davis has been cooperating with village officials as they methodically remove a few cats at a time once they have found new homes for them, officials said. When officials remove cats because of the local ordinance limiting the overall number of them, they typically first drop the animals off at King's Kennels in Riverwoods, where Buffalo Grove police also send stray animals that they pick up. Rob Engelking, a co-owner of the boarding, training and veterinary center in Riverwoods, said officers rarely bring in a large amount of animals from a residence during the course of the year, estimating that police usually do so about once or twice a year. "There's no rhyme or reason to how often these situations come up," Engelking said. "Most of the time, you don't even hear about it." Advertisement Arizzi said Davis in the end could be allowed to keep four of the cats, as permitted by the local ordinance, once the removal finishes. But like Davis has said, he finds it difficult to pick one cat over the other. He said he will likely ask Arizzi and village officials to find new homes for all of his cats. "Which are you going to choose?" Davis said. "I love them all." RWachter@PioneerLocal.com Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer A woman who purposely put nail polish remover into a toddler's cup of milk was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison by a DuPage County judge who called her actions outrageous. Before sentencing, Andrea Vazquez-Hernandez, 37, formerly of Carol Stream, said she was ashamed of her conduct and regretted it. Advertisement "I thank God (the child) is OK," she told Judge Brian Telander. But the judge said Vazquez-Hernandez had, until sentencing, failed to express remorse throughout her case, which included testifying at a trial in which she was found guilty of aggravated battery. Advertisement "I am troubled by the defendant's lack of remorse," Telander said. "I'm not so sure it's not the situation she finds herself in. It just doesn't seem to me that she gets it." Vazquez-Hernandez was found guilty of placing the substance into the sippy cup of a 17-month-old girl, who is the child her husband fathered with another woman while he and Vazquez-Hernandez were separated. The incident took place May 29, 2016, while she was watching the child at her apartment. The child spat out the mixture and was not hurt. Authorities say Vazquez-Hernandez was trying to punish her husband and the baby's mother. Vazquez-Hernandez and her husband are the parents of a 7-year-old boy. The husband gave a victim statement at the hearing, saying her actions had profoundly hurt their son. The boy sleepwalks, looking for his mother, he said. "What were you thinking, that's what I'd like to know. What were you thinking?" he said. The victim's mother also testified, and called Vazquez-Hernandez's action "pure evil." "I will never be able to understand it," she said. Assistant State's Attorney Lee Roupas asked for a 14-year sentence, a year under the maximum. Her attorney, Neil Levine, said Vazquez-Hernandez had no priors, and had arranged before her arrest for counseling to deal with her anger issues with her husband. Advertisement With available credits and 15 months in the county jail, Vazquez-Hernandez could be released in about 45 months. She would then be turned over to immigration officials for deportation to her native Mexico. Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter. Minimum wage advocates chant during a Calumet City City Hall meeting on July 13, 2017, after the council voted to opt out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance. (Zak Koeske / Daily Southtown) Calumet City, which bucked its voters' wishes by opting out of the county's minimum wage ordinance in June, plans to bring the issue up for a vote at its next city council meeting on Sept. 28. Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush on Thursday recommended the city opt back in to the county's minimum wage ordinance which incrementally raises the minimum wage to $13 by July 2020 and committed to placing the issue on the board's next meeting agenda. Advertisement "As mayor, it comes down to this, for me," said Qualkinbush, who had not previously weighed in on the minimum wage issue. "Eighty percent of the voters who elected me to serve our city for the next four years voted to support raising the minimum wage." Qualkinbush said that while she did not believe municipalities should be in the business of setting local minimum wages that, she said, should be left to the federal government she could not ignore the vast majority of Calumet City voters who in April supported two nonbinding referendums to raise the minimum wage. Advertisement She then directed the city attorney to prepare a resolution encouraging state and federal officials to push for a national minimum wage increase. "Many elected officials have said having one minimum wage makes sense," she said. "It's time that I have to take a leadership role and see who wants to move this initiative forward." Regardless of her public stance, Qualkinbush will only have the opportunity to vote on the matter locally if the city council is deadlocked, which appears unlikely, as none of Calumet City's seven aldermen have come out in support of raising the local $8.25 minimum wage. "We're just too close to the (Indiana) border to make that determination at this level of government," said Ald. Ramonde Williams, who fears that increasing Calumet City's minimum wage, which is already $1 higher than Indiana's, will only make it more difficult to attract and retain businesses. Williams said that while he supports raising the minimum wage generally, he believes it should be left up to the state and federal government, and does not think it should be for Calumet City government to decide. Ald. James Patton echoed Williams' sentiment, and said he believed most of his fellow aldermen felt the same way. Two other local officials DeAndre Tillman and Dejuan Gardner said they had yet to make up their mind on the issue. "I do understand, with all due respect, that people came out to vote," Gardner said of the 80-plus percent of voters who supported both minimum wage referendums in April. "I don't believe that they voted knowing the economic conditions of the community, as far as the challenges that the businesses here are facing. I guess I'm not clear. I'm not clear just yet." Advertisement Calumet City resident Joe Balkis, a labor activist who has repeatedly spoken out in favor of adopting a $15 minimum wage at city meetings over the past five months, expressed skepticism about the likelihood that Calumet City would heed the mayor's recommendation to opt in to the county ordinance. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "I don't have a lot of faith in them," he said of the city council. Balkis applauded the mayor for recommending that the city opt in to the minimum wage increase, but said he believed she had only done so for political reasons. "Politicians will say what's politically expedient," he said. "I'm glad that she went forward with it, but I don't think it's out of the kindness of her heart. I think it was because of the pressure. And I think the aldermen should step up and now do the right thing and vote to increase the minimum wage." If the city council declines to opt in to the county minimum wage ordinance, which would instantly increase the local minimum wage to $10, it would remain aligned with most other suburban Cook County towns. More than three-quarters of suburban Cook County municipalities have opted out of the county's minimum wage hike since it passed last fall, according to data collected by Arise Chicago, a labor advocacy organization that has attempted to track the issue comprehensively. Advertisement zkoeske@tribpub.com Twitter @ZakKoeske Lincoln-Way projected thousands more students would be arriving to District 210. After a $225 million referendum measure in 2006 to build two new schools was passed, however, the population growth didn't materialize. (Chicago Tribune graphics) (Chicago Tribune Graphics) Since the former superintendent of Lincoln-Way High School District 210 retired in 2013, his annual pension, currently north of $321,000, has ranked among the top teacher pensions in Illinois. But after a federal grand jury this week indicted Lawrence Wyllie on fraud charges stemming from his tenure leading the south suburban school district, he stands to lose that pension distinction and income if convicted. Advertisement Felony convictions for crimes related to a person's work as a school official qualify for pension forfeiture, and Wyllie's case would qualify if he's convicted, Teachers' Retirement System spokesman Dave Urbanek said Friday. Wyllie's current annual pension is $321,443.52. Federal prosecutors this week alleged Wyllie, 79, of Naperville, hid the "true financial health" of District 210 by misusing millions in bond money and fraudulently spent district funds on personal projects, including Superdog, a dog-training school he ordered built. Advertisement Wyllie also pocketed more than $30,000 in unused vacation days and a retirement bonus he wasn't entitled to, prosecutors charged. The charges against Wyllie marked the latest turn in a long, winding saga at the financially troubled school district and follow a yearlong investigation by the Daily Southtown that exposed questionable fiscal practices at Lincoln-Way, private uses of public resources and deals benefiting insiders, including Superdog. In large part due to decisions made under Wyllie, the district's finances atrophied over the past decade, and its leaders in 2015 made a controversial decision to shutter Lincoln-Way North, a school opened in August 2008. Wyllie's attorneys did not respond to a message seeking comment on his pension. His attorneys on Thursday released a statement maintaining his innocence. As Lincoln-Way superintendent, Wyllie never cracked $300,000 in annual salary. But the former superintendent's pension is bigger than any of his annual salaries because it's derived through an obscure actuarial calculation that boosted his pension higher than the payment he would've received under the standard formula. That actuarial calculation has been eliminated for newer members of the Teachers' Retirement System. Wyllie's initial pension was $289,860, according to the state. As superintendent, Wyllie's highest gross earnings reached $276,307 during his last year $13,000 less than his initial pension. Advertisement From 2011 to 2012, Wyllie grossed $264,970. From 2010 to 2011, he grossed a little more than $252,000. And he made the same amount the preceding year, state and school district records show. Most years, Wyllie's gross earnings included base salary, an administrative stipend and other perks. Urbanek explained the process last year and has said most teachers' retirement pensions are generated through a standard formula. But, Urbanek said, TRS does two calculations on pensions: an actuarial assessment that he described as "something that's (not) easily understood" and a standard formula used for most. No one who entered TRS on or after July 1, 2005, is eligible for the actuarial calculation, Urbanek said. To perform the calculation, TRS determines what the retiree's total retirement contributions were. Then, the agency multiplies the total retirement contributions by 2.4 percent. Next it divides that figure by a "previously formulated numerical factor from a standard table of factors that is based on the member's age on their retirement date," Urbanek said. Advertisement Those factors reflect, based on age, how much longer that person is expected to live, on average, Urbanek said. The result of that calculation is the monthly actuarial benefit amount, Urbanek said. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "The resulting monthly benefit from the actuarial calculation many times is based on the assumption that TRS will be paying a higher benefit to the member than the benefit calculated under the standard formula, but it is likely that the member will not live as long as a typical member because of advanced age," Urbanek said. There were two reasons why the actuarial formula created a pension "that exceeded (Wyllie's) highest salary," Urbanek said. Wyllie had more than five decades of service with TRS, which is about double the average time a typical TRS retiree accumulates with the system, Urbanek said. He also retired in his 70s, while the average age last year for all TRS retirees was 59. The actuarial formula determines a pension that provides the "actuarially equivalent value of the member's accumulated contributions to TRS," Urbanek said. TRS officials wouldn't say what Wyllie's pension would've been under the standard formula but said the actuarial formula calculated a higher figure that TRS was bound to use. Advertisement gpratt@chicagotribune.com Twitter @royalpratt There's a scholarly theory in finance known as the "Lake Wobegon Effect." When it comes to CEO pay, the theory goes, no board wants to admit its chief executive is below average. Corporate boards are thus inclined to reward CEOs with compensation above the median. Advertisement As a result, pay for top executives across the spectrum continues to spiral ever upward, regardless of performance. I believe in the "Lake Wobegon Effect," and I think it has bearing on the situation that led to federal felony fraud charges announced Thursday against former Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie, 79, of Naperville. Advertisement I think some school districts, municipalities and other taxing bodies reward "rock star" executives with reputations for getting results and proven track records for creating improvements. Sometimes it's about status. Everyone likes to score well on "best of" lists. Schools and towns are no different. Reputation-building produces actual benefits in the form of increased property values that enhance the wealth of stakeholders. Ask any real estate agent. They'll tell you how important the quality of schools in a community is to home sales. I think CEOs face enormous pressure to deliver results and justify their generous compensation packages. City managers and school superintendents face similar pressures. Prosecutors allege Wyllie used at least $50,000 of school money to build and operate a dog obedience school known as Superdog and paid himself at least another $30,000 in retirement and vacation benefits that weren't in his contract. Federal authorities also accuse Wyllie of misrepresenting the district's financial health and causing the district to assume at least $7 million in debt. Wyllie faces five counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement. "Lawrence Wyllie, defendant herein, devised, intended to devise, and participated in a scheme to defraud and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promise, and by concealment of material facts," the federal indictment states. In plain English, the feds accuse Wyllie of being a liar and a crook. Advertisement It's important to note the charges are mere allegations at this time. Wyllie's attorneys issued a statement Thursday maintaining the former superintendent's innocence and praising his service as "a model educator in Illinois for 55 years." Former Lincoln-Way school board President Ron Kokal once called Wyllie "an absolute genius in school financing." The federal indictment follows a yearlong investigation by former Daily Southtown and current Chicago Tribune reporter Gregory Pratt, who exposed questionable financial practices at Lincoln-Way, private uses of public resources and deals benefiting insiders. The true state of Lincoln-Way's finances became apparent only after Wyllie retired in 2013. The Illinois State Board of Education first placed the Lincoln-Way district on its financial watch list in 2015. Within months, the school board voted to reduce costs by closing Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort at the end of the 2015-2016 school year. Lincoln-Way North opened in 2008 after voters approved a $225 million referendum to build two new high schools and update the two existing ones. Lincoln-Way West in New Lenox opened in 2009. Advertisement Fallout from revelations about the district's financial straits included the resignations of several school board members and the loss in April of two incumbents seeking re-election. There's another consequence if the federal allegations against Wyllie are proven true. He could lose his pension. Wyllie this year is receiving a pension of $321,444. That, according to a Better Government Association analysis, is the highest amount paid to a beneficiary of the Teachers' Retirement System one of several state pension funds for public-sector employees. State law is crystal clear when it comes to pension recipients convicted of felonies related to their job performance. "None of the benefits herein provided for shall be paid to any person who is convicted of any felony relating to or arising out of or in connection with his or her service as a member," the Illinois Pension Code states. Every year, pensions are revoked for retired public servants convicted of felonies, TRS spokesman Dave Urbanek told me on Friday. He said he was unable to readily provide comprehensive figures on the number of felons who have lost their pensions. There are more than 100,000 active TRS retirees. Advertisement "It's not uncommon," Urbanek said. "We do have every year a number of members who lose their pensions related to felony convictions. The felony has to pertain to their job performance." Wyllie will have his day in court and the opportunity to prove his innocence. He'll continue to collect his monthly $26,787 pension nearly $1,000 a day in the meantime. "(One) does not forfeit a pension until he is convicted and sentenced," Urbanek said. Everyone makes choices. Some choose to skirt laws and are confident in the belief they'll never be caught. Strict punishments can deter others from committing crimes. Taxpayers are having a tough go of it lately in Illinois. The recent two-year state budget impasse, the income tax increase, the school-funding deal, high property taxes, Cook County's soda tax what's the one thread that ties them all together? Pensions. Virtually every government body that says it needs to raise taxes says the increases are necessary not to cover current operating costs, but future pension costs. Advertisement Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > There's plenty of blame to go around. Legislators kicked the can down the road and made the problem worse. Chicago declared "pension holidays," like they were something to celebrate. Actually, they used money they should have set aside for retirees to cover operating costs, forestalling the inevitable need for more revenue. In politics, it's easy to incite suburban and downstate voters to rail against a "bailout" for Chicago pensions. I've often wondered why more Chicagoans don't publicly express their outrage at having to pay the generous pension benefits for suburban school retirees. You know, those school CEOs who are considered financial wizards because of their ability to produce results. The beneficiaries of the "Lake Wobegon Effect" who impress their boards into rewarding them with compensation packages the average person in Chicago could only dream about. I wonder what people who scrape by on fixed incomes of $1,000 a month think about public sector retirees collecting pensions of nearly $1,000 a day. People like Lawrence Wyllie. tslowik@tronc.com Advertisement Twitter @tedslowik The city of Elgin records its regular Wednesday city council meetings, but not all of the special Saturday sessions. (Mike Danahey/Courier-News ) Elgin City Councilmembers Tish Powell and Rich Dunne recently opened a discussion on whether special council meetings should be videotaped. They asked if residents would benefit from having all meetings available for review. "Citizens can gain knowledge from watching videos. Each person brings questions from a different perspective. All of their comments have value," Dunne said. Advertisement Powell feels residents would be able to watch online at their leisure. "As a parent, I was critical when U46 did not tape their 7 p.m. board meetings," she said. Parents have many responsibilities with feeding their children dinner, getting homework completed and driving them to their activities, watching meetings at their leisure is a positive. Councilmember Carol Rauschenberger said certain meetings should be recorded, but not all. Advertisement "The City Council benefits when we go to retreats," she said. "These retreats are good for personal relationships and creativity between council members. Private discussions between colleagues is good." "We are not hiding anything wherever the meetings are being held," Councilmember Rosamaria Martinez said. "Saturday morning meetings are especially good as we are all fresher at that time of day." Councilmember John Steffan said, "We are in front of the public and some conversations are best in a more relaxed situation." Mayor Dave Kaptain offered a compromise: Additional meetings could be taped on a case by case basis, which was unanimously approved by the council. According to Council Member Terry Gavin, each taping costs the city $2,000. With this being a significant expense, the compromise agreement makes good sense. The city council was in agreement that they are transparent and do not hide anything from constituents. If residents have concerns about topics under discussion, they can attend special meetings and bring concerns to the council for discussion at the regular meetings. If Elgin residents are not in agreement with taping special meetings on a case by case basis, they need to let the council know. Linda McDaniel-Hale is a Fox Valley resident who offers opinions on local topics. A 76-year-old woman was injured recently in a car crash while bike-riding in Glenview, police said. The woman was riding a bike on the sidewalk in the 1700 block of Chestnut Avenue at 3:12 p.m. on Sept. 12 when a car backing out of a driveway hit her, said Glenview Police Department spokesman Sgt. Rob Francois. Advertisement The woman was taken to NorthShore University HealthSystem Glenbrook Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, he said. akukulka@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @Akukulka11 Renderings show plans for a new research and innovation park at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago. Construction is expected to begin in the spring. (Rosalind Franklin University ) Ground has been broken on a new innovation and research park on Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science's North Chicago campus, a university spokeswoman said. The research park will provide state-of-the-art labs and incubator space for academic and industry scientists, startups and established biotech firms to collaborate with the goal of accelerating research into the treatment and prevention of disease, according to a news release. Advertisement Judy Masterson, a spokeswoman for the university, said Rosalind Franklin is in the process of finalizing the design, buildout and engineering, and expects to begin construction on the first phase of the project in the spring. The exact start date is dependent on winter weather, she added. Advertisement Construction is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2019, according to a news release, which added that the initial phase includes a four-story, 100,000-square-foot addition to the north side of the campus on Green Bay Road. The addition is designed to house research, office and meeting space for up to 175 academic and industry scientists, according to the release. The university is expected to occupy about two-thirds of the building, with the remainder leased out to life science companies. Two more new buildings could follow the first, which is the result of a public-private partnership, according to information released by the university when the project was announced earlier this year. The school worked with the nonprofit TUFF, The University Financing Foundation, to develop and finance the $50 million project, according to a recent news release. Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science recently held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a research and innovation park, to be completed by the summer of 2019. Pictured, from left: Rosalind Franklin, who is a board trustee and niece of the universitys namesake; Frank H. Mynard, board chair; Ronald Kaplan, executive vice president for research; Dr. K. Michael Welch, president and CEO; and Leon Rockingham Jr., mayor of North Chicago. (Rosalind Franklin University ) "Our researchers are excited about the possibility of new collaborations with industry experts that can help translate their science into therapeutics to benefit patients at home and around the globe," Ronald Kaplan, the university's executive vice president for research, said in the release. Rosalind Franklin researchers are working in 12 major areas, including cardiac resuscitation, cancer, drug discovery and development, cystic fibrosis, neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, according to the release. "This expansion of our research beyond our laboratories, into actual development, can help save lives, improve health care and help grow our local and regional economy," Kaplan said. The $50 million project is expected to generate an estimated 500 new jobs, according to the release, which also pointed to a study by Lake County Partners that forecasts a total economic regional impact of $117 million per year. Advertisement Rosalind Franklin University President and CEO K. Michael Welch also pointed to the impact that the research park could have on local communities that carry "unequal burdens of illness and disease." Waukegan and North Chicago residents tend to die at younger ages than residents of other Lake County communities, according to the Lake County Health Department. The average age of death in North Chicago is 68.9 years old compared with 82.8 years old in Lincolnshire. emcoleman@tribpub.com Twitter @mekcoleman Adam Frisch keeps calm waiting for all ballots to be counted in CD-3 The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control on Thursday designated 11 more entities and individuals for engaging in support of missile technology programs and clandestine activities, such as cyber-attacks, of the Iranian government. The U.S. Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Thursday designated 11 more entities and individuals for engaging in support of missile technology programs and clandestine activities, such as cyber-attacks, of the Iranian government. OFACs growing list of sanctions include two Ukrainian companies that have provided support to already sanctioned Iranian and Iraqi airlines which work with Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These sanctions target an Iranian company providing material support to the IRGCs ballistic missile program, airlines that support the transport of fighters and weapons into Syria, and hackers who execute cyber-attacks on American financial institutions, said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin in a statement. The property of those sanctioned entities is now blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. In addition, foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions for, or persons that provide material or certain other support to, these designated entities and individuals risk sanctions themselves that could end their access to U.S. financing or block their property and interests in property under U.S. jurisdiction. The sanctioned companies include Iran-based Sadid Caran Saba Engineering Co. (SABA) for its support of Irans ballistic missile program. Since 2014, SABA has allegedly entered into contracts to procure and install numerous, multi-ton explosion-proof crane systems for the IRGC Research and Self-Sufficiency Jehad Organization (RSSJO). The two Ukrainian companies, Khors Aircompany and Dart Airlines, are alleged to have provided U.S.-origin aircraft and support services to Irans Caspian Air and Iraqs Al-Naser Airlines. Caspian Air and Al-Naser Airlines were placed on the U.S. sanctions list in 2014 and 2015, respectively, for their activities related to Irans IRGC. A new direction by OFAC, particularly in the case of the two Ukrainian companies, is to institute secondary sanctions which apply to non-U.S. persons for non-U.S. conduct that occurs for U.S. products or servicing U.S. products outside the United States to parties are on the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals list. China's equity market regulators have stepped up the pace of introducing rules aimed at encouraging individual investors to finance development of residential leasing properties, a move that analysts said will be greatly helpful to long-term growth of the sector. A citizen checks house leasing information on Xiangyang Road, Shanghai. [Photo/China Daily] Real estate investment trusts (REITs) of companies that operate residential leasing properties and public rental projects are likely to be included in the first batch of financial tools involving individual investors' funds, analysts said. In China, some quasi-REIT products are offered among private equities, but no specific REITs supporting residential projects have been offered as no regulations have been made. Companies that want to develop rental projects currently face hurdles: The return rate is too low and it takes too much time to realize positive cash flow; thus, a new mechanism for financing and income model is required to give companies incentives to operate residential rental projects, according to Li Yujia, analyst with Shenzhen Real Estate Research Institute. "Market-oriented developers and operators would be reluctant to engage in rental projects when risk-free return rate is about 4 percent while return rate of leasing projects is about 2 percent, and it takes up to 60 years to break even. If land supplies and financing mechanism would help to reduce cost of land and give (the) developer and operator better return, more players would join the market," Li said. In Shanghai, two parcels of land that were designated for residential rental projects in Jiading projects were transacted at less than 6,000 yuan ($915.6) per square meter, which was about 10 percent of the average market price for commercial residential projects in the city. The move is also regarded as a start of enabling more financing mechanism to be piloted in rental project development. "When cost of land for rental housing projects is about 10 percent of that in commercial properties, (the) return rate could be somewhere at 6 percent, which will work for operators," Li said. REITs, which focus on stable income and long-term operation, actually match the nature of residential leasing market well, as long as the return rate is reasonable, according to a research note from Cushman and Wakefield, a real estate services provider. "Diversities of housing products and services will help growth of leasing market, and return will be stable and steadily grow, too. When all these conditions are mature, REITs are likely to develop healthily in China," the Cushman & Wakefield research noted. China's residential leasing market size is expected to grow from 1.1 trillion yuan in 2016 to 2.9 trillion yuan in 2025. It is expected to further grow to 4.6 trillion yuan in 2030, according to a research note by LPlus Research Institute, real estate information services provider. German car giant Volkswagen AG and its Chinese partners will recall 4.86 million cars in China over faulty airbags from Japanese supplier Takata Corp, the largest ever recall in the history of the world's largest automotive market. Volkswagen Group China will recall 103,573 vehicles, FAW-Volkswagen 2.35 million vehicles and SAIC Volkswagen 2.4 million vehicles because the airbags may explode with flying metal shards under certain conditions, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said in a statement on Thursday. The cars, which involve those from the Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat brands, will be recalled starting from March 2018 into 2019. Volkswagen Group China said it would provide free air bag replacements for the recalled cars. The recall came after the quality watchdog called on Volkswagen, General Motors and Mercedes-Benz to make recalls, which combined are estimated to have around 8 million cars with Tataka airbags. "Acting upon advice from the Chinese safety authority, Volkswagen Group China therefore made this recall decision," said Volkswagen in an email. It added that Volkswagen Group has not received any report on its products worldwide regarding ruptured Takata front airbags. General Motors China said it is developing a comprehensive recall plan. "We will work closely with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to take appropriate actions in the near future." The three are not the only affected carmakers. According to the top quality watchdog, as of the end of June this year, 24 automakers had recalled 10.59 million vehicles and an additional five had made plans to recall 1.26 million vehicles. South Korea's Lotte Shopping has picked Goldman Sachs to manage the potential sale of its supermarkets in China, an official at the parent group said on Thursday. The official added that it had not been decided whether the retailer would sell all of its supermarkets in China or part of them. Lotte Shopping previously said it was considering selling its supermarkets in China and other options. Shin Dong-joo, the elder son of Lotte Group's founder, said Lotte Shopping should "immediately" withdraw from the Chinese market, after most of its stores were shut down. The elder Shin decided previously to sell most of his stakes in Lotte Shopping and three other units of South Korea's No 5 conglomerate, his company said without providing the value of the sale. On Monday, Lotte Group denied rumors indicating its withdrawal from the Chinese mainland market, and said it will keep doing business in China, reported Newsis, a South Korean newspaper. According to Euromonitor, a market research provider, Lotte Mart, a hypermarket format, ranked No 17th in terms of market shares in China in 2016, at 1.1 percent. Market leader Auchan Group SA's RT Mart took up 11.9 percent and Wal-Mart Stores Inc had 10.1 percent. The retail formatoutlets with a selling space of more than 2,500 square metershas witnessed a slow growth in the past three years. The hypermarket sector has grown from 655.8 billion yuan ($100.05 billion) in 2015 to 658.4 billion yuan in 2016. Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, said Lotte is in a very difficult position in China. Like other international retailers, it was under pressure from both fast growing Chinese retailers and e-commerce giants, he said. Lotte Mart's limited presence in China also makes it tough to build any economy of scale and efficient supply chain, Yu said. "I think some regional players in the north or east may pick selected Lotte Mart stores if they were up for sale," said Yu. "Some local players are still looking for store expansions in Beijing or Jiangsu province in East China if the stores are in good locations," said Yu. More than 120 graduate students at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, known as Beihang University, began attending classes on artificial intelligence (AI) Thursday. Artificial intelligence (AI) [File Photo: sina.com] As China's first group of graduate students majoring in AI, they will receive joint training from both the university and AI-related companies. The curriculum includes cognitive science, visual perception, unmanned systems and robotics. Some courses will be taught in company labs and beside production lines. Students are also required to intern and take part in project research and development for at least one year in one of the participating companies. According to the university, 30 percent of the teachers are leading industry experts, and another 30 percent are renowned scholars. Over 90 percent of the teachers have overseas work or education experience related to AI. You are here: Home Police in east China's Fujian Province have busted a major oil-smuggling network, arresting 99 suspects and confiscating 1,700 tonnes of smuggled fuel. Fujian police bust a major oil-smuggling network, arresting 99 suspects on August 11, 2017. [Photo: cnr.cn] The provincial border police reported Thursday that the smuggling network involving four gangs had been operating in Fujian since June 2016. They owned nine mid-size oil tankers and were well organized. Police raided the gangs as their ships set out on a new smuggling trip on Aug. 11. During the raid, police seized 7 ships, ten oil trucks and nine underground storage facilities. Initial investigations showed that the gangs have smuggled at least 180,000 tonnes of oil valued at 900 million yuan (138 million U.S. dollars) so far this year. Silk Way West Airlines, a growing cargo operator based in Azerbaijan, and Alaska Airlines on Thursday signed contracts with Boeing for two freighters apiece but that is where the similarities ended. Silk Way West said it will take two 777-8s, the largest plane available from Boeing (NYSE: BA) and one so modern it isnt [] You are here: Home Police caught 19 suspects and seized 500 kilograms of drugs and drug-making materials when they broke up a ring consisting of members from nine provinces, they said yesterday. Detectives in Weifang, a city in east Chinas Shandong Province, said they received a tip-off in July last year after residents suspected dangerous chemicals had caused the rupture of a sewage pipeline. Police found an apartment in the community had been sold immediately after the complaints, and the former owner often used big plastic buckets to dump waste. Police suspected the waste was chemicals used to make drugs. The bureau set up a special task force to trace the suspect, surnamed Pan, and found that he frequently made online purchases of chemical reaction vessels and detergents. He also frequently mailed goods nationwide. Investigators confirmed that the goods were methcathinone, an amphetamine-like drug. Police arrested Pan and another accomplice in January. During interrogation, police learned that Pan had joined an online chat group where people could order chemicals for 10,000 yuan (US$1,525) per kg to produce drugs which they could sell for 16,000 yuan. That information led to the arrest of the other drug makers and dealers, and raids on eight networks and five workshops. Earlier this week, police in central Chinas Hubei Province busted a drugs gang posing as decorators, catching 13 suspects. Students at a Beijing university are now required to scan their faces on entering dormitories, a process that may soon make security guards obsolete. Beijing Normal University has installed 44 facial scanners at the 19 dormitory buildings for its 18,000 students on campus. The machines have been placed at all entrances to dorm buildings, and students will have to pause and look at the sensor for a few seconds before swiping their campus ID cards. If the face and card match, the machine will open the gate and say "welcome home." The machines also come with voice recognition so students without bringing their cards can scan their faces and say the last four digits of their card number, said Yang Hailiang, general manager of Beijing Peace and Joy Technology, which produces the machines. The system can recognize 26 Chinese dialects and has achieved an accuracy rate of 98 percent, Yang said. Li Jinjun, dormitory service center director at the university, said the machines had been installed due to safety concerns. Vendors will be deterred from sneaking in and out of the dorm buildings, he said. "Outsiders won't be able to follow our students into the dorms." But there are other advantages, Li said. "We can now find out who does not return to the dorm or returns late," he said. "The machines will help us better monitor the students' whereabouts." In China, the rapid development of facial recognition technology has led to its use in a number of innovative ways. Beijing's Temple of Heaven used it in toilets to deter toilet paper theft. In east China's Jinan, traffic police installed facial scanners at road intersections to catch and shame jaywalkers. Supermarkets in some big cities have been using the technology at bag deposit areas. Beijing Normal University debuted its first scanners in April and expanded their use during the summer break, and 70 percent of students have had their faces recorded. A facial scan is required for new students. "I feel much safer," said Zhao Xinyi, a physics student. "The system also relieves the security guards of their heavy burden." However, some students complained they were not being recognized after a haircut. A bluebook report identifying China's relative weak competitiveness in wooing global talents as well as containing proposals for measures for different regions within China to improve was released on Sept. 11 in Beijing, as parts of a joint effort of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and the Institute of Development Studies at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) in Sichuan. The report, titled The Report on China's Regional International Talent Competitiveness 2017, is published as China is gearing up to attract more talented people from all over the world in order to boost its economic growth. It is an imperative to objectively evaluate the current status of China's competitiveness of global talent recruitment in order to identify the gap and find solutions. CCG and SWUFE's Institute of Development Studies co-established an index model to assess China's regional competitiveness in attracting overseas talents by using six dimensions - population size, structure, innovation, policy, development and living conditions, supported by 13 secondary indices and 36 tertiary indices. Based on the model, the report compiled a ranking of the most-preferred places in China for foreign talents. Futhermore, by comparing the situation in all of China's 31 province-level regions (Taiwan, Macao, and Hong Kong not included), the report mapped out policy measures to improve China's regional and national competitiveness to recruit more global talents. The key highlights of the report are as follows: China's overall global talent competitiveness still lags behind many developed countries. The proportion of international workers in China is far below the world average. In 2015, only 0.06% of the country's population were foreigners, while the worldwide average proportion was 3.3%. Shanghai ranks the highest among all of the Chinese cities evaluated according to the 2017 report. Even so, it only attains 65.17 out of 100 in global talent competitiveness, followed by Beijing, Guangdong, and Jiangsu, all of which are the most economically developed regions in China. Geographically, foreign talents are very unevenly spreaded in China with the gap between first placed Shanghai and last placed Shanxi reaching 0.8 out of a total score of 1. Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin are the top three most favorite cities for foreign students, while Guangdong, Shanghai and Jiangsu are the first-tier cities which accommodate the most foreign experts. In terms of the quality of the recruited global population, there is not a large margin between different provinces or regions. Anhui and the western regions score higher in global talent eudcation degree structure for having more foreign experts on science and technology research with strong academic backgrounds. Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Shanghai score the highest in global talent occupation structure for providing foreign workers room to develop their long-term career. Guangdong ranks the first in terms of international talent innovation, as the foreign workers there are foscused on innovative industries and activities, while the western region also has great potential in this regard. Shanghai, on the contrary, scores low on this index, because most international talents there are working in the financial industry, instead of innovative industries such as IT or high-end manufacturing. The eastern coastal regions have more friendly international talent recuitment policies, while Chinas mid and western regions lag behind. Jiangsu ranks first on this index, followed by Beijing, Zhejiang, and Guangdong. With respect to international talent recruitment policy innovation, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong score higher, as they have all been rolling out policies to reform entry and exit regulatory system to facilitate high-level international talents and their entrepreneurship and innovation activities in China. Sharp margins exist between Chinas coastal and inland region over creating a talent cultivation environment for foreign workers. Shanghai obtains a full score on this index. With extensive access to the global economy and strong international background, Shanghai has become a hub for forign trade and MNC headquarters. However, most regions still lack strength in building the appropriate surroundings for foreign talents. Guangdong is selected by foreign talents as the most popular place to live, and Chinas midwest also has great potential in attracting foreign talents with its better environment and living conditions. Guangdong, Jiangsu, Beijing, Shandong and Shanghai rank as the top 5 provinces/cities respectively for providing the best social security and services to foreign talents, such as healthcare and childrens education. Based on the findings above, the report proposed to institutionally improve the work of inter-national talent recruitment in order to attract more foreign talents. Measures such as estab-lishing a governing entity specifically for international talent management, expanding inter-national talent recruitment policies which have been proved effective in pilot programs, and enhancing regional competitiveness for international talent through improved natural envi-ronments and living conditions were provided in the bluebook. (Li Xiaohua contributes to this article) Flash People stand beside at the site of the attacks in west of the city of Nasriyah, in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, Sept. 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Up to 83 people were killed and 93 wounded on Thursday in coordinated attacks of a car bomb and a gunfire near the city of Nasriyah in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, a provincial medical source said. "The final casualties from the car bombing and gunfire attacks in Fadak area Dhi Qar province rose to 83 killed and 93 wounded, and many of them are in critical conditions," Jasim al-Khaledi, head of the provincial health department told Xinhua by telephone. Many Iranian people were among the killed and wounded, Khaledi said. Earlier Khaledi put the toll at 50 killed and 87 wounded by the two attacks. The twin attacks occurred in the afternoon when gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, while a car bomb detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, according to a provincial security source. The Iraqi security forces clashes with the attackers at the scene and shot dead four of them, said the Rafidain Operations Command, which is responsible for the security in Dhi Qar province. Later in the day, the Islamic State (IS) group claimed the responsibility for the twin attacks in Fadak area near Nasriyah, saying that its suicide bombers targeted a restaurant and a security checkpoint, the group said in an online statement, which its authenticity could not be immediately verified. Hours after the attacks, the Interior Minister Qasim al-Araji sacked the intelligence chief of Dhi Qar province and referred him to interrogation after the deadly attacks that hit the province, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua. In a statement issued by his office, the parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri condemned the terrorist attacks in the province, calling on the security forces and their leaders to develop security plans to ensure the protection of life and property in the province of Dhi Qar and all other provinces of Iraq. The parliamentary Sadr bloc, loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, called for intensified security measures across Iraq and to detect sleeper terrorist cells that try to cover up the defeats of IS group, the bloc said in a statement. Meanhwile, the Iraqi National Alliance (a Sunni bloc) in parliament condemned the bombings saying "these attacks indicate that the blind terror began to utter its last breath as a result of its confusion and despair due the loss of their redoubts in Iraq," said Salah al-Jubouri, head of the bloc. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a statement that it "strongly condemns the cowardly twin attacks carried out by the terrorist Daesh (IS) on a restaurant and a security checkpoint in Nasiriya in southern Iraq, which resulted in numerous civilian casualties." "The United Nations in Iraq is deeply saddened by these atrocious attacks, but this will not weaken the country's resolve in fighting terrorism, he said, calling on Iraqis to set aside their differences and unite in working together to eliminate the terrorist Daesh, which remains a threat despite suffering defeats on the battlefield," the statement said. The attacks came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on August 31 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 Iraqi forces still have to wage more offensives to drive out 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 province. Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the United States that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country. The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found. Flash A specialized crew member takes part in an operation to clean the oil spill from the shores of Piraeus, a southeast suburb of Athens, capital of Greece, on Sept. 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] A major clean-up operation which was underway on Thursday to address an oil spill that has spread across a large area of the Saronic Gulf will last for about three weeks, Greek Shipping minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis told a press briefing. As oil slicks have blackened the sea area and several shores from Salamina island to Piraeus port suburbs and Athens' southern seafront, several local mayors have warned with legal action "against whoever are responsible" for the environmental disaster, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The environmental crisis broke out on Sunday after the sinking of small tanker "Agia Zoni II" which was anchored off Salamina Island under still unclear circumstances. In the first hours the oil leaked by the vessel affected an area of about 1.5 kilometers along the island's coasts, but due to winds in the next days it gradually spread several nautical miles further and reached Piraeus suburbs and popular beaches in southern Athens districts, such as Glyfada and Voula. Following a visit at the coastal areas of Piraeus on Thursday, the Shipping Minister Kouroumblis assured that the situation is improving. "It is truly a difficult day. A gigantic effort is underway in order to limit the consequences caused by this sinking," Kouroumblis said. He said clean-up crews have managed to seal off the submerged tanker and prevent any further leakage from Tuesday, adding that the oil still inside the ship will be pumped out within the day. The tanker was carrying about 2,500 tons of oil, according to the shipping company "Agia Zoni" which owns the ship. It was still unclear on Thursday how much quantity had leaked into the sea. "Our island has suffered a huge ecological destruction at the sea and the shores... Across two kilometers - the damage is already obvious from the air- people have left their homes... We request and we make a plea to not abandon us," Salamina's mayor Isidora Nanou told Xinhua on Thursday. The oil spill has added to the woes of an island which for several years has suffered environmental issues and economic hardship, she said. "For our part, immediately after the sinking of the ship, which is a huge blow to us, our staff and our families, we instructed the private company that undertook the work of decontamination, to do all that is humanly and technically possible to fully clean the affected area," the shipping company said in a statement. More than 60 specialized members of cleaning crews, assisted by the Greek Coast Guard and volunteers, are struggling to contain the oil spill and clean up the shores. The Coast Guard and the Shipping ministry went into action immediately after the tanker's sinking, the emergency plan came into effect 16 minutes after the incident and all available forces were mobilized, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said in an interview with local Real FM on Thursday, responding to criticism by local authorities, residents and environmental groups for "delayed and inadequate" response to reduce the impact. Greece requested the activation of the European Mechanism of Policy Protection, asking for an anti- pollution vessel which has already started operating in the affected areas, European Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said, according to a statement from the European Commission's representation offices in Athens. As cleanup crews discover many oil-soaked birds and fish, the Greek branches of environmental groups such as Greenpeace expressed concern on the long term effects on the environment, finding the Greek state "unprepared" to respond effectively to the incident which seemed small in the first hours. Biologist Markos Akylas, President of Salamina's Environmental Group PERIVOS, told Xinhua on Thursday in one of the island's blackened shores that the means available were not enough. He urged for more means and asked authorities to continue monitoring the situation after the first cleanup stage. "We want to see them monitoring the situation for a few months, for quite some time, so we can check which the impact on the food chain is, as well as monitor pollution which is not obvious in the naked eye. We want to check what is happening with heavy metals and other factors polluting the area," Akylas said. Biologist Alkis Kafetzis, responsible for informing the public regarding the marine environment at Greenpeace- Greece, called on the Greek government to cancel plans for leasing sea areas for hydrocarbon research and exploitation to avoid larger environmental destructions in the future. "Taking a glimpse at the situation in Salamina we can all imagine the extent of the problem if major scale hydrocarbon extractions start in Greece," he told Xinhua on Thursday. The mayors of Salamina, Piraeus and Glyfada have told local media that they plan to take legal action over the pollution "against whoever is responsible". Greece's Sailor Association (PENEN) said in a statement the tanker which caused the destruction was built four decades ago, was poorly maintained and was in a bad condition. The company insisted that all the necessary certificates were up to date and all inspections required under law had been done. Flash Pakistan booth during the exhibition attracted visitors. The Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing participated in the Colourful World Cultural Exhibition held on September 11-13, 2017 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. The Embassy had organized an impressive booth which featured Pakistani handicrafts and cultural exhibits. In addition, publicity material on Pakistan's history, landscape, tourism and culture was displayed. The Embassy booth attracted thousands of Chinese visitors who showed keen interest in learning more about the culture and heritage of Pakistan. During the exhibition, the Embassy also participated in the International Garment Show displaying the national dress of Pakistan. The event was organized by Beijing Foreign Cultural Exchanges Center. Around 40 countries along the Belt and Road, participated in the event. As'ad's Bio As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants. Workers of SF Express sort packages at an outlet of the company in Beijing. [Photo/China Daily by Zhu Xingxin] China's logistic companies are teaming up to seize the self-service delivery locker market, which has become the focus of intensified competition in the sector. Logistic giant SF Express on Thursday announced it has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China International Marine Containers (Group) Co Ltd, the country's largest transportation equipment producer by revenue. The two companies intend to seek further cooperation in transportation, express delivery, equipment, technology and funding, as well as the China-Europe Railway Express and other activities in the Belt and Road area. The latest step is the acquisition of CIMC Electricity Commerce and Logistics Technology Co Ltd by Shenzhen-based Hive Box Technology, one of SF Express' investment in smart delivery locker business. CIMC Electricity Commerce, a subsidiary of CIMC, was established in 2014 in Shenzhen and owns around 14,000 smart delivery locker cabinets, while Hive Box has more than 60,000 such cabinets. These lockers are usually situated in residential communities, office buildings, college campuses and other public zones. If users are not available to pick up their express items, couriers can leave the packages in these lockers. Users will receive a password on their mobile phones to open their lockers. After the acquisition, Hive Box's aim is to reach 90,000 locker units by the end of this year, dealing with five million parcels per day and covering 70 percent of the market in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Zhao Xiaomin, a Shanghai-based logistics industry consultant, believes Hive Box will become the leading company in the smart locker industry and the total quantity provided by the whole industry is around 170,000 units. In recent years, smart delivery lockers have boomed due to the development of e-commerce in China. Sposter and State-owned China Post, another two major players in the industry, merged their locker operations in July and together own about 77,000 smart locker cabinets, according to China's news portal sina.com. Recently, China's leading home appliance manufacturer Haier and e-commerce platform JD.com, also joined the smart locker market. A citizen checks house leasing information on Xiangyang Road, Shanghai.[Gao Zheng/for China Daily] Mutual fund-like investment vehicle encourages residence construction China's equity market regulators have stepped up the pace of introducing rules aimed at encouraging individual investors to finance development of residential leasing properties, a move that analysts said will be greatly helpful to long-term growth of the sector. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) of companies that operate residential leasing properties and public rental projects are likely to be included in the first batch of financial tools involving individual investors' funds, analysts said. In China, some quasi-REIT products are offered among private equities, but no specific REITs supporting residential projects have been offered as no regulations have been made. Companies that want to develop rental projects currently face hurdles: The return rate is too low and it takes too much time to realize positive cash flow; thus, a new mechanism for financing and income model is required to give companies incentives to operate residential rental projects, according to Li Yujia, analyst with Shenzhen Real Estate Research Institute. "Market-oriented developers and operators would be reluctant to engage in rental projects when risk-free return rate is about 4 percent while return rate of leasing projects is about 2 percent, and it takes up to 60 years to break even. If land supplies and financing mechanism would help to reduce cost of land and give (the) developer and operator better return, more players would join the market," Li said. In Shanghai, two parcels of land that were designated for residential rental projects in Jiading projects were transacted at less than 6,000 yuan ($915.6) per square meter, which was about 10 percent of the average market price for commercial residential projects in the city. The move is also regarded as a start of enabling more financing mechanism to be piloted in rental project development. "When cost of land for rental housing projects is about 10 percent of that in commercial properties, (the) return rate could be somewhere at 6 percent, which will work for operators," Li said. REITs, which focus on stable income and long-term operation, actually match the nature of residential leasing market well, as long as the return rate is reasonable, according to a research note from Cushman and Wakefield, a real estate services provider. "Diversities of housing products and services will help growth of leasing market, and return will be stable and steadily grow, too. When all these conditions are mature, REITs are likely to develop healthily in China," the Cushman & Wakefield research noted. China's residential leasing market size is expected to grow from 1.1 trillion yuan in 2016 to 2.9 trillion yuan in 2025. It is expected to further grow to 4.6 trillion yuan in 2030, according to a research note by LPlus Research Institute, real estate information services provider. A smart healthcare management platform is demonstrated at an IoT exhibition in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/Xinhua] To further integrate the internet of things technology and the healthcare industry, Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, plans to shape a healthcare information system. It will include a smart healthcare management platform and four centers for private and public health data and demographic analysis. The city has attracted global giants and encouraged local firms to cooperate with the local government and tap into this market with huge potential. Wuxi has built a smart healthcare management platform, featuring cloud computing, big data and IoT, enabling hospitals and clinics to provide services based on smart monitoring of blood pressure and glucose levels for residents with chronic illnesses. AstraZeneca Plc applies IoT to diagnosis and treatment around China and set up an innovation center in Wuxi, eyeing the city's advantages on IoT development. "AstraZeneca has established some 1,300 comprehensive diagnostic and treatment centers for respiratory disease and more than 12,000 respiratory clinics in over 260 cities in China," said Leon Wang, executive vice-president of AstraZeneca International. At AstraZeneca's respiratory clinics, patients receive notices about current air conditions from IoT-integrated medical inhalers. Doctors receive patient updates the same way. The AstraZeneca Commercial Innovation Center, located in Xinwu district, is promoting similar IoT-based healthcare that manages the patient journey from prevention to diagnosis, treatment and after-treatment support. "Technology will help provide intelligent and convenient service for all," said Liu Jun, CEO of BayNexus, a Wuxi-based company specializing in smart healthcare. BayNexus has already provided Wuxi No 3 People's Hospital with a smart nursing system using radio frequency identification technology. The system allows nurses to quickly identify each patient by swiping their wrist strap. The patient's diagnosis, medical regimen and realtime symptoms are then displayed. More than 300 domestic hospitals are currently using the system. According to research conducted by Shenzhen-based Qianzhan Industrial Research Institute, the market scale of smart healthcare is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan ($15.32 billion) by 2020. Wuxi is currently administrating nearly 3,000 smart blood and glucose monitors, according to Shen Yanhong, a local medical official quoting a figure from local medical authorities. Wuxi has been devoting itself to smart healthcare research in recent years. The city called together more than 40 domestic smart healthcare experts to issue a white paper on the Medical Internet of Things (2016) last October. The white paper features the current status and development trend of integration between health care and IoT, which is expected to provide references for government decision making and suggestions for hospitals in smart healthcare application. It was in March 2015 that the State Council issued outlines for the development of the national medical and healthcare service system (2015-20), which encouraged the use of the IoT and cloud computing to promote smart healthcare. Also Holding AG, a leading European distributor for information and communication technology (ICT) products and services, expects to help more Chinese technology companies expand their presence in the European market by virtue of their expertise in logistics, marketing and a series of IT solutions and services. Gustavo Moller-Hergt, CEO of Also Holding AG. [Photo provided to China Daily] Gustavo Moller-Hergt, CEO of Also, said there are many opportunities for Chinese startups in the future, adding that his company is willing to offer assistance to entrepreneurs and help them expand in Europe by offering them a customer-focused platform or marketplace. More than 500 vendors, including Huawei, Lenovo, Microsoft and Apple, provide Also with a portfolio of more than 188,000 articlesincluding hardware, software and componentswhich the company's 100,000 buyer partners (including 50,000 resellers) then market to end customers. "Chinese tech companies have a very big market in China, but the European market is very segmented and differentiated, and the customers are sophisticated," said Moller-Hergt, adding they connect IT vendors in China who are eager to sell their products and services overseas with European resellers. He added that if Chinese companies are going to a mature market such as Europe, they should have "strategic patience" as they need to learn about the dynamic of the European market. That market is very different from China's, and their businesses may not grow rapidly there. "We have a very regional approach, and don't have a central office (that) decides everything. For example, we have people in Finland who understand what the Finnish people need." Listed in Switzerland since 1986, Also employs around 3,520 people across 15 European countries. Its offerings cover everything from the supply of hardware, reverse logistics and logistics to cloud products and financing. These services are all available through Also as a market-leading B2B marketplace, which serves as a one-stop-shop for customers. The company earned a net profit of 36.9 million euros ($44.3 million) in the first half of the year, an increase of 32.4 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. "We have all the data to understand the specific needs of resellers in their regions at different times of the year. This allows us to make a very targeted approach to the market. If a vendor wants to go alone and sell his products directly, it mostly involves major investments, high costs and a long learning curve." As one of the most innovative distributors globally, Also is reinventing itself as a "solutions aggregator", a radical departure from its origins as a high-volume, low-margin "box conveyor". BEIJING - China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that national security reviews of foreign investment should not be used as tools of protectionism. The ministry made the remarks after a US federal panel that reviews foreign investment for possible security threats ruled against a Chinese company's proposed purchase of Lattice Semiconductor. China is concerned about the US decision, the ministry's spokesperson Gao Feng told a press conference. Gao said each country has the right to probe foreign investment in sensitive sectors, but that power should not be used as a tool to implement protectionism. A Chinese company acquiring a foreign business is a normal market practice, which should be treated objectively and fairly, Gao said. China hopes other countries can create an equitable and transparent environment for foreign investment, and avoid impacting investors' confidence, he said. BEIJING - China's cabinet has released reform measures to step up support for innovation and entrepreneurship, and improve government service. China will encourage one-stop financing and investment services for medium and small enterprises to expand their funding channels, and enhance credit support for enterprises in science and technology, according to a guideline of the State Council. More efforts will go to protecting intellectual property rights, and a system to ensure research findings are commercialized will be explored. The government will simplify procedures of work permit procedures for high-calibre foreign workers. Foreign students in China who start businesses can apply for residential permit with their diplomas. A long-term system for military and civilian integration will be introduced to accelerate the application of scientific military research findings in civilian fields. The measures will first be implemented in China's eight innovation pilot zones and later be expanded nationwide. Over the past five years, China has made big strides encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship. Through a simpler approval process, lower corporate fees and technology-based services, the government is transforming its functions to let the market play a larger role in the economy. In the first seven months of this year, newly registered foreign-funded companies rose 12 percent year on year to 17,703, as simpler administrative procedures and lower entry barriers attracted businesses. According to a report released by the World Bank, China's ranking in terms of the ease of doing business moved up eight spots every year from 2013 to 2016, while the country's ranking for the ease of starting businesses climbed 31 places during the period. BEIJING - Over the past two years, more and more people have been seen riding yellow bikes on Chinese streets. These bikes are provided by the three-year old bike-sharing company ofo, which raised over $700 million in funding in July. Dai Wei, the company's founder and CEO, established ofo with four other Peking University students, who were all born after 1990. Youth is on their side. China is producing more young entrepreneurs than ever before. The number of students starting businesses right after graduation rose from 1.6 percent in 2011 to 3 percent in 2017, according to a report by MyCOS Research and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. This means that more than 200,000 out of 7.95 million college graduates in 2017 became entrepreneurs. The China College Students' Internet Plus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition has been held for three consecutive years and its popularity is growing fast. More than 1.5 million students from 2,241 universities and colleges took part in 2017. Dai says that the boom in student entrepreneurship is linked to the support of universities and the government. "Peking University cultivated my entrepreneurship. And central government policy supports an environment favorable for making innovations," Dai says. For Zheng Xiaojing, president of Xidian University in northwest China's Shaanxi province, education in innovation and starting a business must be integrated into higher education. "Students' innovative spirit and entrepreneurship need to be inspired by higher education," Zheng says. Xidian University has established spaces where students can put their business ideas into practice. Entrepreneurship and innovation projects, paper publication and academic competitions are included in the university's credit point system. Such novelties in the curriculum have been popularized in higher education institutions nationwide, propelling faculty to adapt to the new environment. The Ministry of Education issued a guideline in 2016, encouraging university teachers to improve their teaching and assessment methods, transform their research into products, or even start their own businesses. By the end of 2016, the number of full-time university and college teachers specializing in innovation and entrepreneurship reached more than 26,000, and the number of part-time tutors stood at over 76,000. Besides education, students need incubators to make their dreams of entrepreneurship come true. Over the past two years, 19 demonstration bases for entrepreneurship and innovation have been set up in universities. Tsinghua University's iCenter is one of these bases. The incubator supports 3,000 students to realize their dream every year. Sichuan University in southwest China's Sichuan province, together with a local bank, established a risk compensation fund worth 12 billion yuan ($1.83 billion). The fund is for college students in Sichuan to take out loans for their business projects. Science and technology parks at various universities have become a hotbed for new high-tech companies, promoting the development of companies and helping the local economy. The country's education sector is sparing no efforts to pave the way for future entrepreneurs. "I think we must, when we are young, do as much as we can to realize our dreams that are of value to the society," Dai says. [Photo/china.com] Alibaba-owned online e-commerce platform Tmall confirmed its new partnership with New York Fashion Week (NYFW) on Wednesday. Tmall, China's largest e-commerce platform, will bring unmatched scale and technology to help US designers and brands reach the Chinese market for the first time. As part of the partnership, Alibaba has selected several US brands, including Opening Ceremony and Robert Geller, to feature in their second annual "See Now-Buy Now" fashion show hosted by Tmall in October. The show will be held in the run-up to the so-called "Singles Day" on November 11 one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Alibaba said the US designers will gain exposure to "the more than 500 million consumers visiting Alibaba's platform." Selected Chinese designers from 2017's "See Now-Buy Now" show will subsequently be highlighted in New York Fashion Week in September 2018. Alibaba has not yet revealed details about the "NYFW: China Day" and the relevant designers. Models present creations of LANYU Spring/Summer 2018 collection during the New York Fashion Week in New York, Sept 11, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] New York has become a key international platform for Chinese designers. For instance, Wang Tao, Shanghai-based designer also known as "China's Queen of the Suit", made her namesake label Taoray Wang a frequenter on the NYFW. Wang, whose exclusive designs attracted a range of fashion elites including China's deputy consul general for New York Zhang Meifang and Tiffany Trump, said that Chinese designers have more of a chance to explore international markets and New York is "very attractive" commercially. In February, the Chinese fashion agency Suntchi signed an agreement, also part of an Alibaba deal, with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to facilitate fashion exchanges between the two countries. Models present creations of LANYU Spring/Summer 2018 collection during the New York Fashion Week in New York, Sept 11, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] There are also an increasing number of Chinese design students flocking to Parsons School of Design, one of the world top fashion schools, each year. The new Alibaba deal came at a time when US fashion brands are striving to capture Chinese consumers' growing appetite for fashion. China plans to open the domestic market wider to foreign investment in the financial and new energy vehicles sectors in coming months, said a spokeswoman with the nation's economic regulator Friday. Meng Wei of the National Development and Reform Commission, said China will open the world's second-largest economy wider to foreign investors, stepping up efforts to attract foreign funds. While foreign direct investment dropped a little in the first eight months compared to the same period last year, China retains strong competitiveness compared to other countries, she said. German industrial group Siemens AG announced Thursday that it has entered into a partnership with Tsinghua University, one of Siemens' center of knowledge interchange universities, to jointly set up a robotics research center in Beijing. "China's digital transformation is already having a profound impact on its economy. With Made in China 2025 and the Belt and Road Initiatives, China intends to upgrade its national industry and boost its global competence through digitalization-focused innovations," said Roland Busch, chief technology officer and member of the managing board of Siemens AG. Siemens is investing heavily in the future of China and partnering with the country and many customers on its way to digitalization, he said. The company said Siemens China will lead the firm's global research in autonomous robotics. As part of the company's innovation strategy to master technology fields that are critical for future success, a global research community comprising experienced experts from around the world will focus on the research and development of new mechatronics systems, human-robot collaboration and the application of artificial intelligence in robotic controllers. Siemens has also teamed up with a number of local governments and 87 local universities and technology institutes in China to conduct scientific research and develop talent. "We're constructing an open, inclusive and trust-based innovation eco-system in China aimed at value co-creation in the digital age," said Lothar Herrmann, CEO Siemens Greater China. "Siemens is bringing the next generation of innovations to life for our customers and society, in China and the world." China has become one of Siemens' largest R&D locations worldwide. In its fiscal year 2016 ended on September 30, 2016, Siemens had over 4,500 R&D researchers and engineers, 20 R&D hubs and more than 11,000 active patents and patent applications in China. An employee works at a JD.com logistic center in Langfang, Hebei province, November 10, 2015.[Photo/Agencies] JD.com Inc, China's second biggest e-commerce player, JD Finance, Thailand's largest retail conglomerate Central Group and Provident Capital announced on Friday an aggregate investment of up to $500 million to establish two joint ventures in Thailand covering e-commerce and financial tech services. Under the terms of the agreement, half of the investment will come from Central Group, with the remainder coming from JD, JD Finance and Provident Capital - which is also JD's strategic partner for its Indonesian e-commerce business. JD.com will provide its extensive expertise in technology, e-commerce and logistics to the joint venture. Meanwhile, the venture will benefit from JD Finance's deep knowledge in the financial technology sector. Central Group will leverage its immense retail resources, including its physical store network, its wealth of brand and merchant relationships, as well as retail behavior insights from its hugely popular customer loyalty program, "The 1 Card." The company will open multiple flagship stores on the e-commerce platform for its department stores and key retail chains, as well as for select brands owned or operated by Central Group. "Thailand's large population and developed infrastructure, including strong national logistics networks, give it tremendous potential for both e-commerce and fintech services," said Liu Qiangdong, JD's chairman and CEO. "Working with Thailand's strongest retail conglomerate, with a massive shopping mall and department store network, gives us a huge competitive advantage as we expand further into Southeast Asia." "Thailand's mobile-driven population, with its increasing consumer spending power, means that e-commerce is ready to explode," said Tos Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer of Central Group."This partnership is poised to capture the country's consumers as they migrate online." Two units under internet giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd are working in tandem to test facial recognition technology that will allow users to unlock delivery drop boxes. Cainiao Network Technology Co Ltd, an Alibaba-backed courier aggregator, is promoting such an application to its partner delivery firms and parcel pickup facility providers in a test run in Shanghai, the company said during a customer conference in Shanghai on Thursday. The technology is provided by Ant Financial Services Group, Alibaba's fintech subsidiary, which since September has enabled customers to pay by literally flashing a smile in a KFC store in Hangzhou, where Alibaba is headquartered. An army of specially equipped kiosks have been installed across five locations at Shanghai's financial district of Lujiazui, with cameras scanning people's faces to verify their identities. The companies plan for a nationwide rollout when the pilot projects mature in the city. In the first instance, the machine would compare the detected face with the image logged by public security authorities, said Chen Jidong, director of biometric identification technology at Ant Financial. To achieve that, users need to subscribe to a service embedded in the Alipay digital wallet, which gives the app the green light to capture their personal information to confirm their identity, he noted. This is possible thanks to 550 million real-name users on Alipay, through which they pay bills, settle traffic fines, manage wealth and get small loans. "The scanning system focuses on your face, so it doesn't matter if you change your makeup or wear a wig," Chen said, adding that multiple tests have been conducted under various environments such as under sunlight or in the dark to ensure a smooth and consistent performance. A demonstration video displayed during the conference suggested the whole process takes roughly five seconds, significantly shortening the conventional method of parcel retrieval by typing in text codes, which normally takes 16 seconds, the companies said. "I would expect this investment and new process to save a substantial amount of time and ensure security," said Zou Jianhua, CEO of Diyi Box, a parcel pickup facility provider. "Just in Shanghai, at least 10,000 parcel pickup locations will be equipped with such functionality in three years." Chen said that the false-acceptance rate, or the chances that the system incorrectly accepts an unauthorized user, should be below 0.001 percent and be further lowered to ensure bank-level security. Shenzhen-based SF Express, a leading Chinese courier that is competing with Cainiao's network, said it is also developing biometric-based technologies to apply to its own parcel pickup cabinets. Chai Hua in Shenzhen contributed to this story. NANNING - Yang Hong, vice-president of Vietnamese footwear company Binh Tien Imex (Biti's) has not missed a single China-ASEAN Expo in 14 years. During the period, Biti's has become an increasingly popular brand in China, with supply often falling short of demand. But at the ongoing 14th China-ASEAN Expo, Yang admits he has worries. "To expand our businesses in China, we have to find bigger, influential partners instead of continuing to rely on small distributors, who often do not enjoy tax advantages and have limited channels to sell," Yang says. One of the solutions is to expand the business online. Yang says the company is already in talks with Chinese e-commerce giants such as Alibaba for potential cooperation. E-commerce could add 1-2 million yuan (about $152,750 to 305,500) to the company's sales every month, Yang says. An increasing number of companies in ASEAN are seeing e-commerce as a new growth engine for China-ASEAN trade. E-commerce giants are also trying to tap into a market with a population of about 2 billion and growing purchasing power. "China and ASEAN has great potential for cooperation in e-commerce," says Qian Keming, China's vice minister of commerce, on the sidelines of the expo, which runs from Tuesday to Friday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Many Chinese e-commerce companies have already launched campaigns in ASEAN, improving bilateral trade. JD.com, for example, sold more than 115,000 Thai durians to Chinese customers in a single day in May, a record on its fresh food e-commerce platform. Suning.com, another e-commerce platform in China, operates a China-ASEAN e-commerce platform, which was established in late 2016. It has had well over 1.2 million orders and sales over 26 million yuan. "For Suning's overseas operation, the Southeast Asia market is of significant strategic value," said Fan Chunyan, vice president of Suning.com. On the sidelines of the expo, the Guangxi branch of China Post signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, promising to sell Malaysian products, including coffee and beauty products, on its e-commerce portal ule.com. Ong Ka Chuan, second minister of the Malaysian International Trade and Industry Ministry, says he believes China's success in e-commerce could assist ASEAN to build a platform for businesses to grow and integrate into the global eco-system. China and ASEAN will have more cooperation opportunities in e-commerce with the help of the Belt and Road Initiative, he says. For e-commerce to further gain steam in ASEAN, many challenges remain, such as in logistics. Tao Yu, vice president of DHGate.com, a cross-border e-commerce site, says customs clearance in some ASEAN countries can still be relatively complicated, requiring local as well as cross-border e-commerce companies to better cope with the issue. Another challenge comes from cross-border payment methods. While third-party mobile and online payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay have gained increasing popularity in China, their presence in ASEAN is still very limited. Pornchai Tarkulwaranont, vice minister of Thailand's Ministry of Science and Technology, says the use of digital currency and online payments is the most important factor to speed up the growth of e-commerce in ASEAN. Advanced technologies such as blockchain are considered as solutions to cross-border payment, and many ASEAN countries, including Thailand, are already experimenting with them, he says. Zhang Yaqin, president of Baidu, makes a speech at the ABC Summit in Beijing on Sept 15, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] China's tech company Baidu has launched ABC Inspire Friday in Beijing, a logo to identify all of its products in artificial intelligence, big data and cloud computing. The announcement was made at the company's annual ABC Summit. Zhang Yaqin, president of Baidu, said that cloud computing has evolved into the "cloud 2.0 era", which features integration with big data and AI. This is distinct from the "Cloud 1.0 era", mainly about infrastructure building and mass services. He added this evolution will influence every industry from top to bottom. Everything, from data to information, to industry insight and to decision-making, will be affected. In addition to the new logo, Baidu also launched an all-in-one, movable machine at the summit for companies in traditional industries including steel, finance and media sectors. The machine will allow the companies to add customized artificial intelligence to their current business. With this machine, which integrates the tech giant's data storage, data processing and cloud computing capabilities, along with its full-stack solution provider ABC Stack, a company can quickly get a deep learning platform, carry Baidu's AI models and train the company's own deep learning models. She Guoping, general manager of Shougang Automation and Information Company Ltd, disclosed that the company, a subsidiary of steel giant Shougang Group, has used such a machine to detect inferior products. The Baidu all-in-one machine predicted that there are 9,714 products up to standard in a 10,000-product sample, Zhang Fa'en, chief architect of Baidu Cloud, said in a real time demonstration at the ABC Summit. Shougang's She later revealed that there are 9,712 such products, based on workers' on-the-spot manual check. Jerry Xie, a market analyst at the Enterprise Research section with IDC China, told chinadaily.com.cn Baidu has been a step ahead of its peers Alibaba and Tencent in exporting its artificial intelligence technologies and branding its combined capacity in ABC. "As far as I know, Baidu is the first to announce such a logo in the AI sector and the first to launch such an end-to-end machine, which could be easily used at traditional companies' own places," Xie said. Externally, this branding move will help Baidu showcase its edge in artificial intelligence and upgrade its previous image as a search engine company and it will help clients have a full picture of what Baidu can do, according to Xie. Internally, this will also help Baidu integrate its own scattered business such as cloud computing and autonomous driving, he added. "Baidu's all-in-one machine, because of its ability to reduce data leakage risks, may well cater to traditional companies'need to leverage AI, big data and cloud computing to optimize their business," Xie said. "There is tremendous potential for AI to be used in the traditional sector, but how to release this potential depends on both the supply side and the demand side," Xie said. "It will depend on whether internet companies such as Baidu can supply suitable products and whether the traditional sector is willing to capture these opportunities from new technology." 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. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 An auto parts technician from Shanghai who claimed that the locking system Mobike uses on its shared bicycles infringed on his patent has lost a lawsuit against the company. Shanghai No 3 Intermediate People's Court on Thursday ruled in favor of Mobike, saying its technical process for unlocking bikes is not the same as the intellectual property held by the plaintiff, identified only as Hu. "Their technical characteristics and the technical paths of unlocking the bikes are different," judge Shang Jiangang said in announcing the verdict. She Yifeng, the attorney for Mobike, had argued that the company's unlocking processwhich involves a Mobike smartphone app, cloud server and lock controller on each vehicle connected by a wireless signalis more complicated than Hu's patent. Hu said he submitted an application to patent his invention for an operation method to unlock bicycles to the State Intellectual Property Office in June 2013, and was awarded the patent in May 2016. He told a court on Aug 16 that the unlocking procedure he invented involved users' smartphones and the vehicles. "When a user scans a QR code with a smartphone to unlock a bicycle, the system will compare the image to the one stored in its database to determine if they are identical. If yes, it will signal the controller to unlock the bicycle," he told the court. He argued that Mobike's lock controlling system has the same technical characteristics as his patent. In April he requested the court to order the company to stop manufacturing shared bikes with such a system, destroy all locks on existing Mobike bicycles and pay 500,000 yuan ($76,300) in compensation. Mobike's attorney told the court that the first step of the bike-sharing company's unlocking process is when a user scans a QR code on the bike with a smartphone and the system sends an unlocking request to the cloud server. "The request includes the user data and the information of this bike. Upon receiving the request, the cloud server will check if the user is qualified. The process will stop for any user with a substandard credit record or who does not have enough money in their prepaid account," She said. If the user is qualified to ride the bike, the cloud server will send a signal to the lock controller on the bike, which will then check if the bike is in good condition to be used, She added. "Bikes that are reported by previous users to be out of order will not be unlocked." Mobike, which began operating in Shanghai in April last year, has distributed more than 7 million bikes in 160 cities on the Chinese mainland and in Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy. The traditional way of harvesting pine cones damages the trees and can be dangerous.[Photo by XU CONGJUN/FOR CHINA DAILY] Yin Yanlei was literally blown away recently when a hydrogen balloon he bought and boarded to pick pine cones from the tops of trees was caught by a strong gust of wind. The 29-year-old farmer from Wangqing county, Jilin province, and his older brother were sitting in the hanging basket under the balloon, while his mother and a helper were on the ground holding the ropes attached to the balloon. But lacking experience, they didn't tie the ropes to trees fast enough. As a strong wind lifted the balloon, they were unable to hold it. Yin's mother was hauled off her feet before falling back to the ground, breaking her leg. Yin's brother jumped out of the basket in time, but Yin failed to do so. "Not knowing where I was going, I was too anxious to enjoy the spectacular forest view below," he said. His biggest fear was that the balloon would take him out of the country, as Wangqing is located on the border of China, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. After drifting for a while, he finally got a signal on his cellphone. "The first call was from my wife, who cried as she spoke, asking me to wait to be rescued and not to jump," he recalled. Thinking of his family and his unborn, second child, he said what were possibly his last words: "I love you. If I survive, my love will last forever; if I don't, please take care of yourself for me." His wife called police for help. Ye Zhenyu, one of the police officers, told the Beijing Morning Post that they had never received an emergency call about such a case before. The police sent out a team of more than 40 officers and seven vehicles, which tracked Yin through his cellphone signal. Meanwhile, they called hydrogen balloon producers for possible solutions, and later told Yin to find tools and cut the balloon. With a piece of iron he broke off from the basket, Yin made three cuts in the balloon and waited for it to drop. After more than two hours in the air, he finally saw his chance and jumped onto a nearby tree. Police officers rushed to his location, some 50 kilometers away from his home, and brought him down. Yin suffered only slight scratches. When asked why he decided to use a hydrogen balloon for pine cone collection, he said he got the idea from other farmers. Wang Mingli, an official with the forestry authority in neighboring Fusong county, said traditionally farmers climb trees and hit pine cones with sticks so that they fall to the ground. "But the trees are tall and those who climb them can be seriously injured if they fall. Every year there are such accidents," Wang said. This way of harvesting pine cones can damage the trees, as the climbers wear shoes with nails in the soles, Yin said. Other methods include using long sticks to hit the pine cones from the ground, but often it is difficult to reach the tops of the trees, Yin said. According to Wang, hydrogen balloons have gradually become a popular collection method with young forest farmers in northern China that is both effective and efficient, although hard to control. When asked if he will try again, Yin said yes. "I have already bought a new balloon for my next harvest. I am willing to give it another try after careful research and study of its operation and safety measures." Li Jiayue contributed to this story. Kerenga Kua RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL WELLINGTON - A leading Papua New Guinea opposition MP has called for government MPs to cross to the other side. Former attorney-general Kerenga Kua said new MPs could be excused for not knowing the real picture before being elected to office but returning MPs are staying with Peter O'Neill for the wrong reasons. He said there was no money in the government coffers and its 100-day plan was ridiculous, given it had been running the country for the past six years and was responsible for where PNG is socially and economically. Mr Kua said crime was out of control in Port Moresby, Lae and Madang. The morale in the police force was at an all-time low because of divisive actions by Commissioner Gari Baki. He said the recent election saw the highest number of deaths and said social unrest would continue because, when a government had compromised itself in the eyes of its people, lawlessness sets in. By Yuan Hui in Hohhot and Zhou Huiying in Harbin | China Daily | Updated: 2017-09-15 09:16 Qiang Shengwu displays his origami works at his home in Yiminhe township, part of Hulunbuir in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo provided to China Daily] Online origami video inspires art master to impart new skills to students Without the use of scissors or glue, Qiang Shengwu, brings different sized sheets of paper to life by folding them into works of art with an incredible ability and a driving passion. Qiang, 40, is an art teacher in a middle school in Yiminhe township, part of Hulunbuir in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. "As an art teacher, I like to collect information about art to show to my students," Qiong said. "In the winter vacation of 2013, I happened upon a video of an origami competition in Japan on the internet." The skill of the competitors amazed him and later he discovered that they were among the leading origami practitioners in Japan. "I still remember the work in the final," he said. "A competitor created a scene involving waves, a fishing boat, fish and an old fisherman by folding a single piece of paper measuring 3 square meters. "It's common to see origami cranes, airplanes, boats or even flowers, but I couldn't imagine such a complicated work could be made of paper." Qiang became obsessed with origami and devoted most of his spare time to it. "I began to collect everything about origami and learn how to fold paper through videos on the internet," he said. "Fortunately, due to my artistic ability, I didn't spend much time getting the hang of the basics." After a year's practice, he decided to try to make a copy of Ryujin - a Chinese dragon - a creation by Kamiya Satoshi, a master in Japan who has achieved international fame. "Folding takes much longer than you expect, usually dozens of days for a work like Ryujin," he said. "But it was an exciting moment when I finished it for the first time, even though it could't compare with Kamiya Satoshi's original work." After years of practicing origami, he developed a new understanding of the art. "Anybody can work out a basic design according to a crease pattern, but I think it is more important to think of how to create emotion from paper," he said. "Each piece has its own unique character and the intricate detail cannot be repeated." He has made a dozen copies of Ryujin over the years and, to him, each is different. An inspector checks the chimney of a canteen in Beijing last week after an automated monitoring system sent out an alert. The chimney was found without filters.[Photo by QIN SHENGNAN/FOR CHINA DAILY] PM2.5 concentration, number of heavily polluted days to be cut 15% With smog hitting the northern regions before the weekend, Hebei province has vowed to take tough measures against air pollution, which is expected to be serious this winter. The smog, which usually occurs in late autumn and winter, had already returned to the region by early September, and the governments of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei have moved to control it. On Thursday, Hebei said that from Oct 1 to March 31 the average level of PM2.5 - particulate matter that poses health hazards - and the number of days of heavy smog in major cities would be cut by 15 percent year-on-year. The nationally significant Xiongan New Area, whose creation was announced in April, was told to cut by 20 percent. The province imposed 40 tough, new measures to reduce emissions from sources including coal burning, vehicle exhaust, heavy industry and construction activity. Around 1.8 million rural households will be equipped with natural gas and electrical facilities for heating and cooking by the end of October, replacing highly polluting coal. "The tasks are very difficult, but we have to try everything to do that, otherwise the annual target cannot be reached," said Yin Guangping, deputy head of the province's environmental protection bureau. The latest data from the Hebei Environmental Protection Bureau showed that the province's average level of PM2.5 in the air from January to August was 66 micrograms per cubic meter - 11.9 percent more than last year. PM2.5 density decreased only in Chengde and Hengshui cities, while increasing sharply in 12 other cities in the province during the same period, far from its target of a 6 percent reduction. Soaring PM2.5 levels were mainly caused by frequent windless weather and more production activities that discharged pollutants, said Xie Wenyong, deputy head of the bureau's atmospheric environment management division. He said that strict measures imposed in the past to reduce emissions couldn't be implemented thoroughly because governments at the grassroots level tend to go easy on polluting companies. To make sure the new measures are carried out thoroughly, the Hebei Environmental Law Enforcement Bureau sent out 30 teams across the province to supervise related government organs and companies. Illegal activities will be stopped immediately and people involved in those activities will be punished harshly, said Liu Jia, an official at the bureau. "If the measures are implemented to the maximum degree, air quality in the coming months will be better than last year," Yin said. Xu Qin, governor of Hebei, vowed at a meeting on Wednesday that the government would "seize every minute to fight against pollution" and "try its best to reach the target". A worker connects a light bulb with a plug to a socket that is submerged in water.[Photo by HUANG ZHILING/CHINA DAILY] Zhou Gang turned on the shower and aimed the stream of water at an electrical outlet connected to a water heater in a simulated bathroom. The heater kept working, and he didn't get a shock. Near the bathroom, a woman connected a light bulb with a plug to a socket that had been submerged in a cylinder of water. No short circuit resulted. The bulb stayed on. And she wasn't shocked, even when she reached into the water to disconnect the bulb. The demonstrations took place during a recent visit to a showroom at Chengdu ArGangle Technology, in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Zhou, 32, is the chairman of ArGangle, which focuses on the research and development of insulated electrical technology. A native of Chengdu, Zhou suffered from an electric shock as a child. Because of his interest in electricity, he suspended his studies at the Nanchang Institute of Technology in Jiangxi province after one year and returned to Sichuan to set up his company 10 years ago. The company has now developed an electrical concept known as an "insulated electricity connection", which can connect to an outlet in water without causing an electric shock or shorting out. The secret? There is an insulating material in each socket. Zhou said they will be sold for 85 yuan ($13) apiece when they appear on the market at the end of this year. Zhou patented the insulated connection in China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States. He obtained additional patent protection from 95 national signatories to the patent cooperation treaty. Wang Zhongcheng, deputy Party chief of Pidu district in Chengdu, said the district government has signed an agreement with ArGangle to jointly build an insulated electricity connection base. A plant for manufacturing outlets using the insulated connection has been built on 5 hectares in Pidu. "When the plant starts production at the end of this year, it is expected to produce up to 20 million socket outlets a year," Wang said. 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 is now also 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 - The following is a number of anecdotes from the TV series on Chinese President Xi Jinping's foreign visits over the past five years: At the invitation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Xi visited the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, and gave a keynote speech at Palace of Nations on Jan. 18, 2017. By using a local metaphor, Xi expounded on the need for the world to work together to build a community of shared future for mankind. Xi said "When I first got one Swiss army knife, I was amazed that it has so many functions. I cannot help thinking how wonderful it would be if an exquisite Swiss army knife could be made for our world." "When there is a problem, we can use one of the tools on the knife to fix it. I believe that with unremitting efforts of the international community, such a knife can be made," he added. Xi called for building a world of lasting peace through dialogue and consultation, building a world of common security for all through joint efforts, building a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation, building an open and inclusive world through exchanges and mutual learning and making our world clean and beautiful by pursuing green and low-carbon development. "Building a community of shared future is an exciting goal, and it requires efforts from generation after generation," Xi said. "China is ready to work with all the other UN member states as well as international organizations and agencies to advance the great cause of building a community of shared future for mankind." 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 is also 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 - The following are a selection of keywords concerning China's foreign policy and related explanations: G20 SUMMIT IN HANGZHOU The 11th Group of 20 (G20) summit was held in China's eastern city of Hangzhou on Sept. 4-5, 2016. Themed "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy," the summit aims to implement the consensuses reached at former G20 summits, and stress innovation, reform and development. Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the G20 Hangzhou Summit that G20 members should strengthen their coordination on macroeconomic policies, jointly promote growth and safeguard financial stability, and innovate their growth patterns and explore new growth engines. G20 members should improve global economic governance and mechanism guarantee, build an open world economy and continue to promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, he said. ROADMAP OF FTAAP IN BEIJING The vision to build the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), proposed at the Hanoi summit in 2006, was translated into reality at the 2014 APEC Summit in Beijing with the endorsement of a roadmap. A manifestation of China's steadfast effort to promote globalization, the FTAAP has been envisioned as a major instrument for realizing Asia-Pacific economic integration and is expected to serve as a role model for globalization by injecting vitality into the world economy and rekindling enthusiasm for free trade. The FTAAP has been hailed as "a strategic initiative critical for the long-term prosperity of the Asia-Pacific" by President Xi, who also called for a firm pursuit of the trade arrangement as an institutional mechanism to ensure an open economy in the Asia-Pacific. 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 is now also 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 - The following is a selection of remarks on maintaining peace in the South China Sea made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and a former state councilor. Xi is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. "The South China Sea islands have been China's territory since ancient times. It is the bounded duty of the Chinese government to uphold China's territorial sovereignty and legitimate maritime right and interests." (Excerpts from Xi's speech at the National University of Singapore in 2015) "China will continue to seek resolution of the disputes through negotiations and consultations with countries directly involved on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international laws." (Excerpts from Xi's speech at the National University of Singapore in 2015) China will work with Southeast Asian nations to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation. (Excerpts from Xi's speech at the opening ceremony of the fifth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia held in Beijing in April, 2016) "We in China would not be intimidated by the U.S. actions, not even if the United States sent all 10 aircraft carriers to the South China Sea." (Dai Bingguo, former Chinese state councilor, told a conference at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank in 2016) Xiongan New Area in Hebei province is preparing to establish a committee for assigning names to places and facilities in the area, in an aim to set normative guidelines for the names. The team will be made up of local cultural celebrities, experts and government officials, according to the administrative committee of Xiongan New Area. They will set standards and provide guidance on assigning names and finalizing signs for local places and facilities, including blocks, streets, parks, squares, communities, and buildings in Xiongan. "Xiongan is like a blank sheet of paper, on which we can draw beautiful pictures," said Liu Baoling, executive deputy director of the committee. He said it is of great significance to name the places and facilities, which should pass on the local culture. A netizen who has lived in Xiongan for 29 years said the naming of streets in Xiongan should not copy other places, and should have the characteristics of local history. "I hope the committee can listen to advice from local residents who know the area better than anybody else," the internet user said. In April, the central government announced plans for setting up Xiongan New Area to further push forward the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. The area covers Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties and is about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. Contact the writer at: zhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn China Foreign Trade Center(CFTC) and Zhanjiang municipal government signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on Sept 15. Photo provided to China Daily. The China Foreign Trade Center (CFTC) and Zhanjiang municipal government signed a strategic cooperation agreement on Sept 15 to upgrade the China Marine Economy Expo, which is held annually in the city in Guangdong province. Sponsored by the State Oceanic Administration and Guangdong provincial government, the expo is the only State-level comprehensive marine-themed expo. With the cooperation, the Zhanjiang municipal government hopes to turn the expo into a more professional and international event, said Zheng Renhao, the Party Secretary of Zhanjiang Municipal Committee. It has become an important promotional platform for implementing the Belt and Road Initiative and developing maritime economy, said Li Jinqi, director of China Foreign Trade Center. China Foreign Trade Center is the organizer of China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, the largest trade fair in the country. It has been staged 121 times. Zheng Renhao, the Party Secretary of Zhanjiang Municipal Committee, delivers a speech. Photo provided to China Daily. Canton Fair is also devoted to deepening economic cooperation with countries related to the Belt and Road Initiative, Li said. Through consolidating resources and complementing advantages, the two fairs are expected to achieve positive results. The fourth session of China Marine Economy Expo will be held in Zhanjiang from Dec 14 through Dec 17. Liang Xiaoping's exhibition opens at the Overseas Chinese History Museum in Beijing, Sept 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] An exhibition of calligraphy and poems by Liang Xiaoping, a pioneering Australian Chinese artist, greet art lovers in Beijing on Sept 15 at the Overseas Chinese History Museum. With her versatility and devotion, Liang has gained achievements in calligraphy, poetry and academics over the past 30 years. She is also the first Chinese-Australian artist to exhibit at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. Her artworks have toured in the United States, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong. Many celebrities, including former First Lady of Australia Annita Keating and Liang Yusheng, a top Chinese novelist of the Wuxia (martial arts and chivalry) genre, study calligraphy with her. This exhibit features more than 300 pieces, among which are three renditions of the Thousand Character Text, an ancient Chinese poem containing 1,000 different characters, and her poetry dedicated to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games written on a 32-panel folding screen. Zhongguancun and Iran business incubator confirm cooperation ( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2017-09-15 Zhongguancun Maker Town signed a cooperation agreement with the Iran Innovation & Entrepreneurship Incubator on Sept 11, strengthening the implementation of county's Belt and Road Initiative. Huang Ying, deputy director of Zhongguancun Science Park, General Manager of Beijing Maker Town Technology Enterprise Hu Kun and the founder of the Iran business incubator carried out discussions at the signing ceremony about personnel training, business startup incubation and technology achievements transformation. Providing business startup services, the maker town currently owns a 23,000-square-meter business incubation area with over 2,700 public rental houses. With over 300 startup groups entering the town, the maker town covers various industries including Internet Plus, artificial intelligence, health and online education. To provide better living conditions to its business starters, the town constructed the country's first public rental service specially catered to startups, offering a total of 2,772 furnished flats and 22,800 square meters of office spaces. The occupancy rate of the rental housing reached 70 percent this September. So how is PNG going towards meeting this goal? This graph shows PNGs progress in improving its Human Development Index (this is a composite index of factors such as life expectancy, education, and incomes). The visions primary measurement indicator is we will be ranked in the top 50 in the United Nations Human Development Index by 2050. A good benchmark for measuring progress is PNGs Vision 2050 document. This set out a blueprint for making PNG a smart, wise, happy and fair society by 2050. CANBERRA - 16 September 2017 marks Papua New Guineas 42nd anniversary of independence. How have things been going? Since the 2050 Vision document was released in 2010, PNG had its lowest rate of improvement since 1990. After doing well in the early 1990s and during the 2000s, PNG has gone back to even worse rates of development than the disastrous late 1990s. To meet the goal of being in the top 50, PNG needs to move from its 154th ranking of 188 countries in 2010 and jump forward by at least two places every year. So from 2011 to 2015, did PNG jump some 10 positions? No, it stayed exactly in 154th position by 2015 (the latest available data). Indeed, it is now in equal 154th position as Zimbabwe has moved forward and it now ranked exactly the same as PNG. PNG is in the bottom 20% of countries and not moving forward. This is not good news. Vision 2050 also focuses on measuring changes in household disposable income a good measure of economic progress according to Sarkozy-Stiglitz Commission. The best available proxy for this is tracking changes in real non-resource GDP per capita. As shown in this graph, this metric has actually fallen by over 40% since 1980. Clearly, something is wrong. PNGs development is going poorly relative to other countries and its own history, and has gone backwards very significantly in key indicators such as household incomes. So what can be done? There are some positive messages from the new government that it is looking for more inclusive growth. There is growing recognition that more work is needed in growing the agriculture sector and other non-resource sectors such as tourism. The resource sector needs to contribute more and PNG has to stop giving such significant tax, land and other concessions to big resource companies (including in the forestry sector). However, the new government has one hand tied behind its back because of the poor foreign exchange policies imposed by the Bank of PNG governor Loi Bakani. These are killing imports, exports and foreign investment. The best hope at this stage, and it is my hope for PNG on this independence day, that PNGs leaders reach out to the international community for help. Other countries such as Mongolia in similar circumstances have been able to receive $US440 million in IMF funding and an estimated additional $US5.5 billion in additional cheap loan and grant assistance (much cheaper and transparent than Credit Suisse). A similar $US6 billion assistance package for PNG could become a vital bridge to help adjust the budget for the dramatic falls in revenues, to move away from central bank deficit financing, and to deal with the crushing foreign exchange shortages. The policy conditions around these packages are now very different from the more austere approaches of the late 1990s the Asian Financial Crisis and the Global Financial Crisis have taught the IMF some lessons. Trying to do it alone will only cause much greater pain for the people of PNG. PNG should approach the international community at this time of economic and social difficulties for a $US6 billion birthday present. PNG has such tremendous potential and opportunities. It needs to tap more into its leading strengths in areas such as cultural diversity, bio-diversity and the extraordinary strengths of its people, including its women. May the next five years be better than the last five for true inclusive growth, and not just a big GDP number. Happy Independence Day Papua New Guinea! Workers at a steel factory in Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo/China Daily] Northeast China, the one-time industrial base that had been struggling with low economic growth over the past years, is showing initial signs of an economic turnaround thanks to the ongoing economic structural adjustments. But to correct its economic and industrial structural imbalances, the region has to implement sweeping reforms and build an economic development model that is driven by technological innovations. An innovation-driven economy is essentially a talent-driven economy. But the lack of enthusiasm among researchers in Northeast China due to systemic or institutional constraints, such as the lack of a scientific research appraisal system, problematic management of research funds and relatively low salaries of researchers, is preventing its innovation potential from being realized. For long, the educators in Northeast China have put emphasis on the "quantity" rather than the quality of research works and the authorities have not made enough efforts to convert the academic seeds into economic fruits. Researchers, especially young ones and those associated with "less prestigious" institutions of higher learning, have been struggling to cope with the shortage of research funds, which, along with the rigid research expense reimbursement procedure, has dampened their zeal to apply for research work. To change this faulty academic evaluation system and boost the morale of researchers and potential researchers and, encourage innovations, Northeast China should first improve its academic assessment system, so that research works can be scientifically evaluated. The region should also try to reform its existing research fund management system and streamline its research expense reimbursement procedure to inject new vitality into the academic domain. Moreover, the authorities in Northeast China should also take immediate measures to accord due importance to researchers, and raise their salaries and allowances so that they can lead a decent and dignified life, which would make them more dedicated to their work. -GMW.CN EAST CHINA'S ZHEJIANG PROVINCE has made traditional Chinese medicine a compulsory subject for grade 5 students. On Monday, local media outlets said TCM textbooks are being printed and will soon be dispatched to the primary schools. Jfdaily comments: Zhejiang is the first province to make TCM a compulsory subject in schools. According to reports, the province even plans to introduce the course in middle schools, and many middle school teachers are undergoing training at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University to learn how to teach TCM to young children. The move has aroused mixed feelings among netizens. Some say TCM is empirical in nature, that is, based on practical experience, not scientific proof. Others fear that some students might try some unproven herbs to cure an ailment. Such doubts are unnecessary because the TCM course in the primary schools will be mainly about how to prevent diseases and stay healthy. Besides, national policies support the popularization of TCM knowledge among primary and secondary school students. Last year, the State Council, China's Cabinet, issued a five-year plan for the strategic development of TCM, which emphasized that knowledge about TCM should be spread to campuses. Of course, teaching TCM in primary schools is a major challenge. Part of the TCM knowledge is linked with superstitions because our ancestors had limited knowledge of the world and our bodies. These parts should be dropped from the primary school course. Which would require local education authorities to train the teachers to teach TCM in the spirit of modern science. TCM is part of traditional Chinese culture and we should not be shy of our past, but its teaching method should be scientific. Faith leaders place their hands on the shoulders of US President Donald Trump as he takes part in a prayer for those affected by Hurricane Harvey in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, US, September 1, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] In mid-August, President Donald Trump asked US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, a Ronald Reagan administration trade hawk, to open an investigation into China's intellectual property practices. And the first public hearing on China's trade conduct is scheduled for Oct 10 in Washington. As Lighthizer initiated the investigation, he seized the notorious Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974, which in the 1980s was used against Japan, and which Japan and the European Union regarded as a violation of World Trade Organization rules. Instead of free trade, it represents "aggressive unilateralism" and authorizes retaliatory tariffs. Lighthizer draws from the highly partisan US Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, which was mobilized in the early 2010s amid the rise of China's indigenous innovation and foreign investment. Using contested estimates, the commission assumes IP theft could be between $225 billion and $600 billion a year in counterfeit goods, pirated software and theft of trade secrets. As a result, it advocates more aggressive policy enforcement "to protect American IP". Essentially, the US' IP narrative claims the Chinese government forces US companies to relinquish its IP to China. The narrative is consistent with Trump's "America First" policy and it has been quoted uncritically by the media but it is deeply flawed. While foreign companies in China are often warned not to part with "too much" in technology transfer and IP deals, they are not forced by the Chinese government or other interested parties into those deals. Moreover, in contested legal cases, the Chinese government has often supported foreign companies. As The Wall Street Journal reported last year, when foreign companies sue in Chinese courts, they typically win. From 2006 to 2014, foreign plaintiffs won more than 80 percent of their patent-infringement suits against Chinese companies, virtually the same rate as domestic plaintiffs. For years, foreign multinationals have effectively exchanged their technology expertise for market share in China. The rush of IP companies to China intensified a decade ago amid the global crisis, when the Silicon Valley giant Intel opened a $2.5 billion wafer fabrication foundry in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning province. As advanced economies struggled with stagnation, China continued to grow vigorously. So the bet proved very lucrative. At that time, Craig Barrett was Intel's chairman. Today Barrett is one of the five commissioners of the US IP Commission which portrays the US as a victim of massive IP fraud. Not surprisingly, some US observers see the Trump administration's IP investigation as less a scrutiny of forced technology transfers than a negotiation ploy. In reality, much of China's IP progress can be attributed to past technology transfers and the government's huge investment in science and technology. And as Chinese companies have moved up the value-added chain, they stress the need for IP protection, particularly patents. In 2006, I wrote in the prestigious US foreign policy journal The National Interest that emerging Chinese multinationals were "no longer satisfied with imitating. Instead, they seek to convert cost advantages to more sustainable competitive advantagesoften through innovation." Few took the contention seriously then. Typically, the Trump IP debacle is escalating as Chinese companies join the global rivalry for cutting-edge innovation. In terms of the number of total patent applications, China's share has exploded. Two decades ago, it was far behind the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Germany, the world's leading patent players. Now it is ahead of all of them. But in these rivalries, not all patents are of equal value. The so-called triadic patents, which are registered in the US, the EU and Japan to protect the same invention, tend to be the most valuable commercially and globally. In triadic patents, too, China's patent power has increased dramatically and will surpass that of the ROK and Germany soon. The patents of Japan and the US peaked around 2005-06. Despite some progress, US patents are still 15 percent below their peak, whereas those of China have increased more than sixfold in the past decade. Since patent competition is accumulative, catch-up requires time. But here's the thing: If, for instance, US and Chinese triadic patents would increase in the future as they have in the past five years, China could surpass the US by the late 2020s. And perhaps that's why Trump is targeting China's IP today. However, neither innovation nor intellectual property is an exclusive privilege of the West. The author is the founder of Difference Group and has served as research director at the India, China and America Institute (USA) and visiting fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (China) and the EU Centre (Singapore). My discovery on a trip last week to Bozeman, Montana, was not the Yellowstone National Park nearby, but the huge potential for China-US agricultural trade and cooperation. It was also a feeling Montana ranchers and farmers shared at an agricultural forum with Chinese embassy officials and business leaders in the backyard of Morgan Ranch House. The host, Craig Morgan, was excited about the prospect that quality feeder cattle raised on his open country ranch may finally end up on Chinese dinner tables after China lifted a 14-year ban on the import of beef from the United States. As the world's second-largest beef importer, China imported about $2.5 billion worth of beef last year. Still, the per capita beef consumption in China is only 5 kilograms a year compared with the world average of 10 kg. So if China's per capita beef consumption increases to 10 kg, it will need an additional 6.5 million tons of beef a year to meet the demand. The fast-growing middle class in China, estimated at 300 millionalmost equal to the US' populationis craving for quality food products from the US and other countries, a craving further fuelled by food safety concerns in China in recent years. Those representing Montana farms, as in other US agricultural states, are already reaping the benefits of the rising demands in China, as it was the top destination for US agricultural exports last year, with a total value of $21.4 billion. The trajectory looks encouraging as the export of US agricultural goods to China grew 219 percent from 2006 to last year. "Cultivating Opportunity: The Benefits of Increased US-China Agricultural Trade", a US Chamber of Commerce report released last November, predicted an additional cumulative gain of $28 billion in bilateral agricultural trade in the 2016-25 period if the two sides reduce or remove some of their tariff and non-tariff barriers. The US, as an advanced economy, has much to offer in modernizing China's agricultural sector. It means big business for US agricultural machinery and expertise. That is why US Senator Steve Daines from Montana is strongly opposed to even the idea of a trade war between the two countries, which he believes will cause US farmers and ranchers the maximum loss. The mood outside Washington is often different. At the Montana forum, farmers and ranchers discussed with Chinese participants how to expand practical cooperation, promote Montana beef in China and establish joint food processing ventures. US provincial and local leaders, such as governors and mayors, have always been interested in expanding practical cooperation with China, in sharp contrast to many politicians in Washington. A US-China Business Council report released on Sept 7 showed that 432 of the total 435 US congressional districts have seen triple-digit growth in the export of goods and services to China since 2006. China was among the top three goods-export markets for 263 districts last year, and among the top five for 358 districts. It was also the top services-export market for 93 congressional districts in 2015 and among the top five markets for 399 districts. Outside Washington, it's all about down-to-earth business without even a hint of politics. In Washington, in contrast, President Donald Trump's administration launched an investigation under Section 301 of the US Trade Law of 1974 into China's intellectual property practices last month and threatened recentlyafter the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conducted its sixth nuclear testto stop trading with any country that continues to have trade ties with the DPRK, triggering fears of a trade war between the world's two largest economies. China and the US are like great natural partners for agricultural trade and cooperation, and no one should spoil that equation. The author is deputy editor of China Daily USA. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com A pile of newly minted bitcoins arranged for a photograph in Sandy, Utah, in the United States. [Provided to China Daily] One factor could further destabilize an already-tenuous leverage- and liquidity-based system: digital currencies. And policymakers and regulators have far less control on this factor. The concept of private crypto-currencies was born of mistrust of official money. In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto the mysterious creator of bitcoin, the first decentralized digital currency described it as a "purely peer-to-peer version of electronic cash", which "would allow online payments to be sent directly from one party to another without going through a financial institution". A working paper by the International Monetary Fund last year distinguished digital currency (legal tender that could be digitized) from virtual currency (non-legal tender). Bitcoin is a crypto-currency, or a kind of virtual currency that uses cryptography and distributed ledgers (the blockchain) to keep transactions both public and fully anonymous. However you slice it, the fact is, nine years after Nakamoto introduced bitcoin, the concept of private electronic money is poised to transform the financial market landscape. This month, the value of bitcoin reached $4,483, with a market cap of $74.5 billion, more than five times larger than at the beginning of 2017. Whether this is a bubble, destined to burst, or a sign of a more radical shift in the concept of money, the implications for central banking and financial stability will be profound. At first, central bankers and regulators were rather supportive of the innovation represented by bitcoin, and the blockchain that underpins it. It is difficult to argue that people should not be allowed to use a privately created asset to settle transactions without the involvement of the state. But national authorities were wary of potential illegal uses of such assets, reflected in the bitcoin-enabled, dark-web marketplace called "Silk Road", a clearinghouse for, among other things, illicit drugs. Silk Road was shut down in 2013, but more such marketplaces have sprung up. When the bitcoin exchange Mt Gox failed in 2014, some central banks, such as the People's Bank of China, started discouraging the use of bitcoin. By November 2015, the Bank for International Settlements' Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures, made up of 10 major central banks, launched an in-depth examination of digital currencies. But the danger of crypto-currencies extends beyond facilitation of illegal activities. Like conventional currencies, crypto-currencies have no intrinsic value. But, unlike official money, they also have no corresponding liability, meaning that there is no institution like a central bank with a vested interest in sustaining their value. Instead, crypto-currencies function based on the willingness of people engaged in transactions to treat them as "negotiable instruments". With the value of the proposition depending on attracting more and more users, crypto-currencies take on the quality of a Ponzi scheme. As the scale of crypto-currency usage expands, so do the potential consequences of a collapse. Already, the market capitalization of crypto-currencies amounts to nearly one-tenth the value of the physical stock of official gold, with the capability to handle significantly larger payment operations, owing to low transaction costs. That means crypto-currencies are already systemic in scale. There is no telling how far this trend will go. Technically, the supply of crypto-currencies is infinite: bitcoin is capped at 21 million units, but this can be increased if a majority of "miners" (who add transaction records to the public ledger) agree. Demand is related to the mistrust of conventional stores of value. If people fear that excessive taxation, regulation, or social or financial instability places their assets at risk, they will increasingly turn to crypto-currencies. Last year's IMF report indicated that crypto-currencies have already been used to circumvent exchange and capital controls in China, Cyprus, Greece, and Venezuela. For countries subject to political uncertainty or social unrest, crypto-currencies offer an attractive mechanism of capital flight, exacerbating the difficulties of maintaining domestic financial stability. Moreover, while the state has no role in managing crypto-currencies, it will be responsible for cleaning up any mess left by a burst bubble. And, depending on where and when a bubble bursts, the mess could be substantial. In advanced economies with reserve currencies, central banks may be able to mitigate the damage. The same may not be true for emerging economies. An invasive plant species does not pose an immediate threat to the largest trees in the forest. But it doesn't take long for less-developed systems the saplings on the forest floor to feel the effects. Crypto-currencies are not merely new invasive species to watch with interest; central banks must act now to rein in the very real threats they pose. Andrew Sheng is a distinguished Fellow at the Asia Global Institute at the University of Hong Kong and a member of the UNEP Advisory Council on Sustainable Finance. And Xiao Geng, president of the Hong Kong Institution for International Finance, is a professor at the University of Hong Kong. Project Syndicate Night scenery of Nanning city, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Since May 2016, Chinese tourists can apply for a visa on arrival with a 14-day stay. Direct flights have been launched between Brunei and the Chinese cities of Zhengzhou, Kunming and Nanning.[Photo/Xinhua] Vincent Hou, a tour guide from Brunei, speaks Mandarin thanks to practicing with Chinese tourists. "I can speak Cantonese, Hakka, Malay, English and Mandarin, so it's no wonder that I had an accent when speaking Mandarin. But my customers from the Chinese mainland, especially the elderly, often corrected me," said Hou, whose father comes from Fujian province and mother comes from Guangdong province. It was the first time Brunei-based Borneo Trekker Travel, Hou's employer, has attended the China-ASEAN Expo, where Brunei is this year's Country of Honor. One theme of the event is tourism, as this year marks the China-ASEAN Year of Tourism. Hou led a growing number of Chinese tour groups in Brunei in the past year or two, thanks to more direct flights between the two countries and easier access to Brunei. Since May 2016, Chinese tourists can apply for a visa on arrival with a 14-day stay. Direct flights have been launched between Brunei and the Chinese cities of Zhengzhou, Kunming and Nanning. "My Chinese customers love islands, but think Thailand and Malaysia are overcrowded. Brunei is a good choice," Hou said. "It is tranquil. There are no bars or KTVs in this Muslim country." Like Hou, many of those involved in the tourism industry in Southeast Asian countries have benefited from the China-ASEAN tourism boom. Nearly 8,800 travel agencies in nine ASEAN countries are approved to receive Chinese tourists, according to a report published at the expo. In 2016, more than 30 million trips were made between China and ASEAN countries, compared with 10 million in 2011. The two are each other's largest overseas tourist destinations and largest sources of tourists, said the report on bilateral cooperation in tourism. The rapid expansion of China-ASEAN tourism has pushed ahead with the regional economic integration, said Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen when addressing the opening ceremony of the expo. "The development of tourism has also promoted communication of peoples' hearts." About 830,000 Chinese tourists visited Cambodia last year, up over 20 percent year-on-year, becoming the second largest group of foreign tourists for the country. Hun Sen said tourism remains a pillar industry for Cambodia, and it has created jobs and helped its people cast off poverty. Favorable visa polices and improved traffic are behind the prosperity of China-ASEAN tourism, said Dai Bin, head of China Tourism Academy. In Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, a Chinese tourist can enjoy a one-day tour of Dongxing and neighboring Mong Cai in Vietnam by showing only his or her ID card. Self-driving trips between the two cities were allowed in 2016. From January to June, nearly 368,000 cross-border trips were made via Dongxing, up 17.8 percent year-on-year. TOKYO - The Japanese government on Friday said a ballistic missile launched from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had flown over northern Japan and fallen into the Pacific Ocean. The government said the missile landed around 2,000 kilometers east off the cape of Erimo in Hokkaido at around 7:16 am local time. The launch came after the UN Security Council voted in favor of a resolution toughening sanctions on the DPRK following its sixth nuclear test on Sept 3. Regarding the latest launch, Japan has condemned the DPRK's "excessive provocation" in the strongest terms, government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga said Friday. US President Donald Trump (3rd L) and First Lady Melania Trump (2nd L) view Hurricane Irma damage to homes in Naples, Florida, US Sept 14, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] FORT MYERS, Fla. - US President Donald Trump arrived in storm-ravaged Florida on Thursday to survey the damage wrought by Hurricane Irma, the second major storm to hit the United States this year, which killed dozens and has left millions without power. Trump's visit comes the day after police in Hollywood, Florida, launched an criminal investigation into a nursing home where eight patients died after the facility lost power and continued to operate with little or no air conditioning in sweltering heat. The death toll from Irma stood at 81 on Thursday, with several hard-hit Caribbean islands including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands accounting for more than half of the fatalities. Florida officials including Governor Rick Scott and US Senator Marco Rubio greeted Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in Fort Myers, Florida. The president was due to meet with officials running the disaster response before heading to Naples, near where Irma first reached the mainland United States on Sunday. "Let's go see how we're doing because I think we're doing a good job in Florida," Trump told reporters in Fort Myers after fielding questions about a potential deal with Democratic lawmakers on protections for illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children. The visit marked Trump's third visit to a storm-hit part of the United States in the past three weeks, following two visits to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey's record flooding. It was seen as a clear bid to avoid the criticism that Republican President George W. Bush received for his administration's slow and inefficient response to 2005's Hurricane Katrina. That storm killed 1,800 people around New Orleans. Firefighters and medics responding to an emergency call in Hollywood north of Miami found three people dead inside a building whose second floor the police chief later described as "extremely hot." Hollywood, Florida, officials said eight people between the ages of 71 and 99 died at the for-profit Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, but the causes were not yet determined. An investigation of possible criminal negligence was underway, Hollywood Police Chief Tomas Sanchez told reporters. Irma rampaged through the Caribbean, devastating several islands and raking the northern shore of Cuba last week. It barreled into the Florida Keys island chain on Sunday, packing sustained winds of up to 130 miles per hour (215 km per hour) before plowing up the Gulf Coast of the state and dissipating. In addition to severe flooding across Florida and extensive property damage in the Keys, residents faced widespread power outages that initially plunged more than half the state into darkness. Some 3.1 million homes and businesses, representing close to one-third of the state's population, were without power on Thursday in Florida and neighboring states. Some 20 percent of Florida's gas stations had no fuel on Thursday, down from a peak of 46 percent, according to fuel information service Gas Buddy. Total insured losses from the storm are expected to run about $25 billion, including $18 billion in the United States and $7 billion in the Caribbean, catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Co estimated on Wednesday. About 25 percent of homes in the Keys were destroyed and 65 percent heavily damaged, according to federal officials. The Keys stretch nearly 100 miles (160 km) into the Gulf of Mexico from Florida's southern tip, connected by a single highway and series of bridges. Irma hit Florida about two weeks after Hurricane Harvey plowed into Houston, killing about 60 people and causing some $180 billion in damage, mostly from flooding. Reuters President Xi Jinping (R) and his US counterpart Donald Trump (2nd R) take a walk to further discuss bilateral cooperation issues in the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the United States, April 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would visit China in November, and First Lady Melania Trump is expected to accompany him, according to White House and State Department sources. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump said he will visit China, Japan and South Korea in November. "It will be a busy 10 days," he said, referring to his first Asia trip, which may also include Vietnam, according to a press gaggle from the White House. It would be the first state visit to China made by President Trump since he took office in January. He will be the second US president ever to pay a state visit to China within the first year of his presidency, following the November 2009 China visit by then president Barack Obama. It was not immediately clear what would be on President Trump's agenda. On Tuesday, US State Secretary Rex Tillerson said Trump is looking forward to his visit to China, during which he will map out the future development of China-US relations with his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping. Both Tillerson and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi have said that the two countries will work together to make Trump's visit a success. Analysts in Washington and Beijing have said trade and security issues, including the Korean Peninsula situation, will be highlighted during the trip. The visit will come just weeks after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, a once-in-five-year meeting scheduled for Oct 18 that will steer the development of the world's second-largest economy in the coming years. US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told a news briefing on Wednesday that "The president plans to travel to China this fall. "I know the president and the first lady look forward to their trip to China," she added. Nauert said that preparing for the president's China visit was one of the subjects of a meeting between Tillerson and Yang Jiechi on Tuesday in Washington. "The president has a strong and close relationship with the Chinese president. The first ladies have a terrific relationship," the spokesperson said. "That is one of the subjects that came up yesterday when the state councilor was meeting with Secretary Tillerson." The US is looking forward to carrying out the first rounds of all four high-level dialogues on a series of issues with China as soon as possible, Nauert said. After the inaugural high-level dialogue on diplomacy and security, which took place in Washington in June, and the high-level dialogue on the economy in July, Beijing and Washington have yet to hold their high-level dialogues on social and cultural issues and the dialogue on law enforcement and cybersecurity. "I believe we've had two of those four meetings, and we look forward to carrying out the rest just as soon as possible," Nauert said. The four dialogues are part of the four-pronged high-level dialogue mechanisms set up by Xi and Trump during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in April. huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com A Lotte Mart is seen closed in Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, Sept 8, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] South Korea's Lotte Group has begun steps to sell its discount store chain in China due to plummeting sales, Yonhap News Agency reported on Thursday, citing company officials and an industry source. The group is reportedly in talks to sell all of its China stores and has appointed Goldman Sachs to manage the sale. So far, 87 out of the 112 Lotte Mart stores in China have been closed for over six months. In March, Chinese customers protested against the conglomerate's role in the deployment of the controversial THAAD anti-missile shield. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said it was up to consumers to decide whether international companies were successful in China or not. People stand beside at the site of the attacks in west of the city of Nasriyah, in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, Sept 14, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] BAGHDAD - Up to 50 people were killed and some 87 others wounded on Thursday in a car bomb and a gunfire attacks near the city of Nasriyah in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, a provincial medical source told Xinhua. "The latest reports showed that some 50 people were killed and more than 87 others wounded in the car bomb and gunmen attacks in Fadak area," Jasim al-Khaledi, head of the provincial health department said. The attacks occurred in the afternoon when unidentified gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, while a car bomb detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, according to a provincial security source. Earlier the source put the dead toll at seven, including three Iranians, and said 20 others were wounded by the two attacks. The attacks came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi paid a visit to the province and met with the provincial government and some tribal leaders. China's Global Newspaper Sorry, the page you requested was not found. Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Chinadaily.com.cn, try visiting the Chinadaily home page Why me? is the question victims of Nature's random fury naturally ask. With vast stretches of the southern US still reeling from the devastation brought by two monster storms, an editorial in the medical journal The Lancethelps put things in perspective, and raise a few profound questions. Over the past few weeks, the volume of rain and floods not just in Houston but across the globe has been "unprecedented" and "difficult to comprehend", Lancet editors write. In Asia, more than 1,400 people are dead and tens of millions awash in extreme monsoon rains. A third of Bangladesh is submerged with its worst flooding in 100 years. Half a million people in Nepal have had their food sources threatened by flood waters. In late August, Typhoon Hato, the strongest storm in the region in 50 years, pummeled the Philippines and Macau and in Sierra Leone, West Africa, 499 people were buried alive in mudslides triggered by torrential rains. Hurricane Harvey was Houston's third 500-year flood in three years. One study predicts that by the end of the century, climate related deaths will rise from current level of 3,000 to 152,000 annually. And as southern Florida emerges from the wrath of Hurricane Irma, it comes as little surprise to hear that Miami's mayor says this might be a good time to talk about climate change. But not so fast. Nancy Selover, a professor at Arizona State University's School of Geographical Sciences and a self-professed big believer in global warming, thinks the trio of Harvey, Irma and Jose are really just a terrible and unfortunate and "rare coincidence." "I don't think this is a result of global warming as we have had many storms more powerful thanthese prior to 1960, including many Category 5 and 4 storms," she said. Irma's 185 mph winds dropped to a Category 4 before making landfall. The 1935 Florida Keys "Labor Day" hurricane hit land as a Category 5, as did Andrew when it slammed into Dade County, Florida, in 1992. The record holders for sustained winds, by the way, are in the Pacific 1961's Typhoon Nancy and 2015's Hurricane Patricia both clocked in at 215 mph. Irma could have set the record for the Atlantic, once all the data are analyzed. The tendency, Selover explained, is to focus on more recent storms as being worse than historical ones because we have such better coverage of them and, unfortunately in many cases, more people in their paths. The chances of a hurricane hitting the southeastern United States are the same now as they were 100 years ago, she said. Climatologist Randy Cerveny, who works with the United Nations-related World Meteorological Organization, said the trifecta of Harvey, Irma and Jose is not that unusual. "This is the normal time (early-mid September) that we have the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season," he said. He also mentioned that the trio is a demonstration of their improved long-range prediction methods, which had forecast that this would be an above-average season. Cerveny said that some theoretical research suggests that with global warming, hurricanes my increase in size and intensity, "but there is still much debate about that in the scientific community." And in general hotter climates produce more evaporation and thus more rainfall, but Harvey's inundation of Houston was primarily because a giant high ridge of pressure in the southwest stalled the storm over the Gulf Coast. He said it was difficult to attribute one storm's impact to climate change. It's just as "absurd" to say that one hurricane in summer confirms global warming theory, as it is to say that one snowstorm in winter contradicts man-made global warming. "Climate is 'long-term' while meteorology is 'short-term,'" he said. Selover had a great answer when a reporter asked her what preventative measures we as a society can do to ensure the longevity of our planet. She said it was "an impossible question to answer as the planet will be fine regardless of what we do. "The longevity of ourselves and the ecosystems are of more concern. The Earth has changed drastically over hundreds of millions of years and will continue to do so, with or without us." Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com. A photo of Zhang Yingying released by the police. [Provided to chinadaily.com.cn] The University of Illinois will host a candlelight vigil on Sunday to mark the 100th day since visiting Chinese scholar Zhang Yingying was last seen. Zhang, 26, went to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to study agriculture in April. She was reported missing on June 9 while on her way to renew a rental contract. On June 30, the FBI announced Brendt Christensen, 28, a student in physics major also at UIUC, as a suspect for kidnapping Zhang and arrested him. The trail is scheduled to start on Feb 27. The evidence referred that Zhang is presumed dead, but she has not been found yet. According to local newspaper The News Gazette, the vigil will begin at 6:30 pm on the quad side of the Illini Union and the event's Facebook page wrote: "In Chinese culture, 100 days after a tragedy is a day for family and friends to pay tribute." Bruce Rauner, governor of Illinois, who is visiting Shanghai, said: "My heart goes along with the family, it breaks my heart." The governor said it is a very unusual and isolated case and people should be concerned, but "that's one bad person did one bad, evil thing. The university is very safe." Edward Seidel, vice-president for Economic Development and Innovation of UIUC, said: "We were all devastated by this incident - not only the (victim's) family but the entire community - but we are working hard on addressing it." According to Seidel, the university has been supporting the victim's family in many ways over the past months, while setting up a foundation to support other students who may come to the university and cooperating with professionals to improve orientation for international students to ensure their safety in a foreign country. The university is home to the largest number of Chinese students among the top 50 universities according to the US News ranking. In 2015, the number stood at around 5,000. He Qi in Shaghai contributed to this story. BEIJING -- China on Friday said it opposes ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) against UN Security Council resolutions. The DPRK reportedly fired a missile over Japan's northern island Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday. "China opposes DPRK ballistic missile launches against the UN Security Council resolutions," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. "Currently the situation on the Korean Peninsula is complex, sensitive and serious. All parties concerned should exercise restraint and avoid any acts that may escalate tensions," Hua said. In response to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's statement calling on China and Russia to take "direct actions" to rein in the DPRK, Hua said China has comprehensively and completely implemented Security Council resolutions and made great sacrifices for this. "There is no doubt about China's sincerity and efforts in carrying out its international obligations, and its determination to realize denuclearization on the peninsula and uphold the nuclear non-proliferation regime," said Hua. She said the essence of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is a security issue and the crux is the disagreements between the DPRK and the United States. "China is neither the focus of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, nor the core to resolving the issue. Neither is it the propellant of the current tensions," she said, urging parties directly concerned to take up their due responsibilities. New DPRK missile launch further aggravates tensions: Kremlin Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-15 21:45 MOSCOW -- Russia strongly condemned the latest missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as such provocation will further worsen the situation around the Korean Peninsula, the Kremlin said Friday. "Russia is deeply worried over more provocative launches, which lead to further escalation of tensions on the peninsula," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Tass news agency as saying. "We strongly criticize such provocative actions and believe that such unequivocal demonstration of condemnation is the sole specific measure that can be taken at the moment," he said. The DPRK reportedly fired a missile over Japan's northern island Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, which came only days after the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of a resolution toughening sanctions on the DPRK. Russian parliament members also denounced the latest move by the DPRK. Head of the Russian State Duma's Foreign Affairs Committee Leonid Slutsky said Friday that Pyongyang is playing a "dangerous game," which comes as a clear challenge to the international community. Meanwhile, he noted that the new missile launch proves sanctions and pressure will not work on the DPRK, and that the Korean Peninsula issue should only be addressed with a diplomatic solution. Similarly, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Council's Defense and Security Committee Franz Klintsevich also warned that "one cannot rein in North Korea (DPRK) through force and threats, especially by provocations." He suggested countries with actual influence on the DPRK conduct high-level consultation and strengthen dialogue with Pyongyang so as to find a sensible way to deal with the situation. "I think that serious consultations will be held at the international level, and the international community will in fact come up with options that will seriously impact the DPRK," he said. Beijing expressed its opposition to Pyongyang's use of ballistic missile technology in violation of UN Security Council resolutions on Friday, calling for restraint from all relevant parties. "The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is complicated, sensitive and severe. All relevant parties should remain calm and avoid actions that intensify tensions," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said after Pyongyang fired a ballistic missile that flew over northern Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean earlier in the day. Hua also said it is "irresponsible" to blame Beijing for regional tensions after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on China to use the "powerful tool" of oil to persuade Pyongyang to reconsider its "current path". According to Hua, China has strictly and comprehensively implemented UN Security Council resolutions, and has made "enormous sacrifices at a great price". "Our sincerity and efforts should not be doubted," she said. She noted that the essence of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is a security issue, and the core is conflict between Pyongyang and Washington. "China is not the driver behind the escalation of the tensions. China also does not hold the key to the Korean Peninsula issue. The initiators of trouble should end it," she said. "It's irresponsible and unhelpful for the settlement of the issue to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form," she added. In the longest flight for a DPRK missile, it reached an altitude of about 770 kilometers and flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 3,700 km, according to the Republic of Korea's military far enough to reach the US territory of Guam, Reuters reported. The ROK's military said it conducted a live-fire drill by mobilizing Hyunmoo-2A ballistic missiles about six minutes after the DPRK's missile launch. The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Pyongyang's latest missile launch on Friday, at the request of the US and Japanese delegations, days after it unanimously adopted a new resolution imposing more sanctions over Pyongyang's Sept 3 nuclear test. Shi Yongming, a researcher at the China Institute of International Relations, said the US never tries to determine what its own problem is, but insists on blaming China for the current tensions. "However, whatever China does will not fundamentally solve the issue," he said. Zhou Jin contributed to this story. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy If you think North Koreas dictators are bad for the world, just imagine what its like to be a Christian there. Anyone who knows anything about world missions and the global church knows about the Christians of South Korea. According to the Operation World prayer guide, From the first Protestant church planted in 1884, South Korea now has possibly 50,000 Protestant congregations, and 15 million Christians of all kinds. Its also a missionary powerhouse, currently sending more than 21,000 missionaries to about 175 countries. Amazing! But the Christians of North Korea? Theyre virtually invisiblethough of course not in the eyes of the Lord Jesus! Operation World says that although no one really knows their true number, there could be as many as 350,000 underground Christians living in the slave state of 24 million people. When you consider that the government therewhether run by the Japanese occupiers during World War II, or the current cult-like, totalitarian leadershiphas been trying to stamp out all vestiges of Christianity for about 70 years, thats alsoamazing. Tragically, and infuriatingly, up to 100,000 of these brothers and sisters in Christ are locked up in harsh prisons or work camps. Where did they all come from, and how do they survive? Well, in answer to the first part, its a fascinating story. Did you know that from the late 19th century until 1942, Pyongyang, North Koreas Orwellian capital city today, was known as the Jerusalem of the East? According to Providence journal, a Presbyterian medical doctor named Horace Allen became physician to the king of Korea and received royal permission to proselytize after saving the life of a royal family member severely wounded during an attempted coup. Presbyterian and Methodist missionaries from the United States followed, and along with Catholic and other Protestant missionaries from other countries, they found Koreans to be receptive to their message in large numbers. A quarter of a century later in 1910, Korean Christians numbered over 200,000, two thirds of them Presbyterians and Methodists, in a country of approximately 13 million people. If the city of Seoul was receptive to the gospel, and it was, Pyongyang was even more so. Following a series of revivals in and around the Jerusalem of the East, by 1910 the region was the most heavily Christian in all of Korea. Of course, most of us know what happened next. After World War II, the communist regime of Kim Il-sung attempted to stamp out all foreign religions, especially Christianity, which was branded a tool of Western imperialism. Missionaries were thrown out, churches closed, and many Christians executed for their faith, with many more pouring into democratic South Korea at the end of the Korean War. So how do those who remain survive? As with all of us, by Gods grace. Today, Open Doors USA reports, North Korea is the most oppressive place in the world for Christians. Due to ever-present surveillance, the agency says, many pray with eyes open, and gathering for praise or fellowship is practically impossible. Worship of the ruling Kim family is mandated for all citizens, and those who dont comply (including Christians) are arrested, imprisoned, tortured or killed. Entire Christian families are imprisoned in hard labor camps. Its no wonder that one North Korean Christian lady who escaped continues to pray a simple prayer she learned from her mother: Lord, Lord, please help! And the Lord, through agencies such as Open Doors, is answering that prayer, providing Bibles and emergency relief inside the country as well as to fleeing North Korean Christians. Theyre not invisible to Himand now, I hope, not to us, either. BreakPoint is a Christian worldview ministry that seeks to build and resource a movement of Christians committed to living and defending Christian worldview in all areas of life. Begun by Chuck Colson in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on todays news and trends via radio, interactive media, and print. Today BreakPoint commentaries, co-hosted by Eric Metaxas and John Stonestreet, air daily on more than 1,200 outlets with an estimated weekly listening audience of eight million people. Feel free to contact us at BreakPoint.org where you can read and search answers to common questions. Eric Metaxas is a co-host of BreakPoint Radio and a best-selling author whose biographies, children's books, and popular apologetics have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com Publication date: September 15, 2017 An alumna of Jordan-Elbridge High School has been selected as the director of Onondaga Community College at Liverpool, according to a press release from the college. Erin Vaccaro's appointment was announced Friday. She had previously been a student success coordinator in economic and workforce development at the college for two years. Her other past experience includes stints as an associate dean of student services and as an academic adviser at Bryant and Stratton Colleges campus in Liverpool. During one of the Gospels most well-known episodes, Jesus prophesied in Matthew 25 that when the Son of Man comes, he will separate all people into two groups and tell the group on the right that they are blessed by his Father and shall inherit the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (v. 34). Jesus explains that they are so blessed because of their kind acts for him, including I was sick and you looked after me (v. 36). When the righteous ask when they saw him sick and took care of him, he answers, Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (v. 40). Who are the least of these that Jesus spoke of? Since 1999, there has been an annual clinic at the Wise County, Virginia, fairgrounds, offering free medical care to uninsured people in the heart of Appalachia. Ive volunteered at this clinic many times, and the dire need for medical care in my state and the generosity of people willing to help never cease to move me. The patients I met this year were no exception: a mother of four young kids who couldnt remember the last time she had seen a doctor; a nurse who had lost her job to an opioid addiction sparked by a prescription for arthritis; a man who needed dental, medical, and vision services but had to pick only two because he was too sick to wait in the July sun for all three. The clinic provides life-changing care to thousands in need, but the most compassionate and wealthiest nation in the world should have a health care system that doesnt force the least among us to wait in a fairground lot for days to see an affordable doctor. In addition to the uninsured people from all over the country I met in Wise, Ive met countless other Virginians who rely on Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to pay for health care. These people include those with pre-existing conditions, who could lose their health insurance without the ACA, and some of the more than 600,000 Virginia children who rely on Medicaid for cancer treatments, autism services, and a wide range of care that keeps them in school and helps them grow into independent adults. I think all ChristiansDemocrats, Republicans, Independentscan agree that these are the people Christ told us to care for. Our disagreements do not lie in whether to care for them, but how. Following the failure of the most recent attempt to repeal the ACA, our focus should turn toward how we can develop simple solutions that improve care for all people. We can find these solutions by bringing together different perspectives. When divisions and arguments erupted among the early Christians in Corinth, Paul wrote to them and compared a church with many members to a body with many parts: Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I dont need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I dont need you! (1 Cor. 12:1421) As a body functions best with both eyes and ears, our country functions best when it welcomes the input of Democrats and Republicans in tackling a problem like health care. No one person or party has all the answers, so we cannot say to the other side I dont need you. Lets cooperate, then. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is finally holding public hearings with doctors, patients, health insurers, and others so lawmakers can factor their experiences into policy decisions. Lets hear from the least of these, who must deal with the ramifications of the decisions made in Washington. In the end, our collaboration and openness to new ideas will produce solutions that do a better job at caring for those most in need. Paul concludes his observations on a body with many members by writing If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it (1 Cor. 12:26). If we balk at the idea of bipartisan compromise, we all will suffer. If we unite ourselves in the same purpose of taking care of our brothers and sisters, we can do what is right and rejoice together in our success. Tim Kaine is a senator from Virginia, a former governor of Virginia, and was the Democratic nominee for vice president in the 2016 election. Editors Note: "Speaking Out" is Christianity Today's guest opinion column and (unlike an editorial) does not necessarily represent the opinion of the magazine. Its not that giving to your local church isnt importantit is, leaders told the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). But 76 percent say its fine if you want to give part of your tithe to a different ministry. Many evangelical leaders do not believe theres a biblical requirement to give exactly 10 percent to the local church, NAE president Leith Anderson said. Giving generously out of what God has done for us is the main message. Some leaders referenced the storehouse principle found in Malachi 3:10, which says to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. But they were split on what that meant; some said the local church is the storehouse, others that the storehouse isnt a New Testament teaching. I have been taughtwithout reference to any biblical mandatethat any amount given outside of the local church should be done over and above the tithe, author and speaker ... 1 As an evangelical leader, one of the few times I had direct access to the previous Secretary of State, John Kerry, was in a meeting put together by Special Advisor Shaun Casey, then head of an independent State Department office called Religion and Global Affairs, or RGA. Casey brought a group of mostly Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religious leaders to a lunch gathering at Georgetown University. We shared a meal, listened to a briefing from the secretary, and spent more than an hour discussing foreign policy issues related to peace in the Middle East. Hosted under the auspices of the RGA, the meeting gave us hope that religious leadersand the communities they representwill continue to provide input and insight into US foreign policy decisions. However, if the Trump administration has its way, the RGA office may not remain independent much longerand it might not exist at all. Politico recently reported that the current Secretary of State is looking to eliminate the post. In a letter proposing organizational changes, Secretary Tillerson notified Senator Bob Corker and the Committee on Foreign Relations of plans to eliminate the RGA special advisor position and fold only a few of its functions into the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF). In my opinion, the IRF has a lot on its plate and its mandate is not well aligned with that of RGA. Although the loss of RGA might seem to outsiders like a bureaucratic lossjust another government office to get the axeit carries significant import for the church, missionaries abroad, and vulnerable people across the globe. Eighty-four percent of the global population self-identifies as religious, says Doug Leonard, the director of global ... 1 home World Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders sign historic declaration supporting religious freedom Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders have gathered at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles on Wednesday to sign a historic declaration, penned by the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, that condemns extremism and defends religious freedom of individuals. "We declare that when extremist clergy preach hatred, violence and seek to sow the seeds of discord, that they are inciting the desecration of the name of God," the declaration reads, as reported by Religion News Service. "We call upon all good people of Faith to disown practices such as the sowing of terror, the encouragement of extremism and radicalization, suicide bombing, promotion of sexual slavery, and the abuse of women and children," it continued. The Bahrain Declaration for Religious Tolerance, released Sept. 13, is the first of its kind, written by an Arab Head of State. It was symbolically signed by the mother of an Islamic State suicide bomber in Saudi Arabia as well as one of his victims. The document was also signed by Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa of Bahrain who served as an official envoy of the Gulf nation's king. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a global human rights organization co-sponsoring the event, stated on its Facebook page that the declaration "calls for people of all faiths to show respect for, and protection of, the rights of everyone to practice their religious affiliations in dignity and peace." Other speakers at the event included Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance, Muhammed Khan, the director of Interfaith Outreach of the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles, and Rev. Johnnie Moore, a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals. The historic document builds upon the previous declarations on religious tolerance issued from the Muslim world, such as the Marrakesh Declaration and the Jakarta Declaration. The Marrakesh Declaration, which was aimed at protecting religious minorities in Muslim countries, was unveiled at a 2016 conference of hundreds of scholars meeting in Morocco. The Jakarta statement, which highlighted the unique nature of Indonesian Islam as welcoming religious diversity, was signed by more than 300 Islamic leaders from about 30 countries in May that same year. The release of the Bahrain Declaration comes in the same year that the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) designated the gulf nation as a "Tier 2" country "in which the [religious freedom] violations engaged in or tolerated by the government are serious." USCIRF's 2017 report noted that there was continued discrimination in the country against Shia Muslims in government employment and other public and social services. It also claimed that some Shia clerics have been denied access to certain mosques and banned from conducting Friday prayers. Bahrain is also ranked on Open Doors USA's 2017 World Watch List as the 48th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution. India's Foreign Minister tweeted out on Tuesday that Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, a missionary priest kidnapped in Aden and kept in captivity by Yemeni militants for 18 months, has been released. The confirmation was tweeted by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Sept. 12. "I am happy to inform that Father Tom Uzhunnalil has been rescued," tweeted Swaraj. After much effort to secure Uzhunnalil's release since March 2016, the Indian government has brought good news not only to the Christian community, but also to the entire nation. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India expressed its joy on getting the news of his release. "As we thank God for this unique grace bestowed on Fr. Tom and his family and the Salesian Congregation (The Society of Don Bosco) and the Catholic Church in India, we pray for his continued good health and complete recovery to resume active Salesian ministry for God and His people in his Congregation and the Church," said CBCI in a statement. The Omani government confirmed in the statement that the priest was recovering in Muscat after his release. "In response to the Royal Orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and as per a request from the Vatican to assist in the rescuing of a Vatican employee, the concerned authorities in the Sultanate, in coordination with the Yemeni authorities, have managed to find a Vatican government employee. He was transferred this morning to Muscat in preparation for his return home," said the Omani government. Uzhunnalil was kidnapped after terrorists attacked a home for elderly run by the Missionaries of Charity nuns in Aden. The attackers shot dead 16 people, including four nuns and kidnapped the priest, who served as chaplain of the house. The priest belongs to Salesians of Don Bosco's Bangalore province. In May this year, a video message was released in which a thin-looking Uzhunnalil begged Pope Francis to personally intervene and expressed frustration that the church had not done more to secure his freedom. Swaraj had made several statements mentioning the efforts to secure the Uzhunnalil's freedom. Recently, she told that the Indian government had listed priest's release as its highest priority. Icons of the spirit and the flesh Francis Bacons two greatest obsessions Unseen in public for nearly 45 years, Study of Red Pope, 1962, 2nd version offers a deeply poignant insight into one of the 20th centurys most important bodies of work. This rare masterpiece will be offered at Christies London in October On 26 October 1971, the Grand Palais in Paris opened its landmark retrospective of Francis Bacons work. It was a career-defining moment for the artist, newly anointed Britains greatest living painter. Among the distinguished canvases exhibited was Study of Red Pope, 1962, 2nd version, painted earlier that year: a grand finale to his celebrated body of papal portraits. In this rare masterpiece, for the first and only time in his oeuvre, Bacon had united his two greatest obsessions: reworking the 1962 canvas Study from Innocent X, the artist staged a haunting encounter between the Pope and George Dyer his great muse and lover. Tinged with ghostly pallor, Dyers spectral likeness was brought face to face with the pontiff, confronting his gaze like a mirrored reflection. Throughout the rooms of the Grand Palais, Dyers visage loomed large, enshrined in the ardent brushwork of Bacons finest portraits. In the flesh, however, Dyer was painfully absent. Less than 36 hours earlier, he had been found dead in his hotel room, having taken his own life. As words of praise for Bacon filled the gallery, lauding his contribution to contemporary art, the artist did his best to conceal his grief. Unbeknown to the eminent guests who admired the painting that day, it now stood as a tragic premonition of Dyers fateful end. Open a larger version of this image The Republican Guard on the steps to the Grand Palais at the opening of the exhibition, Francis Bacon, in Paris, 26 October 1971. Photo: Andre Morain Inspired by Diego Velazquezs Portrait of Pope Innocent X, Bacons output of the 1950s and early 1960s had been dominated by visions of Il Papa: a man tortured by the weight of his own authority. As the years progressed, his face was replaced by that of Dyer: an equally conflicted character, whose sharp, handsome exterior belied a troubled past. The tension that Bacon identified in the papal condition a combination of power and vulnerability was one that he also saw in his beloved muse. Open a larger version of this image Francis Bacons studio at 7 Reece Mews, London, 1998. The Estate of Francis Bacon. All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2017. Photo: Perry Ogden In Study of Red Pope, 1962, 2nd version, the two figures are bound together like twisted alter egos: icons of the spirit and the flesh the sacred and profane juxtaposed in the manner of a devotional diptych. Their faces are thickly worked with vigorous impasto, lit by streaks of lead-white paint. Visceral tangles of marbled pigment writhe within the Popes cloaked body, extending from his torso in a single holographic sweep. A glowing, contrapuntal duet of green and cerulean strokes circles his form, while the crystalline blue of Dyers backdrop is tinged with faint residue of the pontiffs scarlet palette. In contrast to the works 1962 predecessor, here Bacon offsets his dynamic painterly brushstrokes with flat, intersecting planes and passages of bare canvas, creating a stark amphitheatre of colour, geometry and formal abstraction. Both figures, for Bacon, exemplified the magnificence and fragility of human existence, giving rise to portraits that were brutal and impassioned in equal measure The cubic space frame that houses the Pope is flanked by two curved wing mirrors, producing a luminous tripartite screen that seems to anticipate the legendary black triptychs painted in the wake of Dyers death. For both subjects, it was the end of an era. A cord hangs between them, as if with a fatal swipe their light might be extinguished at any moment. Bacons Papal portraits are widely regarded as the paragon of his artistic enquiries. From the early screaming phantoms to the silent, demented creatures that followed, Bacon repeatedly cast the Pope as a victim of his own status, tormented by his position as Gods messenger on Earth. It is true, of course, the Pope is unique, he told David Sylvester, the British art critic, curator and author. Hes put in a unique position by being the Pope, and therefore, like in certain great tragedies, hes as though raised onto a dais on which the grandeur of this image can be displayed to the world. Open a larger version of this image Francis Bacons studio at 7 Reece Mews, London, 1998. The Estate of Francis Bacon. All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2017. Photo: Perry Ogden Howard Hodgkin: One of the very greatest painters of the last 50 years Andrew Graham-Dixon author of Howard Hodgkin, a study of the artists work and Christie's Senior Specialist Katharine Arnold discuss two works by the late British painter being offered at auction in London during Frieze Week Howard Hodgkin, who died in March 2017 at the age of 84, is widely hailed as one of the finest abstract painters Britain has produced. But the abstract label never sat quite right with Hodgkin, who preferred to describe himself as a representational painter of emotional situations. According to the art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon, author of Howard Hodgkin, a study of the artists work, this ambiguity is precisely what makes his art so powerful. Hodgkin is one of the very greatest painters of the last 50 years, Graham-Dixon says, but his work cant easily be slotted into any of the neat, convenient pigeonholes of art history. Even the connection between the titles of his paintings and what is represented in them are rarely obvious; that determination is often left to the viewer. In the case of Hodgkins 1976-80 painting The Green Chateau, We just dont know what happened in that place on that day, says Katharine Arnold, Senior Specialist in Post-War and Contemporary Art at Christies in London. Its elegiac, its fleeting. Howards signature as an artist was his use of framing within his pictures, Graham-Dixon points out. In regard to The Green Chateau, Its as if theres a cherished memory within the frames. But what is that memory? LARRY W. SMITH/STR A Koch Industries subsidiary said it's opened a new fuel export route from Corpus Christi to Mexico without involving Mexico's national oil company. Koch Supply & Trading, which is part of the Koch brothers private business empire, said it is making the first waterborne delivery of motor vehicle fuel into Mexico by private parties since the Mexican petroleum industry was nationalized nearly 80 years ago. Karen Warren/Staff Photographer Three real estate firms have teamed up to launch a searchable list of spaces where landlords are offering short-term leases to assist businesses displaced by Harvey. Commercial real estate information firm Xceligent, the Houston Association of Realtors and its Commercial Gateway division have published an app at www.CommGate.com. Look for "Temporary Space for Harvey" at the top of the page. AUBURN The new regional welcome center planned for downtown Auburn will be named the Equal Rights Heritage Center, and it will be built and ready for tourists in the fall of 2018. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Rose Harvey, commissioner of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, visited Auburn Friday to make that announcement alongside city officials and provide additional updates about the project. Hochul said the state has awarded $10 million to the city to construct the heritage center, which will be built at 25 South St., the current site of a public parking lot. Crews conducted exploratory drilling for the project in the spring and initial designs of the center were released in May. Officials said on Friday that the plan is to begin construction by March 2018 and finish by the fall of 2018. "Sitting at the crossroads of central New York and the Finger Lakes, Auburn has played a unique role in New York State history as people and ideas traveled across the state," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press release. "The new Equal Rights Heritage Center will pay tribute to their efforts and the sacrifices of the many who sought equality while encouraging travelers to visit all that this region has to offer." The project has generated some opposition since the site was announced, especially from people concerned about the loss of parking spaces from an area so close to institutions such as the Auburn YMCA, Seward House Museum and Auburn Public Theater. Auburn resident Sally Price attended Friday's event in the parking lot at 25 South St. Friday afternoon. She held a sign that read "Not Here" to protest the proposed location of the facility. "I am absolutely in favor of the welcome center, but I am absolutely opposed to the site of the welcome center," Price said. "I think there are other underutilized parcels in Auburn that could have benefited from being upgraded to the welcome center. This parking lot is filled every day of the week ... and I just think there were better places to put it." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Life will never be the same for a former Chipotle employee in Austin. In just over a week, Remington Williams went from rolling burritos and making salad bowls to walking the runway at New York Fashion Week. A NEW LOOK: Kim Kardashian debuts intense new hair color at New York Fashion Week According to Vogue, Williams was washing dishes at Chipotle, when she was approached by a scout who offered her a chance to go to New York and sign a contract with DNA Models, the same agency that birthed the careers of Linda Evangelista and Natalia Vodianova. Williams not only walked the Calvin Klein runway, she was also seen on the Marc Jacobs and Sies Marjan runways alongside big-time models like Bella and Gigi Hadid, and Kaia Gerber (Cindy Crawford's daughter). Now with NYFW over, Williams is getting ready for the European shows by wearing heels everywhere from the grocery store to the corner store near her apartment, according to Daily Mail. "Models do not get enough credit for walking in those crazy shoesthey make it look so easy!" As far as her future in modeling, Williams told Vogue she will continue studying graphic design in addition to furthering her new career. "I love to create," she says, "and will never stop creating art, no matter what I am doing in my life." Take a look through the gallery above to see some of the best and worst looks from New York Fashion Week. An attractive Florida police officer who went viral after rescue photos were posted online may have just gone from being America's most eligible bachelor to being one if its most reviled. Gainesville Police Department's Michael Hamill became internet famous after a selfie he took with some of his fellow officers went viral Sunday afternoon. The photo was posted to the police department's Facebook page during Hurricane Irma with a caption that read "getting ready to do some work." The post collected more than 186,000 comments praising the officers' good looks, including one from a woman saying she would like to turn herself in for the thoughts running through her head. VIRAL: Hunky cops photo prompts Facebook users to ask for arrests Hamill's 15 minutes of fame came to an abrupt end Thursday when Facebook posts surfaced allegedly showing him insulting Jewish people. "Who knew that reading jewish jokes before I go to bed would not only make me feel better about myself but also help me to sleep better as well. Here is one for everybody, "What's the difference between boy scouts and jews?" Anybody know? Well it is because "Boy scouts come back from their camps," one of the posts from 2013 read, according to the Gainsville Sun. BACKLASH: Hurricane Irma-inspired makeup angers the internet Another Facebook post from 2011 referenced Hitler: "I find it funny that people will talk about how our government needs to do something about our economy and in reality it's YOU who needs to stop taking advantage of our system and get a life and do something with your life. Gotta love reality when it hits you in the face. Stupid people annoy me. Put them in an oven and deal with them the Hitler way. Haha." The Gainsville Police told the Sun they are investigating the alleged Facebook posts. A request for comment was also made with the department. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In an effort to reach as many storm victims as possible, workers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are going door-to-door in Patton Village. On Wednesday, Sept. 13, they were accompanied by Police Chief Shannon Sharp, who managed the city's emergency response during Hurricane Harvey. "We have well in excess of 50 homes that are flooded, the majority of which are beyond repair," Sharp said. "A lot of these residents have left their homes and are staying in hotels with FEMA vouchers or are with relatives, but we are trying to reach as many of them as we can." Residents in Patton Village, like so many others in the Greater Houston Area, say Hurricane Harvey rains caused flooding unlike anything they had experienced before, even those who have lived in the same house for half a century. Audrey Smith, who has lived in her home on Roping Pen Road in Patton Village for all 56 years of her life, says she is accustomed to flooding from a creek that runs behind her property, past Patton Lake and into Peach Creek. Because of the frequent flooding at her home, several years ago she had a large building constructed at the end of the road in an area she refers to as her "flood-free zone." With Harvey, not even the flood-free zone was spared. "I had several lawn mowers, including a Gravely zero turn, a truck, tractor and welding machine ruined by this flood," she said. Pointing to two large mounds of debris in front of her house, about 300 yards down the hill from her building, Smith explained that main areas of her stilted home were not flooded despite the appearance of debris near the road. "Those are things that floated over my fence and into my yard from other people's properties," she said. "I am always prepped. Everyone makes fun of me because I take everything out of the room downstairs and drag it up the hill to the storage building." She agreed to evacuate when her cousin, Clint Talley, who lives on the highest point at the end of the road, decided to leave when his guest house started taking on water. "I was scared of being here in the dark by myself," she said. By then, she also had a growing concern for her propane tank that was floating after wakes from rescue boats had loosened it from where it was tied to trees. "We shut everything off and I evacuated to my mother's house," she said. Talley, who also has lived in Patton Village his entire life, says the frequency of flooding in recent years has him considering whether residential and commercial developments are to blame. Though his claims are unproven, it is a concept shared by many in the area, including Smith. Talley wonders if more retention ponds in residential developments might be necessary to provide a place for water to collect before the creeks and streams are inundated and suggests that cities review their own drain systems. "We had two smaller culverts on this road that were replaced by a culvert made from an old tanker car. The water really moves fast now through that culvert but over in the back, the two creeks come together and the water is flowing through two smaller culverts," Talley said. "That might be causing the water to back up on us." However, both Talley and Smith recognize that Harvey was a different kind of storm. "There were a lot of firsts. I never had water in my guest house and did. She had never had water in her storage and did," Talley said. Still, neither one is discouraged enough to move to a less flood-prone area. There simply is no place like home. "I think we are just anxious to get back to normalcy," Talley said. Cities like Patton Village are encouraging residents who suffered storm damage to file a claim with FEMA by going online to www.disasterassistance.gov or calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). "We think we reached everyone in Patton Village in our door-to-door visits, but anyone who was missed is urged to file a claim," Sharp said. "If you were missed, call as quickly as possible to get your claim started." Update: Houston police confirm that Marc Amador has been found safe. A 23-year-old autistic man is missing and Houston police need your help finding him. Marc Amador, who goes by the nickname "D," was last seen Friday morning at 8:15 a.m. at the 11000 block of W. Bellfort Ave. HPD explained that Amador disappeared from a group home and said he is "autistic and mentally challenged." Amador is described as light-complected and slender, with brown eyes and brown hair. He is 5-feet, 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 130 pounds. He was last seen wearing blue shorts, no shoes and no shirt. He has an identifying birth mark above his navel. Police are urging anyone who sees Amador or has tips that can lead to his recovery to contact the HPD Missing Persons Unit at 832-394-1840. The Houston Chronicle is proud to present "Hurricane Harvey: by the staff of the Houston Chronicle," a 192-page book that captures the wide-reaching devastation and Houston's steadfast spirit and comradery. Written by the award-winning staff of the Houston Chronicle, this hardbound narrative features breathtaking photos and compelling stories from across the region. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to help those impacted by the hurricane in Houston and across the Texas Gulf Coast through a donation to the Greater Houston Community Foundation Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Rebuild Texas Fund. Also available is the George Bush biography aptly named "George H.W. Bush: An American Journey" which takes us from the former president's days as a youth in Massachusetts to retirement in Houston. This heirloom-quality, 160-page book features stories and historic photos from Houston Chronicle Archives and the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Check out the gallery above to view some of the historic and remarkable photos found in each book. Both books are set to publish in December 2017 but are available for pre-sale with an added discount HERE sold separately or as a set. These make for a perfect Christmas gift or commemorative pieces to add to any Texas home. These books will go fast so reserve your copies today. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Update: Absconders Justin Hughes and Danny Lee were arrested late Friday afternoon. Police have issued warrants for 27 parolees in Harris County who have served time for an array of crimes including attempted murder, robbery and drug possession and are unaccounted for following Hurricane Harvey. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice issued a total of 69 warrants for parolees residing in Harris County during Hurricane Harvey. DRUGS IN TEXAS: Massive meth lab and distribution center in Dallas busted Of the warrants issued, police said 33 of the parolees have been in contact with authorities while nine others have been arrested and face possible action by the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole. During the storm, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice evacuated the Southeast Texas Transitional Center in Houston, transporting approximately 500 parolees. A spokesman with the agency said the 27 parolees sought by police in Harris County were most likely serving the remainder of their parole living in public and not in a facility. Texas police agencies have been notified of the warrants, which have been placed into state and national databases. The 27 parolees who have active warrants from the state's department of criminal justice include: Joshua Nathaniel Curry Richard Andrew Hentze Deijuan Holloway Bruce Sanchez Nicolas Ollie Sanders Lesha N'Kol Henry Charles Howard Larry Jimenez Dale Sisson Jimmy Westbrook Ryan Lawson Denny Joseph Lee Alfonso Ray Rodriguez Correy Walker William Allen Batiste Gavin Glass David Harvell Justin Hughes Steven King Kevin Edward McNew Steven Edward Rasberry Ira Joe Sheffield Corey Ewing Tatman Avean Tolliver Julian Nicholi Zipper Michael Eugene Franco Anyone who encounters any of these parolees is encouraged to call 911. See mugshots of the parolees in the gallery above. AUBURN For the first 16 years of her life, Lorina Mpinga, had known an existence of limited food and water while at a refugee camp in the East African country Tanzania. Mpinga and her family came to the United States in 2004 when she was a 16-year-old armed with little knowledge of English beyond "good morning." Now she is an interpreter and case manager at InterFaith Works of Central New York in Syracuse. The nonprofit organization helps refugees build lives in the United States. Mpinga talked about her experiences and work with the organization at a talk about refugee resettlement with InterFaith at the Booker T. Washington Community Center in Auburn Thursday night The Rev. Patrick Heery, the pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church, kicked off the event by saying it was meant to spread understanding about refugees and their situations. Heery said the world is experiencing a refugee "crisis" with record numbers of people displaced from their home countries. There are over 22 million refugees across the globe, according to InterFaith. "Tonight, we humanize a dehumanized conversation, and recover the moral force of compassion," Heery said. Later, Heery asked Olive Sephuma, director of the center for new Americans at InterFaith, what steps could be made to have resettlements take place in Cayuga County. Sephuma said it would be important for faith-based communities in the area to support refugee families. She said finding affordable housing in the area would also be crucial to locate. She said case managers at InterFaith work with refugees from the moment they get off the plane, from picking them up at the airport to helping them understand how to build a credit history. She said New York is the third biggest site for resettlement in the country, behind California and Texas. Jay Subedi, who had spent the majority of his life in a refugee camp in Nepal before he came to Syracuse in 2008, also spoke at the event. Subedi, now an official U.S. citizen and a case manager and Nepali interpreter for InterFaith, said he is grateful for his time in America. "I am a true American now, and I am so blessed and thank you so much," Subedi said to rapturous applause from the crowd. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Houston Independent School District may be able to avoid paying part or perhaps all of its over $100 million state-mandated recapture payment. The potential reprieve comes after a school board lawyer found a state law allows districts that suffer storm damage to use recapture dollars to help campuses get back on their feet. The law, passed in 2009 in the wake of Hurricane Ike, permits districts located within counties designated as "disaster areas" to use their recapture payments to help cover disaster-related costs. Recapture is the process by which the state of Texas collects money from so-called property wealthy districts to help buoy districts in poorer and often more rural areas. Houston ISD already paid the Texas Education Agency $77.5 million in recapture fees this year and could owe an additional $60 million for the 2016-17 school year Houston ISD Superintendent Richard Carranza said the law will allow the district to continue fixing local schools and helping students while also helping to stabilize the district's finances. "This is a silver lining," Carranza said of the law. "We will be pursing every conceivable expense relating to Hurricane Harvey." The law could allow the district to use storm-related spending to off-set its recapture payments for the next two years, Carranza said. David Thompson, an attorney for Houston ISD's Board of Education, said the law is meant to allow districts to use what they would have paid to the state to cover disaster-related costs not covered by insurance or FEMA. "Think of all the things districts spend money on that you can't insure or reimburse," Thompson said. "All the thousands of personnel hours, the transportation costs after all the bus routes are out the window and kids are scattered in different areas." Thompson said he doubts the law will allow the district to get out of paying its entire recapture bills for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 fiscal years, which could be over $200 million next year alone. But he said the law will still allow the district to keep a "significant" amount of its local money. Under the law, districts with property wealth above certain levels are required to "share the wealth" through the so-called "Robin Hood" school finance plan by paying "recapture." Voters who live within the school district's boundaries have voted twice on questions relating to if and how Houston ISD should pay the state's recapture fee, after HISD fell into the category of "property rich" school districts last year. The first referendum came before voters in November 2016, when 62 percent of about 334,000 Houston voters told the district to refuse to pay the state's recapture fee. But after the Texas Education Agency threatened to detach some of Houston's most valuable commercial properties from the district's tax rolls to make up for the lack of a recapture payment, HISD's board created a second referendum asking voters if they would prefer the state detach those commercial properties or if the district should willingly write the state a check. Nearly 84 percent of about 29,000 voters in May opted to voluntarily pay the state's recapture fee. Houston ISD estimated last week Hurricane Harvey could cost the district nearly $700 million including repairing damaged schools, adding new bus routes and hiring counselors. But Superintendent Richard Carranza said Thursday that the real cost could end up being much less, as some schools are not as heavily damaged as first thought. Fast casual breakfast haunt Denny's has a 53-foot mobile diner that is serving free hot meals in Houston to hungry people for the next few days. On Friday the Denny's Mobile Relief Diner will be at Texas Southern University until 6 p.m. On Saturday it moves to the Community of Faith Church at 1024 Pinemont, where it will be until Tuesday evening. Federal agents have arrested six men accused in the recrystallization and distribution of methamphetamine in Dallas. Six men, four of which were in the country illegally, were arrested and charged with three separate federal criminal complaints stemming from their role in selling large quantities of methamphetamine in the Dallas and Desoto areas, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) wrote Sept. 1 in a news release. In more than 40 years of working in El Paso ISD's cafeterias, Olimpia Estrada has seen the amount of wasted food drop dramatically as officials have established programs allowing the redistribution of leftover food. But they still have a long way to go. "Anything to cut down on the waste and not feed the trash can, I think would be good," Estrada said. HARVEY AFTERMATH: How Hurricane Harvey impacted Buffalo Bayou Estrada and cafeteria managers across the state now have an increased ability to get that leftover food into the hands of students. A law passed this spring creates a new pathway for school districts that want to reduce food waste and feed hungry kids throughout the week. Senate Bill 725 authored by state Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, became effective immediately after Gov. Greg Abbott signed the legislation in June. It allows schools to create food pantries on campus where they can store donated food as well as surplus food from the cafeteria. Since 2011, federal law has allowed school districts to donate leftover food to nonprofits free of liability as long as they follow health and safety codes. Of the limited number of school districts taking advantage of the law, many end up donating to food banks or homeless shelters. "That doesn't solve our problem because most nonprofits collect that food and take it elsewhere," said Rep. Diego Bernal, who authored and carried the bill in the House. "It doesn't help those hungry kids." DEADLY STORMS: Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma compared The San Antonio Democrat toured his district asking teachers and administrators about their biggest concerns for their students. "They were all frustrated with the volume and quality of the food that was thrown away regularly in their cafeteria. They were frustrated by their inability to give the food to those students" who didn't have food at home, he said. SB 725 creates a loophole that allows schools to keep their leftover packaged food and produce for distribution on campus by letting them donate the food to themselves. A school can name one of its employees as the designee of a third-party nonprofit, allowing the school to donate and then collect the leftover food. Another part of the bill lets school districts use their campuses to distribute that food. "If they just want to test it out and do bottled water and unopened peel-top cereal and wrapped granola bars, cool," Bernal said. "If they want to spend money and add refrigerators, that's also great. We don't dictate how they should do it." Most of the food stored will be unopened, pre-packaged beverages or nonperishable items and whole fruit and vegetables not warm meals, in order to follow state and local health codes, he said. AFTER THE STORM: Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, by the numbers While SB 725 provides districts with a good option, those districts might not take advantage of it in large numbers, warned national food waste expert John Williamson, who is the founder of Food Rescue, a group advocating against throwing away food. "It's just that in my experience working with districts, the average district doesn't want to take on that liability and that amount of work," he said. He argued local health departments can often stifle school districts with restrictive safety codes instead of following more lax federal guidelines. At least one school district is already working to get its employees on board with SB 725. San Antonio ISD administrators have already found 13 teachers and counselors willing to serve as liaisons to start food pantries in their schools. With 25 percent of students in the county at risk of going hungry, officials are eagerly seeking solutions that might get more food into their hands, said Jenny Arredondo, the district's child nutrition services executive director. This month, Arredondo will distribute a start-up packet with information about what items could be donated to or stored in a pantry due to food safety regulations. "We're assisting campuses with designating a spot on the campus that we are claiming is safe. When you store food, it's not like storing books or boxes," she said. SAFE: Little Couple's Houston home is undamaged by Hurricane Harvey, for sale after family's Florida move Many schools have already piloted other programs to keep uneaten food in the hands of students. Though federal law is permissive, Texas school districts are subject to more constricted local health laws that determine what they can do with the unopened milk cartons and unpeeled oranges that end up filling the trash cans after each meal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a memo in 2016 encouraging the use of share tables, which let students leave food they don't want on a table where other students can pick it up. Estrada said she was the first cafeteria manager in El Paso ISD to try it out last spring, after officials cleared it with the local health department. Most of the food waste comes not from the kitchen, but from students who don't finish the meals they take. Last year, the district's new policy allowed students who no longer had money on their meal cards and who had exhausted their credit to pick from the unopened, packaged items on the share table. "Instead of them getting a cheese sandwich, we tell them, 'Come on, let's see what's there for you to take,'" Estrada said. POWER OF THE DOLLAR: Shop with purpose to help Hurricane Harvey relief efforts SB 725 also requires school districts to make arrangements to pay off the meal debt of students who need a payment grace period, and it prevents them from shaming those students by publicly identifying them. Bernal is working with the state to develop a resource page for other interested school officials. "We want to give them the confidence that they are on solid ground and that they are doing things that are legal," he said. "It's going to take some time for them." Read the story on Texas Tribune.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. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, along with a group of agriculture and business leaders from across the state, began a trade mission Monday in Tokyo, Japan. Ricketts said the goal of the trip is to expand trade and investment opportunities for Nebraskans in Japan. The group, which includes NGage Executive Director Walker Zulkoski, participated in the U.S. Midwest-Japan Association Conference, along with representatives of other Midwestern states throughout the week. Gage Area Growth Enterprise, commonly referred to as NGage, is an organization formed with funding from the Gage County Board of Supervisors and Beatrice City Council. NGage focuses on economic development for Beatrice and surrounding communities within the county. 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. Zulkoski, on a call from Tokyo earlier this week, echoed the Governors thoughts. With Japan, the relationships are years in the making, Zulkoski said. One of the companies that is making the trip is Rare Earth Salts. They are here and they have meetings this entire week with potential clients. Overall, the delegation is here to represent the state. (Rare Earth) has some wonderful meetings set up. Zulkoski noted that the trip has two purposes: the group hopes to spark interest for new investments in Gage County and to solidify existing relationships. We have an event with a Japan economic trade association, and they have around 100 companies that are interested in investing, and we get to give a pitch to them and interact with potential prospects, Zulkoski said. If we get something from that, it will be great. A lot of our trip was getting to see Itochu (a Japanese company that is a partial owner and investor of the Beatrice Duonix biodiesel plant), and telling them thanks and how grateful we are to have them. Itochu Corporation is one of Japans largest investors in the Beatrice project as a strategic partner of Benefuel. When that partnership was announced in 2013, Yasushi Kiyobayashi, the deputy general manager for Itochu, noted that further growth was likely. The Beatrice project will be an important cornerstone for the biofuel industry in the U.S., but also in other countries," he said. "We are excited to explore the immense business opportunities in Asia with Benefuel. 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. During the week, Ricketts visited Japans independent government agency established to consolidate the countrys efforts in export promotion. The Japan Export Trade Research Organization (JETRO) supports efforts of foreign companies interested in entry and expansion in the Japanese market. Total agricultural and manufactured exports from Nebraska to Japan equaled an estimated $1.13 billion in 2015. Were on a pretty small list. Lincoln, Omaha and us, those are some of the largest areas in the state that have international investment, Zulkoski explained. Were kind of this rural community, but out of the international community, weve had some pretty big success with Worldlawn, Itochu and now Rare Earth. For a smaller community, its kind of mind-blowing how much international investment we have. We have a lot of stuff happening for a rural community." Zulkoski noted that Gov. Ricketts often uses Beatrice as an example of rural areas benefiting from foreign economic development. He talks Worldlawn and he talks Duonix. Theyre good projects and also its marketing for us, Zulkoski said. Were pretty lucky, I dont think people have any idea how amazing it is and how lucky we are, the magnitude of investment we have in Beatrice. On Thursday, Ricketts and the trade delegation visited Shizuoka, a sister city of Omaha. The delegation 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. While Zulkoski said its unlikely that Kawasaki will be expanding to Gage County anytime soon, there is always a chance for related investments. A company like Kawasaki is making more and more of its components in America, Zulkoski said. The goal would be to get something like that. Were all about building relationships and, hopefully, they lead us to more projects. A District Court judge is taking a request for a new trial under advisement following a telephonic hearing Friday morning. Joseph Buttercase, 35, has filed multiple appeals in the 2011 case since being convicted five years ago. In documents filed last month, Buttercase alleged there was newly discovered evidence found since a previous request for a new trial and hearing. He alleged that testimony from Otoe County District Court impacted the trial in Gage County. Buttercase claims the state withheld evidence, a Facebook message from the victim, that prevented him from having a fair trial, and was unable to review the evidence prior to trial. He also alleges that the state failed to disclose video evidence on his camcorder, including five DVDs, that are still being withheld. He made motions for DNA testing, alleging that the victim may have been with another man in a close time frame. Buttercase was sentenced in 2012 for a July 2011 rape and assault in his Beatrice home. Buttercase is also seeking to have personal property returned to him. He has requested that the court return seized property including a 500-gigabyte external hard drive, an E-Machine computer, two media cards and 77 compact discs. He was sentenced to 26-41 years in prison on Dec. 4, 2012 after being convicted of first degree sexual assault, third degree domestic assault, strangulation and false imprisonment in an August 2012 jury trial. Buttercase was sentenced to 20-30 years for the sexual assault, a class II felony; 4-5 years for false imprisonment; 20 months to five years for strangulation; and one year for third degree domestic assault. All counts are to be served consecutively. 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... PVA to Host Optical Bonding Seminar in Helmond, Netherlands Published: 15 September 2017 by Chelsey Drysdale by Chelsey Drysdale Cohoes, NY August 2017 Global manufacturer and supplier of conformal coating and precision dispensing systems, PVA (Precision Valve & Automation, Inc.), will be hosting an Optical Bonding Seminar on Tuesday, October 17 at the PVA European Headquarters in Helmond, the Netherlands. PVAs optical bonding expert, Alex Giordano, states, An optical bonding seminar focused on emerging manufacturing techniques. This seminar will provide information on successful, in-house optical bonding and connect attendees with industry partners for assistance. This daylong seminar will cover all aspects of the optical bonding process from material handling to troubleshooting with presentations from industry partners such as Momentive, DELO Adhesives, Plasmatreat and Humiseal. Along with the presentations, a live bonding demonstration will be performed. The Optical Bonding Seminar is free for all industry professionals to attend. For more information or to RSVP, please email info@pva.net. Copiii cu nevoi speciale din Stefan Voda au conditii de reabilitare mai bune, datorita UE si Fundatiei Soros Moldova Though our natural instinct is to put everything back exactly where it was before a disaster, Mark Abkowitz, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Environmental Management Studies said people need to seriously rethink where and how to rebuild. Were talking hurricanes now, but it could be inland flooding, tornadoes, drought, wildfires, earthquakes. The question really comes up: If we had things the way they were and they suffered the level of catastrophic impact that they did, whats the reasoning behind putting it back exactly the way it was before? asks Abkowitz. Abkowitz believes that Harvey and Irma happening in such rapid succession are an indication of what could be in the future. Its an unfortunate circumstance, but sometimes it takes a catastrophe of a certain scale for people to wake up and say we need to do something about that. Rebuilding isnt always best Abkowitz said we need policies to discourage future high-risk development, such as not authorizing public funds to support rebuilding in hazardous areasat least not without updating structures to better withstand future storms. Fort Myers, FL., September 14, 2017 Clean up begins in Fort Myers, Florida following Hurricane Irma. Robert Kaufmann/FEMA We have to decide where our societal values are, and as much as developers and tourists would love to be right on the beach, whether its safer in the long run to put these structures further back. For example, Abkowitz suggests rebuilding a beach hotel could be more tenable if its set a quarter mile back and a boardwalk built for beach access, that way natural barriers and mangroves can be put back in place. And the same is true for houses, he said. Were such an impulse and immediate reaction society. The idea of spending anything, even if its a little when you have other things that you think are more urgent, you just keep kicking that can down the road. And then you end up with the results of Harvey and Irma. Hindsight is 20-20, unfortunately. Smarter zoning, better maps, more stormwater management The most impactful immediate change is likely to happen at the local level, Abkowitz said. I think a lot of scrutiny should be placed on zoning boards, he said. If theyre allowing developers to build in hazardous places, putting the opportunity for tax revenue over personal safety, then shame on them. Someone has to hold them to task. Key to that, Abkowitz said, is updating our hazard maps to reflect current development and weather patterns so zoning boards are aware of the danger in the first place. I think were finding that there are places where multiple 100-year events are happening in the same decade, and that makes you recognize that basing these things on history is no longer adequate for what were facing today, and might be facing in the future. If we can get better at being honest and realistic about where the hazardous areas are, and we can sensitize zoning boards to these kinds of things, then theres a good start. One thing communities can do instead is buy out residents in hazard areas at fair market value, so they can relocate to safer ground, he saidand then repurpose the land to better insulate communities from extreme weather, like restoring wetlands to drain floodwater more quickly. Another thing communities can do is look for low-hanging fruit locally. Abkowitz points to a small community in Canada prone to flash floods. The town outfitted every home with rain barrels that divert roof runoff from the storm drains, preventing the oversaturation that leads to flash floodsa relatively low-cost solution that considerably reduces the risk of a very expensive problem. Not only are these small steps helpful in and of themselves, they also increase awareness in the community of how the human and financial cost of disasters can be mitigated, sometimes significantly. The punchline is that you can pay me now or pay me later, he said. You can invest in the oil change or you can replace your engine. Preparedness is key Disaster response officials and agencies seem to have learned some very important lessons from Hurricane Katrina, said Abkowitz. Katrina laid bare the lack of adequate preparation among emergency management officials at every level, a failure that cascaded down through every aspect of the response, said Abkowitz. I dont think anybody, from the federal government on down to the local level, had any understanding of the kind of impact that an event like that could have on a metropolitan area, particularly one that has the land use characteristics of New Orleans. As a result, they didnt really have the proper assets in place and they didnt have the proper coordination amongst the organizations. And I think it showed. By contrast, he was very impressed by the level of advance preparation and communication officials showed prior to and during Harvey and Irma. I think weve done a lot better with Harvey and with Irma, particularly the advance planning and the evacuations happening much sooner. He points to Harvey and Irmas much lower fatality rate as proof that extensive preparation works. Abkowitz is the author of Operational Risk Management: A Case Study Approach to Effective Planning and Response, which includes a case study on Hurricane Katrina. No matter your views on climate change, resilience always makes sense Setting aside whether climate change plays a role in extreme weather, Abkowitz said no one can argue with the fact that there are simply more people living in disaster-prone areas than there used to be. And when more areas are built up and covered by concrete, there are fewer places for water to absorb and flow away from populated areas, he said. More people have been allowed to build in hazardous areas, and therefore the damage and the human harm is greater. That alone should motivate policymakers to do more to protect Americans from extreme weather and guide smarter development in hazardous areas, he said. Source: Vanderbilt University The head of the National Flood Insurance Program said Wednesday early estimates show Hurricane Harvey will result in about $11 billion in payouts to insured homeowners, mostly in southeast Texas. That would likely put Harvey as the second costliest storm in the history of the federal insurance program, said Roy E. Wright, the Federal Emergency Management Agencys deputy associate administrator for insurance and mitigation. More than $16 billion was paid out after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It is still too soon to estimate losses from Hurricane Irma, Wright said. But he predicted that the storm damage in Florida and other affected states could rival the nearly $9 billion paid out after Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Even before the recent back-to-back hurricanes, the federal flood insurance program was about $25 billion in debt to the U.S. Treasury. Wright said the program currently has enough cash to absorb the initial wave of payments to help homeowners get back on their feet but will need billions more within about a month. Congress has never turned their back on a flood insurance holder, and I cannot imagine them looking away now, Wright said. I am confident there will be no break in the flow of funds. The Associated Press reported earlier this month that the total number of federal flood insurance policies nationally dropped by about 10 percent over the last 5 years, to about 4.9 million. The drop came after Congress required a premium hike in 2012 and about a half million homeowners elected to drop their coverage. As a result, scores of homes flooded by Harvey and Irma will not be covered by federal flood insurance. Those uninsured homeowners will likely have to seek grants and loans to rebuild. Wright said such federal emergency help should be seen as a life vest, but not the full protection offered by flood insurance. Wright said that nationally there are about 10 million residential structures, twice the number of properties currently covered, in areas that could potentially flood. That includes many homes that are outside 1-in-100 year flood plains or that dont have federally-backed mortgages requiring flood insurance policies. Wright said uninsured homeowners around the country should learn from what is happening in Houston and other flood-ravaged parts of the country and seriously weigh whether they should buy a policy. Collectively, we need more people covered, Wright said. We have to get beyond this conversation about what I have to do and what Im mandated to do, and put folks in an educated position by which they are making a back-pocket economic decision. Wright said that under current law, FEMA is not allowed to cancel policies covering waterfront or low-lying homes that have been flooded and rebuilt multiple times. In the wake of Harvey and Irma, he said the flood insurance program will likely be refining its policies to allow the owners of such multiple-loss homes to be bought out and moved to higher ground. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AKRON, Ohio -- FirstEnergy utility employees, who pulled out of town last week, are working to restore power in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Irma tore though the lower Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane early Sunday morning, its eye passing 20 miles east of Key West. It made landfall at Marco Island as a Category 3 that afternoon, and headed up the state, leaving nearly 2 million people without power, according to Florida Power & Light. Currently, more than 630 FirstEnergy linemen and support personnel are working as part of the large-scale mutual assistance effort. The majority of the employees are based at a staging area at the Sarasota Fairgrounds and are working in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. About 120 employees are from Ohio Edison, with about 30 from the Akron/Kent area. About 85 employees are from the Illuminating Company in the Cleveland area. Heavy traffic, a heat index topping 100 degrees and Spartan living conditions are just some of the challenges the crews are facing. The company sent two contingents to Florida. The first 410 employees departed early last Saturday, while a group of about 220 left early Thursday morning. Based on current conditions, FirstEnergy employees could be in Florida for the next two weeks as part of the massive rebuilding effort. 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. AKRON, Ohio - Like cities across Ohio and the country, Akron wants Amazon to build its new headquarters here. The facility will be Amazon's second headquarters, after its flagship facility in Seattle. Amazon is hyping the new headquarters as a $5 billion, 50,000-job facility. The city of Akron is working with Summit County and the Greater Akron Chamber to answer an initial set of questions Amazon has issued to determine eligibility, said Sam DeShazior, Akron's deputy mayor of economic development. "There's a guarded optimism for these kinds of projects," DeShazior said. "It would generate about the same amount of jobs we lost in the rubber industry over the last 50 years." Akron could fulfill the following requirements: Have a million people within 60 miles (4.3 million to be exact); As FirstEnergy's headquarters, have access to a network with an uninterruptible source of power With a network of universities and community colleges, can provide the necessary trained labor. But word in the business community is, hosting the new Amazon facility would cause major headaches, especially for mid-sized cities. According to Business Insider magazine: Communities with a modest cost of living would see land values rise dramatically, pushing up housing and office space costs, hindering small businesses and startups Traffic congestion would increase exponentially Wages would be pressured to increase, which would be good for employees but not employers What do you think? Should Amazon locate its new headquarters in Akron? Should it follow the lead of Detroit and work with Cleveland and other Northeast Ohio communities to come up with a regional bid. Share your thoughts by joining us for a discussion Friday from 10:30 a.m. to noon for today's edition of "Talk it Out," a civilized, moderated, constructive conversation on this topic in the comments 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. Disorderly Conduct, Northcliff Avenue: On Sept. 10, a man came to the police station to report he was assaulted by his sister-in-law at Texas Roadhouse. Soon after, the woman came to the police station to report she was being harassed by her brother-in-law while at the restaurant. Police are investigating. Shoplifting, Brookpark Road: On Sept. 13, Walmart security observed a Cleveland man stealing store items. An arriving officer located the thief, who had more than $500 worth of merchandise. He was arrested for petty theft. Attempted theft, Tiedeman Road: On Sept. 13, a worker called police after discovering his work van had been broken into while parked in the Cleveland Baptist Church parking lot on Tiedeman Road. The officer said the steering column was damaged. There are no suspects. Fraud, Plainfield Ave: On Sept. 13, a Plainfield Avenue resident contacted the police department after she discovered a fake lending company scammed her out of more than $950. There are no suspects. Police are investigating. Property damage, Roadoan Road: On Sept. 12, a Cleveland man reported his 2001 Ford Taurus' catalytic converter was damaged by a water department cover on Roadoan Road near Hurricane Alley Road. Police are investigating. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The warm, inviting aroma from the corner storefront in Cleveland's Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood is more than pleasant. It's comforting, an alluring welcome. It comes from homemade apple-pie spice blend and homemade apple butter and hard cider baked into doughnuts, and it's a delicious stop-you-in-your tracks moment. For Shelley and John Pippen, it's more than just a nice smell. It's the result of hard work, calculated risks and a decision to be very open about every step along the way to create their doughnuts-and-craft-beer business, Brewnuts. The concept itself is unique. Separately, beer and doughnuts remain two of the most common and sought-after products, found in corner bars and neighborhood bakeries no matter what generation. Why not put them together? The Pippins didn't open Brewnuts overnight. Their route to opening their business is based on making the right decisions in the beginning: A small storefront and a large social-media presence helped put them on the map. They plan to open Tuesday, Sept. 19. A learning curve The two creative minds created the concept in 2013. "We had the idea and pretty instantly acted on it," Shelley said. "It was born out of excitement and a little out of frustration out of the careers we were in." Instead of just quitting their jobs - Shelley worked at MetroHealth, John was in accounting - they formulated a plan: They would go through Bad Girl Ventures, a small-business empowerment launching pad now known as Aviatra Accelerators, as well as the Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen. "That was a good experience," she said. Bad Girl Ventures concentrated on marketing, accounting and business principles, she said, while Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen focused on the food business, everything from the cost of goods to whether you need to wear a hair net. "It was the most educated and prepared we could have been," she said, "given that we're coming at this from left field." The pivotal moment came in June 2013 - "one of the first times we sold doughnuts for money," Shelley said. They spent a year in Tremont, across from Fahrenheit, "to stress-test this concept. How's it going? Do people like it? Do we like it? Can it become something more than this hobby on the side?" It could, and it was. The trays of doughnuts Shelley would slide into display racks would empty as fast as she could put them there. They honed their craft. Classic traditional doughnuts, John said, is basically making bread. The couple contemplated its future. Did they want to be a West Side Market stand, a food truck? One day, Shelley opened an email that could just as easily have been dismissed. It was about a business-pitch competition. "If you're being open and the universe puts things in front of you (opportunity is there), but if you're not open and irritated you don't see those things," she said. "I could have deleted that email, it could have been in spam." Their performance in the competition gave them confidence. Over time, they cashed out 401Ks, quit jobs, and went all in. They used kickstarter and began a Thanksgiving-morning doughnut delivery. "We did all the big risks," she said. A transparent approach We all know the Pippins never really lost focus during the trials and hardships that come with creating a start-up. How? Through Facebook. And it wasn't just a stray photograph here and there. What Shelley Pippin created was an open book, an honest, public journal documenting the couple's accomplishments, frustrations, pitfalls and personal moments. Every post had a theme: This is what hard work looks like and what results from it. It was a couple in paint-covered clothes forging life into the 100-year-old building at 6501 Detroit Road. It was Shelley showing an unglamorous side, about sorrow from the loss of a cat, about smiling after a hard day's work with her husband, about exhaustion from creating hundreds of "dones." Our view right now is much different. ... I wonder with lots of cautious optimism and delight at what I will love about this new home? Current mood: blurry, very rundown, in my big girl kitchen that my most wonderful spouse risked his livelihood on with me, completely terrified, not yet able to get excited. Future Shelley: dang girl, why the hell did you worry so freaking much... "She's the face of Brewnuts," John said. "Our people have really gotten to know me and John," said Shelley, who describes herself as a 'documentarian'. "I wanted them to understand we are plugging away at this business, we're real people. It's a diplomatic way of showing them what you need to weather. That was important to me, maybe for my own sanity, maybe for our own preservation. It also was smart, organic marketing. "It built a lot of excitement, human compassion between your audience and you," she said. "As a business you're told you have to write your business statement. Our mission was to make people feel special, not just posting pretty pictures of doughnuts all the time. Now we have authentic relationships with people who feel they had a vested stake in the process, and now they get to enjoy the rewards of the process." The goal, John said, was for people to feel comfortable whether they are tasting a hand-crafted doughnut or "whether they want to hunker down and have a beer." They've come a long way since they signed the lease in November 2015 in the space, formerly council member Matt Zone's office. They fit in a wedding at The Mohicans southwest of Wooster and a honeymoon to Jamaica. Challenges in getting ready With a week to go in the process, the couple coordinated finishing touches, John in a brewery t-shirt and Shelley in ripped jeans and sandals. They are native Northeast Ohioans - John is from North Olmsted, Shelley from Westpark and Fairview Park - whose business will reflect their home and who they are. The taps will pour what they put in their doughnuts, Cleveland-made craft beer. Phoenix Coffee supplies the coffee. In spare time they have navigated the internet and local places, seeking just the right pieces, colors and decor. They discovered soot-covered slabs of marble - suggesting the romantic notion they could have been check-writing spaces from the bank that stood in the space decades ago - and converted them to a beautiful countertop. They found green tiles that have a unique sheen. Green, pink and blue wallpaper with giant printed leaves lines a wall and yields a retro feel. A 70-year-old case comes from Gertrude Bakery in Slavic Village. Old-style diner seats sit along the bar. They had a sign made - 'Donut Mess with Cleveland', its neon theme shining over the trays that soon will hold dozens of doughnuts. "This design is all Shelley," John said. "She's amazing." And they braved problems. "We had so many things that could go wrong (and) did," Shelley said. "It was sort of like 'Christmas Vacation' - now the tree, now the squirrel. It was one thing after another. It got to the point where'd you laugh, 'you've got to be joking.' " Inspections and permits wrapped in red tape, asbestos issues, a new fire system - "Things where you were like 'Gosh, this makes no sense. The weird punches you take, I guess, in a 100-year-old building and tearing up floors. Trying to move so many key players and up and down the field to me was a new experience. "The curve balls a 100-year old building threw at us," Shelley said. "You name it, we ran into it." Added John: "As much as Cleveland is embracing small business they are not embracing the process of it. There should be people helping navigate you." Revenue all this time has come from catering for weddings and events. The kitchen is up and running, with 10 to 12 different doughnuts to be offered on a regular basis. They created a vestibule with a memento-lined wall - local brewery signs, antlers, a can of Red Stripe beer. A Kitchen-Aid mixer has its own shelf, a family gift to Shelley years ago, a testament to her love of baking. The future is what the neighborhood will determine. The long hours will continue at the corner spot, near a bank, bars, independent stores and theaters, with Brewnuts being opened every day but Monday. They will open early, close for lunch to regroup, then re-open for a happy-hour crowd. It's not hard to imagine lines out the door on a weekend morning, like Voodoo Doughnut draws in Portland. Reality sets in It wasn't the items on the wall or doughnuts in the kitchen that proved Brewnuts was a real thing. "We had this game we'd play, like when we were in the car," Shelley said. "When's it gonna hit you? When's the moment? When's it going to feel really good, real?" For her, it was the light going on. For him, it was a fully fired kitchen with doughnuts. "It speaks to our personalities," Shelley said. "John is very practical, functional. Mine was seeing something really being lit up and brought to life." They stood outside, waiting for the dimming sun to trigger the sensory light. A car of women rolled up. "I was, 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Shelley said. "It was like 'Yes!' It was like 'Christmas Vacation,' I was having that moment. These ladies started cheering 'All right!' I was 'I'm sorry,' I was crying, getting all emotional. "It was one of those special moments. It made it feel real, these cool lights lighting up this neighborhood, and inviting." As inviting as warm spice wafting through a beer and doughnuts joint. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy surrounding ESPN anchor Jemele Hill's tweet storm earlier in the week calling him a white supremacist. "ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming)," Trump tweeted on Friday. "People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!" ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Trump's response comes less than 48 hours after White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she wasn't sure if the president was aware of Hill's comments. Sanders called them "outrageous" and suggested she be fired. On Monday, Hill posted, "Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists," while also calling him a "bigot" and "the most ignorant, offensive president" of her lifetime. "His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period," she wrote. The next day, ESPN distanced itself from Hill's postings, calling them "inappropriate" and saying she received a talking to. Hill did not delete the tweets or face any disciplinary action, but a report Friday by Fox News media reporter Howard Kurtz said ESPN initially considered firing or suspending Hill. When she refused to issue a general apology, the network tried to remove her from hosting "SportsCenter" on Wednesday, the same day as the White House's rebuke. However as first reported Thursday by Think Progress reporter Lindsay Gibbs, Hill's co-host Michael Smith refused to do the show without her. According to the report, ESPN then tried to get two other black anchors, Michael Eaves and Elle Duncan, to fill in. When they balked, the network, faced with the prospect of replacing Hill and Smith with two white anchors, asked her to return. ESPN denied Think Progress' acount with senior vice president Rob King telling the reporter, "Michael and Jemele appearing on the show last night and doing the show the way they did is the outcome we always desired." Also, "We never asked any other anchors to do last night's show. Period," ESPN spokesperson Chris LaPlaca tweeted. After the show, Hill apologized, not for the comments themselves, but for putting ESPN in a tough spot. So, to address the elephant in the room ... #Facts pic.twitter.com/RTrIDD87ut Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 14, 2017 Love that my @NABJSports brothers came to check on me pic.twitter.com/a02nKHYmjK Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 14, 2017 While the network finds itself again being accused of a liberal bias, Hill has received public support from many of her colleagues. However, ESPN's handling of the situation, according to Kurtz, has left employees in Bristol on both sides of the political spectrum "confused and resentful over the lack of clear standards at the network." GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio - The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a 17-year-old boy who died Thursday in a car crash that followed a Garfield Heights bank robbery. Gabriele William Benter, of Cleveland Heights, died after paramedics took him to Marymount Hospital, the medical examiner's office said. Investigators have not released the identifies of the suspects in the bank robbery. Two other people suffered non-life-threatening injuries when a getaway car used in a bank robbery crashed into another car on Libby Road at Broadway Avenue in Maple Heights, police said. The crash happened shortly after two armed men took cash from a U.S. Bank on Turney Road near Eastwood Boulevard, police said. Officers spotted the getaway car on Turney Road at Granger Road. The car crashed into two police cruisers on East 135th Street at Granger Road. A Garfield Heights police officer and a police dog were injured, police said. The getaway car sped away again, but crashed moments later in Maple Heights. The State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, police said. If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Friday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Home is where there's soft toilet paper. On a recent morning, Kevin Kilgore, a MetroHealth Medical Center biomedical engineer and researcher, was busy stocking the hospital's Zubizaretta House with a top brand of toilet paper. It's a little thing that makes this fully accessible facility for spinal cord injury patients feel less like a hospital and more like home. "As long as I'm alive, they'll have real toilet paper here," he said, with just a bit of hyperbole. Thanks to Kilgore's vision, MetroHealth now has the $1.5 million, fully wheelchair-accessible Zubizarreta House, where out-of-town spinal cord patients can stay while participating in research at the hospital. The house opened in May. Miguel Zubizarreta, retired CTO of Hyland Software, donated $1.5 million to construct the residential house as a gift to MetroHealth. "No one can complain about how it came to be, because it's done," Zubizarreta said. The one-story, 7,500-square-foot Zubizarreta House, located at Broadview and W. 33rd streets, offers five wheelchair- accessible guest suites. Patients can stay up to two months, free of charge, in an airy, spacious home that feels anything but institutional. The suites, decorated in calming pastels, have wheelchair accessible bathrooms and extra beds for family members or caretakers. A great room, which combines a large kitchen and living room with a stone fireplace, encourages group dining and relaxing. The kitchen has several cook stations with appliances and sinks set at comfortable heights for people using wheelchairs. It's only three minutes away from MetroHealth's Old Brooklyn Health Center, the site of research on functional electrical stimulation (FES) to give paralyzed patients increased mobility. Kilgore is the trial's principal investigator. Kilgore hopes that Zubizarreta House will boost the number of patients who participate in FES research. He knew that patients, like Kim Anderson-Erisman of Miami, faced extended stays in hotels and costly rides in accessible vans. Most visits last for weeks and include evaluation, surgery and rehabilitation. When Anderson-Erisman came to MetroHealth for surgery two years ago, she and her husband had to stay in hotel. While recuperating after surgery on both arms, other hotel guests stared at her wrist-to-shoulder casts. "It's hard to recover in a hotel. It doesn't feel like a house," Anderson-Erisman said. She is a professor and director of education at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami. When she returned to MetroHealth in August, she and Anderson-Erisman were among the the first guests at Zubizarreta House. The couple appreciated their suite with a ceiling lift that helps her transfer from wheelchair to bed, and the spacious kitchen. "The bath is amazing," Anderson-Erisman said. "It's nice to be able to have a home-cooked meal." Anderson-Erisman, who suffered a spinal cord injury in a car crash in 1988, is having an FES device implanted to regain the use of muscles in her midsection and hands. The trial device, developed at Case Western Reserve University and MetroHealth, is implanted in the chest or abdomen and stimulates paralyzed muscles, Kilgore said. Anderson-Erisman is only the third person in the world to receive this version of the device, he said. Future Zubizarreta House guests will benefit from an idea that began two years ago, when Kilgore won $100,000 in MetroHealth's first think tank competition. Zubizaretta, who helped judge the competition, didn't want to see Kilgore's proposal die under a blizzard of bureaucratic paperwork and permissions. "It seemed like something with transformational opportunities," Zubizarreta said. "I could completely envision how to complete it." Zubizarreta purchased and razed a funeral home in the health center's neighborhood, paid for construction, chose architects and consulted with accessibility experts about details the house should have. "I'm hoping (the guests) all feel like royalty, and I think they will. It's just spectacular," Kilgore said in describing the house. On the day before her surgery, Anderson-Erisman looked forward to recovering at Zubizarreta House's comfortable atmosphere. "It definitely makes you feel more relaxed," she said. "It's amazing to have this here. It should be a model for the rest of the country." STORY SUMMARY * MetroHealth Medical Center has opened Zubizaretta House, a $1.5 million, wheelchair-accessible residential house for patients participating in hospital research. * Miguel Zubizarreta, retired CTO of Hyland Software, donated the funds to build the house and helped design it. * The house includes five suites with ceiling lifts for transferring patients from wheelchair to bed, roll-in showers and extra beds for family and caretakers. CLEVELAND, Ohio - City Council opens its fall session Monday with major items looming on the agenda. Over the next several weeks, council likely will take up tax breaks for Cleveland's first true skyscraper in three decades, new regulations on dirt bikes meant to keep them off city streets and setting the leadership team for 2018. And those issues will be worked in during an election season in which each of the sitting members seeking re-election faces a challenger and at least two new members will be elected to the body. Here's a look at some of the issues: Tax breaks for a tower Stark Enterprises is seeking a property tax deal for its $540-million NuCLEus project, a high-rise building that would house 150,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, 200,000 square feet of office space and 500 apartments. The building is proposed for just north of Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland's board of education is considering the proposed tax deal now, but it put off a vote in August. The proposal would redirect tax revenues created by the project to pay off construction debt. And while such deals aren't new to the region, this one could be Cleveland's first real estate project in a decade to reallocate tax revenues otherwise earmarked for public schools. The district would forego $121 million in new tax revenue over the next 30 years in return for $18 million in cash now -- dollars the district could use to leverage an additional $38 million from the state for school construction. But the deal could be significant, too, if it opens the door to similar requests in the future from developers. Any agreement would require approval from City Council, and ultimately the mayor. And while the school board's vote isn't binding on City Council, the members of council will consider board members' opinions, council President Kevin Kelley said. "We're kind of waiting to get some direction from the school board," Kelley said. "I'm kind of looking at what they come up with with their due diligence." Detouring dirt bikes Several pieces of legislation that would give police greater ability to stop and confiscate off-road motorcycles, ATVs and mini bikes if they're ridden on city streets should reach the full council this fall. Mayor Frank Jackson proposed the changes as part of an effort to gain control over the illegal on-street riders. The proposals would require, for example, that any bike that is ridden on the street meet all requirements for lights and registration. Another proposal would prohibit sale of gasoline to someone who wants to pump it directly into a dirt bike. Organizing for the new year Shortly after the election, council will decide who fills the chair of council president for 2018. Kelley said he intends to seek the presidency again. He has held the post since 2013, when he was elected unanimously. It is likely that Kelley will retain the post. He has enjoyed strong support from his council colleagues, most of whom are expected to win re-election. But there will be at least two new members - successors to Councilman Jeff Johnson and Zack Reed, who both ran for mayor. And some other members face stiff re-election challenges. Reed finished second in the primary election and will face Jackson in November. Johnson finished third. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland wants to compete for the Amazon headquarters, according to a joint statement by Mayor Frank G. Jackson and County Executive Armond Budish. The company announced last week they were building a second headquarters, which could bring 50,000 jobs to the city they choose. Northeast Ohio will launch a community effort similar to the one that won Republican National Convention last year, the statement said. This means working on the bid with partners including the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Northeast Ohio Area-wide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) and Cleveland State University. "We were an underdog during (the RNC) process, yet we won," the statement from Budish and Jackson said. "We are confident that working together we can highlight what sets us apart from the competition. This opportunity will have tremendous near and long-term impact on the City and the region. To win the bid, partners will have to put together a proposal that addresses Amazon's long list of requirements for its new headquarters. Cleveland already meets some of the more quantitative requirements, which include a metro area of more than a million (Cleveland metro area contains more than 2 million) and distance to an airport. Some other requirements include direct access to mass transit, a local culture in where Amazon staffers would love to live, and a "business-friendly" climate. Amazon will also judge the cities on tax incentives and other perks they can provide. Cleveland is among more than 100 U.S. and Canada locations that have expressed interest in bidding, according to the Seattle Times. This includes New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Austin and Denver. In Ohio, Cleveland is the largest city to announce a bid. Dayton announced its interest last week, but Columbus and Cincinnati haven't announced anything. Proposals are due in October, with a decision in 2018. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man faces felony charges after his girlfriend found him sexually assaulting her 12-year-old daughter and stabbed him several times at a West Side home, records say. Troy Parks, 31, is charged with rape and gross sexual imposition in the incident that happened Tuesday on West 58th Street in the Stockyards neighborhood. The mother of the victim has not been charged with any crimes. The mother told police that she stabbed Parks six times after she found him naked on top of her daughter around 2:30 a.m., according to a Cleveland police report. The girl told investigators that Parks had also touched her in the past, records say. Police asked a judge to hold Parks on a high bond due to fears of retaliation against the victim and her family, records say. Police also asked the judge to issue a no contact order between Parks and the victim, records say. Parks suffered five stab wounds to his chest and one in the back of his head, a police report says. Officers found "lots of blood on scene" when they went to investigate, dispatch records say. Parks was treated for the injuries at MetroHealth, where he told detectives that his girlfriend may have attacked him because she thought her daughter had feelings for him," according to the police report. Parks is in custody at the Cleveland City Jail, according to jail staff. He was convicted of aggravated assault in a 2011 Cleveland police case, and sentenced to one year of probation. Parks has other convictions for theft, felonious assault, failure to comply and drug trafficking, court records show. To comment on this story, please visit Friday's crime and courts comments section. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Are Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi new best friends? In recent weeks, the Republican president has huddled with Democrats in Congress to negotiate deals to extend government funding and allow undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as minors to remain in the United States. Republican leaders said they were shocked when Trump agreed to attach hurricane victim relief to a short-term government funding measure that was sought by Democrats, and several Ohio Republicans voted against the package. After a Wednesday evening dinner with Trump, the Democratic leaders of the House and Senate announced a new agreement: Trump would support establishing a law to protect undocumented immigrants who were in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as part of a border security package that wouldn't include building a Mexican border wall sought by Trump. Trump confirmed he backs allowing DACA recipients to stay in the Unted States, and said he plans to seek the wall in other legislation, and told reporters that Paul Ryan and other GOP leaders are "on board." "We're talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who've done a good job," said Trump. "We'll only do it if we get extreme security, not only surveillance but everything that goes with surveillance. If there's not a wall, we're doing nothing." Senior House GOP source texts me: R leaders were blindsided AGAIN on this DACA deal. Add it to the list. Trump going rogue w/bipartisan Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) September 14, 2017 A joint statement from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said they must still finalize border security details that might include new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment,and rebuilding roads along the border. "While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it," the pair said. Trump's negotiations with Democrats have confused some of his most ardent backers. Some, like Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, were miffed they'd been left out of the negotiations loop and others, like Iowa Rep. Steve King, felt betrayed. @RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017 But Republicans who want to to keep DACA recipients from being deported - like Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake - were pleased by Trump's actions. Kudos to @POTUS for pursuing agreement that will protect #Dreamers from deportation https://t.co/2nRYOv82RO Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) September 14, 2017 Last week, Trump canceled the Obama administration's DACA program that allowed roughly 800,000 immigrants illegally brought to the United States as children to remain. But he delayed its end for six months to give Congress time to address the fate of its participants, and advance "responsible immigration reform." At that time, he pledged to "resolve the DACA issue with heart and compassion - but through the lawful Democratic process - while at the same time ensuring that any immigration reform we adopt provides enduring benefits for the American citizens we were elected to serve. We must also have heart and compassion for unemployed, struggling, and forgotten Americans." AKRON, Ohio -- Agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "pounded on the door" of the Akron home of Leonor Garcia Friday morning, even though the office was told she has taken sanctuary in the the Forest Hill Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, church officials said. Garcia's 3-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter, Margaret, were home when agents knocked loudly on the door. Garcia, who is an undocumented immigrant, was scheduled to be deported to Mexico on Thursday. Instead, she took refuge in the church on Tuesday. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman Khaalid Walls said agents will not attempt to remove her from the church. He cited ICE policy that says agents will "avoid conducting enforcement activities in sensitive areas" that includes places of worship, schools and hospitals. He had no comment on the actions at Garcia's home at 11 a.m. Friday. "Leonor is very upset," said Pastor John Lentz. "Her daughter was upset as well because the agents pounded on the door and frightened the children beyond words." Lentz said Garcia's daughter, who was born in the United States, refused to answer the door and eventually the agents left. "This is harassment since ICE knows Leonor is here in the church," said Lentz. "We've been having conversations with them because they want us to return the ankle monitor Leonor wears. We have been discussing how to do that, since cutting it would be tampering with government property." Lentz said the woman's four American-born children would be brought to the church to stay with their mother, at least temporarily. Garcia has been living in the United States without documentation for at least 20 years and is the sole support of her children since her husband was deported in 2011. She was facing deportation more than seven years ago but was given a reprieve after ICE officials learned of her family's circumstances. Since then, she was able to stay in the United States. On Aug. 1, Garcia checked in with ICE for what she thought would be a routine meeting. Instead, she was affixed with an ankle monitor and told to report for deportation yesterday. After hearing of the woman's situation, the church offered to allow her to live in an apartment upstairs. "Since the word got out, more than 90 percent of the people who contacted us support her and what the church is doing," Lentz said. Lynn Tramonte, a Cleveland Heights resident who is an official with the national immigrant support group America's Voice, said other churches in the country have opened doors to people facing deportation, including a church in Columbus. WASHINGTON, D.C. - After testing the waters for a U.S. Senate run, Hillbilly Elegy author J.D. Vance has decided against jumping into the crowded field of Republicans jockeying to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown next year, a Vance adviser said Friday. Vance's bestselling memoir of escaping poverty in Middletown, Ohio to graduate from Yale Law School won acclaim during the 2016 elections, as people sought his insights into the working-class, rural voters who propelled Donald Trump to the White House. He recently bought a house in Columbus and started a nonprofit group called Our Ohio Renewal to work on issues that contribute to poverty, like the opioid crisis and the breakdown of the family. The group is currently working on ways to provide resources to help non-parental family members, like grandparents, take care of their relatives' children. Vance spoke at GOP Lincoln Day dinners around Ohio and commissioned polls on whether Republicans would support his candidacy, particularly after he admitted voting for independent Evan McMullin instead of Trump. Although his speeches were well-received and polls showed support for his candidacy, family concerns ultimately kept him from running. "It is amazing how many people got excited about him running for Senate, but it just isn't the right time for his family," said Jai Chabria, a former adviser to Ohio Gov. John Kasich who is currently advising Vance. Vance has small children and his wife is currently a clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The couple split their time between Washington, D.C., and Columbus. Director Ron Howard is planning to make a movie out of Vance's book, and Vance is also working with Steve Case's "Rise of the Rest" initiative to foster entrepreneurship in America's heartland, said Chabria. "J.D. has a lot of upside as a candidate or as someone who can influence the process from the outside," Chabria said. "He may or may not run for office, but he is going to be a hugely important voice in the Republican party for decades to come." Republicans who are seeking their party's nomination to challenge Brown include Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, who ran against Brown in 2012 and got roughly 45 percent of the vote, Cleveland investment banker Mike Gibbons, Marysville business owner Melissa Ackison, and Franklin County retiree Don Elijah Eckhart. Vance's decision was first reported by The Atlantic. Both the obverse and reverse of this copper-nickel clad Washington quarter dollar were struck with reverse dies. Not one but two reverse dies were used to strike this third known example of a two-tailed Washington quarter dollar. What is now determined to be the third known example of a copper-nickel clad quarter dollar struck with two reverse dies for Washington quarter dollars has surfaced. Error coin dealer Fred Weinberg, owner of Fred Weinberg & Associates in Encino, California, purchased the coin for an undisclosed sum in an assortment that included other error coins. Weinberg made the purchase during the Sept. 7 to 9 Long Beach Expo in Long Beach, California. Weinberg said Sept. 13 the mule error coin was to be submitted to Professional Coin Grading Service for grading and encapsulation. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter A mule error is a coin, token or medal struck with dies not intended to be paired together. The two other known two-tailed quarter dollars both reported in 2001 as having come from unclaimed property sales by the state of California were previously graded Mint State 63 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. A single example known of a Roosevelt dime struck from two reverse dies, known since the early 1970s, was certified nearly three decades later by PCGS as MS-64. All four two-tailed mule errors are believed to have been struck between 1965 and 1967 when coin output was executed at all three Mint production facilities with no Mint marks. All four examples are believed to be San Francisco Mint strikes. Weinberg said the new discovery weighs 5.6 grams, well within tolerance of the official 5.67-gram standard for the 24.3-millimeter quarter dollar. The eagle reverse that appears on the two-tailed quarter dollars bear the same design by sculptor John Flanagan that was introduced on the denomination in 1932 and discontinued with the introduction of the State quarter dollars in 1999. One of the Washington quarter dollar reverses on the newly reported mule was struck with a previously used die. This side exhibits several carbon spots. The die that struck the other reverse side, according to Weinberg, was also a used die, but less used before striking the mule than the other die was. This side also exhibits some very fine die polish lines, according to Weinberg. The strike is in perfect coin turn alignment if flipped over from top to bottom, either side flips over to a perfectly normal reverse alignment, Weinberg said. Most experts believe that the mules were clandestinely made inside the Mint. First reports Discovery of the first two-tailed quarter dollar was reported by Coin World on the cover of the July 3, 2001, issue. Bob Wiborg from Goldn Coins Jewelry in La Habra, California, purchased the mule along with several hundred other error coins in a May 2001 sale by the California State controllers office featuring unclaimed property from bank safe-deposit boxes. The error coins Wiborg purchased had been seized by the Secret Service, then returned to the state of California to be sold as unclaimed property. Weinberg, on Wiborgs behalf, brokered the two-tailed $80,000 sale to New Mexico collector Tommy Bolack, who owns 12 of the 16 publicly known Washington quarter dollar/Sacagawea dollar double-denomination mules. Bolacks two-tailed quarter dollar exhibits perfect coin alignment. The second two-tailed quarter dollar, also pedigreed to the California unclaimed property sale, was submitted to NGC late in 2001 by Abbots Coinex Corp. of Birmingham, Michigan, on behalf of an unnamed client. The coin is reported to have come from another safe-deposit box whose contents were unclaimed by the same individual whose safe-deposit box yielded the first two-tailed quarter dollar. The second two-tailed quarter dollar exhibits medal turn die alignment, meaning the tops of both sides back each other, which is 180 degrees out of rotation from normal coin die alignment. Weinberg said he bought the two-tailed Roosevelt dime from error specialist Lonesome John Devine on Nov. 1, 2001. Devine had owned the coin since 1973 after purchasing it from a collector along with other major San Francisco Mint errors. Weinberg submitted the dime to PCGS, which graded the coin MS-64. Weinberg said he sold the coin in 2002, bought it back from the same party six months ago, and sold it to another party who placed the unique piece with a serious collector of error coins. An Australian fighter plane is celebrated on a new 2017 1-ounce silver dollar with a low mintage. Downies has issued an ultra high relief silver dollar for Niue to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the CAC Boomerang, the first fighter aircraft to be both designed and constructed in Australia. When Japan attacked Allied forces in December 1941, the Royal Australian Air Force did not possess a single fighter aircraft for home defense. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter To meet the threatened Japanese onslaught, a local fighter, the Boomerang, was produced. Designed as an interceptor with a high climb rate, maneuverability, and fitted with the most powerful engine available, the Boomerang established a reputation for effective strikes throughout New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Borneo. The Proof 2017 .999 fine silver dollar weighs 31.1 grams and measures 38.6 millimeters in diameter. It has a mintage limit of 750 pieces and is accompanied by an individually numbered certificate. The coin has an official issue price of $149 in Australian funds. To order the coin, visit the distributor website, www.downies.com. According to researcher John Davenport, this 1848 silver double taler was in a series designed by the engraver of the Munich mint, Carl Friedrich Voight, and the pieces present a striking commentary on events in Bavaria from 1825 to 1856, but several in the series were not released until some years after the dates they bear. An 1848 silver double taler from Bavaria records the passing of the kingship from Ludwig I to his son, Maximilian. The wave of revolutions sweeping across Europe in 1848 created no less a royal casualty than King Ludwig I of Bavaria. Following the lead of French supporters who ushered in the Second Republic, German citizens from several ranks demanded more rights than the king had previously been willing to grant. So he abdicated the throne in favor of his son, Maximilian. Connect with Coin World: Sign up for our free eNewsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter This event is captured on a silver coin from 1848 that is being offered for sale in an October auction in Munich. Gorny and Mosch, which offers the coin during the firms Oct. 11 to 13 auctions, terms the coin a geschichtsdoppeltaler, or historical double taler. The coin is part of a long series of commemorative pieces issued beginning in 1825. Of those, 38 were issued during the reign of Ludwig I, according to John Davenport, writing in German Talers Since 1800. These pieces were denominated or called convention talers through 1835, after which time they were classified as double talers. The obverse of the particular piece in the auction (classified as Davenport 597) depicts a bust of King Ludwig I. The reverse depicts the king passing the crown to his son, with a legend explaining the transition, the date of which appears below the scene. Designed by the engraver of the Munich mint, Carl Friedrich Voight, [these commemorative pieces] present a striking commentary on events in Bavaria from 1825 to 1856, Davenport wrote. A number of these were not released until some years after the dates they bear. Davenport does not explain when talers of this particular type were released, whether that was amid the passions of an inflamed populace seeking justice or after the flames had died. Fighters in the March Revolution in Germany desired a unified Germany with a monarch as its head, and the German revolution that was sparked in 1848 continued into late 1849. However, divisions with some of the 38 other states (besides Bavaria) explain why Germany did not unify until 1870. An iconic moment during the movement came on March 19, 1848, when revolutionaries marched in Berlin, waving the predecessor to todays German flag, the tri-color bands inspired by the French tri-color flag of the nascent revolution not too far away from Germanys modern capital. The day after the march, as noted on the reverse of the taler in the auction, the new king was crowned, the March 20 date shown in German. The auction house classifies the example in its auction as Very rare, a first strike and in Proof (fleur de coin) condition. The taler carries an estimate of 5,000 ($6,037). New York City's police commissioner has fired an officer involved in the 2014 chokehold death of an unarmed black man whose cries of "I can't breathe" fueled a national debate. Coming off a Best in Show award at an international blind-tasting competition, the owners of hard apple cider manufacturing plant and tasting room in Missoula plan to release their first line of bottled cider with a kick-off party Friday. Western Cider, which opened earlier this year on California Street next to the Clark Fork River, has been bottling their McIntosh single variety, Sour Cherry and best-seller, the Whiskey Peach. The McIntosh recently won the top award out of 168 entries at the Portland International Cider Cup, along with a gold medal in the Heritage Dry category. Its all blind tasting by industry professionals, so it was a big deal for us to get that recognition, said Western Cider co-owner Matthew LaRubbio. It was the second year in a row a Montana cidery won. Last year Montana CiderWorks (in the Bitterroot Valley) won it. So were doing something right out here and we want to highlight what were doing for Montanans. The company already cans its Poor Farmer and Poor Farmer Hopped ciders, but LaRubbio said that a relatively less expensive bottling machine will help them get their fan favorites out to local stores. The bottles will be available in cases or sold as 17-ounce singles. The McIntosh apples for the single-variety cider come from an orchard in the Bitterroot, and LaRubbio said the apples are too expensive to sell in cans. For the Sour Cherry, the company uses tart cherry juice. And the Whiskey Peach has been, surprisingly to LaRubbio, the best seller in the tasting room. We use apple juice and peach juice and co-ferment them, which means they are fermented together rather than just back-sweetening the apple cider, he explained. Then we age it in whiskey barrels to get that white oak, vanilla and caramelized notes. We used to use Montgomery Distillery barrels, but they couldnt keep up with our demand, so now we use Wild Turkey barrels. This newest batch is phenomenal. Its really good. Its reminiscent of whiskey. Its 11 percent alcohol by volume, so were not going to be canning that. The bottles will be $1 off Friday only, with cases 20 percent off, and music by the Timber Rattlers starts at 6 p.m. on the patio. The cidery is also in the midst of what it calls the Great Bear Apple Drive, an effort to not only reduce the amount of conflict between wild bears and people but a way to put locally grown apples to good use. Western Cider is teaming up with the Great Bear Foundation, a nonprofit that organizes the Bears and Apples program to attempt to keep bears from scavenging apples in Missoulas urban area. Its a community apple harvest with a very simple concept, LaRubbio explained. Bring us your apples or pears and we will give you cider. Specifically, for every 40 pounds of apples, you get a $5 certificate in return. More important than the tradeoff, your contribution of apples is a collaboration to produce the most local of Missoula beverages besides water hard cider. We will release this community cider, named The Great Bear, in early 2018. The company would like a minimum of 40 pounds of apples or pears to be delivered to the tasting room at 501 N. California St. between noon and 6 p.m., seven days a week. No rotten, bruised or open-fleshed apples, but worms are fine. There will be a free pressing available for people who want their own juice at the kickoff party for Montana Cider Week on Sunday, Oct. 1. Montana Cider Week runs from Oct. 1-7, and starts with the Harvest Party at Western Cider on Oct. 1 with a brunch with cider cocktails, a food truck, live music and a special release. Many local cideries, including Montana CiderWorks, Backroad Cider and BetterRoot Cider (all located in the Bitterroot) will be participating. The week concludes on Oct. 7 with Liquid Apple Night in Hamilton, which supports the Ravalli County Museum. For more information visit facebook.com/MTCiderWeek. All of these events are a great way to support craft hard cider and Montanas apple heritage, said Emily Ritchie, executive director of the Northwest Cider Association. We are excited to have Montana participating again this year, demonstrating the strong support for this vibrant and growing industry. The production of alcoholic beverages like craft beer and craft cider is strengthening Montanas fast-growing manufacturing industry, according to Barbara Wagner, the chief economist for the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Although Montana is developing a stronger knowledge-based economy, our traditional goods-producing industries also played an influential role in 2016, she wrote in the annual Labor Day economic report last week. Manufacturing had the fastest GDP growth of any industry for both the one-year and five-year timeframes, growing by over 10 percent in the last year. Montana has the fastest growing manufacturing sector among all states for both one and five-year timeframes." Manufacturing contributed $3.2 billion to the states GDP in 2016, over $1.2 billion more than the industrys 2011 contribution. "Although the majority of the manufacturing GDP growth has occurred in petroleum refining (which grew by roughly a $500 million dollars from 2011 to 2015), the manufacturing sub-sectors of food and beverage, nonmetallic mineral products, fabricated metal, and wood products have all posted substantial gains in GDP since 2011," Wagner said. CORNWALL, Ontario The United Way breakfast kicked off their 2017 campaign season on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. Typically, near the end of the breakfast, the United Way reveals a goal for the campaign season. Typically, that number is a dollar amount, this year however, this year, the goal revealed was to change lives. Our focus this year isnt on a target, said Bill Makinson, who is returning as chair for this years campaign. Our focus is on making a change and changing lives. United Way of SD&G Executive Director Lori Greer gave some examples of ways that the United Way has been changing lives in the area. All funds raised by the United Way in Cornwall and SD&G, stay in Cornwall and SD&G she said. She pointed to how the funding raised by the United Way goes to keep local organizations like Meals on Wheels and mental health programs going. This is our why, making lives better, she said. Several guests at the United Way breakfast were representatives of organizations that the United Way supports and some of them were invited up to speak to the crowd and explain how their lives had been changed for the better thanks to money raised by the United Way. One person was Savanah Lapensee, who is a grade 11 high schools student and a participant at the Boys and Girls Club of Cornwall (BGC). Lapensee explained that before BGC, she was involved in many extra curricular activities, but not many that she was passionate about. Boys and Girls Club has taught me to do things that fuel my drive, she said. Gerry, a participant at the Hub for Beyond 21 also got up to speak and explained that his life too had been changed for the better thanks to the United Way. I wake up looking forward to the day ahead and to meeting a lot of new friends, said Gerry, who is active with Beyond 21 five days a week. Some events that will be held in support of the United Way this season include the LCBO water bottle drive. Water bottles can be purchased at the LCBO with the idea of filling the empties with change and donating them to the United Way. Greer explained that one such bottle donated contained $58 worth of nickels and dimes. The goal for the LCBO this year is to raise over $29, 000 and they have already raised $13, 000 so far. The fundraiser continues until December. Other upcoming events include Shania Twin at La Maison on Sept. 30 at the Civic Complex, A spin relay being organized for November by Erika Bryant and the annual and always hotly anticipated United Way Wine & Cheese. CORNWALL, Ontario Allstate is partnering with Fresh Co. and the Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS) to stuff the cruiser for the Agape Centre. On Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, in the Fresh Co. parking lot a CCPS cruiser van will be there with the doors open inviting the public to make donations to fill it up with food for the Agape Centre. The goal is to make sure that the Agape Centre can help residents of Cornwall have a happy Thanksgiving and to prepare the centre for the coming holiday season. Also on-site that day will be Jay, a victim service dog. Jay is a 2-year-old brown lab and will be around to greet the guests and to teach them a little bit about the work dogs like Jay do in the area. Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry MP Guy Lauzon will also be there that day signing copies of his book From Lawbreaker to Lawmaker the proceeds of which will be going to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Earlier this summer, Fresh Co. got involved in the One Bag Challenge for the Agape Centre. The One Bag Challenge aimed to encourage people to donate one bag of groceries to the centre. Fresh Co. helped make this easy by offering their customers to donate bags to the Agape Centre on their behalf for a $5 or a $10 donation. This fundraiser continues and Jordan OBrien of Fresh Co. says that they are altering the contents of the bags they are donating to better meet the Agape Centres changing needs. Stuff the Cruiser will begin at 10 a.m. on Sept. 29 in the Fresh Co. parking lot. The Kinsmen Club of Cornwall will be on-site with a BBQ for the guests. The Nez Perce lived peacefully with Americans even though hundreds of white settlers began to inundate their homeland in portions what is now HAVRE A licensed practical nurse has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $665,000 in restitution for stealing gold and silver coins from a quadriplegic north-central Montana man he was hired to help care for. The Havre Daily News reports 52-year-old Teddy Young Sr. was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in prison with 15 suspended for seven counts of felony theft. Young blamed the thefts on his meth addiction. District Judge Yvonne Laird noted Young was discharged from the U.S. Army in 1989 due to larceny convictions. Prosecutors said Young learned the combinations to the Chinook man's safes and took the coins over a period of two years. An accomplice sold them in Great Falls. The victim was a rancher who became quadriplegic after a 2004 four-wheeler crash. Security News Kaspersky Lab Partners Put In Tough Position As Public Sector Pressure Mounts Over Russia Allegations Sarah Kuranda Share this Partners said they are facing increasing questions from customers regarding Kaspersky Lab and allegations about the extent of its ties to Russia, causing some of them to slow or even halt their work with the vendor. Kaspersky, which is globally headquartered in Moscow and has North American headquarters in Woburn, Mass., is in the federal government's crosshairs because several government officials believe it has direct ties to the Russian government and use of its software poses a security risk. The federal government removed Kaspersky from the GSA Schedule in July, and this week the Department of Homeland Security said in a directive that all Kaspersky products much be removed from federal networks within the next 90 days. The DHS said it banned Kaspersky's products from U.S. government networks because it was "concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks." [Related: Kaspersky Removed From GSA Schedule, Limiting Federal Sales For Its Security Software] Kaspersky's troubles aren't limited to the public sector. This week, electronics retail giant Best Buy announced it would no longer sell the company's consumer security software in its retail stores. One recent report said the FBI had put pressure on the private sector to cut ties with the vendor. The company's CEO Eugene Kaspersky (pictured) has vehemently denied that his company is part of a broad Russian conspiracy. In a statement this week, Kaspersky said it does 85 percent of its sales outside of Russia and has a "20-year history in the IT security industry of always abiding by the highest ethical business practices and trustworthy technology development." The company also reaffirmed its commitment to the North American market, saying it plans to open three new offices in 2018 in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto. Partners say they are feeling the hit of the allegations. Multiple partners have told CRN on background that they are either slowing their sales with the vendor or halting them all together, as they face increasing questions from customers regarding the security software. One partner, who did not want to be named, said he was moving all of his clients off of Kaspersky to Webroot, driven he said by customer concern over the software. Another partner, Chris Johnson, cybersecurity compliance strategist at OnShore Security, said he has had to start the process to pull Kaspersky products from two of his largest clients. One of the clients, with 500 to 600 seats of Kaspersky, had just renewed the solution and will likely have to pull the product after the DHS ruling this week because of work it does with multiple federal agencies. "It's scary," Johnson said. "We put our reputations on the line, and now we have this added stress ... It's putting our whole industry at risk." He said the two clients would likely move to Webroot or Sophos. CRN reached out to Kaspersky directly, but a spokesperson referred us to a blog post the company issued in response to the DHS directive this week. The company did not make new channel chief Jason Stein available for comment on the partner concerns. Richard Delaney, CTO and principal solutions architect at Mahwah, N.J.-based Delaney Computer Services, wouldn't comment on if the company was pulling customers from Kaspersky, but said clients are becoming more vocal in general about the security solutions they recommend and what they hear in the news. "I have seen a trend with clients being more aware of cybersecurity in general and having an opinion on the location of their security vendors and actively ask questions about the security solutions that we use and recommend," Delaney said. Other vendors have also actively moved in to take advantage of the situation. VIPRE, for one, announced in May a new buyback program for those concerned about their data under Kaspersky. It said current Kaspersky customers could get six months free of any VIPRE security solution. While he has had to pull some clients from the software, OnShore's Johnson said he worries what precedent the moves will set. While Kaspersky is affected right now, Johnson said there are multiple other antivirus vendors with headquarters or significant locations abroad, including AVG and Sophos. "What does this all mean for us? The channel at large? I'm concerned. I think we should all be concerned because Where does the line get drawn?" Johnson said. Johnson said that creates a lot of uncertainty for partners, who want to be able to offer trusted, long-term solutions to clients but might face tough questions on if the government could pull support. Johnson said partners should step up in a situation like this, making themselves part of the due diligence process for clients and the government when it comes to software. He said it would help if the government provided documentation of why it was pulling support for Kaspersky security software, instead of just saying it was classified. Otherwise, Johnson said he worried other vendors could be impacted down the line by similar government edicts, creating challenging situations for partners and their clients. "I think we have an obligation in our community to be vocal There will be another vendor that will get put in the same crosshairs. I find it hard to believe that Kaspersky is going to be the exception to the rule," Johnson said. 8:23am - If planning to travel over mountain passes in central Montana this morning, here is a view of what to prepare for. #mtwx pic.twitter.com/gz0I8MrKLK This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate RIDGEFIELD - All the talk, late-planning sessions, designing and building is done - Ridgefield Supply Company has a new home. Granted, its not a far move geographically - it is located on adjacent space in the same lot - but the new building is a far cry from the former 1960s Quonset hut that used to house the company. The hut wasnt particularly inviting to homeowners or professional for designers and architects, Glen Albee, president of Ridgefield Supply Company, said. It was dark and had narrow aisles and a low ceiling. We were glad to see it come down. The property on which the hut stood is now parking for the new building, a 33,000 square-foot architecturally pleasing structure roomy enough for RSC to greatly expand its hardware retail offerings. The new building also houses offices on the second level that double as display models as each is made with different wood, windows and doors. The second level also includes conference rooms and the Louis H. Price Education and Training Center, named after RSCs former owner, who died in 2014. RSC salespeople can walk clients around the second floor to show them the various door, window and wood options. The retail showroom features several similar displays of windows and doors. RSCs extensive lumberyard remains located behind the building. Because of the space available we have a lot of large displays. We couldnt do that in the old building. Sometimes these things are tough to imagine by looking at a picture because the differences are so subtle, but now have them all on display, Albee said from his white pine office. We could have done the offices with all the same windows and doors, but why not use them to serve as displays. Do you want this style as a French door or sliding door? Well, you can see them both displayed right here. Ridgefield Supply Company had to tear down the old Ridgefield train station on site, but it replicated the 1800s station as best as it could and incorporated it into the design of the new building. It now serves as a display area for Kolbe windows and doors. A stretch of old train track runs along the front of the replicated station and old photo of the passenger and freight train that used to stop there are on display inside. The structure wasnt salvageable for restoration so we rebuilt it from the ground up. We salvaged as much of the material as possible, Albee said. Its really unique and has a lot of architectural detail. Its as identical as we could make it. Albee said they had to reconfigure the pitch of the train station roof as it had been designed to capture rain water to be used to cool the locomotives. The time, money and effort has not been lost on member of the business community. The transformation of Ridgefield Supply has been nothing short of remarkable, Jennifer Zinzi, director of the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce, said. Seeing the vision of Margaret and her late father, Mr. Price, come to fruition is a joy for the entire town. This project has completed the transformation of Prospect Street and is truly a shining star in town. The renovated store has been open to the public for months, although some loose ends needed tending to - until now. The store will hold its official grand opening from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The event will kick off with a ribbon-cutting at 10 a.m. with the Ridgefield Chamber of Commerce and other town officials. The celebration will also include free food, raffles, giveaways (including two domestic airplane tickets), the Dale Earnhardt Jr. No. 88 car and the Nationwide racing simulator. The new building was the vision of Price and his daughter, Margaret Price, the current owner and CEO of the company. Margaret Price said she and her father worked together on the project in the years before died. I get the sense hes around, Price told Hearst Connecticut Media during a March interview. This was a very important project to him. In order to be a viable business for the next 50 years we had to build this. cbosak@hearstmediact.com; 203-731-3338 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Stamford runs an export economy that relies not on goods, but on its workers management expertise, Mayor David Martin said during a keynote speech Friday at a board meeting of the workforce-development nonprofit The WorkPlace. The recent arrival and expansion of firms such as Henkel, Indeed, Charter Communications, Deloitte and Octagon augurs well for the citys ability to supply such exports, said Martin, a Democrat who is running this year for a second term. But the city and state would need to further develop their workforce and improve infrastructure to drive more economic growth, he argued. These businesses are not coming to Stamford because were giving them good deals thats malarkey, Martin told an audience of several dozen, during the meeting held at Housatonic Community College. Theyre coming to Stamford because we have a workforce that they want. That is their most important criteria. In an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media after the speech, Martins Republican opponent, Barry Michelson, said he agreed the city had recorded recent successes with corporate recruitment. But he also raised concerns about other development trends. Right now our commercial properties have a vacancy rate of about 30 percent. And the tax burden has also fallen from a lot of commercial properties with declining values onto residents. Technology represents one of Stamfords most promising sectors, as shown by job-search giant Indeeds announcement in July that it would add 500 positions in the coming years at its downtown headquarters. But Martin said the state still needs to do more to support the fields growth. As strong as Connecticut is in education were not strong in STEM, he said. We need more engineering and math and tech and software development. Stamfords proximity to New York and its numerous rail and road connections make it a desirable business location. Its residential population of about 130,000 adds 30,000 to 40,000 daytime commuters, according to Martin. If the state wants to be more financially secure, it needs to invest in transportation in lower Fairfield County, he said. We need to invest in I-95, we need to invest in Metro-North, and we need to invest in the Stamford rail station. Michelson said he also wanted to pursue major improvement at the citys downtown Metro-North station. We have to start thinking about innovative ways to get control of the station and make it an asset, he said. The fact the parking situation there hasnt been addressed is a disgrace. We cant sit idly by. Martin cited a low crime rate and his administrations efforts to institute more fiscal discipline the city has AAA ratings from Fitch Ratings and Standard and Poors as other building blocks for Stamfords economic development. Financial integrity is right at the top of the things we need to do, Martin said. Michelson countered that the Fitch and S&P ratings did not give a complete picture of the citys fiscal health, and that its pension fund investments had underperformed. When you talk about fiscal management, Im not seeing prudent management, Michelson said. Stamford is also looking to collaborate more with neighboring communities. Martin said he and municipal officials from Greenwich, Norwalk, Westport and Fairfield planned to travel to Manhattan in November to promote their areas economy. We are not politically organized in Connecticut for us to work this way, Martin said. But were making little baby steps. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Connecticut residents won't have to travel far to see colorful fall foliage this year. Washington, Connecticut will be a top spot for leaf-peeping, according to a recent list released by U.S. News & World Report. The report named "50 small towns across America with gorgeous fall foliage." Washington joins towns from Stowe, Vermont to Homer, Alaska on the list. "When the air becomes brisk, picturesque small towns draped in amber, yellow and orange tones tempt us to hit the trails, savor leisurely wine tastings and delight in leaf-peeping in classic and lesser-known destinations," the site writes. Click through the slideshow above for a look at some of the best small towns to catch foliage this fall, and here for the full list. This year's expected spectacular displays will be in stark contrast to last year, when dry conditions dulled the colors and duration of foliage across the state. "Connecticut's woodlands are poised to present a brilliant display of colors this fall given spring and summer rainfall amounts and moderate temperatures," Christopher Martin, Director/State Forester, Division of Forestry, Bureau of Natural Resources, DEEP told the Connecticut Office of Tourism. Washington offers leaf-peers striking sights without having to drive out of state. According to the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection fall foliage report, peak foliage is expected to arrive in the northern part of the Connecticut in mid-October. "One of the best ways to experience nature in its full glory is taking a 100-mile loop through Litchfield Hills from Torrington along state Route 8," U.S. News & World Report writes. "Another scenic 46-mile loop from New Milford to Mount Tom State Park winds past historic covered bridges and picturesque hiking trails." Washington First Selectman Mark Lyon said he was not surprised to learn that his town landed on the list. "We have a typical New England town, rolling hills ... and spectacular fall foliage," Lyon said. "We also have Lake Waramaug, which is a heritage lake, and you can drive around (it) and see the hillsides reflected down in the water." The town is visited by many leaf-peepers in the fall, he added. "We have a number of what I would call picturesque village centers with church steeples that are often photographed. They're typical New England fall foliage scenes," he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON A total of 29 Democratic senators including Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., have warned Education Secretary Betsy DeVos not to rescind Obama-era guidance on handling campus sexual-assault cases, telling her that doing so would undermine protections of vulnerable victims. The current guidance is critical to ensuring that schools understand and take seriously their responsibilities under the law, and we urge you to leave the current guidance in place, the senators wrote in a letter to DeVos. Rescinding the guidance would be a step in the wrong direction in addressing the national epidemic of campus sexual assault. At issue is the September announcement by DeVos that the Obama 2011 guidance isnt working, and that school administrators tell me it has run amok. Prevention of sexual assault is an element of Title IX, which prohibits school discrimination on the basis of sex. DeVos said the Education Department would go through a rulemaking process that requires public input, and issue temporary guidelines in the interim. But none of that has happened yet. In the letter, Blumenthal and the other senators, including Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand, D-N.Y., complained that the uncertainty was leaving school administrators with more questions than answers in terms of how to conduct often-sensitive inquiries. They urged the department to affirm it will enforce the existing rules. This is the only way to avoid serious disruption and uncertainty on campuses, and to demonstrate that the department continues to take the problem of campus sexual assault seriously, the letter said. At its core, the controversy is about what legal standard administrators should use in determining whether an assault took place and, if so, what level of punishment is appropriate. Under the Obama-administration guidance, often referred to as the dear colleague letter since it was laid out in a letter to campus administrators, alleged attackers would be judged based on preponderance of the evidence whether it more likely than not affirmed guilt. DeVos quoted unnamed critics as saying it had turned campus inquiries into kangaroo courts weighed against alleged assailants. The alternative, preferred by DeVos, is the tougher level of clear and convincing evidence, which is closer to the well-known criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Under this standard, the evidence has to clearly point to guilt, not just suggest its over 50 percent. Blumenthal, a former Connecticut U.S. attorney and state attorney general, said he believes the Obama standard is the correct one. None of these standards involve a mathematical measurement, he said. They involve judgments of credibility, but they require the judgment be fact-based, unswayed by emotion. dan@hearstdc.com HARTFORD The new state budget before the House and Senate provides a pathway to electronic tolls on state highways. The spending plan creates the Connecticut Transportation Finance Authority, which includes an appointed board of directors and an executive director. Along with overseeing transportation projects and making recommendations, the board can explore and implement tolling. Playwright, Bethany Sandvik will discuss the inspiration behind her play, "The Cody Monologues: Famous and Infamous Women of the West," for the next meeting of the Pahaska Corral of Westerners. The meeting occurs on Sept. 25 in the Governors Room at the Irma Hotel in Cody, Wyoming, beginning with a no-host dinner starting at 6 p.m. and followed by the presentation around 7 p.m. The dinner and the presentation are open to the public. Guests are also welcome to attend only the presentation. Sandviks play is a series of historical vignettes told from the point of view of the women portrayed; women like Caroline Lockhart, Doc Lane, Etta Feeley, Cassie Watters, and Olive Fell. Sandvik will talk about how these women helped shape Cody and how their influence on the town and the region can still be seen today. She will also read some excerpts from her play and field questions about the characters. Sandvik is the founder and director of the Studio Theatre at the Cody Center for the Performing Arts. The Pahaska Corral of Westerners is the local chapter of Westerner International, an organization dedicated to stimulating interest and research in the history of the American West. 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 ... Pa. Dems could flip the House of Reps. Here's what that might mean When the first boxes of books arrived for Sylvan Learning Center in Bismarck in 1995, Kari Weigel remembers her excitement as she helped her mother unpack them. At the age of 17, she was her mothers No. 1 helper at the family business. Weigel never expected to follow in her mothers footsteps, but Thursday she found herself celebrating being named Bismarck-Mandans Small Business Person of the Year for her role at the companys helm. The award was presented to Weigel by the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce as part of its annual Celebrate Bismarck-Mandan awards event. To receive the award, nominees must have demonstrated the staying power of their business within the community and increased its workforce, contributing to the local job market. Weigel will now go on to be nominated for North Dakotas Small Business Person of the Year. This nomination means a lot, Weigel said. Im fortunate to go to work and do what I love every day. Weigel had been a certified public accountant in Minneapolis before returning to buy the business from her mother. She also took risks, expanding to Fargo, Minot, Dickinson and Williston. But seeing the smiles on the faces of students as they learn to read, get over an issue with algebra, prepare to take the ACT in order to earn scholarship money or get into the college of their dreams, or prepare for a test in their professional careers after having been out of school has motivated her to stick with it. Other award winners honored Thursday include: New Entrepreneur of the Year: Andrea Birst, Glance Spa & Salon Golden Eagle Award awarded to local businesses showing support for members of the military: Burleigh County Senior Adults Program Granite Award awarded to longtime, successful area businesses: Skeels Electric Co. The Chamber also recognized the winners of its new Lemonade Day event as Young Entrepreneurs of the Year. Macie and Isaac Grendahl, who ran M&Is Lemonade Shack for the event meant to teach kids about running a business, were the honorees. The brother and sister pair said the event was fun and helped them toward their goals of owning their own businesses one day. Macie said she wants to run a dance studio and Isaac wants to start an electrical company. My dad is an electrician and hes like my mentor, so I want to be an electrician, too, Isaac said. A number of teachers were recognized as outstanding, including Brenda Tufte of the University of Mary, Benita Saur of Mandan High School, Arin Casavant of Fort Lincoln Elementary, Ryan Townsend of Simle Middle School and Jan Schmidt of Lincoln Elementary School. Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier is asking people to help stop vandalism of county road signs. Shooting road signs is unlawful, expensive and dangerous, Kirchmeier said Thursday in a news release. Not only does it cause a risk for motorists relying on those signs, but a ricocheting or stray bullet is very dangerous. Damage to road signs has been primarily in the Glen Ullin and Almont area, the county reported. Signs cost as much as $250 to replace at taxpayers' expense. Road sign vandalism is also a Class B misdemeanor, carrying a punishment of up to $500 and 30 days in jail. Not for the first time, Trevor Phillips spoke for Britain. The sane section of the population, at any rate. The ex-head of the equalities commission was commenting on a ridiculous racism row involving the British Museum, which has caved in to a bunch of hair-trigger headbangers. It arose out of a question and answer session on social media, during which one of its curators remarked that some Asian names can be confusing. Jane Portal, Keeper of the Asian Department, discussed re-labelling a few exhibits to make them more accessible. Jane Portal (left), keeper of the Asian department at the British Museum, poses with Chinese archaeologist Janice Li at the British Museum exhibition on the Terracotta Army in 2007 She had in mind names which sound like Countdown Conundrums such as the Buddhist bodhisattva of mercy, aka Avalokitesvara in Indian, Guanyin in Chinese, Kwanum in Korea . . . well, you get the picture. Miss Portal theres a name for the internet age, if ever I heard one dared to venture that simplifying some of the labels might assist understanding, especially among younger people. At this stage how the heart sinks a Twitter storm erupted. She found herself accused of racism, imperialism and perpetuating colonialist heritage. Instead of telling these self-absorbed losers to get stuffed, or simply ignoring them, within 90 minutes of the first tweet landing, the museum issued a grovelling apology for any offence caused. During a live question and answer session on Twitter, Jane Portal, keeper of the Asian department at the museum, said: 'Sometimes Asian names can be confusing' Why? Why the hell should an august, publicly-funded institution of learning have its policy dictated by half a dozen online onanists? Theres no accounting for those who fill their empty lives sitting in front of a laptop, the remains of last nights vegetarian pizza strewn on the floor of their bedsit above a kebab shop, just waiting to find offence in anything. So its best to take no notice whatsoever. Let them rant and rave in cyberspace to their poison hearts content. It wasnt necessary for the British Museum to rise to the bait. As Trevor Phillips said: I genuinely cannot understand why they would feel the need to apologise to people who really, if they actually wanted to tackle racism . . . I could come up with 100 better targets than this. Anybody who wants to get themselves into a state about this cannot for one second be taken seriously as an anti-racism campaigner. They are behaving like silly, narcissistic teenagers. The initial remarks about Asian names had been posted at 10.14am Wednesday and by 11.48am, the British Museum (pictured) had issued a statement And should be treated as such. If you dont engage with them, theyll go away and try to intimidate someone else. Whats most depressing, as I wrote last week, is the craven capitulation of so many organisations to pressure from social media. Most of their tormentors hide behind a cloak of anonymity, anyway. I had in mind commercial concerns, such as retailers and advertisers, but as the British Museum reaction confirms, public bodies are equally culpable when it comes to cowardice in the face of cyberspace bullying. Heres a for instance. In last Fridays column, prompted by the current wave of transgender madness aimed at schoolchildren, I criticised some companies for giving in to social media campaigns instigated by a minuscule number of maniacs. Within about ten minutes, Id been proved right. Some outfit which trawls the internet for hate i.e: any opinion they disagree with discovered that an advert for a fashion boutique business youve never heard of had appeared next to this column online. Under pressure from the anti-hate headbangers, the company immediately put out a statement distancing itself from transphobia and announcing that it was withdrawing all advertising from the Daily Mail. This came as something of a surprise, since said company has never advertised in this newspaper. Still, better safe than sorry, as far as the brave boutique bosses were concerned. Time to hoist the white flag. Why risk the wrath of social media warriors? Small beer, admittedly, but another victory for the enemies of free speech: fringe Left-wing fascists attempting to impose their bigotry on the majority. The perpetrators of this vile abuse against Labour MP Diane Abbott should be tracked down and prosecuted Call me old-fashioned, but Im astonished anyone takes any notice of whats posted on Twitter. I dont read it, so its water off a ducks wossname. Having said that, I appreciate that some of its content can be extremely hurtful, if not downright criminal. Step forward Diane Abbott, for whom Ive always had a soft spot, despite the fact that we agree on virtually nothing politically. She adds hugely to the gaiety of the nation even, perhaps especially, when shes spouting ill-informed nonsense. Yesterday, Diane turned up on breakfast telly which hardly anyone watches to complain about truly hateful attacks on her on Twitter. For once, she was well-briefed and this time it was personal. Theres a world of difference between sticks and stones and rape and death threats. The perpetrators of this vile abuse should be tracked down and prosecuted or better still, dragged out from in front of their computers and clubbed like baby seals. Dianes mistake was to state explicitly the terms in which disgusting and violent racial hatred had been directed at her, using the N-word to illustrate her case. It was brutal, but it brought her point home with devastating effect. The presenters went into a blind panic and within no time at all, without irony, a Twitter storm erupted. Oh, for heavens sake. Obviously, I didnt see it live, but if I had I wouldnt have been offended. It was just Diane being Diane. But then, I like to think Im a grown-up, unlike the juvenile Twitterati who worked themselves up into a lather of bogus indignation about racist language on TV. So here was a black, woman MP complaining about racist hatred on social media being subjected to, er, a storm on social media about her use of racist language. Itll take a better man than me, Gunga Din (if you can still say that), to pick the bones out of this one. Trevor, its over to you. Police in Exeter are investigating claims that the homeless are trapping pigeons and eating them. One report alleged two men had been seen laying a trail of seed for the unsuspecting birds, before pouncing and stuffing them into a rucksack. A community support officer speculated that the pigeon rustling might be alcohol-related. Surely not, Sherlock. (Or words to that effect.) PCSO Sarah Giles claimed the homeless were eating wild birds so they could save their benefit money to spend on booze. A local market trader said the men managed to stuff 14 birds in to their rucksack in 20 minutes even with them flapping about. Police warn that having started out purloining pigeons, the homeless were now escalating their operations and targeting seagulls. And the problem with that is, what exactly? Pigeons are flying rats, carrying an assortment of diseases which they can transfer to humans. Their droppings deface and corrode buildings everywhere. Businesses, councils and householders spend a small fortune on special nets and spikes designed to stop pigeons from perching. We even bought a wooden owl to scare them off. It was useless. The pigeons knocked it over. As for gulls, every summer councils warn people not to feed them. Seaside resorts are plagued by the buggers, dive-bombing holidaymakers and nicking their fish and chips. So anything that cuts their numbers has to be welcome. Instead of wasting valuable police time investigating allegations of rustling, local authorities should send out teams of marksmen to shoot down airborne vermin. They could then be barbecued on giant spits in parks and fed to rough sleepers. Come to think of it, theres probably enough of these birds to feed all the homeless in Britain. Maybe the scheme could be expanded to include other pests, such as foxes and badgers. Roasted with, say, a little rosemary, and washed down with a chilled can of Carlsberg Special Brew, theyd make a meal any vagrant would savour. We learned yesterday that half the homeless in London have come here from overseas. Im sure theyd be more than grateful for a plate of pulled pigeon. Who needs food banks? With a little imagination, and a few packets of Trill, we could stamp out hunger at a stroke. You never know, we could end up with a surplus of tasty, avian-based snacks to export to the starving in Africa. This could be a job for Bob Geldof: All together now: Feed the world! A FRUIT AND NUTTER CASE Speaking of taking offence (see elsewhere), todays edition of Where Do They Find These People? stars the Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb. He has been moaning about Poundland selling packets of chocolate-covered peanut sweets called Nutters. This is despite the fact that theyve been on sale for 12 months without a single complaint. Nutty Norman said the name was insulting to those suffering from mental health issues. The product needs to be quickly withdrawn from sale and Poundland needs to apologise. Nurse! A devastated widower is carrying on his late wife's campaign for life-enhancing drugs to be made available to all terminal cancer patients has opened up about the borrowed time they were able to spend together in an emotional video. Katie Cohen, 34, was diagnosed with stage four incurable lung cancer in January 2015 and died in April 2017, but was able to fulfill some of her bucket list wishes with her husband Daniel thank to life-enhancing immunotherapy. Following the couple's wedding, which Daniel describes as an 'explosion of joy', the couple were able to visit the Key West in Florida, see the Northern Lights in Iceland and take in the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Daniel recalled: 'We never asked for a prognosis, we didn't want to know. We didn't try to determine a timescale of how long we had left. But getting the extra time was everything. 'It's funny, you never actually say goodbye,' Daniel said. 'The chance to just look at one another and understand you're together, that means everything.' Now Daniel is carrying on Katie's fight for similar life-enhancing drugs to be made available to terminal cancer patients, as she was only able to access them because of her private healthcare and would not have got through the NHS. The first symptom Katie's cancer was a cough that wouldn't go away, and she was diagnosed with inoperable and incurable lung cancer. She had chemotherapy to prolong her life and the couple married in May 2015, four months after her diagnosis. Katie then she moved onto a more modern treatment, immunotherapy, which gave her the quality of life to make the most of her time with Daniel. We did lots together. We went to Key West in Florida, Iceland saw the northern lights. The couple visited Key West in Florida as they made the most of their time together following Katie's diagnosis Katie on her wedding day, which Daniel described as 'an explosion of joy' Immunotherapy, which teaches the body to attack cancer cells, allowed Katie the quality of life she needed to fulfil her dreams with Daniel before she died The couple visited the famous Western Wall in Jerusalem where people leave notes on slips of paper with their prayers. IMMUNOTHERAPY Immunotherapy works by training the immune system to attack cancerous cells. The treatment is particularly effective against some of the deadliest types of the disease including lung and skin cancer. Trials show that it has eradicated tumours in patients who were expected to survive for a few months and they are now leading normal lives. Although the immune system is trained to fight infections and cancer, some tumours develop protective shields, meaning that the immune system, chemo and other drugs are ineffective. Immunotherapy breaks down these shields and trains the body to attack the tumours. Treatments are given in a drip every few weeks and typically cost around 100,000 per patient a year. Some types are already available on the NHS but drugs watchdog Nice has ruled that others aren't cost effective. Advertisement 'We both put our prayer in the wall and she looked at me and said, 'I don't have to ask you what you prayed for'. I said, 'I know but I don't think I'll ever get a Playstation Four'. 'We both cracked up. Those moments of humour remind you you're alive. Before her death, Katie spoke about how she'd been lucky enough to access treatment to prolong her life with minimal side effects. 'It has absolutely changed my life. I had no quality of life whilst on chemotherapy but now I can live like I do not have the disease,' she told the Watford Observer. 'I have private health care and I feel very grateful about that. 'But at the same time I feel guilty, shameful and angry that other people do not. 'I do not think people should have to pay for life-saving treatment. 'I would do anything to have this treatment approved by the NHS. 'If I was with the NHS I probably would be dead because the NHS do not have the treatment I need.' The couple visited Jerusalem and left their prayers at the famous Western Wall Katie and Daniel on a trip to Icleand where they saw the Northern Lights Her husband recalled how he and Katie didn't want to know how long they had left and focused on making the most of the time they had together Katie was in her early 30s when she was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer Now Daniel is taking on the fight on Katie's behalf as part of a new campaign called Time of My Life (#Timeofmylife) from a coalition of cancer charities. Ovacome, Fight Bladder Cancer, Action on Womb Cancer, Melanoma UK and Second Hope along with Roche are asking the public to show their support for incurable cancer patients being granted access to treatments which may allow them quality time with loved ones. Louise Bayne, CEO of Ovacome, said: 'Acess to treatments which have the potential to increase survival for terminal patients is inconsistent and under threat in the UK. Katie and Daniel visited Paris as they completed her bucket list Thanks to private healthcare, Katie was able to get the treatment that gave her quality of life but she wanted to see it available to everyone on the NHS At a time when the NHS faces criticism, we see how important it is for families to know they are getting the very best treatments. We want to take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the tireless NHS workforce who take such good care of cancer patients and provide them with treatments that provide them with quality time to spend with their loved ones. We are concerned that these treatments and care may not be available to cancer patients in the future, and we are passionate about protecting access in the UK so that others may benefit in years to come.' Most ten-year-old gypsy girls face a childhood that is spent being groomed to become homemakers and wives who simply care for their husbands and children. This is the future Rihann faced until her mother Anne from South Wales made the decision to defy this gypsy tradition and sends her back to school so she can learn to sing, dance and act. Anne wants Rihann to have a different life and fulfill her dream of becoming a star and make it big in Hollywood. Anne claims she was bullied by other gypsies for having these 'unconventional ambitions' and she made the decision to take Rhiann out of school. However the ten-year-old has been left with the reading age of a four-year-old and when she is faced with the task of learning lines for an audition she fails and the result is heartbreaking for mother and daughter. Realising she has jeapordised her daughter's future, Anne refuses to give up, and they make the decision for her to return to school. Anne said: 'I want to see her be successful in life. The way I look at it is, if she can sing, she can dance and she can act then she has got a good future.' Rihann has dreams of fame and stardom but her struggle with reading his holding her back when it comes to learning her lines The six-year-old would love to appear on Coronation Street. Her mother, Anne, is determined to help her succeed 'Nearly all traveller girls are just cleaning up and when they get to a certain age and theyre wanting to get married,' Anne explains in Channel 5's Gypsy Kids, a series about what it is like to grow up as a traveller child. 'I dont want that kind of life for my daughter, I want her to enjoy life and earn her own money.' She adds: 'It's a little bit of pressure for her, but you never know she might be a Hollywood actress and she will make it one day.' Rihann is just as keen on reaching the lofty heights of stardom and takes extra dance and drama lessons in a bid to follow her dream of securing a part on Coronation Street. Her parents are also getting her used to the showbiz lifestyle, as Rihann explains: 'I got a mam that spoils me and Ive got a dad that spoils me.' When Rihann heads to her audition nerves get the better of her and she fluffs the lines as she struggles to read Her grandfather Wisdom watches over his grandchild as she plays around in the miniature car she has The youngster is already used to being spoilt as she has her own car and a quad bike that her parents gave her She's already got her own transport in the form of a miniature car and a quad bike. Anne dreams of Rihann's success, revealing that she wants her daughter to achieve more than she did as a youngster: 'I want to see her be successful in life.' But it takes work, and the mother-daughter duo put hours in to rehearsing a script that was sent to them ahead of an audition for a top children's agency in London. 'At the moment I have to help her to learn the scripts. Its got to all be from memory,' Anne explains. 'She is determined to do it. She stayed up one night until ten oclock constantly going on the script.' Rihann's mother wants the very best for her daughter getting her dancing and extra drama school lessons When she realises that not being in school is jeopardising her career, Anne sends her daughter back in their bid for fame But nerves get the better of Rihann and her audition goes awry, leading to disappointment all round. But more determined than ever Anne comes up with a masterplan and sends Rihann back to school - and to prove to the bullies that she isn't going to hide. Rihann gains confidence and her extra classes start to pay off, and fame and fortune is one again in her sights - and the youngster has since had some starring roles. 'When I want to get older I just want to be famous. When I walk out of that door that I want everybody to notice me.' Gypsy Kids: Our Secret World airs next Thursday, September 21 on Channel 5 at 10pm More women are speaking out against a beauty treatment that they said caused excruciating pain and left them with permanent scars. Deb Collins, Michelle Abery, and Niki Richardson all received the Erbium laser treatment from an Australian beauty therapist. The women, who shared their story with Today Tonight, went into the beauty therapist's clinic expecting to leave with smoother and rejuvenated skin. But pictures show that their faces were swollen and bloodied for weeks. Deb Collins, Michelle Abery, and Niki Richardson (Pictured L-R) are speaking out after they received the Erbium laser treatment from an Australian beauty therapist Niki received the treatment at the woman's former clinic in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula Deb said she consulted with a plastic surgeon following the procedure, and was told she had third degree burns. 'There's no words to say how excruciating it was,' Niki said of the treatment. 'My whole body was convulsing.' Deb said she was told by the beauty therapist that there would be 'no bad after-effects' and that it would 'feel like a bad sunburn'. 'We wouldn't have to wear makeup afterwards,' Deb recalled being told. Niki, 46, suffered with severe inflammation three months after having the same procedure carried out (pictured days after the procedure) Michelle and Deb filmed the woman and her training assistant performing the treatment, their bloodied faces visible in the clip. The woman can be heard in the clip saying 'I'm a bit more brutal', and telling one of her patients that 'you may have a lot of swollen glands'. Deb said the experience was 'quite excruciating'. 'She applied a lot of high pressure on a very high setting,' she said. 'Our faces were bleeding, there was blood running down on our faces and on our sheets, in our hair.' Only doctors are allowed to use the laser in Western Australia. Licenses are required in Queensland and Tasmania Deb and Michelle said they would send the therapist a photo each day of their swollen faces after the operation, and she would instruct them on how to treat it. 'The first 24 hours we had to get up and scrub our faces with gauze every two hours,' Deb said. 'That was horrific, to the point where I had to sit on the floor in the shower, nearly passing out.' It is an experience almost identical to that of Deborah June, who shared her own horrific story with Daily Mail Australia last month. The 53-year-old from Melbourne also had an erbium laser resurfacing procedure with the therapist, and said she was left with a swollen face and scarring. 'The laser itself was very painful, and I remember a smell like burning flesh while we were there,' Deborah said. 'By the time we left the clinic and got home and the numbing cream had worn off, it was excruciating.' Deborah also had to sit on the floor to avoid passing out from the pain. It took months for the swelling and blistering to 'die down', she added. 'It was as though I'd been in a serious fire, it was unbearable,' Deborah recalled. 'I was covered in dripping blood. I was told that I wouldn't need to wear makeup on my face again, but I need to wear more makeup now than ever before.' Deb said the experience was 'quite excruciating' and that there was blood running down her face and into her hair It is an experience almost identical to that of Deborah June (pictured), who shared her own horrific story with Daily Mail Australia last month 'There's lasting damage on my face - I have scarring underneath my eyes and cheeks.' Professor Mark Ashton, president of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, is not surprised by the damage caused by the erbium laser treatment. 'If you're using a class four laser and you don't have training, you can do a lot of damage and create a lot of scarring very quickly indeed,' he said. Deborah said she still has scarring underneath her eyes and on her cheeks to this day (pictured) 'If they're using something that's causing a lot of bleeding, that means they've gone through the top layers of skin and into the blood vessels.' Ashton said a plastic surgeon performing the procedure would have been using an anaesthetic or heavy sedation as well. The beauty therapist, who used to practice in Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, closed her clinic after Niki came forward with her story. But she opened up a new one in Canberra and wrote on Facebook that she was 'the only laser therapist using the class four Erbium laser', according to Today Tonight. Niki said she has not been able to stop the woman from practicing despite contacting government departments, the health commission, and medical boards. Only doctors are allowed to use a laser in Western Australia and licenses are required in Queensland and Tasmania. Yet almost anyone can own and operate a laser in other states and territories, including the ACT, according to the Canberra Times. 'These people are not under the oversight of an overarching State or Federal government, so the opportunity to prosecute, fine, or discipline that person is limited as it currently stands,' Ashton said. The beauty therapist told Today Tonight that she is now only consulting and training, and provided a statement against her former patients' allegations. 'By the time we left the clinic and got home and the numbing cream had worn off, it was excruciating,' Deborah said (her friend she had the treatment with is pictured here) 'My clinic has always provided patients with a pre-treatment assessment by medical practitioners affiliated with the clinic,' she said. 'All patients are offered a pre-treatment consultation during which they are educated about the treatment process and any potential risks associated with the treatment.' 'In the rare event that a patient has an adverse treatment outcome, my clinic offers an immediate appointment with one of our medical practitioners who provides further assessment and treatment as required.' Niki said she will continue speaking out to try and protect other women. 'I saw purpose for coming forward publicly all along was to prevent this from happening to other people,' she said. 'I'm not going to give up my fight until something is done about it.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the beauty therapist for comment. Despite the wet and windy weather, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was all smiles on Wednesday as she attended the inauguration of the new Hempel college at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The elements didn't hold back the effortlessly elegant royal, who was in good spirits as she arrived at the university alongside senior staff members who went to great lengths to keep her dry. After a brief introduction, the 45-year-old princess was then asked to release 200 bright green balloons into the sky to celebrate the official opening of the college. But it didn't quite go to plan, however, with the Billed Bladet reporting the balloons were continually pummeled by rain and sent back to the ground resulting in awkward laughter from the royal and staff. Princess Mary was all smiles on Wednesday as she attended the inaugaration of the new Hempel college at the Technical University of Denmark (pictured right) Her visit was met by heavy rain which hampered the planned send off of 200 green balloons 'It was not quite easy to get the balloons to rise as the heavy rain drops pushed them against the ground,' they wrote. After a few attempts, however, they were able to release them and officially celebrate the college opening. Princess Mary was warmly met by the universities president, Anders O. Bjarklev, and Chairman of the Hempel Foundation, Richard Sand. After the arrival, the Crown Princess was spoke to students and staff in a marquee before presenting a short speech. Princess Mary is known for her impeccable style and looked chic for the occasion It was a joyous affair with onlookers smiling as they looked on - everyone appeared to see the humour in the disaster that was the balloon lift-off Anders tried desperately to keep the rain off Princess Mary, failing to protect himself from the wet weather in the process. Princess Mary is known for her impeccable style and looked chic for the occasion. She wore a fitted checkered coat from Baum und Pferdgarten, a label from Copenhagen and wore her hair in relaxed waves, This was accompanied by a simple, yet elegant, high cut blouse, black pants, patent black heels and paired-back jewellery. Everyone seemed to see the humour in the disaster that was the balloon lift-off The group were all smiles as they walked over to the crowd who were waiting to witness the release of the balloons It was a joyous affair with onlookers smiling as they looked on - everyone appeared to see the humour in the disaster that was the balloon lift-off. Proving that she indeed is the people's princess, Princess Mary was also photographed speaking to students during her visit and was given the opportunity to look into the facilities. The construction of the college was completed in Lundtoftevej forest and will accommodate 200 international students in DTU's Lyngby Campus. Mary was given the opportunity to look into the facilities and greeted some of the residents Showing that she is the peoples princess, Princess Mary was also photographed speaking to students during her visit All floors of the college have a communal kitchen and study lounge, which aims to promote community among the students. The 7,400 square meter college contains studios for 200 students and and was made possible thanks to a large donation from the Hempel Foundation. This is foundation who's primary purpose is to provide a solid assistance for cultural, humanitarian, scientific and artistic purposes. 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. So where are we with the new Great British Bake Off? In a week where photos of Paul Hollywood wearing a Nazi uniform appeared in several newspapers and a contestant seemed to make a phallus out of bread dough (actually it was a snail; it happens, weve all been there), one might have imagined that the seven-year-old series was on a natural high, rising like a hot souffle in the publics affections. But what is this I see before me, prostrate on the gingham altar? Is it the twitching corpse of a much-loved TV series as it whisks itself into oblivion? Not quite, not yet. However, three weeks into the C4 relaunch, the baking shows audience has halved since its BBC heyday, with under six million tuning in this week to see Flo leave the tent. Contestant Steven with judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood, and presenter Noel Fielding To make matters worse, huge numbers switched over to watch Doctor Foster on BBC1 at 9pm, not even interested enough to see what would happen to Flos marine-themed bread sculpture (it sank without trace). Who was star baker? They didnt give a damn. And this is part of the problem. The fact that the show has moved to a commercial station means that GBBO now runs from 8pm to 9.15pm and it just seems to go on for too long. Who has got the time to spare on a weekday night when every minute counts; when there is only a tiny window marked Fun! between getting home, cooking dinner, jimjams ahoy and bed? However, there is a much bigger issue at stake here, and no one is being honest about it. Ive read all the reviews and the cheery online posts about the new Bake Off. The consensus is that everything is fine, a hunky dory story, the show merrily rolls on, nothing to see here, Mary who? Prue Leith is a fine, intelligent, highly seasoned replacement for Mary Berry, she is still not Mary Berry But I simply cant agree. While I think that Prue Leith is a fine, intelligent, highly seasoned replacement for Mary Berry, she is still not Mary Berry. She does not nibble on a biscuit with the same squirrelly, regal bravura. She does not have the correct degree of cinnamon-scented certitude. And, most importantly, she does not have the same rapport with Paul Hollywood. Mary was the sweet to his sour, the Sundance Kid to his Butch Acidly, and it worked like a dream. Now Prue and Paul are just another couple of cake show judges, respectable but dull, expertly fussing about crumb structure but lacking the show-stopper factor. Yet the real crisis is the miscasting of new hosts Noel Fielding and Sandi Toksvig, drafted in to replace Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. Like plastic aspic or twin saucers of jam that wont set, Noel and Sandi just dont gel. Ever. Like plastic aspic or twin saucers of jam that wont set, Noel and Sandi just dont gel. Ever It is hard to imagine any question asked by a television executive to which the answer is: Noel Fielding. And Miss Toksvig has always been as funny as an ingrown toenail. On the show, Noel floats around in a baggy blouse, clearly afraid of cakes and rarely engaging in any meaningful discussions with contestants. His voiceovers are the stuff of nightmares, as if he was reading bedtime stories to some very dim troll children trapped in the dungeon of the Munster Mansion. Sandi may have the advantage of being able to look inside the Bake Off ovens without bending down, but her smart-alecky bluster plays better with the panel-show Radio 4 artsy crowd than here. Shes hardly ever in the tent anyway. Probably too busy on the phone to her agent, to see if theres any chance of a gig on Only Connect instead. Noel Fielding with contestant Kate during Episode 1 of Channel 4's cookery contest, The Great British Bake Off It makes one realise what an important ingredient Mel and Sue were in the GBBO recipe for success. I miss their unbridled, unforced enthusiasm for cake and cake bakers. They brought warmth, humour and a prickle of anarchy to proceedings, while their interest in and affection for the contestants was genuine. In contrast, Mr Fielding and Miss Toksvig are the thinnest layer of icing on the crumbling gateau, two fondant fancies scrambling through the tent of dreams on their way to something better. And for many viewers who have become emotionally invested in this show over the years, I suspect that is just not good enough. Ready, steady, fake? I am afraid so. A tragic life lived with dignity Sad to hear that Stephanie Slater, the Birmingham estate agent who hit the headlines when she was kidnapped in 1992, has died, aged 50, after being diagnosed with cancer. I remember the case so vividly. Stephanie was taken captive by Michael Sams, who posed as a potential house-buyer. She was held for eight days in a cramped makeshift wooden coffin inside a wheelie bin. Stephanie Slater, the Birmingham estate agent who hit the headlines when she was kidnapped in 1992, has died, aged 50, after being diagnosed with cancer During her ordeal she was raped by Sams, who had kidnapped and killed Julie Dart a few months earlier. Stephanie was freed after a ransom was paid by her employer. She later moved to the Isle of Wight, but never really recovered from her ordeal. Before her kidnap, she was a happy young woman with a boyfriend and a future. Afterwards, she never married, nor had children. Sometimes the ground opens beneath your feet, and nothing can ever fill the abyss. At first, Stephanie kept it a secret that Sams had raped her, because she didnt want to further upset her mother. Its so humbling to think of this traumatised young woman, clinging onto the wreckage, but still thinking of others before herself. And now this early death from cancer. Poor, poor Stephanie. Through no fault of their own, some people live unlucky lives. She was one of them. Following her death, police officials paid tribute to her courage over the years for the work she did in helping them and other kidnap victims. She managed to wrest something positive out of the horror of her abduction. Sams is still in prison. He has attacked a female officer, made official complaints about his prison bed being too hard and made false claims that Stephanie was in love with him. This is very unchristian of me, but I hope he rots. At a loss over gloss Oh, dear! Now darling old stalwart Dulux is encroaching into Farrow & Ball territory with a rainbow launch of glum paints for next year. Indeed, their Paint Of The Year for 2018 is a shade called Heart Wood, which is described as a smoky neutral with a hint of heather. Listen. Thats not something I want smeared on the kitchen doors thats how I like my pheasant cooked. Of course, Heart Wood is predictably awful. A kind of municipal, empurpled murk that suggests passing through the wall of a swollen liver en route to a diseased kidney. The problem is that paint cant be just paint any more. Even your emulsion has a back story. Dulux insists the pink colours in its new range excite commercial interest and that yellow sparks the synapses and encourages a creative approach. Have they ever been inside a branch of McDonalds? A creative approach there would involve cutlery and table manners. But that is not likely to happen any time soon. How to uncover the truth about Liar Joanne Froggatt attends the WGSN Global Fashion Awards at The Savoy Hotel in London Order in court! Jan Moir QC (Queen of Crime) now presiding. Earlier this week, ITV launched Liar, a six-part psychosexual drama starring Joanne Froggatt as Laura and Ioan Gruffudd as Andrew. The couple go on a date, but wake up the next day with different versions of what happened. Andrew insists they had consensual sex; Laura reports him for rape. Before the next episode, here are five questions that need answering. Andrew said that they undressed each other, so why did Laura still have her clothes on in the morning? Why did Laura have a shower, perhaps removing crucial DNA evidence, before going to the police to report the attack? If Andrew did slip drugs into Lauras glass of wine, as she insists, why would he then swap their glasses? What happened to the taxi Laura ordered for Andrew after he walked her home? And would a surgeon really drink alcohol the night before he was due to operate? Case adjourned for the moment. Lights, camera... seduction Film fans, is it a mistake to fall in love with your boss on your latest film? Luckily, its a question I have never had to answer myself, but can Jennifer Lawrence say the same? After meeting on the set of Mother!, Lawrence and director Darren Aronofsky, 48, are now a couple. Perhaps they can comfort each other when the reviews come out. Mother!, which features Lawrence, 27, flushing a beating heart down a lavatory, has had mixed reactions. It depicts the rape and torment of Mother Earth. Its not for everybody. It is a hard film to watch, she told the Daily Telegraph. Oh, Darren is brilliant, she adds. Hmmm. Lovely pictures of Catherine Zeta-Jones and her 14-year-old daughter Carys at the fashion shows in New York this week. Carys is already a beauty how quickly they grow up! It seems like only five minutes ago that she was in beribboned pumps and a goofy hairband to see her mother receive a CBE. Six years later, she looks like the kind of terrifying Manhattan kidult who always orders off-menu and has her own account at all the smartest department stores. Carys is already a beauty (left) how quickly they grow up! It seems like only five minutes ago that she was in beribboned pumps and a goofy hairband to see her mother receive a CBE (right) While she may have Catherines raven tumble of hair, it is her handsome father Michael Douglas whom she resembles most. In fact, the likeness is astonishing. Carys has much to thank her parents for, but, above all, she should be grateful for her gorgeous genes. A new study has claimed that children born by caesarean are performing below their peers in grammar and problem solving. This world-first study has come from researchers at the University of Melbourne who measured the cognitive performance of 5,000 Australian children. They looked at the NAPLAN results of children who were born both via caesarean and vaginally and data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. A new study has claimed that children born by caesarean are performing below their peers in grammar and problem solving 'Caesarean birth is associated with a different colonisation of the gut by the bacteria that form a large ecosystem inside the gastrointestinal tract,' Professor of physiology, Joel Bornstein, told the ABC. 'Immediately after caesarean birth, the bacteria present are different from those that are present after a vaginal birth. 'There's quite a lot of data now indicating that the gut bacteria influence the nervous system.' They looked at the NAPLAN results of children who were born both via caesarean and vaginally and data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children 'So we believe, although theres no way of proving it at this point, that this may be the difference that leads to the cognitive changes later on in life,' Professor Bornstein said. The study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports, looked at children born from 2003 to 2004 and monitored their first nine years of life. Although the researchers aren't 100 per cent sure what explains these developmental delays, the suspicion is that it could be due to different bacteria in the guts of babies delivered by caesarean. The study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports, looked at children born from 2003 to 2004 and monitored their first nine years of life They claimed that children born via C-section have small delays in their grammar, numeracy, reading and writing skills between the ages of four to nine. This being said, they are aware that there could be predating factors and health complications with the mum and child which could delay their development in utero. The researchers have also explained that the gap isn't enormous and equates to approximately 35 days of schooling. They are aware that there could be predating factors and health complications with the mum and child which could delay their development in utero 'There is already a bit of evidence that shows that caesarean birth is related to a number of negative childhood health outcomes, including risks of ADHD, autism and also asthma,' Melbourne Universitys Doctor Cain Polidano told the ABC. 'So our research speaks to that literature which shows that theres a link, but what we do now is look at impacts on another outcome, which is child development.' Dr Polidano said at this stage the link is 'only correlational' as 'it's very difficult to establish causation because you can't do randomised, controlled trials, which is the gold standard'. Constance Hall is taking a stand against her trolls. The Perth mummy blogger posted a nude picture of herself on Instagram after she was recently fat shamed. 'I was told that my weight had become an issue and my fat rolls were disgusting,' Constance wrote. Perth mummy blogger Constance Hall, 33, has posted a nude selfie of herself on Instagram to hit out at fat shamers. 'I was told that my fat rolls were disgusting,' she wrote Constance (who recently shared this throwback picture before giving birth to twins) said she would refuse to think poorly of her body because of what someone else thought Constance said that at first she was upset, but then she started to wonder what exactly a fat roll even was. 'Fat doesn't roll around on our body,' she said. 'It grows in lumps and we are constantly being told where those lumps should reside.' 'For years we needed slim waists and big breasts, then we were expected to be stick figures, then we were told fat is good if it's in the right place, tits, a**, thighs.' 'Are we supposed to change or hope that our body type will be the next fad?' Constance, 33, said she would refuse to think poorly of her body because of what someone else thought. 'Everyone's body is unique, mine not be your cup of tea but it is the only one I have, so it's time to make it mine,' she wrote. Constance, pictured here celebrating getting back into her 'skinnier jeans', said she would refuse to change her body because of 'the next fad' The mother-of-four instead proudly chose to send her nude selfie to her boyfriend and share it with her 245,000 Instagram followers 'I refuse to look back when I'm 70 and feel like I let some f**khead determine how I felt about this glorious body.' Constance said she took the naked selfie, which has received more than 4,300 likes, for her boyfriend and herself. 'I sent it to my boyfriend, reminded him of how lucky he is to have this soft unique woman by his side, and got the f**k over it.' 'You'll only ever be too much in the eyes of those who believe they are not enough,' she concluded. The mummy blogger recently took to her social media to also discuss growing up with dyslexia, and how one teacher even called her dumb in front of the class. Blogger Constance Hall recently opened up about what it was like growing up with dyslexia Constance (pictured with her daughter) revealed that a teacher called her dumb in front of the entire class one year 'My teacher made me stand up in front of the class and read her the answer to the two last questions of our social studies homework,' she recalled. 'I didn't know them, she screamed "of course you don't, this whole class knows how dumb you are."' Reflecting back on her struggles, the now mother-of-four said the signs started to show when she was in Year Two. 'I hid my school reading from my mum for a whole year, partly because I was behind and partly because I was lazy,' she said. 'Nobody ever found out that I never did any homework.' Opening up on Facebook, Constance revealed the heartbreaking criticisms she overheard about her as a schoolgirl. Constance revealed how her parents and teachers tried everything imaginable to improve her concentration in school - as they didn't know the reason behind her behaviour 'In Year 7 my best friend overheard my music teacher telling my teacher that I was talented. My teacher responded that I will fail and said "just watch she always does"', she recalled. 'It wasn't until my twenties that I couldn't read a number straight from a piece of paper without f***ing it up that I was informed that I had dyslexia.' 'I wrote, I traveled and wrote, fell in and out of love and wrote, had babies and wrote. My writing was rejected by every publishing company in the country, still I wrote.' At the age of 28, Constance decided to apply to university to study psychology. After she sat the entrance exam, she was sure she would fail. 'A few months later I received a letter in the mail stating that I was in the top 92 per cent in the country,' she wrote. Opening up on Facebook, Constance revealed the heartbreaking criticisms she overheard about her growing up (pictured with her fiance Denim Cooke) But after being accepted in one of the best universities in Australia, Constance said she ended up quitting because she struggled to learn. 'I had two kids and I found it incredibly hard. I couldn't even learn the online library logins or how to reference an essay,' she said. Against all odds, Constance went on to lead a fulfilling career after becoming a best-selling author for her book 'Like a Queen' 'So I quit and continued to write.' Against all odds, Constance went on to lead a fulfilling career after becoming a best-selling author for her book 'Like a Queen'. The popular writer has since launched her own clothing range, produced her on radio show and has even funded two safe houses in Kenya. 'When you love something, it becomes a part of you, you don't stop. Even if you can't spell,' Constance said. 'This is why I celebrate my kids academic achievements but never worry about their failures.' By sharing her story, Constance wants young people living with dyslexia to draw hope from her experiences. 'Because I am who I am and if there are any other "dumb" kids who can't spell or read or even learn how to use a f***ing PC I want them to see me in them,' she said. 'Because there are so many different definitions of smart. Nobody believed I could do it. So I did it.' Advertisement Diversity has long been a hot topic in the fashion industry having faced criticism for lack of ethnic minorities, body shapes and particularly disabled models. However, several designers looked set to change things when he sent models down the runway on day one of London Fashion Week. The Swedish School of Textiles stepped away from the catwalk tradition and enlisted several wheelchair users as their models for their SS18 show. The stunning models show cased the latest wears from the Scandinavian fashion house from their wheelchairs in the setting of Freemasons Hall at Fashion Scout on Friday. Models at the Swedish School of Textiles flew the flag for diversity as they took to runway in their wheelchairs The designer presented an array of daring denim pieces complete with sophisticated tailoring at their catwalk presentation which proved a stand out thanks to their diverse models - but it wasn't the only runway to embrace an alternative approach. Teatum Jones was one of the first designers to showcase their work at the SS18 catwalks of LFW and chose to do so with the help of disabled models. London based design duo Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones enlisted the help of several amputees to showcase their latest collection. Taking to the runway of the Store Studios on the capital's Strand the models presented a refreshing alternative to the typical catwalk. The women showcased the Scandinavian brand's SS18 collection in the setting of Freemasons Hall at Fashion Scout on Friday Dressed in a moss coloured ribbed dress one model could be seen showcasing a prosthetic leg while another with one arm stunned in a blue silk gown with an oversize eyelet. The women were the main focus of the show entitled The Body Part Two' which took place on Friday. The were joined by other able-bodied models who marched down the catwalk while a film about Paralympian Natasha Baker, known as the Horse Whisperer, played in the background. Taking to Instagram earlier this week the design duo wrote: 'Our goal with #thebody is to explore and breakdown the idea of us and them and to champion the idea that what we think of a whole or perfect is open to interpretation, deconstruction, and ultimately reformation.' The SS18 Teatum Jones presentation saw the London-based design duo enlist the help of several disabled models including one woman with a prosthetic leg Dressed in a moss coloured ribbed dress the model proudly showcased her prosthetic as she took to the runway Another model with one arm stunned in a blue silk gown with an oversize eyelet on the catwalk on Friday Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones (pictured) sent models down the runway while a film about Paralympian Natasha Baker, known as the Horse Whisperer, played in the background Commenting on today's refreshing catwalk Louise Dyson of VisABLE, an agency catering purely for people with disabilities, described the show as a 'breath of fresh air'. Speaking to the MailOnline Louise said: 'Fashion is defined by individualism so the fashion industry should probably be more receptive than advertising agencies when it comes to casting models with different physical characteristics but the truth is that with very few exceptions, fashion has been the dinosaur of the creative industries when it comes to embracing change. 'Teatum Jones is a breath of fresh air because they are real trail blazers in this respect and they have a genuine desire to be inclusive and to show that their designs look great on many people.' Teatum Jones won the prestigious 2016 international Woolmark prize for womenswear. Recent accolades also include the BFC fashion trust award, the Scottish fashion council - 2017 Hawick knitwear competition winners, UKFT best womenswear designer of 2015, as well as CFEs 2014 venture designers. A bride and groom who are set to tie the knot have lost thousands of pounds after being hit by an astonishing run of bad luck. Bob Oliver, 45, and Michelle Nicholson, 46, from Woodham, County Durham, say their hen and stag dos were ruined by an apparent con and cancellation of flights, while their suit supplier has also gone into administration. Now, the pair have had their honeymoon - a once-in-a-lifetime Eastern Caribbean cruise - cancelled following the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma last week. The couple say they have been left 'highly stressed' ahead of their wedding day, which has been two years in the planning. Bob Oliver, 45, and Michelle Nicholson, 46, from Woodham, County Durham, have been hit with an astonishing run of bad luck ahead of their wedding later this month Bob explained how things started going wrong when they learned that a villa they had booked for 1,400 in Portugal did not exist. 'Nothing had happened and we realised on Google Maps it was just a shack,' he said. 'The hen party all lost the money and had already booked the flights so had to fork out again for another villa which cost 1,100. We thought that would be the end of it.' But last week, as the stags were enjoying themselves in Spain, Bob received a call to say the clothing store he was hiring his suits from - Greenwoods - had called in the administrators. Bob says he had to pay out half of the initial cost of 822 again, in order to secure the suits from the retailer's supplier ACS Clothing. Their once-in-a-lifetime Eastern Caribbean cruise they had booked for their honeymoon has been cancelled following the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma (pictured) last week He said: 'Obviously they don't have a shop for them to be delivered to, so the suits will come here to my home and we'll have to fit them ourselves.' The misfortune continued this week on Tuesday when the stag party's return flight from Spain was cancelled due to French air strikes. Despite Ryanair securing them another flight, the stags spent nine hours stranded in Spain and were flown to Newcastle instead of Leeds - incurring an added fee on the pre-booked taxi. Following Hurricane Irma hitting the Caribbean, then couple's dream honeymoon cruise, with stop-offs in the now devastated Tortola and Saint Thomas, has been cancelled. The couple explained how their hen and stag dos were ruined by an apparent con and cancellation of flights, while their suit supplier has also gone into administration This has forced the pair to hastily rearrange their holiday, which will now be a tour of the Western Caribbean. Describing their incredible run of bad luck, Bob said: 'We're just highly stressed and disappointed. We've had this wedding two years in the planning and within two weeks it's falling apart. 'It has just been the stress and inconvenience of it all. It [has] ruined the stag do and the hen do and nearly the wedding day, but thankfully it didn't.' But with the wedding due to take place on September 30 at Walworth Castle, near Darlington, the couple have high hopes the day will be a success no matter what. Bob said: 'It'll go ahead without a doubt - I told her [Michelle] I would get married in a skirt if I had to.' According to ACS Clothing, from the point Greenwoods went into administration there was a backlog of 10,500 orders - for which ACS Clothing had not received any payment for. A spokesperson for ACS Clothing said they wanted to reassure customers that the company was not trying to profit from the situation. They said all orders would be honoured, but those who had paid in full in cash or by debit, like Bob, were required to pay 50 per cent of the fee. Ivanka Trump seemed in a cheery disposition as she stepped out of her house in Washington, D.C. this morning, greeting the day with a bright smile. The first daughter, 35, was pictured leaving the home she shares with her husband Jared Kushner, 36, and their three children in the upscale Kalorama neighborhood. As she headed towards her Secret Service SUV, the mother smiled for the cameras, letting her sheer pleated skirt breeze around her. Scroll down for video Peppy: Ivanka Trump seemed in a cheery disposition as she stepped out of her house in Washington, D.C. on Friday morning, greeting the day with a bright smile On her way: The first daughter, 35, was pictured leaving the home she shares with her husband Jared Kushner, 36, and their three children in the upscale Kalorama neighborhood Daring: The mother-of-three's sheer skirt design appeared to have some built in shorts to protect her modesty Greeting the morning: As she headed towards her Secret Service SUV, the mother smiled for the cameras, letting her sheer pleated skirt breeze around her Ivanka paired the white, midi length number with a sleeveless top marrying blue and mauve tones. As often, she trusted her own brand for her shoes, and donned the same black pumps she had picked for her previous day's outfit. Her husband Jared was also pictured leaving the house on Friday morning in a suit and tie as the pair, who both have positions as senior advisers at the White House, headed to work. Just the previous night, Ivanka's father and the first lady hosted a black-tie dinner for the White House Historical Associationbut the first daughter and her husband were nowhere to be seen during the glamorous event. The mother of three's relaxed and carefree attitude on Friday morning contrasted with the low profile she previously maintained over the past few mornings, during which she avoided photographers by leaving her house in a blacked-out SUV. On Thursday, though, the first daughter returned to her usual cheery disposition, smiling for the cameras as she stepped out of her family home. Sartorial picks: Ivanka paired the white, midi length number with a sleeveless top marrying blue and mauve tones Change: The mother of three's relaxed and carefree attitude contrasted with the low profile she previously maintained over the past few mornings Duo: Her husband Jared was also pictured leaving the house on Friday morning in a suit and tie as the pair, who both have positions as senior advisers at the White House, headed to work Happy: Ivanka looked as though she was on top of the world on Thursday morning, as she stepped out of her Washington, D.C. home with a wide smile on her face She was pictured leaving her house shortly after 8am, wearing a pretty pink dress with a floral pattern, along with her trusty own-brand high heels. The previous night, Ivanka and her husband had dinner with Ted Cruz and his wife Heidi at Italian seafood restaurant Fiola Mare. Ivanka's outing on Thursday came after she revealed in an interview that she will not ever publicly criticize her father, because she considers herself 'part of the team'. 'To voice dissent publicly would mean I'm not part of the team,' the first daughter and top White House aide told the Financial Times. 'When you're part of a team, you're part of a team.' She added that she believes people had 'unrealistic expectations' regarding her influence over her father and his decision making, insisting that 'my presence in and of itself' would not ever cause President Trump to 'abandon his core values'. 'To those critics, shy of turning my father into a liberal, Id be a failure to them,' Ivanka added. Sartorial: The mother-of-three was pictured leaving her home shortly after 8am on Thursday, wearing a pretty pink dress with a floral pattern Casual: Happily smiling for the cameras as she exited the home she shares with husband Jared Kushner and their three children, Ivanka appeared incredibly relaxed As President Trump entered office in January, Ivanka, along with her husband Jared, also a White House aide, and Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, were considered moderating factors who could bring the president to a more central stance on issues, instead of to the far right. However, some decisions that Trump made tested Ivanka's clout, including his decision in June to pull out of the Paris climate accord. 'Anything we thought a few months back about how she was going to be a moderating influence on Trump has not come to fruition,' Douglas Brinkley, the presidential historian, told the Financial Times as part of its profile on Ivanka. 'If she's having a major policy influence, it's really being done in a subterranean fashion, because there are no clear signs of it.' The interview with the Financial Times indicates Ivanka hasn't been socially punished by the liberal New Yorkers she grew up alongside. She and Jared 'haven't felt much of a chill in the liberal New York Circle they ran in before the campaign', the newspaper wrote. Among Ivanka's New York City friends is former first daughter Chelsea Clinton. Still, the couple Jared know that friends who might trash them anonymously in the paper won't do it to their faces, according to the Financial Times. A source cited in the piece also said that they recalled only one instance which an acquaintance approached Ivanka with 'a less than positive response' to her involvement in her father's political life. Commemorating: Earlier this week, Ivanka and Jared attended a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House marking the September 11 attacks Laying low: The first daughter shied away from the cameras for the past few mornings. She is pictured on Tuesday leaving her house in a Secret Service SUV Ivanka and Jared, who both have offices in the White House, do discuss their work life at home, although the first daughter acknowledged in her latest interview it might be best to separate their professional and personal lives as much as possible. 'We talk about it,' Ivanka said. 'I think its probably healthier to compartmentalize more. But I dont think this job lends itself to that. I think the weight of the decisions that are made in this building are such that you cant leave it at the door in the same way that you could in the business world.' Although she sought to minimize her influence on her father, she has accompanied him on many official visits, helping him win over crowds and carry his message. Last week, her father told his audience at a rally in Mandan, North Dakota, that his daughter had asked to tag along for the trip with the words: 'Daddy, can I go with you?' Some Republican leaders were 'visibly annoyed' by Ivanka's presence that day, a source told CNN. But the first daughter appears determined to shut down critics. 'Whether my contribution ultimately lives up to the expectations of some of the harshest critics? Only time will tell,' Ivanka told the Financial Times. 'But I will not be distracted by the noise.' Yolanda Hadid has once again candidly spoken out about her ongoing struggle with Lyme disease, reflecting on the incredibly low points of her battle, as well as the impact that it has had on her children. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 53, admitted her chronic Lyme-induced pain became so unbearable, it almost took away her will live. The model matriarch revealed she wanted to die, but was brought back to reality when she thought of her three children, two of whom also suffer with the invisible condition. Scroll down for video Believe me: Yolanda Hadid, 53, reveals her toughest moments in her battle with Lyme disease in candid video interview, and shares how she helps her children who also suffer with it The highs and lows: The Dutch model confesses the disease made her contemplate death but her children kept her grounded, a story she reveals in her new book Believe Me In a video for InStyle, Yolanda opened up and said she was desperate in her years long struggle with chronic Lyme disease that pushed her to the darkest moment of her life. 'I was naked in the ocean and just feeling so sick and at the end of my rope, that I was just trying to be one with the universe,' she revealed. 'It was like, Okay just take me, I cannot live one more day with this pain,' she confessed of the incredibly somber moment. The mother regained her strength, however, when she thought about her children Gigi, 22, Bella, 20, and Anwar, 18, the latter two of whom also suffer from the same tick-transmitted disease. 'But in that same moment I also had a flash of my three children, going like no, that is such a selfish move to just let go and quit,' she explained. The mother confessed this moment and many more in her book Believe Me: My Battle with the Invisible Disability of Lyme Disease released on Tuesday and stepped out arm in arm with her three children for a book signing in New York the following day. Family support: Yolanda Hadid and children Gigi, 22, Bella, 20, and Anwar, 18, are all smiles at the reality TV star's Believe Me book singing in New York City on Wednesday Mama's gal: Gigi smiled with her mom to support her with a matching black and grey outfit Number one fan: Bella shared snaps of her mother's book debut on Instagram in support In her book, she explains in the interview, she discussed how her daughter Bella suffers with the disease, and despite jet setting across the globe for high fashion modelling gigs- the young Vogue cover star often returned home crying in pain. 'This child suffers every day, seven days a week. But its really hard for people to understand because she forces herself, pushes herself to go to work, and I have her at home crying and in pain and I have to treat her. Its very deceiving in a way,' she explained on the secret side of Bella's career. The blonde Dutch model went on to explain that her son Anwar is a victim to the disease as well. 'The symptoms of Lyme disease can be anything. For Anwar he had this sinus infection all the time and joint pain,' she said. 'Oh you're growing,' she said of the lofty phrase people used to cast aside his symptoms. But Yolanda knew that his infections meant something much more grave. 'You go through the whole system so many times until, as a mom, you have to follow your intuition. It's not normal for a child to always have a sinus infection. We really have to look at our children from a perspective of oh, what if the doctor isn't right?' she shared. Although her mother's intuition was at its highest peak, it might not have been so high for ex-husband David Foster. Long road to healing: Yolanda is known for sharing her journey steps on Instagram such as the above snap where she she just finished a cavitation operation Family first: Children Bella and Anwar, who also suffer from Lyme disease, cuddle with their mom for a heart-warming snap on Yolanda's Instagram Momma's little boy: Yolanda was alarmed for her young model son Anwar when he had perpetual sinus infections that she realized were really Lyme symptoms Slowly and surely: Yolanda plays cards with friends after a Tvam surgery in 2016 When asked on his shocking statement, 'Your sick card is up,' she responded with composure and peace. 'David and I had a wonderful seven year relationship that was great. It's really hard to be a chronically-ill person for multiple years but it's also really hard to be the caregiver of that person,' she said. She explained that her book is a message to encourage other couples that suffer with chronic diseases as she and David did. 'We all say things when we're hurt that we don't really mean, it's real life and the only reason I share this is because there are hundreds of thousands of couples that go through this,' she added. She shared she is 'grateful' for her years of marriage with the Canadian musician and that her glitzy lifestyle poisoned her body. 'I had so many toxins coming into my body on a daily basis. Botox at lunch time - what was I thinking?' she confessed. But she revealed that her glamorous Beverly Hills lifestyle and subsequent battle with Lyme disease taught her 'not to be vain anymore.' 'The only thing that matters in the morning when you wake up is that you're healthy, and you can actually get out of bed and live life,' she added. Ivanka Trump brought her three-year-old son Joseph to listen to his grandfather speak on Friday on a military base. The 35-year-old mother of three held her child's hand as she and her husband Jared Kushner, 36, walked in to hear President Trump talk at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. They later sat down together along with the first lady, Melania Trump, with Ivanka pulling little Joseph onto her lap to listen to his grandfather. Scroll down for video Outing: Ivanka Trump brought her three-year-old son Joseph to listen to his grandfather speak on Friday on a military base Listening: The 35-year-old mother of three pulled her child onto her lap to listen to President Trump talk at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland Joyful: Both Ivanka and her husband flashed happy smiles as they arrived to the event Respect: The trio stood up as Ivanka's father and the First Lady walked out onto the stage Ivanka, Jared, and Joseph entered the hangar first to much fanfare from the military band, as they were escorted in by a member of the military. The trio was followed soon after by Melania and Donald, who made their way straight onto the stage in order to address the waiting crowds. Melania expressed her gratitude on behalf of the American people to those serving in the air force, praising the 'trust' that the country has in its military. 'We know you will never quit, you will never yield, and you will never fail,' she said, before offering thanks on behalf of herself and her husband personally both to those currently serving, and to their families. 'Your sacrifices do not go unnoticed or unappreciated,' she promised. A big day! Joseph looked slightly overwhelmed by his surroundings as he made his way out into the hangar with his parents, clutching his mother's hand Together: The trio was followed soon after by Melania and Donald, who made their way straight onto the stage in order to address the waiting crowds Speech: Melania expressed her gratitude on behalf of the American people to those serving in the air force, praising the 'trust' that the country has in its military Earlier today, Ivanka seemed in a cheery disposition as she stepped out of her house in Washington, D.C. this morning, greeting the day with a bright smile. The first daughter was pictured leaving the home she shares with her husband Jared Kushner, 36, and their three children in the upscale Kalorama neighborhood. As she headed towards her Secret Service SUV, the mother smiled for the cameras, letting her sheer pleated skirt breeze around her. Ivanka paired the white, midi length number with a sleeveless top marrying blue and mauve tones. As often, she trusted her own brand for her shoes, and donned the same black pumps she had picked for her previous day's outfit. Peppy: Earlier today, Ivanka seemed in a cheery disposition as she stepped out of her house in Washington, D.C. in the morning, greeting the day with a bright smile Daring: The mother-of-three's sheer skirt design appeared to have some built in shorts to protect her modesty Greeting the morning: As she headed towards her Secret Service SUV, the mother smiled for the cameras, letting her sheer pleated skirt breeze around her Her husband Jared was also pictured leaving the house on Friday morning in a suit and tie as the pair, who both have positions as senior advisers at the White House, headed to work. Just the previous night, Ivanka's father and the first lady hosted a black-tie dinner for the White House Historical Associationbut the first daughter and her husband were nowhere to be seen during the glamorous event. The mother of three's relaxed and carefree attitude on Friday morning contrasted with the low profile she previously maintained over the past few mornings, during which she avoided photographers by leaving her house in a blacked-out SUV. On Thursday, though, the first daughter returned to her usual cheery disposition, smiling for the cameras as she stepped out of her family home. Sartorial picks: Ivanka paired the white, midi length number with a sleeveless top marrying blue and mauve tones Change: The mother of three's relaxed and carefree attitude contrasted with the low profile she previously maintained over the past few mornings Duo: Her husband Jared was also pictured leaving the house on Friday morning in a suit and tie as the pair, who both have positions as senior advisers at the White House, headed to work Happy: Ivanka looked as though she was on top of the world on Thursday morning, as she stepped out of her Washington, D.C. home with a wide smile on her face She was pictured leaving her house shortly after 8am, wearing a pretty pink dress with a floral pattern, along with her trusty own-brand high heels. The previous night, Ivanka and her husband had dinner with Ted Cruz and his wife Heidi at Italian seafood restaurant Fiola Mare. Ivanka's outing on Thursday came after she revealed in an interview that she will not ever publicly criticize her father, because she considers herself 'part of the team'. 'To voice dissent publicly would mean I'm not part of the team,' the first daughter and top White House aide told the Financial Times. 'When you're part of a team, you're part of a team.' She added that she believes people had 'unrealistic expectations' regarding her influence over her father and his decision making, insisting that 'my presence in and of itself' would not ever cause President Trump to 'abandon his core values'. 'To those critics, shy of turning my father into a liberal, Id be a failure to them,' Ivanka added. Sartorial: The mother-of-three was pictured leaving her home shortly after 8am on Thursday, wearing a pretty pink dress with a floral pattern As President Trump entered office in January, Ivanka, along with her husband Jared, also a White House aide, and Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, were considered moderating factors who could bring the president to a more central stance on issues, instead of to the far right. However, some decisions that Trump made tested Ivanka's clout, including his decision in June to pull out of the Paris climate accord. 'Anything we thought a few months back about how she was going to be a moderating influence on Trump has not come to fruition,' Douglas Brinkley, the presidential historian, told the Financial Times as part of its profile on Ivanka. 'If she's having a major policy influence, it's really being done in a subterranean fashion, because there are no clear signs of it.' The interview with the Financial Times indicates Ivanka hasn't been socially punished by the liberal New Yorkers she grew up alongside. She and Jared 'haven't felt much of a chill in the liberal New York Circle they ran in before the campaign', the newspaper wrote. Among Ivanka's New York City friends is former first daughter Chelsea Clinton. Commemorating: Earlier this week, Ivanka and Jared attended a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House marking the September 11 attacks Laying low: The first daughter shied away from the cameras for the past few mornings. She is pictured on Tuesday leaving her house in a Secret Service SUV Still, the couple Jared know that friends who might trash them anonymously in the paper won't do it to their faces, according to the Financial Times. A source cited in the piece also said that they recalled only one instance which an acquaintance approached Ivanka with 'a less than positive response' to her involvement in her father's political life. Ivanka and Jared, who both have offices in the White House, do discuss their work life at home, although the first daughter acknowledged in her latest interview it might be best to separate their professional and personal lives as much as possible. 'We talk about it,' Ivanka said. 'I think its probably healthier to compartmentalize more. But I dont think this job lends itself to that. I think the weight of the decisions that are made in this building are such that you cant leave it at the door in the same way that you could in the business world.' Although she sought to minimize her influence on her father, she has accompanied him on many official visits, helping him win over crowds and carry his message. Last week, her father told his audience at a rally in Mandan, North Dakota, that his daughter had asked to tag along for the trip with the words: 'Daddy, can I go with you?' Some Republican leaders were 'visibly annoyed' by Ivanka's presence that day, a source told CNN. But the first daughter appears determined to shut down critics. 'Whether my contribution ultimately lives up to the expectations of some of the harshest critics? Only time will tell,' Ivanka told the Financial Times. 'But I will not be distracted by the noise.' Men, don't worry about losing your hair as you age. It makes you look more powerful, according to research. The bald look, adopted by Bruce Willis, Vin Diesel and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, makes men appear more masculine, dominant, taller and stronger. British star Jason Statham also sealed his status as a bald heartthrob with his recent engagement to model and former Victoria's Secret angel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Scientists have long debated the issue of hair loss in men, a billion-pound industry, with conflicting results on their perceived appearance. The latest positive conclusion, based on three studies by University of Pennsylvania researchers, asked people of both sexes for their opinions. The bald look, adopted by Bruce Willis (right), Vin Diesel (left) and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, makes men look more attractive, dominant, taller and stronger The first study In the first study, men with shaven heads were rated as more dominant than similar men with full heads of hair. Some 59 students took part, 35 were female. The second study The second trial, involving 344 participants, of which slightly more than half were women, showed two images of the same men. Those who had their hair digitally removed were perceived as more dominant, nearly an inch taller and 13 per cent stronger than their authentic selves. The third study Researchers conducted the third trial on 552 participants. All were published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal in 2012. Volunteers were given written and verbal descriptions about different men. Those with shaved heads got the highest marks for masculinity. The bad news But it wasn't all good news, the researchers added. Bald men looked almost four years older, the studies showed. While men with shaved heads were viewed as considerably less attractive than their counterparts with full heads of hair. British star Jason Statham also sealed his status as a bald heartthrob with his recent engagement to model and former Victoria's Secret angel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Can the findings be explained? Writing in the journal, the researchers, led by Dr Albert Mannes, hypothesised that it could be because shaved heads are unusual, and people find average attractive. BALDNESS AND ITS LINKS TO CANCER A study in 2010 found men who start going bald at a young age are up to 45 per cent less likely to fall victim to prostate cancer later in life. The scientists, from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, studied 2,000 men aged between 40 and 47, half of whom had suffered prostate cancer. Their results showed that men who had started to develop bald spots on the top of their heads as well as receding hairlines had the least risk of cancer. Advertisement They said: 'Instead of spending billions each year trying to reverse or cure their hair loss, the counterintuitive prescription of this research to men experiencing male pattern baldness is to shave their heads. 'Doing so will increase their interpersonal standing on a host of dominance-related traits, including their potential for leadership. 'At the very least, these benefits may offer palliative relief from the psychological costs associated with natural hair loss. 'These men might better improve their well-being by finishing what Mother Nature has started.' What other studies have found This has been backed by a host of research. Last August, Johns Hopkins University scientists found that hair loss does reduce attractiveness. Follically challenged men were rated as more youthful, attractive, successful and approachable after being given a hair transplant. But Barry University, Florida, researchers discovered bald men look more socially mature, intelligent and honest in the eyes of the public. Hair loss: The facts Male pattern baldness, the most common type of hair loss, affects around half of all men by 50 years of age. It usually starts around the late twenties or by their late thirties. Figures suggest that men across the world spend 1.5 billion each year to stop their hair loss. It is hereditary, and is thought to be caused by oversensitive hair follicles, linked to having too much of a certain male hormone. It can also affect women usually those who have gone through the menopause and tends to cause hair to thin at the top of the head. If you crave a hearty glass of wine, pint of cold beer or a large gin and tonic during the week, you're definitely not alone. But this impulse for alcohol, often fueled by a stressful day at work, could be curbed in the future, scientists believe. In trials on mice, they found that an existing drug that targets receptors in the brain's immune system can switch off the urge for a midweek tipple. The study, by University of Adelaide researchers, offers hope of opening up avenues for such a way for humans to cut back on alcohol. An existing drug that targets receptors in the brain's immune system can switch off the urge for a midweek tipple, scientists have found Midweek drinks are known to often tip many people over their recommended weekly intake, compromising their health. This then leaves them at an increased risk of various forms of cancer, high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver and even depression, How was the study carried out? The researchers tested a drug called Naltrexone, which is already given to alcoholics to curb their dependence, on the mice. It works by binding to TLR4, a brain receptor previously linked to binge drinking. This then blocks it and stops the sensation of pleasure after drinking. They found that blocking these immune receptors helped decrease the motivation of non-dependent mice to drink alcohol in the evening. Lead scientist Jon Jacobsen, who is studying for his PhD, said: 'Alcohol is the world's most commonly consumed drug. RECOVERY WHILE DRINKING CAREFULLY Alcoholics have long suffered a critical stumbling block on their road to recovery - total and utter abstinence. But that could be a thing of the past thanks to an unlikely, little-known treatment which offers the seemingly-impossible: recovery while drinking in moderation. Called the Sinclair Method, it was devised in the 1970s and uses opioid-controlling drugs combined with self-discipline and, paradoxically, alcohol, to give addicts renewed control. And, impressively, it boasts a success rate of nearly 80 per cent. So could it be the answer to Booze Britain's obsession with drinking? Advertisement 'There is a greater need than ever to understand the biological mechanisms that drive our need to drink alcohol.' He said the body's internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, affects the urge to partake in drug-related behaviour. The peak time for this tends to strike during the evening, when the brain receives the highest 'reward' and gives off the most endorphins from taking drugs. The results, published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity, is one of the first to show a link between the brain's immune system and alcohol consumption at night. Professor Mark Hutchinson, co-author of the study, said the results add to an emerging body of evidence that show the brain's immune system to be responsible. What is the drug? Naltrexone has been approved as a treatment to overcome alcohol and opiod drug dependencies by US regulators, the FDA, for 22 years. NICE, the NHS' drug rationing watchdog, recommends the drug be given alongside conventional rehabilitation programmes. Previous studies have shown it to work for more than just reducing cravings for the opiods and alcohol it is designed for. Scientists have long said it can help to relieve multiple sclerosis sufferers of their symptoms and provides relief against Crohn's disease. FARGO The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority has decided to cease legal action challenging Minnesota regulators for denying a permit for a dam, the group said in a statement Thursday. The group said it was encouraged by recent news that Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton wanted to speak with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum about flood protection for Fargo-Moorhead. We know we are going to have to make some changes to the Project. We want to work together with the State of Minnesota and all interested parties on a flood protection project that can serve the interests of both states and the affected communities, Diversion Authority Chairman and Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney said in a statement. We realize we cannot do that genuinely if we are still in ongoing litigation over the original permit as proposed. Solving problems through litigation is not ideal, authority Vice Chairwoman and Moorhead Mayor Del Rae Williams said in a statement. It is my hope that the parties can come together and ultimately submit a new permit that the DNR will approve. There are several legal actions involving the $2.2 billion project, which includes a diversion channel and a dam controlling floodwater entering the channel. Upstream opponents of the dam and later the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sued the Diversion Authority and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, contending the project cant start without a DNR permit because the dam would eventually enter Minnesota. After the corps began work on the dam in North Dakota without a permit, a federal judge halted work, suggesting that the DNRs permit requirement has legal merit. The DNR has said it wouldnt issue a permit because the dam takes too much empty land out of the floodplain, contradicting state law. Authority staff had been talking with DNR staff about modifications to the project, but the authority also challenged the DNRs permit decision in Minnesota court. This is the legal action that authority officials have ceased. A young acid attack victim has bravely revealed the effects of successful trauma surgery - less than six months after the shocking incident left her unrecognisable. Khushboo Devi, 21, from Uttar Pradesh in northern India, has endured two painful procedures to help heal the devastating scars on her face, which she suffered in April. They were caused by her father, 40-year-old Manik Chandra, after she reported him to the police for sex trafficking crimes. Brave: Khushboo Devi, 21, from Uttar Pradesh in northern India, is still recovering from the shocking attack, which took place less than six months ago INTERVENTION Even though several doctors initially refused to treat her, she was finally accepted at King Georges Medical University hospital, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, last month, where she spent five days. Her sight is difficult in her left eye and she cant use her right arm but she is trying to be determined that surgery will help. Khushboo said: After the attack I couldnt see from one eye and my arm was frozen. It wouldnt move. When I first went to the doctors around my village, nobody even wanted to touch me. 'They just prescribed medicines. But the scars appeared and my eye and arm would not heal. Eventually we were referred to a hospital in Lucknow. I can partially see from the affected eye now but one of my nostrils is still closed. FURTHER TREATMENT Khushboo is due to see her doctor again next month to discuss surgery on her facial scars. Theyve suggested taking skin from my thigh and fix it on my face, so I think this is what theyll do in my next surgery. But they say they cannot guarantee any successes. Surgical intervention: Ms Devi spent five days at King Georges Medical University hospital in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, last month Scars: Ms Devi pictured shortly after the attack when the physical effects were raw Happier times: Before the assault with her husband Vinod Kumar, 26, and their three-year-old daughter, Trisha Kumari Since Kushboo was attached with acid on April 30, this year, she has struggled to accept her new face. She revealed: I feel very sad when I see myself in the mirror. Im not pretty any more. My father ruined it all for me. He ruined something that gives people the first impression of ne and I know that my first impression is now scary. I used to be a pretty girl, people always said I was pretty but people stare at me like Im a monster now Khushboo Devi Khushboos father Manik Chandra, 40, attacked her with acid after she reported him to the police for sex trafficking young girls in their home, something she had witnessed all her life. He married young girls and then sold them to different men, she remembered. Hed often abuse and hit my mother and send her away and would bring other women home while she was away. My mum often reported him to the police but the police never took her complaint seriously. 'He tried to sell me but thankfully I escaped. But the final straw came when he sold my 16-year-old sister to a 30-year-old man. Thats when I decided to go to the police. I had to help my family. Family ties: The young woman shares an embrace with her daughter, Trisha, after surgery Revenge: Manik Chandra, 40, threw acid on his daughter for filing a police complaint Once her father came to know of her actions he started threatening her but she refused to be scared and stood firm. She added: He often threatened to destroy me and my family but I wasnt going to let him win. I thought they were empty threats and would not do nothing as Im still his daughter but how wrong I was. I could never imagine he could do anything like this. Khushboo was asleep with her husband Vinod Kumar, 26, and three-year-old daughter Trisha when Manik knocked on the front door and called her name at 3am on April 30. I woke up to him calling my name, she said. I went towards the door and as soon as I opened the door, he threw acid on me. My entire body shook with the shock of the pain. 'I cannot even express the pain I felt. I just remember screaming and fell on floor. My husband came to my rescue and thats when he was also affected by it. FAMILY LOYALTY Husband Vinod, who works as a plumber and earns Rs10, 000 ( 100) a month, never left her side. My husband was and is my biggest strength, she said. He has been there through thick and thin. I cannot imagine my life without him. He found the doctor to treat me and he is using his savings to pay for it. And he hasnt gone back to work yet because hes helping me. He takes care of me and our daughter. I worry about the money but he assures me he will get the best treatment for me. Kushboo had her 21st Birthday on August 15th, but she did not celebrate it. It was no grand occasion, as she cannot bear to feel happiness or see people to be happy yet. Manik Chandra is still in jail but Khushboo fears for her life if he is released on bail any time soon. I know hed kill me this time, she said. I have sent him to jail and exposed all his secrets. I fear what hell do next because he is a cruel man. I have not seen him since the attack and I do not wish to see him. I only wish the worst for him. I feel disgusted to even call him my father. I used to be a pretty girl, people always said I was pretty but people stare at me like Im a monster now. People look at me in disgust, people know I am his daughter. I can fight with the scars on my body but not the pain he has caused to my soul. Every night, in homes across the country, bedrooms reverberate with the trumpeting, whistling, whining and grunting of the nations snorers. Its a deafening cacophony that blights an estimated 60 per cent of the population and their long-suffering partners and fuels a lucrative and ever-growing trade in snore-busting gadgets and remedies. But as anyone whos tried the throat sprays, nasal dilators, jaw slings or mouth splints that claim to ease snoring will know, snoring is infuriatingly difficult to fix. It is just one more insulting consequence of the ageing process, and therefore extremely common. But despite that, few people appreciate quite how debilitating it can be for your health and your relationships. Scroll down for video At night, when we drift into the deepest phases of sleep and all our muscles relax, the tissues at the back of the throat can become floppy, causing the air that passes through them to makes a noise like a flag flapping in the wind As one of the UKs top ear, nose and throat consultants, I see a regular stream of patients whose lives are blighted by the sounds they make when theyre asleep. But I am convinced that the vast majority of snoring cases can be swiftly and inexpensively fixed by spending just five minutes a day doing a few simple throat exercises. The plethora of gadgets and sprays on the market rarely work but my studies show that these exercises definitely do. FROM AGEING TO BOOZE, WHY SNORING HAPPENS Although the shape of your face, skull and neck could make you more susceptible to snoring, and a blocked nose, enlarged tonsils and a heavy night of alcohol will make things worse, the single most common cause is slack throat muscles. At night, when we drift into the deepest phases of sleep and all our muscles relax, the tissues at the back of the throat can become floppy, causing the air that passes through them to makes a noise like a flag flapping in the wind. The volume and intensity of those snores will depend partly on the turbulence of the airflow (how hard you have to force the lungs to push air through this restricted space) and partly on the resonance (or floppiness) of the tissues of your throat. These include the soft palate (the fleshy part at the back of the roof of the mouth), the uvula (the dangly thing at the back of your throat) and the epiglottis (the flap of tissue which sits beneath the tongue at the back of the throat and closes the windpipe while you are eating to prevent food entering your airways). As these tissues vibrate they trap air against the back wall of the throat for a split second, causing a high pressure build-up of air and subsequent sound waves, like that produced when you clap your hands together. If you are overweight the problem and volume will be exacerbated as layers of fat increase the pressure on the windpipe when you are lying down, forcing your lungs to work harder to push air through the restricted gap. A few drinks will make snoring worse, too, because alcohol acts as a sedative, keeping you for longer in the deep sleep that relaxes all your muscles including the muscles of your throat and tongue. 'I used to snore half the night' 'Derek is a heavy sleeper but my kids say they can hear it when theyre coming up the stairs,' said his wife, Maxine (pictured) Maxine Severn, 52 is a school administrator. She lives in Birmingham with husband Derek, 65, a retired stockbrokers clerk. They have two children, aged 24 and 27. Maxine says: I was recently away on a school trip and people mentioned that my snoring was horrendous. Derek is a heavy sleeper but my kids say they can hear it when theyre coming up the stairs. When I set up the app I was shocked to find I was snoring for more than half the night, mostly at epic levels, so I was happy to try the exercises. I found most of them pretty easy. You look silly, but it works. My snoring plummeted from 50 per cent to 9 per cent of the night! Im getting much more deep sleep, giving me the energy to improve my fitness and lose weight, which will help the snoring even more. Advertisement WHY ITS BAD FOR YOU... The snorer might sound as if they are blissfully sleeping, but their body will be struggling to get air in and out through slack and floppy airways and this extra effort will ultimately compromise the quality of the deeply restorative phases of sleep. This is the time when the vitally important mental and physical repair process is supposed to happen, and the heart should be able to slow and rest. Although snoring is more likely to occur if you are overweight, it can also trap you in a vicious cycle whereby the snoring itself triggers weight gain. Studies show poor sleep typically stimulates the appetite for sweet and fatty foods as your body fights to cope with fatigue. As long-term snoring causes protracted sleep deprivation, which in turn means your snoring worsens, the weight piles on. This then increases your risk of obesity-related disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, even some cancers. ... AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS Snoring is a potent trigger for bitterness, ridicule and resentment in relationships and studies show that for around 6 per cent of couples, bad snoring can be enough to trigger marriage breakdown. Inveterate snorers, and therefore their bed partners, rarely get close to achieving even the lower recommended target of six hours of restful sleep each night. Studies show the partner of a snorer loses 90 minutes of sleep most nights and so gradually builds a sleep debt that can never be replenished. Humming can help! Try this short, effective and fun stop-snoring exercise: Start with your mouth open as wide as it can go and stick your tongue out as far forward as you can Hold this position while stretching your tongue up, down, and side to side for two full revolutions Begin humming your national anthem or Happy Birthday in as deep a pitch as you can and continue right to the end (or for at least two minutes) Advertisement Theres nothing sexy about snoring, and it is such a subject of ridicule that the psychological trauma of appearing unattractive to your partner (even when asleep) can have irrevocable consequences for both sexes. Studies show men and women who are deprived of sleep report lower libidos and less interest in sex due to depleted energy, sleepiness and increased tension. Men are often alarmed to learn that snoring can have a direct effect on their ability to maintain an erection, too. Over time, the elevated blood pressure caused by regular snoring will damage the blood vessels, making them thicker and restricting blood flow a problem which very often affects the tiny capillaries of the sex organs first. If your snoring is a source of stress between you, this can make performance anxiety worse, and concern about underperformance can be the kiss of death for a sexual relationship. REMEDY THAT'S FREE AND SIMPLE Its not surprising that so many snorers search for solutions on the chemists shelves. But they may well be wasting their time and money. In the vast majority of cases the problem can be cured or massively reduced for free. Studies have shown that if you exercise those slackened throat muscles, just as you would your quads or biceps in the gym, you can build back their strength and tone, and return the structures of your throat to their former youthful condition. Stopping snoring is within your grasp and its as simple as committing to a few minutes of throat exercises every day. 'This has stopped me keeping my wife awake' Robin George (above): 'My snoring had definitely worsened with age' Robin George, 63, a magician, lives in Purley, Surrey, with his wife Sharon, 63. They have two daughters aged 30 and 28. Robin says: My snoring had definitely worsened with age and I was in a separate bedroom to my wife on most nights just to let her sleep. Id tried inhalers and lavender oil, but nothing made a difference and most mornings I woke up absolutely shattered. The exercises have definitely helped. Im familiar with some of them as I do that kind of thing before going on stage. The results have been impressive. Before I started, I was snoring loudly for an hour, very loudly for two minutes and only regularly got two hours of quiet sleep. Now I will typically snore loudly for 17 minutes, very loudly for less than a minute and enjoy more than six hours of quiet sleep. My wife says she cant hear me as much and Im getting much better quality of sleep. Advertisement GIVE YOUR THROAT A DAILY WORKOUT For some years specialists in the U.S. have been studying the effectiveness of exercises in tightening and toning the throat muscles, and research shows near-miraculous results. Daily targeted exercises can reduce snoring volume by 60 percent and frequency by 39 per cent. Thats a far, far better result than youd get from anything you might be able to pick up at the chemist. However, the muscle-toning routines used in these American studies are complex and convoluted, requiring reams of instruction and 45 minutes of diligent daily practice. This, in my opinion, isnt sustainable, no matter how much snoring blights your life. So I have distilled the essence of those elaborate plans to create a complete high-energy throat workout of nine simple exercises which everyone can quite quickly run through after brushing their teeth at night or every morning. I think of it as yoga for the mouth and recommend it to all my snoring patients, with great success. How loud? Snoring can vary from 60-100 decibels, with the average volume equivalent to a vacuum cleaner and extreme cases matching the noise of a chainsaw or motorbike. Advertisement Many people will notice improvements even after the first night, but youll need to stick at it. It might take three months of daily practice to achieve top tone (and minimal snoring), but once there, dipping into the exercises every so often is usually enough to stop the throat from falling back into its former slack state. I urge my patients to download one of many snoring apps available. Many, such as Snorelab, are free for the most basic function, which is perfectly adequate. Once you have downloaded it on to your phone (or tablet) you place your device face down on the bedside table next to you before you go to sleep and it will record your snoring throughout the night. Try using it before you start the exercises, to get a baseline reading, then use it again at intervals to monitor your progress. Very quickly you should notice a reduction in the volume of your snoring as the tissues tighten, and ultimately a reduction in snoring frequency, too. Adapted by LOUISE ATKINSON from Stop Snoring The Easy Way: And The Real Reasons You Need To, by Dr Mike Dilkes and Alexander Adams, published by Seven Dials, 12.99. To buy a copy for 10.39 (offer until September 23, 2017) call 0844 571 0640 or visit www.mailbookshop.co.uk. P&P is free on orders over 15. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari expressed hope that the dream project of providing free health services would materialise. Speaking at the Dilli Aaj Tak Health Summit on Friday, he, however, indicated non co-operation of the Delhi government. He said in the last four years, the state government was busy passing the buck rather than focusing on health and it is high time for Delhiites to return to making family doctors. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said the Kejriwal government is not releasing adequate funds to civic bodies The MP said the Kejriwal government was treating the three civic bodies as untouchables by not releasing adequate funds. 'However, despite that, the MCD is doing its best. 'Within a year, Delhi will be made garbage-free as the tender of removing the mountain of garbage from Gazipur has been allotted,' he said. 'MCD has done its best to curb vector-borne diseases this year.' He said the city government feared that if it releases money allotted to MCD, the civic bodies without outperform the state and the latter's flaws would be visible. 'I wrote to CM Arvind Kejriwal to discuss certain issues but he has not met me even once. Much can be done for the city if he and I sit together to discuss on issues.' Tiwari said the Delhi government should focus on people centric issues for now as elections are far away. He said that soon, traffic would ease in Delhi as a memorandum has been signed to construct a route where non-destined vehicles would not enter the Capital and instead pass along the boundary. 'This would also help the city fight the problem of pollution,' he added. Speaking about the current sanitation situation in Delhi, he said the responsibility of sanitation cannot be left on the shoulders of the government alone. Quoting an example, he said, 'MCD garbage trucks pick up garbage twice a day. The garbage can only be picked up once it is compiled at disposal centres. The moment people see garbage, they click photos and put them on social media. They don't wait. 'If the government fails to take care of the health of citizens, all other facilities fail. 'Therefore, the state should release funds so that people could be catered to better health services and infrastructure, he added. The Capital is all set to get a fresh arsenal to battle its mounting garbage problem. The Centre on Friday announced a `300-crore plan for tackling the solid and liquid waste management crisis in the city. The move follows a rash of criticism after a portion of the Ghazipur landfill collapsed this month, killing two people, and at least 10 labourers died in about 35 days after inhaling noxious gases in sewers under the watch of the BJP-led municipal corporations. Waste picker in Ghazipur on September 5, 2017 in New Delhi, India. Having failed to find a place for disposing the garbage in east Delhi, the municipal corporation on Monday decided to continue dumping garbage at Ghazipur landfill site. Funds would be provided to the cash-starved north, south and east corporations from the urban development fund of the union government. Newly appointed minister of state (MoS) for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri declared this at a function by the Public Affairs Forum of India (PAFI) in Delhi. Puri said it is essential to bring about a 'visible improvement' in the national Capital in the face of the serious crisis plaguing the city. The spate of mishaps has raised questions on effective execution of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on the ground. The BJP government at the Centre has already completed three years of its fiveyear mandate. The city's ruling Aam Aadmi Party too sought to remind the saffron party of its unfulfilled promise of 'cleaning up Delhi's trash within 100 days of coming to power' during the civic elections this year. Providing a detailed plan of the number and kind of machines that would be purchased to clean Delhi, Puri said each of the three corporations would spend `100 crore. 'All vehicles and mechanical equipment like litter pickers, underground bins and CNG mechanical road sweepers would be procured and commissioned by the end of December this year,' the minister said. Waste picker in Ghazipur on September 5, 2017 in New Delhi, India. Having failed to find a place for disposing the garbage in east Delhi, the municipal corporation on Monday decided to continue dumping garbage at Ghazipur landfill site. Apart from that, decentralised sewage treatment plants (STPs) and super-suckers would be brought in for upkeep of drains. The death of labourers in the Capital while cleaning sewers became a burning human rights issue with several NGOs blasting both the Centre and the AAP government for not modernising the British-era sewage system. The minister added that 'accelerated composters' and 'bio-methanation plants' to be procured under the plan would add a garbage resolution capacity of 670 metric tonne per day. Trucks dumping garbage at Ghazipur landfill site on September 5, 2017 in New Delhi, India. Delhi generates about 10,000 metric tonne of trash a day and the three waste-to-energy plants (WTEs) of the city are able to process only 6,250 metric tonne. The rest is dumped at the four landfills in Ghazipur, Okhla, Bhalswa and Narela-Bawana. No segregation or composting is done. 'This (the plan and measures) should bring some relief in the national Capital,' Puri said. Sanitation is one of the priorities of the government and he took up the garbage issue in the national Capital on his very second day in office, said the minister. The Centre announced a `300-crore plan for tackling the solid and liquid waste management crisis in the city on Friday The ministries of 'urban development' and 'housing and urban poverty alleviation' were merged in July to form the ministry of housing and urban affairs. Since 2014, the twin charges were held by M Venkaiah Naidu until he became vice president. Then, briefly, these were under NS Tomar as additional charge. Hardeep Singh Puri, a retired Indian Forest Service diplomat, took over as MoS on September 4. The central and state governments realised how big a problem garbage is after the east MCD could not find any alternate landfill site following the Ghazipur mishap. Villagers in Rani Khera, northwest Delhi, did not allow any waste to be dumped in their area. With the Narendra Modi-led central government planning to deport 40,000 Rohingya refugees, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday called for the need to support the community. Speaking out on the issue for the first time, Banerjee wrote on Twitter: 'We do support the United Nations appeal to help the Rohingya people.' Banerjee's appeal for helping the Rohingyas comes at a time when the Ministry of Home Affairs has alerted states to identify and monitor 'illegal migrants'. 'We do support the United Nations appeal to help the Rohingya people': West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has pledged support for the displaced refugees 'Infiltration from Rakhine state of Myanmar into Indian territory, especially in the recent years, besides being a burden on the limited resources of the country also aggravates the security challenges posed to the country,' the MHA advisory, dated August 8, stated. Opposing the Centre's view on the matter, Mamata tweeted, 'We believe that all commoners are not terrorists. We are really concerned.' Last month, the West Bengal government had announced that it would distribute identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to Rohingya children lodged in juvenile justice homes across the state after UNHCR officials in India wrote to the West Bengal government. According to data available till August 2015, 83 Rohingyas, including women and children, are lodged in West Bengal prisons. On Tuesday, thousands of protesters belonging to several Muslim organisations had rallied in Kolkata. They were opposing PM Modi's deportation plan and demanding shelter for Rohingya refugees in India. Protesters had questioned the Central government's move to welcome Hindu refugees from Bangladesh, and discriminate against Muslim refugees from Myanmar. Desperate Rohingya grab for aid handouts of clothing and food in Tankhali, Bangladesh. Nearly 400,000 Rohingya refugees have fled into Bangladesh since late August during the outbreak of violence in the Rakhine state. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the Centre will file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on Monday on its plans to deport Rohingya Muslims. 'We will file the affidavit in the Supreme Court on September 18,' Singh said on Friday. The Supreme Court had asked the government to file the affidavit on a plea against the deportation of illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants to Myanmar. The plea, filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who are registered as refugees under UNHCR, claimed that they have taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there. She got freedom only after two raids were conducted in four months at the brothels in the area. Fearing police action, the syndicate sent her back home with the help of a customer. She was traumatised and had cigarette burn marks on her body as well as other injuries. A young girl was saved from a prostitute ring in Delhi who reportedly burnt out cigarettes on her body and made her meet twenty clients a day A man from West Bengal had lured the girl by promising marriage. He would call her frequently on her mother's mobile phone. She eloped with him in May, leaving everything behind at her home. From Diamond Harbour, she was taken to Kolkata and then brought to Delhi by train. As soon as she reached the Capital, the trafficker reportedly sold her to a pimp at GB Road where she was thrown into a dimly lit room with two other girls who were older than her. The other two girls with whom the victim shared a room, known as tahkhana, were allegedly injected with drugs daily. 'The madam used to give us meals only twice a day and if any customer complained about me, I was left to starve. From Day 1, I was forced into prostitution. Men of my father's age used to avail the services,' she told the police. Her schedule started at 10 in the morning, when she was supposed to get ready with attractive clothes, combed hair and make-up. 'From 11am, customers used to visit the brothels and the first shift ended at 4pm. Then food was served where we were not allowed to demand more. Daal, roti, sabzi was the daily menu. After a few hours of rest, we were supposed to bathe and get ready for the evening shift. From 8pm to 4.30am, I was supposed to entertain the customers,' she recalled. 'After completion of the shift, we were given food. Then we were allowed to sleep in those tiny rooms where we could not even move an inch after lying down.' One day, the teen managed to call her mother from a customer's cellphone and informed her family that she was in a red-light area in Delhi. The information was shared with West Bengal Police and a raid was conducted at GB Road with the help of Delhi cops. But the girl could not be found. Her sister, who is nine months pregnant, called on the number of that customer and hung up. He called back and, after hearing a woman's voice at the other end, struck up a conversation. The sister said, 'Dada, I called you by mistake,' and kept talking, displaying interest in him. He asked her to visit Delhi, promising to take care of her expenses. He then shared his photograph and address with her. She passed on the information to West Bengal police and then to Delhi police. The man was detained at Barakhamba Road police station and he confirmed that the girl was at a GB Road brothel. He also promised cops to help in the raid. However, a search with the help of NGO Shakti Vahini failed to find her. Meanwhile, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal issued summons to 125 brothel owners on GB Road and asked them to appear before the panel. Prostitutes walk through the street of New Delhi's red-light district during a torch-light procession to mark the World AIDS Day The consecutive raids by cops and the DCW notice scared the pimps into releasing the girl. A person accompanied her till Diamond Harbour station and gave her `3,000 in cash. Before leaving, he asked her to withdraw all the police cases and return to GB Road to earn money. Speaking to MAIL TODAY, Sudeshna Roy, member of West Bengal's protection of child rights commission, said she met the victim on Friday. 'The customers used to pay as little as `350 per service. The money was given to the pimp and sometimes the customer used to give a tip of `50. But the girls are not supposed to keep the tips and the money was snatched from them,' the victim said. Over the past 33 years I have built up four pension pots with Royal London with a total transferable value of 191,337. I have also retained a small final salary pension with an old firm that will pay out at present value 740.73 yearly and a lump sum of 2222.21. The pensions are payable in 2025. I have always over the years paid 125 monthly into two of my private pensions. Inheritance dilemma: Should I carry on saving into a pension, or should I invest in an Isa my children can gain from? One thing that shocks me from the statements is that the most I will receive monthly, if I do not take the 25 per cent lump sum from my private pensions, is approximately 566 monthly based on the above values. My question is, as I am no longer married but with children, what will happen to my private pensions if I die within a few years of retiring, therefore not getting back everything I have paid in and accrued over the years? As I have already built up a sizeable fund, is it worth me continuing to pay 125 monthly, or should I halve this amount and invest the other half into an Isa, something my children can gain from? Is investing into an Isa the best way forward and if it is, what type of Isa? At present, I only have a small cash Isa. SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW TO ASK YOUR PENSION QUESTION Steve Webb replies: The position of your children if you were to die is different for each of the different pension arrangements that you currently have. With regard to your final salary pension, if you were to die once you have started receiving the pension, it is likely that your children would receive nothing. Steve Webb: Find out how to ask the former Pensions Minister a question about your retirement savings in the box below Whilst final salary pensions generally provide a pension to a surviving widow or widower, few will provide a payment to your children, especially if they are now grown up and financially independent. In terms of your private pensions, a lot depends on what you do with the fund you have built up, and you should consult the governments free PensionWise service for a full run-down of your options. If you were to use your pension pot to buy an income for the rest of your life - an annuity - you are right that there is a risk that if you were to die a few years after taking out the policy then all the money would be gone. To reduce this risk you can buy an annuity with what is called a guarantee period which means that even if you die soon after buying the policy, the payments would continue for a set period. But because annuities are effectively a way of pooling money between those who live for a very long time and those who live for a short time, if you buy an annuity and then die relatively young, your heirs are unlikely to get the full value of your pension savings. However, there is a way of taking your pension which means that if the worst happened your children could inherit what was left. If you put your pension into a drawdown product this means that the money is invested for you and you can take a regular income to live off. If you were to die, any money left in the drawdown account can be passed on to your children, and if you die before 75 the whole amount would be passed on tax free. INVESTING YOUR PENSION AND DRAWDOWN SCHEMES Pension freedom reforms mean retirees can now invest their savings how they like rather than buy a stingy and restrictive annuity. Read our 12-step starters' guide to investing your pension and living off it in retirement here and our guide to income drawdown schemes here. Of course, a drawdown account provides less certainty than an annuity. If you draw money out too quickly or the investments perform badly, there is a risk you could run out of money later in retirement. In terms of what you should do now, obviously Im not able to give you individual financial advice, but if you were thinking of switching to an Isa simply so that your children would inherit, I hope that I have explained that they could also inherit your money if you hold it in a drawdown policy in retirement, so this may not be necessary. Finally, on your point about the relatively modest monthly pension you would get from your accumulated pension pot, a useful rule of thumb is that for every 1,000 you have in a pension pot, you could get about 1 per week in income from age 65 if you bought an annuity. So a pension pot of around 190,000 would usually generate around 190 per week, though rates do obviously fluctuate and those with health problems may be able to get higher rates. The reason why the regular income from an annuity does not seem very high is simply that we generally live longer than we expect, so the accumulated pot has to last a long time. The Office for National Statistics website how long does my pension need to last says that a 65 year-old man today is likely to live on average for 21 years, but has a one in four chance of reaching 94, and the annuity company has to be sure they have enough money to pay you a pension for as long as you live. This is an expensive guarantee to provide, and as a result the guaranteed monthly income you can secure can seem relatively low. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin responded to the uproar over his request to use a government plane last month while he and new wife Louise Linton toured Europe to celebrate their honeymoon. The thrice-married millionaire, 54, said that he and his twice-married wife, 36, inquired if they could use the plane not for their own self-interest or personal convenience, but rather as an issue of national security. Mnuchin explained that as a member of the president's National Security Council he needed a secure communication link with Washington and his staff put in a request for use of an Air Force jet as a result. If that request had been granted, the $25,000-and-hour jet would have been keeping the lines secure and Mnuchins safe as they stopped off in Scotland, Paris and later Lake Como. The cabinet member was not quite done addressing his recent scandals involving government aircraft however, using his appearance to also speak about his now infamous trip to Kentucky that coincided with the solar eclipse. Mnuchin later flat out denied claims that he and his Scottish-born wife had used the government-owned plane to travel to Louisville and later Fort Knox so they could view the solar eclipse during his speech. He then went on to state that the trip had originally been scheduled for a different time, and that he was not even all that interested in the celestial spectacle because he is from New York. Mocchin' Mnuchin: Steve Mnuchin (above last month) denied that he used a government plane to travel to Kentucky on the day of the solar eclipse in order to view the celestial spectacle Money shot: Linton puckers up to Mnuchin as the two travel down the coast of Italy last month on their honeymoon (above) Mona Louise-a: The Treasury Secretary, 54, brought along his third wife Louise Linton, 36, on the trip, which came just one week after they returned from their honeymoon Tone deaf twosome: Linton became enmeshed in her own scandal when she lashed out at a working mother who questioned why she was flying on a government plane (above) 'You know, people in Kentucky took this stuff very serious,' said Mnuchin. 'Being a New Yorker and (living for a time in) California, I was like, the eclipse? Really? I don't have any interest in watching the eclipse.' Mnuchin did still manage to sit through the spectacle despite his disregard and disinterest for the sun and moon's movements. And he was joined at the viewing party by one of those 'very serious' Kentucky residents, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Mnuchin said that he had scrapped a staff plan to view the eclipse from the roof of a building at Fort Knox, and instead looked at it briefly from the ground using a pair of eclipse glasses that someone handed him. Asked by the moderator if it was an 'eclipse boondoggle,' Mnuchin said: 'We went to see Fort Knox... Fort Knox is a symbol of the economic might of our country.' And on the topic of the honeymoon trip, Mnuchin said he ended up withdrawing his own request in the end. Mnuchin said once it became clear to him that he could obtain secure communications links without a government plane he called off the inquiry into obtaining one from the administration. The princess and the Pence: Linton became Mnuchin's third wife in June 'Let me just set the record straight. First of all, the government never paid for any of my personal travel,' stated Mnuchin at the press conference, sponsored by Politico. 'This had nothing to do with convenience. This was purely about national security.' Linton posted a photo of herself in Paris on the trip, as well as a video of the couple boating off the coast of Italy which showed the Secret Service members who were also sent on the trip. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had 'total confidence' in his Treasury secretary. 'I have known him a very long time,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One after viewing hurricane damage in Florida. 'He is a very straight shooter... He's a very honorable man.' At the same time, the Treasury's Office of Inspector General confirmed that it was looking into 'all requests for and use of government aircraft' at Treasury. Peek-a-boo: The pair are also being criticized after it was revealed Mnuchin had initially submitted a request to have a government jet for their honeymoon last month (Linton above boating in Italy) Hanging on the telephone: Mnuchin (above in Italy) said that as a member of the president's National Security Council he needed a secure communication link with Washington and his staff Protect and serve: Linton's video of the trip seemed to show at least one Secret Service agent (center) accompanying the two on their travels On that trip down south in August, Linton and Mnuchin first stopped in Louisville for a luncheon on the day in question before moving on to Fort Knox. Cabinet members generally travel on commercial flights to meetings and events, with government aircraft used only on official business. If commercial flights are unavailable cabinet members will at times be permitted to travel on a government plane, which because of the eclipse could have been the case the day that Mnuchin took his wife with him to Kentucky. Summer in Scotland : Linton and Mnuchin enjoy a day of gray in Edinburgh (baove) The newlyweds have been inseparable ever since their June wedding, but it was still quite a surprise for some to see that Linton accompanied her husband on a government plane for his trip to Kentucky. Linton outed herself as having joined Mnuchin by posting the Instagram photo, in which she tagged her designer outfit in the post as well, a mix of high-end brands that included Tom Ford, Valentino, Roland Mouret and Hermes. 'Great #daytrip to #Kentucky!' Linton wrote under the photograph. She then added hashtags for various pieces of her expensive wardrobe, listing #rolandmouret, #hermesscarf, #tomford and #valentino,' wrote Linton. Her subsequent outburst came after Jennifer Miller, a working mother with three children, called Linton 'deplorable' in the comment section. Miller responded by writing in the comments: 'Glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable.' 'Have you given more to the economy than me and my husband?' asked Linton in response to Miller's comment. 'Either as an individual earner in taxes OR in self sacrifice to your country?' Suicide squad: Mnuchin, who is also a Hollywood producer, was married in front of the Trumps and Karen pence, whose husband officiated the wedding Tartan it up: Linton was married once before prior to walking down the aisle with Mnuchin Hall on earth: 'He is a very straight shooter .... He's a very honorable man,' President Trump said of Mnuchin on Thursday (pair above in April) A statement was later released by a spokesperson for Mnuchin, which said: 'The Mnuchins are reimbursing the government for [Linton's] travel, and she does not receive compensation for products she mentions.' That was enough to satisfy Miller, who said of the White House's response: 'I'm actually glad. I'm glad that, you know, they are reimbursing all of us, the government, the taxpayers for this trip that she used to advertise for brands that, I don't know, if her friends own them or what.' Linton released her own statement at the time, saying: 'I apologize for my post on social media yesterday as well as my response. It was inappropriate and highly insensitive.' Miller meanwhile still seemed to be in disbelief that her comment had resulted in a this very public feud. 'Honestly, it was probably just a weak moment for me,' said an incredibly composed and well-spoken Miller in an interview with CNN one day after the social media spat. 'I was frustrated already by some stories I had just read about the Secret Service running out of overtime money because of the excesses of the administration's travel schedule, and then saw this woman who I didn't know who she was.' Miller continued: 'I knew who the Treasury Secretary was, so I assumed it was his wife, getting off of a government plane for what I assumed was a government trip and basically advertising for all of these European, you know, high-end brands that your average person couldn't afford. She went on to add that it was even worse because it had been done in Kentucky, which is 'one of the poorest states in our country.' A man charged in the case of a slain Tennessee nursing student said Thursday that he helped his friend unload the injured woman's body from a truck and served as a lookout when the friend shot her near a river. Jason Autry testified in the trial of Zachary Adams in Savannah, Tennessee. Adams, 33, has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, raping and killing Holly Bobo, who was 20 when she disappeared from her home in Parsons on April 13, 2011. Her remains were found 3 years later in woods not far from her home in Decatur County, about 100 miles southwest of Nashville. Adams faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder. Autry also is charged in connection with Bobo's rape, kidnapping and slaying. He is on a list of witnesses who could get immunity in the case, and he told prosecutor Jennifer Nichols during questioning that he was testifying because he wanted leniency. Scroll down for video Jason Autry (above on Thursday) testified that he helped his friend, Zachary Adams, unload the injured body of Holly Bobo from a truck and served as a lookout when the friend shot her near a river in 2011 During Adams' trial, Autry (above on Thursday) stood and described how he and Adams picked up the woman's body Holly Bobo was a 20-year-old nursing student when she disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tennessee, on April 13, 2011 Adams' trial began Monday. Autry's testimony provided the most detailed description of the connection between Adams and Bobo's killing. Bobo's brother, Clint, has testified he saw his sister walk into woods behind their family's home with an unidentified man on the day she disappeared. Autry said Adams provided some graphic details when he told Autry that he, his brother John Dylan Adams and Autry's cousin Shayne Austin had raped Bobo. John Dylan Adams also is charged in the case. His trial has not been set. Austin was found dead in an apparent suicide in Florida in February 2015. Wearing a white prison uniform with the words 'maximum security' on the back of his shirt, Autry told jurors he had been locked up for theft and drug convictions three times before he was jailed in the Bobo case. He acknowledged an addiction to methamphetamine and morphine. Autry said he'd known Zachary Adams for years. He said he called Adams on the day of Bobo's disappearance asking Adams for a morphine pill. When Adams called him back, he told Autry that he needed his help. Autry (L) and Adams (R) were both charged in the killing. Autry received immunity in exchange for testifying against Adams. His brother John denies any involvement and has not yet received a trial date During a court recess Thursday, Adams (left) looks over paperwork with his attorney Jennifer Thompsonl. Adams is charged with felony first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape of Bobo. He has pleaded not guilty Autry then drove to Austin's trailer, where Adams had driven with Bobo wrapped in a blanket in the back of his pickup truck, Autry said. Autry, whose nickname is 'Train,' said he bought a morphine pill and went to his car, cooked it down, mixed it with meth and injected it. He then walked to Adams' truck. 'He said 'I need you to help me bury this body,'' Autry said. 'He said, 'Train, that's Holly Bobo.'' Adams and Autry drove Adams' truck to the river and retrieved Bobo's body from the truck, he said. He said they didn't have the necessary tools to dig a grave, so they decided to throw her into the river, at a spot under a bridge. But Bobo made a sound and moved, indicating she was still alive. Adams retrieved a pistol from his truck, Autry said. Autry said he told Adams to wait. Autry then walked around the area to make sure no one was around, he said. Autry (above on Thursday) said Adams provided some graphic details when he told Autry that he, his brother John Dylan Adams and Autry's cousin Shayne Austin had raped Bobo. John Dylan Adams also is charged in the case Autry told Adams the area was clear. He then heard a gunshot coming from the location where Adams and Bobo were. 'It sounded like, boom, boom, boom, underneath that bridge. It was just one shot but it echoed,' Autry said. 'Birds went everywhere, all up under that bridge. Then just dead silence for just a second.' Autry said he heard a boat engine. Fearing capture, he and Adams loaded Bobo's body back into the truck and drove away, Autry said. Autry then told Adams he had to meet his girlfriend for lunch. But there was another reason he wanted to leave, Autry said. 'I realized that this old boy had made some bad mistakes, some bad judgments,' Autry said. 'I was looking for a way to put some distance between me and that situation.' Autry later faced questions from defense attorney Jennifer Thompson about his drug use, including how he injected it the day they went to the river. Autry acknowledged failing to remember calls he placed that morning. 'Once that euphoria kicked in, you could say my track of time was altered,' Autry said. Later, Thompson asked if being high affects his memory. Autry said: 'That, and time, yes. We're discussing events that happened six years ago.' Autry also acknowledged lying when he said after he was charged that he did not know who hurt Bobo. Bobo's disappearance led to a massive search in western Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has said it was the most exhaustive and expensive investigation the agency ever conducted. Advertisement Saas Mean couldn't believe his luck. Before meeting Angelina Jolie, he was living in a makeshift chicken shed with other landmine victims and their families. Blinded, maimed and suffering horrific internal injuries, he'd been virtually left to die after stepping on a landmine in 1984. There was no care for people like Saas, who had been made a refugee during Cambodia's war ravaged years, at least until Jolie heard about the plight of landmine victims in 2000. The Oscar-winner helped transform their lives by building them a row of houses, attending a wedding that she threw for a couple with her son Maddox in 2003, and even acting as a midwife for a woman, who later named the baby Jolie in the actress' honor. Cambodia has always been close to the 42-year-old's heart and her directorial debut First They Killed My Father, which centers on the country during its brutal communist period, will be released on Netflix on Sunday. Scroll down for video A Cambodian landmine victim reveals how Angelina Jolie transformed his life when she visited his village of Samlaut in 2000 and built him a home and threw him a wedding in 2003. The Oscar-winner was a guest of honor and even brought her son Maddox to the ceremony (pictured) Saas was forced to marry his wife Dol Sea (pictured together center in gold) at gunpoint by Khmer Rouge soldiers. Upon finding out about Saas' situation, Jolie was adamant that he should have the wedding again, but on her dime The actress built nine wooden houses in a row for those whose lives had been destroyed by standing on landmines in war and couldn't look after their families. Keo Bun, Saas Mean (center) and Bai La are some of those whose lives were changed by Jolie Saas said: 'She gave us nine houses, cows. Many have promised to help our people, but she really did. I'm so grateful, my life would have been so hard, I'd probably be dead, but now I'm born again.' Pictured: Some of the homes Jolie built Cambodia has always been close to the 42-year-old's heart and her directorial debut First They Killed My Father, which centers on the country during its communist period, will be released on Netflix on Sunday. Pictured: Jolie with her adopted son Maddox, who is from Cambodia, at her film premiere in Toronto on Monday The highly anticipated film centers on screen author Loung Ung's autobiography about growing up in the country during the Khmer Rouge years. During her time in Cambodia, Jolie worked on the ground speaking to the people, especially those living in the remote region of Samlaut, north west Cambodia, such as Saas and the other landmine victims. It's where her major conservation project is situated, Maddox Jolie Pitt Foundation, which owns over 100,000 acres of endangered forest. Her great hope was to lift the surrounding villages out of poverty, which were some of the poorest in the country and had been destroyed by the genocidal regime of the Khmer Rouge. The government was at war with Vietnam in the 1970s and '80s and nearly two million people were killed by the communist party led by Pol Pot. Samlaut was one of the last remaining outposts of the regime and was governed by the Khmer Rouge until 1998, with many of its former generals still living in the area. Jolie's Cambodian film tells the true-to-life story of a five-year-old girl named Loung Ung as she recounts the terror she suffered under the Khmer Rouge. The director gave her first interview since separating from husband Brad Pitt last September to Vanity Fair for its September issue Jolie paid for everything at the wedding and the whole village attended in 2003, as Jolie was the guest of honor and brought along Maddox, who was only a few months old at the time of the ceremony Jolie's hope is to lift the area's villages out of poverty, which are some of the poorest in the country and had been destroyed by the genocidal regime of the Khmer Rouge The region's tribal elders said Jolie helped thousands of villagers get jobs and work on the fields. The Hollywood star even acted as a glorified midwife, helping one poor, young mother with her baby. In return, the grateful Leany Sopheap named her daughter Jolie. But perhaps the most compelling story belongs to landmine victim Saas, now 60. Living in the Khmer Rouge stronghold of Samlaut, Saas was forced to sign up for its army to fight against the Vietnamese in the Cardamom Mountains, Koh Kong province, under brutal conditions. In 1984, he stood on a landmine, losing his arms, sight - with his eyes are now glued together. The shrapnel left him hobbling on a walking stick that is attached to his arm limb. The disability made the next 16 years almost unbearable for his family - wife Dol, 50 and children Sean, 25, Serm, 23, and Sokhin, 18. Jolie acted as a glorified midwife, helping Leany Sopheap (left and right), a poor young mother with her baby. Leany then went on to name her daughter Jolie in the actress' honor Jolie filmed her new project with her son Maddox, saying: 'We had this script for a few years and he came up to me and said, "I'm ready"', and they began the project Before Jolie came along, the landmine victims were living in poverty, with several people living in one hut. Pictured: The wooden homes the actress built for them to live in Maddox, who was actually born in Cambodia, was invited by his mother to participate in the film as an executive produce. Pictured: Jolie at a special screening of Netflix's First They Killed My Father in New York on Thursday Saas said: 'I just want to tell my story to express my gratitude to Ms Jolie. I was a soldier and I go to fight with Vietnam. After my injuries, I was in hospital a long time in Thailand and Cambodia, I then came out and the Khmer Rouge forced my wife and I to get married in 1993. 'It made life very tough. We were refugees and it was only the support of the UNCHR [UN Refugee Agency] that I survived. 'I first of all lived in a plastic tent with my wife and children, then we lived with other amputees in the village in a chicken hut. We ate only once every other day, the children would work one day, and have a meal the next.' Saas' children couldn't attend school because they had to beg and work on a tiny amount of land they had, just to earn a few cents a day. Then, in 2000, Jolie heard about Saas' tragic story. He said: 'Ms Jolie knows me by from the UNHCR and met me here in the village. I asked why did she want to meet me. 'Ms Jolie says that she only meets the fake poor people and she really wants to meet the real poor people and that's how she came by me.' The region's elders said Jolie helped thousands of villagers get jobs and work on the fields, drastically improving their living conditions due to the work Khmer Rouge was at war with Vietnam in the 1970s and 80s and nearly two million people were killed by the communist party Chean Pheng, chief commissioner of the Tasanh commune which oversees Samlaut village, was one of the guests who fondly remembers Jolie's 'great kindness.' He adds: 'Ms Jolie cares about all people, deaf, blind, everyone. She's more than just Hollywood' Inclusive: Angelina Jolie, 42, brought all of her children to the New York City premiere of her new film First They Killed My Father (also pictured with cast and producers) on Thursday Saas added: 'She asked me lots of questions, then came back to see me. It was then that she decided to help me. I had nothing. She said she'd give me a house, cow, well, toilet. 'She said she'd help my brothers and sisters. Ever since then she's been supporting me.' And not only did Jolie help Saas, but she helped other landmine victims too, most of who were maimed and in wheelchairs. She built nine wooden houses in a row for those whose lives had been destroyed by standing on landmines in the war and couldn't look after their families. Saas said: 'She gave us nine houses, cows, they were just like me, blind and can't walk. We are like a family. Many have promised to help our people, but she really did. I'm so grateful, my life would have been so hard, I'd probably be dead, but now I'm born again.' Two other men in wheelchairs, Bai La and Keo Bun, are also landmine victims from fighting in the war, and Saas' next-door neighbors. 'I was injured in 1983 and Keo Bun in 1987,' says Bai. 'I lived in a chicken house, it wasn't meant for humans, until Ms Jolie came along.' Saas (pictured with his wife) said: 'I first of all lived in a plastic tent with my wife and children, then we lived with other amputees in the village in a chicken hut. We ate only once every other day, the children would work one day, and have a meal the next' Jolie hopes the film brings audiences closer to the Cambodian people, as well as other countries experiencing violent tumult Making the film had its own emotions. Jolie had a therapist on set for those whose memories were too painfully resurrected. One man dropped to his knees when he saw the Khmer Rouge actors marching over a bridge Jolie, a UN ambassador for refuges, said that 'every care' had been taken for the welfare of the children in the film, who had been cast from a diverse backgrounds including from 'orphanages, circuses and slum schools' THE BODYGUARD SAID NO BUT ANGELINA WAS DESPERATE TO BE A MIDWIFE AND HELPED OUT Two years on and Leany Sopheap still has the clothes, she's never letting go of them, even if her baby has outgrown them. For she'll always remember them for the time that Angelina Jolie came and offered reassuring words while she was having a baby. Leany and husband Siam Komsot were staggered when the actress came unannounced to the local Samlaut hospital, Bueng Van Health Centre. Her sister Bun tells the story: 'My sister was in the hospital as she was having a baby when Angelina turns up. It was a complete surprise. The bodyguard said no, no one is allowed near her, but when she saw my sister, she wanted to help, she wanted to be friendly and see the baby and help with the medicine. 'The baby had just been born and she prayed for it and wished good health on it. She also bought some baby clothes and a sarong for my sister.' The family was so delighted that they even named the baby after the star, calling her Jolie. Bun adds: 'I've never met Maddox but all we think is he's a lucky boy, he was just a poor boy, now he's rich and has a famous mother, going all round the world. We were very lucky to meet her.' Jolie acted as a glorified midwife while in Cambodia, helping Leany Sopheap (pictured left with star and her husband Siam Komsot) poor young mother with her baby. Bueng Van (right), Leany's sister, said the baby was named Jolie in honor of the actress Advertisement Bai added: 'She gave me a house, a cow and a field. We met her a few times, the last time in 2004. I wish just to see her one more time, to ask her about her life and say thank you, thank you very much.' Jolie was so touched by Saas' story that she wanted to do something special just for him. He and his wife Dol Sea had been forced to marry at gunpoint by the Khmer Rouge soldiers. Upon finding out about Saas' situation, Jolie was adamant that he should have the wedding again but on her dime. The Hollywood actress paid for everything and the whole village attended in 2003, as Jolie was the guest of honor and brought along Maddox, who was only a few months old at the time of the ceremony. Chean Pheng, chief commissioner of the Tasanh commune which oversees Samlaut village, was one of the guests and fondly remembers Jolie's 'great kindness.' He adds: 'Ms Jolie came to help the community and we are so grateful because she set up all the conservation forest, it helps the community and preserve the last forest in this area. 'Ms Jolie cares about all people, deaf, blind, everyone. She's more than just Hollywood.' First They Killed My Father is set in Cambodia, a country where Jolie has honorary citizenship and where she adopted Maddox Maddox is pictured just months old at the Cambodian wedding ceremony that Jolie paid for with her personal funds Jolie arrived to the ceremony in a helicopter with co-workers from the Maddox Jolie Pitt Foundation and a translator JAMESTOWN Holly Miller credits a couple of things helping her get through the evacuation of Key West in the days before Hurricane Irma struck Florida. Family and high-tech communications are key to this, she said. Miller moved from Jamestown to Key West in July 2015. She and her two children flew from Miami to Boulder, Colo., in the days before the mandatory evacuation. The decision was easy, she said, I have kids. When I heard it was a Cat (category) 4 or Cat 5, I said, Were leaving. They later traveled to North Dakota to stay with family. Even leaving the hurricane area before the mandatory evacuation took planning. I filled gas on Monday, she said. By Tuesday there were lines and the gas stations started running out. Miller said her father and brother left Key West later and traveled by car to Atlanta where her brother stayed with friends. Her father drove to Kentucky before he found a motel room available. You have to retreat to people you know, Miller said. Friends who stayed behind reported the storm was fierce, she said. A friend who stayed in the condominium building she lived in texted her that during the storm, he was laying on the floor in the seventh-floor hallway as the building rocked in the wind. She has also been able to get reports from people posting on social media and views of the damage on the island from the Federal Emergency Management Agency aerial photographs. I could see client houses to see if the roofs are on, Miller said. Miller works for investors who have homes and yachts for rent on Key West. Miller said she made the trip from Key West to North Dakota as fun as possible for her children, including a trip to Mount Rushmore and time with friends and relatives in Jamestown. The kids are OK because we made it fun, she said. Were lucky, we have family connections, there are other people not so lucky. Future plans will depend on how the recovery progresses in Key West. We have no idea when were going back, Miller said. Theyre not letting anyone in now. There are no services. They have water but its not potable and you still have to boil it. There are also reports of shortages of food and fuel on the island. The keys above us got hit so bad, she said. You have to go through the upper keys to get to Key West. Key West, the southernmost point in the United States, is connected to Florida by U.S. Route 1. The road uses bridges to connect from island to island through the Florida Keys. It also could take some time for the economy of Key West to recover. Key West is tourism, Miller said, referring to the primary business of the Florida Keys. We dont know how long that will take to recover. Miller, who had endured some North Dakota blizzards in her time in Jamestown, felt the hurricane experience was much worse. There is a difference living on an island, Miller said. Once they said Cat 4, everything sells out. That lack of survival goods makes it more difficult to ride out a hurricane than a winter storm. You prepare a lot differently (for a hurricane) than a North Dakota blizzard, she said. A hurricane is a lot less fun to prepare for. Police in North Carolina have rescued a five-year-old girl who was discovered covered in wounds and locked inside a closet under a stairwell in her father's empty house without food or water. Randleman police went to the house in the 200 block of Back Street Tuesday after a someone reported a child was being physically and mentally abused. Responding officers observed that there were no cars in the driveway and when they knocked on the door, no one answered. Then when they began calling out the girl's name, they heard a voice. Adam Byrd, 33 (left), and his girlfriend, 34-year-old Crystal Carnahan (right), have been charged with counts of child abuse and assault with a deadly weapon after police rescued the man's malnourished 5-year-old daughter from a locked closet Police found the child trapped inside a 2-by-4-foot storage space under a stairwell inside this home in Randleman, North Carolina They asked if she was OK and she responded, 'No,' reported the station WGPH8. The officers asked if she needed help and the girl replied, 'Yes.' The officers climbed inside the house through a front porch window and located the child in a small closet measuring two feet by four feet under the stairwell. According to police, the five-year-old appeared extremely malnourished and had burns, bruises and scratches all over her body. The child's father, 33-year-old Adam Byrd, and his girlfriend, 34-year-old Crystal Carnahan, were arrested the following day on charges of negligent child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon serious injury and intentional child abuse serious physical injury. During a press conference on Thursday, Randleman Police Chief Steven Leonard said that while the girl had no access to any food or water, the closet where she was being kept stored rat poison, but it is believed the girl had not consumed the deadly substance, reported The Courier-Tribune. The closet had no food or water for the starving girl, but was used to store rat poison, according to police The girl was removed from the home by a day care worker who knew the family, given some takeout food from McDonald's because she was hungry and taken to a hospital to be treated for her injuries. I don't think I'll ever forget her face when she came out of the house, Tracy Harrell, owner of Randleman Enrichment Center where the five-year-old had been enrolled in the pre-school program during the previous school year, told WFMY News 2. It was Harrell who reached out to the police on Monday to request a welfare check, saying that her staffer had visited Adam Byrd's home on September 7 and found the 5-year-old looking thin, frail and covered in bruises. Jailed: Carnahan is being held along with Byrd on $350,000 bond On Tuesday, police officers brought Harrell along with them when they went to Byrd's home so the girl would see a familiar face. She latched on to me and just kept saying don't leave," Harrell recounted. The girl was later placed in the custody of the Randolph County Department of Social Services. Police said the five-year-old had spent some time in the care of her step-grandmother's brother before she was returned into her father's home in June. The step-grandmother said she had not seen the little girl since early June and contacted the local police at the time asking to check up on her. Chief Leonard said his officers had spoken to both Byrd and Carnahan, and had made several unsuccessful attempts to see the child, but did not have sufficient probable cause to gain entry into Byrd's home until this week. Byrd had been the subject of multiple investigations by child services from the time his daughter was two years old, according to his stepmother. Both Byrd and Carnahan were ordered held on $350,000 secured bond. Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street yesterday) is 'frustrated' at foreign aid rules preventing Britain from using its 13billion aid budget on help islands devastated by Hurricane Irma Ministers were last night frantically trying to change rules that prevent Britain from spending its aid budget to help UK territories hit by Hurricane Irma. International Development Secretary Priti Patel fired off a letter to the global body which ruled that the UK cannot use its aid cash because the three overseas territories are too wealthy. She wrote to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development to demand reforms to end the farce. But other ministers said she should go ahead anyway and use the aid budget to help the victims of Irma even if that means breaking the law. A senior Tory source said: Its a waste of time asking the OECD to change its mind. Weve been asking them to change this stupid definition for years and they are not interested. We should just get on and do it ourselves. He added: Our law says we have got to spend 0.7 per cent on aid, which is good, but it also says we have to spend it according to a ridiculous definition, which is bad. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who has just returned from a trip to see the devastation in the Caribbean, told a press conference it was 'natural' that the money should be used to help those affected 'The rules do not allow development spending on these islands because they are not considered poor enough. It is immoral and a lot of people are saying we should just ignore the rules and spend the money. Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, who chairs the OECDs development assistance committee (DAC), suggested the door was open to change. The DAC is always open to discussing issues of concern with its member countries, she said. Why cash goes... a pop group and flatulent cows 4million to fund Ethiopias own Spice Girls. Yegna launched a radio show and videos to empower women in the African country. 15million on a scheme to reduce the flatulence of Colombian cattle to fight climate change. 25million to team up meteorologists with Kenyan rain-makers who observe the movement of ants to predict the weather. Britain committed 700million to help impoverished children in Pakistan where corrupt officials creamed off vast amounts of cash. 3million on unwanted helicopters to help out with the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake. A 22.5million programme of aid for China included role-play sessions to encourage young people there to think about climate change. 1.8million to build a hotel and leisure complex in Barbados which will train 200 young people a year in hospitality management. Britain gives 72million a year to Palestine, more than one-third of which goes straight to the Palestinian Authority, which critics say supports terrorists. A report from an aid watchdog found that UK aid fuels corruption in Nigeria. Advertisement Downing Street made clear yesterday that Theresa May is frustrated with the OECD rules which exclude British overseas territories like Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos islands and the British Virgin Islands from receiving money from the aid pot. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Whitehall was working furiously to get the rules changed. As MPs anger grew, one branded the OECD out-of-touch morons while a Tory backbencher pledged to introduce a bill to change the law, whether or not the OECD gives the green light. Miss Patels letter to the DAC yesterday called for the current rules to be torn up. She said she had asked the committee as a matter of urgency to develop options to ensure the aid rules reflect the needs of those impacted by natural disasters. She added: We believe that the international rules should take into account the vulnerabilities of small island states. These rules were first established over 40 years ago. The world has changed dramatically since then, and we will work constructively with international partners to ensure the rules remain relevant and up to date. The UK has pledged 57million towards disaster relief and the public has helped to raise around 1.3million. But an unnamed minister told the BBC the figure would have been significantly higher without the strict international rules governing the allocation of the 13billion aid budget a claim disputed by Downing Street. Mrs Mays official spokesman insisted the UKs aid effort had not been hampered by the OECD rules. He added: The Prime Minister is frustrated with the rules as they stand. We began detailed work after the election to change the rules to prevent precisely these kinds of scenarios. Ruins: The scale of the hurricane's power can be seen in this aerial picture of a town in the British Virgin Islands Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited the islands yesterday to meet survivors and survey the damage. He flew out after French president Emmanuel Macron and the Dutch king visited their citizens in the region British relief efforts have been criticised as 'absolutely pathetic' in comparison with those of France and the Netherlands. Mr Johnson promised more cash He indicated the UK could be prepared to act alone if there was no agreement on changing the international rules. Mr Johnson said the hurricane was absolutely catastrophic and that anybody with an ounce of compassion would want to see government spending to get these people on their feet. We are looking now across Whitehall at ways we can make sure that our aid budget is used in that way, he said. Priti Patel, all my colleagues are looking at how we can do that. James Duddridge, a former Foreign Office minister and now member of the Commons international development committee, said he would introduce a ten-minute rule bill to rewrite the law on the 0.7 per cent target. British relief efforts have been criticised as 'absolutely pathetic' in comparison with those of France and the Netherlands. But Mr Johnson has promised more cash. Pictured: A Royal Marine hands out water in Road Town, British Virgin Islands Hurricane Irma left Anguilla devastated, with swathes of the island left uninhabitable Images, provided by the NASA Earth Observatory, shows Caribbean islands looking a vibrant green (top), while a second - captured after the hurricane (bottom) - shows the territory is coloured brown. The islands, from left, are St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola and Virgin Gorda The foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, talks to residents on the British Virgin Islands after Irma hit the Caribbean Why we can't spent it how we want Britain is free to spend its aid wherever it wants what is at issue is whether it counts towards the Governments 0.7 per cent target. Last year, the UK spent 13billion on aid, money which went towards the target to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on international development. But aid money only counts towards the target if it meets rules set by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. So under current rules, any money we give to the three overseas territories cannot count towards this total. Cash is only eligible if it goes towards a country on the OECDs list of states which are deemed poor enough. Countries are ranked according to need, which is intended to ensure the poorest countries take priority. While some UK territories are on this list, the three affected by Irma are not. Britain has sent 57million to Turks and Caicos, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands. But it cannot count towards official development assistance, the name for the total eligible under the rules. Advertisement Devastation: Boris surveys the massive amount of damage done to the Caribbean island of Anguilla during the Category 5 Hurricane Irma Villages on Providenciales (pictured) in the Turks and Caicos islands were devastated by the force to Hurricane Irma The Government should change development assistance rules, and if they dont, they bring forward legislation to change the International Development Act, he said. If they dont, I will bring a bill to Parliament to redefine what our excellent 0.7 per cent commitment should cover. His colleague Philip Davies, who called the OECD out-of-touch morons, told the Commons: Its bad enough that we have a bloated and wasteful and unaffordable overseas aid budget but its even more ridiculous that we now learn that we cannot spend it on our overseas territories. Fellow Tory Nigel Evans said: These rules are grotesque if they prevent us from giving the right amount of money that is needed. If we cant bend the rules then we have to go outside those rules. A picture provided by the British Ministry of Defence shows cars that have been turned to wrecks by Hurricane Irma on the British Virgin Islands A Royal Air Force C-130J Hercules transport aircraft touches down on the Turks and Caicos Islands to deliver aid after the Overseas Territory was battered by Hurricanes Irma and Jose A C-17 aircraft at Grantley Adams International Airport in Bridgetown, Barbados, sent by the British Government to deliver aid to the Caribbean in the wake of the devastating storms Royal Marines from from 59 Commando Squadron have been tasked with helping to clean up Tortola in the British Virgin Islands after the area was destroyed by Hurricane Irma 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 An aerial photograph of the Turks and Caicos islands taken by a Royal Air Force C-130J Hercules transport plane Soldiers on patrol in Road Town meet locals after the devastation of Hurricane Irma Tory MP Philip Davies blasted the news Britain cannot use its foreign aid budget on the territories. He said: 'It is absolutely ridiculous that we cannot use any of our bloated overseas aid budget to help British overseas territories devastated by the hurricane'. Pictured: A Royal Marine speaking with a local on the British Virgin Islands Royal Air Force logisticians from RAF Brize Norton have assisted with the delivery of military personnel and aid cargo. Pictured: Supplies being unloaded from a plane in Barbados Strong winds are believed to have played a part in the landing There were no injuries and police said the landing was not due to an emergency The Yellow Tail balloon landed in a park near the Ferntree Gully on-ramp A hot air balloon crashed on the side of the Monash Freeway on Friday morning A hot air balloon crash landed on the side of a busy Melbourne freeway on Friday morning. The accident occurred around 7.50am on the Monash freeway near the Ferntree Gully on-ramp. The Yellow Tail hot air balloon landed in a park in Notting Hill, just missing cars. Maryanne Lawson witnessed the landing and told the Herald Sun watching it was 'scary stuff'. '(The balloon) just missed landing on cars on the Monash,' she said. Emergency services were called to the scene but no injuries have been reported. A Victoria Police spokesman said the landing was not an emergency landing. A hot air balloon crashed on the side of the Monash Freeway in Victoria on Friday morning The Yellow Tail balloon went down in a clear park near the Ferntree Gully on-ramp Global Ballooning Australia managing director Kiff Saunders said the wind played a large part in the incident, making it unable to steer right. 'We find a big, safe, green, flat space to land that is accessible and to bothering anybody else,' he said. Mr Saunders said the balloon's don't 'normally land so close to the Monash Fwy'. Emergency services were called to the scene but no injuries were reported The flight took off about 6.30am from Footscray and was scheduled to land in Moorabbin 'Coming in at 10 knots and landing, it could have looked like we were crashing but we were just landing. 'The 10 passengers are now enjoying a champagne breakfast.' Mr Saunders said he had not landed there in his 30 years in business but the flight plan was always subject to the weather conditions. The flight took off about 6.30am from Footscray and was scheduled to land in Moorabbin. Following a bad mistake, well-meaning friends and colleagues will tell you not to beat yourself up. But feeling upset and berating yourself for your stupidity may actually be the way to go. A study has found people who embrace their failure and the negative emotions it causes do better next time. A study has found people who embrace their failure and the negative emotions it causes do better next time (file photo) Those told to think emotionally after failing to find a low-priced deal in a task put more effort into a similar challenge afterwards, setting themselves up to succeed. But those instructed to think rationally about their mistake fell into the trap of protecting their ego by thinking they did their best, it could not be helped and did not matter. While this may give people a better nights sleep, it stops them trying harder to succeed. The results of the study led by Kansas University support the advice of millionaire Sir Richard Branson, whose advice is to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, dont let your ego get the better of you. The studys co-author, Dr Selin Malkoc from Ohio State University, said: All the advice tells you not to dwell on your mistakes, to not feel bad. But we found the opposite. When faced with a failure, it is better to focus on ones emotions when people concentrate on how bad they feel and how they dont want to experience these feelings again, they are more likely to try harder the next time. Failure has been credited by moguls from Steve Jobs to Bill Gates for helping them achieve success. Irish playwright Samuel Beckett famously wrote: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. The results of the study supports the advice of millionaire Sir Richard Branson The US researchers asked 98 people to search online for a blender with specific characteristics at the lowest price, to win a cash prize. The study was rigged so that participants were told they had missed a blender almost 2.50 cheaper. Half the group were told to focus on their emotional response to losing, with the other half instructed to focus on their thoughts about how they did. However the thinking group, asked to write down their thoughts, displayed far more self-protective thoughts than self-improvement thoughts. The comments from these people included This wasnt my fault and I could not have found it even if I tried. Both groups were then asked to perform a similar task, searching for the lowest-price book within their budget. Those who thought emotionally spent 25 per cent more time searching, which in real life would better set them up to succeed. Explaining the result, Dr Malkoc said: If your thoughts are all about how to distance yourself from the failure, youre not going to learn from your mistakes. She added: Emotional responses to failure can hurt. They make you feel bad. Thats why people often choose to think self-protective thoughts after they make mistakes. But if you focus on how bad you feel, youre going to work harder to find a solution and make sure you dont make the same mistake again. The stepfather of a man charged with killing his 70-year-old mother while she was in hospital said the man had a long history of erratic and violent behavior he blamed on post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in the military. Bob Ferriere said Travis Frink, of Warwick, Rhode Island, struggled for the past decade with PTSD after he returned from the military with a traumatic brain injury. He said when Frink was not on his medication he would go 'wacko,' beating people up and threatening others with a gun, even once jumping into a river naked. Travis Frink (in orange), 48, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 70-year-old mother, Pamela Ferriere, on Tuesday in the intensive care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire Travis Frink (left) has pleaded not guilty to the first degree murder of his mother Pamela Ferriere (right). Pamela's husband Bob Ferriere says his stepson has PTSD and would go 'wacko' if he didn't take his medication 'As long as he was taking his medicine for PTSD, he was all right. When he got off the medicine, he would go wacko,' Ferriere said in a phone interview. 'He beat people up. He would threaten people. He got locked up. He lost his job three or four times because he wouldn't take his medicine.' Frink is charged with fatally shooting his mother, Pamela Ferriere, on Tuesday at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, where she was being treated for an aneurysm. He has pleaded not guilty to murder. Bob insisted Frink got along well with his mother and they had a 'good relationship.' Over the past four years, he said, the couple thought Frink's mental health issues had 'been resolved,' and a week ago Frink had gone with his three children to visit his mother in the hospital. 'I took them all downstairs in the cafeteria. We had lunch together and had a great time,' Bob said. 'Everything was all hunky-dory until the 12th.' It was a completely different story Tuesday when Frink went to visit her. With Bob in the room, Frink asked to spend some time alone with his mother, authorities said, and she said it was OK. As Bob was leaving the room, he heard her shout or scream, then turned and saw Frink pointing a gun at her, according to an affidavit. After several shots were fired, Frink walked out of the room without saying anything, Ferriere told police. 'No one in this God-given world knows why he did it. I can't tell you why he did it,' Bob said, adding the only possibility was the PTSD, based on his past behavior. Frank's stepfather Bob Ferriere (pictured above) saw Frink pointing a gun at his wife Pamela (pictured on horse) and heard several shots before Frink walked out of the room silently Bob said he believes Frink suffered from PTSD from his time in the Marines and had a traumatic brain injury Bob said he believes Frink suffered from PTSD from his time in the Marines and had a traumatic brain injury. But he didn't know when he served nor how he might have gotten injured. He also did not say what medications Frink was taking. 'He had 10 years of fighting PTSD,' Ferriere said. 'When he didn't take his medicine, he went berserk.' A spokesman for the U.S. Marines did not respond to a request to confirm Frink's military service or his injuries. Bob said he had already forgiven his stepson though he would accept a court's verdict of life in prison or even death for him. In 2013, Frink's ex-wife and her three-year-old son were found dead inside a running car. Police ruled out foul play at the time and suspected that alcohol had played a role. Joanne Conroy, the president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock, praised her staff for its response and said everyone had taken part in several active-shooter training sessions in the past. She said the medical center planned a town hall meeting for employees Wednesday to discuss the next steps as workers recover from the 'traumatic event.' First responders, doctors, staff, patients, and others wait near the main entrance of Dartmouth Hitchock Medical Center during the active shooter incident on Tuesday Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said the 48-year-old Frink signed into the medical center's visitor center just after 1pm Tuesday and went to the intensive care unit. Soon after, Lebanon police received a call about shots fired in in the intensive care unit. 'The facts gathered to this point reveal that the purpose of Mr. Frink's visit to the hospital today was to kill his mother,' MacDonald said, adding that the crime scene was still being investigated and that more than one shot had been fired. 'No other patients, visitors or staff were physically injured as a result of the incident today.' Frink was detained as he tried to leave the grounds of Dartmouth-Hitchcock, authorities said. Frink was detained as he tried to leave the grounds of Dartmouth-Hitchcock in a grey Ford Escape (pictured above) Rhode Island state police said the shooting suspect's car had Rhode Island plates so police in New Hampshire reached out to the state's Fusion Center, an information center under the command of the state police that also involves representatives from local, state and federal agencies. The center helped identify the suspect as a Rhode Island resident. Frink's Facebook page shows he got engaged last December. His LinkedIn page includes a long list of positions in computer systems administration and technical support jobs for companies in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts, including IBM, Cigna and most recently, United Natural Foods. Several of Frink's neighbors in Warwick said he mostly kept to himself. An uncle of Frink's said he was 'into karate.' A former Queensland minister has revealed he will vote 'No' on the same-sex marriage postal plebiscite because he believes it will lead to other types of relationships wanting the same rights. Bill O'Chee, a past Nationals MP says legalising same-sex marriage will result in people involved in polygamous arrangements demanding they are recognised in Australia because they will argue it is of the same oppressive mentality. 'I cannot see how you can defeat somebody saying if you have gay marriage why cant we have polygamous marriage,' Mr O'Chee told Daily Mail Australia. Bill O'Chee, a Nationals MP says legalising same-sex marriage will result in people involved in polygamous arrangements demanding they are legally recognised in Australia Mr O'Chee claims he is educated to speak on the topic because his Chinese grandfather had two wives. His grandfather was unable to bring both women legally into the country as his partner, and it wasn't until his Australian resident wife died that the second woman could immigrate. 'I think my grandfather was selfish and what he did was unfair. They were creating a situation where we reward selfishness and unfairness,' Mr O'Chee said. He says legalising same-sex marriage would open up a 'Pandora's Box that we can never close.' 'Those who argue for polygamy rightly say that restricting marriage to just two people is as arbitrary as restricting it to only marriages between men and women,' Mr O'Chee said He says not only can he 'guarantee' legalising same-sex marriage will lead to polygamous relationships demanding the same rights, but it could lead to stepbrother-stepsister and foster brother-foster sister relationships. 'If marriage is all about love, shouldn't these people also be allowed to marry too?,' the former Nationals MP said. 'It would be almost impossible for a court to reject a claim that laws against polygamy weren't discriminatory.' Mr O'Chee says love and love alone isn't reason enough to justify equal marriage rights, citing his grandfather's marital circumstances as evidence of a breakdown in that thinking. He says despite being a practicing Christian, he 'would have arrived at the same conclusion' had he not been. Mr O'Chee will be voting 'No' in the upcoming postal plebiscite. The BBC and other broadcasters will be ordered to publish the social class of their employees, it emerged last night. It comes after Ofcom criticised broadcasters for a 'woeful' lack of diversity among staff and accused the BBC of failing to represent people from different backgrounds. Its report found older people, women and those from black, Asian or minority backgrounds are underrepresented across the media industry and many feel they are portrayed in a negative light. The BBC and other broadcasters will be ordered to publish the social class of their employees But Sharon White, the Ofcom chief executive, said she will instruct broadcasters to gather and publish information on their staff's social backgrounds, The Times reported. She told the Royal Television Society Convention in Cambridge: 'It's a really important issue because you want diversity of thinking, not just visible diversity. 'We are in a creative industry where you want great ideas from people of different backgrounds, different classes, different colours, different parts of the country, Scotland as well as north London. Next year Ofcom will request the broadcasters start providing more data on social class, so they can start to get a better collective understanding of where they 'currently sit', she added. Ofcom chief executive Sharon White will tell broadcasters to gather and publish details on their staff's social backgrounds When asked whether there could be potential complications in defining whether an employee is middle-class or working class, she said the process was 'complex but not impossible.' A socioeconomic survey revealed earlier this year that the majority of BBC staff were middle-class and privately educated. It exposed that its employees were more than twice as likely as average to have gone to a private school and three times as likely to have middle-class parents. The census confirmed that 61 percent of staff had parents in the 'higher managerial and professional occupations' and 17 per cent paid to be educated. Ms White also said she hopes to see paid internships in the radio and TV and radio, but whether they unpaid internships should be banned by law was a matter for government. She claimed they currently exclude working-class and poor young people from achieving their career goals. On Wednesday, Ofcom reported that throughout the five main broadcasters, twelve per cent of staff are from ethnic minorities, while 48 per cent are women. A spokesman from the BBC said: 'Ofcom's report acknowledges its figures are from 2016 and that the BBC has since published more up-to-date evidence. 'We've been clear about our commitment to leading the way on diversity and our figures for 2017 show we have increased our representation across the board.' Crews arranged by Dallas officials removed a statue of Robert E Lee from a pedestal Thursday and carted it away from a park named for the Confederate general. In an unannounced move, a large crane was brought through the city by a police escort to Lee Park, where it lifted the large statue from its pedestal late Thursday afternoon. City officials said in a statement that an art conservator monitored the proper handling of the statue, and police tactical officers with automatic rifles provided security. The statue was lowered onto a flatbed trailer for transport to an abandoned naval air station owned by the city on its western outskirts. Scroll down for video Crews arranged by Dallas officials removed a statue of Robert E Lee from a pedestal Thursday and carted it away from a park named for the Confederate general In an unannounced move, a large crane was brought through the city by a police escort to Lee Park, where it lifted the large statue from its pedestal late Thursday afternoon City officials said in a statement that an art conservator monitored the proper handling of the statue, and police tactical officers with automatic rifles provided security The statue was lowered onto a flatbed trailer for transport to an abandoned naval air station owned by the city on its western outskirts The 14-foot-tall, 6-ton statue depicting Lee on horseback flanked by an anonymous Confederate soldier was erected in what was originally called Oak Lawn Park President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the statue in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial celebration It's expected to remain there until city officials decide the statue's future. The 14-foot-tall, 6-ton statue depicting Lee on horseback flanked by an anonymous Confederate soldier was erected in what was originally called Oak Lawn Park. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the statue in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial celebration. The Dallas City Council voted on September 6 to remove the statue but was met with a series of delays, including a brief court stay obtained by a pro-Confederacy group and a collision between a semitrailer and a crane assigned to remove the statue. The truck driver was killed. On September 1, a judge in Virginia heard arguments but didn't issue a final ruling on whether a lawsuit over Charlottesville's decision to remove a similar monument that helped spark a violent white nationalist rally should proceed. After a hearing on a motion by city attorneys to dismiss the lawsuit, the judge sided with Charlottesville on some points, tossing them from further consideration. Last month, Heather Heyer (above) was killed by a suspected white supremacist who came to Charlottesville, Virginia to protest the planned removal of a Lee statue But he said he needed more time to study the 'main issue,' the question of whether a state law on memorials for war veterans amended in the 1990s applies retroactively, protecting the statue of Lee. White nationalists descended on Charlottesville last month, in part to protest the city's plan to take the statue out of a downtown park and sell it. Fights broke out before the rally got started, with attendees and counterprotesters brawling in the streets. After authorities forced the crowd to disperse, a car rammed into a group of people protesting the white nationalists, killing one woman, Heather Heyer, 32, and injuring many more. Since then, Charlottesville has shrouded the monument, and one of Confederate Gen. Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson, with a black tarp as a symbol of mourning for Heyer. Heyer's name was spray painted onto a statue of Lee in Roanoke, Virginia, according to police. The Roanoke City Police are looking into the defacement of the memorial in downtown Roanoke. President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that some of the counter-protesters at the rally in Charlottesville were 'very bad people,' doubling down on his position that both sides were responsible for the violence that took place. Trump came under fire last month for his claims that there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the clash and 'many sides' were to blame for the conflict that left one person dead. The topic came back up during a question and answer session with journalists on Air Force One this afternoon as Trump returned from Florida. The president mentioned the left-wing movement Antifa, which stands for anti-facist, and said, 'If you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. And essentially that's what I said.' Malcolm Turnbull has issued a stern warning to North Korea after it launched another missile over Japan, saying Kim Jong-Un would be 'signing a suicide note' if he started a war. Pyongyang fired an unidentified missile on Friday, just hours after the rouge regime threatened to nuke Japan and reduce the US 'to ashes and darkness'. 'If Kim Jong-Un were to start a war, to attack the United States or one of its allies, he would be signing a suicide note,' Mr Turnbull said on Friday. 'That would be the end for his government and thousands and thousands of people would die.' Scroll down for video Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) has again condemned North Korea's actions after it launched another missile over Japan. Pictured left, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un Pyongyang fired an unidentified missile on Friday, just hours after the Kim Jong-un regime threatened to nuke Japan and reduce the US 'to ashes and darkness' 'If Kim Jong-Un were to start a war... he would be signing a suicide note,' Mr Turnbull said on Friday. Above, a photo released by the North Korean Central News Agency earlier this year Mr Turnbull emphasised Australia's alliance with the US and how both nations would come to the other's aid in the result of an attack. 'This is another dangerous, reckless, criminal act by the North Korean regime, threatening the stability of the region and the world,' he said earlier on Sky News. 'This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea recently imposed by the Security Council. It is a sign that the sanctions are working. 'What we need to do is maintain the united global pressure on this rogue regime to bring it to its senses. I'm pleased the UN Security Council voted for these additional sanctions.' The North Korean leader is pictured at the Command of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army Friday's missile flew over Japan and the government warned citizens to avoid touching anything that looks like debris North Korea is already under multiple UN sanctions but has still made rapid progress in its nuclear and missile programmes The Security Council unanimously imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the rouge state on Monday, banning it from trading in textiles and restricting its oil imports. It came just one month after the council banned exports of coal, lead and seafood in response to the launch of a previous missile. 'It is tightening the sanctions on North Korea is the best prospect to bring the regime to its senses,' Mr Turnbull added. Friday's missile flew over Japan, according to NHK television, and the government warned citizens to avoid touching anything that looks like debris. 'Japan can never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea,' Tokyo's government spokesman said. 'We have strongly protested to the North, telling them the strong anger by the Japanese people and condemn with the strongest words possible.' North Korea has shrugged off numerous sets of sanctions aimed at crimping its nuclear and missile programmes, and this month unveiled what it said was a working hydrogen bomb South Korean warplanes recently conducted live-fire exercises in response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test The Security Council unanimously imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the rouge state on Monday. Pictured, South Korea's Hyunmoo II ballistic missile is fired during an exercise earlier this month The missile landed about 2000km off the cape of Erimo in Hokkaido island at about 6.57am local time. Last week, the Turnbull government was considering how to evacuate the 200,000 Australians in north Asia should tensions with North Korea escalate into war. Mr Turnbull said the risk of war was the greatest since the end of the Korean War and the government was developing emergency plans for Australians in the area. Experts predict hundreds of thousands of people would be instantly killed if North Korea targeted one of Australia's capital cities with a nuclear missile. North Korea recently tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) that appear to bring much of the US within their maximum 10,000 kilometre range Last week, the Turnbull government was considering how to evacuate the 200,000 Australians in north Asia should tensions with North Korea escalate into war People have been rushing to get hold of the new 10 note today with some already listed on eBay for 5,000. There were queues outside the Bank of England yesterday morning as around a billion of the notes went into circulation. Just 32 cashpoints nationwide are stocking the new currency because 'tens of thousands' of ATMs are not yet ready for the switch over. There were queues outside the Bank of England yesterday morning as around a billion of the notes went into circulation But that hasn't stopped collectors trying to get their hands on tender featuring the 19th century author Jane Austen's portrait. The Queen received the first note - numbered AA01 000001 while others beginning with the rare serial number AA01 potentially lucrative collector's items. The most desirable serial numbers begin with AA01 or bear significance to the author, such as her date of birth, 16/12/1775 and her the date of her death 18 07 1817. Cash machines in Birmingham, Swindon, Cardiff, Bath, Winchester, Basingstoke, Manchester and London were stocked with the new notes. Just 32 cashpoints nationwide are stocking the new currency because 'tens of thousands' of ATMs are not yet ready for the switch over The rest are expected to follow in the next few weeks with the Charles Darwin paper version set to be replaced by next spring. One woman in Birmingham who became one of the first people to get the new note said: 'It's quite pretty - nice colours, I'd be happy to have that in my purse.' The plastic 10 contains the same levels of animal fat as found in the modernised 5 which caused controversy with vegan campaigners last September. The arrival of the new note marks the end of a four-year ordeal for feminist Caroline Criado-Perez, who campaigned to get the esteemed author featured on the bank note. Just 32 cashpoints nationwide are stocking the new currency because 'tens of thousands' of ATMs are not yet ready for the switch over She said she will donate her first new 10 to a women's shelter and urged others to do the same. Governor for the Bank of England Mark Carney spoke of his excitement for the new note yesterday, saying it celebrated Jane Austen's work. It is the first of its kind to have raised dots on it to let the blind and visually impaired identify it. It has a security hologram of the word 'ten', which changes to 'pounds' when tilted. A new 20 note featuring artist JMW Turner will follow in 2020. GRAND FORKS -- A little boy from Grand Forks will be in a big spotlight in New York City this weekend. Eighteen-month-old Cutler James Thompson will be part of a display in Times Square on Saturday in a video for the New York Buddy Walk, an event promoting awareness and acceptance of people with Down syndrome. I just sent (Cutlers photo) in thinking, Oh gosh, its a long shot, said Cutlers mother, Amy Sanders, who submitted her sons picture to the National Down Syndrome Society to help promote this weekends walk. Cutlers photo will be part of a montage of other people with Down syndrome on display in Times Square. But the toddler already is used to being the center of attention here. He and his girlfriend, Clara -- they are kind of local celebrities, Sanders said. Sanders and her friend, Lana Beaton, whose daughter Clara also has Down syndrome, have a Facebook page documenting their childrens day-to-day lives and the bond they have shared since they were born. Sanders and Beaton went to school together, but they reconnected and grew close when they both had babies with Down syndrome about the same time. The site, Facebook.com/ClaraandCutler, has nearly 5,000 likes, and Sanders said strangers sometimes will recognize Cutler when they are out in public. The Facebook page and Times Square promotion are both part of Sanders hope to reduce the stigma of Down syndrome. Its not a bad thing at all. Its just a different thing, said Sanders, who teaches third grade in Emerado. Theyre just people, and all they have is an extra chromosome. The Buddy Walk is a national initiative promoted by the Down Syndrome Society. While Cutlers picture will be part of the event in New York on Saturday, another walk will be held Oct. 14 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks. Sanders is on the local planning committee for the event. While Cutler is too young to understand the attention he is getting, his mom said she expects to tell him soon that You are a pretty special guy because out of all these people you were chosen. Harvard University announced late Thursday that it has withdrawn a visiting fellowship offer to Chelsea Manning, the former U.S. Army soldier who served seven years in prison for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks. The dean of Harvard's Kennedy School posted a lengthy statement on the institute's web site explaining the decision, which follows a pair of high-profile cancellations as well as public criticism, particularly from the conservative right. 'We invited Chelsea Manning because the Kennedy School's longstanding approach to visiting speakers is to invite some people who have significantly influenced events in the world even if they do not share our values and even if their actions or words are abhorrent to some members of our community,' Douglas Elmendorf wrote in his statement. 'However, I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility. Douglas Elmendorf (left), the dean of Harvard University's Kennedy School, announced Thursday that it has withdrawn a fellowship offer to Chelsea Manning (right), the former Army soldier who served seven years in prison for leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks The dean of Harvard's Kennedy School posted a lengthy statement on the institute's web site explaining the decision, which follows a pair of high-profile cancellations as well as public criticism, particularly from the conservative right. Harvard's campus is seen above Manning (seen left after her transition from Bradley Manning, right) is a transgender woman who was convicted in 2013 of leaking more than 700,000 U.S. documents. She was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas following her court martial conviction 'I see more clearly now that many people view a Visiting Fellow title as an honorific, so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations.' The decision by Harvard was undoubtedly a response to the public backlash that its initial invitation to Manning generated. CIA Director Mike Pompeo says he scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard University over the school's decision to make Manning a visiting fellow. Pompeo calls Manning an 'American traitor.' CIA Director Mike Pompeo (left) says he scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard University over the school's decision to make Manning a visiting fellow. Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to Harvard in protest In his letter of resignation, Morell writes he could not be part of an organization that 'honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information.' Pompeo, a Harvard graduate, says he didn't make the decision lightly. He is citing military and intelligence officials who believe that the leaks endangered the lives of CIA employees. He was supposed to speak at the university Thursday night, but was a no-show. The CIA released a letter Pompeo wrote to Harvard explaining his decision. Earlier Thursday, Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to Harvard saying he could not be part of an organization that 'honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information.' Morell, who was a non-resident senior fellow says leaking classified information is 'disgraceful.' 'Senior leaders in our military have stated publicly that the leaks by Ms. Manning put the lives of US soldiers at risk,' Morell said. 'I have an obligation in my conscience - and I believe to the country - to stand against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information.' Social media users reacted almost immediately to the development, with some castigating Manning for her behavior One person wrote: 'How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges' Manning is a transgender woman who was convicted in 2013 of leaking more than 700,000 U.S. documents. Manning, 29, was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas following her court martial conviction in 2013. Manning had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States. After serving seven years in prison, President Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence, saying the punishment was 'disproportionate' compared to other whistle-blowers. Following Morell's resignation, social media users took to Twitter to express their thoughts. Some showed support for the former spy chief's decision to leave the school, calling Manning a 'traitor' who sold out the country. 'Seriously @Harvard?? Enabling a traitor to our country? You need to check your stupidity,' one user stated. While another sarcastically wrote: 'How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges.' Conservative pundit Bill Kristol also chimed in, which led to the only response from Manning about the situation so far. 'I'm loyal to Harvard, but I think I'll forego IOP events this fall. (I'd feel the same way if Chelsea Manning were still Bradley Manning.)' Kristol posted to Twitter. Sir Vince Cable has described Jean-Claude Juncker as a bad choice for his job and Tony Blair as a liability for pro-Europeans. The Liberal Democrat leader criticised the European Commission president, saying he represents an extreme federalist position. He is absolutely in the wrong place and he does no favours for the British pro-Europeans, he said when asked about Mr Junckers speech on Tuesday. Liberal Democrat Sir Vince Cable at The Peoples March 4EU, an anti Brexit march in London Jean-Claude Juncker was described by Sir Vince as a bad choice for his job and Tony Blair as a liability for pro-Europeans In it, the president claimed Britain will soon regret Brexit while revealing plans for a massive Brussels power grab and even more migration. He stated that the wind is back in Europes sails as he set out his dream for a European super-state with a President of Europe. Sir Vince said of Mr Junckers speech: He happens to be a very bad choice for that particular job. He represents an extreme federalist position. The former business secretary also criticised former Prime Minister Tony Blair who has made a series of interventions on Brexit during an interview with the Evening Standard. Last weekend, he said that Britain could limit immigration while remaining part of the EU, despite this being discredited. The former prime minister, who oversaw a surge in arrivals from newer states in the bloc, conceded that sentiment had changed about open borders. Former British Prime minister Tony Blair smiles as he arrives to greet Pope Francis during the weekly general audience at St Peter's square on Wednesday He has put his name to a report calling for tighter controls, while arguing that grievances about free movement rules can be dealt with inside EU. He was more or less saying I was wrong and it was just feeding the negativity around this subject, Sir Vince said. He does alienate a lot of people in the Labour party and makes it more difficult for the more sceptical pro-Europeans to shift, because they dont want to be painted as Blair.' Police have raided a Southeast Texas nursing home where police found elderly residents left waist-deep in floodwaters during Hurricane Harvey. Port Arthur police executed a search warrant on Thursday at the Lake Arthur Place, where officers say 74 elderly residents were stranded in floodwaters on August 30. A police affidavit said nursing home boss Jeff Rosetta resisted efforts to evacuate the center and had to be handcuffed until the evacuation was completed. Police have raided a Southeast Texas nursing home where police found elderly residents left waist-deep in floodwaters during Hurricane Harvey. Pictured left, Tonya Petix's 77-year-old mother who was left in a wheel-chair at the nursing home The document goes on to describe how vulnerable residents were injured during the last-minute rescue. 'Medical documents will show some of the individuals sustained injury as a direct result of the catastrophic flooding and the evacuation finally orchestrated at the last minute by citizens,' the affidavit states, according to CBS. The affidavit says Rosetta's resistance to police efforts to evacuate the center and his failure to act before the flooding led to the injury of residents, so he and the center are being investigated for injury to the elderly. Calls to Lake Arthur Place and Rosetta's home went unanswered. Andrew Kerr, President of Senior Care Centers which is the parent company of the nursing home, issued a statement alleging that residents 'were forcibly evacuated by unknown volunteers.' He said: 'On August 30, as employees of our Lake Arthur Place skilled nursing facility worked with authorities to ensure a timely, safe and organized evacuation of our residents amidst the chaos of Hurricane Harvey, residents of that facility were forcibly evacuated by unknown volunteers. Port Arthur police executed a search warrant on Thursday at the Lake Arthur Place (pictured), where officers say 74 elderly residents were stranded in floodwaters on August 30 'As soon as the flooding began, we were in constant contact with the Port Arthur Fire Department and the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, and were told to expect an evacuation by the National Guard sometime in the early morning hours. 'This evacuation ultimately did not take place due to worsening conditions. 'As a result, our caregivers sheltered the patients and residents in place, taking them to higher ground within the facility for the night. 'On August 30, unknown volunteers forcibly removed our residents. Our team was not informed of the volunteers' authority or proper training to do so, and our caregivers, who were trying to protect our residents in the chaos of the situation, were physically restrained during the evacuation. In the end, Texas Governor Greg Abbott (right) said, recovery from Hurricane Harvey will cost 'well over $120 billion, probably $150 billion to $180 billion' 'The civilian volunteers provided us with no information regarding where the residents were transported, and since the evacuation, our team has worked tirelessly to locate and confirm the safety of the evacuated patients and residents.' A week of flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey damaged 40,000 to 50,000 homes in Houston and sent tens of thousands of people fleeing to emergency shelters. In the end, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, recovery will cost 'well over $120 billion, probably $150 billion to $180 billion.' The storm has been blamed for more than 80 deaths. Guilty plea: Hassan 'Sam' Ibrahim, 51, is on remand awaiting sentencing for his role in a gun supplying conspiracy John Ibrahim's older brother Sam has a furious temper when he doesn't get his way - with a court hearing details of extraordinary tirades. Former Nomads bikie boss Hassan 'Sam' Ibrahim, 51, is on remand awaiting sentence for his role in a gun supply conspiracy. And explosive telephone intercepts, detailed in court documents, show Ibrahim raging when part of the plan was coming together slowly. In conversations, Ibrahim repeatedly launched into foul-mouthed tirades to his sister, Jazz Dior - largely about her then-partner, the car wash businessman Elvis Mileski. 'Tell him I'm gunna cave his f***ing head in.... Oh I swear to god I'm gunna do that,' Ibrahim fumed in a February 2014 conversation shown to the court. After Dior told Ibrahim she was 'waiting' for news - apparently on the deal - Sam said of an unnamed person: 'Shu, f*** his sister, I will f*** his heart and send him back..' When he was later told that a meeting was coming up, Sam swore: 'f*** his sister and his dad with my d***'.' This old family photograph shows Sam Ibrahim (left, in Nomads getup) and his siblings Michael and John Ibrahim. Neither sibling had a role in the conspiracy Ibrahim (in blue) was taken into custody in 2014 before being taken into custody on remand Ibrahim sibling Jazz Dior (pictured with a lawyer) has avoided jail over her role in the plot. She was sentenced to an 18 months community corrections order According to an agreed statement of facts, Ibrahim planned and organised for Mileski and Dior to obtain firearms and supply them to former Rose Tattoo dummer Paul DeMarco. DeMarco then supplied the guns on to an undercover police officer. Mileski had traveled to Melbourne for his part of the deal, his sister said in phone intercepts tendered in court. But Ibrahim became increasingly impatient with the deal, court documents said. And Dior bore the brunt of Ibrahim's umbrage as he demanded to know 'where the f*** is he?' Dior tried to placate her brother, saying: 'Just give him two more days... He had to go all the way to Melbourne too, don't forget'. In phone call with Mileski, Ibrahim was told it had taken him awhile to 'arrange everything'. Ibrahim fired back: 'Mate, listen. You've been, you, you've been there all week, all right? 'If you've been there all week and the c***s fucking around, why didn't you just f***ing cave his head in?' He later told Dior he did not want to hear excuses and to tell him he would 'cave his (i.e MIleski's) fucking head in'. Dior replied: 'Alright babe, I haven't heard anything'. Some of the guns that were seized from the home of former Rose Tattoo drummer Paul DeMarco in 2014 Dressed in a tan suit, Sam Ibrahim is pictured during a court appearance Throughout the gun conspiracy, Ibrahim regularly discussed 'caving heads in' A few days later, Ibrahim told conspirator, Rose Tattoo drummer Paul DeMarco he had 'f***ed up his hand' because he 'slapped that c*** we f***ing been waiting for'. DeMarco asked 'what, he f***ed you around again?' Ibrahim replied: 'You can't fix stupidity... I said "why didn't you (cave) their f***ing heads in? ... and bam, I just f***ing hit him'. DeMarco later told an undercover police officer Sam was 'angry as f***' about the confused gun supply arrangements. 'He (Sam) got f***in' sh***y and... he belted one of them (an unnamed supplier),' DeMarco said. DeMarco, Ibrahim, Dior and Mileski were arrested in April 2014. Ibrahim's sentencing was this week adjourned until December. Mileski and Dior pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 month sentences to be served by intensive corrections orders. In his new book, John Ibrahim describes his older brother as his 'uglier, more heavy-set' sibling with 'the tattoos along with the bad attitude to match'. 'Sam is what you might call a handful,' he wrote. The hunt is on for a sandy-haired driver who sexually assaulted a female hitchhiker in Victoria. The 49-year-old Pakenham woman hailed the male driver down shortly after midnight in Melbourne's outer south-eastern suburbs. The Caucasian looking man drove the woman about four kilometers from the Princes Highway at Beaconsfield to Starling Road in Officer. A 49-year-old Pakenham woman hailed a male driver (similar pictured) down shortly after midnight in Melbourne's outer south-eastern suburbs The man reportedly sexually assaulted the hitchhiker Starling Road in Officer (pictured) Victoria Police say the man, who was driving a white, single-cab flat tray ute similar to a 2001 Toyota Hilux, sexually assaulted the woman shortly after picking her up. It is believed the man is aged in his 50s, has a medium build with sandy coloured hair which was short on the sides and curly at the top. The ute was said to have a tray with no sides or back and was brown in colour. The hitchhiker said the man told her he lived in Warragul when the incident took place on July 30. The heartbroken estranged wife of 'Hot Felon' Jeremy Meeks, Melissa, opened up in an interview about her husband's infidelity before she abruptly walked offstage. 'I was in shock. I didn't really know what to do' a saddened Melissa Meeks told Inside Edition when asked how she felt after being ditched by her man for his new billionaire girlfriend, Topshop heiress Chloe Green. The mother-of-three was married to the ex-convict-turned model for eight years before they split suddenly after photos surfaced over the summer showing Meeks locking lips with the 26-year-old daughter of Sir Philip Green on a yacht in Bodrum, Turkey. 'I was in shock': Devastated wife of Hot Felon Jeremy Meeks reveals the moment her world fell apart when she discovered he was cheating on her 'It wasn't an easy pill to swallow,' Melissa told Inside Edition. 'This is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed' Melissa opened up in the interview about her husband's infidelity before she abruptly walked offstage Melissa said she stood by her hubby's side when he went through a rough period in his life and was locked up in 2014 for possession of a firearm. The felon's face grew to fame when his attractive mugshot went viral over the internet and led to his newfound modeling career. 'I was happy for him,' Melissa said of Meeks before his rise to fame during the interview that aired Thursday. 'Did I want him to succeed? Absolutely.' The passionate pictures of the 'Hot Felon' and Green surfaced just days before Melissa's birthday in July which she shared to her Instagram page at the time. Married male model and DJ Jeremy Meeks is seen kissing Sir Philip Green's daughter Chloe Green while on holiday on the Hazar Yildizi yacht along the bays of Bodrum, Turkey Chloe is the heiress to Sir Philip's retail empire, which includes Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons Melissa said she already felt worried when Meeks initially found fame and started making more money. 'You've heard stories. You've seen stuff happen,' she told Inside Edition. Just nine days after the scandal surfaced, Meeks filed for divorce to the mother of his children, when Melissa still loved him and admitted she still does. 'It wasn't an easy pill to swallow,' Melissa revealed. 'This is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed. 'I believed in him, I believed in us. I truly though this would have a happy ending. It didn't have a happy ending for me.' Nine days after the pics surfaced, Meeks filed for divorce to the mother of his children, when Melissa said she still loved him and still does Melissa's lawyer, Lisa Bloom, told the newsmagazine her client simply wants what she is 'legally entitled to' from the messy divorce after months of feeling betrayed. 'This is a woman who worked very hard behind the scenes, supporting her family, standing by him during his incarceration and even afterwards,' Bloom told Inside Edition. In recent months, Meeks hasn't seemed too concern about the split from his wife of several years, as he's been spotted out and about with Green on several occasions. It was even rumored last month the new couple got engaged after Green flaunted a diamond ring on her finger in a series of Snapchat videos. In a statement to the Daily Mail, Green's rep confirmed she is not engaged to Meeks. 'Chloe is not engaged,' her rep said, when asked about the sappy social media posts. The United States military is investigating whether hackers may have caused a Navy destroyer to go off course and crash into a merchant vessel on August 21 in the waters off Singapore, it was learned on Thursday. Ten sailors were killed after the warship John S. McCain collided with a merchant vessel last month. The guided-missile destroyer collided with the Alnic MC east of Singapore while approaching the city state on a routine port visit. Vice Admiral Jan Tighe, the deputy chief of naval operations for information warfare, said the military is looking into whether the McCains computer systems were compromised, Foreign Policy reported. Ten sailors were killed after the warship John S. McCain collided with a merchant vessel last month near Singapore. The image above of the McCain was taken on August 21 The military is adamant, however, that there was no hack of the systems aboard the USS Fitzgerald. The Fitzgerald is a destroyer similar to the McCain which also collided with a merchant ship near the Philippines on June 17. With the McCain incident happening so close to the Fitzgerald, some have wondered whether a cyber attack is to blame, Tighe said. While the Navy has already ruled out a hack as the cause of the Fitzgerald crash, it is now asking investigators to clear up doubts about the McCain. Thus far, any talk of a cyber attack on the McCain is pure speculation, though military officials acknowledge that hackers could conceivably break into the ships computers and manipulate instruments to alter ship locations. The McCain collision happened at night, so if there was a hack it would be conceivable that it would cause such a crash. The U.S. Navy destroyer John S. McCain sails to Changi Naval Base in Singapore after the collision on August 21 Tighe said that the Navy is making efforts to shore up its cyber defenses. Seventeen sailors died in total from the two collisions. The Navy ordered a halt to operations after the McCain collision and called for a review of safety protocols. The Navy last month removed Seventh Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin from his post, citing a loss of confidence in his ability to command after the run of accidents. Rear Admiral Phil Sawyer takes command of the fleet from Aucoin, who had been due to step down next month. The Seventh Fleet, headquartered in Japan, operates as many as 70 ships, including the U.S. navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, and has about 140 aircraft and 20,000 sailors. One in five UK parents have taken money from their pension, or stopped contributing to it, to help their children financially, according to a new report today. But nearly six out of 10 parents who have loaned money to children or grandchildren have written off all or some of it. And the latest research shows that three in four have not set any repayment conditions or plans for the money they have loaned. A fifth of parents have taken money from their pension to help their children financially (file photo) For the Bank of Mum and Dad is potentially the UK's most lenient lender and its relaxed approach means it ends up writing off huge numbers of loans each year, according to new research from Prudential. Remarkably, every one of the more than 1,000 parents interviewed on behalf of Prudential said they had already loaned money to their children or grandchildren to cover major financial commitments, or hoped to do so in the future. But the report warns there is a risk that their generosity will come at a cost to their own financial futures - one in five (19 per cent) said they had taken money out of their pension fund or sacrificed saving into their pension to help their children. Other parents have had to cut back themselves as a result, with one in five (19 per cent) saying they've had to go without certain things, while one in ten admit they have ended up being short of money for emergencies since giving the loan to a family member. However, despite the potential costs to their own finances, nearly six out of 10 (59 per cent) of those who have lent money to their offspring have subsequently decided to write off some or all of the debt - with a generous one in three (34 per cent) having written off the whole lot. Part of the reason could be that more often than not, applying for a loan at the Bank of Mum and Dad doesn't involve any onerous terms and conditions - 75 per cent of parents who have loaned money did not impose any conditions or specific repayment terms on their loans, despite the fact that more than three quarters (77 per cent) of them initially expected to be repaid in full. Just one in seven (14 per cent) of 1,057 parents surveyed lent the money with an agreement of fixed monthly repayments and only eight per cent put a written repayment agreement in place. However, one in 14 creditor parents (7 per cent) take a tough line and have a written agreement in place specifying exactly what the loaned money should be spent on. In another sign that the Bank of Mum and Dad is happy to write risky loans to their families, many parents admit to lending money their children can't repay. Of those who have written off some or all of their loans, two in five (41 per cent) did so because their child simply couldn't afford to pay them back, while one in seven (15 per cent) said their child never had any intention of repaying them at all. Kirsty Anderson, a retirement income expert at Prudential, said: 'I'm sure every parent would love to be in a position to help their families when they're faced with significant financial challenges and our research shows that many are doing just that. 'Whether it's helping with a deposit to buy or rent a house, or clearing student debt, the Bank of Mum and Dad plays a vital role in the finances of younger people. 'However, it is important that parents remember to consider their own futures when deciding on making loans to their families - for example, money taken now from savings and investments intended to provide for retirement could make a real dent in your income when the time comes to give up work, especially if you eventually have to write off all or some of the loan. 'But of course, family life is not always straightforward and many parents who are considering dipping into their pension savings or stopping saving altogether could benefit from a consultation with a professional financial adviser before making any decisions. 'Pension saving is for the long term and for most people is most effective when they save as much as possible for as long as possible during their working lives.' Prudential's research also reveals that those parents who do expect to be repaid are giving their children a generous amount of time to pay off their loans. Nearly one in three (31 per cent) expect repayments to take up to three years, and one in six (16 per cent) expect to wait between three and 10 years before the money is back in their accounts. There may be important Brexit legislation to get through and bills on public sector pay, but there are no MPs to see to it from today. MPs are back on holidays again - just nine days after returning to Parliament from a six-week summer break. Parliament returned on Tuesday last week, after being on summer recess since 20 July. MPs are back on holidays again - just nine days after returning to Parliament from a six-week summer break But while those they represent, including school children, have weeks of hard work ahead of us before their next break MPs rose for another three week holiday yesterday. It means they have only endured a mere eight days at work this month. With their 76K salaries, MPs earn just under three times the national UK wage. But they can now look forward to a long party conference season, with no prospect of returning to their green benches until 9 October. The Liberal Democrat conference begins next week in Bournemouth, followed by Labour in Brighton and then the Tories in Manchester. Yesterday, Pete Wishart, the SNP representative for Perth and North Perthshire, complained about the break. We have just got back from a long summer recess, but apparently we are taking a break again so that three voluntary organisations can have the equivalent of their annual general meetings, he told the Commons. The public will be baffled that we can find only seven days for that Committee stage in the House, yet can find a week to let our 12 Liberal Democrats go to their conference. But yesterday, MPs were ready for recess having only just recovered from the strains of a long summer holiday that they took full advantage of. Parliament returned on Tuesday last week, after being on summer recess since 20 July Prime Minister Theresa May spent some of her summer break on a three-week walking holiday in Italy and Switzerland with husband Philip. She spent five days in Northern Italy before heading to Belgium to attend centenary commemorations for the battle of Passchendaele on July 31. Mrs May then headed for Switzerland, one of her favourite summer holiday destinations, for a further two weeks. Meanwhile her opposite number Jeremy Corbyn was spotted strolling through the streets of Dubrovnik, Croatia. The Labour leader was photographed in green shorts and a white shirt, while Mrs May was pictured holidaying in a pink 26 shirt dress from Next. Commenting on Parliaments upcoming break, Chloe Westley, campaign manager at The Taxpayers Alliance said: MPs are public servants who will have increasingly busy schedules in the coming months. They should be conscious of the fact that most taxpayers dont have opportunity to jet off for weeks on end. Each Parliament is usually divided into five parliamentary years called sessions which begin and end in the spring. A recess is a break during the parliamentary session, or year. During recess periods, neither the House of Commons nor the House of Lords meet to conduct business. Usually, there are several recesses throughout and session, including three weeks at Christmas and two weeks or more at Easter. And the long summer recess usually lasts around six weeks, but this years ran for just under seven. But its not a complete summer break. MPs also use the break to work in their constituencies. They may hold surgeries and deal with constituency casework. On rare occasions Parliament can be called back from recess. In 2013, The House was called back to pay tribute to former PM Baroness Thatcher. And last year the House were called back to pay tribute to Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered in the days leading up to the EU referendum campaign. More doubt has been raised over attempts to corrupt the same-sex marriage poll after Australian Bureau of Statistics letters with the voting forms missing were found dumped on the streets of Melbourne. A concerned listener to Neil Mitchell's 3AW693 radio program called to say he'd discovered three letters with the voting forms missing had been dumped in Murrumbeena, in Melbourne's south-east, on Friday morning. 'I discovered on the footpath, three survey envelopes for the marriage equality survey, theyd been ripped open with the contents removed,' he said. Survey forms containing vital marriage equality votes were found ripped from their envelopes and stolen in Melbourne this week, a 3AW693 listener claimed 'What theyve done with the actual survey who knows.' The Australia Bureau of Statistics began sending out the forms to Australian households on Tuesday. A Twitter user said having a postal vote left the door open for people to manipulate the end result to reflect their favoured outcome. 'Postal votes will be used above all cos they're so easy to cheat with,' one wrote. Some Australians were skeptical of postal voting being a trustworthy method Others praised former occupants of their homes for failing to have their mail redirected. Voters reported their extra mail would finally be put to good use, with one expressing their intention to use an extra three votes to their advantage. One man on Facebook said the ability to vote multiple times due to the postal process was 'the beauty' of the non binding survey One man claimed he would be voting an extra seven times in the same sex marriage postal survey because former residents of his house had not changed their enrolment details A woman responded she would be doing the same thing with extra votes sent to her home Another woman said she often received mail for previous residents, and would submit a yes vote for each extra postal survey form she received. But many disgruntled Australians have taken to social media to express their concerns about the way the vote is being conducted. The arguably flawed system has already faced controversy, particularly after a photo emerged this week of a torch light shining through an envelope, revealing a voter's selection. The image showed a 'no' box being ticked, which was clearly visible under the illumination. A concerned voter posted an image of the see-through envelope on Reddit after seeing it pop up on his Facebook news feed He said he will still be voting 'yes' even if his vote won't be 'counted now after this stuff up' 'So we wasted $122 million on a survey where a torch can reveal the answer through the reply envelope it came with,' a concerned voter wrote. The person who shared the post revealed they were pro-marriage equality and would 'be voting yes... if it will even be counted now after this stuff up.' The post sparked doubt among many Australians, with some suggesting the process could be corrupted if people used torches to tamper with votes. An Australia Post spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the service was 'confident in [its] capability to deliver the postal survey'. 'It is a criminal offence to tamper with mail, and Australia Post has strong security measures in place throughout our national network. 'We have undertaken a thorough review ahead of delivering the survey and will have additional security measures in place during the process. The girlfriend of a man found naked with his throat slashed in a Maryland forest was charged with murder on Thursday. Alexander Arthur Stevens, 24, of Frostburg, was found dead earlier this year on January 4th at the Savage River State Forest in Garrett County. In March, his death was ruled a homicide. Over eight months later, Garrett County State's Attorney Lisa Thayer Welch announced that Megan Virginia Shaffer, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and assisting another to commit or attempt to commit suicide, The Cumberland Times-News reported. Megan Virginia Shaffer, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and assisting another to commit or attempt to commit suicide Shaffer told authorities they had hiked to an overlook in the forest on the night of January 3rd and had fallen from the cliff. She said she thought Stevens was dead after the 33-foot fall and left him below the cliff. Shaffer said she walked out of the woods in the morning after having been lost all night, entered a home and used the homeowner's phone to call 911. She was taken to a hospital with a broken shoulder and a possible broken back. Police in Maryland named the man who was found dead in the forest as 24-year-old Alexander Stevens, seen left and right in Facebook photos Stevens studied materials engineering and economics at Frostburg State University and civil engineering at the United States Coast Guard Academy Timeline of the case January 3rd - Girlfriend Megan Virginia Shaffer, 21 said the two hiked to an overlook in the forest. January 4th - Alexander Arthur Stevens, 24, of Frostburg was found dead and naked with his throat slit. He was discovered lying next to a swamp on private property in the 2600 block of Pine Swamp Road. March - The death of the 24-year-old was ruled a homicide. September 14th - Shaffer has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and assisting another to commit or attempt to commit suicide. Advertisement The next day, Stevens' body was found on a logging road. The newspaper reported that in addition to his broken bones, his throat had been cut deeply, more than once. Court records state Jay Stevens told police that his son had been acting differently for several years. 'He'd grown his hair longer, was reading about religions, thinking about his place in society.' 'I never, never, ever, ever thought that he was suicidal. I know my son. He had all these plans to do things.' Days before his death, Stevens had opened a 'transfer on death' account, listing Shaffer as the beneficiary. A judge granted the request of Stevens' father to stop the transfer of more than $188,000. Police spotted his body from a helicopter flying over Pine Swamp Road in Garrett County Shaffer is being held in the Garrett County Detention Center pending her initial court appearance. Attorney Stephen R. Tully told the newspaper Thursday afternoon that he will represent Shaffer but said he hadn't seen the charges at that point. Tony Abbott's daughter Frances has announced she will vote 'yes' for same-sex marriage in the postal vote. Frances Abbott, 26, posted a simple photo to Instagram on Friday morning, sharing her support for legalising gay marriage. Despite her father's strong stance supporting the 'no' vote, the fitness blogger donned a white t-shirt with the words 'vote yes'. Frances Abbott, 26, posted a simple photo to Instagram Friday morning (pictured), sharing her support for legalising gay marriage Despite her father Tony Abbott's (pictured together) strong stance supporting the 'no' vote, the fitness blogger donned a white t-shirt with the words 'vote yes' The former prime minister's daughter said she didn't care for politics, but did care for love The former prime minister's daughter shared the photo of herself sitting against a white wall with a huge smile on her face paired with hashtags including 'itstime' (sic) and 'comeonaustralia'(sic). 'I don't really care much for politics,' Ms Abbott wrote. 'But I do really care a lot for love. 'All love is good. Let's celebrate it.' Same-sex marriage is a divisive topic in the Abbott family, with the former prime minister's lesbian sister Christine Forster being a marriage equality advocate. 'The Abbott family is like every other family. We do have differences of opinion on some things but we are a normal, functional family,' Ms Forster said in August. Same-sex marriage is hotly debated in the Abbott family (pictured), as Mr Abbott's sister Christine Forster is in same-sex relationship Mr Abbott (centre) has publicly debated his sister on legalising same-sex marriage Ms Forster is a marriage equality advocate and has been engaged to her partner Virginia Edwards since 2013 'The fact that Tony and I have agreed to disagree on this question in particular doesn't impact the fact that we're brother and sister. We love each other.' Ms Forster, who has been engaged to her partner Virginia Edwards since 2013, responded to her niece's Instagram post. 'Love your work, Francie!!! #voteyes,' Ms Forster posted on Twitter shortly after. A street mural supporting marriage equality shows Mr Abbott tying the knot with himself The former prime minister is a key figure advocating the 'no' vote in the upcoming postal vote The post comes four days after a street mural of Mr Abbott marrying himself was painted in western Sydney. The huge mural showed the former prime minister as both bride and the groom, tying the knot with himself. People answering the voluntary postal vote have until November 7 to return their survey forms on same-sex marriage. Ben Shapiro took the stage at UC Berkeley Thursday evening as hundreds gathered outside protesting against the conservative political commentator and two people were arrested for allegedly carrying weapons. The 33-year-old former Breitbart News editor was roughly 20 minutes to the event being hosted at Zellerback Hall on the campus, but he thanked the large crowd once he began his speech. 'Berkeley has actually achieved building a wall before Donald Trump did,' he said. The Harvard Law School graduate who is now the editor in chief of DailyWire.com mentioned the significant security and how attendees had to go through an extensive screening process that included metal detectors. His speech focused on the anti-fascist movement and the criticism that it's received. 'America is watching because you guys are so stupid,' the conservative radio host said. 'You can all go to hell you pathetic, lying, stupid, jackasses.' Ben Shapiro (above) took the stage at UC Berkeley Thursday evening as hundreds gathered outside protesting against the conservative political commentator The 33-year-old former Breitbart News editor was roughly 20 minutes to the event being hosted at Zellerback Hall on the campus, but he thanked the crowd once he began his speech But Shapiro's appearance in the Bay Area drew hundreds of protesters who gathered just off campus (above) City police say 20-year-old Hannah Benjamin (left) was arrested Thursday for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon. Meanwhile, 44-year-old Sarah Roark (right) was taken into custody for carrying a banned weapon Campus Republicans invited him to the popular California university as part of his tour called 'Campus Thuggery.' But Shapiro's appearance in the Bay Area drew hundreds of protesters who gathered just off campus. Police with riot gear surrounded the plaza in front of Zellerbach Hall. Authorities say at least two people were detained during the Refuse Fascism rally. City police say 20-year-old Hannah Benjamin was arrested Thursday for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon. Meanwhile, 44-year-old Sarah Roark was taken into custody for carrying a banned weapon. Campus Republicans invited Shapiro to the school as part of his tour called 'Campus Thuggery' California Highway Patrol officers in riot gear secured a closed area around the UC Berkeley campus prior to Shapiro's appearance UC spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university went through 'extraordinary lengths in some ways unprecedented' to ensure that the event would be a success. Above protesters raise their fists on Thursday Roughly $600,000 was spent on security, with another $9,000 for internal security provided by the student group UC spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university went through 'extraordinary lengths in some ways unprecedented' to ensure that the event would be a success. He said roughly $600,000 was spent on security, with another $9,000 for internal security provided by the student group. There was several checkpoints outside the auditorium where the speech was planned, and officers were looking to confiscate banned items such as shields, masks, bandanas, poles and torches, UC Berkeley Police Chief Margo Bennett said. For the first time in two decades, city officers were authorized by the City Council to use pepper spray to control violence. A protester holds a sign during a demonstration outside of Zellerbach Hall on the U.C. Berkeley campus Thursday Police officers surround a fallen supporter of Shapiro after she was knocked to the ground during a scuffle with protesters following his speech University police did not intend to use pepper spray but 'that's not saying we won't if circumstances call for them,' Bennett said. Plus, several streets around the campus were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of Shapiro's evening appearance. The city and campus have become a flashpoint this year for the country's political divisions, drawing extremist groups from the left and right. 'We can't turn a blind eye to reality and to what we've learned from recent events on this campus and in this city and around the country,' Mogulof said earlier on Thursday. He said the school is committed to ensuring the safety of students and people attending the event, and to making it successful. An American citizen was detained in Syria earlier this week after military officials found the individual was working in part with the Islamic State. A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed in a Thursday statement to CNN that Syrian Democratic Forces 'turned over to US forces an American citizen who surrendered to the SDF on or around September 12.' US Marine Corps Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway told the news station the citizen was 'legally detained by Department of Defense personnel as a known enemy combatant,' while it's unclear how long the individual was involved in the ploy. Scroll down for video A picture taken on September 9, 2017 shows Russian military vehicles carrying humanitarian aid parcels in the northeastern Syrian Syrian forces begin their advance on the area of Bughayliyah, on the northern outskirts of Deir Ezzor on September 13, 2017, during their ongoing battle against the Islamic State The identity of the person has not been disclosed for publication. Neither the Justice Department or FBI officials denied the report, while a proper statement was not yet been issued. A spokesperson for the U.S. military command in Syria informed the Daily Beast, who first reported on the matter, that the detainee would be 'transported humanely' back to the United States. 'Foreign fighters who are captured or surrender to SDF partners in Syria will be safeguarded and transported humanely, and their home nations will be contacted regarding the next steps,' the statement read. Syrian forces members sit on a tank waiting for vehicles to transport Islamic State (IS) group members in the Qara area in Syria's Qalamoun region on August 28, 2017 The spokesperson added that international laws and laws of armed conflict would be closely monitored as a 'precondition for Coalition support.' The source included: 'The Coalition defers questions pertaining to captured ISIS fighters to their relative nations' Departments of State or equivalent agencies. 'The Coalition's mission is to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and we will pursue ISIS fighters regardless of nationality.' A Queensland woman was fined more than $200 for an offence she did not realise she had made. The woman aged in her 40s was fined for littering after she adjusted her make-up in a street in Fortitude Valley with a group of friends while they were on their way to a friend's birthday party at about 8.30pm. While she was touching up her make-up, the tip of her red lipstick broke off and fell onto the pavement. A woman was charged for littering when a piece of her lipstick broke off and fell on ground The woman aged in her 40s was fined for littering after she adjusted her makeup in Fortitude Valley with a group of friends (stock photo) Two Brisbane City Council officers and a police officer followed the group and hit the woman with a hefty $243 littering fine, Courier Mail reports. The council officer reportedly told the woman that she had known that she had dropped the lipstick, while the police officer checked her identity because she wasn't carrying her driver's licence. The group initially thought it was a 'joke'. A friend of the woman said it was a 'really upsetting incident'. 'They never instructed us to go back and pick up the litter, or clean it up,' she said. The group retraced their steps to see what all the fuss was about. 'The smudge was smaller than a 10 cent piece,' the friend reportedly said. 'It happened right next to a pedestrian crossing and it would have been stepped on within seconds. 'It was easily missed by my friend because it was so tiny.' Acting Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, contacted the woman after hearing about the incident, which occurred in March. He said the case would be reviewed. While council does not tolerate littering, this certainly doesnt appear to be littering and there needs to be a common-sense approach taken, Cr Schrinner said. Two Brisbane City Council officers whacked the woman with a hefty $243 littering fine at Fortitude Valley (pictured) The lipstick fine comes just days after accusations the council was targeting the nightclub precinct for littering, according to ABC News. Simon Turner was fined $252 for dropping a cigarette butt on the footpath in Fortitude Valley. Brisbane City Council can penalise people for 'illegal dumping' anywhere between $252 and $2018 with on the spot fines. Daily Mail Australia have contacted Brisbane City Council for comment. Amateur anglers are cashing in on record numbers of enormous bluefin Tuna migrating across the east coast of Australia. Bluefin tuna is considered to be the most expensive fish in the world to eat after a 222-kilogram tuna sold for $1.8 million in 2013 in Japan. Social media has been flooded with photographs of anglers reeling in monster tunas just off the coast of Sydney, far later than normal and much closer to shore. Two anglers pose with their monster bluefin tuna catches. The tuna is considered to be the most expensive fish to eat in the world Social media has been flooded with photographs of anglers reeling in monster tunas just off the coast of Sydney Bluefin tuna is considered to be the most expensive fish in the world to eat after a 222-kilogram tuna sold for $1.8 million in 2013 in Japan. It is mostly used for sashimi and sushi Veteran fisherman and TV presenter AI McGlashan said he had never seen such enormous bluefin tuna swimming so close to shore. 'The city was still clearly visible in the distance and in bluefin terms that is very close to shore,' Mr McGlashan wrote for the Daily Telegraph. 'In fact in all my life I have never seen jumbo-sized bluefin tuna so close in.' A single tunafish can feed upwards of 50 people, and is typically wanted for use in sashimi and sushi. Illegal overfishing for southern bluefin tuna in Japan decimated its numbers by 97 per cent in recent decades and all but removed the saltwater fish from NSW waters. Recent conservation efforts aimed at rebuilding bluefin tuna populations has resulted in what Sydney anglers say is the best fishing season in recent memory. In NSW there is a bag limit of just one bluefin tuna fish per person on a boat. Illegal overfishing for southern bluefin tuna in Japan decimated its numbers by 97 per cent in recent decades More than 100 'high risk' detainees have been recaptured after escaping from a jail on the British Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma. The convicts, including a rapist and robber, fled the Balsam Ghut prison after 185mph hurricane winds wreaked havoc across the islands of Tortola. However, following an operation by British Royal Marines and police, alongside local police, the prisoners were captured again and returned to jail. Prisoners captured after escaping British Virgin Islands jail in Irma aftermath Gus Jaspert, the governor of the British Virgin Islands, said: 'The government of the British Virgin Islands is extremely grateful to the police and military personnel for their tireless efforts, which have resulted in a thorough and extremely successful operation. 'I extend our gratitude to the UK and Cayman Island governments for their provision of personnel on the ground here, helping to ensure the safety and security of all British Virgin Islanders. 'This signals a huge step in all of our efforts to rebuild this fantastic territory.' The convicts, including a rapist and robber, fled the Balsam Ghut prison after the hurricane wreaked havoc across the islands of Tortola However, following an operation by British Royal Marines and police, alongside local police, the prisoners were captured again and returned to jail The news comes after British Virgin Islanders said they were 'terrified' of the prisoners, who escaped because of the damage caused by Irma. They said looting had been 'terrible' and claimed escaped prisoners had committed a rape while on the loose. Shanelle Williams, who took 15 people into her home following the fury the hurricane unleashed on the island, told the Press Association: 'You go into the town, they crash and they open up and stealing everything. A British police officer carrying an automatic machine gun searches for escaped prisoners The news comes after British Virgin Islanders said they were 'terrified' of the prisoners, who escaped because of the damage caused by Irma They said looting had been 'terrible' and claimed escaped prisoners had committed a rape while on the loose 'But since the military came it has calmed down, but the only issue right now is these prisoners are out. 'They have already raped someone and they have already tried to steal from people, it is terrifying.' One woman, who did not want to be named, told the Press Association she 'did not feel safe' after the hurricane. Foreign minister Sir Alan Duncan told the Commons on Tuesday that the convicts posed a 'serious threat of the complete breakdown of law and order'. Foreign minister Sir Alan Duncan told the Commons on Tuesday that the convicts posed a 'serious threat of the complete breakdown of law and order' One woman, who did not want to be named, told the Press Association she 'did not feel safe' after the hurricane Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited the British Virgin Islands on Wednesday, comparing the destruction to the devastation in Hiroshima after it was hit by a nuclear bomb. However, there was anger and frustration after it was revealed a 13billion pot of foreign aid money cannot be used to repair the islands as they are considered 'too wealthy' to apply. That is despite warnings by locals including ship captain Jonathan Moynihan, who told the Independent 'without help, people are going to die.' Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited the British Virgin Islands on Wednesday, comparing the destruction to the devastation in Hiroshima after it was hit by a nuclear bomb However, there was anger and frustration after it was revealed a 13billion pot of foreign aid money cannot be used to repair the islands as they are considered 'too wealthy' to apply A knife wielding man has attacked a French soldier outside a Metro station in Paris today while praising Allah. The attacker approached the soldier from behind and then lunged at him with the blade at Chatelet metro station at 6.30am this morning. The victim managed to wrestle him to the ground and he was arrested by armed police as he shouted ISIS slogans. The attacker approached the soldier from behind and then lunged at him with the blade at Chatelet metro station (file picture) at 6.30am this morning while praising Allah The unidentified man is said to have rushed at a patrol of soldiers wearing combat uniforms and brandishing assault rifles. 'He was restrained, and nobody was injured,' said a source investigating the case on Friday morning. The man was taken to the main Chateletpolice station, and now faces a range of terrorist charges. It is the latest in a long string ofattacks on service personnel involved in Operation Sentinelle - an initiative involving 10,000 soldiers and 4700 gendarmes and police. They were first deployed in November 2015 following a single night of violence by Islamic State suicide bombers that saw 130 people murdered in the French capital. The soldiers' job is to protect vulnerable areas ofthe capital, including transport hubs such as Chatelet, which is used by thousands of commuters and tourists every day. Pedestrians walk past the 'Chatelet Les Halles' metro station where a soldier was attacked by a knife-wielding man in the early hours of the morning But many have complained that they are now easy targets themselves, with lone wolf attackers regularly trying to kill or wound them. In January six Sentinelle soldiers wereinjured when a car smashed into them close to the headquarters of France's anti-terrorism police unit in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Two of the infantrymen were seriouslywounded, while the attacker was later shot repeatedly following a manhunt and adramatic motorway chase. A few days earlier there was an attempt tokill a soldier at the Eiffel Tower by a 19-year-old psychiatric patient whobrandished a knife and pledged allegiance to Isis. In April, a 39-year-old police officer was shot dead by an Isis supporter on the Champs Elysee, while in February another knife attacker was gunned down in the Louvre Museum complex after attacking an army patrol. The foster brother of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer has lodged an appeal of his four-year sentence. Trent Thorburn, 20, confessed to having sex with the 12-year-old when he was 18, and told his mother he may have gotten Tiahleigh pregnant. He pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and one count each of incest and attempting to pervert the course of justice at Beenleigh District Court on Thursday. On Friday he argued in the Queensland Court of Appeal the sentence was 'manifestly excessive in all the circumstances', The Courier Mail reported. The foster brother (pictured) of murdered schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer has lodged an appeal of his four-year sentence Trent Thorburn, 20, confessed to having sex with the 12-year-old (pictured) when he was 18, and told his mother he may have gotten Tiahleigh pregnant A drawing of Trent Thorburn at the Beenleigh District Court in Queensland on Thursday An appeal date has not been set and Thorburn has yet to nominate a lawyer. Thorburn served almost a year in pre-sentence custody, and parole release date was set for January 20, 2018. The confession of Tiahleigh Palmer's foster brother to his mother that he'd had sex with the slain schoolgirl was a 'catalyst' for her death, the court heard. The court heard Thorburn, then 18, had sex with Tiahleigh, 12, at least once during the weeks leading up to her death in late October 2015. The court heard Thorburn, then 18, had sex with Tiahleigh (pictured) at least once during the weeks leading up to her death in late October 2015 Trent Thorburn, the foster brother of slain Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, has admitted to having a sexual relationship with the 12-year-old Tiahleigh's body was found on the banks of a northern Gold Coast river in November 2015, six days after police allege she was murdered by her foster father Richard Thorburn. Crown prosecutor David Nardone said Thorburn, fearing Tiahleigh was pregnant, had confessed to his mother Julene he'd had sex with her. 'His confession to his mother was the catalyst for Tiahleigh's murder,' Mr Nardone said. The court heard Thorburn had also admitted his sexual relationship with Tiahleigh in a Facebook messenger conversation with his cousin before confessing to his mother. he confession of Tiahleigh Palmer's (pictured) foster brother to his mother that he'd had sex with the slain schoolgirl was a 'catalyst' for her death, the court heard Police allege the 12-year-old was murdered by her foster father Richard Thorburn (pictured) Following Tiahleigh's death, Thorburn repeatedly denied having had sex with her to police as well as denying he knew anything about her murder. Thorburn then maintained those lies to a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) hearing in June 2016 before admitting his sexual relationship with his foster sister during another CCC hearing in September. He did however continue to deny knowing anything about Tiahleigh's disappearance or death in that second hearing, Mr Nardone said. During that second CCC hearing, Thorburn alleged Tiahleigh had initiated the sexual act and he was unable to resist her advances due to being under the influence of alcohol. Cindy Palmer, Tiahleigh's mother, is seen at the Beenleigh District Court in Queensland on Thursday The court heard Thorburn (pictured) admitted his sexual relationship with Tiahleigh in a Facebook messenger conversation with his cousin Mother of the murdered schoolgirl Cindy Palmer (second right), with friends and family outside the Beenleigh District Court In July, Thorburn's older brother Josh (pictured) was sentenced to 15 months jail after pleading guilty to perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice Judge Craig Chowdhury dismissed the allegation as 'completely implausible'. The sentencing hearing continues. In July, Thorburn's older brother Josh was sentenced to 15 months jail after pleading guilty to perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice. His sentence will be suspended after three months for three years. Thorburn's mother Julene Thorburn is due to face sentencing on charges of perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice in November. Police allege Rick Thorburn (left) took his foster daughter's life after finding out his son Trent (right) had been sexually assaulting her during the time she had been in the family's care Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte may declare nationwide martial law if protests against his rule turn violent or disrupt the country, his defence chief said today. The threat comes after the leader imposed martial law in the south of the country in May as the country battles ISIS-backed militants in the region. He has repeatedly threatened to impose the policy nationwide, but neither he nor his aides have previously given a specific time frame or event that would trigger it. Protesters raise clenched fists next to an anti-martial law placard during a rally near the US embassy in Manila today Demonstrators burn an effigy of President Duterte in the street in protests concerning the Marawi conflict The Philippines's defence secretary has said that President Duterte has threatened to impose martial law if planned protests turn violent President Rodrigo Duterte won the presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform A coalition of opposition groups calling themselves 'Movement Against Tyranny' have announced a planned demonstration in the capital Manila next week. The group will be protesting against Duterte's violent war on drugs, which has so far claimed thousands of lives, as well as his attacks on the country's democratic institutions. But Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said any disruption caused by demonstrators could be met with military force. Recounting a conversation he had with Duterte earlier this week, Mr Lorenzana said: 'He said, "if the left will try to have a massive protest, start fires on the streets, they will disrupt the country, then I might declare martial law".' The president has already imposed martial law across the southern third of the Philippines after ISIS-backed militants occupied Marawi, a major Islamic city there in May. The ensuing conflict has since claimed more than 800 lives. Mr Lorenzana's revelation comes as protesters took to the streets of Manila today to demonstrate against US intervention in Marawi. The group planned to march to the US Embassy and some were seen burning effigies of Duterte and American president Donald Trump. Duterte has already imposed martial law in the southern third of the country as government forces battle Islamic militants in Marawi. The conflict has left the area devastated Members of the Philippine Marines conduct a clearing operation at the main battle zone to liberate Marawi The Marawi Conflict has killed more than 800 people dead since ISIS-backed militants occupied the city Graphic on killings in drug enforcement operations in the Philippines since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in July 2016 Mr Lorenzana said that he doubted that the planned protests would be big enough to constitute the imposition of martial law Mr Lorenzana emphasised he thought the chances of Duterte declaring nationwide martial law were remote because he doubted protests would be big. But he added: 'The president is indeed very concerned because it might get out of hand. So he said, "I might declare martial law".' Movement Against Tyranny has announced that it will be holding a protest on September 21, the 45-year anniversary of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos imposing his military rule. The coalition voiced outrage at Duterte's public support for Marcos, who was overthrown in the 'People Power' revolution in 1986 and was exiled to the US where he died three years later. The announcement for the protest said its theme was: 'Stop the Killings! Never Again to Tyranny and Dictatorship!' Duterte won last year's presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. Police have reported killing more than 3,800 people in anti-drug operations since he took office 15 months ago, while thousands of others have been murdered in unexplained circumstances. The North Dakota Supreme Court began reviewing comments this week on a move that could rearrange district courts in the northern Red River Valley. On July 24, the high court voted to fill a seat in Walsh County that will be vacant when Judge M. Richard Geiger retires from the bench on Oct. 1. But a dissenting opinion from Justice Daniel Crothers suggested another option: moving Walsh County into the Northeast Central Judicial District and chambering its judge in Grand Forks. The Supreme Court voted July 26 to accept comments from the public arguing for or against the redistricting. Monday was the cutoff day to submit those comments. The court will now review comments and is expected to make a decision in the coming months. The Northeast Central District is also in need of a new judge after Jon Jensen moved up to be a Supreme Court justice last month. Crothers dissenting opinion suggested transferring the vacancy in the Northeast Central District created by Jensens move to another district in the hope of spreading out judicial resources. Geiger said he opposes redistricting Walsh County into the Northeast Central District, pointing out the position already handles a full caseload. The problem that creates is that Grand Forks still ends up having only five judges and theyre adding another quantity of caseload thats equivalent for an additional judge, so it makes them worse off, he said. Another problem is the size and population disparity between the Northeast and Northeast Central districts, Geiger said. The Northeast Central Judicial District, comprising Grand Forks and Nelson counties, is geographically the smallest district in the state, and most of its population lives in one county. The Northeast Judicial District, which includes Benson, Bottineau, Cavalier, McHenry, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Renville, Rolette, Towner and Walsh counties, is the most sprawling with population more evenly distributed throughout the counties. The Northeast District has six judges covering 11 counties, and judges are frequently required to travel across the district, Geiger said. The judges as currently housed can easily move between counties to cover for each other if needed. Moving Walsh County into the Northeast Central would upset this system, Geiger said. Because were a rural district with a population thats spread out pretty evenly and a caseload thats spread out pretty evenly, it really would disrupt how were able to deliver services, he said. The Northeast Central District has a shortage of 1.5 judicial officers currently, according to statistics prepared by the Supreme Court. The court lost its judicial referee, a magistrate who typically handles cases involving juveniles and traffic, through state budget cuts in January and has been down to four judges since Jensen left for the Supreme Court last month. The only one who benefits from this would be another judicial district because thered be a transfer of Judge Jensens position -- and no one has asked for it, Geiger said. France and Germany want the right to suspend the EU's Schengen free movement zone for up to four years over terror fears, leaked papers reveal today. A confidential diplomatic paper reveals that the countries are demanding powers to halt passport-free travel within the European Union area. Fears over terrorism and migration have prompted the demand, which would apply in terms of 'exceptional circumstances'. The document, revealed by The Times, is likely to trigger a major row within the EU and comes just days after Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker called for an extension to the borderless zone. France and Germany want the right to suspend the EU's Schengen free movement zone for up to four years over terror fears, leaked papers reveal today (pictured is a border fence put up between Hungary and Serbia during a crackdown on free movement in 2015) Schengen covers most EU countries on mainland Europe. It allows people to move freely across borders without showing passports or having their goods checked. It does not apply to the UK and Ireland, which is why EU travellers must show passports at British ports. The new call for a suspension to Schengen follows the imposition of emergency border controls introduced during the European migration crisis and after terrorist attacks. But the temporary measures - which are only allowed to stay in pace for six months at a time - are due to be lifted within weeks by the European Commission. Schengen covers most EU countries on mainland Europe. It allows people to move freely across borders of countries marked in blue without showing passports or having their goods checked. Countries shown in yellow are obliged to join Schengen under their EU entry deals Austria, Denmark and Norway support the border check proposals which would employ frontier controls for years rather than months, according to the paper. Under the new proposal, rules on free movement would be suspended for longer - up to two years. It warns: 'The grounds for such controls for periods exceeding six months would continue to involve the particular seriousness of the threat to internal security and the long-term nature of that threat.' During a television debate yesterday, Mr Juncker insisted that the EU's passport-free travel zone was 'not an invitation to terrorists', though he admitted that terrorist cells had benefited from lax controls. 'It's true that occasionally terrorists do benefit from it but the prime beneficiaries are European citizens,' he said. 'We're being told you're opening the borders to terrorists. No, we are opening the borders for tourists.' The leak is likely to trigger a major row within the EU and comes just days after Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured on Wednesday in Strasbourg) called for an extension to the borderless zone Schengen Zone 'has helped terrorists' by allowing them to move freely between countries, admits Juncker European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker addresses the European Parliament The EUs open borders have helped terrorists launch attacks on the continent, Jean-Claude Juncker confessed yesterday. In a frank admission, the European Commission president said the Schengen zone had allowed extremists to move freely between countries. But Mr Juncker said he still wanted to push ahead with plans to extend the border-free travel area to include Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia. Terrorists involved in both the Paris and Berlin attacks were able to escape across borders into other countries thanks to the removal of checkpoints. During an online question and answer session, Mr Juncker insisted the benefits of removing borders outweighed the dangers. Border controls have been removed from some borders, but that is not an invitation to terrorists to travel freely through Europe, he said. Its true that occasionally terrorists do benefit from it but the prime beneficiaries are European citizens. The former prime minister of Luxembourg, who set out his blueprint for a European super-state on Wednesday, added: I lived through a time where there were borders everywhere in Europe. [Luxembourg is] a very nice country but its also a very small country and I had to cross borders regularly and this was a very costly and time-consuming thing. Now weve removed those border controls and were being told youre opening the borders to terrorists. No, we are opening the borders for tourists. This driver has really backed himself into a corner. A video shot from a balcony above a Canadian motorway shows a car reverse over a hundred metres to get back to an exit it missed. The footage was posted by a couple staying at an apartment looking out onto Toronto's busy Gardiner Expressway, which has a speed limit of 90kmph (55 mph) and is accompanied by their amusing commentary on the driver's antics. After missing the exit the driver decides to reverse instead of wait until the next one, seemingly thinking they can get away with it because it is late and there is little traffic. Posting the video on YouTube, they comment: 'From our hotel balcony, we see a car stop in the middle of the highway and start driving in reverse! We were on the edge of our seats! Epic win or epic fail here?' As the driver starts to back up, one person is heard saying: 'This is such a bad idea.' When the motorist sees there are no cars coming up behind them, they speed up, eventually stopping and driving the right way down the exit ramp. The driver missed the exit they wanted on Toronto's Gardiner Expressway one night this week Not wanting to wait until the next exit, they brazenly decided to reverse up the road The driver's actions are punishable by a $85 (55) fine and two driving licence points The fine for reversing on a divided highway in Canada is $85 (52) and two points on your driving licence. After the clip racked up over half a million views, Toronto Police told the Toronto Sun they could not trace the incident. Traffic services constable Clint Stibbe told the newspaper: 'We don't know when this occurred, there were no incidents that I could locate that matched this video. 'That being said it could be listed under a number of different event types (hazard, impaired, unknown trouble to name a few).' But Toronto Police said they could not find any other evidence of the hilarious incident Once the driver had got back to the exit they stopped and drove the right way down the exit ramp as the couple filming cheered Constable Stibbe said if the driver's brazen reversing had caused a crash or any injuries, they would be facing criminal charges. 'The driver of that vehicle could have injured or killed themselves or someone else. 'Missing an exit is not the end of the world, the driver should have continued to the next exit and returned to the exit via the eastbound Gardiner Expressway.' As the car is seen driving the right way down the exit ramp cheers are heard in the background and a female voice says: 'The next exit would have been 50 miles down the road.' Despite spring being well underway, Melbourne found itself hit by a torrential downpour Friday afternoon. Around 16mm of rain was recorded throughout the day in the city, with Scoresby in the east recording the highest rainfall at 23mm. The sudden downpour prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to issue flood warnings for the state, including for the Greater Melbourne Catchments. Melbourne found itself hit by a torrential downpour Friday afternoon when around 16mm fell in the city centre, sending people on public transport running for cover (pictured) Commuters travelling home from work were witness to the downpour, which came after the Bureau's forecast issued a 95 per cent chance of showers. Almost 8mm of rain was recorded at Olympic Park in just half an hour, from 3.30pm to 4pm. Many took to social media to post photos from drenched train and bus platforms, joking in their captions it was 'just some drizzle'. 'I hate how films romanticize walking in the rain... Mate, it's s***. I hate it,' one person wrote. Scoresby in the city's east recorded some of the highest rainfall, with 23mm, while 8mm fell at Olympic Park in the space of half an hour Rain poured down at Flinders Street Station (pictured), catching commuters off guard as they tried to get home The snow level in the state were also expected to rise, with up to 15cm due overnight thanks to a cold burst. Senior Forecaster Richard Carlyon from the Bureau of Metereology told Daily Mail Australia it had been a reasonably cold start to spring, but that temperatures were expected to warm up next week. 'It has been a little unusual, as we haven't had a 20 degree day yet this month,' he said. 'But that should change next week when Melbourne is expected to reach 22 degrees on the 18th.' Mr Carlyon also said that the snowfall at ski resorts had been extensive, while most of the rain had fallen in coastal areas. 'It has been very wet near the coast, but no so much in northern Victoria, where it has been cool but dry,' he said. Senior Forecaster Richard Carlyon from the Bureau of Metereology told Daily Mail Australia it had been a reasonably cold start to spring but temperatures would warm up next week Tomorrow will see temperatures reach a maximum of 14 degrees, with the city dropping to a chilly seven degrees overnight FORECAST: WEATHER AROUND AUSTRALIA SYDNEY Saturday: Max 22. Showers Sunday: Max 18. Sunny Monday: Max 25. Sunny BRISBANE Saturday: Max 27. Sunny Sunday: Max 24. Partly Cloudy Monday: Max 24. Partly Cloudy ADELAIDE Saturday: Max 18. Early shower Sunday: Max 23. Partly Cloudy Monday: Max 18. Shower or two DARWIN Saturday: Max 35. Sunny Sunday: Max 34. Sunny Monday: Max 34. Mostly sunny MELBOURNE Saturday: Max 14. Showers clearing Sunday: Max 18. Mostly sunny Monday: Max 22. Late shower CANBERRA Saturday: Max 14. Showers Sunday: Max 17. Early frost Monday: Max 21. Early frost PERTH Saturday: Max 24. Partly cloudy Sunday: Max 22. Morning shower Monday: Max 27. Sunny HOBART Saturday: Max 11. Showers Sunday: Max 16. Mostly sunny Monday: Max 19. Windy Advertisement A maximum of 14 degrees is expected for Melbourne on Saturday, with the city dropping to a chilly seven degrees overnight. But the temperatures were expected to pick up further into the weekend, hitting a top of 18 degrees Sunday and 22 degrees on Monday. Fans heading to the Geelong vs Sydney AFL match would be wise to pack an umbrella, with more rain expected. Hobast, Adelaide and Canberra are also in for cold weather over the coming days, while Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Darwin are expected to see some sun. Many took to social media to post photos of the drenching rain, joking in their captions it was 'just some drizzle' The devastation caused by Hurricane Irma has left a Caribbean island uninhabited by civilisation 'for the first time in 300 years'. All of Barbuda's 1,800 residents have been evacuated and more than 95 per cent of its structures have been damaged after the ferocious storm hit its shores last week. The Category 5 hurricane battered the Caribbean with winds of up to 185mph leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Scroll down for video Hurricane Irma has devastated the Caribbean leaving homes completely destroyed All of Barbuda's 1,800 residents have been evacuated, leaving the island uninhabited 'for the first time in 300 years' This satellite image shows the effects of Irma on Barbuda's Codrington Port from above Many of Barbuda's residents were relocated to Antigua, which did not suffer as much damage. The Ambassador to the US for both islands, Ronald Sanders, told USA Today: 'Theres not a single living person on the island of Barbuda a civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished.' Irma was 378 miles wide when it hit Barbuda, a small island of just 62 square miles - the damage is estimated to cost around $200m (15m). Photographs taken after the storm show homes completely flattened with debris strewn about the landscape. 'The island and the people on the island had absolutely no chance,' Mr Sanders added. The island generates just $1bn a year and authorities are hoping the international community will provide them with aid Hurricane Irma, pictured over Florida, was 365 miles wide when it descended on Barbuda A car lies crushed beneath a fallen structure as debris can be seen strewn about the landscape Barbuda's relocated residents are now living in cramped conditions in Antingua's government buildings and nursing homes. The island's GDP stands at $1bn (744m) a year and Mr Sanders is hoping that other countries will provide it with money to aid reconstruction. He said: 'We are hopeful that the international community will come to our aid, not because were begging for something we want, but because were begging for something that is needed.' A man stabbed two people to death as a family vigil for a ded teenager ended in a bloodbath, a court heard yesterday. Robert Stratton is accused of stabbing Julie McCash and David Sorrie to death in a row in the street. The alleged stabbing took place just after 5am hours after 18-year-old Ralph Smith was reported missing. The teenager was found dead after falling from cliffs in Arbroath, Angus. Julie McCash (left), 42, and David Sorrie (right), 32, died when violence erupted at a flat in Dundee during a gathering for Ralphie Duffy, 18 The High Court in Edinburgh heard how his family had gathered to comfort each other when trouble flared in a house in Drumlanrig Drive, Dundee on February 26. Yesterday sales adviser Darren Wallace, 25, told the jury he had seen 43-year-old Stratton stab Miss McCash, 42, after a disturbance involving Mr Wallaces mother Wendy McKinney, 44, and Strattons wife Lee Mary Kinney, who was asked to leave the house. Mr Wallace said Stratton then appeared in the street carrying knives and shortly afterwards Miss McCash was injured. He added: I thought it was a punch but he stabbed her. Rab ran towards her. She said: Darren, hes stabbed us. She collapsed onto the pavement. I ran into the house to shout shes been stabbed and my mum and the whole house came running out... Everybody was just frantic. Stratton, of Dundee, denies two charges of murder and other charges including assault and possessing cocaine. The court heard that the alleged offences took place following the death of Mr Smith, when family and friends wanted to comfort the teenagers mother Nicola Duffy. Wendy McKinney told the court that Lee Mary Kinney started arguing with her. Miss McKinney admitted she had taken cocaine earlier in the day and had been drinking. The alleged stabbing took place just after 5am hours after 18-year-old Ralph Smith (pictured) was reported missing She said that after Miss Kinney left she became aware that Miss McCash had been stabbed. She and David Sorrie, 32, ran out and saw Stratton: He was standing on his own. He had two knives. He was swinging them. Miss McKinney said Stratton came towards her and she put her foot up to protect herself. She heard her son scream and saw the victim lying: I pulled her top off. I seen her wound. 'I took my top off and I packed it in the wound. I applied pressure. I tried to breathe into her mouth. Prosecutors and defence lawyers agree Stratton stabbed Miss McCash and Mr Sorrie and the pair died as a consequence. But Strattons legal team has lodged special defences of incrimination and claims he was acting in self-defence in relation to the murder charges. Five people have been charged after police seized 1.3kg of methamphetamine, $200,000 cash, and weapons in Perth's South. West Australian police said the discovery was made after seven homes were searched within the city's south east on Thursday. Detectives raided properties at Harrisdale, Forrestfield, Gosnells, Martin, Forrestdale and Morley, all suburbs in Perth. The Organised Crime Squad seized $200,000 cash (pictured) during the raid on Thursday Police said stolen or unlawfully obtained property and a variety of prohibited and controlled weapons were also seized during the raids. Five men, aged between 29 and 39, are facing charges including possessing of a prohibited drug, weapons and drug paraphernalia. Four men appeared at the Armadale Magistrates Court, but another man, 29, will appear at the Perth Magistrates Court on Friday to face drug charges. An Sydney couple have offered to help neighbours fill out and post their gay marriage voting forms - but only if they are 'yes' supporters. Frederik and Peter, who live in an apartment building in Surry Hills in the city's east, posted the offer on an online bulletin board for residents. The modern high-rise has been targeted by flyer campaigns in recent weeks, but other residents have told Daily Mail Australia the latest offer crosses the line. An inner city couple have offered to help neighbours fill out and post their gay marriage voting forms - but only if they are 'yes' supporters (pictured is the message posted online) Frederik and Peter, who live in an apartment building in Surry Hills in Sydney's east, posted the offer on an online bulletin board for residents (pictured is a stock image of Surry Hills) 'Don't forget to post your Marriage Equality Survey. If you can't get to a post-box drop it mail box Apt XX and I will post it (don't bother for no votes). I will even complete it for you,' wrote Frederik and Peter on Friday. The Australian Bureau of Statistics allows people to get help from a 'trusted person' when filling out the survey. 'A person cannot self-declare or claim themselves to be a trusted person for someone else,' says the ABS website. 'The role of the trusted person is not to provide information on the survey or recommend how to respond. The survey is seeking the respondent's view not that of the trusted person.' The original offer (pictured) was posted without the couple's apartment number but was soon updated Survey forms containing vital marriage equality votes were found ripped from their envelopes and stolen in Melbourne this week, a 3AW693 listener claimed 'Penalties may apply for providing false or misleading information to the ABS.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted building management for comment. The news comes on the same day Australian Bureau of Statistics letters with the voting forms missing were found dumped on the streets of Melbourne. A concerned listener to Neil Mitchell's 3AW693 radio program called to say he'd discovered three letters with the voting forms missing had been dumped in Murrumbeena, in Melbourne's south-east, on Friday morning. Some Australians were skeptical of postal voting being a trustworthy method One man on Facebook said the ability to vote multiple times due to the postal process was 'the beauty' of the non binding survey 'I discovered on the footpath, three survey envelopes for the marriage equality survey, theyd been ripped open with the contents removed,' he said. 'What theyve done with the actual survey who knows.' There is no suggestion the Sydney couple are involved in any survey form thefts or vote tampering. The Australia Bureau of Statistics began sending out the forms to Australian households on Tuesday. A Twitter user said having a postal vote left the door open for people to manipulate the end result to reflect their favoured outcome. One man claimed he would be voting an extra seven times in the same sex marriage postal survey because former residents of his house had not changed their enrolment details A woman responded she would be doing the same thing with extra votes sent to her home 'Postal votes will be used above all cos they're so easy to cheat with,' one wrote. Others praised former occupants of their homes for failing to have their mail redirected. Voters reported their extra mail would finally be put to good use, with one expressing their intention to use an extra three votes to their advantage. Another woman said she often received mail for previous residents, and would submit a yes vote for each extra postal survey form she received. But many disgruntled Australians have taken to social media to express their concerns about the way the vote is being conducted. The arguably flawed system has already faced controversy, particularly after a photo emerged this week of a torch light shining through an envelope, revealing a voter's selection. The image showed a 'no' box being ticked, which was clearly visible under the illumination. 'So we wasted $122 million on a survey where a torch can reveal the answer through the reply envelope it came with,' a concerned voter wrote. A concerned voter posted an image of the see-through envelope on Reddit after seeing it pop up on his Facebook news feed He said he will still be voting 'yes' even if his vote won't be 'counted now after this stuff up' The person who shared the post revealed they were pro-marriage equality and would 'be voting yes... if it will even be counted now after this stuff up.' The post sparked doubt among many Australians, with some suggesting the process could be corrupted if people used torches to tamper with votes. An Australia Post spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the service was 'confident in [its] capability to deliver the postal survey'. 'It is a criminal offence to tamper with mail, and Australia Post has strong security measures in place throughout our national network. 'We have undertaken a thorough review ahead of delivering the survey and will have additional security measures in place during the process. Lieutenant Esmond Elliot, 22, died after being shot in the arm and the chest by a single bullet in August 1917 dying a week later An academic has managed to track down the family of a First World War hero killed before the battle of Passchendaele in August 1917 after discovering a bronze bust of the officer in an antiques store. Lieutenant Esmond Elliot, 22, was commanding G Company of the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards when he was struck by a single bullet and died later of his wounds in hospital. Lt Elliot's grieving mother Mary commissioned Thomas Clapperton to create a bronze bust of her son in 1921. The bust did not make it to Elliot's family, and in 1974 it was on sale in an antiques shop in Keswick when Robert Rider, now 82, purchased it for 60. After purchasing the bust, Mr Rider, who is a lecturer in education at Goldsmiths, University of London, spent more than 40 years attempting to identify the officer and return the bust to his family. Mr Rider, from Worthing, East Sussex, knew from the shoulder pips the young officer was a lieutenant and the buttons on his uniform identified him as a Scots Guard. The Sam Browne belt which would holster the standard issue Webley revolver suggested the officer had served during the First World War. Lt Elliot was the youngest son of the 4th Earl of Minto, Viceroy to India. Mr Rider told The Times: 'Whenever I could spare a weekend, a holiday or a half-term, I would be following it up. It was off and on for quite a few years. It was my life. I feel I know the chap now.' Armed with this information, Mr Rider managed to identify 47 names of officers matching the rank and regiment. He forwarded a photograph of the bust to the Border Telegraph. The sculptor's daughter, Jean Myers identified Lt Elliot which enabled him to contact the officer's distant relative Lord Astor of Hever. Lt Elliot was killed in advance of the battle of Passchendaele in Belgium, file photograph Lt Elliot was laid to rest at the Mendinghem Military Cemetery, pictured Lt Elliot grew in Minto House, Roxburghshire, pictured here in November 1924 He continued: 'All the time I was getting to know him a little bit better. Everything seemed to lead to something else. The more I found out the more I had to know. There was something very fine, very noble about him.' Lt Elliot, who lived at Minto House, Minto, Roxburghshire, Scotland was buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery in Flanders, Belgium. A book on Lt Elliot's life has been written by his cousin Johnnie Astor and Alexandra Campbell. According to the Coldstream History Society, a fellow officer Lt Ewart wrote: 'Poor Esmond Elliot was shot through the body and arm a few yards from me and his orderly killed outright. He was concious to the last and did not realise he was dying although he was in great pain.' Lt Elliot was educated at Eton and gave up a place at Trinity College, Cambridge on the outbreak of the war, when he joined the Lothian and Border Horse. He later transferred to the Scots Guards in August 1916 in order to accept a field command. According to Helion Publishing, who are publishing Lt Elliot's book later this month, he was a daring young officer who moved from a staff officer role behind the front line to a combat unit. According to the book: 'In preparation for the Passchendaele Offensive, which began on 31 July 1917, Esmond led a daring raid across the Yser Canal, returning with vital intelligence which helped the Guards Division in their successful seizure of the bank on the enemy side four days before the main assault. A week later, while in command of his Company, he was killed by a single bullet.' The book is compiled from letters from the young officer to his mother Mary. One letter was sent by Lt Elliot's platoon sergeant following his death. The sergeant wrote: 'We have lost our idol for we had set him on a pedestal in our hearts. He came to us and claimed our affections so that, now he has gone, we will miss him more than words can tell.' Tropical Storm Jose could regain hurricane strength on Friday and cause life-threatening rip currents along portions of the United States east coast, the US National Hurricane Center said. The storm is about 510 miles south-southwest of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour and could gradually turn toward the north in the next two days, the NHC said. 'Jose could produce other direct impacts next week along portions of the east coast of the United States from North Carolina northward to New England,' according to the NHC. Tropical Storm Jose could regain hurricane strength on Friday and cause life-threatening rip currents along portions of the United States east coast, the US National Hurricane Center said The storm (right) is about 510 miles south-southwest of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour and could gradually turn toward the north in the next two days, the NHC said 'Interests along U.S. east coast from North Carolina northward to New England should monitor the progress of Jose during the next several days.' The official hurricane and storm watchdog added: 'Swells generated by Jose are affecting Bermuda, the Bahamas, the northern coasts of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, and the southeast coast of the United States, and will spread northward along the mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. during the next few days. 'These swells are likely to cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions.' This comes as Hurricane Max, later downgraded to a tropical storm, dumped heavy rain over southern Mexico after slamming into a sparsely populated stretch of Pacific coast. This comes as Hurricane Max, later downgraded to a tropical storm, dumped heavy rain over southern Mexico after slamming into a sparsely populated stretch of Pacific coast. Pictured, the damage caused by Hurricane Max in San Marcos People view the damage caused by Hurricane Max after it passed through the town of San Marcos, Guerrero Near the resort city of Acapulco in Guerrero state, the government worked frantically to widen a channel to the sea to prevent a coastal lagoon from flooding. And Gov. Hector Astudillo warned that the rains would continue through the night, creating fears of flooding and landslides in Guerrero and Oaxaca states. The U.S. National Hurricane Center had earlier issued a hurricane warning for the coastline between Zihuatanejo and Punta Maldonado. The center said the rapidly weakening Max should become a tropical depression then dissipate by early Friday. Near the resort city of Acapulco (pictured) in Guerrero state, the government worked frantically to widen a channel to the sea to prevent a coastal lagoon from flooding And Gov. Hector Astudillo warned that the rains would continue through the night, creating fears of flooding and landslides in Guerrero and Oaxaca states Max had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and was located about 95 miles east of Acapulco Thursday night. It was heading toward the east at 7 mph, the hurricane center reported. Acapulco, about 30 miles from where the hurricane made landfall, was hit by strong winds and rain that blew down some branches on the city's coastal boulevard. Also Thursday, Tropical Storm Norma formed farther out to the west in the Pacific and was expected to strengthen and head toward the resort-studded Baja California Peninsula. Norma was located about 360 miles south of the twin resorts of Los Cabos at the peninsula's southern tip. Acapulco, about 30 miles from where the hurricane made landfall, was hit by strong winds and rain that blew down some branches on the city's coastal boulevard Residents rescue belongings from their beach stand, damaged by strong winds during the passage of Hurricane Max in Acapulco Van driver John Cormican covering up as he leaves Highbury Magistrates Court, North London A van driver pleasuring himself whilst driving and filming it on his mobile phone has been fined and given nine points on his licence. John Cormican, 35, was caught after police seized his mobile phone when they attended his home address for an unrelated matter. The videos were from chats to a woman online in April this year and showed him pleasuring himself while behind the wheel of his van driving down the road. He yesterday pleaded guilty to one count of outraging public decency and one count of driving without due care and attention and was given a total fine of 1500 for both charges. Prosecutor Penny Fergusson said: 'Police attended his address for an unrelated matter earlier this year. 'During that search a number of computers and other devices were seized by officers including a laptop and a mobile phone. 'The detective in this case found there were a number of chats dated the 5th of April, 2017, with video clips from his handset.' Ms Fergusson added that the video made clear Cormican was using one hand to record and the other to pleasure himself meaning he had no hands on the wheel. The chats show the videos were sent to a woman and the prosecutor added: 'It is clear he was not in proper control of the vehicle as his hands were not on the steering wheel.' The court heard in the videos he was passing on-coming traffic and at one point passed a cyclist. Ms Fergusson said: 'Had that cyclist looked into the vehicle they would have been able to see him. 'The clip shows him at a zebra crossing and a female and a young child are seen crossing the road.' The court heard he has a previous offence of violent disorder which was carried out in 2006, and eventually sentenced in 2011. In sentencing Magistrate Egan told the defendant he would receive credit for pleading guilty, but said there were 'significant issues' arising from the charges. Pictured: Highbury Magistrates' Court David Claydon for the defence told the court said the case was at the bottom end of the offence of outraging public decency. He said: 'The prosecution case is not that anyone saw, that is a fact, but he was capable being seen. And that is at the bottom of the spectrum.' He said the case has had a 'devastating' impact on his life and because it was a work van he had resigned from his job and was now self employed. He has also moved out of his marital home following the charges. In sentencing Magistrate Egan told the defendant he would receive credit for pleading guilty, but said there were 'significant issues' arising from the charges. She said: 'You drove knowing you were not in control of the vehicle and you were not fully concentrating on your driving as you were videoing yourself at the time.' Cormican, of Ealing, west London, was fined 750 for the charge of outraging public decency and 750 for the charge of driving without due care and attention. He was also given nine penalty points and ordered to pay a 75 victim surcharge and 85 costs. A postpartum care centre in China has been heavily criticised after one of its workers was caught dropping a newborn baby to the ground. The female worker was pushing a stroller when the baby carrier lost its balance and toppled over, causing the infant inside to hit the floor. A spokesperson at the centre told media that the nurse was an experienced medical professional and that the baby was unscathed after the fall. The baby's family, however, is set to file a lawsuit against the care centre next week, according to a family representative, who called the nurse 'extremely irresponsible'. A care centre in China has been criticised after a nurse caused a baby to fall on the ground The nurse appeared to be casually pushing a stroller which toppled over causing the incident The incident took place on the morning of July 16 at the Puruming Postpartum Care Centre in Yanji, north-east China. The nurse, in purple, is seen casually pushing the stroller back and forth and the stroller toppled over. The baby is seen sliding off the stroller and apparently hit the ground on its head. Another worker, in pink, rushed over to help the nurse pick up the baby. Then, the baby is seen being taken into an area by the nurse where two other babies are kept. The baby, a boy, was 19 days old when the incident occurred, according to Wang Xi, a solicitor representing the baby's family. The baby apparently hit the floor on its head before the workers rushed to pick it up The postpartum care centre said the nurse was an experienced medical professional The 14-second video became viral after being released to the Chinese social media yesterday by Beijing-based lawyer Yi Shenghua. In a post, Mr Yi accused the care centre of being irresponsible. Mr Yi, apparently angry, wrote: 'Had the CCTV footage not been released, how long would you hide this matter from the public?' The clip quickly gathered attention from people on social media, who left thousands of comments, accusing the worker of being 'careless' and 'brutal'. The centre also described the matter as 'small negligence' and said the baby was unhurt The nurse then carried the baby to an area where two other infants were kept in the care centre The Puruming Postpartum Care Centre claims to provide a wide range of services in taking care of new mothers and newborn babies. On its website, the centre's services range from specialised care for babies to yoga training for mothers. A spokesperson from the care centre confirmed to media that the incident took place in July, but described the matter as 'small negligence' from the worker. The spokesperson told a reporter from Pear Video that the nurse had previously worked as a deputy director at a hospital for more than 30 years. She also said: 'The baby was unscathed. A CT scan at the People's Hospital showed no damage had been caused to the brain.' She added: 'After all, human beings are not gods. There would be times when accident happens.' Ms Wang, the family's solicitor, told MailOnline although the medical checks on the day showed no damage had occurred to the baby, the checks could not guarantee the baby's neurological health in the days to come. 'We can see from the video that the carer was extremely irresponsible,' said Ms Wang. MailOnline has contacted the Puruming Postpartum Care Centre for comments, and was informed by workers at the centres that they could not provide any opinions on the matter and they did not know where the manager was. Only one in four Royal Navy warships can sail due to spending cuts and the fleet is barely able to protect Britain, it was claimed today. The Daily Telegraph quoted defence sources warning that 13 of Britain's 19 frigates and destroyers were unable to put to sea because of a lack of manpower, fuel and supplies. Lord West of Spithead, the former First Sea Lord, said the reports showed a 'hollowing out of defence'. Only one in four Royal Navy warships can sail due to spending cuts and the fleet is barely able to protect Britain, it was claimed today. Destroyer HMS Westminster (pictured) is reported to be undergoing maintenance and sea trials The Daily Telegraph quoted defence sources warning that 13 of Britain's 19 frigates and destroyers were unable to put to sea because of a lack of manpower, fuel and supplies. Frigate HMS Richmond is currently reported to be on operational sea trials Britain's response to Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean has been criticised for being 'sluggish'. HMS Ocean, the current flagship, is sailing to the region but is not due to arrive until next week. The sources told the Telegraph: 'The Armed Forces have now been reduced to a level where they struggle to protect British citizens. 'Our lacklustre response to Hurricane Irma makes Britain a laughing stock and is the direct result of the Government's cuts to the defence budget.' Lord West of Spithead, a former First Sea Lord, told the paper: 'What is happening, despite what the Defence Secretary says, is a hollowing-out of defence.' A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We are growing the Royal Navy for the first time since the Second World War. Lord West of Spithead, the former First Sea Lord, told the paper the reports showed a 'hollowing out of defence'. 'Our Navy can already carry out all its operational requirements, is over 97 per cent recruited and, with two types of brand new frigates and two huge aircraft carriers in the pipeline, the UK is fulfilling its global maritime role. 'Britain is committed to spending two per cent of GDP on defence, in line with minimum Nato targets.' Ministry of Defence sources insisted to MailOnline the numbers reported about the Navy's warships were 'wrong'. The Royal Navy does not comment on the details of current deployments. Normal procedures leave about a third of the fleet of combat ships in dock for maintenance. Julian Lewis, chairman of the Commons defence committee, told the Telegraph: 'The size of the Navy has been massively reduced over the past 20 years - having one ship in the right place at the right time is creditable but not sufficient. 'Barely 2 per cent spent on defence is too low and defence is far too far down the scale of our national priorities. 'The fact we have allowed the size of our Armed Forces to be progressively cut to unsustainably low levels is bound to have an effect on our ability to react at scale to crises as they arise.' Britain's response to Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean has been criticised for being 'sluggish'. Pictured is HMS Montrose, said to be undergoing sea trials. A restaurant owner in China was chased by a group of enraged dog owners this week after being accused of killing and stealing their pets. The restaurateur, surnamed Du, reportedly said he had shot dead the dogs with a crossbow because he wanted to make dog hotpot, a specialty at his restaurant. Bodies of eight dead dogs were found in the boot of Mr Du's Volkswagen after he managed to escape the villagers' chase and left his car abandoned, said the police. Eight pet dogs were killed and put in a car boot by a restaurateur in Yichang, central China The restaurateur abandoned his Volkswagen on the side of the street before the police arrived Chutian Jin Daily reported that the pet owners are from the WuLongSanZu village. After realising their pets had been stolen, they drove a car to chase the suspect in Yichang, Hubei Province. The car chase has been captured by a surveillance camera at around 8:30am on September 13. The villagers alerted the Yichang police, who dispatched officers to nearby streets to search for the suspected dog snatcher. Officers later found a black Volkswagen being abandoned on the side of a road, with a left wheel detached from its body. The car was parked in front of a residential complex. It was seriously damaged, with marks on the left door. Police searched around the car and found eight dead dogs in the car boot. The dogs were believed to be villagers' pets. By tracing the owner of the car's insurance licence, the police discovered that the vehicle belonged to Mr Du. The eight pet dogs were found by the police in the restaurateurs car (left and right). Mr Du confessed that he had hunted and killed the dogs to make the famous dog meat hotpot As the officer started investigating, Mr Du reportedly turned himself in to the police at 2pm on the same day. Mr Du explained that he ran a hotpot restaurant. He claimed that dog meat hotpot was the restaurant's best-selling dish, so he decided to hunt for more dogs to help him draw more customers. Mr Du told the police that he drove his car to the village with his wife, surnamed Wang, at 4am. He used a crossbow to kill the dogs as his wife was on guard. Then he put the dogs' bodies in the car boot. Animal rights group PETA Asia has expressed its concerns over the fact that a large number of domestics dogs in China are being hunt for 'inhumane purposes'. Keith Guo, press officer at PETA Asia, China, told MailOnline that there were reports which showed 'millions of dogs are cruelly bludgeoned and killed to be used for food and leather every year'. 'Besides these eight dogs, we don't know how many other animals have been poisoned to death for their flesh,' he said. The country has also been accused of allowing a dog-meat festival to be held every year on the Summer Solstice in Yulin, southern China's Guangxi Province. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley has said 'hundreds' of officers are currently 'trawling through CCTV' in a desperate bid to close in on the 'suspects' involved in the Parsons Green bomb. Rowley said Met Police had embarked on a complex investigation and while the device had now been safely defused, his officers were also starting to examine some of the pictures sent in from witnesses at the scene. The Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner told reporters: 'We are making excellent progress at the moment as we pursue our lines of inquiry to identify, locate and arrest those responsible. 'We have hundreds of police officers trawling through CCTV footage, detectives have spoken to tens of witnesses and we have taken a large number of calls from to the hotline... for members of the public. 'Indeed members of the public have sent in so far 77 images and videos of the scene... which are now being assessed for evidential value.' It comes after Theresa May raised Britain's terror threat level from critical to severe, meaning another attack on the public could be imminent. More armed police will be deployed to the streets while soldiers will take over a number of security functions such as manning power stations. Meanwhile he confirmed the improvised explosive of the device has now been made safe and has now been taken away for special forensic examination. Photos of the bomb at Parsons Green show a builder's bucket inside a Lidl coolbag with apparent fairy lights hanging out of it. It is thought the bomb failed to fully detonate Rowley said Met Police had embarked on a complex investigation and 'hundreds' of officers were 'trawling through CCTV footage' Explosives experts say the Parsons Green bomb could have killed dozens if it had properly detonated at rush-hour this morning. Anti-terror police are now examining the bucket bomb which failed to fully go off on a tube train in west London as they try to track down the bomber. Photos of the explosive show a large builder's tub - believed be packed with explosives - inside a Lidl coolbag, with a string of Christmas tree lights, thought to have been a crude detonator, hanging over the top. Officers compared the device to those used in the failed 21/7 bombings, in which jihadis attempted to blow up tube trains. In that case, the bombs' detonators went off but the explosives themselves were not ignited. Pictures on social media show a bucket alight on the underground train after the explosion. It is understood to have had a timer, meaning it could have been intended for a busier station It is believed the bomb was left on the busy district line train from Wimbledon this morning before the bomber escaped. Police are analysing the device to track down the terrorist ISIS have encouraged followers to use the lights in bomb guides they post online. An ex-Army bomb disposal officer said he believed the bomb could have been the Mother of Satan explosive used in the failed 21/7 terror plot. Chris Hunter said the bombmaker 'almost certainly' used triacetone triperoxiede (TATP), a sensitive and highly explosive material used by jihadists. Mr Hunter told Sky News: 'When I saw the bucket and when I saw it burning, it looked exactly like the 21/7 device.' The Mother of Satan has been used in several terrorist attacks, including 7/7 and the Manchester Arena bombing. He added: 'There are very few chemical compounds readily available to jihadists that can be used to make a high explosive so the main charge will also certainly be TATP. 'This substance is also known as the Mother of Satan. It is super sensitive just after being made and can go off very easily. However, it doesn't remain sensitive for very long, it deteriorates quickly.' In that instance, a group of Islamic terrorists planned to carry out a copy-cat attack to 7/7, but although the detonator part of the bombs went off, they did not ignite the explosives and only one person was injured. A timer was also found on the Parsons Green device, suggesting the terrorist left it on board the train and then got off. It also suggests it was intended to go off at busier stations further down the line. There were also reports that the bucket had been filled with nails and was to be set off by a booster charge of hexamethylene triperoxide diamine. Terror expert Will Geddes said: 'My suspicion is that Parsons Green was not the intended target. 'Unless a person knows it, it is not going to mean a great deal to you - if it was Paddington or Notting Hill, they are internationally recognised names.' 'I think it was more a premature detonation than anything else. This could have been a lot worse. It could have killed a significant number of people.' Others say the bomb probably didn't detonated properly because it was badly made. Explosives expert Dr Sidney Alford told MailOnline: 'The fact that an initial bang was heard but the bomb did not even shatter the plastic bucket it was contained in suggests to me this could have been hydrogen peroxide. 'I can rule out other types of explosives as if the initial bang was heard with those they would have gone off completely and destroyed the bucket.' Dr Alford said the bomb properly did not go off because it was poorly designed. Witnesses reported a 'strong, acrid chemical smell' in the carriage after the explosion. Pictures from the District Line train appear to show a burning plastic bucket stashed in a Lidl carrier bag, which exploded Specialist forensic officer, including some with expertise in dealing with bombings and chemical incidents, are combing the train for clues A victim, believed to be a schoolchild, is carried from the station with charred legs as others were treated for burns in the street and neighbouring shops A traumatised and injured passenger on the ill-fated Parsons Green train is taken away by paramedics and firefighters Major General Chip Chapman told Sky News: 'This doesn't look like a high-end explosive from ISIS such as TATP (triacetone triperoxide) or, if it was, it failed significantly, the booster or detonator didn't go off. 'That said of course, the most devastating land-based terror attack in Europe, in Madrid, had a similar modus operandi.' He added: 'It's not a high explosive that functioned because the blast and shockwave would have killed multiple people.' Flames engulfed one carriage and raced along a train on a west London route to Parsons Green, forcing passengers to trample others as they rushed for an exit Transport for London said Tube services were suspended between Edgware Road and Wimbledon Examining the image of the bomb, chemical weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon told MailOnline: 'It looks pretty unsophisticated. 'It could be an incendiary device with some sort of detonator in a big white plastic bucket, perhaps with some sort of chemical like ammonia nitrate, fertiliser bomb to cause an explosion.' He said the attack looked like 'classic jihadi terrorism' and the bomb could have been 'devastating' if it had detonated properly. Mr de Bretton-Gordon said the attack would raise further questions over whether the sale of certain chemicals should be more heavily regulated.' Describing the device, witness Sylvain Pennec said: 'It looked like a bucket of mayonnaise. I'm not sure if it was a chemical reaction or something else, but it looked homemade.' The incident has been compared to the 21/7 attacks in which bombs were placed on the underground and the detonators went off, but did not ignite the explosives In that instance, the bombers Muktar Said Ibrahim (left) and Ramzi Mohammed were tracked down by police and convicted of terror offences This was one of the failed bombs in the 21/7 attacks, with explosive substances left on the floor of a London bus when the device failed to properly detonate It is not be the first time extremists have used so-called them to build a device. In May this year, a radicalised former doorman Zahid Hussain was found to have built an explosive device in his bedroom with fairy lights, shrapnel and a pressure cooker. He is said to have researched bomb-making techniques online, with police finding a wealth of notes and instructions at his home in Birmingham when he was arrested in 2015. Similarities between the device and that used in the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 have also been drawn. In that case, timers were also used to allow the bombers to get away. However, in that case the explosives in a pressure cooker. Commuters have described their horror at seeing a little boy who lost his younger brother in the chaos of the Parsons Green Tube attack, which left 29 people injured. The 11-year-old was one of the rush hour passengers who were caught up in a stampede as terrified people fled fearing the 'whole train would blow up'. Olaniyi Shokunbi, 24, boarded the tube at Putney Bridge and had been listening to music when he saw people scrambling off the train. He said: 'There were people on the floor, there was a little boy, I really felt sorry for him, he couldn't have been more than 11. 'He had scratches on his head, he was looking for his little brother. I was going to go back into the train station but a woman said 'don't go back in there, there's people on the floor'. Another witness saw a pregnant woman who had been knocked over in the stampede, and said he had to 'try really hard' not to crush her. A witness tweeted this picture of a young boy said to have lost his brother in the aftermath This photo - taken from a video - shows a child being carried away by paramedics following the Parsons Green attack It is not clear whether or not boy, who is shown with his face obscured, was the younger brother of the boy pictured at the top of the article People in the area this morning were crushed by terrified crowds. Pictured, paramedics treating a victim at the scene A police officer escorts an injured woman from the scene at Parsons Green Underground Station Other commuters at the scene said they were 'thrown around and crushed' by panicked crowds shouting 'there's a man, there's a man' before running from the area Peter Crowley, who was travelling on the District Line this morning, said his head has been 'charred' after a fireball engulfed his train Counter terror police confirmed this morning the incident at Parson's Green is being treated as a terror attack as they evacuated people from the area Ryan Barnett, 25, who was further up the train, recalled: I was sitting there, headphones in, at Parsons Green, the doors open fine, Im not really paying attention, and all of a sudden hundreds of people run past me screaming a mixture of stampede, attack, terrorist, explosion, get off the train, everyone run. He made it to the staircase but stewards were shouting stop, stop, stop and it turned into what another witness called a mass pile-up. Mr Barnett said: People were falling over, people were fainting, people were crying. There were little kids clinging on to the back of me. In the chaos, he said a pregnant woman lost her shoes and fell over. There was sheer pandemonium and panic, added passenger Neil White, while another witness told LBC radio: I was helping a lady up and she was unconscious she was just getting trampled. Peter Crowley, who was travelling on the District Line this morning, said his head has been 'charred' after a fireball engulfed the train at Parsons Green in west London. Emma Stevie, 27, said people were crushed as they lay on the floor while commuters tried to flee the station. Another passenger likened the scene to a horror film, adding there was 'a mass of people with horrified faces literally running for their lives.' 'I HOPE THEY DON'T BLAME MUSLIMS' A teenager whose sister was caught up in the terror attack said he hopes the public 'won't blame Muslims'. Eighteen-year-old Mahmoud Almesaouil said his younger sibling was on the way to her sixth form college this morning when the device exploded. While he is concerned that the bomber is on the run, he said he hopes the public won't made judgements. Speaking to MailOnline he said: 'I hope they won't blame Muslims for this, I hope they don't say it is a Muslim problem. Islam condemns terrorism. Terrorism has no religion.' The teenager, who is off to study at Kingston University next week, said it had changed the area for him. 'It's very safe, you don't expect it.' He has not been able to return to his home above Parson's Green Tube Station since the incident. Advertisement Eight victims of the terror attack have been treated at a specialist burns unit in Central London. Paramedics rushed the injured commuters to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. In all 18 were injured in the blast - with many more injured in the subsequent panic and stampede out of the underground station. Dozens of commuters made a '100 metre sprint' after a large flash engulfed the 8.20am train as it pulled into Parsons Green station. Emma Stevie told the BBC: 'We got on the train at Parsons Green, then I heard lots of screams and people saying 'run, run'. We got out and then there was a human stampede, down the stairs. 'There were people lying underneath getting crushed, a big human pile-on. I wedged myself in next to a railing. I put myself in the foetal position. I kept thinking, 'I'll be ok, I'll be ok'. 'There was a pregnant woman underneath me, and I was trying really hard not to crush her. The fire brigade was telling us to get back on the platform, but no-one was. 'The injuries from the stampede seemed the worst. I'm outside now, there are women crying and people sitting on the floor.' Father-of-one Paul was making his way to work in Kensington when the bomb was detonated. The 40-year-old told MailOnline: 'I was in my own world in a bit of a daze. Everyone had taken the seats and I walked down the carriage to get a seat. It really was like a horror film. I don't remember hearing a bang. There was just a mass of people, horrified faces. Literally running for their lives. 'I suddenly started hearing screaming and shouting and looked up and saw a stampede coming towards me, shouting 'bomb'. 'We were still moving and hadn't pulled into Parsons Green. There was just a smell of burning. 'The doors opened and everyone just spilled out. Everyone was in flight they didn't know what they were doing, pushing others kids - out the way in sheer panic. 'We arranged ourselves and sorted it out as a group. Then we were all stuck at the top of the steps on the platform. We couldn't go anywhere. Everybody on the platform was really distressed. 'There was a little boy about five, it must've been his first week of school and he was obviously terrified. The most distressing thing was seeing a little boy distressed with his mother. Mr Charley said: 'I saw passengers with facial burns, they had been exposed to a very, very hot fire for a nano second, it was lucky doors were open because everyone just got off the tube' Dozens of commuters made a '100 metre sprint' after a large flash engulfed the 8.20am train as it pulled into Parsons Green station 'I looked around and saw all these people burnt, foreheads were red. 'I said to a woman her hair was burnt off but her face was ok but she was very distressed. She said the fire ball went up past her head height to the ceiling. 'Then the first police officers came flying up the stairs with their rifles shouting at us to get down. 'There were tons of firefighters, ambulances, armed police. It was very reassuring to see them there so quickly. 'It really hit me at work when I realised it was a terror attack.' Passengers jumped off the train in terror as the device was detonated And Peter Crowley told the BBC: 'I heard a large bang from the doors on the other side of the tube train and this fireball came towards my heard and singed off all my hair I have got burn marks at the top of my head. Everyone just ran off the train, it was quite scary. 'It was a really hot intense fireball above my head, I've just got red marks and burns to the top of my head. There were a lot of people a lot worse than me. 'I saw a gentleman opposite me in a puffer jacket and the whole back of that had been burned where the intense heat had got to it he had burn marks across his face which are looking a lot worse than mine. 'There were a lot of people in shock, a lot of people visibly upset. Mostly it was facial injuries, burns rather than cuts. 'It was like nothing I have ever seen before sheer panic. Everyone jumped off the train, everyone initial reaction was to look back and assess the situation. It was just sheer panic. 'It was busy but it was movable, it was busy for that time of day. I am just going to the hospital shortly.' Emergency services were at the scene within minutes of the terror attack People stand by an ambulance near Parsons Green tube station He added: 'It was a terrifying experience, I am lucky I got away with just a bit of charred hair' Counter terror police confirmed this morning the incident at Parson's Green is being treated as a terror attack Accountant Sarah Hickson, 31, who was on her way to work said she was 'thrown around and crushed' by panicked crowds. She said: 'People just started shouting 'there's a man, there's a man' and everyone started running. It was just sheer panic. 'There were two people in front of me, a pregnant woman and a schoolboy. 'They were being crushed on the concrete stairs, TfL staff were doing their best to get control but everyone was screaming trying to get out. 'Eventually they managed to get some calm and people moved ever so slightly back allowing the boy and pregnant woman to get up.' She added: 'I am physically okay but shaken up, it was a scary experience.' People reported being crushed on the concrete stairs with TfL staff were doing their best to get control Witnesses said 'In the immediate seconds there were people running and shouting, it was just like where do you run to?' Video editor Luke Walmsley, 33, saw a woman with the skin of both her legs removed by the fire. He also claims a ten-year-old boy suffered injuries and everybody had similar burns to their faces and hair. Mr Walmsley said: 'There was a really acrid burning smell that came out of the carriage. 'We were three-quarters of a carriage away; there was screaming and then running as it pulled into Parsons Green - that was when it happened. It was coming to a standstill. 'In the immediate seconds there were people running and shouting, it was just like where do you run to? 'We did not know what was going on, there was a girl who had serious burns to her leg and there was a 10-year-old boy who had burns to his ankle. 'People were rushing down the platform, everyone was doing a 100m sprint. There was a flash at the end of the carriage that came down the train. 'There were lots of injuries from people being trampled on and everyone who had been close to it had the same burns to their head. 'We heard the first scream and then looked down and saw a flash and then the smoke and people running. People on their way to work were 'thrown around and crushed' by panicked crowds Emma Stevie said: 'We got on the train at Parsons Green, then I heard lots of screams and people saying 'run, run'. We got out and then there was a human stampede, down the stairs' 'It was complete pandemonium, complete terror. They didn't open the gates and the underground did not understand what was going on. 'People were shouting 'he's got a knife! He's got a knife!' I didn't see anyone with a knife. 'It was the school run and there were a lot of kids in school uniform and mums and nannies trying to work out where their kids were. 'The explosion was like a large match going off at the end of the carriage. When people started running there was then the smell of burnt people. 'There were more than 30 people injured, it was a full carriage and everyone had something wrong with them. 'There was this girl who had no skin on her leg, whatever she had been wearing was just gone. 'And there was another girl whose back garment was gone and her hair was gone. It was a packed commuter train.' Eyewitnesses claim at least 30 commuters including school children were injured after a homemade bomb exploded on a packed commuter train Panicked commuters initially thought there had been an acid attack on the train One man said he had seen people lying on the floor covered in blood Flames engulfed one carriage and raced along a train on a west London route to Parsons Green, forcing passengers to trample others as they rushed for an exit Couple Lucy, 24 and Fabin, 29, were on their way to work when the explosion happened. Lucy, who works in PR, said: 'We just heard screaming and sprinting, there was a stampede on the stairs and people were falling over, there was a schoolboy being lifted up after he had fallen down, he was in his school uniform, he must have been about ten, he was crying and distressed.' Speaking to local radio Peter Crowley added: 'I would personally say roughly about 20 who had physical injuries a lot of people who were shaken by the incident. 'I wasn't aware of the bag, I tend to keep myself to myself, I was side on to where I believe the incident happened. 'That side of my hair is charred. There was a lot powder as if it was a high pressure tube that had some coating on it.' He added: 'Everyone ran off the tube, it was panic stations, my initial thought was that the whole train would blow up. 'I saw passengers with facial burns, they had been exposed to a very, very hot fire for a nano second, it was lucky doors were open because everyone just got off the tube. 'It was a terrifying experience, I am lucky I got away with just a bit of charred hair.' Merton Council Councillor Daniel Holden was on the train that exploded this morning said there are 'quite a few people injured' Armed Police, paramedics and firefighters were all said to be at the west London station within five minutes of the explosion Merton Council Councillor Daniel Holden was on the train that exploded this morning said there are 'quite a few people injured.' He said: 'I was one carriage away when it happened. It was like a fireball had just hit, everyone was screaming and panicking. Everyone was trying to push their way off the train.' 'There's hundreds of police, fire brigade and ambulance here now.' Mr Holden said he wasn't injured in the explosion, but saw a few people who were. UBER HELPS STRICKEN RAIL PASSENGERS Uber has confirmed it is helping people affected by tube cancellations. The company tweeted this morning: 'We are aware of an incident at Parsons Green. 'We have turned off dynamic pricing and will refund all journeys from the affected area. ' Advertisement 'They're treating a few people who look quite injured,' he said. A director of Ride Republic, an exercise studio near Parsons Green station, said armed police led an evacuation of his building. Around 15 to 20 people were rushed from a cycling spin class, he said. He said: 'We had one client come back to our studio after a class at around 8.25am and she said there had been a terrorist incident, she was quite shaken up. 'Our front of house staff took that in and closed and locked the door. Within 10 minutes three or four police cars arrived outside the studio. 'A staff member went outside to check if we should leave and then another police officer came in and said we need to leave now. 'Someone from the front of house came into the class, which had the music going, and said 'shut off the music'. Theresa May today condemned the 'cowardly' Parsons Green bombing after chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency committee. The Prime Minister said there was no need to raise the current terror threat level from severe to critical in the aftermath of the fifth terror attack to hit Britain this year. The threat level was briefly raised in the aftermath of the bombing in Manchester in May. The Prime Minister said her thoughts were with those injured and praised the emergency services for their response. Mrs May returned from her Maidenhead constituency to chair the committee meeting at 1pm. Theresa May (pictured inside No 10 today) condemned the 'cowardly' Parsons Green bombing after chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency committee Speaking from Downing Street, Mrs May said: 'I've chaired a meeting of Cobra following this cowardly terror attack. 'Twelve people have been injured and have been treated in hospital and our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this attack. 'The police and security services were on the scene immediately. I would like to thank them for their professionalism and bravery.' She added: 'The threat of terrorism that we face is severe, but together, by working together, we will defeat them.' In her initial statement today, Mrs May tweeted: 'My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident.' Mayor of London Sadiq Khan appealed for calm, saying London 'will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism'. Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street last night) has announced the Government's emergency Cobra committee will meet to discuss the Parsons Green terror attack A photograph of the flaming white bucket taken just after it exploded around 8.20am shows a number of wires protruding out of the top and on to the train carriage floor Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: 'Once more people going about their everyday lives have been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way. 'My thoughts are with all those injured and affected. 'The police and emergency services were quickly on the scene and I would like to pay tribute again to their professionalism and tireless commitment. 'I am receiving regular updates on what is an ongoing and active investigation. 'I would urge Londoners to remain alert and assist the police and emergency services as much as they can.' An explosion on a packed London Underground train at Parsons Green today is officially being treated as terrorism. The attack is the fifth major incident in Britain this year - after the Westminster attack in March, the Manchester bombing in May, the London Bridge attack in June and the Finsbury Park attack in June. Officers from the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command have launched an investigation following the explosion in west London during the Friday morning rush hour. Home Secretary Amber Rudd (pictured in Downing Street on Tuesday) said the terrorist had targeted ordinary Londoners in a 'callous and indiscriminate way' The force said police were called at approximately 8.20am to Parsons Green Underground Station 'following reports of a fire on the train'. The Met said Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, 'has declared it a terrorist incident', adding: 'At present we are aware of a number of people who have suffered injuries.' Earlier, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson says people should 'keep calm and go about their normal lives' as emergency services respond to an incident at a London subway station. Mr Johnson says it would be 'wrong to speculate,' and that police and transit authorities 'are on it.' Armed Police, paramedics and firefighters were all said to be at the west London station within five minutes of the explosion There is terror and panic at the station this morning, with police officers consoling members of the public Fulham fitness instructor Niyi Shokunbi, 24, was in the next carriage the moment the bomb went off. He told MailOnline: 'I have never seen anything like it it was like something out of a film. I thought t was an acid attack. It happened like bang within ten seconds, i just wanted to run. 'I went towards the carriage where the bomb went off a woman said you don't want to go in there. I saw a little boy with scratches on his face crying for his brother. A woman was bleeding. Everyone was running. I've never seen anything like it.' People suffered burns from the explosion and others were hurt in the crush as people fled. Rob Partinton, 24, from Harrow told MailOnline: 'We were literally about two minutes from Parsons Green when the train suddenly stopped. 'I saw people running on the track opposite direction towards Fulham Broadway, I could hear no screams but a lot of people running. We've been held at the station for the last half an hour. It's pretty busy, a lot of police around and police dogs.' A court heard how 62-year-old Robert Simmons (centre, back row) used religion to justify his abuse and even told police that his spouse had taken a vow of obedience when they got married A controlling husband hosed his wife down with a hose, stamped on her eyes and forced her to carry a 'mistake book' where she was made to record all the times she displeased him. Robert Simmons, 62, a father-of-six and a regular church-goer, subjected Karen Simmons to 'one of the very worst cases of domestic abuse' procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court, Shetland, on Wednesday. He created an 'almost cult-like' atmosphere, in which his wife was forced to carry notebooks, including a 'mistake book', where she was forced to maintain a record of all the times she failed to please Simmons. In another book she kept a 'record of observations the accused would make about random aspects of life'. Police seized hundreds of these notebooks from their home, the fiscal said. The cumulative effect of his campaign of abuse 'completely eroded the complainer's sense of self-worth', Mr MacKenzie said. He also subjected her to catalogue of physical abuse, which included standing her in an outbuilding while he hosed her with cold water, forcing her into the boot of a car after she fled the house, and standing on her head. Last night, Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr told The Scottish Daily Mail: This is about as horrific a case of enduring domestic abuse as youre likely to get. If were to be truly serious about getting tough on domestic abuse, cases like this should be heard in the highest court in the land. Sheriff Philip Mann deferred sentencing for background report, a legal requirement in cases where someone could be given their first custodial sentence Simmons, of Sandness, Shetland, admitted 11 charges spanning from 1988 until March of this year, and was told to expect a stint in jail. The court heard that the 'regular church attendee' created an 'almost cult-like' atmosphere in the family home, using religion as a justification for his 'coercive and controlling' behaviour. 'She took a vow of obedience to me' reads one chilling statement Simmons made in police interviews, read out in court. Providing the sheriff with a lengthy narrative Mr MacKenzie told the court that Simmons had been in a relationship with his wife for 33 years, married for 30 of those. During that time the couple had six children, all home-schooled. This meant that Karen was 'deprived of any interaction with others one would have experienced with a school environment'. Viewing himself as the authority in the household Simmons very much 'set the rules' and was also responsible for doling out punishment when those rules were broken. But the rules were 'changed frequently so that it became impossible for the complainer to get it right', Mr MacKenzie said. Simmons, a father-of-six and a regular church-goer, subjected Karen Simmons to 'one of the very worst cases of domestic abuse' procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie told Lerwick Sheriff Court, Shetland (pictured) Simmons dictated his wife's behaviour to the extent that he would draw up timetables which divided her day into 15-minute slots. If she failed to follow any of the tasks set out in these the result would be more punishment. After enduring two decades of domineering and abusive behaviour Karen found the courage to reach out to Women's Aid in 2015. Mr MacKenzie read out the harrowing details of the 11 charges against Simmons, revealing systemic abuse over a prolonged period of time. The first charge against Simmons comes from Christmas Eve 1988 when he repeatedly struck his wife on the head. During the 1990s one method of punishment involved having his wife stand in an outbuilding while he hosed her with cold water. Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: If were to be truly serious about getting tough on domestic abuse, cases like this should be heard in the highest court in the land In 1991 he forced her into the boot of a car after she fled the house. The following year he compressed her throat to a point where breathing became restricted. Another incident saw Simmons compel his wife to lie on the floor. He then placed his weight on her head by standing on it, giving her two black eyes. In 1998 Simmons pushed his wife to the floor with a force that caused nerve damage which still causes discomfort to this day. Another charge related to Simmons assaulting his wife in a car in May 2015, leaving her with a black eye and bloody nose. Later that year he hit her across the back of the legs with a plastic pipe. The final charge against Simmons relates to various incidents of placing his mouth against his wife's ear while shouting, swearing and uttering threats. 'The complainer finds this terrifying', Mr MacKezie said. The procurator fiscal then went on to detail some of the statements Simmons had made to police after he was detained. On one occasion he confessed to doing 'hands-on stuff'. 'She knows I'm serious when I do that', he told the officers. Mr MacKenzie said that it was 'difficult if not nigh on impossible' to comprehend the impact the 'accused's behaviour has had on the complainer'. He added: 'The complainer is a fully-qualified and highly intelligent woman effectively robbed of all sense of self-worth.' 'He was someone to whom she deferred completely', Mr MacKenzie later said, as he successfully argued for an indefinite non-harassment order. Sheriff Philip Mann deferred sentencing for background report, a legal requirement in cases where someone could be given their first custodial sentence. But he also warned Simmons to expect a jail sentence, saying that he could not envisage a defence or background report which would convince him to find a community-based disposal. 'It's difficult to contemplate how I would reasonably look at alternatives to a custodial sentence', Sheriff Mann told Simmons. Simmons will receive legal representation next month when he appears for sentencing. A beautiful young guilt-ridden mum tragically committed suicide after writing off her husband's car. Bubbly Anastasia Lysukho, of Novocherkassk, Russia, had been forbidden to drive her husband's VAZ-2106 because he didn't trust her driving skills. But when he went away on a business trip the 20-year-old mum-of-one decided to defy his ban and took it out for a spin. Anastasia Lysukho tragically committed suicide after writing off her husband's car The mother-of-one had been forbidden to drive her husband's VAZ-2106 because he didn't trust her driving skills Ms Lysukho took the car, pictured centre, out for a spin but crashed it within minutes of leaving the garage Within minutes of leaving the garage though she had ploughed into three other cars outside their apartment block. First she crashed into a Lada Kalina coming in the opposite direction before careering into two other parked car causing 9,000 worth of damage. Eyewitnesses say she then panicked and ran away from the scene leaving the car in the road. The distraught blonde who studied at a local university is reported to have then gone home where she penned a note saying she was overcome with guilt because her husband had not insured the car. She then tragically committed suicide. A police spokesman said: 'It is believed that the lack of insurance together with her fear of telling her husband about what happened triggered the tragedy. 'It is also believed she had nervous breakdown after the accident and might not have realised what she was doing.' After the crash the student penned a note saying she was overcome with guilt because her husband had not insured the car Ms Lysukho crashed into a Lada Kalina coming in the opposite direction before careering into two other parked cars causing 9,000 worth of damage Police said they believe Ms Lysukho had a nervous breakdown after the crash and 'might not have realised what she was doing' There has now been an outpouring of condolences on social media after Ms Lysukho's death There has now been an outpouring of condolences on social media. Netizen Roman Yefremov posted: 'Poor thing. They were just three half-rotten cars, I can't begin to imagine how her family feels now.' Sergey Rubanov commented: 'Such a waste of life. She was so young and beautiful.' While Tatiana K wrote: 'Her husband must be devastated. Such a beautiful young woman.' A Labour frontbencher was last night mocked by the public as she said there is 'no confusion' over her party's position on Brexit. Dawn Butler's insistence that Labour had been 'very clear' about their views on the issue were greeted with laughter by the BBC Question Time audience. The party has been accused of flip-flopping over the crunch issue with different shadow ministers putting forward contradictory positions. Jeremy Corbyn has suggested Britain could stay in the single market - contradicting his closest ally John McDonnell who has said the UK must quit it. Appearing on the current affairs show last night, the shadow women and equalities minister tore into the Government's Brexit negotiations. But the audience descended into laughter when the host David Dimblebly pointed out Labour's 'confusion' over their own position. Labour's shadow minister Dawn Butler desperately tried to explain her party's position on Brexit during an appearance on Question Time last night, insisting it is clear Desperately trying to explain her party's position over the mocking laughter, she insisted: 'There is actually no confusion.' As her remark was greeted with yet more laughter, the shadow women's and equality minister ploughed on. 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 She said: 'No - I'll clear it up. We have been very clear from the start - we've said what we want is...' But joining in the fun, fellow panelist Talk Radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer interrupted her to ask: 'Sorry, is this today's policy?' Ms Butler, the MP for Brent Central, insisted her party's policy is clear. She said: 'The thing is I am going to tell you what our policy has always been. 'We have said that we want a jobs Brexit, which has always been in concrete. 'We want a Brexit that's good for the country. What we don't want, and what we are seeing, is businesses being forced over this cliff.' Challenged her to be more specific, Mr the host Mr Dimbleby said: 'Do you want to be in the single market or not? Because McDonnell says its not right to go in the single market, Corbyn says that's what we want, to go in the single market.' Ms Butler replied: 'No no, we have decided that we want to be in the single market and the customs union during this transitional period for as short as necessary but as long as possible. 'So while we are negotiating we need to make sure that we have some stability in what we are talking about. it is a very clear and sensible position to be in.' Labour has been plunged into chaos in their position on Brexit in recent months. Mr Corbyn earlier this week left the door open to Britain staying in the single market after we quit the Brussels club - despite earlier indicating he would oppose the move. This would be likely to mean that the UK would have to accept free movement of people despite the historic vote for Brexit. And more than a dozen Labour MPs this week defied their leader who had ordered them to vote against the EU Withdrawal Bill. This man's punch bag fail is not one he wanted to go viral. Filmed by a friend at an amusement park in Spain, he takes a running punch at the arcade game in a bid to impress. But instead of basking in his glory, the tourist trips over another machine next to it and goes crashing to the floor. This man was trying to impress his friend by scoring a knockout punch at an amusement park in Benidorm, Spain But unfortunately things did not quite go to plan and he ended up falling between the two machines The embarrassing footage of the holidaymaker shot at the Terra M'Tica theme park was posted online The video was shot at Terra M'Tica theme park in Benidorm on Spain's Costa Blanca and has racked up plenty of views online. The red-faced holidaymaker does appear to have scored highly on the arcade game, but was too busy focusing on his embarrassing fall to celebrate. Thousands of tourist flock to the popular Spanish from Britain and the rest of the world every year. A Spanish health authority has sparked fury after dispensing advice leaflets to young people on the proper way to snort cocaine. The campaign, which includes messages such as 'chop up your line nice and fine,' and 'If it is not well chopped, you can damage your nostrils,' has been slammed as irresponsible and making light of a serious subject. The controversial project was launched in Bilbao, Spain, and involved local health workers handing out plastic advice cards in the shape of credit cards with slogans on them. A Spanish health authority has sparked fury after dispensing advice leaflets to young people on the proper way to snort cocaine. The project, launched in Bilbao, Spain has been slammed However, anti-drug campaigners have slammed the move calling it flippant and frivolous. One spokesperson who has lodged a complaint against the campaign, said: 'It's a real nonsense to hand out a kind of consumption "kit" with such a flippant and frivolous message.' Health officials said the move was justified in order to 'minimise the risks of drug use' and that the card was only given out to 'selected' people, not the general public. Recipients would already have sought help and gone through screening and interviews. The information leaflet also contained warnings about being careful about sharing drug equipment because of the risk of hepatitis C through sniffing cocaine through a straw. The distribution of the cards coincided with popular fiestas in Bilbao. 'Our goal is not to promote consumption, but if it is to be done, then it should be a safe, responsible consumption and minimising risks and damages to health,' said a health department spokesman. The campaign, which includes messages such as 'chop up your line nice and fine,' and 'If it is not well chopped, you can damage your nostrils,' has been slammed as irresponsible and making light of a serious subject Bilbao PP spokesman Luis Eguiluz has called for the city council programme to be withdrawn because there is a 'risk' that young people may underestimate the danger of using illegal drugs. 'Although the campaign is developed in a personalised information centre directed at the drug user, it is a real nonsense to deliver a kind of consumer kit with a slogan so light and frivolous,' he told the Spanish press. Bilbao council says the supply of this card is part of a pilot plan and could be extended after the results of its implementation are analysed. The UN Security Council has condemned North Korea's 'highly provocative' ballistic missile test over Japan as Theresa May called on China to bring its rogue ally to heal. The UN's most powerful body said after an emergency council meeting on Friday that all 193 member states must 'fully, comprehensively and immediately' implement all sanctions. The international community has condemned the latest missile test which is in defiance of a new round of UN sanctions last week that were designed to be the toughest imposed this century. Scroll down for video The UN Security Council has condemned North Korea's 'highly provocative' ballistic missile test over Japan. Pictured is the Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Liu Jieyi Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia speaks to reporters after Security Council consultations on the situation in North Korea The council 'stressed the importance of working to reduce tension in the Korean Peninsula' - and it reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula divided between authoritarian North Korea and democratic South Korea. The statement welcomed efforts by members of the Security Council and other countries to promote 'a peaceful and comprehensive solution' to the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue. The international community has condemned the latest missile test which is in defiance of a new round of UN sanctions last week that were designed to be the toughest imposed this century. The Prime Minister is 'outraged' by the new rocket test, Downing Street said Her official spokesman said: 'The PM is outraged by North Korea's continued reckless provocation and she strongly condemns the regime's illegal tests. Theresa May (pictured leaving No 10 last night) today condemned North Korea's latest 'reckless provocation' after it fired another ballistic missile over Japan 'We are looking to China to use its channels of communication to influence North Korea and keep up the pressure on North Korea to change course.' Earlier, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson condemned the test as 'illegal' and the latest sign of 'provocation' from Pyongyang. 'Yet another illegal missile launch by North Korea. UK and international community will stand together in the face of these provocations,' he said on Twitter. In a subsequent statement, he added: 'The UK and the international community have condemned the aggressive and illegal actions of the North Korean regime, and the succession of missile and nuclear tests. We stand firmly by Japan and our other international partners. 'We are working to mobilise world opinion with the aim of achieving a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula. 'This week the most stringent UN sanctions regime placed on any nation in the 21st century was imposed on North Korea, after being unanimously agreed at the UN Security Council. Eye on Guam: Friday's missile test flew 2,300miles - 200miles further than the distance from Pyongyang to U.S. Pacific territory of Guam - and landed in the sea Aftermath: Pedestrians in Tokyo walk under a large-scale monitor displaying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a TV news broadcast after the launch ballistic missile over Japan on Friday morning, which travelled 2,300 miles 'These measures now need to be robustly enforced. We urge all states to play their part in changing the course North Korea is taking.' Before the latest launch, Mr Johnson had called for China to use its influence over North Korea to ease tensions caused by Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development programmes. At a press conference with US counterpart Rex Tillerson on Thursday, Mr Johnson said Pyongyang had 'defied the world'. 'We resolved to continue to work together and with important partners who can influence North Korea - including China - with the aim of securing the complete and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,' he said. South Korean military officials said the latest missile travelled about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometres (478 miles) before landing in the water. A Queensland woman must wait for a Supreme Court judge to decide if she is legally allowed to use her boyfriend's sperm to have children. In a landmark case for the state, Ayla Cresswell successfully applied to have Joshua Davies' reproductive tissue removed before his sudden death in August 2016. The 24-year-old has been paying for his sperm to be kept in storage at a medical clinic ever since. Ayla Cresswell (pictured: right) successfully applied to have Joshua Davies' (left) reproductive tissue removed before his sudden death in August 2016. She appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday for a hearing to determine if she could now use it to have children. Kathryn McMillan QC said although her client was young, she and her boyfriend had spoken about settling down and having children before 'tragedy struck'. The court heard Ms Cresswell had the full support of her partner's family and her own. Ms McMillan argued that although any children she had with Mr Davies' sperm would grow up not knowing their dad, 'they nonetheless would be able to have the benefit of his family's input in their life'. 'This is not a pure grief reaction,' she said, referring to the fact her client had received counselling and still wanted to have his children one year on. Ms McMillan also referenced the fact no one else, including the state, had any interest in the sperm. The 24-year-old (right) has been paying for his sperm to be kept in storage at a medical clinic ever since But Soraya Ryan QC, representing Queensland's attorney-general, raised concerns about the court's jurisdiction in the matter and the lack of relevant legislation. The court heard there were few other similar cases in Australia, but Ms Ryan said in one instance the judiciary controlled how the sperm was used. Ms Ryan said it would enable the rights of any children and the 'autonomy of the deceased' to be respected. The attorney-general's legal counsel said there were 'very few' jurisdictions in Europe that allowed posthumous retrieval, while the Victorian Law Reform Commission required written consent. She appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Friday for a hearing to determine if she could now use it to have children Justice Susan Brown said she appreciated the 'anxiousness' of Ms Cresswell and the two families to have the matter resolved, but she had to take some time to consider her decision. 'This is not something that is really canvassed within our legal system to date,' she said. 'I'm just going to have to ask everyone to have a bit more patience because it is an area which is very novel.' Justice Brown said she needed to consider if the original order allowing the sperm to be extracted was lawful and if the court had jurisdiction to make a decision. She said she also needed to decide if the sperm was considered property, who was entitled to it. A Ryanair passenger jet was forced into an emergency landing this morning after one of its nose wheels fell off while leaving Stansted Airport. The Boeing 737-800 jet, which is 11 years old, was due to fly between Stansted to Copenhagen when it lost one of its two nose wheels. The aircraft circled over Ipswich for about 15 minutes before the captain decided to land the jet in East Midlands Airport. The Ryanair Boeing 737-800 landed safely at East Midlands Airport this morning, pictured here, after losing one of its two nose wheels on departure from Stansted Airport The aircraft jet had to make an emergency landing after it lost one of its nose wheels, circled, after taking off this morning from Stansted Airport shortly after 8 am The aircraft circled over Ipswich for about 15 minutes before landing at East Midlands Airport According to Ryanair: 'This flight from Stansted to Copenhagen (September 15) diverted to East Midlands because of the loss of one (of its two) nose wheels after take-off. 'The aircraft landed safely in East Midlands, customers disembarked, were provided with refreshment vouchers and boarded a replacement aircraft, which departed to Copenhagen.' Flights into East Midlands Airport were briefly suspended this morning while fire crews inspected the aircraft after it landed. The Air Accident Investigation Branch has sent a team of inspectors to East Midlands Airport to examine the aircraft and discover why the nose wheel fell off. Several women have taken legal action against Australia's largest cosmetic surgery clinic, claiming negligent breast augmentations left them with serious complications. The lawsuit, filed in the NSW Supreme Court, alleges The Cosmetic Institute breached its duty of care by having a one-size-fits-all approach to breast augmentations. It is being spearheaded by five applicants, including a mother from Western Australia who suffered a heart attack after she was allegedly given high doses of local anaesthetic. Amy Lee Rickhuss, from Melbourne, was taken by paramedics from The Cosmetic Institutes clinic in Smith St, Parramatta to Westmead Hospital on January 30, 2015 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a breast enhancement surgery Turner Freeman lawyer Sally Gleeson says the company has left a 'trail of victims' Turner Freeman lawyer Sally Gleeson says the company has left a 'trail of victims.' 'These women have suffered a range of complications including cardiac arrests from toxic doses of anaesthesia, lung punctures, infections and physical disfigurement,' she said in a statement on Friday. Others in the lawsuit include a NSW mother who says she suffered seizures as a result of high doses of local anaesthetic and a Queensland student who developed a severe infection after surgery. The statement of claim alleges TCI used the same surgical technique regardless of a woman's size or breast shape and did not perform procedures in line with standards (pictured Amy Lee Rickhuss) Amy Lee Rickhuss, from Melbourne, was taken by paramedics from The Cosmetic Institutes clinic in Smith St, Parramatta to Westmead Hospital on January 30, 2015 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a breast enhancement surgery. TCI is accused of failing to properly train and supervise surgeons. The statement of claim alleges TCI used the same surgical technique regardless of a woman's size or breast shape and did not perform procedures in line with standards. The statement of claim alleges TCI used the same surgical technique regardless of a woman's size or breast shape and did not perform procedures in line with standards The company is also accused of not implementing adequate infection control. 'These women believed that the doctors treating them were surgeons who possessed the requisite skills and training to carry out these operations but the reality of the situation was quite different,' Ms Gleeson said. In a brief statement, TCI pledged to defend the allegations should the matter proceed. The class action covers women who underwent breast augmentation surgery at TCI premises in Bondi Junction, Parramatta, and on the Gold Coast, along with those conducted by TCI at Concord and Holroyd Private Hospitals. A Melbourne man has been jailed for two years after he sexually assaulted his partner's twin sister and accused her of making up the allegation. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was on Friday sentenced to four years in prison, with a minimum of two years, after a jury found him guilty of rape and sexual assault. The 24-year-old 'took the cowardly way out' by denying what happened and accusing his partner's twin of lying at trial, a Victorian County Court judge said. A Melbourne man has been jailed for at least two years after he sexually assaulted his partner's twin sister and accused her of making up the allegation (stock photo) 'Instead of owning up and taking responsibility and trying to make amends, you denied it,' she said. 'You reduced her reputation, attacked her honesty, blamed her, and ruined her relationship with her twin.' The judge said the man's conduct had effectively forced his partner to choose between him and her sister. She chose to stand by him. The twin was sexually assaulted after her sister's partner came into the guest bedroom to talk to her. 'She told you to stop but you continued,' the judge said. A jury found the 24-year-old guilty of rape and sexual assault, with a Victorian County Court (pictured) judge saying the man 'took the cowardly way out' by denying what happened The man had reportedly told his partner he had sexually touched her twin, but that she was the initiator and she had 'sexually violated' him (stock photo) The twin pushed the man away and told him to tell her sister, or she would. He told his partner he had sexually touched the twin, but that she was the initiator and she had 'sexually violated' him. The man's partner asked her sister not to report it to police. 'By reporting it to police I was made to feel that I did something wrong, and my ability to trust and love has been diminished,' the twin said in her victim impact statement. At trial, the defence suggested the twin was jealous of her sister's life and relationship with the man. The defence also said the twin was motivated to make a false rape allegation because she wanted attention from an ex-boyfriend who 'had so unceremoniously dumped her'. The jury's verdict shows they rejected these accounts, the judge said. 'I would never have reported this to the police had he just apologised,' the twin said. 'All I ever wanted was for him to say 'sorry' and admit what he had done to me.' A police union boss has spoken out in defence of the officer who killed Australian woman Justine Damond. Lieutenant Bob Kroll, who is the president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, spoke in response to comments by top prosecutor Mike Freeman. Justine Damond was shot dead by junior officer Mohamed Noor on July 15 after calling 911 to report a sexual assault. A controversial police union boss has spoken out in defence of the officer who killed Australian woman Justine Damond (pictured) Justine Damond was shot dead by junior officer Mohamed Noor (pictured) on July 15 after calling 911 to report a sexual assault 'We want an assurance that Noor will not be charged simply on the basis of Damond's status as a fine young woman in a nice neighborhood,' said Lieutenant Kroll in a letter to The Star Tribune. 'The status of the deceased as a fine young woman, while true, is not and should not be part of an objective decision to charge anyone with a crime.' Lieutenant Kroll said comments made by Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman showed a 'lack of professionalism' and calls 'Freeman's objectivity into question'. 'I'm saddened by the death of this fine young woman. It didn't have to happen. It shouldn't have happened,' Mr Freeman told a neighbourhood forum on Sunday. Lieutenant Bob Kroll, who is the president of the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, spoke in response to comments by top prosecutor Mike Freeman (pictures is Ms Damond) The attorney said the decision of whether or not to charge Mr Noor should be made by the end of the year. Prosecutors are trying to determine whether the admissible evidence available is strong enough to allow them to lay criminal charges. Lieutenant Kroll said he was forced to respond to Mr Freeman's comments out of a sense of fairness to the community and his fellow police officers. Ms Damond's death was tragic, he said, but comments like Mr Freeman's made the daily lives of police officers more difficult. 'We want an assurance that Noor will not be charged simply on the basis of Damond's status as a fine young woman in a nice neighborhood,' said Lieutenant Kroll (pictured is Don Damond, fiance of Justine Damond, at a memorial service) The outspoken lieutenant has a history of making controversial statements, and civil rights activists protested his appointment as union boss in 2014. In 2015 he accused city officials of not supporting police officers and putting them in danger by not allowing them to remove protestors from outside a police station. At a press conference in 2016 he called Black Lives Matter a 'terrorist organisation' and was named in a racial discrimination lawsuit. Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, embraces Don Damond, the fiance of Justine Damond, outside his home on July 20, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota During the neighbourhood forum some local residents demanded to know why Mr Noor is not in jail. The officer has still not spoken to authorities about the deadly shooting. Ms Damond, 40, from Sydney's northern beaches, was shot as she stood outside the officer's patrol car in her pyjamas just before midnight. Mr Noor was in the front passenger seat and shot across his partner and out the driver's side window, hitting Ms Damond in the stomach. Sir Vince Cable has compared Theresa May to a terror hostage victim 'handcuffed to a radiator' and at the mercy of others over Brexit. The Lib Dem leader tore into the PM for her leadership over the talks and compared her to Terry Waite, who was kidnapped by extremists and held in Lebanon four years. His comments come after George Osborne reportedly said he will not stop attacking the PM until she is 'chopped up in bags in my freezer'. Sir Vince's use of the violent imagery is likely to spark anger and come after female politicians have warned such language could fuel violence against women. In an interview the Lib Dem leader said the PM is effectively being held hostage by her Brexit supporting backbenchers. Lib Dem leader Vince Cable, pictured at a pro-EU march in Lonodn last weekend, compared Theresa May to the former terror hostage victim Terry Waite, saying she is like being held hostage by her Brexit-backing backbenchers George Osborne, pictured at the Wimbledon tennis tournament earlier in the summer, has faced criticism for reportedly using violent imagery to characterise the Prime Minister. A magazine this week claimed he told colleague he will not stop attacking her through the pages of the Evening Standard until she is 'chopped up in bags in my freezer' He told Buzzfeed the Prime Minister is 'in a very awkward position ... It's a bit like being handcuffed to a radiator in the basement of a flat in Beirut and she is at the mercy of other people. 'The minute she shows a sign of independence of mind there will be 70 letters that will go into the chairman of the '22 committee [the Tories' backbench group of MPs] and she'll be out.' Mr Waite was kidnapped by terror group Hezbollah in 1987 after travelling to the country as a Church of England envoy to try to negotiate the release of other hostages. SIR VINCE ADMITS SECOND BREXIT REFERENDUM PLEDGE BACKFIRED Sir Vince Cable admitted his party's policy to demand referendum on Brexit backfired massively with voters. The party failed to deliver on its hopes to dramatically increase the number of Ms they have in Parliament. The Lib Dems, who won just eight seats in the 2015 election, only marginally improved to get 12 in the vote on June 8. Distancing himself firmly from his predecessor, Tim Farron's stance, Sir Vince said: 'I think to be frank it didn't play well in the General Election. 'I think people didn't understand what we were trying to say. This was our fault, of course. 'It came across to people as rerunning the last one, which is not what it's about.' Advertisement He was kept in solitary confinement, chained to a radiator and often beaten during the nearly five years he was held by the extremists. Several politicians have criticised Mr Osborne's use of violent imagery to characterise the Prime Minister and Mr Cable could find himself facing similar condemnation. Speaking during a parliamentary debate yesterday on the abuse of MPs, Labour frontbencher Cat Smith warned Mr Osborne's reported remarks risked fueling violence against women. The Labour shadow deputy Commons leader said: 'He has previously compared the Prime Minister to being a 'dead woman walking'. 'The reason I raised it is because violence against women is a genuine problem in this country - two women a week are killed by their partner or former partners.' Meanwhile, in the same interview Sir Vince admitted his party's policy to demand referendum on Brexit backfired massively with voters. The party failed to deliver on its hopes to dramatically increase the number of Ms they have in Parliament. The Lib Dems, who won just eight seats in the 2015 election, only marginally improved to get 12 in the vote on June 8. Distancing himself firmly from his predecessor, Tim Farron's stance, Sir Vince said: 'I think to be frank it didn't play well in the General Election. 'I think people didn't understand what we were trying to say. This was our fault, of course. 'It came across to people as rerunning the last one, which is not what it's about.' A campaign officer for the Liberal Democrats was suspended from the party today he was convicted of stalking two university students. Ryan Lytwyn became besotted with his victims, showering one of them with unwanted gifts, grabbing him in the street and threatening to out the other as gay to his parents. The 23-year-old denied any wrongdoing but was found guilty following a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. He was handed a 12-month community payback order. The charity worker from Trinity, subjected one of his victims to three months of harassment in George Square, Pollock Halls of Residence in Holyrood Park Road and elsewhere. Ryan Lytwyn has been suspended from the Liberal Democrats after being convicted for stalking Following the conviction, a Lib Dem spokesman said: 'He is suspended from the party pending further investigation and has also been removed as campaigns officer for Young Liberals.' Lytwyn has said he 'doesn't accept the verdict' and will be lodging an appeal. The court papers reveal increasingly desperate behaviour towards one of his victims between December 2015 and March 2016. The complaint against him said: 'You did engage on a course of conduct which caused fear or alarm. 'You did pretend to him that you were a student at Edinburgh University, repeatedly sent him messages on social media.' In a separate incident last year, Lytwyn, 22, says he wore a cloak and smeared his face with black facepaint to emphasise his ghoulish white and red eyes for the event at Edinburgh University's Student Union A former politics student at the university, Lytwyn also staked out and 'loitered' at venues he knew his victim visited before pestering him when he showed up. The complaint continues: 'You did attend his place of residence unannounced and uninvited and brought him gifts and refused to leave when asked. 'You did attend his residence and repeatedly bang on the door and demand entry.' Ryan (right) and his friend after he was told to wipe the black facepaint off - he says he was left 'embarrassed' by the incident Desperate Lytwyn also tried to get others to fix up meetings with his victim. The charge sheet added: 'You uttered threats to expose his partner's sexuality to his parents, repeatedly followed him and seized him by the clothes.' Lytwyn also stalked his first victim's boyfriend between January and March 2016 in George Square, Pollock Halls and Nicolson Street. The charge sheet said: 'You did engage in a course of conduct which caused fear and alarm in that you did repeatedly follow him and attend places you expected him to be. 'You shouted at him and behaved towards him in an aggressive manner, walked in front of him and impeded his progress.' A University spokeswoman said: 'The safety of our students and staff and the security of our buildings is of paramount importance to the university. 'We have well-established policies, procedures and systems in place, as well as highly trained staff, to ensure that the university is a safe and secure environment in which to study and work.' The Liberal Democrats, led by Vince Cable (pictured in London last week), have suspended Lytwyn from his post in the party 'There is also a range of support services for any student who has concerns over their safety and security.' Lytwyn was involved in a race row last November after painting his face black to dress as the Grim Reaper for a university Hallowe'en party. He wore a creepy cloak and smeared his face black to emphasize his ghoulish white and red eyes. But when he reached the door of the Edinburgh University Student Union Halloween event he was immediately turned away. He fell foul of strict Union rules on fancy dress, which include a ban on Mexicans, gangsters, mental health patients and 'camp men'. Donald Trump said Friday after the latest terror attack in London that his controversial six-nation travel ban should be broadened and made 'tougher.' The latest version of his travel ban, initially announced in a botched late-January rollout, calls for a ban on people entering the U.S. from a short list of terror-prone countries that are also Muslim-majority nations. It also bars the entry of most refugees from anywhere in the world. 'The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!' Trump tweeted Friday. Donald Trump blasted political correctness after Friday morning's London subway bombing as he insisted his travel ban 'should be far larger, tougher and more specific' People from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are currently being kept out of the U.S. unless they already have a 'bona fide' family member living in America Trump vented on Friday after claiming that Scotland Yard missed an opportunity to catch the subway bombers The president weighed in as police in and around London carried out a manhunt for the person or persons who set off a crude incendiary bomb on a subway car during Friday's morning rush hour. He also tied his demand for a more robust travel ban to an unusual claim that Scotland Yard was familiar with Friday's bombers ahead of time and missed the chance to catch them before he launched the attack. 'Another attack in London by a loser terrorist,' Trump tweeted. 'These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!' The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments to decide the travel ban's constitutionality in October. But the high court justices allowed the ban to go into effect last month while the case is pending. Federal court challenges have resulted in exceptions being made for travelers who already have established ties to the U.S., including a broad definition of what counts as a 'bona fide' close family member. A photograph of a flaming white bucket taken just after it exploded around 8:20 a.m. on Friday shows wires protruding out of the top and onto the subway car's floor Flames engulfed one subway car and raced along a train on a west London route, forcing passengers to trample each other as they rushed for an exit Supreme Court justices are scheduled to hear arguments on October 10 about the constitutionality of Trump's travel ban, which has become a constant source of protests On September 7 a federal court in San Francisco, the liberal-leaning 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, rejected the Trump administration's limited view of who is allowed into the United States under the travel ban. 'The government does not offer a persuasive explanation for why a mother-in-law is clearly a bona fide relationship ... but a grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or cousin is not,' the 9th Circuit said. The same court ruled that refugees accepted by a resettlement agency should be allowed to sidestep the White House's broad ban, opening the door for as many as 24,000 refugees to enter the country before the end of October. The administration rushed to the Supreme Court to block that portion of the 9th Circuit's ruling and got what it asked for. The high court blocked the lower court's ruling on Tuesday, pending its own October 10 hearing that will cover the entire travel ban. The court may not have much to decide by the time that happens. The Trump administration's original policy called for a 90-day travel ban which will be over in late September and a 120-day refugee ban which will expire a month later. A self-confessed 'vampire' who butchered his friend and drank his blood alongside his wife is set to be freed next week, and may be heading to the UK. Daniel Ruda, 41, and his then-wife Manuela stabbed a 33-year-old man to death as a 'Satanic sacrifice' in their home in Bochum, west Germany, in 2001. Ruda and his ex-wife would spend their holidays in England and Scotland where they enjoyed sleeping in graveyards and attending satanic parties. Murderer: Daniel Ruda, 41, pictured left last month with his lawyer, stabbed a 33-year-old man to death and drank his blood in 2001 Ruda, a car part salesman, stabbed Frank Hackert 66 times on a coffin he and his wife used as a coffee table in their home in Bochum. The couple said they had chosen their victim for sacrifice because he was 'so funny and would be the perfect court jester for Satan'. Both Ruda and Manuela drank Hackert's blood once he was dead. Ruda was sentenced to 16 years in jail for the murder, and Manuela 13. She has since been freed from a psychiatric unit but is still receiving treatment. She has been given a new identity and has no further contact with Ruda. Earlier this year, Ruda was cleared of attempted murder, following allegations he had tried to hire an assassin to kill Manuela. Free: Ruda, pictured in 2002,has now served his 16-year sentence and is set to be released Ruda and his ex-wife Manuela would spend their holidays in England and Scotland where they enjoyed sleeping in graveyards and attending devil worshipper parties Ruda, a car part salesman, stabbed Frank Hackert 66 times on a coffin he and his wife used as a coffee table in their home in Bochum Ruda, who worked as a librarian at a prison near Dortmund, petitioned last year to be allowed to rejoin society. His lawyer Hans Reinhardt said at the time: 'We want to show that he is not a dangerous man. In jail he takes no drugs, drinks no alcohol. His mother, who is 75, visits him regularly. She has only one wish; to see her son free before she dies. 'He wants to rejoin society, find a wife, settle down and have a family. 'It is right that he be allowed to rejoin society. This decision is long overdue.' Doris Hackert, mother of the victim said: 'I hope they don't let him out. I am not well. I am psychiatrically shattered. I cry a lot. It would be a nightmare for me if they let him out.' Her husband Hermann Hackert said after he heard the news of his impending freedom: 'He will be walking into a bright future and I will only be walking into the cemetery to visit my son.' The mayor of Teesside is spearheading a drive to have the region's signature dish receive protected status. Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen launched his campaign for chicken parmos at the Jeff the Chef factory in Middlesbrough on Thursday. The area's first mayor is vying for Teesside's signature dish to receive Protected Designation of Origins status (PDO). If successful, parmos could soon be recognised alongside the likes of Champagne, Parma ham, Cumberland sausages, Jersey Royals, and Melton Mowbray pork pies. The mayor of Teesside Ben Houchen is pictured left alongside parmo company director Geoff John at his factory in Middlesbrough If successful, chicken parmos could be ranked alongside the likes of other products under protection of the EU scheme, including Champagne, Stilton cheese and Jersey Royal potatoes The dish is created by deep-frying breaded chicken, before the meat is drenched in bechamel sauce and covered with melted cheese ORIGINS AND METHODOLOGY OF CRAFTING THE PERFECT PARMO The genius behind the adored chicken parmo is thought to be none other than an American army chef who settled in Middlesbrough after the end of World War II The man behind the parmo is said to be American army chef Nicos Harris. Having been wounded in France during Worrld War II and brought to the UK to be treated in a British hospital, Harris eventually ended up moving to Middlesbrough. It was there where he opened The American Grill restaurant in 1958 on Linthorpe Road where the Parmo was born. His son-in-law was still living in Teesside of 2014 and carried on the family traiditon. The dish is prepared by pounding chicken fillets between two sheets of greaseproof paper until the meat is flattened. Smother the chicken in egg and then covered with breadcrumbs before deep-frying the chicken in a large saucepan until golden brown For the bechamel sauce: 5 tbsp butter 4 tbsp all-purpose flour 1l (1 pints) milk tsp freshly grated nutmeg 4 chicken fillets 1 egg 150g (5oz) breadcrumbs approx 1.5l (2 pints) vegetable oil, for frying 110g (4oz) cheddar cheese Advertisement 'The parmo provides a light-hearted and positive opportunity to really galvanise community and interest and support, and to build local pride', Mr Houchan told Gazette Live. A PDO gives an elevated status to a product, which can be celebrated in local communities, and at the same time as increasing business opportunities for producers. The chicken parmo already enjoys a legendary status among Teessiders, but the saturated dish is far from a healthy one. The dish is created by deep-frying breaded chicken, before the meat is drenched in bechamel sauce and covered with melted cheese. DELICIOUS FOODS THAT WERE SO HIGHLY PRIZED THEY WERE PROTECTED Melton Mowbray pork pies are one of 84 products that have received special protection Cumberland Sausage (left) and Jersey Royal potatoes are also on the list of protected UK products The UK proudly boasts a total of 84 products that have received protected status under the EU scheme From Melton Mowbray pork pies to Stilton cheese, these foods have been protected from imitation throughout Europe. Here are some of the best-known: Welsh lamb Welsh lamb is derived from the sheep breeds of Wales, predominately the Welsh Mountain, Welsh Mules, Welsh Halfbreds, Beulah, Welsh Hill Speckled Face, Lleyn Sheep, Llanwennog, and Radnor. Melton Mowbray pork pie Melton Mowbray Pork Pies are clearly distinct from other pork pies in their packaging, design and marketing at point of sale. They carry a price premium compared to other pork pies on the market place of 10-15 percent because they have a specific reputation that sets them apart as different and worth paying for. Traditional Cumberland sausage Traditional Cumberland Sausage is a spiral coil shaped seasoned pork sausage. Its most distinctive feature is that, unlike other sausages, it is not linked but long and coiled. One recipe can be dated back to the 1850s. It has been recorded that in the mid 19th century the sausages were often hung up with hams and bacons, were very highly spiced and were semi-dried for preservation. Stilton blue cheese Blue Stilton is a blue moulded cheese made in cylindrical form from full cream pasteurised cows milk (which can be standardised according to season) produced by dairy herds from the three counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire (in times of shortage milk may also be sourced from the surrounding counties of, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire), with no applied pressure and forming its own crust or coat. The Blue Stilton Jersey Royal potatoes Each grower carefully controls his own stock of Jersey Royals, growing his own seed on his own farm. Selection is made within the seed fields to select plants yielding even size tubers and tubers of a suitable size (over large tubers cannot be shipped from the island). There is no source of Jersey Royals outside the Island to which growers can resort. The Islands growers are not permitted to export any other variety of potato and therefore they are very well aware of the need to maintain pure stocks of Jersey Royal Potatoes. Advertisement A large parmo with chips and salad was found to contain an eye-watering 2,600 calories, North Yorkshire Trading Standards found. But Mr Houchen remains committed to raising the dish's profile as well as that of Teesside's. He also believes that the benefits of PDO will not be lost through Brexit as a UK scheme for protected foods could be attached to future trade deals, including ones with Europe. He added: 'Its a key part of our local culture and we should be proud of Teesside and the things we produce.' And the mayor is already contemplating what the dish should be labeled, with his preference being the 'Teesside Parmo'. But veteran parmo chef Geoff Johns believes naming it the 'Boro Parmo' would be a tastier option. Regardless of what it is ultimately labelled, Mr Johns believes adding a PDO status will protect the quality of Teesside's favourite dish and add 'prestige' to it as a product. A woman's hilarious Twitter post about accidentally staining her face bright pink has gone viral online as she threatens to sue the manufacturer - even though it's clearly labelled poster paint. The woman, called Leah, posted the funny photos on social media on Tuesday and they have since been liked and shared hundreds of thousands of times. She had applied 'washable' glitter poster paint made by Michigan-based manufacturer Palmer Paint Products. A woman's hilarious Twitter post about accidentally staining her face bright pink has gone viral online as she threatens to sue the manufacturer - even though it's clearly labelled poster paint The photos first show Leah with the paint applied thickly to her skin and then with a pink-stained face after trying to wash it off. Even though the bottle is clearly labelled 'poster paint,' a message says: 'Washes easily off skin and out of most fabrics.' Leah wrote alongside the images: 'See you in court Palmer Paint Products.' Commenters found the photos absolutely hilarious but pointed out that she should probably have avoided using the paint on her face. Leah wrote alongside the images: 'See you in court Palmer Paint Products' She had applied 'washable' glitter poster paint made by Michigan-based manufacturer Palmer Paint Products Kota said: 'Nowhere did it say it was face paint - it's probably means it'll eventually wash off your hands.' Paul Gamble wrote: 'Wtf! It even says poster paint on the bottle! I suggest they intended it to be washed off your hands not your face.' MailOnline has contacted Palmer Paint Products for comment. A teenage boy is being treated for a serious injury after being slashed in the face with a breadknife at a school this morning. The 14-year-old is thought to have been knifed in the school canteen by another pupil, who has since been detained by police. The older sister of the victim was among those to share their disbelief online, tweeting that 'someone brought out a knife and slashed' her little brother. Emergency services were quick to arrive at the scene at St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn, West Lothian, where Britain's Got Talent star Susan Boyle studied. An ambulance arrived at 9am, five minutes after they were called out to attend, and immediately took the boy to St John's Hospital in Livingston. Emergency services were quick to arrive at the scene at St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn, West Lothian (pictured) A police spokeswoman confirmed that enquiries into the incident are still ongoing. She said: 'Police in West Lothian were called to St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn at around 8.55am after a 14-year-old boy sustained a serious facial injury. 'He has been taken to St John's Hospital for treatment and a teenage boy is currently detained by officers in connection with this. 'Enquiries into this incident are ongoing.' The incident comes after pupils in the area took part in a police-led 'No Knives, Better Lives' campaign to educate youngsters on the serious impact of knife crime. A West Lothian Council spokesman said that the teenager has sustained a serious facial injury. He said: 'A police investigation is currently ongoing into an incident at St Kentigern's Academy in Blackburn where one pupil sustained a serious facial injury. 'West Lothian Council makes the safety of the pupils in our care our top priority. 'We have been working with Police Scotland on a number of initiatives to promote pupil safety in our schools recently, including delivering the No Knives, Better Lives campaign to educate young people on the consequences of knife crime. 'It is not appropriate to say more while the police investigation is ongoing.' The Scottish Ambulance Service sent one ambulance to the scene. A spokeswoman for the service said: 'We received a call at 8.55am and we were on the scene at 9am. 'We sent one A&E ambulance and transferred one male young adult to St John's Hospital in Livingston.' ISIS have reportedly said this morning's terror attack has 'demonstrated a weakness' in UK security. The Islamic terror group's supporters are 'rejoicing' after hearing news of an explosion on a London Underground train at Parsons Green station, according to SITE Intel Group. The intelligence organisation, which has access to terrorist correspondence, tweeted: 'As #ISIS supporters celebrate news on #LondonExplosion, one remarked that the incident demonstrates "weakness" in UK security.' Scroll down for video Pictures on social media show a bucket alight on the underground train after the explosion ISIS have not claimed responsibility for the attack in which a crudely made bomb shot a 'wall of fire' through a District Line carriage, injuring at least 18 people. Terrified passengers 'ran for their lives' and were seen covered in blood with scorched hands, legs, faces and hair after the incident in west London at 8.20am. Photographs show what experts believe is a 'pretty unsophisticated' bomb in a flaming white bucket inside a Lidl freezer bag with Christmas lights protruding out of the top - a type of fuse encouraged by ISIS in its online manuals and magazines. Flames engulfed one carriage and raced along a train on a west London route to Parsons Green, forcing passengers to trample others as they rushed for an exit Members of the London Fire Brigade stand by the cordon near Parsons Green tube station Transport for London said Tube services were suspended between Edgware Road and Wimbledon Security sources have said the IED had a timer, indicating the bucket bomber left in on the train and fled before it exploded. There is currently a manhunt underway to find the attacker and it is not yet known if there is a second bomb. Prime Minister Theresa May is to chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee this afternoon to discuss the incident - the fifth major British terror attack this year. A man has been killed after a hunter using a night-vision scope mistook him for a wild hog, South Carolina authorities said. Kenneth Jason Young, 39, was hunting wild hogs on private land in Starr, South Carolina, on Wednesday night when he was shot in the face and killed. A woman hunting on land nearby saw through her ATN thermal night vision scope something 'on all fours in the grass' and fired a shot, thinking she was aiming for a wild hog, according to Anderson County Deputy Coroner Boseman. Kenneth Jason Young, 39, was hunting wild hogs on private land in Starr, South Carolina, on Wednesday night when he was shot in the face and killed The incident took place on Gentry Road in Starr, South Carolina. The map above shows the location in relation to Young's home Investigators said the scope on the woman's firearm has recording capabilities. They said the fatal shot was recorded on an SD card. It appears Young was kneeling when he was fatally wounded. Authorities received a call around 8.35pm, and the woman appeared to be visibly upset. Boseman says foul play is not suspected, and the woman's name has not been released. Police were called to the scene around 8.35pm and found the woman looking visibly upset Investigators have seen the recording and said an outline of something on all fours is shown. All the hunters had permission to be on the private hunting grounds, according to Boseman. The Anderson County Sheriffs Office and S.C. Department of Natural Resources are investigating the shooting. Young was a self-employed plumber with Young's Plumbing and Electrical. Victorian police have lost $600,000 of taxpayer's dollars to Afghan heroin dealers during an undercover operation. An investigative police operative allegedly paid over half a million dollars to the syndicate in 2014 but just $32,600 of the money paid has been recovered, the Herald Sun reports. Despite this the Victorian police saw the feat as a triumph given the millions of dollars worth of heroin and ecstasy that was seized during the job. Victorian police have lost $600,000 of taxpayer's dollars to Afghan heroin dealers during an undercover operation A number of men in Australia and New Zealand, including Mohammad Osman, were also arrested as a result. Mr Osman applied for bail but Prosecutor Mark Gibson was opposed to it because the 52-year-old has an extensive number of properties in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Dubai, has no income other than a carer's pension and is a flight risk. 'In terms of the (flight risk) over $600,000 remains unaccounted for in terms of what was paid by the undercover operative,' Mr Gibson said. Mr Osman has already come clean about his role in trafficking 1kg of heroin and is likely to receive a significant jail sentence but the trial will not be heard before a court until July 2018. The charges followed a multinational police operation that reportedly seized 15kg of heroin worth more than $4.5 million, and 8kg of ecstasy tablets with a street value in excess of $1.5 million. A mother-of-three was allegedly stabbed to death by her husband just six days after filing a restraining order against the man and accusing him of abusing her. Yahaira Boykins, who lived in Laguna Hills, California, was found dead in her apartment around 2.30pm on Thursday by police performing a wellness check, according to the sheriff's department. Her neighbors told CBS Los Angeles that they saw her husband Jerel Boykins enter her apartment while she was home with her three boys. They claim they saw police take the man away in handcuffs. Scroll down for video Yahaira Boykins was allegedly stabbed to death by her husband Jerel just six days after filing a restraining order against the man and accusing him of abusing her. She is pictured with her husband and two of her children The young mother-of-three lived in Laguna Hills, California and was found dead in her apartment around 2.30pm on Thursday, according to the sheriff's department It's unclear where the children were at the time or where they have been taken to now. Last week Yahaira asked her husband of four years to move out, and told friends and family he had been physically abusive. The young woman, who worked as a dental assistant, filed a case of domestic violence against him on September 7. She also filed a restraining order against the man. 'Sometimes he would tell her, "I'm going to kill you,"' her friend and neighbor Zitlali Korrea told CBS, describing Yahaira as 'like a sister.' Another friend of the victim who wished to remain anonymous described Jerel as a man with a violent and volatile temper who repeatedly threatened to kill Yahaira. The friend told KTLA the suspect was transferred to a marine base in North Carolina in July, but continued threatening his wife over the phone. They said when he returned to Southern California last week he began stalking his wife. Last week Yahaira asked her husband of four years to move out, and told friends and family he had been physically abusive. The young woman, who worked as a dental assistant, filed a case of domestic violence against him on September 7 Yahaira had three children - two with her current husband, and one with her prior husband. It is not clear where they were at the time of her death or where they are now The victim's family and friends have said she was stabbed to death, but this has not yet been confirmed by police. 'We have a death investigation that we're conducting,' Lieutenant Fred Thompson told KTLA. 'We're trying to determine exactly what happened.' Yahaira had three children - two with her current husband, and one with her prior husband. Friends and family have started a GoFundMe page to pay help pay for funeral expenses. This policeman became so angry at a driver parked in the middle of the road he started slapping him around the face in a fit of uncontrollable rage. The driver was confronted by the officer after his car blocked off traffic in Patna, Bihar state, in north east India. He started arguing with the policeman, identified as Uday Prakash, and asked if he had 'gone nuts'. The officer was seemingly so angered by the remark he slapped the motorist twice. This Indian policeman got so angry at a driver parked in the middle of the road he started slapping him repeatedly around the face He can be heard saying: 'You are arguing with me, I'll beat you black and blue. 'Are you drunk? I'll skin you and make shoes out of it. You don't recognise me yet. Move your car.' Local media were unable to contact the policeman involved for comment. But they believe he was suspended after the video surfaced on the internet. The police officer has been identified as Uday Prakash, from Bihar state in north east India Local media were unable to reach him for comment, but he is believed to have been suspended over the incident, which went viral online The policeman launched a fierce attack on the driver, who tried to defend himself His actions were criticised by senior officers at Patrakar Nagar station, where he works. Senior Superintendent of police Manu Maharaaj said: 'The cop has tarnished the image of the police. 'Policing is based on public perception, which has gone down several notches after the video has gone viral. 'We are taught not to get provoked. The incident reflects the brutal face of the police, which is certainly not acceptable. 'As cops, we have the power to prosecute, which is what the cop should have done taken the youth to the police station and lodged a report against him. 'The law does not allow us to get physical unless it is done in self defence. I will suspend the cop and initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.' Senior Superintendent Manu Maharaaj condemned the officer's actions, saying force should only be used by police officers in self defeence The schizophrenic mother of two young children who vanished in 2014 has finally been charged with their murders after years of suspicion. Catherine Hoggle, 30, has been in a psychiatric facility since shortly after her daughter, Sarah, three, and son Jacob, two, went missing with her in Maryland in September 2014. Police found her walking down the street days after the trio were reported missing by the children's father but they have never been seen again. She refuses to tell authorities where they are and despite being long suspected of killing them, had never been charged. On Thursday, she was indicted on two murder charges and was moved from her psychiatric unit to the Montgomery County Jail. She will appear in court on Friday. Catherine Hoggle, 30, has been charged with the murders of her two-year-old son Jacob and three-year-old daughter Sarah who vanished in 2014 The development came as the result of a legal time limit on the three misdemeanor charges she initially faced immediately after the children's disappearance. In 2014, police charged Hoggle with misdemeanor child neglect, abduction and hinderance in order to put her behind bars while they built a homicide case against her. Misdemeanor charges, if not pursued for three years after they are first brought, are dismissed in Maryland. With this in mind, the woman's lawyer filed a motion recently to have those charges dismissed. Prosecutors filed the murder charges in response. The children's bodies have never been found. Jacob and Sarah were last seen alive on September 7. Hoggle and the two children vanished on September 8, 2014. They were last seen alive on September 7, 2014 After telling her boyfriend she had dropped the children at a day care on September 8, Hoggle asked him to drive her to a Chick-fil-A in Germantown, Maryland, so that she could get a drink. Surveillance cameras show her slipping out a side door in the restaurant Police immediately feared the children were in danger given their mother's history of mental illness For four days, a huge missing persons appeal was underway. Troy Turner, the children's father and Hoggle's long-term boyfriend, led it On September 8, their father, Hoggle's boyfriend Troy Turner woke up to find all three of them were not in the apartment they shared. Hoggle returned in their mini-van and claimed she had taken the two children to a new day care center where she'd left them. Four days after vanishing, Hoggle was seen walking down the street and was arrested. She has never told police where the children are She and her boyfriend then went back out in their car and she asked him to stop at a Chick-fil-A restaurant for her to get a drink. She went into the fast food restaurant but slipped out a different exit, leaving her boyfriend in the car. He went to police shortly afterwards to report all three of them missing. Four days later and after an intense manhunt and media appeal, a person who recognized Hoggle's face saw her walking down a street in Germantown and called police. When police arrested her, she was holding a missing persons flier with her children's names and faces on it. She was questioned but would not say where the children were and was taken to the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Jessup. Hoggle was taken to The Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Jessup, Maryland, where she has been for the last three years. She has tried to escape several times. On Thursday, she was moved to the Montgomery County Jail Later, she told officials she would take them to the children but a judge refused to allow her out of custody. Since 2014, she has tried to escape from the facility several times by grabbing guards' security cards and running for the doors. Staff say she had referred to the children as still being alive and has told them she wants to go to see them. Whether or not Hoggle will ever stand trial will be determined by a judge. Her long history of mental illness poses the possibility that she may not be fit to. She was previously found unfit to stand trial for the misdemeanor charges originally brought against her. Jacob and Sarah were two and three when they went missing in September 2014 A Swedish politician has said he was assaulted and raped at knifepoint because of his work in politics and left-wing views. Patrik Liljeglod, a care worker and representative for Sweden's Vansterpartiet [Left Party], was allegedly attacked and sexually assaulted in his hometown Falun, in central Sweden, in July this year. Yesterday, Mr Liljeglod revealed that the attack had been politically motivated and that the unknown male assailant had called him a 'left-wing c***' and a traitor. Brave: Patrik Liljeglod, a representative for the Left Party, has revealed he was sexually assaulted in Falun, and that the assailant had called him a 'left-wing c***' and a traitor In a candid letter on social media, Mr Liljeglod disclosed that he had been sexually assaulted on the way home from a night out with a fellow Left Party member. 'At the end of July this year, when the buses had stopped running, the mild summer night invited me to wander home alone after a pleasant night spent with a fellow party member. 'That is where the pleasantness ends. On the way home, I was attacked by an unknown man armed with a knife. 'I was brutally treated, and also raped at knifepoint under the pretext that I am a left-wing "female genitalia", and that the likes of me "enjoy this sort of stuff", and finally that I am a traitor. Attacked: Swedish police are investigating the alleged rape, but no suspect has been arrested as of Friday 'The few words and sentences uttered by the man had an explicit connection to me as a politically active person, and that is why this affects us all.' Mr Liljeglod highlighted that while this was an assault on him as an individual, the fact that it was made clear that he was being attacked for his political views and work for the party, also made it an assault on democracy. His open letter, read out during a party meeting and posted on his Facebook on Thursday has received hundreds of supportive comments in response. Swedish police have confirmed to local media that there is an ongoing investigation into the alleged attack, but that so far, no one has been arrested. The Left Party is the sixth largest political party in Sweden, describing itself as socialist and feminist. It is the most left-wing out of the eight political parties with seats in the Swedish parliament. A man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' has attacked several people with a hammer in a town in eastern France, local media reports. Two women are reportedly in critical condition after the assault in Chalon-sur-Saone, in Bourgogne-Franche-Comte around lunchtime today. This comes as a knife wielding man attacked a French soldier outside a Metro station in Paris today while praising Allah. Scroll down for video A man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' attacked two women with a hammer in the town of Chalon-sur-Saone, in eastern France (pictured), leaving both in a critical condition The first victim was attacked at noon, and the other some 15 minutes later at a nearby location, Le Journal reports. A local prosecutor told the paper the attacker, dressed in black, was shouting 'Allahu Akbar'. The attack in Paris took place att Chatelet metro station at 6.30am this morning, and saw an unnamed assailant attack a soldier with a knife. The victim managed to wrestle him to the ground and he was arrested by armed police as he shouted ISIS slogans. The attacker approached the soldier from behind and then lunged at him with the blade at Chatelet metro station (file picture) at 6.30am this morning while praising Allah The unidentified man is said to have rushed at a patrol of soldiers wearing combat uniforms and brandishing assault rifles. 'He was restrained, and nobody was injured,' said a source investigating the case on Friday morning. The man was taken to the main Chatelet police station, and now faces a range of terrorist charges. It is the latest in a long string of attacks on service personnel involved in Operation Sentinelle - an initiative involving 10,000 soldiers and 4700 gendarmes and police. They were first deployed in November 2015 following a single night of violence by Islamic State suicide bombers that saw 130 people murdered in the French capital. The soldiers' job is to protect vulnerable areas of the capital, including transport hubs such as Chatelet, which is used by thousands of commuters and tourists every day. Pedestrians walk past the 'Chatelet Les Halles' metro station where a soldier was attacked by a knife-wielding man in the early hours of the morning But many have complained that they are now easy targets themselves, with lone wolf attackers regularly trying to kill or wound them. In January six Sentinelle soldiers wereinjured when a car smashed into them close to the headquarters of France's anti-terrorism police unit in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Two of the infantrymen were seriously wounded, while the attacker was later shot repeatedly following a manhunt and a dramatic motorway chase. A few days earlier there was an attempt to kill a soldier at the Eiffel Tower by a 19-year-old psychiatric patient who brandished a knife and pledged allegiance to Isis. In April, a 39-year-old police officer was shot dead by an Isis supporter on the Champs Elysee, while in February another knife attacker was gunned down in the Louvre Museum complex after attacking an army patrol. Police are investigating a mother who allegedly sent a sexually explicit image via social media to a 16-year-old schoolboy. The Year 10 student reportedly forwarded the image to other classmates at St Helena Secondary College in Eltham North, Victoria, and could be facing criminal charges for circulating the picture without the mother's permission. The mother herself is not facing charges because the boy is above the age of consent. The mother herself is not facing charges because the boy is legally beyond the age of consent (stock image) The Year 10 student reportedly forwarded the image to other classmates at St Helena Secondary College in Eltham North, Victoria, (pictured) and could be facing criminal charges for circulating the picture without the mother's permission A report was made to Victoria Police after the image became known by the school, which sent an email to parents about the incident. Because of the nature of the relationship between the mother and the 16-year-old boy, in that she does not have any direct form of supervision over him, there was no offence in the sexual nature of their exchange. Principal Karen Terry told the Herald Sun: 'I don't think 16 is necessarily an appropriate cut off point [for age of consent], but that's the law.' Principal Karen Terry (pictured) told the Herald Sun: 'I don't think 16 is necessarily an appropriate cut off point [for age of consent], but that's the law.' 'You may like to have a conversation with your child about this: if they have received an image they should delete it immediately,' the school email read. 'It is illegal to transmit explicit images of any person without their consent. 'If your child has received the image and you have concerns, or would like further support, please contact your child's Mini School Principal.' The mother in question does not have a child at St Helena's Secondary College but she is involved in the local community. A West Australian teacher who indecently filmed his students changing has been jailed for more than two years. The 60-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, used a hidden pen camera to record girls between the ages of nine and 14, according to Perth Now. The filming occurred during March 2014 and 2016, as the female students changed into school uniforms in a disabled toilet after swimming lessons. A West Australian teacher, 60, who indecently filmed his students changing after swimming lessons has been jailed for two year and three months (stock photo) The man had worked as a teacher for nearly 40 years and pleaded guilty to 42 counts of indecently recording or attempting to record a child. He was caught when a fellow teacher discovered the device, which had captured the victims both naked and in their underwear. On Firday, the District Court of WA heard excerpts from a letter penned by the man that stated he 'got no pleasure' from his actions and was instead 'repulsed'. 'I expect to burn in hell for my sins... this behaviour was impulsive and was not long-term,' the note said. The recording occurred during March 2014 and 2016, as the girls undressed in a disabled toilet, with a note written by the man and read out Friday quoting him as saying 'I expect to burn in hell for my sins' (stock photo) Judge Stavrianou handed down a two-year and three-month sentence, claiming the offence was a significant breach of trust. 'The students in this case had a right to expect when they went into that change room they would be absolutely safe,' he said. During a hearing in July the defence argued that the man suffered from severe depression and had an abusive childhood. He described his actions as a 'power trip' and said he made the recordings because he, 'on some unconscious level, wanted to get caught'. 'Now I feel like a total hypocrite and a monster,' the defence quoted him as saying. Chelsea Manning tweeted early Friday morning that she feels 'honored' to be disinvited from participating in the Harvard University visiting fellowship. Late Thursday evening Harvard University announced it has withdrawn a visiting fellowship offer to the former US Army solider who served seven years in prison for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks. The dean of Harvard's Kennedy School posted a lengthy statement on the institute's website explaining the decision, which follows a pair of high-profile cancellations as well as public criticism, particularly from the conservative right. Manning responded by tweeting that she was 'honored' to be the 'first disinvited trans woman visiting Harvard.' Later she followed up and called out the university for bowing to pressure from the CIA, tweeting: 'This is what a military/police/intel state looks like. 'The CIA determines what is said and not taught at Harvard.' Scroll down for video Chelsea Manning (seen left after her transition from Bradley Manning, right) tweeted early Friday morning that she feels 'honored' to be disinvited from participating in the Harvard University visiting fellowship Late Thursday evening Harvard University announced it has withdrawn a visiting fellowship offer to the former US Army solider - and in response Manning said she was honored Later she followed up and called out the university for bowing to pressure from the CIA, tweeting: 'This is what a military/police/intel state looks like' Former White House spokesman Sean Spicer and former Trump campaign manager were also named visiting fellows at the school, which Manning pointed out in a sarcastic tweet. 'So @harvard says @seanspicer & @clewandowski_ bring "something to the table and add something to the conversation" and not me," she wrote. The decision by Harvard was undoubtedly a response to the public backlash that its initial invitation to Manning generated. Douglas Emlendorf, who initially extended the invitation, took full responsibility, writing: 'We invited Chelsea Manning because the Kennedy School's longstanding approach to visiting speakers is to invite some people who have significantly influenced events in the world even if they do not share our values and even if their actions or words are abhorrent to some members of our community. 'However, I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility. 'I see more clearly now that many people view a Visiting Fellow title as an honorific, so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations.' Former White House spokesman Sean Spicer and former Trump campaign manager were also named visiting fellows at the school, which Manning pointed out in a sarcastic tweet Sean Spicer, who is pictured in June 2017, was also invited to be a Harvard visiting fellow The decision by Harvard was undoubtedly a response to the public backlash that its initial invitation to Manning (right) generated. Douglas Emlendorf (left), who initially extended the invitation, took full responsibility CIA Director Mike Pompeo says he scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard University over the school's decision to make Manning a visiting fellow. Pompeo, a Harvard graduate, called Manning an 'American traitor' and said he didn't make the decision lightly. He is citing military and intelligence officials who believe the leaks endangered the lives of CIA employees. He was supposed to speak at the university Thursday night, but was a no-show. The CIA released a letter Pompeo wrote to Harvard explaining his decision. The dean of Harvard's Kennedy School posted a lengthy statement on the institute's website explaining the decision, which follows a pair of high-profile cancellations as well as public criticism, particularly from the conservative right. Harvard's campus is seen above CIA Director Mike Pompeo (left) says he scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard University over the school's decision to make Manning a visiting fellow. Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to Harvard in protest In his letter of resignation, Morell writes he could not be part of an organization that 'honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information.' Earlier Thursday, Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter to Harvard saying he could not be part of an organization that 'honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information.' Morell, who was a non-resident senior fellow says leaking classified information is 'disgraceful.' 'Senior leaders in our military have stated publicly that the leaks by Ms Manning put the lives of US soldiers at risk,' Morell said. 'I have an obligation in my conscience - and I believe to the country - to stand against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information.' Social media users reacted almost immediately to the development, with some castigating Manning for her behavior One person wrote: 'How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges' Manning is a transgender woman who was convicted in 2013 of leaking more than 700,000 U.S. documents. Manning, 29, was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas following her court martial conviction in 2013. Manning had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States. After serving seven years in prison, President Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence, saying the punishment was 'disproportionate' compared to other whistle-blowers. Following Morell's resignation, social media users took to Twitter to express their thoughts. Some showed support for the former spy chief's decision to leave the school, calling Manning a 'traitor' who sold out the country. 'Seriously @Harvard?? Enabling a traitor to our country? You need to check your stupidity,' one user stated. While another sarcastically wrote: 'How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges.' Conservative pundit Bill Kristol also chimed in, which led to the only response from Manning about the situation so far. 'I'm loyal to Harvard, but I think I'll forego IOP events this fall. (I'd feel the same way if Chelsea Manning were still Bradley Manning.)' Kristol posted to Twitter. Manning cheekily responded: 'awesome! can you ask @seanspicer to do the same?' Dr Syed Bukhari (pictured) has now been struck off after he repeatedly groped a patient's breasts A married doctor who repeatedly groped a patient's breasts after she complained of chest pains has been struck off. Dr Syed Bukhari, 35, moved from Pakistan to work for the NHS and molested the 28-year-old woman twice in two days. The woman was being treated for palpitations and told him she was suffering from chest pains when he 'targeted' her at work. She was left embarrassed and distressed by the incidents at Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Bukhari also gave her his email address and told her: 'We'll be friends for ever.' But the patient said: 'I felt very uncomfortable and nervous. I was quite tearful and upset. You put your trust in a doctor.' Bukhari, who arrived in Britain with his college student wife in 2010, was reported to police but he was cleared of two charges of sexual assault following a trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court in 2015. However, he was ordered to face a disciplinary tribunal by the General Medical Council. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) in Manchester found him guilty of the charges in June and at a further hearing this week he was struck off the medical register. The hearing was told the loss of his medical career would mean he could be deported to his native Pakistan by the Home Office. The incidents occurred in July 2013 when the woman, known as Patient A, had been admitted to the casualty department. She was in bed wearing pyjamas when Bukhari - who had been a doctor at the hospital for 14 months - closed the curtains around her to examine her. Patient A said: 'Dr Bukhari asked me to sit back then proceeded to lift up my pyjama top exposing my breasts. 'He then moved his hands from the centre of my chest and proceeded to cup both my breasts with his hands and moved his hands in a circular motion. 'It felt as though Dr Bukhari was massaging them. He then pulled the blanket back, which had been covering my bottom half, and placed his hands on my shins and underneath my calves and asked me whether it was sore here. 'I informed him that there was no pain in my legs. He moved both his hands up my legs again, asking whether there was any pain. 'Dr Bukhari moved his hands to the top of my thighs, inside my pyjama shorts.' She said he visited her again the same day and gave her his email address so that she 'could keep in contact with him'. She added: 'I was shocked by this as I have never been given an email address by a doctor before.' The woman, who has not been named, was left embarrassed and distressed by the incidents at Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire, Scotland (pictured) The next day the woman was waiting to see a heart specialist when Bukhari arrived at her bedfrom side, asked her why she had not been discharged and closed the curtain around her bed again. She said he 'massaged' her neck, 'examined' her breasts and pressed her legs, again cupped her breasts and asked for her email, saying: 'We'll be friends for ever.' Following the allegation Bukhari, of Inverness, was suspended but later got a job with NHS Highland after wrongly saying the allegations had been resolved. At the hearing, he denied wrongdoing and said that in Pakistan it was common for doctors to give email addresses to patients. He claimed he felt no sexual attraction towards the woman but he was found guilty of groping her and charges that he misled colleagues at NHS Highland about the nature of the claims made against him. MPTS panel chairman Paul Curtis said striking Bukhari off the medical register was the only appropriate sanction for his offences. He said: 'Following the first incident of inappropriate touching you then sought Patient A out the following day, aware that she had not made any complaint about your behaviour the previous day which made her more vulnerable. 'This displays predatory behaviour on your part and considerably increases the seriousness of your actions. 'Given the significant aggravating factors in this case, the tribunal concluded that your conduct and behaviour is fundamentally incompatible with you remaining on the register.' Dramatic footage has emerged showing a knifeman being tasered by police near one of Britain's busiest rail stations just hours after the Parsons Green tube attack. Police swooped on Birmingham's New Street at around 1pm as the country remained on high alert in the wake of the latest terrorist attack in London. Four officers can be seen surrounding the suspect, who is twitching on the ground as one points a taser at him, in the middle of the city's busiest shopping street. Police swooped on Birmingham 's New Street at around 1pm as the country remained on high alert in the wake of the latest terrorist attack in London British Transport Police confirmed the man had been arrested in connection with possession of a knife and taken to hospital A force spokeswoman said: 'A man has been arrested outside HSBC bank near Birmingham New Street station at 13.15 today' Eyewitness Darryl Godden said: 'I was exiting the Apple Store when people started moving away, not panicking as such, but a bit of a jostle 'I heard them shouting 'drop the knife' and taser warnings and the crowd moved away hurriedly. 'Once I could get past the people he was on the floor in the position you see in the video.' British Transport Police confirmed the man had been arrested in connection with possession of a knife and taken to hospital. Police officers can be seen disarming the man in this picture. A spokeswoman for the force added: 'The incident is believed to be drug related' Four officers can be seen surrounding the suspect, who is twitching on the ground as one points a taser at him A force spokeswoman said: 'A man has been arrested outside HSBC bank near Birmingham New Street station at 13.15 today. 'Officers were initially responding to a call regarding a concern for welfare outside the station, when a man was seen with a knife, he was subsequently arrested on possession of bladed article and has been taken to hospital. 'The incident is believed to be drug related.' What happens when a kangaroo crosses the road? Somers, Wisconsin, authorities soon found out. Around 7am on Thursday, the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department got a call reporting that the animal was loose and hopping down 18th Street (Highway L). Somers fire chief, Carson Wilkinson, thought he was going crazy even after he saw the unusual scene with his own eyes. A picture of Joey the kangaroo who escaped from his petting zoo pen in Wisconsin on Thursday morning 'I saw something brown coming out of a cornfield, and I thought at first that it was a deer, so I slowed down,' Wilkinson told Kenosha News. 'Then it came out in the road. It stopped right in front of me and looked at me, and it was a kangaroo. I was almost scared to call it in.' It turns out, Joey, a five-year-old kangaroo, had escaped from the petting zoo at Jerry Smith's Farm. Joe Smith, the operator of the farm even saw the kangaroo outside his house, hopping down the road ten minutes before he called the vendor. A photo of Jerry Smith's Farm where Joey had arrived the night before Joey and another kangaroo had just moved into the farm the night before as part of a petting zoo attraction that visits every year for pumpkin season. The vendor brings ponies, pygmy goats, a miniature camel and this year two kangaroos as well, according to Kenosha News. Joey must have wanted to explore his new surroundings but managed to cause some serious confusion among residents and police in the process. Luckily, authorities were able to return Joey safely and unharmed to the petting zoo. 'The animal-wrangler guy grabbed him by the tail,' Deputy Nicole Sorensen told Kenosha News. Joey arrived at the petting zoo the night before as part of an attraction that visits every year for pumpkin season After, they put Joey in the bed of a truck and he sat quietly with two people at his side. Smith, who was on the scene with Joey, said he was very tame throughout the ordeal and was back at the petting zoo by 8am. It was a brief taste of freedom for Joey the kangaroo and a funny memory Smith will have forever. Somers fire chief, Carson Wilkinson thought that the kangaroo was a deer at first. He said: 'I saw something brown coming out of a cornfield, and I thought at first that it was a deer' Attorney-General George Brandis has raised questions as to why One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts emailed the U.K government asking about his citizenship. Although Senator Roberts filed an affidavit stating he has 'always been extremely proud of being an Australian and only an Australian' he is set to face a High Court after Senator Brandis requested Chief Justice Susan Kiefel cross-examine the Queenslander. The Attorney-General believes Senator Roberts has not been consistent with claims he never suspected he was a British citizen in a submission filed on Friday, The Australian reported. Scroll down for video Attorney-General George Brandis (pictured) has raised questions as to why One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts emailed the U.K government asking about his citizenship Although Senator Roberts (pictured) filed an affidavit stating he has 'always been extremely proud of being an Australian and only an Australian' he is set to face a High Court An email sent by Senator Roberts on 1 May 2016 to the UK Consulate allegedly asks 'Am I still a British citizen?' in the subject line. 'This question (including the use of the word 'still') is repeated several times in the body of the email,' Senator Brandis said. He said due to information he believes to be suspicious he respectfully requests for Senator Roberts to be questioned and for a single justice to get to the truth of the facts with respect to his British citizenship. Senator Brandis has also submitted Barbara Roberts, Senator Roberts' sister, will need to be cross-examined. The citizenship saga which has engulfed Australian politics will return to the High Court in Canberra. Chief Justice Kiefel presided over a directions hearing on Friday ahead of a full court hearing in October. Chief Justice Susan Kiefel (pictured) will cross-examine the Senator Roberts Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and fellow Nationals MPs Matt Canavan and Fiona Nash are among the seven MPs who could face disqualification from parliament. Former Greens senators Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters will also have their eligibility tested, although they resigned after learning they were New Zealand and Canadian citizens respectively. South Australian senator Nick Xenophon and One Nation's Malcolm Roberts round out the seven MPs who will face a full court hearing from October 10. Senator Xenophon has confirmed he is a British overseas citizen by descent, as his father was born in Cyprus when it was still a colony. He remains confident he has a very good legal team and a strong case. 'We're in uncharted waters here,' he told ABC radio. 'I had no idea that I had some obscure form of British citizenship.' Senator Xenophon joked he was thinking of cooking some octopus and lamb on a spit on the High Court forecourt ahead of the October hearing. 'I'm not sure whether my barristers would appreciate that.' Queensland senator Roberts faces questions over whether his UK citizenship was renounced before he nominated for election. Former Green Scott Ludlam (pictured) will have his eligibility tested despite resigning after learning he was a New Zealand citizen Malcolm Roberts is set to face a High Court after Senator Brandis requested Chief Justice Susan Kiefel cross-examine the Queenslander Larissa Waters (pictured) resigned after learning she was a Canadian citizen Under section 44 of the constitution a person is incapable of being elected to the parliament if they are a 'citizen or entitled to the rights or privileges of a subject or a citizen of a foreign power'. While Senator Canavan has stepped aside as Resources Minister after learning he was an Italian citizen, Mr Joyce and Senator Joyce have remained in cabinet. Labor have attacked the Nationals leader and deputy leader for staying in their roles, arguing any decisions they make as ministers could be challenged in court if they are found to be ineligible. Mr Joyce is a New Zealand citizen by descent, while Senator Nash has been advised by the UK Home Office she has British citizenship through her Scottish father. Two couples are facing up to 25 years in jail for kidnapping a teenage babysitter and subjecting her to more than 16 hours of torture. The case, which is among the worst legal sources have ever seen before South Australian courts that didn't involve a murder, began because the parents believed the 19-year-old girl had dobbed in their friend to police over a stolen car. For almost a full day the girl, who cannot be named, was tied up, beaten, tortured and held in a closet with a leash around her neck as her captives accused her of being a 'dog' - all while filming the barbarity on her mobile phone. The case, which is among the worst legal sources have ever seen before South Australian courts that didn't involve a murder, began because the couples believed the 19-year-old girl had dobbed in their friend to police over a stolen car (pictured the victim's blackened eyes) For almost a full day the girl, who cannot be named, was tied up, beaten, tortured and held in a closet with a leash around her neck as her captives accused the teen of being a 'dog'; all while filming the barbarity on her mobile phone (pictured are some of her extensive injuries) Joshua Gent and former partner Keira Baker. Gent is wearing a skull hoodie jacket that was used to scare the torture victim. The other couple, Patrick Breen and his fiancee Stacey Gaffney, have also pleaded guilty to their involvement in the appalling crime Joshua Anthony Gent, 29; his former partner, mother of one Keira Jane Baker, 28; Patrick Breen, 25; and his fiancee, mother of two Stacey Gaffney, 23; are facing jail after admitting their roles in the ordeal, The Advertiser reports. On June 16, 2016, the victim and her housemate went to babysit Baker and Gent's daughter. When the couple returned to their Elizabeth Park home at 12.30am they accused the girl of being a snitch and referred to her as a dog, before calling Patrick Breen to 'teach her a lesson.' The girl was tied up with a dressing gown cord and gagged with an onion before Baker and Gent threw her in the boot of their car and drove to Breen and Gaffney's home. The bedroom and closet where the victim was detained, with jumper leads on the floor and a butane canister on the bed The young and terrified teenager was forced to eat pet food (left) and drink bleach (right) during the ordeal An ice pipe burn inflicted on the torture victim (above) Throughout the 16 hours of abuse the girl was tied to a dog leash, beaten, burned with a drug pipe, made to drink bleach, eat pet food, smoke methamphetamine, inhale butane gas and clean up her own urine after she wet herself out of fear. Prosecutor Kelly Smith said the couples filmed much of the ordeal and made the teenager believe she was going to be 'raped and killed'. Even more shocking is that Gaffney's two-year-old son was in another room at the same time, a sentencing submissions hearing heard last month. Even more shocking is that Gaffney's two-year-old son was in another room at the same time, a sentencing submissions hearing heard last month (pictured weapons and phones used during the torture) A cigarette lighter (left) and axe (right) used against the babysitter The girl was left deeply traumatised by her ordeal in this closet (above) Ms Smith said the 'horrific ordeal' only ended when police rescued her at 9.09pm on Friday, June 17, after the housemate's mother contacted authorities. Police uncovered weapons such as knuckledusters, screwdrivers and car jumper leads at the scene of the crime which were used to 'inflict extreme pain, suffering and instil terror on the victim'. The victim was unable to read her victim impact statement in court in August last month because of the 'heartbreaking trauma' she had endured. The victim's neck, which was choked with a dog lead, and her hair (right) which was cut off during the attack Dog food (centre) which was fed to the victim Gent, Baker and Breen all face up to 25 years in jail after pleading guilty to aggravated charges of unlawful detention and causing serious harm with intent between June 15 and 18 last year. They also face a further 10 years behind bars for stealing the girls mobile phone, bank card, laptop, jewellery, make-up and other items valued up to $2500. Gaffney also faces jail after pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful detention. Judge Costello will sentence the couples next week. A sister appealed for the British Army to save her last remaining brother after three of their siblings were killed over a six month period during the First World War. The four brothers, Harry, George, William and Ernest Rea had enlisted in the British Army and were stationed in France and Belgium. Only Harry survived the war after his sister Beatrice appealed to army authorities to transfer him away from front line action after already losing three of her brothers. After the deaths of his three brothers, the army transferred Harry to the Solent to work in naval signals. In the Steven Speielberg movie, Tom Hanks is sent to find a Private Ryan whose three brothers have all been killed in combat during the Second World War. William Ryan, pictured with his wife, standing, and his son Reginald, right, died in the Battle of Passchendaele on September 14, 1917, shortly after his brothers George and Ernest were killed Harry's youngest brother Ernest died in The Somme in April 1917 having been shot in the head. The 21-year-old was the first of the Rea family to fall in battle. On September 1, 33-year-old George was killed at Ypres. Two weeks later, William Rea, who was married and had one son, was killed in action during the Battle of Passchendaele on September 14. Raised in Kempsey, Worcestershire, the four brothers all worked at the Hill, Evans & Co vinegar manufacturers in Worcester. They all went to war but only Harry survived - echoing the plot of the Speilberg film Saving Private Ryan. William's 76-year-old grandson Michael said: 'William died in a hospital in Bethune [France] when he was 35. He was shot through the lungs. 'He left behind one kid - my dad, Reginald. It's a wonderful bit of history that wants recognising. 'It's the same as Saving Private Ryan but it's real history. Three out of the four brothers died in six months.' Nearly one million British soldiers were killed during the conflict. Michael Rea, who developed an interest in his family history as he got older, said his dad never told him anything about his father. Private George Rea fought with the 2nd Battalion, Private Ernest Rea belonged to the Worcestershire Regiment and Gunner Harry Rea was in the Royal Garrison Artillery. Ernest died aged 21 after being shot through the head at the Battle of the Somme in 1917, while George was killed in Ypres on September 1, 1917. In another echo of Saving Private Ryan, the four brothers' sister Beatrice, then 22, wrote to the British Army at the end of 1917, asking for help to bring Harry home. Only Harry Rea, left, survived the conflict. His brother George , right was killed during the Battle of Ypres in September 2017, five months after the youngest brother Ernest William Rea, pictured left, was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele in September 1917, while Ernest, who was the youngest sibling, he was shot in the head in Flanders The youngest brother, Ernest, who served with the Worcestershire Regiment, was the first to die, after being shot in the head in Flanders, Belgium, at the age of just 21. His death was followed in September 1917 by George, of the Duke of Edinburgh's Wiltshire regiment, who died aged 33 of wounds received in battle near Ypres, just west of Flanders. But thanks to their sister's efforts, middle brother Harry - full name Harold Albert Rea - was brought home aged 27 and stationed to work on naval signal stations in the Solent. He went on to have a son with his wife Sarah, and lived to age 78, dying in Malvern in 1967. But William's grandson Michael, and his cousin Malcolm Hollingsworth, said they have always been 'a bit annoyed' about the lack of information they have been given about their family. 'Our family have let us down badly with a lot of information,' said Michael. William Rea was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele in September 1917, his brothers George and Ernest were killed in Ypres and Flanders And Malcolm added: 'They didn't tell us what went on. We get together quite a few times to see what else we can find out.' Michael said: 'I can't get over the youngest one. 1911 census, he's 15. 1917, he's dead. He was aged 21. 'They couldn't even find his body, he was blown up. He could have been walking around Kempsey enjoying himself.' And Michael added that he was always sad not to have had a grandfather. 'Being a granddad myself, I understand,' he said. He said he spends a lot of time at St Mary's Church in Kempsey, Worcestershire, where all four brothers were keen bell ringers before they went off to war. And the Rea brothers are immortalised at the church not just on the memorial statue - but also on the church roof, into which they carved their signatures in 1907. Although the church roof was releaded a couple of years ago, slabs of original lead have been preserved from the original roof, bearing the signatures of the Rea brothers and other youngsters from the time. Bell ringer Henry Morris, who has lived in Kempsey all his life, said: 'It's very humbling I always feel. 'They came up here as young ones, they did that and went off to the war and never came back.' A judge has acquitted a white former St. Louis police officer of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a black man following a high-speed chase in 2011. Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson issued his ruling Friday against 36-year-old Jason Stockley. Stockley, a West Point grad and Iraq war veteran, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole had he been convicted. Shortly after the decision was announced on Friday, protests broke out in downtown St. Louis. Scroll down for video Jason Stockley (left) was aquitted on Friday in the 2011 death of Anthony Lamar Smith (right, with his daughter) A small group blocked traffic at one intersection and lit a sweatshirt on fire. Others started chanting 'Ferguson' in honor of Michael Brown, a black teen who was killed by a white cop in the St. Louis suburb in 2014. Others chanted 'No justice, no peace'. Michael Brown's own father was also amongst the protesters. 'Im just praying for my city,' Brown Sr told CBS St. Louis. 'Theyre killing us like roaches and dogs,' another man said. The protests remained vocal, but peaceful. Stockley shot 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase, after he and his partner witnessed what they believed to be a drug deal behind a fried chicken restaurant. Protesters gathered after the verdict was handed down, and marched through the streets of St. Louis Many of the protesters chanted 'No justice, no peace'. The protests appeared to be peaceful A cop and a protester stand face to face during the protests on Friday Cops are seen huddled together in St. Louis on Friday during the protests. One woman holds up her phone to record them Some of the protesters yelled at the cops, while others remained stone-faced A woman drags an American flag, considered by many to be a disrespectful act, during the protest on Friday Courthouses and schools were closed for the day in advance of the decision, since activists had threatened to protest if an acquittal happened St. Louis police officers were scheduled on 12-hour shifts in advance of the verdict Many of the police officers wore simple uniforms and many appeared to have cameras on their helmets Some of the protesters were seen lifting up their hands, presumably in a 'hands up, don't shoot' chant as they came face to face with a group of cops One protester wore a t-shirt reading 'murder the government' and a face mask of Guy Fawkes. Fawkes was a part of the Gunpowder Plot to blow up the British Houses of Parliament in 1605 and has become a symbol of anarchy At points, the protesters blocked traffic at an intersection outside the courthouse Protesters burn a red St Louis Cardinals sweatshirt outside the St. Louis courthouse on Friday The protesters gathered around the sweatshirt as it burned Friday morning Stockley says he saw Smith holding a gun before the chase began, and that he felt he was in imminent danger when he opened fire. Prosecutors alleged that Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. The gun found in Smith's car had the officer's DNA on it, but not his. Stockley left the police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. He wasn't charged until more than four years after the deadly incident, when a dash cam video was submitted into evidence in which Stockley is heard saying he was 'going to kill this motherf*****, don't you know it,' in the midst of the chase. In his decision on Friday, Judge Timothy Wilson said he didn't buy the prosecution's story that Stockley had planted the gun. Wilson wrote that in his thirty years on the bench, 'an urban heroin dealer not in possession of a firearm would be anomaly'. Furthermore, he doesn't think that Wilson could have planted the handgun in Smith's car without being caught on video hiding it on his body on the way back to Smith's car. 'The gun was a full size revolver and not a small gun such as a Derringer, that can fit in the palm of one's hand or into the side pocket on a pair of pants without being obvious. 'Stockley was not wearing a jacket; if he had such a gun in his possession it would have been visible on the cellphone video. The gun was too large to fit entirely within any of the pockets on the pants he was wearing, there was no bulge in any pocket indicating a gun within the pocket and the gun would have been visible if it was tucked into his belt,' the judge wrote. A protester walks in front of the police line on Friday in St. Louis Protesters supporting the cop are seen in downtown St. Louis on Friday Protesters march after the not guilty verdict in St. Louis on Friday A woman raises her fist as she approaches a line of police officers in riot gear during the protest on Friday Law enforcement stands outside the courthouse following a verdict in the trial of former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley on Friday. The courthouses in St. Louis were closed for the day due to the impending decision Protesters marched to police headquarters in St. Louis to voice their anger about the decision Anthony Shahid, left, speaks to protesters gathered outside the St. Louis courthouse on Friday Protesters march arm in arm in downtown St. Louis shortly after the decision was handed down on Friday A group of protesters block the streets in downtown St. Louis on Friday Michael Brown Sr., father of Michael Brown, is during he protests on Friday. Brown's son was shot dead by a white officer in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson in 2014, which prompted protests and riots Wilson also didn't put much weight on the dash cam video in which Stockley vowed to kill Smith. 'People say all kinds of things in the heat of the moment or while in stressful situations, and whether Stockley's statement that 'we're killing this motherf*****,' which can be ambiguous depending on the context, constituted a real threat of action or was a means of releasing tension has to be judged by his subsequent conduct. After the incident, Stockley moved to Houston Wilson says that Stockley's behavior after cornering Smith shows he wasn't hell bent on murder. 'Stockley did not approach the Buick and immediately shoot Smith multiple times. Stockley had been warned by [his partner] Bianchi that Smith had a gun, Stockley approached the driver's side, appeared to attempt to open the door and, as testified to by the State's own witnesses, ordered Smith to open the door and to show his hands. 'Stockley also warned another officer to "watch his hands". It was not until 15 seconds after Stockley arrived at the driver's side door, that he unholstered his service revolver and fired several shots in succession,' he wrote. The city was prepared for the protests on Friday. All three downtown courthouses, including the federal courthouse, were closed Friday and some St. Louis schools were shuttered in anticipation of the verdict. Police officers were put on 12-hour shift schedules. Mayor Lyda Krewson said in a video statement that the Missouri State Highway Patrol and St. Louis County police are providing support, with the patrol handling any protests on state highways Greitens and Krewson urged protesters to be peaceful, a sentiment echoed by Smith's fiancee, Christina Wilson. Stockley and his partner saw what appeared to be a drug transaction in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant on December 20, 2011. Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, right (right), and Christina Wilson (left), the fiancee of Anthony Lamar Smith, deliver a statement in anticipation of the verdict on Thursday Officials begin erecting barricades outside the Thomas F. Eagleton federal courthouse in St. Louis on Thursday, ahead of the verdict As the officers sought to corner Smith, he drove away. Stockley's defense attorney, Neil Bruntrager, said the officers were nearly run over. Stockley fired at the fleeing car, then a car chase began. Police dashcam video captured Stockley saying, 'going to kill this (expletive), don't you know it,' in the midst of the chase. As Smith's car slowed, Stockley told his partner to slam the police SUV into it, and his partner did so. Stockley then got out of the SUV and fired five shots into Smith's car, killing him. Bruntrager said Stockley fired only after Smith refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat toward an area where a gun was found. But prosecutors said Stockley planted the gun. Testing found Stockley's DNA on the gun, but not Smith's. Stockley claimed his DNA got on the gun because he unloaded it. Stockley, now 36, graduated from a Catholic high school in nearby Belleville, Illinois, then went to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. After graduation, he served in Iraq, where he was injured and awarded the Army Bronze Star. Stockley joined the St. Louis Police Department in 2007. He resigned in 2013, about two years after the shooting, and moved to Houston. Stockley is seen above apparently aiming a gun into Smith vehicle after forcing him to stop Stockley claimed that he saw Smith with a gun and feared for his life. A gun found in Smith's car after the incident only had Stockley's DNA on it. Prosecutors argued that Stockley planted the gun After shooting Smith,Stockley was seen returning to his car and rifling through a duffel bag in the back seat. He claims he was getting a clot pack for Smith, who was bleeding heavily. Prosecutors argued he was retrieving a pistol from the bag to plant in Smith's car Investigators on the scene after the fatal shooting Smith, 24, was the father of a one-year-old daughter when he died. His family has not disclosed much about him. Court records show he had a criminal record that included convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm and drug distribution. At the time of the shooting, he was on probation for a stealing charge related to a crime in Ferguson in 2010. In 2013, the St. Louis Board of Police Commissioners reached a $900,000 settlement with Smith's family, ending a wrongful-death lawsuit filed on behalf of Smith's daughter. St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson handed down the decision on Friday The circuit attorney's office initially decided not to charge Stockley, but police internal affairs brought new evidence in March 2016. Then-Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce announced in May 2016 that Stockley was charged with first-degree murder. The new evidence wasn't disclosed, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch obtained the dashboard camera video and published it soon after charges were announced. The footage showing Stockley's threat led to increased anger from activists. Prosecutors opted not to pursue the death penalty. Stockley chose to have the case decided by a judge, rather than a jury. The judge agreed over the objections of prosecutors. Police and courts in the St. Louis area have been under scrutiny since the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in nearby Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. Brown, who was black and unarmed, was fatally shot by white officer Darren Wilson after a street skirmish. Weeks of often-violent protests followed, and violence was renewed that November after a St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict Wilson. He resigned that month. Since then, several black suspects have been fatally shot by police in St. Louis. Stockley is the only St. Louis police officer charged with murder in recent years. Read the decision below: As he works toward a bargain with Democrats to resolve the status of nearly 800,000 illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, Donald Trump said Friday that he wont't embrace a solution that enables so-called 'chain migration.' Chain migration refers to the legal right of citizens and other legal U.S. residents to 'sponsor' relatives living outside the country, bringing them one by one in expanding circles until extended families have immigrated. 'CHAIN MIGRATION cannot be allowed to be part of any legislation on Immigration!' Trump tweeted Friday, putting the words in upper case letters. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Friday that the president will lay out his specific proposals and their limitations in between 7 and 10 days. Under proposals favored by some Democrats, people benefiting from the Obama-era 'Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals' (DACA) program could gain legal status or citizenship, opening up the possibility that they could help overseas relatives obtain lawful residence. The Trump administration fueled speculation on Thursday, with deputy press secretary Lindsay Walters telling reporters aboard Air Force One that a 'responsible path forward' for DACA recipients 'could include legal citizenship over a period of time.' 'But absolutely by no means will this White House discuss amnesty,' Walters added, confusing journalists on the plane. President Donald Trump insisted Friday that if he makes a deal with Democrats on an overhaul of America's immigration system, it won't allow for so-called 'chain migration' Chain migration refers to the legal right of citizens and other legal U.S. residents to 'sponsor' relatives living outside the country, bringing them one by one in expanding circles until extended families have immigrated. An artist in Mexico last week erected a 70-foot mural of a boy peering over the border into the U.S. to draw attention to Barack Obama's 'Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals' program, which protects nearly 800,000 people from deportation who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children The prospect of elevating DACA recipients to citizenship status is troublesome for conservative Republicans who point out that while they were brought into the United States, giving them the right to sponsor their parents for legal immigration status could reward the adults who snuck them across the border. Chain migration was made part of federal immigration law in 1965 with the Hart-Celler Act, which gave relatives of legal U.S. residents preference over other potential immigrants with skills the government had prioritized. The law has made family reunification a central plank of American immigration policy since 1924, when Congress allowed citizens' and residents' spouses and unmarried adult children up to age 21 to ignore per-country quotas and emigrate to the U.S. In 1965 about 32,700 immigrants entered the United States on the basis of their existing family relationships. By 2001 the annual number of family-sponsored immigration visas had grown to nearly 677,000. Last month Trump announced his backing for a broader plan that would limit legal immigration by placing an emphasis on a skills-based merit system instead of family connections. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said Thursday that 'moving from what people describe as chain migration to a skills-based merit system makes a lot of sense' Trump shocked many in Washington this week by working with Democratic congressional leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer (left) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (right) on an immigration deal, leaving his fellow Republicans on the outside looking in Applicants from foreign countries would be rewarded if they can speak English, financially support themselves and bring skills that 'can contribute to our economy,' Trump said in early August. House Speaker Paul Ryan told the Associated Press on Thursday that 'moving from what people describe as chain migration to a skills-based merit system makes a lot of sense, while keeping nuclear families intact.' The president stunned many Republicans this week by entering into negotiations with top congressional Democrats over the DACA program. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced last week that the administration was terminating DACA itself, subject to a six-month delay intended to give Congress a window to decide recipients' fate. The latest episode of the saga came amid Democrats' claims Wednesday night that Trump had promised to sign a bill formalizing DACA without including funding for the wall he has pledged to build between the U.S. and Mexico. Trump himself tweeted Thursday that it wasn't true. Preserving the DACA program has been the focus of numerous immigrants-rights protests, like this one held Sept. 9 in New York City, since Trump took office 'No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote,' he wrote. But he has also offered a full-throated defense of DACA recipients, insisting that he intends to show 'great heart' in dealing with their situations. 'Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!' he said Thursday morning on Twitter. 'They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own brought in by parents at young age.' Trump added that he would insist on a 'BIG border security' component to any immigration deal with Congress. President Donald Trump quietly signed a resolution condemning neo-Nazis, the KKK and white nationalist groups of all types behind closed doors on Thursday evening. The bill passed both chambers of Congress unanimously before it landed on his desk. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday, after she was asked about the resolution on camera, that Trump was 'looking forward' to signing the measure once it made its way over. Trump said in a statement that he was 'pleased' to put his name to it. 'We condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms,' the statement issued by the White House said. The president did not make the remarks, or any remarks, about the resolution in front of cameras. President Donald Trump quietly signed a resolution condemning neo-Nazis, the KKK and white nationalist groups of all types behind closed doors on Thursday evening He'd inflamed tensions earlier in the day when he told reporters during a question and answer session aboard Air Force One that some of the counter-protesters at a White nationalist rally in Charlottesville were 'very bad people,' doubling down on his position that both sides were responsible for the violence that took place at a race riot in August. Text of S.J. Res. 49 'Condemning the violence and domestic terrorist attack that took place during events between August 11 and August 12, 2017, in Charlottesville, Virginia, recognizing the first responders who lost their lives while monitoring the events, offering deepest condolences to the families and friends of those individuals who were killed and deepest sympathies and support to those individuals who were injured by the violence, expressing support for the Charlottesville community, rejecting White nationalists, White supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups, and urging the President and the Presidents Cabinet to use all available resources to address the threats posed by those groups.' Advertisement Trump came under fire last month for his claims that there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the clash and 'many sides' were to blame for the conflict that left one person dead. The topic came back up on Air Force One Thursday afternoon as a journalist questioned Trump about his meeting the morning before with Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate. The president mentioned the left-wing movement Antfia, which stands for anti-facist, and said, 'If you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. And essentially that's what I said. 'Now because of what's happened since then, with Antifa, you look at, you know, really what's happened since Charlottesville a lot of people are saying, in fact a lot of people have actually written, "Gee Trump might have a point." I said, you got some very bad people on the other side also, which is true.' Trump did not say in his original response to Charlottesville that there 'very bad people' on both sides. He said there were 'fine people' on both sides. The comment created an uproar. The original group of demonstrators were avowed white nationalists protesting the city's removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. A group of white nationalists clash with clash with protesters at the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12 Trump came under fire last month for his claims that there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the clash and 'many sides' were to blame for the conflict that left one person dead Trump also said that 'many sides' were responsible, angering Republicans and Democrats alike in the national spotlight. Rather than apologize, Trump contended during a campaign rally that he'd forcefully denounced racial hatred and the media was cherry-picking his statements. 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,' Trump had previously said. 'It has been going on for a long time in our country -- not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. It has been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America.' Trump did not mention white supremacists at all in his original remarks, giving rise to the criticism. Scott had harsh words for Trump at the time, saying then that the president had compromised his 'moral authority.' He lectured Trump Wednesday at the White House on the history of racism in the U.S. toward African Americans and the Ku Klux Klan. 'We had three or four centuries of rape, murder and death brought at the hands of the KKK and those who believe in a superior race,' Scott told reporters after, according to the New York Daily News. 'I wanted to make sure we were clear on the delineation between whos on which side in the history of the nation.' Scott says he confronted Trump about his 'both sides' remark, telling him, 'While thats true, I mean I think if you look at it from a sterile perspective, there was an antagonist on the other side.' 'The real picture has nothing to do with who is on the other side,' Scott says he told Trump, according to the New York Times. 'It has to do with the affirmation of hate groups who over three centuries of this countrys history have made it their mission to create upheaval in minority communities as their reason for existence.' Trump's response to the talking to was that it 'makes sense,' Scott said. Scott told CBS News in a separate interview, 'He's obviously reflected on what he has said, on his intentions and the perception of those comments. 'I'll let him discuss how he feels about it, but he was certainly very clear that the perception that he received on his comments was not exactly what he intended with those comments,' Scott said of the president. Scott said it 'will take time' for Trump to get his moral authority back, the Daily News reported. TRUMP'S SIGNING STATEMENT Today, I am pleased to sign S.J. Res. 49. As Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms. No matter the color of our skin or our ethnic heritage, we all live under the same laws, we all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God. We are a Nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal. As one people, let us move forward to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans. Advertisement President Trump sat down with Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the U.S. Senate, Wednesday for a conversation on race relations and Charlottesville The president had an opportunity this week to take a step in that direction, signing a resolution legislators passed unanimously in the House and Senate condemning white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK. Sanders said Wednesday Trump 'looks forward' to putting his name on the document once it arrived at the White House. Asked Wednesday whether Trump feels, after speaking with Scott, that he should have condemned white nationalism more boldly, Sanders said the president has nothing to be sorry for. 'The President was clear in his initial statement that he condemned hatred, bigotry, racism of all forms. He continues to stick to that message. Hes been very consistent in that fact. He and the Senator talked about that and discussed that, and agreed that that was the appropriate place to be,' she said. In an appearance on CBS Sunday show Face the Nation just after the attack, Scott had said, 'Its going to be very difficult for this president to lead if, in fact, his moral authority remains compromised.' He declined to criticize Trump further when he spoke to reporters after his visit with the president at the White House on Wednesday. 'I think I was clear before we met, and I was clear while we met,' the South Carolina senator told USA Today, leaving his disagreement with Trump the past. Scott said of the conversation, 'We discussed everything from legislative remedies for those living in poverty, to the incident in Charlottesville, to some of the other issues that are important diversifying staff.' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday during her daily briefing that Trump and Scott spoke about 'potential solutions moving forward to bring the country together' An official White House readout of the meeting said they talked about the Trump administrations 'relationship with the African American community, the bipartisan issue of improving race relations, and creating a more unified country. 'President Trump remains committed to positive race relations and looks forward to continuing the dialogue with Senator Scott, the African American community, and leaders from diverse communities across the country, all of which have a wealth of perspectives and experiences with respect to this issue.' Sanders said during her daily briefing that Trump and Scott spoke about 'potential solutions moving forward to bring the country together.' Scott was 'not at all' fixated on his displeasure with the president's Charlottesville comments, she said, a remark that contrasted what the senator says he told Trump about racism. 'They talked about it pretty in depth, but the focus was primarily on solutions moving forward,' she stated. 'And that was what both people came to the meeting wanting to discuss, is what we can do to bring people together, not talk about divisions within the country.' Trump said Thursday that he and Scott 'had a great conversation.' 'And he also has legislation, which I actually like very much -- the concept of which, I support -- to get people going into certain areas and building and constructing and putting people to work. And I told him yesterday, that's a concept I could support very easily.' The president opened up his remarks by noting that Scott, an endorser of Marco Rubio in last year's GOP presidential primary, has been a friend of his for years. 'I've been a supporter of his when I was civilian. I was one of his earliest supporters, and I supported him when he ran,' Trump said. He went on to talk about Antifa and the all the people writing him to say he was right after Charlottesville. Antifa is loosely organized left-wing activist movement that relies on violence to convey its agenda. Democrats on Capitol Hill had pushed last month for an official censure of the president over his original Charlottesville remarks, assigning blame to the anti-white nationalists. Republicans agreed to a resolution blasting racists. The bill cleared the Senate on Monday and the House on Tuesday, with Trump signing it Thursday. In the bipartisan statement, that assault that took Heather Heyer's life is pointedly referred to as a 'domestic terrorist attack.' The KKK and neo-Nazis are also called out. Lawmakers ask Trump personally to 'speak out against hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and White supremacy' in the declaration. They also call on him to use 'all resources available' to 'address the growing prevalence of those hate groups in the United States.' Trump said in a signing statement that accompanied the final resolution: 'Today, I am pleased to sign S.J. Res. 49. As Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms. 'No matter the color of our skin or our ethnic heritage, we all live under the same laws, we all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God, ' Trump wrote. 'We are a Nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal. As one people, let us move forward to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans.' Advertisement A derelict croft last inhabited in 1930 has been painstakingly restored after it was revealed to be a building of 'national importance'. Downies Cottage was built in the mid-1850s but was last occupied by tenant James Downie. The cottage at Tomintoul Farm near Braemar in Deeside had become obscured by trees over the years and was set to be flattened to make way for a new family home. Slide me Left, the bathroom lies in ruin and, right the new-look room after the property was renovated following 87 years of emptiness But the new owners of the three-acre site, Jackie and Calum Innes, quickly realised the significance of the building the minute they stepped inside to inspect it. They found box beds with straw mattresses still in place and a large chimney flu made of timber typical of 19th Century homes in rural Scotland. The couple also found a range of personal items left behind including clothing, boxes of Christmas cards and pieces of ribbon stored away as keepsakes. Slide me Historic Environment Scotland helped transform the sitting room which lay in ruin after decades of dereliction Upstairs, pages from old magazines and newspapers lined the walls and they also discovered a horse-drawn sledge to navigate wintry conditions. And when Historic Environment Scotland (HES) was contacted, Downies Cottage was immediately given Grade A listed status. Slide me Left, the box bedroom at the cottage at Tomintoul Farm near Braemar in Deeside before the renovation and, right, the finished product Slide me Left, the neglected kitchen lies in ruins after not being used since 1930 and, right, the refurbished kitchen after the site was deemed to be of historic importance The upstairs box bedroom before the cottage was renovated after its new owners realised the historical significance of the building, where they found straw mattresses The neglected cottage had become obscured by trees on the three-acre site, but Jackie and Calum Innes discovered historical items and decor in the property The derelict house concealed a collection of box beds with straw mattresses and a chimney flue made of timber typical of 19th century rural homes in Scotland The property was set to be flattened to make way for a new family home, but has been renovated to include thus modern bathroom The bedroom after the renovation at the cottage, which was almost forgotten as it faced flattening for a new family home to be built The property is now viewed as a 'building of national importance' and an 'exceptionally rare' surviving example of this type of rural building in the country. A major restoration was guided by HES which Jackie has described as a 'labour of love' after finally completing the project. She added: 'It hasnt made any sense in terms of effort or money but we feel that we have done the right thing.' This wedding invite, addressed to the house's former tenant, was among the historical items discovered in the property Vintage greetings cars were also discovered at the cottage at Tomintoul Farm near Braemar in Deeside, Scotland This card dates back to 1897 and was found in the attic of the croft before it was painstakingly restored after it was found to be a building of national importance This is how the fireplace used to look before the house fell into ruin, only to be renovated by its new owners, Jackie and Calum Innes Katie, Jimmy & Jessie Downie 1900s. The photograph was among other historic items discovered at the Scottish property, which sits in three acres of land Tea being served at the croft. The photograph is thought to have been taken between 1890 and 1900 and was discovered by the building's new owners The restored cottage, which is built on what is thought to be Scotlands highest piece of farmland, will open up for a new generation as a holiday home. In his report on the project, Roger Curtis of HES, praised the faithful restoration of the croft. He said: 'Woven into this refurbishment has been an appreciation of the people who lived there and how such links connect us with a way of life that lies at some distance from our own.' The three-acre site's latest owners uncovered the forgotten past of the croft when they stepped inside to inspect it, unearthing photos and other items Ms Innes, 53, and Mr Innes, 54, from Blairgowrie, Perthshire, bought the property in 2006 and were locked in the planning process for around five years. The building had to be restored using the same methods and materials, such as limestone, from the 19th century. It has been left mostly untouched since it was last inhabited in the 1930s. Ms Innes was surprised by the extent of what had been left behind. Jackie and Callum Innes's curiosity saved the building from being destroyed and replaced with a new family home She said: 'We know the area quite well. We had planning permission to build a new house on the footprint and the steading of the cottage. 'We were delighted that everyone has agreed with how important this is and that we've managed to get it finished. 'We were surprised by the amount of stuff that had been left behind - it included Valentine's cards, Christmas cards and lots of bibles left lying around. 'Restoring this is very important because it was so typical of the time. It's never been modernised and been rebuilt because it's so far out of the way or rebuilt in this time.' Passenger jets could be hit by wayward North Korean missiles, experts have warned. It comes as Pyongyang fired its 19th unannounced missile of the year which sailed over Japan before landing in the sea on Friday. Leader Kim Jong Un called the exercise a 'shining victory' in his country's escalating standoff with the United States. Thousands of Japanese citizens were woken up by air-raid sirens for the second time in just three weeks as the missile travelled over the northern island of Hokkaido. Air France has extended a no-fly zone over North Korea following a near miss with one of Pyongyang's missiles Leader Kim Jong Un called the missile launch a 'shining victory' in his country's escalating standoff with the United States But while North Korea's increased military exercises have raised fears on the ground, they have also fueled concerns for aviation safety. Indeed, while panic ensued in Japan, one airline passenger travelling to Osaka at the time revealed that he and the rest of the cabin were bluntly informed that a missile was airborne with them. Now airlines are believed to be considering issuing a no-fly zone over the area amid fears a miscalculation by Pyongyang could end in disaster. Ankit Panda, associate editor of The Diplomat, a magazine covering the Asia Pacific, told the BBC: 'These missile tests do pose a risk for commercial planes. 'It's entirely plausible the missile would go awry and it enters a much more congested airspace.' Another theory is that the missile could disintegrate at altitude, leaving a field of debris in the path of planes. Wreckage from the MH17 flight that was downed by a missile fired by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in July 2014 Where can it go? This graphic shows how far the missile can reach, and the distance to other possible targets, including Seattle, London, Moscow and Hawaii The risks fuel fears of a potential disaster similar to that of the 2014 MH17 crash, in which a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down by a surface-to-air missile in eastern Ukraine. The plane was targeted by pro-Russian separatists in the region who had mistaken the passenger plane for a military aircraft. None of the 298 people on board MH17 survived. Last month an Air France flight travelling from Tokyo to Paris flew within 62 miles (100km) of one of North Korea's deadly airborne weapons. Though the chance of an aircraft being downed as a result of a missile launch is incredibly unlikely, it is certainly a concern for airlines. Air France, for example, has expanded a no-fly zone over North Korea following the near-miss. Ellis Taylor of aviation analysts FlightGlobal said: 'Some airlines have indicated that they are changing their flight paths to avoid flying over North Korea and the area between North Korea and Hokkaido.' A Buddhist monk has been convicted of the attempted murder of his superior at a Sydney temple. Karuna Kim, 32, was found guilty on Friday of wounding with intent to murder, after shooting fellow monk Tha Lam with a nail gun in October 2014. The Vietnamese national reportedly injured the Temple official after becoming angered at the possibility of deportation, Nine News reports. Scroll down for video Buddhist monk Karuna Kim (pictured) has been convicted of the attempted murder of his superior at a Sydney temple in 2014 The incident took place at the Vat Ketanak Khmer Temple in Rossmore, in Sydney's south-west on October 29, 2014. Then 29-year-old Kim reportedly shot Lam once in the head piercing his brain, before turning the weapon on himself. Both suffered serious wounds to their heads in the altercation, which left them each in a coma. It came after Kim had been upset and angry when his Australian visa was denied, the New South Wales District Court heard. Kim (left) was found guilty on Friday of wounding with intent to murder, after shooting Tha Lam (right) with a nail gun in October 2014 The incident took place at the Vat Ketanak Khmer Temple (pictured) in Rossmore, in Sydney's south-west on October 29, 2014 Kim had reportedly visited Lam's wife in the lead-up to the attack, with the District Court judge stating he had made threats to murder. During the trial the defence argued Kim was mentally ill, however the judge disagreed and said there was 'intent to kill'. Following the incident, a member of the congregation told Nine News Mr Lam had allegedly heard a 'bang, bang' sound before he was shot. Vannara Kim said Mr Lam was doing paperwork when the shot was fired, with the nail lodging behind the temple president's right ear. 'He said to me, first of all he heard 'bang bang' like the nail gun,' he said after visiting the leader at the hospital. 'After that the monk grabbed his head and shoot him. That's what he tell me and that's what I heard from the man.' Kim is expected to face sentencing in November and is on bail. Eric Dave Jones, 49, of Bryson City, pleaded guilty in Haywood County Superior Court to indecent liberties with a child A former pastor in North Carolina has been sentenced to just 30 days in jail after admitting to sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl in 2002. Eric Dave Jones, 49, of Bryson City, pleaded guilty in Haywood County Superior Court to indecent liberties with a child. In addition to his jail time, Jones will serve 90 days of house arrest and three years of supervised probation. 'The root of me telling people is because I know it's not my fault that he's done what he's done and that he is a predator,' said the victim, now 25, according to the Citizen Times. The victim added: 'I'll never get back what he took or what he's caused, or the time that's been lost on the just the emotional effect.' A court judgment said he will be required to submit a DNA sample and register as a sex offender for 30 years. The judgment said Jones began abusing the child when the victim was 9 years old. Public records show Jones was a pastor at a church in Andrews before he resigned after his arrest. He entered his plea on Monday. A fitness instructor suspected of murdering a Texas Women's University student, dismembering her body and burning the remains last year has now been hit with a new child pornography charge. Charles Bryant, 31, was indicted in late August on a single third-degree felony count of possession of photos and videos showing children in sexual situations. Bryant is scheduled to go to trial in December for both the child porn and the grisly murder of 24-year-old Jacqueline Vandagriff, whose scorched and mutilated body was discovered by firefighters in a plastic children's swimming pool in September 2016. More legal woes: Charles Bryant, 31, who is suspected of murdering Texas Women's University student Jacqueline Vandagriff (right) a year ago, has now been indicted for child pornography During the investigation into Vandagriff's murder, police said they examined the contents of Bryant's phone and came upon 'images suspected to be child pornography,' as Fort Worth Star-Telegram first reported. The 31-year-old has remained in Tarrant County Jail on bail totaling $1.075million. Last December, Bryant was indicted on a capital murder charge for allegedly killing Vandagriff using a zip tie, a knife or machete, 'and an unknown object.' Court documents stated that a hacksaw that may have had hair on the blade was found at Bryant's home, along with a zip tie with traces of 'hair fibers' on it. Vandagriff, from Frisco, Texas, and a student at Texas Womans University, was discovered by firefighters on September 14, 2016. Her body had been cut up and burned, and was in a plastic children's swimming pool when it was found. A witness told police they saw a man standing over the fire before leaving, according to an arrest report. Vandagriff was seen at a bar with the then-30-year-old fitness trainer the night she disappeared on September 13, 2016 (pictured) Vandagriff was a junior at Texas Womans University in Denton (pictured), where she was studying nutrition Medical examiners identified the victim by her fingerprints. Four days later, Bryant was arrested near his home. Investigators also found a handgun, shotgun, .22-caliber rifle, as well as knives and other weapons, the Star-Telegram reported. Vandagriffs purse was located in a bin at the 31-year-old's home, in addition to the other evidence, among them a possible bone fragment and fire pit remains. Cellphone signals indicate the student's phone was near Bryant's home on the morning of September 14. Vandagriff was last seen alive on surveillance video leaving a bar with Bryant on the night of September 13. Bryant was also caught on camera buying a shovel from a Walmart shortly before 5am. Bryant was indicted on a capital murder charge for allegedly killing Vandagriff using a zip tie, a knife or machete, cutting up the body and then burning it in a fire pit According to his Facebook page, Bryant had worked at Procore Fitness, and police said he also worked at the Urban Cowboy Saloon - a gay dance club. Bryant was arrested twice in the weeks just before Vandagriff was killed, as a result of a series of incidents with his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend who filed a protective order against him. He was arrested on August 25, 2016, for showing up at his ex's University of North Texas dorm room, and again on September 6 when he returned to her dorm and said he 'had something for her'. Vandagriff was a junior at Texas Womans University in Denton, where she was majoring in nutrition. Luckily for the couple, hotel guests came to the rescue and pulled the family out Police Chief Wayne Dennard said the couple feared they would drown because they don't know how to swim The couple, and their two dogs, went flying straight into the pool As they arrived at their hotel, Theodore Karadimos accidentally stepped on gas A couple in Florida frantically trying to flee Hurricane Irma were so frazzled by the experience that they ended up driving into a hotel pool. Theodore and Gloria Karadimos of Punta Gorda, Florida, were attempting to escape the Category 5 hurricane last week, driving north to Atlanta to stay clear from the storm. But as they entered the the Best Western parking lot in Acworth, Georgia, where they were staying for the weekend, they ran into a little bit of a mishap. Scroll down for video A Couple from Punta Gorda, Florida drove their car into hotel swimming pool in Georgia Theodore and Gloria Karadimos were headed north to escape Hurricane Irma and rented a hotel over the weekend As they arrived at their hotel and were getting to park, Theodore Karadimos accidentally stepped on the gas While trying to park the family car, Theodore Karadimos accidentally stepped on the gas instead of hitting the break inside the vehicle, sending him and his wife headfirst into the hotel swimming pool. 'This couple was obviously fleeing from the storm and stressed from that,' Police Chief Wayne Dennard told Channel 2 Action News, adding that the couple feared for their life due to their inability to swim. Dennard also said the couple was concerned for their two dogs, who had been inside the vehicle as well. Luckily for the husband and wife, and their beloved animals, guests at the hotel came to the rescue and fished the family out of the pool. Sgt. Tamara Clayton reported that Theodore Karadimos' foot had accidentally slipped off the break. While his wife Gloria was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, Sgt. Clayton assisted Theodore in getting a rental car, replacing the couple's medicine and dealing with the insurance company. Luckily for the couple, hotel guests came to the couple and their two dogs who were still in the car Theodore and Gloria Karadimos were so grateful for the police department's assistance, they treated the officers on shift to two separate meals They were also so touched by the community's kindness, they say they might move to Acworth 'She quickly realized he was not in a mental state to do that so she went the extra 1 percent to help do that for this couple,' Dennard said. As a sign of appreciation, Theodore and Gloria Karadimos treated the department by feeding members of the shift twice. The couple told Action News that they're house in Punta Gorda suffered some exterior damage sue to the store, but almost everything inside remained intact. They said, however, that they are considering moving to Acworth now seeing as how supportive everyone in the community treated them over their stressful weekend. 'We really are seriously thinking about moving up there because we feel they are part of our family from now on,' Theodore Karadimos said. Vox: Don't Say "Radical Islamic Terrorism," But Definitely Say "Jewish Terrorism" | Main | AFP Fails to Correct IDF Fatalities in Jenin September 14, 2017 "Palestine" Enters Popular Culture on Jeopardy! Jeopardy! -- the popular television quiz show that began in the 1960's -- is premised upon contestants formulating a question to a clue presented by the host in the form of a statement/answer. The clues are chosen from a variety of categories (within history, geography, literature, science) that tests contestants' general knowledge. The term "Palestine" to ostensibly describe a modern-day entity has recently been the subject of Jeopardy! clues. For example, the September 13th show included the following clue and answer: Clue: A land divided by Jordan, Egypt & Israel, or the seat of Anderson County, Texas. Answer: "What is Palestine?" The implication seems to be that "Palestine" is also the current name of a modern country in the Middle East (referring to disputed territories). In the November 18, 2016 show, there was a similar clue: Clue: It's a small New Hampshire town as well as an ancient name for Palestine. Answer: What is Canaan? The implication again seems to be that Palestine is the modern-day name of the country. But references to a current "Palestine" in the West Bank and Gaza are incorrect. Those areas should accurately be referred to as "Palestinian" or "disputed" territories, depending on which areas are being discussed, or as the West Bank and Gaza. If Jeopardy! clues are trying to suggest that Palestine is a modern-day state, the program should take a cue from the numerous media outlets that have corrected this error. For example: Correction (National Geographic,12/15/16): A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to a barrier between Israel and Palestine. The barrier is between Israel and the West Bank. Correction (Washington Post, 9/25/14): The Sept. 23 obituary for religious scholar Gerald A. Larue inaccurately reported that he participated in archaeological digs in Egypt, Palestine and other parts of the Middle East. He took part in digs in Egypt, Israel and the West Bank, not Palestine. Correction (Wall Street Journal, 7/11/08): Salam Fayyad is the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority. An item in Thursday's World Watch column incorrectly gave his name as Falam Fayyad and indicated he was prime minister of Palestine. Correction (LA Times, 5/5/2007) An article in Friday's California section included a subhead saying former President Carter urged students to travel to Palestine. The area referred to is the Palestinian territories. Correction (LA Times, 12/23/2005) An article in the Dec. 11 Calendar section about an international art exhibition included Palestine in a list of nations from which artists had contributed works. It should have said the Palestinian territories. Posted by RH at September 14, 2017 12:47 PM Correction to CAMERA: The land between Jordan and Israel is not the West Bank. It is called Judea and Samaria. The term West Bank was given by Israel's Arab enemies. Let's not perpetuate their lies. Although I've heard Bibi mention the term 'disputed territories', again it's not the best term. It's only disputed by Israel's enemies. Since CAMERA fights for Jewish causes (obviously including Israel), you must change the narrative to suit us. I urge you to set a proper example by always referring that land as Judea and Samaria. Posted by: Leon Kushner at September 29, 2017 08:37 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 Martin 'Pharma Bro' Shkreli will rub shoulders with murderers and gangsters at a gritty Brooklyn prison where there is 'no real outdoors space'. After he was jailed on Wednesday Shkreli was locked up at holding prison at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Correctional Center that houses mobsters, drug smugglers and terror suspects. Lawyer Arthur Aidala said: 'It's not a rehabilitative facility. There's no schooling there, there's no classes there. The worst part is there's no real outdoors space.' 'It's just a place to warehouse human beings.' One federal judge has likened it to a 'Third World Country or a prison in Turkey'. Shkreli, a convicted fraudster, will be locked up at the prison until his sentencing in January. Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli (left) has been jailed because a judge believes he is a danger to society after the Secret Service launched an investigation against him for a post on Facebook that appeared to call for a bounty on Hillary Clinton (right) The prison holds more than 1,800 inmates - including Bonanno crime family captain Vincent Asaro, a former Mexican prosecutor accused of drug-smuggling, terrorist wannabes who allegedly tried to join ISIS, and a man arrested for threatening to bomb synagogues, NBC reported. Shkreli has been jailed because a judge believes he is a danger to society. He had his bail revoked after posting on Facebook that he would pay $5,000 for a strand of Hillary Clinton's hair. Shkreli, who was found guilty on two counts of securities fraud on August 4, caught the Secret Service's attention after he wrote a Facebook post last week that read: 'The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. 'So on HRC's book tour, try to grab a hair from her...will pay $5,000 per hair obtained.' Shkreli caught the Secret Service's attention after he wrote a Facebook post last week that read: 'The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. So on HRC's book tour, try to grab a hair from her... Will pay $5,000 per hair obtained' Prosecutors also cited several other Twitter and social media postings by Shkreli that they said were harassing to women. On August 31 he posted a picture of him holding a computer chip with the caption that reads: 'How about this chip? 10 million deleted HRC emails? Oh well' It is just one of a series of controversial social media posts since he was convicted of fraud. He will now stay behinds bars until his sentencing, where he faces 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in Brooklyn said the September 4 post, which prompted a call from the U.S. Secret Service, showed Shkreli posed a danger to the public that warranted revoking his $5 million bail. U.S. prosecutors had moved to jail Shkreli last Thursday. 'Since his conviction on August 4, 2017, Shkreli has engaged in an escalating pattern of threats and harassment that warrant his detention pending sentencing,' prosecutors wrote in their motion to a Brooklyn, New York, federal judge in a filing Thursday. 'Most recently, Shkreli threatened former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by publicly offering $5,000 to anyone who would 'grab' some of her hair on the defendant's behalf during her upcoming book tour' prosecutors wrote. Shkreli (seen left with his attorney, Benjamin Brafman, outside U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on August 3) was convicted in August of defrauding investors of two hedge funds he ran, MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare Shkreli (seen in the above August 15, 2017 file photo) became famous for raising the price of anti-infection drug Daraprim by 5,000 percent in 2015 while he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals The threat required 'significant expenditure of resources by the US Secret Service,' prosecutors said, adding that there was risk that one of Shkreli's many social media followers would take his statements seriously. Prosecutors also cited several other Twitter and social media postings by Shkreli that they said were harassing to women. 'However inappropriate some of Mr. Shkreli's postings may have been, we do not believe that he intended harm and do not believe that he poses a danger to the community,' Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said in a statement. Shkreli apologized for his actions on Monday. In a letter addressed to Judge Matsumoto, Shkreli wrote that he 'used poor judgment' and 'never intended to cause alarm or promote any act of violence.' 'I wanted to personally apologize to this Court and my lawyers for the aggravation that my recent postings have caused,' Shkreli wrote. 'I understand now, that some may have read my comments about Mrs. Clinton as threatening, when that was never my intention when making those comments.' Shkreli was convicted in August of defrauding investors of two hedge funds he ran, MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare. He was acquitted of stealing from a drug company he later founded, Retrophin Inc, to pay them back. Though he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, Shkreli will likely serve much less, in part because none of his hedge fund investors lost money. Shkreli became famous for raising the price of anti-infection drug Daraprim by 5,000 percent in 2015 while he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals. Patients and U.S. lawmakers were outraged. Since his December 2015 arrest, he has clashed frequently with critics on social media. Twitter banned him from its platform in January for harassing a female journalist, another incident prosecutors cited in their motion to revoke his bail. Twisted plot: Lasonya Poindexter, 30, a day care owner from Missouri, has been charged with attempted kidnapping after prosecutors say she had tried to arrange the adoption of her clients' baby without their knowledge A Missouri day care operator has been charged with attempted kidnapping after prosecutors say she took a baby girl to Arkansas without her parents' knowledge and tried to get her adopted there by another unsuspecting couple. Lasonya Poindexter, 30, of Joplin, was arrested on Wednesday and charged in federal court the next day. She remains in custody pending her detention hearing next Tuesday. According to an affidavit, Poinderxter's adoption scheme unraveled in July when the would-be adoptive parents, Laura Parton, 36, and her husband, 46-year-old Garry Parton, of Lincoln, Arkansas, became suspicious and reached out to the baby's birth parents, Ashley Nicole Still and Christian Alexander Still, of Joplin, on Facebook. The Stills, who are married and have two young children together, confirmed that they hadn't put their five-month-old daughter up for adoption and didn't know that Poindexter had taken the infant across state lines, about 80 miles from home, at least four times to meet the Partons. Victims of deception: Poindexter had been hired to care for Ashley and Christian Still's son and five-month-old daughter (pictured left with mom). Meanwhile, Laura and Garry Parton (right), from Arkasnas, were looking to adopt a baby after a miscarriage According to the affidavit, the Partons wanted to adopt after suffering a miscarriage. Social media posts reveal the couple also have a teenage son. The affidavit says Poindexter asked for money for the girl's care during one visit to the Partons'. The affidavit says Poindexter first contacted the Arkansas couple through a friend in June and began making arrangements for them to adopt the infant girl, identified in court documents as 'Jane Doe 1,' who along with her toddler brother was being left in her care a few days a week. Poindexter's trips to Arkansas for the couple to bond with the baby lasted two to three hours each. Poindexter told the Partons she had been given the child to care for and that the baby had been conceived through a rape, something Ashley Still, 24, said was a lie. Poindexter also told them that the mother wanted a 'closed' adoption so she wouldn't know who was adopting the baby, according to the affidavit. Poindexter (left) allegedly lied to Partons that the baby girl was the product of rape, and that she deserve 'so much more than she is getting.' On the right, the Stills are pictured with their two happy and healthy children in Joplin, Missouri Heartbreaking: The Partons, who have a son, began buying things for the Stills' baby and prepping a nursery The affidavit doesn't say how Poindexter planned to explain the disappearance of the baby girl to her parents. The Arkansas couple began buying things for the baby and prepping a nursery. Poindexter told Laura Parton via Facebook Messenger that she was 'glad' the girl 'finally has parents who adore here,' adding that the baby 'deserves so much more than she is getting.' In photo after photo shared on Ashley Still's Facebook page, her and Christian's two children appear exceedingly well-cared-for and happy. The young mother addressed her former day care provider's arrest in a Facebook post on Thursday, which read: 'For the ones that don't know but this happened to me and Alex and the kids. We are glad to finally have some justice from what she did to us and the other couple in Arkansas. Cover-up: Poindexter allegedly told Christian (pictured with his son) and wife Ashley the baby's that Laura Parton was the current girlfriend of her ex-boyfriend who was trying to ruin her day care business 'It was the best phone call I've ever gotten this morning and it was about her being arrested and finally admitting what she did.' In late July, the Stills and Partons confronted Poindexter. The affidavit says she responded to the Arkansas couple by forwarding a screen shot of an email that appeared to be from an attorney working on the adoption paperwork. Looking for scapegoat: Poindexter tried to shift the blame to her 16-year-old sister, suggesting that the teen may have used her Facebook accounts to set up the bogus adoption The attorney later told investigators he had never represented Poindexter, had any communication with her and was not involved with any adoption proceeding with the Missouri infant. She told the baby's biological parents that the would-be-adoptive mother was the current girlfriend of her ex-boyfriend who was trying to ruin her day care business. Under questioning, Poindexter tried to shift the blame to her 16-year-old sister, suggesting that the teen may have used her Facebook accounts to set up the bogus adoption, the affidavit says. Poindexter later admitted to investigators that she knew she didn't have permission to take the girl to Arkansas and that she had considered giving the Partons another baby in her care. Gordon Fleming (pictured) assaulted a total of 44 young girls and he has now been jailed for 10 years A 'wicked' pervert headmaster who sexually assaulted 44 pupils as young as seven during a 15-year reign of abuse was today jailed for 10 years. Gordon Fleming, 66, took terrified girls aged between seven and 11 into a storeroom where he fondled them. He waved and blew a kiss to his wife Helen as he was led down to the cells after admitting sexually assaulting 35 young girls at Swansea Crown Court this afternoon. Fleming, who worked at primary schools in Mid and North Wales, had already served a four-year sentence after he admitted sexually assaulting nine girls in 1992 - bringing the total number of victims to 44. The court heard the married teacher his assaults secret for more than 30 years and that there was a 'rush' not to be the last girl to leave his class at one village primary school. The headteacher would grab the girl at the end of the queue and 'trap' her in his classroom for his own sexual pleasure. Fleming, from Oswestry, Shropshire, was today described by a judge as a wicked man and had affected the lives of so many young girls. He waved and blew a kiss to his wife as he was led down to the cells after being locked up for 10 years today. The court heard he admitted indecently assaulting nine girl pupils at another school and was jailed for four years at Chester Crown Court in 25 years ago. Judge Geraint Walters said: 'One of our victims said you were a scary, angry and predatory man who had left your mark on her forever. 'These are all words which describe the wickedness of what you did. 'The truly remarkable feature of this case is its scale - the number of victims and the effect you have had on their lives. 'From 1977 to 1991, a period of 15 years, you abused no less than 44 children. 'They were young, naive, innocent and respectful of your position of authority. Gordon Fleming (pictured) was today jailed for 10 years after abusing at least 44 young girls in Wales 'You were imposing, with a reputation of being stern with a temper which intimidated pupils. 'You took advantage of those girls in such a way to deprive them of their childhood innocence. 'You damaged them and they still have to endure that many years on. 'It is no exaggeration to say that your conduct forever blighted their lives.' The judge said Fleming had the opportunity to 'wipe the slate clean' when he was caught and sentenced in 1992. He told him: 'The seriousness of your offending has to be assessed in regard to the number of victims, their young age, the invasive nature of your behaviour, your repeated abuse, the breach trust and the profound long-term effect of your conduct on so many.' Dyfed Thomas, defending, said Fleming's last known offence was in 1988 and he had been of good character since. Mr Thomas said: 'His wife supports him - she knows over the last 30 years a different side to his character. 'He never taught after his offending first came to light in 1992.' Nicola Powell, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said after the sentencing: 'Gordon Fleming hid behind his reputation as a well-respected teacher for decades, exploiting his position of trust within the education system. 'He used his authority fulfill his own sexual gratification. 'Thanks to the bravery of his victims has been shown to be a perpetrator of repeated sexual abuse and has finally been brought to justice.' Fleming waved and blew a kiss to his wife as he was led down to the cells after being locked up for 10 years at Swansea Crown Court (pictured) He was sentenced today after after admitting 35 indecent assaults on girl pupils, who are now in their forties. Prosecutor Robin Rouch said: 'Fleming would gyrate his body against pupils and due to the height difference their faces would be level with his crotch. 'He would be laughing and providing a running commentary of what he was doing. 'His face would become red and his breathing loud as he became aroused.' The court heard he gave the children sex education lessons using pupils as young as seven to demonstrate sex positions. Mr Rouch said: 'He would get the children to make a fist and then tell them to make sex noises as they thrust their fingers into it. 'He would make grunting noises as he showed them positions he described as missionary and doggy style.' Fleming also taught girls the guitar and gymnastics and touched the girls intimately during lessons. One of his victims, now 44, told how Fleming ruined her life and left her with an eating disorder and drug problem. The mother-of-four is now a university lecturer and counsels children at risk of sexual abuse her spare time. She said: 'I was a small child - he was in a position of power. He would shut the classroom door and I would be trapped. 'I watched as he did the same thing to my younger sister and was helpless to protect her. 'Gordon Fleming was very angry and intimidating - purple veins would pop out of his forehead. 'I once saw him hit a table so hard it broke in two down the middle.' Dozens of former pupils gave victim impact statements describing 'daily' attacks by Fleming who was in his twenties at the time. Another terrified pupil described to a classmate what had happened to her and was told: 'That's what Mr Fleming does.' Rights groups have condemned a 'crackdown' by Saudi authorities who have arrested dozens of people including prominent clerics in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom. Amnesty International said the authorities had detained more than 20 religious figures, writers, journalists, academics and activists in the past week. 'In recent years, we cannot recall a week in which so many prominent Saudi Arabian figures have been targeted in such a short space of time,' Amnesty's Samah Hadid said. Prince Mohammed bin Salman took over as crown prince and heir to the throne on 21 June The organisation said the rights situation in the Gulf state had 'deteriorated markedly' since Prince Mohammed bin Salman took over as crown prince and heir to the throne on 21 June. Human Rights Watch also suggested the arrests could be connected to the prince's efforts to consolidate power. Since 2014, Saudi Arabia has tried nearly all peaceful dissidents in its terrorism tribunal, the Specialised Criminal Court, the New York-based rights watchdog said. 'Outlandish sentences against peaceful activists and dissidents demonstrate Saudi Arabia's complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform,' said HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. According to activists, those arrested over the past week included clerics Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni. The preachers, who have millions of followers on social media, were among Saudi clerics who opposed the presence of US troops in the kingdom during the 1991 Gulf War over Kuwait. Mohammed Bin Salman , left, waves to photographers with Saudi King Salman in Ridyah in April They have both been accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia has blacklisted as a 'terror group'. Before his arrest, Awdah had welcomed the first contact between Prince Mohammed and Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, after a three-month boycott of Doha by a Saudi-led bloc. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed all ties on June 5 and imposed economic sanctions on Qatar, accusing it of links to extremist groups and the Muslim Brotherhood, charges denied by Doha. The Saudi authorities have not commented on the latest arrests of activists. But at the start of the week, the attorney general warned that any attack on 'national unity' or the 'image of the state' amounted to a 'terrorist crime'. Susan Wynne-Willson, 69, from Gospel Oak in North West London, allegedly abused Poppy, Rosa and Daniel while her husband Peter Wynne-Willson was away with rock band Pink Floyd The eldest daughter of Pink Floyds lighting engineer today launched a scathing attack on her younger sister who has accused their mother of child abuse. Susan Wynne-Willson, 69, allegedly waged a physical and mental campaign against her children between 1979 and 1993 beginning at their stately home in North Yorkshire. The punching, kicking and biting continued when the family moved into a squat where tragic Floyd frontman Syd Barrett used to live in Soho, London, it is claimed. Mum of five Wynne-Willson, allegedly abused two of her children, Rosa and Dan over 14 years from the age of two. Alleged daily abuse included, stuffing soiled underwear into their mouths and wrapping them in urine soaked sheets if the young children wet the bed. Rosa alleges her mum bounced her head of the inside of a toilet bowl and threw a toy elephant at her and Dan has claimed she held his head under water. At Blackfriars Crown Court today oldest sister Alice, who used the name Alice Wynne, gave evidence in her mothers defence saying she did not recognise the picture her siblings had painted. Cambridge educated Alice told jurors their childhood was dramatically different from her siblings version of events. She said Rosa was intimidating bullying and manipulating and a drug addict. Peter Wynne-Willson pictured leaving Blackfriers Crown Court on Tuesday where he broke down in tears today as he told a court how he caught his 'tyrannical' wife beating their adopted son Emma Goodall, defending, asked how she felt about the allegations. Wearing a grey suit, white shirt and colourful scarf she said: This is something I absolutely do not recognise. The picture that has been painted of our childhood is so significantly and dramatically different, that is why I am here, she said. Alice, who is two years older than Rosa and five years older than Dan said it was devastating that her siblings had brought the case to trial and there was no way it happened as alleged. Ms Goodall asked Alice to tell jurors about her younger sister, who was sat in the public gallery watching her sister give evidence. Rosa is extremely, absolutely amazing, she is a force of nature, a complete whirlwind she said. She can achieve absolutely everything she sets her mind to. She is extremely, very, manipulating, if she is against you it is very worrying. Alice, who lives in Brussels, Belgium, said both her and Rosa were involved in the early 90s rave scene and she used to organise large parties. Rosa went from that and kind of lifestyle to get in with some really difficult people, she was a crack addict a number of years, she said. I am really devastated to have to say that but I have to say that. She said Rosa always wants everything to be perfect and makes a show of it to make her life seem that way. Father-of-five Mr Wynne-Willson has told how the situation moved from a happy, loving, family into something 'not normal' and 'far beyond my experience' She wants perfect everything whether thats the perfect watch, the perfect boyfriend, the perfect life but no one is perfect at everything, she said. When the cracks start to show she is very angry with that. She said when Rosa was under the control of drugs she would lie, lie, lie constantly and look to get money constantly. Rosa would ask for specific gifts for her daughter from Alice and then they would not be there when she went to visit and must have been sold, said Alice. Alice said Rosa felt mistreated and was upset at losing her idyllic life in the countryside and being forced to move to London. It was an idyllic life in the countryside, it was horses, the dog, the house, fruit trees then moving to London and my dad went bankrupt, she said. Alice said it hit the family hard when all these things were lost at once and Rosa took it badly. Rosa feels cheated in life and she feels she shouldve got more, deserves more, dreams of a lot more, she said. She blames it on Mum. At first she blamed my dad, guilt tripping my dad so badly he was saying I have been a bad father, she put so much pressure on him saying all her unhappiness was his fault. That seemed to change really full tilt on to our mum who she had been best friends with before. In Rosas life she wants to blame someone else. At this point Judge Rajeev Shetty said the evidence was not just bad character evidence but a character analysis and a was becoming a character assassination. He briefly dismissed the jury and warned Ms Goodall about her line of questioning. When they returned Alice told jurors Rosa and her mother were very close and Rosa had moved back in with Wynne Willson when she was pregnant for support. Alice told jurors Rosa had got back from a spiritual retreat in Australia really really driven on going to the police about the alleged abuse. She was really convinced she wanted to take my mum to court, she said. Rosa began starting to speak to people and read about court cases involving children against their parents, said Alice. She started building a case against my mum, reading books, reading blogs, reading articles, reading A Child Called It, really, really disturbing things and identifying with them, with it, she said. I thought it was really bad but it was her choice. New research has analysed the work-life balance for parents in 37 developed countries - and Australia is ranked near the bottom. With Finland, Estonia and Austria taking the top three places, Australia finds itself at a dismal 27th, two places ahead of New Zealand. The numbers were crunched by Expert Market using OECD and World Bank data on annual hours worked, paid annual leave, and paid maternity and paternity leave. New research has analysed the work-life balance for parents in 37 developed countries - and Australia is ranked near the bottom (pictured is a stock image) Australians work an average of 1669 hours per year, with 20 days of paid annual leave, full-time equivalent paid maternity leave of 7.6 weeks, and just 0.8 weeks of full-time equivalent paternity leave, The Herald Sun reported. Dr Jim Stanford, director of the Centre for Future Work, says Australia's poor showing comes as no surprise. 'This should be a wake up call to Australia. Workers are not just a productive input, they are human beings and need to be supported as such to have an appropriate work-life balance,' he said. Adelle Kehoe from Expert Market said Australia fared worst on paid maternity and paternity leave and it is important we get work-life balance right. With Finland, Estonia and Austria taking the top three places, Australia finds itself at a dismal 27th, two places ahead of New Zealand (pictured is a stock image) 'If you don't have the right [work-life] balance, the effects can be devastating,' she said. 'Families are not only put under more financial pressure, but an unhealthy work balance puts more stress on relationships, well being and the home environment.' Australia has the second-lowest paid maternity leave out of all countries, lagging behind Estonia which has an average of 85 weeks. Japanese dads get an average of 30.4 week of paid maternity leave, the French enjoy 30.3 days of paid annual leave, and Germans work only 1363 hours a year. Social Services Minister Christian Porter defended Australia's paid parental leave scheme, and said the government pays out $695 a week for 20 weeks. The numbers were crunched by Expert Market using OECD and World Bank data on annual hours worked, paid annual leave, and paid maternity and paternity leave (pictured is a stock image) Jenny Macklin, families spokeswoman for Labor, said the government need to do more when it comes to work-life balance. Social Services Minister Christian Porter said Australias government-provided paid parental leave scheme was generous, with families able to access 20 weeks pay at $695 a week. Labors families spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said the Coalition was doing nothing to help Australian parents get a better work-life balance. Ms Macklin accused the Turnbull Government of trying to cut paid parental leave and cutting penalty rates for weekend workers. Former Mad Men star Jon Hamm has recounted the uncomfortable first time he met Donald Trump - in 2015 at a Saturday Night Live after party. The interaction, he told The New York Times, was 'weird' because he felt like the would-be-president was trying to 'intimidate him'. The 46-year-old actor joked that Trump tried to act like the 'alpha', and Hamm added: 'I'm as alpha as you. Let's go. You're not going to chest-bump me.' After reading the interview, Donald Trump Jr took it upon himself to mock the actor's attempt at bravado. 'Pro tip: If you have to tell others you're an alpha... you're not,' the president's oldest son wrote on Twitter. Jon Hamm recounted an interaction with the President in which he said Trump tried to 'intimidate him,' saying he wasn't fooled by the 'alpha male' act On Friday morning Donald Trump Jr hit out at the actor over the interview - writing 'if you have to tell others you're an alpha... you're not' Hamm told the Times that he met Trump at a SNL after party in 2015- after the then-presidential candidate hosted the popular television show. The meeting, he said, happened by chance when the two bumped into each other at the party. 'He was with Bill O'Reilly,' Hamm explained. 'They're both tall dudes. And I'm a tall dude. And they both do that tall-dude thing, which is try to intimidate you. And it doesn't work on me. 'I'm like, "I'm as alpha as you. Let's go. You're not going to chest-bump me."' The actor, who is 6'2", didn't say what he talked to Trump (6'2") and O'Reilly (6'4") about, or even if they exchanged any words at all, but did say the encounter made him so uncomfortable that he left the party uncharacteristically early. 'It was a very weird night. It was the shortest I've ever stayed at an 'SNL' after-party.' Hamm told the Times that he met Trump at a Saturday Night Live after party in 2015- after the then-presidential candidate hosted the popular television show. Trump is pictured during his monologue in November 2015 when he hosted SNL Hamm has previously spoken out against Trump's presidency, and even helped his opponent Hillary Clinton campaign in 2016. Earlier this year he made an appearance in a video urging people to support Planned Parenthood. He has also publicly denounced the President's proposed health care bill. Since Trump was elected in late November, SNL has taken weekly shots at Trump and members of his administration - which he has denounced on Twitter as 'unfunny.' Several ambulances across Australia are not reaching the most urgent call outs in time, data has revealed. Highest priority cases - labelled 1(a) cases - require the emergency service to arrive within ten minutes, however up to seven recent examples show that is not being reached. An ambulance in July failed to fit within the expected time frame when a patient who had gone into cardiac arrest died after it took took 26 minutes to get to Toronto, south of Newcastle, the Daily Telegraph reported. New data has revealed ambulances across Australia attending some of the country's most urgent call outs are missing their targets Highest priority cases - labelled 1(a) cases, require the emergency service to arrive within ten minutes however up to seven recent examples show that is not being reached The previous month a Mascot patient had to wait 22 minutes before receiving treatment for severe breathing difficulties. Another patient, in May, who was struggling to breath and had gone into cardiac arrest was made to wait 17 minutes. A spokesperson for Ambulance NSW said all instances were upgraded to the highest priority rating later and not initially. In five of the seven cases once the status had been updated to the highest emergency help did arrive within the ten minutes. Information reflects however that the 10-minute response time was missed in 43 per cent of 1(a) cases across Camden, Campbelltown and Picton between April and June, In Richmond, Springwood and Penrith 33 per cent of cases were not met. One spokesperson said this reflected the need for more paramedics another suggested the patient's locations need to also be considered. In five of the seven cases once the status had been updated to the highest emergency help did arrive within the ten minutes 'You have an increase in residents but when a new suburb springs up there is no new ambulance station,' Australian Paramedics Association delegate Liu Bianchi said. Ms Bianchi admitted there is some potential that lives are endangered as a result. APA president Steve Pearce said as the demand gets higher the necessity for more staff also rises. 'The workload is ever-increasing yet the resource base is stagnant. We've been asking for two years to have at least another 500 paramedics across the state cover the existing workload.' Ambulance NSW said on Friday the response times were consistent over the last three years. Ion Toader, pictured, was drunk when he ran over a couple on a Tinder date in Willesden, north London killing Ronald Cardenas and leaving Ruxandra Zavionu in a coma A drunk Mercedes driver, who mowed down a couple on a Tinder date leaving one dead and the other in a coma, has been jailed for six years and eight months. Ion Toader, 34, downed about seven shots of cherry brandy with an old school friend, had a row with his girlfriend and then ignored pleas not to get behind the wheel on the evening of December 17 last year. Motorists had to swerve out of the way as he sped for five miles down the road before smashing into a pedestrian island and flipping his car onto his victims as they waited to cross the road. Self-employed Toader had reached speeds of up to 64mph on the 30mph stretch before the collision on Willesden High Road. The incident was captured on graphic CCTV footage. Web designer Ronald Cardenas, 32, was pronounced dead at the scene and his date, commercial manager Ruxandra Zavoianu, 28, suffered multiple injuries, the Old Bailey heard. The pair had met on Tinder a few days before and had arranged to meet for a glass of wine before they were mowed down by Toader. Ms Zavoianu woke up from a coma a month later and, at first, had no memory of what had happened until gradually, 'frightening' images began to surface. She said in a statement: 'I could remember a body near me and this was frightening. After a few days I managed to say "was I alone when it happened"? 'I started to see a body without a head. We just met a few days before on Tinder. Eight months later, I'm still not back to normal. I'm still fighting.' The court heard Mr Cardenas, from Ecuador, had recently become a father and was working in Carnaby Street before starting to study for a masters degree. His mother, who was prevented from attending court due to her flights being disrupted by hurricanes, said his death had caused 'indescribable pain'. Ronald Cardenas was just two minutes from his home when he was knocked over and killed by Toader on December 17, 2016 on Willesden High Road in north west London Toader, of Willesden, north London, admitted causing death and serious injury by his dangerous driving and apologised to his victims as he was sentenced. In a prepared statement, Toader, who has a two-year-old boy, said he took 'full responsibility', adding: 'I wish I could turn back time.' Judge Philip Katz QC told him: 'On December 17 last year by your dangerous and drunken driving, you killed Ronald Cardenas and very seriously injured Ruxandra Zavoianu, pedestrians waiting to cross the road. 'They did nothing whatsoever to contribute to what happened. The fault for what happened is entirely yours.' He highlighted the devastation of Mr Cardenas' family and the 'dreadful impact' on Ms Zavoianu who had just embarked on a 'highly promising career' with an intellectual property firm. He said: 'The list of her injuries is horrifying. She is lucky to be alive. She could easily have died too. 'The harm you have caused is profound. One death and another life massively damaged. Your culpability is at the highest level.' Toader took the decision to drive while 'obviously drunk' and some five hours after the crash, his blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit, the judge said. Judge Katz jailed Toader for six years and eight months for causing death by dangerous driving and three years, concurrent, for causing serious injury. He also banned Toader from the road for five years. A Seaville, New Jersey, man who drank beer tainted by a caustic chemical at an Atlantic City casino restaurant back in 2012 was awarded $750,000 on Friday. Retired Ocean City police officer, Richard Washart, 55, was at the McCormick & Schmick's restaurant with friends when he was served a beer and immediately felt burning pain. He ran to the bathroom, where he experienced the first of six rounds of projectile vomiting. He tried to drink water from the faucet, but was unable to, due to the pain in his mouth and throat. Richard Washart, 55, was awarded $750,000 on Friday after drinking caustic beer at the McCormick & Schmick's restaurant in Atlantic City A short time later, he began vomiting blood and went to a hospital, where he remained for six days. A doctor said he had never seen a patient survive with such severe burns to the esophagus and stomach. Richard sued McCormick & Schmick's, which is located at the Harrah's casino, claiming he was served beer tainted by a caustic agent used to clean beer tap lines. 'You think when you go out to eat that what you're going to ingest is safe,' Cynthia Washart, Richard's wife told NBC Philadelphia. 'I never questioned that before.' Harrah's was not a defendant in the suit. Kramer Beverage Co., of Hammonton, New Jersey, denied being at the restaurant the day of the incident The restaurant blamed a company it uses to clean its beer lines, Kramer Beverage Co., of Hammonton, New Jersey, which denied being at the restaurant when the November 6, 2012, incident occurred. Kramer however insisted that the company was not at the restaurant on the day in question, according to the New York Post. Robert Paessler, a lawyer for the company, said: 'The first question right off the bat: Did Kramer Beverage clean a line on Nov. 6, 2012? The answer is no. That's the end of the case.' George Godfrey, a lawyer for McCormick & Schmick's, said the only way caustic material could have gotten into the beer line is if Kramer had cleaned it. McCormick & Schmick's insisted the only way caustic material could have gotten into the beer line is if Kramer had cleaned it A restaurant manager testified during the trial he saw a Kramer employee that day who told him he had cleaned the beer lines, according to the New York Post. Paul D'Amato, the lawyer for Richard, mentioned that Kramer destroyed records that could have shown where the company's line cleaners worked that day. The jury awarded Richard $650,000 for pain and suffering and $100,000 for emotional distress. Both McCormick & Schmick's and Kramer Beverage Co. must pay half the award each. Dr Sumit Basu, 59, is alleged to have touched three women 'under the guise of medical examinations' over a period of eight years between 2006 and 2014 at the Lewisham Hospital A heart specialist accused of sexually assaulting three women after exploiting their trust and naivety has told a court that 'you have to have a feel' during examinations. Dr Sumit Basu, 59, is alleged to have touched three women 'under the guise of medical examinations' over a period of eight years between 2006 and 2014 at the Lewisham Hospital. It is claimed that he abused his position of trust and sexually assaulted two of the women with his fingers and asked them about their sex lives. But giving evidence at Woolwich Crown Court today, he said that in his early training he was taught to always expose the body part he was treating but the process has been modified. 'You have to have a feel, you have to be a whole doctor,' he told jurors. He added: 'It has been said a number of times Mr Basu did this and that. 'Medicine is a continuum, you cannot practise it in isolation.' He told the court it was absolutely necessary to close a curtain when examining patients 'even if you are just talking' and that his process with treating female patients has changed. Dr Basu added:'I was taught to expose the part that you are going to examine completely. 'That is my training and that has been modified, I am no longer standing in front of an examiner.' When examining female patients he said he now tells them to keep their bras on. The court heard that he comes from a medical background, with his father and sister both qualified doctors and his mother a nurse. His grandfather also practised medicine, he said. Dr Basu told jurors he wanted to be a doctor for as long as he could remember and would listen to peoples' chests with a toy stethoscope as a child. He underwent his medical training in Kolkata, India but came to Britain in 1986 to finish with a plan of staying in the country for 'four or five years' before returning home, like his father. Dr Basu also has a 17-year-old son, and told the court he married while he was still a junior doctor in 1988. He said he will celebrate his pearl wedding anniversary next year. He was interviewed for a position at the Lewisham Hospital in 2003 and started working there in February 2004, the court heard. Before that, he also spent four days a week working at the Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot, Berkshire while also working at the Royal Brompton Hospital near Uxbridge. Giving evidence at Woolwich Crown Court (pictured) today, Dr Basu said that in his early training he was taught to always expose the body part he was treating but the process has been modified When asked by his defence barrister, Fiona Horlick, how times have changed since he began working at Lewisham Hospital, he said: 'It has changed and evolved. 'I have become more experienced, I am more confident in my work. It seems to be an arrogant thing to say but I am a much better doctor seeing thousands of patients. 'You would have to be fairly unintelligent if you did not improve with that experience. 'I have got the respects [sic] of my colleagues and I have become a more confident doctor.' He told the jury of six men and six women he felt 'cautious' when he started at Lewisham Hospital but has grown in confidence. 'I would not call myself gung ho; I am confident,' he said. The officer in charge of the investigation, Detective Sergeant Peter Thompson, told the court he drafted a 'deliberately vague' press release when Dr Basu was charged. This was in order to not contaminate any potential witnesses coming forward, he said. Dr Basu told the jury of six men and six women he felt 'cautious' when he started at Lewisham Hospital (pictured) but has grown in confidence Jurors watched a short video clip from London Tonight reporting that he had been charged with the offences. The officer told the court he made sure that none of the complainants were aware of each others' allegations and were never introduced during the course of the investigation. All three complainants were referred to Basu in his capacity as a consultant when they complained of chest pains. Basu denies the charges. The first alleged victim was a second year medical student who complained of rapid heartbeat, palpitations and chest pains, the court has heard. It is claimed Basu then examined her breasts and touched her nipples during her first appointment and, on her fourth appointment, inserted his fingers into her vagina. Prosecutor Hanna Llewelyn-Waters previously said: 'Whilst the defendant had his fingers fully inserted into her vagina, he asked the complainant about her sex life'. The girl, now 22, who wept giving evidence to jurors behind a screen, reported the allegations to police in March 2016. Media coverage of Basu's arrest prompted two other alleged victims, now aged 32 and 22, to come forward, the court has heard. Basu, of Ringmore Rise, Lewisham, southeast London, denies seven counts of sexual assault and three counts of assault by penetration. The trial continues. The mother of Huma Abedin advised a Hillary Clinton aide preparing for a 2010 speech, urging that the secretary of state's remarks avoid sensitive issues like a ban on driving by women in Saudi Arabia. The aide, Chase Button, reached out to longtime Clinton aide Abedin for advice in advance of Clinton's trip to Jeddah to speak to a women's college. 'Talk to my mom for sure,' Abedin, a top Clinton aide, advised speechwriter Case Button on Feb. 12, 2010 after he broached the idea. 'She will have good points for you.' Her response included a long list of controversial topics not to discuss including democracy, women's empowerment, and women driving cars something banned in the kingdom and enforced by its Interior Ministry. WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T MENTION FREEDOM: A Hillary Clinton speechwriter got advice for Clinton's remarks in Saudi Arabia from Huma Abedin's mother, Saleha Abedin 'Do not use the political terms such as 'democracy/ elections/ freedom,' the Pakistan-born Saleha Abedin wrote, Fox News reported, based on documents obtained by Judicial Watch in a lawsuit. Her list of 'IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER' continued. 'Do not use the term 'empowerment of women' instead say 'enabling women' and use other terms such as 'partnership/participation,' Saleha Abedin wrote. 'Do not even mention driving for women! The last visitor received a torrent of rejoinders from the students who said they have more important challenges to contend with.' Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (C-up) gives her autograph to students at the Dar al-Hekma college for women during a "town hall" meeting in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah on February 16, 2010. Clinton, on a Gulf mini-tour aimed at rallying support for sanctions against Iran and reviving Middle East peace talks, got a rapturous welcome at the elite Saudi women's college and was hailed as the world's "most popular woman" -- after arriving there late and delaying exams Huma Abedin urged the aide to reach out to her mother about the speech. Here, she attends The Weinstein Company with FIJI, Grey Goose, Lexus and NetJets screening of "Wind River" at The Museum of Modern Art on August 2, 2017 in New York City 'Do not use the term 'empowerment of women' instead say 'enabling women' and use other terms such as 'partnership/participation,' urged Dr. Saleha Mahmood Abedin, professor of sociology from Pakistan and a specialist in the affairs of minority Muslim groups in non-Muslim countries She was likely referring to an appearance by Bush head of public diplomacy Karen Hughes, who brought up the issue on her visit five years earlier. She added: 'Don't sound sympathetic to 'women's plight' or be 'patronizing' as other visitors have done and made the students extremely annoyed.' 'They rightly consider these as in-house issues that they would like to address themselves and not for outsiders, no matter how well intentioned, to come in and tell them this,' she advised. The list of 'important points' for the speech included not sounding 'sympathetic to 'women's plight' or being 'patronizing' Abedin's mother advised 'major corrections' to an early draft of remarks A State Department speechwriters asked for guidance on an upcoming Clinton event In the speech she ultimately delivered, Clinton stuck to bromides, saying: 'We need more partnerships like those that are underway here in Saudi Arabia that strengthen civil society, as well as local indigenous efforts to expand opportunities, so that more girls and women everywhere can participate fully in the spheres of society, if they so choose to do so.' She hailed the kingdom for prioritizing education of women. Clinton aide Huma Abedin (C) is seen with then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton following the second presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri on October 9, 2016 'What the Kingdom is doing under the leadership of His Majesty the King is so important, not only to Saudi Arabia, but far beyond your borders. The emphasis on educating girls and women; the support for education, both girls-only and coeducational; the construction of the new university in Riyadh, named for his aunt; all of that sends powerful signals that are being received, not only within the Kingdom, but far beyond your borders. And I am here, first and foremost, to congratulate and to applaud this commitment. It is evidenced here at this college, but it goes beyond the walls of this particular excellent institution,' Clinton said. Clinton may have tried to poke at the issue of gender and cultural mores without naming it directly by raising the issue of how Saudi women are portrayed in the U.S. media and 'stereotypes.' She did not mention driving. 'When I was speaking to the women leaders, one of them asked me if I could do anything about the media's portrayal of Saudi women, particularly the American media, which presents a very unidimensional view and, as the women mentioned to me in our short, small meeting, focusing more on what's on your head than inside your head or your heart,' Clinton said. IT TOOK US SO LONG TO FIND OUT: The State Department emails came out only after a lawsuit by Judicial Watch. Here, female driver Azza Al Shmasani alights from her car after driving in defiance of the ban in Riyadh June 22, 2011. Saudi Arabia has no formal ban on women driving. But as citizens must use only Saudi-issued licences in the country, and as these are issued only to men, women drivers are anathema. An outcry at the segregation, which contributes to the general cloistering of Saudi women, has been fuelled by social media interest in two would-be female motorists arrested in May CAN'T THEY JUST TAKE SCOOBY VANS? Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (C) prepares to order food at a Dunkin Donuts with New Hampshire state campaign director Mike Vlacich (L) and aide Huma Abedin (R) on February 7, 2016 in Manchester, New Hampshire. Abedin's mother urged that Clinton not raise the issue of a Saudi ban on women driving during a 2010 speech 'My answer was, 'I wish I could do something about the way the media portrays American women.' I think we all have to do a better job of getting beyond the stereotypes and the mischaracterizations.' Saleha Abedin vouched for Clinton as an 'inspiration' to women in an introduction where she only referenced her role as employer and mentor to her daughter for decades. 'I can confidently affirm what a great inspiration and role model you are for women everywhere, and especially for those young women who have been on this journey with you from your days in the White House to the Senate, and now to the State Department. Thank you for your leadership and for your guidance and inspiration that you provide,' she said. 'I genuinely feel sorry for any prison officer now.' It's not often you hear sympathy for the 'screws' from inmates. But this was a comment from one of the many prison inmates who have repeatedly surprised me in recent weeks with their honest acknowledgement of their own criminal history and their sympathy for the desperate situation facing prison officers on the front line. I asked for their views on Twitter after desperate emails from worried prison officers and their families, looking for an outlet to speak. 'They cannot win. The ratios are against them. In my prison there were 30 of us to one of them. And we knew it,' said one former prisoner from a privately-run prison. Whichever way the government spins the figures, the overall number of prison staff employed across the public sector prison estate in England and Wales has fallen from 45,000 in 2010 to just under 31,000 in September 2016. Key front-line roles are down by more than 6,000 officers. Meanwhile the number of prisoners has rocketed in England and Wales from 45,000 prisoners in 1991 to 85,000 two decades later, an increase of nearly 90%. Politicians have been competing to see who can be toughest on crime. And these numbers are the result. Old hands have been made redundant and replaced by new, inexperienced ones with cheaper T&Cs. Scroll down for video Winson Green prison was overrun by more than 200 inmates last year 'I think it will take another Strangeways,' says one softly-spoken prisoner, referring to the 1990 prison riots the biggest in modern times in which 147 prison officers were injured and the repair billed topped 50 million. This man has spent time in one of the toughest prisons and in a privately run counterpart like Forest Bank. He fears the implementation of a smoking ban by the end of the summer maybe the thing that tips prisons over the edge. I listen to him tell me the crimes that led him to three sentences, two years inside, two different prisons and one message; 'Something has to change.' And yet the silence about the situation is deafening. Inmates say incidents inside prisons are downplayed and information about deaths on the wing are printed for prisoners, so as to be more easily contained. The leaflet reference 'New psychoactive substances' came in a canteen bag of a prisoner at cat B forest bank prison in Salford. It is a private prison run by Sodexo Justice Services Even serious violence at YOI Aylesbury on Friday 21 July 2017 was under-reported, as if people just didn't want to hear or listen to the reality of life working on the wing. This, from a serving prison officer whose name was withheld: 'The incident was horrific. 'A mass brawl broke out yesterday morning, calling on all officers available lots of times. We didn't have the staff. Prisoners were attacking each other with weapons. 'Staff were trying to save their lives and got battered. Some were seriously injured. Another officer was on the landing unconscious. We had ambulances and fire service in trying to help alongside our healthcare department. 'Eleven officers had to go to hospital and others are injured. 'To be fair our number one governor is good and she's trying hard but she's battling against a broken system. We have so many new officers that work hard but they are so young and they just aren't getting the support from their seniors. Older members of staff are burnt out. 'I'm dreading going to work, having to try and help the people that have hurt my friends. What worries me now is some of the lads involved I would have put money on them being decent guys. They weren't the "typical" disruptive prisoners.' Perhaps these are the voices we need to hear and there are many of them. Riot police and emergency services were drafted in to help calm the chaos in the prison which lasted more than 12 hours A young mum wrote to me we'll call her Sarah. She has ten years' experience working as a prison officer in understaffed London prisons. She has a partner who also works in the prison system, and a young daughter under five. I was struck by how much like a regular young mum Sarah sounded, just like many of my mates on the school run or at work until I read her story: 'We are battered and bruised on a daily basis. I've been spat at and have had threats of faeces being chucked on me. A colleague had the humiliation of having faeces rubbed in her face.' And her problems aren't left at work of course. Her partner brings home his injuries too: 'He has recently been slashed and bitten by a prisoner because he did not feel he was given the correct medication by the staff.' I hear this a lot from the people good enough to speak to me the endless, nail-biting wait for blood tests after incidents like this to see if they have caught any of the diseases rife on the wings. Prisons are dirty places, full of dirty people, according to one ex-prisoner; we'll call him Callum. Hep B, Hep C, and HIV it's all in there. It's why biting is a weapon. He talks about the reality of daily life on a wing inside a private prison run by Sodexo. (It is strange to hear the name; Sodexo used to run the canteens and uniforms for Disneyland Paris when I worked there as a youngster, as a security guard. The contrast is perverse.) 'There is only so much Jeremy Kyle one man can watch. When the prisons are run for profit, you know, the food budget gets smaller and smaller. Everything is frozen. Even the apples come in frozen. On a Wednesday we used to get bananas. They were the only fresh food that came inside. So the lads would stash the bananas away, for the old hands, and hand out frozen apples instead.' Sent to Strangeways for his part in criminal gangs, he describes his typical day. '2223 hour bang-ups are common. Dinner is at 12.30. By then everyone is starving. You walk to the hot plate, get your food, and your breakfast cereal and milk for the next morning, and get banged back up. Between 2pm and 3pm you are unlocked for exercise, anti-clockwise around the yard, before being banged back up again. 'At 5.30pm you are unlocked, walk across the hotplate to get your tea. And then you are banged up again.' G4S help: Staff for the security company arrive at HMP Birmingham after prisoners took over. The 1.7% payrise for prison officers is not the solution He talks about this life, banged up 22 hours of 24, with surprising sympathy for the officers. 'When they are attacked, the inmates aren't attacking the person. They are mad at the system. And they can't attack the system so they attack the thing that represents the system. The uniform, the badge.' The system does sound cruel. But even among the prison officers, it's not all good guys trying to get along. There are a few officers who work against their own, bringing in contraband like cigarettes and the synthetic drug Spice to top up their wages. They are part of the problem. Between June 2013 and April 2016 the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman identified 64 deaths in jail where the prisoners were suspected to have used NPS (new psychoactive substances) before they died. The drugs are a sources of income for the gangs inside whose illicit use of phones and drones, combined with the help of some corrupt staff, has helped the trade thrive behind bars. When new inmates arrive they are even given instructions on how to take illegal drugs safely. One was kind enough to give me a copy. This is the true reality of our prisons. New inmates are given instructions on how to take drugs safely. This is the true reality of our prisons Some officers writing on prison blogs suggest that many go sick too easily and that there is an epidemic of sick notes in the system putting more pressure on the others in the team already stretched too thin. There is another side to this, however. One man, James, tells me; 'I worked in a local prison where inmates were released into local communities. You bump into these people in H Street. One threatened me on my doorstep, others says they will 'shit me up' or 'sugar water' me. 'I had a nervous breakdown and had to take a month off work. I had to take a job role drop and a massive pay cut as they said I wasn't fit to work the wings again.' Callum says that sexual relationships between inmates and officers are not uncommon. Sometimes it is almost as if the officers and the prisoners want the same thing. Which is to get the time done, as quietly as possible, as efficiently as possible. Whatever it takes, and despite the inhumanity of this place for humans who have done wrong sometimes very wrong. The prisoners are not the good guys here. If someone hurt my child, would I care that they were banged up 22 hours out of 24? No, I would not. In fact, if they never saw daylight again it would be a day too soon for me. But it must be possible to believe in strong justice and tough punishment without putting prisoner officers' lives at risk. Or allowing gangs financed by bananas, coffee, spice and hooch to take over inside. Liz Truss seems to have gone quiet on prison reform. The media even more so. Fire: Smoke rises up from inside the Birmingham prison after reports that rioting inmates have let off firecracker One prison officer of 33 year's standing, says: 'The minister of justice and the government (and all previous governments) are well aware of the situation. They are also well aware that to the general public, the prison service is a forgotten service. 'The public just wants the bad guys locked up so they feel more secure in their homes. The truth is, they don't really want to see the gory details of staff assaults, drugs, suicide and serious acts of indiscipline.' I am guilty of all of this. Perhaps you are too? Because prisons are for 'bad people' and we don't have to use them, we are content to know they are there and that people inside them can't get out. Think of how much we talk about hospitals. And schools. And the fire service and police. We are comfortable discussing these things because they are part of our lives. The prison service is the drunk uncle at the wedding who we pretend not to know or see. And that is part of the issue. We need to open up honest conversations to let the light in. Light is sanitising in itself, and closing down truths, or preventing my visit to the wing (a government official got wind of my trip) is not going to make things better. Carnage: Fires were lit inside HMP Birmingham (pictured) as violence during the day increased with computers thrown from windows and property damaged I suspect Callum may well be right: another Strangeways situation is on the horizon. A meteoric rise in the prison population together with a catastrophic reduction in prison officers was never going to be an equation that resolved well. My biggest learning, as an outsider, was that despite horrific injuries inflicted on officers by inmates and the record numbers of prison suicides, both prisoners and prisoner officers want the same thing: to complete their shift or sentence as efficiently and as painlessly as possible. All the prisoners I spoke with had sympathy for the officers as people. And the reverse was true, too. Prison officers still spoke of their passion for their job, but they know they cannot do it properly with so few hands to help. And many still despair at being forced by redundancy out of a job they loved and would still love, given the chance. Reading the prison officer magazine Gatelodge gives you a real sense of the pride in the force, and the problems it faces. Theresa May has just conceded a 1.7% pay rise for prison officers from the existing budget. I have listened to some of the officers' stories and spoken to men who have served their time as prisoners. And however you calculate the problem, 1.7% is definitely not the solution. Granny dealer: Andrea Flores, 73, has been arrested on drug charges after authorities in Texas say they caught her weighing and packing up cocaine Law enforcement officials in Texas say they were carrying out a drug raid this week when they walked in on a 73-year-old woman weighing and packaging cocaine. Andrea Flores was arrested Wednesday on two counts of manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. The suspected silver-haired drug dealer was apprehended while officers with the Jim Wells Country Sheriff's Office were serving a narcotics search warrant at her home in the 1700 block of Carmen Street in the City of Alice. According to officials speaking to Alice Echo News, Flores was found bagging up drugs in the back room while watching TV. A search of the premises yielded 40 grams of synthetic marijuana, 8 grams of cocaine, 100 prescription pills and drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale and sandwich bags, commonly used by people in the illegal drug trade to parcel out narcotics for sale. Impressive haul: A search of Flores' home yielded 40 grams of synthetic marijuana, 8 grams of cocaine, 100 prescription pills, a digital scale and sandwich bags (pictured) Investigators noted it was not Ms Flores' first brush with the law. They said the geriatric suspect was previously arrested on drug charges in the 1990s, but declined to provide additional details. This goes to show that when it comes to a criminal element anyone can be called a suspect, said Jim Wells County Sheriff Daniel Bueno. As off Friday morning, Flores' name was absent from the list of current inmates at the county jail. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has come under fire, after he jokingly said he would serve hemlock if he was ever hired to cook for President Trump. Bourdain, the host of CNN's No Reservations, made the comments last week to a TMZ reporter after arriving at the Los Angeles airport. The reporter asked Bourdain: 'If Trump and Kim Jong-un were going to have a bit of a summit to try and mend relations and they wanted you to cater, what would you serve?' 'Hemlock,' Bourdain, 61, responded smiling. Scroll down for video When asked what he would serve President Trump if ever hired to cater for him, Anthony Bourdain said 'hemlock' Hemlock is a highly-poisonous plant, which the Ancient Greeks allegedly used to execute the philosopher Socrates. Fox News reached out to Bourdain after the video surfaced online, and he amended his answer, saying he would actually serve Mr Trump kale. Bourdain is just the latest CNN host to get in trouble over comments about the president. In May, the network fired Kathy Griffin for holding up a bloody head made to resemble Trump in an online video. For several years, the comedian has co-hosted the network's New Year's Eve coverage with Anderson Cooper. Hemlock is a poisonous plant that was used in executions in Ancient Greece. Right-wingers on Twitter were not happy with Bourdain's message Other Twitter users defended Bourdain, saying he was only joking When she was dismissed, CNN issued a statement saying: 'We found what she did disgusting and offensive. We are pleased to see she has apologized and asked that the photos be taken down.' WHAT IS HEMLOCK? Above, a picture of a poisonous hemlock plant Hemlock (Conium Maculatum) is a poisonous plant native to Europe and North Africa. It is also called poison parsley, or to the Irish - devil's bread and devil's porridge. Ingesting relatively small portions of the flowering plant - about six to eight fresh leaves or an even smaller amount of the root seeds - can result in death. Hemlock poisoning causes paralysis, and victims die due to lack of oxygen to the heart and brain. The plant was used in executions in Ancient Greece, notably in the case of the philosopher Socrates. Socrates was sentenced to death in Athens for impiety and corrupting young men. Advertisement So far, CNN has not issued a statement in connection to Bourdain's comments. But they have become a heated issue on social media, with many right-wingers calling for CNN to fire Bourdain and for a boycott of his show. 'I will never watch you or any show you are ever on. You should be ashamed,' one user wrote Others came to Bourdain's defense however, saying he was only making a joke. 'The far right want Anthony Bourdain fired because he jokingly said he'd serve Trump Hemlock. They are the true snowflakes,' another user wrote. Bourdain has not tried to conceal his distaste for the president. Last year, when Mr Trump was still running for president, TheWrap asked Bourdain if he would ever have a meal with the mogul. 'Absolutely f****** not,' Bourdain said. 'Ive been a New Yorker most of my life I would give the same answer that I would have given 10 years ago, when he was just as loathsome.' Bourdain had a completely different view of the last president. When President Obama was still in office, Bourdain invited him on his show, No Reservations. The two went to a noodle shop in Hanoi, Vietnam, while the president was on a diplomatic trip in May 2016. The episode aired four months later. Bourdain is on better terms with Mr Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, who he invited on his show last year for an episode in Hanoi Bourdain is pictured above with his girlfriend, actress Asia Argento, at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in L.A. on September 9 Police have released mugshots for five out of the nine people arrested during protests of a Ben Shapiro speech. Cops in Berkeley, California, said that nine people had been arrested during the Thursday protests against the conservative commentator, but said there were no injuries due to violence or property damage. The University of California relied on a phalanx of police and a virtual campus lockdown in order to allow the talk by former Breitbart editor Shapiro, 33, to proceed. Hundreds of protesters were allowed to voice their displeasure over the speech at the famously liberal school, chanting 'no Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA' outside the hall where he spoke. Others held signs objecting to the university hosting Shapiro. The cost of the free speech was estimated at as much as $600,000 for security, according to UC officials. Arrested: Michael Paul Sullivan, 29, and Hannah Benjamin, 20, were charged with carrying a banned weapon. Benjamin was additionally charged with battery on a police officer Arrested (left to right): Kerem Celik, 18 (disturbing the peace); Eddy Robinson, 44 (carrying banned weapon); Sarah Roark, 44 (carrying a banned weapon) The 33-year-old former Breitbart News editor thanked the crowd once he began his speech 'For the most part it was an orderly event, attended by respectful orderly people,' UC Police Chief Margo Bennett said. 'The crowd in the street was loud, but not violent.' Police set up a zone around the campus and temporarily banned a wide variety of items, including poles, shields and pepper spray, in a bid to prevent the type of mob violence that has greeted other conservative speakers there in recent months. Arrested on charges of carrying a banned weapon were: Sarah Roark, 44, of San Francisco, Michael Paul Sullivan, 29, of Hayward and Eddy Robinson, 44, of Oakland. Hannah Benjamin, 20, of Fremont, was also arrested for carrying a banned weapon and additionally charged with battery on a police officer. Kerem Celik, 18, of Saratoga, was arrested for disturbing the peace. Arrested on battery charges but not yet seen in mugshots were Jorge Cabanillas, 20, of Rialto, and Darin Bauer, 45, of Berkeley. Miguel Reyes, 21, of Colton was charged with resisting arrest and Noe Gonzalez Gudino, 24, of Richmond was charged with public intoxication. The University of California relied on a phalanx of police and a virtual campus lockdown in order to allow the talk by the former Breitbart editor to proceed Justin Palmer, 31, a UC Berkeley undergraduate student in philosophy, said he opposes Shapiro's beliefs but still wanted to hear his ideas. He said Shapiro had a right to speak on campus. 'It's unfortunate that it has to turn into this big spectacle,' he said, referring to the protests and police. Xochitl Johnson, an organizer with Refuse Fascism, a group protesting Shapiro's speech, attacked the university for deploying police for what she said was the creation of a safe space for fascists. She said it was wrong for the school to shut down the campus to let him speak. UC spokesman Dan Mogulof said the university was committed to continuing to host speakers like Shapiro. Still, he said the university faced complicated legal issues and an 'unusual context' on campus and in the country and would proceed cautiously. He noted that Shapiro spoke at UC Berkeley in 2016 without any disruptions to the campus or heavy security. 'Who would have known in February 2016 that we would have needed to do what we needed tonight in order to have a successful event with the very same speaker,' he said. Police officers surround a fallen supporter of Shapiro after she was knocked to the ground during a scuffle with protesters following his speech The city and campus have become a flashpoint this year for the country's political divisions, drawing extremist groups from the left and right. Police and UC Berkeley officials were criticized in February for giving demonstrators wide latitude and standing aside as masked anarchists hurled Molotov cocktails at officers and caused $100,000 worth of damage when right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was scheduled to speak. The event was canceled, as was a later speech planned by conservative Ann Coulter. Thursday's event was being seen as a test run for later in the month, when Yiannopoulos plans to return for what he is calling a 'Free Speech Week' on campus featuring conservative commentator Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, ex-chief strategist for President Donald Trump who has returned to Breitbart News. Campus officials say that event is not yet confirmed. Security was ratcheted up Thursday in Berkeley after four political demonstrations there have turned violent since February, prompting officers to come up with new strategies to control rowdy and sometimes dangerous crowds. Berkeley Police stand guard in front of a student store on the University of Berkeley California's campus as conservative speaker Ben Shapiro speaks in the Zellerbach Hall Streets were closed and concrete barriers were erected. A list of banned items Thursday included shields, masks, bandanas, poles and torches, and for the first time in two decades, the city council authorized city officers to use pepper spray to control violence. Shapiro was invited to speak by campus Republicans, who say the liberal university stifles the voice of conservative speakers. About 90 minutes of his two-hour talk was devoted to a question-and-answer session, and he prioritized hearing from those with differing views. He denounced white supremacy and urged people to sit and down and talk to people who have different political views rather than yelling at those who are not like them. 'Get to know people, get to know their views. Discuss, debate,' Shapiro said. 'That is what America is all about.' A former headmistress and her husband took their own lives after they were unable to cope following a stroke which had left her 'severely disabled', an inquest has heard. Mary Lawson, who was also a former canon of Leicester Cathedral, and her husband Sean, 50, were found dead at their home in Wiggins Close, Rugby, in May this year. Mrs Lawson, 63, and her husband sent a time-delayed email to the police which was titled 'apologies for this' which went on to add 'this means we are no longer in this world having passed over'. Police found Mrs Lawson, who had worked for the Church of England before becoming head of Leicester's first Hindu school Krishna Avanti, holding the hand of her husband. Mary Lawson, who was also a former canon of Leicester Cathedral, and her husband Sean, 50, were found dead at their home in Wiggins Close, Rugby, in May this year Mrs Lawson had suffered a stroke 18 months prior to her death which had resulted in 'some disability to her mobility' Detective Inspector Paul Thompson, from Warwickshire Police, spoke at the hearing. He said: 'After gaining entry we found Mr and Mrs Lawson in their bed, both clearly deceased, and at 2.18pm were confirmed as dead. 'There was nothing to suggest anyone else was involved.' Mrs Lawson had suffered a stroke 18 months prior to her death which had resulted in 'some disability to her mobility' and the inquest heard that as an independent woman, she was left distressed at the circumstances her stroke had left her in. The inquest heard she had tried a number of different therapies and treatments, all which had proved unsuccessful. Warwickshire Coroner Sean McGovern ruled the pair had taken their own lives by asphyxiation. He said: 'This is a very sad inquest about a married couple. Mr Sean Lawson, who was 50, held a responsible job at a local council and Mrs Mary Lawson, who was 63, also held responsible jobs as head teacher at a number of schools. Mary Lawson was also a former canon at Leicester Cathedral Mrs Lawson also worked at Leicester's first Hindu school Krishna Avanti before her stroke 'Sadly, however, she had a very debilitating stroke. She went from someone that was very fit and health to someone severely disabled. 'It is my verdict that Mr and Mrs Lawson have taken their own lives.' For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details Fierce optimism: Joanne with fiance Steve White Joanne Milne had never heard a babys giggle until she reached the age of 40 and when she did she was totally entranced. Its lovely, infectious and it makes you want to laugh yourself, so the happiness carries on and on, she says. Its my favourite sound ever and I felt quite emotional when I first heard it. Soon Ill be hearing it a lot more. Then there will be first words to look forward to as well. Joanne is deaf and until three years ago she lived in profound silence. Then she was fitted with cochlear implants, which bypass damaged portions of the ear to stimulate the auditory nerve directly, sending signals to the brain that it recognises as sound. When the implants were first turned on, her mum captured the moment on a video which was posted on the internet. To date, 12 million people worldwide have watched her emotional reaction as her world erupted into a cacophony of noise birdsong, roaring traffic, chattering voices and, overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity and sheer volume and variety of it, she sobbed tears of joy. Now it wont be long before new sounds are added to the library filed in her brain: her own newborns tears, his infant chuckle. At 43, after she had long assumed she would never become a mum, Joanne is pregnant with a baby boy, due at the end of October. When she and fiance Steve White met by chance in summer last year, it was love at first sight. By January, paramedic Steve, 43, had proposed and then came the thrilling news that Joanne was expecting. By the time I got to 40, I didnt think Id meet anyone I wanted to marry, she says. I didnt realise Steve was round the corner. But there he was! She smiles. We both knew pretty much straightaway that we wanted to be together for ever. I wasnt worrying, Will he call? I just felt so comfortable and relaxed with him. Ive had relationships before but nothing like this one. I didnt have to worry about being deaf. You just know when its right, dont you? We knew, too, that we wanted children, but this little voice at the back of my mind was saying, Youre getting older. But its happened quickly and were so delighted and excited. I took a home pregnancy test and, when Steve came in from work, I showed him the positive result. No words were needed. We just hugged. For Joanne, motherhood will bring both joys and challenges. She has Usher Syndrome, which is why she was born deaf, and although she is now able to hear when wearing her implants, another sense is fading: since her late 20s the rare genetic condition has been progressively robbing her of sight. She is registered blind, her peripheral vision is non-existent and her field of vision is narrow: she views the world as if through a letterbox. Her sight will definitely decline her sons face will fade as the years pass. But she refuses to dwell on the negative. Im on my lifes journey with Steve now, so whatever lies ahead well face together, she says. Well get through anything knowing we have each other, and although my sight will deteriorate I wont be totally blind. You have to hang on to that. Ill treasure the sight of our babys face. Ill make memories, but I wont waste time worrying about how bad its going to get. When I was 16, the doctor said Id be totally blind by the age of 30. Im not. So I dont think about the day when I wont be able to see our son. You can get very low if you take that attitude, so I intend to grab life and squeeze every drop of joy out of it because while youre worrying, time is ticking away. Left: Wow! Jos implants are turned on. Right: She is stunned as the sounds amaze her A few years ago, it became an obsession, trying to fill my mind with pictures and memories, and although of course I still do that we all do you have to enjoy the moment. So I try to be positive. I dont say Im disabled because Ive never liked labels and stereotypes. I know Ill cope. My night vision is poor so Ill never be good on Bonfire Nights, but Ill focus on summer picnics, she adds with a smile. And there are some things Ill never be able to do. I had to give up driving when I was 29 and I walk unfamiliar routes with a white cane, but Ill concentrate on everything I can do, knowing Steve is always looking out for me. Theirs is a partnership of equals. Joanne, self-sufficient for so long she was living alone when she met Steve and works full-time in PR for a charity, The Hearing Fund UK is resolutely independent. Left: She cries tears of joy. Right: Jo is overwhelmed When she was first registered blind, she was allocated a guide dog called Matt, but decided others needs were greater and he was given to someone with a more severe visual impairment. Supported by a close-knit and loving family her dad Al, 74, is a retired cable contractor, while mum Ann, 73, raised their three daughters Joanne had speech therapy from the age of two and learned to lip read early in life. She relied solely on this skill before her cochlear implants were fitted, and is so adept at it that Steve sometimes finds himself forgetting she is deaf. Only on occasions do I catch myself realising Jo can hardly see because she does so well at getting about, he says. He, too, is full of optimism. Ill do whatever I can. Its just a continuation of loving her, learning about her condition and how best I can support her. We went out for a family meal on my birthday; it was dark and crowded and Jo missed a step and stumbled because Id forgotten to mention it was there. I was mortified. To family and old friends its second nature to say mind the step. Im learning from this sort of thing every day. Its quickly becoming clear to me, too, that Jo is really adept at hearing certain pitches of sound, while others are more difficult. My voice is quite low and I have to raise the tone a little so her implants pick it up. Im also learning which noises grate: the metallic sound of a teaspoon in a cup really cuts her in two. At 43, after she had long assumed she would never become a mum, Joanne is pregnant with a baby boy, due at the end of October When Joanne found she was pregnant, she and Steve, who is divorced with three children from an earlier marriage, opted not to have genetic tests to find out if their baby was likely to inherit her condition. Usher Syndrome is so rare only 400,000 people in the world have it that the chances of their son inheriting it are extremely remote. But in the unlikely event that our child has a sensory loss, well deal with it, says Joanne. Life comes with challenges. There is no such thing as a perfect or normal child. What makes the world beautiful is our differences. Well be very proud of our son whether hes deaf or not and Ill teach him British Sign Language from an early age. An afternoon spent with Joanne and Steve is uplifting. Both have unquenchable optimism and they are obviously deeply in love. They met by chance in July last year in a cosy pub near Joannes former home in Newcastle. She was about to go home after a quick early evening drink with girlfriends when Steve, on his way to a mates house, popped in. I saw her and thought, Blimey! he recalls. Tall, blonde and striking, she was wearing a vintage blue polka-dot tea dress and red heels. I thought, I have to go over and talk to her. I couldnt leave without saying something. Joanne had likewise spotted the tall, dark, bearded stranger with chocolate brown eyes and a winning smile. I just knew something was going to happen, she remembers. And when he came over and we got talking, it was as if wed known each other for ever. I told him about my cochlear implants . . . And then the penny dropped, puts in Steve. I remembered listening to Jo on the radio. After her implants were switched on in March 2014, Joanne was invited on Lauren Lavernes BBC Radio 6 music show. There she heard music for the first time; a playlist compiled by a friend with a tune for every year of her life. I remember thinking, What an incredible story, says Steve. Jo had no previous music memory. Id listened to my mums Beatles records and my dads Rolling Stones songs. She didnt have any musical heritage. Jo has Usher Syndrome, which is why she was born deaf, and although she is now able to hear when wearing her implants, another sense is fading: since her late 20s the rare genetic condition has been progressively robbing her of sight. Pictured: Jo with her cochlear implants Joanne recalls her feelings after that first meeting: I felt comfortable with Steve. He was thoughtful, a good conversationalist and he had a good heart. He was also open-minded about disability. Naturally, I was apprehensive, but he took those feelings away. That was his big quality. I could be myself and there was nothing I was going to hide. And of course I thought he was handsome, too! Three hours seemed to pass in the blink of an eye, Steve recalls. I knew straightaway we had something special. The feeling is unmistakable, isnt it? Were happier now than we were in our 20s, adds Jo. Loving Steve is just so enjoyable. We dont think Ive got to act like this or be like that. Youre just yourself. Thats the best thing, jokes Steve. We can be as weird as we like together and its just fine! Quickly they became inseparable. Joanne sold her house and now they have their own home together in Durham. Steve is helping add to her sound archive, which grows daily. When she hears a new one, he identifies it. Her aural library of birdsong is now quite encyclopaedic. Before I could hear I thought all birds had the same song, she says. Now I recognise the call of a chiff-chaff and can identify a blackbird singing its evening song. Steve has also introduced her to classical music. We had an evening of Beethoven and Mahler and at the end I was quite exhausted. Its wonderful and overwhelming, says Joanne. The sensation makes your nerves tingle and each tiny hair stand on end. With Steve as her guide, they go hiking and it was on a walk in the Pennines that he proposed. We often go walking in quite rugged terrain because I wont be able to do it for ever as my sight gets worse, she says. On this particular day it was icy and we were wrapped up in winter woollies. Steve wanted to guide me across some slippery rocks. I thought, Theres no way well get across there, but he gave me a helping hand and we walked right behind a waterfall. I remember the sound of the crashing water. I hadnt realised before that water made a noise at all. Then he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. When she was first registered blind, she was allocated a guide dog called Matt, but decided others needs were greater and he was given to someone with a more severe visual impairment. Pictured: Jo with the remote that controls the volume of her hearing aids She beams as she shows me her white gold and topaz vintage engagement ring. Next year a summer wedding is planned; before that, of course, they have their baby to look forward to. At Joannes 20-week scan they learned he was a boy. There was no hiding the fact, laughs Steve. So our decision about knowing the sex was made for us. Joannes pregnancy has gone without a hitch and technology will help her cope once the baby is born. At night she takes out her implants and retreats once more into silence so when Steve is working nights, a wristband that vibrates in response to sound will alert her when her son is crying. She will also set an alarm to vibrate when a night feed is due. After the birth she will return to work part-time, when she will be fronting an anti-bullying campaign that she will take to schools nationwide. Their little boy will be immersed in love: both their families will pitch in to help look after him. We have lots of support around us two sets of grandparents and three aunties, plus a network of good friends, she says. She remains resolutely upbeat and undaunted. To Joanne Milne, deafness and fading sight are minor encumbrances and Steve, of course, is the main reason why she looks forward in joy and hope. Im very proud of him and of the job he does as a paramedic, she says. His compassion and kindness are two qualities that attracted me to him. Its very important, particularly with the pressures of his job, that he comes back to a happy home filled with love, serenity and laughter, and Ill do everything in my power to ensure that he does. I dont worry about how Ill cope with motherhood. I think our little boy is going to be very lucky indeed. The Hearing Fund UKs #Nice2bNice anti-bullying campaign will tour UK schools from February. Follow on social media @hearing_fundUK. U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Nikki Haley says a sanctions regime the world body exacted on North Korea last week was 'massive' and has only started to effect. The sanctions package capped oil imports, barred textile exports and prohibited the hiring of additional guest workers. 'At that point, you know, there's not a whole lot the Security Council is going to be able to do from here, when you've cut 90 percent of the trade, and 30 percent of the oil,' Haley said Friday at the White House's daily briefing with reporters. Haley's description of the sanctions contradicted President Trump's own claim earlier this week that the sanctions were a 'very small step' and 'not a big deal.' 'I think what the president's saying is this is just the beginning of what we can do,' she stated. U.S. Ambassador to U.N. Nikki Haley says a sanctions regime the world body exacted on North Korea last week was 'massive' and has only started to effect In a comment that raised eyebrows, Haley also said she has 'no problem' kicking the conflict with the rogue nation to General James Mattis because the defense secretary has plenty of options in his playbook. Haley's description of the thinning sands at the United Nations and the role Mattis might play in resolving the dispute laid bare the administration's diminishing diplomatic options. If North Korea continues its provocative behavior, Haley suggested the U.S. would have to take matters into its own hands. That could include single-handed sanctions on countries that do any trade whatsoever with North Korea, as Trump has said. It could also be short-hand for the kind of military action that Trump has repeatedly refused to rule out. Asked outside the White House if the U.S. was running out of options when it comes to North Korea, Trump mouthed the word 'no' to a reporter. The journalist asked again, this time adding the word diplomatic, and Trump said the same thing. Yesterday, the president told a journalist who asked about North Korea during a question and answer session, 'We are working on different things. I can't tell you, obviously, what Im working on. But believe me, the people of this country will be very, very safe.' The heavy sanctions that went into effect this week were for a nuclear test conducted earlier this month. Clearly, it was not be enough to deter. the nation's vicious dictator, Kim Jong-un, from developing a nuclear weapon with the ability to devastate areas inside the continental U.S. Kim has since launched another intercontinental ballistic missile. 'That's going to take a little bit of time, but it has already started to take effect,' she said. Asked outside if the U.S. was running out of options when it comes to North Korea, Trump mouthed the word 'no' to a reporter. The journalist asked again, this time adding the word diplomatic, and Trump said the same thing In a comment that raised eyebrows, Haley said today that she has 'no problem' kicking the conflict with the rogue nation to General James Mattis because the defense secretary has plenty of options in his playbook Haley said she remains committed to trying to push through as many diplomatic options as possible. 'What we are seeing is they continue to be provocative, they continue to be reckless. And at that point, you know, there's not a whole lot the Security Council is going to be able to do from here, when you've cut 90 percent of the trade, and 30 percent of the oil. 'So having said that, I had no problem kicking it to General Mattis, because I think he has plenty of options,' she said. The president's National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster chimed in to say, 'Now, it's not what we would prefer to do. So what we have to do is call on all nations, call on everyone, to do everything we can to address this global problem short of war. 'So that is implementing now these significant sanctions that have just now gone into place, and it is convincing everyone to do everything that they can. And that it's in their interest to do it.' Trump complained earlier this week that the sanctions package was not enough and speculated that it might not have an impact at all. 'Its just another very small step. Not a big deal,' Trump said. 'I dont know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-0 vote.' Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Thursday at a London luncheon that the sanctions were 'a small step' in remarks that echoed Trump's. He essentially agreed with Haley's interpretation, though, that stronger action won't be dictated, at this point, by the United Nations. 'I think it's clear that with respect to oil and a complete embargo of oil from the UN Security Council, that is going to be very difficult,' he said. ''In effect, that is directed at China alone because China supplies essentially all of North Korea's oil.' The president's national security adviser H.R. McMaster said of war with North Korea: 'Now, it's not what we would prefer to do. So what we have to do is call on all nations, call on everyone, to do everything we can to address this global problem short of war' Confronted with Trump's small step comment at the White House today, Haley put the opposite spin on the existing package: 'First of all, let's talk about what a big sanctions resolution this was. 'We have cut off now 90 percent of trade going into North Korea,' she said. 'So, you know, whether some believe it's big or small, I think what the president's saying is this is just the beginning of what we can do. Haley said, 'By the time we get going on this, if we have to go further, this is going to look small, compared to what we do. 'But no, it was a massive sanctions bill. And I think the fact that we had a 15 and 0 record and you have China on board and Russia on board -- I think that's very important,' she contended. 'Is there more you can do? There's always more you can do. 'But then you get into the humanitarian aspect of it, which is at what point are you going and actually hurting down to the people of North Korea.' Reporters shouted Trump about North Korea later that hour as he was preparing to take off from the White House's South Lawn for Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. At a speech there, he said that North Korea 'has once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbors' with its latest missile launch. 'America and our allies will never be intimidated. We will defend our people, our nations and our civilization from all who dare to threaten our way of life,' Trump told servicemen and women at his speech. 'After seeing your capabilities and commitment here today, I am more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming.' Trump proclaimed moments later that when the United States' enemies hear the F-35 fighter overhead, 'Their souls will tremble and they will know the day of reckoning has arrived.' Sen. Charles Schumer offered a personal explanation for the sudden (if not quite nailed down) deal with President Donald Trump on DACA: 'He likes us.' Schumer made the claim on the Senate floor Thursday morning, just hours after he and Nancy Pelosi made the stunning announcement they had move toward a deal on the Obama-era immigration program. 'He likes us. He likes me anyway,' Schumer told a person out of view in a comment picked up on a microphone on the Senate floor. Then he laid out what he told the president, who has known Schumer for years from New York circles. 'He likes us. He likes me anyway,' Schumer told a person out of view in a comment picked up on a microphone on the Senate floor. 'He likes us. He likes me anyway,' Schumer told a person out of view in a comment picked up on a microphone on the Senate floor Scroll down for audio 'Here's what I told him. I said, 'Mr. President, you're much better off if you can sometimes step right and sometimes step left. If you have to step just in one direction, you're boxed,' Schumer said. It sounds like Schumer then says, 'He gets that,' adding: 'and it'll make us more productive too.' The statement came after Schumer and Pelosi had talked immigration and border politics with Trump over Chinese food. 'He likes us. He likes me anyway,' Schumer told a person out of view in a comment picked up on a microphone on the Senate floor They announced afterward the two sides were close to agreement on dealing with DACA, in a compact that was 'excluding' the border wall. 'We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides,' Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday night. LIKABLE ENOUGH: Schumer shared his impressions of Trump in comments that got recorded and broadcast on C-SPAN WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 04: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) (C) is joined by fellow Democrats from both the House and Senate, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) following a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama at the U.S. Capitol January 4, 2017 in Washington, DC. Obama came to Capitol Hill to encourage his fellow Democrats to work to preserve his signature health care law, also known as Obamacare. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Trump proceeded to make a series of conflicting statements. 'Ultimately, we have to have the wall. If we don't have the wall, we're doing nothing,' Trump reporters from the tarmac when he landed in Florida for a briefing on Hurricane Irma Thursday morning. 'We're not looking at citizenship. We're not looking at amnesty. We're looking at allowing people to stay here. We're working with everybody, Republican, we're working with Democrat,' Trump said while touring Florida. Trump tweeted Thursday that there was 'no deal,' but then sent out a tweet expressing sympathy for people brought here illegally as children. 'We're working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen. You have 800,000 young people brought here, no fault of their own, so we're working on a plan, we will see how it works out. But we are going to get massive border security as part of that, and I think something can happen,' Trump said. Elizabeth Doster, 40, resigned from her job teaching high school English in West Fargo, North Dakota on August 29 A teacher has resigned amid allegations that she got heavily intoxicated playing drinking games with students and had oral sex with another student. Elizabeth Doster, 40, resigned from her job teaching high school English in West Fargo, North Dakota on August 28, after beer was found in her classroom and allegations of misconduct mounted. 'This is all surprising,' Doster told WDAY in response to the allegations. 'I haven't thought anything through yet,' she said in declining to comment further. The shocking claims first emerged over the summer break, with a disturbing call to 911. A girl called police at 2.44am on July 10, saying that she feared for her safety and that she had been drinking with Doster and three young men at Doster's home in Fargo. The teens were either students or former students of the teacher. The girl said Doster had gotten into an argument with one of the males, and reported that the teacher had been 'pushing her around and told her she would never forgive her if she called the police'. Officers responded and found Doster 'highly emotional' and heavily intoxicated, having trouble standing on her own. Doster told police that she and three young males were playing 'pong' but that only she had been drinking alcohol. Police cited one of the males for being a minor under the influence of alcohol. Cops said his blood alcohol level was .235, nearly three times over the legal limit to drive. Police submitted a complaint to prosecutors accusing Doster of contributing to the delinquency of minors, but it is not yet know whether charges will be filed. School officials became aware of a potential problem on August 9, when a student and parent complained that Doster had been 'partying and driving around smoking dope with students,' according to district documents. Then on August 17, a school resource officer received a tip from a student who said that Doster had given alcohol to students and engaged in oral sex with a student throughout the prior school year. Doster taught language arts at Sheyenne High School in West Fargo, North Dakota In the ensuing investigation, Doster denied the sexual allegation, saying that it was likely a rumor that had started after she hugged a student who was crying after getting bad news over the phone. Doster did tell administrators that she communicated with students using Snapchat, according to district documents. On August 18, administrators searched Doster's classroom and found three empty beer cans and one full beer can in a plastic tote bin on the front desk. The beer was Kirkland Signature Light, a brand exclusively sold to Costco members. 'Prior to the start of school, West Fargo Public Schools investigated allegations regarding the conduct of Elizabeth Doster, a teacher serving at Sheyenne High School,' the West Fargo School District said in a statement Thursday. 'While the investigation was occurring, Ms. Doster was placed on administrative leave. 'As a result of findings of the investigation, the district notified Ms. Doster that administration would be recommending her discharge to the School Board. 'Ms. Doster resigned her position, and the School Board accepted her resignation on August 28.' Dave Saffeels, 68, is accused of raping the 11-year-old girl three times last month A convicted pedophile accused of raping an 11-year-old girl at a hospital told police the child was 'sexually provocative' as he denied her allegations. Dave Saffeels, 68, who previously spent eight years in jail for sexually abusing a six-year-old in 2002, is accused of raping the 11-year-old twice at a hospital in Springfield, Missouri, last month. They were both visiting a woman who had just given birth to twins and were left alone in a room, police say. According to charging documents, Saffeels felt the girl's groin then removed her clothes and raped her on a hospital room couch. She later told police that he then performed oral sex on her and raped her a second time the next day, this time using a pink condom which he allegedly flushed down the toilet when he was finished. Authorities say that not only did he rape her at the hospital, he later got in to the shower with her at her home and raped her again. The alleged rapes took place at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, Missouri, last month when both were visiting a woman who had just given birth to twins He is also accused of sexually abusing a two-year-old at her home while her mother slept. Saffeels spent eight years in jail for sexually assaulting a six-year-old. He is pictured in 2002 after his arrest After that attack, the toddler refused to allow her father to give her a bath, covered her groin and cried 'ouch' and 'no'. Saffeels denies the allegations and told police that the 11-year-old had enticed him before by 'suggestively eating a popsicle' in front of him. He also said she wore 'shorts' and sat with her 'legs spread' in an attempt to accuse her of provoking him. Saffeels denies all the allegations against him. He was arrested during a traffic stop on Friday but it is not clear how police came to learn of the alleged child rape. He is charged with three counts of statutory rape, three counts of statutory sodomy and one count of child molestation and is being held in Greene County Jail. A 30-year-old woman found herself inside a Florida jail cell Thursday night after police said she assaulted a man who refused to have sex with her. Authorities said that Rebecca Lynn Phelps from Pasco County was charged with battery after she reportedly struck a male acquaintance in the face after he declined her offer for intercourse. An affidavit chronicling the incident said that officers were dispatched to Phelps' New Port Richey home around 2am after receiving a disturbance call. Rebecca Lynn Phelps (pictured), 30, was placed under arrest on Thursday after allegedly assaulting a male companion who refused to have sex with her An affidavit chronicling the incident said that officers were dispatched to Phelps' New Port Richey home around 2 AM Phelps and her male companion were reportedly intoxicated when Phelps 'started to get mad with the victim because he did not want to have sexual relations with her'. Phelps then allegedly 'started to scream and smack the victim,' at one point scratching him so violently she was able to draw blood on his right arm. Police said that the victim's skin was still underneath Phelps' fingernails when authorities performed an examination. Phelps denied assaulting the man later during interrogation, saying that 'nothing happened' and was clueless as to why her drinking partner was bleeding. A witness inside the residence, who did not see the alleged altercation, said he heard the victim yell during the confrontation: 'Please stop hitting me.' The plea was followed by a loud smack, according to the witness. Phelps was arrested for misdemeanor battery and placed on $500 bond. The judge also placed a restraining order against Phelps, ordering her not to go near the victim. Michael Issacson, 29, is a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the public City University of New York system. He is pictured wearing an antifa shirt A New York City professor's tweets about 'dead cops' came to light on Friday after he appeared on Fox News. 'Some of yall might think it sucks being an anti-fascist teaching at John Jay College but I think its a privilege to teach future dead cops,' tweeted Michael Isaacson on August 23. Isaacson is a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, which is part of the public City University of New York system. The 29-year-old appeared on Fox on Thursday night and by Friday, after his previous tweets came to light, three police union bosses had called for his firing, reports the New York Daily News. The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the Detectives' Endowment Association and the NYPD Captains Endowment Association all released statements condemning Isaacson's action. Isaacson told the Daily News: 'I don't have a problem with individual police officers I mean, I teach them but I dont like policing as an institution.' Isaacson appeared on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Thursday night. The publicity caused his August 23 tweet about police to resurface Isaacson is pictured holding a sign that reads: 'Richard Spencer is still a d***.' Spencer is a white supremacist He added to the New York Post: 'I critique policing as an institution which operates at the behest of a state that increasingly represents the weapons and prison industry rather than the public theyre supposed to serve through decades of gerrymandering by both Republicans and Democrats.' The professor is involved in the antifa - or anti-fascist - movement. He founded a group called Smash Racism D.C., which advocates violence against organized white supremacists. He also considers himself to be an anarchist. Isaacson told the New York Daily News: 'I don't have a problem with individual police officers I mean, I teach them but I dont like policing as an institution.' Pictured at right is John Jay College, where he works as a professor Pictured is the August 23 tweet that Isaacson tweeted from his account, @VulgarEconomics The publicity surrounding Isaacson's comments came as a result of his appearance on the Tucker Carlson show. On the show, the professor did verbal battle with the conservative commentator. He told Carlson: I teach [my students] to think critically, and thats why Im very open about my anti-fascism and my anarchism.' Tweeters have sent death threats to Isaacson ever since his August 23 tweet. John Jay College said it would release a statement on Friday. The new face of anti-terrorism was unveiled yesterday as officers from three specialist units descended on Parsons Green. British Transport Polices specialist firearms officers ran through the streets as they attempted to defuse the situation in the wake of the Tube blast. The elite officers are trained to respond to terror threats and work throughout the London Underground Network. The unit, which was launched in 2002 to respond to terror attacks on public transport, carry Glock 17 pistols and LMT Defender AR-15 variant rifles. Officers from the unit were introduced on trains in May this year, just days after the Manchester terror attack, and have been patrolling the London Underground since December 2016. The London Fire Brigade deployed their new special officers, who were dressed for a marauding terrorist firearms attack (MTFA). The firemen were dressed in red protective ballistic vests, helmets and steel toe cap boots as they ran into the hot zone at Parsons Green station. The officers are specifically trained to treat casualties in the wake of a terror attack and were used for the first time during the London Bridge atrocity in June. Armed police swamped the area and there are claims that there is a suspect on the run who may also be armed The Metropolitan Polices elite counter-terrorist firearms officers also patrolled the scene and ran down the train tracks in the aftermath of the attack yesterday. The specialist unit, introduced in August 2016, was armed with SIG MCX Carbine rifles and Glock SLP pistols as they surrounded the station. The 600-strong team of officers was unveiled after a wave of terror attacks hit mainland Europe last summer. President Donald Trump will pummel foes and embrace friends in his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly next week, keeping pressure on Washington's adversaries North Korea and Iran, U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said on Friday. Briefing reporters ahead of the annual U.N. meeting, Haley and White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster took a tough line on North Korea, warning that a military option to deal with its nuclear threats was available. Trump will meet with leaders from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America throughout the week, but his remarks, scheduled for Tuesday morning, will be the president's highest profile opportunity to explain his foreign policy vision couched in his 'America first' agenda. 'I personally think he slaps the right people, he hugs the right people, and he comes out with (the) U.S. being very strong, in the end,' Haley, speaking at the White House, said of Trump's speech. 'I personally think he slaps the right people, he hugs the right people, and he comes out with (the) U.S. being very strong, in the end,' said UN ambassador Nikki Haley Haley declined to say whether Trump would commit Washington to maintaining its current level of funding for the 193-nation body. Trump has complained that the United States funds 22 percent of the U.N. budget and nearly 30 percent of U.N. peacekeeping duties. Trump will kick off the week with a meeting about U.N. reform on Monday. He will then have meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that will focus on Iran, McMaster said. Trump has dinner scheduled with Latin American leaders. National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster (R), and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (L) answer questions during a briefing at the White House September 15, 2017 in Washington, DC. McMaster and Haley fielded a range of questions relating to North Korea, and this morning's terror incident in London during the briefing. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) On Tuesday, he will meet Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Trump said last week he would be willing to mediate the worst dispute in decades between Qatar and U.S.-allied Arab states. On Wednesday, he will meet with leaders from Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Britain and Egypt and on Thursday there are talks scheduled with leaders from Turkey, Afghanistan and Ukraine before holding a lunch with the leaders of South Korea and Japan. McMaster said it was unlikely that Trump would speak to Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, whom the White House has sanctioned and called a dictator. Ryanair is cancelling hundreds of flights over the next six weeks because cabin crew haven't taken enough days off. The airline suddenly removed 160 scheduled services to destinations across Europe on Friday without any explanation leaving holidaymakers furious. It now plans to cancel as many as 50 flights per day until the end of October in a bid to improve its punctuality statistics and clear 'a backlog of crew leave'. Since the beginning of September the number of on-time arrivals has fallen below 80 per cent because of air traffic control strikes, restrictions on landing times and inclement weather conditions. Ryanair suddenly removed 160 scheduled services to destinations across Europe on Fridays furious (stock photo) Ryanair also admitted that its staff have holiday leave that they must take by the end of the year as the airline moves to a new accounting system. It means that dozens of flights every day across Europe will be cancelled without warning leaving holidaymakers stranded. The airline has been bombarded with tweets from furious customers questioning whether their flights are cancelled. One upset customer wrote on Twitter: 'Unacceptable to state cancellations due to issues outside of your control without giving an actual reason.' Another tweeted: 'I've just an email saying my flight home on Monday is cancelled. Can you help please?' One furious flyer said: 'My flight from Stansted to Pisa tomorrow has been cancelled. Still showing up as scheduled elsewhere. What's going on?' Another customer sarcastically added: 'Thanks for leaving my partner in Madrid and offering no alternative to get her home.' Ryanair has now been bombarded with tweets from furious customers questioning whether their flights are cancelled Among the flights cancelled were 17 in and out of Dublin Airport as well as others to Madrid, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and London Gatwick. In a statement, the airline said: 'Ryanair has operated at record schedule and traffic levels during the peak summer months but has a backlog of crew leave which must be allocated before December 31st 2017'. 'Ryanair's on-time performance has declined from 90% to under 80% over the past two weeks, a figure that is unacceptable to Ryanair and its customers. 'By reducing its scheduled flying programme over the next six weeks by less than 2% of its over 2,500 daily flights, the airline will create additional standby aircraft which will help restore on-time performance to its 90% average.' 'We apologise sincerely to the small number of customers affected by these cancellations, and will be doing our utmost to arrange alternative flights and/or full refunds for them.' A 52-year-old teacher from California has been charged with carrying on a three-year sexual relationship with her female student beginning when the girl was just 15 years old. The Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced on Thursday that Mary Jahn, of Lakewood, has been charged with nine felony counts, including four counts of sexual penetration by foreign object; three counts of lewd act upon a child and two counts of oral copulation of a person under 18. According to prosecutors, Jahn was an English teacher at Lakewood High School when in July 2008 she began having sexual encounters with her 15-year-old female student, and the tryst between the older woman and the teenage girl continued until July 2011. Mary Jahn, 52, a teacher from California (pictured in Facebook photos, left and right), is accused of having a three-year affair with a 15-year-old female student Earlier this year, the now-adult victim alerted authorities about the alleged sexual abuse. Following a months-long investigation, law enforcement arrested Jahn on September 13 in Long Beach. Prosecutors recommended that she be held on $750,000 bail. Jahn worked as an English teacher at Lakewood High School from 2006 until May 11, 2017, when she was placed on administrative leave, according to a statement released by the Long Beach Unified School District and cited by CBS Los Angeles. If convicted of the charges against her, the 52-year-old Jahn faces a maximum sentence of eight years and four months in state prison. She also would have to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life. Social media posts reveal that Jahn has a wife and two daughters. The couple have been together since 1999. On the road into town on Tortola, a British territory since the 17th century, visitors are usually greeted by smiling locals and azure seas. The tourist guides talk of powdery white-sand beaches, lush green mountains, sheltered, yacht-filled harbours and quaint spots like Apple Bay and Smugglers Cove. No more: paradise is lost on the British Virgin Islands (BVI) after Hurricane Irma battered the area with winds gusting at around 200 miles an hour, blowing roofs off houses and leaving at least five people dead and dozens more injured. As the first British newspaper journalist to reach the BVI, which have been cut off since the storm hit ten days ago, I witnessed the scenes of devastation that have left Tortola, the largest island of this once verdant tropical archipelago of 59 smaller islands, reduced to barren wasteland after the hurricane blew almost every leaf off almost every tree. Local estimates suggest that around 90 per cent of homes, businesses and boats were damaged or destroyed. Its like a scene from Passchendaele or the Somme, one British military adviser told me. Look around the place has been devastated. We are here to provide security and assistance. The officer was one of an advance party of 50 Royal Marine Commandos, who were dispatched soon after the disaster amid allegations that the Government was slow to react compared to other countries who immediately began military evacuations. Tortola has been reduced to barren wasteland after Hurricane Irma blew almost every leaf off almost every tree Local estimates suggest that around 90 per cent of homes, businesses and boats were damaged or destroyed The disclosure came after the Mail revealed the Governments 13 billion foreign aid fund could not be used to help these devastated UK territories because the islands are supposedly not poor enough to merit help. That row is likely to intensify after military sources told me the operation was in disarray from the beginning, with service personnel forced to beg for weapons and ammunition from local police because their equipment did not arrive with them. We have had to borrow rations, ammunition, weapons and other kit, the source told me last night. Its fair to say that the logistics were not fully behind us, and there was some disarray. Many troops have been billeted in the few undamaged holiday homes. Bemused locals watched as some personnel landed by troop carrier on the beach, piling ashore with only side arms and the kit they could carry, having hitched a lift close to the island on a U.S. warship. So badly delayed was the Armys equipment that units arrived with no vehicles, forcing them to borrow transport from locals and even use cars abandoned at the airport with the keys still in them. Destroyed vessels are pictured on the island of Tortola, which has been devastated by Hurricane Irma In true gritty British military fashion, the soldiers on the ground who number 500 after reinforcements were flown in brushed off concerns about lack of ammunition. Yet it meant some had only side arms for protection while combating an orgy of looting as criminal elements cashed in on the chaos. We like to travel light and are always adaptable, said another British soldier. We are used to coming into difficult situations and getting by with what we have. The rest of the weapons and ammunition arrived not too long after. These matters were raised when Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson arrived on Tortola this week to counter criticism of British tardiness. At a meeting with military leaders, Johnson was told passionately about concerns over the equipment debacle. Hurricane Irma did not blow anyone any good on these devastated islands: the force of the storm destroyed the gates of a hilltop jail containing more than 140 hardened criminals, including rapists and killers. Another gust demolished an inside wall holding the inmates in their cells. Hurricane Irma did not blow anyone any good on these devastated islands: the force of the storm destroyed the gates of a hilltop jail containing more than 140 hardened criminals The criminals did not miss their chance, overwhelming guards and fleeing the prison. Armed with machetes and guns, they have added another layer of terror and misery. With the islands in meltdown, ragged groups of prisoners among them some of the most notorious gang leaders in the Caribbean roamed Tortola, robbing people and breaking into their homes. There were unconfirmed reports of rape. Standing in the water beside their devastated home, Tim and Serena Ron, a couple with four children, told me these gangs had been wreaking mayhem. They are robbing and looting and raping, Serena, 27, told me. Everyone knows everyone here, and there are four escaped criminals driving around in a car in this area alone, trying to rob as much as they can. By last night, British soldiers had succeeded in rounding up more than 90 prisoners, who are now being held back at the jail, where the steel gate has been replaced. We think we have got most of the really bad guys, one military source told me. Its like a scene from Passchendaele or the Somme, one British military adviser said. Look around the place has been devastated. We are here to provide security and assistance That was not a view shared by prison officers. There are still more than 40 criminals on the loose and they aint no angels, one told me. These are serious guys killers and rapists. I wouldnt be celebrating just yet. The Royal Marine Commandos were last night intensifying their manhunt for the remaining killers at large, with snipers positioned around the jail after it emerged that some criminals had crept back into the prison for meals, before returning to the streets. Its true that some were caught when they went back to the jail for meals, thinking the prison officers would no longer be there, a British military officer told me. We were there instead and rounded them up after searching the cells and finding crude home-made weapons. Such is the lawlessness that the military are enforcing a street curfew from 6pm to 9am, with anyone caught out during that time facing immediate arrest. The soldiers, who now have automatic rifles after more equipment arrived, have been granted a mandate to use lethal force if lives are put at risk by the looters. Storms arebattering the BVI, sending mudslides and trees skidding on to roads Given the challenges of slipping away by boat, it seems likely the remaining prisoners will be captured, but the rampages of several of them are adding intense stress to a situation that could hardly be worse. Certainly, Sam Branson, the actor son of Sir Richard Branson, who owns Necker Island in the BVI, was taking no chances when he arrived this week with more than 100,000 to distribute to those most desperately in need. Before flying in on a privately chartered jet from Puerto Rico, he had warned its really sad to say there is a lot of civil unrest I dont want to panic anyone, but its really important people are aware of the situation there. Yet, amid the chaos as military helicopters began evacuating a handful of UK holidaymakers who did not get out in time, Branson was left stranded and without any money or phone after his three-vehicle security convoy left the airport without him. While I gave him a lift to the only hotel still operational, Branson told me he simply wanted to offer assistance. Its all really, really bad here, he said, looking out at buildings and boats smashed to matchwood. I just want to help people in any way I can. It is a miracle that only five people were killed on Tortola, but the damage to the infrastructure is devastating, with power lines and trees blocking roads, and the marinas around the island usually an attraction for millionaire mariners a mess of luxury boats piled on top of each other. Ominously, last night more storms were battering the BVI, sending mudslides and trees skidding on to roads. Some local people I spoke to had not eaten for days because aid cannot get through. What we fear most after a disaster like this, one foreign aid worker told me, is the danger of diseases, with sewerage systems leaking into the water, and infectious diseases. This place needs help now. By last night, heroic in spite of the shortages, British troops appeared to have restored order in the main towns. Serena Ron, who fled up a hill with her four children when huge waves swept away her home, asked me in despair: Does anyone know what is happening to us? We are scared and hungry. Will more people come to help? What will become of us? As lowering storm clouds both literal and metaphorical continue to swirl over Tortola, they are questions which simply do not have an answer. President Donald Trump boasted Friday that the U.S. Air Force and its high-tech military hardware represent a potentially 'overwhelming' military response to North Korea's nuclear saber-rattling. Standing before a massive U.S. flag and a B-2 stealth bomber a plane that's capable of dropping nuclear bombs Trump lashed out at dictator Kim Jong-Un and warned that advanced U.S. weaponry can make the souls of America's enemies 'tremble.' He bashed Pyongyang for showing 'its utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community.' 'Nothing inspires more confidence in our friends, or strikes more fear in the hearts of our enemies, than the sight of American war planes on the horizon,' Trump declared. 'Our aviators have given America total dominance of the air and space no matter where we fly. Now when our enemies hear the F-35's engines, when they're roaring overhead, their souls will tremble and they will know the day of reckoning has arrived.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO FLEX: President Donald Trump spoke to Air Force personnel Friday in front of a nuclear-capable B-2 stealth bomber as he warned North Korea that a 'day of reckoning' could come North Korean despot Kim Jong-Un ordered the launch of a ballistic missile on Friday with a long enough range to strike the U.S. island of Guam 'I am more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming,' Trump told airmen and women after personally reviewing their firepower at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland Trump was addressing hundreds of Air Force personnel at Joint Base Andrews, the Maryland air base where Air Force One takes off and lands, after reviewing the Defense Department's most sophisticated aerial combat jets and bombers. 'After seeing your capabilities and commitment here today,' he told them, 'I am more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming.' The president praised the airmen and women, saying that many of them are 'better looking than Tom Cruise' the actor who starred in 'Top Gun' and that 'we know they can fight better, and we know they can fly better.' 'They better be able to. Great people. They're truly, truly competitive.' And in a message seemingly aimed at the North Korean despot, Trump bragged that 'America has dominated both air and space like no other nation in history.' 'Our air superiority is unquestioned. Not merely because we have the best equipment, but because we have the best people by far.' This photo made available by the North Korean state news shows a test-fire of the Hwasong-14 ICBM at an undisclosed location in North Korea in July Eye on Guam: Friday's missile test flew 2,300 miles 200 further than the distance from Pyongyang to U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and landed in the sea Trump praised the Air Force personnel, saying that many of them are 'better looking than Tom Cruise' the actor who starred in 'Top Gun' and that 'we know they can fight better' National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster told reporters hours earlier at the White House that judging from Kim's latest missile launch, 'North Korea remains one of the world's most urgent and dangerous security problems.' McMaster appeared alongside U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, emphasizing with her that Washington prefers to see diplomacy result in a de-nuclearlized Korean peninsula. But 'for those who have said and have been commenting about the lack of a military option,' he added, 'there is a military option.' 'Now, it's not what we would prefer to do, so what we have to do is call on all nations, call on everyone to do everything we can to address this global problem short of war.' First lady Melania Trump introduced her husband after walking in with him past an array of military fighter jets and bombers White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster (right) and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (left) told reporters on Friday that they would prefer to see a diplomatic approach to the Korean peninsula, but McMaster warned that there is a workable military solution The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned North Korea's missile launch this week as 'highly provocative,' but did not threaten a new round of economic sanctions. North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific, baiting the West with its furthest-ever missile flight. The Foreign Secretary published a 4,000-word essay setting out his personal manifesto for Brexit Downing Street insisted today the Government is united behind Boris Johnson's pledge to give 350 million a week to the NHS amid speculation he is launching a leadership bid. Mr Johnson last night threw down the gauntlet to the prime minister warning her against giving in to Remainers in the Cabinet. In an extraordinary intervention the Foreign Secretary published an essay setting out his personal manifesto forBrexit. The stunning move comes less than a week before Mrs May is due to make her most significant Brexit intervention in months with a major speech in Italy. But No 10 insisted today the intervention was in line with Government policy and not a sign of threats to Mrs May's position. A Downing Street sources told MailOnline: 'Boris' views are well known - as you'll see in the PM's speech next week the government is united in our determination to to make the most of the opportunities for a successful future outside the EU.' In an apparent effort to dampen the row over his article, Mr Johnson insisted today he was 'looking forward' to the PM's Florence speech and said he was 'behind Theresa for a glorious Brexit'. Mr Johnson, who is angry at claims he lied during the referendum campaign, says the UK will claw back control of 350 million a week after leaving the EU, which could be spent on the NHS. And, in an ominous move, he flatly rejects calls for Britain to pay billions for access to the single market during any transition period after Brexit an idea being considered by Mrs May for inclusion in her speech next week. Some ministers, including the Chancellor Philip Hammond, believe the payments could break the deadlock in the Brexit negotiations and kickstart talks on a new trade deal. In the Telegraph piece, Mr Johnson writes: 'We would not expect to pay for access to their markets any more than they would expect to pay for access to ours.' In an apparent effort to dampen the row over his article, Mr Johnson insisted today he was 'looking forward' to the PM's Florence speech and said he was 'behind Theresa for a glorious Brexit' And he says that ongoing membership of the single market and customs union would make a 'complete mockery' of the referendum. Downing Street had banned Mr Johnson from making a speech on Brexit until after Mrs May had delivered hers. His essay, which was published in the Daily Telegraph, was not cleared with No 10 and was sent to the PM's office only shortly before it was published. It comes amid mounting concern in Downing Street that Mr Johnson could resign if Mrs May tries to go soft on Brexit. The Foreign Secretary is said to be wounded by claims that he lied during last year's referendum campaign and frustrated at continued attempts to sideline him. He is also said to have been angered by briefings this month suggesting he would be demoted in the next Cabinet reshuffle. The move comes just days before Mrs May is due to make a pivotal speech on the issue and will be seen as an attempt to box her in But a senior Tory MP questioned the foreign secretary's intervention. They told MailOnline Mr Johnson would face the wrath of the powerful 1922 committee if he tried to destabilise Mrs May. 'He should be aware the '22 will support any moves the PM makes to enforce discipline,' they told MailOnline. It comes amid mounting concern in Downing Street that Mr Johnson could resign if Mrs May - pictured with Donald Trump at the White House in January - tries to go soft on Brexit 'I can't work out what he is trying to achieve with this. There is no big appetite for Boris on our benches. 'He hasn't done much with the role of Foreign Secretary. He is still acting like a journalist rather than a senior diplomat.' In July Mr Johnson was forced to deny rumours sweeping Westminster that he was on the verge of quitting. One Tory source said this week that he was 'so low' he had been put on 'resignation watch' by No 10. The resignation of Mr Johnson would destabilise Mrs May's fragile government and set off a chain of events that could force her from office. One friend insisted he was not considering quitting, but hinted at tensions with No 10. 'I think he is clear that if he's pushed he will push back on policy and on (cabinet) jobs. But it is all about staying in government, not walking away,' the friend said. Mr Johnson uses his article to set out an upbeat vision for a 'glorious' post-Brexit future as a low-tax, low regulation economy freed from the shackles of Brussels. He insists that Britain can be 'the greatest country on earth' and rounds on so-called Remoaners 'who think we are going to bottle it'. He also accuses Labour of 'chickening out' of Brexit after voting against the EU Withdrawal Bill and backing single market membership in the short term. On his controversial 350 million a week claim, he writes: 'Once we have settled our accounts, we will take back control of roughly 350m per week. 'It would be a fine thing, as many of us have pointed out, if a lot of that money went on the NHS, provided we use that cash injection to modernise and make the most of new technology.' He says that opponents, including the 'the government, the BBC, Barack Obama, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the CBI' tried to prevent Brexit and are now 'woefully underestimating this country'. Mr Johnson calls for Britain to 'keep environmental and social protections that are fair and wise', but saysEU red tape costing anything between 4 and 7 per cent of GDP should be ditched. Mr Johnson, who has clashed repeatedly with the Chancellor, says Brexit should be used as an opportunity 'reform our tax system'. 'Outside the EU there are obvious opportunities in the setting of indirect taxation,' he writes. 'At the stroke of a pen, the Chancellor will be able to cut VAT on tampons; often demanded by parliament but absurdly legally impossible to deliver.' A volunteer firefighter from Ohio was suspended indefinitely without pay Tuesday after he wrote on Facebook that he would rather save a dog than a black man. Tyler Roysdon, 20, was informed on Tuesday that he was suspended from the Franklin Township fire department for stating that he would rather save a dog from a burning building than an African American. Roysdon wrote on his Facebook page that one dog is more important than a million n*****s. Scroll down for video Tyler Roysdon, 20, was informed on Tuesday that he was suspended from the Franklin Township fire department for writing on Facebook that he would rather save a dog from a burning building than a black man Roysdon wrote on his Facebook page that one dog is more important than a million n*****s A screenshot of the post was captured by Fox19 TV. When the offensive post was brought to the attention of Township officials, they said it was unacceptable and removed Roysdon from his position. Roysdon deleted the racist post from his Facebook account. Township Administrator Traci Stivers released a statement which read: Fire Chief Steve Bishop immediately contacted the firefighter and directed the comments be removed. Roysdons wife, Joei Frame Roysdon, took to Facebook and defended her husband Everyone deserves a second chance and is also entitled to their own opinion, she wrote, adding that her husband realized that the comments were inappropriate Township Administrator Traci Stivers released a statement which read: Fire Chief Steve Bishop immediately contacted the firefighter and directed the comments be removed Roysdons wife, Joei Frame Roysdon, took to Facebook and defended her husband. Everyone deserves a second chance and is also entitled to their own opinion, she wrote, adding that her husband realized that the comments were inappropriate. Tyler Roysdons suspension is indefinite, and he will face a disciplinary hearing before the Board of Trustees. The fire chief, Bishop, took the most severe action against Roysdon. By law, only the board is permitted to terminate his employment, not the fire chief, according to WHIO-TV. This is not acceptable behavior for a township employee, Stivers said in the statement. Franklin Township officials have set a date for September 27, when the Board of Trustees will vote on Roysdons future at the fire department As a rule all employees are given a closed-door disciplinary hearing that gives them a chance to provide witnesses or evidence providing their innocence. The township has set a date for September 27, when the Board of Trustees will vote on Roysdons future at the fire department. Roysdon is officially accused of conduct unbecoming a township employee. He will have an opportunity to respond to the allegation and if he so chooses to call witnesses on his behalf. The boards president, Brian Morris, said he learned of the incident before this past Wednesdays weekly meeting. [Roysdon] blatantly said on social media that he wouldnt do that, Morris said. Even if you take race out of it, it still would be wrong. Im disgusted in what he said. There is no reason for him to say that anytime, anywhereThat should never be said. Morris says the comments do not reflect the prevailing attitudes in Franklin Township, which lies about 15 miles northeast of Akron. I want people to realize this is only one mans comment, Morris said. We have a great group of men (firefighters) and disgusting comments from one individual does not represent the entire fire department. Frustrated holidaymakers are needlessly handing over hundreds of pounds in compensation for delayed flights to claims management firms. The no-win, no-fee firms deduct up to 40 per cent of payouts for flights that are delayed for three hours or more or cancelled. In the worst cases, passengers are being asked to hand over 215 from a 532 payout. The fees include a basic cut of up to 30 per cent of the compensation, plus an administration fee of up to 25, and VAT charged at 20 per cent of the main fee, according to an investigation by consumer group Which? Frustrated holidaymakers are needlessly handing over hundreds of pounds in compensation for delayed flights to claims management firms (file photo) Despite the exorbitant costs, campaigners say hundreds of thousands of travellers are turning to these firms because of airlines tendencies to wriggle out of paying compensation. Airlines have also been criticised for making the process as tortuous as possible to put Britons off lodging claims, even though they are entitled to do so under EU law. Claims management firms have been the main beneficiaries, raking in tens of millions. The scandalous fees have prompted calls for tougher rules forcing airlines to automatically pay compensation. Most firms offer a no win, no fee basis, meaning they will not charge for unsuccessful claims. Under Brussels rules, passengers departing from EU airports are entitled to compensation of between 220 and 360 on short-haul flights and up to 532 for longer journeys. The no-win, no-fee firms deduct up to 40 per cent of payouts for flights that are delayed for three hours or more or cancelled (file photo) Flights have to be delayed at least three hours. Which? analysed the most popular claims management firms. It found flightdelays.co.uk took a fee of 29 per cent of the compensation, plus a 25 fee and VAT. No information on fees is featured on its home page. The firm claims to have recovered more than 25million. Based on this it would have taken 7.25million from the main fee, plus 5.5million in admin charges. Airfair.com takes a 30 per cent cut plus VAT equating to 191.50 on a 532 payout. Again there is no mention of the fees on its home page. EUclaim.co.uk deducts 185 including a 25 per cent fee, a 25 admin charge and VAT. Tory MP Huw Merriman (pictured) said the compensation process unnecessarily complex and in desperate need of an overhaul Other firms, including Which?, offer a free service. Which? spokesman Alex Neill said: The fact that passengers are willing to lose a substantial chunk of the compensation ... shows that the system must be changed. Tory MP Huw Merriman, who sits on the Commons transport committee, said the rise of the claims industry showed the compensation process is unnecessarily complex and in desperate need of an overhaul. Flightdelays said its charges are slightly higher as it covers the cost of clients legal proceedings. Managing director Steve Phillips backed calls for airlines to pay automatic compensation. Airfair boss Will Smith said: Airlines are continuously putting up barriers to make it difficult for passengers to claim themselves. We have overcome these barriers. EUclaim said it had a 97 per cent success rate in court, adding: We are proud at how many passengers we are able to help at our current ... prices. Trade body Airlines UK said airlines were clear with their customers that direct applications were the best option, and that paying fees to third parties was unnecessary. Andrew Haines, of the Civil Aviation Authority, said: Passengers can be confident that we have undertaken a number of significant steps to ensure that airlines comply with their obligations. A leading scientist has called for closer scrutiny of ancient migration routes, suggesting an extinct human species called Denisovans first discovered Australia. DNA from the Siberian cave-dwellers has been found in the Aboriginal descendants of the first settlers on the continent. Although this genetic trace is not a new discovery, one expert believes it shows their presence predates other humans in the area. He is calling on future scientific work on the Denisovans and their only known home to focus on unravelling this mystery. Scroll down for video Professor Richard Roberts has called for closer scrutiny of ancient migration routes. DNA from Siberian cave-dwellers the Denisovans has been found in the Aboriginal descendants of the first settlers on Australia, which he believes shows Denisovans first discovered the continent The questions now are where and when the ancestors of current humans, who were on their way to colonise New Guinea and Australia around 50,000 years ago, met and interacted with the Denisovans. Pictured is a graphic of what we believe we know so far DENISOVAN DNA IN AUSTRALIA Dr Bert Roberts from the University of Wollongong is closely involved in dating finds in the Denisovan cave and other ancient Siberian sites. He believes it cannot be ruled out that Denisovans were the first to Australia. Aboriginal people in Australia contain both Neanderthal DNA, as do most humans, and Denisovan DNA. This latter genetic trace is present in Aboriginal people at the present day in much greater quantities than any other people around the world. It also raises the question of where and when the ancestors of current humans, who were on their way to colonise New Guinea and Australia around 50,000 years ago, met and interacted with the Denisovans. Genetic data suggests that male Denisovans interbred with modern human females. Some studies suggest that the ability of Tibetans to withstand the effects of hypoxia in low-oxygen environments is linked to a gene absent in Neaderthals but present in Denisovans. Advertisement Professor Richard 'Bert' Roberts, director of the centre for archaeological science at the University of Wollongong, has been working for several years studying the only known home of the Denisovans. The archaic species lived in Altai Mountains of southern Russia, yet their DNA shows up in populations across southeast Asia. These traces are far higher in Aboriginal people, as well as the Melanesians of Papua New Guinea, than any other modern-day populations worldwide. Professor Roberts suggests this indicates a mass movement of Denisovans along this route and into the rest of Australia. He told Gazeta.ru in Russia: 'To me personally the most interesting question is how four per cent of Denisovan' DNA got into the Aboriginal people? 'Look where Australia is, and where Altai is! How is it possible?' It was essential to 'get to the bottom of what happened regarding human evolution in Altai', he said adding that urged 'meticulous dating of all finds'. The cave is the only place they have so far been discovered and is some 5,200 miles (8,368 km) from Australia, or 4,958 Miles (7,979 km), which is thought to have been first populated around 65,000 years ago. By comparison the Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest railway line in the world, is 5,772 miles (9,289 kilometres) long. Yet Professor Roberts believes it is looking increasingly likely that these ancient species of humanoids somehow made this epic journey deep in pre-history. Professor Roberts, who is closely involved in dating finds in the Denisovan cave and other ancient Siberian sites, said it could not be ruled out that Denisovans were the first to Australia. But it is not clear by how many hundreds or even thousands of years this may have been. 'We know that Aboriginal people in Australia contain both Neanderthal DNA, as do you and I, we have Neanderthal DNA, but neither you nor I have Denisovan DNA, which is another group of people actually the home base, as it were, up in Siberia, Denisova Cave in southern Siberia in Russia,' he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation earlier this year. 'But it's miraculously in Aboriginal people at the present day in much greater quantities than any other people around the world. 'How did it get into Aboriginal people? 'That's still very much a moot point and we're not sure. Dr Roberts, who is closely involved in dating finds in the Denisovan cave and other ancient Siberian sites, said it could not be ruled out that Denisovans were the first to Australia Professor Richard 'Bert' Roberts (left) and Dr Maxim Kozlikin (right) in the Denisova cave 'Did Denisovan people themselves make it across Wallace's Line, a big biogeographic boundary separating Asia from Australasia? We don't know. 'These are very much still questions that we want to get a handle on, so who were the first people into Australia? 'We still think it's modern humans but perhaps it might have been Denisovans. It's a question mark still hanging there.' Professor Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum, is less convinced of the length of their journey, and whether they were the first to arrive on Australia. Speaking to MailOnline, he said: 'We have to bear in mind that the Denisovan people in Denisova Cave were probably at the northern end of a distribution that stretched down through south east Asia. 'So we don't have to envisage 'Denisovans' migrating from Siberia towards Australia. 'it's true that many modern native Australasians have about a four per cent input of 'Denisovan-like' DNA in their genomes. 'But geneticists point out that their Denisovan-like DNA must actually be from a genetically distinct population to the one known from Siberia, one that had perhaps differentiated from the Siberian Denisovans 200,000 years earlier. Ancient migration routes may have to be reexamined after, evidence that Australia may have been discovered by an extinct human species called the Denisovans. Professor Richard 'Bert' Roberts at the University of Wollongong, has been studying their only known home Aboriginal people in Australia contain both Neanderthal DNA, as do most Westerners, but not Denisovan DNA. This genetic trace is present in Aboriginal people at the present day in much greater quantities than any other people around the world 'Where the interbreeding event(s) between Denisovans and early modern humans actually took place are currently unknown. 'I have argued that some members of the wider Denisovan population could have migrated to islands beyond the Wallace Line, where the main interbreeding event(s) with the ancestors of Australasians took place. 'There is also now evidence from fossil teeth that modern humans were in southern China at least 80,000 years ago, and in Sumatra about 65,000 years ago. 'So populations like those are much more likely than Denisovans to have been the first colonisers of Australia, an event now dated to at least 65,000 years ago.' Whoever made it would have had to navigate treacherous crossings from Asia to Australasia, even though the sea distances were closer then because ocean levels were some 360 ft (110 m) lower due to the Ice Age. And separate studies suggest that the ability of Tibetans to withstand the effects of hypoxia in low-oxygen environments is linked to a gene absent in Neanderthals but present in Denisovans. CASTING DOUBT ON THE DENISOVANS IN AUSTRALIA Professor Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum, is less convinced of the length of their journey, and whether they were the first to arrive on Australia. Speaking to MailOnline, he said: 'We have to bear in mind that the Denisovan people in Denisova Cave were probably at the northern end of a distribution that stretched down through south east Asia. 'So we don't have to envisage 'Denisovans' migrating from Siberia towards Australia. 'it's true that many modern native Australasians have about a four per cent input of 'Denisovan-like' DNA in their genomes. 'But geneticists point out that their Denisovan-like DNA must actually be from a genetically distinct population to the one known from Siberia, one that had perhaps differentiated from the Siberian Denisovans 200,000 years earlier. 'Where the interbreeding event(s) between Denisovans and early modern humans actually took place are currently unknown. 'I have argued that some members of the wider Denisovan population could have migrated to islands beyond the Wallace Line, where the main interbreeding event(s) with the ancestors of Australasians took place. 'There is also now evidence from fossil teeth that modern humans were in southern China at least 80,000 years ago, and in Sumatra about 65,000 years ago. 'So populations like those are much more likely than Denisovans to have been the first colonisers of Australia, an event now dated to at least 65,000 years ago.' Advertisement A Science opinion article published in 2013 also suggested Denisovans could have reached Australia. 'In mainland Asia, neither ancient human specimens, nor geographically isolated modern Indigenous populations have Denisovan DNA of any note, indicating that there has never been a genetic signal of Denisovan interbreeding in the area,' said co-author Professor Alan Cooper, director of the University of Adelaide's Australian centre for ancient DNA. 'The only place where such a genetic signal exists appears to be in areas east of Wallace's Line and that is where we think interbreeding took place, even though it means that the Denisovans must have somehow made that marine crossing.' The Denisovans were first identified in 2008 as being a distinct human branch to Neanderthals and Home sapiens, although there was crossbreeding between all three. An enchanting stone bracelet (pictured) made by a Paleolithic man found in the cave could could revolutionise our understanding of early human development, suggesting that technology used in its creation was available much earlier than thought The manufacturing technology used in the bracelet is seen as being more typical of a later period, for example the Neolithic era, which began around 12,000 years ago. This image shows a hole that was drilled in the bracelet with a high-rotation drill Extraordinary examples of modern-looking jewellery made by the Denisovans at least 50,000 years ago, but suspected by scientists to be older, show their technological skills as being far advanced of Home sapiens or Neanderthals at the time Tiny fragments of their remains, including a pinky finger, were found in the world famous Denisova cave. Extraordinary examples of modern-looking jewellery made by the Denisovans at least 50,000 years ago, but suspected by scientists to be older, show their technological skills as being far advanced of Home sapiens or Neanderthals at the time. A stunning green-hued chlorite bracelet, a marble ring, and beads from an ostrich eggshell necklace have all been uncovered. This leads to the question of whether their technological superiority helped them become the first to Australia The needle was one of humankinds first tools. It is distinctive of the Upper Paleolithic period, which began 40,000 years ago. The three inch (7.6cm) needle (pictured) is crafted from ancient bird bone The needles were used for fashioning fishing nets and carrying bags, and sewing together hides for warmth. It is believed to be around 50,000 years old, but the new dating claims could push this back It also raises the question of where and when the ancestors of current humans, who were on their way to colonise New Guinea and Australia around 50,000 years ago, met and interacted with the Denisovans. A selection of tools found DENISOVAN BRACELET The bracelet was found in 2008 in the Denisova Cave (pictured), in Siberia, named after Denis, a Russian hermit who lived there in the 18th century. It was located in a layer that contained Denisovan, homo altaiensis, rather than Homo sapien or Neanderthal remains, although all these groupings shared the cave at various times and interbred. It was originally reported as 40,000 years old and made for an ancient woman by a Paleolithic craftsman. But the manufacturing technology used in the bracelet is seen as being more typical of a later period, for example the Neolithic era, which began around 12,000 years ago. Russian researchers have suggested the jewellery item comes from a time long before early man was believed to have the skills or know-how to make such objects. Advertisement Scientists from Russia, the UK and Australia are currently examining whether items made by Denisovans in the Altai cave are even older than first understood. Among these are the world's oldest needle, and the bracelet which has a hole made by a drilling and rasping, previously thought to be a technological advance some 12,000 years ago in the Neolithic era, and not earlier. 'The bracelet is stunning - in bright sunlight it reflects the sun rays, at night by the fire it casts a deep shade of green,' said Professor Anatoly Derevyanko, former director of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, in Novosibirsk. 'It is unlikely it was used as an everyday jewellery piece. I believe this beautiful and very fragile bracelet was worn only for some exceptional moments,' he said. His successor Professor Mikhail Shunkov has suggested that the long-extinct Denisovans were significantly more advanced than Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. This leads to the question of whether their technological superiority helped them become the first to Australia. The Denisova Cave (pictured), in Siberia, is named after Denis, a Russian hermit who lived there in the 18th century. It is the only location where the remains of Denisovans have been discovered and has been repeatedly used by them, Neanderthals and Homo sapiens The findings came from an annual summer excavation of Denisova Cave, which has been studied for more than three decades. Scientists hope that ongoing excavations at the site (pictured) will hopefully lead to new discoveries Genetic data suggests that male Denisovans interbred with modern human females. A marble ring found in the cave Some studies suggest that the ability of Tibetans to withstand the effects of hypoxia in low-oxygen environments is linked to a gene absent in Neaderthals but present in Denisovans. A collection of jewellery They're known as some of the strangest awards among the scientific community, and last night's Ig Nobels certainly lived up to their expectations. The parody of the Nobel Prize awards scientists for the most absurd scientific achievement. Winners this year included the scientists who discovered that old men really do have big ears, that playing the didgeridoo helps relieve sleep snoring and that handling crocodiles can influence gambling decisions. Scroll down for video They're known as some of the strangest awards amongst the scientific community, and last night's Ig Nobels certainly lived up to their expectations. The parody of the Nobel Prize awards scientists for the most absurd scientific achievement BIG EAR STUDY Dr Heathcote, whose study on ear size was published in the prestigious British Medical Journal in 1995, was inspired when he and several other general practitioners were discussing how they could do more research. When he asked why old men have such big ears, half his colleagues agreed with his observation; the others scoffed. For his study, Heathcote measured the ear length of more than 200 patients and discovered not only that old men have big ears but that ears grow about two millimeters (0.08 inches) per decade after age 30. Women's ears grow with age, too, but their ears are smaller to start with, and men's big ears may be more noticeable because they tend to have less hair, he found. Advertisement The 27th annual awards were announced last night at Harvard University in Boston. The ceremony featured a traditional barrage of paper airplanes, a world premiere opera and real Nobel laureates handing out the 10 prizes. Dr James Heathcote a GP from Kent, who won the IG Nobel for his big-ear research, said: 'It's a strange honor to have, but I am thrilled.' This year's winners - who each received $10 trillion cash prizes in virtually worthless Zimbabwean money - also included scientists who used fluid dynamics to determine whether cats are solid or liquid; researchers who tried to figure out why some people are disgusted by cheese; and psychologists who found that many identical twins cannot tell themselves apart. Dr Heathcote, whose study on ear size was published in the prestigious British Medical Journal in 1995, was inspired when he and several other general practitioners were discussing how they could do more research. When he asked why old men have such big ears, half his colleagues agreed with his observation; the others scoffed. For his study, Dr Heathcote measured the ear length of more than 200 patients and discovered not only that old men have big ears but that ears grow about two millimeters (0.08 inches) per decade after age 30. Women's ears grow with age, too, but their ears are smaller to start with, and men's big ears may be more noticeable because they tend to have less hair, he found. The Economics Prize went to Matthew Rockloff and Nancy Greer, for their experiments to see how contact with a live crocodile affects a person's willingness to gamble The Cognition Prize went to Matteo Martini, Ilaria Bufalari, Maria Antonietta Stazi, and Salvatore Maria Aglioti, for demonstrating that many identical twins cannot tell themselves apart visually 'There's something magical about measuring the ears,' he said. Dr Milo Puhan's Ig Nobel peace prize-winning discovery is a godsend for anyone who lives with an unbearably loud snorer. He found that playing the didgeridoo - the tubular Australian aboriginal instrument that emits a deep, rhythmic drone - helps relieve sleep apnea. THE WINNERS PHYSICS PRIZE - Marc-Antoine Fardin, for using fluid dynamics to probe the question 'Can a Cat Be Both a Solid and a Liquid?' PEACE PRIZE - Milo Puhan, Alex Suarez, Christian Lo Cascio, Alfred Zahn, Markus Heitz, and Otto Braendli, for demonstrating that regular playing of a didgeridoo is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring ECONOMICS PRIZE - Matthew Rockloff and Nancy Greer, for their experiments to see how contact with a live crocodile affects a person's willingness to gamble ANATOMY PRIZE - James Heathcote, for his medical research study 'Why Do Old Men Have Big Ears?' BIOLOGY PRIZE - Kazunori Yoshizawa, Rodrigo Ferreira, Yoshitaka Kamimura, and Charles Lienhard, for their discovery of a female penis, and a male vagina, in a cave insect FLUID DYNAMICS PRIZE - Jiwon Han, for studying the dynamics of liquid-sloshing, to learn what happens when a person walks backwards while carrying a cup of coffee NUTRITION PRIZE - Fernanda Ito, Enrico Bernard, and Rodrigo Torres, for the first scientific report of human blood in the diet of the hairy-legged vampire bat MEDICINE PRIZE - Jean-Pierre Royet, David Meunier, Nicolas Torquet, Anne-Marie Mouly and Tao Jiang, for using advanced brain-scanning technology to measure the extent to which some people are disgusted by cheese COGNITION PRIZE - Matteo Martini, Ilaria Bufalari, Maria Antonietta Stazi, and Salvatore Maria Aglioti, for demonstrating that many identical twins cannot tell themselves apart visually OBSTETRICS PRIZE - Marisa Lopez-Teijon, Alex Garcia-Faura, Alberto Prats-Galino, and Luis Pallares Aniorte, for showing that a developing human fetus responds more strongly to music that is played electromechanically inside the mother's vagina than to music that is played electromechanically on the mother's belly Advertisement Dr Puhan, director of the Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention at the University of Zurich, studied didgeridoo playing after a patient with mild sleep apnea became convinced that it helped him. Dr Puhan recruited volunteers who learned to play a roughly four-foot-long (130 centimeter) plastic didgeridoo. 'Regular playing of a didgeridoo reduces daytime sleepiness and snoring in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and also improves the sleep quality of partners,' his study concluded. Dr Milo Puhan's Ig Nobel peace prize-winning discovery is a godsend for anyone who lives with an unbearably loud snorer. He found that playing the didgeridoo - that tubular Australian aboriginal instrument that emits a deep, rhythmic drone - helps relieve sleep apnea Dr Puhan suggests that playing the didgeridoo helps people learn circular breathing (the technique of blowing out through the mouth while simultaneously inhaling through the nose) and strengthens the throat muscles used in breathing. The economics prize went to a pair of Australians who found that if you want to limit your gambling losses, don't have a close encounter with a crocodile before hitting the casino. Dr Matthew Rockloff, head of the Population Research Laboratory at Central Queensland University in Bundaberg, and research assistant Nancy Greer, plunked a one-meter (three-foot) saltwater crocodile - its mouth safely taped - into the arms of people about to gamble and watched what happened. The Obstetrics Prize went to Marisa Lopez-Teijon, Alex Garcia-Faura, Alberto Prats-Galino, and Luis Pallares Aniorte, for showing that a developing human fetus responds more strongly to music that is played electromechanically inside the mother's vagina than to music that is played electromechanically on the mother's belly Marc-Antoine Fardin, accepted the Physics Award for using fluid dynamics to probe the question 'Can a Cat Be Both a Solid and a Liquid?' The excitement caused by handling a dangerous reptile caused people with pre-existing problems to 'gamble higher amounts, which over the long term will lead to greater gambling losses,' Dr Rockloff said in an email. But like many projects that earn Ig Nobels, what seems silly on the surface can have a valid application. The 27th annual awards were announced last night at Harvard University in Boston. The ceremony featured a traditional barrage of paper airplanes, a world premiere opera and real Nobel laureates handing out the 10 prizes 'This was the first study to examine the emotional impact of excitement on gambling choices, which has obvious benefits toward addressing a very serious behavioral and mental health problem,' he said. Dr Rockloff felt so fortunate when he learned of his Ig Nobel, he was tempted to press his own luck. 'I had to stop myself from trying to capitalize on that luck with a slot machine,' he said. Getting out of lunch with a work colleague, or skipping Friday-night drinks with your flatmate, is usually as easy as saying 'I'm sorry'. But a recent study found that apologising can make rejection feel worse, even thought it may make you feel better. Researchers at Dartmouth College discovered that saying sorry can make the rejected person feel like they should offer forgiveness, even if their feelings don't match up. And the wounded party is more likely to take revenge. Researchers at Dartmouth College found that you should avoid apologising, if you don't want to hurt someone's feelings. Saying 'I'm sorry' made participants feel worse when they had been rejected (stock image) The study's authors examined more than 1000 participants, to understand how different individuals reacted to being snubbed. Firstly, the participants, including 600 members of the public and more than 480 psychology students, were asked to respond to various situations in which they would reject a social invitation from a person named 'Taylor.' They were given different social scenarios to turn down, such as a date, a roommate who wanted to continue living with the participant as a lease was set to expire and lunch plans with a work colleague. For all the situations, participants had to come up with a good way of rejecting Taylor. The researchers then had volunteers read the rejections and evaluate how hurtful each response was. They found that 39 percent of participants were found to have issued an apology in their rejections, which were found to increase hurt feelings. Saying 'I'm sorry' makes people feel obligated to give forgiveness. They were also found to be more likely to seek revenge Apologies for the lunch and roommate scenarios, in particular, made volunteers feel worse. Their feelings were only marginally hurt in the party scenario, and not at all in the date rejection. In another experiment, researchers tested whether people would seek revenge after a rejection. The team had 135 participants meet face-to-face after they had been rejected by a planted volunteer, who they were set up to work with on a series of group tasks. REVENGE IS SWEET A study, published in January, from the University of Kentucky showed we feel happier after taking action against someone who did us wrong. Researchers asked 156 participants to write an essay about a personal experience. Their essays were critiqued by another participant. In one group, the researcher pretended to be a participant and gave everyone bad feedback, including 'one of the worst essays I have ever read'. The mood of the participants were measured before and after they were given the chance to express their aggression. Their aggression was released by sticking pins in a virtual voodoo doll while imaging it was the person who critiqued their essay. Not only did the mood improve of those who stuck the voodoo doll with pins, but there was a point where their mood was indistinguishable from the other group of subjects who received nice feedback. Advertisement The volunteer would politely reject the participants' request to work on the group task, with some participants receiving an apology and some not. One of the group tasks involved a hot sauce taste test, and rejected participants were asked to decide how much hot sauce the group had to taste. In some instances, the planted volunteer would say that they hated spicy food before leaving the room. Those who received an apology were more likely to take revenge and give the group more hot sauce, even if they knew that their peer hated the condiment. 'We know that people often don't want to admit that they have hurt feelings, so in some of the studies, we looked at how much people wanted to seek revenge,' explained lead researcher Dr. Gili Freedman 'As predicted, rejections that contained the words 'I'm sorry' led to worse outcomes than rejections without apologies; participants allocated more hot sauce,' the authors wrote. 'The participants believed the confederate did not like spicy food and, therefore, the greater allocation likely reflected a hostile act designed to hurt the confederate.' Finally, researchers tested whether rejections with apologies affect forgiveness. Participants were shown videos of real-life rejections, some with apologies and some not. The study found that people were more likely to feel as if the rejected party should express forgiveness if an apology was given. While an apology may have good intentions, the researchers believe it can also be a selfish act. Dr Freedman said: 'It is possible that rejectors may feel better about themselves if they apologize. 'We intend to examine when rejectors are motivated to feel better about themselves and when they would rather put the rejectee's needs ahead of their own.' The study's findings were published last month in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. As the Arctic continues to heat up, so does concern in the scientific community about climate change. Researchers at the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have discovered the Arctic sea ice has once again experienced 'considerable melting.' This September, the extent of Arctic sea ice shrank to roughly 4.7 million square kilometres - but a few decades ago, it averaged around seven million square kilometres at the same time of year. Scroll down for video Researchers discovered the Arctic sea ice has once again experienced 'considerable melting.' This September, the extent of Arctic sea ice shrank to roughly 4.7 million square kilometres - a few decades ago, it averaged around seven million square kilometres at the same time of year ARCTIC SEA ICE EXTENT 2017 Researchers measure the Arctic sea ice each September, when it reaches its minimum and can provide insight into the most drastic melting and its causes. In 2017, they discovered the Arctic sea ice has once again experienced 'considerable melting.' The extent of Arctic sea ice shrank to roughly 4.7 million square kilometres - a few decades ago, it averaged around seven million square kilometres. While the melting is slightly less than 2016 and isn't a new record, it's described as 'massive' and is the third lowest in the satellite record. One unique finding about this year's Arctic sea ice melt was the spatial distribution, which differed from previous years and the long-term patterns. While more ice was observed north of Svalbard and in the Beaufort Sea, less ice was recorded in the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas. The timing of the melting was different this year too - In some regions on the outskirts of the Arctic ocean, the ice melt occurred earlier in the year that previous trend show. In the more central regions of the ocean, however, the melt began a few days after the average for 1981 to 2010. Advertisement Researchers measure the Arctic sea ice each September, when it reaches its minimum and can provide insight into the most drastic melting and its causes. While the melting is slightly less than last year and isn't a new record low, it's described as 'massive' and is just as serious. The minimum sea ice extent for 2017 is the third lowest in the satellite record. The loss falls in line with the averages of the past ten years and falls far below the numbers from 1979 to 2006. It's due to an unusually warm winter that gave signs of extreme melting earlier this year - sea-ice coverage in March was lower than any March on record. 'This year's sea ice extent is again on a very low level,' Marcel Nicolaus, sea-ice physicist from AWI at the University of Bremen and Universitat Hamburg, said. 'The observed September value of the past eleven years has consistently been lower than in any of the previous years.' The researchers see the melting as an important indicator of climate change. They also believe that without the relatively cool summer, the melting could've been even worse. 'Thanks to the relatively cold summer, the sea ice managed to bounce back somewhat, but this year's September minimum is by no means a good sign,' said Lars Kaleschke from Universitat Hamburg's Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability. 'Though the amount of sea ice is of course subject to natural fluctuations, the long-term decline is obvious.' One unique finding about this year's Arctic sea ice melt was the spatial distribution, which differed from previous years and the long-term patterns. The loss falls in line with the averages of the past ten years and falls far below the numbers from 1979 to 2006. Pictured: sea ice minima from 1979 to 2017 While more ice was observed north of Svalbard and in the Beaufort Sea, less ice was recorded in the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas. In some regions on the outskirts of the Arctic ocean, the ice melt occurred earlier in the year. In the more central regions of the ocean, however, the melt began a few days after the average for 1981 to 2010. Researchers say the timing impacts both the overall melt and life cycle of the area's organisms. The team used satellites to gather high-resolution microwave data about the size of the Arctic sea ice. One unique finding about this year's Arctic sea ice melt was the spatial distribution, which differed from previous years and the long-term patterns. While more ice was observed north of Svalbard and in the Beaufort Sea, less ice was recorded in the Chukchi and East Siberian Seas This allowed them to precisely analyse the daily sea-ice extent over the entire Arctic. Scientists from around the globe released projections on the sea-ice extent months before the September minimum. The predictions from AWI - which were estimated based on two different forecasting methods - were very close to the actual minimum recorded in September. Its dynamic model predicted 4.93 million square kilometres while its static model almost hit the target exactly, forecasting 4.74 million square kilometres. Recently, the researchers flew aircrafts using laser scanners and a towed electromagnetic probe to survey and area that lies to the north of the Fram Strait between Greenland and Svalbard. They found the sea-ice thickness was ca. 1.7 metres, roughly 50 centimetres more than was recorded in 2016 - but while it may seem like good news the ice was slightly thicker, that measurement doesn't tell the whole story. In some regions on the outskirts of the Arctic ocean, the ice melt occurred earlier in the year. In the more central regions however, the melt began a few days after the average for 1981 to 2010. Researchers say the timing impacts the overall melt and life cycle of organisms The increase is likely a result of a higher percentage of ice left from several years ago - in total, the thickness is still declining and is 30 percent lower than between 2001 and 2004. 'Despite the warm winter, the sea ice wasn't unusually thin,' Nicolaus said. 'Our explanation is that the small and thin ice coverage from the previous summer - the second-smallest area ever recorded - grew faster and thicker than in other years, since thin ice grows faster than thick ice.' In October, the team will be able to evaluate the monthly mean of the September sea ice extent - they expect it to be 5 million square kilometres. 'The low Arctic sea ice extent ranks amongst the low values of the last decade,' the team said. 'We do not expect an extent of 6 or 7 million square kilometres in the coming decades, as it was typical for the decades up to the year 2000.' Amazon Web Services has been granted provisional authorization to host Level 5 data for the US Department of Defense (DoD). With the approval, the tech giant's cloud computing arm - which is one of the company's most profitable divisions - will be able to host the most sensitive data pertaining to the Pentagon, military, NSA, and other security agencies. Amazon will be the third company to receive this authorization, following Microsoft and IBM. Scroll down for video Amazon Web Services has been granted provisional authorization to host Level 5 data for the US Department of Defense. Now the tech giant's cloud computing arm will be able to host the most sensitive data pertaining to the Pentagon, military, NSA, and other security agencies AMAZON WEB SERVICES (AWS) AWS provides on-demand cloud computing platforms to individuals, companies, and governments. Founded in 2006, it's one of the tech giant's most profitable divisions. Revenues totaled $4.1 billion last quarter, marking 42 percent year-over-year and growth. It has distinct operations in the following 16 geographical regions. In 2016, AWS comprised more than 70 services spanning a wide range from computing, networking, and storage, to mobile, developer tools, and IoT. Amazon is the favored cloud service provider among the intelligence community and hosts classified data for 17 agencies, including a $600 million contract with the CIA. Advertisement 'This further bolsters AWS (Amazon Web Services) as an industry leader in helping support the DoD's critical mission in protecting our security,' Amazon wrote in a blog post announcing the provisional authorization. The DoD, a department of the US executive branch that oversees national security agencies and the armed forces, already hosts data on AWS. This includes workloads containing sensitive Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), National Security Systems (NSS), and the Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System (GPS OCX), a critical navigation information system that supports global cyber protection and analysis of satellite data. Even prior to this, Amazon is the favored cloud service provider among the intelligence community and hosts classified data for 17 agencies, including a $600 million contract with the CIA. AWS already boasts security technology including encryption and access control features that exceed the DoD's security requirements, and not now it's believed the cloud-computing firm can handle larger-scale sensitive work loads and meet the DoD's CC SRG IL5 requirements. Even prior to this, Amazon is the favored cloud service provider among the intelligence community and hosts classified data for 17 agencies, including a $600 million contract with the CIA 'The AWS GovCloud (US) Region is composed of multiple data centers that can handle the scale of high capacity, mission-critical workloads, including High Performance Compute, Big Data, or ERP workloads,' Amazon says. The military has also had a positive experience with AWS, with Amazon saying it has brought a 'cultural shift' in the Air Force. 'We deployed our first ever national security system, or Impact Level 5, to AWS GovCloud,' said Chris Lynch, Director of the DDS. 'We are working on automatic builds and deployment.' 'But the real impact is that when we are done, we are going to take something that took three weeks down to 15 minutes.' AWS is the only cloud provider able to meet the IL5 security requirements and scale of the US Air Forces GPS OCX program, the firm says. AWS already boasts security technology including encryption and access control features that exceed the DoD's security requirements, and not now it's believed the cloud-computing firm can handle larger-scale sensitive work loads and meet the DoD's CC SRG IL5 requirements More than 200 Dedicated Hosts running more than 1,000 virtual Machines (each of which requires at least eight vCPUs and 32GB RAM) are needed for it. 'When the Air Force looked at other cloud providers, none of them were able to immediately handle the compute scale while also meeting the DoD CC SRG IL5 requirements,' Amazon said. 'Not only did AWS meet the Air Forces needs, but the Air Force also experienced a 30 percent cost savings for storage cost.' At the 2016 AWS re:Invent conference, Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves also praised the cloud computing branch. He spoke to how a partnership between it and the Defense Digital Services (DDS) is 'breaking down barriers.' AWS revenues totaled $4.1 billion last quarter, marking 42 percent year-over-year and growth. Are you looking for a holiday or are you seeking an experience? Holidays used to involve lazing around by a pool, working on a tan and drinking too much of the local spirit. In case you didnt get the memo, that has gone out of fashion along with travellers cheques. These days people want to enjoy a special moment, a unique experience. This year, by chance, Ive been on a series of trips that boasted moments special enough to be self-ied and transmitted to the world via social media. The Mail on Sunday's travel editor Frank Barrett went on a trip aboard Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas, with the voyage devoted to 'Prog Rock' We want, it seems, a chance to say: Look at me! See what a special holiday Im having. At the start of the year I took a Cruise To The Edge from Florida to Cozumel in Mexico. Sailing on Royal Caribbeans Brilliance of the Seas this was a trip devoted to Prog Rock. On board were bands including Yes, Kansas, Curved Air and Focus. There were prog events day and night: from a chance to quiz your favourite band and have your photo taken with them, to a late-night jam session in the bar when you could bring your guitar and join in. Im not the biggest prog rock fan but I found its enthusiasm infectious and could see why music cruises have become a hit. Frank said the Monaco Grand Prix was 'fast and furious'. He was surprised how the race takes over the whole of the principality for several days My second moment came in May when I attended a Katherine Jenkins concert on the beach in Dubai along with Imagine Cruising clients starting or ending a journey on the QM2s World Cruise. Joining in with Land Of My Fathers as the sun dropped behind the Burj Al Arab hotel really was a special experience. My third experience was a sporting occasion with Silversea: the Monaco Grand Prix, left. The race is fast and furious but what you dont expect is how it takes over the whole principality for several days. I tweeted photos from all three events. Im sure my six followers were impressed... royalcaribbean.co.uk, imaginecruising.co.uk and silversea.com. Just imagine a Christmas holiday that comes with guaranteed sunshine. And not just tropical heat: your festive break will also be free of cooking and washing-up. A cruise is a welcome break at any time of year, but getting away for a Christmas voyage has become a great escape for a growing number of UK travellers. In the US, where family members are often spread over a large country, holiday multi-generational get-togethers are common. Winter warmers: A five-night Western Caribbean itinerary on Independence of the Seas sails from Fort Lauderdale They make good sense at Christmas, when everybody can meet up in the more relaxed environment of a cruise ship where you are waited upon 24/7. In the neutral environment of a ship, relatives can relax spared the burdens of hospitality or the obligations of being a guest. Not surprisingly, the major cruise companies offer tempting Christmas packages none more so than Royal Caribbean, which claims to be crackers about Christmas. Guests can look forward to Santas Arrival Parade and there will be holiday games and parties. In the evenings, guests can slip into their holiday pyjamas or stylish onesies in the Main Theatre, poolside or at the AquaTheater for the showing of favourite Christmas movies. And there are traditional pleasures with Christmas music and carols. A five-night Western Caribbean itinerary on Independence of the Seas sails from Fort Lauderdale with visits to Cozumel in Mexico and the private resort of Cococay in the Bahamas. The winter cruise includes visits to Cozumel in Mexico (pictured) and the private resort of Cococay in the Bahamas Penny Walters, her husband and children Connor and Vicky, aged 12 and ten, took a Royal Caribbean Christmas cruise, meeting up on board with her sister and her two children who live in Chicago Excluding air fares from the UK, the cruise costs from 600pp, based on shared occupancy. Penny Walters, her husband and children Connor and Vicky, aged 12 and ten, took a Royal Caribbean Christmas cruise, meeting up on board with her sister and her two children who live in Chicago. We havent been able to enjoy a Christmas together for years, says Penny. All of us needed a break so a cruise seemed a good way of spending time together. Every Christmas theres usually a lot of rushing around. This time in the Caribbean it was calm and relaxing Penny had never taken a cruise before so needed persuading. I was sceptical at first, she admits. My husband and I thought we werent cruise people, though Im not sure what a cruise person is. I think we thought it would be a lot of forced jollity and having to join in with games. There was a lot of fun and games, she says, because it was Christmas. But you didnt have to join in although we did, especially the children, who couldnt get enough of it. 'Our Christmases at home are normally sedate; as it is for most people, I imagine. Its an event marked by eating and drinking and watching television. The cruise, however, was something different. Every Christmas theres usually a lot of rushing around at the last minute getting presents and buying food. Penny had never taken a cruise before so needed persuading 'This time in the Caribbean it was calm and relaxing can you imagine no cooking, no washing-up with none of the endless tidying up before Christmas visits from relatives. 'At various points I was almost having to pinch myself to make sure I wasnt dreaming. Sitting down to three meals a day, and I didnt have to lift a finger. I kept trying to imagine how things would have been at home. I slightly missed the TV carol service on Christmas Eve, but I didnt miss the dash to the shops. Every day, I spent at least an hour in the gym. I lost weight and got fitter on a Christmas cruise Penny says many of her friends couldnt believe that she returned home so enthusiastic about the cruise. I tried to explain that its not me thats changed, its cruising. The accent now seems to be on living well. 'At meal times I often went meat-free and gluten-free. 'Every day, I spent at least an hour in the gym: for the first time since I was at school, I was exercising regularly and I felt great. The oft-repeated line is that on a seven-day cruise, people put on half a stone in weight. But Penny says: I lost weight and got fitter on a Christmas cruise. 'Were checking our finances to see if we can repeat the experience this year. The children would love to do it all again, and so would we! For further information visit royalcaribbean.co.uk. Films about emerging issues and topics affecting Hispanic-Latino cultures and landscapes in N.M. and beyond. Find a full list of films and venues online. Instituto Cervantes is proud to present Cine Magnifico! to the New Mexican community once again. This festival has become an important event in our community it marks a transition time between summer and autumn, when families are returning to the routine of the school year. These films provide inspiration as the aroma of roasting green chile lofts into the late summer air. These films remind us to savor the most subtle, elegant and profound aspects of our daily lives here in our beautiful communities of New Mexico, and to enjoy your time at the cinema. Opening night has evolved into a lively community event on South 4th Street & Bridge Street, in the beautiful National Hispanic Cultural Center, with its iconic vaulted ceilings & stunning architecture. Families, academics, students, filmmakers, artists, community leaders and so many more all mingle about before the theater opens, holding beverages and food from the best restaurants in our community, cameras flashing. It has truly evolved into a beautiful event. This year, our team has selected a lineup of films which perfectly illustrates enriching points of view about emerging issues and topics that shape the current Hispanic-Latino cultures and landscapes both here in New Mexico, and beyond. This years screenings will take place at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, UNM and the Guild Cinema. Central themes include immigration, childrens film, as well as New Mexico films. This years festival features films from Spain, Cuba, Argentina, Honduras, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and USA. Cine Magnifico!s vision is to present the newest films by and about Latinos to promote our culture through film and enrich our local art community. We showcase a diverse set of films, from award-winning to local and up-and-coming filmmakers. We also offer year round film programming. Thank you for supporting Cine Magnifico! Enjoy the show! For more information please go to the Cine Magnifico! website http://cinemagnifico.com/ or call the Instituto Cervantes at 505-724-4777 Thursday, September 14th: 7:00 PM El Ciudadano Ilustre @ The NHCC in partnership with Globalquerque. FREE Friday, September 15th: 10:00 AM Mi Mama Lora / My Mom the Parrot (Argentina) @ The NHCC. FREE 6:00 PM Somos Lengua (Mexico) @ The Guild Cinema. FREE 7:00 PM New Mexico Short Films Program @ The NHCC. $5 9:00 PM Fiesta Latina at Rio Bravo Brewing Company with Reviva! Saturday, September 16th: 11:00 AM Voices Beyond the Wall (Honduras) @ The NHCC. $10 12:00 PM Vidas con Sabor Documentary (Mexico) + Culinary Class @ The NHCC. $25 2:00 PM Que Dios nos Perdone/May God Save Us (Spain) @ The Guild 4:15 PM Esteban (Cuba) @ The Guild Cinema. $10 6:30 PM El Jugador de Ajedrez/The Chess Player (Spain) @ The Guild Cinema. $10 Sunday, September 17th: 2:00 PM Mala Junta/Bad Influence (Chile) @ The Guild Cinema 4:15 PM Tamara (Venezuela) @ The Guild Cinema 6:30 PM El Revenge (Brazil) @ The Guild Cinema TBA Immigration Program @ UNM, Student Union Building. FREE It's been 25 years since the comedienne dressed up like a nun in the hit movie Sister Act. And on Thursday, Whoopi Goldberg decided to celebrate the milestone with her castmates and a gaggle of rabid fans on The View. The 61-year-old actress and television host joined co-stars Kathy Najimy and Wendy Makkena, as well as music supervisor Marc Shaiman in remembering details about the production. Reunion! On Thursday, Whoopi Goldberg decided to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Sister Act with her castmates and a gaggle of rabid fans on The View First, Whoopi revealed how she surprised devotees of the film by showing up at a themed screening that took place in New York City recently. Fans dressed up for the event, which saw Whoopi, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance, address the crowd warmly. Later in the show, Whoopi opened up about her casting in the film, recalling that she believed she would only be acting in the comedy. Back together again! The 61-year-old actress and television host joined co-stars Kathy Najimy and Wendy Makkena, as well as music supervisor Marc Shaiman in remembering details about the production On location: First, Whoopi revealed how she surprised devotees of the film by showing up at a themed screening that took place in New York City recently Not standard: Later in the show, Whoopi opened up about her casting in the film, recalling that she believed she would only be acting in the comedy 'I had no intention of singing,' she recalled, before adding 'And then Marc said, Oh, youre singing, you'll be fine.' It was also revealed that the producers had originally planned the role for someone else entirely. 'It was Bette Midler's movie,' confirmed Whoopi, 'and Bette couldn't do it and so she turned it down.' Heartfelt: Finally, costar and fan favorite Harvey Keitel, 78, came out to present Whoopi with a purple coat with her name embroidered in gold on the back, very similar to one portrayed in the movie Gritty: Keitel played Vince LaRocca in the film Remote: British superstar Maggie Smith, who also starred in the movie, taped a greeting for Whoopi 'They kind of, I guess, went to like a hundred million people and then got to me,' she continued. Finally, costar and fan favorite Harvey Keitel, 78, who played Vince LaRocca in the film, came out to present Whoopi with a purple coat with her name embroidered in gold on the back, very similar to one portrayed in the movie. After a break, Whoopi then retook the stage with her co-stars for a fun musical number. Action! After a break, Whoopi then retook the stage with her co-stars for a fun musical number Mother! (18) Rating: Verdict: Overblown nonsense My Pure Land (15) Rating: Verdict: Low budget gem Cinematic Marmite! That was the verdict on Mother! following its premiere at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month. As in the case of the sticky brown yeast extract, we were told, film-goers would either love it or hate it. Well, I cant stand Marmite, but I would rather eat a vat of the stuff than sit through Darren Aronofskys wildly pretentious slab of self-indulgence again. It is not so much a movie, more an endurance test. But lets not overlook a genuine achievement on the part of the 48-year-old writer-director, whose last film, 2014s Noah, took liberties on a Biblical scale with the Old Testament. Until I saw Mother!, I might have considered walking through fire to get into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem and Michelle Pfeiffer. So its an impressive trick to make me feel the same way about getting out. I might have considered walking through fire to get into a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence (pictured), Javier Bardem and Michelle Pfeiffer. So its an impressive trick to make me feel the same way about getting out Bardem plays a popular poet afflicted with debilitating creative block. Neither he nor his much younger wife (Lawrence) is ever named. She is utterly in his thrall, and while he beats his brow in writerly angst, she makes a project of doing up their remote, rambling, spooky house. This was also the home he shared with his first wife, until it was destroyed in a terrible fire. The only worthwhile thing he saved from the conflagration, which quite possibly consumed his first wife, too, was a giant shiny crystal, now displayed with great pomp in his study. The poets other shiny trophy is his beautiful wife. In fact, their relationship rather evokes that of Aronofsky himself and his much younger real-life girlfriend, none other than Jennifer Lawrence. But only, let us hope, in terms of the generation gap. For this is not a marriage of equals, and after a visitor (Ed Harris) appears at their front door one night, it becomes clear that the poet does not much care about his wifes sensibilities. To her chagrin, he invites the stranger who, horror of horrors, is a smoker to stay the night. The two men stay up drinking. Soon, the strangers nosy, catty wife (a nicely judged performance by Michelle Pfeiffer) arrives, too, and immediately starts patronising her hostess. Lawrences hapless character, identified in the credits as the titular Mother, is being gradually alienated in her own home. Yet her nightmare has barely begun. The mysterious new couples two sons (actual brothers Domhnall and Brian Gleeson) then turn up, only for one to kill the other in a fight. The poet duly insists on hosting the wake, which degenerates into a chaotic party, with everyone treating the house as their own. Lawrences (pictured at the premiere) hapless character, identified in the credits as the titular Mother, is being gradually alienated in her own home There is a brief respite when, to the joy of the poet and his wife, she gets pregnant. But the babys arrival is just another opportunity for further hordes of strangers, mostly crazed fans of the poet, to pour into the house. This, in turn, yields a final act that gets increasingly and bizarrely overwrought. I would call it surreal, except that surrealism is an art. Insane is a better word. Some respected critics, with whom I saw this movie in Venice, have already anointed it with the full five stars. It could be that they saw something I didnt. But I prefer to think that I saw something they didnt, namely a director so besotted with his own febrile imagination that he doesnt really care whether he carries his audience with him or not. In 2008s The Wrestler and Black Swan (2010), Aronofsky stopped just short. But this time he genuflects fully to himself, and to hell with the rest of us. Does Aronofsky intend Mother! principally as a horror film, or a psychological thriller, or even as a satire on celebrity or on marriage? Its an unwieldy hybrid of all these, but horror cliches certainly loom large. For example, try as she might, Mother cannot scrub a growing blood stain off the lovely stripped floorboards. In desperate search of light relief, I was tempted to cry that she should try a Miracle Mop. (Lawrence, youll recall, played the mops inventor very nicely in the 2015 movie Joy). Here, with her boyfriends camera trained on her almost the entire time, she unquestionably digs deep for the required tumult of emotions. But it is a wasted effort. Mother! is horribly laboured, deeply tiresome and so bewildering that the titles exclamation point, as the Americans call them, really should have been a question mark. The bigger question, though, is this: how many paying customers will sit through to the bitter end? From the noisily ridiculous to the quietly sublime, My Pure Land might take some finding, but it is a small, low-budget gem of a movie, set in Pakistan. The producer is Bill Kenwright, much better known as a prolific theatre impresario (and chairman of Everton FC), but he has been funding some really worthwhile films these past few years, none more so than this. It tells a remarkable true story, that of a pair of teenage sisters, Nazo and Saeda, who showed extraordinary bravery in fighting off gangs of armed men trying to drive them from their rural home in a bitter land dispute between their father and his half-brother. If John Ford or Howard Hawks had ever directed a western in Pakistan (which I suppose would make it an eastern), this is what it might look like. Suhaee Abro, a classical dancer here cast right out of her comfort zone as the exquisitely beautiful, formidably feisty Nazo, is wonderful Its a tremendously accomplished debut feature by writer-director Sarmad Masud. But the other revelation is Suhaee Abro, a classical dancer here cast right out of her comfort zone as the exquisitely beautiful, formidably feisty Nazo. She is wonderful. The film lurches back and forward in time, but both as a narrative and as an insight into another culture it is never less than engrossing. For instance, Nazos father has to sell a cow to pay for his lawyer, who then asks for more money to bribe the judge. I dont think thats how they do it where I live in Herefordshire, but Im just about to get sucked into a legal wrangle over property, so Ill report back. American Assassin (18) Rating: Verdict: Decent action movie This doesnt contain much that is surprising or original until the last ten minutes. Until that point it might safely be described as formulaic. Nonetheless, it is written, acted and directed with considerable snap and verve. It stars Dylan OBrien as Mitch Rapp, who at the start of the film is getting engaged to his pretty girlfriend on an idyllic holiday beach, only for Islamist fundamentalists to arrive with assault rifles. American Assassin stars Dylan OBrien as Mitch Rapp, who at the start of the film is getting engaged to his pretty girlfriend, only for Islamist fundamentalists to arrive with assault rifles Soon he is ready to assassinate a leading jihadist in Libya, but the CIA are monitoring his movements, and realise that he might be a useful asset Their victims include ... well, suffice to say we next meet a dead-eyed Rapp 18 months later, learning how to be a one-man killing machine. Soon he is ready to assassinate a leading jihadist in Libya, but the CIA are monitoring his movements, and realise that he might be a useful asset. Dylan OBrien stars in the lively action-thriller Rapp is then assigned to the agencys legendary instructor, Stan Hurley, a ruthless son-of-a-gun in the mould of every CIA hard nut youve ever seen, played here by Michael Keaton. The director is Michael Cuesta, an experienced TV hand who directed many of the early and best episodes of the excellent drama Homeland. Thats why I half-expected a similar storyline, with the CIA using our hero to infiltrate a terrorist cell: a Rapp trap. But no. Instead, a much sillier, Bond-style narrative unfolds, in which a rogue former protege of Hurleys is helping the Iranians get their hands on an atomic bomb and must be stopped at all costs. American Assassin sounds like a thriller-by-numbers, and so it is, but they are superior numbers. If you plan to spend Saturday night at the movies, you could do worse. She recently gushed over her 'selfless' sister in a sweet post. And Tamara Ecclestone, 33, proved her bond with younger sister Petra, 28, was stronger than ever as the duo enjoyed another night out together amid the star's bitter divorce from James Stunt. Tamara was also joined by husband Jay Rutland at David Yarrow's The Untouchables exhibition private view at Maddox Gallery sponsored by CIROC in London on Thursday. Scroll down for video Two's company: Tamara Ecclestone proved her bond with younger sister Petra was stronger than ever at David Yarrow's The Untouchables exhibition private view at Maddox Gallery in London on Thursday Showing off her hourglass curves for the outing, Tamara donned a plunging velvet skater dress that offered a look at her ample cleavage. Cinching in at her slender waist, the dress featured a thigh-skimming hemline that offered a look at her tanned and toned pins - which were boosted by a pair of strappy black heels. She finished off the look with a boxy black clutch bag as she posed up a storm at the event. Glam: Showing off her hourglass curves for the outing, Tamara donned a plunging velvet skater dress that offered a look at her ample cleavage Chest a glimpse! Tamara flaunted her ample cleavage in the plunging gown Petra looked equally as glamorous on the night as she sizzled in a floral pencil dress that clung to her svelte physique. Featuring a bustier style neckline, the sultry gown teased a glimpse of her cleavage, whilst she drew further attention to her decotellage with a glittering diamond choker. Sweeping her golden locks away from her face, Petra finished off the look with a pair of leopard print heels. Cute couple: Tamara was also joined by husband Jay Rutland at the glitzy event Turning heads: Cinching in at her slender waist, the dress featured a thigh-skimming hemline that offered a look at her tanned and toned pins All about the accessories: Tamara finished off the look with a boxy black clutch bag as she posed up a storm at the event The sisters seemed in great spirits on the night as they posed together and with Tamara's husband Jay. Whilst Tamara is happily loved-up with her man, the same cannot be said for Petra who is currently caught in a bitter divorce battle with her husband of six years. Expressing her admiration at her sister's strength, Tamara recently shared a snap of Petra captioned: 'When you pour yourself a drink put on some lipstick and pull yourself together. That is how you handle s***. 'So proud of my beautiful sister the most beautiful girl inside and out an amazing mummy and the most selfless person you'll meet. #gritandgrace #mychiwi' Three's company: Petra looked equally as glamorous on the night as she sizzled in a floral pencil dress that clung to her svelte physique Chic: Featuring a bustier style neckline, the sultry gown teased a glimpse of her cleavage, whilst she drew further attention to her decotellage with a glittering diamond choker Showing her appreciation for her sister's kind words, Petra was quick to respond with a loving message of her own, first posting an inspirational quote, 'If your alone I will be your shadow, if you want to cry I will be your shoulder.' (sic) Showing the strength of her sisterly bond with Tamara, she continued: 'If your not happy I will be your smile ,if you need me I will always be there @tamaraecclestoneofficial best friends Forver ' (sic) The super-close sisters have been seen spending plenty of quality time together in the wake of the split, joined by Tamara's daughter Sophia, three and Petra's kids Lavinia, four, and twins James and Andrew, two, as well as their billionaire father Bernie. These shoes were made for strutting: Sweeping her golden locks away from her face, Petra finished off the look with a pair of leopard print heels Glam: Petra was a vision of beauty on the night as she headed to the bash Petra is in the midst of a bitter fight with husband James over their 5.5billion fortune- in what could be the biggest divorce settlement in celebrity history. Six years ago the couple married at Odescalchi Castle in Rome in front of 350 guests and were serenaded by an array of pop stars in a glitzy 12million wedding. The former couple are expected to fight over their 158million mansion in Los Angeles and a Grade II-listed home in London's Chelsea, worth up to 100million. Blonde bombshell: Petra sizzled on the night with her uber glamorous ensemble James, who was once rumoured to be worth an estimated 3.3billion, was allegedly abusive, violent and took overdoses during his marriage to Petra the court has heard. A highly-charged hearing took place at the Central Family Court in July, attended by some of Britain's most high profile divorce lawyers. The court heard that Mr Stunt had signed a prenuptial agreement worth 16million. His assets were also said to include a wine collection worth up to 15million and two Chelsea properties worth up to 4million each. Loving life: Jay was seen chatting with former Made In Chelsea star Hugo Taylor The bad-tempered hearing boiled over when Mr Stunt slammed his hand onto a table and appeared to make a gun gesture with his hand. He then pointed at Petra's father, 86-year-old Bernie , before calling him a c*** under his breath. James then tapped him on the shoulder and stormed out of the courtroom. Bernie stood up as if to confront him and started to follow him before the judge intervened. The outcome of the split will be decided at a hearing in October. She's a queen of the saucy selfie. And Melissa Gorga proved on trend as she used her beautiful New Jersey home as a backdrop for an impromptu photo session on Thursday. The 38-year-old reality star revealed her bountiful bosom as she poured herself into an orange one piece bathing suit. Refinement: Melissa Gorga, 38, used her beautiful New Jersey home as a backdrop for an impromptu photo session on Thursday The Real Housewife Of New Jersey alum turned all the heads in her body hugging swimsuit that had cut outs along the side. In an abrasive affront to demure, Melissa showcased her ample cleavage as the bathing suit cut low in the front Daring to impress, the mother of three let her gorgeous gams take center stage as the suit was cut high at the thigh. Delicate rose: In a daring affront to demure, Melissa showcased her ample cleavage as the bathing suit cut low in the front Melissa accessorized with bangles and hoop earrings, and, for make-up, chose a dark eye and pale lip. The Italian beauty styled her hair down and in loose wave, complete with a french braid at her crown. Her husband Joe often acts as her photographer. World class: The Italian beauty styled her hair down and in loose wave, complete with a french braid at her crown When the parents aren't enjoying time at home, they're busy running their Italian restaurant, Gorga's Homemade Pasta and Pizza. The duo opened the new eater in East Hanover, New Jersey in May of this year. Additionally, the couple will appear in The Real Housewives franchise in the fall, which will see previous stars such as Danielle Staub and Siggy Fickler return. She's clearly at one with nature. Paris Jackson on Thursday shared a series of clips on her Instagram account documenting a road tip she took to Joshua Tree, California, a breathtaking desert community about 130 miles west of Los Angeles. The daughter of the late Michael Jackson, 19, reveled in the all-natural surroundings of boulders, brush and desert as she said she was aiming for some 'recalibration' time as autumn kicks in. Scroll below for video Desert delight: Paris Jackson, 19, shared her adventure to Joshua Tree, California on her Instagram account Thursday, as she said the road trip was for the purpose of 'recalibration' She shared a montage of shots from her excursion, including one in which she's sipping out of a rusty can that she used to prepare tea; brushing her teeth; and stretching topless while wearing a pair of green Bohemian bottoms. Paris sported a wavy blonde mane and her nose ring as she looked amazing amid the gorgeous backdrops of the California desert. Paris last week took to Twitter to express her excitement over the turn of the calendar, as the change in weather allows her to unwind in the magical backdrop. She wrote: 'October is right around the corner which means desert camping time,' adding, 'I can feel my senses tingling with excitement.' Enjoying nature: The second-generation star got in a good stretch on the outing Rising star: The Bohemian fashionista shared a selfie she snapped amid the desert trip, captioning the shot, 'If only every morning could be like this' The 5ft10 stunner continues to shine in the spotlight and show she's one of Hollywood's most versatile stars, looking every bit as comfortable in the desert as she is on the red carpet. Her career continues to continue on the upswing as well, as the stunner made her presence known at last week's New York Fashion Week, commanding the limelight at events sponsored by Calvin Klein, Harper's Bazaar and Refinery29. Her spiritual awareness was intact throughout the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple amid the starry week, as an insider told the New York Post that Paris was vocal on staying centered as she chat with pals at the Japanese restaurant, Morimoto. Brushing up: The model-actress made sure to take care of her teeth on the outing What's cooking? Paris crouched in front of an open flame on her outing On the rise: The multi-talented beauty has dipped her toe into many aspects of showbiz in the past few years The eyes have it: Paris posed with her traveling buddy in this dark shot 'She was saying how she was working to get "peak level of consciousness" and working on having a "calm and relaxed aura,"' an insider told the publication. Jackson, who inked a pact with IMG Models this past spring, is also working on her silver screen presence, as she's among the ensemble cast of the action-comedy Gringo, which is slated to arrive in theaters next year. Paris joins some of Hollywood's most prominent actresses, such as Thandie Newton, Amanda Seyfried and Charlize Theron, in the cast of the Nash Edgerton-directed motion picture. Old fashioned: Paris showed how she heated up her tea in the all-natural setting Idyllic: Paris showed off her view of the boulders, sand and brush she took in on her trip Relaxing: Paris enjoyed temperatures in the mid-80s on her excursion to Joshua Tree They tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in 2013 in front of a host of friends and family. And four years on, it appears love is still in the air for Nova's Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli, and his wife Lisa. On Thursday, the couple celebrated their four-year anniversary and shared stunning photos of their big day. Still the one! Nova radio personality Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli (right) and his wife Lisa (left) celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary on Thursday The gorgeous snaps show a dapper looking Wippa with his beautiful bride as they looked to be the picture of love. Lisa's long sleeved, backless wedding gown with lace detailing no doubt turned heads on the romantic occasion as it accentuated her slender figure. Prominently on display in the photos is Lisa's eye-catching wedding ring, which was complemented perfectly by her choice of jewellery including statement diamond earrings. The brunette beauty also had her locks immaculately styled into loose waves and parted down the middle, with a classy bridal veil attached at the back as a finishing touch. The look of love! Wippa seemed to be enamoured with his new bride as he gave her a kiss The feeling's mutual! Lisa returned the affection and gazed into her husband's eyes The enamoured couple clearly couldn't keep their eyes off one another on the big day, with Wippa and Lisa both snapped gazing at each other in newly wedded bliss. With Wippa a noted funnyman, it was no surprise the nuptials appeared to be a barrel of laughs, with both Lisa and her husband constantly flashing wide grins in the images. Lisa marked the four-year anniversary of wedding bliss by sharing a snap of the pair on Instagram and captioned it: '4 years ago today I married the man of my dreams'. Gorgeous! The stylish bride and groom couldn't wipe the smiles off their faces In love! Wippa and Lisa have been happily married since 2013 Barrel of laughs! The newly wedded couple couldn't stop chuckling The wedding was a star-studded affair, with big names such as Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald, Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch, Andy Lee, Hamish Blake and Zoe Foster-Blake all in attendance. Wippa didn't do things by halves at the event, which was held in Melbourne, and had a whopping 12 groomsmen including Hamish Blake as best man. Since getting hitched, the duo have welcomed two children into the world: Ted, two and Jack, one. Star-studded affair: Hamish Blake (right) was best man while a host of big names such as Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald (left) were also in attendance He declared his love for Laura Byrne on Thursday night's highly-anticipated grande finale. And The Bachelor's Matty Johnson will surely be in Laura's good books thanks to the stunning promise ring he gifted her as a token of his love. Worth a whopping $22,000, Laura's diamond sparkler was crafted by Larsen Jewellery with the help of senior jeweller Kate Reid. She's a lucky girl! The Bachelor's Matty Johnson will surely be in Laura Byrne's good books thanks to the stunning promise ring he gifted her as a token of his love The custom piece features an 18-carat white gold band and a stunning 1.30 carat oval centre diamond, which is GIA certified F colour and VS2 clarity. There are also 32 diamonds set into the shoulders of the ring, totaling 0.32ct. 'Myself and the team of Larsen Jewellery jewellers worked closely with Matty to design and custom make the perfect ring,' said Kate of the design process. Elegant: Worth a whopping $22,000, Laura's diamond sparkler was crafted by Larsen Jewellery with the help of senior jeweller Kate Reid. 'Matty was extremely enthusiastic about the design process with our team and was an integral part of creating a ring that represents his newfound relationship with the winner.' Kate also revealed that the appointment with Matty lasted just over an hour, with jewellers getting to work on the masterpiece the same day. 'Matty wanted to the ring to be feminine and elegant,' she said. Glamorous: The custom piece features an 18-carat white gold band and a stunning 1.30 carat oval centre diamond, which is GIA certified F colour and VS2 clarity 'It is often suggested that the entwined wire designs symbolise a future with two lives woven into one.' 'He wanted to create a piece of jewellery that is personal, unique and one that they will love for a lifetime,' Kate added. On Thursday night's grande finale, the hunky marketing manager declared his feelings for Laura at The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa, located in southern Thailand. Fairytale ending: On Thursday night's grande finale, the hunky marketing manager declared his feelings for Laura at The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa, located in southern Thailand Don't get ahead of yourself there! Asking for her right hand, Matty presented Laura with a diamond sparkler - but didn't propose Asking for her right hand, Matty presented Laura with a diamond sparkler - but didn't propose. 'I wanted to give you this ring as a sign of just how much I care about you,' he explained. 'All I wanted was to fall in love. And to fall in love with someone who's so amazing and to have them love you back, nothing compares. Bromans (ITV2) Rating: Without Limits: Vietnam (BBC1) Rating: Rhiannon from Bromans, one of the girls cheering on the heavily-tattooed lads New Labours pledge, when Tony Blair swept into Downing Street 20 years ago, was: Education, education, education. Thanks to Honest Tone, children of the Nineties such as Dino and Brandon have grown up barely capable of speaking in coherent sentences, let alone reading. They left school unable to do anything but stand still for spray tans and selfies. These heavily tattooed lads are contestants on reality show Bromans (ITV2), a sort of Generation Game for the porn era. In a freshly designed Roman amphitheatre, eight vacuous boys tackle gladiatorial tests of strength, cheered on by their girlfriends in gold bikinis and gallons of lip filler. Dino had heard of the Romans. A lot of things come from Rome, he said confidently, like Latin, I fink, maybe. Did they have pizza then? But Brandon was completely baffled. Staring round the set, he marvelled, Ive gone 2,000 years back Ive never lived that far back, Ive only ever seen lampposts and pavements. The boys and girls all call each other babe, which is easier than going to the mental effort of remembering names. Eight vacuous boys tackle gladiatorial tests of strength, cheered on by their girlfriends in gold bikinis and gallons of lip filler They say things like: Hand on my heart, I put 150 per cent effort in. And: Looking good is majorly important for me. Much was made of the fact that these were real couples none of them married, of course, but neither were they strangers paired off by the producers. ITV2 is looking for its next Love Island, the runaway hit that consisted of half-naked young people posing in the sunshine. But why stop at half-naked? To get Bromans started, the boys were ordered to strip off and parade nude in the plastic colosseum while their babes dug in the arena sand, searching for bags that contained gladiator costumes. After that, they had to load chariots with buckets of stones and drag them round a track without bumping into the scenery. ITV2 is looking for its next Love Island, the runaway hit that consisted of half-naked young people posing in the sunshine. But why stop at half-naked? Its like Ben Hur without the excitement, the story, the morality or any point at all. This is a long way from the plate-spinning and disco-dancing of the Brucie days. Presenter Tom Bell invoked the spirit of Larry Grayson, though, with lots of laboured innuendos about my horn and the emperors ring. Its an achievement, really, to breed a generation that cant tell the difference between Up Pompeii! and a Mary Beard documentary and that doesnt care, as long as they get to flash their six-packs in the sunshine. These are Tony Blairs millennials. The nation can be proud. Real achievement was celebrated by six adventurous souls in Without Limits: Vietnam (BBC1), a travelogue with a twist. The explorers three in a LandCruiser, three rattling along on Seventies Soviet motorbikes were all defying disabilities to make the trip. The explorers three in a LandCruiser, three rattling along on Seventies Soviet motorbikes were all defying disabilities to make the trip It sometimes feels TV only takes notice of disabled people when they are doing something extraordinary: the Paralympians, the autistic geniuses. Nuptuals of the night: Wedding snapper Simon (Jason Watkins) and his creepy son Liam (Joel MacCormack) had a stand-up row in front of the bridal party on Safe House (ITV). Unlikely but more believable than the rest of this nonsense. Advertisement But thats a curmudgeonly gripe. Its great to see telly paying any sort of attention, let alone portraying disability in such a positive, entertaining way. The six included Vicky, the teenager who lost a leg at Alton Towers two years ago, and Mary, whose dwarfism was much less debilitating than her chronic depression. All of them were courageous and likeable, supporting each other as they discovered the spectacular landscapes along the Ho Chi Minh trail. The climax, as they helped paraplegic Steve haul his wheelchair up a cliff to visit a stalactite-filled cave, was inspiring . . . and a welcome antidote to Bromans. It's ladies first but not in Hollywood, according to Kate Bosworth. The 34-year-old has slammed the movie industry for always casting females around the male lead. The actress told People Now that every film she has ever worked on - besides the ones she has produced herself - have always chosen their male stars before they consider the fairer sex. 'There is no exception': Kate Bosworth has slammed sexist Hollywood for always casting male actors first 'The one thing I heard on every single film and Im telling you there isnt an exception whenever Im up for a role, really no matter how big or small, the answer that I always get from anyone whos casting me [is]: "We have to cast the guy first." 'Every single one, there is no exception,' she added. 'Unless Im producing it.' The LA native has played opposite the likes of Brandon Routh and James Marsden in Superman Returns, Marsden again in Straw Dogs, Val Kilmer in Wonderland, and Kevin Spacey in Beyond The Sea. Third priority: The LA native has played opposite the likes of Brandon Routh and James Marsden in Superman Returns Bosworth's 'no exception' comments hit home when considering even her female led film's like Julianne Moore's Still Alice, Sigourney Weaver's The Girl In The Park and her own Blue Crush - which is a film about three female surfer friends. The star currently has three exec producer credits; for 2014's Amnesiac, last year's Hot Bot, and Nona which is currently in post-production. 'Its important to say, "Lets look at this in an equal way. Lets look at who to cast or who to bring on or who to collaborate with because theyre great or because theyre right for it",' she said. Not ladies first: 'Whenever Im up for a role, really no matter how big or small, the answer that I always get from anyone whos casting me [is]: "We have to cast the guy first." (pictured opposite Kevin Spacey in Beyond The Sea) She added that she has 'never been a very good passenger.' 'I like to try to move the dial and be proactive and be aggressive and to effect change. Thats just in my DNA,' she said. 'So the fact that Im able to participate in that in my industry, I feel really grateful.' Glenn Close teamed up with her daughter and co-star Annie Starke on Thursday at the premiere of their new film in Toronto, Canada. The 70-year-old actress looked elegant in a long-sleeved black gown with small train for the world premiere of The Wife as part of the Toronto International Film Festival. The Fatal Attraction star had her short white hair styled in soft curls and accessorized with sparkling earrings. Scroll down for video Mother and daughter: Annie Stark and her mother Glenn Close teamed up at the premiere of their new movie The Wife on Thursday at the Toronto International Film Festival Annie, 29, sizzled in a floor-skimming, long-sleeved lacy red dress and completed her outfit with black lacy heel boots. She accessorized with cascading black earrings and a black clutch. Annie had her blonde hair up in a high bun as mother and daughter hugged and bowed down to each other upon arrival at Roy Thomson Hall for the premiere. The Wife follows a woman who questions her life choices while traveling to Stockholm with her husband as he receives a prestigious award. Acting legend: Glenn looked elegant in a long black gown at the premiere Red and black: Annie and Glenn contrasted nicely in their red and black outfits Good times: The actresses smiled as they arrived at Roy Thomson Hall Showing respect: Annie put her hands together for her mother Tender moment: Glenn acknowledged her daughter kneeling in respect in front of her Heads down: Annie and Glenn struck the namaste form of greeting toward each other Glenn portrays Joan Castleman and Welsh actor Jonathan Pryce, 70, plays her husband Joe Castleman. Annie plays a younger version of her mother's character Joan. Glenn had daughter Annie from a previous relationship with producer John Starke, who she met on the set of The World According To Garp. Mother of one: Glenn hit the right note with her long-sleeved black gown Leading role: The Connecticut native plays a spouse who questions her life choices in The Wife Annie will play a younger version of her mother again later this year in the comedy Bastards. Glenn in the road trip comedy portrays Helen Baxter, the mother of twins Kyle and Peter, played by Owen Wilson and Ed Helms. Bastards is scheduled for release on December 22. Glenn has been busy lately with five films scheduled for release in 2017 including the upcoming British mystery film Crooked House. Fan favorite: Glenn waved to fans as she took to the stage during the premiere It was a big night for Angelina Jolie - so it was no wonder she wanted to celebrate with her entire family in tow. The mother-of-six brought along all her children to the New York City premiere of her new film First They Killed My Father, a harrowing tale about the rise of the brutal Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, on Thursday. Most notably however, the 42-year-old and her brood all sported yellow flowers somewhere on their glamorous get-ups - which are thought to be a symbol of positivity. Scroll down for video Inclusive: Angelina Jolie, 42, brought all of her children to the New York City premiere of her new film First They Killed My Father (also pictured with cast and producers) While Angelina obviously turned heads thanks to her grey backless gown, she made sure to get several photos with her two eldest children, Maddox, 16 and Pax, 13, as they also worked on the movie. Maddox, who was actually born in Cambodia, was invited by his mother to participate as an executive producer, and shined on the red carpet in a black suit paired with a simple white t-shirt. Pax served as the set photographer, and looked equally dapper in a black on black ensemble. Elegant: Angelina obviously turned heads thanks to her grey backless gown Collaborative: The Maleficent star not only directed the drama, but also co-wrote the informative film with writer Loung Ung Proud mom: She made sure to get several photos with her two eldest children, Maddox, 16,(left) and Pax, 13, as they also worked on the movie Zahara, 12, looked to be enjoying herself in a black lace top and black trouser combination, while Shiloh, 11, opted for a grey suit minus a tie. Finally, twins Knox and Vivienne, aged nine, also looked to be having fun, with Knox donning a classic black suit and his sister choosing a black vest and trouser look. However, all the children were seen sporting a yellow flower somewhere on their person, while their mother Angelina placed hers in her hair. While the exact meaning of the flowers is not known, E! News reports them as plumerias, which are thought to symbolise positivity and are worn at special occasions. Glam: Zahara, 12, looked to be enjoying herself in a black lace top and black trouser combination Just like Brad? Knox donned a classic black suit sans tie for the event Simple: Vivienne opted for a black vest and trouser look The premiere of the Netflix film comes after Angelina met with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Manhattan headquarters on Thursday. The Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees easily defied her 41 years in a white silk blouse, brown pencil skirt, and nude pumps selected by stylist Jen Rade. Rather than taking vacuous selfies or developing clothing lines, Angelina has made over 60 trips to the field as part of her work with the do-gooding intergovernmental organization. He's the underwear model son of former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks. And on Friday, Confidential reported Nick Bracks would be putting his modelling career on halt to follow his passion of acting. Signing up to Australian drama Neighbours, the 29-year-old said he felt blessed to land the role as his first job. Scroll down for video Got the job! On Friday, Confidential reported underwear model and son of former Victorian Premier Nick Bracks had landed his first acting role in Australian drama Neighbours 'It's an awesome first role to get, being on Neighbours,' he said. 'I'm very lucky to have landed the role.' 'I was very nervous beforehand but once you are on set everyone makes it really comfortable,' he continued. Feeling blessed: 'It's an awesome first role to get, being on Neighbours' In high demand: Co-founder of the mindfulness app Happy Waves Meditation, Nick was also seen spending his day yesterday as a speaker during Geelong's R U OK Day event Not able to give any more details, the star who's been studying the acting for the past-four years is no stranger to venturing into a variety of things. Co-founder of the mindfulness app Happy Waves Meditation, Nick was also seen spending his day yesterday as a speaker during Geelong's R U OK Day event. The underwear model also placed sixth on season eleven's Dancing With The Stars. Tried his best: The underwear model also placed sixth on season eleven's Dancing With The Stars Busting! Last year, Nick found himself in the spotlight after urinating over the edge of Cradle Mountain whilst hiking with his brother Will Last year, Nick found himself in the spotlight after urinating over the edge of Cradle Mountain whilst hiking with his brother Will. 'What do you do when you get to the top of a mountain?' he asked in the caption of the video. The dashing Melbournian also made it to the finals of CLEO Bachelor Of The Year in 2011, and launched his own underwear range underBRACKS in October 2013. Nick was charged in 2007 for drink driving after crashing his Saab, with his father describing him as an 'absolute idiot'. Emily Ratajkowski debuted a new bob at Rihanna's third annual Clara Lionel Foundation Diamond Ball in Manhattan on Thursday night. However, the 26-year-old actress' cut (by Jennifer Yepez) and color (by Aura) could also have been an expensive wig as she sported fake fringe and hair extensions the prior evening. The London-born, Encinitas-raised stunner boosted her famous cleavage in a strapless black-buttoned bustier and matching maxi-skirt, which she paired with stilettos and David Webb jewelry. Scroll down for video New hair, who dis? Emily Ratajkowski debuted a new bob at Rihanna's third annual Clara Lionel Foundation Diamond Ball in Manhattan on Thursday night Wig? However, the 26-year-old actress' cut (by Jennifer Yepez) and color (by Aura) could also have been an expensive wig as she sported fake fringe and hair extensions the prior evening Make-up artist Patrick Ta made sure Emily was ready for the cameras with a smoky eye and nude glossy lips. Ratajkowski's Cipriani Wall Street appearance came a month after she confessed to being 'real messy' and someone who 'eats a lot' on Jimmy Kimmel Live! 'A lot of people don't eat in Hollywood,' the Easy guest star explained to the formerly chubby host on August 7. 'I'm not someone who cooks. I'm someone who eats a lot. Everyone thinks I'm being cute when I say I eat, but I'm actually not cute about it at all. I guess [I have a high metabolism] because you should see my refrigerator. It's pretty insane. Skinny Minnie! The London-born, Encinitas-raised stunner boosted her famous cleavage in a strapless black-buttoned bustier and matching maxi-skirt, which she paired with stilettos and David Webb jewelry Smoulder: Make-up artist Patrick Ta made sure Emily was ready for the cameras with a smoky eye and nude glossy lips 'You should see my refrigerator': Ratajkowski's Cipriani Wall Street appearance came a month after she confessed to being 'real messy' and someone who 'eats a lot' on Jimmy Kimmel Live! 'I have a relationship with Postmates. It's basically Indian food, Thai food, and preferably when I'm horizontal in bed. I've had people come over and watch me eat and say, "I've lost all respect for you."' Make-up artist Patrick Ta made sure the Easy guest star was ready for the cameras with a smoky eye and nude glossy lips. Earlier that day, the self-described feminist and LOVE Magazine editor-in-chief Katie Eleanor Grand both teased videos of her writhing in food from her third advent calendar. Emily - who boasts 21.9M social media followers - captioned her lingerie-laden clip: 'Coming soon!' Mittens and lingerie? Earlier that day, the self-described feminist and LOVE Magazine editor Katie Eleanor Grand both teased videos of her writhing in food from her third advent calendar Noticeably missing from the UCLA drop-out's side was her bald beau Jeff Magid, with whom she's celebrating three years of dating this month. Based on his Instagram page, Magid appears to be a professional boyfriend, inseparable from Ratajkowski, but it's unclear precisely what the Brown University alum does for a living. Fans can next catch the Kooples bag designer as a Jewish, Long Islander called Jessica Weintraub in Robert D. Siegel's eighties-set romance Cruise, which is due out later this year. Globetrotting couple: Noticeably missing from the UCLA drop-out's side was her bald beau Jeff Magid, with whom she's celebrating three years of dating this month (pictured Monday) Career? Based on his Instagram page, Magid appears to be a professional boyfriend, but it's unclear precisely what the Brown University alum does for a living Emily also recently wrapped George Ratliff's Tuscany-set 2018 thriller Welcome Home with her onscreen leading man, Emmy winner Aaron Paul. 'I am way more interested in working with unexpected and cool directors on interesting projects than being in this big studio movie where you're in a bikini,' the We Are Your Friends stunner explained to Harper's BAZAAR Australia in June. 'I turn down a lot of movies, but I have to fight for the ones that I really want.' Due out later this year: Fans can next catch the Kooples bag designer as a Jewish, Long Islander called Jessica Weintraub in Robert D. Siegel's eighties-set romance Cruise She split from' Australia's Most Hated Man' Blake Garvey last year after 18 months together. Now Louise Pillidge has sent social media into meltdown after she being spotted wearing a ring on 'that finger'. Taking to social media, the 29-year-took a moment to pose for a mirror selfie, drawing attention to a huge sparkler on her wedding ring finger. Scroll down for video 'Do I spot something sparkly on an important finger?' Former girlfriend of Blake Garvey and Bachelor star Louise Pillidge sends social media into meltdown after hinting she's engaged Sporting a feminine ensemble, the stunner captioned the post with a love heart emoji. Immediately fans were quick to jump to conclusions. 'Do I spot something sparkly on an important finger?' asked one follower. Secret? 'Do I spot something sparkly on an important finger?' one fan asked Stylish: Taking a mirror selfie, Louise drew attention to her jeweled finger and accesorised with a designer bag Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Louise for a comment. Louise first rose to fame when she competed against 29 other women for the heart of Perth auctioneer Blake on The Bachelor in 2014. After placing third, Blake infamously ended his engagement to winner Sam Frost during a meeting with producers, and weeks later started a relationship with Louise. But after 18-months together, Louise and Blake, who was branded as a 'love rat' and 'Australia's Most Hated Man', went their separate ways. Reality star: Louise first rose to fame when she competed against 29 other women for the heart of Perth auctioneer Blake on The Bachelor in 2014 Love rat: After placing third, Blake infamously ended his engagement to winner Sam Frost during a meeting with producers, and weeks later started a relationship with Louise She is an Oscar wining actress, film producer, tireless activist and high-end brand ambassador. But Charlize Theron is first and foremost a mom, as she proved once again with her daughter August on Thursday. The South African stunner was spotted running errands around Los Angeles with her precious two-year-old perched on her hip. Mommy of the month! Charlize Theron was spotted running errands around Los Angeles with her precious two-year-old perched on her hip on Thursday The Monster star looked gorgeous as she does in anything, this time wearing loose fitting trousers and sandals. Up top she rocked a low-cut black top and short-sleeved black blazer . She looked largely make-up free, pinning her blonde tresses back and finishing the look in a pair of oversized shades. Her little girl meanwhile looked adorable in patterned sorts and a polo shirt, and a pair of stylish white booties. Chic: The Monster star looked gorgeous as she does in anything, this time wearing loose fitting trousers and sandals She sipped on a sippie cup as she enjoyed the ride in her mother's arms, and even rocked a little pair of shades of her own, perched atop her head. Charlize, who is notoriously private with her personal life, adopted the youngster in 2015. She is also mother to six-year-old Jackson, whom she also adopted. Charlize opened up to Ellen earlier this year about balancing her life as a single mom. 'Im a single mom and I have an incredible village that helps me raise these two beautiful kids,' she said. 'Im an only child so I didnt grow up with siblings and so I had no idea the beauty that siblings have with each other,' she added. 'Like it really is one of the most incredible things Ive ever witnessed. 'To see how much they love each other and to see how much theyre excited to see each other. Theyre so in love with each other, its really beautiful.' Heather Locklear has been hospitalized for minor injuries after a car wreck. The 55-year-old on Thursday crashed her Porsche into a ditch in Thousand Oaks, California, just outside of Los Angeles, police told TMZ. Law enforcement sources told the outlet that the actress was sober, and that neither drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident. Scroll below for video Tough time: Heather Locklear, 55, was hospitalized for minor injuries after a car wreck Thursday in Thousand Oaks, California, TMZ reported. Locklear was seen in this 2016 shot in Beverly Hills The star will not face any criminal consequences from the incident. Police have now wrapped their investigations after determining drugs and alcohol were 'absolutely not a factor' in the accident, TMZ reports. A source told the site: 'Cops won't pull Locklear's phone records (to determine if she was distracted) or investigate the speed at which she was driving because it was only her in the wreck, no one else was injured and no property was damaged.' The actress - a TV stalwart in the 80s and 90s on programs such as T.J. Hooker, Dynasty and Melrose Place - has a past history involving both substance abuse and dangerous incidents on the road. In September of 2008, she was arrested in connection with suspicion of driving under the influence and being under the influence of a controlled substance in Montecito, California. An eyewitness told officials with the California Highway Patrol that Locklear 'was revving her engine loudly, and backed over a pair of sunglasses several times,' People reported. CHP spokesman Tom Marshall told the magazine that authorities deemed the actress to be 'under the influence of prescription medication' in the incident. 'I'm home and good': The actress posted a picture of pink flowers on her Instagram page on Friday morning as she reassured fans that she was safe following the incident Comeback: The TV star emerged for the first time in months to attend an event in LA alongside Alana Stewart on Saturday Past problems: The Melrose Place actress was previously arrested in 2008 for suspicion of driving under the influence in Santa Barbara (pictured here in her mugshot at the time) The blonde beauty, who was in two celebrity marriages - to Motley Crue's Tommy Lee from 1986 until 1993, and Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora from 1994 until 2007 - subsequently pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless driving in January of 2009, according to Access Hollywood, agreeing to three years probation, $700 in fines and attendance of a drug program. Locklear again was arrested in April of 2010, when she was accused of misdemeanor hit-and-run after authorities with the Ventura County Sheriff's claimed she careened her 2005 BMW into a no-parking sign located in the gated community she resided in with then-husband Sambora, and abandoned the scene. Sheriffs spokesman Ross Bonfiglio told People that a subsequent probe indicated that debris found near the felled sign was from Lockear's BMW. Bonfiglio said, 'It appears she drove up on a curb and hit the sign,' noting that there was 'no indication alcohol was involved' in the incident. Difficult: Police said that Locklear, seen here in 2016, was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the incident on Thursday Family: The actress is mother to 19-year-old model Ava Sambora While a guilty conviction could have jeopardized her probation in the 2008 case and led to jail time, Lockear was subsequently cleared in the mishap after District Attorney Gregory D. Totten said there was 'insufficient evidence ... to establish who the driver of the vehicle was at the time of the collision,' People reported in May of 2010. Locklear again had a dangerous brush in January of 2012, when authorities said she was rushed to a hospital in Ventura County in an ambulance after she combined alcohol and prescription medication, TMZ reported. The incident occurred just months after Locklear's engagement to her former Melrose Place co-star Jack Wagner collapsed. Out and about: The star was snapped in April at LAX airport in casual clothes Struggles: Earlier this year, Locklear said she was 'working on tying up some loose ends regarding certain issues' in response to reports she had entered a rehab facility Troubles: Locklear has a history of troubles behind the wheel, with past arrests in connection with DUI and hit-and-run Thursday's incident came on the heels of Locklear's first public appearance in months this past Saturday, as she was snapped in Beverly Hills at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, attending a Tex-Mex Fiesta event put on by the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. Amid rumblings she had entered rehab this past January, Locklear issued a statement to People saying that she was 'feeling great and ... taking steps to enrich and better [her] life. 'Currently I am working on tying up some loose ends regarding certain issues so I can hit 2017 full steam ahead,' she said. The actress has previously been in rehab stints in June of 2008, linked to depression; and July of 2010, the publication reported. Laura Byrne has confessed to the infamous 'secret weekend away' with Matty J earlier this month, but denied lying to cover it up. The Bachelor winner and her man were pictured disappearing, with luggage in tow, to the Richmond/Hawkesbury area on the first weekend of September. Spotted at the airport together on Friday, following the finale, Laura admitted to the trip, but noted she came home via her sister's place, supporting her original alibi. Caught out! In an interview at the airport on Friday, Laura Byrne confessed to the infamous 'secret weekend away' with Matty J earlier this month, but denied lying to cover it up Confirmed! The Bachelor winner and her man were pictured disappearing, with luggage in tow, to the Richmond/Hawkesbury area on the first weekend of September The new lovers, who already revealed they'd slept together after Thursday's finale, looked fresh-faced and smitten as they held hands and strolled through the airport. 'Now come on Laura, were you in Richmond or were you in the Blue Mountains?' a reporter asked her as she passed by. He referenced the weekend in which Daily Mail believes they were picked up in Bondi by a Bachelor production vehicle and whisked away to their destination. At her sisters? Spotted at the airport together on Friday, following the finale, Laura admitted to the trip, but noted she came home via her sister's place, supporting her original alibi 'It wasn't completely a fib': 'Well I actually did come from my sister's house that day, so it wasn't completely a fib,' the Jewellery designer responded when questioned on Friday The car sped through red lights to avoid being followed and upon returning two days later, Laura told Daily Mail she had been staying at her sister's in Paddington. 'Well I actually did come from my sister's house that day, so it wasn't completely a fib,' the Jewellery designer confessed at the airport on Friday. 'So you came from Richmond, to your sister's, then home?' the reporter clarified. Confirmed! 'So you came from Richmond, to your sister's, then home?' the reporter clarified, to which Laura replied 'yes!' Who wears the pants? Matty was by his new girlfriend's side on Friday, but chose not to weigh in on the saga, seen smiling while Laura was left to do the talking Smiling, the beauty nodded and replied: 'Yes.' Matty was by his new girlfriend's side, but chose not to weigh in on the saga, seen smiling while Laura was left to do the talking. On Friday September 1, Laura caught a short Uber car from her Rushcutter's Bay residence to Edgecliff, where she cross the road and entered the production vehicle. They DID meet up! On September 1, Laura caught an Uber from her Rushcutter's Bay residence to Edgecliff, where she then entered a production vehicle and was whisked away to Richmond, at the foot of the Blue Mountains Keeping quiet! Meanwhile, Matty's car remained parked at his empty Bondi residence all weekend, until his return on Sunday evening The car sped to Richmond, near the foot of the Blue Mountains, driving through several red lights and making a U-turn on a main road to avoid being followed. Meanwhile, Matty's car remained parked at his empty Bondi residence all weekend, until his return on Sunday evening. The car that dropped him off was seen circling the block for 15 minutes, before the driver returned, parked, and brought a backpack and smaller bag into Matty's home. Despite the extreme efforts of production staff, Laura started the show as the clear favourite on betting sights, with her odds shortening every week until her victory. TIMELINE OF EVENTS FRIDAY MORNING - Laura Byrne gets an Uber just minutes up the road from her Rushcutters Bay residence to Edgecliff, the next suburb over - She bizarrely exits the Uber and crosses the road, hopping into what appeared to be a Bachelor production crew car - The car heads to Richmond near the foot of the Blue Mountains, driving through several red lights and making a U-turn on a main road to avoid being followed SATURDAY - Matty's Bondi home remains empty, with no lights on and his car not moving SUNDAY - At 8.45pm, Matty arrives back in Bondi, making a swift exit from a chauffered car and into his home. The car circles the block for 15 minutes before the driver parks and heads inside Matty's home with a backpack and small bag - At 10pm, Laura arrives back at her Rushcutters Bay home, overnight bags in tow. She tells Daily Mail Australia she has been staying at her sister's home - however her sister lives in nearby inner Sydney suburb Paddington - Matty J posts a picture of himself at the snow on Instagram, claiming that he has enjoyed a weekend at Thredbo, located south of Sydney - But the Bachelor heartthrob was wearing the same ski gear he wore in earlier photos posted to Instagram in July - suggesting the photo was a 'decoy' - He also did not have any ski gear with him when Daily Mail Australia pictured him arriving back at his Bondi home on Sunday night Advertisement Dropped off! The car that dropped him off was seen circling the block for 15 minutes, before the driver (pictured) returned, parked, and brought luggage into Matty's home She enjoyed a successful night at the premiere of her new film, which she both directed and co-wrote. So it is no wonder Angelina Jolie was keen to celebrate on Thursday night, as she headed to an after-party in NYC following the debut of her flick, First They Killed My Father. Proving to be a doting mother however the 42-year-old superstar, who was a vision in a sleek white trench coat, was joined by her oldest sons Maddox, 16, and Pax, 13, for the bash. Scroll down for video With her boys: Angelina Jolie, 42, attended the after party for the premiere of her new film First They Killed My Father with her sons Maddox, 16, and Pax, 13, in New York City. The original Tomb Raider actress looked like she had just stepped off a catwalk in the plunging trench coat. As her gorgeous decolletage took centre stage, the elegant evening gown then cinched at her slim waist, before skimming her svelte frame to its calf hem. Jazzing up her look, the actress accessorised with metallic silver heels and a glittering diamond necklace as she posed for cameras at the party. Mother's love: Maddox and Pax wrapped their arms around their mother as they cut dapper figures in black suits Model looks: The original Tomb Raider thespian looked like she stepped off a catwalk in the low cut ensemble Her trademark raven tresses were pulled back behind her ears and placed with a yellow bow allowing her youthful complexion to shine. Adding a subtle smoky eye and a bright berry lip, the actress' make-up look accentuated her natural beauty as she commanded attention at the bash. Meanwhile looking all grown-up, teenagers Maddox and Pax wrapped their arms around their mother as they cut dapper figures in black suits. Stunner: As her gorgeous decolletage took center stage, the elegant evening gown was cinched at her lithe waist Style icon: A pair of sparkly high heels adorned her feet as the bottom half of the dress cut just above her ankle Baubles: Daring to impress, Angelina accessorized with a few choice baubles as she rocked a bracelet, diamond necklace, and stud earrings The mother of six made sure to bring all of her children to the premiere of the film which is a harrowing tale about the rise of the brutal Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. All of the Maleficent star's progeny accompanied their famous mom, who not only directed the drama, but also co-wrote the informative film with writer Loung Ung. While Angelina obviously turned heads thanks to her grey backless gown, she made sure to get several photos with her two eldest children, Maddox and Pax as they also worked on the movie. The face: A subtle smokey eye accentuated her iconic eyes as she followed a neutral tone makeup palette with the exception of a bright berry lip Inclusive: Angelina brought all of her children to the New York City premiere of her new film First They Killed My Father (also pictured with cast and producers) Maddox, who was actually born in Cambodia, was invited by his mother to participate as an executive producer, and shined on the red carpet in a black suit paired with a simple white t-shirt. Pax served as the set photographer, and looked equally dapper in a black on black ensemble. Zahara, 12, looked to be enjoying herself in a black lace top and black trouser combination, while Shiloh, 11, opted for a grey suit minus a tie. Elegant: Angelina obviously turned heads thanks to her grey backless gown Collaborative: The Maleficent star not only directed the drama, but also co-wrote the informative film with writer Loung Ung Proud mom: She made sure to get several photos with her two eldest children, Maddox, 16,(left) and Pax, 13, as they also worked on the movie Finally, twins Knox and Vivienne, aged nine, also looked to be having fun, with Knox donning a classic black suit and his sister choosing a black vest and trouser look. All the children also wore a yellow flower somewhere on their person, while their mother placed hers in her hair. While the exact meaning of the flowers is not known, E! News reports them as plumerias, which are thought to symbolise positivity and are worn at special occasions. Glam: Zahara, 12, looked to be enjoying herself in a black lace top and black trouser combination Just like Brad? Knox donned a classic black suit sans tie for the event Simple: Vivienne opted for a black vest and trouser look The premiere of the Netflix film comes after Angelina met with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Manhattan headquarters on Thursday. The Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees easily defied her 41 years in a white silk blouse, brown pencil skirt, and nude pumps selected by stylist Jen Rade. Rather than taking vacuous selfies or developing clothing lines, Angelina has made over 60 trips to the field as part of her work with the do-gooding intergovernmental organization. Eva Mendes is expanding her clothing line. The 43-year-old stunner was on hand at the Los Cerritos Center in California to celebrate the launch of her new fall line. The Eva Mendes Collection will now feature plus sizes for the first time. Figuring on biggering! Eva Mendes celebrated the launch of her new plus size clothing line in California on Thursday The actress looked amazing as always in one of her own creations as she unveiled the collection at New York & Company, where it is sold exclusively. The Other Guys beauty wore a classy green and white polka dot dress with lace detailing on the chest. Her own perfect figure was showcased within the tightly cinched thick black belt at her waist. She tied her gorgeous locks up in a wrap to match the dress, unveiling her trademark enormous gold hoops. Gorgeous: The actress looked amazing as always in one of her own creations as she unveiled the collection at New York & Company, where it is sold exclusively One of mine: The Other Guys beauty wore a classy green and white polka dot dress with lace detailing on the chest The look was finished in an eye-catching pair of colorful leaf patterned pumps. 'I'm so excited to continue creating designs for todays woman,' the actress gushed ahead of the launch. The Company initially offered the Eva Mendes Collection in sizes from 0-20 and XS-XXL - with many styles offered in petite and tall; but from Thursday sizes will range up to 24 and 3X. As well as being a successful fashion designer and in-demand actress, Eva is also full-time mom and to one-year-old Amada Lee , and Esmeralda Amada, who turned three on Tuesday. The girls' father is her partner of six years and Place Beyond The Pines co-star Ryan Gosling. Better Things Come slowly but Worse Things Come Quickly Unforgettable Five Days Trip to Canada After one decade, I couldn't imagine I had a chance to go back Canada again. This time, it is indeed grateful to be able to stop by the famous Niagara Falls, where I never visited before. Even though I have only stopped there for thirty minutes, that gave me enough time to capture some wonderful scenes from an observation deck linked with the side of the U.S. by the Rainbow Bridge. I couldn't help writing down below words. Our destination is Brantford city, a small city in Ontario, Canada. This time, I was totally stuck in hotel room because my husband was busy with his five days meeting and he didnt have any time to bring me to visit any places, especially Toronto, which is dozens of miles away from the Brantford. I became a caged bird and looked at the back yard through the glass door. It's beautiful here in May. Spring was just coming, but it was still cool. Green grass covered the ground just like a green carpet. Three pine trees were situated on the center of yard. They hugged together and presented a monster umbrella. A cute squirrel was so active that caught my whole attention. He sometimes climbed up the trees and sometimes dropped from pine trees and danced on the grass carpet to look for nuts. I tried to open the door to take a picture, but it was too tight to open. In order to kill time, I sit on the couch and opened my iPad starting writing articles on my blog. Since I have been working on a book, I have had less time to take care of my blog for one year, though I have written a lot of diaries. Taking this opportunity, I uploaded seven of them on my blog to share them with others. Time seems went fast by doing this. No sooner than my husband went back, I could be able to go outside of room for breathing in fresh air. I found only several buildings around us. This was Canada: widespread green field, blue sky and less population. I didnt find more difference between Canada and USA. The little difference was that the water and air here are more pure and fresher than in Houston Texas. The temperature here was lower than in Houston, but I used to this kind of weather. Heating system was working very well. I never felt cold here instead of in Houston the air conditioner is working too hard to stand the cold room temperature. So I actually liked Canada more than America. The TV programs here even were more interesting than USA. The culture background decided that. For example, discovery Channel showed a program named how is made. I had watched the stories how high mighty machine to work in mine sites and how workers to do maintenance in a workshop. I was attracted by those amazing machines because I was working on mining equipment engineering field. Other channels also more educational and richer culture than USA. If you want to learn more, you may take opportunity to visit Canada. Hurry up and you can find a lot of majestic things. After Five days stay there, we left Brantford and ready to go home. We drove to the buffalo airport along Lake Ontario. The lake looked very unusual, dirty water surrounding the big lake. I could not be able to figure out why, but I remembered the appearance of Lake Michigan seemed to be same during spring every year. Just leaving this question to geologists, we had to be hurry in case missing our airplane. We went through the US costume house smoothly after everyone answered the question asked by an officer, Which country citizenship are you? That question was so funny since we showed him our passport. However, this was the routine rule. We understood it. The officer was so nice that we felt America indeed is our country. The buffalo airport was very impressed us. It was very new and modern one and passengers were less than any other airports I have visited so far. The TSA agents at security check station impressed me much more. They were so kind, friendly and gentle that I didnt feel I was passing the security check. At the corner of waiting lobby we found a quiet place from there we could be able to look at the field from a huge observation window. There only my husband and I took the seats. We chose that quiet place for my husbands telephone meeting. He was a busy guy. Even waiting for the airplane, he had kept an eye on his business issue. He also was an optimistic man. Since I got priority to board, he was allowed to go with me together, which saved his energy much more. He joked he was a special person. But thing was not always going like I expected, when we boarded on the airplane first, I suddenly was fallen down due to my husband touching my back unexpectedly. Two flight attendants run to me and asked series of questions, such as what was going on for me, any long distance travel before boarding and if I need water. My husband told them that I had soft legs and was not able to walk long distance. I comforted them that I was Ok and no bigger problem. After making sure that I didn't not hurt badly, they left. After several hours, the airplane arrived at the Houston airport. When waiting for shuttle bus, we met them again. They waved to us and seemed to say goodbye, have a safe trip and take care. What the nice ladies they were! They offered a helping hand when they were able. They tried to do what made me happy and made me comfortable. I really appreciated what they did for me. My trip finally got the end. That was a nice trip. I also recognize that the greatest gift I need to give myself and my family is a healthy body. I must do more to take a good care of myself because my body is the only place I have to live in. Taking an interesting trip may spend a lot of money, but it can help me to stay happy and improve my healthy conditions. Just be aware that it is even more expensive to be sick. I will try to take any opportunities to travel everywhere as much as I can with the help of my husband for making a happy and healthy life. She slammed producers on The Bachelor for their 'negative portrayal' of her brother Troy during hometown visits on the show. And now Tara Pavlovic has shown further support for her sibling in a playful post on social media. The 27-year-old leaned closer to her brother and told him she loved him in a video posted to her Instagram story on Friday. Tara Pavlovic (left) has shown further support for her brother Troy (right) in a playful post on social media, after he confronted Matthew Johnson on The Bachelor during home visits The 27-year-old leaned closer to her brother and told him she loved him in a video posted to her Instagram story on Friday But Troy took the opportunity to mock his own appearance on The Bachelor, which was infamous for a 'confrontation' with Matty 'J' Johnson. 'Liar,' he playfully responded to Tara, who laughed at the joke. Last week, the favourite to be the next Bachelorette hit out at the show's producers, who she claimed heavily edited a segment to make it look like Troy called Matty J a liar. 'Troy was edited so badly. He was very welcoming towards Matty. They cut the word liar from a completely [different] conversation and put it elsewhere to make it dramatic,' Tara said in an Instagram post last week. 'Troy was edited so badly': Bachelor star Tara slammed producers over brother's portrayal during home visit What really happened? Tara took to Instagram after the episode aired to defend her brother, who had appeared to give Matty a hostile reception during home visits Asking for a mate: During one conversation, Troy grilled Matty over whether he plans to pick Tara as the winner Tara took to social media after the episode aired to defend her brother, who had appeared to give Matty a hostile reception during home visits. During one conversation, Troy grilled Matty over whether he planned to pick Tara as the winner. 'You've got, what, four girls still in the competition. You're gonna break some hearts, aren't you?' Troy asked. Tara emerged as a fan favourite to win Matty's heart, but was eventually eliminated in the final three Matty, trying to calm the situation, said: 'I wish I could tell you right now if I was gonna end up with Tara... or not. At the moment, I don't know the answer to that question.' Not pulling any punches, Troy appeared to shoot back: 'Liar.' In her latest Instagram post, the 'bronde' beauty looked stunning in a plunging, bright blue wrap dress, and wore her hair in a side swept bun. Fellow Bachelor contestant Florence Alexandra also made an appearance in Tara's Instagram story, who she introduced as her 'Dutch friend'. They officially confirmed their relationship in February this year. And Jeremy Clarkson, 57, looked incredibly smitten as he took his Irish actress girlfriend Lisa Hogan, 46, to the David Yarrow The Untouchables private view at the Maddox Gallery sponsored by CIROC in London on Thursday. The lovebirds put on a tactile display, with television personality Jeremy unable to keep his eyes off his stunning lady as she towered over him with her statuesque 6ft 2 frame. Scroll down for video Smitten: Jeremy Clarkson, 57, looked incredibly smitten as he took his girlfriend Lisa Hogan, 46, to the David Yarrow The Untouchables private view, at the Maddox Gallery sponsored by CIROC in London on Thursday Lisa looked incredible as she clad her slender legs in a pair of grey leather trousers, and paired them with a jazzy zebra striped shirt. She added height to her statuesque frame with a pair of strappy heels, and styled her blonde tresses into a sleek blow dry. She wore minimal make up to highlight her pretty features, and cosied up to the former Top Gear presenter. Lovebirds: The lovebirds put on a tactile display, with television personality Jeremy unable to keep his eyes off his stunning lady as she towered over him with her statuesque 6ft 2 frame Leggy lady: Lisa looked incredible as she clad her slender legs in a pair of grey leather trousers, and paired them with a jazzy zebra striped shirt (posing with Lily Fortescue, far right) Who is Lisa Hogan? The 6ft 2 blonde beauty is a mother-of-three from a previous relationship to millionaire Baron Steven Bentick Lisa was 'discovered' by comedian John Cleese in the early 1990s when she was struggling to get a second-hand-clothes business off the ground He subsequently employed her as a researcher, became a close friend and even gave her a role in Fierce Creatures, his follow-up to A Fish Called Wanda The striking Irish actress famously walked away unscathed when a private jet she was travelling in crashed on a dual carriageway near RAF Northolt in West London in 1996 Advertisement Jeremy looked dapper in a checked blue shirt and navy blazer, and networked the room like a pro. After confirming their romance back in March, Lisa spoke about how 'great' Jeremy is. Lisa, who is the ex-wife of a profligate millionaire playboy Baron Steven Bentinck, nicknamed Baron Bonkers, told The Sunday Mirror: 'I'm very happy. He's really great.' Lisa was 'discovered' by comedian John Cleese in the early 1990s when she was struggling to get a second-hand-clothes business off the ground. He subsequently employed her as a researcher, became a close friend and even gave her a role in Fierce Creatures, his follow-up to A Fish Called Wanda. Despite reports to the contrary, they were never romantically involved. Sleek: She added height to her statuesque frame with a pair of strappy heels, and styled her blonde tresses into a sleek blow dry Happy: She wore minimal make up to highlight her pretty features, and cosied up to the former Top Gear presenter The striking 6ft 2in Irish actress famously walked away unscathed when a private jet she was travelling in crashed on a dual carriageway near RAF Northolt in West London in 1996. The beauty simply said after the life-threatening experience: 'I'm going to be late for my rehearsals.' But Lisa declared that was nothing to the crashes former Top Gear host Jeremy had been involved in. Bottoms up! Jeremy clutched a flute of champagne and exhibition programme as he embarked on a tour of the gallery Lucky escape: The striking 6ft 2in Irish actress famously walked away unscathed when a private jet she was travelling in crashed on a dual carriageway near RAF Northolt in West London in 1996 'It gives me shivers thinking about it. I've had one crash but he's had three. 'Although I walked out on to a road of traffic. Who does that?' Jeremy - who was fired by the BBC when he punched a producer in the face - divorced his wife of 21 years, Frances, in 2014. Loved-up: After confirming their romance back in March, Lisa spoke about how 'great' Jeremy is. Lisa, telling The Sunday Mirror : 'I'm very happy. He's really great' Popular man: Jeremy looked dapper in a checked blue shirt and navy blazer, and networked the room like a pro She's known for her timeless glamour and her age-defying looks. But actress Dame Joan Collins wasn't flying the flag for age equality on Friday morning, as she declared to Lorraine Kelly that 'no one over 45 should do Strictly Come Dancing'. Her remark comes as the current 15th season of the show is in the midst of its launch - and features a line-up of 15 celebrity dancers, nine of whom are over the age of 40. Scroll down for video 'No one over 45 should do Strictly!' Dame Joan Collins, 84, takes aim at the 2017 Strictly Come Dancing line-up... which features NINE contestants over the age of 40 Nearly half of the 2017 line-up are over 40: [L-R] Ruth Langsford (57), Simon Rimmer (54) and Debbie McGee (58) 'Two people I know have done it,' she said of the popular BBC dancing series. 'George Hamilton did the American version, Dancing With The Stars. And he is STILL limping,' Dame Joan declared. In 2006, The Godfather Part III actor George competed in the second season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars with professional Edyta Sliwinska in which they lasted until the sixth round. Age 66 at the time, he was recovering from knee injuries and relied more on his charm to get through the competition. Nearly half of the 2017 line-up are over 40 - namely Brian Conley (56), Charlotte Hawkins (42), Chizzy Akudolu (43), Debbie McGee (58), Joe McFadden (41), Rev Richard Coles (55), Ruth Langsford (57), Simon Rimmer (54) and Susan Calman (42). Ageist? actress Dame Joan Collins wasn't flying the flag for age equality on Friday morning, as she declared to Lorraine Kelly that 'no one over 45 should do Strictly Come Dancing' 2017's STRICTLY CONTESTANTS OVER 40 Ruth Langsford (57) Brian Conley (56) Debbie McGee (58) Charlotte Hawkins (42) Chizzy Akudolu (43) Joe McFadden (41) Rev Richard Coles (55) Simon Rimmer (54) Susan Calman (42) Advertisement And while Strictly has been criticised for not representing LGBT contestants by giving them the chance to dance in same sex pairings, the same can't be said for its championing older celebrities. Last year, actress Leslie Joseph became the oldest ever female contestant, at the age of 71. Previous contestant Johnny Ball is the oldest man, 74 at the time; and at one point his comedy partner Tommy Cannon was tipped to overtake him when he was rumoured to be taking part this year, at the age of 78. Current contestant Debbie McGee's late husband has also taken part, 72 at the time. Regardless of the current season's nine 40+ acts, it's only the second time the show has featured no one over 60 (the last was the 2015 season). Ageless: Dame Joan is known for her timeless glamour and her age-defying looks This year, 58-year-old Debbie is the oldest in the cast. In 2010 five celebrities were aged 60 or over, including politician and novelist Ann Widdecombe, 62 and actress Felicity Kendal, 64. The youngest competitor will be 24-year-old paralympian Jonnie Peacock this year, with dancer A J Pritchard the youngest pro at 21. The average age of contestants is, in fact, just under 42 years old, which is the highest since 2013. Dragons Den's Deborah Meaden, 54, and Vanessa Feltz, 51, brought the average to 44 that season. Speaking from experience: 'Two people I know have done it,' she said of the popular BBC dancing series. 'George Hamilton did the American version, Dancing With The Stars. And he is STILL limping,' Dame Joan declared 2017 does mark the third year on the trot that 27 per cent of contestants are non-white. There is also a disabled competitor for the first time, and two of the celebs featuring are gay (Rev Richard Coles and Susan Calman). Meanwhile, speaking in front of a live audience in the Lorraine studio, Dame Joan was also asked about the reboot of Dynasty - the 80s show that made her a household name. 'I honestly dont know anything about it. I havent seen it. Nobodys talked to me about it, so I have no idea [if she will be in it]. So sorry, but ask me again when it comes out, if it comes out,' she said. She elaborated on how she attempted to tackle the gender pay gap that saw her and her male co-star John Forsythe separated greatly in terms of salary. 'Yes I did [try to tackle it]. Not that it did a lot of good,' she admitted. 'After Id been on Dynasty for two or three years, and I was on the cover of every magazine and I was quite popular, and I asked for a raise and it was totally dismissed out of hand. 15 years together: Dame Joan gushed about her beloved husband, Percy Gibson '[Producers said that] the guy who plays Blake, John Forsythe, he has to get more than you, a lot more. 'I could never find out more, I found out towards the end. The last series they finally gave me a raise. I became a very high paying actress but they only put me in eight out of the 12 episodes so I lost money - and he still got $5,000 a week more than I did. 'I tried! I tried but now people like Jennifer Lawrence and other young actresses are standing up for it.' Tiger Lily Hutchence Geldof cut a low-key figure as she attended the UGG X Jeremy Scott party sponsored by CIROC at the exclusive Cafe De Paris nightclub on Thursday. Wearing a casual pair of brown jeans and a lumberjack shirt, the budding actress, 21, showed off her relaxed style as she enjoyed the evening. The public appearance was a rare one for Tiger Lily, who has famously shunned the limelight in the past. Scroll down for video Low-key: Tiger Lily Hutchence Geldof, 21, cut a low-key figure as she attended the UGG X Jeremy Scott party sponsored by CIROC at the exclusive Cafe De Paris nightclub on Thursday She is the daughter of Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence; both her parents died in tragic circumstances when she was a young child. INXS rocker Micheal committed suicide while depressed and under the influence of alcohol and drugs aged 37 on the 22nd November 1997. Tiger Lily was just a baby. Paula passed away shortly after in 2000 from a heroin overdose, when Tiger Lily was four years old. Casual cool: Wearing a casual pair of brown jeans and a lumberjack shirt, the budding actress showed off her relaxed style as she enjoyed the evening The devastating circumstances that left Tiger Lily an orphan led to Paula's ex-husband Bob Geldof stepping in. He adopted Tiger Lily, and raised her as his daughter alongside his three daughters from his marriage to Paula; Peaches, who sadly passed away in 2014, Pixie and Fifi Trixibelle. It was reported by the Mail in July that Michael's earnings from his time in INXS left Tiger Lily with a 12 million inherited fortune. Awful: She is the daughter of Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence; both her parents died in tragic circumstances when she was a young child (pictured in Sydney, Australia, 1996) Geldof family friend Gerry Agar revealed that Tiger received a chunk of the money aged 18, which was partly used to fund her apartment in New York. On her 21st birthday, she received another payment and will inherit the final tranche when she is 25. However, it was reported that the inheritance has done little to change her grounded nature. To meet her, you wouldnt know she has money, one friend said. Agar agreed, saying: Tiger is a wealthy young woman, but she is really happy living out of the spotlight in New York. Tragic: INXS rocker Micheal committed suicide aged 37 on the 22nd November 1997. Paula passed away shortly after in 2000 from a heroin overdose, when Tiger Lily was four years old (pictured at Heathrow airport 1997) Support: The devastating circumstances that left Tiger Lily an orphan led to Paula's ex-husband Bob Geldof stepping in and adopting the youngster (pictured in London 2008) Sisters: Tiger Lily was raised as Bob's daughter alongside his three daughters from his marriage to Paula; Peaches (now deceased), Pixie (left) and Fifi Trixibelle (right) 'Shes working hard because she wants to go into acting and shes keeping her head down, something she and Bob agree upon. It was reported that Tiger made tentative moves to contact her aunt Tina, sister of Hutchence, around her 21st birthday. Tina fell out with Geldof spectacularly in the custody battle for four-year-old Tiger after Paula passed away. New York has been her home for the past three years, and she will shortly graduate from a leading acting school there. She set up home with boyfriend Bruno Sorondo, a Spanish skateboarder, but they split two years ago. Sad: In a tragic repeat of history, Peaches died of a heroin overdose in on 7th April 2014 aged 25 Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna have reportedly settled their lengthy joint custody agreement over daughter Dream. According to TMZ, the 30-year-old businessman has been awarded slightly more than fifty percent custody of their ten-month-old daughter, amid reports he and his famous sisters are concerned about the video vixen's parenting. Sources also claim Rob has agreed to pay his ex-partner, 29, $20,000 a month in child support - with Chyna dropping her abuse allegations against him. Scroll down for video Neutral ground: Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna have reportedly settled their lengthy joint custody agreement for daughter Dream (pictured together in May 2016) Sources close to the family tell TMZ that Rob has been awarded slightly more custody time over Dream - but paid a price to dismiss his ex's abuse allegations. It is believed that Rob wanted to 'draw the line' at $10,000 for child support, but Blac was after $50,000-plus to put towards nannies and care. However, the pair are thought to have bartered the price down in exchange for the model dropping her abuse allegations - which led to her requesting a restraining order against Rob earlier this year. Agreement: TMZ reports that Rob has agreed to pay Chyna (above) $20,000 in child support, in exchange for her dropping her abuse allegations against him In July, the only son of the Kardashian clan targeted Blac in a rambling foul-mouthed rant on social media and posted explicit photos of her online. Chyna went on to obtain a restraining order against him, and claimed he had been physically abusive during their relationship, and threatened to kill himself. However, the site now reports that the sock designer 'agreed to double his child support offer' and pay the model a whopping $20,000 a month - with Chyna agreeing to drop her domestic abuse allegations in return. Much of this money is thought to go directly to their nannies however, with sources adding that Rob is 'concerned about Chyna's parenting' - and worried the beauty is prioritising partying and her social life over little Dream. Party girl: Much of this money is thought to go directly to their nannies however, with sources adding that Rob is 'concerned about Chyna's parenting' and her excessive partying MailOnline has contacted representatives of both Rob and Chyna for comment. The seeming resolution comes after it was reported the pair were very close to finding an agreement - even though Chyna asked for a 'large amount of child support' and was allegedly being investigated by LA child welfare officials over claims of drug use. There was also the problem of the Kardashian sisters - Kim, Khloe and Kourtney - not being comfortable with Chyna taking care of Dream. Rob and Chyna split earlier this year after getting engaged and welcoming their first child in 2016. Their issues were explored on the reality TV series Rob & Chyna. Mommy time: The reality TV star with her little girl, who was born in November It was claimed earlier this week that the exes 'have been hashing out a joint arrangement for months', but were 'not far apart over the division of physical custody.' The pair were thought to be happy for each other to spend plenty of time with Dream - even though the Kardashian sisters reportedly wanted Chyna's access to be limited. The sisters did not have any say in the agreement, however, and it was claimed Rob felt Chyna was perfectly fine as a parent. The child: It was added they 'are not far apart over the division of physical custody' as they seem to be fine with the other getting plenty of time with little Dream Differences: Another issue is child support. 'Chyna wants a lot,' a source told TMZ. 'Way more than Rob thinks she deserves, but it appears there's been some movement toward a compromise' However, plenty issues have been slowing down the process so far - one being that the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) have an open case over Chyna's alleged drug use. In February 2016 Chyna - whose real name is Angela Renee White - was arrested in Texas for having Ecstasy on her when trying to fly to London on British Airways. She was also seen ordering alcohol at a pub. 'Whites behavior was unpredictable, going from extremely angry, cursing at everyone then to crying,' the affidavit read. 'White was being verbally aggressive to the bartender at Saxon Pub whom she claimed would not serve her the amount of alcohol that she requested.' Complicated: The site added that because there's a 'open case' in Dependency Court, 'any custody agreement must be signed off by that judge.' Seen in July Another issue is child support. 'Chyna wants a lot,' a source told TMZ. 'Way more than Rob thinks she deserves, but it appears there's been some movement toward a compromise.' The site added that because there's a 'open case' in Dependency Court, 'any custody agreement must be signed off by that judge.' The former couple, who starred on the E! reality show Rob & Chyna, confirmed their split in March after just over a year of dating and just four months after the birth of their child. Broken home:The little girl seen here on Chyna's social media account this summer Meanwhile, People went on to report on Monday that Rob 'very much resents' his former fiancee. The sock entrepreneur thinks Chyna is 'evil,' but is remaining calm for the sake of their young daughter, according to the publication. One source said: '[Rob was] basically told to shut up and lay low until he and Chyna come to an agreement. There have been concerns that he will lose custody.' At work? Chyna shared an image by a microphone on Tuesday to her Instagram account The next big thing? The cover girl has been trying to launch a music career And a source insists the reclusive sock designer 'misses' his daughter when she's with her mother and 'really cares' about making sure the tot has the best life possible. The insider told People magazine: 'Everyone wants him to be quiet and not get into any more trouble.' 'He isn't happy about going to court, but he also isn't agreeing with Chyna's demands. [Rob] isn't healthy, and isn't making huge efforts to get healthier, but he does really care about Dream. He loves spending time with her. He always misses Dream when she is with Chyna.' Meanwhile, Chyna's attorney Lisa Bloom previously revealed both parties will be trying to come to an 'amicable resolution' when the case goes back to court on September 18. She said: 'We are attempting to work out an amicable resolution of all issues. If that fails, we will go forward with the hearing on September 18 so that the court will impose long-term consequences on Mr. Kardashian for his vicious online attacks on Blac Chyna.' She's famed for her sizzling figure, and often wears flesh-flashing ensembles to make the most of it. And Kimberley Garner, 27, was up to her usual tricks as she displayed her toned frame in two looks in one day while attending separate events in London on Thursday. The former Made In Chelsea star flaunted her ample cleavage by going braless under a Hebe Studios pink satin suit for David Yarrow's 'The Untouchables' private exhibition at Maddox Gallery sponsored by CIROC, after exposing her toned midriff in an ab-flashing crop top at the WeWork Creator Awards at Battersea Evolution. Scroll down for video Busty: Kimberley Garner, 27, flaunted her ample cleavage by going braless under a pink satin suit for David Yarrow's 'The Untouchables' exhibition at Maddox Gallery in London sponsored by CIROC on Thursday The exhibition saw Kimberley put on a busty display in her matching suit, which featured a plunging design to tease at her tiny waist. The suit featured an unusual pair of trousers, which boasted a flared design at the bottom to draw attention to her long, slender legs. The trousers' floor skimming length meant that the illusion of Kimberley's endless pins was only heightened, and she styled her golden blonde tresses into soft waves around her face. Matching: The exhibition saw Kimberley put on a busty display in her matching suit, which featured a plunging design to tease at her tiny waist Ab-tastic: Earlier in the day, she exposed her toned midriff in an ab-flashing crop top at the WeWork Creator Awards at Battersea Evolution She accentuated her stunning features with subtle gold make-up, complete with defined brows and contouring. Earlier in the day, Kimberley had flaunted her washboard stomach in a scanty crop top at the WeWork Creator Awards. She clad her long, slender legs in a pair of skinny jeans, and kept comfortable in a pair of trainers. Eye-catching: The suit featured an unusual pair of trousers, which boasted a flared design at the bottom to draw attention to her long, slender legs Dazzling: The trousers' floor skimming length meant that the illusion of Kimberley's endless pins was only heightened, and she styled her golden blonde tresses into soft waves around her face Also present at the awards were her former MIC cast mates Sam Thompson and Josh 'JP' Patterson. The bikini designer shot to fame in 2012 in Series 3 of MIC where she caught the gaze of many male cast members including Spencer Matthews, 27, and Richard Dinan. After one date with Spencer, the pair decided not to take the chemistry any further. Stunning: She accentuated her stunning features with subtle gold make-up, complete with defined brows and contouring Multi-talented: Kimberley has now turned her attention to the world of swimwear design No inch to pinch: Earlier in the day, Kimberley had flaunted her washboard stomach in a scanty crop top at the WeWork Creator Awards Sizzling: She clad her long, slender legs in a pair of skinny jeans, and kept comfortable in a pair of trainers Reunited: Also present at the awards were her former MIC cast mates Sam Thompson and Josh 'JP' Patterson Kimberley has now turned her attention to the world of swimwear design. The starlet proudly ensures all the pieces in her self-titled swimwear range are made in England and the Italian fabric is hand-cut in London - in a luxury touch to help her designs stand out in the market. Speaking to MailOnline, she said: 'I designed this year's swimwear collection all around the Island, with tropical-inspired hand drawn prints. 'I wanted it to capture that balmy, relaxed feeling of being on holiday. 'It's really cool being a young designer and I love the creative process, from design to seeing the final product. This collection is my favourite yet.' Double denim darling: On Friday the star flashed her taut midriff in a tiny denim two piece at the LFW Fashions Ones to Watch Show at Freemasons Hall in London Peachy: Kimberley looked sensation in a denim cut-off crop-top, teamed with straight-leg jeans and a Bake Boy cap, showing off her pert derriere as she posed Windswept: The star's blonde locks were worn in a sleek and straight style as she pulled off a leggy display On Thursday evening, Melissa Meek, the estranged wife of her convict-turned-model boyfriend Jeremy Meeks was seen on TV speaking of her heartbreak over their affair. And just moments after the interview was aired, Chloe Green, 26, publicly showed she was still standing by her new man as she took to Instagram to share a loved-up shot of herself staring into the 33-year-old California native's eyes. Beside the image, which showed them touching noses as they donned black T-shirts, the Topshop heiress wrote: 'Your eyes stole all my words away... #thelookoflove #loveatfirstsight @jmeeksofficial IU.' [sic] The look o love: Chloe Green shared a love-up image of her self with beau Jeremy Meeks on Instagram on Thursday - moments after his devastated wife spoke out in a TV interview Brunette Chloe switched the comments off on the image, which will likely prove all the more controversial after the wife of her 'Hot Felon' beau Melissa opened up in an interview about her husband's infidelity before she abruptly walked offstage. 'I was in shock. I didn't really know what to do' a saddened Melissa Meeks told Inside Edition when asked how she felt after being ditched by her man for his new billionaire girlfriend. The mother-of-three was married to the Jeremy for eight years before they split suddenly after photos surfaced over the summer showing Jeremy locking lips with the daughter of Sir Philip Green on a yacht in Bodrum, Turkey. 'I was in shock': That day, Melissa Meeks, the devastated wife of 'Hot Felon' Jeremy, revealed the moment her world fell apart when she discovered he was cheating on her Betrayal: 'It wasn't an easy pill to swallow,' Melissa told Inside Edition. 'This is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed' Telling all: Melissa opened up in the interview about her husband's infidelity before she abruptly walked offstage Melissa said she stood by her husband's side when he went through a rough period in his life and was locked up in 2014 for possession of a firearm. The felon's face grew to fame when his attractive mugshot went viral over the internet and led to his newfound modelling career. 'I was happy for him,' Melissa said of Jeremy before his rise to fame during the interview that aired Thursday. 'Did I want him to succeed? Absolutely.' The passionate pictures of the 'Hot Felon' and Green surfaced just days before Melissa's birthday in July which she shared to her Instagram page at the time. Telling: Their romance became public knowledge when the married male model and DJ was photographed kissing Sir Philip Green's daughter while on holiday in Bodrum, Turkey, in June Melissa said she already felt worried when Jeremy initially found fame and started making more money. 'You've heard stories. You've seen stuff happen,' she told Inside Edition. Just nine days after the scandal surfaced, Meeks filed for divorce to the mother of his children, when Melissa still loved him and admitted she still does. 'It wasn't an easy pill to swallow,' Melissa revealed. 'This is not anything I expected ... I felt hurt. I felt betrayed. I believed in him, I believed in us. I truly though this would have a happy ending. It didn't have a happy ending for me.' Melissa's lawyer, Lisa Bloom, told the news magazine her client simply wants what she is 'legally entitled to' from the messy divorce after months of feeling betrayed. Billionaire heiress: Chloe is the heiress to Sir Philip's retail empire, which includes Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Burtons 'This is a woman who worked very hard behind the scenes, supporting her family, standing by him during his incarceration and even afterwards,' Bloom told Inside Edition. In recent months, Meeks hasn't seemed too concern about the split from his wife of several years, as he's been spotted out and about with Green on several occasions. It was even rumoured last month the new couple got engaged after Green flaunted a diamond ring on her finger in a series of Snapchat videos. In a statement to the Daily Mail, Green's rep confirmed she is not engaged to Meeks. 'Chloe is not engaged,' her rep said, when asked about the sappy social media posts. Pregnant Danniella Westbrook has reportedly been confronted with an 800 bill for damages to a Benidorm hotel room following an alleged row with new fiance Alan Thomason. Management at the Spanish coastal citys Benidorm City Olympia Hotel are understood to have presented the troubled actress, 43, with the bill after discovering extensive damage to their shared room. The incident reportedly took place on September 8, with holidaymakers telling SunOnline she openly spoke about the row after venturing into Benidorm Old Towns Black Chicken bar later that night. Scroll down for video Claims: Danniella Westbrook has reportedly been confronted with an 800 bill for damages to a Benidorm hotel room following an alleged row with new fiance Alan Thomason She was chatting to everyone in the pub and telling them about this huge barney, a source told the publication. She was moaning that her and her bloke had got into this fight, trashed the place and now had to pay the hotel 900 Euros for the damage. She didnt seem embarrassed at all, she seemed more annoyed shed have to pay the bill. Her fiance wasnt anywhere to be seen, so I assume she hadnt made up with him yet. A spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. Repairs: Management at the Spanish coastal citys Benidorm City Olympia Hotel are understood to have presented the troubled actress, 43, with the bill after discovering extensive damage to their shared room Danniella previously lashed out at claims she cheated on her fiance during an all-day Benidorm drinking session. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, the enraged actress insisted her fiance is 'the most perfect man' meaning she has no reason to cheat, despite claims from a 25-year-old holidaygoer that she locked lips with him at Tikki Beach. Atop her rumours of relationship woes, the EastEnders star was reportedly pictured drinking during the festivities as well as holding a cigarette in images obtained by The Sun of her day out at the holiday hot spot. Happier times: Danniella previously lashed out at claims she cheated on her fiance Alan during an all-day Benidorm drinking session Danniella, who is expecting her first baby with Alan, has been hit with claims that she locked lips with the reveller, with video appearing to show her kissing a man at the pool party - yet she insists all is not what it seems. The actress was quick to point out she was merely posing with fans, as she insisted the situation was manipulated to appear she was doing wrong. She penned: 'took a picture with someone at tikki beach and peck on cheek get a bloody grip ya fools... a disgrace really for letting someone peck me on the cheek whilst taking pictures with holiday makers in benidorm... 'wow really what ever... AND TRUST ME I HAVE THE MOST PERFECT MAN I DONT NEED TO CHEAT... i actually cant win say no to pictures have people slag me say yes to pictures get accused of cheating! EVERYONE CAN 0121 DO 1.' Danniella confirmed she was expecting a baby with her new beau Alan five weeks ago, and even recently hinted the pair may be welcoming twins. Despite the happy news, which has led to various loved-up displays with the star and her beau, sources claim the star has been partying in the midst of her pregnancy. A Snapchat clip obtained by the publication saw a giggling Danniella draped around a partygoer before he turned around and pecked her on the lips. Controversy: The EastEnders star was reportedly pictured drinking during the festivities as well as holding a cigarette in images obtained by The Sun of her day out at the holiday hot spot The man in question said: 'The next thing I know shes all over me, snogging the life out of me, and we stayed with her for about six hours on a drinking session. We kissed between 10 and 15 times, I had her sitting on my lap and everything.' MailOnline has contacted a representative for Danniella for comment. News of the alleged kiss comes after it was alleged she was seen holding a cigarette at the beach party in Benidorm, just one month after confirming her pregnancy. She was photographed with a cigarette in hand, as she danced in front of a table littered with alcohol, at the bash in Spain on Friday. In the snap obtained by The Sun, Danniella is seen displaying her blossoming bump in a nude mesh bikini as she joins a host of friends at the raucous beach party. However, checking her phone as she danced beside a table covered with bottles of beer, a cigarette is clearly visible in her hand - with sources claiming the star was happily smoking in view of guests. An insider told the paper: 'Danniella was puffing away on a cigarette while she hung out with everyone. She appeared to be drinking as she stood at the table with a big smile on her face.' The blonde revealed she was expecting her first child with new man Alan last month - admitting the pregnancy 'definitely wasn't planned' but that she is 'super-excited' to have more kids. Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, the mother-of-two also gushed that her Spanish boyfriend Alan was 'gorgeous' and the only man who could 'tame' her. Snapped: Danniella was reportedly pictured holding a cigarette at a beach party in Benidorm, one month after confirming her pregnancy Discussing the prospect that she might even have twins, she excitedly told Lorraine: 'I dont know if I'm having two, because I'm huge! 'Every time I stand up I think "God, I'm huge". It may well be twins but I dont have a scan for another four or five weeks. 'I'm super excited to have some more [kids]. Well - have another! I'm tired all the time, but I feel good in myself.' Just two days before confirming her happy news, Danniella had adamantly denied swirling rumours she was pregnant, claiming she was simply 'fat' instead. New chapter: The blonde revealed she was expecting her first child with Alan last month - admitting the pregnancy 'wasn't planned' but that she's 'super-excited' to have more kids The new arrival will be her third child - having already welcomed Kai in 1996 and daughter Jodie in 2001, with her businessman ex-husband Kevin Jenkins. Danniella has publicly battled drink and drug addiction over the years, and confessed back in 2012 that she had taken cocaine throughout her first pregnancy. Speaking to Jeremy Kyle, the former addict cried as she revealed she had done the drug minutes before giving birth to her son Kai, now 21, and ten minutes after he was born. Past trouble: Danniella has publicly battled drink and drugs over the years, and even confessed back in 2012 that she had taken cocaine during her first pregnancy with son Kai (above) She confessed: 'I asked people to leave the delivery room after I'd given birth so I could have a line.' She went on to reveal she was using up to five grams a day during her pregnancy - and that her children were forced to intervene in their youth, when she suffered reactions to the substances at home. She explained: 'I was in a terrible state. My 3-year-old son was trying to put a Mars bar in my mouth, trying to make me come round. 'No-one could help me. I used to do coke off the back of a Disney DVD that my kids watched.' However after multiple rehab stints, with the most recent in April this year, Danniella appears to have turned things around - and now lives in sunny Benidorm with Alan. Discussing her new chapter abroad on Lorraine last month, she added: 'I live out in Spain because he's Spanish, but he's got a Manchester accent. I'm in sunny Benidorm. I just love life. 'Life is looking up - life is fun and it's good. Out in Spain, life is a lot cheaper. I'm out all the time, I do the cabaret clubs in Benidorm.' She's his sister-in-law in the critically acclaimed Netflix drama they both star in. And The Crown's Vanessa Kirby looked as close to Matt Smith as if they really were family when they shared a joke on the red carpet at Audi's pre-Emmy party in Los Angeles on Thursday night ahead of the 69th annual award ceremony this weekend. British actress Vanessa, 29, plays Princess Margaret in the hit royal TV series, while former Doctor Who Matt, 34, plays a cheeky yet charming Prince Philip. Scroll down for video Close: The Crown's Matt Smith (left) and Vanessa Kirby (right) shared a joke at the pre-Emmy event in Los Angeles on Thursday night ahead of the 69th annual award ceremony this Sunday Best pals: British actress Vanessa, 29, plays Princess Margaret in the hit royal TV series, while former Doctor Who Matt, 34, plays a cheeky yet charming Prince Philip At the pre-award ceremony bash Vanessa looked stunning in a chic black lacy mini dress, which combined with teetering black heels, served to showcase her long, toned legs. The pretty detail accentuated her slim frame while suggestively revealing her midriff as she tied up her blonde locks in a tousled bun high on her head. Her co-star and fellow British actor looked as handsome as ever in a dapper slim cut steel-grey suit and matching tie. The second series of The Crown, set for release on December 8, is expected to show Matt and his on-screen wife and Queen, Claire Foy, move towards happier times after the high drama of the first series. Pretty pair: At the pre-award ceremony bash Vanessa looked stunning in a chic black lacy mini dress, which combined with teetering black heels, served to showcase her long, toned legs - while Matt looked as dapper as ever Racy lacy: The pretty detail in Vanessa's dress accentuated her slim frame while suggestively revealing her midriff. Her co-star and fellow British actor Matt opted for a dapper slim cut steel-grey suit and matching tie Getting on well: Matt and Vanessa dance in a ballroom scene in the first series of the royal drama In preview shots for the series Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Philip appear to find some solace amid a turbulent 1960s London, as they happily cuddle up together in the palace, ahead of the arrival of their fourth child, Prince Edward. With the pregnant monarch relaxing with her feet up after weeks of a taxing reign, her husband is seen affectionately holding her from behind - implying their marriage is as strong as ever. The Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, is set to secure a love storyline of her own as Matthew Goode is introduced as her on-screen hunky husband in his role as the bohemian photographer, Tony Armstrong-Jones. The Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, played by Vanessa, is set to secure a love storyline of her own this series Implying the new character will cause huge tension among the royals, creator Peter Morgan said ahead of the series debut: 'Tony is everything the palace isn't; seductive, dangerous, risque.' Series two of The Crown started shooting last October, and is expected to begin with Her Majesty's Armed Forces fighting an illegal war in Egypt, and deal with Elizabeth's third Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, and his notorious scandal. The show is planned to have six seasons, however a vast amount of time progresses across the schedule - meaning the characters will naturally age. Baby on the way: It seems the royal couple, played by Claire Foy and Matt Smith (above), are set for happier times amid the high drama of The Crown's second season Yet, show creator Peter recently confessed the use of make-up, or even CGI, to make the actors look older is not something that interests him. 'I feel that when we reach 1963-64 we've gone as far as we can go with Claire Foy without having to do silly things in terms of makeup to make her look older,' he said of the actress, who is currently 32 (Matt is 34). Referring to what happens if a third season is commissioned - which it's likely it will be seeing as there is a six season arc planned - Peter told ScreenDaily: 'We'd probably need to think about the issue of recasting everybody and so those conversations are happening now. 'I couldn't tell you where we'll come out. It's a big thing to go on again. Everybody needs to look at one another and [ask] under which circumstances and what terms would we do it.' She plays Nancy Wheeler on the Netflix science fiction drama series Stranger Things. And Natalia Dyer, 20, wowed in a red off-shoulder dress as she attended The Hollywood Reporter and SAG-AFTRA Inaugural Emmy Nominees Night. The event was presented by American Airlines, Breguet, and Dacor at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills on Thursday night. Scroll down for video Ravishing in red: Natalia Dyer, 20, wowed in a red off-shoulder dress as she attended The Hollywood Reporter and SAG-AFTRA Inaugural Emmy Nominees Night on Thursday The young actress paired her stunning dress with matching pigmented red heels, which worked well against her porcelain skin. Natalia opted for simple accessories as she wore black studs and clutched a slogan purse - allowing her garment to take centre stage. Shimmer on the lids and faint rose blush gave the actress's crystal blue eyes an added pop. Hollywood smile: Shimmer on the lids and faint rose blush gave the actress's crystal blue eyes an added pop Speaking on the show's success, Natalia told Rogue Magazine: 'None of us really had any idea how popular the show would become, but I think we all knew from the beginning that we were a part of something special, so its nice to have that validated.' Relating to the hit show, she continued: 'I was always kind of searching for the right social group in high school and never really felt like I belonged with any one specific clique.' 'When youre in high school and youre trying to get the attention of a guy you like, sometimes you dont always make the best decisions.' Big night: The event was presented by American Airlines, Breguet, and Dacor at the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills On-screen siblings: Natalia, who plays the role of Nancy Wheeler on Stranger Things, is pictured with her co-star Finn Wolfhard, who acts as Nancy's younger brother, Mike Star: In the dramatic series, Wheeler is introduced as a well performing student, but is seen pointing a pistol gun in her lover's face by the end of the first season In the dramatic series, Wheeler is introduced as a well performing student, but is seen pointing a pistol gun in her lover's face by the end of the first season. Netflix released the official release date for season two, which will return on October 27. Natalia is currently dating co-star Charlie Heaton, 23, who plays Jonathan Byers. In many high poverty districts, students rely on free meals at school. But with Hurricane Irma shutting down more than half of Floridas school districts, K-12 officials have been finding ways to keep students fed, even as they work to get schools up and running. In Orange County, the district drove food buses and trucks to select schools this week to provide meals to those under 18 years of age. Through Thursday, the districts staff had distributed about 3,000 lunches to students. By Friday morning, the districts food trucks had completed nine distributions in the hardest hit locations, according to officials in the school system that includes the city of Orlando. The district said it received an emergency waiver from the state department of agriculture to distribute the food while school was not in session. Similarly, Miami-Dade officials have been out in some of the neighborhoods hit hardest by the storm to hand out meals to students and families. While Miami was spared a direct hit from Hurricane Irma, heavy rains led to flooding in some areas of the city. At one point on Sunday, more than half of Miami-Dade and neighboring Broward counties had no power, the Miami-Herald reported. Florida Power & Light was hoping to restore electricity to all its customers in Miami by Sunday, according to the Miami Herald. Miami-Dade is aiming to open schools Monday, but if that does not happen, district officials will continue to serve free meals to students and families as long as schools remain closed, said Daisy Gonzalez-Diego, a district spokesperson. The district planned to dish out hot meals at 11 schools on Friday, she said. Students and families will have access to options ranging from pizza to arroz con pollo. The district provided free meals, including breakfast packages, to 30,000 residents on Thursday. Some of the hot meals we served to the community today at 11 of our schools. #ValuesMatterMiami pic.twitter.com/7b3rogXdme -- Miami Dade Schools (@MDCPS) September 15, 2017 Feeding the community, one hot meal at a time, with help from volunteers and our dedicated workforce @CarolCitySr1 . #ValuesMatterMiami pic.twitter.com/ZvfReiqiEh -- Alberto M. Carvalho (@MiamiSup) September 15, 2017 About 73 percent of Miami-Dades students qualify for free and reduced-price meals. However, every student in the district has access to free breakfast, Gonzalez-Diego said. As districts continue to recover from the storm, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho offered to enroll students from hard-hit Monroe County home to the Florida Keysin Miamis schools. Monroe Countys schools are closed indefinitely. Mark Porter, the Monroe Countys superintendent, said he appreciated Carvalhos offer, but he hoped to have his system up and running soon and have his students back in school in the very near future. Porter, however, accepted Carvalhos offer for Monroe County district staff to work out of Miami-Dades offices. PHOTOS: Students get free meals at Orlo Vista Elementary School in Orlando, Fla., this week while district officials work to re-open schools after Hurricane Irma struck the state. --Courtesy of Orange County Public Schools Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was among the workers from the school district who dished out hot meals at Booker T. Washington High School on Friday to families affected by Hurricane Irma. --Courtesy of Miami-Dade Public Schools They're known as the twins from Channel Nine's controversial series, Married At First Sight, this year. And to the shock of fans, Sharon Marsh recently went under the knife to become more like her sister Michelle. In recent photos the 32-year-olds appear to have more identical facial features after Sharon admitted to having a rhinoplasty procedure in Thailand because she hated her nose for the past ten years. Now they're truly identical! Married At First Sight twins Sharon and Michelle Marsh look more alike than ever after Thailand surgery Earlier this year, the MAFS star revealed to Woman's Day that it wasn't until she watched herself on the reality series, alongside identical twin sister Michelle, that she realised how much she disliked her side profile. 'I always thought I had the same nose as my twin sister Michelle. But hers is fine. Mine had a hump and it looked huge on TV,' the Perth-based star told the publication. In their latest uploads, their noses appear smooth and identical. 'I always thought I had the same nose as my twin': Sharon revealed seeing herself on TV made her realise how she disliked her side profile of her nose having 'a hump' while Michelle's nose was 'fine' Twinning! In their latest uploads, their noses appear smooth and identical Sharon recently shared confronting photos from her rhinoplasty procedure in Thailand, performed by Restored Beauty Getaways. The blonde made the trip in July, and took to her Instagram to share photos of her bandaged, bruised face after the successful procedure. New nose: On Wednesday Sharon Marsh shared confronting photos from her rhinoplasty procedure in Thailand, performed by Restored Beauty Getaways Beauty quest: The 32-year-old made the trip in July, and took to her Instagram to share photos of her bandaged, bruised face after the successful procedure Alongside before and after photos, as well as images taken in hospital, during and post procedure, Sharon shared a long confessional. 'If there was something about your body that for many years made you feel insecure... and you got the opportunity to change it. Would you?' she wrote. The blonde told her fans: 'Surgery is a big step to take and something I didn't consider lightly. For 10 years I was self conscious about my side profile until i took the leap with Restored Beauty Getaways. Before and after: The beauty said she disliked her profile for a decade Confession: 'If there was something about your body that for many years made you feel insecure... and you got the opportunity to change it. Would you?' she wrote on Instagram The blonde told her fans: 'Surgery is a big step to take and something I didn't consider lightly. For 10 years I was self conscious about my side profile until i took the leap with Restored Beauty Getaways' Ouch! Confronting photos show the beauty's face bandaged, and one image appears to have been taken right before the surgeon's blade sliced into her nose Happy now: The blonde has been posting snaps of her new profile on Instagram Proud of the change: 'I'm extremely happy with the results!!' she said of her updated, less 'humpy' nose (pictured) 'I joined a group tour to Thailand with a handful of ladies going through the same surgery process. She added, 'I'm extremely happy with the results!!' Confronting photos show the beauty's face bandaged, and one image appears to have been taken right before the surgeon's blade sliced into her nose. Did it with mates: 'I joined a group tour to Thailand with a handful of ladies going through the same surgery process' she said of the experience, before which she had nights out (pictured) Holiday: She took time out for herself before and after the surgery to enjoy Thailand Location: Sharon shared a snap of the hospital where the work was done Not the same? Earlier this year, the MAFS star revealed to Woman's Day that it wasn't until she watched herself on the reality series, alongside identical twin sister Michelle Marsh, that she realised how much she disliked her side profile Sharon also admitted that trolling on her social media accounts about the size of her nose encouraged her to undertake reconstructive surgery. 'There were some comments on my (social media) pages about the size of my nose. I already had a problem with it...but it hurt to read it,' she explained. Having flown to Thailand a day after announcing her split from 'TV husband' Nick Furphy, 30, Sharon is now delighted with her 'hump-free nose'. It's never easy running into an ex. But Bachelor runner-up Elise Stacy is likely to be seeing more of Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson if recent reports in Private Sydney are anything to go by. The publication claims the blonde marketing executive is moving into a new house VERY close to the hunk who broke her heart. Scroll down for video Too close for comfort? Bachelor runner-up Elise Stacy is moving 30 SECONDS from Matty J... After winner Laura Byrne hinted she didn't want her beau to speak to the heartbroken blonde In fact, the article suggests the property is at most a 30 second walk from his current Bondi pad. It comes after Elise told The Project she cried watching her brutal breakup replayed in the finale aired on Thursday night. 'Matty J Matty J'd me!' the 29-year-old told Yahoo Be when describing being dumped by the marketing manager heartthrob. She also vented to News.com.au: 'I was made to feel like it was a very hard decision for him but, later on, I felt p***ed off watching it... Knowing he knew when I told him that I loved him, that he didn't love me back. Man, I would've loved then and there for him to say, "It's not you".' Too soon? The news comes after Elise told The Project she cried watching her brutal breakup replayed in the finale aired on Thursday night 'If he does, I'll cut him!' Winner and accessories designer Laura Byrne has already hinted she would like distance to be made between Matty and her former blonde rival Winner and accessories designer Laura Byrne has already hinted she would like distance to be made between Matty and her former rival. When asked if she'd be happy for the two to continue a relationship on The Kyle and Jackie O show on Friday, she said: 'Im never going to tell Matty who he can and cant be friends with.' When Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes - who was filling in for a sick Kyle Sandilands - quipped that her answer was 'definitely a no' Laura erupted into laughter, before joking: 'But if he does, Ill cut him!' Passionate past! As runner-up, Elise shared some very steamy moments with Matty on the matchmaking show and even professed her love for the hunk in numerous episodes Elise's new dwelling will likely be in close proximity to Matty's chosen lady Laura too, as the winning pair have revealed they live very close to each other. So close in fact, the couple have ruled out the need to move in with each other for the time being. Holding hands, they cheerily told The Project panel they were not ready to move in together, adding: 'The beauty that we live so close to each other, it's not like other couples that have had to move interstate and there's all that pressure to move quickly... we get the luxury of living close.' 'We get the luxury of living close': The winning couple claimed they wouldn't be moving in with each other anytime soon, as they already lived so close to one another The Sydney-based jewellery designer revealed that her and Elise had been close during filming of The Bachelor but had drifted apart following the finale. 'Elise and I were friends in the house, we slept in the same room and we did that right up until we went to Thailand,' she said during the KIIS FM radio chat, while wishing 'the absolute best' for Elise. 'Its very hard expecting her to put on a brave front and pretend like she could be happy and me pretend like I could be heartbroken to try and keep up the illusion,' she said. He's sparked rumors of a reunion with his model ex-girlfriend Toni Garrn after they were seen holding hands last weekend. But Leonardo DiCaprio was riding solo as he enjoyed a cycle on his beloved Citi Bike through New York City on Thursday afternoon. The Oscar-winning actor, 42, kept a low profile in a University Of Kansas hat and sunglasses as he seemed to go unnoticed by the masses. Riding solo: Leonardo DiCaprio kept a low profile in a University Of Kansas hat and sunglasses as he strolled through New York's Central Park on Thursday Wearing a striped navy tee and blue shorts, Leo looked relaxed as he enjoyed his low-key day out. The eco-friendly star climbed aboard a Citi Bike to continue his voyage of the city, reducing his carbon footprint by taking the pay-per-ride mode of transportation. Leo is coming off of a string of late-night appearances at Fashion Week events and parties that have put him in the path of many of his model exes. The actor also attended the fashion show for his rumored former fling Rihanna as she debuted her Fenty x Puma collection on Monday night. Eco friendly: The Oscar-winning actor, 42, wore a striped navy tee and blue shorts as he climbed aboard a citi bike instead of driving around On Tuesday, Leo slipped in through the back door at the UNITAS Gala Against Human Trafficking, where his model ex Toni Garrn, 25, had walked the red carpet. The German-born beauty smoothed her blonde hair back into a pony tail and she showed off her perfect scarlet pout as she posed for photographs. Leo was a late arrival after manning the phone bank for the Hand In Hand Hurricane Relief Telethon benefiting areas in Texas and Florida devastated by Irma and Harvey that aired on NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox and elsewhere. The Revenant star was spotted wearing a dark T-shirt as he sat at a table, chatting with friends over a glass of wine at the gala. A busy week! Leo is coming off of a string of late-night appearances at Fashion Week events and parties that have put him in the path of many of his model exes Leo and Toni were also spotted leaving New York's 1Oak nightclub hand-in-hand in the early hours of Saturday morning. The actor reportedly arrived at the club with love interest, model Lorena Rae, 23, and another female friend. The night before, Leo and Lorena were spotted partying together at Up&Down in New York and then heading to 1Oak before leaving together at 4am. Leo and Toni enjoyed an 18-month relationship from May 2013 until December 2014. He's known for being game for a laugh. And Channing Tatum was true to form on Friday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where the hostess passed along a dare from his Kingsman co-star Halle Berry. After July's San Diego Comic-Con, where Channing got Halle to down a massive helping of whiskey in one go, Halle gave Ellen a note goading Channing: 'Dress up like a princess and sing Let It Go' - and he did. Scroll down for video Doing what needs to be done: Channing Tatum was game on Friday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where the hostess passed along a dare from his co-star Halle Berry Channing, 37, left the stage and came back in a huge purple frock and blond wig. Cheers could be heard from the studio audience as he reappeared for the assigned song, which is from the 2013 Disney animated film Frozen. Idina Menzel's recording of the song from the original movie soundtrack played, so Channing was allowed to not actually sing and just do a dance to it. Drama: Channing, 37, left the stage and came back in a huge purple frock and blond wig There he is: Cheers could be heard from the studio audience as he reappeared for the assigned song of Let It Go, which is from the 2013 Disney animated film Frozen Yet even though he's a professional dancer - a skill he's demonstrated in such film franchises as Step Up and Magic Mike - the dress was so involved it got in his way. Ellen and Channing chuckled as the princess outfit's sleeves slid off his shoulders and he struggled to get them back in place. He managed to get a few moves - including some kicks - in, before Ellen whipped out a couple of guns that sprayed pink false money at him. He's a pro: Idina Menzel's recording of the song from the original movie soundtrack played, so Channing was allowed to not actually sing and just do a dance to it Making it rain: He managed to get a few moves - including some kicks - in, before Ellen whipped out a couple of guns that sprayed pink false money at him Pals: 'Look,' Channing joked after the song ended, 'I still play for my team, but I did it!' Channing played an exotic dancer in the Magic Mike films, so this was closer to his wheelhouse, and he shimmied to catch a few bills in the gown's decolletage. 'Look,' Channing joked after the song ended, 'I still play for my team, but I did it!' The actor and Halle are co-starring in the upcoming spy caper Kingsman: The Golden Circle, a sequel to the 2014 smash hit Kingsman: The Secret Service. Explanation: Halle's dare to Channing came after he had gotten her to down a massive helping of whiskey in one go at this July's San Diego Comic-Con 'I was apologizing': Moreover, last week, when Halle herself swung by The Ellen DeGeneres Show , she got a surprise lap dance from some Magic Mike Live performers Channing sent It was this new Kingsman entry that they'd been promoting at San Diego Comic-Con in July when that little onstage episode with the whiskey wound up happening. 'All of the agents - the Statesmen agents - are named after boozes,' he explained on Ellen this Friday, as video of the Comic-Con liquor-chug played behind them. 'Like, I'm Tequila. There's Champagne. She's Ginger Ale, which is not an actual alcohol, but I never thought she was gonna drink it all, and I poured a bunch of whiskey in her glass,' said Channing faintly sheepishly. 'And she drank it, and she got mad, because she had to, the rest of the day, do press,' Ellen pointed out to her guest. Memories: Ellen also played footage of her and Channing during an evening out in Las Vegas Raucous: The pair of them had taken the stage with the dancers of Magic Mike Live As Channing's dished this week, he ended his night at 4:30 in the morning Moreover, last week, when Halle herself swung by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she got a surprise lap dance from some Magic Mike Live performers Channing sent. 'I was apologizing,' was how Channing pleaded his case on Ellen this week. 'It was - this was my way to say: "I'm so sorry. Let me bring you this joy."' Ellen also played footage of her and Channing during an evening out in Las Vegas. The pair of them had taken the stage with the dancers of Magic Mike Live - and as Channing's dished this week, he ended his night at 4:30 in the morning. All in: At one point, the onstage group stood in an oval and put their hands together Big Brother star Laura Carter has announced she is 16 weeks pregnant with her boyfriend Tony. The 31-year-old, who has been linked to Justin Bieber and Marco Pierre White Junior, revealed they conceived the baby during a trip to Las Vegas over the summer. Sharing her first ultrasound on Friday, the dancer gushed that she and Tony are 'ridiculously happy' and joked that she might have to call the baby 'Vegas'. Scroll down for video Congratulations: Big Brother star Laura Carter has announced she is 16 weeks pregnant with her boyfriend Tony Laura wrote on Instagram: 'So at 16 weeks & nearly half way through I think it's about time I share our little surprise with the world! 'They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas but not this time! We brought something back with us..... We're having a baby!' The red-haired beauty then touched upon her relationship with Tony, revealing they had been through their fair share of fights after years of friendship. 'After years of being mates, (and we've defo had some arguments, mainly him shaking his head at my antics) (turns out he loved me really),' she wrote. Parents-to-be; The 31-year-old, who has been linked to Justin Bieber and Marco Pierre White Junior, revealed they conceived the baby during a trip to Las Vegas over the summer Excited: Sharing her first ultrasound, the dancer gushed that she and Tony are 'ridiculously happy' and joked that she will have to call the baby 'Vegas' Proud: Laura wrote on Instagram: 'So at 16 weeks & nearly half way through I think it's about time I share our little surprise with the world!' 'No I'm joking, in all seriousness I think if anyone had told us we would end up together we'd have thought it was crazy... but turns out it was our fate and we are both so ridiculously happy! 'I keep having to pinch myself... but this is real, it's actually happening! I'm so excited to be a mummy & have already had the most incredible support from all our family & friends.' The reality star concluded: 'Thanks to those who have kept our secret!!! You all get major brownie points for the roles of godmother/father. 'Actually no, scrap that, I can't cope with the thought of a christening...but there's definitely gonna be a party!! I won't have had a drink for 9 months! 'Turned out he loved me really': The red-haired beauty then touched upon her relationship with Tony, revealing they had been through their fair share of fights after years of friendship Happy news: She continued: 'I think if anyone had told us we would end up together we'd have thought it was crazy...but turns out it was our fate and we are both so ridiculously happy!' 'So here I am cheersing with a large glass of ginger beer (I think it's a craving)......Here's to the next chapter! LC & TP. PS Does this mean we have to call it Vegas?!' Laura, who has boasted about having a threesome with Canadian pop sensation Justin, romped with controversial contestant Marco Pierre Jnr on last year's Big Brother. Their screen trysts raised eyebrows all the more as Marco was in a relationship with Kim Melville-Smith outside of the famous Hertfordshire house. Thankful: Laura said she was 'so excited' to be a mother and thanked her family and friends for their 'incredible support' The big reveal: She also thanked her loved ones for keeping the exciting news a secret, and joked that their silence would be taken into consideration while deciding who would be godfather and godmother After Marco was voted out of the Big Brother house, Laura was reunited with her handsome Mexican former flame Bernardo Belmar, after producers brought him into the house as part of a shopping task. Speaking of her excitement in the Diary Room, Laura, said: 'I want to thank you so much. This guy, I met in Miami two years ago, I was still engaged. 'We met in a club and it was pretty much love at first sight. He walked towards me - it was the strongest connection I've ever felt in my whole life. Raunchy: Laura was seen enjoying a series of romps with Marco Pierre White Jr. during their time together on Channel 5's Big Brother last summer In the hit show Shameless they play the lower class family you'd rather not cross. But Emmy Rossum and her co-stars were transformed as they pulled out their glad rags to celebrate teen co-star Emma Kenney's birthday on Thursday. Emmy, 31, looked stunning as she joined her castmates at Catch LA in West Hollywood, California. Scroll down for video Fresh prints: Emmy Rossum she stepped out to celebrate co-star Emma Kenney's birthday on Thursday evening Jokers: Emmy and her co-star William H Macy shared a laugh at the event She showcased her slender physique in an elegant dark blue and white print tea-dress. Her well-turned ankles were on display in the stylish outfit which she teamed with Louboutin cream heels and a matching shoulder bag. The star - who plays Fiona Gallagher in the Showtime comedy-drama - swept her glossy brunette tresses into an updo. Stylish: The 31-year-old Shameless star looked stunning as she joined her castmates at Catch LA in West Hollywood, California The beauty was joined by William H Macy and Isidora Goreshter, as they celebrated Emma Kenney turning 18. The birthday girl wore a plum trouser suit with white collar trim. She had shared her excitement at reaching adulthood earlier in the day from the set of the hit show. Birthday girl! Emma Kenney (left) arrived for her own bash with co-star Isidora Goreshter Demure: The birthday girl wore a plum trouser suit with white collar trim Celebrations: William H Macy was in good spirits at the party Fun times: They clearly have a great relationship off-set too Transformation: Emmy looked very glamorous, a far cry from their Shameless characters Flower power: She looked delightful in print alongside Ethan Cutkosky Showbiz night out: Cameron Monaghan and Ethan Cutkosky posed together Driving seat: Emma got behind the wheel of her vehicle Emma tweeted: 'tfw when u turn 18 on set of the show u have been filming since u were 10 YEARS YUNG and ur kinda SHOOK BUT U LEGAL BUTTA BABY? #virgoszn.' Earlier in the day, Emmy had finally shared images from her May wedding to Esmail. She explained she was celebrating the fifth anniversary of the day she met her now-husband by posting four gorgeous shots on her Instagram. Growing up on screen: Emma shared this picture of her 18th birthday on set Until now, she had been private about revealing images from their nuptials. 'Five years ago today we met for the first time,' she captioned the Instagram post. She's seen beaming as she walks down the aisle wearing custom Carolina Herrera, at the Central Synagogue in New York, surrounded by family and close friends. Romance: Earlier in the day, Emmy had finally shared images from her May wedding to Esmail. Blooming lovely: She explained she was celebrating the fifth anniversary of the day she met her now-husband by posting four gorgeous shots on her Instagram William H. Macy, Shanola Hampton, Rami Malek, Christian Slater, and Hilary Swank were all in attendance according to People. In another image, the good-humoured actress is seen taking a swig out of a Champagne bottle in the back of a limo as her husband looks at her adoringly. In the last show, Rossum has kicked off her heels and reclined on Esmail's lap as the two shared a moment of peaceful bliss. Stunning: She wore custom Carolina Herrera to marry at the Central Synagogue in New York, surrounded by family and close friends Glugging! In another image, the good-humoured actress is seen taking a swig out of a Champagne bottle in the back of a limo as her husband looks at her adoringly She plays a young woman grieving for her late mother in the upcoming thriller The Widow. But Chloe Grace Moretz took a break from the sombre role in between takes on Friday, as she larked around with an umbrella in Dublin, Ireland. The 20-year-old actress seemed to be in great spirits as she shielded herself from the fake rain amid a crowd of 80 extras. Scroll down for video Loving life: But Chloe Grace Moretz took a break from the sombre role during filming for The Widow on Friday, as she larked around with an umbrella in Dublin, Ireland Wrapping up amid the drizzly weather, she rocked a grey blazer coat and a cosy looking tartan scarf. The young actress completed the look with a simple burgundy A-line skirt and a blue floral-print shirt. Styling her blonde hair in tousled waves, the Kick-Ass star showed off her pretty features with minimal make-up as she immerse herself in the role. Chloe, who has been filming in Dublin all week, chose a cafe for her setting on Friday - walking into the joint as a yellow cab drove by outside. In between scenes, the acclaimed actress was joined by crew members who ensured she was well looked after. Under my umbrella: The 20-year-old actress seemed to be in great spirits as she shielded herself from the fake rain Fall fashion: Wrapping up amid the drizzly weather, she rocked a grey blazer coat and a cosy looking tartan scarf Face in the crowd: Chloe, who has been filming in Dublin all week, chose a cafe for her setting on Friday - walking into the joint as a yellow cab drove by outside The thriller, which is penned by Ray Wright, follows the journey of Frances (Chloe) who is new to Manhattan and embarks on an unlikely friendship with the much older Greta (Huppert). However, a seemingly happy and healthy relationship soon turns menacing thanks to Greta's threatening actions. The movie, which is being directed by Oscar winning director Neil Jordan, will also star Maika Monroe, Zawe Ashton, Colm Feore and Stephen Rea. Pretty: Styling her blonde hair in tousled waves, the Kick-Ass star showed off her pretty features with minimal make-up as she immerse herself in the role Behind the scenes: The actress wrapped up in a khaki bomber coat in between takes Just a bit rainy: She chuckled as she ran to avoid the fake rain - which was induced by the production to give the effect of actual drizzle Meanwhile, Chloe recently created a small stir as she indicated that things with Brooklyn, the son of super-couple David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, might be on the uptick after she left a heart emoji as a comment on an Instagram shot of him standing in front of a bank of lockers. The Kick Ass star and the model had been 'hanging out' again, People reported two weeks ago, after she began following his Instagram account again. Around that time, the duo was seen together at a bash in the City of Angels, with the actress informing other partygoers that they had reunited. Chic: The young actress completed the look with a simple burgundy A-line skirt and a blue floral-print shirt Killer accessories: The blonde beauty accessorised with black heavy-duty boots and tan satchel bag Big production: Chloe was surrounded by a sea of around 80 extras for the busy day of filming The rumoured rekindling comes nearly a year after they parted ways late last summer. 'Brooklyn and Chloe arrived together and she was chatting with other guests about how they had got back together,' a witness told People. Meanwhile Brooklyn has moved to New York, as he's focused on his education as an artist-photographer in the Big Apple. She is no stranger to flashing her sensational curves in an array of revealing outfits. And Olivia Buckland looked sensational as she made an eye-popping appearance at London Fashion Week on Friday. The former Love Island star, 23,happily broke the cardinal fashion rule of flashing either legs or bust by putting both on display at the glittering sartorial event. Scroll down for video Wow factor: Olivia Buckland looked sensational as she made an eye-popping appearance at London Fashion Week on Friday Inked: The former Love Island star, 23,happily broke the cardinal fashion rule of flashing either legs or bust by putting both on display at the glittering sartorial event, and flashed her massive leg tattoos Showing off her confidence and lithe physique, the blonde beauty flaunted her ample assets in a daring lace body which plunged to show off maximum amounts of cleavage. Keeping up the racy display, the star then revealed her giant leg tattoos and toned pins by slipping on a bizarre addition to her look, maroon, black and white joggers which had been unbuttoned to the waist. She forwent the heels in favour of nude sneakers. Warding off the early autumn chill, the star slung on a scarlet puffa jacket and toted a graffiti print handbag. Busty: Showing off her confidence and lithe physique, the blonde beauty flaunted her ample assets in a daring lace body which plunged to show off maximum amounts of cleavage Leggy: Keeping up the racy display, the star then revealed her giant leg tattoos and toned pins by slipping on a bizarre addition to her look, maroon, black and white joggers which had been unbuttoned to the waist Her blonde tresses were styled sleek and straight, which she later pulled into a ponytail and her sparkling peepers were enhanced with false eyelashes and lashings of liner. The star's plump pout was slicked with a berry gloss. She earlier put her toned midriff on display in an army print two piece with orange string detail, which flashed her stomach tattoo and her killer abs. She added height with silver snakeskin boots and her tresses were styled into a sleek middle parting. Her outing comes after she sensationally revealed plans to come off her birth control pills and start trying to get pregnant with fiance Alex Bowen- who she met on Love Island last summer and got engaged to in December. Windswept: Her blonde tresses were styled sleek and straight, which she later pulled into a ponytail and her sparkling peepers were enhanced with false eyelashes and lashings of liner Ab fab: She earlier put her toned midriff on display in an army print two piece with orange string detail, which flashed her stomach tattoo and her killer abs Olivia revealed in her latest new! magazine column that she and Alex, 24, are more than ready to be parents and will start trying for baby as soon as they tie the knot next year. The smitten star gushed: 'Alex really wants to be a dad and loves spending time with my little sister, Ayla. 'We've decided I'll come off the pill after we get married next September. 'Hopefully I'll get pregnant within a year after that. We're all grown up!' Olivia's bombshell revelation she's ready to stop taking her birth control pills comes a month after she exclusively told MailOnline she was excited about starting a family with Alex. Polished: She added height with silver snakeskin boots and her tresses were styled into a sleek middle parting In an interview in July, she admitted: 'If I got pregnant now, Alex said he would want me to keep it. He's ready to be a dad. 'Alex has always said he doesn't want to be an old dad, so I'm like "What do you mean by that, how long?". 'We spoke about it the other dad and my tummy is tingling. I think two years after we get married and he doesn't want to be over 30, so it's pretty soon.' Pert: The star flashed her pert posterior in the army print ensemble Smile: The star looked over the moon as she cracked a radiant smile Olivia and Alex met on the second series of ITV2 dating show Love Island in 2016, finishing in second place behind winning couple Cara de la Hoyde and Nathan Massey. Alex popped the question to the blonde beauty on a romantic holiday to New York in December 2016, after just five months of dating. They plan to wed in September next year. She was nicknamed the Siberian Siren during her time on Strictly Come Dancing owing to her stunning good looks and sultry persona. And Kristina Rihanoff proved she was still every inch the sizzling blonde bombshell as she attended An Evening With Dionne Warwick in aid of the Dot Com Children's Foundation at Banqueting House in London on Friday. Joined by her handsome beau, Ben Cohen, the 39-year-old professional ballroom dancer commanded attention as she dazzled in a floor length black gown. Scroll down for video Glam: Kristina Rihanoff proved she was still every inch the sizzling blonde bombshell as she attended An Evening With Dionne Warwick in aid of the Dot Com Children's Foundation at Banqueting House in London on Friday Clinging to her every curve, the dress featured key hole detailing across the bust which was fastened with diamante and offered a look at her ample cleavage. Adding to the glitz, Kristina also donned a heavily embellished silver clutch bag, and a pair of pearl earrings. The former Strictly professional finished off the look by styling her glossy golden locks in loose ringlets, which framed her pretty features and cascaded past her shoulders. Cute couple: Joined by her handsome beau, Ben Cohen, the 39-year-old professional ballroom dancer commanded attention as she dazzled in a floor length black gown Turning heads: Clinging to her every curve, the dress featured key hole detailing across the bust which was fastened with diamante and offered a look at her ample cleavage Whilst Kristina always looks sensational, she recently revealed that since becoming a mother her priorities, including her concerns over her appearance have 'completely changed'. Kristina and Ben welcomed daughter Milena in June 2016. Speaking to The Sun, Kristina revealed: '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. 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?' Three's company: Kristina and Ben were joined by Lizzie Cundy on the night who looked sensational in a baby blue gown with a daringly high split Strictly good advice! Kristina was no doubt full of advice for Holby City star Chizzy Akudolu who is competing in this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing Gal pals: The duo cosied up to one another as they chatted away at the event Three of a kind: 5ive's Abz Love was also in attendance as he cuddled up to the ladies Keeping it casual: Later in the evening Kristina slipped into something a little more casual as she donned a grey T-shirt and leggings to pose with stylist Conrad Blandford 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. The well documented curse hit Kristina's partner Ben, who split from his wife Abby Blayney the year after he appeared on the show. Legs eleven! Lizzie sizzled in her very daring gown which offered a look at her incredible figure Gorgeous group: Ben, Lizzie, Richard Arnold, Chizzy, Kristina and John Partridge posed for snaps on the night 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. 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.' She has been hot on the promotional trail for her latest film Kings. And Halle Berry showed no signs of jet-lag as she stepped out looking sensational in London on Friday. The age-defying actress, 51, looked like a woman half her age as she put on an eye-popping display in a precariously unbuttoned black shirt which flashed her semi-sheer lace bra and pert assets as she headed out shopping. Scroll down for video Eye-popping: Halle Berry showed no signs of jet-lag as she stepped out looking sensational in London on Friday Wow factor: The age-defying actress, 51, looked like a woman half her age as she put on an eye-popping display in a precariously unbuttoned black shirt which flashed her semi-sheer lace bra and pert assets as she headed out shopping The Oscar-winning star also took a walk on the wild side in a slate-grey leopard print three-quarter length coat from Smythe, which she paired with ripped baggy jeans, which showcased her toned legs. Drawing further attention to her perky assets, the Monsters Ball star slipped on a delicate gold chain, which plunged down her cleavage. She added height with some pointy-toed ankle boots. Her caramel flecked brunette tresses were styled into a bouncy blowdry and her beautiful features enhanced with mascara and metallic eyeshadow. Revealing: The Oscar-winning star also took a walk on the wild side in a slate-grey leopard print three-quarter length coat from Smythe, which she paired with ripped baggy jeans, which showcased her toned legs Beauty: Drawing further attention to her perky assets, the Monsters Ball star slipped on a delicate gold chain, which plunged down her cleavage Radiant: Her caramel flecked brunette tresses were styled into a bouncy blowdry and her beautiful features enhanced with mascara and metallic eyeshadow Opting for a light coating of highlighter to showcase her youthful complexion, the star completed her look with a light coating of pink lipgloss. Halle's trip to London comes after she attended the premiere of her new film at Toronto Film Festival on Wednesday. Kings follows Halle's character Millie, a working class single mother during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. The film by director Deniz Gamze Erguven, 39, was intended to be her feature film debut, but Deniz in 2011 was unable to acquire financing. Polished: Opting for a light coating of highlighter to showcase her youthful complexion, the star completed her look with a light coating of pink lipgloss New film: Halle's trip to London comes after she attended the premiere of her new film Kings at Toronto Film Festival on Wednesday The Turkish-French director instead focused on a more intimate story and directed the 2015 critically acclaimed drama Mustang. Kings was among several films expected to generate buzz at the Toronto International Film Festival. Halle also is playing tech guru Ginger Ale in the upcoming sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle that is scheduled for release next week in the US and UK. The star is evidently enjoying her trip to the UK capital, and was spotted indulging in some fish and chips at the famous Seashell of Lisson Grove on Thursday. The Florida Education Association and seven Florida teachers are suing their state, the state department of education, and all 67 public school boards in the state, charging that a performance-based teacher bonus program discriminates against black and Hispanic teachers and those over 40. The Best and Brightest program, which started in 2015, is meant to reward Florida teachers who are rated highly effective on their evaluations. But state legislators mandated that teachers who applied for the bonus also had to submit their own SAT or ACT scoressome dating back decadeswhich need to be in the 80th percentile or above. (First-year teachers can qualify for the bonus solely based on their exam scores.) The federal complaint, which was filed Sept. 13 in a U.S. District Court, says that the SAT/ACT score requirement is not required by business necessity and is not related to job performance. The lawsuit includes seven teachers who were rated highly effective but were either deterred from applying because they didnt have qualifying SAT/ACT scores or applied and were denied a bonus because of their scores. In the programs first year, 2015-16, 5,332 teachers each received a bonus of $8,256.27. Only 4 percent of these teachers were Hispanic, and less than 1 percent were black, according to the lawsuit. However, 13 percent of teachers with a highly effective rating this year were Hispanic and 8 percent were black. Only 44 percent of teachers who received a bonus in 2015-16 were 40 years old or older, although 64 percent of highly effective teachers were over 40, the complaint alleges. The union is charging that the program leaves out teachers who took the SAT or ACT before 1972, because they were not ranked by percentile then. (Teachers are allowed to retake the SAT or ACT now.) Also, critics have long claimed that the SAT and ACT have a racist history, and there have been some studies that argue there is evidence of racial and cultural bias on the college entrance exams. Many teachers in Florida today did not even take a college entrance exam if they started their college career in the states community college system, Joanne McCall, the union president, says in a statement. A bonus based upon a high school test score, likely taken at 17 or 18, will not help our students have access to great teachers. The SAT/ACT requirement has been widely disparaged by Florida teachers, administrators, and even some lawmakers, who have questioned whether there is enough evidence tying those exam scores to job performance. In January, the Orlando Sentinel spoke to one teacher who summed up the argument against the mandate of SAT/ACT scores this way: The test I took as a junior in high school? How does this test determine whether youre a good teacher or not? Heres the full complaint: FEA Complaint by Lynn Hatter on Scribd She cut her European summer vacation short to return to New York and debut her new clothing line at Fashion Week. But Eva Longoria was still glowing as she stepped out in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on Friday, sporting a classically chic ensemble. The Desperate Housewives star, 42, looked stylish in a classic form-fitting LBD, which highlighted her petite curves. Scroll down for video Classic beauty: Eva Longoria was glowing as she stepped out in Washington Square Park in Manhattan on Friday, sporting a classically chic ensemble The actress added a black leather jacket and accessorized with a silver necklace as she strutted her stuff in the city Impressively, the 5ft 2in star chose vertiginous perspex heels with an ankle tie for her stroll. Eva's golden summer tan was off-set perfectly by honey-tones in her wavy tresses, which she offset with expertly-applied make-up to highlight her stunning features. The star - who married media mogul Jose Baston in May 2016 - popped into Sirius XM radio for a chat. Effortlessly elegant: The Desperate Housewives star, 42, looked stylish in a classic form-fitting LBD, which highlighted her petite curves Stepping out in style: Impressively, the 5ft 2in star chose vertiginous perspex heels with an ankle tie for her stroll Beauty: Eva's golden summer tan was off-set perfectly by honey-tones in her wavy tresses, which she offset with expertly-applied make-up to highlight her stunning features Eva appeared on Sway in the Morning, as well as popping into The Today Show at the Rockefeller Center. It's been a summer of fun for the busy star; she visited Marbella, Spain, with her husband in July, followed by the Spanish island of Ibiza, where Eva hosted her Global Gift Gala event. The couple went on to Mallorca for a short time, where Eva hosted yet another event for the Global Gift foundation. The duo ended their summer holidays in Greece, before the trip was cut short to return to New York. Busy bee: The star - who married media mogul Jose Baston in May 2016 - popped into Sirius XM radio for a chat early in the morning Interview time: The actress appeared on Sway to chat about her latest project Making a point: Eva - who married media mogul Jose Baston in May 2016 - seemed animated as she popped into Sirius XM radio for a chat Having fun: Eva got the giggles as she chatted away on the morning show Eva's eponymous Spring/Summer 2018 line made its debut at Kia Style360 at Metropolitan West on Wednesday. Fashion is a relatively new venture for Eva, having launched the clothing line and her website in March this year. She shared a BTS video from her fashion show on her Instagram on Friday, captioned: 'I've been sewing all my life and never dreamed this moment would come... #EvaLongoriaCollection #NYFW Video by: @kenpaves.' New career: Eva shared a BTS video from her fashion show on her Instagram on Friday Trend-setter: The eponymous Spring/Summer 2018 line made its debut at Kia Style360 at Metropolitan West on Wednesday as part of New York Fashion Week She captioned the video: 'I've been sewing all my life and never dreamed this moment would come... #EvaLongoriaCollection #NYFW Video by: @kenpaves' She's played coy in the past about whether she and partner Bobby Cannavale are already married. But there was nothing secret about whether or not Rose Byrne was expecting their second child as she proudly displayed her baby bump while stepping out in New York City on Friday. The Bridesmaids actress, 38, caught the subway with her son Rocco, 19 months, her first child with actor Cannavale, 47, then strolled the streets of Manhattan. Bumping along: Rose Byrne proudly displayed her baby bump while stepping out in New York City on Friday The Australian star took to the streets wearing a Topshop graphic T-shirt that read 'Merci Mon Cheri' [French for 'Thank you honey'], blue jeans and a pair of white sneakers. Rose complemented the casual look with a white Panama hat and dark sunglasses to help her keep under the radar. The X-Men: Apocalypse star then paused to grab a bite to eat from a local deli. Rose's son Rocco looked none-too excited about the jaunt, scowling as his movie star mom pushed him along in his stroller. Mom on the run: The Bridesmaids actress, 38, caught the subway with her son Rocco, 19 months, her first child with actor Bobby Cannavale, 47, then strolled the streets of Manhattan The actress and her long-term partner Bobby began dating in 2012, and welcomed their first child together last year in February. The couple have never confirmed their marital status, but Rose suffered an awkward encounter when she appeared on the Australia's Today show in November 2016 and presenters Lisa Wilkinson and Richard Wilkins referred to Bobby as her 'husband' twice. Rose looked visibly uncomfortable at the mention, but didn't choose to correct the hosts, leading to speculation about whether she has secretly wed the Daddy's Home actor. Glowing: The Australian star took to the streets wearing a Topshop graphic T-shirt that read 'Merci Mon Cheri But the couple's first child is already preparing for the arrival of his baby brother or sister. His famous father posted a pic of Rocco pushing around a stroller of his own. The purple infant accessory was too small for the tot, but looked like a perfect size for a certain imminent baby. The post was captioned: 'Bye Summer!' #therock She has insisted that he is just her 'homie' after being linked to each other on multiple occasions since May. And Sofia Richie, 19, and Scott Disick, 34, enjoyed yet another day out together as they grabbed coffee in Calabasas and went shopping at Barney's in Beverly Hills on Friday. The teen model and the father-of-three - who is the long-term ex of Kourtney Kardashian, 38 - seemed happy and relaxed in each other's company as they got their caffeine and retail fix. Together again: Sofia Richie, 19, and Scott Disick, 34, enjoyed yet another day out together as they grabbed coffee in Calabasas and went shopping at Barney's in Beverly Hills on Friday Sofia cut a casual figure in a black sweater with blue skinny jeans and white boots for the outing, while toting an eye-catching bright yellow leather bag. The model - the daughter of music legend Lionel Richie, 68 - also sported a few gold necklaces just two days after she was seen jewelry shopping with Scott, aka 'The Lord'. Scott wore a white Supreme hoodie and ripped black skinny jeans as he hit up The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf with his constant companion. Inseparable: The teen model and the father-of-three seemed happy and relaxed in each other's company as they got their caffeine and shopping fix While the two did not show any PDA during their hangout, they have been almost inseparable since hanging out at the Cannes Film Festival in the South of France in May. The pair have just returned from New York Fashion Week where they sat front row next to each other at the Kith Sport 2018 fashion presentation. Disick has been playing the field after the mother of his three children Kourtney Kardashian called things off with him in late 2015, when he was spotted getting hands-on with stylist Chloe Bartoli on vacation. Man about town: Scott wore a white Supreme hoodie and ripped black skinny jeans as he hit up The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf with his constant companion Since then, Disick has been linked to a bevy of beauties which he appears to have in rotation including actress Bella Thorne, 19, who he is seen with sporadically. In August, Sofia was spotted hanging out with Kourtney's current beau Younes Bendjima, 23, who Kardashian has been dating casually for over a year. The Kardashian and Richie families have multiple intersections with each other, Sofia and Scott's recent friendship being just the latest in the family history. Model behavior: Sofia cut a casual figure in a black sweater with blue skinny jeans and white boots for the outing, while toting an eye-catching bright yellow leather bag Sofia once dated Justin Bieber, 23, who had a fling with Kourtney after her split with Scott. Miles Richie, 23, Sofia's older brother, used to be close with Kourtney's little sisters Kendall, 21, and Kylie Jenner, 20, with Kylie once tattooing her initials onto him in 2014. Kim Kardashian, 36, and Sofia's older sister Nicole Richie, 35, were childhood best friends, attending the exclusive Buckley private school in Beverly Hills as teenagers. Casual: The model - the daughter of music legend Lionel Richie, 68 - also sported a few gold necklaces just two days after she was seen jewelry shopping with Scott, aka 'The Lord' Shop-a-holics: The cute couple enjoyed a shopping spree at Barneys Laughs aloud: The friends shared a laugh as they climbed in to his reserved automobile She's been throwing herself into rehearsals ahead of her Strictly Come Dancing stint. But Mollie King took a night off from the ballroom to attend the Diversity in Media Awards in London on Friday - where she supported her friend Simon Jones. Beaming broadly as she made her way into the event, The Saturdays star, 30, seemed chirpy despite a gruelling day on the dancefloor. Scroll down for video Taking it easy: Mollie King took a night off from the ballroom to attend the Diversity in Media Awards in London on Friday - where she supported her friend Simon Jones Showcasing her enviably lean legs, the blonde bombshell donned a tiny navy rara skirt that grazed her tanned and toned thighs. Ensuring all eyes would be on her, Mollie teamed the garment with a voluminous cream blouse with cut away detailing on the sleeves. The Just Can't Get Enough hitmaker finished off the look with pair of towering black heels that boasted strips of faux fur. Legs eleven! Beaming broadly as she made her way into the event, The Saturdays star, 30, seemed chirpy despite a gruelling day on the dancefloor Leggy lady: Mollie looked lovely in her tiered denim skirt as she hit the town Heading home: The blonde beauty and her pal emerged with a sizable goodie bag Mollie has been training hard ahead of the first Strictly Come Dancing live show next Saturday. However, whilst some fans claimed she would have no problem perfecting the moves due to her popstar background, Mollie revealed that this assumption had left her feeling the nerves. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she revealed: 'Were used to being disciplined to a certain degree, but I think there is an expectation people will have, and I feel like Aston and I are both terrified!' Legs eleven! Showcasing her enviably lean legs, the blonde bombshell donned a tiny navy rara skirt that grazed her tanned and toned thighs Fancy footwear: The pop princess set off her look with a pair of funky mules Demure: The Higher hitmaker kept covered up in a white shirt with bare sleeve detailing While Mollie is not a trained dancer, she has honed her sultry moves from years of performing on stage with her girl band. However, Mollie was keen to stress that their respective dancing backgrounds would not put them at an advantage. 'Its a whole new world for both of us', she said, referring to the duo having to learn a different discipline in ballroom dancing. 'And, we dont want to look like complete wallies!' She added, laughing. But she admitted that she felt 'lucky' to have come from a performer background: 'There's so much for us to learn and so lucky we have performance experience as its a whole new world of dance.' Getting shirty: Ensuring all eyes would be on her, Mollie teamed the garment with a voluminous cream blouse with cut away detailing on the sleeves Calling it a night: The star looked to have enjoyed a fun-filled evening at the event Toned pins: Mollie put her long and muscular legs on display in the thigh-grazing mini Tunisia is viewed as being ahead of most Arab countries on women's rights Tunisia has abolished a decades-old ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslims, the presidency said Thursday. "Congratulations to the women of Tunisia for the enshrinement of the right to the freedom to choose one's spouse," presidency spokeswoman Saida Garrach wrote on Facebook. The announcement comes a month after President Beji Caid Essebsi called for the government to scrap the ban dating back to 1973. Until now a non-Muslim man who wished to marry a Tunisian woman had to convert to Islam and submit a certificate of his conversion as proof. Human rights groups in the North African country had campaigned for the ban's abolition, saying it undermined the fundamental human right to choose a spouse. Tunisia is viewed as being ahead of most Arab countries on women's rights, but there is still discrimination particularly in matters of inheritance. Visitors attend the Cityscape Global exhibition in Dubai on September 11, 2017, as property developers showcase new multi-billion-dollar projects despite low prices Dubai's glitzy property market, hit by a three-year downturn, is regaining momentum as the emirate prepares for its Expo 2020 trade fair, analysts and developers say. The six-month event, the first World Expo to be staged in the Middle East, is expected to attract up to 300,000 visitors a day when it opens in October 2020. Officials are hoping it will breathe new life into Dubai's property market, under pressure from weak demand and low economic growth since a 2014 slump in oil prices. "Our real estate market is preparing for a new phase of growth in the run-up to Expo 2020," Sultan Butti bin Mejren, director general of Dubai Land Department, told a press conference. Undeterred by lower rents and sale prices, developers launched new projects worth tens of billions of dollars at a Cityscape Global property show which ended on Wednesday. Top property developers including Emaar, Nakheel and Deyaar reported strong sales at the three-day event, attended by 300 firms. Some claimed to have sold out. Sales of properties in Dubai rose rapidly in the years after the market was opened to foreigners in 2002. Prices soared as investors piled in, but when the global financial crisis hit the debt-laden emirate in 2009, it sent them into free-fall. A recovery led by tourism, trade and transportation pushed prices up again between 2012 and 2014. But in 2014, a glut in oil production slapped down the price of crude, hitting the Gulf economies that underpin Dubai's real estate sector. Prices for homes in Dubai have since dropped by over 15 percent and rents have fallen even more. Faisal Durrani, partner-head of research at Cluttons, a property consultancy, said that prices in most parts of Dubai had now stopped falling. "It actually looks like we started to get to the bottom of the cycle and the catalysing factor is Expo 2020," Durrani said. He said the fair was expected to generate as many as 300,000 jobs by 2020, boosting demand for real estate. - 'Vacancies rising' - Not everyone is as optimistic. Some observers expect prices to continue falling as more companies cut back on Dubai-based staff. Layoffs, "along with weak job growth and a ballooning supply of properties, are driving a drop in values", said Phidar Advisory, a Dubai-based property think-tank, in a report this week. "Sale volumes of completed properties are at a six-year low and vacancies are rising across the city," reaching 35 percent in some districts, it said. That has forced developers to offer incentives like improved payment terms to lure buyers, especially foreigners. Between December 2015 and June 2017, overseas investors put up as much as $41 billion to purchase property in the emirate, the Dubai Land Department said last month. Indians topped the list of foreign investors with $5.6 billion, followed by Saudis who pumped in $3.4 billion. But real estate developers are talking up the opportunities. PNC Menon, chairman of Sobha Group -- a large property firm in the subcontinent and the Middle East -- said he believes the real estate market will not go back into decline for at least the coming three years. "It is a mature market... Prices will remain the same," at least in the coming three years, he told AFP. Sobha Group presented two projects at Cityscape, valued together at over $12 billion, one of them in the sprawling Mohammed bin Rashed City near Burj Khalifa tower, the world's tallest. Cluttons has forecast that developers will complete as many as 90,000 units by 2020, mainly driven by the recovery. But Dubai-based real estate services firm Asteco said apartment prices fell seven percent year on year in the first half of 2017. In a report, it said it does not expect a recovery until economic sentiment improves on the back of a rise in oil prices. New York Mayor Bill De Blasio Rides New Citywide NYC Ferry New York on Thursday revealed an initiative that would mandate thousands of buildings throughout the city become more energy efficient, the latest step in the city's push to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The plan would require that landlords of some 14,500 buildings with a surface area of over 25,000 square feet (2,300 square meters) modernize boilers, water heaters, roofs and windows -- or face annual fines according to the extent of the breach and size of the building, the mayor's office said in a statement. A skyscraper of over 1.7 million square feet, such as the iconic Chrysler Building, could incur an annual fine of some $2 million if its energy use significantly exceeds efficiency targets. Under the new rules, landlords would need to meet those standards by 2030. "We must shed our buildings' reliance on fossil fuels here and now," said New York's Democratic mayor Bill de Blasio in the statement, adding that the initiative was a bid to "honor the goals of the Paris Agreement." The 14,500 buildings in question -- the city's worst in terms of energy efficiency -- account for 24 percent of the city's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the mayor's office. Meanwhile fossil fuel consumption via boilers and water heaters is the primary cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the city, responsible for 42 percent of the total. In October 2012 Hurricane Sandy unleashed fury on New York. In the devastating storm's aftermath the city has implemented efforts to tackle climate change -- which it has vowed to continue despite Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the global Paris climate pact in June. The new measures are expected to reduce total emissions by seven percent by 2035 and create 17,000 jobs in carrying out the retrofits. cat/sf/ska/mdo Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who will host climate talks in Canada starting Saturday, has set himself apart from US President Donald Trump, who rejected the Paris climate accord Some 30 environment ministers will push forward on the Paris climate accord at a meeting Saturday requested by Canada, China and the European Union. With more than half of G20 members attending -- representing most of the world's largest economies -- "this first gathering of its kind aims to further galvanize global momentum for the implementation of the Paris Agreement," the European Commission said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, who will make a brief appearance at the Montreal talks, will again stand apart from US President Donald Trump on this issue and resolutely commit Canada to reduce its carbon footprint, Canadian officials have said. When Trump chose to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord, Canada, China and the European Union immediately reaffirmed their respective commitments to the climate pact, and in July the G20 called the accord "irreversible." Nearly 200 countries agreed in Paris at the end of 2015 to limit or reduce carbon dioxide emissions with the aim of keeping the rise in average global temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, compared to preindustrial levels. On the eve of the Montreal conference, Europe's top climate official Miguel Arias Canete said the EU continues to press for "full and swift implementation" of the accord, noting that progress has been made toward finalizing details of its plan to reduce European emissions by 40 percent by 2030. Despite being the world's sixth-largest oil producer, Canada is "committed to its international climate obligations," said the environment ministry. It hopes to reach its climate goal by massively investing in "clean energy" technologies, a spokeswoman added. - US stance a setback - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has reaffirmed the EU aim of being 'at the forefront of the fight against climate change' Key player China and its special representative Xie Zhenhua will bring to the table a potentially major advancement in transportation. China, along with Britain and France, has announced its intentions to ban petrol and diesel cars starting in 2040. This would bring a huge drop in air pollution in the world's largest car market. And in a speech in Strasbourg on Thursday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reaffirmed the EU's aim of being "at the forefront of the fight against climate change." The US dealt that fight a major setback when Trump pulled the world's biggest economy out of the Paris accord in June. To bolster the EU position, Juncker promised to soon put forth a proposal to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector. Catherine McKenna, Canada's environment minister, will meantime press her counterparts and multinationals chief executives to develop solutions for "a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy." Holding the meeting in Montreal is not coincidence. It is here that negotiations led to the first international agreement on the environment 30 years ago, with a ban on ozone-depleting gases. In addition to Canada, the EU countries and China, nations including Russia, India, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey will be represented by senior ministers. With only 50 days before the next United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP23), some of the low-lying nations hardest hit by the effects of climate change (the Marshall Islands, Fiji, Maldives) and some of the poorest (Mali and Ethiopia) will also be present. President Donald Trump said he was pleased to sign the resolution, which was triggered by his equivocal response to racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia Donald Trump signed into law a Congressional resolution condemning white supremacists on Thursday, after lawmakers maneuvered the president into backing a text triggered by his equivocal response to racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump signed the resolution "rejecting White nationalists, White supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups," which was unanimously passed by Congress earlier in the week. The overwhelming passage of the text meant that Trump would have likely had any attempted presidential veto overturned. In a statement, Trump said he was "pleased to sign" the measure, adding that "as Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms." Lawmakers from Virginia said Congress spoke with "a unified voice" to unequivocally condemn the August unrest, in which a rally by far-right extremists turned violent and a counter-demonstrator was killed when a car driven by a suspected white supremacist plowed into a crowd. Trump was widely criticized for suggesting "both sides" shared blame for the violence between white supremacist groups and those opposed to them. The president's job approval ratings sank to one of the lowest levels of his turbulent seven-month presidency, as he was savaged -- including within his own camp -- over his handling of the fallout from Charlottesville. - 'Pretty bad dudes' - Trump earlier on Thursday had revived his much-criticized suggestion of an equivalence between counter-protestors and those who killed Heather Heyer. "I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also," Trump said, using a common name for anti-fascist groups which have sprung up in opposition to a resurgent white nationalist movement. "Now because of what's happened since then, with Antifa, you look at, you know, really what's happened since Charlottesville -- a lot of people are saying -- in fact a lot of people have actually written, 'gee Trump might have a point.'" "I said, you got some very bad people on the other side also, which is true." Trump's latest remarks sparked another round of controversy, amid a heated about the role of race in US politics. Trump ran for the White House on a strongly anti-immigrant platform and before becoming president repeatedly and falsely questioned whether ex-president Barack Obama was born in the United States. While overt racism is rare in most parts of the United States, a significant minority of Americans express racially-charged ideas. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 70 percent of Americans strongly agreed that people of different races should be "free to live wherever they choose" and that "all races are equal." But 31 percent of respondents "strongly or somewhat agreed" that the United States needs to "protect and preserve its White European heritage." "There are nearly 250 million adults in the United States, so even small percentages likely represent the beliefs of many millions of Americans," said Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. The Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, will be handed out on September 17 in Los Angeles Hollywood's elite hits the red carpet Sunday for television's glittering Emmys, with the race for statuettes wide open as awards juggernaut "Game of Thrones" sits it out this time around. HBO's fantasy epic about noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne raked in a record-breaking 12 awards last year, but is ineligible for the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, having started its seventh season too late. That leaves the field clear for numerous much talked-about first-timers, including HBO sci-fi Western show "Westworld," Hulu's dystopian "The Handmaid's Tale" and Netflix's 1980s-set horror series "Stranger Things." "What's probably going to come out is that the awards will be spread across everybody. I think everyone's going to be happy," Debra Birnbaum, executive editor of television for Variety magazine, told AFP. Melissa McCarthy has been acclaimed for her "Unhinged Spicey" comedy routine as under-fire White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who resigned in July "It's so funny -- we were just talking about what parties we were going to be hitting on Emmy night and I think everyone's going to have a reason to celebrate." The glitzy ceremony in downtown Los Angeles -- the first during the administration of President Donald Trump -- is expected to have a distinctly political flavor. NBC's long-running comedy sketch show "Saturday Night Live" received 22 nominations -- the joint-highest total alongside "Westworld" -- after a year of mercilessly spoofing the new commander-in-chief. The awards are handed out in two instalments, with last weekend's Primetime Creative Arts Emmys mainly rewarding behind-the-scenes personnel and Sunday's event reserved for the top awards. SNL took home five Creative Arts statuettes, including outstanding guest actor and actress in a comedy series for hosts Dave Chapelle and Melissa McCarthy. - 'Uncharted territory' - McCarthy has been acclaimed for her "Unhinged Spicey" routine as under-fire White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who resigned in July. Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo (L-R) have won acclaim as the child stars of Netflix's "Stranger Things" The show is in the running for five more gongs on Sunday, with Alec Baldwin nominated for his zinging portrayal of Trump himself and Hillary Clinton impersonator Kate McKinnon in with a chance of repeating last year's win in the comedy supporting actress category. "It's not a question of if Donald Trump is mentioned, but how many times Donald Trump's name gets mentioned," Birnbaum said. While SNL secured the most nominations overall, FX's "Feud: Bette and Joan," about the famous rivalry between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, is in pole position for the top prizes, with 10 nominations going into Sunday's awards. That places it alongside HBO's "Veep," starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as hapless former president Selina Meyer. Leading the nominations in totals by platform are premium cable network HBO (111), streaming powerhouse Netflix (91) and traditional broadcast network NBC (64). Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey earned another Emmy nomination for his work on political thriller "House of Cards" -- he has never won the TV award The outstanding drama category includes five debutants -- "Westworld," "The Handmaid's Tale," NBC's family drama "This Is Us," and two Netflix shows, "Stranger Things" and British royal drama "The Crown." "Stranger Things," which already has five Creative Arts Emmys, has emerged as the favorite going into the final week but will face stiff competition from returnees "Better Call Saul" (AMC) and Netflix stablemate "House of Cards." "We're in uncharted territory as far as the Emmys goes, so I think it's impossible to call how this race is going to end up," awards expert Phillip Hammond said in a critics' roundtable discussion for the Deadline Hollywood website. - 'Anybody's ball game' - Elisabeth Moss is seen as a strong Emmy contender for her leading role in 'The Handmaid's Tale' He said "The Crown," which has two Golden Globes to its name, looked like a good bet in the category but added that he was far from certain. "With five new series it's anybody's ball game in a way," he added. Birnbaum told AFP "This is Us" -- the first serious player from a broadcast network in recent years -- was one to watch, with five nominations in four categories. "It's a favorite going into the night -- certainly Sterling K. Brown is the favorite in the best actor race -- and it will be a great shot in the arm for the broadcast industry if it does well," she told AFP. She added, however, that with such an open field almost no award on the night would surprise her. "The only thing I think is a sure thing would be Elisabeth Moss for 'The Handmaid's Tale.' I think she's beloved in the academy. She was fantastic in 'Mad Men' and certainly she was brilliant in 'Handmaid's Tale,'" she said. Emmy Awards nominees 2017 Louis-Dreyfus, vying for a sixth consecutive Emmy for best actress in a comedy, is the only other nominee who could be described as a shoo-in, according to Birnbaum. The Television Academy's 21,500 voting members were given two weeks in June to sift through a crowded field of some 8,000 entries from shows aired during the previous 12 months across 113 categories. The ceremony, hosted by late night TV funnyman Stephen Colbert, will be beamed live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles by CBS and starts roughly at 5 pm (0000 GMT Monday). Schools chiefs from more than a dozen states have compiled a new playbook on how to improve teacher preparation , which includes advice for states on reforming teacher licensure, evaluating preparation programs, and using data to follow teacher education graduates. It also points out states that are models for this work. We have high expectations for teachers once they get in the classroom, we should also train them in a way that enables them to reach those expectations, Chris Minnich, the executive director for the Council of Chief State School Officers, said in a Sept. 12 media call. Its exciting to see state chiefs taking the lead on what that looks like. CCSSO brought together a network of leaders from 15 states that have made improving teacher preparation a policy priority. This was the promise of the networks members to future teachers: Those who invest their time, money, and dreams into becoming a teacher will be prepared in programs that will shape them into effective educators, the playbook says. Lessons From States Teacher licensureboth initial and ongoingis targeted in the report as a lever for bettering teacher preparation statewide. Licensure is ripe for additional reform around how do we make it simpler for teachers to get licensed, but [also make sure] that the license actually means something about whether a teacher is ready for a classroom on day one, said Minnich. Georgia is highlighted in the report as a state thats refined its licensure process by creating four tiers: preservice, induction, professional, and advanced and lead professional. Students and teachers benefit because the new structure recognizes the developmental needs of teachers at each stage of their career, the playbook says. As a result, preservice teachers and veterans are now more likely to get the right supportand opportunitiesat the right times. The chiefs also looked at how teacher education programs are evaluated and approved by the state. A 2014 Education Week analysis across the states found that teacher-preparation programs are almost never shuttered: Over a five-year period, states closed fewer than 60 subject-area or grade-level teacher-preparation programs out of an estimated 25,000. (See my colleague Stephen Sawchuks full audit and Teaching the Teachers report .) Connecticut, the CCSSO playbook points out, has linked its state approval process to that of CAEP, a national accrediting body that unveiled ambitious standards for teacher-prep programs in 2013. (CAEP has faced some stumbling blocks, including high turnover, internal divisions , and pressure from teacher colleges to revisit those standards.) Connecticuts previous approval process was seen as expensive and cumbersome, and linking the two has allowed for a more streamlined approach, the report says. In the media call, Minnich also talked about the importance of getting data on graduates back to the teacher-preparation programs. Its unfair for these programs to be evaluated on how their teachers are doing in the classroom if we dont give them access and information on how those teachers are doing, so they can improve, he said. Oklahoma is building a centralized data system to connect higher education and K-12, he pointed out, to allow for that flow of information. 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. The Cassini spacecraft, seen in this NASA handout illustration, has made its last plunge into Saturn After 20 years in space, NASA's famed Cassini spacecraft made an intentional death plunge into Saturn on Friday, ending a storied mission that scientists say taught us nearly everything we know about Saturn today and transformed the way we think about life elsewhere in the solar system. Cassini, an international project that cost $3.9 billion and included scientists from 27 nations, disintegrated as it dove into Saturn's atmosphere at a speed of 75,000 miles per hour (120,700 kilometers per hour). Cassini's final contact with Earth came at 7:55 a.m. EDT (1155 GMT). Its descent into Saturn's atmosphere began 83 minutes earlier, some 870 million miles (1.4 billion kilometers) from Earth. "The spacecraft is gone," said Cassini program manager Earl Maize of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "Thanks, and farewell faithful explorer. But the legacy of Cassini has just begun," he told a press conference afterward. "The effect Cassini has -- and will have -- on the future of planetary exploration will go on for decades." Cassini's plunge into the ringed gas giant -- the farthest planet visible from Earth with the naked eye -- came after the spacecraft ran out of rocket fuel after a journey of some 4.9 billion miles (7.9 billion kilometers). Its well-planned demise was designed to prevent any damage to Saturn's ocean-bearing moons Titan and Enceladus, which scientists want to keep pristine for future exploration because they may contain some form of life. "There are international treaties that require that we can't just leave a derelict spacecraft in orbit around a planet like Saturn, which has prebiotic moons," said Maize. "Prebiotic" refers to the conditions or ingredients that can occur before life emerges. The final days of the Cassini space probe Three other spacecraft have flown by Saturn -- Pioneer 11 in 1979, followed by Voyager 1 and 2 in the 1980s. But none has studied Saturn in such detail as Cassini, named after the French-Italian astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who discovered in the 17th century that Saturn had several moons and a gap between its rings. "This is the final chapter of an amazing mission, but it's also a new beginning," said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. "Cassini's discovery of ocean worlds at Titan and Enceladus changed everything, shaking our views to the core about surprising places to search for potential life beyond Earth." - Eerie, surprising discoveries - The spinning vortex of Saturn's north polar storm is seen from NASA's Cassini spacecraft on November 27, 2012 Cassini launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1997, then spent seven years in transit followed by 13 years orbiting Saturn. In that time, it discovered six more moons around Saturn, three-dimensional structures towering above Saturn's rings, and a giant storm that raged across the planet for nearly a year. The 22 by 13 foot (6.7 by 4 meter) spacecraft is also credited with discovering icy geysers erupting from Enceladus, and eerie hydrocarbon lakes made of ethane and methane on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. In 2005, the Cassini orbiter released a lander called Huygens on Titan, marking the first and only such landing in the outer solar system, on a celestial body beyond the asteroid belt. Huygens was a joint project of the European Space Agency, the Italian Space Agency and NASA. This image shows one of the last full views of Saturn by the Cassini spacecraft taken on October 28, 2016 Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist, said saying farewell to the spaceship felt like "losing a friend." "For 13 years we have been running a marathon of scientific discovery," she added. Eight of the spacecraft's 12 scientific instruments were still capturing data in Cassini's last moments as it flew more deeply into Saturn than ever, before disintegrating like a meteor. "Who knows how many PhD theses might be in just those final seconds of data?" Spilker asked. Already, some 4,000 scientific papers have been based on data from the mission, said Mathew Owens, professor of space physics at the University of Reading, in England. "No doubt scientists will be analyzing the information from its final, one-way trip into Saturn's atmosphere for years to come," Owens said. Michael Watkins, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, described Cassini's fate as "not an end but really a beginning." "The discoveries that Cassini has made over the past 13 years in orbit have rewritten the textbooks on Saturn, have discovered worlds that could be habitable and have guaranteed that we will return to that ringed world," he said. NASA is currently considering proposals for the next mission to Saturn and expects to make an announcement about the finalists later this year, said NASA's planetary science division director Jim Green. A handout picture released by Iran's defence ministry on July 27, 2017 shows the launch of a Simorgh (Phoenix) satellite, which prompted fresh US sanctions Iran's on-off space programme has received a boost after a recent satellite launch was seen to annoy Washington, with Tehran dusting off plans for a manned mission, perhaps with Moscow's assistance. "Ten skilled pilots are currently undergoing difficult and intensive training so that two of them... can be selected for the space launch," the head of the science ministry's aerospace research centre, Fathollah Omi, told the state broadcaster last week. He said the plan was to put humans into suborbital space "in less than eight years". "In preliminary talks with Russia's main space company, we have agreed to cooperate on this important project and we are waiting for their definitive answer." Russia has not confirmed the talks, although deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin, who oversees its space programme, visited Tehran two years ago to discuss potential collaboration. The Islamic republic's scientists are also celebrating the fact that two monkeys they fired into space in 2013 have recently given birth to their first baby. "Aftab and Fargam were two monkeys sent separately into space and returned alive. Researchers are studying the effect of a space trip on their baby," said Omi. Iran's space programme has progressed in fits and starts. One of Iran's two space monkeys is shown off at a Tehran press conference on January 30, 2013, following its safe return It has sent a turtle, mouse and worms into space, and after the successful voyage by the monkeys, then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced he would like to be first to go up on an Iranian rocket. But he was out of office a few months later, and the whole programme appeared to have been mothballed earlier this year due to financial constraints. "It was estimated that putting a man into Earth orbit would cost around $15 billion to $20 billion over 15 years. As a result, the budget cannot be allocated for this project," the deputy head of Iran's Space Organisation, Mohammad Homayoun Sadr, said in May. - 'We can do it' - That decision appears to have been reversed in the wake of the international furore over Iran's testing of a new satellite launch rocket in July. The 500-kilometre (312-mile) range rocket -- named Simorgh after a bird from Persian legend and with the words "We can do it" inscribed on the side -- was launched from the newly inaugurated Imam Khomeini Space Centre in Semnan province. The United States in particular baulks at any technological advance that might also benefit Iran's ballistic missile programme, and Washington quickly threatened fresh sanctions. An Iranian flag flutters in front of one of the the Pishgam (Pioneer) capsules that carried the monkeys into space in this picture published by state media on January 28, 2013 Omi confirmed the plans for human spaceflights, as well as a new 1,000-kilometre-range satellite-rocket had followed the "great reaction from the world" to the Simorgh test. "The Islamic Republic reacts very negatively when it feels it is held back," said Adnan Tabatabai, an Iran analyst and CEO of Germany's CARPO think tank. "Iran's nuclear programme and particularly its research and development became all the more prestigious and important the more that Iran was under pressure by the West to halt it," he said. Iran's four launches of domestically produced satellites since 2009 have all sparked condemnation from the West. The new Communications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi said Wednesday that a new satellite, named Doosti, was waiting to be launched. "You send orbital satellite carrier rockets into space, and all of a sudden you see they have created uproar about it in the world," said supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in August. "It is a task which is necessary for every country and which is completely normal and ordinary." The controversy appears to have re-energised the space programme, which is run by the defence ministry. "Its leaders like to literally show that the sky is the limit to Iran's technological progress," said Tabatabai. "And that safeguarding revolutionary ideals and religious ideology can be reconciled with modernity." CIA director Mike Pompeo has pulled out of a Harvard forum to protest its appointment of convicted intelligence leaker Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow CIA director Mike Pompeo pulled out of a Harvard forum and former acting director Mike Morrell quit the university Thursday to protest its appointment of convicted intelligence leaker Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow. Pompeo, who was scheduled to speak late Thursday at a forum at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, canceled at the last minute following news of Manning joining the prestigious institution. Labeling Manning an "American traitor," Pompeo said in a statement that his conscience would not allow him to "betray the trust" of the Central Intelligence Agency staff by appearing to support Harvard's decision by joining the event. "Ms Manning betrayed her country and was found guilty of 17 serious crimes for leaking classified information to Wikileaks," he said in a statement. "Ms Manning stands against everything the brave men and women I serve alongside stand for." Pompeo, who attended Harvard Law School, said it was "shameful" that Harvard gave Manning's actions its "stamp of approval." Earlier Morrell said he was stepping down as a senior fellow at The Belfer Center, part of the Kennedy School, for the same reason. Manning was one of several people, including former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook, named as Kennedy School visiting fellows Wednesday for the 2017-2018 year. Manning, then known as Bradley Manning, was convicted of espionage and other charges in 2013 for leaking his hundreds of thousands of secret US diplomatic communications and other documents to WikiLeaks. Sentenced to 35 years in prison, the former army intelligence analyst had her sentence commuted in May 2017 by President Barack Obama to seven years dating to her 2010 arrest and she was freed. While in prison Manning transitioned from male to female. Australia's voluntary postal ballot on whether gay marriage should be legalised has attracted heated debate from the "yes" and "no" campaigns Australia's prime minister Friday defended a church's right not to marry some couples following reports a woman's wedding was cancelled after she posted support for same-sex marriage on Facebook ahead of a national vote. A voluntary postal ballot involving up to 15 million Australians on whether gay marriage should be legalised is underway, with the results due in mid-November. The survey is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed to hold a vote in parliament if the majority of Australians choose "yes". The poll has attracted heated debate from the "yes" and "no" campaigns, with some prominent clergy speaking out against such unions, warning that legalising them could infringe on religious freedom. Fairfax Media reported Friday that one couple were due to be married in the rural town of Ballarat in Victoria, but after the bride-to-be posted support for changing marriage laws on Facebook she was told the church minister would no longer officiate. "You must surely appreciate that your commitment to same-sex marriage opposes the teaching of Christ Jesus and the scriptural position practised by the Presbyterian Church of Australia and by me," the minister wrote in a letter to the bride provided to Fairfax. "This conflict of views has practical consequences in relation to your upcoming wedding. By continuing to officiate it would appear... that I support your views on same-sex marriage or that I am uncaring about this matter." The church, Ebenezer St John's, had no immediate comment Friday, but Turnbull defended the minister's decision, saying "churches are free to marry whoever they like". "Churches are entitled to marry or not marry whom they please. That is part of religious freedom. My own church, the Catholic Church, will not marry someone who has married before," he told reporters in Canberra. Turnbull, a moderate who supports same-sex marriage, is opposed by some members of his conservative ruling Liberal-National coalition on the issue and the postal vote is seen as a compromise. "No" campaigners say changing the laws could impact the church, but both Turnbull and Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten -- who also supports gay marriage -- have said religious freedom would be protected under any reforms. Parliament on Wednesday passed election-style safeguards restricting campaign material that might be misleading and deceptive during the ballot period, amid fears the vote could unleash a barrage of homophobia. Trees and billboards were torn down and thousands of homes damaged as Typhoon Soksuri made landfall in central Vietnam Typhoon Doksuri wreaked havoc on central Vietnam Friday, lashing the coast with fierce winds and heavy rains as tens of thousands were evacuated and three people were reported dead in the country's worst storm in years. Trees and billboards were torn down and thousands of homes damaged as the storm made landfall Friday, causing flooding and power outages along a large swathe of coastline. "The roof of my house was blown off and all the bricks are gone. Here at my small shop, cakes, candies, bread and noodles are all wet," Phan Thi Lan, a vendor in badly hit Ha Tinh province, told AFP. "I don't know how I'll ever have enough money to fix our house," she said, as rain pounded down. Roads were mostly deserted in Ha Tinh province, though emergency vehicles were seen speeding toward the coast, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. Elsewhere in the province, a large telecommunications tower collapsed, reported state-run Vietnam Television (VTV). Disaster management officials predicted that Doksuri would be the worst storm to hit Vietnam in a decade More than 79,000 people were evacuated across the four provinces expected to be worst affected, the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said. Those who remained in the area fled desperately for safety. "I have never seen such a bad storm. The roof of my house was blown away and the houses of many of my neighbours were also damaged. I ran here to the petrol station," construction worker Nguyen Van Tai told AFP. - Safety first - Vietnam's central coast is routinely lashed by storms, especially during tropical storm season from May to October. But disaster management officials predicted that Doksuri would be the worst to hit Vietnam in a decade. Roads were mostly deserted in Vietnam's Ha Tinh province, though emergency vehicles were seen speeding toward the coast By midday Friday more than 5,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in Quang Binh province, where one person was also reported killed, according to the province's deputy chairman Le Minh Ngan, speaking on VTV. Another man died in Hue province when a river swept him away following heavy rains, officials said. A third was killed after he was knocked over by heavy rains in Ha Tinh province, according to state media. The storm packed wind speeds of up to 90 kilometres per hour (56 miles per hour), and was expected to weaken throughout the day as it moved toward Laos, according to the Vietnam National Hydro-meteorological Service. Officials earlier said they were still moving people from their homes and had ordered boats ashore. "The number one priority is ensuring people's safety," Agriculture Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said on VTV. Several flights to the area were cancelled Friday, and most schools were closed as residents hunkered down Several flights to the area were cancelled Friday, and most schools were closed as residents hunkered down. "The kids stayed at home and there's not much in the markets. I bought enough instant noodles for the family, so I think we're good," Nghe An resident Nguyen Thi Hue, 58, told AFP. The Vietnam Red Cross Society said it was donating $45,000 and sending essential supplies to the area along with volunteers to help affected residents. The government said Thursday it had a quarter of a million soldiers on standby along with a fleet of vehicles and boats at the ready. The Southeast Asian nation has already been hit by severe weather this year, with 140 people dead or missing in natural disasters since January, according to official figures. Japan's Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera says North Korea may have Guam in mind after its latest missile launch Japan's defence minister said Friday he believed North Korea "has Guam in mind" after its most recent missile launch, noting it had sufficient range to hit the US territory. Pyongyang has threatened the US Pacific territory with "enveloping fire," sparking dire warnings from US President Donald Trump. Itsunori Onodera told reporters that Friday's missile, which overflew Japanese territory, flew 3,700 kilometres -- "long enough to cover Guam", which is 3,400 kilometres (2,100 miles) from North Korea. "We cannot assume North Korea's intention, but given what it has said, I think it has Guam in mind," Onodera said. He warned that "similar actions" by the North would continue as Pyongyang appeared to have shrugged off UN sanctions agreed earlier this week. The US Pacific Command confirmed the launch was an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) but said it posed no threat to Guam or to the American mainland. It was "the furthest overground any of their ballistic missiles has ever travelled", Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Twitter. For the second time in less than a month, it overflew Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, sparking loudspeaker alerts and warnings to citizens to take cover. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo could "never tolerate" what he called a "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace". Onodera said the Japanese military had "tracked the missile from the very start of the launch until it fell in the water, and we judged there was no such need" to shoot down the missile because it was not likely to enter Japanese territory. Searches in Cambodia, including this one in the jungles of the remote northeast, have located the remains of 42 American servicemen missing since the Vietnam war, but 48 others are still unaccounted for Cambodian premier Hun Sen punched back in a diplomatic spat with Washington on Friday by halting cooperation with a US project to recover the remains of American soldiers killed during the Vietnam war. The move is the latest in a tit-for-tat battle that has seen relations sour dramatically in recent weeks amid Hun Sen's accusations that the US assisted an opposition leader with a treason plot. Hun Sen said his suspension of the search for missing-in-action soldiers was retaliation for the US's announcement this week that it would stop issuing visas to senior Cambodian foreign ministry officials and their families. That move was a reprisal for Cambodia's refusal to take in Cambodian nationals deported from the US for committing crimes. "In response, Cambodia tells the US that its cooperation with finding the remains of Americans missing in Cambodia... is suspended temporarily," Hun Sen said Friday in a speech. "You do to me, I also do to you," he added. The strongman said Cambodia wanted to renegotiate the deportation deal, which has seen more than 500 Cambodians forcibly ejected from the United States since 2002. Critics say the agreement cruelly splits up families and is a form of double punishment for deportees, who have already served jail time in the US and often have thin links to Cambodia. Hun Sen said he would resume cooperating in the search for missing American soldiers once the US lifts its visa ban, which was also issued against three other countries. The US defence department's search programme has recovered the remains of 42 American servicemen in Cambodia, but 48 others are still unaccounted for. The Vietnam War remains a sensitive topic between the two nations, with Hun Sen frequently citing America's secret bombing campaign in Cambodia in his tirades against the United States. After the war Washington went on to become one of Cambodia's biggest donors, helping the kingdom rebuild from the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime. But Washington's influence in the fragile democracy -- dominated by Hun Sen for 32 years -- has steadily withered amid China's rising dominance in the region. Beijing has pulled Hun Sen into its orbit with massive aid and investment deals that come without the kind of pressure that other donors often demand to improve human rights or uphold democratic principles. On Tuesday, US Ambassador William Heidt warned that Cambodia's democracy was in peril after this month's arrest of the opposition leader Kem Sokha, the latest in a protracted government crackdown on Hun Sen's critics. The ambassador vehemently denied the "absurd" allegation that the US had assisted Kem Sokha with a treason plot, calling it "inaccurate, misleading and baseless". Agence France-Presse's Kate Webb award celebrates the life and career of the legendary foreign correspondent, who chronicled the wars, disasters and coups that forged modern Asia Agence France-Presse has launched the 2018 Kate Webb Prize for locally employed Asian journalists doing exceptional work in difficult or dangerous conditions in the region. The winner, who will be selected from applicants by a jury, will receive 3,000 euros (approximately $3,500) in cash and a certificate. Applications will be accepted until November 15, 2018. The winner will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony. The contest is open to Asian text and visual journalists for their work published in the course of 2018. "The last year has thrown up fresh challenges to press freedoms globally -- and in parts of the Asia-Pacific region in particular," said Philippe Massonnet, AFPs regional director. "With the Kate Webb Prize, we look to acknowledge and encourage local journalists who are facing these challenges head on and carrying out crucial investigative work, often at substantial personal risk," he added. Reporter Mratt Kyaw Thu won the 2017 prize for his compelling and rigorous coverage of ethnic strife in his native Myanmar. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the prize, named after a crusading AFP reporter who died in 2007 at the age of 64 after a colourful career covering the world's trouble spots -- including Afghanistan. The Kate Webb Prize was first awarded in 2008 to Pakistani reporter Mushtaq Yusufzai for his coverage of the dangerous tribal lands bordering Afghanistan. Other winners have included the independent Afghan TV station Tolo, journalist Patricia Evangelista from the Philippines (conflict and disaster coverage), Indian reporter and photographer Dilnaz Boga (Kashmir reporting), Indonesian journalist Stefanus Teguh Edi Pramono (drug trade in Jakarta), and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (to help fund PCIJs programmes to promote journalist safety). Webb, who was born in New Zealand, earned a reputation for bravery while covering the Vietnam War and other historic events in Asia during a career spanning four decades. She is remembered as a mentor and inspiration to Asian journalists in countries where she worked. The prize is administered by AFP and the Webb family. Please send applications by email to the Kate Webb Prize Jury at katewebbprize@afp.com no later than midnight in Hong Kong on November 15, 2018 (1600 GMT). Applicants should submit the following: 1. A letter to the AFP Kate Webb Prize Jury explaining why you deserve the award. 2. Your CV with two professional references. 3. For reporters and photographers, at least three (3) samples of your work published on different dates in 2018. They can be submitted in PDF format as they appeared in the publications, or via links to the online versions. The more samples you submit, the better. 4. For video journalists, at least three (3) samples of your work broadcast or published online in 2018 via links to YouTube or other hosting sites. 5. We accept work in English or any Asian national language, provided that there is an English translation. Photo captions and video scripts (or subtitles) must be in English. 6. The competition excludes AFP staff, stringers and their relatives. Relief workers are struggling to cope with the huge numbers, with 10,000-20,000 people crossing the border each day Bangladesh will use troops to deliver foreign aid to the border town that has been overwhelmed by Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, authorities announced. The move follows criticism of the chaotic conditions in which relief supplies have been handed out at the huge camps around Cox's Bazar, where about 389,000 Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine state have arrived since August 25. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told parliament late Thursday that the army would handle relief aid that several nations have sent in recent days. "I have given the army responsibility to make sure the relief goods properly reach them (Rohingya) and to oversee what's in the relief materials," she said. Initially, the army will be responsible for taking the aid to Cox's Bazar. "We've got the directive that the army would receive relief materials sent by foreign nations at the airport and take it to Cox's Bazar," Lieutenant Colonel Rashidul Hasan told AFP on Friday. It was not clear whether there would be a change in the way aid is distributed at the Rohingya camps. Relief workers are struggling to cope with the huge numbers, with 10,000-20,000 people crossing the border each day. The United Nations has warned of a looming "worst case scenario" with all of the Muslim minority group trying to leave Buddhist-dominated Myanmar's Rakhine state where a military crackdown was launched on August 25. Aid agencies have said thousands of Rohingya were half-starving and a major health emergency could break out unless order is restored in aid management. AFP correspondents have seen fighting break out among the refugees as food bags and water bottles were tossed from aid trucks near near the Kutupalong refugee camps. UN officials acknowledge they were taken by surprise by the scope of the exodus. The UN's International Organization for Migration has said it will form a group of all UN agencies and private groups to coordinate aid work. No caption Pakistan's Supreme Court Friday dismissed an appeal from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif against his disqualification from the premiership over corruption allegations tied to the Panama Papers leak. The Supreme Court removed Sharif in late July following an investigation into the allegations against him and his family, making him the 15th premier in Pakistan's 70-year history to be ousted before completing a full term. The case against the prime minister stemmed from the Panama Papers leak last year, which spurred a media frenzy over the extravagant lifestyles and high-end London property portfolio of the Sharif dynasty. "All these review petitions are dismissed," said Supreme Court justice Asif Saeed Khosa who oversaw the five-member review panel. In a long-winded appeal demanding that his case be reviewed, Sharif's legal team presented 19 points challenging the court's judgement, saying the ruling suffered "from errors floating on the surface". The Supreme Court has also ordered the country's anti-corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau, to open a criminal case against Sharif, his sons -- Hussain and Hassan -- and his daughter Maryam. Last month Sharif led legions of supporters from the capital Islamabad to his hometown, Lahore, in a days-long procession that brought thousands into the streets in a show of force. During the trip Sharif repeatedly blasted the court's actions, saying the decision was an "insult" to Pakistanis. The latest ruling comes days ahead of a by-election to fill Sharif's parliamentary seat in Lahore that is being contested by his wife Kalsum, who is being treated for throat cancer in London. The seat has long been controlled by Sharif and his allies who consider Lahore to be their political stronghold. ACLU Lawsuit, Latest Border Security News The American Civil Liberties Union announced it is filing a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of 10 U.S. citizens who claim their electronic devices were either searched or seized at the border, all without a warrant. "The border should not serve as a dragnet for law enforcement to pry into our personal and professional lives," the ACLU said in a statement. "None of our clients have been accused of any wrongdoing, nor have they been given any valid explanation for why this happened to them." We know that border security must be taken seriously, and President Donald Trump has been aggressive in his rhetoric about securing the nation's borders, but does that mean civil liberties or search and seizure protections cease when you're leaving or re-entering the country? Here are five recent updates on criminal law and police procedure at the border. Not all phone searches at the border are the same. Courts have distinguished between "manual" searches of electronic devices at the border, which are permitted, and more invasive "forensic" searches that require law enforcement to have some "reasonable suspicion" of criminal activity in order to conduct. And while, at the moment, border patrol agents are allowed to search your phone without a warrant, there are limits to that search. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has said that only locally stored data is subject to search at the border, and law enforcement cannot search data stored in the cloud. The border, like anywhere, can be a violent place, and we have, sadly, become used to reading about police shootings. There are protocols in place for investigating those shootings, but what about those that happen at the border or across it? Facial recognition software has become so ubiquitous that it's going to be able to unlock your next smartphone. So it's no wonder that law enforcement wants to use it, and other biometric data, at the border. International borders aren't the only ones you need to be worried about. With so many states legalizing marijuana to various degrees -- and all those legalization efforts running counter to federal law -- make sure you know what to expect when crossing state borders with weed. Related Resources: Pakistani cellphone users read a text message circulated by telecoms authorities reminding them that sharing blasphemous content is an offence and asking them to report such messages A Pakistani Christian man has been sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a Muslim friend a poem on WhatsApp that insulted Islam, a lawyer said Friday. Nadeem James was charged in July last year after his Muslim friend Yasir Bashir complained to police that he received a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory toward the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures. "James was handed a death sentence by the court on Thursday on blasphemy charges," defence lawyer Anjum Wakeel told AFP. "My client will appeal the sentence in the high court as he has been framed by his friend who was annoyed over James' affair with a Muslim girl," Wakeel said. He said the trial was held inside a prison due to security reasons after local Muslim clerics had threatened James and his family. Court officials confirmed the sentence. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir beatings and mob violence. In 2014 a Christian couple were lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab province after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. Rights groups have said the laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance. An Iraqi inspects the wreckage after gunmen and suicide bombers killed dozens of people near the southern city of Nasiriyah on September 14, 2017 Gunmen and suicide bombers killed at least 84 people in southern Iraq in the deadliest attack by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul, according to a new toll released on Friday. Many of the dead in Thursday's attack near the city of Nasiriyah were Shiite Muslim pilgrims, some of them Iranian, officials said. "The death toll has risen to 84 after the discovery of 10 more bodies at the scene of the attack," said Jassem al-Khalidi, health director for Dhiqar province, which has largely been spared the violence that has plagued northern and central Iraq. "Another 93 people were wounded, many of them seriously," Khalidi told AFP. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent reported. The attack was quickly claimed by IS, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. Iraq attack UN envoy Jan Kubis condemned the "cowardly twin attacks... which resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including many pilgrims." Shiites have been the target of repeated attack by the Sunni extremists of IS who regard them as heretics. The area targeted by Thursday's attack lies on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims from Iran and southern Iraq to travel to the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala further north. Pedestrians walk in front of a large video screen in Tokyo broadcasting a news report about North Korea's latest missile test that passed over Japan on September 15, 2017 China condemned North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan on Friday, but said it was "irresponsible" to blame Beijing for regional tensions after Washington urged it to rein in its ally. After the North's latest test, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on China to use the oil it supplies to North Korea as leverage to pressure the isolated nation into reconsidering its nuclear programme. But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing had made "enormous sacrifices at a great price" by implementing UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. "The core lies in a conflict between the DPRK and the US. The focal point of the contradiction is not China," Hua told a regular news briefing, using the acronym for the North's official name. "China is not the driver behind the escalation of the tensions. China also does not hold the key to the Korean peninsula issue. The initiators of a trouble should end it," she said. "It's irresponsible and unhelpful for the settlement of the issue to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form." China on Monday backed an eighth set of sanctions against North Korea at the UN Security Council after Pyongyang's latest and largest nuclear test, banning it from trading in textiles and restricting oil imports. Washington had called for an oil embargo, but it softened its stance in order to secure the backing of China and Russia. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour," Tillerson said. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own." In New York, the Security Council called an emergency meeting for later Friday after Pyongyang conducted its furthest-ever missile flight over Japan and into the Pacific. "The Chinese side opposes the DPRK's violation of the resolution of the Security Council, and its use of ballistic missile technology for launch activities," Hua said. "The concerned parties should exercise restraint. They should not take any further action that could aggravate the situation on the peninsula and in the region," Hua added. Asked if Beijing would change its approach, Hua said China will "continue to comprehensively and completely implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council". She said UN resolutions should be implemented in a "balanced and comprehensive way". "That means on the one hand, we should maintain the pressure to prevent the development of the nuclear and ballistic activities from the DPRK," Hua said. "But on the other hand, all parties should take concrete, effective and reasonable actions to create favourable conditions for the early resumption of peace talks, in order to push forward a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue. Scores of foreign journalists have poured into Bangladesh to cover the Rohingya exodus Two Myanmar photographers covering the Rohingya crisis for a German magazine have been arrested in Bangladesh on suspicion of espionage, officials said Friday. Minzayar Oo and Hkun Lat were detained more than a week ago in the border town of Cox's Bazar, where around 389,000 Rohingya Muslims have sought refuge from violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state since August 25. The pair's lawyer said they were charged with "false impersonation" and providing "false information" after police accused them of using the cover of tourist visas to enter the country, instead of journalist visas. Cox's Bazar police chief Ranjit Kumar Barua told AFP the pair were also "primarily accused of espionage". "They were collecting information on the Rohingya for Myanmar," he said. An award-winning photographer from Bangladesh also arrested with the pair was later freed. Scores of foreign journalists have poured into Bangladesh to cover the Rohingya exodus. The UN has accused Buddhist-dominated Myanmar of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the stateless group, who say the military has launched a brutal crackdown in Rakhine. Minzayar Oo and Hkun Lat arrived in Cox's Bazar in early September on assignment for Hamburg-based magazine Geo to cover the refugee crisis, which has strained relations between Muslim-majority Bangladesh and Myanmar. Their arrest was only announced on Wednesday and a court on Thursday rejected a bail plea, their Bangladeshi lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua told AFP. He described Minzayar Oo as "an award winning photographer whose work was published in reputed dailies and magazines including the New York Times, Guardian and National Geographic". Alkatiri was East Timor's first prime minister following independence from Indonesia in 2002 and was forced to resign after civil unrest engulfed the capital Dili in 2006 East Timor swore in a new government Friday, led by a returning prime minister who experts say will need to wean the country off its reliance on oil revenues and diversify the economy. Mari Alkatiri, secretary general of the Fretilin party, was inaugurated with 10 members of his 30-person administration at a ceremony in the capital Dili. Speaking to hundreds of party faithful, the 68-year-old pledged to maintain good ties with neighbours Australia and Indonesia and improve public services. "I will create a better economy, education and health in Timor-Leste," said Alkatiri, using the official name for the country. Impoverished East Timor, Asia's youngest democracy, is heavily dependent on dwindling oil reserves. Reining in government expenditure on large infrastructure projects and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its national petroleum fund will be key tasks for the new government, said Professor Michael Leach, from Australia's Swinburne University of Technology. "To avoid the resource curse it will have to diversify the economy, especially to provide jobs for the enormous number of young people it has," he told AFP. About 60 percent of East Timor's 1.2 million people are aged under 25, according to the World Bank, and half the population live in poverty. Fretilin, which won the July election by a narrow margin, did not receive enough votes to govern alone and has formed a minority coalition government with the Democratic Party. With only 30 seats in the 65-seat house, the government will require confidence and supply from other parties in parliament. "Though it is a minority government, its prospects for stability in the short-to-mid term are positive," Leach said. Several familiar faces will return to cabinet, including former president Jose Ramos-Horta and former prime minister Rui Maria de Araujo. Alkatiri, a Muslim politician in the majority-Catholic country, was East Timors first prime minister following independence from Indonesia in 2002. He was forced to resign after civil unrest engulfed Dili in 2006. A former Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighter walks near the citadel in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, as he heads to a gathering to urge people to vote in the upcoming independence referendum Washington put to one side its longstanding sympathy for its allies in Iraqi Kurdistan on Friday and sternly urged the region to call off its independence referendum. Earlier, Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers had voted to approve the September 25 vote that was set in motion by regional president Massud Barzani, a Washington ally who has publicly kept open the option of postponing it. Washington has long supported Kurdish autonomy and has relied on the region's forces in the war against the Islamic State group, but it fears that now is not the time for the people to seize their freedom. US officials fear the vote, while not legally binding, will hurt Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's re-election chances; complicate ties with Turkey; and disrupt the war against IS. "The United States has repeatedly emphasized to the leaders of the Kurdistan Regional Government that the referendum is distracting from efforts to defeat ISIS and stabilize the liberated areas," President Donald Trump's White House said, in a statement. "Holding the referendum in disputed areas is particularly provocative and destabilizing," it warned. While Baghdad recognizes Kurdistan's autonomy, the precise boundary between the region and the rest of Iraq is unclear. Washington has repeatedly offered to help negotiate a long-term settlement between Arbil and Baghdad, but regional leaders -- including Barzani -- have been increasingly frustrated that warm words have not led to a precise diplomatic timetable. This week, top US envoy Brett McGurk was again in Arbil and attempted to persuade the Kurdish leader to call off the highly-charged popular vote in exchange for a new diplomatic initiative. Under this plan, a well-placed source told AFP, the international community will oversee negotiations on revenue sharing in Iraq's oil budget and payment for Kurdish militia fighters. Borders and military forces would remain in their current positions, and Baghdad would authorize Kurdistan to continue exporting the oil that it currently ships through Turkey in breach of the federal constitution. Finally, Kurdish parties would take part in the Iraqi government and the 2018 elections. Analysts, however, told AFP that this would not be enough at this stage to convince Barzani to hold off on an independence vote in which he has invested much of his domestic political capital. "They were very unlikely to accept a deal unless the deal had some kind of iron-clad specificity and international guarantee," said Michael Knights, an Iraq expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "The leaders of the US, Britain and the United Nations would have had to commit to the date by which Kurdistan and Iraq would have negotiated Kurdish sovereignty -- or commit to supporting a Kurdish unilateral declaration of independence." Accordingly, and in the face of bitter opposition from Baghdad, 65 out of 68 lawmakers present voted in favor of the September 25 poll as opposition members boycotted the parliament's first session in two years. After the show of hands, lawmakers stood to sing the Kurdish anthem while others raised flags to the sound of applause. The vote was to give a legal framework to the referendum that has also stirred protests from neighboring states, especially Turkey. - 'Very bad thing' - Iraqi Kurds fly Kurdish flags as they urge people to vote in a September 25 independence referendum in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq The session was the regional parliament's first in two years, and Barzani's mandate as president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq officially expired in 2015. The Kurdish leadership, made up of Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of Iraq's former president Jalal Talabani, have maintained that the three-year-old battle to drive back IS has made it impossible to hold fresh elections. Two opposition parties -- the independent Goran, which has 24 seats in the 111-seat parliament, and Jamaa Islamiya, which is close to Iran and holds six seats -- had said they would boycott the session. Friday's session in Arbil followed two anti-referendum votes which passed earlier this week in the national parliament in Baghdad, both of which were boycotted by Kurdish legislators. Analysts say the referendum plan, which has stirred Arab-Kurdish ethnic tensions, could mark the end of an era of cooperation during which Baghdad and Arbil battled IS together after it seized swathes of northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014. Turkey and Iran fear the referendum could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. - Divided city - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the vote could prove "a very, very bad thing" for the Iraqi Kurds, whose economy is heavily dependent on oil exports via a pipeline running through Turkey. Turkey's National Security Council will meet on September 22 to decide its official position. On Thursday, the Baghdad parliament fired the governor of the northern province of Kirkuk, Najm Eddine Karim, over his provincial council's decision to take part in the non-binding Kurdish referendum. The oil-rich province is disputed by Baghdad and Arbil and home to diverse communities including Arabs and Turkmens who oppose the vote. Iraqi Kurdistan, whose people were brutally repressed under Saddam Hussein, won autonomy following the dictator's ouster in a US-led invasion, under a 2005 constitution which set up a federal republic in Iraq. Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked wants to give the Israeli parliament the right to effectively overrule in cases where the Supreme Court declares a bill unconstitutional Key Israeli ministers have announced plans to limit the power of the Supreme Court, accusing it of hindering the work of the rightwing coalition government. The plan by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Education Minister Naftali Bennett, from the far right Jewish Home party, would give the Israeli parliament the right to effectively overrule in cases where the Supreme Court declares a bill unconstitutional. The plan follows the Supreme Court striking down as unconstitutional a number of proposed laws. In a statement late Thursday Bennett, head of Jewish Home, said the recent vetoes had forced him to act. "This new situation, in which cancelling laws had become routine, will force us, publicly elected legislators, to act and restore the needed balance between the authorities." "That is what we are doing today." Ministers and critics accuse the court of being dominated by liberals and of undermining the authority of the democratically elected government. Rights groups view it as a check on the power of the government, the most rightwing in Israel's history. Among those bills vetoed was the so-called Regulation Law, which would retroactively legalise dozens of Jewish settlements built on private Palestinian land, as well an amendment to allow ultra-Orthodox Jews to continue to avoid military service. The plan is not yet official government policy and will be presented to party heads on Sunday. If adopted by the coalition government it could be brought to the parliament in the coming months. Israeli media commentators stressed the plan would face strong opposition from the court and possibly finance minister Moshe Kahlon of the centre-right Kulanu party. Under a coalition government agreement, Kahlon has a veto over any legislation attempting to limit the independence of the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who comes from the rightwing Likud party, has not officially commented on the plan to curb the Supreme Court's powers. Israel has no formal codified constitution and the Supreme Court often relies on so-called Basic Law for its rulings. Children ride carriages decorated with balloons on a street in the northwestern Syrian city of Idlib on September 1, 2017, as Muslims across the world celebrate the annual festival of Eid al-Adha Russia, Iran and Turkey on Friday agreed a deal to jointly police a fourth safe zone around Syria's Idlib province as part of a Moscow-led plan to ease the six-year conflict. In a joint statement after two days of talks in Kazakhstan the three powers said they agreed "to allocate" their forces to patrol the zone covering rebel-held Idlib province and parts of the neighbouring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo regions. The talks in Astana are the sixth round of negotiations Moscow has spearheaded since the start of the year as it seeks to pacify Syria after its game-changing intervention on the side of leader Bashar al-Assad. Like Russia, Iran supports the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has sided with the rebels. Russia had previously deployed military police to patrol the boundaries of three zones agreed in the south of Syria, in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, and in part of the central Homs province. Idlib, which borders Turkey, was captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels. The statement said the forces would be deployed according to maps agreed earlier this month in Ankara, but gave no further details of their exact positions. A joint Russia-Turkish-Iranian coordination centre will be set up "aimed at coordinating activities of deescalation forces", it said. Both the Syrian government and the armed opposition sent delegations to the talks. The joint declaration also stated that further talks would be held in the Kazakh capital at the end of October. The Syria talks in Astana, co-sponsored by regime backers Russia and Iran -- though Moscow is the key driving force -- have reached a deal to police a fourth safe zone via joint deployment of "de-escalation control forces" covering the contentious Idlib province bordering Turkey Key players in the Syrian war on Friday thrashed out more details of a Russian-led plan to ease six years of violence at the latest round of talks in Kazakhstan's capital Astana. Here is a quick look at who was there and what they discussed. - Who's talking? - The talks are co-sponsored by regime backers Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey, but Moscow has been the key driving force for the meetings since they began in January. The negotiations hosted by Russia's Central Asian ally come after the Kremlin's military intervention turned the tide and helped leader Bashar al-Assad break rebel resistance in the key city of Aleppo. The diplomatic push brings together the Syrian government and representatives of the opposition, including some key armed groups who had previously steered clear of other negotiations. While the United Nations has got increasingly involved, the Astana process has seen Moscow, Ankara and Tehran largely sideline the West. The United States is limited to only sending an observer mission, as well as its regional ally Jordan. - Any progress? - While the early rounds of the Astana negotiations failed to make much progress, recent meetings have enjoyed far more success. Russia, Iran and Turkey in May agreed a plan to set up four "de-escalation" zones to halt fighting in flashpoint territories held by moderate rebels. Since then Moscow has forged on with establishing the zones on the ground and deployed military police to patrol the boundaries of the three zones in the south, in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus and in the central Homs province. At the latest sixth round of talks that ended Friday, Moscow, Tehran and Ankara agreed that they would jointly police the fourth zone covering the contentious Idlib province on the border of Turkey. Idlib is the only province in Syria that remains entirely beyond regime control after having been captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels. Negotiations over who would patrol the zone had dragged on, with Turkey and Iran thought to be jostling to increase their influence. - What impact? - According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors daily the death toll and the air strikes across Syria, the impact of the de-escalation zones has been significant. "Since the implementation of the de-escalation zones agreement in Syria, the death toll has fallen significantly and the air strikes have almost stopped," in the respective areas, Abdel Rahman, head of the observatory, told AFP. Early rounds of Astana talks made little headway but there has been recent progress as the likes of Syrian chief negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari, seen on the right here with Iranian deputy foreign minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari, thrash out ideas to end violence which has left some 330,000 people dead But Rahman said Damascus and Moscow "took advantage of the de-escalation zones to change the balance of power on the ground and have retaken double the territory they controlled before May." Jihadists such as the Islamic state (IS) group are not covered by the safe zones and the drop in fighting with moderate rebels has allowed Damascus and Russia to increasingly focus their firepower on them. Earlier this month Assad's forces scored their biggest success to date against IS when they broke a years-long siege in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor. - Peace in sight? - The negotiations in Astana have done more to still the violence that has killed over 330,000 people in the past six years than any previous diplomatic push. While the talks have been focused on fighting on the ground they have not dealt with the major political obstacles blocking the path to any final peace deal in Syria. Those issues are still mainly being handled by the United Nations at parallel talks in Geneva, but progress there has been negligible. It remains to be seen if any advances in Astana can eventually be translated into concrete progress on the political front. Trump's keenness to underline a series of terror attacks in Britain, virtually in real time, has led to repeated outcry across the Atlantic that has helped indefinitely delay his much-vaunted state visit to the country President Donald Trump sparked fury in London and yet another pointed rebuke from Prime Minister Theresa May Friday after he claimed "loser terrorists" behind a botched train attack were known to British police. Trump took to Twitter to condemn an attack on a packed London Underground train that injured 22 people, but also appeared to suggest that British authorities had dropped the ball. "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," the US president tweeted. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Trump added, appearing to reveal undisclosed intelligence from the headquarters of London's Metropolitan police force. That online broadside brought a terse public response from May, who warned the US president and others not to speculate. "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation," May told journalists in London. Trump later tried to smooth over the rift, describing May as a "wonderful woman." But his comments were described as "unhelpful" by London's Metropolitan Police, as well as by Nick Timothy, May's former chief of staff. "True or not -- and I'm sure he doesn't know -- this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner," Timothy wrote on Twitter. After his tweets, and with ties apparently under strain, Trump spoke with May to convey "his sympathies and prayers" for victims of the London attack, the White House said in a statement. "The president pledged to continue close collaboration with the United Kingdom to stop attacks worldwide targeting innocent civilians and to combat extremism." Trump's keenness to underline a series of terror attacks in Britain, virtually in real time, has led to repeated outcry across the Atlantic that has helped indefinitely delay his much-vaunted state visit to the country. In May, British officials were furious after their US counterparts leaked shared material about an investigation into a bomb attack at a concert by pop star Ariana Grande in Manchester which left 22 dead. The bomber's identity and details of the probe leaked to US media before British officials felt ready to disclose them. - Trump renews call for travel ban - Trump's domestic political message risked fraying decades old trans-Atlantic ties, a day after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in London, hailed a relationship that is "as special today as it has ever been." After an attack in London in June, Trump had lashed London's Muslim mayor Sadiq Khan for telling the public there was "no reason to be alarmed" over armed police on the streets. On that occasion, May was forced to upbraid the US leader, saying "I think Donald Trump is wrong in what he said about Sadiq Khan" after the London Bridge attack. In March, the White House left British spooks apoplectic when it cited unproven media reports that president Barack Obama had asked Britain's signals intelligence agency, GCHQ, to monitor then-candidate Trump in order to "make sure there were no American fingerprints." Police and firefighters outside Parsons Green tube station following a bomb attack The normally tight-lipped agency called the allegations "nonsense," adding that "they are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored." Trump also used Friday's London train attack to renew calls for his controversial ban on travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries -- a rallying cry of his right-wing base who have recently been angered by his support for an amnesty for some illegal immigrants. "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific -- but stupidly, that would not be politically correct," the president said in a series of tweets. Later in the White House Rose Garden, Trump expressed exasperation at how terrorism "just keeps going and going," and signaled he wanted harsher penalties for terrorists. "We have to be very smart, and we have to be very, very tough," he said. "We're not nearly tough enough." He was speaking at a press conference held on September 12 explaining the recent Forum on Rakhine State Affairs which threaten the national security attended by 29 political parties led by Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). They pledge to abide and respect the multi-party political system enshrined in basic principles of the constitution. So they should take advice from political parties and then they can use them if they like and dont use them if they dont like. This is the authority of the government, Thein Nyunt said. He added that political parties had urged the government to call the National Defence and Security Committee meeting to resolve problems and to take action against terrorists under the Counter Terrorism Law, for nearly a year. Regarding this matter, National Political Alliance (NPA) party general secretary Kyaw Thu Aung said, We are called opposition parties but we are not opposing the government. We said to the government 9 months back to take action against terrorists under Counter Terrorism Law. If they had imposed martial law then we would not have suffered huge losses to this extent. Now we have lost lives, wealth and houses of local people. Bill Cosby outside the courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania during his first trial, in June The second sexual assault trial of American television legend Bill Cosby will open on April 2, 2018, the presiding judge ruled Friday. The trial was originally to have started on November 6, but Judge Steven O'Neill of the Court of Common Pleas in Norristown, Pennsylvania agreed to postpone it until the spring to give the actor's new lawyers time to prepare. O'Neill had declared a mistrial in June when the jury in an earlier trial proved hopelessly deadlocked. Cosby's lead attorney in that trial, Brian McMonagle, announced in August that he was withdrawing from the case. He was succeeded by Los Angeles celebrity attorney Tom Mesereau, who gained fame in 2005 by winning acquittal on all charges for superstar entertainer Michael Jackson at the end of a four-month trial on child molestation. Two other lawyers, Kathleen Bliss and Sam Silver, have joined Mesereau's defense team. Dozens of women have accused Cosby of sexual assault, abuse or misconduct over the years, but the trial next year will deal only with one of the alleged attacks. The plaintiff, Andrea Constand, 44, has accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her in January 2004 in his home in Cheltenham, a suburb of Philadelphia, Cosby's hometown. The 80-year-old actor has admitted to touching Constand, now a massage therapist, but insisted the relationship was consensual. She has said he gave her pills that left her semi-conscious, then made sexual advances -- a story not unlike those recounted by many of the other accusers. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Qatar's Emir Sheik Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani upon his arrival at the Elysee palace for a meeting on September 15, 2017, in Paris French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday urged the lifting of a Saudi-led embargo on Qatar in effect since June. Macron is calling for "the embargo measures affecting the people of Qatar, in particular families and students, to be lifted as quickly as possible," the president's office said in a statement after he met with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Macron "expressed his concern over the tensions that threaten regional stability, undermining the political resolution of crises and our collective fight against terrorism," the statement said. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing Doha of supporting extremism -- charges the emirate has denied. Riyadh and its supporters severed air and sea links with Qatar and closed its only land border, cutting off vital routes for imports including food. The Qatari emir met earlier on Friday in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said the crisis would be resolved only through quiet diplomacy. "We spoke about the need for all the parties to sit at one table again as soon as possible," she said at a joint news conference with Al-Thani. Both Paris and Berlin back diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait, a key mediator in the crisis along with the United States. In an interview with the news magazine Le Point last week, Macron said both Qatar and Saudi Arabia had financed "groups that are not the same ones, but which have de facto contributed to terrorism." Nepal has begun remeasuring Mount Everest to check if the height of the world's tallest peak was altered by a powerful earthquake that struck the nation in 2015, the government said Friday. The official height of Mount Everest -- which lies in the Himalayan range, straddling the border between Nepal and China -- is 8,848 metres (29,029 feet), first recorded by an Indian survey in 1954. Numerous other teams have measured the peak, although the 1954 height remains the widely accepted figure. A team of Nepali and foreign experts have begun refining the methodology for the new survey of Mount Everest, which is expected to take two years THE HIMALAYAS' SHRINKING GLACIERS Asian glaciers are set to shrink by at least a third by 2100 due to climate change, researchers say. Experts warn this could threaten the millions who depend on their meltwaters for drinking, farming and hydro-electricity. The prediction is based on assumption the world will limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels - although many expect Earth will be much hotter than this by the end of the century. More than one billion people across Asia depend on rivers like the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong, which are fed by Himalayan glaciers. Snowfall provides moisture for farms and pastures and melts into rivers and streams. - Reuters Advertisement 'Nepal has never measured Everest on its own although the world's highest peak lies in its territory. So we want to prove to our people that Nepal is capable of measuring Everest,' Ganesh Prasad Bhatta, head of the government's survey department, told AFP. A team of Nepali and foreign experts have begun refining the methodology for the new survey, which is expected to take two years, Bhatta said. A team of Sherpas will take measuring equipment to the summit either in April, the beginning of the spring climbing season, or October, another period of good weather on Everest. In April 2015, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal, causing widespread devastation across the country and triggering an avalanche that killed 18 people at Everest's base camp. Many have speculated that the quake altered the mountain. A heated debate erupted in May over the condition of the Hillary Step -- a rocky outcrop and route to the summit just below the peak -- with an experienced British mountaineer saying it had collapsed in the quake, a claim rejected by local guides. 'Concerns have been raised about the height of Everest after the April 2015 earthquake, but it is not only the reason to remeasure the Everest,' Bhatta said. The official height of Mount Everest -- which lies in the Himalayan range, straddling the border between Nepal and China -- is 8,848 metres (29,029 feet), first recorded by an Indian survey in 1954 Six years ago Nepal said it would remeasure the mountain after becoming embroiled in a diplomatic row with China, who claimed the peak was four metres shorter than the accepted height. The project never got off the ground. In May 1999 an American team added two metres to Everest's height when it used GPS technology to survey the peak. That figure is now used by the US National Geographic Society but otherwise not widely accepted. The Vatican has recalled a priest serving as an envoy in Washington and opened a child pornography investigation after US officials asked the church to lift his diplomatic immunity. The Vatican said Friday that US officials complained in August 'of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images by a member of the diplomatic corps of the Holy See.' In Washington, a State Department official confirmed to AFP that the diplomat in question had been allowed to leave the United States because he enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution. 'The United States formally requested that the Nunciature waive diplomatic immunity for the individual, but the Nunciature declined to do so,' the official said, on condition of anonymity. Scroll down for video The Vatican's Apostolic Nunciature or embassy in Washington was sometimes the target of protests by anti-paedophile campaigners even before the Church revealed on Friday that one of its diplomats was under investigation The Vatican said Friday that US officials complained in August 'of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images by a member of the diplomatic corps of the Holy See' President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, said 'This is a serious issue. We hope the Holy See will be forthcoming with more details' Neither the church nor US officials named the priest -- one of four assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican embassy in Washington -- but the Vatican said an investigation is underway. However, Italian news outlets have identified the priest as Msgr. Carlo Alberto Capell, who was ordained in 1993 in Milan, according to The New York Times. President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, issued a statement on that matter, saying: 'This is a serious issue. We hope the Holy See will be forthcoming with more details. 'While we don't know all the facts, consistent with our Charter, we reaffirm that when such allegations occur, an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation should begin in cooperation with law enforcement and immediate steps be taken to protect children.' The Vatican press service said 'efforts had been made through international collaboration to obtain elements relative to the case,' suggesting that Rome is seeking evidence from US officials. But with the investigation at a preliminary stage, the case is subject to confidentiality, the Vatican said. The State Department referred questions about the investigation to the Vatican, and US officials made it clear that they expect church authorities to take the matter seriously. 'The United States condemns the abuse and exploitation of children wherever it exists, and we offer sincere condolences to victims,' the official said. The official noted that Pope Francis has vowed to 'act decisively with regard to cases of sexual abuse' -- after decades of scandals that have dogged the Catholic Church around the globe. 'The United States encourages the Holy See to ensure full implementation of its reforms and policies designed to protect minors and provide justice regarding allegations,' he said. 'We would refer you to Vatican officials on the current state of those efforts.' The withdrawal of the Washington priest is not the first time that a Vatican diplomat has been caught up in such a scandal -- and the last case was particularly embarrassing for the church. The Vatican press service said 'efforts had been made through international collaboration to obtain elements relative to the case,' suggesting that Rome is seeking evidence from US officials' Pope Francis, seen here visiting Colombia this week, has vowed that Church authorities wll take action against priests accused of child sexual abuse In 2013, Polish priest Jozef Wesolowski was recalled as the papal nuncio or ambassador from the Dominican Republic, after press reports that he had paid for sexual encounters with children. - Internet downloads - The Vatican refused to extradite Wesolowksi to Poland to face trial, but an ecclesiastical court found him guilty and he was defrocked -- the maximum penalty then available. But Pope Francis, whose elevation in March 2013 raised hopes for church reform, ordered that Wesolowski face criminal charges for child abuse, a first in Vatican history. The accused was held under house arrest but he died in August 2015, aged 67, on the eve of his trial. He had been charged with sexual assault on children aged 13 to 16 and with possession of a large quantity of child pornography, downloaded from the internet after his return to Rome. He faced up to seven years in jail if convicted. Details of the latest case involving the Washington-based priest remain confidential, but Vatican authorities have passed the case to 'the Promoter of Justice of the Vatican Tribunal.' Omar Khadr was sent to Guantanamo in 2002 after being captured in Afghanistan and released to Canada a decade later A Canadian judge eased restrictions on former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr's use of the Internet on Friday, but denied his request for unfettered contact with his sister who supports Islamic extremists. Khadr, 30, had asked for more freedoms while on bail in Canada pending a decision in his appeal of a war crimes conviction by a US military tribunal. Justice June Ross said there was no evidence Khadr's sister Zaynab had attenuated her extremist views (she publicly supported Al-Qaeda), and denied his request for unsupervised visits. "Zaynab Khadr currently lives somewhere in the Middle East and Omar has a number of nieces and nephews, who are her children, but (the judge) declined to change the current restrictions," Khadr's lawyer Nathan Whitling told reporters outside the court in Edmonton, Alberta. "He can still contact her, but it has to be in the presence of a responsible person who's been approved in advance by his bail supervisor," he said. "It's an inconvenience but it's not a huge big deal." Another request to be able to travel more freely within Canada was also denied. But Khadr can now use Internet-connected devices such as smartphones, "which will make life a lot easier for him," said Whitling. "Of course he can't access any sort of terrorist propaganda," he said. "But that's just fine because he doesn't want to do that anyway." Toronto-born Khadr was 15 years old when he was captured on an Afghan battlefield in 2002 and sent to the US prison. In 2010, he was sentenced to eight years following a US military hearing in which he agreed to plead guilty to murdering a US soldier in violation of the laws of war, attempted murder, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism and spying. As part of the agreement, he was sent home to Canada in 2012 to serve the remainder of his sentence. Since his release on bail two and a half years ago, Khadr has gotten married and plans to study nursing. In July, the Canadian government paid him Can$10.5 million to settle a lawsuit. The Supreme Court had ruled in 2010 that Ottawa violated his rights by participating in US interrogations in Guantanamo. Venezuela's deep economic and political crisis has sparked months of deadly protests Caracas on Friday denounced President Donald Trump's plans to meet with Latin American leaders concerning Venezuela's ongoing crisis, branding the talks as "rival dialogue." Earlier in the day Trump's national security adviser H.R. McMaster had announced plans for a "working dinner" on Monday that will convene several Latin American leaders in New York, as the UN General Assembly gets underway. During the dinner Trump expects to "discuss the crisis in Venezuela, as well as the strong economic ties and extraordinary success of like-minded Latin American nations in recent decades," McMaster told journalists, without elaborating on which leaders the talks will include. But having just begun exploratory talks with opposition delegates this week, Caracas met the news with scorn. "You have nothing to evaluate President Trump... evaluate your internal problems," Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told journalists, lambasting the planned meeting as "rival dialogue." Officials from both the Venezuelan government and the opposition began exploratory talks Wednesday, mediated by Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, the former Spanish prime minister. The opposing sides agreed Thursday to a commission of "friendly countries" -- Mexico, Chile, Bolivia and Nicaragua -- tasked with assisting negotiations to emerge from the crisis that had fueled months of deadly protests. Arreaza also appeared to respond to Trump's threat last month of a "military option" in Venezuela. "Anyone who dares to attack Venezuela will suffer the consequences," he said. Though the White House did not say who would attend Monday's talks, Arreaza mentioned Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is among those invited. McMaster also ruled out the possibility that Trump could hold direct talks with Venezuelan representatives at the General Assembly. President Nicolas Maduro will not attend the gathering of world leaders, instead sending his foreign minister to represent the embattled Latin American country. Washington has already slapped sanctions on crisis-stricken Venezuela -- including on Maduro himself -- to "deny the Maduro dictatorship a critical source of financing to maintain its illegitimate rule." People walk inside a displaced Muslims refugee camp in a Catholic seminary in Bangassou, south-eastern Central African Republic, some 470 km east of the capital Bangui on August 14, 2017 Simmering unrest and clashes in the chronically unstable Central African Republic has led a "record number" of 1.1 million people -- about a fourth of the population -- to flee their homes, the UN said Friday. UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Andrej Mahecic said the actual numbers could be far higher. "The number of refugees may be much more because thousands of people find themselves in remote and often inaccessible areas," it said in a statement, saying that about 167,000 people had fled to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. There were 513,676 refugees in neighbouring countries and about 600,000 internally displaced people in a country with a population of 4.5 million, it said. Between January and September about 200,000 people were forced to flee their homes because of the resurgence of violence, it said. The Central African Republic, a former French colony, was pitched into a war between Muslim and Christian militias in 2013 after president Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by a coalition of Muslim-majority rebel groups called the Seleka, who in turn were driven from power. Renewed violence among different armed groups has erupted as they fight to establish zones of influence and gain control of natural resources, which include diamonds, timber and gold. Addressing several hundred air force personnel after reviewing some of America's most high-tech fighters jets and bombers, Trump warned that Pyongyang had "once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community" Standing before a B-2 stealth bomber and a vast US flag, Donald Trump on Friday lashed out at North Korea warned that advanced US weaponry could make the souls of America's enemies "crumble." Addressing several hundred air force personnel after reviewing some of America's most high-tech fighters jets and bombers, Trump warned that Pyongyang had "once again shown its utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community." "After seeing our capabilities, I am more confident than ever that our options are not only effective but overwhelming," Trump said. The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" missile launch and demanded Pyongyang immediately halt such actions -- but did not threaten further sanctions. North Korea fired the intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific, responding to new UN sanctions with its furthest-ever missile flight. In a unanimous statement backed by China, the council said the launch was carried out just three weeks after a first missile overflew Japan and less than two weeks after Pyongyang's sixth and biggest nuclear test. US President Donald Trump has scheduled talks with leaders of Japan and South Korea to address the crisis. Friday's judgment was hailed by animal rights organizations but blasted by chefs and food groups who said it violated their freedoms. A US court in California on Friday re-instated a ban on foie gras in a move celebrated by animal rights activists who have long opposed the controversial French delicacy made by force-feeding ducks and geese. The decision reverses a previous ruling in 2015, which said that a statewide ban on the food was superseded by federal law on the matter. California's legislature had voted on its ban in 2004 with an eight-year grace period -- after which any restaurant caught selling the product risked a fine of $1,000. Friday's judgment, which won't go into effect until the completion of an appeals process, was hailed by animal rights organizations but blasted by chefs and food groups who said it violated their freedoms. In a statement, PETA said "the champagne corks are popping," adding that only the most callous chefs could stomach the practice of force-feeding poultry to produce diseased livers that it described as "torture on toast and unimaginably cruel." An association of foie gras producers in Canada and New York as well as a restaurant in Los Angeles had contested the state law, saying it interfered with domestic trade law. Ken Frank, a chef at the La Toque French restaurant in Napa Valley said the ban was a "terrible piece of legislation," according to the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that he expected it to be eventually lifted. TV chef Eric Greenspan told the Los Angeles Times the decision was "just crazy." "Don't eat it if you don't want to, but dont impede on anyones rights to do what they want to do," he said, adding: "Let's ban assault rifles before we ban foie gras if you want to talk about cruelty." Jared Goodman, PETA's director of animal law, told AFP the court ruling was "a huge step towards finality." Its opponents now have 14 days to file an appeal before a wider bench, failing which it would become law -- though if the appeal is heard, a final decision could be some time away. The case could in theory eventually end up before the Supreme Court, an outcome seen as unlikely by Goodman. Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher offered a "deal" in which Assange would furnish evidence that would exculpate Russia as the source of the emails published last year by Wikileaks that did damaged Clinton's presidential effort, the WSJ said A pro-Russia congressman offered to tell the White House who provided WikiLeaks with hacked Clinton campaign emails in exchange for the US dropping its probe into the group's leader Julian Assange, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher offered a "deal" in which Assange would furnish electronic evidence that would exculpate Russia as the source of the emails published last year by the anti-secrecy organization that did significant damage to Democrat Hillary Clinton's presidential run. In exchange, the Journal said, Rohrabacher was seeking for Assange "a pardon or other act of clemency from President Donald Trump," it said. The US Justice Department has acknowledged investigating Assange and WikiLeaks for the release of a series of top secret US documents and computer hacking tools as well as the Clinton emails. No charges have been unveiled. But Washington is widely believed to have asked London to arrest and extradite the Australian if he steps out of his refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London, where he has lived for five years. US intelligence officials have blamed Russia for the theft of Clinton campaign communications and documents last year as part of a deliberate effort to hurt her chances as president. They allege that WikiLeaks, in publishing the documents, knowingly acted in concert with Russian intelligence, and have branded it a "hostile intelligence service." WikiLeaks has denied that the source of the material was the Russian government, but stresses it will never divulge the sources of the information in gets. The Journal said Rohrabacher confirmed that he spoke to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly this week but would not say what was discussed. Rohrabacher visited Assange in London in August and afterwards said he was seeking a meeting with President Donald Trump to discuss his case. Rohrabacher told conservative commentator Sean Hannity's radio show that the assertion that Russia hacked the US election last year was a "con job" to undermine the Trump administration. ATLANTA (AP) - The number of power outages in Georgia continued to drop Wednesday after Irma slogged through the state as a tropical storm, claiming at least two lives. Fewer than 363,000 Georgia Power and Electric Member Corp. customers remained without electricity Wednesday night. Georgia Power said in a news release that 95 percent of its customers should have their lights back on by Sunday night, except for homes and businesses too damaged to get reconnected. Gov. Nathan Deal planned to tour storm-damaged areas of northern and coastal Georgia on Thursday. That's also when coastal Georgia's second largest county planned to let evacuated residents finally return. Boats blown away from their docks sit in the marsh after Hurricane Irma on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, at St. Marys on the Georgia coast. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Officials in Glynn County, which includes Brunswick and St. Simons Island, said people could start coming home Thursday morning - two days after the governor lifted evacuation orders. Authorities in the county of more than 83,000 had barred evacuees from returning, saying widespread loss of power, water and sewer service made conditions unsafe. Meanwhile, authorities Wednesday identified a metro Atlanta man whose death has been blamed on the storm. Stanley Williams, 59, was crushed Monday when a tree fell on his home in suburban Sandy Springs, said Mark Gilbeau, an investigator for the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office. A tree falling onto an occupied car Monday killed a woman in Fosyth County. The sheriff's office said in a news release that Nancy Eason was fatally injured as the tree pinned the 67-year-old retired court reporter and her husband inside the vehicle. The woman's husband, Mike Eason, suffered minor injuries. The sheriff's office said he is a former Cumming police chief and a retired agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Irma prompted Deal to order evacuations for nearly 540,000 people from the Georgia coast. He also declared a state of emergency across all 159 Georgia counties. Though Irma's center merely crossed the Georgia's southeast corner after churning northward from Florida, tropical storm-force winds spread more than 400 miles (644 kilometers) across and touched nearly the entire state. The worst damage was reported along the coast, where homes along the beaches, marshes and rivers flooded from storm surge amplified by unusually high lunar tides. A Athens-Clarke County work crew clears a tree from South Milledge Avenue. The road remains closed between Waddell Street and Henderson Avenue in the aftermath from heavy winds and rain from tropical storm Irma Athens, Ga., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) A large tree lays on top of a house on Boulevard after heavy winds and rain from tropical storm Irma hit Athens, Ga., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) A large tree rests on power lines on Westlake Drive after heavy winds and rain from tropical storm Irma hit Athens, Ga., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) A large tree rests on power lines after heavy winds and rain from tropical storm Irma hit Athens, Ga., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) A large tree lays on top of a house after heavy winds and rain from tropical storm Irma hit Athens, Ga., Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (Joshua L. Jones/Athens Banner-Herald via AP) Boats blown away from their docks sit in the marsh after Hurricane Irma on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, at St. Marys on the Georgia coast. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Fannie's By The Sea Manager Chris Jackson mops up his flooded restaurant Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, on Tybee Island, Ga., after Tropical Storm Irma flooded parts island. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton) DETROIT (AP) - Two Minnesota mothers have been charged in an investigation of genital mutilation in a Muslim sect, months after bringing their daughters to a Detroit-area clinic. A new indictment was unsealed Thursday in Detroit federal court, raising the number of defendants to eight. The eight include Dr. Jumana Nagarwala, who is accused of performing the procedure. The Associated Press isn't naming the Minnesota moms to protect their daughters' identities. The moms are charged with conspiracy and genital mutilation. Nagarwala denies any crime and says she performed a religious custom on girls from her Muslim sect, the Dawoodi Bohra. She's been in jail without bail since her arrest in April. The indictment says Nagarwala performed genital mutilation on six girls, but prosecutors say the number could be much higher. SAO PAULO (AP) - Brazilian President Michel Temer was charged with obstruction of justice and leading a criminal organization on Thursday, another blow to the embattled leader and the stability of Latin America's largest nation. In widely expected filings to the country's top court, Attorney General Rodrigo Janot accused Temer's Brazilian Democratic Movement Party of receiving nearly $190 million in bribes in a scheme to trade in political favors and influence. "Temer gave the needed stability and security to the criminal apparatus, appearing at the same time as the leader and foundation of the organization," Janot said in the indictment. File - In this Aug. 16, 2017 file photo, Brazil's President Michel Temer speaks during a ceremony at the Planalto Presidential Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil. President Temer has been charged with obstruction of justice and of leading a criminal organization on Thursday, Sept. 14, in the latest fallout from a wide-ranging corruption probe that has ensnared many of the elite in Latin America's largest nation. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File) He also accused Temer of instigating the payment of hush money to jailed former Speaker Eduardo Cunha and to a political operator - both of whom he allegedly feared could give damning evidence on him. As a sitting president, Temer will only be put on trial if two-thirds of Brazil's lower house votes to suspend him from office. In a written statement, Temer called the indictment "filled with absurdities." "The Attorney General continues his irresponsible march to cover up his own failings," the note said. His party also rejected the accusations. The charges are the latest bombshell in Brazil's sprawling corruption investigation, which began as a probe into money laundering and ended up uncovering systemic graft in Brazil's halls of power. Janot alleged Wednesday that Brazil's government was essentially run like a cartel for years - beginning during the administration of Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva - as money was doled out in exchange for votes or plush political appointments. Temer only became the leader of that criminal organization when he took power last year after President Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from office, Janot said. Janot alleged that, before Temer took power, members of his party sought put a stop to the corruption investigation. When they failed, Janot said, they decided to withdraw their support for Rousseff and seek her impeachment - presumably because they thought putting one of their own in the presidential palace would offer them some protection. Janot said that the participants should pay $17 million in fines. "Brazil has never witnessed a crisis of this proportion," said Bar Association Chairman Claudio Lamachia. "But state institutions have been rigid and aware in fulfilling their mission." Along with Temer, eight others were charged. Two are senior members of his Cabinet: his chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, and Secretary-General Wellington Moreira Franco. The other six, including businessmen and politicians, are already in jail, underscoring how far the investigation has already spread. In fact, this is the second time Temer has been charged this year, but in August lawmakers refused to allow the previous bribery charge to move forward. And Temer could still face yet more charges: The Supreme Court has authorized prosecutors to investigate whether he accepted bribes in exchange for political favors to a company that operates at the port of Santos. Many Brazilians have hailed as heroes the investigators, prosecutors and judges who have led the probe, but others have accused them of zealotry and some have reservations about the extensive use of plea bargain agreements, a relatively new tool in Brazil. Among the most spectacular of those agreements was the one signed by Joesley Batista, former chairman of JBS, the world's largest meatpacker. Batista received immunity from prosecution in exchange for giving damning testimony about Temer's involvement in bribery and cover-up schemes. But Janot has since raised questions about whether Batista withheld information, and on Wednesday he said he was revoking Batista's deal and charging him with impeding the investigation. Batista's lawyer, Antonio Carlos de Almeida Castro, called the charge "disloyal," saying Janot was penalizing his client for coming forward. While Temer still has significant support in Congress, as his victory over the first indictment showed, he is extremely unpopular among voters - creating a rocky road ahead for Brazil, even if Temer avoids a trial. "This is a very uncertain moment.... Temer has many friends in Congress, and it is Congress that will vote," said Fabiano Angelico, transparency and politics consultant based in Sao Paulo. "But the accusation is very serious. Uruguay's vice-president resigned for much less a couple of weeks ago." Brazil's economy has only just returned to growth after a two-year recession, and voters go to the polls next year, so many lawmakers are calculating how best to hold onto their own seats in Congress. "Brazil is in a difficult moment now," said Angelico. "The old order has not fallen and the new order is yet to be born." Wednesday's charges came hours after authorities raided the home of Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi as part of an investigation into whether he bribed state lawmakers during his 2003-2010 terms as governor of Mato Grosso. Police also raided offices of eight state lawmakers and the mayor of the state capital, Cuiaba, in connection with the case. Maggi, who is one of Brazil's wealthiest agro-business leaders and is known as the king of soybeans, denied any wrongdoing in his political or business dealings. CHICAGO (AP) - An eight-year prison sentence has been handed to a former Boston Celtics player found guilty of receiving guns stolen off a freight train in Chicago. Nate Driggers was found guilty in April of being a convicted felon in possession of stolen guns. Evidence presented at trial showed the 44-year-old Driggers bought 30 of 111 Rugers stolen by gang members in 2015 from a rail car parked in a rail yard and quickly resold 29 of them. Only 19 guns have been recovered. In asking for the maximum sentence of 10 years, prosecutors said Driggers' actions have contributed to the "very dark place" Chicago finds itself in when it comes to gun violence. Driggers on Thursday again denied ever selling guns. Drafted by Celtics in 1996, Driggers appeared in 15 games that season. BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on a speech by a conservative commentator at the University of California, Berkeley (all times local): 10:10 p.m. University of California, Berkeley police say there have been four to five arrests related to protests in Berkeley, all on city property. A protest sign is tacked to a pole before a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) Hundreds protested outside a speech by former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro, but the demonstrations were mostly peaceful. University spokesman Dan Mogulof called Thursday's Shapiro speech "a successful event" and says the university is committed to hosting speakers like Shapiro in the future. Hundreds of protesters remain on city streets, though the event has wrapped up. A least three were arrested for carrying a banned weapon. Berkeley police say 29-year-old Michael Paul Sullivan of Hayward was arrested, along with 44-year-old Sarah Roark and 20-year-old Hannah Benjamin. Benjamin is also accused of battery on a police officer. ___ 8:40 p.m. A few hundred people are protesting outside a hall where conservative commentator Ben Shapiro is speaking at the University of California, Berkeley. The demonstrators are peaceful, with some chanting against fascism, white supremacists and President Donald Trump. Others were holed up Thursday inside a student building. Earlier, they waved signs from a pedestrian walkway protesting the university's decision to allow the event featuring the former editor at Breitbart News. Inside the hall, Shapiro addressed a friendly crowd. He encouraged people to hold civil discussions with people who have different opinions, saying that's what America is all about. He condemned white supremacists as "a very small select group of absolutely terrible people who believe absolutely terrible things." The campus and surrounding Berkeley streets are under tight security after a series of previous events turned violent. ___ This item has been corrected to remove a reference to the students inside the building holding signs. ___ 8 p.m. Berkeley police say they have arrested two people during protests over a speech by a conservative commentator at the University of California, Berkeley. City police say 20-year-old Hannah Benjamin was arrested Thursday for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon. Meanwhile, 44-year-old Sarah Roark was taken into custody for carrying a banned weapon. The arrests were announced on the police Twitter account. There was a heavy police presence in Berkeley as former Breitbart News editor Ben Shapiro was speaking. Campus Republicans invited him to come as part of his tour called "Campus Thuggery." Dozens of demonstrators were outside the hall where he was speaking, but police kept the two sides apart. ___ 6:30 p.m. Dozens of people have lined up to hear a speech at the University of California, Berkeley that has prompted massive security as officials fear violent demonstrations. Police with riot gear have surrounded the plaza in front of Zellerbach Hall, where the former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro is set to speak later Thursday. Eighteen-year-old high school senior Nick Handley says he tried to get others to come to Berkeley with him from Modesto, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of San Francisco. But he says they were scared about the potential violence outside the speech by Shapiro dubbed Campus Thuggery. Handley says the heavy police presence is sad, particularly since taxpayer money is being spent. UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof says the security could cost $600,000. ___ 4:15 p.m. Protesters opposed to a scheduled speech by a conservative commentator at the University of California, Berkeley say they're disappointed they're being kept out of the school's main plaza because of heightened security. Raphael Kadaris is an organizer with Refuse Fascism, which had planned to protest at the university's Sproul Plaza ahead of the appearance by former Breitbart News editor Ben Shapiro. UC Berkeley Police Chief Margot Bennett says protesters can demonstrate on nearby streets, about a block away. Campus police closed the plaza Thursday afternoon and stopped allowing people to enter. Kadaris says his group wants to criticize white supremacy, misogyny, xenophobia and fascism. He says "the police and the chancellor and the university better not attack us." The speech by Shapiro is set for Thursday night. He was invited by campus Republicans. ___ 1 p.m. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, have been closed off with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of a campus appearance by former Breitbart News editor Ben Shapiro. School officials say they have sealed off Sproul Plaza - the central hub of the campus - and created a perimeter around several buildings. They say they are ensuring the safety of students and those attending Shapiro's sold-out appearance Thursday evening. UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof says the school is committed to hosting a safe and successful event. Police Chief Margo Bennett says there will be several checkpoints outside the 1,000-seat auditorium, and officers will confiscate banned items, including shields, masks, bandanas, poles and torches. The city and campus have become a flashpoint this year for the country's political divisions, drawing extremist groups from the left and right. ___ 8 a.m. The University of California, Berkeley is ramping up security as it braces to host conservative commentator Ben Shapiro Thursday night. Authorities plan to seal off the campus' central hub, Sproul Plaza, with a "closed perimeter" around several buildings including where Shapiro is set to speak to a crowd of 1,000. The university says there will be "an increased and highly visible police presence" and police will quickly arrest protesters wielding weapons or wearing masks. The city and campus at UC Berkeley have become a flashpoint for the country's political divisions, drawing extremist groups from the left- and right-wing. Four political demonstrations have turned violent in Berkeley since February, prompting officers to come up with new strategies to control rowdy and sometimes dangerous crowds. Campus Republicans invited Shapiro to speak. This image provided by the Berkeley Police shows Sarah Roark, who was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Berkeley, Calif. Roark, 44, was taken into custody for carrying a banned weapon during protests over a speech by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro at the University of California, Berkeley. (Berkeley Police via AP) SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - Venezuela's government and opposition have made progress in exploratory talks aimed at creating a framework to resolve the nation's economic and political crisis. Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina said the two sides agreed to meet for a third time on Sept. 27, and invite four nations - Mexico, Chile, Bolivia and Nicaragua - to accompany the conversations. The announcement late Thursday came at the conclusion of two days of talks on the Caribbean island. "Yesterday's meeting was good and today's even better," said Medina. It's not clear if the government and opposition delegates spoke face-to-face or exchanged messages through Medina and former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero, who has been the main promoter of the dialogue attempt. But just the fact they're even considering a return to the negotiating table is something of a minor miracle given how deeply polarized Venezuela is after months of unrest in which the opposition failed in its bid to force President Nicolas Maduro from power. Maduro's government has touted the possibility of talks as a sign it's open to dialogue. "This has been the strongest and clearest opportunity we've had toward reaching an agreement," said Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez, who led the government delegation along with his sister, former Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez. But the opposition is skeptical and in a statement Thursday insisted that the solution to Venezuela's problems require Maduro giving up power. It also said any agreement arising from an eventual negotiation should also be submitted to a popular referendum. "Only with a non-violent, democratic change will it be possible to overcome the current economic and social tragedy that affects all Venezuelans," the Democratic Unity coalition said in a statement. Of the "group of friends" suggested as facilitators, Bolivia and Nicaragua are staunch allies and members of the anti-American Bolivarian Alliance created by the late Hugo Chavez. Mexico has taken the lead in Latin America in harshly criticizing Maduro's increasingly authoritarian rule while Chile's ambassador to Caracas has provided asylum in his residence to several lawyers threatened with arrest after being appointed supreme court magistrates by the opposition-controlled congress. The government and opposition held several rounds of negotiations last year under the auspices of the Vatican. But those talks collapsed with Maduro's critics blaming the government for not following through on closed-door pledges to free political prisoners, set a timetable for elections and restore power to the opposition-controlled congress. Since then, Venezuela's problems have only worsened while Maduro has tried to impose his will in the face of daily protests that between May and September killed more than 120 people and left hundreds more injured and jailed. Reported explosion and stampede at London subway station LONDON (AP) - A reported explosion at a train station sent commuters stampeding in panic, injuring several people on Friday at the height of London's morning rush hour, and police said they were investigating it as a terrorist attack. Photos taken inside a District Line train show a white plastic bucket inside a supermarket shopping bag. Flames and what appear to be wires can be seen. London ambulance services said they had sent multiple crews to the Parsons Green station. Police advised people to avoid the area in southwest London. A commuter whose train had just stopped there, Richard Aylmer-Hall, said he saw several people injured, apparently trampled as they fled what he described as a packed train. At capacity, the train could hold more than 800 people. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off," he said. "I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets." Aerial footage later showed other commuters being evacuated along the elevated track. The train ___ North Korea fires missile over Japan in longest-ever flight SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile Friday, sending an intermediate-range weapon hurtling over U.S. ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean in a launch that signals both defiance to its rivals and a big technological advance. Since President Donald Trump threatened the North with "fire and fury" in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw its first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both U.S. troops in Asia and the U.S. homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a U.S. city to protect its Asian allies. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the latest missile traveled about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometers (478 miles). Guam, which is the home of important U.S. military assets, is 3,400 kilometers (2,112 miles) away from North Korea. North Korea's weapons tests demonstrate that it can "turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area," Pyongyang's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Friday, without mentioning the latest missile test. ___ Castro's denial: Personal assurance clouded probe of attacks HAVANA (AP) - Cuban President Raul Castro stepped in personally earlier this year to deny his government was responsible after the United States demanded answers about American diplomats harmed in Havana. U.S. officials say Castro sought out the top American diplomat in Havana for a rare face-to-face conversation. They say Castro relayed that he was just as befuddled about what was happening. The officials weren't authorized to discuss the meeting publicly and demanded anonymity. Castro's reaction was surprising to U.S. officials. They say they would have expected Castro would react defensively or refuse to cooperate with the investigation. The U.S. has said at least 21 diplomats suffered damage including permanent hearing loss and concussions. Canadian diplomats were also affected. A U.S. investigation has reached no conclusion about a device or a culprit. ___ Fleeing Rohingya Muslims watch as homes burn in Myanmar TUMBRU, Bangladesh (AP) - Groups of fleeing Rohingya Muslims watched from inside Bangladesh on Friday as another of the homes in their abandoned village across the border in Myanmar went up in flames. The villagers said they'd escaped days ago, crossing into Bangladesh at the border point of Tumbru and joining thousands of other ethnic Rohingya huddling in the open in the district of Bandarban to escape recent violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Flames could be seen only about 500 meters (yards) from the border fence. "You see this fire today, that is my village," said Farid Alam, one of the Rohingya. When they crossed the border into Bangladesh, they saw land mines that had been newly planted by Myanmar forces, he said. ___ Trump, lawmakers squabble over whether they struck a deal WASHINGTON (AP) - The fate of 800,000 young immigrants hung in the balance as top lawmakers, White House officials and President Donald Trump himself squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them - and if so, exactly what it was. In the face of an intense backlash from conservatives inside the Capitol and out, Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP House members adamantly insisted that there was no agreement to enshrine protections for the immigrants brought to America as children and now here illegally. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, put it this way: There was "a deal to make a deal." Trump himself said he was "fairly close" to an agreement that could protect the young "Dreamers" while also adding border security, as long as his long-promised wall with Mexico was also separately addressed. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer - whose dinner with Trump Wednesday night was at the heart of Thursday's controversy - insisted there was discussion and even agreement on legislation that would offer eventual citizenship to the immigrants in question. "We agreed it would be the DREAM Act," Schumer told reporters, referring to a bipartisan bill that would allow immigrants brought here as children and now in the U.S. illegally to work their way to citizenship in as little as five years if they meet certain requirements. ___ Schools seek to help immigrants amid mixed signals on DACA BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Mixed signals from Washington over a possible agreement to preserve protections for young immigrants are increasing anxiety and confusion on college campuses, where the stakes are high. Amid the uncertainty, colleges and universities are stepping up efforts to protect students enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, telling them to be hopeful but plan for the worst. Harvard University has opened a round-the-clock emergency hotline for immigrants in the program. The University of Illinois at Chicago has posted advice on what to do if federal agents show up on campus. UC Berkeley, the University of San Francisco and many other campuses are offering free legal advice to immigrant students now facing fears of deportation. Nearly sixty college and university presidents sent a letter urging congressional leaders to make the program permanent out of "moral imperative and a national necessity." An estimated 350,000 of the country's nearly 800,000 DACA recipients are currently enrolled in school, most at colleges or universities, according to a 46-state survey this year by the advocacy group Center for American Progress. Under the program, they were protected from deportation and allowed to legally work in the United States with two-year permits. The top congressional Democrats, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, emerged from a White House dinner Wednesday to say they had reached a deal with President Donald Trump to save DACA. But amid backlash from conservative Republicans, Trump said Thursday that they were "fairly close" but nothing had been agreed to. ___ Seniors fight post-hurricane heat with Popsicles, compresses HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - Florida seniors were ushered out of stifling assisted-living centers Thursday while caregivers fought a lack of air conditioning with Popsicles and cool compresses after eight people died at a nursing home in the post-hurricane heat. Dozens of the state's senior centers still lacked electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and several facilities were forced to evacuate. While detectives sought clues to the deaths, emergency workers went door to door to look for anyone else who was at risk. Fifty-seven residents were moved from a suburban Fort Lauderdale assisted-living facility without power to two nearby homes where power had been restored. Owner Ralph Marrinson said all five of his Florida facilities lost electricity after Irma. Workers scrambled to keep patients cool with emergency stocks of ice and Popsicles. "FPL has got to have a better plan for power," he said, referring to the state's largest utility, Florida Power & Light. "We're supposed to be on a priority list, and it doesn't come and it doesn't come, and frankly it's very scary." Stepped-up safety checks were conducted around the state after eight deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which shocked Florida's top leaders as they surveyed destruction from the punishing storm. ___ Trump revives debate on hate groups, then condemns them WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump on Thursday signed a resolution condemning white supremacists and hate groups, hours after reviving his assertion that there were "bad dudes" among the people who assembled to oppose a white nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. "You know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also," the president told reporters aboard Air Force once, sparking another round of criticism that the president has failed to adequately condemn hate speech. The resolution, passed by Congress earlier this week, condemns "the violence and domestic terrorist attack that took place" in Charlottesville as well as white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other hate groups. It also urges the president and his administration to "speak out against hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and white supremacy," and calls on the Justice Department and other federal agencies to "use all resources available" to address the growing prevalence of those groups. "As Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms," Trump said in a statement announcing the signing. He called on Americans to move forward "as one people" and "to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans." ___ King's forces arrest prominent Saudis in warning to critics DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - When news broke of a possible breakthrough in an impasse that has pitted Qatar against its Arab neighbors for the past three months, one of Saudi Arabia's most well-known clerics expressed his support for reconciliation in a tweet to his more than 14 million followers. "May God bring their hearts together for the good of their people," Salman al-Ouda wrote, garnering 15,000 likes, 13,000 retweets and nearly 2,000 responses. Within hours of his post Saturday, the cleric was detained, sparking the start of a crackdown in which at least 30 people have been rounded up in recent days as apparent Islamist sympathizers and critics of the crown prince, according to Saudi rights activists. Among those reportedly detained was Awad al-Qarni, another popular cleric who was banned from writing on Twitter in March on charges he spread content on social media that could jeopardize public order and provoke public opinion. The arrests have thrown an already anxious kingdom into deeper unease, raising questions about the country's steadiness amid mounting speculation that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, could soon replace his father as king. ___ Cassini spacecraft: 'Magnifying glass' at Saturn until end CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - For more than a decade, NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn took "a magnifying glass" to the enchanting planet, its moons and rings. Cassini revealed wet, exotic worlds that might harbor life: the moons Enceladus and Titan. It unveiled moonlets embedded in the rings. It also gave us front-row seats to Saturn's changing seasons and a storm so vast that it encircled the planet. "We've had an incredible 13-year journey around Saturn, returning data like a giant firehose, just flooding us with data," project scientist Linda Spilker said this week from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "Almost like we've taken a magnifying glass to the planet and the rings." Cassini was expected to send back new details about Saturn's atmosphere right up until its blazing finale on Friday. Its delicate thrusters no match for the thickening atmosphere, the spacecraft was destined to tumble out of control during its rapid plunge and burn up like a meteor in Saturn's sky. A brief look back at Cassini: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - NASA's Cassini spacecraft disintegrated in the skies above Saturn on Friday in a final, fateful blaze of cosmic glory, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. Confirmation of Cassini's expected demise came about 7:55 a.m. EDT. That's when radio signals from the spacecraft - its last scientific gifts to Earth - came to an abrupt halt. The radio waves went flat, and the spacecraft fell silent. Cassini actually burned up like a meteor 83 minutes earlier as it dove through Saturn's atmosphere, becoming one with the giant gas planet it set out in 1997 to explore. But it took that long for the news to reach Earth a billion miles away. This July 23, 2008 image made available by NASA shows the planet Saturn, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. After a 20-year voyage, Cassini is poised to dive into Saturn on Friday, Sept. 15, 2016. (NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute via AP) The only spacecraft to ever orbit Saturn, Cassini showed us the planet, its rings and moons up close in all their splendor. Perhaps most tantalizing, ocean worlds were unveiled on the moons Enceladus and Titan, which could possibly harbor life. Dutiful to the end, the Cassini snapped its last photos Thursday and sampled Saturn's atmosphere Friday morning as it made its final plunge. It was over in a minute or two. Program manager Earl Maize made the official pronouncement: "This has been an incredible mission, an incredible spacecraft and you're all an incredible team," Maize said. "I'm going to call this the end of mission." Flight controllers wearing matching purple shirts stood and embraced and shook hands. Project scientist Linda Spilker also had a purple handkerchief to wipe away tears. "It felt so much like losing a friend," she told reporters a couple of hours later. More than 1,500 people, many of them past and present team members, had gathered at California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for what was described as both a vigil and celebration. Even more congregated at nearby California Institute of Technology, which runs the lab for NASA. The spacecraft tumbled out of control while plummeting at more than 76,000 mph (122,000 kph). Project officials invited ground telescopes to look for Cassini's last-gasp flash, but weren't hopeful it would be spotted against the vast backdrop of the solar system's second largest planet. The radio link actually held on a half-minute longer than expected. "There are times in this world when things just line up, when everything is just about perfect. A child's laugh, a desert sunset and this morning. It just couldn't have been better," said Maize. "Farewell, faithful explorer." This Grand Finale, as NASA called it, came about as Cassini's fuel tank started getting low after 13 years exploring the planet. Scientists wanted to prevent Cassini from crashing into Enceladus or Titan - and contaminating those pristine worlds. And so in April, Cassini was directed into the previously unexplored gap between Saturn's cloud tops and the rings. Twenty-two times, Cassini entered the gap and came out again. The last time was last week. Cassini departed Earth in 1997 and arrived at the sixth planet from our sun in 2004. The hitchhiking European Huygens landed on big moon Titan in 2005. Nothing from Earth has landed farther. Three other spacecraft previously flew past Saturn, but Cassini was the only one to actually circle the planet. In all, Cassini collected more than 453,000 images and traveled 4.9 billion miles. It was an international endeavor, with 27 nations taking part. The final price tag was $3.9 billion. European space officials joined their U.S. colleagues to bid Cassini farewell. Seventeenth-century astronomers supplied the spacecraft names: Italy's Giovanni Domenico Cassini, who discovered four moons and the wide division in Saturn's rings, and Holland's Christiaan Huygens, who spotted the first and biggest moon, Titan. The latest count is 62 moons, six of them found by the spacecraft Cassini. There were some lighthearted touches during the morning. At one point in the broadcast, NASA played a video clip of the Cassini Virtual Singers, spacecraft team members who belted out, "Tonight, tonight, we take the plunge tonight ..." to the music from "West Side Story." Parties were planned for the teams throughout the weekend, complete with Champagne. Scientists are already eager to go back and delve into the wet, wild worlds of Enceladus and Titan. Proposals are under consideration by NASA, but there's nothing official yet. In the meantime, NASA plans sometime in the 2020s to send an orbiter and lander to Europa, a moon of Jupiter believed to have a global ocean that might be compatible for life. "These (water) worlds that they found, we never knew were there, are changing how we think about life itself," said NASA's science mission director, Thomas Zurbuchen. "And so for me, that's why it's truly a civilization-scale mission, one that will stand out among other missions, anywhere." Julie Webster, spacecraft operations manager for Cassini, said she's been blasting the Moody Blues' "Your Wildest Dreams" in her car the last few days. "This has truly been beyond my wildest dreams." ___ Online: NASA: https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/ Flight director Julie Webster reacts in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory after confirmation of Cassini's demise Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena , Calif. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) This Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 image taken using the CL1 and RED filters and made available Thursday by NASA shows Saturn's rings, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn is closing in on its fiery finish, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. Cassini is on course to plunge through Saturn's atmosphere and vaporize like a meteor Friday morning. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP) This May 4, 2014 image made available by NASA shows the persistent hexagonal cloud pattern on Saturn's north pole, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. The hexagon is similar to Earth's polar vortex, which has winds blowing in a circular pattern around the polar region, and is nearly 25,000 kilometers (15,000 miles) across. Nearly four Earths could fit inside it. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP) Engineer Mar Vaquero monitors the status of NASA's Cassini spacecraft as it enters the atmosphere of Saturn in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) This image made available by NASA shows the moon Enceladus and the edge of Saturn as seen from the Cassini spacecraft on its descent towards the planet on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. The probe disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, after a journey of 20 years. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP) This Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017 image taken using the CL1 and RED filters and made available Thursday by NASA shows Saturn's moon Titan, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn is closing in on its fiery finish, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. Cassini is on course to plunge through Saturn's atmosphere and vaporize like a meteor Friday morning. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP) This Feb. 17, 2005 image made available by NASA shows plumes of water ice and vapor from the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The activity is understood to originate from the moon's subsurface ocean of salty liquid water, which is venting into space. (NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute via AP) This May 21, 2015 image made available by NASA shows Saturn's moon Dione crossing the face of the gas giant, in a phenomenon astronomers call a transit. Transits play an important role in astronomy and can be used to study the orbits of planets and their atmospheres, both in our solar system and in others. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP) This July 19, 2013 image made available by NASA shows Saturn's rings and planet Earth, center right, as seen from the Cassini spacecraft. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute via AP) Flight director Julie Webster gets emotional in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory after confirmation of Cassini's demise Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) Engineer Nancy Vandermay, left, wipes her tears in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory after confirmation of Cassini's demise Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena , Calif. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) IO manager Luis Morales monitors the status of NASA's Cassini spacecraft in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) In this Oct. 31, 1996 photo made available by NASA, the newly assembled Cassini Saturn probe undergoes vibration and thermal testing at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory facilities in Pasadena, Calif. It was subjected to weeks of "shake and bake" tests that imitate the forces and extreme temperatures the spacecraft would experience during launch and spaceflight. (NASA via AP) Project manager Earl Maize, center, shakes hands with Bill Heventhal in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. after confirmation of Cassini's demise. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) WASHINGTON (AP) - The fate of 800,000 young immigrants hung in the balance as top lawmakers, White House officials and President Donald Trump himself squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them - and if so, exactly what it was. In the face of an intense backlash from conservatives inside the Capitol and out, Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP House members adamantly insisted that there was no agreement to enshrine protections for the immigrants brought to America as children and now here illegally. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, put it this way: There was "a deal to make a deal." President Donald Trump answers a question from the media as he arrives at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Washington. Trump is returning from Florida after viewing damage from Hurricane Irma. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Trump himself said he was "fairly close" to an agreement that could protect the young "Dreamers" while also adding border security, as long as his long-promised wall with Mexico was also separately addressed. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer - whose dinner with Trump Wednesday night was at the heart of Thursday's controversy - insisted there was discussion and even agreement on legislation that would offer eventual citizenship to the immigrants in question. "We agreed it would be the DREAM Act," Schumer told reporters, referring to a bipartisan bill that would allow immigrants brought here as children and now in the U.S. illegally to work their way to citizenship in as little as five years if they meet certain requirements. But one person familiar with the meeting said the president had agreed not to the DREAM Act, but to narrower legislation that would make permanent the protections offered by President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. What was clear was that the outcome for the "Dreamers" themselves was still unresolved and subject to much further debate and negotiation - and that the politics of immigration, which has defeated Congress for years, remained as tricky and explosive as ever. After winning the White House on a campaign that was remarkably harsh toward immigrants and revolved around construction of an enormous wall along the entire border with Mexico, Trump's sudden pivot infuriated some of his closest allies, and seemed to contain more potential to alienate his base than any of his other unconventional moves. "He was so explicit during the campaign on the issue of the border wall and border security that if he were to backtrack on that promise I don't think he'd have a single friend left in the country. Democrats aren't going to support him and he would lose the entire Republican base," said GOP Rep. Tom McClintock of California. "This was a core explicit and graphically clear promise he made to the American people." "At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached?" conservative commentator Ann Coulter remarked over Twitter. Administration officials quickly recognized the danger in the backlash, and the White House shifted into damage control mode, with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denying a deal had been struck or the wall excluded from it. Some also wondered aloud on Thursday whether the president was aware of the minutiae of the DREAM Act legislation discussed on Wednesday, including the fact that it includes an eventual path to citizenship. "We're not looking at citizenship, we're not looking at amnesty. We're looking at allowing people to stay here," Trump told reporters as he traveled to view hurricane damage in Florida. "But very importantly, what we want: We have to have a wall," Trump said. "If we don't have a wall, we're doing nothing." Despite Trump's denial, two people briefed on Wednesday night's proceedings said that citizenship was explicitly mentioned when Democrats raised the DREAM Act. Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, who was among the group dining on Chinese food (a Schumer favorite) in the White House Blue Room, spoke up to say that the bill does include a pathway to citizenship, according to the people briefed, who spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose the private proceedings. Another person familiar with the meeting said that as the president and Schumer were going back and forth, hashing out the confines of the agreement, the president kept referencing DACA, while Schumer kept talking about the DREAM Act. After Mulvaney piped in to make clear the distinction, the president signaled he understood the difference and was talking about DACA, the person said. Exactly what Trump and Schumer agreed to is unclear. But the posture struck by Ryan and others on Capitol Hill seemed designed to protect the president from a backlash from his conservative base. Ryan energetically disputed the idea that any deal had been struck, though his argument seemed to turn largely on semantic distinctions. "These were discussions not negotiations, there isn't an agreement," Ryan said. "The president wasn't negotiating a deal last night. The president was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspective. I think the president understands that he's going to have to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution." For their part, immigrant advocates and Latino lawmakers reacted cautiously, with several saying that any celebration would be premature. Many immigrants have been consumed by worry since Trump announced last week that he was ending DACA, which has granted temporary work permits and deportation relief to hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought here as minors. In New York, Martin Batalla Vidal, who came to the U.S. with his parents when he was 7, said he's taken college classes, does "meaningful" nursing home work and pays taxes. He spoke at a rally by civil rights groups. Trump gave Congress six months to come up with a solution before the protections would end, although what he would actually do absent congressional action is uncertain. Despite promising to end DACA on Day One of his administration, Trump has struggled openly with the question of what to do about this sympathetic group of young immigrants. Trump has appeared to enjoy his newfound luster as a bipartisan dealmaker since a disaster-and-debt deal he struck with Pelosi and Schumer last week stunned Washington and garnered a stack of positive headlines. Schumer, too, clearly relishes the dealmaking; he was caught on a live microphone on the Senate floor Thursday gleefully telling Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.: "He likes us! He likes me, anyway." ___ Associated Press writers Catherine Lucey, Jonathan Lemire, Kevin Freking, Andrew Taylor, Alan Fram and Matthew Daly contributed. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., meets with reporters on the morning after she and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer met with President Donald Trump seeking a legislative solution tto the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Martin Batalla Vidal, front left, listen as Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, front right, address a coalition rally of legal and civil rights groups going to court to challenge President Trump's planned phase out of a program shielding young immigrants from deportation, Thursday Sept. 14, 2017, in New York. The court will hold hearings on a lawsuit brought last year on behalf of Vidal, who came to the U.S. from Mexico with his parents when he was 7. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaks at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, where he said President Donald Trump is still seeking a legislative solution to replace to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., walks to the chamber before votes, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday morning, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) News / Education by Moyo Roy Donation guide for those in: Jabulisa Development Project is collecting cash donations to sponsor Jabulisa School Project. Well wishers in the diaspora can use GoFundme ( Click Here ) to donate cash while those in Zimbabwe can also use GoFundme ( Click Here ) or Ecocash [Number: 0777354628. Name: Joburg Dube]. Note: Donations are received directly by coordinators of the project not this publication. Following efforts by residents of Inzula villages in Nkayi, north of Bulawayo, to built their first community secondary school, there are appeals to help them continue the good work and build another block.Some fundraising efforts have already begun and by 14 September 2017, 62 bags of cement had been delivered to the school to begin construction of a third block.The villagers started Jabulisa School Project in 2014 because the other secondary schools in the area were too far away for their children. This was causing some children to abandon education altogether soon after completing secondary education.Jabulisa Secondary currently has about 200 pupils enrolled from forms one to four. During their spare time, pupils have assisted in the construction.In 2016 the school managed to obtain a 13 percent Ordinary Level pass rate, following its first exams since the school project begun.There will be more fundraising efforts at the end of the month. Below is a guide for donations but donors are invited to give what they can.SA and rest of Africa - R100 or equivalentZimbabwe - $5Overseas - $100 or equivalent----------------- The U.S. is tipped to get its first-ever 'dark sky reserve' with an area of central Idaho protected for its quality of starry nights. The blacked-out zone would fill a chunk of the state's sparsely populated region that contains night skies so pristine that interstellar dust clouds are visible in the Milky Way. The International Dark-Sky Association says the region is one of the few places remaining in the contiguous United States large enough and dark enough to attain reserve status. This June 4, 2016 photo provided by Nils Ribi Photography shows the Milky Way in the night sky at the foot of the Boulder Mountains in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho Nearby towns, county and federal officials and a conservation group are working to submit an application this fall to designate 1,400 square miles as a reserve, but they'll have to limit light pollution. Researchers say 80 per cent of North Americans live in areas where light pollution blots out the night sky. Reserves are designated by the international body if they meet standards for night sky quality and natural darkness. America's first International Dark Sky Reserve will fill a chuck of the sparsely populated region containing night skies so pristine that interstellar dust clouds are visible in the Milky Way CERTIFIED DARK SKY RESERVES Aoraki Mackenzie - New Zealand Brecon Beacons National Park - Wales Exmoor National Park - England Kerry - Ireland Mont-Megantic - Quebec Moore's Reserve - South Downs, England NamibRand Nature Reserve - Namibia Pic du Midi - France Rhon - Germany Snowdonia National Park - Wales Westhavelland - Germany Advertisement Regular visitation by the public is essential to meet the goals of the 'dark sky places program'. This means the area must be accessible to the public at nighttime, with or without supervision. There must also be four events held on the site throughout the year, to promote the the night sky for educational purposes. The Idaho area joins three national parks in the UK with its status as an international dark sky reserve. Others reserves can be found in areas including the Pic du Midi mountain in France and the rural Rhon district of Germany. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The father suspected of killing his three children in California has been interviewed by investigators, though they still aren't offering a motive for the slayings, authorities said Friday. Investigators talked with Robert William Hodges, 32, after he was found near midnight Thursday parked about seven miles from the apartment where police found the three children following a domestic violence call. Police previously said Hodges was 33. "I don't know what they gleaned from that interview. I don't know what the motive was," said West Sacramento police Sgt. Roger Kinney. Candles and stuff animals of a makeshift memorial sit outside an apartment Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, where three children were killed, in West Sacramento, Calif. The children are killed around 9 p.m. Wednesday, and their father Robert Hodges, 33, has been arrested in the deaths that followed a domestic violence altercation with his wife. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Hodges is being held for arraignment Monday on suspicion of three counts of murder in the slayings of 11-year-old Kelvin Hodges, 9-year-old Julie Hodges and Lucas Hodges, nearly eight months. A message left at a telephone number linked to Hodges' parents was not returned. Authorities said he does not yet appear to have a lawyer. Yolo County Chief Deputy Coroner Gina Moya said more tests are needed before authorities can say how the children died. Hodges also is being held on suspicion of attempted murder in the assault on his wife, Mai Hodges. "She didn't go to a hospital but what he did to her was significant enough that it did merit a charge of attempted murder from our investigators," Kinney said. Mai Hodges' sister, Lyang Xvang, said the family was not aware of any problems between the couple. "They love each other very much," Xvang said. "I just don't understand how he made this choice." Mai Hodges is talking with investigators as she is able, Kinney said. "I'm sure she's going through a rollercoaster of emotions, so we're getting what we can out of her as she's able to communicate," he said. ___ Rodriguez reported from San Francisco. In this photo released Thursday Sept. 14, 2017, by the Yolo County, Calif., Jail is Robert Hodges. Three children were killed inside a California apartment and their father has been arrested in the deaths that followed a domestic violence altercation with his wife, authorities said Thursday. California Highway Patrol officers arrested Robert Hodges, 33, on Interstate 80 in Sacramento. (Yolo County Jail via AP) Simon Morales lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside an apartment Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, where three children were killed, in West Sacramento, Calif. The children were killed Wednesday evening, and their father Robert Hodges has been arrested in the deaths that followed a domestic violence altercation with his wife. Morales said that one of his children attended class with one of the victims. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Kristina Moorer pauses after placing three candles at a makeshift memorial outside an apartment Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, where three children were killed, in West Sacramento, Calif. The children are killed around 9 p.m. Wednesday, and their father Robert Hodges, 33, has been arrested in the deaths that followed a domestic violence altercation with his wife. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Kristina Moorer lights a candle at a makeshift memorial outside an apartment Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, where three children were killed, in West Sacramento, Calif. The children are killed around 9 p.m. Wednesday, and their father Robert Hodges, 33, has been arrested in the deaths that followed a domestic violence altercation with his wife. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) BERLIN (AP) - Qatar's ruling emir met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday on his first trip abroad since a diplomatic crisis erupted between the tiny Gulf nation and its neighbors, and the German leader voiced "great concern" that no end to the conflict is in sight. Merkel, addressing reporters alongside the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said she hoped dialogue could lead to "fair compromises." "It's cause for great concern that after 100 days a solution to this conflict is still not in sight," she said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, left, address the media during a joint news conference as part of a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar in June over its close relations with Iran and its alleged support for extremists. Qatar denies supporting extremism, saying the crisis is politically motivated. In Berlin, the emir reiterated that his country is open to negotiations with its neighbors, saying through a translator that "Qatar is prepared to take a seat at the table to solve this problem." He also said that fighting terrorism "is a big priority for us and we have to concentrate on the roots of terrorism." Germany has been supporting diplomatic efforts to try and defuse the crisis. Its foreign minister has said the country's intelligence service would play a role in clearing up accusations that Qatar supports terrorist groups. Following the meetings with Merkel, the emir was to fly to Paris for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. On the first stop, the emir met Thursday night in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who's been a major supporter of his country during the three-month-old conflict. Turkey has shown solidarity with Doha by delivering food and other supplies and boosting military ties, including sending troops to a Turkish base there. Among demands the Arab nations made of Qatar in June is for all Turkish troops in the country to be expelled. Other demands include limiting diplomatic ties to Iran, shutting down the state-funded Al-Jazeera satellite news network and other media outlets and severing ties to all "terrorist organizations," including the Muslim Brotherhood and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Qatar has rejected the demands as violations of its sovereignty. In Ankara, the two leaders "stressed the need for a resolution through diplomatic means" to the crisis, according to Erdogan's office. "We support a resolution of the crisis through a brotherly manner and through dialogue," Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman, told reporters. "This crisis only serves the enemies of this region." But as the emir was in Ankara calling for dialogue, a Qatari exile held a conference in London that explored the possibility of a "bloodless coup" overthrowing the government in Doha. The conference was organized by Khalid al-Hail. Analysts and experts have suggested al-Hail is supported by the Arab countries now boycotting Qatar, something he denies. "We have a crisis, the government of Qatar has to admit it," al-Hail said. "And I don't believe the current regime in Qatar is acting for the good of my people." _____ Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara contributed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, left, address the media during a joint news conference after a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, right, shake hands after a joint news conference as part of a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) TUMBRU, Bangladesh (AP) - The Latest on the violence in Myanmar and the exodus of Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh (all times local): 6 p.m. A German magazine says two journalists from Myanmar who were covering the flight of ethnic Rohingya to Bangladesh have been detained by Bangladeshi police for the past week. Rohingya Muslims, who crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, walk towards a refugee camp in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border Thursday in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) GEO magazine said photographer Minzayar Oo and his assistant, Hkun Lat, have been denied bail since being detained on Sept. 7. Cox's Bazar police chief Ranajit Barua confirmed the arrests and said the two had violated immigration rules by entering Bangladesh on tourist visas and working as journalists. He described them as acting against Bangladesh's interests and said they face up to seven years in jail if found guilty. GEO said its editorial board was deeply concerned about the two journalists' continued detention. It said Minzayar Oo is an award-winning photographer whose work has been published widely. Nearly 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar to Bangladesh in the past three weeks. ___ 3:35 p.m. The U.N. children's agency is estimating that 240,000 children have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into neighboring Bangladesh over the last three weeks. UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado says that figure - amounting to about 60 percent of the estimated 391,000 total refugees - includes about 36,000 children aged under 1 year old. She says the agency also estimates 52,000 pregnant and lactating women. Mercado says that includes an estimated 1,100 unaccompanied minors who had crossed over the past week. She spoke at a regular briefing in Geneva on Friday that included comments from many U.N. agencies that were addressing the crisis in Bangladesh. Mercado says: "As everybody here is going to tell you, the needs are seemingly endless and the suffering is deepening." Chris Lom, Asia-Pacific spokesman for the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration, said by phone in the briefing that the figures amounted to rough estimates, adding "there's not somebody with a clipboard registering them" as the people cross the border. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Somali refugee Asho Manangara Ibrahim has a dream. She wants to educate herself and her children in the United States. For 10 years she went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally she was cleared to travel to the United States. But Ibrahim's hopes have been dashed. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. The court agreed to an administration request to block a lower court ruling that would have eased the ban on refugees and allowed up to 24,000 refugees to enter the country before the end of October. Ibrahim, a 30-year-old mother of four children, escaped war-torn Somalia in 2007 after three men forced their way into her house and assaulted her. In this photo taken Monday, July 31, 2017, Somali refugee and mother of four Asho Manangara Ibrahim, 30, holds her son Juuma Maday Jeylani, 1, left, as she stands with her daughters Maryan Maday Jeylani, 6, center, Maka Abdiwahab Mohamed, 12, 2nd right, and Halima Alwahab Mohamed, 10, right, in their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years Ibrahim went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now her hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) She trekked for three days with her 2-year-old daughter to reach the sprawling Dadaab refugee camp in neighboring Kenya where she stayed for three years. She was relocated to Kakuma refugee camp where she learned that she could apply to be resettled in a third country. By the time she was cleared to travel to the U.S. on July 19, she had three other children from a second marriage. After years of patiently waiting to be resettled, the news that she may not be allowed into the U.S. because of the Trump administration restrictions has devastated her. "I feel shocked. I forget things now," she told The Associated Press last month through an interpreter. She and her three daughters and small son pass their days in a makeshift home of mud walls, sticks and battered sheets. The children sit on woven plastic rugs covering a cracked-earth floor amid the barest of possessions: plastic water jugs, metal basins, a simple stove. Ibrahim is one of about 500 people among the hundreds of thousands in Kenyan refugee camps who are ready for resettlement in the U.S. but are now stranded, said Jennifer Sime, senior vice president with the International Rescue Committee, an organization that helps resettlements. The fear and rhetoric that refugees are a security threat or terrorists looking to infiltrate the U.S. are unfounded, Sime said. "The probability of dying from an act of terrorism committed by a refugee is unbelievably low. Refugees have not perpetrated terrorist acts," she said. The chance of being murdered in a terrorist attack committed by a refugee is one in 3.64 billion a year, she added, citing 2016 figures from the Cato Institute. Globally about 45,000 refugees have been approved for resettlement in the U.S. and 2,000 are ready to board planes but this has been put on hold, Sime said. Many gave away their hard-earned belongings to start a new life, she said. Tuesday's court order was not the last word on the travel policy that President Donald Trump rolled out in January. The Supreme Court justices are scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 10 on the legality of the bans on refugees anywhere in the world and on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries. It's unclear, though, what will be left for the court to decide. The 90-day travel ban lapses in late September and the 120-day refugee ban will expire a month later. The Trump administration has yet to say whether it will seek to renew the bans, make them permanent or expand the travel ban to other countries. For now Ibrahim, like many in limbo, must wait to see if her American dream of education for her family will become a reality. In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, Somali refugee girls Maryan Maday Jeylani, 6, left, Halima Alwahab Mohamed, 10, center, and Maka Abdiwahab Mohamed, 12, right, are seen in their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years their mother went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now their hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, Somali refugee and mother of four Asho Manangara Ibrahim, 30, dresses her one-year-old son Juuma Maday Jeylani, in front of their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years Ibrahim went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now her hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) In this photo taken Monday, July 31, 2017, Somali refugee and mother of four Asho Manangara Ibrahim, 30, center, sits with her children Maryan Maday Jeylani, 6, left, Maka Abdiwahab Mohamed, 12, 2nd right, holding in her arms her brother Juuma Maday Jeylani, 1, and Halima Alwahab Mohamed, 10, lying down at right, in their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years Ibrahim went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now her hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) In this photo taken Monday, July 31, 2017, Somali refugee and mother of four Asho Manangara Ibrahim, 30, center, holds her son Juuma Maday Jeylani, 1, as she stands with her daughters Maryan Maday Jeylani, 6, 2nd right, Maka Abdiwahab Mohamed, 12, left, and Halima Alwahab Mohamed, 10, right, in front of their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years Ibrahim went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now her hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) In this photo taken Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017, Somali refugee girls Maryan Maday Jeylani, 6, left, Halima Alwahab Mohamed, 10, center, and Maka Abdiwahab Mohamed, 12, right, eat lunch in their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years their mother went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now their hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) In this photo taken Monday, July 31, 2017, Somali refugee and mother of four Asho Manangara Ibrahim, 30, holds her one-year-old son Juuma Maday Jeylani, by the doorway of their home at Kakuma Refugee Camp in northern Kenya. For 10 years Ibrahim went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally was cleared to travel to the United States, but now her hopes have been dashed after the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. (Kellie Ryan/International Rescue Committee via AP) LONDON (AP) - An explosion on a carriage in a subway train in southwest London injured several people Friday while a knife-wielding assailant tried to attack a soldier in a Paris subway interchange. Both incidents are being investigated by counterterrorism authorities and are the latest attacks in Europe in recent years. Here are some of the other major ones, -Aug. 17, 2017: A van attack kills 14 people in Barcelona, while another person was stabbed to death by the attacker as he fled. Another attack in nearby Cambrils a day later leaves one dead. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group. -June 19, 2017: A British man who had reportedly made anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim remarks drives into a crowd of worshippers outside a London mosque. One person dies and nine others are wounded. -June 3, 2017: Three Islamic extremists drive into a crowd of pedestrians on London Bridge and then go on a knife rampage in nearby Borough Market, killing eight people and wounding dozens of others. -May 22, 2017: A suicide bomber kills 22 people and injures dozens during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in northern England. -April 7, 2017: A man driving a hijacked beer truck hits pedestrians at a Stockholm department store, killing four. -March 22, 2017: A man drives his rented SUV into pedestrians at London's Westminster Bridge, killing four, before stabbing a police officer to death. -Dec. 19, 2016: A hijacked truck plows through a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12. -July 14, 2016: A truck driver targets Bastille Day revelers in Nice, killing 86. -March 22, 2016: Suicide attacks on the Brussels airport and subway kill 32 and injure hundreds. The perpetrators have been closely linked to the group that carried out earlier attacks in Paris. - Nov. 13, 2015: Islamic State-linked extremists attack the Bataclan concert hall and other sites across Paris, killing 130 people. - Feb. 14, 2015: A gunman kills Danish filmmaker Finn Noergaard and wounds three police officers in Copenhagen. A day later the gunman, Omar El-Hussein, attacks a synagogue, killing a Jewish guard and wounding two police officers before being shot dead. - Jan. 7-9, 2015: A gun assault on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and an attack on a kosher grocery store kill 17 people. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for the attack, saying it was in revenge for Charlie Hebdo's depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. - May 24, 2014: Four people are killed at the Jewish Museum in Brussels by an intruder with a Kalashnikov. The accused is a former French fighter linked to the Islamic State group in Syria. - May 22, 2013: Two al-Qaida-inspired extremists run down British soldier Lee Rigby in a London street, then stab and hack him to death. - March 2012: A gunman claiming links to al-Qaida kills three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers in Toulouse, southern France. - July 22, 2011: Anti-Muslim extremist Anders Behring Breivik plants a bomb in Oslo then launches a shooting massacre on a youth camp on Norway's Utoya island, killing 77 people, many of them teenagers. - Nov. 2, 2011: The offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris are firebombed after the satirical magazine runs a cover featuring a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad. No one is injured. - March 2, 2011: Islamic extremist Arid Uka shoots dead two U.S. airmen and injures two others at Frankfurt airport after apparently being inspired by a fake internet video purporting to show American atrocities in Afghanistan. - July 7, 2005: Fifty-two commuters are killed in London when four al Qaida-inspired suicide bombers blow themselves up on three subway trains and a bus. - March 11, 2004: Bombs on four Madrid commuter trains in the morning rush hour kill 191 people. ROME (AP) - The number of chronically hungry people in the world is on the rise again after a decade of declines, the United Nations reported Friday, citing intensifying conflicts, floods and droughts. In an annual report on the state of food security, the U.N. said 815 million people were chronically undernourished last year, 38 million more than the previous year. While the number is still below the 900 million hungry people registered in 2000, the U.N. warned that the increase "is cause for great concern." Sixty percent of the world's chronically hungry people were in areas experiencing man-made conflict. "This is a shame. This is an indictment of humanity," said the head of the World Food Program, David Beasley. The U.N. has said some 20 million people face possible famine in parts of South Sudan, northeast Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen. Overall, 11 percent of the world's population was hungry last year. The heads of major U.N. agencies warned that without concerted action, the ambitious goal set by world governments to end hunger and prevent malnutrition by 2030 will not be reached. "This has set off alarm bells we cannot afford to ignore," the U.N. leaders said. While the report blamed conflicts as the main driver of food insecurity, hunger is worsened when conflict areas are also affected by climate-related problems such as droughts and floods linked in part to the El Nino phenomenon. And while malnutrition statistics are often seen as evidence of food scarcity, the U.N. noted that there are several types of undernourishment, including obesity. In fact, the U.N. registered more overweight and obese children in most regions of the world and in all regions for adults. In 2016, the report said, 41 million children who were under age 5 were overweight. BERLIN (AP) - Germany's justice minister has criticized a nationalist party's leader for saying the country has a right to be "proud of German soldiers' achievements in two world wars." Polls indicate the anti-migration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, will enter parliament in a Sept. 24 election. Comments by prominent members have repeatedly caused controversy - in the latest case, a video of a Sept. 2 speech in which co-leader Alexander Gauland said no other country has faced up to past crimes the way Germany has and the Nazi years "today don't affect our identity anymore." Justice Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter Friday that "anyone who talks this way must stand accused of being a right-wing extremist." He added that "the radical right-wing face of AfD is showing itself increasingly openly." WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump and the London subway incident (all times local): 10 a.m. President Donald Trump is calling the explosion in London a "terrible thing." In this aerial image made from video, police officers work at the Parsons Green Underground Station after an explosion in London Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. A reported explosion at a train station sent commuters stampeding in panic, injuring several people at the height of London's morning rush hour, and police said they were investigating it as a terrorist attack. (Pool via AP) Trump told reporters Friday morning that he had been briefed on the explosion on a London train that left 22 people injured but no one seriously hurt. Police said the explosion was a terrorist attack, the fifth in Britain this year. The president said he planned to call British Prime Minister Theresa May "right now." Asked about his tweet calling for a tougher travel ban, Trump said "we have to be tougher and we have to be smarter." ___ 7:25 a.m. President Donald Trump says the United States must be "proactive" and "nasty" against the Islamic State group. On Twitter Friday Trump says: "We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years." He adds: "Must be proactive & nasty!" Trump was tweeting after a homemade bomb exploded on a packed London subway train during rush hour on Friday. The incident left 18 people injured but no one seriously hurt. Police said the explosion was a terrorist attack, the fifth in Britain this year. Trump is using the incident to defend his travel ban against six Muslim-majority countries. As a candidate, Trump often pledged to "bomb the hell out of ISIS" and vowed to enact a Muslim ban. ___ 7:10 a.m. President Donald Trump is defending his travel ban. He says it should be "tougher and more specific." On Twitter Friday Trump says: "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" Trump made the comment after tweeting about a reported explosion and fire on a subway train in London that police say was a terrorist incident. The ban affects travelers from six mostly Muslim nations and refugees anywhere in the world. ___ 7:05 a.m. President Donald Trump is calling a fire at a London subway station another attack "by a loser terrorist" and suggesting police there may have missed an opportunity to prevent it. He also says the government should cut off Internet access to extremist groups. Trump tweeted Friday: "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" He later added: "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Scotland Yard declined to comment on Trump's tweets. WASHINGTON (AP) - The chairman and top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee have met with Special Counsel Bob Mueller. That's according to the committee, which says they met Thursday. Mueller is investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and any possible links to President Donald Trump's campaign. Several congressional committees are also investigating, but Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia has said his panel will defer to Mueller. Goodlatte has said the panel will exercise oversight over Mueller as appropriate, and that Mueller should not be impeded by politics. Goodlatte has also called on the Justice Department to appoint a second special counsel to investigate "unaddressed issues" related to the 2016 election and former Obama administration officials, including Hillary Clinton. Democrat John Conyers of Michigan also attended the meeting. News / National by Staff reporter DUMISO Dabengwa's Zapu has endorsed the planned revival of the Ndebele monarchy, and coronation of self-imposed Ndebele King Stanley Raphael Khumalo, as King Mzilikazi II.Zapu deputy spokesperson, Iphithule Maphosa said the opposition party was of the view the police action was unconstitutional, adding there was nothing wrong with reviving the Ndebele monarchy."The action by the police is in violation of the same Constitution they are supposed to uphold and protect, which gives citizens the right to participate in the cultural life of their choice."The people of Ndebele origin must be left to exercise this right unhindered in the interest of upholding the Constitution," he said yesterday.Anti-riot police on Tuesday blocked the coronation of Khumalo as the Ndebele King without giving any reasons.The ceremony was supposed to be held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) and police had initially cleared the event.Khumalo, who calls himself the heir to the Ndebele throne and the rightful King Mzilikazi II, has vowed not to back down in his efforts to ensure the Ndebele monarchy was revived despite his recent arrest."I am God's choice by His grace and not merit or any qualification," he has said, but critics have dismissed him as an impostor.Lobengula was the last Ndebele King after a British Pioneer Column led by Cecil John Rhodes destroyed the Ndebele Kingdom in 1893.Maphosa added: "Zapu speaks to constitutional rights and provisions around the issue and as such, urges the State to allow those who identify with the culture and kingdom full rights to participate with no hindrance and interference."This is especially necessary noting that the revival does not threaten State power in any way since it is wholly ceremonial and cultural."Let us not have those who believe in suppressing sections of society hide behind the constitution, for constitutions are made for people, and people are never made for constitutions."Zanu-PF spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo on Tuesday told Southern Eye the ruling party would not involve itself in the matter. BERLIN (AP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is offering support for the French government's agenda of economic reforms. She's acknowledging that reforms aren't always easy to conduct and can take time to show results. President Emmanuel Macron wants to boost the economy by changing France's rigid labor rules to make it easier to hire and fire workers. He is facing resistance from unions and has seen his popularity fall. Merkel said after meeting French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Friday that the reform plan "is an important one that will ultimately produce good results for people in France - even if we know from our own experience that the results do not come immediately but are somewhat delayed." German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, welcomes the Prime Minister of France Edouard Philippe, right, with military honors for a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) Merkel's predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, launched a shake-up of Germany's labor and welfare systems in 2003. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, welcomes the Prime Minister of France Edouard Philippe, right, with military honors for a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, welcomes the Prime Minister of France Edouard Philippe, left, for a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) An estimated 1,000 protesters angry over the acquittal of a white police officer in the shooting death of a black suspect surrounded the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, broke two windows, and threw red paint at the residence before some 200 riot police arrived and dispersed the crowd, it was reported late Friday. Ten police officers were injured as cops moved to quell the violence, police said. It was not known if Krewson, a Democrat, was home at the time of the protest, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. At one point, protesters were able to walk up to the front door of the house and knock on it, according to the Post-Dispatch. The protesters then gathered on the lawn and began shouting toward the home before police forced them back. An estimated 1,000 protesters angry over the acquittal of a white police officer in the shooting death of a black suspect surrounded the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson The protesters broke two windows (one of them seen above) and threw red paint at the residence before some 200 riot police arrived and dispersed the crow Moments earlier, demonstrators were also seen burning American flags as they were marching through the mayor's neighborhood A protester stands on a 'blue lives matter' flag after the not guilty verdict in the murder trial Law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest action following the not guilty verdict Some 200 riot police were dispatched to the neighborhood where the mayor lives and dispersed the crowd A protester is seen above running from the police near the mayor's home A riot police officer is seen above holding a gun as protests continued well into the night Earlier on Friday, men were seen holding rifles as they walk down with a group of protesters in downtown St. Louis, after a judge found a white former St. Louis police officer, Jason Stockley, not guilty of first-degree murder in the death of a black man, Anthony Lamar Smith, who was fatally shot following a high-speed chase in 2011 Missouri is an open carry state, meaning that it is legal for those licensed to carry a firearm to do so in public Officers also used tear gas to disperse the protesters. Moments earlier, demonstrators were also seen burning American flags as they were marching through the mayor's neighborhood. It was reported that as protesters marched toward the mayor's home, they began to pull down American flags that were lining the streets. Earlier on Friday, St. Louis police said they no longer consider the protest, which began at a downtown intersection, peaceful. Cops had asked that demonstrators leave the area just hours after a judge on Friday acquitted a white police officer in the shooting death of a black man after a high-speed chase in 2011. Watch the lady wearing red in the bottom right of the screen. Police using pepper spray on protesters marching after the Stockley ruling pic.twitter.com/XF16yxDQqg FOX2now (@FOX2now) 15 September 2017 Ten police officers were injured and 13 demonstrators were arrested, the St. Louis Police Department announced Friday evening. St. Louis interim police Chief Lawrence O'Toole said nine city officers were hurt Friday along with one State Highway Patrol officer. One city officer suffered a broken jaw and another a dislocated shoulder. The police department released video footage of a number of demonstrators doing damage to a police vehicle. News footage from Fox2 TV shows riot police marching downtown and trampling over a white-haired woman. The officers are then seen stepping over the woman as she lay helplessly on the ground. A protester who tries to come to the woman's side is then met with force from the riot police, who also use pepper spray to get demonstrators to back away. Protestors demonstrate during a protest action following the not guilty verdict Vandals also smashed a window belonging to this restaurant in the city late Friday A broken window is seen at a business as protesters gather in St. Louis late Friday Hundreds of protesters marched through city streets after Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson announced Friday that white former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley was not guilty of first-degree murder in the 2011 death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith, a black suspect. Stockley, a West Point grad and Iraq war veteran, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole had he been convicted. He shot Smith five times after a high-speed chase, after he and his partner witnessed what they believed to be a drug deal behind a fried chicken restaurant on December 20, 2011. Stockley says he saw Smith holding a gun before the chase began, and that he felt he was in imminent danger when he opened fire. Prosecutors alleged that Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. The gun found in Smith's car had the officer's DNA on it, but not Smith's. Stockley (left) was aquitted on Friday in the 2011 death of Smith (right, with his daughter) Stockley is seen above apparently aiming a gun into Smith vehicle after forcing him to stop Stockley claimed that he saw Smith with a gun and feared for his life. A gun found in Smith's car after the incident only had Stockley's DNA on it. Prosecutors argued that Stockley planted the gun After shooting Smith, Stockley was seen returning to his car and rifling through a duffel bag in the back seat. He claims he was getting a clot pack for Smith, who was bleeding heavily. Prosecutors argued he was retrieving a pistol from the bag to plant in Smith's car At the time of the shooting, Stockley carried his own personal Draco AK-47 pistol in his vehicle. In his ruling, the judge noted that there was no evidence to indicate that Stockley fired the weapon Investigators on the scene after the fatal shooting As the officers sought to corner Smith, he drove away. Stockley's defense attorney, Neil Bruntrager, said the officers were nearly run over. Stockley fired at the fleeing car, then a car chase began. Police dashcam video captured Stockley saying, 'going to kill this (expletive), don't you know it,' in the midst of the chase. THE JUDGE WHO DECIDED THE CASE St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson The judge who acquitted Stockley is described as objective and well-respected by prosecutors and defense lawyers alike. St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson, who must retire when he turns 70 in December, has ruled both for and against police during his 28 years on the bench. 'He's very methodical and a very objective judge,' Jack Garvey, a lawyer and former judge told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 'He really will review everything before he makes a decision. I don't think he's ideological in any way.' People accused of crimes have the right to have their cases heard by a jury, but can opt to have the verdict rendered by a judge instead, as Stockley chose to do. Experts say a judge is more likely to understand the concept of reasonable doubt and not be swayed by emotions. Advertisement As Smith's car slowed, Stockley told his partner to slam the police SUV into it, and his partner did so. Stockley then got out of the SUV and fired five shots into Smith's car, killing him. Bruntrager said Stockley fired only after Smith refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat toward an area where a gun was found. But prosecutors said Stockley planted the gun. Testing found Stockley's DNA on the gun, but not Smith's. Stockley claimed his DNA got on the gun because he unloaded it. In his decision on Friday, Judge Timothy Wilson said he didn't buy the prosecution's story that Stockley had planted the gun. Wilson wrote that in his thirty years on the bench, 'an urban heroin dealer not in possession of a firearm would be anomaly'. Furthermore, he doesn't think that Wilson could have planted the handgun in Smith's car without being caught on video hiding it on his body on the way back to Smith's car. 'The gun was a full size revolver and not a small gun such as a Derringer, that can fit in the palm of one's hand or into the side pocket on a pair of pants without being obvious. 'Stockley was not wearing a jacket; if he had such a gun in his possession it would have been visible on the cellphone video. The gun was too large to fit entirely within any of the pockets on the pants he was wearing, there was no bulge in any pocket indicating a gun within the pocket and the gun would have been visible if it was tucked into his belt,' the judge wrote. Protesters had surrounded a police vehicle in front of the old police building near Tucker Boulevard and Clark Avenue and were damaging it with rocks. Police approached and tried to secure the vehicle and protesters threw rocks and pieces of curbing at them. Police then used pepper spray on the protesters. In a tweet, the police department said the protesters were ignoring commands and violating the law and were subject to arrest. The protests, which began during the afternoon, continued well into the evening hours Protesters tried to get on Interstate 64, but were blocked by police, and marched to police headquarters and down Tucker Boulevard Police are seen above blocking the entrance to the interstate during a mass protest One demonstrator addresses the crowd with a bullhorn while another holds up an American flag Police officers in St. Louis and St. Louis County were on 12-hour shifts, and some St. Louis schools called off classes for Friday Protest organizers huddle in the hours after the not guilty verdict was read in court A protester holds an American flag upside down during the demonstrations A law enforcement officer is seen right speaking to one of the protesters during the demonstrations Protesters march through the streets carrying a Black Lives Matter sign following the verdict A man rides a bike as police in riot gear stand watch in downtown St. Louis A protester writes 'Black Lives Matter' on the ground with a chalk during the demonstrations Members of National Park Service scuffle with protesters on the steps of the Old Courthouse after the not guilty verdict was announced Police also tweeted images of the rocks, water bottles, and pieces of concrete that were thrown at officers. It was a diverse crowd that included people of various races and ages. Lawmakers and ministers were among those who joined the protesters. Some of the protesters openly carried rifles, which is legal in Missouri. There have been no reports of any weapons being fired. Many protesters carried 'Black Lives Matter' signs. A variety of events have been canceled because of the protests, including some high school sports and a performance by the St. Louis symphony. Peter Merideth, a Democratic state lawmaker from St. Louis who joined protesters, said from what he's seen, 'the protesters have been largely absolutely nonviolent.' Merideth is white. He said, 'It's important for there to be white leaders standing here, not for our voices to be heard, but just to show support for the voices that need to be heard.' US Rep. William Lacy Clay of Missouri said he's outraged by the verdict. Clay is a Democrat who represents the St. Louis area. He said in a statement Friday that Stockley violated several police department regulations and showed a 'total disregard' for Smith. He said justice has been 'cruelly denied' for Smith, his family and the community. A protester marches with a firearm after the not guilty verdict was announced 'It is our duty to fight for our freedom,' shouts LaShell Eikerenkoetter of Jennings, Missouri A protester is doused with milk to counter the effects of pepper spray which was used by police Though the demonstrations were largely peaceful, St. Louis police later reported that violent incidents had taken place St. Louis interim police chief Lawrence O'Toole asked that people upset with the acquittal demonstrate peacefully. Protesters are seen above chanting outside the courthouse after the verdict A woman marching downtown holds up a sign that reads 'Murderers Are In Uniform' during the protests Members of National Park Service watch as protesters pass the Old Courthouse Protesters are seen above yelling at law enforcement officers on the steps of the Old Courthouse Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill and Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri both issued statements Friday expressing hope that people will come together to avoid the divisions that occurred after a white police officer killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014. And Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens acknowledged the verdict causes pain for many people but asked those who choose to protest the verdict to do so peacefully. Among the protesters was the Rev. Clinton Stancil, who is black. He's a pastor at Wayman AME Church in St. Louis. He said, 'Cops again are able to shoot our people down with impunity.' Krewson said she hopes city residents will come together despite their differences over the acquittal. Krewson said in a statement early Friday that she's praying for Smith's loved ones. She also offered prayers for police, the judge who issued the verdict and 'citizens who find no comfort, or justice.' The mayor encouraged St. Louis residents to show each other compassion and recognize that they all 'rise and fall together.' St. Louis interim police chief Lawrence O'Toole asked that people upset with the acquittal demonstrate peacefully. In a statement released shortly after the verdict, O'Toole says the department understands that emotions are running high but that the judge's verdict should be respected. O'Toole said his department's top priority is protecting and serving citizens. He said the department is committed to protecting free speech rights but is also committed to upholding the city's laws. At one point, a group of the protesters stood in front of a city bus filled with officers in riot gear, blocking it from moving forward. The bus backed up and protesters again tried to stop it, with a few throwing water bottles. The bus moved less than a block before police in riot gear began pushing back the crowd. The head of the NAACP St. Louis asked President Donald Trump and the Justice Department to immediately review Stockley's acquittal A cop and a protester stand face to face during the protests on Friday Cops are seen huddled together in St. Louis on Friday during the protests. One woman holds up her phone to record them Some of the protesters yelled at the cops, while others remained stone-faced A woman drags an American flag, considered by many to be a disrespectful act, during the protest on Friday As protesters resisted, two women told The Associated Press that police used pepper spray. Both women's faces had been doused with milk, which is used to counter the effects of pepper spray. The head of the NAACP St. Louis asked President Donald Trump and the Justice Department to immediately review Stockley's acquittal. St. Louis Public Radio reports that in a letter sent Friday, St. Louis NAACP president Adolphus Pruitt said the Justice Department needed to give immediate attention to the case 'to get to the truth of what happened and to ensure that justice has been served.' Pruitt said the community has lost faith in local authorities to fairly handle such cases. He cited the remarks from Albert Watkins, the attorney for Smith's fiancee. Watkins said ruling was 'appallingly contrary' to evidence in the case. Watkins said the family disagrees with the judge's ruling that the state didn't meet its burden of proof for a finding that the officer was guilty of murder. Watkins and Smith's fiance, Christina Wilson, on Thursday appealed for calm and non-violent protest no matter what verdict was issued. Wells Fargo Advisors, brokerage and investment firm Stifel and Nestle Purina PetCare all sent thousands of employees home Friday after the acquittal. And an Alzheimer's Walk scheduled for Saturday in downtown St. Louis was postponed. ST. LOUIS (AP) - A former St. Louis police officer was acquitted Friday in the fatal shooting of a drug suspect following a chase. Jason Stockley was charged with first-degree murder in the 2011 death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith. Testimony in the trial ended Aug. 9, but Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson weighed evidence for more than a month before ruling. Stockley and his partner sought to question Smith after observing what appeared to be a drug deal on a fast-food restaurant parking lot. Smith drove away, prompting a chase. Stockley shot into Smith's car five times after the chase. He testified Smith was moving his hand toward an area of the seat where a gun was found. But prosecutors said Stockley planted the gun. Stockley is white and Smith was black. The case is among several across the United States in recent years that have increased debate about race and policing. Here are some other high-profile deaths of blacks during police encounters: ___ FREDDIE GRAY The U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday it won't bring federal civil rights charges against six Baltimore officers involved in the arrest and in-custody death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man whose death touched off weeks of protests. Gray was shackled but alive when he was put in a Baltimore police van in April 2015. He came out with severe neck injuries. Six officers were charged initially, but prosecutors in July 2016 dropped all remaining charges after acquittals and a hung jury. Gray's family agreed to a $6.4 million settlement with the city in September 2015. ___ LAQUAN MCDONALD Chicago officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in November 2015, on the same day that the city, under a judge's orders, released dashcam video showing 17-year-old McDonald being shot 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014. Van Dyke, who is white, has pleaded not guilty. The Justice Department determined in January that Chicago police have a long history of civil rights violations and excessive force. A Cook County grand jury looking into allegations of a cover up is weighing further indictments in the case, the Chicago Sun Times reported in August. ___ KEITH LAMONT SCOTT A split review board announced in August that it won't challenge a police department's finding that its officer was justified in the fatal shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2016. The board split 4-4 after reviewing the internal police probe. The board will issue confidential recommendations for policy changes. The shooting provoked several days of unrest, resulting in a death, dozens of arrests and millions of dollars in damage. ___ SAM DUBOSE A judge in July dismissed charges against Ray Tensing, a white former University of Cincinnati officer who fatally shot Sam DuBose, an unarmed black motorist, during a 2015 traffic stop. The judge's decision came after a prosecutor declined to pursue a third murder trial; the first two ended in hung juries. Tensing has said he feared he could be dragged or run over as DuBose tried to drive away. The university fired Tensing, restructured its public safety department and reached a $5.3 million settlement that includes free undergraduate tuition for DuBose's 13 children. ___ SYLVILLE SMITH A jury in June acquitted former Milwaukee officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown, who is black, of first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Sylville Smith in 2016 a decision that ignited riots. Smith was shot following a traffic stop. Police say Smith ran away holding a gun. Prosecutors say Smith fell and Heaggan-Brown shot him once in the arm as he was getting up, still holding the weapon while facing the officer. They say Heaggan-Brown's second shot came after Smith had thrown his gun over a fence. Heaggan-Brown, 25, said he thought Smith was reaching for another gun in his waistband when he fired again. ___ PHILANDO CASTILE St. Anthony, Minnesota, officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted of manslaughter in June in the fatal shooting of Philando Castile, a black motorist who had just informed the officer that he was carrying a gun. The case in suburban St. Paul garnered immediate attention because Castile's girlfriend streamed the aftermath live on Facebook. Yanez testified that Castile was pulling his gun out of his pocket despite his commands not to do so. ___ JORDAN EDWARDS Roy Oliver, a white police officer in suburban Dallas, was fired and is charged with murder in the fatal shooting in April of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards. The U.S. Department of Justice also is investigating. Oliver fired a rifle at a car full of teenagers leaving a party, striking Edwards, who was a passenger in the vehicle. Balch Springs, Texas, police had originally said the vehicle was reversing "in an aggressive manner" toward officers, but Police Chief Jonathan Haber later said video taken at the scene proved the vehicle was actually driving away. Oliver is free on bond. ___ TERENCE CRUTCHER An Oklahoma jury in May found white Tulsa police officer Betty Jo Shelby not guilty of first-degree manslaughter in the 2016 death of Terence Crutcher, 40, who was shot shortly after Shelby arrived to find Crutcher's SUV stopped in the middle of the road. Shelby testified that she was afraid because Crutcher didn't obey her commands and appeared to reach inside his vehicle. Prosecutors told jurors that Shelby overreacted, noting that videos from a patrol car dashboard and a police helicopter showed Crutcher had his hands in the air and did not have a weapon. ___ ALTON STERLING Federal prosecutors announced in May they would not seek charges against two white police officers who were involved in a deadly encounter with Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, last summer. Sterling, 37, was shot to death on July 5, 2016, as the officers pinned him to the pavement outside a convenience store where he had been selling CDs. The killing was captured on cellphone video and circulated widely online, sparking demonstrations across Baton Rouge. U.S. Attorney Corey Amundson said Sterling was armed during the confrontation and the investigation didn't find enough evidence to pursue charges. State authorities are investigating whether to bring charges. ___ JAMAR CLARK Jamar Clark's November 2015 shooting death sparked weeks of protests in Minneapolis. Two white officers, Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze, were trying to arrest the 24-year-old when he was shot once in the head. He died a day later. Some witnesses said Clark was handcuffed when he was shot, but federal and state probes concluded that he was not. Investigators said Ringgenberg felt Clark's hand trying to grab his weapon and shouted to Schwarze, who then shot Clark. Prosecutors decided not to charge either officer, and an internal police investigation cleared them. ___ JEREMY MCDOLE Jeremy McDole, 28, was sitting in his wheelchair when he was shot and killed in September 2015 in Wilmington, Delaware, after police received a 911 call about a man with a gun. A bystander's cellphone footage showed officers repeatedly telling McDole to drop his weapon and raise his hands, with McDole reaching for his waist area before shots erupted. The Delaware attorney general's office decided not to criminally charge four Wilmington police officers involved. A federal judge approved the city's $1.5 million settlement with McDole's family. ___ WILLIAM CHAPMAN II Former Portsmouth, Virginia, police officer Stephen Rankin was sentenced last October to 2 years in prison for fatally shooting William Chapman II while responding to a shoplifting call outside a Wal-Mart on April 22, 2015. Prosecutors allege Rankin killed the unarmed 18-year-old "willfully, deliberately and with premeditation." Some witnesses said Chapman was combative, and one said he knocked away Rankin's stun gun. Rankin, who is white, was fired. ___ WALTER SCOTT Prosecutors are recommending decades in prison for white South Carolina police officer Michael Slager, who shot Walter Scott in the back as the motorist fled following a traffic stop. Slager pleaded guilty on May 2 to a federal charge of violating Scott's civil rights. A judge will determine his sentence, which could range from probation to life in prison without parole. Scott's shooting in April 2015 was captured on cellphone video and seen worldwide. ___ ERIC HARRIS Former Tulsa County volunteer sheriff's deputy Robert Bates, 74, was sentenced in 2016 to four years in prison for second-degree manslaughter in the April 2015 death of Eric Harris, 44, who was unarmed and restrained. Bates, who is white, has said he confused his stun gun with his handgun. That shooting led to the temporary suspension of the reserve deputy program after a report found poor training of the volunteer officers, a lack of oversight, and cronyism. Bates is appealing his conviction. ___ TAMIR RICE Tamir Rice, 12, was fatally shot by a white Cleveland police officer in a recreational area in November 2014. Officers were responding to a report of a man waving a gun. The boy had a pellet gun tucked in his waistband and was shot after the officers' cruiser skidded to a stop, just feet away. A grand jury in December 2015 declined to indict patrolman Timothy Loehmann, who fired the fatal shot, and training officer Frank Garmback. The city settled Rice's family's lawsuit for $6 million. Cleveland in May fired Loehmann and suspended Garmback for 10 days. The officers' union called the discipline politically motivated. ___ AKAI GURLEY Rookie New York City police officer Peter Liang was convicted of manslaughter last year in the November 2014 death of 28-year-old Akai Gurley. Liang, an American of Chinese descent, said he was patrolling a public housing high-rise with his gun drawn when a sound startled him and he fired accidentally. A bullet ricocheted off a wall, hitting Gurley. A judge reduced the conviction to negligent homicide and sentenced Liang to five years' probation and 800 hours of community service. The city settled with Gurley's family for $4.1 million. ___ MICHAEL BROWN Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, was fatally shot by a white officer, Darren Wilson, in August 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. A grand jury declined to indict Wilson, and the U.S. Justice Department opted against civil rights charges. Wilson later resigned. The death of Brown led to months of occasionally violent protests and became a catalyst for the Black Lives Matter movement, which rebukes police treatment of minorities. ___ JOHN CRAWFORD III Police in the Dayton, Ohio, suburb of Beavercreek responded to a Wal-Mart store in August 2014 on a call of a man waving an apparent rifle. A white officer fatally shot John Crawford III, 22, who was carrying what turned out to be an air rifle from a store shelf. Police said they believed it was a real gun and that he didn't respond to their commands to put it down. A grand jury declined to indict the officers. The U.S. Justice Department said it was reviewing the case, and an attorney for Crawford's family has filed a federal lawsuit. ___ ERIC GARNER Eric Garner, 43, died in July 2014 in New York City after a white officer placed him in a chokehold during an arrest for selling loose cigarettes. A grand jury declined to indict that officer, or any others involved in the arrest. The city agreed to pay a $6 million civil settlement. ___ REKIA BOYD Chicago police officer Dante Servin resigned in May 2016 after the police superintendent said he should be fired for killing Rekia Boyd four years earlier. Servin was off duty when he shot the 22-year-old unarmed woman. She had been walking down a street with her friends when he told them to be quiet, and he fired when he thought he saw a gun. Prosecutors charged Servin with involuntary manslaughter; a judge acquitted him in April 2016, saying he'd been improperly charged. The city settled a wrongful-death lawsuit in 2013 with Boyd's family for $4.5 million. RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - The cremated remains of a homicide victim kept at a South Dakota funeral home for 40 years are being taken to relatives in England. Wade Wilson, who owns Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home in Rapid City, says a local pastor making a trip to England in November will take Lena White Hat's ashes to her relatives there. White Hat was killed in Rapid Valley in 1977. She had no relatives in the U.S. Her American husband died in 1979. The Rapid City Journal says no one ever took possession of her remains until her English niece recently began trying to discover what happened to them. With the help of volunteer researchers in Rapid City, she learned the ashes had been kept in a small box at the funeral home all these years. ___ Information from: Rapid City Journal, http://www.rapidcityjournal.com NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A judge has scheduled a new date for Bill Cosby's retrial on charges he drugged and molested a woman more than a decade ago. Judge Steven O'Neill on Friday ordered the retrial to begin on April 2. He says jury selection can get underway before then. The retrial was initially set for November, but last month O'Neill granted a request by Cosby's new lawyers to delay it so they could get up to speed on the case. FILE - In this June 17, 2017 file photo, Bill Cosby arrives for his sexual assault trial at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. A judge has scheduled a new date for Cosby's retrial on charges he drugged and molested a woman more than a decade ago. Judge Steven O'Neill on Friday, Sept. 15 ordered the retrial to begin on April 2, 2018. The 80-year-old comedian's first trial in June ended in a hung jury. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) The 80-year-old comedian's first trial in June ended in a hung jury. "The Cosby Show" star is charged with knocking out accuser Andrea Constand with pills and sexually assaulting her at his home near Philadelphia in 2004. He has said the sexual encounter with the former Temple University worker was consensual. HONOLULU (AP) - The Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection is investigating resort fees charged by hotel operators as part of a nationwide effort to curb hidden industry fees. State and federal regulators are in the process of cracking down on hotels that charge resort fees without fully disclosing the charges to visitors, Hawaii News Now reported (http://bit.ly/2h5OmSN ) Thursday. The resort fees cover costs of hotel amenities ranging from use of hotel gyms, telephone services, access to business centers and other amenities. "It's becoming more pervasive in the industry," said Stephen Levins, executive director of the Office of Consumer Protection. "And number one we want to ensure that the consumer is fully informed as to what costs are associated with reserving a room." Resort fees at Hawaii hotels typically range between $10 and $40 a night and aren't usually included in the standard room rate on a hotel's website, but can often be found in the fine print in the company's online disclosures. The fees are mandatory at most hotels. If the fees are deemed to be unfair or deceptive, hotel operators can be fined up to $10,000 per violation, Levins said. Ed Case, an executive with Hawaii largest hotel chain Outrigger, said his company started charging resort fees about a year ago to compete with other hotel operators who are doing the same thing. The Federal Trade Commission is considering reforms requiring hotels to include these fees in their listed room rates. MEXICO CITY (AP) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stepped into politically fraught U.S. relations with Mexico, seeking Friday to add a calming voice to the two neighbors' defense ties. Mattis was meeting with senior government officials in the capital on the eve of Mexico's national Independence Day. The relationship between Mexico and the United States has faced new challenges under President Donald Trump, who referred to Mexican immigrants as criminals and rapists during his election campaign. Trump also has insisted Mexico will pay for a U.S. border wall, and has taken a series of measures to boost immigration enforcement. FILE - In this June 13, 2017, file photo, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis listens on Capitol Hill in Washington, while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Pentagon's budget. As North Korea flaunts its new nuclear muscle, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is spotlighting the overwhelming numerical superiority of America's doomsday arsenal. On Wednesday, Sept. 13, he is dropping in on ground zero of American nuclear firepower: Minot Air Force base in North Dakota, home to more than 100 land-based nuclear missiles as well as nuclear bomb-toting aircraft. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) On his flight Friday to Mexico City, Mattis said his visit is intended to build on what he called a steady defense relationship. He said he did not expect Mexican officials to raise the border wall issue or other contentious political matters. "We have very supportive military-to-military ties, and this is simply to reinforce that," Mattis told reporters traveling with him from Nebraska, where he met Thursday with the commander of Strategic Command and monitored North Korea's ballistic missile launch over Japan. He called U.S.-Mexico security relations "very, very strong" and "built on trust and respect." Mattis said he intended to discuss the usual array of defense-related issues with his Mexican counterpart and other officials during a daylong visit. It will be capped by an official reception to celebrate Mexico's independence. He said the talks would encompass the fight against drug trafficking and human trafficking, countering government corruption and reducing U.S. demand for illegal drugs. Mattis said Mexico, like other countries, has its problems and is "keenly aware of these." Mexico is dealing with them, he said. The last U.S. defense secretary to visit Mexico was Chuck Hagel in April 2014. Military relations between the U.S. and Mexico have long been troubled, beginning with Mexico's loss of territory to the U.S. in the 1800s. More recently, ties have been strained by the battle against cross-border drug trafficking. Mattis also was meeting in Mexico City with Gen. Lori Robinson, the commander of U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for defense of the American homeland and manages the defense relationship with Mexico. HAVANA (AP) - As Hurricane Irma flooded the working-class neighborhoods behind Havana's seaside Malecon, a photographer for the Cuban Communist Party newspaper watched two men pulling broken furniture out of the calf-high water. Nearby four others sat on plastic chairs playing dominoes in the filthy water, which reached halfway up their legs to a makeshift wooden table balanced on their knees. Juvenal Balan snapped a photo and posted it online with a comment declaring it "incredible" that the four were playing while "others work together to mitigate the damage." Then, something unexpected happened. The photo went viral and ignited a furious and complicated debate about the state of Cuban society. In this Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 photo released by Granma, men play dominoes in the middle of a flooded street as others pull broken furniture from calf-high water in the aftermath Hurricane Irma, in Havana, Cuba. Eddy Dennis, a grey-haired 51-year-old parking attendant pulling furniture, said the scene was one of neighborly cooperation and mutual effort in the face of the city's worst flooding in years, if not decades. "It was something communal that all the neighbors were doing in the spirit of unity," Dennis said. "Those who got tired would sit down and play dominoes. We had spent the whole night on our feet and it was a way to destress in the face of disaster." (Juvenal Balan/Granma via AP) Many on the island and in Cuba's sprawling international diaspora saw Sunday's scene as a textbook example of "social indiscipline," a commonly heard phrase in the country that's used to bemoan the flouting of prized civic values like cleanliness, politeness and helping one's neighbors. But for others the photo symbolized another, equally Cuban quality: good-humored resilience in the face of difficulty, even disaster. "What savages!" one woman wrote on Balan's Facebook page. "Throw them in jail," another said. A day later the platinum-selling Cuban reggaeton band Gente de Zona had an entirely different spin. The band posted Balan's photo on its official Facebook page, cropped to focus on the domino scene and not the men collecting trash, and declared: "Putting a good face on bad times." "The essence of the Cuban spirit is reflected in this photo!" the band or its social media manager wrote. The cropped image got more than 8,000 likes and drew a similar reception on dozens of other pages aimed at Cubans. In Italy, expatriate Cubans spent days arguing about the meaning of the image on an Italian-language chatroom. "Cubans on the island and in the diaspora are taking this image and reading all sorts of things into it about contemporary Cuban society," said Michael Bustamante, an assistant professor of Latin American history at Florida International University who tweeted about the photo this week. "Some are seeing a sign of social irresponsibility or a symptom of a crisis of morals. (Other) people are seeing the triumph of the Cuban spirit over incredible odds." There were similarly polarized reactions to other images this week of Cubans having fun amid the crisis: women laughing and apparently dancing in knee-high floodwaters, teenage boys diving from an overpass into a flooded tunnel converted into an ad-hoc pool. Writer Oscar Sanchez Serra addressed the sociopolitical implications in an essay in the Communist Party newspaper, Granma. "Our rich and infinite jokiness is one thing. Indiscipline and irresponsibility is another," he wrote. "We must reject the image that craziness and thoughtlessness are part of our nature. ... It is not a joke but rather fuel for mocking us that in the middle of a situation created by Irma's gigantic, devastating impact, in the middle of the Havana streets, submerged to their waists, four men were playing dominoes." Balan told The Associated Press that he was taken by the contrast of people working to clear floodwaters on Aguila Street, four blocks from the Malecon, and the domino players. "I'm seeing women with brooms, families trying to get trash out of the water. I see these men on the right trying to collect trash and unblock drains, I imagine," Balan said. "And there I see the people playing dominoes, an unusual case not because of the dominoes but because of the moment." If Balan had shown up a little earlier, he would have seen those same men working to unblock drains and clear trash, according to six neighbors interviewed by AP. "This was not any kind of indiscipline," said Angel Caballero, a 54-year-old construction worker who was playing dominoes but did not appear in the photo. "While some of us were working to try to get the water to go away so it would not rise more and run into our houses, others were taking turns playing." Irma's floodwaters have now receded and the debris has been collected, leaving water-stained walls as practically the only visual reminder of the storm's havoc in Havana. That, and pictures like Balan's. Eddy Dennis, a gray-haired 51-year-old parking attendant seen pulling furniture from the water, said what the image showed was neighborly cooperation and mutual effort in the face of Havana's worst flooding in years, if not decades. "It was something communal that all the neighbors were doing in the spirit of unity," Dennis said. "Those who got tired would sit down and play dominoes. We had spent the whole night on our feet, and it was a way to de-stress in the face of disaster." ______ Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweissenstein ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) - Nigeria's government says President Muhammadu Buhari will fly through London on his way home from next week's United Nations gathering of world leaders, raising more questions about his health. Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina gave no details about the London stop in a statement Friday. The 74-year-old president twice this year has spent several weeks in London for medical treatment, returning in August from three months away. Buhari has not said what was ailing him but once said he had never been so sick in his life. This will be the president's first trip outside Nigeria since his return in August. Friday's statement says Buhari will meet with President Donald Trump and other leaders during the U.N. gathering in New York. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - James E. Ryan, a Harvard dean known for his writing on racial inequality in public education, was named Friday as the next president of the University of Virginia. Ryan, dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, will succeed UVA President Teresa Sullivan, who announced in January that she intended to retire. Ryan, 50, has deep ties to UVA. He graduated first in his class at UVA's law school in 1992 and spent 15 years as a law professor there before joining Harvard in 2013. Ryan explored educational opportunities in an urban school in Richmond and a nearby suburban school in his 2010 book, "Five Miles Away, A World Apart: One City, Two Schools, and the Story of Educational Opportunity in Modern America." His appointment comes as UVA faces pressure to address its complicated racial history following a deadly white nationalist rally last month in Charlottesville. "He's clearly the right person for this position at this time," said UVA law professor Anne Coughlin, who worked with Ryan. "He's someone who's thought deeply about the ways in which structural racism has affected public education." Ryan's speech at the Harvard Graduate School of Education commencement last year went viral after he suggested five questions to regularly ask: "Wait, what?" ''I wonder why/if?" ''Couldn't we at least?" ''How can I help?" and "What really matters?" "I would urge you to resist the temptation to have answers at the ready and to spend more time thinking about the right questions to ask," he said. Ryan was approved unanimously by UVA's Board of Visitors. His term will begin in October 2018. "The University of Virginia has occupied a special place in my heart since the day I first stepped on grounds. Returning here to continue playing a role in the extraordinary work of this university community is deeply humbling, and an opportunity that I will strive every day to honor," Ryan said in a statement released by UVA. Sullivan, the school's first female president, asked the board to begin the search when she announced her plan to retire. News / National by Staff reporter GIANT telecoms firm, Econet Wireless, has launched a hypertension and sugar level testing device in Bulawayo under its connected health initiative that seeks to enhance access to medical assistance using modern technologies.The revolutionary innovation is expected to help reduce the doctor-to-patient ratio by improving health care for communities as doctors can remotely monitor patients across a wider radius through data alerts using the electronic platform.This is also set to improve access and ease the challenge of distance and costs incurred especially by rural communities when travelling to major health centres for health checks and consultation.E-health super-channel partner, Ms Violet Kambasha, met the sales team for the new product in the city this week where she conducted training on how the device is used as well as its benefits to the community"We are spearheading this device, which is a BP and sugar glucose monitoring machine and it's electronically connected. We are moving towards improving health care access in communities through our e-health services and platform. Once one buys this device we log them into the system where they send information and do readings, which go to the platform that is managed by professional doctors on call," she said."We have doctors at our call centre who do close monitoring of every patient. We are bringing this device to Bulawayo market for the first time and delivering e-health as a solution to the city and benefits through engaging employers and individuals."Ms Kambasha said Econet was already working closely with some entities in the city to roll out the service after successfully launching it in Harare.She said corporates, government institutions and individual users could also use the device as it has numerous health benefits."Any individual can have this device, which has a sim-card to transmit the data of the reading from the patient to the doctor. It also transmits information to the central server for storage where patients can access it anytime. The device also transmits an SMS alert to a caregiver, who could be a family member, for accountability," Ms Kambasha."For example if the BP reading is abnormal, the system will send an alert message to family member. As Econet we have medical practitioners who would be monitoring patients and giving advice and ways to manage their condition to the point of medication."Among other benefits, the device allows patients to do their BP and sugar checks at home, assists in health record keeping and reduces travelling and consultation costs. From an employer's point of view the device helps increase productivity as employees can monitor and manage their BP or sugar levels even from their work station, said Ms Kambasha."The device also allows workers to be pro-active about their health and that of their loved ones including their parents. Our target market are corporates and this includes small to medium enterprises," she said.The device costs $272 and offers a three-year guarantee while users like corporates are allowed to make payment plans of up to 36 months.Ms Kambasha said the initiative has been approved by Government adding that those who obtain it were eligible to accessing a full package to connected health services at minimal cost. She said Econet will aggressively spread the programme across the country and possibly extend it abroad."We are looking at the internet of things and this focuses on lifestyle of people. This service adds to connected home and connected car and we are looking at the total package of community life," she said."We want to work with people who are business minded, people who uphold our brand and understand what it means, people with an entrepreneurial spirit that take this brand and own it."The e-health platform offers wellness and prevention tips, diagnosis through dial a doctor facility, which is available in all languages and advice on how to manage those with such conditions.Chronic diseases such as BP and diabetes are regarded as silent killers the world over yet with awareness and monitoring millions of lives could be saved. BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romania's oldest politician Mircea Ionescu Quintus, who was a political prisoner during the communist regime and later became Senate speaker, has died. He was 100. The Liberal Party said Quintus, the party's honorary chairman, died Friday at his home in the southern city of Ploiesti. After communism's collapse in 1989, Quintus became chairman of the Liberal Party from 1993 to 2001, eventually becoming Senate speaker from 1998 to 2000. In this Nov. 5, 2015 picture Mircea Ionescu Quintus, the honorary chairman of the Liberal Party attends consultations at the presidential palace in Bucharest, Romania. Quintus, Romania's oldest politician, who was a political prisoner during the communist regime later became Senate speaker after communism collapsed, has died, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 at the age of 100. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) ROMANIA OUT President Klaus Iohannis praised Quintus, saying he had helped restore democracy to Romania. In 2000, it emerged that Quintus had collaborated with feared communist-era secret police, the Securitate. Quintus, who spent several years as a political prisoner, insisted he had not harmed anyone and that he'd been subject to interrogation and was unable to refuse. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The U.S. Virgin Islands can count on help from New York as they seek to rebuild after Hurricane Irma, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday following a trip to the Caribbean islands meant to assess damage and show solidarity. During the one-day visit the Democratic governor surveyed damage from the air before touring damaged neighborhoods and meeting with Virgin Islands Gov. Kenneth Mapp. Cuomo said he encountered far worse damage than what has been shown on television on the mainland, including buildings missing roofs or walls, utility poles "broken like twigs" and an electrical system left in tatters. "This was a devastating blow to the Virgin Islands," Cuomo said following his return to New York on Friday night. He pledged to help the Virgin Islands "in any way we can." Following the visit, Cuomo announced the deployment of 100 National Guard military police and 30 state police officers to assist local authorities. New York has already sent Air National Guard aircraft and personnel to the islands to help with search and rescue. Other units have traveled recently to Texas, Florida, Mississippi and Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, a U.S. territory, likely will fuel speculation about Cuomo's interest in running for president in 2020. Cuomo, who says he'll seek a third term as governor, was asked to visit by Mapp, a native New Yorker. "We have a special connection with New York, as more U.S. Virgin Islands residents list their place of birth as New York than any other state in the nation," said Mapp, an independent. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkish authorities have released a French freelance journalist who was detained on charges of aiding a terror group, Turkey's state-run news agency reported. Loup Bureau was freed Friday, a day after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other leaders in Ankara. Anadolu Agency said Bureau was ordered released from detention by a court in the Turkish town of Silopi, on the first hearing of his case. Bureau has been held since July 26, accused of aiding and assisting a terrorist organization for reporting on Kurds living near the Iraq border. French President Emmanuel Macron said on his official Twitter account that he was "glad" Bureau was being freed. "This is great relief to all of us," he said. The media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders, said the 27-year-old journalist would be deported back to France. RSF director Christophe Deloire said the journalist would probably arrive in France on Saturday. Deloire praised the efforts of French authorities. "Erdogan clearly had the key, and he ended up by opening the door," Deloire said, without going into detail about the negotiations for Bureau's release. Memorial services have been scheduled for a woman whose son is charged with shooting her in the intensive care unit of New Hampshire's largest hospital. The Groton town clerk's office says a service for 70-year-old Pamela Ferriere will be held Sept. 23 at the Rumney Baptist Church in New Hampshire. Another service for her is scheduled for Sept. 30 at the Westminster Congregational Church in Canterbury, Connecticut. Travis Frink, of Warwick, Rhode Island, stands with his attorney, Public Defender Rebecca McKinnon, during his arraignment in Grafton County Superior Court in North Haverhill, N.H., on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Frink is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 70-year-old mother, Pamela Ferriere, whom he shot on Tuesday in the intensive care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. (Jennifer Hauck /The Valley News via AP, Pool) She will be buried in Connecticut. Her son, Travis Frink, of Warwick, Rhode Island, is accused of killing her Tuesday and has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. Ferriere was fatally shot in her room at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, where she was being treated for an aneurysm. Frink's stepfather says Frink had post-traumatic stress disorder from his time in the military. Travis Frink, of Warwick, Rhode Island, stands with his attorney, Public Defender Rebecca McKinnon, during his arraignment in Grafton County Superior Court in North Haverhill, N.H., on Sept. 13, 2017. Frink, 48, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his 70-year-old mother, Pamela Ferriere, on Tuesday in the intensive care unit at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. (Jennifer Hauck/The Valley News via AP, Pool) CHICAGO (AP) - A grand jury has indicted a former Northwestern University professor and an Oxford University employee on first-degree murder charges in the July stabbing death of a hairstylist in the professor's Chicago apartment, a judge announced Friday. The announcement made on the scheduled date of a hearing was not a surprise, as prosecutors routinely present their cases to a grand jury rather than let a judge, after a public preliminary hearing, decide whether there is enough evidence charge a suspect. The indictment of Oxford financial official Andrew Warren was announced first. Warren, wearing a yellow jail-issue jumpsuit, did not speak when he was informed of the indictment, before he was led back to the holding area for detainees. Wyndham Lathem, wearing a tan-colored jump suit was led into the courtroom a short time later, informed of the indictment and then led back to the same area. Both men are being held in Cook County Jail without bond. FILE - in this Aug. 19, 2017 file photo, Wyndham Lathem arrives at a police station as he is escorted by Chicago police in Chicago. Lathem, a Northwestern University professor, and Andrew Warren, an Oxford University financial officer, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, a Michigan native who had been working in Chicago. Authorities say Cornell-Duranleau suffered more than 40 stab wounds to his upper body during the July attack in Lathem's high-rise Chicago condo. Lathem and Warren surrendered peacefully to police in California on Aug. 4 after an eight-day manhunt. (AP Photo/Jim Young, Pool File) The judge said that both men had demanded a trial and ordered them to return to court Sept. 28 for an arraignment. Warren's attorney did not speak to reporters after the brief hearing, but one of Lathem's attorneys, Adam Sheppard, said that during that hearing Lathem will plead not guilty. Prosecutors contend that 46-year-old Lathem and 56-year-old Warren stabbed Lathem's boyfriend, 26-year-old Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, dozens of times as part of an apparent sexual fantasy that included killing others, then themselves. After Cornell-Duranleau's body was found, authorities embarked on a nationwide manhunt that ended on Aug. 4 with Warren turning himself in to authorities in San Francisco. Both men were subsequently returned to Chicago, where prosecutors in a hearing laid out in gruesome detail the slaying of Cornell-Duranleau. They told the judge that Lathem sneaked up to Cornell-Duranleau while he slept in Lathem's high-rise apartment, and began stabbing him. Warren, they said, tried to keep the young man quiet by covering his mouth, struck him on the head with a lamp before, he, too, grabbed two knives and stabbed him. FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2017 file photo, Andrew Warren arrives at a police station as he is escorted by Chicago police, in Chicago. Warren, an Oxford University financial officer, and Wyndham Lathem, a Northwestern University professor, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, a Michigan native who had been working in Chicago. Authorities say Cornell-Duranleau suffered more than 40 stab wounds to his upper body during the July attack in Lathem's high-rise Chicago condo. Lathem and Warren surrendered peacefully to police in California on Aug. 4 after an eight-day manhunt. (AP Photo/Jim Young, Pool, File) This booking photo provided by the Chicago Police Department shows Wyndham Lathem on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017. Lathem, a Northwestern University professor, and Andrew Warren, an Oxford University financial officer, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, a Michigan native who had been working in Chicago. Authorities say Cornell-Duranleau suffered more than 40 stab wounds to his upper body during the July attack in Lathem's high-rise Chicago condo. Lathem and Warren surrendered peacefully to police in California on Aug. 4 after an eight-day manhunt. (Chicago Police Department via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - A bipartisan majority in Congress supports protections for an estimated 800,000 immigrants brought to the United States as children and now here illegally, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Friday. In a radio interview, Ryan said "there's a sweet spot for this ... a majority in Congress" to protect young immigrants while also bolstering border security. Ryan's comments come after President Donald Trump said this week he was "fairly close" to an agreement with congressional Democrats that would enshrine protections for young immigrants established by former President Barack Obama. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., speaks at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, where he said President Donald Trump is still seeking a legislative solution to replace to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, said any legislation to protect "Dreamers" would be paired with measures to strengthen border security, which he called the "the root cause" of problems from widespread opioid addiction to violent gangs such as MS-13. "While we do this (legislative fix for young immigrants) we have a border problem we've got to fix," Ryan told talk show host Vicki McKenna on Milwaukee's WISN-AM. Conservatives have howled at Trump's proposed deal, but Ryan and other GOP leaders insist there's no formal agreement to enshrine protections for young immigrants. Ryan said he and other GOP leaders "have leverage" to insist that any bill to protect young immigrants includes tough border protections. "We will not in good conscience fix a symptom of the problem without dealing with the root cause of the problem," he said, adding that many Democrats agree with him. "I think Democrats get that. They understand that yes, we do need to secure our border; yes, we do have an opioid problem; yes, we do have an MS-13 problem; yes, we do actually agree that we have to do this," Ryan said. Still, Ryan said partisan politics could complicate the issue. Democrats "will have to stomach" that an immigration bill is likely to be perceived as a political victory for Trump, adding that it would be "a real mistake" for Democrats to oppose the bill simply because they dislike Trump. "If you are a politician and you're partisan and you don't want to see him be successful, that will be a tough pill to swallow," Ryan said. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have said they reached agreement with Trump on legislation that would offer eventual citizenship to the immigrants in question. Republicans say talks focused on making permanent the protections offered under Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, commonly referred to as DACA. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Pentagon policy on transgender troops (all times local): 6:40 p.m. New guidance released Friday by the Pentagon makes it clear that any transgender troops currently in the military can re-enlist in the next several months, even as the department debates how to enforce a ban on their service ordered by President Donald Trump. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says in a memo that a high-level panel will determine how to implement Trump's ban on transgender individuals in the military. Trump directed the military to indefinitely extend the ban on transgender individuals enlisting in the service, but he left it up to Mattis to decide if those currently serving should be allowed to stay. Members of Congress have already sent a letter to Trump calling on him to reconsider the ban. ___ 4:10 p.m. Sen. John McCain says he's backing a bill that would bar the Trump administration from forcing transgender troops out of the armed forces. In a statement Friday, the Arizona Republican says any service member, including those who are transgender, who meets the military's standards should be permitted to serve. President Donald Trump in August ordered the Pentagon to extend indefinitely a ban on transgender individuals joining the military. He also gave Defense Secretary Jim Mattis six months to come up with a policy on "how to address" those currently serving, leaving the door open to permitting their continued service. The legislation McCain supports would ensure they're not kicked out. The bill's other sponsors are Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Susan Collins of Maine and Jack Reed of Rhode Island. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (all times local): 7:25 p.m. Lawyers for Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (wah-KEEN' el CHAH'-poh gooz-MAHN') say they're disappointed a judge won't dismiss his New York drug trafficking case. FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2016 file photo, a handcuffed Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is made to face the press as he is escorted to a helicopter by Mexican soldiers and marines at a federal hangar in Mexico City. A federal judge says he won't dismiss the New York drug trafficking case against Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. Judge Brian Cogan ruled Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 that El Chapo can't raise the issue without protest or objection from Mexico. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo, File) El Chapo was transported from Mexico to New York in January to face charges he oversaw a multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking operation that laundered money and oversaw murders and kidnappings. His lawyers say the U.S. government charged him with different crimes after he was en route to the U.S. A judge ruled Friday that El Chapo can't raise the issue without protest or objection from Mexico. El Chapo's lawyers say they believe his rights were violated and hope the Supreme Court decides favorably for him. Prosecutors say El Chapo will have to answer for a life of crime. His case is set for trial in April. ___ 6:05 p.m. A federal judge says he won't dismiss the New York drug trafficking case against Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (wah-KEEN' el CHAH'-poh gooz-MAHN'). Lawyers for El Chapo argue the U.S. government violated international law by charging him with different crimes after he was extradited. Judge Brian Cogan ruled Friday that El Chapo can't raise the issue without protest or objection from Mexico. El Chapo was transported from Mexico to New York in January to face charges he oversaw a multibillion-dollar international drug trafficking operation. He has pleaded not guilty. He has been held at an ultra-secure jail that has housed some of the world's most dangerous terrorists and mobsters. Prosecutors say El Chapo is known for a life of crime, violence, death and destruction and will have to answer for that. His case is set for trial in April. Theresa May is frustrated with international rules that stop British aid cash being used to help victims of Hurricane Irma and the UK was pushing to change them, Downing Street said. Number 10 insisted the UKs aid effort had not been hampered by the rules set by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development based in Paris (OECD). But the Prime Ministers spokesman made clear Mrs May was not happy with the way the rules were operating and stressed that International Development Secretary Priti Patel was leading work to change them. Royal Marines delivering aid and providing support to the islanders of Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. #UKaid #Irma pic.twitter.com/6whBw7JpA5 DFID (@DFID_UK) September 12, 2017 The spokesman said the OECD rules do not stop Britain dedicating the money needed for the hurricane recovery and reconstruction effort. The response would have been just as large and swift regardless of the aid rules, the spokesman said, but added: The Prime Minister is frustrated with the rules as they stand. The UK has pledged a total of 57 million towards disaster relief and the public has helped to raise a further 1.3 million. But an unnamed minister told the BBC the figure would have been significantly higher without strict international rules governing the allocation of the 13 billion aid budget, a claim disputed by Downing Street. PM Theresa May has announced an additional 25m to support Hurricane #Irma recovery efforts, on top of the 32m announced last week. #PMQs UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 13, 2017 Anguilla, Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands do not qualify for support from the pot because their incomes are too high. The way Britain and 34 other developed nations spend their aid budget is governed by the OECD. Countries are given a ranking according to need, which is intended to ensure the poorest countries take priority. The UK is committed to spending 0.7% of national income on aid under the rules set by the OECD. The Tory election manifesto committed to working to change the rules. The Prime Ministers spokesman said: We began detailed work after the election to change the rules to prevent precisely these kind of scenarios. Boris Johnson talks to Royal Marines from 40 Commando in Barbados ravaged by Hurricane Irma (Georgina Stubbs/PA) He indicated the UK could be prepared to act alone if there was no agreement on changing the international rules. What we are working on at the moment is changing the rules at the OECD, but the manifesto set out that if that wasnt possible we could look at changing the rules here and that remains the case. During Business questions in the Commons, Conservative MP Philip Davies (Shipley) labelled the OECD out-of-touch morons. He said: Its bad enough that we have a bloated and wasteful and unaffordable overseas aid budget but its even more ridiculous that we now learn that we cannot spend our overseas aid budget on our overseas territories. As we are getting back control from the unelected and unaccountable European Union, can I suggest that we now get back control on our overseas aid spending from the unelected, unaccountable, out-of-touch morons at the OECD so we can spend our overseas aid budget on the things that we want to spend it on rather than the things that they tell us we can spend it on? Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the Government was looking at how the current overseas aid rules apply to disasters such as Hurricane Irma. A sophisticated fraudster questioned about the alleged hacking of an iCloud account belonging to the Duchess of Cambridges sister has been warned he faces jail after admitting credit card fraud and blackmail. Nathan Wyatt was arrested last year by police investigating the hacking of Pippa Middletons account, amid reports pictures of Kate and her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were among thousands of images taken. The 37-year-old father-of-three was released with no further action in relation to the case last week. Pippa Middleton with her sister, the Duchess of Cambridge (Adam Davy/PA) Wyatt admitted at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday 20 counts of fraud, one of possessing a false passport, and one count of blackmail in relation to a demand for 10,000 euro from a law firm. The offences, committed between April and December 2016, included using credit cards one in the name of a dead man to buy items such as hair straighteners, mobile phones, a Nutribullet, Guitar Hero games and a Disney Frozen toy. Prosecutor Alison Morgan said: As a result of media contact with the police in relation to the images of Ms Middleton, the defendant was arrested in relation to the matter. At that time devices were seized from the (defendants) address. Southwark Crown Court in south London (Sean Dempsey/PA) She said Wyatt had come into possession of IDs and passwords after the law firm was affected by malware software, and subsequently hacked into the system to get confidential information with which to blackmail the company. In relation to the person or persons responsible for the malware Ms Morgan said: We cannot prove who did that. She described Wyatt as a sophisticated fraudster on the Internet who was able to get hold of very personal information. His Honour Judge Peter Testar described the blackmail offence as a particular type of cyber blackmail. He said: Particularly in light of the conviction for blackmail he (Wyatt) must anticipate a substantial custodial sentence. Pippa Middleton's hacked account reportedly contained pictures of Kate and her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Wyatt, of Henshaw Road in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on October 19 at the same court. The prosecution offered no evidence against Wyatts 39-year-old partner Kelly Walker, of the same address, who had faced a charge of handling stolen goods and another of encouraging or assisting the commission of offences. Last year the High Court heard that Pippa Matthews, then Middleton, had good reason to fear that all information held in her iCloud account had been hacked. Mrs Justice Whipple made orders barring publication of photographs and other material held on the account after Mrs Matthews and her husband, then fiance, James Matthews took civil court action against a person or persons unknown as a result of pictures allegedly being taken from the account. News / National by Staff reporter SUSPECTED goblins have struck at Minda High School in Maphisa, Kezi with teachers and pupils living in fear of midnight attacks from invisible creatures.Minda pupils who spoke to B-Metro said they had been experiencing attacks for a fortnight during the school's holiday tutoring programme for Ordinary Level and Advanced Level candidates."It was very scary. The things would come and take away our blankets and dump them at the door. They would throw stones at the windows and some of them hit our dorm mates," said a sixth former.A Form Four pupil said the school decided to shift them from the "haunted" dormitory; however, the strange happenings continued the same night they moved into the new hostel."We were mixed with other schools in the district, when the things continued harassing us, the head and matron decided that we be moved to a different hostel but the things continued. I am in Form Four so I cannot transfer butI'm really dreading being in this school now," she said.Other pupils said they woke up to pray trying to chase away the evil spirits at the Catholic school.The school matron, a Mrs Moyo said she was off duty when the strange happenings occurred."I was off duty when all that happened. Another matron was at the school. She is perhaps the best person you can contact as I only started work today (Sunday)," said Mrs Moyo.A teacher on duty, a Mrs Lunga, declined to comment and referred all questions to the headmaster, Mr Nyamambi, who was away when B-Metro went to the school.In a telephone interview, the school head, Mr Nyamambi, said the matter was sensitive and could not be discussed over the phone."You came to the school on a weekend and did not find me. That matter is too sensitive and as such cannot be discussed over the phone. Come back to the school and we talk about what happened face to face because it is my fear that you may have gotten a twisted version of what actually transpired," he said.A member of staff at the school said he and fellow workmates had to brave the cold of the night to guard the dormitories where some girls were sleeping when the attacks got worse."We had to sleep at the door of one of the dormitories while some colleagues patrolled around the dormitories. It was strange because things were hurling stones at us but we could not see where they were coming from. We held an urgent meeting first thing in the morning and it was agreed that there was going to be a parents' meeting to try and figure out a way forward," he said.Efforts to get a comment from the provincial education director Mr Masukume were fruitless as his phone was unreachable at the time of going to press. President Donald Trump has toured areas of Florida devastated by Hurricane Irma and praised the federal and state recovery effort. Mr Trump, who was in and out of the state in less than three hours, got an aerial view of water-deluged homes along Floridas south-western coast from his helicopter, then drove in his motorcade along streets lined with felled trees, broken traffic lights and shuttered stores on his way to a mobile home community hit hard by the storm. Walking along a street in Naples Estates with his wife, Melania, the president encountered piles of soggy furniture heaped on front porches, and residents who were happy to get a presidential visit. President Donald Trump shakes hands as he meets with people impacted by Hurricane Irma (Evan Vucci/AP) We are there for you 100%, Mr Trump said before donning gloves and helping to hand out sandwiches to local residents. Ill be back here numerous times. This is a state that I know very well. Mr Trump earlier met with federal and state leaders in Fort Myers, where he was brimming with enthusiasm for the state and federal response effort. Its a team like very few people have seen, he said. Quoting Governor Rick Scotts praise for the federal governments responsiveness, Mr Trump added: As Rick said, we have been very, very fast, and we had to be. The president could not resist injecting a political flavour into his visit, telling reporters in Fort Myers that he was hopeful that Mr Scott, a two-term Republican, would run for the Senate, where Democrat Bill Nelson is up for re-election next year. I dont know what hes going to do. But I know at a certain point it ends for you and we cant let it end. So I hope he runs for the Senate, Mr Trump said. Mr Trumps visit offered him the chance to see how people are coping with Irmas aftermath and how the Federal Emergency Management Agency is responding. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump talk and hand out food to people impacted by Hurricane Irma at Naples Estates (Evan Vucci/AP) Many Florida residents remain swamped and without electricity. Nearly 2.7 million homes and businesses were still without power on Thursday. Vice President Mike Pence, who joined Mr Trump on the trip, promised Floridians: Were with you today. Were going to be with you tomorrow and were going to be with you until Florida rebuilds bigger and better than ever before. Mr Trumps trip to Florida was his third in less than three weeks to the storm-ravaged South. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, right, and from left, Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Marco Rubio participate in a briefing on the Hurricane Irma relief efforts in Fort Myers, Florida, after arriving at Southwest Florida International airport (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) After Harvey struck Texas, Mr Trump drew criticism for having minimal interaction with residents during his first trip in late August. He saw little damage and offered few expressions of concern. On his second visit, to Texas and Louisiana, he was more hands-on. He toured a Houston shelter housing hundreds of displaced people and walked streets lined with soggy, discarded possessions. A man believed to be an American citizen who was fighting with Islamic State militants has surrendered in Syria and is being held in American custody. Pentagon spokesman Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said the man, who surrendered to the Syrian Democratic Forces and was turned over to the US military force in Syria, is being legally detained as a known enemy combatant. The decision to legally detain the man as a known enemy combatant comes as the Trump administration has been working to craft a detention policy which could determine whether the US will resume sending detainees to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. US flag Former president Barack Obama did not send any new detainees to Guantanamo and currently there are only about 40 people held there. Donald Trump has expressed a willingness to send new detainees to the site, but so far has not. It is not clear if the detainee, who has not been identified, and the American forces holding him are still in Syria, but the plan is to take the man into Iraq, where he would then be turned over to the US State Department or Justice Department. Washington said it is working out what it will do with the man if he is confirmed as an American. If his citizenship is confirmed, he would be the second known American taken into custody for fighting with IS insurgents. Trump administration officials have said there are three viable options today for taking enemy combatants off the battlefield: they can be killed, they can be apprehended and released after a few weeks, which could involve interrogation, or they can be captured and handed over to a third party. The third approach causes concern about the possibility that detainees outsourced to a third party could be treated inhumanely. Suspects accused of terror-related offences, including Americans, can also be dealt with in US courts. The latest missile launch by North Korea must be met with a united international response, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has urged. Kim Jong Uns regime fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean the second such test in recent weeks. Hwasong 12 missile fact file Mr Johnson called test illegal and condemned it as the latest sign of provocation from Pyongyang. Yet another illegal missile launch by North Korea. UK and international community will stand together in the face of these provocations, he said on Twitter. Yet another illegal missile launch by North Korea. UK and international community will stand together in the face of these provocations. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) September 15, 2017 In a subsequent statement, he added: The UK and the international community have condemned the aggressive and illegal actions of the North Korean regime, and the succession of missile and nuclear tests. We stand firmly by Japan and our other international partners. Probable path of North Korean missile launch over Japan We are working to mobilise world opinion with the aim of achieving a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula. This week the most stringent UN sanctions regime placed on any nation in the 21st century was imposed on North Korea, after being unanimously agreed at the UN Security Council. Foreign Secretary @BorisJohnson held high level talks on Libya, North Korea and Hurricane Irma. https://t.co/e6IJhpVp9b pic.twitter.com/t7Bz57hFpD Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) September 14, 2017 These measures now need to be robustly enforced. We urge all states to play their part in changing the course North Korea is taking. Before the latest launch, Mr Johnson had called for China to use its influence over North Korea to ease tensions caused by Pyongyangs nuclear and missile development programmes. U.S. missile defense system called Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, are seen at a golf course in Seongju At a press conference with US counterpart Rex Tillerson on Thursday, Mr Johnson said Pyongyang had defied the world. We resolved to continue to work together and with important partners who can influence North Korea including China with the aim of securing the complete and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, he said. South Korean military officials said the latest missile travelled about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometres (478 miles) before landing in the water. Prime Minister Theresa May called a meeting of the Governments Cobra emergencies committee within two hours of the Parsons Green blast. The committee, being chaired by the Prime Minister in Whitehalls Cabinet Office, brings together senior ministers with security chiefs, police and officials. Also understood to be attending are Home Secretary Amber Rudd and London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Emergency services outside Parsons Green Tube station in west London PM: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident. UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 15, 2017 Mrs May returned to Downing Street following news of the incident from her Maidenhead constituency, where she was spending the first day of the parliamentary recess. In a statement from Number 10, the Prime Minister said: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and the emergency services who, once again, are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident. The first minister to respond publicly to the incident was Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who issued an appeal for calm as the first news about a suspected blast trickled out, and before police had confirmed that they were treating it as a terrorist incident. I'm in contact with @metpoliceuk and emergency services about the incident at Parsons Green. Follow @metpoliceuk for updates & advice. Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) September 15, 2017 Everybody should keep calm and go about their lives in a normal way, as normal as they possibly can, Mr Johnson said. Mr Khan urged Londoners to remain calm and vigilant in the wake of the explosion. He said: Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. Thoughts with those injured in Parsons Green terrorist incident, and thanks to police, ambulance staff and firefighters who are responding. Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 15, 2017 As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. Senior politicians were quick to offer their condolences to those affected by the incident and to pay tribute to emergency workers and security services. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: Thoughts with those injured in Parsons Green terrorist incident, and thanks to police, ambulance staff and firefighters who are responding. I took the rush-hour tube through #ParsonsGreen for over 20 years, always packed. Thoughts with all those caught up in a terrifying incident Andy Slaughter (@hammersmithandy) September 15, 2017 Hammersmith MP Andy Slaughter said: I took the rush-hour Tube through Parsons Green for over 20 years, always packed. Thoughts with all those caught up in a terrifying incident. The boss of Barclays has faced fresh questions over the banks whisteblowing scandal, while the lenders whistleblowing chief is to step down, according to reports. Jes Staley was quizzed last week by both the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of Englands Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) following an initial interview in July over his attempts to root out a whistleblower, Sky News has reported. It comes as Jonathan Cox, the banks global head of whistleblowing, looks set to leave after withdrawing an employment lawsuit against the lender for alleged whistleblowing rule breaches, a separate report by Reuters has stated. Barclays chief executive Jes Staley (PA) Mr Cox, a former Metropolitan Police detective inspector, has reportedly withdrawn his employment case slated for September 13 at the East London Tribunal. There is no suggestion the two instances are linked. The FCA and the PRA are investigating Mr Staleys conduct and senior manager responsibilities relating to the lenders whistleblowing programme. The incident refers to anonymous letters sent in 2016 to the board and an executive, which raised concerns about a newly-recruited senior employee and Mr Staleys role in the recruitment. Having been given a copy of the first letter and made aware of the second, Mr Staley initially requested that the Barclays Group Information Security team attempt to identify the authors of the letters as he considered they were an unfair personal attack on the employee. Barclays has already issued the CEO with a formal written reprimand, and may make a very significant compensation adjustment to his bonus. The precise amount of the compensation adjustment will be determined once the FCA and PRA investigations have concluded. Barclays previously said that Mr Staley honestly, but mistakenly, believed that it was permissible to identify the author of a letter written by the whistleblower. The board concluded that Mr Staley made an error in becoming involved with and not applying appropriate governance around the matter. The attempt to uncover the whistleblowers identity was ultimately unsuccessful. A string of executives at KPMGs South African office have stepped down after an internal investigation revealed that its work for the countrys powerful Gupta family fell considerably short of KPMG standards. The professional services firm confirmed on Friday that Chairman Ahmed Jaffer, chief executive Trevor Hoole and chief operating officer Steven Louw had all resigned, alongside five other partners from its audit, tax, forensic and risk management teams. It follows a comprehensive investigation by KPMG International, which was prompted by various allegations regarding work done on behalf of the Gupta family as well as work conducted for the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in 2014-2015. While the investigation did not identify any evidence of illegal behaviour or corruption by KPMG partners or staff, this investigation did find work that fell considerably short of KPMGs standards, KPMG International said in a statement on Friday. Based on the results of this investigation, significant actions have been taken and are being announced today with respect to KPMG South Africa. These actions include a series of leadership changes, changes in the governance of KPMG South Africa, and enhanced quality control procedures in certain areas. It comes just days after the UK arm of PR firm Bell Pottinger collapsed in the wake of a scandal that exposed its own links to a racially divisive campaign for the Guptas, a family that is said to have close ties to President Jacob Zuma. KPMG South Africas shakeup follows the fallout from Bell Pottingers own work for the Gupta family (PA) KPMG said its investigation showed that management at certain Gupta firms misled KPMG South Africas audit team, specifically regarding its party relationships and the commercial substance of significant unusual transactions. It said that the team should have resigned as auditors earlier than March 2016. Members of the South African office have also been criticised for going to a Gupta wedding in 2013, and while that was not seen as a breach of company rules, KPMG said it accepts that partners should not have attended. However, KPMG said there was no evidence to suggest that the company was involved in any activities linked to potential money laundering, tax evasion or corruption. The South African office said it regrets that its association with the Guptas and their business entities went on for far too long. It is now set to donate 40 million rand (2.2 million) which it earned from working for Gupta entities to anti-corruption and education charities, and offered to refund or donate the 23 million rand fee (1.2 million) it received for a contentious report it put together for the SARS tax agency. KPMG South Africas new chief executive Nhlamu Dlomu -a former HR executive and KPMG South Africas head for people and change apologised on behalf of the firm. The powerful Gupta family is said to have strong ties to South African president Jacob Zuma (PA) She said: This has been a painful period and the firm has fallen short of the standards we set for ourselves, and that the public rightly expects from us. I want to apologise to the public, our people and clients for the failings that have been identified by the investigation. It is important to emphasise that these events do not represent KPMG, our people or the values we have adhered to over decades of committed client service. My pledge and promise to the country is that we can and will regain the publics confidence. Around 400,000 people in the UK may have had their information stolen following a cyber security breach at credit monitoring firm Equifax. The US company said an investigation had revealed that a file containing UK consumer information may potentially have been accessed. The data includes names, dates of birth, email addresses and telephone numbers, but does not contain postal addresses, passwords or financial information. Equifaxs offices in Atlanta (AP) Atlanta-based Equifax discovered the hack in July, but only informed consumers last week. In an effort to provide reassurance, the firm said it was unlikely that people would be hit by identity takeover. It said it would contact them in writing to offer advice and a free identity protection service monitoring their personal information and data. Equifax president Patricio Remon said: We apologise for this failure to protect UK consumer data. Our immediate focus is to support those affected by this incident and to ensure we make all of the necessary improvements and investments to strengthen our security and processes going forward. Equifax alerted the public to the cyber attack on September 7. The attack saw the data of 143 million people breached in America. In a statement on Friday, Equifax said its UK systems had not been impacted by the attack, but the information of British consumers may have been accessed because of a process failure in 2016 which saw a limited amount of UK data stored on the American system between 2011 and 2016. It added that the UK consumer data that may have been stolen does not include any single Equifax business clients or institution. It comes after Equifax was ordered by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) to alert British customers after the firm said criminals had exploited a website application to access its files. Lenders rely on the information collected by credit bureaus such as Equifax to help them decide whether to approve financing for homes, cars and credit cards. A spokesman for the ICO said: It is always a companys responsibility to identify UK victims and take steps to reduce any harm to consumers. The Information Commissioners Office have been pressing the firm to establish the scale of any impact on UK citizens and have also been engaging with relevant US and UK agencies about the nature of the data breach. It can take some time to understand the true impact of incidents like this, and we continue to investigate. Members of the public should remain vigilant of any unsolicited emails, texts or calls, even if it appears to be from a company they are familiar with. We also advise that people review their financial statements regularly for any unfamiliar activity. If any financial details appear to have been compromised, victims should immediately notify their bank or card company. If anyone thinks they may have been a victim of a cyber crime they should contact Action Fraud. Equifax said the investigation into the data breach is ongoing and it was working with the Financial Conduct Authority and the ICO. Cyber attacks have become an increasing problem for big firms that hold a large amount of customer data. HSBC and TalkTalk are among the most high profile British firms to be hit in recent years. Britain is on the highest terror alert with the military set to bolster security as police hunt the Parsons Green bomb suspects. Prime Minister Theresa May has raised the threat level to critical, meaning another attack is expected imminently. A manhunt is under way after the improvised explosive device (IED) sent a fireball through a packed London Underground train carriage in south west London during the Friday morning rush-hour. Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley suggested there may have been more than one person involved stating that police were chasing down suspects. British Transport Police at Euston Station, London (Tim Ireland/PA) In a statement outside Scotland Yard, the UKs most senior anti-terror police officer said: Somebody has planted an improvised explosive device on the Tube we have to be open-minded at this stage about him and about potential associates. Mr Rowley said detectives were only aware of one device and refused to be drawn on details of the suspects because of the covert nature of the operation. He said: We are only aware of one device, so we now have the remnants of that device, its been examined by our experts, were chasing down suspects. The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, according to the US-based Site Intelligence. It is the second time this year that the threat assessment made by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has been raised to the highest level. It was placed at critical in May in the wake of the Manchester bombing, before being lowered back to severe four days later. Before this year the most serious category had only been reached on two other occasions since it was first publicly disclosed in August 2006. Rita Katz, the director of Site, said IS claimed the bombing was the work of a detachment rather than simply a soldier, which she suggested implied it was a co-ordinated attack. Although it released a formal communique for the attacks, which injured 29 people, it provided no details on who the attacker or attackers were, Site said. The terror group has frequently declared that it was behind terrorist incidents in recent years but experts have warned their claims should be treated with caution. As Britain faced up to another terrorist incident, following four attacks already this year: :: Images emerged on social media appearing to show wires protruding from a flaming bucket inside a plastic Lidl carrier bag on the floor of a carriage; :: Reports suggested the device had a timer; :: A total of 29 patients needed hospital treatment, with a number of those hurt suffering from burns; :: Scotland Yard and the Prime Minister rebuked US President Donald Trump over his claim the Parsons Green Tube bomber was in the sights of Scotland Yard. The UN Security Council was called into emergency session on Friday after North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile, to discuss what to do now that Kim Jong Un has ignored its latest round of sanctions. Frances Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country is ready to work on tougher UN and EU measures to convince the regime in Pyongyang that there is no interest in an escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table. It said North Korea will also be discussed during next weeks annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly. I condemn the latest North Korean missile launch and call for DPRK to stop tests, abide by UN resolutions & begin dialogue immediately. Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 15, 2017 The intermediate-range weapon North Korea launched early Friday from Sunan, the location of Pyongyangs international airport, hurtled over US ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean. The launch signalled both defiance of North Koreas rivals and a big technological advance. Since US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury in August, the North has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the US Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. (PA Graphics) July saw the countrys first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the US mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target US troops both in Asia and in the US homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a US city to protect its Asian allies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the missile launch as a serious violation of Security Council resolutions, coming less than two weeks after the Norths sixth nuclear test, which also violated a UN ban. The Security Councils emergency meeting on Friday was behind closed doors. Yet another illegal missile launch by North Korea. UK and international community will stand together in the face of these provocations. Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) September 15, 2017 On Monday the council unanimously approved its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea over its nuclear test, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb. The US said the measures, including a ban on textile exports, combined with previous sanctions would ban more than 90% of North Koreas exports reported in 2016. North Koreas Foreign Ministry denounced the sanctions and said the North would redouble its efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the countrys sovereignty and right to existence. People walk past a screen showing news of the launch in Tokyo, Japan (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) South Koreas joint chiefs of staff said the latest missile travelled about 2,300 miles and reached a maximum height of 478 miles. Guam, which is the home of important US military assets, is 2,112 miles away from North Korea. Despite its impressive range, the missile probably still is not accurate enough to destroy Guams Andersen Air Force Base, said David Wright, a US missile expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists. North Koreas Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Friday, without mentioning the latest missile test, that its weapons tests demonstrate that it can turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area. By Jane Chung SEOUL, Sept 15 (Reuters) - South Korea's imports of Iranian crude oil increased 40.2 percent in August from the same month a year earlier, with its refiners snapping up competitively priced cargoes from the Middle Eastern nation. South Korea, the world's fifth-biggest crude importer, brought in 1.55 million tonnes of Iranian crude last month, or 365,641 barrels per day (bpd), compared with 1.1 million tonnes in the same month in 2016, customs data showed on Friday. Iran has been boosting oil production since Western sanctions over its nuclear programme were lifted last year, aiming to increase crude output to 4.5 million bpd within five years. In the first eight months of 2017, South Korea's oil imports from Iran were 12.22 million tonnes, or 368,529 bpd, up 46.7 percent from 8.33 million tonnes during the same period the year before, the data showed. South Korea, one of Iran's major Asian clients, mainly purchases an ultra-light oil, also known as condensate, from the country, but a breakdown of imports is not available. It uses condensate to produce more expensive fuels like naphtha, For Asian buyers, Iran set the official selling prices of its light and heavy grades at 18 cents and $1.17 respectively below the Oman/Dubai average for August, while it raised September Iranian Light oil prices 20 cents higher than those in August. While the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members and some non-members strive to curb their production to clear a global oil glut, Iran is not capping its output as it was excluded from the OPEC-led supply cut deal to reduce their production by around 1.8 million bpd until next March. Meanwhile, South Korea imported 4.05 million tonnes of crude, or 957,283 bpd from Saudi Arabia, up 9.8 percent from 3.69 million tonnes a year ago, the data showed. Overall, South Korea's total crude imports in August rose 17.7 percent to 13.55 million tonnes, or 3.20 million bpd, according to the data. In January-August of 2017, South Korea shipped in 98.23 million tonnes of crude, or 2.96 million bpd, up 3.9 percent from 94.55 million tonnes over the same period last year. State-run Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) is set to release South Korea's final data for August crude imports later this month. (Reporting by Jane Chung; Editing by Joseph Radford) SOFIA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - These are some of the main stories in Bulgarian newspapers on Friday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. -- Bulgarian authorities said they have found eggs contaminated with toxic chemical fipronil in a packaging facility where three Bulgarian chicken farms were sending their production. (Trud, 24 Chasa, Standart, Monitor, Duma, Telegraph, Standart) -- Kaloyan Topalov, head of Bulgaria's Sofia City Court, has surprisingly submitted his resignation from the post without giving any motives, officials said. (Telegraph, Sega, Monitor, 24 Chasa) TRUD - Bulgaria presented its bid to host the European Medicines Agency to European Union ambassadors to Sofia. The EU plans to move the agency from London once the United Kingdom exits from the bloc. By Alessandra Prentice KIEV, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Friday said he hoped an anti-corruption chamber would be created next month, but expressed doubt that an independent court as envisaged by the International Monetary Fund could be set up before 2019. Under its $17.5 billion aid-for-reforms programme, the IMF wants Ukraine to set up a special court to focus on tackling corruption, which remains entrenched. But Poroshenko said it would take time to establish this kind of institution. "I hope we create an anti-corruption chamber next month and then, if an anti-corruption court would be created in 2019, 2020 - welcome!," Poroshenko said at the opening of the annual Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference. The proposal of an anti-corruption chamber in existing courts has previously been criticised by reform activists, who say the body would not be sufficiently independent. Poroshenko's comments are at odds with the views of the IMF's first deputy managing director, David Lipton, who visited Kiev this week to meet the authorities and said an anti-corruption court should be a priority. "We certainly agree that the creation of an anti-corruption court is an important next step. We encourage the government to do that," Lipton was quoted on Friday as telling newspaper Ukrainska Pravda in an interview. Ukraine has received $8.4 billion from the IMF, helping it recover from a two-year recession following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014 and the outbreak of a Russian-backed insurgency in its industrial east. But further disbursements depend in part on the adoption of pension reform, a review of gas prices and the creation of an anti-corruption judicial body. Some of these requirements face stiff opposition from populist lawmakers. "There are risks of going backwards," Lipton said, referring to Ukraine's progress under the IMF programme. He said it was too early to forecast when Ukraine could receive the next tranche of loans. "First, we need to see the reforms that are needed for this review to be implemented." He said the focus of this review was pension reform and measures to speed up privatisation and ensure concrete results in anti-corruption efforts. Fiscal and energy sector policies must remain consistent with the programme also. (Reporting by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Alison Williams and Hugh Lawson) By Panu Wongcha-um Sept 15 (Reuters) - Thailand's junta needs to show greater flexibility in talks with Malay Muslim insurgents to bring on board the main rebel group that is still fighting and end decades of bloodshed, a senior group member told Reuters. In a rare interview, Pak Fakih of the secretive Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) said the army's current peace talks with other factions were doomed and the government must drop pre-conditions, show greater respect to the separatists and adopt a more open-minded approach. "It is a mistake to think that we do not want to negotiate. We do, but not under the current circumstances," said Fakih, 67, who said he had been fighting since he was 15 and lost a son in the conflict seven years ago. More than 6,500 people have been killed since 2004 alone in the insurgency in the south of mostly Buddhist Thailand. A soldier and a policeman were killed on Thursday and 26 people wounded by roadside bombs which followed a new session of talks in Malaysia between the army and other insurgent factions. The BRN never claims or rejects any specific attack and Fakih said that policy would continue. It is widely seen as the group with the greatest control over combatants in the three southern provinces. "Our attacks are confined to the Deep South and are about sending a signal to the Thai government. We never want to cause widespread harm," said Fakih, who declined to be photographed. "The government say they are fighting ghosts in the south so we want to show them that we exist and we mean business." The Thai government made no immediate comment. REJECTION In April, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha rejected a BRN offer of talks mediated by a neutral third party and said they required no international mediation or observation. The government also sets recognition of Thailand's constitution as a pre-condition - a dealbreaker for the BRN. Until they were annexed in 1909, Thailand's three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate. Insurgent groups have long emphasised that their struggle is about identity and not a religious war. "We and the people are like fish and water: inseparable," Fakih said. The BRN had been part of talks before the army seized power in 2014, but stayed out when negotiations restarted under the army in 2015. Talks have taken place between the government and Mara Patani, an umbrella group claiming to represent all major rebel factions. But Fakih disputed its claim to include BRN members too, saying there were only "former members". He said that the Thai government's policy towards the South was also complicated by different factions in the security forces jockeying for power. "They are fighting for control over the budget in administering the region rather than actually listening to what we have to say," he said. (Editing by Matthew Tostevin and Clarence Fernandez) By Jonathan Saul LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's port expects a slight rise in container shipping volumes this year despite continuing global turmoil in the sector. The global container industry, which transports everything from bananas to iPhones, is showing signs of better returns after a near-decade long slump. Nevertheless, worries over global retail demand and too many ships have continued to put the brakes on a bigger recovery. Hong Kong's Secretary for Transport and Housing, Frank Chan Fan, said container throughput was expected to increase slightly this year from 19.8 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in 2016 and 20 million TEUs in 2015. "This year it is going up by a single digit percentage," Chan told Reuters on the sidelines of London International Shipping Week, adding that it was too early to forecast about 2018. Trading and logistics account for 22 percent of Hong Kong's gross domestic product and 20 percent of its employment. Hong Kong's shipping fortunes soared with the Pearl River Delta export boom of the 1990s, but its once world-leading port has slipped to fifth place by throughput, behind the mainland ports of Shanghai and Shenzhen. Analysts view competition from other Chinese ports as posing a growing risk to Hong Kong. With some of the highest real estate prices in the world, Hong Kong also faces difficulties with any potential expansion of port facilities. "Hong Kong could do better if we have lower land prices, lower property costs," Chan said. "We are trying to boost the higher value end of maritime cargo volume. So, we are hopeful," Chan said. Hong Kong signed an agreement this week with Britain to deepen commercial co-operation in the maritime sector. Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, is undergoing a number of infrastructure projects including the construction of a 22.9 kilometre (14-mile) bridge across the Pearl River Estuary. An extension of the city's airport runways, which is expected to be completed in 2024, is estimated to see air cargo volumes grow from 4.5 million tonnes currently to 9 million tonnes in coming years, Chan said. He said Hong Kong sought to gain from Chinese President Xi Jinping's trillion-dollar push to build a modern Silk Road - known as Belt and Road - which aims to create land, sea and air routes from Asia to Europe. "We have to co-benefit from the Belt and Road initiative," Chan said. "It is not a game that the winning one takes all - it has to be a collaborative approach." (Editing by Susan Fenton) LUSAKA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Friday called for unity among political groups ahead of talks between the government and the opposition aimed at reconciliation after a political crisis earlier this year. The leader of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), Hakainde Hichilema, was arrested with five others in April and charged with plotting to overthrow the government after his convoy failed to make way for Lungu's motorcade. The case stoked political tensions in Zambia, a major copper producer and seen as one of Africa's more stable and functional democracies, following a bruising election last year. Hichilema was freed from prison in August after the state dropped the charges, to pave the way for dialogue between the two sides following mediation by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. Scotland's special envoy Ibrahim Gambari is in Zambia and has separately held talks with Lungu, Hichilema and other opposition leaders. In an address at the opening of the national assembly, Lungu said Zambians could disagree and quarrel but would always remain one. "The factors that unite us are much greater than those that seek to divide us," he said. Opposition UPND members of parliament, who boycotted Lungu's last address, attended Friday's session, saying their attendance would give confidence to the process of dialogue. "The UPND MPs took this decision in the interest of the country in view of the forthcoming political dialogue," their spokesman Jack Mwiimbu said in a statement. (Reporting by Chris Mfula; Editing by Hugh Lawson) By Carolyn Cohn and Simon Jessop LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Four major asset managers said on Friday they no longer planned to ask clients to pick up the bill for external investment research when new European Union rules come into force in January 2018. Germany's Union Investment, Britain's Schroders and U.S. peers Invesco and Janus Henderson had all planned to pass on some or all of the costs to investors in their funds, but since then many of their rivals had said they would fully absorb the costs. BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, on Thursday joined the list of companies that said they would bear research costs when the EU's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, or MiFID-II, comes into force on Jan. 3. The decision by the four managers leaves Amundi as the biggest in a shrinking group of rivals still planning to charge clients for some of all of their external research. Under the rules, asset managers will have to agree a price for all research obtained from brokers and then either pay for it themselves or pass it on to clients. Previously they were given research for free in exchange for trading through the brokers. "Union Investment has decided that it will no longer charge external research costs... and instead will recognise them in its own income statement," it said in a statement. Union Investment said the decision came after the firm completed several in-house projects to calculate future research costs. "Our objective was that the total amount of future transaction and research costs would not be any higher than they are currently," Chief Executive Hans Joachim Reinke said. "We therefore anticipate that, following our decision, the total costs for our customers will be lower." Invesco said last month it preferred to fund payments for external research in a way that involved passing costs on to clients, although it acknowledged legal and regulatory uncertainties and competitive pressure could see that change. On Friday, the company, which manages $876.9 billion in assets across a range of equity, fixed income and other funds, said it had decided to pay for research for Mifid-impacted funds and client accounts from January. "We are committed to ensuring our investment professionals have access to the external research market, which is critical to decision-making and delivering the long term investment excellence our clients have come to expect from Invesco." Schroders, which already paid for all external research for its quantitative equity and fixed income funds, said it would also now pay for research on its other equity funds, after previously planning to pass the costs on to clients. It also said it was considering applying this approach to other jurisdictions. "While we have met the main research principles of MiFID II for a number of years, we have concluded that we should absorb the cost of research for those clients affected by MiFID II," Peter Harrison, Group Chief Executive, said in a statement. (Editing by Keith Weir,) By Kieran Guilbert DAKAR, Sept 15 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A volunteer vigilante group which formed to support Nigerian forces in the fight against Boko Haram signed a U.N.-backed agreement on Friday to root out any children from its ranks. The 30,000-strong "Civilian Joint Task Force" (CJTF) has helped the military to push the Islamists from towns across the northeast since 2013, and has also provided security for camps hosting people uprooted by Boko Haram's eight-year insurgency. Yet the CJTF has drawn criticism from activists who accuse its members of abuses ranging from extortion to rape, and a U.N. report last year said the group had recruited and used children. Under the agreement, which was backed by the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF) and the Nigerian government, the CJTF has vowed to stop children joining or fighting for the group, and to identify and release any members who are under the age of 18. "We want the CJTF to be seen as a clean organisation ... working in the interest of the people in northeast Nigeria," the group's legal advisor, Jibrin Gunda, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Yet Gunda said the group did not allow anyone under 18 to join, and that he was not aware of any children in their ranks. UNICEF said it would work with the government to help any children released by the CJTF to reintegrate back into society. "We have seen too many childhoods destroyed by the crisis in the northeast, Mohamed Fall, UNICEF's representative in Nigeria, said in a statement. "Today's agreement ... paves the way for a brighter future for children caught up in the conflict." Boko Haram has gained notoriety for using children, mainly young girls, to carry out suicide bombings in northeast Nigeria. The militants have deployed four times as many child suicide bombers this year - at least 83 - as they used in all of 2016, according to a UNICEF report published last month. Boko Haram's campaign to create an Islamic state has killed at least 20,000 people, uprooted 2.7 million and sparked one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with tens of thousands already in famine-like conditions, aid agencies say. A regional offensive last year wrested back large swathes of territory from the Islamist insurgents. But they have struck back with renewed zeal recently, targeting civilians and camps sheltering the displaced with raids and suicide bombings. (Reporting By Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) By Tom Miles GENEVA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - A break-in at the U.N. human rights office in Burundi's capital may have been an attempt to smear the government, a presidential aide told reporters on Friday in Geneva. U.N. staff in Burundi filed a complaint with police after a group of armed men broke into the office in Bujumbura at around 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday, a U.N. spokeswoman said. Nobody was hurt and there was no damage in the attack, which came a week after a U.N. human rights inquiry said Burundian officials at the highest level should be held accountable for crimes against humanity. Willy Nyamitwe, senior communications officer in the office of the president, said the two guards at the office had been arrested and it was probably not a simple burglary. "What the police have already said is apparently there was no attack coming from the outside, which certainly means the guards would seem to be complicit. But ... we should wait for the final conclusions of this investigation." Nyamitwe is expected to respond to the allegations at the U.N. Human Rights Council next week. Burundi has rejected the findings of the U.N. inquiry, which Nyamitwe said was a puppet of the European Union. U.N. human rights spokeswoman Elizabeth Throssell called for an investigation of the break-in that complied with international legal procedures. (Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) By Tom Perry and Sarah Dadouch BEIRUT, Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Syrian militias will not let government forces cross the Euphrates River in their bid to recover eastern Syria, their commander said on Friday, but Russia said army units had already done so near the city of Deir al-Zor. An aide to President Bashar al-Assad meanwhile said the government would fight any force, including U.S.-backed militias, in efforts to recapture the rest of the country. Syrian government forces supported by Russian air strikes and Iran-backed militias, and a U.S.-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, are converging on Islamic State in separate offensives around Deir al-Zor. The government side has advanced into the city from the west. Last week, they broke an Islamic State siege of the provincial capital, which sits on the western bank of the river. The Deir al-Zor military council, fighting as part of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has meanwhile advanced towards Deir al-Zor from the eastern side of the river since launching an offensive into the province a week ago. Military council commander Ahmed Abu Khawla warned government forces and their militia allies against firing across the river as his fighters close in -- something he said had happened in recent days. "Now we have 3 km between us and the eastern riverbank, once our forces reach the area, any shot fired into that area we will consider an attack on the military council," he said. "We have notified the regime and Russia that we are coming to the Euphrates riverbank, and they can see our forces advancing," he said. "We do not allow the regime or its militias to cross to the eastern riverbank." But Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the Syrian army had already crossed. "The suburbs of this provincial centre (Deir al-Zor) have been liberated. Advance units have successfully crossed the Euphrates and are holding positions on its eastern bank," she said, without specifying where. Abu Khawla said this was "mere propaganda ... no one has crossed." Assad aide Bouthaina Shaaban later said the Syrian government was ready to fight the SDF. "Whether it's the Syrian Democratic Forces, or Daesh (Islamic State) or any illegitimate foreign force in the country ... we will fight and work against them so our land is freed completely from any aggressor," she said in an interview with Hezbollah's Al Manar TV. "I'm not saying this will happen tomorrow ... but this is the strategic intent," she said, dismissing suggestions that Washington and Moscow's military decisions would decide Syria's fate. The Russian- and U.S.-backed campaigns against Islamic State in Syria have mostly stayed out of each other's way as the sides seek to avoid conflict, with the Euphrates often acting as a dividing line between the sides. Talks have been underway to extend a formal demarcation line that has separated the campaigns, officials have said. The SDF accused Syrian government forces of attacking its positions near the town of Tabqa in Raqqa province and the United States shot down a Syrian government warplane in June. Abu Khawla said a civilian administration would be set up to run areas of Deir al-Zor province captured from Islamic State by his fighters, including oil fields. The Syrian government was "not fit to lead and rule the people", he said. Oil-rich Deir al-Zor province is Islamic State's last major foothold in Syria and Iraq. It is bisected by the Euphrates River and abuts Iraq. "MOVING FORCEFULLY AND QUICKLY" "Every village around the eastern riverbank of the Euphrates river until the Iraqi-Syrian border is a goal for our forces," he said. "We are moving forcefully and quickly. We do not have a timeline, but we hope soon to free the entire eastern bank." Reflecting the demarcation line, the U.S.-led coalition said on Thursday the SDF was not planning to enter Deir al-Zor city. But while Deir al-Zor city was not an SDF target, Abu Khawla did not rule out the possibility it may become one, saying people in the city wanted to be liberated from "the regime and Daesh at the same time". But "right now, we have a schedule that were following which is the liberation of the eastern riverbanks of the Euphrates", he said. He said Islamic State had "shown fierce resistance" when SDF fighters entered the outskirts of Deir al-Zor on the eastern bank. "The battles are continuous," he said. Abu Khawla, who is in his early 30s, said 10,000 fighters were taking part in the Deir al-Zor campaign, the bulk of them members of Arab tribes from eastern Syria. The campaign is supported by the Kurdish militia that dominate the SDF. "All our soldiers training (is) in the Coalition training camps, they oversee our training and our armament," he said. Abu Khawla was a member of a Free Syrian Army rebel group in Deir al-Zor until Islamic State took over most of the province in 2014 at the height of its expansion in Syria and Iraq. He fled to Turkey before returning to Syria and joining the SDF. "Now we are setting up a civil council parallel to the military council of Deir al-Zor, and this civilian council will run all areas freed from (Islamic State)," he said. (Additional reporting by John Davison in Beirut and Christian Lowe in Moscow, Writing by Tom Perry; editing by Ralph Boulton) LONDON, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Britain lifted its national security threat level to critical from severe on Friday, meaning an attack is expected, after a bomb on a London commuter train injured 29 people. Prime Minister Theresa May said in a televised statement that armed police and members of the military would be seen on the streets in the coming days. "For this period, military personnel will replace police officers on guard duties at certain protected sites that are not accessible to the public," she said. (Reporting by Kate Holton and William Schomberg; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) By Patricia Zengerle and Marc Frank WASHINGTON/HAVANA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Five Republican senators called on Friday for Washington to retaliate for an alleged sonic attack, inaudible to some human ears, on U.S. personnel in Cuba by expelling Cuban diplomats and possibly closing the U.S. embassy in Havana. In August, the State Department said Americans linked to the U.S. embassy in the capital had experienced physical symptoms caused by such "incidents," involving sound waves, starting as far back as late 2016. Five Canadians in Havana were also affected. In some cases the victims heard nothing, while others sensed deafening sound, but all suffered symptoms such as nausea, dizziness and temporary hearing or memory loss. The incidents have left a sense of unease among Havana's diplomatic community, various diplomats said, and the Cuban Foreign Ministry has not provided any explanation to date. A months-long investigation by Cuba, the United States and Canada into the mysterious affair, unprecedented in modern diplomatic history, has yet to come up with answers as to how the attacks took place, let alone who was behind them. Cuba has denied involvement. The U.S. State Department has not blamed Havana for the attacks, but asked two Cuban diplomats to leave Washington in May. Canada does not intend to take diplomatic action "at this time," an official said in August. In a letter, the five Republicans - Senators Tom Cotton, Richard Burr, John Cornyn, Marco Rubio and James Lankford - urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to remind the Cuban government of its responsibility toward diplomats. "Furthermore, we ask that you immediately declare all accredited Cuban diplomats in the United States persona non grata and, if Cuba does not take tangible action, close the U.S. Embassy in Havana," they wrote. All five are members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, one of the congressional panels looking into the matter. Burr is its chairman and Cornyn is the number two Republican in the Senate. President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans control majorities in both houses of the U.S. Congress. The letter came as the United States was expected to issue new, tighter restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba, as part of a partial rollback of the U.S.-Cuban detente by President Donald Trump. Rubio, a Cuban-American, was a key player in forging the new, more hostile policy towards the island. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter. The seaside U.S. embassy in Havana was still closed due to damage in the wake of Hurricane Irma, with staff working from the ambassador's residence and from home. A source close to the investigation underway on the island said the Cubans had been very cooperative, even offering to let the FBI in to investigate for example. "As far as we have ever known, the U.S. officials here in Cuba have never suspected the Cubans as perpetrating these events," the source said. Foreign policy experts say it is hard to see what Cuba would have to gain from perpetrating attacks on diplomats. It has enjoyed good relations with Canada for many years and in 2014 started to normalize relations with its old Cold War enemy the United States. Theories abound. One is that another country like Russia, Iran or North Korea might want to drive a wedge between Cuba and the west. Another is that there is an internal power struggle underway on the island. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington, Marc Frank and Sarah Marsh in Havana, David Ljunggren in Ottawa; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Richard Chang) By Mitra Taj LIMA, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Peru's center-right President Pedro Kuczynski is considering appointing Vice President Martin Vizcarra as his new prime minister in a new Cabinet he will swear in on Sunday to replace the one Congress ousted, two government sources said Friday. Kuczynski is also eyeing Claudia Cooper as his new finance minister, one of the sources said. A third source also confirmed Cooper, currently deputy economy minister, was being considered. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because a final decision had not been made. Early on Friday, the opposition-ruled Congress voted 77-22 to dismiss Kuczynski's Cabinet in a motion of no-confidence, deepening a political standoff that could lead to new legislative elections if lawmakers reject the next cabinet. The crisis forced Kuczynski to cancel his trip to New York City, where he planned to dine with U.S. President Donald Trump and deliver a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. It also threatens to stifle a nascent economic recovery in the world's No.2 copper producer following a sharp slowdown early this year. Accusing the opposition of undermining his policies, especially on education, Kuczynski told Peruvians in a televised speech that he would keep working to better their lives. "That's the mandate I have until July 28, 2021 and I won't retreat one millimeter in that goal," said Kuczynski, a former Wall Street banker who narrowly won last year's election. Kuczynski did not announce any cabinet appointments. While he cannot rename outgoing Prime Minister Fernando Zavala as prime minister, Kuczynski can reappoint other cabinet members. Zavala, who faced criticism that he was too much of a technocrat, has doubled as finance minister since Congress ousted the previous finance minister in June. Lawmakers with the opposition party Popular Force warned Kuczynski not to fill his cabinet with old faces. The rightwing populist party has a majority in Congress and is led by Kuczynski's defeated electoral rival, Keiko Fujimori, the eldest daughter of jailed former autocratic president Alberto Fujimori. Appointing Vizcarra, a former governor of a mining region, could gratify lawmakers who have called for a cabinet with more political experience. But it might also anger Popular Force after the party pressured Vizcarra to resign as transportation minister over a proposed change to an airport contract. Cooper was also criticized by the opposition in the controversy. New legislative elections might provide an opening for anti-establishment parties with support for Kuczynski's government and Congress falling in opinion polls. Despite the sparring, Kuczynski and Fujimori both support free-market economic policies. Central Bank President Julio Velarde made a rare plea for politicians to refrain from fueling tensions further. "I hope that doesn't happen. We're talking about adults, aren't we?" Velarde told reporters at an event Friday. (Additional Reporting By Teresa Cespedes and Ursula Scollo, Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Mary Milliken) By Julie Ingwersen CHICAGO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - U.S. soybean futures fell on Friday on profit-taking but the benchmark Chicago Board of Trade November contract still recorded a fourth straight weekly advance, supported by firm cash markets and export demand. CBOT wheat rose on short-covering and worries about dry conditions in Australia while corn closed modestly higher in rangebound trade. Chicago Board of Trade November soybean futures settled down 7-1/4 cents at $9.68-3/4 per bushel, dropping back below the 50-day moving average. CBOT December wheat ended up 6 cents at $4.49 a bushel and December corn ended up 1/2 cent at $3.54-3/4 a bushel. Soybeans came off their lows after the National Oilseed Processors Association said its members crushed 142.42 million bushels of soybeans last month, the most for any August on record. The NOPA figure was above an average of trade expectations for 137.5 million bushels. The NOPA data was not enough to turn futures higher for the day. But the CBOT November soybean contract nonetheless posted its fourth straight weekly gain. Export demand lent support. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said private exporters sold 132,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to China, the latest in a string of U.S. soybean sales announced this week. And cash values for soybeans continued to firm at the U.S. Gulf, supported by exporters seeking soy for September loadings. CBOT corn ended modestly higher on technical buying including short-covering. But rallies were capped by expectations of expanding harvest progress in the U.S. Midwest in the coming days. "Drier weather in the eastern Midwest and Delta will favor corn and soybean drydown and early harvesting," MDA Weather Services said in a note to clients. Wheat futures firmed on technical buying and fears of dry weather hurting production prospects in Australia. The Australian government this week cut its estimate of the country's 2017/18 wheat harvest to 21.64 million tonnes, an eight-year low. The CBOT December wheat contract closed higher but was unable to break through chart resistance at Thursday's one-month high of $4.50-1/2. "It's too dry in Australia and too wet in Argentina. They (commodity funds) are short. The market has shown some measure of rebound here. Having said that, we traded from $4.48 to $4.50 three times and can't generate anything," one Chicago trader said. (Additional reporting by Naveen Thukral in Singapore and Gus Trompiz in Paris; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle and Cynthia Osterman) GUATEMALA CITY, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Guatemala's Congress on Friday repealed a controversial bill it had passed only two days earlier, which critics had blasted as a setback in the fight against political corruption. Prosecutors have accused President Jimmy Morales and the main political parties of illegal campaign financing, so opponents were outraged when Congress on Wednesday passed a "national emergency" decree to curb penalties for the offense. The legislation sought to make party accountants responsible for irregularities rather than party leaders. As public outcry mounted, Morales said on Thursday he was prepared to veto the legislation if it was against the nation's interest. Congress responded by announcing it would withdraw the bill. A motion to repeal the bill passed on Friday afternoon with 130 votes in favor and none against in Guatemala's Congress, with 28 absentees. Earlier this week, the legislation had been approved by lawmakers with a vote of 105-19 in favor. Guatemalan lawmakers and anti-graft proponents have been locking horns in recent months. U.N.-backed anti-graft body, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), and Attorney General Thelma Aldana have accused Morales and political parties of using illicit financing in the 2015 election campaign and sought to impeach the president over the charge. However, Congress voted not to strip Morales of his immunity from prosecution earlier this month. In August, Morales attempted to expel the head of the CICIG, veteran Colombian prosecutor Ivan Velasquez, from Guatemala. Instead the president was thwarted by the country's top court and came under a barrage of international criticism. (Reporting by Sofia Menchu, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) A group of medical doctors representing the Health Ministry met with religious leaders of the the Congress of Religions at Sri Sambodhi Maha Viharaya in Colombo yesterday afternoon to explain and discuss about the proposed amendments to abortion laws. Ven. Ittapana Dhammalankara Mahanayaka Thera, Prof. Ven. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera, Ven. Dr. Akuratiye Nanda Thera, Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera, Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Ash Sheikh Fazil Farook of All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) and number of other religious leaders attended the meeting representing the Congress of Religions. Prof. Sujeewa Amarasena, Professor in Paediatrics of the Ruhuna Universitys Medicine Faculty said the recommendations had been made to decriminalise abortion and allow for medical termination of pregnancies only in three specific circumstances under strict regulations. The three instances are sexual abuse and incest, the pregnancy occurring in a girl below the age of 16 (a victim of statutory sexual assault) and serious foetal impairments when the fetus is 12-week old. Even for these instances, a Magistrate will have the final say in the decision and the approval of a panel of three physicians including the Judicial Medical Officer and a psychiatrist should be sought in order to proceed. Abortion should only be performed by a state medical doctor at a government hospital. In case of a sexual abuse, a complaint should be lodged with the police informing the crime, he said. In terms of foetal impairments, Prof. Amarasena said they have identified 30 instances including genetic mutations where the baby would have no chance of survival when born. He said the recommendations to amend the existing laws pertaining to abortion, which were set by the Penal Code of 1883, were brought out of compassionate and it was only for those who in need of abortion. These laws cannot be misused because of strict implementation and cannot be commercialized or promoted because the surgeries would be performed only at a government hospital, he said responding to the questions by the clergy. He said about 600-1,000 illegal abortions are being performed daily in the country putting the lives of mothers at major risk. By way of allowing abortion under certain circumstances, these numbers could likely to reduce. Positive results could be seen in the health sector of other countries, where abortion has been made legal under different circumstances. We cant guarantee that it would exactly be the same in Sri Lanka but mostly it could be a success, he said. The doctors said the abortion laws were amended for the first time in India, a country with vast diversity of religious beliefs in 1971 while Nepal amended it in 2002. They also emphasized on sexual abuse, the psychological trauma of the victim who becomes pregnant, incest and social issues arise from these incidents. Raising their concerns, Ven. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thera said according to teachings of Dhamma, foetus has life since the conception, and therefore, killing of a human life cannot be accepted. We admit that there are issues faced by raped victims who become pregnant. They have to undergo many difficulties and sometimes the society treat them in a manner which is far worse than it treats the rapist. Therefore, the victims resort to illegal abortion. The laws which applies to Sangha is set by Vinaya. Vinaya says killing or aiding to kill a human, even a fetus, is a cause for Parajika (Expulsion from the Sangha). The medical doctors know what is best for the patient. According to common laws, abortion may not be a crime but it is so to us. For us what counts as a crime is the intention to end a life be it a mercy killing or abortion. This is a topic we should discuss further in detail, the prelate said. His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said there are ample places and services in the country to accept children if a rape victim who becomes pregnant wishes not to raise the child. There are instances where such victims even continue to raise the child. We cannot generalize few incidents. We should look at alternatives. We should focus on sex education. The society should be educated about the value of life. Terminating a life is a dreadful thing to do. We respect and accept the individual rights but within a religious framework we cannot approve this, the His Eminence said. Meanwhile, Ash Sheikh Fazil Farook said Islamic teachings are too against abortion in general except for three circumstances. A good family is a blessing, a gift of god. There is no choice to terminate a foetus except for three instances under strict supervision in Islam. An abortion can be performed when the mothers life is in danger, within 40 days if a girl was subject to sexual abuse and she did not want the baby and within 120 days if the foetus is diagnosed with extreme deformed conditions. However, laws pertaining to killing of a soul should be strong. If that law is not strong, people would abuse the abortion practice. Today, the Sri Lankas problem is how strong is the law with regard to value of a soul and how strongly it is being implemented, he said. . Wrapping up the discussion, Ven. Ittapana Dhammalankara Thera expressed gratitude to the doctors for explaining about the proposed amendments though the religious leaders and the doctors have different opinions. However, it was significant to note that the multiple party discussion on legalizing abortion under special circumstances was not attended by a single female representative. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Pics by Nisal Baduge Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala, whose clarion commands influenced and inspired to awaken the dormant nation, is hugely respected and gracefully remembered on Sunday. September 17th marks the 153rd birth anniversary of this wonderful patriot. Anagarika hails from a distinguished Sri Lankan family. He is the eldest son of reputed business magnate Muhandiram Don Carolis Hewavitharana and Srimathi Mallika Hewavitharna, a devout Buddhist Upasika (Devotee). Initially Anagarika was named as David Hewavitharna. At the time of his birth under the evil influence of western domination, Buddhism and Aryan culture had dropped to its lowest ebb in Sri Lanka. Ravaged, rampaged and battered by three foreign invaders, the island nation had almost lost its national identity. Western rulers vandalized our Pirivena (Temple) education and national occupations. Our ancient tanks were neglected and agriculture was ruined. By the introduction of a cluster of liquor taverns islandwide, our esthetic morals were denounced and the thrifty society was degraded in to criminal wasters and lazy drones. Educational institutes for Buddhist children were almost non existent. As such David too, had no option but to study at two missionary schools, where he was able to byheart the Holy Bible. As the trio visited the remote corners of the island, Dharmapalas oratorical talents had the countrymen spellbound. However, the reluctance to forsake Buddhist practices brought him in to conflict with the missionary authorities. I was reading a pamphlet on Four Nobel Points, when the schools boarding master threw out the pamphlet. I left that school in 1878, David, who later changed his name to Dharmapala, had once said. Thereafter, David studied for three years at S. Thomas College, Mount Lavinia. Since he passed, everyday, the temple where Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera resided, he started frequenting the place. He received the opportunity to advance in his oriental studies under the guidance and patronage of Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera. Following the untimely demise of his beloved younger sister and observing the condition of his grief stricken mother, he realized the emptiness and sufferings of worldly life. Thus, in his teens he aspired to apply the doctrine of the Buddha, to alleviate suffering of all human beings. He then resolved to become a homeless celibate (seeker of Truth) and changed his name to Anagarika Dharmapala. In contrast to my wine drinking, meat eating and pleasure loving missionary teachers, the Bhikkus were meek and abstemious. I loved their company and would sit quietly in a corner and listen to their wise discourse, Dharmapala reminisced. He was impressed by the publication of a report by a visiting American spiritualist, Dr. J.M. Peebles, on the Great Panadura debate. The philosophical arguments of Col. Olcott and Lady H.P. Blavatsky, which were in the publication caught his attention. He was impressed by the publication of a report by a visiting American spiritualist, Dr. J.M. Peebles, on the Great Panadura debate. The philosophical arguments of Col. Olcott and Lady H.P. Blavatsky, which were in the publication caught his attention. The due, who were engaged in theosophical work in USA, visited Sri Lanka in 1880. The two heavenly visitors on their arrival at the Galle Port, were met by Ven. Sumangala Nayake Thera. They observed Panchaseela (The five precepts prescribed for a layman) and vowed to dedicate themselves to salvage Sri Lanka. Being the founder of BTS (Buddhist Theosophical Society) Col. Olcott initiated the Buddhist National Educational Scheme. Dharmapala wholeheartedly appreciated the sudden national renaissance coming into effect with their arrival. It was at this temple that Dharmapala first made acquaintance with these foreign guests. When the Theosophists revisited Sri Lanka in 1884, Dharmapala expressed his desire to study Theosophy and Occultism from Himalayan spiritualists. Lady Blavatsky persuaded Dharmapalas parents to let him visit India. She also advised him to forget Occultism and study Pali, the language of the Buddha. Accordingly he first visited India, in 1884. On his return from Adyar, Dharmapala joined the Department of Education in 1886. Subsequently he obtained a pass with distinctions at the Clerical Service Examination conducted by the British Government. Forming Buddhist schools In 1886, when Col Olcott and C.W. Leadbeater (Founder Principal of Ananda College), revisited Ceylon, to collect funds to establish a Buddhist National Educational scheme, Dharmapala, who was employed in the Government service, readily applied for three months leave and joined hands with Col Olcott and Leadbeater in their island wide campaign. Ananda College Colombo, Dharmaraja College Kandy and Mahinda College Galle were the first three educational institutes they established under the cluster of Buddhist Theosophical Society schools (BTS). As the trio visited the remote corners of the island, Dharmapalas oratorical talents had the countrymen spellbound. During this entourage, Dharmapala received the official results of the Government Clerical Service Examination conducted by the British Government. The results indicated that he had obtained an extraordinary Distinction Pass. Dharmapala, who was deeply conscious and concerned about the Buddhist revival movement and the upliftment of down trodden fellow beings, lost no time in sending his letter of resignation from Government service to devote full time for the on going rehabilitation programs. As they traveled more in to interior villages, Dharmapala began to realize the grim realities of rural life where people were without roads, houses, schools or hospitals. These poor folk who were the backbone of the nation were subdued and discriminated by the colonial rulers. Although he became a staunch Buddhist in the orthodox sense of the term, yet he was neither a bigot nor a fanatic. The philosophy of Buddhism in its practical bearing on life and its sundry problems became incentives to his complete identification with ideas of individual and social welfare. Travels to India Dharmapala went on a pilgrimage to the sacred Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi in 1891. It became the turning point of his life. During Dharmapalas visit to Buddhagaya, and the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi premises, the place where Prince Sidhartha became enlightened, a sudden impulse passed through him. He was shocked and stunned to observe the unduly neglected state of affairs and the gross religious discrimination brought upon the global Buddhist population by mahants. Anagarika sternly determined not to retreat from there, until and unless justice was meted to all Buddhists. He took immediate action to launch an agitation campaign. He founded the Maha Bodhi Society (MBS) in 1891 and the MB Journal in order to address the world. He received a generous financial support for this endeavour from his father. Dharmapala spearheaded his Buddhagaya rescue campaigns thereafter. In the meantime, having seen a copy of the MB journal and being impressed by its contents, the organizers of World Parliament of Religions (about to be held in San Francisco) extended an invitation for an MBS representative to attend the parley. In the absence of a competent candidate to represent the MB Society, Dharmapala, who was only 26 years old then, himself undertook the challenge and attended the conference in San Francisco in September 1893. Close friends Buddhists the world over responded to his clarion command. Intellectuals, philanthropists and members of royal dynasties extended him the fullest cooperation to espouse his great cause. In India Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, M.C. Mookarjee and Indian Mirror Editor Narendranath, were his close friends. In England Sir Edwin Arnold, the author of Light of Asia, remained his lifelong friend. Russian Lady Madam Blavatsky, American National Col Henry Steel Olcott and Lady Annie Beasant were his close associates. Mary Foster Robinson supported him (since 1893) with a mass of wealth. It was with her generous contributions that Dharmapala established a permanent Buddhist Viharaya in Ealing London in 1926. He purchased two properties for the Mahabodhi Centre and Viharaya in Calcutta, in 1906 and 1915. He also established schools in Hiniduma and Rajagiriya to educate poor children in 1916 and a free hospital in Ceylon in memory Lady Mary Foster Robinson (1914). Following on the golden footsteps of great Emperor Dharmasoka, Dharmapala reinitiated and intensified the World Buddhist missionary programs. According to his letter addressed to the Colonial Secretary in June 1905, at his own expense he had traversed three times round the World, preaching Buddhism and establishing Buddhist monasteries in London and elsewhere. Maiden speech Dharmapala made his maiden speech in Calcutta, in 1891. The speech was organized under the patronage of renowned N.C. Mookarjee. Following his remarkable Chicago address at the religious parley in 1893, he visited USA thrice. Pandit Dipak Kumar Barua (M.A., Dip. Lib), a special Bharat researcher states. During the eighteenth century in the realm of religion, India had entered the zone of uncreative habit, and of decadent tradition. With the beginning of the nineteenth century she began to experience some striking changes in religion and on the eve of such a religious reformation in modern India, a Ceylonese Buddhist named David Hewavitarne, later popularly known as Anagarika Dharmapala (b. 1864, Sept. 17th-d. 1933, April 29th) who appeared as the herald of a new age, had an opportunity to save Buddhism and Buddhist culture from the deadening influence of spiritual blindness and superstitions. With profound learning and high philosophical acumen, Dharmapala was really the harbinger of the idea of Universal Humanism, the humanist as he preached the noble doctrines of Buddhism about love, compassion and fraternity. His whole being was saturated with humanism. Although he became a staunch Buddhist in the orthodox sense of the term, yet he was neither a bigot nor a fanatic. The philosophy of Buddhism in its practical bearing on life and its sundry problems became incentives to his complete identification with ideas of individual and social welfare. Like Asoka, the Mauryan emperor, he promulgated the Buddhist culture in the form of humanized culture in the Parliament of Religions in 1893 in Chicago. He was, during that era, probably the first Buddhist whose personality won demonstrative recognition in the western countries. It was indeed a worthy scene to observe the first session of the Parliament in the Hall of Columbus. In his vibrant voice Dharmapala requested all to respond to the good wishes of four hundred and seventy-five millions Buddhists, the blessings and peace of the founder of the religion-which has prevailed for so many centuries in Asia-that have made Asia mild. His own paper titled The Worlds Debt to Buddha- which was read there on the 18th Sept. 1893- was bereft of either theology or anthropomorphism. In the simplest possible manner he explained the Buddhist principles, supported by numerous quotations from the Canon. Yet his speech was so effective that many Americans instantaneously expressed their wish to adopt the noble religion of Lord Buddha. He, moreover, urged them to learn, to think without prejudice, love all beings for loves sake, express convictions fearlessly and lead a life of purity.Prof. Benoy Sarkar addressed him as a maker of modern Bengal since Dharmapala was able to bring a change in the outlook of the Bengalese with regard to religion and society. Give up your dreamy philosophies and sensualising ceremonies. Millions are daily suffering the pangs of hunger; drinking the water that animals in the forest would not drink and sleeping and living in houses inhaling poison day after day. There is wealth in India enough to feed all. But the abominations of caste, creed and sect are making millions suffer, were Dharmapalas words. Swami Vivekananda Having learned of Dharmapalas famous speeches at Calcutta, Swami Vivekananda wrote a letter (1894) from America to him in a very frank manner. Hope, your noble work will succeed. You are a worthy servant of Buddha who came for Bahujana Hitaya Bahujana Sukhaya, (for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many) and finished the letter with an affectionate compliment. Yours ever in brotherly love, Vivekananda. The fragrance of his fame has traveled afar: He lived in wonderful perception of the Truth. Chaing Hsia-Pias added. Mahatma Gandhi, in his address at Maha Bodhi Society of India, Calcutta in May 1925 said Friends, it is now my pleasant duty to perform this service. I shall not say anything of these proceedings. Dr. Dharmapala has added a pathetic touch to this service and he has laid on my shoulders a burden which I consider I am ill fitted to carry. A thorough student of Christianity, with an unusually high degree of familiarity with Christian scriptures, Dharmapala was a sincere admirer of the ethical doctrines of Christ. He, of course, rejected the idea of creation and he had repeatedly given his arguments in support of his standpoint. Dharmapalas letter addressed to Fransis J. Payne, underscores his deep commitments to his religious mission. It seems that your vigorous activities in the arena of the Dhamma propaganda have come to a standstill. How did the collapse come? What have you done with regard to the publication of your Buddhist Bible? When activities cease people understand that life has left the body.While we are alive we have to do good Kamma? What are we here for? The answer is given in the Maha Mangala Sutta. There is nothing so evil as association with the muddle headed, and that is what 99 per cent. of people do. The Untouchables Forty years of ceaseless activity has made me physically weak. For 34 years I have spent my life in India in voluntary exile. The name of the Lord Buddha was hardly known 37 years ago by the people of India. Today all of India acknowledges him as their God. There was no Vihara in India, no Buddhist publication, no preaching until started by the Maha Bodhi Society. There is a great harvest to be reaped if there are Buddhist workers. The number of Untouchables waiting to be rescued from the Brahmanical despotism is 65 million. The Brahmans dont want them. If the Untouchable are converted the number of Moslems will increase to 135 millions. Padres will be glad to have the number of Native Christians increased from 3 million to 68 million. Stubbornness Besides his magnificent personality he always exhibited a militant stubbornness whenever and where ever he confronted injustice. He once said, under Colonial Imperialists, continuous political oppression on me has aged me much and I am now almost an invalid and my death will be hastened by the official tortures to which I am subjected to. As they did to Mahathma Gandhi, the Father of Non Violence, fearing the emergence of his great leadership the ruthless colonial rulers, adhering to their obnoxious laws discriminated and imprisoned Dharmapala. Yet they couldnt arrest his will power. During 1915 communal riots broke out when the Britishers arrested the rest of the national leaders. Dharmapala in a strong worded letter hit back at the Colonial Secretary, citing the British attitude towards Germans at the war. He challenged them to consider the local reactions in the same context. Dharmapalas historic correspondences were fully published in Dr. Guruges Anagarika Centenary Volume, and is too heavy to repeat here (page 537). Gradually the British Governors too, began to respect and extended their cooperation to Dharmapala. In 1922, Sir Harcourt Bultle the Governor of the United Provinces India, laid the foundation stone to build a Vihara at Saranath while the Government of India expressed its readiness to present a Relic of the Lord Buddha to be enshrined at the proposed Saranath Viharaya. Thus, the Mulgandhakuti Viharaya, one of Dharmapalas cherished dreams, was realized in 1930. Entering priesthood Dharmapala, who lived a restless life for the cause of humanity, made his last visit to Sri Lanka in 1931. During that visit he established the Dharmapala Trust and gifted Mallika Santagars home in memory of his loved mother. In 1931 Dharmapala entered the order of Maha Sangha becoming the Bhikkhu Sri Devamitta Dharmapala and received his higher ordination, Upasampada, two years later. In conformity with the teachings of the Buddha, that all conditioned things are subject to transient (anicca), sorrow (dukkha) and soulless (anatta), Dharmapala- the energetic and enterprising Bodhisatva- mindfully breathed his last breath facing the Mulagandhakuti Viharaya on April 29, 1933. The last words he uttered were Let me be reborn I wish to be born 25 times to spread Lord Buddhas Dhamma Even today, in Sri Lanka, you will suddenly notice an image of Dharmapala facing you. A nation in its inability to express and exhibit its vast gratitude towards this benevolent leader has thus carved his name with pride and solidified his presence by erecting scores of gilded statues throughout our motherland. May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana! Asgiriya Maha Vihara Chapter Registrar Ven. Medagama Dhammananda Thera making a special statement yesterday, regarding the insults made on Buddhist monks by certain politicians, expressed concern and condemned the act. The Thera said: "At a time like this when President Maithripala Sirisena has taken a timely action to introduce an insurance cover for the old Buddhist monks , there are various government ministers and parliamentarians who have made insulting remarks by levelling allegations in various forms. It has to be treated as a downright insult. There are politicians who have been rejected by the people and become popular in various fields. They act without any good feeling towards the country and without an understanding about the values, religious and cultural background and whims and fancies of the general public,the Thera said. The Thera said political party leaders should select candidates wisely and intelligently at the forthcoming elections without giving permission to candidates who are involved in unbecoming acts. (J.A.L. Jayasinghe) DAILY MAIL, 14 September, 2017 More than 50 people have been killed and at least 80 wounded in a double suicide bomb attack in southern Iraq, allegedly carried out by Islamic State militants. ISIS-linked terrorists attacked a restaurant and a police checkpoint on a highway near the city of Nassiriya, Dhi Qar province, police and medical sources said. One attacker detonated his explosive vest inside the restaurant south-west of the city, while three to four other attackers opened fire at the people inside.This attack was followed by two suicide bombers, including one driving an explosives-laden car, at the police checkpoint nearby. Yahya al-Nassiri, the governor of Dhi Qar, says the majority of the dead are expected to be Iranian pilgrims who were inside the restaurant. Dhi Qar is dominated by Shia Muslims, a group that ISIS - who are Sunni Muslim - deem apostates, or heretics. Police said the death toll could rise as several of the wounded were in a critical condition. Shiite Muslim-dominate Dhi Qar province is located about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. Bomb attacks in southern Iraq, where the bulk of the countrys oil is produced, are relatively rare. A Financial Times journalist has died after he was dragged underwater by a crocodile while on holiday in Sri Lanka, foreign media reported. Paul McClean, 25, has been identified as the British man killed by the animal in a lagoon known as Crocodile Rock. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan police said in a statement that a British national, who went to bathe in the sea at Panama with a group of friends, had gone missing and the police and the navy were searching for the missing person. According to the Telegraph, it is believed that Mr McClean left his friends to go to the toilet, and the beast ambushed him when he dipped his hands into the water to wash them. One of his colleagues at the FT told the Telegraph: Were all totally stunned. He was a great kid, an Everton fan, super bright. Its an absolute tragedy. Mr McClean grew up in Thames Ditton, Surrey, and graduated from Oxford University with a First in French in 2015. Witnesses of the incident reportedly saw him waving his hands in the air in desperation before he was pulled below the surface by the crocodile. It is believed he only arrived in the country a few days before. A Scot who is on holiday in the area but wished to remain anonymous said: People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under. I was there but didnt see it happen though. Horrible. The Colombo International Book Fair 2017 was opened by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) yesterday. Organizers, Sri Lanka Book Publishers Association said there will be around 300 400 local and foreign book stalls, and the fair would end on September 24th. Here the President in one of the stalls with Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Leader of the National Unity Front Azath Salley. Pic by Kithsiri de Mel Pastem-Gala Sugar and Power Gen 2 Project, a joint venture between Sri Lankan, Korean and US parties, is seeking Cabinet approval to set up a US$ 350 million agro-tourism and waste-to-power public-private partnership project in the countrys poorest region, Uva Province. We first got approval from the Uva Provincial Council, and then we got approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management. It will be going to Cabinet next week, Gala Rural Development (Pvt) Ltd. Chairperson Danthika Seo said. Gala Rural Development is the local partner, while Koreas Pastem Co. Ltd and the US-based AG Bank are the other two partners, according to Seo. She noted that the project had originally expected to cover 20,000 hectares but that after revisiting the project scope, found 10,000-13,000 hectares to now be sufficient. The sugarcane will be cultivated through an out-grower model, where we will create nurseries and provide the farmers with plants and buy back the sugar cane. The land will be both government and private land, and the local government has identified the lands, she said. The project also aims to import dairy cows from Australia to distribute among the farmers, and the milk will be bought back from the farmers to produce fresh milk, milk powder, butter and cheese, using Korean technology, according to Seo. A Pastem document indicated that US$ 70 million will be spent for the cows and the dairy production units. Pastem has allocated US$ 50 million for the cultivation of the sugar cane and US$ 80 million for sugar and jaggery production units, while US$ 20 million will be spent to create organic fertilizer from the projects agriculture waste. Other waste from the project, nearby municipal waste, and inputs from a Gliricidia plantation will be used to power a 10MW power generation plant, while biomass from the sugarcane factory will be used as feed stock for a 25MW plant to enhance energy security in the region. The power plants have been allocated US$ 100 million, according to Pastem. The project also aims to improve four tanks in the vicinity to enhance irrigation and to create ecotourism potential with an investment of US$ 30 million, the document indicated. Seo said that the Pastem-Gala Sugar and Power Gen 2 will be set up as a build-operate-transfer public-private partnership, where the JV partners will transfer the entirety of their shares in the project back to the Sri Lankan government after a period of 30 years. Gala Rural Development will own 30 percent of the shares, and of that we will give some shares to the government, and if required, to the Uva Provincial Council. How much to give to them is still under discussion. Pastem will own 30 percent of the shares. The remaining shares will be owned by the AG Bank, Seo said. AG Bank, based in the US, will provide the US$ 350 million in funding, she added. The groundbreaking for the project, if cabinet approval is forthcoming, will take place next month, Pastem said. The Korean partner added that the project is likely to create at least 2,000 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect jobs in the province. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis 67th birthday falls on September 17. While wishing the Indian Premier the very best and wishing many more productive years to come; it is as good a time as any to reflect on his meteoric rise to power and the changing face of India under his leadership. Starting life as the son of a poor tea seller in Gujarat, Mr Modi retains strong ties to the politics of the Hindu nationalist right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to which he was introduced when just eight-years-old. A victim of a child marriage which he rejected as a teenager, the young Modi wandered the Himalayas as a Sannyasa, imbibing ways of Hindu ascetics before returning to Gujarat and renewing his ties to the RSS. By 1971 he had become a full-time worker in that organization and during the period of emergency rule between 1975-1977 was forced to go into hiding because of his political beliefs. Assigned to the BJP in 1985, Modi quickly rose to become its general secretary in 2001. A tried and tested politician, he became Chief Minister of Gujerat and at the 2014 general election led his party to a landslide victory. A controversial figure because he was Chief Minister during the 2002 anti-Muslim riots and not particularly favourable toward minority sentiments, Modi was looked on with uncertainty and trepidation by minorities in India and among some SAARC countries. The Sri Lanka government hoped for better relations with India under his watch as Prime Minister, while Pakistan was concerned with the strong nationalist background of the incoming premier and whether his BJP regime would exacerbate already existing tensions between the two countries. But Mr. Modis invitation to all SAARC leaders including the Pakistani PM to attend his swearing-in ceremony, was seen as a gesture to improve relations within SAARC. His master stroke visit to Pakistan in December 2016 showed a keenness to find a solution to the Indo-Pakistan stand-off. Sadly the possibility of better relations between the South Asian countries crumbled when the Kashmir issue flared out of control and both countries accusing each other for the worsening situation. Ultimately Indian troops entered Pakistani territory to neutralize cross-border attackers. Today relations between India and Pakistan are at their lowest level and SAARC exists merely in name with the latest SAARC meeting scheduled to be held in Pakistan being called off. Internationally, India has today become the darling of the western nations led by the US. By a strange twist of fate, Britain, the US and the EU, which accused Mr. Modi of human rights violations and refused to issue a visa to the then Chief Minister Modi are now falling over each other to welcome him to their countries. Back at home Mr. Modis successes have been muted. He has as yet, not been able to deliver on his promise of job creation. His government has fallen short of his election manifesto promise to create ten million new jobs. The Hindustan Times reports that the unemployment rate in 2015-16 was 5% of the labour force, up from 4.9% in 2013-14, the year before the BJP assumed power. It says the number of beneficiaries of one of the governments assistance programmes -- the Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), which aimed at generating employment in rural and urban areas by starting new micro enterprises and small projects -- has fallen 24.4% from 428,000 in 2012-13 to 323,362 in 2015-16. Attacks by Hindu mobs on Muslim and Christian communities in particular Indian states, has somewhat tarnished Mr. Modis initial yesrs as prime minister. Statistics reveal that Muslims were the target of 51% of violence centred on bovine issues from 2010 to 2017 with some 28 Indians killed in 63 incidents, according to an India Spend content analysis of the English media. As many of 97% of these attacks were reported after Prime Minister Modis government came to power in May 2014. Similarly the Catholic Secular Federation (CSF), as reported in the Hindustan Times, has documented 365 attacks against Christians in 2015 making it the highest number of attacks on Indian Christians since independence. While wishing Mr. Modi all the best for his birthday, we hope that as he was able to negotiate a settlement at Doklam over the recent Indo-Chinese stand-off, he will be able to help end the Indo-Pakistan rift which is holding back the development of SAARC. North Korea fired another missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning, just a day after Pyongyang said that Japan should be sunken into the sea with a nuclear bomb and that the United States should be beaten to death with a stick fit for a rabid dog. This was the second time in less than three weeks that North Korea sent a ballistic missile over Japan, and the launch came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what is widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb. The latest launch immediately sparked angry reactions from Tokyo and Seoul. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the international community had to unite to punish Kim Jong Uns regime, calling this weeks U.N. Security Council sanctions the floor, not the ceiling. The missile was launched from the Sunan airfield just north of Pyongyang about 6:30 a.m. local time, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It flew 2,300 miles over 17 minutes, passing over Hokkaido and landing some 1,200 miles to the east in the Pacific Ocean. The launch immediately triggered emergency alerts in Japan. The Japanese government warned people not to approach any debris or other suspicious-looking material, a reflection of the fact that North Korean missiles sometimes break up in flight. By Anna Fifield, Dan Lamothe (c) 2017, The Washington Post Sep 15, 2017 - SEOUL During the cross-examination, PTL CEO Kasun Palisena yesterday accepted that he placed bids and took other appropriate steps at the March 29, 2016 auction following instructions received from Arjun Aloysius, who was in possession of inside information according to the phone recording played before the Commission. Continuing the Cross-examination of PTL CEO Kasun Palisena, Deputy Solicitor General Milinda Gunatilleke questioned the witness on the auctions that had taken place in October, 2015 and March, 2016. DSG Gunatilleke explained during the proceedings there were two secrets as to how PTL gained phenomenal profits in November 2015. He said PTL knew precisely how to bid at the October auction knowing the cut off point and later sold those bonds accepted in the auction to EPF through an intermediary (PABC) within a very short period of time (in November 2015). This cutoff point is what CBSL decided on the bids received at a Treasury bond auction. It is simply a decision on the rate until which point the CBSL would accept bids (borrowings) from Primary Dealers at the auction. The DSG also revealed that EPF had not even placed a bid at the October auction but had bought bonds at a higher price from PTL after a few days in November, resulting in PTL to gaining a considerably higher profit. But witness Kasun Palisena rejected this view of the DSG. DSG Gunatilleke: So, PTL precisely placed a higher volume of bids at the cutoff mark of the auction, which was finally accepted right? Witness Palisena: Yes DSG: And this has been happening previously as well in auctions? W: Not always DSG: But often enough W: There are instances DSG: These are gifts received by PTL and a life time opportunity to make profits, right? W: Cant comment on that but yes it may be true DSG Gunatilleke was of the view that having known until which yield rate the CBSL would accept bids, PTL had placed a higher chunk of bids at that cutoff rate. Referring to the bid sheets of the auctions, the DSG showed that PTLs bid was the last accepted bid at that auction by the CBSL. DSG Gunatilleke said that PTL later sold those bonds obtained from the auction to EPF through PABC in the secondary market in the backdrop where the EPF had not even bid at that October auction. Justice Prasanna Jayawardena at this point specifically asked the DSG about the time gap between the October auction and PTLs sale of those bonds to the EPF. DSG Gunatilleke said it was about four days after the auction that EPF had bought these bonds at a price higher than what had been offered in the auction. Reminding the two occasions where PTL was in requirement of contingency funds, DSG Gunatilleke sarcastically commented that PTLs banker during a financial crisis was the EPF, because there were a large number of instances where PTL had engaged in REPO transactions (instrument of borrowing) with the EPF when they were in need of contingency funds in treasury bond trading. These two occasions were, immediately after the February 27, 2015 auction when PTL was required to settled the amount accepted in the auction, and on April 4, 2016 when PTL was in ILF (intra day lending facility) default. It was also revealed that after February 27, 2015 auction PTL had not received lending facilities from other commercial banks and institutions due to the negative publicity it had received. Justice Jayawardena: So, you usually go to the EPF when emergency money is needed, right? Witness: Yes, if they have. J: Have the EPF been ever running out of money? W: No DSG Gunatilleke: If the EPF had bid in those auctions they wouldnt have had the opportunity to fund you at these particular times, right? W: That I wouldnt know. At this point DSG Gunatilleke played the Singapore phone call, in which Aloysius instructs Palisena. In this conversation, Mr. Aloysius was instructing Palisena on how to bid at the March 29, 2016 auction, its importance referring to the information he received from sources, the rates at which he should bid at the auction, the biding rates of the EPF and the cut off rate until which CBSL would accept the bids. In this conversation, Aloysius referred his sources that he received information as Our friend in the department, our friends in powerful places. Also Aloysius always says that He said during this conversation. Aloysius passes information to Palisena in the conversation regarding a state bankers meeting which was immediately finished at that time. However, on an earlier occasion, cross-examining the chief dealer of PTL Nuwan Salgado, Counsel Chanaka de Silva, who was appearing on behalf of Arjuna Mahendran moved that this information given by Aloysius were ultimately wrong. DSG Gunatilleke yesterday showed the accuracy of the information passed by Aloysius to his CEO Kasun Palisena in this conversation which happened around 9.18 a.m. and 9.34 a.m. on March 29, 2016 (at the time when the auctions floor had been opened to bids) Firstly, Aloysius instructs Palisena that the CBSL would accept any bid up to a rate between 14.80% to14.90%. Secondly, he predicts there wont be a rate cut by the CBSL as the market expected in the coming months. Then he instructs Palisena to bid several small volumes of bids at a rate of 13.50% at the auction. Aloysius then instructs Palisena to place a large chunk of bids at 14.80% rate. Establishing that all the aforesaid instructions were reliably followed by Palisena, DSG Gunatilleke confirmed that PTL had bid exactly on the instructions of Aloysius which was based on some information received from sources. The DSG showing bid sheets of PTL confirmed that the 14.80% was the cut off rate until which CBSL had accepted bids in the March 29, 2016 auction. Showing a press release of CBSL, DSG Gunatilleke said that on March 29, 2016, evening CBSL announced that there wont be a rate cut as the market expected. The DSG observed that the Monetary Board meeting which took the decision on this rate cut had taken place in the Morning on March 29, 2016. (The morning in which Palisena received Aloysius call) DSG Gunatilleke also proved submitting bidding sheets, that PTL had bid in small chunks of bids at a rate of 13.50% and later had bid a large amount of bids as one chunk at a rate of 14.80%, which ultimately resulted as the last bid that had been accepted by the CBSL in that auction. The DSG said that Aloysius was pinpoint accurate on the cut off rate in that conversation. A sample of how PTL had bid at the March 27, 2016 auction 1 billion bid at a 13.65% 1 billion bid at a 13.66% 1 billion bid at a 13.67% 1 billion bid at a13.68% 1 billion bid at a 13.68% 5 billion bid through (PABC) at a 14.68% which was the last bid accepted by the CBSL as cutoff rate at the auction. DSG Gunatilleke: You had received pinpoint accurate directions as how to bid from Aloysius, right? Witness Palisena: Yes DSG: Aloysius gave you instructions on yield rates and bidding amounts, right? W: Yes DSG: And thereafter you bid accordingly, right? Palisena: Yes (after some hesitation) DSG Gunatilleke and Justice Prasanna Jayawardena repeatedly questioned the witness thereafter on the same lines. Afterwards Chairman of the Commission Justice K.T. Chitrasiri questioning the witness asked whether he accept that Aloysius had given him certain instructions and thereafter he continued the trade according to those instructions at the March 29, 2016 auction. Witness Palisena accepted that he acted according to the instructions received by him from Aloysius. Justice Prasanna Jayawardena and DSG Gunatilleke thereafter questioned the witness on the words referred in the conversation by Aloysius as our friend in the department, our friends in powerful places, he said and once in a life time opportunity. DSG Gunatilleke: Did it ever occur to you as to how Arjun Aloysius gives instructions like this information you received? Witness: No, he was always instructing me in that manner. DSG: Aloysius mentions our friend in the department, our friends in powerful places and he said in his conversation to you, right? W: Yes DSG: Do you know about them as Aloysius referred to them when giving the information? W: No At this point Justice Chitrasiri also questioned the witness as to why he never asked Aloysius from where he got this inside information. Witness Palisena said: It was how Aloysius normally talks using such words. DSG: In your view, what could be those references? W: That I dont know Adding amusement to the query DSG Gunatilleke asked the witness Could it be somebody from Ceylon Transport Board? Everyone laughed while the witness was silent. DSG: Could it be coming from the Public Debt Department of CBSL? W: I dont know about it DSG: You are saying that you dont know who the people Aloysius was referring to are, isnt it? W: Yes. That is the general way how Aloysius speaks to me. DSG: I am telling that you are lying to this Commission. W: I disagree, why would I do so. DSG: Exactly. Then tell the truth. Who were the people Aloysius was referring? Dont carry the can (taking responsibility for a mistake done by someone else) W: I dont know about it. Aloysius would know it. DSG: So, you are saying all those things are known to Aloysius only, right? The witness answer was affirmative in an unconvincing manner. At this point DSG Gunatilleke remarked the importance of Arjun Aloysius evidence before the Commission as there were facts that remain only within the knowledge of Aloysius. The DSG and Justice Jayawardena repeatedly questioned the witness on Aloysius instructions in that conversation which was based on some inside information received by him. The witness however, was of the view that it was Aloysius way of talking. DSG: Was Aloysius privy to certain information from the EPF and other government institutions? And were you not surprised when Aloysius told you that he got information about EPFs bidding rates? Why was that? Witness: That I dont know. But that is how he speaks generally. Then the DSG played a section of the recording which shows Aloysiu saying that he received EPFs bidding rates. DSG: So, this must be a common occurrence then, right? Witness answer was unconvinced again and therefore Justice Jayawardena and DSG Gunatilleke continuously questioned the witness about it. During that questioning it suddenly popped out from Kasun Palisenas mouth: This is just before an auction, and this is how Aloysius instructs me usually just before an auction. Very good, that is what exactly we wanted to know, DSG Gunatilleka said in a pleased manner. Finally concluding the long run of questioning, Justice Jayawardena asked Palisena briskly. Justice Jayawardena: Now tell me, Aloysius is not a liar or a fool right? Witness: Yes J: So whatever he passed to you as information should therefore be accurate, right? W: Yes, J: Did Aloysius normally get involved in this sort of big investment processes? W: Yes J: Was he in a habit of instructing you as he did in that phone conversation on March 29, 2016 W: Yes J: Now it is clear that these types of transactions had happened earlier as well and that is not an unusual occurrence, right? W: Yes J: When Aloysius was instructing, you, were you writing it down, right? W: Yes J: And according to that phone conversation, Aloysius was also referring to some paper on which he had written down notes, isnt that so? W: Yes J: So, wasnt that clear that he had also received information from somewhere else? W: Most probably yes. J: He says friends in powerful places in the conversation. What are these powerful places? W: That I dont know When Justice Jayawardena questioned whether these places could be the Public Debt Department (PDD) and the Tender Board (TB), the witness answer was negative and said he would not know about it. It was explained from the questioning of Justice Jayawardena that the PDD of CBSL recommends the cutoff rate of an auction to the Tender Board and after the approval of the TB it goes for the approval of the Governor. Justice Jayawardena also questioned the witness about the nature of the relationships between Aloysius and the EPF dealer and the NSB dealer. Justice Jaywardena: According to previous evidence, it was revealed that Aloysius and EPFs dealer, Saman Kumara were good friends. Was it correct? W: Yes. They should be friends. J: Then what about NSB dealer Naveen Anuradha? Was he a friend of Aloysius too? W: Yes they must be knowing each other When Justice Jayawardane questioned the witness about whom in the PDD that PTL had dealt in their daily trading, the witness disclosed several lower ranking names in the PDD. The Justice repeatedly questioned him whether there were high ranking individuals in the PDD that PTL had dealt with. But the witness answer was in the negative. Then the Justice also questioned whether PTL had dealt with any individual in the Tender Board. Witness Palisenas answer was again negative. PTL CEO Kasun Palisenas cross-examination will continue today regarding the deletion of phone conversations from PTLs voice recording system. The PCoI comprising Justice K.T. Chitrasiri (Chairman), Justice Prasanna Jayawardena and Mr. Kandasami Velupillai will resume sittings at 10 am today. (Shehan Chamika Silva) During activities done at home, at your workplace or at the play ground, anyone may experience an injury. Some of these injuries are, bruises, straining of tissues, fractures or dislocations. When faced with an injury, treatment known as RICE can be administered. Health Capsule spoke to Dr. Jaliya Uduwella, Chief Physiotherapist Lady Ridgeway Hospital Colombo & President Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, to educate readers on this type of treatment. It is easy to remember when this treatment is explained in the following manner. R - Rest I - Ice C - Compression E - Elevation First the injured area should be rested and not moved. Secondly get some ice cubes and wrap them in a peace of cloth. Use this now to foment the injured tissue. If there is internal bleeding or external bleeding, this treatment will help stop it. Nature of our body is such that vasoconstriction of the blood vessels occurs due to coldness. Then the flowing of blood will be stopped. Most people foment the injured area with hot water. This shouldnt be done. When hot water is used, blood vessels get dilated and blood flows further to the tissue, making the blood clot larger. But after three (3) days following the injury, fomentation can be done with hot water. Most people fomenting the injured area with hot water. This shouldnt be done. When hot water is used, blood vessels get dilated and blood flows further to the tissue, making the blood clot larger. As soon as the injury occurs foment the are with ice. Then the injured area must be compressed with the injured tissue in mind. The injured are must be bandaged with a crape bandage or a piece of cloth to avoid swelling. When this treatment is administered tissue fluid doesnt get accumulated. When using compression as part of the treatment the bandage should be tightened only to a certain extent. If during compression the bandage is tightened more, it may obstruct the circulation of blood. Thereafter the related area should be kept above the patients heart. The blood flow to the injured tissue reduces due to gravity. Then the venous blood disappears from that area quickly. If there is any bleeding, this also is controlled. If there is a suspicion of a fracture, keep the area immovable by tying a splint and then visit a doctor. Under any circumstance if the nerves get damaged, the patients condition may worsen. The injured area may become permanently damaged. Therefore, dont attempt to readjust the broken bones or displaced joints at any time. If there is suspicion of a fracture related to the vertebral column, its better to keep the patient on a board and take him to the hospital. Dont allow the patient to sit. When carrying such patients get the support of at least four persons. After removing the plaster, put in place by the doctor during the treatment process, the movement of the joint, that was inactive for some time, may be limited. One might be able to witness wasting of muscles. To prevent muscles atrophy, physiotherapy instructions should be followed. This process is begun early when the patient is wearing the plaster. Here static exercises could be done without damaging the fractured bone. Care must be taken to contract the muscles and not move the fractured bone. If the muscles have thinned when the plaster is removed, muscle strengthening exercises should be done. If the joints range of motion is limited suspension therapy, introduced in physiotherapy, can be given. This is done by moving the patient to a posture to do exercises without feeling the gravity. If the joint has stiffened, heat treatment should be administered before physiotherapy. The process of producing a live human being starting from a single cell is fascinating. Its made even more amazing by the fact that each step is perfectly synchronized and happens during a specific time period. A foetus usually spends 38 weeks in the mothers womb. For each week, there are specific changes the foetus goes through, until he is ready to come out and face the world. If the baby is delivered between 37-42 weeks of gestation, that birth is called a term birth But there are instances that things dont go according to plan and the baby has to come out early. They are called premature babies. Even though the survival rate of preemies is increasing continuously, thanks to the advancement of medicine, they have a harder time adapting to the outside world because they were delivered prematurely. So we decided to consult Dr. Deepal Perera, Consultant Pediatrician, Lady Ridgeway Childrens Hospital regarding premature babies. According to Dr. Perera, premature babies are defined as babies born below 37 weeks of gestation. These births are again sub divided into late preterm (Between 34-36 weeks), moderately preterm (32-34), Very preterm (less than 32 weeks) and Extremely preterm, (less than 25 weeks). The lesser the gestational age, the more severe the risk of complications because they are less adapted to the life outside the womb. Dr. Perera asserts that thanks to the advancement of medicine, babies born at 26 weeks of gestation are compatible with life in Sri Lanka. But weve seen many cases where 24-25 week babies have also survived, he states further. Possible complications Still, the fact that they arent fully prepared to face the challenges of the outside world, when compared with term babies, cant be denied. These preemies are likely to have lower birth weight than is ideal, which might lead to complications. They are also more likely to suffer from Hypothermia, hypoglycaemia and feeding problems, said Dr. Perera. Hypothermia, a condition where the baby has abnormally lower body temperature, is because it doesnt have enough body fat to generate heat necessary to maintain the body temperature. In order to avoid this the baby is kept well covered, sometimes in an incubator until he can adapt to the environment, said Dr. Perera. Ever wondered how a baby automatically knows how to breast feed, soon after it is born? This is due to a reflex action called suckling reflex, thats ingrained into them at birth. But in preemies, this reflex may not be fully developed. Therefore they are more likely to have feeding problems in the beginning. In that case they will sometimes have to be fed through a small tube, said Dr. Perera. Premature babies are also at a higher risk of getting hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, so they should be fed more frequently. Our lungs are kept expanded with the help of a liquid called surfactant. Without surfactant the lung tissue would collapse on itself in expiration, making respiration difficult. This surfactant is produced in the last few weeks of gestation. Therefore prematurely born babies are more likely to suffer from Surfactant deficiency. This gives rise to a condition called Infant Respiratory Distress Syndrome, according to Dr. Perera. In these cases surfactant has to be given artificially and the baby may need ventilation until the issues are resolved, he further explained. Their immune system is also not matured as expected, resulting in premature babies being more prone to infections. So, the carers should always follow proper hand washing techniques and other hygienic measures when handling babies. Breast feeding is the ideal method of nutrition which reduces the risk of some infections in the gastrointestinal tract, even though this isnt practically possible in all cases. In addition to these they also have a higher chance of getting neonatal jaundice or yellowish discolouration of the skin and bleeding problems because their liver has yet to reach full maturity. Ever wondered how a baby automatically knows how to breast feed, soon after it is born? This is due to a reflex action called suckling reflex, thats ingrained into them at birth. But in preemies, this reflex may not be fully developed. Long term risks Premature birth exposes babies to long term risk as well. They have a higher chance of developing hearing and vision problems, specifically a condition called Retinopathy Of Prematurity (ROP) and rickets. The incidence of Cerebral Palsy and learning disorders is also higher among preemies. So its important that premature babies have regular follow ups with a paediatrician even after they are discharged from hospital. This will aid in diagnosing any complications that arise and prevent them or if not, minimize their impact, according to Dr. Perera. Care at home When asked about how to care for the baby after being discharged from the hospital, Dr. Perera advised the carers to continue with good hygienic practices even at home. This he said will minimize the chance of catching infections. He advised to keep the baby warm by covering the head and the legs as well when the baby is taken outdoors. Its important to always keep notes on the growing progress of the baby. If any stage is unusually delayed, talk to your midwife or a healthcare provider. If any future ophthalmology or audiology are advised, follow them up on time. Prevention of preterm delivery Is there any way of preventing preterm delivery? Dr. Perera advised women who have had a history of more than one abortion or preterm deliveries to consult their obstetrician early during pregnancy. Some causes for preterm delivery can be treated, if identified early enough. said Dr. Perera. If the cause is something like the cervix being short, the cervix can be kept artificially closed. If the pregnant mother is having complications like pregnancy induced Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension or infections then they have to be managed. Women experiencing multiple pregnancies also have a higher risk of going in to labour before term. Smoking is also found to have a relationship with preterm deliveries, so abstaining from smoking and preventing exposure to cigarette smoke, during pregnancy is improtant. If theres a risk that the baby will be born prematurely, its ideal that the delivery is done in a hospital with a good neonatal care unit to ensure the baby gets the maximum care, concluded Dr.Perera. Addition of a new member to the family is a wonderful experience. If that member decides to arrive a little earlier than expected, dont let that spoil your happiness as parents. Todays medicine has advanced rapidly and there is much that can be done to improve a challenging situation. Be alert, follow medical advice and enjoy the precious addition to your life. NEW DELHI: As global attention focused on hurricanes Harvey and Irma, more than 41 million people across South Asia battled floods and displacement. From Afghanistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east, floods could cost South Asia -- home to a fourth of the worlds people -- as much as US $ 215 billion each year by 2030, according to the World Resources Institutes global flood analyser launched in 2015. Companies with operations on coasts, next to large rivers, on low-lying flood plains and in urban areas with poor drainage and sanitation are at greatest risk, said Tom Hill, Executive Director, Crisis And Security Consulting, at Control Risks in New Delhi. More rain and extreme weather will not only hit businesses in South Asia, but also global companies that source their products and raw materials from the region. At least 1,200 died last month as water swamped cities like Indias financial capital Mumbai, its technology hub, Bengaluru, Bangladeshs capital Dhaka, Pakistans financial heart, Karachi, as well as swathes of Nepal and Indias eastern states of Bihar and Assam. In the coming decade, devastating floods are expected to increase as changing weather patterns worsen risks in the region, climate researchers say. Already floods affect more than 9.5 million people in the region each year, with gross domestic product (GDP) worth US $ 14.4 billion and US $ 5.4 billion at risk in India and Bangladesh, respectively, according to WRI. In 2016 alone, Asia reported losses worth US $ 87 billion from 320 natural disaster events, the worlds biggest reinsurer Munich Re reports. Of this, US $ 77 billion were uninsured losses. While villages are more directly hit by droughts, it is cities that bear the brunt of flood-related losses, Jatin Singh, Chief Executive Officer at private weather forecaster Skymet Weather Services said in a phone interview. Thirty-four people died when Mumbai experienced its worst floods in more than a decade on August 28 through August 29, with the hardest-hit areas reporting as much as 150mm of rain within an hour, according to forecaster AccuWeather. On August 31 in Karachi, 23 people were killed when the city was swamped by 48mm of rain. Meanwhile, two rounds of flooding in Bangladesh this year added to its import bill after the government was forced to bring in 1.5 million tonnes of rice after six years of self-sufficiency. Flooding accounted for 47 percent of all weather-related global disasters between 1995-2015, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said in a report. Of the 2.3 billion people affected, 95 percent were in Asia. In a region that houses three of the worlds 10 most-populated countries -- India, Pakistan and Bangladesh -- the cost to lives and livelihoods adds up. Absence of resiliency planning by governments in public infrastructure projects, fuel supplies and electricity distribution networks suggest that problems arising out of changing weather patterns are likely to continue to pose significant threats, according to Siddharth Goel, a Senior Analyst at Control Risks. Urban sprawls While companies in South Asia arent known to have realigned investment plans because of weather-related disruptions, more managers are trying to understand flood-related risks to cut losses, Goel said. Most of these are infrastructural risks, including electricity and technology backups for companies, costs of repairing dams, roads, embankments for governments and the provision of flood relief, said Arivudai Nambi Appadurai, Senior Researcher at WRI. Appadurai, who studied the 2015 floods caused by 17 days of continuous rains in his home town Chennai and this years floods near Nepals capital Kathmandu, said planners need to adapt by changing the way cities build infrastructure. How can we blame only climate change when our storm drains are clogged? Appadurai said by phone from Chennai. And all of these risks are exacerbated by the unplanned expansion of our urban sprawls. Investments, planning Lack of city planning means about 130 million people, equal to the population of Japan, live in slums or informal settlements across South Asia, according to the World Bank. These settlements, which often house small-and-medium sized businesses like the Dharavi slums in Mumbai, suffer the worst flood damages. With almost 250 million more people expected to live in South Asian cities by 2030, investment in climate change-resilient urban infrastructure is gaining new urgency. India, Bangladesh and Nepal are currently investing more than US $ 32 billion on building 78 water projects to combat flooding, according to BMI research. With once-in-a-100-year freak weather events now taking place every three-to-four years, policymakers and central banks must factor in climate risks when formulating plans, said Raghuram Rajan, Indias former central banker, in an interview. Its time policymakers take these risks into account, Rajan said. They absolutely should. (Courtesy Bangkok Post) In celebration of The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, the countrys central facilitation point for investors, stepping into its 40th year, a ceremony was held at the Katunayake Export Processing Zone. Graced by President, Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama and several key ministers, the event which was hosted by Chairman BOI, Dumindra Ratnayake and Director General, Duminda Ariyasinghe, was also well attended by significant members of the investment community, along with employees of the BOI and BOI companies, both past and present. The proceedings commenced with the opening of the Exhibition Centre and the unveiling of a sculpture of former President J.R. Jayewardene. Chairman BOI, Dumindra Ratnayake in his welcome address stressed on the BOIs contribution to the economic transformation of the country, while confirming the organizations continued commitment towards delivering on its mandate to be a driving force of the economy. While both the President and Prime Minister addressed the gathering, a highlight of the celebrations was the distribution of awards to Outstanding BOI Enterprises by both the President and the Prime Minister. 40 such organizations were honored based on criteria such as investment value, employment generation and length of operation in Sri Lanka. In addition to this, recognition of service, both of employees of BOI enterprises as well as BOI staff themselves took place with Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade along with BOI Chairman, Dumindra Ratnayake and Director General, Duminda Ariyasinghe presenting the awards. Since its establishment in 1978, the BOI has contributed immensely to the Sri Lankan economy, by means of enhanced export earnings, diversification of the export base, creation of employment opportunities, transfer of advanced technology and skills, local skills development, infrastructure development, rural development and poverty reduction. With 1,700 projects in commercial operation and providing almost half a million employment opportunities, The BOI remains a significant change agent in transforming Sri Lankas economy from a largely agrarian base into the modernized, manufacturing and services based platform it is today. Industries operating under the BOI contribute to over 70 percent of the countrys total export earnings and for 85 percent of the national industrial export earnings. Sri Lanka unveiled its first ever SME incubator this week and vowed its third generation economic reforms shall be led by innovation, technology transfer and SMEs. We need to change our traditional mindset and think anew, said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Makandura Industrial Zone of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, addressing the launch event of Sri Lankas first ever Incubator and Technology Transfer Centre (ITTC) for SMEs, a joint collaboration between National Enterprises Development Authority (NEDA), Wayamba University and supported by Malaysian Technology Development Cooperation. The Cabinet approval was first received in July 2016 and the project, due to its importance, was fast tracked to be completed at the earliest time frame. zones beyond Hambanthota and all the way to Wellawaya and on this side, extending to Wayamba Province, said PM Wickremesinghe and added: For us to go into our next phase, we need more and more innovations. We need to change our traditional mind-sets and think anew. This is how Uber and AirBnB were born. There are a little more than one million registered SMEs and MSMEs in Sri Lanka providing employment to three people on average said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, and added: We believe that SMEs are more than 70 percent of the total number of enterprises in the economy providing 45 percent of the employment and contributing to 52 percent of the Gross Domestic Production (GDP). NEDA has been taking many initiatives to develop this sector. The Commerce Ministry and NEDA have introduced the National SME Policy and National SME Authority and we are handing over the first National SME Policy the Prime Minister at this event. Work is also progressing on the first ever SME authority of Sri Lanka. This authority will facilitate the development of this sector. It will not be a regulator but will help the micro enterprises to grow to small scale and small enterprises to grow up to medium and larger enterprises. In fact NEDA has been actively working to develop not only SMEs but even works to create new SMEs. The SME incubator launched today is the first ever SME incubator in Sri Lanka and this is not just an incubator. It is also the first ever technology transfer centre for Sri Lankan SMEs. Sri Lankas SME sector is active across many sectors but few are in tech. This centre will focus on helping to establish technology SMEs across the country. The Malaysian Technology Development Cooperation has given us their expertise and supported us to establish Sri Lankas first SME incubator. Chairman of NEDA Omar Khamil said that the incubator is part of the third generation economic reforms of the Unity Government. As our Prime Minster said, our reforms are led by innovation, technology and SMEs he said. The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has invested Rs 60 million for this pioneering tech incubator. At this event Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also launched NEDAs new web portal www.neda.gov.lk Two dozen children, some just seven years old, died in a fire at a religious boarding school in Malaysia early yesterday. The fire started in one of the bedrooms on the third floor of the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre in Kuala Lumpur. Most of the victims -23 children and two adults -were asleep in their dormitories when the fire broke out.The room in which the fire started -20ft by 40ft- was said by a fire brigade spokesman, quoted by the New Straits Times, to have been littered with charred bodies. At least 15 bodies were found huddled together on another floor, it was reported. Some of the children who died were aged as young as seven, others were in their mid-teens. A survivor told how there was chaos, with fire preventing students from escaping from the sweeping blaze. In the hours after the fire, family members rushed to the scene, only for some to be told that their child had died in the blaze. Mourning parents could be seen standing outside the school as emergency services tended to the scene. Muhammad Roslan, 15, told the New Straits Times when I woke up, fire had already engulfed the front door, he said.I broke a window and grabbed a pipe attached to the outside of the building and used it to escape to the ground, he said. Malaysia, (Daily Mail), 14 September 2017 Activist Says Hotel Tapes Show Kenneka Jenkins Walking Into Freezer By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 14, 2017 11:30PM Kenneka Jenkins / Facebook A highly prominent Chicago activist has reportedly said that hotel surveillance video shows Kenneka Jenkins walk into a freezer alone before she was found dead inside, several hours later. Holmesa longtime activist who has spoken out on behalf of victims of violencesaid police showed him video after he went to authorities looking for answers. "It was just an accident waiting to happen," he said, according to the Tribune. "Did anybody force her down there? Was anybody on the other side in that room when she got down there? And the answer to that is 'no,'" Holmes also said, according to the Sun-Times. Footage shows Jenkins take an elevator down to a sub-level from the lobby, then open a couple of doors in a kitchen area, then walk into the freezer, which closes behind her, Holmes told the Tribune. Activist Andrew Holmes says he seen video it shows no foul play and death of woman in freezer in Rosemont pic.twitter.com/Izxp4fkK09 JohnGarciaABC7 (@JohnGarciaABC7) September 14, 2017 NBC reports that Rosemont police as of early Thursday evening have not confirmed that Holmes has seen the videos. Authorities said on Wednesday that hotel surveillance video would be shared with Jenkins' mother, Teresa Martin, by Thursday afternoon. A spokesperson said on Thursday that the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel has also offered family to privately go over some 36 hours of surveillance video, according to the Sun-Times. Holmes' claim follows in the wake of a torrent of social-media speculation about Jenkins' death. A viral video, viewed millions of times on Facebook and investigated by Rosemont police, showed figures reflected in the glasses of a woman who appeared to be inside a hotel room. Some on social media claimed to hear spoken references to rape and murder on the clip, but the voices referenced are highly inaudible. Several dozen protesters showed up outside the hotel on Wednesday, with demonstrators saying they feared foul play. "There are literally dozens of conspiracy theories that have been offered and countless people who are attempting to play detective and solve the case as to what happened over there," Rosemont spokesman Garry Mack told the New York Times on Wednesday. Jenkins left her home on Friday night at around 11:30 p.m. on the Near West Side, Rosemont police said. Jenkins' sister said the last contact she had with Kenneka was at around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. Friends called Martin at around 4 a.m. and told her they had lost track of Jenkins and left the hotel; and Martin contacted hotel staff and police shortly thereafter. Jenkins' body was found early on Sunday, at around 1 a.m. Martin said police told her that her daughter was seen on hotel video staggering and intoxicated near the front desk. Martin expressed doubt earlier in the week that Jenkins would have been able to get inside the freezer on her own. An autopsy was performed on Sunday, but the cause and manner of death has yet not determined, according to the Tribune. Two-and-a-half months after its mega launch, the countrys most cherished tax reform Goods and Services Tax (GST) has hit the wall. With a lethal combination of a complex and ambiguous set of rules and dysfunctional GST Network, the GST has turned into an awful experience for Indian businesses. GST authorities are also finding it difficult to implement it with a plethora of structural and compliance glitches already built in. The warning signals of a potential GST breakdown had surfaced right before the nation's midnight "tryst with GST destiny" in the last week of June. While the government kept itself occupied with organising the grand spectacle of GST launch, businesses struggled with the irksome GST network for getting themselves registered under the new tax regime. The politicos left over 85 lakhs Indian businesses to practice the Infinite Monkey Theorem (randomly striking keys of a computer keyboard to produce a desired result eventually) under their infuriating GST IT network and often-changing rules. By mid-August, with the extension of GST return filing dates, it had become clear that the high-profile GSTN has let down India's most prized tax reform. However, it was the 21st meeting of the GST Council in Hyderabad last week where the skeletons tumbled out of the cupboard. The revenue-anxious states pulled up the GST implementation committee on the failure of GSTN and reportedly demanded a white paper on the GST mess. Driven by the concerns over rising anger among the traders and a political backlash, the GST council constituted in no time a ministerial committee (headed by Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi) to scrutinise the functioning of the GSTN. The council also extended the return filing date for July returns by a month till October 10, from the earlier prescribed date of September 10. The GST, burdened with massive compliance prerequisites, real-time invoice matching, e-way bills and input tax credit, just can't work without an exceptionally robust IT network. The nation was misled repeatedly on the preparation GSTN. In fact, the final procedures of GST, approved only a week before its launch, were loaded on a naive network without proper trials. The dysfunctional GSTN has virtually put the GST in a standstill and forced businesses to take recourse of informal channels of transactions, that is, without proper billing. The nagging GSTN is not the only villain in the GST story. The frequent changes in tax rates have further thickened the plot. On July 18, the cigarette stocks bore the brunt of the anomaly in GST rate fixation. The tax rate and cess on cigarettes, fixed in May this year, was lower than the pre-GST tax incidence. This helped tobacco companies to reap a windfall and also pushed their shares sky-high. After realising the gaffe, however, the GST Council hiked cess on cigarettes which led the ITC stock to lose over Rs 45,000 crore in market cap in just a single day. Cigarette was not the only case, the GST council has revised the tax rates on over three-dozen goods and services after GST launch. Mid-course changes and roll backs are only indicative of the lack of groundwork and poor preparation on the part of GST council and rates fitment committee. As things stands today, not only has the GST lost the fervour of a reform but also has created an anti-climax on the following aspects. 1) With the delayed filing of returns, GST's so called infallible compliance and anti-tax escape model stands derailed. It has now become impossible for authorities to scrutinise the late returns and check the veracity of tax credits claims. 2) Complex rules and pesky GSTN has written an obituary of ease of doing business. 3) GST's malfunction may take a heavy toll on the revenues of Centre and states. 4) The extended GST transition will result in subdued economic activity and slow GDP growth eventually. Unfortunately, the GST has become an uncanny reform which is now forced to go through a mid-course correction in its infancy. 1) The data requirements from assesses are exceptionally high and unrealistic under GST. This has turned into a nightmare both for businesses and network. The government has to drastically scale down the unnecessary compliance requirements to make GST workable. 2) A host of processes mandated under GST, including the much-hyped invoice matching, may have to go through a change or postponement. 3) Separate compliance rules are a must for small and big businesses so that juniors can survive under GST regime. 4) And last but not the least, no further changes in rules and rates till full implementation. As I noted in a previous article in June, the GST has unleashed a chaos. The next three months are highly crucial for the success of India's most ambitious reform. On September 15, North Korea fired another missile in the direction of Japan. As planned, the missile flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has decided to immediately meet to discuss this threat. Now, it has almost become a pattern for the past few months that North Korea would launch a missile (on one occasion, even tested a nuclear/hydrogen bomb) and the entire world would criticise their action (particularly Japan, South Korea and the US). Then the UNSC would meet to discuss the issue and threaten North Korea with sanctions. Immediately, China and Russia would claim that the sanctions have very limited impact. There would be hectic lobbying in the UNSC meet and China/Russia would ensure that some watered-down sanctions would be imposed. Then the UNSC would (almost proudly) announce that fresh sanctions have been imposed by a 15-0 vote against North Korea. And probably, this gets followed by very harsh statements by North Korea like: they would launch an attack in the vicinity of Guam islands, where the US has a major military base or four main Japanese islands should be sunken into the sea by its nuclear bomb or the US will "suffer the greatest pain" over its role in bringing forth the latest sanctions on them. People in Seoul watch a news report on North Korea firing a missile that flew over Japan on September 15. (Credit: Reuters photo) This circle would get completed with North Korea conducting yet another missile test. The recent North Korean missile was launched from the Sunan airfield, a location north of Pyongyang. The flight time for this missile was 17 minutes and it passed over Hokkaido, one of the main islands of Japan with a population of more than 5.5 million and landed some 1,200 miles to the east in the Pacific Ocean. The altitude and the distance this missile travelled is more than the earlier test when similarly a missile flew over Japan on August 29. Just few days back as an act of brazen defiance against the Trump administration, North Korea has successfully conducted the sixth nuclear test. With this test, North Korea has demonstrated their capability to produce a hydrogen bomb. This "statement" by North Korea was very loud and clear, they expect that now the world (read US) should recognise them as a nuclear weapon state. However, the US and the UN responded with sanctions and now North Korea is responding all this with missile tests. China is trying to ensure that sanctions should not lead to a point where North Korea would suffer so much it may lead to a breaking point. There is a general perception that China is not doing enough to stop North Korea. Is this perception correct? It is important to verify before making China the punching bag that "is China really capable of stopping North Korea?". It is obvious that for China, a "problematic" North Korea is advantageous. It is something akin to the India-Pakistan problem. This problem keeps India occupied in South Asia. Similarly, problematic North Korea, keeps the US engaged and this provides China more "space" in South China Sea region. At the same time, China is not keen to have any war erupting in North Korea. There is a fear that since, they share a border with them, there could be a major influx of refugees in their country. Also, a failed North Korea would provide opportunities for the US to increase their presence in the region. Definitely, China is not keen to have the US presence in their close vicinity. China also needs North Korea for the supply of coal and other natural resources. In addition, North Korean cheap labour is a useful commodity. The present situation in North Korea should not be to the liking of China. Because, now the situation has reached to the level of playing with fire. So how come China is not able to manage the show? One reason for China not opting for very harsh sanctions like 100 per cent cut-off of oil supply, could possibly be that by doing this they would end up antagonising North Korea fully and in the bargain lose their influence on them totally. Also, there is a remote possibility that Japan could go nuclear owing to the increased North Korean threat and naturally, this situation would not be in the interest of China. Hence, now it is very much necessary for China to keep North Korea engaged and not alienated. It appears that gagging Chinas compulsions, North Korea has started taking China for granted, and unfortunately, China is not able to do much about it. There is no clarity whether China has succeed towards establishing any backchannel diplomacy with North Korea. Around three years back, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un killed his uncle, Jang Song-thaek, who was considered to be the countrys second most-powerful person. He was the one who would have had good association with China and was known to have visited China a few times. Probably, today China has no connect with any big leaders in North Korea (if there is anyone other than Kim). Possibly, China is not able to reach and influence Kim Jong-un. However, now the situation has reached to such a level that it is in Chinas interest to find a way out of this mess. The situation would remain extremely tense as long as North Korean missile launches do not fail to reach the predesigned targets. Perhaps one of the most distasteful experiences on Indian TV channels is listening to the vituperative tirades of obnoxious Pakistani "analysts" who, with their fake American accents, not only spout false and self-serving narratives about their country but also brazenly quote manufactured statistics to peddle half-truths. Analysts Most of these "analysts" are discoveries of Indian TV; in their own country, scarcely anybody is aware of their existence. This is, of course, not to say that those who are regarded as "analysts" in Pakistan are any less insufferable than these obscurities who are inflicted upon hapless Indian TV viewers. While their polemics are undoubtedly grating, their "facts" and arguments are nothing more than bunkum. Take for instance the oft-quoted figure of Pakistan having sacrificed 70,000 lives in the war on terror. The Pakistanis repeat this number ad nauseam in every available forum to convince the audience of Pakistans bona fides in the fight against terrorism. After all, how can a country which has paid such a heavy price ever be complicit with jihadist terror groups, or so the argument goes. The counter-argument that Pakistani casualties in the war on terror are nothing more than a blowback of their own terrorist-friendly policies is ignored, as is the bit about how in the larger strategic calculus of the Pakistani state, 70,000 casualties is nothing more than collateral damage. But the real problem with the 70,000 count is that it is a number conjured up by the Pakistanis to suit their narrative of we are victims, not villains. If anything, this number is a gross exaggeration and has been inflated to extract money, sympathy, and in recent years, acknowledgement for the "sacrifices" made by Pakistan. The idea is to disarm their detractors and ward off any pressure on Pakistan to sever its organic links with terrorist outfits. In August 2013, the ministry of interior in Pakistan announced that the actual number of Pakistanis killed in terrorism in the period 2002-13 was only 12,795! At that time, the number that was commonly bandied about in the Pakistani media was 40,000. Amazingly enough, since 2013, every year, almost by default this number goes up by about 10,000, and today has crossed 70,000. Even if for arguments sake the 40,000 number in 2013 is accepted, it means that in the last four years, over 30,000 people have died in terrorism-related incidents. In other words, while 40,000 died in the first 12 years, almost as many have died in the last four years. But since 2014, Pakistanis have been boasting that they have broken the back of terrorism, havent they? So, then how come over 700 people have been dying every month in the last four years? Spurious This means either the Pakistanis have been fighting a phoney war, or their numbers are totally spurious. The truth really is that not only are the numbers fudged, but the war too is mostly phoney. This is not to deny that the Pakistanis have conducted some military operations against the "bad terrorists". But it is quite over the top for the Pakistanis to claim that they fought the "worlds biggest anti-terror war" or that they are fighting to save the world from terrorism. This is a blatant falsehood because the fact is that the Pakistan army has only fought against groups that challenged the Pakistani state, not against terrorists who worked for the Pakistani state. When top Pakistani officials like Sartaj Aziz ask, Why should Pakistan target those who do not pose any threat to its security?, they effectively admit that they only act against their enemies and not against the enemies of the world. Why then should the world acknowledge any so called sacrifice that the Pakistanis make in their own cause? A related duplicity is over the issue of "banned groups" which are anything but banned because they operate openly and freely. The Pakistani justify this by saying they dont act against these guys because they dont harm Pakistan, which is a tacit acceptance of that they dont take indiscriminate action against all Islamist terror groups. Some Pakistani "analysts" (read retired military officials) even admit publicly that these monsters are needed as leverage against India. Argument What is more, the Pakistanis have received billions of dollars from the Americans as Coalition Support Funds (CSF). The Pakistanis deny this is a hand-out and claim that this is mere reimbursement for their services (incidentally they used to inflate the bills significantly before the Americans became wise to their financial fiddle). Clearly, unless Pakistan is a mercenary state (which it is), why would they seek reimbursement for fighting, as they claim, for the world? Another pet Pakistani argument is that there are no terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan. This flies in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary: the finance man of Haqqani network was killed in a suburb of Islamabad, the Taliban chief Mansoor was killed in Balochistan and his successor was elected in a Quetta suburb of Kuchlak, even the Taliban spokesman was found tweeting from Karachi. When confronted, the standard Pakistani response is: Give us evidence and we will act. When evidence is given, the terrorists are quietly spirited away. Other times, the Pakistanis say the evidence is not good enough. When pressure mounts, an eyewash action is taken. Sometimes a terrorist is arrested and even a trial staged. But guess what? The courts release the guy. At that stage, the Pakistanis plead with injured innocence that there is rule of law in Pakistan and the governments hands are bound by the courts. But when it comes to "bad terrorists", without batting an eyelid due process is junked in favour of summary executions. The list of lies that Pakistanis peddle is endless, and their capacity for dissembling, deception, and double-speak is unparalleled. But the reason they get away with it is because nobody fact-checks the snake oil they sell. We, or should I qualify that as "we, the liberals", greeted the news of journalist Gauri Lankesh's killing with shock and revulsion. The list of such killings is only growing and is threatening to become the new normal. Bigotry is now mainstream, and we, the liberals or the so-far regular folk, are now called "libtards". The idea of India stands fragmented today with trolls taking over the discourse online as well as offline. A friend, who works with children, was shocked by an eight-year-old's reaction during a storytelling exercise. The children were supposed to imagine a plane landing in Pakistan. The boy, a super-achiever, said that if he met members of a certain minority community, "toh mai chaku se usey maroonga aur Pakistan se toh zaroor." (I'll kill them, particularly if they are from Pakistan, with a knife.) "This is not the India I know," she messaged. Even music composer, AR Rahman, shared his dismay recently over Gauri Lankesh's murder, pleading for an India that is kind and progressive like so many of us, who can't believe what our country is turning into. Who can we blame for this? A legal system that allows lynch mobs to get away with hate crimes or state governments that care more about the votebank than the people they're answerable to? Or a Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) who rarely speaks up to say "Not in My Name" but is ready to thump his chest, prematurely for the most part, for perceived victories such as demonetisation. He, along with some of his ministers, also famously follows trolls or "Bhakts" that fiercely take on any anti-right wing sentiment on Twitter. The prevailing environment is that of fear. In the book I Am a Troll: Inside the Secret World of the BJP's Digital Army, author Swati Chaturvedi mentions about her meeting with entrepreneur Sadhavi Khosla, who was part of the party's social media cell in the run-up to the general elections, but later quit. Khosla spoke about how her disillusionment with the party grew when she tweeted about the Punjab drug epidemic, to which she had lost a friend, at least 5,000 times over 2014 and 2016, tagging PM Modi, who failed to respond. Khosla is quoted as saying, "Here was the PM who I thought would sweep out corruption not saying a word about Punjab because the BJP was in alliance with the Akali Dal, the ruling party in the state. I was very hurt. The same Modi responds to the abusive trolls he follows and even sends them birthday greetings. I genuinely believed in him and worked 24/7 to bring him to power yet he did not even acknowledge my legitimate concern. That was quite painful." Recently, when an advertisement showing images of goddess Durga enjoying a spa day, courtesy hairdresser Javed Habib's salon, came under attack from the so-called moral police, Bengalis were quick to say, "Not In Our Name." Considering the goddess as their daughter, who comes home for holidays, she is fully entitled to a spa day, in the true Bengali tradition, they maintained. They filled social media platforms with similar cheerful images of the goddess featured over the years. However, the prevailing environment remains one of fear. On a WhatsApp group, during a critique of those in power, I had to fight down the urge to counsel the members against being so vocal. In another case, a safe sub-group of "trusted" people was created where such ideas could be discussed freely. What do you tell the younger generation? To be bold, speak freely or to keep your audience in mind before you speak? Go along to get along? Keep your views to yourself? It seems to be the only way to survive in the new India. Before the India we know becomes a thing of the past, let's find our voice and speak up about wrongs, regardless of trolls and critics. As for the little boy, my friend explained to him about children being the same the world over. He seemed to get it, but it's now up to us adults to live up to those lessons. The Loop Is Getting Yet Another Food Hall For The Lunch Crowd By Stephen Gossett in Food on Sep 14, 2017 6:20PM Google Maps Loop lunchers will soon have another food-hall option at their disposal, with the upcoming Forum 55 set to bring ten vendors and a marketplace downtown next month, at 55 E. Monroe St. The food-hall frenzy has of course hit multiple Chicago neighborhoods in recent years. (It's even getting play in New York Times trend pieces, god help us.) But the craze remains perhaps most potent downtown, for the obvious reason that there's so much traffic, with spots like Revival Food Hall, Latinicity and the announced Wells St. Market. Forum 55 is actually setting up shop inside what used to be a food courtwhich will surely provide more grist for agnostics who think the "hall" craze is merely clever rebranding subterfuge. But F55 looks to set itself apart from the pack on a few fronts. The Tribune notes that the hall will apparently feature one of the biggest salad bars in Chicago, full of local and regional produce (Windy City Harvest, Falling Waters Farms, MightyVine). And it will also feature an incubator aspect, called Apron Exchange, which provides resources for food businesses owned by women and minorities. More vendor details will be made known next week, but we know so far to expect stalls that focus on deli fare, pizza, breakfast and sushi. Forum 55 will be open for breakfast and lunch, but not dinner. Sign up for updates here if you're interested. Your Guide To The Ultimate Art Weekend In Chicago, From EXPO To Special Gallery Shows By Carrie McGath in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 14, 2017 10:15PM Last night we got a peek into the citys major annual contemporary art fair, running through Sunday in Navy Piers Festival Hall, and it did not disappoint. Expo Chicago hosts hundreds of galleries from around the country and the world as they showcase the works of artists they represent. The diversity of medium and styles throughout the fair is apparent, but some galleries really stand out this year, presenting artwork that is timely to our current political climate, or offering simply beautiful works that catch the eye. Here are just a handful of galleries that truly shined at the preview and should not be missed this weekend. Catherine Edelman Gallery, Chicago (booth 257): This established River North gallery devoted to contemporary fine art photography never disappoints, and this year was no different. Sandro Millers rich multi-paneled work, My Hair, My Soul, My Freedom shows Millers deft ability to convey texture, drama and meaning through documentary photography. With his subjects emerging out of colorful and dimensional backgrounds, it is clear this work is a celebration of the beauty, creativity and power in the sculptural elements at work in each womans hairstyle. Each of the 13 photographs show an African-American woman embracing her individuality and her power through, as Miller says, her personal hair story. The result is not only a completed work that draws in the viewer immediately, but also comments on the suppression and prejudice African-American women deal with in relation to their hairstyles. From the appalling practice of shaving African womens heads during American slavery, to the prevalent belief that African-American women should conform to European beauty standards, to girls being sent home from school and women losing their jobs in the present day because their hair has been deemed inappropriate or unprofessional. Miller sheds a light on this issue while empowering his subjects as they look into the lens with a potency and defiance that highlights their beauty. The remaining work in this booth is also highly affecting, particularly with the arresting work of Omar Imam. David Nolan Gallery, New York (booth 306): What made this gallerys booth so appealing was works on paper such as Pink Cut-Out by Neil Gall and Mel Kendricks incredible trio of paper casts called, Gasket Drawing (zz); (jj); (bb), respectively. The highly impactful acrylic work by Jonathan Meese only furthered this gallerys electrified excitement. Reeses DR. KNACKPUNKT: DORT IST DE LARGE KINDERLEIN "KOMET" IM NAHRRAUM "HAL", from 2016 is an eruption of color creating an abstract form that has a bodily appearance of a torso and groin. Meeses process is clear in the work with the heavy globules of acrylic that create both a multi-dimensional surface and a kinetic feel that is at once chaotic and wholly considered. Marc Straus, New York (booth 261): The politically-charged work by Doug Argue is a stark contrast to the soft, poetic works by Sandro Chia and the colorful architectural works by Ulf Puder. Argues 2017 painting, Trump Tweets depicts Donald Trump with a cartoonish appearance as his hands move about as it shows the controversial campaign moment when Trump mocked a New York Times reporters disability. Swirling about him are tweets from his garish Twitter account such as Ive made a lot of sacrifices and Mexico will pay for the wall. Nearby, Chias The Wayfarer With Penguins and Seals gives the viewer a reprieve from the brightly-colored Argue works with its quiet yet bold brush strokes showing a man in the center of seals and penguins. The animals look up to him knowingly and with trust as he hovers amid an Arctic-like environment. Sapar Contemporary, New York (booth 463): Works on paper by Czech artist, Kristof Kintera and textile work by Azerbaijan artist, Faig Ahmed make this booth stand out. Kinteras use of a mixture of media on paper creates these abstract and emotive portraits. Untitled from 2016 has a melancholy malaise that contrasts nicely to 2015s Drawing where anger is exuded from the abstract figure. Ahmeds textile work, Virgin hangs nearby appearing as an unraveled rug that is transformed into a wall piece. The fiery red of the freed threads moving toward the floor evokes a feeling of unbridled passion breaking loose from a more traditional pattern. A domestic constant like a rug becomes a sculpture that looks to almost be alive as it hangs on the wall. Zolla/Leiberman Gallery, Chicago (booth 661): Jamie Adams oil painting, Water Kiss is a standout in this booth as it sweetly quotes the art historical canon and brings artists such as John William Waterhouse and Dante Gabriel Rossetti to mind. The familiar plot of lovers kissing in a pool of water is updated by Adams as the lovers are surrounded by other swimmers, implying a public pool setting instead of the solitary allegorical paintings by the aforementioned Waterhouse and Rossetti. John Frasers Consortium is also on display showing the breadth of this gallerys aesthetics. This work is minimal, sculptural, conceptual as old books are opened wide and pageless, resting on a mantlepiece. The visual result harkens a skyline as the naked inner spines of the books reveal an inky blur that gives the work a haunting quality signaling a loss. Other Must-See Booths: Must-See Art Exhibitions Outside of Expo: The Ed Paschke Art Center: Now on view is a retrospective of Paschke's work titled, Ed Paschke: Visionary from Chicago, 1968-2004. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Through September 24th, be sure to catch the much-loved exhibition of work by Takashi Murakami titled, The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg and the exhibition of work from the MCA's permanent collection titled, We Are Here. Zg Gallery: See work by Amy Casey called, Critical Mass as well as new work by Gregory Jacobsen. Gallery Victor Armendariz: The Figure 8 exhibition showcases figurative works by artists such Rose Freymuth-Frazier and Caleb O'Connor. Carl Hammer Gallery: Work by CJ Pyle comes together in Another Slipping Glimpser through Oct. 28. EXPO Chicago takes place at Navy Piers Festival Hall through Sunday with events and panels in addition to the booths throughout the fair. See the Expo website for more information including ticket prices, hours, and event schedules. Explore The Fascinating Labor History Of Pullman During October House Tours Rowhouses in Pullman (Photo by vxla via the Creative Commons on Flickr) The Historic Pullman House Tour will be returning this year on Oct. 7 and 8, offering the public a chance to explore the history of a company town that transformed American labor politics. One weekend every year residents of Pullman, a Far South Side community, open up their homes to the public. These 120-year-old homes on the tour include executive mansions, worker's cottages and apartments. A unique cross-section of homes are chosen each year to give visitors a chance to experience what life was like in the company town over a century ago. Pullman was one of the most famous planned company towns in the U.S.it even attracted visitors in town for the World's Fair Columbian Exposition in 1893. It was founded in 1880 just south of Chicago and later annexed by the city. The town was built to attract and house good workers, which it did, and avoid strikes, which it didn't. At its peak, 9,000 people lived in the industrial town where workers manufactured railroad cars, including the original sleeper car that the Pullman company pioneered. In 1894, the Pullman Strike occurred, and it was a major event in labor history in which both the labor movement and federal government flexed their power. Pullman workers were protesting wage cuts, and the killing of one of their fellow workers. Wages had been cut during an economic downturnbut rents remained the same. Eugene Debs' American Railway Union got involved in the strike, and strikers managed to stop train traffic west of Detroit and protests broke out. President Grover Cleveland brought in the army to stop the strike, a move that resulted in 26 deaths. To appease the labor movement, Cleveland lobbied for Labor Day to become a federal holiday. The first Monday of September was chosen, instead of May 1, lest it become too closely tied to a radical global workers movement. After the strike, the Pullman Company was forced to sell off all its residential property. The Pullman Company also plays an important role in the development of the labor movement among African-Americans. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was the first labor union led by African-Americans in 1925, and it was formed of the black men who staffed railroad cars and were employed by Pullman. Long after rail's golden age in 1960, the Pullman community was threatened with demolition. The whole district was granted National Historic Landmark District designation in 1971. The city has bought up some of the historic rowhouses since, and Obama declared the district a National Monument in 2015. To explore the district yourself, houses are open for tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 8. This is the 44th year that tours have been offered. The event, sponsored by the Pullman Civic Organization and the Historic Pullman Foundation, will be festive. There will be music at a bandstand, food, an antique car show and garage sales. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. Proceeds from the weekend tours will help to preserve and restore the Historic Pullman District. Obama Shoots Down Community Benefits Agreement For Center, But Pledges Transparency By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 15, 2017 2:55PM Chicagoans who have pushing for a Community Benefits Agreement from the Obama Foundation got a direct response from the organization's illustrious namesake himself on Thursday night at a much-anticipated public meeting with Foundation officials. Appearing via video, former president Barack Obama told the crowd at the Regency Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency at McCormick Place that a community benefits agreement wasn't the right fit for a nonprofit. He did however pledge that the Obama Presidential Library and Center will benefit local business, residents and labor, that guidelines for that goal would be transparent. Obama said, via the Tribune: "The community benefit agreement concept is actually one that can be a really useful tool if you have a bunch of developers coming in that want to build a high-rise or for-profit enterprise in your neighborhood. But here's the thing: we are a nonprofit and aren't making money. We are just bringing money to the community. "We are going to be setting up very clear standards for how we're going to hire, how we're going to make sure that existing small businesses in the community benefit, how we are going to ensure that residents benefit from this process. And all that will be public." Obama why no community benefits agreement: "we're not a developer making money, a non profit that will be bringing money in" pic.twitter.com/GcIzNsnhZr Paris Schutz (@paschutz) September 14, 2017 An agreement in an instance such as this would not be inclusive enough, he said. "What particular organizations would end up speaking for everybody in that community?" Obama said, via the Chicago Maroon. Here's why Obama says they're not going to sign a community benefits agreement: pic.twitter.com/Rn0tfIDw4x Pete Grieve (@pete_grieve) September 14, 2017 Activists have been pushing for several months for the signed, formal agreement, to ensure from the Foundation that the Center will not displace residents and will create jobs for the immediate community, near Jackson Park. Some residents began camping out as early as Wednesday night in order to guarantee entry to ask about directly for the agreement. Thursday's meeting allowed the public to meet face-to-face with some of the top officials involved in the project, including architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Foundation vice president of civic engagement Michael Strautmantis and landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh. Obama unveiled designs for the "transformational" campus in May. The former president announced on Thursday that he will bring the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit to Chicago for two days this fall, plus a new fellowship and "training days" civic-engagement program for young people. You are here: Home Performers dressed in ancient costumes recite poetry at the opening gala of the fifth Chinese Poetry Festival in Yichang city, Hubei province, Sept 12, 2017. [Photo by Liu Shusong/for chinadaily.com.cn] The fifth Chinese Poetry Festival opened in Yichang city of Hubei province on Tuesday night, with participants enjoying a feast of poetry. The festival is organized by the Ministry of Culture, the China Writers Association and Hubei Provincial People's Government. Minister of Culture Luo Shugang, Deputy Minister of Culture Dong Wei, and Jidi Majia, vice-president of the China Writers Association, attended the opening ceremony. Dong Wei said at the opening ceremony that China is a country of poetry, and boasts a long poetic tradition and brilliant poetic culture. He hopes that through the poetry festival, excellent traditional Chinese culture will be creatively promoted and the national spirit will be inspired. The Albemarle County School Board voted 5-2 on Thursday to surplus the former Yancey Elementary School building and then transfer it to the county, beginning the process of one day reopening the building to the Esmont community. The board and school division staff will draft a letter and memorandum of understanding related to how ownership will be phased to the county, as well as other operational details. County staff hope to have the letter and MOU prepared by the Sept. 24 School Board meeting. As part of the transfer, the school division will pay $1,800 per month through the end of the fiscal year to maintain water and electric service to the building. White Hall representative Dave Oberg and Samuel Miller District representative Graham Paige voted against the resolution. The Esmont community and school division hoped to expedite the transfer process so that the county could reopen the building sooner rather than later. In order for the schools to convey Yancey to the county, the state law requires the division to first pass a resolution declaring the property surplus. The School Board voted in May to close the school due to anticipated cuts in federal funding, declining enrollment numbers and loss of accreditation. Yancey was in the middle of a turnaround plan to improve instruction and atmosphere at the school when the board decided to close it. Since then, former Yancey students have been redistricted to Red Hill and Scottsville elementary schools. The closure did not sit well with many Esmont residents. Yancey had long been a center in the community not just for students but for surrounding residents as well. In August, the Yancey Transition Committee, a team of Esmont area residents who took community feedback on what to do with Yancey, presented a report to the School Board. In it, they asked that the building serve as a community center, offering after school programs, social services and other amenities and roles they feel are neglected in southern Albemarle. The team also requested that they continue to serve the county and Board of Supervisors to keep a future line of communication between county officials and Esmont. Paige hoped to get three items in an MOU to the Board of Supervisors related to the the transfer and continued use of Yancey. Paige discussed including a partnership between Esmont and the county to document and display the history of the school, and the continuation of the transition team. He also recommended that the school be considered for reopening in the future if the population of the area grew enough. Rivanna District Representative Jason Buyaki, who voted with Paige against Yanceys closure, said he didnt think it was necessary to say that theres an option of the school reopening in the future when the majority of the board had already voted to close it. The Esmont community is not in the countys growth plan, and no one on that [Board of Supervisors] has intentions to put the Esmont community into a growth plan, Buyaki said. Paige said he could not vote for the resolution without those requests added to the MOU. I voted against it because the Memorandum of Understanding from the committee was pretty important to me, so I would really expect that to have been something that we had in conjunction with the resolution, he said. Oberg objected to the School Board and division losing the ownership of Yancey. Rio District Representative Pam Moynihan said handing the building over to the county as soon as possible was the best move because the division could always ask for the building back if need arose. Scottsville District representative Steve Koleszar echoed that sentiment, and said he has confidence in the Board of Supervisors to have the best interests of the Esmont community in mind. The School Boards other two options for the Yancey building were to keep ownership of it or sell it. The general consensus during recent public meetings leaned more toward transfer than the other two. After the meeting, Samuel District Candidate Julian Waters felt that the vote on the resolution was a rushed process. In addition, he felt those on the board were unclear as to how the process continues, based on conversations amongst themselves after the vote. I think that it is an enormous waste of public time to have that amount of discussion happen afterward, but also that it further betrays the trust of the community to have that discussion happen after the fact, Waters said. ROANOKE Anthem announced Friday that it would re-enter the individual health insurance market in Virginia, restoring coverage for 70,000 Virginians. "Since learning that 63 counties and cities would not have access to individual health plans, Anthem has been engaged in further evaluation and discussion with regulators to ensure that no bare counties or cities exist in Virginia," the company said in a news release. Anthem in mid-August announced that it would no longer participate in the individual market except for three small localities. This left parts of Western Virginia without a provider. Two weeks later, Optima, the only insurer left in some of the localities, said that it could not cover the region. In the greater Charlottesville area, however, Anthem will only re-enter the marketplace for individual insurance policies in Augusta, Culpeper, Madison, Orange and Waynesboro, according to a news release. Policies through employers are unaffected by Anthem's withdrawal. When asked about coverage in other parts of Central Virginia, an Anthem spokesman responded: "It's important to note that every market is unique, but our goal is to ensure residents in all parts of the state have access to health plans. Without expanding in these areas, residents in these counties and cities would be left without access to a health plan. However, these counties have demonstrated market stability and a balanced risk pool. As such, we're confident in our ability to offer coverage options." The SCC Bureau of Insurance and Virginia Secretary of Health Dr. Bill Hazel were attempting this week to talk with insurance carriers to bring coverage to what were called "bare" areas. Anthem said individual health plan offerings for 2018 will include both on- and-off exchange individual plans. In a joint statement, Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine welcomed the news and pressed for action on health care. "It's time for the Trump Administration to stop their efforts to sabotage and destabilize the markets, which resulted in fewer choices and higher premiums for 2018," the Democrats said in the statement. "We will continue to work in Congress with colleagues regardless of party to fix the existing Affordable Care Act to ensure a stable market, lower costs, and improve coverage. Gov. Terry McAuliffe took a similar stance. I am deeply grateful than Anthem has stepped forward to continue to serve Virginia in this time of federal uncertainty," he said in a statement. "However, this decision does not change the fact that President Trump and Republicans in Congress are actively working to undermine the Affordable Care Act, to the detriment of states like Virginia. It is imperative that leaders in Washington take quick action to make sure the Marketplace in Virginia and those across the country are sustainable for years to come. Models present creations of LANYU Spring/Summer 2018 collection during the New York Fashion Week in New York, the United States, Sept. 11, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua] Alibaba-owned online e-commerce platform Tmall confirmed its new partnership with New York Fashion Week (NYFW) on Wednesday. Tmall, Chinas largest e-commerce platform, will bring unmatched scale and technology to help US designers and brands reach the Chinese market for the first time. As part of the partnership, Alibaba has selected several US brands, including Opening Ceremony and Robert Geller, to feature in their second annual See Now-Buy Now fashion show hosted by Tmall in October. The show will be held in the run-up to the so-called "Single's Day" on November 11 one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Alibaba said the US designers will gain exposure to "the more than 500 million consumers visiting Alibabas platform." Selected Chinese designers from 2017's "See Now-Buy Now" show will subsequently be highlighted in New York Fashion Week in September 2018. Alibaba has not yet revealed details about the "NYFW: China Day" and the relevant designers. New York has become a key international platform for Chinese designers. For instance, Wang Tao, Shanghai-based designer also known as "Chinas Queen of the Suit", made her namesake label Taoray Wang a frequenter on the NYFW. Wang, whose exclusive designs attracted a range of fashion elites including Chinas deputy consul general for New York Zhang Meifang and Tiffany Trump, said that Chinese designers have more of a chance to explore international markets and New York is "very attractive" commercially. In February, the Chinese fashion agency Suntchi signed an agreement, also part of an Alibaba deal, with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to facilitate fashion exchanges between the two countries. There are also an increasing number of Chinese design students flocking to Parsons School of Design, one of the world top fashion schools, each year. The new Alibaba deal came at a time when US fashion brands are striving to capture Chinese consumers growing appetite for fashion. The 9th BRICS Summit is held in Xiamen, Fujian Province, on September 3-5, 2017. [Xinhua] The outcome of the 9th BRICS summit hosted by China in the port city of Xiamen has provided clear evidence that the association of five major non-Western economies is anything but on the decline. At the end of the summit, Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa signed a joint declaration strengthening their cooperation in a wide range of sectors including economy, finance, culture, science and technology, and reaffirming their commitment to global peace, the central role of the United Nations and the rule of law in international relations. Together with the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing last May, the success of the Xiamen summit has further validated President Xi Jinping's advocacy of an open global economy based on inclusiveness, shared benefits and sustainable development. The five BRICS nations essentially embraced the guiding principles and the agenda President Xi proposed in his keynote speech at the Business Forum preceding the summit. He articulated a far-reaching vision putting BRICS at the forefront of China's efforts to meet the challenges of the current "great era of transformation and adjustment." As he pointed out, the road to global peace and development is not going to be a smooth one as economic globalization faces more uncertainties" and "emerging markets and developing countries find themselves in a more complex external environment." China itself has encountered an array of domestic challenges posed by its rapid industrial development and its achievements in enhancing the living conditions of its massive population, reducing inequality, rooting out corruption and providing for an aging population vindicate its role in pursuing a better and more prosperous world and building close bonds amongst nations and peoples. The "Chinese Dream" the cherished aspiration to peaceful progress, prosperity and ethnic harmony inspiring Chinas current domestic policies is gradually becoming a "BRICS Dream" and ultimately a "World Dream." In the realm of international security, the Xiamen summit was superficially described by some Indian media as a win for its side on account of the strong condemnation contained in the joint declaration of specifically-named terrorist groups based in Pakistan, a nation which enjoys a long-standing friendship with China and equally long contentious relations with India. Yet, China has always opposed terrorism no matter where it occurs, and has always respected the United Nations Charters requirement of non-interference in the sovereign affairs of other nations. In this context, China's record is arguably as good if not better than other great powers. It has voted for and adhered to UN Security Council resolutions sending peacekeeping forces to troubled areas and imposing sanctions on international lawbreakers. Apart from its leading role in BRICS, the Xiamen summit showed China under President Xi will further expand its relationship with the outer world and it would be a mistake to view this trend as a sign of hegemonic ambitions. China's way forward is firmly anchored in its dynamic cooperation with other markets and rests on its adherence to international rules and norms not only in trade and investments, but also security. Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and uncontrolled ethnic and civil strife are antithetic to the "Chinese Dream" and President Xi's hope for global peace and development. Elenoire Laudieri Di Biase ( Twitter account: @ElaudierLaudier ), sinologist from the university of Ca' Foscari and Melbourne University, Australia, is an expert on international diplomacy and psychoanalysis. Senior analyst on China at the Nato Defense College Foundation. A residence of the Mosuo in Daliang Mountain, Sichuan Province. The Mosuo are a small ethnic group living in China's Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, close to the border with Tibet. They feature parts of the matriarchal culture: women are often the head of the house; inheritance is through the female line; the male-leaving behavior is popular and women make business decisions. However, unlike a true matriarchy, political power tends to be in the hands of males. [China.org.cn] 1 2 3 4 5 Next This will help bank to expand its efforts to finance underserved people of country in less developed states. New Delhi: Private player IndusInd Bank on Friday said it has secured up to USD 200 million (about Rs 1,282 crore) loan from multilateral lender Asian Development Bank (ADB) to serve low income women borrowers in rural areas. The 7-year senior loan will go towards IndusInd Bank's micro-finance activities, it said in a statement. The loan pact was inked here by Christine Engstrom, Director of ADB's Private Sector Operations Department, IndusInd Bank chief financial officer S Zaregaonkar and Arun Khurana, Head of IndusInd Banks Global Markets Group. Engstrom said ADB's financing and technical assistance is a signal of its continued commitment to increase financial inclusion in India, particularly to low income women and their families. This will help the bank to expand its efforts to finance underserved people of the country in less developed states, she said. As per the loan agreement, about 95 per cent of the ADB funding is to go towards credit to women borrowers. At least 70 per cent of the number of loans will be deployed to less developed states, the bank said. "A capacity building technical assistance of USD 1 million is expected to be part of the package. It will support IndusInd Bank's efforts to improve financial literacy to women borrowers and to develop digitised processing and product development initiatives," the bank said. Baba Ramdev who founded Patanjali Ayurved says Rs 20 lakh crore will be market size of apparel and dairy products. (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: Patanjali Ayurved, FMCG major founded and being promoted by yoga guru Baba Ramdev, will soon launch its own dairy products and clothes wear segments, a report in Mint said. With this we will be in 11 categories, the newspaper quoted Ramdev as saying on the sidelines of Globoil India 2017, an edible oil conclave. According to Ramdev, Patanjali was eying the segments as it is expected the turnover in both dairy products and apparel businesses would go up to Rs 20 lakh crore in a few years to come. While taking a dig at Patanjali's such rival companies as Hindistan Unilever Limited, Ramdev said Patanjali has overtaken a number of such companies in terms of doing business and registering sales. Mint quoted him as saying: We are number one in trust and we will be No. 1 in turnover in a year, he said. We have done shirshasan (laid down) of many large companies. Only Unilever is left. HUL, leader in fast moving consumer goods segment, had an annual turnover of Rs 34,487 crore in 2016-17 financial year. It make such products which are a household name as Lux soap, Surf Excel washing powder, Fair & Lovely facial cream, and Kissan. In the same FY17, Patanjali Ayurveds recorded Rs 10,561 crore turnover. The company being steered by Baba Ramdev hopes it will cross Rs 20,000-25,000 crore sales mark in FY18, the report added. Patanjali sells Ayurvedic personal care and food products, including flagship toothpaste brand Dant Kanti. It launched a packaged drinking water brand called Divya Jal last month, Mint reported on 30 August, according to the report. Mumbai: Tata Sons, the holding company of all Tata Group companies, wants to change to a private limited company from a public limited one, according to a report in the Business Standard. For that, the $103 billion tea-to-chemicals conglomerate wants to amend memorandum of association and articles of association. The company has circulated a notice among its shareholders seeking their approval for the exercise, and has also called its annual general meeting on September 21. Any change in its corporate structure will require shareholders nod. Tata Sons will be called Tata Sons Private Limited once the Tatas-run company changes its structure to a private entity. The BS report adds that change in Tata Sons corporate structure will require to be cleared by a special resolution, needing at least 75 per cent votes. The news comes in the backdrop of a prolonged legal battle between Cyrus Mistry and Tata Group over former's unceremonious ouster as chairman on October 24 last year. Mistry's family-run companies -- Cyrus Investments and Sterling Investment -- hold an 18.4 per cent stake in Tata Sons, second largest stake. Tata Trusts remains the largest shareholder with 66 per cent stake. The remaining shares are held mostly by the Tata family, some group companies and a few individuals, the report adds. Report adds Mistry family has taken objection to the move that wants to convert Tata Sons into a private limited company. A letter from Cyrus Investments to the Tata Sons board reads: The proposal to convert Tata Sons from a public company to a private company constitutes yet another act of oppression of the minority shareholders of Tata Sons at the hands of the majority shareholders. Flash Photo taken on Sept. 11, 2017 shows the United Nations Security Council voting on a resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) at the UN headquarters in New York. [Photo/Xinhua] The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over its nuclear test on Sept. 3, targeting oil imports and textile exports. Monday's resolution, the third Security Council action concerning the Asian country in five weeks, curtails the DPRK's overall oil supply by almost 30 percent through a 55-percent reduction of gas, diesel and heavy fuel oil supplies, bans all its textile exports worth 800 million U.S. dollars and remittances of some 93,000 DPRK laborers from abroad. With the new measures, 90 percent of the DPRK's exports are now banned, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, told the council after the vote. British ambassador Matthew Rycroft said what the council did on Monday was to demonstrate that Pyongyang's provocations will be matched by consequences. China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Liu Jieyi, condemned the DPRK's nuclear test on Sept. 3, saying China is committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. He urged the DPRK to heed the aspirations and will of the international community, abide by Security Council resolutions, refrain from any more missile launches or nuclear tests, and return to the track of denuclearization. He noted that Monday's resolution also reiterated the need to maintain peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, settle the issue peacefully, resume the six-party talks and de-escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula. "The nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula must be resolved peacefully. Integrated measures must be taken to balance the legitimate concerns of all parties," said Liu. All parties must be cool-headed and avoid rhetoric or action that would aggravate tension, he said. Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia deplored the fact that the new resolution did not take in enough thoughts of Russia with respect to the peaceful settlement of the issue through diplomatic and political means. Monday's resolution followed a council resolution on Aug. 5, which imposed a ban on the export of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore, and seafood from the DPRK, among other restrictive measures. The council also adopted a presidential statement on Aug. 29 condemning the DPRK's launch of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan a day earlier as well as other missile launches on Aug. 25. Chennai: Canada is keen on developing business relationship with Tamil Nadu in ICT, smart cities, aerospace, energy security, clean technology and education sectors. There are a number of sectors where Canada sees real opportunity, Jennifer Daubeny, Consul General of Canada for South India, told Deccan Chronicle. I see real entrepreneurial culture in the private sector here. Some of it happens in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and in Chennai in terms of start-ups. We are increasing our business. Our government facilitates it and Canadian companies do business here, she said. Speaking on the sidelines of Canadas 150th anniversary celebrations here, Ms. Jennifer said that things are changing in India as they need to. Canada is in a position to contribute towards sectors prioritised by government like ICT; smart cities, energy security, clean technologies and solar energy. Twenty five Canadian companies have invested in TN and some of them have been here for a while. We are looking at how we can we fit into some of the priority programmes in India like Skill India and Digital India. We also recognise that success is going to come by partnering with local companies and working together, the Consul General emphasised. Canadian companies in TN are involved in manufacturing technology, clean technology, ICT and educational services. Encouraging Canadian firms to provide infrastructure solutions: Canada has encouraged its companies to provide infrastructure solutions and explore Indias education sector, which offers a huge opportunity partly because of Indias population. We have 75,000 Indian students studying in Canada now and they are the second biggest group of foreigners now, she said. Canadas exports, according to her, are predominantly commodity based pulses and diamonds; there is also export of financial services. At present both India and Canada have exports worth four billion Canadian dollars on either side and both the countries are eager to step it up. About 100 Indian companies including six from TN (IT firms) have invested in Canada while 400 Canadian companies have invested in India and 25 of them (with an investment to the tune of 150 billion dollars) have presence in Tamil Nadu. Agreeing that there is certainly some work to be done at the government level with regard to nuclear energy sector she said Canadian technology is very safe. To a question on collaborating on the war against terror, she replied that India is certainly an important partner. Both Canada and India are actively engaged in this particular area. We want to develop defence relationships. Thats something we are collaborating on and most of it is done by our mission in Delhi. India is certainly an important partner, she said. Farhan Akhtar wants to party with Kangana Ranaut. Well, that is what the actor says about his clash this week his film Lucknow Central with the Kangana Ranaut starrer Simran. Farhan, incidentally, is a close friend of both of Kanganas rivals, Hrithik Roshan and Karan Johar, and his statement surely comes as a surprise. When we asked Farhan about the clash, he replied, A film is basically the audio-visual of a story. The heart of a film is always the story. So, if we have a good film, it will do well. Everyone wants a solo release, but there are only limited weeks in a year when filmmakers can release their movies, he says. Having said that Farhan also is full of hope for not just his film but to his competition as well. I am sure the team of Hansal Mehta, Kangana and Apurva (Asrani) have done a good job with Simran too. It is not that our screens are getting affected because of them or vice versa. I hope that both films do well and the audience likes both our films and we can actually have a joint celebration party for both films, he says. The weekend will surely reveal if any of these filmmakers can actually party alone or even together as Farhan hopes. We wonder what Hrithik and Karan will have to say about that, though. It saddens me that a comment I made during a recent interview at TIFF has caused this much pain when that was never the intention at all. I never meant to imply that Sikkim has insurgency. My statement was in context of the film that deals with people who seek refuge after they suffer from conflict. Sikkim is a peaceful, green state with peace loving people. I know that my statements have hurt the sentiments and pride of the people of Sikkim and for that I truly apologise, Priyanka Chopra wrote in her statement. The actress and producer added that she takes the blame for her statements. I have always taken pride as being someone who is informed about the world but this time, some of the statements made were incorrect and while I should have been better informed about certain facts, I take full responsibility for what I said. I understand now that our film was not the first Sikkimese film to be made, but our aim has always been to provide local talent, both actors and technicians, a global platform to shine. My team and I have had a wonderful experience working in the state and with the local cast and crew, and are thankful to the support extended by the Government of Sikkim. I understand the impact of the statements made and hope that the people and Government of Sikkim find it in their hearts to forgive me, the actress concluded. Priyanka Chopra courted controversy by saying that Sikkim is troubled by insurgency. While talking about Pahuna, a regional film produced by her, she said, Sikkim is a small state in the Northeast of India, which never had a film industry or anyone who made a film from the region. This is the first film ever thats come out of that region, because its very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. The interview was given to ET Canada on the sidelines of Toronto International Film Festival, where the film was much appreciated. Soon, social media was abuzz with people being quick in pointing out to her that Sikkim is a peaceful state and films have been made there. It left many wondering how celebs are often so ignorant about important facts. With her foot in mouth moment, she joins the likes of Sidharth Malhotra, who tried to plug his film while tweeting about the mayhem that followed Gurmeet Ram Rahims conviction and Salman Khan who compared his pain to that of a raped woman while promoting Sultan. Actor Adil Hussain, who belongs to Assam, a state whose brand ambassador is Priyanka, feels people should not discount Priyankas endeavours in creating awareness about humanitarian causes and her push to regional cinema. He says, In the video, she says the word region and not Sikkim, and maybe she was talking about the North-east region. Coming from that region, I know how most Indians and not just celebrities, are so ignorant about the Northeast. As a responsible citizen, we must know about the things we are talking about. But to reiterate, actors are not historians. After she apologised, why do we need to put her on a media trial? Another star from the same region, Zubeen Garg, informs that 50 per cent of his film, Mission China, was shot in Sikkim and he found the state to be extremely peaceful. He says, Its pure lack of knowledge. Please come to Northeast and explore the place before making sweeping statements. Also, Bollywood celebs from this region should popularise their regional cinema all over the country so people know about the films we have made and are making now. The statement was unfortunate as it can leave a bad impression of the region. But to prevent such gaffes, image consultant Shweta Athwal suggests that actors should not forget their primary roles. She says, People like Salman and Priyanka are such big cinema stars, they might think they will be equally good as activists. Also, their PR teams and family members should make sure they dont get overwhelmed by their emotions in their new-found roles of change makers. Actor Robert Pattinson has revealed he considered ditching his London home in favour of living in a camper van. The "Twilight" star said when he is not shooting films he just goes around east London on a pushbike and he almost made a Stealth van - a general white van which is a home in disguise - his full-time home. We saw actor Bharath in a role with negative shades in Vijay Miltons Kadugu. He is making his Tollywood debut with Spyder (which is also made in Tamil) where he plays a powerful role of an antagonist to Mahesh Babu. Yet another pending film Simba with a quirky subject is waiting for its release. Meanwhile, the actors horror thriller Pottu directed by Vadivudayan is said to have its theatrical release soon. The movie, set against the backdrop of a medical college, has three female leads namely Namitha, Iniya and Srushti Dange. Namitha will be seen in a witch in a negative role, attempting something which was earlier done only by male actors. She portrays an Aghori and has underwent an image makeover for the role. Actor Bharath will also be sporting different looks. In an earlier interview to us, Bharath said that it is his first endeavour in the horror comedy genre and he enjoyed the shooting immensely. Iniya essays the title role of Pottu and is paired opposite to Bharath. Amreesh has scored the numbers. Produced by Shalom Studios, close sources say that the movie was given an A certificate owing to its horror content. Later, when the makers applied to the revising committee, reportedly, they suggested muting a few words and demanded minor cuts. Later, the film was given a U/A certificate. Kochi: Actor Dileep, currently lodged at Aluva sub-jail, has filed a fresh bail application before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Angamaly. Dileep contended that he had already spent over 60 days in judicial custody. The accusation of conspiracy apart, the SIT was yet to come up with any other charges against him. The JFM court had earlier dismissed his bail plea after the prosecution strongly opposed it. The High Court had dismissed the bail plea on two occasions. The superintendent of the Aluva sub-jail on Thursday appeared before the magistrate and denied any violation of prison rules in permitting visitors to meet Dileep. The Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Ernakulam granted bail to Sunil Kumar aka Pulsar Suni in connection with the alleged bid to abduct another actor in 2011. The court asked Suni to execute a bond of `50,000 each with two solvent sureties. Suni should surrender his passport and will have to report before the investigation officer whenever required. Order on ex-police chief Senkumar extended The Kerala High Court on Thursday extended for one month its order restraining the police from arresting former state police chief T.P. Senkumar. The cops had booked Mr Senkumar for allegedly forging documents that were purportedly used to obtain remuneration for the period he had gone on leave. On August 30, a single judge held that Mr Senkumar should not be arrested or summoned for the purpose of investigation. The court issued the order on a petition filed by Mr Senkumar seeking to quash the FIR registered against him. HC refuses to pass order on producers plea The Kerala High Court on Thursday declined to pass an interim order on a petition filed by producer Tomichan Mulakuppadom seeking police protection to the theaters for the release of Dileep-starrer Ramaleela. Mr Mulakupadom had claimed that people with versted interests may attack the theatres if the movie was released. He had spent over `15 crore for producing the movie. The court found that there was no need to interfere in the case at this stage and said the averments in the petition were only an apprehension of the petitioner. HC seeks States view on CBI probe in actress case The Kerala High Court on Thursday sought the state governments view on a plea seeking a CBI probe into the actress assault case. The court, which was considering a petition filed by Roy Mammen Joseph of Kochi, adjourned the hearing to September 28. The police objected to the plea and submitted that the petitioners intention was malicious. According to the petitioner, the investigation conducted by the police was not in the right manner which could let the real culprits escape. The real accused had not been brought under the police scanner, the plea alleged. Miya George, who is making her Telugu debut with Sunil starrer Ungarala Rambabu that releases today, is mighty excited. Ahead of the films release, she reveals that it was an experience to cherish. There was so much learning to do. Right from the start, the amount of positivity on the sets had been infectious. I am glad that I have debuted with this team, Miya says, adding, Despite being new to the language, at every step, my director Kranthi Madhav and Sunil helped me out a great deal. Apparently, her characters transition will be interesting. I play a character which is very well balanced. The first half and second half of the film will see two different versions of me, as my role sees a transformation, she reveals. Meanwhile, so chuffed is Miya with her Telugu debut that she is keen to do more work here. I will keep going provided I am given some good opportunities, concludes the 25-year-old actress. Superman, the DC Comics superhero, has a new mission protecting hard-working immigrants from white supremacist bullies. (Photo: Facebook/ DC Comics) No longer are planet-destroying extra-terrestrials or billionaire evil geniuses the villains: Superman, the DC Comics superhero, has a new mission protecting hard-working immigrants from white supremacist bullies. In the latest edition of the "Action Comics" series, which has published Superman's adventures since 1938, the "Man of Steel" intervenes to stop an out-of-work factory worker as he is about to kill some immigrants. Wearing a blue work shirt and red-white-and-blue bandana, the moustachioed cartoon villain embodies all the cliches of the poor blue-collar American. Gun in hand, he threatens veiled women and rails at Hispanic workers, accusing them of stealing his job. "You work cheap, don't speak English so you can't talk back or even ask for a penny more. You cost me my job! My livelihood! For that you pay!" he says, as he opens fire. Just then Superman steps in, bullets bouncing off his chest, to save the day. "The only person responsible for the blackness smothering your soul is you," Superman tells the white supremacist. The passage echoes the recent violent protests by American rightwing extremists. In August, a 32-year-old woman was run over and killed by a Nazi sympathizer after a violent "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 2015, Dylann Roof, a white supremacist, shot and killed nine black worshipers at a Charleston, South Carolina church. American comic books have often taken on social issues, finding up-to-the-minute material in contemporary public conflicts and debates. Marvel Comics, for instance, launched a new version of Spider-Man in 2011, making him half-black, half-Hispanic. In 2016, DC Comics published a seven issue mini-series called "Superman: American Alien." In it, Kal-El (Superman's real name) struggles to reconcile his extra-terrestrial origins with his new life on Earth. Superman is in effect an immigrant, who left his doomed home planet Krypton when he was a baby and was taken in and adopted by an American couple in Kansas, in the rural US heartland. Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were both Jews of European descent, and Superman's story parallels the flight of European immigrants in the 1930s seeking peace and prosperity in the United States. "The Man of Steel," whose caped costume is inspired by the Stars and Stripes, grows up on a farm and embodies the American dream But Superman's patriotism, like that of Marvel Comics' Captain America, has been interpreted differently at the hands of the various writers who have scripted his adventures. In the 1986 series "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," for example, Frank Miller presents Superman as president Ronald Reagan's elite fighter, deployed to combat the Soviets or to restore order in the United States, neutralizing Batman. The app is the first to be approved specifically for contraception (Photo: Pixabay) A study published in the journal Contraception found that a smart phone app, approved by the EU in February uses a womans temperature each day to track her cycle and predict which days are safe to have unprotected sex. The findings for the app Natural Cycles found that it was 93 percent effective as compared to the Pill, which, if taken correctly, is thought to be 99 percent effective. According to the creators, a trial involving 4,000 women found it as effective as the Pill in preventing unwanted pregnancies. The app is the first to be approved specifically for contraception and received class IIb medical device status from a German inspection firm employed by the Department of Health to test the safety of new drugs and medical devices. The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (FSRH), sexual health charity FPA and Fertility UK acknowledge fertility apps have the potential to broaden contraception choice. But they warned branding an app a medical device does not guarantee it will effectively prevent pregnancy. While for some women taking the Pill is like second nature, without any unwanted sex effects, there are others where with the surge of hormones racing through their bloodstream, the Pill can play havoc with their bodies. The app was the brainchild of husband and wife team Dr Elina Berglund and Dr Raoul Scherwitzl. The Sentinel-Record reports Goss will be sentenced Nov. 22. A gag order prevents attorneys from speaking publicly about the case (Photo: AFP) Arkansas: A former administrative assistant to an Arkansas county official has pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of a credit card after prosecutors accused her of using public money to buy personal items, including a tuxedo for her pet pug. Kristi Goss was set for trial this week but pleaded guilty Monday. Authorities accused Goss of fraudulently charging $200,000 to a Garland County credit card on purchases including the dog tuxedo, a diamond bracelet, tickets to Arkansas Razorbacks sporting events, sequined throw pillows and pet insurance. Goss had worked as an administrative assistant for the Garland County judge in Hot Springs, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southwest of Little Rock. The Sentinel-Record reports Goss will be sentenced Nov. 22. A gag order prevents attorneys from speaking publicly about the case. Kasargod: Soon after the peace meeting between CPM and BJP, the house of CPM Muliyar panchayat member M. Madhavan was attacked in the wee hours of Thursday. Mr Madhavan is CPM Karadukka area committee member, and the party alleged that the BJP was behind it. They also held a protest in the evening at Bovikanam. There was a peace meeting held in Adoor police station on Wednesday and both the parties had agreed to stop the violence. However, soon after the meeting, the house of Mr Madhavan in Muliyar was pelted with stones. Windowpanes of the room, where Madhavan was sleeping, shattered. According to the CPM, four local members of the BJP staged the attack, which they denied. Palakkad: The accused Chopatti Sadanadan, 53, of Paravur, who murdered the elderly couple at Tholanur village in Palakkad on Tuesday night, has confessed that he committed the crime on the instigation by Sheeja, 36, their daughter-in-law. She allegedly had an illicit relationship with him and she wanted to get rid of her in-laws. Her husband, an Army man posted in Srinagar, was expected to come home on leave on September 16, the police said. The couple, Swaminathan, 75, an ex-army man, and his wife Premakumari, 68, were stabbed to death by the accused. He also used a hammer to smash their head. Both the weapons were recovered from near the crime scene. The accused was sent to judicial custody by the First Class Magistrate here on Thursday. Sheeja had facilitated his entry into the house on Tuesday night to murder the couple, investigation officer A.M. Siddique, Kuzhalmannam CI, said. To mislead the cops, Sadanandan tied up Sheejas arms and legs and gagged her. Sadanandan is a dynamite operator in a quarry and resides at a rented house at Thenur. Sheeja was taken into custody by Kottai police on Thursday after she was discharged from the hospital. Her arrest would be recorded on Friday morning. Sheeja was staying at her house at Thenur with her 17-year-old son. Some local residents told the cops about her affair with Sadanandan. Sheeja told the cops in her statement that the couple had opposed their sons marriage to her and nagged her all the time. She never wanted to stay with her in-laws at their house and had offered Sadanandan 10 cents of land, an autorickshaw and the manager post of the four -acre farm of her in-laws for killing the duo. Sheeja had come to stay with her in-laws after there was a murder attempt on Swaminathan on the night of August 31 by Sadanandan. He had thrown at him a dry twig connected to the KSEB meter through a live wire while he was sitting inside the house in a bid to electrocute him that night . Local SI C.V. Ravindran said that the couple had not told him about Sheejas relationship with the culprit at that time. All other angles, except this, were inquired into the SI told DC. Jaipur: A six-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by the sweepers at a central school in Rajasthans Barmer district. Her father filed a police complaint on Friday. The incident is said to have taken place on Thursday. The girl reportedly complained of abdomen pain to his father. She was unable to walk following which he immediately took her to hospital where the medical examination confirmed that the girl was sexually abused. She reportedly told her father that two people shut her mouth and forced her to sleep on a table than raped her. The girls father has served in the para military forces for over three decades. He said that he has fought for the country and now he would fight to get justice for his daughter. SHO Anita Rani of women police station said that a case has been registered against two sweepers under section 376D and Posco Act. A medical board has examined the girl. According to SP Barmer, Gangandeep Singla, the medical report has shown that there was no internal injury. The samples have been sent to FSL for further tests while a counsellor has been called for the girls counseling. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the the Government will file an affidavit in SC on Rohingyas on September 18. (Photo: File | PTI) New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the government would file an affidavit in the Supreme Court on 'Rohingyas are a threat to national security' on September 18. On Thursday Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said the Centre has not filed any affidavit in the apex court in regard to the Rohingyas matter after it was reported that the Centre has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that 'Rohingyas are a threat to national security'. The Centre on Wednesday, while granting Indian citizenship to Chakma and Hajong refugees, maintained its stand saying that Rohingyas are illegal. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier indicated that some action will be taken with regard to deportation of Rohingyas, who are considered to be a security threat to Jammu and Kashmir. Kiren Rijiju, who belongs to Arunachal Pradesh, had supported the Centre's statement saying Rohingyas were illegal immigrants. He also said that India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world. Schools affiliated to the board have been given two months to have safety audits of their premises carried out by police. Hyderabad: There has been a spurt in the number of crimes in schools. Parents claim that peers and staff members are largely responsible for the cases of abuse and assault which occur on school premises. In the light of recent events, the CBSE, to which over 150 schools in Hyderabad are affiliated, on Wednesday released a circular containing rules aimed at protecting students. Schools affiliated to the board have been given two months to have safety audits of their premises carried out by police. The conduction of psychometric evaluation of all employees including teachers, non-teaching staff, drivers, sanitation workers, and watchmen has also been advised. A DEO said, Recently, a staff member of a school in Hyderabad made a girl stand near the boys washroom. A psychometric evaluation will examine mental ability and help ascertain whether a person is qualified to work with children or not. The circular states that schools are responsible for the safety of their students not only during school hours but also while they are in transit. Lakshmi Rao, an expert in education says, Children who travel by school buses cannot be monitored. There should be constant communication between teachers and parents to ensure that all children reach home safely. The notice acknowledges the increase in the number of complaints regarding the involvement of staff members in untoward incidents on school premises. Schools have been asked to only employ support staff from recognised agencies. They have been advised to install CCTV cameras and to constitute separate committees for the redressal of the grievances of parents and students. Sri Lankan Naval ship Sayura sails close to the sea shore as it enters the Visakhapatnam harbour on Thursday, after taking part in the SLINEX 2017, a bi-lateral Naval Exercise between India and Sri Lanka. (Photo: DC) Visakhapatnam: In pursuance of Indias Act East policy, Eastern Fleet ships INS Satpura and Kadmatt is on a four-day port visit to Singapore from September 14 to 17. During the stay in the harbour, various activities such as official calls, formal reception on board ships, ships open to visitors, guided tours for Indian naval personnel and professional interaction between naval personnel of both the nations have been planned. With a joint aim to ensure seamless Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) through optimal utilisation of limited resources at sea, both the countries have already signed a Technical Agreement (TA) to share white shipping information. Joint exercises SIMBEX and lMDEX between both countries are a regular phenomenon. As a part of three-month long Overseas Deployment, both the ships are scheduled to visit several ASEAN countries during the deployment to commemorate 25 years of Dialogue Partnership' between India and ASEAN. Incidentally, this year ASEAN also celebrates its golden jubilee and the high point of the celebrations is an International Fleet Review (lFR) in Thailand in November 2017. Both ships, Satpura and Kadmatt are also scheduled to participate in the IFR. Both ships are sterling examples of Indias indigenous shipbuilding capability and Indian Navys reach during their long deployment in the South China Sea as also in the Western and Northern Pacific. Incidentally, INS Satpura had just completed a month long deployment in the Southern Indian Ocean without any port call, thereby ably demonstrating the Indian Navys sustenance during extended operations. Srinagar: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed as the firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in violation of the November 2003 ceasefire agreement has spread to International Border (IB) in Jammu district of the State. The officials said the Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire agreement for the third consecutive day between the intervening night of September 14 and 15 in Arnia sector of the IB, resulting into the death of BSF constable Bijender Bahadur. He was on duty at a forward post of the BSF in Arnia when the Pakistan Rangers fired mortars and also used small arms fire to target the Indian positions shortly after midnight. They said that a bullet hit Bahadur on the left side of his abdomen and succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital. The BSF troops retaliated by using same calibre weapon. Our jawans retaliated strongly and befittingly using the same calibre weapons, a BSF spokesman added. Intermittent exchanges continued till Friday morning, reports said. The BSF said that Bahadur, 32, was a resident of Vidya Bhawan Naraypur village in Uttar Pradeshs Balia district. He is survived by his wife Sushmita Singh. Earlier the LoC in neighbouring Poonch and Rajaouri districts witnessed repeated ceasefire violations by the Pakistan troops during past couple of weeks. The Indian officials had said on Thursday that two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF earlier during the day. They said the action came after three Indian jawans were injured in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts on Wednesday. However, Pakistan had denied the charge and accused the Indian troops of initiating firing but along the LoC and the IB called Working Boundary by it. Indias Deputy High Commissioner, J. P. Singh, was summoned to Foreign Office in Islamabad by Pakistans Director General (South Asia and SAARC), Dr. Mohammad Faisal, over alleged ceasefire violations by Indian troops along the LoC which had resulted in the killing of two civilians. The firing, he was told, took place in Phulian sector on the Pakistani side of the de facto border and that also three persons including a woman were injured. Islamabad accused the Indian troops of deliberately targeting civilians and termed it deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws. It urged India to respect the 2003 ceasefire agreement and investigate various incidents that have taken along the LoC. However, India has strongly denied Pakistani allegations and said that the incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. The officials said that till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year. On the other hand, Pakistan has claimed that there have more than 700 ceasefire violations by the Indian troops this year, which resulted in the killing of 32 civilians on their side of the LoC. P Chidambaram was examined by the agency in connection with the case in 2014. (Photo: PTI | File) New Delhi: Former finance minister P Chidambaran on Friday said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be questioning him instead of harassing his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case and accused the probe agency of spreading misinformation. The Central Bureau of Investigation had called Karti for questioning on Thursday in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006 when his father Chidambaram was the finance minister. Karti refused to appear, saying a special court had discharged all the accused and terminated proceedings in the matter, a claim strongly contradicted by the CBI which maintains that the investigation was still on. "In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB recommended and I approved minutes. CBI should question me and not harass Karti Chidambaram. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB recommended and I approved minutes. CBI should question me and not harass Karti Chidambaram. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 15, 2017 "Sad CBI spreading misinformation. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB officials have recorded statements before CBI that approval given was valid," P Chidambaram said in a series of tweets. Sad CBI spreading misinformation. In Aircel-Maxis, FIPB officials have recorded statements before CBI that approval given was valid. P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 15, 2017 According to a CBI charge-sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based M/s Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of USD 800 million in Aircel. (This amounts to approx Rs 5,127 crore, according to existing conversion rates). The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was competent to grant the approval. "However, the approval was granted by the then finance minister. Further investigation is being carried out into the circumstances of the FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval granted by the then finance minister. The related issues are also being investigated," the agency had said in 2014. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy claimed the former finance minister had given FIPB clearance to a deal that should have been referred to the CCEA, headed by the prime minister, as it alone was empowered to clear foreign investments of over Rs 600 crore. P Chidambaram, who was examined by the agency in connection with the case in 2014, had issued a statement this year, saying the FIPB approval was granted in the "normal course of business". Most CBSE and ICSE schools in the city and the state teach Telugu as the second language so the new rule will not pose any problem. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The state government has clarified that there will be no exam for students who are currently not learning Telugu that has been made mandatory for Classes 1 to XII in all schools from next year. The decision has been taken to make students learn the basics of the language. For those already learning Telugu, exams will be held as usual. The rule making Telugu compulsory will cover CBSE, ICSE and international scho-ols as well as Kendriya Vidyalayas run by the Centre. The government will present a draft policy soon to clear any doubts. The existing TS Education Act, 1982, may be amended or a new Act may be passed to enforce the new rule. The new language requirement announced by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on September 12 has created a lot of confusion among schools, students and parents, particularly because it is to be implemented immediately. The main concern is how will students who have not studied Telugu will learn the subject all of a sudden and pass the exam. Concerns have been raised over the fate of students currently studying at secondary level (Class VIII to X) and higher secondary level (Class XI to XII). Only a small number of schools in the state follow the central syllabus and international curriculum, in which there is no Telugu. Most CBSE and ICSE schools in the city and the state teach Telugu as the second language so the new rule will not pose any problem. Deputy CM and education minister Kadiam Srihari will hold a meeting with education officials soon to draft the modalities for implementing the new policy. We will take all stakeholders into confidence before implementing the new rule. Representatives of schools from the state board, CBSE, ICSE and IB, will be consulted. The feedback of teachers and parents will also be taken, he said. Officials are now studying how Karnataka, which recently announced that Kannada would be compulsory, is implementing this rule. Tirupati: Eleven out of 200 children who were administered antibiotic IV injections at Ruia hospital on Thursday developed adverse reactions and had to be shifted to the ICU. Junior doctors are on strike at the hospital. Their condition is stated to be stable. There are more than 300 children patients in the hospital. The doctors have stopped using the injections. Health minister Kamineni Srinivas spoke with hospital superintendent Sidda Nayak and ordered an inquiry. Speaking to DC over the phone, Dr Nayak said, We have stopped that particular batch and kept it away. Those medicines will be sent to the tests. A doctor, on condition of anonymity, said, The IV injection should be given very slowly. Sometimes it reacts, if it is given to a patient in pace. As the junior doctors are on strike, nurses must have given the injections to the children. It may be one of the few reasons for it. We have observed reaction in only 11 out 200 children, if it was a problem in the medicine, then there would definitely be more than 11. Guwahati: Assam became the first state in the country to enact a law making it mandatory for government employees to look after their aging parents and needy sibling, failing which they will lose 10 per cent of their monthly salary. The amount deducted from their salary will be given to their parents and siblings so they can support themselves. The state Assembly passed the Assam Employees Parental Responsibility Norms for Accountability Monitoring Act, 2017, that aims to prevent neglect of government workers parents and physically challenged siblings. The House also approved a population policy making two-child norm mandatory for government staff and beneficiaries of government welfare schemes. Finance and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, We intend to bring PSU and private sector employees also under this Act gradually. Mr Sarma said that the purpose of the new law is not to interfere with the private life of state government employees but to allow their neglected parents and siblings to complain against them. The new law authorised department heads to pass order after hearing appeals of both the parties. Lucknow: The syllabus on Uttar Pradesh schools would soon be changed to downplay the role of Mughal emperors. Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma who also hold the secondary education portfolio, said, Mughal emperors were not our ancestors but were looters. We will change the syllabus accordingly so that our children do not learn untruths. The minister said that the only exception in this list was the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar who he said was a good ruler. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Bahadur Shah Zafars mausoleum in Yangon for the same reason. The minister, however, clarified that this was not a religious issue and the state respects all religions. Hyderabad: The Secunderabad unit of the Government Railway Police busted a ganja smuggling racket operating between Odisha and Mumbai and arrested eight persons in three cases. Police also seized 200 kg ganja worth Rs 30 lakh. In the first case, P. Mahender Dora, a 25-year-old farmer from Odisha, was nabbed from the Mumbai-bound LTT Express at Secunderabad railway station. The cops seized Rs 12 lakh worth ganja weighing 80 kg from him. He stated that his receivers would receive the drug at Gulbarga. Cops traced the receivers Ajaz Pathan and Manjaz Chaurasia in Gulbarga. Ajaz Pathan who is a cloth trader started ganja smuggling six months ago along with one Latheef. They used to get around 100 kg ganja a week from Odisha. After a dispute with Latheef a month ago Ajaz was running the business alone. He collects ganja from Gulbarga, travels to Mumbai and sells it, said Mr T Krishna Prasad, DG (Railways & Road Safety). In the second case, Ramesh Chand Praddan, 31, from Odisha, V. Chittibabu, 28 and G. Karunanidhi, 25, both hailing from Visakhapatnam were caught from the East Coast Express, while transporting Rs 13.5 lakh worth ganja. In the third case, cops detained Rajakumar, 26, from Bihar and Rubin Naik, 22, and recovered Rs 4.5 lakh worth ganja at the Warangal railway station. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A high level expert team headed by Joint DME will probe the allegations of the parents of a nine-year-old girl who was detected with HIV infection after undergoing blood transfusion at the Regional Cancer Centre here. The expert panel was constituted on the direction of health minister K.K. Shylaja who had also sought a report from the RCC director soon after getting a complaint from the parents of the victim. As varied results were found in the previous laboratory tests, the minister called for a detailed probe by the expert panel. The panel headed by joint DME Dr Sreekumari will comprise experts from ART department, pathology, and blood bank. The minster asked the expert panel to examine the issue in detail and submit a report at the earliest. The government also decided to make all arrangements for the further treatment of the child . Meanwhile, the Medical College police here began a probe into the allegation of HIV blood being transfused to the girl at RCC. A case for medical negligence was registered on the basis of a petition filed by the girl's parents. Assistant commissioner of police (Cyber City) Mr. Pramod Kumar said that the medical records of the girl were being examined. The statements of the doctors concerned would be taken subsequently, he said. The parents said in the complaint that the girl was undergoing treatment for blood cancer and had undergone blood transfusion at RCC. The HIV infection was noticed during the blood tests conducted after the transfusion. New Delhi: Rohingyas are a threat to national security. They have links with terror groups and are likely to be used by the Islamic State, the Central government told the Supreme Court on Thursday. In its affidavit in response to petitions seeking to stop deportation of 40,000 Rohingyas, the Centre said national interest warrants their deportation and the court should not interfere in the proceedings. There are intelligence inputs that some Rohingyas are linked with terror groups, which are very active in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mewat, it said. The government has made it clear that it is against Rohingya Muslims staying as illegal refugees in India. If they stay here permanently, who will protect the citizens? the government asked. It said in August, the home ministry wrote to state governments, urging them to identify illegally staying Rohingyas and deport them. Detection and deportation of such illegal immigrants from Myanmars violence-hit Rakhine state is a continuous process, the Centre said. Therefore, it is essential to identify them and keep a watch on their activities for preventing any untoward incident that can take place. The governments stand has been that infiltration of Rohingyas from Rakhine into Indian Territory, especially in recent years, besides being a burden on the limited resources of the country, also aggravates security challenges posed to India. It said that undisputedly India is among nations worst affected by Islamic terrorism. It has its serious demographic challenges. Thousands of Rohingya refugees, most of them settled in J&K, where already Islamist separatism is raging, are a people ripe for terror hiring and indoctrination. It said Rohingyas couldnt claim protection under Article 21 of the Constitution to settle as residents of India and the Union Government has unrestrictive power to expel or deport Rohingyas. CHENNAI: Organs of 22-year-old Dinesh, were harvested after he succumbed to injuries sustained from an accident on Friday at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) After sustaining serious head injuries at his workplace, Dinesh was rushed to RGGGH on Wednesday, where he was declared dead on Friday. Resident of Teynampet, Dineshs father and brother have their consent to the hospital authorities to donate the organs of the deceased. Doctors at RGGGH harvested kidneys, liver, lungs, cornea and heart, which was completed on Friday evening. The kidneys are to be transplanted to two kidney failure patients at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General hospital on Saturday. Liver was shared with Stanley Medical College Hospital, while cornea was sent to Egmore eye hospital. Heart was sent to Global Hospital and lungs were shared with Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. Ballari: With the state assembly elections just seven months away, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sounded the poll bugle for the Congress party launching a slew of development works and distributing benefits of various welfare schemes while participating in a convention titled District Development and Samajik Sadhaneya Samavesha held here on Tuesday. Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state BJP president B.S. Yeddyurappa at a massive Ballari district Samajik Sadhaneya Samavesha (social achievement convention), Siddaramaiah said the Modi government had no moral right to criticise Congress rule in Karnataka. We have fulfilled almost every promise made to people prior to the 2013 assembly elections. "We have spent Rs 86,000 crores on welfare of Dalits and reserved Rs 27,730 crore for Dalits, backwards and minorities. But the Centre is not even able to waive off farmers loans, he alleged. Taking a dig at Mr Yeddyurappa for having food at Dalits houses, he said, Mr Yeddyurappa is enacting a drama by sharing meals with Dalit families. If he wants to follow the principles of saint-reformer Basavanna and show his concern for the problems faced by Dalits, he should marry his children into Dalit families, said the CM and accused the state BJP president of playing the Dalit card on the eve of next years elections. Mr Siddaramaiah also wondered why Mr Yeddyurappa did not show any concern for Dalits over the last four years and had suddenly woken up to meet them to secure their votes. The gap between Dalits and those belonging to upper castes cannot be bridged by sharing a meal but only through marriage. Dalits, however are wiser and cannot be taken for a ride by these leaders, he added. According to the district administration, as many as 3.42 lakh people have got benefits, including allotment letters for beneficiaries under the group housing scheme, LPG gas connections, BPL cards among others. The CM also launched works for improving the distributaries of high-level canal, Chilawar Bandi lift irrigation scheme, measures to fill up the Malvi reservoir and the like. the function venue. Ballari: Vice-Chancellor of Hampi Kannada University Mallika S Ghanti on Thursday denied she had accused the state government of corruption and claimed she had been misquoted by the media. Saying she had great respect for CM Siddaramaiah, Ms Ghanti said she was very disappointed that a section of the media had twisted her statement to say that she needed to carry a suitcase full of money to Vidhana Soudha to get funds released for the university. I never used the word Vidhana Soudha in my speech. Indeed the present government has released more funds for this university than any other, the Vice Chancellor said in a press release. Ms Ghanti was quoted as saying at a seminar on the Future of Hampi Kannada University on Wednesday that politicians used to send us back with suitcases full of cash in the past, but today the situation has changed so much that we are required to take suitcases full of cash with us when meeting them. But in her release she claimed she was only referring to the universitys founder Vice-Chancellor, Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, who recently recalled that whenever he went to Bengaluru for administrative work, the ministers used to wait for him and ask their officers to carry his suitcases, which they would send back filled with cash. Kambar told us how politicians treated VCs with respect in the past using the suitcases full of cash as a metaphor for fullfilling the needs of the university. I used the suitcases metaphor to show how things have changed as today we have to carry our own suitcases full of papers when seeking the governments assistance for the university, she maintained, adding that her statement had been twisted by vested interests for their own ends. Belagavi: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused BJP national president Amit Shah of conspiring to create communal unrest in the state ahead of the Assembly elections slated for April-May next year. The CM, who was addressing a Congress convention at Sulebhavi, 20 kms from Belagavi city, alleged that Mr Shah had during his recent visit to the state advised his party leaders to create communal violence to help the BJP come to power in Karnataka as it was currently not in a position to win more than 60 to 70 seats in the coming elections. During his recent visit to Karnataka Amit Shah pulled up Mysuru MP Pratap Simha for not being more active, asking him how many times he had gone to jail, how many agitations he had taken part in and how many incidents of communal violence he had instigated. He virtually threatened Pratap Simha,'' he charged. Calling the recent Mangaluru Chalo rally of the Bharatiya Janata Party a campaign to polarise the Hindus and Muslims, he advised it against holding such programmes to destroy the cordial relations between the two communities, and instead hold a Delhi Chalo rally to pressure Prime Minister Narendra Modi to waive off farmers loans in Karnataka. The Chief Minister, who took strong objection to state BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa threatening to file a chargesheet against him, called the Lingayat strongman shameless for making such statements despite being jailed himself when he was Chief Minister. Even Amit Shah was jailed for murder when he was Home Minister of Gujarat. But these leaders with criminal backgrounds issue statements against me. I can say with pride that my government has never indulged in a single scam and has met 155 of the 165 assurances it made in the election manifesto, he added. Claiming that he felt the pulse of the people of Karnataka, Mr Siddaramaiah asserted that the Congress party would retain power in the state. Hyderabad: Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to view Rohingyas as Muslims, but consider them as refugees and allow them to stay in India like any other refugee. Citing the example of refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka living in India, Mr Owaisi said: If Taslima Nasreen can stay here, why cant Rohingyas? If Taslima can be the Prime Ministers sister, cant Rohingyas become his brothers? Addressing a public meeting at Chanchalguda, the MP termed the decision of the BJP-led NDA government to send back Rohingya refugees as inhuman. Is it humanity to send those people back who have lost everything? Its wrong. Under which law can the Centre send back Rohingya refugees? he asked. Mr Owaisi reminded that Sri Lankan refugees were allowed to stay in Tamil Nadu even after they were accused of spreading terrorism. Why where they not sent back to Sri Lanka? After the formation of Bangladesh, the Chakmas came to India, and got the status of refugees, he said. India wants permanent membership in the UN Security Council, but is this attitude that of a superpower? Can the Centre send back Muslims who even have permission of the Human Rights Council to stay here? the MP said. We hope that the Government of India gives shelter, an opportunity to live a respectful life and a future to their children, because the Constitution gives the Right to Equality and the Right to Life, not only to its Indian citizens, but to all refugees as well, he said. This years annual India-Japan summit was mixed theatre and summitry, in signature Narendra Modi style and approach to public affairs. It began with an open jeep drive by Mr Modi with Japans PM Shinzo Abe and his wife through the crowd-lined streets of Ahmedabad and a tour of Mahatma Gandhis Sabarmati Ashram conducted personally by the Indian PM. The next day the bullet train project, that will link Ahmedabad to Mumbai, was flagged off with an audio-visual presentation, which the Opposition questioned as money is desperately needed to improve the speed and safety of the creaking traditional network of the Indian Railways. The joint statement proclaims the aim is to elevate their relationship to the next level. While the basic themes have been developed over nearly a decade, the energetic decision-making and urgent implementation is new. The changed geopolitical environment created by the increasing Chinese assertiveness and American hesitation under President Donald Trump saw Mr Abe finding in Mr Modi an active and non-hesitant partner guiding the direction and pace. The ghost of China, however, clearly lingered over the summit. The joint statement calls for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, indirectly criticising Chinese attempts to rewrite the laws of the sea by imposing unilateral control over vast sections of the South and East China Seas, or even over the latters airspace. The four sub-sections detail the bilateral strategy to counter this Chinese revisionism. The overall objective is to align Japans Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with Indias Act East Policy. The first sub-section talks of Reinforcing Defence and Security Cooperation. It refers to robotics and unmanned ground vehicles as areas of possible cooperation. A decision on purchasing US-2 amphibious planes is under discussion, though not finalised, as was anticipated. The Malabar naval exercises are recalled and future naval cooperation emphasised. The next theme is Working Together for a Better Connected World. Infrastructure projects, it is argued, should be open, transparent and non-exclusive and in sync with local economic and development strategies. This is again a critique of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. It builds on the existing understanding between the two sides to create connectivity between Asia and Africa. India and Japan have trade, training and investment links with Africa. The intention now is to marry the capabilities and strengths of both to balance the Chinese penetration of the African continent and even the establishment of a naval base at Djibouti. Indian human resources, facility with the English language and links with Anglophone Africa, if married to Japanese technology and industrial might, can work to balance Chinese penetration leveraged on major infrastructure development and raw material import. The third theme is Partnership for Prosperity focuses on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Railway (MAHSR), or the bullet train. Realising its optics as elitist and probably usable only by the wealthy in the foreseeable future, it is claimed to be a technology dispenser for the rest of the Indian railway system. This may well happen over time but the test will be whether indigenisation will bring the costs down to a level where India can replicate the bullet train for other high-density corridors like Bengaluru-Hyderabad, Bengaluru-Chennai or Mumbai-Pune, etc. But the government will find that every time there is a train accident, allegations will resurface that the traditional railways were neglected for an expensive and unnecessary luxury. A proposal for skill development centres, called JIMs, to be set up in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, is welcome but the question arises why the most backward and populous states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal were omitted. A connected question would be why the government did not divide resources between the other railway salient connecting New Delhi to Kolkata instead of focusing on a Gujarat-traversing Delhi-Mumbai corridor. The last portion of the joint statement deals with regional and global issues. On reform of the UN Security Council, for which India and Japan have been agitating alongside Brazil and Germany in a Group called G4 since 2005, or the climate change and implementation of the Paris Agreement or the need for free trade under WTO are ideas that both nations concur with. While India accepted a more forthright denunciation of North Koreas missile and nuclear tests and called for a rollback, Japan in turn agreed to condemn the Pakistan-based terror groups and specifically the 26/11 and Pathankot attacks. Japan also endorsed Indian membership of the three regimes Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement and Australia Group as well as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec). Significant is the support extended to the Asean group of 10 countries that are now finding China not only expropriating their South China Sea economic zones but dividing them through its surrogates Cambodia and Laos. If India and Japan strategically constitute the two ends of a democratic arc across the Indo-Pacific region, then Asean is its bridge and link. Existing security dialogues like the Asean Regional Forum and East Asia Summit are strongly endorsed as robust regional security structures are a condition precedent to a stable Asia-Pacific that no single country tries to dominate. But the experience of an earlier close engagement between India and Japan, during Mr Abes first prime ministership (2006-07), teaches us that countries can alter tactics under new leadership. Mr Abes successor in 2007 tried to re-balance relations with China and thus the Quadrilateral Dialogue between Australia, India, Japan and the United States was abandoned as China found it unfriendly, being limited to democracies. China will be carefully watching the growing convergence between India and Japan, with both nations putting old hesitations aside. Institutional linkages deepen commitments which changes of political leaderships normally do not affect. That is perhaps the biggest takeaway from the latest summit it seals the deal. The hike in petrol and diesel prices at pumps since the daily dynamic pricing mechanism started in June will continue, the petroleum minister has said. The price at pumps is more complicated than mere computing of the landed, refining and marketing cost of a crude oil-importing nation. But the public angst at rising prices is justifiable as fuel costs in India are at least 60 per cent more than in Pakistan and other South Asian nations like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Also, prices shot up sharply in the past three months, with petrol costlier by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by over Rs 4/litre in terms of Delhi prices. Where the current calculations behind fuel pricing seem distorted is in comparison to four years ago when global crude prices were at an astronomical high of $108 per barrel, and the rupee around 62 to the US dollar, when pump prices were only marginally higher than now. The reason isnt far to seek. Indias tax component in a litre of fuel is one of the worlds highest. At a time when crude prices were tumbling earlier this year, the Centre didnt pass on all benefits to consumers, but instead hiked excise. With every Indian family a customer either directly or indirectly, the impact of fuel prices is an inescapable phenomenon in a developing economy. While its true subsidies, as in the extreme case of diesel that existed till some years ago, distort the market, a case can also be made for merited subsidies. The clamour for the government to absorb some of the price rise is not misplaced, even if the rise is temporary in the dynamics of international oil prices. However, India has tried to get off the subsidy path, and is determined to do so even after not using the huge cushion tumbling oil prices had afforded the economy in reining in the fiscal deficit. While tinkering with the current oil prices mechanism is difficult, both the Centre and states need the revenue as the all macroeconomic signs indicate the economy is floundering. Indias industrial production is down, true collections from GST are yet to be computed, exports are not rising as the world economy is yet to fully recover from the 2008 hit, while half the country is hit by floods and other parts are suffering from extreme drought. We are in a phase of the economic cycle that is unforgiving, as rising unemployment would well suggest. Not even the tweaked GDP growth numbers are comfortable enough at a time when the push for growth has to come from internal demand. Its fair to say the government is on a cleft stick thanks to the economy and oil pricing reform is hardly a priority. So the people must pay. Rajnath Singh also struck a conciliatory note when he said that misguided children (who are involved in stone-pelting) should be dealt with as per the juvenile justice system and not locked up in jails. (Representational Image) Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who was in Kashmir recently, has indicated there is no roadmap to bring peace to the Valley, and may therefore be guilty of being unconscionably optimistic when he speaks of the green shoots of peace becoming visible in Kashmir. But when he addressed journalists in Srinagar earlier this week, there was no denying that two features stood out. These point to something new and should be welcomed, although we should wait to see results if the Narendra Modi-Ajit Doval doctrine of hard stance only for J&K is in any way being modified. The home minister said categorically that the Centre wouldnt go against the sentiments of the people of Kashmir on the question of Article 35A of the Constitution. This provision defines who the residents of the state are, and debars outsiders from acquiring property in J&K. It has been legally challenged by a RSS-inclined outfit. This is the first time that a top Modi government figure has said something on the subject. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. It has to be seen if the Government of India will implead itself in the ongoing judicial proceedings and defend Article 35A in court. Mr Singh also struck a conciliatory note when he said that misguided children (who are involved in stone-pelting) should be dealt with as per the juvenile justice system and not locked up in jails. They should be properly counselled and treated with compassion. Such observations do mark a way forward even if there is much ground to be covered. The just held summit in Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japan counterpart Shinzo Abe is a reminder of the changing strategic dynamics in Asia. Its key features are China no longer keeps the low profile it did while growing economically and now strikes an assertive military stance; and the apparent indifference of the US toward the Asia-Pacific under President Donald Trump. Although Asias leading powers Japan and India continue seeking meaningful engagement with Beijing on the economic front and on issues pertaining to the global commons, the Chinese military ambitions have long ceased to be concealed. China claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, putting itself at odds with all countries of the SCS littoral; it has engaged in military manoeuvres against Japan over a disputed island; and sought to array its military will against India in Doklam recently. These are overt signs of the regional and international political environment being unsettled. Fortunately for New Delhi and Tokyo, the two began to read the Chinese tea leaves some time ago. In November 2013, the Japanese emperor and empress noted for their reticence paid a visit to India, and in January 2014 Mr Abe was the chief guest for the Republic Day. Under Mr Modi, the ties have gathered greater strategic momentum; indeed when the Indian and the Japanese leaders met in Ahmedabad, it was their tenth getting together in three years. But it would be an error to view the relationship as a military alliance although maritime security in the Asia-Pacific was underlined. The joint statement mentioned the resolve of the two special strategic and global partners to challenge international terrorism and named Pakistan-based terrorist groups. China was subtly criticised for the way it was seeking to prosecute its OBOR project, and in deference to India a special mention was made of the need to respect the sovereignty of countries while pursuing connectivity objectives. Mr Abe said that he and Mr Modi were in full agreement on the North Korea issue. In their unpublicised conversation, it appears that the China-Pakistan enablement of Pyongyang to become a nuclear weapons and missiles power did make an appearance. South China Sea was not specifically mentioned, but was covered under the rubric of the Asia-Pacific. India and Japan have now moved ahead in civil nuclear cooperation with Japan overcoming earlier hesitation, and the two leaders publicly sealed the bullet train project in India, marking a stride in infrastructure partnership. Developing the Indian northeast to underpin Indias Look East Policy and building of the Africa-Asia Economic Corridor is also part of the partnership vision. But the purchase of the US-2i amphibious aircraft from Japan remains to be clinched. Whats evident is the slow stabilising of a deep-going partnership with a much-needed strategic vision. A fast food outlet Pretends to sell falooda Its not quite authentic I could say something cruder The loving hand is absent From its essence-induced flavour Mums falooda was much better From the recipe grandma gave her From The Dialectic of Taking Liberties by Bachchoo Writing approvingly of someone can mean you like his or her acts or creations or it could mean that they are dead. Contrary to what Shakespeare said the good that men do lives after them, the evil is oft interred with their bones or it goes up in flames and with us Parsis, ends up as vulture excreta. These thoughts are prompted by a jolting revelation about an Indian friend, famous for many things, but not this distinction in a field which I never knew hed ploughed. How did the jolt come about? The leading story on Thursday last in London was the opening of the inquiry into what has been labelled the Grenfell Disaster. On June 14, 2017, a 24-storey building containing 129 flats in North Kensington, London caught fire. It started, the forensics say, on the fourth floor from a faulty fridge-freezer and spread rapidly, gutting the building and killing at least 80 people and grievously injuring a hundred more. The fire took fire-engines and fire-fighters from all over London three days to extinguish. The building was owned by the local Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and had been recently renovated with cladding fixed to the outer walls to give it what was deemed a smart finish. This cladding has now been proved to be riskily inflammable and the cause of the rapid spread. The flats were occupied, as is most municipally owned social housing, by families with low or no income and are cheaper than housing rented by private landlords. Most of the families living in Grenfell Towers were immigrants, some of them relatively recent refugees to the country. After the disaster the Kensington and Chelsea Council were held in some measure, by the survivors, responsible for not carrying out the necessary safety checks or installing fire-safety technology and for contracting the dangerously inflammable cladding for the building. The Council was also accused of a tardy effort at rehousing the now homeless families. Investigations by the Council, the police and fire authorities still cant put a definitive figure on the number of dead, or name and identify all of them, as there were inadequate records of who and how many actually occupied the flats. One unpleasant, even criminal fact that emerged was that some of the occupants of Grenfell, who had legally assigned tenancies, had moved out of their flats and sublet them illegally to people who then didnt appear on any Council register and were possibly amongst the untraceable dead. Some of these scoundrels applied for rehousing because not applying would point to them having moved out and criminally sublet the properties for profit. Now on September 14, the government initiated inquiry into the disaster had its first day. The inquiry has already been under fire from the survivors of Grenfell and their supporters for not having a deep or broad-enough brief. It is not surprising that they are demanding that the inquiry cover aspects of the Councils negligence through the years and even that it examine the possibility that there was corruption involved in the issuing of contracts for the refurbishment and provision of cladding for the building. The appointment of the chairman of the inquiry, an Appeal Court judge called Sir Martin Moore-Bick was challenged by the survivors of Grenfell on various grounds. They asked for his removal and the appointment of someone who they said was closer to understanding the life of the families who lived there. Their arguments and plea were dismissed and Sir Martin began the inquiry by laying out his interpretation of his brief. He would examine how such a disaster could take place in a developed country in this century. He said he would not shy away from enquiring into acts, negligence and conduct that could lead to prosecutions. This would mean an investigation into why the Council had not installed fire-safety technology such as sprinklers which would detect and extinguish a blaze immediately and prevent its spread. On the eve of the inquiry the media published the fact that only two per cent of high-rise buildings, the social housing owned by Councils and Housing Associations, are equipped with comprehensive fire-detection and sprinkler systems. Fire brigade chiefs all over Britain responded by calling for an immediate retrospective fitting of such systems to all social housing. What India can boast is that it had, years ago, passed a law making fire safety fittings, such as smoke detectors, sprinklers and positive air pressure technology, compulsory in all new multi-storey buildings. The pioneer of this engineering work, before it became law is one Anil Dharker, the friend to whom I alluded and whose name I now disclose. I didnt know Anil graduated from London University as a mechanical engineer and then went on to the staff of Glasgow University and specialised in Building Services Technology. He returned to India, joined a building firm and pioneered the installation of fire safety installation in multi-storey buildings. Gosh! I first encountered Anil years ago as a sort of pornographer I mean he edited Debonair magazine, an Indian version of Playboy for which his predecessor and then Anil asked me to write a regular column. Anil moved on to brilliantly edit several newspapers and magazines (none of them with picture of scantily clad women, I hasten to add) and now he runs literary events under the aegis of his creation Literature Live and is founder and head honcho of the Mumbai literature festival and has even invited the likes of me a few times to speak and launch my books. His Wikipedia page says so many other distinctive things literary, cinematic and journalistic. But of course none of these saves lives. At first glance, the Nokia 2 actually looks remarkable for a budget smartphone with its curved corners and well-balanced proportions. (Photo Evan Blass) We talked about the Nokia 2 yesterday, with a leak that confirmed the presence of a massive 4000mAh battery. Now, popular tipster Evan Blass has leaked photos of the Nokia 2 in all its glory. At first glance, the Nokia 2 actually looks remarkable for a budget smartphone with its curved corners and well-balanced proportions. Its no bezel-less beauty but it stands apart with the Pixel-inspired design. The rear camera housing is inspired from its big brothers, with the camera sensor and the LED flash arranged vertically in an iPhone X-esque style. The primary speaker is placed on the rear panel resembling a slit, which gives the rear panel a clean look. It also appears to run on stock Android, which we expect to be Android Nougat 7.1.1. However, we also expect Nokia to launch it with Android Oreo 8.0 as the current Nokia under the leadership of HMD Global focuses on delivering updates faster than Googles own phones. The Nokia 2 is expected to come to India and will sit below the Nokia 3. it could compete with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 4A and moto C series with its 4000mAh battery, Snapdragon 212 SoC, 1GB RAM (we hope Nokia puts at least 2GB RAM to aid seamless performance) and 5MP rear + 2MP selfie cameras, both with an individual LED flash. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The World Bank in August had said under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of Jehlum and Chenab (File Photo) Washington: India and Pakistan in Washington started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty on Thursday night, a senior World Bank official said. These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries, a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Banks role in relation to differences and disputes is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. North Korea said its last test of an intercontinental ballistic missile in late August was a perfect and big success with both re-entry and warhead control capabilities showing no fault. (Photo: AP) Seoul: For the second time in less than a month, North Korea has fired a ballistic missile over Japan, days after the international community further tightened its sanctions over its banned weapons and nuclear programme. Here's how the programme got to where it is: Late 1970s: North Korea starts working on a version of the Soviet Scud-B (range 300 kilometres or 186 miles). Test-fired in 1984 1987-92: Begins developing variant of Scud-C (500 km), Rodong-1 (1,300 km), Taepodong-1 (2,500 km), Musudan-1 (3,000 km) and Taepodong-2 (6,700 km) Aug 1998: Test-fires Taepodong-1 over Japan Sept 1999: Declares moratorium on long-range missile tests as ties with US improve March 3, 2005: Ends moratorium on long-range missile testing, blaming Bush administration's "hostile" policy Oct 9, 2006: First underground nuclear test May 25, 2009: Second underground nuclear test, several times more powerful than the first December 13, 2011: Leader Kim Jong-Il dies, is succeeded by his son Kim Jong-Un December 12, 2012: The North launches multi-stage rocket and successfully places satellite in orbit February 12, 2013: Third underground nuclear test January 6, 2016: Fourth underground nuclear test, which Pyongyang claims was hydrogen bomb March 9, 2016: Kim Jong-Un claims the North has successfully miniaturised a thermo-nuclear warhead April 23, 2016: North test-fires a submarine-launched ballistic missile July 8, 2016: US and South Korea announce plans to deploy an advanced missile defence system -- the US THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) August 3, 2016: North Korea fires a ballistic missile directly into Japanese-controlled waters for the first time August 24, 2016: Successfully test-fires another submarine-launched ballistic missile September 9, 2016: Fifth nuclear test February 12, 2017: Tests ballistic missile, which flies about 500 kilometres (310 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan March 6, 2017: North fires four ballistic missiles in what is says is an exercise to hit US bases in Japan March 19, 2017: North Korea says it has tested a new rocket engine April 5, 2017: North Korea fires a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan May 2, 2017: THAAD anti-missile system goes operational in South Korea May 14, 2017: North fires what it says is a "newly-developed mid/long-range strategic ballistic rocket, Hwasong-12", which flies 700 kilometres before landing in the Sea of Japan May 29, 2017: Test fires a short-range ballistic missile which lands in Japan's exclusive economic zone June 8, 2017: North Korea launches what it claims is new type of 'cruise rocket' June 22, 2017: North Korea tests a rocket engine which could be fitted to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ahead of South Korean President Moon Jae-In's first trip to Washington since taking office July 4, 2017: North Korea says it successfully tests an ICBM which is capable of reaching Alaska. Kim Jong-Un says it is a gift for the "American bastards" July 28: Second successful ICBM test August 6, 2017: UN Security Council unanimously adopts tougher sanctions on the North August 9, 2017: US President Donald Trump threatens Pyongyang with "fire and fury" over its missile program -- Hours later, North Korea says it is considering strikes near US strategic military installations in Guam August 29, 2017: North Korea fires a ballistic missile over Japan. Tokyo says it is an "unprecedented, serious and grave threat" September 3, 2017: North Korean state media claims the country has developed a hydrogen bomb which can be loaded into ICBM -- North conducts its sixth and largest yet nuclear test. Monitoring groups estimate a yield of 250 kilotons, which is 16 times the size of the 15-kiloton US bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945 September 4: South Korea and the US say they will deploy more anti-missile defences September 12, 2017: UN Security Council unanimously adopts new sanctions, slapping a ban on textile exports and restricting shipments of oil products to North Korea September 15: North Korea fires a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific, responding to new UN sanctions with what appears to be its furthest-ever missile flight. This is the intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 l that was launched on August 29 by North Korea. (Photo: AFP) Seoul: North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Friday, responding to new UN sanctions with what appeared to be its furthest-ever missile flight amid high tensions over its weapons programmes. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of measures on the isolated country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programmes. That followed its sixth nuclear test -- by far its largest yet -- earlier this month, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. In New York, the Security Council called an emergency meeting for later Friday. The US Pacific Command confirmed Friday's rocket was an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) and said it did not pose a threat to North America, or to the US Pacific territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has threatened to bracket with "enveloping fire". Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometres. It was "the furthest over ground any of their ballistic missiles has ever travelled", Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Twitter. It was a "clear indication North Korea has range - not necessarily accuracy - to follow through (the) Guam plan", he added. The North has raised global tensions with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. The North's last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 IRBM just over two weeks ago, also over flew Japan's main islands and was the first to do so for years. But when Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range, it fired them on lofted trajectories that avoided passing over the archipelago nation. "The North is sending a message which is, 'we are not cowering before any sanctions and our warnings are not empty threats'," Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul told AFP. "It has vowed the US would face 'pain and suffering' in retaliation for the UN sanctions." - 'Missile launch!' - Millions of Japanese were jolted awake by blaring sirens and emergency text message alerts after the missile was fired. "Missile launch! missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea," loudspeakers blared on Cape Erimo, on Hokkaido's southern tip. Breakfast television programmes, which usually broadcast a light-hearted diet of children's shows and gadget features, instead flashed up the warning: "Flee into a building or a basement." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo could "never tolerate" what he called a "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace". "If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future," he told reporters. "We must make North Korea understand this." Tokyo had protested to Pyongyang in the "strongest words possible", chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga added. The missile overflew Japan for around two minutes, reports said, but there were no immediate indications of objects falling onto Japanese territory. The launch came a day after a North Korean organisation warned of a "telling blow" against Japan, accusing it of "dancing to the tune of the US" for supporting fresh UN sanctions. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche," the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC) said in a statement, referring to the North's national philosophy of "Juche" or self-reliance. - Oil shipments - In response, South Korea's military immediately carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own on Friday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the defence ministry said. The Hyunmu missile travelled 250 kilometres -- a trajectory intentionally chosen to represent the distance to the launch site at Sunan, near Pyongyang's airport, it added. President Moon Jae-In called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council, a standard procedure after the North fires a missile or tests a nuclear device. The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures. But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US. Earlier this year US President Donald Trump threatened it with "fire and fury", heightening fears of conflict. A Rohingya Muslim man walks to the shore carrying two children after they arrived on a boat from Myanmar to Bangladesh in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh on Thursday. Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands are still flooding across the border in search of help in Bangladesh. (Photo: AP) Yangon: Rohingya militants, whose raids in western Myanmar provoked an army crackdown that spurred a humanitarian crisis, denied any links to global terror groups on Thursday, days after Al-Qaeda urged Muslims to rally to their cause. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) says it is trying to defend the minority group from a long campaign of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where the Rohingya are denied citizenship. But its actions have plunged a region, already a crucible of religious and ethnic tension, deeper into crisis. Around 3,80,000 Rohi-ngya have sought sanctuary in Bangladesh since the outbreak of violence three weeks ago, fleeing burning villages and alleged army atrocities, joining what has become one of the world's largest refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Nearly 30,000 Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced inside Rakhine. Rights group say Myanmars army has used the ARSAs attacks as cover to try to push out the estimated 1.1 million Rohingya population. Myanmar's government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has denied the allegations. It labels the militants as extremist terrorists who want to impose Islamic rule over a portion of Rakhine state. They have also previously described the group as harbouring fighters who have trained with the Pakistani Taliban, ideas that have become the currency of arguments among the mainly Buddhist public for why the crackdown is justified. Al-Qaeda on Tuesday urged Muslims around the world to support the Rohingya cause and make the necessary preparations -training and the like-to resist this oppression in a statement on Telegram. ARSA has repeatedly distanced itself from the agenda of international jihad, instead insisting its claims are local and in defence of major state repression. ARSA feels that it is necessary to make it clear that it has no links with Al Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Lashkar-e-Taiba or any transnational terrorist group, the group said in a statement posted on its Twitter account. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a supporter of same-sex rights, welcomed the ruling, which was handed down in Melbourne. (Photo: AFP) Sydney: Australia's prime minister Friday defended a church's right not to marry some couples following reports a woman's wedding was cancelled after she posted support for same-sex marriage on Facebook ahead of a national vote. A voluntary postal ballot involving up to 15 million Australians on whether gay marriage should be legalised is underway, with the results due in mid-November. The survey is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed to hold a vote in parliament if the majority of Australians choose "yes". The poll has attracted heated debate from the "yes" and "no" campaigns, with some prominent clergy speaking out against such unions, warning that legalising them could infringe on religious freedom. Fairfax Media reported Friday that one couple were due to be married in the rural town of Ballarat in Victoria, but after the bride-to-be posted support for changing marriage laws on Facebook she was told the church minister would no longer officiate. "You must surely appreciate that your commitment to same-sex marriage opposes the teaching of Christ Jesus and the scriptural position practised by the Presbyterian Church of Australia and by me," the minister wrote in a letter to the bride provided to Fairfax. "This conflict of views has practical consequences in relation to your upcoming wedding. By continuing to officiate it would appear... that I support your views on same-sex marriage or that I am uncaring about this matter." The church, Ebenezer St John's, had no immediate comment Friday, but Turnbull defended the minister's decision, saying "churches are free to marry whoever they like". "Churches are entitled to marry or not marry whom they please. That is part of religious freedom. My own church, the Catholic Church, will not marry someone who has married before," he told reporters in Canberra. Turnbull, a moderate who supports same-sex marriage, is opposed by some members of his conservative ruling Liberal-National coalition on the issue and the postal vote is seen as a compromise. "No" campaigners say changing the laws could impact the church, but both Turnbull and Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten -- who also supports gay marriage -- have said religious freedom would be protected under any reforms. Parliament on Wednesday passed election-style safeguards restricting campaign material that might be misleading and deceptive during the ballot period, amid fears the vote could unleash a barrage of homophobia. Burned bodies and vehicles including buses and trucks testified to the violence of the attack. (Photo: AP) Nasiriyah: Gunmen and suicide car bombers on Thursday killed at least 74 people, including Iranians, near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. The attackers struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar, said at least 74 people had died, including seven Iranians, and another 93 people were wounded. That was up from the previous toll of 52 dead and 91 wounded in what was already the deadliest IS attack in Iraq since pro-government forces drove the jihadists out of second city Mosul in July. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against IS in northern Iraq. Rescue workers and members of the security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Burned bodies and vehicles including buses and trucks testified to the violence of the attack. Shelters built of corrugated metal were reduced to scraps of metal, twisted by heat. The area targeted is on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. - IS claim - It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Adding to the pressure on the jihadists, Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Tal Afar and the surrounding region from IS on August 31. Thursday's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters closed in one of the last, IS bastions in the country: Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent in that area saw several artillery units positioning themselves around the towns of Rawa and Anna, 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the border with Syria. The group's only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 kilometres north of Baghdad. IS has suffered a string of defeats on the battlefields of both Iraq and Syria, leaving in tatters the cross-border "caliphate" it declared in 2014. But despite these setbacks, the extremist group still has hundreds of fighters ready to carry out suicide attacks In addition, any military offensive in Hawija is expected to be postponed due to a planned referendum on Kurdish independence on September 25. Acting at the request of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi parliament on Thursday sacked the governor of Kirkuk over his decision for the northern province to also take part in the Kurdish referendum. North Korea's latest missile test that flew in the face of UN sanctions kept the market on its toes as the Sensex today ended with a measly gain, helped by a flurry of late buying. In effect, this brought up the seventh day of gains back to back for the BSE benchmark index. The Korean peninsula took limelight after North Korea fired another missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific Ocean, further ratcheting up geo-political tensions. The 30-share Sensex was in the red for much part of the session, but later turned positive to close up 30.68 points, or 0.10 per cent, at 32,272.61. The gauge rallied 579.96 points in the previous six sessions, on the back of continuous capital inflows by domestic institutional investors (DIIs). The 50-share NSE Nifty, however, was little changed, ending 1.20 points down -- or 0.01 per cent -- at 10,085.40 after hovering between 10,043.65 and 10,115.15. On a weekly basis, both the Sensex and the Nifty recorded a significant rise of 585.09 points, or 1.84 per cent, and 150.60 points, or 1.51 per cent, respectively. Most other Asian markets closed mixed. European shares moved lower in their early trade following an explosion on an underground train at a busy station in Southwest London today. "The Nifty continued to face resistance above 10,100 level due to weak global cues and continued hostility in Asia... Continued FII selling and tightening monetary policies in the US will curtail easy liquidity, which is making investors cautious," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services Ltd. In the Sensex box, ONGC came on top, jumping 4.71 per cent to Rs 166.90 on strong buying, followed by Bajaj Auto (3.19 per cent) at Rs 3,022.05. Coal India, Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Lupin and HDFC Bank all rose by up to 1.94 per cent. However, Dr Reddy's, ITC Ltd, NTPC and SBI succumbed to profit-booking and ended lower by up to 1.77 per cent. DIIs bought shares worth a net Rs 793.31 crore while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold off equities worth a net Rs 1,334.23 crore yesterday, showed provisional data. In broader markets, the small-cap index rose 0.38 per cent, but mid-cap shed 0.28 per cent as investors took profit. The BSE IT index jumped the most with a gain of 1.04 per cent. Authorities today imposed restrictions in parts of the city in the wake of apprehensions of trouble in the aftermath of killing of two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in an encounter. Restrictions have been imposed in five police station areas of Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. They said restrictions under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed in Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Khanyar and Safakadal police station areas of the city. The curbs were imposed as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident, the officials said. They said teaching activity has been suspended in many educational institutions across the Valley as a precautionary measure. Classwork has also been suspended in all colleges and higher secondary schools in Ganderbal, Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian districts as well as many such institutions of higher learning in Baramulla district, the officials said. However, they said, all other schools in these areas would function normally. Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been put under house arrest at his residence in Nigeen here, the officials said. Abu Ismail, along with his associate Abu Qasim, was killed in a brief encounter with security forces in Aribagh area of Nowgam on the outskirts of the city yesterday. Ismail was the mastermind of the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims in south Kashmirs Anantnag district which left eight pilgrims dead. India and Pakistan are holding high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty here, a senior World Bank official has said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. The Supreme Court on Friday asked the states to provide life of dignity to prisoners, consider open prisons and provide all medical facilities to inmates. In a slew of directions on jail reforms in the country, the court also directed the high courts to grant compensation to the kin of prisoners who met with unnatural deaths during incarceration. There must be a genuine desire to ensure that the guarantee to a life of dignity is provided to the extent possible even in prisons, otherwise Article 21 of the Constitution will remain a dead letter, a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. The court directed the states to take remedial steps after finding that the medical facilities do not meet minimum standards in Karnataka, West Bengal and Delhi. The right to health is undoubtedly a human right, it said. The central and state governments cannot proceed on the basis that prisoners can be treated as chattel as vast majority of them are undertrial prisoners, it said.Observing that a common person does not violate the law for no reason at all, the bench said it is circumstances that lead to a situation where there is a violation of law. On many occasions, such a violation may be of a trivial nature or may be a one-time aberration and, in such circumstances, the offender has to be treated with some degree of humanity, the bench added in its 43-page judgement. Board of visitors The court also passed an order for setting up a board of visitors with eminent members of society, appointment of counsellors for first-time offenders, frequent meetings and use of phones and video conferencing for talking to family members with prisoners as part of the continuing directions in a suomotu petition started on a letter sent by former CJI R C Lahoti on inhuman conditions in 1,382 prisons. After noticing that 551 unnatural deaths were reported between 2012 and 2015, the court said it is time for the state to actually come to grips with reality as it exists in a very large number of prisons. It directed for documenting each natural and unnatural death in prison in accordance with NHRCs suggestions. What is needed is a review of all prisons with a humanitarian nuance, the bench said. What is practised in our prisons is the theory of retribution and deterrence and the ground situation emphasises this... It is this rejection of the philosophy of our criminal justice system that leads to violence in prisons and eventually unnatural deaths, it said. British police on Friday advised people to avoid the area near Parsons Green, a west London underground station, after media reports of a blast on a train. "Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police are in attendance along with the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service," London's police said in a statement. "We would advise people to avoid the area." India is pushing Myanmar both bilaterally and multilaterally to take back Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled the Buddhist-majority nation following the ethnic violence, a top aide of Bangladesh Prime Minister quoted External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as saying. More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in Bangladesh, close to the border with Myanmar. Swaraj, in a phone call, yesterday spoke to Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina and assured her of India's full support to Bangladesh's stance over the Rohingya issue, Hasina's Deputy Press Secretary Nazrul Islam was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.com. "India's position is the same as Bangladesh's over the Rohingya issue," Nazrul quoted Swaraj as telling Hasina. "She also spoke about India pushing Myanmar both bilaterally and multilaterally so that they take back their refugees. What India is saying is that Myanmar must stop atrocities against Rohingyas," he added. Hasina said the government has designated land for makeshift shelters of the Rohingya people, but if they stayed here for long, it would pose a big problem for Bangladesh. Hasina also said she would raise the Rohingya issue at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. India, yesterday, rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. India's High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. A day after ruling AIADMK came out with "no work no pay" concept for the agitating government employees, actor Kamal Haasan on Friday said that the same formula should also be applicable to the rebel MLAs staying at a luxurious resort in Karnataka. The actor's statement came against the backdrop of the Tamil Nadu government's submission to the High Court that it would not pay the striking teachers and government employees, who refused to work. No work no pay only for Govt. Employees?. How about horse trading politicians languishing in resorts?, Kamal alleged on his twitter page. He also tweeted "the honourable court warns teachers on strike. I beseech the court to issue similar warnings to those MLAs who desist from attending work". For the past one week, a total of 19 rebel MLAs supporting "ousted" leader TTV Dhinakaran were staying in a resort at Coorg in Karnataka. Earlier, the legislators of Dinakaran camp also stayed in a resort at Puducheery for two weeks. Nalsar University of Law here has established Indias first Centre for Animal law. Union minister for Women and Child development Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the centre at the Shamirpet campus on Friday. Humane Society International will also play an important role in the functioning of the centre by steering and coordinate its activities. The centre will create curriculum on animal welfare laws, including developing topics for research. It will also conduct workshops on animal laws and animal welfare issues with judicial magistrates, animal welfare advocates, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders in the government. Noted animal protection activist and environmentalist Maneka Gandhi stressed the need for a centre for animal law considering the quantum of litigations in relation with animals in the country. Efforts are being made in the country by people with little regard to the animal human interface to eliminate predators such as snakes unleashing a rise in rodents that damage one fourth of the grain in the country, she said. She argued for protection of camels, as dwindling numbers of the animal have impact on border security in Kutch of Gujarat. She wanted law graduates to undertake gap studies in relation with animal rights in the country. There is a need to study impact of China on Indian animals, for instance tigers and their extinction due to demand for it's by-products, impact of diclofenac used on buffaloes and its impact on vultures etc, she said. Animal welfare is nothing but human welfare, she stressed. According to a statement, N.G. Jayasimha managing director HIS India and also the honorary director of the centre said : we hope that the Centre will be the first of many institutions dedicated to research and advocate animal protection, the most ignored yet crucial branch of law because research shows that animal cruelty and criminal behavior against humans are linked. Prodded by Dhaka, New Delhi has asked Nay Pyi Daw to check violence against Rohingyas but will tread cautiously on exodus of people of the community from Myanmar to Bangladesh. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over phone. Hasina's Deputy Press Secretary Nazrul Islam quoted Swaraj telling Bangladesh Prime Minister that India had been asked Myanmar tostrop atrocities against Rohingyas. New Delhi did not make public the details of the conversation between the two. Neither did it confirm or deny what media in Bangladesh reported quoting Islam's statement about Swaraj's call to Hasina. Sources in New Delhi, however, told the DH that India would extend all possible assistance to Hasina's Government to provide food and other essentials to nearly 400,000 Rohingyas, who had taken refuge in Bangladesh after escaping violence in Myanmar since the last week of August. India on Friday delivered 54 tonnes of rice, pulses, biscuits and other essentials to Bangladesh for distribution among the refugees coming from Myanmar. This was the second tranche of India's humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh in the wake of the exodus of Rohingyas from Myanmar. The first consignment of 70 tonnes of relief materials was delivered at Chittagong Airport of Bangladesh on Thursday. Sources familiar with New Delhi's relations with Dhaka said that India would support Hasina Government in providing food and shelter to the Rohingyas to make it sure that radicals in Bangladesh did not get an opportunity to use the issue against her Awami League. Hasina, who has been leading the Awami League Government in Dhaka since 2009, had been strongly dealing with the religious fundamentalists in Bangladesh. She will seek a third consecutive term in office of the Prime Minitser in the next general elections to be held in Bangladesh in December 2018. New Delhi, however, is still keen to tread cautiously on exodus of people from Myanmar to Bangladesh, as the issue has security implications for India, particularly in view of the reports about Rohingya militants operating in Myanmar having links with international terror networks. Sources in New Delhi said that India would also continue to carefully avoid embarrassing Aung San Suu Kyi's Government in Nay Pyi Daw. The international community heaped scorn on the Nobel Peace laureate icon for the struggle for democracy in Myanmar, particularly after the violence started against Rohingyas in Rakhine State of her country. New Delhi will no way create a situation that might prompt Suu Kyi's Government in Myanmar move into a closer ties with China. Beijing already made it clear that it was on the same page with Nay Pyi Daw on the issue of crackdown against militants in Rakhine, stating that it was an internal matter of Myanmar. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Nay Pyi Daw earlier this month, New Delhi was careful to avert putting Suu Kyi and her Government in embarrassment. Modi did say that India shared with Myanmar its concerns over extremist violence in Rakhine. He, however, did not refer to violence against Rohingyas, which started during a crackdown by Myanmar's Army in the aftermath of attacks by militants on security posts on August 25. New Delhi broke its silence on the issue only after Dhaka's envoy to New Delhi, Syed Muazzem Ali, met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on September 9. Ali conveyed to Jaishankar that the influx of such a large number of refugees from Myanmar had put strain on the economy of Bangladesh. It prompted New Delhi to call upon Myanmar Government to deal the situation with restraint and maturity. The police on Friday commenced an investigation on a complaint that a nine-year-old leukemia patient, who underwent blood transfusion at the state-run Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) here, later tested positive for HIV. The Kerala government had on Thursday constituted a team of experts to investigate the complaint by the childs family, which claimed that she was infected during blood transfusion at the RCC. The RCC, a premier cancer institute established in 1981, has also announced an internal probe. Referred from the Alappuzha Medical College, the child was brought to the RCC on March 1. She tested positive on August 25 during routine blood tests. The child had tested negative during an earlier examination at the RCC, on March 1. Health Minister K K Shailaja said a detailed examination was called for after later tests showed different results. The RCC said the girl was given 49 units of blood during her treatment at the institute. A team of experts in Anti-retroviral Therapy, Pathology and blood banks will investigate the case. Joint Director of Medical Education Dr K Sreekumari is heading the team. Shailaja said the government would bear the expenses of the childs medical treatment.A police team under Kazhakkuttom ACP Pramod Kumar commenced the probe in the case, registered under Section 336 of the IPC (act endangering life or personal safety of others). Kumar told DH that statements of RCC officials were recorded and documents seized on Friday. Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala called for a comprehensive probe into the incident. Its unfortunate that the health department has initiated action on this serious negligence 15 days after a complaint was handed over, Chennithala said here. The Kerala State Human Rights Commission ordered a high-level probe into the incident and directed the RCC director and the health department secretary to file an explanation in three weeks. Taking cognizance of a video in which soldiers are seen disrespecting the bodies of militants killed in an encounter, the army said it would take suitable action. Suitable action would follow, Defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia assured reporters about the video taken after the encounter killing of Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abu Ismail and his aide Abu Qasim in Nowgam area of Srinagar on Thursday. Both militants were Pakistani nationals and were killed in a joint operation of army and J&K police on Thursday evening. Sources said the input for the action was provided by the technical cell of the J&K police that tracked Qasims cell phone and followed his movements closely since Thursday morning. Ismail, in his mid 20s, had infiltrated into Kashmir some four years ago and had recently taken charge of the Lashkars operations in the Valley. He was designated as the operation commander by the LeT after Abu Dujana joined the Kashmir chapter of Zakir Musas al-Qaida some months ago. Security forces killed Dujana in early August. Sources said after Ismails killing, the LeT is likely to announce 28-year-old Zeenat-ul-Islam as its new operations chief in Kashmir. Zeenat, a resident of Zanpora in south Kashmirs Shopian district, is considered one of the main accused in the Shopian attack in February that left three soldiers dead. He (Zeenat) is among the five most wanted militants in Kashmir. The others being Zakir Musa, Riyaz Naikoo, Saddam Padder and Khalid, believed to be commander of Pakistan-based outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad, they said. Other than Khalid, the rest are locals, they added. The Stanley Police Department is celebrating the final stretch of its K9 officer fundraising campaign with an event on Saturday at Chapman Park. The department has raised over $53,000 since its campaign began in March. We set an ultimate goal of $80,000. With that, well be able to purchase and outfit a squad car, purchase the dog, train it and fund the whole thing for three years, Stanley Chief of Police Lance Weiland told the Herald Thursday. If we get to $60,000, that will get us the car, training and the dog. That will get us on the road. When the Stanley department began raising funds in March, Weiland said he expected the process to take at least two years. In just over six months, to say that your support has exceeded our wildest expectations is about as huge of an understatement as we can imagine, he said in a press release Thursday. In March, Weiland summarized why Stanley would benefit from a K9 officer: it could conduct drug searches at the prison, help the department protect city residents and lend help to law enforcement in nearby communities Cadott, Boyd and Thorp. Fundraising campaigns for K9 officers have caught on quickly in the Chippewa Valley. The Lake Hallie Police Department introduced K9 Kita in March of 2015; as of August this year, the Bloomer Police Department was $4,000 away from a K9 officer; and the Chippewa County Sheriffs Department debuted Nero on August 25 of this year. From 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 16, the Stanley department will host a buffet of food and beverages, music, a silent auction, bingo with cash prizes and a demonstration from Lake Hallies Sergeant Dan Sokup and K9 officer Kita. Our event will be capped off with Pie the Chief, where one lucky individual will experience the joy of placing a pie directly into the face of yours truly, Weiland said. If you have ever wanted the opportunity to hit a police officer with baked goods, what better opportunity; I think I am looking forward to it. The Stanley Police Department fundraiser will be in Chapman Park, 450 W 4th Ave, Stanley from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Saturday. Residents demanded that encroachments on Kacharakanahalli and Banaswadi lakes be cleared and dumping of garbage in the water bodies be stopped. United Bengaluru Foundation, led by freedom fighter H S Doreswamy, inspected the lake falling under the Yellamallappa Chetty Lake Series on Saturday. A group consisting of lake and urban experts, members of lake groups, elected representatives and government officials inspected these lakes and interacted with residents. Madhu Varadarajan, a local resident said, BBMP trucks are dumping garbage near the lake and slums have occupied the land near the lake. Another resident V Kamala said, The ground water level has fallen due to the encroachment of the lake. With lack of smooth flow, rainwater is gushing into houses. Doreswamy said, There is a desperate need for a collaborative effort to reclaim and protect our lakes. Houses and temples have been built years ago in the lake area. There is a plan to build a park, a swimming pool and a hospital on the land near the lake, said Padmanabha Reddy, corporator, Kacharakanahalli ward. The City Police have decided permission to 'Rap King' Omprakash Mishra of Bol Aunty Aau Kya-fame to perform in the city on Sunday. The video of the song, with sexist lyrics, has gone viral on YouTube and social media platforms with over 3 million views. The humor Facebook page called 'Bangalore memes' had created an event to celebrate Rap King Omprakash Mishras song. So far, more than 5,000 people from the city showed interest in the event. The event is scheduled to be held in Cubbon Park, Forum Mall in Koramangala and Dayananda Sagar Institute of Technology at Kumaraswamy Layout. City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said We will not encourage Facebook event which includes sexist lyrics. So far we have not been approached by the organisers seeking permission for the event.. If the organisers fo ahead with the event we will take legal action. Mishras video has over 3,608,434 views, 34,000 likes and 62,000 dislikes. The video was uploaded on December 31, 2015. The cyber crime police of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested two foreign nationals at Kempegowda International Airport when they were trying to collect the skimming device details of credit and debit cards in a Kotak Mahindra ATM kiosk. Director General of Police (CID) H C Kishore Chandra said, The CID team has arrested Dan Sabin Cristian (40), a citizen of Romania, and Mare Janos (44), from Hungary, while they were taking details of credit and debit cards by installing skimming devices in five ATMs in the city. Chandra said the duo arrived in the city on September 1 on a tourist visa. They had installed skimmer devices in Kotak Mahindra Bank ATM at KIA, Trinity and Brigade Road Junction, Citi Bank ATM in Garuda Mall, Canara Bank ATM on MG Road. Kotak Mahindra Bank officials, who noticed the skimmers, lodged a complaint with the cyber crime police. ADGP (CID) C H Prathap Reddy said that they laid a trap near KIA on Tuesday and arrested the duo when they came to collect details from the device. The sleuths conducted raids on their hotel rooms and seized three skimming machines, three mobile phones, passports, a laptop, hard disk and other materials which were used to send data to the United Kingdom. Reddy added that, both were part of an organised criminal gang working with their associates living in the UK. This is the first time they had come to India. They were barred from entering the USA and Jamaica following the criminal cases initiated against them. Both were produced before the magistrate and remanded in police custody till September 22 for further interrogation. Modus operandi The suspects used to identify the ATMs in busy areas and instal skimming devices. The suspects used to enter ATMs and take out the memory cards with details of debit and credit cards and put the empty card back. In some ATMs, the duo had also installed cameras to the roofs which look like smoke detectors. CID officials directed the banks to inform their customers to change PINs of their credit/debit cards and cautioned the public to close one hand on top while typing the PIN in any ATMs. Responding to the busting of the crime by the Bengaluru Police, the Citibank said on Saturday: Security of our customer information is of paramount importance to Citi. To the best of our understanding, there has been no compromise of any customer data due to this fraudulent activity as on date, and we shall continue to take all possible steps to safeguard our customers' interests. We are closely monitoring the situation and co-operating with the law enforcement agency on this incident. State Congress president G Parameshwara on Friday said he will soon meet JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy to seek his partys support in the upcoming Bengaluru mayoral election. Speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with the Congress leaders from Bengaluru, Parameshwara said the party wants to continue the alliance with the JD(S) in the BBMP. Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has already met JD(S) national president H D Deve Gowda in this regard, he added. Sources in the Congress said the JD(S) has demanded the post of mayor. But the Congress is not ready to give it away. Gowda has authorised partys Rajya Sabha member Kupendra Reddy to hold talks with the Congress in this regard. Ramalinga Reddy is likely to meet Kupendra Reddy in a day or two. Meanwhile, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal is scheduled to hold a meeting with the partys corporators here on Saturday. A month after inauguration of around 101 Indira canteens across the city, the state government is still finding it difficult to feed all the people who throng these low-cost eateries. With only seven kitchens out of the planned 27 being operational, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is finding it difficult to serve hardly 300 people as against the targeted 500, per canteen. Even though the canteens are open for two hours, the food gets over within an hour due to short supply. The bowl with which we serve holds 400 gm of food, said Vijay Kumar, who works as a server in Vasanth Nagar canteen. Some customers said that they would prefer the roadside eatery. The quantity of food served is very less. It is not enough for the survival of an adult. The government said it will create a hunger-free society. But how is it possible with this sort of service? said Purushotham, a customer. Since canteens close within an hour of opening in most places, many people are returning without food. Srinivas, a driver said, If you need to save on your pocket by having food at Indira Canteen, you need to have a lot of time on hand. You need to stand in the queue and grab a plate. Not everybody has time to spare in the middle of the day. However, BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said that canteens have received overwhelming response. There have been complaints of serving small quantity of food. We will make proper arrangements by next week, he said. A separate cell headed by a BBMP joint commissioner will be set up in each ward to monitor the canteens. The food during weekends is going waste, according to a caterer in Hebbal constituency. Not many people turn up during holidays and we even send back the unsold food. said Murali, caterer in Hebbal canteen. A $3 billion state subsidy package to lure electronics maker Foxconn to Wisconsin, the biggest of its kind in U.S. history, is now on the verge of becoming law. The bill heads to the desk of a supportive Gov. Scott Walker after passing the state Assembly Thursday, 64-31. Four Assembly Democrats voted for it: Jason Fields of Milwaukee, Corey Mason of Racine, Peter Barca of Kenosha and Tod Ohnstad of Kenosha. Two Republicans, Adam Jarchow of Balsam Lake and Todd Novak of Dodgeville, opposed it. The bill passed the Senate Tuesday, 20-13. It provides as much as $2.85 billion in refundable tax credits to Foxconn over 15 years in exchange for building a $10 billion liquid-crystal display, or LCD, screen manufacturing campus south of Milwaukee. Foxconn says the facility initially will employ 3,000 and could eventually employ as many as 13,000. Officials for Taiwan-based Foxconn released a statement minutes after Thursdays vote saying, We thank lawmakers in Madison for their vote of confidence. We are excited to see Gov. Scott Walker sign the bill to cement this partnership, the statement said. Walker hailed the vote in a statement Thursday, and his spokesman, Tom Evenson, said the governor could sign the bill as soon as next week. Advanced display technology will be made in America, right here in Wisconsin. I look forward to signing this historic bill into law soon, Walker said. Walkers signature could bring the state a step closer to what would be, by far, its biggest-ever economic development project. Foxconns plans to come to Wisconsin were made public with a splash, in a White House event in July that included remarks from President Donald Trump. Democrats warn of cost, lack of safeguards Not everyone in the Capitol is singing the deals praises. Democrats have cast it as a costly corporate handout that lacks safeguards for taxpayers, such as guarantees about how many workers the company will employ in Wisconsin. They also say the deals pricetag to state government could hinder its ability to fund core functions. Should it become law, the deal would be the largest subsidy by a U.S. state to a foreign company in history. Details of the agreement would be finalized with Foxconn, under parameters set forth in the bill, by Walkers jobs agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Please do not go down this road, because we will be paying for it and our children will be paying for it for decades to come, said Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit. Assembly Republicans, during Thursdays debate, cast Democratic opposition as knee-jerk resistance to Walker, who negotiated the Foxconn deal. They say Foxconn offers a once-in-a-generation chance to transform the states tech and manufacturing sectors. In the process, they say the development could create thousands of jobs, both at Foxconn, its suppliers and companies that would provide goods and services to those employees. If a Democratic governor negotiated this deal, you would be falling all over yourselves to vote yes, said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester. The potential Foxconn campus, which Walker has dubbed Wisconn Valley, would be the first U.S. manufacturing location for the company, a contract manufacturer of iPhones and other electronics that owns plants in China. Foxconn also recently acquired the Japanese electronics company Sharp, and the screens expected to be built in Wisconsin may be used for Sharp televisions. Supporters of the deal tout the companys pledge that the average salary at the facility will be nearly $54,000 a year, plus benefits. Skeptics say that figure, being an average, could be heavily inflated by a handful of high-paid employees. Of the $2.85 billion in tax credits, $1.5 billion would be for job creation, with the total amount linked to the number of jobs created. Another $1.35 billion would be tied to the amount the company spends to build the facility. An additional $150 million in incentives would come through a sales tax break on materials used for the campus construction. The company has said it hopes to break ground in 2018 and begin operating in 2020. Democrats slammed the deal for rolling back environmental protections and lacking requirements that workers at the Foxconn plant be Wisconsinites. They sought to abolish, through an amendment rejected by the GOP majority, a provision creating a special judicial track for Foxconn-related legal appeals sending them straight to a state Supreme Court currently dominated by conservative justices. For critics, 25-year payback still a concern Democratic lawmakers also cited a study by the Legislatures nonpartisan fiscal bureau projecting state government will take 25 years to begin making back its investment on Foxconn. Rep. Jimmy Anderson, D-Fitchburg, chided Walker for having negotiated the incentive deal with Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, in part, on the back of a napkin, as shown by the release of public records. Anderson said the highly profitable Foxconn doesnt need billions in bailouts from Wisconsin taxpayers. Foxconn has not said where it would locate the campus, but sites in western Racine and Kenosha counties are believed to be top contenders. That area has a deep history in manufacturing but, like other Rust Belt communities, has seen the ranks of such jobs diminish. This has tremendous bipartisan support in our corner of the state, said Rep. Thomas Weatherston, R-Caledonia. Sen. Bob Wirch of Kenosha was the only Democratic senator to back the bill in Tuesdays vote; Sen. Rob Cowles of Green Bay was the only Republican opposed. Some skeptics of the deal say its expected proximity to Illinois and the Chicago area could be a drawback because Wisconsin taxpayers could end up subsidizing jobs filled by Illinois residents. There are no guarantees that Wisconsinites will be the ones to benefit from any jobs that may be created, said Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison. Red-light cameras will remain in place at three locations in Solana Beach for as long as eight more years, under action taken by the City Council at its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12. An item that authorizes the city manager to extend the contract with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. to operate and maintain the three red-light cameras for five years, plus three additional one-year extensions, was approved by the council on a 4-0 vote, with Mayor Mike Nichols absent. The item was on the consent calendar, which includes routine items that typically are passed as a group with no council discussion. No members of the public spoke on the issue. Council member David Zito asked staff to bring back the issue on a future council agenda to discuss the efficacy of the red-light cameras, which take photos of motorists who run red lights, potentially resulting in tickets costing $490. The three red-light cameras, at the intersections of Highway 101 and Lomas Santa Fe (southbound); Lomas Santa Fe and Solana Hills Drive (northbound); and Lomas Santa Fe and Solana Hills Drive (eastbound); have been in place since October 2004. City staff recommended extending the contract and keeping the red-light cameras in place, citing safety reasons. The program discourages drivers from running red lights and protects the safety of the general public, the staff report said. Both City Staff and the Sheriffs Department continue to believe these systems provide a significant safety enhancement to the city and recommends that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute the revised agreement with Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. The council agenda included a brief report based on traffic statistics provided by the Sheriffs Department, which showed the number of accidents at the Lomas Santa Fe/Highway 101 intersection declined from 21 in the four years prior to the installation of the cameras, to 15 in the most recent four-year period, 2012-2016, a drop of 29 percent. At Lomas Santa Fe/Solana Hills, accidents declined from 18 to 7 during similar four-year periods, a 61 percent decrease. Those declines occurred even though traffic volume at both intersections increased over the past two years, said the report. Some disputed the results reported by the city. Jay Beeber, executive director of Safer Streets L.A., a public policy and research organization, submitted a study his group conducted on the impacts of red-light cameras in Solana Beach regarding traffic safety. While it is commendable that the City of Solana Beach has attempted to improve roadway safety through the use of automated enforcement, our analysis shows that there is no clear evidence that the program has made any difference in the number of red-light-related collisions that have occurred at enforced locations or citywide, the report said. But Councilman David Zito said after the meeting hes convinced the red-light cameras are working. He voted to extend the contract for the red-light cameras, but wants the council and public to talk about the effectiveness of the cameras, and for the city to provide more data to the public. Based on the data Ive seen Im of the belief that the cameras improve public safety in Solana Beach, he said. If new information emerges when the item comes back to the council for discussion, he said, the council has the option to cancel the contract with Redflex with 30 days notice. While he does believe the cameras are effective, he said the fine for first-time offenders who run a red light, $490 according to the San Diego County Superior Court website, is ridiculous. But he said the city has no control over the fine, which is set by state law. The city pays Redflex $85,896 annually to operate and maintain the three red-light cameras, according to the staff report, and the agreement allows the cost to go up each year based on the Consumer Price Index, or a maximum of 3 percent. Solana Beachs decision puts the city in the company of Encinitas and Del Mar, the only other San Diego County cities to maintain their red-light cameras. In recent years, Oceanside, Escondido, Poway, San Diego and El Cajon have discontinued their camera programs. More than 40 jurisdictions in California currently have red-light camera programs, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Last year, the city received about $315,000 in revenue from the red-light ticket fines, which covers the cost of the contract with Redflex for operating the red-light camera system, plus about another $230,000, said city officials. But Zito said the money represents only a fraction of the citys annual $30 million budget. "(The red-light camera program) is all about public safety, he said. Five years, two shortened Terrace seasons and over $100 million later, crews are putting the final touches on the renovation project that has reshaped UW-Madisons Memorial Union. The upper floors of the Unions center core and east wing which contain its Great Hall ballroom, Tripp Commons, meeting spaces, offices and six hotel rooms are set to reopen Friday. Work will continue in some of the rooms through the academic year, Union officials say, such as in the Old Madison room where painters are restoring a 1920s mural of city and campus life. Scaffolding will also stay on the Unions exterior as crews look to wrap up work on the roof and gutters by winter. But the reopening of the second, third and fourth floors means the building is in the finishing stages of the project that began in 2012. The Memorial Union Reinvestment, as the project is known, renovated the Union Theater, Hoofers facilities and other spaces in the buildings west wing during its $50.6 million first phase, which ended in 2014. The second phase, which cost $55.2 million, involved redesigning the Memorial Union Terrace, adding new restaurants and renovating study spaces on the first floor and upgrading the upper floors, which are popular locations for weddings and other large events. The upstairs spaces now boast new heating and air conditioning, sprinkler systems and audio and visual equipment. The changes are meant to bring the 89-year-old building up to modern standards, Wisconsin Union Director Mark Guthier said. As people return to the historic halls, though, Guthier said many of them should look much like they did before the renovation. People should feel like its very familiar and that we havent changed it substantially, Guthier said. It better feel just the same, because that was the goal. Guthier said the renovation included historically faithful upgrades to paint and plaster in the Great Hall, and new chandeliers that matched the original sconces in Tripp Commons. In several meeting rooms, workers stripped out carpeting to uncover original hardwood floors. Union officials say the renovation is the first comprehensive restoration in the buildings history. It was funded through student segregated fees, donations and the money the Union generates; taxpayer funds were not used. The Hyperloop One Global Challenge was aimed at identifying possible routes around the world, for building Hyperloop systems in future. Hyperloop One has announced ten winners from its longstanding competition to pick routes around the world. The announcement comes just over a month after Hyperloop One successfully completed phase 2 of its testing on a track in the deserts of Nevada. The company is arguable the only one close to making real world Hyperloops, and has been speaking to various governments, including India. Amongst the winning entries in the Hyperloop One Global Challenge are two teams and routes from India. AECOM and Hyperloop India, the two winning teams from India, proposed routes between Bangalore-Chennai and Mumbai-Chennai, respectively. A fully functional Hyperloop system can cover either route in under 50 minutes. Other winning entries are in the table below. Hyperloop One will now conduct feasibility studies on these routes. In fact, one such feasibility study is underway with the Colorado Department of Transportation right now. Hyperloop One says its entering into a public-private partnership to begin the study, which examines transportation demand, economic benefits, proposed routes and potential strategies, regulatory environments and alignment with overall CDOT high-speed travel, rail and freight plans. The Indian government had been interested in the Hyperloop concept when the company came to India in March this year. At the time, representatives from the Indian government reiterated its support for the transportation system. Of course, Indias focus at this moment is probably on the proposed bullet train, while a Hyperloop system is something that may come to fruition in future. Its worth noting that the routes proposed right now are meant for trade and commerce, rather than passenger travel. Its probably going to be a while before a Hyperloop systems starts carrying actual passengers across cities. A day after a Billboard was spotted in Boston expectedly teasing the Pixel 2 launch on October 4, Google has now started teasing the announcement of the new flagship phones through its Chrome browser and a YouTube video Almost confirming the launch of its 2017 flagship smartphones, Google is now displaying a message saying, Ask more of your phone. Oct. 4, on Google Chrome. When clicked, the message leads to a registration page where users can register their interest with their email IDs and get notifications about Googles October 4 announcement. Google has also posted a video on YouTube titled, Funny You Should Ask. The video shows a bunch of common peeves that smartphone user have being typed into the Google Search bar. Whats wrong with my phones battery?, Why is my phone always out of storage?, Why is my phone so dumb?, are some of the questions that are shown being typed into Google Search in the video. The teasers that all but confirm the launch of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, come a day after a billboard was spotted in Boston with the same message as the Chrome teaser. The date of the teased announcement coincides with the expected launch of the phones, which have witnessed several leaks and rumours throughout the year. Leakster Evan Blass had earlier suggested that the devices will launch on October 5. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are expected to be premium flagship devices designed by Google and built by HTC and LG respectively. Google is said to be adopting a dual OEM strategy this year as opposed to last year. The First-gen Pixel and Pixel XL were both built by HTC. Both the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 and not the rumoured Snapdragon 836 mobile platform. With Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Google is expected to add a squeezable frame, similar to the one found on HTC's U11. The squeezable frame is expected to trigger the Google Assistant and certain applications on the two devices. Unlike most flagships this year, Google might not be going the dual camera way. Dual cameras were also absent from previously leaked renders of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. While Google might not be jumping on to the dual camera bandwagon, it is expected to bring noteworthy improvements to the cameras on both smartphones, with a special focus on low-light photography. Also missing from the leaked Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL 3D renders was the 3.5mm headphones jack. Google might be looking to provide audio through a USB Type-C connector instead. Subscriber content preview Hurricane victims face second disaster: a shortage of craft workers and materials Homeowners are being told it could take a year to fix their flood-damaged homes. By ALEXANDRA OLSON and ALEX VEIGA Associated Press With floodwaters nearing knee height, Arlene Estle fled to the upstairs of the Houston house where she's lived for 50 years and raised four children. It was many hours later before her son-in-law arrived by boat to rescue her. Her flooded home didn't fare so well. It could be a year, her contractor warned her, before she can return. Until then, she'll have to find some place to rent. . . . login or purchase a To read this story in fullor purchase a subscription. The state Senate is scheduled to take up the months-overdue state spending plan Friday morning even though its Republican leader is still one vote shy of being able to pass it. Four Republican senators from conservative counties surrounding Milwaukee on Thursday remained opposed to the 2017-19 state budget Assembly lawmakers passed on Wednesday. A new state budget to cover spending through 2019 was due on Gov. Scott Walkers desk on July 1, but Republicans have been at odds for months primarily over how to address a nearly $1 billion shortfall in the states pot of money for road projects. Though state government does not shut down if lawmakers miss their deadline to pass a new state budget, some school district administrators have expressed concern about not knowing exactly how much money they will have from the state and local taxpayers as the delay carries into the new school year. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald needs 17 votes in his caucus of 20 senators to pass the budget, assuming all Senate Democrats vote against the spending plan, but Sens. Dave Craig, R-Town of Vernon, Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, and Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, as of Thursday remained opposed to supporting the plan. We need to be more aggressive we need to do the things we campaign on, Stroebel told conservative talk radio show host Mark Belling of WISN Thursday about why the senators are not supporting the budget. Kapenga, Nass and Stroebel gave Fitzgerald a list of changes to the state budget this week that needed to be made to get their support, including expanding the statewide private school voucher program and prohibiting the University of Wisconsin System from spending taxpayer dollars on training students and staff on how to handle diversity. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Thursday said the list of demands from the senators amounts to a ransom list. Vos said the budget-writing process, which includes agreements between the Assembly and Senate that the Legislatures finance committee put into the state budget bill that lawmakers will vote to approve, is complete and its too late to ask for other budget provisions. For me, the budget process is over, Vos said. You dont have to hold the entire state hostage for your pet projects. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Nass told Fox6 the list of changes the senators want may grow next week if there isnt a deal on them by this weekend. Stroebel told Belling on Thursday that the changes are reasonable and defensible, and reflect priorities the senators campaigned for before being elected to the state senate. Fitzgerald scheduled a floor session for Friday morning. Spokeswoman Myranda Tanck said the Senate may need to continue its work on Saturday if members arent ready to vote on Friday. Vos said if the Senate passes a different budget bill than what his house passed this week, the Assembly would not be taking up that piece of legislation until October. Unfortunately thats whatll end up happening and then well end up rejecting those changes. We already have a deal. The deal was very clear, he said. Bitcoin down for a fifth day as China cracks down on cryptocurrencies Bitcoin slid for the fifth day, the longest losing streak in more than a year, after one of China's largest online exchanges said it would stop handling trades by the end of the month as a government crackdown on cryptocurrencies continued. BTC China will immediately stop accepting new account registrations on its BTC China Exchange, chief executive Bobby Lee said yesterday in a tweet. The decision was made after ''carefully considering'' the 4 September announcement by Chinese regulators that outlawed initial coin offerings, he added. The cryptocurrency is down 27 per cent since 7 September after rising more than four-fold this year amid greater acceptance of the blockchain technology that underpins the exchange method, global political uncertainty and increased interest in Asia. (See: Digital currency Bitcoin crossess record $4,000) China accounts for about 23 per cent of bitcoin trades and it has also many of the world's biggest bitcoin miners, who use vast amounts of computing power to confirm transactions in the digital currency. According to Bloomberg News' report on Monday, China will ban trading of bitcoin and other virtual currencies on domestic exchanges. According to people familiar to the matter, the ban will only apply to trading of cryptocurrencies on exchanges, Bloomberg reported quoting people who requested not to be named. However, authorities do not have plans to stop over-the-counter transactions, according to the people. BTC China said on its website it will ''stop all trading business'' on 30 September, Associated Press reported. According to the exchange the move was ''in the spirit of'' a central bank ban last week on initial coin offerings but it gave no indication it received a direct order to close. Two business newspapers reported yesterday that Chinese bitcoin exchanges were asked verbally by regulators in Shanghai, the country's financial centre to close. According to Chinese business news magazine, Caixin, at one point up to 90 per cent of global trading took place in China. The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths: - Kathleen Gallagher, Gortnaluchoge, Downings - Corney Mandy Gallagher, Creeslough - Mary Johnston, The Mullins, Donegal town - Mary Noonan, 14 Gartan Avenue, Letterkenny - Eamon Martin, Butcher Street, Lifford - Mary Noonan, Gartan Avenue, Letterkenny Kathleen Gallagher, Gortnaluchoge, Downings The death has taken place of Kathleen Gallagher, Gortnaluchoge, Downings. Reposing at her late residence. Removal today, Friday, to the Church of St John the Baptist, Carrigart for 11am funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to St Vincent De Paul, c/o any family member. Family time from 11pm until 11am . Corney Mandy Gallagher, Creeslough The death has taken place of Corney Mandy Gallagher, Creeslough. Reposing at the home of his brother John Gallagher, Creeslough. Funeral Mass today, Friday, September 15th, in St Michaels Church, Creeslough at 3pm . Burial immediately afterwards in Doe Cemetery. Family time, please, from 11pm to 10am and on the morning of the funeral. Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to The Lake House Patients Comfort Fund, Portnablagh, care of any family member. Mary Johnston, The Mullins, Donegal town The death has taken place peacefully, in Harbour Lights Nursing Home, Killybegs, of Mary Johnston, The Mullins, Donegal town. Reposing at her residence in the Mullins, Donegal town. Removal to St. Marys Church, Killymard, at 10.30am today, Friday, for funeral Mass at 11am , with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Mary Noonan, 14 Gartan Avenue, Letterkenny The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of Mary Noonan, 14 Gartan Avenue, Letterkenny. Reposing at her late residence. Funeral Mass at 12 noon on Saturday in St Eunans Cathedral, Letterkenny. Burial afterwards in Tully Cemetery, Ramelton. Family time, please, from 11pm until 11am . Family flowers only, please. Donations, if desired, to the intensive care unit. Eamon Martin, Butcher Street, Lifford The death has taken place of Eamon Martin, late of Butcher Street, Lifford. Reposing at the home of his son John Martin at 6 Chestnut Grove, Lifford. Funeral leaving from there today, Friday, at 10.20am for Requiem Mass in St Patrick`s Church, Murlog, Lifford at 11am. Interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Donations in lieu of flowers please to the Irish Heart Foundation c/o Quigley Funeral Directors, 1A Newtown Place, Strabane. Family time please from 11pm to 11pm . If you wish to have a death notice included here, email us at editorial@donegaldemocrat.com. Please include a telephone number for verification. If acknowledgement of a problem is half the battle toward fixing it, the state Board of Education is off to a good start in steadying the ship with the appointment of an old hand as interim superintendent. On Thursday, the board accepted the resignation of beleaguered state superintendent Michael Sentance and installed former state superintendent Ed Richardson to fill the void. Richardson is well respected in education circles and has a reputation for solving problems, which makes him an obvious choice. He led the states schools for almost a decade beginning in the mid 1990s, coming from a 13-year stint at the helm of Auburn City Schools, long considered one of the better school systems in the state. When Auburn University faced challenges in the mid-2000s, Richardson was tapped as interim president to navigate those minefields. To call Richardson a fixer is to give him short shrift. While he has a track record of solving problems, hes proved time and again that what drives his work is a desire to improve education opportunities for the students of Alabama. The Alabama Board of Education made a good decision in bringing Richardson in between Sentance and the next leader of the states school systems. If theyll let him do what he believes is best, they may learn something. A $450 million contract to provide initial entry rotary-wing instruction support services at Fort Rucker will likely stay with the current contractor after it successfully protested a bid award to a competing company. URS Federal Services has owned the contract, which provides student pilot instruction, for many years. The Army initially awarded the bid to provide instruction services to CAE USA in January. URS filed a bid protest with the Government Accountability Office and the companies were recently informed the contract would remain with URS. CAE USA, which currently handles initial fixed wing instruction for Fort Rucker students at its new facility at the Dothan Regional Airport, said in a written statement it was disappointed to learn the contract had been granted to URS and would determine if a further protest is warranted after a debriefing. The $50 million annual contract contained a total of eight annual renewals for a final total amount of $450 million. The U.S. Army's Initial Entry Rotary-Wing (IERW) training program is responsible for providing the training required to qualify new Army helicopter pilots. Approximately 900 students annually receive classroom, simulator, and live flying training on TH-67 Creek and UH-72 Lakota helicopters before graduating to combat helicopter or fixed wing training. FORT RUCKER Ozark Mayor Bob Bunting still gets emotional while sharing how three of the soldiers he led in Vietnam went missing in action for more than two decades. We were in Laos for 55 days. We had 10 men killed, and we ended up with three MIAs, he said. In 2001, they were brought home and identified. My company showed up in Arlington (National Cemetery), and we laid those young men to rest. The memory stuck out Friday while Bunting and several other locals attended a POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action) recognition ceremony at Fort Ruckers Veterans Park. The event coincided with National POW/MIA Recognition Day, which was commemorated across the country with the display of POW-MIA flags above the White House, the U.S. Capitol Building, national cemeteries and other prominent federal buildings. Bunting said the day carries great significance for him. Today Im glad the country remembers, he said. Im sure it means a lot to everybody. To me its a very, very special day. The day, and the event, also resonated with Dan Stamaris of Headland who was a prisoner of war for eight days during Operation Desert Storm. Stamaris, a staff sergeant at the time he was captured, was a UH-60 (Blackhawk) helicopter crew chief when the aircraft he was in was shot down in Iraq. I was shot down. We lost five of our personnel on board. Three of us survived, although I was kind of separated fr om the other two, and I was left to die overnight at one point, he said. We dont need to forget what so many service members sacrificed for this country to give us the freedoms we have today. Col. Thomas W. OConnor, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, said those who were/are prisoners of war or missing in action should be honored and remembered for the great example they provide U.S. citizens. Today is a day all Americans proudly attribute honor and respect to service members who are prisoners of war and those who remain missing in action those whose service and sacrifice and patriotism took on a new meaning, a new meaning under the most difficult of circumstances, he said. They taught us much about the courage and honor possible in war. They taught us about the ability to endure the unimaginable: the hardships, fighting loneliness and to draw on the mental and spiritual inner strength to get through the challenges they faced. Stamaris said that message applies to any soldier who went missing or was imprisoned for even just a moment. I used to always say that I didnt go through anything until I was corrected by a World War II veteran, Stamaris said. He said if your freedoms were taken away from you for an hour, a day, a week you still lost all those freedoms. Stamaris encouraged people to also remember the sacrifices of those who were not soldiers but still suffered through the same hardships as soldiers. The three U.S. citizens missing in action from Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-2010) are all Department of Defense contractors, according to the Department of Defenses POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Not all were in the military, he said. There ve been others that have sacrificed so much for this country to be free like it is today. If anyone can take a good ribbing, its Mike Schmitz. The two-term Dothan mayor, who is leaving the post in October to become Dothan City School Board chairman, was the target of a Roast and Toast to benefit Saliba Family Services, a nonprofit agency that offers social services to local families at no cost. Schmitz gave as good as he got as he was roasted in person and on video Thursday night at the Dothan Civic Center. Arent you amazed that all these people showed up tonight to make sure you get the heck out of office? Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver said. Culver said Schmitz has been his partner on a lot of economic development trips. I have found that the mayor is a very deep thinker, he said as he showed a photo of the mayor napping on a train in South Korea. This is the mayor thinking, Culver said, and he does this all the time on trips. Culver said Schmitz is like the Energizer Bunny, physically fit and always on the go. Our mayor is a bunny rabbit, always going but still has a soft side, Culver said. Schmitz repaid the comments by presenting Culver with two wigs, one of them a mullet. People trust folks that have hair, Schmitz said. Dothan Municipal Judge Rose Evans-Gordon and businessman Bob Woodall provided quips about Schmitz climbing mountains and the way he dresses. Mayor-elect Mark Saliba said the one overriding statement he heard about the mayor concerned his shoes. You know, if I got $100 for every time I heard youve got mighty big shoes to fill I probably could buy a Mercedes-Benz dealership, Saliba said, referring to one of Schmitzs businesses. After the first 500 times he heard it he started wondering how big a job it was being mayor, so when the mayor and his wife left town Saliba broke into the house to see how big those shoes were. He snuck around and found them, and the pair he showed on stage werent nearly as big as his own shoes. Schmitz said he wanted to help Saliba in his new role. One of the jobs as mayor, you have to have your picture taken a lot, Schmitz said. Since a lot of folks are a little taller than you and I, I want to help you. He presented Saliba a pair of shoes with tall, thick heels. Schmitz son, Mike Schmitz Jr., said two amazingly annoying characteristics of being Mike Schmitz are his tenacity and ego. He referred specifically to his fathers catchphrase Go, Go, Go! Do you see how annoying that is? his son said. I want you to know he does not stop. He says that at home. He says that when he thinks theres nobody around. He says it to the TV when hes watching Jersey Shore. He says it to his dog. He says it to the mirror. He even says it to the sandwich or the oatmeal hes about to eat. But he is thankful for the support he has gotten from his dad. Growing up every single day he would look at me and say Im proud of you, son, he said. I want you to know that I am proud to be Mike Schmitz. I am proud to be Mike Schmitz because I am proud of who my father is. The Senate late Friday passed a new two-year state budget after three of four Republicans who held up passage changed their minds after securing veto promises from Gov. Scott Walker. The vote was 19-14. Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, said Friday afternoon that he and two other GOP senators who previously withheld their support for the budget, came to support it after talks with Walker about using his line-item veto authority on parts of the budget. As a result, Walker said he plans to make repeal of the prevailing wage for state construction projects take effect immediately rather than a year from now. Kapenga and Sens. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, and Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, said Walker also plans to veto the budget to allow school districts to conduct referendum votes only on regularly scheduled primary and general election days. The group secured a handful of other vetoes from Walker. Separately, Walker said in a statement late Friday that he would veto a $2.5 million study looking into toll roads in Wisconsin and a provision that would have removed local oversight of rock quarries. The budget went through the state Assembly on Wednesday. The governors signature would end a delay of more than 10 weeks, the longest of its kind in a decade, on the states next two-year spending plan. It also would cap a flurry of activity in the state Capitol this week, in which lawmakers have tackled the budget and a $3 billion subsidy deal for electronics maker Foxconn. The group of four hard-line conservative senators had held out on supporting the budget passed by the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee. They included David Craig, of Town of Vernon, who was the only Republican to vote against the budget. Craig said Friday he remained opposed to the budget due to its overall spending level, which would increase 4.3 percent from the previous budget. Senate Democrats, meanwhile, derided their GOP counterparts for the last-minute hiccups. It demonstrates the dysfunction that is happening the inability to govern, said Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling, of La Crosse. July 1 was the deadline for the GOP Legislature and Walker to enact the budget, which sets state spending levels through June 2019. GOP holdouts posted demands The holdout senators this week released a list of budget demands that included expanding access to private voucher schools outside Milwaukee and Racine, operational changes to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, requiring counties or municipalities that enact wheel taxes to do so by voter referendum and moving up the effective date of the budgets repeal of the states prevailing wage requirement. Another demand: barring the University of Wisconsin System from spending on mandatory diversity, sensitivity and cultural fluency training. Several of those demands were not among the list of vetos announced Friday. Kapenga said the list was the basis for much of Fridays talks between the three senators and the governor. The last-second jockeying produced a final spate of drama between the Assembly and Senate, which have sparred for months on the budget. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, accused the holdout Republican senators of an eleventh-hour bid to derail an agreement among Republican leaders. Assembly lawmakers easily passed the budget Wednesday, 57-39, and GOP leaders in that chamber said their work was done. In past sessions, lawmakers and the governor have missed the July 1 deadline but typically when the two parties have shared control of state government. Progress on the budget had been delayed by Senate-Assembly disagreements, especially on transportation funding, until last week, when the Joint Finance Committee passed an amended budget. It delays several high-profile freeway expansions in the Milwaukee area and cuts funding for resurfacing and rebuilding existing highways. The plan preserves funding for two ongoing projects in Dane County: one to expand and rebuild Verona Road near McKee Road; the other, U.S. Interstate 39-90 from the Madison area to Illinois. It implements a new fee on hybrid and electric vehicles, which supporters call a move to tax such vehicles more comparably to vehicles powered solely by fossil fuel. It includes a $639 million funding increase for Wisconsin K-12 school districts while boosting the household income limits for participation in the statewide private voucher school program. The UW System gets a $31.5 million performance funding boost, with the extra money tied to certain performance benchmarks, and the systems tuition freeze is maintained. Taxes for high earners and businesses are cut in the budget, which begins to roll back a personal property tax that businesses pay for machinery and tools. It also eliminates, starting in 2019, the states alternative minimum tax, which applies to individuals making between $200,000 and $500,000 a year. It embraces Walkers proposals to eliminate the state forestry tax and allow another round of higher state park fees. People aged 50 and over in Louth are encouraged to participate in this years Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness campaign by availing of a free AMD test in late September. Now in its 10th year, AMD Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of the condition and encourage the public get their eyes tested for AMD regularly. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of sight loss in Ireland almost 100,000 people throughout the country have AMD1, with 7,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the over 50 population2. The symptoms of AMD often go unrecognised so it is crucial that the public, especially those aged 50 and over, get their eyes tested regularly. AMD affects the macula at the back of the eye, which is responsible for central vision and allows you to see detail. AMD Awareness Week is supported by the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), Fighting Blindness, the Irish College of Ophthalmologists (ICO) and the Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI), together with Novartis. Those who wish to avail of a free AMD test in Louth can visit one of the participating optometrist stores in Louth between September 25th 30th. Please call ahead to avoid disappointment. Leavy Opticians 90 Clanbrassil St. Dundalk John Leavy Optometrist 32 Market St. Ardee Leavy Opticians Main Street Blackrock Crilly & McGrath Opticians 50 Laurence St. Drogheda Grace & O'Neill Opticians Unit 20 - Longwalk Centre Dundalk 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. When influencer marketplace TRIBE launched with a requirement for social media influencers to own, or be willing to buy, the products theyd be recommending, there was push back from those who were used to freebies. Believing authenticity to be paramount, founder Jules Lund stuck to his guns. A good thing too today, the marketplace boasts more than 20,000 influencers. Launched by the TV and radio personality nearly two years ago, TRIBE connects leading brands with social media influencers to create word of mouth recommendations (based on a brief) at scale quickly. To date, TRIBE has raised $8m across three funding rounds for its self-serve tech platform, which in turn has generated $3.5m for influencers worldwide. According to TRIBE CEO Anthony Svirskis, the companys top 50 influencers make upwards of $2000 per month, and theres even one whos made over $100,000 through the platform: Its starting to become a sizeable and sustainable income and career. With offices in Melbourne, Sydney, London, Mumbai and Phillipines and a team of 40 people, TRIBE undertakes campaigns globally, with some of its biggest clients being Dan Murphys, Moet, Aussie Farmers Direct, Priceline Pharmacies and 20th Century Fox. In conversation with Dynamic Business, Lund and Svirskis discussed the problem TRIBE was created to solve, the ins and outs of the companys business model, the principles and strategies they swear by and what excites them about influencer marketing. DB: Jules why (and how) did you create TRIBE? Lund: I initially designed TRIBE to solve my own frustrations and experiences in trying to create content for brands. It would often involve numerous people in a chain of communication and would take weeks or months to agree on a single sponsored post. Once I designed the workflow solution to this problem, I pitched the idea to a couple of key local business people who then joined as advisors. This was Matt Berriman whos the CEO and Co-Founder of Unlockd Media, and Jane Martino whod built and exited numerous businesses. They helped me raise the initial angel funding, which enabled me to bring Anthony in as CEO to execute and commercialise my vision. We officially launched in November 2015 with a total of four staff including me and Ant. DB: What types of influencers does TRIBE support? Lund: The influencer side of our marketplace is now just over 20,000 influencers and organically grows about 50-100 per day. These Influencers arent celebrities or insta-famous, theyre just everyday people with engaged audiences. We define an influencer as someone who has over 3,000 followers on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter whos built up their following through their passions, whether it be fitness, fashion or travel. Anyone can download the TRIBE app, but to participate in campaigns, you need to have over 3,000 followers and also pass through an automated process, which uses AI to validate audience vitality. This scan looks at irregular audience behaviour and blocks anyone who raises flags outside the norms. It ensures complete integrity in our user base. DB: Why do you require influencers to buy what they recommend? Lund: For us, authenticity is key. We believe an influencer should already own the product, or be willing to buy the product, otherwise they have no right to recommend that their tribe does. When we launched with this concept we got a lot of push back from influencers as, prior to TRIBE, top-tier influencers were constantly being gifted products for promotion. But our influencers have really embraced the model and prefer talking about the products they already know and love. DB: Do influencers tend to add the cost of purchase into their fee? Lund: We find influencers charge the same rates regardless of whether they are buying product or not, which suggests the strength of authenticity in the model. There are exceptions when we run campaigns for new products or larger ticket items such as a car; however, creativity is often a solution. Mini (cars) ran a spot a mini campaign which allowed influencers to snap Minis on the streets and speak about them aspirationally. DB: With your two-sided marketplace, which side did you work on first? Svirskis: Pre-launch, we decided that we needed five or so marquee brands to be in the app for when it hit the app store this way, our early influencers could download the app and see the campaigns ready to go. It took time to convince brands to join and be patient; however, since there was no cost to them, they really had nothing to lose. As planned, once we launched, there were 5 brands in the app, including Vinomofo and Carmens, and it kicked off the early growth. By the end of Month One we had 25 campaigns, and 50 the next month. To date, weve now run over 3,500 brand campaigns with approximately 10-15 now launched per day. DB: What key strategies fuelled the growth of TRIBE? Svirskis: Maintaining focus and discipline in being a tech company driven by a self-serve platform. Weve had countless opportunities to undertake high-touch agency type campaigns with larger budgets and margins, but this approach isnt scalable. While the money is tempting, its more important to stay true to our core and focus on the scalability of our solution. Our decision to have a model where influencers create content upfront before guarantee of payment, with brands only paying for content they decide to buy, has also been a major factor in growth; however, it came with considerable investment in market education and a lot of mistakes along the way. DB: What has been one of the a key challenges youve faced? Lund: One hurdle we overcame early was disclosure. Before we launched, we met with the ACCC to understand their stance on disclosure; however, the industry was so early-stage they hadnt yet formed an opinion. With the advice from our legal team, we took the initiative to promote the requirement for ad disclosure before it was mandated. Due to the authenticity in our model, our influencers really didnt have a problem with it and it allowed us to lead the conversation locally. Since then, guidelines from the Australian Association of National Advertisers have caught up and disclosure is now a mandated requirement. DB: What has been the defining moment in Tribes story? Svirskis: Our Series A was the biggest defining moment to date. It was a sizeable amount of money ($5.35M) and allowed us to expand internationally, and invest in resources and marketing. It has driven the company to new levels and takes us closer to thinking about another round of investment. DB: What principles do you live by in the business? Lund: I believe in the importance of quality and attention to detail. We focus very intently on the way our products, collateral and communications are presented, with rigorous quality assurance processes across development and marketing. Theres so much indirect value in design and its a fundamental part of our brand. Svirskis: Id add that weve been lucky to attract a great young team. Everyone weve hired has the same desire to make a difference in this industry. The culture and values surrounding the business developed naturally and has landed us in a really good place. It ensures the staff maintains excitement for the adventure were all on. DB: Looking ahead, how do you plan to continue growing TRIBE? Svirskis: Were just at the start of the industry, so theres plenty of growth in our core product and markets. Weve also got some exciting new product extensions, which well be releasing shortly, that give brands more flexibility with the type of content they wish to buy. Outside of that, were looking at the next location to expand to. DB: What currently excites you about the influencer marketing space? Lund: The latest iPhone release was highly exciting for us. When you look at all the features Apple is building into their products, most of them are focussed on creativity higher quality cameras, video processors and ARKit. It truly aligns with our aim to enable everyday people to create content for the brands they know and love. Its really exciting to see how this space will evolve in the next couple of years. Changes made to the draft crowdfunding legislation, which will allow private companies to crowdfund equity, will protect investors while reducing costs and red tape for companies, according to advocacy group FinTech Australia The draft crowdfunding legislation was introduced into the Australian Parliament by Treasurer Scott Morrison, yesterday. FinTech Australia expects the legislation to provide a new fund-raising tool accessible by hundreds of thousands of Australian businesses, who will be able to crowdsource up to $5 million a year from retail investors, capped at $10,000 per retail investor, in return for equity in their company. This [legislation] will help drive growth and innovation for both fintech crowdfunding intermediaries, and small to medium businesses across Australia through a cost-effective new form of fund-raising, said FinTech Australia CEO Danielle Szetho. Were finally bringing Australia up to speed with other leading international jurisdictions such as the UK, United States and New Zealand who have equity crowdfunding in place. Jonny Wilkinson, co-founder of Equitise and co-lead on FinTech Australias crowdfunding policy working group, said: The introduction of public crowdfunding legislation, earlier this year, was a great start and we have continued to work with all stakeholders to arrive at this place. Clearly the legislation for private companies is a game-changer as the vast majority of Australian companies are private. We have had considerable demand to use the current public company legislation and once this legislation has been passed, we expect strong interest for more Australian small and medium-sized businesses seeking to use crowdfunding. FinTech Australia, the peak body for Australias fintech industry, has lodged two submissions and held multiple detailed discussions with the Australian Treasury about an exposure bill released by the Australian Government in May this year. As a result of FinTech Australias advocacy, the Australian Government has made legislative changes to lift the threshold at which both public, and eventually private crowdfunding companies are required to undertake a full independent audit, to $3m in capital being raised. The original threshold had been set at $1 million. As our first submission outlined, the former $1 million threshold would have potentially made crowdfunding comparatively more expensive than business lending and venture capital raising, and in doing so significantly reduced its appeal as a fundraising option, Szetho said. We estimate a full audit could cost companies up to $20,000. The requirement for a full audit to be undertaken for fundraising above $3 million is a more balanced approach which makes audit costs comparatively less expensive to the amount of money raised, while reflecting the need for greater disclosure at this funding level. We should also point out that any companies undertaking crowdfunding will need to provide offer documents, to ensure detailed disclosure and transparency for consumers. These offer documents will be required to be signed by two company directors and lay out key financial and other information about the company. They will also need to comply with Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) requirements. Szetho said FinTech Australia also supported the removal of a provision which would have placed significant red tape around the disposal of shares obtained through crowdfunding, and in doing so reduce the appeal of crowdfunding to both companies and investors. The provision would have meant that, when shares purchased in a crowdfunding round were on-sold to a new shareholder, the new shareholder would have counted towards the 50 shareholder limit imposed upon private companies, Szetho said. Such sales therefore had the potential to tip companies inadvertently over the shareholder limit, and force them to become public companies at a time that might not suit them. This is a very complex piece of legislation, with a number of overlaps with other existing regulations. Through detailed discussion involving a number of industry participants and legal experts, we are happy to have arrived at this new approach which allows shares to be sold in off-market transfers without implications for shareholder limits. FinTech Australia is separately working with ASIC on its regulatory guide to accompany the commencement of equity crowdfunding for unlisted public companies on 29 September. Legislation to support public company crowdfunding passed the Australian Parliament in March this year. We have raised concerns with ASIC about what we considered to be excessive ongoing reporting requirements for crowdfunding intermediaries, Szetho said. We also wanted to make sure that intermediaries could flexibly display easy-to-understand summary information to investors to aid with comprehension, including on websites, alongside more detailed required information. Were hopeful that ASIC has taken our feedback on board. An Indictment on the Church, Exposing the Lifestyle that Betrays the Heart of Modern Day Christianity Author Angela Crudupt releases two new faith centered books: 'Blessed Is' and 'Examine First, Yourself' offer understanding surrounding the lifestyle that betrays the heart of modern day Christianity Contact: Minister Angela Crudupt, Sent by Jesus, LLC, 563-453-3045, www.angelacrudupt.com LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2017 / "While many Christian books are rooted in personal testimonies, these books are firmly established in self-discipline, applying scripture and divine revelation to combat modern-day issues plaguing the Church," says Founder of Sent by Jesus LLC, Angela Crudupt. 'Blessed Is' offers spiritual understanding to address commonly ignored truths that will challenge and motivate each reader by revealing what it truly means to be blessed by God, providing biblically sound doctrine. 'Examine First, Yourself,' a book about discipleship, dares the reader to take their spiritual responsibility seriously. It is a call to maturity so the reader "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18-19). Crudupt, a worshipper of Christ, ardent minister, fervent prayer intercessor, teacher, entrepreneur, and author of several books, is dedicated to building the Kingdom of God through ecclesiastical church ministry, evangelism, prayer, love and community outreach. She established the ministry Sent by Jesus, LLC in 2014 with the goal of training believers to become disciplined followers of Christ. For more information about author Sent by Jesus ministries, bulk book purchase and author information, please contact Angela Crudupt at Share Tweet Contact: Minister Angela Crudupt, Sent by Jesus, LLC, 563-453-3045, info@angelacrudupt.com LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- Minister and prayer warrior, Angela Crudupt, this week officially announced the launch of her two new books, 'Blessed Is' and 'Examine First, Yourself.' Both are powerfully insightful and exhortative books on the Christian virtue and discipline. Crudupt, fearlessly direct, uses her gift as a minister to expose, challenge and motivate the body of Christ through thought-provoking text that inspires spiritual accountability, conviction, submission, and transformation. Uniquely qualified, having overcome a host of abuse and illness as well as ministering in underserved communities, Crudupt exhorts those who are yearning and seeking a greater spiritual alignment to passionately pursue and firmly protect their relationship with Jesus Christ."While many Christian books are rooted in personal testimonies, these books are firmly established in self-discipline, applying scripture and divine revelation to combat modern-day issues plaguing the Church," says Founder of Sent by Jesus LLC, Angela Crudupt.'Blessed Is' offers spiritual understanding to address commonly ignored truths that will challenge and motivate each reader by revealing what it truly means to be blessed by God, providing biblically sound doctrine. 'Examine First, Yourself,' a book about discipleship, dares the reader to take their spiritual responsibility seriously. It is a call to maturity so the reader "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18-19).Crudupt, a worshipper of Christ, ardent minister, fervent prayer intercessor, teacher, entrepreneur, and author of several books, is dedicated to building the Kingdom of God through ecclesiastical church ministry, evangelism, prayer, love and community outreach. She established the ministry Sent by Jesus, LLC in 2014 with the goal of training believers to become disciplined followers of Christ.For more information about author Sent by Jesus ministries, bulk book purchase and author information, please contact Angela Crudupt at info@angelacrudupt.com . Or, visit her website at www.angelacrudupt.com Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Deploys Crisis-trained Chaplains in Naples and Fort Myers, Florida, in the Wake of Hurricane Irma Thousands comforted in Texas following Hurricane Harvey as ministry continues Contact: Erik Ogren, 704-401-2117, eogren@bgea.org; Lisa Moseley, 704-401-2116, lmoseley@bgea.org CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 15, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Prior to the impact of Hurricane Irma in Florida and the southeastern United States, the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team began making plans to deploy crisis-trained chaplains into areas that were devastated by the historic storm. Now that the hurricane has passed and it has become possible to proceed with the recovery process, the ministry has moved forward with staging chaplains in Fort Myers and Naples. The organization is also dispatching chaplains to shelters in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Tampa and Cocoa Beach. "People left their homes quickly during the evacuation, and now in many cases those homes are badly damaged or completely destroyed. For many, their jobs, plans and dreams have been washed away," said Jack Munday, international director of the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. "Our desire is to listen, encourage and offer God's hope and comfort as they begin the long process of rebuilding their lives from this tragedy." The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is deploying in coordination with Samaritan's Purse, the Christian disaster relief organization also headed by Franklin Graham. Together the two ministries will address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those who have been affected. "This morning my prayers are with the many who are waking up to their homes and businesses devastated by Irma's wind and water," said Graham on his Facebook page earlier this week. "They will now be facing an overwhelming clean-up. Reports say up to 5.5 million people are without power in Florida. I pray especially for those who have lost loved ones in the storm. I know they would appreciate your prayers as well." The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team continues to have a widespread presence in Texas following Hurricane Harvey, with chaplains working in the communities of Houston, Santa Fe, Pearland, Victoria and Portland/Rockport. The organization has also had a presence in several of the shelters in the Houston area. A total of 158 chaplains have prayed with and comforted more than 9,200 people in Texas since the impact of Harvey. For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit www.billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at www.facebook.com/RRTChaplains. About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team: The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into an international network of chaplains in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 260 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes. Share Tweet Sanrio was one of the cutest cartoon characters girls from the 80s and 90s loved and adored. Back in the 80s you either have to have a relative from Japan who can send it over to you. It was my big brothers girlfriend (bro is 15 years older than me) and older cousins who worked in Japan who sends kits and kits of stationaries, stickers, pencils and pencil cases and lunch box embezzled with Sanrio characters . It always feels like Christmas when I have them. In the 90s it was easier to get the original Sanrio Characters from the Gift Gate because of Virgie Ramos the first Filipino who shipped Hello Kitty out of Japan to the Philippines! Fast forward to today, as all the kids from 80s and 90s are all grown up it is such a great feeling to travel back in time and see things you love from your childhood come to life. The best part now as an adult we know we can indulge in it more than before. Thanks to Happy Skin who released their biggest intermational makeup collaboration collection to date. The Happy Skin Sanrio Characters collection is a 23 pieces beauty product for face, lips and nails with three different sets . There is a Hello Kitty set, My Melody Set and Little Twin Stars sets. Available in the collection are two blushes now with a handy mini-brush Happy Skin Sanrio Characters Get Cheeky with Me All Day Hydrating Blush (Php 899) Makeup blenders Happy Skin Sanrio Characters Air Touch Sponge ( Php499) and the duo mini (Php499) My favorite Happy Skin Sanrio Characters Make A Clean Sweep Micellar Makeup Wipes (Php249) Happy Skin Sanrio Characters Skin Perfecting Super Absorbent Charcoal Blotting sheets (Php 175) Nail polishes Sanrio Characters Express Gel Polish (Php 299) comes in five shades: Red Apple, Purr-fect, Peaches & Cream, Curious Kiki and Lala Love. You can buy individually or in a boxed set of five at Php 1,299perfect for gift-giving. And of course, a Happy Skin collection wouldnt be complete without the cult favorite, Happy Skin Sanrio Character Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippies (Php 599) and Happy Skin Sanrio Characters Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Matte Lippies (Php 699). which comes in seven new shades: Hello, Hello Kitty Best of Friends Kitty Cat Flower Power Berry Good Twinkle Twinkle and Star Wandall in character packaging. The Happy Skin Sanrio Characters Makeup collection is specifically made for the 2017 Holiday season and packaged as the perfect Holiday presents for the women/girls in your life. The perfect gift set of two lippies in Sanrio boxes (Php 1299) At the event launch held at the SM Aura premiere we all went to indulge in the products first before the rest could. The event was divided innthree different station tonrepresent Hello Kitty, My Melody and Little Twin Stars. The vanity mirrors is something I want for myself as well filled with the Happy Skin Sanrio makeup of course! Heres my vlog from the event and see everything with movement: Happy Skin x Sanrio Characters is available at happyskincosmetics.com and zalora.com.phwww.happyskincosmetics.com/stores. To know more, follow Happy Skin on Instagram @happyskin_ph and Facebook. Which of the Sanrio characters is your most favorite ? Stay gorgeous everyone! This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later! 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The world's eyes have swung from Syrian refugees to the Rohingyas in Bangladesh from Myanmar in recent weeks, but the Lutheran World Federation says Uganda needs help as it is hosting more than one million refugees. The East African nation of Uganda, much of which is bordered by Lake Victoria, Africa's biggest mass of water, is hosting most the refugees in Africa, and is continuing to take in most of them. The number of South Sudanese refugees in the country recently surpassed one million. 85 percent are women and children, the LWF said on Sept. 15 and it says Africa's largest refugee crisis needs more support. Lutheran World Federation staff working in Uganda have for more than 12 months, been receiving refugees from South Sudan. It says that as the fighting continues to spread in South Sudan's East Equatoria province, thousands are forced out of their homes every day. Men and boys have been kidnapped for forced conscription, he adds. Others talk about rape, abductions and attacks while fleeing to Uganda on foot. Hearing testimonies like these has become regular for LWF staff working in Uganda. TRIGGER-HAPPY MILITIA "The militia shoot at anybody, we have lost mothers, fathers, siblings and children to their attacks," LWF quotes 35-year-old Watson Odaga, a South Sudanese refugee in Palabek settlement, Northern Uganda as saying. Men and boys have been kidnapped for forced conscription, he adds. Others talk about rape, abductions and attacks while fleeing to Uganda on foot. As the fighting continues to spread in South Sudan's East Equatoria province, thousands are forced out of their homes every day. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, reports an average arrival of 1,800 people a day during the last 12 months. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled since 1986, has a reputation for stifling opposition to him. Yet, despite the challenges generated by the new influx from South Sudan, Uganda maintains one of the "most progressive policies to refugee protection," says LWF. The government upholds an open-door-policy, and grants refugees freedom of movement, the right to seek employment and establish businesses, and access to public services such as education. Refugees in Uganda do not live in camps but in settlements, and are allocated a plot of land to provide for their livelihoods. Because of that, Uganda is regarded as a model for many other refugee-hosting countries. In a summit on the global refugee crisis, leaders of all 193 UN member states in September 2016 committed to the protection and integration of refugees. The Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister, responsible for refugees in the country, adapted the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework which was outlined on that summit to the Ugandan context. Among others, OPM committed to maintain and support Uganda's progressive policy towards refugees, to protect asylum space, and to support the host communities. LWF, one of the first organizations to respond to the emergency, is one of the organizations who help implementing that framework. "We have hired 86 additional staff since January 2017 to assist the South Sudanese refugees. Over the course of the year LWF has provided aid to over 433,000 refugees in Northern Uganda," Paul Orikushaba, LWF Program Coordinator, said. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... Spain's rise as key pig meat exporter gets stalled Spain has emerged as a key pig meat exporter since joining the EU, with especially strong growth in shipments between 2014 and 2016, but this has come to an end so far this year, according to AHDB Pork. It said the fall in Spanish exports so far this year is due to several factors including only a marginal increase in pig meat production, good domestic demand helped by increased tourism, increased pig prices and a downturn in Chinese demand. Exports of fresh and frozen pork by volume were down 2% in the first half after an increase of 27% in the equivalent period last year and 18% in 2016 as a whole. At the same time, the average export price was up by 20% on the year from January to June in euro terms, partly due to increased pig prices in Spain and the EU as a whole. "As with most other EU exporters, it was the downturn in the Chinese market that was the main factor behind the fall in volumes, with trade down by 25% on the year during the first half of 2017", the pork division of the UK Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board said. Furthermore, it added, there was a small fall, of 3%, in exports to France, which is now once again Spain's main market for pork. In contrast, there was further marked growth, of 16%, in shipments to the UK despite the weaker sterling. Chilled cuts, led by boneless, account for two thirds of trade with the UK. The increase in Spanish pig slaughterings and production was less than 1% year-on-year in the first half, as the supply of pigs has become more stable. Spain has also reduced its exports of slaughter pigs to Portugal, which would also suggest supply is more balanced with demand. AHDB Pork saw the short-term outlook for the Spanish market as difficult, saying Spain suffered from an exceptionally hot summer, slowing down the finishing of pigs and lowering carcase weights. It said that increased supplies of pigs are forthcoming, given cooler weather at a time when demand is starting to suffer from the end of the main tourist season. "Assuming the Chinese market remains more difficult, this is likely to put pressure on Spanish exporters to supply more to the EU market, including possibly the UK", it said. While the Spanish census for May has yet to be published, AHDB Pork says it is probable that pig numbers are now increasing given the good profitably since the middle of last year. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. Kendall and Kylie Jenner both got into hot water recently when reports claimed that the two sisters sold vintage Tupac music t-shirts. But the reality stars just gave their responses regarding the lawsuit which was filed against them. According to TMZ, Kendall and Kylie said that there was no violation of anyone's rights since they only sold two of Tupac t-shirts. It can be recalled that in the images, they placed their pictures over images of music gods then sold these things for $125 per piece. It was the photographer of the Tupac Shakur mages who filed a lawsuit against the reality star sisters. Moreover, Kendall and Kylie both shared that the allegation was baseless but the two faced a lot of backlash.. These shirts which were provided and made available on websites were pulled from their sites. The Jenner's sisters company claimed that the accusation was false even if there were reports saying that they used this Tupac Shakur images without permission at all. The photographer, Michael Miller said that Kendall and Kylie Jenner wrongfully and misappropriated exploited his work which is the Tupac images. His lawyer also added that his client was able to register his work at the U.S. Office of Copyright. The photographer also added that Kendall and Kylie's intentions to exploit his works and photography were slammed since the sisters did not even attempt to obtain his authorization or his permission. But still, the reality stars claimed that there was no infringement of rights because they bought the pictures from a company that had been reportedly authorized to license them. Mail Online claimed that the Canada Inc. which is the licensee manufacturer of the K + K brand products bought some of the vintage T-shirts. These T-shirts have the images of the performer on them. The company did not copy anyone's image or even attempt to exploit Mr. Miller's right. Then the lawyer of Kendall and Kylie Jenner also gave his statements and said that they had no role in making the shirts. He even compared this lawsuit to suing an actor for being in a movie. 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 Barking man who hit a pedestrian with his car before fleeing to Dubai has been jailed. Faraz Ahmed, 27, of Fanshawe Avenue, in Barking, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent on Monday, 11 September. He was subsequently sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. On September 16, 2016, a 22-year-old victim left a mosque at Victoria Road at approximately 2pm, before crossing the road towards Barking Town Centre at the junction with Fanshawe Avenue. Ahmed, driving a white Toyota Auris, saw a group of men leave the mosque and walk along the pavement. He swerved his car in front of a bus onto the other side of the road, mounted the pavement and hit the victim, sending him into the air. Ahmed continued driving towards Ilford after the hit and run. The victim was taken to an east London hospital with a dislocated shoulder and head injuries. He has since been discharged. Ahmed fled to Dubai before surrendering himself to police on October 28 last year. When he was interviewed he gave no comment. When he returned from police bail on March 27, police searched his pockets and found him to be in possession of cannabis. He was charged that day with causing grievous bodily harm and possession of cannabis. Detective Constable Chris Whiston, from the East Area Command Unit's CID, said: "Ahmed showed complete disregard for the safety of those walking along the pavement away from the road. "His recklesness has caused significant damage to the victim as he made his way home. He deserves the custodial sentence for this crime." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. For daily updates and all the latest breaking news sent straight to your inbox sign up to our daily newsletter A 10-month old baby girl from Essex was left screaming in pain after her Tesco nappy burst open and burnt her skin. Alice Mortimer was asleep in her cot at home when her Tesco Loves Baby Superfit Size 3 nappy ripped, allowing chemical granules to spill across her back and bottom. The crying child woke mum Emily, who was left horrified by the weeping of her crying daughter. Shockingly, the incident happened just two years after Emilys son suffered similar injuries, which the supermarket described at the time as being a one-off. Emily, 27, of Braintree, purchased a pack of 50 nappies for 3.50 from Tesco. She said: I was absolutely shocked because this is the second time this has happened and the nappy wasnt even slightly full. When I complained to Tesco the first time, they were absolutely amazing and really, really apologetic. They sent me a letter saying that there was nothing wrong with the nappy and this was a one-off and that it wouldnt happen again. This is the very next time that I bought the nappies after the first incident and the same thing has happened again. It was a Monday evening that the incident happened. Emily tucked Alice into bed at around 9.30pm, only to be woken by her crying screams at 7am the following morning. Emily rushed to check on her daughter, only to find that the nappy, which is supposed to last for 12 hours, had torn at the back and spilled through Alices vest and on to her skin. She quickly put Alice in the bath, before then also treating her skin with Sudocrem. The incident bought back stark memories for Emily from when it happened to her son Jack two years earlier when he was just 10 months-old himself. On that occasion, Emily took her son to the GP after the incident, who prescribed specialist cream to help heal his skin. She was assured by Tesco that is was an isolated incident, but she chose to stop buying the Tesco nappies. She continued: After the first time, Tesco gave me free Pampers nappies to replace the ones that I took back. They also gave me loads of creams and things for James but his skin took about five or six days to heal completely because the contents of the nappy had burnt a layer off. The store forwarded the complaint to the head office though and they were shocking. In the letter, they sent me a 2.50 voucher, telling me to but my son some sweets my son was 10 months-old, so I didnt but him sweets. I was like, Im not doing this because I want free stuff, Im doing it so that it doesnt happen to other people. Emily was therefore horrified to find little in distress after using a Tesco nappy for the first time since Jack was injured. She added: Tesco told me after the first time, with my son, two years ago, this wouldn't happen again. "My husband James, 27, was shocked that it had happened all over again, the nappy had burst at the seam and disintegrated, in a different place to last time. "I haven't had the time to take the nappies back to Tesco yet, but they don't care, they just don't take it seriously." A Tesco spokesperson said: "We are sorry to hear of this incident and are urgently investigating. "There is nothing more important than the safety of our products and all of our nappies have passed independent quality checks to make sure they are safe for use. "We will update Emily with the findings of our investigation." In July, Asda withdrew their Little Angels nappies from all of its UK stores after a father posted images of his premature baby boy with blistered skin. The newborn needed oxygen after suffering red and irritated skin because of the severe rash. The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, called the bloc to deepen its economic ties around the world, from Asia Pacific to Latin America, with the ambition to promote free trade in the wake of President Donald Trumps American First policies. Inspired by an uptick in pro-European sentiment following a decade of numerous crises, President Juncker outlined his vision of a bigger and a more cohesive union that would play a bigger role in the world. Europe has always been an attractive economic space, he said in his annual State of the European Union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. But since last year, I see that our partners all over the world are knocking at our door in order to sign trade agreements with us. Mr. Juncker proposed starting free trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand and urged to complete a number of FTAs by late 2019 when his mandate ends. In his opinion, the bloc is well poised to strike a deal with Mexico and other South American countries by the end of this year as Brussels is in talks with Mexico City to update a 17-year old free trade accord with Mexico and finalize its first deal with the regional grouping Mercosur. Mr. Juncker also outlined a vision to bolster the EUs trade defenses, for example by screening foreign investments a policy aimed to protect European assets and businesses from acquisition. The EUs core economies, Germany, France and Italy, have lobbied for increasing these defenses but ran into opposition from other member states. We are not naive supporters of free exchange; Europe has always got to defend its strategic interests, Mr. Juncker explained. Europe is open to trade, yes, but there has to be reciprocity. The political context of Zapad-2017 On 14 September 2017, the joint RussiaBelarus strategic military exercises Zapad2017 (West2017) began. The previous Zapad exercises were conducted in 2013 in what now seems like a different political era: before the Crimean annexation, the war in Donbas and the RussiaWest confrontation. This is why the current exercises have attracted widespread international attention and anxiety in Europe as to their purpose and outcome. The political logic of Zapad exercises In post-Soviet history, the Zapad exercises were first conducted in June 1999, soon after the NATO operation against the regime of Slobodan Milosevic in Yugoslavia. The NATO bombing was a political shock to the Russian authorities. In their view, the similarities between Russia and Yugoslavia meant that the Yugoslavian scenario could be at some point played out against them. Consequently, Moscow started to re-learn the language of military power, with the Zapad99 exercises preparing the army for Russias new environment. However, even though Russia had the ability to wage nuclear conflict with NATO, the miserable reality of Russian conventional troops became evident during those exercises and soon after, when Islamists tried to establish a North Caucasian caliphate in Dagestan and Chechnya. The transition of political power from Boris Yeltsin to Vladimir Putin also played a part. Thus, there was no basis for a more assertive foreign policy at that time. Moreover, economic growth and oil prices gave Moscow additional tools in international arena. Eight years later, the unsustainability of Russias political and economic system was more evident despite the flow of petrodollars. However, the Kremlins approach to international relations at the time did not bring the results it wanted nor expected. Nor did it guarantee immunity for the corrupt Russian political elite and their assets in the West. The ruling class was afraid of losing its political and economic assets and nervous of the artificial anti-Russian revolutions in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. The end of Saddam Husseins regime in Iraq also served as a further wake-up call. The loss of confidence among the Russian political elite grew and was reflected in Putins speech at the 2007 Munich Security Conference. Russia then increased its pressure on Georgia and prepared military operations against the country to obstruct its pro-Western political and economic course. However the RussianGeorgian war of August 2008 brought another shock when the United States Navy was deployed to the Black Sea as a warning against a further Russian offensive. During the Georgian campaign, the Russians also realized the ineffectiveness of their armed forces in spite of the increases to the defence budget since 2000. The ghost of the Yugoslav scenario appeared again. In response, Russia undertook a comprehensive military reform from 20082012 to improve the capabilities of its armed forces. Russia also began new programme of rearmament for the years 20112020. This amounted to injecting hundreds of billions dollars into its military forces. The huge Zapad exercises with Belarus conducted in 2009 and 2013 served to test the advances of this reform. This was intended to preserve Russias dominance over the post-Soviet states and enhance its bargaining position with the West. The Zapad-2017 military exercise is therefore based on Moscows long-term political assessment to external developments. Immediate goals of Zapad-2017 The main problem of the current exercises is the uncertainty of their scale. Zapad-2017 is supposedly synchronized with other military exercises on Russian territory with limited aims. However it will de facto be large strategic exercises involving dozens of thousands of troops. This does not mean that Russia is going to annex Belarus, conquer Ukraine or invade the Baltic States. But it does mean that Russia is trying to prepare and train its troops for different options. Although the probability of one of these three scenarios being put into action is low, it is still above zero. Any military campaign needs a political and diplomatic plan. Russias military activity is no exception. The war in Georgia in 2008, the war in Ukraine since 2014, and the campaign in Syria since 2015 could be understood in the context of the Kremlins political goals and estimations of threats to Russia. At the same time, Russia traditionally organizes its military campaigns abroad to assistant populations living there, as was the case with the Polish and Finnish campaigns in 1939, Afghanistan in 1979, as well as its modern wars. Russia would of course react against any uncontrolled transformation and/or democratization of Alexander Lukashenkos regime in Belarus. However, there is currently no reason for Moscow to start a war in Belarus, as there are still no pro-Russian Belarusian political forces which would legitimate such a Russian military campaign. Similarly, a full-scale military offense against Ukraine would be a huge cost for Russia. The Kremlin would prefer waiting for another favorable moment to bend Kiev to its will by other means, even if it takes years. Moreover, Russia can keep relatively calm now, as reforms in Ukraine are stalled. Concerning the Baltic States, Moscow would need a reasonable casus belli and favorable international conditions for a military campaign that would allow Russia to gain from such a war. What that means is that the (immediate) goals of the Zapad-2017 exercises are not to begin a military conflict along the Russias western border. The exercises are intended to make Russias neighbors insecure of their future and thus more compliant in relations with the Kremlin. However, Russias readiness to fight should be assessed correctly, and political aspects of the exercises should be analysed. There are only a few tools in the Kremlins hands, except the army, to maintain its political power at home. So, the Zapad-2017 exercises are aimed at keeping the Russian army ready to react against the main fear of the Russian ruling class. That fear is the repetition of the fates of Milosevic, Hussein or Qaddafi. The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time. Hi, Im planning to travel to france without my husband( british citizen) as i have already booked tickets and got the visa etc but something happened between us (domestic violence) and i need to go for few days because im not feeling well at the moment and i need to get away from all this so i will be travelling just with my daughter who is british also. Will that cause me any problems at the border because the visa states family member of EU ? I'm not sure, but I believe the visa extension at the end of your studies is dependent upon your having a job lined up on completion of the program - and that job must be in your field of study (and at an appropriate level). The MBA is no longer the "ticket" to a job that it once was. It's also not nearly as widely recognized here in France as it is in some of the "anglo-saxon" (i.e. English speaking) countries. Then again, it can depend on your area of competence (i.e. finance, marketing, etc.) and how all this Brexit stuff works out. If the financial businesses leave London and settle in Paris, there could be more opportunities than there are now. Cheers, Bev Three San Antonio area residents on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Equifax Inc. in the San Antonio division of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, according to court records. Filed as a national class action suit, the complaint appears to be the first filed in San Antonio against Equifax after the company disclosed last week that cybercriminals stole sensitive data on as many as 143 million Americans. Hackers got away with Social Security numbers, birth dates and credit card data in some instances. Consumers have filed numerous lawsuits against the company in Texas and across the country in the wake of the massive data breach. Through gross negligence and unfettered greed, Defendant Equifax left the door unlocked; thieves entered, and stole one of the most precious possessions a person owns their identity, reads the complaint filed by San Antonio residents Carolyn Becker, Olga Kucerak and Petre Fiona Black. Nearly 12 million Texans could be impacted by the Equifax Inc. data breach, the company told the Texas attorney generals office. My office has been in contact with Equifax and is working to get to the bottom of how this massive data breach occurred, and how we can protect the 12 million Texans it reported who are at potential risk of identity theft, Attorney General Ken Paxton said this week in a statement. Meanwhile, Equifax announced late Friday that its chief information officer and chief security officer are leaving the company immediately. Susan Mauldin, a college music major who had come under media scrutiny for her qualifications in security, is being replaced by Russ Ayers, an Equifax information technology executive. Chief technology officer David Webb is also retiring from Equifax and will be replaced by Mark Rohrwasser, who most recently was in charge of Equifaxs international technology operations, the company said. In San Antonio, Becker, Kucerak and Black are seeking class-action status for anyone in Texas who had personal or credit card data stored in the past year with Equifax, and were subject to risk of data loss and credit harm and identity theft or had to pay for third-party credit monitoring services as a result of Equifaxs negligent data breach. In an attempt to increase profits, Equifax negligently failed to maintain adequate technological safeguards to protect Ms. Becker, Ms. Kucerak, and Ms. Blacks information from unauthorized access by hackers, the complaint says. Other lawsuits were also filed in Texas on Thursday, including one in the Dallas division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and two in the Houston division of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Others in the state were filed on Monday in the Brownsville division of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and in the Sherman division of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. On Sept. 7, Equifax said it had discovered July 29 that criminals had obtained unauthorized access to Equifax data on as many as 143 million Americans from mid-May through July, adding that it acted immediately to stop the intrusion. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. The information accessed primarily includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, drivers license numbers, Equifax said. Criminals also got away with credit card numbers of about 209,000 consumers, and certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 U.S. consumers, were accessed, the company said. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it is investigating the data breach. The FTC typically does not comment on ongoing investigations. However, in light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter, I can confirm that FTC staff is investigating the Equifax data breach, FTC spokesman Peter Kaplan said via email. sehlinger@express-news.net Twitter: @samehlinger On September 23, 1960, North Star Mall, reputed to be only the third enclosed shopping mall in the United States, opened in a relatively undeveloped area north of downtown. On that day, readers of the San Antonio Express discovered a twenty-page special section inside the paper that described, "60 acres of air-conditioned landscaped shopping comfort". It promised readers they would like the following: The PFS is based on stage one of the Beyondie project which covers 6369 hectares of Little Desert salt lake, or just 21pc of the 30,225ha total lake surface area available to it, KLL said. Eddie Redmayne was left "deeply unsettled" by a fan who allegedly harassed him for five years. Eddie Redmayne The 35-year-old actor has opened up about his "distressing" experience with Gaby Stieger, a fan who has appeared in court over claims she stalked him and his family for half a decade. In a letter read out by his legal team and obtained by the Metro newspaper, Eddie said: "I always try to be open and friendly as support [from fans] is what gives me a career. [However] I deeply regret having met Gaby Stieger - she harassed myself and my family intermittently over five years, leaving us distressed, unsafe and deeply unsettled." The accusations of stalking are said to have culminated in August this year when Gaby attempted to touch his arm while the 'Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them' actor was carrying his baby daughter. And court prosecutor Sara Ashkboos also revealed to the court that Gaby would send letters of admiration to the star, once even claiming: "I know things about you." Sara told Camberwell Green Magistrates' Court: "She directly states she is in love with the complainant and asked him to reply." Eddie - who has his 15-month-old daughter Iris with his wife Hannah Bagshawe - also alleges that Gaby has followed him to film premieres and the London film set of 'The Theory of Everything', as well as randomly approaching him for a hug at a tube station in the English capital. However, the alleged stalking became more serious when Gaby would sat in the park opposite Eddie's house in Southwark. Eddie's note went on to state: "[She would appear] out of nowhere - observing me and my family without us knowing. The safety of my family is everything to me and with her behaviour we can't feel safe." According to the Metro newspaper, Gaby has since pleaded guilty to stalking. Rosamund Pike "barely spoke" to Christian Bale during the making of their new movie. Rosamund Pike Th 38-year-old actress and Christian both star in the new Scott Cooper-directed period film 'Hostiles', but Rosamund has admitted she hardly even spoke to her fellow Brit, because it helped with the shooting process. The blonde beauty confessed: "Christian and I barely spoke, and to this day we hardly know each other." In the movie, Rosamund plays the part of Rosalie Quaid, a suicidal widow who is struggling to come to terms with the murder of her family. And the London-born actress revealed she felt a sharp contrast between the joy of her real life and the gloominess she experienced on set. Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper, Rosamund explained: "'I sometimes felt very troubled that I could be in that space (playing the character), but then be fortunate enough to go home, and my children be alive. They were on location with me the whole time." But the award-winning actress - who has two sons with her long-time partner Robie Uniacke - revealed she doesn't draw on her real-life experiences when she's trying to get into character for a film. She said: "I keep my own life very much out of it. Some actors do imagine their own tragedy, but I do not." Despite this, the Hollywood star admitted her children had, albeit inadvertently, helped her to secure the role in 'Hostiles'. Recalling her initial conversation with the director, Rosamund said: "Scott said that he Skyped with me, and my kids were clambering on me, and running about, and he saw this maternal instinct and that's what he wanted. The moment you're unprofessional is the moment that actually sells it." Bella Hadid spent "three 15-hour days" in the cold shooting the Bulgari fragrance campaign. Bella Hadid The 20-year-old model was announced as the face of the Italian label earlier this year, but the star has revealed the photoshoot for the brand's new scent Bulgari Goldea Roman Night was a gruelling process that saw her spend 45 hours in the freezing cold conditions in Rome, Italy. Speaking to PEOPLE about the project, the brunette-beauty said: "It was really, really cold and it was three 15-hour days. It was aggressive, but it was definitely worth it and it ended up working out well." But the catwalk icon hasn't let the difficult working environment put her off, as she has still hailed the company as an "amazing iconic brand" and an "intense, so loving and so incredible" family she is honoured to be a part of. She said: "Bulgari is such an amazing iconic brand and for me to be a part of it is so amazing. The [Bulgari] family is so intense, so loving and so incredible." And Bella - who is the younger sister of fellow model Gigi Hadid - has graced the runway for a number of designer fashion houses during New York Fashion Week, and the style muse cannot believe her successful career has enabled her to buy her own apartment in New York at such a young age. She said: "Now to be here in New York, which is where I live now finally to be here launching this fragrance, is a dream come true. "I'm only 20 and I'm buying my new apartment soon. That was something that I'd never thought I'd be able to do, and I wouldn't be able to do if I didn't have the right people around me. There's upsides and there's downsides but they equal out eventually." Women are dominating the action world more than ever, carrying films with their physical skill and mental strength. To celebrate the UK cinema and digital release of Byung-gil Jungs The Villainess on the 15th of September, here is a rundown of the top kick-ass female iconic leads, and that we want to see more of! Kim Ok-bin: Sook-hee, The Villainess (2017) There is no question that Sook-hee is kick-ass and the films opening sequence demonstrates this incredibly as innovative first-person POV filming shows her defeat an entire army of men. Played by Kim Ok-Bin, her performance exudes determination and the narrative which shows her taking her life into her own hands further strengthens this character as being a future icon for female protagonists. Uma Thurman: The Bride, Kill Bill (2003) Seeking revenge, The Bride is focused and ferocious on her journey to seek personal justice for what was done to her. Her incredible strength, endurance and cut throat attitude is why she has made it to our top list of tenacious women in film. Not the only iconic female character in this film, O-Ren, Elle, Vernita, Gogo, Sofie all deserve honorable mentions on the list for being kick-ass, even though they may be antagonists in the story. Tarantino created a world controlled by women and it definitely provided an action-packed and thrilling narrative. Sigourney Weaver: Ripley, Aliens (1986) Widely known as one of the most iconic female action characters, how could we leave Ripley off our list? Not just an example of female physical strength, she introduces humanity to a species showing she is a force to be reckoned with in terms of mental strength and leadership. She radiates confidence and despite some aspects of the 1986 film appearing dated now, we still think she is iconic. Pam Grier: Coffy, Coffy (1973) Trying to find justice, nurse Coffy seeks the drug dealer responsible for influencing her sister. An enormously entertaining action film classic, Pam Grier packs a lethal punch in the role as Coffy controlling her own destiny, redeeming all the qualities a kick-ass female protagonist needs to be included in this rundown! Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) Despite being depicted as a sociopath, Lisbeth displays not only strength but vulnerability. This strong female role was recreated again successfully 2 years later, showing that this characters attitude and confidence is consistently acknowledged as powerful and appreciated by audiences. Milla Jovovich: Alice, Resident Evil (2002) Saving humanity from a horde of invading zombies, Alice is well loved female protagonist starring in all 5 of the film franchise. A popular video game, adapted for the big screen, Alice is unique to the films, but makes a significant impact leading the films through its dramatic violence and carrying the narrative. Gal Gadot: Diana Prince, Wonder Woman (2017) An Amazonian warrior in training, she uses her powers to try and restore peace in a time of war. Not only does this film have a strong female lead, but it also has a female director helping project this strength to the big screen. Some have noted this is the best DC superhero film so far, again highlighting that compassion and physical skill create the most empowering protagonist heroes. Michelle Yeoh: Yu Shu Lien, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) A professional bodyguard, Yu Shu Lien is there to protect, a role not commonly taken by female characters. Her tough exterior does crack as a love narrative is revealed allowing the audience to relate to her human nature, but her physicality excels as she traps her opponent from escaping with only her foot, a skill I am sure people will have tried and failed since watching the epic fighting scenes this film has to offer. Meiko Kaji: Yuki Kashima (Shurayuki-hime), Lady Snowblood (1973) Tranquil and beautiful appearances may be deceiving as this kick-ass female lead embarks on seeking revenge on those who wronged her mother. A cult classic with sly humour, the violence we witness in Snowblood could be described as balletic. This film is also seen to be strongly influential as it provided inspiration for another leading lady in our rundown, The Bride in Kill Bill (2003). Charlize Theron: Lorraine Broughton, Atomic Blonde (2017) Based on the graphic novel The Coldest City, Lorraine is a ruthless MI6 agent sent to Berlin on a mission. The action is well choreographed and packs a punch, however Lorraine differs from alternative women on the list as she has no reason such as revenge for violence and killings, but primarily she is just doing her job. It is safe to say that 2017 is shaping out to be a great year for kick-ass female protagonists. The Villainess is in UK cinemas today and also available to rent on iTunes now: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/movie/the-villainess/id1273965391?ls=1?app=itunes&ls=1 The Duke of Cambridge thinks his daughter will be "trouble" when she grows up. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George and Princess Charlotte The 35-year-old royal has admitted his oldest child Prince George, four, - who he has with his wife the Duchess of Cambridge - currently "rules the roost", but he has revealed his youngest offspring, Princess Charlotte, two, is not far behind and he has no doubts she will cause mayhem as she grows up. Speaking about his brood to a patient named Pagan Tordengrav during his visit to Aintree University Hospital, in Liverpool, on Thursday (14.09.17), which has also been reported on PEOPLE, Prince William said: "George rules the roost but Charlotte isn't far behind. I think she's going to be trouble when she's older." William has revealed he has even been warned by fellow fathers how to handle his daughter. He said: "All fathers say that to me - watch out for the little girls." And it won't be long until William and Duchess Catherine - who was formerly known as Kate Middleton prior to marrying the royal - welcome a third child into their family, as the couple recently announced they are expecting another baby together. The couple - who got married in 2011 - previously released a statement to announce the news, which read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child. The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news. "As with her previous two pregnancies, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Her Royal Highness will no longer carry out her planned engagement at the Hornsey Road Children's Centre in London today. "The Duchess is being cared for at Kensington Palace." Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) apprised commerce minister Suresh Prabhu about the constraints being faced by apparel exporters towards increasing exports from India. The council spoke about the issue of non-reimbursement of embedded taxes under Rebate of State Levies (ROSL), Drawback scheme which is making the apparel industry non-competitive. The AEPC delegation led by its vice chairman HKL Magu also informed the minister about the impact of overvalued rupee on the export growth, at a meeting held in New Delhi. Exchange rate is an important competitiveness tool and citing the issue of depreciation in the value of currencies of the neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh and Vietnam during the last six months, the council raised the issue of erosion of the cost competitiveness of Indian apparel Industry. A strong rupee has significantly diluted the impact of the Special package of Rs 6,000 crores for apparel industry and in order to encourage exports, it is necessary that rupee is depreciated in a calibrated manner to a level where Indias exports become competitive in the global market, urged the AEPC delegation. Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) apprised commerce minister Suresh Prabhu about the constraints being faced by apparel exporters towards increasing exports from India. The council spoke about the issue of non-reimbursement of embedded taxes under Rebate of State Levies (ROSL), Drawback scheme which is making the apparel industry non-competitive.# The principle of zero-rating of exports is uniformly followed by all countries across the world. However, such zero-rating of exports as prescribed in the GST law will not be complete and will be limited to refunding of input taxes as there are a number of GST taxes, which are invisible and embedded in the FOB value of exports, given the design of the Indian GST. Therefore, it is important that the refund of the blocked GST taxes should not be seen as an incentive, but as an enabler of trade neutrality. The minister has assured us every best possible support for the smooth growth of industry and we are hopeful that he will look into the concerns raised by the Industry, said Ashok G Rajani, chairman, AEPC. In its meeting with the commerce minister, the council members made suggestions about the export policy. In its submission to the minister, the council has suggested that the export policy should address the aspects of market disabilities and policy disabilities. While the market disabilities for the apparel industry in India includes the issues related to logistics cost and time, rigid labour regulations, lack of economies of scale and discrimination in export markets arising out of preferential trade agreements for competing countries in major markets such as the US and EU, the policy disabilities include tax and tariff policy which plays a major role in export performance. The council in its meeting informed the minister that while the government uses various ways and means to neutralise market based disabilities, the duty drawback facility is usually used to neutralise any tax and tariff disabilities. The members further suggested that for ensuring taxes are not exported a system of Central and state drawback should be envisaged for the post-GST drawback system. In central drawback system, embedded CGST taxes in the exempt/excluded sectors, basic customs duties and Central excise duties on specified petroleum products should be included while in the state drawback system, embedded SGST taxes in the exempt/excluded sectors, State VAT on specified petroleum products, electricity duties, stamp duties and registration charges, motor vehicle taxes, mandi taxes, green taxes, property taxes etc., should be included. (KD) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India German group Hubert Burda Media recently invested in Zilingo, a leading fashion-focused marketplace platform in Southeast Asia. Burdas growth capital arm BurdaPrincipal Investments led the $17-million funding round along with Sequoia Capital India and other existing investors. This round will be used to strengthen the companys position in Indonesia.Singapore-based Zilingo was founded in April 2015 by CEO Ankiti Bose and chief technology officer (CTO) Dhruv Kapoor to aggregate the unorganised fashion supply in the Southeast Asian markets. It first launched in Thailand and now ships to eight countries. Indonesia is its newest market, where it wants to expand its supply base, Hubert Burda Media announced on its website recently. German group Hubert Burda Media recently invested in Zilingo, a leading fashion-focused marketplace platform in Southeast Asia. Burda's growth capital arm BurdaPrincipal Investments led the $17-million funding round along with Sequoia Capital India and other existing investors. This round will be used to strengthen the company's position in Indonesia. # Burdas vast network and experience supporting fast growing digital companies will be a tremendous asset as Zilingo expands its global business, said Bose.BurdaPrincipal Investments has invested globally in fashion and marketplace platforms and provides long term growth equity for fast growing digital technology and media companies.Zilingo is a perfect fit into Burdas investment portfolio with our history in fashion and ecommerce.... We are very excited to join them in building the leading fashion marketplace in the region, according to BurdaPrincipal Investments principal Albert Shyy.Zilingo offers services to merchants allowing them to grow their business digitally, including packaging, video production, and working capital loans. (DS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Vietnams garment and textile exports may hit $30.5 billion in 2017, according to estimates by the Vietnam Textile Association (VITAS). In the first eight months of this year, exports in the sector witnessed a growth of 9.9 per cent year on year reaching $19.8 billion, VITAS president Vu Duc Giang said at the Cotton Day celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City.However, Vietnam imports 60 per cent of its fibre, as cotton farms in Vietnam have shrunk significantly and meet only 0.04 per cent of the domestic textile sectors demand, a news agency quoted Giang as saying at the September 12 event organised by VITAS along with the US Cotton Council International (CCI). Vietnam's garment and textile exports may hit $30.5 billion in 2017, according to estimates by the Vietnam Textile Association (VITAS). In the first eight months of this year, exports in the sector witnessed a growth of 9.9 per cent year on year reaching $19.8 billion, VITAS president Vu Duc Giang said at the Cotton Day celebrations in Ho Chi Minh City.# CCIs Cotton Day events have been held in various countries in Asia including Japan, Republic of Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Bangladesh. It was held in Vietnam for the first time.The US is Vietnams leading market, accounting for 51 percent of market share. This is also the first year the CCI has supported Vietnamese brands using US cotton.CANIFA and John Henry brands latest collections were shown at the event along with collections of the five contestants of the Cotton USA fashion design contest. (DS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The textile and automobile sectors in Egypt will attract Chinese investment to exploit the formers cheap labour, Egyptian minister of trade and industry Tarek Qabil has said. Qabil said this after meeting Sao Gishang, president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, during his visit to China recently to discuss cooperation.Chinese company Shandong Rui recently announced its plan to invest $800 million to construct a readymade garments factory in Egypt, an Egyptian newspaper reported. The textile and automobile sectors in Egypt will attract Chinese investment to exploit the former's cheap labour, Egyptian minister of trade and industry Tarek Qabil has said. Qabil said this after meeting Sao Gishang, president of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, during his visit to China recently to discuss cooperation.# Chinese firms are at present looking for manufacturing cars inside Egypt to overcome high customs duties, which is 40 per cent for imported cars from China, compared to low duties on cars from the European Union, Turkey and Morocco, Qabil told the newspaper.Former chairman of Supreme Textile Council Mohammed Qasem said that higher minimum wages of Chinese workers will encourage Chinese textile companies to invest in Egypt.Egypt is an optimal choice for China to set up a hub for manufacturing cars and export them to other African nations, Qabil added, as the industry ministry offers huge incentives to attract investments for car manufacturing.A joint committee was set up in 2016 by the Egyptian Government to improve production capabilities between the two countries and set a plan for constructing 12 projects in electricity, transport, housing, industry and telecommunications. (DS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Three former female Google employees have filed a class action lawsuit against the search giant for gender pay discrimination. The suit was filed on Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. It follows a federal investigation that made a preliminary finding of alleged 'extreme' pay discrimination against women at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. 'Google has discriminated and continues to discriminate against its female employees by systematically paying them lower compensation than Google pays to male employees performing substantially similar work under similar working conditions,' said the lawsuit. Google disputes those findings and says its analysis shows no gender pay gap. James Finberg, lawyer who represent the plaintiffs, said the case will be based heavily on testimony of U.S. Department of Labor hearings that indicated 'statistically significant (compensation) disparities adverse to women across the board.' 'We work really hard to create a great workplace for everyone, and to give everyone the chance to thrive here. Job levels and promotions are determined through rigorous hiring and promotion committees, and must pass multiple levels of review, including checks to make sure there is no gender bias in these decisions,' a Google spokesperson said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Adventus Zinc Corporation ("Adventus") (TSX VENTURE: ADZN) and Salazar Resources Limited ("Salazar") (TSX VENTURE: SRL) are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive option agreement (the "Option") whereby Adventus may earn a 75% interest in Salazar's Curipamba Project (the "Project") located in Ecuador by funding exploration and development expenditures of US$25 million over the next five years. A feasibility study is expected to be completed within 3 years, after which Adventus is required to fund 100% of the development and construction expenditures to commercial production. Adventus and Salazar plan to jointly explore for volcanic massive sulphide ("VMS") as well as hydrothermal gold-silver style deposits within the Project's approximately 21,500 hectare concession area, alongside working on the completion of a feasibility study, which is on the path towards potential future production at the Project. In addition to the Project, both companies are excited to announce that they have also formed an exclusive exploration alliance to explore for additional zinc-related deposits in Ecuador outside of the Project area. Highlights of the Project -- Project hosts the PEA-stage El Domo deposit. The most recent NI 43-101 El Domo resource released by Salazar consists of an indicated mineral resource of 6.08 Mt grading 2.33% Cu, 3.06% Zn, 0.28% Pb, 2.99 g/t Au and 55.8 g/t Ag and an inferred mineral resource of 3.88 Mt grading 1.56% Cu, 2.19% Zn, 0.16% Pb, 2.03 g/t Au and 42.9 g/t Ag, which can be viewed in the January 16, 2015, "CURIPAMBA PROJECT - EL DOMO DEPOSIT AMENDED AND RESTATED PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT CENTRAL ECUADOR," prepared by Gustavo Calvo Martin, M.Sc.A., P. Geo and Adam Johnston, B. Eng, FAusIMM (the "2015 PEA"). -- The 2015 PEA (prior to subsequent positive changes to the mining tax code) outlined an open pit and underground mining project with a 30% IRR (for further particulars, please refer to the 2015 PEA, a copy of which was filed on SEDAR on January 21, 2015). Adventus and Salazar believe significant opportunities exist to grow the size of the Project, while also improving the IRR. The Project is expected to produce separate copper, zinc and lead concentrates, with significant precious metals credits, which will be exported from the port of Guayaquil to international markets. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral resource estimates do not account for mineability, selectivity, mining loss or dilution. The 2015 PEA is preliminary in nature, includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the 2015 PEA will be realized. There is also no certainty that the inferred mineral resources will be converted to measured and indicated categories through further drilling, or into mineral reserves once economic considerations are applied. -- The El Domo deposit is sub-horizontal, with approximate dimensions: 900 metres long, 300-500 metres wide and 10 metres thick, starting 35 metres from surface. It is located in low-lying hills approximately 35 km from the Pan-American highway with multiple road access routes. Several potential power and water infrastructure options have been identified, with Ecuador having one of the lowest power costs in Latin America. -- Adventus and Salazar believe significant exploration potential exists to expand the El Domo deposit and to find additional deposits within the greenfield project, which was discovered in 2008. During 2017, Salazar completed approximately 10,000 m drill program including step-out drilling, highlighted by a step-out hole of 16.6 metres averaging 3.66 g/t Au, 117.40 g/t Ag, 4.88% Cu and 5.36% Zn (see Salazar's May 15, 2017 press release). There are several discrete high priority exploration targets near the El Domo deposit, including an undrilled 15 metre channel sample of 39 g/t Au and 741 g/t Ag (see Salazar's April 25, 2007 press release). -- With funding from Adventus, a detailed airborne geophysical program on the full land package is expected to be completed for the first time, followed by regional exploration to discover new deposits. The airborne geophysical program is expected to commence in Q4 2017. Christian Kargl-Simard, President and CEO of Adventus, commented, "Adventus is excited to become involved in such a high-quality exploration and development project and exploration alliance with a strong local partner in Salazar. This alliance represents an important step for Adventus towards its goal of becoming a leading global zinc exploration and development company. We are excited to invest and operate in Ecuador since the country has demonstrated its renewed commitment to economic growth by creating a welcoming climate for mining investment. Fredy Salazar has developed a sound reputation in Ecuador as a geologist involved in several significant discoveries, and as a steward of the Project among its local stakeholders. We look forward to working closely with Fredy and his team to create value for our respective shareholders and the people of Ecuador." Fredy Salazar, President and CEO of Salazar, commented, "Salazar is pleased to be working with Adventus to advance the Curipamba Project to the development stage. Adventus was chosen as our partner as Adventus is a strong and well-backed financial partner who can assist us in developing the Project. We look forward to implementing our planned work programs at the Curipamba Project and are confident this agreement will ensure long term returns to Salazar's shareholders. In addition to the work at the Project we have already begun planning for exploration of additional zinc-related deposits in Ecuador outside of the Project area. We have identified several opportunities and the funding from Adventus will allow us to rapidly advance our prospect generation work programs." Transaction Summary Adventus may earn a 75% ownership stake in the Project (by way of a 75% equity interest in the company that indirectly holds the Curipamba Project) by incurring US$25 million in expenditures at the Project over the next 5 years, including the completion of a feasibility study on the El Domo deposit, subject to certain exceptions. A feasibility study is expected to be completed within 3 years, after which Adventus is required to fund 100% of the development expenditures to commercial production. Upon achievement of commercial production, Adventus will receive 95% of the dividends from the Project until its aggregate investment, including the US$25 million, has been recouped minus the approximate Salazar carrying value of US$18.2 million, after which dividends will be shared on a 75%/25% pro-rata basis with Salazar. In certain circumstances where Project development is delayed post earn-in, Adventus' ownership position could be diluted. Adventus will lead the development of the Project with a steering committee consisting of two representatives from Adventus and one representative from Salazar. During the Option period, Salazar, as the established local partner, shall help manage exploration and stakeholder relations relating to the Project in return for a 10% management fee worth a minimum of US$350,000 per year. In addition, Adventus will provide Salazar with a US$250,000 per year advance payment until the achievement of commercial production, to a maximum cumulative total of US$1.5 million. The advance payment is to be repaid preferentially to Adventus upon start of commercial production. As part of the definitive option agreement, a shareholders' agreement between Adventus and Salazar shall become active once Adventus exercises its option to earn the 75% interest in the Project. Adventus shall retain 100% of the off-take rights on a commercially reasonable arms length basis and arrange any future financing package on behalf of the partners. Each party shall retain a right-of-first-offer on each other's interest after the option has been exercised. As at June 30, 2017, Salazar's wholly-owned Ecuadorian subsidiary holding the Project had assets of US$18.3 million, current liabilities of US$0.186 million, long term liabilities of US$18.9 million of which US$18.8 million related to an inter-company loan with Salazar (which loan will be an asset of the company that indirectly holds the Curipamba Project), revenues of nil and a net loss of US$0.277 million for the six month period ended June 30, 2017. Adventus and Salazar have signed an exploration alliance memorandum of understanding ("MOU") to jointly explore for zinc-related deposits in the Republic of Ecuador. The venture is owned 80%/20% by Adventus and Salazar respectively, with Salazar operating the alliance in Ecuador, while Adventus shall fund commercial activities of new and approved exploration projects up to a construction decision. A steering committee will consist of two representatives from Adventus and one representative from Salazar. Salazar and Adventus have received 50% plus one shareholder approval by written consent and conditional TSX-V approval ahead of this announcement. Closing of the transaction is expected upon final TSX-V approval, and the start of the Option will occur once Salazar has completed an internal reorganization. Adventus and Salazar are "non-arm's length parties" as they share an "insider" (each within the meaning of the policies of the TSX-V) in common. In accordance with NI 43-101, Adventus will file a technical report in respect of the Curipamba Project on SEDAR within 180 days from the date hereof. The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Kieran Downes, Ph.D., P.Geo. a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Dr. Lawrence Winter is the Qualified Person who has reviewed the Salazar disclosure referenced in this press release on behalf of Adventus. To the best of Adventus' knowledge, information, and belief, there is no new material scientific or technical information that would make the disclosure of Salazar's mineral resources or the technical report inaccurate or misleading. About Adventus Adventus is a newly formed company focused on global zinc exploration and development. It currently has a large prospective land package in Ireland and Eastern Canada. Its major shareholders include Altius Minerals Corporation, Greenstone Resources LP and Resource Capital Funds, as well as other highly respected investors in the mining business. The Company is based out of Toronto, Canada, and is listed on the TSX-V under the symbol ADZN. About Salazar Salazar is a publicly-listed mineral resource company engaged in the exploration and development of new highly prospective areas in Ecuador. Led by a senior Ecuadorian management team and most notably by its namesake Fredy Salazar, this team has been instrumental in other major discoveries throughout Ecuador, including Aurelian's Fruta Del Norte discovery, Mozo Deposit, Ex Newmont's Cangrejos Project and International Minerals Rio Blanco and Gaby Deposit. Being an Ecuadorian-based company gives the Company a strategic advantage enabling the Company to complete exploration at a rapid pace. With an excellent property portfolio (4 projects - 36,269 hectares), good geopolitical positioning and a number of strategic corporate and financial partnerships, Salazar has positioned itself to be a strategic player in Ecuador. 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 press release contains "forward -looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information herein includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that Adventus and Salazar expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, such as opportunities to grow the size of the Curipamba Project and to improve the IRR thereof; the production of copper, zinc and lead concentrates therefrom for export; the exploration potential to expand the El Domo deposit and to find additional deposits within the greenfield project; the completion of a detailed airborne geophysical program on the full land package along with regional exploration to discover new projects. Statements of mineral resources also constitute forward-looking information to the extent they represent estimates of mineralization that will be encountered on a property and/or estimates regarding future costs, revenues and other matters. Such forward-looking information is based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including but not limited to, the ability to arrange financing; risks related to carrying on business in an emerging market such as possible government instability and civil turmoil and economic instability; the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located; metal prices; other prices and costs; currency exchange rates; the ability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for activities on a timely basis; deficient or vulnerable title to mining concessions and surface rights; shortages of resources, such as labour, and the dependence on key personnel; risks associated with community relationships; risks related to contractor performance and labor disruptions; risks related to unreliable infrastructure; difficulty complying with changing government regulations and policies, including without limitation, compliance with environment, health and safety regulations, and the cost of compliance or failure to comply with applicable laws; and other risk factors described in Adventus' and Salazar's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although Adventus and Salazar have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither Adventus nor Salazar undertakes to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Contacts: Adventus Zinc Corporation Christian Kargl-Simard Chief Executive Officer 1-416-230-3440 christian@adventuszinc.com Salazar Resources Limited ir@salazarresources.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - North Korea has fired ballistic missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning. South Korea's military said the missile reached an estimated altitude of about 770km (478 miles) and travelled 3,700km before landing in the sea off Hokkaido. The Pentagon said North Korea had launched what appeared to be an intermediate range ballistic missile from the vicinity of Pyongyang airport at 6.27am local time. Japan said the missile flew over Hokkaido, the northernmost Japanese island over which North Korea flew a missile last month, before landing in the Pacific Ocean. 'North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the United States, have been directly threatened in recent weeks,' said Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state. 'These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation.' In a statement following the missile launch, Tillerson said the UN resolutions were 'the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take' as he called on other countries to take new measures against Pyongyang. Japan's PM Shinzo Abe said his country would 'never tolerate' North Korea's dangerous actions. 'If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future,' he said in a statement. 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. TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Ingersoll-Rand plc (IR) and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. (MIELF.PK, MIELY.PK) Wednesday said they established a 50:50 percent joint venture for Ductless and Variable Refrigerant Flow Heating and Air Conditioning Systems in the U.S. and select Latin America countries.The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The new joint venture will include marketing, sales, and distribution of ductless and VRF heating and air conditioning systems. The joint venture will also continue to serve Mitsubishi Electric US distributors and representatives with Mitsubishi Electric branded product. Pending favorable global antitrust reviews and customary closing conditions, the new joint venture is expected to be operational in the first half of 2018. A chief executive officer will be named from Mitsubishi Electric, a chief financial officer will be named from Ingersoll Rand, and the business will operate from headquarters in Suwanee, Georgia. 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. Vodka Brands Corp Announces Acquisition of Award-Winning, White Diamond Vodka PITTSBURGH, PA / ACCESSWIRE / November 28, 2017 / VODKA BRANDS CORP (OTC PINK: VDKB) announced plans today, through a letter of intent, to acquire White Diamond Vodka, a premium vodka brand imported from Europe. As part of the acquisition, Vodka Brands Corp will purchase the White Diamond Vodka brand, which includes the U.S. government trademark and current inventory, from Beverage Brands, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation. Terms were not disclosed. "We are pleased to announce the future acquisition of White Diamond Vodka," announced Mark Lucero, CEO, Vodka Brands Corp. "The addition of White Diamond Vodka to our product portfolio, complements our portfolio of diamond-themed, premium vodka brands, and expands our distribution network in the United States," he stated. White Diamond Vodka is available for sale in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and in the state of Ohio through Heidelberg Distributing. "The acquisition of White Diamond Vodka is part of our corporate strategy to expand our national distribution and enhance our brand portfolio. Our vodka products are high-quality, award-winning brands, made from the finest ingredients," he added. White Diamond Vodka was previously awarded a gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in the category of imported vodkas. "We have set the highest quality standards for our vodka brands, in that all of our vodka products are made from exceptional ingredients, and filtered to perfection to achieve the smoothest possible taste," said Mr. Lucero. White Diamond Vodka is made from premium grains and artesian water, sourced from deep aquifers near the Baltic Sea in Europe. The brand is ultra-filtered and distilled for a smooth taste. White Diamond Vodka is available in 750 ML and one-liter sizes. Additionally, Vodka Brands Corp owns the brands, Blue Diamond Vodka, a luxury vodka brand made in Europe from six-grain barley and artesian water sourced from 500-foot deep aquifers, and Diamond Girl Vodka, a newly launched European vodka brand and gold medal winner of the 2017 "Fifty Best" competition for imported spirits. Vodka Brands Corp is a publicly traded corporation (OTC PINK: VDKB) based in Pennsylvania. Safe Harbor This press release contains forward-looking statements, particularly as related to, among other things, the business plan of Vodka Brands Corp., statements relating to goals, plans, and projections regarding the Vodka Brands Corp.'s financial position and business strategy. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "may result," "are expected to," "will continue," "anticipates," "expects," "estimate," "project," "indicate," "could," "potentially," "should," "believe," "think," "considers," or similar expressions, are intended to identify "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements fall within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by these sections. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, involve known and unknown risks, a reliance on third parties for information, transactions or orders that may be cancelled, and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in our industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include risks and uncertainties related to the fluctuation of global economic conditions, the performance of management and our employees, our ability to obtain financing, competition, general economic conditions and other factors that are detailed in our periodic reports and on documents we file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. Vodka Brands Corp. cautions readers not to place undue reliance on such statements. Vodka Brands Corp does not undertake, and Vodka Brands Corp specifically disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement. Actual results may differ materially from Vodka Brands Corp's expectations and estimates. For more information about Vodka Brands Corp and the risks related to an investment in the Company, investors should review the Company's filing at www.sec.gov with their tax and financial advisor. MEDIA CONTACT: VODKA BRANDS CORP 412-681-7777 SOURCE: Vodka Brands Corp Osaka, Japan (ots/PRNewswire) -- Starkung der Systeme zur Entwicklung von Schriftarten fur den Weltmarkt -Morisawa Inc. - Entwickler mehrere hochwertiger japanischer Schriftarten, der das Vertrauen der Druck- und Verlagsbranche sowie japanischer Ersteller gewonnen hat - hat die Grundung vom "Morisawa Providence Drawing Office" in den Vereinigten Staaten als seinen Burostandort fur die Entwicklung lateinischer Schrifttypen angekundigt.Schriftarten, die fur Unternehmen in ihrem Bemuhen, die eigne Marke zu starken, unabdingbar sind, konnen die jeweilige Markenbotschaft auf globaler sowie lokaler Ebene prazise ubermitteln. Das lateinische Alphabet wird fur Sprachen auf der ganzen Welt genutzt, von Amerika und Europa uber Afrika bis sogar Asien. Die Einrichtung eines Standortes in den Vereinigten Staaten vermittelt Morisawa die notige Zuversicht zur weiteren Starkung seiner Systeme, um Schrifttypen fur seinen internationalen Markt zu entwickeln.Cyrus Highsmith, der viele Jahre fur Font Bureau als Designer tatig war, wurde zum Creative Director des neu eingerichteten Morisawa Providence Drawing Office ernannt. Unter seiner Leitung wird das Buro Plane erstellen, um lateinische Schrifttypen zu entwickeln, die das Wesen von Morisawas japanischen Schrifttypen reflektieren. Zusatzlich wird das Buro neue Schrifttypen fur die Medien der nachsten Generation entwickeln.Highsmith nahm seine neue Rolle als Creative Director mit den Worten wahr: "Im Verlauf meiner gesamten Karriere als Schriftgestalter lag mein Fokus stets auf dem Zusammenspiel schwarzer und weier Formen. Die Zusammenarbeit mit Morisawa ist eine Moglichkeit, diese Obsession noch weiter zu verscharfen. Dank der Kollaboration mit seinen Designern in Japan habe ich bereits neue Einblicke in die lateinische Typografie sowie Zeichnung gewonnen. Im Providence Drawing Office werden mir meine zukunftigen Schriftgestalter-Kollegen zur Seite stehen."Der britische Schriftgestalter Matthew Carter, der fur viele Jahre Highsmiths Mentor war, sagte: "Ich habe Cyrus vor funf Jahren Morisawa vorgestellt, als ich ihn als Jurymitglied fur ihren Schriftgestaltungswettbewerb empfohlen habe. Ich freue mich sehr, dass Morisawa sich nun mit ihm zusammengeschlossen hat, um die lateinische Schriftenbibliothek des Unternehmens durch die Eroffnung eines Designburos in Providence zu erweitern. Ich glaube, dass dies fur alle Betroffenen zu guten Ergebnissen fuhren wird und auch der lateinischen Schriftgestaltung im weitesten Sinne zugutekommen wird. Ich freue mich darauf, die Ideen von ihm und seinen Kollegen zu sehen."Uberblick Name: Morisawa Providence Drawing Office Standort: 204 Westminster St, 3rd Flr, Providence, RI 02903 USAInformationen zu Cyrus Highsmith Cyrus Highsmith ist Buchstabenzeichner, Lehrer, Autor und Grafikkunstler. Er hat Dutzende originaler Schriftarten entworfen und war fur viele Jahre als Senior Designer fur Font Bureau tatig. Er unterrichtet Schriftgestaltung an der Rhode Island School of Design und ist Verfasser sowie Illustrator des renommierten Elementarbuchs "Inside Paragraphs: Typographic Fundamentals." https://occupant.typenetwork.com/news/article/inside-paragraphs-typog raphic-fundamentals (https://occupant.typenetwork.com/news/article/inside-paragraphs-typographic-fundamentals)2015 erhielt er den Gerrit Noordzij-Preis fur eine auerordentliche Beitragsleistung im Bereich Schriftgestaltung, Typografie und Schriftart-Lehre. Im gleichen Jahr grundete er Occupant LLC, das Occupant Press und Occupant Fonts umschliet.(Foto: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/img/201709125550-O1-d5YbmenE)Informationen zu Morisawa Inc. Seit seiner Grundung im Jahr 1924 - das Jahr, in dem es die Fotosetzmaschine erfand - ist Morisawa Inc. niemals von seinem Vorhaben abgewichen, die Zukunft der Typografie durch wegbereitende Forschung und Entwicklung in diesem Bereich zu kultivieren. Das Unternehmen hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, zur Entwicklung der Typografiekultur - das wertvolle Kollektiveigentum der Menschheit - beizutragen. Hauptsitz: Osaka, Japan President und CEO: Akihiko MorisawaOTS: Morisawa Inc. newsroom: http://www.presseportal.de/nr/127968 newsroom via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_127968.rss2Pressekontakt: Akira Himei Morisawa USA Inc. Tel.: +1-415-848-2386 E-Mail: pr@morisawa-usa.com Mini-ITX platforms based on the New IntelXeonD-2100 SoC (System-on-a-Chip) Processor for compact high-performance, low power, feature rich embedded and IoT (Internet of Things) applications SAN JOSE, California, Feb. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Super Micro Computer, Inc.(NASDAQ: SMCI), a global leader in enterprise computing, storage, networking solutions and green computing technology, today announced several new additions to its edge computing and network appliance portfolio based on the new IntelXeonD-2100 SoC (System-on-a-Chip) processor. Leveraging its deep expertise in server technology, Supermicro is bringing customers some of the first IntelXeonD-2100 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) processor-based solutions. The company's X11SDV series motherboards offer infrastructure optimization by combining the performance and advanced intelligence of IntelXeonprocessors into a dense, lower-power system-on-a-chip. Supermicro is introducing a wide range of new systems to the market including compact embedded systems, rackmount embedded systems, as well as multi-node MicroCloud and SuperBlade systems. With server-class reliability, availability and serviceability (RAS) features now available in an ultra-dense, low-power device, Supermicro X11SDV platforms deliver balanced compute and storage for intelligent edge computing and network appliances. These advanced technology building blocks offer the best workload optimized solutions and long life availability with the IntelXeonD-2100 processor family, available with up to 18 processor cores, up to 512GB DDR4 four-channel memory operating at 2666MHz, up to four 10GbE LAN ports with RDMA support, and available with integrated IntelQuickAssist Technology (IntelQAT) crypto/encrypt/decrypt acceleration engine and internal storage expansion options including mini-PCIe, M.2 and NVMe support. "These compact new Supermicro Embedded Building Block solutions bring advanced technologies and performance into a dense, low-power system-on-a-chip architecture, extending intelligence to the data center and network edge," said Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "With the vast growth of data driven workloads across embedded applications worldwide, Supermicro remains dedicated to developing powerful, agile, and scalable IoT gateway and compact server, storage and networking solutions that deliver the best end to end ecosystems for ease of deployment and open scalability." Supermicro's new SYS-E300-9D is a compact box embedded system that is well-suited for the following applications: network security appliance, SD-WAN, vCPE controller box, and NFV edge computing server. Based on Supermicro's X11SDV-4C-TLN2F mini-ITX motherboard with four-core, 60-watt Intel Xeon D-2123IT SoC this system supports up to 512GB memory, dual 10GbE RJ45 ports, quad USB ports, and one SATA/SAS hard drive, SSD or NVMe SSD. The new SYS-5019D-FN8TP is a compact (less than 10-inch depth) 1U rackmount embedded system that is ideal for cloud and virtualization, network appliance and embedded applications. Featuring Supermicro's X11SDV-8C-TP8F flex-ATX motherboard supporting the eight-core, 80-watt Intel Xeon D-2146NT SoC, this power and space efficient system with built-in Intel QAT crypto and compression supports up to 512GB memory, four GbE RJ45 ports, dual 10GbE SFP+ and dual 10GbE RJ45 ports, dual USB 3.0 ports, four 2.5" internal SATA/SAS hard drives or SSDs, and internal storage expansion options including mini-PCIe, M.2 and NVMe support. For more details on Supermicro's Xeon SoC processor-based solutions, please visit https://www.supermicro.com/products/nfo/Xeon-D.cfm For more information on Supermicro's complete line of Embedded Building Block Solutions visit www.supermicro.com/Embedded or download an Embedded Solutions Brochure. Supermicro is introducing two new MicroCloud servers based on the new processors. Perfect for cloud computing, dynamic web serving, dedicated hosting, content delivery network, memory caching, and corporate applications, these systems support eight hot-pluggable server nodes in a 3U enclosure with a centralized IPMI server management port. The SYS-5039MD8-H8TNR features the 8-core, 65-watt Intel Xeon D-2141i SoC, and the new SYS-5039MD18-H8TNR features the 18-core, 86-watt Intel Xeon D-2191 SoC. Each server node for these MicroCloud systems supports up to 512GB of ECC memory, one PCI-E 3.0 x16 expansion slot, two hybrid storage drives that support U.2 NVMe/SATA3, two M.2 NVMe/SATA3 connectors, and dual GbE ports. Supermicro's 4U/8U SuperBlade enclosures feature blade servers that support new Intel Xeon D-2100 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) processors, including the 18-core D-2191 processor as well as the 16-core D2187NT processor with 100G Crypto/Compression. The blade servers support up to 512GB DDR4 memory, hot-plug 2.5" U.2 NVMe/SATA drives, M.2 NVMe, and 25Gb\10Gb Ethernet and 100G IntelOmni-Path (OPA) or 100G EDR InfiniBand. Redundant chassis management Modules (CMM) with industry standard IPMI management tools, high-performance switches, integrated power supplies and cooling fans, Battery Backup Modules (BBP) make this all-in-one blade solution ideal for datacenter and cloud applications. For complete information on Supermicro products, visit www.supermicro.com. Follow Supermicro onFacebookandTwitterto receive their latest news and announcements. About Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ: SMCI) Supermicro(NASDAQ: SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology is a premier provider of advanced Server Building Block Solutionsfor Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Hadoop/Big Data, HPC and Embedded Systems worldwide. Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its "We Keep IT Green initiative and provides customers with the most energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market. Supermicro, Server Building Block Solutions, and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc. Intel and Xeon are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other brands, names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. SMCI-F Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/639192/Supermicro_Intel_Xeon_D_2100_SoC_solutions.jpg Tokyo, London, Amsterdam and Singapore, Sept 15, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - JCB International Co., Ltd. (JCBI), the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd, and Adyen, the payments platform of choice for the world's leading companies, are pleased to announce the signing of an extension to the original License Agreement. This will lead to global JCB merchant acquiring for e-commerce, and for POS in Singapore and HK. Furthermore, for e-commerce it will be possible to process all currencies and settle in the major currencies - among them: SGD, USD, JPY, HKD, EUR, GBP.This global partnership further advances Adyen's strategy of providing its merchants a direct and seamless connection via any device to the major card payment schemes around the world, bringing a greater range of options for its clients and JCB's cardmembers globally.Adyen is one of the few global acquirers to offer straight access to all major card networks. The new extension further strengthens Adyen's status as omnichannel acquirer.Tsuyoshi Notani, Managing Director of JCB International (Europe) Ltd., commented: "We are extremely pleased to provide Adyen the additional functionality to enable our cardmembers access to the key merchants across the world. Our continued partnership with a truly global partner is going from strength to strength, we are constantly aiming to grow both our cross border and local e-commerce including In-App mobile payment footprint generated by Asian consumers and this is a fantastic opportunity to give JCB cardmembers greater freedom to spend in more retailers at omnichannel interfaces than ever before."Warren Hayashi, President of Adyen Asia-Pacific said, "Adyen is proud to partner with JCB International to allow JCB cardmembers to enjoy a frictionless payments experience across borders. Adyen firmly believes that by meeting the distinctive payment preferences of consumers, brands would be able to create a personalized brand experience and instill brand loyalty."About AdyenAdyen is the payments platform of choice for the world's leading companies. The only provider of a modern end-to-end infrastructure connecting consumers' globally to their preferred payment methods, Adyen delivers frictionless payments across online, mobile, and in-store. With offices all around the world, Adyen serves more than 4,500 businesses, including 8 of the 10 largest U.S. Internet companies. Customers include Facebook, Uber, Netflix, Spotify and L'Oreal.About JCBJCB is a major global payment brand and a leading payment card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and card member base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to provide responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide.Note: Statistics about JCB are as of March 2017.For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/ContactJCB International Co., Ltd.Kae MitsudaGlobal Business PlanningTel: +81 3 5778 7963Email: jcbinternational-pr@info.jcb.co.jpSource: JCBAdyenCopyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Empagliflozin (marketed as Jardiance ) reduced the risk of cardiovascular death by 43 percent versus placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease 1 In a population at high risk for amputations, no increased risk in lower-limb amputation was observed with empagliflozin treatment1 New data showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of cardiovascular death compared with placebo when added to standard of care in adults with type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease. These results, from a post-hoc analysis of the landmark EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial, were shared as an oral presentation on behalf of Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2017 in Anaheim, Calif. and simultaneously published online in the AHA's journal Circulation.1 This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171114005733/en/ "Peripheral artery disease, one of the most common cardiovascular complications associated with type 2 diabetes, increases the risk of death from cardiovascular causes," said Subodh Verma, M.D., cardiac surgeon-scientist at St. Michael's Hospital and professor at the University of Toronto. "There is an urgent need for treatment options that can improve cardiovascular-related outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease." Approximately one in three people with diabetes over the age of 50 have peripheral artery disease, a narrowing of the arteries outside the heart, usually those leading to the arms, legs and feet, due to a buildup of fatty deposits.2 Peripheral artery disease can be life-threatening when blockages restrict circulation causing damage to limbs and can also be associated with damage to vital organs such as the heart, kidneys and brain.3 If peripheral artery disease is not managed properly, it can also lead to amputation, which may result in hospitalization, disability and death.4 At study start, 21 percent of the more than 7,000 EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial participants had existing peripheral artery disease. The analysis in this patient population showed that compared with placebo, on top of standard of care: Empagliflozin reduced the risk of cardiovascular death by 43 percent Death from any cause was reduced by 38 percent and hospitalisation for heart failure by 44 percent Risk for the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke was reduced by 16 percent New or worsening kidney disease, known as nephropathy, was reduced by 46 percent Overall, the cardiovascular and renal effects observed in patients with peripheral artery disease were consistent with previously reported results of the overall trial population in EMPA-REG OUTCOME Overall side effects and serious side effects were balanced between the empagliflozin and placebo groups in adults with and without peripheral artery disease. In the group with peripheral artery disease, lower-limb amputations occurred in 5.5 percent of those treated with empagliflozin and 6.3 percent of those treated with placebo. In the group without peripheral artery disease, lower-limb amputations occurred in 0.9 percent of those treated with empagliflozin and 0.7 percent of those treated with placebo. "Through ongoing sub-analyses of the EMPA-REG OUTCOME data, we are gaining a better understanding of how empagliflozin may help a wide range of people living with type 2 diabetes and its complications," said Dr Georg van Husen, Corporate Senior Vice President, Head of the Therapeutic Area CardioMetabolism, Boehringer Ingelheim. "The data presented and published at the AHA Scientific Sessions showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk for cardiovascular death and kidney disease in this highly vulnerable population of people with type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease." About Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease More than 415 million people worldwide have diabetes, of which 193 million are estimated to be undiagnosed.5 By 2040, the number of people with diabetes is expected to rise to 642 million people worldwide.5 T2D is the most common form of diabetes, responsible for up to 91 percent of diabetes cases in high-income countries.5 Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin.5 Due to the complications associated with diabetes, such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure and obesity, CV disease is a major complication and the leading cause of death associated with diabetes.6,7 People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop CV disease than people without diabetes.7 In 2015, diabetes caused 5 million deaths worldwide, with CV disease as the leading cause.5,7 Approximately 50 percent of deaths in people with T2D worldwide are caused by CV disease.8,9 Having a history of diabetes at age 60 can shorten a person's lifespan by as much as six years compared with someone without diabetes. And having both diabetes and a history of heart attack or stroke at age 60 can shorten a person's lifespan by as much as 12 years compared with someone without these conditions.10 About Empagliflozin Empagliflozin (marketed as Jardiance) is an oral, once daily, highly selective sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor approved for use in Europe, the United States and other markets around the world for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes. Inhibition of SGLT2 with empagliflozin in people with type 2 diabetes and high blood sugar levels leads to excretion of excess sugar in the urine. In addition, initiation of empagliflozin increases excretion of salt from the body (i.e. sodium) and reduces the fluid load of the body's blood vessel system (i.e. intravascular volume). The glucosuria, natriuresis and osmotic diuresis observed with empagliflozin may contribute to the improvement in cardiovascular outcomes.11 Empagliflozin is not for people with type 1 diabetes or for people with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). About EMPA-REG OUTCOME12 EMPA-REG OUTCOME was a long-term, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of more than 7,000 people from 42 countries with type 2 diabetes at high risk for cardiovascular events. The study assessed the effect of empagliflozin (10 mg or 25 mg once daily) added to standard of care compared with placebo added to standard of care. Standard of care was comprised of glucose-lowering agents and cardiovascular drugs (including for blood pressure and cholesterol). The primary endpoint was defined as time to first occurrence of cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke. Over a median of 3.1 years, empagliflozin significantly reduced the risk of CV death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke by 14 percent versus placebo. The risk of CV death was reduced by 38 percent, with no significant difference in the risk of non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke. The overall safety profile of empagliflozin was consistent with that of previous trials. Please click on the following link for 'Notes to Editors' and 'References': http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/AHA-2017-Empagliflozin. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171114005733/en/ Contacts: Boehringer Ingelheim Dr Petra Kienle Product Communication Manager Email: press@boehringer-ingelheim.com Phone: +49 (6132) 77 143877 or Lilly Diabetes Molly McCully Communications Email: mccully_molly@lilly.com Phone: +1 (317) 478 5423 45% identify Hong Kong as the gateway to the Chinese mainland 36% state the Brexit debate makes trading with Hong Kong or China more attractive Young entrepreneurs with less confidence in Europe most likely to have traded with Hong Kong or China in the last year Research for Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) in advance of its flagship "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" event returning to London on 21 September 2017, found that almost half (45%) see Hong Kong the gateway into the Chinese mainland and other Asian countries. Although confidence for business growth in Europe and Asia are broadly similar (57% and 62% respectively) 36% of UK SMEs state that the Brexit debate has made the prospect of trading with Hong Kong or China more attractive. Over a quarter (28%) of UK SMEs believe that it is easy to set up as a foreign business in Hong Kong and almost a quarter (21%) are attracted to its low tax rates. Additional assets identified include Hong Kong's good levels of English (51%), the long standing political relationship between Hong Kong and the UK (32%) and its proximity to China (36%). The biggest opportunities that businesses recognise for launching into the Chinese mainland is its huge consumer base (42%), followed by its growing middle class (35%) and ability to be early adopters of technology (27%), whilst the challenges include the language barrier (57%), the rule of law and perceived red tape and regulation (both 41%). According to the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) latest Annual Business Survey on Importers and Exporters, only 5% (104,600 out of a total of 2,129,800 businesses) of UK companies were merchandise exporters in 2015, while the number doubled to 10% (216,000 out of 2,129,800) if services exporters were also included. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council suggests that Brexit offers the UK an opportunity to develop a more independent, autonomous trade policy towards Asia that can play to its economic strengths. Both goods and services (i.e. financial services, high-tech solutions and educational services) exporters are in a prime position to ride on the structural transformation underway in many Asian countries, which are moving towards a service-based economy, bringing benefit to both sides. The research suggests that UK SMEs are underestimating what a well-established route launching into Hong Kong is. When asked how many UK companies currently operate in Hong Kong, 32% could not identify any, while the strongest response (20%) came for 250-500, when the actual answer is closer to 1,000. Not surprisingly the big global names of HSBC and Barclays were the most recognised at 51% and 41% respectively, but even well-established brand names such as Vivienne Westwood and Twinings scored very low at just 7% and 6% respectively. William Chui, Regional Director, Europe of the HKTDC comments: "It's great to see that UK SMEs are identifying the benefits of launching into Hong Kong as part of their global growth strategy at this time of European uncertainty. And also, that they are valuing Hong Kong as a hugely well positioned launch pad for businesses wanting to 'crack' the lucrative but notoriously challenging to penetrate Chinese mainland market. What I think a lot of UK SMEs are failing to realise however, is how many UK businesses of their size are making a real success of launching into Hong Kong." Hong Kong is the UK's second-largest export market, third-largest import source and third-largest trading partner in Asia. Hong Kong is also the UK's second-largest source of foreign investment and largest outbound investment destination. Just 16% of businesses surveyed have traded with Hong Kong or China in the past year, but a further 26% have been considering it over that time frame. Interestingly, this appears to be a youth market with the young entrepreneur bracket the most likely to have traded with Hong Kong in the past 12 months (25%) compared with those aged over 55 (15%). The areas in the UK that have put the most consideration into branching into Hong Kong are the North East (41%) followed by London (34%), and then Yorkshire and the Humber (30%). The Think Asia, Think Hong Kong event is returning to London on 21 September 2017. See: http://www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/2017/en/index.html for full details. Media enquiries and media event registration requests should be directed to Jo Williams, Rochester PR, 020 3874 3057/ 07825 686 930 jo.williams@rochesterprgroup.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170915005052/en/ Contacts: Rochester PR Jo Williams 020 3874 3057 07825 686 930 jo.williams@rochesterprgroup.com LONDON, September 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- William J Belknap Sr, Founder, CEO, and President of AEONRG, LLC has been awarded the title Most Responsible CEO/Construction Industry USA 2017 by the Business Worldwide Magazine (BWM). Established to recognise outstanding contributions from senior executives, the Responsible CEO Award is given to individuals whose achievements go on to inspire others within their own and other business sectors. BWM's judging panel was particular impressed by Belknap Snr's involvement in various wide-reaching charities within the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps forces. A major recipient of the company's 'giving' philosophy is the Twilight Wish Foundation, formed to assist veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In total AEONRG donated 10 per cent of its net income last year to charities supporting war veterans. Additionally, Belknap Snr served as President of the West Point Society of Philadelphia for the past seven years; ensuring that veterans from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps Force were equally represented. On hearing the news of his Award win, Belknap Snr said: "I'm delighted. It's always nice to be recognised for something that matters. Assisting and honouring war veteran charities is something I'll continue to do for as long as I possibly can. It makes being in business so much more pleasurable to know I can use what I do to help those who have already given so much for our country." A spokesman for BWM said: "We were particularly impressed by Mr Belknap Snr's dedication towards helping and supporting services veterans. His caring philosophy is to be admired and we'd like to see more businesses adopt a similar charitable approach." Formed five years ago, AEONRG LLC is based in Pennsylvania and focuses on facility maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), as well as migration to the commercial CLOUD sector. To date the firm has secured more than 85 Federal and State Government contracts totalling over $5m. A retired Army Major in the US tank division, as well as a former Director of the Army Science Board at The Pentagon, Belknap Snr is dedicated to helping preserve and maintain government data and facilities to honour veterans and the existing military. Ten years as global facilities manager at Pfizer Animal Health gave him the confidence and final push required to bring his entrepreneurial ambitions to the fore and establish his own company - and which he co-runs with wife Cass Forkin. You can find further details about BWM Awards and this year's CEO winners here: http://www.bwmonline.com/awards/ceo-awards-winners-2017/ Further information on AEONRG's current portfolio of products and services together with testimonials, achievements and contact details can be found on the organisation's website -www.aeonrg.com and, Twilight Wish foundations website -www.twilightwish.organdwww.philadelphiawps.com An article on the company can also be found on BWM website http://www.bwmonline.com/2017/08/19/aeonrg-maintaining-sustainability-for-aeons/ About Business Worldwide Magazine Business Worldwide Magazine is the leading source of business and dealmaker intelligence throughout the world. Our quarterly magazine and online news portal enables an established audience of corporate dealmakers to track the latest news, stories and developments affecting the international markets, corporate finance, business strategy and changes in legislation. This readership includes of CEO/CFO - Banks, Corporate Lawyers and Venture Capital/Private Equity Companies to name a few. www.bwmonline.com Contact David Jones Awards Department E:david.jones@bwmonline.com W:www.bwmonline.com Kryptonite 1 Plc ("Kryptonite 1" or the "Company") Investment Portfolio Update Investment Portfolio Update Kryptonite1 is pleased to announce that the Company has made further disposals of its holdings in the Golem project ("Golem"), the Melonport project ("Melonport"), the Bancor project ("Bancor") and the OmiseGo project ("Omisego"), details of which are as follows: The Company has sold 247,196 Golem tokens at an average price of 0.33 per token, thirty-three times the price of the original investment. The Company has also sold 1,502 Melonport tokens at an average price of 59 each. These tokens were purchased for 3.87 per token. The Company disposed of 237,000 Omisego tokens at an average price of 5 each. These tokens were purchased on 23 June 2017 for 0.20 per token. The Company has disposed of its entire holding in Bancor at the same price as the investment. New Investments The Company is pleased to announce that it has invested in a number of exciting projects in the blockchain space, which the Board believe will enhance the value of the Company's portfolio in the short to medium term. Kryptonite 1 has signed a 'Simple Agreement for Tokens or Equity' ("SAFTE") with Foamspace Corp. ("FOAM") wherein the Company has invested USD100,000 in the FOAM project's seed funding round. The Company will receive an undisclosed number of discounted tokens which are subject to a vesting schedule. The tokens will be issued to Kryptonite1 following the public token offering which FOAM intends to complete in Q4 2017. The FOAM project is building a spatial protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain. The aim is to create 'Crypto-Spatial Coordinates' that enable a vertical Z axis, which represents the token balance of an address. This places value in a physical location while at the same time, potentially, creating a stack of smart contracts that reinforce the address at a physical location. It is the intention that the FOAM tokens generate public addresses and wallets for physical locations, can be used to bond and deposit an economic signal into locations and can be converted into coordinate-specific 'Space Tokens'. It represents a new layer in the Ethereum ecosystem on which new platforms can be built. The Company has also invested USD100,000 for 208,333 tokens in the pre-sale of the Enigma Catalyst ("ENG") project. 'Enigma' will be a decentralised data marketplace protocol that is developed in parallel to 'Catalyst', an early application running on top of the protocol, that allows users to build data-driven investment strategies. It will be decentralised, secure, and operates via ENG tokens. The project's development team has a shared background at MIT and the token sale reached its target of USD45 million within a few hours. Kryptonite1 has also invested USD 202,000 for 1,114,261 tokens in the private sale of the RChain ("RHOC") project and joined the 'RChain Cooperative' as a member. Those tokens will be redeemable for RChain's native 'REV' token once the platform launches in 2018. RChain is a blockchain that allows for concurrent and formally verifiable smart contracts written in the 'RhoLang' language. The open-source project will be a platform that supports multiple blockchains, both public and private on the same node that can interact securely, predictably and at scale. Finally, the Company has participated in the pre-sale of the Rocketpool ("RPL") project. The Company invested USD120,000 for 530,860 RPL tokens. Rocketpool is a decentralised Ethereum proof of stake pool. Unlike traditional centralised proof of work pools, Rocketpool utilises the power of smart contracts to create a self-regulating, decentralised network of nodes. These nodes can then be engaged by users with any amount of Ether to earn interest on their deposits, while helping to secure the whole Ethereum network. George McDonaugh, Chief Executive Officer commented: "The blockchain ecosystem continues to flourish and we've seen significant appreciation across our asset portfolio. This will allow us to increase both the size and frequency our participation in future token economy projects. We have also continued to participate earlier in the lifecycle of these businesses and the FOAM project is a great example of Kryptonite1 getting such privileged early access. Invitations to participate come off the back of greatly increased brand recognition within the London community and our efforts to foster relationships with project communities in other continents. We are excited to see where further expansion of the blockchain space will take us." The directors of the Company accept responsibility for this announcement. -ENDS- Contact Details: Kryptonite 1 Plc Stephen Corran +44 (0)16 2467 6716 scorran@bridgewaters.co.im NEX Corporate Adviser: Peterhouse Corporate Finance Limited Fungai Ndoro and Mark Anwyl +44 (0)20 7469 0930 The announcement was made by the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA). The PPAs relates to 26 renewable energy projects, of which twelve totaling 813 MW are for large-scale PV plants selected in round 4 of the REIPPPP program.The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) announced in a press release that the 26 outstanding PPAs related to wind, solar PV and CSP solar power projects selected in South Africa's REIPPPP program for large-scale renewable energy projects will be signed in the first quarter of this years. "With all previous steps completed, we now await the final step in the process: approval of the Minister of Public Enterprises so that the DoE can finally enter into power purchase agreements with the Preferred Bidders identified through due procurement process," said the association's CEO Brenda Martin. The PPAs are related to renewable energy projects selected by the South African government in the round 3.5 and 4 of the REIPPPP program. Of these ... 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. ANKARA (dpa-AFX) - Turkey's unemployment rate remained unchanged in September, figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed Friday. The unemployment rate held steady at 10.6 percent in September. In the same period of 2016, the rate was 11.3 percent. The jobless rate was forecast to rise to 10.7 percent. The number of unemployed decreased by 104,000 from previous year to 3.419 million in September. At the same time, the seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell slightly to 10.7 percent in September from 10.8 percent in August. The unemployment rate among youth aged between 15 and 24, rose slightly to 20.0 percent from 19.9 percent in the previous year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in the United States, Canada, Japan or Australia Regulatory News: Europcar Groupe S.A. (Paris:EUCAR) today announced the success of the offerings by Europcar Drive D.A.C. of 600 million 4.125% Senior Notes due 2024 (the "Corporate Notes") and EC Finance plc of 350 million 2.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2022 (the "Fleet Notes" and together with the Corporate Notes, the "Notes"). The proceeds of the Corporate Notes amount to 600 million and the Fleet Notes amount to 350 million. The delivery and settlement and the listing of the Notes on the Euro MTF market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange are expected to occur on or about November 2, 2017. Europcar intends to use the proceeds from the issuance of the Notes for the: i) financing of the consideration to be paid for the consummation of the Goldcar acquisition; ii) repayment of the drawings made under the Senior Revolving Credit Facility to finance the Buchbinder acquisition; iii) early redemption in full of EC Finance Plc's outstanding 5.125% 350 million notes due 2021; and iv) payment of estimated costs and expenses related to the issuance of the Notes. For Caroline Parot, Chief Executive Officer of Europcar Group: "Following the significant step up in our acquisition momentum during the first half of the year, we decided to take advantage of a favourable market environment to launch a new round of bond financing. We are pleased with its outcome which will enable the Europcar Group to make significant savings on its existing fleet financing as well as its corporate financing. The success of these transactions reflects the strong support expressed to us by the bond investment community for which we are grateful, as well as the increasing confidence in Europcar's 2020 Ambition and management team." Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in the United States, Canada, Japan or Australia Disclaimer The distribution of this press release may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Persons into whose possession this document comes are required to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions. This announcement is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of November 4th, 2003 and amendments thereto (the "Prospectus Directive"). No action is or will be taken in any member state of the European Economic Area to make an offer to the public of securities requiring the publication of a prospectus in any such member state. This press release does not, and shall not, in any circumstances constitute a public offering by Europcar of Notes nor an invitation to the public in connection with any offer. No action has been or will be taken in any country or jurisdiction that would permit a public offering of the Notes, or the possession or distribution of this press release or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Notes, in any country or jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The offering or subscription of the Notes may be subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Europcar does not take any responsibility for any violation of any such restrictions by any person. The Notes will be offered only to qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive. No action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of the Notes requiring a publication of a prospectus in any Member State. As a result, the Notes may only be offered in a Member State: (a) to qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive; (b) to fewer than 150, natural or legal persons (other than "qualified investors" as defined in the Prospectus Directive), in accordance with the Prospectus Directive; or (c) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive. The Notes will not be offered or sold, and this press release or any other offering or publicity material relating to the Notes may not be distributed, in France, except to (i) providers of investment services of portfolio management for the account of third parties and/or (ii) qualified investors (Investisseurs Qualifies) acting for their own account, other than individuals, all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French Code Monetaire et Financier This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of offers to purchase or subscribe for, securities in the United States. The Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and 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 or local securities laws. Europcar has no intention to register any portion of the planned offer in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States. This announcement is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom; (ii) persons who 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"); (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Financial Promotion Order and (iv) 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 issue or sale of any Notes may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Any person other than a Relevant Person may not act or rely on this document or any provision thereof. Persons distributing this document must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. This press release may not be published, forwarded or distributed in the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. This press release may include projections and other "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any such projections or statements reflect the current views of Europcar about further events and financial performance. No assurances can be given that such events or performance will occur as project and actual results may differ materially from these projections. About Europcar Group Europcar Group is listed on Euronext Paris. Europcar is the European leader in vehicle rental service and is also a major player in mobility markets. Active in more than 130 countries and territories, including nine subsidiaries in Europe and two in Australia and New Zealand, Europcar serves customers through an extensive vehicle rental network comprised of its wholly-owned subsidiaries as well as sites operated by franchisees and partners. The group operates mainly under the Europcar, InterRent and Ubeeqo brands. Customer satisfaction is at the heart of the group's mission and all of its employees, this commitment fuels the continuous development of new services. The Europcar Lab, based in Paris, was created to better grasp tomorrow's mobility challenges through innovation and strategic investments, such as Ubeeqo, E-Car Club or Brunel. Further details on our website: europcar-group.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171018006725/en/ Contacts: Europcar Press relations Nathalie Poujol Marie-Anne Benardais, +33 1 30 44 98 82 europcarpressoffice@europcar.com or Europcar / Investor relations Olivier Gernandt, +33 1 30 44 91 44 olivier.gernandt@europcar.com or Elan Edelman, +33 1 86 21 51 56 or +33 1 86 21 50 38 europcar@elanedelman.com HANCOCK, MD / ACCESSWIRE / October 19, 2017 / PetLife Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB: PTLF) (the "Company"), a developer of a new generation of high- potency veterinary cancer medications and nutraceuticals for pets, through its subsidiary, PetLife Pharma International, Inc. (collectively "PetLife"), and in cooperation with Elite International Partners ("Elite"), announces its initiatives in Haiti to improve the lives of companion animals and the people of Haiti. With the cooperation and support of the Haitian government, and in partnership with the Mission Light of Light Church, PetLife is establishing a scorpion ranch and laboratory facilities ("PetLife Scorpion Ranch" ), to harvest the venom of the Caribbean Blue Scorpion. This effort will provide the necessary material for PetLife's research efforts and production of its patent-pending formulation for the treatment of cancer in animals and humans. PetLife's formulation has been developed to address a leading cause of death in companion animals, one that causes the death of 47 percent of dogs and 32 percent of cats in the United States. We anticipate that a successful clinical trial in animals will not only relieve suffering in our companion pets but also will be the foundation for treatment of select human cancers. PetLife plans to proceed with the development of human applications after completion of our clinical and regulatory program which will be presented to the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for approval soon. Once the program has been approved for implementation, PetLife anticipates that it will take approximately 24 months for the studies necessary for approval of the new animal drug which has been trademarked as VitalzulTM. Our CEO, Dr. Ralph Salvagno, an Orthopaedic Surgeon, was part of the early medical teams that cared for victims of the earthquake in 2010. Returning several times since, he recognized the need for sustainable economic growth. PetLife is pleased to be part of the revitalization of the country of Haiti. As part of our new presence in Haiti, we are hosting a veterinary event with the aim of reducing the rapid spread of rabies in Haiti, which is the result of the earthquake. Haiti has the highest rate of human rabies deaths in the western hemisphere. PetLife is working with the Mission Light of Light Church and the Haitian Government to establish a charitable foundation to benefit the orphans, workers and families who live nearby to our PetLife Scorpion Ranch and laboratory. As part of our long-term plan, we hope to establish a school, living quarters and medical facilities to the impoverished area. About PetLife Pharmaceuticals PetLife Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (PTLF) (www.PetLifePharma.com) is a registered U.S. Veterinary Pharmaceutical company. PetLife's mission is to bring its new, non-toxic, bioactive nutraceuticals and prescription medications to the world of veterinary oncology with the ultimate goal of preventing cancer and extending the life of pets suffering from cancer while improving their quality of life. The Company's first product, Vitalzul, is currently in testing. Vitalzul's active ingredients have been shown to have activity against several different cancer cell lines. In the U.S. alone, consumer spending on domestic companion animals reached over $60 billion in 2015 with over $29 billion spent on veterinary care and medications. PetLife's acquired brand, Dr. Geoff's Real Food for Pets, will launch in 2017. PetLife Scorpion Ranch will break ground in 2017. PetLife anticipates incorporating Vitalzul in a new and advanced therapeutic pet food line in 2019. Forward-looking statement: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements," as defined in the United States PSLRA of 1995, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and the actual results and future events could differ materially from management's current expectations. The economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors identified in the Company's previous filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Company Contact Dr. Ralph Salvagno RSalvagno@PetLifePharma.com 844-473-8543 ext. 702 SOURCE: PetLife Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Toshiba Electronic Devices Storage Corporation today announced that Toshiba Corporation (Toshiba Corp.) has received the 2017 MIPI Corporate Award, one of the MIPI Alliance Membership Awards. The award effectively recognizes the work and achievements of the company, Toshiba Corp's representatives in the alliance, and its European subsidiary, Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH, and was presented to Toshiba Corp. as the alliance member. Toshiba Corp. is the first Japanese company to receive the award, which was presented at an awards ceremony held during a member's meeting luncheon at the Leela Palace, Bangalore, India on October 25. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171026005622/en/ Joel Huloux, Chairman, MIPI Alliance (left) and Ariel Lasry, Chief Engineer, Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH (right) (Photo: Business Wire) MIPI Alliance is a collaborative global organization that designs and promotes hardware and software interfaces for mobile devices that simplify component integration. The MIPI Alliance Membership Awards Program annually recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements by individual and corporate members. The MIPI Corporate Award is presented to companies that provide the MIPI Alliance with years of outstanding corporate leadership. The company, formerly as part of Toshiba's electronic devices business and today in its present form, has been instrumental in bringing to market important specifications that are widely adopted in mobile applications. The company consistently delivers unbiased support of MIPI specifications in its IC products, and has helped to pioneer a number of specifications, including UniPro and CSI. It also exercises a leadership role in MIPI Alliance working groups that seek to improve specifications under development and drive consensus for the benefit of the industry as a whole. Since Toshiba Corp. joined the organization in 2004, it has played a leading role in developing specifications for mobile and mobile-influenced devices, and many specifications developed by the MIPI Alliance are global standards. The company's "Visconti" image recognition LSI, interface bridges and high frequency switches, and Toshiba Memory Corporation's UFS memory chips, all conform with MIPI specifications, have been adopted in smartphones, consumer and industrial equipment, and automotive systems. Toshiba Electronic Devices Storage Corporation will continue to participate in the MIPI Alliance and to contribute to promotion of MIPI specifications for the mobile market and new markets. MIPI is a registered trademark of MIPI Alliance, Inc. * All other company names, product names, and service names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. About Toshiba Electronic Devices Storage Corporation Toshiba Electronic Devices Storage Corporation combines the vigor of a new company with the wisdom of experience. Since being spun off from Toshiba Corporation in July 2017, we have taken our place among the leading general devices companies, and offer our customers and business partners outstanding solutions in discrete semiconductors, system LSIs and HDDs. Our 19,000 employees around the world share a determination to maximize the value of our products, and emphasize close collaboration with customers to promote co-creation of value and new markets. We look forward to building on annual sales now surpassing 700-billion yen (US$6 billion) and to contributing to a better future for people everywhere. Find out more about us at https://toshiba.semicon-storage.com/ap-en/company.html View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171026005622/en/ Contacts: Press Contact: Toshiba Electronic Devices Storage Corporation Motohiro Ajioka, +81-3-3457-3576 Public Relations & Investor Relations Group Business Planning Division motohiro1.ajioka@toshiba.co.jp NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With just a few days left until the 2017 Concordia Annual Summit, speculation is building around this year's recipients of The Concordia Awards. Over the course of next week's two-day Summit, Concordia will host both the Concordia Leadership Award and the P3 Impact Award, designed to feature and honor exemplary leadership and cross-sector collaboration in action. Taking place on Monday and Tuesday (September 18th and 19th) at the Grand Hyatt New York, the 2017 Concordia Annual Summit is set to be the largest and most inclusive nonpartisan forum on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Amid two days of inspiring dialogue, innovative speakers and interactive sessions, Concordia will formally present the second annual Concordia Leadership Award and the fourth annual P3 Impact Award. Concordia's Senior Director of Strategic Engagement, Maria Paula Correa, says "We are excited to host the Concordia Leadership Award and the P3 Impact Award. During a time that is seemingly starkly polarized, we believe it is more crucial than ever to publicly acknowledge and honor those who are making pioneering contributions and developing innovative solutions to the world's most pressing issues." The Concordia Leadership Award recognizes global leaders within the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who inspire others through their ability to turn vision into impact. Recipients of the award reflect a commitment to positive social and economic change, while promoting effective public-private collaboration to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. The three recipients of this year's Concordia Leadership Award are Kathy Calvin, President & CEO of the United Nations Foundation, Paul Bulcke, Chairman of the Board of Directors & Former CEO of Nestle, and David Miliband, President & CEO of The International Rescue Committee. Each recipient will receive the award and deliver remarks at the Summit. Concordia selects Kathy Calvin as a recipient of the Leadership Award for her unparalleled efforts, commitment and work towards achieving the UN SDGs and her role in revitalizing the meaning of global partnerships. In particular, Concordia acknowledges Calvin's instrumental role in mobilizing the energy and expertise of businesses and non-governmental organizations to help tackle the SDGs and achieve economic empowerment, resilient infrastructure, and environmental conservation. The Concordia Leadership Award will also be given to Paul Bulcke for his drive and commitment towards achieving sustainable economic growth and development. Bulcke has successfully showcased how businesses have the unique ability to bridge the capacity gap to reach the impact and scale necessary to deliver the SDGs by 2030. Concordia is honored to publicly recognize the 42 different commitments that guide Nestle's sustainable growth and shared value business model, which addresses issues such as nutrition, health & wellness, rural development, water, environmental sustainability, human rights, and compliance. The final recipient of the Concordia Leadership Award will be David Miliband, for his powerful efforts in encouraging private sector involvement in the global migrant crisis taking place across the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Europe as the President & CEO of The International Rescue Committee. Miliband's engagement at the 2016 Concordia Summit was critical to emphasizing the need for private sector engagement to combat the refugee crisis around the world. His long-term vision to provide stable and fulfilling programs to enrich the lives of refugees all over the world is worthy of immense global recognition. Among last year's recipients was Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, who commented: "We belong to a very fortunate 2% of people in society, and it is our duty to put ourselves to the service of the other 98%." Other recipients included Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Founder of Grameen Bank, Co-Founder and Chairman of Yunus Social Business, and Gloria Malone, Creator of Teen Mom NYC. The 2017 P3 Impact Award winner will also be announced at the Summit by the U.S. Department of State's Office of Global Partnerships, Concordia, and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Institute for Business in Society. This award recognizes P3s that are improving communities around the world in impactful ways. An Audience Choice Award will also be bestowed this year, where Concordia attendees can vote on their favorite partnership based on presentations by each finalist partnership and likelihood of sustainability and scale. The 2017 award finalists included:Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women,The Accenture and Upwardly Global Partnership,Care-Cargill Partnership: Nourishing the Future in Central America, Partnering for Poultry,andSanitation Marketing Systems in Bangladesh. Hanne Dalmut, Director of Social Impact at Concordia, says: "The P3 Impact Award offers powerful recognition to exemplary partnerships working to address pressing global needs. But the process extends far beyond the official award. All applicants advance the shared knowledge around best partnership building practices through their applications." The 2017 Concordia Annual Summit takes place on September 18th and 19th at the Grand Hyatt New York. To learn more about the Summit, see Shaping the future of global collaboration: 2017 Concordia Annual Summit, and for the two-day schedule and ticket information, see http://www.concordia.net/2017-concordia-annual-summit/. About Concordia Concordia is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that builds meaningful partnerships for positive social impact. As equal parts convener, campaigner, and idea incubator, Concordia is actively fostering cross-sector collaboration to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. Concordia was founded in 2011 by Matthew A. Swift and Nicholas M. Logothetis. Learn how to get involved atwww.concordia.net. Contact Rita Lockheart media@concordia.net Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/544025/Concordia_Logo.jpg LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / September 19, 2017 / Pro-Trader Daily takes a look at the latest corporate events and news making the headlines for Eldorado Gold Corp. (NYSE: EGO), following which we have published a free report that can be viewed by signing up at http://protraderdaily.com/optin/'symbol=EGO. The British Columbia, Canada based Company announced on September 15, 2017, that it has received the approval of the Technical Study for the Old Olympias Mine Closure as well as the Installation Permit for the paste plant at Olympias. The long-awaited permits were received after the Company had announced its plans to suspend all investments in its operational mines, development projects, and exploration assets in Greece on September 11, 2017. For immediate access to our complimentary reports, including today's coverage, register for free now at: http://protraderdaily.com/register/ At Pro-TD, we make it our mission to bring you news that matter about the stock you follow. Today, our research desk covers a blog story on EGO. Go directly to your stock of interest and access today's free coverage at: http://protraderdaily.com/optin/'symbol=EGO The Company has revealed that the Greek government has yet to issue the amended Electromechanical Installation permit for the Skouries flotation plant and permits for the relocation of antiquities at the Skouries site. The Greek government has assured that it would be issuing more permits soon. The Company has assured that it would be agreeable to any constructive discussions with the Greek government once it receives requisite permits for the Skouries project. During these discussions, the Company will be in a better position to clarify its stance and re-assess its investment options in Greece. The bone of contention between Eldorado Gold and the Greek government is over compliance of environmental norms and resistance from the local communities regarding the Company's mining activities. The arbitration process is expected to last for at least three months and is expected to resolve pending disagreements between the Greek Government and the Company. Commenting on the matter, George Burns, President and CEO for Eldorado Gold, said: "This is another positive step forward; however, we are still waiting on the other matters, which we continue to believe can be resolved through good faith negotiations. We again invite the Ministry to engage with us to resolve these matters." Eldorado Gold's projects in Greece Eldorado Gold's projects in Greece include the Stratoni, Skouries, Olympias mines all of which are in Halkidiki Peninsula, Greece and the Perama Hill mine located in Thrace, Greece. The Stratoni, Skouries, Olympias mines were part of Eldorado Gold's acquisition of European Goldfields Limited in February 2012. During the mining update of the Company's projects in Greece, provided in March 2012, the following was mentioned: Hellas Gold, a Greek subsidiary of Eldorado Gold, had acquired the approval of the Technical Study of Skouries Project and the Olympias mine from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoE) in 2012. The mining operations were at the Stratoni Mine continued and the Company had received Preliminary Environment Impact Assessment for Perama Hill in February 2012. Current status of the mining projects in Greece In 2016, between January and May, the development of the Skouries Mine was suspended due to delayed permits and licenses. After the receipt of the updated Technical Study in June 2016, the development work recommenced. Eldorado Gold plans to develop the Olympias Mine in three phases. The work on Phase-I is nearly completed, and in the Phase-II, the Company expects to start commercial production from the end of 2017. The Perama Hill project has been put on care and maintenance as of FY16. Work on the Stratoni mine is yet to commence. Eldorado Gold Strong Stance Compels the Greek Government to Respond On September 11, 2017, Eldorado Gold had announced that it has not received the requisite routine permits and licenses for the construction and development of the Skouries and Olympias projects, even after repeated attempts by the Company and Hellas Gold to have a constructive dialogue with the Greek government, the Ministry of Energy and Environment, and other government agencies. The Company's contention was that the delays in getting permits are affecting the project schedules and costs. This, in turn, is impacting negatively on the Company's ability to make any progress on these projects. The Company had revealed its plans to stop any new investments in the Company's mining projects in Greece and the funds budgeted for these projects would be used for community spending. The Company planned to terminate its employees and suspend its contractors and put its Skouries, Olympias projects and the Stratoni mine on care and maintenance with effect from September 22, 2017. The matter came to light when workers from the Company protested outside the Energy Ministry offices in Athens on September 13, 2017, as they were worried about potential job losses. Immediately after this, the Greek government's Ministry of Energy and Environment on September 13, 2017, gave the Operating Permit for the Olympias project and modified the Electromechanical Installation Permit for the tailings management facility at Kokkinolakkas. This was followed by a formal notice from Greece's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Environment and Energy on September 14, 2017, initiating Greek domestic arbitration. Last Close Stock Review On Monday, September 18, 2017, the stock closed the trading session flat at $2.32. A total volume of 14.19 million shares have exchanged hands, which was higher than the 3-month average volume of 6.58 million shares. Eldorado Gold's stock price rallied 24.06% in the last one month. The stock is trading at a PE ratio of 145.00 and has a dividend yield of 0.43%. The stock currently has a market cap of $1.89 billion. Pro-Trader Daily: Pro-Trader Daily (Pro-TD) produces regular sponsored and non-sponsored reports, articles, stock market blogs, and popular investment newsletters covering equities listed on NYSE and NASDAQ and Canadian stocks. PRO-TD has two distinct and independent departments. 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If you're a company we are covering and wish to no longer feature on our coverage list contact us via email and/or phone between 09:30 EDT to 16:00 EDT from Monday to Friday at: Email: contact@protraderdaily.com Phone number: (917) 341.4653 Office Address: Mainzer Landstrasse 50 Frankfurt am Main, Germany 60325 CFA and Chartered Financial Analyst are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute. SOURCE: Pro-Trader Daily HOUSTON, TX -- (Marketwired) -- 09/15/17 -- Dewmar International BMC, Inc. (OTC PINK: DEWM), a diversified brand management and operating company, announces that along with its operating partner, Willie Robertson, Dewmar and Mr. Robertson provided valuable donations of medical equipment, devices, clothing, outdoor wear and more to assist Hurricane Harvey victims and first-responders in the Greater Houston area. "One of our Dewmar shareholders that is working closely with victims of Hurricane Harvey reached out to us via email days after the storm passed asking for medical supply donations to a shelter that she is volunteering time at in Houston. She particularly stated that the shelter had a significant number of diabetic patients so we knew specifically where we could help," said Dr. Marco Moran, CEO of Dewmar International. "I immediately contacted members of our staff at our subsidiary pharmacies and clinics to ask them to gather as much diabetic supplies, general medical supplies, patient educational materials and over-the-counter products that we could spare for me to come personally pick up by the end of the week a few days after the hurricane. Additionally, I asked members of the Robertson Family and the Duck Commander staff to join us in our donation efforts," Dr. Marco Moran stated. Ironically, Willie and staff at Duck Commander were already in full gear gathering very valuable outdoor wear and equipment such as waders and rubber boots along with other necessary items of clothing to ship immediately to first-responders and to families who needed to brave the toxic watery elements in the Houston and Beaumont areas in an attempt to salvage as much of their property and valuables as possible. "This further acknowledges what a good business partnership we have with Marco and the Dewmar team as they share the same passion as we do at Duck Commander to help those in need," says Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander and star of the A&E hit series Duck Dynasty. Dewmar International's subsidiary, Health & Wellness Research Consortium, has contracts with 2 clinics in Mississippi, a pharmacy in Louisiana, a telemedicine center in Mississippi and practitioners stationed across both several Southern states. Dr. Moran acknowledges that he himself drove from site to site across Louisiana and Mississippi sorting out the following items: OTC medications, diabetic syringes, patient education pamphlets, clothing, diabetic glucose monitoring machines, urine sampling kits, blood pressure cuffs and even hundreds of Kush Cakes to help distressed evacuees to reduce stress or to receive a better night's sleep. Please notify Dewmar International of any shelters throughout Florida that are seeking ways to help its Hurricane Irma evacuees to relax during this period of high stress. The Company has set aside a significant portion of its most recent batch run of our non-THC, herbal relaxation brownies, Kush Cakes, to shelters in Florida. Please refer them to send an email to HelpRelax@DewmarInternational.com along with the address of their shelter, a contact person, phone number, general photos and a brief letter of request. About Dewmar International BMC, Inc. Dewmar International BMC, Inc. is a certified MBE and service disabled veteran owned new product development, manufacturing and brand management company. Established in 2003, Dewmar's primary business strategy has been in creating high profit margins with functional foods and beverages, as well as introducing new simple yet meaningful innovations to markets of great demand. The Company's flagship product, Lean Slow Motion Potion, whose flavors include Yella, Purp and Easta Pink, is rated as one of the top 3 national selling relaxation beverages in the U.S. market and is the longest standing relax beverage in Walmart stores in the United States. Kush Cakes is the country's leading relaxation hemp-infused brownie. The company has offices in Clinton, MS; Houston, TX: Denver, CO and New Orleans, LA. Click here for the Safe Harbor Statement. Dewmar International BMC, Inc. Investment & Company Information InvestorRelations@DewmarInternational.com The global isocyanate market is expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 7% during the period 2018-2022, according to a new market research study by Technavio This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180127005005/en/ Technavio has published a new market research report on the global isocyanate market 2018-2022 under their chemicals and materials library. (Photo: Business Wire) The report categorizes the global isocyanate market by product type (MDI, TDI, and aliphatic), by application (rigid foams, flexible foams, paints and coatings, and elastomers), and by end-user (construction industry, automotive industry, and electronics industry). The report also determines the geographic breakdown of the market in terms of detailed analysis and impact, which includes key geographies such as APAC, the Americas, and EMEA. Save more with Technavio. Buy 2 reports and get the third for free View Technavio's latest discounts and promotions Market driver: rising demand for PU from the automotive industry The increased consumption of PU as a material in automotive seating is fueling the demand for isocyanate. The primarily used raw materials in the production of PU are TDI and MDI. It has been noticed that the applications of PUs have increased in the past few years. Applications such as coatings and bed liners, boat floors and tire covers, and body parts and instrumental panels use PUs. In automobiles, due to the use of water-based PU and reduced emissions, PU solutions are helpful for the formation of lighter-weight parts, shorter production duration, lower cost, higher quality, and fewer volatile organic compounds (VOC). According to a senior analyst at Technavio for olefinsresearch, "Due to its enhanced properties, which include sustainable cushioning, shock absorbing, and insulating properties, the demand for PU foams in modern vehicles is also increasing. It can be further customized to achieve the required size of automotive seating, thereby reducing the cost and waste and help minimize the environmental impact. Properties such as high resistance to bleach, aging, alkalis, abrasion, sunlight, and acids are demonstrated by the flexible foams in which isocyanate is used. The consumption of isocyanate is expected to increase due to the increasing demand for PU." Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Market trend: production of high-efficiency bio-based isocyanate Isocyanate types such as TDI, MDI, and HDI are used to form polymers such as polyurethane. These polymers are used to make foam padding for mattresses and seat cushions, gaskets and seals, adhesives, paints, and surface coatings and sealants. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) consideres TDI to be a carcinogen. The workforce needs to use the engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and good hygiene practices as they are exposed to the liquid resin and isocyanate ingredients regularly and for longer durations during the production of PU polymers. TDI is highly reactive in nature, similar to HDI. HDI-based coatings are used in the production of automobiles, aircraft, flooring, furniture, and safety equipment. Market challenge: fluctuation is the price of raw material The fluctuation in the price of crude oil or natural gas drives the global isocyanate market. TDI (key product type of isocyanate) are produced by using chemical compounds, such as propylene and benzene. Any fluctuation in the price of these essential raw materials poses as a challenge to manufacturers to set prices for the products manufactured by them as it directly influences the price of isocyanate. A continuous fluctuation in the price of crude oil has been observed since 2000. Is your business on track for a successful future? Learn how Technavio can help Technavio helps businesses anticipate changes in their marketplace, make proactive adjustments, and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. Some of the major contributors in the global isocyanate market are: Asahi Kasei Corporation BASF Covestro DowDuPont Evonik Wanhua Chemical Group The global isocyanate market is fragmented with new vendors looking to capture the market share. Through innovation, quality, and price, players are trying to compete in the market. The competition is expected to intensify with players investing heavily in R&D activities. The market players are expected to increase their global footprint with mergers and acquisitions and collaboration with various regional or local players in the market. Get a sample copy of the global isocyanate market report free of cost Access Technavio's continuously growing olefins research library and find expert analysis on hundreds of markets. About Technavio Technaviois a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180127005005/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 www.technavio.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Activity in the New York manufacturing sector saw a modest slowdown in the pace of growth in the month of September, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Friday. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index edged down to 24.4 in September from 25.2 in August, although a positive reading still indicates growth. The index has been expected to drop to 19.0. 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. KEY LARGO, FL -- (Marketwired) -- 09/29/17 -- Hurricane Irma has come and gone but not without leaving its mark on the state of Florida. At first it appeared that the storm was coming directly for Miami and Fort Lauderdale before it made its final shift to the west coast. Irma made a direct hit on much of the Keys, Naples, and Marco Island. Miami and Jacksonville both escaped the eye of the storm but each experienced tremendous flooding from storm surge. Now that the waters have subsided, restoration companies from across the land have surged into the areas damaged by the storm. They provide a necessary service of removing damaged building materials and placing drying equipment but many out of state companies are overstepping their bounds when it comes to mold remediation. In 2011, the State of Florida implemented licensing requirements for both mold assessments and mold remediation to ensure properties with mold problems were handled by professionals with proper training. This means that if the restoration company drying out your home or business finds mold and treats it rather than removing themselves from the project, they are breaking the law. It is also important to note that if you had mold testing performed on a mold assessment, that same person cannot perform the work as it is a conflict of interest. The State of Texas has similar regulations and has temporarily allowed out of state contractors to perform this work through a waiver system. However, the damage in Houston appears far greater than that here in the State of Florida and waiving the licensing requirements is not anticipated. These laws are in place to protect the home and business owners of Florida. In order to ensure your property is restored correctly please use a licensed Florida Mold Remediator. If you do not you may end up having problems return and out of state contractors long gone when looking for a fix or have problems getting paid on an insurance claim once they realize a non-licensed restoration company was used. Water Mold Fire Restoration http://watermoldfire.net Email Contact 800-905-0277 GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 26,2017 /PRNewswire/ --The 40th China International Furniture Fair (Shanghai) (CIFF) has reported a record 91,623 visitors from 200 countries and regions who came to see the more than 2,000 exhibitors at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. The attendance numbers mark a new high for CIFF (Shanghai) and represent an 8.18 percent year-on-year increase. "This year's CIFF connected members throughout the industrial chain to mark the event's 20thanniversary," the CIFF committee staff said, "Moving forward, CIFF will continue to improve our capabilities and work to create ever-more business opportunities for exhibitors and buyers by offering innovative functions, improving product quality and optimizing service." New Product Launches and Promising Trade Opportunities The 400,000-square meter main exhibition hall created numerous business opportunities for both exhibitors and visitors. Daily traffic per booth reached 4,800 during the fair with an average of 9 visitors at each booth every second during the event's peak. More than 90 percent of exhibitors have come to the fair with their latest products, with some of them hosting new product release events on-site, covering home furniture, and home decor, as well as outdoor & leisure, office, commercial and hotel furniture, furniture machinery and raw materials. Focus on Design: Promoting Creativity in the Furniture Industry CIFF (Shanghai) 2017 hosted more than 30 speeches, forums and events in various fields including: A speech by Dr. Shan Jixiang, director of the Palace Museum Award ceremony for the first Asia-Pacific Pinnacle Awards (the Pinnacles) "Witness the Pinnacle" Design Forum highlighting Jonathan Adler , top U.S designer, Masayuki Kurokawa , pioneer Japanese architect and industrial designer, and Alex Shuford III , president and CEO of Century Furniture Company About CIFF Launched in 1998, the China International Furniture Fair's two annual fairs in Guangzhou and Shanghai have connected the Chinese furniture industry with buyers and sellers at home and abroad. The mega tradeshow has featured home decor, home textiles, furniture machinery, and raw materials, as well as outdoor, office, commercial and hotel furniture at every fair and became one of the four major furniture fairs globally. For more information: http://www.ciff-sh.com/en Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/561820/40th_China_International_Furniture_Fair.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/561819/exhibitors.jpg 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 15, 2017) - Southern Silver Exploration Corp. (TSXV: SSV) (OTCQB: SSVFF) (FSE: SEG1) ("Southern") reported today that the Company has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to extend the final closing date of its previously announced brokered private placement (the "Offering") until September 29th, 2017. The private placement is comprised of a brokered and non-brokered component. Gravitas Securities Inc. is acting as lead agent of the brokered portion of the private placement. As announced on August 31st, 2017, the Company has closed a second tranche of the Offering by issuing 1,170,000 units ("Units") for a total of $468,000. In total, the Company has now closed two tranches for total gross proceeds of $3,017,000. The Offering, which was initially announced on May 18th, 2017, consists of up to 12,500,000 Units at a price of $0.40 per Unit for a total of $5,000,000, with an over-allotment option to increase the Offering by up to 15%. Each Unit consists of one share of common stock of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"), with each Warrant exercisable to acquire an additional share of common stock of the Company at a price of $0.55 per share for a period of three years. About Southern Silver Exploration Corp. Southern Silver Exploration Corp. is a precious metal exploration and development company with a focus on the discovery of world-class mineral deposits in north-central Mexico and the southern USA. Our specific emphasis is the Cerro Las Minitas silver-lead-zinc project located in the heart of Mexico's Faja de Plata, which hosts multiple world-class mineral deposits such as Penasquito, San Martin, Naica and Pitarrilla. We have assembled a team of highly experienced technical, operational and transactional professionals to support our exploration efforts in developing, along with our partner, Electrum Global Holdings LP, the Cerro Las Minitas project into a premier, high-grade, silver-lead-zinc mine. The Company engages in the acquisition, exploration and development either directly or through joint-venture relationships in mineral properties in major jurisdictions. Our property portfolio also includes the Oro porphyry copper-gold project located in southern New Mexico, USA. 1. The March 21, 2016 Cerro Las Minitas Resource Estimate was prepared following CIM definitions for classification of Mineral Resources. Resources are constrained using mainly geological constraints and approximate 10g/t AgEq grade shells. The block models are comprised of an array of blocks measuring 10m x 2m x 10m, with grades for Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn and AgEq values interpolated using ID2 weighting. The models identified at a 150g/t AgEq cut-off, an indicated resource of 3,724,000 tonnes averaging 90g/t Ag, 0.05g/t Au, 2.3% Pb, 2.5% Zn and 0.09% Cu and a cumulative inferred resource of 6,611,000 tonnes averaging 82g/t Ag, 0.17g/t Au, 1.6% Pb, 4.3% Zn and 0.2% Cu. Mineral Resource cut-offs are estimated using an average long-term price of $15/oz silver, $1,100/oz gold, $2.75/lb Cu, $0.90/lb lead and $0.90/lb zinc and metal recoveries of 82% silver, 86% lead and 80% zinc. AgEq calculations did not account for relative metallurgical recoveries of the metals. All prices are stated in $USD. Mineral Resources are conceptual in nature and as such do not have demonstrated economic viability. The current Resource Estimate was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo. of Kirkham Geosciences Ltd. who is the Independent Qualified Person responsible for presentation and review of the Mineral Resource Estimate. Robert Macdonald, MSc., P.Geo, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and responsible for the supervision of the exploration on the Cerro Las Minitas Project and for the preparation of the technical information in this disclosure. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Lawrence Page" Lawrence Page, Q.C. President & Director, Southern Silver Exploration Corp. For further information, please visit Southern Silver's website at southernsilverexploration.com or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Southern Silver Exploration Corp. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Harvard's Kennedy School of Government has rescinded a visiting fellowship it offered to Chelsea Manning, a former US Army soldier who was convicted by court martial in 2013, after disclosing about 750,000 sensitive, military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks. The school's move is after it faced backlash from top national security officials. Former acting CIA Director Michael Morrel had resigned as a senior fellow at Harvard after the university announced hiring the transgender former US Marine as a visiting fellow. CIA Director Mike Pompeo canceled a talk at the Harvard Kennedy School in protest against hiring Manning. Douglas Elmendorf, dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, admitted that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, and took responsibility for it. 'Therefore, we are withdrawing the invitation to her to serve as a Visiting Fellow-and the perceived honor that it implies to some people-while maintaining the invitation for her to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak in the Forum,' he said in a statement Friday. Manning was one of four Visiting Fellows for the 2017-18 academic year that the Institute of Politics (IOP) at Harvard Kennedy School announced Wednesday. Kansas City Mayor Sylvester 'Sly' James, Jr., former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and Robby Mook, a CNN political commentator who was the election campaign manager for Hillary Clinton, were the others invited to join Harvard community as a Visiting Fellow. As part of the Institute's program of engaging students in discourse on topical issues, Manning was supposed to deal with 'issues of LGBTQ identity in the military.' She is still welcome to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak at the school's John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, the dean said. On Twitter, Manning accused the school of suppressing 'marginalized voices' and caving to pressure from the CIA. In a resignation letter sent to Elmendorf, Morell said he could not be part of an organization that 'honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information.' 'Ms. Manning was found guilty of 17 serious crimes, including six counts of espionage, for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks, an entity that CIA Director Mike Pompeo says operates like an adversarial foreign intelligence service,' Morell wrote. Pompeo stressed that he didn't take issue with Manning's gender identity, but said he believes it is shameful for Harvard 'to place its stamp of approval upon her treasonous actions.' Chelsea E. Manning, a transgender U.S. Solider, is a Washington D.C. based network security expert. Following her court martial conviction the then President Obama had commuted her 35-year sentence, citing it as 'disproportionate' to the penalties faced by other whistleblowers. She served seven years in prison. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Half-year results down significantly compared to 2016 on the back of a continued acute market slowdown FY 2017 profit warning Regulatory News: Heurtey Petrochem (Paris:ALHPC) announces its consolidated results for the first half of 2017. The Board of Directors of Heurtey Petrochem met on 14 September 2017 and approved the Group's first-half 2017 financial statements, which were subject to a limited audit by the Statutory Auditors. m (IFRS) H1 2017 H1 2016 Change Revenues 130.0 177.4 -26% Cost of sales (120.6) (157.0) -23% Gross margin % of revenues 9.1 7.0% 20.4 11.5% -55% Administrative and commercial expenses (16.9) (18.9) -11% EBITDA* (5.4) 3.6 ns Current operating income % of revenues (7.8) 1.5 0.9% ns Other operating income and expenses 0 (5.3) Operating income (7.8) (3.7) Financial profit (1.9) (2.6) Income before tax (10.4) (6.3) Tax 0.7 1.0 Consolidated net income (9.6) (5.3) Net income, Group share (9.6) (5.3) *EBITDA: Current operating income before amortization, depreciation and provisions. First-half 2017 revenues of 130 million Heurtey Petrochem generated revenues of 130 million in the first half of 2017, down 26% compared to the first half of 2016 (-28% at constant exchange rates). The Furnaces segment accounted for 72% of revenues, of which 34% was for refining, 19% for petrochemicals, and 19% for hydrogen, with the remaining 28% generated by Gas Processing. The regional breakdown was 25% from the Americas, 33% from Asia-Oceania, 31% from the Middle East and Africa and 11% from Europe and Russia. Current operating income down for our two businesses m Furnaces Gas H1 2017 H1 2016 H1 2017 H1 2016 Revenues 93.6 134.5 36.2 42.9 Gross margin % of revenues 7.0 7.5% 17.7 13.2% 2.0 5.7% 2.7 6.3% Current operating income % of revenues (5.2) (5.6%) 4.2 3.1% (2.6) (7.2%) (2.6) (6.1)% The Group's gross margin, which stood at 9.1 million or 7.0% of revenue, was in sharp decline compared to the first half of 2016, given the marked reduction in revenue and cost overrides on projects in the completion phase. In light of the significant reduction in the order book for the Furnaces branch, and substantial cost overrides on certain contracts, there was more of a downturn in the gross margin than for the Gas Branch, which is holding up better due to the lesser reduction in its volume of activity. The group's administrative and sales expenses came to 16.9 million, down 2 million over the half-year due to cost-cutting measures taken in 2016. In these conditions, the Group's current operating income was -7.8 million. The Group's financial performance was negative by 1.9 million, of which 0.6 million in interest paid, 0.5 million in financial income, 1.3 million in exchange losses, and 0.5 million in fair-value accounting of financial instruments. During the period, the Group recorded 0.7 million in tax income following the activation of tax losses for French entities and the readjustment, at the 28% tax rate, of previous deficits for these same entities. It follows that consolidated net income stood at -9.6 million. Financial position At 30 June 2017, the Group had 27.3 million in medium- and long-term financial debt and 39.7 million in active cash flow, of which 25.3 million in net cash and 76.7 million in equity capital. During the half-year, the Group consumed 22.6 million in cash to finance its operations, including a 10 million change in working capital requirements due to losses incurred and the completion during the half-year of several projects not yet billed. Further to the Takeover Bid by Axens, finalized on 6 February 2017, Heurtey Petrochem repaid its banking pool the syndicated credit facility composed of 9 million in medium-term debt and 25 million in revolving credit, with Axens now covering the majority of the Group's financing needs, in the form of a 38 million shareholder advance on 30 June 2017. 85 million order book for the half-year Heurtey Petrochem had an order book of 85 million in the first half, down 34 million compared to the first half of 2016. The following key contracts were signed during the first six months of 2017: A 27 million contract for the creation of two gas dehydration units for the Karachaganak oil and gas complex in Kazakhstan; A 16.5 million contract for the creation of a steam reforming furnace for hydrogen production, for the Deok Yang Company in Korea. A 12.5 million contract for the creation of refinery furnaces in Saudi Arabia. FY 2017 profit warning The offset in sales prospects and the market shrinkage that the Group must constantly confront in both of its branches of activity are sharply reducing the load in some of the group's entities. This situation, as well as unexpected cost overrides on delivered projects, will further erode current operating income compared to what was reported to the market on 14 June 2017. As such, the Group anticipates revenue will be in the bottom of the announced range of 250-290 million, with current operating income at -5% to -7% of this revenue. Group governance Heurtey Petrochem is moving forward with its consolidation with the Axens group, an 89.4% shareholder, to establish a new organization starting on 1 October 2017. Accordingly, the Board of Directors, in agreement with Dominique Henri, has chosen to align the company's governance with this consolidated organization. Therefore, it has been decided that Dominique Henri will step down as Chairman and CEO of Heurtey Petrochem on 1 October, to be replaced: - as Chairman of the Board, by Jean Sentenac, Chairman and CEO of Axens Group - as Chief Executive Officer, by Jacques Moulin, currently Deputy CEO. Next press release: Q3 2017 revenue on 14 November 2017 after market close. About Heurtey Petrochem (www.heurtey.com Heurtey Petrochem is a global oil and gas engineering group operating across two market segments: Process furnaces for refining, petrochemicals and hydrogen production. Petrochem is one of the global leaders in this segment. Natural gas processing via its Prosernat subsidiary. In this sector, the Group operates in both EPC engineering and as a technology licensor. Heurtey Petrochem operates via a large international subsidiary network, with a presence in Brazil, China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Romania, Russia and the United States. The group generated revenues of 319 million in 2016. Heurtey Petrochem is listed on the Euronext Paris Alternext market. (ISIN: FR0010343186, Ticker: ALHPC). Heurtey Petrochem is a subsidiary of Axens, which holds an 89.9% stake. Forward-looking statements and information concerning the activities of Heurtey Petrochem are included in the press release above. They notably include information relative to the financial situation, results and activities of Heurtey Petrochem. They are based on the expectations and estimates of the management of Heurtey Petrochem. These forward-looking statements and information are associated with a certain degree of risk and uncertainty and are likely to be affected by known or unknown factors, many of which cannot be controlled by Heurtey Petrochem and cannot be easily anticipated. They may yield results that are substantially different from those expected or suggested by these statements. These risks include: uncertainty about changes in relationships with the clientele, suppliers and strategic partners; and generally any unfavorable change in the economic situation, the intensification of competition or modification of the regulatory environment which could affect the activities of Heurtey Petrochem. This list of factors should not be considered as exhaustive. ANNEXES Income statement (IFRS) (in thousands) H1 2017 H1 2016 Revenues 129 736 177 372 Cost of sales (120 624) (156 926) Gross margin 9 112 20 446 Administrative and commercial expenses (16 933) (18 899) Current operating income (7 821) 1 547 Other operating income 963 71 Other operating income and expenses (928) (5 331) Operating income (7 786) (3 713) Share of net income from equity-accounted joint ventures (63) (14) Operating income including the share of net income from equity- accounted joint ventures (7 849) (3 727) Income from cash and cash equivalents 151 199 Cost of gross financial debt (795) (551) Cost of net financial debt (644) (352) Other financial income 468 1 776 Other financial expenses (2 384) (4 004) Other financial income and expenses (1 917) (2 228) Income before tax (10 409) (6 308) Tax on income 775 1 016 Consolidated net income (9 634) (5 292) Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (minority interests) 9 36 Net income, Group share (9 643) (5 328) Balance sheet (IFRS) Assets (in thousands) 30 June 2017 31 December 2016 Assets Non-current assets Goodwill 66 306 68 152 Intangible assets 9 422 9 883 Tangible assets 10 328 10 812 Financial assets 2 136 1 587 Other non-current assets 818 819 Interests in equity-accounted joint ventures 380 338 Derivative financial instruments (0) 11 Deferred tax assets 11 779 11 090 101 168 102 691 Current assets Inventories 2 306 1 902 Existing construction contracts (assets) 106 890 105 193 Trade receivables and related accounts 101 379 108 294 Current taxes (assets) 5 742 5 643 Other current assets 39 380 37 284 Derivative financial instruments 138 603 Cash and cash equivalents 39 755 39 861 295 589 298 779 TOTAL ASSETS 396 757 401 470 Balance sheet (IFRS) Liabilities (in thousands) 30 June 2017 31 December 2016 Shareholders' equity and liabilities Equity capital 16 415 16 415 Issue premiums 35 538 35 538 Consolidated reserves Group share 31 295 38 418 Profit for the period Group share (9 643) (7 157) Translation reserves 3 051 5 988 Shareholders' equity (Group share) 76 657 89 204 Non-controlling interests (minority interests) 387 328 Total shareholders' equity 77 044 89 532 Non-current liabilities Financial debt 9 400 4 741 Provisions 182 500 Provisions for pension liabilities and similar 2 216 1 871 Derivative financial instruments 0 0 Deferred tax liabilities 5 001 5 894 Other non-current liabilities 1 771 1 866 18 569 14 872 Current liabilities Financial debt 17 891 35 270 Shareholder current account 38 000 Provisions 4 747 8 395 Existing construction contracts (liabilities) 31 273 38 373 Trade payables and related accounts 187 127 190 323 Current tax liabilities 2 551 3 086 Derivative financial instruments 264 432 Other current liabilities 19 292 21 186 301 145 297 066 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 396 757 401 470 Cash flow statement (IFRS) (in thousands) H1 2017 H1 2016 Consolidated net income (9 634) (5 292) Elimination of income from equity-accounted joint ventures 63 14 Elimination of amortization, depreciation and provisions (2 454) 2 065 Elimination of revaluation gains/losses (fair value) 475 (456) Elimination of the discounting effect 12 12 Elimination of other items without cash impact Elimination of income from transfers and dilution losses and profits (2) Income and expenses in connection with share-based payments Self-financing capacity after the cost of net financial debt and tax (11 540) (3 657) Elimination of tax expenses (income) (775) (1 016) Elimination of the cost of net financial debt 644 352 Self-financing capacity before the cost of net financial debt and tax (11 672) (4 320) Impact of changes in WCR (10 105) (12 857) Taxes paid (886) (1 651) Cash flow from operating activities (22 663) (18 829) Impact of changes in scope (184) Acquisition of tangible and intangible fixed assets (772) (1 235) Changes in loans and advances granted 50 161 Disposal of tangible and intangible fixed assets 2 265 Other flows from investment 14 Cash flow from investing activities (889) (809) Capital increase other Loan issues 8 100 8 589 Loan repayments (9 087) (8 636) Transactions between shareholders Net financial interest paid (242) (313) Dividends paid to Group shareholders Current account advances made to Axens 38 000 Other flows from financing operations (26) Cash flow from financing activities 36 771 (386) Impact of changes in foreign exchange rates (1 231) (31) Change in cash position 11 988 (20 054) Opening cash position 13 327 33 973 Closing cash position 25 315 13 919 Change in cash position 11 988 (20 054) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170915005668/en/ Contacts: Heurtey Petrochem Dominique Henri, Chairman and CEO Gregory Matouskoff Group CFO +33 (0) 1 41 93 80 00 invest@heurtey.com The global mainframes market is expected to grow at an impressive CAGR of close to 3% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest market research. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170915005064/en/ Technavio has published a new report on the global mainframes market from 2017-2021. (Graphic: Business Wire) In this market research report, Technaviocovers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global mainframes market for 2017-2021. The market is further categorized into four application segments, including generation, transmission, substation automation, and distribution. Technavio's research analysts segment the global mainframes market into the following regions: Americas EMEA APAC Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Global mainframes market in Americas The Americas is the highest contributor in the market due to the presence of leading vendors in the market such as IBM, Dell EMC, and BMC Software. The adoption of mainframes in the Americas is considerably high as the leading BFSI, healthcare, retail, and telecom firms have implemented mainframe solutions. The adoption of mainframes in North American nations is high as compared to the South American nations. According to Amrita Choudhury, a lead enterprise application research analyst at Technavio, "The US and Canada are the leading countries in which enterprises have installed mainframe solutions to manage databases. Enterprises operating businesses in the BFSI sector in South American nations such as Brazil and Chile have primarily subscribed to mainframes." This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing Buy 1 Technavio report and get the second for 50% off. Buy 2 Technavio reports and get the third for free Global mainframes market in EMEA The market for mainframes solutions in Europe is growing as the mobile payment industry is becoming dynamic in the region. The adoption of advanced payment technologies in European banks will require effective data processing solutions. The adoption of mainframes in the European Union nations is gradually increasing in the telecom sector to manage data, voice, and messaging services. The UK, Germany, France, and Spain are the leading countries adopting virtualized servers. The need for software centric IT infrastructure has led to the increasing adoption of software-defined solutions in Europe. Global mainframes market APAC Digital transformation is one the major factors behind the growth of the mainframes market in Asian Countries such as China, India, Singapore, and Australia. The adoption of cloud-based services in data centers and mainframe management is increasing gradually. The adoption of cloud in Singapore is increasing due to government investments in smart projects such as Smart Nation. The Singapore infrastructure development authorities are encouraging public and private sector firms to adopt cloud-based solutions for storing digital files. "China and India are also adopting cloud-based storage solutions to reduce their overall storage costs. Enterprises are implementing cloud-based storage to reduce the investments and operational costs associated with data centers. The adoption of cloud in Asia is increasing at a significant rate as the demand for cost-effective IT solutions has intensified in all kinds of organizations," says Amrita. The top vendors in the global mainframes market as highlighted in this market research analysis are: BMC Software Dell EMC FUJITSU Hitachi Data System IBM Browse Related Reports: Global Currency Exchange Software Market 2017-2021 Global Debt Collection Software Market 2017-2021 Global Complex Event Processing Market 2017-2021 About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170915005064/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 www.technavio.com TORONTO, Sept. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX:ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana") is pleased to announce that Mr. James Gilbert, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Jeffrey Hillis, Chief Financial Officer, will be attending the Precious Metals Summit at Beaver Creek, Colorado from September 18-20, 2017. Mr. Gilbert will be presenting on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 11:45 a.m. (MT). A webcast of the presentation will be available on Orvana's website. About Orvana Orvana is a multi-mine gold and copper producer. Orvana's operating assets consist of the producing gold-copper-silver El Valle mine in northern Spain and the producing gold-copper-silver Don Mario mine in Bolivia. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com). Cautionary Statements - Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this information constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "are projected to" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the potential to extend the mine life of El Valle and Don Mario beyond their current life-of-mine estimates including specifically, but not limited to in the case of Don Mario, the completion of the major tailings storage facility expansion, the mining of the Cerro Felix deposit, the processing of the mineral stockpiles and the reprocessing of the tailings material; Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; the Company's ability to optimize productivity at Don Mario and El Valle; estimates of future production, operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; and mine development plans. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. The estimates and assumptions of the Company contained or incorporated by reference in this information, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to, the various assumptions set forth herein and in Orvana's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures") or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at El Valle and Don Mario being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; and labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the El Valle and/or Don Mario and/or ability to resume long-term operations at Carles Mine; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; and the risks identified in the Company's Disclosures under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties". This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors. Any forward-looking statements made in this information with respect to the anticipated development and exploration of the Company's mineral projects are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Jeff Hillis, Chief Financial Officer, T (416) 369-6275, E jhillis@orvana.com TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Amid continue provocative actions and threats by North Korea, a new Gallup poll found a majority of Americans would support taking military action against the communist country if peaceful means fail. Fifty-eight percent of Americans said they would favor using military action against North Korea if the U.S. does not accomplish its goals with economic and diplomatic efforts, while 39 percent are opposed. The percentage favoring military action is up significantly from the last time Gallup asked the question in 2003, when 47 percent were in favor. Gallup said the major shift has been among Republicans, with 82 percent now favoring military action compared to 59 percent in 2003. Support for military action among independents has also risen to 56 percent from 41 percent, while support among Democrats has actually fallen to 37 percent from 41 percent. Along with the increase in support for military action against North Korea, the poll also showed Americans are less optimistic that the situation can be resolved using only economic and diplomatic efforts. Fifty percent still believe the situation with North Korea can be resolved using only economic and diplomatic efforts, although that is down from 72 percent in 2003. Nonetheless, a majority of Americans continue to believe that North Korea is not likely to take military action against the U.S. in the next six months. The survey was conducted before the latest missile test by North Korea, which launched a missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday. The Gallup poll of 1,022 adults was conducted September 6th through 10th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BC --(Marketwired - September 15, 2017) - Klondex Mines Ltd. (TSX: KDX) (NYSE American: KLDX) ("Klondex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the donation of the Rock Creek Lands to the Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada. The lands were transferred on August 17, 2017 and a celebration was held on August 18, 2017 in Battle Mountain, Nevada. About Rock Creek Lands The Rock Creek Lands is an area along the Rock Creek Canyon about 20 miles northeast of Battle Mountain, Nevada. For thousands of years, the Rock Creek Lands were traditionally used by the Western Shoshone for healing ceremonies and a great source of medicinal plants. The land package includes rock shelters, sweat lodges, and other ceremonial sites. The Rock Creek Lands can only be accessed by a dirt road and includes five sections totaling 3,629 acres of private land. Klondex and the Western Shoshone have established covenants to empower the Western Shoshone in the protection of these lands to ensure there is a legacy to be used for generations to come. Paul Huet, President and CEO commented, "Securing the lands and donating them to the Western Shoshone has been a focus of the Klondex Executive team and endorsed by the Klondex Board of Directors since acquiring Hollister. Working alongside such an amazing group like the Western Shoshone has been gratifying for everyone involved. Klondex recognizes that working with key external stakeholders is critical to our success. This contribution will be remembered for many generations and will secure the Rock Creek Lands indefinitely for the Western Shoshone." About Klondex Mines Ltd. (www.klondexmines.com) Klondex is a well-capitalized, junior-tier gold and silver mining company focused on exploration, development, and production in a safe, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective manner. The Company has 100% interests in three producing mineral properties: the Fire Creek Mine and the Midas Mine and ore milling facility, both of which are located in the state of Nevada, USA, and the True North Gold Mine and mill in Manitoba, Canada. The Company also has 100% interests in two recently acquired projects, the Hollister mine and the Aurora mine and ore milling facility, also located in Nevada, USA. For More Information John Seaberg Senior Vice President, Strategic Relations O: 775-284-5757 M: 303-668-7991 jseaberg@klondexmines.com NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/15/17 -- On4 Communications, Inc. (OTC: ONCI) today announced it has released its financials with a 73.6% increase in revenue over 2nd Quarter. CEO Steve Berman states, "We are in the perfect storm of business, and dealers and manufacturers realize that they need to put an end to the worldwide epidemic of distracted driving. We are now in dealerships in over 25 states and have a global presence in Asia and South America and Europe." "This is the first time On4 Communications has an increase in net income in 5 years, and things look great for the rest of the year. Our net income has risen to over $300,000." "Today's meeting with BMW was amazing, and they have asked us to make some design changes to our basic unit to fit the new European diagnostics. After we make the changes we will meet in another 60 days to discuss how to implement our product into BMW vehicles similar to the way we are working with Chrysler Corp today." "We are also pleased to announce that we have signed a letter of intent to purchase a 15,000 sq. ft. factory in Budapest, Hungary, to satisfy our European contracts. This factory will allow On4 to distribute throughout Europe and expand our global presence in the EU. This acquisition is non dilutive, and will be financed through a loan against receivables." "Share reduction will come in 3 stages; I will be reducing more shares than previously announced. The first stage begins next week and involves a reduction of preferred shares." "Additional revenue contracts and updates next week," CEO Steve Berman concludes. About On4 Communications On4 is a holdings company with an aggressive focus of acquiring proven and profitable businesses. Our first project is focusing on businesses operating in the $1.7 trillion U.S. healthcare industry. Our newest targeted businesses are operating in the trillion-dollar mobile App space. Our first acquisition in the mobile App space is FMS Marketing a global creator and distributor of mobile Apps for Android and Iphones. We are also targeting businesses to acquire and joint venture with in the medical marijuana and emerging MJ ancillary products space. Forward-Looking Statement This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements, as described in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov, to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: On4 Communications, Inc. On4Company@gmail.com (323) 487-0389 PERRYSBURG, OH -- (Marketwired) -- 09/15/17 -- LD Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: LDHL) announced today its update and guidance for its Baby Boomer acquisition strategy and capital plan needed to execute a round of five acquisitions. LD Holdings has been able to sustain its focus and execution through the continued financial support of Company Officers, shareholders and investors. The Company has executed an agreement engaging a leading New York Wall Street investment banking firm for their expertise and capabilities in sourcing and structuring the right acquisition capital which will allow LD Holdings to acquire profitable businesses in strategic industries that will drive shareholder and investor value. Said Mr. Ayling, "We led an exhaustive search for the right funding partners to assist in delivering a strong round of our acquisition plan along with delivering the capital and financial structure needed to execute our ongoing acquisition pipeline." The agreement outlined the firm's placing of a credit line of up to $30M along with leveraging the firm's investment advisory, investment banking, research and brokerage services. Our immediate acquisition plan includes 5 acquisitions which represent up to $22M in revenues and $3.4M in EBITDA. "Bundling and delivering a round of 5 acquisitions will ensure we surpass our lending partner's minimum profitability hurdle while serving quality sellers that have been in our acquisition pipeline. Executing 5 acquisitions is a strong step forward and evidence of a lot of behind the scenes work," stated Ayling. Using proceeds received from acquisition capital partners, the Company's immediate and near-term actions are focused upon specific objectives that include i) Executing a round of 5 acquisitions in the landscape architect, build and servicing space ii) implementing a transition and integration plan for newly acquired businesses; iii) delivering revenue growth and operational efficiency targets iv) position the public entity of LD Holdings for potential exchange up-listing and long term financial success. "I have always said that sourcing the right acquisition capital will be the key to our success. I feel we are taking a large step forward with the launch of our new capital partnership. We have the right management team, acquiring the right businesses and are developing the right processes and integration processes to move forward with our plan," he said. "We certainly value the understanding and patience of our stakeholders and shareholders," said John Ayling, CEO. "Overcoming various hurdles with lenders has been a challenging process to acquire companies in the right way, and get it done fairly and equitably for existing shareholders. About LD Holdings, Inc. LD Holdings, Inc. operates as a financial and management holding company. It focuses on offering marketing, sales, and other business services, which represent target services to position client companies for sales and profit growth in preparation for their eventual sale; maintaining a database of businesses for sale; maintaining a database of individuals with specific backgrounds and expertise for acquisition, evaluation, and strategizing the post-acquisition business model; and maintaining database of investors. The company, LD Holdings, Inc. is based in Perrysburg, Ohio. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this news release regarding future financial and operating results, future growth in research and development programs, potential applications of our technology, opportunities for the company and any other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates," and similar expressions) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including: our limited operating history, need for future capital and need to enter into relationships with retailers for retail merchandising business, supply and distribution risks, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, protection of our intellectual property, and economic conditions generally. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the company's periodic reports, including the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions, and expectations of the company's management at the time they are made, and the company does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should change. Contact: LD Holdings, Inc. CEO John Ayling Investor Relations - Glenn Hafner 1070 Commerce Drive Building 2 - Suite 303 Perrysburg, OH 43551 (419) 873-1111 Glenn@LDHoldings.com Clichy, 2 November 2017 at 6:00 p.m. SALES AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2017 Strengthening growth: +4.5% over the first nine months like-for-like [1] Sales: 19.5 billion euros +4.5% like-for-like [1] +2.4% based on reported figures [2] Sales still highly differentiated by Division Excellent performance of L'Oreal Luxe and growth momentum of the Active Cosmetics Division confirmed Growth acceleration in the New Markets, particularly in Asia Pacific Solid performance in Western Europe Commenting on the figures, Mr Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of L'Oreal, said: "As announced, there was an acceleration in the third quarter with growth at +5.1% like-for-like. Overall, the Group outperformed the market and strengthened its position. L'Oreal Luxe delivered an excellent performance with double-digit growth, driven by the robust health of its four key brands: Lancome, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani and Kiehl's, and the momentum of its recent acquisition, IT Cosmetics. The Active Cosmetics Division is growing significantly, reflecting the quality of its launches and the good performance of CeraVe. The Consumer Products Division is reinforcing its positions in several major Zones, but is still being slowed down by continuing difficulties in the American and French markets. The highlight of the quarter is the acceleration of our sales in the New Markets, which posted double-digit growth, with strong performances in Asia Pacific, particularly in China, but also in Latin America and Eastern Europe. Western Europe is continuing to deliver a solid performance. The growth in sales continues to be boosted by our digital lead, particularly with the sustained expansion of e-commerce sales at +31.6% [3]. These good performances strengthen our confidence in our ability to once again outperform the cosmetics market in 2017, and to achieve growth in both our sales and profits." Sales at 30 September 2017 Like-for-like, i.e. based on a comparable structure and identical exchange rates, sales growth was +4.5%. The net impact of changes in the scope of consolidation was -2.2%, corresponding to: +1.0% from acquisitions, -3.2% from the sale of The Body Shop. Currency fluctuations had a positive impact of +0.1%. If the exchange rates at 29 September 2017, i.e. 1 = $1.18, are extrapolated up to 31 December 2017, the impact of currency fluctuations on sales would be approximately -1.3% for the whole of 2017. Growth at constant exchange rates was +2.3%. Based on reported figures, the Group's sales, at 30 September 2017, amounted to 19.5 billion euros, an increase of +2.4%. Sales by operational Division and geographic Zone 3rd quarter 2017 At 30 September 2017 Growth Growth m Like-for-like Reported m Like-for-like Reported By operational Division Professional Products 779.3 +0.5% -3.6% 2,518.6 -0.3% -0.6% Consumer Products 2,818.7 +2.3% -1.4% 9,208.0 +2.0% +2.1% L'Oreal Luxe 2,024.2 +11.2% +8.9% 6,172.7 +10.8% +13.2% Active Cosmetics 475.7 +6.2% +11.7% 1,610.6 +5.0% +11.3% Operational Divisions total 6,097.9 +5.1% +2.4% 19,509.9 +4.5% +5.8% By geographic Zone Western Europe [4] 1,873.7 +2.6% +1.5% 6,076.5 +2.8% +1.6% North America 1,764.3 +1.3% +0.5% 5,589.1 +2.5% +7.2% New Markets, of which: 2,459.9 +10.2% +4.6% 7,844.3 +7.4% +8.2% - Asia, Pacific [4] 1,421.3 +14.7% +7.3% 4,556.6 +10.1% +8.8% - Latin America 479.3 +3.4% -0.4% 1,464.4 +5.0% +8.9% - Eastern Europe 392.4 +7.8% +6.2% 1,301.0 +8.9% +13.8% - Africa, Middle East 166.9 +0.4% -5.3% 522.3 -9.0% -9.2% Operational Divisions total 6,097.9 +5.1% +2.4% 19,509.9 +4.5% +5.8% Group total 6,097.9 +5.1% -0.9% 19,509.9 +4.5% +2.4% In the third quarter of 2016 and at 30 September 2016, reported Group sales included The Body Shop sales in respective amounts of 200.9 million euros and 599.5 million euros. In the interest of simplification, so as to bring external communication into line with internal performance analysis reporting, and in view of its low impact, the introduction of the GST (Goods & Services Tax) in India has resulted in a restatement. The impact amounts to +0.1% on the Group's sales growth in the third quarter, with zero impact on sales growth over the first nine months. PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS At the end of September, the Professional Products Division is at -0.3% like-for-like and -0.6% based on reported figures. Sales improved slightly in the third quarter, driven by Eastern Europe and Latin America. In haircare, the revamping of the Serie Expert ranges at L'Oreal Professionnel and of the core franchises at Redken (Extreme and All Soft) are galvanising the category, while Aura Botanica at Kerastase and Biolage at Matrix are continuing to prove highly successful, surfing on the trend for naturalness. Hair colour is still benefiting from the launch of Colorfulhair at L'Oreal Professionnel and the strong momentum of Shades EQ by Redken. CONSUMER PRODUCTS The Consumer Products Division posted third-quarter growth of +2.3% like-for-like, and ended September at +2.0% like-for-like, and +2.1% based on reported figures. Make-up is maintaining its good momentum thanks to the successful mascara LashParadise and the lipsticks Color Riche Mat by L'Oreal Paris, and SuperStay Matte Ink by Maybelline New York, along with the blockbuster Total Control Drop foundation and Epic Ink eyeliner at NYX Professional Makeup. Facial skincare is accelerating thanks to the robust health of our L'Oreal Paris anti-ageing franchises and the success of Garnier products, especially Micellar Cleansing Waters. In hair colour, the success of the two new beauty steps, Magic Retouch and Colorista from L'Oreal Paris, is continuing. The Division is winning market share in Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Spanish-speaking America. In Asia, the Division accelerated in the third quarter. In the United States, the Division has been facing a particularly tough market since the beginning of the year. L'OREAL LUXE At the end of September, L'Oreal Luxe has grown by +10.8% like-for-like and by +13.2% based on reported figures, after an excellent third quarter at +11.2% like-for-like. The Division continues to accelerate in make-up and facial skincare. Lancome is strengthening its growth, with the success of Monsieur Big mascara, strong performances from Teint Idole foundation, and the launch of AdvancedGenifique Sensitive skincare and the fragrance La Vie Est Belle L'Eclat. Yves Saint Laurent is continuing to grow strongly, in make-up with the latest launches Encre de Peau All Hours in foundation and Tatouage Couture for the lips, and in fragrances with the new men's line Y.Giorgio Armani is accelerating, driven by the Emporio Armani fragrance duo and the boom in make-up. Kiehl's is continuing to deliver double-digit growth and Urban Decay is being boosted by the launch of the new Naked Heat palette. IT Cosmetics is posting rapid growth. L'Oreal Luxe is continuing to gain market share with double-digit growth in Asia Pacific, especially in China and Hong Kong, and in Travel Retail and e-commerce. ACTIVE COSMETICS At the end of September, the Active Cosmetics Division is continuing to accelerate, with sales up by +11.3% based on reported figures and by +5.0% like-for-like. La Roche-Posay posted solid growth in all Zones in the third quarter, and is innovating with the launch of Lipikar Stick AP+ anti-itch for sensitive skin. Vichy confirms the success of Mineral 89 in every market where it has been rolled-out, and is launching Liftactiv anti-oxidant and anti-fatigue fresh shot. The American brands, SkinCeuticals and CeraVe in North America, are maintaining their strong momentum in the third quarter with double-digit growth. The Division achieved very good third-quarter performance in Asia, driven by successful launches and the strong expansion of e-commerce. Summary by geographic Zone WESTERN EUROPE In this Zone, growth amounted to +2.8% like-for-like and +1.6% based on reported figures. Growth is extremely dynamic in the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany, and in the Netherlands and Greece. In France, sales continue to be held back by a difficult market. The Consumer Products and L'Oreal Luxe Divisions are outperforming their respective markets, and the make-up category remains a strong growth driver for the region. NORTH AMERICA The Zone recorded growth of +2.5% like-for-like and +7.2% based on reported figures, despite the United States economy experiencing multiple setbacks since the start of the year. In a difficult market environment, the Consumer Products Division is expanding in new distribution channels, and thanks to successful L'Oreal Paris launches: Lash Paradise mascara and Infallible foundation. L'Oreal Luxe is continuing to grow with Yves Saint Laurent and IT Cosmetics. The Redken brand is performing well in the Professional Products Division. The Active Cosmetics Division is continuing to post double-digit growth, thanks in particular to the recent acquisition of CeraVe, as well as the SkinCeuticals and La Roche-Posay brands. NEW MARKETS Asia, Pacific: the Zone posted growth of +10.1% like-for-like and +8.8% based on reported figures. In Northern Asia, China is achieving sustained growth, driven by L'Oreal Luxe, and by the strong vitality of e-commerce sales. Hong Kong is also growing strongly, with Chinese tourists continuing to return. In Southern Asia, growth is spurred on by Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, thanks to the strength of our make-up brand portfolio in the Consumer Products Division. Latin America: the Zone posted growth of +5.0% like-for-like and +8.9% based on reported figures. Mexico is maintaining its momentum. Argentina and Uruguay are achieving double-digit growth. Business in Brazil however, continues to be challenging. Eastern Europe: the Zone is growing at +8.9% like-for-like and +13.8% based on reported figures. Strong growth is continuing in Central Europe and Turkey. All Divisions are gaining market share. The make-up category is the most dynamic, thanks to NYX Professional Makeup, Maybelline New York, Yves Saint Laurent and Urban Decay. In Russia, extension work on the Vorsino plant began in July in order to increase capacity and roll out skincare technology. Africa, Middle East: like-for-like growth in this Zone is at -9.0%, and -9.2% based on reported figures. The situation is gradually improving, with a third quarter up by +0.4% like-for-like, thanks to a gradual recovery in the Gulf States. Egypt is growing strongly. The Consumer Products and L'Oreal Luxe Divisions are gaining market share in the Maghreb - Middle East region. Important events during the period 01/07/17 to 30/09/17 On 7 September 2017, after obtaining the necessary authorisations from the relevant authorities, L'Oreal and Natura Cosmeticos finalised the definitive agreement for the sale of The Body Shop to Natura, in accordance with the terms of the project announced on 9 June 2017. On 19 September 2017, L'Oreal was awarded the second prize for Diversity in Senior Management Bodies at the Corporate Governance Grand Prix ceremony organised by l'AGEFI. On 21 September 2017, L'Oreal was awarded first prize for its Code of Ethics at the Labrador Grands Prix de la Transparence ceremony. "This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy L'Oreal shares. If you wish to obtain more comprehensive information about L'Oreal, please refer to the public documents registered in France with the Autorite des Marches Financiers, also available in English on our Internet site www.loreal-finance.com (http://www.loreal-finance.com). This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. Although the Company considers that these statements are based on reasonable hypotheses at the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated or projected in these statements." This a free translation into English of the Sales at 30 September 2017 news release issued in the French language and is provided solely for the convenience of English-speaking readers. In case of discrepancy, the French version prevails. Contacts at L'Oreal (switchboard: +33 1 47 56 70 00) Individual shareholders and market authorities Mr Jean Regis CAROF Tel: +33 1 47 56 83 02 jean-regis.carof@loreal.com (mailto:jean-regis.carof@loreal.com) Financial analysts and Institutional investors Mrs Francoise LAUVIN Tel: +33 1 47 56 86 82 francoise.lauvin@loreal.com (mailto:francoise.lauvin@loreal.com) Journalists Mrs Stephanie CARSON-PARKER Tel: +33 1 47 56 76 71 stephanie.carsonparker@loreal.com (mailto:stephanie.carsonparker@loreal.com) For more information, please contact your bank, broker or financial institution (I.S.I.N. code: FR0000120321), and consult your usual newspapers, and the Internet site for shareholders and investors, www.loreal-finance.com (http://www.loreal-finance.com) or the L'Oreal Finance app, alternatively, call +33 1 40 14 80 50. Appendix L'Oreal Group sales 2016/2017 ( million) 2016 [5] 2017 [6] First quarter : Operational Divisions 6,352.4 6,847.8 The Body Shop 200.1 197.2 First quarter total 6,552.4 7,045.0 Second quarter : Operational Divisions 6,143.6 6,564.2 The Body Shop 198.5 Second quarter total 6,342.2 6,564.2 First half : Operational Divisions 12,496.0 13,411.9 The Body Shop 398.6 First half total 12,894.6 13,411.9 Third quarter : Operational Divisions 5,952.2 6,097.9 The Body Shop 200.9 Third quarter total 6,153.2 6,097.9 Nine months : Operational Divisions 18,448.2 19,509.9 The Body Shop 599.5 Nine months total 19,047.8 19,509.9 Fourth quarter : Operational Divisions 6,468.1 The Body Shop 321.3 Fourth quarter total 6,789.3 Full year : Operational Divisions 24,916.3 The Body Shop 920.8 Full year total 25,837.1 www.loreal.com (http://www.loreal.com) - Follow us on Twitter @loreal (https://twitter.com/Loreal) [1]Like-for-like: based on a comparable structure and constant exchange rates, see details on page 2. [2]In the third quarter of 2016 and at 30 September 2016, reported Group sales included The Body Shop sales in respective amounts of 200.9 million euros and 599.5 million euros. [3]Sales achieved on our brands' websites + estimated sales achieved by our brands corresponding to sales through our retailers' websites (non-audited data); like-for-like growth. [4]As of 1 July 2016, the Asian Travel Retail business of the Consumer Products Division, previously recorded under the Western Europe Zone, was transferred to the Asia Pacific Zone. All figures for earlier periods have been restated to allow for this change. [5]In the third quarter of 2016 and at 30 September 2016, reported Group sales included The Body Shop sales in respective amounts of 200.9 million euros and 599.5 million euros. [6]In the first quarter 2017, reported Group sales included The Body Shop sales, which amounted to 197.2 million euros. Read the News Release of 2 November 2017 (http://hugin.info/136480/R/2145030/822164.pdf) 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: L'OREAL via Globenewswire DUBLIN, November 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Aircraft Cabin Interior Market by Type (Seating, IFE, Lighting, Galley, Lavatory, Windows & Windshields, Stowage Bin, Panels), Vendor (OEM, Aftermarket, MRO), Aircraft Type, Material and Region (OEM, Aftermarket, MRO) - Global Forecast 2022" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. The aircraft cabin interior market is projected to grow from an estimated USD 26.02 Billion in 2017 to USD 38.85 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 8.35% during the forecast period This growth can be attributed to the increasing aircraft orders due to the rise in passenger traffic across the globe. Also, passengers are more concerned about the customer experience and airlines are investing more in upgrading the existing fleet. Based on type, the aircraft cabin interior market has been segmented into aircraft seating, in-flight entertainment, cabin lighting, galley equipment, aircraft lavatory, aircraft windows and windshields, aircraft overhead stowage bin, and aircraft interior panels. The aircraft seating subsegment is expected to lead the aircraft cabin interior market during the forecast period. The in-flight entertainment subsegment is expected to grow at the highest rate during the forecast period. Based on aircraft type, the aircraft cabin interior market has been segmented into narrow body aircraft, wide body aircraft, very large aircraft, regional transport aircraft, and business jets. The wide body aircraft segment is projected to grow at the highest rate because of the increasing aircraft orders and increasing demand for long duration air travel globally. The aircraft cabin interior market has been segmented and analyzed based on vendor into OEM, aftermarket, and MRO. The OEM segment is expected to lead the aircraft cabin interior during the forecast period. As the commercial aviation market is growing at a faster rate due to the exponential increase in air passenger traffic, the demand for new aircraft is increasing year on year. This rising demand is expected to drive the OEM market during the forecast period. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 6 Industry Trends 7 Aircraft Cabin Interior Market, By Aircraft Type 8 Aircraft Cabin Interior Market, By Type 9 Aircraft Cabin Interior Market, By Material 10 Aircraft Cabin Interior Oem, By Region 11 Aircraft Cabin Interior Aftermarket, By Region 12 Aircraft Cabin Interior Mro Market, By Region 13 Competitive Landscape 14 Company Profiles Astronics Corporation Cobham PLC Diehl Stiftung & Co. Kg Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. Gogo Inc. Honeywell International Inc. Panasonic Avionics Corporation Recaro Aircraft Seating GmbH & Co. Kg Rockwell Collins, Inc. Thales Group United Technologies Corporation Zodiac Aerospace For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/twjlrp/aircraft_cabin About Research and Markets Research and Markets is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- (Marketwired) -- 11/17/17 -- Compass Gold Corp. (NEX: CVB.H) (Compass or the Company) announces the results of its annual and special meeting of shareholders held on November 16, 2017 in Vancouver, British Columbia. At the meeting, the shareholders of the Company approved of all the resolutions set out in the management information circular, including the: -- re-election of members of the Company's Board of directors; -- acquisition of all of the Shares in Mali Gold Exploration Pty Ltd (Acquisition); -- continuance of the Company's corporate existence from the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) to the Business Corporations Act (Ontario) (Continuance); -- ratification of the rolling stock option plan of the Company; -- approval of a restricted share unit plan; and -- appointment of the auditors, Dale, Matheson Carr-Hilton LaBonte LLP. The Company will now proceed to the completion of the Acquisition and Continuance, including the completion of the previously announced private placement. share consolidation and all other requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company re-iterates that the trading in the Company's shares will continue on a pre-consolidation basis until the completion of the Acquisition and related matters. About Compass Compass is a public company organized under the laws of British Columbia. Compass is currently listed on the NEX board of the Exchange. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COMPASS GOLD CORP. "Lara Iacusso" Lara Iacusso, Director Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Compass Gold Corporation James Henderson E: Jamie@transoceangroup.com Tel: +61 2 8823 3100 or +61 403 603 377 Website: www.compassgoldcorp.com Kudos&Co. Inc., a Palo Alto, CA-based social media app for kids, raised $5.73m in seed funding. The company intends to use the funds to increase business development and marketing efforts and continue to expand its engineering and leadership team. Led by Ole Vidar Hestaas, CEO and co-founder, Kudos&Co. has launched an app which enables kids to enjoy a safe social experience sharing pictures, reactions and comments while learning to be good digital citizens. The free app, available for download in the App Store and on Google Play, requires parental consent for use and posting. Since 2014, the company has been working with thousands of beta users, mostly under the age of 13, to better understand kids needs and their interest in social sharing. Kudos moved its headquarters from Oslo, Norway to Silicon Valley, opened offices in Tiburon, California and 24-hour global moderation, support and AI centers in Bozeman, Montana and Oslo, Norway. FinSMEs 15/09/2017 trong>Seraphim Capital, a London, UK-based venture capital firm, has launched a new fund dedicated to space innovation. Seraphim Space Fund mainly focuses on investing in projects that are commercialising data about the Earth, collected by either satellite or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). It also invests in the broader technology ecosystem which supports the satellite and RPAS infrastructures and applications across a broad range of vertical markets, including construction, logistics, agriculture, finance, with a key focus on the insurance market using insights from airborne data to evaluate risk, monitor assets and assess claims. An investor in the fund is Luxembour-based satellite operator Ses (listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG), which will also participate in the vehicles Advisory Board. With a team bringing more than 100 years experience, Seraphim typically invests at Series A stage into IP-led businesses that have the potential to redefine large existing markets or create entirely new ones. Over the last decade this has included artificial intelligence (computer vision, neural networks, machine learning), the Internet of Things (software, sensors) and advanced materials (polymers, semiconductors). FinSMEs 15/09/2017 None of the high performing healthcare system works on a pure market-based approach and the only way is to introduce some kind of price standards, said Nachiket Mor, head of the Gates Foundation, in an interview to CNBC-TV18. "No high performing healthcare system works on a pure market-based approach... If I take openly market based economy, Switzerland, Japan for example, Germany, the actual price that you pay at the point of care, anybody pays, whether an insurance company that pays or you pay, is one way or the other, controlled, either by a price negotiation that happens across the entire country. So an example of that is Japan. Every year or every two years, there is a negotiation industry-wide and right from the price that you will pay for a square inch of bandage to an overnight stay at the hospital is negotiated," he said. According to him, government subsidy happens depending on the financial status of the patient. "Well it depends on if you are a poor person, or a paying person, what is the mechanism through which, is it the pooled mechanism, like ESIC or is it taxation that is paying for it, that's a separate conversation how people pay for it, but what doctors and hospitals get paid is agreed to on a zero subsidy basis, between the government and the provider. Then this published in the form of a book which is available in every waiting room of every doctor, every hospital that tells you how much will you pay," he told the TV channel. Mor's comments come at a time when India is witnessing a debate on the price controls in the healthcare system. Last month PTI reported that the government is considering fixing trade margins on drugs to bring down costs and create a level-playing field for the pharma industry. Seeking opinion from stakeholders on the Draft Pharmaceutical Policy 2017, it has also proposed ending "unethical marketing practices" of pharmaceutical firms and marketing companies by luring doctors to recommend particular brands through all-expenses-paid educational conventions and other incentives. The key objectives of the policy are to make essential drugs accessible at affordable prices to common people while providing a long-term stable policy environment for the pharmaceutical sector, the draft policy said. At present, the government fixes ceiling prices of all drugs under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and price fixation of these drugs is carried out by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). The draft policy also said that regulation for marketing practice which is at present voluntary will be made mandatory and an agency for the implementation would also be assigned. (With PTI inputs) High petrol and diesel prices are once again in the news. And the reason for this is the high taxes on these fuels, rather than the international crude oil prices. Even as the public anger is palpable on the social media and other forums, there is no indication from the government of its willingness to reduce these taxes. The Times of India has written a hard-hitting editorial on Friday (15 September) on why the government should lower the oil taxes. International crude oil prices may have halved since the Narendra Modi government assumed office, but it has made practically no difference to the consumer. This anomalous situation encapsulates a misguided taxation policy that has treated the oil sector as governments cash cow, it has said. Just two days ago, various newspapers reported that petrol and diesel prices have risen to their highest level in three years. In Mumbai, for example, the capital of a BJP-Shiv Sena governed state, the petrol price was the highest in the country on Tuesday (12 September), it had inched up to Rs 79.48 per litre. Not that this price rise happened overnight. Ever since the Narendra Modi government introduced the daily price revision system of the petroleum products (from mid-June this year) to avoid sudden spikes in prices that caused popular revulsion, cost to the consumer has been going up on a daily basis, albeit in small measure. For example, between 1 July and 12 September, the price of petrol for the common man went up by Rs 5.18 per litre. Similar has been the hike in the diesel prices in Maharashtra. It now costs Rs 62.37 per litre in Mumbai. The residents of Delhi are a shade luckier, for they have to fork out a little less for both petrol and diesel: Rs 70.38 per litre for petrol and Rs 58.72 per litre for diesel (on 12 September). This difference is there because though the excise duty levied by the central government is the same in case of both Maharashtra and Delhi, the value added tax (VAT) charged by the Delhi government is comparatively less than that by the Maharashtra government. Nevertheless the prices of petroleum products in Delhi have correspondingly gone up considerably in the last year due to the massive increase in the central excise duty in this period. During his electoral campaign in 2014, Modi had promised to bring acche din for people of India if he was elected to power. People voted for him; the good tidings that have come their way are the exorbitant taxes that the people are forced to pay for their basic needs. Take the petroleum prices: when Modi was attacking the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government for bringing misery to the people in April 2014, the taxes on petrol stood at 34 percent and taxes on diesel were barely 21.5 per cent. But in July 2017, taxes on petrol account for 58 percent and those on diesel have breached 50 percent. How do Indias oil prices compare with that of the US or other western nations? In the US, where the per capita income hovers around $60,000 (in purchasing power parity terms), the average price of the petrol (gasoline, as they call it) is $0.70 dollar per litre (on 11 September). One can find in most developed western nations the price of the petroleum products at the similar level. But then one can argue that rich capitalist nations can afford to keep the petroleum prices low. Then let us take the case of China, a country that we aspire to compete with and beat economically. The per capita income (again in PPP terms) in China is slightly above $15,000 dollars; it sells petroleum products to its citizens at an average price of 6.5 Chinese yuan (1 Chinese yuan equals 0.15 US dollar). That works out to less than a dollar per litre. But take the case of India. Our per capita income, taking purchasing power parity into consideration, is a little above $6,000. But our government sells petroleum products to its citizens at a price of $1.25 (Rs 80 at the current exchange rate). What does it suggest? The clear conclusion is that ours is an extortionist government. It has no parallel in the advanced nations; it has also no parallel among the emerging nations. Our government even turns out to be the worst among the poor south Asian nations. Take the case of Pakistan which many of our hyper-nationalists deride as a basket case. There too, the government is more considerate to its citizens than ours. Pakistan, whose per capita income is around $5,500 (less than that of India) sells petrol to its citizens at 71 Pakistani rupees, which works out to just $0.67. Compare this basket case with our country which is supposed to be an example of a growth miracle nation: our government, though we are a richer nation than Pakistan, imposes almost twice the taxes than what the Pakistani government imposes on its citizens. It is not as if Pakistans is an exceptional case. Consider the case of Sri Lanka, Nepal or Bangladesh, our governments extortion has no match in any other country. The TOI editorial makes this point squarely: All our neighbours, particularly Pakistan, pass on more benefits to consumers of petrol and diesel. This places Pakistans economy on a relatively more competitive footing than Indias, perhaps even countervailing its Jihad handicap. What is the bottom line? That the Indian government imposes a heavier burden on its citizens compared to that of other countries, whether they are richer or poorer nations than India. That is the acche din that Narendra Modi and the BJP had promised Indians in 2014! London: A UK court Thursday fixed 20 November as the date for the pre-trial hearing in the extradition case of Vijay Mallya, the embattled tycoon wanted in India on loan defaults to several banks amounting to nearly Rs 9,000-crore. The flamboyant businessman, out on bail on an extradition warrant, is exempt from appearing for hearings before his trial is scheduled to start on 4 December and chose not to attend Thursday's hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court here. This is the first hearing the 61-year-old former chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines has missed in the case involving economic offences in India and was represented in court by a female member of his family. Mallya's defence team told the court that they have provided a list of six experts they intend to rely upon in their evidence. The list includes experts from the field of airlines, banking, politics and law, including an Indian lawyer. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian government,expressed disappointment at the hard copy format in which the defence had presented their documents. "We received the physical box of evidence on Monday which has to be scanned to be sent to India. We were disappointed to receive physical evidence in 2017. It lost us a week," said CPS barrister Mark Summers. The judge,Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, sympathised with the CPS on the issue and said it was "slightly unfortunate in 2017" and requested CPS to provide her with scanned copies as well. The judge also asked the prosecution if relevant evidence had been sought from India on prison conditions in the country, which she highlighted as a concern that has been "raised in extraditions to India before". The CPS told the court that the "Indian authorities had foreseen this as an issue and have been engaged on the matter" and provided detailed assurances and photographs by email relating to prison conditions where Mallya is likely to be held. The prosecution also confirmed they had received most documents from Mallya's defence team and are awaiting two further documents and at this stage are not sure if the Indian authorities would require any additional time to respond. The extradition trial to bring Mallya to face court proceedings in India is scheduled for two weeks starting on 4 December. However, it was raised in court that the trial would not be sitting on two dates during that period December 6 and 15. Both sides agreed to leave the trial dates as they are but additional dates may be required to be added on at a later stage. If additional dates are required to be scheduled in for the trial, the case may spill over into January 2018 if it clashes with the UK courts Christmas break period. The Indian authorities believe their case is on a strong footing and all the evidence has been presented to theCPS to argue for Mallya to be extradited. "Evidence presented makes out a strong prima facie case against VijayMallya. Despite delaying tactics, it has been possible to have an indicated date in December 2017 for the hearing and the UK counsel CPS will continue to work towards an expeditious hearing of the entire case," the Indian High Commission had said in a statement. In addition to the charge-sheets filed by CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also filed a charge-sheet against Mallya. The businessman, who has been based in the UK since he left India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores. He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18. He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents. The first hearing in the case took place on June 13, when December 4 had been pencilled in as a tentative final hearing date. If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UKhome secretary must order Mallyas extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993,under which recently a Bangladeshi national wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India. Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked a British architectural firm to take inputs from well-known Telugu filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli in finalising designs for some key government buildings in upcoming state capital Amaravati. Naidu suggested that Rajamouli, famous for his blockbusters Baahubali and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion be flown to London in the coming weeks for his inputs to Foster and Partners firm. The Chief Minister will visit the firm in London on October 25 to finalise the designs, during his tour to Britain and United Arab Emirates. The firm on Thursday submitted final models of the buildings for the assembly and the High Court. According to a statement from the chief minister's office, he was happy with the waterfront, the layout and the interior designing of the legislative assembly. He, however, felt the facade can look much better to reflect world-class architecture. The High Court designs too, will be revisited, and the firm will present their next draft in the following weeks, it said. Aluva: Superstar Dileep, whose previous three bail applications were turned down, submitted his fourth bail plea on Thursday at a trial court. The Angamaly Magistrate court posted the plea to be heard on Saturday. Following his arrest on 10 July for his involvement in the conspiracy that led to the abduction and molestation of a Malayalam actress in February, Dileep has been lodged in the Aluva sub-jail. Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission has directed the state government to give a compensation of Rs 35 lakh to a man who lost seven members of his family in a terror attack 18 years ago, saying the delay amounted to glaring "violation of human rights". Roop Lal, a resident of Mendhar in Poonch district, had lodged a complaint with the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) saying seven members of his family were killed by militants during an attack on his house on 2 July, 1999, and he had received ex-gratia of just Rs one lakh from the state. "After carefully scrutiny of material available on record, the commission is satisfied that the complainant has made out a good case for grant of compensation to the tune of Rs 35 lakh," SHRC member Jung Bahadur Singh Jamwal said in his order released by the commission on Thursday. "The chief secretary of the state is directed to pay sum of Rs five lakh each to the complainant against the killing of seven members of his family," he said. Jamwal said the delay on the part of the government to provide adequate compensation to Lal amounted to glaring "violation of human rights". "The incident is rare but the authorities concerned with the payment of compensation were reluctant and ignorant about the pain and sufferings of the complainant. The compensation whatever was due within ambit of various beneficial schemes floated by the government should have been extended to the complainant," he said. Srinagar: Authorities in Srinagar on Friday imposed restrictions in parts of the city to prevent protests over the killing of top LeT commander Abu Ismail, who was the mastermind of the 10 July Amarnath Yatra attack. Prohibitory orders under the Code of Criminal Procedure was clamped in Khanyar, Rainawari, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj and Safa Kadal following Ismail's death on Thursday. "Restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPc have been imposed to maintain law and order," a Jammu and Kashmir police official said. On Thursday, the authorities had snapped Internet services in Srinagar after the Lashkar-e-Taiba commander was killed along with his other Pakistani associate, Chota Qasim in Nowgam area in Srinagar All colleges and higher secondary schools have been closed in the city as a precautionary measure. Train services between Baramulla and Bannihal have also been suspended. State Director General of Police S.P.Vaid said that 147 militants have been killed by the security forces in Kashmir so far since January . The state police chief, however, admitted there was still a large number of militants operating in the state. New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday clarified that the affidavit on Rohangiya refugees attributed to it is still being worked upon and that it was inadvertently served on the counsel for petitioner Muhammad Salimullah. Salimullah has moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to restrain the government from deporting Rohingyas. A letter written to the petitioner's advocate by the Central Agency Section which deals with cases relating to the central government in the apex court said it had served the copy of "unfinalised" affidavit "by mistake". "In fact the affidavit was/is in the process of being finalised. Before the affidavit is finalised reflecting the stand of the central government after consideration of all concerned departments, an unfinalised copy is served upon you inadvertently. The copy served upon you is also not filed in the registry of the Honourable Supreme Court. Kindly, therefore, do not treat the copy served upon you as the affidavit of the central government," the letter said. However, the "draft affidavit", which reached the media, was signed by a Deputy Secretary, Foreigners Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs. In the draft affidavit, the central government said: "There are contemporaneous inputs received by the central government, indicating linkages of some of the unauthorised Rohingya immigrants with Pakistan/ Bangladesh based terror organisations and it is found that there are organised network of agents and touts facilitating illegal migration of Rohingyas in India." "The continuity of Rohingya immigration and their continued stay in India, apart from being illegal, has serious national security ramification..." "It has also been found that many Rohingyas figure in the suspected sinister design of ISIS/other extremist groups who want to achieve their ulterior motives in India including that of flaring up communal and sectarian violence in the sensitive areas of the country," the Centre's affidavit read. New Delhi: A dairy farmer murdered in Rajasthan allegedly by cow vigilantes on Friday sought a court-monitored probe into his killing and said the case must be shifted out of the state after the police clean chit to the six accused. Pehlu Khan's son Irshad, who was present when the murderous attack took place in April in Alwar in Rajasthan, told the media that those given clean chit by Rajasthan Police were among the attackers. "They beat him up in front of my eyes," Irshad said. Khan, a dairy farmer from Jaisinghpur village, 15 kilometres from Nuh town in Haryana, was lynched by suspected cow vigilantes while returning home after buying cows from Jaipur. His family said five others got bail on grounds that they were not present at the spot during the crime. "If no one was there, who killed my father?" a distraught Irshad asked. Irshad said he had got death threats for pursuing the case and demanded the shifting of the case from Rajasthan to Haryana or elsewhere. He said he was not called for identification of the accused before bail was given to them. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who was present on the occasion, said those given the clean chit were named by Pehlu Khan in his dying declaration which the police ignored. "Investigating agencies have been pressurised by the BJP and gross injustice is being done to the bereaved family," he said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is responsible for instigating this kind of violence all over the country," the Congress leader said. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Centre's response on a plea seeking a ban on the online Blue Whale game that has been blamed for a number of deaths of young people. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud sought the government's response and asked the petitioner advocate, CR Jaya Sukin, to serve a copy of his petition on Attorney General KK Venugopal. The petitioner has sought that an awareness should be created about the fatal consequences of the Blue Whale game. The Blue Whale Challenge, reportedly created by a former convict in Russia, is said to psychologically provoke players to indulge in daring, self-destructive tasks for 50 days before finally taking the "winning" step of killing themselves. New Delhi: Describing the influx of Rohingya refugees into India as "very serious", the Congress on Friday demanded that the Central government involve all parties to formulate a policy on the matter. "This is a very serious matter. In the interest of the nation, all political parties should come together to take a decision on this. "The government should invite representatives of all parties and lay down a policy. Since the country's interests as well as decisions with long-term effects are involved, we want the policy be formulated by all the parties," Congress Spokesperson Ajay Maken said. "It should not be a policy of one party," he added. Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the government will inform the Supreme Court of its stand on the Rohingyas in India on 18 September. On Monday, the apex court will hear a plea that challenged the Centre's decision to deport illegal immigrants among the Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar. New Delhi: The CPI Friday launched a nationwide month-long campaign against the BJP-led NDA government, accusing it of pursuing policies which have resulted in intolerance and loss of jobs. During the campaign, the party will organise protests, marches and seminars in various parts of the country. "Modi government's policies have resulted in spreading intolerance, joblessness and slow paced economy. Dalits and minorities are feeling threatened. Even corruption is rampant and top BJP leaders have been accused of indulging in corruption," Sudhakar Reddy, CPI general secretary, alleged though he did not name any BJP leader. The campaign will focus on four specific issues price rise, demonetisation and GST, alleged corruption, and recovery of non-performing assets. Strongly criticising the government on steep price rise of commodities, especially fuel, Reddy said price rise is a curse on the people and alleged that the government is refusing to take any action against it. Regarding price rise of petroleum products, Reddy said it has direct impact on prices of all other commodities. "Reduction in the price of crude oil has never been reflected in the price of petroleum products in our country," he said. The party also demanded the Centre should declare the list of the 500 Indians who have been named in the Panama Papers for offshore investments and hoarding black money in foreign banks. On alleged corruption, the party blamed the BJP for "manipulating" the media to show only reports of corruption against Opposition leaders while blocking reports of corruption in the Vyapam scam and in the case of ex-IPL chief Lalit Modi. In a reference to the joint statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, CPI MP D Raja said the government could have avoided mentioning China and North Korea. Darjeeling: The Darjeeling hills were limping back to normalcy as several shops, markets, government offices and government-aided schools reopened on Thursday, while Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung asked his partymen to intensify the bandh that started 92 days ago. The shops and markets opened, defying the indefinite bandh, sponsored by GJM for a separate Gorkhaland. The state-run North Bengal State Transport Corporation plied a few buses, which were escorted by the security forces. The buses plied from Siliguri to Darjeeling and back via Kurseong, besides between Siliguri and Mirik in Darjeeling district, official sources said. Several government and government-aided schools have started functioning and teachers have been asked to join immediately. The sources said the situation in the hills remained tense but incident-free despite threats and intimidation by the GJM. For the sixth day in a row, the police, along with the administration, appealed to the locals via public address systems to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills. Expelled GJM leader Binay Tamang said that normalcy was returning in the hills. Tamang is one of the key GJM leaders who had represented the party in the two rounds of dialogues with the state government to discuss the Darjeeling issue. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had appealed to the hill parties to withdraw the bandh and restore peace and normalcy. Gurung, who is in hiding, had rejected Banerjee's appeal and said that the bandh will continue till the Centre holds a tripartite meeting on the Gorkhaland issue. He threatened that if the tripartite meeting is not called soon the situation will worsen in the days to come. In an audio statement released from a secret location, Gurung said if something untoward happens in future, the state government would be responsible for it. Panaji: Goa-based right-wing organisation Sanatan Sanstha on Friday said some "anti-Hindu elements" are spreading false news about its "involvement" in the killing of Karnataka journalist Gauri Lankesh in a bid to "divert" the investigation. Lankesh (55) was shot dead at her residence in Bengaluru by an unidentified assailant on 5 September. The incident had triggered a massive outrage across the country. Though the Karnataka government has said that they didn't want to discuss the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) report which could indicate the type of weapon used in the crime, the SIT has said it was looking into whether any right-wing group was involved or was it the handiwork of Naxals, who were unhappy with the efforts of Lankesh to bring them into the mainstream. Sanstha spokesman Chetan Rajhans said an attempt was being made by some "anti-Hindu" elements to "divert" the probe. "False news that Sanatan's activists are involved in the killing of Gauri Lankesh is being spread with the assistance of some media houses. This is nothing but an attempt being made by anti-Sanatan and anti-Hindu elements to divert the investigation," Rajhans said in a statement. He said Sanstha will organise a press conference soon to convey its side. The SIT probing the 2015 killing of Left leader Govind Pansare in Maharashtra had filed a supplementary charge sheet against Sanatan Sanstha member Virendra Tawde at a court in Kolhapur. Sanatan activists Sarang Akolkar and Vinay Pawar, both accused in the 2013 murder of the Maharashtra anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar in Pune, are still absconding. Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has issued guidelines for school authorities on safety and security of students in state-run schools following the killing of a boy inside a school in Gurugram. The School and Mass Education department in its guidelines issued to all school authorities said that each and every visitor including parents would have to produce their identity cards before entry into school premises. It also said that the contractual staff of a school should be appointed only after proper verification of their identity through Voter ID or Aadhaar card. This apart, the guidelines stated that CCTV cameras should be installed at all strategic locations of the school premises. Regarding safety in the school campus, it said that no vendors would be allowed inside the school premises during school hours. Teacher should strictly adhere to the no meeting policy with visitors during school hours. The visitors should be given a photo ID which they would have to wear during their stay in the school campus. The parents, guardians, house-help and drivers should not be allowed to enter or leave the school premises without showing their identification. All the support staff should be frisked by the school security both on arrival and before departure. The administrative staff have to take periodic rounds of washrooms, lunch areas, class rooms and open spaces during and after school hours. Gate passes should be issued for any change of mode of transport or if the identity card was not available. It said awareness must be generated among school children to avoid enticement from strangers. In school buses, the guidelines said that the buses might be fitted with CCTV cameras and GPS systems to track their location. There should be teachers on duty in school buses. Female attendants should be on duty in every bus and should be present till the last stop. Jarecki speaking at holy hour COLUMBUS -- Renee Jarecki will speak at holy hour at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Columbus. Jarecki, who grew up in Platte Center, will discuss her vocation to the Secular Institute of the Apostolic Oblates. The monthly holy hour for vocations includes singing, community prayer and silent adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. Retreat for married couples SCHUYLER -- The Foundational Intimacy: Eucharist as a Model for Marriage is a retreat scheduled for Sept. 30Oct. 1 at St. Benedict Center with EWTN and Spirit Catholic Radio presenters Jim and Maureen Otremba from Minnesota. In this retreat, married couples are invited to explore parts of the liturgy including gathering, repentance, breaking open the word and partaking of the very body and blood of Christ. The weekend will include talks, personal and couple reflection time, Mass and Reconciliation. For more information, call 402-352-8819 or visit christthekingpriory.com. Bazaar at Divine Mercy Parish SCHUYLER -- Divine Mercy Parish will hold its annual roast pork and Polish sausage dinner and bazaar from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday in St. Marys Social Center, 320 W. 10th St., in Schuyler. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-11 and free for kids 5 and younger. Other activities include a raffle, silent auction, cakewalk, country store, games and hot dog stand. A Polka Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Marys Church. Parish festival in Clarkson CLARKSON -- SS. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church will hold a Parish Fall Fest on Sept. 24. The day starts with a Polka Mass at 10:30 a.m. at the church, 120 Cherry St. Minute steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, fruit salad, rolls and desserts will be served from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at St. John Neumann Hall, 420 Cherry St. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12 and free for kids 5 and younger. There will also be bingo, a raffle, country store, bottle bonanza, games for the children and silent auction. A giant auction will begin at 1:30 p.m., including two $100 giveaways to auction bidders. Retreat focuses on saints' lives SCHUYLER -- A weekend retreat entitled Saints Come in Clusters: St. Dominic, Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. John Paul II will be held Sept. 22-24 at St. Benedict Center. The retreat will highlight these saints, their secrets for holy lives and how they influenced each other to sainthood. The retreat begins at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 and ends after lunch on Sept. 24. Register by calling 402-352-8819 or visiting christthekingpriory.com. Washington: India and Pakistan on Thursday started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty Washington, a senior World Bank official said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on 14-15 September, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfill certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. Jodhpur: Irked by a reporter's question on the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad describing him as a "fake" sadhu, self-styled godman Asaram on Thursday said he belonged to the category of "donkeys". Asaram, who is facing a court trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was asked to react to the parishad's decision when he was brought to the court premises. The reporter wanted to know that since the parishad, the apex body of Hindu saints in the country, had made it clear that Asaram was neither a "saint" nor a "preacher", which category did he belong to. "The category of donkeys," the self-styled godman said while climbing the stairs of the trial court, where he is being produced on a daily basis in connection with the case. Asaram had not been talking to the media during his court appearances of late in the wake of a petition filed in the high court, objecting to the presence of his devotees on the court premises. The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad has recently come up with a list of "fake babas", cautioning the countrymen against them. The names of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai feature in it. Ranchi: Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das on Thursday appealed to the judiciary to pass court judgments in Hindi and also urged that arguments in courts take place in Hindi. On the occasion of Hindi Diwas programme at the state secretariat, Das said, "Most of the common citizens of the country are unable to understand the arguments of their counsel before the court as they do not know English." "Similarly, when the courts pronounce their judgements, the common people are not able to fully understand its meaning and implication." The chief minister called for such small beginnings to protect and promote Hindi in order to keep Indian culture intact and to safe guard the new generation of the overdose of western culture. Das asked the government officials to put their noting on their files in Hindi also. Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has been successful in controlling Naxalism in its nearly thousand days of governance, Chief Minster Raghubar Das said on Thursday. He also said the government reached out to the remotest villages through Sarkar Aap Ke Dwar programmes where once the Maoists used to organise Jan Adalats to kill innocents. He also thanked all security personnel for risking their lives to control the Left-wing extremism. Sarkar Aap ke Dwar has reached to the villages and brought peace to these villages instead of Jan Adalats by the extremists, Das told PTI in an interview. "Jharkhand was infamous for extremism. I believe development will happen where peace is there. Therefore, I focused on security. And I thank all the jawans of the police, CRPF and CoBRA for risking their lives and controlling more than 50 per cent of extremism in 1000 days," Das said. He said one could see no big incident happening during his governance because of the effective law and order and security measures, adding the governments aim was to free the state from extremism. The government has planned to finish off naxalism by the end of this year. He said that in the 1000 days of governance he has succeeded in employing about one lakh youth in the departments of education, health, rural development, forest, security forces and other departments. He said that 50,000 more youth would be employed over the next six months. Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday expressed "strong commitment" to work together to enhance connectivity within India, and with other countries in the Indo-Pacific region and Africa. The two leaders also underlined the importance of all countries ensuring development and use of connectivity infrastructure in an "open, transparent and non-exclusive manner". They said it should be based on international standards and responsible debt financing practices, while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. "The two Prime Ministers expressed their strong commitment to work together to enhance connectivity in India and with other countries in the Indo-Pacific region including Africa," said the India-Japan joint statement. They also "reaffirmed" the importance of "quality infrastructure" which ensures alignment with local economic and development strategies, safety, resilience, social and environmental impacts, and job creation, among others, it said. The two leaders also appreciated the efforts to explore the development of industrial corridors and industrial network for the growth of Asia and Africa, which will benefit various stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region, including Africa. They also welcomed India-Japan cooperation on development of India's North Eastern Region (NER) as a symbol of developing synergies between India's Act East policy and Japan's Free and Open Indo Pacific Strategy. "In this context, they noted with satisfaction the setting up of the India-Japan Act East Forum," the statement said. They also appreciated cooperation between Japan and North Eastern Region of India, ranging from key infrastructure such as road connectivity, electricity, water supply and sewage, to social and environmental sustainability such as afforestation and community empowerment, it added. The two prime ministers also stressed on the importance of initiatives to enhance regional connectivity and decided to further accelerate consultations to identify technologies, infrastructure and development strategies for the purpose. The Rajasthan police decided not to press charges against the six men who were accused of lynching dairy farmer Pehlu Khan. The six men were named by Pehlu as being responsible for the attack, in a statement he gave to the police just before he succumbed to his wounds. However, when the police examined the evidence, including photographs of the scene, statements from police and employees of the gaushala, and the locations of the six men as triangulated by their cellular data, it was determined that no case could be made out against the accused. Instead of a pre-planned conspiracy to murder Pehlu, as alleged by his dying declaration and by civil society groups, the Rajasthan police concluded that it was a spontaneous incident of mob violence that resulted in his lynching. But there is one key feature to note here: No court has held that these six men are not guilty, nor are there any charges pending against them. The police conducted its investigation, and concluded that there was no case against any of the six men. However, the police has no powers to pronounce a person guilty or innocent under Indian law. Under the code of criminal procedure, it's for a magistrate to determine where the investigation finally goes. If the magistrate overrules the police's version of events and decides there is a case to be made out against the accused, the magistrate may, upon receiving a complaint, direct an enquiry under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and/or take cognisance of the issue under Section 190 of the code. So, the closure report filed by the police is not the final end of the story. But all of this turns on the actual value of the dying declaration given by Pehlu Khan. Dying declarations in India are found under the Evidence Act. The act introduces them on the principle of "nemo mariturus presumuntur mentri", which in English means that a man won't meet his maker with a lie in his mouth. So it is assumed that a dying person will be telling the truth. A dying declaration in and itself does not fully prove a case. Though under certain circumstances it can. In Kushal Rao vs The State Of Bombay o1958 AIR 22, the Supreme Court held that there is no general rule that prohibits a dying declaration from being the sole basis for conviction. But generally, courts require that dying declarations be corroborated by some other evidence, such as circumstantial evidence or other corroborative testimony. There is also room to effectively impeach and set aside a dying declaration. This is in case the declaration flies in face of other evidence. If there is a declaration by X that Y killed him while X was in Mumbai, but Y produces a passport to show that Y was in Muscat at the relevant time, then clearly the dying declaration cannot be relied upon. The police have examined what they have after they finished the investigation. This report now will have to also conclude who was finally responsible for killing Khan, for you cannot imprison a mob. If not these six men named by Pehlu Khan, who was responsible for his murder? A matter like this lynching cannot end with just a report by the police. There has to be a better investigation, the killers of Pehlu have to be identified and brought to justice. It's not just the reputation of the Rajasthan police at stake here, but also the reputation of civil society in general. Jammu: A Border Security Force trooper was killed on Friday in ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers in Arnia sub-sector of international border in Jammu district. BSF sources said in Jammu that Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Arnia sub-sector on Friday morning. "One BSF trooper has been killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan Rangers. They are using mortars, automatics and small arms to target nine BSF posts in Arnia. BSF troopers are retaliating strongly and effectively", BSF sources said. "Heavy firing exchanges are now going on in these areas," the sources added. Panic has gripped scores of border residents living in villages close to the international border in Arnia sub-sector of RS Pura in Jammu district. Authorities have kept emergency services in readiness to meet any eventuality due to the unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan. Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday wrote a letter to the managements of Mumbai-based schools asking them to accord top priority to the safety of students. The letter said any carelessness on part of school administration towards safety of students will amount to breach of trust that parents have placed in them. "I shall not tolerate this; because the future of Maharashtra's children is of utmost importance to me," Thackeray said in the letter. A copy of the letter was shared with reporters on Thursday. Thackeray said, "Parents place their trust upon schools as they believe that the teaching and the non-teaching staff and the agencies involved will take due care of their children. Because of the grave incidents that have occurred in the last few months, their trust in the system has been shattered." Party general secretary Shalini Thackeray said, "NCRB data shows that in 2015, the state registered highest number of crimes against children." The MNS workers will be personally handing over these letters to the school administration in coming days, said a party leader. Bhopal: The Doka la problem was not the last of its kind and the army cannot afford to lower its guard since it has been resolved, a top military commander said on Thursday. "Our training in command and preparedness remains intact. It does not mean that we should let the guard down because the Doka la issue has been resolved," General Officer Commanding- in-Chief of the Pune-based Southern Command Lt General PM Hariz said. He was talking to reporters after giving away 63 gallantry and distinguished service awards at an investiture ceremony of the Southern Command. "We never let our guard down. We remain alert and we ensure that our preparedness is always of the highest order," Hariz said. The officer said the Army was always in a state of readiness to swiftly take position when needed to give a befitting reply to the enemy. "Recently there was a problem in Doka la which has been resolved. But this doesn't mean that it was the last. The Doka la issue was resolved through diplomatic efforts by both sides (India and China)," he said. He praised the Indian media for handling the issue in a "responsible" manner. Indian and Chinese troops faced off for more than two months at Doka la plateau near Sikkim which has been claimed by both China and Bhutan. They stood eyeball to eyeball since 16 June when Indian troops stopped the Chinese from building a road at the India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction before the two countries decided on an "expeditious disengagement" towards the end of August. India on Thursday extended full support to Bangladesh over its stance on the Rohingya issue, media reports said. According to bdnews24,a Bangladesh-based media group, Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj called the prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on Thursday and expressed New Delhi's support to Dhaka. According to Hasina's deputy press secretary Nazrul Islam, Swaraj said that "New Delhi's position is same as of Dhaka over the Rohingya issuee", the report added. Dhaka had earlier briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of these refugees. Swaraj also said that the Rohingya problem is not limited to Bangladesh alone, but has turned into a global matter, reported The Daily Star, a leading Bangladesh-based newspaper. The Indian government is trying to put pressure on Myanmar, both bilaterally and multilaterally, to stop the alleged persecution of Rohingya Muslims and take back the refugees who have taken shelter in Bangladesh, Prothom Alo reported. The move comes amid India's decision to send relief materials to Bangladesh, which is struggling to solve the humanitarian crisis. Under Operation Insaniyat, India sent 53 tonnes on Thursday of the total 7,000 tonnes meant for the relief. The material includes items required urgently by the affected people like rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, and mosquito nets. "India stands ready to provide any assistance required by government of Bangladesh in this hour of need," an Indian external affairs ministry statement had said on Thursday. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country. According to the United Nations estimates, over 3,89,000 Rohingya Muslims ie over 40 percent of them have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since 25 August. With inputs from PTI Public can get school items RISING CITY The Rising City school building will be open to the public from 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Items in the three-story building, gym and band building can be taken by the public at no cost and must be removed by 5 p.m. that day. The building does not have electricity, but lights will be set up in the cafeteria. No tools are available, so bring your own. Caution is advised when removing items. The Shelby-Rising City School District will not be responsible for any accidents incurred during the removal of items. The Rising City Alumni Association will be there to monitor the process. Craft market at Oak Ballroom SCHUYLER -- CHI Memorial Hospital Auxiliary of Schuyler will hold its 41st annual hobby and craft market Oct. 1 at the Oak Ballroom in Schuyler. Indoor and outdoor spaces are still available. For more information, contact Loretta at 402-352-3280 or Rose at 401-615-0638. Get Taste of Columbus tickets COLUMBUS -- The 17th annual Taste of Columbus will be held Oct. 8 at Ramada-Columbus. The event will include samples from area food vendors and spirits from local distributors and Nebraska wineries. Advanced tickets are $35 or you can reserve a table for $375. Tickets can be reserved now by contacting the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce office at chamber@megavision.com, 402-564-2769 or online at http://members.thecolumbuspage.com/events/details/taste-of-columbus-2017-17347. Vehicle rams police cruiser OMAHA (AP) Omaha police say they're looking for a driver who rammed a police cruiser, injuring an officer who fired several shots at the car. Police say the incident began shortly after 2:30 a.m. Thursday when a car collided with the police car. Investigators say that when Officer Jordan Smith went to get out of his cruiser after the crash, the other car rammed his driver's side, injuring the officer's legs. Police say Smith then fired three shots into the car, which sped off. Police later found the car, which had been stolen, abandoned several blocks away. The driver has not been found, and no evidence was found indicating the driver was shot. Smith was taken to a hospital, treated for his injuries and released. Ralston senator seeking re-election LINCOLN (AP) A Nebraska state senator from Ralston is seeking a second term in office. Sen. Merv Riepe announced Thursday he will run for re-election. Riepe was elected in 2014 to represent Legislative District 12, an area that includes the city of Ralston and portions of Omaha's Millard neighborhood. Riepe says he plans to focus on jobs through vocational and technical training, reducing taxes and health care. He serves as chairman of the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee. In 2016, he passed legislation that allows doctors and patients to adopt an alternative to health insurance known as direct primary care. Riepe is a Republican. He will face former state Sen. Steve Lathrop, a Democrat, in the officially nonpartisan race. As the Rohingya crisis shows no sign of abating, it has left Myanmar's neighbours squirming at the prospect of lakhs of refugees coming into their territories. While Bangladesh has taken the brunt of the crisis, India too has 40,000 Rohingyas to deal with. Bangladesh for its part has looked at India to take the lead in resolving the issue. Its High Commissioner to India, Syed Muazzem Ali, recently told The Wire that India should "use its good offices to emphasise this point to the Myanmarese government, about the ground reality". Ali also spoke with Hindustan Times, as he raised a point which has worried Indians as well: The security risk the refugees pose. He was quoted as saying, "I am more concerned about my own region but the presence of Rohingya refugees elsewhere could be a security risk for everybody else. It could be used even in your northeast India." Bangladesh then is not making any secret of wanting India's intervention in the matter. However, the security aspect it has raised is one which deserves a deeper look. India for its part is not disregarding the security interest. In an affidavit before the Supreme Court (albeit one still being finalised), the Centre has taken the stand that the Rohingya Musims cannot stay in India as they are a threat to national security. The government further stated that some Rohingyas are linked to terror groups, and hence can not be allowed to stay. India's stance on the Rohingyas is certainly not a new one as earlier Home Minister Rajnath Singh had called them a threat to national security and promised to deal with the issue with a firm hand, according to The Times of India. In August, the home ministry had communicated to the states that illegal immigrants like the Rohingyas pose grave security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups, according to PTI. It had then asked the states to identify and deport them. 'India is ready for a two-and-a-half-front war' India hardly has a lack of security problems it needs to deal with. In June, Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat was quoted as saying, "Indian Army is fully ready for a two-and-a-half front war", as reported in The Indian Express. By this, he means the twin threats at the Pakistan and China borders, with the half front being internal threats to India's stability. But what if an entirely new third front was to be added to the equation? Even Rawat would think twice before exuding confidence about a three-and-a-half-front war. India's worries in this case are backed up by intelligence reports. On Tuesday, a meeting was called by Nripendra Misra, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, reported NDTV. It was attended by NSA Ajit Doval and the heads of intelligence agencies including the Research and Analysis Wing. The intel report which they reviewed concluded by saying, "In our assessment, penetration of Pakistan-based terrorist outfits among Rohingya Muslims community is a serious emerging threat, as the same would ultimately be used for targeting India." The meeting focused on the alerts about links between Rohingya militant commanders in Myanmar and terror groups in Pakistan, including Hafiz Saeed's Lashkar-e-Taiba. The NDTV report also raised other red flags for India as a Pakistani Al-Qaeda operative was reported to have visited Thailand in August to train Rohingya militants. There is also speculation that a Rohingya in Kashmir was the guide for terrorists who attacked a police compound in Pulwama, killing eight security personnel. Furthermore, it is to be noted that Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, both terrorists who operate out of Pakistan and target India, have come out in support of the Rohingyas. This is further backed up by a report in The Indian Express which said, "India's national security fears are based on intelligence reports linking the radical Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army to the Lashkar-e-Taiba; key individuals in ARSA, or its front organisations such as Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, are allegedly close to Hafiz Saeed. RSO has a Pakistan chapter, and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa front Falah-e-Insaniyat had a presence in Rohingya refugee camps in 2012." Should the Rohingyas become a security threat, India will face a war on three fronts As of now, it is unclear what form the security threat from the Rohingyas will take, if any at all. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says that they are settled in six locations in India - Jammu, Nuh in Haryanas Mewat district, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Chennai, according to The Indian Express. If they start acting against Indian interests in these locations, they could add to the internal threat and add to the half front that Rawat referred too. India could thus have to deal with a war on three fronts. However, India also faces insurgency in the Northeast region. It shares a 1,600-kilometre-long border with Myanmar from where the Rohingyas are fleeing. In fact, some Indian insurgent groups operate from Myanmar. If they join hands with the insurgents in the Northaast, that opens up a completely new front for India to deal with. This is a headache India would be keen to avoid. There is a moral and legal argument in favour of accepting the Rohingyas. However, India must also consider the security problems the Rohingyas could cause. India can then hardly be blamed for its unwillingness in opening its arms towards them. As Firstpost pointed out earlier, India must show sensitivity and uphold the standards of humanitarianism, but that cannot come at the cost of national security and instability to our social fabric. Dhaka: Pressure on Myanmar soared as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the violence against Rohingya Muslims "unacceptable" and rights group Amnesty said that it has evidence of the military's "systematic" torching of villages. The increasingly harsh global condemnation comes as the number of Rohingya who have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state for Bangladesh to escape ethnic unrest hit 389,000, and the United Nations warned of a looming "worst case scenario" with all of the Muslim minority group trying to leave. The number of refugees was up 10,000 in just 24 hours, as the three-week old crisis deepens. "We need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership but also be very clear and unequivocal to the military power sharing in that government that this is unacceptable," Tillerson said on Thursday of Myanmar's first civilian leader in decades. "This violence must stop. This persecution must stop. It has been characterised by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop," he said during a visit to London, speaking alongside British counterpart Boris Johnson. Johnson also called on Myanmar's de facto leader to use her "moral capital" to highlight the plight of the Rohingyas. Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and long-time human rights champion, has been condemned for a lack of moral leadership and compassion in resolving the crisis. She has no control over the powerful military, which ran the country for 50 years. UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said the mass displacement of Rohingya amounted to ethnic cleansing. Amnesty International released fresh satellite images on Thursday of burned villages in Rakhine state, alleging Myanmar's security forces have led "systematic" clearances of Rohingya Muslim settlements over the last three weeks. At least 26 villages had been hit by arson attacks in the Rohingya-majority region, the rights group said, with patches of grey ash picked up in photos marking the spots where homes had once stood. Backing up the pictures, Amnesty said fire sensors also deployed on satellites had detected 80 large-scale blazes across northern Rakhine state since 25 August, when the army launched "clearance operations". "Rakhine state is on fire," said Olof Blomqvist, a researcher with Amnesty International, in a "clear campaign of ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar security forces". The group quoted Rohingya witnesses who described security officers and vigilantes using petrol or shoulder-fired rocket launchers to set homes alight, before firing on villagers as they fled. "It's very difficult to conclude that it is anything other than a deliberate effort by the Myanmar military to drive Rohingya out of their own country by any means necessary," Blomqvist added. Relief workers are struggling to contain the humanitarian disaster unfolding around the Bangladesh border town of Cox's Bazar with 10,000-20,000 people crossing over each day far more than the UN and other agencies had expected. "We have to estimate the worst case scenario" where all Rohingya flee Rakhine, said Mohammed Abdiker Mohamud, a director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN's migration agency. "We cannot just put our heads in sand (and) say that everything will be ok," he added. "Unless a political solution is found, there is a possibility that the entire Rohingya community may come to Bangladesh." There were previously an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya in Rakhine state, who have endured decades of persecution in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar. At least 300,000 had fled to Bangladesh before the latest crackdown started on 25 August, following attacks by Rohingya militants on police targets. The exodus since has taken the overall figure of those who have quit Myanmar to at least 700,000. Even before arriving to safety in Bangladesh, refugees who have trekked through jungles for days to reach the border are being targeted by profiteering boat operators who have hiked prices 200 times to cross the river separating Myanmar and Bangladesh. An AFP correspondent at the Naf river said boat owners were charging refugees up to $100 for a 10-30 minute trip that would normally cost less than 50 cents. "The boatmen threatened to throw us into the sea if we refused to give them our valuables," said Nadera Banu, 19, who got married only last year but is already a widow. "I gave up the final memento of my husband, a gold locket given on my wedding day, to escape." Bangladeshi magistrates operating mobile courts in Cox's Bazar and nearby districts have now started sentencing boat owners and local villagers to terms of up to six months in prison, officials said on Thursday. Once in Bangladesh, refugeeswith UNICEF saying 60 percent of new arrivals are children are faced with desperate conditions in already overstretched camps around Cox's Bazar. UN agencies have warned that the country is struggling to cope. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," UNICEF's representative in Bangladesh Edouard Beigbeder said in a statement. "Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children." The case of an eight-year-old boy being murdered in Ryan International School in Gurgaon has received a lot of media attention. However, there could be several incidents of abuse in schools that do not come under the glare of the media. These cases, too, are important. While the guidelines issued by the CBSE would only apply to schools affiliated to it, similar guidelines need to be put in place for all schools, including those run by the government. These should be in the form of a legislation, with provisions for penalties and time-bound action. Children from government schools and municipal schools are more vulnerable as they do not know who to approach if an incident of abuse takes place. Parents from the economically weaker sections also find it difficult to make their voice heard. Especially in villages, the police can be easily managed by the powerful. So, it is all the more important that stringent measures are taken for the security of such children. There are several guidelines, policies and even Supreme Court judgments about the safety of children in schools. But who will implement them, especially in a situation where the implementing authority is absent? Even if an attempt is made to implement the guidelines, the police may not cooperate with the complainants. It is seen that in most of the cases, the police does not lodge a complaint. As a result of this, people are apprehensive about going to the police station. Installing CCTV cameras, as mentioned in the guidelines, is of no use by itself. CCTV cameras can only help to gather evidence after the crime has been committed, but cannot prevent the crime in the first place. There needs to be a monitoring system for the cameras so that crimes can be prevented. Schools can even hire monitoring agencies for this purpose. But, there is no real provision for any penalty if these policies are not followed. This can be done in cases like the one at Ryan International School. If one or two schools are asked to pay a large amount as a fine, then other institutions will be more likely to follow the rules properly. In the present situation, there is no fear of the law. Even if an FIR is lodged, for how many years will parents fight the case? The entire process, involving the police investigation, the trial court level and appeals in higher courts can even take twenty years. Further, there is a possibility of the child being victimised by the school if the parents fight a legal battle. I do not think that the provision of disaffiliating schools for lapses will act as a deterrent. If the authorities try to disaffiliate the school, such a move will be opposed by parents as the education of their children will be affected. Rather than disaffiliating schools, imposing penalties will act as more effective deterrents. Further, whenever the authorities come up with a new policies, they must come up with a checklist which needs to be followed by all schools, with respect to infrastructure and safety measures. These could include the number of toilets which need to be there, structural audit, fire audit, etc. Often, schools principals themselves do not have proper knowledge about these stipulations. The government should ask NGOs to keep a check on whether the checklist is followed. Such measures can help make schools more accountable and safe. The author is president, Forum for Fairness in Education As told to Neerad Pandharipande In the wake of the murder of a seven-year-old student at Gurugram's Ryan International School, police across different states besides government arms involved in handling matters of schools have issued various guidelines to ensure safety of students during school hours. On Thursday, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation instructed all schools under it to allow girls to only visit washroom in pairs. "We have asked school principals to send at least two girls to the washroom at a time, so that in case of an emergency, one of them can raise an alarm," said Preety Agarwal, mayor of the north delhi civic body, was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times. The civic agency has also decided to separate the toilets for staff and students so that no adult can use the toilet meant for kids. Meanwhile, CBSE came out with a broader set of rules. While it demanded a security and safety audit of the premises and staff, it also made mandatory the training of its employees to protect the students from any kind of abuse. The board also asked schools to form a committee for redressal of grievances, complaint committee on sexual harassment, and committee under Protection of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act. On Tuesday, the Delhi government had made police verification and CCTV schools a must in all private and government schools, reported The New Indian Express. The concerns surfaced after a three-member Special Investigation team found serious lapses in its security system of the Ryan International School. Pradhuman Thakur, the victim of Gurugram murder, was killed by a bus conductor in the school's washroom. Uttar Pradesh, too, addressed the issue of child security. DGP Sulkhan Singh recently sent a circular to private and government schools requesting them the security verification of all teaching and non-teaching staff, reported The Hindu. The managements were informed by the state police to secure the personal information of their employees in as both physical documents and in electronic format. Acting upon the circular, Agra police made it mandatory for the staff in the city's schools to undergo a police verification. Inspector General of Police Muttah Ashok Jain told India Today that all school managements were instructed to get their employees checked and told to install CCTV cameras in all places where students have access. The Ghaziabad district administration, which held a meeting in the backdrop of the Gurugram murder, also asked schools to step up their measures. According to The Pioneer, the set of guidelines issued to schools told them to construct separate toilets for visitors and ancillary staff. It also demanded the appointment of a transport manager for the security of students. School buses were told to have a GPS system, with CCTV cameras installed. Meanwhile, the School and Mass Education Department in Odisha told all school authorities that each visitor, including parents, would have to produce their identity cards before entry into school premises. It also said that the contractual staff of a school should be appointed only after proper verification of their identity. This apart, they have also stressed on installing CCTV cameras at all strategic locations of the school premises. The Mumbai Police is expected to soon issue their own set of guidelines for schools. Besides asking schools to install CCTVs and conduct background checks on their staff, reported The Indian Express, the Mumbai police are figuring out if they can ask schools to deploy guards outside washrooms or let students visit access it in pairs. They will continue with their drive Police Didi, started in 2016, which requires woman constables to visit schools to sensitise students on issues relating to sexual harassment. With inputs from PTI New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked all high courts to register a suo motu petition to identify kin of prisoners who admittedly died an unnatural death after 2012 and award suitable compensation to them. Passing a slew of directions on prison reforms, the apex court directed all state governments to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. It also directed all states to study the availability of medical assistance to prisoners and take remedial steps wherever necessary. "We request the Chief Justice of the High Court to register a suo motu public interest litigation with a view to identify the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the NCRB during the period between 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter and awards suitable compensation, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded," a bench of Justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. The bench asked the Secretary General of the apex court to sent the copy of its verdict to the Registrar General of every high court within a week. "The state governments are directed to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. In this regard the services of recognised NGOs can be taken and encouraged,"the bench said. The top court also directed the Ministry of Woman and Child Development to discuss with the official concerned of the state governments "and formulate procedures for tabulating the number of children (if any) who suffer an unnatural death in child care institutions where they are kept in custody either because they are in conflict with law or because they need care and protection". The bench is hearing a 2013 PIL on prevailing inhuman conditions prevailing in 1,382 prisons across the country. The TTV Dhinakaran camp is apprehensive that Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal may disqualify its 19 legislators before Edappadi Palaniswami faces a trust vote. The fear also is that he would do it in such a way that there would hardly be any time to move court against such a decision. If Dhanapal does so, it would reduce the strength of the House, enabling the chief minister to prove his majority in an Assembly where he clearly is in a minority. The Madras High court has said no trust vote can take place before 20 September, which in effect gives the Speaker one week to make up his mind. The people of Tamil Nadu can only feel sorry for themselves, given the farce they are being subjected to. The trust vote in February was won on the back of keeping 122 legislators locked for a week at the Koovathur resort, with allegations of bribery doing the rounds subsequently. Now, another trust vote may be won through arithmetical jugglery. That is if Dhanapal plays along. Ironically, for all the enthusiasm displayed by the EPS camp in seeking to disqualify the 19 lawmakers in Dhinakaran's camp, it treated O Panneerselvam and his rump group of 12 legislators with kid gloves, even though it did not vote for the government in the 18 February trust vote. These are the different strokes for different sets of MLAs which are doing the ruling party no credit in 'Turmoil Nadu'. The question is how will the Speaker interpret the anti-defection law. Would Dhanapal consider the act by the 19 MLAs in giving a letter to the governor that they do not have any faith in Palaniswami's leadership as amounting to leaving the AIADMK? Or will he do that only if they vote against the government on the floor of the House? Given that the Dhinakaran camp has maintained that it is essentially opposed to Palaniswami's continuance as chief minister and that does not translate into an anti-AIADMK position, would anti-EPSism translate into a defiance against the party? These are difficult questions and Dhanapal's decision, apart from being subject to legal scrutiny, would also serve as a precedent in India's dissonant parliamentary culture. Because if Dhanapal were to look at his counterparts in Assemblies in neighbouring states in south India, he would find that they have not exactly covered themselves with glory. In October 2010, the then Karnataka Assembly Speaker KG Bopaiah disqualified 16 rebel MLAs, including 11 from the BJP, just hours before the trust vote. He also barred them from entering the Assembly and participating in the trial of strength. This effectively brought down the strength of the 224-member House, enabling the then chief minister BS Yeddyurappa to win the vote. However, the Supreme court in May 2011 set aside his decision, observing that it did not meet the "twin tests of natural justice and fair play". In fact, what is happening in Chennai is a repeat of what happened in Bengaluru. There too, the BJP legislators had said they continued to be BJP members and would support any BJP government headed by anyone but Yeddyurappa. In Tamil Nadu too, the Dhinakaran group wants to see EPS out as chief minister and replaced by any other mutually acceptable leader, preferably Dhanapal, who is a senior Dalit leader. Look at Telangana where on display is a brazen refusal to apply the anti-defection law. Since 2014, when the state came into existence and the new Assembly was formed, 12 of the 15 Telugu Desam legislators have crossed over, one by one, to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti. Since they did not cross over as a group, they cannot be seen as causing a split in the TDP legislature party and ideally would attract the provisions of the anti-defection law. The early bird among the defectors, Srinivas Yadav, is also a minister in the cabinet. However, Speaker Madhusudhana Chary has sat on petitions to disqualify them. Nor have the MLAs resigned and sought to go to the people to seek a fresh mandate under the TRS umbrella. The ruling party, without batting an eyelid, calls the poaching "political realignment". Despite being the aggrieved party in Telangana, in his own state of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu has borrowed the TRS template. He encouraged 21 YSR Congress legislators to cross over and made four of them ministers early this year. Again, Andhra Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kodela Sivaprasad Rao has done precious little about the petitions. Both the Telangana and the Andhra Pradesh cases are before the Hyderabad High Court and if the verdict is to come only by 2019, when the term of the Assembly ends, it would serve no purpose. When the anti-defection law was brought in by the Rajiv Gandhi government in the mid-1980s, one of the criticisms was that it would kill inner party democracy and that the party in power would be able to manipulate it. While inner party democracy has manifested itself in elected representatives opting for the side where the grass is green, the Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra instances are clear examples of an unholy violation of the law. It is time to take another look at the institution of the Speaker of the House, laying clear guidelines on how the Chair should conduct himself. The anti-defection law should either be uniformly applied or scrapped. Chennai: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Friday ordered the Election Commission to dispose of the issues relating to the ruling AIADMK before 31 October, a former parliamentarian of the party said. "Hearing a petition, the court ordered the Election Commission to decide on all the issues relating to AIADMK before 31 October, 2017. I had impleaded as a party to a petition filed by another person," KC Palanisamy, former AIADMK parliamentarian, told IANS. Following the death of AIADMK general secretary and chief minister J Jayalalithaa, the party split into three factions. The Election Commission has frozen the party's 'two leaves' symbol due to competing claims for it. Recently two factions, led by Chief Minister K Palaniswamy and former chief minister O Panneerselvam, merged. The merged faction then ousted the leaders of the third faction - general secretary VK Sasikala and deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran. The merged faction has made a fresh petition to the Election Commission in the wake of the recent developments while Dhinakaran is also claiming the 'two leaves' symbol for his faction. Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendrans action of offering prayers at the Guruvayur Sree Krishna temple in Thrissur district on the auspicious day of Ashtami Rohini on 12 September has kicked off a debate within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the state on the issue of faith. Surendran, who belongs to the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was shown in television channels as performing pushpanjali (offering flowers to God) and praying with folded hands at the sacred steps during his day-long visit to the famed temple. Temple officials said he had also contributed money for annadhanam, a long-held, sacred tradition followed by the temple of offering food. The minister has justified his action saying it was part of his duty as minister in charge of temple affairs. However, some of his fellow comrades in the ruling front have rejected his claim. They say participation in temple rituals was not part of the ministers duty. The comrades pointed out that fellow communist G Sudhakaran, while holding the same portfolio during 2006-11, had visited temples, but did not partake in any rituals. The then chief minister VS Achuthanandan had kept away from the sanctum sanctorum of the Sree Ayyappaswamy Temple when he visited Sabarimala in 2007 to review the preparations ahead of the pilgrimage season. Senior leaders of the two communist parties in the LDF have viewed Surendrans action against dialectical materialism that the communist party adheres to. Senior CPI (M) leader M V Govindan pointed out that the act of Surendran, a proclaimed atheist, was in conflict with these communist ideals. Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said he would seek an explanation from the minister. Whatever information we have at the moment about his visit is in the form of reports in the media. We will find out the circumstances that led him to offer prayers at the temple, he said. The CPI (M) state secretariat and state committee meeting at the state capital on Friday is expected to discuss the issue but none expects any action against the Devaswom minister since the party itself has been deviating from its ideology not only in the matter of faith but also in the partys economic and political policies and programmes. Political observers view the cultural procession the CPI (M) organized under the aegis of its childrens wing Balasangham on the Sree Krishna Jayanthi day in Kannur district as a counter to the Shobha Yatra organized by Balagokulam, a childrens outfit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a glaring example of this deviation. The party secretary had justified it saying it was part of the partys programme to create a secular platform for the children as against the RSS attempt to communalise the children. Curiously Kodiyeri himself had breached the partys secular ideals when he allegedly allowed his wife and son to perform for him a Shatrusamhaara puja, a ritual whose objective is to neutralise an enemy, if not entirely annihilate him, at a famous temple while he held the home portfolio in the V S Achuthanandan government. The party spared him after he dubbed the charge against him as a deliberate attempt to blacken the Red Flag in Kerala. The CPI (M) also did not raise any objection when the family members of former chief minister E.K. Nayanar, a sworn atheist, immersed his ashes in the sacred Pamba River. There have been many instances where leaders and their families have acted as atheists in public and believers in private. Political observers view this as a dilemma haunting the communist parties after they have embraced parliamentary democracy. N M Pearson, a left-leaning political analyst at Kochi, said that it was not possible for the revolutionary party to build cadres without compromising their basic ideology. The CPI (M) had tried to address this issue by taking a lenient view on the religious beliefs of its supporters and fellow travelers. But the party insisted on party members and leaders to eschew all religious, caste and social practices which are alien to communist norms. The 2009 rectification document and the 2013 Palakkad plenum guidelines specifically mandated CPM workers to keep away from religious and caste organizations. The rectification document asked party functionaries and elected representatives not to organize religious ceremonies or conduct religious rituals. The document expected the members of various party committees to uphold progressive values in their personal and social lives. These guidelines had come when the Left had only the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) as its main rival in Kerala. The situation now has changed with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as a force to be reckoned with. The Left, which treated BJP as an also ran party till recently, started taking it seriously after the saffron party increased its vote share in the Assembly election from 6 percent in 2011 to 14 percent in 2016 and emerged as the main opposition in the Thiruvananthapuram city corporation. Pearson told Firstpost that CPI (M) was trying to appease the Hindu community after the BJP started uniting the majority community. The CPI (M) was jolted when the BJP forged an alliance with the political outfit of the Ezhava community, whose members formed the backbone of the communist movement in the state. Ezhavas are the numerically largest Hindu community in Kerala. The party fears that this consolidation on communal lines would lead to a major exodus of its supporters to the Sangh Parivar. The party has been organizing Hindu festivals like Sree Krishna Jayanthi to stem this flow, he said. Interestingly, Sree Naryana Guru, the spiritual leader of the Ezhava community, figured prominently in the cultural processions organized by the CPI (M) on the occasion of the Sree Krishna Jayanthi. Pearson does not think that this will help the communist parties in the long run. A large number of people have been voting for them because of their secular credentials, Pearson said, adding that if the CPI (M) sacrifices its core ideology for few votes it will sound the death knell to the communist movement in Kerala. Patna: The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has turned down Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav's plea to allow him to retain the bungalow alloted to him when he was the deputy chief minister. The 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow of Tejashwi has now been alloted to Sushil Kumar Modi, the deputy chief minister in the JD(U)-BJP coalition government. The reallocation of ministerial bungalows was made in August, through an order of the Building Construction Department, to accommodate 14 ministers of the BJP and one of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in the new government. "There will be no change in the office order for allocation of bungalows for anybody , whether of the ruling NDA or Opposition," Building Construction Minister Maheshwar Hazari told PTI . "The 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow would now be earmarked in the name of the deputy chief minister, while the 1, Polo Road bungalow, which Tejashwi would swap with Sushil Modi, would be the permanent address of the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly," Hazari, who is from the JD(U), said. Tejashwi, the younger son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, had written a letter to Kumar following the office order, with a prayer to allow him to retain the 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow. On Tejashwi's letter, Kumar had on Monday said, "One should not develop any personal attachment towards a government facility. Today I am on the seat, but it is not permanent." The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) criticised the government order reallocating the bungalows. "When Sushil Modi had ceased to be the deputy chief minister in 2013 and become the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, he was allowed to retain his 1, Polo Road bungalow," RJD spokesman Mritunjay Tiwari told PTI. "Why can't Tejashwi Yadav be treated similarly?" he wondered and claimed that the government had taken a "vindictive approach" towards the Leader of Opposition as he was "creating trouble" for both the chief minister and the deputy chief minister. As per the government order, the 3, Deshratna Marg bungalow, which was earlier allotted to Tejashwi's elder brother and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav, has now been marked for the chairperson of the Legislative Council. In a candid conversation with diplomats from 50-odd countries recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is learnt to have drawn a distinction between Hinduism and Hindu-ness. Bhagwat's considered view, according to reports, was that while Hinduism can be guided by certain rigidities, codes and dogmas, Hindu-ness is a liberated concept, free from such limitations. Here's what he is reported to have said in that closed-door meeting, according to a report in The Indian Express, quoting tweets of unnamed attendees: "With time, we change. When someone says I am a Hindu it is not about religion or how one lives. It is about accepting others as they are. It is not about wearing this, eating this. That imposition is an 'ism'. Hindu-ness is free from this 'ism'. Hindu-ness is the ever changing quality of Hinduism." In some quarters, this postulation might be seen as a subtle and tactical reorientation of the Sangh Parivar to make it appear like an inclusive organisation, just like Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Siddi Saeed mosque in Ahmedabad along with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was interpreted. Some might even interpret Bhagwat's statement as a radical departure from the stated position of the RSS as an organisation beholden to dogmas and a rigid or codified ideology when it pertains to "Hindu". But is this the reality? A cursory glance at the evolution of the Sangh Parivar will make it clear that ever since its inception the RSS has been negotiating a complex set of variables that makes its commitment to constitutionality sit at odds with its concept of a Hindu nation. Of course, its concept of the Hindu nation is largely derived from Max Mueller's scholarly study, "History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature" on Hindu traditions expressed through the four Vedas. The Arya Samaj movement launched by Dayanand Saraswati further strengthened the historical myth about Hindus being defined by cultural and geographical indicators. But there are umpteen instances which show that neither the RSS nor its political arm the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or even its earlier avatar, the Bhartiya Jana Sangh has shown any rigidity on the primacy of Hindu-ness in India. Far from it, those steering the organisations have consistently shown a remarkable flexibility in their approach to the religious identity of Hindus. If you have any doubts about this, look up the exposition of Jana Sangh's founder, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee who, after resigning as the president of the Hindu Maha Sabha, said: "In the India of today, more than 85 percent of her people are Hindus and if they are unable to protect their own economic and political interests or India's inherent rights through the working of a fully democratic constitution, no separate political party, which would confine its membership to the Hindu fold alone, could ever save Hindus or their country. On the other hand, if the majority community itself retains its political exclusiveness it would inevitably encourage the growth of communal political organisations representing the interests of various minority groups within the country itself, leading to highly prejudicial results." Mukherjee's press statement was extensively quoted by Bruce Graham in his book, "Hindu Nationalism and Indian politics", to highlight the point that just before the formation of the Jan Sangh, Mukherjee had a bitter fallout within the Hindu Maha Sabha over making the organisation inclusive. This makes one thing clear, that the formation of the Jan Sangh was not premised on an exclusivist agenda. Coming close on the heels of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination, that led to the banning of the RSS, Sarsanghchalak MS Golwalkar, known as "Guru ji", had given an unambiguous undertaking to the government to restrict the organisation's activity to the cultural sphere within the ambit of the Constitution. Given the RSS' overtly exclusive agenda of promoting Hindu consolidation in the cultural sense, the Jan Sangh was also perceived to be an exclusive entity that promoted only Hindu interests. That was apparently a wrong impression which got dispelled during the incarceration of RSS-Jan Sangh leaders during the Emergency, along with socialist and Jamaat leaders. Immediately after the Emergency, the RSS for the first time threw open its doors for Muslims. This evoked sharp reactions within the organisation as some of the top leaders reacted angrily to the then RSS chief Bala Sahab Deoras' endeavour and called it a dilution of the concept on which the RSS was founded. Deoras remained unfazed. At a civic reception for Deoras in 1977, after the Janata Party's victory, presided over by noted jurists Nani Palkhiwala and Mohammad Currim (MC) Chagla, the latter was quoted as saying, "I am a Muslim by religion but Hindu by race" a formulation that did not please the Muslim clergy. Of course, in Golwalkar's time, it would have been unthinkable to open up the RSS for Muslims in the immediate aftermath of the post-Partition trauma. But Deoras, a successor chosen by Golwalkar, tried to change the perception about the RSS in the post-Emergency phase and at least attempted to make it an inclusive organisation without distancing it from its core ideological positions on "Hindus", which often appears incongruent with secular narratives of constitutionalism. In this context, Bhagwat's iteration of making a distinction between Hindu-ness and Hinduism is a mere repetition of what his predecessors have stated umpteen times in more nuanced ways. That he chose to articulate his view before an audience of foreign diplomats is an attempt to dissuade foreigners from looking at the Sangh Parivar through a prism of "secular narratives" in the context of the current skewed debate (in the eyes of the Parivar) on nationalism and tolerance, rather than a nuanced shift in its position. SCHUYLER Colfax County Attorney Denise Kracl has a message for local parents: dont let your underage kids drive or youll both receive a ticket. Kracls office has seen an uptick in the number of young juveniles caught behind the wheel without the proper drivers license, including a recent incident in which a 14-year-old crashed into a tree in Schuyler with three other minors in the vehicle. We are lucky they walked away, Kracl said of that accident. I cant believe they did. The county attorney reported 10 to 15 cases so far this year involving youths driving without the necessary license. The infractions arent limited to a specific ethnic group, she said, although her office is working with Comite Latino on an educational campaign to combat the issue. I think some of the bigger issues that were seeing is the parents are letting them (drive), Kracl said. It feels like theres some level of parental apathy, she added. They just dont care. But they should. Kracl said minors caught driving without the proper license will be ticketed and considered for the youth diversion program for the first offense. If it happens again, they could be sentenced to probation. Its also against the law for adults to let an unlicensed minor drive their vehicle, and they can also be charged. I want parents to understand that theyre going to get a ticket, Kracl said. There are four types of drivers licenses someone under the age of 17 can have in Nebraska. School learners permit minimum age 14 This permit allows a student to practice driving for a school permit. They must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old at all times. School permit minimum age 14 years and 2 months A school permit can be issued if a student lives outside a city of 5,000 or more residents or attends a school outside a city of that size. This allows students to drive from their home to school and any extracurricular activities at the school. However, they must take the most-direct route between the two locations. Kracl said one problem she sees is parents who send their children with school permits on errands, which isnt allowed under the license. Students with school permits can drive at any time if theyre accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old. Learners permit minimum age 15 This permit allows a youth to practice driving for a provisional operators license, operators license or motorcycle license. Learners permit holders must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 years old when behind the wheel. Provisional operators permit minimum age 16 Provisional permit holders can drive unsupervised between 6 a.m. and midnight, or at any time if theyre traveling between home and work or a school activity. They can also drive between midnight and 6 a.m. if theyre accompanied by a parent, guardian or licensed driver at least 21 years old. During the first six months after receiving the permit, the driver cant have more than one passenger who is younger than 19 and not an immediate family member. Chennai: Tamil Nadu chief minister E Palaniswamy thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for finalising a location in the state for developing a Japanese industrial township and a human resource development institute. Tamil Nadu was among the states which had been finalised for the projects, Modi announced at the India-Japan Business Leaders meet in Gujarat on Thursday, which was also attended by his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe. Referring to the proposed township and establishment of the Japan-India Institute of Manufacturing for HRD in Tamil Nadu, Palaniswami thanked the prime minister for it. "On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu and on my behalf, I express my heartfelt thanks to you for your announcements," Palaniswami said in a letter to the prime minister. The chief minister said the initiatives "will not only enhance the industrial growth of Tamil Nadu, but will also contribute to the nation's development". The prime minister had said four locations had been finalised for developing Japanese industrial townships in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. New Delhi: The Congress said on Friday it would launch a nationwide agitation against the "draconian" increase in central excise duty on petrol and diesel, alleging it has led to a steep hike in their prices. Accusing the BJP government of "looting" the common people and "profiteering" at their expense, Congress's senior spokesperson Ajay Maken said the party would continue its fight "until this draconian taxation regime is withdrawn". He claimed that in every 100 rupees of petrol, Rs 51.78 was in taxes and Rs 44.40 for diesel. He demanded a white paper on taxes imposed on fuels and the gains made by the government, and said the party would agitate across the country. The agitation would start on 20 September from the national capital. "The Congress will launch a nationwide agitation against this burdening of the common man with increased taxes and flooding the coffers of the government," he said. Maken said the Congress would start a signature campaign at petrol pumps from 17 September and launch a big protest on 20 September. He said the party would fight this battle to reduce taxes on every available forum and challenged the BJP to come out with a white paper on taxes on fuels and the gains thereof. "We will fight for the people, tooth and nail, until this draconian taxation regime is withdrawn," he told reporters. The Delhi Congress chief said burning holes in the pockets of the common people has become the benchmark of governance for the BJP. "Looting people, profiteering at their expense and squeezing their hard earned money is the sole aim of the BJP government. While crude oil prices plummet, petrol-diesel prices skyrocket!" he said. He said while the Modi government has spelt out "absurd" reasons such as "Hurricanes Harvey and Irma" for the increase in petrol and diesel prices, "it has dealt a devastating blow to the savings of the common people by brazenly increasing central excise duty 11 times in the past 3.5 years." Maken alleged that the increase in excise duty of petrol since May, 2014 is 133.47 percent and that on diesel is 400.86 percent after the central excise duty has been hiked 11 times since the BJP came to power. He said while international crude oil prices came down by more than 52 percent since the Modi government took over on 26 May, 2014, petrol prices skyrocketed to a three-year high. He also said that total contribution of petroleum to the central and state exchequers would touch Rs 5.24 lakh crore in 2016-17. "The way prices are rising and taxes are being imposed on petroleum products and other things and the economy is still going down, it puts a question mark on the working of this government," he said. Maken said the Congress demands immediate course correction of petrol and diesel prices by withdrawing the massive central excise duties and other taxes which have burdened the common people of the country and only flooded the coffers of the BJP government. He claimed that Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal government has increased VAT on petrol twice by making amendments in the law, while the BJP-led central government has also been burdening the common people by raising taxes on petroleum products and termed it as a "cruel joke" by the BJP and AAP governments. Kota: Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhra Raje on Thursday said that the BJP will win with a thumping majority in the Rajasthan assembly polls and the general elections. The BJP is a worker-based party and its members are its lifeline, she said at a party meeting in Bundi where the chief minister is on a three-day visit under the 'Aap Ka Jila, Aap Ki Sarkar' programme. Every suggestion and advice given by party workers should be given significance and put into action, Raje said, asking party's public representatives to boost the confidence of members. The chief minister also reviewed government schemes and developmental works in the district and called upon party workers to take the government's welfare schemes and achievements to the people. Rajasthan ministers Srichand Kripalani and Babu Lal Verma were also present on the occasion. Raje will inspect government projects and interact with people on Friday, the second-day of her visit to Bundi, a BJP official said. New Delhi: Vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu hit out at dynastic politics, saying dynasty in democracy is "nasty", days after Rahul Gandhi talked about the phenomenon being present in the Indian system. "There is discussion about dynasty. Dynasty and democracy cannot go together. Very simple... it weakens our system. Dynasty in democracy is nasty," he said at a book launch but added that his remarks were not linked to any party. He said he used to voice similar views earlier too but now he hesitates as he is out of politics. Naidu, however, made it clear that he is not referring to any political party while speaking against dynasty. "I am not keeping in mind any particular party this party or that party as someone said everybody is trying to follow each other." Speaking at the University of California in Berkeley, Rahul had earlier this week said that dynasties are commonplace in India, from politics to business, and stressed that a person's capabilities are more important than pedigree. "Most parties in India have that problem So, Akhilesh Yadav is a dynast. Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi in DMK) is a dynast; even Abhishek Bachchhan is a dynast. So that's how India runs. So don't get after me because that's how India is run. By the way, last, I recall, Ambanis are running the business. That's also going on in Infosys. So that's what happens in India," Gandhi had said, listing several prominent Indians born into famous families. Asheeta Regidi In the age of smartphones, smart cities and the internet of things, privacy is one of the biggest concerns. Biometric data collection forms one of the biggest enablers of violation of this right, creating a tremendous potential for surveillance. In India, fingerprints have been stored in the UIDAI database, while DNA profiles are soon proposed to be stored as well. Apart from such governmental collection of biometric data, an increasing concern is with the biometric data in the possession of private persons. The latest concern that arises is with Apples Face ID technology. While smartphone users are excited with Apples latest launch the iPhone X, privacy advocates are extremely concerned with this new feature, which uses a 3D image of a persons face to authenticate. So much so that US Senator Al Franken has written to Apple CEO Tim Cook questioning the privacy and security protections of this new feature. The fallibility of biometric authentication The increasing convenience of technology has led to an increasing lowering of security and privacy for the people. There can be no clearer evidence of this than with biometric authentication. This is a feature that is certainly convenient there is no longer a need to remember umpteen passwords and passcodes. But the dangers arise with the ease with which biometric information can be revealed and replicated. The ease with which fingerprints can be compromised is well known. Facial recognition data can just as easily be disclosed. Early facial recognition technology could be defeated using pictures or videos of the person. Apples 3D image resolves this issue, but it is very much possible to recreate a 3D model of a persons head from their picture. Thus, every time you put up your photograph, you are disclosing facial recognition data. Yes, making a 3D print of a persons head is more difficult than replicating their fingerprint, but it is very much possible. Another simpler possibility is to defeat it using masks. Another issue arising with Apples technology is that persons like the police, robbers and other miscreants need only to hold your iPhone against your face to gain access to it. The entire Apple-FBI fight to prevent easy access becomes near redundant with this one new feature. Surreptitious surveillance possibilities Apart from the possibility of individual access, the new feature can, in future, allow surveillance. The Touch ID, for instance, needed the person to actually put their finger on the phone in order to authenticate. With Face ID, a person need not even intend to authenticate, merely looking at their phone would activate it. The Face ID is intended to be used not only for access, but also for acts like downloading apps and using Apple Pay. Its common use on other Apple devices like the iPad, Macbook, etc., furthers its surveillance possibilities. Government agencies abroad are already known to be using facial recognition to monitor people. Through Apples devices, they can possibly direct Apple to conduct surreptitious surveillance of people using FaceID, possible identify a specific person based on his facial data, and force Apple to reveal their location through their GPS data. This is a particular concern since Apple also possesses the hardware, such as photography and videography capabilities, to do this. Is Apples Privacy Policy adequate? Apple states that the data is stored physically on the device, and not remotely on the cloud. There is a sense of security in this, but it is unclear what happens if Apple changes its mind and decides to access or transfer this data. Apples Privacy Policy, after all, gives it permission to share the data it collects with third parties, service providers and governmental, judicial and other authorities. There are no special provisions preventing access to biometric data, whether by Apple, third parties, or the government. In short, the question is whether individuals have any real control over their biometric data in Apples possession. Looking at the Whatsapp-Facebook privacy case, if Apple changes its mind on the use of the data, will users be given a real choice to withdraw their consent and prevent the collection and storage of their biometric data? Third party data? Yet another issue that arises is the possible storage of third party users facial data. For instance, if Apples Face ID is always on, i.e., it is perpetually scanning for a face to recognise, then it may store raw data of third parties nearby, or persons attempting to access the phone. Such persons also need rights over such data, such as to have it deleted. Apple isnt a western-country concern alone Apples new feature is definitely a bigger concern in the Western countries, where Apple has approximately 40 percent market share among users. In India, on the other hand, Apple has approximately 3 percent of the market share. While this is perhaps not as immediate a concern in India, this is certainly an indication of authentication of the future, and potential of future surveillance, much like that enabled by Aadhaar. Mass surveillance in India has perhaps not reached the same extent as USs NSA and Upstream, but the possibility certainly exists. There is no information on the status of Indian mass surveillance projects like the Central Monitoring System, NETRA, NATGRID, etc., but it is certainly on the cards. The right to privacy and mass surveillance Though mass surveillance in India is not regulated, it is unfortunately not prohibited either. Specific interception and surveillance in India is legal. Protections against it are limited to procedural safeguards under the IT Act and in cases like PUCL v Union of India (telephone tapping case). The newly recognised right to privacy does create hope for protection against such activities, but this is yet to be crystallised w.r.t surveillance. The Aadhaar privacy case may shed some light on this. In the meanwhile, in view of the increasing risks with biometric data and surveillance, it is necessary for people to exercise extreme caution with what data they share, whether on social media sites, or with their smartphones. The author is a lawyer and writer specialising in cyber law, she is also a certified information privacy professional. Aditya Madanapalle On 15 September 2017, at about 5:30 PM IST, Cassini completed its 20 year mission during the course of which it achieved a number of scientific breakthroughs. The imaging instruments on board the spacecraft were shut off ahead of the dive, so there will not be any images of Cassini actually diving into Saturn. However, the other scientific payloads on the spacecraft continued to observe the Saturnian atmosphere till the very moment the spacecraft burnt up in the atmosphere. Normally there is about a six hour gap between Cassini collecting the data and transmitting it home, but for the final dive, the data was transmitted in almost real time. The Cassini spacecraft is a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency. The spacecraft was launched in 1997 on board a Titan IV, and took seven years to reach Saturn, its intended destination. During the journey, Cassini paid a visit to Venus, the Moon and Jupiter. As the spacecraft would have spent most of its time in orbit around Saturn, it was too distant from the Sun to be powered by solar panels, and thus uses plutonium as a power source. Cassini has discovered 7 previously unknown moons of Saturn during the course of its mission, including the "waverider" moon, Daphnis, which causes ripples in the rings of Saturn that are kilometres long. One of the most memorable images captured by Cassini is a spectacular view of the rings of Saturn in full colour. Additionally, many objects from the solar system are visible in the same frame, including the Earth. The rings of Saturn and many of its moons can also be seen. NASA scientists had informed the people of the Earth in advance that Cassini was going to take this photograph, and had asked everyone to look skyward and wave. The photograph is called "The Day the Earth Smiled." Cassini had captured videos ofon Saturn and had foundon Saturns biggest moon, Titan. On 7 December 2016, Cassini used the gravity of Titan, to slingshot around the moon and begin a series of. NASA scientists expected a number of new observations and photographs from the ring grazing orbits, bringing Cassini closer than ever to the tiny moons near the ring system around the gas giant. Cassini did not fail to deliver, one of the first images from the ring grazing orbits was an image of thearound the north pole of Saturn. Cassini went on to take an image of, and various images of. During the ring grazing orbits, NASA made one of the most dramatic announcements ever. Cassini had discovered plumes of water erupting from Enceladus. When Cassini was designed, scientists did not suspect that these geysers existed on Enceladus. NASA made Cassini pass over Enceladus, and used the instruments meant to study the outer atmosphere of Titan, to study the geysers erupting from Enceladus. The resulting observations determined that microbes had plenty of food to feed off on Enceladus, and it was an A Google Doodle has. During these orbits, Cassini dove between Saturn and its innermost rings. There are 22 such orbits scheduled, the first of which took place on 26 April 2017. The size and density of the particles in the region between Saturn and the innermost rings were studied during the first dive, to prepare the spacecraft for subsequent orbits. Cassini used its dish shaped antenna as a shield during the first dive, in case there are particles that are larger than expected. NASA scientists did not expect any matter larger than smoke particles, but was being cautious. As the antenna was used as a shield in the first dive, Cassini was not able to maintain contact with Earth during the initial maneuver. Cassini bid farewell to the "Deathstar" moon, as well aswith a hazy atmosphere. During the dive, Cassini will flew by four moons of Saturn, Janus, Atlas, Epimetheus and Daphnis. Cassini also observed the Earth and the Sun during the first deep dive orbit. There were distant flybys of Pan, Pandora, Prometheus, Epimetheus and Aegaeon. There were also several distant flybys of Titan, an object of interest of the Huygens probe. Titan is a planet sized laboratory with conditions believed to be similar to that of a primitive Earth. The slingshot maneuver around Titan on 22 April, just before initiating the final set of deep dive orbits, was the last close flyby of a moon of Saturn by Cassini. A more distant flyby of Titan was executed to put Cassini on track towards its final dive, a maneuver known as the " Goodbye Kiss ." On 15 September, Cassini executed its final maneuver. There was not sufficient fuel on the spacecraft to extend the mission further, and that meant that NASA would no longer be able to control the spacecraft. NASA was being careful, and did not want to contaminate the moons of Saturn, in case they harbour life, with Enceladus and Titan being among of the most promising candidates. In a science abundant maneuver, Cassini flew past Janus, Pan, Pandora, Epimetheus and finally enter the outer atmosphere of the gas giant. Cassini transmitted information during the course of its final dive, till the very moment when the friction from the atmosphere burns up the dependable spacecraft and turns it into a shooting star. The final communications from Cassini, travelling nearly at the speed of light, are expected to arrive about an hour and a half after the end of the mission. After a 20 year mission, Cassini ultimately became a part of the gas giant it studied for so long. Reuters The battle over how and where Europeans charge their electric cars is expanding from the continents cities to its motorways. Power utilities, tech start-ups, and oil majors are fighting to establish themselves as the dominant players in the fast-growing business of charging stations, but advances in electric vehicles means where they build them is changing. Refuelling conventional petrol and diesel cars on motorways has long been the domain of the oil companies, which typically have their own networks of filling stations. Several are now talking about setting up high-power charging networks, creating major competition for limited space at motorway service areas. It is a bit of a landgrab now to win this sector, said Tim Payne, chief executive of British charging start-up InstaVolt, which has raised 12 million pounds to install 3,000 charge points across Britain by 2020. While the range of electric vehicles (EVs) was less than 100 km (60 miles), Europes utilities were happy to help cities and companies install slow and inexpensive charging points at homes, offices and shops, often supported by state subsidies. But Tesla, Porsche, and BMW are now making battery-powered cars with enough range to drive across countries. Daimler and Volkswagen also announced plans on the eve of this weeks Frankfurt motor show to accelerate their shift to electric cars. Charging infrastructure remains nowhere near it needs to be. Where is the network of charging points that will be required? Indeed where is the power and the grid? Ralf Speth, boss of Britains Jaguar Land Rover, asked last week. Experts including ChargePoint and Engie are, however, making plans to build pan-European networks of high-voltage fast-charging stations which can refill a battery in less than half an hour instead of overnight. In Britain, InstaVolt is renting land from filling station operators, bringing them additional revenue from the lease as well as the increased traffic to their shops at the sites. It earns a margin by selling power through the chargers. InstaVolt struck a deal in May with ChargePoint, which itself is on a $125 million expansion spree in Europe, to install about 200 of the US groups ultra-fast chargers close to popular roads across Britain. tech2 News Staff Google has finally confirmed a date for the launch of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL and 4 October it is. As part of a marketing exercise for the new Pixel series, the company launched a teaser video for the event on their 'madebyGoogle' subdomain. Official media invites were also shared by the company as reported by The Verge. The event is scheduled to happen in San Francisco, beginning at 9:30 pm (IST) on 4 October. The Mountain View based company also took to Twitter to share the teaser confirming a report of a billboard spotted in Boston suggesting that the event would happen on 4 October. The video released by Google carries the tagline of 'thinking about changing phones?', asking users to "stay tuned for more on October 4". A report from yesterday had also spotted an advert by Google in a place that is incredibly hard to miss, Google Search. Based on what we know so far, the new Pixel devices will be made by two different OEMs, one being HTC for the Pixel 2 and the other being LG for the Pixel XL 2. The processor inside will most likely be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, despite earlier rumours that the Pixel 2 series will feature the new Snapdragon 836. Qualcomm later confirmed that the Snapdragon 836 will not be ready for mass production until early 2018. The display on the Google Pixel 2 XL is expected to come in at 5.99-inches while sporting a bezel-less design. The regular Pixel 2 is expected to follow a design more similar to its predecessor while sporting a smaller, 4.97-inch OLED display, compared to the Pixel XL 2. On the software front, both the devices are expected to run Android Oreo out of the box with a stock build. The 3.5 mm headphone jack is also supposed to get the axe this year with Google opting for a single USB-C port on the phone. Reuters Three female former employees of Alphabet Incs Google filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the tech company of discriminating against women in pay and promotions. The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in California state court in San Francisco, comes as Google faces an investigation by the US Department of Labor into sex bias in pay practices. The lawsuit appears to be the first to make class action sex bias claims against Google but is only the latest instance of a major tech company being accused of discriminating against women. The Department of Labor sued Oracle America Inc in January, claiming it paid white men more than women and minorities with similar jobs. Microsoft Corp and Twitter Inc are facing sex bias lawsuits, and Qualcomm Inc last year settled claims for $19.5 million. Meanwhile, Uber Technologies Inc in June said it would make a series of changes after a former engineer in a blog post accused the ride-hailing service of condoning rampant sexism. The plaintiffs in Thursdays lawsuit are a former Google software engineer, a former communications specialist and a former manager who worked in various roles at the Mountain View, California-based company. They say Google pays women in California less than men who perform similar work and assigns female workers jobs that are less likely to lead to promotions. While Google has been an industry-leading tech innovator, its treatment of female employees has not entered the 21st century, Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the women, said in a statement. Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano denied the claims in a statement. She said employment decisions are made by hiring and promotion committees, and are vetted to make sure there is no gender bias. If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees, she said. The plaintiffs say Google violated California laws requiring equal pay for similar work and prohibiting unfair and unlawful business practices. They are seeking to represent a class of women who worked at Google in California over the last four years. The Labor Department investigation stems from a 2015 audit in which the department says it discovered sex-based wage gaps among Google workers. The department last month appealed an administrative judges July decision that rejected its request for contact information for more than 20,000 Google employees. IANS India cannot afford to ignore the challenges of new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, and miss out on Industrial Revolution 4.0, Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday. "We had lost out on the opportunities created by the Industrial Revolution because of colonialism, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pointed out... and that we cannot afford to miss out on Industrial Revolution 4.0," Pradhan said. The Minister was addressing the 10th Global Skills Summit here organised by industry chamber Ficci. "We cannot ignore the challenges of technologies of the future like artificial intelligence and automation." "Our responsibility is to speed up the creation of an ecosystem in which all the workforce being added to the country every year gets a dignified life through a collective effort of all stakeholders," he added. Noting from his experience in India how technology is no longer a "high-end" product and has been adopted by the common people, the Minister said the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data did not properly reflect the level of skilling in the country. "India has 50 crore people in the notified employable age of 15-59 years. Of this, the skilled manpower is just 10 percent as against 50-90 percent skilled manpower in the robust urban economies like Germany," Pradhan said. "It is not that just 10 percent of India's population is skilled. The biggest challenge is to put our records straight on the table," he added. In this connection, he recalled the marvellous architectural, engineering and technical skills of ancient India as seen in temple construction, for instance, that had spread to distant parts like Southeast Asia. COLUMBUS A 23-year-old Columbus man is suspected of violating a protection order filed against him by a former girlfriend multiple times this month while carrying concealed weapons at locations stretching from Columbus to Omaha. Oscar Leon is scheduled for a felony first appearance hearing Wednesday in Platte County Court in connection with four separate violations during the first week of September. He has not been formally charged by the county attorneys office. Violation of a protection order is a Class IV felony punishable by up to two years in prison, 12 months of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine. A Columbus Police investigation got underway Sept. 6 with a report by a city woman that her ex-boyfriend showed up at a 47th Avenue apartment building where she was visiting a male friend. The woman told police Leon was causing problems and carrying a knife in his pocket, Officer Scott Hanis wrote in his probable cause arrest statement. By the time officers arrived at the apartment, the suspect had left. During an exchange at the apartment before officers arrived, the woman reported Leon asked if the police were called, then departed the scene, Hanis wrote. The officer said the woman reported Leon found her at a dance she was attending Sept. 1 in Omaha, and at a friends house Sept. 3 in Fremont, where he yelled at her and her friends. Other violations of the court order reportedly occurred Sept. 5 while the city woman was attending a movie at 30 Center Mall and Sept. 6 at the 47th Avenue apartment, Hanis wrote. In the apartment exchange, the officer wrote, the city womans friend said Leon lifted his shirt to reveal what he believed to be a handgun in the waistband. Leon was previously convicted of a protection order violation in August 2015. tech2 News Staff Motorola has released a list of smartphone models which will receive the new Android Oreo 8.0 update. These smartphone models are from the Moto Z and Moto G5 fraternity. They include: Moto Z Droid, Moto Z Force Droid, Moto Z2 Force Edition, Moto Z2 Play, Moto Z, Moto Z Play, Moto G5S Plus, Moto G5 Plus, Moto G5, and Moto X4. In the US website of the Lenovo-owned company, the software update is marked as dependant on carrier partners. Moreover, for some models, partner support is pending. Meanwhile, some of the models will not receive any further update. Motorola hasn't specified a timeline for the rollout, only going so far as to say that "The next generation of Android - Android 8.x Oreo - has been released to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP)." Of course, the Motorola-built Nexus 6 has already received the update. While Motorola has given a list of models for which the upgrade would be available, Nokia, back in June, had confirmed that Android O would be available on the Nokia 3, 5 and 6. According to Geekbench, the Nokia 8 may receive an Android O update. However, it is yet to be confirmed, but it does seem very likely. Also, OnePlus has updated OxygenOS to Android 8.0 Oreo for the users in its closed beta group. According to a report by Android Police, the company is set to roll out the closed beta Android Oreo 8.0 builds for OnePlus 3T and 5 in the near future. The interesting thing to note here is that according to the report, OnePlus is aiming for the end of September for the release of a public beta build. Android Oreo which was released on 21 August on the same day that America experienced its first total solar eclipse in a 100 years, and was launched via a livestream. One of the interesting features included in Android Oreo was a picture in picture mode, thus allowing multitasking. This feature was initially an Android TV-only feature. Tech2 News Staff NASA's Cassini mission has transmitted the final images taken by its imaging cameras just before burning up in the Saturnian atmosphere in a final, science rich dive. The spacecraft emptied its onboard solid-state recorder of all science data, prior to reconfiguring for a near-real-time data relay during the final plunge, NASA said. Normally the spacecraft takes five or six hours to relay observations after making them, but for the final fiery plunge, the data is being transmitted in near real time. The last unprocessed images of the Saturn system shared by NASA were taken by the Cassini spacecraft on Wednesday. Cassini ended its 13-year tour of the Saturn system with an intentional plunge into the planet to ensure Saturn's moons - in particular Enceladus, with its subsurface ocean and signs of hydrothermal activity - remain pristine for future exploration. NASA does not want to contaminate the moon, which has all the necessary ingredients to support life as we know it on Earth, with microbes that may have piggybacked on the spacecraft. The absolute last image of Saturn captured by Cassini shows the impact site. The imaging instrument on board has a wide angle camera and a narrow angle camera. The cameras were turned off before the dive into the atmosphere, but the other instruments continued to beam back observations till the very moment Cassini turned into a ball of fire. Cassini also beamed back an infrared image of the site of impact. The actual point where Cassini entered the Saturnian atmosphere is marked by the circle. This is the final look that Cassini had of Enceladus. A little before initiating the final maneuver, Cassini also captured images of the water spouts from the south pole of Enceladus one final time. Cassini also beamed back a final image of the ringscape of Saturn. The image was captured on 13 September, 2017. Cassini beamed back an image of a lone propeller. These are features on the rings of Saturn, that are larger than the particles that make up the ring, but smaller than the moons. The propellers are named after aviators, and there are entire belts of propellers in some regions of the rings. One of the final images beamed back by Cassini is a view of Saturn along with its rings. This is the last full colour image of Titan captured by Cassini. The hydrocarbon rich atmosphere is extremely hazy and it is difficult to see any features. The methane seas on Titan may host an exotic form of life. This image of Titan was captured during the "Goodbye Kiss" maneuver, where the spacecraft used the gravity of the moon shift into an orbit that would put it on the path to dive into the atmosphere of Saturn. The spacecraft's fateful dive is the final beat in the mission's Grand Finale, 22 weekly dives, which began in late April, through the gap between Saturn and its rings. No spacecraft has ever ventured so close to the planet before. The mission's final loss of contact with the Cassini spacecraft took place on Friday at 7.55 a.m. EDT (5.25 pm Friday India time). Due to the travel time for radio signals from Saturn, which changes as both Earth and the ringed planet travel around the Sun, events currently take place there 83 minutes before they are observed on Earth. This means that, although the spacecraft began to tumble and go out of communication at 6.31 a.m. EDT (4.01 pm India time) at Saturn, the signal from that event was not received on Earth until 83 minutes later. "The spacecraft's final signal will be like an echo. It will radiate across the solar system for nearly an hour and a half after Cassini itself has gone," said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. "Even though we'll know that, at Saturn, Cassini has already met its fate, its mission isn't truly over for us on Earth as long as we're still receiving its signal," Maize said. Cassini's last transmissions will be received by antennas at NASA's Deep Space Network complex in Canberra, Australia. With inputs from IANS PTI NASA's USD 3.9 billion Cassini spacecraft today ended its 20-year-long groundbreaking journey with a fiery plunge into the Saturn's crushing atmosphere, beaming back never-before-seen images of the ringed planet and its mysterious moons until the last moment. Operators deliberately made Cassini, the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, dive into the gas giant to ensure that the planets moons - in particular Enceladus, with its subsurface ocean and signs of hydrothermal activity - remain pristine for future exploration. "Our spacecraft has entered Saturn's atmosphere, and we have received its final transmission," NASA said in a tweet. "Every time we see Saturn in the night sky, well remember. Well smile. And well want to go back," the US space agency said. The spacecrafts fateful dive was the final beat in the missions Grand Finale, 22 weekly dives, which began in late April, through the gap between Saturn and its rings. Our spacecraft has entered Saturn's atmosphere, and we have received its final transmission. CassiniSaturn (@CassiniSaturn) September 15, 2017 No spacecraft has ever ventured so close to the planet before, NASA said. "I hope you are all as deeply proud of this amazing accomplishment. Congratulations to you all. This has been an incredible mission, incredible spacecraft and you were all incredible team," Earl Maize, Cassini mission manager, said while announcing the end of the mission at IST 5:25 pm. The USD 3.9 billion mission continued to transmit data back to the Earth till the last minute before it came apart and was burned up like a meteor in Saturns atmosphere. The unmanned orbiter tore through the atmosphere at the speed of 113,000 kilometres per hour. Contact was lost with the Cassini spacecraft a minute after it reached an altitude of about 1,500 kilometres above the planets estimated cloud tops. Within about 30 seconds following loss of signal, the spacecraft came apart; and within a couple of minutes, all remnants of the spacecraft were consumed in the atmosphere of Saturn, NASA said. "Earth received CassiniSaturns final signal at 7:55 am ET. Cassini is now part of the planet it studied. Thanks for the science," NASA tweeted. The Cassini mission gave scientists an unprecedented view of the sixth planet from the Sun. The probe discovered seasonal changes on Saturn, a hexagon-shaped pattern on the north pole and the moon Titans resemblance to a primordial Earth. Earth received @CassiniSaturns final signal at 7:55am ET. Cassini is now part of the planet it studied. Thanks for the science #GrandFinale pic.twitter.com/YfSTeeqbz1 NASA (@NASA) September 15, 2017 Scientists found deep, liquid-filled canyons on Saturns moon Titan for the first time. They also found a global ocean on the moon Enceladus, with ice plumes spouting from its surface. Thanks to these observations, Enceladus has become a promising target in the search for life outside Earth. A joint endeavour of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), Cassini was a sophisticated robotic spacecraft orbiting the ringed planet and studying the Saturnian system in detail. The spacecraft has produced 450,000 images and 635 gigabytes of data since it began probing Saturn and its 62 known moons in July 2004. Cassini also carried a probe called Huygens, which parachuted to the surface of Saturns largest moon, Titan, in January 2005 and returned spectacular results. Launched in October 1997, Cassini completed its initial four-year mission to explore the Saturn system in June 2008, and the first extension, called the Cassini Equinox Mission, in September 2010. In a second extension called the Cassini Solstice Mission, the spacecraft made new exciting discoveries. Late last year, the Cassini spacecraft executed a daring set of ring-grazing orbits. The spacecraft repeatedly climbed high above Saturns poles, flying just outside its narrow F ring 20 times. After a last flyby of the Saturns moon Titan, the spacecraft dived between Saturns uppermost atmosphere and its innermost ring 22 times. tech2 News Staff Switzerlands defence ministry has foiled a cyber attack by malware similar to that used in other global hacking campaigns, the government said in a statement on 15 September. The attack was detected in July by software that operated much like the Turla malware family, it said. The government declined to give information about the origin of the attack or say if any damage including data theft had occurred. It cited security considerations. Government specialists took counter measures and an investigation is underway, while criminal charges have been lodged with federal prosecutors against persons unknown to them. The Turla spyware was detected in 2014 and suspected of infecting hundreds of government computers and military targets across Europe and the Middle East. Several security researchers and Western intelligence officers say they believe the malware in those attacks was the work of the Russian government. In other news the US Treasury Department announced it has imposed sanctions on 11 entities and individuals for supporting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for cyber attack against the US. The sanctions announced on Thursday targeted one entity engaging in supporting IRGC ballistic missile programme, two Ukraine-based entities supporting designated airlines, and two Iran-based networks responsible for cyber-enabled attacks against the US financial system. With inputs from multiple agencies The United States on Thursday called on China and Russia to take "direct actions" to rein in North Korea after it fired a ballistic missile over Japan into the Pacific. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own." The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programs. Tillerson called those fresh punitive measures "the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime." "These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation." US president Donald Trump has yet to comment on the launch but, according to the White House, has been briefed. The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door emergency meeting Friday at 3.00 pm (1900 GMT) at the request of the United States and Japan. Tillerson's call for action came hours after the US military's regional command confirmed North Korea had fired the intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, noting it had not posed a threat to North America. It is the second time in less than a month that North Korea launched a missile that flew over Japan. Seoul's defense ministry said the latest missile probably traveled around 3,700 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometers -- further and higher than the Hwasong-12 IRBM launched at the end of August. That launch was followed by a nuclear test on 3 September, its largest to date, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. Washington: US president Donald Trump confirmed that he will travel in November to China, South Korea and Japan as part of his Asia tour, media reports said. Trump on Thursday did not rule out also visiting Vietnam to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum and his team is still considering whether he will attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in The Philippines, Efe news reported. When asked about the Asia trip by reporters accompanying him on Air Force One on his visit to Florida to view damage from Hurricane Irma, Trump confirmed the trip despite the rising tensions with North Korea. He said he would "probably" to go China, Japan and South Korea in November and "possibly" attend the APEC summit in Vietnam, adding that Filipino President Rodrigo Duarte had invited him to the ASEAN summit, about which Trump said "we're going to see" whether or not he will attend. The mogul did not want to discuss his strategy regarding the tense and volatile situation with Pyongyang, but he said that the people of the US are "very safe". His negotiating strategy, however, seems to involve China, with which he said he has "a great relationship", as well as with that country's president, Xi Jinping. However, the president said he did not want to tell reporters what the US and China are currently working on to deal with the North Korea's nuclear ambitions and its possible threat to the region and even to US territory. At the beginning of this month, North Korea conducted its sixth atomic test, the most powerful to date, using a thermonuclear device allegedly a hydrogen bomb which Pyongyang said it could install on the intercontinental ballistic missiles it has been testing in recent months. The intensification of weapons testing by North Korea, which also this month launched a missile that overflew northern Japan before landing in the Pacific, has brought condemnation from the international community and the threat of an arms race in the region. In response, the South Korean army has staged live-fire military exercises and joint maneuvers with the US to demonstrate its strength and resolve. Washington: CIA director Mike Pompeo has cancelled a talk at the Harvard Kennedy School after it hired Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow. In 2013, Manning was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment for releasing confidential military and State Department documents. The sentence was then commuted by the then-President Obama to seven years, dating from the beginning of her confinement in 2010. "My conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearing to support Harvard's decision with my appearance at tonight's event," Pompeo said in a letter to the Ivy League university. Pompeo said Manning betrayed her country and was found guilty of 17 serious crimes for leaking classified information to Wikileaks. "Wikileaks is an enemy of the US, akin to a hostile foreign intelligence service. Leaders from both political parties denounced Ms Manning's actions as traitorous and many intelligence and military officials believe those leaks put the lives of the patriotic men and women at the CIA in danger. And those military and intelligence officials are right," he said. "Indeed, Ms Manning stands against everything the brave men and women I serve alongside stand for. Let me be clear, this has nothing to do with Ms. Manning's identity as a transgender person. It has everything to do with her identity as a traitor to the United States of America and my loyalty to the officers of the CIA," Pompeo said in his letter. Critical of Harvard's decision to hire Manning as a visiting fellow, Pompeo said this implicitly tell its students that you too can be a fellow at Harvard and a felon under US law. "While I have served my country as a soldier in the United States Army and will continue to defend Ms Manning's right to offer a defense of why she chose this path, I believe it is shameful for Harvard to place its stamp of approval upon her treasonous actions," he said. Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell also resigned from his post as a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School after the university announced to have hired Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow. Washington: Few issues have animated President Donald Trump's ardent supporters more than his pledge to build a wall along the nation's Southern border. Now, Trump's decision to put that promise aside at least temporarily while he pursues a deal with Democrats to protect young immigrants brought to the country illegally may test the limits of that loyalty. Some avid Trump backers praised the president as a pragmatist trying to make deals with whomever he can. But others recoiled at the prospect of Trump joining forces with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader Nancy Pelosi on immigration, and seeming to get little in return. "Many supporters of the president wonder whether our king has been captured and (White House chief of staff John) Kelly and a clique of generals and their globalist friends are now governing," said Roger Stone, a longtime informal adviser to Trump. His comments reflected the growing concern among some Trump backers about the diminished presence of nationalist advisers in the West Wing. Amy Kremer, who founded the group 'Women Vote Trump', likened the president's deal-making with Democrats to one of history's most notorious political flip-flops: President George HW Bush's broken campaign-trail vow that he wouldn't raise taxes. "If the wall doesn't get done and he gives amnesty, he'll lose the base," Kremer said. "You're going to see an absolute revolt." The worries were sparked by Trump's startling efforts to forge consensus with Schumer and Pelosi "Chuck and Nancy," as the president has cozily referred to the Democratic duo over the fate of nearly 800,000 people brought to the US illegally as children. Trump, Schumer and Pelosi discussed the matter at a private White House dinner Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, the president a former Democrat himself and the minority leaders appeared largely aligned. Trump said an agreement to allow the young immigrants to stay in the country would have to include "massive border security." But he pointedly said a border wall, which is staunchly opposed by Democrats, could come later. He's outlined no specific path for ultimately making that happen. While allowing young people who came to the US illegally to stay in the country is broadly popular, immigration hardliners consider it amnesty. As a candidate, Trump vowed to repeal the executive action signed by then president Barack Obama allowing the young people to stay. But he's struggled with the issue as president, often speaking sympathetically about the young immigrants. Earlier this month, he announced that he would rescind their protections in March, but said he wanted Congress to pass legislation protecting them from deportation. Trump has tested the limits of his supporters' loyalty before, often to find that they were unshaken by his policy reversals. He failed to fulfill his pledge to repeal Obama's signature health care law. He's backed off his tough talk on China, declining to label Beijing a currency manipulator. The United States is still a party to the Iran nuclear deal, despite Trump's promise to rip up the agreement. But immigration, and the border wall in particular, hold special resonance with Trump supporters. Some of Trump's appeal to the white, working-class voters who formed the basis of his voting bloc stemmed from his promises to crack down on illegal immigration. At his raucous campaign rallies, voters often broke out into chants of "build that wall." Once in the White House, Trump's nationalist-minded advisers, particularly strategist Steve Bannon, often pressed the president on the particular importance of fulfilling his promise on the border wall. But Bannon, who kept a tally of Trump's campaign promises in his West Wing office, was pushed out this summer as part of Kelly's takeover of the White House. The headlines Thursday on Breitbart News, where Bannon returned after leaving the administration, were unforgiving. One panned the president as "Amnesty Don." Another said Trump got "rolled" by the Democrats. With his poll numbers sagging, Trump has spent recent weeks alternating between being deeply worried about disappointing his base and deeply frustrated with Republican lawmakers' struggles to pass significant legislation. The GOP's failure to pass an Obamacare overhaul in particular soured Trump's view of Republican congressional leaders, according to advisers, and opened him up to the prospect of partnering with Democrats instead. Some of Trump's supporters praised the president for what they see as pragmatism. "He's to the point he needs to get something done. The Republican Party has failed him miserably," said Jeff Jorgensen, the GOP chairman in western Iowa's conservative Pottawattamie County. "Hats off to him. If you need to cross the aisle to get things done, then cross the aisle." There's no guarantee that the common ground Trump found this week with Democrats on immigration will result in legislation. Republicans still control which legislation comes up for votes, and neither Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell nor House Speaker Paul Ryan appeared eager to sign on. The scope of the border security measures that would be included in an eventual bill could also undercut Democratic support. Trump, trying to tamp down criticism that he was acquiescing to his political opponents, insisted he would eventually make good on his promises to his base. "Ultimately, we have to have the wall," he said. "If we don't get the wall we're not doing anything." Brussels: EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini on Friday condemned North Korea's ballistic missile launch over Japan as an "outrageous provocation" and vowed to step up sanctions on the rogue regime. Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on Friday its longest missile flight yet in response to fresh punitive measures imposed by the UN Security Council earlier this week. The international community hopes that economic sanctions will both deprive the north of the money it needs to pursue its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and pressure it into negotiating. "Today's (Friday) launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) of another ballistic missile over Japan is a new outrageous provocation," Mogherini said, adding that the EU would press on with efforts already under way to extend the bloc's own sanction regime. "While the European Union's current restrictive measures against the DPRK are already the most stringent it has in place for any country, we are already working on additional autonomous EU measures to complement the decisions taken by the United Nations," she said. "Our work will be accelerated even more by this latest launch." The EU later announced it was expanding its North Korean sanctions blacklist in line with the UN Security Council resolution earlier this week, adding one individual and three North Korean government and military departments. Friday's missile launch, which comes less than a fortnight after Pyongyang staged its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date, prompted the UN Security Council to call an emergency meeting. Love him or hate him, you can't ignore him This dictum seems to fit perfectly for North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, who has become a permanent fixture in headlines across the world. Kim is a person who is not easy to get hold of (read: impossible) and therefore, the enigma around him not just pulls but makes journalists 'imagine' things. Fareed Zakaria, who hosts CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, in a piece asserts that the North Korean leader is one of those personalities whom he would want to interview. After North launched a missile on Japan on Friday, the journalist wrote a piece where he imagines an interview with the North Korean leader and jots down questions he would like to ask the "smart" leader. In two separate opinion pieces (see here and here) on North Korea's leader published in The Washington Post, Zakaria tries to decipher (at times through Kim's own words) how the regime has survived for so long. While the world calls him a madman (and US president Donald Trump calls him a madman with nuclear weapons), Zakaria says he might be "strategic, smart and utterly rational." As the countries condemn and put sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear missile tests, Kim says in the imagined interview with Zakaria that his nation faces a fundamental challenge of survival because the regime is more threatened than ever. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union and China gradually moving towards the West countries, Kim is having an even more difficult time than his father and grandfather. Kim's father and grandfather ruled with the help of the Soviet Union and the mighty China. As Zakaria says in another opinion piece published by The Washington Post, China "went from being a fiery ideological soul mate to a pragmatic trading state that has eagerly integrated into world markets." China is starting to view North Korea as a nuisance. Beijing on Friday condemned Pyongyang's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan and appealed for restraints. "The Chinese side opposes the DPRK's violation of the resolution of the (UN) Security Council, and its use of ballistic missile technology for launch activities," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said, as Guardian reported. The US has also called on China and Russia to take direct action to reign in North Korea. China also backed United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang as punishment for the regime's nuclear weapons program, New York Post reported. "China is ruthlessly pragmatic. It supports its own selfish interests and it longer considers North Korea an ally," Kim told Zakaria. Expanding on Beijing's concerns, he said that China does not want millions of refugees or a unified Korea on its border. Chinese president Xi Jinping has close relations with South Korea but not with me, he added. North Korea therefore, faces an existential crisis. It has survived with its ideology and system intact until now because they have built a protection in the form of nuclear weapons, Kim told Zakaria. According to a Foreign Policy article, the Kim regime has had to survive massive famine that afflicted the public, the loss of every international ally. And the worlds most powerful country has made clear that North Korea is destined for the ash heap of history. Trump said the latest UN sanctions on Pyongyang are only a very small step. "We think it's just another very small step, not a big dealBut those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen," he was quoted as saying by Huffington Post. The Sun also reported that military advisors claim the US is making plans to occupy North Korea quietly. Kim said that they heard that senior officials in China and the United States were discussing whether to encourage a coup in North Korea and the only person who could have done it, was his uncle, who has now been liquidated, he said. In the face of such hostility, Zakaria claims that the best insurance is having a nuclear capacity. "Perhaps the right way to look at North Korea is as a smart, rational, calculating government that is functioning shrewdly given its priority of regime survival," Zakaria adds. Expressing concern over what happened to Moammar Gaddafi in Libya after he agreed to give up his nuclear weapons program, Kim told Zakaria that they will readily come to the negotiating table but will never give up their arsenal. "We are a nuclear power. This is not negotiable," he added. While the Americans fear North Korea has the capacity and intention to launch missiles, Kim said that the whole point is to ensure that he and his regime survives. Kim demands recognition by Washington and guarantees of non-aggression from China, Japan and the US. Kim even sent a warning to the US saying, he wants recognition, a dialogue and a peaceful environment so he can devote himself to the economic prosperity of North Korea, Express reported. COLUMBUS The former coordinator of Platte Countys victim's assistance and adult diversion programs currently under investigation for financial irregularities in her office voluntarily surrendered her license to practice law in Kansas after being convicted of criminal charges in 2003. The Nebraska Attorney Generals Office has appointed Madison County Attorney Joseph Smith as special prosecutor in the case that is being investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and State Auditors Office. Smith said Thursday morning the attorney generals office, county attorneys office and law enforcement moved the case along expeditiously, but he is still awaiting some reports. Traci (Crumley) Nelsen, 43, abruptly left her positions with Platte County on Aug. 24. I anticipate making a decision (on any possible charges) during the next two weeks, Smith said. The special prosecutor said the investigation involves a single individual, not the entire office. Nelsen gave up her law license in 2003 after being convicted of theft and false reporting in Johnson County, Kansas. Both criminal convictions were for misdemeanor offenses. At the time Nelsen was disbarred by the Kansas Supreme Court in June 2003, she was facing a formal complaint filed against her by the states disciplinary administrators office. Nelsen was hired as the victim's assistance coordinator in 2009 by then-Platte County Attorney Sandra Allen and named coordinator of the newly created adult diversion program in April 2014. Nicolette Dannelly, who has been with the adult diversion program for about eight months, was named the new coordinator. Wilma Arp, who previously worked with the countys juvenile diversion program and recently retired, was named interim coordinator of the adult program. Washington: Achutha Reddy, an Indian psychiatrist who was killed in the US state of Kansas, was mourned by his colleagues, patients and community members who remembered him as a man of compassion. Hailing from Telangana, Reddy, 57, was murdered in his clinic in East Wichita, on Wednesday night. The police has arrested a 21-year-old man identified as Umar Rashid Dutt, as a suspect in the killing. Dutt was a patient of Reddy's. In a touching tribute on Thursday, patient Cecilia Smith credited him with saving her life. She told KWCH TV: "I tried killing myself, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have been here today." Donna Lloyd and her husband who were Reddy's patients for nearly 20 years, said: "He was the kindest, sweetest most loving, caring doctor you would ever want to talk to." Reddy, who introduced yoga in his treatment, opened his Holistic Psychiatric Services in 2003 after practicing in Wichita for over two decades. In a statement, Reddy's family said it "wants to thank each and every one that made his life a joy every day". The society "is heartbroken over the loss of doctor Reddy", the Wichita Eagle daily quoted Denis Knight, president of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, as saying. "Doctor Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and everyone of us needed and gave it freely," Brenda Trammel, a psychotherapist at his clinic, told the daily. April Marie Schlenker from Kansas State University said: "Doctor Reddy was so unique to any one else I have ever met in the therapy/psychiatric world. He connected almost instantly with people. His eyes held wisdom and secrets and joy." While some posters demanded hanging of the killer or giving strong punishments, a medical professional, Pedro Murati, said: "In these sad times we must remember what Achutha would have wanted after such a horror." "Projecting anger towards the mentally ill would be the last thing on his mind," he said. Reddy is the second Indian killed this year in Kansas. Telangana resident Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in Olathe in February. Kuchibotla's murder has been denounced as a white racist hate crime. New York: An Indian doctor was stabbed to death in Kansas state of the US. One of his patients has been arrested as a suspect in the stabbing death, according to police. Achutha Reddy's death in Wichita on Wednesday is the second killing this year of an Indian in Kansas where Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in February. Both hailed form Telangana. The 21-year-old man, who was arrested as a suspect in Reddy's killing, was identified as Umar Rashid Dutt in jail booking records, according to TV station KAKE. The attack on Reddy, 57, began in his clinic and ended in a nearby lane as the fleeing doctor was chased down by the assailant, the police said. Reddy, who introduced yoga in his treatment, was mourned by fellow doctors and the community, who held him in esteem. Police Lieutenant Todd Ojile said on Thursday in a media briefing video posted on the Wichita Police website that the office manager of Reddy's Holistic Psychiatric Services heard a disturbance in the doctor's office on Wednesday evening around 7 pm and saw the assault taking place when he went in. The manager tried to stop the attack allowing Reddy to flee, but he was chased by the assailant and killed in a second assault in an alley behind the clinic, Ojile said. He said that Reddy had several stab wounds and was pronounced dead by the emergency medical team that responded. The suspect was arrested near a country club a short time later, when a security guard alerted police to a man covered with blood in a car, Ojile said. He was still in custody on Thursday morning and Ojile said the case was likely to be given to the district prosecutor's office on Friday afternoon. Pending the filing of formal charges, police did not give out the arrested man's name, which was found by the media in jail records. According to TV station KAKE, a Wichita State University spokesman said Dutt was a former student and was last enrolled in the spring of 2015. The Wichita Eagle newspaper said that Reddy, who graduated from Hyderabad's Osmania Medical College in 1986, did an internship at St Louis University in 1994 and a residency at the Kansas University School of Medicine-Wichita in 1998. He practised in Wichita for more than two decades and opened his own practice in 2003, the newspaper said. In YouTube videos, Reddy said that in addition to providing psychiatric care he also treated chronic physical pain and expounded a system he called "Absolute Yoga". He said that he had suffered chronic back pain for 10 years and that led led him to conduct research and develop the system which emphasised having the "right mindset". Fellow doctors and members of the community said his death was a loss to society. The Wichita Eagle newspaper quoted Denis Knight, president of the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, as saying: "The Medical Society is heartbroken over the loss of Reddy." Achutha Reddy's wife, Beena Reddy, is also a doctor and Denis said: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to her. Reddy's death is a tragic loss to our community." The newspaper quoted Brenda Trammel, a psychotherapist at his clinic, as saying: "Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man who was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and everyone of us needed and gave it freely." April Marie Schlenker from Kansas State University said in a post on TV station KAKE's site: "Reddy was so unique to any one else I have ever met in the therapy/psychiatric world. He connected almost instantly with people. His eyes held wisdom and secrets and joy." A former patient, Maria William, wrote, "He was always a good and caring doctor for his patients. Reddy you will be greatly missed by many people. Fly high with the angels." While some posters demanded hanging the killer or taking strong measures, a medical professional, Pedro Murati, said: "In these sad times, we must remember what Achutha would have wanted after such a horror." Projecting "anger towards the mentally ill would be the last thing on his mind", he added. In February, Kuchibotla's killing in Olathe by a white man shouting: "Get out of my country", has been denounced as a white racist hate crime, but Reddy's does not fit that description. Kuchibotla's killer, Adam Purinton, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder and with attempted murder in shooting and injuring Alok Madasani. Nasiriyah (Iraq): Gunmen and suicide car bombers killed at least 74 people on Thursday near the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in the deadliest attack claimed by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent on the spot said. The attack was quickly claimed by the Islamic State group, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. The Sunni extremists have been sliding from defeat to defeat in Iraq and Syria, three years after declaring a cross-border "caliphate". Thursday's attack killed at least 74 people, including seven Iranians, and left another 93 wounded, said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against Islamic State in northern Iraq. Rescue workers and members of the security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Nearby shelters built of corrugated metal were reduced to scraps of metal, twisted by heat. The area targeted is on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". Tokyo: Prime minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday that Japan would "never tolerate" what he called North Korea's "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace" following a missile launch over his country. "We can never tolerate that North Korea trampled on the international community's strong, united resolve toward peace that has been shown in UN resolutions and went ahead again with this outrageous act," Abe told reporters. "If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this," he added. Japan was jolted awake in the early hours by an alert saying North Korea had fired a missile over its northern island of Hokkaido, the second such launch in less than a month. Abe called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and stressed: "Now is the time for the international community to be united." Kuala Lumpur: A blaze at an Islamic boarding school in the Malaysian capital killed at least 23 people on Thursday, most of them teenage boys who cried for help from barred windows, officials and witnesses said. The fire broke out at around 5.40 am in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students were sleeping in bunk beds, with many of the windows covered by metal grills. One survivor said there was just one window the boys managed to open. Two teachers were also killed in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a 15-minute drive from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, police said, adding that most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. The youngest was just seven, media said. The disaster has renewed calls for greater scrutiny of so-called tahfiz schools, where students learn to memorise the Quran. They are unregulated by the education ministry, being the responsibility of the religious department. Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said at least 31 fires had been reported at such schools in Malaysia since 2011, adding that they must follow safety regulations. We will continue to carry out investigations, especially through forensics, as we found that there was some security features that should have been complied with but werent, Zahid told reporters outside the school. Fire department operations deputy director Soiman Jahid said the cause was likely a short circuit or a mosquito repellent coil. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped, he said. The building was surrounded by metal grills that could not be opened from the inside. The students, after realising the fire and heavy smoke, tried to escape through the window, Soiman said outside the school. But because of the grills, they could not escape. Soiman said the school had submitted a request for fire safety approval but no new checks had been carried out as the request was still being processed. The pupils all got locked in and they couldnt escape and got burnt, Nadia Azalan, sister of a 13-year-old victim, told Reuters in tears as distraught family members gathered outside the building. Safety should come first. Mohamad Arif Mawardi, 24, who was sleeping on one of the lower floors, said he realised there was a fire only after he heard people shouting. We wanted to help the others but we couldnt because the fire was rampant. There was nothing we could do, he said. About 13 boys managed to open a window and escape, Arif said. Only those 13 who had access to that open window could escape, he said. A man identified only as Hazin, who lived next door to the school, said his son called the fire department after they heard screams and saw the flames. The children were crying for help, but I couldnt help them as the door was already on fire, he said. Viewed from outside, the only tell-tale signs of disaster were the blackened upper-floor windows, otherwise the tin-roofed building appeared unscathed, with a Malaysian flag hanging limply from the yellow wall. Only inside did the intensity of the inferno become clear. The dormitory was blackened, lined with the charred frames of bunk beds. Tahfiz schools have been under scrutiny since earlier this year when an 11-year-old boy died after reported abuse in Johor, north of Singapore. Auto refresh feeds Explosion at London metro near at Parsons Green station being treated as terrorist attack The London Metropolitan Police has urged eyewitnesses, who may have recorded images or videos around the site of explosion, to upload the clips at ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk . Emergency services said they were called at around 8:20 am (0720 GMT). Police said "a number of people" were injured as Prime Minister Theresa May's office said she would be chairing an emergency cabinet meeting later on Friday. Witnesses reported seeing passengers with facial burns and hair coming off at Parsons Green station and seeing a fire or hearing an explosion on the train. Passengers were seen badly burned and covered in blood after what police described as a "terrorist incident" on a London Underground train on Friday. Armed police and sniffer dogs were seen on the train and around the station, which is set in a leafy suburb of southwest London popular with well-off commuters and filled with chic cafes. Counter terrorism command were also pressed into service, The Hindu reported. May tweeted Friday: "My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident." British Prime Minister Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee in response to a subway fire that police have called a terrorist incident. Fulham Road, Parsons Green Lane closed in wake of terror attack at London tube at Parsons Green Station Metropolitan Police puts out Helpline numbers, urges people to report any info on Parsel Greens terror attack One passenger, named only as Lucas, told BBC 5 Live radio: "I heard a really loud explosion". "I saw people with minor injuries, burnings to the face, arms, legs, multiple casualties," he said. Another witness, Sham, told the radio station he had seen a man with blood all over his face. "There were a lot of people limping and covered in blood," he said. BBC correspondent Riz Lateef, who was on her way to work, said: "People were left with cuts and grazes from trying to flee the scene. There was lots of panic." A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that some passengers were "really badly burned" and their "hair was coming off". Khan says he will be attending a meeting of the government's COBRA emergency committee with Prime Minister Theresa May later. London has been targeted by attackers several times this year, with vehicle attacks near Parliament, on London Bridge and near a mosque in Finsbury Park in north London. He says Londoners should remain "calm and vigilant" after a fire on a subway train that police are calling a terrorism incident. Sadiq Khan says the city "utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life." The mayor of London says the city "will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism." Director of Operations Tom George said: The Brigade was called at 0821 and firefighters were on the scene within three minutes. Fire crews assisted the London Ambulance Service in treating casualties on the affected train. London Fire Brigade, in its latest press release , stated that six fire engines, two fire rescue units and around 50 firefighters and specialist officers are currently attending an incident at Parsons Green Tube station. Six fire engines, two fire rescue units, around 50 firefighters at Parson Greens Station We have sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, officers and our Hazardous Area Response Team. We are working closely with our colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police and London Fire Brigade at the scene; ensuring patients receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible. As we are very busy dealing with this incident, we would ask the public to only call us in a genuine emergency, they added. London Fire Brigade has rescued 253 people from a train not involved in the incident. "It is too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command. The station remains cordoned off and we are advising people to avoid the area," the fire brigade said in a statement. Forensics team investigating the cause of fire on a train at Parsons Green station Recap: Explosion on a train at Parsons Green station reported at 08.15 am (BST); Police call it 'terrorist attack' "At 8:20 this morning at Parsons Green station there was an explosion on a Tube train. We now assess that this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device," police counter-terror chief Mark Rowley told reporters. - AFP An explosion on a London Underground train that injured 18 people on Friday was caused by an "improvised explosive device", police said. US President Donald Trump is calling a fire at a London subway station another attack "by a loser terrorist" and suggesting police there may have missed an opportunity to prevent it. He also is suggesting that the government cut off internet access to extremist groups - AP Twenty-two people were injured after a bomb blast on a packed London Underground train on Friday, the National Health Service said in a statement. Eighteen were taken by ambulance and the other four made their own way to hospital, the NHS said, adding that the injured have been taken to four London clinics. - AFP Commissioner James O'Neill says the New York Police Department is closely monitoring developments in the London subway explosion. O'Neill said on Twitter on Friday that there've been no direct threats to New York City. But he says people should always be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. NYPD closely monitoring London terror attack, says no direct threat to New York City We believe the fire was caused by the detonation of an improvised device, which is being forensically examined," the Metropolitan Police's press release read. "Detectives from the Met Police's Counter Terrorism Command are carrying out an urgent investigation into an incident on a London tube train this morning. It has been declared this a terrorist incident. Detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command, part of the national counter-terrorism police network, are making fast-time inquiries to establish who was responsible and are working closely with the security services. So far there have been no arrests. "I am appealing for anyone who has information that would assist detectives to contact the hotline on 0800 789 321. I would also urge anyone with images or moving footage from the scene to upload them at www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk," Rowley added. "There are many urgent inquiries ongoing with hundreds of detectives involved, looking at CCTV, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses," Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said. London Police urges people to dial hotline numbers 0800 789 321, 999 for info or in case of emergency Donald Trump has suggested the "demented terrorist" behind today's Parsons Green incident was "in the sights of Scotland Yard". The President of United States, however, did not mention whether he had any proof to substantiate his dramatic claims. The video was tweeted by twitter user @trovalavia. Firstpost could not independently verify the time or veracity of the video. Sky News reported that the IED device used in the explosion at a train at the Parsons Green Station was attached to a timer. The news agency reported that the device failed to fully detonate, because of which the impact of the explosion was mitigated. IED device was attached to a timer; explosive did not detonate fully Though no group has yet claimed responsibility for the incident, the police have said they are on the lookout for those involved. London mayor Sadiq Khan urged Londoners to remain calm and vigilant. "As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism," he said in a statement. 'London will never be defeated by terrorism' "The evacuation has been necessary whilst officers secure the remnants of the improvised device & ensure it is stable," the police said. Metropolitan Police said that the area around the site of today morning's terror attack has been evacuated, in which a "small number of residents were affected." The police adviced people to remain clear of the Parsons Green Station area, stating that it was still cordoned off. The services on District Line remain disrupted and the New Kings Road has been reopened. Sky News, quoting security sources, reported that the London police has identified a suspect after reviewing the CCTV footage from the area. More details, or an official confirmation on this update is awaited. Britain's prime minister Theresa may today chaired a Cabinet Office briefing room A meeting to discuss the terror threat after the Parsons Green attack. Here's her statement after the key meet. "UK prime minister Theresa May delivered a stern rebuke after the US President claimed the perpetrators responsible for the Parsons Green tube bombing were known to police," The Telegraph reported. Here is what the US President had said. Theresa May takes objection to Trump's tweet slamming Scotland Yard, says speculations not helpful 'We are not quite tough enough,' Donald Trump on London terror attack: Watch his statement British PM Theresa May says London train bomb intended to cause 'significant harm' Sky Sources: Police have identified a suspect in the Parsons Green bombing after reviewing CCTV footage Sky News, quoting security sources, reported that the London police has identified a suspect after reviewing the CCTV footage from the area. More details, or an official confirmation on this update is awaited. Current scene at #ParsonsGreen , streets still cordoned off, the tube car is still at the station with investigators inside @LBC pic.twitter.com/Z9fNS0RVar Prime Minister Theresa May: "I've chaired a meeting of COBR following the cowardly attack at #ParsonsGreen ." pic.twitter.com/uHmBdEkMyQ Britain's prime minister Theresa may today chaired a Cabinet Office briefing room A meeting to discuss the terror threat after the Parsons Green attack. Here's her statement after the key meet. You'll see extra officers on duty in the capital following the incident at #ParsonsGreen Were here to help if you need us - text 61016 pic.twitter.com/JmYe9CWnDY Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! "UK prime minister Theresa May delivered a stern rebuke after the US President claimed the perpetrators responsible for the Parsons Green tube bombing were known to police," The Telegraph reported. Here is what the US President had said. Theresa May takes objection to Trump's tweet slamming Scotland Yard, says speculations not helpful 'We are not quite tough enough,' Donald Trump on London terror attack: Watch his statement #BREAKING British PM Theresa May says London train bomb intended to cause 'significant harm' British PM Theresa May says London train bomb intended to cause 'significant harm' "This fireball is just going over your head and everybodys screaming!" Witnesses describe panic after London Tube attack pic.twitter.com/GmsHkxYEEv No service: Earls Court - Wimbledon. This will be until the end of the day. To re-plan your journey - https://t.co/eJN6fpifI9 . pic.twitter.com/71N8LMADUB An explosion on an underground train at a station in south-west London on Friday left several commuters injured and caused panic in the area, media reports said. The British police are treating the incident as an act of terrorism, saying "a number of people" had been injured. "Terrorist incident declared at Parsons Green Underground Station," police said in a statement. Several people are said to have suffered facial burns after a reported blast in a bucket towards the rear of the District Line train. Some commuters reportedly were trampled and suffered crush injuries in the rush to escape. "We are aware of an incident at Parsons Green tube station. Officers are in attendance," London's Metropolitan Police had said on Twitter. We are aware of reports on social media RE #ParsonsGreen. We will release facts when we can - our info must be accurate Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 15, 2017 London Ambulance also tweeted a statement on the incident in which they said that they "have sent multiple resources to the scene". We have a number of resources on scene at #ParsonsGreen including @LAS_HART. More information will follow https://t.co/TciNtAa8dO pic.twitter.com/ZUWpHz7CTn London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) September 15, 2017 The Parsons Green tube station was closed, as well as an entire section of the District Line where it is located. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said, "Police were called at approximately 08:20hrs on Friday, September 15 to Parsons Green Underground Station following reports of an incident on a tube train." "Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police are in attendance along with the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. We would advise people to avoid the area," the spokesperson added. While the nature of the explosion is not yet known, Met Police bomb squads and fire crews have been rushed to the station along with ambulances. Armed police are also at the scene. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appealed for calm. "I'm afraid my information is limited and it really is important not to speculate at the moment. Obviously, everybody should keep calm and go about their lives in a normal way, as normal as they possibly can," Johnson was quoted as saying by The Telegraph. Eyewitnesses from shops outside the station have reported seeing people with facial injuries. Many have been told to stay in lockdown until the police gives an all clear. A Metro reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. She said they were "really badly burned" and their "hair was coming off". Twitter user @Rrigs posted pictures of a white bucket smouldering on a train. Explosion on Parsons Green district line train. Fireball flew down carriage and we just jumped out open door. pic.twitter.com/pGbfotbfsJ Rigs (@RRigs) September 15, 2017 Richard Aylmer-Hall, 52, a media technology consultant, described "panic" on the train. "There was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming," he told the Press Association. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off," he said. "I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews," he said. BBC correspondent Riz Lateef, who was at the station travelling to work, said there was "panic as people rushed from the train, hearing what appeared to be an explosion. "People were left with cuts and grazes from trying to flee the scene. There was lots of panic." London Fire Brigade said they were also at the scene and were called at 8.21 am (07.21 am GMT). With inputs from agencies London: More than 20 passengers were injured, some suffering severe burns, in an early morning explosion on a London underground train in what police described as a "terrorist incident," the fifth attack in six months in Britain. What happened Emergency services were called around 8:20 am (0720 GMT) after the explosion at Parsons Green station in a leafy southwestern suburb which police counter-terror chief Mark Rowley said had been caused by an "improvised explosive device." Police immediately declared an investigation into a "terrorist incident." One Twitter user who posted pictures of a smouldering white bucket in the carriage described a "fireball" which "flew down (the) carriage." Prime Minister Theresa May was preparing to chair an emergency cabinet meeting while her foreign minister, former London mayor Boris Johnson, appealed for calm as did current mayor Sadiq Khan. Months of attacks Britain has suffered months of repeated attacks, killing 35, since a lone attacker in March mowed down pedestrians and stabbed a police officer outside parliament before police shot dead Khalid Masood, a Muslim convert with a history of violence. He is believed to have acted alone. In May, Salman Abedi, a Briton of Libyan origin, blew himself up outside a pop concert in Manchester, killing 22 a third of them children. Islamic State claimed responsibility as well as for a June attack near London Bridge which left eight dead. Police shot dead three attackers after they went on the rampage. Who was behind the bombing? There were no immediate claims of responsibility. US president Donald Trump blasted "loser terrorists" behind the latest attack as "sick and demented people" and blamed the internet as the perpetrators' main recruitment tool. Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 Victims The National Health Service put the injured toll at 22. The London ambulance service said 18 people were taken to four London clinics and the NHS added four passengers made their own way to hospital. Witnesses reported several passengers on the train had been "badly burned" by the blast. One journalist at the scene reported some victims' "hair coming off." London: British prime minister Theresa May said on Friday it was not helpful for people to speculate on any investigation after US president Donald Trump tweeted that the culprits behind a bombing on a train were in the sights of the police. Asked about Trump's tweet saying that those responsible for the bomb in west London which injured 22 people were in the sights of Scotland Yard, May said, "I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 She also said that the police and security services were doing all they could to identify those responsible for the "cowardly attack". A home-made bomb on a packed rush-hour commuter train in London engulfed a carriage in flames and injured 22 people on Friday in what police said was Britain's fifth terrorism incident this year, but apparently failed to fully explode. Passengers on board a train heading into the capital fled in panic as the fire erupted at Parsons Green underground station in West London at 8.20 a.m. (0720 GMT). Some suffered burns while others were injured in a stampede to escape. The National Health Service said 22 people had been taken to London hospitals, most believed to be suffering flash burns. None were thought to be in a serious condition, the ambulance service said. COLUMBUS A 43-year-old area man convicted of attempted sexual assault of his 14-year-old stepdaughter was sentenced Friday to up to 10 years in prison during a hearing in Platte County District Court. The man, who is not being named to protect the identity of the victim, pleaded no contest to the assault charge earlier this summer. He was accused of sexually assaulting the teen dozens of times in the family home dating back to 2009. The defendants sentencing was previously delayed for a couple of months to allow him to continue treatment for cancer at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha and Mayo Clinic. Judge Robert Steinke said Friday he was sentencing the area man to one to 10 years in prison to balance the complex and possibly life-threatening nature of his illness with the emotional and psychological damage suffered by the young victim. The judge said he set the minimum sentence low to allow parole authorities to consider the defendant for medical parole and set the maximum penalty high to recognize the seriousness of the crime. I want to strike a balance, Steinke said. The defendant, who had been free on bond since mid-December while awaiting sentencing, was led from the courtroom in handcuffs. Attempted sexual assault is a Class 2A felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The man was initially charged with first-degree sexual assault of a child, a Class 1B felony that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. In exchange for the defendants plea, the county attorneys office dismissed a charge of incest. Court records describe a Platte County Sheriffs Office investigation that began when the victim called the Nebraska Child Abuse Hotline to report that her stepfather had been having sex with her for several years. Investigator Joseph Gragert wrote in his probable cause arrest statement that the victim reported the most recent sexual assault occurred in November 2016. Lahore: Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's outspoken daughter Maryam described the Supreme Court's rejection of her father's review petitions against his disqualification as "unjust". The Supreme Court dismissed the review petitions filed by Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar against the apex court's Panama Papers judgement of 28 July. The top court had disqualified Sharif and ordered the filing of corruption references against Sharif, his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, and incumbent Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. With the rejection of the petitions, Sharif has exhausted all legal options to challenge his disqualification, jeopardising his chances to stage a political comeback. Reacting to the ruling, 43-year-old Maryam, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, said revenge was taken in the name of accountability. While addressing a women's convention, she reiterated her earlier claims that Sharif was disqualified because he did not take income from his son. "Do you accept this unjust verdict?" she asked her supporters, adding, "If you are against the verdict, then vote for lion on 17 September." "Support Nawaz, support progress," she told PML-N workers, Geo TV reported. Maryam is handling the Lahore election campaign while her mother and PML-N candidate for the by-poll, Kulsoom Nawaz, undergoes treatment for throat cancer in London. The by-election on the seat left vacant after Sharif's disqualification by the Supreme Court, will be held on 17 September. A total of 44 candidates will contest the by-poll in Lahore, a stronghold of the Sharifs. Brussels: NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg on Friday called for a "global response" to North Korea's latest missile launch, calling it "a reckless breach of UN resolutions." "North Korea's missile launch is another reckless breach of UN resolutions - a major threat to international peace and security which demands a global response," he said in a tweet. North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific on Friday, responding to new UN sanctions with what appeared to be its furthest-ever missile flight amid high tensions over its weapons programme. The launch came after the UN Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the Stalinist regime following its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. The UN Security Council called a new emergency meeting for later Friday. Early on Friday, North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japans northern Hokkaido before plunging into the Pacific Ocean. This is the second such missile launch in the past two weeks. Last time around, a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile threaded the same path as Friday's missile before meeting its end in the Pacific Ocean. The two missile tests within a fortnight is part of North Korea's quest to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, a prerequisite for any nuclear power. Sanctions are mounting over North Korea, which conducted its sixth nuclear test on 3 September. In what seemed to be the biggest condemnation of the nuclear test, the United Nations on Thursday imposed sanctions against the Kim Jong-un regime. However, such sanctions do not seem to be deterring North Korea's resolve to sink Japan and reduce the US to ashes and darkness. Amid the sabre-rattling by North Korea, the threat of a full-blown war looks imminent. However, before US president Donald Trump takes any decision to militarily engage with North Korea, he needs to take a look at one Cold War-era incident for some cues on handling Pyongyang. The axe murder incident In 1976, when the Cold War was at its peak, the Soviet Union-backed North Korea and the United States were involved in a standoff which threatened to escalate into a full-fledged war. On 18 August, 1976, two US Army officers were killed by North Korean soldiers in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) for trying to cut down a poplar tree in the DMZ that was blocking the view of the United Nations observers. North Korea condemned the "US aggression" and asked for the UN-led military command to be disbanded with immediate effect. However, the US chose a military show of strength rather than a direct military confrontation with North Korea. A direct military conflict would have invited the Soviet Union to turn it into a nuclear war. Three days after the murders, the US and its ally South Korea launched Operation Paul Bunyan to cut down the tree in a show of strength. At least 30 soldiers, armed with pistols and axe handles felled the tree in just 42 minutes. All this took place even as North Korea placed 150-200 soldiers at standby, while the US forces pegged the security level at DEFCON 3 the highest level. Interestingly, the North Koreans regretted the incident but further confrontation was avoided. "The ambassador was concerned that we werent being tough enough and we werent being supportive enough. He was also concerned about what the South Koreans would want to do by way of reaction, they were incensed, of course, and didnt want to have their noses rubbed in this incident by the North Koreans. They wanted revenge. Our military wanted revenge. We at the political level understood that our reaction had to be controlled but had to be seen by the American and South Korean forces as tough and appropriate to the circumstances. This was all worked out between the US military command and the embassy at the highest levels," John Kelley, a political officer in the US Embassy in Seoul said. According to Kelley, the US not only avoided a bloody confrontation, but also kept its own military alertness across South Korea and Japan at the highest level to checkmate the Kim il Sung regime from escalating the incident. Why the 1976 incident is important in present context? In 1976, former president Gerald Ford was successful in "intimidating" Pyongyang without letting the tree-felling incident spiral into a full-scale war, Politico noted. Pyongyang's tantrums are not new. Ever since Kim Jong-un took over from his father in December 2011, his regime has conducted three nuclear tests and several missile launches threatening South Korea and Japan. However, as this Washington Examiner article argued, US' apparent soft approach towards North Korea has only emboldened Pyongyang than deter it from playing tantrums. The article also noted that the soft approach has led to China acting as a middle-man between North Korea and the US. "Fool me once, fool me twice, fool me 17 times might have become the mantra of US diplomacy, but mantras can change," the article read. But the need for a stern but restrained approach, as utilised by Trump's Republican predecessor, towards North Korea is more imperative in the present context than ever. This is because unlike 1976, Pyongyang is now a nuclear-armed nation, with the supreme leader's finger always on the launch button. Nevertheless, Trump's rhetoric of "fire and fury" in response to North Korea's tantrums does not help serve the purpose. Trump's suggestion, days after his inauguration, that even Japan and South Korea must have nuclear bombs too would not help bring the much-needed maturity in dealing with the "hermit nation", wrote Joseph Gerson in his piece for American Friends Service Committee. Whether or not Trump will pull off his own Operation Paul Bunyan to rattle a buoyant North Korea remains to be seen. With inputs from agencies North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japans northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, further ratcheting up tensions after Pyongyangs recent test of its most powerful nuclear bomb. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programmes, AFP reported. Its last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan its first to do so for years sparking emergency sirens and text alerts, before coming down in the Pacific Ocean. The missile flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) east of Hokkaido, Japans chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in a hastily organised media conference. These repeated provocations on the part of North Korea are impermissible and we protest in the strongest words, Suga said. South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said that the missile was launched from the Sunan airfield just north of Pyongyang at about 6.30 am local time, according to The Washington Post. It flew for 17 minutes before crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Warning announcements about the missile blared around 7 am (2200 GMT Thursday) in the town of Kamaishi, northern Japan, footage from national broadcaster NHK showed. The missile reached an altitude of about 770 kilometres (480 miles) and flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles), according to South Koreas military - far enough to reach the US Pacific territory of Guam. The US military said soon after that it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile. It reiterated its commitment towards it allies as Pacific Command spokesman Commader Dave Benham said, "Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad," reported The Japan Times. "We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," he added. North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under young leader Kim Jong-Un as it accelerates a weapons programme designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. "This rocket has meaning in that North Korea is pushing towards technological completion of its missiles and that North Korea may be feeling some pressure that they need to show the international community something," said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum. On Thursday, a North Korean state agency had issued a statement saying, "The four islands of the [Japanese] archipelago should be sunken into the sea by [our] nuclear bomb," according to The Washington Post report Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. "Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee had said. The Japan Times also quoted Euan Graham, director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute in Sydney as saying, "The North Koreans have made a strategic decision to roll out their capability as soon as possible. That means going hell for leather in 2017. It ticks new, full-range boxes for the Hwasong-12, which is proving itself to be their most successful missile design to date." In August, North Korea fired a missile from similar area near the capital Pyongyang that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean. Two tests in July were for long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the US mainland. "Ashes and darkness" South Korea said it had fired a missile test into the sea to coincide with North Koreas launch and the presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. Japan also convened a National Security Council meeting. The Norths launch came a day after Pyongyang threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to ashes and darkness for supporting a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its 3 September nuclear test, its sixth and most powerful by far. The US general who oversees Americas nuclear forces said on Thursday he was making the assumption that the test was in fact a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang had claimed, based on the size of the blast. Im assuming it was a hydrogen bomb, said Air Force General John Hyten, head of the US militarys Strategic Command. I have to make that assumption as a military officer, Hyten told a small group of reporters who were accompanying defence secretary Jim Mattis on a trip to Hytens headquarters in Nebraska. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. Australia, a strong and vocal ally of the United States, quickly condemned the launch. This is another dangerous, reckless, criminal act by the North Korean regime, threatening the stability of the region and the world and we condemn it, utterly, Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an interview with Sky News on Friday. "This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea, recently imposed by the Security Council. Its a sign that the sanctions are working," he said. The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday, banning North Koreas textile exports and capping fuel supplies. US president Donald Trump had been briefed on the latest launch, the White House said. Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem.The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. With inputs from agencies Islamabad: In a strong rebuttal of the US charge that it was not adequately acting against terrorist sanctuaries on its soil, Pakistan has said that the onus of satisfying Washington about its concerns was not on Islamabad, the media reported on Thursday. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir told reporters on Wednesday at the defence ministry. The government was currently "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with the US on future bilateral engagement, he was quoted by Dawn as saying. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, after accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week, is expected to visit Washington for a much awaited meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan's request after US President Donald Trump's policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. The statement was seen in Islamabad as demeaning to Pakistan, dismissive of its sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and indifferent to Pakistan's security concerns. Trump's speech, in which he accused Pakistan of not adequately acting against terrorist sanctuaries on its soil, was roundly condemned in Pakistan, and the National Security Committee initiated a review to finalise the strategy for dealing with the US ahead of Asif's upcoming visit to Washington. Despite all reservations, however, consensus generally exists here at all levels that a rupture in relations with the US is not an option. Dastgir said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The minister expressed discontent over the US not sharing Pakistan's threat perception about India "which is not only indulging in warmongering but also building up its military capabilities". He also noted that a nexus between the US, India and Afghanistan in Kabul threatened Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The US cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is (a) serious (situation)," he added. The Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children against the Panama Papers judgment of 28 July. The court had reserved its verdict on the review petitions after the lawyers for all petitioners completed their arguments earlier in the day, Dawn online reported. A five-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had taken up the petitions seeking review of the court's 28 July judgement which disqualified Nawaz Sharif and ordered the filing of corruption references against the former premier, his children - Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. On 28 July, a five-member bench had disqualified Sharif under articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution, which state that a member of the Parliament should be "truthful" and "righteous". It was the third time the 67-year-old veteran politician's term as premier had been cut short. As the unanimous verdict by the five-judge bench was being read out by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan inside the packed courtroom 1 of the Supreme Court, a large number of opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf workers celebrated outside. The Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, in a swipe at Sharif, tweeted, "Godfather's Rule has ended for good! Truth & Justice have prevailed!" The prime minister was disqualified from holding his office as the judges ruled that he had been dishonest to Parliament and the courts and could not be deemed fit for his office. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and captain Safdar, who is an Member of National Assembly (MNA), also stood disqualified from office, Justice Khan said. "He is disqualified as a member of the parliament so he has ceased to be holding the office of Prime Minister", Justice Khan said. The court ordered Election Commission to issue a notification for Sharif's disqualification. The court had also ordered the National Accountability Court to start a corruption case against Sharif, his children Hussain and Hassan and his daughter Maryam. The Supreme Court ordered that the cases against them be registered within six weeks and trial be completed within six months. The scandal is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in 1990s, when he twice served as prime minister, to purchase assets in London. The assets surfaced when Panama Papers leak last year revealed that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif's children. The assets include four expensive flats in London. Sharif has been the prime minister of Pakistan for a record three times. He leads Pakistan's most powerful political family and the ruling PML-N party. A steel tycoon-cum-politician, Sharif had served as the Pakistan's prime minister for the first time from 1990 to 1993. His second term from 1997 was ended in 1999 by army chief Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless coup. In May, the Supreme Court set up a six-member joint investigation team (JIT) to investigate the charges against Sharif and his family. The JIT submitted its report to the court on 10 July. It said the lifestyle of Sharif and his children were beyond their known sources of income, and recommended filing of a new corruption case against them. Sharif dismissed the report as a "bundle of baseless allegations" and refused to quit, despite demands to do so from several quarters, including opposition political parties. On 21 July, the court reserved its verdict after concluding the hearing. The six-member JIT was set up with a mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in the 1990s. The top court took up the case in October last year on petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Awami Muslim League and Jamaat-e-Islami and reserved the verdict in February after conducting hearings on a daily basis. The five-judge bench that issued the verdict comprised Justices Asif Saeed, Khosa Khan, Gulzar Ahmed, Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Ijazul Ahsan. The court took up the case on 3 November last year and held 35 hearings spanning over more. With inputs from agencies Montreal: Some 30 environment ministers will push forward on the Paris climate accord at a meeting on Saturday, which has been requested by Canada, China and the European Union. With more than half of G20 members attending - representing most of the world's largest economies, "This first gathering of its kind aims to further galvanise global momentum for the implementation of the Paris Agreement," the European Commission said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, who will make a brief appearance at the Montreal talks, will again stand apart from US President Donald Trump on this issue and resolutely commit Canada to reduce its carbon footprint, Canadian officials have said. When Trump chose to withdraw the United States from the Paris accord, Canada, China and the European Union immediately reaffirmed their respective commitments to the climate pact, and in July the G20 called the accord "irreversible." Nearly 200 countries agreed in Paris at the end of 2015 to limit or reduce carbon dioxide emissions with the aim of keeping the rise in average global temperatures to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050, compared to pre-industrial levels. In addition to Canada, the EU countries and China, nations including Russia, India, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey will be represented by senior ministers. On the eve of the Montreal conference, Europe's top climate official Miguel Arias Canete said the EU continues to press for "full and swift implementation" of the accord, noting that progress has been made toward finalising details of its plan to reduce European emissions by 40 percent by 2030. Despite being the world's sixth-largest oil producer, Canada is "committed to its international climate obligations," said the environment ministry. It hopes to reach its climate goal by massively investing in "clean energy" technologies, a spokeswoman added. Key player China and its special representative Xie Zhenhua will bring to the table a potentially major advancement in transportation. China, along with Britain and France, has announced its intentions to ban petrol and diesel cars starting in 2040. This would bring a huge drop in air pollution in the world's largest car market. And in a speech in Strasbourg on Thursday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker reaffirmed the EU's aim of being "at the forefront of the fight against climate change." The US dealt that fight a major setback when Trump pulled the world's biggest economy out of the Paris accord in June. To bolster the EU position, Juncker promised to soon put forth a proposal to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector. Catherine McKenna, Canada's environment minister, will meantime press her counterparts and multinationals chief executives to develop solutions for "a low-carbon, climate- resilient economy." United Nations: About 40 percent of the total Rohingya population living in the Rakhine State of Myanmar have now fled to Bangladesh, the UN has said. Since 25 August, the number of Rohingya refugees who have crossed the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh has now reached 389,000, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to the UN Secretary General told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. "In the last 24 hours alone, 10,000 people reportedly crossed into Bangladesh. Combined with those who fled during the last round of violence in Rakhine State last October, it is estimated that some 40 percent of the total Rohingya population living in Rakhine State have now fled into Bangladesh", he said. UNICEF has trucks filled with emergency water, sanitation and hygiene supplies for thousands of Rohingya children heading to Cox's Bazar, with a steady stream of supplies in the pipeline for the coming days and weeks, he said. It is estimated that 60 percent of Rohingya refugees arriving in Bangladesh are children, he added. "The sheer number of refugees has overwhelmed pre- existing refugee camps, with new arrivals seeking shelter anywhere they can find space", Dujarric said. According to UNICEF there are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, and is also helping Bangladesh government on improving water treatment plants. "UNICEF plans to massively scale up its emergency response to the growing number of Rohingya children in Bangladesh, and has appealed for more than $ 7 million to provide emergency support over the next four months," he added. The UN Security Council had earlier expressed concern over the security situation in the Rakhine State. "There needs to be a focus, obviously, as he said, on the halt of the, of military and security operations." Underlying issues need to be dealt with in Rakhine State, and what we urgently, urgently need is an international mobilisation of support for the tens of thousands of, of very vulnerable people who we have seen streaming into Bangladesh, often already arriving in very poor condition," the spokesman said. The UN Secretary General has urged the international community to mobilise immediately to help the refugees, the men and the women and the children," he said. "The percentage of children is astounding, all these people that need to be helped now," Dujarric said. Cox's Bazar: Bangladesh authorities on Friday deployed hundreds of police to protect Buddhist temples in the region where about 400,000 Muslim Rohinygas have sought refuge from unrest in Myanmar. The move came amid fears of attacks on the religious minority in revenge for events in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar. Thousands of supporters of a hardline islamist group staged protests in the border town of Cox's Bazar after Friday prayers, calling on Myanmar to halt what they called the "genocide" of the Rohingya, who are in the minority in Myanmar. Most of the Rohingya refugees have fled to camps around the Bangladesh border city where there were already 300,000 Rohingya before the latest unrest erupted on 25 August. There has been a huge outpouring of sympathy in Bangladesh for the persecuted Muslim group, with media giving blanket coverage to accounts of massacres and torture by the Myanmar Army and Buddhist militia. Cox's Bazar police chief Iqbal Hossain said 550 police have been deployed in the region, including at 145 Buddhist temples, to prevent ethnic violence. He said police had stepped up security so local Buddhists, who have been established for centuries, "don't feel panicked". "It's a preventive measure," he told AFP. "We've also set up check-posts across the district." The reinforcements have come from the port city of Chittagong to watch temples, including the 300-year-old Kendriya Shima Bihar at Ramu, which hosts important Buddhist relics. Police were also patrolling outside Buddhist temples in Ukhia and Teknaf -- the nearby towns where most of the newly arrived 400,000 Rohingya refugee took refuge. District authorities have also set up an inter-religious communal harmony committee since the Rohingya crisis started. Jyotirmoy Barua, a top lawyer from the Buddhist community, told AFP that some 20 armed police were at a temple at Ramu in Cox's Bazar today. Buddhist leaders in Bangladesh have protested the anti-Rohingya violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State and have urged Myanmar to resolve the crisis. They said there have been some minor incidents targeting the Buddhist community. "They (Bangladeshi Buddhists) are feeling insecure. There is uneasiness," Barua said. Police in neighbouring Chittagong district have also stepped up security at dozens of Buddhist temples, a senior police official told local media. Buddhists make up less than one percent of Bangladesh's 160 million people. They are well integrated in society but have faced past attacks. In 2012, some 25,000 Muslims attacked Buddhist temples and businesses around Cox's Bazar after a Buddhist allegedly put an image defaming the Koran on Facebook. Minsk: Russia and Belarus began major war games Thursday, an operation involving thousands of troops, tanks and aircraft on NATO's eastern edge practicing how to hunt down and destroy armed spies, among other maneuvers. The Zapad (West) 2017 maneuvers, which are mainly taking place in Belarus this year, have caused concern among members of the Western military alliance and in neighboring countries. Some NATO members, including the Baltic states and Poland, have criticized a lack of transparency about the exercises and questioned Moscow's real intentions. Russia and Belarus say the exercises, which run until 20 September, involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops. Russian military officials have said up to 70 aircraft and about 250 tanks, 200 artillery systems and 10 navy ships will also be involved. Estonian Defense Minister Juri Liuk, however, says Moscow could deploy up to 1,00,000 troops. "Leaving weapons in Belarus means the Russian army could prepare bases for a sudden broad attack ... right at the NATO border," Lithuanian officer Darius Antanaitis said. While the Baltic nations fear the Zapad maneuvers may lead to a surprise Russian attack, the exercises have also been criticized by Belarusian opposition leaders. They say Russia could use the occasion to position a large, permanent contingent of troops in Belarus, leaving the country at the mercy of any armed confrontation involving Moscow. The exercises began Thursday night with units simulating hunting down and destroying reconnaissance agents belonging to illegal armed groups, according to Oleg Belokonev, the Belarusian Deputy Defense Minister. "Command points have been set up and fully-functioning command systems created," Belokonev told journalists at a press conference in Minsk, the capital. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, formally notified NATO of the beginning of the exercises on Thursday evening, according to Russian media. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told NATO troops in Estonia last week that the alliance will be closely monitoring Zapad exercises. Russia-West relations nosedived to their lowest level since the Cold War in recent years after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its support of separatists fighting the Ukrainian government in eastern Ukraine, clashes that have left over 10,000 people dead. Russia's Defense Ministry said Thursday that elite parachute units in several Russian cities had been placed on alert to be deployed during the exercises. Organizers have invented three "aggressor countries" Veishnoriya, Lubeniya and Vesbasriya to whose attacks the Russian and Belarusian militaries will simulate a response. The Baltic States and Poland fear that these monikers are just poorly disguised terms for their own countries. Poland's National Security Bureau head, Pawel Soloch, said Thursday the exercises were a demonstration "of the Russian state's capacity to hold full-scale war action." "The degree of mobilization is really impressive," Soloch said on private Radio Zet. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, who often criticizes Russian leaders, said the war games are a sign the Kremlin is preparing for conflict with NATO. "We are anxious about this drill ... it is an open preparation for war with the West," Grybauskaite told reporters. There is also unease in Kiev, and Ukraine is currently conducting its own military exercises. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that Zapad 2017 appears to be a "preparation for an offensive war on a continental scale." Both Moscow and Minsk have said repeatedly that the exercises are not a danger for neighboring countries. "We are not threatening anyone," Oleg Voinov, an adviser to the Belarusian Defense Minister, told journalists Thursday. "We have chosen military bases that are significantly removed from the borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia." Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Thursday that Russia had been completely open and transparent about its military's involvement in the exercises. The most recent Zapad exercises, which occur every few years, took place in 2013, just before Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Russia had leased a naval base in Crimea from Ukraine prior to its seizure, and used troops deployed there to quickly take over the Black Sea peninsula. Some people think fears of Russian aggression are being blown out of proportion. "Worries over Zapad are overkill. Russians will not seek confrontation, because they know that NATO will be watching this event closely and is certainly ready to react," said Kestutis Girnius, a Vilnius University political analyst. Whats a physical therapist to do with his biology degree and chemistry minor in his spare time? In the case of Kellen Benes, brew his own beer. After making wine for 10 years, Benes switched to craft beer. I had a lot of friends that were into it and they were trying to push me into it for seven years, said Benes. They talked me into switching over to beer and thats almost all I do now. Benes, who lives in David City, has been brewing beer for about three years, so hes relatively new to the hobby compared to other home brewers in the area. When Jeremy Kirby was the brewmaster at Gottberg Brew Pub from 2009 to 2012, he led a small home brew group that met once a month in Columbus. That's how Benes' friends got into the craft. Gabe Stalder of Genoa found the group by accident. Id been (brewing beer) for two, three years before I knew anything about that (group), said Stalder. I probably just stopped to eat at Gottbergs and showed up the next month and away we went. Obviously, enjoying beer is a big part of the appeal of home brewing. Benes said he has a pretty broad palate, so he enjoys the variety of flavors and styles of beer he can make. Craft beers pair really well with food, he said. Its like pairing wine with food. Stalder compares it to barbecue. Theyre really similar in that youre dealing with a set of ingredients, but it's how you manipulate it, he said. Attention to detail goes a long way. Stalder even took the test to become a licensed judge, which involved studying all the different styles of beer and elements of tasting, such as mouthfeel, aroma and flavor. That test, its reasonably difficult to pass, said Stalder. (Judging beers) is going to be pretty subjective, but it does bring some objectivity to it. He said that's also enhanced his own brewing. You know a heck of a lot more about what youre looking for, he said. Youre past the point of, This beer tastes good. This beer tastes bad. In addition to judging at the Nebraska State Fairs beer competition this year, he also placed first for a Russian imperial stout. This was the first year Benes submitted some beers to the state fair. Although his entries didnt fare so well, thats not slowing him down. He has also submitted beers to other competitions across the state, including the Nebraska Shoot-out, which the David City home brew club will host in 2019. In the meantime, hes enjoying a pumpkin porter he brewed for fall. That might be one of the better beers Ive ever made, he said. Nasiriyah: Gunmen and suicide bombers killed at least 84 people in southern Iraq in the deadliest attack by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul, according to a new toll released on Friday. Many of the dead in Thursday's attack near the city of Nasiriyah were Shiite Muslim pilgrims, some of them Iranian, officials said. "The death toll has risen to 84 after the discovery of 10 more bodies at the scene of the attack," said Jassem al-Khalidi, health director for Dhiqar province, which has largely been spared the violence that has plagued northern and central Iraq. "Another 93 people were wounded, many of them seriously," Khalidi told AFP. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent reported. The attack was quickly claimed by Islamic State, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. UN envoy Jan Kubis condemned the "cowardly twin attacks ... which resulted in numerous civilian casualties, including many pilgrims." Shiites have been the target of repeated attacks by the Sunni extremists of Islamic State who regard them as heretics. The area targeted by Thursday's attack lies on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims from Iran and southern Iraq to travel to the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala further north. Washington: The US Treasury Department announced it has imposed sanctions on 11 entities and individuals for supporting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for cyber-attacks against the US. The sanctions announced on Thursday targeted one entity engaging in supporting IRGC ballistic missile programme, two Ukraine-based entities supporting designated airlines, and two Iran-based networks responsible for cyber-enabled attacks against the US financial system, Xinhua news agency cited a statement by the Treasury. "Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Iran's provocations, including support for the IRGC-Qods Force and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyber-attacks meant to destabilize the US financial system," said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement. Treasury's actions will freeze all the assets the designated entities and individuals may hold in the United States and generally prohibit US individuals from doing business with them. Meanwhile, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Thursday that Iran's nuclear deal with the powers is not renegotiable. "The #JCPOA is not (re)negotiable. A 'better' deal is pure fantasy," Zarif tweeted on Thursday, adding that it was time for the US to "stop spinning and begin complying, just like Iran." After years of tension with the West, Iran struck a deal with the five world powers of Britain, China, France, Russia and the US plus Germany in July 2015, under which Iran agreed to limit its uranium-enrichment activities in return for the lifting of western and international sanctions. Washington: The head of the US military's Strategic Command is "assuming" North Korea's nuclear test earlier this month was of a hydrogen bomb, Defense News reported Thursday. Pyongyang insisted the 3 September nuclear test was a hydrogen bomb but western powers have been reluctant to verify the claim. The reported acknowledgement is the nearest the US has come to confirming it was an H-bomb, with a senior official previously saying only that there was nothing inconsistent with North Korea's claim. "I saw the event, I saw the indications that came from that event," General John Hyten said. "I saw the size, I saw the reports and therefore, to me, I am assuming it was a hydrogen bomb." Experts had said the blast had the hallmarks of a two-stage hydrogen bomb, which work on fusion, with a nuclear blast taking place first to create the intense temperatures required. "The size of the weapon shows that there clearly was a secondary explosion," Hyten told reporters visiting the command with US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, according to the outlet Defense News. "To me that is the definition." "You still haven't seen everything put together," he was quoted as saying. "But it's just a matter of when, not if." The test, Pyongyang's sixth nuclear blast, prompted global condemnation and came after it carried out two intercontinental ballistic missile launches in July that appeared to bring much of the US into range. Pyongyang said was the hydrogen bomb was small enough to fit onto a missile. Hyten's remarks came as the US Pacific Command confirmed that Pyongyang had executed yet another test, firing an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean. The launch comes after the Security Council slapped an eighth set of sanctions on North Korea, which vowed to accelerate its weapons program in response to the "evil" punitive measures. Following that launch the United States Thursday called on China and Russia to take "direct actions" to rein in North Korea, which has ratched up global tensions with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un. Tillerson called the latest raft of sanctions "the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take". President Donald Trump said last week that "military action would certainly be an option. Is it inevitable? Nothing's inevitable". "It would be great if something else could be worked out." Those comments followed his threat to rain "fire and fury" on Pyongyang if the North did not stop threatening the US and its allies. In light of the latest launch the UN Security Council will hold a closed-door emergency meeting Friday at 3.00 pm at the request of the United States and Japan. Moscow: Russian president Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron agreed in a phone call on Friday that resuming direct talks with North Korea was the only way to resolve tensions over its nuclear programme, the Kremlin said. In a statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders "were united in the opinion that it was unacceptable to allow an escalation in tension." The crisis needs to be resolved "exclusively through political and diplomatic means, by restarting direct negotiations," they reportedly said. Both Putin and Macron "decisively condemned the provocative" firing by North Korea of a ballistic missile Friday over Japan and into the Pacific, the statement said. The latest launch came days after the UN slapped new sanctions on Pyongyang following its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. In the statement, the Kremlin said that during Putin's talk with Macron "it was underlined that an adequate response to Pyongyang's irresponsible steps was taken" by the UN. Russia backed the new sanctions against North Korea on Monday, banning it from trading in textiles and restricting oil imports. But Moscow refused to support tougher measures like an oil embargo and Washington had to soften its stance in order to secure the backing of Russia and China, the North's strongest backers. The United States called on China and Russia to take "direct actions" to rein in North Korea after it fired the missile. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor," secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a statement. COLUMBUS Noah Donovan was in a hurry. He was rushing through chores he's likely never experienced before, such as churning butter and transporting bags of corn in a wheelbarrow. The 9-year-old was hoping to beat his previous time in the obstacle course set up Thursday in a parking lot along 14th Street between 23rd and 24th avenues. The chore course is part of a larger exhibit with the Truckin Through Nebraska mobile childrens museum that's making a stop in Columbus. The traveling museum is visiting communities as part of Nebraskas 150th anniversary celebration. The colorful, 53-foot trailer is full of hands-on activities for children where they can build shelters and test them in a wind chamber or earthquake simulator, design their own 10-acre homestead, test their knowledge of Nebraska, play with toys from the past and make their own postcards. Activities are free and are geared toward children ages 5-12. Nebraska First Lady Susanne Shore said in a press release the museum is designed to provide a fun experience for youth who may not normally be able to easily access a childrens museum. Through play, interactivity and the latest technology, Nebraskas children will explore their heritage and envision their futures. We hope the experience will help power the imagination and create an excitement about learning, she said. The Omaha Childrens Museum partnered with the Nebraska 150 Celebration on the project. The museum will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday in Columbus. OnePlus has emerged as the most trusted phone brand in India. According to the latest survey by CyberMedia Research (CMR), OnePlus has achieved the highest customer satisfaction rating of all time, as 100% of OnePlus buyers are satisfied with the brand. The survey was carried by the research firm to capture consumer aspirations, preferences and challenges, and dislikes around smartphone brands. The CMR survey states that OnePlus has emerged as a leader by scoring points on various parameters such as loyalty, resale value, and after-sales service and more. OnePlus has gained great reviews for its flagship OnePlus 5 while the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T have also been well received. Meanwhile, the survey pointed out that Apple users are the most loyal smartphone customers in the country and consumers will continue to trust in this brand in future. Prabhu Ram, Head Industry Intelligence Group, CMR, As per the latest CMR MICI Survey findings, one interesting trend that stands out is that while Apple and Samsung dominate, a brand like OnePlus is securing a healthy mindshare amongst Indian smartphone consumers. The MICI survey findings indicate that OnePlus is scoring high on various parameters, commanding a very high loyalty amongst its users, emerging as a highly recommended brand with a high resale value. As Florida continues its recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma, about 50 nursing homes are still without power in the state, the Florida Health Care Association said Friday. As of the morning of Friday, September 15, approximately 50 facilities out of the 683 nursing homes in the state currently do not have commercial power services restored, the group said in a statement. Concerns have mounted regarding care for Floridas elderly this week, after it was revealed that 8 seniors died in a nursing home on Wednesday after Irma cut off power to the facilitys air conditioner. On Wednesday, state officials announced they were conducting a criminal investigation into what happened to the victims. Police officers had also been ordered to check the other nursing homes in the area to make sure they were in satisfactory condition, according to the Hollywood Florida police chief. Widespread power outages are expected to take weeks to resolve in some areas. As of Friday, more than 1.6 million, or 16% of, accounts were still without power, according to FloridaDisaster.org. Equifax (NYSE:EFX) has put 143 million Americans on edge after a security breach exposed their personal information to potential hackers. And while Equifax has been scrambling to help consumers feel more secure, the big question iswhat are major credit card companies doing to make their consumers feel at ease? FOX Business reached out to some of the major credit card companies and banks who issue the cards to see what new policies have been implemented since the hack was announced. American Express 58 million cardholders American Express is available in over 130 different countries, making it the worlds largest issuer of credit cards in terms of transactions. Ashley Tufts, director of Corporate Affairs & Communications at American Express told FOX Business that after the breach was announced, the company implemented enhanced fraud monitoring on impacted card accounts. As a reminder, its important to note, Card Members are not liable for any fraudulent charges. American Express has sophisticated monitoring systems and internal safeguards to help detect fraudulent and suspect activity. If we see there is unusual activity, which may be fraud, our standard practice is to contact the Card Member. If we verify with the Card Member that the charge is fraudulent, we will replace the Card, Tufts said. Additionally, she adds that consumers can sign up for free fraud and other account activity notifications via email, SMS text messaging or app push notification (if they have registered for the American Express mobile app). The company also encourages members to review their statements regularly and notify the company immediately if they notice any unusual activity. Mastercard191 million cardholders Mastercard is the second major credit card network in the U.S., according to Cardrates.com. Seth Eisen, senior vice president of external communications told FOX Business the companys policy when it comes to fraudulent activity hasnt changed since the hack. Any purchase or transaction made with a MasterCard card is protected by our Zero Liability policy. Consumers are not responsible for purchases made with a lost or stolen card. Any concerned consumer should review their account statements and activity. If they suspect fraudulent or unusual transactions, we encourage them to contact the bank that issues their card for assistance and more information, Eisen said. In addition, Mastercard offers ID Theft alerts and protection to all U.S Mastercard debit and credit card consumers. The company adds that they also partner with CSID, an industry leader in identity protection and fraud detection, to help keep information safe. VISA 323 million cardholders Visa Inc. is the worlds leader in digital payments, capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. A Visa spokesperson told FOX Business that when payment cards are involved in a potential data compromise, it is important to know that consumers are protected against fraudulent purchases with Visas zero liability protection policy. Additionally, when such incidents occur, Visa works with the breached entity and its financial institution to provide card issuers with the compromised accounts so they can take steps to protect consumers through independent fraud monitoring and, if needed, reissuing cards. Because of Visa's advanced fraud-monitoring capabilities, the incidence of fraud involving compromised accounts is actually rare, and fraud rates remain near historic lows. As always, Visa encourages cardholders to regularly monitor their accounts, carefully review statements and notify their issuing bank promptly of any unusual activity, the spokesperson said. Capital One 45 million cardholders Sarah Strauss, managing vice president, US Card at Capital One told FOX Business that this event is another reminder of how serious the cybersecurity risks are that we all face. We take security seriously, and have rigorous fraud alert systems in place that actively monitor Capital One accounts for suspicious activity, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As always, Capital One cardholders are protected by our $0 fraud liability policy, which means theyre not held responsible for any fraud on their credit or debit cards. We encourage customers to actively monitor their accounts, specifically by downloading the Capital One mobile app, setting up transaction alerts, and enrolling in a free credit monitoring service, like CreditWise from Capital One. You dont need to be a Capital One customer to enrolland CreditWise gives you free access to your credit score and your TransUnion credit report, both of which are updated weekly, Strauss said. Few companies can rival PepsiCo's (NYSE: PEP) long track record of value creation for shareholders. Including dividends, a mere $10,000 invested in Pepsi at the beginning of 1978 would be worth more than $1.3 million today. And that's not to mention the various spinoffs from which Pepsi investors have benefited over the same period, which would have resulted in significant additional stakes in companies like Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM) (the parent of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, spun off in 1997), and Fisher-Price (spun off in 1991, then acquired by Mattel in 1993). Of course, it's easy to pine over missed opportunities. But that raises the question: Are there any companies that -- from an investor's perspective -- look today like Pepsi did in 1978? Three top Motley Fool investors think so. Read on to see what they had to say about Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM), Under Armour (NYSE: UA)(NYSE: UAA), and Equifax (NYSE: EFX) in that vein. Cheers to decades of potential growth Steve Symington (Boston Beer): With less than 2% of the U.S. beer market and a market capitalization under $2 billion as of this writing, craft brewing company Boston Beer should enjoy a long runway for growth over the next several decades. While it brews a handful of massively popular brands, including Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Coney Island, Twisted Tea, and Truly Spiked & Sparkling, the company has plenty of room to continue expanding its product lines -- as Pepsi has so effectively done over the years -- to follow the changing tastes of consumers. But with Boston Beer stock down almost 10% so far in 2017, it's evident the company is facing near-term challenges. Between a general softening of the craft beer market, and market share lost thanks to steeply increasing competition, Boston Beer has struggled in recent quarters. However, it also made significant progress on the growth front, turning in a better-than-expected second-quarter report in late July. In fact, Boston Beer shares skyrocketed 15% in a single day after the brewer told investors that revenue had climbed a modest 1.3% to $264.7 million, while earnings per share rose 14.1% to $2.35. Both figures handily outpaced the market's expectations, which called for earnings of $1.41 per share on revenue of $247.9 million. Perhaps most telling is that Boston Beer's depletions -- the measure of the rate at which its products are getting shipped from warehouses to consumer outlets -- fell "just" 3% year over year in Q2, as weakness in sales of its Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, and Coney Island brands was partially offset by strength Twisted Tea and Truly Spiked & Sparkling. But that was a huge improvement from a 14% decline a quarter earlier. The credit for that relative strength, according to Boston Beer founder Jim Koch, went to improved brand messaging and a positive consumer response to its innovative beer varieties. It seems, then, that Boston Beer is finally finding success in honing its approach to keep consumers coming back for more. So for investors who buy shares now while it's still a relatively small business, I think Boston Beer stock could rival Pepsi's returns over the long haul. The wealth-building power of timing and trends Jason Hall (Under Armour): Pepsi was far from a new company in 1978, with a history that stretched back nearly a century even then. That's a reminder that the best growth stocks don't have to be brand-new, unproven businesses. In many cases, companies that have proven their chops for years are the ones with the best long-term growth prospects. Under Armour is an excellent example of just that. Founded 20 years ago, it has been growth machine for years, delivering double-digit quarterly sales growth for an amazing 10-straight years at one point. But recent struggles in North America have slowed things down, as a number of its biggest retailers have struggled or gone out of business over the past year. That's weighed on the near-term results in the company's biggest segment, and led investors to punish the stock. But it's also masked the huge international opportunity for the company. Revenue outside North America accounts for only 20% of sales (by contrast, non-U.S. markets contribute the majority of revenue and earnings for competitors like Nike). Revenue in North America was flat last quarter, but Under Armour's international sales increased sharply: Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific regions were up 57% and 89%, respectively. Furthermore, management has a plan to reignite growth in North America and bring costs down at the same time. For investors willing to bet on a founder-led innovator with a huge growth opportunity for decades to come, Under Armour is worth a close look. Is today's scandal tomorrow's opportunity? Chuck Saletta (Equifax): In the late 1970s and early 1980s, PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) was enmeshed in a series of accounting scandals. As awful as that was at the time, in the decades since then, PepsiCo has delivered solid overall returns as it cleaned up its act and expanded its business. In credit reporting titan Equifax's (NYSE: EFX) recent massive data breach, we may be seeing a similar near-term scandal that could lay the foundation for a similar long-term recovery. Equifax's shares dropped more than 13% on the news of the breach, and its handling of the hack has been ridiculed as an incredible botch from several perspectives. Yet despite the fact that Equifax failed miserably at protecting consumers' personal data, and failed equally miserably in how it responded to that failure, odds are that it will get past the issue, and potentially even emerge stronger as a result. The New York Times is reporting that it's highly unlikely that Equifax will be shut down as a result of the breach. The most likely outcome is some enhanced regulatory oversight and boosted security procedures. Given that Equifax is one of only three major credit reporting agencies , its services will remain in demand as long as people need to borrow money. As Equifax rebuilds its reputation and enhances its security, odds are that, like PepsiCo's scandals of the past, this too shall pass. 10 stocks we like better than Under Armour (A Shares)When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Under Armour (A Shares) 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 Chuck Saletta has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Jason Hall owns shares of Under Armour (A Shares), Under Armour (C Shares), and Yum! Brands. Steve Symington owns shares of Under Armour (C Shares). The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Boston Beer, Under Armour (A Shares), and Under Armour (C Shares). The Motley Fool recommends PepsiCo. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A home-made bomb on a packed rush-hour commuter train in London engulfed a carriage in flames and injured 22 people on Friday in Britain's fifth major terrorism incident this year, but apparently failed to fully explode. Passengers heading into the British capital fled in panic after the blast as the train was about to depart Parsons Green underground station in West London at 8.20 a.m. (0720 GMT). Some suffered burns and others were injured in a stampede to escape but health officials said none were thought to be in a serious condition. "We now assess that this was a detonation of an improvised explosive device," Britain's top counter-terrorism officer Mark Rowley told reporters. Police said a hunt involving hundreds of detectives backed by the intelligence services was underway to find out who was responsible. Rowley declined to say if the suspected bomber had been on the train, saying it was a live investigation. Britain's threat level remained on its second-highest rank of severe following the "cowardly attack" intended to cause significant harm, said Prime Minister Theresa May. But she added the threat level would be kept under review. Pictures taken at the scene showed a slightly-charred white bucket with a supermarket freezer bag on the floor of one train carriage. The bucket, still intact, was in flames and there appeared to be wires coming out of the top. "I was on second carriage from the back. I just heard a kind of whoosh. I looked up and saw the whole carriage engulfed in flames making its way towards me," Ola Fayankinnu, who was on the train, told Reuters. "There were phones, hats, bags all over the place and when I looked back I saw a bag with flames." Charlie Craven said he had just got on the train when the device exploded. "Literally within three seconds of putting your bag down, the doors just closing, we hear a loud explosion," he told Reuters. "I looked around and saw this massive fireball ... coming down the carriage." He said terrified passengers fled, fearing a second explosion or a gunman, with people being knocked to the ground and crushed in the stampede to escape. Outside the station, a woman was carried off on a stretcher with her legs covered in a foil blanket while others were led away swathed in bandages. Health officials said 22 were taken to hospital most suffering from flash burns. Parsons Green is one of the surface stations of London's underground network. "SPECULATION UNHELPFUL" In 2005, 52 people were killed when four British Islamists carried out suicide bomb attacks on three London underground trains and a bus and this year Britain has suffered four attacks which killed a total of 36 people. "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" May, who returned to London to chair a meeting of Britain's emergency response committee, said police and security services were working to track down those responsible. Asked about Trump's tweet, she replied: "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." Others were more directly critical of Trump. "True or not - and I'm sure he doesn't know - this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner," May's former chief of staff Nick Timothy said on Twitter. A U.S. law enforcement official and a U.S. intelligence source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the attack might well have been carried out in response to recent Islamic State video messages urging would-be militants to attack trains and other public transport. One of the officials said the device "doesnt look very professionally built" and said its rudimentary design suggested the attack was carried out by someone inspired by Islamic State propaganda rather than by a well-trained cell. Professor Hans Michels, an explosives expert from Imperial College London, said the device appeared to have largely failed. "The flash flame reported suggests that the explosion was only partly successful," he said. "I must speculate that either the mixture was not of the right composition or that the ignition system was inadequate or not properly placed." UK security services believe those behind some of the militant incidents in Britain this year had probably been acting alone and likely radicalised by online material. In March this year, a man drove a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge killing four, before he stabbed a policeman to death outside parliament. A further 22 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a pop concert in Manchester in May and the following month three Islamist militants drove into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people at nearby restaurants and bars, killing eight. In June, a van was driven into worshippers near a mosque in north London which left one man dead. On Thursday, figures showed there had been a record number of terrorism-related arrests in the last year and earlier this week Britain's most senior counter-terrorism officer Mark Rowley said there had been a shift-change in the threat. In the three years until March this year, police foiled 13 potential attacks but in the next 17 weeks, there were the four attacks while the authorities thwarted six others, Rowley said. (By Kevin Coombs and Yann Tessier; Additional reporting by Kate Holton, Mark Hosenball, Elizabeth Piper, Paul Sandle, Costas Pitas and Mitch Phillips; writing by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Janet Lawrence) BMW is reviewing the necessity of car keys, Ian Robertson, the companys board member responsible for sales told Reuters. The fact that customers now all carry a smartphone and the availability of a BMW App which allows customers to unlock their vehicle, has made old fashioned keys less relevant. Honestly, how many people really need it, Robertson said in an interview at the Frankfurt car show, explaining that customers no longer had to put the key in the ignition to make the car start. They never take it out of their pocket, so why do I need to carry it around?, Robertson said, adding that the company was looking at getting rid of keys altogether. We are looking at whether it is feasible, and whether we can do it. Whether we do it right now or at some point in the future, remains to be seen, Robertson said. Traders' focus today: Another missile launch by North Korea, terrorism at a train station in London and rare bi-partisanship on Capitol Hill. The market reaction? Three straight record closes for the Dow. The cyber breach that exposed personal data on almost half the country has gone from bad to worse. Now, security researchers say Equifax had a security patch to fix the vulnerability two months before the attack and never installed it. Meanwhile, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is investigating, in addition to other federal agencies. And consumers are reporting they are having difficulty freezing their credit files as a precaution. Meet bluetiful - Crayola's new blue crayon in its iconic box of 24. It replaces dandelion, which was retired in March. Shares of credit reporting agency Equifax (NYSE:EFX) have fallen more than 35% since the company announced a massive cyber-security breach that likely impacted all U.S. adults, however the lack of transparency in the wake of the incident has done little to increase consumer or investor confidence in the company. [The only way to] restore your good name is facts, facts, facts, transparency, Lanny Davis, a lawyer who specializes in crisis management and former special counsel to President Bill Clinton, told FOX Business. Thats what the stock market is mostly about, its usually about the investors perception and right now, Equifax has not put out sufficient facts to cure the negative perception. Davis, who is not familiar with the specifics of the case other than what hes read in the media, says there are two key issues that remain unclarified in the wake of the breach: how Equifax plans to fully secure the systems that allowed the hack to take place and what the company is doing about the supposedly coincidental sale of nearly $2 million worth of company stock by three different executives after the breach was discovered on July 29. Even if it was coincidental they have not put the facts out to explain why it was coincidental, at least enough for most people to understand. And perception is all about protecting reputation. It doesnt matter what the facts are if the media is portraying this as suspicious, Davis said. On Thursday, shares of Equifax touched their lowest level in more than 2.5 years. Davis said releasing the facts, even if they are unfavorable, will go a long way toward restoring public perception and therefore, investor confidence. Last week, Equifax disclosed the breach saying it affected up to 143 million Americans. The company said an unauthorized third party had access to its servers between May and July, and hackers potentially stole information including Social Security and drivers license numbers, birth dates, addresses and other information, in addition to credit card numbers. On Thursday, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it would investigate the breach, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) compared the incident to Enron which filed for bankruptcy in 2001 after it was revealed to be concealing widespread accounting fraud. Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX) explores the globe in search of natural resource mining opportunities. With over 50,000 employees and contractors, it's one of the leading producers of gold, the single biggest producer of molybdenum (a rare element used in fabricating steel alloys), and the world's largest publicly traded copper producer. The company also has a long history of doing business and bringing online operational mines in foreign countries such as Indonesia. Freeport's stock has languished in recent years, amid a bear market in key commodities like oil and copper. Read on for a history of Freeport-McMoRan and to learn what its past can tell current investors about what the future might hold for the company. A history of expansion What we know today as Freeport-McMoRan was founded in 1912 as Freeport Sulphur, in the city of Freeport, Texas, the location of its original sulfur mine. In 1967, Freeport confirmed a Dutch discovery of the Ertsberg copper deposit in Indonesia, which shaped the company's fortunes forever. The company remains a major player in Indonesia to this day. In fact, in a remote part of the country in 1988, it discovered one of the largest copper and gold deposits in history, at the Grasberg Mine. In 1969, and a world away, McMoRan Exploration was formed. Its name derived from the names of founders Ken McWilliams ("Mc"), Jim Bob Moffett ("Mo"), and Mack Rankin ("Ran"). McMoRan Oil & Gas merged with Freeport in 1981, and Freeport McMoRan, a mining powerhouse with interests in oil and gas, sulfur, gold, and copper, was born Freeport-McMoRan's structure and asset base continued to change in the ensuing decades, including its $20 billion ill-fated reentry into the oil business through the 2012 acquisitions of both McMoRan Exploration and Plains Exploration & Production and the 2007 acquisition of Phelps Dodge, which brought with it significant copper and molybdenum assets. What investors need to know There are two fundamental facts about Freeport-McMoRan that all interested investors should know. First is that the Grasberg mine is both an enormous asset and, in some ways, a liability. The main pit at Grasberg is more than 13,000 feet above sea level in a remote part of Indonesia. If that makes mining there sound like a difficult undertaking, you don't know the half of it. While the mine does yield a quarter of Freeport's entire copper production, it has demanded a great deal of effort, requiring the construction of an airport, a shipping port, thousands of miles of roads, and even a hospital. The company has spent billions, and on top of that, it's been the subject of a dispute with the government over its ownership of the mine. But Freeport can't just walk away from one of the world's largest copper and gold mines, especially one that, after the initial investment, offers low-cost and high-volume production. Last year, the mine yielded 1.063 billion recoverable pounds of copper, a quarter of the company's entire production of the metal. The Indonesian government knows this, and in recent years has increasingly viewed mines like Grasberg with a more nationalistic bent. The current dispute was born out of new laws that require miners to adopt a special license, pay increased taxes and royalties, offer up 51% ownership to the country itself, and even give up arbitration rights in the event of future disputes. The situation has become heated at times. Indonesia halted exports from the mine in January 2017. On Aug. 29, an agreement emerged in which Indonesia will take the 51% stake it had sought in Grasberg, and Freeport-McMoRan will operate the mine until 2041. Indonesia will also pay Freeport "fair market value" for its partially ceded stake. The deal calls for around $20 billion of future capital investments, including a smelting facility. But the government's actions cast a dark cloud. Even with this agreement, shareholders are going to have to accept that the storm blowing in from the capital of Jakarta is unlikely to abate. The second key thing to know about Freeport is its sizable debt load. The company's balance sheet carried $13 billion of debt as of June 30, the legacy of Freeport's ill-fated reentry into the oil business. Having since cut its losses, the company has worked to reduce what was a $20.4 billion long-term debt balance on Dec. 31, 2013. Progress has been laudable, as long-term debt stood around $19.5 billion as recently as year-end 2015. Debt isn't always a bad thing, but shareholders should be wary. The company is expected to spend at least $1 billion annually for the next five years on the Grasberg mine alone. That commitment, plus the company's other properties, means Freeport's management has many masters it must serve. It's little wonder Freeport's dividend was eliminated completely in 2015. Should you own Freeport? It's clear from Freeport-McMoRan's history that investors should expect continued uncertainty from its Indonesian operations and billions of dollars in capital expenditures in the years ahead. Despite the fact that the company is one of the largest and most experienced global mining operations, its past points to too much future uncertainty for its stock to be a compelling buy. The Grasberg mining dispute may reach a fruitful conclusion (but still requires Indonesia's government and Freeport to agree upon a fair price for the 40% of the mine that Freeport is turning over), and key commodities for Freeport such as copper may rally, thus benefiting the stock. But these events are far from a lock, so investors should be cautious. 10 stocks we like better than Freeport-McMoRan Copper & GoldWhen 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 Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold 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 Sean O'Reilly 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. Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE: MMP) currently has more than $1 billion of expansion projects under construction that should enter service over the next two years. Most of these projects will deliver exceptionally high returns, with the company targeting a six to eight times multiple of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), or about a 14% yield on capital at the midpoint. One project, however, stood out because the company only expected a return of 12 times EBITDA on the initial phase. Given the weaker returns of that project, it would make it harder for Magellan to maintain its current distribution growth pace of 8% per year, especially considering that, until recently, it lacked other visible projects coming down the pipeline. That said, Magellan announced this week that Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO) would join it as a partner to expand that facility further. That deal should improve the overall returns of that project, and when combined with some other recent expansion project announcements, gives investors increasing clarity into the company's ability to continue to grow its distribution after next year. Getting bigger and better Last July, Magellan Midstream Partners announced that it would commence construction of a new marine terminal in Pasadena, Texas. The first phase of that facility would include 1 million barrels of storage, a new marine dock that could handle Panamax-sized ships and barges with up to a 40-foot draft, and pipeline connectivity to its existing Galena Park facility. The company expected to invest $335 million in that first phase, which would generate a 12 times EBITDA multiple, or about $28 million of annual EBITDA, when it entered service in 2019 given the long-term contracts it had in place. However, it noted that it had the space to expand the facility to include up to 10 million barrels of storage and five docks. Those future projects represented $1 billion of investment at an even more compelling eight times EBITDA multiple. After signing the agreement with Valero this week, the company will now move forward with a second expansion phase at Pasadena. The 50% joint development agreement covers the entire facility and will enable Magellan to build an additional 4 million barrels of storage capacity, a three-bay truck rack, and a second marine dock that can handle Aframax-sized vessels with up to a 45-foot draft. The partners will also connect the facility to Valero's Houston and Texas City refineries as well as the Colonial and Explorer pipelines. The total investment for the two phases will be $820 million, funded equally by both partners. Furthermore, long-term contracts fully support each phase, which will come on line in early 2019 and 2020, respectively. Improving visibility This agreement does several things for Magellan Midstream Partners. First, it will improve the overall returns it will earn on its $410 million investment in the project. It makes it much more valuable to customers as well, given the increased connectivity to other pipelines and the ability to handle larger vessels, improving the likelihood of additional expansion phases. Finally, it enhances the clarity of Magellan's ability to continue growing its distribution to investors. Given the $1 billion of expansion projects Magellan had underway to start the year, it anticipated that it could increase its distribution by 8% this year as well as in 2018. However, with lower-return projects on the docket after that, it appeared less likely that the company could keep up that pace in 2019 and beyond. However, it has significantly improved its visibility this month, after announcing two additional expansion projects last week, including a $150 million oil pipeline in Texas and a $375 million joint venture with Valero to expand its refined projects system, both of which should enter service by mid-2019. Add those projects to the Pasadena expansion and Magellan has now secured more than $600 million of incremental investments these last two weeks that help support distribution growth in 2019 and 2020. Refilling the tank Magellan Midstream Partners' focus this year has been on securing additional expansion opportunities so it could continue increasing shareholder distributions beyond next year. With the two Valero joint ventures and the Texas oil pipeline, that now appears much more likely, especially given that its latest deal with the refining giant will boost project-level returns while also adding a new phase of growth. That gives investors much more confidence that Magellan can continue to be the high-growth, high-yield company they've come to expect over the years. 10 stocks we like better than Magellan Midstream PartnersWhen 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 Magellan Midstream Partners 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 Matthew DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Magellan Midstream Partners. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. President Donald Trump will use his debut speech to the U.N. General Assembly next week to offer warmth to the United States' allies and warnings to its adversaries. "He slaps the right people, he hugs the right people and he comes out very strong in the end," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Friday as she previewed Trump's Tuesday speech. Addressing the General Assembly is a milestone moment for any president, but one particularly significant for Trump, a relative newcomer to foreign policy who has at times rattled the international community with his unpredictability. "No one is going to grip and grin," Haley said at a White House briefing. "The United States is going to work." National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said Trump "will urge all states to come together to address great dangers" facing the globe. Among topics certain to be on the agenda: North Korea, which has defied both sanctions and Trump's threats by continuing with its aggressive missile testing, and Iran, which the president has accused of violating an international nuclear deal. Trump has been sharply critical of the United Nations in the past, denouncing its "utter weakness and incompetence." As president-elect, he derided it as "a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time." He also suggested deep cuts to U.S. funding for the U.N. Haley and McMaster outlined a robust schedule for Trump, who will also be joined by Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other top advisers. The meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations are often done in rapid succession, a wearying test for even the most experienced foreign policy team. The General Assembly "is an incredibly sophisticated dance that doesn't really play to Tillerson's strengths or to the president's strengths," said Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic & International Studies. "You often have one 15-minute meeting after another," with the goal of keeping focused on key points. "It's kind of like speed dating from hell," he said. The president will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally, on Monday before holding a dinner with Latin American leaders. On Tuesday, in addition to his General Assembly speech, Trump will meet with the emir of Qatar, whose kingdom is embroiled in a dispute with other Middle East nations, including Saudi Arabia, over alleged funding of terror groups. Trump on Wednesday holds a working lunch with African leaders and will meet with the heads of Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority. The White House has played down prospects for a major moment in the Middle East peace process. Trump also will sit down with British Prime Minster Theresa May, just days after she scolded him for choosing to publicly "speculate" about the nature of an explosion Friday that injured at least 22 people in the London subway. Trump, who will stay in his Manhattan penthouse at Trump Tower, will conclude his stay Thursday with meetings with leaders from Turkey, Afghanistan and Ukraine before holding a lunch with the leaders of South Korea and Japan, largely to discuss the threats emanating from North Korea. The presidents of China and Russia are not expected to attend the meetings. Other topics on the agenda include the unstable situations in Venezuela and Syria and the fight against the Islamic State and al-Qaida terror groups. McMaster said that improving business ties between the United States and other nations will also be on the agenda. "This administration's ironclad commitment to free, fair and reciprocal trade and access to markets will be the bedrock of our economic talks," he said. ___ Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire Conservative activist Laura Loomer on Thursday described her experience confronting former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at a book signing event in New York City. Its definitely an adrenaline rush because this is probably the most hated women in America. To ask her questions that one, the mainstream media refused to ask her and two, that so many Americans want answers about, it was great that I was able to do that, she told FOX Business Liz MacDonald on Risk and Reward. The book Clinton released on Tuesday, called What Happened, documents her experiences during her failed 2016 presidential election bid, including what it was like to run against President Donald Trump, the mistakes she made and how she dealt with the loss. While Loomer was being escorted out of the event, she also questioned Clinton aide Huma Abedin, who was also at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square where the book signing was held. Huma! Its so great to see you. I have a question for you: When are you going to divorce your husband [Anthony Weiner] for texting underage girls? she asked. The conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch recently released emails from Huma Abedins account, which the group said gave examples of pay to play at the Clinton State Department, which did not surprise Loomer. Its what everybody already suspected and knew to be true, but now new evidence is coming to light, which shows that we were all correct and it confirms our worst suspicions, the conservative activist said. The final push for a comprehensive tax reform is underway in Congress, with President Donald Trump stumping for lower taxes for both corporations and the middle class. In addition to lower tax rates, the administration hopes to increase the standard deduction -- meaning that some of the first money a married couple files jointly will not be taxed -- and simplify taxes so that most middle income families can fill out taxes on one page, Treasury Department assistant secretary of public affairs Tony Sayegh told FOX Business Lou Dobbs on Lou Dobbs Tonight. And were going to because of what were doing on the business side by reducing those terribly high, uncompetitive rates, he said. In some ways, the Trump administration is positioning the tax reform plan as a way to bring jobs back to the U.S., Sayegh said. By lowering the rate -- which is currently 35% -- to 15%, Trump has said he hopes to compete with countries like China and India that have a similar corporate tax rate. How the government can afford to do that remains be seen. Additional details of the framework will not be released until the week of Sept. 25. At a bipartisan meeting at the White House on Wednesday, the president said the wealthy would not be gaining at all from his plan and could even face higher taxes. There is something that is absolutely certain, Sayegh said. And thats the middle-income hard-working family is the focus of the presidents agenda when it comes to the individual side of tax cuts. A U.S. war with North Korea would be like no other, according to Harry Kazianis, director of studies at the Center for National Interest. The challenge here is that the American people are vigilant people but we have not fought a war on the scale that North Korea would bring to us really since World War II, Kazianis told Maria Bartiromo Friday on Mornings with Maria. His comments come on the heels of North Korea launching its second missile in less than a month over Japan. According to Kazianis, in addition to nuclear weapons, North Korea probably has an arsenal of chemical and biological weapons. Some of the [nastiest] horrific weapons you can think of, he said and added that the Hermit Kingdom also has over 11,000 artillery tubes pointed at Seoul. Thats a capital with 25 million people, he said. Imagine a war with North Korea, if they fire just a few hundred artillery shells into downtown Seoul, started knocking off skyscrapers. Imagine a situation thats 10 or 15 9/11s. Thats what we are facing. The classic, insert and twist car key could be on the verge of extinction. Theyve already been largely replaced in many cars by proximity keyfobs that automatically unlock the doors as you approach and allow you to start them up by simply pressing a button, but still include a small emergency key in case the battery fails. With the addition of smartphone app-based key systems, however, BMW board member Ian Robertson thinks the need for physical keys is nearing an end. "Honestly, how many people really need it?" Robertson told Reuters at the Frankfurt Motor Show. "They never take it out of their pocket, so why do I need to carry it around? Robertson said the company was looking into eliminating them altogether, but it wont be the first if it does. Teslas new Model 3 doesnt come with a key at all. Instead, theres an app similar to BMWs and a credit card-size card that you can swipe along the roof pillar to unlock the car if you dont have your phone with you. Last year, automotive supplier Continental unveiled an app that will even let you send a digital key to someone else's phone so they can use your car. Although the manufacturer was not identified, Continental said it will debut with a production car in 2018. Continental Vice President Mike Crane thinks physical and digital keys will coexist for the next decade or so before the industry shifts to an all electronic model. THE REMOTE CONTROLLED BMW: Defense attorneys are asking a judge to dismiss a charge against reality TV star Chris Soules for leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Soules is the Iowa farmer who starred on the television show "The Bachelor" two years ago. He's accused of driving a truck that hit a farm tractor near his hometown of Aurora in April. The accident killed the tractor's driver, 66-year-old Kenneth Moser. Investigators say Soules left the scene and was arrested later at his home about 10 miles (16 kilometers) away. Soules was in an Iowa courtroom on Thursday as his attorneys said they want the case charges dismissed. The attorneys said they would formally argue for the dismissal during a hearing on Oct. 10. Hollywood rivals Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had one heartbreaking thing in common their eldest daughters would betray them with shocking tell-all books. Christina Crawfords 1978 book, Mommie Dearest, depicted her adopted mother as an abusive alcoholic prone to rage and was published a year after the stars death. Davis biological daughter Barbara B.D. Hyman released her own damaging tale, My Mothers Keeper, in 1985. It portrayed the actress as a ruthless bully who faked attempted suicides for sympathy. WHY SUSAN SARANDON FINALLY SAID YES TO BETTE DAVIS Hyman released her story on Mothers Day, just months after Davis underwent a mastectomy and suffered a stroke that nearly killed her. Kathryn Sermak, who served as Davis' personal assistant from 1979 until her death in 1989, told Fox News the publication left Davis so humiliated she didnt want to live anymore. It was a huge betrayal, said Sermak. Miss D never got over it. Never. You dont just get over something like that But that doesnt mean you stop loving the person. It was so horrible Even with all of that, Miss D said, Shes still my daughter. But it broke her heart forever. You dont get over that. Sermak has released her own book called Miss D and Me, which explores the friendship she developed with the legendary actress, who made over 100 films and was nominated for 10 Oscars throughout her lifetime. She recalled that fateful day when Davis learned of Hymans public accusations. She always had a wonderful relationship with her, insisted Sermak. I felt B.D. loved her mother immensely. Miss D loved her more than anything in the world I couldnt understand why she wrote that book. Sermak described her former boss as someone who was willing to do anything for her daughter. But after her stroke, Davis wondered if Hyman assumed she wouldnt survive. When she had that stroke, it was devastating, said Sermak. They had to use the paddles to bring her back to life. During that time, doctors believed she wouldnt make it past three weeks She was on medications, she was hallucinating. Nurses came and went. And youre dealing with the press. Sermak claimed Hymans husband Jeremy had a trucking business that had gone bankrupt at the time. He then asked Davis lawyer and friend Harold Schiff if he could release some of her money for help, only to be shot down. But even before then, many of Hymans bills were reportedly sent to Schiff and taken care of by Davis. Still, Davis perservered. In Sermak, she found a young woman completely devoted to her well-being. Hired in 1979 when she was just 23, Sermak was taught by the screen icon how to walk, talk, dress and even give a firm handshake. When Davis health was deteriorating, Sermak stayed by her hospital bed every single day. Their bond became so close, Davis began calling Sermak her stepdaughter. Sermak made sure to help Davis feel young again. She loved pranks, Sermak recalled. Whenever we were in New York, Harold [Schiff] would invite us to his home in Pound Ridge. Miss D told me she had never heard of TPing [toilet papering]. When I told her, she said, Lets do it! We waited until everyone went to bed. We had it all planned out. We started with the kitchen She had so much fun. We fell to the floor laughing. We hit the alarms and instantly went back to our beds. But the pranks didnt just end with Davis lawyer. Once, when guests came over to Davis Hollywood home for cocktail hour immaculately dressed, she had surprises in store for them. I went to a magic shop and bought these fake ice cubes that looked real, recalled Sermak. We also had a dribble glass. It was summer and really hot And yet [her guests] said their drinks were wonderful. I thought it was amazing because these were her friends, but they were intimidated to tell her something was wrong. We also used a whoopee cushion and we practiced with it! We also found an ink pen that spilled blue ink She was full of great pranks. Davis found happiness again. When she was only given a few days to live in 1989 after her breast cancer returned, the 81-year-old chose to savor every moment with joy, all while keeping her terminal illness a secret from the public. She got an invitation to the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain She so wanted to go, recalled Sermak. The doctors gave her the green light The town got a band to play and they were serenading her. There was a mass of people waiting for hours just to see her. After Davis was honored for her acting career, she arrived in Paris and was gearing up to head back to Los Angeles. However, she became increasingly weak and was instead taken to a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, where she passed away. Miss D told me she was born during a thunderstorm. And when she passed it was pouring, said Sermak. She was at peace. She'd just had the world serenade her. And just like Crawford, who famously omitted Christina from her will for reasons well known, the Los Angeles Times reported Davis also disinherited Hyman. She currently runs a ministry in Virginia. Sermak, along with Davis adopted son Michael Merrill, are co-executors of the Bette Davis Estate. But Davis tale doesnt just end with Sermaks book. On Sunday night, Ryan Murphys Feud, a mini-series that tells the story of Davis collaboration with Crawford in the highly publicized 1962 film Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? is up for 18 Emmy awards. I will always thank Ryan Murphy, she said. It has introduced Miss D to a whole new younger group, which is honestly what I was hoping for. A judge has scheduled a new date for Bill Cosby's retrial on charges he drugged and molested a woman more than a decade ago. Judge Steven O'Neill on Friday ordered the retrial to begin on April 2. He says jury selection can get underway before then. The retrial was initially set for November, but last month O'Neill granted a request by Cosby's new lawyers to delay it so they could get up to speed on the case. The 80-year-old comedian's first trial in June ended in a hung jury. "The Cosby Show" star is charged with knocking out accuser Andrea Constand with pills and sexually assaulting her at his home near Philadelphia in 2004. He has said the sexual encounter with the former Temple University worker was consensual. Five people have been charged in Tennessee with conspiring to defraud the My People Fund of Dolly Parton's Dollywood Foundation, set up to help people affected by wildfires last year. The Knoxville News Sentinel reports a Sevier County grand jury charged Debra Kay Catlett; her son, Chad Alan Chambers; Rocco Boscalia; Annie Lyons; and Esther Pridemore. The charges include money laundering, criminal conspiracy and felony theft. An arraignment date hasn't been set. Parton established the fund soon after the wildfires, which claimed 14 lives and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. Dollywood Foundation President David Dotson said the fund helped 900 families with about $9 million in the first six months after the fires. Records allege the accused were able to take about $12,000 before being discovered. The ongoing controversy surrounding ESPN host Jemele Hill calling President Trump a white supremacist continues to build, with the network in crisis mode according to a new report. Citing four sources familiar with the situation, the news website Think Progress reported that a top executive at ESPN told Hill to go home on Wednesday and she was spotted in the parking lot when production meetings for her show are typically occurring. On Thursday, Think Progress reported that ESPN tried to replace Hill with another African-American host for her show on Wednesday evening. However, the network quickly denied the claim, telling media outlets it never asked any other anchors to do last nights show. Period. Think Progress fired back on Friday with a follow-up story reporting ESPN is in crisis mode and its statement was highly misleading. According to the latest Think Progress report, Hill was sent home on Wednesday morning and her co-host, Michael Smith, refused to do the show without her. ESPN then reached out to several anchors to check their availability to host the edition of SportsCenter that is typically anchored by Hill and Smith but eventually decided to let the show go on without sidelining Hill. Think Progress says ESPNs original statement can be regarded as true, only if you accept the fine distinction between asking other anchors to do last nights show and asking the same anchors if they are available to do the show. An ESPN spokesman declined comment on the report when reached by Fox News. The turmoil started earlier this week when Hill, an outspoken liberal, tweeted anti-Trump rhetoric that has been a hot topic at back-to-back White House Press briefings. "Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has surrounded himself with other white supremacists," Hill wrote. She called him "the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime." She also called Trump a "bigot," and "unqualified and unfit to be president." She even added: "If he were not white, he never would have been elected." On Friday, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders reiterated that she thinks Hills comments are a fireable offense but made it clear that its her job to make that type of decision. Trump himself even chimed in on Friday morning, mocking ESPN on Twitter and asking for an apology. ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers, Trump wrote. Apologize for untruth! Meanwhile, Hill has tweeted that she regrets painting ESPN in an unfair light but stands by her comments about the president which have not been deleted. She has refused to apologize, according to Fox News Howard Kurtz. Floyd Mayweather defended President Trumps infamous comments about women from a leaked 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape. Mayweather told Hollywood Unlocked in an interview that Trump spoke like a real man when he was heard telling former "Access Hollywood" host Billy Bush that when it came to women he could grab them by the p---y. The tape was leaked during Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. SHOWTIME SUED OVER ALLEGED MAYWEATHER-MCGREGOR LIVE STREAM ISSUES People dont like the truth, Mayweather said. He [spoke] like a real man spoke. "Real men speak like, 'Man, she had a fat a--. You see her a--? I had to squeeze her a--. I had to grab that fat a--.' Right? So he talking locker room talk." "'Im the man,' you know what Im saying? You know who I am. Yeah, I grabbed her by the p---y. And?" Mayweather said. The "Access Hollywood" tape sparked criticism from a number of politicians including Hillary Clinton, who tweeted after it was leaked: This is horrific. We cannot allow this man to become president. Bush resigned from his job on the Today show in October following the tapes release. MAYWEATHER VS MCGREGOR FIGHT PUTS PIRATED LIVESTREAMS IN THE SPOTLIGHT Mayweather and Trump have been photographed together in the past. Trump attended Mayweathers fight against many Pacquiao in 2015 and the boxer went to the presidents inauguration in January, the New York Post reported. The boxer has faced domestic violence charges in the past. Jennifer Lawrences latest film, Mother!, is under fire by one critic who feels it is an attack on Christianity, but it remains to be seen if the backlash will result in another Last Temptation of Christ situation. National Review film critic Kyle Smith blasted the movie in his review, saying it might be the vilest movie ever released by a major Hollywood studio that will represent a stain on the reputation of Paramount Pictures. Smith warned that pregnant women, those with nervous constitutions or heart conditions, and anyone who happens to be burdened with good taste should stay far away from the film. The thriller, which opens on Sept. 15, is directed by Lawrence's boyfriend Darren Aronofsky and features household names such as Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer, in addition to Lawrence. While Mother! has received mostly positive reviews otherwise, many other critics have been quick to point out the biblical metaphors in the film. The New York Post said the religious similes are easy enough to pick up if you know in advance that theyre there, while also noting that the film is simply terrifying. Rolling Stone called it a biblical allegory, with intimations of "Rosemarys Baby. The Associated Press said the Old Testament crashes into modern anxiety in the film. Nick Vadala of Philly.com wrote: From the religious and political imagery to its remarks on celebrity culture and the nature of creativity, Mother is a film seemingly designed for any number of interpretations. Back in 1988, Martin Scorseses The Last Temptation of Christ was highly criticized and even banned in several countries after several religious groups organized boycotts of the film. Scorseses film was significantly more obvious than Mother! when it comes to religion, as it literally features a crucified Jesus envisioning coming down form the cross to marry Mary Magdalene. Meanwhile, Lawrence isnt exactly a favorite among conservative circles these days as she recently suggested the devastating hurricanes in Texas and Florida were signs of Mother Natures rage and wrath at America for electing Donald Trump. Stephen Colbert may crack a few jokes at President Donald Trumps expense on Sunday when he hosts the 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. We are storytellers: The story we are telling is what happened on television this year, he told Variety in a story published this week. Its not a political monologue, but you cant keep politics out of it, because politics was the biggest TV story this year. The Late Show host has frequently criticized the president -- but not everyone has found his quips funny. Below are some notable remarks Colbert has made about Trump. Homophobic remark -- May 2017 Colbert came under fire after making a lewd joke about Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. As part of a May 1 episode, Colbert included clips of Trump speaking with CBS journalist John Dickerson. In one, Trump said that he refers to "Face the Nation" as "Deface the Nation." WHEN ARE THE EMMYS? Mr. Trump, your presidency? I love your presidency. I call it Disgrace the Nation, Colbert said, launching into a rant. He eventually made a R-rated joke about Putin and Trump that was accused of being homophobic, with critics using the hashtag #FireColbert on Twitter. Colbert addressed the issue on the show May 3, explaining he had been a little upset with Donald Trump for insulting a friend of mine. So while I would do it again, I would change a few words that were cruder than they needed to be," he said. Now, Im not going to repeat the phrase. But I just want to say, for the record, life is short, and anyone who expresses their love for another person, in their own way, is, to me, an American hero. And I think we can all agree on that. I hope even the president and I can agree on that -- nothing else but that. Complaints over the May 1 broadcast poured into the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which said later that month that it had reviewed them and would not take action. Apology to Trump -- June 2017 Colbert offered an apology as part of a June 26 episode. The remark came after Trump had tweeted about alleged Russian meddling. There is no collusion & no obstruction, Trump said in a tweet. I should be given apology! Im a big enough man to apologize, Colbert said. And I believe I speak for the majority of Americans when I say this: Im sorry youre president. Crazy but cruel -- July 2017 In a July 26 episode, Colbert criticized Trumps ban on transgender military service members, which he wrote about in a series of tweets. I began my day today like I often begin my days by checking Donald Trumps Twitter feed to see how far the crazy has spread, Colbert said. And today, I really think hes off his meds. Because, today, he went from crazy to cruel. Colbert also criticized Trumps Thank you note that concluded the series of tweets. Thank you? he said. F--- you! What the hell are you talking about? -- August 2017 In an Aug. 15 show, Colbert tore into remarks Trump made earlier that day at a press conference in New York City. At the event, Trump spoke about violence that erupted at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va. I think theres blame on both sides. And I have no doubt about it, and you dont have any doubt about it either, Trump told reporters at the time. The only thing Im doubting right now is whether youre going to be president on Friday, Colbert said. Because what the hell are you talking about? Imitating Trumps voice, he continued, You know, one side hates minorities, the other side hates people who hate minorities. OK? Two sides. All right? Its just like D-Day. Remember D-Day? Two sides. Allies and the Nazis. There was a lot of violence on both sides, OK? Hurricane Harvey comments -- September 2017 Colbert spoke about the powerful storm in a Sept. 5 show, urging people to donate and praising relief workers. The joker called the hurricane an unprecedented disaster, and looked to his side, asking if the statement was correct. Speaking of unprecedented disasters, he said, Donald Trump. During the bit, Colbert repeated a passage from a Politico report which said the president didnt meet a single storm victim, see an inch of rain or get near a flooded street during a late August trip to Corpus Christi, Texas. COLBERT SLAMMED FOR CLAIMS TRUMP DIDNT MEET HARVEY VICTIMS The president wants to be very cautious about making sure that any activity doesn't disrupt the recovery efforts that are still ongoing, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders had said. Trumps early September trip to Texas was eventually brought up. While Colbert poked fun at how the president handed a bucket to a truck driver through a window -- instead of putting it in the truck bed -- he skipped over Trump meeting with victims. Hitler salute -- September 2017 Colbert spoke about the president and former Trump advisor Steve Bannon in a Sept. 7 episode. He played a clip of Bannon telling 60 Minutes about how he defended Trump after the president commented on Charlottesville. I was the only guy that said, Hes talking about something, taking it up to a higher level, Bannon said in the bit shown by Colbert. Yeah, hes definitely taking it to a higher level, Colbert quipped. Id say his support is about uh, about up there, he said, doing a Nazi salute. Right around here. Fox News Sasha Savitsky contributed to this report. Many Champagne drinkers feel the beverage is best consumed from a flute, but Maggie Henriquez CEO and president of major Champagne producer Krug says otherwise. Henriquez spoke at the official launch of Krug 2004 in Hong Kong, where she protested against the glassware. You dont use flutes. You see, using a flute is like going to a concert with ear plugs, because it will not let you enjoy what is inside, because a good Champagne before anything is a good wine, she said, according to a report by The Drinks Business. Flutes are for bad Champagne, sorbet or gazpacho, but not to drink Champagne. One story holds that Dom Perignon himself adopted the flute for Champagne in the seventeenth century so he might watch the dance of the sparkling atoms, according to Daniel OConnells "The Inner Man." But Olivier Krug, house director and great-great-great-grandson of Krugs founder, agrees with Henriquez. A great Champagne, he told Bloomberg, cannot offer its fullest expression in a narrow glass. Bloomberg also reports that Cedric Bouchard, named Champagnes finest winemaker in 2008 by the Gault & Millau guidebook, says that although a flute may showcase bubblys bubbles, it doesnt allow the aromas to escape nor the wine to breathe. According to Bouchard, both the flute and the coupe a much wider piece of glassware were the first used and continue to be utilized with the idea that Champagne is something to be seen more than tasted. Although we may have been drinking Champagne wrong our entire lives, we at The Daily Meal readily accept wine of any type in glassware of all shapes and sizes. A politically incorrect sign at a Dairy Queen in Wisconsin has sparked a controversy, but the owner stands by his decision to display it. The poster hanging outside the Kewaskum franchise location warns customers that this restaurant is politically incorrect and has been known to use phrases such as Merry Christmas and Happy Easter, as well as offering free ice cream to veterans. It also reads in large letters at the bottom, In God we trust and notes that if this information offends you, you are welcome to contact the owner so he may arrange a dedicated snowflake safe space a minimum 24 hours in advance. "I felt the sign was appropriate to hang in terms of being transparent about the views of the owner and staff supporting God and country," owner Kevin Scheunemann told CBS 58. "It just seems that those kinds of values and principles are becoming controversial in society," he said. RESTAURANT WORKER CLAIMS JASON ALDEAN'S CREW LEFT A MEAGER TIP, GETS FIRED FOR IT The sign was hung about four years ago after a customer was upset the restaurant was playing Christian music. After that, Scheunemann decided to post the warning for customers to see before coming inside. However, the politically incorrect sign has gained new attention recently after someone posted a photo of it on the official Dairy Queen Facebook page, writing: I find this extremely offensive. Please speak with the franchise owner. The post has since been removed, but sparked thousands of likes and shares, according to an NBC affiliate in Chicago. Since then, Dairy Queen has received comments from people speaking in support of the franchise owner and his right to run his business as he sees fit. Corporate. Please do not make a statement that goes against Freedom of Speech and Religion. The 1st Amendment is what makes this country great, wrote one Facebook user. But not everyone is on Scheunemann's side. A national spokesperson for Dairy Queen responded to the situation, saying the company does not encourage our independently owned and operated franchisees to post non-business related messages in their locations or on their external reader boards. The sign expresses the views of this independent owner only and does not speak for ADQ [American Dairy Queen] Corporation or any of our other independent franchise owners. We expect our franchisees and employees to treat every person who walks through our doors with the utmost dignity and respect. Nothing less is acceptable. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Despite the seemingly controversial nature of the sign, it has reportedly been great for business, becoming a huge tourist landmark, according to GoMN. "I got people driving hours to take a picture with (the) sign, Scheunemann told GoMN. Scheunemann says he has no plans to take it down. Celebrity chef Mario Batali isnt convinced that a minimum wage of $15 will be good for the restaurant industry. Speaking at a Recodes Code Commerce event on Wednesday, Batali admitted that raising servers wages to $15 per hour is a fascinating way of looking at raising quality of life," but doesnt personally feel its sustainable for the owners of smaller restaurants, reports Buzzfeed. MARIO BATALI SUED FOR DISCRIMINATION BY FORMER PASTRY CHEF Theres no question that raising minimum wage is a faster way to get people more money very quickly, said Batali in response to an audience members question on the subject. I think the result of that, will be that quite quickly, the prices in restaurants who are supported and basically run by people who [make] minimum wage will raise their prices. Its not without cost that we [raise wages]. Thats all Im saying, he said. The celebrity chef argued that the restaurateurs themselves arent to blame, as many of them are operating on very slim profit margins as it is. Hiking wages to $15 could potentially create as 30 percent increase in costs for the restaurant, he added. Batali also believes that many restaurateurs will be forced to close if a $15 minimum wage or a mandatory no-tipping rule were to be instituted. He also cited a number of restaurants in San Francisco that were forced to shut down as the citys minimum wage rises toward $15. MAINE RESTAURANT WORKERS SUCCESSFULLY LOBBY TO LOWER MINIMUM WAGE I know, in San Francisco, a lot of my friends are closing their restaurants because they went from 10 percent margin to 3 percent margin, or from 6 percent margin to 0 percent margin, he said. Idealogically, Batali said hes not against workers earning more money, but says it might be a while before the government and restaurant industry can find a way to make it sustainable for us to operate. At the end of the day, they will settle quickly and things will find some resolution, said Batali. But more specifically, he believes the restaurant industry will have to eat those costs and charge accordingly. Its gonna happen. Its gonna cost 50 bucks to go to a restaurant pretty soon in America. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Batali currently co-owns several restaurants throughout the United States, Singapore and Hong Kong. In 2012, Batali and his restaurant partners were accused of withholding tips from nearly 1100 restaurant workers, and ultimately settled out of court for $5.25 million. In 2017, however, Batali once told LinkedIn that workers at Babbo and Del Posto two high-end Italian restaurants he co-founded with Joe Bastianich earn up to $130,000 per year. Harvey the Hurricane Hawk is back in the skies over North Texas. The bird became famous after taking refuge in a Houston man's taxi during Hurricane Harvey refusing to leave. She was featured in a series of YouTube videos and became an instant viral sensation. The taxi driver took care of Harvey until she could be turned over to the Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition. The Houston-based animal care facility then took Harvey to the Blackland Prairie Raptor Center in Lucas for rehabilitation. "Cooper hawks eat songbirds and other types of birds," said Jess Glotzbach of the Raptor Center. "And with all the flooding down [in Houston], the food source wasn't like what they wanted it to be. So they said, 'Let's release it in Dallas, where we know everything is fine.'" Harvey was released Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of Oak Point Amphitheater in Plano. Click for more from Fox4News.com. In news that should seem like common sense to anyone who knows what a bear is, officials in Aspen have had to urge residents to refrain from taking selfies with the wild mammals. The Aspen Police Department issued the strange warning on Thursday, after a bear and her two cubs were spotted sitting in a tree along the Hyman Avenue shopping district the day before, The Denver Post reports. BEAR SHOWS UP TO BIRTHDAY PARTY LATE, FINISHES OFF CAKE Police had reportedly been waiting for the better part of Wednesday for the bears to come down, but were alarmed when onlookers began chasing after the wild animals when they finally left the tree. People insisted on trying to get close enough to take selfies, Sgt. Rob Fabrocini of the Aspen Police Department said, adding that one woman even attempted to approach the bears with a child in her arms. Furthermore, as the bears were fleeing the eager selfie-snappers, the mother bear became separated from her young, prompting her to turn around and head back to the shopping area. People were still walking right up to her, even when it was clear she was agitated and growling as people got close, said police, reports Fox 31 Denver. QUICK-THINKING FRIEND THWARTS BEAR ATTACK ON CYCLIST In response, the department was forced to issue a statement on Thursday, warning Aspenites to please refrain from chasing bears. Just because there is caution tape up and an officer in the area, this in no way guarantees your safety, the statement read. Although black bear attacks are uncommon, they are more likely to occur in a situation when a bear is being harassed by onlookers. The statement reads that, if onlookers were to provoke a bear to the point of attack, the Colorado Parks & Wildlife department would be forced to euthanize the animal. The Denver Post notes that there would also be a $100 fine (and a penalty of 10 points off ones drivers license) for harassing wildlife. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS On the other hand, the police departments warning apparently did nothing to detract the bears themselves from returning to the scene of the crime, which they did on Thursday. This time, wildlife officials are reportedly relocating the bears to western Colorado. The Aspen PD couldnt resist following up with a funny Facebook post likening the bears to celebrities and the selfie-snappers as paparazzi. As their managing agents, we would request that if you bump into one of our furry celebrities, you politely take a peek and keep on moving, the police department joked. This also isn't the first instance of police warning Coloradans against taking self-portraits with bears: In 2015, officials at the Waterton Canyon park in Denver had to issue a similar request after visitors started snapping selfies with the mammals. Identical twin sisters who both partnered with men named William gave birth just hours apart from each other at the same Massachusetts hospital last month. Rachael McGeoch and Beccy Pistone, 34, said theyve gone through life doing everything together, and had joked about the possibility of having their babies on the same day, the Daily News reported. McGeochs due date was estimated for Aug. 1, but after two weeks of little progress, Pistone traveled with her fiance, who goes by Todd, to Cambridge from their home in Cape Cod to be near her. TEEN WITH 'RAPUNZEL SYNDROME' DIES FROM EATING HER OWN HAIR Twin Power: After 2.5 days of trying to induce me and nothing working, we knew we needed to be together, McGeoch wrote in an Aug. 20 Facebook post. Bec came up to Boston to hold my hand and I finally went into active labor. As she and Bill were supporting me, she went into labor too. The two were admitted to Mount Auburn Hospital in rooms next door to each other, and while Pistone labored all night, she was able to hear the moment her nephew was born. Bec and crew were banging on the walls as they heard our baby William born at 10:41pm! McGeoch wrote. Bec labored all night and morning but had not made much progress, the baby was in the wrong position and she was stalled. We knew she need some inspiration. McGeoch said staff helped her sneak William over to his aunt for a visit so she could hold him. We sat with her and shortly after she was fully dilated and pushed Andi out in 24 mins! So they are only 20 hours apart!! McGeoch wrote. BABY BORN 4 MONTHS PREMATURE READY TO HEAD HOME The new mom told the Daily News that she thinks the babies take after their dads. There are so many awesome things about being a twin but this might take the cake! she wrote on Facebook. Big thanks to Bec and Todd for forfeiting their plans to have Andi at Cape Cod Hospital, to our families who were all there supporting us and to all the Midwives, Nurses and staff at Mt. Auburn Hospital who understood the twin connection and made this all possible. Italian health officials have banned residents across half of Rome from donating blood because of an outbreak of the painful, mosquito-borne illness Chikungunya. At least 17 people in southeastern Rome have been diagnosed with the virus since the end of August, and the local health authority decided to suspend blood donations in the affected areas to prevent accidental transmission. TEEN WITH 'RAPUNZEL SYNDROME' DIES FROM EATING HER OWN HAIR The ban covers some 1.2 million residents. Anyone who has visited the affected area of the capital since Aug. 25 should not give blood for 28 days. Chikungunya symptoms include high fever, joint and muscular pain, severe headaches, nausea and a rash. They normally surface within three to seven days after a bite from an infected mosquito and typically dissipate within a week. The virus is not deadly, but there is no vaccine. COULD RARE BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA THRIVE IN IRMA'S AFTERMATH? The disease is typically found in tropical areas and used to be entirely absent from Italy. However, a mosquito which transmits Chikungunya, the Tiger Mosquito, first appeared in the country in the 1990s and is now commonplace, and there was an outbreak of the virus around the city of Ravenna in 2007. Target recently announced it will be launching an exclusive lifestyle and home goods brand developed by Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines but not everyone is excited by the news. The Hearth and Hand line is set to launch Nov. 5, though based on social media responses, a lot of Chip and Joannas fans wont be buying their new products. The HGTV couple is known for their conservative Christian views and people are calling them out for partnering with Target because of the stores liberal-leaning policies. 'FIXER UPPER' COUPLES USING AIRBNB TO CASH IN ON CHIP AND JO'S POPULARITY The retailer announced last year that transgender people can use the bathrooms and fitting rooms that best align with their gender identity, which many people are arguing is against Christian values. The American Family Association has even gone so far as to boycott Target, urging others to sign a petition promising to do the same. Responses on social media to the Gaines upcoming home goods line largely focus on Targets transgender policy, expressing disappointment in the couples choice of business partner. Chip Gaines wrote in a blog post Tuesday that he and Joanna are thrilled about the collaboration. Despite our initial insecurities about partnering with a large retailer, Target has exceeded our expectations every step of the way, he wrote. With our friends, our family and with the people we do business with, we are serious about continually finding common ground. We are thankful to get to work side by side with the people at Target. He added, We believe we are going to build something really beautiful together and that our positive impact will be far greater now than it would ever be apart. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Despite the controversy, there are some Fixer Upper fans who cant wait for the new collection and dont care where its being sold. A new study shows that suicide attempts among young American adults have significantly risen. The study by JAMA Psychiatry, which was released Wednesday, found that the amount of young adults ages 21 to 34 who tried to take their own lives had increased from 2004 to 2014. Researchers collected data from nearly 70,000 American adults in 2004-2005 and 2012-2013. The data showed that adults attempting suicide increased from 0.62 percent in 2004-2005 to 0.79 percent in 2012-2013. THIS POPULAR FITNESS BLOGGER NO LONGER POSTS BIKINI PHOTOS FOR A GOOD REASON The attempts were reported mostly by women and adults younger than 50 years old. During the study, suicide attempts rose 0.48 percent among adults ages 21 to 34 in contrast with people 65 and older. Americans ages 45 to 64 and 85 or older have the highest suicide rates in the country, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. About 121 people take their lives every day and some 44,000 commit suicide each year. AUSTRALIAN BIKINI MODEL BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED IN FIERY CAR WRECK, POLICE SAY The study focused on certain social groups and investigated if they were more prone to attempts compared to others. The study found that suicide attempts disproportionately affected younger adults with less formal education and those with antisocial personality disorder, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and a history of violence. Dr. Mark Olfson, who worked on the study and was a professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at Columbia University Medical Center, told Reuters that it was not clear why young adults were attempting suicide at a higher rate. Olfson said the increase could be due to economic problems and psychiatric disorders that have gone untreated. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS "It is possible that these trends are partially explained by the effects of the recent Great Recession," Olfson said. "Younger adults and adults with less education may have been especially hard hit by the recession in terms of economic and psychological stress. Unemployed adults, those with less education, and adults with lower family incomes were all particularly likely to report a recent suicide attempt." The study concluded that it was important to focus on decreasing the amount of suicide attempts and that it should be made a goal in public health. As my campus at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) braces itself for an appearance by conservative Ben Shapiro, I am taking a step back to think about all the moments and highlights that I have faced while being a vocal conservative in a liberal atmosphere. Now that I am a senior I am beginning to realize the crucial points that not every average conservative would or should ever face in his or her lifetime. With some of these moments being described as life-threatening, I have experienced it all through the radicalism of UCB. The first time my life was actually threatened was on the evening of February 1, 2017. I still remember sitting on the top floor of the Martin Luther King Building where Milo Yiannopoulos was supposed to speak, thinking about how my colleagues and I were ever going to get out of there, while outside the protestors were throwing anything they could grab at the windows. Even the cops who were being paid $10,000 in security fees were astounded at the sheer chaos that had formed outside the building in the form of Antifa, BAMN (By Any Means Necessary), student, and other civilian protestors. Even after the cops had created a window for us to escape out of the back of the building, I remember being followed by one shady figure who only stopped following me after I turned around to confront him. Even then, the stranger didnt leave me alone until he had his fill of yelling at me and calling me a fascist, white supremist asshole. I am in fact, Chinese and Cuban if anyone was wondering. Even then, the stranger didnt leave me alone until he had his fill of yelling at me and calling me a fascist, white supremist asshole. I am in fact, Chinese and Cuban if anyone was wondering. I also remember how several members after that event advised the club that they were going to keep their heads low and avoid any attention for a little while, fearing for their personal safety. However, the rest of us decided that we were going to trudge on, determined to not give up on our commitment to providing a conservative voice at UCB no matter the costs. That was why I joined the Berkeley College Republicans (BCR) and why I chose to fight alongside the president at that time, Jose Marine Diaz, because I respected his commitment to the club and to its members. After the moment on Feburary 1, my colleagues and I were consistently harassed and attacked at random times and places. Our signs were either destroyed or stolen, members of our club had been hit by people on bikes, our lists of new members had been stolen and the people on those lists had gotten threatening emails, along with the daily routine of spit, curse words, middle-fingers, and screaming. Nevertheless, we each looked out for one another, having each others backs, and making sure we all made it home safe and sound at the end of the day. However, all good things must come to an end, unfortunately. Nowadays, the insincere attempts of UCB and the new leadership board of BCR to cooperate have made way for more extreme environments of political polarization, pushing regular people to plan controversial rallies on the weekends where they eventually physically clash with one another. BCR members who call themselves the champions of free speech act as though they are the reincarnations of Mario Salvo (a Berkeley Free Speech founding father, you might say), and that they live in constant fear of being arrested for speaking their minds. This is meant to get normal, conservative citizens upset. So upset, that in some cases they lash out against fellow Americans who believe in different political ideas. This is the problem with groups on the left as well. Antifa and BAMN are so hopelessly set in their ways that they seem to forget that the people they are attacking are fellow American citizens. Instead, they see them as Nazis, bigots, fascists, racists, etc., all because they were told to think that way. The hoopla that surrounds such events like the hosting of Yiannopoulos or Shapiro must be ignored. It is chaos for the sake of chaos where the only ones who benefit started the chaos, while the people stuck in the chaos destroy each other. The end result is more centrist conservatives like myself being stalked and harassed on our way home. The only way the senseless fighting at these rallies and events are going to truly end is when people start to realize how unimportant and ineffectual the fighting really is, and that the ones telling you that you should get angry and that you should riot are simply acting rash and should be called out for their destructive behaviors, not celebrated. Is Russia preparing to invade another European country, or simply training its forces to do so in the future? Thats the big question as Vladimir Putin launched a massive series of war games yesterday dangerously close to the borders of three NATO member states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as well as Ukraine. The exercise code-named Zapad-2017 (Zapad in Russian means West) is set to run through September 20th and tensions are spiking. The Economist calls this Russias biggest war game in Europe since the Cold War. Moscow says only 12,500 troops will take part, most of which will operate in the country of Belarus, just south of the Baltics and just north of Ukraine. However, some Western analysts, and Baltic State governmentshave expressed concerns that the exercise will in reality be significantly larger, involving between 60,000 and 100,000 military personnel, notes Janes Intelligence Review. According to the Baltic States, the last Zapad-series exercise in 2013 involved 75,000 military personnel, six times higher than Russia disclosed. Estonias Defense Minister Margus Tsahkna says NATO has intelligence suggesting Moscow may leave Russian soldiers in Belarus once the exercises are over. Have U.S. and other NATO commanders positioned enough forces of their own to protect the Baltic States against a Russian blitz? There is reason for concern. As currently postured, NATO cannot successfully defend the territory of its most exposed members, concluded a recent RAND Corporation analysis, after a series of war games of their own. Across multiple games using a wide range of expert participants in and out of uniform playing both sides, the longest it has taken Russian forces to reach the outskirts of the Estonian and/or Latvian capitals of Tallinn and Riga, respectively, is 60 hours. Such a rapid defeat would leave NATO with a limited number of options, all bad: a bloody counteroffensive, fraught with escalatory risk, to liberate the Baltics; to escalate itself, as it threatened to do to avert defeat during the Cold War; or to concede at least temporary defeat, with uncertain but predictably disastrous consequences for the Alliance and, not incidentally, the people of the Baltics. Estonias Defense Minister Margus Tsahkna says NATO has intelligence suggesting Moscow may leave Russian soldiers in Belarus once the exercises are over. Reuters cites Tshakna as saying Russia will use 4,000 railway carriages to transport its troops and equipment to Belarus, perhaps to establish a new Russia military base. For Russian troops going to Belarus, it is a one-way ticket, he told Reuters. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, meanwhile, says Putin is using the exercise as preparations for an offensive war on a continental scale.Poroshenko told the BBC he also cannot rule out the possibility that the drill may be used as a smokescreen to create new Russian army assault groups to invade Ukrainian territory. Are such concerns overblown? Maybe not. In the last decade, Putin has invaded Georgia (and currently occupies 20 percent of it). He has invaded Ukraine twice (and has annexed Crimea and now occupies Eastern Ukraine). He has sent Russian forces into Syria (in alliance with Iran) to prop up the regime of Bashar al Assad that has slaughtered hundreds of thousands of its own people. Meanwhile, in Putins Russia people who oppose him, or expose him journalists, human rights activists, businessmen, and ordinary citizens continue to be arrested, murdered or simply disappear. This is of personal concern to me. My paternal grandparents and great-grandparents were Orthodox Jews who escaped out of Russia in the early years of the 20th century as the Czar was fomenting horrific pogroms against the Jews. Now I see Putin fashioning himself as a 21st century Czar. Im not the only one. In an exclusive poll I commissioned in January by McLaughlin & Associates, we found that sixty percent of Americans agreed with the following statement: Mr. Putin worries me. Like Russian Czars of the past, he wants to regain the glory of Mother Russia by expanding the territory and influence of Russia in Europe and the Middle East, including by military force. Unlike the Czars of the past, he possesses a nuclear arsenal. If Mr. Putin is not contained by a new and very firm American and NATO policy of peace through strength, I am worried he will continue to bully, blackmail and invade more countries and pose a far greater danger to America and our allies. Indeed, fully 71 percent of Americans polled said they believed Vladimir Putin and the government of Russia pose a clear and present danger to the national security of the United States, our NATO allies in Europe, and our Mideast allies, such as Israel. Americans may be distracted right now by hurricanes and raging fires. But their instincts are spot on. Washington had better stop playing partisan politics and get focused in a bipartisan way on the growing threat Putin poses, for its real, and its growing. President Trump is not looking for bipartisanship; hes looking for insurance. If your agenda hinged on support from the likes of John McCain, youd want insurance too. Trumps reported DACA deal with Democrat leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi has unhinged conservatives, who were already alarmed by the presidents agreement with the same duo to raise the debt limit and provide relief to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Gleeful media types have characterized these overtures as Trump pivoting to Democrats; they are playing it for all that it is worth. The New York Times ran a recent front-page story titled Agenda Increasingly Set by Democrats. The Washington Post weighed in with: A new strategy"for Trump? Democrats cautious but encouraged by fresh outreach. What could be more incendiary to Trump voters? What could be more delicious to the presidents enemies? Those enemies who, it turns out, desperately need a new tack. Despite faux scandals, chaos in the White House and even with disappointingly few achievements in recent months, Mr. Trumps popularity with his base has proved unshakeable. The incessant battering by the liberal media and the nations intelligentsia has not dimmed the enthusiasm of Trumpsters, or even the begrudging optimism of the country, much to the frustration of his critics. That was the upshot of recent polling done for Democrat operatives trying to devise a strategy for the 2018 Congressional elections. As reported by Politico, strategists on the left are shocked that people are still impressed with Trumps business background and tend to give him credit for the improving economy. Voters also like the fact that hes shaking things up, and are inclined to give him a chance to succeed. In other words, Trumps low overall approval ratings do not tell the whole story. And, Democrats full-on resistance is helping their cause not at all. Voters also like the fact that hes shaking things up, and are inclined to give him a chance to succeed. In other words, Trumps low overall approval ratings do not tell the whole story. And, Democrats full-on resistance is helping their cause not at all. Trumps opponents finally see an opening, pouncing on the presidents recent bargain-hunting with Democrats to paint Trump as caving on campaign promises. They figure his base will not tolerate his maneuvering with Chuck and Nancy, two figures detested on the right. And, there certainly has been some outrage among conservatives as he negotiates on controversial matters like resolving DACAs future. But, as confirmed by Politico, people see Mr. Trump as a deal-maker, someone who wants to get things done. They also see members of his own party obstructing his agenda. The GOPs failure to repeal and replace ObamaCare, and the perfidy of John McCain, provided a teaching moment for the president and for the country. By killing the so-called skinny repeal of the Affordable Care Act, Senator John McCain, along with Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, sideswiped any chance of reforming Medicaid, our fastest-growing and most off-the-rails entitlements program. In so doing they also made tax reform much more difficult, since the trillion dollars in taxes eliminated under that bill would have set the bar much lower for making a tax bill revenue neutral. These senators knew what they were doing; they were purposefully undermining significant campaign promises of President Trump, and many of their colleagues. That Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was blindsided by his long-time colleague McCain reveals not only the depths of the Arizona senators disloyalty but also his personal animus towards Donald Trump. Hes not alone. Rand Paul, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Jeff Flake and Ben Sasse are only some of the Republicans in the Senate who have opposed Trump on one issue or another. Can Trump rely solely on McCain and his colleagues going forward? Would you? Trump is a pragmatist. He knew that the Republican Freedom Caucus folks in the House might obstruct the Harvey funding, because it had been tied to raising the debt ceiling, which they routinely oppose. He also knew that Treasury Secretary Mnuchin considered hiking the debt limit (and avoiding a government shutdown) an urgent priority. He got it done, with the help of the Democrat leaders. The deal, which will only provide funding through the middle of December, wasnt ideal, but it allowed the administration to move on to other priorities, like tax reform. On DACA, the president is similarly taking a realistic approach. Fully 73 percent of the nation, and 68 percent of Trump voters, favor allowing the so-called Dreamers to stay in the country. Republicans in Congress would likely work towards codifying the DACA program, in exchange for beefed-up border security. But, there is a worse scenario in which the dysfunctional fissures in the House blocks any attempt at resolving the issue, and the GOP again is embarrassed. If the president can exact from Democrats significant measures to strengthen our borders, is that not a reasonable outcome? Trumps enemies, and that includes Nancy and Chuck, have it all wrong. It wont be working with Democrats that undermines the presidents popularity it will be getting nothing done. The country is sick and tired of excuses -- from the left and the right for not fixing our infrastructure, not protecting our borders, not putting people to work, not helping our companies compete with overseas rivals and not creating a health care system that works. Donald Trump was elected to move the country forward, and that is what he is trying to do. Even if it takes reaching across the aisle. Bully for him. Ukraines President Petro Poroshenko called upon the United States and other nations to increase pressure on Russia to withdraw from Crimea and other territory it seized in its 2014 invasion by continuing the economic sanctions against Moscow and sending an international peacekeeping force to stop Russian soldiers and weapons from entering the country. Speaking at the opening of the 14th annual Yalta European Strategy conference in Kiev, Ukraines president delivered a hard-hitting speech criticizing Russian president Vladimir Putin and calling upon the U.S. and other Ukrainian allies to supply more advanced weapons to counter Russias aggression. History teaches us that Russia cannot be trusted, he said. Poroshenko said he intended to call for the creation of an international friends of Occupied Crimea when he addresses the United Nations General Assembly next week in New York. Aides to the president declined to elaborate on the proposal, or say what, specifically, such a group would do. But Carl Bildt, Swedens former prime minister and foreign minister, said he thought the proposal was aimed at keeping the issue of Crimeas occupation front and center. The president also alluded to his countrys plans next week to issue its first dollar denominated debt since Russias annexation of Crimea. The $2 and a half billion dollar bond issue is widely seen as a test for Ukraines reformed economy and the international financial communitys appetite for higher yielding sovereign debt. A billion of the bonds would be new money and the rest is a refinancing that would help the country to smooth its debt repayment schedule in the next few years. Giovanni Salvetti, of Rothschild, which is advising the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance on the bond issue, called the step very significant and tangible evidence of the normalization of the Ukrainian economy and the vector for further investments. Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to the U.S. to do more to pressure Russia, in particular by supplying it with defensive weapons. Despite Russias occupation of roughly a quarter of its territory, Ukraines economy has improved of late. Anders Aslund, an expert on Ukraine and Russia at the Atlantic Council, said that in the first quarter of this year, Ukrainian exports had increased by 25 percent, construction by 16 percent, and retail sales by 8 percent. Its deficit was now under control and the country has begun to enjoy modest economic growth, no small achievement given the political challenges it faces. But Poroshenko has come under heavy pressure from Ukraines robust civil society and its foreign and domestic business community to do more to end endemic corruption in the country and, in particular, to stop government raids on private business that threaten to frighten away potential investors and stymy the countrys economic recovery. In a closed-door meeting Thursday with members of the American Chamber of Commerce and other business groups, Poroshenko pledged that such raids would end, but a business executive who attended the meeting but asked not to be quoted said the business community remained skeptical about the presidents willingness to implement that promise. Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to the U.S. to do more to pressure Russia, in particular by supplying it with defensive weapons, but in a recent meeting in Washington, President Trump declined to do so, a refusal that was repeated by Defense Secretary Mattis in his visit to the Ukrainian capital this past week. America has helped Ukraine meets its energy demands by supplying the country with coal once supplied by Russia. Over the weekend, Ukraine received its first delivery of American coal, some 62,000 tons of a promised 700,000 tons, at its port in Odessa. In his remarks to the YES conference Friday morning, a gathering of over 350 diplomats, current and former government officials, analysts and journalists, Poroshenko said Ukraine would never accept Russians occupation of part of his country. Noting that this annual conference was once held in Yalta, which Russia has annexed and vowed never to relinquish, Poroshenko vowed to hold next years conference in its traditional location. Next year in Yalta, he told the gathering. Crimea, he said, was our Jerusalem. As he spoke, Russia was conducting the largest military exercises since the Cold War in neighboring Belarus near the border of Eastern Europe, a massive mobilization of forces that has prompted concern among American and European officials alike. While several former officials attending the conference supported the presidents strong stand against Russian aggression, they criticized him for failing to tackle the corruption that has diminished his political popularity and credibility. Former Secretary of State Kerry, criticizing Poroshenkos proposal to establish a special office in his countrys Supreme Court to fight corruption, replied: In our country, every court is an anti-corruption court. Wyoming GOP Rep. Liz Cheney says the U.S. government should withhold federal funding for Harvard after the university named U.S. Army soldier-turned-convicted felon Chelsea Manning a visiting fellow. "@Harvard names convicted spy/traitor Chelsea Manning visiting fellow, Cheney tweeted Thursday. All money they receive from U.S. govt should be cut off. Now. Cheneys comments follow former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell on Thursday announcing his resignation as a senior fellow at Harvard over the Manning appointment. Morell, a former CIA deputy director who twice served as acting director, said he couldn't be part of an organization that honors a "convicted felon and leaker of classified information." Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee for president, condemned Harvard for giving a role to Manning. Well done, Mike, Romney tweeted. And abject shame on Harvard. Manning on Thursday reacted to Morell's resignation with a one-word Tweet: "good." Manning will take on the role at Harvards John F. Kennedy School of Government, the school said on its website. She speaks on the social, technological and economic ramifications of Artificial Intelligence, the Harvard announcement said. As a trans woman, she advocates for queer and transgender rights as @xychelsea on Twitter. Manning, who was known as Bradley Manning before transitioning, was released from prison in May after serving seven years for leaking classified government materials to WikiLeaks. She was convicted in 2013 of espionage, theft and computer fraud, earning her a 35-year prison sentence -- until former President Barack Obama commuted the sentence. HARVARD MAKES CONVICTED SPY CHELSEA MANNING A 'FELLOW,' IGNITING FIRESTORM Manning's release from jail was widely criticized by members of Congress, who considered Manning's leaks of the nation's most sensitive secrets a danger to America's safety. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the move "just outrageous." Manning will be joining former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski as fellows at Harvard in the 2017-2018 school year. The Trump administration on Thursday extended sanctions relief to Iran, avoiding imminent action that could implode the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, even as President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Tehran of not respecting the entire agreement. The extensions of the waivers on nuclear sanctions, first issued by the Obama administration, were accompanied by new penalties imposed against 11 Iranian people and companies accused of supporting Iran's ballistic missile program or involvement in cyber-attacks against the U.S. financial system. The combination of steps -- known internally as "waive and slap" -- came as the administration nears completion of a monthslong review of its Iran policy that is expected next month, perhaps as early as October 15 when Trump must inform Congress if Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear agreement and whether the deal remains in U.S. national security interests. In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump repeated his campaign pronouncement that the deal is bad and again said he believes Iran is violating its terms and spirit. "The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen," he said. "Not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should have never ever been made. You'll see what we're doing ... it's going to be in October." "We are not going to stand for what they are doing to this country," Trump said. "They have violated so many elements but they have also violated the spirit of that deal." Speaking in London at a joint news conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson., Tillerson told reporters the administration's approach to Iran could not be determined on the basis of the nuclear accord alone. "We must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just its nuclear capabilities," he said, citing obligations to uphold regional and international security. "Iran is clearly in defiance of these obligations," Tillerson said, pointing to its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, cyber activity and testing of ballistic missiles. The White House did not issue a statement announcing the extension of the sanctions waivers and left it to the State Department to make the move public. At the State Department, spokeswoman Heather Nauert recited a litany of what she called provocative and belligerent Iranian action that she said demonstrated Iran's malign behavior before announcing the "waive" part of the strategy. "The administration did approve waivers in order to maintain some flexibility as we consult on Capitol Hill and among allies and partners to address the flaws in the JCPOA, and additional time to develop our policy to address the full range of Iranian malign behavior," she said. She added that the move "should not be seen as an indication of President Trump or his administration's position on the (nuclear deal), nor is the waiver giving the Iranian regime a pass on its broad range of malign behavior." Meanwhile, the Treasury delivered the "slap" part of the strategy, imposing sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iranian airlines and those believed to have been involved in cyberattacks on U.S. banks. "Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Iran's provocations, including support for the IRGC-Qods Force and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyberattacks meant to destabilize the U.S. financial system," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The nuclear sanctions waivers are America's part of the deal's central bargain. In exchange for Tehran rolling back its atomic program, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to suspend wide-ranging oil, trade and financial penalties that had choked the Iranian economy. As officials have made clear for months, the White House is seeking ways to find that Tehran is not complying with the agreement. Iran rejects that it has broken the agreement. And it can point to a U.N. report this week showing that Iran was meeting the conditions on its nuclear program set out in the accord. The July 2015 deal was reached by Iran, the U.S., Britain, France, China, Germany and Russia. Under U.S. law, the president must certify to Congress every 90 days whether Iran is adhering to the agreement. If the president doesn't certify compliance, Congress has 60 days to decide whether to re-impose sanctions lifted under the agreement. The next certification deadline is Oct. 15 and several officials and people close to the matter have described Trump as determined to "decertify" Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal at that point -- a finding that would jeopardize the entire agreement. The officials weren't authorized to discuss such internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Tillerson said talks continue with the president and his senior advisers, but "no decision has been made." On Thursday and in previous comments, Trump has said he is inclined not to certify Iranian compliance after having twice found it compliant at earlier deadlines. Iran deal opponents inside and outside the administration argue that Tehran's full compliance is unproven, particularly on allowing nuclear inspections at military sites. They argue that at the very least Iran is violating the spirit of the agreement with its ballistic missile tests. Those, however, aren't specifically covered in the nuclear agreement. Thursday's decision sets the stage for talks on the agreement's future with European allies and others during next week's U.N. General Assembly. A federal judge in Chicago has ruled Attorney General Jeff Sessions can't withhold public grant money from so-called sanctuary cities for refusing to follow federal immigration policies. U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber made the ruling Friday, in which he granted Chicago's request for a temporary "nationwide" injunction. The ruling means the Justice Department cannot deny grant money requests until Chicago's lawsuit against the agency is concluded. Leinenweber wrote that Chicago has shown a "likelihood of success" in its arguments that Sessions overstepped his authority with the requirements. The city of Chicago sued the Trump administration in August after it threatened to withhold funds from sanctuary cities, and refused to comply with the Justice Department's demand that it allow immigration agents access to local jails and notify agents when someone in the U.S. is about to be released from custody. SANCTUARY CITIES: WHAT ARE THEY? At least seven cities and counties, including Seattle and San Francisco, as well as the state of California, have refused to cooperate with new federal rules regarding sanctuary cities. The ruling is another blow to Sessions, a longtime champion of tougher immigration laws. Earlier this month, Sessions announced that the administration would end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program that protects young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children or came with families who overstayed their visas. President Trump later announced he was working on an agreement to protect them. It's unclear whether the ruling means the Leinenweber will ultimately decide in favor of the city. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., tweeted Friday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions now knows how African-Americans feel after he was reportedly "humiliated" by President Trump over his recusal in the Russia investigation. "To Jeff Sessions, how does it feel to be dragged & humiliated? Now you know how the African Americans you disrespected feel," she tweeted. It was reported Thursday by the The New York Times that Sessions felt "humiliated" after Trump accused him of "disloyalty" because he recused himself from the Justice Department's investigation into the Trump campaign's ties to Russia. Trump "unleashed a string of insults" at Sessions, who would later go on to say Trump's reprimanding was the most humiliating event he experienced as a public servant, according to the Times. On a podcast in May, Waters referred to Sessions as "very dangerous," before adding, "I think hes a racist, and I think that he absolutely believes that it's his job to keep minorities in their place." Sessions reportedly gave his resignation letter to Trump later that day, which the president rejected. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley warned North Korea on Friday that she is more than willing to let Defense Secretary Jim Mattis deal with the nuclear threat from Pyongyang if sanctions do not work. Haley said recent sanctions have strangled North Koreas economic situation, calling the impact dramatic. But she said there's only so much the U.N. Security Council can do when you cut 90 percent of the trade and 30 percent of the oil. So having said that, I have no problem kicking it to General Mattis because I think he has plenty of options, Haley said at the White House briefing, where she and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster previewed U.S. efforts at the U.N. General Assembly next week. North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile Friday, sending an intermediate-range weapon hurtling over U.S. ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean in a launch that signals both defiance of its rivals and a big technological advance. McMaster stressed Friday that the U.S. is still trying to resolve the conflict diplomatically. Joining Haley at the briefing, he said its important to employ rigorous enforcement of those sanctions in pursuit of that route but acknowledged the United States is willing to use force. There is a military option, he said. Now, its not what we prefer to do. So what we have to do is call on all nations, call on everyone to do everything we can to address this global problem short of war. He said denuclearization is the only acceptable outcome. Were out of time, McMaster said. As Ambassador Haley said before, weve been kicking the can down the road and were out of road. Since President Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" in August, the North has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. The Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting Friday afternoon in New York. On Monday, it unanimously approved its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea over its nuclear test. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary is leaving the Trump administration to serve as an outside surrogate for the White House's political efforts. That's according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak ahead of an announcement. Marc Lotter has served as a top aide to Pence since the vice president was Indiana's governor and also worked as a spokesman for Pence during the 2016 campaign. Lotter is expected to work as an outside voice for the administration's political efforts. Lotter has often appeared on cable television during Trump and Pence's first year in office, making the case for the administration's policies. A small Maryland city drew national attention this week for allowing non-citizens including illegal immigrants to cast ballots in local elections but it's just the latest municipality to do so, in a trend that has some worried the changing definition of 'voter' could erode what it means to be a citizen. Its a slippery slope, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). College Park, which approved the policy Tuesday, became the 11th municipality in Maryland alone to allow non-citizens to vote in local races. Supporters cast the change as an important step. To me, expanding access to the right to vote in our city is something that expands our community voice, not something that contracts it, Mayor Patrick Wojahn said, according to the Washington Post. College Park Councilmember Fazlul Kabir tried to rein in the measure. He said he introduced two amendmentsone, to delay the vote to give the council more time to speak with constituents, and another to only allow green-card holders to participate in local elections. Both amendments were struck down. Kabir said he did not vote at all. My problem was about the procedure. I think we went too fast, and didnt give our residents a chance to speakthat was my frustration, Kabir told Fox News on Friday. It is a very heavy subject and we have to be very careful. Kabir told Fox News that he sees both good things and risk in allowing non-citizens to vote. The good thing is that it gives more residents the chance to make elected people more responsible, more accountable, Kabir said. But the risk is that this could be a slippery slopeother cities can do this, and the change could trickle down beyond College Park to counties and states, and it could even become a national issue. Thats the risk I was feeling. Wojhan did not respond to Fox News request for comment. The practice already goes well beyond College Park. Apart from a couple towns that allowed the practice beforehand, the liberal enclave of Takoma Park kicked off the trend in Maryland back in 1992 when it began to allow non-citizens to vote in mayoral and city council elections. Several other cities and towns followed. Where it's allowed, non-citizen voting only applies to local racesnon-citizens cannot vote in federal elections. San Francisco also plans to allow non-citizens to vote in local board of education races beginning in 2018. In Massachusetts, both Amherst and Cambridge have moved to introduce non-citizen voting and are awaiting approval, according to the Massachusetts State House News Service. For the past few years, New York City has weighed whether to allow non-citizens to participate in city elections. But opponents like Mehlman, whose group advocates for lower immigration levels, call the shift an assault on the whole concept of citizenship and what it means. If anybody who just wanders in has the same rightand an equal righton how this country is run, then, essentially, the whole concept of the nation becomes meaningless, he said. And Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the conservative Center for Immigration Studies, called it one more form of erosion of the meaning of American citizenship. Politicians should not dilute the vote of citizens by allowing those who have no claim to this privilege, and whose interests might conflict with the interests of citizens, to vote, Vaughan told Fox News in an email. Besides, obtaining the right to vote is something that encourages legal immigrants to become citizens, which is beneficial to our country. "It's political pandering of the worst kind," she said. Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Friday that President Trump's dealings with Democrats shouldn't surprise anyone, adding that Washington needs to wake up and understand the president is looking for the "best deal." Spicer, speaking with "Fox & Friends," was responding to unrest among conservatives over Trump's negotiations with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. The trio struck a deal last week for a short-term government funding package and debt-ceiling increase. And earlier this week, they began laying the groundwork for a possible deal to help so-called "Dreamers." I dont think this is a news flashthis president is a deal maker. He got things done, said Spicer, who is returning to the media spotlight after resigning his White House post in July. He made very clear during the campaign that he is a CEO businessman that knew how to strike a good deal when he saw it, and hes going to do whats in the best interest of this country when he can get a good deal. Spicer added: If its going to be with Republicans, its going to be with Republicans. If its with Democrats, its with Democrats. If its with a bipartisan group of individuals, its going to be thembut it shouldnt be any kind of a surprise that hes going to make the best deal possible at every turn. Trump held a dinner meeting at the White House on Wednesday with Schumer and Pelosi, discussing what to do about the young illegal immigrants who had been spared from deportation from the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump is reversing that executive action, but is open to legislation that achieves similar goals. Pelosi and Schumer called the dinner very productive, and said that they had agreed to a plan to work out an agreement to protect our nations DREAMers from deportation. The president stated Thursday that no deal was made but indicated they're getting close. The president has publicly voiced concern about the fate of DACA recipients. While Trump is ending the program, he put the onus back on Congress to pass a legislative alternative. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really! Trump tweeted Thursday. They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their ownbrought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security. Spicer said Friday that despite the presidents willingness to work in a bipartisan manner to get a deal on immigration, his priority is getting the border wall built. He has a big heart. He understands the magnitude of this problem when it comes to immigration, but President Trump has made the wall a huge priority, Spicer said. Like it or not, I dont see how you get a deal done that doesnt include the wall because thats been a major priority of this president. Spicer added: Hes going to get the best deal that he can, hes gonna negotiate, thats what hes always done, and I think at the end of the day his priorities are part of any deal that gets made. Military brats of ancient Rome probably played soldier to pass the time. That's according to new evidence from Vindolanda, a fort found just south of Hadrian's Wall. The garrison is located in modern-day Northumberland, England, but 2,000 years ago, it would have been found at the northern edge of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists who have been excavating the cavalry barracks at the fort this summer found two wooden toy swords, one with a polished stone in its pommel. "The toy swords are evocative, and it is easy to see young boys and girls playing soldiers, mimicking their fathers and brothers," archaeologist Andrew Birley, the director of the excavations, told Live Science. Birley's team discovered the toys after lifting the stone foundations from a more recent renovation of the fort. They found damp, black, oxygen-free soil sealed underneath good conditions for preserving artifacts. [See Photos of the Latest Vindolanda Fort Finds] The archaeologists uncovered the remains of the abandoned horse stables, living accommodations and fireplaces of the military complex, dating back to about A.D. 120. In those rooms, the team found arrowheads, writing tablets, leather shoes, combs and hairpins; in adjacent rooms, the researchers found two remarkably well-preserved iron swords, one with a bent tip. "To find two complete swords in separate rooms but only 2 meters [6.6 feet] from one another is incredibly rare," Birley said. "You normally only find complete examples of those in national museums, like the few in the collection of the National Museum of Scotland, and then they only have a few." Vindolanda was built in the late first century A.D., before Hadrian's Wall was constructed in A.D. 122 to consolidate the border between the Roman Empire and the unconquered British tribes in the north. Researchers have estimated that more than 1,000 soldiers lived at this site with another several thousand women, children, slaves and freedmen. "The range of artifacts, not just toy swords but also ladies' and children's shoes and bath clogs, show that the fort had a mixed community living inside the barracks," Birley said. The barracks were most certainly cramped and probably stunk of "leather, rusting armor, sweat, charcoal and smoke, and of course, horses and dogs, all combined," he added. Vindolanda is famous for its collection of hundreds of handwritten letters on postcard-size wooden tablets, which archaeologists began discovering in the 1970s. These documents offered a rare snapshot into everyday life at the garrison, from requests for more beer and birthday party invitations to more bureaucratic matters like work assignments and military promotions. The collection even includes one of the oldest examples of women's handwriting in Latin, in the correspondence between the wives of two military commanders. In July, Birley's team announced the discovery of another batch of fragile wooden letters. The latest excavation season still has another two weeks before it finishes, so more discoveries could be on the way, Birley said. "Who knows what will come out in those two weeks," he said. Original article on Live Science. NASAs Cassini spacecraft made its dramatic death plunge into Saturns atmosphere Friday, ending an epic 20-year space journey. As expected, Cassini made its final signal to Earth around 7:55 a.m. EDT. Travelling at about 70,000 mph, the orbiter broke up just seconds later. With Cassini low on fuel, scientists opted to destroy the spacecraft rather than leaving the orbiter to drift around space. NASA'S CASSINI PROBE FINDS 'BIG EMPTY' ON DARING SATURN RING DIVE The team behind Cassini monitored the spacecrafts final moments from Mission Control at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. The signal from the spacecraft is gone, and within the next 45 seconds, so will the spacecraft, said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager. I hope youre all as deeply proud of this amazing accomplishment, congratulations to you all, this has been an incredible mission, an incredible spacecraft, and youre an incredible team, I am going to call this the end of mission, he added, to applause within the Mission Control room. The spacecraft, which has spent 13 years exploring the Saturn system, has generated a trove of scientific data on Saturn and its moons. Earlier this year, for example, NASA announced that Saturns moon Enceladus could support life thanks to the discovery of hydrogen. Scientists have been busy getting final data from Cassini and NASA has released some of the final images taken by the orbiter. NASA'S CASSINI SPACECRAFT SET FOR 'DEATH PLUNGE' INTO SATURNS ATMOSPHERE Cassini made a total of 22 dives between Saturn and its rings as part of the orbiter's so-called "Grand Finale," which began May 2. The Cassini mission began on Oct. 15 1997 when the spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a Titan IVB/Centaur rocket. Cassini arrived at Saturn in 2004.NASA is partnering with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency on the Cassini-Huygens mission. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of Caltech, manages the mission for NASAs Science Mission Directorate. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers Roman swords are among a treasure trove of stunning artifacts found at the site of an ancient cavalry barracks in the U.K. Recent excavations at the Roman fort of Vindolanda just south of Hadrians Wall in Northern England have resulted in a slew of stunning finds. These included a complete sword with a bent tip, found in the corner of a former living room at the site, which archaeologists say is the equivalent of a modern soldier leaving behind a malfunctioning rifle. Another sword and two small wooden toy swords were also found in adjacent rooms. Other weapons, including cavalry lances, arrowheads and bolts from balistas, or catapults, were also found on the abandoned barrack room floors, along with copper-alloy fitments for saddles, straps and harnesses. Also preserved in a layer of oxygen-free soil at the site were Roman ink writing tablets on wood, bath clogs, leather shoes, stylus pens, knives, combs, hairpins and brooches. TROVE OF ANCIENT ROMAN LETTERS UNEARTHED NEAR HADRIANS WALL As a collection of artefacts, it doesnt really get better than what we have discovered, Dr. Andrew Birley, CEO of the Vindolanda Trust and director of excavations at the site, told Fox News, via email. The range of material along with handwritten documents will hopefully give us names, personal thoughts and emotions and enable us to build a very vivid picture of life on the edge of empire before Hadrians Wall was built. The artifacts date to around 120 A.D. when the fort was occupied by the 1st Cohort of Tungrians, who hailed from modern-day Belgium, according to experts. The Tungrians were also joined by a detachment of Vardulli cavalrymen from Northern Spain. It is likely that the base held more than 1000 soldiers and probably many thousands more dependants including slaves and freedmen, representing one of the most multicultural and dynamic communities on the Frontier of the Roman Empire at the time, explained the Vindolanda Trust, in a press release. Hadrians Wall was constructed in 122 A.D. VIKING SWORD DISCOVERY: HUNTER FINDS 1,100-YEAR-OLD WEAPON ON NORWEGIAN MOUNTAIN Why the troops left so many valuable items behind remains a mystery, although Birley has a theory as to what happened. You can imagine the circumstances where you could conceive leaving one sword behind rare as it is but two? he said, in the press release. One theory is that the garrison was forced to leave in a hurry, and in their haste they left not only the swords but also a great number of other perfectly serviceable items which would have had great value in their time." The artifacts are just the latest stunning discovery at Vindolanda. In June archaeologists found 25 wooden tablets that could reveal fascinating details of everyday life on the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists believe that the tablets date from between 85 and 92 A.D. Experts could clearly read one of the tablets a letter from a soldier called Masclus to his commanding officer requesting leave. Amateur archeologists in Southern England recently uncovered an elaborate ancient mosaic that is believed to depict the Roman gods Hercules and Cupid. Earlier this month an incredibly well-preserved Viking sword was found by a reindeer hunter on a remote mountain in Southern Norway. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers Google faces a new lawsuit accusing it of gender-based pay discrimination. A lawyer representing three female former Google employees is seeking class action status for the claim. The suit, filed Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court, follows a federal labor investigation that made a preliminary finding of systemic pay discrimination among the 21,000 employees at Googles headquarters in Mountain View, California. The initial stages of the review found women earned less than men in nearly every job classification. Google disputes the findings and says its analysis shows no gender pay gap. The suit, led by lawyer James Finberg of Altshuler Berzon LLP, is on behalf of three women Kelly Ellis, Holly Pease and Kelli Wisuri who all quit after being put on career tracks that they claimed would pay them less than their male counterparts. The suit aims to represent thousands of Google employees in California and seeks lost wages and a slice of Googles profits. I have come forward to correct a pervasive problem of gender bias at Google, Ellis said in a statement. She says she quit Google in 2014 after male engineers with similar experience were hired to higher-paying job levels and she was denied a promotion despite excellent performance reviews. It is time to stop ignoring these issues in tech. Charges of gender discrimination have swirled at Alphabet Inc.-owned Google since the US Labor Department sued in January to bar Google from doing business with the federal government until it released thousands of documents related to an audit over its pay practices. The sides have been battling in court over how much information Google must turn over. The lawsuit also follows the firing of male engineer James Damore, who wrote a memo circulated on internal message boards that blamed inherent differences between men and women for the underrepresentation of women in engineering roles. This is a rush transcript from "Your World," September 14, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated. NEIL CAVUTO, "YOUR WORLD" HOST: But with us right now is Kentucky Republican Governor Matt Bevin, who is at the White House. Governor, thank you for taking the time. Those are some pretty remarkable statements on the part of the president, to more or less say, I'm ready to pull the trigger on this. I'm ready to make this revenue-neutral, if, if, if by revenue-neutral, you include the bang for the buck you are going to get from lower taxes, which means, I guess, Governor, coming out the gate, it might produce worse deficits before we turn things around. Am I interpreting that correctly? GOV. MATT BEVIN, R-KENTUCKY: Again, I think as you noted even before I came on, the devil is in the details. It really is. And there's still so much that is not yet known. That statement can mean many things. Revenue-neutral, truth be told, does mean different things to different people. But I think he's been unequivocal and I very much, as a state, support him in this. As a taxpayer and a citizen, I support him in this, is the idea that lowering the overall tax burdens, not only on the employers, but on the individuals who are creating the wealth, is actually good for America. It really is. And it does not have to come at the expense of those who also need what that tax basis provides. CAVUTO: All right. Now, you're in Kentucky. Well, not right now. You're the governor of the beautiful state. So is Mitch McConnell. And a lot of people say that Mitch McConnell felt that he was sideswiped by the president negotiating with Democrats, first to increase the debt ceiling and attach hurricane relief to it, and now on DACA and some other matters. Does that bother you? BEVIN: No. I will tell you this. You have not heard Senator McConnell say that. You have people say that on his behalf. One thing I will say about Senator McConnell, he's been in this town a very long time. He's a very pragmatic person. He understands how this city operates as well or better than anybody. I don't think he's sideswiped by anything. And I think, in some measure, he, as a guy who has made deals through the years of all shapes, sizes and colors, understands that sometimes, to move the ball forward, you do what needs to be done. And I applaud the president on, frankly, keeping his foot on the gas and moving the process forward. CAVUTO: Governor, he didn't tell you that he was surprised the way the president crafted this debt ceiling hike? And, again, to your point, it might have been totally justified, but it seemed to me that he was surprised. BEVIN: He may have been. But I'll tell you, he has never shared that to my knowledge, certainly not with me or anyone else publicly. CAVUTO: All right. Your sense of the tax cut, if it doesn't include -- whatever materializes on the 25th -- and it's not certain we will know all the details, then, Governor. But assuming we do or most of them, the indications are that the wealthy will not be included or, even if they are, with, you know, curtailing their write-offs, deductions, that sort of thing, they might -- some might be paying a little bit more. How do you think the base, the Republican base will respond to that? The markets don't seem to care. What are your thoughts? BEVIN: The markets will be moved by the most critical component, which, frankly, I think the base in general also supports, because they understand the ripple effect of it. And that is to lower the overall corporate tax rate. We have a couple trillions dollars -- that's probably a conservative estimate -- that are currently offshore. If we could repatriate even a portion of those monies, even 20, 30, 40, 50 percent of those monies, the infusion of capital, if we drop the capital -- the corporate tax rate to, I don't know, 15 percent, 10 percent, lower, the devil again will be in the details. But whatever we lower it to would allow to us be more competitive globally. We're not competitive globally right now. And other countries are seizing this in order to eat our lunch in the world of global trade. And I think that one component alone would be the salve to make a whole lot of other perhaps things not being there very palatable to many people in the base. CAVUTO: Do you think in the end, Governor, these tax cuts, however they materialize and for whom they materialize, should be retroactive, to the beginning of the year? BEVIN: Again, it's going to depend on what they are. I can't on something that I don't even know will actually be there or not. There's times when retroactivity is a good thing, other times when it maybe is not a good thing. Here's what I will say. This is also not a single bite of the apple. To say that what is done now will be the only thing this administration will be able to do in the years ahead, I think, would be a mistake. I think the key is, is to continue to move the ball forward, and this is what I applaud this administration for, is that despite all the vitriol, all the people rooting against them, they have continued to keep their foot on the gas on this front, on the health care front, on other fronts, including that which I have spent the last 2.5 hours speaking with this administration about, which is prison reentry and criminal justice reform. A lot that is happening in this administration. I applaud them for that. CAVUTO: All right, sir, one last question. And it concerns Mitch McConnell. Of course, you might know his thinking and views better than I. But the president has made these overtures to Democrats, he's said and tweeted as much, because of what happened on the health care repeal effort and his frustration, maybe given the very little wiggle room he has in the United States Senate with 52 Republicans, that this was a way of advancing the ball. Do you agree with that? BEVIN: I think it's certainly got people's attention, whether they will admit they were surprised, whether in fact they were surprised. It certainly said, this is a president that is willing to govern. And govern means being bipartisan, means reaching out to all elected officials in finding a common solution. And at the end of the day, the job of every single person who is sent to this town from their respective communities is to do the will of not only their constituents, but of the American people, and to do what is best for the collective whole. That is what their job is. And if in fact the president can jump-start that by going this route or that route, I applaud him. And I hope he does more of the same. CAVUTO: Governor Matt Bevin of Kentucky, thanks, sir, very, very much. BEVIN: Thank you, Neil. END Content and Programming Copyright 2017 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2017 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. If you thought being pilot sounded like fun, but you dont have any experience, it turns out that might not matter. Due to an industry-wide pilot deficit, JetBlue announced it will expand its search for new recruits to those whove never even flown before, Travel and Leisure reports. DELTA PILOTS MAY HAVE INCENTIVE TO FLY AIRLINE'S LOUDER, OLDER PLANES The airline is expanding its search as part of its Pilot Gateway Select program, which began last year. The four-year training program is designed to teach just about anyone to be a commercial pilot. This year, the program will accept 24 new candidates, according to Travel and Leisure. Applicants must be at least 23 years old, have a high school diploma or GED, be legally eligible to work in the United States, be eligible to hold a valid passport, and be proficient in the English Language, the program's site states. Those accepted will undergo four years of training, which will cost $125,000 to complete. The program will take participants through classroom instruction, followed by flight simulation and 1,500 hours of flying experience before becoming JetBlue pilots. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS With no experience required, JetBlue received applicants last year from a variety of industries, including a former baggage handler, grocery store clerk and accountant. A Maryland man suspected of killing his pregnant girlfriend who was found dead Wednesday reportedly was engaged to another woman at the time of his girlfriends murder. Autopsy reports showed that Laura Wallen, 31, died after being shot in the back of the head, police confirmed to Fox 5 DC. Tyler Tessier, 32, accused of killing Wallen, has been charged with first-degree murder, according to police. Wallen was a high school teacher who was four months pregnant with a child believed to be Tessiers. Tessier told authorities Thursday that he was engaged to another woman while he was dating Wallen, The Washington Post reported. NASHVILLE GIRL FOUND PARTIALLY UNDRESSED, STRANGLED AND BEATEN IN 'BRUTAL MURDER' He was not honest with either woman, Montgomery Countys State Attorney John McCarthy said. Tessier was arrested Wednesday evening in connection with Wallens death. Her body was found in a shallow grave in Damascus, according to the Montgomery County Police Department. Wallen was last heard from Sept. 3, and didnt show up for her first day of school on Sept. 5. On Monday, Tessier spoke at a news conference with Wallens family pleading for her to come home, saying, There is nothing we cant fix together myself and your family we are just looking or praying that you are safe. Wallens father, Mark, who initially offered a $25,000 reward for anyone with information on her disappearance, called Tessier a monster and a liar after his bond hearing Thursday. "It was absolutely the hardest thing that my wife could do: would be to sit there next to him and hold his hand, and she had to hold his hand with two hands because she was shaking so badly," Wallen said, according to Fox 5 DC. "We were pretty sure it was Tyler, but we didn't know where she was, and you can't put somebody away on a missing person. Someone doesn't go to prison for life on a missing person, and it defies description the awfulness and the horror that we have been put through during this." Tessier was denied bond during his hearing on Thursday, according to Fox 5 DC. One of the men facing charges in the 2011 murder of Holly Bobo told jurors in graphic testimony Thursday about how he was asked to help dispose of the Tennessee nursing students body after she had been kidnapped and raped. Jason Autry said 33-year-old Zachary Adams who is on trial for the abduction, rape and murder of Bobo showed him a body wrapped in a blanket and identified it as Bobos after Autry visited Adams to purchase drugs at a home in rural Tennessee, not far from where Bobo disappeared on April 13, 2011. Upon learning the body was Bobos, Autry said he agreed to help dispose of the remains. The plan, Autry said, was to gut her and put her in the deep end of the Tennessee River so that her body would not float to the waters surface. But when Bobo who was thought to be dead moved her foot and made a noise, Adams shot her in the head as Autry made sure no one else was watching, he told jurors. I see the foot move ... and a sound of distress ... come from the blanket, Autry testified. I told him [Adams] this f---ing b-tch is still alive, he said. I told Zach shes heard my name called and me talking and all, Autry said. Adams then pulled a pistol from his pickup truck, according to Autry. After Autry told him the coast was clear, Adams shot Bobo, he said. The pair fearing that a boater might have seen them loaded the body back into the truck, Autry told jurors. Autry a star witness for the prosecution described the plot in graphic details in front of a packed courtroom, which included Bobos family. Autry, 43, also claimed that Zachary Adams later asked him to kill his younger brother, Dylan Adams who allegedly also participated in the rape because he was talking too much about the crime and might expose them. Adams has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, raping and murdering Bobo, who was 20 when she was last seen being led by a stranger into the woods near her home in Parsons on April 13, 2011. Her partial remains turned up in woods near Adams home about 10 miles to the north in September 2014. If convicted, Adams faces the death penalty. 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 Adams, though the precise details of the deal are not publicly known. The prosecution said in opening arguments Monday that evidence and testimony will show Adams told Autry that he, Shayne Austin, and John Dylan Adams had kidnapped and raped Holly. Austin was found dead of an apparent suicide in 2015. Jennifer Thompson, Adams defense attorney, said in her opening argument that her client is not guilty. She said Adams was charged after investigators interviewed several other men and they needed someone to blame. Authorities found no hair, fingerprints or DNA belonging to Bobo in a search of Adams home before he was charged in 2014, Thompson told jurors. Police are investigating a Louisiana State University student's death as a possible fraternity hazing incident, university officials said Thursday. Maxwell Raymond Gruver, an 18-year-old LSU freshman from Roswell, Ga., died Thursday after he was taken to a Baton Rouge hospital to be treated for an unspecified "medical emergency," said university spokesman Ernie Ballard. An autopsy was planned for Friday morning. LSU president F. King Alexander said police are investigating allegations that alcohol was a factor. "As we have continually warned over and over again, hazing is dangerous, irresponsible and unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated at LSU. Period," Alexander said. Phi Delta Theta, the fraternity involved in the investigation, has been suspended by the university and its national chapter, according to Alexander. Alexander said the university had suspended "all Greek activities" pending the outcome of the LSU police investigation of Gruver's death. Alexander offered his "deepest sympathies and prayers" to the student's family and friends. "The death of Maxwell Gruver was tragic and untimely. A young man's life was cut short last night, and we mourn the loss," Alexander said. Alexander said he wasn't aware of any arrests immediately made in connection with Gruver's death. Phi Delta Theta's national headquarters in Oxford, Ohio, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment sent through its website. A Marine who was arrested in May for flying a white nationalist banner during a Confederate celebration could be kicked out of the Marine Corps. Staff Sgt. Joseph Manning was arrested on May 20 in Graham, North Carolina, after hanging a banner with a white supremacist expression, the Marine Corps Times reported. Manning was charged with first degree trespass. Manning is in the process of administration separation and is set to go before a board within the next month to determine if he will be separated from the Marine Corps., a Marine spokesperson told Fox News. Manning, with the help of Marine Sgt. Michael Chesny, had displayed the banner on the side of a building, decked out with the letters YWNRU, which reportedly means, You Will Not Replace Us, during a rally by the neo-Confederate group Alamance County Taking Back Alamance County, according to Task and Purpose. You will not replace us is a slogan reportedly associated with white nationalist group Identity Evropa, which helped to organize a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. You will not replace us was a chant that was cheered among the white nationalist rally-goers, according to The New York Times. After the Charlottesville rally and the subsequent death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, who was at the event to protest white supremacy, Gen. Robert B. Neller, Commandant of the Marine Corps, tweeted his condemnation for white nationalism, and saying there is no place for racial hatred or extremism in @USMC. An investigation by the Corps corroborated the allegations against Manning, who is now being administratively separated from the Corps. Mannings charge of first degree trespass means he could face up to 60 days in jail. Manning, who joined the Corps in 2002, is a Purple Heart recipient who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. MARINE CHARGED AFTER NUDE PHOTO SHARING SCANDAL Chesny, however, is still on active-duty, according to the Marine Corps Times. He reportedly received administrative punishment, and is stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina, where he works as an active explosive ordinance technician. Both Manning and Chesny are scheduled to appear in court in Graham on Oct. 10. A previously published version of this story, citing Marine Corps Times, erroneously reported Manning was expelled from the United States Marine Corps. The campus of the University of California, Berkeley, and the area around it, looks like its bracing for a military siege. Six buildings have been shut down and put off limits, large concrete blocks have been placed in roadways, police are enforcing a huge perimeter around one of the buildings and the schools administrative staff will leave two hours early. Its all for Thursday evenings speech by conservative Ben Shapiro or rather for the possibility left-wing activists may use violence and vandalism to stop the speech, something that they have done before. Local police are working with the universitys administration and have issued a long list of items protesters may not bring to the protest, including torches, bricks, knives and dynamite. The Berkeley City Council also authorized police to use pepper spray for the first time in nearly 20 years, a move denounced by Antifa group Refuse Fascism. And for UC-Berkeley students who find Shapiros mainstream conservative ideas upsetting, the school is offering mental health counseling. Authorities had good reason to brace for a virtual military siege. In February, black-clad Antifa protesters vandalized university buildings and started fires to prevent conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos from giving a speech on campus. The violence managed to force the cancellation of his speech. Then in August, anarchists stormed what had been a largely peaceful Berkeley protest against hate and attacked at least five people, including the leader of a politically conservative group who canceled an event a day earlier in San Francisco amid fears of violence. The group of more than 100 hooded protesters, with shields emblazoned with the words "no hate" and waving a flag identifying themselves as anarchists, busted through police lines, avoiding security checks by officers to take away possible weapons. Then the anarchists assaulted Joey Gibson, the leader of the Patriot Prayer group, with pepper spray and forced the cancellation of a news conference when authorities closed off the public square Gibson planned to use. Separately, groups of hooded, black-clad protesters attacked at least four other men in or near the park, kicking and punching them until the assaults were stopped by police. Jonathan Chow, a senior from Florida and member of Berkeley College Republicans, said he will be listening to the speech online because of concerns about safety. Chow was at the Yiannopoulos event that turned violent, and said he does not want to relive it. Its very risky, I dont want to go through that again, or go through the disappointment of him not being able to speak, said the history major. I also dont want to be trapped in a building again. The earlier left-wing protests, which appeared to be organized by Refuse Fascism, have been widely denounced by progressive leaders. Weve never seen a situation like this, said UC-Berkeleys new chancellor, Carol Christ, according to the Los Angeles Times. Its very unique. Its a very different political dynamic where free speech at Berkeley has become the occasion for the right and left to confront each other. I believe very strongly in Ben Shapiros right to speak on campus, Christ said. I dont agree with Ben Shapiro, in fact I profoundly disagree with him. But I believe he was legitimately invited by a student group and that he has the right to speak. Its a really troubling situation. A Los Angeles Times editorial criticized the school's decision to offer "mental health counseling" to students upset by having to hear conservative views. "Why did that bother us? Its certainly justifiable even laudable for UC Berkeley to offer counseling to students in distress whatever the cause." "Still, there seemed to be a troubling implication that listening to views that offend you is hazardous to your mental health." The school is also bracing for more left-wing violence and vandalism. As part of the campuss Free Speech Week a four-day event starting Sept. 24 and coordinated by the conservative organization The Berkeley Patriot -- other controversial conservatives are scheduled to speak at Berkeley, including Yiannopoulos, former White House strategist Stephen Bannon and commentator Ann Coulter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. At least nine people were arrested Thursday night related to protests at the University of California, Berkeley, over an appearance by former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro. UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said the security measures could cost $600,000. Mogulof called the speech "a successful event" and said the university was committed to hosting speakers like Shapiro in the future. The evening did have its share of hiccups. Police said three arrests were weapons-related. Among them: -- Hannah Benjamin, 20, was arrested for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon. -- Sarah Roark, 44, was taken into custody for carrying a banned weapon. The arrests were announced on the police Twitter account. The demonstrators, however, were largely peaceful. Some chanted against fascism, white supremacists and President Donald Trump. Others were holed up inside a student building, waving signs protesting the university's decision to allow Shapiro on campus. Inside the hall, Shapiro addressed a friendly crowd. He encouraged people to hold civil discussions with people who have different opinions, saying that's what America is all about. He condemned white supremacists as "a very small select group of absolutely terrible people who believe absolutely terrible things." The campus and surrounding Berkeley streets were under tight security after a series of previous events turned violent. City and campus officials anticipated protests against Shapiro, and prepared for possible violence with a variety of new strategies and tightened security. It was not immediately clear whether the people arrested Thursday were protesters. The Berkeley College Republicans invited right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos to speak last February, but the event was abruptly canceled when masked left-wing anarchists rioted outside the event to shut it down. A planned speech by author Ann Coulter was canceled in April. Police with riot gear surrounded the plaza outside Zellerbach Hall, where Shapiro spoke. For the first time in two decades, officers were armed with pepper spray after the city council modified a 1997 ban at an emergency meeting this week. "We have seen extremists on the left and right in our city," said Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, a Democrat who backed the police request to use pepper spray. "We need to make sure violence is not allowed." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Florida firefighters were on a mission Friday to find a 9-foot python accused of devouring a cat in front of its owner. Dan Miller, Lake Countys Fire Rescue Battalion chief, told the Orlando Sentinel the felines owner, a 40-year-old man, was pretty upset as he showed fire officials the flooded area in Astor where the snake fled. Astor was affected by powerful Hurricane Irma. The community was put under a voluntary evacuation order ahead of the powerful storm. FLORIDA NURSING HOME WHERE 8 DIED AFTER HURRICANE IRMA PREVIOUSLY CITED FOR GENERATOR ISSUES He showed us where he saw it slither off to, and we put on our gear and went looking, Miller said. Unfortunately, rescue workers did not find the reptile -- though they were able to rescue a blue heron. What we found was this bird flopping around in the water. It couldnt get out, Miller said. Miller said the firefighters let the bird go once they cleaned it. The firefighters have not given up yet. The team Venom II have asked the community to not kill any snakes that were dislocated by the hurricane. Instead they ask residents to photograph any snake that was spotted and officials would come and remove it. It might be good for the ecosystem, Miller said. HURRICANE IRMA LEAVES MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER IN FLORIDA AS EVACUEES RETURN HOME Lake County Sheriffs Office told the Orlando Sentinel they had not received any record of a misplaced python. That thing will turn up again soon, Lt. John Herrell Office said. Experts believe there could be tens of thousands of the giant snakes living in an 8,000-square kilometer region of southern Florida. The voracious predators have devastated the native species like deer, bobcats and raccoons. Conservative star Ben Shapiro spoke at the University of California at Berkeley on Thursday night amid extraordinary security measures costing around $600,000 prompted by fears of an outburst by violent agitators possibly descending on the campus. All the precautions were to ensure that the 33-year-old conservative could deliver a speech on a college campus that was home to the Free Speech Movement in the 1960s. The scene was a stark change from Shapiros 2016 UC Berkeley talk, where the security costs were minimal. No violence, no nothing. And now we are spending well into six figures so that I can say many of the same things. It's utterly absurd, Shapiro told the audience Thursday. Metal detectors, concrete barriers and police barricades put the campus on effective lockdown. Conservatives here have done something amazing. Theyve achieved something incredible, he added. If you look outside, theres K-bar everywhere. Theyve built basically these structures to keep Antifa from invading the premises. "So that means Berkeley has achieved building a wall before Donald Trump did. Local police officers, who were allowed to use pepper spray against violent demonstrators after receiving approval this week from the Berkeley city council, arrested at least three people armed with weapons before the event, reiterating that no weapons are allowed near campus. But the violent protesters known as Antifa, or anti-fascists spooked by the security did not show up to shut down Shapiros speech in their usual fashion and instead were allegedly in the audience challenging him, the Washington Times reported. The talk by Shapiro -- author of the bestsellers "Brainwashed," "Porn Generation" and "Project President" -- was met with resistance mostly from Berkeley students who were heard chanting, Speech is violent, we will not be silent! and accusing Shapiro, an observant Orthodox Jew, of being a white supremacist or neo-Nazi. Thanks to Antifa and the supposed anti-fascist brigade for exposing what the radical left truly is, he told the massive audience, despite a last-minute decision by the university to reportedly seize all unclaimed tickets to prevent entry to late-ticket buyers. All of America is watching because you guys are so stupid. It's horrifying, I am grateful, and you can all go to hell, you pathetic, lying, stupid jackasses," he added. He celebrated the police for ensuring the event occurred, saying These are the folks that stand between civilization and lawlessness." He added that the only people who are standing between those ATMs and the Antifa are the police, and all they get from the left is a bunch of crap. The event remained cordial despite students disagreements with Shapiro, who was questioned on his views regarding abortion, economics and general politics. He was not interrupted by any protesters inside the venue. In the speech aftermath, some more-confrontational protesters came out, shouting at the police officers and scuffling with counter-protesters. Two more people were reportedly arrested bringing the total number arrested to five. Among the protesters was By All Means Necessary (BAMN) ringleader Yvette Felarca, who was recently arrested for allegedly inciting a riot, Fox News reported. A crowd led by Felarca marched down a street, shouting Nazi scum off our streets, according to Berkleyside, while counter-protesters also marched down. The police had separated the two factions to ensure no large clashes occurred. Berkeley Police released the mugshots and identification of five of the nine people arrested Thursday night protesting at the University of California, Berkeley during an appearance by conservative speaker Ben Shapiro. Four of the five people identified were arrested for carrying a "banned weapon." Sarah Roark, 44, of San Francisco, Michael Paul Sullivan, 29, of Hayward and Eddy Robinson, 44, of Oakland, were all arrested for carrying a banned weapon. Hannah Benjamin, 20, of Fremont, was also arrested for carrying a banned weapon but she was accused of battery on a police officer, too. Kerem Celik, 18, of Saratoga, was arrested for disturbing the peace. It was not immediately clear what weapons the protesters were accused of carrying, nor was it known if any were members of Antifa. Weapons seized in the past from Antifa extremists have included bricks, hammers, bats, knives, scissors and chains. A picture was circulating on Twitter purporting to show Roark photographed with Hillary Clinton. In the alleged photo of Roark, the woman is wearing a pin from Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. It was not clear at what event the picture was taken or how Roark allegedly came to meet the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee. BEN SHAPIRO SPEECH AT UC BERKELEY RESULTS IN ARRESTS AT PROTESTS It was not immediately clear if those arrested were still in custody. Calls to police were not immediately returned. UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said security measures for the event may have cost $600,000. Mogulof called the speech a successful event and said the university was interested in hosting speakers similar to Shapiro, a former Breitbart.com editor, in the future. Shapiro retweeted the mugshots of those arrested and wrote: A lineup of lifes winners. UC Berkeley had expected protests ahead of Shapiros speech. The officers were allowed to be armed with pepper spray at the protest -- the first time in two decades officers could carry the spray. BEN SHAPIRO SPEECH AT UC BERKELEY RESULTS IN ARRESTS AT PROTESTS Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, author Milo Yiannopoulos and conservative commentator Ann Coulter are also slated to speak on the campus in the coming weeks. Yiannopoulos was set to appear at the campus in February, but his event was canceled after protests turned violent. Protesters smashed windows of businesses and marred walls with graffiti. The Associated Press contributed to this report. California is the latest state to consider adding a third gender option on drivers licenses and birth certificates for those that do not identify as a man or woman. The option is included in a bill that is about to go before Gov. Jerry Brown. It would allow a non-binary option starting in 2019, SFGate.com reported. The state Senate passed Senate Bill 179 (SB179) on Thursday one of hundreds of bills sent to the Governors Office in the past week. The final Senate vote was 26-12 in favor for the third option -- and to give parents of transgender youth the ability to change the gender listed on their childs birth certificate. Many of us have an ID that matches our gender presentation, and so showing it is hassle-free, state Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, told the news site. But for Californians who have an ID that does not match their gender presentation, showing it at airports, in shops or to law enforcement can be extremely stressful and lead to harassment. Brown, a Democrat, has not indicated publicly whether he will sign the bill. Earlier this summer, Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to allow residents to mark their gender as not specified" on applications for drivers licenses, learners permits and ID cards. Oregonians who select the new option will have an X appear instead of M or F on those cards. The DMV said the new rule, which the commission passed unanimously, came about after a Multnomah County judge in June 2016 allowed Jamie Shupe, a Portland resident, to legally change to "non-binary" gender. Oregon may be the first state in the U.S. to create this option, but it was not the first on the continent. The Canadian province of Ontario implemented the X option earlier this year. Just last month, Canada went one step further and gave its citizens the option of marking X as an unspecified gender designation, for any federal document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) including passports. Canada is not the first country to address gender identification on passports and other identification cards. Countries where a third gender option is available include Australia, Bangladesh, Germany, India, Malta, Nepal, New Zealand and Pakistan, the New York Times reported. Columbia University Law School can't prevent the U.S. military from recruiting on campus, but it's welcoming them with vociferous objection because of President Trumps transgender ban, the school's dean wrote in a blistering missive to students. In a letter sent Thursday and viewed by Fox News the schools dean, Gillian Lester, said Trump's decision to bar members of the transgender community from serving in the armed forces conflicts directly with our nondiscrimination policy and with our values as an institution. The letter was sent to address the fact that members of the Judge Advocate General Corps, the legal branch of the military, would be holding information sessions starting Friday. "Columbia Law School and Columbia University have a long and proud history of supporting members of the military, veterans, and their families," a spokesperson told Fox News. "The Law School believes that any American who wishes to serve in the military should be allowed to do so." The spokesperson said Lester wrote to the students in anticipation of questions that might be asked ahead of the sessions. CONSERVATIVE SPEAKERS MICHAEL CERNOVICH, TOMMY ROBINSON TO ADDRESS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Lester, who used to be a dean at University of California, Berkeley, wrote that, in an effort to ameliorate the effects of discriminatory military recruiting practices, the school would support students attending LGBT college fairs and other programming concerning LGBT issues. Fortunately, we can draw upon our leadership in scholarship and advocacy," Lester wrote in the letter. Colleges across the U.S. are prohibited from preventing the ROTC or military recruitment on campus -- or they risk losing federal funds, under the 1996 Solomon Amendment. The Vermont Law School and William Mitchell College of Law previously declined to allow military recruiting on campus in the past due to the militarys Dont Ask, Dont Tell policy. Neither institution received a large amount of federal funding compared to other large research universities. When the policy was repealed in 2011, both schools removed their bans on campus military recruitment. According to Open the Books, a non-profit group whose stated mission is to capture and post online all disclosed spending at every level of government, Ivy Leagues have received $41 billion from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2015 in taxpayer money. COLLEGE REPUBLICANS GROUP IN CALIFORNIA LABELED AS 'WHITE NATIONALIST' Credits for anti-Trump volunteer work Law students at Columbia, which claims to champion diversity and free speech, also received an email this week saying if they volunteered for the Columbia Human Rights Law Reviews Trump Human Rights Tracker, they would receive pro bono credit for graduation. According to its website, the so-called tracker was launched to regularly keep track of Trumps actions and their impacts on human rights. It summarizes the action taken by the President, identifies the human rights implications, provides links to sources where readers can find more detailed analysis, according to the website. It was co-created with Columbia Law Schools Rightslink, Human Rights Clinic and Human Rights Institute. The email does not mention if students will be awarded pro bono credits for joining other campus projects. "Work by students on the human rights tracker meets our guidelines for pro bono credit," the spokesperson said. "It is just one of many activities that allow students to fulfill the Law Schools requirement that they complete 40 hours of qualifying pro bono service in order to earn their law degree." According to its website, the tracker has identified at least 30 instances in which Trump allegedly impacted human rights. The most recent includes the president's proposal to end the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Walter F. Nickel, Jr. March 09, 1924- September 12, 2017 Walter F. Nickel, Jr. age 93, of Carlisle, passed away Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at the Carlisle Regional Medical Center. He was born March 9, 1924 in Carlisle to the late Walter F. Sr. and Martha (Waldron) Nickel and was the widower of Louise G. (Farner) Nickel who passed away November 8, 2014. They had been married 68 years. Wally lived most of his life in the Carlisle area. In 1943 at 19 years old, he entered the Army Corps of Engineers and served with the Asiatic Pacific Campaign in New Guinea and the Southern Philippines for three years. Upon discharge, he worked in the construction field as a contractor and home builder. In the early 1960s, he accepted a position as Home Inspector for the Army War College, retiring in 1984. Retirement was spent traveling to Florida during the winter months for 27 years. He will be remembered for his friendly, outgoing manner and his love for life. He is survived by: three children, Walter F. III (wife Barbara) Nickel of East Berlin, Michael A. (wife Cathy) Nickel of Montgomery, TX and Sherri L. (husband Charles) Adler of Bayville, NJ; and two sisters, Phyllis Lightner of Carlisle and Pauline St. Pierre of Melbourne, FL. The family is blessed with seven grandchildren, Brien (wife Kristin and daughter Sara) Nickel, Nathan (wife Bobbi) Nickel, Tammy (husband Jonathan) Rochelle, Michael Nickel, Jr., Charles Adler III, Elizabeth (husband Jorge) Cruz and Natalie Adler Fraas; ten great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. In addition to his parents and wife, Walter was preceded in death by a sister, Grace Nickel Wogan and a brother, Richard Nickel. Celebration of Life services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 22, 2017 at Hoffman Funeral Home & Crematory, 2020 W. Trindle Road, Carlisle, PA with Rev. Robert Moore officiating. Full military honors will be provided by the Cumberland County Honor Guard following the service. Burial will be private and held at the convenience of the family at Westminster Cemetery, Carlisle. There will be a visitation at the funeral home on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the services. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Celtic Healthcare, 900 Century Drive, Suite 201, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. To sign the guestbook, please visit www.HoffmanFH.com Nearly a week after Hurricane Irma walloped Florida, the recovery mission picked up momentum as more people had electricity and schools made plans to reopen. Still, the dangers lingered, mostly in the form of noxious gas from generators serving those who still didn't have power. North Carolina reported its first Irma-related death on Friday after a man died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and two more people died in Florida from the dangerous fumes, including a woman in Palm Beach County. Near Miami, a family of four was treated for exposure to the fumes from a generator outside of their apartment. At least 36 people have died in the U.S. under Irma-related circumstances, the vast majority in Florida. The death toll across the Caribbean stood at 38. Meanwhile, the state made urgent efforts to protect its vulnerable elderly residents. Eight people died at a nursing home when the hurricane knocked out power and the facility lost air conditioning. The deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills were believed to be heat-related. Several other nursing homes were evacuated because of a lack of power or air conditioning, and workers scrambled to keep patients cool with emergency stocks of ice and Popsicles. Officials said about 1.9 million homes and businesses were without power, including 64 nursing homes. Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday night that he directed the Agency for Health Care Administration to terminate the Hollywood Hills center as a provider for Medicaid, which helps low-income people receive health care. Older people can be more susceptible to heat because their bodies do not adjust to temperatures as well as younger people. They don't sweat as much and they are more likely to take medication that affects body temperature. "The thing that hits them first is dehydration and then their temperature increases and then respiratory issues kick in," Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich said. Schools in some areas made plans to welcome back students. In the hard-hit southwestern part of the state, Lee County schools Superintendent Greg Adkins announced classes will begin Sept. 25. Three of the district's buildings needed extensive roof repair. ___ Reynolds reported from Aventura. Also contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Jay Reeves in Naples; Tim Reynolds in Aventura; Brendan Farrington, Gary Fineout and Joe Reedy in Tallahassee; Adriana Gomez Licon in Homestead; Michael Melia in Hartford Connecticut and Freida Frisaro in Miami. Organizers say a fundraiser to pay student lunch debt at the St. Paul school that employed a man who was fatally shot by a suburban Minneapolis police officer has far exceeded expectations. The online fundraiser to honor Philando Castile had an original goal of $5,000 to pay the lunch debt at J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet. Castile was a nutrition supervisor at the school, whose students affectionately knew him as "Mr. Phil." The Star Tribune says that as of Thursday evening, the fundraising effort had climbed to $65,000, enough to cover the lunch debt for the entire St. Paul School District. Castile was fatally shot by a St. Anthony police officer during a traffic stop in July 2016 in Falcon Heights. His girlfriend live-streamed the aftermath using her cellphone. The dean of Harvards Kennedy School of Government has announced that the school has scrapped a plan to make convicted WikiLeaks leaker Chelsea Manning a visiting fellow, but still plans to have her speak at its vaunted Kennedy School. Douglas W. Elmendorf stressed that Manning is still invited to talk with students and then host a forum where she would be asked hard questions about her story. He said the school never had any intention to honor her or endorse any of her words or deeds. I apologize to her and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard ... for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation, he wrote. " ... we are withdrawing the invitation to her to serve as a Visiting Fellowand the perceived honor that it implies to some peoplewhile maintaining the invitation for her to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak in the Forum," Elmendorf wrote. Manning was released May 17 from a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence that former President Barack Obama commuted in his final days in office. Obama said in January he felt justice had been served. Manning, a 29-year-old transgender woman, formerly known as Bradley Manning, told ABC's "Good Morning America" in a recent interview that she was prompted to give the 700,000 military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks because of the human toll of the "death, destruction and mayhem" she saw as an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq. The schools announcement was met with swift backlash. CIA Director Mike Pompeo scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard over the school's decision to make Manning a visiting fellow. Pompeo called Manning an "American traitor." He said he agreed with military and intelligence officials who believe Manning's leak endangered the lives of CIA personnel. Pompeo was scheduled to appear at the Kennedy School to discuss allegations of Russian involvement in last year's presidential election, the nuclear standoff with North Korea and other global security concerns. Earlier, former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell resigned his position as a senior fellow. Morell, a former CIA deputy director who twice served as acting director, announced his resignation from Harvard's Belfer Center was a result of Manning's appointment, saying he couldn't be part of an organization "that honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information." "Senior leaders in our military have stated publicly that the leaks by Ms. Manning put the lives of U.S. soldiers at risk," Morell said. "I have an obligation in my conscience -- and I believe to the country -- to stand against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information." Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, holds law and business degrees from Harvard. He reacted to Morell's resignation by tweeting, "Well done, Mike. And abject shame on Harvard." Manning reacted to Morell's resignation with a one-word tweet: "good." On the morning of Aug. 30, over the open waters of the far eastern Atlantic, Irma became the ninth named tropical system of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. By the next day, it had rapidly intensified into a major hurricane and was being closely scrutinized by meteorologists. Meteorologists provided early warnings of US impacts Even with the storm thousands of miles away from the Caribbean and mainland United States, AccuWeather meteorologists and other agencies knew that the storm would have the potential to be a serious threat to life and property. This is due to our team of over 100 operational meteorologists, including tropical experts with decades of experience analyzing weather patterns, weather forecast computer model data, and other proprietary inputs, according to AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting and Graphic Operations Marshall Moss. Fresh off the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Harvey in South Texas, it had become clear that another strike on the U.S. by a major hurricane was a growing possibility. "The heightened awareness from the disastrous impact of Harvey, I think, helped elevate the level of awareness and need to prepare for Irma," said Jonathan Porter, vice president of business services for AccuWeather Enterprise Solutions, the AccuWeather specialized team responsible for providing highly detailed and actionable weather warnings and forecasts for businesses around the world. With Harveys devastation fresh on the mind of the American people, advance notice and information on Irmas possible impacts in the U.S. were vital. For about a week [ahead of time], we were talking about Florida impacts, Moss said. Irma, a record-shattering storm, sustained 185-mph winds for 37 hours, the longest any hurricane or typhoon in the world has maintained such intensity. Irma wrought tremendous devastation across the northern Caribbean en route to Florida. Irma's first Florida landfall occurred Sunday, Sept. 10 as a Category 4 storm. The second came later in the day at Marco Island, Florida, located near Naples. Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency on Monday, Sept. 4, and the first mandatory evacuations in the Florida Keys began on Sept. 6. Floridians, who hadnt seen a major hurricane (Category 3 or higher) pound their state since Wilma in 2005, seemed to grasp the urgency of the situation. Over 6 million residents left in one of the largest evacuations in U.S. history in the days prior to landfall. The evacuation proved vital because Irmas devastating impacts were felt statewide. Although the storm came up the west coast, 100-mph winds reached the east coast. Storm surge and record-setting flooding besieged cities as far north as Jacksonville. Its a good thing that people were brought out of the way," Moss said, adding that the forecast accuracy and lead time allowed enough time for millions to evacuate. As of Sept. 14, at least 32 people have died in Florida, South Carolina and Georgia while another 38 people were killed in the Caribbean, according to the Associated Press. Over 15 million people were left without power across Florida, one of the largest power outages to ever occur from a natural disaster. Major hurricanes killed thousands in years past While the death toll may rise in the U.S. and Caribbean as recovery efforts continue, the number of casualties for a storm of Irmas magnitude could have been much higher. Key advancements in forecasting as well as disaster preparation and response at the local and federal levels of government helped prevent a death toll that couldve skyrocketed into the hundreds or thousands as in past years. In 1900, a massive hurricane struck Galveston, Texas, and unleashed a storm surge of 8-15 feet. Around 8,000 people were killed although some estimates surpass 12,000. In 1928, more than 1,800 people died in Florida due to the San Felipe-Okeechobee hurricane. Hurricane Donna killed over 50 people when it took a similar track to Irma in 1960 as it slammed the Florida Keys as a Category 4 before curving northeastward across the Florida Peninsula. Andrew was the last Category 5 storm to strike the U.S. when it slammed South Florida in 1992; the storm was responsible for 23 deaths. For this century, the deadliest storm to lash the U.S. is Katrina in 2005, which killed approximately 1,200 people in Louisiana and Mississippi. More recently, Superstorm Sandy claimed at least 147 lives in the Northeast during October 2012. AccuWeather Expert Senior Meteorologist and Chief Operating Officer Evan Myers said that accurate forecasts help engender trust with the public. Accuracy breeds confidence, Myers said. The public has much more confidence in the forecast than 20-30 years ago because the forecasts are more accurate. So when a forecast is issued, people are more likely to believe it, and so theyre more likely to react to it and get out of harms way. AccuWeather predicts that Irma will cost at least $100 billion in damage. Along with the predicted $190 billion in damage from Hurricane Harvey, the two storms could cost nearly $300 billion with two months left in the Atlantic season. Communication, forecasting have improved significantly in past decade A key to improved forecasting capability according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski is the way satellite technology is utilized. Along with tools used to collect key atmospheric measurements such as flying an aircraft around the outer periphery of hurricanes, this helps send better data to the computer models, he explained. We didn't have the robust set of data and input into the computer models back during Katrina, he said. Kottlowski credited the government, particularly the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), for better public interaction to help promote awareness of a hurricanes dangers. Each year in May, NOAA conducts a hurricane preparedness week. As one of the first NOAA Weather-Ready Nation Ambassadors, AccuWeather's year-round prepardness program, AccuWeather Ready, focuses on keeping people informed and safe. The AccuWeather Ready page features preparedness checklists, videos and news content to help people stay safe when tropical storms and hurricanes threaten. Kottlowski said a monster storm like Irma is the reason people should develop a hurricane safety plan in the months ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in June. Chris Renschler, an associated professor of geography at the University of Buffalo and extreme events researcher, said in the past there were limited model predictions and not as much information available to the public. Today, more weather data is available for public consumption and this information is readily translated and transported to the people, said Renschler, who was part of New York states respond commission after Sandy. Even though emergency managers can issue mandatory evacuations, people can decide to evacuate on their own based on the available information, according to Renschler. "I think that has changed quite a bit over the past 10 years," he said. Social media has helped the dissemination of information which allows people to continuously track news updates from the palm of their hands, Renschler added. I have little doubt that social media helped reduce the number of fatalities when the forecasts and warnings were spread ahead of the storm," AccuWeather Social Media Manager Jesse Ferrell said. For meteorologists, while its their job to warn the public that devastating impacts will occur with a storm like Irma, it can take an emotional toll. Its heart-wrenching to forecast, but we know we need to get that word out to help save lives and protect property. I think the weather enterprise as a whole did a great job with that overall, Moss said. Rain is coming this weekend to Saint John, the smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, but protection from it is scarce. Hurricane Irma barreled through the Caribbean last week, hitting especially hard Saint Thomas and Saint John in the Virgin Islands, as a powerful Category 5 storm one of the strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. As it left and continued on toward Puerto Rico and Florida, it took with it chunks of boats, communication lines, pieces of buildings and personal mementos. It left scattered debris and peoples futures. Nicholas Jabour stayed on Saint John along with his wife and 10-week-old son in what they believed was a concrete building that would keep them reasonably sheltered. They endured a relentless battering from the rain as the pressure inside the apartment was too great to keep the window closed. We dealt with water being pelted through this small crack [in a window] and the screams of the storm as the room was darkened by just the pure amount of wind being driven by our protected window, Jabour described. But sometime during the storm, part of the ceiling collapsed and storage units on the top of the building were whisked away by the storms winds. Jabour and his family needed to evacuate during the peak of the hurricane as the walls literally came crumbling down around them. Along with his neighbors, Jabour and his family ran outside on a walkway that doubled at that moment as a wind tunnel, funneling debris, water and air conditioning units. Jabours wife clutched her son to her chest, protecting him with her body and a simple zip-up sweatshirt, until they found shelter in a dry cleaning business. HURRICANE IRMA DEVASTATES US VIRGIN ISLANDS, BUT THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY IS UNWAVEREING Jabours apartment was flooded. The ceiling caved in. But still, he said hes one of the lucky ones. His neighbors apartments sacrificed windows, walls and doors to the hurricane. We were lucky, prepared and had many advantages others didnt, Jabour told Fox News from Vermont, where he evacuated following the hurricane. So realize this is one of the better tales. Alesia Georgiou, a Saint John resident, remembers the moment when she knew she was going to die. Along with five friends and a handful of cats and dogs, Georgiou waited out the storm in a masonry house in the Fish Bay neighborhood, on the southwestern side of the island. As the storms tantrum hit the island, Georgiou helplessly watched as steel shutters bolted into concrete easily abandoned the building they were tasked to protect. Hurricane glass shattered from the pressure. An entire window blew away. This probably happened in the space of half a second, but I felt like it was in slow motion, and I was paralyzed with fear, Georgiou told Fox News. In this moment and for four hours after while the storm raged, I was sure we were going to die. I went from hyperventilating to a bizarre sense of dizziness, and the extreme drop in barometric pressure probably contributed to that. Georgiou is still on the island, and while the winds have died down and glass is no longer shattering, the picture she paints of the near future for residents like herself is somber. In this moment and for four hours after while the storm raged, I was sure we were going to die." In the morning, we saw that many neighboring houses had been obliterated. Some were partially intact but had fallen down the hillside, she described. What had been a beautiful blue bay 12 hours before was now a brown mess with a couple of boats barely visible where they had sunk. There is not a single leaf left on a single tree. The island looks like it has been through a nuclear holocaust, Georgiou said. As rain is forecasted for Friday and into the weekend, many buildings dont have roofs to protect people if they even have walls at all. Tarps are no longer available to patch broken roofs, and the wait list is just too full. Water rations have dwindled and theres only a meager supply of canned goods, she said. Georgious shelter needs literally everything, from bedding to toiletries. CARIBBEAN ISLANDS RAVAGED BY HURRICANE IRMA VOW TO COME BACK STRONGER THAN EVER And to further complicate the situation, relief efforts are stymied as Irma left marinas obstructed, the mail system obsolete and the Saint Thomas airport out of commission. FEMA has provided nearly 578,000 meals, 115,000 liters of water, 13,600 sheeting covers, 150 rolls of blue tarps and 36 generators to the islands of Saint John and Saint Thomas, it said Friday. But Georgiou and other residents said its not enough. "There is not a single leaf left on a single tree. The island looks like it has been through a nuclear holocaust." Georgiou said Saint John residents have received more assistant from private individuals, particularly from Saint Thomas or Puerto Rico, than the government, keeping in line with the islands nickname of Love City. Carly Long, a local artist, is one of those people. A painter who studied photography under Anne Bequette, owner of STJ Creative Photography, Long is using her own talents in an effort to give back to her home and mentor. Long is selling her paintings and giving all proceeds to the Love for Love City Foundation, started by country music star Kenny Chesney whose home in Saint John was also destroyed. With everything Ive learned from [Bequette], I know were going to rebuild, Long told Fox News. Everything will work out as its supposed to. With her paintings around $100 a piece and an option to request a custom one she has raised about $1,200 so far. Other Saint John residents, including some who evacuated, are selling t-shirts and bumper stickers online in an effort to raise money for rebuilding efforts. Several residents have expressed gratitude for Chesneys foundation and encouraged loved ones to donate to it or the Red Cross. Caribbean Sea Adventures, a boat charter company from nearby Saint Croix the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands that was spared much of Irmas wrath volunteered its staff, boats and resources as its been running supplies to Saint John and Saint Thomas. Michelle Griffith, a Caribbean Sea Adventures employee, praised the generosity of those who have donated supplies for them to take to the sister islands. Jabour has no idea when hell be able to go home. Before his family evacuated, they took supplies to his employers son, who had opened up his home to the family and others with unsafe places to stay on the island. Everything else was donated to others. We literally left our figurative lives to others, he said. This isnt a short term and quick fix. It will take months if not a year for the island to find its feet again even longer for things to return to normal. I want people to know all the help now is fantastic but please stick with us for the long term. Saint John is not just a place of beauty but very much a place of love and community, it deserves our continued support, he added. When the radio announced the departure of Irma, Georgiou and her friends cried. But when the jingle of a local tire service began to play, they danced. It will be some time before Saint John, with an economy that relies strongly on tourism and hospitality, will be back on its feet. But until then, Saint John residents will continue to fight for homes and rely on one another. Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested four men outside of a Brooklyn courthouse Thursday morning where they were scheduled to appear in court on misdemeanor charges, an ICE spokesperson confirmed to Fox News. The agents arrested the illegal immigrants who were set to appear in Brooklyn Criminal Court Thursday, three on charges of misdemeanor trespass, and one on a misdemeanor weapon possession. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GET OK TO VOTE IN MARYLAND CITY'S ELECTIONS The four arrested Eduardo Romero, Juan Villa, Fredy Rosa and Sergio Perez are all Mexican nationals, and are associated with the Ninos Malos gang, a primarily Mexican street gang that operates out of Sunset Park in Brooklyn, ICE spokesperson Rachael Yong Yow said. Ninos Malos translated from Spanish means "bad kids." The Brooklyn District Attorneys Office told Fox News it didn't know ICE was going to arrest the illegal immigrants. "We were not notified, and we do not cooperate with ICE," a spokesperson for the office said. ICE agents are legally authorized to arrest illegal immigrants at courthouses, but the practice has been widely scrutinized. FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS ENFORCEMENT OF TEXAS' 'SANCTUARY CITIES' LAW New York State Attorney Eric Schneiderman, along with Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, alleged in August that ICE has been waiting near courthouses a location not deemed as sensitive by ICE in an effort to arrest illegal immigrants, and requested "that ICE refrain from arresting witnesses and victims." Illegal immigrants in "sensitive" locations, such as schools or places of worship, arent subject to ICE arrests. One of three men charged with using a gun stolen from a police officer to kill a San Francisco man last month reportedly was an illegal immigrant who was being monitored by U.S. immigration officials. Data taken from Erick Garcia Pinedas electronic monitor confirmed the 18-year-old was in the citys Mission District on Aug. 15 when 23-year-old Abel Esquivel was murdered in the street, NBC Bay area reported Thursday. The station, citing unnamed sources, said Garcia-Pineda was wearing a monitoring bracelet at the time of the killing. The suspect was claiming asylum in the U.S., saying he was being harassed by MS-13 gang members, the sources added. Immigration officials did not respond to NBC Bay Areas requests for comment and it was not immediately clear where Garcia-Pineda originated. Weapons stolen from the cars of police officers also have been used in other high-profile Bay Area killings in recent years, such as the shooting of Kate Steinle in 2015 and Antonio Ramos in Oakland in 2016, The Associated Press reported. The gun used in Esquivels killing was described as a silver .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver registered to decorated officer Marvin Cabuntala, the San Francisco Examiner reported, citing a criminal complaint. The complaint alleges Garcia Pineda and 24-year-old Jesus Perez-Araujo took the gun and ammo from Cabuntalas car just days before the shooting. The fact that it was stolen out of a car probably means that it was not secure, said Kwixuan Maloof, an attorney representing Perez-Araujo. The two men, alongside Daniel Cruz, 18, appeared in court for an arraignment hearing Thursday with Spanish interpreters, the San Francisco Examiner reported. San Francisco is known as one of America's most sheltering "sanctuary city," shielding illegal immigrants from being reported to the federal government. Police used data linked to the tracking bracelet to connect Garcia-Pineda to five robberies and two other shootings, according to NBC Bay Area. Garcia-Pineda, along with the two other defendants, pleaded not guilty to all the charges facing them Thursday, including Esquivels murder. They are being held in a county jail without bail. This is a spree over a week where there were separate, different violent offenses, Assistant District Attorney Heather Trevisan said in court, the Examiner reported. Esquivel had just gotten out of work at a market when he was shot, SFGate reported. The website, citing a complaint filed by the district attorneys office, said Perez-Araujo was driving around with Garcia Pineda and Cruz looking for targets to rob. The trio all city residents held up three people around midnight and ran into Esquivel around 2 a.m., with Garcia Pineda accused of firing the fatal bullet, the complaint said. Police union President Martin Halloran said the veteran officer didnt know his gun was missing until after the fatal shooting, and was devastated to hear the news, The Associated Press reported. "Well, we have to investigate," Police Chief William Scott told NBC Bay Area. "I mean it would be very, very irresponsible and premature for me to say whats going to happen with the officer until we have the facts." Lariza Dugan Quadra, a friend of Esquivel, said he recently starting working with youth at the Central American Resource Center. CARECENSF empowers and responds to the needs, rights and aspirations of Latino, immigrant, and under-resourced families in the San Francisco Bay Area building leadership to pursue self-determination and justice, the facility says on its website. Marine Corps investigators are looking at a ruptured underground gas line as the possible cause of a fire that engulfed a vehicle Wednesday at Camp Pendleton in California, injuring 14 Marines and a Navy sailor -- five of whom remain in critical condition. A source close to the investigation said the fire did not start from inside the amphibious assault vehicle, as had been reported. The Marines and sailor were part of the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion. The units were conducting a combat readiness evaluation as part of scheduled battalion training at the time of the incident, said a statement from the U.S. Marine Corps. Officials first thought the engine might have overheated and somehow caused a fire onboard. Now they believe when the vehicle left a main road during a large field exercise, it ran over an underground gas pipeline, rupturing the line and somehow starting a fire onboard which turned the vehicle into a death trap. The fire did not start inside the vehicle, the U.S. military official said, who instead believes bad luck contributed to the incident. The Armored Amphibious Vehicle, AAV or amtracks, as they are also known to the Marines, is a tracked armored vehicle which carries 25 fully loaded Marines and has a crew of at least four including the driver, crew chief/commander, gunner and rear crew member. The accident in California was one of three tragic incidents for the U.S. military this week. During the past three years, at least 185 American troops have been killed in training accidents four times more than in combat during the same period. Many of the mishaps occurred in the summer. "Perhaps the greatest harm to our national security and our military is self-inflicted, I repeat self-inflicted, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Wednesday on the Senate floor. We are killing more of our own people in training than our enemies are in combat. Just one day after McCain spoke, tragedy struck again. A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, Staff Sgt. Alexander Dalida, was killed during demolition training at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, N.C. Seven other special forces students and instructors were wounded. On Tuesday, a soldier from the Army's 1st Infantry Division, Staff Sgt. Sean Devoy was killed during helicopter training at Fort Hood in Texas. It's been especially deadly lately. Since June, at least 42 U.S. service members have been killed in non-combat accidents, including two deadly warship collisions in the Pacific, two Marine Corps plane crashes and two Army Black Hawk helicopter crashes. McCain and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry said they believe U.S. troops are being asked to do too much with too little and with aging equipment. A list of some of the recent incidents include: June 17 - USS Fitzgerald collision - seven killed July 10 - USMC cargo plane crash - 16 killed August 5 - USMC Osprey crash - three killed August 21 - USS McCain collision - 10 killed August - Two Army Black Hawk crashes - six killed Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. has an amendment to end the Budget Control Act which gutted military beginning in 2011. The amendment has drawn bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. A vote by Congress on the 2018 defense bill is expected next week. Included in the bill are billions of dollars earmarked to fix aging aircraft and get more training for the military in the wake of these deadly recent accidents. Part of the underlying cause of the training and maintenance problems that plague our military is Washingtons dysfunctional budget process," said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry. "We cannot allow that to continue." Each legislative session thousands of bills and amendments are introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature. Only a fraction become law, and an even smaller portion receive wide media coverage. These bills impact the lives of people living in Pennsylvania every day. Each week The Sentinel will highlight one bill that has not received widespread attention. About the bill It is a tradition to have taps played during a military honors funeral for veterans. However, finding a bugler to provide that honor may be difficult. House Bill 1478, introduced by Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Crawford County, aims to provide more horn players to provide proper final respects. Given the aging population of our World War II, Korean, and Vietnam veterans in particular, there are several thousand military veteran deaths per year in Pennsylvania, Rapp wrote in a co-sponsorship letter. Often there are not enough military buglers available to attend every funeral to play taps. As a result, many veterans receive an audio recording of this bugle call. Rapps bill would allow public school students an excused absence to perform the musical number for veterans funerals. (O)ur state is home to many talented student musicians who would be able to render this service should they be able to obtain permission from school to attend these funerals which often take place during the school day, she wrote. According to Rapp, five other states have either legislation or regulations that allow students to miss school for this reason. My proposal would clarify that public schools in Pennsylvania are permitted to excuse a student from school for this noble purpose, she wrote. A Detroit-area man who was 12 when he killed a woman during an attempted robbery will be released next week when he turns 21. DeMarco Harris was eligible to be moved to prison from a juvenile detention facility. But Judge Virgil Smith says he's convinced that Harris has been rehabilitated and isn't a threat to the public. The victim's family disagreed Friday. Steve Babcock, the father of 24-year-old Trisha Babcock, held her death certificate and said Harris deserves a life sentence. Trisha Babcock was shot while sitting in a car in Detroit in 2009. Harris apologized Friday and says he's a "prime example of what rehabilitation looks like." Prosecutors said they couldn't show that Harris would be a threat to the public, based on his progress in juvenile detention. A video shot by a residents daughter and viewed by the Miami Herald reportedly shows the dire conditions inside a Hollywood, Fla., nursing home where eight residents died after Hurricane Irma knocked out power at the facility. On Thursday, detectives were at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills after obtaining a search warrant to investigate the eight patients deaths, which police believed were heat-related. The center said the hurricane knocked out a transformer that powered the air conditioning. Broward County officials said the home reported the outage Tuesday, but when asked if it had any medical needs or emergencies, it did not request help. But by early Wednesday, the center had placed three calls to report patients in distress, prompting firefighters to search the facility. They found three people dead and evacuated 145 people to hospitals, many on stretchers or in wheelchairs, authorities said. By that afternoon, five more had died. The Herald reported that the rooms at the facility grew too hot Tuesday night and some of the patients were rolled out of their beds and into the hallways. Some of the patients were naked, the report said. The patients were reportedly just left there. The first thing they should have done is get these patients the hell out of there, Ray Nazario, a retired homicide detective, said. This is criminal negligence. Someone should go to jail for this. The facilitys administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with authorities. Florida Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday night that he has directed the Agency for Health Care Administration to terminate the center as a Medicaid provider. The program provides health care for low-income individuals and families. Reached by phone Thursday, Rosemary Cooper, a licensed practical nurse at the rehabilitation center, declined to discuss specifics about the case, citing the ongoing investigation. The people who were working there worked hard to make a good outcome for our patients, she said. We cared for them like family. But state records revealed a variety of problems at the center. The center showed deficiencies in maintaining fire and safety standards pertaining to exits and storage areas, as well as more serious problems with its generator maintenance and testing, according to February 2016 reports by Florida Agency for Health Care Administration inspectors. Another 2016 report found problems with respecting patient dignity and maintaining housekeeping services. The ex-husband of 71-year-old victim Gail Nova said her devastated family believes the facility should lose its license. Someones got to answer for this. Someone let the ball drop very, very far, Kenneth Nova said by phone from his home in Winter Haven. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Louisiana man has reportedly been charged after he threatened to kill white people and children. Jacob Watson, 22, was jailed Tuesday after he told a woman and her grandchildren at a local park that hed kill all white people, then kill children at a nearby school, Fox 8 reported. Watson later confessed to authorities that he made the threats, according to police, who charged him with terrorizing. He said it was because he wanted to see the expression on their face, according to Fox 8. Authorities alerted school officers and searched a nearby elementary school and a middle school because they were just blocks away, police told The Times-Picayune. UTAH MAN CHARGED WITH HATE CRIME FOR SHOCKING BLACK MAN WITH STUN CANE Watson may have possibly been involved in another incident on Sept. 8 in which a man allegedly said he was going to kill all white people and make the news, The Times-Picayune reported Friday. Watson, who is currently on probation until 2019, was charged on two counts of terrorizing, which have been added to his reported criminal history that already includes theft and battery, burglary and narcotics arrests. Outraged New York police union leaders are calling for the firing of a John Jay College professor and avowed Antifa leader after he tweeted that it "is a privilege to teach future dead cops. Michael Issacson, an adjunct-professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and known Antifa leader, tweeted Aug. 23, Some of yall might think it sucks being an anti-fascist teacher at John Jay College but I think its a privilege to teach future dead cops. The tweet gained traction after Issacson appeared on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight show Thursday night, according to the New York Daily News. The appearance prompted online sleuths to go through Issacson's past tweets, exposing the offending missive. Since then, officials from NYPD unions have expressed their abhorrence to the comments. Michael Issacson harbors total disdain for the active and future police officers that he teachers at John Jay College, Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmens Benevolent Association said in a press release on Friday. Recent media reports have revealed Mr. Issacsons disgusting anti-police attitudes and his gleeful embrace of political violence, including violence against police officers, as expressed in his own social media postings. Detectives Endowment Association Michael Palladino said, I dont know the professor but based on his tweet he strikes me as a man of ignorance and arrogance with hate in his heart, the New York Daily News reported. TUCKER TO PRO-ANTIFA PROFESSOR: DO YOU TEACH STUDENTS THAT 1ST AMENDMENT RIGHTS DONT APPLY? And Roy Richter, president of the NYPD Captains Endowment Association said, This message is an abdication of the professors responsibility as a civilized human being and disgusting coming from a representative of the teaching profession, according to reports. The New York Daily News reached out to Issacson Friday after the massive response, in which he defended but seemed unfazed by the outcry. Oh, that s---? Everybody dies, Issacson said. I was talking about police as an agent of control that is actually in less control of the public than its supposed to be, he said. I dont have a problem with individual police officers I mean, I teach them but I dont like policing as an institution. Police officers are agents of that institution. The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is part of the City University of New York school system and is widely known in the area for its high level of students who later become police officers. A statement on the matter was released Friday by John Jay College's president, Karol V. Mason. "I want to state clearly that I was shocked by these statements. They are abhorrent. This adjunct expressed personal views that are not consistent with our college's well known and firm values and principles," Mason said. "I am appalled that anyone associated with John Jay, with our proud history of supporting law enforcement authorities, would suggest that violence against police is ever acceptable." "I join with the many students, faculty, alumni and other members of our community in condemning these statements," he said. Additionally, the chancellor of the City University of New York, James Milliken released a statement, declaring Issacson's comments as "abhorrent, violating not only our values supporting respectful discourse at this university, but also personal standards of decency." "We will always stand up for freedom of speech and the open exchange of sometimes conflicting or offensive ideas, but we will also condemn statements we deem hateful, discriminatory and harmful to our community," Milliken said. Kentucky police said Friday they are hunting for a man who burglarized a funeral home and made off with a dead mans clothes. Police in Leitchfield released several surveillance images of the burglary taken Wednesday night at the Watson and Hunt Funeral Home. Yes, he stole a dead mans clothes. Jason Watson, funeral director Police said the thief stole a suit that was going to be used in a dead man's memorial service, WDRB-TV reported. The thief also took family jewelry that was inside the casket. Yes, he stole a dead mans clothes, funeral director Jason Watson said on Facebook. "If anyone recognizes this man please contact the police." Police said the burglar broke in through the front door. He stayed several hours, according to police who added that at one point the thief took a nap in a chair in the office. The burglar also made off with electronic items including a Playstation 3 and the keys to the funeral homes hearse. Watson told WAVE-TV he believes the burglar is the same person who was chased out of a Walmart for shoplifting a short time earlier. A grand jury has indicted a former Northwestern University professor and an Oxford University employee on first-degree murder charges in the July stabbing death of a hairstylist in the professor's Chicago apartment, a judge announced Friday. The announcement made on the scheduled date of a hearing was not a surprise, as prosecutors routinely present their cases to a grand jury rather than let a judge, after a public preliminary hearing, decide whether there is enough evidence charge a suspect. The indictment of Oxford financial official Andrew Warren was announced first. Warren, wearing a yellow jail-issue jumpsuit, did not speak when he was informed of the indictment, before he was led back to the holding area for detainees. Wyndham Lathem, wearing a tan-colored jump suit was led into the courtroom a short time later, informed of the indictment and then led back to the same area. Both men are being held in Cook County Jail without bond. The judge said that both men had demanded a trial and ordered them to return to court Sept. 28 for an arraignment. Warren's attorney did not speak to reporters after the brief hearing, but one of Lathem's attorneys, Adam Sheppard, said that during that hearing Lathem will plead not guilty. Prosecutors contend that 46-year-old Lathem and 56-year-old Warren stabbed Lathem's boyfriend, 26-year-old Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, dozens of times as part of an apparent sexual fantasy that included killing others, then themselves. After Cornell-Duranleau's body was found, authorities embarked on a nationwide manhunt that ended on Aug. 4 with Warren turning himself in to authorities in San Francisco. Both men were subsequently returned to Chicago, where prosecutors in a hearing laid out in gruesome detail the slaying of Cornell-Duranleau. They told the judge that Lathem sneaked up to Cornell-Duranleau while he slept in Lathem's high-rise apartment, and began stabbing him. Warren, they said, tried to keep the young man quiet by covering his mouth, struck him on the head with a lamp before, he, too, grabbed two knives and stabbed him. A statue of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, was vandalized this week after recently undergoing $300,000 renovations, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. Authorities discovered white spray paint on the statue that will likely cost the city about $5,000 to remove. The statue in Golden Gate Park is reportedly a favorite target for vandals, and cost the city up to $30,000 over the past five years to restore due to vandalism. The Chronicle ran a 2013 story about the number of times the statue of the Ohioan was vandalized. One official told the paper, We are bleeding money with this monument. It is tagged constantly. We havent been neglecting thiswe just cant keep up with the incidents of graffiti." McKinley, who was born in Ohio and assassinated early in his second term. He was shot at the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition in September 1901 and died eight days later. A white former St. Louis police officer was found not guilty of first-degree murder in the death of a black man who was shot to death during a 2011 high-speed chase, a verdict which stirred feelings of anger in the local community. Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens placed the National Guard on standby Friday after a judge acquitted former officer Jason Stockley. Local and state officials braced for violent protests similar to those that followed the 2014 fatal shooting by police of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole for shooting 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase. He told the court he saw Smith holding a gun and felt he was in imminent danger. Prosecutors, however, accused Stockley of planting the gun in Smiths car after he was shot. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole. He left St. Louis' police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial that police dashcam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was "going to kill this [expletive], don't you know it." Less than a minute later, the officer fatally shot Smith. Stockley's lawyer dismissed the comment as "human emotions" amid a dangerous police pursuit. Few officers have been convicted for killing suspects while on duty. Stockley requested the case be heard by a judge rather than a jury despite objections from prosecutors. Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson, who oversaw the bench trial, said prosecutors also asked the court to consider a lesser degree of homicide. But Wilson said prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt the officers use of deadly force was not justified in self-defense. This court, as a trier of fact, is simply not firmly convinced of defendants guilt, the judge wrote in his ruling. Ahead of Fridays verdict, St. Louis activists threatened civil disobedience if Stockley was acquitted. The mayor and an attorney for Smiths fiance publicly urged for calm. Barricades went up on Aug. 28 around police headquarters, the courthouse where the trial was held, and other sites of recent or potential protests. Police said they were being proactive to ensure safety "due to recent events around the country." Michael Browns father, Michael Brown Sr., voiced his frustration after the verdict. You all know this aint right and you all continue to do this to us, he told FOX2. Like we dont mean nothing, like were rats, trash, dogs in the streets. Right now, Im praying for my city because my people are tired of this. The police officer in the Brown case wasnt charged but later resigned. Im sad, Im hurt, Im mad, the Reverend Clinton Stancil of the Wayman AME Church in St. Louis told Reuters. But this was expected. We havent made any progress since Ferguson, thats clear. Cops can still kill us with impunity. In Smith's case, the encounter began when Stockley and his partner tried to corner Smith in a fast-food restaurant parking lot after seeing what appeared to be a drug deal. Stockley testified he saw what he believed was a gun, and his partner yelled "gun!" as Smith backed into the police SUV twice to get away. Stockley's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, argued Smith, a parole violator with previous convictions for gun and drug crimes, tried to run over the two officers. Stockley fired seven shots as Smith sped away. A chase ensued. At the end of the chase, Stockley opened fire only when Smith, still in his car, refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat "in the area where the gun was," Bruntrager said. Stockley said he climbed into Smith's car and found a revolver stuffed between the center console and passenger seat. But prosecutors questioned why Stockley dug into a bag in the back seat of the police SUV before returning to Smith's car. The gun found in Smith's car didn't have his DNA on it, but it did have Stockley's. "The gun was a plant," Steele said. The case was among several in recent years in which a white officer killed a black suspect. Officers were acquitted in recent police shooting trials in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. A case in Ohio twice ended with hung juries, and prosecutors have decided not to seek a third trial. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A man is accused of fatally shooting his wife and two children at their home in Tennessee. News outlets report Clarksville police spokesman Jim Knoll says 27-year-old Jordan M. Hazel is charged with three counts of homicide in connection with the shooting deaths of 23-year-old Keara Wynn Hazel, 3-year-old Kayden and 9-month-old Jaylynn on Thursday morning. Clarksville police responded to the home shortly before 11 a.m. after neighbors reported hearing screams. Police found all three victims dead at the scene from apparent gunshot wounds. Jordan Hazel was detained outside the house. He's been booked into Montgomery County Jail. It's unclear if he has a lawyer. A manager at an Oklahoma food processing plant testified Friday that he tried but failed to stop an attack three years ago in which a co-worker who had been suspended earlier that day attacked another employee with a butcher knife and beheaded her. Gary Hazelrigg told jurors that the victim, Colleen Hufford, was "completely surprised" when Alton Nolen came up behind her, pulled her head back and drew the knife across her throat. "I was looking at something horrific something that people shouldn't have to see," said Hazelrigg, adding that he was "pretty much powerless to do anything about it." Hazelrigg, who was the customer service manager at the Vaughan Foods plant at the time, told the jury that he screamed and cursed at Nolen during the attack and tried to pull him off Hufford. "Sadly, it was to no avail. He was not to be moved," Hazelrigg testified. Hazelrigg, who now works in transportation at the plant, was the first witness to testify in Nolen's first-degree murder trial over the Sept. 25, 2014, attack. Nolen, 33, is also charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon for allegedly attempting to behead a second co-worker at the plant in Moore, an Oklahoma City suburb. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Investigators said Nolen had just been suspended from his job when he attacked Hufford in the company's administrative office. Defense attorneys have said Nolen is mentally ill and didn't know his actions were wrong, and plan to use an insanity defense at the trial. Nolen has repeatedly tried to plead guilty and has asked to be executed, but Cleveland County District Judge Lori Walkley has declined to accept his plea. There are lessons learned in war that cant be put into a textbook. The bond two veterans share from the experience of combat is a chemistry all its own. Middle school students saw this Thursday in their walk with Dominique Brown, a former Army sergeant now living in Chambersburg. Brown was among 50 veterans from different eras and service branches who participated in a new program at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center outside Carlisle. Called Walk with a Veteran, the program gave students the opportunity to interact with men and women who served their country in peace and war. It enabled them to develop a deeper appreciation for the role of our veterans and the value of service and sacrifice, said Jeff Hawks, education director of the Army Heritage Center Foundation, the nonprofit organization established to support the development of AHEC. Our hope is the students go away inspired to learn more about history, but also to find ways to serve their communities, Hawks said, noting that military service is just one option. About 220 students from Perry County, Chambersburg and Yellow Breeches Education Center were divided into groups and led around by veterans on a tour of the Army Heritage Trail and of the exhibits on display in the main building on Thursday. Prior to Thursday, Brown never met the Navy veteran of the Vietnam War he was partnered with to guide a group of students. But almost right away students noticed how the two men clicked and were talking like best friends within minutes. There were four decades of separation between the veteran who served in Southeast Asia and Brown, who served two tours in Iraq as an infantryman assigned to convoy escort duty with the 82nd Airborne Division. We really dont know each other, Brown had to tell the students. Combat and war just bonds you together. Its something you cant put into a textbook. This real world experience was a common theme among the students, teachers and veterans touched by a program initiated by Susan Shern through conversations she had with Hawks. Shern works in the Mechanicsburg office of Humana, a Medicare insurance company with ties to veterans. Humana sponsored Thursdays event with support from Giant Foods and the Hoffman Funeral Home. The daughter of a Vietnam War Air Force veteran, she was concerned about how students were being taught history. I thought it was important for kids to get together with veterans, Shern said. It is much better to learn from the sources than it is to read it. They can ask questions. It makes it a lot more personable. Before Thursday, Sean Scott, 13, an eighth-grader at Chambersburg Middle School, said he thought almost everyone who served in the military saw combat. During the walk, he learned of sacrifices made in war and peace. The exhibits shown by the veterans made an impression on Scott. He saw how doughboys in the trenches of World War I used periscopes to scout out the no-mans land for enemies. He found out that men called Tunnel Rats used to crawl underground in Vietnam in search of bunkers. It has been a really fun experience, Scott said. I learned a lot. This place takes learning to a whole other level. Its really interactive. There are so many exhibits. When classmate Noelle Wheeler arrived at AHEC Thursday, she didnt know there are five service branches and her knowledge was sketchy about World War I and Vietnam. But the best lessons were learned from the interactions her group had with their tour guides. Its nice to have someone who was there to explain what they went through, Wheeler said. The entire eighth-grade class of West Perry Middle School made the trip Thursday to AHEC. For Theresa Snare the teaching moment for her students were the stories shared by the veterans. They are talking to people who actually experienced history, Snare said. They are not just looking at pictures and reading about it. They get to actually hear the real-life experiences. Its just much better. Long before Michael OBrien was superintendent of West Perry School District, he was an Air Force veteran who later taught eighth-grade students. He saw the value in the Walk with a Veteran program. Its extremely important our children understand the history of our country and the sacrifices our veterans make every day to keep us safe and free, OBrien said. Vietnam War veteran Joe Boslet of Harrisburg was a counter-intelligence agent and Vietnam language specialist stationed near the Cambodian border from October 1970 to October 1971. During that time, Boslet helped to coordinate a network of operatives who worked in the field to kill or capture North Vietnamese agents. At one point, the enemy had the equivalent of an $800 bounty on Boslets head. I didnt want anyone to collect on that, he said. As a volunteer with the program, Boslet had the opportunity to not only share the common experiences of soldiers coping with hardship, but to go off script and describe to the students the close relationships he developed with the South Vietnamese agents and their families who had to flee for their lives after Saigon fell. I can tell them things maybe a little bit more personal that dont show up in a book, Boslet said. He related stories of how soldiers in the field developed such a strong bond of mutual respect and reliance upon each other that they would take a bullet for a buddy. I do a lot of school programs, Boslet said. I talk to students about how important it is for people to work together and how critical it is to give a little bit of yourself to get something back. You cant be taking all the time. For Dominique Brown, there was at least one situation where he had to give the students a reality check. When one of them expressed enthusiasm about training to be a sniper, Brown reminded them of the reality of war and of the post-traumatic stress disorder many veterans have to cope with. Its not an Xbox game. Its not Call of Duty. Its real life, he told them. Its totally different when you take a human life. They have to understand that. A white former police officer was acquitted Friday in the 2011 death of a black man who was fatally shot following a high-speed chase, and hundreds of demonstrators streamed into the streets of downtown St. Louis to protest the verdict that had stirred fears of civil unrest for weeks. Ahead of the acquittal, activists had threatened civil disobedience if Jason Stockley were not convicted, including possible efforts to shut down highways. Barricades went up last month around police headquarters, the courthouse where the trial was held and other potential protest sites. Protesters were on the march within hours of the decision. The judge who decided the matter declared that he would not be swayed by "partisan interests, public clamor or fear of criticism." The case played out not far from the suburb of Ferguson, which was the scene of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, the unarmed black 18-year-old who was killed by a white police officer in 2014. That officer was never charged and eventually resigned. Stockley, who was charged with first-degree murder, insisted he saw Anthony Lamar Smith holding a gun and felt he was in imminent danger. Prosecutors said the officer planted a gun in Smith's car after the shooting. The officer asked the case to be decided by a judge instead of a jury. "This court, in conscience, cannot say that the State has proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt or that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense," St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson wrote in the decision . In a written statement, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner acknowledged the difficulty of winning police shooting cases but said prosecutors believe they "offered sufficient evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt" that Stockley intended to kill Smith. Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial that police dashcam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was "going to kill this (expletive), don't you know it." Less than a minute later, the officer shot Smith five times. Stockley's lawyer dismissed the comment as "human emotions" uttered during a dangerous police pursuit. The judge wrote that the statement "can be ambiguous depending on the context." Prosecutors objected to the officer's request for a bench trial. The Constitution guarantees the right of criminal suspects to have their cases heard "by an impartial jury." But defendants can also opt to have the verdict rendered by a judge. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole. He left the St. Louis police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. The case was among several in recent years in which a white officer killed a black suspect. Officers were acquitted in recent police shooting trials in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. A case in Ohio twice ended with hung juries, and prosecutors have decided not to seek a third trial. Fears of unrest prompted several downtown businesses and some schools to close early. Video from St. Louis television stations showed a crowd that swelled from a handful to several hundred in the hours after the verdict and marched through city streets. The group included black and white protesters and some people carrying guns, which is allowed under state law. Efforts at civil disobedience were largely unsuccessful. When several demonstrators tried to rush onto Interstate 64, they were blocked on an entrance ramp by police cars and officers on bikes. When they tried to enter the city's convention center, the doors were locked. At one point, a group of the protesters stood in front of a bus filled with officers in riot gear, blocking it from moving forward. When officers began pushing back the crowd, protesters resisted, and police responded with pepper spray, two women told The Associated Press. Both women's faces had been doused with milk, which is used to counter the effects of pepper spray. By early evening, police were saying a protest at a downtown intersection was no longer peaceful and that they were asking demonstrators to leave the area. Protesters had surrounded a police vehicle in front of the old police building near Tucker Boulevard and Clark Avenue and damaged it with rocks. Police approached and tried to secure the vehicle and some in the crowd threw rocks and pieces of curbing at them. Officers then used pepper spray on the group. In a tweet, the police department said protesters were ignoring commands and violating the law and were subject to arrest. Thirteen arrests were made and four officers were injured. St. Louis interim police Chief Lawrence O'Toole said none of the officers injured was hospitalized. One had an injured hand, one was hit by a bike, one was pinned by a bike, and one was struck by a water bottle. Police spokeswoman Schron Jackson said she didn't know if protesters were injured but she was not aware of any reports of demonstrators being hospitalized. The Rev. Clinton Stancil, a protest leader, said the acquittal was shocking based on the evidence but not surprising. "It's a sad day in St. Louis, and it's a sad day to be an American," Stancil said. One man was arrested for damaging a police vehicle. There were also scattered reports of protesters attacking journalists, authorities said. The St. Louis area has a history of unrest in similar cases, including after Brown's death, when protests, some of them violent, erupted. In Smith's case, the encounter began when Stockley and his partner tried to corner Smith in a fast-food restaurant parking lot after seeing what appeared to be a drug deal. Stockley testified that he saw what he believed was a gun, and his partner yelled "gun!" as Smith backed into the police SUV twice to get away. Stockley's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, argued that Smith, a 24-year-old parole violator with previous convictions for gun and drug crimes, tried to run over the two officers. Stockley fired seven shots as Smith sped away. A chase ensued. At the end of the chase, Stockley opened fire only when Smith, still in his car, refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat "in the area where the gun was," Bruntrager said. Stockley said he climbed into Smith's car and found a revolver between the center console and passenger seat. But prosecutors questioned why Stockley dug into a bag in the back seat of the police SUV before returning to Smith's car. The gun found in Smith's car did not have his DNA on it, but it did have Stockley's. ___ Associated Press Writer Summer Ballentine contributed to this report. ___ Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv . next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Brazil's attorney general has charged President Michel Temer with obstruction of justice and leading a criminal organization. The accusations are the latest in a growing list of allegations and scandals that have dogged Temer since he replaced President Dilma Rousseff, who was impeached and removed from office last year. Temer has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. While widely expected, the charges deepen Brazil's political crisis and represent more fallout from a wide-ranging corruption probe that has ensnared many of the country's elite. Here's a look at how Brazil got here and what comes next: CAR WASH INVESTIGATION Temer is the latest and one of the most high-profile people in Brazil to be caught up in a mammoth probe into inflated public works contracts and millions of dollars in kickbacks to politicians. Launched in March 2014, the so-called "Car Wash" investigation and its various offshoots have led to convictions against dozens of businessmen and top politicians. Attorney General Rodrigo Janot, whose term ends Sunday, has gone after several Temer allies. Temer repeatedly tried, and failed, to stop Janot's investigations against him. CHARGES AGAINST TEMER Janot accuses Temer of obstructing justice in part by "instigating" the paying of hush money to former Speaker Eduardo Cunha, who is serving a 15-year sentence for corruption and is believed to have much dirt on fellow politicians, and to another political operator. Temer is also accused of using his position to derail probes related to "Car Wash." Finally, Janot accused Temer and several other top allies charged of being part of a criminal organization that received about $190 million in bribes. NEXT STEPS Federal lawmakers and Cabinet ministers can only be investigated, charged or tried with the approval of the Supreme Federal Tribunal, the country's highest court. While the court did accept the charges against Temer, there is an added step because the case involves a sitting president a vote in the Chamber of Deputies. In Brazil's constitution, the Chamber of Deputies is designated as the voice of the people and for something as serious as trying a sitting president, average Brazilians are supposed to be able to weigh in via their representatives. THE VOTE For Temer to be suspended for up to six months and put on trial, at least two thirds of the 513 members of the lower Chamber of Deputies have to vote in favor. In the interim, Chamber of Deputies Speaker Rodrigo Maia, a Temer ally, would be president. If the threshold is not reached, the charges against Temer would be suspended and he would continue with the rest of his term, which ends Dec. 31, 2018. However, prosecutors could decide to try him on the charge once he left office. DEJA VU? Earlier this year, Janot charged Temer with bribery. The case was sent to the Chamber of Deputies, and in early August the body voted against putting Temer on trial. While deeply unpopular among Brazilians, Temer has shown himself to be a master behind the scenes with fellow politicians. Using the promise of political appointments, hundreds of millions of dollars in pork spending and arguing his reform agenda would help Latin America's largest nation recover from recession, Temer convinced 263 deputies to support him, many more than the 171 he needed to survive the vote. THIS TIME AROUND? Given that Temer recently survived the bribery charge, he likely still has enough support to survive a second vote in Congress, where many members are being investigated in the Car Wash probe. However, Brazil's political situation is fluid, and some of his support may erode ahead of a vote, which won't likely happen for several weeks. With elections little more than a year away, many deputies could decide that being associated with a deeply unpopular leader could put their own political futures at risk. ___ Peter Prengaman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/peterprengaman North Korea launched another missile Friday, the rogue nation's first missile launch since its massive nuclear test more than a week ago, prompting U.S. officials to issue a sharp round of condemnation. The missile was launched eastward early Friday from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport. It flew over northern Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean, according to U.S. Pacific Command. President Donald Trump, who last month vowed "fire and fury" if North Korea ramped up its nuclear threats, didn't immediately comment. However, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called the missile a reckless act by the North Koreans, adding that the missile "was fired over Japan and put millions of Japanese in duck and cover." Mattis said President Trump has been fully briefed on the missile. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the latest round of sanctions from the United Nations Security Council "represent the floor, not the ceiling" of actions that need to be taken against North Korea. "North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the United States, have been directly threatened in recent weeks," Tillerson said. "These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation. United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime." The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday afternoon, at the request of the U.S. and Japan. In response to the test, South Korea launched a ballistic missile of its own to show it can reach North Korea's launch site. NORTH KOREA THREATENS TO 'SINK' JAPAN, REDUCE US TO 'ASHES AND DARKNESS' Last month, North Korea used the same airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over Japan, which the North declared as a "meaningful prelude" to containing the U.S. island territory of Guam, and the start of more ballistic missile launches targeting the Pacific Ocean. U.S. officials said the missile launched Friday is what the Pentagon calls a KN-17. Its maximum range is estimated to be 2,800 miles. The launched missile, according to reports, reached a height of 480 miles and flew 2,300 miles out, farther than the North's missile launched in August the first missile launched over Japan in eight years which reached a height of 340 miles and flew 1,700 miles out. Guam is about 2,100 miles from North Korea. The missile launch comes three days after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions against North Korea. 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. SOUTH KOREA CONDUCTS CRUISE MISSILE DRILL AS NORTH KOREA THREATENS ACTION 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. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said that combined with previous sanctions, the U.N. has now banned 90 percent of North Korea's exports reported in 2016. Ahead of the vote, North Korea vowed that the United States would face "pain and suffering" 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. TRUMP WARNS NORTH KOREA: UN SANCTIONS 'NOTHING' COMPARED TO WHAT'S NEXT A stronger call for tougher sanctions against the regime came after the country recently claimed it detonated a hydrogen bomb. The Sept. 3 test triggered an artificial magnitude 6.3 earthquake. According to a South Korean defense official, the test was estimated to have a yield of 100 kilotons, meaning a blast that was four to five times more powerful than the explosion in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson, Serafin Gomez and the Associated Press contributed to this report. A Financial Times journalist was killed by a crocodile while washing his hands at a lagoon in Sri Lanka during a holiday with pals. Paul McClean, 25, an Oxford University graduate, is understood to have wandered away from his group of friends to find a toilet when he was attacked. The British victim is believed to have been dragged under water at a lagoon called Crocodile Rock near a popular surf spot after being ambushed by the reptile. McClean graduated from Oxford with a First class honors degree in French in 2015 before joining the Financial Times later that year. He had covered Brexit and the European Union for the newspaper and had recently returned to London after living in Brussels for a couple of months. The lagoon, known to be crawling with crocodiles, is yards away from popular surf spot Elephant Rock near Arugam Bay on the southeast coast. Sri Lankan police and the army are said to be searching the shore surrounding the area. Locals claimed the victim had been staying at the East Beach Surf Resort - located just minutes away from the surfing area he went missing from. Fawas Lafeer, owner of Safa Surf School, located up the coast from where the incident happened, said: A local fisherman witnessed a man being dragged into a river, set back from the beach, by a crocodile. The fisherman was on the opposite side of the river and downstream of the incident location." He added:This is the first known crocodile attack in Sri Lanka. Both tourists and locals surf at Elephant Rock, which is a beautiful secluded beach and very safe. Crocodiles in Sri Lanka live only in the fresh, back waters of the jungle. It is almost unheard of for them to come close to the beach. The salt water actually turns them blind. Local search and rescue teams are working alongside the police and British Embassy in attempt to locate the man's body." Meanwhile, a Scottish tourist, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: A British tourist was at a surf spot called Elephant rock. "There's a lagoon right next to the sea. He went to the toilet next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile. There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under. I was there but didnt see it happen though. Horrible." Click for more from The Sun. "Not a single living person" remains on the Caribbean island of Barbuda following the devastation of Hurricane Irma, the island's ambassador to the U.S. says. The damage is complete, Ronald Sanders, who has been Antigua and Barbudas ambassador to the United States since 2015, told USA Today. For the first time in 300 years, theres not a single living person on the island of Barbuda a civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished. Places affected by Irma -- one of the most powerful storms ever observed in the Atlantic -- included Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba and Florida. But perhaps none were affected more than Barbuda. All 62 square miles of the island were engulfed by the 378-mile-wide catastrophic hurricane, USA Today reported. Sanders described it as the most ferocious, cruel and merciless storm the island had ever experienced. Evacuees, including 500 children, were sent to Antigua, and were living in cramped government quarters and nursing homes, which Sanders said was unacceptable. But they will remain there for the foreseeable future as Barbuda faces a mammoth task to rebuild. Sanders is seeking help from around the world to aid in recovery efforts, with initial estimates at around $200 million, USA Today reported. We are a small island community the gross domestic product of Antigua is $1 billion a year, he told USA Today. We cannot afford to take on this responsibility by ourselves. Barbuda is not just a disaster, its a humanitarian crisis. We are hopeful that the international community will come to our aid, not because were begging for something we want, but because were begging for something that is needed. A Taiwanese court has sentenced a man from mainland China to 14 months in prison for breaking its national security laws, days after a Taiwanese pro-democracy activist was convicted of political subversion in China. Taiwan's official Central News Agency said Zhou Hongxu was convicted of trying to bribe a Taiwanese foreign ministry official into giving him classified information. Zhou has been held since March, when the official told authorities about the attempted bribe. Last week, the Taiwanese activist Lee Ming-che was convicted in a Chinese court of subverting the power of the state, though supporters said he'd been forced to confess to crimes he didn't commit. A knife-wielding man attacked a French soldier Friday and, in a separate attack in France, two women were assaulted by a man with a hammer who shouted Allahu Akbar." In Chalon-sur-Saone two women were injured when they were attacked by a man with a hammer. Onlookers said the man shouted Allahu Akbar during the incident. Police said they were searching for the suspect, French media reported. Gilles Platret, the mayor of Chalon-sur-Saone, wrote on his Facebook: The police forces launched a vast search operation of an individual who this morning committed two assaults on Chalonnais, wounding them with a hammer, which explains why a helicopter of the gendarmerie is currently turning over our town. Earlier Friday, a knife-wielding assailant tried to attack a soldier in a large Paris subway interchange. The assailant was quickly arrested and no one was injured. The Paris prosecutors office said counterterrorism investigators have opened a probe into the incident at the Chatelet station in central Paris, based on a preliminary examination of the attackers background and the method and target of the attack. The knife-wielding assailant tried to attack a soldier who was with a special military force assigned to protect prominent sites following deadly Islamic extremist attacks. The attacker was quickly arrested and no one was hurt. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A knife-wielding assailant who attacked a soldier at a major subway location in Paris early Friday was quickly arrested, police said. No injuries were reported. "The man was arrested," Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told Europe 1 radio following the attack, Reuters reported. The suspect apparently shouted references to the Islamic State group while attacking the soldier, Reuters reported, citing French media. The soldier was a member of Operation Sentinel, a task force assigned to protect prominent sites in the region following a recent surge in Islamic extremist attacks. He wrestled the suspect to the ground, the Reuters report said. The incident took place in central Paris at the Chatelet station, a major hub for subway and commuter train lines. Service has since resumed. Friday's attack came one day after the government announced changes to the task force, which has been targeted in the past. It will shift greater focus toward temporary and seasonal events, but patrols around major tourist sites, places of worship, train stations and airports will still remain. In response to bombing raids by the French in Syria and Iraq targeting the Islamic State, France has become a target encouraged by the militant group. On Aug. 9 six soldiers in Levallois, outside Paris, were hurt when a driver deliberately rammed into them, authorities said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Jose, once a hurricane threatening the Caribbean, is now weakened to a post-tropical cyclone storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. Jose will "meander" off the southern coast of New England for a few days as it slowly travels to the west. Here's what you need to know. Where is Jose now? Jose is approximately 115 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Mass., the National Hurricane Centers 8 a.m. ET advisory said Friday. It has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. FLORIDA SEES LOOTING, BVI PRISONERS ESCAPE IN IRMA AFTERMATH Jose was downgraded to a tropical storm last week, earlier than initially expected by forecasters, but then became a Category 1 hurricane a day later. It has since been downgraded back to a tropical storm. What else should I know about the hurricane? Shortly after Irma ravaged the Caribbean, Jose formed, threatening already wrecked houses, businesses and shelters with a major loss of communication. Jose passed north of the Caribbean islands and Puerto Rico last week as a Category 4 hurricane, a situation, the Netherlands navy said, that was better than expected. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Block Island, R.I., as well as Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard, both in Massachusetts. The warning also applies to a stretch of the state going from Woods Hole to Sagmore Beach that includes Cape Cod, according to forecasters. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The state revenue package that narrowly passed the House Wednesday night uses roughly half the amount of special fund transfers as were listed in the GOPs original budget plan introduced last week. The change follows criticism throughout the week from state agencies and local governments, including sharp criticism over proposed withdrawals from the 911 Fund. The fiscal package that passed 103 to 91 Wednesday night House Bill 453 contains a number of changes from the original Republican plan rolled out last week as the Taxpayers Budget. Most notably, the final version pulls $625 million from special purpose funds to fill gaps in the general fund, according to the fiscal note from Wednesdays bill. This compares to the $1.26 billion in transfers proposed in the original plan. The change follows pushback over the GOPs pledge that the transfers represented long-standing surpluses within the funds, and would not impinge on the operations the special funds are intended to support. To the contrary, state agencies submitted that scraping from such funds belied a misunderstanding of how fund balances work and were, in one case, illegal. A letter sent Tuesday from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to House members stated that the planned $40 million transfer from the states 911 Fund was simply against state law. PEMA also flatly stated that the assumption that excess funds exist in the 911 Fund is false. As of Wednesday night, the $40 million transfer from the 911 fund is no longer in the GOPs revenue plan. The states 911 Fund, like most of the funds at issue in the budget debate, receives income from a state tax or fee source. This money is then put into a quasi-independent fund that is controlled by a designated agency or committee to finance a specific initiative. In the case of the 911 Fund, money is received from the $1.65 monthly per-device fee collected by communications carriers. A committee of PEMA executives, and county and municipal elected officials, appropriates the funds to assist with local 911 call system improvements. The PEMA letter was sent after the 911 Funds advisory committee discovered that the budget plan would have a direct impact on public safety as it was written. In their letter to the House, PEMA first noted that Act 12 of 2015, which creates the phone system funding, explicitly states that money in the fund shall be used only for reasonably necessary costs that enhance, operate or maintain a 911 system in this commonwealth in accordance with the statewide 911 plan established by the agency. Further, PEMA said the states local 911 agencies ran a collective deficit of $22.8 million last year spending that amount more on maintaining and upgrading their systems than what the state reimbursed. The fact that the 911 Fund shows a positive balance on its monthly treasurers reports does not indicate a pool of money that is simply sitting there to be used, PEMA said. Act 12 requires the majority of revenue collected in a quarter to be immediately distributed to local agencies based on a funding formula. A new pot of money is coming in as this allotment flows out, allowing the fund to maintain a positive balance on any given report, but they arent the same dollars month-to-month. The fact that local quarterly commitments arent shown as grant earmarks may give the false impression that excess cash exists, PEMA wrote, whereas in reality the fund is much more volatile. HB 453, as passed Wednesday night, appears to have reduced or eliminated several of the fund withdrawals originally proposed last week, including the 911 Fund item. PEMA spokeswoman Ruth Miller said Wednesday that the agency had received one legislative inquiry since the letter was sent. House GOP Appropriations Committee representatives did not return inquiries as of press time. The new revenue plan relies more heavily on gaming expansion and a transfer of tobacco settlement rights in order to meet the roughly $2.2 billion in additional funds needed to fill last years deficit and meet this years spending plan. The House has ticketed its plan as a more taxpayer-friendly option to meeting the states needs as opposed to the Senate revenue bill from July, which would create a severance tax on natural gas drillers as well as a gross receipts tax on energy consumers. The House and Senate will need to reconcile their plans as fast as possible, given that the states general fund is rapidly nearing the red because of the lack of a revenue bill. Gov. Tom Wolf, who has pushed for a stronger gas severance tax, has said the state will need to start delaying payments or limiting operations Friday in order to make ends meet. First responders reacted quickly to a terrorist incident on a packed London subway during Friday morning rush hour and their heroic actions aren't going unnoticed. The Metropolitan Police said they first received calls regarding the Parsons Green station attack at about 8:20 a.m. local time. The first ambulance was on scene in five minutes, the London Ambulance Service said in a statement. The London Fire Brigade said it arrived on scene in three minutes. Thoughts with those injured in Parsons Green terrorist incident, and thanks to police, ambulance staff and firefighters who are responding, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Twitter. Former Prime Minister David Cameron also praised first responders and thanked them for their swift response to the attack. My sincere gratitude goes to all our courageous emergency responders and the [Transport for London] staff who were first on the scene, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement. He added: What weve also seen today is heroic efforts by Transport for London staff, from Londoners, from paramedics, from the fire service, from the police service showing us at our very best." MANHUNT UNDERWAY FOR SUSPECTS IN PARSONS GREEN STATION ATTACK U.S. politicians also praised the first responders and offered their thoughts to those injured in the attack. We pray for those injured in todays terrorist attack in London and thank the brave first responders, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wrote: Thinking of our friends in London and thankful for first responders who quickly came to aid the injured. Im grateful that no one lost their lives, and thankful for first responders, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez said. Officers were also praised for their fantastic response to a terrorist attack on the London Bridge in June, The Guardian reported. As so often in such serious situations, the police responded with great courage and great speed. Armed offices from the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police arrived at Borough Market within moments and shot and killed the three suspects, Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement then. At least 22 people were injured Friday morning after a terrorist incident in a London subway station during rush hour. A homemade bomb exploded on the crowded subway in what police said was a terrorist attack Britains fifth this year. Most of the people injured had flash burns, police said. No deaths have been reported. Fridays attack isnt the first this year that occurred on a train. Read on for a look at other train attacks. St. Petersburg, Russia April 2017 A bomb was detonated between Sennaya Square and Technology Institute, two busy stations in the center of the Russian city, killing 14 people -- including the suicide bomber -- and injuring dozens of others, according to Sky News. Police said Akbardzhon Dzhalilov, 22, walked into the subway with a backpack that held the bomb on April 3. Dzhalilov was linked to radical Islamic terror groups by investigators. A second device was found at another station nearby and deactivated, Sky News reported. Several people were arrested for connection to terrorism following the attack. Madhya Pradesh, India March 2017 The first ISIS attack in India injured 10 passengers on a train in the central state of Madhya Pradesh on March 7. The blast occurred on the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train at the Jabri railway station, the Times of India reported. Brussels, Belgium March 2016 ISIS claimed credit for a series of bombs in Brussels that killed 32 people and injured more than 100. The bombs went off in the crowded airport and subway during rush hour in the Belgian capital on March 22. Two bombs went off in the Zaventem Airport and another was detonated at the metro station near the European Union headquarters and the mayors office. The group had originally planned to attack Paris as well, officers said. Minsk, Belarus April 2011 A bomb exploded April 11 in a packed metro station in Minsk during rush hour, killing 15 people. The bomb was reportedly detonated by a remote control from its spot under a bench on the Oktyabrskaya metro station, one of Minsks busiest, the BBC reported. The station is near many government buildings. Two young men were put to death in 2012 after being convicted of carrying out the attack. The European Union and human rights groups opposed the execution as they said the trial was flawed and the men were framed, according to The Guardian. Moscow, Russia March 2010 Female suicide bombers killed 38 people when they detonated explosives in two of Moscows busiest subway stations on March 29. The attack came during morning rush hour. The Lubyanka station is next to the Federal Security Services headquarters the organization that succeeded the KGB. The Moscow metro has often been targeted for bombing attacks, including two in 2004, two in 2000 and one in 1998. Bologoye, Russia November 2009 A high-speed train derailed after a bomb exploded on Nov. 27, killing 27 people and injuring 130. The Nevsky Express train was traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg. It derailed about 250 miles northwest of Moscow near the town of Bologoye. A Russian court jailed 10 people four for life in May 2012 for their involvement in the blast, according to the BBC. London, England July 2005 Four suicide bombers killed 52 people and injured hundreds more on July 7 when they detonated explosives in four different transportation locations. Three were detonated in underground train stations and one on a double decker bus. The underground bombs went off first, detonated just before 9 a.m. local time. The bomb detonated near the front of the train at Edgware Road killed six people; the bomb detonated near the front of the train near Aldgate killed seven people; the bomb detonated in the first car of the train at Russell Square killed 26 people. The bus attack happened about an hour after the train bombings, killing 13 when the bomb went off in Tavistock Square, in front of the headquarters of the British Medical Association. Madrid, Spain March 2004 Nearly 200 people were killed when 10 bombs went off in Madrid railway stations during morning rush hour. The 10 bombs exploded nearly simultaneously just before 8 a.m. local time on four trains, leaving 192 people dead and nearly 2,000 more injured. Several people blamed the attack on Spains involvement in the Iraq War, including the former head of Al Qaeda in Spain. The explosions happened just three days before Spains general election. A manhunt was underway for any suspects linked to the bucket bomb that detonated on a packed subway train during Friday morning rush hour, injuring at least 29 people. A source confirmed to Fox News that an ISIS affiliate took responsibility for the attack. Police quickly called the explosion on the District Line train at Parsons Green station a "terrorist incident." It was the fifth terrorist attack in Britain this year. Hours after the attack, officials in the United Kingdom raised the country's terrorism threat level to "critical" the highest possible threat which means another attack is expected shortly. Police said they have not arrested anyone in connection to the bombing, but hundreds of detectives were trying to hunt down the perpetrator or perpetrators. The Metropolitan Police force said police "are making fast-time inquiries to establish who was responsible and are working closely with the security services." Counterterrorism policing chief Mark Rowley said hundreds of detectives were scanning surveillance camera footage, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses. Scotland Yard said an improvised explosive device was used in the attack, and London's Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism unit was also investigating; however, police did not immediately provide any details on any suspects. The ambulance service said at least one of the injuries was thought to be serious or life-threatening and most of the injuries were flash burns. Passengers reported seeing people with burns to their faces and bodies after the "massive flash of flames" on the tube station. Peter Crowley, a passenger, told the BBC: "I heard a large bang from the doors on the other side of the tube train and this fireball came towards my heard and singed off all my hair I have got burn marks at the top of my head. Everyone just ran off the train, it was quite scary. "It was a really hot intense fireball above my head, I've just got red marks and burns to the top of my head. There were a lot of people a lot worse than me. Photos taken inside a District Line train showed a white plastic bucket inside a supermarket shopping bag with flames and what appear to be wires visible. Explosive experts told the Daily Mail that they were investigating the bucket and said if it exploded properly it could have killed dozens of people. The BBC reported that the homemade device contained a timer. Police advised people to avoid the area. Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement. "As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism." "My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and emergency services who are responding bravely to this terrorist incident," British Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted. Police said it was "too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command." The London Ambulance Service said it was called in at 8:20 a.m. local time and dispatched multiple resources to the scene, including a hazardous area response team. Our initial priority is to assess the level and nature of injuries, a statement read. President Trump tweeted about the attack, which he said was perpetrated by a "loser terrorist." "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Trump wrote. "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!" May said speculation about the incident was unhelpful following Trump's tweets. "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation," May said. London police have declined to comment on Trump's suggestion that it knew about the attacker. Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, who was on the train when the blast occurred, said he saw people injured after being trampled. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off, he said. Some people got pushed over and trampled on, I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews. Hall said he didn't believe anyone was injured by the actual device. "It was an absolutely packed, rush-hour District Line train from Wimbledon to Edgware Road. I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets, he told Sky News. Emma Stevie, a passenger on the train during the fire, told the BBC she became mixed in a human stampede. "I wedged myself in next to a railing, I put myself in the fetal position," she said. "There was a pregnant woman underneath me, and I was trying really hard not to crush her. "I saw a poor little boy with a smashed-in head and other injuries. It was horrible. "The injuries from the stampede seemed the worst. I'm outside now, there are women crying and people sitting on the floor." British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said people should "keep calm and go about their normal lives" following the incident, adding that it would be wrong to speculate. May said Britain's official threat level from terrorism remained at "severe," meaning an attack is highly likely, and has not been raised in the wake of the bombing. The London Underground itself has been targeted several times in the past, notably in July 2005, when suicide bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 people and themselves. Four more bombers tried a similar attack two weeks later, but their devices failed to detonate fully. Fox News' Allison Barrie, Catherine Herridge and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has introduced a Rabbit Plan that encourages people to start eating rabbits rather than keep them as pets in a bid to tackle the country's food shortages. Venezuela has been ravaged by an ongoing economic crisis spurred by the socialist policies of Maduro and his predecessor, the late former President Hugo Chavez. Low supplies of food and medicine are leaving millions of people starving and desperate for medical treatment. A study published earlier this year reported that roughly 75 percent of Venezuelans lost an average of 19 pounds in the last year due to food shortages, Fox News reported. Appearing on state television, Maduro suggested people should start eating rabbits as a less expensive alternative to other meat, the BBC reported. For animal protein, which is such an important issue, a 'rabbit plan' has been approved because rabbits also breed like rabbits, he said. The plan was devised as a fight back against an alleged economic war waged against the country by foreign governments, especially the U.S. and President Donald Trump, NPR reported. But the move to start consuming rabbits has run into a cultural problem, according to Freddy Bernal, Venezuelas minister of urban agriculture, who also appeared on the television program. After Maduro gave rabbits to 15 communities as a pilot program to feed the country, most people decided to keep the animals as pets. When he came back, to his surprise he found people had put little bows on their rabbits and were keeping them as pets, it was an early setback to Plan Rabbit, Bernal said, according to the BBC, noting that most people took them to bed. There is a cultural problem, because we have been taught that the rabbit is very nice. But seeing it from the point of view of the (economic) war, one rabbit arrives and in two months we have a rabbit of two and a half kilos, he added. Bernal also said the government needs to begin a campaign in the media so that the people understand that rabbits aren't pets but two and a half kilos of meat. The Rabbit Plan prompted stark condemnation from the opposition, which called the program a bad joke and said Maduro believes the people are stupid. As Hurricane Irma flooded the working-class neighborhoods behind Havana's seaside Malecon, a photographer for the Cuban Communist Party newspaper watched two men pulling broken furniture out of the calf-high water. Nearby four others sat on plastic chairs playing dominoes in the filthy water, which reached halfway up their legs to a makeshift wooden table balanced on their knees. Juvenal Balan snapped a photo and posted it online with a comment declaring it "incredible" that the four were playing while "others work together to mitigate the damage." Then, something unexpected happened. The photo went viral and ignited a furious and complicated debate about the state of Cuban society. Many on the island and in Cuba's sprawling international diaspora saw Sunday's scene as a textbook example of "social indiscipline," a commonly heard phrase in the country that's used to bemoan the flouting of prized civic values like cleanliness, politeness and helping one's neighbors. But for others the photo symbolized another, equally Cuban quality: good-humored resilience in the face of difficulty, even disaster. "What savages!" one woman wrote on Balan's Facebook page. "Throw them in jail," another said. A day later the platinum-selling Cuban reggaeton band Gente de Zona had an entirely different spin. The band posted Balan's photo on its official Facebook page, cropped to focus on the domino scene and not the men collecting trash, and declared: "Putting a good face on bad times." "The essence of the Cuban spirit is reflected in this photo!" the band or its social media manager wrote. The cropped image got more than 8,000 likes and drew a similar reception on dozens of other pages aimed at Cubans. In Italy, expatriate Cubans spent days arguing about the meaning of the image on an Italian-language chatroom. "Cubans on the island and in the diaspora are taking this image and reading all sorts of things into it about contemporary Cuban society," said Michael Bustamante, an assistant professor of Latin American history at Florida International University who tweeted about the photo this week. "Some are seeing a sign of social irresponsibility or a symptom of a crisis of morals. (Other) people are seeing the triumph of the Cuban spirit over incredible odds." There were similarly polarized reactions to other images this week of Cubans having fun amid the crisis: women laughing and apparently dancing in knee-high floodwaters, teenage boys diving from an overpass into a flooded tunnel converted into an ad-hoc pool. Writer Oscar Sanchez Serra addressed the sociopolitical implications in an essay in the Communist Party newspaper, Granma. "Our rich and infinite jokiness is one thing. Indiscipline and irresponsibility is another," he wrote. "We must reject the image that craziness and thoughtlessness are part of our nature. ... It is not a joke but rather fuel for mocking us that in the middle of a situation created by Irma's gigantic, devastating impact, in the middle of the Havana streets, submerged to their waists, four men were playing dominoes." Balan told The Associated Press that he was taken by the contrast of people working to clear floodwaters on Aguila Street, four blocks from the Malecon, and the domino players. "I'm seeing women with brooms, families trying to get trash out of the water. I see these men on the right trying to collect trash and unblock drains, I imagine," Balan said. "And there I see the people playing dominoes, an unusual case not because of the dominoes but because of the moment." If Balan had shown up a little earlier, he would have seen those same men working to unblock drains and clear trash, according to six neighbors interviewed by AP. "This was not any kind of indiscipline," said Angel Caballero, a 54-year-old construction worker who was playing dominoes but did not appear in the photo. "While some of us were working to try to get the water to go away so it would not rise more and run into our houses, others were taking turns playing." Irma's floodwaters have now receded and the debris has been collected, leaving water-stained walls as practically the only visual reminder of the storm's havoc in Havana. That, and pictures like Balan's. Eddy Dennis, a gray-haired 51-year-old parking attendant seen pulling furniture from the water, said what the image showed was neighborly cooperation and mutual effort in the face of Havana's worst flooding in years, if not decades. "It was something communal that all the neighbors were doing in the spirit of unity," Dennis said. "Those who got tired would sit down and play dominoes. We had spent the whole night on our feet, and it was a way to de-stress in the face of disaster." ______ Michael Weissenstein on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mweissenstein next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Somali refugee Asho Manangara Ibrahim has a dream. She wants to educate herself and her children in the United States. For 10 years she went through a rigorous process of interviews and screening and finally she was cleared to travel to the United States. But Ibrahim's hopes have been dashed. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. The court agreed to an administration request to block a lower court ruling that would have eased the ban on refugees and allowed up to 24,000 refugees to enter the country before the end of October. Ibrahim, a 30-year-old mother of four children, escaped war-torn Somalia in 2007 after three men forced their way into her house and assaulted her. She trekked for three days with her 2-year-old daughter to reach the sprawling Dadaab refugee camp in neighboring Kenya where she stayed for three years. She was relocated to Kakuma refugee camp where she learned that she could apply to be resettled in a third country. By the time she was cleared to travel to the U.S. on July 19, she had three other children from a second marriage. After years of patiently waiting to be resettled, the news that she may not be allowed into the U.S. because of the Trump administration restrictions has devastated her. "I feel shocked. I forget things now," she told The Associated Press last month through an interpreter. She and her three daughters and small son pass their days in a makeshift home of mud walls, sticks and battered sheets. The children sit on woven plastic rugs covering a cracked-earth floor amid the barest of possessions: plastic water jugs, metal basins, a simple stove. Ibrahim is one of about 500 people among the hundreds of thousands in Kenyan refugee camps who are ready for resettlement in the U.S. but are now stranded, said Jennifer Sime, senior vice president with the International Rescue Committee, an organization that helps resettlements. The fear and rhetoric that refugees are a security threat or terrorists looking to infiltrate the U.S. are unfounded, Sime said. "The probability of dying from an act of terrorism committed by a refugee is unbelievably low. Refugees have not perpetrated terrorist acts," she said. The chance of being murdered in a terrorist attack committed by a refugee is one in 3.64 billion a year, she added, citing 2016 figures from the Cato Institute. Globally about 45,000 refugees have been approved for resettlement in the U.S. and 2,000 are ready to board planes but this has been put on hold, Sime said. Many gave away their hard-earned belongings to start a new life, she said. Tuesday's court order was not the last word on the travel policy that President Donald Trump rolled out in January. The Supreme Court justices are scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 10 on the legality of the bans on refugees anywhere in the world and on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries. It's unclear, though, what will be left for the court to decide. The 90-day travel ban lapses in late September and the 120-day refugee ban will expire a month later. The Trump administration has yet to say whether it will seek to renew the bans, make them permanent or expand the travel ban to other countries. For now Ibrahim, like many in limbo, must wait to see if her American dream of education for her family will become a reality. The New York City attack is the latest in a series of recent terror strikes aimed at the West. Here is a timeline of recent terror attacks in Europe and the United States: Oct. 31, 2017: Truck rams into cyclists, pedestrians in New York City Sayfullo Saipov, 29, from Uzbekistan, allegedly drove a rented truck into a crowd of pedestrians and cyclists on a bike path near the World Trade Center in Manhattan. The attack killed 8 people and injured at least 12 others. New York City officials later confirmed the attack was carried out in the name of ISIS. Sept. 15, 2017: Terror on the tube At least 22 people were injured when an apparent bucket bomb exploded on a London subway, causing mass panic and flash burns. Aug. 17, 2017: Van ramming in Barcelona A van attack killed 14 people in Barcelona, while another person was stabbed to death by the attacker as he fled. Another attack in nearby Cambrils a day later left one dead. The attacks were claimed by ISIS. June 3, 2017: Van ramming and stabbing in London Seven people were killed and dozens were injured by three assailants who plowed through pedestrians on the London Bridge and stabbed revelers in Borough Market. May 22, 2017: Outside Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England Twenty-two people were killed and dozens more injured by a suicide bomber with apparent connections to an organized terror network. April 20, 2017: Champs Elysees attack in Paris An attacker got out of a car and fired an automatic weapon at a parked police van, killing the officer inside, before shooting at others standing on the nearby sidewalk, injuring two before he was shot and killed by police. The French president said the attack was terrorist in nature and promised utmost vigilance. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. April 7, 2017: Stockholm truck attack Five people were killed when a truck driven by a man drove into a pedestrian shopping street and department store in Swedens capital city, wounding over a dozen others. The 39-year-old man allegedly admitted to being a member of ISIS and told police that he had achieved what he set out to do. April 3, 2017: Saint Petersburg bombing A suicide bombing on the subway in Russias second largest city killed more than a dozen passengers and injured dozens more. March 22, 2017: Westminster Bridge attack Five people, including a London police officer who was stabbed and the perpetrator, were killed in a terror attack. More than 40 people were injured outside the Parliament building. British Prime Minister Theresa May said the act was sick and depraved. ISIS later claimed responsibility. Feb. 3, 2017: Louvre knife attack A machete-wielding man yelling Allahu Akbar attacked soldiers in a shopping mall near the Louvre in Paris. He was shot and wounded by soldiers. Dec. 19, 2016: Germany Christmas market A large truck plowed through a Christmas market in central Berlin, which killed 12 and injured 48 others. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and said the attacker was a soldier of the Islamic State through Amaq news agency. Nov. 28, 2016: Ohio State Abdul Razak Ali Artan, an Ohio State University student, ran his car into a group of students and slashed people with a butcher knife. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack and called Artan a soldier. Oct. 16, 2016: Hamburg, Germany There was a lone wolf knife attack in Hamburg, Germany, which claimed the life of one teenager. July 26, 2016: Normandy, France Two men took five people hostage during a Mass at a church in Normandy and murdered an elderly priest by stabbing him in the chest and slitting his throat. The hostages were freed later, and the two men were arrested. Then-President Francois Hollande said that the men carried out the attack in the name of ISIS. July 14, 2016: Nice, France Seventy-seven people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck drove through a crowd on Bastille Day. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. June 12, 2016: Orlando nightclub shooting Omar Mateen attacked an Orlando gay nightclub, killing 50 people. Mateen pledged allegiance to ISIS on a 911 call, in one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history, and the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11. ISIS later claimed responsibility for the attack March 22, 2016: Belgium attack There were two suicide bombings on March 22, 2016one at Brussels Airport and the other in the citys subway system. Combined, the attacks killed 32 people. The ISIS cell that claimed responsibility for the Brussels attack was also linked to those involved in the Nov. 13, 2015 terror attacks in Paris. Jan. 11, 2016: Marseille, France A teenager attacked a Jewish teacher in Marseille with a machete. He told police that he carried out the attack in the name of ISIS. Jan. 7, 2016: Philadelphia, Penn. A man shot and wounded a Philadelphia police officer. The man claimed the attack was in the name of Islam and ISIS. Dec. 2, 2015: San Bernardino shooting A married couple shot and killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism inspired by ISIS. Nov. 13, 2015: Paris attacks A series of coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris killed 130 people and injured hundreds more. The attacks consisted of mass shootings and suicide bombings. ISIS claimed responsibility. Aug. 21, 2015: Paris Three Americans were at the center of an attempted mass shooting. They helped to overpower a gunman who was armed with a Kalashnikov, and opened fire on a train from Amsterdam to Paris. The gunman was on the radar of European counterterrorism agencies and appeared to be sympathetic to ISIS. Feb. 15, 2015: Denmark A Denmark national who was inspired by ISIS went on a rampage through the nations capital, killing two and wounding five police officers. Jan. 7-9, 2015: Charlie Hebdo There was an attack on the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, and four attacks around Paris followed, killing 17 people. ISIS claimed responsibility. May 24, 2014: Jewish Museum shooting Four people were killed at the Jewish Museum in Brussels by an intruder with a Kalashnikov. The accused was a former French fighter linked to ISIS in Syria. May 22, 2013: Lee Rigby attack Two Al Qaeda-inspired extremists ran down British soldier Lee Rigby in a London street, then stabbed and hacked him to death. March 2012: France gunman A gunman claiming links to Al Qaeda killed three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three paratroopers in Toulouse, southern France. July 22, 2011: Teenager massacre Right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik planted a bomb in Oslo then launched a shooting massacre on a youth camp on Norways Utoya island, killing 77 people, many of them teenagers. Nov. 2, 2011: Charlie Hebdo firebombing The offices of Charlie Hebdo in Paris were firebombed after the satirical magazine ran a cover featuring a caricature of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. No one was injured. March 2, 2011: Germany shooting Islamic extremist Arid Uka shot dead two U.S. airmen and injured two others at Frankfurt airport after apparently being inspired by a fake internet video purporting to show American atrocities in Afghanistan. July 7, 2005: London subway and bus bombings Four Al Qaeda-inspired suicide bombers blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus, killing 52 commuters. March 11, 2004: Madrid train bombing Bombs on four Madrid commuter trains in the morning rush hour killed 191 people. The Associated Press contributed to this report. British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee in response to Friday's subway fire in London that police have called a terrorist incident. The blast occurred on a tube train at Parsons Green station. At least 22 people were being treated for injuries following the fire. Britain's official threat level for international terrorism stands at "severe," the second-highest rung on a five-point scale. So what does that mean? The threat levels in the UK listed below are designed to give a broad indication of the likelihood of a terrorist attack, according to MI5. ? LOW means an attack is unlikely. ? MODERATE means an attack is possible, but not likely ? SUBSTANTIAL means an attack is a strong possibility ? SEVERE means an attack is highly likely ? CRITICAL means an attack is expected imminently Threat levels from international terrorism in the UK are set by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Center, part of MI5, which works with U.S. military intelligence and the Defense Intelligence Agency. MI5 is responsible for setting the threat levels from Irish and other domestic terrorism. What changes with a critical threat level? With the increase of the threat level to critical, police have 3,800 more soldiers on call as well as additional equipment for as long as we need them, UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd told the BBC. POLICE INVESTIGATING NETWORK OF SUSPECTS IN MANCHESTER ATTACK, 4 IN CUSTODY In a statement announcing the change in threat levels, May announced that armed soldiers would replace police officers at key sites. Police presence will also be strengthened on patrol in additional areas. Military personnel are also expected to guard events such as concerts and sports, May said. In the coming days and weeks, there will of course be many events hosted up and down the country, May said. The police will work with the organizers and hosts of these events, to come to a judgment about how they can go ahead while making sure the people who attend them are safe and secure. MANCHESTER ATTACK SUSPECT VISITED SYRIA AND HAD 'PROVEN' TIES TO ISIS, FRENCH MINISTER SAYS We will take every measure available to us and provide every additional resource we can to the police and the security services as they work to protect the public, she added. How are threat levels determined? Several factors need to be taken into account before reaching a judgement on the appropriate threat level, according to MI5. ? Available intelligence: "Judgements about the threat will be based on a wide range of information, which is often fragmentary, including the level and nature of current terrorist activity, comparison with events in other countries and previous attacks. Intelligence is only ever likely to reveal part of the picture." ? Terrorist capability: "An examination of what is known about the capabilities of the terrorists in question and the method they may use based on previous attacks or from intelligence. This would also analyze the potential scale of the attack." ? Terrorist intentions: "Using intelligence and publicly available information to examine the overall aims of the terrorists and the ways they may achieve them including what sort of targets they would consider attacking." ? Timescale: "The threat level expresses the likelihood of an attack in the near term. We know from past incidents that some attacks take years to plan, while others are put together more quickly. In the absence of specific intelligence, a judgement will need to be made about how close an attack might be to fruition. Threat levels do not have any set expiry date, but are regularly subject to review in order to ensure that they remain current. Has the UK raised its terror level so high before? The last time the UKs threat level was raised to the highest bar was in June 2007 after authorities uncovered a plot to bomb a popular nightclub. It was also raised to critical for three days in August 2006 as the transatlantic airline plot was uncovered. VICTIMS IN MANCHESTER BLAST IDENTIFIED The international terror threat level scale was only made public in the UK in August 2006, according to the BBC. What is the response to a critical terror level? Specific threat levels do not actually require particular actions from the public, according to the MI5 website. Vigilance is vital regardless of the current national threat level, the website states. It is especially important given the current national threat. Sharing national threat levels with the general public keeps everyone informed. The website also encourages the public to utilize its Anti-Terrorist Hotline to provide tips and confidential information. ROBERT GATES: MANCHESTER ATTACK IS 'HARBINGER' OF MORE ATTACKS IN THE WEST I do not want the public to feel unduly alarmed, May said when announcing the threat level change. We have faced a serious terrorist threat in our country for many years." Fox News Catherine Herridge, Kaitlyn Schallhorn and Zoe Szathmary contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 A weakening Tropical Storm Max dumped rain over southern Mexico after slamming into a sparsely populated stretch of Pacific coast as a Category 1 hurricane. Near the resort city of Acapulco in Guerrero state, the government worked frantically to widen a channel to the sea to prevent a coastal lagoon from flooding. And Gov. Hector Astudillo warned that the rains would continue through the night, creating fears of flooding and landslides in Guerrero and Oaxaca states. The U.S. National Hurricane Center had earlier issued a hurricane warning for the coastline between Zihuatanejo and Punta Maldonado. The center said the rapidly weakening Max should become a tropical depression then dissipate by early Friday. Max had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (70 kph) and was located about 95 miles (150 kilometers) east of Acapulco Thursday night. It was heading toward the east at 7 mph (11 kph), the hurricane center reported. Acapulco, about 30 miles (60 kilometers) from where the hurricane made landfall, was hit by strong winds and rain that blew down some branches on the city's coastal boulevard. Also Thursday, Tropical Storm Norma formed farther out to the west in the Pacific and was expected to strengthen and head toward the resort-studded Baja California Peninsula. Norma was located about 360 miles (580 kilometers) south of the twin resorts of Los Cabos at the peninsula's southern tip. The storm had winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was moving north at 6 mph (9 kph). On that track Norma could be at hurricane strength near Los Cabos by Sunday or Monday. Los Cabos was hit by Tropical Storm Lidia in early September, causing at least five deaths. 3 , : 480 , The return of Virginias largest health insurance company to the individual market in 68 localities will give at least one coverage option to up to 70,000 people who had none for the coming year. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield filed revised plans on Friday at the State Corporation Commissions Bureau of Insurance in a move it made to ensure no bare counties or cities exist in Virginia because of the turmoil in insurance markets caused by political uncertainty in Washington over embattled health care reforms. The decision partly reverses the companys announcement on Aug. 11 that it would pull out of the individual market in Virginia, leaving up to 206,000 Virginians potentially without health insurance coverage in 2018. Coupled with decisions by other big insurers to withdraw entirely or reduce coverage in Virginia, 58 localities were left entirely without individual insurance options and five more were only partly covered before Anthems decision on Friday for 68 localities, including Caroline, Orange and Westmoreland counties. Clearly, the greatest concern regarding the availability of individual health insurance plans for 2018 for all Virginians has been averted, in large part due to Virginias insurers having responded quickly and affirmatively to the bureaus calls to provide at least one option for individual coverage in every county and city in Virginia, Commissioner of Insurance Jacqueline K. Cunningham said Friday. However, Cunningham warned, Plan affordability remains a concern that will likely continue until factors contributing to the volatility in the health insurance market are resolved. The monthly premiums for the new plans will increase by 42 to 64 percent, according to the companys amended rate filing with the Bureau of Insurance. Those increases reflect higher medical costs and consumer use of services, as well as the expected return of a health insurance fee on Jan. 1. Before Anthem withdrew from the market, it had applied for premium increases ranging from 35 to 55 percent. Anthem will offer the same individual plans both on and off of the federally operated insurance marketplace in Virginia, although political uncertainty remains over the payment of federal subsidies to partly offset the out-of-pocket costs of low-income participants. Those uncertainties have prompted insurers to withdraw from the market in Virginia and across the country. Aetna and UnitedHealthcare were the first insurers to pull out in Virginia, but Anthems decision to pull out was the biggest blow. Earlier this month, Optima Health said it would remain in the market but only in areas served by Sentara Healthcare, its corporate parent. With its decision, 63 localities in Virginia would have been left without access to individual health insurance plans. However, Optima changed course earlier this week to restore coverage in five counties, including New Kent and an uncovered portion of Louisa, and the city of Franklin. That left 58 localities with no insurer offering individual plans. Anthems decision to return to the market ensures that all of those localities will have coverage. Anthem will also be available in 10 localities that previously had at least one option. It was a great danger for people in these localities to have no option for health care, so that is a relief, said Jill A. Hanken, health care attorney at the Virginia Poverty Law Center. However, President Donald Trumps administration this week announced a 54-percent cut in the payment to the centers Healthcare Navigator program to help consumers find affordable coverage for the coming year. The cut will force the center to make significant adjustments to our staff, Hanken said. Its going to be difficult to do everything we need to do during a very short enrollment period to help Virginia consumers. Anthem said it will remain focused on developments in the individual marketplace and will continue to advocate for solutions that will stabilize the market and allow us to once again offer individual insurance coverage throughout the state of Virginia in the future. Anthems decision set off a chain reaction of statements from elected officials aimed at the volatile politics of health care reforms after the failure of Trump and Republican majorities in Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, much less replace it. I am deeply grateful that Anthem has stepped forward to continue to serve Virginia in this time of federal uncertainty, said Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who blamed the president and congressional Republicans for actively working to undermine the Affordable Care Act to the detriment of states like Virginia. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, both Virginia Democrats, issued a statement on Friday that called Anthems decision welcome news for Virginians in rural communities, who have been hit particularly hard by health care uncertainty. Its time for the Trump administration to stop their efforts to sabotage and destabilize the markets, which resulted in fewer choices and higher premiums for 2018, the senators said. Speaker of the House of Delegates William J. Howell, RStafford, said several members of the Republican-controlled House of Delegates had worked closely with Anthem in recent days. This is a positive step, and we are grateful to Anthem for their continued service to our commonwealth, Howell said. He added: Unfortunately, this is a short-term solution to a long-term problem. The Affordable Care Act is collapsing, and Congress owes the American people a solution. Restoration work continues at the historic George Washington Carver School campus on U.S. 15 in Culpeper County as its alumni prepare for an open house Oct. 7. Culpeper County Environmental Services Director Paul Howard gave an update this week to the Board of Supervisors building and grounds committee about the ongoing renovation of the first floor of the circa 1948 school that educated the regions AfricanAmerican students during segregation. He said new air conditioning units had been installed in the future museum spacethe former librarybeing organized by school alumni. Substantial demolition is finished in various classrooms and offices in addition to fresh paint and interior ceiling work. All of the new light fixtures have arrived, Howard said, and new carpeting will be installed next week. The museum space will be ready for use at the open house on Oct. 7, the same date as the annual Culpeper Harvest Day Farm Tour. The committee continued to wrangle with what kind of exterior windows to put on the front of the brick building after receiving a low bid from Mikes Glass & Mirror for replacement of eight that have already been removed. The committee did not like the replacement windows being offered and Board Chairman Jack Frazier insisted that brand-name commercial built windows be considered. This is totally unacceptable to me, he said of the darkly-tinted windows with painted panes. Long-term, Frazier added, the county will likely replace all of the schools 50-some windows, saying the same types needed to be available five years from now. Its going to be a big investment, he said. We need to get it right. This isnt even close. Howard said that if the county opts to do away with the darker window tinting that sheers and blinds would be required, causing an extra expense. He indicated that he would check back with Mikes Glass on alternate windows or else rebid the project. The committee also heard an update from the George Washington Carver Agriculture Research Center about its ongoing efforts to establish a presence in the school, including a commercial grade kitchen. The representative said the center would present a business plan next month and is submitting paperwork to become a registered nonprofit group. The Research Center is still offering its Stone Soup job skills training program in conjunction with the Extension Office and will hold a class in October at Culpeper Baptist Church. The center is also an official stop on this years farm tour. The agricultural side of the campus, which is surrounded by farmland, and the black history aspect will meet on Oct. 7 when alumni present a new exhibit, Reason for Being: the Origins of George Washington Carver Regional High School. The fourth display developed by curator Terry Miller will explore how the schools name was first proposed and starting teachers salaries. The alumni associations Friends & Family Day event will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. as part of the farm tour. The University of Mary Washington plans to renovate Willard Hall, the residence hall that has been uninhabitable since July due to a ruptured steam tunnel under the building, at a cost of $24.5 million or $360 per square foot. UMW staff proposed funding the renovations through the sale of pooled bonds to the Virginia College Building Authority. John Wiltenmuth, associate vice president for facilities services, presented information about the Willard renovation to the UMW Board of Visitors on Thursday. On Friday, the BOV approved a resolution to participate in the bond program and another resolution stating the universitys ability to reimburse itself for expenses incurred for the project prior to the availability of bond proceeds. This is an important endeavor that were embarking on, BOV Rector Fred Rankin said. It scares us a little bit. Willard is the original dormitory on the UMW campus. It was completed in 1911 and was last renovated in the 1970s at a cost of $1.72 million. It was on a list of residence halls in need of renovation, but the project has moved to the top. Willard Hall has selected itself now [for renovation], Wiltenmuth said. It will be on an accelerated design and construction timeline. Construction is slated to begin in June, after a design and bid process, and is estimated to be completed in August of 2019. The project will include replacement of a standing seam metal roof, installation of an elevator and other accessibility improvements, and replacement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire suppression systems. In recent years, Willard has housed 88 upperclassmen in single dorms, but after the renovation, it will house 162 students in double rooms. Students who were to live in Willard this fall were relocated to Virginia and Bushnell Halls. No students were in the building when the steam tunnel ruptured, an accident that went unnoticed for about a month until condensation pooled in the foundation, causing floors on the first level to buckle. Wiltenmuth said the historic status of Willard will be a cost accelerator. We anticipate the Department of Historic Resources will have requirements, he said. They will expect us to have a high degree of respect for the historic factor. Its a challenge, is what it is. Virginia Hall, a twin of Willard built in 1915, is next on the list for renovation. Time is of the essence to get to Virginia as soon as possible, UMW President Troy Paino said. University of Mary Washington President Troy Paino presented his priorities for the 2017-18 academic year to the board of visitors on Thursday during the first day of its two-day September meeting. Chief among these is creating a diverse and inclusive community as an essential requirement for academic excellence. Paino said that he has created a committee on wellness which is up and running. It will center on not just the health of our students but our faculty as well, he said. In the wake of the violent events in Charlottesville last month, Paino assured the board that UMW is prepared for the case of a similar event occurring on its campus. We are working hard to make sure students know what resources are available to them should they feel unsafe, he said. He said that the administration will continually review its policies to ensure a safe campus while also promoting free speech. Paino also said UMW supports its eight known students who are registered for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival program. We want these students to finish their education here, he said. In a statement on DACA issued Sep. 6, he said UMW will work with the Virginia Attorney Generals Office to help these students remain and complete their studies at the university. We encourage Virginias Congressional delegation to work to enable an alternative solution to DACA with its protections of our students and their families, Paino said in the statement. Painos priorities also call for promoting service and social justice among the campus community. UMW welcomes peaceful, student-led community action events on campus, he said. Other priorities Paino identified for this year are developing understandable indicators to monitor the financial health of the university, ensuring transparency with the board, promoting financial sustainability, efficiency, stewardship, effectiveness and accountability, developing plans to address renovation needs and making progress on raising faculty and staff salaries to market targets. The board voted unanimously to approve the presidential priorities. It takes a lot of maneuvering to lift baby Juliana out of her pink bassinet. Tubes and cords connect the 7-month-old to four separate machines in her Lake Caroline homean oxygen concentrator and a ventilator that help her breathe, an IV that delivers a continuous drip of Similac to her stomach via gastronomy tube, and a pulse monitor. All of these must be carefully moved out of the way without being dislodged when Julianas mom, Jamie Bryant, wants to cuddle her daughter. Bryant delicately lifts the baby and cradles her in her arms. Juliana doesnt make a soundshe cant, because of the tracheostomy tube in her windpipebut her mouth opens wide showing red toothless gums and her eyes scrunch up. Shes crying, silently. Its OK, mommys holding you, Julianas dad, Felix Johnson, a personal trainer and massage therapist at the Caroline Family YMCA, says to the girl. She doesnt like to move, Bryant said. Her voice trembles slightly. She settles the baby back into her bassinet and strokes her foot. Julianas face relaxes. She regards her parents calmly through dark eyes framed by black curling lashes. I think thats the hardest part, that being held makes her uncomfortable, Bryant says. I was watching my sister with my little nephew and she can just scoop him up whenever she wants. When Juliana was born Jan. 25 at VCU Medical Center, doctors gave her a 50 percent chance of survival. Her most serious issue was a congenital diaphragmatic herniaa condition that occurs when the diaphragm muscle separating the chest from the abdomen fails to close during prenatal development and the stomach, intestines and liver migrate from the stomach into the chest cavity. It affects development of the heart and lungs. Julianas heart was on the right side of her chest, instead of the left, Johnson said. Her intestines, liver and spleen were in her chest. Her stomach was empty. At 8 days old, Juliana had surgery to correct the CDH. It was the first of four surgeries shes had in the first few months of her life. Following that was a procedure that tied off a portion of her stomach to keep her from aspirating food into her lungs. Then, at 3 and 1/2 months, doctors determined that she was not getting enough oxygen so they performed a tracheostomy to support her airway. Juliana had a hard time recovering from this surgery. She [went into cardiopulmonary arrest] during recovery from that several times, Johnson said. Her blood oxygen levels went to one; nurses said they had never seen readings so low. They decided to paralyze her because she was not tolerating being awake. Juliana was on a fentanyl drip for pain and it was a week and a half before she was able to wake up comfortably. Her fourth surgery, at just under 4 months old, was to insert a shunt to drain excess fluid that was accumulating around her brain. And on Friday, shell undergo open-heart surgery at the University of Virginia Medical Center to attempt to correct the congenital heart defects she was born witha large hole in the center of her heart and a condition in which her pulmonary artery and aorta are both connected to the right ventricle. This means that only oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle is being circulated throughout Julianas body. Its why she has to be on a respirator 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Johnson and Bryant hope that shell be able to come off the breathing support after this upcoming surgery. Fixing her heart should allow her lungs to get better, Johnson said. A RARE DISORDER The source of all Julianas medical issues is a rare genetic disorder called Emanuel syndrome, which is caused by an extra chromosome consisting of a piece of chromosome 11 and a piece of chromosome 22. The extra genetic material disrupts normal development. There are only 200 documented cases in the world. When doctors came out to tell us what it was, they had information they had printed out from Google, Bryant said. Most kids with Emanuel Syndrome never walk or talk. According to the National Institutes of Healths Genetics Home Reference website, most affected individuals have severe to profound intellectual disability. Babies with the disorder are normally automatically miscarried. My body didnt catch the memo, Bryant said. But thats OK, she continued, leaning over Julianas bassinet. Youre perfect in our eyes. Bryants pregnancy was normal, at least according to her obstetrician, until she hit 35 weeks. Thats when she developed a high fever and decided to go to the emergency room at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center. They checked me out and then checked out the baby, Bryant remembered. When they started looking for her heart, they couldnt find it. She was referred to a specialized ultrasonographer. After that, it seemed like they found something new and worse each week. There was the heart defect, the brain defect [a cyst in her brain], the CDH, Johnson said. With all of these issues, they were pretty sure she had a chromosome abnormality but they couldnt tell until they could test her umbilical cord after birth. Bryant said she had a gut feeling that something was wrong with her baby from early on in the pregnancy. Shed had two other daughtersJacelyn, who goes by Jacey, is 5, and Jaylin is 9so she knew what things should feel like. There were little signs, she said. My amniotic fluid was higher than normal, but they just kind of brushed it off. And when Id feel her move, it was like she was having little seizures. Johnson and Bryant visited with palliative care before Juliana was born to talk about what route they would like to take. We decided that as long as she was not suffering, well let her decide what she wants to do, Johnson said. ONE ISSUE AT A TIME Immediately after Juliana was born, a breathing tube was placed down her throat, to prevent her from taking her first breath and collapsing her lungs, Johnson said. She went straight to the NICU. But once there, her parents could tell she was going to be their warrior princess. There were four babies in the NICU with CDH, Bryant said. Which nurses said was crazy for them. Juliana was the only one who didnt have to go on the ECMO (a heartlung bypass machine). We knew she was a fighter. They decided their philosophy would be to just deal with one issue at a time. Juliana spent almost six months in the hospital until she was finally discharged July 17. Then she went right back to the hospital eight hours later. She came home again Aug. 3. Bryant and Johnson care for her with the help of a nurse, Sherry Markham, who is with them 50 hours a week. Bryant used to work for a property management company before she was pregnant, but after she developed complications and had to start taking time off, the company told her they couldnt hold the job for her. Now, she stays home and plans to homeschool the couples older daughters to minimize the risk of Juliana being exposed to germs. Weve had to cut back on friends and family visiting, too, she said. Neither parent gets more than a few hours of consecutive sleep a night, as Juliana needs regular doses of medicinetwo kinds of diuretics to prevent fluid from building up around her heart and lungs, and potassiumand her ventilator tube collects fluid and needs to be suctioned every few hours. The beeps never stopever, Bryant said. Theyre hopeful about Julianas condition, though. They feel optimistic that the heart surgery will make breathing easier for her so that she can come off the ventilator. Hip dysplasia makes walking difficult for many Emanuel kids, but Julianas hips are fine, so she could possibly walk one day. The family spends time sitting and talking to her or reading to her. She smiles, kicks and wriggles just like any other baby. She has soft baby rolls on her arms and legs and is already wearing 12-month-size clothes. And everyone comments on her long, dark, curling eyelashes, Bryant said. She has a skin tag on one ear, a small abnormality associated with Emanuel syndrome. Bryant said doctors mentioned they would be removing it during one of her surgeries. We said, Wait, what? Dont take that off. We like it. We like her just the way she is, she said. Modern medicine can work miracles. Stafford toddler Finn Blumenthal, who was born with multiple congenital heart defects, has survived his biggest and most complicated heart surgery yetthe one that will hopefully set up his heart to function through adulthood. In 14 surgeries, weve never heard good news, Finns mother, Kelly Blumenthal, said Thursday. This is the first time weve cried happy tears in the hospital. Theyre overflowing now. There are buckets of them. Finn Blumenthal has undergone multiple surgeries in his short two years of life. On Thursday, he went into Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia for his biggest procedure evera modified version of the Fontan procedure, which involves re-configuring his actual heart. Because of Finns complicated heart anatomy, he was not an ideal candidate for Fontan, so the Blumenthals were told the procedure would be modified for him and no one could foresee the outcome. But Kelly Blumenthal said everything went much better than she could possibly have imagined. They prepped us that it would take seven hours because there was so much stuff to do, she said. Certain repairs they would have to make were not normal with Fontan. The surgeon [Dr. Thomas Spray] said he expected his part to be two to three hours, at least. Blumenthal and her husband, Michael, were told when Spray went into the operating room. When someone came out to talk to them an hour later, they were expecting an update. We were worried that they had got in and found they werent able to do anything, Blumenthal said. But they were like, Oh, hes done. Then Dr. Spray came to talk to us and he said he got in and did everything he needed to do in 37 minutes. I cant believe he knew to the minute how long it took, she continued. Nurses call it the Spray wayhes so fast and effective. He has magic fingers. Hes a miracle worker. There is literally no way on earth this could have happened with any other doctor. The entire surgery took only four and a half hours. Finns recovery will be taken one day at a time, Blumenthal said, but he is already breathing on his own without a tube after the surgery. He is on morphine and Tylenol for pain as well as an anxiety medication to calm him. As of Thursday afternoon, he had woken up briefly a few times. He has opened his eyes and said, Milk, his mom said. Maybe Mommy also, but definitely milk. Blumenthal said Finn will probably be in the hospital for a while because no one wants to rush his recovery. And theres no guarantee that he wont need another heart surgery one day. But he has a future now, she said. The new leader of the AEGIS Training and Readiness Center at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren didnt have far to go to assume the new position. Capt. Dave Zook walked across the street of the King George County facility to the ATRC. He had served as deputy for the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center Detachment Dahlgren, where he delivered lessons learned from combat operations in the Red Sea. He also led the development and fielding of tools and tactical guidance, advanced ballistic missile defense capability training and naval integrated fire control employment. Zook took over from Capt. Pete Galluch during a change-of-command ceremony Wednesday. Capt. Frank X. Castellano, commanding officer for the Center for Surface Combat Systems, praised the work that Galluch had done and looked forward to the fresh ideas and enthusiasm Zook will bring to the surface combat systems community. Galluch said there were several places he could have assumed command in 2014, but the ATRC was really the only choice for me. ATRC is arguably the premier training facility in the Surface Force. It is directly connected to the fleet in the most critical ways. The center excelled during Galluchs tenure, Castellano said. He and his staff trained more than 2,400 Aegis fire controlmen, 1,700 future surface department heads and 500 prospective commanding and executive officer students. Galluch received his second Legion of Merit for many of the accomplishments at ATRC, according to a press release from the Center for Surface Combat Systems. In addition to advancements in initiatives, he and his supply team tracked thousands of AEGIS parts and returned items worth more than $53 million to the Navy Supply System. Later this month, Galluch will become branch head of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations N83 Fleet Readiness and Training. A skeet and trap shoot will be held at Lead Belt Gun Club off Old Bonne Terre Road in Desloge on Sept. 23 to benefit the Southeast Missouri Family Violence Council. Desloge police chief and gun club member James Bullock said the SEMO Family Violence Council reached out to them about holding a fundraiser to benefit the shelter. They run on donations and any little bit helps them get through the year, said Bullock. Its a great cause because they help women and children who are in abusive situations get out of them and on their own feet. Bullock said they will start registration at 9 a.m. that morning and the cost is $20 per shooter for two rounds of 50 targets altogether. They will need a minimum of 60 shells and they have to be a seven and half shot or smaller, 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauges are acceptable, said Bullock. We will be shooting two five stand rounds and there are 25 targets per round. Bullock added prizes will be awarded, but he doesnt know what they are at this time. We will also be raffling off a double tree stand, said Bullock. There will be donuts in the morning and hot dogs around lunch time. I am sure they will also have drinks of some kind. Bullock said he doesnt require pre-registration. Participants can register the day of the event, but the SEMO Family Violence Council is taking pre-registrations for the event. This event is open to the public, said Bullock. Without the publics help we couldnt raise the money we do when we have fundraisers. Anyone can come and shoot, its for a good cause. All the proceeds will go to the SEMO Family Violence Council. For more information or to pre-register contact the SEMO Family Violence Council at 573-358-3913 or Bullock at 573-431-1463. On Oct. 4, 2008, in a speech in Newport News, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama promised voters that if he was elected, he would lower their health care costs. Well start by reducing premiums by as much as $2,500 per family, Obama pledged. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which set up subsidized, state-based HealthCare.gov exchanges designed to both expand health insurance coverage and lower costs. But Obamacare, as the ACA has come to be known, hasnt quite worked out as planned. Seven years later, major insurers are pulling out of the exchanges, including several carriers in Virginia, and premiums are going up, not down. Anthem, the largest insurer in the commonwealth, recently joined UnitedHealthcare and Aetna in announcing that it would exit Virginias individual market due to increasing political uncertainty over government cost-sharing reduction payments and the associated financial risks. Optima Health will also scale back the number of counties in which it operates. About 350,000 Virginians statewide will be affected by these departures next year. In 2018, over 10,000 exchange enrollees in the Fredericksburg region will have little or no choice of insurers. People living in the city of Fredericksburg and Caroline, Culpeper, King George and Spotsylvania counties will likely be down to just one carrier next year. And to date, the 5,500 residents who currently buy individual insurance on the Stafford County exchange will have just two insurers to choose fromdown from five this yearwhen Open Season begins Nov. 1. Although insurance companies have until Sept. 27 to sign a contract to participate in the ACA exchanges next year, those that intend to do so were required to submit their proposed 2018 rates in July to the Virginia Bureau of Insurance, which must approve them. All five companies that are still planning to participate in Virginias ACA-compliant individual market next year are asking for an average premium rate increase of 30 percent. The proposed hikes range from an eye-popping maximum of 179.9 percent to a minimum of 1.7 percent. Although their premiums will be substantially higher next year, enrollees in the Fredericksburg region will at least be able to buy an individual policy on the exchange. Thats not the case for 70,356 people who live in 63 Virginia counties on the western edge of the commonwealth. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, people in these mostly rural areas may be able to purchase off-exchange individual policies, but will then have to pay even higher premiums because they wont qualify for government subsidies. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, a physician, warned in May that Obamacare is on the verge of collapse, buckling under the weight of its own toxic mix of mandates and regulations. ... Since Obamacare's central rules took effect, premiums for individual market plans have doubled. At the same time, insurance coverage rates have fallen far short of predictions. Only 12.2 million Americans currently participate in the exchanges. Thats half of the number expected to enroll when the ACA was passeda projection that included millions of young, healthy people who were needed to balance the risk pool. As a result, premiums and deductibles have skyrocketed while more and more insurers are scrambling to avoid future catastrophic losses by pulling out of the individual market altogether. When the federal government took over health care, which is one-sixth of the nations Gross Domestic Product, health care options were supposed to increase while costs decreased. Just the opposite has occurred. Yet here we are, heading into another Open Season with Obamacare imploding all around us, and all Congress can do is fiddle while it burns. Trump stood firm in his views after the events in Charlottesville, despite of the merciless criticism he received from the press, Democrats and even some Republicans. But it took about three weeks for his response to resonate. At the Boston Free Speech Rally on Aug. 20, police prevented conflict between the approximate 100 attendees and the 40,000 counter-protesters by keeping the two groups separated from each other. At the free speech rally in Berkeley, Calif., on Aug. 27, Antifa members clad in black with their faces covered were captured on video chasing or assaulting Trump supporters and organizers of the event. Various news outlets reported that even some counter-protesters stepped in to halt the violence or help the victims escape the area. These rallies showed that the violence in Charlottesville may have been prevented if the two sides had been kept physically apart from each other. The rallies, including the one in Charlottesville, also showed that although free speech organizers and counter-protesters may both have intentions to be peaceful, they may be infiltrated by extremists. Much of what we can learn from Charlottesville is just common sense. However, the most important lesson may be what we have learned about ourselves. Some of us have looked in the mirror and were not pleased with what we sawnaked hate. The problem with hate is that it distorts our ability to see things rationally. It shuts down debate. It overrides common sense. Hurricane Harvey taught us to set aside political pettiness and come together as a nation to pull through tragedy. Can we do the same in the aftermath of the Charlottesville tragedy? You tell me. Roman Marciniak, Jr. Spotsylvania 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. 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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 Dairy farmers say they will be forced to cease production of an award-winning cheese unless the UK and USA reach a deal on organic standards. Production of Kingdom cheddar will stop at the end of this year without a UKUSA equivalency agreement, says the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo). OMSCo became the first EU dairy business to qualify for USDA certified organic status in 2015, opening up the premium export market to its 265 organic UK milk producers. See also: What opportunity does Brexit offer UK dairy farmers? The cooperatives award-winning organic cheddar, Kingdom, is produced as a mature, distinctive heritage cheese and today is the only volume European organic cheese sold in the USA. But Brexit has put access to the US market under threat because the current agreement on organic standards is between the USA and the EU, rather than between the USA and the UK. When the UK leaves the EU in March 2019, the arrangement will no longer apply to UK organic farmers. OMSCo says it will be forced to stop cheese production unless a new equivalence agreement on organic standards is signed between the USA and the UK before the end of December 2017. Shelf life Thats because it takes more than a year to process, mature, pack and ship Kingdom cheese and ensure it has a suitable shelf-life period once it arrives in the USA. Trade in organic dairy products between the UK and the USA could reach 40m in the next 12 months if an equivalency deal is reached, according to an OMSCo report. OMSCo chairman Nicholas Saphir said the two-way trade was substantial and benefitted both countries and he believed there was a willingness on both sides to exchange new equivalency letters. But he warned: This is very valuable business for our farmers, and has been hard won we urge the government to move on this now, time is ticking on. We cannot take the risk of producing a niche market product that, given its 18-month production and distribution may not be able to be sold post-Brexit. Agricultural economist Sean Rickard, who wrote the OMSCo report, said: A break in the ability of UK organic producers to export to the USA would be extremely damaging, if not fatal. Significant changes One in four OMSCo farmers had made significant changes to their farming practices to meet the US organic standards, said Mr Rickard. These included changes in breeding and calf management, and a focus on improving immune systems and antibiotic usage, while maintaining the highest levels of animal welfare. Mr Rickard said: There has also been considerable capital investment aimed at capturing a slice of this valuable market. Farmers would have to decide whether to continue investing in a niche market, high-value product that they wouldnt be able export post-Brexit without an equivalency agreement in place. A statement from UK international trade secretary Liam Fox acknowledged there was a huge opportunity to sell high-quality UK organic products to key overseas markets, such as the USA. Mr Fox said: As an international economic department, were helping organisations like OMSCo to break down barriers to trade, provide continuity and avoid disruption to business post-Brexit. Dairy farmers are being urged to gear up for Brexit by ensuring their production system is competitive and best suited to their target market. See also: Step-by-step guide to avoiding losses at calving The levy board launched at strategy at this weeks UK Dairy Day event which suggests producers should identify the production system that will best enable them to compete and if necessary change their calving pattern. More than 80% of UK dairy farmers currently identify themselves as year-round calvers. Fewer than 20% of producers operate a block-calving system, where cows are calved within a 12-week window in either spring or autumn. Each system has merits and limitations. But AHDB Dairy market intelligence analyst Chris Gooderham says the 80:20 split raises the question whether each farmer deliberately decided which system is best for them or if the situation just evolved. We look at the pros and cons of block-calving and year-round calving. How block-calving can drive down costs The best block-calvers work to extremely high standards generating labour efficiencies and driving down costs in the process. All cows usually calve within a 12-week window in the spring or autumn before they get back in calf, peak in milk production and are then dried off together. Some farms may operate a looser system where the calving window is longer than 12 weeks. Higher costs are offset by higher yields and a better price due to seasonality. Spring block-calving herds can produce milk for 2.1-2.3p/litre less than an year-round-calving herd. The best autumn block-calving herds are just as competitive. For autumn block-calving the cost savings have been 1.1-1.3p/litre. Savings may be greater since milk profile analysis suggests the blocks are looser than a tight 12-week block-calving system. Seasonality payments mean typical autumn block-calvers achieve a slightly higher price from standard manufacturing contracts than year-round-calvers. Spring block-calving herds typically receive 1p/litre less than year-round-calving herds on manufacturing contracts. Both block-calving herds typically achieve lower prices than year-round-calving herds supplying the liquid market. Price variations differ significantly depending on milk contract. Producers operating block-calving systems report a significant lifestyle benefit by having a break at certain times of the year. Case study: David Christensen, Kingston Bagpuize, Oxfordshire Autumn block-calver David Christensen milks 600 cows at Kingston Hill Farm, Kingston Bagpuize, Oxfordshire. He says he switched to block calving for four key reasons. First it was about reducing our cost of production. I could never get as low as some of my colleagues who were block-calvers. It also allowed us to focus on key parts of the year: focusing on calving, focusing on fertility and then focusing purely on grazing. As well as seasonal management, other block calving benefits include overall labour savings, potentially higher margins and a break in the regime during the year. But limitations include the need to secure seasonal labour and a potentially lower milk price. Autumn block-calving really fits with our local climate namely a very hot, dry summer, says Mr Christensen. I like the fact that we are busy at some times of the year but also much quieter at other times of the year. That allows us to get some time off, relax and think a bit.. Year-round system can command premium price Farmers who operate year-round-calving systems can achieve production costs comparable with the best block-calving operators, says AHDB Dairy. But they should do so consciously rather than operating this system by default, or due to the challenges of managing a tight calving block. Farmers may choose year-round-calving based on mindset, management capability, limitation of physical assets or to satisfy a milk contract or market that is willing to pay a premium. But producers must be at the top of their game to reap the full benefits of the year-round-calving system. AHDBs milk price calculator shows a typical year-round-calving herd supplying the liquid market would achieve 1.5p/litre more than a spring block-calving herd. Against autumn block-calving herds, the year-round-calving milk price is only marginally higher. For manufacturing contracts, milk price differences are smaller, and autumn block-calving herds average slightly higher prices. Price variations differ depending on milk contract, so producers are advised to do their own sums accordingly. Year-round-calving can be more challenging because of the complexity of doing everything all of the time. More labour is typically needed, and fixed and variable feed costs are higher. A premium may be needed to justify these additional costs. Case study: Trevor Lloyd, Anglesey Anglesey farmer Trevor Lloyd operates an all-year-round calving system for his herd of 380 high yielding Holstein and Ayshires. The cows are housed 365 days a year and milked three times daily. The reason we run our system is because land is our limiting factor, explains Mr Lloyd. In order to scale the business and get it big enough, we have constantly expanded on a high-yielding route to get critical mass within the business. AHDB Dairy says the benefits of year-round calving include more consistent labour requirements, a reduced risk of farm capacity issues and a potentially higher price because milk supply can better match processor requirements. But these must be offset against potentially lower margins on some farms, says AHDB, so it wont be suitable for all businesses. Overall labour costs can sometimes be higher and, unlike block calving, there is no break in the regime. Even so, year-round calving works for Mr Lloyd. We enjoy working with high-yielding cows it motivates us to go to another level of efficiency that we otherwise wouldnt get to, he says. Five-year average production costs to 2015-16 (p/litre) Spring block-calving Autumn block-calving Year-round-calving Average performance 27.9 29.0 30.3 Top 25% 24.5 25.6 26.7 Source: Milkbench+and Promar International & partners Story Highlights 58% would back military action against North Korea if peaceful means fail Support is significantly higher than in prior measure, from 2003 Half still think situation can be resolved with sanctions and diplomacy WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As North Korea continues to launch test missiles and issue provocative threats against the U.S. and its allies in the region, a majority of Americans appear ready to support military action against that country, at least as a last resort. More specifically, 58% say they would favor taking military action against North Korea if economic and diplomatic efforts fail to achieve the United States' goals. This is significantly higher than the 47% in favor the last time Gallup asked this, in 2003. Americans' Support for Military Action Against North Korea If the United States does not accomplish its goals regarding North Korea with economic and diplomatic efforts, would you favor or oppose using military action against North Korea? Favor Oppose No opinion % % % Sep 6-10, 2017 U.S. adults 58 39 4 Republicans 82 16 3 Independents 56 40 4 Democrats 37 61 3 Jan 3-5, 2003 U.S. adults 47 48 5 Republicans 59 35 6 Independents 41 54 5 Democrats 41 54 5 Gallup U.S. attitudes about striking North Korea are partisan, as they were in 2003. Eighty-two percent of Republicans in the Sept. 6-10 Gallup poll say they would favor military action if peaceful means fail, compared with 37% of Democrats. The percentage of Democrats who favor military action has hardly changed since 2003: 37% now vs. 41% then. The major shift has been among Republicans, whose support for military action is up 23 percentage points, while independents' support is up 15 points. Gallup Analytics Subscribe to our online platform and access nearly a century of primary data. Learn more Longstanding tensions over North Korea's nuclear program came to the surface in 2002, when George W. Bush described North Korea as "a regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens." He also grouped it with Iran and Iraq as part of an "axis of evil" that was "arming to threaten the peace of the world." Later that year, North Korea revealed it had been maintaining a nuclear program in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and soon afterward, in January 2003, Gallup first measured Americans' views about how to handle the regime. At that time, 72% of Americans were optimistic that the situation involving North Korea could be resolved using only economic and diplomatic efforts. Far fewer today, 50%, believe nonmilitary pressure can work, while nearly as many, 45%, are skeptical. Americans Less Optimistic in 2017 Than in 2003 About Resolving Situation With North Korea Peacefully Do you think the situation involving North Korea can be successfully resolved using only economic and diplomatic efforts, or not? Yes, can be No, cannot No opinion % % % Sep 6-10, 2017 50 45 4 Jan 3-5, 2003 72 20 8 Gallup Notably, there is a strong relationship between Americans' views on the effectiveness of diplomacy and their support for taking military action against North Korea. Those who are skeptical of the value of diplomacy are more likely than those who believe diplomacy can work to say they would favor using military action if peaceful means fail -- 75% vs. 43%, respectively. Americans Still Think North Korea Is Bluffing Despite North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's fiery rhetoric in recent months about destroying the U.S. mainland, far less than half of Americans, 38%, consider it likely that North Korea will take military action against the U.S. in the next six months. This is up from 28% in the prior measure from 2013 but is still the distinct minority view. Americans Still Doubt Military Attack on U.S. by North Korea Is Imminent From what you know or have read, do you think it is likely or not likely that North Korea will take military action to attack the United States in the next six months? Likely Not likely No opinion % % % Sep 6-10, 2017 38 59 3 Apr 2-3, 2013 ^ 28 58 14 ^ Asked of a half sample; Asked on Gallup Daily tracking survey Gallup Regardless, news about North Korea's recent testing of missiles and nuclear weapons has certainly caught Americans' attention. The 83% saying they have been following the story very or somewhat closely is among the highest for any major news story Gallup has measured, ranking 15th out of more than 200 stories rated since 1991. Bottom Line In a change from 2003, a majority of U.S. adults say they would favor military action against North Korea to achieve the United States' goals if peaceful means fail. A sharp increase in support among Republicans -- possibly mirroring President Donald Trump's promise to respond with "fire and fury" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's threats -- explains much of this. Since 2003, Americans have also become less optimistic that economic and diplomatic pressure can resolve the situation, but half still believe this. Thus, while Americans are willing to support military action as a last resort, they evidently don't believe the situation has reached that point. However, this could be the linchpin in Americans' attitudes about the region. If Americans come to believe that sanctions and diplomacy are futile, support for pre-emptive military action could rise. A Pinch of Salt: The election is over, I think, so what now? 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. More than 12,000 runners : Record participation for corporate fun run Bonn The weather did not hold them back: Despite rain and wind, more than 12,000 runners took part in the eleventh Bonn Corporate Run. They collected nearly 19,000 euros in donations. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken My feet are swimming," concluded a female runner on the way to the car. Her path through the Rheinaue at the eleventh Bonn Corporate Run had led her through puddles and muddy spots, the weather showing no mercy for the participants. Defiantly, they slogged through the 5.5 kilometers distance to the finish. "This is a nice event," said Stefan. "You cant be scared away by the weather." He was one of the first to cross the finish line, along with Jens and other co-workers from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety. Jens watch showed 23 minutes and 51 seconds for the race, a good time. It took roughly that same amount of time again until the last participant crossed the finish line. According to organizer Burkhard Weis of Weis Events in Konigswinter, 11,993 people had registered in advance for the event, and an extra 47 joined in on the day. More than 450 companies from Bonn and the surrounding area were represented in the run. Weis was pleased with the participation, "This is about 900 people more than last year," he concluded. The number of participants has steadily increased over the years. "Because this is a run where times are not measured." Everyone can join in. That team-feeling We like the team spirit, said Marcel Jesko of The British Shop. He had joined a large group of 33 employees. We are joining in for the first time because we wanted to take on the challenge. Runners had to travel a long distance to get to their venue this year. Preparations for the UN Climate Conference means the area where they would normally run was fenced off for the construction of facilities. Weis said the ground was not very solid along the new path. It got rather muddy quite quickly. There was also no electricity or sewage infrastructure but they made do to make the run possible. 18,900 euros in donations Many participants donated money to CARE Germany and the Mukoviszidose e.V. For each participant, Weis donated one euro extra. A total of 18,900 euros was collected this year, Agfa employees alone donated 1,100 euros and received a trophy for their efforts. Buhari Tells Oby Ezekwesili "Rise Above Your Pettiness" After She Claim He Wants To Kill All Igbos bayonel3 at 15-09-2017 11:25 AM (5 years ago) (m) Reacting to a tweet yesterday by BBOG convener, Oby Ezekwesili who told the Nigerian Government to stop the alienation of the Igbos, due to the restiveness of a few of them such as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nigerias Presidency has told the former Minister of Education to rise above pettiness. The statement released by the Presidency by Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, reads; The presidency has advised the Co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirlsGroup, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, to demonstrate a great sense of responsibility in the face of national security challenges posed by the IPOB incendiary propaganda designed to cause civil unrest in the country. Reacting to a tweet yesterday by BBOG convener, Oby Ezekwesili who told the Nigerian Government to stop the alienation of the Igbos, due to the restiveness of a few of them such as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nigerias Presidency has told the former Minister of Education to rise above pettiness. The statement released by the Presidency by Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, reads;The presidency has advised the Co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirlsGroup, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, to demonstrate a great sense of responsibility in the face of national security challenges posed by the IPOB incendiary propaganda designed to cause civil unrest in the country. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said a prominent influencer like Dr. Oby has a moral and patriotic duty not to give ammunition to any violent group that seems determined to pursue its separatist agitation through reckless and destructive methods. He explained that, while it is convenient for the civil society activist to condemn the military and the government of President Buhari, Mrs Ekekwesili didnt find it appropriate, even once, to criticise the dangerous and violent propaganda being propagated by the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Oby, as they call her, tweets on everything. Why was she silent on this one? According to him, the attacks on soldiers and policemen by IPOB supporters was most irresponsible, indefensible and reckless and that nobody in her position should elevate mobs to the status of rock stars for the sake of playing to the gallery. The presidential media aide said while the military are taking all precautions to observe the rules of engagement, there is a deliberate sinister agenda by IPOB to provoke the soldiers into killing innocent people in retaliation so that Nnamdi Kanu would use the pictures of the victims for international propaganda by the accusing the government of ethnic cleansing against the Igbos with the sole purpose of gaining sympathy. A president who has put put the nations cash cows, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Petroleum in the hands of the Igbo; who has given four out of five states in the subregion senior cabinet posts in his administration, including Foreign Affairs; and Industry, Trade and Investment, and is constructing the Second Niger bridge after years of deceit and false starts cannot be called a hater of the Igbo. The statement warned that the politicization of the ongoing military exercise in the subregion, itself in line with similar exercises in the five other geopolitical regions is inimical to the military readiness of the armed forces and the much-desired improved civilian-military relations in the country. Malam Garba Shehu also wondered why Mrs. Ezekwesili retreated to the background or lost her voice while IPOB supporters were violently molesting, harassing, attacking and jeopardizing the lives of indigenes and non-indigenes. He challenged Mrs. Ezekwesili to explain to Nigerians where the constitution of Nigeria, and international human rights law support the killing and molestation of innocent people in the name of advocacy for self determination. According to him, her hypocritical and timid silence while Kanus IPOB supporters were engaged in lawlessness and recklessness in violation of his bail conditions is a burden on her credibility as a national crusader who should be courageous to condemn criminality. This art of using a raincoat while taking a bath is nothing short of self deceit. He reminded her that if the Buhari administration could take tough action against the extremist religious groups in the northern parts of the country to preserve national security, it is ridiculous to accuse the President of sending soldiers to the Southeast because he hates the Igbos. The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari respects all citizens and will ensure that they are safe and secure wherever they reside. Shehu advised her to rise above pettiness and sentiments, and to resist the temptation to play to the gallery, when the countrys national security is under threat, adding that seeking to make political capital out of a chaotic situation is highly unbecoming of her and of the reputation she has worked hard to build over the years. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said a prominent influencer like Dr. Oby has a moral and patriotic duty not to give ammunition to any violent group that seems determined to pursue its separatist agitation through reckless and destructive methods.He explained that, while it is convenient for the civil society activist to condemn the military and the government of President Buhari, Mrs Ekekwesili didnt find it appropriate, even once, to criticise the dangerous and violent propaganda being propagated by the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Oby, as they call her, tweets on everything. Why was she silent on this one?According to him, the attacks on soldiers and policemen by IPOB supporters was most irresponsible, indefensible and reckless and that nobody in her position should elevate mobs to the status of rock stars for the sake of playing to the gallery.The presidential media aide said while the military are taking all precautions to observe the rules of engagement, there is a deliberate sinister agenda by IPOB to provoke the soldiers into killing innocent people in retaliation so that Nnamdi Kanu would use the pictures of the victims for international propaganda by the accusing the government of ethnic cleansing against the Igbos with the sole purpose of gaining sympathy.The statement warned that the politicization of the ongoing military exercise in the subregion, itself in line with similar exercises in the five other geopolitical regions is inimical to the military readiness of the armed forces and the much-desired improved civilian-military relations in the country.Malam Garba Shehu also wondered why Mrs. Ezekwesili retreated to the background or lost her voice while IPOB supporters were violently molesting, harassing, attacking and jeopardizing the lives of indigenes and non-indigenes.He challenged Mrs. Ezekwesili to explain to Nigerians where the constitution of Nigeria, and international human rights law support the killing and molestation of innocent people in the name of advocacy for self determination.According to him, her hypocritical and timid silence while Kanus IPOB supporters were engaged in lawlessness and recklessness in violation of his bail conditions is a burden on her credibility as a national crusader who should be courageous to condemn criminality. This art of using a raincoat while taking a bath is nothing short of self deceit.He reminded her that if the Buhari administration could take tough action against the extremist religious groups in the northern parts of the country to preserve national security, it is ridiculous to accuse the President of sending soldiers to the Southeast because he hates the Igbos. The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari respects all citizens and will ensure that they are safe and secure wherever they reside.Shehu advised her to rise above pettiness and sentiments, and to resist the temptation to play to the gallery, when the countrys national security is under threat, adding that seeking to make political capital out of a chaotic situation is highly unbecoming of her and of the reputation she has worked hard to build over the years. Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. [email protected] Posted: at 15-09-2017 11:25 AM (5 years ago) | Hero OkeEyitayo at 15-09-2017 11:28 AM (5 years ago) (m) Don't split Nigeria Posted: at 15-09-2017 11:28 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Don't split Nigeria Reply OkeEyitayo at 15-09-2017 11:29 AM (5 years ago) (m) Don't split Nigeria Posted: at 15-09-2017 11:29 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Don't split Nigeria Reply ngfineface at 15-09-2017 11:30 AM (5 years ago) (f) Real pettiness all because she was not given any appointment. Posted: at 15-09-2017 11:30 AM (5 years ago) | Hero Real pettiness all because she was not given any appointment. Reply ruthie at 15-09-2017 12:53 PM (5 years ago) (f) Oby Ezek..please stop heating the policy with your inflammatory comments....Why cant you caution IPOBS? yet you seat down in the comfort of your house and talk rubbish.... Posted: at 15-09-2017 12:53 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Oby Ezek..please stop heating the policy with your inflammatory comments....Why cant you caution IPOBS? yet you seat down in the comfort of your house and talk rubbish.... Reply alao333 at 15-09-2017 01:41 PM (5 years ago) (m) Pls madam u have lost voice for chibok girls, go home Posted: at 15-09-2017 01:41 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Pls madam u have lost voice for chibok girls, go home Reply Floyd29 at 15-09-2017 02:13 PM (5 years ago) (f) She did not make any thing out of chibok girls, that's why. Posted: at 15-09-2017 02:13 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac She did not make any thing out of chibok girls, that's why. Reply Ladyhap at 15-09-2017 02:37 PM (5 years ago) (f) Pls what is she talking about? I can't see anything but an angry scary face Posted: at 15-09-2017 02:37 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Pls what is she talking about? I can'tsee anything but an angry scary face Reply dareper at 15-09-2017 03:31 PM (5 years ago) (m) what the woman is saying is the truth. u know truth is bitter. Posted: at 15-09-2017 03:31 PM (5 years ago) | Hero what the woman is saying is the truth. u know truth is bitter. Reply CHRISETTE at 15-09-2017 03:38 PM (5 years ago) (f) Only senseless people won't speak about what is happening there the way the matter is being handle by both side is totally wrong Posted: at 15-09-2017 03:38 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Only senseless people won't speak about what is happening there the way the matter is being handle by both side is totally wrong Reply gogoman at 15-09-2017 04:27 PM (5 years ago) (m) SILLY WOMAN, GO TO KITCHEN Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:27 PM (5 years ago) | Grande Master SILLY WOMAN, GO TO KITCHEN Reply tegonwa at 15-09-2017 04:37 PM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: gogoman on 15-09-2017 04:27 PM SILLY WOMAN, GO TO KITCHEN Hmm Still This Kitchen And Za Oza Room Mentality.Nawaa O! Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:37 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Hmm Still This Kitchen And Za Oza Room Mentality.Nawaa O! Reply CHRISETTE at 15-09-2017 04:38 PM (5 years ago) (f) Words from an egocentric man Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:38 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Words from an egocentric man Reply tegonwa at 15-09-2017 04:39 PM (5 years ago) (m) The Truth Hurts.President Buhari Please Take Correction.Nawaa O! Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:39 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac The Truth Hurts.President Buhari Please Take Correction.Nawaa O! Reply Simms at 15-09-2017 04:42 PM (5 years ago) (m) Buhari, I condemn all criminality especially yours. It is good we have sister in Oby ready to speak against injustice from a psychopath like you. Military assets belong to every citizen of that nation. Military assets are acquired to defend the nation and her people. Any head of state, leader or president eager to use nation military assets to kill innocent and defenceless youths is a psychopath and should be held into account by the UN. There was no war in Nigeria. Ndigbo didn't take up arms to fight Nigeria. Buhari Sir, you have children. Imagine guns being pointed to your child whose crime is only to pick up rock to fight with. You sent men in uniform to murder a 20 yr old boy in cold blood only because he is holding Biafran scarf. Where in Africa had such evil ever happened. Not even in South Africa apartheid era. You are an evil man with blood of the innocents in your hands. I wonder what evil you committed in your youth that can let go of you. If someone doesn't want to dance with you just go and find another person to dance with. You did not create Nigeria. Nigeria was organised by the Europeans to aid their interests. You have cluster of people who do not have any single thing in common in one broken closet and one person says I am suffocating in here - need to breath and your answer is no - we will live and die in here. What type of human being are you. I don't want to be part of Nigeria. I don't want to be part of Nigerian people. It is my right to make such decision. Listen, how many times did you contest elections in Nigeria? How many times did you win? I remember you crying in the national press and to every ear that wanted to listen how you have been cheated by PDP. You felt really bad and delusional because there was no one to help. Did that make you stop contesting? What makes you thing we Biafrans will stop agitating. You are now the president of the zoo. One day, we will have our own nation. That is one thing I want you to mark. Biafra will exist as a nation. You can't kill us all. I don't recall anyone voting for you because of your economic foresight or enlightenment. They rigged elections for you because you are killer. Evil man. They brought you in to kill your brothers and sisters in the north. Those that brought you in couldn't do it themselves. Indeed, you haven't managed to achieve that and in order to placate yourself you turned your attentions to people that make your skin crawl - Ndigbo. Your worst nightmare has just begun. Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:42 PM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Buhari, I condemn all criminality especially yours. It is good we have sister in Oby ready to speak against injustice from a psychopath like you. Military assets belong to every citizen of that nation. Military assets are acquired to defend the nation and her people. Any head of state, leader or president eager to use nation military assets to kill innocent and defenceless youths is a psychopath and should be held into account by the UN. There was no war in Nigeria. Ndigbo didn't take up arms to fight Nigeria. Buhari Sir, you have children. Imagine guns being pointed to your child whose crime is only to pick up rock to fight with. You sent men in uniform to murder a 20 yr old boy in cold blood only because he is holding Biafran scarf. Where in Africa had such evil ever happened. Not even in South Africa apartheid era. You are an evil man with blood of the innocents in your hands.I wonder what evil you committed in your youth that can let go of you. If someone doesn't want to dance with you just go and find another person to dance with. You did not create Nigeria. Nigeria was organised by the Europeans to aid their interests. You have cluster of people who do not have any single thing in common in one broken closet and one person says I am suffocating in here - need to breath and your answer is no - we will live and die in here. What type of human being are you. I don't want to be part of Nigeria. I don't want to be part of Nigerian people. It is my right to make such decision. Listen, how many times did you contest elections in Nigeria? How many times did you win? I remember you crying in the national press and to every ear that wanted to listen how you have been cheated by PDP. You felt really bad and delusional because there was no one to help. Did that make you stop contesting? What makes you thing we Biafrans will stop agitating. You are now the president of the zoo. One day, we will have our own nation. That is one thing I want you to mark. Biafra will exist as a nation. You can't kill us all.I don't recall anyone voting for you because of your economic foresight or enlightenment. They rigged elections for you because you are killer. Evil man. They brought you in to kill your brothers and sisters in the north. Those that brought you in couldn't do it themselves. Indeed, you haven't managed to achieve that and in order to placate yourself you turned your attentions to people that make your skin crawl - Ndigbo. Your worst nightmare has just begun. Reply yawa_don_gas at 16-09-2017 05:56 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 05:56 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 Actor Pat Attah Says He Curse The Day Lugard & The British Fraudulently & Forcefully Created Nigeria clarajancita at 15-09-2017 04:03 PM (5 years ago) (f) Veteran Nigerian actor, Pat Attah who currently lives in Germany, took to his Facebook to call on Igbos and Biafrans to vacate the North. According to him, Buhari and his men are up to something. Veteran Nigerian actor, Pat Attah who currently lives in Germany, took to his Facebook to call on Igbos and Biafrans to vacate the North. According to him, Buhari and his men are up to something. He also cursed Sir. Frederick Lugard and the British for creating Nigeria. he wrote; He also cursed Sir. Frederick Lugard and the British for creating Nigeria. he wrote; Quote I told you guys that the October 1st quit notice wasnt a joke right? The illegal deployment of the Military to invade the East is part of the October 1st plan. Please, all Igbos and Biafrans in general should evacuate the north as soon as possible because Buhari and his men are up to something bad but they shall be buried in the pit they are digging. I curse the day Fraud Lugard and the British fraudulently and forcefully created this company called Nigeria!!!. Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:03 PM (5 years ago) | Hero tegonwa at 15-09-2017 04:08 PM (5 years ago) (m) Huh Pat Attah?Where Have You Been?But Without Nigeria, Nobody Would Know You Today.Nawaa O! Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:08 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Huh Pat Attah?Where Have You Been?But Without Nigeria, Nobody Would Know You Today.Nawaa O! Reply Floyd29 at 15-09-2017 04:11 PM (5 years ago) (f) You have been dead for years. I guess is ur gost talking. Stupid ashole Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:11 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac You have been dead for years. I guess is ur gost talking. Stupid ashole Reply ruthie at 15-09-2017 04:14 PM (5 years ago) (f) this guy is a bloody nitwit..the bastard is outside the shores of the country and he finds the time to heat up the polity...no wonder his career faded like the wind! useless fella. Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:14 PM (5 years ago) | Hero this guy is a bloody nitwit..the bastard is outside the shores of the country and he finds the time to heat up the polity...no wonder his career faded like the wind! useless fella. Reply ruthie at 15-09-2017 04:15 PM (5 years ago) (f) dude is trying to stay relevant after he was jettisoned ...Oga Pat be careful before i swear for your entire generation! Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:15 PM (5 years ago) | Hero dude is trying to stay relevant after he was jettisoned ...Oga Pat be careful before i swear for your entire generation! Reply angesco at 15-09-2017 04:26 PM (5 years ago) (f) CURSING what you have GAINED from. Be careful what you WISH FOR with your mouth. YOUR FAMILY live in Nigeria. Don't BLAME the colonialists. Other countries are living in PEACE after being colonised. Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:26 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac CURSING what you have GAINED from.Be careful what you WISH FOR with your mouth.YOUR FAMILY live in Nigeria.Don't BLAME the colonialists. Other countries are living in PEACE after being colonised. Reply gogoman at 15-09-2017 04:38 PM (5 years ago) (m) GO BACK HOME TO FACE ARMY BULLET!! Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:38 PM (5 years ago) | Grande Master GO BACK HOME TO FACE ARMY BULLET!! Reply freethinker at 15-09-2017 04:56 PM (5 years ago) (m) GOD BLESS YOU MY BROTHER YOU ARE 100% RIGHT Posted: at 15-09-2017 04:56 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac GOD BLESS YOU MY BROTHERYOU ARE 100% RIGHT Reply chyabu at 15-09-2017 05:03 PM (5 years ago) (f) Am ashamed of Nigeria Posted: at 15-09-2017 05:03 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie Am ashamed of Nigeria Reply CHRISETTE at 15-09-2017 05:08 PM (5 years ago) (f) They people who I dont even read the first word of their comment because they keep talking bullshit and will never grow up he just told people to leave unsafe place then what is wrong here? Posted: at 15-09-2017 05:08 PM (5 years ago) | Hero They people who I dont even read the first word of their comment because they keep talking bullshit and will never grow up he just told people to leave unsafe place then what is wrong here? Reply tegonwa at 15-09-2017 05:21 PM (5 years ago) (m) But This Guy Was The Most Handsome Actor Back Then. Posted: at 15-09-2017 05:21 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac But This Guy Was The Most Handsome Actor Back Then. Reply Banks_nnas at 15-09-2017 06:32 PM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: tegonwa on 15-09-2017 04:08 PM Huh Pat Attah?Where Have You Been?But Without Nigeria, Nobody Would Know You Today.Nawaa O! The same Nigeria forced him out, just like so many youths out there seeking greener pastures.. dude is in point Posted: at 15-09-2017 06:32 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie The same Nigeria forced him out, just like so many youths out there seeking greener pastures.. dude is in point Reply Banks_nnas at 15-09-2017 06:37 PM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: ruthie on 15-09-2017 04:15 PM dude is trying to stay relevant after he was jettisoned ...Oga Pat be careful before i swear for your entire generation! SMH... I wonder what kinda mind set you , with all your hate comment...try to rationalize things from a positive point of view Posted: at 15-09-2017 06:37 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie SMH... I wonder what kinda mind set you , with all your hate comment...try to rationalize things from a positive point of view Reply Mykie010 at 15-09-2017 07:34 PM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: ruthie on 15-09-2017 04:14 PM this guy is a bloody nitwit..the bastard is outside the shores of the country and he finds the time to heat up the polity...no wonder his career faded like the wind! useless fella. am suspecting that u are a sadist Posted: at 15-09-2017 07:34 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac am suspecting that u are a sadist Reply smart61 at 15-09-2017 07:56 PM (5 years ago) (m) If you so much love your Biafra people why are you then living and hiding in Germany while your brothers and sisters are being killed on Biafra land. Come back home and join us in the war front. Your course on British people is baseless. Posted: at 15-09-2017 07:56 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac If you so much love your Biafra people why are you then living and hiding in Germany while your brothers and sisters are being killed on Biafra land. Come back home and join us in the war front. Your course on British people is baseless. Reply kima77same at 15-09-2017 08:09 PM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: angesco on 15-09-2017 04:26 PM CURSING what you have GAINED from. Be careful what you WISH FOR with your mouth. YOUR FAMILY live in Nigeria. Don't BLAME the colonialists. Other countries are living in PEACE after being colonised. ON THIS ERROR OF THE COLONIAN MASTER, THE ATAH WAS RIGHT. THE COLONIAN MASTER MADE A HUGE MISTAKE, BY JOINING TOGETHER ALL OLD ENEMIES KINGDOMS. IT WAS THE WORST CACULATED MISTAKE. Posted: at 15-09-2017 08:09 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac ON THIS ERROR OF THE COLONIAN MASTER, THE ATAH WAS RIGHT. THE COLONIAN MASTER MADE A HUGE MISTAKE, BY JOINING TOGETHER ALL OLD ENEMIES KINGDOMS. IT WAS THE WORST CACULATED MISTAKE. Reply benosky4 at 15-09-2017 09:03 PM (5 years ago) (m) Whatever. #MyVerdict. Posted: at 15-09-2017 09:03 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Whatever. Reply osarobo62 at 15-09-2017 11:49 PM (5 years ago) (m) is Nigeria the only country created by colonialists was there a Biafra empire before Lord lugard created Nigeria Posted: at 15-09-2017 11:49 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Reply dareper at 16-09-2017 12:16 AM (5 years ago) (m) bitter truth Posted: at 16-09-2017 12:16 AM (5 years ago) | Hero bitter truth Reply Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy. The money from Caesars will enable Averett to begin offering the program to its students next fall. It will be one of only a handful such programs in the state, according to officials. Gold Reserve Inc. (TSX.V: GRZ) (OTCQX: GDRZF) (Gold Reserve or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on current and ongoing activities in Venezuela with respect to the Siembra Minera gold/copper/silver project (owned 45% by the Company and 55% by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) located in southeastern Venezuela. Engineering activities focused both on the early works saprolite gold plant and the primary gold/copper/silver plant are continuing with the completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 expected in late October. In addition, Siembra Minera has held a number of recent meetings in the local area and at the mine site with the local and indigenous communities and small miners who have reacted positively to the project. New offices in Caracas and Puerto Ordaz are expected to be established in the coming weeks, as well as initial facilities at the project site. Siembra Minera expects to host project meetings in Caracas and Puerto Ordaz, as well as at the project site near Las Claritas in Bolivar State, in the coming weeks. Onsite malaria abatement and treatment programs are continuing and are expected to be intensified in the coming months. Several permitting applications were submitted to various government agencies in August. Once issued, these permits will allow for early works related to the primary project as well as the fast tracking of the early works saprolite mill. The Companys annual meeting of shareholders was held on August 29, 2017 and all management proposals were passed. The Company has also reported second quarter 2017 after-tax profit of US$56.3 million (US$0.55 per share) versus a US$4.6 million loss (US$0.06 per share) for the first six months of 2016. Revenues were US$99.0 million versus no revenues in the same period of 2016. The Company also announces that it has received the scheduled September installment payment of US$29.5 million from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Venezuela) pursuant to the Settlement Agreement between the Company and Venezuela. Doug Belanger, President, stated, We are pleased with the progress to date on the Siembra Minera Project and look forward to its presentation to the financial community when the 43-101 PEA is completed. The Company has received now over US$128 million from Venezuela as part of the settlement and we are very optimistic about our new partnership on the project. Further information regarding the Company can be located at www.goldreserveinc.com, www.sec.gov, and www.sedar.com. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable U.S. federal securities laws and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws and state Gold Reserves and its managements intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions for the future including without limitation statements with respect to the development of the Siembra Minera project, including the preparation of a PEA for the project. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. We caution that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other risks that may cause the actual outcomes, financial results, performance, or achievements of Gold Reserve to be materially different from our estimated outcomes, future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including without limitation the risk that a PEA for the Brisas Cristinas project will not be completed within the time frames anticipated and the risk that the development of the Siembra Minera project may not proceed as anticipated. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Gold Reserves forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Gold Reserve or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Gold Reserve disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to its disclosure obligations under applicable rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006477/en/ Contact Gold Reserve Inc. A. Douglas Belanger, 509-623-1500 President Fax: 509-623-1634 TSX: ELD NYSE: EGO VANCOUVER, Sept. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - Eldorado Gold Corp. ("Eldorado" or the "Company") confirms that it has today received the approval of the Technical Study for the Old Olympias Mine Closure and the Installation Permit for the paste plant at Olympias. At this time, remaining outstanding is the issuance of the amended Electromechanical Installation permit for the Skouries flotation plant as well as other matters including, but not limited to, the relocation of antiquities at the Skouries site. Upon receipt of the required Skouries permit and the Greek government being willing to engage with us in constructive discussions, the Company will then be in a position to re-assess its investment options in Greece. George Burns, President and CEO for Eldorado Gold said: "This is another positive step forward; however, we are still waiting on the other matters, which we continue to believe can be resolved through good faith negotiations. We again invite the Ministry to engage with us to resolve these matters." About Eldorado Gold Eldorado is a leading mid-tier gold producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Canada and Brazil. The Company's success to date is based on a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, a portfolio of high-quality assets, and long-term partnerships with the communities where it operates. Eldorado's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: ELD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EGO). Certain of the statements made and information provided in this press release are forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "continue"", "projected", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "projected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements or information include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to this news release. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information, including assumptions about the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the future price of gold and other commodities; exchange rates; anticipated costs and expenses; production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries, the impact of acquisitions, dispositions, suspensions or delays on our business and the ability to achieve our goals. Even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond our control. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: geopolitical and economic climate (global and local), risks related to mineral tenure and permits; gold and other metal price volatility; mining operational and development risk; foreign country operational risks; risks of sovereign investment; regulatory environment and restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; risks related to impact of the sale of our Chinese assets on the Company's operations; risks related to the acquisition of Integra Gold Corp.; additional funding requirements; currency fluctuations; litigation risks; community and non-governmental organization actions; speculative nature of gold exploration; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk factors in our business" in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form & Form 40-F. The reader is directed to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in our most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR under our Company name, for a fuller understanding of the risks and uncertainties that affect the Company's business and operations. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S. SOURCE Eldorado Gold Corp. 1,500 meter initial drill program at its Mogotes property (Durango, Mexico) is scheduled to start the week of September 18, 2017 Dewatering of El Quevar underground workings is planned to accommodate a potential drill program (Salta, Argentina) A re-modeling of El Quevars silver deposit resource is underway to identify a potentially economic resource in the core of the Yaxtche deposit Argentina Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds received totaling US$1.1 million in second and third quarters of 2017 Further to the Companys September 7, 2017 news release announcing the start of a new drill program at its Santa Maria property (Chihuahua, Mexico), three holes totaling 700 meters have been completed as of September 11, 2017, with drilling ongoing GOLDEN, Sept. 15, 2017 - Golden Minerals Company (Golden Minerals, Golden or the Company) (NYSE American:AUMN) (TSX:AUMN) is pleased to share a business update, including: Golden Minerals President and Chief Executive Officer Warren M. Rehn commented, We are dedicated to unlocking the full value of our existing resources and infrastructure in Mexico and Argentina. The drill program at Mogotes is a first test of an extensive altered area that shows signs of being a productive epithermal system hosted in volcanic rocks within a few kilometers of our existing mills at Velardena. Surface values from channel samples show strongly anomalous gold, arsenic and antimony values associated with hydrothermal breccia veins and silicification along a major fault structure. Further geologic investigation underpinned by a re-logging effort at El Quevar has led us to re-model the higher grade portion of the existing silver resource with the goal of identifying a smaller but higher grade and potentially economic silver resource at current metal prices. This project is ongoing and we expect to report results around year end. We now have the financial resources to move the El Quevar project forward to the next step ourselves. The improved business investment climate in Argentina underscores the timeliness of this focus. Lastly, I want to reiterate that our financial resources continue to improve and allow us to increase spending on our exploration programs. We reported a cash balance at the end of June of $2.7 million and have recently reported the receipt of an additional $2 million from Hecla securing the option to continue the oxide plant lease, and finally the VAT refunds from Argentina reported here. Mogotes Golden Minerals has contracted to start a 1,500 meter drill program on its Mogotes property next week on the El Mogote claim located 7 kilometers southeast of the town of Velardena, Durango, Mexico. The drill program is planned to test an area of silicifcation and breccias hosted in andesitic volcanic rocks. The altered area is exposed over a strike length of 1.5 kilometers and a width of about 500 meters. The breccias are interpreted to be a combination of fault breccias and hydrothermal breccias associated with strong silicification controlled in part by a northwest striking southwest dipping normal fault that juxtaposes Tertiary volcanics west of the fault against Cretaceous limestone east of the fault. The altered area has a strong geochemical signature of widespread anomalously high arsenic and antimony with erratic values of gold up to 1.8 ppm from surface rock samples. Golden plans to drill seven holes totaling 1,500 meters in this initial test of the Mogotes East target. The Company is targeting veins and breccias that may be associated with the exposed hydrothermal alteration and anomalous geochemistry, and expects to encounter sulfide mineralization at depths of less than 200 meters below surface. The Mogotes property was purchased from Silver Standard Resources in 2015 and is wholly owned by one of Golden Minerals Mexican subsidiaries, subject to a 2 percent Net Smelter Return royalty to Silver Standard and a pre-existing finders fee agreement (2 percent of direct exploration and development expenditures, capped at $270,000). El Quevar The company has applied for a permit to dewater the underground mine workings at its El Quevar silver project located in Salta, Argentina, to evaluate the possibility of exploration drilling from underground in conjunction with a current project to re-model the existing silver resource at the Yaxtche deposit. Based on the previous resource model results and using a higher cutoff grade for silver, Golden is evaluating the potential to define a smaller but higher grade silver resource in the core of the previously defined Yaxtche deposit that could be amenable to potentially profitable underground mining and flotation processing. Argentina VAT Refund Golden is pleased to report that since April 2017, the Company has received US$1.1 million in refunds of previous VAT payments made in Argentina during 2012 and 2013. The refunds, available through certain provisions in the Argentina Mining Investment Law, have been pending for several years, but were only recently approved for payment by the Argentine tax authority. The added cash allows Golden more flexibility in advancing its exploration projects, particularly at El Quevar. About Golden Minerals Golden Minerals is a Delaware corporation based in Golden, Colorado. The Company is primarily focused on acquiring and advancing mining properties in Mexico with emphasis on areas near its Velardena processing plants. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements relating to expectations regarding future drilling plans at Mogotes, and the timing and expectations of evaluation activities at El Quevar. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including changes in interpretations of geological, geostatistical, metallurgical, mining or processing information and interpretations of the information resulting from future exploration, analysis or mining and processing experience, new information from drilling programs or other exploration or analysis, unexpected variations in mineral grades, types and metallurgy, fluctuations in silver and gold metal prices, increases in costs and declines in general economic conditions, and changes in political conditions, in tax, royalty, environmental and other laws in Mexico or Argentina, and financial market conditions. Golden Minerals assumes no obligation to update this information. Additional risks relating to Golden Minerals may be found in the periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Golden Minerals, including the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. For additional information please visit www.goldenminerals.com or contact: Golden Minerals Company Karen Winkler, Director of Investor Relations (303) 839-5060 Investor.relations@goldenminerals.com Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey says she plans to sue Equifax after a data breach at the company affected up to nearly 3 million state residents."In all of our years investigating data breaches, this may be the most brazen failure to protect consumer data we have ever seen," Healey said in a statement. "My office is acting as quickly as possible to hold Equifax accountable for the risks that millions of consumers now face."The credit reporting firm reported the breach last week, saying the personal information of 143 million consumers across the country was possibly compromised.Healey's office is required under the state's Consumer Protection Act to give the company a five-day notice about an intention to file a lawsuit. They sent the letter notifying them of an impending civil lawsuit today.The letter, sent to Equifax chairman and CEO Richard Smith in Georgia, said the hack places Bay State consumers "at risk of identity theft and other financial fraud.""Given the extent of consumer information retained by Equifax, and the uses to which Equifax puts such information, it is incumbent upon Equifax to implement and maintain the strongest safeguards to protect this data," the letter said."Every day, consumers depend on accuracy in Equifax's credit profiles in order to buy a house, obtain a loan, lease a vehicle, or even get a job," the letter continued. "Plain and simple, the personal data that Equifax stockpiles impact many of the most important decisions in the lives of Massachusetts residents. Moreover, consumers have no choice as to whether their sensitive information is collected by and stored with Equifax."The company's inability to secure the information "constitutes a betrayal of public trust and a violation of Massachusetts consumer protection and data privacy laws," Sara Cable and Jared Rinehimer, assistant attorneys general, wrote in the letter.Healey's office offered tips last week to consumers after reports of the hack, saying there are ways to make identify theft more difficult for thieves.Her office recommends people think about placing a credit freeze on their files; checking credit reports at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion for free at annualcreditreport.com; and consider filing taxes earlier before an identity thief can use a stolen Social Security number to get a tax refund or job. End the Medical Device Tax (Most Likely) More Flexibility and Control (More Likely) Keep Funding Cost-Sharing Reduction Payments (Likely) A Federal Reinsurance Program (Less Likely) Stop Cutting Outreach and Enrollment Funding (Least Likely) After attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) this summer failed, theRepublican-led Congress is trying again to kill President Obama's signature law.The Graham-Cassidy bill calls for eliminating Medicaid expansion, medical device tax credits and subsidies, and using all that money instead for block grants, which would give states more flexibility but less funding.Its chance of passing before Sept. 30 -- the end of the fiscal year and the end of the ability to pass legislation with a simple majority -- is uphill but possible. A vote has yet to be scheduled, and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that it won't have time to analyze its full impact before a possible vote happens. The measure needs the backing of at least two of the three senators, including John McCain, who opposed the GOPs last attempt at repeal. Some say the fact that Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey endorsed the bill may sway McCain to support it, too.But more governors have come out against the bill. A bipartisan group of 10 governors as well as leading stakeholder groups, like the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and AARP, have all urged Congress to reject it.Before the scene-stealing move by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy, there was a bipartisan debate about how to alleviate some of the law's problems with a lot of advice coming from the states. The U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) held a series of hearings this month to get the opinions of governors state insurance commissioners and other health-care stakeholders. In addition, a bipartisan group of governors sent Congress a letter this month outlining their ideas for reformThat effort now appears to be dead -- though Democrats are still hopeful it will be revived.I am disappointed that Republican leaders have decided to freeze this bipartisan approach, said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in a statement on Tuesday. But I am confident that we can reach a deal if we keep working together.Taking the latest developments into account, here's a breakdown of what state leaders have asked of Capitol Hill during hearings and in letters, from most to least likely to pass.An unpopular tax from the beginning, it seems inevitable that 2.3 percent tax on medical devices introduced by the ACAwill soon go away -- whether the repeal bill passes or Congress comes up with a compromise.While the prices of medical devices have actually gone down, a 2015 Senate report found that the industry would be better off without the tax.Utah Gov. Gary Herbert listed it as one of his major recommendations, and the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill kills it. But that doesnt mean that everyone thinks eliminating it is the best idea.The idea that a 2.3 percent tax is killing the industry is just not fact. Someone needs to take a real hard look at their profitability before and after the tax and see if it makes much of a difference, says Tim Jost, a professor emeritus in health law at Washington and Lee University.He concedes, however, that when youve got Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Al Franken supporting a tax cut, its got a pretty good shot.This is also an area where state officials and Republicans in Congress agree.The repeal bill would give states far greater control over health care with the creation of block grants. But even if that doesn't pass, Congress could streamline the federal waiver process that grants approval to states to tinker with policies that officials believe will better work for their populations.The process of getting a waiver approved right now is strenuous, often taking months -- sometimes up to a year -- to complete. For example, Kentucky submitted a waiver last October asking for permission to implement more work requirements in their Medicaid program. The waiver is still pending.This change would likely give GOP states more freedom to implement conservative ideas, such as work requirements and charging Medicaid recipients premiums. It would also allow states to more easily adopt industry-backed administrative reforms.States should not be limited by yesterdays standards, says Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors in a conference call Thursday.He says the association supports waiver reform that makes the approval process more efficient, allows states to piggyback on common waivers and creates a path for some waivers to become permanent. (Right now, they are only good for a five-year period, then states have to reapply.)Although its likely well see some kind of waiver reform, it would take some time to iron out what a new bureaucratic process would look like.The fate of cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) has worried policy experts and insurers since the moment President Trump took office.His administration has gone back and forth on whether or not it will fund those subsidies, which help insurers offer low-income people cheaper rates on the marketplace. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued statements saying they would fund CSRs, only to have President Trump later tweet that he would refuse to pay them. The pressure from the health-care industry at large is intense, and every single one of the governors and insurance commissioners who testified -- even John Doak, the anti-Obamacare insurance commissioner from Oklahoma -- said that continued funding was necessary.And yet, the latest repeal bill calls for an end to CSRs. But even if the Graham-Cassidy bill passes the Senate and gets a signature from Trump, cost-sharing reductions are likely to be funded at least until the bill takes effect.Under a reinsurance program, the government covers the cost of the most expensive patients, so insurers are only on the hook for the reasonably healthy and incentivized to lower premiums for everyone. It's something on the wish list of every single governor who testified before Congress, each claiming that it would help them stabilize their own markets.The Trump administration agreed to fund a reinsurance program in Alaska after the state initially funded its own and was able to slow growth in premiums from 42 percent to 25 percent. But other states are unlikely to get federal support.U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the HELP committee, was quick to dismiss it during hearings.States are free to set up their own reinsurance programs. There's nothing magic about the federal government setting up a reinsurance program, he said.And a federal reinsurance program definitely won't happen if the Graham-Cassidy bill becomes law.In Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Colorado Gov. John Hickenloopers letter to Congress , they urged the federal government to continue funding outreach and enrollment efforts for the ACA. It's necessary, they argue, to getting those young invincibles in the marketplace and thus making the population healthier and less costly for insurers.The Trump administration slashed the advertising budget for open enrollment by 90 percent and cut the budget for navigators, people who help others sign up for coverage on the marketplace, by 40 percent.I worry that these decisions will result in fewer people enrolling and relatively fewer healthy people enrolling, exacerbating the issues that already exist in the risk pool, said Pennsylvania acting Human Services Secretary Teresa Miller, who was formerly insurance commissioner of the state, in the hearings.But if the repeal bill passes, there won't be any marketplaces to advertise for since the bill gets rid of them. And even if the bill doesn't pass, it's unlikely Congress will undermine the Trump administration on this. Years of Activism Gray Area Robert Suttle clearly remembers telling his boyfriend that he was HIV positive the night they met. But after they split, three quarrel-filled months later, that became a point of contention: His ex pressed charges against him.Suttles home state, Louisiana, is one of 33 states with laws that can be used to prosecute people living with HIV. And in Louisiana, intentionally exposing someone to HIV/AIDS is a felony punishable by up to 11 years in prison.Because he wanted to put the whole ordeal behind him, Suttle accepted a plea bargain in 2009 and ended up doing 6 months in prison. He said he found out too late that pleading guilty meant registering as a sex offender wherever he goes.Now some states are looking to either repeal such laws or reduce their severity. At issue is the balance between protecting public health and protecting the civil rights of individuals living with HIV.The laws, which date to the 1980s and 90s, vary greatly from state to state. Most impose criminal penalties on people who know their HIV status and potentially expose others to the virus. In some states, a conviction can mean up to 35 years in prison.Twenty-four states require HIV-positive people to disclose their status to sexual partners, while six states require people to register as sex offenders as part of their punishment if they are convicted of an HIV-specific crime. In 22 states, felony laws, which cover assault and attempted murder for example, are used to prosecute people living with HIV who knowingly expose someone to the virus. And 25 states criminalize activities such as spitting, even though they are unlikely to transmit the virus.Other states have statutes that tack on extra punishment based on the defendants HIV status. In Utah, for example, HIV-positive people convicted of prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, or solicitation are guilty of a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, if they knew their status at the time of the crime. For an HIV-negative person, those same crimes would be a misdemeanor punishable by no more than six months in prison for a first-time offense.Critics say the laws are relics of the past and demonize people infected with the virus. Some studies have shown that the laws dont reduce HIV transmission and may actually drive up HIV rates, because people who feel stigmatized are less likely to get tested. A study published in June by researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found no evidence that the laws reduce transmission of the virus.Its very embarrassing and dehumanizing, said Suttle, 38, who now lives in Harlem, New York, and works as an assistant director for the Sero Project, which advocates to end laws that criminalize people living with the virus.In 1994, Texas became the first state to repeal its HIV criminal laws, according to the Center for HIV Law and Policy. But since then, people have been prosecuted for HIV exposure under general criminal laws such as attempted murder, which Catherine Hanssens, the centers executive director, said illustrates why straight repeal of the laws is not enough. Texas courts have upheld that seminal fluid of a man living with HIV may constitute a deadly weapon.In 2012, Illinois became the second state to revise its HIV crime laws, by requiring prosecutors to prove a defendant intended to transmit HIV and limiting prosecution to a more narrow definition of sexual activity. Iowa followed suit in 2014. Last year, Colorado enacted a law that repealed two HIV criminalization statutes and revised another by requiring that all sexually transmitted infections be treated equally under the law, rather than singling out HIV for prosecution.California lawmakers are also considering a bill that would make it a misdemeanor to transmit HIV, rather than a felony. A similar HIV bill failed in Florida in May, but is expected to be re-introduced in the next session.Also in May, the Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments in a case challenging the states criminal HIV law. The crux of the case: whether or not the law discriminates against people living with HIV, as well as whether requiring disclosure of ones HIV status violates the First Amendment.The push to reform HIV crime statutes has become a national movement, and its part of the larger conversation about overcriminalizing people, said Allison Nichol, law and policy counsel for the Sero Project.We need to take this out of the realm of someone committing a sex crime, said Nichol, who used to prosecute sex crimes in Indianapolis. These laws continue to feed a false narrative that people with HIV present a danger to public health, when in fact that is no longer true.But supporters of the laws argue they protect public health, and some states have moved in the opposite direction.In May, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, signed a law that, among other things, authorizes a judge to issue an emergency order to get someone tested for HIV if its believed that person has caused exposure to a victim. The law updates a previous one and is intended to treat rape victims who may have contracted HIV or hepatitis C. The same month, Tennessee enacted a law strengthening a statute requiring anyone whos been arrested to be tested for HIV/AIDS if a law enforcement officer requests it.Were talking about a criminal, said Maggi Duncan, executive director of the Tennessee Association of Police Chiefs, who helped draft the legislation. In the course of being arrested, they could have possibly exposed a first responder.The law was expanded to include all forms of hepatitis, which is on the rise in the state, Duncan said, but HIV could easily become on the rise again with needle use, and thats a real concern with heroin being on the upswing.Activists have pushed for years to change the laws, with a focus on educating lawmakers and prosecutors about how HIV is transmitted. One key fact: An HIV-positive person whose viral load is undetectable has almost no chance of spreading the virus.More and more, theres a realization that HIV criminalization laws have not kept up with science, said Dan Kirk, a former prosecutor with the office of the Cook County States Attorney, which has jurisdiction over Chicago. Last year, then-Cook County States Attorney Anita Alvarez called for the law to be revised further.Today, prosecutors in Illinois have to prove that an offender intended to transmit HIV. Defendants can assert a legal defense if a condom was used, but they cannot use being in treatment as a defense. This despite condoms being less effective 80 percent than anti-retroviral drug treatment 95 percent at reducing the risk of transmission, according to the CDC.Under the measure pending in California, it would no longer be a felony to fail to disclose a positive HIV status. Instead it would be a misdemeanor on a par with failing to disclose any other transmitted disease. To be charged with a misdemeanor, the defendant must have known that he or she has a communicable disease and acted with the specific intent to infect another person, engaged in conduct that poses a substantial risk for transmission, and actually transmitted the disease to another person.We want people to get tested. We want people to get on medication. We want people to be honest about their HIV status, said California state Sen. Scott Wiener, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation. But you dont accomplish those things by sending people to prison.Scattershot state reporting makes it difficult to say how many cases are prosecuted under the HIV transmission laws, according to Hanssens.But it isnt difficult to find individual examples. In June, for example, an HIV-positive Georgia man with mental health problems was charged with reckless conduct for allegedly spitting in the eye of a police officer.In July, a 58-year-old South Carolina man was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl and potentially exposing her to HIV. Medical tests showed the child did not contract the virus. He was sentenced to 25 years for the rape and 10 years for the potential exposure.Prosecuting or defending these cases can be difficult: How do you prove that someone has disclosed their HIV status? Often, as in the case of Suttle, it becomes a case of he said, he said.A 2015 report by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law found the overwhelming majority of people 95 percent charged with HIV crimes in California were sex workers. The report also found that nearly every charge resulted in a conviction; the average prison sentence was longer than two years. Two-thirds of people charged were black or Latino. White men accused of an HIV-related crime were significantly more likely to be released and not charged, the report found.This is really a public health issue, said Scott Schoettes, an HIV project director at Lambda Legal who has worked on HIV legal policy for years.It shouldnt be addressed by criminal law unless theres malicious intent. Louisiana's Bill Cassidy and the three Republican U.S. Senate colleagues backing his Obamacare repeal-and-replace plan framed the measure they unveiled Wednesday as Republican's "last shot" at scrapping the sweeping 2010 Democratic health insurance law.U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, the plan's leading author, took jabs at his party's leaders -- the White House has been largely quiet on the proposal and Senate Republican leaders have left it largely up to the gang backing the bill to drum up the needed votes -- amid pleas for support.Graham, Cassidy and co-sponsors Sens. Dean Heller of Nevada and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin also described their bill as the only alternative to proposals for national single-payer health insurance that have quickly gained traction among liberals and Democrats."Behind me is the only thing that stands between you and single payer -- a small band of brothers in search of a sister," Graham quipped to open the press conference, gesturing at Heller, Johnson, Cassidy and former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pennsylvania, who's been lobbying on behalf of the bill."Liberals will fight like tigers to the bitter end to get what they want," Graham added.Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who launched an insurgent populist campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, also picked Wednesday to unveil his own, very different health insurance proposal, a generous government-backed initiative billed as "Medicare-for-all."Conservatives have described a single-payer insurance plan in grim terms, labeling it a massive government takeover of the country's healthcare system that would strangle out individual choice.Cassidy, a physician and Baton Rouge Republican who's devoted long hours to hammering out a Republican alternative to Obamacare, walked reporters through the proposal.The plan centers around block-granting billions of dollars in Obamacare taxes that currently fund states' Medicaid expansions and individual health insurance subsidies. The money would be funneled through the popular Children's Health Insurance Program, a long-standing block grant to provide care for low- and moderate-income children.The block-grant formula would generally redistribute money away from states that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare and spread them across the country, boosting the amount of federal money headed to states -- largely controlled by Republicans -- that refused to expand Medicaid.Cassidy, in rejecting criticism of the proposal as "partisan," said Democratic senators from purple states where Republican governors or legislatures blocked Medicaid expansion -- a list that includes Virginia, Wisconsin and Indiana -- should back the plan because of the increased money.Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards expanded Medicaid in the state in 2016, shortly after taking office. Edwards' predecessor, Bobby Jindal, had opposed expanding the program.Cassidy had previously said Louisiana would come out "about even" in terms of federal dollars under the bill, though he's since reworked the block grant formulas.The Congressional Budget Office has not yet scored the bill and independent state-by-state analyses of the bill's impact weren't immediately available Wednesday afternoon.Cassidy acknowledged that any Democratic support for the bill was highly unlikely. Cassidy said he's had discussions with Edwards about the law but didn't anticipate the endorsement of the governor -- or any other Democratic governors or U.S. senators.Instead, Santorum and the four senators pleaded with their Republican colleagues to rally around the bill, which they described as the party's final shot at fulfilling years of campaign promises to kill Obamacare.Because of the Republican Party's narrow 52-seat majority in the Senate, the bill needs near-unanimous support to pass. It also faces a looming September 30 deadline to pass on a party-line, simple-majority vote under a procedure known as reconciliation. After that date, the plan would require 60 votes to pass, a near impossibility given unified Democratic opposition.A number of Senate Republicans have expressed skepticism about the Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson proposal, most suggesting the crunching deadline made passage unlikely and that the party has moved on to other priorities, including tax reform. A Maryland city voted Tuesday night to enfranchise noncitizens, the latest in a growing effort to expand immigrant voting rights.With a tie-breaking vote from the mayor, the City Council in College Park approved the measure to allow undocumented immigrants, student visa holders and residents with green cards to vote in local elections, The Washington Post reports.Several other cities in Maryland already allow noncitizens to vote locally. Chicago and San Francisco also offer limited noncitizen voting. The trend runs counter to the anti-immigration sentiment in many areas of the country, but supporters say residents of cities and towns should have a say in how their government operates, whether they are citizens or not."The mayor and City Council are not deciding national policy. We make decisions about trash pickup, snow removal and equipment for the parks," College Park Councilwoman Christine Nagle told The New York Times in August. "We have shared concerns with our neighbors regardless of whether they are U.S. citizens." Description GIS - 15 September, 2017: The Secretary-General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Mr Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, called on the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, this afternoon at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. The Secretary-General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Mr Sindiso Ndema Ngwenya, called on the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, this afternoon at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. In a statement to the press, Mr Ngwenya qualified his meeting with the Prime Minister as excellent, adding that a number of issues were discussed including the Cotonou Agreement. According to him, the Cotonou Agreement which will expire in 2020 is a key challenge because it concerns 27 countries of the region. The Prime Minister and the COMESA Secretary-General also discussed on the ways in which Member States can better benefit from agreements signed with the European Union, the World Bank and other international donors. Mr Ngwenya stated that measures to increase awareness and engage on the constraints in doing business within the COMESA region, were also raised with the Prime Minister. Regional integration, he said, is about giving bigger markets to investors and there should be no barriers among COMESA countries. We need to have countries which can champion some sectors. And Mauritius, for example, could champion the financial sector, the COMESA Secretary-General underlined. He recalled that COMESA endeavours to achieve sustainable economic and social progress in all Member States through increased co-operation and integration in all fields of development particularly in trade, customs and monetary affairs, transport, communication and information, technology, industry and energy, gender, agriculture, environment and natural resources. Description GIS - 15 September, 2017: Following the first flight of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) to Mauritius, the Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Mr. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, this afternoon at the Treasury Building, Port Louis. Following the first flight of Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) to Mauritius, the Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Mr. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, this afternoon at the Treasury Building, Port Louis. Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, landed for the first time in Mauritius yesterday. Mauritius is the third new route for the airline this year and 87th destination overall. Saudi Airlines flights serve four continents, covering 86 destinations worldwide. Saudia operates from the main hubs in Riyadh and Jeddah airport. After calling on the Prime Minister, Mr Al-Jasser gave a press statement and underlined that for the first time, the two nations will have regular scheduled flights, proving a seamless link for passengers from Mauritius to visit Saudi Arabia. We thank the government of Mauritius for welcoming Saudia and extending its full support, he added. The ways to make this route more sustainable and encourage Mauritians and people from other islands to use Saudia when going to Mecca was the main topic discussed with Prime Minister Jugnauth, said Mr Al-Jasser. The Director General recalled that as a full-service carrier, Saudia provides an extensive selection of routes for leisure and business travelers alike. The start of services to Mauritius, he said, provides guests with a unique destination to visit. Saudias flight SV481 will operate from Riyadh to Mauritius, with a brief one-hour stop in Jeddah. The total flying time to Mauritius is nine hours from Riyadh and seven hours 20 minutes from Jeddah. The three-times-weekly service will be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in a two-class configuration of 24 fully-flat seats in business class and 274 seats in economy class. Description GIS 15 September 2017 : The Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, is setting up, on a pilot basis, health desks in five Women Empowerment Centres for the provision of community resource information, counselling services and referrals to people who use drugs and to their relatives. The concerned centres are Abercrombie, Bambous, Flacq, Rose-Hill and Surinam. The Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, made this announcement yesterday at the National Women Development Centre in Phoenix, at the opening of a Training of trainers workshop on the Prevention of the use of synthetic drugs among the youth. The Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo, and other personalities were also present at the event. Through our partnership with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, I firmly believe that we will make a difference towards the elimination of synthetic drugs, said the Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare. Speaking on the mandate to work for women, children and families, and safeguard their well-being, Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo pointed out that her Ministry has to act on two fronts in the fight against the drug scourge and its impact. The first one is the empowerment of women to enable them to understand the symptoms of drug abuse with a view to identifying these signs among family members and cope with the situation effectively. The second area of action relates to equipping officers of the Ministry with relevant knowledge so that they can provide first-hand information to women whenever they call at the centres for assistance and guidance. The Minister urged the participants which comprised officers of the various departments under the purview of her Ministry, to disseminate information and knowledge acquired during the workshop to their respective clientele. The gender implication of drug abuse was also outlined by Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo. She stated that experts confirmed that drug abuse among women needs to be addressed from a gender perspective, taking into consideration womens socio-economic environment and the relationships within the family settings. For his part, the Minister of Health and Quality of Life lauded the collaborative endeavour, which sets an example on the way institutions can cooperate effectively in bringing relevant assistance to those who are vulnerable. The joint initiative will use the infrastructure of the Ministry of Gender Equality and the expertise of the resource person of the Harm Reduction Unit of my Ministry to facilitate the provision of additional service in the field of substance abuse without any extra cost or investment, he said. The Minister made a plea for such more joint projects to be put in place with a view to optimise resources. He added that he will be discussing with his colleague ministers responsible for education, social security, and youth on the necessity to develop further initiatives under a multisectoral approach. Recalling the progress made in terms of drug seizures, thereby reducing the supply and availability of drugs in the country, Dr Husnoo underlined that the treatment, care, support and rehabilitation of drug users remain a priority. The recent emergence of synthetic drugs indicate clearly that we cannot afford to be complacent since our youth are an easy target of the unscrupulous drug peddlers he said. The one-day workshop brought together officers from the Gender Unit, the Family Welfare and Protection Unit, the Child Development Unit, the National Women Council, and the National Children Council. Topics presented and discussed by representatives of the Harm Reduction Unit of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life focused on the drug situation in Mauritius, addiction and its consequences, treatment and rehabilitation, harm reduction and prevention. RFP365 Kansas City, Mo. Periscope Holdings Inc. Austin, Texas Govlist San Francisco Onvia Seattle Mention the request for proposal process and youre likely to elicit groans from both sides of government procurement the public servants who craft the documents and the private vendors who must respond to win contracts.RFPs, with all their regulations and laws and hyper-specificity, can contain hundreds of pages of highly detailed, often dense information. Such documents are familiar ground for some companies that work with government, especially larger ones with years of experience and vast resources. But what about startups trying to break in for the first time? And what about forward-thinking municipal innovators who want more vendors and a wider selection of ideas?Many of these stakeholders agree a simpler RFP process would connect more technologists to the public sector, while also making government more efficient, potentially saving hundreds of staff hours needed to write monster RFPs.A number of significant obstacles, however, remain, according to many who work in government procurement. For one, government RFPs are inherently lengthy. Also, in order for a disruptive innovator to change the way RFPs are done, that same company must first navigate existing government RFP processes.In spite of these hurdles, a diverse group of companies still seek to make RFPs, as well as overall government procurement, simpler. An executive at one company, however, was quick to point out that new solutions tend to pop up regularly, before struggling and ultimately fading away, leaving the time-tested practices. With all this in mind, Government Technology has profiled several companies currently operating in the space. Some are new to the scene, while others have been standard bearers for more than a decade.RFP365 encapsulates the potential many see in streamlined government RFPs. The company grew out of a government effort, going through the Innovation Partnership Program hosted in 2015 by the city government in Kansas City, Mo., before then going to work to help the same city government. RFP365, however, is also an example of why reworking government RFPs is such a challenge.RFP365s software speeds up the RFP process while simultaneously helping organizations learn best practices, especially those related to fairness and transparency, and the company currently works with a handful of public agencies Kansas City, the California Community Colleges Technology Center and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority but David Hulsen, co-founder and business director, said RFP365 no longer actively reaches out to new government business. The reason is simple: Private-sector clients are better adapters to tech, making for more productive relationships that lead to renewed services instead of eventual losses.We have had other governmental clients who signed up, paid for the software, went through training, but never did any projects, Hulsen said. We continue to be concerned with some existing clients, as they are showing the same reluctance to really get going. Surely, any new technology can be intimidating, but we see our private-sector clients much more willing to jump in feet first with their new investment.The companys attempts to work with government have long been rocky. Prior to RFP365s participation in Kansas Citys Innovation Partnership Program, Hulsen tried to breach local government for some time, with no success. At the local county courthouse, he was not even allowed to discuss his RFP software unless an RFP had already been issued for it.The irony of waiting for an RFP for RFP software didnt escape the elected officials I spoke with, Hulsen said.When the city hosted its Innovation Partnership Program, Hulsen eagerly applied, gave his pitch and received a commitment for a pilot. For RFP365, a tech startup with software to fix government problems, this was an ideal scenario. Less than two years later, the company now works with several agencies in Kansas City, and earlier this year Chief Innovation Officer Bob Bennett pointed to RFP365 as an exemplary story during a conversation about bridging the gap between government and startups.Hulsen said its possible RFP365 could return to actively pursuing public-sector clients. Its first priority, however, is survival as a young business.We know the RFPs are there, he said, and probably arent going to decrease anytime soon.Periscope Holdings, founded in 2001, is an old software company in the government procurement space, with roots that extend even further back.The company was born when Brian Utley, current president and CEO, stopped running political campaigns to purchase an Austin-based government procurement company, which he described as having good fundamentals but old tech. Utley sought to streamline bloated and decentralized procurement processes, thereby improving government efficiency.Im not on the right, Im not on the left, Utley said. Im a centrist. I believe government needs to do some things, and when they do them, they better do them really well.Periscope manages the entire RFP cycle soup to nuts, said Utley for public agencies, and also provides access to a database of about 900,000 vendors. Basically government decides which direction it wants to go, and Periscope guides it there, allowing agencies to manage the process electronically: posting prices, asking questions of vendors and progressing to the actual award of business. Periscope also trains vendors on its corresponding portal.Periscope started out working with local governments, school districts and counties. In 2010, it won the state of Arizona, and today it handles procurement for Michigan, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Oregon, with Nevada a likely next addition.Drawing from 14 years of government experience, Utley stressed the importance of efficient government RFPs and procurement, saying ongoing budget crises have led to cuts in education and other services, while money can be freed up by getting this right.He pointed to his home state of Texas as an example, saying the states decentralized procurement practices were inefficient, costly and outdated, making it hard for vendors to figure out how to do business, which reduces variety and often raises cost. This is a difficult concept for the public to grasp, let alone discuss with elected officials.Nobody wants to talk the ugly truth about procurement, Utley said. Government is still far behind in procurement. Youd be surprised at how many people still use paper.Govlist was co-founded by Liam Dorpalen, who was doing management consulting at Deloitte when he saw a need for an improved procurement process, especially as it pertains to RFPs.In working with Deloitte, which does much government contracting, Dorpalen wrote RFP responses at the federal, state and local levels, while also coordinating with vendors.Ive seen the RFP process from both sides and understood the pain points in the process, Dorpalen said.He pinpointed RFPs as the most underserved area of government procurement, noticing they were often done through Microsoft Word and an email review sent to major stakeholders. Govlist offers a complex RFP writing tool that automates much of the process, while also meeting compliance standards and creating high-quality documents that maintain consistency, which is much appreciated by private vendors.A big part of what we want to do is help procurement teams be a great partner to the business so that theyre viewed as an ally in that process, Dorpalen said.While Dorpalen declined to go into specifics about clients, he did say Govlists software is yielding results, partially by aggregating and collecting existing RFP data and making it accessible to civic leaders through a dashboard.A little over a year ago, Onvia, a data intelligence company focused on the vendor side of government procurement, started Onvia Exchange, an initiative to give public agencies access to its vast database of procurement info. Today, Onvia Exchange is used by more than 1,000 government bodies across the country.Essentially, said Ben Vaught, director of Onvia for Government, companies that sell to government pay Onvia for data that helps expand sales pipelines, and Onvia makes any relevant info available to government for free to facilitate efficiency on the public end of the procurement process.Aware that government agencies are often not as tech savvy as vendors, Onvia also makes data easily searchable through an interface similar to that used by Amazon or Google.In the year Onvia Exchange has been live, Vaught has been surprised at the ways government has used it. For example, it has become a resource for piggybacking, or finding a similar agency and copying its RFPs with a few small tweaks for specificity. There is a long list of additional features the platform offers users, including pricing data, tracking time spent on procurement and more.Like many in the space, Onvia points to the pre-bid RFP process as the top challenge in government procurement, and it hopes Onvia Exchange is a first step toward an easier RFP process for all.The hope and the dream is that the more governments use Exchange, the better theyre able to write RFPs, and the better written their RFPs, the better it is for vendors to respond to, Vaught said. To make life easier for citizens who face challenges connected to aging and accessibility, Seattle is turning to civic tech. The city will host a hackathon dubbed A City for All , which begins Sept. 22 and spans three days. The event will include technologists, of course, as well as input from national accessibility experts and the release of new data sets that provide insights into how Seattle supports residents as they age.The event is the work of the Age-Friendly Seattle Initiative, part of a city council resolution passed earlier this year, a resolution that included funding for a civic tech event, said Candace Faber, civic technology advocate for Seattle. Participants will have the chance to win $10,000 in prize money as part of this hackathon. While its impossible to predict what sort of projects will take shape at an event like a hackathon, which is by nature open-ended, Faber said the citys hope is that by honing the focus and creating a nuanced area for the technologists to work in will make it easier for them to create actionable projects. Its no different than any other creative project, Faber said. If theres no prompt, it can be really difficult to come up with ideas. Even if there is a prompt, but no data or expertise in the room, we often get people coming up with ideas that would work in some theoretical universe, but not in the actual world. As an example of some work that may be done at the event, Faber pointed to the organizers collaborating with the citys asset management division, which oversees the sidewalks. Sidewalk conditions are one facet of a city that many overlook but can have a major impact on quality of life for aging residents and those with disabilities. With this in mind, that asset management agency will be contributing info, with an eye toward a proposed project that would crowdsource info about sidewalk inconsistencies between the info the agency keeps and the conditions in the real world. To participate, interested technologists are asked to register online in advance . Organizers have also posted some potentially useful information about the focus of the event online for perusal. Seattle has a history of participating in highly-focused hackathons. In 2015, the city hosted Hack the Commute , which saw its tech community working with sponsors such as the University of Washington to improve mobility issues. That event led to the creation of Seattles Access Map . In 2016, Seattle collaborated with private companies, such as AT&T, to host a hackathon that led to the creation of an app called Seattle Trails , which showed users all of the active hiking trails in the area. That app is currently available for download. The idea with focused and themed hackathons is to take Seattles wealth of tech talent and get them all together with data and national experts to guide them toward solving civic challenges in ways that will improve the everyday lives of residents. An open government advocacy group conducted an analysis of 21,000 open data sets from 141 city and state agencies nationwide as part of an effort to determine the types of information that are of the most interest to the public. This analysis was conducted by the Sunlight Foundation , which used data from Socrata , a leading vendor for government open data platforms. Socrata hosts tens of thousands of government data sets and keeps public information about Web traffic, views and downloads from such sites. To view it, Sunlight used Socratas Discovery API , which opens up the companys massive cache of data for access and aggregation (Sunlight notes that it chose Socrata for logistical ease and not out of any sort of preference for its services). The analysis went beyond simply counting total views and downloads, which would have favored the interests in mega jurisdictions like Los Angeles and New York City. To control for those large population centers, the study took traffic totals and ran them through an algorithm. Findings were about what one would expect, at least at the top of the list, where police and crime data reigned. Incident reports, jail bookings and crime stats were all found to be among the most popular throughout the country. The list is a bit more nuanced as it descends from the top spot. Transportation finished second, with information that included taxi licenses, transit data and road infrastructure, among other sets. Third was emergency calls, which included response times. Development and building safety were fourth and fifth, respectively, while finance was sixth. Finishing up the list were elections, businesses and licenses, inspections and service requests, and education. Next Century Cities Releases Playbook on Tech-Powered Civic Engagement With next generation high-speed Internet connections such as gigabit Ethernet and fiber optics starting to take hold in cities across the country, a nonprofit group has created a playbook for using such tech to power civic engagement. Dubbed 5 Lessons for Tech-Powered Civic Engagement: The Charles Benton Next Generation Engagement Award Playbook , the effort includes lessons learned by three cities that have won awards for such work: Austin, Texas; Louisville, Ky; and Raleigh, N.C. It was produced by Next Century Cities , a national nonprofit group that works to help local governments understand and harness higher speed Internet connections as tools for development. The five key lessons were as follows: Build With, Not For: Communities must actively engage stakeholders in the early phases of next generation high-speed Internet projects. Communities must actively engage stakeholders in the early phases of next generation high-speed Internet projects. Partnership Breeds Results: Collaboration across sectors brings in expertise and promotes widespread support. Collaboration across sectors brings in expertise and promotes widespread support. Civic Technology is a Spectrum: There is no universal way to engage citizens, and as such, cities should develop unique approaches aimed at achieving their specific goals. There is no universal way to engage citizens, and as such, cities should develop unique approaches aimed at achieving their specific goals. The Multiplier Effect: Civic tech progress begets more civic tech progress. Civic tech progress begets more civic tech progress. Changing Communities for the Better: Engaging citizens effectively through tech leads to increased feelings of empowerment, ownership and attachment in communities. This playbook also includes a checklist designed to guide municipal government leaders through the implementation of tech-powered civic engagement and other digital inclusion projects. Louisville, Ky. Continues to Embrace Amazons Alexa Louisville, Ky. has continued to embrace Amazons voice-activated platform Alexa, adding Mayor Greg Fischers podcast and enabling residents to activate it by simply saying, Alexa, play the mayors podcast. Louisville also has been an early adapter of something called If This Then That ( IFTTT ), a free Web-based service used to create chains of simple conditional statements called applets. An example looks something this: If it snows overnight, then have Alexa tell me how much in the morning. While IFTTT is compatible with a wide range of websites and platforms, including Spotify, Dropbox, Twitter, Google and Instagram, many of its functions are rooted in uses through Alexa . While discussing IFTTT in June, Matt Gotth-Olsen, a developer in the citys Office of Performance Improvement and Innovation, said that the hope is that by embracing IFTTT, Alexa and other emerging platforms, Louisville will be able to do a better job making government work for citizens. Fischers podcast is another recent effort to engage citizens through tech, having just launched in August with a pair of episodes, one about race and equity, and another about immigration. These podcasts are also available to download via iTunes Baltimore Innovation Teams First Assignment is Police Recruitment In January, Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Team added Baltimore to its roster of cities. In March, the citys young innovation team launched a search to fill four new positions , which officials said help take on systematic civic issues. Now, Mayor Catherine Pugh has given that team its first challenge: Help the city do a better job of recruiting and retaining police. The director of the Mayors Office of Innovation in Baltimore, Dan Hymowitz, recently told The Baltimore Sun that the team would spend six months exploring this issue, doling out suggestions, holding focus groups and reviewing exit interviews with departing police officers.'s reporting goes on to detail staffing tumult that the citys police department has faced in recent years. Ongoing staffing issues in a police department is the sort of issue that the Bloomberg Philanthropies Innovation Team program seeks to alleviate through tech. The Bloomberg program stands to award Baltimore with as much as $500,000 annually for the next three years for this endeavor. Bloomberg Philanthropies is a charitable organization led by New York Citys former billionaire businessman mayor, Michael Bloomberg. "Mayors must always be looking for new ways to improve the critical services that people depend on," Bloomberg said in a statement announcing Baltimores initial addition to the program. "Our Innovation Teams program helps mayors do that by giving city governments around the world the capacity to make their innovative ideas reality." The program lets mayors fund in-house innovation teams, dubbed i-teams. There are currently more than 20 cities participating in this program, including Boston, Seattle and Los Angeles, as well as smaller cities such as Peoria, Ill.; Long Beach, Calif.; and Jersey City, N.J. Now five years behind schedule, the Kansas Department of Revenue (DOR) has yet to launch a multimillion-dollar computer system for issuing and tracking 2 million drivers license records. The system, known as KanDrive, was slated to launch in January, but has encountered more setbacks. The biggest hardship for the agency is tied to constant computer malfunctions and endless lines of customers coming from the gap created by the technology that was meant to be updated in 2012. Rep. Kyle Hoffman, R-Coldwater, said during a recent hearing that he was puzzled by the shortcomings of the critical system and the impacts its absence has on the lives of taxpayers. If the drivers license rollout falls short of the publics expectations, it would add more stress to an already tense situation.During testimony to Hoffman's joint committee, Katrin Osterhaus, an IT audit manager with the Legislative Division of Post Audit, said a quarterly analysis of the project pointed to the state's contractor, MorphoTrust, which has struggled to meet project deadlines, The Topeka Capital Journal reported Despite the issues seen to this point, Osterhaus advised the committee against replacing the firm or severing the contract. Its so far into it, she said.Implementation will occur at the appropriate time to ensure the new system works for Kansans, House of Representatives spokesperson Rachel Whitten told the newspaper.The project was placed on a "caution status" watchlist earlier this year by Legislative Post Audit, which came with a set of must-complete tasks for MorphoTrust and other contractors.Thereported that the agencys chief information security officer has a current goal of completing work by Sept. 30, according to a separate report. (TNS) - Earthquakes, floods, fires, wind storms, oh my.These are just a few examples of the potential natural disasters that could hit Ridgecrest and the Indian Wells Valley.In light of the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which flooded Houston and other Texas cities, and Hurricane Irma, which hit Florida and the Caribbean islands, it's best to prepare for such disasters, according to Kern County Emergency Services Manager Georgianna Armstrong."There are ongoing disasters that are ever present and they can affect us in ways to varying degrees," Armstrong said. "The control that they can affect us directly correlates to how well we have been preparing our families and ourselves to withstand those events.""When we talk about preparing for disaster, we are really talking about building family strength and resiliency," Armstrong said."A family communication plan is one of the basic recommended actions," Armstrong said. "It doesn't cost you anything and it's basically a way of saying to your family members that if something were to happen and can't be reached by phone, there is a better chance of making long distance calls out of the affected area."Some ways to prepare a family communication plan include having a designated plan of contact, and have that name and number written down and in a safe place like a wallet."Everybody is going to call Grandpa Joe to check in and say they are OK," Armstrong said. She stressed writing contact information is essential. "After an event, if your phone is destroyed or not with you, most of us don't remember phone numbers anymore. They are programed into our phones we've lost that ability or in a stressful situation we may not be able to recall it."Pre-designated meeting places are another part of the communication plan."For some reason if you are displaced from your home and can't get back there, it's best to know where you can go and expect to find your family members," Armstrong. "These don't cost anything and are basic tools of where you can come together and know one another are well after an event."A disaster situation also means preparing to act on your own. In advance of Hurricane Irma, Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged residents in the storm's path to evacuate, noting that emergency responders would likely not get to everyone."When you have an emergency situation, you are going to have more people who need assistance than there are first responders, at least initially," Armstrong said. "In a very big event, resources are going to come pouring in from other areas, but that takes time. The more strength and resiliency you have to take care of yourself in the immediate after effect of an event, the better prepared you are to withstand that event.""We are all our first line of defense," she added.That includes stocking up on non-perishable foods, water, manual can opener, flashlights, batteries, a first aid kit and heavy shoes and gloves (to help protect against broken glass or heavy debris).Examples of lists can be found online at ready.gov/build-a-kit or via the Red Cross at redcross.org, or via the Kern County Fire Department website at kerncountyfire.org.People should also take into account medications and the needs of their pets."For people who take medications on a regular basis, one of the recommendations is to have a list of your medications with the Rx number, dosage and the name of your doctor with you," Armstrong said. Having that information will help safeguard against incorrect dosage or delays if a person were displaced from a home and relocated to a shelter."One of the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina was that for the folks who evacuated, who relied on medication for chronic conditions, were unable to obtain their medication for a period of time and that very severely damaged them," she said. "It's always in your best interest to obtain provide that information quickly and accurately in a disaster event."Another thing if in a home following an earthquake: check utilities."One of the first things you want to do after an earthquake is check for a gas leak, and if you do smell gas, have the knowledge and tools there to shut off your gas to protect your from a house fire," Armstrong said.She advised the knowledge and preparation are all essential, because in a natural disaster, a situation will get worse before it gets better."You want to be able to take immediate action so you can stabilize your family's situation," she said.Money is another thing to keep in mind, i.e. keep some hard cash tucked away should the power grid be knocked out. Gas in your tank is also important."Not only will you not have access to your ATM card, you aren't going to be able to go to pump fuel," Armstrong said. "Look at your gas tank and readjust your thinking so that half a tank in your mind is an empty tank; never let it get down to the end because what if that moment you're running on fumes, you have a power outage and you can't refuel?"A short term supply of cash is a good first step, but Armstrong also advises to think long term: the proper insurance."A lot of people think that if something happens, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is come in and make you whole again," Armstrong said. She said those moments that FEMA is directed to do so are very rare. "Your first line of defense is to have your own insurance for your home and property and to know the kind you have. Your general insurance doesn't cover earthquakes or flood, so if you live in an area subject to those, do your best to have that insurance because that's your first line of beginning to recover from a disaster."Both Kern County and the city of Ridgecrest have their own emergency plans in place. The Ridgecrest Police Department, the city's public works department and the Kern County Fire Station are all hooked into emergency or natural disaster planning.Armstrong said the Indian Wells Valley, like a lot of Kern County, has a very active Community Emergency Response Team presence. CERT educates citizens and volunteers on disaster preparedness for hazards that might impact the area; the program also trains in basic disaster response skills like fire safety, light search and rescue and team organization."They can come into an event supplementing first responders' resources," Armstrong said. "They don't do what first responders do, it's at a different level but it's for immediate needs. Going through the CERT training, you can be better prepared for your immediate family and part of this team that helps the community."She said a community who has a team that is prepared and organized "is an incredibly valuable resource."Another group that plays a pivotal role in emergencies and natural disasters are ham radio operators. Ham radio operators, through groups like ARES and RACES, are citizens trained and licensed to operate radio communications.Armstrong cited a quote from a skilled emergency services manager she knew. "If she had to choose between water and the ham radio operators, she would take the ham radio operators," Armstrong said. "They can be your last line of defense when communications fail so they are incredibly important to overall communications."Kern County has provided grant funding for ham radio equipment at its Emergency Operation Center, and a similar site at Ridgecrest Police Department."If communications were lost, at least we have something in place where hams can help with communication between the county and the city," Armstrong said.On communication, Armstrong said social media postings can vary from being solid to too unreliable.Information coming from official sources like Kern County Fire or RPD will carry accurate information."Social media when it's just everyone throwing their voice in there sometimes is very ripe for rumors," Armstrong said. "You always want to be wary of listening to unsubstantiated information and rumors."She advises that residents sign up for ReadyKern (readykern.com), the county's emergency notification system. It's free, secure and used only when there is an official notification that needs to be put out over a wide area. The information is recorded and sent out via telephone, email and text to registered users.2017 The Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, Calif.Visit The Daily Independent, Ridgecrest, Calif. at www.ridgecrestca.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Change is difficult. Habits, routines and learned behaviors make adjusting difficult at the individual level, and hard, if not impossible, at the organizational level. Whether a change takes the shape of a new system or process, or a complete overhaul of the way things function at the root level, driving a lasting change is easier said than done.The topic of affecting lasting transformational change was the topic of one panel discussion at the California Technology Forum in Sacramento, Calif., Sept. 12, and focused on the strategies employed by state, city and industry leaders.For James Dowling, a change management consultant representing event sponsor PCMG, the road to any effective change begins with the question: What capabilities are needed to move an organization forward?Its a conversation that every agency head and every department leader can answer, he said. You dont ask them what technology they need, you ask them, What capabilities do you need to do this?When the question returns with, for example, a request for more staff, he suggests reframing the question to what capabilities those new individuals would need to be successful.The engagement with the management suite should not end with the basic question of what is needed, and should instead exist throughout the entire change initiative. In some scenarios, front-line and mid-level managers are left out of the conversation to avoid excitement and speculation around the project, Dowling said, but added that capitalizing on this excitement is far more valuable.The delivery of results starts with and ends with the front-line managers and supervisors. A lot of times they are locked out of change programs until the last minute, Dowling said. If they are part of the solution, and not necessarily designing the solution or even defining the problem, thats bottoms-up change. Even top-down change, if you ask, How do we make this work? at the right time, it will work a lot better than if you tell them at the last minute, this is how this works.Ron Robinette with the Office of Statewide Project Delivery within the Department of Technology said that technology only represents a portion of the transformational change conversation.In my experience, its not really the technology that hangs me up on things," he said. "We could talk about the process, because people that want to automate a flawed process what does that get you? It just gets you a flawed process quicker once I automate it, right?Drawing parallels with the movie, Robinette explained that following a path with the right team was essential to the success of any initiative. Getting buy-in from decision-makers and front-line employees is another key aspect.Where the organizational leaders may respond to cost savings or efficiencies, lower level staff may have alternative motivations for their support. The mix of a compelling vision for the future and leading staff by their hearts often helps to achieve the goals of the initiative through more complete buy in.You have to know what is in it for them and speak to them in that language. If you come with me to Oz, you are going to get exactly what you need too, he said. Work with peoples brains. Work with peoples hearts. Give people some confidence, give them that courage and youre going to have a wonderful journey to your Oz.From the local government perspective, Nabil Fares, director of Information Technology for the city of Stockton, said the various departments within the city should be focused on their business objectives, not the technology that enables it.Having recently weathered a bankruptcy, the city is positioning itself to make organizational changes, one of which is the replacement of what Fares calls an archaic ERP system.I want to make sure that when we work with the ERP, the people who are responsible for change management, I dont want them thinking transaction ally. I dont want geeks and nerds," he said. "I am the geek and the nerd, the rest of the team should not [be]."Another piece of advice Fares shared was the call to be genuine and gentle when it comes to moving. Though he warned people will bite the first few times, projects or processes lacking either aspect will soon be ignored by those they might have been trying to help. Software firm Kaspersky Lab is back under the microscope of the federal government this time, leading to an FBI investigation for possible links to Russian security services. The repercussions of this possible tie between Kaspersky and Russian intelligence could be futile in their impact, especially in the states. Kasperskys software is widely used by state governments, but also ordinary Americans. According to Kaspersky, the firm has over 400 million users around the globe. In addition to its widely used antivirus software, it also holds a robust business analyzing and investigating cyberthreats. But according to The New York Times , Elaine C. Duke, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, has ordered federal agencies to develop plans to remove Kaspersky software from the government's systems in the next 90 days. And chiefs of both the FBI and CIA kept it short and sweet, answering with a simple no when asked if they would be alright with running Kasperskys software on their agencies systems. The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security, Duke said in a statement.But thats not the end of it. The U.S. Senate also is voting on a defense-spending bill that would ban the Labs products from being used by government agencies. And at the consumer level, electronics giant Best Buy announced that it was pulling Kasperskys cybersecurity products from its shelves and websites. In response to the whirlwind, Kaspersky has simply responded by saying it was disappointed with Homeland Securitys decision and denied any Russian government ties. Naidu Hesitant To Ban Ilaiah Book! The controversial book of retired professor and social activist Kancha Ilaiah against Vysya community (traders), accusing them of being social smugglers, has triggered a lot unrest in the Telugu states, so much so that Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu contemplated banning of the book in the state. Naidu discussed the issue with senior officials including Director General of Police (DGP) N Sambasiva Rao at Secretariat, in the wake of serious protests from the Vysya community, which took out rallies in various places in the last three days. Andhra Pradesh Arya Vysya Corporation Sadhana Samithi Corporation chairman Konejeti Ramesh said that the books should be banned immediately. He alleged that Ilaiah wrote book to create disputes among the various sections of people. He said that this kind of books would harm to the society. However, senior party leaders reportedly advised Naidu against banning the book, because it would prove counter-productive to the party. They reminded that the backward classes were the backbone of the party and any decision to ban the book or arresting Kancha Iliah would trigger unrest in the BCs which might ultimately prove costly to the TDP. After that, Naidu decided that the government adopt a wait and watch approach. He told the DGP that maintenance of law and order was more important. He asked the police to maintain restraint and allow the Vysyas to protest, but ensure that there is no violence. Le the issue fizzle out on its own, Naidu told the police. Delphi Automotive PLC has signed a commercial partnership agreement with LeddarTech, a Canadian company developing solid-state LiDAR technology. Delphi, a leader in autonomous driving technology, and LeddarTech, a Canadian start-up focused on an advanced, proprietary signal processing technology, will collaborate to develop a low-cost, corner LiDAR solution. The core technology can be developed rapidly and allows for easy vehicle integration. To further support the commercial partnership, Delphi has made a minority investment in LeddarTech. Really?? It seems to me that that's what the Trumpsters (and Trump himself) DO every chance they get. Have you missed all the RW posts on DTT featuring ONE person who committed an atrocity and immediately millions of LW/Liberals/Commies/Socialists were blamed? Have you missed all the Trump racist Trump quotes? Stereotyping and generalizing is what the Righthanders do best. We see it every day. North Carolinas leading architects, artists, builders and craftspeople will showcase their work at Double Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Greensboro on Sept. 22. The Institute of Classical Architecture and Art, a 25-year-old nonprofit dedicated to advancing the classical tradition in architecture, urbanism and theallied arts, will host the event. Peter Lyden, president of institute, will join the architects, builders and designers from North Carolina. Lyden, who has more than 25 years of experience as a fundraiser and nonprofit administrator, was the chief philanthropy officer at the American Museum of Natural History and the director of the American Ballet Theatres Development Department. Double Oaks Bed & Breakfast sits on the cusp of The College Hill and Westerwood neighborhoods. Nationally acclaimed architect James S. Collins recently collaborated with owners James and Amanda Keith to restore the third floor of their recently acquired B&B. Collins says the B&B, formerly known as the Harden Thomas Martin House, is arguably the finest example of Colonial Revival Architecture in Greensboro with an interior that is remarkably intact and unaltered. Designed by G. Will Armfield, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The exhibits for the evening will include artisans from the institutes North Carolina Chapter and student artists from The Academy of Classical Design in Southern Pines, as well as an Ornamental Plasterer, Furniture Makers, Landscape Architects, Architects, Interior Designers and Builders. In 2006, Collins designed a Dutch Colonial House in Irving Park that was featured in New Old House magazine in 2009. The homeowner is a member of First Presbyterian Church, where James Keith is associate director of music and performs with The Rejoice Band on Sunday mornings. About a year ago, the church member visited Keiths B&B, and Keith mentioned he needed an architects stamp on house plans generated by UNC-Greensboro students. She recommended Collins. Collins and Keith not only completed the renovation but became friends. Collins, president of the North Carolina Chapter of the institute, invited Lyden to visit Greensboro after a conference in Winston-Salem. Collins thought: why not invite artisans to exhibit their work at Double Oaks and invite Lyden? A quick call to Keith sealed the deal. Guests from the College Hill, Sunset Hills, Westerwood and Fisher Park Neighborhood Association, students and faculty from UNCG Interior Architecture Department and affiliates with Greensboro Preservation will hobnob with members of the Academy of Classical Design and the ICAA North Carolina Chapter. The exhibit and cocktail reception are free and open to the public. U.S. House Along with roll-call votes this week, the House also passed the Homeland Threat Assessment Act, to require an annual homeland threat assessment; and passed the Homeland Security Assessment of Terrorists Use of Virtual Currencies Act, to direct the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis to develop and disseminate a threat assessment regarding terrorist use of virtual currency. DEBT CEILING, HURRICANE RELIEF: The Houses agreed to the Senate amendment to the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development Act that would provide government funding through Dec. 8, raise the debt ceiling until that same date, and provide $15 billion to fund Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. The vote, on Sept. 8, was 316-90. NAYS: Ted Budd (R-Advance), Mark Walker (R-Greensboro) WELL METHANE FLARING RULE: The House approved an amendment sponsored to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to block funding for a Bureau of Land Management rule concerning the venting and flaring of natural gas from gas and oil wells on federal land. The vote, on Sept. 8, was 216-186. YEAS: Budd, Walker REGULATING METHANE EMISSIONS: The House passed an amendment to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to funding for implementation of the Environmental Protection Agencys 2016 rule restricting methane emissions from oil and natural gas production and transmission. The vote, on Sept. 13, was 225-186. YEAS: Budd, Walker REGULATING COASTAL AREAS: The House passed an amendment to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that would block funding for a 2010 Obama administration executive order setting forth a National Ocean Policy on federal regulation of the nations coastal areas. The vote, on Sept. 13, was 216-199. YEAS: Budd, Walker CRIMINAL ALIENS AND SANCTUARY CITIES: The House passed an amendment to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to block funding under the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program for municipalities that do not comply with federal immigration law by failing to apprehend aliens with at least one felony or two misdemeanor convictions. The vote, on Sept. 13, was 226-191. YEAS: Budd, Walker UNIONIZATION ELECTIONS: The House passed an amendment to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to block funding for a National Labor Relations Boards rule allowing rapid unionization elections by a business workforce. The vote, on Sept. 13, was 221-196. YEAS: Budd, Walker DEPORTING ALIEN GANG MEMBERS: The House passed the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to proceed with the deportation of illegal aliens who are members of criminal gangs. The vote, on Sept. 14, was 233-175. YEAS: Budd, Walker 2018 DISCRETIONARY BUDGET: The House passed the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which would provide $1.2 trillion of fiscal 2018 funding for the military and various discretionary government programs, including Homeland Security and the Environmental Protection Agency. The vote, on Sept. 14, was 211-198. YEAS: Budd, Walker U.S. Senate Along with roll-call votes this week, the Senate also passed a resolution, condemning the violence that took place during events on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Va.; passed the Securing Access to Networks in Disasters Act, to direct the Federal Communications Commission to commence proceedings related to the resiliency of critical communications networks during times of emergency; and passed the Abolish Human Trafficking Act, to provide assistance in abolishing human trafficking in the United States. COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Kevin Allen Hassett to serve as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers to the president. The vote, on Sept. 12, was 81-16. YEAS: Richard Burr (R), Thom Tillis (R) AUTHORIZATION FOR IRAQ WAR: The Senate tabled an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have repealed Congresss 2002 resolution authorizing the war against Iraq and the Saddam Hussein regime. The vote to table, on Sept. 13, was 61-36. YEAS: Burr, Tillis HOUSING DEPUTY SECRETARY: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Pamela Hughes Patenaude to serve as Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The vote, on Sept. 14, was 80-17. YEAS: Burr, Tillis 2018 MILITARY BUDGET: The Senate approved a cloture motion to end debate on the substitute amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The amendment would authorize a $700 billion military budget for fiscal 2018. The vote on Sept. 14, was 84-9, NOT VOTING: Burr YEA: Tillis Targeted News Service A Florida police officer, who gained social media fame for a "hot cop" photo showing him and fellow officers preparing for Hurricane Irma, is accused of making anti-Semitic remarks and joking online about Hitler and Jews. Gainesville police said they are investigating a complaint against Officer Michael Hamill days after a selfie of him and the two other officers went viral, prompting a swarm of comments from admirers some of which the department said "actually made our chief blush." Local media has since reported that images from Hamill's Facebook page reveal controversial comments from 2011 and 2013. "Several citizens have brought information to our attention regarding a complaint against Officer Hamill," Gainesville police spokesman Ben Tobias said in a statement to The Washington Post without providing details about the nature of the complaint. "GPD is reviewing the allegation and will do so in accordance to Florida law and department policy. Under Florida Law, complaint information is confidential until an investigation is concluded." According to the Gainesville Sun: One screen shot is of an April 2013 post in which Hamill writes: "Who knew that reading Jewish jokes before I go to bed would not only make me feel better about myself but also help me to sleep better as well. Here is one for everybody, 'What's the difference between Boy Scouts and Jews?' Anybody know? Well it is because 'Boy Scouts come back from their camps.' One person replied to that Facebook post, calling it "messed up." Hamill replied, "u don't like it? don't read it then." In another screen shot from a 2011 post, Hamill writes: "So I find it funny that people will talk about how our government needs to do something about our economy and in reality it's YOU who needs to stop taking advantage of our system and get a life and do something with your life. Gotta love reality when it hits you in the face. Stupid people annoy me. Put them in an oven and deal with them the Hitler way. Ha-ha." Hamill, along with officers John Nordman and Dan Rengering, captured attention after their selfie was posted along with others last weekend on the police department's Facebook page, showing the response to the storm. As The Washington Post's Samantha Schmidt reported, the picture evoked responses such as "I feel faint send help!" "I feel safer just looking at this picture," one person commented. "I can't believe how many women are objectifying these poor, fine, young, strong, handsome, brave, sexy, delicious, virile, ovulation-inducing, mouthwatering, beefy. I can't remember where I was going with this," another said. The photo also brought competing shots from officers in Sarasota, and from three female officers in Grand Ledge, Mich. Gainesville police initially responded in kind (though the statement has since been removed): 1. We are dying with the comments. You've actually made our chief blush with some of them. 2. MRS. Nordman and MRS. Hamill have also enjoyed knowing how millions of women are going crazy over their husbands. 3. We can confirm that Officer Rengering (far right with the amazing hair) IS SINGLE. 4. On another note, Officer Rengering is being placed into Cougar Prey Protective Care, similar to the witness protection program for his safety. 5. Please do not call 9-1-1 and request this group respond to your "incident." 6. There WILL be a calendar. "I've never had this much attention before," Hamill, who said he has been with the Gainesville Police Department for about a year, told Time earlier this week. "It's an ego boost very flattering and funny." The 28-year-old said that at first, his wife, whom he married in March, was not happy about the attention. "But she's taking it like a champ," Hamill told the magazine. After the news of the investigation into the complaint against Hamill, Gainesville police confirmed that the department has also deleted the image, which had garnered tens of thousands of comments. "With the complaint and investigation ongoing it was the right thing to do," Tobias, the Gainesville police spokesman, said in an email to The Post. ST. LOUIS (AP) The Latest on the murder trial of a white former police officer who fatally shot a black man in St. Louis (all times local): 10:30 a.m. About 100 people have gathered in downtown St. Louis to protest the acquittal of a white former police officer in the shooting death of a black man. A judge on Friday found 36-year-old Jason Stockley not guilty in the 2011 death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith. Protesters began gathering near the courthouse where the case was heard and were marching in the streets. Police have blocked off some streets. At one point, protesters headed toward an interstate ramp, but police blocked them from getting on. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson says she hopes city residents will come together despite their differences over the acquittal. Stockley shot 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase. Prosecutors alleged Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. ___ 10:15 a.m. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson says she hopes city residents will come together despite their differences over the acquittal of a white former police officer in the shooting death of a black man. Krewson says in a statement early Friday that she's praying for the loved ones of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith, who was shot to death in 2011. She also offers prayers for police, the judge who issued the verdict and "citizens who find no comfort, or justice." The mayor encouraged St. Louis residents to show each other compassion and recognize that they all "rise and fall together." The statement comes as protesters increased near the courthouse in downtown St. Louis where the verdict was announced. Police were blocking streets near the courthouse so protesters could march. ____ 9:55 a.m. St. Louis interim police chief Lawrence O'Toole is asking that people upset with the acquittal of a white former St. Louis police officer in the shooting death of a black man demonstrate peacefully. In a statement released shortly after the acquittal of former officer Jason Stockley was announced Friday, O'Toole says the department understands that emotions are running high but that the judge's verdict should be respected. Stockley shot 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase in 2011. O'Toole says his department's top priority is protecting and serving citizens. He says the department is committed to protecting free speech rights but is also committed to upholding the city's laws. ___ 9:40 a.m. About a dozen protesters have gathered near the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis after a judge acquitted a white former St. Louis police officer of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a black man following a 2011 chase. Protesters are shouting that the Friday verdict is unfair and that they want justice. Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson issued his ruling against 36-year-old Jason Stockley. Stockley could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole had he been convicted. Stockley shot 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase. Stockley says he saw Smith holding a gun before the chase began, and that he felt he was in imminent danger. Prosecutors alleged Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. ___ 9 a.m. A judge has acquitted a white former St. Louis police officer of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a black man following a high-speed chase in 2011. Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson issued his ruling Friday against 36-year-old Jason Stockley. Stockley could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole had he been convicted. Stockley shot 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase. Stockley says he saw Smith holding a gun before the chase began, and that he felt he was in imminent danger when he opened fire. Prosecutors alleged that Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. A gun in the car had the officer's DNA on it, but not Smith's. Stockley left the police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. ___ 8 a.m. Preparations for possible protests are set in St. Louis, where a judge may rule Friday in the murder trial of a white former police officer who fatally shot a black suspect. Jason Stockley's first-degree murder trial concluded Aug. 9 and St. Louis has been on edge awaiting Judge Timothy Wilson's ruling. Stockley testified he shot Anthony Lamar Smith in 2011 because he thought the drug suspect was reaching for a gun. Prosecutors say Stockley planted the weapon. Media reports and preparation announcements from officials indicate that Wilson may rule Friday. Gov. Eric Greitens has the National Guard on standby. Police are working 12-hour shifts, starting Friday. All downtown courthouses will be closed, including the federal courthouse, in anticipation of the verdict. Greitens and Mayor Lyda Krewson are urging calm. Also asking for peace is Smith's fiancee, Christina Wilson. ___ Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv . ST. LOUIS (AP) A judge found a white former St. Louis police officer not guilty of first-degree murder on Friday in the death of a black man who was fatally shot following a high-speed chase in 2011. The former officer, Jason Stockley, shot 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith five times. The officer said he saw Smith holding a gun and felt he was in imminent danger, but prosecutors said Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial that police dashcam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was "going to kill this (expletive), don't you know it." Less than a minute later, the officer fatally shot Smith. Stockley's lawyer dismissed the comment as "human emotions" amid a dangerous police pursuit. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole. He left St. Louis' police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. It is unusual for officers to be charged with killing suspects while on duty, and few officers have been convicted in such deaths. Stockley's verdict was handed down by Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson, who oversaw the bench trial. Stockley requested that the case be heard by a judge rather than a jury despite objections from prosecutors. Ahead of the verdict, activists in St. Louis threatened civil disobedience if Stockley were acquitted, including possible efforts to shut down highways. Amid the growing uneasiness, the mayor and an attorney for Smith's fiance publicly urged for calm. Gov. Eric Greitens met with and assured black faith leaders that peaceful protesters' rights would be protected, but later stressed that violence wouldn't be tolerated. Barricades went up on Aug. 28 around police headquarters, the courthouse where the trial was held, and other sites of recent or potential protests. Police said they were being proactive to ensure safety "due to recent events around the country." The St. Louis area has a history of unrest in such cases, including after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014. Protests, some of them violent, erupted after the black 18-year-old, who was unarmed, was killed by a white police officer. The officer wasn't charged but later resigned. In Smith's case, the encounter began when Stockley and his partner tried to corner Smith in a fast-food restaurant parking lot after seeing what appeared to be a drug deal. Stockley testified that he saw what he believed was a gun, and his partner yelled "gun!" as Smith backed into the police SUV twice to get away. Stockley's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, argued that Smith, a parole violator with previous convictions for gun and drug crimes, tried to run over the two officers. Stockley fired seven shots as Smith sped away. A chase ensued. At the end of the chase, Stockley opened fire only when Smith, still in his car, refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat "in the area where the gun was," Bruntrager said. Stockley said he climbed into Smith's car and found a revolver stuffed between the center console and passenger seat. But prosecutors questioned why Stockley dug into a bag in the back seat of the police SUV before returning to Smith's car. The gun found in Smith's car didn't have his DNA on it, but it did have Stockley's. "The gun was a plant," Steele said. The case was among several in recent years in which a white officer killed a black suspect. Officers were acquitted in recent police shooting trials in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. A case in Ohio twice ended with hung juries, and prosecutors have decided not to seek a third trial. ___ Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas: http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv . You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The headline seems designed to convey maximum despicability: Two Ex-Googlers Want To Make Bodegas And Mom-And-Pop Corner Stores Obsolete. The story gets worse from there. Not only does a former technology project manager named, of all things, Paul McDonald want to replace small brick-and-mortar retailers with even smaller 5-foot-wide boxes that look like they came out an Ikea catalogue. He and his co-founder are also calling their venture Bodega, and its logo is a cat (an animal seemingly ubiquitous in New York corner stores aisles). Eventually, centralized shopping locations wont be necessary, McDonald said, because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you. Cue the online outrage. Bodegas or corner stores, or minimarts, or whatever you want to call them stand for everything Silicon Valley does not. Their whole point is that theyre run by individuals. The charm that comes from rogue felines sunning themselves in their windows or sashaying down the home goods lane is all about the absence of corporatism. Representatives of the characterless are attempting to destroy something central to a neighborhoods character. And theyre doing it by co-opting the names and symbols that sum up that character so well. Worse still, if their project is a success they will likely put many immigrants (some whose fathers or grandfathers helped popularize the term bodega in the first place) out of work. Might as well call the invention a Gentrification Box, one person suggested. All true, and all upsetting. But Bodega isnt just an insulting idea. Its also a bad one. Though community stores idiosyncrasies will keep customers coming back, theres more to it. The inability of Bodegas founders to appreciate the value of the unique has led to a bigger flaw in their business model. Each community tends to have relatively homogenous tastes, given that they live or work in the same place, McDonald told fastcompany.com. That, he thinks, will allow Bodega to customize its offerings from location to location so residents have exactly what they need. Theres a good chance hes wrong. I went to my local corner store this morning and purchased sour cream and onion Pringles and a single serving of grapefruit juice. I had never done this before, and I doubt it is a regular activity for anyone in my building. But those chips and that drink were exactly what I wanted to buy, and I knew my Metro K would have them. A box the size of a not-quite-satisfactory pantry cannot possibly contain all of a communitys necessities, because, thank the Lord, we do not live in a creepy world where citizens within a certain geographic location all have the exact same desires every single day. In essence, Bodega has invented a particularly polarizing vending machine. Those have existed since literally the 1st century, when an Alexandrian mathematician discovered a way to charge people for holy water in temples. Tobacco-dispensers appeared in English taverns in the 1600s, and in the 1880s coin-operated commercial machines allowed people to buy products from stamps and postcards to Tutti-Frutti gum. When credit-card scanners made their way onto vending interfaces in the early 2000s, vending machines started selling high-ticket items such as iPads and digital cameras. Some machines make hot dogs, and one in Singapore even offers really Lamborghinis. None of this has stopped people from going to the Apple Store, the auto-dealership or even the ice-cream truck. So if shoppers agree with the exercised throngs on Twitter that Bodega the start-up should not replace bodegas the storied neighborhood institutions, they can at least take solace in the reality that it probably wont. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Maybe you're tired of writing your landlord a $2,000-plus check every month for your one-bedroom apartment in Stamford. Or perhaps you're a baby boomer putting off retirement because you never managed to save as much as you intended. Or maybe you're just fed up with the daily, soul-crushing traffic crawl through the I-95 corridor. Time to pull up stakes? Here's an option: Flee the country altogether. Sure, it's significantly cheaper to live in Bellingham than Greenwich or Stamford, but the savings pale compared to those you'd enjoy in some Central American or South American cities. Bargains can be found even in Europe. Now Playing: The Galapagos Islands, in Ecuador, offer wildlife and landscapes found nowhere else on earth. Video: Brandpoint Of course, becoming an expatriate holds more appeal for the retired. In some cases, you won't even need to tap into your 401(k) to pay the bills; a Social Security check goes a long way in, say, Panama City. Younger folks who are able to make a living by telecommuting, consulting or other nontraditional jobs might also be tempted by the lure of a low cost of living possibly so low that you barely need to work, if at all. Here are the cheapest places overseas in which to live well, according to International Living. The monthly magazine and website scours the planet for the best deals for people looking for opportunities beyond their own shores. As its lists for "Best Places to Retire" and "Cheapest Places to Live" overlapped, we've made a mashup from both. International Living's ratings are not scientific but are based on anecdotal information from the site's more than 200 correspondents living in other countries. However, a number of its choices show up on similar lists by Forbes, LifeBuzz and Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destinations. With each city (or country) in the above gallery, we've included some of the testimonials of International Living's correspondents in the captions, and noted perks specific to the area. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH The Mexican flag was raised outside of Town Hall for the first time Friday to commemorate that countrys independence. The flag raising was part of a brief ceremony attended by more than 30 people that included music and cries of both Viva Mexico! and Viva Greenwich! Organizers said they were planning on making the remembrance an annual event. Were delighted that we can add this ceremony to the series of ceremonies each year that recognizes the various origins of our community members, First Selectman Peter Tesei told the gathering. One of the strengths of Greenwich is our community diversity and that were all able to celebrate each others heritage. We are celebrating today with our fellow citizens. In addition to Tesei, attendees included selectmen John Toner and Drew Marzullo and Jacobeth Hernandez, the consul for economic affairs from the Mexican consulate office in New York City, representing Consul General Diego Gomez-Pickering. Were celebrating 207 years of the independence of Mexico, Hernandez said. From that night that rebels rang the bell that started the whole independence movement, it not only culminated in the independence of Mexico but it started a movement in all of the countries in Latin America. They all wanted independence from Spain. Hernandez, who delivered her remarks in both English and Spanish, touched on relations between America and Mexico. While they have become strained under President Donald Trump, Hernandez said, both countries were hit hard by hurricanes and Mexico had a powerful earthquake. The two countries remain standing together. Our governments and our people have manifested their solidarity already and their willingness to help, Hernandez said. With all of this going on, we are still having this commemoration where we commemorate and celebrate the bonds between our countries and between our people. The actual Mexican Independence Day, more commonly known as the Cry of Dolores where a church bell signified the call to arms, is celebrated Sept. 16 and 17. Town resident Ann Blumensaadt was behind Fridays event. While not Mexican herself, she grew up near the Texas/Mexico border and regularly visited the country. Many of her classmates were Mexican, she said, and she has a strong attachment to the culture. When attending the annual Bastille Day flag raising at Town Hall in July, Blumensaadt found herself wondering why there wasnt a celebration of Mexican independence as well. It feels very good to have this and have such a good response, Blumensaadt said. Were definitely going to do this again and hopefully more people will come. Said Marzullo, "While U.S. Mexican relations may be strained and challenged, today's celebration was joyful, energetic and very uplifting. What loving, kind generous people." Several songs, including the Mexican national anthem, were performed by Robert Genna. The honor of raising the flag was given to town resident Leoncio Flores. I am so appreciative of our First Selectman Peter Tesei, Flores said. The greetings he has given to our Mexican community in town are wonderful. Among the attendees was 3-year old Mateo Ramirez, who caught a lot of eyes as he waved a Mexican flag throughout the ceremony. He was brought to the event by his mother Carmen, a town resident, who said it was meaningful to see Greenwich hold the celebration. Its an honor, Ramirez said. My husband and I were talking about this last night and we were asking each other, Are they really celebrating this? But this is so important. It makes us feel comfortable and welcome here. Similar sentiments were expressed by Rigoberto Martinez and his wife Margarita, who have lived in Greenwich for 16 years. Its great to have the town celebrate independence, he said. It makes us Mexicans feel more welcome in this town. Wed love to come again. We see friends here today. We see new people and old people. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH Greenwich will continue to wait for state funding for New Lebanon School construction - for now. But if the money does not come soon, several school board members this week said they should convene to discuss asking the Representative Town Meeting to release local funds for the project, before state funding is obtained. Town finance officials have agreed to pay $14 million for the new school, but made the expenditure conditional on the state coming through with a grant of about $23 million. I think we need to start considering more than just holding our breath and hoping that reason prevails in Hartford, said Peter Bernstein, a Board of Education member and liaison to the New Lebanon Building Committee. Every day that goes by is another day of delay. This is the key word as we move into the winter months. This means adding time and expense. Weve got the plan, weve got the building permit and what we really need is recognition by all of our local officials of the shared responsibility that we have to ensure the project is completed without further delay and expense. The state grant to Greenwich is part of a school-funding package in a bond bill before the General Assembly. But state legislators cannot vote on it until they pass a new budget, which is months late. A vote was scheduled on a budget proposal in Hartford for Friday. Furthermore, the governor has said he opposes state funding for New Lebanon. He cant pick it out of the bond package as a line-item veto, but some are worried about his potential ability to block the funding in other ways. If we are now saying wed like the town to proceed and leave that $23 million to some extent at risk, I think that warrants an in-depth conversation that Im not ready to have tonight, although Im certainly willing to have the conversation and it is very important to me that the school be built as promised, BOE member Laura Erickson said during a meeting of the school board Thursday night. Its not a decision we should take lightly. New Lebanon Building Committee Chairman Stephen Walko told the board Thursday that its time to act is dwindling. Inaction could shackle the project to rising construction costs and timelines with further delays, he said. As I see it, the scenarios are simple. If the state either fails to fund New Leb or fails to act on their budget either way by October, give or take a few days, but by Oct. 20th or so, decisions will be made for this Board of Ed, said Walko. Invariably, we will be going out to bid and invariably the costs are likely to increase. If this Board of Ed takes an affirmative approach, time is ticking. Bids from 28 subcontractors who will execute various parts of the construction are set to expire on Oct. 24. That deadline was already pushed back once from Sept. 24., and Gilbane Building Co., the construction company for the project, predicts subcontractors are unlikely to extend again, Walko said. Rebidding the project, if bids expire, would cost at least $60,000 just to cover Gilbanes work as staff would have to ask for new offers from subcontractors and vet them, Karrie Kratz, operations manager at Gilbane, estimated at a building committee meeting earlier this month. The bids themselves would likely increase, too. The professionals are indicating a 4 percent increase, Walko told school board members Thursday. Some costs could also go up due to winter conditions. So what do we do? Walko asked. Were here for direction, quite frankly. Walko presented one vision Thursday night for how the Board of Education might take action before bids expire: asking the Representative Town Meeting to release town funds to pay for New Lebanon. The Board of Estimate and Taxation conditioned the release of town funds on receiving the state money for the school. The Representative Town Meeting approved the funding, as part of the town budget, in May, with the condition intact. Currently, as long as the Board of Education waits for state money, it also waits for town money. As I understand it, the only impediment to breaking ground is the condition set by the BET, Walko said. Its a matter of local funding. If the school board wants to ask the RTM to release funds for New Lebanon School before state funding is approved and before bids expire, Walko said, it would have to appear before that body on Oct. 23, the next scheduled regular meeting of the RTM still accepting items for discussion. The Board of Education would have to submit materials and intent to appear before the RTM by Sept. 29 in order to be added to the agenda for that meeting, according to the Town Clerks Office. That leaves the Board of Education a less-than-two-week window to decide whether it wants to appeal to the RTM. At the time of the Board of Educations meeting Thursday night, state legislators debated the negotiated Democrat budget in state Capitol. I think if they are this close to a budget deal in Hartford, we owe it to ourselves to wait out the meeting and entertain the possibility of calling a special meeting, said Erickson. Lets not speculate. And I agree, Bernstein said, but were not going to wait too long obviously. I think weve made clear that the boards position on the need for this project has not changed, said BOE Chairman Peter Sherr. I sense the consensus of the board is we will wait to hear what we get out of Hartford and based upon that outcome, we will decide whether or not to call a special meeting. Conversations about what to do came on the heels of fresh comments from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy last week reiterating his administrations view that funding the school project would be bad public policy. I dont know whether they can compel me to fund (New Lebanon School), but I have no intention of funding it, Malloy said. Greenwich is eligible for state funding for the new school because it is part of a plan to diversify the racially unbalanced student population at New Lebanon. The plan would replace the school, which also suffers from overcrowding, with a larger one to have room for its magnet program to work in attracting students from other parts of town. One hundred percent state-funded schools in affluent districts dont make any sense under almost any context, state Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes said last week. And the notion that we would allow someone to build a new school rather than make the hard choices about redistricting in order to achieve some appropriate level of diversity within the schools in their district is highly problematic. State legislators are unsure exactly how much influence Malloy could have over the project, now that it has been approved by three legislative subcommittees and is part of the bond bill. Members of the Greenwich delegation expressed concern about Malloys stong opposition, nonetheless. Although I have personally never seen a project eliminated after it was listed in a funding bill ... I think anything is possible if the governor is determined to change things, state Sen. L. Scott Frantz, R-36, said last week. We have all worked hard on this project that was encouraged and approved by the state, and it would be a shame for him to change or eliminate its funding. The school project was slated to break ground in July, but has yet to do so. Students were supposed to move into the new school in September 2018; now the move-in date might be in December 2018, Walko said. emunson@greenwichtime.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson GREENWICH The Greenwich United Way has embarked on its annual fundraising campaign, at a time when need for the services the United Way supports is growing. Greenwich United Way is the largest non-governmental provider of pre-school scholarships in town, Greenwich United Way CEO David Rabin said at a campaign kick-off event at Greenwich Hospital. Over 600 children a year from low and moderate income families benefit from that investment. The United Way funds programs that feed and clothe more than 1,500 residents each year, Rabin told a group of about 30 at the kick-off event. Your investment in the Greenwich United Way provides counseling for over 100 victims of domestic violence every year and annually over 1,600 Greenwich residents are provided free sexual assault crisis counseling and prevention programs because you believe in the Greenwich United Way, he said. Rabin also touted the 57,000 rides the agency funded for the towns senior and disabled populations. He highlighted programs about opioid addiction and others helping children, families and seniors that are supported by the United Way. In its most recent townwide needs assessment, released in 2016, the United Way found that even as the median household income in Greenwich has increased so has the percentage of residents living under the federal poverty level. At the time of the assessment, that number was up to five percent of the town population, equaling close to 3,100 people. The needs assessment also found that the segment of residents classified as asset limited, income constrained and employed (ALICE) is up to 12 percent, or 7,500 people, which is in addition to those living in poverty in Greenwich. Since the beginning of 2017, the Greenwich United Way has given out more than $1 million in grants to fund programs in town to meet local human services needs identified by the needs assessment. Among the agencies who rely on the United Way to help serve their clients are Family Centers, Kids in Crisis, Abilis, River House, the Child Guidance Center and the Transportation Association of Greenwich. As demand for their services has increased in recent years, many of those agencies and others have seen funding in its various streams recede, service providers have said. First Selectman Peter Tesei thanked the United Way at the campaign kick-off event for its year-long efforts to support the community and its organizations that provide essential services to our must vulnerable population. He pointed out that while people are rightfully focused on helping to alleviate suffering caused by destructive natural disasters like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the need for assistance is also local. We cant lose sight of the fact that here at home, here in Greenwich within our community in the neighborhoods there are residents who are struggling to put food on the table, who need assistance with fuel costs, are in need of help for medical or dental care, in need of enrichment for their children and for education and support to further and better themselves, Tesei said. That is all possible through the work the (Greenwich United Way does) day in and day out. It was the second consecutive year that Greenwich Hospital hosted the campaign launch. Hospital CEO Norman Roth said the partnership is a natural. Greenwich Hospital and the Greenwich United Way share common values and common goals, Roth said. We are each trying to improve the lives of our citizens and make their lives better. To be healthy doesnt just require great health care, it requires the host of services that are available in our community. More information about the annual campaign and the Greenwich United Way is online at https://greenwichunitedway.org/. We are fortunate to be able to live in a town like Greenwich, Connecticut, Rabin said. We have so many people who care so, so much for the community. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com A rabbi's calendar clock sometimes is off-kilter with the rest of the Jewish world. For me, Rosh Hashanah preparation begins soon after the beginning of the secular New Year. I start writing vignettes, and by the beginning of August, I will have hundreds upon hundreds in my High Holiday folder. Roseanne then reads all that I have written, and grades each from "A" to "F." Many times I have wanted to argue for a higher grade, but over my career I've learned her instincts are usually right on. After the grades are in, I push aside all of the B+ and lower graded writings, and then choose which of the remaining materials I might use, and how to thematically connect it with our High Holy Day liturgy. After all of this is done, I then re-edit the chosen materials. I have found that the shorter the vignette, the greater the impact. Beside the vignette preparations, I of course give thought to the sermons themselves. Here, I have the liberty to speak longer, although I always try to recall Mark Twain's sage advice that no sinner repents after the first 20 minutes of a sermon. Sermon themes percolate throughout the year. I generally try to address non-political themes, although at times the rabbinic voice does need to be heard as applied to our present Jewish and human challenges within the political arena. My bias as a congregational rabbi is to focus on what our sacred teachings might offer so as to help us create greater meaning in our lives. Rosh Hashanah itself comes to us with the offerings of different challenges by which we are to be especially mindful. The name "Rosh Hashanah," literally "head of the year," is the marker of our Jewish New Year, but the Rabbis also teach us that Rosh Hashanah has three other names: Yom Truah Yom HaDin Yom HaZikaron Yom Truah means a "Day of Cheering" and it alludes to the shofar blasts. (The Shofar blasts, with the prescribed different sounds, are cued by the calls: "Tekiah," "Truah," "Shebarim" and "Tekiah Gedolah.") "Yom Truah" is a reminder that Rosh Hashanah is to be an especially festive and joyful time. I think, even more important than attending the worship services, is the custom to gather with family and friends for the Rosh Hashanah meals. Growing up, Rosh Hashanah was "Shabbat on Steroids," the Passover Seder with no chametz limitations. To this day, I can still "smell" and "taste" my mother's stuffed cabbage and matzah ball soup. And, my Bubbye's Z'L kugels are as significantly etched in my mind. My mother Z'L forced us as children to go shopping for new clothes right before Rosh Hashanah not because of the need to dress up for services but rather to "look like a mensch" at the Rosh Hashanah dinner table. Enjoying the company of loved ones is at the heart of Rosh Hashanah, and sitting down eating delicious foods certainly makes for a good and meaningful gathering. "Yom HaZikaron" means a "Day of Recollection," and it captures the idea that it's during the Ten Days of Awe -- from Rosh HaShanah through Yom Kippur that God recalls and examines closely all of our deeds and occurrences during the previous year. Additionally, these Holy Days become the time by which we can similarly recall and examine. The last name, "Yom Hadin," means "Day of Judgment." Beside the joy and recollections, we take seriously the opportunity to appropriately reflect upon our lives and then seek effective means by which we can address our weaknesses and further strengthen our strengths. Of interest to the rabbis is that the Hebrew word "Shanah" (Year) is a close homonym with the word "Shinooy," which means change. Our New Year becomes the prompting for our change for the better. Our life's goal is to experience true happiness. The Jewish prescription by which we can best pursue happiness is to seek the opportunities for joyful interactions with our loved ones, honestly take a look at our lives and seek the course changes in directions when necessary. I'm excited for the soon-to-come arrival of the High Holy Days, and I pray we should all be blessed with a New Year that brings us happiness, health and peace! Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz is Senior Rabbi Temple Sholom of Greenwich, co-founder of the Sholom Center for Interfaith Learning and Fellowship and a past president of the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy For an archive of past Greenwich Citizen columns, please visit www.templesholom.com Making pizza the next bitcoin? Photo: Pythagoras Pizza Since the dawn of burger-flipping, the same riddle has plagued restaurateurs why should the companys long-term prospects matter to workers who are paid hourly? Even the best answers have big detractors; just this week, Mario Batali said its odd to think raising wages is a solution. But a San Francisco start-up that does on-demand pizza is trying a novel (and very Silicon Valley circa 2017) approach: To build morale and help turnover, Pythagoras Pizza wants to give workers something akin to equity in the company. Naturally, this must involve creating a brand-new cryptocurrency that CEO Evan Kuo calls fragments. The aim is to pioneer a model in which all contributors can share in the success of the companies they help build, he writes in a post on Pythagorass website. These pieces would be distributed alongside regular wages, but they wouldnt be true equity theyre not actual ownership, but rather a new currency thats sort of like Bitcoin, except that it would be linked to the valuation of Pythagoras Pizza itself, Business Insider explains in an interview with Kuo. Drivers would earn fragments every time they deliver a pie, and cooks would get some for every pie they bake. Customers can even accumulate fragments by referring friends. It should ultimately incentivize everybody to buy, make, and deliver more pizza, and the more pizza there is, the more fragments will be worth. Kuo calls it a tokenization model, and writes that this near-term liquidity lets the start-up compensate workers immediately, rather than way down the line, like is usually the case with stock options (those work best if you hang tight for an IPO or acquisition). Kuo says fragments initial value would be determined by a set number that theyd presell to investors. The value would then fluctuate depending on Pythagorass monthly revenue. The major downside is, fragments arent stocks, so their holders would get no say in the companys business decisions. Other big huhs and whats will probably materialize as Kuos plan gets more real, but his perk would function similar to stock options at companies like Facebook or Google, and in theory, give his pizza employees a reason to stick around. At the end of last month, Sony revealed which of its smartphones will be receiving updates to Android 8.0 Oreo, and today it was time for Motorola's US arm to do the same. The Lenovo-owned company hasn't committed to any release time frames for any of these, though, so it's anyone's guess when the phones listed below will actually taste Oreo. Here's the list of Motorola phones that will be updated to Android 8.0: Moto Z2 Force (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon) Moto Z2 Play (Verizon, unlocked) Moto Z Force DROID (Verizon) Moto Z (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, unlocked) Moto Z Play (Verizon, unlocked) Moto G5S Plus (unlocked) Moto G5 Plus (unlocked) Moto G5 (unlocked) Since this was shared by Motorola USA, it's obviously focused solely on handsets that have been sold officially in that country. There's no information yet about what will happen elsewhere. Also note that most of the carrier phones in the list are said to get Oreo "pending partner support" - so there's a chance that some of them will never see an update despite Motorola's intentions (if one of the carriers says no). The absence of any version of the G4 family is notable here, since that's less than 18 months old at this point. Perhaps the end of software support this early is to be expected for a mid-range series, but owners of any G4 who care about being up to date may look to other companies for their next Android fix. Source | Via Yesterday Huawei revealed that it's going to unveil the Maimang 6 (a.k.a Huawei G10) in China on September 22, and the teaser image the company shared basically confirmed that this will indeed be the first Huawei phone with an 18:9 screen. Then mere hours later we saw a prototype Maimang 6 portrayed in a photo shoot out and about, confirming that aspect ratio and some specs. Now it's time for us to glance at some leaked press renders of the same handset, coming from two different sources. This is definitely leaking more lately than the much more high-end Mate 10, but hopefully that situation will change in the near future. Anyway, aside from serving as the debut device for an 18:9 screen in Huawei's lineup, the Maimang 6 is also notable because it has a total of four cameras, employing dual setups on both the rear and the front. What's more, you even get an LED flash for selfies. Rumored specs include a 5.9" 1,080x2,160 touchscreen, the Kirin 659 mid-range SoC, up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, a 3,240 or 3,340 mAh battery, and EMUI 5.1 over Android 7.0 Nougat. Dimensions are to be 156.2 75.2 7.5mm, and it will weigh 164g. Outside of China we expect it to be called G10 or G10 Plus. Source 1 (thanks, Mikke!) | Source 2 Scores on standardized tests in math, science and English language arts dipped across the state last school year, data released Thursday by the Oregon Department of Education show. Across the state, the percentage of students meeting standards in all three subjects dropped by about a percent each, to below 54 percent in English language arts, about 41 percent in math and about 61 percent in science. The results in English and math are from the third year the state has used the Smarter Balanced Assessment to evaluate how Oregon high school juniors and students in grades three through eight are meeting the Common Core standards that Oregon adopted in 2010. In science, the results are from the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test, which the state used in all subjects before moving to Smarter Balanced in the 2015-16 school year. Only grades five, eight and 11 take science assessments. Benton County schools mainly followed the trend of declines in students meeting standards, with scores dropping in all subjects in Corvallis and Monroe school districts, although Corvallis continued to have students meeting standards at a higher rate than the state average. Alsea School District, while still well below the state average rate of students meeting standards, did show growth in math and science. Only Philomath showed improvement across all three subjects, although the progress was small in math and English. In Corvallis. 64 percent of test takers scored at level 3 or 4 on English language arts tests in 2016-17, which amounts to meeting or surpassing standards for their grade. This is down from the 67 percent that scored level three or four the prior year on the same tests. On the math test, 54 percent met standards in Corvallis in 2016-17, while the previous year more than 57 percent met the standards. In science, just under 74 percent of students met the standards for their grade in 2016-17; about 76 percent did the prior year. We continue to perform above the state, but we look at this and know theres work to be done, said Superintendent Ryan Noss of the results. Noss said that for him, one of the key takeaways is that performance of the districts third-graders improved over the prior year. This is important, he said, because that is a year when students need to transition from learning to read to reading to learn. The district puts a lot of focus on this year, because research shows third-graders who are reading on grade level are more likely to graduate high school. According to the data, 58 percent of Corvallis third-graders met or exceeded standards in 2016-17, a 4 percent increase over the previous year. The percentage of students meeting math standards climbed to 62 percent from 59 percent in the same time frame. Noss said the district does use the Smarter Balanced data to track student progress, but since the district doesnt get results until after the year ends, it's limited in usefulness. The district also uses shorter STAR assessments throughout the year for kindergarten through eighth grade, Noss said, which gives the educators information to make adjustments to math and English instruction mid-year. Noss said the district adopted a new math curriculum last year, and the transition to the new teaching and learning methods may have had an impact on that subject. Like Corvallis, students in Philomath met standards at a higher rate than the average for students in all three subjects, but the Philomath district also saw at least slight improvements over the 2015-16 school year In English, the rate of students meeting standards grew about half a percent to 59 percent in 2016-17. In math the movement was even smaller, but still upward, with a bit more than 49 percent of students meeting standards in 2016-17. In science, about 75 percent of students met state standards in the same time frame, up about 4 percent over the previous year. Melissa Goff, Philomaths superintendent, said its nice to see the district hold steady on the tests, but added that the staff in the district pay more attention to other, more real-time progress measures, such as grades, other literacy assessments, involvement of students in extracurricular activities and evaluations of whether high school underclassmen are earning the credits they need to be on track for graduation. We should be very cautious in looking at this. Were in the first few years of Smarter Balanced, she said. Goff said she wondered if the format of the test, a very long computer-based assessment, had an impact on elementary students, who are less able to handle the long tests, because scores at the elementary level were lower than the middle and high school level. Its hard to see how high school and middle school students would be doing so well if theyre not learning in elementary school, Goff said. The consortium of education groups that make Smarter Balanced estimate students will on average spend three-and-a-half hours to four hours taking the English part of the assessment and two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours taking the math assessment. Goff also said the assessments are a do-or-die approach to measuring what students are learning that dont give students who have test anxiety another opportunity to show how much theyve learned. Goff said the data is useful as a spot-check of student progress and for assessing how the district is doing compared to other districts, but Philomath schools use a lot of tools to try to identify which students are falling behind so staff can give them more support. Monroe, which was lagging behind the state average in math and English in 2015-16, slid a little in both subjects and saw a big dip in the rate of students meeting standards in science, a subject in which it had previously been well ahead of the state average and all other districts in the county. While in 2015-16, nearly 80 percent of Monroe students met science standards, just 63 percent met standards in the new data. Likewise, the district dropped from 48 percent of students meeting standards in English to 44 percent meeting standards over the same time frame. In math, the decline was smaller, by around a percent, to 32 percent meeting standards. Bill Crowson, who started as superintendent in July but was previously the Monroe High School principal, said the district would like to see improvement on the tests across the board and said the district has restructured the workload of the middle and high school math teachers to try to give more instructional time at the middle school level, an area hes concerned about. Crowson added that Smarter Balanced is a much harder test than the old OAKS tests and schools are still struggling to adapt to it. And at smaller districts a handful of students can have a huge impact on scores. When you are talking about a sample size of 25 or 35, it can be very easily skewed either way, he said. Crowson added that the district looks a lot at the test results, but theres a lot that isnt captured by it. You are not necessarily measuring all the factors that go into it. If a kid has a bad day, that test might not be their top priority. Overall, Alsea had the lowest rates of students meeting standards in the county: in 2016-17 just 29 percent of students met English standards, 23 percent met math standards and 50 percent met science standards. The English score represents a drop from 34 percent the previous year, but the other two subjects were improvements over the previous year. Marc Thielman, Alsea's superintendent, pointed to the district's opt-out rates as a factor in the scores. "Due to our high opt out rate and small class sizes, the data is statistically invalid," he said. In math and English, about 30 percent of Alsea students were opted out of the tests by parents. About 12 percent were opted out of the science assessments. Thielman said the district uses other assessments through the year as measures of student progress that can more inform instruction more immediately. Soroptimist International of Albany is celebrating 30 years of service in the mid-valley with a party Saturday at Deluxe Brewery. Current and past members and supporters of the international volunteer organization are invited to join in the no-host celebration from 4 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 and include games, a barbecue dinner and anniversary cake. Reservations are required via email to siofalbany@gmail.com. Soroptimist is a coined word in Latin meaning, roughly, "the best for women." The mission of Soroptimist International is to make a difference in the lives of women and children. Although the first 25 charter members were women, the organization welcomes men as members, said Patty Street, who served as president from 1995-97. Street is one of the two charter members still a part of the organization. The group's mission is still as important today as it was in 1987, she said. "It feels so good to give back to the community. Its just what we do," she said. "It just is so important to us to help those who need help." Soroptimist International of Albany was chartered Sept. 16, 1987, said Jo Ann Banning, the other charter member still participating and the group's historian. The sponsoring clubs were SI of Salem and SI of Corvallis. The charter banquet was held at Springhill Country Club with the 25 charter members and their guests in attendance. Northwestern Region Governor Sally Shumway and Northwestern Region District 2 Director Darle Runnels participated in the charter ceremony. Doug Sweetland, Manager of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, gave greetings from the business community. The theme for the newly chartered club was, "The Skys The Limit." The chapter's first project was the Elementary Assistance Fund, which raises money to purchase school supplies and clothes for students in Albany elementary schools. Three decades later it's still one of the club's most popular committees, purchasing items for 90 children through the school district's FACT office this past year. Albany Soroptimists also support a high school scholarship fund and Valentine gift bags for patients in Albany and Lebanon infusion clinics each year. The club also maintains a loan account to help women entrepreneurs around the world. Perhaps the best-known Soroptimist event is Walk for the Cause, an October event that raises money to fight breast cancer and other diseases affecting women. This year's walk, the 22nd annual event, starts at 9 a.m. Oct. 7 at the Linn County Courthouse. Soroptimist International of Albany holds two member meetings and a board meeting each month. Membership is open to anyone 18 or older. More information is available on the group's website, https://sialbany.org/. Banning said she keeps coming back in part because of the friendships she's made with so many different people. "I grew up here, I was gone 20 years, and I came back. I looked around and said, 'I need to do something to thank this community,'" she said. "And it makes me feel good. By William Schwartz | Published on 2017/09/14 A very good mystery hook is set up almost immediately- though lacking in any apparently obvious clues, we do know that the murderer has wacky fingers. I like this because usually, random witnesses in crime procedurals have disproportionately photo accurate memory. That the big clue is an explicitly weird and not obviously noticeable tic is actually a pretty good clue, and not something a mentally ill murder suspect would necessarily even notice he was doing. Advertisement That's one of the better possible angles to go after in a serial killer story- focus on the weirdness, rather than the grotesque factor of how the serial killer murders his victims. This episode is thankfully absent of any such gory imagery save for the pictures of what the victim looks like after the serial killer is done with them. This also has the advantage of putting us on the same page as the investigators. We have the same information that they do. The philosophical point being made is a tad murky, although full exposition of it is so late I don't hold it as too much of a problem. As usual, though, the ideas about the nature of justice and the inefficiency of the criminal justice system to sufficiently punish criminals are pretty weird. And of course, quintessentially American. It amazes me that the country with the highest gross prison population on the planet still blares out propaganda about how we don't have enough people in jail. This also led to that weird feeling when I correctly guessed the serial killer's motive way earlier than I should have, solely because one of the victims ended up being a Catholic priest. There is something Catholic priests are famous for yes, but the ones in South Korea have never engaged in that kind of activity. As far as we know anyway. This does accidentally make the mystery more clever, but only for people not familiar with the stereotype. Anyway, the primer we get for the next case is also fairly promising. I liked how we got to see the entire full context of the crime, yet almost immediately discover that this context was quite misleading, and even the room itself wasn't what it looked like. No, it's not another movie set. If there's one thing I have to hand to the production team of "Criminal Minds", they picked a pretty diverse set of episodes to adapt. There's surprisingly little overlap to the plots considering they all have to adhere to the same basic formula. Review by William Schwartz "Criminal Minds" is directed by Lee Jeong-hyo and Yang Yoon-ho, written by Hong Seung-hyeon and features Son Hyun-joo, Lee Joon-gi, Moon Chae-won, Lee Sun-bin, Yoo Sun and Go Yoon. Published on 2017/09/14 | Source Korean drama of the week "Splash Splash Love" (2015) Advertisement Directed by Kim Ji-hyeon-III Written by Kim Ji-hyeon-III Network : MBC With Kim Seul-gi, Yoon Doo-joon, Jin Ki-joo, Ahn Hyo-seop, Ko Kyu-pil, Lee Kwang-se,... 2 episodes (10 parts) - Sun 00:05 Synopsis A senior high school student, who is also an applicant for the College Scholastic Ability Test, Dan-bi gave up studying math. On the day of the test, she fell into time lapse and lands somewhere in Joseon era. She then falls in love with Yi Do, a king, who craves math. Broadcasting dates in Korea : 2015/12/13~2015/12/20 Watch on Viki Watch on Viki Note: Due to licensing, videos may not be available in your country Indie buyers talk trade ahead of SITT By Andrew Catchpole Ahead of our SITT Autumn tastings, Andrew Catchpole invites independent buyers and smaller suppliers to give their views on the benefits and drawbacks of dealing with such specialist importers Simon Evans, managing director, Naked Grape Does it make sense business-wise for independents to have a mix of main suppliers for more mainstream wines and spirits, and then cherry-pick the rest? How do you decide upon the best balance? It depends on what wines you want to put on your shelves. Personally we ignore all the big importers as they mainly handle wines you can find everywhere. If you work with small importers and suppliers you are much more likely to have something on the shelf that customers havent seen before and therefore you can offer a reason for people to shop with you. If you stick with comfortable familiar names, the reason for a wine buyer to seek you out diminishes. Independents will also benefit from the much smaller minimum order quantities that small importers/suppliers have, which makes clear business sense. I deal with three large importers (and these are quite low key in themselves), the rest of the range comes from small suppliers. What are the drawbacks of dealing with smaller and specialist importers? Stock availability, but this is marginal. They are more expensive obviously, but the lower minimum-order quantity allows for much improved cash-flow control. There is no difference in delivery times or accounts people. They offer a tight credit system just like the big companies, which normally require direct debits to be set up. And what benefits can they offer over rivals? Its all about their products and about you. You have to be interested in selling wines that are more interesting than the brand stuff. If not, just stick with the big importers and sell these wines parrot fashion for ever more! Also they have more interesting wines that you can really get interested in and that customers cant find everywhere. And you see the owners more often so you get a much more personal relationship, and you can build sales and ideas together. Gavin Smith, purchasing manager, The Vintner Does it make sense business-wise for independents to have a mix of main suppliers for more mainstream wines and spirits, and then cherry-pick the rest? How do you decide upon the best balance? For all our mainstream wines we buy ex-cellar to maintain best pricing as well as good relationships with the winery, making sure they understand our business as much as possible and we understand their expectations. The benefit of specialist suppliers is an introduction into the lesser-known territories where we can take chances without too much financial risk. The best balance is understanding what percentage of your customers wines will be lesser-known versus more mainstream varieties and try and balance it out. As our list evolves fairly regularly we are able to judge it quite well and be reactive. What are the drawbacks of dealing with smaller and specialist importers? I find the small specialist importers much easier to deal with. They tend to be very reactive and keen to help listings work. We mainly ship ex-cellar so retaining best pricing isnt a problem and when it is a one-off purchase from UK stock they are often accommodating based on our overall relationship and sales. And what benefits can they offer over rivals? Unique products from small boutique producers. One can source interesting more esoteric wines to make a list more varied without investing in large volumes of stock. Photo: Gavin Smith, purchasing manager, The Vintner Marcel Moreno, sales director, Moreno Wines How would you define a specialist importer and what USPs should a specialist offer? To me a specialist is someone with in-depth knowledge of, and historical relationships with wines from a particular region. We now have wines from all over the world, but our heart is always in Spain. Hopefully 49 years has given us some great long-term relationships with suppliers, which can mean keen pricing, or access to rare and unusual wines. What can specialist importers/suppliers offer that more mainstream and bigger players cannot? We can be ahead of the trend on emerging styles and varieties. Often, with an obscure wine like Txakoli, there arent that many great ones and the best may be with smaller more specialist agencies. By the time the big guys cotton on, they might be left with something, shall we say, less remarkable. On a more mainstream style, like Rioja, we can offer a depth of knowledge many cant. Riojas in an interesting place at the moment, as its slightly redefining itself. Hopefully showing wines we are passionate about [and] building sales up from a zero UK presence pays back. But if not and the big guys take an agency from you, as a specialist with history and relationships in the region, we can find a new agency of equal quality much easier than a larger, more vanilla company. I think we offer better service than the big guys and we are definitely more flexible. Its about individual relationships. Our sales team are a fantastic bunch of intelligent, independently minded guys who love wine and are happy to help balance a list and spend a lot of time on things like staff training. What of prices and support how do you as a company compete with big players offering discounts and with bigger sale teams? I think we win on the price/quality issue. We can offer very competitive pricing, Im sure our fixed costs are a little steeper but Im also sure our rents cheaper, and we dont take money out of the business for shareholders dividends. We have wines on our list at 3.66 DPD, and they are good wines. I get listings when I put one of my wines against a larger companys at the same price point, and just ask for them to be tasted equally and to pick the best wine. It works for me three times out of four. Theres only one area we find it difficult to compete on, and thats buying business. We dont offer money upfront for listings, Im not sure its fair or ethical, although we are not against retro discounts for hitting volumes. And we dont pay third-party consultants at all. Its not ethical. Simon Taylor, owner, Stone, Vine & Sun How would you define a specialist importer and what USPs should a specialist offer? Good question. Small producers, small-volume wines and various specialist areas (with us its Languedoc-Roussillon, regional France generally, South Africa and Chile). What can specialist importers/suppliers offer that more mainstream and bigger players cannot? Its all about service. With us you speak to not just a salesperson but someone who is as much involved in buying as selling, has travelled and met the winemaker. That really helps when it comes to staff training. We also dont just dip in and out: we are prepared to fine-tune a list for a decent period of time, monitoring what works and what doesnt, proposing new arrivals, etc. Likewise when you phone an order in you will speak to someone who knows the wines, knows the current vintage and knows whats in stock. What of prices and support how do you as a company compete with big players offering discounts and with bigger sale teams? If its just about price and the lowest common denominator then we are not interested. Secondly, we dont give huge discounts but prefer honest, transparent pricing. Some of the big boys play stupid games pricing stuff right up in order to give big discounts. We cant be bothered. We also dont sign you into term contracts. Are customers becoming more adventurous in their purchasing, or at least more willing to be steered to more off-piste wines? There are two things going on here. Yes people are unquestionably prepared to be more adventurous by themselves (and sometimes adventurous doesnt mean the latest over-priced, over-designed trend from the New World, but returning to out-of-fashion but good-value wines like Soave and Muscadet). But the customer also needs to be helped to be adventurous with advice i.e. this is the best oaked Chardonnay we have from the New World half the price of Meursault and we can supply those cues. Photo: Simon Taylor, owner, Stone, Vine & Sun Andrea Briccarello, head sommelier and buyer, Galvin La Chapelle Does it make sense business-wise for independents to have a mix of main suppliers for more mainstream wines and spirits, and then cherry-pick the rest? How do you decide upon the best balance? We use main suppliers, big boys and smaller suppliers its like shopping with Tesco and then your local store. The big boys guarantee fast, reliable service and the smaller suppliers make the difference with the wine list. People go to restaurants or shops wanting a surprise element and a feeling of exclusivity, which is very important. What are the benefits of dealing with smaller and specialist importers? The service is usually very reliable from all, but smaller suppliers are often even more passionate about what they do, often being companies set up by one or two people who search for more individual wines looking more at the craft than the price. So its extremely important to have a good balance of suppliers. The better suppliers understand a little more the necessities of the restaurant and wine list, they come to you with ideas, something new, and they get excited about it, so smaller makes it different and more exciting. Its just a different approach, bigger companies can give bigger discounts, support for starting a business, but if you are looking for an edge, quirkier and smaller suppliers can guarantee that. SITT Autumn Bristol and London SITT the Specialist Importers Trade Tasting comprises two one-day events run for independent buyers from both the on and off-trades, bringing them together with specialist importers under one roof, for tasting and business-focused workshops and masterclasses. Heres a taster of what is in store this autumn. Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Bristol BS8 1RL Masterclasses How to bring new trends to the West Country Time: 11am11.30am Host: Angela Mount Beyond Tokaj: Why well all be drinking Hungarian wines this year Time: 12.30pm12.55pm Host: Peter McCombie MW Known unknowns: Unearthing the wines of Lebanon Time: 1.45pm2.15pm Host: Peter McCombie MW #generationwine Time: 3pm3.30pm Host: Christopher Cooper The Lindley Hall, London SW1P 2QW Masterclasses Exhibitor breakfast briefing Time: 9.40am10.10am Host: Andrew Catchpole Chenin Blanc from the Loire Time: 11am11.30am Host: Laure Patry #generationwine Time: 12.45pm1.15pm Host: Christopher Cooper SITT Spotlight on Bordeaux/Bordeaux Superieur: Great wines at affordable prices Time: 3pm3.30pm Host: Raul Diaz Beyond Tokaj: Why well all be drinking Hungarian wines this year Time: 4pm4.25pm Host: Peter McCombie MW Known unknowns: Unearthing the wines of Lebanon Time: 4.40pm5.05pm Host: Peter McCombie MW For more information and to register please visit sittastings.com Free canning class offered LEBANON The Oregon State University Extension Services will hold a canning basics class from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Lebanon Public Library, 55 Academy St. The class will be held in the librarys community room. It is free and does not require a library card. For more information about this and other Lebanon Public Library programs, visit the website at www.lebanonpubliclibrary.com, call the library at 541-258-4926, or follow the library on Facebook or Instagram at lebanon_library. Retired educators scheduled meet The public is invited to the September meeting of the Linn-Benton Unit of the Oregon Retired Educators. A potluck picnic lunch is scheduled at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, followed by a presentation by Bessie Joyce, executive director of the Calapooia Watershed Council. Joyce will describe the work of the council, including its habitat restoration program and youth education program, and will emphasize volunteer opportunities working with youth. The meeting will be held at Bryant Park in Albany, at the covered picnic structure near the confluence of the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers. Test-drive fundraiser planned at LHS Licensed drivers age 18 or older are invited to Lebanon High School on Sept. 23 for a fundraiser for the schools music programs and Class of 2018 senior party. The Drive 4UR School fundraiser will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that Saturday in the high schools parking lot, 1700 S. Fifth St. Ford will pay $20 to the high school for each driver who test-drives a new Ford during the fundraiser. Drivers are limited to one donation drive per household. All proceeds will be split among the high schools band and choir programs and the senior class party. Musical instrument donations sought LEBANON Music programs at Hamilton Creek and Lacomb schools are seeking donations of musical instruments for student use. Teacher Shannon Webb said shes looking for brass, woodwinds, percussion and rhythm instruments (no strings), in good condition or in need of only minor repairs. They will be used for general music programs in kindergarten through fifth grade at both schools and for band classes at the two schools middle school programs. For questions or dropoff information, contact Webb via email at shannon.webb@lebanon.k12.or.us. Pia Engstrom has taken on the HR Depts first franchise, launching her business in the Western Suburbs of Perth where she is already supporting several businesses in her territory. king for a new challenge?Since 2005, The HR Dept has been helping HR professionals leave the corporate world behind, be their own boss and have greater control of their work/life balance.Having enjoyed success in the UK and Ireland supporting HR professionals achieve their dreams, The HR Dept recently launched in Australia.The HR Dept is a family run business focused exclusively on SMEs, of which there are around two million in Australia employing almost three quarters of the national workforce.HR Dept franchisees deliver services that a traditional corporate HR department offers, but tailored to and affordable for SMEs, giving them access to reliable HR advice and solutions they can act on in an increasingly complex employment landscape.Moreover, HR Dept franchisees gain access to unlimited HR and business development support, in addition to a network of HR professionals with vast experience and knowledge.We assist existing HR professionals to utilise their skillset and grow a business quickly under the franchisee program, said Brad Adams, Managing Director of The HR Dept in Australia.Additionally, Brad owns and operates his own franchise on Sydneys Lower North Shore where he implements his extensive experience in leading HR transformation across both SMEs and large enterprises.Brad decided it was time for a change in career direction from his role as CEO of High Tech Beachhead Consulting after his wife Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer.Fortunately, Suzanne has since been given the all clear, but by that point Brad had already made up his mind that it was time for something new.I was going through the motions of looking for full-time work, but the challenge was that I didnt feel like getting back on the corporate ladder. It forced me to evaluate what was important to me, and what I was passionate about doing, he said.It was then that Brad heard that the UK franchise The HR Dept was looking for a partner to become the Master Franchisor in Australia.And when Brad and The HR Dept arranged a meeting late last year they saw immediate synergy.Now, Brads focus is on bringing on bringing on new franchises and supporting franchisees to succeed, in addition to growing the brand nationally.To find out more about The HR Dept, click here Type of IP What is protected Registration? Patents Inventions with an innovative or inventive step that have practical application (e.g. device, machine, method, substance, business process) Yes Copyright Original form or expression of an idea (e.g. books, articles, lyrics, software, film, music, painting, choreography, photographs, plans) No Trade marks Badges of origin to distinguish goods and services of one trader from others in the market place (e.g. word, phrase, number, letter, shape, brand name, logo or any combination of these) Yes Designs Visual appearance or shape of an article that is unique or new (e.g. classic Coca Cola bottle) Yes Names Business Name, Company Name, Domain Name Yes Confidential information Trade secrets, know-how and confidential information No Myth buster: I already have a Business Name registered so Im protected Trademarks v Business Names. Most people are unaware that registration of a business name, company name or domain name is not enough to give you exclusive IP rights to that name. In fact, if chosen poorly, these names could infringe someone elses rights to that name - for example, someone elses trade mark. Conversely, registering a business name does not stop someone else from trade marking that name and then enforcing their IP rights against you. Any person can use a business name so long as it does not infringe a registered trade mark, or constitute passing off or breach of the Australian consumer laws. So at the very least, we highly recommend you register the trade marks used by your business. The saying use it or lose it applies here too - you can lose your trade mark registration in certain circumstances, for example, for non-use if it hasnt been used for the period of time prescribed by law (currently 3 years) or if you fail to pay the renewal fee. Are you likely to want to do business internationally? If so, you may wish to consider applying for international trade marks as well. They copied my idea! Copyright & Moral Rights. Copyright does not protect works that are not recorded in a material form. This means that just because you thought of something first, does not mean others cant use it. A common example is having a great idea for a book, however the owner of the copyright will be the person that actually writes the book! Also, give some thought to who owns copright or moral rights to materials that you use in your business - this may involve reviewing employment and contractor agreements to ensure IP that youve paid someone to create is actually owned by or assigned to you or your company. Beware Publicity! Designs & Patents. Remember if you demonstrate, sell or discuss your invention or design publicly before your ownership is confirmed and registered, this could jeopardise your ability to claim a patent or design right before you even file an application. This means keeping it out of the public domain, so no tweeting, Facebooking or sharing it on LinkedIn or trade journals. You can talk to employees, business partners, investors or advisors about your invention, design or idea but only on a confidential basis. For this reason, Confidentiality Agreements are very important. Alternatively, you may prefer to keep your invention a secret rather than disclosing it in a patent application - this is known as a trade secret, for example, the recipe for Coca-Cola. Shhh! Its a secret! Trade Secrets & Confidentiality. In practice, trade secrets are difficult to protect and you are vulnerable when employees or contractors with this knowledge leave your business. It is critical you ensure all contractors, services providers and employees have appropriate agreements in place or sign a Confidentiality Agreement to prevent them from disclosing your idea without permission and which also includes a non-compete clause. Recommended strategy for IP Protection Lebanon teachers will receive small raises and boosts to their insurance coverage under a new two-year contract approved on Sept. 14 by the Lebanon School Board. Board members unanimously approved the contract as part of a meeting that included approval of the superintendent's goals for the academic year and discussion about the possibility of moving board meetings to the Lebanon City Council's meeting site. Maureen Twomey, president of the Lebanon Education Association, said her members already have ratified the new employee contract. She said teachers will receive a pay increase of 1.68 percent the first year and 1.5 percent the second year. Insurance payments by the district will go up $75 the first year and $25 the second. Twomey said teachers especially appreciated change to contract language around handling students whose behavior prompts their removal from a classroom. The new language requires training on how to handle students' return to the classroom after the issue is resolved, which Twomey said should get everyone on the same philosophical page. In addition to approving the contract, board members also unanimously accepted Superintendent Rob Hess' goals for the 2017-18 school year. Hess said he based on last year's evaluation and on feedback from the recent "360" spring survey. He plans to focus on three goals: increasing effective communication with staff, parents, residents and the school board through weekly communication and progress updates; increasing his visibility in classrooms and school buildings; and exploring innovative ways to raise attendance and graduation rates using state Measure 98 vocational funds and other funding opportunities. Hess said the personal goals are in addition to goals he has for the district, which include boosting academic achievement, staff retention, and graduation/attendance rates. Although largely positive, the community survey indicated respondents would like to see Hess improve communication, visibility and trust. "My belief is that doing these activities well will improve trust in the district and in my leadership," he said. In other business, board members gave a tentative nod to Chairman Tom Oliver's suggestion to try holding meetings at the Santiam Travel Station, 750 S. Third St., instead of at the district office. The Lebanon City Council currently meets at that site, and it's well-equipped with microphones, sound systems and a broadcasting setup, Oliver said. He said he sometimes hears complaints from patrons who can't hear board members speak, and recording quality at the district office is often subpar. Meeting at the Travel Station could improve the situation without duplicating equipment. Board members agreed to talk with city representatives and see what might be involved with a tryout. No date has been set for a location change. Soini reminded that yielding to the demands of abductors would only encourage them to continue committing crimes. Finland did not pay a ransom to secure the release of a Finnish woman who was kidnapped in Kabul, Afghanistan, in mid-May, Timo Soini (BR), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, underscored in a news conference on Thursday. Whats most important is that she is safe and able to return home, he said while attending the news conference via a video link from Washington DC, the United States. The summer has been long and dark for the abductees family. Now theres light on the horizon, he added. Soini revealed that the woman was freed as a consequence of international co-operation. He declined, however, to shed further light on the process leading up to her release, and the suspected identity and motives of her abductors, explaining that disclosing such information could jeopardise the ongoing investigation. The Finnish aid worker was abducted from a guest house operated by her employer, Operation Mercy, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on 21 May after a group of gunmen charged into the premises, killing an Afghan security guard and a German aid worker. We mustnt forget what this is about, said Soini. A Finnish citizen has been the victim of a serious crime and in constant danger. I can only imagine the kind of feelings and fears you go through [in such circumstances]. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Martti Kainulainen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi I say it is just the reverse. It is exactly the issues, values and energy from the grassroots, which Bernie Sanders encourages for all Americans, which will be the future of the Democratic Party. Without it, the old guard and their corporate donors will continue to lose elections at the local, state and national levels and hemorrhage membership to other parties and non-affiliation. A man who had a murder charge dropped by the Special Criminal Court was immediately arrested by gardai and charged with the offence again at Dublin District Court. The charge against the Dublin man due to stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court for the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan had earlier been struck out. He has since been remanded in custody. Jason Keating was told by presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt that he was "free to go" after an application by the State, but gardai arrested the 26-year-old as soon as he left the courtroom. Shooting Mr Keating, of Lower Main Street, Rush, Co Dublin, has been recharged with the murder of Mr Kirwan (62) outside his house in St Ronans Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, on December 22, 2016. Expand Close James Keating / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp James Keating The 62-year-old, a friend of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, was sitting in a car when he was shot several times. He was the 10th person to die in the Hutch-Kinahan feud, which has so far claimed 12 lives. His partner was in the passenger seat but was not injured in the shooting. Earlier, State solicitor Rioghnach Corbett told the three-judge court that her application was to have the charge struck out. Counsel for Mr Keating, Giollaiosa O Lideadha, said he understood there was some difficulty with the certificate and charge sheet which were initially before the district court. Last week, the State made an application for Mr Keating to be tried before the Special Criminal Court. The DPP can direct that an accused face trial in the non-jury court if it deems "the ordinary courts are inadequate for effective administration of justice". Mr O Lideadha told the court he also understood that it was the intention of the prosecution to "restart proceedings" against his client. This happened straight away and Mr Keating was then charged at Dublin District Court and remanded in custody. On May 8, Mr Keating was brought to Blanchardstown District Court under armed escort charged with the murder of Mr Kirwan. Caution Det Sgt Damian Gannon told the court at that hearing that Mr Keating made no reply to the charge after caution. Legal aid was granted and he was remanded in custody. A woman in her 20s who was also arrested in connection with the investigation has been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the DPP. A man who walked out of an airport shop wearing a pair of sunglasses he had tried on has admitted a theft charge. Lee O'Brien (31) left his own sunglasses in the shop and walked out with the new pair without paying. Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case and told him to pay 191 for the glasses, which were damaged and unsaleable. O'Brien, of Kilkiernan Court, Cabra, pleaded guilty to theft. Security Gda Robert English told Dublin District Court that the accused went into the shop at Dublin Airport on May 17 last year and took the sunglasses. He passed all points of payment and was stopped by security. The sunglasses were recovered and returned to the store but were not in a saleable condition as there was slight damage to one of the lenses. O'Brien had left his own pair in the shop. He did not realise the glasses he stole were damaged, and did not have the money in court, his solicitor Declan Fahy said. O'Brien had previous convictions. Judge Smyth adjourned the case to later this month for payment of compensation. A faulty heater is likely to have started the fire which claimed the life of a man in Dublin, investigators believe. They are satisfied that the blaze was accidental and are examining if a heater that had been in use on one of the first cold mornings of autumn could have triggered the blaze. It is understood the fire started in the downstairs part of the property before spreading at the rear of the period redbrick house on Grove Park on the banks of the Grand Canal in Rathmines. The fire broke out at around 7am yesterday while many of the residents were still asleep. Smoke The building is split into a number of flats, and investigators are trying to establish if the victim, who was named locally as Jason Coll, who was in his 40s, was in the flat where the fire occurred, or if he succumbed to the smoke while in a neighbouring flat in the building. Expand Close Charred window frames show the intensity of the fire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Charred window frames show the intensity of the fire A neighbour described the distressing scenes as emergency crews battled to save the victim's life. "I looked out the window and saw people running around, semi-dressed in dressing gowns and nightclothes and things," he told the Herald. "I could see black smoke billowing out the back of the building. "At that point, the fire services had not arrived, but then I heard the sirens. "Within minutes, they were here and the ambulance was here too." The witness added: "About 20 minutes later, I saw this guy being hauled out into the hallway and the fire people doing CPR on him. "It was very intensive, and they kept it up for 10 minutes maybe, and then they put him on a stretcher, still carrying out the CPR, and put him in the back of an ambulance and drove away with him. "He looked to be a youngish male. "Two people were taken out the top window on the left with ladders before the emergency services arrived - by locals, I believe." Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed eight of its units, including three ambulances and a district officer, attended the blaze. Gardai were also immediately on the scene to oversee and assist in the rescue and evacuation operation. Injuries "Crews using breathing apparatus entered the building and four people in total were removed," confirmed a spokesman for Dublin Fire Brigade. "Sadly, one of the casualties died, and another suffered extensive burn injuries to their hands and arms. "The other two were less seriously hurt." The injured were taken to St James's Hospital from the scene, where the victim was subsequently pronounced dead. "There is nothing to suggest a sinister motive behind this, and at the moment it appears that a faulty heater led to the fire," a source said. Independent Councillor Ruairi McGinley said he believed a report on fire safety had been done on that stretch of road in the last three years by the council. "It's all multi-tenant housing there in those houses," he said. "They're old-style housing accommodation. "Having said that, it is a very sad time for the man's family, and you would think of them at this stage." Labour Councillor Mary Freehill said the incident was "very worrying" for the people living in the accommodation. Ms Freehill said there were a number of people living in flats in the Georgian houses and that the tragedy was a reminder to everyone how paramount fire safety is. "I became aware of it this morning before I boarded a plane and became immediately worried for the safety of the houses and flats there," she said. It's said you have as much chance of winning the Lotto as you do of being hit by a bolt from the blue. But for one lucky north Dublin town, lightning has indeed struck twice. A shop in Lusk was confirmed yesterday as the seller of the ticket that has made Ireland's newest Lotto millionaire - nine months after a massive Euro- Millions jackpot was also won in the area. Lotto HQ confirmed Applegreen Round Tower Service Station in Corduff sold the ticket that scooped the 2.4m jackpot in Wednesday's Lotto. The Quick Pick was sold on the day of the draw. The winning numbers were 7, 19, 20, 32, 34 and 43 and the bonus number was 45. Assistant manager Marius Vaitiekus told the Herald he had no idea they had sold the ticket until National Lottery staff turned up with balloons. "An agent usually comes in every day, so I thought it was just that, but then I saw they had balloons," he said. "He asked if I knew we had sold the winning ticket and I said no, but he showed the print-out confirming it and I said that was great." Mr Vaitiekus was working on the day the ticket was sold, along with a colleague, meaning he could have handed Ireland's newest millionaire the winning numbers. "Hopefully, it could have been me," he said. "People are coming in asking do we know who won, but we have no idea. They probably don't know themselves yet." Mr Vaitiekus said that during the week it was usually locals who come into the shop, and added that he wants it to be someone deserving who scooped the jackpot. Liz Murray, who works in her family's bar, Murray's Lounge, in Lusk, said she would be keeping an eye out for the winner. "Congratulations to whoever won. Nobody has mentioned it yet, I'm flabbergasted," she said. Anonymous Last January, another Applegreen store in the town - on the M1 northbound - sold the ticket that scooped an 88.5m EuroMillions jackpot. It was won by a syndicate, the members of which decided to remain anonymous. However, it wasn't just one Dub who struck it rich on the Lotto two days ago, as a ticket sold at Griffin's Londis shop on Upper O'Connell Street scooped the Lotto Plus 1 prize of 500,000. The numbers were 7, 17, 23, 34, 45, 46 and the bonus was 37. A Lotto spokesperson said no one had come forward to claim the prizes yet and punters have been urged to check their tickets. Gardai have arrested a suspected serial rapist who may have attacked 11 women in recent weeks. The man was being held at Lucan Garda Station last night after three young women rep- orted that they had been raped by him at different locations across the country. The rapes are alleged to have happened in Dublin, Portlaoise and Galway. It is understood that apart from sexually assaulting the women, the attacker threatened them with knives, robbed them and beat them up. Websites The suspect is a Romanian national and he was arrested after a massive investigation involving the garda's Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit. The specialist unit was backed up by investigating officers from Clondalkin, Galway and Portlaoise. It is understood that the alleged rape in Portlaoise happened just over a week ago. The others happened at earlier dates. All the alleged victims are prostitutes who have been operating on escort websites. It is understood that they are foreign nationals working in the sex industry here. The suspect was arrested in west Dublin yesterday morning. It is believed that gardai were able to make the arrest after gathering "excellent quality" CCTV of the suspect at three different locations. DNA evidence has also been obtained by investigators. Sources said gardai had planned a special undercover operation to arrest the suspect. Officers have used a specialised computer system known as the Violent Crime Linkage Analysis system (Viclas) to determine if the alleged rapes are linked to one man. Viclas was developed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the early 1990s to compare different crimes for similarities. Complaint It is understood that the suspect was initially being questioned last night about the alleged rape in Galway. Sources said gardai believe that there are at least eight other sex workers who have been raped but have not come forward to make a complaint. In recent years, gardai have investigated a number of rape cases involving prostitutes, including an incident at a north Dublin hotel in 2012 when two sex workers were attacked. Virginia Smelser, of the Bristol Tennessee Police Department, was among three people from the area that were honored among 32 first responders who work to ensure the safety of their communities. Smelser said it was a highlight of her career and she was honored to have represented the city of Bristol and the entire 911 team. BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. After hearing the result of an online vote, the Sullivan County Board of Education on Thursday unanimously approved naming the countys new school Sullivan East Middle. A committee made up of students, faculty and staff chose five names and held an online vote. It was a tight contest between Sullivan East, which received 1,451 votes, and Overmountain Middle, which tallied 1,329. Victory Trail Middle came in third with 684. A total of 4,082 votes were cast online. The new 800-student middle school will be built in the next few years at Weaver Pike and Harrington Hollow Road in Bluff City, along the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail. The 330-mile trail traces a route used by patriot militia during the Kings Mountain Campaign of 1780 during the Revolutionary War. When the school opens, it will take students from Holston Valley and Bluff City middle schools and students from the middle school section of Mary Hughes School, which has students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Sullivan East Middle will have the same colors, red, white and blue, and the same mascot, a patriot, as nearby Sullivan East High School. The board also approved putting the early site plans out for bid and for the design team to proceed into construction documents. A new high school is also being built as part of a years-long plan to improve school facilities, many of which are outdated and have excess space. A 10-day extension was granted to the sellers of the Lynn Road property in Blountville, where the new high school will be built. Several factors, including weather, caused a delay in vacating the property within the scheduled 90-day time period. The $20 million middle school and $60 million high school are being funded from a $140 million county bond issue. The board also sided with Bristol Tennessee Essential Services in its fight with AEP Appalachian Power over which has the jurisdiction to serve the school. In August, AEP announced it filed a petition with the Tennessee Public Utility Commission asking it to resolve the service boundary issue in its favor. The school board approved completing an application with BTES to provide electricity to the school. ABINGDON, Va. Bristol, Virginia, resident Karen Shaffer relies on the spring behind her home as her sole source of water, just like approximately 1,000 households in the area who use spring and well water exclusively. With proposals to construct two major pipelines across the state of Virginia, Shaffer is afraid her water supply will be affected due to gas drilling. It would be nice if the governor [Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe] and the state had a plan in place to pursue renewable energy seriously, Shaffer said. We have a lot of wind, sun and water here. We can be the beacon for the other states. On Thursday, Shaffer and approximately 20 other members of the Washington County chapter of Virginia Organizing gathered at the entrance of the Abingdon office of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to oppose construction of the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines. The group delivered letters opposing Gov. Terry McAuliffes administrations pro-fracking and pro-pipeline policies. The demonstration was part of a statewide protest on the sidewalks of seven DEQ offices in Virginia. In Richmond, 19 protesters were issued summonses for blockading the door to the DEQ. The Washington County group gave copies of their letter and two personal letters from members to Jeffery Hurst, regional director for the Abingdon office of the DEQ. Hurst said the Abingdon office has no involvement in either pipeline project. Virginia Organizing is a nonpartisan statewide grassroots organization. The group brings people together to create a more just Virginia, according to a news release. The goal of the letter delivery was to ask McAuliffe to fulfill his responsibilities under the Clean Water Act. According to the group's letter, the governor has a responsibility under the Clean Water Act to require that the pipeline companies prove that their projects do not harm water quality." The letter calls on McAuliffe to demand site specific reviews on how the two pipelines will affect statewide water quality. The letter primarily focuses on the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a proposed 303-mile natural gas system that would span from West Virginia into Virginia. The group described it as a disastrous project [that] would trigger extensive fracking in West Virginia while transporting this harmful gas through the mountains of Southwestern Virginia, endangering our regions rural natural assets and character. The letter also called attention to the potential dramatic alteration of viewscapes along the iconic Appalachian Trail. The Atlantic Coast Pipeline is set to be 600 miles long and run through parts of North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. The underground natural gas transmission pipeline will transport domestically produced, clean-burning natural gas [to areas] that lack the infrastructure needed to generate cleaner electricity, heat homes and power new industries, according to the Atlantic Coast Pipelines website. The pipeline will help the region lower emissions, improve air quality, grow local economies and create thousands of new jobs in manufacturing and other industries. But to the Washington County chapter, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will reap devastating impacts across Virginia. In the letter, the chapter claimed that the pipeline would destroy approximately 38 miles of mountain ridge in Virginia and West Virginia. DEQs central office had no comment about the rallies Thursday. The agency is now focused on reviewing the thousands of public comments during the 50-day comment period, which included five public hearings held around the state, said Ann Regn, director of public information and outreach for the central office. DEQ had sought out public comments regarding water quality certifications for the pipeline projects. We will prepare a summary and response documents to the State Water Control Board, our citizen board, regarding the public comments, Regn said. [The board] will accept the proposed certification, deny it or amend it. Rees Shearer, of Emory, delivered one of the personal letters, which focused on one of the four U.S. energy companies behind the project: Dominion Energy. The other three are Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas and Southern Company Gas. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Dominion is a giant utility monopoly, Shearers letter states. Dominion Energy corrupts Virginia politics like no other company, he wrote. None come close to matching Dominions political campaign contributions. The company is using its political power to keep a hold on the mid-20th century fossil fuel technologies, Shearer told the Bristol Herald Courier. We are unable to take advantage of the renewable energy revolution that is occurring around the world, he said. Shearer has been excited about renewable energy for the past 10 years. He has a 5.7 kilowatt solar array that supplies nearly 93 percent of the energy he uses. I am extremely pleased with it, he said. The letter concludes with a request that McAuliffe order DEQ to initiate a full-scale review of the environmental impacts the pipelines will have. Shaffer delivered the other personal letter that focused on gas drilling. Gas drilling threatens any nearby water supply, as well as the air, our health and our quality of life, Shaffer wrote. Make no bones about it. Last week, the Bristol Herald Courier concluded a series on neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS, in Virginia and Tennessee, detailing the heartbreaking complications for a newborn who has been exposed to addictive substances while in the womb. This series helps usher in National Opioid and Heroin Awareness Week, which begins Sunday, Sept. 17. On this particular day, churches across Virginia and the nation are invited to participate in Recovery Sunday, giving our faith-based community an opportunity to address an issue that impacts many of our families and communities. Substance abuse is a crisis in Virginia and across the United States. We have seen and heard the tragic stories that detail the effects on families, friends, neighbors and communities. Many times, these stories hit close to home as we can relate them to someone we know who is struggling. We have become good at citing numbers and statistics when talking about the opioid epidemic. While the facts are important to put this crisis in perspective, it is imperative not to forget the people behind those numbers. This is part of the purpose of Recovery Sunday. In Southwest Virginia, our faith-based community is one of the strongest and most vibrant elements of the regions fabric. This positions churches and ministries to have a unique role in this important conversation and efforts to assist individuals and families in need. The power in being part of a loving community that helps take away the stigma of addiction cannot be underestimated. People are hungry for a place to feel welcome, supported and loved. I have been fortunate to visit with some faith-based recovery programs in my area and remain inspired by the incredible work going on in our own communities. I have witnessed families weep for their suffering and lost loved ones and heard recovering addicts share their testimony to inspire others. This is all done in an environment where judgment is checked at the church door and exchanged for a hug and a hot meal. These programs break down the often preconceived unwelcoming religious barrier often felt and echoes the story of the biblical prodigal son who has returned to his roots to find help. Programs such as Celebrate Recovery at Lebanon and independent organizations like Appalachian Substance Abuse Council are at the forefront of this effort to bring the entire community together in support of those who need help. It is my hope that by working together, we can build on best practices and use every opportunity to reach out to those in need. Despite the stronghold this epidemic has, I believe a collective, community-based response focused on awareness and recovery is much stronger and more powerful. Pooling our resources and engaging those in our community working to make a difference presents a significant opportunity for partnerships across traditional boundaries and barriers in the fight against addiction. Addiction is a disease too complex to be addressed with a single approach or mentality. We know this is an issue that we cannot legislate or arrest our way out of. Through reforms enacted earlier this year, we are seeing early signs of encouraging progress in Virginia; however, there is a long way to go, and it is going to take all of us working together. On September 17, I encourage you and your congregation to observe Recovery Sunday along with others in Virginia and across the nation. September is National Recovery Month, so if you cannot observe this Sunday, I hope you will have another opportunity to do so over the next couple weeks. Whether it is a special prayer, worship, teaching or allowing someone to share their personal experience, no observation is too small or too great. Recovery Sunday is an opportunity for congregations to have a recovery-focused Sunday, giving theological voice to the issues of addiction and recovery. For more information, you can also visit www.recoverysunday.org. Comings & goings: Health bar, candle shop, fishing charter website A health bar and candle-making shop will cut their ribbons in the next few weeks while a charter fishing company launches its website. LOS ANGELES (JTA)-For Rosh Hashanah, many of us eat an apple dipped in honey as an auspicious sign for a sweet new year. The symbolism is clear, and the ritual as easy to pull off as squeezing a bear-shaped plastic bottle of honey. But what kind of a year could you expect from eating leeks, spinach and a fish head? A year of being a contestant on "Chopped"? Many Sephardic Jews practice a custom at Rosh Hashanah dinner called "yehi ratzones"-"may it be God's will"-which calls for a kind of mini-seder in which a special blessing is said before eating certain ceremonial foods. Though it's a custom practiced mainly by Sephardim whose forebears lived in the Ottoman Empire, the idea of eating these special foods at this time of year can be found in the Babylonian Talmud, which mentions that certain fruits and vegetables should be seen on our Rosh Hashanah tables. My wife, Brenda, is half Sephardic-her father's family came to the United States from the Greek island of Rhodes-and since she invites her entire extended family over for dinner the first night of Rosh Hashanah, I thought that we could include the custom this year. After all, much like apples and honey, the symbolic foods eaten for yehi ratzones-including, yes, the aforementioned fish heads, as well as the likes of black-eyed peas and dates-taken as a group also represent the hope for a good coming year. Who wouldn't want to say amen to that? But I should have known, like any other change in family custom-Talmudically sanctioned or not-negotiation would be involved. When I brought up the idea to Brenda, she told me she had never heard of the custom. Not only that, but some of the yehi ratzones foods-notably spinach, traditionally served in her family in the form of a cheese-free "quajado" (a kind of spinach kugel) and fried leek patties, were found "on the family's seder table, not at Rosh Hashanah," she told her completely Ashkenazi husband. (Meanwhile, I suddenly realized that after decades of marriage, I had been living in a multicultural home.) Looking for cover, I called Brenda's Uncle Lou, who didn't remember practicing the custom, either. But he did recall growing up with dates and pomegranates-two of the foods used in yehi ratzones-always on his mother's Rosh Hashanah table here. "You see? Your family practiced part of the tradition," I said, hoping that would settle it. "But how do you do it?" Lou asked, warming slightly to the idea. I didn't know, but looking for an answer, I called Ty Alhadeff, the coordinator of the Sephardic studies program at the University of Washington. A third-generation Rhodesli-as descendants of the Sephardim from Rhodes are called-and a member of Seattle's Congregation Ezra Bessaroth, which practices the customs of the Rhodes traditions, I thought he could explain the ins and outs of yehi ratzones. Within the first minute of our conversation Alhadeff said, "From generations back, I'm related to the Hassons"-my wife's family. I knew immediately I had found the right guy. Alhadeff helped me understand that the pairing of blessings and foods during yehi ratzones is, at its heart, Hebrew and Aramaic wordplay. Puns, really, that rely on certain words for foods sounding similar to certain Hebrew verb forms. "It's like saying 'May our enemies be mashed like these mashed potatoes,'" Alhadeff explained. For instance, the Aramaic word "squash" is "karah," he explained. The Hebrew word connecting it to the blessing is "karah," a form of the verb meaning "to tear." Therefore, when we eat squash during the seder, the accompanying blessing is "May it be Thy will ... You should tear up our evil decree, and let there be read before You, our merits." A bit more of a stretch is the Aramaic word for leek, "karati," and the Hebrew word "Yikaretu," cut off, as found in the blessing: "May it be Thy will... to cut off our enemies." As for the fish head-Alhadeff said he uses fish cheek instead-it's because the word for head, "rosh" (as in Rosh Hashanah, literally "head of the year") figures into the yehi ratzones blessing "May it be Thy will... that we may be on the forefront as the head and not in the background as the tail." Alhadeff told me there have been some attempts at reinterpretations of the yehi ratzones blessings, which shift the meaning while staying true to the specific foods. "It's not about the evil decrees being cut," he said. For example, Alhadeff said he found a blessing for squash that says "May the coming year grow as a gourd in the fullness of blessing." I was inspired. But getting back to the more mundane issues of how exactly we'd get this stuff ready for a group of 30, I asked him how the Alhadeff family gets it done. "There is a division of labor," Alhadeff said, noting that he makes the leek patties and his wife the pumpkin (squash) bourekas. The two share the shopping. As my wife and I discussed the coming dinner, we decided that for our first yehi ratzones, we would take our cue from the Alhadeffs: sharing the work would be the added blessing to our observance. Also, knowing that some variation was OK, we decided to pick just a few foods that would be familiar to the family. Brenda agreed to cook the spinach quajado. I called her sister, Holly, and though she also reminded me her family only ate these foods on Passover-they are sisters, after all-she said she would make the the leek patties using her grandmother's recipe. Not wanting to fill everyone up on pumpkin-filled anything, I settled on buying shelled pumpkin seeds, pepitas, to pass around. I figured everyone could benefit from the "fullness of blessing" concept before sitting down to our tried-and-true dinner of turkey, okra, Persian rice and salad. Of course, having our evil decrees cut wouldn't hurt, either. Edmon J. Rodman is a JTA columnist who writes on Jewish life from Los Angeles. Contact him at edmojace@gmail.com. As we are in the midst of the Jewish High Holidays, I can't help but remember where my husband and I were last year at this time. We had embarked on a Gate 1 Travel guided tour of Central and Eastern Europe visiting four countries. This trip began in Budapest, Hungary, then we traveled by bus to Vienna, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; and ended in Berlin, Germany. From there we added a week on our own in Paris. In my usual fashion, I made it a point to visit the Jewish communities, former ghettos, and of course the beautiful synagogues in all of our destinations. My other goal was to learn more about the great classical music composers who were so prominent in these countries. To do this, I made sure that we joined our travel group for the morning city tours, but had our afternoons free for our own personal travel. When traveling to new destinations, I find that escorted tours work well for us and then we can always return on our own to places we fall in love with. Our knowledgeable tour guide, Bogdan, was from Warsaw, Poland, where our tour group actually began, but we joined the group in Budapest. We found that city so lovely and actually discovered the Jewish neighborhood near our lovely hotel on our very first night there. A gorgeous huge Moorish designed synagogue with ornate domes was all lit up in bright gold. It was mesmerizing. The next day on our city tour, we learned that it was the famous Dohany Street Synagogue (largest in Europe), which opened in 1859 and was located in what was the Jewish Ghetto. Franz Liszt played the organ at the opening ceremony. On the premises there was a beautiful Tree of Life and a Jewish Museum that housed cabinets of candle sticks, Jewish prayer books, and other religious items left behind during the Holocaust. There was also a small cemetery with a very sad history: Black and white photos showed that so many Jews died from starvation in the ghetto during the harsh winter that their corpses were piled on top of each other until they could be buried. A short distance away was the Danube River where we had a private River Boat dinner cruise which passed by the stunning Parliament Building and Performing Arts Center. On the return bus ride to our hotel, we passed the shoe memorial along the river where an artist created bronze shoes in remembrance of the people who were shot into the Danube by Arrow-Cross militiamen during the war. I had known that Europe was highly populated by Jews before WWII, but for some reason I wasn't expecting to see so many memorials outside of the concentration camps and cemeteries. I also wasn't prepared to see the pianos belonging to Beethoven, Mozart and Liszt (the composers of my favorite piano pieces I have played since childhood). In the Budapest National Museum, I got so emotional that I couldn't stop crying in the glass enclosed Beethoven exhibit with his music playing. I learned that Beethoven bequeathed his piano to Mozart upon his death. Being that Hungary was just our first country on the itinerary, I knew this was becoming a rather emotional but important trip for my understanding of history. Our final morning in Budapest, we walked to Mozart's apartment and happened upon a piano and vocal concert as part of the admission. What a fabulous experience sitting in Mozart's living room and listening to this performance. Afterward, we rushed back to our tour bus and were on our way to Vienna, which included a Viennese concert that evening. I so loved the ornate summer and winter palaces in Vienna and all the wonderful cafes, parks, and shops to visit. Best of all was the Vienna Opera House in all its glory where we took a private tour. But alas, Rosh Hashanah was fast approaching. We were a bit apprehensive about attending services in Europe with the terrorism threats, but were determined to go anyway. Luckily, a Chicago relative who was born in Vienna gave me his friend's name as a contact. As it turned out, he was the gabbai (rabbi's assistant) of the Stadttempel (City Temple), the main synagogue of Vienna, which opened in 1826. When I told Bogdan that we were going there for services, he said we wouldn't be able to get in, but we tried anyway. We nervously left our hotel, found the subway station and took the comfortable modern train to the Jewish neighborhood. We had no trouble finding this synagogue because as soon as we turned off the main street, there were Polizia with machine guns guarding at each end of the block. The entire street was blocked off from traffic, but I still didn't see the synagogue. That is because it was the only one left after the war. Hitler never found it since the front appears to be an apartment building. We came upon an entrance that had five people outside asking for credentials. One man interrogated me for five minutes asking if I was Jewish, if my mom was Jewish, what was the name of my synagogue and rabbi and we had to show him our passports. Upon giving him a letter showing my membership at Beth Am and telling him we were guests of their gabbai, we were admitted. After hanging up our coats in a huge foyer, my husband, Scott, followed a man into the main sanctuary where the men sit and I was escorted up a narrow spiral staircase to the balcony for the women. I sat next to a lovely young woman who was bilingual and helped me as the service and prayer books were not only all in Hebrew, but German as well. The sanctuary was gorgeous with a circular blue dome ceiling, which you would never know from the outside. The next day, I googled Stadttempel and learned its history, which included a bombing at a bar mitzvah in the 80s. That helped explain the high security and why we were told it was next to impossible to visit as an outsider. Our tour guide was quite impressed with our adventure. Driving to the other countries, we visited Bratislava, Slovakia; Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic; and Dresden, Germany, where we saw more Jewish memorials. In Prague, we visited the Jewish Quarter, which dates from the 13th century and has the oldest preserved synagogue in central Europe along with a Sephardic one and four others that are on the Jewish Quarter Walking Tour. The old Jewish cemetery with the tombstones all thrown together was quite eerie. Evidently, Adolf Hitler decided to leave the area alone as a "museum of an extinct race." In Berlin, just south of the Brandenburg Gate, we visited the huge outdoor Holocaust Memorial that opened in 2005 and consisted of vertical cement slabs reminiscent of headstones that you can walk through. The Dohany Street Synagogue, largest in Europe. The highlight for me in Paris was the Paris Opera House with its ornate walls and ceilings of gilded gold and art. The grand staircase was where the Parisians, still to this day, went to be seen. When the tour guide showed us where the Phantom of the Opera sat in the balcony and asked if anyone knew how he would appear and disappear, my hand was the only one up. She was impressed that I knew it was a secret passageway in the pillar to the basement. Our European tour certainly met my expectations and more. My mother, who was my piano teacher for many years and left me her Steinway grand piano, would have been impressed. I also gained a better understanding of World War II and the migration of the Jews from Europe. All in all, it was another trip to be treasured. Rhonda Levin Des Islets lives in Orlando and St. Pete Beach, Florida. She is a member of Congregation Beth Am, Hadassah, and The Jewish Pavillion. Few books in the last decade have aroused the controversy and public debate, at least in Europe, as Michel Houellebecq's "Submission." Still at the top of the charts in France, the novel, "Soumission" in its original French, has now conquered Germany, shooting to the top of the charts in its first week in shops, with more than a quarter of a million copies now in print in German. The novel, which drew controversy over its topic even before publication, was released in France on Jan. 7, the day on which 12 people were killed by gunmen at satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, including Houellebecq's friend, Bernard Maris. It sold 120,000 copies in its first five days on sale in France. Katy Derbyshire, translator and writer onss German books, described the latest sales as "pretty huge... He's always been big here (popular with intellectual machos) but there's been extra hype this time". The fictional tale of a submissive intellectual class willing to trade more than a thousand years of Christian and national patriotic traditions of the nation-state-as well as fundamental values of Western civilization, including the right to an education free from religious dogma, and equality of the sexes-for an Islamist regime in partnership with the traditional "socialist parties" of Europe. This apparently contradictory scenario (by American standards) is all too real in much of Europe. Once in power, the new regime, dominated by the same Muslim Brotherhood which President Obama favored until it was overthrown by massive demonstrations in Egypt, introduces obligations upon women to wear the veil in public, withdraw from public life, accept polygymy and end any openly secular public education or teaching by non-Muslims. I happened to finish reading the book in a few sittings just a few days after watching two films that left me with a profound unease over how often Diaspora Jewish "idealists" and "patriots," to paraphrase Lenin's dictum, "Will sell us the rope with which we will hang them." These two very recent films deal with the assassinations of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand that provoked the First World War in 1914 and Leon Trotsky in Mexico in 1940. Both dwell at length on two Jewish characters. In reality, both of them played a major role in the events which, almost certainly, would have taken a very different course and altered world history had these two characters been anybody else. These are the conclusions that viewers are left with to ponder and speak volumes on the nature of the Jewish Diaspora mode of existence for highly educated, ethical and politically "liberal" individual Jews today who are/were hostile, apathetic or simply ignorant about the reality of Zionism then or Israel today. The films are "The Chosen" (El Elegido), 2016, produced on site in Mexico and "Sarajevo" (Das Attentat), an historical drama by Austrian director Andreas Prochaska, produced in 2014 by both German and Austrian television in order to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. "Sarajevo" focuses on Leo Pfeffer, the examining magistrate, appointed to handle the investigation. Pfeffer is outraged at the apparent gross incompetence of the local authorities in not preparing adequate security measures for the visit of the Archduke Ferdinand on his state visit to Sarajevo. Pfeffer is a brilliant and highly motivated, competent investigator but he must tread carefully; he is Jewish and any failure to satisfy the higher authorities in Vienna will cost him dearly, probably ending his career. He knows he is under a deadline to complete his investigation and duly find the culprits among the Serbian government and ultra-nationalist Serbian or Pan-Slavic organizations given moral, financial, material and technical support in Belgrade. His situation is made all the more tenuous by a love affair with Marija Jeftanovic, the married daughter of a wealthy and prominent local ethnic-Serbian land owner in Bosnia, who has prospered through sale of agricultural products. Pfeffer is a Hungarian-Croatian Jew and has converted to Christianity to further his career. He is generally regarded with suspicion, scorn or contempt by many of those in the army and civilian administration in Austrian-occupied Bosnia-Herzegovina with its substantial Muslim population. Marija's situation as a married woman and a suffragist only make Pfeffer's situation more precarious due to what is regarded as flouting traditional morality. Pfeffer is forced to bow to pressure against his conscience and resist the advice of a close Austrian friend, who addresses Pfeffer as "Moishe," to simply swallow his conscience and that no matter what he decides to do, his Jewishness will always be held against him. In "The Chosen," Sylvia Agaloff is a devoted Brooklyn Jewish communist and social worker who came to Mexico to work for her devoted idol, Leon Trotsky. She is exploited by Ramon Mercader, a dedicated Soviet agent educated by his fanatical communist mother in Spain, to make any sacrifice, including giving his life to serve Stalin. He is taught to ignore every human emotion of compassion and decency. Mercader is even tested by willingly killing his favorite pet dog on command from the NKVD. NKVD agent Leonid Eitingon, who operated in Spain, had a long running love affair with Mercader's mother. He trained Mercader in Moscow in 1937 in the ways of espionage and guerrilla warfare and was the brains behind the assassination. He chose Agaloff and correctly believed she would be attending a secret conference of Trotsky's Fourth International (about which the NKVD had been tipped off) in France in the summer of 1938. Agaloff, a very naive and easily fooled woman in Trotsky's last refuge in Mexico, gives Mercader access. Like Pfeffer, she is not a minor character. She provides the key through her infatuation and misplaced Jewish idealism. Out of a sense of pity, Trotsky's bodyguards grant her the favor of being with her lover inside the compound on special occasions. Sympathy for Agaloff's chance at a love relationship overcomes their logic. She is not particularly attractive, and Trotsky and his camp guards developed a special fondness for her. Her repayment is the cruelest blow any jilted woman can face-betrayal. Not for another woman but for Stalin! She unwittingly becomes an accomplice to the murder of her beloved Trotsky, leader of the idealistic cause she was devoted to. Would events have transpired differently if Agaloff and Pfeffer had not been Jewish? This is a matter of conjecture but the list of misplaced Jewish idealism for remote non-Jewish causes, leaders, and nations is a very long one. Reading "Submission," one is struck by memories of the fascist anti-Semitic Vichy regime in France and the fate of the Jews, notably the many Diaspora idealists who rejected Zionism as too provincial, and believed that their fate was inevitably tied with the success of some grand universalist ideology such as communism or believed that their date depended on complete identification with the culture and national ideals of their adopted homelands. The book's main protagonist, Francois, is a university professor, a nominal Catholic, but actually, a typical agnostic academic and opportunist obsessed with his favorite pastimes-writing, food, wine, tobacco and sex. He receives a letter from his former, much younger, Jewish girlfriend, Myriam, who has reluctantly followed her parents to Israel. Her parents, well aware of what happened in Vichy and the dangers they cannot prevent, make the decision for her to start a new life in Israel. Myriam has repeatedly told Francois that she is devastated because she feels so thoroughly French and has always been devoted to France and French culture but after six months, she writes to him that she is entranced by the vibrancy of Israel and its people who live life to the fullest and are unafraid of the multiple dangers surrounding them. This only increases his anguish and pessimism over what he faces in an Islamist France. Francois feels the loss of his country and way of life all the more intensely because, as he reluctantly answers her, "...There is no Israel for me." Later, he convinces himself that he can nevertheless live a more comfortable life if he simply goes with the flow and reaches the convenient choice that what he gains is much more important at his stage of life than what he stood to lose by resisting. To many of their contemporaries, fellow comrades and superiors, Pfeffer was one of many "Moishes" in the Diaspora of the last two thousand years, competent and skilled but unable or unwilling to take final responsibility for a decision that could only have been taken by embracing their Jewish identity. What we know for sure is that Pfeffer followed a time-honored strategy of many assimilationist-oriented Jews in Europe who converted to Christianity to protect their career. Sylvia, who came from a predominantly Jewish environment in Brooklyn, simply blindly ignored her background in an attempt to identify with what she considered a much larger cause that would benefit all of humanity. In so doing, both of them tried the patience and "tolerance" of their superiors who either doubted their effectiveness (Pfeffer) or made costly allowances for it (Agaloff). Myriam, pushed by her parents, took the plunge and came to realize where she belonged without apology. She avoided the dilemmas, contempt or pity that would have been her lot by remaining in a Muslim majority France. She made the right choice, leaving Francois to self-pity and envying her sense of fulfillment in Israel. By Debra Kamin TEL AVIV (JTA)Rabbi Talia Avnon-Benvinste grew up secular. Her family felt deeply and culturally Jewish, but beyond the regular Israeli rhythms of holidays and shared history, didnt observe religious customs. But when, in the 1980s, Avnon-Benvinste turned 12, she shocked her family by telling them she wanted a religious ceremony to celebrate her bat mitzvah. Avnon-Benvinstes family was on a kibbutz in Israelnot in the United States, where Reform Jewish congregations offer religious coming-of-age ceremonies to girls as well as boys. And while many of her female peers had parties to celebrate this milestone birthday, a religious serviceone that involved a girl reading from the Torahwas utterly unheard of. So Avnon-Benvinstes father offered a compromise of sorts: He wasnt able to create a religious ceremony for her, but he could take her to Tel Aviv to visit Beit Hatfutsot, a museum devoted to the stories and cultures of the worlds Jews. The trip involved three buses. Avnon-Benvinstes father took a day off from work and packed a bag of snacks, and off they went. And at the museumwhich, since 1978, has sat on the leafy campus of Tel Aviv University and chronicled the history of Jewish people across the globeAvnon-Benvinste got exactly the spiritual experience she had been hoping for. It was a big deal to come to Tel Aviv from far away and spend the day learning about our ancestors, about the kind of legacy that I come from, she said in a recent interview. We went through the different floors and exhibitions, and my father explained to me who we were, as Jews. And I remember it very strongly: At some point during that trip, I felt that I am in many ways a result of these generations of my family, that I belong to a great and inspiring story. She may have been only 12 years old at the time, but Avnon-Benvinste says that then and there she decided to commit herself to Jewish communal life. Shes made good on that personal promise. Today Avnon-Benviste is one of a scant few female Reform Jewish rabbis in Israel. And, in addition to advocating for better integration of Reform Judaism in Israeli society, she also manages the education and content wing of Beit Hatfutsot-Museum of the Jewish People by serving as director of its International School for Jewish Peoplehood (ISJPS). The museum sees about 200,000 visitors annually, a number it hopes to double by the end of an upcoming $100-million, 12-year renovation and renewal. But while many of those visitors drop in to see its world-famous Synagogue Gallery, scroll through its online Jewish genealogy archives or take in a rotating exhibit, for many patrons, a trip to the museum begins and ends in a classroom. The ISJPS at Beit Hatfutsot is a both a school within a museumwith a student body that ranges in age from preschoolers to seniorsas well as a school without walls. The ISJPS develops, curates and ships educational programs to classrooms around the globe. So when a Jewish summer camp in Indiana is looking for a fresh way to tell the story of the destruction of the Temple, or a tour group of Russian-speaking octogenarians is bused to the museum from their group home, Avnon-Benviste and her 15-person staff put together a custom curriculum to make sure the stories are told in the clearest and most compelling way possible. If they can teach the curriculum on-site, they will employ one of their educators to do so as part of a guided tour of the museum. But if the target group is located far away from the museums campus, ISPJS crafts a custom lesson plan to guide educators on the ground. Most of our work is actually not happening here at the museum, Avnon-Benviste said. All of our content is being developed here and we find different opportunities to ship our knowledge to Jewish communities. Wherever there is Jewish life, we find the models and platforms to engage the unengaged, or bring into the inner circle those who are already part of the story. The school today reaches more than 90,000 people per year, both on campus and off. One of its biggest annual events is the global My Family Story competition, in which Jewish schoolkids ages 12 to 15 from more than a dozen countries create visual representations of their own families Jewish histories. Thanks to a generous gift from Kuky and Sergio Grosskopf, Jewish institutions from nations as varied as Argentina, Germany, Italy, Turkey and Venezuela send their two best competitors to Israel for an on-site ceremony at the museum where the winning projects are crowned. Its inspiring, Kuky Grosskopf said in a phone interview from Buenos Aires. There are so many different kinds of Jewish stories. Avnon-Benviste calls Beit Hatfutsot, and by extension the ISJPS, the only institution in the world focused on Jewish peoplehood what it means to be a piece of the massive, sweeping story that is the Jewish people. As the Museum of the Jewish People kicks off its renewal with four new exhibitions, it is also working behind the scenes to expand and invigorate ISJPSs curriculum. The plan is to double the number of students it reaches, as well as introduce a new training program for educators focused not just on how to be Jewish but how to be a member of the Jewish people as a whole. The museum is also hiring international representatives who will tout the schools values and curriculum, full-time, in Jewish communities across the globe. There are so many different approaches to Jewish living, and Beit Hatfutsot really puts together all those colors that reflect the diversity and beauty of the Jewish people, Avnon-Benviste said. My story really began here. Im so glad I had the opportunity to come back to Beit Hatfutsot as a professional because I owed the place the so much. Bernice "Rusty" Sulman was the only child of Ceila and William Frost of Brooklyn, New York. She became a model at the prestigious John Powers Modeling Agency in N.Y. at an early age where she earned her nickname Rusty due to her flaming red hair. She was an excellent student at Brooklyn College until she met Sam Sulman, a southern doctor from Chattanooga, Tenn. After a storybook romantic courtship they married in 1947 and moved to Orlando where Sam opened a medical office and Rusty finished college at Rollins, graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree. They had a wonderful happy marriage of 62 years, designed and built a lakeside home, raised three beautiful children, kept a kosher home and were active members of the community. Rusty was a devoted member of Temple Israel Sisterhood, Hadassah, Women's American ORT, Couer de Couer and The Jewish Pavilion. She loved playing duplicate bridge, mahjong, canasta and devoured reading books. In addition to her exciting modeling career, she also taught school, served as president of the local chapter of ORT, did a TV interview program for Channel Nine called CCA, organized a ladies stock club investing group, opened a trendy fashion boutique in College Park called "The Red Head's Roost" and finally became a licensed real estate associate for Huskey Realty. She and Sam danced at the Rainbow Room in N.Y. and traveled the world to Israel, Greece and Russia. While leading a full life and maintaining a successful marriage they were hit by the tragic deaths of their son Charles in a boating accident and their daughter Robin from heart disease. Following back surgery and the loss of her husband, Rusty moved into assisted living. She was blessed with an exceptional daughter, Marjorie Lekach, who was devoted to her in every way. In addition to Marji, she is survived by a grandson; 3 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Gitta Engel; her favorite cousins Jimmy and Sandy Siskin; and countless friends. Donations may be made in her memory to any of the organizations she supported in keeping with Jewish tradition. Shalom, friends, The staff and Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando wish you and your family a sweet New Year 5778! We enter a new year filled with great promise and great expectations. Fittingly, your Federation is simultaneously embarking on a promising new journey, guided by an updated strategic vision that we believe will enrich the lives of all Jews in Central Florida. In the months ahead, JFGO will focus on functions that are essential to the community and can be executed most effectively by the Federation, such as leadership development, outreach, advocacy on crucial political issues, and support of Israel and global Jewish causes. Federation will continue to raise funds to accomplish our core goals while devoting additional resources to directly support our community's outstanding Jewish organizations and synagogues. JFGO aims to partner with these organizations to help them achieve their respective goals. To learn even more about what our community needs, we continue to host executive and board president gatherings, where we discuss the challenges our organizations face. Federation wants to become the catalyst to finding solutions to all our challenges, and these gatherings are a crucial collaborative tool that will ensure our success. We enter 5778 fueled by renewed confidence and strength, both of which are made possible by your support of Federation. We thank you for helping us nurture and sustain the Jewish future. We can't wait to embark on this bold, new journey with you in the year ahead! L'Shana Tova UMetukah, Rhonda Forest, President, Jewish Federation of Greater Orlando Joseph and Lynn Goldovitz, the multi-talented spiritual leaders of Congregation Sinai Minneola will blow the shofar and play the harp as well as conduct the upcoming High Holidays. All holiday events are celebrated and commemorated for 2 days. Jewish people all over the world will usher in the Jewish New Year 5778, a time of new beginnings and of reflection on ones life, beginning with Selichot services on Saturday, Sept. 16. A dairy dinner will be served at 6:15, followed by services at 7:30 and a lively discussion of issues pertaining to the High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Congregation Sinai is offering a second day Reform Service on Friday Sept. 22 from 10 a.m. to 11a.m., followed by a free brunch, open to the entire community. The 10 days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the holiest days of the year. It is the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, and a period of judgment. During the High Holidays, people pray for forgiveness for the sins they have committed and pledge to lead a better life in the New Year. It is said that at this time, G-d judges and then decides who shall live and who shall die and who shall be inscribed in the Book of Life for the upcoming year. The serving of apples and honey for a sweet year is traditional. The shofar is a rams horn and is blown as a call to worship and to usher in the New Year. Join Congregation Sinai this year for Lunch and Learn, a luncheon following services on the first day of Rosh Hashanah when lunch is served and a lively discussion follows on topics chosen by Spiritual Leaders Lynn and Joe Goldovitz. This has been a tradition for many years. Following Lunch and Learn, the congregants will gather on the Clermont pier to recite Tashlich. Following closing services on Yom Kippur, Sept. 30, the synagogue will offer its sumptuous Break the Fast, a huge buffet of old world Jewish food not to be believed and pastries galore. Congregation Sinai also is celebrating Sukkot, the Holiday of the Harvest by building a Sukkah in its own back yard, decorated by the children in the Religious School. Everyone attending Sukkot services will receive a blessing for the New Year in the Sukkah. Many other events will be happening at Congregation Sinai this fall: movies, dinners, adult education, Bible study. Check their newsletter for all upcoming events and join in the fun. The number 40 has great significance in the Torah and throughout rabbinic literature. The number 40 usually designates a time of radical transition or transformation. Consider the following: It rained for 40 days and 40 nights during the Flood (Genesis 7). Exodus records that Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai with God. Forty is the number of years the Israelites were required to wander in the wilderness until they were allowed to enter Canaan. Corporeal punishment in the Torah involved 40 lashes. Elijah fasted for 40 days prior to receiving his revelation on Mount Horeb. According to the Talmud (Avot 5:26), at age 40 a person transitions from one level of wisdom to the next. After Moses led the Jewish people for 40 years in the wilderness, he told them: "God has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, until this day" (Deut. 29:3-4). From here we see that it took the Jewish people 40 years before reaching a full level of understanding. There are also 40 days between the first day of Elul, when we begin to blow the Shofar to prepare for Rosh Hashanah, until Yom Kippur, the end of the annual teshuva (repentance) period. These 40 days are the most auspicious time for personal growth and renewal. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Jewish Academy of Orlando. Established in 1977, the Jewish Academy of Orlando (formerly Hebrew Day School) was established, in the words of its founders, to create a school "combining a quality general studies and intensive Judaic curriculum." For the past 40 years, the Jewish Academy of Orlando has educated over 1,000 young people. Over the past four decades, our graduates have excelled in their professional careers and have become leaders in their communities due to the strong academic foundation and values education received at the Jewish Academy. The students of the Jewish Academy of Orlando celebrate their Jewish identity, heritage and values while fostering a passion for learning, critical thinking and high achievement. Our students are empowered to achieve academic success and to go out and change the world. True to the vision of its founders, the Jewish Academy of Orlando has a strong history rooted in academic excellence and Jewish pride! As the Jewish Academy of Orlando enters its second era of 40 years, our hope and our prayer is that the school will continue to grow "MeChayil El Chayil," from strength to greater strength. At this time of personal growth and renewal, may we, our families, our friends and our entire community reach a level of understanding so that we can truly have a "Shana Tova U'Metukah," a good and sweet New Year! L'Shana Tova, Alan Rusonik, Head of School (Rabbis Without Borders via JTA)Fear and trembling make a triumphant return to the Jewish calendar with the month of Elul and the initiation of the holiday countdown that leads to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. As a rabbinical colleague wrote, Elul itself carries spiritual significance as a time to begin soul-searching and stock-taking of our individual behaviors over the past year. Elul carries with it a particular sense of urgency, if not dread, for those officiating at High Holidays services. Summer vacation is now officially over. The lists of details for the myriad services that will take placewho is leading each reading, getting each aliyah, opening or closing the arkcan be truly staggering. Searches begin in earnest for those pithy anecdotes or fascinating studies of human nature that were clipped from newspapers or dog-eared in books we have been reading over the past year. Rabbis in smaller shuls now must coordinate with guest cantors, synagogue choirs or brush up on their own chanting abilities. And, of course, there is the coup de grasthe High Holidays sermons. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that for those looking for a new house of worship, Americans look first and foremost for a place where they like the preaching and the tone set by the congregations leaders. At 83 percent, the quality of the sermon was the single highest factor in determining Americans choice of congregation. So the pressure many rabbis feel, myself included, to craft and deliver sermons of high quality is tremendous. But if I am honest with myself, the sermon actually is the easy part of transmitting meaning and content on the High Holidays. It is conveyed in the vernacular and crafted to connect, deeply and personally, with those in attendance. What is truly hard, and what really fills me with fear, is how to make the rest of the services resonate. There are (at least) three fundamental challenges posed by the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) services. (I will speak specifically about Conservative Jewish services because those are the ones I am most familiar with.) First is the sheer volume of Hebrew used during services. From Maariv on Rosh Hashanah Eve through Neilah on Yom Kippur, worshippers confront a relentless onslaught of Hebrew poetry and prose. While there are opportunities to inject English readings or inspirational messages (kavanot), these are usually the exception rather than the rule. Why do we inundate ourselves with so much Hebrew? Because the machzor, the prayerbook we use for the High Holidays, simply has a ton of content and we know that must synagogue-goers only have a limited time span during which they will sit in the pews. This leaves two options: cut out some Hebrew and replace it with more English translations, or chant our way through the Hebrew as fast as we can so we can finish the service on time. Since rabbis and ritual committees tend to decide on the content of the services, and simultaneously tend to be the most conservative when it comes to modifying prayer content, we wind up with a very Hebrew-centric service. To make matters worse, the Hebrew is often from medieval sources and differs in content from the Hebrew some may be used to from Shabbat or daily worship. This makes it even harder to follow. Finally, when we do slow down for more melodic chanting, it often is done by a cantor or other prayer leader in a tune that is so stylized that it is difficult to join. The second major challenge of our High Holidays services stems from the content of the liturgy. The key themes are repeated again and again to the point that it can be challenging to feel personal resonance the fifth time I decry my sins or proclaim Gods sovereignty. The liturgy is intentionally redundant to hammer home key themes (created at a time when liturgy was recited orally, not written down), but this redundancy raises the moral hazard of emotional boredom. Another major component of the High Holidays liturgy is the use of liturgical poetry (piyyutim) that were comprised by skilled poets 1,000 or more years ago. Their poetry is subtle and relies upon an encyclopedic knowledge of biblical references and connections that are incredibly challenging for modern audiences to unpack. With these raw ingredients, it is easy to see how the final prayer product often comes out dry and flavorless. Perhaps the largest impediment to meaningful services, though, lies in the gulf between life experience and contemporary sensibilities on the one hand and traditional rabbinic theology on the other. I am sure there are some who embrace the liturgical themes of the High Holidays, especially the metaphor of God as King sitting in judgment on a heavenly throne. But for the many others who reject this outlook, how can they derive meaning from the High Holidays while reciting a liturgy predicated on this very outlook? If we adhere to different metaphors of God and different theologies about our relationship with God, are we left with a choice between cognitive dissonance or a wholesale rejection of the liturgy we have used for hundreds of years? Conversely, if we preserve the traditional liturgy, are we doing anything more than enabling a superficial and shallow spiritual experience? Or, as I once wrote, do we intentionally seek out boredom to serve as a protective barrier during the High Holidays, so that we dont have to get introspective? Im not sure how to resolve these questions, but I intend to spend much of Elul trying to do so. Rabbi Joshua Ratner is the rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami in Cheshire, Connecticut. Theres always time to pet your dog. If a feller doesnt trim his own horses feet, hes got too many horses or not enough time. Some people do what theyve gotta do to live where they wanna live. Others live where they have to live to be what they want to be. -If the reader cant understand what the poet is tryin to say, its not the readers fault. Sometimes gentle pressure is better than jerkin as hard as you can. Kinda like pickin up a bulls nose. The consultants motto: You cant have all your hands in one pocket. People like David Duke and Louis Farrakhan are head and tail of the same bad penny. I like a woman that smells like barbecue sauce. Some say, You are what you eat. I say, You are where you walk. Wipe your feet. I observed to a man in New York that I was surprised that they had so many cows and so much farming. He said, Son, this is where it started. The only thing I cant do in excess is moderation. Its hard bein a cowboy. If a man gets run over by a truck he gets sympathy. If he gets run over by a horse, they laugh. You know you had a bad weekend when you wake up Sunday morning and its Thanksgiving Day. A bank examiner is someone who comes in after the battle and shoots the wounded. If a person has an excuse to be less than they can be, they probably will. Wine doesnt give me a headache. Winos do. I felt sorry for myself when I had no hat, til I met a man who had no wait a minute, thats not right. Vet prognosis. Those that linger have a better chance than those that die right away. Whoever named The Dumb Friends League has dang sure punched a few cows. If you are not generous when you can afford to be, it marks you as a small person. That is not the same as being generous with somebody elses money. Thats merely being cheap. (JTA)I used to joke that I am not a self-hating Jew: Its all those other Jews I cant stand. Like I said, I used to tell that joke. In the current political climate, self-hatred is no laughing matter. Calling another Jew self-hating is pervasive and toxicso toxic, in fact, that some observers cant distinguish it from actual anti-Semitism. A lot of liberal Jews label Breitbart News anti-Semitic in part because of an article by right-wing activist David Horowitz that essentially called William Kristol a self-hating Jew. (Horowitzs actual term was renegade Jew.) Similarly, the Washington Post explained last week that William Bradford resigned from the Energy Department over reports of his racist and anti-Semitic tweets. In the aftermath of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg urging followers not to vote for Trump, Bradford posted this tweet that the Post called anti-Semitic: Who is this little arrogant self-hating Jew to tell anyone for whom to vote. Pretty nasty, but it turns out Bradford himself is Jewish. So is Horowitz, who explained that he called Kristol a renegade Jew because he felt the conservative pundit, in opposing Trump, had betrayed the Jews. Like Horowitz, Bradford apparently saw himself not as an anti-Semite but as a Defender of the Faith. Just like the Hungarian Jewish journalist who called financier and philanthropist George Soros a self-hating Jew. Or the Republican Jewish leader in Israel who called comedian Sarah Silverman a self-hating Jew. Or the JTA reader who called the late pundit Christopher Hitchens a self-hating Jew. Or the famous Jewish comedian (OK, Jackie Mason) who called Bernie Sanders a self-hating Jew. All of those who fling the charge would deny they are themselves being anti-Semitic. Heres Mason justifying his use of the term to describe Sanders views on Israel: If a non-Jew was saying it, people would call him an anti-Semite because he is an anti-Semite. Just because hes a Jew doesnt mean he cant hate being Jewish because he obviously is a viciously self-hating Jew. Got that? No doubt, there are Jews who are viciously self-hatingor at least they base their worldview on what Leon Wieseltier has called the internalization of the standpoint of the enemy. Weve had our traitors and kapos and turncoats. Post-emancipation, the Jews who believed that the mirage of anti-Semitic stereotypes was the real thing, as the historian Sander Gilman once put, were the subject of communal fascination and disgust and the topic of serious scholarship. We know this because there are some really good jokes about self-hatred (look up the one with the punchline, Is that all you people ever think about?). But nowadays the charge is invariably political, pure and simple. Last month Naftali Bennett, Israels minister of education, used the term auto-anti-Semitismfrom a Hebrew term for Jewish self-hatredto describe critics of a government-approved science textbook that included the prayer for rain. Auto-antisemitism is a social-psychological phenomenon in which a Jew develops obsessive contempt and hostility toward Jewish tradition, Jewish customs and traditional Jews, Bennett explained on Facebook, according to The Jerusalem Post. Secular parents in Israel insist, meanwhile, that they dont hate themselves or Judaism; its religious coercion that they can do without. Anshel Pfeffer, writing in the left-wing newspaper Haaretz, noted that the Jews who voted for Trump arent self-hating Jews, which of course suggests that some people think they are. On the flip side, The Jerusalem Post gave space to a 2,300-word essay arguing that liberal Jews who oppose Trump or criticize Israel are self-hating. In June, a writer for the The Daily Wire, the right-leaning news site, called Sanders (him again) a self-hating Jew because he gave a speech opposing the Israeli occupation. If youre interested, this is what Sanders said to earn the honorific: I know so many of you agree with me when I say this occupation must end. Peace, real peace, means security not only for every Israeli but for every Palestinian. It means supporting self-determination, civil rights and economic well-being for both peoples. Describing Jewish liberals and Jewish critics of Israel as self-hating has become a reflex on the right, although occasionally the charge goes the other way, casting no more light on the issue at hand. Accusations of self-hatred are serious business not just because they shut down debate. They seek to excommunicate people based on political differences, and put the accuser in the position of Jewish Grand Inquisitor (and even Pope Francis has been known to say, Who am I to judge?). And they ascribe deep psychological motives to people based on flimsy evidence. If you plan on calling someone a self-hater, you have to be pretty sure of two things: One, that the opinions they hold are those of genuine anti-Semites and not just people with whom you disagree; and two, they came to their opinions via some sort of self-lacerating neurosis. Or just ask yourself this the next time you find yourself disagreeing with Bernie Sanders or Jared Kushner: What does self-hater add to your argument except a signal that you may not trust yourself to win the debate on its merits? The Southern Poverty Law Center admitted its fault and removed a town from its Hate Map this week. That map irresponsibly mixes religious organizations with violent hate groups, and this time it included the town of Amana because an unknown source alleged some people who might have been associated with The Daily Stormer met one time in a restaurant for coffee. This is one of many inaccuracies and gross over-characterizations that can be found on SPLCs map. Amana, an innocent town, was then blacklisted by the SPLC. People living there were brought under a cloud a suspicion because of the improper, sweeping accusation of the SPLC. The SPLC makes wide generalizations and then seeks to harm those within its self-proclaimed classification of others. In a similar manner, the SPLC targets anyone who disagrees with them on issues related to the LGBT agenda. Then it claims civil disagreement as evidence for falsely classifying a peaceful organization as hateful. To do so is just as wrong and even more harmful than the SPLCs mischaracterization of the city of Amana. Liberty Counsel has complied a comprehensive answer to SPLCs false name-calling of its nonprofit Christian ministry and its pro bono work in the legal field. The SPLC continually grossly misrepresents and labels Liberty Counsel as a so-called hate group. However, Liberty Counsel is not a hate group and hates no one. In addition to its many ministries, Liberty Counsel has a humanitarian relief program and had been providing help to victims of Hurricane Harvey, regardless of their beliefs, status, background or actions. In direct opposition to the SPLCs false campaign, Liberty Counsel believes in reaching out with kindness and truth to all Americans. As a pastor before becoming an attorney, my heart then and now is for hurting people, said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. Liberty Counsel exists to help other people. Right now, we are focusing resources on helping victims of Harvey. We believe that every person is created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity and respect. We are putting those beliefs into action in Texas. This is hardly the action of a hate group! If the SPLC were intellectually honest, it should re-title its Hate Map into Groups We Hate Map, said Staver. In 2016, the Disciplinary Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Justice, under President Obama, sharply rebuked and reprimanded attorneys for employing the SPLCs hate group label to dismiss a conservative advocacy group. It stated that using the SPLCs map overstepped the bounds of zealous advocacy and was unprofessional. It continued that such behavior is uncivil and constitutes frivolous behavior and does not aid the administration of justice. We have more newsletters Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest news from Stansted Airport straight to your inbox A Ryanair plane out of Stansted Airport was forced to make an emergency landing this morning after losing one of its nose wheels. The flight, which was going from Stansted to Copenhagen, landed at East Midlands Airport near Nottingham after losing the wheel. The Boeing 737-8AS left Stansted at 8.07am and was due to arrive in Copenhagen at 11.45am. Nearly 200 could have been on the flight according to a seating plan from www.seatguru.com The plane was forced to fly in circles around Essex until it was allowed to into land at East Midlands Airport. (Image: FlightRadar24) A spokesman for Ryanair said: "This flight from Stansted to Copenhagen (15 Sep) diverted to East Midlands because of the loss of one (of its two) nose wheels after take-off. "The aircraft landed safely in East Midlands, customers disembarked, were provided with refreshment vouchers and boarded a replacement aircraft, which departed to Copenhagen." The Air Accident Investigation Branch has sent a team to investigate the incident. 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/ If the American people, collectively speaking, had enough sense to come in out of the rain, the climate debate long settled almost everywhere else on earth would be over. No, its not possible to assert with mathematical certainty that hurricanes Harvey and Irma were caused by global warming. Its also not possible to stipulate exactly which carton of Camels brought about my fathers lung cancer. Only that his 40 year, two-packs-a-day tobacco habit shortened his life by a decade or more. Although the tobacco companies once resisted the evidence as vigorously (and dishonestly) as Koch Industries and the rest now fight climate science, nobody argues about it anymore. Eventually, statistical evidence conflates with lived experience to the point where denialists feel less like iconoclasts and more like fools. Its tempting to wonder if two of the most powerful hurricanes in U.S. history striking Texas and Florida within two weeks of each other might cause Republican climate change deniers like EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to go the way of the Marlboro Man. Pruitts the Trump appointee who declared it insulting to Floridians to associate the strongest Atlantic hurricane in recorded history with ever-increasing ocean temperatures. This despite the fact that its a basic matter of atmospheric physics: the warmer the ocean, the more powerful the storm. The connection between record high temperatures and catastrophic flooding events isnt inferential, its direct. Up goes the temperature, down comes the deluge. Even more than Irma, Hurricane Harvey 50 inches of rain, 70 dead, countless lives and livelihoods ruined, billions in property damage all over south Texas impressed scientists as entirely consistent with a warming, rising Gulf of Mexico. Contrary to Bob Dylan, sometimes you do need a weather man to know which way the wind blows. But the real prizewinner, of course, wasnt the EPAs Pruitt or renowned climatologist Donald J. Trump, but talk radio clown Rush Limbaugh. Even as Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean, its 185-mph winds leaving chaos and destruction in its wake, Limbaugh assured listeners that the storm was basically Fake News, a figment of the liberal imagination. Believe it or not, he blamed the malign influence of Big Water. Limbaugh claimed to know exactly where and when Irma would make landfall, a secret he had shared with his buddies, but not, of course, with his gullible listeners. The Limbaugh position is that conspiratorial liberals in the news media deliberately stoke panic for the sake of profits. He argued that there is a symbiotic relationship between retailers and local media, and its related to money. It revolves around money. You have major, major industries and businesses which prosper during times of crisis and panic, such as a hurricane, which could destroy or greatly damage peoples homes, and it could interrupt the flow of water and electricity. So what happens? Well, the TV stations begin reporting this and the panic begins to increase. And then people end up going to various stores to stock up on water and whatever they might need for home repairs and batteries and all this that theyre advised to get, and a vicious circle is created, Limbaugh said. So the media benefits with the panic with increased eyeballs, and the retailers benefit from the panic with increased sales, and the TV companies benefit because theyre getting advertising dollars from the businesses that are seeing all this attention from customers. In short, Limbaugh sounded pretty much like Bernie Sanders on crack a straight Marxist analysis of the evils of corporate broadcasting. Except heres the problem: Hurricane Irma kept coming, swallowing up St. Martin and the Virgin Islands, and looking less imaginary every day. So Limbaugh shut down his Palm Beach studio and evacuated for parts unknown like millions of other Floridians. Needless to say, hell come up with a fancy alibi. Im sure itll be a humdinger. But how anybody could ever take the portly blowhard seriously again beggars my poor imagination. Somewhat further out on the lunatic fringe, Infowars founder Alex Jones took an even more imaginative position: speculating darkly that both storms had been geo-engineered by wicked agents of the deep state to stoke fear of climate change and enhance the liberal agenda. Of course, not long ago Jones conjured thousands of Muslim terrorists fixing to overrun south Texas from bunkers hidden under vacant Walmart stores, even as Hillary Clintons PizzaGate child sex abuse ring flourished in Washington. Evidently, theres no conspiracy too absurd for Joness deluded followers. Thats the great paradox among todays right-wing true-believers, where Chicken Little stories are always in fashion. The sky is always about to fall. Except, that is, when it does, as in hurricanes Harvey and Irma. We may expect such persons to go into increased frenzies of denial. Some human beings are rarely more passionate than when denying reality. Hopefully, the majority prove capable of learning from it. The UN Security Council has criticised the Myanmar government for condoning violence against Rohingya Muslims in its Rakhine State leading to a humanitarian crisis with lakhs fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh fearing persecution. The current crisis is the fallout of a coordinated attack on multiple police posts on August 25 by more than 150 Rohingya militants in Maungdaw, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships in the north Rakhine State. The same night, 12 Myanmarese troopers died after militants claiming to belong to Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army tried to attack an army base. More than 80 Rohingya Muslims died in the attack. Last year on October 9, the Rohingya militants attacked three police posts in Maungdaw Township, resulting in the death of nine policemen and looting of arms and ammunition. Myanmar President Htin Kyaw held Rohingya militant group Aqa Mul Mujahideen (AMM) responsible for the attack. The Rohingya crisis has turned State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi, once a darling of the West into a devil, for not being able to stop the tribal violence against the minority community. Apart from the UNSC, Pakistan issued a statement on September 3 expressing deep concern over the growing number of deaths and forced displacement of Rohingya Muslims. Islamic fundamentalists such as the Afghan Taliban, Al Qaidas Yemen Branch, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other groups have called for attacks on Myanmar authorities in support of the Rohingyas. There is an urgent need for de-escalation in levels of violence in Rakhine State as there is a strong possibility of other displaced Rohingyas being radicalised by Sunni fundamentalist groups including the Bangladesh chapter of the Islamic State to take to arms. The Rohingya displacement is a matter of serious concern but the root cause of increased animosity among the Burmans and other ethnic groups against the minority community should also not be glossed over. The international community has questioned Myanmar for the crisis but has forgotten the bloody contribution of Pakistan-based jihadist groups to this catastrophe. There is now evidence that little known AMM had emerged from Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami Arakan (HUJI-A), a Pakistan-based extremist outfit involved in espousing the Rohingya Muslim cause in Myanmar. The HUJI-A is headed by Abdus Qadoos Burmi, a Pakistani national of Rohingya origin, closely associated with LeT chief Hafiz Saeed for militant and explosive training for radicalised Rohingya cadres. According to information available with intelligence agencies in Bangladesh and Myanmar, AMM leader Hafiz Tohar aka Abu Aman Jununi was recruited by Burmi from Kyuak Pyin Siek village of Maungdaw and trained in Pakistan. After training a few AMM recruits, new cadres were recruited from among the Rohingya youth in Rakhine State and refugee camps in Bangladeshs Coxs Bazaar. The AMM cadre was trained along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border, which saw large-scale testing of improvised explosive devices in 2014. The role of Pakistan-based groups was revealed during an IED blast at Buthidaung Township on May 4 this year. Investigations revealed that two out of four killed while assembling the device were Pakistani nationals and the remaining two were local Rohingyas from the same township. The Pakistani nationals of Rohingya origin were identified as Abdul Rahim and Anarthullah, who had returned to Rakhine State after spending 20 years away in Af-Pak region. Intelligence agencies believe that Rohingya militant activities concentrated in Bangladeshs Chittagong area and Thailands Mae Sot, Tak province have the sanction of the Pakistani deep state. Frequent movements of Maulana Ustad Wazeer aka Noor Kabir and Fareed Faizullah, both Pakistani nationals of Rohingya origin, to the Thai border have been noted by intelligence agencies for getting cadres indoctrinated and trained in insurgent activities. In May 2016, Omar Faruk aka RSO Faruk of the LeT-backed Rohingya Solidarity Organization (RSO) was arrested from Chittagong for attacking the Bangladesh ANSAR camp at Teknaf, looting weapons and killing the troop commander. While India is in touch with both Bangladesh and Myanmar to ensure that the Arakan corridor does not emerge as a new jihadi flashpoint, the international community, particularly the west, is partly responsible for the current crisis as it kept quiet when the LeT organised the Difa-e-Musalman-e-Arakan conference in Pakistan in July 2012 to highlight the Rohingya cause. Subsequently, LeT senior operatives Shahid Mehmood and Nadeem Awan visited Bangladesh to recruit Rohingyas and train them on the border with Myanmar. In fact, several new front organisations such as the Jamaat ul Arakan and Difa-e-Arakan have been formed with the help of Pakistani jihadists to coordinate the militant network along the Myanmar border with Bangladesh and Thailand. Pakistans Jamaat-e-Islami, which is close to its Bangladesh chapter, moved a resolution in its Senate and the National Assembly against Myanmar for the so-called Rohingya genocide. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammed Asif has also urged the Muslim world to put pressure on Myanmar. While attacks on Rohingyas and their subsequent displacement cannot be condoned as lives of innocents are involved, the role of jihadists, their Pakistani backers for furtherance of their strategic objectives also needs to be questioned. India must not let the situation go out of hand as radicalisation of the Arakan corridor and infiltration of vulnerable Rohingyas by Sunni fundamentalists have direct repercussions on its maritime security in the Bay of Bengal area and internal security in the North-East region. Escalation of militant activities in this region poses a direct threat to international shipping lanes of communication passing through the Malacca Straits. The displaced Rohingya community needs full international support lest it falls into the lap of radicals in the name of Ummah. Myanmar also needs to retrospect. It is negotiating to buy JF-17 Thunder fighters from Pakistan, the same country which is fuelling unrest in its backyard. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Perched on a platform up in the air, two restorers are vacuuming the sky. A quick wipe from a sponge follows and then a touch-up with a pencil. Little by little, the enormous clouds above The Hague are returning to their original colour. Every two decades the Panorama Mesdag, the worlds oldest panorama painting still on its original site, gets a facelift under the watchful eyes of visitors to the museum just outside the stately city centre. Painted by the 19th-century Dutch master Hendrik Willem Mesdag from 1880 to 1881, the masterpiece gives visitors a 360-degree view of the beach at Scheveningen, a famous seaside suburb of The Hague, creating the illusion the viewer is standing right in the heart of the scene. As in the late 1800s, sightseers today are still amazed by the three-dimensional quality of the cylindrical painting. The masterpiece gives visitors a 360-degree view of the beach at Scheveningen, a famous seaside suburb of The Hague. (AFP) Visitors climb circling stairs to emerge in the centre of a purpose-built wooden rotunda, built on real sand that slopes down to the floor. Surrounded by the painting itself, the optical illusion is complete. On the beach, flat-bottomed fishing boats are coming and going from the North Sea. Elsewhere on the sand, soldiers are riding their horses. Look in yet another direction, and theres the fishing village of Scheveningen, with The Hagues tall church towers on the horizon - as it was almost 140 years ago. We really believe were at the beach in 1880, one Chinese visitor whispered. Its very impressive. But currently the restorers of the Mesdag are stealing the spotlight. Restorer Leonoor Speldekamp, as she gently wiped the dust from a church steeple gradually regaining its ochre colour, said, Some people visit the museum especially to come and look at how the work is being cleaned. She also took part in the previous restoration mission 20 years ago. There were holes in the canvas. It was badly damaged because a bird had destroyed a joint in the museums roof, causing a leak, the restorer said. That was the first time the painting got such a thorough cleaning. Before then it was cleaned and restored occasionally, said Suzanne Veldink, a member of the Mesdags management team. Tourists often visit to catch the restoration in progress. (AFP) Like a phoenix rising from the ashes every two decades, all of the Panorama Mesdag - 14 metres (45 feet) high and 120 metres in circumference - is being carefully cleaned, starting at the top where most of the dust gathers. Theres no layer of varnish, which means the dirt, dust, soot and lots of things can penetrate the painting, Speldekamp said. Time seems to stand still for the restorers as they remove dust with meticulous swipes and retouch colour with deft strokes. One of the best-known painters of the time, Mesdag was assisted by friends in his greatest work. He even had the forethought to install rails on the ground to allow future restorers to move scaffolding around the painting. It is now a major drawcard in The Hague, welcoming some 150,000 to 200,000 visitors per year. Restoration work is expected to be completed by mid-September. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Eleven minor tribal girls from Shahpura block of Dindori district, were rescued from a thread making factory in Tamil Nadu on Friday and have been brought back to be handed back to their families. Two of agents have also been arrested. Police suspect they were victims of human trafficking and were going to be pushed into prostitution by the agents, who had promised their parents that they would be paid Rs 6000 per month for their daughters. Dindori, one of the most backward districts of the state is around 450 km from Bhopal. There have been several instances of tribal girls being taken from villages by agents for domestic work and then sold as prostitutes. Talking to Hindustan Times over phone Dindori SP Simala Prasad said, A couple of things aroused our suspicion. For starters they had made fake Aadhar cards and many girls had the same date of birth. Also if their ultimate destination was working in a thread factory, why were only girls taken? Moreover, the girls were taken without informing the nearest police station which has become a norm in these parts if anyone is migrating to another district for work. A team of two cops was rushed by plane from Dindori to Chennai and the girls were rescued with the help of local police. The SP said that all the rescued girls were between 15 and 17 years, and from impoverished tribal families. The SP said that recently they rescued a tribal girl from the district who had been taken to Delhi on the pretext of being employed as domestic help but had been sold for prostitution. Earlier we had rescued a girl from Tikamgarh, who had similarly been sold and forced to work as prostitute. A 30-year-old pregnant woman was administered intravenous fluid under a tree at a government civil hospital in Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh as there were no beds available because of a spike in the cases of seasonal disease. A resident of Beora, a town 150km from the state capital Bhopal, Pooja Tapala was brought to the hospital after she developed some complications on Wednesday. The hospital administration asked me to wait for some time, saying there was no bed available in the hospital. When my condition deteriorated, a nurse placed a bed under a tree and asked me to lie on it. There was no mattress on the bed. With support of a tree branch, the nurse administered IV fluid to me, Tapala told media persons. She said another woman, who was admitted after her, was also given the same line of treatment. A duty nurse told the Hindustan Times, on the condition of anonymity as she was not authorised to speak to the media, the hospital does not have sufficient infrastructure and staff members. All the beds are occupied because of seasonal disease affecting people in the area. Many a time, we have to adjust two patients on one bed, she said. However, the medical officer in charge of the hospital Dr SS Gupta refused to comment on the availability of beds and said the hospital was in a good shape. I am trying to find out who was on duty and allowed this (placing the bed under a tree), said Dr Gupta. Gauri Singh, Madhya Pradeshs principal secretary for health, said a senior doctor was being sent from Bhopal to check the condition of the hospital and inquire into the matter. In the hospital, the construction of a new ward is almost completed and soon it will be open for patients, she added. The incident has put Indias underfunded and poorly managed public health system under the spotlight. Successive governments have failed to address the acute shortage of doctors and infrastructure. A similar incident took place in Morena district where a woman was administered IV fluid under a tree. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Kriti Sanons portrayal of the chirpy, upfront Bitti Mishra in her latest film, Bareilly Ki Barfi, got her a lot of appreciation. But as they say, love from fans is most special. Recently a fan, who has already watched the film a number of times, gifted Kriti an authentic jhumka (earring) from Bareilly. It was such a sweet gesture. The gift brought a big smile on my face. Bareilly ki Barfi is a very special film and all this love that people are showering on me is my treasure for life, says Kriti. #Throwback Post Packup Madness of #BKB shoot.. Tripping on Govinda songs!! @ayushmannk @rohitchaudhary86 A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) on Aug 10, 2017 at 11:49pm PDT Meanwhile, the actor has also been receiving praise from her Bollywood peers and seniors. And none other than veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan tweeted a message lauding the film. Saw Bareilly ki Barfi last night ... a delightful film and such competent and excellent performances .. !! (sic). Replying to Big B, Kriti wrote, Im so so elated that you liked the film Sir! (sic) My favourite seat in between shots! Full pampering and "laad" for Bitti by her adorable director !! These little moments make the film making journey special!! Love you @ashwinyiyertiwari #bareillykibarfi A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) on Jul 22, 2017 at 9:49am PDT Basking in the success of the film which also stars Rajkummar Rao and Ayushmann Khurrana Kriti, who was in Spain recently, had extended her vacation to keep the party going. Next, she plans to celebrate with her family in Delhi, as soon as she gets time. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A day after raking up a storm over her statement, actor Priyanka Chopra has apologised for hurting the sentiments and pride of the people of Sikkim when she incorrectly described the state as insurgency-hit. The state government had condemned the actor and demanded an apology while social media users dubbed her politically illiterate. In an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival, the actor-producer had said her film Pahuna was the first film to come out of the region which was troubled with insurgency. Hoping to pacify the government and the people of Sikkim, the Quantico star issued a lengthy statement to apologise. It saddens me that a comment I made during a recent interview at TIFF has caused this much pain when that was never the intention at all. I never meant to imply that Sikkim has insurgency. My statement was in context of the film that deals with people who seek refuge after they suffer from conflict, she said. Describing Sikkim as a peaceful, green state with peace loving people, she said, I know that my statements have hurt the sentiments and pride of the people of Sikkim and for that I truly apologise. The actor said she took full responsibility for her remarks and admitted that she should have been better informed. I have always taken pride as being someone who is informed about the world but this time, some of the statements made were incorrect and while I should have been better informed about certain facts, I take full responsibility for what I said, she said. Priyanka also retracted her statement that Pahuna, which is produced by her, is the first film to come out of Sikkim. I understand now that our film was not the first Sikkimese film to be made, but our aim has always been to provide local talent, both actors and technicians, a global platform to shine...I understand the impact of the statements made and hope that the people and Government of Sikkim find it in their hearts to forgive me, the actor said. She also praised the government and the local people for supporting her during the shooting of the movie. Follow @htshowbiz for more Pavan Malhotra is content with his stardom. The actor, who began his career with the television show Nukkad, in 1986, shot to fame with his role as Tiger Memon in Black Friday. Id be lying if I say I dont like the attention I get for the work I do. Especially since Black Friday, people recognise me, says Malhotra. Youngsters come up to me and say, Sir, can I have a photo with you? Yes they might not know me by my real name, and they tell me that too. But the fact that they recognise me, for either Black Friday or Bhaag Milkha (Bhaag), is a big compliment for me. As an actor, you appreciate that. I am blessed to receive so much love, says Malhotra. However, stardom doesnt come easy, and Malhotras hard work and struggle is a testimony of that fact. You know, for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, I was playing a Sikh. Ordinarily, they would make you look like a Sikh by putting a few cloth pieces in your turban. But I wanted it to be more authentic. So I grew my hair for one year. You know, that for one year, I did no films. I couldnt have anything else coming in way of this character, he says. Preparing for a role is like making a collage. The attention to detail has to be there, and I dont know about other actors, but I like to be perfect for the role I am playing. Apart from the look, I also focus on the speech, the texture of the dialogues. Even if I have, like, a 15-16 minute role in the film, I want it to be effective, so that people remember it, and it doesnt end up being just as a side character in the film, he adds. Follow @htshowbiz for more SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Priyanka Chopras supposed gaffe about unrest in the northeastern state of Sikkim during the course of an interview to a Canadian channel while at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was not an isolated instance. According to some who attended the world premiere of her film Pahuna: The Little Visitors, she made a similar remark about the northeastern state during the course of a Q&A with the audience following the screening of the movie. One person who was present for that special event at the Toronto festival said the import of her words as she spoke was that Sikkim is a trouble spot, facing militancy. The world premiere screening, before a packed theatre, took place at the Scotiabank multiplex in Toronto on September 7. Speaking in an interview after Pahuna received a standing ovation at TIFF, Priyanka told ET Canada, Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made a film from the region. This is the first film ever thats come out of that region, because its very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. Chopra was widely criticised on social media and by residents of the northeastern states for her remarks, which people described as incorrect and exaggerated. The incident has tarnished what was a prestigious appearance for Chopra at this years TIFF. The actor has apologised to the state government for her remarks. On September 6, she headlined the festivals inaugural programme, a fund-raiser for TIFFs new initiative, Share Her Journey, aimed at promoting gender equity in the film industry. The next day, she was present for the world premiere of Pahuna, a production of her company, Purple Pebble Pictures, and the first feature from the production house to make its global debut at this international film showcase event. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood actor Celina Jaitly, who was shamed on social media for sharing a pre-delivery photograph of her blossoming baby bump, remains unaffected by it, but has said slut-shaming is dangerous and hurtful for women. Celina, who shared a photograph of herself in a bathtub earlier this month, is married to Dubai-based Peter Haag with whom she shares twins -- Viraaj Haag, Winston Haag. She is expecting another set of twins and is in her last trimester of her pregnancy. Stressing that slut-shaming is incorrect, Celina said, In our culture, one thing is for sure -- the only way one expresses disapproval is through verbal or physical violence; there is no scope for resolution, solution or general discussion, or using civilised language to express disapproval. The actress, 35, said she fails to understand why her photograph, if it is not to someones taste or liking, should become a target of any kind of violence. What worries me is (that) so many people (both men and women) seem intent upon resorting to sexual, verbal and physical violence to punish one for something that makes them uncomfortable, she added. Celina feels the reason violence against women has increased in India is because such narcissistic people (are) allowed to have a voice and practice their regressive and delinquent thought processes and ideologies. Slut-shaming is not funny. It is dangerous, hurtful, disrespectful and harmful to women. Its important to question society when they expect women to behave in ways that men are not expected to, she added. Celina, who won the Miss India title in 2001 and speaks up on vital societal issues, feels people have a long way to go when it comes to be evolved about how a woman should conduct herself during pregnancy, menstruation or any related taboo issues. My intention as an actor, a beauty queen, a human rights activist and, most of all as a mother, has always been to empower, encourage and break social stigmas through my blessed platform. Women need to be constantly empowered through law and through removing stereotypes attached to how they ought to conduct themselves, she said. Does she find that slut-shaming is an easy way to put down an actress nowadays? Not just slut-shaming, but violence against women as such, both verbal and physical, has increased in our country... It doesnt matter if you are an actress or not, she said. Celina cited examples of outspoken actress Kangana Ranaut and the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh. Recently, even someone as accomplished as Kangana (Ranaut) came forward and spoke about the domestic violence that she went through, or the shooting of esteemed Gauri Lankesh; so you see, no one is spared, because no authority is willing to educate or challenge or severely reprimand this growing trend, she stressed. This is not the first time a celebrity has been a victim of cyber bullying. Sonakshi Sinha, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Sonam Kapoor and Karan Johar have all been trolled on social media. Asked if she takes the trolls seriously and how she deals with them, Celina said: Mostly I ignore them and make light of the situation, occasionally, in instances like what happened with my post, I do take my social responsibility seriously; some issues must be brought to light, and trivial things should be left to die their own sweet death. Follow @htshowbiz for more Four like-minded guys who love singing came together to form a band in 2011. And today, six years on, Sanam Puri (Lead Vocals), Samar Puri (Lead Guitar and Vocals), Venky S or Venkat Subramaniyam (Bass Guitar and Vocals) and Keshav Dhanraj (Drums and Vocals), are still inseparable and their band that was the first band from India to cross 1 million subscribers on YouTube, is today the countrys biggest band on the digital platform with a 2.5 million strong fan following. It was Venky who introduced the members to one another and it didnt take them too long to decide the course of their lives thereafter. In 2011 they formed the band and started creating original songs. In between they would occasionally do covers of old Bollywood classics and at times even of the contemporary chartbusters. But the first one they recorded for Youtube was an original. It was in 2012. Teri Aankhon Se was written much earlier by Samar for his ex-girlfriend. We rearranged it a bit and recorded it, says Venky adding that their first song video was more of a DIY project. We wanted to make a video of it. But we didnt have much money. So we got out friend Charu Datta Rane, a DOP, to shoot it. But again for editing, we faced the same problem. No one was willing to do it for the kind of money we could offer at that time. So, Samar actually learnt how to edit and edited the video, Keshav elaborates. The reaction was not even close to what they get today. Their new single Dil Kya Kare has crossed 1 million views within a week of its YouTube release. But, it was a start nonetheless and the reactions they got were positive. We were brand new. We had no reach. Initially, we hardly got any views. Then we tagged all our friends and they started spreading the word, says Samar. However, Venky reveals that although today when they go on rewind mode, it might seem that it was a slow start but at that point they were elated with whatever response they got. To be honest, we had no idea that YouTube has such a reach and we never imagined that we will get this kind of popularity. It was a song we loved and having grown up watching music videos, we wanted to do a video of this one once we recorded it. We wanted people to see it, and so we put it up on YouTube. We didnt really expect much from it, says Venky. We wanted to make a video of it. But we didnt have much money...Samar actually learnt how to edit and edited the video. The reactions gave us the confidence that we are going in the right direction, and then there was no turning back! adds Sanam who has done a few Bollywood songs without the band. It was not the same. I was feeling very lonely and missing these guys, he says. To this, Samar points out that to create an identity, today one needs to create his/her own unique sound and having a band always helps. Since they were keen on bringing back the band culture, it was their manager Ben Thomas, who suggested they upload more and more songs so that it can double up as their portfolio. And it is then that they decided to do covers alongside coming up with originals. For their second video, they did a cover of Jee Le Zaraa, and its the covers of the retro classics like Lag Jaa Gale, Aap Ki Nazrone Ne Samjha, Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi, and Gulabi Aankhen that ensured their meteoric rise to fame, apart from their collective cuteness factor which ensured that this interview had to be stopped multiple times to accommodate gushing teenagers turning up with selfie requests. Point this out and they behave like blushing brides, quickly trying to change the topic: Do you know we had also done a Rabindrasangeet, Tumi Robe Nirobe, which went viral! quips Sanam before admitting that the band was rather apprehensive to attempt the song. Bongs can be harsh critics and then, we were attempting a Tagore song! We were damn scared of a backlash but thankfully, people loved it, says Sanam who took help from a Bangladeshi friend who lives in Canada. She helped me a lot with the song, especially the pronunciations, he reveals, adding that the most important part about doing a successful cover is to get to the soul of the song and not drown the real essence with complicated music arrangements. Ask them the secret behind their success, especially since India today does not have too many bands, and Venky says, We knew making it big as a band will not be easy. But we really enjoy our time together, be it recording a song or doing stage shows. In fact, I think our success mantra is that we love what we do and who we do that with. We dont really think of the reactions while we are recording a song. We enjoy the process and I think that reflects in the finished product. Even if our songs had not gone viral, I dont think we would have stopped doing what we do, maybe it would have taken some more time, adds Keshav. The band has a very busy tour calendar and their live shows take them to countries like Maldives, Mauritius, Holland, Trinidad and even Israel. The Indian diaspora instantly connects with the bands covers of old Bollywood songs. But now Sanam, the band, is planning to focus more on originals. We want to reach 10 million subscribers! quips Sanam. The band now puts out two videos a month. It is important to be consistently creative. While singing, I need to feel the song to emote. . If there is too much pressure to release a new song, I will not be able to give my 100 per cent. And the band understands this. To be honest, we dont want to be greedy about numbers. In an attempt to get more subscribers we dont want to mechanically churn out new songs. We are here because we enjoy it. It is our love for what we do that keeps us going, not the number of subscribers. That is a bonus! says Sanam. Follow @ananya1281 on Twitter Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 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 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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 A union of Air India employees on Friday met Union minister Nitin Gadkari and appealed to him to protect their jobs as the government prepares to privatise the national carrier. Air Indias Employees Union (AIEU), representing the airlines non-technical staff also submitted a memorandum to Transport Minister Gadkari and appealed that the government waive Air Indias debt and allow the existing management to run the company instead of selling it to a private player. Gadkari is part of the group of ministers constituted by the Union Cabinet to chalk out a strategy for disinvestment of Air India. In case of privatisation, Air India employees are concerned about the fate of its permanent employees and demand job security, welfare facilities such as medical, provident fund, passages, staff transport, canteen are to be retained during service and also after retirement of employees, the union wrote in their letter to Gadkari. They have also demanded that the airline clear their salary dues. AIEU would like to request the government to waive (Air Indias) debt and give opportunity to Air India to keep flying the flag of the national carrier, the memorandum added. Another union of Air India employees met the Air India chairman earlier this week in Delhi and they too pressed for partial or complete debt waiver for the airline. The carrier has a debt burden of more than Rs 50,000 crore. Indias exports grew to $23.81 billion in August this year, from $22.5 billion in July and $21.59 billion during the corresponding month of last year, official data showed on Friday. According to the ministry of commerce and industry, exports during August on year-on-year (YoY) basis exhibited a growth of 10.29 per cent to $23.81 billion from $21.59 billion reported for the corresponding month of last year. In continuation with the positive growth exhibited by exports for the last twelve months, exports during August, 2017 have shown growth of 10.29 per cent in dollar terms valued at $23,818.83 million as compared to $21,597.09 million during August, 2016, the ministry said in a statement. During August, 2017, major commodity groups of export showing positive growth over the corresponding month of last year are engineering goods (19.53 per cent), petroleum products (36.56 per cent), organic and inorganic chemicals (32.41 per cent), drugs and pharmaceuticals (4.21 per cent), and RMG of all textiles (0.56 per cent). However, the countrys imports during the month under review also increased by 21.02 per cent to $35.46 billion from $29.30 billion. Major commodity group of imports showing high growth in August, 2017 over the corresponding month of last year are petroleum, crude and products (14.22), electronic goods (27.44), machinery, electrical and non-electrical (18.35), gold (68.90) and pearls, precious and semi-precious stones (30.88), the statement said. Segment-wise, the data showed that Indias oil imports during August increased by 14.22 per cent to $7.75 billion, from $6.78 billion in the same month last year. The global Brent prices ($/bbl) have increased by 11.34 per cent in August, 2017 vis-a-vis August, 2016 as per World Bank commodity price data, the statement added. The non-oil imports during August, 2017 were estimated at $27.70 billion which was 23.07 per cent higher from $22.51 billion shipped in during the corresponding month of 2016. DEHRADUN: Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Friday launched a fortnight long statewide Swachhata Hee Sewa (Service through cleanliness) programme by flagging off one each Swachhata Rath (mechanised vehicles) to Kumaon and Garhwal from his camp office at the Cantonment area. He urged the people to take seriously the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a flagship scheme introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Uttarakhand is the fourth Open Defecation Free state in the country, an official release quoted him as saying. Similarly, all the urban areas would be declared open defecation free by March 2018, Rawat said. Governor KK Paul underlined the need for further engendering the Clean India Mission by organising programmes like Swachhata Hee Sewa. He said in the past three years educational institutions have done an excellent job by taking the Clean India Mission forward in the past three years. In that connection, he appreciated G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology for obtaining top ranking on the parameters set for the Clean India Mission. Water resource minister Prakash Pant said everybody from villagers to top officers had associated themselves with the Clean India Mission since it was launched in 2014. Society plays a key role in making any campaign of this type a success. SMOKING BANNED IN SECRETARIAT Meanwhile, the state government has imposed a blanket ban on smoking or eating guthka on the campus of the secretariat here. Any person who would be caught smoking or spitting substance like guthka would be levied a fine of Rs 100, an official note quoted a secretariat official as saying. A constant watch is being maintained (on everybody on the secretariat campus) through CCTV and anti-spitting cameras, the note reads. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON DEHRADUN: After getting look out circulars issued against seven people, the Uttarakhand police may seek help from the Interpol in order to nab the main accused in the interstate kidney racket. Considering the possibility of the key accused including the father-son duo of Dr Amit Kumar and Dr Akshay Kumar trying to flee the country, the state police plans to move a request for issuing red corner notice against them. Red corner notice helps to arrest wanted criminals at the international level. It is issued by the Interpol at the request of the National Central Bureau (which connects the member country with the Interpols global network) at the request of the local police. We suspect that the accused may try to flee the country to evade arrest. So, we may move a request for issuing a red corner notice against them, Dehradun senior superintendent of police Nivedita Kukreti Kumar said. Though all international airports were alerted to look out for the seven accused, the Bureau of Immigration on Friday informed the Dehradun police that the four Arabs against whom look out circulars were issued had already left the country. Earlier in the day, the police searched a resort near Dehradun where the accused related to the kidney racket had stayed in the past. Led by Dehradun superintendent of police (rural) Sarita Dobhal, a Special Investigation Team carried out search at the resort during which it confiscated some documents, including medical certificates of five kidney donors, cheque book, documents of a car used by the accused and documents related to the private hospital from where the racket was allegedly being run. The organ racket was busted after a joint team of the Dehradun and Haridwar police raided the Gangotri Charitable Hospital at Lal Tappad, around 30 km from Dehradun, on September 11. Nine people, including three doctors and middleman Javed Khan, who had brought four men three from West Bengal and one from Gujarat - to the private hospital promising Rs 3 lakh each, were booked in the case. The accused were charged with Sections 420 (cheating), 342 (wrongful confinement), 370 (trafficking) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and Sections 18/19/20 of the Transplantation of Human Organs Act. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Ahead of BJP national president Amit Shahs visit to Uttarakhand, party state unit chief Ajay Bhatt on Friday unveiled a plan to distribute radios to 228 mandal presidents for playing the prime ministers Mann Ki Baat before locals. Claiming that the plan was his brainchild, he said a few radios would be distributed by Shah while others would be provided through the partys district presidents. I had planned which was accepted by the party to distribute radios to mandal president so that they could share our PMs Mann Ki Baat with the people of their area, Bhatt said at press a conference here. The party will also seek monthly report from mandal presidents on the utilisation of radio, he said. Sharing details of Shahs visit on September 19 and 20, Bhatt said minute to minute plan has been chalked out during which Shah would be taking many meetings with leaders. Shah would be reaching Jolly Grant airport 9.30 am on September 19. He will be welcomed at 6 places between the airport and a city hotel where he is scheduled to take meetings with state working member committee, core committee and others. The same day he will meet representatives of all BJP wings and will also have lunch with some reputed people of the town. Late at night, he will be meeting MPs and MLAs. The next day he will reach BJP headquarters where he will inaugurate the e-library and will again take meeting with other teams. He will take lunch with a Dalit family. We have not yet decided where he will have lunch. It will be finalised on September 18 or 19, Bhatt said. He will meet members of the party, thereafter, at Survey of India Stadium following which he will be given a PPT presentation on core group, management and social media. Shah will leave the state capital on September 20 night by train. Notably, top BJP leaders in the hill state are updating themselves on status of various central and state government schemes and intensified their public engagements ahead of the national presidents visit. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON DEHRADUN/RUDRAPUR: Higher education institutions will be told to replicate the model of Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), which has emerged as the cleanest government educational institution in India, officials said on Friday. Based at Pantnagar, GBPUAT was announced as the cleanest government institution in the Swachhta Ranking 2017 list released for higher education institutions for the first time by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The list includes top 25 institutions in four categories - universities, technical institutions, colleges and government institutions - ranked according to their cleanliness. The rankings are in line with the Swachh Bharat Mission and seek to promote cleanliness in college campuses. We will be issuing letters to all higher education institutions based in Uttarakhand, including private universities and colleges, to take inspiration from and follow the example of Pantnagar University to improve cleanliness in their campuses, BC Melkani, director of higher education department, told HT. This will generate peer pressure among institutions. We hope that more colleges will join the nationwide list in the next survey. Uttarakhand has one central, 10 state and an equal number of private universities, apart from over 100 government, 300-plus private and around 18 government-aided colleges. Around 3,500 higher education institutions had participated in the Swachhta Ranking survey, out of which the MHRD shortlisted 174 applications. The top 25 institutions were ranked after physical inspection of the shortlisted campuses by central teams. GBPUAT was ranked first in the higher education institutions in the government category. Parameters for the survey included condition of toilets, student/toilet ratio, garbage disposal in hostels and academic buildings, solid and liquid waste management and green coverage of campuses among others. GBPUAT is credited with bringing about a revolution in agricultural education, research and extension in the country. It is a matter of pride for us to get the first position in the tough competition featuring several state universities of the countrywere sure everybody will continue to try their best in keeping premises clean, GBPUAT vice chancellor J Kumar said, crediting all officers, employees, students of the university for the feat. GBPUAT director S S Gupta and Technical and Planning Cell co-ordinator Manoj Kumar received the award from Union minister Prakash Javadekar at a function in New Delhi on Thursday. Incidentally, Uttarakhand cities had fared poorly in the Swachh Survekshan 2017, with none of the seven participating cities finishing among the top 200 cities among the 434 cities in the country. At least 345 school buses, including 20 of Ryan International Group of Institutions, have been impounded by the Delhi government after it began a drive against errant school vehicles. The drive was launched days after a seven-year-old boy in Gurgaons Ryan International School was murdered by a bus conductor and a five-year-old girl was raped at her school in Shahdara. The Delhi government said on Friday that it found glaring violations in school vehicles. Some drivers were not carrying PSV (public service vehicle) badges and were not verified by the police. In other buses, we found that conductors were missing. Some which had conductors did not have licence, said a transport department official, which is carrying out the drive with 20 enforcement teams. As per the rules, the conductor of a school bus requires a licence and must be 10th pass. Besides buses, cabs and vans carrying school children have also been impounded by the enforcement teams. Till July, 900 vans were impounded and close to 2,000 fined for flouting permit norms as part the drive. Transport department officials said over 10,000 private buses and cabs are hired for ferrying school children in the city. The Delhi government, earlier this week, had formed a high-level committee to look into safety aspects, including transportation of children at schools. There will be no compromise with safety and security of children and more stringent measures will be taken in future, a government official said. The high-level committee of the government, headed by the director of its Directorate of Education (DoE), has proposed amendments in the School Cab Policy, 2007, to make schools answerable for vehicles ferrying students. More than two years after it came to power in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Partys (AAPs) promise of free WiFi is yet to take off. The pilot project was launched with much fanfare in 2016 but it could not move further due to apparent lack of coordination between Information Technology (IT) Department and the Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC) of Delhi, which was first given the project. According to the Delhi governments latest deadline, the first phase of the project is to be launched by March next year under, which 1,000 WiFi hotspots are to set up across the city. But seeing the sluggish progress of the project, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal last week held a review meeting. Officials have been asked by Kejriwal to come up with a blueprint by next week. Where will hotspots come up? Even as the information technology department is yet to identify the 1,000 spots where free WiFi will be available, sources told Hindustan Times that the government was rethinking about the places it had previously finalized. Rather than providing it in parks and markets, the focus in the first phase would be to give free WiFi in utility areas. These include places with lot of visitors like SDM offices, in and around hospitals, bus terminals, motor licensing offices and so on, an official said. Nearly Rs 25 crore has been proposed to fund the first phase of the project and the tender will be out by December 2017. Planning overdrive Giving free WiFi was one of AAPs key poll promise that helped it garner support among the youth. But the project slowed down due to a planning overdrive by the government. After preparing the modalities for over a year, in March 2016, the DDC launched its first free WiFi project on a three-month pilot basis in north Delhis Sant Nagar market. Users were told they would be able to download 50 MB data every day free of cost.The service was provided by a local vendor. After nearly one-and-a-half years, it went to the IT department. A year later, residents near the market have no memory of what it was like to have free WiFi. We used our mobile internet only. My phone had caught the WiFi signal once or twice maybe in the initial days, but that too was mired by slow speed, said Rohit Dev, a resident in the area. In December 2015, the government had launched free aam aadmi WiFi service in six of its DTC buses, again on pilot. But that too never took off from there. The problem is there is no study based on which the project can be built on. The Commission conducted the pilots but never shared any study with the IT department, an official said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A day after Satyawan Sehrawat alias Sonu Dariyapur, the capitals most wanted criminal, was arrested from Delhis Narela, after a dramatic shootout and chase, special cell sleuths are interrogating him to recover the five weapons which he and his seven accomplices used in the four-month-old triple murder case of Monu Dariyapur. The police have learnt that the arms were arranged for Sonu on the instructions of gangster Manjeet Mahal, who is currently in jail after his arrest in December last year. The recovery of the weapons is a must in the case. We arrested and interrogated Sonus six aides, who were with him during the shootout, to recover the weapons, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell). Sonu and seven accomplices had attacked Monu Dariyapur on April 30, while he was travelling in a car with his personal security officers assistant sub-inspector Vijay Kumar and constable Kuldeep and two others (accomplices Arun Setani and Yogesh) through outer Delhis Mianwali Nagar. The assailants fired indiscriminately at the car, killing Monu, Vijay Kumar and Setani. The other two were injured. The gangster was reportedly furious with Monu for marrying his cousin Rajrani against her familys wishes. More than 40 bullets were fired in the incident, 20 of which hit Monu. It was the second attack on Monu since 2006, when Sonu and his men had opened fired at the couple in which the duo suffered bullet injuries but survived. Monus friend Brahm, however, was killed in the firing. Sonu was on his way to Delhi from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh when special cell sleuths arrested him on Thursday. Officials believe that Sonu was coming to Delhi to kill his cousin sister since he is still bitter about the marriage. A manhunt is on to nab Vijay Lamba, who, the police believe might have helped Sonu. Sonus questioning revealed that after the triple murder, he was constantly moving from one hideout to another across Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. He told interrogators that he used to take five flats on rent using fake documents and identifies in each cities and lived in them on rotation. Sonu never stayed in one flat for more than two three days. He used to shift to the other houses. He never shared his locations even with his closest aide. Sonu used to impersonate as a businessman or marketing professional, said Sanjeev Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell). Sonu mostly stayed in Mandi, Dharamshala, Palampur, and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. The i-20 car that was used in the triple murder and was seized on Thursday from Sonu, was hidden at a hideout in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. Except on Thursday when he was driving down to Delhi, Sonu never used the car in the last four months. To move from one hideout to another, he was using vehicles of businessmen, cable operators, and property dealers from whom he extorted money, said the officer. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Friday passed a proposal to regulate multiple sanitation workers unions under its jurisdiction. According to the official, there are 28 unions in east Delhi and out of them only 17 are recognised-- nine approved by the erstwhile unified MCD and eight by EDMC. The rest 11 are illegal and have both regularised and non-regularised sanitation workers as their members. The problem is that all these associations go on strike anytime or put undue pressure on authorities to fulfil their demands, which ultimately affects the day-to-day functioning of the civic agency, said standing committee chairman Pravesh Sharma. Not just that, at least 2,000 workers associated with these unions dont go to work and just exploit the resources to fulfil their interest. We want to end their situation and elect only one union that would represent all, said Sharma. A proposal regarding this was passed during the standing committees meeting. It will be placed before the house for final approval soon. The members of the union will be elected through secret ballot elections. As far as eligibility is concerned, only unions/sanitation workers who are part of EDMC and working for the welfare of employees in east Delhi can contest in the elections, said the official. The decision will help systematise the role of trade unions and help sanitation workers voice their concerns through right platform, said official. The civic agency plans to implement the decision by next month and intimate the workers through notices and advertisements in newspapers, if required, the official said. To deal with resistance from the sanitation workers after the announcement, the EDMC is chalking out action plan. We will surely receive resistance from trade unions, especially their leaders, once the information is made public. After the development, they would lose their importance. But we are ready for challenges and may take legal help, if required, said EDMC official. There are 16,000 permanent sanitation workers in east corporation and associated with various unions. These unions have gone on strike for five times in the past three years, demanding regular payment of salary and pending arrears. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Piotr Switalski: We stand on a solid basis (video) The Armenian government led by Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan has taken a number of steps to improve the business climate in Armenia, Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski said on September 15 during the opening of the EU Multi-sectoral trade and investment fair under "Europe in Armenia" Expo. This mainly concerns tax and customs agencies. I hear the opinion of European business companies on the issue. This is the right direction, but it is necessary to find other opportunities as well, Mr. Switalski said adding that the European Union would assist the Armenian government in attracting new European businesses to Armenia. Measures aimed at ensuring independence of the judicial system and fight against corruption are very important in this context. We encourage the Armenian leadership to be more active, especially in attracting foreign capital. States compete with each other to attract investments. Only active participation can bring more investments from Europe, he added. The Ambassador says the most important is peace as business likes stability and peace. This is the direction that Armenia is going along with us, and we stand on a solid basis - to cooperate with Armenia," he said. Rajrani, whose husband Monu was murdered by Delhis most wanted gangster Sonu Dariyapur, says his arrest makes no difference to her. Neither I, nor Monu were scared of him when he would roam freely. I am not scared of him now that he is in jail. Sonu also knows this very well, says a stern-sounding Rajrani. Her marriage reportedly drew a wedge between the two friends and gangsters Sonu and Monu. Sonu is Rajranis cousin and had allegedly had gunned down Monu inside his car in outer Delhis Paschim Vihar in May. Sonu was arrested by the special cell on Thursday from Narela after being on the run for eight years. He is not someone to sit silent. Till now he terrorised people from outside, now he will also bully and trouble the weak prisoners, Rajrani told HT over phone. He is an extremely violent man. I remember him shooting a gun more carelessly than we burst crackers. He has little regard for life. His ego is everything, she said. Monu and Sonu, residents of Dariyapur village in outer Delhi, were close friends since childhood. Monu was into finance and real estate business. Sonu too ran his own business, even as the two friends faced a host of criminal charges. In 2006, Monu took a liking to Sonus cousin Rajrani. Their friendship was opposed by Rajranis family, but the couple went ahead and tied the knot. A few weeks after the wedding, an argument between the two friends turned ugly when Monu allegedly teased Sonu that he was now his saala (brother-in-law). Sonu took an offence to the remark and started looking for an opportunity to kill the couple. A few months later, as Monu and Rajrani were driving in a car in west Delhi, Sonu and his men allegedly targeted them near the Punjabi Bagh Flyover. The assailants fired multiple shots at the couple before fleeing. Monu was hit four times and his wife twice, but both survived. In May this year, a decade since he first attacked them, Sonu allegedly targeted Monu again and succeeded in killing him. Read: Tunda to Langarpuria, the stories behind quirky aliases of Delhi gangsters Having lost her husband, Rajrani regrets that a non-issue left so many of her loved ones dead. Neither my parents, nor Monus were against our marriage, she claimed, adding that only Sonu and his parents had problems with the relationship. Monu and I dont even belong to the same gotra. Our marriage was totally within the acceptable social norms, she claimed. The problem apparently began when an invitation for the wedding was sent to Sonu and his family. Sonu is the son of Rajranis fathers sister. I still regret why we informed Sonu about my wedding. He was a criminal and neednt have even known about my wedding. But an invite was sent to him out of courtesy. He responded to the courtesy by destroying my family, she said. She claimed that the two sides of the family did all to keep Sonu away from preventing the marriage, but his ego that his best friend was marrying his sister took over common sense. It was two consenting adults marrying. He thinks he did it for his honour. Where is the honour now, she asks. The Delhi government is going to prohibit taxi drivers from using the central locking system to ensure safety of passengers and end surge pricing by app-based cab aggregators. According to the draft City Taxi Rules, 2017, being prepared by the transport department, licences will be issued only to those drivers who have disabled the central locking system of their cab. This is being considered under the new taxi rules for ensuring safety of women and children, said KK Dahiya, special commissioner (transport). He said while questions have been raised about safety of a child while the cab is on the move, the department has found that the instances of children travelling in a cab alone were limited. Primarily, children travel with an adult. Disabling central locks would help a passenger get out of a cab during emergency situations, Dahiya said. Earlier this month, the state transport authority had passed an order on child locks in cabs. The STA made it mandatory for all drivers in the city to paste a minimum of four stickers on every cab asking passengers to disable its child lock before starting the journey. According to the order, cabs in Delhi will get permits only if drivers put the stickers which inform passengers about the cars child lock system. Under the City Taxi Rules, 2017, the Delhi government also plans to stop surge pricing by app-based cab aggregators. Instead, it plans that app-based cab aggregators may be allowed to charge some extra amount above the base price per kilometre, but that amount would be fixed and strictly enforced. Besides, to track all cabs plying on city roads, building a 24x7 control room is also being planned. Officials will monitor the movement of all app-based cabs operating in the Capital from the control room. For this, the government will make it mandatory for all cab aggregators to give details of each of its drivers and the taxis they drive. All drivers of private cabs will have to register with the government with which the transport department will create a database on information of drivers and vehicles, an official said. To improve solid waste management in Delhi, the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs announced a Rs 300-crore action plan on Friday. Addressing the public affairs forum of India, union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the initiative would be aided by the ministry through the urban development fund operated by the Delhi Development Authority. Under the plan, automated machinery, equipment and other systems will be procured for better collection, transport, storage and decentralised treatment of garbage. Besides, steps would be taken for better maintenance of sewers and drains, said Puri. According to the plan, the North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporation would need to spend R 100 crore each on procuring a total of 549 units of modern equipment. Of the total cost, an assistance of R 80 crore will be provided to each MCD from the Urban Development Fund. All equipment, including treatment plants, are to be procured and commissioned by the end of this year, said Puri. The initiative will increase the capacity to treat 670 tonnes of bio-degradable waste, besides preventing release of foul gases, smell and proliferation of germs, pathogens, pests, etc., from garbage sites. The project includes buying battery-operated litter pickers for markets (50 each for MCDs), automated mounted litter pickers, biomethanation plant of average 100 tonnes of capacity, etc. LG ask municipal bodies to landscape landfills Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal directed the three municipal corporations North, South and East DMC to initiate the process of landscaping and beautification of landfills at Okhla in South, Bhalswa in North and Ghazipur in East Delhi. He highlighted the steps taken by these agencies to improve sanitation in their jurisdiction and emphasised that the success of these projects would depend on the support of residents. Lauding the steps taken by New Delhi Municipal Council with regard to sanitation, installation of sewer treatment plants (STPs), smart toilets and mobile app-based public grievance redressal systems, the L-G said all three corporations should follow the footprints of the NDMC . And all local bodies, including NDMC, should interact once a fortnight, he said. Ranchi The National University of Study and Research in Law (NUSRL), Ranchi, was in a virtual lockdown as students closed the main gate of the varsity on Wednesday to protest against alleged anomalies and misappropriation of funds. They refused to let any varsity authority enter the university premises and sought to share their concerns only with the chief minister, the chief justice of Jharkhand or the governor. The students alleged that the promises made by the authorities concerned during their last protest in April were not fulfilled, and the varsity administration was unwilling to take any initiative to help them (students). The varsity, they alleged, also issued show cause notices to six students, including four in their final year, threatening to rusticate them if they did not end their protest. The final year students only have four months of their course remaining. Students of National University of Study and Research in Law. (Hindustan Times) NUSRLs assistant registrar in-charge MRS Murty, however, said that the varsity was continuously working to meet the demands of the students, but the students were acting impatient. We have issued tender notices and work orders for road construction and other works related to the infrastructure development. The students fail to understand that their demands cannot be fulfilled overnight, said Murty. Meanwhile, the fear of being rusticated at the fag end of their course has gripped many students involved in the protest. None of them was willing to be named by the media. Requesting anonymity, a final year student said, The vice chancellor has openly threatened to ruin our careers if we do not end our protest. We have security forces deployed outside the campus and the authorities have threatened to get us lathi-charged. VC Gautam Chaudhary said he was unaware of the circumstances which led to the protests. I am not in Ranchi. Let me return and talk to the students, only then I will be able to comment, he said. Judicial Academy director Chaudhary was on April 10 appointed as the acting vice chancellor cum registrar of NUSRL following protests by students demanding an administrative overhaul. The students had also locked up the main gate of the varsity in April demanding immediate suspension of the then vice chancellor BC Nirmal. The students had demanded audit of all financial records of the varsity by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, and recruitment of permanent teachers. They claimed that the university received more than Rs 10 crore from its 565 students as annual fees. However, it was not in the habit of releasing its audit reports for perusal of students and others concerned, they said. Each student here pays an annual fee of about Rs 1,90,000. NUSRL was established by Act 4 of Jharkhand State Assembly in 2010 and recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in September 2011. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The International Union of Concerned Scientists (IUCN) downlisted the Snow Leopard from its list of endangered species. With the update to the widely cited Red List on Thursday the list now includes 87,967 species of which 25,062 are threatened with extinction. The cheerfully named Christmas Island Pipistrelle, a bat species that is found only in Australias Christmas Island is now officially extinct. Only one individual of the species remained in 2009 and it was never found again. One of the reasons for its disappearance was the introduction of an invasive species, the Yellow Crazy Ant into the bats habitat. In India, snow leopards are found in the northern stretches in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, and is a Schedule I species, enjoying the same protections as the tiger. The IUCN proposal was met with concern in India which hosts a population of about 400-700 with conservationists being divided about the implications of the move. Removal of the species from the red list indicates that their populations are rebounding, which is a positive sign. But some conservationists worry that downlisting the species from endangered to only vulnerable would signal that the species does not require the same amount of attention and resources as before. The proposed downlisting, based on inadequate information is not a good idea, Rishi Kumar Sharma, who heads the snow leopard at WWF-India, told the HT. The IUCN does have a precautionary principle which is applicable in specific cases like this where a decision based on poor information may put a species at risk and therefore it is considered prudent to keep a species in a high-risk category instead of down-listing it. Some also believe that the rationale for removing the species is based on flawed data. A group of scientists feels that snow leopards should no longer be classified as Endangered. They are suggesting that there are more snow leopards than previously believed, and that conservation efforts being made have reduced its rate of decline, Charudutt Mishra,a director at the Snow Leopard Trust. However, there is little scientific evidence for these claims. Snow Leopards are very elusive species that are found at elevations of 3000-5000 metres which makes population estimations difficult. There are also concerns that the threats to snow leopard populations persist. These include poaching, retaliatory killing by farmers, declining prey species, shrinking habitats, and climate change. In 2009, India launched Project Snow Leopard. Snow Leopard Project for Rs 5.15 Crores has been accepted by the MoEF, GOI commencing from 2010-11 onwards for a period of four years. However, interest in the project faded pretty quickly. The UNDP recently partnered with the environment ministry to launch the SECURE (Securing Livelihoods, Conservation, Sustainable Use and Restoration of High Range Himalayan Ecosystem) with an outlay of USD 12 million (nearly Rs 77 crore). Four Indian states will receive funds under the program to conserve snow leopard habitats and for protection of the species. Indias project snow leopard was a failure because it was never fully implemented on the ground. The IUCN move is not likely to change the status of the snow leopard in India. The government has also made a commitment towards snow leopard conservation at the recently held Bishkek forum, where 12 Snow Leopard range countries set the goal of securing 20 snow leopard landscapes by 2020. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With the festive season around the corner, the thought of what to wear can stress out even the most seasoned fashionista. It is the time of the year that allows one to show off the most innovative traditional wear - from ultra-traditional to modern fusion wear. Whatever you decide to buy, there is one thing that can make or break any outfit: your jewellery! So, while you start deciding on what to wear, Raminder Singh, principle jewellery designer, blueStone.com, shares a few tips on selecting jewellery that is versatile enough to allow for some experimentation or to play it safe. Jhumkas are eternal: The dome shaped dangler that inspired many Bollywood lyricists, is the most versatile piece of jewellery that you can add to your wardrobe this festive season. Whether you are planning to wear a saree or anarkali or something that is Indo-fusion, pairing the outfit with jhumkis will make sure that your fashion game is on point. Try this: pair a white and gold saree with jhumkas like Sonam Kapoor did in the movie Aisha. I must admit we went on with the crazy fun even after the director screamed CUT!! #GalMithiMithi #7YearsOfAisha A post shared by sonamkapoor (@sonamkapoor) on Aug 6, 2017 at 2:06am PDT Stand out statement pieces: Traditional wear is almost always so opulent and rich, with a feeling of being a princess! Especially in the case of anarkalis and banares silk sarees, where the focus must remain on the outfit. It is with these outfits where one must be a believer of minimalism in so far as jewellery choices are concerned; less is more! Invest in a standout statement piece - a cocktail ring, or a neckpiece or statement earrings. Quick tip: invest in three statement pieces this festive season and alternate them to create new looks every time. Layering isnt just for garments: For the uncomplicated fashionista, layering is the way to go! No matter what you are planning to wear, adding several delicate neck chains or slim bracelets to the look is easy and fuss free. Layered neckpieces are so simple and minimalist that you can ditch everything else in their stead. Try this: wear a sleeveless long kurta with a long ethnic skirt and amp it up with a stack of bracelets on one hand. A post shared by Vidya Balan (@balanvidya) on Sep 3, 2017 at 9:43pm PDT Be daring with nose rings: If you want to play the daring diva during this festive season, nose rings are your best bet. They make sure you dont look like everyone else. Make sure you go easy with the make-up. And in case you are a little shy to wear a nose ring, try a pin instead. Anklets: For many women, anklets are a happy reminder of their childhood days when countless mischief and the sweet sound of these little adornments went hand in hand. The best thing about them is that they can be worn in both traditional and contemporary ways. Wear an ethnic kurta with culottes and flaunt your anklets the way you like them, thick or dainty. Be sure to add a pair of embroidered juttis to complete the look. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more A 32-year-old woman was gunned down in a suspected gang rivalry by five unidentified men on Friday morning. The woman was on her way to ferry her children back from school in Naharpur Rupa village. Gangsters in Gurgaon have started targeting the family members of their opponents. The police said the incident took place around 11.45am when five unidentified men came on two bikes and fired six bullets at the woman near Global Fields School in Naharpur Rupa. One of the bullets hit the woman in the chest and she fell. A passerby had called the police, who took her to the Medanta Hospital where she was declared brought dead. The victim is the wife of Anil Dagar, brother of Amit Dagar, who is a gangster missing from police custody. The police said they suspect the murder is a result of the fallout between gangsters. The police said Amit owes allegiance to Kaushal gang whereas the prime suspect in this case, Joni Hans, belongs to a rival gang from the same village Naharpur Rupa. Amit is accused of killing Jonis mother in March and the incident is suspected to be in retaliation, sources said. Police investigation had revealed that the accused had planned to kill Joni but had mistakenly shot dead his mother. A case has been registered against unknown persons at the Sadar Police Station under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC and the Arms Act. DCP (crime) Sumit Kuhar said that CCTV footage of the incident has been obtained and is being analysed. The accused are being identified and will be arrested soon, said Kumar. SHO Sadar, Vijay Kumar, said that a case has been registered and the accused will be arrested soon. Meanwhile, on Friday, the police arrested a man on charges of stabbing his wife multiple times over suspected infidelity. The police said Chandan, from Champaran in Bihar, lived in Kadipur village and he suspected his wife of having relations with other persons. On Thursday night, he allegedly stabbed her over 10 times and fled the spot. A case was registered at the Sector 10 police station. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Ryan group CEO is expected to join the investigation into the murder of an 8-year old boy at Ryan International School, Bhondsi on Saturday after a team of Gurgaon police had issued notice to the school trustees on Thursday. The police had also sought documents and records of the Ryan school management by sending a notice issued under section 91 of the CrPC. The CEO is expected to join investigation by Saturday as we had asked him to join inquiry being conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), said a senior official of the SIT. As per the notice issued by the police, the school management, and the trustees are required to furnish the details related to the case. The Haryana government on Friday recommended a CBI inquiry into the murder of 8-year-old after the Chief Manohar Lal Khattar met the family of the victim. Sources, however. said the decision to transfer the case to CBI was taken by the CM after he had a detailed discussion with officials of Gurgaon police, district attorneys and other legal eagles of the state government. While the case has been transferred to the CBI it has been decided that Gurgaon police SIT will continue a parallel inquiry into the murder case. The police said notice issued to Pinto has questioned him about security lapses at the school and asked for the names of officials who were responsible for the lapses and negligence that led to the murder of the boy. The SIT has also brought 200 pages of correspondence between the Ryan management in Mumbai, related to security issues, safety of children, and equipment required at the school. On Thursday the Bombay High Court rejected the anticipatory bail of Ryan Pinto and his parents Augustine and Grace Pinto, who are the trustees of Ryan Foundation that runs a large chain of schools across the country. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The first trailer of Jennifer Lawrences much-awaited upcoming movie Red Sparrow is here and looks like she has another winner in her bag. The films trailer opens with Jennifer wearing a red dress as she sits nervously on a bed. The sound of a clock sets the scene until a door opens and a man comes into the room and puts his phone and money on the dresser. The scene follows with a man getting suffocated and Jennifer strutting down a red carpeted building in a glamorous black dress. Joel Edgertons character, a CIA officer named Nathaniel Nash, narrates the trailer. He explains what the sparrow program is, young officers, trained to seduce and manipulate, to use their bodies, to use everything. As he talks about her, a montage of Jennifer evolving into the seductress that she becomes flashes across the screen. This includes her as a terrified innocent officer to a platinum blonde Jennifer strutting confidently in all black. Jennifer Lawrence plays a ballerina who has to give up her dream after an accident. The movie looks action-packed and has great amount of drama too. JLaw as a Russian dangerous agent/seductress can make you weak in your knees. Director Francis Lawrence said in May that the film is so heavy on sex, it is a Hard-R. Helmed by Francis Lawrence, Red Sparrow also stars Joel Edgerton, Jeremy Irons and Charlotte Rampling in pivotal roles. The film will hit theatres on March 2, 2018. Follow @htshowbiz for more A BSF jawan died after Pakistani Rangers opened heavy fire and shot mortars on Indian posts along the 198-km-long international border in Arnia sector of RS Pura in Jammu district on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday The heavy exchange lasted till Friday morning. The jawan has been identified as constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh, a native of Balia district in Uttar Pradesh. #Visual of BSF Constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh killed in firing by Pakistan in Arnia area of Jammu and Kashmir's RS Pura pic.twitter.com/fhVCJNvJBV ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 BSF Jammu Frontier DIG Dharmender Pareekh sad, At about 0020 hrs 12.20 am constable Brijendra Bahadur Singj, who was on duty at forward point along the fence, was fired upon from Pakiatani side and sustained a bullet injury. The bullet hit him on the left side of abdomen and as a result died during evacuation, Pareekh said. The jawan hailed from Vidya Bhawan Naraypur village in Balia district of UP. The 32-year-old soldier is survived by his parents and wife Sushmita Singh, initial details revealed. Pareekh said that intermittent fire continued from both sides from since midnight. BSF Jammu Frontier IG Ram Awtar told Hindustan Times that on Thursday BSF retaliated in Pargwal sector of Akhnoor sub-division in Jammu District and eliminated a Pakistan Ranger. According to reports, a Pakistani civilian was also killed in the skirmishes. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON U.S. Ambassador presents his stance on fight against corruption, investments in Armenia and trial of Sasna Tsrer members in exclusive interview (video) Mr. Richard Mills, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Armenia, gave an exclusive interview to A1+ TV Company. The full text of the interview is presented below. Mr. Ambassador, the day of our interview coincided with Karen Karapetyans first year in office as Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. So, let us begin with your relations with the Armenian Government. For most of the Armenians, the most important issue is the economic cooperation between the United States and Armenia. Has the investment climate improved in Armenia with the new government? Are there any American companies who are interested in making investments in Armenia? Do you have visible results at the moment? Richard Mills: First of all, I want to thank you for the interview and for the chance to talk to your viewers. I appreciate it very much. I can say there is a lot more U.S. business interest here, in Armenia. I would say that during my two years here we have seen a real significant interest in the number of U.S. businesses and investors who are looking at the Armenian market and what the opportunities are. As you pointed out it is the one-year anniversary of the Prime Ministers tenure in office and of the new government and we have a new government in the United States as well, since January. I am very pleased that both sides are focused, very much, on building economic ties. So, in addition to more interest from the U.S. business community, we are also seeing more interest from government to government in the economic and trade framework. Just today we welcomed the second visit by the members of the staff of the Office of the United States Trade Representative to Armenia to talk with the Armenian business community about various programs that will help them with exports to the US market. It wouldnt be appropriate for me to talk about specific businesses or U.S. companies at this time that are looking at your market, but I can tell you that were seeing interest in a number of different sectors. In addition to the IT sector, I think in particular there is interest in the tourism sector, as well as, the mining sector and the agricultural sector. The energy sector is of great interest to U.S. investors. We are jealous of our neighbours for the flow of U.S. capital into their countries. I am sure that U.S. businesses have shared [with you] their reasons why they are hesitant to invest in Armenia and start a business here. What can you share with us on this? Richard Mills: Well, again as I said I am pleased that we are seeing more US business interest in Armenia. I think that there is a greater understanding in what the opportunities are, but the real pluses are for a US business person who is looking at making an investment overseas, in Armenia. And the number one resource I think that Armenia has and makes it so attractive to U.S. investors is a very highly educated workforce here in Armenia. I do know that when an investor, any investor, whether an American, Russian, Chinese or German, looks at making investments, their biggest concern is going to be the overall business environment here. And youre right to identify that therere still things that need to be done here to improve the business climate in Armenia. I have discussed this with the [Armenian] Government. I had a very frank and useful discussion with the Prime Minister. He asked me what are the concerns that U.S. businesses have about the business climate in Armenia and I was able to share with him what those concerns are. I would just highlight a few. They range from concerns about protection of intellectual property rights. If U.S. investors spend a lot of money developing their brand, like McDonalds or Gap or others, they want to be sure that if someone also uses their brand illegally, they can protect their rights in court. The issue of intellectual property rights is also very important to Armenian business, because enforcement of IPR laws protects Armenian business as well. For instance, in IT sector, where young Armenians are developing new software programs and mobile apps, they need to be sure that people will pay for those products and not just steal or duplicate them. So, its important for Armenians as well to have strong IPR protection. The other issue, I hear a lot about, concerns the lack of transparency in customs, operations and regulations, taxation of businesses and a very important one I hear a lot about is the concern about the judicial system. How independent is it? Can a U.S. business person be confident that if they have to take a business dispute to court in Armenia, they will be treated fairly and that the court will judge them as if with any other business person that comes before them? The next question concerns corruption. It was in the beginning of the year that you criticized the Armenian government for lack of progress in its Anti-Corruption Council and now the Government is establishing a new anti-corruption entity a corruption prevention commission. And it is said that this one will be positively different from other structures, other mechanisms. What are the obstacles that prevent Armenia from achieving tangible results in the fight against corruption? Are there any grounds to be optimistic about this? Richard Mills: Ultimately, what it takes to fight corruption in any country, in any society is political will, the will of the top, to make sure that laws are enforced equally. What has encouraged me over the last year is that the prime minister and his government understand the seriousness of the corruption issue and how much the Armenian people want to see the government address it. I have discussed the issue of corruption with the Prime Minister and the members of his cabinet, including the Deputy PM, the Minister of Justice, the Prosecutor General, Head of the Special Investigative Service and other officials. I have discussed with all of them the issues of corruption, how we can help. Ultimately, the decision has to be made that there should be some decisions taken to actually enforce laws and make sure that there is equality in the Armenian judicial system and those engaged in corruption or in bribery are brought to justice. You are right. I was disappointed that there was no progress made with the Anti-Corruption Council over the last 1.5-2 years. As we have a good relationship with our friends, our partners in the Armenian government Armenia and civil society, I was able to tell the government that we have concerns, we want to relook at how we can help fight corruption and maybe the Anti-Corruption Council is not the best way for us to help you. We did not distribute the money we were holding to give to the Anti-Corruption Council completely. In fact, less than 10% of the funding we had promised has been given to the Council. So were holding back the rest of the funding and were talking now to the government about what they would like us to do with this money. Whats a more useful way to use this funding, either for a completely new purpose, or to change the Anti-Corruption Council, make it different so that it can be more effective and useful. Ill be honest with you. I am responsible for how U.S. government money, money paid by U.S. taxpayers is used. Nobody wants that money to be used more effectively than I do. And I also need to see results, results from the [Armenian] Government if were going to continue to work with them in this area. So, ultimately I want to see, what my government wants to see is the political will to bring corruption cases against very powerful individuals here who may have engaged in illegal practices. We have seen under the leadership of the Prime Minister some cases brought against judges in the last few months which are still being investigated or are still being prosecuted so I cannot say whether these individuals are guilty or not. But that was an important sign and I applaud the Prime Minister. But we also want to see corruption cases brought against others, people who really have political or economic power here and who may have violated the laws on bribery or corruption. Many understand that Armenia is having hard times in making sovereign decisions even when it is an issue of Armenia's national security. You have referred earlier to this issue. What can be the mechanisms and tools for Armenia to be able to make its sovereign decisions and what role can the United States have here? Richard Mills: When I use the term sovereign, our goal is to make Armenia a sovereign, peaceful, democratic state. What I mean is that a sovereign state takes actions that are in the best interests of its people. And what empowers a government or any state to take actions that are in the best interests of its people is a democratic society, an open society where the government can hear what the people really want and can make decisions that are based on whats in the best interests and wishes of their people. So in my view, the United States helps make Armenia more sovereign, makes the Government take the best decisions possible for the Armenian people. When we strengthen the institutions here that allow the government to understand what the people want and what will be in the best interest for the Armenian people. And those are institutions like strong civil society; free media, free and fair elections that allow the Armenian people to express their views after an electoral debate. Those are the institutions that will make Armenia more sovereign and thats how the United States wants to help, the way that it can with our partners, to increase the sovereignty of Armenia. And what also makes a country sovereign and allows the government to make the best decisions for people is when that state is growing economically when there is business development and widespread prosperity that filters down to everybody in the country. So thats also why the United States government working with their Armenian partners in the Armenian government is focused on trying to bring that kind of economic growth and business prosperity to Armenia. That will also help Armenia make its sovereign choices and decisions. Every year your Government provides assistance of three million dollars to Armenias law enforcement and judicial system. Do you believe that these resources are spent effectively given the fact that we still have a very low trust towards the police, Office of Prosecutor General, judiciary and investigative bodies? Richard Mills: Let me again say if I didnt believe that the money we are spending on judicial reform, legal reform, wasnt moving on purpose, wasnt improving, I wouldnt be in the program tomorrow. What I do think is that legal reform, improving confidence in the judicial system, integrity of the judicial system, improving other areas that are involved in judicial administration, prison reform, it takes a lot of time, it is complex, it touches a lot of very important economic and political interests in any country. And that is proven in the case of Armenia; it has been long, it has taken a lot of work. Thats not an excuse but I think it explains why perhaps the judicial sector is not the way we would like it to be after many years of working in the sector with very committed partners, as you said, putting some significant resources into the sector. Weve seen some success and I think its important for all of us to remember that I think it has been very important that we strengthened the defense bar in Armenia, lawyers who represent the accused. That has been an important step forward. I think that e-drafting system that puts judicial laws on computers that makes court cases and court documents more available to public, is a very important step and it has made the system more transparent. Weve also worked with law enforcement agencies here and I think weve seen some improvement, and how law enforcement agencies, for instance, handle large demonstrations, public protests, they are much better at crowd control and all situations. I think weve seen improvement and how law enforcement agencies respect human rights of those that are arrested, in general. But as you know, maybe better than anyone, there are still incidences, as well as problems and issues with the law enforcement, in particular, with the judicial system and we need to continue work. One thing that I would like to say is that during my time here as my predecessors did, we constantly monitor and evaluate our programs in these sectors: judicial, legal, law enforcement: whats working, whats not working, what are our priorities and Ill be honest, during my time here we have made some changes in what were focused on and what were doing with that three million dollars of money every year. For instance, in the last year and a half weve shifted. And now most of that money is focused on programs that deal with two things in the judicial sector and in law enforcement sector: how to fight corruption and increase the public integrity of those institutions and to help them protect human rights, basic human rights for anyone involved in this system. Human rights violations are left unpunished here. Just let us take the recent case last July with the demonstrations with the Sasna Tsrer (Daredevils of Sassoun) when the police used violence against protestors and journalists. You went to hospitals, you saw some of the injured. A year has passed but so far, not a single representative from law enforcement has been punished for these acts. What can you say about this? Richard Mills: Well, I did visit in the hospital some of those who were injured last July, during the events of the night of July of 29th to 30th. I was, to be honest, quite shocked by some of the things that I saw, what some of the victims had suffered. And it made quite an impression on me. As I said at that time, both privately to the government and publicly, the police rendered a lot of pressure during that period. There were large demonstrations every night through weeks on time during that tragic event. But there was no excuse for the kind of violence, particularly the violence that appeared to be directed to journalists that evening. And the breakdown in discipline, the violence that we saw that night was particularly disappointing because I thought, to be honest, that the law enforcement agencies had done a pretty good job up to that moment by allowing Armenians to peacefully protest and demonstrate themselves, while maintaining order. So to see that breakdown that night was a disappointment. We called for thorough and full investigation into what happened and for the government and the legal system in Armenia to take appropriate action against anyone who was found to have engaged in violence that night. And, we also expressed that privately in conversations I had with the government. We highlighted it in our human rights report last year. And we will discuss the issue again in our annual human rights report this year, talking about how effective or ineffective legal action has been in addressing and punishing those who were involved in the violence last July. I believe you are following the trial of the Daredevils of Sassoun, of oppositionist Zhirar Sefilian; and we are seeing obstacles for access of lawyers into the courtroom. Some defense lawyers are not allowed to get into the court and defendants are left without defense in the courtroom. Is this something of a human rights issue? What do you think about this? Richard Mills: Well, first of all, let me say, we are monitoring those cases. Its not for me as the U.S. Ambassador to comment on any individual case that is in the Armenian legal system right now. But in general, we expect the Armenian legal system to ensure that the rights of any defendant in the system are fully protected and the process of law is given to the defendants. Part of ensuring due process in a court proceeding is making sure that the rules are clear about who can come into the courtroom, what they can bring into the courtroom and unfortunately in the time were living now, what will be the security rules, governing those who come into the courtroom. So, my only comment on that particular issue of legal access and lawyers is that it is important that there be clear rules on this kind of issues. We have this kind of rules now in U.S. courts about who can come in, will there be searches; and in most U.S. courtrooms there are searches before you can enter unfortunately because of past experience we had with violence in U.S. courtrooms. And its important that everyone understands what the criteria and rules are. So I would encourage the bar and the judges here to have clear guidance so that everyone understands. There is a U.S. citizen, Garo Yeghnukian who is in prison in Armenia on charges of assisting the Daredevils of Sassoun. He is not admitting the guilt and he is saying that its a political persecution against him. And Armenian authorities are saying that its necessary to keep him under detention. Is that enough of an explanation for you? Richard Mills: Again, its not appropriate for me as the U.S. Ambassador, while this court proceeding is moving forward, to comment on the charges or the strength of the charges. That is for the Armenian legal system to decide through a free, fair process that gives all the defendants, including Mr. Yeghnukian, due process. We are very closely monitoring the case, including Mr. Yeghnukians treatment about the case. And, again we are making it very clear to our friends in the Armenian government that we expect all the defendants, including Mr. Yenukian, to be given due process and to be treated fairly and in accordance with the Armenian law. As I said, I do not want to comment on particular cases. And in this case the issue of pretrial detention, I can say that in general weve been concerned for some time as a friend of Armenia about the use of pretrial detention in the legal system here. And our view and I think a widely accepted view in human rights community and in the international legal practice, is that pretrial detention, putting someone in jail before their trial is a last resource. It should be done only when there are no other options and when a case has been presented that not putting the accused into jail before their trial, risks harm to society, there is a risk of flight, or there is the risk that the person will interfere in that investigation and the trial. It does seem too often in our view that defendants in Armenian trials are put in pre-trial holding in detention without any of those three cases being made, without being shown that there is a risk of flight, or the risk that theyll cause more violence, or that theyll interfere in the investigation. And, thats a concern. It has been a concern that we have expressed for the last several years, in our human rights reports and some of our public and private discussions with the Government. And I would hope, again not speaking specifically about the facts of the case, but I would hope in this case that the judges considered carefully the rationale for holding certain people on pretrial detention. There are certain individuals who are on trial with the Daredevils who did not take any part in, that there is no evidence being presented that they took part in the seizure of the police station, that they were involved in the violence. And I think there is an extra burden there on the judge to make sure that there is a reason to hold those people in pretrial detention. Since they didnt commit any violent act and it doesnt appear that they present a risk. So, that would be my one concern about pretrial detention in this case and more generally. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF on Thursday, a day after three Indian jawans were injured in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the international border (IB) and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Unprovoked firing by Pak forces on BSF posts across Jammu IB injured 3 BSF troopers (in Poonch & Jammu districts yesterday), the Border Security Force (BSF) said in a tweet. Retaliatory fire by BSF killed 2 Pak soldiers, it further said. Pakistan rangers on Wednesday resorted to small arms firing and mortar shelling on Brahman Bella and Raipur Border out Posts (BoPs) along the IB in Pargwal sector of Akhnoor belt in Jammu district, a police officer said. BSF troops retaliated, resulting in exchange of fire in which one BSF jawan was injured. In another ceasefire violation, the Pakistan army resorted to firing and shelling on Indian posts along the Line of Control in Mankote, Sabjian and Digwar forward areas in Poonch since yesterday, police said, adding three civilians also suffered injuries in the heavy exchanges of fire. This is the fourth ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the past five days. Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. Till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures by the Indian Army. Several civil society organisations in Rajasthan reacted strongly to the clean chit given to the six people who had been named by Haryana dairy farmer Pehlu Khan before he died of injuries sustained in an attack by cow vigilantes in Alwar. The organisations in an open letter to chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Friday protested the polices move to absolve the six of the criminal charges and also demanded closure of cow smuggling cases against Khans family and others. The CID-CB of Rajasthan police in its investigation into the Alwar lynching case found that the six people named in Khans statement given at the ICU of a hospital were not involved in the attack. Police closed cases against these men on the basis of their call detail records and testimonies of workers of a cow shelter, HT reported on Thursday. Khan, 55, was attacked by the alleged cow vigilantes on April 1 at Behror in Alwar on Jaipur-Delhi national highway when he and five others were transporting cattle bought from a weekly market in Jaipur to their village in Nuh, Haryana. Khan died in the hospital on April 3. In the open letter to the CM, the organisations said by giving clean chit to the six men the Rajasthan government and police showed that it patronised violence unleashed by gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes). It is now clear that the investigation was transferred from district police to the CID-CB only to save these men charged with Khans murder, the letter said. The clean chit given to the six also generated a lot of political heat in the state as mob violence targeting mostly Muslims in the name of protection of cows, considered sacred by most Hindus, swelled in the country since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. Criticising the Rajasthan polices move, the Congress said it would take up the Pehlu Khan murder case to the Supreme Court, which is hearing the partys Gau Raksha PIL on September 22. The organisations also took serious exception to state home minister Gulan Chand Katarias earlier remark that Khan was not a dairy farmer but a cow smuggler. Your government has been insensitive towards the Pehlu Khan case, the civil society activists said, adding, Instead of condemning the heinous crime of murder by gau rakshaks, he (the home minister) lauded them, and only added that they shouldnt have taken law in their own hands. In the given scenario, they said, it was questionable that the probe into the case would be impartial. The open letter further points out that while the named murder accused are out of the purview of the probe, the fake cow smuggling case against Khan, his sons and others (FIR Nos. 252/2017 and 253/2017 at Behror police station) are still on. Khan and others had valid cattle purchase documents, it added. Six men named by Khan have been let off and charges brought against nine others are so weak that most of them have already got bail, said Bhanwar Meghwanshi, a Dalit activist who has signed the letter. Kavita Srivastav of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said the organisation will provide legal aid to Khans sons Azmat and Rafique to challenge the polices findings in a court. It was surprising that even though the Supreme Court had taken a strong view on mob violence in the name of cow protection and sought actions against such vigilantes, your government seems to have decided to take no action against organisations that spread hate and indulge in violence especially against Muslims, the letter said. Quoting an article written by Raje in an English daily on July 27, there is a mismatch between what she wrote about the mob violence and her intention and political will. If you really want to send out a strong message against mob lynchings, take action against the killers of Khan and Zafar Khan (of Prataprgarh) instead of shedding crocodile tears through newspaper articles, the activists wrote. Pratapgarh municipality employees beat Zafar Khan to death for allegedly trying to stop them from scaring women defecating in the open and taking their photographs earlier this year. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The 126-member Assam assembly on Friday passed a bill seeking to deduct a fraction of the salary of state government employees for the benefit of their parents or differently abled siblings, in case they do not want to support them. The first-of-its-kind legislation will become law after the state governors assent is obtained. The Assam Employees Parents Responsibility and Norms for Accountability and Monitoring Bill-2017 better known as the Assam Employees PRANAM Bill is aimed at ensuring that employees do not neglect their loved ones in times of need. The bill has provisions for deducting 10% of an employees pay and transferring it to the account of the relative concerned. Another 5% would be deductible if the employee has a differently abled sibling. The idea is to make parental care compulsory for employees. The government is duty-bound to act if parents complain against uncaring sons or daughters employed with it, said health and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The Congress, however, criticised the PRANAM Bill claiming that it shows Assamese society in a poor light. This is part of a BJP design to tell the world that the Assamese are cruel, and dont generally take care of their parents, said former chief minister Tarun Gogoi. The opposition party also condemned the arrest of peasant leader Akhil Gogoi for making seditious comments on Wednesday. We do not support the use of arms, but how is arms training in the RSS camp justified when an alleged call to be armed against outsiders is not? asked Congress legislature party chief Debabrata Saikia. Gogoi was referring to the BJP governments move to grant citizenship to Bangladeshi Hindus when he said it was time to take up AK-47s instead of the traditional hengdang sword against the powers-that-be. Protests broke out across the state soon after his arrest. State Capital Region The assembly also took a significant step towards instituting a NCR-like territory around Guwahati, the city encompassing Assam capital Dispur. The State Capital Region Development Authority Bill, also passed on Friday, envisages creating a state capital region comprising five districts Kamrup, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Morigaon, Darrang and Nalbari in the years to come. This bill facilitates the creation of an entity that will replace the Guwahati Development Department, and handle major projects across five districts. Smaller, localised issues will be handled by local civic and panchayat bodies, Sarma said. A provision allowing non-tribal people to live in tribal belts and blocks demarcated by the British to discourage encroachment is likely to generate some heat. The bill, however, makes room for autonomous tribal councils where land rights are restricted to set up their establishments in the state capital region. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thumbing its nose at the police, sand mafia in Bihar attacked a police team, injuring at least three cops at a remote village in Bihars Vaishali district, 20 km north of Patna, late Thursday evening. Police inspector and station house officer of the Sadar police station, Chitranjan Thakur, was admitted to a private nursing home in Patna in a serious condition. The other injured cops, assistant sub-inspector Yugal Kishore Singh and constable Lal Babu Prasad, were undergoing treatment at the sadar hospital in Hajipur. They were reported to be out of danger. Around 30 members of the sand mafia attacked the six-member police team with lathis (sticks) as soon as it reached the Chandralay village at around 10.30pm on Thursday. Illegal trade of sand takes place under the cover of darkness, which is when trucks and tractors are loaded with building construction material. The police had gone to check, after it reportedly got a tip-off about illegal sand trade on the 25-km long Hajipur-Lalganj stretch. The site where the police team was attacked is full of banana grove and is 35 km (approx.) from Patna and barely 3 km from the district police headquarters in Vaishali. Around 2 km from the Chandralay village, it was on this stretch in 2006 when crude bombs were hurled at the car of the then Vaishali district magistrate Sanjiv Kumar Hans while he was returning from the Vaishali mahotsav. Hans, who had launched a spirited campaign against the liquor mafia in the area, escaped the murderous attack. Vaishali superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar said, We are trying to identify the culprits and will take strong action against them. Sand mining is a high-stakes business, and the estimated trade ranges between Rs 7000 and Rs 8000 crore annually, though the Bihar government earns revenue of nearly Rs 500 crore out of it. The 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 due to a shortage in supply or higher costs, affecting their business. Police are cracking the whip on illegal sand mafia through raids in Patna, Maner, Ara and at other places in the state and have seized huge stocks of sand. The law prohibits mining on the riverbed during monsoon (July 1 to September 30), but the sand mafia continues to do it in brazen defiance. In Bihar, mining lease has been settled in favour of 25 companies, allegedly owned by powerful people. Bihars unprecedented floods this year (August 12-22), which affected 1.71 crore people in 19 of the 38 districts and claimed 514 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. After a long legal battle, that ensued in the wake of bifurcation of Bihar in November 2000 and carving out of the new state of Jharkand, the successor state of Bihar has finally won its claim to retain hold over both Bihar Bhawan and Bihar Niwas, the two guest houses of the undivided state in New Delhi. The two prime properties, located in the posh Chanakyapuri locality of the national capital, have plush suites for the Governor and chief minister and are engaged for lodging top politicians and bureaucrats during their trips to New Delhi. Under an arbitration award by the Supreme Court, the Bihar government has been asked to pay one-thirds of the valuation of the two properties to the Jharkhand government to retain the properties . The valuation of the two properties would be done by the union ministry of urban development. Confirming this, principal secretary, cabinet co-ordination, Brijesh Mehrotra said the state government would pay to the Jharkhand government whatever amount was fixed by the ministry of urban development as one thirds of the total valuation of the two properties. Officials said as per a rough valuation, the two properties in New Delhi were worth around Rs 300 crore. As such, one-thirds of the valuation would come to around Rs 100 crore and would be paid to Jharkhand to extinguish its claim on the said properties. Soon after Bihars bifurcation, Jharkhand staked its claim over Bihar Niwas, the newer of the two guest houses and having more rooms as compared to Bihar Bhawan. However, the Bihar government chose to challenge the Jharkhand governments claim, leading to litigation over the said properties. But, officials said, the matter was finally settled following the Supreme Courts order coming on August 22, after both the state governments agreed to settle the matter.. Meanwhile, the Bihar government has received two acres of land at Dwaraka in New Delhi for constructing a new guest house on the pattern of Bihar Bhawan to house top politicians and bureucrats from the state visiting the national capital for official reasons. Sources said the proposed building would have all the modern facilities and have over 200 rooms so that there was no problem for accommodation of top officials and politicians visiting the national capital. The cabinet secretary said the process of finalising the architect to lay out the design of the building had started and the formalities of approving the plan would start after that. There are a few formalities before the construction could be taken up. The process is underway, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJP-led government will observe Seva Diwas (Day of Service) on September 17 and carry out a range of activities including building twin pit toilets, Shramdaan or voluntary work, and sanitation drives. September 17 happens to be the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation Uma Bharti has written to her ministerial colleagues, urging them to make arrangements for such activities in their constituencies, residential areas or any other place, and be present there. Bharti, in her letter, said her ministry would offer assistance to the ministers and would work in close coordination with the district administration to make such initiatives a success. Drinking water and sanitation secretary Parmeshwaran Iyer had yesterday said that the campaign would see large-scale mobilisation of people from all walks of life, including the prime minister, Union ministers, chief ministers and parliamentarians, to undertake Shramdaan for cleanliness and construction of toilets and to make their surroundings free from open defecation. It will target cleaning of public and tourist places too. The ministry has made elaborate plans, along with the state governments, to reach out to the poor and the marginalised, and provide them with sustainable sanitation services. Besides, the Centre launched a nation-wide, fortnight- long sanitation campaign today to highlight the Modi governments flagship cleanliness initiative, Swachh Bharat Mission. The campaign, named Swachhta Hi Seva (Cleanliness is Service), was launched by President Ram Nath Kovind from Ishworiganj village in Kanpur. The Swachhta Hi Seva initiative is also being coordinated by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and focuses on mass mobilisation for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhis dream of a clean India. Vice president M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday hit out at dynastic politics, saying dynasty in democracy is nasty, days after Rahul Gandhi talked about the phenomenon being present in the Indian system. There is discussion about dynasty. Dynasty and democracy cannot go together. Very simple... it weakens our system. Dynasty in democracy is nasty, he said at a book launch but added that his remarks were not linked to any party. He said he used to voice similar views earlier too but now he hesitates as he is out of politics. Naidu, however, made it clear that he is not referring to any political party while speaking against dynasty. I am not keeping in mind any particular party -- this party or that party -- as someone said everybody is trying to follow each other. Speaking at the University of California in Berkeley, Rahul had earlier this week said that dynasties are commonplace in India, from politics to business, and stressed that a persons capabilities are more important than pedigree. Most parties in India have that problem So...Mr Akhilesh Yadav is a dynast. Mr Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi in DMK) is a dynast... even Abhishek Bachchhan is a dynast. So thats how India runs. So dont get after me because thats how India is run. By the way, last, I recall, Mr Ambanis are running the business. Thats also going on in Infosys. So thats what happens in India, Gandhi had said listing several prominent Indians born into famous families. When Nagireddy Achutha Reddy, a practising psychiatrist in the US state of Kansas, came to meet his aged parents in his hometown in Nalgonda district of Telangana earlier in January, little did they expect that they were seeing him for the last time. Fifty-seven-year-old Reddy was stabbed to death by his patient Umar Rashid Dutt near the Holistic Psychiatric Services building on Carriage Parkway in Wichita at 7.22pm local time on Wednesday. According to his family members in Miryalguda, his body is unlikely to be brought to his hometown where his parents N Bhadra Reddy (87) and Parijaatha (80) live. His wife Beena, three children, and his in-laws all settled in the US more than three decades ago. If the body has to be brought here, all of them have to accompany it, which looks improbable, one of his cousins said. It appears they want to cremate the body in the US itself. His nephew Gautam, however, said the family members would try to convince his wife and in-laws to bring the body to Miryalguda. The old parents cannot go to the US and it is quite natural that they want to have a last glimpse of their son, Gautam told the Hindustan Times. The post-mortem formalities are going on at present. We shall talk to my aunt and others later and take a decision, he said. Reddys parents got a call from the United States on Thursday morning, saying their eldest son was killed by 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt. He used to come to India at least once a year. He was here in January last and stayed until the first week of February. He assured that he would bring his family and kids on his next visit, but he has gone forever, lamented Bhadra Reddy, a retired state roads and buildings department engineer. Reddys younger brother Aravind is a structural engineer in Hyderabad and sister Padmaja is a home maker in Nalgonda. Theirs is a closely knit and happy family. After retirement, my grandfather settled down in Miryalguda taking care of little agricultural land he had inherited. They are too old to move out now, Gautam said. He said Dutts family also hailed from south India. Dutts father is said to be from Hyderabad and mother from Bengaluru and they too got settled in the US long ago. Dutt had been undergoing treatment with my uncle for the last two years. We were told he was a very aggressive patient but we never expected that he would resort to killing the same doctor who had been treating him, Gautam added. Reddy was an alumnus of Osmania Medical College in India and graduated in 1986. He later moved to the US and completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita, and began practising in 1989. He was running the Holistic Psychiatric Services in Wichita, apart from being affiliated with several hospitals in the area. A Gaya court, on Friday, remanded 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts case accused Tauseef Khan, nabbed in south Bihar district headquarters town of Gaya on Wednesday, and his two associates, to four-day police custody. Tauseef was earlier produced in the court of chief judicial magistrate Ramanand Ram at Gaya, 100 km south of Patna, where the police filed a petition seeking remand of the terror suspects. Opposing the police petition, Tauseef pleaded innocence and said he was being framed. A four-member Gujarat ATS team, which arrived at Gaya on Thursday, a day after Tauseef and his associates were arrested, is also likely to move court for permission to take the Ahmedabad serial blast case accused to Gujarat on transit remand. In a related development, the Gaya police are preparing to register a fresh FIR, leveling sedation charges against Tauseef, Sarwar Khan and Shane Khan, with the Civil Lines police station, on the basis of documents recovered from them. The police would also investigate if any radical sleeper cell was active in Gaya. While officials involved in the interrogation of terror suspects remained tightlipped, other sources said Tauseef had contacts in Pakistan and Nepal and he was residing in Gaya since 2009 to weave out a network of radical sleeper cells. While working as a mathematics teacher at a private school in Gaya, Tauseef, an engineering graduate, had prepared more than 50 students for jehad, the sources said. The documents recovered from them included handbills and pamphlets printed in Pakistans city Lahore, they added. An officer, who is part of the interrogation team, said one of the documents recovered from the arrested persons revealed plans, finalised at a meeting in Nepal, to which Tauseef used to frequent, to carry out terror attacks. Meanwhile, security and intelligence agencies on Friday struggled to decode the messages stored in pen drives, computer hard disks and a bunch of paper recovered from them. After the messages are decoded, we will be able to clinch vital clues regarding terror plans of the arrested suspects, one of the interrogators said on the condition of anonymity. Tauseef and Shane Khan were arrested near Rajendra Ashram at Gaya town on Wednesday. Police said four persons used to regularly come to Vishnu Cyber Cafe near Rajendra Ashram and exchange information for long duration there. They would, however, refrain from producing copies of Aadhaar, which cyber cafe owner Anurag Basu would demand from them before allowing them to access internet. On Wednesday, when the suspects did not produce their identity documents, Basu, who also edits vernacular monthly Saf Swar, caught two of them and handed them over to police. Two others, however, managed to escape. Sarwar Khan, who had provided shelter to Tauseef at Sahdeo Khap village in Bodh Gaya police station area, 16 km south of Gaya, was also arrested later. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch two separate marches in Gujarat next month to cover the state before the December voting to elect a new government in the western state that has been ruled by the saffron outfit for almost two decades. The fortnight-long yatras, a mass outreach programme, will begin from the home town of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Indias first home minister, Karamsad in Anand district and Mahatma Gandhis birthplace Porbandar, a coastal city. Gandhi and Patel are the tallest figures from the state. Starting on October 1 and 2, the yatra will cover most parts of the state before ending in a workers conference at Gandhi Nagar on October 16. October 2 is also the birth anniversary of Gandhi. It will highlight the success of the Gujarat government and the reason for the BJPs continuity in power, a party general secretary said. The party launched its campaign for the Gujarat assembly election this year with Shahs town hall programme at Ahmedabad on September 10. The conference of panna pramukhs or those is in-charge of one page of a voter list comprising 40-50 voters will be addressed by party chief Amit Shah on September 16. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be in Gujarat on September 17 to attend the Narmada festival, which marks the completion of Sardar Sarovar Dam project. Deputy chief minister Nitin Patel and president of the state unit Jitu Vagahni will lead these yatras and senior BJP leaders from the state will join the event in between. Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abes foundation stone laying of bullet trains between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will also help the BJP with its development narrative to the electorate. In February, the BJP had taken out a 10-day long Adivasi Vikas Gaurav Yatra from tribal dominated areas between Navsari in south Gujarat to Banaskantha in north Gujarat. Gujarat has been under BJP rule since March 1998 Modi heading the government for 13 years of this period and it won 115 out of 182 assembly seats in 2012. The party has, however, faced two major setbacks in the last two yearsone after the protests by upper caste Patel community, who have been seeking reservation, and the other by Dalits on issues of atrocities and discrimination faced by the community. The party suffered a major electoral loss in the local body elections in rural areas in December 2015 after the Patels started a protest movement under the leadership of Hardik Patel against the ruling party. Salamat Ullahs eyes welled up as he talked about the latest wave of persecution against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. He said his uncle has been killed, brother has a bullet injury, and sister arrested by the Myanmar military. His father and rest of the family are among the nearly 380,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar amid the armys ongoing violent response to attacks by Rohingya militants in Rakhine state last month. Amid all this, Ullah said he can only pray for his family from Khimber, a village on the outskirts of Kashmirs summer capital Srinagar. He arrived in Kashmir a year ago before living in various parts of India as a United Nations (UN) designated refugee after fleeing Myanmar a decade ago. My father tells me there is no food and shelter. They are drenched under the open sky and are hungry and I can do nothing for them, he said struggling to control his emotions. The crisis and refugee exodus began on August 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Myanmars military retaliated with clearance operations to root out the rebels but the fleeing Rohingyas say soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. About 40% of the total Rohingya population living in the Rakhine has now fled to Bangladesh, the UN has said. Rohingyas have suffered persecution and military crackdown in Myanmar for years as they are not considered citizens of the country resulting in their exodus from time to time. According to the UN, nearly 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India and 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation. Haroon Rashid is one of these refugees, who arrived in Jammu in 2012. But his stay in the winter capital of the state was equally tumultuous after radical voices said they were not happy with the Rohingyas living there. Last year, the 50-year-old fled Jammu as well after the clamour for their deportation grew in the Hindu majority region. He along with his wife and four children took refuge in Khimber, where a religious seminary Darul Uloom Bilaliya has spared three buildings for some 17 Rohingya families. Rashid had not settled properly in Kashmir yet that the latest violence erupted in his home state of Rakhine. My uncle and cousin were killed by Buddhists. Now, I am not able to contact my sister. She has gone missing after the latest violence. We are being killed and nobody seems to care, Rashid said. The 17 families comprising some 70 members, including 30 children, arrived in Kashmir in the past one year after a sense of fear gripped them in Jammu where they had started arriving in 2009. The continuing turmoil in the Kashmir valley has inflamed religious tensions in Jammu and Rohingyas are bearing the brunt of it. Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry even threatened that if the state government does not deport the Rohingyas, we will identify and kill them. Noor Hussain came to Kashmir along with his wife and two children six months ago. Here everybody is good to us, our Muslim brothers. They tell us that whosoever tries to harm us they will protect us. It gives a sense of satisfaction. It is not like Jammu, the 26-year-old said. However, the troubles of Rohingyas here are far from over. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government has declared the Rohingyas as illegal immigrants and a security threat. It prompted the UN high commissioner for human rights to describe their situation as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing and criticised New Delhi for seeking to deport Rohingyas. If no one is ready to help us, we leave this matter to God. It will be our hands and their collars on the day of judgement, said Ullah. India and Pakistan in Washington started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty on Thursday night , a senior World Bank official said. These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries, a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Banks role in relation to differences and disputes is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has expressed solidarity with Bangladesh over the Rohingya crisis and said India is putting pressure on Myanmar to take back refugees who have fled the Buddhist-majority nation, a top aide of the Bangladesh Prime Minister has said. More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in Bangladesh, close to the border with Myanmar. She (Swaraj) called our Prime Minister last night and conveyed her countrys solidarity with Bangladesh over the Myanmar refugee issue, Prime Minister Shiekh Hasinas deputy press secretary, Nazrul Islam, told PTI. Swaraj, he said, told the Bangladesh premier that the crisis by now appeared as an international issue while India was trying to put pressure bilaterally and multilaterally on Myanmar to stop persecution on ethnic minority Rohingya Muslims and take back the refugees who fled to Bangladesh. According to the spokesman, Hasina, on the other hand, said Bangladesh was forced to offer refuge to the refugees on humanitarian ground as they fled their home at Myanmars western Rakhine state to evade atrocities. He said Hasina explained to Swaraj the helplessness and miseries of the refugees, particularly of the minor children and women, and said Bangladesh is trying to address their basic needs. She (Hasina) told Swaraj that Bangladesh required external supports to handle the refugee issue and return them to Myanmar, the spokesman said. Hasina said her government allocated land for makeshift shelters of the Rohingyas but, it will certainly create a big problem for Bangladesh if they stay for long. The premiers spokesman said Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla was present at the Hasinas Ganabhaban residence when Swaraj called. Swarajs call came hours after the external affairs ministry issued a statement expressing Indias readiness to provide Bangladesh any assistance in tackling the refugee crisis. India, on Thursday, rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Dhaka earlier said Bangladesh required Indias assistance in its efforts to handle the situation and send the refugees back home. The entire world today is worried with the Rohingya issue (and) their (Indias) concern and stand beside us is very crucial at this moment, ruling Awami League general secretary and senior minister Obaidul Quader said earlier this week. China on Friday warned third parties against meddling in its boundary dispute with India, specifically mentioning the Arunachal Pradesh sector in an apparent response to Indo-Japanese plans to invest in infrastructure projects in the northeastern states. A joint statement issued on Thursday following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe announced the setting up of the Act East Forum and referred to plans to take up infrastructure projects such as road connectivity and electricity in Indias northeastern states. Though the joint statement did not specifically refer to Arunachal Pradesh, large parts of which are claimed by Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying spoke about the disputed border in the eastern section when she was asked about the Act East Forum at a news briefing. You must be very clear that boundary of the India-China border area has not been totally delimited and we have disputes in the eastern section of the boundary. We are now trying to seek a solution through negotiation that is acceptable to both sides, Hua said. Under such circumstances, we hope India and various parties should respect such aspects and any third party should not be involved in our efforts to solve disputes, she added. The term eastern section is used by Beijing to refer to the border along Arunachal Pradesh. The India-Japan joint statement had referred to cooperation between the two sides to develop the northeastern states as a concrete symbol of developing synergies between Indias Act East policy and Japans Free and Open Indo Pacific Strategy. There are also reports that the two sides are working on an India-Japan Coordination Forum for Development of North East to focus on strategic projects such as connectivity and road network development. The joint statement also said India and Japan are committed to freedom of navigation and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the Indo-Pacific region, though it did not include a reference to the dispute in the South China Sea. Responding to the other questions, spokesperson Hua said China had closely tracked the Japanese prime ministers high-profile visit to India. To be frank, we are closely following the Japanese PMs visit to India, she said. The (joint) statement mentioned about resolving disputes through negotiation and dialogue. We know that resolving disputes by directly concerned parties to uphold freedom of navigation and over-flight is Chinas position. We also hope various parties can uphold the rights to freedom of navigation and over-flight by countries in various waters, she said. Hua also brought up Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). You mentioned that there are may be some innuendos on the Belt and Road Initiative. In terms of improvement on our connectivity, we always do it...We should uphold the wide consultation, joint contribution and benefits to strengthen infrastructure and connectivity in this region, she added. India and Japan are both important countries in Asia. We hope normal development of relations can be conducive to regional stability and development and play a constructive role in this process, she said. Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Toiba leader killed by security forces in Kashmirs Nowgam on Thursday, was on the security forces radar after the July attack on Amarnath pilgrims in the state. Ismail, 24, was also blamed for the attack on CRPF personnel near DPS-Srinagar in June. He was a Pakistani and is the fourth top militant leader to be killed in the Valley since 2016. There were 15 criminal cases, including murder, against Ismail who had taken over the reins of the LeTs south Kashmir operations after his predecessor Abu Dujana was killed in an encounter last month. Sources in the security and intelligence communities had hinted at some kind of one-upmanship between Ismail and Dujana, who is also known by the name of Hafiz and is considered to be from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Dujana was reportedly challenged by Ismail who set up a rival faction along with some Kashmiri youth. Sources said most of militant incidents involving LeT was carried done by the rival group, including the attack on Amarnath yatris. A few months ago, the lesser known Abu Ismail was made the LeT chief in the Valley while Dujama was disarmed after the rift. A massive hunt was launched in south Kashmir to track down Ismail after the Amarnath attack. The Police was following intelligence leads regarding Ismails associates, hideouts used and communication intercepts. He was known to be active in the Anantnag and Pampore areas. The Indian Express said Ismail shifted his based from Anantnag after the Amarnath attack and kept moving between Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama. His latest movement was traced to south Kashmir and a team of Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the Army killed him in Nowgam. It is believed Ismail was helped by members of another militant group Hizbul Mujahideen, which provided logistics during the attack, a report by the Financial Express said. Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which on Thursday lost one of its commanders in an encounter, will likely choose a Kashmiri face to head the group in south Kashmir, suggest latest intelligence reports. According to sources in J-K police as well as the CRPF, 28-year-old Zeenat-ul-Islam is most likely to be made the LeT commander in Kashmir. On Thursday, Abu Ismail believed to be behind the Amarnath Yatra attack this year, was killed in an encounter with security forces in the outskirts of Srinagar. While officials are yet to confirm that Zeenat has taken Ismails place, sources in security forces said the 28-year-old is the most likely probable. A resident of Sugan Zanipura in south Kashmirs Shopian area, Zeenat joined Al-Badar militant outfit in 2015 and has over the last two years become an expert with improvised explosive devices (IEDs). According to an intelligence input shared by official sources on Friday, Zeenat was once arrested in 2008 where he is said to have confessed to being an over ground worker (OGW). He was eventually released four years later following which he joined LeT. He is also considered one of the main accused in the Shopian attack in February that left three soldiers dead. Read more: Lashkar commander, Amarnath attack mastermind: Who was Abu Ismail? Intelligence officials on Friday also told Hindustan Times that Zeenat is among the five most wanted men in Kashmir the others being Zakir Musa, Riyaz Naikoo, Saddam Padder and another individual who goes by the name of Khalid. Officials said Khalid is believed to be commander of another Pakistan-based outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad and has trained and infiltrated from Pakistan. Authorities believe he is active in north Kashmirs Sopore area. Other than Khalid the rest are Kashmiri natives. Musa, who is now heading Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind, a newly formed militant outfit, tops the list of wanted militants in Kashmir. He had recently left Hizbul Mujahideen(HM) following ideological differences and threatened to kill senior separatist leadership in Kashmir. The next one on the most wanted list is HMs new operational commander, Riyaz Naikoo, who took over as the outfits head after Yaseen Ittoo, was killed in a gunfight last month. The list also contains the name of Hizbuls Saddam Padder who was among the most trusted aides of slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The West Bengal government on Friday told the Calcutta High Court that it would allow immersion of Durga idols till 10 pm on Bijoya Dashami, extending the time by four hours from the deadline earlier announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The government issued a fresh order saying there was typographical error in the earlier one. The original order had raised the hackles of the BJP, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh which accused the government of interfering with the rights of Hindus to appease Muslims since Muharram will be observed on October 1, a day after Dashami, the last day of Durga Puja. BJP president Amit Shah had also raised the issue during his three-day trip of Bengal earlier this week. During the hearing of a case challenging the restriction on immersion after 6pm on Dashami on September 30, advocate general Kishore Dutta on Friday told the division bench of acting chief justice Nishita Mahtre and justice Tapabrata Chakraborty that the government was ready to allow immersion till 10 pm. The advocate general showed the court a fresh circular issued by the government on Thursday. On August 23 the chief minister said on Twitter that immersion would be allowed till 6pm on September 30 and there would be no immersion at all on October 1, because of Muharram. Later, on September 9, the government issued an order imposing the restriction mentioned in Banerjees tweet and adding that immersion would take place on October 2 and 3. Smarajit Roychowdhury, the counsel of petitioner Uttam Basak said he was not happy with the states response. According to the Bishuddha Siddhanta almanac, immersion can continue till 1.36 am as this is the time when Dashami ends. We told the court that the government must allow Hindus to immerse the idols till 1.36 am. The court has asked the state government to respond on September 18 when the matter will be heard again, Roychowdhury told HT. Interestingly, Basak filed the case on September 5. Till then the government had not issued any official order about the restriction. Basaks source of information was the chief ministers tweet of August 23. The petitioner asked the court how could such a crucial decision be announced on Twitter without a government order. The first hearing of the case was initially scheduled on September 8 but it was postponed. The government issued an order on September 9, reiterating the chief ministers announcement. On September 14, the government revised the order hours before the first hearing. The revised order said the September 9 circular had inadvertent typographical error and that immersion is allowed till 10pm on September 30. The advocate general submitted a copy to the court on Friday. Last year, Muharram was observed a day after Dashami and the government initially restricted immersion after 4.30 pm. The decision was challenged at the high court and the government was criticised by justice Dipankar Dutta for depriving Hindus of their rights. Justice Dutta passed an order, extending the deadline till 6pm. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Indias first bullet train service that will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Bengal chief minister, Mamata Banerjee demanded a train for her state as well. While leaving the state secretariat on Friday evening she said it would be great if the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum or the railway stations at Howrah or Sealdah could be connected to the Andal airport in Burdwan district by a bullet train service. Read: Akhilesh slams Modi for bullet train route selection If that is done then one can commute from Andal to Kolkata in about 45 minutes. We have written to the Union railway minister in this regard, said Banerjee. The Andal airport has been set up to improve urban infrastructure in the industrial zone in Burdwan district. Incidentally, the airport has so far seen negligible passenger traffic. Read: Need to learn formula of safe, clean travel from Japan: Shiv Sena on bullet train On Thursday, Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for the project to build Indias first bullet train network. The government has said the bullet train technology will revolutionise and transform the railways. Read: As India prepares for bullet train, 9 derailments in 27 days reveal safety crisis The train will have a top speed of 320-350 km per hour and it is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad to around 2 hours from the existing 7-8 hours. The fare could be in the range of Rs 3000 - Rs 5,000. On the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route, 12 stations have been proposed: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. The Medical Council of Indias decision to cancel admission of 778 medical students in Puducherry has sparked blame game among various government authorities. Chief minister V Narayanasamy blamed the MCI and a court-appointed Permanent Admission Committee (PAC) for the fiasco, while the lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi accused the state government of turning a blind eye to irregularities in private medical colleges. The HT had first reported on September 13 that the MCI seconded the PACs report on large scale bungling in admission process and cancelled more than 70% admissions made last year in all seven private medical colleges in the state. All the 778 candidates who have been discharged were in the second year of their MBBS course. The MCI in a September 7 letter, cancelling the admissions, said the colleges havent demonstrated any evidence of fairness and transparency in the admission process... The order was issued after Bedi complained that merit was sacrificed for money while giving the admission. A probe ordered by her after receiving complaints from parents found that of the 1,200 students who joined the bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery, or MBBS, in 2016, 778 were admitted overlooking the top courts directives on the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET). Talking to HT over phone from the state capital Pondicherry, Narayanasamy said that his government-appointed central admission committee (Centac) conducted counselling only for those who sought admission under the state quota. The MCI didnt find any anomalies in that process, he added. As for the irregularities in the all-India or management quota, the chief minister said: The responsibility to monitor the admission process for the same lies with the MCI and PAC. He said as per the last years norms, the state government was supposed to forward all the applications of candidates seeking admission under all-India quota to the colleges management. The MCI and PAC were supposed to monitor the admission process. The state government has no role in the admissions, Narayanasamy said. . Narayanasamy also vented his ire on the BJP government at the Centre for changing admission rules every year, saying it leads to confusion. Lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi, who is caught in a tussle with the states Congress government on several issues, however refuted chief ministers claim that the state government had no role in the admission process. She said it was decided at a meeting she had with the chief minister, health minister and senior officials on September 1 last year that the state government would monitor the admission process through Centac. Bedi produced minutes of the meeting to buttress her claim. Since the admission committee has itself withdrawn from supervising the admission process, government will monitor the admission process through Centac, the minutes of the meeting recorded. Bedi also alleged that the PAC reported large scale irregularities on October 21, 2016 but the state government remained quiet. Students suffered because issues were not addressed in a time-bound manner with a sense of urgency and integrity, she said. Government, bureaucracy and politicians have vested interest and thats why the situation has come thus far, she alleged. She also demanded strict action against the erring colleges. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON PM Modi and Shinzo Abe launch Indias first bullet train project, agree to boost ties for peaceful Indo-Pacific Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe launched on Thursday the project to build Indias first bullet train network and unveiled an ambitious connectivity plan between Asia and Africa, almost immediately drawing concerns from their common rival China. Modi and Abe signed 15 agreements including increasing flights between their cities and collaboration in areas of defence, security, trade, and civil nuclear energy. The growing convergence between Japan and India on strategic and economic issues has capacity to stimulate the global economy, Modi said in a press statement with Abe. The Japanese PM called his countrys ties with India special, strategic and global. Read the story here. China has a message for India and Japan: Form partnership, not alliance China on Thursday sent out a clear message to India about its deepening ties with Japan - New Delhi and Tokyo should forge a partnership conducive to peace in the region instead of an alliance. The message from the foreign ministry in Beijing was couched in diplomatic terms but the message was sharp close ties between India and Japan should not be an effort to counter China. We advocate that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for partnership instead of alliance, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. Read the story here. Indian-origin doctor stabbed to death in Kansas, cops arrest suspect An Indian-origin doctor was stabbed to death in the US state of Kansas and police have arrested a 21-year-old suspect on charges of first-degree murder, officials said on Thursday. But there was no official word on the motive behind the murder or if the incident was a possible hate crime. Police identified the victim as Achutha N Reddy, a 57-year-old psychiatrist hailing from Nalgonda, who died after being stabbed multiple times near the Holistic Psychiatric Services building on Carriage Parkway in Wichita at 7.22 pm local time on Wednesday. The alleged assailant was identified Umar Rashid Dutt who, the name suggested, could be from South Asia. Read the story here. Amarnath attack mastermind Abu Ismail among two Lashkar terrorists killed in Kashmir Delivering a major blow to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Kashmir, security forces killed two terrorists including the alleged mastermind of a deadly attack on Amarnath yatris earlier this year on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday evening. LeT leader Abu Ismail (24) and his associate, Abu Kasim, were eliminated in the encounter at Nowgam, Jammu and Kashmir director general of police Shesh Paul Vaid said on Twitter, congratulating security forces. Security forces suspected Ismails involvement in the killing of eight Amarnath Yatra pilgrims at Anantnag on July 10, although the LeT denied it, besides the attack on CRPF personnel near DPS-Srinagar in June. He is the fourth top militant leader to be killed in the Valley since 2016. Read the story here. Alwar lynching: Rajasthan minister backs police clean chit to six people Rajasthans home minister, Gulab Chand Kataria, defended on Thursday the clean chit given by the state police to the six people who had been named by Haryana dairy farmer Pehlu Khan before he died of injuries sustained in an attack by cow vigilantes. HT managed to catch up with one of the six, who said truth always prevails. A day after HT reported that the CID-CB of Rajasthan police had completed its investigation into the Alwar lynching case, and found that the six people named in Khans statement to police in the ICU of a hospital were not involved in the attack, Kataria backed the police. They must have concluded this on the basis of evidences and witnesses before them. I will not say anything on their findings, he said. Read the story here. Rohingya refugees are a security threat: Govts unfinalised affidavit An affidavit prepared by the government for possible filing in the Supreme Court said Rohingya refugees are a security threat and they must be deported to Myanmar, a stand that is likely to rile human rights activists. The affidavit was not filed, and the government said it was unfinalised and did not necessarily reflect its final position. A copy of it emerged in the media on Thursday after the government mistakenly served it to a lawyer who has moved the Supreme Court against a plan to deport the refugees. The copy served on you has not been filed in the Supreme Court of India. Kindly, therefore do not treat the copy served on you as the affidavit of the central government, the government said in a statement after the proposed affidavit was reported online and by TV channels. Read the story here. Amit Shah to begin OBC outreach ahead of Gujarat elections BJP president Amit Shah will travel to OBC-dominated Phagvel village in Kheda district to woo the community ahead of the assembly elections in Gujarat, the state which has been under the saffron partys rule for nearly two decades. Shah will speak about the issues confronting the backward communities, a BJP leader said. The OBC list in Gujarat includes about 146 communities and is estimated to be about 40% of the states population. The BJPs exercise to consolidate support among the OBCs is also aimed at offsetting any loss it may have in its hold over the land holding Patels (patidars) who dealt a blow to the party in December 2016 panchayat polls. Read the story here. RSS-backed BJP govt arrested me for speaking up for Assamese people: Akhil Gogoi Activist Akhil Gogoi, arrested on charges of sedition on Wednesday, said the BJP-led coalition government targeted him for speaking up for the Assamese. He also warned of an uprising of the indigenous communities as members of his peasants body, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), protested across the state on Thursday demanding his release within 24 hours. On Thursday afternoon, a local court in Dibrugarh gave the police four days custody of Gogoi. The police had sought 14 days. The day saw KMSS members blocking highways for several hours. Many camped outside the central police station. The Dibrugarh police had arrested Gogoi from his residence in Golaghat town, about 180km west, for hatred-spewing speech at a public rally. He was slapped with six sections of the IPC. Read the story here. No restrictions on H-1B visa programme but it is under review: US official A senior US official on Thursday sought to allay Indias concerns on the H-1B visa programme, which is being reviewed by the Trump administration, saying there are no restrictions in place. The official said around 70 per cent of the visas issued under the H-1B category over the past nine months have gone to Indians and that a record 1.2 million visas of Indians were adjudicated by the US last year. Read the story here. Rohingya crisis can become security concern for Indias northeast: Bangladesh envoy The mass exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar has to be tackled urgently as it has the potential of becoming a huge security concern for the entire region, including Indias insurgency-affected northeastern states, the Bangladeshi envoy said on Thursday. Bangladesh is looking to India, as a regional power, to play a larger role in persuading Myanmar to both halt the exodus of Rohingyas from Rakhine state and to ensure the repatriation of those who have fled to other countries, high commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali told Hindustan Times. I am more concerned about my own region but the presence of Rohingya refugees elsewhere could be a security risk for everybody else. It could be used even in your northeast India, Ali, a former foreign secretary, said. Read the story here. 14 out of 16 loss-making govt-run tourism hotels to be sold off: Alphons Union tourism minister Alphons Kannanthanam on Thursday said 14 out of 16 loss-making hotels owned by state-run ITDC will be sold off to private parties as running money-making hotel business is not a government job. The minister, however, said that he wished to retain the prestigious Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi under government control and make it a very good international hotel in the national capital. India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is a public sector undertaking that currently runs 16 hotels in Delhi, Patna, Jammu, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Bhopal, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Guwahati, Mysore, Puducherry and Itanagar. Read the story here. The Centre told the Supreme Court on Friday that it has not granted any approval for commercial cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) mustard crop in the country and no plantation will take place without its nod. The apex court fixed November 22 for the final disposal of the case and recorded the statement of the Additional Solicitor General that the government has not yet accorded approval to the recommendation of a sub-committee of the Rajya Sabha on GM Crop. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said when the Centre has not accorded its approval for cultivation of the genetically modified crop, it means that there will be no plantation. Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha, appearing for the Centre, said that a sub-committee of Rajya Sabha has submitted its report and the government as of now has not taken any decision on the recommendation. The report is being considered by the government and no decision has been taken as of now on the recommendation, he said. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for petitioner Aruna Rodrigues, said the system of regulating GM Crop is in complete shambles as there is no technology to conduct the tests. He said that a multinational company has conducted the test and submitted the report to the government, based on which it is trying to cultivate the GM crops. Bhushan alleged that the government was sowing the seeds in various fields and the bio-safety dossier, which has put on the website, has not been made public. Alleging that field trials were being carried out without the relevant tests, Bhushan sought a 10-year moratorium on the trials. A Technical Expert Committee (TEC) report had also said that the entire regulatory system was in shambles and a 10- year moratorium should be given, he had said. The argument put forth by the ASG was that the regulatory regime has been in place for three decades and 32 reports have been filed over the years, but still the government, while looking at various aspects, has not taken any decision on granting approval. We will not leave any stone unturned. We will look into the report of sub-committee and then only any decision will be taken. The petitioners are trying to scare the people but I am making the statement that everything will be looked into and not a single step will be taken till the government grants its approval, the government law officer said. The bench said it will hear the matter at length on November 22. The apex court had on July 31 made clear that it would hear a plea challenging the commercial cultivation of GM mustard crop in the country if the government takes a decision in favour of the roll out. The Centre had earlier told the court that it would be taking a policy decision on the commercial roll out within a month or a month-and-a-half. The court had then said if the government approves the roll out, then it will hear the plea against the GM mustard seeds before the sowing season begins. It had earlier asked the Centre to take a considered and well-informed view before taking a policy decision on the commercial release of GM mustard crop. The government had said it was yet to take a policy decision on the commercial release of GM mustard crop and has been considering suggestions and objections on the issue. The apex court had on October 17 last year extended the stay on the commercial release of GM mustard crop till further orders. It had asked the government to seek public opinion on such seeds before releasing it for cultivation purposes. Mustard is one of Indias most important winter crops which is sown between mid-October and late November. Rodrigues had filed the plea seeking a stay on the commercial release of GM mustard and prohibition of its open field trials. The court was also urged to prohibit open field trials and commercial release of Herbicide Tolerant (HT) crops, including HT Mustard DMH 11 and its parent lines/variants as recommended by the TEC in its report. Since the claimed yield superiority of HT DMH 11 through the B&B system over non-GMO varieties and hybrids is quite simply not true, in fact a hoax, ... there is no purpose to this GMO HT mustard for India, the petition said. It said the contamination caused by mustard HT DMH 11 and its HT parents would be irremediable and irreversible. The contamination of our seed stock and germ plasm as will happen with mustard HT DMH 11 and its HT parents will be irremediable and irreversible making our food toxic at the molecular level without recourse, the plea had said. Taking the central governments ambitious cleanliness drive to a higher trajectory, President Ram Nath Kovind today kicked off the fortnight-long Swachhta Hi Seva (Cleanliness is Service) campaign from Uttar Pradesh. The campaign, aimed at highlighting the Narendra Modi governments flagship cleanliness initiative Swachh Bharat Mission, was launched from Ishwari Ganj village near here. The president also honoured the village-level champions who contributed in making Ishwariganj village open defecation free. Before launching the campaign, Kovind made people take a pledge to keep their surroundings clean. India is fighting a decisive battle for cleanliness and hygiene. Cleanliness is not only the responsibility of sanitation personnel and government departments, it is a multi-stakeholder movement. Together we should make the effort to clean our houses, public places, villages and cities. Achieving the goals of the Swachh Bharat Mission expeditiously will be an appropriate tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, he said. The president said every person in the society was rashtra nirmata (nation builder) and invited NCC cadet Manish Dwivedi, who belongs to Kanpur, to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The responsibility shown by people of Ishwariganj village to make their village open defecation free is laudable. I hope others will take a cue from this village, he said. We should make united efforts for cleanliness. It is not only the responsibility of the sanitation staff but all of us. Ensuring cleanliness will be the true tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, he said, adding diseases, including mental illness, can happen due to unclean atmosphere. Kovind also had a word of praise for those women who refused to marry into homes without any toilets. He also appreciated actors Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar for their support to the cause. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik said it was more important for a household to have a toilet than a place of worship. Even if you do not have devghar (place of worship), you must have toilets, he said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked the president for launching the campaign in his home state. The UP government has been associated with the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan and has constructed 10 lakh toilets so far. The target is to construct 78 lakh toilets by December 31, 2017 and make the state open defecation free (ODF) by October, 2018. I have written a letter to all the village heads for their support in this regard, he said. The chief minister said four districts - Shamli, Bijnor, Hapur and Ghaziabad - had been made open defecation free, while by December 31, 2017, 30 districts would be brought under the ODF category, and by October next year, all the 75 districts in the state will become open defecation free. We have made an anti-land mafia task force and the land freed thus will be utilised for construction of houses for poor, he said. Speaking on the occasion, Union Drinking Water Sanitation Minister Uma Bharti noted the main idea behind the campaign was to fulfil Mahatma Gandhis dream of clean India as well as meet the prime ministers target of making the entire country open defecation free by 2019. The government is confident of fulfilling the prime ministers vision of making India open defecation free by October, 2019, she said. The sanitation initiative, which is being coordinated by the ministry of drinking water and sanitation, will include Shramdaan or voluntary work. The nationwide campaign will see mobilisation of people from all walks of life, including the prime minister, Union ministers, CMs, MPs and NGOs to undertake shramdaan (labour) for cleanliness and construction of toilets and make their surroundings open defecation free. It will also target cleaning of public and tourist places too. The ministry has made elaborate plans along with the state government to reach out to the poor and marginalised, and provide them with sustainable sanitation services. The government has identified special dates during the campaign period. For instance, September 17 has been reserved for cleanliness and construction of toilets. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu is scheduled to visit a village in Karnataka on September 17 and offer shramdaan for toilet construction and general cleanliness. On September 24, citizens at panchayat and municipal levels will take up voluntary work. On September 25, cleaning of public places, bus stands, hospitals will be done. A special cleanliness drive is planned for 15 places on October 1. The national television network Doordarshan will hold the world premiere of Toilet: Ek Prem Katha film on September 17, birth date of Modi. On October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, which is also the Swachh Bharat Diwas, essay, short film and painting competitions will be held. Irked by a reporters question on the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad describing him as a fake sadhu, self-styled godman Asaram has said he belonged to the category of donkeys. Asaram, who is facing a court trial Jodhpur for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was asked to react to the parishads decision when he was brought to the court premises. The reporter wanted to know that since the parishad, the apex body of Hindu saints in the country, had made it clear that Asaram was neither a saint nor a preacher, which category did he belong to. The category of donkeys, the self-styled godman said on Thursday, climbing the stairs of the trial court where he is being produced on a daily basis in connection with the case. Asaram had not been talking to the media during his court appearances of late in the wake of a petition filed in the high court, objecting to the presence of his devotees on the court premises. The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad has recently come up with a list of fake babas, cautioning the countrymen against them. The names of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai feature in it. The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the Centre and state governments on a petition seeking comprehensive guidelines and a monitoring process for safety and security in schools. The top court has asked for replies to be filed in three weeks. It has also asked solicitor general to assist the court in the case related to school security. Two lawyers had moved the petition after last weeks murder of an eight-year-old inside the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurgaon. Earlier, a bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and Justices Amitava Roy and AM Khanwilkar, said it has already issued a notice on a similar plea filed by the father of the child, who was killed at the Ryan International School. The Supreme Court earlier had issued notice to the Centre, the Haryana government and the states Director General (DG) of Police, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the CBI on a plea seeking a probe by the central agency into the murder of a seven-year-old boy inside the Ryan International School. After this, the CBSE issued a circular mentioning guidelines to be adopted by all schools for ensuring the safety of the students. The CBSE, in its circular, directed schools to install CCTV cameras, ensure police verification of staff and regulate entry of outsiders in school building. (With ANI inputs) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued a notice to all affiliated schools this week enlisting guidelines to ensure a childs safety on school premises. A day later, Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal directed the Delhi government to make security measures mandatory and linked the rules to schools being recognised. He also asked the Delhi Police to waive verification charges so that schools are incentivised to do background checks on their staff. The problem is that these moves were precipitated by the murder of a seven-year-old student in a private school in Gurgaon and the rape of another toddler at a school in Delhis Gandhinagar. Such reactionary responses seem to be the standard modus operandi in most cases. Involve Parents Priyank Kanoongo, member-RTE and Education at National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), said that such incidents were not endemic to any particular region but indicated a national crisis. A student was found murdered in Ranchi. A student drowned in a swimming pool at Bhopal. Such incidents are happening everywhere, in urban and rural schools. But it happens more so in private schools because there is a lack of vigilance, said Kanoongo. A major reason for this, according to him, is a lack of parents intervention in private schools, affecting accountability. Under the RTE, the formation of a School Management Committee (SMC) is mandated for government schools, but private schools are exempted. This means that around 73% of schools in India have SMCs, while others dont. And most of schools that do not have SMCs are private schools, he said. But in the wake of recent incidents, many schools are involving parents in committees set up to improve security. We have time and again taken suggestions from parents on security but of late, parents are still anxious so we have decided to include some parents in our security committee. Many have agreed to even visit the school on a regular basis to ensure security is in place and we have agreed to come to a conclusion on the same, said Rohan Bhat, principal of Childrens Academy in Mumbais Malad. Tightening protocol The CBSE guidelines have asked schools to restrict access to their buildings and monitor any visitors. Schools in Ludhiana, such as the BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School and the local branch of Ryan International School, have started issuing ID cards to parents. We do not let our students leave unless it is with a person holding a valid parent ID card, or with people who have been authorised by the parents, said SK Bhattacharya, secretary of Delhis Bal Bharati Public School and president of the School Action Committee. One of the directives and suggestions that have come from most law enforcement agencies is verification of staff to check for criminal records. Police sources said the suspect in the murder of the student at the Gurgaon branch of Ryan International School was hired without verification. Investigations suggested the suspect, Ashok Kumar, was fired from his previous job at a private school in his village Ghamroj because of suspicious behaviour. Fixing surveillance The CBSE guidelines include a direction to ensure vulnerable and isolated parts of a school are monitored constantly by closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, but officials believe it is easier said than done. Just one or even ten cameras are not sufficient. At Bal Bharti Public School in Pitampura, we have 300 such cameras in every corner of the school. But how many schools will actually be able to afford it? asked Bhattacharya. CCTV by itself may not be sufficient since instances of abuse, such as the Ryan murder, take place in areas that are in surveillance blind spots, such as toilets. Parents in many schools have sought attendants in toilets for safety of children. In addition to security on campus, concerns also relate to when children are in school buses. Some of the suggestions in this regard include the hiring a female staffer who will be on a school vehicle at all times. The added expense of an extra staffer, could however, be a deterrent. Schools like Bal Bharti have figured a way out. We are actually looking at getting female conductors. So we will be able to do with one staff instead of the two, Bhattacharya said. Way forward Though these measures are expected to provide immediate relief, a major overhaul of policy and everyday practices maybe required to ensure long term safety of students. One of the first things is to get parents more involved in the school. Principals also need to be empowered in management because they are usually more sensitive to the issues. Teachers are the best medium to reach students and hence they need to be properly trained and sensitised, said Kanoongo of NCPCR. Monitoring remains crucial. District education officers need to be empowered and given access to private schools as well, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran on Friday launched a fresh attack on his rival, chief minister K Palaniswami and vowed to end this rule of betrayal within a week. The sacked party deputy chief also ruled out his faction having any direct or indirect pact with MK Stalin-led DMK, saying that party is our primary rival. Speaking to reporters here, the combative leader also alleged that Palaniswami had tried to adopt short-cut method of facing a floor test of his government on Monday by disqualifying 18 MLAs supporting him. The short-cut adopted by Palaniswami is he tried to have the floor test by Monday (apparently September 18) after disqualification (of his supporting MLAs), he alleged. By doing so, Palaniswami may not require to garner the required support of 117 MLAs to win the trust vote, he said. In the 234-member state Assembly, AIADMK has 134 MLAs including the Speaker. The RK Nagar seat is vacant following the death of then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa last year. The Madras High Court had on Thursday directed that no floor test be held in the state Assembly till September 20. Following the revolt of 19 party MLAs against Palaniswami, they were all initially put up at a resort in Puducherry.They later shifted to a resort in Coorg in Karnataka and are since staying there. One of them shifted camps to support Palaniswami later. Dinakaran also slammed Palaniswami for aligning with former rebel leader O Panneerselvam, now deputy chief minister. Dinakaran has escalated his attack against Palaniswami since the August 21 merger of the two camps. There is no history of adharma and betrayal having triumphed. In one week we will end this rule of betrayal in the Assembly, he said, apparently indicating at a possible floor test of the government. Dinakaran claimed 21 AIADMK MLAs were now against the chief minister and wanted his removal, a demand raised with the Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao. The Governor delayed (on directing floor test), but DMK wont keep quiet. They want elections to happen and so they moved the court (for floor test), he said. The DMK, which has more than once petitioned Rao to direct the Palaniswami government to prove its numbers, had moved the court on the matter recently. On his rival AIADMK camps criticism that he has joined hands with DMK in his tussle against Palaniswami, Dinakaran said there is no direct or indirect alliance with that party. I repeatedly say that DMK is our primary rival. There is no direct or indirect alliance with that party, he asserted. His faction had moved the court against a possible disqualification of its MLAs after sensing such possible action, from Speaker P Dhanapal, he said. You should question me if only I align with DMK after this government goes, he said. Palaniswami, who had betrayed AIADMK chief V K Sasikala, will not be forgiven by God, Dinakaran said. He also faulted the Chief Minister for convening the party General Council to remove her as interim general secretary. Dinakaran had earlier dismissed the September 12 General Council as a public meeting, saying the court could have the final say on the matter. PTI SA APR DV Six Indian Navy officers were detained in Goas port town of Vasco for getting into a brawl allegedly under the influence of alcohol at a bar and restaurant late on Thursday night. The Vasco police said the six officers are attached to INS Gomati, a Godavri- class guided-missile frigate of the navy. They were detained for two hours for picking up a fight with the restaurant employees. The frigate sailed to Vasco, some 35km from Panaji, from Mumbai in the morning. Inspector in-charge of Vasco police station Nolasco Raposo said, the six were sent to a state-run health facility late in the night for medical examination to ascertain whether they were under the influence of alcohol. They reportedly got into the brawl around 10pm after the restaurant refused to serve them alcohol after the bar was closed. The naval personnel have been identified as Pradeep Noutiyal,33, Ashish Kumar, 28, Sanjay Kumar, 32, S Choudhury,30, Manvendra Singh,24 and Amit Chandra, 28. They were later released. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A six-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped inside the premises of a government school in Rajasthans Barmer, police said on Friday. Police said they filed a complaint on the basis of the victims fathers statement, which said the girl a student of Class 2 was tied to a table in a room near the school toilet and gangraped on Thursday. Two people, both sweepers of the school, have been detained. Anita Rani, in-charge of the womens police station in Barmer, said an FIR had been filed under section 376(D), 376-2(I) of the Indian Penal Code and the anti-child sexual abuse act. The victim is in hospital and is stable, doctors said. Doctors have not found any external or internal injuries on the girl in the medical examination. But we have sent her vaginal swab for forensic examination, said superintendent of police Gagandeep Singla. We have asked a deputy SP to investigate the case. The incident came to light after the victim complained of pain in her private parts to her parents, who rushed her to a local hospital. Doctors there suspected sexual assault and informed the police. Superintendent of police Gagandeep Singla and district collector Shivprasad Nakate inspected the school premises and questioned the authorities. Safety of children in Indian schools is under focus following the murder of an eight-year-old boy inside Gurgaons Ryan International School. The boy was found outside a school toilet on the ground floor, crawling and bleeding profusely before he died. A conductor of a school bus has been arrested in the case and the Supreme Court has asked state governments to formulate guidelines for school safety. Data from the Rajasthan home department shows in the last three years, 56 cases of alleged sexual violence against girls by teachers in schools have been registered. It also indicates that of the 55 teachers who have been accused, none has been convicted and five have been acquitted. At present, 36 such cases are pending in courts. The data also showed 16 such cases remained inconclusive after the final reports were submitted by the police. Bonhomie, traditional warmth, highly-personalised diplomacy and a business leaders meet complemented the 12th edition of the India-Japan annual summit in Prime Minister Narendra Modis home state Gujarat on Thursday. Here are five key takeaways from the summit: Bullet train project takes off The massive high speed project at the cost of Rs1.1 lakh crore that will reduce the travel time between Ahmedabad and Mumbai to three hours is significant on many counts. It is a giant leap in terms of technology for India which has Asias largest rail network. The project has a deadline of 2022. It entails high technology transfer, creation of many jobs and is aligned with PMs flagship project Make in India. Though Indian Railways continues to suffer from a host of creaky infrastructure issues, this project will also give an image boost to Modi. For Japan too, it is a winner of a deal as it faces tough competition from China and South Korea in finding markets for its high-speed train technology. Chinese technology is much cheaper too. Indo-Pacific strategic intent deepened This in essence is the real takeaway of the summit. It encompasses connectivity projects, accessing markets, linking Asia to Africa, development of Indias Northeast states and a renewed focus on resource-rich countries in the African region. There will be greater synergy between Indias Act East Policy and Japans Indo-Pacific plans besides two countries aligning their Africa strategic in a mutually beneficial manner. However, all this was also done keeping China in mind. The cooperation could counter Chinese President Xi Jingpings vanity project one road, one belt. But the plan needs much more push in terms of money, diplomatic outreach and planning before it takes off. China will be more wary of India-China ties With US keeping its Asia policy ambiguous and Beijing taking an even more aggressive stand on issues of sovereignty, India has to get closer to Japan. China is Indias biggest neighbour and a partner on various forums such as BRICS and SCO which means India would have to strike a more fine balance in its ties with both China and Japan. Defence technology transfer with Japan not easy This needs more persuasion like it was in the case of the nuclear deal. A case in point is the US-2 amphibian aircraft. The talks are on for the deal for long, but still stuck. A more calibrated approach is needed to pull off defence partnership due to various factors including pricing. Ties with Japan built in recent times The credit for this is goes to the UPA and Modi has built on it assiduously. When I first visited Japan as chief minister of Gujarat, I had said that want to see a mini Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true, Modi told business leaders from the two countries on Thursday. For Japan, India can be a beneficial partner as it looks for more manufacturing bases to access markets around the world. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India is pushing Myanmar both bilaterally and multilaterally to take back Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled the Buddhist-majority nation following the ethnic violence, a top aide of Bangladesh Prime Minister quoted external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj as saying. More than 300,000 Rohingya have poured into Bangladesh since the latest flare-up in violence on August 25, adding to around 300,000 refugees already living in Bangladesh, close to the border with Myanmar. Swaraj, in a phone call, on Thursday spoke to Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina and assured her of Indias full support to Bangladeshs stance over the Rohingya issue, Hasinas deputy press secretary Nazrul Islam was quoted as saying by the bdnews24.com. Indias position is the same as Bangladeshs over the Rohingya issue, Nazrul quoted Swaraj as telling Hasina. She also spoke about India pushing Myanmar both bilaterally and multilaterally so that they take back their refugees. What India is saying is that Myanmar must stop atrocities against Rohingyas, he added. Hasina said the government had designated land for makeshift shelters of the Rohingya people, but if they stayed here for long, it would pose a big problem for Bangladesh. Hasina also said she will raise the Rohingya issue at the UN general assembly in New York later this month. India, on Thursday, rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. Indias high commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. The UAE on Thursday announced a relaxation in visa rules for Indians, which it said was part of the strengthening of bilateral ties. In a statement, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to India Ahmed Albanna said the UAE cabinet on Wednesday (September 13) decided to grant visa on arrival to Indian passport holders with residence visa from UK and the European Union. The move would be a key facilitator of people-to-people ties between the two friendly countries. Albanna said that relations between the UAE and India are getting strengthened further and with every passing day a new chapter is being evolved and a strong partnership is taking shape. He said the decision to have a simplified visa process is in line with the maiden visit of UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in February in 2016. As a first step in this regard the two sides inked a MoU on mutual exemption of entry visa requirements to the holders of diplomatic, special and official passports, during the second visit of the Crown Prince to India as Chief Guest during the Republic Day this year. Earlier this year, the UAE government had announced that Indian passport holders with a valid American visa or a Green Card will now be eligible to obtain a UAE visa on arrival. The statement hoped that there would be some more measures in days to come to further improve the long-term strategic partnership and promote political, economic and trade interests between the two countries. As of next year, people with knowledge of yoga are likely to be given preference in admissions to physiotherapy programs in colleges and universities. The University Grants Commission (UGC), a department of the ministry of human resource development (HRD), will decide whether to grant preferences to practitioners of yogas applying to physiotherapy programmes at its next meeting, a senior official in the UGC has said. The body generally meets around twice every month, and last convened on August 24. The UGC could not reach a consensus on the proposal at the August meeting, according to official minutes of the meeting obtained by HT. The minutes did not explain what prevented consensus, or the extent of the preference the commission is considering. Two senior officials of the UGC and one senior official of the HRD declined to comment on the details of the discussion. According to a senior official of the UGC, the proposal, if accepted, would take effect by the application season of 2018. Last year, the ministry of human resource development asked the UGC to make instruction in yoga a part of bachelors and masters courses in physiotherapy. The commission then wrote to all central universities suggesting they form yoga courses based on the syllabus available on the website of the department of ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy. According to the senior official at the UGC, this letter also suggested that prior experience with yoga should be a criterion for evaluating physiotherapy applicants. The UGC has pursued a number of initiatives related to promoting yoga since the creation of a panel devoted to the subject in 2014. Last year, it approved the establishment of undergraduate and postgraduate yoga departments at central universities. Six have set up programmes so far. Last year also saw the introduction of yoga as a subject in the National Eligibility Test (NET), the qualifying test for jobs in higher education. Despite the existence of only six government university yoga departments, 7,279 candidates took the yoga NET on January 22, according to the Central Board of Secondary Education. More promotional measures for yoga lie ahead. The commission is planning to form a Inter-University Centre for Yogic Sciences, which would help coordinate research and training across different institutions. Home minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the government will inform the Supreme Court of its stand on the Rohingya immigrants on September 18, and refused any further comments on the issue. Asked about the politics over the Rohingya refugees, a persecuted community of Muslims from Myanmar who have fled the country in large numbers, the home minister said: Whatever affidavit we have to file, we will file on September 18. The Supreme Court has fixed Monday for hearing of a plea challenging the governments decision to deport illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants back to Myanmar. Several Union Ministers, as well as ministers in the Assam government, have in the past said that the Rohingyas are illegal immigrants in India and will have to leave the country. An affidavit on the issue, which the government later said was just a draft and being worked upon, was leaked after it was inadvertently served on the counsel for petitioner Muhammad Salimullah. In the draft affidavit, the Centre said there were contemporaneous inputs received by it that indicated links of some of the unauthorised Rohingya immigrants with Pakistan- and Bangladesh-based terror organisations. The Centre also said that it was found that there were organised network of agents and touts facilitating illegal migration of Rohingyas in India. The continuity of Rohingya immigration and their continued stay in India, apart from being illegal, has serious national security ramification, said the draft. It has also been found that many Rohingyas figure in the suspected sinister design of IS (Islamic State terror group)/other extremist groups, who want to achieve their ulterior motives in India, including that of flaring up communal and sectarian violence in the sensitive areas of the country, the Centres affidavit read. Rajnath Singh spoke on the sideline of the promotion of Home Ministrys 18-day Swachhta Hi Sewa Mission cleanliness campaign programme launched on Friday at the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Tigri camp here. The campaign will end on October 2. While inaugurating the cleanliness campaign, Rajnath Singh said the Home Ministry and all the troopers of the paramilitary forces would clean the area in and around the official premises. The Home Minister elaborated upon various steps being undertaken by the government towards cleanliness mission in the country and a Swachhta pledge was also administered by him on the occasion. For cleanliness campaign, the government is implementing a Rs 12,000 crore action plan through 76 Ministries, he said. Providing toilet facility at home will ensure safety and dignity of women. The campaign will help in improving nutrition and productivity of our children, Rajnath Singh said. The government is confident of fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of making India open defecation-free by October 2019. He also said that the governments priority is to use technology for creating wealth from waste. High drama was witnessed in Rajasthans Behror on Friday morning after activists were confronted by Hindu organisations while paying tribute to dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, who was lynched on the spot by alleged cow protection vigilantes in April. A bus full of members of a group called Karwan-e-Mohabbat (caravan of love) was passing through the streets of the dusty northern Rajasthan town when groups of people with allegiance to Hindu outfits started shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Vande Mataram. Khans lynching is back in focus after a Hindustan Times report on Thursday that showed police had closed investigations into six men named by the 55-year-old dairy farmer as his assailants. The clean chit has triggered a furor in Rajasthan with allegations that the government was going slow against cow vigilantes. Khans death was one of a string of similar incidents across India of cow-related violence thats targeted mostly Dalits and Muslims. Sensing trouble, police had deployed forces near the spot where Khan was attacked on April 1, allegedly by gaurakshaks. We are here to pay tribute to Khan and everybody who have been a victim of hate crimes, said activist and author Harsh Mander. As the activists reached the office of the deputy superintendent of police, Behror a large group of protesters surrounded them. We wont let you pay tribute to Pehlu Khan. Is he Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose or the men fighting at the borders that people would pay tribute? said one of the protesters. The police initially refused to let the activists go to the place where Khan was killed. Following that, Mander sat on a dharna saying that he wouldnt leave the place till he paid tribute to Khan. The talks were fruitful later and Mander was allowed to go alone and pay tribute to Khan. We pray for families of all victims of hate crimes, said Mander, before the group proceeded to Jaipur. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Friday made a series of surprise visits to government-run schools, hostels and other institutions in Bundi to take stock of developmental projects as part of her governments aapka zila aapki sarkar campaign. Raje, who is on a 3-day visit to the district to take feedback of the initiatives undertaken by her government, found a numbers inconsistencies at most institutes she visited. During a surprise visit to a scheduled tribe hostel for girls, she found cattle roaming freely within the complex and fodder scattered all around. Expressing her displeasure, she instructed officials to use the campus only for the purpose for which it has been set up. Raje also inspected a girls hostel at the Babu Jagjeevanram College, where students informed her about the problem of encroachment of hostel land and lack of a boundary wall. She instructed collector Shivangi Swarankar to improve the facilities at the hostel and to construct a boundary wall. Later in the day, the CM visited Bhairupura ojha village where she inspected the godown of the gram sewa sahkari samiti, the water ATM, a health sub centre and the government-run school at the panchayat office. After villagers informed her about the absence of healthcare workers at the centre, she instructed officials to take strict action against the guilty staff. Raje also visited the Atal sewa kendra at Khatkar where villagers complained about the delay in issue of lease deeds. She instructed officials to re-validate lease deeds and issue them without delay. After inspecting an annapoorna bhandar at the village, the CM instructed the coordinator of the government-run store to keep updated list of consumer products and issue cash receipts to customers. At the government senior secondary school selected under the adarsh gram yojana in Pipaliya village, she was appalled with lack toilets in the school for students. Raje instructed state education secretary Naresh Pal Gangwar to improve the facilities at the school. Interacting with villagers, Raje took feedback from them about their problems and development projects being carried out by the government. Raje also appreciated the officials on receiving information of good works in the district. Had lunch at a Dalits house Raje had lunch at the house of Babulal Bairwa, a Dalit in Matunda village. I will remember the taste of the delicious food since it was cooked on a chulha or clay stove, she said after savouring the simple lunch. BJP to retain power Addressing party workers in Bundi on Thursday night, Raje said the BJP will emerge victorious with a sound majority in the assembly elections slated 2018. The BJP will also win in the general elections in the state in 2019, she said. Describing BJP workers as the backbone of the party, Raje urged them to gear up for the elections. She also asked party workers to educate people about the public welfare schemes taken up by her government. A video of two gun-wielding men seeking votes in favour of their candidates for a gram panchayat election in Dholpur has gone viral, prompting police to launch a manhunt on Friday. In the video, a man -- identified as Ombeer Singh Gurjar of Lalauni village -- can be seen threatening villagers at gun point to vote for Amrat Lal Gurjar in Garhi Sukkha panchayat election. Locals say Ombeer was released from a jail on bail recently. Similarly, another gun-wielding man identified as Bantu Gurjar of Atraj Ka Pura village, can be seen demanding votes for Amar Singh Gurjar. Election in Garhi Sukkha panchayat that has 3,500 voters will be held on September 18. The poll was necessitated after present sarpanch Anjani Singh Parmar was disqualified by the high court. Parmar contested the poll as an OBC candidate but the high court found him to be from general category, sub-divisional magistrate of Bari Gordhan Singh Meena said. The superintendent of police of Dholpur, Rajesh Singh, said Ombeer was a vehicle thief and wanted in some criminal activities. Police teams have been formed to nab for him, he said. Criminal will be arrested before the polling. Security will be provided at all booths to complete the election in peaceful manner, Singh said. With an increased toll on the victims of H1N1 virus in Jaipur, Jaipuria Hospital, which is attached to RUHS Medical College has started screening the swine flu patients from the queue at the outpatient department (OPD). Health counsellors at the Jaipuria hospital keep a watch on the queue at the registration counters and the patients showing swine flu symptoms are separated from the queue and sent to the respective doctors with their registration slips. Jaipuria hospital deputy controller Dr Rakesh Heerawat said that any patient with redness in face, high fever, continuous sneezing, running nose and dizziness are separated from the other patients and their registration slips are made on priority. Based on the tests, samples are collected and patients are sent to the pre-swine flu ward to start the treatment immediately. If they are tested H1N1 positive, they are shifted to the swine flu ward which is an isolated ward on the second floor. The pre and post swine flu wards have sections for both male and female. Total 40 patients were tested swine flu positive from January 1 till date and from September 1 to 14, total 15 patients have been tested positive. During summers, the OPD timing is from 8am to 2pm and swine flu sample is collected from 1:30pm to 2pm. If any patient comes with H1N1 influenza symptoms after the OPD timing, they are directed to the swine flu corner at the emergency where the sample is collected from 2pm to 8pm. On directions of health minister Kali Charan Saraf, a separate swine flu counter has been started at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital near the cottage ward from Thursday. SMS Medical College Prof Dr CL Nawal said although the strain of swine flu has changed from California to Michigan this year, there is no need to be scared of it. Vaccines are available in adequate quantity. The medicines that were used to treat California strain of virus are effective on Michigan virus too. According to the health department, a total of 5483 samples were collected from January 1 to September 14, of which 1870 were tested swine flu positive and 142 have died. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Allahabad high court on Friday granted the Uttar Pradesh government two weeks time to file its reply to an application requesting to make chief minister Yogi Adityanath a party to the petition filed in the 2007 Gorakhpur riot case and fixed October 9 as the next date of hearing. The bench comprising justice Krishna Murari and justice Akhilesh Chandra Sharma passed the order while hearing a petition filed by Parvez Parwaz and Asad Hayat seeking a probe by an independent agency into the case. Parwaz filed the FIR in the case and Hayat is a witness to the decade old incident in which one person was killed and several others were injured. The petitioners said Adityanath, then city mayor Anju Chaudhri, and then MLA Radha Mohan Agarwal should be made a party as they were named as accused in the complaint. The petitioners said the government cannot be a judge in its own case and take a decision on the request to grant sanction to prosecute Adityanath. They also argued the forensic lab report, according to which the CD containing the alleged hate speech was doctored, was false and fabricated. It also asked whether a judicial magistrate could proceed with a trial after the state government rejected sanction to prosecute the accused people. The riot was sparked after Adityanath, who was then a BJP parliamentarian, allegedly made a provocative speech outside the towns railway station. Adityanath, who is also the chief priest of Gorakhnath shrine, was reacting to the death of Raj Kumar Agrahari, who was stabbed to death in a clash between Hindu and Muslim groups during Moharram processions. He was arrested and sent to jail for 15 days. Criticising the Narendra Modi government for route selection of the first bullet train, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said the project should have been launched on New Delhi-Kolkata route. Addressing a press conference around the time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe launched the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, Yadav said the Delhi-Kolkata would have been better as maximum population lived in the region. CORNERS YOGI GOVERNMENT ON LOAN WAIVER On the Yogi governments farm loan waiver scheme, Yadav said the debt of all the farmers should be written off. The Prime Minister had promised total loan waiver if BJP formed the government in UP. But after government formation, the CM (Yogi Adityanath) ran from pillar to post to get Centres help in loan waiver. Be it the Prime Minister, finance minister, Niti Aayog or Reserve Bank of India, he knocked all the doors but they turned him away, Yadav said. The waiver given by using UPs resources is a relief to farmers. A full loan waiver would have been a great help to them. Perhaps, the government is spending more on publicity, stage, ferrying of beneficiaries and food than on actual loan waiver. Farmers are anguished with the kind of amount they were getting, he said. During UP assembly polls, the BJP leaders attacked the Samajwadi Party by saying only Saifai (the ancestral village of Akhilesh Yadav) saw development. Now, after launching bullet train from Ahmedabad, they will stop taking the name of Saifai, he said. They are starting development from the place (Ahmedabad) as the PM is related to it. We too had a relationship with Saifai and launched many schemes there, Yadav added. Taking a dig at the central government, he said as the bullet train would move ahead, unemployment would end on the route. The next bullet train should start from Delhi to Kolkata via Lucknow, Varanasi, and Patna, so that unemployment ends there too, he said, adding, Just by putting up a curtain, the countrys problems and issues cannot be hidden behind it. BACKS RAHUL GANDHIS DYNASTY COMMENT Supporting Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis speech at University of California, Berkeley, Yadav said the BJP was much worried about parivarvad. Rahul is our associate, our friend. Whatever he said was in national and UPs political perspective. It exists in the US too. A Presidents son became a President. A Presidents wife also wanted to become a President. There are many examples in various democracies of the world, he said. GOMTI RIVER FRONT On Gomti River Front project, he said people would get to know about the investigations but it would have been better if the BJP government continued with the development of the river front. I can easily claim that our project is better than Sabarmati riverfront in Gujarat, he said. On the allegations of corruption in project, he invoked the recent statement of deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya where he reportedly hinted contractors to be rational in taking kickbacks. He asked the contractors to eat away a pinch of salt in dal (lentil soup), Yadav said. He said had the BJP government followed Gomtis example, it would have cleaned Hindon, Kalu and Yamuna river. The Ganga would have been automatically cleaned, he said. LOK SABHA BYPOLL: REFUSES TO REVEAL SP CANDIDATES FOR Yadav refused to say anything on SP candidates for Lok Sabha by-polls but hinted that young candidates might contest the seats. We will take the help of the youth and ask them to come forward, he said. BOAT TRAGEDY Expressing grief over the loss of lives in Baghpat boat tragedy, Yadav said the government should help the families of victims. ON HINDI DIWAS The SP chief released the books of two Hindi poets Deen Mohammed Deen and Omvir Singh Tomar on the occasion of Hindi Diwas. There will be very few countries where Hindi-speaking people are not living. There will be few countries where kavi sammelan and mushairas are not organised. The popularity of Hindi has increased, he said. President Ramnath Kovind chose Lucknows Ambedkar Mahasabha office as his first stop of the two-day visit to Uttar Pradesh beginning Thursday. The influential Dalit organisation, in turn, took the opportunity to quickly remind the new President about how Dalits in UP and elsewhere are still engaged in manual scavenging. The Mahasabha also requested the President to use his high office in ensuring that Ambedkars life and times, his student days, struggle and subsequent rise was taught in detail to students from primary to higher education. Lalji Nirmal, the Ambedkar Mahasabha chief, who had described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Daliton ke Ram during Modis visit in January 2016, largely used the 20 odd minutes of President Kovinds visit to highlight the issue and ensure that manual scavengers were suitably re-employed. Between 2014 and 2016, the union ministry of social justice and empowerment has spent more than Rs 22 crore as relief packages to assist Dalit families in UP in quitting scavenging. Still the problem persists in UP. There is great jubilation among Dalits since Kovindji became the President. Naturally, the expectations are high too, more so as Modi government is pursuing a Swacchh Bharat campaign and our demand is a part of it, Nirmal told HT after the President left. A ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment survey last year showed majority of the 10,000 plus Dalits still engaged in manual scavenging were women, most of them from UP. Read| Uttar Pradesh a land that changes fortunes: Kovind Kovind had earlier visited the Ambedkar Mahasabha office, where urns of Ambedkar, are kept on December 17, 2015 as governor of Bihar. During his Thursday visit, the President also unveiled a smriti stambh the Mahasabha has set up to commemorate Modis arrival on the Ambedkar campus in 2016. Back then, the Mahasabha had set up a tea stall run by a Dalit on the campus to uniquely showcase before the PM the nearly negligible participation of Dalit community members in owning or running eateries and roadside tea and snack joints. Now, before the President the Mahasabha put up another demand; that of getting landless and penniless Dalits a piece of land, they can call their own. A hostel for Dalit students, including a separate one for communitys women, in each district was also among the demands made before the President. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Thanking his Japanese counterpart Shizo Abe for Japans financial assistance to Varanasi Convention Centre project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday revealed that it was he who named the centre as Rudraksh, the symbol of love and prasad of Lord Shiva. Modi made the revelation at the India-Japan annual summit at Ahmedabad during which the design of proposed Varanasi Convention Centre was launched. Varanasi Municipal Corporation officials watched the live screening of the design launch on two big screens set up on municipal corporation premises. Addressing the gathering, Modi said, You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi. It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and I when we visited Varanasi together in 2015. I have named it Rudraksh the symbol of love, and a Prasad of Lord Shiva to humanity. This Rudraksh will be a garland of love of Japan for Varanasi. It will also be a tribute to our shared Buddhist heritage present at Sarnath. The proposed convention centre will come up at an estimated cost of Rs 140 crore. A Japanese architect Yoko Saka has drawn the design which was formally launched on Thursday. The DPR is likely to be ready by February 2018 and construction will start from first week of June. Municipal Commissioner Dr Nitin Bansal said the centre will enhance cultural exchange between India and Japan and with other countries as well. The Yogi Adityanath government has cancelled over 27 lakh ration cards identified as bogus and ineligible during a three-month statewide intensive drive ending August 31. Now, it has issued over 33 lakh new ration cards to the deserving poor families that were so far deprived of subsidised food grains. The 27,18,989 ration cards found to be bogus account for around 8% of a little more than 3.41 crore total ration cards in the state. However, the number of ineligible cards has been found relatively more in the priority household category than the Antyodaya (poorest of the poor) category. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), an Antyodaya family is entitled to the highly subsidised 35 kg rice/wheat per month irrespective of the number of members in the family while a priority household gets 5 kg wheat/rice per member per month for the same price. Principal secretary, food and civil supply, Nivedita Shukla Verma told HT: As many as 98,089 Antyodaya cards and 26,20,900 priority household cards were found to have been issued to ineligible families, totaling 27,18,989 cards comprising around 1.15 crore units. After deleting the bogus ration cards, we have identified and included 33,32,968 new eligible households in the list of beneficiaries, she added. An analysis of the district-wise list prepared by the office of the commissioner, food and civil supply, shows the number of bogus cards was the highest in the districts around the state capital. The six districts under the Lucknow division Unnao, Lakhimpur Kheri, Rae Bareli, Sitapur, Hardoi and Lucknow together account for 3,55,270 bogus cards (15,510 Antoday and 3,39,760 priority households). Moradabad, Meerut and Allahabad divisions follow Lucknow. Among the districts, Allahabad with 2,110 Antyodaya and 1,39,452 priority household bogus ration cards has been found to be on the top of the list followed by Ghaziabad (294/94359), Agra (181/81,324), Bijnor (387/78,253) and Hardoi (5001/73538). In Lucknow district, 91 Antyodaya and 67,028 priority household ration cards have been found bogus. While all the 91 Antyodaya cards have been issued to eligible families, only 41,626 eligible families have been identified and cards issued under the priority households so far against the 67,028 cards deleted in the district. Verma said the department will soon start holding special camps all over the state, where people could come to claim inclusion of their names in the list of the beneficiaries under the Antyodaya/priority household category if they thought their name had been left out despite their being eligible. We will also have a relook at the districts where the number of ineligible ration cards has been found to be quite low and get the cards re-examined afresh, if so needed, she said. As per the NFSA provisions, not less than 79.56% rural and 64.43% urban population is to be given the food security cover in UP. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who also holds the food and civil supply portfolio, had announced in March-April the door-to-door verification of ration cards with a view to cancelling the bogus ones and issuing the ration cards to the deserving families. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday described his home state Uttar Pradesh as Bhagya Badalne Wala Pradesh (the land that changes fortunes). On his maiden visit to Lucknow after assuming office, Kovind expressed gratitude to the people of UP and described it as a place where cultures have evolved and religions have emerged. BAGHPAT TRAGEDY LEAVES PRESIDENT UPSET Baghpat boat tragedy that claimed the lives of 19 passengers on Thursday moved President Ram Nath Kovind who termed it as a tragic incident. He, along with others observed two-minute silence in the memory of the ill-fated passengers. The event was held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow. Kovind, who seemed visibly upset, also began his address by mentioning about the incident. We all are human beings and often get upset over such incidents. I got the news when I was entering the venue. I was in a fix that how can I be felicitated on such a sad day. But, it is the love of the people that compelled me to attend the event, he said. He was speaking at a programme organised by the state government to felicitate the president UP is a distinct state. It has the blessings that helped nurtured many great personalities, he said while citing example of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, who were born here. Read: 19 dead as boat capsizes in Yamuna river, villagers pelt stones at police Be it in terms of education, or of religious places such as Mathura, Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Kushinagar and Varanasi or its role in the field of art and culture, UPs contribution is unquestionable, said the president in his short speech. The president also asked the people to identify the hidden message behind Lucknows famous pehle aap tehzeeb. It actually means promote others first, a courtesy or an etiquette that can only be seen being extended in UP, said the president while thanking chief minister Yogi Adityanath for the grand welcome. Adityanath, who gifted a brass statute of Gautam Buddha to the president, said Kovinds life is an inspiration for others. People should learn from his life that was full of struggle. I still remember the line that Kovind ji mentioned in is address during the swearing inmain ek chhote se gaon ke mitti ke ghar mein pala hua hoon (I am brought up in a small mud house in a small village). It touched me, the chief minister said. The chief minister also highlighted various government schemes and programme launched by the state government and promised to make UP an open defecation free (ODF) state by October 2018. Governor Ram Naik shared his relationship with the president and talked about the days of struggle that they faced together. The president will leave for Deen Dayal Upadhayaya Smriti Vatika at around 10:30am on Friday to pay tribute and then would leave for Kanpur at around 2:15pm to take part in the cleanliness drive at Ishwariganj village of Kanpur. He will launch a programmeSwacchata Hi Seva Hai in Kanpur before going back to Delhi via Lucknow in the evening. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An autorickshaw driver assaulted a 65-year-old man and kicked him in the face after he refused fare on Wednesday in Andheri. The driver was arrested soon after. Laxman Aavhad, 65, was waiting for an autorickshaw at Sakinaka junction around noon on Wednesday. Despite failing to get any auto for a long time, the resident of Marol, Maroshi Road in Andheri (East), kept trying. This time, a 40-year-old auto driver stopped but he also refused to ply. This led to an argument between Aavhad and the driver. The driver got agitated and kicked Aavhad in the face, injuring him. With the help of people present at the spot who saw the altercation, Aavhad stopped the driver from fleeing. One of the passersby alerted the police and the driver was taken to the police station. We arrested the driver on the same day he was handed over to us. He was produced before a metropolitan court that released him on bail, said Avinash Dharmadikari, senior inspector at Sakinaka police station. The accused driver was booked under sections of the Indian Penal Code for causing hurt and criminal intimidation and other relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Despite Mumbai Polices efforts to spread awareness about vishing cases, through their Twitter handle and a video starring actor Ajay Devgan, cases continue to occur. The latest case involved a senior citizen, who was duped of Rs1.48 lakh. Till July, 391 cases of card fraud including vishing have been reported to the Mumbai Police, in which only 44 are detected, making the detection rate a mere 11%. The more worrying factor is that crime cases have increased, while detection rates have decreased. In this period last year, 267 cases were registered and 43 were detected, i.e, the detection rate was 16 %. According to the Khar police, a 69-year-old senior citizen received a phone call from a cyber fraudster posing as a bank official at 2.30pm on September 12 . The complainant is a housewife, and lives in a building on 10th road in Khar (West). She informed the police that the fraudster told her to furnish her card details as part of Know Your Customer (KYC) procedure. He said if she fails to provide details, her card will be blocked. The woman gave her card details as well as the One Time Password (OTP) several times. Within a small span of time, the fraudster used the OTP numbers to withdraw Rs1,48,999 from her account. The woman then learnt from her family members that she was fooled by the fraudster. The family then approached the Khar police station to lodge an FIR under section 419 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for impersonation and cheating and 66C of the Information Technology Act for identity theft. A BJP MLAs car crashed into a traffic police chowky in Mulund in the early hours of Friday. While the MLA was not present in the car, police said that only the driver and a traffic policeman was injured in the crash. The incident took place when the BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singhs driver was driving the car along the Eastern Express Highway around 1 am. The accused driver of the vehicle was heading into the city from Nahur. He was speeding at the time, and was unable to control the vehicle. Before he could apply the brakes or take control of the car, it crashed into our traffic division, said Jayprakash Bhosale, senior inspector at Mulund traffic division. During the road crash, a head constable, Umesh Ishi, attached to the division, was injured in the mishap. Ishi suffered fractured ribs, and is currently admitted in the hospital. The driver, who was also injured, was rushed to the hospital, where is still admitted. Officials at the Mulund police station said they will arrest the driver once he is discharged. The division was heavily damaged in the crash. Officials in the traffic police department said the front counter and the wall were destroyed in the crash, as the car directly entered the first room in the division located near Ghatkopar bridge in Mulund. The Mulund MLA was said to be out of the city at the time of the incident. The Mulund police investigating the case have registered a case of causing hurt and rash driving against the driver of the car. A ground plus one structure in Dharavi caught fire on Friday morning. According to disaster management officials, the fire has been reported at 90 feet road in Dharavi, and fire engines have been rushed to the spot. No injuries have been reported so far. Further details are awaited. The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which was formed to provide mass housing, is facing flak for coming out with 204 apartments costing over Rs1 crore, for the first time. The Versova Residents Volunteers (VRV), led by city-based lawyer and now beach cleanup crusader Afroz Shah, will be completing week 100 this Saturday, International Coastal Cleanup Day, and expect to remove one lakh kg of trash between 3pm and 5pm. After realising that many eligible farmers are yet to make online applications for the farm loan waiver, the Maharashtra government has extended the deadline by seven days. While a BJP MLAs car crashed into a traffic police chowky in Mulund in the early hours of Friday, a 60-year-old man was killed after an rickshaw rammed into him on the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd road at Deonar. Here are todays top five picks: 1. Not-so-affordable: Maharashtra housing authority faces flak for selling 204 flats for over 1crore in Mumbai The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), which was formed to provide mass housing, is facing flak for coming out with 204 apartments costing over Rs1 crore, for the first time. Activists have slammed the MHADA, saying that the price of its apartments in both Lower Parel and Powai were according to the prevailing market rates, and hardly provided any relief to the homebuyers. These houses are meant for homebuyers classified under the Higher Income Group (HIG), whose monthly family income is more than Rs75,001. 2. Mumbaiites gear up for 100th week of Versova beach cleanup, 7.2 million kg trash removed so far What started off as an inspirational cleanup drive initiated by two Mumbaiites in October 2015 has now transcended into a worldwide movement involving 12,000 citizens working for a common environmental cause, clearing trash from Versova Beach in Mumbai. The Versova Residents Volunteers (VRV), led by city-based lawyer and now beach cleanup crusader Afroz Shah, will be completing week 100 this Saturday, International Coastal Cleanup Day, and expect to remove one lakh kg of trash between 3pm and 5pm. 3. Maharashtra government extends deadline for loan waiver application by 7 days After realising that many eligible farmers are yet to make online applications for the farm loan waiver, the Maharashtra government has extended the deadline by seven days. The applications will now be accepted till September 22. The state has received applications of about 51 lakh farmers, against the estimated 89 lakh farmers to be benefited by the loan waiver announced in June. The state government has received 95.59 lakh online applications through its service centers in last seven weeks. 4. BJP MLAs driver, cop injured after car crashes into traffic chowky in Mumbai A BJP MLAs car crashed into a traffic police chowky in Mulund in the early hours of Friday. While the MLA was not present in the car, police said that only the driver and a traffic policeman was injured in the crash. The incident took place when the BJP MLA Sardar Tara Singhs driver was driving the car along the Eastern Express Highway around 1 am. The accused driver of the vehicle was heading into the city from Nahur. 5. 60-year-old dies in Mumbai after autorickshaw rams into him A 60-year-old man was killed after an rickshaw rammed into him on the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd road at Deonar. Even as the police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) they said it is still not clear how the accident took place. According to the Deonar police, the incident took place at 10.40am on September 13 when the deceased, Kadu More, who worked as a security guard, was crossing the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd road. Former deputy chief minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar found himself in further trouble. The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court directed the state government to expedite the anti-corruption bureau inquiry against him in the irrigation scam. While taking strong exception to the failure in submitting an inquiry status report against Pawar and former NCP MLC Sandeep Bajoriya, the high court bench sternly directed the government to file a report within six weeks. The court was furious after the government failed to comply with last weeks order, when it had asked for a progress report. Pawar and Bajoriya have been accused of corruption and irregularities in irrigation projects at Jigaon in Buldhana, Lower Pedhi in Amravati, Raigad barrage near Chandur Railway, and Waghadi in Yavatmal, all in Vidarbha. Chief minister Devedndra Fadnavis had asked the ACB a few months ago to probe the multi-crore irrigation scam and Pawars alleged role in it. A nexus of contractors, officials and politicians allegedly milked thousands of crore meant for irrigation projects. While the ACB had filed two FIRs and one charge sheet in the scam, no politician has been indicted, so far. A division bench comprising justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari and justice Arun Upadhye in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court directed the ACB investigation officer to specifically conduct a probe into allegations against Bajoriyas firm that claim it bagged contracts for Jigaon and other projects on the basis of bogus documents. It directed the officer to submit findings along with an audit report before next hearing. The directives came while hearing a PIL by Atul Jagtap of Nagpur, alleging the contracts in all these projects were awarded to Bajoriya Construction Company headed by ex-MLC from Yavatmal, at the behest of Pawar, who headed the irrigation department in the previous Congress-NCP regime. Pawar had also filed an application through senior counsel Mohan Bhangde and Shyam Dewani for deletion of his name from the case, contending he had no role to play and there were no specific allegations against him. However, the court had refused to grant immediate relief to him. The cost of the Jigaon project rose to Rs5,700-crore from Rs394 crore in 15 years. The cost is expected to further cross Rs7,000 crore by the projects deadline in 2019. The petitioner also sought constitution of a high-powered committee to investigate the alleged corruption and illegalities in allotment of tenders to Bajoriyas firm. Bajorias firm got contract for both the projects only due to his proximity with Pawar, the PIL alleged. Earlier, state water resources department (WRD) principal secretary Iqbal Dhahal filed an affidavit informing that the ACB had already conducted an inquiry into nine tenders of Jigaon project and requested the government to conduct their technical audit. Accordingly, the technical audit was conducted by Amravati vigilance circle superintending engineer (SE) and a report was submitted to WRD. The report is being scrutinised at the government level, and will be finalised within the next four weeks, before being handed over to the ACB. The affidavit, filed as per HCs oral directives, mentioned the government directed Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) executive engineer in Nagpur through a July 28 letter to submit necessary information to ACB regarding 38 irrigation projects in Vidarbha, including Lower Pedhi. A vigilance enquiry has also been ordered into Lower Pedi work through same officer, and the report would submit before September 25. Even in Raigad Barrage and Waghadi projects, the SE would conduct probe and submit report within four weeks. The SE assured to take appropriate action against contractors based on the reports. What started off as an inspirational cleanup drive initiated by two Mumbaiites in October 2015 has now transcended into a worldwide movement involving 12,000 citizens working for a common environmental cause, clearing trash from Versova Beach in Mumbai. The Versova Residents Volunteers (VRV), led by city-based lawyer and now beach cleanup crusader Afroz Shah, will be completing week 100 this Saturday, International Coastal Cleanup Day, and expect to remove one lakh kg of trash between 3pm and 5pm. Citizens will focus on the north-central portion of the 3km-long beach (Darachiwadi), which is the only portion of the beach yet to be cleaned up, said members. The group, which has been joined by over 10,000 school students, civic officials, police personnel, bank employees, lawyers, doctors and various other professionals from all walks of society, has cleared a total of 7.2 million kg trash so far. I would like to thank every volunteer who has stepped up over the past two years to clean our ocean and beach. We will all have to work together for the goal that has been envisaged, and this journey will continue till our oceans become free of trash, said Shah. In the last week of August, actor Amitabh Bachchan joined the beach cleanup as well. We were honoured to have his support, and he even gifted us one excavator and tractor for future cleanups across the city, said Shah. In October 2015, irked by the immense amount of garbage being pulled in by the sea and on Versova beach, 33-year-old lawyer, Shah, and 84-year-old neighbour, Harbansh Mathur (who passed away last year) began clearing the 2.5-km strand of litter, including plastic bags, cement sacks, glass bottles, pieces of clothing, and shoes. While delivering his 32nd edition of Mann ki Baat, a weekly radio-cast address to the nation through the All India Radio, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May this year lauded the efforts of the citizens. In December last year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) called it the worlds largest beach cleanup in history, and awarded Shah UNs top environmental accolade Champions of the Earth award at Cancun, Mexico, making him the first Indian to achieve such a feat. On Saturday, Naysan Sahba, director of the UNEPs division of communications and Vijay Samnotra, UNEP India head, will be joining the cleanup. A metropolis like Mumbai has a healthy engagement between the government and civil society. The cleanup is an example of how citizens can work in tandem to find solutions to problems that plague a city, said Samnotra. On this anniversary, UN Environment salutes Afroz and his dedicated band for their endeavour to clean our ocean. Senior officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said that they will be participating in the cleanup. It is our responsibility, and we have been cleaning the beach regularly, but being a peoples movement where citizens are coming forward in large numbers is a welcome sight for the municipal corporation, said Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner and ward officer, BMC. Seven excavator machines, four tractors, and 43 civic body workers will be deployed at the beach where celebrities, school and college students, bank employees, members of the All India Plastic Manufacturing Association, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) and various other government bodies will join the movement. What citizens of Versova have done with the community coming together, mobilised by Shah, to clean beaches is an extremely sustainable model that can be replicated at all urban coastal cities across the country, said Atul Patne, chief executive officer, MMB. Each year, people around the world produce nearly 300 million tons of plastic, and a similar amount of plastic waste. Of that, as much as 13 million tons finds its way into our oceans. The plastic wreaks havoc on our fisheries, marine ecosystems and economies, costing up to $13 billion per year in environmental damage. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Unauthorised hawkers, who occupy roads near Mount Mary church throughout the year and live in constant fear of being evicted, have found a way to legally set up stalls right there. Theyve got hawking rights from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for the eight-day Mount Mary fair at nominal rates. During previous years, these hawkers were asked to not put up stalls during the fair so that the municipal corporation could auction the lots and earn some money. But this time, the hawkers opted for the legal route. After residents complained about illegal hawkers in 2010, the BMC put a 20-stall cap on the booths they will auction. These 20 are closest to the church. Later, in 2014, after a court order, they decided to have just 280 stalls during the fair to streamline the process and avoid illegal hawkers. The remaining 260 stalls were allotted at nominal rates. This year, illegal hawkers got registered stalls from the BMC by paying around Rs1,500 each, which permits them to sell their products legally during the fair. On the other hand, there are also stalls that have been rented by people who bought them in bulk from the civic body at nominal rates. The rent varies from Rs3,000 to Rs40,000 or even more. A man who bought stalls in bulk told me I wont get individual stalls from the BMC. I dont need 10 stalls to sell my product, thats why I ended up buying three, said a clothes vendor. The licence department of H/West ward told HT there was a proper procedure for allotment. The first 20 stalls were auctioned for Rs38 lakh last year. According to figures available as of now, the BMC has earned Rs12.56 lakh from 10 stalls this year. Vigilance officers look after allotment. We are absolutely clear there is no third person involved. However, we dont know what happens at the fair, said an official from the licence department. When asked how stalls were given to people with the same names, he said it could be because they are from the same community. The Bandra police investigating the alleged suicide of a 29-year-old pianist said he had made eight calls to eight friends just an hour before he jumped off the 12th floor of a Bandra building on September 9. He was also upset that his friends had not invited him to a party, said the police. He attended the party uninvited. Only two of Karan Josephs friends answered the calls, which were the last. The two calls lasted for 45 and 58 seconds. The police will soon record the statements his friends whom he called at 8.45 am. The statement of one friend, who is overseas, could be recorded later, while the second one will be summoned on Friday. According to an official, till Thursday, the police had no leads. Apart from the two friends, the FSL report on his mobile phone would be crucial, the police said. Joseph was staying in the Bandra flat with Rishi Shah, who owns a small media company. The police added that Joseph was very active on his mobile phone and wrote several text and WhatsApp messages to his friends. The police said they had send phones of Joseph and his friends to the forensic lab. One of the neighbours from the building said she saw Karan leaping out of the window at 3pm on September 5. The police, however, clarified that Karan was trying to pick up a Rs 2,000 note that had fallen on a ledge below their window. The police said it was neither a suicide attempt nor a murder bid. Three notes of Rs 2,000 had fallen on the ledge outside the window. Karan took out two notes and the third was a bit ahead. So he tied a dogs leash on his waist and got down and picked the note with his leg. After that, he shouted in excitement. The probe has revealed Joseph was extremely attached to his friends and was very depressed as they did not like him getting close to Shah. Joseph felt that Shah will help him to in his career. Even his mother told us that he was happy working with Shah. However, Shah would say bad things about Karans friends. Till now, we feel Joseph was emotionally weak and was depressed. His friends are still against Shah, said a police official. The police have registered an FIR against unidentified people. Josephs father Thomas told police that his son was healthy and was not under any medication. The police have recorded statements of several people till now. On Tuesday, the Bandra police arrested an African national who peddled drugs near the building where Karan lived with Shah. A locality in Bandra has been unofficially renamed by Google Maps and this change is causing residents much distress. This was noticed when residents found an error on the maps four months ago. An area that is called General Arunkumar Vaidya Nagar has been tagged as Sayed Wadi on the map and the BMC says it hasnt renamed any area in Bandra (West). Residents said the locality encompasses Mt Carmel Church and Lilavati Hospital. After sending several messages to Google, residents complained to BJP city unit chief Ashish Shelar. Vidya Vaidya, trustee of Bandra Reclamation Area Volunteers Organization, said residents are upset over the random renaming. Vijay Gangal, a Bandra resident, said, Only authorities should be able to rename areas. Cab and delivery services are affected by this unexpected change. Google should check the audit trail to track down who made the change and how. The edit feature on the maps can only be used to suggest addresses, which are reviewed by Google. Shelar wrote to the deputy police commissioner of cyber crime department on September 12 asking him to take action. According to Google, such incidents are not uncommon. Since the Maps team gathers information from third-party content providers, there are chances of wrong labelling. Users can suggest changes on the application. Resolving such issues is one of the companys priorities, said a spokesperson. A team from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will visit Shirdi next week for the final inspection of the new airport. According to sources in the aviation ministry, the airport is likely to receive an operation licence next week following which it can begin services from October. Sources said the Maharashtra Airport Development Company Ltd (MADC), which is building the airport, wants the facility to be inaugurated on October 1 as it marks the beginning of the 100th anniversary of Sai Babas samadhi. Suresh Kakani, vice-chairperson and managing director, MADC, said, We are waiting DGCAs final inspection of the airport. They have promised to issue licence in the next six days. The airport will be inaugurated in the first week of October. Kakani also confirmed that a trial run with Alliance Air will be conducted after the licence is issued. A joint inspection was conducted by the DGCA and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) in July. This inspection had pointed out loopholes on ground and also highlighted the need for more manpower. The problems have been solved and a compliance report was submitted to the aviation regulator in August. The airport will initially see 12 flights daily, four arrivals and departures each for Mumbai, and return flights from Hyderabad and Delhi. Zoom Air, Alliance Air and TruJet are expected to operate the flights. Though the officials are trying to get the airport operated by the Prime Minister, the programme has not been confirmed. If not the Prime Minister, it will be inaugurated by the state chief minister, said Kakani. The International airport at Shirdi will be inaugurated in the first week October by President Ram Nath Kovind. Expecting at least 500 pilgrims and passengers to use the air service daily, the state has planned 12 services from Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad. State authorities said the airport is likely to be inaugurated on October 1. The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) has built the airport at a cost of Rs 350 crore, of which Rs50 crore were donated by Shri Sai Baba Santhan. The airport will have a 3,200-metre runway, a terminal building spread across 2,750 sq mt and hanger for the parking of four aircraft. For MADC, established by the state in 2004, Shirdi airport is its first. The company has planned to set up counters to issue special passes for darshan and prasad at the airport and offer transport to the temple for the devotees. We will also make cloakrooms at the airport for devotees, thus enabling them to return within hours of darshan to take the flight back home. A dedicated taxi or bus service will also be made available to reach the temple, which is 15-km from the airport, said Suresh Kakani, vice-president and managing director, MADC. MADC officials said they are expecting operator licence in the next few days. Initially, there will be four services between Mumbai and Shirdi and one each for Delhi and Hyderabad. Alliance Airlines will operate from Mumbai and Delhi, while TruJet will operating from Hyderabad. Indigo has also applied and the decision will be taken soon. Besides, the expansion of the runway, logistic development for night landings are underway. We expect permissions for night operations in a few months, said an official from Mantralaya. The Shirdi airport has missed several deadlines in the past. After commencement in 2010, the airport was supposed to be inaugurated in 2012. Procedural delay, changes in design and resistance to land acquisition delayed the project by five years. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India Re-Worlded: 70 Years of Investigating a Nation WHERE: Gallery Odyssey, One Indiabulls Center, Lower Parel WHEN: September 11 to March 31, 11 am to 7 pm CALL: 03368-5424 ENTRY IS FREE A simple installation, which puts together a photograph of Mahatma Gandhi, a trowel, stone beads, a rosary and laminated marine frame, tries to see 1947, the year of Independence and Partition, from the view of a disappointed and dejected Mahatma Gandhi. The leader didnt participate in celebrating the countrys freedom. Instead he spent time in Calcutta helping solve problems between Hindus and Muslims, praying and fasting for a wounded nation. The installation, by Atul Dodiya, is part of India Re-Worlded: 70 Years of Investigating a Nation, a mammoth show that features the work of 70 artists and aims to examine each year since Independence. It includes works from Akbar Padamsee, Bharti Kher, Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, Krishen Khanna, NS Harsha, Jitish Kallat and others. Artist Pushpamala N revisits old, found images from her 1985 trip to Naya village in West Bengal. The difference between the lifestyle of the artist students and villagers is stark. The show takes its title from literary theorist Gayatri Spivaks concept of worlding - a process of violence against colonised territories that emerges during imperialism. By extending Spivaks provocation, I suggest that Indian artists after independence have de-worlded, says curator Arshiya Lokhandwala. They liberate themselves from the earlier colonial position, dismantle their British colonial legacy, and instead chose to be re-worlded within the post-colonial context. Artist Pushpamala N revisits old, found images from her 1985 trip to Naya village in West Bengal to reflect upon how she experiences the photographs now. Those casually clicked pictures now take on a different meaning and context. The visual difference in the pictures between us and the villagers mimicked records of old European colonial anthropological expeditions, and yet the photographs possessed the familiarities that we could have as insiders, says Pushpamala. The difference between the lifestyle of the artist students and villagers is stark. It almost looks like they are from different worlds, but the ease of the body language suggests the connect of being and experiencing the same nation. Shakuntala Kulkarnis performative works, which invite viewers to look and gaze at their bodies takes from 2012 Nirbhaya rape case. The work was prompted by the artists conversations with peons, electricians and carpenters in Mumbai on how men should change the way they look at women, so women are safe. COMBO DEAL Jeetander Ojha, In the memory of others, Human hair, shells, calcium, wire, glass jar, 2017. The Sacred and The Profane WHERE: Sakshi Gallery, Arthur Bunder Road, Colaba WHEN: September 14 to October 6, 11 am to 7 pm (Closed on Sundays) CALL: 6610-3424 ENTRY IS FREE In The Sacred and the Profane, two young artists present an eclectic mix of works, prompting a new examination of images and visuals around us. Jeetander Ojha is interested in looking at darker side of objects, which is often ignored. In his installation of the Taj Mahal, he shows some kind of an over growth from below the structure. People always talk of the magnificence of the wonder of the world, but hardly anyone discusses the apparent brutality the labourers had to undergo to create the world heritage site, says Ojha. Ankush Safaya, an engineer-turned-artist, looks at the world differently. Ankush Safaya, an engineer-turned-artist, looks at the world differently and his art plays with movement. This untitled piece is an assembly of 50 works. When working with electronics, technology exposed him to complex interconnected devices like circuit boards. It made him see an abstract world of imagery within them, which led him to discover his artistic language. Hence, perhaps like in a machine, he arranges his images in such a way that they assumes a rhythm, movement and a meaning of their own. My works play with movements, says Safaya. At first glance they appear still, but as the eye trains itself on the picture, the flat surfaces seem like activated linear whispers, with kinetic energies that suggest poetic missives of human experience. Time and space resonate as elements within my work. And in the chaos of a disorderly world I create spaces of harmony and balance. Viewing these together could be either a sacred or a profane experience for the viewers. You got to decide for yourself. WHEN THE BAD GUYS WIN Clare Arnis friends and family were roped in to invent, develop and build elaborate backstories for villainous alter-egos, as Arni photographed. Notorious Rowdies, photographs by Clare Arni WHERE: Tarq, F 35/36, Dhanraj Mahal, Near Gateway of India WHEN: 11 am to 6 pm, until October 19 ENTRY IS FREE For two decades, walking into an exhibition of Clare Arnis photographs meant you could be sure of a few things. The works would have a documentary quality (like her 2008 series on Indias disappearing professions or her architectural photos), theyd present India differently (like her shots along the Kaveri river) and theyd find the intimate within the expansive (like her images of a Belgian woman who lives in a cave in Hampi). Notorious Rowdies, however, will make you check twice to see if its really Arnis work. The UK-born, Bangalore-based photographer switches from reality to fantasy. Friends and family were roped in to invent, develop and build elaborate backstories for villainous alter egos, which Arni then photographed. The resulting images feature sinister sari-clad madams (you cant tell its a man under that pallu); shady patrons breaking into fights in Goa bars (one local even joined in!); leaping ninjas; petty thugs; masked bandits; bulb-lit gangsters; and macabre Morticia Addams-types. Creating a dark side, however imaginary, ended up being surprisingly liberating for Arnis subjects - shoots would go on and on as people came to terms with their new selves. Its good, every now and then, to break you own stereotypes and try something new, says Arni. But right from the start I wanted a level of authenticity to it, so it was not fancy dress, but a cathartic experience for the person involved. Arnis work is a foil for todays selfie age, when were all very aware of the images of ourselves, and the brighter persona we create on social media. Creating a dark side, however imaginary, ended up being surprisingly liberating for her subjects - shoots would go on and on as people came to terms with their new selves. Her soft-spoken sister, Oriole Henry, literally transformed into another creature, as Arni shot. How often do we get to become somebody else? A 30-year-old woman from Dubai has approached a city-based doctor for help as her 24-week old foetus is highly underweight. Dr Nikhil Datar, gynaecologist from Goregaon who evaluated the woman, said the foetus has a condition called thrombophilia, because of which the oxygen supply to its brain is low. The baby weighs 300 grams. At 24 weeks, the weight of the foetus should be at least 600 grams, said Dr Datar. He added that the condition could have been treated had the woman sought help before the seventh week of her pregnancy. Although we have found the cause it is too late to treat. All possible medications have been tried but in vain. The chance of survival at this stage anywhere is the world is zero, Dr Datar said in a Facebook post. Knowing that the condition cannot be treated now, the woman now wants to terminate the pregnancy as she will soon have a miscarriage. However, she cannot terminate her pregnancy as she has crossed the 20-week abortion deadline. Even if she approaches the Supreme Court to abort, the average turnover time of the judicial process in such cases is 4 to 5 weeks, by which she would have already suffered a miscarriage, Dr Datar told HT. This case yet again highlights the trauma women go through who want to abort her foetus but unable to do so owing to the 20-week legal abortion deadline, said doctors who are vehemently pushing for the abortion limit to be pushed to 24 weeks. It is demeaning to just wait till your baby dies in the womb and have no other option, said a gynaecologist who did not wish to be named. Earlier in the month, the Supreme Court allowed a 13-year-old rape survivor from Mumbai to terminate her 32-week pregnancy on medical grounds. The order came after a panel of doctors at the hospital said the pregnancy posed a risk to girls life. The 13-year-old delivered a boy after a Caesarean-section surgery at Sir JJ Hospital, Byculla. The baby died after three days, following respiratory complications. The baby, which weighed 1.8kg and had smaller organs, was on ventilator for 48 hours. Arman Sehgal would have turned nine years on Saturday, had he survived the tragic accident last month. The class IV student died after a fall on the second floor of GD Goenka School, Indirapuram, on August 1. Running from pillar to post in order to get justice and also running social media campaign to highlight their case, his parents Swati and Gulshan Sehgal have been staying off work since that day. Gulshan has not joined work. I have put on hold my newly joined job. Both of us never saw courts or police stations ever in our life but visiting them is now a routine. For the entire one-and-a-half months, we have been visiting police, district officials, lawyers and running campaigns for justice to our son, said Swati. Armans younger sibling Ahaan still asks about his elder brother. The Sehgals say they have not been able to explain to the three-year-old boy where his elder brother had gone. He cannot speak much but he often asks us about Arman. We have not been able to tell him about the incident but will explain him once he grows up. Maybe then he will be able to understand, Gulshan said. Our small family is completely shattered since Arman left. I have not seen Swati crying or tears in her eyes. She has become more firm and resolute to get justice for her son, he added. On Armans birthday, September 16, the Sehgals will release the last video in which Arman is seen lying in the medical room of his school after he sustained injuries on the second floor. The video is of around four minutes and the body language of the school staff will reveal everything, whether they tried to help out my son. It is our resolve, we will fight for justice whatever it takes, Swati added. The Sehgals had lodged an FIR against the school authorities under IPC sections of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence. But the school authorities moved the Allahabad high court in a bid to get the FIR quashed, maintaining that it was just an incident. We feel we have been wronged by police. Had the police been with us, we would not have seen so much of hectic activity since August 1. After the death of the Ryan School student in Gurgaon, we hope that courts will listen to our request as well. It is just because of the apathy of the investigation, we had to move Supreme Court to get a CBI inquiry in our case, Gulshan added. The Sehgals on Thursday moved the Supreme Court with a request for a CBI into the death of their son. Arman had dreams of becoming a fighter pilot or a car racer as he loved speed. His beautifully painted room was specially designed on his request. The room is still used and often visited by Ahaan, in the hope that his best pal will soon return and they will again play and share comic books together. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The father of the girl who delivered a baby boy at the district Women Hospital on September 6 filed a police complaint on Friday, alleging a threat to his life and his family as he wanted his daughters case reopened. The family claims she is a 15-year-old. But the police say she is an adult. After the delivery, the girls family is demanding reopening of her alleged abduction case. Since that day, some people tried to visit my daughter at the hospital but could not meet her. I suspect the accused and police may connive and harm me or my family. The apathetic attitude of police and their acts helped the accused go free. I filed a police complaint with the office of the senior superintendent of police said the police and administration would be responsible in case of any untoward happening, girls father said. There have been attempts to put pressure on us in the case earlier too. We had to change our rented house three times after my daughter was abducted. Both my daughters had to leave studies midway, he added. On the complaint submitted at his office, SSP HN Singh said, We will check the application and get the matter inquired. The man also wrote to the district magistrate on Friday, seeking her intervention to order his daughters age determination test. The girl went missing in December 2016 and was found by police four months later. Her family said the accused pressured the girl in order to give statements that favoured them. In her statements before the magistrate after she was found, the girl had said she went on her own and that she is an adult. One of her age tests conducted by government doctors in March said she may be 18 years. The age determination test is not conclusive. The actual age may vary one year over or below the age indicated by the test, said Dr DM Saxena, additional chief medical officer and the nodal officer for age tests. The district officials on Friday received the age test request by the girls father. The application will now be forwarded to the district magistrate and she will be taking a final call, said Prem Ranjan Singh, joint magistrate. The girl was discharged from the Women Hospital on Thursday but she and her family did not take along the newborn. In a written application to the hospital authorities, they have given in writing that the child was born out of a rape and they would not take childs custody. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A dismembered body of a class 9 student was found on Friday morning in a sugarcane field after the police launched a search for her at Kalcheena village in Modi Nagar, Ghaziabad. The girl was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by her neighbours on her way to school on September 4. The girls family members allege that she was taken to the isolated area and her throat slashed by the neighbours. They also blamed laxity on part of the police in probing the case and claimed that the accused, despite being named in the FIR, were let off twice after questioning due to the intervention of a local politician. My daughters head was recovered late Thursday night. After the recovery of the head, the police finally picked up the accused we had named in the FIR. Her body parts were recovered on Friday morning from the sugarcane fields, the girls father said. After the girl went missing, her family lodged an FIR at Modi Nagar police station on September 5 under sections 363 (kidnapping), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and named Hari Om Sharma and Subhash Sharma as suspects. After we lodged the FIR, the accused threatened us of dire consequences and said that the girl will not be spared. She stepped out of home around 6.30am for school on September 4 and never returned. It was only after I sought help from senior police officials that they listened to our plight, the girls father said. The family shifted to Ghaziabad from Bihar. To get the accused arrested, the locals had also staged a protest at the police station, but the police let them off, twice, under pressure from a local politician. The protesters were also lathi-charged and driven away. Had the police acted on time, the girl would have been alive, said AP Shukla, a member of Purvanchal Samaj, Modi Nagar. After the FIR was registered, the accused had threatened the family that the girl wont be spared, he said. Raj Kumar, circle officer, Modi Nagar, said, Since the body was lying in the jungle, it is suspected that animals ate up the body. We arrested three persons on Thursday night and they told that they had some dispute with the girls family. We will interrogate them to find out reasons behind her murder. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The senior superintendent of police of Gautam Budh Nagar, Love Kumar, on Friday expressed concern over the way police handled the case of Manipuri student, who died last week and was cremated by police without making efforts to identify the victim. I am extremely sorry for what happened. It is clearly due to the lapses of some police personnel, who did not follow prescribed procedure after the missing complaint was lodged and when he was found dead, said the SSP to the kin of Pravish Chanam, who had come to meet him in his office at Surajpur. Taking cognizance of the lapses, Kumar on Thursday suspended three police officers and shunted the station house officer of Knowledge Park to the Police Lines. On Friday, the SSP suspended two more policemen both constables after it was found that they did not report the matter on time. Twenty-two-year-old Chanam was a BA student in Imphal and had come to Delhi to meet his brother. He had come to Greater Noida to attend a concert of popular music band, The Chainsmokers, on September 8. He reportedly went missing after the concert and was found dead by police near Nithari intersection a day later. A missing complaint was lodged in Knowledge Park police station on September 9 ,but the information on the same was not shared with the police control room by the Knowledge Park police. Simultaneously, the police personnel of Sector 20 police station, under which Nithari falls, failed to update the control room on the man they had found dead in the Nithari area. The police cremated Chanam after keeping his body in the mortuary for 72 hours, saying that they could not establish the identity of the victim. Finally on September 14, five days after Chanams body was found and a day after he was cremated, his brother and friends got to know about his death after the Sector 20 police showed them his clothes and photograph of his body. Had the police followed the procedure of relaying information among themselves, his body could have been identified much earlier, said Ravi Kant Chanam, the victims elder brother. Read I Noida: Cops cremate body of missing Manipuri man, three suspended Pravish was seen coming out of the concert around 9.30pm on September 8. After that, he was taken to the district hospital in Sector 30, Noida by a man in his car, who found him lying on ground in the Knowledge Park area. He was admitted to the district hospital at 10.30pm. On the next day, around 6.30 am, Pravish was seen walking out of the district hospital in the CCTV footage obtained from the hospital. Later, around 5.30pm, Pravishs body was found near Nithari market by the police. Police registered a case and cremated him on September 13 after the post-mortem examination. Noida MLA Pankaj Singh has requested chief minister Yogi Adityanath to address issues pertaining to farmers land and compensation in his constituency. He met the CM in Lucknow on Thursday evening and discussed various issues pertaining to Noida. I requested the CM to issue necessary direction to the Noida authority to conduct a survey to identify farmers residential (abadi) land in 82 villages. If a farmers land is being used for residential purpose as opposed to being acquired for development, then the authority cannot use force to take possession, Singh said. There is a dispute between the Noida authority and farmers with regard to residential land in villages. Farmers, for a long time, have been demanding that their Abadi (residential) land, which has not been acquired in the past should be left as it is, so that their children can use it for housing or other purposes. Farmers also demanded that the compensation for the land acquired be distributed at the earliest. I have requested the CM to ensure that the Noida authority and the Gautam Budh Nagar district administration release compensation to landlosers at the earliest. Apart from this, I have also urged him to ensure that people, who have built houses in villages, get electricity and water supply, said Singh. Read I Greater Noida: Farmer leaders oppose acquisition of land for Jewar airport In 2015, the Samajwadi Party government had invoked Section 12A of the Industrial Act to invalidate panchayat elections in the villages of Gautam Budh Nagar. According to Section 12 A, holding panchayat election is not necessary for industrial towns. As a result, villages do not get funds from the state government any more for development and maintenance of civic facilities. The Noida authority also does not focus much on developmental activities in villages, allege farmers. Farmers also allege that the authority focuses only on the development of urban areas, depriving them of civic facilities. I requested the chief minister to ensure that villages are treated on a par with sectors in terms of facilities and utilities provided. Resolving farmers issues is a priority for the state government. I will keep taking up farmers issues with the government, so that they get all required facilities in their villages, Singh said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday directed the chief executive officers of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities to appoint an independent agency to audit land allotment to builders. The direction was issued by the Uttar Pradesh infrastructure and industrial development departments principal secretary, Alok Sinha, after chief minister Yogi Adityanath in a meeting on September 12 in Lucknow assured homebuyers of an audit to ascertain if builders diverted funds collected from buyers in a particular housing project. Homebuyers have alleged that most builders have diverted funds collected for construction in their respective housing projects. Homebuyers demanded an audit from an independent agency to find out how the builders siphoned off funds. Buyers questioned where the money collected from them has gone because the same was not spent on construction. Accounts of around 300 stuck housing projects in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway are likely to be audited. The chief minister headed the meeting that was attended by homebuyers and the three-minister committee in Lucknow on September 12. The CM directed for an audit into allotment to builders and also directed builders to deliver 50,000 flats in two months. I have sent a letter in this regard to comply with the decision taken in the meeting, said Alok Sinha. As per the directions, the CEOs of the three authorities are directed to prepare an action plan and send the same to the CM latest by September 18. The three authorities have decided to hire an independent agency for conducting an audit into the allotment of housing plots to different builders. The agency will collect details of the number of flats a builder sold to buyers and the funds collected. The audit will cover the money collected from buyers, in the name of a flat sale, and where the same was spent. The agency will determine whether the builder diverted the funds or not, a Noida authority official said. Read I Six Noida builders booked for cheating home buyers The three authorities will prepare terms and conditions under which an agency will conduct an audit. We will prepare the guidelines within a week and float the tender to hire an agency for the purpose. We hope to hire an independent agency, be it government or private, for the job in the next month, an official said. Officials said that audit outcome will be used as evidence in court if the builder has diverted funds. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The UN on September 8 said at least 270,000 Rohingyas have crossed the border since the Myanmar army launched clearance operations in the northern Rakhine State on August 25, following attacks by the Arakan Rohinya Salvation Army on police posts. The number roughly equals a third of the countrys Rohingya population, although Myanmar has not released an official figure. The Rohingya conundrum has two dimensions: The international communitys approach and that of the Myanmar government. The core of the conundrum lies in the identity itself. While they identify themselves as Rohingyas, neither the government nor majority of the population in Myanmar, including the Rakhine Buddhists, accept such a claim. Instead they call them illegal Bengali immigrants from Bangladesh. The problem is that neither Bangladesh nor its people are willing to accept them as their own. Instead, on several instances, their security forces forced back many of the Rohingyas who fled to their shores. The Bangladesh government has also contemplated the idea of temporarily resettling the Rohingyas to a low-lying island in the country, which many condemn. India is wary of taking a strong stance on the Rohingya issue primarily for two reasons. It does not want a strained relationship with Myanmar when New Delhi is exploring ways to enhance its presence and influence in Myanmar and the Southeast Asia region through its Act East Policy. There are also concerns in some quarters in India that the Islamic terrorist groups may expand its networks through some hardline Rohingyas. While the international communitys criticism is targeted toward the Myanmar government in general, the de-facto leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been singled out. But this is unjustified. The power-sharing nature or the hybrid system in the country is such that the military can simply choose to ignore or dont cooperate with the NLD-led civilian government. The possibility of another military takeover cannot be ruled out in case there is a threat to national sovereignty and territorial integrity, regardless of what the Constitution says. Moreover, many dont seem to realise that Suu Kyi is no longer an activist or a human-rights advocate she used to be during the years of her pro-democracy movement. Many also fail to understand that Suu Kyi, like many other politicians, wants to stay in power for now and in the foreseeable future, which necessitates her to take into account the sentiments of majority voters. One clear evidence was that the NLD did not field any Muslim candidate during the 2015 general election. Instead of directing all angers and frustration toward Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD government, the international community, including the United Nations and the powerful Western democracies, should put pressure on the Myanmar military leadership, particularly the commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, to end violence and work toward achieving a peaceful solution to the vexed Rohingya problem. Despite the apparent difficulties and challenges, Suu Kyi and her NLD government should work with the military, community leaders of both Rohingya Muslims and Rakhine Buddhists, and the international community to end violence and resolve the conundrum. The ARSA should not engage in further armed attacks on the countrys security forces to pave a way for peace. All political stakeholders should work toward ending the simmering tension and the cycle of violence, to prevent further loss of lives (especially the civilians) and properties, to restore law and order, as well as to prevent any communal tension or violence from spreading to other parts of the country. A long-lasting solution should focus on the implementation of the Kofi Annan-led state advisory commissions recommendations, including the removal of segregation or barriers between the Rohingya Muslims and the Rakhine Buddhists, and expedite the citizenship verification process for the Rohingyas. Meanwhile, moderate leaders from both sides of the communities - Rohingya and Rakhine - should undertake all possible initiatives to build mutual trust and the spirit of peaceful co-existence. Nehginpao Kipgen is executive director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University The views expressed are personal Lets not worry too much about Nirmala Sitharamans lacking in experience to be the defence minister. For all their experience AK Antony and Manohar Parrikar were failures. In our system, no minister is expected to have expert knowledge of the subject he/she is allotted. A good minister is someone who sets goals, takes decisions, has sound judgment, listens, learns from experience, and has authority within the government. Sitharaman shone as a BJP spokesperson, is an articulate, hard working and dogged person. However, she is a political lightweight and her authority stems from the trust of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And these qualities will not be enough in dealing with the major portfolio she has been entrusted with in the recent Cabinet reshuffle. As a commerce minister, Sitharamans task was to supervise well-established policies of a ministry that ran reasonably well. Outcomes in trade policy, FDI etc were not within the control of the minister or the government of India anyway; external factors played a key role. But as defence minister, Sitharamans task is larger. Not only does she have to run a ministry, which deals with more than a million people and whose budget is nearly Rs 360,000 crore, but to run it well, she needs to carry out deep reforms and restructuring of the ministry. The Indian ministry of defence (MOD) is obsolete, its public sector units and ordnance factories dysfunctional, it runs a military whose organisation is outdated. Worse is the barely concealed hostility between the civilians who run it and the military personnel who have to implement its policies without having an effective role in formulating them. The agenda for reform is vast and has been outlined by several committees since 1990. Unfortunately, it has been subverted by the bureaucracy. Sadly, as Antony and Parrikar showed, the political heads of the ministry, responsible to the Cabinet Committee on Security, have failed in their job to discipline them. The Group of Ministers of the BJP-led NDA-I government recommended a range of measures to integrate the civilian and military parts of the MoD. The babus simply changed the nomenclature and declared that the decision had been implemented. So, today, the head quarter of the Indian Army is the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army). As for their main recommendation, seconded in 2012 by the Naresh Chandra Committee, to appoint a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), it has got lost. The generalist bureaucracy lacks the expertise to advise the government, so they spend their time in preventing those who can, the uniformed military from doing so. Only if the problem of the inexpert bureaucracy is fixed can we move to the stage of reforming the ministry and restructuring the armed forces. Efforts to do so otherwise are doomed. India has been trying to reform the MOD since the constitution of the Arun Singh Committee in 1990. This has been through two key reforms -- the integration of the civil and military components of the MOD and the appointment of a CDS which would, in turn unlock a whole slew of reforms including the creation of theatre commands. Sitharamans initial remarks suggest that she, like Parrikar, will be more focused on acquisitions and will seek to promote Indian manufacture of weapons systems. This is all for the good, but it cannot be achieved overnight. Also it requires systematic and deep reform in the way defence planning, acquisitions, R&D and manufacturing are linked. Fixing manufacturing and acquisitions alone will not work. She needs to urgently tackle the need to reorganise Indias sprawling military to make them an effective fighting unit for 21st century warfare, where challenges range from nuclear armed adversaries to proxy jihadis. This means shedding flab, integrating commands, getting them to work as a single unit with the civilians and so on. She will confront a wall of vested interests who do not want any reform because, like all bureaucratic organisations, they are afraid they will lose out on change. Its the task of the political boss to knock their heads and change things. Sitharaman needs to first understand the nature of the challenge, get the support of her boss and push the reforms throught irrespective of who is on board or not in her ministry. Manoj Joshi is a distinguished fellow, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi The views expressed are personal The reduced power and influence of the United States in world politics today, the phenomenal rise of China; the economic successes of nations like Turkey and Brazil and the challenges before India in a rapidly changing world were the dominant themes discussed at the inaugural session of the third Pune Dialogue on National Security (PDNS) on Friday. In his keynote address foreign policy analyst, C Raja Mohan, director Carnegie India, said that a number of assumptions that had guided the world over the last 25 years were being questioned in a big way today. These assumptions were that the world would become unipolar with the collapse of the Soviet Union, that economic globalization would be relentless; that supra-national and trans-national bodies such as the United Nations would have a bigger role to play and that new technologies such as the Internet would create wealth and free individuals. China had emerged as the second largest economy in the world after the United States and the rise of China would be the single-most biggest factor influencing our neighbourhood, Raja Mohan said. Indias capability to shape its region is being tested, he said, while stating that India will need to work hard with win-win partnerships and strategies to strengthen its ties with neighbours. In his introductory remarks, PDNS convenor and former Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (retd) explained the nature of the Pune Dialogue and its emphasis on sensitizing the common man on national security matters. The eminent scientist and PIC president RA Mashelkar gave the welcome address to the national and international participants, which PICs vice-president Vijay Kelkar, chaired the first session on the theme, India and the Emerging World Order. Prof. Shen Dingli (China): The world order is changing and the world has now become less centralised. America is less powerful today. China has benefitted from globalization and has surplus manufacturing capability. China wants to play a role in the re-building of Iraq and Syria; it wants a reconciliation between the two because this will open up business opportunities for China. This is also the rationale behind the Chinese policy of giving low interest loans to other nations. Prof Wang Dong (China) Wang Dong during Pune Dialogue on National Security at YASHADA, Baner in Pune. (Pratham Gokhale/HT PHOTO) We have entered the post-America world. The West-dominated world order is coming to an end. India and China hold the key to the new world order. China and India need to be friends, and we should not allow differences to escalate. Prof Tsutomu Kikuchi (Japan) Tsutomu Kikuchi during Pune Dialogue on National Security at YASHADA, Baner in Pune. (Pratham Gokhale/HT PHOTO) The US and China have substantial influence on Asia; no other country has as much influence on affairs in Asia. China is becoming confident, but also insecure. The economic slowdown in China is adding to its internal insecurities. Japans relations with India and the rest of Asia are becoming stronger. Afghanistan Ambassador Shaida Mohammad Abdali Shaida Mohammad Abdali during Pune Dialogue on National Security at YASHADA, Baner in Pune. (Pratham Gokhale/HT PHOTO) Terrorism has played a major role in shaping the world order. The Afghan War was the waterloo of the world order. The distrust between the world powers is at its peak. India has been sincerely fighting terrorism over the last many years and at least now, Indias positive role in Afghanistan is being acknowledged. Fareed Zakaria, (US, on video) After 400-500 years of Western domination, we are now seeing the rise of the rest. The US has less power and influence today. It is merely the single-most powerful country today and not the sole shaper of the world. The rise of China is the single-largest shift in contemporary world politics. China has been growing substantially faster than India and its economy is four times larger than Indias. The Chinese expansion is extraordinary and the Chinese strategy is very well thought out. The Indian government needs to put in a much stronger strategic effort to put together a coherent alternative strategy to China. Air India has pre-poned the timing of its Chandigarh-Sharjah flight by two-and-a-half hours from next month in wake of revised working schedule of Chandigarh international airport due to runway repair. The airport is currently operating till 10 pm, but from October 3, it will operate only till 4pm. From this date, all flights will also stand withdrawn on Sundays with the entire day given for repair work. This hit on operations will continue till March 31. Why runway is being repaired; to take 18 months Repair work is being done to extend its length from 9,000 feet to 10,400 feet so that it is equipped to handle operation of wide-bodied aircrafts. Officials said that once runway length is operated, airlines can start direct flights to US, Europe or Canada Besides this, modern runway stripe will have better lighting system to operate in fog. The repair may take at least 18 months to complete which means that there will be constant restrictions on commercial operation till then. As a result, Air Indias current departure of Chandigarh-Sharjah flight at 5.45pm has been revised to 3.20pm with operation limited from Monday to Saturday, informed Air Indias local station manager RK Negi. He also informed that the timings of its Pune and Mumbai flights have also been advanced and they will operate only for five days due to the operational hazard. The departure of Chandigarh-Pune flight has been advanced to 9.10am from 10.50am. Similarly, the departure timing of the Chandigarh-Mumbai flight has been revised from 5.40pm to 3.30pm in order to operate within the revised watch hours, said Negi. The new schedule, he clarified, will come in to force from October 3. There is however no change in Air Indias flight timings to Delhi and Leh. For IndiGos 3.45 pm Dubai flight; take-off could be allowed after 4pm The departure time for Indigos Chandigarh-Dubai flight that leaves at 3.45pm is just 15 minutes ahead of airports closing hours at 4pm. Sources said airline officials raised apprehensions of cancellation as delays in the flights do occur in aviation. Since the route started in September 2016, there have been 72 instances of the flight leaving late. In a submission before the Punjab and Haryana high court, assistant solicitor general of India, Chetan Mittal, submitted that the chief operational officer of the Air Force Station will make necessary adjustments whenever there is a delay in the Chandigarh-Dubai flights. Revised schedule of other airlines awaited Even as the revised schedule of other airlines is awaited, several evening flights are set to be cancelled due to the revised schedule. Sources in Jet Airway told HT that the airline operates 10 flights from airport with two of them are late evening flight on Chandigarh-Delhi route at 7.35 pm and 9.35 pm. Both are going to be cancelled in our revised scheduled, which is expected very soon, said an official. Similarly Spicejet, said sources, may not be able to adjust two of its four flights. An official said that they may cancel its Jaipur and Hyderabad flight, currently operating at 6.10pm and 8.50pm, due to its inability to get advanced slots before 4pm and some internal adjustments. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union minister for food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday said Manpreet Singh Badal will be remembered as one of Indias failed finance ministers. Badal, who was speaking after the inauguration of a five-day exhibition Naya Bharat Karke Rahenge in Sector 17, said, When Manpreet Badal was finance minister in the Akali Dal government, there was no development in the state. Progress began the day he left. But he has proved to be complete failure again. The exhibition was part of a mass campaign started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take six resolves to free the country of corruption, poverty, filth, communalism, terrorism and casteism. She said Manpreet is responsible for farmers suicide as the Congress government has failed to keep its promise of waiving farm loans. She lashed out at the Congress for failing to fulfil its poll promises even as it is completing six-month tenure on Saturday. The entire development of the state has come to halt, she claimed, adding the government has not given job to a single person even as so many posts are lying vacant. During our regime, we gave jobs to nearly 2.5 lakh people, she said. On the drug issue, she said it was the Congress which earlier claimed that there were 70% drug addicts in the state but now stands exposed after the studies by AIIMS and PGIMER found that only 1% people are drug addicts. She called upon the youth, farmers and women to benefit from the policies and projects of the food processing ministry for increasing their income and business with value addition to their agri products. Earlier, Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher highlighted the importance of active public participation for proper implementation of government programmes. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON With the SCs liquor ban relaxed in the city on August 30, drunk drivers are back on the city roads. Setting a new record for most challans for drunken driving in a single day, the Chandigarh traffic police have booked 157 people, including two women, for drunk driving on Wednesday night. The vehicles were also impounded. This is a huge jump from the previous record challans with April recording 147 challans. Even on Holi when the hooliganism was at its peak, 90 challans were issued. On Wednesday, the police has also ramped up its presence. Against the normal number of 7-8 nakas, 13 nakas had been set up with most pubs and bars offering complimentary drinks. Shallan documents have been forwarded to the district courts sector 43, Chandigarh The message has to reach home that Chandigarh is not the city for drunk drivers, said Shashank Anand, SSP (traffic and security) Chandigarh. With the relaxation of liquor ban we are apprehending increase in the number of challan of drunk driving, he added. The Chandigarh police have got 50 new alco-sensors/ breath analysers and it will also press for strict punishment to drunk drivers so that it acts as deterrent. The Motor Vehicle Act provides for punishment of jail term that may extend up to six months or with fine which may extend to Rs 2,000 or both. He added, Chandigarh courts had been handing over punishment of till the rising of the court. There is provision of the same and we are pressing to invoke this punishment rather than just imposing fine. Instant nakas to check leak of location To counter tech-savvy residents who have been using social media platforms --- WhatsApp and Facebook, to dodge drunk driving nakas Chandigarh police to opt for instant nakas for random checking. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Kamal Haasan has finally spoken about his political career. In an interview to The Quint, the Tamil actor confirmed that he is indeed considering launching his own political party. On further probing, he said he is doing so not out of choice but compulsion. Yes, I am thinking on those lines, not out of choice but compulsion. Which existent political party can provide me with a platform or an ideology that will match my reformatory goals in politics? In doing so, Kamal Haasan has gone a step beyond actor Rajinikanth who had earlier merely hinted at a career in politics. In May this year, while speaking to fans in Chennai, Rajinikanth has asked his fans to prepare for war. Rajinikanth asked his supporters to be ready for war when it comes, asserting the system is rotten and that it needs to be changed. He added, he has no political aspirations, but If God wills it, I will enter politics tomorrow. Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan has been constantly targeting AIADMK government on a host of issues that range from corruption to bad governance. In September, Kamal Haasan met Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said that saffron was not his colour. The statement led to lot of speculation that he could be joining hands with left forces. Kamal Haasan met Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram recently. (PTI) On Wednesday, the actor clarified that he would not be attending a national conference on fascism scheduled to take place on Saturday in Kozhikode, Kerala. He said he would be busy shooting for Bigg Boss in Chennai. Embarrassing. Was not asked for Calicut meeting with Kerala CM. I am at Bigg Boss all Saturdays till October. Best wishes for the function, Haasan tweeted on Wednesday. Embarrassing. Was not asked for Calicut meeting with Kerala CM. I am at Bigg boss all saturdays till Oct. Best wishes for the function. Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) September 13, 2017 On the career front, he awaits the release of Tamil spy thriller Vishwaroopam 2. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has asked a British architectural firm to take inputs from well-known Telugu filmmaker SS Rajamouli in finalising designs for some key government buildings in upcoming state capital Amaravati. Naidu suggested that Rajamouli, famous for his blockbusters Baahubali and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion be flown to London in the coming weeks for his inputs to Foster and Partners firm. The chief minister will visit the firm in London on October 25 to finalise the designs, during his tour to Britain and United Arab Emirates. An artists impression of Mahishmati, the fictional kingdom in Baahubali. The firm on Thursday submitted final models of the buildings for the assembly and the high court. According to a statement from the chief ministers office, he was happy with the waterfront, the layout and the interior designing of the legislative assembly. He, however, felt the facade can look much better to reflect world-class architecture. The high court designs too, will be revisited, and the firm will present their next draft in the following weeks, it said. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop NASA said on Friday its Cassini spacecraft burned up in the skies over Saturn as planned, ending a 20-year mission. Earth received @CassiniSaturns final signal at 7:55am ET. Cassini is now part of the planet it studied. Thanks for the science, Nasa tweeted. Cassini was put on a course to plunge through Saturns atmosphere and vaporise like a meteor at the end of its 20-year journey exploring the planet. Key data on the US spacecraft Cassini, which has uncovered some of the mysteries of Saturn. (AFP) Flight controllers at Californias Jet Propulsion Laboratory got one last burst of scientific data from Cassini, before the radio waves went flat and the spacecraft fell silent. The only spacecraft to ever orbit Saturn, Cassini showed us the planet, its rings and moons up close in all their glory. Perhaps most tantalising, ocean worlds were unveiled by Cassini and its hitchhiking companion, the Huygens lander, on the moons Enceladus and Titan, which could possibly harbour life. Every time we see Saturn in the night sky, well remember. Well smile. And well want to go back, the Cassini missions official Twitter handle post. Cassini showed us the beauty of Saturn. It revealed the best in us. Now its up to us to keep exploring, it added. With inputs from agencies Scientists taking on the deep questions of whether cats are liquid or solid, how holding a crocodile influences gambling and whether playing the didgeridoo can help cure snoring were honoured Thursday at the Ig Nobel Prize spoof awards. The prizes are the brainchild of Marc Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, and are intended not to honour the best or worst in science, but rather to highlight research that encourages people to think in unusual ways. We hope that this will get people back into the habits they probably had when they were kids of paying attention to odd things and holding out for a moment and deciding whether they are good or bad only after they have a chance to think, Abrahams said in a phone interview. Some of the honourees tend towards the spurious: French researcher Marc-Antoine Fardins 2014 study Can a Cat Be Both a Solid and a Liquid? was inspired by internet photos of cats tucked into glasses, buckets and sinks. The winner of the Ig Nobel in physics used mathematical formulas to conclude that active young cats and kittens hold their physical shape longer than older, lazier felines. Are cats liquid? the answer is yes pic.twitter.com/yUKo63pN0V Kira (@kirayusa) September 12, 2017 Other work on the prize list has clearer potential for practical applications. Economics winners Matthew Rockloff and Nancy Greer conducted an experiment in which problem gamblers and non-problem gamblers handled 1-metre (3.3-foot) long crocodiles before playing a simulated slot machine. The 2010 study, conducted on 103 people in Queensland, Australia, found that problem gamblers were likely to place higher bets after handling the reptiles, as their brains had misinterpreted the excitement of holding a dangerous animal as a sign they were on a lucky streak. A quick bit of research reveals that 2% of the audience are disgusted by cheese. Wierdoes. Improbable Research (@improbresearch) September 14, 2017 Human Spotlight Madeline Pelz illuminates the scene during Ig Nobel award ceremonies at Harvard University in Cambridge. (AP Photo) A multi-national team of six researchers won the Peace Prize for the 2005 paper Didgeridoo Playing as Alternative Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: Randomized Controlled Trial. The conclusion that the Australian wind instrument might be of some benefit was based not the didgeridoos droning tone, but rather that the daily practice involved a lot of blowing, and may have strengthened the upper respiratory tract, making breathing easier. Didgeridoo instructor Alex Suarez demonstrates the Ig Nobel Peace prize-winning study at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Reuters Photo) The awards, now in their 27th year, are to be handed out by actual Nobel Prize winners in a ceremony at Harvard University on Thursday. They are unusual approaches to things, Abrahams said. It would be difficult for some people to decide whether they are important or the opposite. If you had sleep apnea for a long time, the didgeridoo thing would sound quite intriguing. Off the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, some 500 km south of Chennai, lies Pamban Island. Seemingly a stones throw from neighbouring Sri Lanka, this is an island steeped in historical significance, and with some of the most resilient people alive. One of the longest sea bridges in the country, the iconic Pamban Bridge connects the mainland with the island, also known as Rameswaram Island. With breathtaking views of the Bay of Bengal, the journey to the island over this bridge rewinds one to colonial times, when it was built by the British to improve trade relations with Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Built in 1914 as Indias first-ever sea bridge, the 6,700-foot structure is in itself an engineering and historical marvel that has withstood several of natures furies from storms to cyclones. The bridge initially ran up to the south-eastern tip of the island, Dhanushkodi, now a ghost town. After a cyclone hit it in 1964, Dhanushkodi was washed away by the sea and is now a mere skeleton of the town it once was. Pamban Bridge connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to mainland India. (Shutterstock) Remnants of its railway lines, church and the devastated dwellings of people can still be seen, though in very poor shape. From the tip of the region, cell phone networks welcome one to Sri Lanka. Visible from here is the Adams Bridge a former land link between India and Sri Lanka, now undersea that is also known as Rama Setu, the bridge believed to have been built by Lord Ramas army to rescue Sita from Lanka. Nambavel, a 50-year-old, says there can be no other home for him than Dhanushkodi, of pristine waters and picturesque views of the Bay of Bengal. Three generations of his family have lived here. Although the deadly cyclone forced many to migrate to villages around, some 50 families, including Nambavels, refused to leave. Even as many people we know migrated to nearby villages, theres no home like Dhanushkodi for us the sea is everything, he said. With sea levels rising around the world due to global warming, the region is constantly threatened by nature. But that does not deter Nambavel: Even if another cyclone is close, most of us would like to be here, a land weve grown up in. Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island. (Shutterstock) Surrounded by sea and sand, the town cannot grow any crops and has no provision for electricity due to the wind velocity in the area. It is only the solar panels, an initiative of late President APJ Abdul Kalam who hailed from Rameswaram, that light up the shacks of the few residents. With Rameswaram considered to be one of the holiest places for Hindus, a majority of visitors make temples the focus of their travels. Aiming to showcase the rich cultural and historical heritage of the island, apart from the much-visited temples, Utsa Majumder, the general manager of the newly-launched Hyatt Place, Rameswaram, is working extensively on various itineraries that uncover the untrodden places in and around the region. Theres a lot more that the Rameswaram Island can offer than just the temples it is mostly known for. We want people to know that Rameswaram can be an experiential destination and not just a pilgrimage spot, said Majumder, adding, From historic places that have stood the test of time to some incredible architecture and engineering like the Pamban Bridge, theres a lot a tourist can see here. The hotel offers menus that present the cuisines of the land from kuzhi paniyaram (rice batter dumplings) to kara kozhumbu (a spicy tamarind gravy). The region also celebrates its much-beloved son Abdul Kalam. His two-storeyed house on Mosque Street is filled with thousands of books and is always bustling with people. A Rs 15-crore memorial to Indias Missile Man, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27, has also grown rather quickly as a tourist attraction. The memorial houses a copy of the last speech Kalam delivered at IIM-Shillong on July 27, 2015, a number of pictures of his meetings with world leaders, and a host of other objects. As an island that is yearning to receive a boost to its tourism, even a bottle of water bought from a shack in Dhanushkodi goes towards supporting a family. FAQs: Reaching there: Flights to Madurai, the nearest airport, from all major cities. From Madurai, Rameswaram can be reached in 3 hrs 30 min (160 kms) by road. For the picturesque views from a train, pick one that is available almost every hour to Rameswaram from Madurai Railway Station. Stay: There are four-star, three-star hotels and smaller lodges in the town. Best time to visit: October to March as the temperatures drop and stay between 20 to 30 degrees C, making travel easier. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more About 40% of the total Rohingya population living in the Rakhine State of Myanmar has now fled to Bangladesh, the United Nations (UN) has said. Since August 25, the number of Rohingya refugees who have crossed the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh has now reached 389,000, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to the UN secretary general told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. In the last 24 hours alone, 10,000 people reportedly crossed into Bangladesh. Combined with those who fled during the last round of violence in Rakhine State last October, it is estimated that some 40 per cent of the total Rohingya population living in Rakhine State have now fled into Bangladesh, he said. UNICEF has trucks filled with emergency water, sanitation and hygiene supplies for thousands of Rohingya children heading to Coxs Bazar, with a steady stream of supplies in the pipeline for the coming days and weeks, he said. It is estimated that 60 per cent of Rohingya refugees arriving in Bangladesh are children, he added. The sheer number of refugees has overwhelmed pre- existing refugee camps, with new arrivals seeking shelter anywhere they can find space, Dujarric said. According to UNICEF there are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, and is also helping Bangladesh government on improving water treatment plants. UNICEF plans to massively scale up its emergency response to the growing number of Rohingya children in Bangladesh, and has appealed for more than $7 million to provide emergency support over the next four months, he added. The UN Security Council had earlier expressed concern over the security situation in the Rakhine State. There needs to be a focus, obviously, as he said, on the halt of the, of military and security operations. Underlying issues need to be dealt with in Rakhine State, and what we urgently, urgently need is an international mobilisation of support for the tens of thousands of, of very vulnerable people who we have seen streaming into Bangladesh, often already arriving in very poor condition, the spokesman said. The UN Secretary General has urged the international community to mobilise immediately to help the refugees, the men and the women and the children, he said. The percentage of children is astounding, all these people that need to be helped now, Dujarric said. The US has asked China and Russia to take direct action against North Korea to indicate their intolerance to the provocative missile tests carried out by the Communist-nation. China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement after Pyongyang carried out another missile test today that flew over Japan. North Koreas provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the US have been directly threatened in recent weeks, he said. These continued provocations only deepen North Koreas diplomatic and economic isolation, he added. United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime, Tillerson said. Pressure on Myanmar soared as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the violence against Rohingya Muslims unacceptable and rights group Amnesty said on Friday it has evidence of the militarys systematic torching of villages. The increasingly harsh global condemnation comes as the number of Rohingya who have fled Myanmars Rakhine state for Bangladesh to escape ethnic unrest hit 389,000, and the United Nations warned of a looming worst case scenario with all of the Muslim minority group trying to leave. The number of refugees was up 10,000 in just 24 hours, as the three-week old crisis deepens. We need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership but also be very clear and unequivocal to the military power sharing in that government that this is unacceptable, Tillerson said Thursday of Myanmars first civilian leader in decades. This violence must stop. This persecution must stop. It has been characterised by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop, he said during a visit to London, speaking alongside British counterpart Boris Johnson. Johnson also called on Myanmars de facto leader to use her moral capital to highlight the plight of the Rohingyas. Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate and long-time human rights champion, has been condemned for a lack of moral leadership and compassion in resolving the crisis. She has no control over the powerful military, which ran the country for 50 years. UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said the mass displacement of Rohingya amounted to ethnic cleansing. Amnesty International released fresh satellite images Friday of burned villages in Rakhine state, alleging Myanmars security forces have led systematic clearances of Rohingya Muslim settlements over the last three weeks. At least 26 villages had been hit by arson attacks in the Rohingya-majority region, the rights group said, with patches of grey ash picked up in photos marking the spots where homes had once stood. Backing up the pictures, Amnesty said fire sensors also deployed on satellites had detected 80 large-scale blazes across northern Rakhine state since August 25, when the army launched clearance operations. Rakhine state is on fire, said Olof Blomqvist, a researcher with Amnesty International, in a clear campaign of ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar security forces. The group quoted Rohingya witnesses who described security officers and vigilantes using petrol or shoulder-fired rocket launchers to set homes alight, before firing on villagers as they fled. Its very difficult to conclude that it is anything other than a deliberate effort by the Myanmar military to drive Rohingya out of their own country by any means necessary, Blomqvist added. - Worst case scenario - Relief workers are struggling to contain the humanitarian disaster unfolding around the Bangladesh border town of Coxs Bazar with 10,000-20,000 people crossing over each day -- far more than the UN and other agencies had expected. We have to estimate the worst case scenario where all Rohingya flee Rakhine, said Mohammed Abdiker Mohamud, a director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UNs migration agency. We cannot just put our heads in sand (and) say that everything will be OK, he added. Unless a political solution is found there is a possibility that the entire Rohingya community may come to Bangladesh. There were previously an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya in Rakhine state, who have endured decades of persecution in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar. At least 300,000 had fled to Bangladesh before the latest crackdown started on August 25, following attacks by Rohingya militants on police targets. The exodus since has taken the overall figure of those who have quit Myanmar to at least 700,000. Even before arriving to safety in Bangladesh, refugees who have trekked through jungles for days to reach the border are being targeted by profiteering boat operators who have hiked prices 200 times to cross the river separating Myanmar and Bangladesh. An AFP correspondent at the Naf river said boat owners were charging refugees up to $100 for a 10-30 minute trip that would normally cost less than 50 cents. The boatmen threatened to throw us into the sea if we refused to give them our valuables, said Nadera Banu, 19, who got married only last year but is already a widow. I gave up the final memento of my husband, a gold locket given on my wedding day, to escape. Bangladeshi magistrates operating mobile courts in Coxs Bazar and nearby districts have now started sentencing boat owners and local villagers to terms of up to six months in prison, officials said Thursday. Once in Bangladesh, refugees -- with UNICEF saying 60 percent of new arrivals are children -- are faced with desperate conditions in already overstretched camps around Coxs Bazar. UN agencies have warned the country is struggling to cope. There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, UNICEFs representative in Bangladesh Edouard Beigbeder said in a statement. Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children. Australias prime minister Friday defended a churchs right not to marry some couples following reports a womans wedding was cancelled after she posted support for same-sex marriage on Facebook ahead of a national vote. A voluntary postal ballot involving up to 15 million Australians on whether gay marriage should be legalised is underway, with the results due in mid-November. The survey is non-binding but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed to hold a vote in parliament if the majority of Australians choose yes. The poll has attracted heated debate from the yes and no campaigns, with some prominent clergy speaking out against such unions, warning that legalising them could infringe on religious freedom. Fairfax Media reported Friday that one couple were due to be married in the rural town of Ballarat in Victoria, but after the bride-to-be posted support for changing marriage laws on Facebook she was told the church minister would no longer officiate. You must surely appreciate that your commitment to same-sex marriage opposes the teaching of Christ Jesus and the scriptural position practised by the Presbyterian Church of Australia and by me, the minister wrote in a letter to the bride provided to Fairfax. This conflict of views has practical consequences in relation to your upcoming wedding. By continuing to officiate it would appear... that I support your views on same-sex marriage or that I am uncaring about this matter. The church, Ebenezer St Johns, had no immediate comment Friday, but Turnbull defended the ministers decision, saying churches are free to marry whoever they like. Churches are entitled to marry or not marry whom they please. That is part of religious freedom. My own church, the Catholic Church, will not marry someone who has married before, he told reporters in Canberra. Turnbull, a moderate who supports same-sex marriage, is opposed by some members of his conservative ruling Liberal-National coalition on the issue and the postal vote is seen as a compromise. No campaigners say changing the laws could impact the church, but both Turnbull and Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten -- who also supports gay marriage -- have said religious freedom would be protected under any reforms. Parliament on Wednesday passed election-style safeguards restricting campaign material that might be misleading and deceptive during the ballot period, amid fears the vote could unleash a barrage of homophobia. Scotland Yard declared an explosion on the arterial District Line of Londons Tube network on Friday as a terror incident, which injured several passengers and hit morning rush hour, reminding some of the panic caused by the July 2005 attacks. The blast in a white canister at Parson Green Station in south-west London caused burn injuries to some passengers. The police said its Counter-Terrorism Command was investigating the incident. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for CT policing, has declared it a terrorist incident, Scotland Yard said in a statement. It said officers from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command are investigating. Police were called at approximately 08:20 am local time to the underground station following reports of a fire on the train, the statement added. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service and British Transport Police attended the scene, along with colleagues from the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service. At present we are aware of a number of people who have suffered injuries. The station remained cordoned off and people were advised to avoid the area. In the wake of the blast, there was a stampede at the station as people rushed to move out. The London Ambulance Service said several resources had been devoted to the incident. Prime Minister Theresa May was being kept posted on the progress of the investigation, but foreign secretary Boris Johnson said: Im afraid my information is limited and it really is important not to speculate at the moment. Obviously, everybody should keep calm and go about their lives in a normal way, as normal as they possibly can. As far as I understand it, the British Transport Police and Transport for London are on it. Ordnance factory personnel were at the scene to investigate the blast. The District Line was closed between Earls Court and Wimbledon, with severe delays on the rest of the busy line. Eyewitness Sham told BBC: At first I thought they were in a bit of a rush or whatever but actually looked and the whole staircase was full of people. There were people on the floor, all like toppling over each other just trying to get out as quickly as they could and there were loads of people crying and shaking. He added that there were loads of people limping and covered in blood and stuff from like where theyd fallen over and hurt themselves. Another eyewitness, Emma said: We were running down the stairs like.. it felt like for our lives... like sprinting, so happy I was wearing trainers...And I went down the stairs and after a while people were just piling on top of each other, because people were falling over trying to run so quickly. And there were two ladies underneath me and a little boy to my right, his head had been smacked into the concrete. Supposed bag inside subway that exploded at #ParsonsGreen in #London, structural damage seems small pic.twitter.com/xU0HQFopa7 Roeland Roovers (@r0eland) September 15, 2017 One eyewitness told Reuters flames engulfed one carriage and raced along the train, forcing passengers to trample others as they rushed for an exit. I just heard a kind of whoosh. I looked up and saw the whole carriage engulfed in flames making its way towards me, he said, adding that the train was packed with people. Another Reuters witness could see six ambulances, fire engines and a helicopter at the station Outside the Parsons Green station, a woman was seen sitting on a pavement with a bandage around her leg while armed police patrolled. A Reuters witness saw a woman being carried off on a stretcher with her legs covered in a foil blanket. Media technology consultant Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, was sitting on the District line train bound for central London at about 8.20am when he said panic unfolded around him. Emergency services at the scene following a blast on an underground train at Parsons Green tube station in west London on Friday. (Reuters) Suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming, he said. There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. He added: I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets. Some people got pushed over and trampled on. I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. She said they were really badly burned and their hair was coming off. London Fire Brigade also said they were at the scene and were called at 8:21 am. The London ambulance issued the following statement: US President Donald Trump claimed that the perpetrators of the attack was someone known to British authorities, tweeting that they were loser terrorists and sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. However, Prime Minister Theresa May did not take too kindly to Trumps comments. I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation, she said. Britain has already suffered four attacks blamed on terrorists so far this year which killed 36 people. (with inputs from agencies) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Sri Lankan police on Friday found the body of a British journalist, Paul McClean, who is suspected to have been killed by a crocodile. Divers found the body of McClean, who worked for the Financial Times, in the mud of a lagoon in the coastal village of Panama, 360 kilometres east of the capital Colombo by road, a police spokesperson said on Thursday. There were six or seven wounds on his right leg, a police official told AFP by telephone. The body was stuck in mud at about the same place where he was seen last by some others who were with him. A crocodile is believed to have dragged McClean away on Thursday afternoon, the officer said, but a post-mortem examination later Friday would formally establish the cause of death. Witnesses said the 24-year-old was staying with his friends at the East Beach Surf Resort and was taking surfing lessons at a popular surf spot called the Elephant Rock. Theres a lagoon right next to the sea he went to the toilet next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile, A Scottish tourist told The Guardian. There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under. I was there but didnt see it happen though. Horrible. The navy, army and the task force have been sent to search for McCleans body but the river connected to Elephant Rock is deep and waters murky, said the owner of Safa Surf School Fawas Lafeer. He went in the jungle, about 800 metres. It was when he was washing his hands that the crocodile took him. Lafeer said he heard some witnesses talking: This is the first time anything like this has happened, Elephant Rock is always safe to surf. McClean, who belonged to Surrey in the UK, was an Oxford graduate with a first class honours degree in French. He covered Brexit in the two years he worked for the Financial Times, his first job after college. He had recently returned to London after living in Brussels for a few months. A friend from the university, who wished to remain anonymous, described McClean as an incredibly lovely and considerate person who was doing terrific work at FT. McCleans recent articles on the FT website include a report on how climate change is fuelling investment in the wine industry. The lagoon is known to have crocodiles and is located yards away from Elephant Rock near Arugam Bay on the southeast coast of the country, The Sun said. Although rare, there have been previous incidents of crocodile attacks in Sri Lanka. A teenage girl was reportedly dragged away by a crocodile while she was on a holiday with her family in Galnewa earlier this April. (With agency inputs) A Pakistani Christian man has been sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a Muslim friend a poem on WhatsApp that insulted Islam, a lawyer said on Friday. Nadeem James was charged in July last year after his Muslim friend Yasir Bashir complained to police that he received a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory toward the Prophet Mohammed and other holy figures. James was handed a death sentence by the court on Thursday on blasphemy charges, defence lawyer Anjum Wakeel told AFP. My client will appeal the sentence in the high court as he has been framed by his friend who was annoyed over James affair with a Muslim girl, Wakeel said. He said the trial was held inside a prison due to security reasons after local Muslim clerics had threatened James and his family. Court officials confirmed the sentence. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can stir beatings and mob violence. In 2014 a Christian couple were lynched then burnt in a kiln in Punjab province after being falsely accused of desecrating the Koran. Rights groups have said the laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance. Harvard University on Friday withdrew a fellowship invitation to Chelsea Manning, the transgender US Army soldier who was convicted of leaking classified data, after two top intelligence experts distanced themselves from the school over the invite. Manning, 29, was released in May from a US military prison in Kansas where she had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States. Harvard Kennedy School of government announced on Wednesday that it had invited the controversial figure to be a visiting fellow and speak at a forum. The invitation to speak at the university still stands, said Douglas Elmendorf, the dean of Harvard Kennedy School, in a statement. I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility, Elmendorf said. I see more clearly now that many people view a visiting fellow title as an honorific, so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations. The announcement came after CIA director Mike Pompeo canceled a speaking engagement at the university on Thursday over the invitation to Manning, whom he called an American traitor in a letter to the university regarding his decision. My conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearing to support Harvards decision with my appearance, he wrote. Also on Thursday, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA Michael Morell resigned as a senior fellow at the university, media reported. Good, Manning tweeted after Morell resigned. After more than a year of separation Syrian refugee Ammar Hammasho was finally, albeit briefly, reunited with his wife and four children through a chain link fence topped with barbed wire in Cyprus. Hammasho, who is from the war-ravaged Idlib region, fell to his knees and kissed each of his three eldest children through the three metre-high barrier encircling a migrant reception centre at Kokkinotrimithia, west of the Cypriot capital Nicosia. Ammar Hammasho poses for a photograph outside his house in Limassol, Cyprus on September 13, 2017. He worked as a construction worker for a year amassing $6,000 to pay traffickers to bring his family over. (Yiannis Kourtoglou / REUTERS) His youngest toddler, Jumah named after their second-born who was killed in an air raid in 2015 - was held up by his wife Shamuos. He kissed the protracted palm of Sham, his tiny daughter, who was dressed in a black frock neatly tucked in at the waist with a belt, small white jacket and pink sandals. The policeman told me to wait half an hour to finish the count. I couldnt wait, I saw the kids through the fence and I did this, he said, waving his hands over his head. The kids ran over. I just wanted to see them, for my heart to go back into its place, the 34-year-old construction worker told Reuters on Wednesday. The reunion came on Sunday, just hours after Hammashos wife and their children aged 7, 5, 4 and 18 months came ashore with 300 other Syrians in north-western Cyprus after a 24-hour trip on a small boat from Mersin in Turkey, in what was one of the largest mass landings on the island since the Syrian war began. Syrian refugee children are seen on a bus at the Kokkinotrimithia refugee camp outside Nicosia, Cyprus September 10, 2017. Passengers reported paying $2,000 each for the trip taking them out of the Syrian conflict zone. (Yiannis Kourtoglou / REUTERS) Hammasho knew his family were trying to leave Syria, but didnt know precisely when. When I read on the Internet that about 250 were heading to Cyprus I knew it was them, he said with a broad smile. I WILL GO HOME AFTER WAR Hammasho had taken a similar route one year ago, landing in Cyprus on September 06, 2016. Working as a construction worker, he managed to amass the $6,000 to pay a trafficker to get his family to Cyprus. He now has subsidiary protection status, which is one step short of being recognized as a refugee. Im told they will be back with me on Friday, or maybe Sunday, Hammasho said from a tiny bedsit in Limassol, a sprawling coastal city 100 km (60 miles) away from the reception camp. Ammar Hammasho, kisses his child through a chain link fence topped with barbed wire at the refugee camp in Kokkinotrimithia outside Nicosia, Cyprus on September 10, 2017. (Yiannis Kourtoglou / REUTERS) Speaking in the distinct Cypriot Greek dialect, he has the benefit of language, and friends, having already worked four years in Cyprus from 2004 to 2008. I thought the minute I left (in 2008), that would be that. I built a house (in Syria). I got married. I bought a field. Sixteen skales, he said, using a Cypriot measurement term to describe his 1.6 hectares. I worked day and night, do you understand? Now I (still) have a field. But my house is dust. 202 men, 30 women and 73 children arrived on September 10, 2017 from Mersin in Turkey in what is thought to be the largest number of migrants to reach Cyprus in a single day. (Yiannis Kourtoglou / REUTERS) Hammashos second-eldest child, Jumah, was almost five when he was killed. Remaining in Syria was simply not an option, he said. Look, in Syria right now you cannot live a life. I dont have a home. I lost a baby I dont want to dirty my hands with blood, do you understand? If you want to eat bread you have to have blood on your hands. You have to be either a jihadist, or be with (President Bashar al) Assad, or anyone else, and steal or kill. And if you start that, you are finished. That is what life is like there now. I cant do it. There are those who can. Remaining in Syria was not an option Ammar said, having lost his second-eldest child, Jumah, who was almost five when he was killed. He now counts the days until he can finally be with his family. (Yiannis Kourtoglou / REUTERS) Hammasho is looking for a house so he and his family can start anew. But he says it will only be temporary until the family can return to Syria one day. As soon as it stops Im leaving. I will go back to my field. I have a machine to extract water. I have fields to water. Its my country and I will go home. British police said on Friday they were treating as a terrorist incident reports of a blast at a west London metro station. Armed police rushed to reports of a fire on a train at a London underground station with local media reporting there had been an explosion on a packed rush-hour commuter train. The explosion, on a District Line Tube in the British capitals southwest, occurred as the train pulled into Parsons Green station. Commuters said they heard a bang and saw a fireball inside the carriage when the bucket bomb exploded. Soon after, authorities launched a massive manhunt. Here are the highlights of the day. Map of London locating the Parsons Green underground station. (AFP) 8:25pm: Hundreds of British police have embarked on a massive manhunt, racing to find out who placed a homemade bomb on the packed London subway train during the morning rush hour, the Associated Press reported. 7:51pm: British security services have identified a suspect involved in the bombing of a busy commuter train in west London with the help of surveillance footage, Sky News reported, citing security sources. 7:50pm: US President Donald Trump said he intends to call his British counterpart after a bomb attack in London and a US response that has again strained the so-called special relationship. I am going to call the Prime Minister Trump said, as his tweets about a botched London train bombing prompted British Prime Minister Theresa May warn him not to speculate. 7:40pm: The threat level remains at severe. That means that a terrorist attack is highly likely. But this will be kept under review as the investigation progresses, The Guardian quotes British PM Theresa May as saying. 7.19pm: UK PM Theresa May tells US President Donald Trump not to speculate on London train attack, reports AFP. 6.59pm: Germany stands united with Britain in the fight against terrorism, says Chancellor Angela Merkel. 6.55pm: Louis Hather, 21, a programmer who hurt her leg in the scramble to escape the train, told The Guardian: I was facing away from the bomb when suddenly I heard screams...I immediately thought: theres been a terror attack. There was something about the urgency in the way people were trying to get away that made me think that. It was sheer panic. 6.52pm: The Guardian reports: One possibility is that the detonator did not set off the main charge, causing the flash and the heat which inflicted burns on casualties but not a powerful blast which would have been much more destructive. 6.35pm: No service on High Street Kensington - Edgware Road, says a message posted on the official Twitter feed of Londons District line. 6.34pm: Supermarket Lidl offers to help police after one of its bags was apparently used to hold the improvised bomb: The Guardian says, quoting PA reports. We are shocked and concerned to have learned of an incident at Parsons Green this morning and our thoughts are with those affected, Lidl UK, the German-owned grocery chain said. 6.25pm: Investigators recover what appears to be a circuit board from the scene where the device was placed. It is being examined for clues, reports The Guardian. 6.15pm: BBC says security threat level could be raised from severe to critical if intelligences services conclude that the suspect bomber is still on the loose. 6.05pm: World leaders react: Sri Lanka prime minister Ranil Wickremasinghe: My thoughts are with the injured and first responders at the site of the London tube explosion. We will stand with the UK against terrorism Former UK prime minister David Cameron: My thoughts with all those affected by the appalling terrorist incident at Parsons Green. Thank you to emergency services for swift response. 5.54pm: London Fire Brigade says more than 250 people were evacuated from London Underground train. 5.40pm: No arrests made so far, Scotland Yard confirms: The Guardian. 5.26pm: London mayor Sadiq Khan tells LBC radio: There is a manhunt underway as we speak. 5.20pm: UK home secretary Amber Rudd condemns attack, tells The Guardian Once more people going about their everyday lives have been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way. My thoughts are with all those injured and affected. 5.09pm: The Guardian says detectives are examining CCTV from the London underground network to determine whose is behind the attack. 5.07pm: British transport police says services remain affected on District line following the Parsons Green incident. 5.05pm: They will see over the course of today and the next few days an enhanced police presence, not simply on the public transport network but also across London, London mayor Sadiq Khan tells LBC Radio. 5.04pm: London health service says 22 people injured in London terror attack. 4.51pm: South African Gillian Wixley, 36, who was eight seats from the explosion, told The Guardian: I first heard a loud bang, followed by smoke and fire rising upwards...It was chaotic. 4.50pm: Parsons Green explosion: 22 people injured, reports AFP quoting health service 4.49pm: Device used in explosion had a timer: BBC 4.45pm: Stephen Cowan, leader of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, has described the attack as disgusting 4.30pm: Rory Rigney, one of the last to board the train, told The Guardian the explosion happened only a few feet away. ...I saw the fireball coming towards me - yellow or orange. My face still feels warm. 4.19pm: US President Donald trump tweets: Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! 4.18pm: Assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said it most of the 18 injured and taken to hospital are suffering from flash burns. 4.15pm: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 4.10pm: Assistant commissioner Mark Rowley says a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is thought to be responsible for the blast. 4.05pm: The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, says he is praying for those caught up in the incident. 4.03pm: Commuter Aaron Butterfield, who was trying to get into the station, told BBC: People werent even running, they were literally crawling over one another and just fleeing I guess... Its been really frightening and very confusing especially as no-one really knows whats going on. 3.54pm: London Ambulance Service says 18 people hospitalised in subway attack, none with serious or life-threatening injuries. 3.52pm: The device did not fully detonate, Sky News cites unnamed sources as saying. 3.43pm: If you see anything suspicious just ACT, contact police, says UK terrorism police. 3.40pm: Footage filmed from the platform through the train door as people were evacuated shows flames licking from the bucket, which is inside a plastic shopping bag. That bags on fire, a woman exclaims, before a London Underground staff member orders commuters to get away from the carriage to the end of the platform. 3.38pm: Chris Wildish says he saw a massive flash of flames that reached up to the ceiling of the train and then the air was filled with the smell of chemicals. Wildish told Sky News that many of the passengers were schoolchildren, who were knocked around by people trying to get away from the fire. 3.35pm: This is the fifth terrorism incident of 2017 in the UK, according to the BBC. This attack is the only one this year in which nobody has died. Thirty-six people were killed in the four previous attacks. 3.30pm: Britains official threat level from terrorism stands at severe, the second-highest rung on a five-point scale, meaning an attack is highly likely. 3.22pm: Second unexploded device identified at the site and is now being tackled, TV reports quote a spokesperson of the London Metropolitan Police as saying. 3.20pm: A man injured in the Parsons Green tube explosion describes the incident: "It was quite scary" - Peter's head was burnt in the Parsons Green tube explosion https://t.co/slQLKviOeB pic.twitter.com/oYvbyqgUs3 BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 15, 2017 3.14pm: London mayor Sadiq Khans statement on his Facebook page: The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the explosion on a train at Parsons Green Station this morning is being treated as terrorism. Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. 3.14pm: Police say its too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Mets Counter Terrorism Command. 3.12pm: British PM Theresa May says thoughts are with those injured at parsons green and the emergency services who, once again, are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident. May says will chair a meeting of national security committee later on Friday after incident at west London tube station 2.48pm: London train incident being treated as terrorism, say police. 2.06pm: Eye witness at west Londons Parsons Green tube station says was on train when he heard a whoosh and saw next door carriage engulfed in flames 1.48pm: UK police say they are investigating reports of blast on London underground train 1.37pm: Witness says injured in stampede at Londons Parsons Green Underground station: Reuters reporter 1.26pm: No service between Earls Court and Wimbledon on London Underground District line: Transport for London on Twitter 1.18pm: UKs Sun newspaper says reports of an explosion on London underground train in west London SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON US President Donald Trump said on Friday authorities should ensure terrorist organisations were devoid of internet access as he said sick and demented people had carried out a blast on a packed rush-hour commuter train in London. Passengers on board the train fled as fire engulfed a carriage at Parsons Green underground station in West London, with some suffering burns and other injuries in a stampede to escape. Shortly after police declared the incident as an act of terrorism, Trump tweeted: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! he added. Trump also spoke about a travel ban he advocated in the United States. The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! he said. We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years.Must be proactive & nasty! Trump tweeted. He was previously criticised for speaking about the travel ban after a terrorist attack in London in June. As the attack unfolded, Trump on Twitter advocated for his court-blocked travel ban, calling it an extra level of safety. The US Supreme Court recently handed a victory to Trump by allowing his temporary bans on travellers from six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees to go into effect for people with no connection to the United States while agreeing to hear his appeals in the closely watched legal fight. The court, which narrowed the scope of lower court rulings that had completely blocked his March 6 executive order, said it would hear arguments on the legality of one of Trumps signature policies in his first months as president in the courts next term, which starts in October. With inputs from Reuters British police said on Friday that they were treating reports of a blast at a west London metro station as a terrorist incident . Armed police rushed to reports of a fire on a train at a London underground station with local media reporting there had been an explosion on a packed rush-hour commuter train. Here are some of the major attacks in Europe over the past two years: Britain March 22, 2017: Five people died exactly a year after the Brussels attacks, when a man rammed his car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge in London and then fatally stabbed a police officer outside parliament. The attacker was shot dead by police. May 22, 2017: A bombing at a pop concert by US star Ariana Grande in the British city of Manchester killed 22 people including children. Islamic State (IS) extremists claimed responsibility. Police talk to people affected by the deadly terror attack at Manchester Arena in Manchester, northwest England on May 23, 2017. (AFP File Photo) June 3, 2017: A van rammed into a crowd on London Bridge, then the three assailants left the vehicle armed with knives and attacked people. Eight people were killed and around 50 wounded. Police shot dead the attackers. IS claimed responsibility. Spain August 17, 2017: Barcelona, a tourism hub in northeast Spains Catalonia region, and a nearby coastal town were targets of extremist attacks that killed 16 people last month. The Islamic State claimed the attacks. On Barcelonas Las Ramblas boulevard, a 22-year-old rammed a truck into a crowd on August 17 and killed 14 people. France France has been the hardest hit among EU states, with 238 deaths. January 7, 2015: Two brothers who had vowed allegiance to Al-Qaeda gunned down 12 people at satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris. The next day, a man linked to the IS group shot and killed a policewoman in a Paris suburb. He took hostages at a Jewish supermarket just outside Paris the following day, killing four more. All three gunmen were killed by police. November 13, 2015: France suffered its worst terror attack when 130 people died in a string of bombings and shootings at the Bataclan concert hall and several bars and restaurants in Paris, and at the Stade de France stadium. IS claimed responsibility. July 14, 2016: On a national holiday, Bastille Day, a man rammed a truck into a crowd in the Mediterranean resort of Nice, killing 86 people. He was shot dead by police, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility. In 2016-2017, there have been several attacks on members of the French police and security forces. Germany December 19, 2016: A man hijacked a truck and ploughed into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. The attacker was shot dead by police in Milan four days later, and the rampage was claimed by the Islamic State. Firemen inspect the truck that crashed the evening before into a Christmas market at Gedachtniskirche church in Berlin. (AFP File Photo) Belgium March 22, 2016: Suicide bombings claimed by IS killed 32 people and injured 230 more at Brussels airport and Maelbeek metro station, near the EU headquarters. The attacks were led by an Islamic State cell that was also responsible for the carnage in Paris in November 2015. Denmark February 14, 2015: A gunman opened fire at a cultural centre in Copenhagen as it hosted a forum on Islam and free speech. A filmmaker was killed. Hours later another man was shot dead at the citys main synagogue. Police later killed the gunman, who had vowed allegiance to IS. Russia April 3, 2017: Five people were killed when a bomb ripped through an underground train in Russias second city of Saint Petersburg. A group suspected of links to Al-Qaeda claimed the attack, which was blamed on a Russian suicide bomber born in Kyrgyzstan. Security and the emergency services are seen near Sennaya Ploshchad metro station which was closed over an anonymous call of a bomb threat in the underground, in St. Petersburg, Russia on April 4, 2017. (Reuters File Photo) Sweden April 7, 2017: A truck ploughed into shoppers outside a busy department store in central Stockholm, killing five people including an 11-year-old girl. Police say an Uzbek suspect who was denied a residency permit in 2016 confessed. Turkey October 10, 2015: In the bloodiest attack in Turkeys history, 103 people were killed in twin suicide bombings targeting a pro-Kurdish rally in Ankara. Authorities blamed IS. January 1, 2017: An Uzbek gunman went on the rampage inside the Reina nightclub, killing 39 people celebrating New Year, mainly Arab tourists in Istanbul. The bloodshed was claimed by IS, the first clear claim it has made for an attack in Turkey, although a number of other bombings have been attributed to the jihadist group. Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with U.N. officials demanding Myanmar halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven nearly 400,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized Thursday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived Wednesday in wooden boats on beaches near Shah Porir Dwip fishing village described ongoing violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Myanmar soldiers and police. When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage, Abdul Goffar said. Myanmar presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that out of 471 Bengali villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Myanmar use that term as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Myanmar has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages a claim the U.N. human rights chief criticized as a complete denial of reality. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at U.N. headquarters on Thursday that 10,000 people reportedly crossed the border that in the last 24 hours. Combined with the Rohingyas who fled during the last round of violence in Rakhine state last October, Dujarric said its estimated that some 40 percent of the total Rohingya population have now fled into Bangladesh. An estimated 60 percent of the Rohingyas arriving in Bangladesh are children, Dujarric said. The crisis and refugee exodus began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Myanmars military retaliated with clearance operations to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Myanmar soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. Facing growing condemnation globally, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend U.N. General Assembly meetings Sept. 19-25 to instead deal with what the government said were domestic security issues. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Wednesday that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Rakhine state. The term ethnic cleansing is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group by displacement, deportation or even killing. And Amnesty International said Thursday that it has turned up evidence of an orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings by Myanmar security forces targeting dozens of Rohingya villages over the last three weeks. The U.N. Security Council has called for immediate steps to end the violence and ensure civilian protections. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. The thousands of Rohingya flooding into Bangladesh every day have arrived hungry and traumatized. Many need urgent medical care for violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth. The women who are coming for check-ups all have a terrified and exhausted look, said Sumaya, a midwife at the Nayapara refugee camp working in association with the U.N. population fund. We keep hearing stories from them of walking through jungles and across hills for days without food, their children carried over their shoulders. Theyve lost their homes. Two existing refugee camps were packed beyond capacity, and Bangladesh has said it would free land to build a third. Many of the new arrivals were huddling in makeshift shelters along roads or in open fields. Near the camp of Balukhali, some were setting up tents made of bamboo and plastic along hillsides muddy from days of rain. Children walked uphill to capture rainwater before it spilled into the teeming settlements below. Food, clean water and other necessities were scarce. Panic erupted Thursday along roadsides where local volunteers were distributing food, water and other supplies haphazardly from parked vehicles. Local officials shouted through bullhorns for volunteers to coordinate their efforts with aid agencies to avoid spreading chaos. There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, UNICEF country representative Edouard Beigbeder said. The U.N. childrens agency said it needed $7.3 million to help just the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children now at high risk of contracting water-borne diseases. On Thursday afternoon, a scuffle broke out at a makeshift relief center at Kutupalong, where some refugees tried to break into the center and were beaten back by at least four security guards wielding sticks. Those who managed to receive some aid after waiting hours in line were dismayed by the meager hand-out. I have just got a tarpaulin sheet but no food, said 55-year-old Osman, who gave only one name. I need rice to eat, I need to feed my family. They said they cant give us anything else. What will I eat now? U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said humanitarian assistance would increase very, very quickly. Asked why the response has been slow, Grandi alluded to difficulties working in Bangladesh, but said he hoped this will change as the scale of the crisis becomes more apparent. It is the Myanmar governments responsibility to ensure that security returns to Rakhine, Grandi told The Associated Press at the Stockholm Security Conference in Sweden. Bangladesh already was housing some 500,000 Rohingya who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. Rakhine state had up to 1 million Rohingya before the latest violence. At least 30 people have been rounded up in recent days in Saudi Arabia in an apparent sweep against Islamist sympathisers and critics of the crown prince. Saudi rights activists say among those reportedly detained are popular clerics, writers, a poet and prominent intellectuals. The government has released a vague statement confirming arrests were made against people working against the interests of Saudi Arabia, but did not name the detainees. The arrests have thrown an already anxious kingdom into deeper unease, raising questions about the countrys steadiness amid mounting speculation that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could soon replace his father as king. The arrests appear to be linked to a three-month impasse between Qatar and Arab states that have severed ties over the small Gulf states embrace of Islamist groups. (AP) MRJ President Donald Trump sparked fury in London and yet another pointed rebuke from Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday after he claimed loser terrorists behind a botched London train attack were known to British police. (Highlights of the day) Trump took to Twitter to condemn an attack on a packed London Underground train that injured 22 people, but also appeared to suggest the UK authorities had dropped the ball. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist, the US president tweeted. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Trump said, appearing to reveal undisclosed intelligence from the headquarters of Londons Metropolitan police force. That electronic broadside brought a terse public response from May, who warned the US president and others not to speculate. I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation, May told journalists in London. Trumps latest comments were similarly described as unhelpful by Londons Metropolitan Police. Nick Timothy, Mays former chief of staff, also branded the US leaders tweet unhelpful. True or not -- and Im sure he doesnt know -- this is so unhelpful from leader of our ally and intelligence partner, Timothy wrote on Twitter. At least 22 people were injured after a bomb detonated on a packed train, setting off a wall of fire that burned commuters in Britains fifth terror attack in six months. Witnesses saw passengers with facial burns and hair coming off at the Parsons Green station in west London after the explosion on the train during the morning rush hour. Trumps keenness to underline a series of UK terror attacks, virtually in real time, has led to repeated outcry across the Atlantic that has helped indefinitely delay his much-vaunted state visit to Britain. In May, British officials were furious after their US counterparts leaked shared material about an investigation into a bomb attack at a concert by pop star Ariana Grande in Manchester which left 22 dead. The bombers identity and details of the probe leaked to US media before British officials felt ready to disclose them. Ambulances and police stand nearby after an incident on a tube train at Parsons Green subway station in London. (AP) Trump renews call for travel ban After an attack in London last June, Trump lashed Londons Muslim mayor Sadiq Khan for telling the public there was no reason to be alarmed over armed police on the streets. On that occasion, Prime Minister May was forced to upbraid Trump, saying I think Donald Trump is wrong in what he said about Sadiq Khan in the aftermath of the London Bridge attack. In March, the White House left UK spooks apoplectic when it cited unproven media reports that President Barack Obama had asked Britains signals intelligence agency, GCHQ, to monitor then-candidate Trump in order to make sure there were no American fingerprints. The normally tight-lipped agency called the allegations nonsense, adding that they are utterly ridiculous and should be ignored. Trump on Friday also used the London train attack to renew calls for his controversial ban on travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries -- a rallying cry of his right-wing base who have recently been angered by his support for an amnesty for some migrants. The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific -- but stupidly, that would not be politically correct, the president said in a series of tweets. Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! he added, without elaborating. But that domestic political message risked upending the decades old trans-Atlantic relationship. Speaking in London on Thursday, secretary of state Rex Tillerson hailed a relationship that is as special today as it has ever been. That premise looks set to be tested when Trump, as he also announced Friday, calls May to discuss the attack in the coming days. NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg on Friday called for a global response to North Koreas latest missile launch, calling it a reckless breach of UN resolutions. North Koreas missile launch is another reckless breach of UN resolutions -- a major threat to international peace and security which demands a global response, he said in a tweet. The launch earlier on Friday of a ballistic missile over Japan came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of measures on the isolated country following its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. The missile flew over Japans northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, deepening tensions after Pyongyangs recent test of its most powerful nuclear bomb. North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japans northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, further ratcheting up tensions after Pyongyangs recent test of its most powerful nuclear bomb. The missile flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) east of Hokkaido, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. Warning announcements about the missile blared around 7 am (2200 GMT Thursday) in the town of Kamaishi in northern Japan, footage from national broadcaster NHK showed. US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said the launch put millions of Japanese into duck and cover, although residents in northern Japan appeared calm and went about their business as normal. The missile reached an altitude of about 770 km (480 miles) and flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 3,700 km (2,300 miles), according to South Koreas military - far enough to reach the US Pacific territory of Guam. The US military said soon after the launch it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile but the missile did not pose a threat to North America or the US Pacific territory of Guam, towards which Pyongyang had previously threatened to launch a missile. US officials said Washingtons commitments to the defence of its allies remained ironclad. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for new measures against North Korea and that these continued provocations only deepen North Koreas diplomatic and economic isolation. The United Nations Security Council was to meet at 3 pm EDT (1900 GMT) on Friday at the request of the United States and Japan, diplomats said, just days after the 15-member council unanimously stepped up sanctions against North Korea over its September 3 nuclear test. Those sanctions imposed a ban on the countrys textile exports and capping imports of crude oil. The international community needs to come together and send a clear message to North Korea that it is threatening world peace with its actions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo. Abe described the launch as unacceptable. Ashes and darkness North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under young leader Kim Jong Un as it accelerates a weapons programme designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. This rocket has meaning in that North Korea is pushing towards technological completion of its missiles and that North Korea may be feeling some pressure that they need to show the international community something, said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum. Last month, North Korea fired a missile from a similar area near the capital Pyongyang that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean. Two tests in July were for long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the US mainland. South Korea said it had fired a missile test into the sea to coincide with North Koreas launch and the presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. Japan also convened a National Security Council meeting. The Norths launch came a day after Pyongyang threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to ashes and darkness for supporting the Security Councils latest resolution and sanctions after the Norths sixth and most powerful nuclear test. The US general who oversees Americas nuclear forces said on Thursday he was making the assumption that test was in fact a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang had claimed, based on the size of the blast. Im assuming it was a hydrogen bomb, said Air Force General John Hyten, head of the U.S. militarys Strategic Command. I have to make that assumption as a military officer, Hyten told a small group of reporters who were accompanying Mattis on a trip to Hytens headquarters in Nebraska. Mattis said the US military was well-practised on this. Dangerous, reckless The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The US dollar fell sharply against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc in early Asian hours in response to the launch, although losses were quickly pared in very jittery trade. US President Donald Trump had been briefed on the latest launch, the White House said. Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own, Tillerson said. Australia, a strong and vocal ally of the United States, quickly condemned the launch. This is another dangerous, reckless, criminal act by the North Korean regime, threatening the stability of the region and the world and we condemn it, utterly, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an interview with Sky News on Friday. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. Hamza bin Laden, son and would-be heir of late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, has urged Muslims around the world to join the jihad in Syria against crusaders and Shiites. The cause of Syria is the cause of the entire worldwide Muslim community, he said in an undated audio recording released on jihadist networks Thursday. In order for the people of Syria to resist the Crusader, Shiite and international aggression, Muslims -- all Muslims -- must stand with them, support them and give them victory, he said. Wakefulness is essential, as is quick, serious and organised movement, to support the people of blessed Syria before it is too late. Hamza, who is in his mid-20s, has become active as an Al-Qaeda propagandist since his fathers death at the hands of US special forces in May 2011. Syria has been devastated by a six-year war and given an opening to jihadists including the Islamic State group and the Fateh al-Sham Front. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Sunni extremist group that last month seized control of the northern Syrian city of Idlib, is dominated by the Al-Qaeda offshoot, which officially broke ties with the network founded by Osama bin Laden. But experts say the name change was little more than a re-branding. Many believe the group is positioning itself as more moderate than the Islamic State group in hopes of a resurgence. The United States added Hamza bin Laden to its terrorist blacklist in January. The US Treasury estimates that he was born in 1989 in the Saudi city of Jeddah. His mother was Khairiah Sabar, one of the Al-Qaeda founders three wives. Last year, the fifth anniversary of the death of the man who ordered the 9/11 attacks on the United States, experts began to note his sons increasing prominence in the movement. The State Department has designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, freezing any assets he holds in areas under US jurisdiction. In an undated audio message released in August, Hamza bin Laden urged his Saudi supporters to rebel and overthrow the kingdoms rulers. Experts believe he is preparing to take over the leadership of Al-Qaeda and exploit the Islamic State groups defeats in Syria and Iraq to unify the global jihadist movement under the banner of Al-Qaeda. Pakistans Supreme Court on Friday rejected two review petitions filed by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family to challenge his disqualification in Panamagate case, effectively scuttling his efforts to regain his office. All these review petitions are dismissed, said Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, who headed the five-judge bench that heard the review petitions filed by Sharif, his sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, daughter Maryam Nawaz and finance minister Ishaq Dar. The petitions had sought a review of the apex courts July 28 verdict that disqualified 67-year-old Sharif for dishonesty for not declaring the salary owed to him by his sons Dubai-based firm. The court had also ordered the filing of corruption cases against Sharif, his three children, son-in-law Mohammad Safdar and Dar, who is related to the former premier. With Fridays decision, any possibility of Sharif regaining his office came to an end. His disqualification as a member of Parliament remains valid and Sharif will also be unable to contest the general election in 2018. During the hearing of the case, Salman Akram Raja, the counsel for Sharifs children, and the deposed premiers attorney Khawaja Haris presented similar arguments. The bench assured the counsel that the trial of the ruling family in an anti-corruption court would not be prejudiced against them. Sharif and his family had contended the Supreme Courts order was coram non judice as the five-member bench did not have jurisdiction to oversee the proceedings in another court. They also said that the apex courts directions to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on how to proceed with the probe, what evidence to collect, how many cases to file and an order to monitor the investigation and trial violated the principle of trichotomy of powers. Sharif and his family members and Dar will now face the cases filed by the NAB in an anti-corruption court. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte may declare nationwide martial law if threatened protests by communists and other leftists against his rule turn violent or disrupt the country, his defence chief said Friday. Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana emphasised he believed it was very unlikely martial law would be declared, but said the president was worried about threatened massive protests by the left. He said, if the left will try to have a massive protest, start fires on the streets, they will disrupt the country, then I might (declare martial law), Lorenzana told reporters, recounting a conversation with Duterte this week. In my opinion, in my estimate the possibility of this happening is very remote. But the president is indeed very concerned because it might get out of hand. So he said: I might declare martial law. The comments fuelled concerns by critics that Duterte is dragging the Philippines back into authoritarian rule while waging a deadly war on drugs, three decades after a famous People Power revolution overthrew dictator Ferdinand Marcos. A coalition of groups naming themselves the Movement Against Tyranny had announced it was planning protests on September 21, the 45-year anniversary of Marcos imposing his military rule. It said the protests, to be held at a park in the capital of Manila, would voice opposition against Dutertes war on drugs that has claimed thousands of lives, as well as the presidents attacks on democratic institutions. The coalition also voiced outrage at Dutertes public support for Marcos, who died in US exile in 1989. The announcement for the protest said its theme was: Stop the Killings! Never Again to Tyranny and Dictatorship! The Movement Against Tyranny includes communists, leftist activists, Catholic bishops and rights groups. - Public holiday - Lorenzana said Duterte told him a public holiday may need to be declared to ensure the public was not caught up in potential trouble arising from protests from the left. He said Duterte did not specify which day the holiday would have to be declared, but then referenced next Thursdays protest. Since the left is threatening to have this massive demonstration on the 21st, he said. It was unclear how big next weeks rally would be. Despite vocal opposition from critics, Duterte remains an extremely popular leader, polls show. Previous protests against his drug war have rarely gathered more than a few hundred people. Duterte won last years presidential elections on a law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. Police have reported killing more than 3,800 people in anti-drug operations since he took office 15 months ago, while thousands of others have been murdered in unexplained circumstances. Many Filipinos back the drug war, seeing it as a quick solution to widespread crime, according to a series of polls over the past year. Duterte has repeatedly said he would to impose martial law across the country, but neither he nor his aides have given a specific timeframe and event that would trigger it. He imposed martial law across the southern third of the Philippines in May after Islamic State group (IS) supporters occupied a major Muslim city there, leading to a conflict that has claimed more than 800 lives. Duterte said in May that he may expand military rule across the entire country if he believed IS had taken a foothold outside of the southern region of Mindanao. It was one of many comments since becoming president in which Duterte had warned that martial law may be necessary to solve many of the nations problems, including his drug war. If I declare martial law, I will finish all the problems, not just drugs, Duterte said in March. Pakistans state-run airline is no stranger to controversies, the latest being the case of a missing wide-body aircraft that was raised in Parliament. When a lawmaker from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement raised the issue in the Senate on Tuesday, parliamentary affairs minister Sheikh Aftab Ahmad claimed the Pakistan International Airlines jet was lost from the carriers books and there was no clue as to its whereabouts. Tahir Mashhadi, the MQM lawmaker who raised the issue, said he had learnt a Boeing aircraft was missing. Ahmad too said the plane was missing and added: We have formed a committee to probe the matter but it has not found any clue so far. Ahmad further said PIAs sacked chief executive officer (CEO), German national Bernd Hildenbrand, had taken the plane home while leaving Pakistan. However, PIA spokesman Mashhood Tajwar later told the media the aircraft an Airbus-A-310, and not a Boeing had been grounded in Germany as it was no longer airworthy. Its not missing. Its in Germany, Tajwar was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper. The airliner had been chartered by a British company for transporting the crew of a movie being shot in Malta, following which the aircraft flew to Germany. Tajwar said the plane had completed its flying hours and was no longer airworthy. Its a 30-year-old aircraft and had already been grounded, he said. Since the cost of bringing the plane back to Pakistan would be very high, tenders were floated to dispose of it as scrap. Tajwar said the government had conducted an inquiry into the matter but the findings had not been shared with PIA. Hildenbrand, who was hired to turn around the fortunes of PIA, was sacked following allegations of corruption in the leasing of aircraft. Though he was barred from leaving Pakistan as his name was on the interior ministrys Exit Control List, Hildenbrand was permitted to travel to Germany on the condition that he would return by June 10 this year. However, Hildenbrand has not returned to the country and he is believed to be in Germany. The loss-making PIA has been embroiled in a string of controversies, including one in May over the pilot of a Tokyo to Beijing flight allowing a Chinese woman to remain in the cockpit for almost the entire duration of the journey. A senior PIA pilot was taken off-duty for allegedly sleeping on a London-bound flight, risking the lives of more than 300 passengers by handing over the aircraft to a trainee. Last year, the airline conducted an investigation into reports that seven passengers travelled from Karachi to Saudi Arabia while standing in the aisle of a flight, which was described by authorities as a serious breach of air safety regulations. US President Donald Trump used the London explosion to call for an expanded travel ban, a lighter version of which currently prevents visitors from six Muslim-majority nations from entering the country. In a series of tweets, he claimed that the perpetrator of the attack was known to the UK authorities, called for proactive measures to tackle terrorists, and suggested that an expanded travel ban would fit the bill. Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! he tweeted. Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! he posted. As a presidential candidate, Trump had proposed a blanket ban on all Muslims from entering the US after the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack. After severe criticism, he toned it down to a temporary suspension. Among his first actions after taking office in January was to order a ban on all citizens from seven Muslim-majority nations Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Somalia from entering the US for 90 days and all refugees for 180 days, later struck down by the courts. The Trump administration later came up with an order that was narrower in scope and impact. For one, it did not include Iraq. A lighter version of this executive order went into effect earlier that exempted relatives of those from these countries residing in the US. However, the United Kingdom, one of Americas closest allies in intelligence sharing, pushed back against the suggestion the Scotland Yard was watching the perpetrators and called it speculation. I never think its helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation, British Prime Minister Theresa May said. US President Donald Trump has said that he will announce his decision on the Iran nuclear deal in October, which is currently under review by his administration. Youll see what Im going to be doing very shortly in October. But I will say this: The Iran deal is one of the worst deals Ive ever seen, Trump told reporters travelling with him abroad Air Force One to Florida. Certainly, at a minimum, the spirit of the deal is just atrociously kept, but the Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. Its a deal that should have never, ever been made. And youll see what were doing in a couple of weeks. Its going to be in October, he said. However, he did not say what action he is contemplating. Youll see. Youre going to see. But we are not going to stand for what theyre doing to this country. They have violated so many different elements, but theyve also violated the spirit of that deal. And you will see what well be doing in October. It will be very evident, Trump said. Earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in London that the Iran policy review is still underway. The Trump administration is continuing to review and develop its policy on Iran, he said. We continue to look at some of the reckless, malign behavior of the Iranian regime. We consider it to be reckless. We consider it to be dangerous. And I think its always worth reminding folks just how bad that government can be not the people, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters. Turkey on Friday released French journalist Loup Bureau who was seized by security forces on the Iraqi border last month, his lawyer said on Friday. Bureau was detained by Turkish border guards in early August after he was found to have photographs and interviews with Kurdish militia fighters among his possessions. We are pleased to announce the release of journalist #LoupBureau. He will be expelled from Turkey shortly, lawyer Martin Pradel said via Twitter. French President Emmanuel Macron last month expressed his concerns about Bureaus detention in a telephone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. The announcement came as French Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian concluded a two-day visit to Turkey. Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia, with which Bureau is accused of having links, to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group. The PKK has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey and is designated a terrorist organisation by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. Bureaus lawyer said a Turkish court had not closed the case. We must continue to fight, Pradel said in another tweet. Keeping up the pressure on the Myanmar government to act on Rohingya refugees, Britain on Friday released an additional 25 million to deal with what it called the unprecedented scale of the crisis in Bangladesh and Burma. International development secretary Priti Patel said a majority of the latest funding will be spent in Bangladesh, where more than 350,000 Rohingyas have taken refuge following what international observers have called ethnic cleansing in Myanmars Rakhine state. Patel said the funding will help scale up critical life-saving assistance - such as food, shelter, water and sanitation to a greater number of those who have fled their homes. In Myanmar, Britain stands ready to provide life-saving assistance to those affected in Rakhine state, she added. Britain continues to use the name Burma, instead of Myanmar, to refer to the country. The name was changed to Myanmar by the then ruling military junta in 1989. The UK had earlier promised to provide 11 million to aid the Rohingyas. Patel said: For the second time in a little under a year, the eyes of the world are once again fixed on Burma. I am appalled by the allegations of gross human rights violations against large numbers of Rohingya, including reports of the Burmese military and local militia forcing hundreds of thousands of men, women and children from their homes and villages being burnt. Latest estimates are that a staggering 370,000 Rohingyas have fled Burma in just over two weeks to seek refuge in Bangladesh, carrying nothing more than a handful of possessionsSimply put, the Burmese military must put a stop to the attacks on the Rohingya. Referring to reports that aid workers were facing problems of access, Patel said unacceptable intimidation and restrictions on the movement of humanitarian workers must be ended. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The number of people arrested in Britain on suspicion of terrorism offences rocketed by 68 percent in the last year to the highest figure on record during a period when the country suffered four deadly attacks, figures showed on Thursday. Statistics from the Home Office (interior ministry) showed there were 379 arrests in the year to June, up from 226 from the 12 previous months, and the most since 2001 when the data began to be collected. Britain is on its second-highest threat level, severe, meaning an attack is highly likely and 36 people were killed in terrorist incidents in the first six months of 2017. Among the arrests, 12 came after an attack in March on Londons Westminster Bridge when a man drove a car into pedestrians killing four, before he stabbed a policeman to death outside parliament. Another 23 followed a suicide bombing at a pop concert in Manchester in May, and the following month police arrested 21 suspects after three Islamist militants drove into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people at nearby restaurants and bars, killing eight. One arrest followed an attack in north London when a van was driven into worshippers near a mosque which left one man dead. Britains most senior counter-terrorism officer Mark Rowley has said police have been arresting a suspect every day. He said this week that there had been a shift in the threat level rather than an isolated spike. In the three years until March this year, police foiled 13 potential attacks but in the next 17 weeks, there were the four attacks while the authorities thwarted six others, Rowley said. The pace has continued to be almost as challenging since then, he told a conference in Israel. The official figures showed that among the 379 arrests, 123 people were charged with an offence, of which 105 were terrorism-related, while 189 were released without charge. The U.N. childrens agency is estimating that 240,000 children have fled Myanmars Rakhine state into neighboring Bangladesh over the last three weeks. UNICEF spokeswoman Marixie Mercado says that figure amounting to about 60 percent of the estimated 391,000 total refugees includes about 36,000 children aged under 1 year old. She says the agency also estimates 52,000 pregnant and lactating women. Mercado says that includes an estimated 1,100 unaccompanied minors who had crossed over the past week. She spoke at a regular briefing in Geneva on Friday that included comments from many U.N. agencies that were addressing the crisis in Bangladesh. Mercado says: As everybody here is going to tell you, the needs are seemingly endless and the suffering is deepening. Chris Lom, Asia-Pacific spokesman for the U.N.s International Organization for Migration, said by phone in the briefing that the figures amounted to rough estimates, adding theres not somebody with a clipboard registering them as the people cross the border. The top commander of US nuclear forces said Thursday he assumes the September 3 nuclear test by North Korea was a hydrogen bomb, suggesting a heightened US concern that the North has advanced to a new level of nuclear firepower, even as it launched yet another ballistic missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, commander of Strategic Command, told reporters that while he was not in a position to confirm it, he assumes from the size of the underground explosion and other factors that it was a hydrogen bomb which is a leap beyond the fission, or atomic, bombs North Korea has previously tested. Just moments after Hyten spoke at his headquarters near Omaha, word spread that North Korea had launched a mid-range ballistic missile over Japan. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who was with Hyten at Strategic Command headquarters at the time of the launch, said afterward that it was a reckless act. It was fired over Japan and put millions of Japanese in the duck-and-cover, he told a small group of reporters. Landed out in the Pacific. Asked about a possible American military response, Mattis said, I dont want to talk on that yet. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released a statement saying, These continued provocations only deepen North Koreas diplomatic and economic isolation. Tillerson was returning from London, where he met Thursday with representatives of Britain and France to discuss ways to increase pressure on Kim Jong Uns authoritarian government. United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take, Tillerson said. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime. Tillerson called on China and Russia to indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own. Shortly after the Sept. 3 test, North Korea claimed they exploded a hydrogen bomb, and while U.S. officials have not contradicted them, they have not confirmed it, either. Administration officials had indicated they saw nothing to contradict the Norths claim. Hyten went further, saying the characteristics of the test made him think it was an H-bomb. Hyten would not discuss the exact size of the explosion from the Sept. 3 test, but Mattis had said on Wednesday that it was in excess of 100 kilotons far larger than any of the Norths five previous nuclear tests. When I look at a thing that size, I as a military officer assume that its a hydrogen bomb, Hyten said. As head of Strategic Command, he would be in charge of all elements of the U.S. nuclear force in the event of nuclear war. I have to (assume this), he added, I have to make that assumption. What I saw equates to a hydrogen bomb. I saw the event. I saw the indications that came from that event. I saw the size, I saw the reports, and therefore to me Im assuming it was a hydrogen bomb. Asked whether it matters that the North Koreans had advanced to testing a hydrogen bomb, Hyten said, Yes. The change from the original atomic bomb to the hydrogen bomb for the United States in the 1940s changed Americas strategic relationship with the Soviet Union because of the sheer destruction and damage you can create with a weapon that size. The Soviets quickly matched the U.S. by exploding their own hydrogen bomb well before U.S. officials believed possible. Pressed further, Hyten said he was not confirming that it was a hydrogen bomb. Im just saying the size of the weapon shows that there was clearly a secondary explosion, he said. Until a fission, or atomic, bomb, a hydrogen bomb is built with two stages, or explosive devices that work in tandem to create fusion. Hyten would not say how large the explosion was, but Mattis said Wednesday that it was more than 100 kilotons, which could put it in the category of an H-bomb. Hyten said that while he believes it is only a matter of time before the North Koreans have a reliable nuclear-armed missile capable of hitting the United States, they probably still have more test work to do. They havent put everything together yet, he said, referring to the ability to build a long-range missile with a nuclear warhead that can survive the extreme heat generated by re-entering the Earths atmosphere on its way to a US target. He said it would not be a surprise if the North Koreans were able to do that in fairly short order; he said it took the US less than a couple of years. The US will not succeed in Afghanistan without the support and cooperation of Pakistan which has been a source of significant challenges in the war-torn country, US President Donald Trumps nominee for the American ambassador to Afghanistan has told lawmakers. If confirmed by the Senate, John R Bass said in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he will try to change the Pakistan governments approach and find the best resolution to the problem. Obviously, Pakistan has a key role to play (in Afghanistan). They have been, as we know, a source of some of the significant challenges in Afghanistan, in enabling the Taliban to rest and refit, plan coordinated attacks. So, weve got a lot of work to do, Bass said. Responding to lawmakers questions on Wednesday, Brass said the US will not succeed if we do not have the support and cooperation of Pakistan, its neighbours and the wider circumference of significant countries in the wider region. I think one of the things working in our favour as we pick our way through this complicated landscape is that generally speaking, everyone wants to see the same result in Afghanistan. Its not in anyones interest for Afghanistan to remain a sink hole of violence and a safe haven for extreme terrorism, he said. So, the challenge weve got is to ensure that weve got a common approach among all of these countries, about how we achieve that result we all want to see, Brass said. He said these countries have an enormous stake in the stability and relative security of Afghanistan. Ensuring that neighbours and this wider set of countries continue to support the Afghan government in its efforts, not simply to deal with violence and terrorism inside the country but to also build that government capacity so that if we do get to a political settlement, theres a capable government that can negotiate with the Taliban and then perform the basic functions of government on the other side of that, Brass said. Americas first Indian-American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal calmly responded to a caller on a live television debate when he went on a rant about immigrants stealing American jobs. John, who is from Indiana and gave only his first name, called on C-SPANs Washington Journal programme last week and spoke about illegal aliens and their undocumented children who should be deported just like their parents. Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington, intently listened to him and asked him not to blame the immigrants: John, it sounds like you are in a lot of economic pain and that is true across the country... Ill tell you to blame immigrants is completely wrong and heres why. The Congresswoman then told John to look at the big corporations that arent paying enough taxes, Jayapal said. A video of Jayapals response has been shared more than 2,000 times on Facebook, with commentators saying she is a strong woman. Some of the 131 users who commented on the video also asked American citizens to remember their history of immigration. Other dissenters, however, said Jayapals claim of corporations not paying enough taxes was flawed while a few told her to return to India. Theres a small minority thats trying to divide the country and to those people, I would just say youre wrong. We have always been and will always be a great force for good, Jayapal can be seen saying in the video. Jayapal told the C-SPAN host after the call ended that she has been threatened with lynching but nothing has stopped her from believing the best, a Washington Post article said. Jayapal came to the US when she was 16 when her parents gave her all of their money --$5,000 -- to study at Georgetown University, the Post said. It took the Democrat 17 years to get US citizenship after she married an American. Jayapal is known to champion immigration rights and became the first Indian-American woman elected to the US Congress in November last year. She found the NGO OneAmerica after the September 11 terror attacks in 2001 in America. Other than immigration, Jayapal advocates for universal healthcare in the US and protection of LGBTQ rights. US President Donald Trump said on Thursday said he was working with Democrats to find a solution to the fate of 800,000 immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children, saying he was fairly close to clinching a deal. Trump had earlier this month ordered the shutting down of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which prevents the deportation of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children. End the Dreamers programme could impact 8,000 people of Indian descent. [dropcap]A[/dropcap] Japanese guards clipped command broke the dawn silence on Corregidor, the tiny pollywog-shaped island afloat in the western approach to Manila Bay. Standing! he barked at the 200 ragtag men sleeping fitfully alongside the crossties of a rail line threading Corregidors eastern tail. Like the other POWs facing their first full day of enemy captivity, Edgar Doud Whitcomb, 24, rose to his feet slowly and warily, not knowing what to expect. North across the channel, Ed could see the shores of Bataan and, beyond, the towering summit of Mount Mariveles. Having once fled Bataan with the Japanese at his heels, Ed had never imagined returning. But now he found himself instinctively gauging the distance he would have to swim to get thereand what he would do once he reached its dubious sanctuary. It was May 8, 1942. For several months, CorregidorThe Rockhad held out as Japanese invaders laid siege. During the struggle, Whitcomb, a U.S. Army Air Forces B-17 navigator, had fought on foot as had so many other airmen and sailors. Immediately after the Rock capitulated to the Japanese on May 7, Eds captors assigned him to a work party and marched the group toward Kindley Landing Field, Corregidors airstrip. Now, after scant sleep and no food, the POWs began repairing Kindleys cratered runway for Japanese use. As he labored under the broiling sun over the next two days, Ed clung to a singular imperative. Escape, somehow escape. ED HAD REACHED THE PHILIPPINES seven months before with the 19th Bombardment Group. The circuitous flight from Californias Hamilton Airfield to Luzons Clark Field exceeded 6,000 miles, mostly over open ocean with only celestial signpostsjust the sort of bold journey that fired Eds imagination. At 14, Ed had left his Hayden, Indiana, home one Sunday morning determined to see the outside world. His six-week hobo odyssey along the Eastern Seaboard ended with a vagrancy charge and sentencing to a North Carolina work gang. Eds mother had to wire funds to bail him out, but he returned neither shaken nor ashamed. He had learned to navigate the unchartedand realized a passion for it. The Philippines was bracing for war when the 19th touched down at Clark in October 1941. As Eds squadron flew reconnaissance near Japanese-held Formosa, though, he wondered how the putative enemy could presume to challenge them. Their aircraft were vastly inferior, he later wrote in a memoir. Our B-17s could fly beyond the reach of the Japs anti-aircraft and planes, and we could pinpoint targets and destroy them with miraculous accuracy. Japans riposte came from a clear afternoon sky on December 8December 7, Hawaiian timeas dozens of enemy bombers and strafing fighters savaged Clark. Not much was left afterward. Crews standing by their planes were destroyed along with the ships, Ed recalled. Four bodies beside our own ship were charred beyond recognition. Within two weeks, Japanese troops invaded Luzon, the largest and most populous of the Philippine Islands, and pressed forward until, on December 23, the grounded remnants of the 19th Bombardment Group joined a mass retreat south to Bataan Peninsula. Conditions there worsened through weeks of artillery barrages, strafing attacks, dwindling supplies, and rampant disease. Rations were reduced by half andhalf again, Whitcomb wrote. Tropical diseases took their toll until about half of our units were not able to function. Whitcomb was one of the felled, catching malaria. Finally on April 8, defenders withdrew to Bataans very tip. After an all-night journey, the southbound fugitives encountered northbound vehicles trailing white bedsheets. At first, we could not comprehend, Whitcomb recalled. Then they realized: the bedsheets were white flags. Even as most Americans and Filipinos obediently surrendered, Ed contrived escape. He and two squadron members commandeered a vehicle, drove it east to Mariveles Harbor, and hopped aboard a motor launch bound for Corregidor, a longtime military fortress about three miles off southern Bataan. Reaching its north shore, they sprinted for the Malinta Tunnel, Corregidors huge, bomb-proof command center. It was so easy, Ed marveled. He had no way of knowing it then, but he had just escaped an infamous atrocity. Bataans 70,000 captivesmany suffering from wounds, malaria, and dysenterywere about to embark on a 70-mile death march. Thousands of prisoners would die en route; thousands more succumbed at Camp ODonnell, a squalid POW compound. Weeks later, as Ed Whitcomb contemplated the swim back to Bataan, he grasped a wartime reality: full freedom required constant escape. ON MAY 10, 1942, after Eds POW contingent had finished repairing Kindley Landing Field, their captors marched them to a flat expanse on the south shore of Corregidor. Known as the 92nd Garage Area, it had once been the motor pool for the 92nd Coast Artillery Regiment. There, a concrete-floored, crescent-shaped arena overflowed with POWs. A partially demolished garage housed the sickest and most seriously wounded. The restas many as 12,000 American and Filipino airmen, soldiers, sailors, and Marinessat exposed or under makeshift shelters. The captives received no food beyond a meager daily rice allotment. A single quarter-inch pipe supplied drinking water. Open-air latrines swarmed with vermin; dysentery was rampant. The surrounding cliffs trapped and intensified the heat and the only available relief was to soak in Manila Bays shallows under watchful Japanese eyes. For more great stories on World War II, subscribe here. Escape seemed futile but, for his part, Ed was fortunate to encounter a like-minded U.S. Marine captain named William F. Harris. A rifle company commander in the 4th Marines on Corregidor, Bill immediately impressed Ednot least because the tall, thin, and resourceful Kentuckian, son of a Leatherneck general, was, in Whitcombs words, dead serious about escaping. Across Manila Bay they could see the shore of Cavite, eight miles to the south. Swimming there was impossible, but if they could somehow reach Corregidors north shore, they might be able to swim back to Bataan. They figured they could then continue north, traversing the jungle around Mount Mariveless flanks en route to Subic Bay, northwest of the Bataan Peninsula. There they would commandeer a boat and sail for China, more than 600 miles north. It was an audacious plan, but the two immediately started preparing. Over the next days, Ed and Bill built endurance by swimming in Manila Bay for as far and as long as suspicious guards permitted. Meanwhile, deaths in camp were rising. The two agreed to make a move, Whitcomb said, while we still had the strength to do it. Desperation and opportunity converged on May 22 during an afternoon wood-gathering detail. Outside camp, Bill and Ed dropped unnoticed into a deep foxhole where they huddled, scarcely daring to breathe, until the work party departed. Then they set out for the north shore and, at sunset, began swimming, guided by a light on Bataans distant shore. The two made good progressor so it seemed until the waters grew choppy. It drizzled, then rained so hard it became impossible to see or communicate. Ed was convinced their battle for survival had been lost. Once the rain stopped and the waves subsided, Ed and Bill somehow managed to find each other. But we had no sense of direction, Ed recalled. They treaded water until their destination light came back into view. It seemed much closer than before, so the men swam with new enthusiasm toward a gut-wrenching discovery: the light was on a ship tied up at Corregidors north dock. They had been in the water two hours and were no more than a quarter mile from where they had started. With little choice, Ed and Bill again turned north, this time stroking mechanically, like walking, hour after hour, Ed said. We did not swim hard or fast but we kept a steady gait. Near dawn they reached Bataans shoreline. We dragged ourselves into a clump of bushes and collapsed, wet and exhausted. They slept all day, and awoke with the sun low in the western sky. AS BEFORE, THIS ESCAPEEds secondhad come none too soon. Within days, the Japanese herded Corregidors POWs into cargo vessels for transport across Manila Bay, then force-marched the captives more than five miles through Manila to Bilibid, a stone-walled prison turned POW camp. Ed and Bill, meanwhile, began an exhausting roundabout expedition by foot and boat. Ed quickly learned that getting out of prison camp had been the easy part: We had to cope with jungle, starvation, malaria, treacherous natives and the Japanese. To avoid Japanese soldiers, the pair tried negotiating Mount Mariveless steep jungle trails, only to find the going too exhausting. Risking the coastal road instead, they discovered a cache of clothes and weapons, but no food. When they chanced upon a thin, old horse, Bill, momentarily heedless of the Japanese, shot the animal. They carved it up, carrying the parts to a clearing by a stream. But as Ed and Bill struggled to kindle a fire, shots rang out. They dropped everything and ran, sheltering in the depths of the jungle. The two waited hours before trudging on, eventually finding a cashew tree ripe with fruit. Trekking in cautious stages, occasionally succored by friendly Filipinos, Ed and Bill reached Subic Bay a week lateronly to find the Japanese had confiscated or destroyed all ocean-going vessels. China looked out of reach. Sheltered in a fishermans hut, Ed and Bill recuperated as they plotted a new course: island-hopping south to Australia. Paying 30 Philippine pesos for their hosts coastal outriggera bancaEd and Bill sailed out of Subic at night, planning to steer island-to-island until they found a craft sturdy enough to reach Australia. In three nights of sailing and rowing, the banca carried them south along Bataans western shore to Luzon Point. It was now June 8just 17 days after they had escaped from Corregidorand once again their toil had landed them within sight of their departure point. As darkness fell, they edged their outrigger into the water to begin the 18-mile leg across the mouth of Manila Bay. Blessed with a tail wind, the craft, Ed recalled, swept past the black outline of old Corregidor [on] a fast ride across the channel. Hard going, though, lay on the far side. The banca started taking on water; Ed and Bill unfurled the sail, bailed furiously, and made for shore on southern Luzon. A small cove eventually afforded shelter, but high seas left them stranded. After several days, with provisions depleted and waves seeming to subside, they tried again. They scarcely got underway before a big roller snapped their outrigger and heaved them on the rocks. So Ed and Bill again set out on foot, this time south into Luzons Batangas Province, the domain of Sixto Lopez, a fierce patriot for Philippine independence and scion of a wealthy family. Though they never met the elderly padrone, the pair, shepherded and sheltered by Lopezs minions, became his guests. Riding donkeys, they traveled to a remote plantation, where they encountered two more Rock escapees, both U.S. Marines: Reid C. Chamberlain and Private First Class Tremel O. Armstrong. Lopezs hospitality was welcomebut seductive. Reid and Tremel had already lolled about the Lopez plantation for a month, reluctant to leave. Even when Eds and Bills Australia plans shook Reids and Tremels nonchalance, it wasnt until late July that the quartet finally cast off from the coastal town of Balayan aboard a 24-foot outrigger Lopez had amply provisioned. Their coast-hugging itinerary had them following Balayan Bays eastern shoreline south to Tingloy Island, then turning east across Batangas Bay bound for Tayabas Bay. It was slow going. Seven nights of feeble winds carried Ed, Bill, Reid, and Tremel scarcely 25 miles. Daytime winds were strongerbut Ed argued that daytime travel was too risky. His companions disagreed. The next day, Bill, Reid, and Tremel cast off from Batangas Bays eastern shore, tacking east in broad daylight toward Tayabas Bay. Ed was strandedbut not for long. Within a few days he encountered two American mining engineers, Ralph Conrad and Frank Bacon, provisioning their own Australia-bound outrigger. The three joined forces. Under a good northwest windwe decided to sail directly across Tayabas Bay, Ed said. After sailing until dawn, the wind was still good, and there seemed little chance of being caught by the Japs. About eleven oclock we finally pulled up on shore. Local villagers greeted them, as they often had before. This time, though, something felt different. The people stood around silently and unwelcomingly; Ed sensed something was wrong. Indeed, as he rested in a village hut, Ed looked out to see Ralph and Frank surrounded by a dozen Filipinos with drawn pistols. This latest set of hosts, sympathetic to the Japanese, confined the men to a municipal jail. On August 14, Japanese authorities transported the trio to Manilas Fort Santiago, a notorious dungeon dating to Spanish colonial times. THREE WEEKS LATER, Ed emerged battered but unbroken from Fort Santiagohis third escape. Shelley Smith Mydans, a writer and wife of Life magazine photographer Carl Mydans, described Eds arrival at Manilas Santo Tomas University, where the journalist couplealong with 3,500 American, British, and Dutch civilian internees, men, women, and childrenhad been imprisoned for the duration. He was very dirty and ragged, his tan trousers in shreds over his knees, Mydans wrote of a character inspired by Ed in The Open City, her novel of wartime Manila. He was heavily beardedand grinning like a fool. Shelley and Carl Mydans had already covered the war from Europe to China when, in October 1941, they traveled from Chungking to Manila to report on Philippine defenses. When the city fell in January, Japanese soldiers delivered Caucasian expatriates to what Carl called a great dusty compound ringed by concrete wallstretches of barbed wireand iron picket-fence. In transiting across town to Santo Tomas, Ed had again dodged a worse fate: at Fort Santiago 600 American POWs would eventually die of suffocation or hunger in its stifling confines. Ed owed his escape from Fort Santiago to memory and persistence. Certain that revealing his identity as an American airman would mean death, Ed adopted a cover suggested by Ralph Conrad and Frank Bacon. The two knew a Baguio mine superintendent named Fred Johnson who had left the Philippines just before war began. Fred was middle-aged, but Ed could pretend to be Robert Fred Johnson, the mans son. Caged apart from Ralph and Frank, Ed endured daily interrogations interrupted only by near-death bouts of malaria. His interrogator probed for inconsistencies in the Robert Fred Johnson backstory. It was cat-and-mouse, seasoned with psychological and physical torture. A passage in The Open City best captures the final session with the Japanese tormentor: He got himself into a very bad moodHe stood there and then he drew his sword with both his hands and hit me across the back with the flat of itI was numb while he kept on hitting me. I thought my back was broken. I asked him to please shoot me but not beat me to death. Instead, guards dragged Ed back to his cage; several days later the presumed civilian was transferred to Santo Tomas. Having passed the most important test of my life, as Ed put it, he had reason to grin. BUT SANTO TOMAS, though for now a welcome haven, was also a potential trap. Internees wore clean clothes and ate at tablesluxuries I had not enjoyed for months, Ed observed. But he knew his masquerade was fragile. Some of his fellow internees, aside from Ralph and Frank, were from Baguio and knew he had nothing to do with mines. Ed needed a fourth escape. Surprisingly, a few days later, a gambit opened. The camp commandant unexpectedly announced he would send 130 prisoners to Shanghai. But the commandant had trouble filling his quota: as Carl Mydans recalled, a psychosis had crept through Santo Tomas like a fog, darkening everything outside the fenceNow it was unthinkable to venture out across the seaThe more he urged his prisoners to leave, the more they suspected a trick. Aware any additional scrutiny could blow his cover, Ed nonetheless applied for transfer. The Mydanses did as well. Remarkably, within 10 days they were on their way, first by bus to the port, then by freighterthe Maya Marubound for Shanghai. At first, much like Sixto Lopezs remote plantation, Shanghai seemed idyllic. After they arrived in mid-September, the Mydanses arranged clothes, money, and even accommodations for Edat Shanghais Palace Hotel. There were horse races, new friends, and parties. And when a bout of malaria felled Ed, an American missionary physician, Hyla S. Watters, was there to pull him through. Though still determined to escape, Ed could see a major hurdle: Nationalist Chinese forces were headquartered in distant Chung-king, about a thousand miles away. And, Ed learned, six U.S. Marines attempting to escape Shanghai had been tossed into the citys version of Fort Santiago. Knowing that leaving Shanghai for a solo journey across vast stretches of Japanese-controlled territory was beyond even his ability, he felt trapped. That sense increased when the Japanese clamped down on the free-wheeling city. At the close of 1942 came word that all Allied citizens faced internment. In February 1943 Ed, Carl, and Shelley were among hundreds herded into Chapei Internment Camp, one of seven civilian confinement sites in and around Shanghai. Over the next dolorous months, as circumstances for internees throughout the Pacific worsened, a new escape channel took shape. Early in the war, neutral intermediariesSweden for the Allies, Portugal for the Japanesehad arranged a person-for-person exchange of several thousand Allied and Japanese internees, including diplomats. Now a second exchange was in the offing. Lacking a passport, Ed figured he would be among the last to go. Robert Fred Johnson had only a Swiss-issued photo ID card that Ed had acquired in Shanghai. But then Carl Mydans learned the U.S. State Department was pressing for the release of American civilians who had been originally interned in the Philippines. After more anxious days, Robert Fred Johnson joined the exchange roster. Ed was jubilant: I was going home. THE REPATRIATIONEds fifth escapebegan on September 20, 1943, when selected Shanghai internees, among them Carl and Shelley Mydans and Robert Fred Johnson, boarded the Teia Maru, a commandeered French passenger liner. Ahead lay internee retrieval stops in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Saigon, and Singapore; then transit through the Indian Ocean to Goa, a Portuguese colony at the time, on Indias west coast. There, in a formal exchange in mid-October, the Teia Marus passengers simultaneously switched ships with Japanese passengers arriving aboard the Swedish liner Gripsholm. The Gripsholm voyage from Goa to New Yorkwith stops in South Africa and Rio de Janeiro, Brazilfinally freed Ed from Japanese control, only to substitute new uncertainties. Did he face consequences for imposture or desertion? An answer began to emerge on November 3, 1943, when Lieutenant Colonel George D. Dorroh of the U.S. Armys Central Intelligence Group received secret orders from Major General George V. Strong, assistant chief of staff for army intelligence. You will proceed to Rio de Janeiro and board the GRIPSHOLMYou will effect a complete identification of Edward (sic) Doud Whitcomb as a member of the armed forces. You will instructWhitcomb that he is notto discuss any phases of his experience with anyone. Somehow, through army or State Department channelsperhaps bothauthorities had learned of Eds plight and were intervening in the final stages of his fifth escape. On December 15, a week after the Gripsholm docked in New York, Colonel Dorroh outlined Eds post-arrival disposition in a report to General Strong: I furnished him with transportation and permitted him to proceed to Washington. The authorities dilemma: would returning Ed to military duty somehow jeopardize future diplomatic exchanges? After Eds debriefing by officers of the Prisoner of War Branch and the Pacific Section, Intelligence Group, Dorroh concluded: Lieutenant Whitcomb has never, since becoming a prisoner of the Japanese, revealed his true identity. [Accordingly,] there will be very little chance of him ever being identified as a repatriate aboard the GRIPSHOLM. Eventually, Dorrohs judgment enabled Ed to return to the Pacific. On May 11, 1945, in his first combat flight, Captain Edgar Doud Whitcomb navigated a B-25 bombing-strafing mission from Luzons Clark Field to Formosa and back. He had punctuated his five-escape odyssey by circumnavigating World War II. Clock of Life After returning to combat duty, Ed Whitcomb flew several more missions in the Pacific before taking a staff operations job. Following the war, he began what would become a remarkable career in law and public service. Along the way, he caught up with the fates of the individuals instrumental in his five escapes from the Japanese. After Reid Chamberlain, Tremel Armstrong, and Bill Harris parted ways with Ed, they acquired a motor boat in an attempt to reach China. When a monsoon swept them back to the Philippines, each joined different guerilla outfits. Armstrong was killed; Chamberlain was smuggled by submarine to Australia and returned to the fighting, only to die on Iwo Jima. Bill Harris, meanwhile, was captured and imprisoned in Japan until wars end; his ordeal there is featured in Laura Hillenbrands book Unbroken. After repatriation, Billrepresenting American POWswitnessed Japans surrender on USS Missouri (see Altar of Peace ). Tragedy followed: in December 1950 Bill died during the Marines epic retreat from Koreas Chosin Reservoir. Mining engineers Ralph Conrad and Frank Baconlike thousands of other Santo Tomas internees excluded from the Gripsholms exchange rosterwere liberated in 1945 when GIs stormed Manila. Fellow internee Carl Mydans continued covering global conflicts for Life, while Shelley Mydans wrote more novels. (Eds daughter, Shelley Whitcomb, is named for her.) Eds public career pinnacled in 1968 with his election as Indianas 43rd governor. Afterward, Ed, then 72, embarked on a 10-year solo sailing odyssey covering most of the globe. Inspiration, says his son John, lay in passages from an anonymous poem: The clock of life is wound but once Now is the time you own Go cruising now my brother It is later than you think. Perhaps so. But it also seems possible that two long years spent escaping from the Japanese drove Ed to keep on the go. Ed Whitcomb found final haven at a simple riverside cabin in Southern Indiana; he died on February 4, 2016. David Sears This story was originally published in the October 2017 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here. Its Char B1 tanks proved too much for the Wehrmachts armorbut even they couldnt withstand irresolute Allied leadership. We are on the edge of the abyss, a desperate Brig. Gen. Charles de Gaulle wrote to French Prime Minister Paul Reynaud on June 3, 1940. Our first defeat stems from the application by the enemy of my conceptions and the refusal of our command to apply the same conceptions. De Gaulles plea to Reynaud had come too late to stave off the debacle of May 1940, when German armored units raced across France to the English Channel within three weeks. The British put a bright face on an awful month by couching the June 4 evacuation at Dunkirk as a moral victory, while leaving their disgusted French allies to fight the Germans (and Italians after June 10) for two more weeks. The British and French commanders had quietly hoped to avoid another Western Front. Diffuse strategies suggested attacks via the German-allied Soviet Union, through Finland and Norway, or into the Soviet oil fields at Baku, Azerbaijan, through French-occupied Syria. But the Germans struck first, conquered the Netherlands in five days and swung around Frances vaunted Maginot Line into the Ardennes forests. While the line held, third-rate French troops deployed in the impassable Ardennes broke and ran. Caught up as they fled by the enemys mechanized detachments, they had been ordered to throw away their arms and make off to the south so as not to clutter up the roads, de Gaulle recalled in his war memoirs. We havent time, [the Germans] cried, to make you prisoners! French troops relished a brief moment of glory before the countrys total collapse, when three armored divisions, notably those units equipped with relatively capable Char B1 tanks, thwartedand in places even routedAdolf Hitlers panzers during a decisive week of intense fighting along the French-Belgian border. At the outbreak of World War II the weapon of choice among French armored divisions was the Char B1 bis, the heaviest standard tank of its time. Designed by committee over the better part of two decades and manufactured by Renault and other firms, the vehicle carried a 75 mm howitzer and a 7.5 mm machine gun mounted in the hull, both aimed largely by steering the vehicle, as well as a 47 mm anti-tank cannon and second 7.5 mm machine gun in a one-man turret. The Char B1 bis boasted armor 60 mm thick on its front and turret, 55 mm on its sides. Each tank bore the name of either a French region or national hero. By June 1940 French factories had rolled out nearly 400 of them. Char B1 bis crews first proved themselves during the German advance into Belgium, as British and French divisions covered the unprotected flank of the Maginot Line. On May 15, 1940, Captain Pierre Gilbert in Adour attacked a German armored formation north of Flavion and knocked out three enemy vehicles with his turret gun. Incoming tank rounds soon disabled Adour, leaving three of its six-man crew injured. The wounded Gilbert sent crewman Daniel Legac to inform Lieutenant Louis Bounaix, the commander of Guynemer, that he was now in charge of the three-tank formation. Soon after seeking concealment in a thicket, Gilbert and Chief Sgt. Joseph Baur were killed by enemy fire. The surviving crewmen surrendered. Smoke billowed up from Adour, and through its open side hatch approaching Germans could just make out a painted message bestowed by actress and later resistance agent Jeanne Boitel on the day the tank was christened: My wishes accompany the Adour, Captain Gilbert and his men. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Bounaix and crew in Guynemer and Lieutenant Pierre Lelong and crew in Gard fought on. Bounaix left a particularly vivid account of the fighting: I looked over the terrain and spotted an immobile Char B. I was a little annoyed, as I thought the 28th BCC [Battalion de Chars de Combat] held the ridge, the first phase of combat was already over, and that we, the second wave, would have nothing to do. At that moment we took a blow to our left side armor. I looked down the road, and a red flash lit up from a hedge at about 800 meters. Another blow to our armor! I hesitated to withdraw, as I thought a friend had made an error. I refused to believe the Boches could have arrived. Corporal Le Bris, the assistant driver, announced: Popped armor bolts, left side. I then turned my turret toward the intermittent flashes and expended four of five explosive shells from the 47 mm. The enemy fire continued. I checked the range and asked Millard for explosive shells. Two projectiles, and the enemy fire ceased. I resumed my course and accelerated to catch up with Adour and Gard, which had never slowed down. A hundred meters farther there was another red flash on my left. We fired the 75 this time, and the enemy fire stopped. Resuming course, I arrived at the woods between the second ridge and the edge of the plateau. These wooden tongues determined the fire corridors, and hits soon rang on the left side armor. Having steered the tank east and looked southeast, at first I couldnt spot the enemy. Then the driver cried out, A tank in front of us! It was, indeed, a Bochea Panzerkampfwagen IV. I felt great joy, mixed with a bit of anxiety, as when a hunter spots game, but what formidable game. I adjusted the fire of the 75. Range 450short! Range 500short! Range 550 I can still hear the cry of the driver: I got it! Two or three men jumped from the Boche tank, as an enormous red glow burst from the front of the enemy machine. I then noticed that our left flank was lined with large German tanks.They were camouflaged and immobile, but red flashes lit up, and we took hits. The word hail is far too weak to describe the noise inside the turret from all the projectiles. We took a hit on the bottom of the side door, which unhinged it, leaving it half open. Millard jumped up, grabbed it and held it shut for the duration of the fight. Edging up a bit, I noticed at the edge of the woods Gard, its turret open. At the side door was Sergeant Waslet, the radioman, pistol in hand. We could only guess what had happened. The door may have been smashed in, wounding tank commander Lieutenant Lelong. Was that it? Looking around, I spotted Ourcq and Isere, all that remained of our first section. Theyd done wonders, struggling, shooting. With them at my side we formed a section. Hits on the right increased in intensity, as our right flank was filled with Boche tanks, lined up as if on parade and firing at us. But their hits sounded weak, and they barely accepted combat, withdrawing into the woods as soon as taken to task.I had the consolation of demolishing one. At that point my right tread was snarling in a disquieting manner, my 47 had fired too much, and my brake fluid was leaking at the cylinder head. Only the 47 of Ourcq was still speaking. Radio orders came throughRally! Ourcq and Isere obeyed by forging a path. I followed and in passing saw Herault in flames. Arriving at our starting point, the three tanks were out of steam. Its motor ravaged, Ourcq stopped cold. Guynemers right track broke, and Isere experienced the same accident a hundred meters farther on. Exiting the tank, I made a tour of Guynemer.Its hull had absorbed more than 50 hits. Yet on the front, miraculously intact, the banner of Sacre-Coeur still fluttered. I retrieved it. Guynemer was credited with destroying three Panzerkampfwagen IVs and one Panzerkampfwagen III. Ourcq had destroyed four enemy tanks, Isere three. Gard, on the other hand, had been destroyed with the loss of five crewmen, while Herault had taken a disabling shell hit to its track drive sprocket, forcing the crew to scuttle it. While the clash in Belgium proved the French Char B1s could give much better than they got, it also suggested their mechanical issues might negate at least a measure of their crews fighting ability. Captain Pierre Billotte, the 34-year-old son of French 1st Army commander General Gaston-Henri Billotte, was a standout commander in the May 16 seesaw tank battle between French and German forces over the tiny village of Stonne in northeast France. Colonel Michel Malaguti commanded the 41st BCC from the Char B1 bis Vienne, while Billotte represented the tip of the spear in Eure. Leading the French attack, Billotte had taken a sharp turn in the village when he came face to face with a column of tanks and other armored vehicles of the 10th Panzer Division. Billotte immediately ordered his driver, Sergeant Durupt, to fire Eures 75 mm hull gun at the lead tank in the German column, while he himself used the 47 mm turret gun to take out the trailing tank. With both enemy tanks disabled and ablaze, the others were trapped. Billotte and Durupt then rumbled through the village at will in their heavy tank, systematically knocking out 11 other German tanks and two anti-tank guns. The tanker and his crewmen later counted some 140 enemy hits on Eures hull. The ability of the Char B1 bis to absorb punishment made a daunting impression on Wehrmacht tankers yet to be convinced of their own invincibility. When two French crewmen from Lieutenant Jacques Hachets Vertus roamed the forest at Stonne looking for spare parts after the tank suffered an engine failure, they routed a nervous German patrol, captured a prisoner and discovered hundreds of enemy graves and discarded packs. They also recovered an abandoned, intact Panzerkampfwagen III. Over three days of bitter fighting Stonne changed hands 17 times. The French deployed 130 tanks and lost 33, mostly to mechanical failure, while the Germans deployed 300 tanks and lost 24, primarily to battle damage. The Germans, however, suffered some 26,500 casualties to 7,500 for the French. Germans who fought both at Stonne and later at Stalingrad insisted Stonne was worse. When the Germans ultimately secured Stonne, de Gaulle moved his forces east to the village of Montcornet, the target of General Heinz Guderians next armored thrust. De Gaulle ordered his tanks to deploy on either side of the road between Montcornet and Laon, which ran through the forest of Samossy, thus providing the tanks cover from the air. Colonel Aime Sudres armored half-brigade, including a battalion with a number of Char B1s, came up as reinforcements for de Gaulles 4th Armored Division, which was still forming. Major Jean-Yves-Marie Bescond, a foremost expert on big tanks, led the Char B1 battalion. You are the champion of the Char B, de Gaulle told Bescond. Show what it is worth. Bescond returned to his tank crews and made a dour prediction: This will be my Reichshoffen. It was a reference to the Aug. 6, 1870, clash during the Franco-Prussian War in which some 700 of Napoleon IIIs elite mounted cuirassiers became bottlenecked near the Alsatian village of Reichshoffen and were cut to pieces by Prussian infantry firing from cover. At 4:30 a.m. on May 19 de Gaulles 4th Armored Division attacked with more than 100 tanks. Leading the charge from his Char B1 bis Berry-au-Bac was Bescond. Much to the Germans astonishment, the Char B1s turrets and frontal armor proved impenetrable to standard anti-tank gunsa fact that enabled the French tanks to cross the Serre, capture Montcornet and threaten Guderians lines of communication. The German commander later admitted the Char B1s had given him some very bad moments. But the French assault ultimately faltered under withering fire from emplaced German 88 mm guns. Bescond, as he had feared, was among the casualties. Berry-au-Bac had broken down, and Bescond had transferred to Sampiero Corso. As he followed orders to withdraw, panzers semi-concealed in the forest opened fire, and an incoming round bounced harmlessly off Sampiero Corsos hull. Then a shell from a German 88 penetrated the Char B1s side door and detonated inside, killing Bescond and his crew. Sampiero Corso remained largely intact, and the Germans set up a marker so the French could later identify the bodies for proper burial. During the fight for Montcornet 6-foot-5 de Gaulle strode around upright, ignoring bullets and shell bursts to inspire his men, who remained tenacious. Regardless, the French high command unilaterally halted the attack. The division managed to pull back in good order, suffering just 25 casualties, though it lost 23 of 85 tanks engaged to land mines and Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers. Still, though Montcornet went down as a tactical German victory, de Gaulle had captured 130 enemy soldiers and inflicted four times as many casualties on the Germans. Despite continuing stubborn resistance and the magnificent stand at Stonnehouse-to-house fighting continued until May 25the French cause was doomed. The French, still in command of 100 divisions and some 6 million men in late May, had expected the 200,000 men of 10 British divisions then on the Continent to advance on Arras. The British instead opted to escape and evade. The French themselves were appalled when thousands of their reserve infantrymen broke under German air attack and tried to surrender without much of a fightand without much interest from the onrushing Germans. Britain and France blamed one another for their mutual collapse. Tanker Pierre Billottes father, the decorated World War I veteran General Gaston-Henri Billotte, was written off as a hopeless coward by British General Edmund Ironside, chief of the Imperial General Staff. The elder Billotte did not long have to suffer the opprobrium of his British counterparts, howeverhe was fatally injured on May 21 when his car struck a military truck during a wild midnight ride to organize another counterattack. Ironside assumed command of the British, French and Belgian forces in the Battle of Belgiumand lost. Ironside also wrote off General Georges-Maurice-Jean Blanchard as another hopeless coward, though Blanchard was later decorated for his valorous rearguard action that enabled the British withdrawal from Dunkirk. While the Char B1 bises acquitted themselves well, they continued to suffer mechanical problems, and when the French and British fought side by side at Abbeville starting on May 27, poor coordination led to needless losses. On June 4 a late-arriving column of Char B1s approaching town from the south stumbled into a minefield zeroed in by German artillery and anti-tank guns and took heavy losses. Of the 30 Char B1s engaged in combat that same day at Dunkirkin the closing hours of the evacuationonly seven made it back to their jump-off positions. Some French units fought better after the British left, but the Char B1s could not compensate for poor communication and morale in second-echelon units elsewhere. We were the bosses, and we lost the battle, and this gave a good excuse for the British to be selfish, French strategist and General Andre Beaufre later observed in an episode of the popular British documentary series The World at War. Anyway, they were very selfish. MH A frequent contributor to Military History, John Koster is the author of Custer Survivor and the forthcoming Hitlers Nemesis: Hermann Ehrhardt. For further reading he recommends The General: Charles de Gaulle and the France He Saved, by Jonathan Fenby, and De Gaulle: The Rebel, 18901944, by Jean Lacouture. T he humble beach hut is enjoying a renaissance. Once used primarily as storage during family day trips to the seaside, these often tiny seaside shelters are increasingly being kitted out as luxurious holiday homes with double-beds, fully-fitted kitchens and sun terraces. Earlier this year, a 212 sq ft beach hut on Dorsets sought-after Mudeford Sandspit sold for 275,000 over 50,000 more than the average UK house price despite it having no private toilet or shower. Denisons estate agents, who marketed the beach hut, have sold approximately 12 in the past year and are currently marketing another on the same stretch of coast. Hut 78: sleep on the beach during summer, but mind your head waking up... Priced at 269,950, Hut 78 fronts the harbour looking towards Christchurch with a westerly aspect for sunset-watching. The newly-modernised hut sleeps four downstairs and on a mezzanine level accessed via wooden stairs inside the hut. It has a solar-powered fridge and lighting with bottle gas for cooking, with timber double-glazed windows and timber and glass bi-fold doors opening out onto a sandy beach and entertaining area. Rules and restrictions The Mudeford Sand Spit beach huts can be used 365 days a year Between November 1 and February 28 (February 29 on a leap year) the huts cannot be used between 11pm and 5am Reduced council tax is paid on the huts, usually around 500 per year. There is also a ground rent/licence fee which depends on the size of the hut but can reach 4,000. Beach huts can only be bought by cash buyers because they do not count as habitable dwellings. Beach huts are exempt from stamp duty but owners must pay a 15,000 transfer fee when they sell. The communal toilets and shower facilities are within easy striking distance, as is The Beach House restaurant and shop. Overnight stays are allowed at Mudeford during spring and summer which is unusual for a beach hut with owners able to rent huts out for more than 1,000 a week during peak holiday season. It is a short stroll from the Mudeford ferry landing stage, with the ferry running seasonally, while the harbour offers space to moor a small RIB. There are bountiful beachside, cliff top and harbour-side pathways for walking along Hengistbury Head and a land train runs regularly. WHY BUY A 275K BEACH HUT? Charlie Dancer, property negotiator at Denisons, said: Having accommodation at the beach and harbour is a huge draw for buyers wanting a seaside escape. Mudeford Sand Spit is a truly unique spot benefiting from sea views and incredible harbour sunsets over the historic town of Christchurch. Watching the sunrise during breakfast or sunset with a glass of wine in the evening is breathtaking the huts give people the opportunity to do so in an idyllic setting. Sunset spot: Hut 78 has a westerly aspect for watching sunsets RENTING A LUXURY BEACH HUT For sea lovers wanting the over night beach hut experience without splashing out on their own, two top-of-the-range, environmentally-friendly beach huts have just been built on the idyllic Lepe Beach in Hampshire, their eye-watering high season weekly rental cost of 1,450 taking demand for their stunning Isle of Wight views into account. These coastal retreats, named Gullwing and Little Tern after birds found on the beach, are twice the size of traditional beach huts with 538sq ft of floor space. Run by the Cadland Estate, they can sleep up to eight people each thanks to mezzanine level bedrooms and L-shaped sofas that pull out into beds. The master bed has a direct view out to sea through a top window. Unlike many huts that share a communal hygiene block, these come with a spacious private shower and eco toilet. The mod cons, including a full-size fridge, are powered by solar panels and there is a gas oven, hob and 4G wifi access. Go green: enjoy a taste of eco luxury right by the sea (Cadland Estate/Steph Osmond) Open-plan design maximises space with plenty of room for dining and relaxing and the muted colour scheme blends into the natural surroundings. The bespoke furniture is made from birch ply and there is a charming log-burner in the living room, while bi-folding glass doors lead onto outdoor decking and allow the scenery to be enjoyed from inside on a rainy day. Call 023 8017 0552 for more details. Hagen Rose, founder of online community Beach-Huts.Com, believes beach huts are so popular because they are part of our culture and often part of the family history Beach huts capture the imagination in many ways and outdoor life is booming, from camping and foraging to kayaking and outdoor swimming he said. They offer a great way of coping with the challenges of the British weather a shelter from the wind and rain to enjoy hot soup and bacon sandwiches! News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits. Tuesday, October 25, 4:30 7 p.m. Orr Area EMS Open House Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798. Orr Fire Hall 4540 Lake St., Orr Tuesday, October 25, 12 6 p.m. Essentia Health Job Fair Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org. 901 9th St. N., Virginia Air Canada has just announced that it will be operating new direct flights from Shannon to Toronto from June 2018. This will "open up" more trade, investment and tourism opportunities for the Mid West, according to Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection Pat Breen. The announcement by Air Canada of the new direct service from Shannon to Toronto will not only help to deepen relationships between Canada and Ireland, these new flights will also open up more trade, investment and tourism opportunities, Minister Breen tells Hot Press "With the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) agreement about to kick in, and both Ireland and Canada looking to diversify their trade and investment link across the world, the development of a strong relationship between our neighbours to the west and an industrial area like Shannon and the Mid West is beneficial to both countries, added the Clare-based TD. While Air Canada has revealed they will also increase their Dublin-Toronto flight from the end of October to four times per week and will also offer flights every day during next summer. Ireland has been one of the strongest supporters of CETA within the EU and the Department of Jobs, Employment and Innovation has estimated that Irish exports to Canada will increase by approximately 250 million per annum. These new direct flights four times a week from Shannon directly to Toronto will "allow local SMEs to look at Canada to break into the export market", reckons Minister Breen. Canadas affinity and proximity to Ireland - the nearest English speaking country apart from Britain - our common law heritage, and similar parliamentary system makes us ideal trading partners, he said. 2016 was the best year ever for Irish tourism from Canada with visitor numbers increasing by 16% over 2015,. While Tourism Ireland research shows that 54% of Canadian holidaymakers stay in the Shannon Catchment Area, that is 89,100 visitors, while only 10% stay in Dublin. I therefore believe the tourist market demanded these new flights into Shannon and research suggests that there is a potential Canadian passenger volume for Shannon of 150,000 people when taking into account the two way flow, added Minister Breen. The newly announced flights connecting Shannon directly with the Canadian hub is the result of the culmination of months of work by, the Shannon Group, Government bodies, the Irish and Canadian Governments and the business communities of both countries. The negotiation process was part of a Ministerial Trade and Investment Mission to Montreal in April this year, led by Minister Breen. In the course of that trade mission I met with many industry leaders, including Air Canada CEO Calin Rovinescu, with whom I discussed the prospects of increased air services from Canada to Ireland, and particularly into Shannon, said Minister Breen. The Minister continued to work closely with the Canadian Minister for Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna to help secure such flights, having discussed the issue with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister McKenna during the PMs visit to Dublin in July. Brand Ireland is also strong in Canada and there is a strong affinity with Ireland among 14% of the population as 4.5 million Canadians claim Irish heritage. I see great prospects for growing Irish exports, securing increased Canadian investment and increasing tourism numbers from Canada, said Minister Breen. Ireland- and particularly the west of Ireland - is also growing in favour among Canadian travellers," he concludes. "Over 165,000 Canadian tourists visited Ireland in 2015 spending an estimated 133 million." WASHINGTON - An influential industry committee recommended Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration eliminate or scale back dozens of safety rules, including one on airline pilot qualifications. The FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee said the recommendations are a response to an effort by the agency to comply with President Donald Trump's directives to cut regulations. Pilots unions and safety groups oppose the recommendation on pilot qualifications, saying it would undermine safety. Regional airlines have been trying to roll back the pilot qualifications rule since it was adopted by the FAA in response to a sweeping law passed by Congress after the last fatal crash of a U.S. passenger airliner. Lawmakers said at the time that they were concerned about reports in the wake of the crash of Colgan Continental Connection Flight 3407 in 2009 near Buffalo, N.Y., that some regional airlines were hiring first officers with far less experience than pilots at major airlines. All 49 on board and a man on the ground were killed after the captain responded incorrectly to safety systems, causing the plane to stall. After the crash, lawmakers increased the minimum number of flight hours first officers must have in order to obtain a license to fly commercial passenger airliners to 1,500 hours, the same as captains, leading to more experienced first officers. Before that, airlines were allowed to hire first officers with as few as 250 hours of flying experience. Some airlines would move first officers into a captain's seat as soon as they had the minimum 1,500 hours of flying experience. The report recommends permitting pilots with less than 1,500 hours to qualify for an "air transport" license if they receive academic training from their airline. Airlines say the current rule is acerbating a pilot shortage. It can cost prospective pilots as much as they might pay for a four-year college education to acquire the greater flying hours they now need to qualify for an air transport license. Faye Malarkey Black, president of the regional airline association, said the proposed changes would incorporate more meaningful education into pilot training than mere flight hours. Airline pilot unions and safety advocates say the problem is regional airlines don't pay high enough entry-level salaries to attract as many pilots as they need. A group representing the families of victims of the Colgan crash said regional airlines have taken their case to the advisory panel "to bypass the legislative process where they have run into considerable resistance." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Rosie never complains about working all night or pulling double shifts. Neither does Rosie complain about wearing bright pink. As long as pieces of pipe slide down the conveyor belt, Rosie the Robot will pick them up, clean them off, paint on a serial number and load them onto wooden pallets for delivery to customers. Named after the maid in the Jetson's cartoon series, Tube Supply's machine didn't replace any human workers, it simply took away some of the drudgery in shipping custom pipe to the oil field. Rosie also demonstrates how robotics can make workplaces safer, more efficient and more profitable while improving the lives of humans. Ninety-nine percent of Houston-based Tube Supply's business is selling pipe for the oil field, and in recent years, companies have increasingly paid Tube Supply to pre-cut it to specific dimensions. To meet growing demand, the company invested in an automated Japanese pipe cutting machine that is four-times faster than old fashioned, human operated band saws. They are also much less dangerous. The automated saw, though, worked so fast two workers had a hard time keeping up, Cameron Sorenson, a project manager at Tube Supply, said. The company decided to take automation a step further. RELATED: Robots took your job? Fix the robots "Time is everything. The ability to get it out the door quicker than our competitors is what will separate us from the rest," Sorenson explained. "Some customers want 2,000 cuts, so to get those 2,000 cuts out in a couple of days versus a couple of weeks, has a huge benefit in service to the customers." Sorenson contacted Houston's ARC Specialties, the robot manufacturer and systems integrator that I wrote about three weeks ago. Dan Allford, ARC's CEO, helped Sorenson pick a German-manufactured robot that ARC could fit with an electromagnet to lift 200-pound cuts of pipe. The difficult part was programming the robot to perform tasks a human would find simple, even boring. On Tube Supply's regular assembly lines, workers manually operate the saws and lift the pieces using a crane with an electromagnet. They clean away sharp metal shavings, stencil on part numbers and then stack the pieces on pallets. Rosie's software also needed to accommodate 2,200 different types of pipe that can be cut into an almost infinite number of lengths, Sorenson explained. Tube Supply is the first oil field pipe company to try to employ a robot in this way. "This is really the test. If we start seeing that we can get more capacity out the door, then we will look at what else we can do with robots," Sorenson said. RELATED: Making robots creates jobs at Houston company The day I visited, the automated saw was loaded with about a dozen 10-foot lengths of 8-inch pipe and it was cutting them into 893 pieces. A conveyor belt carried each cut piece to Rosie, which lifted it to an air nozzle that blew away the shavings and then spray painted the part number on the side with an ink jet. The robot can calculate the optimum way to stack the pieces on the pallets without overloading them. "It makes my job easier. Before, I would cut the part and I'd have to pick up the piece myself," said Jose Sandoval, who was retrained to operate the new production line. "I like that it's better and faster. I just have to load the saw, program it and then I can do something else while it's cutting." Sorenson said the company hopes automation will boost production by 25 percent, but that employee safety was just as important. "Your risk is none now, there is a very slim chance of a core breaking, a magnet going wrong or a piece falling," he said. "You can make the argument strictly from a safety standpoint." Automation will also save jobs by making the company more competitive, said Paul Sorenson, Tube Supply's president and co-owner. "We're not eliminating jobs," he said. "We're adding customer service." RELATED: Security robot intrigues River Oaks District shoppers Automation, though, will eliminate the need for Tube Supply to hire more workers to get the same increase in production. And robots like Rosie will displace 24.7 million jobs by 2027, most of them manual labor, according to workplace research firm Forrester. This technology will also create 14.9 million new engineering and operating jobs over the next decade, the company added. This is how robots are already playing out in Houston. Tube Supply will not need to hire more manual laborers, but ARC Specialties will hire more engineers to install more robots. The result is a net loss of jobs, if the calculation were to end there. Whether it was farming, textiles, manufacturing or even banking, new technology eliminated rote positions, but companies took the surplus labor and new capital to offer new services and products. The trick for workers is to adapt and not get left behind. Based on historical trends, the Institute for the Future think tank estimates that 85 percent of the jobs in 2030 haven't been invented yet. Social media and app developers, after all, didn't exist 13 years ago. What's needed are good schools that prepare people for lifelong learning. Trying to slow automation is a fool's game. Those who embrace technology and the tyranny of change are the most successful among us. So don't fear Rosie the Robot, figure out how to leverage it. NEW YORK - Credit agency Equifax traced the theft of sensitive information about 143 million Americans to a software flaw that could have been fixed well before the burglary occurred, further undermining its credibility as the guardian of personal data that can easily be used for identity theft. Equifax identified a weakness in an open-source software package called Apache Struts as the technological crack that allowed hackers to heist Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and full legal names from a massive database maintained primarily for lenders. The disclosure, made late Wednesday, cast the Atlanta-based company's damaging security lapse in an even harsher light. The software problem was detected in March and a recommended software patch was released shortly afterward. Equifax said the database intrusion began in May and continued until July. Security experts said Equifax had more than enough opportunity to block intruders by sealing the security hole. "There is no excuse for not following basic cybersecurity hygiene," said Nate Fick, CEO of the security firm Endgame. "Some heads should definitely roll for this; it's only a question of how many." The company didn't respond to inquiries on Thursday. Equifax was already under fire for not disclosing the break-in until Sept. 7 - nearly six weeks after the company discovered it- as well as for its handling of consumer inquiries about their exposure whether their personal information had been compromised and how they could protect their identities. On Thursday, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, called for the resignations of CEO Richard Smith and Equifax's entire board of directors unless the company offers consumers more comprehensive identity-theft protection for the next decade. So far, Equifax is merely offering free credit monitoring for a year. It's also temporarily waiving fees for people who freeze their credit records to prevent identity thieves from defrauding them. 'Malfeasance' "What has transpired over the past several months is one of the most egregious examples of corporate malfeasance since Enron," Schumer said, invoking the name of the notorious Houston company that manipulated energy markets and eventually went bankrupt in 2001. Investors are clearly concerned about Equifax's fate. The company's stock has lost nearly a third of its value since it disclosed the breach. Three Equifax executives, including the company's chief financial officer, preserved a significant chunk of their wealth by selling stock worth a combined $1.8 million just after management learned of the breach, but well before the public was notified. Equifax said last week that the officials didn't know about the breach at the time of those sales. But many senators want the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department to examine whether Equifax managers violated insider-trading laws when they sold after the company found out it was hacked. FTC investigation In another sign of the storm swirling around Equifax, the Federal Trade Commission took the unusual step of announcing it has opened a probe into the company's practices. The FTC is not the only authority looking into the breach. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau previously announced its own investigation, and the House Financial Services Committee plans to hold hearings on the breach in early October when Smith is scheduled to testify. Politicians from both major parties are calling for additional investigations by Congress or the Department of Justice, raising the possibility of criminal charges. A proposal to impose sweeping reforms on Equifax and its two main peers, TransUnion and Experian, also has been drawn up by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Having already been shot twice in the leg, Tran Ngoc Toan played dead outside Binh Gia. Then a Viet Cong soldier kicked him and fired three rounds. "Pop! Pop! Pop!" Tran says from his home on the west side of Houston. "But just one hit me, right here." He points to his left side, along the lower rib cage. Tran, a member of South Vietnam's army, was then left for dead, again, and crawled three days back to a village where South Vietnamese and American Marines had been ambushed by soldiers with the National Liberation Front in a crucial turning point in the Vietnam War at the end of 1964. More than 50 years later, Tran's story is part of Ken Burns' latest long form documentary, "The Vietnam War," which began airing on PBS Sunday night with installments nightly through Thursday and again next week. Even now, after recounting his experiences, Tran's perspective on being wounded shines with a survivor's optimism. "I was lucky," he says, bright-eyed. "They took me to a Korean military hospital. If I'd been taken to Saigon, they'd have cut my leg off. The doctors told me it was a miracle." More Information 'The Vietnam War' When: 7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and Sept. 24-28 Network: PBS See More Collapse He points to the inside of his right thigh where a bullet from an AK-47 bore into his flesh. "If the bullet had gone one degree this way, it would've blown up the bone. One degree that way, it would blow up the artery and I'd have lost too much blood and died in the jungle." Instead the bullet passed through, leaving a large gash of an exit wound on the outside of his thigh. Tran spent six months in the hospital. And then he went back to fight. Burns' 'megastar' The Battle at Binh Gia, plays a prominent role in the third episode of "The Vietnam War," the latest sprawling documentary by Burns and Lynn Novick. Lt. Philip Brady, an American Marine there to advise the South Vietnamese troops, told the filmmakers that in late 1964 he, like other American troops, was told America was on the "five-yard line," the goal of victory just within reach. His arrival in Binh Gia revealed to Brady that "we were losing this war." True to the entirety of the film, the segment on Binh Gia is told panoramically, with perspectives offered by an American serviceman in Brady, a South Vietnamese serviceman in Tran and also a Viet Cong soldier in Nguyen Van Tong. One of more than 100 people interviewed by the filmmakers for the documentary, Tran figures prominently into the film, even beyond the Binh Gia segment. "If you give us two or three bytes in an episode you're a big star," Burns says. "There's a strange quirky calculus to it. If you're in five to six bytes, which Toan is, you're a megastar." Tran's star turn offers some insight into a story not often told in American accounts of the war. America was slow to discuss the Vietnam War; it was also slow to listen to its veterans' stories, and continues to neglect their needs. And the experience of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians has been almost entirely out of view in this country. "When Americans talk about Vietnam, we talk about ourselves," Novick says. "We haven't really thought about the Vietnamese as a people with complex needs and agency. But this is a global story. And if you hang your story on personal experiences, as we have, I think you need to present as many Vietnamese perspectives as possible. "And Toan is just an extraordinarily brave person who has been through unimaginable loss and challenges." Tran's story is full of endurance. His path to Houston began at a Lat, his hometown northeast of what used to be Saigon. A black and white poster over Tran's couch offers a striking overhead view of a Lat, nestled in the country's central highlands. a Lat was home to the Military Academy of Vietnam, which Tran attended. By 22 he had graduated and joined the South Vietnamese Marine Corps, where he was assigned to the 4th Battalion, "The Killer Sharks." Tran had spent more than two years fighting the Viet Cong by late 1964 when American troops were dispatched to Binh Gia. Unbeknownst to all, the Viet Cong had been moving about 1,000 soldiers and artillery through paths they'd hacked through the jungle; not just into South Vietnam but perilously close to Saigon. 'Blood was all over' Tran says his hearing has diminished, lost to age and the ear-piercing sounds of combat, but his ability to recall times and dates and details is astounding. He can account for just about every minute of the three-day Battle at Binh Gia that began Dec. 28, 1964, starting with an uncomfortable silence broken by artillery shells. Viet Cong forces swiftly seized the town, and fighting continued as American reinforcements arrived. An American helicopter gunship was firing on Viet Cong soldiers just outside of town. The Viet Cong returned fire and brought the machine down, killing four American soldiers. The South Vietnamese Marines and American forces were ordered to retrieve the fallen. Twelve South Vietnamese soldiers were killed in the fight. Another helicopter arrived, and the four killed Americans were loaded onto it and flown away. Tran and his fellow South Vietnamese soldiers were left behind and quickly overrun. He was first shot in the calf muscle of his right leg. "I didn't feel anything," he says. "You're fighting, you don't feel anything. But I put my hand down there, and there was blood all over. But I had to keep fighting. It was getting dark." 'Life is good' After playing dead, Tran spent three days crawling back to safety. "I lost a third of the muscle," he says of the wound to his thigh. "With physical therapy I was able to walk again. I couldn't run. But I could walk again. And I was a Marine. So I went back to fight." He spent more than a decade fighting in the war, until Saigon fell in 1975. With the war over, Tran's life didn't get any easier. Like many South Vietnamese soldiers, he was imprisoned. The common term used by the victorious North was "reeducation camp," though Tran never once uses that phrase. He repeatedly refers to his time in Lao Cai - northwest of Hanoi near the Vietnam/China border - as being incarcerated in a "labor camp." He was there nearly a decade before finally being released and put on a boat to Indonesia. Tran then traveled to San Francisco in the mid-1980s, and from there to Washington, D.C., where he worked as a house painter, and later in the printing plant for the Washington Post. He retired from the paper in August 2005 and moved to Houston. "It was too cold up there," Tran says, massaging his right leg. "It just hurts too much to be where it's cold." He and his wife Kim Quy live comfortably in a little home just outside the Beltway. "The temperature is good and life is good," he says. "It's comfortable here, with the second largest Vietnamese population in the country." Tran left Vietnam with nothing. Friends kept his United States Marine Corps Staff College certificate, which bears creases from being folded and transported over the years. He's acquired a few reproduced photographs of his time in the South Vietnamese Marines, though he points out everyone in the photos - with the exception of Brady - is now gone. Numbers from the Battle at Binh Gia, don't reflect the entirety of the Vietnam War, though they offer confirmation that heavy casualties extended well beyond American losses. Five American soldiers died in the battle. Thirty-two Viet Cong soldiers died. And an estimated 200 South Vietnamese soldiers were killed. Just over 58,000 American servicemen were killed in the Vietnam War. Numbers for Vietnamese forces are less clearly defined, but estimates put more than 1 million killed fighting for the North. Estimates for South Vietnamese military casualties are around 250,000, though Tran believes the number exceeds 300,000. More than 2 million Vietnamese civilians, North and South, are believed killed. Though Binh Gia was early in America's involvement in the war, it turned out to be a bellwether of bad things to come for all involved. Tran, 77, hopes some recognition will find its way to some whose sacrifices didn't make the codified narrative in the States. "A lot of my classmates and friends died," Tran says. "I'm glad to have given everything I gave, and I'm lucky to be able to talk about it now. But for the 300,000 fallen, they can't talk. The 300,000 who died in battle, they don't have a voice. That's what I'd like the American people to know. That many men fought and died in that war, too." MEDINA - The wreckage-strewn yard beside a severely damaged Port Aransas tourist cabin was an unlikely place to be hearing the rollicking Texas twang of Robert Earl Keen. Wafting over the soggy mess on a gray and muggy afternoon was a CD version of the lyrics a whole bunch of Texans know by heart: "It feels so good, I'm feelin' good again." I stepped around a collapsed wooden fence and found John Buerger. He and his wife Flora own Angler's Court, seven '40s-era cabins Flora inherited from her grandfather. (See last week's column.) Hurricane Harvey has put them out of business for at least the rest of the year, but, like their neighbors, they're cleaning up and starting over. Keen was helping keep their minds off their gargantuan task. "Robert Earl Keen is our Willie," John Buerger told me. "For our generation, there's nobody like him." In one of those serendipitous moments that happen now and then, I was able to tell Buerger that I would be visiting Keen in a couple of days. He and his wife Kathleen were hosting a gaggle of Texas writers at their ranch in the rugged hills near this Bandera County village, "the Apple Capital of Texas." Buerger borrowed my reporter's notebook and penned a note to his hero. His message began almost like a song lyric: "Sittin' here in Hell, your music is keeping us going." Heading west on Interstate 10 last Saturday, I had two objectives, besides delivering Buerger's message. One, I wanted to see if I could discern what it was about the man and his music that Texans find so compelling. I had in mind a concert I had seen in the heart of Washington, D.C. I stood among a crowd of several hundred Shiner-swigging fans at the 9:30 Club - many, it seemed, expatriate Texans - who stayed on their feet a couple of hours listening to the raggedy-voiced troubadour. Singing along on most songs, smiles (and occasionally a tear) on their faces, they were enraptured. No. 2, I wanted to meet Kathleen, his wife of 31 years. Keen told a national radio audience on NPR's "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" about waking up one morning at the ranch to the crack of a deer rifle, up close. He wandered out to find his wife on the back porch firing at a pesky varmint. In her underwear. Robert Earl Keen, Jr., 61, grew up in southwest Houston, graduated from Sharpstown High School and went off to Texas A&M. His folks had a country place near Columbus, and he liked to hang out with the ethnic Czechs and Germans at their polka dances in the area. He loved their music. He spent summers on a cousin's ranch near Sonora. He liked the life. "I'm an outdoors guy," he said. "Eighty percent of my songs I've written somewhere outdoors." Taken with Willie Nelson, he made the pilgrimage to the 2nd annual Fourth of July Picnic in 1974, held that year at Texas World Speedway near College Station. It was not a "feelin' good" experience. Some guy who was, as Keen put it, "in the Willie way" was sleeping it off in his car, engine running for the AC, and heat from the exhaust ignited the dry-grass parking lot. Sixteen cars burned up, including Keen's beloved Ford Mustang. Old friend of Lovett's Despite that traumatic experience, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. He changed his major from animal science to English, and began making music with friends on the front porch of their rent house near campus. On a summer day in 1978, a skinny, tall-haired fellow on a bike stopped by. Someone handed him a guitar, and his singing and playing mightily impressed Keen and his buddies. He and Lyle Lovett have been fast friends ever since. Austin writer Jan Reid calls them the cosmic Aggies. Lovett's career ascended quickly, but Keen struggled. Graduating from A&M in 1980, he moved to Austin, took a lowly bureaucrat's job with the Texas Railroad Commission and wangled gigs wherever he could find them, including one appearance at a garage sale. With Kathleen, he made countless trips to Nashville and eventually moved to Music City, where he dug ditches, worked in a print shop and felt his dream slipping away. In 1987, they came home from a gig in Kansas - after their car had broken down on the highway - and found their apartment burglarized. They started packing. Settling in Bandera, where Kathleen's family had a house, Keen kept writing, kept performing and began appearing regularly at Gruene Hall and then Billy Bob's Texas. "Early on, I checked out of the whole world of commercial music," he said. Grew into his role Growing into his role as a roadhouse rowdy, an engaging storyteller who loved to banter with his audiences, he began attracting something of a cult following. In 1995, he and Kathleen bought the Medina ranch, where they lived for 10 years, until their two daughters were approaching high-school age. "I was afraid (daughter) Clara was gonna grow up and marry a cedar chopper, so we moved into Kerrville," he said, half joking. "So, her first date was with this Medina kid who brought her a beautiful cedar table he had made." Keen still spends a lot of time at the ranch, not in the house so much as inside a striking hilltop structure of native stone where he does his writing. Constructed by Fredericksburg builder Richard Laughlin, the building is one main room with a high ceiling, a wood floor and a fireplace. Minimal furniture includes a jail bed that folds up against one wall. Keen calls the building the Scriptorium. "It's got a good vibe," he said, a cool breeze blowing through open doors. "I've written a lot of songs up here. I come up here maybe four or five days at a time." Universal appeal Sitting in the passenger seat of Keen's Polaris four-wheeler as he maneuvered the groaning machine along a deeply-rutted trail up a steep cedar-draped hill, I asked him when he realized he had found himself as a musician. When did it dawn on him that he had made it? He glanced my way and laughed. "I'm not sure I've made it yet," he said. Eighteen full-length albums and induction into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame suggest otherwise. I'm guessing it happened as he got comfortable with the idea that the stories a guy from Houston has heard over the years and the experiences he's had - experiences as mundane as a raucous family Christmas - are worth sharing. A writer would be reluctant to use the word universal, but Keen's writing and the honest emotion he evokes are, in fact, universal. They happen to be set in Texas. The easy-going, unassuming fellow on stage seems to be the real Robert Earl Keen. I got the impression that Kathleen Keen - all of 5 feet tall, maybe - is the family firebrand. Talkative and engaging, with dual passions for reading and the Civil War, she told me that her husband got the back-porch shooting story mostly right, except for one thing: She wasn't in her underwear when she pulled the trigger. She had on her pajamas. The lucrative international scam targeted the most ordinary of household necessities--flea and tick medication for pets. The latest break in the wide-ranging counterfeit investigation came this week when a California vendor admitted to a federal judge he had been peddling unregistered and smuggled animal pesticides online for 15 years, landing $2.5 million in profits. The medical con, with links to Houston and Galveston, included conspirators in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S. who dumped fake merchandise onto unsuspecting proprietors at mainstream pet shops in every state, according to federal authorities and court documents. Seven men have now owned up to their involvement and entered guilty pleas in federal courts in Houston and Los Angeles, but one alleged major supplier remains an international fugitive believed to be in the Cayman Islands. The anomaly in this take down was that fake products labeled with well known brand names, such as Frontline and Advantix, entered the legitimate pet pharmaceutical marketplace without detection, said Richard Halverson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations in Houston. Halverson ran the investigation jointly with officials from the Houston office of the Food and Drug Administration's criminal investigation branch. "The products that these guys were selling ended up all over the U.S.," he said. "We were seeing it penetrate the legitimate supply chain, on the web, but also big brand name stores had received some of this product." During a five-year investigation, Homeland Security officers seized $35 million in products of unknown origin with fake labels or products made for use in other countries that were not cleared for U.S. sales, Halverson said. He estimated there were also millions of dollars' worth of products that investigators did not recover. Philip Hilder, attorney for Lam Ngoc Tran, a California man, who was one of several fake packaging manufacturers convicted in the case, said the conspiracy was fueled by greed. "Other than money, I don't know what the motivation would be," said Hilder, whose client is serving a four-year federal prison sentence. "He repackaged a product that he knew was not manufactured in the states but was under the belief it was the same product manufactured abroad. He knew that he had violated the law and accepted his responsibility by not contesting the charge." Court documents allege the masterminds behind the fraudulent flea medication scheme were Iain Nigel Mackellar and Craig Mostert, who were authorized to buy the drugs for foreign markets, but they illegally diverted them to the United States. Mackellar, a U.K. native, is charged in Houston federal court with being a top illegal supplier of foreign manufactured flea and tick medication and pet pesticides to U.S. distributors in a scheme that dates back to 2008. Among the allegations, Mackellar is charged with smuggling a shipment in May 2015 that was declared during a customs inspection as a donation for hurricane relief. Mostert, a veterinarian from South Africa, pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles federal courtroom to shipping foreign medication by means of false statements and was ordered to pay $145,000 in forfeiture. Mostert and Mackellar sold most of the illegal goods to two California men, Sean L. Gerson and Chris Martin. Gerson, who netted $2.5 million from the fake products, told a judge in Los Angeles Monday that he knowingly transported and sold prescription Comfortis and Ciprofloxacin meant for South African consumers to an undercover officer in Missouri in August 2016, after it was smuggled into the United States. Other vendors pleaded guilty in federal courts in Houston and Los Angeles to selling or mass producing the counterfeit packaging. Some of their illegal pet medicine was seen online by agents, which brought the counterfeiting crew to the attention of the Galveston County District Attorney's Office and federal prosecutors in Houston. Pet medications, including pills and pesticides applied externally to combat fleas and ticks, are exposed to different regulatory rigor in different countries and they are measured and mixed differently, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney's office for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, where many of the cases were brought. There is also a significant price differential when you compare the U.S., European and South African markets, he said. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph O. Johns, who prosecuted the cases in Los Angeles, said Gerson's plea Monday caps off a lengthy effort to protect consumers from the scam. "Our goal with these prosecutions has been to dismantle the entire smuggling and distribution network for these illegal products," he said. BAYSIDE - Sharon Scott, 75, has been mayor of this tiny community on the southwestern shore of Copano Bay for only a couple of months. She assumed office when her predecessor resigned unexpectedly. "If I'd known Harvey was coming, I think I would have said no," she said Thursday morning. Sitting at the kitchen table in her stepmother's house, the expression on her face was a combination of grin and grimace. In the next room, her 101-year-old father, a retired shrimper and Bayside pioneer, lay on a hospital cot under hospice care. Scott's father, J.D. Derrough, was with out-of-town relatives when Hurricane Harvey roared ashore three weeks ago at Rockport, 15 miles across the bay. Scott rode out the storm with her daughter, son-in-law and three dogs in their Bayside home. As the wind howled deep into the night, people and dogs moved from room to room seeking safety from crashing windows, collapsing ceilings and water rising throughout the house. "That wind just would not stop," Scott recalled. "For 12 hours, the wind blew." The next morning, with Harvey headed east toward Houston, Scott walked down the road to her own two-story modular home with its superb view of the bay. Windows were out, the roof was gone and most everything inside was ruined. Many of her neighbors in this quiet, unassuming little community, population 325, were even worse off. Barbara and Eddie De Luna, Bayside residents for 32 years, stayed with relatives in Seguin the weekend of the storm. They came home to find their mobile home literally flattened, as if a bomb had exploded inside and propelled everything outward. "It was my worst nightmare," De Luna said Thursday, as a group from an Abilene church cleared away debris that used to be her home. "I told my husband it was like a nightmare in a horror story, and I'm still trying to wake up from it." For now, the De Lunas are living in a Motel 6 in Beeville. They plan to stay in Bayside. Maybe they'll build a house, she said. "Eighty percent of the homes are not livable," the mayor said. "Without help, we don't have the manpower to get back on our feet. We have two maintenance guys who work for the city and two office people. That's it." Among those unlivable houses is a magnificent mansion on the bay, now leaning perilously to one side. It was constructed by John Howland Wood, a New Yorker who moved to Bayside's predecessor community, St. Mary's on the Aransas, in 1836, in time to participate in the Battle of San Jacinto. He and his wife, Nancy, constructed their rambling Greek Revival mansion in 1875. It was a house big enough for their 12 children. They had high hopes for St. Mary's, and for several years, the town was a thriving port. Ships offloaded lumber onto wagon and cart trains bound for Refugio, Goliad, Beeville, San Antonio and Uvalde. That period of prosperity and promise ended in 1886 when the San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway chose Rockport over St. Mary's. Two speculators in the early 1900s laid out Bayside near the St. Mary's site, but the town never became the thriving community they envisioned. These days, traffic between Refugio and Corpus Christi speeds by on FM 136. Coastal Bend residents are likely to know Crofutt's Sandwich Shop, a 4-decades-old landmark famous for its sandwiches made with homemade bread, its cinnamon rolls and its cookies. Otherwise, little Bayside offers little reason to stop. Today, Crofutt's sits beside the highway, locked up and empty. Owner Lorraine Short hasn't decided whether to reopen. "People are going to be disappointed if she doesn't," Scott said. Among the retirees and second-home Texans living in Bayside are several newcomers, families with children. The mayor worries that they won't stay post-Harvey. "So far, we've heard that eight families, and counting, are not coming back," she said. That's also a concern to city council member Gloria Derrough, who's married to the mayor's centenarian father. "Property taxes and a water system are our only sources of income," she said. "We need to help people to stay." Bayside, like Houston, has land-use and affordable housing issues to deal with after the storm. Residents who want to stay need a place to live while they're rebuilding, and the current Bayside zoning codes don't allow single-wide trailers. "It's really an important issue," Derrough said. "It's going to affect Bayside's future, and we're just starting to address that. Are we going to break the ordinance and allow single-wides? Single-wides just for a year? Single-wides forever? We're trying to reach out to citizens, and some of them can't afford to rebuild." After a barbecue lunch on Thursday provided to Bayside residents and volunteers by a West Texas rancher named Mike Gibbs, the mayor walked over to her ruined house, the home she and her late husband built in 1970. Before digging through files hoping to find insurance papers, she glanced across the sparkling bay, toward what her husband always called their "million-dollar view." "At least my pier stayed," she said. "My husband built it for me, because he knew I liked to fish. Someday I'll get to fish again." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump appeared ready to follow through on making a deal with Democratic leaders in Congress to protect hundreds of thousands of undocumented "Dreamers" from deportation despite scorching blowback Thursday from his base of supporters. Amid withering criticism from immigration hawks - including an "Amnesty Don" label plastered on the front of conservative Breitbart News - Trump told reporters while visiting Florida that "everybody's on board. We're talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who've done a good job." But confusion reigned as to exactly what the deal is. The president seemed to contradict himself after asserting in an early morning Twitter post that "no deal was made last night on DACA" at a White House dinner that included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. But before leaving for Florida, Trump told reporters that "we're working on DACA." He added, "The wall will come later" seemingly removing a potential obstacle to a legislative deal. He also had a warning for Democrats: "If the Democrats aren't going to approve it (money for the border wall), then we're not going to do what they want," he said, adding, "DACA now and the wall very soon, but the wall will happen." In the fog of the morning after the White House dinner, immigration hawks like U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz were holding their fire. "We'll see what the substance and policy is," he said. "There have been conflicting reports about the meeting, and what matters is the substance and policy." But it appeared that few of those all-important policy details would emerge soon, even as Hispanic leaders held a rally in front of the White House, saying they were buoyed by apparent momentum toward passing the Dream Act, legislation that could protect the nearly 800,000 young immigrants in jeopardy after Trump ordered an end to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Despite Trump's assurances, Republicans chafed at the news of Trump working once more with Democrats after the president and Democratic leaders agreed last week on a deal to increase the debt ceiling and fund the government into December. Some vowed that Trump would pay a steep political price for any compromise on so-called Dreamers, particularly if it comes before any hard guarantees on a border wall. "I think something is going to have to be reversed here with this president's policy or it will just blow up his base," hard-right U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, told CNN. "I mean, this was a straight-up promise all the way through his campaign." 'What's going on here?' U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, summed up conservatives' mounting frustrations in an interview with Fox Business' Lou Dobbs. "We do have a lot of people who don't want one (a wall). We were just voting in the House and really, Lou, I was just sitting there, we had 23 votes and most of the Democratic amendments to the appropriation bill passed. And, it seemed most of the Republicans' (amendments) did not." Gohmert continued, "I'm asking people around me, what's going on here? Is this some parallel universe? We are supposed to be the majority and supposed to be getting these things done. We have got to get a wall done. It doesn't have to be everywhere, but we have got to get that done. Some of us are not giving up." Trump also sought to reassure his conservative base that letting Dreamers stay does not mean "amnesty" or a path to citizenship. Responding to a shouted question by a reporter Thursday about whether he favors amnesty, Trump shouted back: "The word is DACA." The exchange illustrated the tricky political stakes emerging from the haze of conflicting reports about Trump's conversation with Schumer and Pelosi. In a joint statement after the Wednesday night dinner at the White House, the two Democrats said the president had "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders quickly contradicted the Democrats on whether the deal excluded a wall. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," Sanders said in a tweet. Schumer press secretary Matt House countered on Twitter that Trump had "made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement." With Trump's order giving Congress until March to strike a legislative bargain on the future of DACA recipients, few observers see a resolution anytime soon. Said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio: "It seems to be an agreement to come to a deal at some point." But Republican leaders in Congress also sought to downplay the significance of any understanding between Trump and the Democrats. "He wasn't negotiating a deal last night," said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., "He was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspectives. I think the president understands that he's going to have to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution." Ryan sees compromise But Ryan also said that Republicans favor some resolution to the humanitarian concerns about the dreamers, a group that has received considerable public sympathy in polls - and from the president. "There will be a compromise," Ryan said. "This will occur." Ryan also emphasized the need to beef up the border. But he didn't say specifically whether a compromise on DACA has to include an agreement on wall funding. A significant number of Republicans, especially in Texas, remain skeptical about the need for a physical wall along the entire southwest border. With Democrats' votes, a DACA compromise would require only a few Republicans to sign on. But in an attempt to clarify his commitment to a border wall, Trump's political organization sent out a fundraising email Thursday with the Republican National Committee. "There's been a lot of noise today and a lot of rumors," Trump wrote. "Let me set the record straight in the simplest language possible. We will build a wall (not a fence) along the southern border of the United States of America to help stop illegal immigration and keep America safe." But in comments to reporters, Trump reiterated that a deal to fund a border wall with Mexico might "come later" "- in separate negotiations with lawmakers. "Very important is the wall," he told reporters on a Florida airfield tarmac Thursday morning. "We have to be sure the wall isn't obstructed because without the wall I wouldn't do anything. It doesn't have to be here, but they can't obstruct the wall if it's in a budget or anything else." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 1 of 2 Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office Show More Show Less 2 of 2 U.S. Customs and Border Protection Show More Show Less A 73-year-old Texas woman was arrested on Wednesday after police allegedly found her weighing and packaging cocaine inside her house. According to KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, investigators with the Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office found Andrea Flores inside her bedroom preparing the drugs for sale when they served a narcotics search warrant on her house. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WHARTON - Kenneth Pospisil saw the flood coming in the city of Wharton, while he and his neighbors grilled ribs on their Freedom Road lawn. Sharon Thyssen noticed it in the town of Glen Flora, where she'd planned to celebrate her 62nd birthday with her husband and friends. Linda Holmes spotted it in her country home, when she looked out a window and saw her yard shining. For residents of rural Wharton County, located some 60 miles southwest of downtown Houston, the floodwaters came quickly - in a matter of hours, perhaps faster. They arrived as a wall of water, pushing across fields, over roads and up to doorsteps. The flooding caused by the Colorado River surging far beyond its banks would cause damage that would leave the area forever changed, even as the nation's eyes remained fixed on the devastation in Houston. Outside of Wharton, no one seemed to notice the force that residents of this rural community struggled against. "We feel like we're the forgotten city," Wharton City Secretary Paula Favors said. Four days after Harvey made landfall on Aug. 25, the rising river took thousands by surprise as it swamped neighborhood after neighborhood in a string of towns and into the city of Wharton. It stayed high for days, flooding more than one in three homes in the county seat. People likened it to a war zone. The floods affected more homes around it. The county of some 42,000 saw the bulk of the damage in its eastern half, where much was affected, the emergency management coordinator said. A tally of the damage has not yet been completed. Residents recalled it the same way. Until that moment, they considered themselves safe. Then they had no time to think. Some fled. Some stayed put. Some found themselves forced onto rooftops or into attics. But they saw water and knew it was time to go - or figure out how to stay and survive. *** Just as Houston planners knew to watch certain spots after Hurricane Harvey swept through, emergency management officials in outlying counties knew to watch the rivers. They knew how ferocious they could become. In Fort Bend and Brazoria counties, the Brazos River threatened levee systems. In the Tierra Grande subdivision, the San Bernard River put numerous homes at risk. Wharton County residents had the Colorado and San Bernard rivers with which to contend. The former had caused issues before, repeatedly flooding the historically black section of the city of Wharton in recent years. Before Harvey struck, Wharton County Emergency Management Coordinator Andy Kirkland asked around about other past floods. He expected the river this time, as previously, to connect with and fill other waterways around the city. But he didn't predict that it would hit with such force. "We were not expecting that water to come rolling across the prairie," Kirkland said. "We did not know that it would be of the magnitude that it was." The city began with a voluntary evacuation, said Favors, the city secretary. Then the unthinkable happened: Water entered her 1880s-era home in Egypt, a town upriver from Wharton and 11 miles west. Water hadn't gotten into that house since 1913. Favors knew things would be bad. She was right. By the time the river would crest, the city would be nearly boxed in by water. Emergency Medical Services would be flying people out in helicopters. The EMS director would lose his own home. Fuel would run low. So would groceries. The already-saturated ground would have an impact on water rising faster, said Katie Landry-Guyton, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service. Rain had fallen constantly, and in great amounts, both locally and upstream. It would become critical how people communicated, said John Hofmann, executive vice president of water at the Lower Colorado River Authority, which provides a service to help keep people informed. That became the first challenge. The radio station isn't based in their town. The newspaper prints only a few days a week. It was hard to believe what was coming. Aug. 29, 4:37 p.m. TO GLEN FLORA RESIDENTS: PLEASE LEAVE THE AREA ASAP. FM 102 IS EXPECTED TO BE CLOSED WITHIN THE HOUR. - Wharton County Office of Emergency Management Facebook post For 34 years, Sharon and Michael Thyssen had lived in their storybook purple home in Glen Flora. They loved the precious town. Made up of roughly a dozen streets, it was home to artists, the elderly and farmers, they said. Michael, 64, was the town barber. The Thyssens knew the river was rising. On Tuesday afternoon, they decided to take some documents to a safe place - just in case. They saw the water coming across the corn field in the distance. Forty-five minutes later, the couple returned, expecting to join neighbors to celebrate Sharon's 62nd birthday. Water now was up to their ankles. There would be no birthday supper. They fled with water lapping at their shins. "It was just a shock to everybody," Sharon said. Down the street, Trish Winkles felt like she was living in a nightmare. She had numerous rescue animals that she could not leave. Winkles herded dogs into crates on the porch. She ushered cats inside. She watched, panicked, as the water began to rush past her house like Niagara Falls. Her legs would ache for days from the effort of trying to walk through the torrent that defied prediction. "Everybody was caught off guard," said Winkles, 63. "This was like nothing anybody had ever experienced before." Flooding here was wreaking havoc, and still Houston remained the focus of the news, noted her neighbor, Roy Freese, 66. Along with many other properties, the Thyssens' home flooded. So did the post office and Winkles' antique shop, one of the only businesses still open in town. Winkles would have trouble calming her mind in the weeks that followed. The tears would keep coming. "It's never going to be the same now," said Freese, who works in real estate. He stood on the wraparound porch of his home, picturesque except for the step still caked in dirt. Aug. 29, 10:44 p.m. URGENT MESSAGE FOR RESIDENTS OF THE ORCHARD OR PEACH CREEK ACRES: If you live in these areas you should be leaving immediately and seeking shelter elsewhere. Linda Holmes flicked off her TV. The network had changed from constant news to regular programming. "I guess we're done," Holmes recalled thinking. That's when she saw her lawn shining with water. Here, in the unincorporated county, Holmes and her husband had retired 10 years prior. It felt like the country. They had a horse. Holmes woke up her husband. Already, the water seemed too deep to leave safely. Water seeped through the floors. It didn't stop rising. Finally, Homes concluded, they had to get in the attic. The 71-year-old turned on all the lights in the house to signal their location. She called her daughter in California. She hung up quickly to conserve power. Her son-in-law contacted law enforcement. No one could come rescue them until morning. Holmes prayed. "I thought we were going to drown," Holmes said. Time and again, Holmes climbed down the ladder to look and listen. But a boat didn't arrive until daylight. She is 5-foot-4, and, by then, the water came up to her chin. It would be days before Holmes could return. She watched for any news of her home. But she saw none on TV. It was only "Houston, Houston, Houston," she said. Water did reach the ceiling. It ruined everything. Her mother's Bible. The "final furniture," as she'd put it, referring to fancy leather sofas they'd recently bought. All her clothes, save the red shirt she had worn since her rescue. She hadn't died, but in a way it felt like she had. Community members rallied together. "That's how we survived," she said. Aug. 30, 3:22 p.m. We have reports that the water from the Bauman (sic) Slough and Peach Creek is entering the north side of Wharton ... Please be careful and be aware of this situation. It was early afternoon and Kenneth Pospisil, 54, had just returned from helping to rescue someone. They put some of the evacuated woman's baking supplies in their freezers but had two slabs of ribs that wouldn't fit. So they decided to cook them. Pospisil had raised a family in this one-story Wharton home with a sweeping lawn. His 29-year-old daughter, Annie Zimmerhanzel, and her husband, Cody, had come over with their 1-year-old and planned to stay for the storm. They expected it to be safer here than in their home a short drive away. Then they noticed the water coming up the ditch, across the pastures. They grabbed medicine and clothes. In 15 minutes, water rushed over the driveway. They needed to go, even if the ribs weren't done cooking. "We just left everything," Zimmerhanzel said. At least 2 feet of water would enter the home. It would ruin her wedding dress, her baby books. Their possessions, like those of so many others, would end up in a soggy, stinky pile on the street. Wharton is a place where relatives live across the street from one another. Some, like Zimmerhanzel, have known their neighbors their whole lives. Much of the city that was affected is low-income or working class. Officials estimate roughly 1,300 of 3,200 homes in the city of Wharton suffered damage. Across town, Juan Cantu and his family faced the same decision. They thought the storm was over, that they were safe. And then the road became a river. "It was just unreal," said Cantu, 40. "You can't believe it." They, too, left immediately and returned later to devastation. He still remembers how the family's house smelled when they first got to it, like sewage and crawfish. Now Cantu and his father sleep on mattresses in the gutted residence. Across the street, a relative, Enedina Castellano, goes to her ruined home each day to wait for FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. To fix the house, the 76-year-old worries she might need to use money she had set aside for her burial. She sat on a swinging bench in her driveway on Monday when the mail arrived. She checked to see if she'd gotten any bills. She longed for more help to deal with the devastation. "It was a lost town," she said. "That's what they say." The eviction notice showed up on Steven Calhoun's door on September 6. He wanted to pay his rent, but he couldn't after losing five days of work as prep cook and a week's pay because of Hurricane Harvey. His best hope was disaster unemployment assistance, a program to help people who temporarily lose work as the result of natural disaster, but more than two weeks after he filed a claim with the Texas Workforce Commission, he's still waiting. "What am I gonna do?" thought Calhoun, 31, who moved to Houston from Milwaukee earlier this year. "This is the first time this has ever happened to me." Calhoun is among an estimated 125,000 workers displaced by Hurricane Harvey who have filed for unemployment assistance provided as part of federal disaster relief most, if not all of whom are still waiting for help. The Texas Workforce Commission, unprepared for the deluge of claims, said it doesn't know how many claims, if any, have been paid yet. Unions and social service organizations helping workers apply for disaster unemployment assistance say it can take hours to make it through the process when applying by phone, since the TWC's lines are clogged with callers. "People haven't been able to get through the system, and that in itself is a huge problem," says Josephine Lee, an organizer with El Pueblo Primero, a program based at San Pablo Episcopal Church in Southeast Houston that serves mostly Latino immigrants. In order to address the demand, the Workforce Commission said it is hiring 80 more people to process phone calls and has extended its service hours to 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday also waived the waiting period for benefits, which usually delays payment for the first week of a worker's unemployment. RELATED: A push to keep workers from becoming Harvey's next victims "Our agency has been working diligently to respond to the needs of those who have lost their livelihoods and much more in some cases," said Lisa Givens, a spokeswoman for the Workforce Commission. But for workers like Calhoun who live on thin margins, those checks often don't come through quickly enough to save them from financial hardship. Calhoun earns $10 an hour working for OTG, a New York food service contractor at Bush Intercontinental airport. While at home in the first few days after the storm, Calhoun applied for benefits online, hoping for a turnaround before his apartment complex's grace period was up. (Reached by phone, an assistant manager for the Sedona Pointe apartments said they would not be evicting people impacted by the storm this month, but Calhoun says that's not what he was told.) Days went by, and no help came. Calhoun applied for every other source of aid he could think of, from FEMA to the Red Cross, but they were all reserved for people whose homes were damaged, and the unemployment assistance claim kept showing up as pending. Calhoun tried to stay calm, knowing that stress could trigger his epilepsy. "How is this fair to us?" Calhoun says. "How is this fair to anybody here who's been affected?" Navigating the unemployment insurance system can be difficult even under normal circumstances, when Texas receives 30,000 or 40,000 claims a month. Texas pays only 79 percent of its claims within 14 days, which is below the federal standard of 87 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Hany Khalil, executive director of the Texas Gulf Coast Labor Federation, said he'd like to see the process streamlined and the deadline for applying which is now Sept. 29 extended to accommodate those who'd had trouble getting through. "The response of Houston during the hurricane was one of enormous generosity," says Khalil. "We didn't ask, 'do you really need help to get out of this flooded zone?' Our government needs that same spirit." RELATED: Why rebuilding may be more difficult in Florida than Texas The left-leaning National Employment Law Project has also advocated for benefit levels to be raised for the disaster-assistance program and eligibility requirements to be relaxed. Representatives of the labor union UNITE-HERE, which represents about 1,500 workers at Bush Airport, say that about half the claims that they helped people file were rejected, usually because workers hadn't worked enough in the previous year to qualify for benefits. Many employers just pay their workers for the hours they missed due to the hurricane, which saves them the stress of having to deal with the state system at all. Employees at United Airlines, for example, had no interruption to their paychecks. Some small businesses, of course, can't afford to make payroll for hours that weren't worked if money wasn't coming in. Large ones, though, can typically shell out wages for at least a few days. On Wednesday, after being contacted by a reporter, OTG said it would be paying all its workers for lost time during the hurricane. Employees were then notified that the extra money would be included in their next paychecks, at the end of the week. "No crewmember will lose a dime in their paycheck because of Hurricane Harvey," said Eric Brinker, the company's vice president for experience. But for Calhoun, it wasn't soon enough. On Thursday, he took out a $1,000 auto title loan in order to pay his rent before the landlord added on any more fees. After that, other bills await. "There's a lot of people in this situation," Calhoun says. "They're trying their best to hold it together." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Thursday extended sanctions relief to Iran, avoiding imminent action that could implode the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, even as President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Tehran of not respecting the entire agreement. The extensions of the waivers on nuclear sanctions, first issued by the Obama administration, were accompanied by new penalties imposed against 11 Iranian people and companies accused of supporting Iran's ballistic missile program or involvement in cyberattacks against the U.S. financial system. The combination of steps - known internally as "waive and slap" - came as the administration nears completion of a monthslong review of its Iran policy that is expected next month, perhaps as early as October 15 when Trump must inform Congress if Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear agreement. In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump repeated his campaign pronouncement that the deal is bad and again said he believes Iran is violating its terms and spirit. "The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen," he said. "Not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should have never ever been made. You'll see what we're doing ... it's going to be in October." Speaking in London at a joint news conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson., Tillerson told reporters the administration's approach to Iran could not be determined on the basis of the nuclear accord alone. "We must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just its nuclear capabilities," he said, citing obligations to uphold regional and international security. "Iran is clearly in defiance of these obligations," Tillerson said, pointing to its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, cyber activity and missile tests. The White House left it to the State Department to make the move public. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert recited a litany of what she called provocative and belligerent Iranian action that she said demonstrated Iran's malign behavior before announcing the "waive" part of the strategy. "The administration did approve waivers in order to maintain some flexibility as we consult on Capitol Hill and among allies and partners to address the flaws in the JCPOA, and additional time to develop our policy to address the full range of Iranian malign behavior," she said. MINSK, Belarus - Russia and Belarus began major war games Thursday, an operation involving thousands of troops, tanks and aircraft on NATO's eastern edge practicing how to hunt down and destroy armed spies, among other maneuvers. The Zapad (West) 2017 maneuvers, which are mainly taking place in Belarus this year, have caused concern among members of the Western military alliance and in neighboring countries. Some NATO members, including the Baltic states and Poland, have criticized a lack of transparency about the exercises and questioned Moscow's real intentions. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff Residents in every corner of Houston can relax at their local watering hole through last call after Mayor Sylvester Turner on Friday lifted the post-Hurricane Harvey curfew he had imposed. The mayor tweeted at about 11:30 a.m. that he had lifted the midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew citywide. He had imposed the restriction Aug. 29, then lifted it for all but a portion of still-flooded west Houston on Sept. 5. Hurricanes typically weaken before they make landfall. Not Harvey. The historic storm actually grew stronger in the immediate 24 hours before it made landfall in Texas, the bathtub-warm water acting like a perfect fuel for Harvey's fury. For decades, scientists have warned the man-made climate change could bring bizarre and unprecedented events. Harvey probably belongs on that list. If Houston is going to be serious about keeping our city safe from Mother Nature, then we have to make global warming part of the discussion. It will be a tough conversation. Even in the 21st century, the oil and gas industry still serves as our core economic engine. They've brought untold wealth and prosperity, but at the end of the day their product is responsible for carbon emissions that trap heat in the atmosphere. A warming planet means wetter storms, higher storm surges and more intense hurricanes, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. Insurance companies have collected the data to back that up. The number of storms, floods, extreme temperature events and other destructive natural disasters more than tripled between 1980 and 2016, according to The Economist. The whole world has started to notice. No longer is climate change the exclusive realm of environmentalists and academics. The oil and gas industry has stopped denying the reality of global warming. During the Greater Houston Partnership's annual State of Energy meeting in June, Lamar McKay, deputy group chief executive at BP, called for transitioning to a lower carbon energy mix. Petroleum leaders from around the globe spoke during CERAWeek at the George R. Brown Convention Center about shrinking carbon footprints and growing clean energy output. Even the U.S. military is pushing forward on plans to harden naval bases against sea-level rise and prepare Arctic outposts for melting permafrost. Across the board, industry and commerce is preparing for potential changes to our planet's climate - and the inevitable economic disruption when nations turn away from fossil fuels. The only people who refuse to confront these undeniable shifts are the politicians who would rather shut their eyes and stuff waterlogged muck in their ears. Our records on weather are limited, and we've only been tracking storms by satellite since the 1960s. Ties between global warming and individual events can be tenuous. Proper responses to worldwide phenomena will require complex questions about public policy. But we can't start down that hard road until we're willing to talk about climate change openly, honestly and with up-to-date information. This means funding the NASA climate science missions - the current White House budget calls for them to be eliminated. The EPA must resurrect climate change information that has been removed from its websites. FEMA flood maps have to be redrawn to account for changing weather. And the United States should once again join the Paris climate accords. Harvey was unlike any storm we've seen before. The fear is that a warming planet will just make it the first of many. 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. 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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. e than 111,000 jobs will be available between now and 2060 as the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) is seen to contribute RM21 billion or S$6.7 billion to the two economies.Malaysias Land Public Transport Commission CEO Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, in his keynote address at the 4th International Summit of the HSR Asia 2017, said the rail system is a game changer because it will pull isolated regions closer, spur growth and help several towns unleash their potential by making them highly accessible, Channel News Asia reported.Not just tourists but also workers and investors will reap the benefits, he said.The HSR is expected to increase the number of travelers across the two countries. There is a pent-up demand for travel between KL and Singapore, as gleaned from the number of cross-border buses and flights between the two cities.As a result, Mohd Azharuddin said, there will be economic activities along its route, including but not limited to business activities in the surrounding areas of the stations."Introducing the rail into the equation will offer a competitive option that promises to save, not just time, but will lead to many other opportunities," he said.The CEO acknowledged that much work lies ahead."Complex undertakings like a cross-border high-speed rail cannot be executed by looking at mere anecdotes or skimming through easy examples - we need to analyse comprehensive data sets to arrive at more robust conclusions," he said.Other complex issues were funding options, network expansion, capacity increment, communication an signaling and safety and security.According to Mohd Azharuddin, his agency and its counterpart, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore, were ensuring that safety is a key consideration in the design and operation of the HSR.The next briefing, scheduled for September 26, will provide in-depth information on technical, commercial and project governance aspects of the project and also serve as a platform to share key features of the project with the industry and interested participants, he said. Grant Linton, GM of Reckon Accountant Group, said a quarter of those surveyed believed it was not easy to run a business in New Zealand much of that was down to difficulties around compliance. The most common reason was the cost of compliance and how it takes focus away from core business, he said. One respondent gave the example of health and safety overkill as being a compliance cost which hit companies particularly hard. Other factors making it difficult to run a business in New Zealand include the challenge of finding qualified staff, and difficulty when needing to dismiss staff. Eighty-four percent of respondents said technological advancements and the rise of the robots was impacting on their business and the roles their staff will play now and in the future. It was clear the majority of businesses were moving with the times, and embracing the concept of automation, says Linton. The challenge is making it work for them with many companies needing support through this transition or risk being left behind and unable to compete. There are one billion people in the world with disabilities, in fact more than one billion. We need to have a conversation about disability which is progressive and forward-thinking. As a person diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a form of autism, I am still astonished at how there are so many problems of discrimination and lack of access to opportunity. My diagnosis came after having difficulties getting on at school. I wouldn't say that I felt different, but certainly knew that I wasn't like everyone else. Nobody is having the conversation, which is so sadly lacking in today's society. That a disability does not need to be seen as an inability. I find it interesting that much of the time, it is up to people with disabilities themselves to advocate and make the difference they need in their own lives. I had to - I had no choice but to work hard, put this new 'Autism' label behind me and power on through my studies and carry on with my life. Advertisement Cindy Montgomery is a mum from Chicago who decided to turn the plight of her family and her son, who has a diagnosis of autism, into a business which helps young people with autism get into employment. Her social enterprise, Teachability, recognises and aims to show other businesses that people with disabilities are a competitive advantage in the workplace. She said: "This problem needs to hit home with people that don't have a loved one with a disability. If they truly understood how life-changing any job experience can be for a student who is not given the chance to shine like so many of his peers there would be no need for my program." Cindy Montgomery, CEO, Teachability (Photo credit: Cindy Montgomery) Another fine example of someone taking on this issue themselves is Caroline Casey, an avid campaigner and social entrepreneur, who has launched a ground-breaking campaign, #valuable, to begin a real conversation on business and disability that will drive systemic change. People raised eyebrows at her mission to raise awareness of disability. She's wanting businesses globally to put disability inclusion on their boardroom agendas. It makes sense right, it's your people: your employees, customers and suppliers who help you make profit, so why not make sure you consider all people - not just the typically able. Advertisement Caroline Casey (Photo Credit: Caroline Casey, valuable campaign) According to the World Health Organisation, up to half of businesses in OECD countries may choose to pay fines rather than meet their quotas on disability. Caroline is trekking across Colombia on horseback, travelling 1,000km to the One Young World conference in Bogota, to launch her campaign to the 1,300 next generation leaders with the power to make change. She said: "Business has the chance to prove again how it can be a real force for good in society. We have made leaps and bounds on a myriad of other social issues- it is now the turn for action around disability. If we truly believe in equality for all, then disability needs to equally be on the agenda." There's no escaping from the fact that dementia has become an urgent global health crisis that is only set to worsen. Global diagnosis rates are low, people are receiving sub-standard or no care and stigma in many communities remains rife. But while there is growing recognition of the scale of the problem, there is a key issue that continues to be significantly overlooked. Women are disproportionately affected by dementia. The World Health Organisation lists dementia as one of the top ten causes of death for women and it is the top cause of death for females in the UK. Research shows that women not only face a greater prevalence of the condition, but also fulfil the majority of care support and face the greatest stigma. Internationally, women account for two in three providers of dementia care support. Cultural norms, particularly in lower and middle income countries, often determine that a mother, daughter or daughter-in-law should assume the role of family carer. These unpaid care responsibilities mean many women are forced to sacrifice their job opportunities, either reducing their hours or ceasing work altogether. They are subsequently left vulnerable to financial hardship. Advertisement Sarah (not her real name) cares for her older sister who lives with advanced dementia in South Africa. Sarah has taken her young daughter out of school to help with caring duties and to save money to support the family These gendered roles can become even more complex, with women in some communities unable to detach from their responsibility as homemaker and family carer. One woman in India told us that she moved away from her family to receive dementia and cancer care, as she wanted to preserve her self-respect by not relying on her relatives. A cruel paradox means that while often relied on as care partners, women are also significantly more likely to develop dementia themselves. Around the world, a greater proportion of women than men live with dementia. Once they have overcome the initial barriers to getting a diagnosis, women can also face discrimination in care. A recent UK study identified that women living with dementia are more likely than men to be prescribed psychotropic medication that can negatively affect their physical health. Advertisement Too often around the world, in every country, families do not understand what is wrong with their loved ones when they develop dementia. In this situation, a simple first step is dementia awareness. Community health workers and volunteers must first be taught that dementia is a medical condition, and then take further steps to utilise the tools that exist to support diagnosis and care. Worryingly, in some countries, there's not even a word for dementia, with many people affected accused of witchcraft and at risk of daily threats of violence. A lack of recognition or understanding of the condition permeates from within the community right up to a policy level. There is a universal stigma surrounding the condition and extreme forms of discrimination can lead to the abuse of women. Older women are particularly vulnerable to what has been called a "triple jeopardy", discriminated against because of their sex, age and medical condition. Some people are bound by a cultural stigma that forbids them seeking external help. The ramifications of these misunderstandings are dangerous and can sometimes lead to abuse. Kiki Laniyonu Edwards a leading dementia advocate in Nigeria features in a new film released for World Alzheimer's Day 'And Then I Looked Up Dementia - Women Speak Out.' As in many parts of the world, the stigma and misunderstanding of dementia that exists in Nigeria is extensive and can be dangerous. People with dementia are commonly labelled as witches, and sometimes abandoned by their families for fear they too will be accused of witchcraft because of courtesy stigma. When they are not abandoned, people with dementia are often locked away without proper care and support to manage their symptoms. Kiki herself has been accused of witchcraft due to her care support and association with people living with the condition. Next year, dementia will become a $1trillion disease that's a cost greater than the GDP of all but the 15 richest economies in the world. There's no longer time to shirk our global responsibility to address this issue. The Global Alzheimer's and Dementia Action Alliance (GADAA) is urging global leaders to recognise dementia as a medical condition that needs urgent action, and unite in ensuring better diagnosis, care, research and awareness through the development of national dementia plans in every country in the world. But so far only 12 countries have taken into consideration the needs of women in their commitments and only 29 countries have a national dementia plan. Around the world people remain trapped in a perennial struggle to access the diagnosis, care and support that they desperately need - and for women the challenge is even greater. Advertisement International civil society also has a role to play in addressing the stigma and in delivering change for people living with dementia. We need as many voices as possible to spread the word that dementia is not a normal part of ageing, and not a curse, but one of the most prevalent and under-supported medical conditions the world over. PeopleImages via Getty Images As the parliamentary and university terms resume, the item at the top of the agenda for both politicians and vice-chancellors is almost certainly Brexit. For politicians, this will mean fighting in parliament and on the airwaves for their preferred outcome from negotiations with the EU. And for vice-chancellors, it will mean highlighting and looking to mitigate the possible risks posed by Brexit to international student numbers and research funding. Advertisement There is, however, another issue which should be making politicians and vice-chancellors sit up and take notice as the new term gets under way. This week, IPPR published new analysis which shows that, over the past ten years, there has been a five-fold increase in the number of students who disclose a mental health condition to their university (rising from around 3,145 to 15,395 students). And many more experience mental distress or low wellbeing which may not be severe enough to warrant a clinical diagnosis, but which means they are likely to require some degree of support to help them get back on track. According to the most conservative estimates, one in three students report feeling down or depressed. And students experience significantly lower wellbeing than the average across all adults. Students cite academic pressures as the biggest factor affecting their mental health, along with social pressures, and worries about debt and entering the graduate jobs market. On top of this, a gradual erosion in stigma and increased awareness among young people mean more are willing to come forward to seek support, with fewer choosing to suffer in silence. Advertisement But where support is not available, or university staff do not identify those who are struggling, students' ability to reach their potential is put at risk. A record number of students with mental health problems dropped out of university in 2014/15, which risks damaging their own career prospects and represents lost public investment. And 2015 saw 134 student die by suicide, a higher number than at any point over the past fifteen years. As a result, universities are reporting significant increases in demand for mental health support from students. 94 per cent of universities report seeing increased demand for counselling services over the past five years, with two thirds seeing demand go up by more than 25 per cent. For the past several years, groups such as the National Union of Students (NUS) have consistently argued that universities need to do more to help improve student mental health. Our research identified numerous examples of good practice from across the sector, where universities are looking to find innovative ways to meet this growing demand. However, it is clear that many remain way behind the curve. There are, though, positive signs that the sector is beginning to grasp the challenge in a more systematic way. This week, Universities UK launched its new #stepchange framework, intended to be the first step towards universities adopting mental health and wellbeing as a strategic priority. Universities should commit to develop their own approaches - based on student engagement, prevention, early intervention, support and referral into specialist care - and increase the amount of funding set aside for counselling and other initiatives. Advertisement But this will not be enough on its own. Government and the NHS must also do more to protect and promote students' mental health. As a first step, a forthcoming government green paper should identify students' particular mental health needs and set out solutions. This could include, for example, the creation of a new Digital Student Health Passport to ensure that students' mental health care is joined-up across services, and that support does not fall away when students move between home and university. The May government has so far talked a good talk on mental health, but is not yet clear how this will translate to improved support for students. Brexit is bringing new urgency to questions about what kind of society we want to be. To thrive outside the EU, the UK will need an educated workforce - but also a workforce that is healthy, happy and resilient. Knoydart is a very special place. A peninsula on the west coast of Scotland, accessed only by boat, it has all the feelings of a remote Scottish island. Staying in the village of Inverie, I went there recently to explore Scotland's last true wilderness. Standing on the pier at Mallaig, I couldn't believe how many bags we had. The pier was strewn with luggage. There are no grocery stores as such on Knoydart so it is essential to take provisions with you. There are a couple of places you can pick up basic supplies. The post office sells a few household goods and provisions. The Knoydart Foundation has its own shop in the village and it has a freezer full of excellent venison and a small off licence for important stocks of booze. You really get the feeling you are going somewhere off the beaten track particularly when you scan your eyes round the harbour. The boat to Knoydart doesn't leave from the larger ferry terminal for the Caledonian McBrayne services sailing to the Hebrides. Instead, surrounded by fishing boats, a small vessel with a cabin big enough for a dozen or so people appears round the corner and docks discretely alongside the harbour steps. We get the signal to board and before long a human chain had formed the length of the harbour steps. Bags of all shapes and sizes were passed from one pair of hands to another. There was something really lovely about how naturally a human chain formed between strangers and everybody helped out to put all the luggage on board. Advertisement The sail up Loch Nevis and into Inverie felt just magical. Surrounded by the most beautiful of Scottish Highland scenery, the whitewashed cottages that line the front of the village came closer into view. How lucky I felt, that this picturesque location was going to be my home for the next week. I couldn't wait to explore the forests and rugged coastline that stretched into the distance. Bags were unloaded into the back of Landrovers that drove onto the pier to meet the boat. After being a hive of activity, the pier was soon empty and deserted again as visitors were taken to their accommodation. Knoydart is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors. Whether it's canoeing, mountain biking, walking or fishing, this is wonderful environment to be in. Many people go to Knoydart for its wilderness experience and enjoy the isolation in some spectacular scenery. We spent the first morning walking to explore the village and its immediate surroundings. Some beautiful woodlands line the road that takes you along towards the Kilchoan Estate. I've visited many parts of Scotland over recent years and had some amazing experiences. I have to say however that Knoydart has taken a special place in my heart, and already I am longing to go back there. The isolation, the peace, and the feeling of true wilderness make it just magical. There are no ferries arriving each day bringing hundreds of tourists. The majority of people there are those who live there. Although this is part of the Scottish mainland, it really feels like island life. Just things like the old cars, and the lack of road signs make it feel very isolated. There is a lovely farm shop on the Kilchoan Estate selling some nice things that has an honesty box for people to leave their money. Doors are seldom locked and keys are left in cars giving a beautiful feel of community and trust. Advertisement Teachers have always faced challenges - time changes the medium but not the content. The teachers of today still face the issues of bullying and abuse, fighting against a tide of inattention. In 2017, however, they are working against smartphones and the digital world rather than pieces of paper and fisticuffs. One of the areas that teachers find hardest to tackle is social media. Nominet's recent research into the impact in the classroom found that secondary school teachers lose an average of 17 minutes every day to social media disruption - that's over 11 days each year. This is not only short-changing our kids but each school's potential too. The youngsters of today were born into a digital world and use social media to operate within it. Social media platforms are a place for them to express themselves and discover who they are. They can connect with likeminded people at a distance as they carve their own place in the world. Advertisement Unfortunately, sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are playing catch-up when cyberbullying and abuse inevitably appear. Social media has expanded many issues that teachers deal with in the classroom, with students found to be the victims of cyber bullying and online abuse, as well as even sharing explicit content during lessons. Also alarming is the news from the NSPCC that social media exacerbates mental health issues such as anxiety and depression despite also offering a lifeline for adolescents; it's a double-edged sword. Our own research found that half of all teachers believe social media contributes to their pupils achieving lower grades than their potential, while 57% think it has negatively affected their students' mental health. But social media is here to stay. Young people will find a way of using it however carefully a school tries to clamp down on usage. A case in point comes from one of England's leading independent schools that admitted to monitoring their students' comments on social media to check for criticism of the school, prompting protests from the students themselves. Perhaps the only way to progress is to harness social media for good as far as possible in the school environment. This starts with ensuring teachers feel confident and able to educate their pupils on social media issues, including sharing coping strategies for cyber bullying and making clear the potential ramifications of creating or sharing explicit content. We found that less than a quarter of teachers believe they definitely have the right skills to cope, making a strong case for more training and support of teachers - or even creating roles for Digital Leaders in schools. Advertisement Teachers also need to feel confident to take the next step, from broadcasting on social media to using it to communicate with the children they educate or even as a classroom tool. Many schools have already joined the social media bandwagon, using Twitter to contact and communicate with parents and update students on closures or changes to the school day. Positive use of platforms in the classroom could be encouraged with simple steps such as incorporating sites such as Facebook into lesson plans - great for closed group class projects and sharing relevant research and ideas. This must be considered with regard to the official age restrictions for each of the social media platforms, which sits at 13 for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. From the fast-paced rollercoasters to the dizzy heights of the circus top, Suzanne Baum led the high-life on a recent visit to Florida. It was my first visit to Orlando in 30 years and despite my kids' excitement I approached it with trepidation, fearing the high exchange rate, the forecasted storms and my motion-sickness may turn it on its head. And how right I was - for there was many a time my sons were left hanging upside down.....thanks to the theme park capital of the world! With an action-packed itinerary planned, it made sense to ease ourselves in gently and Seaworld's Discovery Cove was the perfect place to begin. The sheer lushness of the place is a huge eye-opener and we immediately felt like we had stepped into a tropical oasis. Advertisement The ultimate experience is the opportunity to swim with dolphins - we loved meeting Kayleigh, taking it in turns to swim alongside her. Discovery Cove Taking the plunge at Seaworld was going to be a far more challenging experience, especially with my family fixated on tackling the Mako ride. How can something designed to leave you breathless as you skim over the park along 4,760ft of track be fun, I joked, reluctantly giving permission for my husband to take my eldest son on it. Advertisement And then straight away they were up for The Kraken....yet another ride! My plan to bring the kids back down to earth backfired as our next trip was to the Space Kennedy Centre. We were fascinated by the artefacts and technology from the space missions and the highlight of the day was having lunch with an astronaut. Kennedy Space Centre We spent our first week in a villa near Kissimmee and then moved things up a notch by heading to the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, perfectly located on site at Universal. The hotel might have been full but you would not have noticed - presumably everyone is out sampling all that Orlando has to offer. The Hard Rock hotel Hard Rock Hotel is the closest of all the Universal hotels to the theme park which proved to be a huge bonus for us. Advertisement It had a great laid back vibe, with a fantastically curated backdrop of music and on every floor a huge array of memorabilia from legends of music creating the atmosphere. The informal relaxed tone is the perfect bedfellow for the thrills of Orlando. We were lucky enough to meet the hotel's Vibe Manager, Molly Ford, who is responsible for curating the music played throughout the hotel - including under the water in the pool. There was live music by the large pool, which also boasts a sand beach and the kids loved the night time 'dive-in' movies. This being one of the world's most exciting food destinations, my expectations for the hotel were high but they managed to exceed them. Amongst the many dining options at the hotel was The Kitchen where the food was so delicious we dined there on three occasions. Universal One of the biggest perks of staying at the Hard Rock is that guests are provided with complimentary Universal Express Unlimited passes, which meant we could skip the regular queues on almost every ride. Many people stay at the Hard Rock purely to take advantage of the passes and you also gain the opportunity to enter Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour before the park opens. Advertisement Taking advantage of our early start we got to the front of the queue at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, being entertained by the talking portraits in Hogwarts Castle along the way. We then boarded the Hogwarts Express and took the train over to Kings Cross in Universal Studios Florida. At Islands of Adventure, adrenalin junkies are spoilt. There are so many rides - do visit The Simpsons section! The Blue Man Orlando has so much to offer -including amazing shows - a visit to The Blue Man and La Nouba (a Cirque du Soleil show which will sadly close its doors soon) is a must. We also had a great indoor sky diving experience at iFly on International Drive. Advertisement i-fly Alexander Koerner via Getty Images I'm in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. I don't even know what a concentration camp is. I'm only nine-years-old, and I see barbed wire and a watchtower. So I know I'm not free. Advertisement Not long before, I was in my village, called Merasice in Slovakia, where I could still play. In summer I used to run barefoot. In winter we used to toboggan. So my village was, for me, sort of a paradise. But now I found myself a little prisoner. I'm confused. I'm starving. I'm cold. And I'm very, very miserable. It was the sixteenth of October, 1944, when we were betrayed, arrested by the Gestapo, and deported to this hell on earth, Bergen-Belsen. I remember this one particular day when we children began to understand what was happening around us, and learn what the adults already knew. We had been in Bergen-Belsen perhaps two weeks. There was a routine. Every morning we had to go to a roll call. We had to stand in the freezing cold outside for an hour to wait for our supervisors. They were young women SS guards. But this particular day, they were accompanied by a group of armed soldiers. I could hear whispers around: Something is wrong. Why these s-oldiers? Advertisement They called our number, and we had to say, "Ja." After the roll call, we were told to go to the hut and bring our blankets and towels out, because we were going to go to another place to have a shower. Now, that was good news, a hot shower. For me it was great news, because then I wouldn't need to go to the washroom outside and wash myself with freezing-cold water. But there were looks around, and I thought the women seemed sort of uncomfortable. We ran in to pick up the blankets and the towels, and there was quiet activity inside the hut. And I saw this woman sort of lean against her neighbour and say, "You think everything is okay? They are telling us the truth?" The neighbour just shrugged her shoulders and didn't say anything. But I could see she had tears in her eyes. I wanted to ask my mother, What's going on? But she was busy helping my omama and my cousin Chava to pick up the towels and blankets. Auntie Margo was standing in the doorway, and she was urging us to come out quickly, because the soldiers outside were very impatient, waiting for us. So, slowly, people were coming out, and when everybody was out, we had to be put three into a row, and then we began to march. It was very cold and eerily quiet. I felt more scared than usual, but wasn't sure why (although it did bother me that none of the adults would meet my eye). I had heard the women talking about how we would like to have a shower, and suddenly we have it, and they don't seem to feel happy about it. Advertisement I saw a woman in front of me suddenly take her wedding ring off her finger. She looked around, to see if any of the soldiers were looking at her. And then she threw the wedding ring into the ground, to the dust. Talking to her friend, she said, "These bastards will not get my gold." We continued to go, and in perhaps thirty minutes or so, we stopped in front of this big concrete building with a tall chimney on the roof. There were gasps around me. And one woman even shouted, sort of loudly, "Oh, my God!" My brother and my cousin, they were puzzled, and I couldn't under-stand the panic around me. Next the soldiers began to hurry us into the building. "Schnell, schnell." So we were pushed in. We came to this long hallway. On the left side, we saw benches. There was a chemical smell that hung in the air, and there were metal trolleys with bars on the top with hangers on it. And on the right side, we saw these heavy metal doors. Advertisement Again the soldiers were barking orders at us. I didn't understand. They were speaking German. But Auntie Margo conveyed the order that we have to undress and put our clothes on the trolleys and the blankets, to leave everything there. Everybody began to undress. The soldiers were standing on the side, and they were joking and smiling, making remarks and faces. And when we were standing there, all naked, there was this little incident where one of the soldiers, who was rather young, suddenly started walking towards us. He was looking firmly at my cousin Chava. Like my brother and myself, she didn't look very Jewish. She had long golden blonde hair dangling over her shoulders. When my aunt saw it, she stepped in front of her daughter and stopped the soldier, and the soldier said, "What is this Aryan girl doing here?" And my aunt retorted, rather loudly so that the SS women could hear it, "GO AWAY!" He turned around, and he walked away, and no more was said about it. When I was looking around, it was shocking to see the old women with their white, crinkled skin, including my grandmother. They were so pathetic standing there, innocent and naked. I felt the shame and insult. I was tainted. Advertisement We were told to move towards the doors, and everybody got a piece of soap. We entered this large room with concrete floors and pipes with showerheads crisscrossing the ceiling. And when everybody was in, it suddenly became very silent. We didn't hear the soldiers anymore. The door was slammed behind us. We stood there, and the adults all looked up towards those showerheads. I didn't know what was happening. I saw some of the women were crying. It was cold. My mother took me and my brother and pressed us against her body. I don't know how long we stood there, perhaps a few minutes or several seconds, when we heard this gurgling sound coming through the pipe. My mother squeezed us even harder. I could hear her heart beating fast, and she was breathing very hard, like she was gulping for air. Everybody was looking towards the ceiling. We heard this noise coming nearer and nearer. And suddenly, hot water was sprouting from the showerhead. And this was exactly what I was expecting. But I couldn't believe what was happening around me. The women were kissing their children. They were laughing and crying at the same time. They were embracing one another. I couldn't understand, what is all this happening around? I just wanted to wash myself with the soap and the hot water. Advertisement I didn't hear such laughter again while we were in the camp. In fact, that was the only shower that we had during our stay in the camp under the German imprisonment. Of course, in late 1944 the adults among us already knew about Auschwitz and Birkenau. They knew about the gas chambers. But we kids, we did not know anything about it. Millions of Jews were fooled by being given soap in hand, pretending they were going to have a shower, and they ended up in gas chambers. So I can only imagine today what our mothers were thinking at the time. Bergen-Belsen was liberated on the 15th of April, 1945. In a week's time, we will commemorate the 75th anniversary of our liberation. That day was the day that our nightmare ended. Advertisement Superintendent Robert Putnam updates the School Committee on the beginning of the school year. Adams-Cheshire Opens School Year With Smooth Transition CHESHIRE, Mass. Adams-Cheshire Regional School District administration reported that the school year started successfully. Superintendent Robert Putnam told the School Committee on Monday that the transition to a two-school district was a success and that the school year so far is running smoothly. "Everyone that works for the district successfully managed a major physical and educational reconfiguration through their dedication, hard work and commitment to families of our district," Putnam said. "I have done this beforeand I have to say this one went well." He said both teachers and other employees are adapting to the new buildings and new positions and students have reacted positively to new STEM intensive courses. Putnam acknowledged that the district is still working out the kinks in the new bus routes. "New bus routes were created over the summer and they are improving each day but there are still some issues," Putnam said. "We have been in school eight days and the busing in the morning works but in the afternoon most things work." He said the major issue is with the St. Stanislaus School and the prekindergarten bus routes. The district is working with Dufour bus company to fix the problem. The closure of Cheshire Elementary School at the end of last year lead to the reconfiguration: all children in prekindergarten through Grade 3 were moved to Hoosac Valley Elementary (formerly Plunkett), and the middle school at Hoosac Valley High School was expanded to include Grades 4 and 5. Putnam noted that a threat to Hoosac Valley posted via Facebook added a few hiccups to the first week of school however with the help of local law enforcement, a safety plan was implemented and school opened as scheduled. "The police presence continued through Friday when word was received that the individual who made the threat was taken into custody in another state where he remains there to this very day," Putnam said. "The school district is deeply thankful for the guidance and support provided by the Adams, Cheshire and State Police Departments." The individual has been identified as Troy Goodermote-Klein, 20, a former Hoosac Valley student who was arrested in Texas. Later in the meeting, the School Committee added a provision to the substitute nurse salary that would allow nurses who stay on the job for 10 days to get a bump in salary from $25 an hour to $33.65 an hour. Putnam said the district has a hard time finding substitute nurses and with a nurse out on maternity leave, the district is in need. "Our rate is higher than all our neighbors and it is only surpassed by Martha's Vineyard and Wellesley," Putnam said. "Yet despite that, we have a difficult time attracting substitute nurses." Putnam went over some preliminary enrollment numbers and said currently the district is down 71 students from 1,317 to 1,246. Forty-six of those students moved out of the district to other communities. The committee asked for a more detailed breakdown of where the students went and what grade level they are in. Toward the end of the meeting, Putnam unrolled the district turnaround plan that he hopes will improve the district test scores and instruction. He said the plan will create leadership teams within each school, improve instruction, increase student supports and improve school culture. "My hope is that this helps us go further with many of the things we are already doing," he said. Before adjourning, the School Committee voted to accept a $4,000 donation from General Dynamics. $2,000 was used at the elementary school for a wild life sanctuary program and $2,000 will be used at the middle and high school level for science, technology, engineering and math programming. MCLA President Jamie Birge speaks at Thursday's event with Mayor Richard Alcombright and others from the North Adams community. Joseph Thompson speaks about the cultural growth of North Adams. Annie Rodgers, formerly with the NBCC, said the city's residents rise to meet its needs. Mayor Richard Alcombright said the award gave the city bragging rights. The illustration for the evening harkened back to the now defunct North Adams Transcript. 1Berkshire President Jonathan Butler thanks the guests and sponsors. About 300 attended. The mayor listens to Thompson speak. Benjamin Lamb, Emily Schiavoni, and one of the city's newest residents, Otto. PreviousNext 'Heart & Sass' Central to North Adams' Vibrant Renaissance North Adams City Council President Benjamin Lamb, a nominee for 'Under 40 Change Maker, and Annie Rodgers take a selfie with the photograph of North Adams by Ogden Gigli. HANCOCK, Mass. North Adams, the city with "sass," was honored on Thursday night for "Putting the Berkshires on the Map." The city's recognition by 1Berkshire puts it with Berkshire luminaries as Solid Sound Festival, Jacob's Pillow, the Clark Art Institute, Hotel on North, Berkshire Health Systems and Tanglewood for enhancing the image of the Berkshires. "It's a community of neighbors that see a need and meet it, discover an opportunity and seize it, and views misfortunes as an opportunity to future success," said community activist Annie Rodgers. "We do these things because we know, perhaps, better than most the hardship a community can face and how sweet it tastes to perservere in spite of them. ... "North Adams may be the smallest city in the commonwealth but I challenge you to find one with a bigger heart and more sass. We are one of a kind ... ." More than 300 people attended the 7th annual Berkshire Trendsetters Award event at Bloom Meadows. The emcee was Donald Dubendorf and the sponsor were Berkshire Bank, MountainOne, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In addition to the presentation of the Putting the Berkshire on the Map award, 1Berkshire recognized seven other individuals and organizations. The Trendsetter Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals whose outstanding achievements and commitment have strengthened the economy and helped the Berkshires grow. Freshman state Sen. Adam Hinds was named Newcomer of the Year for his efforts on behalf of his Western Mass district; McCann Technical School in North Adams was the Nonprofit Impact winner for its "exemplary programs that respond to the workforce needs"; Shakespeare & Company won in the Comprehensive Marketing Campaign category; the Creative Economy Standout award went to Jacob's Pillow Dance for bringing in thousands of visitors and opening its facility year-round; Allegrone received the Growing/Advancing the Berkshire Economy award for its dedication to tackling the needs of a growing population and downtown revitalization; Jessica Vecchia, executive director of Alchemy Initiative in Pittsfield, was named the Under 40 Change Maker for her passion and hard work within the community; and the Entrepreneur/Visionary of the Year award was given to Tad Ames for his long preservation career and dedication to creating the High Road for the Berkshire Natural Resource Council. North Adams, last year, received the Trendsetter Award for Comprehensive Marketing Campaign, as officials had worked on rebranding the city with new, modern signage and images that could be used across marketing platforms. It was chosen this year for Putting the Berkshires on the Map because of the " exceptional collaboration by public and private entities over the past year ." A number of initiatives have grown out of recent grass roots collaborations, including the pursuit of the Small Business Revolution grant, the Levitt AMP concerts partnered with Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, the North Adams Exchange programming with Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, and the coming NAMAzing Eagle Street Initiative. Joseph Thompson, director of Mass MoCA, recalled the story told by Karen Hopkins, longtime Brooklyn Academy of Music president, about how Brooklyn kept trying to tie itself to Manhattan. It was only, she said, when they let "Brooklyn be Brooklyn" that a vibe began to happen in the borough. "It's something that Mayor [Richard] Alcombright knew in his soul for a long time but it hit me like a ton of bricks," Thompson said. Now he's seeing an influx of mostly younger people making their way to a city with a new pulse of energy, optimism, generosity and collaboration. "We're so lucky because we can enjoy this Berkshire county that includes lounging on the grass listening to classical music with flutes of champagne and that's a lovely thing," Thompson said. "But we can also come to North Adams and drink beer on asphalt and listen to indie rock. That's also great." MCLA President Jamie Birge, originally from Lee, said he was amazed upon his return 30 years later to see North Adams' transformation from industrial to creative. "I think there is an energy here that is palpable and we see it every day," he said. "I think what's great about North Adams is we are limited only by our imagination ... there's so much more for us to do." Thompson laid much of the credit to Alcombright, who is completing his fourth and final term as mayor. "I think we owe a large debt of gratitude to Dick Alcombright for creating a spirit," he said. "It's been a true joy to work with you and see what you've left in your wake ... hat's off to North Adams." Alcombright said it was the youthful emerging leaders in the community with drive and dedication that are pushing it forward. But being placed in the same category as the other award winners made him a little giddy, he said, and provided some bragging rights. "The community of North Adams' balance sheet is solid, our assets far outweigh our liabilities, our earnings are getting stronger by the day but our most powerful attribute is that our capital seems endless," the former banker said. "Our people, our ideas, our commitment and our place are the dynamics that make up our capital and I can assure you ... it's just the beginning." Trooper Brian Clay, Officer Samuel Stolzar, Sgt. Adam Carlotto, Chief William Walsh and firefighter Richard Aloisi. Great Barrington Police Presents Medals of Valor Great Barrington Police Officers Jonathan Finnerty, Jason LaForest and Stockbridge Police Officer Donald Hopkins. GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. The Police Department on Tuesday recognized several officers and other first responders for their bravery and commitment to public safety. In February, Police Officers Jonathan Finnerty and Jason LaForest, along with Stockbridge Police Officer Donald Hopkins, responded to a domestic incident in which the alleged aggressor was intoxicated and threatening violence against the officers. Following a 40-minute effort to get the suspect to come down from a perch where he had positioned himself, armed with an ax that he later threw at them, the officers were able to successfully take him into custody without further incident. As a result of their efforts, all three were awarded the Great Barrington Police Department's Medal of Valor Also honored at the ceremony were Sgt. Adam Carlotto, Officer Samuel Stolzar, Massachusetts State Trooper Brian Clay and firefighter Richard Aloisi, who all risked their own safety last December by entering a burning home multiple times in an effort to rescue a resident who was trapped inside. For their work, the Great Barrington officers and state trooper were awarded the department's Medal of Valor, while Aloisi was awarded the department's Letter of Appreciation. "Each of these individuals earned these honors by going above and beyond the call of duty and put their lives on while helping to protect the lives of members of the public," Police Chief William Walsh said. "They all displayed tremendous courage and commitment to protecting their community, and I am proud of them all." Recently retired Reserve Officer Richard Congdon was also recognized for his 18 years of service to the town. "Officer Congdon was a valuable member of the department and an incredibly competent officer who will be missed," Walsh said. The Great Barrington Police Department also awarded three citizens with Certificates of Appreciation for their support of the department: SVMC ExpressCare Practice Welcomes New Physician Assistant BENNINGTON, Vt. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's ExpressCare in Bennington has welcomed physician assistant Jonna Racela. With this appointment, Racela also joins the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Medical Group. Racela earned her certificate in Physician Assistant Studies from Yale University School of Medicine in Connecticut and a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska. She completed her undergraduate education in biology from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. For the past 20 years, Racela has worked at several area practices, including Williamstown Medical Associates in Williamstown, Mass., and Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Mass. She also worked as an emergency medical technician. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants. SVMC ExpressCares board-certified physicians are a part of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock health system and have access to more than 1,200 primary and specialty care physicians and state-of-the-art-technology and services. Open seven days a week, ExpressCare is a convenient walk-in clinic. No appointment is necessary. ExpressCare offers care for minor illnesses and injuries to patients of all ages. There are two locations. In Bennington, patients may seek care at Suite 111 of the Medical Office Building at 140 Hospital Drive. Northshire ExpressCare is located within the SVMC Northshire Campus at 5957 Main Street, Route 7A in Manchester. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This 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 Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Shania Twain is an icon, lets begin with that. Top-selling female country artist of all time; an artist with five Grammy awards under her leopard print belt; 75 million records sold worldwide, and three diamond-certified albums: 1995s The Woman In Me, 1997s Come On Over one of the biggest-selling albums in music history and 2002s Up! When she announced that she would release a new album, Now her first in 15 years in September this year, it felt like the return of a long-lost, much-loved family member. It followed an eight-year battle with Lyme disease, a recovery that saw her take on a two-year Las Vegas residency in 2012, and the launch of a comeback tour in 2015: Rock This Country. Now is by far the most brutally personal record Shania Twain has made This writer was one of the many, many fans who first heard her music aged five, thanks to a parent buying her second, record-breaking album Come On Over a parent who would later come to regret that purchase when said fan forced them to watch the 16 dance routines they had come up with for each track on the album. Especially since they played that album pretty much every day for the next 10 years. In a room at the Langham hotel in Piccadilly, London on a Friday afternoon two days before she performs a triumphant 30 minute set for Radio 2s Live In Hyde Park Twain sits and chatters excitedly about the new album, with more energy than seems fair considering shes been awake and on press duty since 6am. Its only (appropriately) now, that Twain feels as though shes had the opportunity to enjoy the impact that her career has had on herself, on her fans, and on the industry. Now, she has a clear perspective on things. Whats really hitting me in this last round even some of the journalists, people in radio, so many people in the industry, and the fans, were child fans, she says, beaming. So its like theres been some sort of time warp. Its the weirdest thing, Im telling you I didnt even think of it until recently. I was on my tour a year and a half ago, I was seeing all these 20- to 35-year-olds and Im thinking, why would anybody in their 20s even know who I am? she says laughing. Then I started meeting them, theyd tell me I was their first concert, their first record, and it dawned on me. Of course! So now I understand it, and its just so cool, its so much fun for me. A lot of artists dont have that privilege, so Im so excited that I get to talk to the people who can now speak for themselves. I missed a lot of that in the moment, and now Im really in a different place. Would I write a whole album myself again? Its very lonely to do that but I enjoyed it, and I needed to do it (Giampaolo Sgura) Now is by far the most brutally personal record Twain has ever made; songs such as Poor Me seemingly narrating some of the toughest moments in her life as though it was yesterday. Writing this album was an opportunity to create something on her own, where before she was used to working with her then-husband, producer Mutt Lange. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up I didnt want it to be influenced, she nods. It will probably be the purest album, in that sense, that I ever make. Will I write a whole album myself again? Its very lonely and isolating to do that. I enjoyed it, and I needed to do it. I write songs alone, Ive done that all of my life, and my collaboration with Mutt was still a lot of time writing. So writing alone meant that I would take on all the responsibility, I would be isolated and probably lost, not really having perspective. So it was bound to be this personal I let it be and I needed it, I really needed the therapy of that. Twain has said that Now is not a divorce album, and thats not how it sounds. Theres little in the way of resentment or bitterness she even seems to poke fun at self-pity a little on Poor Me and more about moving on and feeling a renewed sense of optimism, heard most clearly in the records first single: Lifes About To Get Good. But in some way, perhaps Now is also a sort of closure, helping her to come to terms with the end of a relationship personal and professional that was dissected and commented on by the tabloid press for years. I think transparency and being upfront is so valuable, and thats another reason why I wrote this album, she says. I dont have anything to hide. I feel a lot lighter just responding to whatever people are curious about. I like expressing myself through music thats the way I express myself best. The timing for this album for me was very important I dont want to have to dodge around questions, avoid things. Its so much easier to be open. Its so empowering. Its scary to take the risk, and to take on that challenge, but the reward is so great, and it was necessary for me anyway. Even if it hadnt worked, I had to do it. Despite all that time away from the spotlight, and from the inner workings of the music industry, Twain hasnt lost that uncanny ability to throw genres youd think should never be put together onto the same track (You should have seen the producers face when I said I wanted reggae on the outbeat! she guffaws) and come out with a record that is polished, consistent, and 100 per cent Shania. Choosing producers was a careful process that saw her whittle what began as a long list down to just four: Ron Aniello [Bruce Springsteen], Matthew Koma [Zedd], Jacquire King [Tom Waits, Kings of Leon], and Jake Gosling [Ed Sheeran, The Libertines, One Direction]. Theyre all so different from one another, but what I was looking for in all of them was that they respected the fact that I was going to be a loner on this, she says. I needed to go through it alone. And if that meant that they only wanted to do one song, or not at all that was part of my decision process: who was most open to taking me as I am and taking the chance on me. And who was open enough to allow me in the production. I felt I needed to be a part of the direction of, sonically, she continues. I couldnt just let the songs go like that. I based my list on talent, but then I had to go through the process of saying: Before we go any further this is what my involvement has to be. I think transparency and being upfront is so valuable, and thats one reason why I wrote this album (Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott) Back when Come On Over was released 20 years ago to the day on 4 November Twains pioneering crossover from country to pop was controversial, but now US radio is brimming over with country artists who bring everything from rock to pop to reggae into their sound. Has Nashville warmed to the idea of genre-hopping? I dont know, Twain says, smiling as she considers it. Id have to talk to Taylor Swift about that. She was a crossover artist, between country and pop, and then was all of a sudden not country anymore. I dont know whether that was a conscious decision on her part or the industry. But country music in America there are a lot more pop-y sounding records on the radio, for sure. Some people are very protective of their genre, some artists are like: I only sing jazz, thats what I do and they dont want to do anything else, even though theyre very capable. Its different if youre starting out, maybe, but I feel like, I write the music for my fans, and I believe in them, that they will relate to my music. Twain admits she isnt sure if she would have enjoyed the same, phenomenal success if she had begun her career in 2017. Its so much harder to establish longevity, I believe that, she says. In fairness to myself I was established over a long period of time. But it is harder to do that now, with everything moving at a different pace. Maybe if I was coming out now I wouldnt have the opportunity to have that longevity, well never know. But I am happy that Ive already got a relationship with my fans, and Im getting reacquainted with all these kids who have now grown up. Shes had plenty of catching up to do with popular music, as well. While she was writing she returned to the music shed grown up on: The Eagles, George Michael, Glen Campbell, The Carpenters Tammy Wynettes Christmas album. So it felt good when she was able to switch back on to the Top 40. Around the time that I was listening again, thats when I first heard Sia, 21 Pilots, all kinds of really wonderful things, she exclaims. And there was a gap. I had Rihanna, from like three years prior, but the songs I knew were so outdated by then it was ridiculous." She promises that it wont be another 15 years before she puts out a follow-up to Now. Im already looking forward to my next album, I had a really great experience with this one, she says. After I got started I didnt want to stop, so there are ones that I cant wait to get back into the studio with. Itll never be another 15-year wait. Not if I can help it. Now, Shania Twains new album, is released on 29 September Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate 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 Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Brazilian government has earmarked a vast tract of Amazonian land for mining. The so-called Renca reserve sits in the last great wilderness area in the eastern Amazon and contains lots of unique rainforest wildlife. The controversial decision to allow mining has since been rewritten to clarify that development cannot take place on indigenous lands that lie within the Renca, and then put on hold by a federal judge, pending support from congress. Protected areas such as the Renca are under threat right across the Amazon, and many have already been downsized or downgraded. Conservation is undermined by chronic underfunding of the national environmental protection agencies, the devolving of environmental enforcement to regional states that cannot cope, and by rural violence so severe that Brazil leads the world in assassinations of environmentalists. The result of all this is an Amazon where 90 per cent of logging is illegal and deforestation is increasing, where unprecedented wildfires burn each summer, and where large vertebrates are now going extinct for the first time since the Pleistocene. Carajas Mine, the worlds largest iron ore mine, is in the Carajas National Forest (Shutterstock) Brazil says mining and logging will boost national economic growth. Yet people in the Amazon remain some of the poorest and most marginalised in South America, and there is little evidence this kind of development has enhanced their quality of life. For example, the municipalities of Eldorado dos Carajas, Maraba, and Paraupebas, all of which surround large mining operations, have a human development index lower than that of Libya, a country stricken by civil war. And the construction of the controversial Belo Monte dam resulted in the regional capital of Altamira attaining the highest per capita homicide rate in all of Brazil, equivalent to 25 murders a day if scaled to a city the size of London. Why has development failed Amazonians? First, the companies driving the change are generally big multinationals based either in and around Rio and Sao Paulo (1,700 miles away) or abroad. Despite some municipal taxes, only a tiny portion of the profits remain locally. Development, as currently practised, also favours the wealthy over the poor. When protected areas are downgraded the chief beneficiaries are landholders who are able to log or mine their territory. Other social groups arent so lucky. Some are even actively attacked either directly, as occurred in the assassination of ten landless movement squatters in a large Amazonian farm, or through legal changes, such as the downgrading of the rights of quilombolas (historical communities descended from African slaves) and indigenous peoples. The Guianan Cock-of-the-rock: on eof the northern Amazons most stunning inhabitants Brazils ongoing car wash corruption scandal has led to allegations of worrying links between large development projects in the Amazon, such as the Belo Monte dam, and the diversion of state funds to political parties. If the purpose of development is political gain, there can be little hope for regional citizens. Are there alternative ways forward? Both Amazonian people and forests would benefit if we stopped evaluating development schemes solely in terms of the profits they could generate. This sort of narrow, economic assessment cannot truly capture the value of the Amazons forests: how do you put a price on conserving unique species, or mitigating global climate change? The forests of the Renca are some of the most dense and slow-growing in the Amazon basin. Even deforesting just 30 per cent of the area would effectively emit more than four billion tonnes of CO into the atmosphere equivalent to Brazils entire fossil fuel emissions over the past 10 years. Unless climate change forms part of the decision making process in the region, Brazil will fail to meet its international commitments such as the Paris agreement. Munduruku people map out their territory along the River Tapajos in Para state Development must also secure constitutional rights for everyone, not just those of the elites. Brazil currently has so-called differentiated citizenship, where in practice there is a gradation of rights among citizens depending on their race, social class or region. Local action is often the only defence against the expansion of mining or dams. Recent examples of a grassroots success include the Munduruku indigenous people, who are forcing various concessions by resisting megadams on the middle Tapajos River. Another example is the practice of counter-mapping among indigenous peoples which entails them mapping their own territorial boundaries to defend their land from industrial agriculture, mining, dams and logging. These alternative approaches are the best way forward in the Renca too. Instead of opening up the area for mining multinationals, Brazil should recognise the rights of local people and empower them to lead decision-making. Brazil nut harvesting is already big in the local economy and, along with ecotourism and carbon-payments (being effectively paid to not chop down a forest), could deliver sustainable development while leaving the minerals in the ground. Jos Barlow is a professor of conservation science at Lancaster University; Alexander C Lees is a lecturer in tropical ecology at Manchester Metropolitan University; Erika Berenguer is a senior research associate at the University of Oxford; James Angus Fraser is a lecturer in political ecology at Lancaster University; Joice Ferreira is a researcher in ecology at Federal University of Para. This article was originally published on The Conversation (theconversation.com) 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 }} Donald Trump says that the internet must be "cut off" to stop further terror attacks. Responding to the terror incident at Parsons Green Tube station, he said that the internet was a terrorist "recruiting tool". "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner," he wrote. "The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!" Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion A bucket with flames and wires coming out of it was photographed in the carriage after the explosion apparently the source of the blast AFP Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion An explosion on a packed Tube train has injured a number of people in west London AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion The blast triggered a stampede as commuters panicked AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Click through for more pictures from the scene Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosioN Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion PA Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty The tweet came after another message in which he appeared to suggest that the attacker had been known to police, despite Scotland Yard not having said so. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard," he posted in a preceding message. A following message said that he would look to increase his muslim ban into the United States. "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" he posted. It is far from the first time that Mr Trump has asked for the internet to be shut down because of terror. In December, he said he would ask Bill Gates to "close up" the internet to stop it being used by Isis. That call actually came during the same event where he launched his plans for a "complete shutdown" on Muslims entering the US, the policy that later became the travel ban. "We're losing a lot of people because of the internet," Trump said then. "We have to see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what's happening. Parsons Green explosion- police: "We are treating the matter as a terrorist-related incident" We have to talk to them about, maybe in certain areas, closing that internet up in some ways. Somebody will say, 'Oh freedom of speech, freedom of speech.' These are foolish people." A week later, he posted more details about his plan. He said during a Presidential debate that he would get people to "penetrate" the internet and shut down the parts that were being used for radicalisation. 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 manhunt is underway after nearly three dozen commuters were injured following an explosion at Parsons Green underground station in west London, which police are treating as terrorism. Witnesses described seeing people with burns from the blast and other wounds caused when passengers rushed to escape the station. Twenty nine people have been injured, most of whom police said suffered "flash burns". NHS England said 29 patients were received by London hospitals. London Ambulance took 19 patients to hospitals, while the others went in themselves. The four hospitals dealing with patients were Imperial, Chelsea and Westminster, Guy's and St Thomas' and St George's. As of 5.30pm on Friday, 21 patients were still being treated, although at that stage Guy's and St Thomas' were no longer dealing with patients affected by the explosion. The incident is being treated as terrorism-related, the Metropolitan Police said. Homes surrounding the station were evacuated. Downing Street said Theresa May was receiving regular updates. The PM chaired a meeting of the Governments emergency Cobra committee this afternoon and said the UKs terror threat level would remain at severe, the second-highest point behind critical. It means that while authorities believe a fresh attack is highly likely, one is not imminent. Parsons Green explosion: Evacuated commuter on platform "saw a fireball" Ms May said: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green. The police and the security services are obviously doing all the work to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack. The Mets assistant commissioner, Mark Rowley, said the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device. Most of the 18 casualties suffered flash burns, he said. Police had many urgent enquiries ongoing and were working with MI5 intelligence experts, he added. Reports claimed the explosive device was attached to a timer. US President Donald Trump tweeted a claim that the loser terrorist was among those in the sights of Scotland Yard. He used the attack to call for tougher measures on extremists including cutting off the internet and tightening his travel ban. (REUTERS (REUTERS) He said: Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive! Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct! We have made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years.Must be proactive & nasty! The Presidents intervention, which security sources told The Independent did not constitute an intelligence leak, were condemned as unhelpful by police and Ms May. Witnesses told of an extremely heavy police presence outside the station in the minutes following the attack. A number of injuries had stemmed from a crush of people trying to leave the platforms. Social media reports claimed a bag had exploded, with pictures showing smouldering debris on a District line train. One apparent witness claimed: Fireball flew down carriage and we just jumped out open door. Images showed a white bucketseemingly with wires trailing from itinside what appeared to be a Lidl supermarket freezer bag. Investigators said the device did not fully detonate. BBC News presenter Sophie Raworth said she saw a woman on a stretcher with burns to her face and legs, the broadcaster reported. Media technology consultant Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, was sitting on the District Line train bound for central London when panic unfolded at about 8.20am. Several people were injured after passengers tried to escape, he said. He added: Suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming. Parson Green explosion: Aerial footage shows commuters being escorted off tube There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. Some people got pushed over and trampled on, I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews. Daniel Holden, a Merton borough councillor, told the London Evening Standard he experienced a loud bang, heatwave and fire burst. Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion A bucket with flames and wires coming out of it was photographed in the carriage after the explosion apparently the source of the blast AFP Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion An explosion on a packed Tube train has injured a number of people in west London AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion The blast triggered a stampede as commuters panicked AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Click through for more pictures from the scene Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosioN Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion PA Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Aerial images showed passengers being taken off the train. Ryan Barnett was caught up in the crush that took place in the tube stations stairwell. He said he heard of victims with burn injuries and reported seeing some commuters taking selfies on the platform. The 25-year-old, who works in politics and had been travelling to his office, said: I was lucky, I wasnt in the carriage, I was in a few carriages down but I was caught up in the stampede down the stairs. I was sitting there, headphones in, at Parsons Green, the doors open fine, Im not really paying attention and all of a sudden hundreds of people run past me screaming a mixture of stampede, attack, terrorist, explosion, get off the train, everyone run. Parsons Green station has a staircase at the front of the carriage where the train pulls up Im running and keeping my head down because there might be gunfire and on to the staircase. But when I was on the staircase, the stewards and other passengers, they are shouting stop, stop, stop, so I ended up squashed on the staircase, people were falling over, people fainting crying, there were little kids clinging on to the back of me. A London Fire Brigade spokeswoman said: The brigade was called at 8.21am. Fire crews from Fulham, Wandsworth, Chelsea, Hammersmith and other surrounding fire stations are in attendance. Six fire engines and about 50 firefighters, plus specialist officers, were sent to the station, she said. Parsons Green eyewitness: 'The doors opened and people were piling up on top of each other' Tube services between Wimbledon and Earls Court are suspended. London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was in contact with police over the incident. He said: Our city utterly condemns the hideous individuals who attempt to use terror to harm us and destroy our way of life. As London has proven again and again, we will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism. Close Parsons Green attack: What we know so far 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 }} The UK's terrorist threat level has been raised to critical after London was hit by a new terror attack as commuters headed to work on the Tube. An explosion at Parsons Green underground station in the west of the capital injured passengers and led to a "major incident" being declared. Yet more people were hurt during the crush to leave the train, witnesses said. Images shared online appeared to showed a bucket with wires trailing from it smouldering inside a District Line train. The device is being forensically examined while detectives are scouring CCTV and examining witness statements for potential leads. Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion A bucket with flames and wires coming out of it was photographed in the carriage after the explosion apparently the source of the blast AFP Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion An explosion on a packed Tube train has injured a number of people in west London AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion The blast triggered a stampede as commuters panicked AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Click through for more pictures from the scene Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosioN Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion PA Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Armed police, paramedics and firefighters were all called to the scene. Witnesses described flames and a "fireball" following the incident at about 8.20am today. Assistant Commander Mark Rowley, who is the UK's top counter-terrorism officer, said the force continues to "chase down suspects" in connection with the attack. Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load. 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 }} Taxis in West London have been offering free rides to people caught up in the terror attack at the Parsons Green underground station. Drivers who had finished night shifts reportedly returned to work to help evacuate terrified commuters. Helping out is what we do, said Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licenced Taxi Drivers Association. Parsons Green explosion: BBC's Sophie Raworth describes woman with burns "from top to toe" He confirmed black cabs had helped evacuate people from Parsons Green free of charge following the attack. Weve done it since the IRA and weve got other weird rules as well, like if were going to Great Ormond Street Hospital, sick kids dont get charged. Its just what we do. If someone comes out of Parsons Green station and wants to go to Edinburgh, theyre going to pay. But if youre just helping people getting away from the scene who are frightened and get them to the next tube station or bus stop we dont charge them. No one wants to make money from peoples misery. Local cab company Hayber Cars offered lifts to people free of charge following the incident. "All our drivers are out," a company spokesman told The Sun, adding that employees who had done the night shift had returned to work. "We're offering free rides to help people out." Ride-hailing app Uber also said trips taken using its service would be refunded and the companys surge charge had been switched off. The company was also criticised after the London Bridge attack earlier this year, when people attempting fleeing the area were charged high fares. On that occasion it also switched off surge price and refunded the customers. At least 22 people were injured by the Parsons Green blast, which Scotland Yard is treating as a terrorist attack. A manhunt has been launched to find the person who planted a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Other local residents offered to open up their homes to people affected by the explosion. Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion A bucket with flames and wires coming out of it was photographed in the carriage after the explosion apparently the source of the blast AFP Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion An explosion on a packed Tube train has injured a number of people in west London AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion The blast triggered a stampede as commuters panicked AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Click through for more pictures from the scene Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosioN Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion PA Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty On Twitter, Katy Dunn said: "If anyone is feeling shocked or confused at Parsons Green, I'm round the corner and the kettle's on." 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 }} A prominent Tory backbencher has written to the partys Chief Whip to demand that George Osborne is banned from next months Conservative Party conference. Nadine Dorries, the Mid Bedfordshire MP and a fierce critic of Mr Osborne, said his conference pass should be revoked over comments he is said to have made about Theresa May. The former Chancellor and now London Evening Standard editor reportedly told colleagues that he will not rest until Ms May is chopped up in bags in my freezer. Writing on Twitter, Ms Dorries said: I have contacted [the] Chief Whip and asked that Osborne's conference pass be withdrawn for expressing a desire to see a woman, the PM, murdered. The MP, who has previously described Mr Osborne and former Prime Minister David Cameron as arrogant posh boys, also suggested that the former Chancellor should seek psychological help. In response to another social media user suggesting Mr Osborne should see a psychologist, Ms Dorries responded: I think hes always needed that. He should resign as editor, apologise and seek help. Mr Osbornes alleged comments drew widespread condemnation after they were reported by Esquire magazine. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every 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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 When they were first reported, Ms Dorries said: I think this gruesome comment shows what many already knew: Osborne is unpleasant and unstable. He should not be allowed to attend conference. She described the alleged comment as a brief insight into how his mind works and always has. Mr Osborne has been an outspoken critic of Ms May since he took over as the Evening Standard editor in May. He has also used the newspaper to launch a series of withering attacks on her Governments agenda, particularly on Brexit. The ex-Chancellor was sacked from the Cabinet by Ms May when she entered Downing Street last year. After Junes General Election, he described May as a dead woman walking. 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 }} Tunisian women will be allowed to marry non-Muslim men legally for the first time in 44 years, after a controversial ban was lifted. Last month, 90-year-old president Beji Caid Essebsi argued that the ban violated Tunisia's constitution, and set up a female-led commission to revise the rules. Mr Caid Essebsi said he wants to create "total, actual equality between men and women citizens in a progressive way". Before the ban was scrapped, if a Tunisian woman wanted to marry a non-Muslim man, the man would have to convert to Islam and provide a certificate as proof. "Congratulations to the women of Tunisia in enshrining the right to choose a spouse," Saida Garrach, spokesperson for the presidency, wrote on Facebook. The ban has been in place since 1973. Tunisia's constitution was introduced in 2014 following the Arab Spring. "Repeal of the decree was an excellent step forward in Tunisian women's decades-long quest to live as equal citizens under the law," Monica Marks, Tunisia expert at Oxford University, told The Independent. "Repealing the law has long been a priority for leading women's rights groups in Tunisia, and their activism helped lead to the repeal." 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 However, Ms Marks suggested the timing of the repeal may be political. "Just two days ago, Tunisia's parliament passed a highly controversial law that will effectively amnesty public officials who committed crimes under Tunisia's former regimes," she noted. The so-called Economic Reconciliation law grants amnesty to officials accused of corruption during the rule of autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. Its proposal led to months of protests. Within Tunisia, women still face significant discrimination, particularly when it comes to inheritance. A daughter is only entitled to inherit half as much as a son, something powerful mainstream Muslim clerics say is enshrined in the Koran. Agencies contributed to this report 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 17-year-old boy was convicted of child pornography charges after sending an unsolicited picture of his penis to a 22-year-old woman. Eric Gray was sentenced to 30 days' confinement in a highly unusual case in which he was classed as both the offender and an exploited minor. Senior judges upheld Gray's conviction despite an appeal from his legal team, who had argued the law was ambiguous and infringed upon his constitutional rights. Washington Supreme Court heard the teenager sent a photo of his erect penis to the woman in a text message in 2013. He sent a second text reading: "Do u like it babe? It's for you." The woman reported the messages to the police and said she had also been harassed by anonymous calls, which she suspected were from Gray, over the previous year. Gray, who has Aspergers syndrome and was already a registered sex offender from a previous incident, eventually admitted sending the texts. A juvenile court found him guilty of disseminating images of a minor engaged in sexual conduct. His lawyers challenged the conviction and argued the law should not be applicable to minors willingly sending photos of themselves. But the supreme court rejected their appeal, ruling the conviction should be upheld because Gray was "not a minor sending sexually explicit images to another consenting minor". "[The law] prohibits developing or disseminating sexually explicit images of minors," the judgement read. "On its face, this prohibition extends to any person who disseminates an image of any minor, even if the minor is disseminating a self-produced image. Because the statute is unambiguous, we take it on its face and find that Gray's actions are included under the statute." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The eight judges made the ruling seven to one. The dissenting judge, Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud, described the ruling as an "absurdity". She argued child pornography laws were intended to protect any minor depicted in an explicit photo. "The majority, however, holds that the statute takes the punitive approach to the depicted, vulnerable victim child," she wrote. "I can't believe the legislature intended that absurdity." 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 }} Hurricane Irma was 378 miles wide and near the peak of its intensity as a Category 5 hurricane when it made landfall and tore into the 62-square-mile island of Barbuda on the night of September 5 - 6. Almost all the islands 1,800 residents were evacuated to the neighbouring Caribbean island of Antigua, and those that remained on Barbuda lashed themselves to the roofs of their properties as winds soared to over 150 miles per hour. The final wind speed reading from a local anemometer was 155mph (250kmh) before the storm blew it away. On Barbuda the hurricane left three people dead and 95 per cent of all the buildings on the island were either destroyed or significantly damaged. More than half of the countrys residents have been left homeless. Those who rode out the storm were subsequently evacuated to Antigua where the storms damage was less catastrophic. The damage is complete, said Ronald Sanders, who has been Antigua and Barbudas ambassador to the US since 2015. For the first time in 300 years, theres not a single living person on the island of Barbuda. A civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished. Mr Sanders described Irma as the most ferocious, cruel and merciless storm in the islands history. Recommended Irma destroyed so many plants entire Caribbean islands changed colour This was a huge monster, he told USA Today. The island and the people on the island had absolutely no chance. Barbuda and Antigua prime minister Gaston Browne implemented a mandatory evacuation order on September 8, to ensure every single resident was moved to safety. Speaking to the BBCs Laura Bicker as the evacuation got underway, Mr Browne said that a rapid recovery and rebuild operation was unlikely. He said: I have to tell you that we definitely cannot afford it from domestic resources.We are hoping that friendly governments and international partners will step up to the plate and assist us This is a disaster. A national disaster of epic proportions and we really need external assistance. This is not a want. This is a need. Reconstruction is estimated to cost about $200m, and could take several years. Robert De Niro, who was planning a luxury hotel on the island is among those who have pledged to help rebuild. As devastating as it is and as terrible as it is, it will come back, the actor told CNN. The first modern record of Barbuda was when Christopher Columbus landed on the island on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. At the time it was populated with Arawak and Carib indians. It is possible that the exodus following Hurricane Irma is the first time the island has been uninhabited in far longer than 300 years. The Caribbean island of Barbuda is known for its pristine beaches and clear waters (Sharkbait/Creative Commons) Early Spanish communities were followed by French and eventually English settlements. In 1666, Barbuda became a British colony and in 1685, the island was leased to brothers Christopher and John Codrington, who founded the town of Codrington - the largest settlement on the island. The brothers transported slaves to Barbuda to work on sugarcane plantations in Antigua, and as numbers of slaves grew, the island became a significant exporter of slaves in the region. Antigua and Barbuda together became a sovereign nation on 1 November 1981, and it remains part of the British Commonwealth. Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures Show all 7 1 /7 Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures A roof-less house in Barbuda ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures A mobile network tower snapped in two by the hurricane ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures The hurricane left debris strewn across the island Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures Rubble in the aftermath of the hurricane ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures The destruction in Barbuda, as seen from an ABS TV helicopter ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures As well as destroying most houses, the hurricane also left plenty of flooding ABS TV Barbuda, Hurricane Irma in pictures Barbudan residents survey the damage ABS TV The last major storm to hit Barbuda was in 1995, when Hurricane Luis made landfall as a Category 4 storm, killing three people, injuring 100 and causing widespread damage to buildings, leaving many homeless. 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 been arrested on suspicion of committing a hate crime in New York after police say he beat and abused a mother and daughter, calling them "dirty Muslims." The women, who are Jewish, were leaving a subway station at New York's 67th Avenue when they came across a man police say was Dimitrios Zias, 40, who was drunk. "Go back to your f***ing country you dirty Muslims," Mr Zias is alleged to have said, before spitting in the 37-year-old daughter's face and punching her to the ground. He then grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back upwards, according to authorities. When apprehended by police, the attacker apparently didn't understand why he was being arrested. "Is it because Im rich and white? he is said to have asked. Mr Zias was charged with assault as a hate crime. Bail was set at $50,000 and he will next appear in court on 27 September. 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 New York City police figures released in March showed that hate crimes had risen by 55 per cent on the year before. Crimes listed included a bomb threat at the Manhattan Anti-Defamation League and swastikas appearing on subways. This came despite an overall drop in crime across the city. 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 }} A British journalist has been killed by a crocodile after washing his hands in a lagoon in Sri Lanka. Paul McClean is thought to have been ambushed the the creature as he dipped his hands into some water. The 24-year-old Financial Times journalist had reportedly left his friends to go to the bathroom near a beach at a surf spot called Elephant Rock, near Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka's southeast, Recommended US demands China and Russia take action against North Korea Witnesses said they saw him "waving his hands in the air" before disappearing into the lagoon. A Scottish tourist, currently in holiday in the area, told The Guardian: "Theres a lagoon right next to the sea he went to the toilet next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile. There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under. I was there but didnt see it happen though. Horrible. They are searching for a body but havent found anything yet ... They are 90 per cent sure it was a crocodile but a couple of the guys said there was quicksand in the lagoon. McClean grew up in Thames Ditton, Surrey. In 2015, he graduated Oxford University with a first class honours degree in French. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty He began working at the Financial Times in September 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile. During his time with the newspaper, he spent a few months in Brussels, where he wrote about Brexit and the EU. His latest article came out just three days ago and examined the champagne industry. On his Twitter profile, McClean described himself as an Everton fan. A spokesman for the Foreign Office confirmed they are "assisting the family of a British man who has died in Sri Lanka." 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 ballistic missile launched by North Korea was capable of reaching the US territory of Guam, according to scientists and defence chiefs. Fired over northern Japan into the Pacific Ocean, it travelled 2,300 miles (3,700 km) in 19 minutes, according to the South Korean military. Pyongyang has previously threatened to attack Guam, the tiny island which is home to a US military base, 2,110 miles from North Korea. Recommended North Korea fires ballistic missile in latest act of provocation Experts said the range of the missile, the latest act of aggression against a neighbour and key Western ally, was "significant". "It flew a distance that is more than enough to reach Guam," said Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera. Physicist David Wright, co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' global security programme, agreed. But he pointed out "the payload the missile was carrying is not known". He said: "The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile, although." He added the missile "very likely has low enough accuracy" that North Korea would be unable to destroy the US Anderson air base on Guam. North Korea's estimated missile ranges It comes within weeks of a similar ballistic missile launch by the secretive communist state, which its leader Kim Jong-un described as a meaningful prelude to containing Guam. Both are thought to have involved Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missiles fired from Pyongyang's international airport in Sunan. The North American Aerospace Defence Command and the US Pacific Command said the missile posed no threat to North America or Guam. The Japanese government said the missile passed over Hokkaido island and the country's military did not try to shoot it down. The US military also said it had detected an intermediate-range ballistic missile, with Defence Secretary Jim Mattis saying the projectile put millions of Japanese into duck and cover. Japan issued a nationwide alert that urged residents in the country's north to take shelter, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters he condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China and Russia to take direct action against North Korea in response to its latest missile launch. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," he said. North Korea, which also sparked a global outcry with its most powerful nuclear detonation yet earlier this month, has vowed to continue tests amid what it describes as Western hostility. Pyongyang has called on the US to withdraw tens of thousands of troops from Japan and South Korea. 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 }} A teenage couple who planned to elope were electrocuted to death by their families on the orders of tribal elders in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police said. Bakht Jan, 15, and her boyfriend Rehman, 17, were killed last month in the port city after the Pashtun council of elders, known as a jirga, ruled they had brought dishonour to the community. "The innocent souls were tied to a charpai (rope bed) and given electric shocks," said Aman Marwat, the police officer who arrested some of the family members. "The girl was killed and buried first, followed by the murder of the boy the next day." Officer Marwat said he is pursuing the fathers and two uncles of the murdered teenagers, as well as around 30 members of the tribal council, who are now in hiding. The couple's bodies were exhumed as part of the investigation. Pakistani activists and commentators say the murders highlight the huge power exerted by tribal councils. Zia Ur Rehman, one of the first journalists to report on the case inside Pakistan, said that both families had already agreed to the marriage, but the tribal elders didn't want it to go ahead. "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," he said. Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar, the Federal Minister for Human Rights, later condemned the killings. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan had said there are hundreds of so-called "honour killings" in Pakistan each year. It recorded 837 killings, all of women and girls, in 2014, when it last published figures. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The majority were shot, strangled or injured with an "edge tool", a description which includes knives and axes. Before they were murdered, some of the women were raped or tortured. The most common killers were husbands, brothers or fathers. In January, a mother was sentenced to death after burning her 18-year-old daughter alive for getting married and eloping to live with his family. Many similar killings go unnoticed and unreported, activists have warned. 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 }} For tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, an informal fleet of small wooden fishing boats has meant deliverance from what they say is an indiscriminate assault on their villages by the Burmese army. Deliverance, however, comes at a price. Some refugees told the Reuters news agency they paid as much as 10,000 taka (90) per adult to boatmen, in order to make the five-hour crossing from Burmas coast to ports in southern Bangladesh. While the fishermen say they have a moral obligation to help desperate fellow Muslims escaping persecution, Bangladeshi officials accuse them of profiteering. Ordered to stamp out what they call human trafficking, they have made arrests and even set fire to fishing boats. Of course we want to keep going back to rescue more people. Our Muslim brothers and sisters are in a bad situation, so I have to go and bring them, said Mohammed Alom, 25, a fisherman in the Bangladeshi village of Shamlapur. Around 400,000 Rohingya have arrived in Bangladesh in less than three weeks and people are still coming, by land as well as by sea, after attacks by Rohingya militants sparked a fierce counteroffensive by Burmas army. Senior UN officials have described the violence as ethnic cleansing. The influx is placing huge strain on authorities in southern Bangladesh, one of the poorest parts of a poor country. Dont say rescuers. The rescuers should be going and they should rescue people, not in terms of money, said Lieutenant Colonel Ariful Islam, Border Guards Bangladesh commander in Teknaf on the countrys southern tip, referring to the fishermen bringing refugees ashore. These people are very poor; its just extorting from them whatever they have. We are helping those who arrived, but were trying to insist that no human trafficking should take place. Reuters interviewed three Rohingya fishermen and two Bangladeshi boat owner-operators, all of whom had made at least two visits to Burma in recent weeks. The men didnt believe the profits they made detracted from what they saw as a rescue mission. Shaif Ullah, 34, a Bangladeshi, who co-owns a fishing boat, said he made 100,000 taka (900) rescuing the family of a Rohingya in Malaysia who paid him via BKash, a popular mobile money service, after he returned to Bangladeshi shores. People from Malaysia and Saudi Arabia call me and tell me to go there to get their family, he said. They are crying for my help. I take money from them, yes, but its also a humanitarian act. Two refugees have told Reuters their family members were detained by fishermen or brokers in Bangladesh when they could not pay for the journey. Several also complained they had to hand over gold and other jewellery to boat operators. We had no chance to negotiate with the boatmen, said Ali Johar, 75, an elder from his village in southern Maungdaw, just across the Naf river that forms the border between Burma and Bangladesh, now staying in Shamlapur. He handed over his wifes gold necklace and a gold ring, in addition to 7,000 taka for the rescue of him and about 30 members of his extended family, including young children, he said. But we are grateful to the fishermen for bringing us here, he said. There were so many people trying to get here. If they didnt bring us, we would be stuck. Pronay Chakma says it was a stroke of fate that thrust him into a key role in Bangladeshs response to the crisis. The 31-year-old administrator arrived in Teknaf to start a new job as sub-district assistant commissioner for land on 23 August, two days before northwestern Burma exploded into violence. The thing is that, yes, the fishermen can go there, no problem, but if they demand money from the pain of stricken people, is it humanitarian? No, he said. Chakma a Buddhist member of the Chakma tribe who live scattered throughout South Asia is an executive magistrate, which means he can hand down jail terms in simple criminal cases. He interrupted an interview with Reuters to sentence a man to three months for possession of five methamphetamine tablets. Chakma and another local official have sentenced at least 100 people to terms of up to six months for continuing to charge Rohingya refugees for ferrying them to safety. Each and every time we are warning them, he said. Yes, you can do that, but not in exchange of money. He pointed to the deaths of women and children who, unable to swim, have died after their boats capsized near Bangladeshi shores. Fishermen and local residents told Reuters that authorities have also broadcast messages in their villages by loudspeaker ordering them not to pick up Rohingyas. At least five boats caught bringing refugees in exchange for money have been set on fire on the beach by officials. The boatmen Reuters spoke to said they were cautious about operating in bad weather and rejected allegations of coercion or detaining refugees. Tens of thousands of people may still be waiting to cross the mouth of the Naf river, according to estimates by refugees, fishermen and rights groups. I would like to go back to bring these people, because Muslims are suffering, said Bangladeshi boat owner Moni Ullah, 38. For me, its hard to sit here and not go there, because I have seen so many people crying on the beach. Reuters 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 }} As thousands of Russian troops, aircraft and armour carried out massive war games across the border, Ukraines President was asking the US to supply advanced offensive weapons to defend itself against the barbaric aggressive plans of the Kremlin. Petro Poroshenko had claimed that the military exercise, Zapad-2017, taking place in Belarus was really a smokescreen to create new Russian army assault groups to invade Ukrainian territory. The reality, he insisted, was that with Moscow, one should always be prepared, a lesson hard learned with the loss of Crimea and the civil war which had seen the east of the country effectively secede. The newly appointed US special representative for Ukraine has stated that Washington is actively considering sending heavy weaponry to the Kiev government. Kurt Volker had said defensive weapons, ones that would allow Ukraine to defend itself, and to take out tanks for example, would actually help. This is a matter for further discussion and decision: but I think that the argument that this would be provocative to Russia or emboldening of Ukraine is just getting it backwards. The sending of the arms would be a ratcheting up of Americas commitment to Ukraine in the countrys bitter confrontation with Russia. The prospect comes, ironically, during the administration of Donald Trump, who is under investigation for his alleged illicit links to Moscow, and someone who had said during the presidential election campaign that he would be prepared to accept the annexation of Crimea and suggested the possible lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine. Mr Trump, however, was forced to approve fresh sanctions last month with overwhelming bipartisan support between Republicans and Democrats in Congress for the punitive measures. Speaking at the annual YES (Yalta Economic Strategy) summit in Kiev, Mr Poroshenko maintained it was vitally important for America and Western Europe to keep sanctions in place. Sanctions against Russia must be in force until full implementation of Minsk agreements [ceasefire deal] and restoring the sovereignty of Ukraine over Crimea and Donbas, he said. I would like to thank the United States for its leadership in strengthening sanctions against the aggressor. The price for aggression must keep rising. It must be unbearably hard to keep what was unlawfully taken, or, more bluntly, cynically stolen. Mr Poroshenko declared that the international conference would once again be held where it used to be, Yalta, before the Crimea passed under Russian control: Regarding Crimea, we are being advised to put it off, to freeze it, or simply to forget about it. Only short-sighted politicians could give such advice, those who forget that todays battle for the world order has started with occupation of the Crimea. Mr Trump is under pressure from some senior figures in his own Republican Party as well as military commanders to take a more combative stance towards Moscow over Ukraine. General Jack Keane, a former vice chief of staff in the US Army, held that the strategy being used by the Russian military in eastern Ukraine, including hybrid warfare and use of propaganda, was a source of great concern and a great challenge to the US military. John Bolton, the hawkish former US ambassador to the United Nations, told the conference: The reaction of the West to what the Russians have been doing has not been anything like strong enough. I dont know whether the Trump administration will send effective military equipment to Ukraine, it is something I would have done years ago. What we will be seeing from Vladimir Putin is a lot of testing of the West, of the type we are seeing with these exercises in Belarus. Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives and a Trump supporter who has written a biography of the US President, accused President Putin of breaking every norm of international relations decisively and held there was a strong argument for supplying weapons to Kiev. However, he held that Russian aggression was not sustainable. It is costing them too much in every way, Russia will lose by exhaustion at the end. I think you will start to see some face-saving action as they are forced to retreat. It was left to former Secretary of State John Kerry to point out that Russias action may be the result, at least partly, of Western behaviour in the past. He recalled the triumphalism following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the failure to appreciate Moscows apprehension over the eastward expansion of Nato to Russias borders. Russia may also have felt hoodwinked over the Libyan conflict, he said, in which a UN resolution to protect civilians turned into a Nato bombing campaign against the Gaddafi regime. There has to be a process of dialogue, said Mr Kerry, otherwise there is a danger we will find ourselves pushed more and more into a corner. 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 }} Vladimir Putin has maintained a vice-like hold on the top tiers of Russian power for almost 20 years. For international observers, the Russian leader is an unfathomable and enigmatic figure, and Russia itself is never easy to read. Internationally, the country faces isolation and economic sanctions amid crises in former Soviet states. But Mr Putin retains a remarkable public approval rating of 83 per cent in Russia, officially at least. Love him or loathe him, since Mr Putin rose through the ranks of Boris Yeltsins enfeebled government in the late 1990s, Russia has changed beyond all recognition. One of his early apparent successes was Russias sudden economic growth after he took power. Following the economically disastrous collapse of the Soviet Union and the required market reforms under Yeltsin, the new presidents administration slashed business rates, renationalised parts of the oil industry and exported oil during a period of rising prices. The results were rapid. Between 1999 and 2006, Russians real disposable income doubled. For many Russians, this period of unprecedented growth sealed Mr Putins reputation as a shrewd politician and he is still remembered for it today. But what does the Russian leader want now, and how is he going to get it? This week Russia and the former-Soviet state Belarus embark upon military exercises which European observers estimate could involve as many as 100,000 troops significantly more than the 5,500 Russian personnel and 7,200 Belarussian troops the Russian defence ministry has said will be involved. A US military commander has voiced concern that these excercises could be a "Trojan horse". In addition, previous iterations of the manoeuvres heralded Russias intervention in Crimea. But the war games are unlikely to provide the Trojan Horse for a land grab, as some in the US fear, says Mathieu Boulegue, a research fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Zapad is a routine exercise, so there is no cause for alarm in the sense that Russia will stick to the scenario, Mr Boulegue told The Independent. Everything they want to rehearse is ready and its been planned for the past few years. But there is a kind of game of hypocrisy with Russia on one side and the West on the other. We want to acknowledge Zapad as being potentially threatening, but we dont want to give Russia the chance to brag about its military prowess. But is the huge military exercise simply a distraction from what Mr Putin is attempting? US historian Amy Knight, author of forthcoming book Orders From Above: The Putin Regime and Political Murder, and described by The New York Times as the Wests foremost scholar of the KGB, suggests that recent criticism of opponents by the authorities could be read as preparations for the 2018 Russian presidential election, in which Mr Putin is expected to stand and win. In June, opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who has previously organised protests against Mr Putin, was arrested, charged with fraud and this week was pelted with sausages at an airport as he returned to Russia from Europe. What I see internally is that Putin is nervous about the presidential elections. One might say why would he be nervous? He has an over 80 per cent approval rating, and even the municipal elections last Sunday showed that United Russia the pro-Kremlin, pro-Putin party is dominating and so on. But I think Putin views things a little differently. He hasnt forgotten, nor have his colleagues, that around the last presidential elections there were mass demonstrations. In 2011, 2012, Navalny actually helped organise those. And it really shook the Kremlin. Russians are still suffering economically, Ms Knight said. Real income is going down because their pensions havent been raised, their wages havent been raised. People have economic woes theyre griping about and Navalny plays into that. I would say that the popular support for Putin is deceptive. The turnout last week was 14 per cent you see a lot of voter apathy. And we might see these protestors out on the street again, so I think the Kremlin is nervous about the elections. Putins game plan right now, internally, domestically, is to send warning signals to his critics, she said. Putin is as concerned about what the masses think, and possible unrest, as he is concerned about what he might face internally, at the top, among his elite. According to Ms Knight, the Zapad exercise is a means of showcasing Russias international strength and diverts internal attention to whats going on with the West. It plays on peoples sense of patriotism and makes Putin look like a strong leader, she says. I dont think they aspire to militarily control Ukraine, but its enough for them to try to destabilise the government there and make every effort to prevent Ukraine from joining Nato for example. I think taking over all of Ukraine would be biting off more than they can chew. But I might be wrong, she says. It is too simplistic to reach into history and read current events as a return to the Cold War. James Nixey, head of Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, told The Independent: I certainly do not think that Russia is trying to recreate the Soviet Union. But, and its a big but, there are elements of the Soviet Union in what hes trying to do. The Russians feel protective [of former Soviet states], its kind of a schizophrenic attitude, because in some ways they see them as kindred, and in other ways they look down upon them and want to control them. That is the crux of the tension between Russia and the west right now, Mr Nixey says. The attitude towards the post-Soviet states is the most salient aspect. Russia's relationship with the former Soviet states must be seen in the context of Mr Putins concerns over what he perceives as Natos encroachment. I dont think Putin aspires, practically speaking, to have Nato dissolve, Ms Knight says, "but as we know, the Russians have supported Trump very actively, and President Trump, when he went over and met all the Nato leaders, he basically said he didnt really care about Nato. So I think on Putins wishlist is to have Trump not be impeached, to stay in power and to continue with his luke-warm attitude towards Nato. Whatever happens in the coming elections, few can imagine Russia without Putin in the near future. 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 rights group Human Rights Watch has condemned the arrest by Saudi authorities of some 30 clerics, intellectuals and activists this week as a coordinated crackdown on dissent. The arrests were made ahead of a call by exiled opposition figures for demonstrations following Friday afternoon prayers, which did not appear to attract much support amid a heavy security deployment. Activists this week circulated on social media lists of people detained, including prominent Islamist preacher Salman al-Awdah, as well as some people with no clear links to Islamist activity or obvious history of opposition. The detentions follow widespread speculation, denied by officials, that King Salman intends to abdicate to his son, Crown Prince Mohammed, who dominates economic, diplomatic and domestic policy. There are also growing tensions with Qatar over its alleged support of Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood which is listed by Riyadh as a terrorist organisation. These apparently politically motivated arrests are another sign that Mohammed bin Salman has no real interest in improving his countrys record on free speech and the rule of law, said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. The New York-based watchdog said the arrests fit a pattern of human rights violations against peaceful advocates and dissidents, including harassment, intimidation, smear campaigns, travel bans, detention, and prosecution. Crown Prince Mohammed has rocketed to the pinnacle of power in the kingdom, pushing a reform agenda called Vision 2030 which is aimed at weaning the country off oil and introducing social reforms. But critics say he is not doing enough to liberalise politics in a country where the king enjoys absolute authority. Saudis alleged efforts to tackle extremism are all for show if all the government does is jail people for their political views, Ms Whitson said. A government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Protests are banned in Saudi Arabia, as are political parties. Unions are illegal, the press is controlled and criticism of the royal family can lead to prison. Riyadh says it does not have political prisoners, but senior officials have said monitoring activists is needed to maintain social stability. The al-Saud family has always regarded Islamist groups as the biggest internal threat to its rule over a country in which appeals to religious sentiment cannot be lightly dismissed and an al-Qaeda campaign a decade ago killed hundreds. The Muslim Brotherhood represents an ideological threat to Riyadhs dynastic system of rule. The government toughened its stance following the Arab Spring after it averted unrest by increasing salaries and other state spending but the Brotherhood gained power elsewhere in the region. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport links with Qatar in June over its alleged support for Islamists including the Brotherhood a charge Doha denies. At the central Riyadh mosque which protest organisers had identified as one of several potential gathering spots, the imam warned worshippers against demonstrating. All the groups that exist today and call for political action or aspire to rule, they are all misguided, deviant groups headed by the Muslim Brotherhood, he said. Most people seemed to head that message, with no demonstrations reported across the kingdom. Video posted on Twitter reportedly from a town in eastern Saudi showed an empty highway with a small makeshift sign hanging from a pedestrian overpass. Written in red were the words: September 15 and Down with Al Saud. Reuters 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 }} Pakistan could face drought in the near future according to experts in the country, who have warned the country will approach the absolute scarcity level of water by 2025. The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) made the grim forecast in a new report which claimed the country touched the water stress line in 1990 before crossing the water scarcity line in 2005. An unnamed government official in the south Asian country told Pakistani media that urgent research is needed to find a solution but warned of a lack of available government funds. UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Show all 9 1 /9 UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future United Nations Headquarters Getrude Clement, a 16-year-old radio reporter from Tanzania and UNICEF climate advocate Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Fiji Girls from Nakorovou village in Vuna on Taweuni Island, helping their mothers with laundry on a shore of their destroyed village Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Haiti Hurricane Matthew passed over Haiti, with heavy rains and winds Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Bangladesh Students make their way to school after heavy floods in Sariakandi Upazila, Bogra, Bangladesh Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Alaska An Inupiat girl Amaia, 11, standing on a ice floe on a shore of the Arctic Ocean in Barrow, Alaska in the United States of America Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Nigeria A girl pumps water from a borehole provided by UNICEF in Old Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Kiribati A boy walks from school to his house in Aberao village in South Tarawa, Kiribati. Kiribati is one of the countries most affected by sea level rise Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Zimbabwe Siyephi Village, Bullilima District in Matebeland Unicef UNICEF - World Water Day 2017, Thirsting for a Future Myanmar Fourth-grade students from Hnen Ser Kyin Middle School wash their hands at a community water point in the village of Hnen Ser Kyin, Magway Region Unicef Pakistan has the worlds fourth highest rate of water use but is dependent on water from a single source the Indus River basin in India and rainfall has been steadily declining, with some experts claiming this is down to climate change. An estimated million people live in Pakistans largest city, Karachi but very few have running water after the land has gradually dried up, forcing many residents to queue for hours for supplies to be given to them. Shamsul Mulk, former chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority in the country, said water policy is simply non-existent in Pakistan. Policymakers act like absentee landlords over water, he added. Because of this absentee landlordism, water has become the property of the landlords and the poor are deprived of their share." Recommended A quarter of rivers at risk as water is removed despite drought risk Experts say that population growth and urbanisation are the main reasons behind the crisis. Some say the issue has been exacerbated by climate change and poor water management. Energy sector expert Irfan Choudhry said the authorities appear to lack the political will to tackle the problem. There are no proper water storage facilities in the country. Pakistan hasn't built new dams since the 1960s. What we see is political bickering over the issue. The authorities need to act now. We can store water for only 30 days, and it is worrisome, Mr Choudhry told local media. Some politicians have warned of massive corruption in the water sector with some seeking to profiteer from the scarcity of a vital resource. 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 Others blame India for the Pakistani water crisis and claim that New Delhi is failing to uphold the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty brokered by the World Bank in 1960 which regulates control of the rivers between the two nations. 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 }} The countries with the best quality of life in the world have a good work-life balance, access to quality healthcare, education, and infrastructure, as well as cost of living and career opportunities. Warm weather also helps. In a new survey by InterNations, the world's largest network for people who live and work abroad, the company asked 12,500 expats, representing 166 nationalities and living in 188 countries or territories, to rate 43 different aspects of life abroad on a scale of 1 to 7. From this, InterNations calculated the scores to reach an overall average. The Quality of Life index took into account factors such as: Leisure Options Personal Happiness Travel & Transport Health & Well-Being Safety & Security A destination needed at least 75 respondents to feature in this index. Here are the top 17 countries. 17. Netherlands -- Netherlands scored particularly highly for Travel & Transport (7th). In other subindexes, it scored relatively poorly, ranking 47th for Leisure Options and 25th for Personal Happiness. (Shutterstock/photo.ua (Shutterstock/photo.ua) 16. Finland -- Finland scored below 16th in every major subindex apart from Health & Well-Being, where it ranked fifth, one place behind Scandinavian neighbour Sweden and two places behind Denmark. 15. New Zealand -- New Zealand falls two places from last year, but high scores on the Personal Happiness subindex (10th) and Leisure Options subindex (9th) keep it relatively near the top of the list. 14. Sweden -- The Scandinavian country offers expats high wages and a generally high quality of life. It scored highest in the Health & Well-Being subindex (4th), coming one place behind neighbouring Denmark. (Jens Ottoson/Shutterstock (Jens Ottoson/Shutterstock) 13. Canada -- Canada has two major financial centres, Vancouver and Montreal, which attract large numbers of expats. It fell one place from last year, scoring 7th on the Safety & Security subindex. 12. Denmark -- Denmark climbed up the rankings from last year, when it came 21st. It is often described as the happiest country in the world. It came third in the Health & Well-Being subindex. 11. Luxembourg -- Luxembourg, which has a population of 580,000, scores particularly highly on the Safety & Security subindex (5th). It climbed far up the rankings from last year, when it ranked 17th. 10. Germany -- Germany, which is currently trying to lure financial workers from London to its Frankfurt hub, scored highly on the Travel & Transport subindex (5th) and Health & Well-Being. (Sean Pavone/Shutterstock (Sean Pavone/Shutterstock) 9. Costa Rica -- Costa Rica has barely seen any change in expat feedback since 2016, when it ranked fifth. it's not that survey respondents view local life more negatively, but several other countries simply outperform it in 2017. 8. Switzerland -- Switzerland attracts many expats to Zurich, its financial hub. It scores first on the Safety & Security subindex, and third for Travel & Transport. 7. Austria -- Austria lost ground in all subcategories. It scored particularly highly on the Health & Well-Being subindex (2nd) and the Travel & Transport subindex (8th). 6. Japan -- The country sunk from 3rd to 6th this place this year. Japan lost some ground in all subcategories, although it is still going relatively strong in those that earned it last year's ranking: the Health & Well-Being (7th) and Travel & Transport subcategories (9th). Japan excelled with regard to safety and security too (4th). (Shutterstock (Shutterstock) 5. Czech Republic -- The country did particularly well because it scored 4th on the Travel & Transpoort subindex. It ranked comparatively low on other subindexes, including Leisure Options (18th), Personal Happiness (20th). 4. Singapore -- The city-state rose from 8th to 4th this year. It came first on the Travel & Transport subindex, and third for Safety & Security. 3. Spain -- Spain, known for its temperate climate and cultural attractions, scored highest on the Leisure options subindex and also ranked highly (6th) for personal happiness. 2. Taiwan -- Last year's winner dropped by one rank, but it still impressed with high ratings in the Health & Well-being and Travel & Transport subcategories, coming 1st and 6th out of 65 respectively. 1. Portugal -- Having gained 13 places since the Expat Insider 2016 survey, Portugal is not only the second-biggest winner in the Quality of Life Index, but also made the most significant gains in the overall ranking. Its popularity among expats -- at least when it comes to quality of life -- is largely due to its temperate climate and widely available leisure activities. (Shutterstock/ Lukasz Janyst (Shutterstock/ Lukasz Janyst) Read more: The 2 worst mistakes you could make in a job interview, according to an ex-Apple recruiter This is why narcissists are so cruel to the people they date Inside the daily routine of billionaire Bill Gates Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2017. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. 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 }} Four airlines and an airport: that was the line-up on Wednesday when the concept of easyJet Worldwide was launched. Its an intriguing and unprecedented concept: easyJet, Norwegian, WestJet and Loganair teaming up with Gatwick airport to offer a sort-of network that, they hope, will rival the network carriers and their hubs. So let me get this right, I said, when speaking to representatives of all five enterprises. Loganair hates easyJet; easyJet hates Norwegian; Norwegian hates WestJet; and everyone hates Gatwick. But now youve gone all lovey-dovey? They certainly have. The idea is that a single website (owned and operated by the biggest airline, easyJet) is now able to sell connecting flights on other carriers. Well, kind-of connecting. The standard arrangement will be for passengers to combine a domestic or European flight on easyJet to Gatwick with a long-haul service on Norwegian or WestJet to the US, Canada, Latin America or Asia. Theres a big difference from the model used by British Airways at Heathrow, Air France at Paris and Lufthansa at Frankfurt. No smiling check-in agent happy to tag your bag straight through to your final destination, and hand you boarding passes for both your short-haul flight and the long-haul connection. Instead, you will have been assumed to have checked in online and printed out (or saved to your phone) the boarding passes. Next, while Gatwick possesses a sophisticated baggage transfer system it was once known by British Airways as the hub without the hubbub there will be no behind-the-scenes transfer. Instead, passengers will need to wait around for their bags at the carousel after the first flight and take it to the GatwickConnects desk. Its a walk of only a few yards, but its not quite the same experience as breezing off for a coffee while machine and man identify the baggage and organise for it to be loaded on to your next flight. Because of this extra complexity, and the likely need to change terminals at Gatwick, the minimum connection time is two hours and 30 minutes. Things will inevitably go wrong sometimes, though, typically when your inbound flight is delayed and you miss the outbound connection at Gatwick. You will be rescheduled onto another flight, but it wont necessarily be as straightforward a process as going to the airline desk and demanding a seat on the next available departure. But if you are prepared to accept those conditions, the tie-up promises prospective rewards that are currently the preserve of the network carrier such as a straightforward quote for the whole journey, rather than having to juggle between screens as you seek to connect from Belfast to Buenos Aires or Edinburgh to Edmonton. You can compare this easily with what other players are charging, for example on the Dohop fare-comparison site and it happens that Dohops technology is powering the whole enterprise. Much remains to be done, such as working out how not to pay the Chancellor two helpings of Air Passenger Duty; Edinburgh-Gatwick-Fort Lauderdale on British Airways has a 75 APD liability, while self-connectors pay 88. And how will EC261, the rules on delayed and cancelled flights, apply to journeys? The law was not designed for this sort of model. But former Monarch Airlines boss Tim Jeans applauds the development: It looks to be making good use of the GatwickConnects service and potentially solves a big problem for Norwegian, that of driving feeder traffic onto their long-haul network from Gatwick. His conclusion, with which I agree: A service that combines the network and cost of a short-haul specialist with access to low-cost, long-haul routes in a single ticket has got to be good news. Lets see where the concept turns up next; my bet is on Barcelona. There are many more airports, and airlines, who could sign up for the latest twist in the low-cost revolution. 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 }} Around 150,000 passengers planning to use one of Britains busiest railway stations today have been urged not to try to travel. A huge fire involving gas cylinders broke out shortly before midnight at a timber yard beside the West Coast main line near Watford Junction. Simon Calder explains delays at Euston after massive track-side fire sends travel into turmoil Network Rail said: "The emergency services have worked through the night to control the blaze. The damage has been looked at by structural engineers and they have declared the building is currently unsafe for trains to run. Until the building has been made safe, trains will continue to be disrupted between Watford Junction and London Euston." Caledonian Sleeper trains heading for Edinburgh and Glasgow were halted and returned to Euston. Southbound services from Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort William terminated at Preston, with passengers told to leave their rooms by 5am. London Midland is advising its passengers not to travel between Milton Keynes and Euston today. A spokesperson for the train operator said: "While the emergency services are dealing with the fire it simply isn't possible to run trains through the area. A shuttle service stopping at every station between Euston and Watford Junction on London Overground is the only train running. Changing tracks: leaflet handed out to Virgin Trains passengers with details of alternative routes to and from London Euston (Simon Calder) Passengers are able to use their tickets on East Coast services, Cross Country, Great Western, East Midlands Trains and Chiltern Railways. 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 On the relatively empty concourse at Euston, the economist Justin Urquhart Stewart said: "I'm trying to get to Liverpool to give a talk on the state of the economy and the state of transport in Britain. This isn't very encouraging, really. I don't think I'm going to be able to get to Liverpool, and even if I do, I don't think I can get back." (Simon Calder (Simon Calder) Another disrupted passenger, Carol, said: "I"m trying to get to Manchester, but with technology I'll just go back to the office and use a video link. "All the staff here have been marvellous but everyone's at a loss about what to do. As it's a Friday it'll be a bad day for everyone." 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 }} Up to 9,000 Ryanair passengers a day face having their travel plans wrecked as the airline cancels 40 to 50 flights a day until the end of October. The budget airline, which is Europes largest, said the move was to improve its system-wide punctuality. Ryanair blames a combination of ATC capacity delays and strikes, weather disruptions and the impact of increased holiday allocations to pilots and cabin crew. The airline is changing its April-to-March annual leave calendar to a January-to-December model. As a result flight crews are seeking to take their full allocation of holiday, leaving Ryanairs most ambitious summer schedule ever short of staff. In a statement Ryanair said it has a backlog of crew leave. These tighter crewing numbers and the impact of ATC capacity restrictions in the UK, Germany and Spain, as well as French ATC strikes and adverse weather (thunderstorms) have given rise to significant delays in recent weeks. Ryanairs on-time performance has declined from 90 per cent to under 80 per cent over the past two weeks, which the airline says is unacceptable to Ryanair and its customers. Tracy Virr was due to fly back from Bordeaux to Stansted, but was informed her flight was cancelled. She was rebooked two days later, but that flight was also cancelled. She told The Independent: "What is extraordinary is that we have just been left with no help or advice from Ryanair. The online help has been of no practical help at all and we now feel that we cannot even trust that we will get home on Tuesday. "We are going to the airport tomorrow just to see if we can talk to someone and appeal for their help in getting us home. I fear there may be many others doing the same." Lisa tweeted: Anyone know reason Ryanair have cancelled many flights over days they say out of our control but wont specify. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary tells Theresa May to start delivering on Brexit Someone tweeting as Antonio Rossi claimed to be crew at the airline, and wrote: This is directly Ryanairs bad employee relations causing many hundreds of pilots to leave. The airline says the cancellations will create additional standby aircraft which will help restore on-time performance. It added: Customers will be contacted directly about this small number of cancellations and offered alternative flights or full refunds. If Ryanair does not have a suitable alternative flight, affected passengers are entitled to be booked on rival airlines. They must also be provided with meals and accommodation until they reach their destination. Depending on the amount of notice given, they could also qualify for EU compensation of up to 400 (352). 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 }} Isis is the most likely inspiration for the bomb explosion on the tube train at Parsons Green station. The attempted mass killing is similar to the attacks in Barcelona, Manchester and London earlier this year in that it aimed to murder the maximum number of civilians in the most public way possible. Isis is stepping up its attention-grabbing atrocities to counterbalance its defeats on the battlefields in Iraq and Syria. It aims to show strength, instil fear and dominate the news agenda at a time when it has lost the savage nine-month-long struggle for Mosul in Iraq and is being defeated in the battle for its last big urban centres in Deir Ezzor and Raqqa in Syria. The caliphate that Isis declared after its capture of Mosul in 2014, once the size of Great Britain, is today reduced to a few embattled enclaves in the deserts of eastern Syria and western Iraq. Unfortunately, these defeats make escalating terrorist attacks on civilians more rather than less likely in Iraq, Syria and the West. I am listing the locations being targeted in that order because the great majority of Isiss victims are Iraqis and Syrians, though this receives scant coverage in the western media which carries 24/7 reportage of Isis-related incidents in Western Europe and the US. A telling example of this lopsided coverage came this week only a day before the Parsons Green explosion, when Isis gunmen and three suicide bombers attacked a police checkpoint and two restaurants in southern Iraq, killing at least 80 people and injuring hundreds more. Wearing police uniforms and driving captured Iraqi army vehicles, the Isis fighters made their attack on the main road between Baghdad and Basra near the city of Nassiriya. The carefully organised assault was carried out deep inside part of Iraq that is Shia and far from the remaining Isis strongholds in Sunni Arab districts further north. The aim was to prove that, despite its shattering losses in the siege of Mosul, Isis can still operate far from its base areas. Theresa May on Trump's Parsons Green response: "I never think it's helpful to speculate" The British Government and public have never quite taken on board that Isis terrorist attacks in Britain and elsewhere are part and parcel of what is happening in the wars in Iraq and Syria. Isis sees the world as a single battlefield. That is why Government initiatives like the Prevent campaign are an irrelevance where they are not counterproductive. They purport to identify and expose signs of domestic Islamic radicalism (though nobody knows what these are), but in practice they are a form of collective punishment of the three million British Muslims, serving only to alienate many and push a tiny minority towards sympathy for Isis and al-Qaeda-linked movements. Such an approach is attractive to governments because it shows them doing something active to quell terrorism, however ineffectual this may be. It also has the useful implication of suggesting that terrorism is domestically generated and that the British foreign ventures in Libya in 2003 and Libya in 2011 were in no way responsible for providing the breeding grounds in which Isis was nurtured. Yet when Jeremy Corbyn suggested after the Manchester bomb that a government policy that had helped produce anarchy in Iraq, Libya and Syria, enabling al-Qaeda-type terrorists to flourish, had much to answer for, he was howled down and execrated as somehow lessening the guilt of the Manchester and London attackers. The only long-term way of preventing these terrorist attacks is not only to eliminate Isis in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere but to end these wars which have allowed al-Qaeda to become a mass movement. Prior to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, al-Qaeda and its clones had little strength and had been largely broken up. They were resurrected during the Iraq war, were suppressed with immense difficulty only to rise again in 2011, when the civil war in Syria enabled them to spread and become the dominant force in the armed opposition. This was neither inevitable nor unforeseeable: Iraqi leaders warned that a continuing war in Syria, in which sectarian confrontation was a major factor, would destabilise their own fragile peace. They were ignored and the meteoric emergence of Isis between 2011 and 2014 showed that they knew what they were talking about. I remember in 2012 vainly trying to persuade a senior diplomat that if the war in Syria continued, it could not be contained and would destabilise Iraq. He poo-pooed my fears as exaggerated. Western powers only truly took on board that the defeat of Isis had to be given total priority in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015 and the outpouring of Syrian refugees heading from Turkey to Western Europe in the same year. Previously, the governments had been laggard in seeking to carry out such obvious measures as putting pressure on Turkey to close its open border with Syria, across which al-Qaeda and Isis recruits passed unhindered for years. In the event, it was only gradually closed by the advance of the Syrian Kurds along the south side of the Syrian-Kurdish border. Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Show all 23 1 /23 Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion A bucket with flames and wires coming out of it was photographed in the carriage after the explosion apparently the source of the blast AFP Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion An explosion on a packed Tube train has injured a number of people in west London AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion The blast triggered a stampede as commuters panicked AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Click through for more pictures from the scene Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosioN Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion PA Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Parsons Green explosion Reuters Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty Terror attack at Parson's Green in pictures AFP/Getty But it is not just the defeat of Isis and al-Qaeda (thinly disguised by frequent changes of name) that is necessary. It is the wars in Iraq and Syria that provided the fertile soil for movements to grow again. Anything that delays the end of these conflicts contributes to the survival of Isis and groups for which the massacre of civilians is an integral part of their day-to-day tactics. British and other western governments protest that they do indeed want to end the war, but they have pursued policies that have fuelled it and made its continuation inevitable. They declared that the removal of President Bashar al-Assad was a precondition for peace when the political and military balance of power in Syria made this extremely unlikely. Critics of government policy who pointed this out were denounced as pro-Assad sympathisers. Western policy was a self-defeating mix of fantasy and wishful thinking and fantasy. Remember David Camerons non-existent 70,000 moderate fighters, brave fellows who were going to take on Assad and Isis at the same time? Recommended This is why Isis attacked Barcelona Not all the news is bad: Isis is being defeated in both Syria and Iraq. Its ability to organise and inspire terrorist attacks is going down. Assuming Isis was behind the bomb on the train in Parsons Green, there is some comfort in the fact that it failed to explode fully an Isis bomb in Catalonia blew up those that were making it. Money, weapons and expertise will be more difficult to supply. But the weaker Isis becomes the more it will want to show that it is still in business. Attacks in two places as different as Nassiriya and Parsons Green within 24 hours of each other shows that it is a long way from being eradicated. At the end of the day peace in the UK and Europe is indivisible from peace in Iraq and Syria. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he is disappointed that rank and file gardai have rejected the findings of a report into the breath test scandal. He said the position of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) reinforces that a change of attitude and culture within the force is needed. The GRA - which represents 10,500 members - claimed the breath test scandal was "entirely" the fault of Garda management and warned they would not be "scapegoated". However, Mr Varadkar criticised the GRA's refusal to accept the findings of the report into the scandal, conducted by Assistant Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan. Speaking on RTE's Good Morning Ireland from a Fine Gael party Think In at Clonmel Mr Varadkar said he was "disappointed" to hear the GRA's response. "It indicates (the GRA) doesn't accept the report. I am disappointed by that stance. It reflects the change of attitude and culture that is required. You can't change what you do until you start accepting that some things you did in the past are wrong," he said. The report investigated the falsification of breath test figures and the wrongful conviction of 14,500 people for motoring offences. It found that gardai exaggerated the number of breath tests carried out by 1.45 million over a seven-year period. However the GRA claimed on Thursday that gardai were under duress from middle and senior management within An Garda Siochana to elevate figures, with the threat being that if they did not, there would be implications for their future in the force. Mr Varadkar said: "If I was a rank and file member of the force trying to do my job every day ... I wouldn't be happy with what my representatives were saying about this." The Fine Gael leader also said the resignation of Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan was an opportunity for change and better management within the organisation. He said this was not a condemnation of Mrs O'Sullivan or a blanket condemnation of gardai, but stressed that "better management is needed". The Taoiseach said the pace of change within the force has not been adequate. Referring to the country's housing crisis, Mr Varadkar said he expects a decision in the next couple of weeks about Nama playing a role in housing development. He said the idea is under examination but a final decision has not been made. Mr Varadkar said Nama would have an expertise in this area, and could play a part. On Thursday he said the Government was "looking at the possibility of re-purposing Nama to develop lands on behalf of the state to step in where the private sector has failed." Britain has long fended off attempts by Brussels to step up EU-level supervision of London, by far Europe's biggest financial centre, but it will have no say over EU policy after Brexit in 2019. The European Union wants to centralise market supervision and make banks pay for it, its financial services chief said, signalling how it will seek to regroup after Britain leaves the bloc. A more integrated supervisory regime is needed to unify the EU's capital market, European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said yesterday. Britain has long fended off attempts by Brussels to step up EU-level supervision of London, by far Europe's biggest financial centre, but it will have no say over EU policy after Brexit in 2019. "We think that national supervisors in the EU should follow the same supervisory priorities," Mr Dombrovskis said in Estonia, where EU finance ministers meet today. "We can go further on the path toward supervisory convergence by empowering the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to directly supervise certain firms," Mr Dombrovskis said, adding he will propose that banks help pay for their supervision by regulators like ESMA. There would also be a "strong role" for ESMA and its banking and insurance counterparts in the fintech sector as it seeks to compete with rival centres in London and elsewhere. "They should coordinate national technological innovation tools such as innovation hubs or regulatory sandboxes," Mr Dombrovskis added. The three regulators would also play a role in mobilising and directing capital toward "sustainable and green finance". The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has warned the bloc not to upend an agreement between the United States and the EU on accepting each other's clearing houses for derivatives transactions. CFTC chair Christopher Giancarlo said on Tuesday that attempts by the EU to clamp down on clearing of euro-denominated derivatives in Britain after Brexit could damage this. (Reuters) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker addresses the European Parliament during a debate on the state of the European Union in Strasbourg Picture: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has pledged to resist any attempts to impose a shake-up of European tax rules that would standardise the way corporation tax is calculated. Mr Donohoe said Ireland would continue to insist on a veto for any proposed changes in tax at European level. It comes after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (below) said he wanted the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) plan pushed through without requiring the agreement of all member states and wanted it implemented via qualified majority voting rather than unanimous agreement. But Mr Donohoe said the Government would not back any move that changed its ability to protect the national interest. "Our position is clear, and let me be very explicit it about this, I and this Government will not participate in any decision that changes our ability to protect our national interest in key issues like that. "The need for unanimity, in other words for all countries to agree to changes in common taxation approaches, is a core issue of how the EU manages issues like this," he said. "It is a process that I have seen used many times. Ireland won't change that and I know that we will be joined by many countries that have the same view." The Government here is opposed to the CCCTB plan, amid concerns it would undermine the competitiveness of the 12.5pc corporate tax rate. Mr Donohoe said that position had not changed. "Yes, it is a big risk that is out there, but the position that this Government and previous governments have held in relation to corporation tax, in relation to a common consolidated tax base, we will continue to hold," Mr Donohoe told RTE Radio. His Cabinet colleague Richard Bruton added: "We must, as a small, open economy, provide certainty for companies in this country. The stability of corporate tax was held strong to when it was coming under pressure from many quarters at a time when Ireland was on its knees financially. We had to protect that." Progress Meanwhile, the Government has expressed fears that achieving sufficient progress in the Brexit talks by October won't be possible. European Affairs Minister Helen McEntee said making decent progress was about building confidence. "We are worried that, despite the best efforts of Michel Barnier and his team, it is looking increasingly likely that it will not be possible to declare sufficient progress by next month's meeting," Ms McEntee told a conference marking the inaugural event of DCU's Brexit Institute. "There is still time to make more progress but that depends entirely on the UK and its willingness to negotiate in earnest and engage constructively across all the exit issues in the time available." HENRY ODONNELL counts himself relatively lucky that only about 10 acres of his holding was affected by last months severe storms in Donegal. I had a 10-acre field of red clover badly affected by the storms but my neighbour had all his fencing washed away during the rains and he had only completed re-fencing his farm, says Henry. I could see what was happening from my kitchen window but luckily I was on the right side of the Crana river and wasnt badly affected. Farmers up here took a back seat when the storms struck first. They didnt want to be complaining considering the awful amount of damage caused by the storms to peoples homes in the area and to the bridges and roads all around, but now that the storms have passed the problems caused to the farming community will have to be addressed. Henry (50) estimates that up to 300 farms on Inishowen were damaged to varying degrees by the storms. Expand Close Henry O'Donnell stands in one of the craters on a road leading to his farm, caused by the massive flood waters on the hills around Inishowen. (North West Newspix) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Henry O'Donnell stands in one of the craters on a road leading to his farm, caused by the massive flood waters on the hills around Inishowen. (North West Newspix) He farms 90 hectares of owned land and commonage near the Sliabh Sneacht mountain in Drumfries on the Inishowen peninsula where he runs a suckler and sheep enterprise. He is married to Susan and the couple have two young daughters, Ellie (12) and Ava (7). There are 30 acres around the farmhouse which he uses for grazing and silage, with the rest of his land located in and around the landmark mountain. He has some 80 sheep on the mountain and a dozen continental sucklers as his main farming enterprise. Recently he introduced a herd of 16 Galloway cattle to the farm, and along with around a dozen neighbours the plan is to develop their own Sliabh Sneacht beef brand for the Irish market. Henry reckons this can be achieved within the next two years. An activist with the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association and local LEADER company, Henry helped develop the Sliabh Sneacht centre which is a community hub for the region. He has also been involved in the post-storm talks with the Department of Agriculture on how to get the affected Inishowen farms back to full production. Expand Close Henry O'Donnell with some of his prize herd of Black Gallaway cattle which thankfully survived the massive flooding on the hillside farm in Inishowen. (North West Newspix) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Henry O'Donnell with some of his prize herd of Black Gallaway cattle which thankfully survived the massive flooding on the hillside farm in Inishowen. (North West Newspix) The Department has announced targeted funding to apply to losses of livestock, fodder and a contribution towards clean-up costs, such as damage to fences. However, only losses not covered by insurance will be eligible for consideration. He feels more could be done for those impacted. All we have had is politicians looking for photo opportunities and then clearing off back to Dublin and doing nothing. We have had enough of that, says Henry. But he is quick to exclude Donegal County Council from his criticisms. They have been exceptional, he says. They have diggers at the affected roads and riverbanks clearing up and are helping with the fencing of land. Like his farming neighbours, Henry is quite clear about what needs to be done. His list includes critical short-term actions like giving temporary derogations to the Inishowen farmers in the GLAS scheme, temporarily suspending farm inspections in the region and front-loading 70pc of the basic farm payment to give the affected farmers the financial ability to get their enterprises back to normal. Henry maintains that these would be short-term and cost-effective measures which would address the problems of the farmers concerned. He adds that he is not holding his breath waiting for action from Agriculture House in Dublin on the proposed aid scheme. The Mayor of Limerick has accused a journalist of being unprofessional for reporting on crime affecting farmers, after he asked her to leave a meeting which was convened to deal with the issue. The remarks about the Limerick Leader journalist, which were made by Mayor of Limerick City and County Council Stephen Keary during a local area council meeting this week, have been strongly criticised by the editor of the paper, Eugene Phelan. Councillors were prompted to distance themselves from Cllr Kearys remarks after an outburst during the official council meeting this Tuesday, at which the journalist in question was in attendance. He said: I think it was very poor journalism and very unprofessional of the journalist that, when asked to refrain from making a comment on the meeting, she didnt do so. Cathaoirleach of the district, Cllr Richard ODonoghue, said that he was disgusted and disappointed in Cllr Keary for chairing a meeting on the topic after the public representatives were asked to allow gardai to follow lines of inquiry, and for not inviting the other councillors. Journalist Maria Flannery was invited by local farmers to attend a meeting on August 31, which was attended by almost 30 members of the public, farmers, as well as Mayor Stephen Keary and two garda representatives. At the farming meeting, Cllr Keary insisted that the gathering was private, telling farmers that they may make their statements to the press outside the meeting. The farmers voted to continue the meeting without the press present, and Ms Flannery left. A story on quad bike thefts appeared in the Limerick Leader the following week, after the journalist was contacted by victims of theft who shared their experiences. There was a clear indication from the show of hands that they [the farmers] did not want a member of the media at the meeting. I asked her to leave, and she did, said Cllr Keary at this weeks council meeting. So I was most disappointed when I saw it on the front page of the Limerick Leader last week, he added. Independent Cllr Emmett OBrien distanced himself from the comments about the journalist, saying I dont think it's fair to call into question the professional integrity of members of the media. They have a job to do, we have a job to do. Sinn Fein Cllr Ciara McMahon did not want to be associated with the comments and said there is no such thing as a private meeting. Im not going to target any individual. You were asked to maintain integrity on that issue by the gardai, and the rest of us kept it private. Its very hypocritical to give out to the media about being asked to keep something private, when you made that a public issue, she told Cllr Keary. The mayors party colleague Cllr Adam Teskey also disassociated himself from the comments. Editor Eugene Phelan said that the mayor had no business seeking to effectively censor the local press. After having to apologise for controversial remarks about migrants prior to taking office as mayor, one would have thought that Cllr Stephen Keary would have learnt his lesson. Unfortunately not, he said. To call a young journalist doing her job unprofessional is entirely unacceptable. He succeeded in getting Maria Flannery ejected from a meeting of farmers concerned about thefts, and felt we should not be writing about crime. Cllr Keary will not decide what goes in the Limerick Leader. This was a matter of public interest and as such, the public had a right to know about the concerns regarding farm thefts in County Limerick. I hope Cllr Keary will have the good grace to apologise, added the editor. AIB has announced a 0.25pc reduction in its standard variable rate (SVR) on mortgages, the fifth rate reduction for existing customers in three years. The banks variable rate will reduce to 3.15pc, which is the lowest variable rate on the Irish market. The cut will apply to both new and existing AIB customers, with 100,000 mortgage holders set to benefit from the reduction. "These improvements in variable rate offerings benefit over 100,000 customers, leading to very significant annual savings," Robert Mulhall, AIB managing director of retail and commercial banking in Ireland, said. Read more: NI's Lagan Homes sets its sights on the Republic Based on the announcement, a customer will see an annual repayment saving of 315 on a 200,000 mortgage over 25 years. At current rates, this represents a lifetime interest payment saving of approximately 7,800 on the same mortgage. AIB has now cut its rates over the last three years by 1.25pc for SVR customers. "Our strategy, when conditions allow, is to pass on variable rate reductions to both new and existing customers and we continue to do that. Therefore existing SVR customers will automatically benefit from these new variable rates," Mr Mulhall said. In addition the bank will also cut its fixed rates by up to 0.5pc. The move from AIB will put pressure on other banks in the Irish mortgage lending market, and it is expected that Ulster Bank, Permanent TSB, Bank of Ireland, and KBC Bank will follow suit with rate cuts. Donald Trump says that the internet must be "cut off" to stop further terror attacks. Responding to the terror incident at Parsons Green Tube station, he said that the internet was a terrorist "recruiting tool". "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner," he wrote. "The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!" The tweet came after another message in which he appeared to suggest that the attacker had been known to police, despite Scotland Yard not having said so. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard," he posted in a preceding message. A following message said that he would look to increase his muslim ban into the United States. "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" he posted. Theresa May has rebuked Trump over his comments saying: "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017 It is far from the first time that Mr Trump has asked for the internet to be shut down because of terror. In December, he said he would ask Bill Gates to "close up" the internet to stop it being used by Isis. That call actually came during the same event where he launched his plans for a "complete shutdown" on Muslims entering the US, the policy that later became the travel ban. "We're losing a lot of people because of the internet," Trump said then. "We have to see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what's happening. We have to talk to them about, maybe in certain areas, closing that internet up in some ways. Somebody will say, 'Oh freedom of speech, freedom of speech.' These are foolish people." A week later, he posted more details about his plan. He said during a Presidential debate that he would get people to "penetrate" the internet and shut down the parts that were being used for radicalisation. Vodafone Ireland has denied reducing its pay-as-you-go customers' data speeds when roaming in other EU countries. Readers have contacted Independent.ie complaining that their Vodafone mobile access has been curtailed from 4G to 3G when travelling abroad, despite a new EU law requiring operators to abide by the roam like home principle. Under Vodafones terms and conditions for prepay users, 4G is not provided to pay-as-you-go customers when they roam. The company also warns that roaming is not to be considered a core service for pay-as-you-go users. However, a spokeswoman for the network told Independent.ie that these terms were currently being reviewed. She said that Vodafone pay-as-you-go users with 4G in Ireland should get access to 4G where available in other EU countries. The explanation comes as people increasingly complain about their phone services being throttled when travelling across the EU. In July, British operator O2 admitted that it throttles data speeds for UK customers travelling to Ireland. Another UK operator, EE, also says that the data speeds its travelling customers get are likely to be slower than in the UK and fast enough to use your phone as you normally would. Many EE customers now complain that their roaming speeds are under two megabits per second, which is less than 10pc of a normal 4G speed at home. Vodafone Irelands 4G subscriptions connect at speeds as low as 0.7Mbs in German cities, despite getting up to 100Mbs in Irish cities. I was abroad recently and the data services were just about usable for email and a couple of news updates, but forget about any kind of streaming or any kind of use that involves data, one reader emailed us. It was practically impossible to use Facebook or Twitter. Earlier this year, the European Commission admonished Vodafones biggest competitor, 3 Ireland, when it attempted to get around EU roaming rules by claiming that only a small portion of data was core, while the bulk of its all you can eat data was non core. The operator had to reverse course and offer more data to its customers. One of Ireland's top 'YouTubers', Daithi De Nogla, generated more than 1m from his YouTube channel last year. The 25-year-old receives monthly pay cheques most people can only dream of but said yesterday that he leads "a meagre lifestyle" apart from travel. This is confirmed in new accounts showing that the affable Co Limerick man paid himself only a fraction - 33,800 in salary - of his company's 1m-plus income last year. In an interview, Mr De Nogla, or David Nagle, said: "I don't need any more than that. If I can live off that, that it is just fine. I do my weekly shopping at Dunnes - it is very simple living." Mr De Nogla's greatest extravagance has been purchasing a bungalow "in the middle of nowhere" in Co Limerick last year. "It has good fibre optic connections, don't ask me how," he said. Mr De Nogla's other big outlay is travelling to the US for work and to meet YouTube friends and his LA-based girlfriend, Jaclyn, who he met on Twitter last year. Mr De Nogla's set up his YouTube channel, Daithi De Nogla back in 2012 and today it has 5.5 million subscribers and has accumulated a whopping 791 million views. Subscribers watch Daithi's 'goofy' YouTube persona playing video games "and having the craic and banter". The channel generates its revenues through adverts and views. Mr De Nogla said that the single highest monthly payment he has received from his YouTube work was a payment of over 100,000 this year. New accounts for his firm show that accumulated profits last year increased by 587,638 to 860,244. Not bad for someone who dropped out after the first year of a four-year Early Childhood Care and Education course at the Institute of Technology at Tralee (ITT). "While I was studying at Tralee, I had one million subscribers but no one there knew about my YouTube life," he said. He added that "everyone eventually jumps off" from a life on YouTube. "I don't think I will be doing this when I have a family. That is a good while away but I would like to be a stay at home Dad." Sister Cristina Scuccia poses with the trophy and a crucifix after winning the final of the Italian version of the TV talent show The Voice in Milan (AP) Calling all members of the clergy - Ireland's Got Talent is on the lookout for nuns and priests with something special for the new series. The TV3 show was launched two weeks ago and producers have already received thousands of applicants. However, they're still holding out in hope that a singing nun or a dancing priest will make their talent known. "The producers are shocked with the response they've got," a source said. "They were hoping a lot of people would be interested but they never thought they'd get as many applicants as they did. "What they really want to see now are nuns and priests with special talents. They have been on talent shows abroad in the past and were a massive hit with the viewers." The Voice Of Italy saw Sister Cristina Scuccia audition for the show in 2014, blowing the judges away with her rendition of Alicia Keys's No One. Scuccia (29) became a fan favourite and went on to win. Ireland's Got Talent will be hosted by Lucy Kennedy while Louis Walsh, Denise Van Outen, Jason Byrne and Michelle Visage make up the panel of judges. Those wishing to take part should apply now on tv3.ie/gottalent. Three teachers, a resource teacher and a caretaker are still being employed at a school that has no pupils left. Scoil Naisiunta Brighde, Faughart, Co Louth hit headlines previously this month as parents decided to take their children out of the school. It's now claimed that only no pupils remain in the school, despite there being three teachers, a shared learning support teacher and a caretaker employed. A manager has also been appointed to the school, following the dissolution of the Board of Management. Earlier this week, Independent.ie learned that one student was at the school. It's believed that child is no longer attending the school bringing the current number down to zero. The Department of Education inspected the school earlier in May and made a number of critical findings. Parents decided to remove their children from the school as they said they feel the issues highlighted by the department are not being adequately addressed. Expand Close Scoil Naisiunta Bhride Picture: http://www.snbhridefaughart.ie/ / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scoil Naisiunta Bhride Picture: http://www.snbhridefaughart.ie/ The department's inspection followed a a Whole School Evaluation (WSE) report which was published in March. Almost 30pc of parents disagreed there was a good atmosphere in the school, according to the report. While almost 60pc agreed "teaching is good in the school," 27pc disagreed and 10pc said they "don't know". The department's subsequent report said that action should be taken "as a matter of priority" to "rebuild trust within the school community and to improve enrolment". It also found that there was a big variation in the quality of teaching of some subjects, ranging from "outstanding to poor". Local Sinn Fein councillor Edel Corrigan told Independent.ie that there are a number of concerns for the local children. "A school manager was appointed by the Department of Education to try solve some of the internal problems but so far she hasn't been able to solve anything. "The parents are very frustrated and have pulled their children from the school for their welfare. The Department of Education and the Archbishop needs to intervene here and solve the problems." Ms Corrigan said that three teachers, a resource teacher and a caretaker are still being employed at the school despite the lack of pupils. "It shouldn't be the case that the teachers are in limbo. Parents are sending their children to another school until the issues are resolved. It's a huge loss for the rural community. A school is a massive hub for social interaction and it's very sad that it's come to this." A local parent, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Independent.ie that she was outraged that only one child was left in the school earlier this week. "One child was in the school and there are three teachers and a resource teacher being paid. "We as parents are disraught. We want to send our kids to the school but the Department of Education needs to solve the issues that remain in the school. "There were once over 50 kids at the school. We had such a passion for the school and the parents association held a number of fundraisers to keep the school going. "I drive past the school every day and see several cars parked outside belonging to the teachers. They want to teach but they are victims of this senseless inaction. "Teachers are in the school ready to teach but don't have any kids. It's heartbreaking. We want our kids in the school but we want the issues solved." She added that parents are concerned for the future of the school and called on the Department of Education and the Archbishop to intervene. A spokesperson for the Department of Education repeatedly refused to confirm to Independent.ie the remaining number of students and pupils at the school. Parents at the school claim their complaints are "falling on deaf ears" and that they are getting "radio silence" from those in charge. In a statement, the Department of Education said: The Department is in ongoing contact with the school authorities and Patron of Scoil Naisiunta Bhrighde in relation to the issues arising including its future viability. In general decisions in relation to any redeployment of teachers are carried out in accordance with the agreed redeployment arrangements at Primary level. As previously stated, the Department is in ongoing contact with the school authorities and Patron of Scoil Naisiunta Bhrighde in relation to the issues arising including its future viability and deployment of teachers. In this regard, a further meeting between the Department, the school authorities and the Patron is due to take place next week. Independent.ie contacted the newly appointed manager and school principal at Scoil Naisiunta Brighde, Faughart numerous times but they refused to comment. Maja Glowacka (5) who died earlier this week from a suspected infection just days after starting school It is feared that a five-year-old girl who died just days after starting Junior Infants may have contracted a blood infection, or sepsis. The Irish Independent reports that a medical inquiry is ongoing into the precise death. Maja Glowacka (5) died earlier this week, sparking massive outpouring of support in the community of Carrigtwohill, Cork for her family. While the Health Service Executive (HSE) issued an advisory notice about a possible case of Meningococcal Disease (meningitis), it is now feared that the little girl may instead have died from a blood infection or sepsis. Family friend, Agnieska Lowas, set up the fundraising page with the aim of raising 2,000 to help the Polish family with funeral costs and foreign travel expenses. Incredibly, within 14 hours it had exceeded its goal by 400pc and had raised 8,300. Collection points have now been set up around East Cork by local community groups to help the Polish family. "Maja was a beautiful, cheerful little girl, loving her family and her big brother Mikolaj deeply," Agnieska posted. "As friends of the family and part of the Carrigtwohill community we would love to support them as much as we can." "The extended family is living in Poland and we are looking to help raise funds for all the funeral expenses that will take place abroad, their healthcare and living expenses while being out of work." "It is an urgent call and we are looking to raise the funds within one week. Every contribution counts and is much appreciated," she wrote. Maja had just started in junior infants at Scoil Mhuire Naofa, in Carrigtwohill, where her brother Mikolaj is also a pupil. The little girl became ill and was rushed to hospital but sadly died before her condition could be stabilised. It is the second blow for the family as Maja's father, Krzysztof, was previously diagnosed with cancer though he has successfully battled the illness. Friends are now supporting Maja's mother, Iwona, who is trying to console her older brother, Mokolaj, second class student at Schoil Mhuire Naofa. Special tributes to little Maja have been collected at Scoil Mhuire Naofa over recent days and counselling supports are being made available for everyone. Principal Anne Marie Moylan wrote to all the parents asking them to keep Maja and her family in their thoughts and prayers. Garda trainees have been leaving the college at Templemore without driver training, while structures have not been put in place to enable gardai to asses risk, a damning report says. An Garda Siochana is facing harsh criticism from the Policing Authority for not implementing recommendations from a previous report to improve the standard of policing here. A review was presented to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan as an assessment of the force's progress in implementing recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate report 'Changing Policing in Ireland'. In relation to trainees not receiving proper driving training, the report said the problem was increasing and was a risk that needed to be addressed immediately. Among tasks not completed by the Garda was the recruitment of a senior civilian risk management officer and the development of a system to provide accurate attendance management data for gardai and staff. A priority for the force has been to identify positions from which gardai can be redeployed and replaced by "suitably qualified" civilians. The report said the medium-term goal was to have 20pc of the overall Garda workforce as civilians. It found most recommendations gardai said were completed, had not been. Of the 50 the force claimed were completed, the Policing Authority was only satisfied with nine. However, it praised the work of gardai in implementing recommendations and issues relating to victims, such as victims' support services. "The considerable work undertaken by the Garda Siochana in this area and the positive outcomes for victims of crime deserves to be acknowledged," it said. "The Authority recognises the progress made in a number of areas, however, the key issues previously identified persist. "Specifically, these include the adequacy of reporting and governance arrangements, the pace of change and the need for more dynamic prioritisation of resources." The minister said while there has been welcome progress in key areas, including victim services, significant improvements were required in respect of the pace of implementation of the Garda Inspectorate's recommendations. "The Policing Authority is performing an important task in overseeing this process and in supporting gardai in implementing the reform agenda," said Mr Flanagan. A four-month waiting period for the treatment of children with scoliosis promised by the end of 2017 will not be met. Stock photo Hospitals struggling with the winter trolley crisis risk being tipped over the edge if Ireland is hit with a virulent flu strain. Australia and New Zealand have just endured one of their worst winters for decades because of the intense prevalence of the H3N2 flu strain which is particularly dangerous for the elderly. The strain led to many of the 92 reported deaths from flu in Ireland last winter. The real death toll from flu runs into hundreds every year and can claim more than 1,000 during an epidemic. The HSE is particularly concerned at the ongoing failure of so many health workers and people in at-risk groups to get the flu vaccine. Although there is no certainty that Ireland's winter will follow the pattern of Australia and New Zealand, any upsurge in flu will add to the misery of our overcrowded hospital emergency departments. The HSE has bought major stocks of the flu vaccine, which includes protection against this strain, and the national flu campaign will be launched in the coming weeks. There was a slight increase in vaccine uptake both in hospital staff and other health staff last winter. But less than a third avail of the jab. The highest uptake is among medical and dental staff, and the lowest among nurses. Last year the vaccine was less effective among the elderly than other groups. There were 354 patients on hospital trolleys across the country yesterday morning, including 35 in Limerick and 34 in Cork. The flu threat comes as doctors at one of the country's most overcrowded hospitals have warned of "chaos, danger and degradation" over the coming winter. The medics at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel will deliver the warning face-to-face at a meeting with Health Minister Simon Harris this afternoon. Plans for a 40-bed "patient hotel" to alleviate overcrowding at its emergency department were first mooted over a year ago - but, as previously reported in the Irish Independent, have yet to come to fruition. The meeting with the minister follows Fine Gael's 'think-in' in Clonmel and the failure of the HSE to tackle trolley gridlock and spiralling waiting lists looks set to be a major cause of grievance among backbenchers. Consultant physician Dr Paul O'Regan said: "We have met with the current minister on two occasions. "We have pointed out the desperate state of our patients and we're hoping to instil some sense of urgency." A vacant area, off the existing day-ward at the hospital, was due to open with 11 trolleys. Dr O'Regan said: "It has been ready for some weeks but hasn't opened yet because of staffing problems. "We have been running at 150pc medical bed occupancy over the summer, which is likely to go to 190pc during the winter...even with immediate action we face another winter of chaos for staff and danger and degradation for patients." Maureen Kelly at the opening of the new laboratory in the Mater Hospital, holding a picture of her son Darragh, who died of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome. Photo: Caroline Quinn People who need to be tested for diseases that run in their families, including heart conditions, blindness and cancer, will endure shorter waiting times with a new laboratory at the Mater Hospital in Dublin. Currently, people who have a family history of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), which can kill otherwise healthy people, can wait between 18 months and two years for testing to find out if they have inherited a faulty gene. Mater consultant Professor Peter O'Gorman said that up to now these adult tests had to be sent abroad - but the new laboratory will enable the state-of-the-art analysis to be carried out in this country. The waiting list of around 150 for SADS should be cleared next year and patients can expect a faster service. He was speaking at the official opening of the Mater's Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Laboratory, which relied on the 750,000 from Shabra Charity, in honour of the late businessman and horse trainer Oliver Brady, as well as an anonymous donor. Just 20pc of the cost was met by the HSE. Prof O'Gorman said it was essential for the HSE to increase its investment in the new facility, which will also test for cancer genes, such as BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, which can raise the risk of cancer if they become altered. Maureen Kelly, a mother of four from Greystones, Co Wicklow, lost her son Darragh (21) to SADS. The college student, who loved sport, was found dead in his room one morning 14 years ago by fellow college students in Dundalk. "It took us four years to get a diagnosis and find out if other members of the family were at risk of SADS," said Ms Kelly. The family discovered that another daughter, Eleanor, now aged 29, had Long QT Syndrome. It causes problems with the electrical activity of the heart. Shocked It is uncommon, occurring in around one in every 2,000 people, and can be the result of a faulty gene that is passed down from a parent. Eleanor was fitted with an implantable defibrillator, which shocked her appropriately just six months later. "We know it has saved her life several times," said her mother. "Eleanor can at least live a normal, healthy life, thanks to the test." Ms Kelly said the waiting times for families who need to be tested for SADs was currently too long. She works to raise awareness of SADS and urged anyone with a young first-degree relative who suffered a sudden cardiac death to get themselves tested. Suffolk Police undated handout photo of former law lecturer Julian Myerscough who has been sentenced in his absence after he went on the run from Ipswich Crown Court before a jury found him guilty of downloading indecent images of children Photo: Suffolk Police /PA Wire A former law lecturer who went on the run from court in England before a jury found him guilty of downloading indecent images of children has been sentenced in his absence. Julian Myerscough (55) a former criminal law lecturer at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, absconded from Ipswich Crown Court in September 2015 and travelled to Ireland. He was convicted, shortly after he went missing, of 13 counts of possession of indecent images of a child and three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. A warrant for his arrest was issued and he was spotted on a ferry from Holyhead to Ireland. He was detained at a Dublin city centre hotel by Garda officers under a European Arrest Warrant in October 2015. However he thwarted extradition efforts with a series of appeals over two years, and has now been released from prison in Ireland as the High Court in Dublin deemed too much time had passed. A decision was taken to sentence him in his absence at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday. Myerscough, originally from Bolton but who was living in Lowestoft, Suffolk, was sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, Suffolk Police said. He had been remanded in custody after first appearing before the High Court in Dublin and Suffolk Police were working with Irish officials and the National Crime Agency to bring Myerscough back to the UK. However, he lodged a number of appeals to his extradition with the Irish courts, and in August 2017 the High Court in Dublin directed that he should be released from prison, deeming that too much time had passed and he was being unlawfully detained. Myerscough was convicted of similar offences in 2010 when he was given a 15-month prison sentence. Judge Emma Peters, sentencing at Chelmsford Crown Court, said that just because he had been in custody in Ireland for two years, it did not necessarily mean this would be taken off his sentence. Detective Sergeant Simon Fitch, of the Protecting Vulnerable People Directorate, said: "Julian Myerscough was twice convicted of possession of indecent images of children - most recently 13 counts of possession of indecent images of a child - as well as three counts breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that was put in place following his first conviction. "After fleeing Ipswich Crown Court while his trial was going on, police launched a manhunt to trace him and following close liaison with the National Crime Agency and Irish police he was successfully detained in a hotel in Dublin under a European Arrest Warrant, hours from boarding a flight that would have taken him to Hungary. "We immediately began attempts to extradite him back to the United Kingdom, but he has done everything possible to challenge, frustrate and delay these efforts, culminating in the High Court in Dublin ruling he should be freed from custody in Ireland. "Julian Myerscough is a convicted sexual offender and I am pleased that he has finally been sentenced. However, he appears to be unable to accept responsibility for his own actions and seems determined to avoid facing his punishment. "He may currently be living as a free man, but I am confident justice will catch-up with him eventually and will we continue our efforts to return him to the United Kingdom so that he can serve the sentence handed down to him yesterday." 'When I'm dead, I hope it may be said: his sins were scarlet, but his books were read." So wrote the Irish-American author JP Donleavy, who has died at the age of 91 in hospital in Mullingar, near his home, Levington Park. Whatever about his sins being scarlet, his books have certainly been read in vast quantities. 'The Ginger Man', first published by a pornographic imprint in Paris in 1955, has sold 45 million copies and has never gone out of print. It has also been one of the biggest selling books in Ireland since the foundation of the State. Its hero, Sebastian Dangerfield, an American student at Trinity College in the late 1940s, is one of the great cads in Irish literature. The renegade student spends much of his time rambling around Dublin, getting drunk, burning the furniture, cheating the landlord and carousing with women. The novel won many admirers including the American writer Dorothy Parker, who described it as "a bawled-out comic song of sex". The actor Johnny Depp is so besotted with the book that he bought the film rights, and wrote the foreword to the 60th anniversary edition - but surprisingly it has not yet been turned into a feature film. Less impressed were the Irish censors who banned the book for many years, and the Archbishop of Dublin John Charles McQuaid, who complained to the Gaiety Theatre about a 1959 stage adaptation. The production was pulled after just three days following a review that described it as "an insult to religion and an outrage to normal feelings of decency". Expand Close Author JP Donleavy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Author JP Donleavy Culture Minister Heather Humphreys yesterday paid tribute to the writer: "JP's body of work stands tall alongside contemporaries and friends such as Patrick Kavanagh and Brendan Behan." James Patrick Donleavy was born in Brooklyn on April 23, 1926, the son of Irish immigrants. After serving in World War II, he studied microbiology at Trinity College in Dublin, and it was his experiences there that inspired his most famous work. His notoriety did not deter Donleavy, known to his friends as Mike, from moving to Ireland permanently in 1971 to a country estate, where he was able to avail of the generous Irish tax regime for writers. I visited the author for an interview some years ago, and found him in robust good humour. At the gates of Levington Park, there was a sign warning visitors to beware of rampaging bulls and wolfhounds. Two granite lions and a battered estate car stood sentinel outside the slightly crumbling Georgian mansion. Inside, a welcoming Donleavy poked logs of the fire in the grate as he told stories of Dublin in the 1950s - his friendship and fights with Brendan Behan, and struggles to be published. His own paintings adorned the walls (an exhibition of his work recently opened at the Molesworth Gallery in Dublin); there were piles of books everywhere, a grand piano in the corner, and on the mantelpiece a photo of Winston Churchill holding a machine-gun. Video of the Day His New York accent was softened with Anglo-Irish cadences, and he seemed to affect the mannerisms of a tweedy country gentleman farmer. Donleavy based at least part of the main character in 'The Ginger Man' on his fellow American student Stephen Gainor Crist. Gainor Crist was a well-known character around the so-called literary pubs of Dublin in the 1950s. The writer Anthony Cronin once recalled him as a charming, bowler-hatted gent with a cane. Read More Donleavy seemed to be obsessed with the man who inspired his best-known character and told me his death was a mystery. "He is supposed to have died on a boat on the way to America in the 1960s, but nobody actually saw him dead," he said. Although frequently described as a recluse, Donleavy was an engaging host. He was keen to talk about making dry stone walls on his farm, and his prowess as a boxer. "At one time I was one of the fastest punchers in the business," declared the author who boxed when he was in the American navy, and was once provoked to throw a punch in a Dublin pub when someone teased him about his beard. All of a sudden during my visit, Donleavy rose from his seat and threw swift left hooks into the shadows before pulling out a picture of himself next to 'Smokin' Joe Frazier. Donleavy recalled Behan with particular fondness. Behan was one of the first people to read the manuscript of 'The Ginger Man', marking it with his suggestions. Behan famously said of the novel: "This book is going to go around the world and beat the bejaysus out of the 'Bible'." When 'The Ginger Man' was first published by Olympia Press, Donleavy was shocked to discover it was part of a pornographic series. He feared his literary career was finished but he went on to publish more novels including the bestselling 'Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B' (1968), and 'The Destinies of Darcy Dancer, Gentleman' (1977). Although he lived in Ireland for most of his life, he was not always flattering about his adopted homeland, describing the Irish as a "small inbred population of highly active begrudgers". Nevertheless, the novelist was honoured with the Bob Hughes Lifetime Achievement Award at the Irish Book Awards in 2015. He is survived by his sister Mary, his son Philip and daughter Karen from his first marriage to Valerie Heron and several grandchildren. Learning of his passing, admirers of his work remembered Donleavy's parting shot in 'The Ginger Man': "God's mercy on the wild Ginger Man". Fine Gael is to move away from producing a single pre-election manifesto to a "living document" in a bid to set the agenda of the next vote. While saying he wants to make the current Government last, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has effectively put his party on an election footing. He has asked Education Minister Richard Bruton to compile a report on how to "build our Republic of Opportunity" in time for the party's annual conference in November. The document will set out proposals up to 2025 in what the Taoiseach described as "a new departure in Irish politics". "Heretofore, the only time a party set out its platform, its vision, and subjected it to any level of scrutiny, was halfway through an election campaign when it launched its manifesto. "These manifestos are largely a long list of promises to the vested interests that shout the loudest, and are launched too far into the campaign for the public to meaningfully engage with them," Mr Varadkar said. Mr Bruton said he would be consulting widely within and outside of the party before publicly launching his work so that ideas are no longer "sprung" on people before elections. Former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and ex-finance minister Michael Noonan failed to attend the first day of the party think-in but Mr Bruton said they would be "intimately involved" in his plans. Privately many TDs who spoke to the Irish Independent at the party gathering in Clonmel said they anticipated an election at some stage next year. "We have to be ready but the truth is we are not in a hurry for an election," said one minister. Mr Varadkar said he wanted a "roadmap to the Republic of Opportunity" so that the public had a "clear understanding of our long-term perspective of the country". Given an outline of his plans, the Taoiseach said: "High taxes on the middle classes are a barrier to opportunity and to work. They are a cap on aspiration and there should be no cap on aspiration in the Republic we wish to build. We also want to develop a new social contract based on the contributory principle - the principle that everyone who can should make a contribution, and everyone should benefit in return. "To do that, we want to expand and improve social insurance-related benefits." The Taoiseach said his proposal to amalgamate USC and PRSI would be "a complex and challenging task that would take many budgets but, when completed, it would mean having a new European-style social insurance system in Ireland". Slogan He denied the 'Republic of Opportunity' is a "slogan or empty PR". "It is a way of thinking about how to improve people's lives and we're only getting started," he said. In relation to the Budget, Mr Varadkar said: "Next month, for the first time in 10 years, we will publish a budget that will balance the books." In his behind-closed-doors presentation, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe told the gathering that Ireland would need to start planning for more cities. He said infrastructure spending would have to be ramped up as the population is set to grow by 20pc before 2040. A source said: "He was very positive but warned we have to offer people certainty in a risky environment." Mr Donohoe said priorities for his department were health, housing, roads, broadband and schools. He outlined four key targets for Budget 2018: Achieve a balanced budget; Invest in housing, health and Brexit-proofing initiatives; Make "steady and affordable progress" to reduce high tax rates for low and middle income earners; Support families and businesses to plan for the future. The falsification of almost 1.5 million breath tests was fuelled by senior officers as part of a bid to "improve their promotion chances". The dramatic claim was made by the Garda Representative Association (GRA), which last night warned that its members will not be "scapegoated" for the breath test scandal. In an extraordinary statement, the body representing rank-and-file members accused Garda management of trying to wash its hands of the controversy. And the GRA said officers of more senior rank falsified figures in order to boost their promotion prospects. The full version: GRA spokesperson John O'Keeffe's interview with RTE Crime Correspondent Paul Reynolds over breathalyser data controversy pic.twitter.com/74XKy5157C RTE News (@rtenews) September 14, 2017 "It is clear in the report that Garda management do not wish to be blamed for this debacle - but it is entirely of their own making," the GRA said. "The GRA questions why Garda management required data on the number of negative breath tests at a time when Garda resources were scarce or diminishing. This data was utilised as a crude measure of productivity - and fed into a culture of competition among senior ranks to improve their promotion chances. Read More "No one can categorically say that it was our members falsifying data - we have numerous examples of supervisors and managers having input into this system. There was also little or no training; and the recording process was obviously flawed." The statement was released following a lengthy, and at times tense, meeting of the GRA's Central Executive Council. Members criticised the GRA executive for its failure to speak publicly on the matter. The report, led by Assistant Commissioner Michael O'Sullivan, discovered 1.5 million recorded breath tests were never carried out. Some 3,498,400 tests were recorded on the Garda's Pulse computer system, but only 2,040,179 were carried out. The GRA said that rank-and-file officers got little or no training and that the recording process was obviously flawed. "Our members will not be scapegoated for ill-considered policies - and this should be the focus of political attention. "If the people of Ireland have been let down; then it is in the management and deployment of scant resources to appease the need for purposeless data by those in power." There was further confusion last night after its spokesman John O'Keeffe claimed members did not falsify figures. Under questioning on RTE, he said members merely "elevated" figures after coming under pressure from management. Earlier, the GRA had backed the Government's proposed extension to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. There were 20 votes in favour, 14 against and four abstentions. But GRA sources last night said there was no guarantee that the wider membership will go along with the recommendation. "We are already getting a backlash from members," one source said. Members will vote later this month. In response to the outcome of the GRA meeting, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan told the Irish Independent: "I warmly welcome GRA acceptance of pay agreement and look forward to working with them on the ambitious Garda reform programme." The champion greyhound found to have traces of a cocaine metabolite in its system is trained by a handler who has had dogs test positive for banned substances on eight occasions. Clonbrien Hero, the winner of the 30,000 Irish Independent Irish Laurels, tested positive on two occasions in July for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. It was the third time in less than a month that banned substances were detected in the animal's system, after samples were found in the dog's urine on June 24. The greyhound is trained by Tipperary-based Graham Holland. It is understood that minute traces of the cocaine metabolite were found in Clonbrien Hero, but it is not known what, if any, effect this had on the greyhound. The recent positive testing of Clonbrien Hero is the eighth occasion a dog trained by Mr Holland has tested positive for banned substances since November 14, 2015. On that date, following an event at Shelbourne Park, four dogs trained by Mr Holland tested positive for pentobarbital. The drug is a sedative and can improve the performance of greyhounds. During a greyhound control hearing, it was claimed the substance was contained in contaminated meat fed to the animals before racing. The committee found Mr Holland had no case to answer and that there was no "sinister motive on Mr Holland's part and this was a food contamination issue". On December 22, 2015, the greyhound Highview Event was tested after a race in Tralee and found to have traces of the prohibited substance in its urine. Mr Holland did not comment when contacted by the Irish Independent. The trainer came to prominence last year when one of Ireland's fastest racing greyhounds, Clares Rocket, was abducted from his Riverside Kennels in Tipperary. Gang boss Christy Keane (55), a convicted drugs dealer and head of a criminal gang at the centre of a bloody family feud for years, was arrested after being caught with Clares Rocket. He was later released without charge and claimed that he was asked to retrieve the greyhound. A statement from the Irish Greyhound Board said: "Adverse analytical findings are reported by IGB to the Control Committee pursuant to the Greyhound Industry (Racing) Regulations, with a request for the Control Committee to investigate the matter as provided for in legislation." The IGB added that it did not comment on individual cases. Grandparents can be a pernickety bunch. A new survey has them throwing toys out of prams over the names their progeny have picked for their grandchildren. I, however, am more concerned about what the precious little bundle calls me. What's in a name, asked Shakespeare - but then he never lived to become a grandparent. As a teenager, I returned from a summer in Brittany and announced I was changing my name. Imbued with a zeal for all things Celtic, I bid au revoir to Barbara, the name my parents gave me, in favour of Bairbre, the Irish version. Having an unusual spelling brings its own grief. Some people think I'm called Barbie (as in the doll) and cheeky gits who call me Babs are greeted with a long frosty glare. Too presumptuous by far. One Christmas I received seven different spellings of Bairbre over various greeting cards. And Basarabra Power once got her byline on my front page story... This year, after much soul searching, I've gone on a quest for a new name. It's not that I have opted to change it again, it's just that I've entered a new chapter. As a grandmother. Yikes! Grandmother? How did that happen so fast? After getting married at the age of 21, and having my children soon after, I should have copped that, by now, offspring having offspring might be around the corner. The day last November, when little Lily Galvin arrived into this world, I dashed to the Coombe hospital with the biggest smile and a heart full of memories. Congratulations poured in. The joy was contagious and then came the queries: "So Bairbre, what are you going to be called?" Would it be Gran? Granny? Grandma? Grammy? Nana? The Italian 'Nonna' is in vogue, I was told. I haven't engaged with any of these titles. Especially not 'GranMaw', stretched out like chewing gum as its enunciated with your best John-Boy Walton accent. When it comes to the issues affecting women today, sure, tackle the gender pay gap and banish everyday sexism, but couldn't we also figure out something better to call women whose children have babies? I'm not the only one having issues with this. There are grandparent-naming books and websites. In her memoir, the actress Goldie Hawn wrote how, after her grandson was born, she didn't want to be called grandmother because it was a "word that had so many connotations of old age and decrepitude". Goldie lives in youth-obsessed Hollywood and while she had settled for the moniker of 'Glam-Ma' (devised for her by her son, Oliver), it's a little too post-ironic for me. I'm just a baby-boomer who, to be frank, is too young to be called Granny Power. Granny Power is a lady with benevolent eyes and a silver topknot - or at least, mine was. My Nanny Crowley in Cork wore lambswool cardigans with two pockets for her lace and linen hankies infused with Maurer & Wirtz 4711. This is what a Granny looks like, and for my generation with our capsule wardrobes and spinning classes, the title just doesn't fit. I have no intention of being the grandmother who enters a style vortex of waterfall cardigans in shades of turquoises and silver. I'm comfortable with my draped COS jumpsuit and leather jacket, ta very much. While in New York for Fashion Week, I met up with an old school friend and enquired about what's popular amongst American women who find themselves with-grandchild. It seems that Mimi is quite common on the other side of the pond, while Mhamo (pronounced mam-OH) rocks in the west of Ireland. Despite having Irish-ised my own name, I'm not enlisting. This topic of conversation was continued over the Atlantic as I was winging my way home from JFK. As fate would have it, my neighbour taking up the window seat was an enthusiastic veteran of several grandchildren and, with a glass of chilled wine somewhere over Canada, she told me all about them with a great deal of affection before throwing out some suggestions to aid me in my dilemma. Baba from the Ukraine got a firm 'no' as did Gigi, which she thought might suit me as it sounded vaguely fashion-y. I was beyond ungrateful as I batted away any suggestion of the Greek, Yaya. And so we come back to Granny. Painless to type, but excruciating to say. Vanity doesn't disappear in midlife; in fact, it possibly becomes more distilled. So when asked about the naming, I continue to demur. Meanwhile, I'm delighted to be on babysitting duty, I fully intend to continue the family tradition of 'the Granny' buying the first pair of shoes and I hope it's the first of lots of show-stopping shopping trips for myself and Lily. On my last visit, I lay on the floor and tried to record a selfie video as she pulled my hair and squealed out with glee and gusto. This little lady has lots of attitude, just like me. I've no doubt she will be primed with the dreaded G-word, but for the moment, I'm settling for Bob... and Bairbre when she's bigger. No Granny, no Nanny and definitely no Babs. Pat Leavy tracked down the nurses who began their training 50 years ago for a get-together at Wynn's Hotel Its a profession which often sees those newly qualified leave our shores. But when Pat Leavys husband told her she wouldnt be able to track down the members of her nursing course from 50 years ago, she took up the challenge. Yesterday, 14 former nurses, all of whom began their studies in 1967 at the since-closed Charitable Infirmary, on Jervis Street, gathered at Wynns Hotel. They shared their memories of training and spoke about their lives dedicated to helping others. Expand Close Pat Leavy tracked down the nurses who began their training 50 years ago for a get-together at Wynn's Hotel / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pat Leavy tracked down the nurses who began their training 50 years ago for a get-together at Wynn's Hotel Ms Leavy (67) explained how there were 21 trainees when the course began, five decades ago. Sadly, she said, four of their number had died. From 21, four died, and that left us with 17, she said. Her mind was set on tracking them down after she floated the idea with her husband. I was just sitting in the house around a year ago and I was speaking to my husband, she said. I said that Id like to get in touch with the nurses. It was 50 years since we started and he said I didnt have a hope. So thats why I did it really, just to prove him wrong. Some of her former colleagues had started new lives abroad in places such as Dubai, Australia and the US, and some she couldnt get in touch with. But those she did manage to contact were more than happy to arrive on the big day. It was with great difficulty I located them, she added. Some were nuns who went back to their convents. I rang the Sisters of Mercy in Kerry and the Little Sisters of the Assumption in Dublin. She also inquired at the Holles Street Hospital in Dublin and was initially told it couldnt give out the details of one of its former nurses. I told them I wasnt going to murder her or anything and eventually they rang her and passed on the message, Ms Leavy said. It was the first time the group had got together in 47 years and all had a wonderful day, which included cake, a drink and a quiz, the objective of which was to name all the sisters at Jervis Street at the time. Ms Leavy said some things were better in her day, adding: We knew the name of every patient. Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh city Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhat receives Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian women. (Photo: hcmcpv.org.vn) The visit was part of the program on the journey of friendship among Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian women, and the forum highlighting Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodia women building up the friendly and cooperative relationship, contributing to realizing sustainable development targets by 2020. Welcoming the delegation, Secretary Nhan congratulated the Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian women on their contributions to the national development in each country, expressing his sincere thanks to Lao and Cambodian women for supporting Vietnamese women and people during its national liberation and reunification. He showed his pleasure when the rate of Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian women participating in social work is highest among Southeast Asian nations; and the rate of female National Assembly deputies is rather high, at over 20%. According to Secretary Nhan, Ho Chi Minh city always pays attention to the development of women, which is shown in the fact that the rate of female leaders at the city level is 20%, at the district level is 30% and the number of women participating in Peoples Councils is some 40%, the highest level of the country. The city has continuously worked to improve housing, education, healthcare and employment policies for the women, he added. About the program on the journey of friendship among Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian women, Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, President of the Vietnam Womens Union, said that the program, which had been an initiative of the Vietnam Womens Union since September 4th, aimed to reinforce solidarity among women from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. She went on to say that through the journey, the delegation witnessed deep affection for Vietnam from Lao and Cambodian localities people, pledging that the Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Womens Unions would increase teaching on traditional relationship among the three countries, enhance sharing of experience in women work, and speed up links and exchanges among women from the three countries. Addressing the meeting, President of the Cambodia Womens Union for Peace and Development Men Sam An confirmed that the journey would continue to reinforce the strong relationship among women from the 3 countries. Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodia women are close sisters in the role of mothers and grandmothers in teaching the young generation about the solidarity among the three countries, she said. Agreeing that the meetings among Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian women were necessary for women to promote their role in contributing to society, President of the Laos Womens Union Inlavan Keobounphan said that women from the three countries should reinforce cooperation to promote the sustainability of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia relations./. The planning application is currently with Laois Co Co and if successful, is likely to be appealed to An Bord Pleanala by residents. Stock image. Thomas MacDonagh, the poet and Easter Rising revolutionary, once described his small home town of Cloughjordan in County Tipperary as the "calm of middle country". And, on a drizzly, recent Monday morning, the former garrison town is just as tranquil. Indeed, the tranquillity and lack of employment was too much to bear for the many who left throughout 60 years of depopulation. By 2002, the town's only remaining bank had shut down, prompting businesses to relocate 16km away to Nenagh. With a population of just 431, Cloughjordan was dying on its feet. That is until a group of mostly urban professionals chose it as the location of Ireland's first eco sustainable community, because it had a rail service (now threatened) to keep their carbon footprint in check. They settled on a 67-acre plot of land just off the main street and were selling plots in 2007. In an era when rural Ireland is suffering from the closure of banks, post offices, shops, pubs and garda stations, might that kind of reinvigoration from urban dwellers seeking refuge from sky-high city housing costs be just the ticket for towns and villages battling depopulation just as Cloughjordan was then? Expand Close An interior of one of the dwellings / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An interior of one of the dwellings Some Cloughjordan locals were initially sceptical of the kind of people the initiative would attract, remembers May Casey, a retired teacher who has been living there for 40 years. The eco-village "quite divided the community, with some enthusiastically welcoming it and others, like in any rural place, being suspicious of new people moving in en masse," she says. But the influx of people to the town did provide a vital injection. It boosted the population by 8.3pc between 2011 and 2016, and helped keep schools and businesses open while providing some new ones. "The eco-village brought in new life and diversity. They brought a bookshop which we wouldn't otherwise have been able to sustain, a cooperative cafe, and music sessions to the pubs," May says. "We have two schools in a very healthy state, a circus town that's marvellous for young people, and more kids playing with the hurling club." Sally Starbuck, an ecological architect who owns a three-storey live-work unit in Cloughjordan, and helped draw up the eco-village's masterplan, believes elements of the initiative could be applied to other rural parts of the country if a local authority or institution was willing to provide the land, and if there weren't the kind of unwieldy planning delays and conditions that dogged their project. "It's not a cheap option - you do have your transport costs and we're not living in yurts - but the actual cost would be much less than in Dublin, which has just gone bananas," she says. "... if people can work from home, that makes a big difference to living in a place like this." Joe Fitzmaurice, a baker, and his wife Julie Lockett, a former professional dancer, swapped Dublin for the Cloughjordan Eco-village in 2011. Julie explains: "We were renting in Dublin and then looking to buy a house and start a family. Neither of us had ever lived in the countryside before and, because I'm English, I wanted to live somewhere where there would be quite a lot of activity going on and with people from other nationalities around. We have two boys, aged 9 and 11. Since the eco-village has been up and running, both schools have had two extensions built." Expand Close A bike sculpture at the eco-village / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A bike sculpture at the eco-village The couple set up Riot Rye Bakehouse and Bread School beside their home. There, Joe runs 40 bread-making courses a year and bakes 400 loaves of organic bread a week. The eco-village has 50 acres of land for allotments, woodland and a community farm. Its members volunteer on the farm and source their produce from there for a fee of around 70 a month. The project is also home to an eco-enterprise centre, an amphitheatre for events, an eco-hostel, and a district heating system powered by wood-chip. But it seems it takes time to get so many like minded people to move to the same location and for the eco village, it has been a long road. The project was first conceived back in 1999 by a core group of environmentalists, but planning permission wasn't secured until 2005. The first homes weren't built until 2009, just as would-be residents were gripped by the property crash and credit crunch. By 2007, some members who had paid a deposit on the sites got so frustrated with the lack of progress that they left. In the meantime the continued expansion of the project has become mired in red tape. Tamara MacGinty, a retiree from Seattle living in a two-bed cedar-clad house she and her Irish husband built in Cloughjordan, moved there to be part of a sustainable, close-knit community. She says: "We have 132 sites and 55 houses are built. There are people waiting to buy and to build, but we have some issues around planning. One of the reasons for that is that the sewage system in Cloughjordan isn't adequate for handling new builds, so we're waiting for Irish Water to do whatever they need to do to make that allowable." Peter Manley, a former investment banker turned musician feels "disillusioned" - he spent 450,000 building his home there and now believes it's worth only 220,000. "Not a single bit of development work has been done on the estate since we moved here five years ago," says Peter, who lives there with his wife and children. Expand Close Sally Starbuck / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sally Starbuck "Nature is taking over again, with brambles, willows, docks, thistles. The cut and dry economics don't seem to work here. Some city slickers came down with the ideology that they are living in a field and won't have bills to pay. If I were going to do this model elsewhere in Ireland, I'd do it somewhere where there are jobs and a need for housing." Planes are hit by lightning more often than you think - but what actually happens when they are? Its the moment youve never been waiting for. You're tucked up under your airline blanket, nose in book, when, suddenly, a flash of bright light streaks through the aeroplane. You well, the plane with you in it has been struck by lightning. But do you need to panic, brace, or reach for a lifejacket? In an incident this week, Air New Zealand flight NZ433, bound for Wellington, was struck and had to turn back to Auckland as a "precautionary measure" to undergo standard checks before returning to service. Passengers were put onto a different plane and, despite assurances from the airline that lightning strikes are very common, some were reportedly apprehensive about heading back up into stormy skies. So what actually happens when lightning hits an aeroplane, and why are they not seriously damaged? Typically, a bolt will hit an extremity, such as a wing tip, or the nose, and the current will travel through the aeroplanes metal shell before leaving from another point the tail, for example. And, according to Patrick Smith, pilot and author of Cockpit Confidential, a book on everything you need to know about air travel, planes are hit by lightning far more frequently than you might think. An individual jet liner is struck about once every two years, on average, and aeroplanes are designed accordingly. Once in a while theres exterior damage a superficial entry or exit wound or minor injury to the planes electrical systems, but a strike typically leaves little or no evidence. You might not even notice it, he says. Professor Mamu Haddad, professor and director at Cardiff University's Morgan-Botti Lightning Laboratory, which works on understanding lightning strikes on aeroplane construction materials, explains further. Modern aircraft, he says, are made from lightweight carbon composite covered with a thin layer of copper Dreamliners and Boeing Airbus A350s have this construction and act as very good Faraday Cages, meaning that the space inside the metal (ie where youre sitting) is protected from electric currents. Most important, he adds, is that the fuel tanks in the wings are not exposed to any lightning sparks hence why the surrounding metal, structural joints, access doors, vents and fuel filler caps must be able to withstand any burning from a bolt of lightning, which can have temperatures of up to 30,000C. Strikes are most likely to happen when a jet is passing through cumulonimbus (storm) clouds, between two and five kilometres (6,500-16,500 feet) from the ground. And, like Patrick Smith, Prof Haddad says that fliers need not be concerned. Lightning can be up to 200,000 amps at a low current people might hear noise, or see a flash of light through the window, but they wont feel anything," he said. "One effect on the aircraft body might be some local melting, where the lightning struck, but the aerospace industry is highly conservative, and testing so rigorous, that passengers arent at risk. Rare though they may be, there have been a few fatal incidents involving lightning strikes, however. In January 2014, four charred bodies were reportedly pulled from plane wreckage in Indonesia after a light aircraft owned by Intan Angkasa Air was hit by lightning and crashed. Bambang Ervan, an Indonesian transport ministry spokesman, confirmed to an Australian news site that all four people on board the aircraft were killed instantly. Expand Close A plane takes off from Nice airport southeastern France, as lightning strikes on June 05, 2011. Photo: VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A plane takes off from Nice airport southeastern France, as lightning strikes on June 05, 2011. Photo: VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images In 2010, two people were killed when a Boeing 737-700 from Bogota was struck by lightning and split into three pieces as it landed at San Andres island in the Caribbean. At the time, aeronautical specialists explained that the lightning alone was unlikely to be the cause of the accident, but combined with a sharp change in wind direction, or an air pocket linked to lightning when a plane is near the ground, it could cause a crash. Another serious case, resulting in 81 deaths, happened in 1963, when a lightning strike over Maryland caused a wing to explode on a Boeing 707 flown by Pan Am. The Federal Aviation Administration, the US equivalent of the Civil Aviation Authority, subsequently introduced changes to fuel tanks and discharge wicks aboard all aircraft. But non-fatal incidents are far more common, thanks largely to modern safety measures. Famous cases include the flight taken by Francois Hollande, the French President, to crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Germany in 2012. The presidential Falcon 7X was struck by lightning just four minutes into the flight; Mr Hollande eventually arrived in Berlin 90 minutes late, on a different plane. Patrick Smith remembers having a close encounter with lighting when he was at the helm of a 37-seat aeroplane. Lightning from a tiny embedded cumulonimbus cell got us on the nose," he says. What we felt and heard was little more than a dull flash and a thud. No warning lights flashed, no generators tripped off line. Our conversation went: What was that? I dont know. Lightning? Might have been. Mechanics would later find a black smudge on the forward fuselage. In other words, an incident is likely to be over in a flash, literally, leaving passengers on board to get back to that in-flight film. Its often those on the next flight who could be delayed, as the plane undergoes post-lightning safety checks. Read more: Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] There's an exciting time in store for Miss Louth Emma Griffin as she prepares for The Miss Ireland final on Friday September 22nd in Dublin's Crowne Plaza Hotel. The Ravensdale student was among the 35 finalists who were at a glitzy party in Dublin's Krystal Nightclub to mark the 40th anniversary of Miss Ireland. This year's black-tie finale is already shaping up to be one of the social events of the year, featuring live sets from The Runaways and Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist, Leah Barniville along with RTE's Dancing with the Stars and fashion showcases. The winner will go on to final of Miss World, Sanya, China in November. Fingal's history buffs are in for a treat later this month when the region's rich past is to be celebrated and remembered in style. The Fingal Festival of History, organised by Fingal Libraries in partnership with Newbridge House and Farm, takes place in the historic Donabate heritage property from Friday, September 29 to Sunday, October 1. History-lovers can expect fascinating talks, a tour of Newbridge House, a family-friendly history event and a screening of Fingal's Finest - a feature length drama documentary, telling the extraordinary and little-known story of the 5th 'Fingal' Battalion, Dublin Brigade of Irish Volunteers and their actions during the 1916 Easter Rising. Admission to all talks and events are free. Mayor of Fingal Cllr Mary McCamley said: 'I am delighted to see the programme of events organised by Fingal Libraries Department and you could not get a better setting than Newbridge House to bring you back in time for a Festival of History.' Paul Reid, Chief Executive Fingal County Council said: 'Fingal has such wonderful historical buildings and it is great to see them opened to the public through such initiatives as the Festival of History in Partnership with Fingal Libraries Department.' This year is the centenary of the death of Thomas Ashe and Brian Arnold looks at his legacy in Fingal and Ireland in his talk 'Thomas Ashe, The Revolutionary Teacher'. 2017 is also the centenary of the Russian Revolution and Donal Fallon will examine the strange connections between Irish nationalism and Russian Bolshevism in the revolutionary period in his talk 'Ireland and the Bolsheviks: What did the Russian Revolution mean for us?' Hugh O'Donnell looks at the role of 1916 as a key fulcrum for, not only Ireland's self-determination but its resonance for people in other parts of the world. Cathal Boland follows the Kettle family through the 19th and 20th century as each generation made its mark on Irish Society in his talk, 'The Kettles: An Interesting Fingal Family'. Young history lovers are catered for in Michael Moylan's Interactive family-friendly event, The 1916 Show. Children get to learn about the fashion, daily work and weaponry of the revolutionary period through handling real artifacts. A Balbriggan taxi driver has been sent for trial accused of being in possession of 100,000 worth of cannabis in his work vehicle. James O'Reilly (42) had a book of evidence served on him when he appeared on bail before a sitting of Balbriggan District Court. Judge Dermot Dempsey sent him forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face trial by judge and jury. The defendant, of Chieftain's Close in Balbriggan is charged with three offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act. He is accused of the simple possession of cannabis under Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act; being in possession of cannabis for sale or supply under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act and with being in possession of over 13,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply under Section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act. A State solicitor informed the court a book of evidence was ready and had been served upon the accused. The State solicitor told Judge Dempsey that the Director of Public Prosecutions was consenting to the accused being returned for trial on the three charges contained in the book to the next sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The judge gave the defendant the formal alibi warning that he must provide to the prosecution within 14 days details of any alibis he intends to rely on in the course of his trial. Judge Dempsey remanded O'Reilly on bail, under the existing terms and conditions, including that that he sign on once a week at Balbriggan Garda Station, to appear in Court 5 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Parkgate Street on October 13., when his case will be mentioned pending a trial date being set. There was no garda objection to the same bail condition going forward. Judge Dempsey assigned O'Reilly's solicitor Ms Fiona D'Arcy one senior counsel and one junior counsel and also directed disclosure to the defence by the prosecution of copies of the video of the defendant's garda interview. O'Reilly did not address the court during the brief hearing apart from to confirm it is Balbriggan Garda Station he signs on at and that he understood the terms of his bond. A bar worker who had been drinking and told a garda to 'stop being so f**king rough' when the garda was arresting another male has been convicted and fined after he failed to appear before Swords District Court with a charitable donation. Roy Mahady (24) told the garda 'go f**k youself' when he was ordered to leave the area. He then ran off when gardai went to arrest him, the court heard. Mahady, with an address of Lanesborough Mews in Finglas, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with garda directions on April 27 outside the Wright Venue in Swords after 3am. Garda Michael McCallion told Swords District Court he went to the scene following reports of men fighting. He arrested one of the men and following a struggle, the man was being restrained on the ground. The defendant came to the scene and told Gda McCallion to 'stop being so f**king rough.' Gda McCallion told Mahady to leave the scene, but Mahady stayed nearby watching the arrest. Ordering Mahady to leave the area a second time, Mahady then shouted 'What are you going to f**king do?.' He then told Gda McCallion to 'go f**k yourself,' before running off. He was arrested a short time later. The court heard the defendant had been drinking alcohol on the night and apologised to Gda McCallion. At a previous court sitting, Judge Conal Gibbons had ordered the defendant to donate 700 to the Irish Cancer Society and if the money was paid the Probation Act would be applied. However, as the defendant failed to appear before Swords District Court on the day his case was to be finalised Judge Dermot Dempsey imposed the default order of a conviction and 900 in the defendant's absence. Kind-hearted Fingallians have once again show their generous nature as they came out to support a very worthy cause. As part of Mothercare's partnership with BUMBLEance, the national children's ambulance service, the retailer's store in the Pavilions Shopping Centre host a fundraiser. The BUBMLEance visited the centre and local people had the opportunity to take a look inside the BUMBLEance. A total of 1,122.25 was raised in store on the day and Mothercare would lie to thank all of those who donated their money. BUMBLEance is the world's first fully interactive Children's National Ambulance Service, specifically designed for and tailored to children. BUMBLEance ensures the safe transportation of sick children between their home and paediatric hospitals, hospices, national treatment centres and respite centres nationwide. They also provide a unique and vital service through their Angel Trips, the final journey a child takes on earth before he or she grows their Angel Wings. As the charity receives no Government funding, these days are vital to continue helping children across Ireland. This is the first step in national fundraising campaign that rolls out in 2017. Customers can currently purchase the BUMBLEance bee in all Mothercare stores. 100% of the sale from the bees goes to BUMBLEance, The much-needed funds raised in Swords will help towards a tank of fuel for BUMBLEance costing 100; a new tyre for the BUMBLEance costing 150; a new ipad for th BUMBLEance costing between 300 and 700; or the sponsorship of an Angel Trip costing 400. Rock singer Ozzy Osbourne at home with his family, early 1990's. From left to right, Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Jack Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Amme Osbourne. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images) Sharon Osbourne and Ozzy Osbourne attend the 2009 Fox Winter All-Star Party at My House on January 13, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Rocker Ozzy Osbourne will never forgive himself for the pain and humiliation he caused his wife Sharon and their kids after he was caught cheating. The couple briefly separated last year after Sharon discovered her husband had been enjoying a fling with Los Angeles hair dresser Michelle Pugh. She took him back after he promised to seek help for a sex addiction, and now the pair's 35-year marriage has been saved. But Ozzy still feels like a fool for letting his family down. Expand Close Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne "I was a crazy f**ker," he tells Rolling Stone magazine. "I'm lucky she didn't walk out... I've realised what a f**king idiot I was. I'm still nuts, but in control of it a bit more." He adds, "When I said, 'Don't get caught by your missus,' I'm not proud of all that s**t. I upset my wife and I upset my family and I made a lot of shock and shame... It's only been recently that Sharon's been properly with me. I've damaged our relationship. But I promised her that I would stick with my sex addiction therapy. I don't want to be that person anymore. I've been doing my utmost to make amends to Sharon and to all of the family. "I love my wife... and she loves me... There's no other woman I really want to spend the rest of my life with. You make a mistake and you learn by it. She's made a few mistakes, and so have I. You know when you hear these people go, 'Oh, we've been married 35 years and we've never had a row'. I go, 'You must have been living in a different f**king country'." And the former Black Sabbath rocker could never imagine leaving Sharon - even while he was cheating on her. Expand Close Rock singer Ozzy Osbourne at home with his family, early 1990's. From left to right, Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Jack Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Amme Osbourne. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rock singer Ozzy Osbourne at home with his family, early 1990's. From left to right, Kelly Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Jack Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and Amme Osbourne. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images) "In California, it's like a fashion style - you get married one weekend and get divorced the next," he adds. "I've been married twice in my life, but I don't understand people that have been married f**king eight times or whatever. If this marriage ended, I'd go, 'There's something telling me I shouldn't be married'." And he tells the publication his marriage to Sharon has always been solid, because she comes from a rock music background - her father was notorious British music mogul Don Arden. Video of the Day "She's not like a schoolteacher who married a rock star," Ozzy laughs. The man, believed to be a US citizen, is currently in custody A man believed to be an American citizen who was fighting with Islamic State militants has surrendered in Syria and is being held in American custody. A Pentagon spokesman said the man surrendered to Syrian Democratic forces around Tuesday and was turned over to US military force in Syria. Major Adrian Rankine-Galloway said the man is being legally detained as a known enemy combatant. The decision to legally detain the man as a "known enemy combatant" comes as the Trump administration has been working to craft a detention policy, which could determine whether the US will resume sending detainees to the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. President Barack Obama did not send any new detainees to Guantanamo and the currently there are only about 40 people held there. Trump has expressed a willingness to send new detainees to the site, but so far has not. It is not clear if the detainee, who has not been identified, and the American forces holding him are still in Syria, but the plan is to take the man into Iraq, where he would be then turned over to the US State Department or Justice Department. Washington said they are working out what they will do with the man if he is confirmed as an American. If his citizenship is confirmed, he would be the second known American who was taken into custody for fighting with IS insurgents. Trump administration officials have said that there are three viable options today for taking enemy combatants off the battlefield: they can be killed, they can be apprehended and released after a few weeks which could involve interrogation, or they can be captured and handed over to a third party. The third approach causes concern about the possibility that detainees outsourced to a third party could be treated inhumanely. Suspects accused of terror-related offences, including Americans, also can be dealt with in US courts. Pardiss Kebriaei, a senior staff attorney for the Centre for Constitutional Rights, said that even if the detainee was directly fighting in the war he must be "charged promptly or released, not held indefinitely, and treated humanely in the interim." As an American, Kebriaei said, "this person retains his constitutional rights, and he must be dealt with through the civilian criminal justice system". A Virginia man who joined IS in Syria and Iraq for several months surrendered to Iraqi Kurdish forces in northern Iraq in March 2016 and was flown back to the United States to face charges. A jury in a federal court in Virginia took only four hours to convict Mohamad Khweis, 27, of Alexandria, Virginia, on terrorism charges. Khweis could potentially face 20 years or more in prison when he is sentenced in October. His lawyers acknowledged that he left his home in Virginia in December 2015 to join IS militants, but argued that didn't make him a terrorist, claiming the defendant said he was only there to "check things out." AP Nadia Azalan, whose brother lost his life in the fire at the school, reacts to the tragedy. Photo: Reuters/Lai Seng Sin A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory killed 23 people, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysia's largest city yesterday, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit "shouldn't have been there". Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror - first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbours watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realise it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5.41am and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-storey building, said Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh. He said 23 charred bodies were recovered - 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17, and two teachers. Mr Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said six other students and a resident who went to help were hospitalised, with four of them in critical condition. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though the investigation is continuing. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, was quoted as saying that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help ... but the fire was too strong for me to do anything," she said. North Korea fired an unidentified missile early on Friday from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang, toward the eastern direction, South Korea's military said. The South Korean and U.S. militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Expand Close A mobile alert sent to Japanese residents / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A mobile alert sent to Japanese residents The missile has flown over Japan, Japan's NHK television said. Reuters is reporting that the missile was launched at 6.57am and it flew over Hokkaido towards the Pacific at 7.06am. South Korea's presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. The North's launch comes a day after it threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its Sept. 3 nuclear test. The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on August 29 which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters. More to Follow North Korea fired another missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido late last night, just a day after Pyongyang threatened that the four main Japanese islands "should be sunken into the sea" by its nuclear bomb. This was the second time in less than three weeks that North Korea had sent a missile over Japan, and immediately sparked angry reactions in Tokyo and Seoul. The missile was launched from the Sunan airfield just north of Pyongyang at about 6.30am local time (9.30pm GMT), South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said. It flew for 17 minutes, passing over Hokkaido and landing some 2,000km to the east, crashing into the Pacific Ocean. The launch immediately triggered emergency alerts in Japan, with text messages and loud speakers telling residents on the missile's potential flight path to seek shelter. Expand Close Japans chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga at a news conference last night. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Japans chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga at a news conference last night. Photo: Reuters The Japanese government warned people not to approach any debris or other suspicious-looking material, a reflection of that fact that North Korean missiles sometimes break up in flight. The Japanese chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, condemned the latest launch and reiterated that Japan would "not tolerate" North Korea's actions. Details are still emerging, but last night's launch appeared very similar to the last launch, on August 29. North Korea fired a Hwasong-12 - an intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 4,800km, enough to reach the US territory of Guam - from the Sunan airfield. It flew to the east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean, rather than on a southward path toward Guam. But analysts said that, after testing its missiles by firing them straight up and having them crash into the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan, North Korea was apparently testing its flight on a normal trajectory without crossing a "red line" of aiming at the United States. That missile launch, followed by a huge nuclear test, triggered tough new sanctions from the United Nations Security Council. On Wednesday a North Korean state agency had issued an alarming threat to Japan. "The four islands of the [Japanese] archipelago should be sunken into the sea by [our] nuclear bomb," the Korea Asia-Pacific peace committee said in a statement carried by the official news agency. Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. "Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said. Following last night's launch, South Korea's president, Moon Jae-in, convened an emergency meeting of his national security council. ( Washington Post Syndication) Emma Thompson, the award-winning British actress, has urged Aung San Suu Kyi to restore peace to Myanmar after the UN said it feared the worst was yet to come in the Rohingya crisis. In a letter addressed directly to the leader, and seen by 'The Daily Telegraph', Ms Thompson wrote: "Few people have inspired me in my life the way you do ... but I cannot stay silent when women and children suffer." Boris Johnson also called on Ms Suu Kyi yesterday to use her "moral capital" to put an end to the persecution of her country's Muslim minority, a situation which he described as an "abomination". The British Foreign Secretary described events in Myanmar as a "tragedy" involving "gross abuses of human rights". Expand Close Emma Thompson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emma Thompson Ms Thompson (58) told yesterday how she was "overjoyed" when Ms Suu Kyi came to power in 2015 after spending two decades under house arrest, and was dazzled by her "energy and verve" when the pair met in 2011. "Since then I never stopped following Myanmar's progress," she wrote. "You shed light on your beautiful country ... the hope I felt was so big and yet it was nothing in comparison to the hope of the millions of people who placed their future in your hands." However, Ms Thompson went on to say she felt deeply anguished by reports of a brutal crackdown by the army, which has forced around 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh. "I am devastated by the suffering of those affected, and extremely worried that the military build-up and the response by Myanmar security forces will only lead to more suffering and to an ever-deteriorating humanitarian crisis," she wrote. "You have been silenced for so many years. "How much I would like to hear you speak up to defend all innocent civilians suffering in your country. "You have always stood firm in the defence of peace and democracy, please make this a reality now for all people of Rakhine, and especially the Rohingya. We believed in you then and we believe in you now." Harvard University has reversed its decision to name Chelsea Manning a visiting fellow, a day after CIA chief Mike Pompeo scrapped an appearance over the designation for the soldier who was convicted of leaking classified information. In a statement posted on the university's website, Harvard Kennedy School dean Douglas Elmendorf said naming Ms Manning a visiting fellow was a mistake even though, he said, the title carries no special honour. He added that the former soldier is still invited to spend a day at the school and speak to students. Ms Manning responded on Twitter, writing that Harvard was chilling "marginalised voices under @cia pressure". Mr Pompeo had been scheduled to appear on Thursday to discuss allegations of Russian involvement in last year's presidential election, the nuclear stand-off with North Korea and other global security concerns. Minutes after the event was due to begin, Mr Elmendorf took the stage and told the audience Mr Pompeo was not there and would not speak. Mr Pompeo, who has a law degree from Harvard, said he did not make the decision lightly but that he would have betrayed the trust of CIA employees if he appeared. Chelsea Manning was released from a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 17 after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence, which was commuted by former president Barack Obama in his final days in office. Ms Manning, a 29-year-old transgender woman formerly known as Bradley Manning, said in a recent interview that she was prompted to give 700,000 military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks because of the "death, destruction and mayhem" she saw as an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq. Mr Elmendorf wrote: "We invited Chelsea Manning to spend a day at the Kennedy School. On that basis, we also named Chelsea Manning a visiting fellow. We did not intend to honour her in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds, as we do not honour or endorse any fellow." He apologised to Ms Manning and to "many concerned people" he said he had heard from "for not recognising upfront the full implications of our original invitation". Ms Manning responded on Twitter, writing that she was "honored to be 1st disinvited trans woman visiting @harvard fellow". AP The Ukrainian state earlier provided insufficient support to farms, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "We will consider a program to support farming. It has been drafted by the Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry for several months along with farmers' associations. We will provide UAH 1 billion in targeted support for Ukrainian farming, as I said earlier, including for the restoration of the livestock sector," he said at a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Wednesday, September 13. According to Groysman, the government's task is to support an increase in the number of farms. "I am sure that this initiative will find support in parliament. Moreover, these expenses will be taken into account in the draft state budget for 2018. I am confident that this will give an opportunity to saturate the market with our high-quality products, create new jobs and give an impetus to the development of the national economy," he said. In August 2017 Groysman announced that it was planned to envisage UAH 1 billion in the draft state budget for 2018 for a program to support farmers, noting that the agricultural sector together with processing forms about 17% of GDP. Earlier, Groysman announced the intention to increase in the draft budget for 2018 financing for the program of partial compensation of the cost of Ukrainian agricultural machinery to UAH 1 billion. Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. One Irish person was injured as they were caught up in a terror attack in London, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed. A spokesperson for the department said: We can confirm one Irish person was injured in the attack. The person was offered consular assistance by the Department of Foreign Affairs but refused the offer as it was believed the injury was minor. Another Irish person, Dubliner Rory Rigney (37), was also caught up in the attack but was fortunate to avoid injury. There was bang, it wasnt massively loud. Then a scream. I looked down the corridor and there was a big flash of light coming down, he told the Guardian. My immediate reaction was just to jump. So the doors were still open, so I jumped out. I tried to get as far away as possible, kind of got on the ground and covered myself. Looked back and there were so many people trying to get out they were falling on top of each other so there was a real crush at the door, he added. People just panicking, getting away, and there was a lot of screaming. For the next 30 seconds to a minute, people were on the ground. They didnt know what to do. There was a lot of fear. But then a minute or so passed, and people were wondering just what actually happened, he said. Britain is on the highest terror alert with the military set to bolster security as police hunt the Parsons Green bomb "suspects". Prime Minister Theresa May has raised the threat level to critical, meaning another attack is expected imminently. A manhunt is under way after the improvised explosive device (IED) sent a fireball through a packed London Underground train carriage in south west London during the Friday morning rush-hour. Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley suggested there may have been more than one person involved stating that police were "chasing down suspects". In a statement outside Scotland Yard, the UK's most senior anti-terror police officer said: "Somebody has planted an improvised explosive device on the Tube - we have to be open-minded at this stage about him and about potential associates." The Islamic State (IS) terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency, according to the US-based Site Intelligence. It is the second time this year that the threat assessment - made by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre - has been raised to the highest level. It was placed at critical in May in the wake of the Manchester bombing, before being lowered back to severe four days later. Before this year the most serious category had only been reached on two other occasions since it was first publicly disclosed in August 2006. Additional Reporting by Press Association Knife seized during the incident at Acton Town Tube Station. Picture: @MPSActonCentral A London Tube station was closed this evening after commuters reported seeing a man with a knife, just hours after today's bucket bomb alert. Police stopped the man who was carrying a large weapon shortly after 7pm at Acton Town Station. Acton Central Police took to Twitter to apologise for the closure. They wrote: "We are sorry that trains had to be delayed but I think most people will realise this could not be ignored." The police force later posted an image of the knife that was seized inside some form of plastic tube. "PC Dave and PC Chim just stopped male identified on tube with a knife. Positive stop knife 'for my own protection'." Meanwhile Detectives are scouring CCTV and examining witness statements for potential leads following the earlier terror attack in London. An explosion at Parsons Green underground station in the west of the capital injured passengers and led to a "major incident" being declared. 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 Yet more people were hurt during the crush to leave the train, witnesses said. Read More Prime Minister Theresa May has raised the threat level to the highest possible rating, meaning another attack is expected imminently. Peter Crowley was left with charring on his head following the explosion this morning (Image via Twitter) A man injured in the explosion described the moment a fireball engulfed a London train, charring his head and leaving him in fear the entire vehicle would "blow up". "Everyone ran off the Tube. It was panic stations - my initial thought was that the whole train would blow up," Peter Crowley told local radio. "I saw passengers with facial burns, they had been exposed to a very, very hot fire for a nano second, it was lucky doors were open because everyone just got off the Tube. "It was a terrifying experience, I am lucky I got away with just a bit of charred hair." "I would personally say roughly about 20 who had physical injuries, a lot of people who were shaken by the incident. "I wasn't aware of the bag, I tend to keep myself to myself, I was side on to where I believe the incident happened. "That side of my hair is charred." 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 Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Police officers walk on the road near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs Armed police officers walk through a carriage of a London underground tube train at Parsons Green station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Armed police officers walk through a carriage of a London underground tube train at Parsons Green station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. An injured woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs A woman reacts outside Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire People speak with a police officer outside Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police officers walk on the road near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs While the incident has been declared a terrorist incident by police Mr Crowley initially said he didn't "believe it was a terrorist attack, there was a lot [of] powder as if it was a high pressure tube that had some coating on it", he said. The explosion occurred around 8.20am this morning on the packed commuter train at Parsons Green station. A major investigation is underway and Prime Minister Theresa May is returning to Downing Street. A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Police officers walk on the road near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Authorities in the UK are treating an early morning explosion at a London Underground station as a terror incident. Here is everything we know so far. Explosion: Police were alerted to an incident on board a train at Parsons Green station in West London. Photos emerged online of a bag that had apparently exploded. The image shows a white bucket wrapped in a Lidl bag. One witness reported seeing a fireball travel through the carriage. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off," an eye witness said. A video also emerged showing a smoldering item in the carriage. Scotland Yard has said there was an explosion on the train as a result of an IED device on board the tube. Investigation: The incident is now being treated as terror related and a swift emergency response took place after the incident. armed police, six ambulances, fire engines and a helicopter at the scene and up to 50 firefighters are also attending the incident. Scotland Yard has confirmed that the incident is being treated as a terrorist incident. Officers from MI5 are helping the met police carrying out the investigation. Injuries: 18 people were taken to hospital after the Parsons Green explosion, London Ambulance Service said. Most are believed to have suffered flash burns and their condition is not thought to be life threatening. A further four people self-presented to hospitals. Witnesses reported seeing victims being stretched away from the scene with apparent burns. Another noted that some had sustained facial injuries. Some people were also apparently injured in a stampeded following the incident. Response: Prime Minister Theresa May has said that her "thoughts are with those injured and the emergency services who once again are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident". On Friday night she raised the threat level to critical, meaning another attack is expected immediately. International reaction: The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that one Irish person suffered minor injuries in the attack. "Anyone with concerns for loved one in London can contact my Department on 00353 (1) 4082527. On behalf of the Irish Government, I wish to express our solidarity with the people of London at this time. US President Donald Trump has declared in incident "another attack by a loser terrorist". "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!," he wrote on Twitter. "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Armed police officers walk through a carriage of a London underground tube train at Parsons Green station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Armed police officers walk through a carriage of a London underground tube train at Parsons Green station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Members of the emergency services work near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire Police officers walk on the road near Parsons Green tube station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Coombs An injured woman is led away after an incident at Parsons Green underground station in London, Britain, September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor Detectives are scouring CCTV and examining witness statements for potential leads following the latest terror attack to hit London. An explosion at Parsons Green underground station in the west of the capital injured passengers and led to a "major incident" being declared. Yet more people were hurt during the crush to leave the train, witnesses said. The blast sent a "fireball" and a "wall of flame" through a packed London Underground train. This evening, the Islamic State terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The suspect has been identified on CCTV footage and a manhunt is now underway as Prime Minister Theresa May has condemned the "cowardly" attack, saying: "This was a device intended to cause significant harm." Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said police were "chasing down suspects" over the attack. The terror threat level has been raised from severe to critical, indicating a further attack may be imminent. It is reported that commuters were left with facial burns following the incident, while others were injured in a resulting stampede after the rush hour explosion. Scotland Yard has said there was an explosion on the train as a result of an IED device on board the tube. Mark Rowley, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations of the Metropolitan Police, says police are being supported by counter intelligence colleagues from MI5 and has reassured Londoners there will be an increased police presence in the city after the incident. London Ambulance Service confirmed 22 people are being treated in hospital following the explosion and none are thought to be in a life-threatening or serious condition. Mr Rowley said it was understood that "most" of the 18 injured were suffering from "flash burns". Police are now scouring CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses. 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 device used did not fully detonate, Sky News is reporting, citing unnamed sources. Rowley declined to answer whether the authorities knew who was responsible or if the suspected bomber had been on the train, saying it was a live investigation which was being assisted by the intelligence services. BBC has reported that the device may have been on a timer. Prime Minister Theresa May has said that her "thoughts are with those injured and the emergency services who once again are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident". Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has appealed for calm saying London "will never be intimidated or defeated by terrorism". The incident is the fifth terror attack to hit London this year. Expand Close Armed police officers walk through a carriage of a London underground tube train at Parsons Green station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed police officers walk through a carriage of a London underground tube train at Parsons Green station in London, Britain September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Sophie Raworth, a BBC News presenter who was at the scene, said she saw a woman on a stretcher with burns to her face and legs. "I spoke to a woman, Laura Bishop, who said she was standing there and all of a sudden heard a bang - and saw a wall of flames, flames in the carriage," she said. "She saw people who had burns on their hair, burns on their head and the doors opened immediately." Ms Raworth added: "I have just seen a woman who was just stretchered off here and clearly her legs are wrapped up and she has burns. "She had burns to her face - she's conscious, she was taking oxygen and pain relief as well. "She seemed to have burns all over her body from top to toe." Read More Speaking on the Victoria Derbyshire show, she told how a witness told her there was a stampede and then "panic, just complete panic". She added: "There are a lot of people here at Parsons Green looking very anxious and worried, trying to work out what has happened. Clearly just trying to get out of the station itself was pandemonium." Read More Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said there are no indications of any Irish involvement, I am shocked by the incident in London this morning, which the Metropolitan Police are treating as a suspected terrorist attack. My Department is monitoring the situation closely through the Irish Embassy in London and the Consular Division in Dublin. As of now, we have no indications to suggest that any Irish citizens have been affected," he said in a statement. "Anyone with concerns for loved one in London can contact my Department on 00353 (1) 4082527. On behalf of the Irish Government, I wish to express our solidarity with the people of London at this time. Transport for London has said there is no service between Edgware Road and Wimbledon on the district line. A picture posted social media appeared to show a white bucket in a bag that "exploded". A Twitter user said: "Fireball flew down carriage and we just humped out open door." 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 video has also emerged showing the item smoldering in the carriage. 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 Reacting to the attack, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: Weve been in touch with our embassy in London in relation to the suspected terrorist attack that occurred on the London Underground today. As of yet there are no Irish citizens understood to have been involved. We will continue to keep in touch with the authorities in London and a helpline has been established for anybody is seeking information. US President Donald Trump has denounced the incident as an "attack by a loser terrorist". "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!," he wrote on Twitter. "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" Ms May has rebuked the president over his comments saying: "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." 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 woman at London's Parsons Green underground train station said she was injured in a stampede. Expand Close Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. Richard Aylmer-Hall/PA Wire Expand Close emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp emergency services attending an incident at Parsons Green station in west London amid reports of an explosion. James Treen/PA Wire Outside the station, a woman was sitting on a pavement with a bandage around her leg while armed police patrolled. BBC correspondent Riz Lateef, who was at the station travelling to work, said there was "panic as people rushed from the train, hearing what appeared to be an explosion. "People were left with cuts and grazes from trying to flee the scene. There was lots of panic," she said. Media technology consultant Richard Aylmer-Hall, 53, was sitting on the District Line train bound for central London when panic unfolded at about 8.20am. Several people were injured after passengers tried to escape, he said. Expand Close Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed British police officers stand on duty outside Parsons Green underground tube station in west London on September 15, 2017, following an incident on an underground tube carriage at the station. Expand Close A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Metro.co.uk reporter at the scene was quoted by the paper as saying that a white container exploded on the train and passengers had suffered facial burns. He added: "Suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming. "There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. "Some people got pushed over and trampled on, I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews." "I was on second carriage from the back. I just heard a kind of whoosh. I looked up and saw the whole carriage engulfed in flames making its way towards me," a man who was on the train told Reuters. Sylvain Pennec, a software developer from Southfields, near Wimbledon, was around 10 metres from the source of the explosion when fire filled the carriage. "I heard a boom and when I looked there were flames all around," he said. "People started to run but we were lucky to be stopping at Parsons Green as the door started to open." He described the scene of panic as commuters struggled to escape the carriage, "collapsing and pushing" each other. Mr Pennec stayed behind to take a closer look at what he believed was the source of the explosion. "It looked like a bucket of mayonnaise," he said. "I'm not sure if it was a chemical reaction or something else, but it looked home-made. I'm not an expert though." Chris Wildish, who was on the train, said he saw a "device" in the last carriage. "It was a white bucket, a builder's bucket," he told BBC 5 live. "Flames were still coming out of it when I saw it and had a lot of wires hanging out of it - I can only assume it was done on purpose. "It was standing against the door of the rear-most carriage." A woman has described how she kept running with the crowd, despite not knowing what had happened on the train. Teacher Sally Faulding told BBC News her colleague told her she heard a "whoosh" sound before seeing flames coming towards her. "I was in the middle of the train. "Suddenly I saw people coming towards me. "I didn't know what was going on but I knew something was wrong because of the volume of people coming towards me. "The doors opened and I just ran out as everyone else did. "We were still running on the platform and people were falling down, trying to make an exit. "I fell over someone who fell in front of me," Ms Faulding continued. "I kept on running even though I still didn't know what I was running from. "Basically we moved out of the station. People were crying, visibly upset. "I then heard people saying that there had been an explosion, a fire." Ms Faulding said she bumped into a colleague of hers who confirmed she had seen a fire. "She said she saw a surge of fire coming toward her. "She heard a whoosh sound before that. "I saw a man who had burns on his arms and a woman who had her hair singed." Police are urging Londoners to avoid the area. They have urged people to contact them if they have information which could assist with their investigation: 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 "Anyone who has information that would assist detectives is urged to contact the hotline 0800 789 321; if it's an emergency always call 999. "Anyone with images from the scene is asked to upload them to www.ukpoliceimageappeal.co.uk." Additional reporting by agencies The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has not yet decided on the date of the mission's arrival in Ukraine as part of the fourth review of the EFF program, IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice has said. "I don't have a date for you on that [the mission's arrival]," he said during a traditional briefing in Washington on Thursday. "On the fourth review we expect that it will be possible once the policy needed for review is implemented. Some of the major issues are pension reform, the measures for privatization, and concrete results in the anti-corruption efforts that are underway. And of course track, fiscal and energy sector policies remain consistent with the program commitments," he said. "We will be going back to Ukraine in the near future to look at these things," the official noted. President Trump receives a briefing on Hurricane Irma relief efforts from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long (left) as the president arrives to tour storm damage with first lady Melania Trump (second right) and Vice President Mike Pence (right) in Fort Myers, Florida. Photo: Reuters Donald Trump has indicated that Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, the first two natural disasters of his presidency, have not changed his view on climate change. Asked by a reporter if the record-breaking storms had shifted his thinking at all, he replied: Weve had bigger storms than this. Hours before, on the first leg of his tour through storm-ravaged Florida, Mr Trump had lamented the "tremendous power" and "devastation" of Hurricane Irma. In a video address given before the storm hit, he warned that the hurricane had "absolutely historic destructive potential". Of Hurricane Harvey, he had claimed: Theres probably never been anything like this. Questioned about climate change, however, the President changed his tune, and began discussing storms from the 1930s and 1940s. "We did have two horrific storms, epic storms," he said. "But if you go back into the 30s and 40s, and you go back into the teens, youll see storms that were very similar and even bigger, okay?" But Hurricanes Harvey and Irma did make history: Irma was the most extreme hurricane ever measured in the Atlantic. Harvey set the record for most rainfall in the continental US. Together, they marked the first time in recorded history that two Atlantic, Category 4 hurricanes hit the US in a single year. Scientists have warned for years that climate change will produce more and more of these record-breaking storms. The increasing temperature of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere super-charges these storms, scientists say, making big hurricanes even bigger. Plus, a warmer atmosphere can hold more rain, leading to historic rainfall like that seen during Harvey. Unfortunately, the physicality is very clear: Hurricanes get their destructive energy from the warmth of the ocean, and the regions water temperatures are super elevated, Anders Levermann, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, told Bloomberg. But the Trump administration has been reticent to address this fact. Scott Pruitt, director of the Environmental Protection Agency, said before Hurricane Irma that addressing climate change would be "very, very insensitive to the people in Florida". 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, he told CNN. Mr Trump, meanwhile, has claimed climate change is a "hoax," and pulled the US out of the Paris climate agreement earlier this year. Asked if Mr Trump's position on climate change had shifted after the storms, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: I don't think that it's changed over the last several weeks." Donald Trump sparked outrage among some of his staunchest supporters yesterday after appearing to strike a deal with the Democrats not to deport people who came to the US illegally as children, while at the same time failing to make funding for a border wall a condition of the agreement. The president was accused by conservative Republicans of agreeing to an "amnesty" for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants known as "Dreamers", and abandoning his commitment to construct a "beautiful wall" along the frontier with Mexico. Amid allegations of U-turns on two of his major campaign pledges, there were suggestions from immigration hardliners that Mr Trump's political base could "leave him," while one high-profile supporter called for him to be impeached. The backlash came after Mr Trump invited Chuck Schumer, the Democrat Senate leader, and Nancy Pelosi, the Democrat leader in the House of Representatives, to dinner at the White House on Wednesday night. Most of the conversation was about his predecessor Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order, which gives legal protection to the Dreamers. During last year's presidential campaign Mr Trump said that the Dreamers, who were brought across the border as infants by their parents, would "have to go". But in a statement after dinner, the Democrat leaders said: "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." Instead of the wall, a border security package could include using technology such as drones, sensors and air support, they said. The statement, particularly the phrase "excluding the border wall," set off alarm bells among conservatives. Steve King, a Republican congressman, said: "The Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Ann Coulter, the prominent conservative author of the book 'In Trump We Trust', wrote: "At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached? If we're not getting a wall, I'd prefer President Pence." Breitbart News, the hard-right website popular with many of Mr Trump's supporters, ran the headline "Amnesty Don". On Twitter, Mr Trump denied doing a deal with the Democrats. He wrote: "No deal was made last night on DACA." But as he visited Florida yesterday to survey the damage of Hurricane Irma the president said: "We're working on a plan for the Dreamers. People want to see that happen. "The wall will come later. The wall is going to be built, it will be funded a little bit later... Ultimately, we have to have the wall." North Korea has fired a ballistic missile over Japan, its latest act of aggression against a neighbour and key Western ally amid a escalating war of rhetoric with the United States. The missile launch will prove a stern test for both President Doanld Trump and the UN who have so far failed to get Pyongyang to rein in its nuclear ambitions. The Japanese government said the missile, which was launched from Pyongyang's Sunan district, had passed over Hokkaido and the country's military did not try to shoot it down. The US military also said it had detected an intermediate-range ballistic missile, with Defence Secretary Jim Mattis saying the projectile put millions of Japanese into duck and cover. Japan issued a nationwide alert that urged residents in the country's north to take shelter, and Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters he condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China and Russia to take direct action against North Korea in response to its latest missile launch. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," he said in a statement. This is the second time in recent weeks that a North Korean missile has flown over Japan, putting the country on high alert and emphasising the stakes as North Korea accompanies hostile language with displays of more sophisticated military technology. That provocative conduct has repeatedly spurred the United Nations to action but to little effect. Leaders are gathering soon for a United Nations General Assembly meeting, the first for Donald Trump. The UN Security Council planned to convene a meeting today to discuss the latest firing. While the White House confirmed that Mr Trump had been briefed last night, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders referred reporters to the State Department and the Department of Defense for a response. Earlier in the day Mr Trump told reporters that people in this country will be very, very safe. The latest missile reportedly travelled 3,700 km, farther than the 2,700 km logged by the prior missile hurled over Japan and far enough to potentially strike the American territory of Guam. North Korea has issued a series of threats against Guam, which hosts a substantial American military presence, and Korean state media called the prior test of a missile over Japan a a meaningful prelude to containing Guam. In a statement, US Pacific Command said the latest missile did not pose a threat to Guam. An increasingly assertive North Korea has been displaying its advances in military technology by launching a steady drumbeat of missile tests and, last weekend, performing its sixth nuclear test that was far more powerful than previous attempts. In the wake of that test, the UN approved the latest round of sanctions, which seek to further stifle North Koreas economy by limiting energy exports and banning textile exports. But in response North Korea lashed out with a statement calling to annihilate the US imperialist aggressors" and reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. The statement, issued by a spokesman for the government-run Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and carried by Korean propaganda arm KCNA, also advocated the destruction of Japan. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, the spokesman said. While the United States initially did not formally concur with North Koreas statement that the device used for that nuclear test was a hydrogen bomb, yesterday Air Force General John Hyten cited the blasts size in telling reporters that Im assuming it was a hydrogen bomb. As North Korean has continued to defy the world with weapons tests and belligerent rhetoric, the warnings from Washington have kept pace. Donald Trump contributed to rising tensions when he warned in August that the United States would respond with fire and fury to continued menacing from North Korean. Since then, as North Korea has continued to flex its muscles, while the Trump administration has consistently kept the use of military force on the table. Mr Mattis has said America would marshal a massive military response to threats from North Korea saying America was capable of the total annihilation of a country. Before the latest missile launch Mr Trump alluded to working with China to tackle the North Korean peril, saying we have a great relationship with China, and the president of China, though China has chastised the US for escalating tensions. Mr Trump and Chinese President Xi Jingping emphasized a nonmilitary response after recently discussing the standoff on the phone, though Mr Trump pointedly did not rule it out. In an interview with Sky News, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned the latest launch as dangerous and criminal but portrayed it as a sign that the latest sanctions imposed on North Korea are having their intended effect. This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea, recently imposed by the Security Council. It's a sign that the sanctions are working. Andrew Warren and US professor Wyndham Lathem are accused of murdering Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau (AP Photo/Jim Young, Pool, File) A grand jury in Chicago has indicted an Oxford University employee and a US professor on first-degree murder charges in the July stabbing death of a hairstylist in a Chicago apartment. The Cook County grand jury indictment was announced at a hearing for ex-Northwestern University professor Wyndham Lathem and Oxford financial official Andrew Warren on Friday afternoon. The indictment has been expected since the two men were arrested in California last month. Lathem's lawyer, Adam Sheppard, said after the hearing that he will plead not guilty at a court hearing scheduled for later this month. Prosecutors say Lathem, 46, and Warren, 56, stabbed Lathem's boyfriend, 26-year-old Trenton James Cornell-Duranleau, dozens of times as part of an apparent sexual fantasy that included killing others, then themselves. Both men remain in jail. AP The missile was fired on Friday, according to South Korea (AP) The British ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft speaks to reporters before the Security Council meeting (AP/Mary Altaffer) The UN Security Council was called into emergency session on Friday after North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile, to discuss what to do now that Kim Jong Un has ignored its latest round of sanctions. France's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country is ready to work on tougher UN and EU measures "to convince the regime in Pyongyang that there is no interest in an escalation, and to bring it to the negotiating table". It said North Korea will also be discussed during next week's annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly. The intermediate-range weapon North Korea launched early Friday from Sunan, the location of Pyongyang's international airport, hurtled over US ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean. The launch signalled both defiance of North Korea's rivals and a big technological advance. Since US President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury" in August, the North has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the US Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw the country's first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the US mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target US troops both in Asia and in the US homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a US city to protect its Asian allies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the missile launch as a serious violation of Security Council resolutions, coming less than two weeks after the North's sixth nuclear test, which also violated a UN ban. The Security Council's emergency meeting on Friday was behind closed doors. On Monday the council unanimously approved its toughest sanctions yet on North Korea over its nuclear test, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb. The US said the measures, including a ban on textile exports, combined with previous sanctions would ban more than 90% of North Korea's exports reported in 2016. North Korea's Foreign Ministry denounced the sanctions and said the North would "redouble its efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country's sovereignty and right to existence". South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said the latest missile travelled about 2,300 miles and reached a maximum height of 478 miles. Guam, which is the home of important US military assets, is 2,112 miles away from North Korea. Despite its impressive range, the missile probably still is not accurate enough to destroy Guam's Andersen Air Force Base, said David Wright, a US missile expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists. North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Friday, without mentioning the latest missile test, that its weapons tests demonstrate that it can "turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area". South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who initially pushed for talks with North Korea, said its tests currently make dialogue "impossible". "The sanctions and pressure by the international community will only tighten so that North Korea has no choice but to take the path for genuine dialogue" for nuclear disarmament, Mr Moon said. "If North Korea provokes us or our allies, we have the strength to smash the attempt at an early stage and inflict a level of damage it would be impossible to recover from." North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue its weapons tests amid what it calls US hostility - by which it means the presence of nearly 80,000 US troops stationed in Japan and South Korea. AP Mokhtar Agrebi, left, and Latifa Trabelsi work in a pharmacy in Tunis. Tunisia's president has vowed to make inheritance and marriage rules fairer to women (AP/Hassene Dridi) The Tunisian government has lifted a ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslims on the recommendation of the president, who says Tunisia needs to modernise, officials said. Muslim men were allowed to marry non-Muslim women, but not the other way around. A government official on Friday said such marriages can now be freely registered. The plan has drawn the ire of Muslim clerics, who consider marriage rules unquestionable in Islamic Shariah law, on which the Tunisian legal system is based. President Beji Caid Essebsi has promised to fight discrimination in a country where most medical, agricultural and textile workers and those with higher education are women. Another president-led initiative, to make inheritance rules fairer to women, has not yet been decided on. AP Kannapolis City Schools celebrated the Grand Re-Opening and dedication of G.W. Carver School on Sunday, Sept. 10. The event commemorated the rich legacy of the original G.W. Carver School that served the African-American community between 1936 and 1967 and stood on the site of the current G.W. Carver Elementary School. The current G.W. Carver Elementary features the first A+ Arts magnet program in Cabarrus and Rowan counties. The grand re-opening and dedication ceremony included memorabilia from the original G.W. Carver School as well as art displays and performances from current G.W. Carver Elementary students. It also included the singing of the original G.W. Carver High School song. The event was a community effort planned by Kannapolis City Schools, the G.W. Carver Alumni Association, the Kannapolis African-American Museum and Cultural Center, the Cabarrus Health Alliance, the City of Kannapolis, members of the Carver community and former employees of G.W. Carver High School. More than 200 people attended the event. Energy resources have ceased to be a political instrument and turned into an ordinary commodity, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said. "The energy independence of our state has been ensured. In 2016 we just learned to live without Russian gas, and today we have proved to the whole world that we are able to live [without Russian gas], and gas ceased to be a political "running knot" and began to be an ordinary commodity," Poroshenko said at a meeting with representatives of national and foreign business in Kyiv. According to the president's website, Poroshenko also noted coal is now becoming a market commodity. "And no one else has the right to blackmail us after the first American ship with coal had arrived in Ukraine yesterday, as implemented by my agreements with President of the United States Donald Trump about the energy security of our state," Poroshenko noted. CEO of the U.S. company XCoal Ernie Thrasher, in turn, handed Poroshenko and Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman a symbolic gift - a souvenir bag of the first American coal, which was delivered to Yuzhny port (Odesa region) from Pennsylvania (the United States) yesterday. The birth of a child quite often feels like a cosmic event to those involved, especially to first-time parents. But for one Cabarrus County couple, their little bundle of joy quite literally came when the stars and the moon alignedone particular star and moon, anyway. Olsen Eudy was born Monday, Aug. 21, at 1:41 p.m. at Carolinas HealthCare System NorthEast during the historic solar eclipse that spanned the entire continental United States. The little boy and mom, Tiffany Eudy, made it through delivery safely and with enough time to watch the near-totality with a roomful of family, friends and hospital staff. This was really, really neat, Eudy said. It was cool to cut the tension and have people focus on other things but still have an amazing time of our lives. That was great. Nine babies were born at NorthEast the day of the eclipse, CHS Communications Associate Kate Gaier said, but Olsen was the only one born during the event, which spanned from about 1:15 to 4 p.m. local time. Eudy said that since she had a relatively smooth laborand a clear view of the eclipsenurses who werent part of her delivery team kept coming in at the familys invitation to take a peek out the window. It was really neat because in between contractions we were all watching the eclipse on the TV, the NASA live feed, she said. That was kind of fun. My room at the hospital was the only one that had a clear view of the sun, so we had the blinds open. When I was in recovery, everyone was outside watching the totality, but during my delivery, there were nurses that werent helping with my active labor coming in, and we had 10 pairs of solar glasses at the window. It was a really cool experience. The family wasnt hadnt planned on having a baby marked by the moon and stars, however. Eudy said her due date was actually Aug. 26, and doctors induced her for medical reasons. I was super nervous about it because I started reading online, and there are all these Native American superstitions that a baby born during an eclipse is either a super genius or might have a disability of some sort, she said. So I was nervous. But so far hes been good. Maybe hes a super genius or has a super power; I dont know yet. The couplewho also has a 3-year-old son named Beckettconsidered calling their youngest Solar when they realized his birth would coincide with the eclipse. But the decided to stick with their original name, Olsen for their favorite Carolina Panthers player. Weve been Tweeting Greg Olsen to try to get him to come hold our baby, Tiffany said. But that hasnt happened yet. Keystone Realtors IPO Day 1 subscription Live status Keystone Realtors IPO with an issue size of Rs 635 Crore shows restrained response today. The offer is subscribed only 6% on the day one with 5,82,309 total bids received against 86,47,858 bids... November 14, 2022 | 4:11 pm Inox Green Energy Services IPO of Rs 740 crore receives mild response from investors on day 2. The issue was subscribed 46% on Day 1. According to BSE data, investors made 4,67,21,280 bids out ... November 14, 2022 | 3:55 pm Markets end the day in red Indian markets had a range-bound day today. Markets ended the day in red. Nifty 50 ended, down by 20.55 points. Sensex ended, down by 170.89 points. Top Gainers today were Hindalco,... November 14, 2022 | 3:45 pm Fusion Microfinance IPO to list tomorrow Following the allotment, The IPO of Fusion Microfinance will list on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. The response to the public issues worth Rs. 1,104 crores has been relatively moderate with 2.95 ... November 14, 2022 | 3:27 pm Vascon Engineers inks JV agreement for commercial project in Kharadi, Pune Vascon Engineers Limited has entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) on Monday. Vascon has signed the JDA with Landowner to develop a commercial project at Kharadi a well-es... November 14, 2022 | 3:04 pm President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has held a meeting with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti in Kyiv and thanked the EBRD for continuing support for reforms in Ukraine and expressed hope for the further strengthening of relations. "We highly appreciate the EBRD's active role in implementing projects in the public sector, particularly in energy and transport, as well as investing in private and banking sectors," Poroshenko said. The president of Ukraine called on the EBRD to make more use of opportunities for cooperation with the local authorities, since thanks to decentralization they received additional financial powers. Poroshenko positively assessed the EBRD's activities in the administration of the Chornobyl Shelter Fund and the Nuclear Safety Account. Its the oldest national constitution that is still in use, and its just as relevant today as it was when penned in 1787. The U.S. Constitution was created to protect citizens by separating the powers of the U.S. government and defending the natural rights of those who call America home. Within its Bill of Rights and later amendments, protections range from the right to bear arms and term limits for the presidency, to the right to a fair trial and the abolition of slavery. Constitution Day, also known as Citizenship Day, became an official holiday on Sept. 17, 2004. Today, in celebration of Constitution Day, The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and a number of partnering organizations, including the Greater Indianapolis NAACP, are taking to the streets of downtown Indianapolis to pass out pocket Constitutions. Last year, because of the rising interest in pocket Constitutions (due to Khizr Khan, who expressed his desire to share his pocket Constitution with Donald Trump during the Democratic National Convention), we decided to hand them out in person for Constitution Day. Its our mission to hold our government accountable to the Constitution, and we want to encourage peoples interests by putting it in their hands, said Jane Henegar, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana. Byron Ratcliffe, the second vice president of the Greater Indianapolis NAACP, says his organization would not exist without protections afforded by the Constitution. Thats why he and his wife, Chrystal, who is president of the Greater Indianapolis NAACP, made sure to get the organization involved with handing out Constitutions during this event. Ratcliffe says he is especially interested in making sure young people are informed. Its important for us to know what our constitutional rights are, because if you dont know them, someone can take them from you. Its especially important for our younger people, the millennials and below. I hope that by giving out the Constitution, awareness happens. Awareness may be desperately needed. When the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania surveyed 1,013 Americans to learn how much they knew about basic Constitutional provisions, the results were underwhelming More than a third of those surveyed (37 percent) could not name any of the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment, and only a quarter of Americans (26 percent) could name all three branches of government. In addition, more than half of Americans (53 percent) incorrectly thought immigrants who are here illegally do not have any rights under the U.S. Constitution. However, many Hoosiers are working hard to keep young people informed. Eleven Marion County legal professionals, including judges and attorneys, are visiting schools for Constitution Day to speak with students about their rights. Judge Garland E. Graves of the Warren Township Small Claims Court says this is his second year participating in Constitution Day at local schools since taking office in 2011. With a firm understanding of the Constitution, Graves hope to inspire students to choose the legal profession as a career path. It is important now more than ever to expose young people to the Constitution and the rights that are granted to them, such as the freedom of speech, the right to assembly, the freedom of the press and others. By explaining the ways the Constitution protects their rights, it may give the young people a voice to speak up on issues that they are most concerned with, said Graves. In a time of increasing political tension, Henegar feels its more important than ever for people to be aware of their rights. She says even undocumented immigrants have certain protections under the Constitution. There is certainly debate among scholars about whether (President) Obamas DACA executive order was an executive power overreach, but the actual policy is by no means unconstitutional. We would say its very constant with constitutional principles for all immigrants, she said. While citizens certainly enjoy full protection of every aspect of the Constitution, all immigrants, regardless of status, are protected by aspects of the Constitution. In particular, they have the protection of due process if the government wants to deport them. Ratcliffe says even though Americans have rights, they will not do any good if people do not practice them. He encourages citizens to stay informed, vote and protect those who need protection. One of the biggest rights and privileges is the right to vote, and this upcoming election will be extremely important, said Ratcliffe. We need to protect those in the middle and lower classes, but we cant do that without peaceful demonstration, which is a constitutional right. We need strong people to go out there and know their right to protest and to gather peacefully, because thats what going to change things. Indy celebrates Constitution Day Earlier this year, while addressing the annual session of industry body CII, erstwhile power minister Piyush Goyal announced, We are going to make electric vehicles self-sufficient like Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA). The idea is that by 2030, not a single petrol or diesel car should be sold in the country. How he arrived at the target date, he didnt elaborate. Then a month later, NITI Aayog called for only electric vehicles to be sold by 2030. Everyone, including the car makers, was taken by surprise. The announcement came soon after America pulled out of the Paris climate accord. In a short span of only 13 years, the govt wants manufacturers to sell only electric cars instead of fossil fuel powered ones. Reuters To put things in perspective, more than 27 lakh petrol and diesel cars were sold in the country in FY 2015. The same year, only 22,000 electric vehicles (two and four wheelers) were sold. Thats not even one percent of the total volume! But India is not the only country with stiff targets. Norway wants to ban all petrol and diesel cars by 2025 and Germany wants to have only electric cars by 2030 and UK has a target of 2040. So the car industry globally has a reason to get cracking on producing electric vehicles. And things are moving forward in India too. Reuters Indias Mahindra Electric is currently the only EV maker in the country and is reportedly working on longer range and more powerful electric vehicles. Currently, the car companys offerings are limited to a range of 140 km and a top speed of 85 km/h. Bigger batteries of 350V capacity are being planned which will improve top speed to 200 km/h and range to around 350 km. Both required for inter city travels and also to reduce range anxiety in customers associated with electric vehicles. Mahindra also recently announced that its electric cars covered 50 milllion kilometres on Indian roads. The govt. on its part has extended the Phase-1 of the FAME scheme ((Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles), a programme of incentives offered to EV buyers to help improve adoption and sales. Under the scheme, a total of 150,550 hybrid and electric vehicles received incentives till July 26, 2017. Reuters Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes India visit not only gave us the bullet train but a lithium ion battery plant too. While it may have been lost in the news, it is an equally important development. The plant will be set up by Indias biggest car maker Maruti in association with Denso and Toshiba. The plant will provide batteries for companys upcoming electric cars that will also be produced in the state. And given that Toyota has a stake in Denso and has a technical cooperation agreement with Suzuki, it too will benefit and most likely produce electric cars in India. So, slowly but surely, India is on its way to become an electric car market. Over 100 chefs cooked a pizza measuring a whopping 1,930 metres in length, creating a new Guinness record for the world's longest pizza in the US. AFP The volunteers in California came together to help beat the previous record of 1,853.88 metres, which was achieved in Italy. Pizzaovens.Com, a US-based restaurant equipment company managed to achieve a total length of 1,930.39 metres - just surpassing the former record holder. AFP Dozens of chefs were in charge of crafting the enormous pizza, which was made using 3,632 kilogrammes of dough, 1,634 kilogrammes of cheese and 2,542 kilogrammes of sauce. As the dough was stretched for the record, it ran along a conveyer belt which passed through three industrial ovens, which cooked the pizza nonstop for eight hours. AFP Volunteers helped to shift the oven every 17 minutes so as to not burn the dough, according to the Guinness World Records. Following the event, all pizza slices were donated to local food banks and homeless shelters. There seems to be no end to this atrocity. Just a few weeks ago, we heard of a gut-wrenching incident of a 34-year-old who raped a female puppy, dumped her body in a sack and left her bleeding in Delhi. Also read: 34-Year-Old Taxi Driver Raped A Female Puppy & Dumped Her In A Drain Where She Bled To Death Now again another, atrocious incident surfaced from the Maximum city. This time 41-year-old man has allegedly raped a dog for three consecutive days inside a toilet of a housing complex here. Picture for representation The incident came to light after Asmita Deshmukh, the resident and secretary of the housing complex went through the last few days CCTV footage and found the man locking himself up with the dog in the bathroom, reports Deccan Chronicle. Also read: Chennai Man Kills Puppy With A Cricket Bat, Because It Barked At His Son The man identified as Ram Naresh reportedly works as an auto rickshaw driver during the day and as a security guard at night for a private security company. Reuters/Picture For Representation The dog was rushed to the hospital and in the medical report issued by veterinarian Dr Deepa Katyal, the dog's vulva was congested and swollen from the attack. Also read: Shocking! Gurgaon Man Flings Puppy Off The Balcony For Damaging His Laptop, DTH Cable Naresh was presented at the Kurla Magistrate Court on Saturday and is currently in judicial custody. The humanitarian crisis that is being faced by the Rohingya Muslims after fleeing the Rakhine state of Myanmar and entering Bangladesh is escalating by the day. India, in response to this, on Thursday has brought in 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and has also pledged that help shall be given to Dhaka to all those in crisis. The influx of refugees has caused Government of India to decide to extend assistance to Bangladesh. The External Affairs Ministry issued a statment that said, "relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc." Dhaka is in a state of crisis due to influx of refugees. Image: AFP According to UN, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25. The relief material is to be delivered in via consignments in parts, the first of which will be brought to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane on 14th September. Considering India has always responded readily to any crisis in Bangladesh, keeping in mind close ties of friendship between the two countries, the first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Bangladesh due to the refugee crisis. The group of Sikh volunteers from Khalsa Aid who reached the Bangladesh-Myanmar border earlier this week have began distributing 'langar' to the thousands of refugees living the camps. Khalsa Aid On the first day on Thursday, the volunteers said they started the Guru ka langar and prepared food for some 35,000 Rohingyas living in the camp. According to The Indian Express, the team was till now distributing only packaged food items as they did not have the necessary permissions from the Bangladesh government. Khalsa Aid On the first day of the langar, Sikh volunteers served cooked rice and vegetables. We cooked and served the first langar meals here today. We had purchased raw materials like rice, vegetables and big utensils on Wednesday after getting required permissions from the government of Bangladesh. The initial target is at least 35,000 meals per day. However seeing the increasing number of refugees here, we know it wont be enough to feed all but we had to start somewhere, Amarpreet Singh, managing director, India for Khalsa Aid told The Indian Express. PIB Meanwhile the Indian government under Operation Insaniyat, has sent 53 tonnes of relief materials on Thursday. The material includes items required urgently by the affected people like rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, and mosquito nets. The ambassador of Brazil, Tovar da Silva Nunes, had a taste of why Khajuraho is vanishing from the itinerary of foreign tourists. On September 9, it took the envoy five hours -by plane -to reach Khajuraho from Delhi. Reuters/Representational Image The absence of direct flights to the UNESCO heritage site from major Indian airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, has made this architectural marvel inaccessible to tourists for months on end. Ordinarily, a plane journey between Delhi and Khajuraho airports should not take more than an hour. But, the journey takes five hours instead because of multiple layovers. Khajuraho tourism association spokesman Anshu Awasthi confirmed there are no direct flight from Delhi or Mumbai to Khajuraho. Private carrier Jet Airaway operates a flight during the peak season (October to January) from Delhi to Khajuraho, but it has a layover at Varanasi. Reuters/Representational Image Silva, who flew to Khajuraho on Saturday, took the only available option -an Air India flight with two stopovers -Varanasi and Agra.The flight departed at 10.15am and took nearly five hours to reach Khajuraho. Flying back to Delhi proved a similar ordeal, and Silva could not make it back to the national capital in time for his Monday appointments. "The ambassador wanted to return to Delhi on Monday morning (September 11) but could not because there was no direct flight," said Rajesh Awasthi, a senior guide who took the ambassador around the temple town. He said Silva finally managed to board the 3.15pm flight from Kajuraho on Monday and reached the capital around 6.30pm. It's just as well that ambassador Silva did not attempt the adventure by road. It would have been a bone-rattling 700km ordeal from Delhi. Reuters/Representational Image Khajuraho is famous across the world for its sculptures. But the town seems to be losing its charm due to travelling woes. Footfall to the town was down by a steep 35% between 2012 and 2016, and this year's figures are likely to be worse, local sources said. In 2012, over one lakh foreigners visited the temple town, but the number plummeted to 65,236 in 2016 -a decline of almost 35%. Primary tourist operators in New Delhi and Jaipur no longer include Khajuraho on their itineraries since it makes the journey costly. Built between 950 AD and 1050 AD, the temples have long been a must-visit for western tourists but the government never laid emphasis on better connectivity -especially in terms of flights. "Backpackers, as a result, have almost vanished from Khajuraho," a tourism association official said. The United States has once again said that Pakistan has been a source of "significant challenges" in Afghanistan, enabling the Taliban to plan coordinated attacks in the war-torn country. President Donald Trump's nominee for the US ambassador to Afghanistan said that the role played by Pakistan in helping terror groups has to be probed thoroughly. Geo TV If confirmed by the Senate, John R Bass said, in his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that he will try to change the Pakistan government's approach and try to find the best resolution to the problem. "Obviously, Pakistan has a key role to play (in Afghanistan). They've been, as we know, a source of some of the significant challenges in Afghanistan, in enabling the Taliban to rest and refit, plan coordinated attacks. So, we've got a lot of work to do," Bass said. Indian express Responding to lawmakers' questions on Wednesday, Brass said the US "will not succeed if we do not have the support and cooperation of" Pakistan, its neighbours and the wider circumference of significant countries in the wider region. Police officers and soldiers of the special police regiment have found two persons near the village of Kotovske (Kyiv region) who tried to bring a large amount of mushrooms out of the Chornobyl exclusion zone. "Two residents of Kyiv region explained to law enforcement officers that they had penetrated the closed territory in order to collect mushrooms for their own consumption. Dosimetry control showed that the permissible level of radioactive elements in mushrooms exceeds the permissible norm by 30 times," the press service of the Ukrainian National Police's main office in Kyiv region reported on Thursday, September 14. Administrative protocols were filed against the individuals for penetration into the exclusion zone without any permit under Article 46-1 (violation of the requirements of the radiation safety regime in the areas exposed to radioactive contamination) of the Code of Administrative Offenses. Due to the attempted transfer of forest mushrooms outside the exclusion zone the police opened criminal proceedings under Article 267-1 (violation of the requirements of the radiation safety regime) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The article foresees a fine of 50 to 80 non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens or restriction of freedom for a period of one to three years, or imprisonment for the same term. The investigation is underway. Education Ministry names most popular specialties among applicants in 2017 KYIV. Sept 15 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The most popular specialties among Ukrainian entrants in 2017 were Philology, Law and Management, and the least popular were Theology (without taking into account theological higher educational institutions) and Hydropower, the Ukrainian Education and Science Ministry reported on September 14. According to the report, the most popular specialties among applicants for the bachelor's degree (master's degree in medicine, pharmaceutics, and veterinary science) were Philology, Law and Management. A total of 85,000, 74,000 and 59,400 applications respectively were submitted for these specialties. The top specialties also included Medicine, Computer Science, Tourism, Secondary Education, Psychology and Economics (from 40,000 to 46,000 applications). Software Engineering (33,000 applications) closed the Top 10. "We see that traditionally such specialties as Law, Management, Tourism and Economics remain one of the most popular among entrants even though they are not in demand on the labor market. At the same time, economics requires such specialties as Computer Science and Software Engineering," the ministry's press service quoted Director of the Higher Education Department at the Education and Science Ministry Oleh Sharov as saying. The least popular specialties in 2017 among Ukrainian applicants were Theology (185 applications, not taking into account theological universities) and Hydropower (193). "Unfortunately, the least popular specialties also include those that are now in demand on the labor market, for example, the specialty 'Nuclear Power Engineering,'" Sharov said. The end is near for the ongoing strike between striking non-teaching staff of universities and the federal government has ended on a positive note. The workers, members of three non-academic unions, SSANU, NASU and NAAT, agreed to consider the federal governments offer with the possibility of suspending their strike. The agreement comes after a 9 hour, 13 minutes closed-door meeting between the Joint Action Committee, JAC, of the unions and the government delegation in Abuja. The leadership of the unions, however, said the issues raised by the federal government will be taken to the National Executive Council meeting of their unions for deliberation and possible approval. The unions will then get back to the government in six days. Samson Ugwoke, who heads the JAC, told journalists after the meeting that the unions will come back after six days to take a final decision. Within the said period, government has promised that certain amount will be paid and if the money is paid into the account of the university then it is ours, he said. I hope the minister does well with his promises. Non-payment of arrears of salaries and allowances is one of the major demands of the university staff. On his part, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said the unions demands have been addressed and the leadership will get back to the government on September 20 after consulting with their members. Peace was restored back to Jos where there was a minor clash between some Hausa and Igbo residents. According to eye witness report,the police have taken over the Rwang Pam street and Ahmadu Bello way, the scenes of the violent incident. Everything is under control now as everyone is now rushing back home, the witness, who asked she not be named for security reasons, said. Another witness who resides in the area also said the situation is calm. The situation is calm now, we can see the police everywhere. The situation was said to have been caused by a disagreement between some Hausa and Igbo residents of Rwang Pam street over the ongoing violence in Abia. Im passing through the location right now. Just a small group of hausa/igbo having disagreement.security has calmed the tensions already, a Twitter user @julskat said. The police, whose new commissioner recently assumed duties, have not released any statement on the incident as at the time of this report. Source: ( Premium Times ) At least 53 traders were confirmed dead in a boat mishap on River Niger in Bagudo, Kebbi State by the Chairman of the Bagudo Local Government Council in Kebbi, Muhammad Zagga, confirmed on Thursday. Mr. Zagga told the News Agency of Nigeria in a phone interview that the traders were going to a market when the incident happened. Majority of the traders are from Gaya Village in Niger Republic. They were going to a market in Lolo when their boat capsized, he said. Mr. Zagga said that out of some 100 passengers on board the boat, 47 were rescued while others could not yet be accounted for. The chairman said that the authorities in Niger Republic had deplored 500 divers to search for the missing people. Also commenting on the incident, the Acting Director-General of the Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency, Abbas Rabiu, described the incident as unfortunate and disastrous. The victims were mostly traders from Niger Republic, he said. The said 1,598 Pilgrims have so far been transported back home after performing the Hajj 2017, according the Katsina Pilgrims Welfare Board. The Boards Public Relations Officer, Badaru Bello, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in telephone interview on Thursday that the pilgrims were transported in three flights. The pilgrims were airlifted back home from the Holy land in three flights, he said. The First flight came with 500 pilgrims while the second and third flights came with 538 pilgrims and 560 pilgrims respectively. The board is expecting the fourth flight with 500 pilgrims on Friday, Sept. 15. The airlift of the pilgrims from the Holy land to Nigeria will be conducted in 10 flights as 4,920 pilgrims performed this years Hajj from the state, he said. Mr. Bello said that all the pilgrims were in good condition of health as they went to the Holy with a competent medical team. He said that all the Pilgrims that returned to home came with their luggage as they complied with the directive on 45 Kg per person. Source: (NAN) The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, met with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday over the ongoing crisis in Abia State and some parts of Rivers State. The IG also frowned at the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for claiming that men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad were among kidnappers and armed robbers in the state. Speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting which lasted almost an hour, the IG said the aim of the meeting was to ensure the security of all Nigerians. Asked to be specific about strategies he was adopting as regards events in the South-East, he said, Obviously, one is to deploy policemen across the country; two, we are in touch with the state government, trying to mobilise the political leadership to be able to intervene where necessary on how to lessen the tension in the South-East. The police boss also described as nonsensical Wikes allegation that the reported killing of a SARS officer during a foiled kidnap operation on Monday in the Oroazi area of the state was a confirmation that his men were involved in armed robbery and kidnapping. Idris said, He (Wike) has the right to self- expression. You know he is a governor. Asked if he was not denying the allegation he replied, Of course, I have to deny that. That is nonsensical; I have to deny that. If a policeman was killed, will you say he was involved in crime? I think you are mixing two different issues. A policeman was killed in Rivers (State) in connection with this IPOB issue, is different from saying policemen are involved in crime. You cannot say someone that was attacked and killed is the one involved in crime. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) This declaration follows renewed agitations for an independent Biafra State in the Southeast of Nigeria where IPOB is headquartered. IPOB is led by Nnamdi Kanu; an eccentric character who is facing charges of treasonable felony and illegal possession of firearms in court. Kanu is currently on bail, pending the resumption of his trial in Abuja next month. In the last couple of days, IPOB has clashed with the Nigerian army after the latter rolled in the tanks into the Southeast ahead of its Python Dance operation which has since kicked off with plenty of boots on the ground. The skirmishes have left several injured and traumatised in the Southeast; with the tension in that part of Nigeria stoking ethnic flare-ups across the country, all week long. A three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in Abia on Tuesday by State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu. That curfew has since been extended. IPOB leaders say Nigerian troops have killed five of its members in recent clashes. The army has denied those claims. A terrorist organisation is loosely defined as one which uses calculated violence against civilians to meet goals that are political, ideological or religious in nature, through intimidation, coercion or by instilling fear. In a statement sent to Pulse and signed by the Director of Defence Information, Maj Gen John Enenche, these are the reasons why IPOB has just been slapped with the tag terrorist organisation by the military. 1. Army says IPOB is violent and metamorphosing into something more sinister. According to the statement:- The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) group which has posed to be a security challenge in the country, has been metamorphosing from one stage to the other. After due professional analysis and recent developments, it has become expedient, to notify the general public that; the claim by IPOB actors that the organisation is non-violent is not true. Hence, the need to bring to public awareness the true and current state of IPOB. 2. Formation of a Biafra Secret Service also counts as one of IPOBs many sins and another reason for the terrorist designation, the army says. 3. The army says IPOB has formed an armed Biafra national guard. 4. The army accuses IPOB of unauthorised blocking of public access roads and extortion of money from innocent civilians at illegal road blocks. 5. Militant possession and use of weapons (stones, molotov cocktails, machetes and broken bottles, among others) on a military patrol on Sept. 10, 2017, is yet another reason for the proscription, says the army. 6. Physical confrontation of troops by Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB actors at a check point on Sept. 11, 2017 and also attempt to snatch their rifles, the statement from the army also reads. 7. The army also lists the attack by IPOB members on a military check point on Sept. 12, 2017, at Isialangwa, where one IPOB actor attempted to snatch a female soldiers rifle. Source: Naijaloaded It looks like Genevieve Nnaji has confirmed rumours that she secretly married her beau recently after visiting Portugal by flaunting her wedding ring on social media. The actress was on September 12 alleged to have married her man in a secret ceremony after a picture of the actress and friends surfaced online with Genevieve spotting a wedding ring. Many of her friends in the industry have taken to her page to congratulate her on the massive step. Kenyan socialite and escort, Vera Sidika had officers of the Lagos police command to thank last night after claiming her ex boyfriend sent thugs to beat her up at a night club. Ver sidika took to her snapchat to reveal the incident and accused Yomi for sending thugs to beat her up. She wrote; Thank God for police escort and a great person beside me. Im blessed..im okay..safe and sound. Son of a bitch sending boys to beat me up at a club. U must be saying she is lucky nah, im blessed..i will just sit & watch karma deal with you. The boys u sent were very nice to me cos of the respect they have for the person i was with and they told him everything. exposed all your details and plan.They even called you in front of him to tell you they cant do the job again!FOOL! You couldnt harm me in Dubai cause you know its straight to jail! But because you believe Nigeria has no law. You thought to yourself sent boys to club to beat me. Oh boy ! u forgot i had police escort. Gistreel A fisherman, identified as Salongo Christopher Kityo operating at Gerege landing site, in Nalugala Parish, Katabi Town Council, Uganda has been arrested for defiling his 11-year-old daughter (names with held). The accused was allegedly caught pants down by his 26-year-old wife on Tuesday defiling the child, a pupil at Cherish Uganda primary school. Kityo and his wife, Lydia Namiiro are both HIV positive. Namiiro returned home from a vigil in the neighborhood in the wee hours of Tuesday morning and on entering the house, she found the man naked with a lot of booze on his head after drinking a lot of beer throughout the night, Entebbe News reported. The 11-year-old girl who had been defiled immediately told the mum that she was in serious pain after the Dad had defiled her. The woman informed the neighbours who in turn contacted the OC Mpala Police Post Joseph Sekitoleko. Sekitoleko rushed to the scene and whisked away Salongo Christopher Kityo to Entebbe Grade B Hospital after the locals beat him up and sustained several injuries including a swollen head. Namiiro who is said to be the breadwinner by doing odd jobs including fetching firewood and washing clothes for people, narrated that her little girls have confided in her that their dad has been sexually molesting them for a long time. She revealed that the eldest girl who was born HIV Negative contracted the virus from Kityo and she is currently on Antiretroviral drugs with her mum. Nalongo disclosed that Salongo adamantly refused to start the antiretroviral ARV treatment and only spends most of his time smoking opium and marijuana in addition to boozing. The little girl who was defiled was also rushed to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for treatment to avoid contracting the HIV/AIDS Virus. Meanwhile, Kityo who has been charged to court for aggravated defilement denied has denied the accusation, claiming that his wife carefully planned the whole incident in order to grab his plot of land. Source: (Punch Newspaper ) Ukraine needs to strengthen fight against corruption and continue reforms, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Suma Chakrabarti has said. "Ukraine has to do much more to strengthen the rule of law and respect for property rights, as well as strengthen fight against corruption, the biggest obstacle on the way of return to investments that ensure further development. This corruption prevents withdrawing the economy from the shadows," he said at the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy in Kyiv. The banker noted it is necessary to continue reforms, in particular strengthen the banking system, continue changes in Naftogaz and carry out land reform. "Ukraine must achieve stable development, for this it is necessary to dismantle the latest obstacles to investment in Ukraine, improve the business climate. I will say even more, Ukraine does not have such a luxury to postpone reforms any more. It is necessary to restructure the economy today," the EBRD president said. Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has confirmed the gradual withdrawal of soldiers from the streets of Abia State starting from Friday. This was confirmed by the governor on a programme on Channels Television, the governor made the announcement on Thursday during a press briefing on the security situation in the state. Mr. Ikpeazu does not have any control over the army and would have to seek the support of President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve that; a move, Channels Television reported, the governor plans to do on Friday. The Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, a brigadier general could not be reached for confirmation as at press time. The Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division of the Army, Musa Sagir, however told PREMIUM TIMES that only the governor could clarify what he meant. Abia State has been embroiled in violence following a clash between the Nigerian Army and the members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB. The military had announced the commencement of its Operation Python Dance 2 in the South-east which has led to unrest in Abia State with soldiers clashing with members of IPOB members. Abia is a main base and home of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. A detachment of the Nigerian Army had been present around the home of the IPOB leader on Tuesday, creating heightened tension with members of the group only days after soldiers clashed with them while trying to gain access to the groups leaders house on Sunday. While IPOB supporters said that soldiers had tried to gain access into Mr. Kanus resident in Umuahia and shot at IPOB members, the army dismissed the claims and said the soldiers had been attacked with stones while passing around the residence in a new armoured carrier. The unrest in the state has however prompted Governor Ikpeazu to declare a three-day dusk to dawn curfew which he later extended till Friday. I brought her to Benin City 4 years ago where we had a plan in creating this factory in Edo to create jobs. We felt that the human hair business was a billion dollar business and we could tap into the market. We visited the former SSG professor Julius Ihonvbere who also lived and worked in Austin Texas before moving to Nigeria to share some of this ideas with him. Off course politicians never take investors seriously. He didnt give us the link we needed. Visited Elizabeth Ativie, Madams Ronke and others movers & shakers. I took her to ITV and other media platform for interviews. Everything was going successful until i introduced her to shady politicians like Eseohe Adams who was a former executive director to Adams Oshomole and the GANI family who was an Aide to Oshomole. They confused her and labeled me as a bad guy who do not have the capacity to invest but scam her and killed her dreams, before I knew it, my friend Tee will not tell me her whereabouts anymore. She will ride in conveys with the GANIs to Auchi for political occasions and other places. Sadly at the end, she got pregnant here in Nigeria and I am very sure to one of the Edo politicians and finally moved back to the US. Today she is dead. Truly, she is a great person. This particular picture to your left was taken inside one of my vehicle in Benin on our way to an interview on ITV. May your soul rest in peace my dear friend until we meet again!! There is an uneasy calm in the Senate wing of the National Assembly as most legislators are gearing up for an epic showdown against its leadership under Bukola Saraki. Members of the upper chambers have declared war on the leadership as a result of the continuous delay in the payment of allowances by the National Assembly bureaucracy, The Sun exclusively reports. It was learnt that the last minute postponement of the resumption announced by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, was to give the leadership of the Senate time to calm frayed nerves of members who besieged the office of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and that of his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. Senators, it was authoritatively gathered, were unhappy with the senate president and other principal officers over the repeated delay in the payment of their allowances. Some senators told Daily Sun that they were paid their paltry August salaries before the Sallah break, adding that the juicy allowances which run into millions of naira were frequently delayed. For instance, the lawmakers said they were yet to receive their August allowances, despite the fact that the money had been lodged into a new generation bank as at August 30. Three lawmakers who spoke with a correspondent in separate interviews, but did not want their names mentioned, said they were already gearing up to confront the Senate leadership next Tuesday at plenary, before the one week postponement was suddenly announced on Wednesday. One of the lawmakers who hails from one of the states in the South South, claimed that the delay in the payment of their monthly allowances has become a reccurring practice and threatened that lawmakers had already resolved to challenge Saraki. He insinuated that the resumption date was postponed for fears that angry lawmakers could spring up surprises at plenary. The senator said though he did not acquire a loan from a commercial bank to fund his election in 2015, his colleagues who were yet to pay off their debts were on the verge of losing their property, which they used as collateral. Another lawmaker said over 70 per cent of senators did not travel to their respective constituencies during the long break because of the delay in the payment of their salaries and allowances. He said some of the lawmakers besieged offices of principal officers during the week to demand for explanations on why their outstanding allowances were yet to be paid. Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi could not be reached for comments. One of his aides, who responded, said his principal was currently indisposed. But when contacted, media adviser to the Senate President, Yusuf Olaniyonu, said the alleged delay was not the fault of his principal, adding that the Ministry of Finance was in charge of releases. He, however, dispelled claims that the shift in the resumption date was to buy time and appease aggrieved senators. The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari is set to leave Nigeria for the United States where he will meet with US President Donald Trump. President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja on Sunday for New York, to join other world leaders at the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 72). He will also have a lunch meeting with President Donald Trump, during the trip. According to a statement by Femi Adesina, the special adviser on media and publicity, the high point of the Presidents visit will be his participation in the General Debate during which he will deliver the countrys National Statement. The theme for this years Debate is: Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. President Buhari will join other world leaders at the welcoming reception to be hosted by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and also hold a bilateral meeting with the UN scribe. Equally, the Nigerian leader will hold a lunch meeting with President Donald Trump of the United States of America, along with other world leaders. During the General Assembly, Nigeria will participate in high level meetings on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: Building Momentum for Change, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, a High Level Event organized by the African Union under its Theme of the Year: Roadmap on the Demographic Dividend: from Commitment to Action, among others. At the events, President Buhari and members of his delegation will strive to project Nigeria as a strong moral force and responsible member of the international community. Nigerias commitment to global peace, security and development will also be reaffirmed and where necessary, the need for increased international cooperation in the fight against corruption. Other priorities for the Nigerian delegation at UNGA 72 include strengthening human rights institutions; the rule of law; support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of terrorist acts and recent flooding, and mitigating the effects of Climate Change. The Nigerian delegation will also canvass the support of UN member states for the Buhari Administrations efforts towards combatting illicit financial flows in order to foster sustainable development. The President will be accompanied by the governors of Zamfara, Ebonyi and Ondo States, and key cabinet ministers. President Buhari will transit through London on his way back to the country. National Youth Service Corps can be fun and exciting yet a great time to define your goals in life, a time to build relationship, or any number of other things. It is a step closer to real life when there are pitfalls and landmines along the way that can derail one on the path to fulfilling your dreams and careers in life. There are some major dark sides of National Youth Service scheme which are pathetic, thinking of various abnormalities participants are brewing on a daily basis which are 1. Having secret love affairs with students Some male corps members are nothing but paedophiles as they are fond of taking advantage of the innocence of students entrusted with them to gain sexual gratification. Its very disgraceful to see male corps members jubilating when posted to primary/ secondary schools because they know they stand a very good chance of sleeping with girls that are below the age of consent. This is the height of stupidity being perpetuated by some male corps members and thats what some of them spend their time doing for a whole year then they return back home the same way they left. 2. Extravagant spending/ lack of saving culture Spending recklessly, lavishly and ostentatiously on irrelevant things are common traits among some corpers of today. They eat with their two hands, go into debts and will still demand more money from home. In fact, even their khakis and jungle boots can easily be recognized by every beer palour in their environment where they normally have rendezvous. These are people who will return back home empty handed after their service year after which they will begin to constitute nuisance in the society by becoming IPOB and Afonja when joblessness hit them. 3. Lusting after ladies Its not new to us that some male corps members are fond of chasing and sleeping with both village and rural girls out of NYSC exuberance. In fact, I, Tosyne2much, have even witnessed a scenario when a male corps member sighted his crush by and quickly dashed into his room to change into his khaki and jungle boot so that the girl will know hes a serving corper. Some of them impregnate these girls in the process and will head to NYSC secretariat for redeployment to another state in other to avoid shame and embarrassment. This is how notorious some guys can be and thats how curses follow them anywhere they go. 4. Married/Engaged Woman disguising themselves as single ladies in orientation camps Many of us must have seen married and engaged women stupidly falling in love with random guys in orientation camps because of stomach infrastructure at mami market. These are ladies who find it difficult to their hold body for three weeks in the absence of their husbands/boyfriends. I remember when I was serving in Kano in 1995, a married woman and a guy were caught doing it on parade ground and were both sent packing. 5. Stupidly falling in love with play boys Most ladies, if not all, get carried away by the euphoria of NYSC and thats why theres a high possibility of losing your girlfriend the moment she goes for service. This is the time they cohabit and flirt with anything that has two legs since their boyfriends are out of sight. They can even flirt with rifraffs such as native doctors and palm wine tappers forgetting they have boyfriends somewhere, and at the end of the day, they return home with syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital herpes, trichomoniasis, HIV/AIDS, etc. 6. Rebel against native laws No matter how some rules seem to be old-fashioned, corpers should endeavour to pay obedience to them especially those that are serving in villages or Shari estates. It has been observed that some corps members usually rebel against what they deem to be outdated laws because they feel theyre too educated to obliged to them and thats how many of them invite problems into their lives. E.g sleeping with peoples wives, oro festival, etc. 7. Picking pockets and stealing Some corpers are notorious thieves who exhibit their stealing prowess in orientation camps and have been caught vandalizing people bags just to steal their money, phones, chargers, clothes, caps etc; and when they get caught and excommunicated from camp, they put the blame on their village people who dont even know their Call-up numbers. That was how a corper vandalized my bag and stole the three packs of Gold circle condom I took to camp and left me stranded. 8. Sleeping with NYSC Officials to get posted to juicy places So many female corps members have been caught sleeping ladies with soldiers, camp commandants, gate men and photographers with the hope of being posted to juicy places. At the end of the day, they still get posted to ridiculous places where they have no access to light, water and network 9. Not allowing the service year to pass through them First degree is now gradually fading out as employers believe it is no longer enough to equip you for a competitive labour marker and thats you must have something special to offer that will give you an added edge instead of expecting people to bow their heads for you because you think you have a Bsc. Many corps members dont consider going out of their ways to add to their knowledge but only fantasize about how they will work in Chevron after their service year. 10. Pride Making friends and meeting new people right from the basic orientation exercise in camp increases peoples chances of getting connected to the right people. Getting acquainted with the right people can be very resourceful because they may be very useful in your job search. Some corps members remain stagnant not because they are not resourceful but because they are too proud and pompous. They feel they are above any other person therefore they dont see themselves mingling and discussing with people that can help their situation. Two picaros in Lagos have been indicted in a case of robbery with a toy gun with their case being heard in the court of law. Two men, Ahmed Ogunjimi and Rasidi Abiola, who allegedly broke into some houses and robbed residents of their valuables with a toy gun, were on Friday arraigned in an Ikeja Magistrates Court in Lagos. The accused, Ogunjimi, 30, a bricklayer and Abiola, 29, an auto mechanic, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr J.A. Adigun, on a three-count of conspiracy, burglary and stealing. The accused, both residents of Alausa, Ikeja, however, pleaded not guilty and were admitted to a bail of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum. Adigun said the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government. According to the prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Awase, the accused committed the offences on Sept. 1 at 2am on Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja. He said the accused and others still at large, who were armed with a toy gun, conspired to burgle the apartments of Messers Uchenna Oluigbo, Lawrence Oyinda and Yusuf Abubakar. The accused broke into the houses of the complainants and carted away their property. They threatened to shoot the complainants with the gun if they refused to comply and out of fear, the complainants cooperated. The accused stole different types of phones, gold necklaces, cash from the complainants which values were yet to be ascertained, Awase said. According to the prosecutor, the men were arrested by the vigilance group of the community. The accused were arrested while others escaped with the stolen items. The police discovered that the gun in their possession is a wooden toy gun, Awase told the court. The offences contravened Sections 287, 307 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015(Revised). The accused may be jailed seven years if found guilty, according to the provisions of Section 307. The case was adjourned until Sept. 28 for mention. The Rivers State chapter of the ,All Progressives Congress, has faulted the allegation by the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police was behind kidnappings and armed robberies in the state. The state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said, Ordinarily, the APC has no business involving in any matter between the governor and any other entity, but in the instant case and even in previous related cases, the governor has either alluded to or expressly stated that the APC benefited from whatever allegations he raised against the police or particularly the SARS. From all indications, the governors accusation on (Wednesday) that members of SARS abducted some persons and forced them to withdraw N500, 000 is manifestly cooked up to directly smear members of the SARS and their Commander, Akin Fakorede, who is known to have resisted every advances made by the governor to compromise the officer. We recall that Governor Wike has never hidden his disdain for the SARS Commander due to the officers principled and professional stance in rejecting the governors baits in the past two years. Governor Wike seems to have sworn to have Akin Fakorede compromised or transferred out of Rivers State to pave the way for a replacement that may play ball with him. He said the state APC considered Wednesdays accusation against t SARS, as malevolent, mischievous. He alleged that the intention was to mask the next phase of killings by some persons loyal to the governor. The APC spokesman in the state also decried Wikes silence on the issue of the Indigenous People of Biafra, adding that while Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State had declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew, Wike had not done anything. But the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Samuel Nwanosike, described the APCs defence of SARS barely 24 hours after the governors declaration as an indication that the APC was sponsoring violent crime in the state through SARS. Explaining that Wikes claim that SARS was behind the kidnappings and armed robberies in the state was incontrovertible and with evidence, Nwanosike said it was shocking that while the police had yet to respond to the allegations against them by the governor, the APC decided to come to their defence. Nwanosike said, From the position of the APC, the PDP has been vindicated that they (the APC members) are part of the crime. Instead of the SARS Commander (Fakorede) to react to their action that led to the killing of a police inspector, it is the APC that is reacting. It shows that Akin Fakorede is being sponsored by the APC in the state. We will not allow this matter to be swept under the carpet the way the issue of the printing of election result sheets was swept under the carpet. The inspector that was shot is a policeman. His wife is also a police woman attached to Elekahia Police Division. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Ukrainians believe corruption can not be overcome, and authorities need to show more specific cases of overcoming corruption and punishing those responsible, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International Ukraine has said. "We need more examples of defeated corruption, even the future of the current government depends on whether they can present the facts of overcoming and punishing corruption to society. If there is an opinion in society that corruption is invincible, then people will more easily succumb to corruption," Yurchyshyn said in Kyiv on Thursday at a briefing dedicated to the festival "Cinema against Corruption." He also said that the number of Ukrainians who do not believe in the possibility of overcoming corruption in the country has increased. "Today, corrupt officials are not punished, except for petty officials. And the number of people who do not believe that corruption as a whole can be punished has increased. If in 2013, 80% of Ukrainians believed that the government could not defeat corruption, then for today this number increased to 86%. This is the number of people who do not see the results of the fight against such a phenomenon, although there are much more achievements in this sphere," Yurchyshyn said. The representative of the organization also said that 38% of Ukrainians directly faced corruption, that is, they were required to pay a bribe or they had to pay bribes. "Media forms an opinion, so it's important to show the facts of punished major corruption acts. Even former President Yanukovych is being tried today in the case of state treason, not corruption," he said. The festival "Cinema against corruption" started in Kyiv on September 14. Within the framework of the festival, screening of investigative films from Ukrainian journalists will take place. The program also included six European films exploring the nature of corruption. All the displays are free. Except for Kyiv, they will also be demonstrated in Kryvy Rih, Poltava, Severodonetsk, Zhytomyr and Zaporozhia. "Corruption exists not only in Ukraine, but all over the world. The festival includes different formats and video screening in different regions, so we expect different discussions, discussion of the challenges that corruption poses to society," Goethe-Institut representative in Ukraine Katharina Gorig said. Inside Self-Storage (ISS) has released its 2017 Top-Operators Lists, ranking the industrys top 100 facility owners and top 50 third-party management companies by net rentable square feet. The lists include facility and brand owners, independents and property-management firms. The data also features contact information, expansion plans, and each companys number of locations and units. The lists are featured in the October issue of ISS magazine and available online. The Top-Operators List has historically been issued as a single top-100 ranking by total square footage. ISS has broken the data into separate rankings for owned and managed square feet this year to reduce the potential for square-footage redundancy that can occur when using only total square-footage figures for all companies in a single list. A more robust version of the list data is available at the Inside Self-Storage Store. The 2017 package includes the complete Top-Operators Lists in Excel format as well as a 26-page PDF companion comprising a five-page analytical report of the list results and a full representation of the rankings in easy-to-read format. For the third consecutive year, the lists feature data on owned vs. managed self-storage facilities for companies that do both, with breakouts for number of facilities, units and square footage for each. The report portion of the PDF analyzes growth, decline and general movement among this year's final list participants. It also identifies companies in aggressive growth mode, others that are scaling back, and new up-and-comers in the business. Previous lists for 2012 through 2016 are also available for purchase. The Top-Operators Lists are compiled annually by ISS. Participation is voluntary and open to all self-storage operators. To be considered for the 2018 list, self-storage operators can complete the online form. For more than 26 years, ISS has provided informational resources for the self-storage industry. Its educational offerings include ISS magazine, the annual ISS World Expo, an extensive website, the ISS Store, and Self-Storage Talk, the industrys largest online community. Update 11/10/17 10 Federal has acquired Superior Self Storage in Asheboro, N.C., with the intent to convert the facility to an unmanned, automated location. The property at 1825 N. Fayetteville St. is the companys third purchase. Similar to the others, itll be transformed by the addition of an automated kiosk and rental center, as well as the use of call-center services, according to a press release. The deal closed on Oct. 31. The company also announced its nearing completion on the automation of its Chapel Hill South location. In addition to installing a suite of technologies, 10 Federal has paved the drive aisles, the release stated. The company continues to look for acquisition opportunities and is finalizing agreements on two off-market transactions expected to grow its portfolio to five properties, officials said. 9/15/17 Diversified real estate firm 10 Federal has acquired Green Cube Self Storage in Chapel Hill, N.C. The property at 128 McGhee Road is the second transaction completed through the companys acquisition fund launched earlier this year. The deal closed on Sept. 7, according to a press release. In keeping with its acquisition strategy, 10 Federal intends to convert the Chapel Hill property to a fully automated facility. It has also planned enhancements including fresh paint for the storage-unit doors and new paving for the drive aisles. The company also announced it has completed renovations at its Belmont, N.C., facility, the first storage property acquired through the fund. It has a purchase agreement to buy a third facility and issued a letter of intent for a fourth, the release stated. 10 Federal is using the fund to target storage properties throughout the Southeast, with a concentration in North Carolina. Based in Raleigh, N.C., 10 Federal acquires, develops and manages multi-family and self-storage properties in North Carolina. It now has five self-storage facilities in its portfolio. Integrating technology into its operation is a core tenet of the business, according to the company website. Lucan ON (September 14, 2017)- For the past two seasons Trevor Collver has had tremendous success in the Great Canadian Race weekend at Delaware Speedway. The most prestigious event of the speedway schedule, the event features all weekly divisions of Delaware Speedway, and the United Late Model tour. Collver will compete in the Ground Masters Super Stocks, which is the speedways most competitive weekly series. Friday, the teams will qualify and compete in a 25 lap feature, and Saturday the Super Stocks take to the track again for a 50 Lap main event. In 2015 Collver took the feature win in front of the big crowd on hand. The following day, Collver sat out the second day event in favour of competing for in the APC United Late model event. In 2016, Collver fought off a charging Brandon McFerran to take the checkered flag again for the second straight year. That puts on a lot of pressure for the driver of the Inventory Express #1 Camaro for this weekend. Admittedly, 2017 has been a struggle and have not had the on track success that was expected. A new chassis was unveiled this year and the team just could not get it dialed in. After a recent test session, there was optimism. The crew was able to find some gremlins and the car has come back to life. Will Trevor Collver kick off the Great Canadian Race weekend again with a win? The Great Canadian Race Weekend starts on Friday September 15 and continues on Saturday September 16 for all Delaware Speedway Weekly Divisions. The Super Stocks, V8 Stocks, Trucks, Bone Stocks. Race of Champions (ROC) Modifieds, and the APC United Late Model Series will all be on track this weekend. Racing on Friday starts at 7:30pm and Saturday at 3:00pm. Advance tickets are still available at www.delawarespeedway.com. Trevor Collver racing will be on track this weekend thanks to our marketing partners Inventory Express Lubricants, Carter Trucking, Fix Auto-collision. Minuteman press London north, Hodgins custom service, D-k equipment, Nationwide oil Spray, Mark Kennedy Trucking, Outback tire shack. G&L automotive. Dave Collver auto care, Melrose garage. Novus Glass, Wilds Printing, Collver towing, and Sissios Pizza London. Check out our promotional video for this weekend and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TrevorCollverMotorsports. From: Jared Doxtator/ Media- Trevor Collver Motorsports Hrynevych agrees on cooperation with ambassadors in implementation of language article on education law Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine Lilia Hrynevych at a meeting with the ambassadors has agreed on cooperation in the implementation of the language article in the law on education. "We have agreed on cooperation on the plan for the implementation of an article on the language in the education law," she said at a press conference in Kyiv on Friday following a meeting with ambassadors accredited in Ukraine. Hrynevych also said that the heads of diplomatic missions were provided explanations on Article 7 on the language article in the education law. The forthcoming decision is the result of a year of consultation with industry and consumer groups over how asset managers charge workplace pension schemes for transactions. The U.K.s financial markets regulator will announce on Wednesday whether it has decided to cap transaction charges that fund firms levy on workplace pension schemes. The Financial Conduct Authority has been researching how fund firms charge pension schemes for trading, withdrawing cash, or switching funds for the past year after the regulator published a consultation paper on the issue in 2016. It will unveil its policy statement on September 20. While the investigation has been broadly applauded by investor groups as a step toward transparency, some senior investment industry figures have raised concerns that a proposed breakdown of specific transaction costs may lead trustees to assess value by looking only at costs. [II Deep Dive: Few U.K. Pension Trustees Understand Manager Fees] Johan Cras, managing director at Dutch asset manager Kempen Capital Management, says a similar investigation conducted by the Dutch regulator in 2011 led to criticism of some pension funds because performance levels and asset classes were not being considered alongside the costs. This is about relativity, he tells Institutional Investor. If you search for [a return profile of] gilts +3 percent, your investment fees will be higher than gilts plus 0.5 percent. What is the impact of using active or passive and what is the impact of your investment horizon on your cost? Cras urges the FCA to consider a broader conclusion where it acknowledges that fees might be higher in certain circumstances, warning of the consequences of focusing on cost alone. We have gone through this experience for the past six years in the Netherlands, he says. If the industry doesnt take care, the communication might be detrimental to the investment management industry and the pension industry as a whole. Cras also urges an approach that looks beyond trading fees to include other charges for administration, custody, accountancy, governance and investment management. Caroline Escott, the policy lead for investment and defined benefit at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association, agrees that a proportionate approach to interpretation was important. We were particularly concerned that sometimes a pension scheme needs to undertake an investment strategy that requires a lot of turnover in a portfolio which incurs a lot of transaction costs, she says. If there is a cap introduced, that could limit the investment strategies that schemes undertake. While it is important that costs remain as low as possible, it needs to be done in a proportionate manner. Lloyds is now eligible to operate in Casablanca Finance City (CFC) and stands to enjoy attractive tax incentives.Citing Moroccan newspaper lEconomiste, The North Africa Post said Lloyds has obtained CFC status following months of talks.The CFC Status, created by Law No. 44-10 as amended and completed by Law 68-12, is a label giving access to an attractive package of advantages. These advantages include tax incentives, foreign exchange control facilities, and other benefits for doing business facilitation, said CFC on its website.Aside from Lloyds, over 100 international firms have been listed to be part of the five-year-old financial centre in Morocco described as a gateway to Africa. Allianz , for instance, has also been granted CFC status for its African financial services subsidiary called Marofinac. Other companies that have obtained CFC status include AIG , BNP Paribas, and the Boston Consulting Group.To be eligible, certain criteria have to be met. Among them is that the interested entity must belong to one of these four categories: financial Institutions, regional headquarters of multinational firms, professional services providers, and holding companies.CFC is the first African financial centre to make the ranking of the Global Financial Centres Index. If youre not already broking niche insurance, start looking for your new specialty coverage. Why? Because niche brokers make more money, their agencies are more profitable, more valuable, and and this might be the kicker they enjoy their work more. In fact, specializing in a niche is near-enough a do-or-die decision in the current marketplace, said Kevin Stipe, president of Reagan Consulting. Simply put, finding your niche is the thing that could save your business. Celebrate excellence in insurance. Join us at the Insurance Business Awards in Chicago on October 26. Its pretty darn important in todays world, he said. If youre a generalist battling a bunch of specialists, thats a uniquely horrible position to be in, competitively. Plus, in the current M&A market, potential buyers will pick a specialist over a generalist every time, Stipe said. A specialist firm is more valuable to a buyer because its already performing better than its peers, its growing faster, its more profitable and buyers will pay a higher multiple for specialty firms because they believe the prospects are better than they are for a generalist firm, he said. This has been a trend thats been going on for a long time. But now, with the advent of the technology investments that are going on in our industry, we are about to see an accelerated move towards agencies specializing. In small towns or rural areas, Stipe conceded, generalist agencies can thrive with less competition. But in a crowded market, differentiation is key. Ultimately, he said, the generalist is going to become a dinosaur. ... Gone are the days of just relying on a customer stream to turn up at your office door, said Brent Kelly, an insurance consultant with Sitkins Group in Illinois. Customers want expertise they want to know the broker knows about their interests and knows about protecting them. Specialists get paid more for a reason because they know more about a specific industry and they get closer to a specific industry and they emotionally connect with a specific industry. You want to work with a broker who is good at something and is known for being good at it, Kelly said. When you look at survive or thrive, there are a lot of agencies that will be able to survive without having a niche but I really do believe that for any agency to truly thrive, to really ramp up revenue numbers, theyre going to have to be known for something. So, if youre reading this and are looking to create yourself a niche, what should you do? Kelly said many generalist agencies considering change may, in fact, already feed a niche within their business it might just be a matter of zeroing in on what youre inadvertently already winning. What kind of industry and clients do you like to deal with? You may already have a niche or two or three if you actually comb through your book of business, he explained. Youve got to make sure youve got the markets that support you. [But] if you are passionate about a niche and you like to learn about it, then work becomes kind of fun. You deal with the right people, you target the right clients, you make more profit. At the end of the day, you get paid more and you enjoy what youre doing. Sean Thompson, president of Dolphin Insurance Services, a niche marine brokerage in Burnaby, British Columbia, knows the benefits of working in a niche you love. Insurance is pretty boring, right? But insuring boats, oh man, its cool, he said. There are so many different types of boats. And when that phone rings, you have no idea whos going to be on the line. It could be this diesel-stinking guy with a broken-down tugboat, or it could be somebody with a $4 million yacht. It just became cool for me. If youre passionate about something and people enjoy talking to you, then word gets out there. Were boaters ourselves. And now people flock to us theyre not happy with the service theyre getting from their regular broker, because this is such a specialized market. Aside from loving his work, niche insurance has additional positives, Thompson said. Because were niche, were not a threat to any other brokers, he noted. So a broker that is insuring [a clients] business, their house, their car, and then they hear, And Im buying a $2.5 million boat theyll phone us up and say, can you look after this client with the understanding that Im not going to start sneaking in and stealing all that other business from behind the scenes. At a point a few years back, as business began to grow, Thompson said the company flirted with offering more general products to their clients. But that involved competing with other brokers and trying to steal business, and it didnt work out. So, instead, he took the company further niche. And its worked out for the brokerage, he said: Underwriters are [now] coming to us trying to get us to sell their niche products that they cant seem to get into the market but which they know is a good product. So were like, To hell with the house insurance, auto anybody can sell that. Lets find products that people come to us for. And its working. Its working real well. Related stories: AJG boss Pat Gallagher on global growth, bad acquisitions and ballpark hotdogs Market Analysis: when is the PE investment bubble going to burst? As reported yesterday, Munich Re has sounded off about the possibility of its third quarter profits being wiped out by the recent hurricanes in the US. Now the Financial Times is saying this is just the beginning of a surge of bad news.Citing Meyer Shields, analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, the report said reinsurers like Munich Re stand to lose more, compared to primary insurers.With Florida being heavily reinsured, Shields noted: 50% to 75% of the losses will be borne by reinsurers. Every reinsurer will have significant losses.So it looks like Munich Re wont be alone. According to the report, Swiss Re , Hannover Re, Everest Re, Renaissance Re, Validus, and XL Group, as well as Lloyds of London insurers, are among the others to be hit.As for primary insurers, Shields said that among those facing huge bills are Federated National and Universal Insurance Holdings. Providers of motor cover and even a not-for-profit insurer are also likely to pay significant amounts.Whats interesting to note is the scope of cover, given the damage caused by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. As the report stressed, wind damage is normally covered by home insurance in the US; the same cannot be said for flood damage. With the inauguralon the horizon, excitement is growing and it has now been boosted even more with the announcement that the evenings opening red carpet function will be sponsored byWe couldnt be more thrilled to have RSG on board as our red carpet sponsor, said Mike Shipley, CEO of the IBA Americas organizer and Insurance Business publisher Key Media. Its the perfect combination really. Who better to sponsor the opening moments for an evening devoted to the best of the insurance business than one of the industrys true superstar organizations?An international specialty insurance organization that provides innovative solutions for brokers, agents and insurance carriers, RSG has been at the forefront of specialty risk solutions since its inception in 2010, with operations based in North America, the UK and Europe.Offering both a wholesale brokerage operation ( RT Specialty ) and a collection of managing general underwriting companies within RSG Underwriting Managers (RSGUM), RSG has been one of the decades most inspiring industry success stories.Commenting on Ryan Specialty Groups sponsorship, Pat Ryan, founder, chairman and CEO of RSG, remarked: The insurance industry is filled with opportunity for people to explore their creativity and to reach their potential. We salute Insurance Business for honoring the best of the best in our industry and are pleased to support the inaugural IBAs America.Taking place in October, the IBAs America showcase the years greatest insurance achievements. Thousands of insurance sector professionals have already cast their votes in 23 separate awards categories, nominations for which closed in early September.This lavish, must-attend ceremony is held at Chicagos Navy Pier on October 26, hosted by TV superstar Alfonso Ribeiro, who first leapt to fame in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.Tickets for the event can be purchased here Save the date for thein association with red carpet sponsors a night of reward and recognition for an industry were proud to support. Grocery-store chain Trader Joes is suing its insurance company for allegedly failing to completely cover the damage when one of the chains New Jersey stores was destroyed in a snowstorm last year.According to the lawsuit, Selective Fire and Casualty Insurance Company paid nearly $1.8 million on the claim, but refused to cover basic and essential parts of the new building like windows, doors, bathrooms and fire alarms.The grocery chain is asking for the amount Trader Joes is entitled to receive under the policy, the lawsuit said. The company asked for that amount to be determined at trial, according to a report by NJ.com.According to NJ.com, the land and building occupied by the store were owned by a company called 155 Elm Street LLC, which leased the space to Trader Joes. The contract required 155 Elm Street to provide a building and replace any interior work damaged by a storm, the lawsuit claimed. 155 Elm Street purchased property insurance from Selective to cover that risk.According to the lawsuit, after the store was destroyed by a winter storm, Selective refused to cover the complete building, excluding the costs of air conditioning, wiring, smoke detectors and other basic items, NJ.com reported. The insurer offered to pay $347,000 post-deductible less than a fifth of the cost of replacing the building, the lawsuit claimed.Three months after the new store opened, Selective offered to pay almost $1.8 million based on its estimate of rebuilding costs, NJ.com reported. However, that amount still excluded the costs of about 16 crucial parts of rebuilding, such as drywall, gas service and a temporary heating system, according to Trader Joes.The lawsuit stated that 155 Elm Street assigned its claim against Selective to Trader Joes, but the insurer refused to meet with the grocery chains representatives. The mayor of Miami had some harsh words for the Trump administrations continued refusal to acknowledge climate change.Republican Mayor Tomas Regalado blasted Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt, who said last week that talking about climate change in connection with hurricanes Harvey and Irma was misplaced and insensitive.It is insensitive on his part, because I wish he would have been here when people ran from high-rises because of the storm surge, Regalado said during an interview with CNN. I wish he would have been here when we were told we were facing apocalyptic moments with a Cat-5 hurricane.While Hurricane Irma ultimately weakened and did not, as was originally feared, make a direct hit on Miami, insurers still estimate the insured losses from Irma and Harvey could top $70 billion. And Regalado said that he would like to tell President Donald Trump that it could have been even worse.I would tell the president, Mr. President, had we been hit on a direct wave by a Cat-5 in the city of Miami, you, sir, would now be worrying about the collapse of the insurance world as we know it in the United States, he said. We have the most exposed assets here. In the 14 miles of waterfront we have here, there are billions and billions of dollars (in property). A hundred thousand people only in Miami live on the waterfront. And we have Key Biscayne and Miami Beach. I would tell you that this is something thats not only about Miami its about the United States.Regalado said he didnt buy the idea that the one-two punch of Harvey and Irma was an anomaly.Im not a militant. Im not a national leader. Im not one of those people who obsesses about climate change, he told CNN. But I can tell you for a fact, that in my city, we have a problem. I am telling you that the water is higher and higher every year. The devastation caused by hurricanes Harvey and Irma highlights the problem of inadequate flood insurance in the United States, according to Lloyds.The insurance market believes reforms are needed to move more risk into the private sector. Currently, most flood risk is borne by the National Flood Insurance Program, a federal program that was already $23 billion in debt before Harvey and Irma slammed into the southern United States.The devastation caused by recent hurricanes is a reminder of the terrible costs of natural catastrophes, said Lloyds CEO Inga Beale. It also highlights the chronic issue of communities without insurance and without the means to rebuild their lives. We urgently need reform to the flood insurance market in the US to make these communities more resilient. All parties governments, the insurance industry and policyholders have a responsibility to do this.Beale said that as climate change played havoc with traditional weather patterns, insurers would have to find new ways to pay the rising costs.Thats why Lloyds is actively pursuing the further development of the private flood market in the US, which will help promote flood insurance and encourage more people to take up cover, she said. We need clear authorization from Congress for the private flood insurance market to allow the market to continue to grow and move more risk into the private sector. This will provide consumers with more choice and better coverage options in some cases. Independent adjusters in Florida might have their work cut out for them with numerous Hurricane Irma-related claims being filed but they look set to be compensated for their hard work with the regions increased pay rates.Due to a severe shortage of insurance adjusters in Florida, insurance companies in the region have been forced to hike adjusters rates. The consecutive occurrence of two major natural disasters Hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida was largely to blame for the shortage, as many adjusters were tapped to help policyholders in Texas first. The shortage of adjusters could potentially delay Floridas rebuilding efforts.To meet the strong demand for claims following Hurricane Irma, the states insurers are rushing to secure more of Americas 57,000 independent adjusters. The Wall Street Journal reported that some home insurers in the area have increased their fees by about 30%. In some cases, adjusters can earn up to $30,000 for evaluating a single complex property claim.Some insurers have gone out their way to help with the adjuster shortage in their own way. Major companies such as Liberty Mutual Insurance and Chubb have sent their in-house adjusters from all over the country to lend a hand in both Texas and Florida. Other small insurers that rely primarily on contract workers to assess claims are striving to get enough licensed professionals for the job.Florida is also speeding up paperwork to get more adjusters out on the field, The Wall Street Journal said.Our Department has taken steps to make the adjuster-appointment process as simple [as] possible for insurance companies, and our team is processing appointments at a rapid-fire pace in an effort to ensure that Floridians get swift handling of their post-storm claims, a spokeswoman with the Florida Department of Financial Services said.Insurance executives warned that the fee increases in Florida could eventually spill over to Texas.Theres a tug of war for adjusters said Crawford & Co. adjuster James Warren.Right now, anyone with a license to adjust claims can get a job and some company will try them out, Warren explained to The Wall Street Journal. Theyre paying more for adjusters to work Irma than theyve ever paid insurance adjusters, ever. Increased funding of emergency situation service among priorities of draft budget for 2018 Increasing the funding of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) is one of the priorities of the draft national budget for 2018, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "The issue of financing the SESU is one of the budget priorities for 2018," the Cabinet's press service quoted Groysman as saying. Groysman together with President Petro Poroshenko and Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov visited drills conducted by the State Emergency Situations Ministry, the Cabinet's press service said. According to him, the expenses that are included in the state budget for the financing of the SESU should be funneled into measures to improve the quality of the service. The Cabinet was scheduled to consider the draft national budget for 2018 on Friday, September 15. A number of restaurants and similar establishments in Minnesota have recently been served lawsuits that allege that they are in violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) a move that business owners in the area have described as a shakedown, or legalized extortion.Although Minnesota legislation was passed months ago to limit ADA lawsuits, a significant number of small businesses in St. Paul received legal notices last month informing them of their supposed violations. The lawyer responsible for many of the suits claimed that the businesses had 27 years (since the enactment of the ADA) to make their parking, restrooms, and entryways more accessible to PWDs.In light of all the publicity this has received, I find it harder and harder to accept pleas of ignorance by noncompliant business owners, lawyer Patrick Michenfelder of St. Michael told Pioneer Press.Many business owners chose to settle rather than fight.There were so many people that settled, I was really shocked, said Brenda Lamb, owner of Candyland in downtown St. Paul.Ive been in business 55 years; Ive never experienced anything like this, said David Leventhal, who owns Highland Parks Cecils Deli. Leventhal chose to settle one claim filed by a different lawyer, only to be served another. While he admits that his establishment is noncompliant with the ADA, he contended that the fixes needed for compliance are impossible.The lawsuits have already claimed one restaurant: the original Reds Savoy Pizza on St. Pauls East Seventh Street. The establishment recently settled an ADA suit, but with the passing of founder Earl Red Schoenheider, Reds closed shop for good while it was still trying to deal with compliance.Reed Daniels, company spokesman, said that for the restaurants building to meet ADA standards it would require renovations costing six figures something the founders children could not realistically pay for. Schoenheiders passing was the final nail in Reds coffin.During the last session, the legislature backed by business lobbyists and the state-run Council on Disability passed a law that said businesses must first receive a letter before being sued over ADA compliance. This would give those establishments 60 days to fix things before a lawsuit could be filed against them. The number of people without health insurance in Pennsylvania continues to decline, reaching what Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs office says is the lowest uninsured rate on record. U.S. Census Bureau data released this week shows Pennsylvanias 2016 uninsured rate at 5.6 percent, tied for the 12th lowest rate in the nation. Thats down from 9.7 percent in 2013 and 6.4 percent in 2015. The national uninsured rate was 8.6 percent last year. The Census Bureau estimates 700,000 Pennsylvanians lacked health insurance last year, about 500,000 fewer than in 2013. Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid in 2015 under the Obama administrations signature health care law, and Wolfs administration says more than 1.1 million Pennsylvanians are covered through the laws Medicaid expansion or individual policies sold through the Healthcare.gov exchange. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Pennsylvania Investigators are trying to determine what caused a fire that destroyed a large section of a northern New York motel in the heart of a popular Thousand Islands tourist destination. Officials say the fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Boardwalk Motel in the Jefferson County village of Alexandria Bay, on the St. Lawrence River 90 miles north of Syracuse. Firefighters from several local departments responded to the blaze, which destroyed a building that housed the office, a two-story structure containing suites and a pool house. Another section of the motel wasnt damaged. The motel was vacant at the time. No one was injured in the fire. The owners say people who have reservations for this weekend are being put up at other nearby hotels. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New York Hong Kong-based insurance giant AIA Group Ltd. has shown interest in buying Commonwealth Bank of Australias insurance business, which is likely to be valued at about $4 billion, people with knowledge of the matter said. Separately, Zurich Insurance Group AG has emerged as the final bidder for Australia and New Zealand Banking Groups life insurance and wealth business, valued at about $3 billion, the people said. While the official final deadline for offers for fourth-largest Australian lender ANZs insurance and wealth business was Friday, there was still a possibility of a few more bids coming in soon, one of the people told Reuters. Australia is an attractive market for foreign insurers such as Zurich and MetLife Inc because the population and economy are growing faster than in most other developed markets and the regulatory regime is stable, analysts have said. Local banks insurance units have also struggled amid growing competition from the pure-play and large foreign insurance companies and due to new regulations demanding increased capital buffers for their main banking operations. National Australia Bank, the countrys No.3 lender by assets, sold its 80 percent stake in its life insurance arm to Japans Nippon Life for A$2.4 billion ($1.9 billion) in a deal that closed late last year. ANZs insurance and wealth management unit sale outcome is expected to be announced within a month and CBAs is expected to take longer as more bidders are expected to join, the people with knowledge of the matter said. But there is no certainty that both transactions will proceed and be completed soon, one of the people said. Representatives at ANZ and CBA, as well as AIA and Zurich, all declined to comment. The people who have knowledge of the two divestment deals declined to be named as they were not allowed to discuss them in public. ANZs Australian insurance and wealth business reported a full-year cash profit of A$327 million for the year ended Sept. 30, 2016, down 24 percent from a year earlier, after significant restructuring and software charges. CBA said last month it was in talks to sell its life insurance business, although it did not name any potential buyer and added that the outcome of the negotiations was uncertain. CBA is being sued by Australias financial intelligence body over alleged widespread breaches of money laundering and counter terrorism financing laws. It is also facing a separate investigation by two regulatory bodies and a potential class action. ($1 = 1.2475 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee; additional reporting by Paulina Duran in Sydney, Jamie Freed in Singapore and Carolyn Cohn in London; editing by David Clarke and Susan Thomas) Topics Legislation Australia A former Illinois county board chairman who also previously worked for State Farm Insurance Co. as a consultant has been sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison after being convicted of a wire fraud scheme. In November, Matt Sorensen, 51, pleaded guilty to defrauding a Chicago consulting firm McKinsey and Co. of nearly $500,000, The Pantagraph reported. Navdeep Arora, a staffer at the company that work for State Farm, has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 18. Sorensen, a former McLean County Board chairman, was indicted in August 2015 on five wire fraud counts in connection with being an internal consultant for State Farm. Authorities said the fraud took place between 2003 and 2012. Sorensen stopped working with State Farm about three years ago and resigned his county board seat shortly after the indictment. I should have known better, Sorensen said. I did know better but I agreed to take it. Stuart Chanen, Sorensens attorney, said he and his client were pleased with the sentence. The judge took the whole person into account and the service Matt provided to the community over many, many years, Chanen said. Prosecutors had asked the judge to consider a more than 2-year sentence. Sorensen is required to report for federal custody Nov. 27. He must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence and will be on parole for a year after hes released. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Illinois Maurice Hank Greenberg, former chief executive of American International Group Inc., may pursue large parts of his defamation lawsuit against former New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, a New York state appeals court ruled. Wednesdays decision by the Appellate Division in Brooklyn, New York came seven months after Greenberg, 92, reached a $9 million settlement with Eric Schneiderman, the current state attorney general, of civil accounting fraud charges first brought by Spitzer in 2005. The complaint adequately stated that Spitzer acted with actual malice in criticizing Greenberg, hoping to damage Greenbergs reputation and career while bolstering his own, Justice Cheryl Chambers wrote for a four-judge panel. Greenberg and Spitzer were appealing a June 2014 lower court ruling letting Greenberg pursue part of his case. The appeals court restored some claims that Greenberg brought against his longtime nemesis. I look forward to proving the truthfulness of all the statements I have made about Hank Greenbergs behavior as CEO of AIG, Spitzer said in an email. A decade of legal obstructionism by Greenberg will not obscure the facts. David Boies, Greenbergs longtime lawyer, said in an email: We are, of course, pleased with the appellate courts decision, which will now permit Mr. Greenbergs claims to proceed to trial. Spitzer Statements The lawsuit arose from statements Spitzer made in television interviews in 2012 and a book, Protecting Capitalism Case By Case, in 2013. Greenberg said Spitzer falsely implicated him in fraud at AIG, and suggested he was removed or thrown out by the insurers board because of his role, among other allegations. The appeals court said Spitzers background as attorney general could have left people less skeptical and more willing to believe him, including when he told then-CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo that Hank Greenberg at AIG committed fraud. The record on that is indisputable. It said the lower court judge erred in dismissing claims over statements tying Greenbergs 2005 exit from AIG to fraud there, citing a lack of evidence of such a link. AIG in 2006 paid $1.64 billion to settle regulatory probes of its business practices. Two years later, it received what became a $182.3 billion federal bailout. In May, a federal appeals court said Greenbergs Starr International Co, a big AIG shareholder, had no legal right to challenge that bailout. Starr had sought more than $40 billion of damages for shareholders. After serving as attorney general, Spitzer was New Yorks governor for 15 months. He resigned in 2008 after being linked to a high-end prostitution ring. The case is Greenberg v Spitzer, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 2nd Department, No. 2014-07682. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Dan Grebler) Topics Legislation Fraud New York Leadership The U.S. Transportation Department unveiled a new policy that permits companies developing autonomous vehicles to self-police the technologys safety, a move that drew plaudits from automakers but criticism from safety advocates. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said the policy incorporates concerns raised by companies and others about initial guidance released by the Obama administration and will help the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration be flexible as self-driving vehicles develop. Chao said the voluntary guidelines are appropriate to support the technology that she said has the potential to reduce the more than 30,000 traffic fatalities in the U.S. each year and boost the economy by saving fuel and cutting time spent in traffic. Safety is a primary concern of the departments automated vehicle policy, Chao said in remarks at an autonomous vehicle testing site in Michigan. NHTSA will continue to exercise its defect, recall and enforcement authority, where appropriate, but the benefits of automated vehicle systems extend beyond safety. Self-Assessment NHTSA officials said the new policy asks companies to self-assess how theyre approaching self-driving safety using 12 subjects identified in the guidance and releasing it to the public on a voluntary basis. Thats a shift from the Obama administrations approach, which called on companies to provide those assessments to NHTSA. Both approaches are voluntary, yet the Obama proposal sparked industry concerns that safety regulators may limit introduction of the technology. Other changes include clarifying that companies dont need federal approval to test or deploy automated vehicles. The policy also applies to self-driving driving systems that require no human intervention while the automated system is in control, but does not cover so-called Level 2 driver-assist systems that need drivers to pay attention, as was the case in the Obama policy. Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, an independent watchdog group, said the Trump administrations changes weakened the original policy. The potential for successful deployment of the lifesaving technology that autonomous and automated vehicles can bring is at risk because this administration is choosing to provide no real guardrails to promote safety over shareholders, Levine said. State Patchwork The guidance was praised by automakers and industry groups who have called for federal authorities to assert a stronger role in self-driving vehicle policy to counteract an emerging patchwork of state rules. This federal guidance is helpful in advancing road safety and safe testing, while also providing more clarity on the role of state, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers said in a statement. The guidance provides the right balance, allowing emerging innovations to thrive while government still keeps a watchful eye over new developments. Safety and consumer advocates responded Tuesday by criticizing the new approach for being too hands-off. This isnt a vision for safety, John Simpson, director of Consumer Watchdogs Privacy Project, said in a statement. Its a roadmap that allows manufacturers to do whatever they want, wherever and whenever they want, turning our roads into private laboratories for robot cars with no regard for our safety. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Auto Three female former employees of Alphabet Inc.s Google filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the tech company of discriminating against women in pay and promotions. The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in California state court in San Francisco, comes as Google faces an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor into sex bias in pay practices. The lawsuit appears to be the first to make class action sex bias claims against Google, but is only the latest instance of a major tech company being accused of discriminating against women. The Department of Labor sued Oracle America Inc. in January, claiming it paid white men more than women and minorities with similar jobs. Microsoft Corp. and Twitter Inc. are facing sex bias lawsuits, and Qualcomm Inc. last year settled claims for $19.5 million. Plaintiffs say Google violated California laws requiring equal pay for similar work. Meanwhile, Uber Technologies Inc. in June said it would make a series of changes after a former engineer in a blog post accused the ride-hailing service of condoning rampant sexism. The plaintiffs in Thursdays lawsuit are a former Google software engineer, a former communications specialist and a former manager who worked in various roles at the Mountain View, California-based company. They say Google pays women in California less than men who perform similar work, and assigns female workers jobs that are less likely to lead to promotions. While Google has been an industry-leading tech innovator, its treatment of female employees has not entered the 21st century, Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the women, said in a statement. Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano denied the claims in a statement. She said employment decisions are made by hiring and promotion committees, and are vetted to make sure there is no gender bias. If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees, she said. The plaintiffs say Google violated California laws requiring equal pay for similar work and prohibiting unfair and unlawful business practices. They are seeking to represent a class of women who worked at Google in California over the last four years. The Labor Department investigation stems from a 2015 audit in which the department says it discovered sex-based wage gaps among Google workers. The department last month appealed an administrative judges July decision that rejected its request for contact information for more than 20,000 Google employees. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Andrew Hay) Topics Lawsuits California Google Keleigh Buchanan was recently promoted to vice president at Dallas-based independent insurance broker, RHSB. She has been with RHSB for five years and has 16 years of experience in the insurance industry. Buchanan is a licensed insurance professional working with families and individuals to manage their personal risk by finding the best insurance solutions while maximizing value. She is part of RHSBs Private Client Group a concierge type service that specializes in the distinctive needs of high net worth clients with unique assets like aircraft, yachts, wine collections, vintage cars, fine art and jewelry. These clients often have extraordinary needs including coverage for domestic help, kidnap and ransom, worldwide travel and medical coverage. Buchanans consultative approach helps these clients find coverage to protect their assets and lifestyle. Buchanan holds the Certified Personal Risk Manager designation. RHSB, a member of the privately held risk management and insurance brokerage group Assurex Global, has offices in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. Source: RHSB INSUREtrust has added Hannah Hoeflinger to the company as Professional Lines broker. In this role, Hoeflinger will further grow INSUREtrusts multi-city Cyber Boot Camps, build broker relations, and manage cyber, tech, and MPL accounts. She will be working on Executive Vice President Christiaan Durdallers team. She will be based in the companys Atlanta headquarters. Hoeflinger joins INSUREtrusts brokerage team with extensive experience in underwriting in the cyber risk insurance industry. Previously, she was an underwriter at Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. for two years. She focused on cyber insurance, technology errors and omissions insurance (tech E&O), and miscellaneous professional liability (MPL) insurance. Hoeflinger studied engineering at Georgia Tech, and completed her bachelors degree at Georgia State University in Risk Analysis with a focus in Actuarial Science. INSUREtrust, located in the Atlanta metro area, is a national insurance wholesaler primarily focused on cyber liability insurance. Topics Cyber Agencies The European Union has proposed the five-year program to support the Energy Efficiency Fund, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utilities Services of Ukraine Hennadiy Zubko said at a meeting with European Commission Vice President in Charge of the Energy Union Maros Sefcovic. "This assistance will be permanently expanded. This is not non-recurring assistance, but long support both technical and financial by the European Union [EU]," the press service of the deputy prime minister reported on Friday. Earlier the EU confirmed its readiness to provide EUR 100 million to the Energy Efficiency Fund. This will allow the fund to start financing concrete energy efficiency projects. Eight patients at a sweltering nursing home died after Hurricane Irma knocked out the air conditioning, raising fears about the safety of Floridas 4 million senior citizens amid power outages that could last for days. Hollywood Police Chief Tom Sanchez said investigators believe the deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills were heat-related, and added: The building has been sealed off and we are conducting a criminal investigation. Gov. Rick Scott called on Florida emergency workers to immediately check on all nursing homes to make sure patients are safe, and he vowed to punish anyone found culpable in the deaths. This situation is unfathomable, he said. The home said in a statement that the hurricane had knocked out a transformer that powered the AC. The five women and three men ranged in age from 70 to 99. Exactly how the deaths happened was under investigation, with Sanchez saying authorities have not ruled anything out, including carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. He also said investigators will look into how many windows were open. Across the street from the stifling nursing home sat a fully air-conditioned hospital, Memorial Regional. Broward County said the nursing home had alerted the county emergency operations center on Tuesday that it had lost power, but when asked if it had any medical needs or emergencies, it did not request help. Its a sad state of affairs, the police chief said. We all have elderly people in facilities, and we all know we depend on those people in those facilities to care for a vulnerable elderly population. When asked why the patients hadnt been taken across the street to Memorial Regional hospital when temperatures became dangerous, Hollywood city spokeswoman Rayelin Storey said, We cant get inside the heads of the staff and the administrators of this facility. The deaths came as people trying to put their lives back together in hurricane-stricken Florida and beyond confronted a multitude of new hazards in the storms aftermath, including tree-clearing accidents and lethal generator fumes. Not counting the nursing home deaths, at least 17 people in Florida have died under Irma-related circumstances, and six more in South Carolina and Georgia, many of them well after the storm had passed. The death toll across the Caribbean stood at 38. At least six people died of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning from generators in Florida. A Tampa man died after the chain saw he was using to remove trees recoiled and cut his carotid artery. In Hollywood, after responding to three early morning calls Wednesday about patients in distress, firefighters went through the facility, found three people dead and evacuated more than 150 patients to hospitals, many on stretchers or in wheelchairs, authorities said. By the afternoon, five more had died. Patients were treated for dehydration, breathing difficulties and other heat-related ills, authorities said. Nursing homes in Florida are required by state and federal law to file an emergency plan that includes evacuation plans for residents. County officials released documents showing that the Hollywood facility was in compliance with that regulation and that it held a hurricane drill with its staff in October. Calls to the owner and other officials at the Hollywood home were not immediately returned, but the facilitys administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances that led to this unfortunate and tragic outcome. Through a representative, Carballo told the SunSentinel newspaper that the home has a backup generator but that it does not power the air conditioning. The nursing home was bought at a bankruptcy auction two years ago after its previous owner went to prison for Medicare fraud, according to news reports at the time of the sale. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which regulates nursing homes, gives the Hollywood center a below-average rating, two stars on its five-star scale. But the most recent state inspection reports showed no deficiencies in the area of emergency plans. Broward County Medical Examiner Dr. Craig Mallak said after receiving some of the bodies for autopsies that the victims had been in poor health, and its going to be tough to tell how much was the heat and how much of it was they were sick already. Florida, long one of Americas top retirement destinations, has the highest proportion of people 65 and older of any state 1 in 5 of its 20 million residents. As of 2016, Florida had about 680 nursing homes. The number of people without electricity in the steamy late-summer heat was down to 6.8 million. Utility officials warned it could take over a week for power to be fully restored. The number of people in shelters fell to under 13,000. Elsewhere around the state, a Coral Gables apartment building was evacuated after authorities determined a lack of power made it unsafe for elderly tenants. And at the huge, 15,000-resident Century Village retirement community in Pembroke Pines, more than half the residential buildings had no power Wednesday afternoon. Rescue crews went door to door in the 94-degree heat to check on people and hand out water, ice and meals. These people are basically prisoners in their own homes, said Pembroke Pines City Manager Charlie Dodge. Thats why we are camped out there and doing whatever we can to assist them in this process. And were not leaving. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson called the deaths in Hollywood an inexcusable tragedy and demanded a federal investigation. We need to make sure were doing everything we can to keep our seniors safe during this difficult time, he said. In the battered Florida Keys, meanwhile, county officials pushed back against a preliminary estimate from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that 25 percent of all homes in the Keys were destroyed and nearly all the rest were heavily damaged. Things look real damaged from the air, but when you clear the trees and all the debris, its not much damage to the houses, said Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers. The Keys felt Irmas full fury when the hurricane roared in on Sunday with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. But the extent of the damage has been an unanswered question for days because some places have been unreachable. President Donald Trump plans to visit Naples, on Floridas hard-it southwestern coast, on Thursday. At the Hollywood nursing home, Jean Lindor, a kitchen worker, said through a Haitian Creole translator that the air conditioner had not been working since the storm and it had been hot inside. Paulburn Bogle, a member of the housekeeping staff, said the place had been hot but manageable the past few days. The staff used fans, put cold towels and ice on patients and gave them cold drinks, he said. Flora Mitchell arrived at the home trying to learn the fate of her 58-year-old sister, a stroke patient. She said she last heard from her sister two days earlier and learned the air conditioning was not working. We need to know what happened to her, she said. They havent told us anything. ___ Associated Press writers Jason Dearen on Summerland Key; Brendan Farrington, Gary Fineout and Joe Reedy in Tallahassee; Jay Reeves in Immokalee; Terrance Harris in Orlando; Claire Galofaro in Jacksonville; and Jennifer Kay, Freida Frisaro, Curt Anderson and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Hurricane In Miamis central Edgewater district along Biscayne Bay on Wednesday, a collapsed construction crane hung from the top of a high-rise condominium under development, dangling over low-rise apartments below. Residents wondered why it hadnt been taken down or better secured as Hurricane Irma headed toward the city. Its just hanging there, on this little string, Mary Leitner, a 33-year-old student who lives near the Gran Paraiso, a project being developed by billionaire Jorge Perezs Related Group where the crane collapsed. If they know a storm is coming, take them down. Leitner said the crane collapsed during the peak of the storm with a loud boom on Sunday as people who hadnt heeded an evacuation order screamed below. She said that local residents are hearing it could take weeks before crews can secure the crane. While Irma ultimately weakened and veered away from a direct assault on Miami, the crane that collapsed in Edgewater was not the only one, and local authorities say the city, which boasts one of the densest skylines in the U.S., needs to study construction regulations to prepare for the next storm. Related saw a second crane come down, at the Auberge project its developing in nearby Fort Lauderdale with Moss Construction. Related spokesman Jorge Mendez said in an emailed response to questions that the crane at Gran Paraiso was damaged due to high winds and that engineers and suppliers had taken measures to secure it. Plaza Construction, the contractor for the project, will cooperate with all governmental bodies to investigate and establish repair requirements to put the crane back in a state of good repair, Plaza Construction President Brad Meltzer said in comments provided by Related, adding that every effort to safeguard life in the path of Irma was taken, including the mandatory evacuation ordered by government officials. Be Secured Ken Russell, a city commissioner for Miamis District 2, said the city needs to look at better safety standards though it cant simply stop construction for an entire hurricane season. As Miami grows, we will have the need for construction, he said in an interview. And were not going to stop construction for a weather season. We need equipment that can endure that and come down when necessary or be secured when necessary. Russell said Irma gave the city an opportunity to learn what its weaknesses are. It tested a lot of our systems, he said, and we saw what can be done better. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Construction The Arizona Supreme Court is letting stand a lower courts ruling that the states medical marijuana law is constitutional in requiring counties to approve reasonable zoning regulations. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery had appealed a Court of Appeals ruling last December that rejected his argument that the state medical marijuana law is pre-empted by the federal Controlled Substances Act. That federal law still makes marijuana illegal. The case in the appeal decided by the appeals court started with a legal dispute over whether Maricopa County officials had to approve zoning for a medical marijuana dispensary in Sun City. Montgomery argued that allowing Arizonas medical marijuana program to stand despite the federal law undermines federalism and the fundamental principle of the rule of law. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Cannabis Arizona What Is Globalization? Globalization refers to the spread of the flow of financial products, goods, technology, information, and jobs across national borders and cultures. In economic terms, it describes an interdependence of nations around the globe fostered through free trade. Key Takeaways Globalization is the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across nations. Corporations in developed nations can gain a competitive edge through globalization. Developing countries also benefit through globalization as they tend to be more cost-effective and therefore attract jobs. The benefits of globalization have been questioned as the positive effects are not necessarily distributed equally. One clear result of globalization is that an economic downturn in one country can create a domino effect through its trade partners. 1:39 Globalization Understanding Globalization Corporations gain a competitive advantage on multiple fronts through globalization. They can reduce operating costs by manufacturing abroad, buy raw materials more cheaply because of the reduction or removal of tariffs, and most of all, they gain access to millions of new consumers. Globalization is a social, cultural, political, and legal phenomenon. Socially, it leads to greater interaction among various populations. Culturally, globalization represents the exchange of ideas, values, and artistic expression among cultures. Globalization also represents a trend toward the development of a single world culture. Politically, globalization has shifted attention to intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations (UN) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Legally, globalization has altered how international law is created and enforced. On one hand, globalization has created new jobs and economic growth through the cross-border flow of goods, capital, and labor. On the other hand, this growth and job creation are not distributed evenly across industries or countries. Specific industries in certain countries, such as textile manufacturing in the U.S. or corn farming in Mexico, have suffered severe disruption or outright collapse as a result of increased international competition. Globalization's motives are idealistic, as well as opportunistic, but the development of a global free market has benefited large corporations based in the Western world. Its impact remains mixed for workers, cultures, and small businesses around the globe, in both developed and emerging nations. The History of Globalization Globalization is not a new concept. Traders traveled vast distances in ancient times to buy commodities that were rare and expensive for sale in their homelands. The Industrial Revolution brought advances in transportation and communication in the 19th century that eased trade across borders. The think tank, Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), states globalization stalled after World War I, and nations' moved toward protectionism as they launched import taxes to more closely guard their industries in the aftermath of the conflict. This trend continued through the Great Depression and World War II until the U.S. took on an instrumental role in reviving international trade. Globalization has sped up at an unprecedented pace, with public policy changes and communications technology innovations cited as the two main driving factors. One of the critical steps in the path to globalization came with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), signed in 1993. One of NAFTA's many effects was to give American auto manufacturers the incentive to relocate a portion of their manufacturing to Mexico where they could save on the costs of labor. NAFTA was replaced in 2020 by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMC). Governments worldwide have integrated a free market economic system through fiscal policies and trade agreements over the last 20 years. The core of most trade agreements is the removal or reduction of tariffs. This evolution of economic systems has increased industrialization and financial opportunities in many nations. Governments now focus on removing barriers to trade and promoting international commerce. Pros and Cons of Globalization Pros Proponents of globalization believe it allows developing countries to catch up to industrialized nations through increased manufacturing, diversification, economic expansion, and improvements in standards of living. Outsourcing by companies brings jobs and technology to developing countries, which helps them to grow their economies. Trade initiatives increase cross-border trading by removing supply-side and trade-related constraints. Globalization has advanced social justice on an international scale as well, and advocates report that it has focused attention on human rights worldwide that might have otherwise been ignored on a large scale. Cons One clear result of globalization is that an economic downturn in one country can create a domino effect through its trade partners. For example, the 2008 financial crisis had a severe impact on Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain. All these countries were members of the European Union, which had to step in to bail out debt-laden nations, which were thereafter known by the acronym PIIGS. Globalization detractors argue that it has created a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a small corporate elite that can gobble up smaller competitors around the globe. Globalization has become a polarizing issue in the U.S. with the disappearance of entire industries to new locations abroad. It's seen as a major factor in the economic squeeze on the middle class. For better and worse, globalization has also increased homogenization. Starbucks, Nike, and Gap dominate commercial space in many nations. The sheer size and reach of the U.S. have made the cultural exchange among nations largely a one-sided affair. Pros and Cons of Globalization Pros A larger market for goods and services Cheaper consumer prices Outsourcing can benefit both domestic firms and foreign labor Increased standard of living Cons Concentrates wealth in richer countries Some poorer countries can be left behind Poorer countries can be exploited of their labor and physical & intellectual resources Cultures and the products consumed around the world can become homogenized What Is Globalization and Why Is it Important? In essence, globalization is about the world becoming increasingly interconnected. Countries today are more connected than ever before, due to factors such as air travel, containerized sea shipping, international trade agreements and legal treaties, and the Internet. In the world of business, globalization is associated with trends such as outsourcing, free trade, and international supply chains. Globalization is important as it increases the size of the global market, and allows more and different goods to be produced and sold for cheaper prices. Globalization is also important because it is one of the most powerful forces affecting the modern world, so much so that it can be difficult to make sense of the world without understanding globalization. For example, many of the largest and most successful corporations in the world are in effect truly multinational organizations, with offices and supply chains stretched right across the world. These companies would not be able to exist if not for the complex network of trade routes, international legal agreements, and telecommunications infrastructure that were made possible through globalization. Important political developments, such as the ongoing trade conflict between the United States and China, are also directly related to globalization. Is Globalization Good or Bad? It depends. Proponents of globalization will point to the dramatic decline in poverty that has taken place throughout the world over the past several decades, which many economists attribute in part to increased trade and investment between nations. Similarly, they will argue that globalization has allowed products and services such as cellphones, airplanes, and information technology to be spread far more widely throughout the world. On the other hand, critics of globalization will point to the negative impact it has had on specific nations industries, which might face increased competition from international firms. Globalization can also have negative environmental impacts due to economic development, industrialization, and international travel. How Does Globalization Impact Society? Globalization has had a large impact on societies around the world, leading to massive migrations from rural to industrial or urban areas, leading to the rapid growth of cities and trade hubs. While this has led to an overall increase in incomes and a higher standard of living in general, it has also led to problems of urbanization including crime, domestic violence, homelessness, and poverty. Concepts of national identity, culture, and consumption patterns also change as goods from around the world become increasingly available and at low prices. The competitiveness of global capitalism may also lead to more individualistic ideals that contradict the cultural orientations of certain, more collectivist societies. Top News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) Facial and Body Recognition Patent Application Received a Notice of Allowance San Diego, CA - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) with GBT Tokenize Corp. ("GBT/Tokenize") received a notice of allowance for its facial and body recognition non-provisional patent application. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Enters into Agreement with Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most Recognized Auto Groups, to Distribute the Mullen I-GOTM in Ireland and United Kingdom BREA, Calif. - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle manufacturer, announces today that it has entered into an agreement to appoint Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most recognized dealership groups, as marketing, sales, distribution and servicing agent for the Mullen I-GO in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire Ukraine and Israel are planning to create an ad hoc group, including the embassies' personnel and experts of the migration services to address the readmission issue, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's media liaison department has said. Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov met with Interior Minister of Israel Arie Deri to discuss the disproportion concerning entry denials to Ukrainian citizens at airports in the framework of visa-free travel, the ministry said in a press release on Friday. "We need to seriously think about how to avoid this situation, I know that you had proposals to change the monitoring process at the border crossing, we are ready to discuss it within the framework of the legislation. But on the other hand, we also ask you to treat our citizens with respect, not looking down on them when they travel by plane. This is a very important issue to us," Avakov said, addressing his Israeli counterpart. In turn, Deri said that the abolition of visas led to a rapid growth of those seeking asylum. The minister also noted that the Government of Israel regards Ukraine as a "safe state," so the petitions of Ukrainian seeking asylum in Israel will be considered much faster. "We have done a great job at the level of the country's leaders and ministries to resolve this issue," Deri added. Update 11.45am: Typhoon Doksuri has slammed into central Vietnam, killing one person and injuring 10 others as it brought rain and strong winds that ripped off roofs and electricity poles. Packing maximum sustained winds of 84mph, the typhoon made landfall in Ha Tinh province, beating down on six coastal districts, destroying roofs on 62,500 houses and downing trees and utility poles, said disaster official Ngo Duc Hoi. In the neighbouring province of Quang Binh, a man fell to his death when he tried to reinforce his house, while 10 people were injured by falling trees or debris, a disaster official said, adding that another 50,000 homes were damaged with mostly tin roofs blown away. Typhoon #Doksuri has made landfall in #Vietnam, bringing high winds and heavy rainfall https://t.co/5u0jEYazgZ pic.twitter.com/abIqkbyZsH World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) September 15, 2017 The typhoon had gusts of up to 115mph. The whole province was blacked out as authorities cut off power ahead of the storm. Isolated flooding was reported in some villages. Doksuri swept through the Philippines on Tuesday as a less powerful tropical depression, killing at least four people and leaving another six missing. The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said in a report that as of early Friday morning, 79,000 villagers in high-risk areas in five central provinces had been evacuated and another 210,000 were to be moved to safety ahead of the typhoon. Forecasters have warned of flash floods and landslides in some parts of the country's northern and central regions. The typhoon is expected to weaken before dissipating in northern Laos on Saturday. Vietnam, a country of 93 million people, is prone to floods and storms that kill hundreds of people each year. Earlier: Typhoon Doksuri has hit central Vietnam with maximum sustained winds of 84 miles per hour, blowing off roofs and felling trees and electricity poles. Disaster official Ngo Duc Hoi in Ha Tinh province, where the typhoon made landfall today, said six coastal districts were feeling the brunt of the storm. There are no immediate reports of casualties amid gusts of up to 115 mph and heavy rain. Agriculture Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong told state television VTV that people's safety was the government's top priority. Doksuri swept through the Philippines on Tuesday as a less powerful tropical depression, killing at least four people and leaving another six missing. The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said in a report that as of early this morning, 79,000 villagers in high-risk areas in five central provinces had been evacuated and another 210,000 were to be moved to safety ahead of the typhoon. Forecasters have warned of flash floods and landslides in some parts of the country's northern and central regions. The typhoon is expected to weaken before dissipating in northern Laos early tomorrow. Vietnam, a country of 93 million people, is prone to floods and storms that kill hundreds of people each year. Two British police dogs have become the first outside the US to be trained in catching terrorists, paedophiles and fraudsters. Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police in the UK have trained two canines to detect digital storage devices, such as USB sticks, SD cards and hard drives. Tweed, a 19-month-old springer spaniel, and Rob, a 20-month-old black labrador, have already been assisting operations across the UK. Chief Superintendent Jim Nye, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "This is an historic step for policing in the UK. These dogs will give the police a new way to fight the threat of terrorism, paedophiles and fraudsters. "Tweed and Rob have been used by police at crime scenes and executions of warrants, not just within Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, but across the whole UK. "The dogs have been used to sniff out data devices such as mobile devices, USB sticks, SD cards, hard drives and computers. "Once again, we have shown that we are prepared to look at new technology and will always strive to get one step ahead to tackle criminality." The force launched a pilot scheme last year after police dog instructor Pc Graham Attwood discovered the first digital storage detection dogs were trained by the Connecticut State Police Department. Pc Attwood said: "Myself and members of the alliance dog school initially handled and trained Tweed and Rob, mainly in our own time, as we were committed to our usual daily duties of training the force's other operational police dogs. "The majority of the dogs we have in the force either come from our puppy breeding scheme or are gift or rescue dogs, but this was a unique challenge for us so we identified and purchased Tweed and Rob last December when they were around 15 months old, and embarked on this journey with them." Mike Real, a retired Connecticut police officer who co-founded the training programme, and Special Agent Jeffrey Calandra, who is the only digital detection dog handler in the FBI, were invited to Devon for a week to train with and assess Tweed and Rob. Mr Calandra said: "In today's tech-driven world, crime has no state or even country boundaries, so helping our law-enforcement partners around the world develop cutting edge detection capabilities is key to fighting crime and terror." Pc Attwood added: "Our digital dogs have already proven to be a success and have been used in over 50 warrants executed across the UK, including Hampshire, Essex, South Wales, and North Yorkshire. "We have already seen some really fantastic results from these two dogs. Tweed on one warrant indicated that something may have been within what looked like a coke can. This was then inspected by a search officer and discovered that it was actually a money box which had a number of SD cards hidden within it. "Rob has also indicated a small device hidden carefully in a drawer which would have likely been missed by the human eye, which just goes to show that they are able to locate these items which assists us greatly with our searches." Rob and Tweed are part of a trial, and the force will assess the success of these dogs and their new skills at the end of the 2017 with a view to rolling it out wider. The dogs live at home with their new full-time handlers Pc Martin King and Pc Jill Curnow. However, the publication has sparked a battle from business groups to secure money for specific projects in their regions. Business group Dublin Chamber said the capital deserved the lions share of any new money as the most populous region faces the challenges of Brexit. Projects such as Metro North and the Dart Underground would deliver the biggest returns for the whole country because investing in infrastructure in the capital respects and reflects where the Irish people are actually choosing to live in their greatest numbers, said Dublin Chamber chief executive Mary Rose Burke. Cork Chamber chief executive Conor Healy said he welcomed the commitment on additional capital spending. Spending will be required in the capital but investments in projects such as the M20 CorkLimerick Motorway and Dunkettle Interchange would also sustain economic growth across the State, Mr Healy said. Mr Donohoes review included an in-depth analysis of the strains facing existing infrastructure. Including over 50 submissions from local authorities, politicians and business groups, the review said the additional 4.1bn will be allocated on the basis of evidence of bottlenecks and on risks such as Brexit facing the economy. The money will be allocated while recognising the potential for overheating as the economy approaches full capacity, it said. A 113-page analysis, called Strategic Public Infrastructure, said population growth and the strains on primary care health services, demands on Third-Level education, housing shortages, and Irish Water investment highlight the need for a concerted focus on getting project selection right. On roads, it said increased demand meant parts of the network were either unstable or at breakdown and specific analysis of the M50 and the Cork Ring Road, two of the primary routes in those cities, shows that the level of service is a particular issue in these areas. Its research showed the population density is greatest in the Dublin and its suburbs, followed by Limerick and its suburbs, Galway and its suburbs, Cork and its suburbs, and Waterford and its suburbs. The reports cited EU findings that low rates of use of public transport in Dublin compared with many European cities was because of the low population density of the capital. It reports the national road network of major roads (5% of all roads) has been valued at 30bn, highlighting both the overall value of the network as an asset and the requirement to maintain asset value. Meanwhile, the British Irish Chamber of Commerce warned higher education needs more resources if the Government is to secure limited benefits of Brexit. The review was criticised by Fianna Fail expenditure spokesperson Dara Calleary. The initial plan was published back in 2015 as a pre-election stunt but it lacked any ambition and failed to recognise the scale of the capital deficit in Ireland. Todays review has failed to bring any new ideas to the table, he said. The partnership, established by Focus Ireland and the National Youth Council of Ireland, is supported by the youth and homeless sectors. The number of homeless people aged between 18 and 24 has almost doubled over the last three years, to a record of 826. Focus Ireland Life president and founder, Sr Stan Kennedy, has called for co-ordinated state action to tackle the problem. Sr Stan was speaking yesterday at a conference on youth homelessness in Limerick to highlight the shocking, 98% rise in the number of 18-24-year-olds who have become homeless since 2014. The housing and homelessness charity said that young people had paid a high price for the years of austerity and that many had become marginalised and homeless as a result. This issue must be addressed, as a matter of urgency, if we are to avoid condemning many young people to lives of marginalisation and unfulfilled promise, she said. She believes the number of homeless 18-24-year-olds is much higher than the official figure from the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government. This figure does not include young people who live in unstable and temporary arrangements, such as staying on friends couches, she said. Sr Stan said the great work being carried out by a wide range of organisation was preventing the crisis from worsening. She mentioned the innovative and highly successful youth housing project, a collaboration between Focus Ireland, Tusla, and Limerick City and Council. We are providing homes for vulnerable young people, along with vital support to help them sustain their tenancies, as they make the transition into adulthood, Sr Stan said. Focus Ireland also provides youth housing in Waterford, Cork, Clare, and North Tipperary. Sr Stan said this approach must be extended around the country. The Coalition to End Youth Homelessness is supported by the National Youth Council of Ireland, Simon Communities of Ireland, Crosscare, Threshold, The Society of St Vincent de Paul, BeLonG To, a national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) young people, Teen Parents Support Programme, and the Union of Students in Ireland. www.endyouthhomelessness.ie Last July, Minister with Responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe, secured Dail approval for the redeployment of the Naval Service from the purely humanitarian migrant rescue mission Operation Pontus to the more aggressive anti-people smuggler Operation Sophia. Amid much fanfare it was announced that this switch-over was likely to take place while LE William Butler Yeats was on its current tour of duty in the Mediterranean Sea. However, the Department of Defence has now said that the transfer will take place at an appropriate juncture, having admitted that two months on the necessary preparatory work required for the change-over hasnt been completed. Ukraine has enough energy stocks to pass the 2017/18 heating season, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said at a government meeting on Friday. "We have well worked to prepare for winter. We have all stocks, starting from gas and ending all the rest to enter the new heating season and properly pass winter," he said. The charitys chairman, Pat Carey, outlined the losses at a presentation where 35,000 was handed over to the humanitarian agency to help families affected by the extreme weather event. The 35,000 was the proceeds of a Flood Aid concert organised in the days after the storm which included Daniel ODonnell and Nathan Carter. The Government, which has the power to prevent the talks progressing, is adamant that talks to date have left the sides not even close to where they need to be in order to enter phase two. The refusal by Mr Varadkar to allow London to move onto the next phase will likely frustrate UK prime minister Theresa May who wants to hammer out a fresh deal on future relations with the EU. At a Fine Gael pre-Dail conference in Co Tipperary, the Taoiseach sent out a stark message to our strongest trading partner, the UK, saying Ireland would not allow London to begin negotiating its future with the EU. EU leaders have agreed that sufficient progress must be made on three issues the Irish question, citizens rights and the UKs exit bill before Brexit talks between the Union and the UK move to phase two. However, any reluctance by Ireland or other states to approve this will result in leaders at a special summit next month in Brussels failing to agree to the next phase of talks, a move which could threaten the stability of the negotiations with the UK. At the moment, Im not optimistic that it will be possible to come to the view in October that we are able to move onto the next phase in talks, Mr Varadkar said. The guidelines that we set out as European heads of government was that we want to see special progress, not just on issues relating to Ireland where there has been quite a lot of progress actually, but also on the financial settlement and citizens rights. As of now, enough progress hasnt been made for us to go onto the next phase of talks. But that can change, there are a number of weeks to go yet, he said. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, who is co-ordinating Irelands Brexit talks, also agreed that it was unlikely that phase two would now go ahead. I dont think we are close to being where we need to be in order to move from phase one to phase two, he said. That will be a decision between leaders. But unless there is a significant further move from the British government between now and the middle of October, that is unlikely to happen in October, he said. Meanwhile, with just weeks to go, Mr Varadkar has given his strongest signal yet that cash for next months budget is likely to be increased through revenue-raising measures. There is an estimated 320m available to the Government for spending on services and tax cuts. But the small pot can be bolstered. Mr Varadkar signalled yesterday that his ministers would likely now have even more to spend. Therell be no cuts in any department spending this year, every department will have an increase in spending, its just a case of how much we can accommodate in the parameters available to us, he said. It would be typical enough for there to be an increase in [the price of] cigarettes, thats one of the things under consideration. Also, Im a long-time supporter of the sugar tax and I want to see that introduced next year, but Im not in a position to get into details, he said. The Government last year announced a tax on sugar-sweetened drinks would be introduced in 2018. It said the tax would be introduced in line with similar plans in the UK for April 2018. Angela Merkel a strong voice in a fragmented world It was one of two complaints that resulted in a finding of gross misconduct against the worker, which ultimately led to him being fired by his employer last year. The other complaint related to an incident in which the man had been observed using a metal bar to poke inside a machine without isolating it from its electrical source. He subsequently took a case against his former employer for unfair dismissal, which was the subject of an adjudication hearing by the WRC. The worker, who was employed as a general operative by the manufacturing company, contested the decision to dismiss him on the basis that there had been a lack of fair procedure and natural justice during the disciplinary process. He also claimed that the company had failed to prove the two charges against him, and that there had been an undue delay in putting the allegation to him about sleeping on the job. The WRC heard evidence that the companys assistant production manager had observed the worker poking at a machine on August 12, 2016, without isolating it from its energy source. He had stuck a metal bar inside the machine where there was a motor. No risk assessment had been carried out prior to undertaking the task, the respondent company claimed. Three days after this incident, a line manager claimed to have found the worker asleep in the loading shovel of a JCB, which was parked in a coal shed. A decision was made to suspend the worker on full pay pending investigation on August 24, 2016. The investigatory report issued on September 14, 2016, which referred to the two separate complaints. At a disciplinary hearing on September 26, the decision maker found that the first complaint was satisfactorily proven, relying on the fact that the worker had admitted working on the machine earlier in the disciplinary process. In relation to the complaint of sleeping in the loading shovel while at work, the decision maker found on the balance of probabilities that he had been at least resting if not actually sleeping, and concluded that the charge had been proven. In her decision, WRC adjudication officer Marguerite Buckley concluded that, while the process undertaken was not without fault, overall it was comprehensive and fair. Accordingly, Ms Buckley found that the workers claim of unfair dismissal had failed. The 25-year-old receives monthly pay cheques people can only dream of, but said yesterday that he leads a meagre lifestyle apart from travel. This is confirmed in new accounts showing that the affable Co Limerick man paid himself only a fraction 33,800 in salary of his companys 1m-plus income last year. Mr De Nogla, aka David Nagle, said: I dont need any more than that. If I can live off that, that it is just fine. I do my weekly shopping at Dunnes it is very simple living. Mr De Nogla says his greatest extravagance has been a bungalow in the middle of nowhere in Co Limerick that he purchased last year. It has good fibre optic connections, dont ask me how, he said. Mr De Noglas other big outlay is travelling to the US for work and to meet YouTube friends and his LA-based girlfriend Jaclyn, who he met on Twitter last year. Mr De Noglas set up his YouTube channel, Daithi De Nogla, back in 2012 and today it has 5.5m subscribers and has accumulated a whopping 791m views. Subscribers look in at Daithis goofy YouTube persona playing video games and having the craic and banter. The channel generates its revenues through ads and views and Mr De Nogla said that the single highest monthly payment he has received from his YouTube work was a payment of over 100,000 earlier this year. New accounts for his firm show that accumulated profits last year increased by 587,638 from 272,606 to 860,244. The companys cash pile decreased from 328,580 to 247,158, the accounts reveal. Maria Doyle of Farria Kinesiology and Bagenalstown Pharmacy have teamed up to offer customers alternative options alongside traditional medicine. According to Maria, Kinesiology is a complementary therapy which can work alongside traditional medicine but may be used in suitable cases and in agreement with medical professionals as an alternative treatment. Clients like 17-year-old Eva McEvoy have seen great success since attending her fortnightly clinic in 'Bagenalstown Pharmacy'. I went from eight medications, maybe about four or five times a day, to nothing, said Eva. Eva suffered from stomach problems for around four years which doctors diagnosed as IBS, although they were unsure of the source of the issue. As the symptoms continued, Eva said she ended up on several different medications that all caused side effects that seemed to worsen the problem. She said she was unable to attend school for months due to her health issues until she met Maria. Maria, a former nurse, advised Eva to take homeopathic digestive enzymes as well as changes to her diet. Eva gradually came off all of her medication and she said that she feels a significant improvement in her overall health. Im so glad. I just feel so much better in myself, I have so much more energy, said Eva. This new age medicine is being embraced in this small pharmacy who are interested in finding alternative options for customers who may find themselves on a cocktail of medication or sensitive to regular medication. Laura Phelan, supervising pharmacist in Bagenalstown Pharmacy said: Its very often youd find in pharmacies there are people who are on a lot of medication, who are elderly or just very sensitive to drugs and normal allopathic medicine, the stuff youd see every day in a pharmacy, doesnt suit them. They work in tandem, you cant just use homeopathy. Often, you may need traditional medicine and vice versa but its nice to have a bit of teamwork going on, she added. While some medical professionals remain sceptical about complementary or alternative treatments due to the lack of scientific evidence, some hospitals in the US are beginning to adopt these treatments alongside traditional care. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey in the United States, approximately 38% of adults and approximately 12% of children use complementary or alternative medicine. I think in combination with seeing a regular practitioner and taking regular medication, its perfectly worth giving it a go and some people find it excellent, said Laura. You can contact Farria Kinesiology on the Facebook page. Make sure to contact your GP if you are thinking of using any complementary therapy. Complementary therapies should not be used as an alternative without speaking to your doctor. The flavor of 5G for which the major players, with the notable exception of T-Mobile, are planning involves very high frequency spectrum. There is a lot of new science in this. What is already well understood is that the nature of spectrum that high will require small cells. The macro cells that have sufficed to date are incapable of doing it alone. This is a big logistical challenge even under the best conditions. At Mobile World Congress in San Francisco, executives for Nokia and Sprint asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to eliminate some of the non-technical obstacles. The pleas came from executives from Nokia and Sprint, according to a report by FierceWireless on a panel discussion at this weeks Mobile World Congress in San Francisco. The obstacles include fees and demands that certain tasks, often unrelated, be performed in exchange for the right to deploy. This is expensive and time consuming. Brian Hendricks, Nokias head of policy and government relations, suggests that carriers may have to pay $10 billion in license fees to condition the U.S. telecom infrastructure. Writing big checks may be the easy part. The story also had input from Charles McKee, Sprints vice president of Government Affairs for Federal and State Regulatory. The bottom line, according to McKee, is that municipalities see the opportunity to get some goodies in exchange for their cooperation: some cities have asked Sprint to deploy all new street lights across the entire city as a prerequisite to Sprint installing small cells on some street lights for cellular coverage. He said that other cities have asked the carrier to provide free, citywide Wi-Fi as a condition to accessing the citys infrastructure. Participants in the panel on which the report was based suggested that the FCC and the Trump Administration take strong action to streamline the process. This issue, as important as it is, will not slow down the development of small cell technology. On the product front, Samsung Electronics subsidiary Electronics America introduced a small cell family aimed at homes, enterprises and outdoor service areas. The family can use Licensed Assisted Access and Citizens Band Radio Service (LAA and CBRS) approaches and frequencies. The small cells deployed can be managed in the cloud. Samsung Electronics America also said that it will work on 4G and 5G lab and field trials with Charter Communications at various locations in the U.S. through the end of the year. The goal of the 5G element of the program is to evaluate Samsung pre-commercial equipment at 28 GHz, which are multi millimeter (mmWave) wavelengths. The 4G element will be at the 3.5 GHz CBRS frequency. Small cells will be part of the test. Finally, there was news on small cells use in development of Mobile-Central Office Re-Architected as a Datacenter (M-CORD). This a nascent approach aimed at bringing functions previously consigned to the data center to carrier networks, including the edge nearest end users. Sponsors of the open source initiative made several announcements at MWC. One of these is its integration with commercial small cells. This, according to the press release, will enable M-CORD field trials with outdoor-hardened radio access network (RAN) components. Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk. Sanofi Aventis Ukraine seeks to file claim to international court to protect investment in Ukraine Sanofi Aventis Ukraine LLC, part of Sanofi global pharmaceutical company, seeks to file a claim against Ukraine to the International Investment Arbitration. "The new refusal of business courts to conduct an examination of original documents, using which fraudsters are trying to seize almost UAH 50 million belonged to Sanofi Aventis Ukraine, was the reason for filing the claim" the company said in a press release. The case is heard in Ukrainian courts with numerous violations, disregarding for the arguments and evidence of Sanofi Aventis Ukraine, including examinations proving the forgery of documents. "These fraudulent actions occur when the Ukrainian authorities are inactive along with the active assistance of representatives of the State Enforcement Service," the press service said. Sanofi Aventis Ukraine considers these actions as a breach by Ukraine of its obligations to foreign investors provided for in international treaties, including the agreement on mutual promotion and protection of investments. "The company hopes that the country's leadership will take all necessary steps to stop financial raiders, whose actions cause significant damage to the country's investment image and cause outflow of foreign direct investment from Ukraine," the company's press service said, quoting Director of Sanofi-Aventis Ukraine Guilhem Granier. Ukraine and Poland will continue cooperation on the program for re-equipping the aviation armament of a fleet of MiG-29 fighters of the Polish Air Force, the press service of Ukraine's state-owned foreign trade enterprise Spectechnoexport reported on September 14. During the MSPO 2017 international defense industry exhibition held in Kielce (Poland) in early September, the company signed an agreement with Poland's WB Electronics on the further development of a bilateral consortium formed in 2016, as well as a new contract for the production of R-27-R1 guided medium-range air-to-air missiles for the Polish Air Force. From the Ukrainian side the agreement was also signed by Kyiv-based Artem Holding Company. According to the report, the signing of documents expands the capabilities of consortium participants in holding new tenders for the supply of aviation weapons for the Polish Defense Ministry. "WB Electronics remains our exclusive partner for the further production and supply of R-27 air-to-air missiles for the needs of the Polish Air Force," Spectechnoexport Director Pavlo Burbul said. As reported, the consortium created by Spectechnoexport and WB Electronics in 2016 won the tender announced by the Polish Defense Ministry in 2015 for the supply of air missiles for the Polish Air Force. The tender was open for contractors from the countries of the EU, the European Economic Area, as well as for countries that signed agreements with Poland or the EU on procurement in the field of security and defense. The winner of the tender was supposed to ensure the production and delivery of 40 R-27-R1 guided missiles by the end of November 2016. Applications of European consumers for transportation of Russian gas across the Ukrainian gas transport system via the Slovakia's pipeline early week this grew to 206-215 million cubic meters (mcm) a day compared to average 170-180 mcm a day in August 2017, the press service of public joint-stock company Uktransgaz reported on Thursday. The company said that Gazprom failed to supply the expected volumes of gas for transit to European consumers, sending the revised applications for transportation of gas via the Slovakia's pipeline in the amount of 192-200 mcm a day to the central dispatch department of Uktransgaz. This is 3-7% lower than the amount ordered at the Velke Kapusany gas distribution station. Uktransgaz recalled that the company's transit capacities for the Slovakian route in the Uzhgorod exit point total 282 mcm a day, which is larger than current demand of European consumers. "Ukraine is ready to ensure stable transportation of the volumes of natural gas expected by European customers to the fullest. Moreover, the technical capacity of the Ukrainian gas transportation system allows reliably transiting Russian gas to the EU countries in a volume of more than 400-450 mcm per day by Slovak, Hungarian, Polish and Romanian gas transport corridors," the press service said. Uktransgaz also said that Russia has not yet fulfilled its technical obligations under the contract with Naftogaz Ukrainy for transit of gas with respect to compliance with contractual gas pressures in trunk gas pipelines at entry points located on the Russian-Ukrainian border (Sudzha and Pisarevka gas compressor stations). The Cabinet of Ministers focused on priority spheres and gave up on auxiliary expenses when it drew up the draft national budget for 2018, Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk said, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent has reported. "Next year it is planned that the economy would grow by 3%. We would like to have a larger figure, but this is not bad. This gives the required funds. We have the real increase in expenses in the key spheres. We do not waste money for auxiliary things. Then we can fully finance healthcare, education reform and pension reform," he said after the government meeting on Friday. Danyliuk did not specify the auxiliary spending that was not included in the budget spending. 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 Draft 2018 state budget announces increase of expenses on healthcare by UAH 11 bln, to UAH 112.5 bln The draft national budget for 2018 announces the increase in expenses on healthcare by around UAH 11 billion, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said. "In 2016, expenses on healthcare totaled UAH 70 billion, in 2017 UAH 101.3 billion and we plan UAH 112.5 billion for 2018. We increase the financing of healthcare by UAH 11 billion," he said at a government meeting on Friday. He said that UAH 13.2 billion will be sent to finance primary healthcare and around UAH 52 billion to finance secondary and tertiary healthcare. Some UAH 1 billion will be sent to the medicine cost reimbursement program (Affordable Medicines). "We can afford this program. We are able to do this and the program will work in the future. Its financing will be increased," he said. Groysman said that UAH 150 million will be allocated for the acquisition of angiographic equipment for the development of a network of reperfusion centers in 2018. "In 2017, we are creating 13 angiographic centers. In 2018, we can also create 13 angiographic centers. These are thousands and thousands of lives that will be saved," he said. Groysman said that the government will keep spending on the purchase of medicines using the national budget funds - UAH 6 billion. It is planned to send UAH 1 billion to support rural medicine under an initiative of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. At the same time, Groysman said that the increase in funding "is linked to the reforms". By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. Q: As you well know, there has been a lot of highway maintenance on Interstate 40 going through Mocksville over the past several months. We thought it was over, but we heard rumors that more is yet to come. Can you shed any light on additional maintenance to the highway? A.J.S. Answer: Construction on the current pavement rehabilitation project on I-40 from Pinebrook School Road to U.S. 601 in Mocksville is scheduled to be completed in October 2018, said Pat Ivey, division engineer with the NC Department of Transportation. Work on the next section of I-40 from U.S. 601 to Davie Academy Road is scheduled to begin in early 2019. This work is necessary, Ivey said, because the concrete pavement was initially installed in the early to mid-1970s and has outlived its useful life. Q: We havent seen any stories from Bert Gutierrez in a while. Where is he? H.M. Answer: Gutierrez, a longtime reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal, has decided to leave journalism for now to concentrate on family matters. Some readers know that I have taken on some more responsibilities in the long-term care of my 94-year-old grandmother, he said. He is also helping take care of her south Florida home since the death of his uncle, who used to be her primary caregiver, back in March. As such, it is clear to me that I am no longer in a position to adequately provide a public service as a full-time journalist, not at the level I tend to demand of myself, he said. Because of that, he recently submitted his notice of resignation to the Journal. I am grateful beyond words for my time there. Im lucky. I have had the chance, since 2005 ... to have a front-row seat as a witness to the living history of Winston-Salem and North Carolina. Along the way, I have been shaken, inspired and humbled by the undeniable bravery of those who dare speak truth to power. Incidentally, his grandmothers south Florida property fared well during Hurricane Irma, with just a few downed trees and a temporary power outage that has now been fixed. Rabies Clinic A rabies and microchip clinic will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot adjacent to Washington Dog Park, 1490 Broad St. Rabies vaccinations are $8, with a one-year vaccination unless the owner has proof of prior vaccination (such as a rabies certificate from a vet; they do not consider a rabies tag to be valid proof), in which case three-year vaccinations are available. Pets must be at least 12 weeks old and healthy enough for a vaccination. Microchipping is $25, including registration. Nail trims are also available for $8, and low-cost spay/neuter vouchers will be available. Dogs must be on a leash and cats must be in carriers. Cardboard cat carriers may be purchased for $5. Cash and checks will be taken. Debit cards are also accepted with a 3 percent charge added to debit payments. Thanks Thanks to the caring, alert citizen who got the license number of the hit-and-run driver who hit my car Aug. 6 at the K&W on Hanes Mill Road. M.P. The founder and majority shareholder of Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP) Yuriy Kosiuk supports the land reform and the annulment of a moratorium on sale of farmland in Ukraine. "I think that the [land] market should be free. People should have the right to sell," he said in an interview with the Novoye Vremia publication. The businessman said that the annulment of the moratorium would not arouse a boom of supply on the market. "The market would have seen 20% of all land, no more. People are inert. People are not ready. People would keep [land]," Kosiuk said. MHP is the largest poultry producer in Ukraine. It is also engaged in production of grains, sunflower oil, and meat. American journalism has suffered from many ailments at many different times, but every opinion on what ails it past, present and future is just an opinion, not science: just a proposition that cannot be proved, only found by any reader to be more or less persuasive. The late Post columnist Michael Kelly often reminded my radio audience that journalism was a craft, not a profession. No licensing agency acted to credential journalists. You take up the craft, practice it, got better at it (or not), flourish (or not). There arent any rules that bind, nor oaths or codes to take or break: just a craftsmans pride in doing good work, occasionally recognized in ways that mattered by fellow craftspeople. I have been part of this guild since 1989, in print, over the radio for Salem Media and on television, both for PBS and now for NBC. Ive conducted more than 10,000 interviews and moderated hundreds of non-broadcast conversations. My most recent interview of some note and much fun was with Henry Winkler, loved by those 50 and older for his Happy Days role as The Fonz, by millennials for Arrested Developments Barry Zuckerkorn and now the co-author along with Lin Oliver of the Hank Zipzer series of young adult and childrens novels about a dyslexic Manhattan boy, based on Winklers own life. The reaction online to my interview with Winkler followed the now-standard bifurcation of American political discourse of 2017 into up or down, right or wrong. If you are a core supporter of President Trump, you hated the interview (and by extension Winkler). If you loathe Trump, your opinion of Winkler soared. The Trump Effect is to take any topic touching on the president, filter it through your Trump bias and conform it to a preexisting disposition. I asked Winkler to talk politics as a test case for this proposition. He had weighed in for President Barack Obama in 2008, so I expected and received a negative take on Trump. What I wanted to see was whether his political views athough I disagreed with them, they were presented with logic, reason and skill would negatively or positively affect viewers impressions of Winkler the man. Judging from the anecdotal evidence, the answer is a resounding Yes! Increasingly, people are basing their views on everything including other people upon those things relationship to Trump and those peoples views of him. The media is not apart from this phenomenon. In fact, it may be the driver of it. And that represents a profound illness for the craft. The medical condition most akin to what is happening to journalism generally and to Manhattan-Beltway-elite journalism in particular is glaucoma, a disease that takes vision gradually, with no early warning signs or painful symptoms. Journalists are losing the full scope of our collective vision, coming to see every story through the lens of Trump, often through a lens colored by hostility toward him. Detachment about the president and his actions genuine objectivity is rare and getting rarer. Tell me the Trump subject and the pundit or reporter speaking to it and there is an increasingly small difference between those roles and I am pretty good at predicting not just the response but also the decibel level and the precise adjectives. This is new for the media. That Manhattan-Beltway media elites skew left on the American political spectrum is not a bulletin. What is new is the transparency of that bias and, with regard to the president, a celebration of resistance to him indeed, contempt for him. Journalists want very much for their audiences to know where they stand on the president and all the presidents men (and women). This is virtue signaling, an exercise in thinking oneself on the right side of history and within what C.S. Lewis called the The Inner Ring. The problem with this obsession of positioning vis-a-vis Trump is that it is blinding a large and talented segment of the guild to the real stories: North Korea is a run by a gangster whose only product worth buying will soon be nuclear weapons. Iran fleeced the Obama administration and combines the nascent production capability of North Korea with an end times philosophy of apocalyptic fervor. The Budget Control Act is crippling the military in perilous times when it needs not budget gimmickry but serious resupply over a decade. The immigration reform the country needs is obvious and within reach but cannot be described because it might credit the presidents demand for a border barrier. The blue slip is wreaking havoc on the judicial confirmation process. Many in the craft are fond of saying something like the presidency is broken, the presidents conduct is unprecedented or that we face a constitutional crisis. Journalist, heal thyself. At a moment of peril on many fronts, the craft is collapsing into rote condemnation of a president who won a large majority of electoral college votes. Probably because of the deep and wide contempt for the media elites who have appointed themselves the guardians of a tradition they know little of and respect less: liberty. Hugh Hewitt hosts a conservative talk radio show. From the robust public discussion about North Carolinas legacy of Civil War monuments, its clear that a century and a half after its close were still sorting out how to make sense of that war and memorialize those who fought it. Our states history in the Civil War is complicated and full of nuance not one single legacy but many: of soldiers who fought for both the Union and the Confederacy; of enslaved people for whom the invasion by United States troops meant liberation; of free persons of color caught in the middle of warring armies; of women and families left behind to fend for themselves as their husbands and sons and fathers marched to the battlefront; of all those who labored on the home front to provide food and clothing and medical care and all the rest. This many-faceted legacy forms the core narrative of the North Carolina Civil War History Center in Fayetteville, an exciting project several years in the making and soon to be a reality, to be operated under the auspices of the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. As its founding documents make clear, The History Center is designed to be a teaching museum rather than a collecting museum with one of the nations first digital master plans to make interpretive resources available to students and other citizens across the state. The Center is a statewide effort. Two former governors, Democrat James B. Hunt Jr. and Republican James G. Martin, serve as honorary chairmen of the Board of Advisers. The nonpartisan Board of Directors and Board of Advisers includes more than 70 noted historians, business and community leaders, teachers and university chancellors, museum professionals, and distinguished public servants. The History Center is a $65-million project funded by a private-public partnership that will occupy a four-acre site on the grounds of the historic Fayetteville Arsenal in many ways the perfect location, for reasons both practical (Interstate 95 is nearby) and symbolic. When Gen. William T. Sherman embarked on his Final March through the Carolinas in spring 1865, he set the arsenal squarely in his sights and would leave it in ruins. The arsenal was a factory, employing 4,000 people, that had been seized by the Confederates in 1861. It turned out 10,000 Fayetteville-model rifled muskets and nearly a million paper-wrapped cartridges, along with gun carriages, artillery fuses and ramrods. The arsenal site is now bisected by a four-lane highway N.C. 401, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway. So like North Carolina whose white population was split about evenly between Unionist and Confederate the site itself is divided. A third of the population 330,000 enslaved black persons had no say in the matter. The entrance to the History Center will bridge the highway metaphorically connecting present with past and leading the visitor into a hall of stories that explore the many and varied experiences of those who fought and endured the war on the battlefront and the homefront. North Carolina was both. As Gov. Zebulon Baird Vance famously remarked, it was a rich mans war but a poor mans fight. One of the enduring paradoxes is that so many farmers and workers who owned no slaves fought and died for the benefit of the slave-holding system. Historians tell us that between 30,000 and 35,000 men died of battle wounds or illness during the war. How many civilians died women, children, free blacks, Lumbees, Cherokees, slaves may never be known. Cities and towns were devastated, the economy ruined and tens of thousands faced the loss of everything they had known before. The Civil War was not just an event it was a state of life, after which private and public lives would be irrevocably changed. If we wish to know ourselves, we must understand those Civil War ancestors for we are living in the future that they created, still wrestling with the political and ethical issues that divided them so deeply. In the North Carolina Civil War History Center, the present will unite with the past. The individual stories will help us honestly face the complexities of those times, in a place that reminds us of how violent passion can destroy what is beautiful, and how with cooperation, good will, and perseverance we can reclaim it. Philip Gerard is the author of 11 books and teaches Creative Writing at UNCW. He serves on the Advisory Board of the N.C. Civil War History Center www.nccivilwarcenter. org. His book The Last Battleground: The Civil War Comes to North Carolina, is forthcoming in 2018 Ukraine's Agricultural Policy and Food Ministry and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China (AQSIQ) have signed protocols of sanitary and biosescurity requirements for exports of sunflower cake and beet pulp from Ukraine to China. "The Chinese market is open for exports of Ukrainian sunflower cake and beet pulp. We are thankful to representatives of AQSIQ for active cooperation with us in expanding the range of goods for exports of Ukrainian agricultural products to the Chinese market," the ministry said in a press release on Friday, citing Deputy Minister for European Integration Olha Trofimtseva. She said that this year, thanks to active cooperation between the two countries, Ukrainian producers obtained the eight to export frozen beef to the Chinese market (the final approval of the veterinary certificate is expected in the near future). In addition, nine Ukrainian enterprises producing dairy goods were permitted to export their goods to the Chinese market this year. A total of 27 Ukrainian dairy producers supply their goods to this market. The resumption of exports of poultry products to China and speeding up the approval for launching exports of Ukrainian cherries, blueberry, apples and soybean cake were discussed at the meeting. The ministry said that in January-July 2017, Ukraine exported products for $524.5 million to China (mainly grain, sunflower oil, flour, confectionary and dairy products) and imported food for $63.7 million from China (fish and canned fish, coffee, tea and other food). JURIST Guest Columnist Samantha Chasworth of the St. Johns University School of Law discusses the harsh punishments inflicted upon immigrants in detention facilities In Pineda Cruz v. Thompson, the women of Karnes County Civil Detention Center in Texas protested the awful treatment they experienced during their stay. Approximately eighty mothers circulated a petition and announced a hunger strike during Holy Week, consuming only liquids. As a result, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and detention center employees were angered, and the treatment of the women got worse, leading to a class action law suit filed on behalf of the women in the detention center alleging violations of First Amendment free speech rights. In its motion to dismiss the action, the government argued the immigrant women did not have First Amendment rights. Although the Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their claim, putting an end to this specific case, this does not put an end to the abuse and terrible conditions experienced by many immigrants across the country. Across the country, there are approximately 257 immigration detention facilities housing approximately 32,00 people. Although ICE details standards that all detention centers must comply with, in practice, the detainees are suffering. They experience arbitrary solitary confinement, windowless rooms, inadequate recreational time, and poor nutrition during meals. Further, detainees are given inadequate or no health care, not only for chronic conditions but also for contagious infections and diseases that cause others to become ill. Additionally, there are many allegations of abuse, including sexual abuse, and a lack of proper methods to protect detainees and report these incidents. This persists even though the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced plans to implement reporting measures as early as 2012. And tragically, according to ICE, between October 2003 and October 2013, there have been 141 in-custody deaths within these detention centers, many tied to medical neglect or mistreatment. This is unacceptable; immigrants need a way to make their voices heard and protect themselves. If prisoners retain certain fundamental rights while incarcerated, so should detained immigrants. In 1987, the Supreme Court decided Turner v. Safley and declared that [p]rison walls do not form a barrier separating inmates from the protections of the Constitution. Prisoners have the right to the protections guaranteed by the First Amendment. The immigration system is civil, not criminal, and detainees are given fewer rights and are treated horribly, as if they were criminals. Why is it that criminals have the ability to speak freely but detainees in a civil system are told they are not allowed to protest? For example, in Pineda Cruz v. Thompson, guards and ICE went so far as to punish those who protested their treatment with solitary confinement, telling them they were mentally unfit to care for their children and they should agree to be deported if they want to leave so badly. Because detainees are deterred from protesting, their treatment will not improve; they will only continue to suffer in these detention centers without anyone to protect them. Immigrants need a way to protect themselves. They need to be able to speak freely about their concerns and treatment while in detention centers. Because noncitizens are already entitled to other fundamental rights, they ought to be entitled to First Amendment rights protected as well. Noncitizens are currently entitled to (1) equal protection under the law; (2) due process of law before deprivation of life, liberty or property; (3) basic rights in a criminal prosecution; and (4) freedom from slavery and involuntary servitude. The government and the Supreme Court cannot arbitrarily pick and choose which rights noncitizens are entitled to, especially when the stakes are extremely high. Without First Amendment rights and protections, noncitizens are suffering tremendously in detention centers because their voices are chilled; they are not allowed to speak. They need to voice their concerns without fear of further punishment. Protesting is an appropriate and essential way for noncitizens to confront the harsh treatment they are experiencing in detention centers, bring awareness to the issue, and seek to change it. With the alarming number of in-custody deaths, physical and sexual abuses, and general mistreatment occurring within the walls of detention centers, detainees are hopeless. After asking a detainee at T. Don Hutto Detention center why she resorted to protesting, her response was, I cannot take more of this punishment. I am dying of desperation from this injustice, from this cruelty. The treatment and inability to freely protest in the Karnes County Civil Detention Center caused the women in Pineda Cruz v. Thompson to file a class action lawsuit. This treatment is occurring across the United States where there are approximately 257 detention centers and nearly 32,000 detainees who need to and should be able to speak freely. There are 32,000 detainees experiencing unreasonably harsh treatment, inadequate medical care, and punishment for even the slightest reason. Some detainees form protests while others do not, fearing the thought of even more punishments than they are already facing. 32,000 detainees are suffering and if they cannot protect themselves, who will fight for them? Samantha Chasworth is a recent St. Johns University School of Law graduate. During her time at St. Johns, she served as Executive Notes and Comments Editor of the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development and participated in both the Child Advocacy Clinic and the Refugee and Immigrant Rights Litigation Clinic. Suggested citation:Samantha Chasworth, Amazon, Giving a Voice to the 32,000: Why Immigrant Detainees Must Have First Amendment Rights, JURIST Dateline, September 15, 2017, http://jurist.org/dateline/2017/09/Samantha-Chasworth-immigrant-detainees.php. This article was prepared for publication by Dave Rodkey, Managing Editor for JURIST. Please direct any questions or comments to him at commentary@jurist.org Agroprosperis to invest $8 mln in purchase of 200 wagons in 2017 The Agroprosperis Group will invest $8 million in purchase of 200 wagons for transporting agricultural products in 2017. "Last year the issue of availability of wagons was raised. We decided to invest $8 million in purchase of 200 wagons for own needs. In 2017, the decision to buy 200 more wagons ($8 million more) was made," Group Director General Ihor Osmachko told Interfax-Ukraine. Osmachko said that Agroprosperis annually increases investment. In 2016 it reached $38 million. The key spheres are agricultural production and logistics: purchase of agricultural machinery, barges, wagons, trucks and vehicles, modernization and development of infrastructure. The Agroprosperis Group belongs to a group of funds managed by NCH Capital (the United States), beneficiaries of which are George Rohr and Moris Tabacinic. Its land bank is 430,000 ha. Storage capacities amount to 800,000 tonnes. The group plants and exports over 2.5 million tonnes of grain and oilseeds a year. [JURIST] The Egyptian Supreme State Security Prosecution on Thursday acknowledged the detainment of Ibrahim Metwally, a human rights lawyer. Metwally was arrested three days prior after he was suspected of providing legal aid to the family of an Italian graduate student who abducted and killed by Egyptian forces while in Cairo in 2016. The Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms [advocacy website, in Arabic] is calling on the government to release Metwally and to drop any and all potential criminal charges pending against him. Metwally has long argued against violations of human rights carried out by the Egyptian government, including its use of enforced disappearance technique, which experts argue is rampant in Egypt. The Egyptian government has recently been accused of numerous human rights violations. Last week Human Rights Watch reported [JURIST report] that security forces under the administration of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have systematically used torture methods against political detainees that likely amount to crimes against humanity. Last month the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [official website] issued a statement [JURIST report] detailing their concern over websites, including many news sites, that have been shutdown or blocked by the Egyptian government. In June the UN stated that Egypts new NGO law [JURIST report] will further restrict human rights advocacy. In May the UN criticized [JURIST report] the increased security measures the president has instituted since the bombings of Christian churches earlier this year. While condemning the attacks, al-Hussien said that al-Sisis declaration of a three-month state of emergency was only going to increase radicalization. In April HRW criticized [JURIST report] US President Donald Trumps plan to meet with al-Sisi, saying the move effectively endorses the countrys poor recent human rights record. Three former Google employees filed a lawsuit [complaint] Thursday accusing the company of wage discrimination against women. Plaintiffs Kelly Ellis, Holly Pease and Kelly Wisuri filed the complaint as a class action lawsuit in California Superior Court in San Fransisco. The complaint alleges that Google discriminated and continues to discriminate against its female employees by systematically paying them lower compensation than male employees. Among other allegations, the plaintiffs accuse Google of violating the California Equal Pay Act. The complaint cites to the US Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programss (OFCCP) 2015 investigation of Google, stating: OFCCPs analysis showed six to seven standard deviations between pay for men and women in nearly every job classification in 2015. Two standard deviations is considered statistically significant; six or seven standard deviations means there is a one in 100 million chance that the disparity is occurring randomly or by chance. If class action is permitted, the plaintiffs will represent all women who have worked for Google since 2013. Ending sex and gender discrimination in the workforce has been a political and legal battle throughout the last decade. In April the US Department of Labor accused [JURIST report] Google of engaging in compensation discrimination against female employees. Also in April the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled [text, PDF] that calculating salaries based solely on prior salaries does not violate the Equal Pay Act [text] even when it results in women being paid less [JURIST report] than men for the same job. The Department of Labor filed a lawsuit against Oracle America, Inc. in January alleging [JURIST report] that the company engaged in a systemic practice of paying their Caucasian male workers more than other employees. The Congress of Guatemala [official website] approved legislation that decreases the penalties for campaign finance crimes on Wednesday by a vote of 105-19. The reform reduces [Reuters report] the maximum sentence for illegally funding an election from 12 to 10 years, as sentence which can be commuted to a fine. Additionally, the law shifts the responsibility of financial irregularities from party leaders to accountants. Lawmakers called the vote a matter of national urgency and pushed it ahead of other issues that were scheduled to be decided upon. Critics of the changes see them as another attempt by Congress to protect President Jimmy Morales. Prosecutors sought to remove immunity from Morales in order to investigate the misappropriation of over $800,000 in election funds but were prevented from doing so by Congress [JURIST reports] earlier this week. Last week the Guatemala Supreme Court [official website, in Spanish] ruled that legislators must review a request to lift Moraless immunity from prosecution, after finding that that there was sufficient evidence [JURIST report] to transfer the case to Congress. It was after this ruling that the five-member commission was formed to review the case and vote on the matter. Prior to that ruling, in late August, the Guatemala Constitutional Court [official website, in Spanish] issued [JURIST report] an order blocking the expulsion of Ivan Velasquez, the head of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) [official website], within hours of the expulsion. Morales claimed that Velasquez misused his authoritative position by pressuring the legislative process and publicly accusing Guatemalans of violations without respecting their due process rights. However, according to a spokesperson for the US State Department [press release], Velasquez has acted as the lead in efforts to combat corruption and impunity in Guatemala for a decade. Soon after the expulsion order, US, Germany, Canada, Spain, France, UK, Sweden, Switzerland and the EU issued a joint statement condemning Moraless actions. Citizens, in protest of Morales, declared a state of siege in the capital, and some ministers resigned. Since the action to lift Moraless presidential immunity failed to attain the required two-thirds or 105 votes [Al Jazeera report], it is now considered suspended and can be reconsidered in a subsequent session of Congress. The Office of the Attorney General of Indonesia announced [Jakarta Post report] Thursday that it would rescind a policy that banned lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals from becoming employees. The controversial policy had been denounced by human rights groups, who have expressed concern that the LGBT community has faced continued persecution at the hands of the government over the past year. Muhammad Nurkhoiron, commissioner of the Indonesias National Human Rights Commission, spoke [HRW report] critically of the policy, including the portion that likened being LGBT to having a mental illness. Indonesian President Joko Widodo spoke last October on the issues that face the country in regards to attacks and discrimination against the LGBT community. Widodo instructed [BBC report] the police to protect members of the LGBT community from persecution, urging that there should be no discrimination against anyone. In July President Widodo signed a decree that enacted [JURIST report] a ban on radical groups throughout the country. Activists have warned that this step could lead to continued human rights abuses by the government. Spains state prosecutor [official website, in Spanish] on Wednesday summoned 712 Catalonian mayors who have said they will allow the use of public space for an independence referendum that is due to take place October 1. Last week the Spanish Constitutional Court [official website] suspended [JURIST report] the referendum and agreed to hear arguments to determine if it violates the Spanish Constitution which states that the nation is indivisible. The prosecutor plans [Reuters report] to charge officials who have been involved with preparations for the vote with civil disobedience, abuse of office and misuse of public funds. Police are instructed to arrest those who do not respond to the summons and were given additional orders [Al Jazeera report] to seize flyers, ballot boxes and other items that could be used for the referendum. Regional government officials have 48 hours to show the Constitutional Court how they are preventing the referendum from happening. The Catalonia independence movement has gathered momentum in recent years following the economic crisis in the country that began in 2008. In 2015 the Constitutional Court of Spain declared unconstitutional [JURIST report] a resolution by the Parliament of Catalonia that proposed a plan for the regions independence from Spain by the end of this year. In September of 2015 the High Court of Justice of Catalonia summoned [JURIST report] Catalonia President Artur Mas over his involvement in the 2014 independence referendum. In 2014 Mas signed a decree [JURIST report] calling for a referendum on secession and independence from Spain, inciting confrontation from Spains central government in Madrid. In February 2014 Spains parliament rejected [JURIST report] Catalonias proposed referendum, which asked voters if they wanted Catalonia to become a state, and, in the case of an affirmative response, if they wanted this state to be independent. When Catalonia proceeded with the referendum, the Constitutional Court held the independence vote to be unconstitutional [JURIST report]. On Thursday, Tunisias presidency spokeswoman, Saida Garrach, announced that the countrys ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslim men has come to an end. The prior law had required men to convert to Islam and submit a certificate of the conversion before they were allowed to marry Muslim women. The ban has been in place since 1973. The president of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi, had previously called for the end to the ban last month. Essebsi had argued that the law violated the Tunisia Constitution that was enacted in 2014. The removal of the ban [Al Jazeera report] is another step towards increased womens rights in the predominantly Muslim country. The country has been seen as being ahead of many other Muslim countries since the 1956 Social Code that outlawed polygamy and granting rights to women. Tunisia enacted [JURIST report] the constitution in 2014 amid what is now known as the Arab uprising. Tunisia has faced political turmoil since president Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali [BBC profile, news archive] left office amid nationwide protests in 2011. In July 2013, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay [official profile] condemned [JURIST report] the assassination of Tunisian opposition leader. In May 2013 Human Rights Watch [advocacy website] urged Tunisia to modify its draft constitution [JURIST report] to ensure protection of human rights. Two months earlier HRW urged Tunisia to repeal its criminal defamation law [JURIST report], which is typically considered a civil offense throughout the world. [JURIST] The Tunisian parliament, the Assembly of Peoples Representatives [official website, in Arabic], on Thursday adopted a law pardoning thousands of people who followed orders from corrupt leaders while hundreds protested the decision. Amnesty will only be granted to those who did not make money off of the corruption or if they pay back the money with penalties. The Tunisian people and international organizations have condemned the law [TI report] and count it as a final blow [HRW report] in the transition process from the Ben Ali regime [BBC backgrounder]. Tunisia continues to face challenges after the Arab Spring uprising. Thousands of Tunisians in May protested [JURIST report] the recently passed bill that would grant amnesty to officials facing corruption charges from a previous regime. A Tunisian court sentenced [JURIST report] British DJ Dax J to a year in prison in April for public indecency and offending public morality after the artist played a remix of the Muslim call to prayer in a nightclub. In March German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere confirmed [JURIST report] that a Tunisian man responsible for a deadly museum attack in Tunisia in 2015 will be deported. In the run-up to Germany's September 24 election, voters in the city of Cologne were surprised to see Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan look down at them from campaign posters. To be sure, Erdogan is not trying to take the job of Chancellor Angela Merkel, with whom he is engaged in a raging war of words. Rather, Erdogan's face is meant to promote the tiny "Alliance of German Democrats" (ADD) party, which is campaigning in Cologne, a bastion of the three-million strong Turkish community. The posters offer a clue to which alternatives Erdogan had in mind when he urged German Turks last month to vote against Merkel's conservatives and other "enemies" of Turkey. He accused her Christian Democrats, the Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens of playing a game of "the more you beat up Turkey, the more votes you get" and said that opposing them was "a struggle of honour". The direct ballot-box impact is expected to be negligible, given that only around one million of Germany's 61 million eligible voters have Turkish roots, and that two-thirds of these tend to vote SPD. Nonetheless, Germany fears that Erdogan is sowing discord among Turkish expatriates and reopening old wounds from the Turkish "guest worker" experience of the 1960s and 70s. Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel and Justice Minister Heiko Maas recently warned that Erdogan is spreading "propaganda" through state media, political groups and Ankara-controlled mosques, spelling "a threat to the democratic culture of Germany". And the chief of domestic security service BfV, Hans-Georg Maassen, has warned that Turkey's MIT secret service has been active in Germany, surveilling and intimidating Erdogan critics. - 'Tainted blood' - The largest Turkish community abroad has produced stars in German cinema, politics and sports, but it still broadly lags the rest of society in income, creating some lingering resentment. For many Muslims, a sense of alienation has been fuelled by a rise in far-right hate speech and attacks since the large refugee influx of 2015 and a string of jihadist attacks in Europe. Alexander Gauland of the anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party sparked outrage recently when he said Germany's integration commissioner Aydan Ozoguz should be "disposed of in Anatolia". Erdogan has for years rallied ethnic Turks in Germany, about one million of whom can vote in their ancestral homeland. Around 60 percent of these have backed his Islamic-rooted AKP party. In 2008 Erdogan caused a storm in Cologne when he called the "assimilation" of newcomers a "crime against humanity". He again stoked the Turkish pride of some 20,000 flag-waving followers there in a 2014 event, while outside protesters waved banners that read "corruption, sharia, sultanate -- Erdogan, you're not a democrat". Tensions rose sharply when Germany's parliament last year voted to declare the Ottoman-era killings of Armenians a genocide, and Erdogan accused Turkish-German MPs of having "tainted blood". Ties further deteriorated after Turkey's failed 2016 coup and subsequent mass crackdown that has left tens of thousands behind bars, including a dozen Germans or dual citizens. Erdogan has meanwhile accused Germany of sheltering followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he blames for the coup attempt. - 'Democracy lessons' - "A deep chasm is running through Turkey, and also through the Turkish-German community," said Yunus Ulusoy, 53, of the Centre for Turkey Studies and Integration Research. "The Turkish political landscape has always been divided -- between left and right, secular and religious, Kurds and nationalists. What's new is the intensity of the division, and the focus on a single person, Erdogan." A Berlin doner kebab shop worker, asked about Erdogan, spat out an expletive, then looked over his shoulder at another guest sitting a few tables away and quickly added that he didn't really know much about politics. Baklava shop worker Dilara Yilmaz more charitably said Erdogan had "put Turkey in a good position in the world ... the roads are better, everything is better now in Turkey. I see it when I go back." Ulusoy said the message that "Erdogan is building a strong Turkey can resonate, especially when combined with the experience of migration, of exclusion and discrimination that some Turkish-Germans have. "Erdogan says: no matter where you are, what citizenship you hold, if you feel you belong to Anatolia, to Turkey, then you are my brothers and my sisters." Despite the tensions, Bekir Yilmaz, Berlin's Turkish community leader, took a relaxed view and said that German Turks "are sufficiently empowered to decide who and what they vote for". In a similar vein, Germany's Turkish community leader Gokay Sofuoglu said "we don't need lessons in democracy" and that Erdogan should end his "paternalistic attitude toward Turks in Germany." Fearing to lose the Russian market, Siemens has refused to continue shipments of equipment for the modernization of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS), CEO of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolev has said. "Siemens called and said that if they brought more [equipment], they would lose the Russian market," Kobolev announced at the 14th annual YES conference in Kyiv on Friday, September 15. He said Ukraine had to negotiate new supplies with General Electric. The press service of Naftogaz Ukrainy said that Ukrtransgaz late April 2013 signed a government-secured contract to reconstruct the Bar compressor station with Germany's Ferrostaal Industrieanlagen GmbH as part of the credit line provided by Deutsche Bank. The contract included the turn-key designing of the project, including the feasibility study and construction. It was decided to use Siemens turbines during the reconstruction. "However, in four months Ferrostaal sent a letter to Ukrtransgaz that Siemens refuses to supply the turbines for this project. The reconstruction project had to be changed. The new optimal decision was the use of General Electric equipment," the press service said. The new feasibility study was approved by the Cabinet Ministers of Ukraine at the end of 2015. Then two GE PGT25 turbines were bought. "Last week the shipment of the equipment under the project was started. The first batch of equipment arrived in the warehouse of the Bar compressor station. The completion of the Bar compressor station reconstruction project is scheduled for 2018," the press service said. Kobolev also said that for the modernization of Ukraine's GTS, it is necessary to evaluate prospects for transit supplies of Russian gas after Ukraine's contract with Gazprom expires in 2019. Thus, he once again stressed the need to oppose the Russian Nord Stream 2 project as a politically motivated one. He cited the example of the South Stream project, proposed by Russia, which, in connection with its approval by Turkey, means the loss of the southern branch of the Ukrainian GTS. Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Energy Union Maros Sefcovic believes that Ukraine should make its gas transport system attractive thanks to the creation of an independent regulator and the unbundling of Naftogaz, then investors will come and bring investment for its modernization. He said that he discussed the issue with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other possible creditors. Sefcovic added that the issue will be urgent for settling after receiving the final decision of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce in the dispute between Naftogaz and Gazprom. Vitol President and CEO Ian Taylor said that Ukraine should not worry about the Nord Stream 2 project. Ukraine should form own energy policy, he said. Ten militants have been killed and ten more have been wounded and injured as a result of hostilities in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in the Donbas over the past week, Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said. "We have confirmed losses of the enemy over the past week. There were ten dead and ten wounded invaders from September 4 to 10," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, September 12. He added that one unmanned aerial vehicle had also been shot down over the past week. Motuzianyk said that two fighters from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic surrendered as part of the program of the Security Service of Ukraine entitled "They are waiting for you at home." Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Thomas Greminger has called on the parties to the conflict in Donbas to fully comply with the Minsk Agreements. Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday, Greminger said he would like to use the opportunity to call on the parties to fully and comprehensively implement the Minsk Agreements, as a ceasefire is the main and essential element of efforts toward settling the crisis. Greminger also pointed to the problem of the safety of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission members. U.S. to send next batch of HMMWVs to Ukraine Chaly Another batch of U.S. high mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV), or the Humvees, is expected to arrive in Ukraine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United States Valery Chaly has said. "Let's take HMMWVs a new delivery of new high-quality vehicles, including medical ones, is in the pipeline," Radio Liberty quoted Chaly as saying on Thursday evening. At the same time, when answering a question about lethal weapons for Ukraine, Chaly confirmed that there is the support of the Pentagon and the U.S. Department of State in this matter, and the final decision remains with U.S. President Donald Trump. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko initiates the creation of an international group of friends of Crimea's de-occupation with the aim of coordinating joint actions in this direction. "I would like to propose the idea of creating an international group of Crimea's de-occupation friends to coordinate joint steps and actions. And I plan to discuss this initiative in details in New York at the UN General Assembly," he said at the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) titled "Has the world become new? And what does this mean for Ukraine?" in Kyiv on Friday. Poroshenko said that Ukraine stands for the peaceful ousting of Russia from Crimea it occupied. According to him, sanctions against the Russian Federation should be introduced in accordance with the Minsk agreements, and the price of aggression must hurt the aggressor. "They must return what they illegally seized," the Ukrainian president said. A Foie Gras Torchon sandwich is seen at the Naked Lunch restaurant Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in San Francisco. A federal appeals court reinstated California's ban on foie gras Friday, finding that a state law preventing sales of the luxury liver pate made by force-feeding ducks and geese was not pre-empted by the federal government's authority to regulate poultry products. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that Ukraine is now carrying out the mission of defending the borders of Europe from the threats that are coming from the east. "Ukraine has become de facto the border of a united Europe. And today we are fulfilling our thousand-year mission of defending our joint European home from the threats that are coming from the East," Poroshenko said, opening the plenary session of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv on Friday. He said that now Ukraine is reforming its security system in accordance with NATO standards. At the same time, the Ukrainian president said: "The road to Europe through Ukraine is closed for Russia." Poroshenko also said that "as regards Moscow you should always be prepared for the worst." "I believe that the Revolution of Dignity has become the impetus for democracy, and the Kremlin is trying to deceive it in a targeted way [...] A hybrid war against the West was already under way when Putin [Russian President Vladimir Putin] was hosted at the G8 meetings when he signed contracts for billions, but keep in mind, that this money will not be used for the benefit of the Russians [...] they were used to strengthen the Russian army in order to ensure the Kremlin's goals to hinder the Association Agreement and return the Yanukovych's Ukraine [Ukraine under the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych] under the influence of Russia," Poroshenko said. He said that the parties that were created by the Kremlin were ready to do everything for the disintegration of the European Union, but the Revolution of Dignity disrupted these plans. FILE- In this Jan. 15, 2017, file photo Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks during a news conference in Chicago. U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber ruled Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, that U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions cannot follow through with his threat to withhold public safety grant money to Chicago and other U.S cities for refusing to impose tough immigration policies. Leinenweber granted Chicago's request for a temporary "nationwide" injunction that means the Justice Department cannot deny requests for the grant money until its lawsuit against the Justice Department is concluded. (AP Photo/Matt Marton, File) FILE - In this Jan. 18, 2016, file photo Jeffrey DeLaurentis, then-Charge d'Affaires to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, speaks in Atlanta. Raul Castro appeared as alarmed as the Americans. The United States, his nationAos sworn enemy until recently, was demanding urgent answers about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic Ausonic attacksAu and the subtle threat of repercussions. What the Cuban president did next surprised Washington. Castro sought out Jeffrey DeLaurentis, then the top American diplomat in Havana. In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro personally denied any responsibility and told DeLaurentis he was equally befuddled, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Engineer Mar Vaquero monitors the status of NASA's Cassini spacecraft as it enters the atmosphere of Saturn in mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, in Pasadena, Calif. Cassini disintegrated in the skies above Saturn early Friday, following a remarkable journey of 20 years. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, Pool) Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. A Tenterden man has been jailed for sex offences against children after being arrested as he returned from a holiday to Morocco. Owen Rees was found to have accessed indecent images online at his home address by the Paedophile Online Investigation Team. A search of the 38-year-old's computer revealed conversations between other users about the sexual abuse of children, planning the sexual abuse of children and previous sexual experiences of abusing children. Following his arrest on August 21, Rees provided information that allowed officers to identify a teenage girl who was at significant risk of sexual harm. He admitted to two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child and six counts of possession of indecent images. On September 7 Rees was jailed for nine years with an extended licence of four years at Canterbury Crown Court. Investigating officer detective constable Karl Brett said: "This was a fast moving investigation, requiring liaison overseas and with other forces, and urgent enquiries to identify and safeguard victims. "I am satisfied that Rees has been brought to justice. He clearly posed a substantial risk to children. "I hope the sentence imposed demonstrates the determination of all those involved in protecting children, that these matters are taken seriously, and that offenders must understand that they will be brought to justice." Representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group for the settlement of the Donbas crisis and the second president (1994-2005) of independent Ukraine Leonid Kuchma believes that the deployment of the UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas is possible only when Ukraine restores control over the Ukrainian-Russian border. "In the format proposed by Russia, this is a mockery of Ukraine in the whole world, I believe. [The deployment of a peacekeeping mission is possible], only when Ukrainian-Russian borders are closed," Kuchma told reporters during the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy titled "Is the world new today? And what does this mean for Ukraine?" in Kyiv on Friday, answering the question about the possibility of placing the UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas. Russia's hybrid military forces have attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 28 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action and two as wounded in action, according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters. "At the end of the last day, the situation was somewhat exacerbated in the ATO area, but remained under the control of the Ukrainian army. After 6 p.m., the militants intensified shelling of our positions in all directions, using mortars of the 82-mm caliber [...]. In total for the past day, Russian-occupation groups violated ceasefire regime 28 times. The ATO forces opened fire 13 times. As a result of hostilities, one Ukrainian soldier has been killed, two injured," the ATO staff wrote on Facebook on Friday morning. In the Mariupol sector, the Russian-backed mercenaries opened fire from grenade launchers and heavy machine guns three times near the village of Vodiane. They also launched seven 82mm mines near the town of Maryinka. In addition, the Ukrainian fortified positions near the villages of Pavlopil, Talakivka and Hnutove came under enemy shelling. In the Donetsk sector, the occupiers fired from mortars and infantry fighting vehicles on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Zaitseve, as well as grenade launchers twice on the Avdiyivka industrial zone. At about 21:00 Kyiv time, the enemy started firing grenade launchers and machine guns on the Ukrainian positions near Butivka coal mine. The ATO forces fired back and forced the militants to observe the ceasefire. Unfortunately, one Ukrainian soldier was killed in the shelling. In the Luhansk sector, after almost a week's lull, the Russian occupation forces used mortars, various types of grenade launchers and small arms six times against the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Krymske evening and night. For its part, the staff of the Ukrainian army operation in Donbas said that the enemy had mounted 28 attacks in the past 24 hours, killing one soldier and inflicting injuries on two more. "Tensions escalated a bit [in the army operation zone], yet the Ukrainian army stayed in control. Gunfire intensified in every sector after 6 p.m.," the staff said. 644 Shares Share A curious post popped up on my Facebook feed recently: Another doctor running for office! A picture of an attractive family was nestled below that exclamation, asking to show your support (in the form of dollars) for this doctor running as a Democrat for the House of Representatives. It had that sense of enthusiasm that implied I was obligated to be excited, but instead came off more like Jeb Bushs perfunctory, Please clap. It joined a growing number of posts supporting physician candidates in the Progressive Doctors Facebook group (of which I happen to be a member). Physician candidates are popping up across the country, gaining media attention as they decide to leave lucrative careers in medicine to join the fight for health care. These candidates are described as progressive and their sites are shared widely amongst the various self-identified progressive or liberal physician Facebook groups, garnering clicks, and maybe even some financial support from individuals likely unable to vote in the candidates district. However, when you visit these candidates websites, they are vague on the policies the candidate supports. What makes them progressive? Is it the mere fact that they are Democrats running in opposition to President Trump? Is it enough that they opposed repealing Obamacare (along with the GOPs proposed cruel replacements)? Is it enough that they are physicians doing this? I posted a comment on one post asking what made the individual a progressive; I never got a reply. No one seems interested in answering these questions. As we inch towards the 2018 midterm elections, these physician candidates and others who may soon join them, need to have concrete policies to offer constituents, particularly if they are explicitly running as progressives who oppose Republican health care policies. They should have clear stances on single payer, a public option, and Medicaid expansion. They need not be experts on health policy, but they should at least be able to clearly state whether or not they believe health care is a basic human right. The best physicians dont just treat a disease; they treat the whole patient. In the same way, the best candidates should not simply abstain from non-health care related issues. They should be championing progressive solutions that touch upon every aspect of a constituents life, particularly the social determinants of health, such as stable and affordable housing, a living wage, criminal justice reform, and well-funded (and free) public education. They should oppose the privatization of basic public services. They should advocate for a fair redistribution of wealth. And they should make it easy for us to find their positions on these issues. That Facebook post I mentioned earlier was the perfect mindless like; something that seems to hit all the right notes and allow people to reflexively click like without having to think. This isnt how we should be scrutinizing progressive candidates asking for our support. As physicians and as citizens, we should be demanding more. We live in a time that calls for concrete, substantive solutions, not empty platitudes or partisan labels. Heres hoping there are a few progressive doctors up to the challenge. Surafel Tsega is a hospitalist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com The issue of introducing civilian control over Ukraine's armed forces was discussed during a meeting between the state secretary of Ukraine's Defense Ministry Oleksandr Dublian with Canadian and British experts. "The sides discussed issues for achieving operation goals of the Strategic Defense Bulletin of Ukraine, which pertains to developing democratic civilian control over the armed forces by raising the effectiveness of the defense ministry, strengthening ties between it and the Verkhovna Rada and Ukraine's civil society. According to Dublian, effective democratic civilian control [over Ukraine's armed forces) will allow Ukraine to "receive maximum effect from resources and fulfillment of defense tasks, as well as facilitate implementing effective cooperation and coordination between defense and security sector agencies. By Nicole Pinto Sept 15 (Reuters) - Australian shares were lower on Friday, due to metal prices that fell sharply overnight and a decline in financials , but the index was on track to end the week higher snapping three weekly sessions of losses. The main reason for the fall was metals prices coming off, particularly copper, said Ric Spooner, chief market strategist at CMC Markets. China was partly the cause, and partly because they rallied too far, he said. Data from China on Thursday showed that fixed-asset investment in the first eight months along with August factory output and retail sales grew less than expected. Further more, North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japan's northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean, South Korean and Japanese officials said, following international sanctions imposed on it. "As far as the banks are concerned, I think today's selling is just a bit of caution related to the Korean missile tests ... its also possible that it's a bit of profit taking with the rally we have seen in banks recently," Spooner said. The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.6 percent, or 35.878 points, to 5,702.8 by 0222 GMT but was on track to record a gain after three weeks of losses. Material stocks led decliners on the index on the back on Chinese steel and iron ore futures that fell sharply on Thursday while copper dropped to a four-week low. Miners BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto slumped 2.5 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. The country's biggest banks fell with Westpac Banking Corp and Commonwealth Bank of Australia being the biggest drag shedding as much as 1 percent. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index shed 0.5 percent, or 36.44 points, to 7,782.79, on track to posts its fourth consecutive day of losses. The country's home sales fell sharply in August in the latest sign that its recently overheated housing market was losing steam, on the other hand manufacturing activity picked up pace in August. Declines on the index were led by utilities stocks, followed by the health care and industrial sectors. Energy generator and retailer Contact Energy Ltd fell as much as 1.1 percent and Mercury NZ Ltd slid as much as 2.9 percent to a near three month low Retirement village operator Metlifecare Ltd shed as much as 2.4 percent and Air New Zealand Ltd slumped 3.8 percent, to a one-month low, falling for its fourth consecutive day. For more individual stocks activity click on (Reporting by Nicole Pinto; Additional Reporting by Hanna Paul in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) SHANGHAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - A senior executive at China's internet finance association has urged Chinese regulators to create a framework of regulations to support the development of digital currencies amid a fierce crackdown on trading on virtual tender such as bitcoin. Li Lihui, a senior official at the National Internet Finance Association of China and a former president of the Bank of China, said at an event on Friday in Shanghai that global regulators should work together on digital currencies. Chinese regulators are cracking down on the cryptocurrency sector, in a bid to stamp out potential financial risks as consumers pile into a highly risky and speculative market that has seen unprecedented growth this year. Major Chinese bitcoin exchange BTCChina said on Thursday it would stop all trading from Sept. 30, setting off a slide in the value of the cryptocurrency that left it over 30 percent away from the record highs it hit earlier in the month. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan on Friday morning, Japans government said, strongly protesting what it called Pyongyangs latest intolerable provocation. The missile was launched at 6:57 a.m. Japan time (2157 GMT), flew over Hokkaido and splashed down at 7:06 a.m. (2206 GMT) some 2,000 kilometers east of the northern islands Cape Erimo, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. Japan protests the latest launch in the strongest terms and will take appropriate and timely action at the United Nations and elsewhere, staying in close contact with the United States and South Korea, Suga told reporters. Writing by William Mallard; Editing by Chris Reese Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. Toni Frisch, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) coordinator in the Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup will visit Donbas in October, and the Ukrainian side will insist on his meeting with the Ukrainian journalist and blogger Stanyslav Aseyev (Vasin), who is detained in the ORDO, First Deputy Speaker of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada and representative of the Trilateral Contact Group Iryna Gerashchenko has said. "He is planning another trip to Donbas in October. Surely, we will insist that we meet with a journalist who has no connection either with his relatives or with the world. He even doesn't have the right to call," she said in a commentary to Interfax-Ukraine during the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy on the topic "Is the world new today? And what does this mean for Ukraine?" in Kyiv on Friday. Gerashchenko reminded that Frisch visited Donbas in August and the Makiyivka colony (Ukraine's uncontrolled districts of the Donetsk region), where the Ukrainian military are being held. SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japans northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, further ratcheting up tensions after Pyongyangs recent test of its most powerful nuclear bomb. The missile flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km (1,240 miles) east of Hokkaido, Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters in a hastily organized media conference. These repeated provocations on the part of North Korea are impermissible and we protest in the strongest words, Suga said. Warning announcements about the missile blared around 7 a.m. (2200 GMT Thursday) in the town of Kamaishi, northern Japan, footage from national broadcaster NHK showed. The missile reached an altitude of about 770 km (480 miles) and flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 3,700 km (2,300 miles), according to South Koreas military - far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. (For graphic on North Korea's missile and nuclear tests, click tmsnrt.rs/2vXbj0S) The U.S. military said soon after that it had detected a single intermediate range ballistic missile. North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under young leader Kim Jong Un as it accelerates a weapons program designed to give it the ability to target the United States with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. This rocket has meaning in that North Korea is pushing towards technological completion of its missiles and that North Korea may be feeling some pressure that they need to show the international community something, said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum. Last month, North Korea fired a missile from similar area near the capital Pyongyang that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean. Two tests in July were for long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching at least parts of the U.S. mainland. ASHES AND DARKNESS South Korea said it had fired a missile test into the sea to coincide with North Koreas launch and the presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. Japan also convened a National Security Council meeting. The Norths launch came a day after Pyongyang threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to ashes and darkness for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its Sept. 3 nuclear test, its sixth and most powerful by far. The U.S. general who oversees Americas nuclear forces said on Thursday he was making the assumption that the test was in fact a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang had claimed, based on the size of the blast. Im assuming it was a hydrogen bomb, said Air Force General John Hyten, head of the U.S. militarys Strategic Command. I have to make that assumption as a military officer, Hyten told a small group of reporters who were accompanying Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on a trip to Hytens headquarters in Nebraska. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. Australia, a strong and vocal ally of the United States, quickly condemned the launch. This is another dangerous, reckless, criminal act by the North Korean regime, threatening the stability of the region and the world and we condemn it, utterly, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in an interview with Sky News on Friday. This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea, recently imposed by the Security Council. Its a sign that the sanctions are working, he said. The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday, banning North Koreas textile exports and capping fuel supplies. The U.S. dollar fell sharply against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc in early Asian hours in response to the launch, although losses were quickly pared in very jittery trade. U.S. President Donald Trump had been briefed on the latest launch, the White House said. Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbor. China in turn favors an international response to the problem.The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. (Adds data on mutual funds and ETFs, analyst quote, table, byline) By Trevor Hunnicutt NEW YORK, Sept 14 (Reuters) - U.S. fund investors sought shelter during the latest week, pouring more than double the amount from the previous week into money markets, and stockpiling the most in "safe haven" Treasuries in more than a year, Lipper data showed on Thursday. Political uncertainty has weighed on funds even if it has not tempered lofty stock prices, with several equity indexes touching record highs during the latest week. Fund investors have been unnerved by threats from North Korea, which fired a missile over Japan after testing a powerful nuclear bomb. Cash-like money market funds pulled in $17.7 billion during the week ended Sept. 13, accelerating from $6.8 billion the previous week, while Treasury mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) attracted $3 billion, the most since January 2016, Lipper data for U.S.-based funds showed. One of the funds, iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF , snapped up $1.7 billion in its largest week of inflows on record. "This is serious stuff going on in Korea," said Tom Roseen, head of research services for Thomson Reuters' Lipper unit. "All eyes are on that right now." Roseen said markets could see a pullback in coming weeks. Stock funds based in the United States posted $410 million in withdrawals during the week, the research service's data showed. Non-domestic equity fund flows weakened to $370 million of outflows, their largest withdrawals since June. International stocks have been popular this year. Yet Japanese stock funds posted $396 million in withdrawals, their seventh straight week of outflows. European stock funds posted $564 million in outflows, the largest withdrawals in about a year. Some U.S. stock sectors strengthened. Healthcare and biotech sector funds pulled in $439 million, the most in a week since July. Technology sector funds attracted $436 million in their third straight week of inflows. The following is a breakdown of the flows for the week, including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds: Sector Flow Chg % Assets Assets Count ($blns) ($blns) All Equity Funds -0.410 -0.01 6,361.868 12,488 Domestic Equities -0.040 -0.00 4,350.105 8,847 Non-Domestic Equities -0.370 -0.02 2,011.763 3,641 All Taxable Bond Funds 1.893 0.07 2,554.372 6,220 All Money Market Funds 17.729 0.69 2,595.882 1,113 All Municipal Bond Funds 0.241 0.06 399.127 1,543 (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Jennifer Ablan and Lisa Shumaker) JOHANNESBURG, Sept 15 (Reuters) - AngloGold Ashanti is in talks to sell one of its South African mines, it said on Friday, after earlier announcing it would mothball the mine as part of a restructuring process. "Based on unsolicited expressions of interest received from a number of parties, AngloGold Ashanti initiated a process to assess the sale of the Kopanang Mine. In this regard, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has now been signed with a selected party," the company said in a statement. (Reporting by TJ Strydom; editing by Jason Neely) 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. SHANGHAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have ordered Beijing-based crypto-currency exchanges to cease trading and to tell users by Friday about when trading will end, the Securities Times newspaper reported citing industry sources and a government notice. The newspaper said the Beijing city regulator held talks with crypto-currency exchanges in the city on Friday. It also cited another notice issued by a Beijing city group in charge of overseeing internet finance risks as saying exchanges must announce an immediate stop to new user registrations by Friday. A source familiar with the notice told Reuters that the government order was authentic. (Reporting by Brenda Goh; Additional Reporting by Bi Xiaowen) BEIJING, Sept 15 (Reuters) - China's outstanding total social financing was 169.41 trillion yuan ($25.9 trillion) at the end of August, up 13.1 percent from a year earlier, the central bank said on Friday. TSF includes off-balance sheet forms of financing that exist outside the conventional bank lending system, such as initial public offerings, loans from trust companies and bond sales. It can also hint at trends in China's vast shadow banking sector. China's foreign exchange deposits were $787.6 billion at the end of August, compared with $794.6 billion a month earlier, the central bank added. ($1 = 6.5480 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Cheng Fang and Kevin Yao; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) By Suvashree Choudhury MUMBAI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - India's April-June current account deficit widened to its highest in four years as imports surged, but strong capital inflows comfortably financed the gap, data from the Reserve Bank of India showed on Friday. The current account deficit widened to 2.4 percent of gross domestic product, or $14.3 billion, as imports pushed the trade deficit to $41.2 billion from $23.8 billion in the same period a year ago. In the quarter ending in June last year, the current account deficit was 0.1 percent or $401 million. It is now at its highest level since the June quarter of 2013. The widening of the year-on-year deficit was primarily due to a larger increase in merchandise imports relative to exports, the RBI said in its release. While imports rose, some export-oriented sectors also slowed after India imposed its new goods and services tax (GST) in July, adding to the current account gap, analysts said. Analysts expect the current account deficit to narrow as exports pick up, but capital flows are likely to slow as the foreign investment limits for debt have been fully used up. "It appears the last month's transition to GST had affected some export sectors, but that is expected to normalise going ahead," said A. Prasanna, economist at ICICI Securities Primary Dealership. He said he expected the full year current account deficit to be 1.5 percent of GDP. Despite a wider current account gap, the balance of payments surplus was $11.4 billion in April-June, compared with $6.97 billion a year ago, helped by strong dollar inflows that boosted the rupee 0.43 percent during the quarter. India's capital surplus, which includes foreign direct investment and portfolio inflows, stood at $25.4 billion compared with a $7.18 billion surplus a year ago. (Reporting by Suvashree Dey Choudhury; Editing by Jon Boyle) TALLINN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The president of the Eurogroup -- all euro zone finance ministers -- said there was no need to discuss the next chairmanship of the group at this stage, in an attempt to quell speculation about the time of his departure. Jeroen Dijsselbloem said his intention was to remain chairman of the powerful informal group, that decides economic policy of the 19 countries sharing the euro, until his mandate expires in mid-January. He said euro zone finance ministers, who gathered in Tallinn on Friday for a regular monthly meeting, did not address this issue. "There is no reason to discuss it," he added, stressing that the timing for the formation of a new Dutch government, of which he is unlikely to be a member, was still unclear. The chairman of euro zone finance ministers has customarily been an active finance minister as well, although it is not a legal requirement. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio @fraguarascio) Sept 15 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. THE GLOBE AND MAIL Two of Canada's top artificial intelligence experts Joelle Pineau and Pascal Vincent are joining Facebook Inc , the latest in a string of renowned Canadian academics in the technology field to go to work for Silicon Valley giants. ( ) The U.S. government is facing increasing pressure to reach a deal with Canada on softwood lumber, as demand for construction materials is expected to spike higher in Texas and Florida in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma. ( ) The Bank of Canada is eager to be more transparent, but it isn't ready to explicitly foreshadow every interest-rate move it makes just to appease financial markets, deputy governor Carolyn Wilkins said. ( ) NATIONAL POST A multi-million dollar federal investment of about C$50 million to Northwestel Inc in backbone internet infrastructure is expected to improve speeds in every one of Nunavut's far flung communities. ( ) The plan to overhaul Sobeys Inc appeared to be gaining some traction after parent Empire Company Ltd reported better than expected first-quarter results in a tough grocery environment. ( ) CNOOC Nexen Energy, the Calgary-based division of Beijing-based CNOOC Ltd , and its Tokyo-based joint-venture partner INPEX Corp canceled plans for a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas project on Canada's West Coast on Thursday. ( ) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom) HANOI, Sept 15 (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 0423 GMT. September 15 USD/VND mid-point 22,441 USD/VND interbank 22,725/22,727 USD/VND unofficial 22,725/22,740 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.56/36.78 Interbank offered rates Overnight 0.5-1.1 1 week 0.9-1.2 1 month 1.6-1.9 3 months 3.1-3.6 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; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) TOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Demand for Japan Post Holdings Co Ltd's planned $12 billion share sale is solid, contrary to worries of a bleak uptake given the size of the offering, people familiar with the process told Thomson Reuters DealWatch on Friday. Overseas investors that account for 20 percent of the sale committed to buying the portion to be allotted to those outside Japan by the end of the first book-building day, said the sources, who did not want to be named as they were not authorised to speak to media. Demand from domestic investors, who account for 80 percent of the sale, also appeared solid, the sources added. Fund managers had feared a tepid reception due to the sheer size of the offering announced on Monday and worries over the business' limited growth. Shares of Japan Post are currently trading barely above their 2015 IPO price of 1,400 yen. The price for the new offering will be set from Sept. 25 to Sept. 27, at a discount of around 2-4 percent compared with share prices during that period. (Reporting by Miho Ozawa of Thomson Reuters DealWatch; Editing by Himani Sarkar) Kyiv's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) refutes information spread in Russian media about the alleged transfer of information by the PGO to Russia about the organizers of the murder of former State Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov. "The information disseminated in the Russian media that the Ukrainian prosecutors' offices informed the Russian side about the results of the investigation into the murder of former State Duma deputy Denis Voronenkov is untrue," spokeswoman for the Kyiv prosecutor's office, Nadia Maksymets, wrote on Facebook onThursday. "We inform you that at this time the investigation is ongoing. It is being carried out by the prosecutor's office of the city of Kyiv. It is in its final stage, and the results will be announced in the near future," the representative of the city's prosecutor's office said. As reported, Voronenkov was killed in the center of Kyiv on March 23. Murderer Pavlo Parshov was wounded by the guard of the former deputy and later died in hospital. Voronenkov's murderer had an accomplice Yaroslav Levenets, who has been wanted for economic crimes since 2012. Tarasenko is suspected of committing a crime pursuant to the article of the Ukrainian Criminal Code dealing with premeditated murder. He was detained on June 16. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko said in early September that the assassin's paymaster is in Russia and has active contacts with criminal gangs and special services. JOHANNESBURG, Sept 15 (Reuters) - South Africa sold 3.555 billion rand ($269 million) worth of three-month Treasury bills on Friday, at an average yield of 7.2 percent compared with 7.24 percent last week, central bank data showed. The bid-to-cover ratio rose to 2.6 from 2.1. Auction date: 15/09/2017 Settlement date: 20/09/2017 Days 91 182 273 364 Amount received (R'bln) 9.295 4.68 3.8 3.96 Amount on offer (R'bln) 3.555 2.46 2.5 2.5 Amount allotted (R'bln) 3.555 2.46 2.5 2.5 Bid-to-cover ratio 2.6 1.9 1.5 1.6 Avg discount rate (pct) 7.07 6.95 6.85 6.7 Average yield (pct) 7.2 7.2 7.22 7.18 ($1 = 13.2045 rand) (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. By Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala DAR ES SALAAM, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Tanzanian prosecutors charged two government officials on Friday with economic sabotage after they were accused of undervaluing an export-bound consignment of diamonds seized from a mine majority owned by London-listed Petra Diamonds . Archard Kalugendo, director of the state-run diamond and gemstone valuation unit, and government gemstone valuer Edward Rweyemamu were jointly charged with being responsible for $1.1 million of lost tax revenue. The court case is the latest twist in a government crackdown on the minerals industry this year, with President John Magufuli accusing the sector of not giving the government a fair share of Tanzania's mineral wealth. Kalugendo, 49, and Rweyemamu, 50, are both employees of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals. They were not allowed to enter pleas at the Kisutu Resident Magistrate's court in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam. Lawyers said the two officials will enter their pleas when the case is transferred to the high court, which has jurisdiction to hear economic sabotage trials. The accused were denied bail and will be held on remand until the next hearing on Sept. 29. The pair face maximum jail terms of 20 years if found guilty. The diamonds were seized as they were being exported to Antwerp, Belgium, from Tanzania's main airport in Dar es Salaam on Aug. 31. Petra Diamonds said on Monday that it had halted operations at its Williamson mine after the government seized the diamonds and questioned some of its employees. Petra owns 75 percent of the mine, with the Tanzanian government holding the remaining shares. Petra has denied that it under-declares its diamond exports, saying that it follows all government laws and procedures in its business. The government said it will nationalise the diamonds, the value of which it puts at $29.5 million, twice the provisional value approved by the two government officials charged in court. The government has not disclosed how it came to its $29.5 million valuation. Magufuli had ordered the examination of exports by individual companies after a parliamentary investigation found that the country's diamonds and other precious gemstone exports were under-declared. Mining accounts for about 4 percent of Tanzania's GDP. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Petra Diamonds suspends work at Tanzanian mine after diamonds seizure ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Editing by Katharine Houreld and David Goodman) * Eurobank talking about full or partial Romanian sale * Deal would end foreign sales as part of restructuring * Greek bank plans to stay in Bulgaria, Cyprus (Adds Eurobank official comment, background, details) By George Georgiopoulos Sept 15 (Reuters) - Eurobank is in talks with Banca Transilvania to sell its subsidiaries in Romania as part of a restructuring plan agreed by Greece's third largest lender with European Union authorities. The sale would close a decade-long chapter of ambitions by Eurobank and other Greek lenders to spread their wings abroad after the country's debt crisis forced them to retreat. Eurobank, which has operations in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Cyprus, needs to shrink its non-Greek assets to 8.7 billion euros next year from about 11.2 billion currently, based on commitments agreed with European competition authorities. The bank said the potential sale will include Romanian units Bancpost, ERB Retail Services IFN and ERB Leasing IFN. "The details as regards the negotiations will be published after finalizing necessary steps and obtaining relevant approvals. Finalisation of the negotiations is expected at the end of October," Eurobank said. HSBC and Mediobanca are Eurobank's advisers on the sale. Fully-owned Bancpost has total assets of about 3.1 billion euros and a network of 148 branches, employing 2,255 people. "We are in talks with Banca Transilvania on a full or partial sale," a Eurobank official told Reuters, declining to be named. Eurobank, 2.4 percent owned by Greece's bank rescue fund HFSF, concluded the sale of its Ukrainian unit Universal Bank last year, in line with a restructuring plan agreed with the European Commission. "The sale will certainly conclude our commitments to the EU's DG Competition in the context of our restructuring plan," the official said. Based on Eurobank's strategic plan, the lender intends to maintain its operations in other foreign markets such as Bulgaria and Cyprus. "Our goal is to further strengthen and expand our presence there," the official said. "We have the room to do so given that our commitment to EU competition authorities was to reduce our foreign exposure below a certain level. The Romanian sale will bring us below that level." Greek banks have been slimming down by divesting assets and foreign subsidiaries to focus on banking at home, with proceeds boosting capital ratios and liquidity. Peer National Bank (NBG) last month agreed to sell its wholly-owned Serbian operations - Vojvodjanska Banka, NBG Leasing and a portfolio of Serbian-risk corporate loans - to OTP Serbia, a subsidiary of Hungary's OTP Bank . In July NBG also agreed to sale its Romanian unit Banca Romeneasca to OTP Bank. (Reporting by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Keith Weir) (Adds quote) NAIROBI, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Kenya's government cut its 2017 economic growth forecast on Friday to 5.5 percent from an initial 5.9 percent, a senior Treasury official said. Kamau Thugge, the principal secretary in the ministry finance, said growth would then rise to 6.5 percent per year in the medium term. "This is contingent on having good weather," he told a meeting convened to discuss budget preparation. Thugge later told Reuters this year's forecast was reduced due to a severe drought in the first half of 2017. (Reporting by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Catherine Evans) (Adds Eurogroup news conference, ECB, background) By Jan Strupczewski and Francesco Guarascio TALLINN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The euro zone must identify its problems, then see what changes to its institutions are needed to fix them, euro zone finance ministers said on Friday during informal talks on the future of the single-currency area. The discussions in the Estonian capital of Tallinn follow differing proposals from France, Germany and the European Commission to revamp the institutions of the 19-country euro zone after Britain leaves the European Union in March 2019. The proposals include creating a pan-EU or euro zone finance minister, setting up a separate euro zone budget or reserving a part of the existing EU budget for the currency union, and setting up a euro zone parliament alongside or within the existing EU parliament of all 28 EU members. "I think we should start from the other end," Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the chairman of euro zone finance ministers, said. "Instead of having a debate mainly about the institutional side, (we should have) a debate about what is lacking in the economic and monetary union, in terms of resilience, competitiveness, solidarity," he said. "So I think we should start from what the problem is and end with an institutional debate," Dijsselbloem said. The European Commission on Wednesday backed the idea of a pan-European finance minister in charge of all forms of EU or euro zone financing via the EU budget, not just for the euro zone. In the Commission's view, the pan-European minister should also preside over the euro zone bailout fund ESM, which is now a separate institution set up by euro zone governments. The ESM itself would be transformed into a European Monetary Fund. The Commission does not want a special euro zone parliament, however, stressing the need for unity among the 27 countries that will remain in the EU after Britain leaves. It called for the countries still outside the euro zone to join quickly. DIFFERENT STROKES France has a different view, however. It wants a large, separate euro zone budget financed from taxes, a finance minister specifically for the euro zone and a separate euro zone parliament to which the minister would be accountable. Nor is there agreement on whether all the changes to the euro zone should be done through a separate treaty between governments, or by changing the European Union treaty. The difference is more than just a technicality, because an intergovernmental treaty would be faster, involve only euro zone governments and leave all powers with these governments. Changes through the EU treaty would require more time and mean non-euro zone countries and the European Parliament would have to agree, too. The powers of the new euro zone institutions would be shared with EU institutions, which are sometimes mistrusted by some national governments. French President Emmanuel Macron is to present his views on the future shape of the euro zone on Sept. 26. Euro zone ministers agree that a budget for the single currency area would help counter external shocks which hit just one or a few euro countries, rather than the whole bloc, when all governments can simply increase budget deficits. But there is no agreement on its size, how it should be financed or what it should be spent on. Macron has mentioned such a budget could be several hundred billion euros. The head of the ESM bailout fund, Klaus Regling, suggested a figure of 1-2 percent of euro zone gross national product, which would mean 100-200 billion euros. The gap with the expectations of Germany seems to be large because Berlin has signaled it was thinking about a budget in billions of euros, but in single digits. If the euro zone budget were to be part of the overall EU warchest it would have to be much smaller than what France or the ESM are suggesting, because the EU budget itself is around 1 percent of the EU's gross national income. WHAT TO SPEND IT ON Ideas for spending such money range from using it for investment during economic downturns, to an unemployment insurance fund and to a more general rainy day fund. Such a budget, accompanied by strict adherence to the EU's fiscal rules, would increase the resilience of the euro zone and make the job of the European Central Bank (ECB) easier. "So the ECB has a stake here... That is something that will make the transmission of our monetary policy smoother," ECB executive board member Benoit Coeure told a news conference. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, often mentioned as the likely next chairman of euro zone finance ministers after Dijsselbloem steps down in mid-January, said he hoped the euro zone would agree on further integration within a few months. Le Maire said the moment for deciding on the reforms was now, because the economy was growing, France had a reform-minded president and Germany would have a new mandate for changes after the Sept. 24 elections. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble agreed the task of revamping the single currency area was urgent. "It's about how do we make Europe politically and economically stronger and able to act. How do we do that? That is the urgent task," he said. (Reporting By Jan Strupczewski and Philip Blenkinsop, editing by Larry King and Hugh Lawson) Sept 15 (Reuters) - Following are domestic prices of Vietnam's key commodities. Unit: million dong per tonne Item Sept 11-15 Sept 5-8 Location Robusta beans 41.2-43.7 41.6-43.9 Central Highlands Black pepper 88.0-89.0 89.0-91.0 Southern region Refined sugar 16.0-17.0 16.0-17.0 Southern region Summer-autumn paddy 5.7-6.7 5.6-6.5 Mekong Delta SJC gold 3.653-3.703 3.667-3.724 Hanoi, HCMC City NOTES: Gold prices are low/high selling prices quoted in million dong per 3.75-gram ingot during the week by top manufacturer SJC. Prices in the previous week are updated. Coffee export prices Rice export prices Historical data Central bank's gold auction ($1 = 22,720 dong) (Reporting by Mi Nguyen; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath) 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. Stuff reports: National will direct Landcorp to offer farms to young farmers because there is no clear public good coming from Crown ownership and little financial return to taxpayers. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said the young farmers would have to work the land for five to 10 years, after which they could lease the farms before buying them. It was envisaged about 100 young farming families would benefit from the programme. Stuff reports: New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has clashed with RNZ host Guyon Espiner in a testy and at some times bizarre interview. The 25-minute interview on Morning Report on Thursday was fiery throughout, with Espiner trying to establish early on how much NZ Firsts policies were expected to cost. After some back and forth. Peters put it at $10 billion over 7-8 years if youre talking about investment and borrowings. Actually it is more like $15 billion just in the next three years. Espiner asked about NZ Firsts policy of taking GST off food. Peters corrected him: No, off basic food. Its a huge difference. You see, off food you get a huge bill. Off basic food youre talking somewhere in the zone of about $6-700 million, Peters said. Espiner said NZ Firsts website had it as a $3b policy. It might say it on the website. It should have been corrected, Peters said. Oh come on, come on mate, Espiner said. How are voters supposed to know when they look at your website and they see it there, and youre saying its wrong? I admit its a mistake. In fact I had a discussion with my team just about two days ago about correcting that because they said, is it on food, and I said no, its on basic food, Peters said. We now get a glimpse into the NZF policy making process. The staff ask Winston and he decides unilaterally. Incidentially it is a terrible moronic policy. We have such a clean effective GST and Peters would bastardise it by having a plethora of bureaucrats going through every food item sold in New Zealand and deciding if it is basic food or not. Colby cheese wont have GST on it but Gruyeye cheese will have GST. Apples wont have GST on it but Mangoes will have GST. Lamb wont have GST on it but Duck will have GST. Bread wont have GST on it but bread rolls will have GST. Plain yoghurt wont have GST on it but strawberry yoghurt will have GST. This is your future people if you vote for it! Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Ukraine's partners in Europe and the United States support the deployment of an international peacekeeping mission to Donbas as an integral part of the Minsk Agreement's roadmap, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said. "I am pleased to say that representatives of the [U.S.] Department of State have backed the deployment of peacekeepers throughout Donbas. Our partners in Europe - the French, the British, and the Germans - also support this idea. It is not that they want to see more armed people in Donbas. This is actually an absolutely integral part of the Minsk Agreement's roadmap," Poroshenko said in Kyiv on Friday. "I might be the worst interpreter of Mr. Putin; it's hard to choose the correct words for comments on this subject, but we have been witnessing some kind of transformation, because he bluntly refused to discuss such issues [the deployment of peacekeepers to Donbas] at the beginning. He later said there might be an armed police mission, then he talked about peacekeepers being stationed exclusively on the contact line, and then referred to the entire territory. We are progressing towards the deployment of the mission across the entire area, including the uncontrolled lands, step by step," Poroshenko said. "I would be happy to start a debate on the peacekeepers in New York next week, and to make stationing peacekeepers throughout Donbas an item on the 'Normandy Format' agenda," he said. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. High 42F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 70%.. Tonight Occasional snow showers. Low 26F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snowfall around one inch. The idea of introducing UN peacekeepers into the conflict zone in Donbas, unexpectedly backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the context of low confidence in the Russian side, must be carefully analyzed and backed with additional warnings, ex U.S. Secretary of State (2013-2017) John Kerry has said. We must make sure that this is not some kind of trap, he said at the 14th annual YES conference in Kyiv on Friday. In particular, among such warnings, Kerry called the issues of defining the border, the need to implement the Minsk agreements, as well as guarantees that Ukraine can determine its future without any limitations. Kerry admitted that during his leadership the State Department was disappointed with the Minsk process, the lack of adequate reaction to the agreements in the Normandy format, and told Putin about the need to move faster. He also said what happened in Crimea, where the Russian leadership lied, mustn't be pardoned. The introduction of peacekeepers into Donbas may lead to a freezing of the conflict and will not help restore Ukraine's control over its entire territory, the U.S. ambassador to the UN in 2005-2006 John Bolton has said. I do not think there should be any peacekeepers in Ukraine. I think, this is a mistake from the point of view of Ukraine. Firstly, it means that you are increasing Russia's role in Ukraine's internal affairs, he said on 112.Ukraine TV channel on the sidelines of the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy in Kyiv on Friday. Bolton noted that now the main discussion is focusing on the means that will help not to freeze this conflict. If you want to restore Ukraine's sovereignty over Donbas, the last thing Ukraine must do is to allow peacekeepers enter Donbas," he said. The diplomat is also convinced that Ukraine should do everything possible to reduce Russia's pressure on itself. I think that what Ukraine is doing now is not enough. It is necessary to make much more efforts, he said. By Yoon Ja-young Bank of Korea (BOK) Governor Lee Ju-yeol is holding a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Zhou Xiaochuan and Japanese counterpart Haruhiko Kuroda today to discuss diverse economic and financial issues focusing on macro leverage. Extending the currency swap between Korea and China, however, is not included in the agenda. According to the BOK, the central bank chiefs of the three East Asian countries will meet in Songdo International Business District in Incheon. They have been holding annual meetings since 2009 to enhance mutual understanding and cooperation while stabilizing the region's economy. "The currency swap is not included in the agenda since it is not of common interest for all three countries," said an official in charge of international financial cooperation at the central bank. He explained only issues pertaining to all three countries will be discussed at the meeting, which excludes the won-yuan currency swap. Korea and China signed the won-yuan currency swap deal in April 2009. This kind of deal helps a country protect itself against foreign exchange crises as it can borrow the foreign exchange by providing its own currency. Korea has been actively signing currency swap deals with other countries though a massive outflow of capital it saw during the 1997 Asian financial crisis isn't likely when considering its ample foreign exchange reserves. The deal with China is scheduled to expire on Oct. 10 following two extensions so far. Korea has been expressing its hope to extend the 360 billion yuan ($56 billion) swap deal with China. "We plan to extend it after discussing with China," Strategy and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon told reporters in a recent press meeting. It accounts for a significant portion of Korea's currency swap deals which total $122 billion. Korea extended a 9 trillion won deal with Australia and 5 trillion won deal with Malaysia earlier this year. However, there have been concerns China may not extend it since it has been taking economic retaliation on Korea following deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system on Korean soil to guard itself against North Korea's threats. China has been claiming the U.S. military equipment in the neighboring country undermines its security. China had agreed at a G20 meeting in April last year that the deal should be extended in principle. Since the conflict over THAAD has intensified since the end of last year, China has been skirting the issue. Korea had signed a $70 billion currency swap deal with Japan following the global financial crisis, but it also hasn't been extended since February 2015 due to diplomatic conflicts. Japan has been taking issue over Korea's statues commemorating wartime sexual slavery victims. The BOK noted the central bankers will exchange their ideas on economic and financial situations at the meeting on Songdo, especially focusing on the debts of households, businesses and the government. Korea is suffering record-high household debt while corporate debt is a problem for China, and Japan's biggest concern is government debt. By Yoon Ja-young Taking China to the World Trade Organization (WTO) for its economic retaliation against Korea is one of the options the government is considering, but the next move must be first planned in detail, the trade minister said Wednesday. "We've always had it as an option. However, we need thorough analysis to determine which option is more effective," said Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong in a press briefing. "The card loses bargaining power once it is laid on the table. Even if we win the case at the WTO, there should be a plan B and C prepared." Following Korea's deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system here for protection against North Korea's intensifying threats, China has been conducting economic retaliation against Korean businesses. The trade ministry has been considering taking the case to the WTO, after consulting with a number of law firms on whether it will win based on the fact that the economic retaliation violates the WTO's most-favored nation terms. Regarding the United States' demand to renegotiate the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA), Kim reaffirmed there should be analysis and assessment on its effects first. U.S. President Donald Trump has been attacking the bilateral pact along with other free trade agreements as a "job killer," and demanded they be renegotiated to decrease the U.S. trade deficit. He recently even mentioned withdrawing from the KORUS FTA, but the comment lost ground due to opposition in the United States. "Korea's exports to the United States have decreased by 30 percent this year. When considering this, and since we also have our own needs with the FTA, there should be joint analysis and assessment first regarding what actually caused the U.S. trade deficit," Kim said. The trade minister also said despite the THAAD conflict, Korea needs close trade cooperation with China and Russia. "Historically, the Korean Peninsula was at the crossroads of continental and maritime powers," he said, adding that balancing between these has been crucial for Korea. He said Seoul has been closely working with the maritime power in trade, implying Washington. This has been successful, but he emphasized that continental power is also crucial. "Koreans have been next to China for 5,000 years. We should consider how to relate with the continental power," he said. The trade minister called for diverse measures to improve the Korea-China FTA. He cited the FTA between free economic zones of the two countries such as Incheon and Shanghai as an example. He said the recent tension could be an opportunity for Korean firms to get stronger, similar to the effect the China-Japan conflict over Senkaku Islands had on Japanese firms. Kim said he believes an FTA with Russia would also provide mutual benefits. "For instance, Russia's major companies may join with Korea's shipbuilders to jointly develop an Arctic route," the minister said. Cryptocurrency causes mixed responses By Yoon Sung-won A sharp increase of cryptocurrency bitcoin's price is drawing mixed responses in financial markets worldwide. While many investors are betting on its scarcity value, some finance experts argue it is just a bubble that will soon blow up. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon fueled the confrontation of perspectives on bitcoin by recently slamming it as a fraud. "The cryptocurrency won't end well," Dimon said during a bank investor conference in New York early this week. Though it is unclear who invented bitcoin, it was released as open-source software in 2009. It also refers to a peer-to-peer transaction system with a publicly-distributed ledger system called the blockchain. Bitcoins can be claimed as a reward to a data-keeping work called "mining." This works by repeatedly verifying new transactions, and collecting and organizing them into a group of transaction records called "block." Thanks to this system, it is considered extremely hard for hackers to modify the cyber ledger. The JPMorgan chief's blast came after a worldwide investment craze in bitcoin this year. As bitcoin offered safer and more convenient trading, it came to have more than quadrupled in value since earlier this year to higher than $4,000 per coin. On Sept. 2, a bitcoin's value topped out at $5,013.91. Considering that its per-coin value was only $0.003 when it was first traded seven years ago, its value went up 1.5 million times. Dimon compared the recent hike of bitcoin value to the abnormal speculation frenzy of tulips in the past. The tulip bulb market bubble, which is considered the world's first bubble economy phenomenon, happened in the Netherlands between 1633 and 1637. At that time, nobles bought up tulips and this increased the price of a tulip bulb to make it more expensive than a mansion. The price bubble suddenly blew up and drove the entire Dutch economy into chaos. "It's a fraud and is worse than tulip bulbs," Dimon said. "You can't have a business where people can invent a currency out of thin air and think that people who are buying it are really smart." Dimon stressed the company will never trade in bitcoins, saying he would fire JPMorgan traders right away if they started doing it. Earlier this month, the price of bitcoin slipped after reports that China may ban trading of cryptocurrencies on domestic exchanges, dealing another blow to the global virtual currency market which is worth $150 billion. Scarcity value Despite negative perspectives, bitcoin worth more than $2 billion are traded globally every day. In Korea alone, the daily bitcoin trade nears $1.5 billion. Those who make positive projections on bitcoin's potential focus on its scarcity value as only a limited number of bitcoins are left to be "mined" like minerals or metals such as gold. Until 2140, only 21 million bitcoins can be produced. So far, about 16.5 billion bitcoins have been mined. For this reason, some researchers forecast bitcoin's value may continue going up as time goes on. U.S. investment analysis company Standpoint Research expected that the price of bitcoin may exceed $7,500 within this year. "Bitcoin is not controlled by a government or a central bank. Its production and flow completely follows the rules of the free market," an industry source said. "For this reason, it is still hard to know for sure if bitcoin will continue to have its value for a long time or end up just as a bubble." Prof. Jung Yoo-shin at Sogang University also said that bitcoin fever is not a bubble. "Bitcoin will gain significance in the future as an increasing number of top companies like Facebook, Amazon, Alibaba and Tencent are based on digital platforms," Jung said. "It is too much to call its popularity as just a bubble." He also pointed out that China would eventually change its policy. "China has pioneered itself to mine the bitcoin. Then, do you think that it will scrap it for nothing? I don't think so," he said. A worker unloads sacks of wheat from a cargo ship at a port in Nampo, North Korea, in August 2004. Some 34,700 metric ton cargo of bulk wheat are unloaded here as donation from Russia through the United Nations World Food Programme. / Korea Times file South Korea said Friday that it plans to continue humanitarian assistance to North Korea regardless of political considerations in a pledge that came after Pyongyang's missile launch over Japan. North Korea fired a ballistic missile from Pyongyang one day after Seoul said it is considering offering US$8 million in aid to the North through U.N. agencies. "The government has the basic stance that humanitarian assistance to infants and pregnant women in North Korea should be maintained regardless of political situations," Lee Eugene, vice spokesperson at Seoul's unification ministry, told a press briefing. The government plans to decide whether to approve it next Thursday. If approved, it would mark the resumption of Seoul's aid to North Korea via U.N. organizations after a 21-month hiatus. Some critics questioned the timing of Seoul's announcement as it came just days after the U.N. Security Council slapped fresh sanctions on Pyongyang. (Yonhap) If the UN peacekeeping mission is deployed to Donbas, the peacekeeping contingent will be partially subordinated to Russia as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, former U.S. ambassador to the UN John Bolton has said. The introduction of peacekeepers is a bad idea. Why do you want Russia to be more involved in the Ukrainian affairs? Russia is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, and nothing will happen to these peacekeepers if Russia does not want it. It will influence them, he told Interfax-Ukraine on the sidelines of the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy in Kyiv on Friday. Bolton said that it is possible to resolve the situation in Donbas through force. The UN peacekeepers do not solve the conflicts, but freeze them. If you are sure that you want Donbas to remain in the hands of those people who control it, introduce the peacekeeping mission there," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump makes his way to his seat at the White House Historical Association dinner at the White House in Washington, DC, on September 14, 2017. / AFP-Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he plans to visit Korea, China and Japan later this year. Trump said aboard Air Force One that a U.S. delegation would likely make the trip in November, adding that he will "possibly" go to the APEC summit in Vietnam at the same time, AFP reported. The visit will focus on North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapon programs, and trade. Trump has said that he will not tolerate Pyongyang developing the capability of hitting the U.S. with a thermonuclear weapon, threatening to rain down "fire and fury" if necessary. But with North Korea on the cusp of marrying a nuclear warhead and intercontinental ballistic missile technology, Trump has struggled to get China to buy into biting sanctions. Trump will also meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the trip. South Korea's military said Friday it has fired two ballistic missiles in a swift response to North Korea's latest provocation. The Army shot the Hyunmoo-2 missiles from an eastern site near the inter-Korean border just six minutes after the North's missile firing from Pyongyang. One "accurately hit" a simulated target in the East Sea about 250 kilometers away, a Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official told reporters in a background briefing. It's the same distance between the training area and the Sunan airfield in Pyongyang, where the missile was fired. The other, however, fell into water "in the initial stage," he added. Related authorities are analyzing the reason. A defense ministry official pointed out the South's response came while the North's missile was still flying. Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea, Vitaliy Fen, contributed the below article on the occasion of his country's 26th Indenpendence Day. ED. Vitaliy Fen, Uzbek Ambassador The Republic of Korea is one of the most reliable and time-tested strategic partners of Uzbekistan. Cooperation between our states is consistently developing in all directions due to the regular nature of the dialogue at the highest level and common aspirations. I especially want to note that this year our countries are widely celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea, after the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, have become strategic partners and continue to strengthen close cooperation in all spheres. Partnership between our countries covers such spheres as trade, investment, exports and imports, fuel and energy complexes, the chemical industry, transport and logistics, the automotive industry, mining, light and the food industry, agriculture, information technologies and telecommunications, medicine, tourism, science and culture. The most-favored-nation treatment operates in the sphere of trade between our countries. The Republic of Korea has traditionally been a leading investment and technological partner in implementation of priority programs on diversifying and modernizing industry and infrastructure in Uzbekistan. Dozens of major projects have been implemented in various sectors of the economy, attracting investments of leading South Korean companies and banks of more than 7 billion dollars. The number of enterprises with South Korean capital in Uzbekistan is 461, including 75 with 100 percent Korean capital. These enterprises are operating mainly in the sphere of trade, oil and gas, the petrochemical and chemical industries, mining, engineering, the electrical and textile industries, information and communication technologies, transport and logistics, and tourism among others. Further strengthening of cooperation between the two countries is facilitated by consistently developing cultural and humanitarian ties. Higher education institutions of Uzbekistan are cooperating with more than 30 universities of South Korea. Departments of the Uzbek language have been established in the South Korean universities of foreign languages Daegu and Busan; the Korean language is being taught in the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages, the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies and the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages. The successful activity of Inha University in Tashkent is a vivid example of the prospects for partnership in the sphere of education. Close ties have been established at the municipal level, within the framework of which there are arrangements on cooperation between Tashkent and Seoul, Fergana and Yongin, Namangan and Seongnam, Samarkand and Gyeongju, and the Tashkent region and North Gyeongsang Province. The Republic of Korea is one of the leaders in the field of the introduction of e-government, as ranked every two years by the U.N. About 50 years ago, having begun to implement relevant projects, South Korea simultaneously carried out administrative reforms and the modernization of public administration, which was the guarantor of the effectiveness of the e-government system. This "smart government" strategy is currently being implemented in the Republic of Korea. We are interested in developing cooperation in this sphere. Taking this opportunity, I would like to sincerely congratulate the peoples of Uzbekistan and South Korea on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Our countries can be proud of the development dynamics of bilateral relations. I hope for their further strengthening and expansion in the future. By Ko Dong-hwan A large-scale job fair dedicated to foreign students in Korea is being held in one of Seoul's biggest commercial districts. The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency launched the two-day fair at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu on Wednesday. A total of 129 firms and traders from multicultural families, including 17 start-ups aiming to debut in the global marketplace, are attending the ninth annual event. Other firms include electronic appliance maker Cuckoo, clothing manufacturer Hansae, international shoe manufacturer Taekwang and pharmaceutical company Daewoong. More than 2,500 students, mostly from China and countries in Southeast Asia, Central America and Africa, have visited the fair so far. They were offered one-on-one consultations, listened to company presentations and stories from those with job experience, and sought advice about visas. KOTRA strategic business team chief Kim Doo-young said foreign students and traders from multicultural families were "valuable assets linking Korea and the outside world" and would help Korean start-ups perform well in global markets. Companies that hire foreign students will train them for up to three years, including training to familiarize them with Korean company culture, and then send the employees to oversea branches, according to Asia Economy news. By John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS Will there be conflict on the Korean peninsula? Shall the long simmering tinderbox finally explode in a nuclear flash? Or shall everybody step back from the brink, take a deep breath and allow diplomacy to finally defuse this ticking time bomb in Korea? The answer rests with one man: North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. So far Comrade Kim's reckless behavior with the sixth nuclear test and a rash spate of missile firings including a rocket over Japan, hardly argues for the peaceful path. Yet in a deft piece of American diplomacy, the UN Security Council unanimously (that means with Chinese and Russian support too) passed a tough sanctions resolution (#2375) further tightening the economic noose on North Korea, including restricting Pyongyang's petroleum supply. Indeed any conflict on the divided Korean peninsula evokes a nightmare military scenario where South Korea's bustling and prosperous capital remains precipitously close to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and a likely onslaught of punishing North Korean artillery barrages. North Korea's million man army poses a lethal conventional force and has for a long time; the addition of the nuclear equation ups the strategic ante to a dangerously new level not only for neighboring South Korea, but for Japan, and the U.S. Pacific island of Guam. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned, "The latest nuclear and missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea are profoundly destabilizing for regional and international security. I condemn them unequivocally." Antonio Guterres added forcefully, "Yet again, the DPRK has needlessly and recklessly put millions of people at risk, including its own citizens already suffering drought, hunger and serious violations of their human rights." The Secretary General's comments came in the wake of an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test, possibly of a Hydrogen bomb. American Ambassador Nikki Haley warned, "Enough is Enough." She presented a lengthy list of UN Security Council resolutions being flaunted, adding, despite the efforts of the past 24 years, Pyongyang's nuclear missile program was more dangerous than ever before. Ambassador Haley stated, that North Korea's Kim Jong-un was "begging for war." As recently as August, the fifteen member Council unanimously passed a strangling set of economic sanctions on the rogue communist regime, banning North Koreanexports of coal, iron ore, and seafood. Shortly thereafter Kim Jong-un threatened to blast the U.S. Pacific island of Guam off the map. Ambassador Cho Tae-yul called on Pyongyang to "choose a path of denuclearization, which was the only option and right way to ensure its survival." While the People's Republic of China has been a longtime ally of the quaintly titled Democratic People's Republic of Korea, unquestionably Beijing is quietly nervous about what their erstwhile comrades may do to tigger a regional conflict which will no doubt result in the DPRK's destruction, but more significantly in regional chaos. Beijing's Ambassador Liu Jieyi stressed that while the situation on the Peninsula had deteriorated, "China would never allow chaos or war to erupt." The word chaosrepresents a red line for PRC policymakers. Yet, Beijing has been a quiet enabler of Pyongyang's ambitions. Now that both South Korea and Western countries are pressing for an oil embargo, will Moscow and Beijing seemingly acquiesce to more robust sanctions only to pay the Security Council resolution no heed? Indeed the role of Russia remains more significant than is generally assumed. Vladimir Putin will certainly punt on limited petroleum sanctions. But Russia, a neighbor of powerful influence, is playing a long term chess game for geopolitical influence on the Korean peninsula. Yet, given its nuclear status, the DPRK is more of an independent player than is widely assumed. While the UN General Assembly session looms where there's expected to be widespread condemnation of North Korea's reckless and destabilizing nuclear moves, and also sustained calls for reinvigorated diplomacy to defuse the crisis. An equally significant meeting will be held in Beijing in mid-October. The 19th Congress of the Communist Party of China will set the imperial stage and political script for supreme leader Xi Jinping's continuing rule. The last thing Xi's strong political image needs would be a loss of a fraternal ally in North Korea, despite the idiosyncrasy of the regime. The Trump Administration treads the narrow path between war and peace. Shall the expanded sanctions, backed by Beijing and Moscow, solve the nuclear showdown? Sweden's delegate warned that in the midst of the current crisis the potential for "mistakes, misunderstandings and miscalculations was high." Unquestionably so. John J. Metzler is a United Nations correspondent covering diplomatic and defense issues. He is the author of "Divided Dynamism The Diplomacy of Separated Nations: Germany, Korea, China" Contact jjmcolumn@earthlink.net The court and the prosecution are the bastions of social justice as the pillars of the state's legal system. The two crucial institutions are on a head-on collision, blaming each other over judges' repeated rejections of arrest warrants requested by prosecutors. The prosecution is primarily responsible for the latest conflict. The Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office openly criticized the court in a recent statement after judges denied warrants to detain suspects allegedly involved in the illegal cyber operations of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and irregularities at Korea Aerospace Industries. The cases are part of the so-called deep-rooted evils that the Moon Jae-in administration has been eager to eradicate. The prosecutors argue the judges' decisions make it difficult for them to fulfill their mission. The prosecutors also complained the latest decisions are inconsistent with the precedents following a change in the judges in charge of reviewing whether to accept or reject arrest warrant requests. A court personnel reshuffle in February brought in new judges to examine the requests at the Seoul Central District Court. Since then, the prosecutors' requests for arrests warrants for key suspects implicated in former President Park Geun-hye's corruption scandal, including Chung Yoo-ra, daughter of Choi Soon-sil, have been denied, twice. However, it is inappropriate for the prosecution to complain about the court's decisions to deny arrest warrants, which are based on its judgment that there are no concerns about destruction of evidence or the suspects fleeing during the investigation process. The people will not sympathize with the prosecution's disregard of the court's authority which is guaranteed by the Constitution. The court and the prosecution can have different interpretations in specific cases, but they should resolve their differences through communication to prevent a public feud. The people will lose trust in the nation's legal system if they continue to collide. By Donald Kirk President Moon Jae-in has to be a master of the art of compromise. He was all for the latest watered-down UN sanctions that cut down but don't cut off the flow of oil from China and Russia to North Korea. The US would far prefer to see all the oil traffic ended, but the deal had to be the best anyone could hope for considering the foreign ministers of both China and Russia had told South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha they were not going to go for a deal that left North Korea with no oil. No telling exactly how the North would react to a total ban on oil imports, but it would be reckless to think they would see the light, halt their nuclear and missile programs and agree to talk over all the other festering issues between the South and North. The liberal Moon also has to balance the scales between hugely disparate factions at home. In a left/right standoff, rightists, waving Korean and American flags, demand the extremes of a nuclear South Korea, a South Korean military that's ready to "decapitate" Kim Jong-un, plus a number of others, and to reunify Korea on South Korean terms. At the other end of the spectrum, leftists and radicals want to bring about the withdrawal of America's remaining 28,500 troops, close the U.S. bases and do away with the Korean-American alliance. THAAD, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense counter-missile battery that will probably never launch a missile, makes an easy punching bag, a symbol of the hated U.S. South Korean relationship. Moon is artfully sticking closely to the historic U.S.-Korea alliance but leaving one thing crystal clear. He is not going to say, sure, go ahead, to any ideas President Trump may have about a preemptive strike on North Korea. It's fine for B1 bombers to fly up from Guam on mock bombing runs, for the latest F35 Stealth fighters to strafe a make-believe Kim Jong-un hideout, for Aegis-class destroyers to launch cruise missiles off the east coast, even for South Korean F15's and ships to join in the fun on land and sea, but that's as far as it goes. So what happened to the red line that Moon has mentioned? Actually, there is no red line. Or, to be realistic, the North will have to open fire for real to draw the U.S. and South Korea, Japan too, into counterattacking for real. None of that is too likely. Kim will not be so stupid as to order an attack on a live target, and Trump, whatever he might fantasize, faces constraints that H.R. McMaster, his national security adviser, has presumably made clear to him. North Korea's expressions of outrage about sanctions, though, do inspire a question. It's fashionable for professors of certain persuasions to say that sanctions don't accomplish a thing, that North Korea has no problem evading them and will go on with ever more strident threats and tests too. Maybe so, but if sanctions are so ineffective, why does North Korea make such a fuss about them? And if they're hurting, as their expressions of rage would suggest, have they considered investing the funds they're wasting on nukes and missiles in more constructive enterprises, like health care, road building and a lot of stuff that every visitor to Pyongyang, however tightly controlled, can clearly see are badly needed? That question gives rise to yet another question. We are all aware of China's unremitting objections to THAAD, and we're familiar with the bullying inflicted in revenge on South Korean enterprises in China. The polemics against THAAD in the Chinese media are a lot more scathing than anything they say about North Korea's nukes. One other thing Moon has made clear. He doesn't want South Korea to go nuclear. He opposes bringing back the nukes the U.S. withdrew in 1990 to pave the way for the Denuclearization Agreement that South and North Korea signed in 1991 the deal that Kim Jong-il ignored by carrying on the nuclear program more aggressively than ever. Nor does Moon want the South to develop its own nukes. Thank God for that. Japan and Taiwan would then go nuclear, and some nut would order a surprise nuclear strike. No, we don't need another nuclear power in Northeast Asia. Donald Kirk, www.donaldkirk.com, has been covering war and peace in the region for decades. He's at kirkdon4343@gmail.com By Park Jae-hyuk Lotte Shopping shares rallied Friday, after the retail unit of Lotte Group confirmed it will sell its Lotte Mart outlets in China in the face of retaliatory economic measures by Beijing against Korea's deployment of a U.S. missile defense system. The stock closed at 238,500 won, up 8.41 percent from the previous session. It started at 238,000 won, up from 220,000 won a day earlier. It stabilized at the point throughout the day. On Thursday, Lotte Group said it has begun pulling the discount stores out of the world's most populous country, after hiring Goldman Sachs as the lead manager for the disposal. Korea's fifth-largest conglomerate has not ruled out selling all of its 112 stores there. Ninety-nine outlets have been closed for nearly half a year, since unprecedented "safety" inspections by the Chinese authorities earlier this year. The group injected 360 billion won into its Chinese branches in March and recently decided to spend an additional 340 billion won to pay wages for Chinese employees and sustain the business. Overall it is expected to suffer 1 trillion won in losses for this year. Against this backdrop, analysts had optimistic outlook on Lotte's recent decision, saying it will address concerns over Lotte Shopping's uncertain future in the Chinese market. SK Securities analyst Son Yoon-kyung said Lotte Shopping was apparently impossible to continue its stable managements as before, because its supply and sales channels have suffered damage from the long-lasting suspension. "Lotte Mart has undergone restructuring in China to cover its sluggish performances," Son said. "The business suspension has barred Lotte Shopping from making attempts to normalize its businesses." Analysts said the normalization of Lotte Shopping will enhance the control of Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, who will serve as a director of the group's upcoming holding company. Shareholders of Lotte Group's four listed affiliates Lotte Shopping, Lotte Confectionery, Lotte Chilsung Beverage and Lotte Food decided last month to put all four companies into the one holding company. Former Tokyo-based Lotte Holdings Vice Chairman Shin Dong-joo, who has conflicted with the chairman over the control of the group, has opposed the holding firm plan, citing Lotte Shopping's risky businesses in the Chinese market. "The restructuring of Lotte Mart's Chinese branch was inevitable for the group's plan to launch the holding company," Korea Investment & Securities analyst Yoon Tae-ho said. "If Lotte maintained the structure, the risk of Lotte Shopping would spread throughout the group." This is not the first time that a Korean firm's withdrawal from the Chinese market has positively influenced on its shares. When Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin announced the group's decision to pull E-mart discount stores out of China in May, E-mart stocks recorded an all-time high. Shinsegae has been trying to finish selling its six E-mart outlets in China by the end of the year. Analysts said the disposal of Lotte Mart will likely be easier than the disposal of E-mart, because of its larger number of stores in China. They said Lotte Group may not have to spend additional money for the disposal, because Lotte Mart is attractive enough for potential buyers. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (left) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson address the media during a press conference in London. By Robert Delaney, US correspondent US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China to cut off North Korea's oil supply as a next step in efforts to halt Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme, a move that was taken off the table to pass a new UN Security Council resolution against Beijing's neighbour and traditional ally. "I am hopeful that China, as a great country, a world power, will decide on their own and will take it upon themselves to use that very powerful tool of oil supply to persuade North Korea to reconsider its current path towards weapons development," Tillerson said in London, at a press conference with his UK counterpart Boris Johnson. "That is a very powerful tool that has been used in the past, and we hope China will not reject that or discard that as a very powerful tool that they alone really have the ability to assert," he said. UN Security Council Resolution 2325, which passed unanimously this week, aims to cap North Korea's imports of petrol, diesel, heavy fuel oil and other refined fuel products at two million barrels annually, which would cut the amount from about 8.5 million barrels now. US demands for a complete oil embargo and a freeze on the assets of the country's leader Kim Jong-un were removed to ensure passage, according to media reports ahead of the vote. Previous UN sanctions on North Korea stopped short of controls on oil and fuel, mostly at the behest of China, owing to concerns that such moves might destabilise the country and leave Beijing with a refugee problem. China shares a 1,400-kilometre border with North Korea along the Yalu River, parts of which are passable without the use of a boat. North Korea won't halt its weapons development unless the UN manages to completely cut off its oil and fuel supply and freeze the government's assets overseas, former US Ambassador to the UN Bill Richardson said in an interview with the South China Morning Post soon ahead of the Security Council vote. "If North Korea continues their [weapons development] activity and China loses its patience and they go after oil and the assets of the North Korean leadership, that will be very significant," added Richardson, who visited North Korea eight times between 1992 and 2013 to negotiate with the regime. Tensions around North Korea reached new heights after the country's propaganda arm threatened to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the US to "ashes and darkness" for supporting the latest Security Council resolution. Those comments added to hostilities that have been boiling over since Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, launched a missile over Japan on August 28 and a week later conducted its most powerful nuclear test. China holds the strongest hand in terms of measures that would stymie North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's nuclear ambitions. The Dandong-Sinuiju pipeline delivers more than half a million tonnes of crude oil to North Korea a year, about 90 per cent of the country's supply. The pipeline, also called the Friendship Oil Pipeline, runs for more than 30km from storage facilities in the Chinese border city of Dandong to an oil depot in Sinuiju in North Korea. In addition to the risk China sees that shutting the Friendship pipeline might push North Korea's government to the brink of collapse -, such a move would be damaging and costly from a technical standpoint. The pipeline's crude supplies are from the Daqing oilfield in Heilongjiang province and are typically low in sulphur and high in wax. The mix solidifies easily in cold weather or when the flow slows to a certain point, according to a PetroChina Pipeline Research and Development Centre report. Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin has discussed cooperation in the spheres of tourism, agriculture and combating terrorism with Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Kenya Amina Mohamed. The press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine reported on Friday that Klimkin held a working meeting with Mohamed during the Athens Democracy Forum on September 14. "At the meeting the sides discussed opportunities of cooperation between the two countries in trade and economic (tourism, agriculture), educational, scientific and political and legal (combating international terrorism) spheres," the press service said. The sides arranged to continue the dialog in the near future. The Ukrainian foreign minister invited his Kenyan counterpart to visit Ukraine. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has promised to stop unsubstantiated searches by law enforcement officers on condition that the suspects voluntarily hand over the required documents, Taras Kozak, the president of the Univer investment group, has said after a three-hour meeting between the head of state, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko and business associations. "Stop a 'mask show.' This will not happen again if a business entity voluntarily gives documents," Kozak said, posting one of the main promises of the authorities on his Facebook page. According to him, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) opened a hot line for complaints about the illegal actions of law enforcement officers and raider seizures. Kozak added that the parliamentary tax committee headed by Nina Yuzhanina would urgently work out a new bill on the Financial Investigation Service so as to adopt it before the end of this year, and from the second quarter of 2018 this service will begin its work, while the right of all other law enforcers to check businesses will be cancelled. The meeting participant noted that at its opening the heads of three associations - the European Business Association (EBA), the American Chamber of Commerce (ACC) and the Union of Ukrainian Entrepreneurs (UUE) - "all called the arbitrariness of law enforcers a major problem of business" and asked for concrete decisions. Kozak quoted Lutsenko as replying that there were 200,000 law enforcement officers in the country and that all of them could not be controlled, but criminal proceedings have already been opened against 3,000 of them. Among other news from the meeting, its participant highlighted the impossibility of introducing a draft law on distributed capital tax from 2018 due to the IMF's categorical objections, the preservation of a simplified taxation system without any changes, as well as the promises of deregulation, privatization, currency liberalization and the protection of creditor rights. The meeting was moderated by Secretary of the National Investment Council of Ukraine and former Head of the Presidential Administration Borys Lozhkin, and also attended by concerned ministers, heads of the Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police. "The business, practically unanimously, called the methods of work of the law enforcement agencies as a major issue that needs to be urgently solved. Prosecutor General Lutsenko assured those present that he is keeping the situation under control and ready to meet investors halfway," Lozhkin said, briefly describing the main results of the meeting. He noted that as secretary of the National Investment Council, a communication platform between business and government, he hopes for the adoption of a number of decisions that will significantly and systematically improve the conditions for doing business in Ukraine. The National Investment Council is a consultative body under the President of Ukraine. The chairman of the council is President Petro Poroshenko, the secretary is Lozhkin, and the head of office is Yulia Kovaliv. The purpose of the council is to build an effective dialogue between business and government. Now the personal composition of the council is at the stage of approval. The council's office has been working since the beginning of 2017. Poroshenko asks Rada to ratify financial agreement with EIB on increasing energy efficiency of educational institutions Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has submitted a bill on ratification of the financial agreement (Ukraine Higher Education Project) signed between Ukraine and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to the Verkhovna Rada. According to a posting on the president's website on Friday, the ratification of the financial agreement would give green light to the implementation of the Ukraine Higher Education Project. This would help to raise funds for energy efficiency measures taken in buildings of universities and other projects linked to the educational process. According to the agreement, the EIB is to provide a EUR 120 million loan. It is also planned to raise a EUR 10 million grant from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership (E5P). Ukraine will co-finance the project in part of tax and customs payments using funds of higher educational institutions-participants of the project or from other sources allowed by the law. The loan will be repaid in the period of up to 20 years from the moment of issuing the loan tranche, including a grace period for paying the principal of the loan up to five years. The financial agreement (Ukraine Higher Education Project) was signed on December 19, 2016. Militants in Donbas attack Ukrainian troops 14 times from midnight on Friday, no casualties reported Illegal armed formations attacked Ukrainian troops in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone 14 times from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time on Friday, September 15, the press center of the ATO Headquarters said. "Since midnight, illegal armed groups violated the ceasefire 14 times. ATO forces had to fire back to deter five most aggressive attacks. There are no casualties among our defenders," the ATO HQ said in an update as of 18:00 Kyiv time posted on Facebook. The situation in the ATO zone did not change much on that day. Militants continued shelling Ukrainian positions in all directions, occasionally resorting to 82mm mortars. In particular, they lobbed 15 mortar shells into Ukrainian positions near the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk sector. In the Mariupol sector, the enemy opened fire from small arms three times near the village of Talakivka. Ukrainian positions outside the village of Vodiane came under grenade fire twice. Militants used large-caliber machine guns to fire on Ukrainian positions near the village of Zaitseve and the town of Avdiyivka in the Donetsk sector. Fire from small arms was also reported near the Butovka coal mine. On Monday, September 18, at 10.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference entitled "Psychological rehabilitation and psychiatric care for ATO soldiers. Ways to reduce suicides among servicemen and veterans." The participants will include Participants: Member of Parliament, Chairperson of the Committee on Health Care Olha Bohomolets; international expert, founder of the Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) direction Frank Pucelik; Director of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Social and Forensic Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Iryna Pinchuk (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. The preliminary hearing set for Friday morning Sept. 15 in San Diego Superior Court to discuss the case The People versus Cindy Greatrex, in which La Jolla resident Cindy Greatrex is accused of stealing more than $67,000 from La Jolla Rec Center funds, was postponed to Nov. 14. At the scheduled hearing, Greatrexs attorney Paul Neuharth requested a continuance based on having received new evidence from the opposition earlier that morning. Greatrex is accused of making out company checks from La Jolla Park and Recreation, Inc. payable to herself or cash, and cashing them into her personal accounts. According to court documents, the total loss was $67,935.86. Greatrex claims the funds were used to reimburse herself for purchasing grant-writing fees that she did over a long period of time on behalf of the Rec Center in her role as chair of the La Jolla Park & Recreation, Inc. board. Chandelle Konstanzer, representing the People, said she filed a subpoena for the PayPal account that was used to pay for the grant-writing and also investigated one of the grant-writing firms that was contracted, and received the results that morning. The new evidence contains more than 70 pages of resulting data, and was submitted for review. As such, the two parties agreed to reconvene in November to conduct the preliminary hearing. According to findlaw.com, a preliminary hearing provides a judge the opportunity to determine whether there is enough evidence to force the defendant to stand trial. Historic ties of north Meck span throughout region Though the north Mecklenburg area didnt see significant population growth until a few decades ago, its rich history dates back to the Revolutionary War. That was the basis of... An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... On Tuesday, September 19, at 10.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference by Mihai Ivascu, the founder and CEO of the best social payment platform in Britain 2017 "Money Mail Me." He is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. The event is entitled "Modex: New Opportunities of Financial Technologies." Modex is among The FinTech Times' 10 startups to change the financial world (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. More details by +38 050 858 2161 (Tetiana Yeshchenko). PRESS RELEASE Russian and U.S. Delegations Meet on Sidelines of Astana Syrian Negotiation Sept. 14, 2017 (EIRNS)The delegations from Russia and United States met on the sidelines of the Syria talks now being held in Astana, Kazakhstan, according to TASS today. A source told TASS that the Russian delegation had already met with United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura. No details of the meetings were released. The Russian delegation is led by Special Presidential Representative for resolving the Syrian crisis Alexander Lavrentyev, while the U.S. delegation is headed by Acting Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield, the highest-level delegate the U.S. has sent to these talks so far. Sputnik reports that the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Egypt, Iraq, and China may become observers of the Astana process at the next meeting in October. The guarantors of the process have been Russia, Iran, and Turkey. The United States and Jordan already have observer status. "We are discussing the extension of the observer states. There are requests coming from various states. The process of Syrias restoration needs to be launched, countries need to invest money into it.... There are proposals to include the U.A.E., Egypt, Iraq and China," the source said. Alexander Lavrentyev told reporters that an agreement on the creation of the fourth and last Syrian safe zone in the Idlib province was very close to fulfillment. "We are very close to the signing of an agreement on the establishment of all four de-escalation zones, but I wont assess this event so far," he said. "Id like to stress that everyone wants peace to be established on Syrian soil. And everyone realizes, understands and welcomes the entire work that is being done for establishment of the de-escalation zones," the diplomat said. Russia, Iran and Turkey, the three guarantors of the Astana process over Syria, will be involved in control of the de-escalation zone in Idlib, said Lavrentyev. "Participation of monitors from all three guarantor states - Russia, Turkey and Iran is envisaged." "This meeting in Astana is final for establishment of de-escalation zones, but the Astana process will continue, because we still have a lot of problems and issues that are to be addressed in the Syrian settlement," he said. Mark Lillas new book begins with a statement that is brutal and bracing, all the more so because it happens to be true: Donald J. Trump is president of the United States. In the pages that follow, Lilla plumbs truths that are less obvious, but not less comforting. Most of those have to do with American liberalism, which today seems Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, to borrow from Matthew Arnolds great poem Dover Beach. Perhaps that sounds a tad dramatic. If so, perhaps you havent been watching the news. The Once and Future Liberal is an expansion on an op-ed piece that Lilla, a professor of humanities at Columbia University, wrote for the New York Times 10 days after Trumps unlikely victory in the November election. Titled The End of Identity Liberalism, the piece argued that the fixation on diversity in our schools and in the press has produced a generation of liberals and progressives narcissistically unaware of conditions outside their self-defined group. Centrists seeking explanation for the inexplicable furiously emailed the article as if it were a lost book of the Bible, and not one of the apocryphal ones. At the same time, Lillas thesis was widely derided by the left, in particular by the over-eager hall monitors of political virtue who have turned Twitter into their own Solomonic court. In all but painting Lilla as a right-wing shill, they neatly proved his point about a left that has become, in temperament, reactionary. Advertisement This book expands on Lillas op-ed piece, though not by much: The Once and Future Liberal is only 160 pages long, buttressing the original argument with historical context. Lilla divides modern American politics into two dispensations, as he calls them: Franklin Delano Roosevelts big government and Ronald Reagans little government. His canny central insight is that we have never recovered from the ruinous atomization of the Reagan Revolution, which depicted any government at all as an alien spaceship descending on the happy residents of Middlesuburb, U.S.A., sucking up into itself all the resources, corrupting the children, and enslaving the population. He notes, for example, that it was Bill Clinton who declared that the era of big government is over in 1996. Yes, I know he was triangulating. But he was abdicating too. The noble convictions of the civil rights movement, Stonewall and feminism, Lilla says, have devolved into an obsession with selfhood. But if Democratic politicians have largely abandoned New Deal policies, it is because their liberal base had by the 1980s lost interest in the kind of economic populism that had once been the partys central creed. In the hands of the post-Vietnam left, Lilla argues, the individualism of the right became identity politics, an obsession with race, ethnicity and gender that blinded Democrats to unifying realities: Reaganism for lefties. Some of what follows seems to borrow from conservative critiques of liberalism, which I suspect is why Lillas New York Times op-ed piece attracted so much ire. The noble convictions of the civil rights movement, Stonewall and feminism, Lilla says, have devolved into an obsession with selfhood, in the ways we are different, not the same. He singles out Black Lives Matter as a textbook example of how not to build solidarity: The movement highlights the wrongs suffered by African Americans by a society that has never transcended Jim Crow. At the same time, it insists that whites could never fully understand that plight and could thus be only partial allies in the struggle for equality. I am confident in this rightness of this uneasy truth. I remember traveling to Ferguson, Mo., after the killing of Michael Brown and feeling the incredible moral energy on the streets of that smoldering town, a place so starkly divided by race that you might have thought it had remained stuck in 1963. Several months later, I watched as some of those same activists heckled Bernie Sanders for not talking enough about race. They condemned Hillary Clinton for having used the term superpredators as her husband enacted tougher crime laws in the mid-1990s. I feared that principle had curdled into hermetic, pointless outrage moving like a tornado across the landscape. After the storm ended, we had President Trump. At one point, Lilla uses the phrase tenured radicals, a wink at the 1990 book of the same name by Roger Kimball, editor of the conservative journal the New Criterion. Lilla, however, is too smart to blame the decline of the left on draft dodgers in college classrooms who taught Saul Alinsky instead of Immanuel Kant. As a professor of high culture at one of Americas finest universities (and one of the few that actively celebrates high culture with its rigorous humanities curriculum), Lilla clearly isnt a fan of anyone who devotes a semester to studying Game of Thrones for its pre-modern theories of nationhood. In all but painting Lilla as a right-wing shill, they neatly proved his point about a left that has become, in temperament, reactionary. But the real problem, Lilla argues, is what American universities neglect to teach: a notion of citizenship, the common aims we share as a society, the ideals to which we should all subscribe and strive. Our universities failed to teach young people that they share a destiny with all their fellow citizens and have duties toward them. Instead, they trained students to be spelunkers of their personal identities and left them incurious about the world outside their heads. Who you were a black woman, a gay Jewish man became all you were. And someone who didnt share your material reality couldnt possibly share your politics. You might be allies for a quick minute, but not longer. Some of Lillas detractors have made him out to be a more articulate Rush Limbaugh. Anyone making this charge has either failed to read his work or to engage it with the intellectual dignity it demands. Lilla is a true-blue liberal, but a classical one who continues to see Roosevelt as the beacon not only of Democrats but of all the nations citizens. It is a vision of America where citizens were involved in a collective enterprise to guard one another against risk, hardship, and the denial of fundamental rights. Its watchwords were solidarity, opportunity, and public duty. Implicit in all this is the belief that Hillary Clinton should have made a more forceful case to the white working class that, according to many accounts, handed Trump the presidency. Not because laid-off factory workers in rural Wisconsin matter more than young black activists in Oakland, but because the economic concerns of the former represent the baseline vision of the Democratic Party. In the America that Lilla envisions, economic security is the balm for all people, from all backgrounds. Trump has occasionally hinted at a similar conviction, only he has as always obscured that point with needless bluster. Near the opening of the book, Lilla pays a visit to the respective websites of both the Republican and Democratic parties. On the Republican site, he finds a manifesto called Principles of American Renewal. In the age of Trump, that renewal stands as much a chance as California becoming a satellite state of France. Still, its better than what he finds on the Democrats page: seventeen separate messages for 17 separate groups. Theres a word for this, and though Lilla wont use it, I will: pandering. Lillas book comes shortly after the publication of The Big Lie by right-wing pundit Dinesh DSouza. The Big Lie argues, in effect, that modern-day liberalism is a not-so-distant relative of fascism, Nazism and the Confederacy. I had the professional misfortune of reading The Big Lie. It is a breathtakingly bad book, written by a man without decency for a movement without scruples. Yet that movement has power: DSouza was a guest at the White House in August, meeting with since-departed advisers Sebastian Gorka and Steve Bannon. Yes, Donald Trump is president. But if his disastrous presidency proves anything, it is that Republicanism is the biggest lie. Lilla plainly believes that the Reaganite vision of limited government is going the way of the CD player. Spend two minutes watching a waxen House Speaker Paul D. Ryan try to explain the benefit of tax cuts, and that point will be thoroughly confirmed. But what comes next, after Trump and his minions are embalmed in ignominy? Will the Democrats come up with a more compelling message, or will they squabble about whether a white candidates use of a Mary J. Blige song is cultural appropriation? The future is unwritten, but it can also be remarkably unkind. Nazaryan is a senior writer at Newsweek covering national politics. The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics Mark Lilla Harper: 160 pp., $24.99 Online literary magazine Electric Lits recent Bodega Project is an appreciative counter to the new tech firm called Bodega. Launched by two ex-Google staffers, Bodega (the start-up) received some harsh criticism this week for threatening the beloved corner stores. The company aims to install 5-foot-wide boxes stocked with non-perishable pantry items across the country; automated, they are unlocked with an iPhone. If you think that sounds a little impersonal, even sterile, for being named after mom and pops frequently inhabited by adorable cats, youre not alone. Critics warn that their model could hurt actual immigrant- and minority-owned businesses, and that their branding itself is culturally insensitive. Advertisement Real bodegas are all about human relationships within a community, said Frank Garcia, the chairman of the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, who represents thousands of bodega owners, to Fast Company. Community, connection, narrative those common threads unite Electric Lits Bodega Project, a 10-essay series in which New York City authors including Mira Jacob, Tracy ONeill and Anelise Chen wrote personal portraits of their local bodegas. The series launched in June. Bodegas represent so much a neighborhoods mood and energy, writes Kristen Radke in Earning a Spot in the Neighborhood, about a bodega in Crown Heights. Its a mark of belonging to know not only the kinds of Sour Patch Kids a bodega stocks, but also the proprietors name, and the names of his kids. In A Cultural Oasis Inside a Bronx Bodega, Charlie Vazquez writes, the first bodega I remember going to in the 1970s... was a treasure box of Puerto Rican culture. He adds, it was in these family-owned corner stores that knowledge of my familys roots in the Caribbean was enhanced. Electric Literature publishes fiction, essays, book news and literary criticism but is relatively new to cultural criticism. In its Bodega Project, editors Anu Jindal and Dwyer Murphy wrote that to look at any of the contemporary forces shaping the city whether its gentrification, immigration, or economic inequality one often doesnt have to go further than to the shop on the corner. agatha.french@latimes.com @agathafrenchy An outcry over Phoenix-area Motel 6 employees turning over guest information to immigration officers without a warrant has prompted hotel industry officials to urge all owners to protect guest information. On Wednesday, Motel 6 corporate leaders promised to put a stop to such practices throughout their chain of 1,400 hotels. According to the Phoenix New Times, which first reported the story, workers at the Motel 6 inns routinely sent guests names to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials without the federal agency showing a warrant. Based on the information, ICE arrested about 20 people at two locations. The corporate headquarters of Motel 6 issued a statement, saying it was unaware that the operators of the Motel 6 franchises were taking such actions. Moving forward, to help ensure that this does not occur again, we will be issuing a directive to every one of our more than 1,400 locations nationwide, making clear that they are prohibited from voluntarily providing daily guest lists to ICE, Motel 6 said in a statement. Legal experts say hotels are not obligated to provide guest information to law enforcement or immigration officials without a warrant. "There is sensitive information that goes into any sort of guest registry, and to turn it over to a government agency or to anybody outside of the company is, I think, really reckless," said Davis Bae, regional managing partner at the employment law firm of Fisher Phillips. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detain a suspect during an enforcement operation in February 2017 in Los Angeles. (Charles Reed / AFP/Getty Images) (CHARLES REED / AFP/Getty Images) The fallout for Motel 6 The damage to Motel 6s image may be difficult to repair. Already, social media is littered with calls to boycott the hotel chain because of the raids. Regardless of the promise from Motel 6 to stop volunteering guest names to ICE, immigrants with questionable legal status are likely to stay clear of the budget hotel chain, said Carl Winston, director of the School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at San Diego State University. This is a chilling action for Motel 6s business, he said. If Im someone in the country illegally, why would I stay at Motel 6? Id avoid it like the plague. Motel 6 along with Studio 6 are chains of budget hotels owned by Texas-based G6 Hospitality. New York-based private equity firm Blackstone Group bought the brands in 2012 and created G6 in 2015 to manage them. Hotels dont have to cooperate Attorneys and legal experts say hotel operators have no legal obligation to share information or permit ICE officials to enter their premises without a warrant. There is no law that says hotel operators have to share anything with ICE, said Cody Wofsy, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Unions Immigrants Rights Project. Hotel operators arent government agents; theyre private parties. On the local level, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Los Angeles municipal code in 2015 that required hotel operators to keep specific guest information for 90 days and make those records available to LAPD officers on demand. The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional and violated the 4th Amendment. Pulling out guest names that appear to be of a specific ethnicity could also be unlawful based on state civil rights laws that prohibit businesses from discriminating against individuals on the basis of race or religion, said Niels Frenzen, a clinical professor of law at USC and director of the USC law schools immigration clinic. Bae said businesses should conduct training for their employees that covers legal obligations and company policies. "Understanding what guests rights are, what the employers rights are and the limitations of ICE are really important," he said. Industry group explains the law Most hotel operators already know that they are not obligated to provide guest information to law enforcement without a warrant, said Lynn Mohrfeld, president of the California Hotel and Lodging Assn. But because of the Motel 6 incident, Mohrfeld said he expects his trade group will put out a statement to its members, explaining the law. The practice by Motel 6 of volunteering guest information to ICE agents is probably an isolated case, he said, and is unlikely to lead to fear among other guests booking at other hotels. This is not normal practice, he said. This is not OK. What ICE says about the raids ICE declined to comment specifically on the raids at Motel 6. Instead, the agency issued a general statement on how it gets tips that lead to arrests. The agency receives viable enforcement tips from a host of sources, including other law enforcement agencies, relevant databases, crime victims, and the general public via the agencys tip line and online tip form. ICE added: Its worth noting that hotels and motels, including those in the Phoenix area, have frequently been exploited by criminal organizations engaged in highly dangerous illegal enterprises, including human trafficking and human smuggling. No boycott yet, activists say Apolonio Morales, political director for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, called the incident disheartening and blamed an environment of anti-immigrant rhetoric in Arizona, where former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio was pardoned by President Trump after he violated a court order against racially profiling Latinos. For now, Morales said his group wont call for a boycott of Motel 6 until more information comes out about how widespread the practice has been in the company. But he added that the motel workers who volunteered the guest information should be held accountable. Its racially profiling, he said. Its very disturbing. Getting to the core of it is the most important thing. hugo.martin@latimes.com samantha.masunaga@latimes.com The nations airports took another step toward speeding up security screening lines through the use of new advanced scanners. The Transportation Security Administration gave airports the green light this week to begin testing a new model of scanner that uses the same type of imaging technology used in hospitals. Instead of examining the internal organs of patients, the scanners will look into carry-on bags. The new scanner approved by the TSA is manufactured by Analogic Corp. of Peabody, Mass. The ConneCT scanner creates a 3-D image of the contents of a bag through the use of computed tomography, a technology hospitals use to see the inner workings of a body. Advertisement It isnt the first airport scanner to use computed tomography, also known as CT. Since June, American Airlines has been testing a CT scanner at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The scanner is built by L3 Technologies, a New York surveillance and communications firm. American Airlines also plans to test Analogics ConneCT scanners. Analogic executives say CT technology can speed more passengers through security checkpoints because the scanner shows the contents of a bag as a 3-D image on a screen that security officers can spin 360 degrees to show the contents from every angle. Our system very user-friendly, said Mark Laustra, vice president for business development at Analogic. You are able to see it and use it like you are using your iPad. Plus, he said, the scanner uses an algorithm to automatically identify weapons in the bag. Eventually, the new scanner could let passengers keep liquids and personal electronics inside carry-on bags as they go through the scanner, increasing the number of passengers screened per hour 500 from 180, Laustra said. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. Deep in the woods near Brushy Creek stands an old beech tree, its smooth bark etched with dozens of carvings, including biblical references, a heart and a legless horse. Bob Brewer was 10 when his great-uncle, W.D. Grandpa Ashcraft, pointed it out on a logging trip 57 years ago. He said, Boy, you see that tree? Thats a treasure tree, Brewer recalled on a recent visit to the site. You see that writing? If you can figure out what that is, youll find some gold. Advertisement The old man didnt elaborate, but his words stuck with Brewer through childhood and two tours of duty in Vietnam as a Navy helicopter crewman. So did memories of Grandpas frequent, unexplained horseback rides into the nearby Ouachita Mountains. In 1977, after retiring from the Navy, Brewer returned to western Arkansas and took up an obsessive search -- for buried treasure, and for his familys links to a secretive, subversive Confederate group, the Knights of the Golden Circle, or KGC. After many years of research, he is among those who believe that the group buried millions in ill-gotten gold across a dozen states, to finance a second Civil War that never came to be. And he thinks Ashcraft and his son, Odis, had something to do with it. I think Grandpa Ashcraft and Uncle Ode had a secret, Brewer says. A similar theme will play out on the big screen Dec. 21, when Nicolas Cage returns as code-breaking treasure hunter Ben Gates in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, a sequel to Disneys 2004 hit. Brewer is a consultant on the film. But although Cages character searches for Confederate gold and his ancestral ties to the Lincoln assassination, Brewers journey shows, once again, that real life can be stranger than fiction -- or at least as intriguing. Steeped in the history of the South and the West, his quest is haunted by the legend of Jesse James and imbued with the mysterious stuff of Freemasonry, coded treasure maps and conspiracy theories dating to John Wilkes Booth. Along the way, Brewer says, he has unearthed about $200,000 worth of gold and silver coins. Its enough to support his modest lifestyle, and to thumb his nose at those who might think hes just another old coot with a metal detector. Its my damn story, he says, and if they dont believe it Im not gonna worry about it, damn it. Pardon my French. Brewers life is detailed in Shadow of the Sentinel: One Mans Quest to Find the Hidden Treasure of the Confederacy, a book he wrote with Warren Getler, a former Wall Street Journal reporter. The authors say their 2003 book, reissued in paperback as Rebel Gold, sheds new light on the hidden history of the KGC, even as it lays out Brewers efforts to trace his familial connections to the group and crack the code behind its legendary depositories. Having found smaller coin caches, Brewer says hes now on to a big, big one in Oklahoma -- big enough to more than validate his 30-year search. It was supposed to have been $2 million when it was buried, he says. We figure its about 80 times that face value. The hunt that brought Brewer to this point began in earnest after he retired from the Navy in 1977 and started spending time at a Hatfield coffee shop, where talk often turned to treasure-hunting. Some spoke of Spanish treasure signs, similar to the markings his great-uncle had shown him. Spaniard Hernando de Soto had explored the nearby mountains in 1541 and local legend held that he stashed gold there. Over time, Brewer came to doubt the Spanish angle, but linked what his forebears had told him to what he was hearing in town. He sketched the symbols others described, tracked them down when he could and plotted them on topographical maps. During a stint as a state inspector of beekeepers, he explored remote areas of the forest and found more carvings on trees and rock faces. Many were recurring symbols: snakes, turtles, crescent moons, crosses, numbers and letters with odd flourishes. Brewer figured they were cryptic indicators of distance and direction, clues to buried riches. By mapping them, Brewer surmised that they ran along lines that might extend for miles as part of a larger treasure grid. Tracing the lines with a metal detector, he says, he learned to systematically find buried clues, one leading to the next, everything from gun barrels to farming implements to milk can lids. If that sounds far-fetched, it did also to some of the 400 or so residents of Hatfield, including Brewers wife, Linda. A lot of her friends, and even my own family, were telling her, You better watch Bob because hes going off the deep end, Brewer says. She was beginning to believe it, too. But Brewer persisted, and concluded that clues could be found not only in carvings on trees but also in the trees shape. Some appeared to have been contorted as saplings, or had oddly grafted limbs that caused them to grow into unusual shapes and directional pointers. Following a line from one such hoot owl tree, Brewer says, he found the carved beech that Grandpa Ashcraft had shown him several decades earlier. He studied its symbols, walked the lines radiating from them and found buried horseshoes and other clues that led to his first cache in 1991 -- a canning jar filled with gold and silver coins from the 1800s, their $400 face value a fraction of their actual worth. Brewer says he was stunned by the find, in the forest about 10 miles from his home. I was totally wiped out for a couple of days and couldnt sleep for a couple of nights, he says. I thought I had it all figured out and Id be rich within a week. I was a little wrong about that. The Brewers made a video about the carved beech, dubbed the Bible Tree for etchings such as 1st Thess 3:2, an apparent reference to First Thessalonians. It was a hit at treasure-hunting shows, and Brewer soon was trading stories and information with others who shared his esoteric interest. In 1993, one of them showed Brewer a book about Jesse James, with passages about the Knights of the Golden Circle, buried Confederate treasure and cryptic symbols. Founded in the 1850s by George Bickley, a former Virginian living in Cincinnati, the group was reputed to include prominent political figures and Confederate leaders, among them Gen. Albert Pike, a high-ranking member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. One of the things that led Brewer to link his family to the KGC were Pike carvings hed seen on trees. Another was Grandpa Ashcrafts mysterious, daylong rides into the woods. Sometimes his great-uncle told him hed been hunting cows, says Brewer, who only much later learned it might have been short for cowan, a Masonic term of contempt for intruders. Grandpa had shown him where one was buried amid the pines and hardwoods. He said the man got in here, got to messing around and putting his nose where he shouldnt have, and got himself killed, " he says. Eventually, Brewer concluded that Grandpa and Uncle Ode were part of a generations-old network of sentinels who watched over caches of KGC money. Much of it came from government-payroll holdups and train robberies, according to Brewer and others who say Jesse James was a leader and benefactor of the group. Ceci Gillespie thinks some of the loot wound up on a chunk of property she and her sister own in Wapanucka, Okla., about 100 miles southeast of Oklahoma City. Weve had at least 10 people show up with the same idea, that Jesse James buried treasure there, Gillespie says, starting with an 87-year-old man who greeted her with a treasure map and his list of reliable facts some 20 years ago. In the mid-1990s came Brewer, teamed with an Oklahoma schoolteacher who also had a Jesse James treasure map. In the area, they found a jar of silver coins dated 1812 to 1880, Brewer says, but their hunt was cut short when the sisters booted them from the property. Brewer says the teacher doubled back without him and found another cache of gold coins. The man might later have struck it even richer, according to a 1995 story in the Daily Oklahoman, which said hed unearthed a Wells Fargo safe full of gold coins at an undisclosed location. If it was from her property, Gillespie says, shes never gotten any of it, though she is convinced that millions in gold are still stashed there. Robert Smith, a University of Oklahoma law professor who has written at length about Jesse James and other American outlaws, dismisses stories of huge treasure troves. I know very little about the Knights of the Golden Circle or whether such an organization even existed, he says. But my own feeling is this stuff about buried gold, as far as Jesse James is concerned, is nonsense. James M. McPherson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War historian and a professor emeritus at Princeton University, has his own doubts about the groups reach. There certainly was an organization called the Knights of the Golden Circle, McPherson allows, noting the group sought to spread slavery by annexing territory in Mexico and the Caribbean in the years before the Civil War. But once the war began, the story becomes pretty shadowy, he says. My guess is that as the war went on, its reality kind of shaded over into myth, he says. Brewers co-author Getler, who met Brewer in 1998 and spent five years with him in the field and on a lengthy paper chase, counters that we dug a lot deeper into the group than anyone before. The Knights of the Golden Circle were a much more powerful organization than history gives credit to, Getler says. At the National Archives in Washington, he and Brewer scoured files and rare-book collections, finding the personal prayer book of KGC founder Bickley, who in 1863 was arrested as a spy but never charged, and died in 1867. Inside the book was a hand-written key to the groups code. The pair interviewed descendants of members, searched the Library of Congress for relevant writings and pored over the archives of the Pinkerton detective agency, which had pursued James. Their search of an online database yielded illuminating articles from newspapers, magazines and journals dating to the 1800s, and at Georgetown University Library they found works on Booth. They concluded Booth was either a KGC member or was helped by the group while on the run after shooting President Lincoln at Fords Theater on April 14, 1865. No one can be sure, Getler says, but we are pretty confident that the KGC, the most powerful subversive group that ever existed in the United States, was very involved in the assassination of Lincoln. Hes also confident that Brewer is on to something very real. This is not crop circles, he says. Brewers quest has taken him from Arkansas to Georgia to Arizona and back to Oklahoma, where he and two partners have zeroed in on a site more than 100 miles from the Gillespies land. Like other treasure hunters, they are cagey when discussing their work, loath to let slip too many details about exactly where and what theyre doing. They say the Oklahoma search got held up by summer rains and flooding, which produced four-foot-high grass. Its crawling with snakes and too high to work in with metal detectors, they say, and hiring someone to mow it would draw too much attention. Others might be watching and could beat them to the gold. Brewer is willing to wait it out. We know where its at now, he says. All we have to do is put our detectors over it and well find it. In some areas, treasure hunting is banned by law or requires permission from private property owners, or state and federal agencies that oversee public lands. At the Oklahoma site, Brewer and his partners have a contract with the owner. We dont ever go anywhere without permission -- period, says John London, 63, an Amarillo, Texas, electrician and satellite dish installer working with Brewer. There are no ifs ands or buts about it, and if you dont get it, the butt will be yours. Along with metal detectors, global positioning devices and laptop computers with mapping software, Londons treasure-hunting tools include dowsing wands and an information rod made from an old rabbit-ears TV antenna with a silver dollar riveted onto it. He insists it works, but says he hasnt had to rely on it in Oklahoma. This is pure KGC research that has brought this stuff up, he says. Another partner, Jim Weaver, a 63-year-old window and siding salesman from Hutchinson, Kan., credits Brewers unique ability to decipher symbols and find clues. You can say its a gift. You can say its genetic, Weaver says. I dont know what it is, but Bob really has discovered something remarkable. He says hes seen evidence beyond any possible shadow of a doubt in Oklahoma. If we bring this thing to the conclusion we anticipate, he says, it will be mind-boggling. If he does hit it big, Brewer says, it wont change his life much. He has all he needs: a good family, enough money to pay his bills, a nice house on a patch of land where he can step out his front door and shoot deer and wild turkey all day long. Mostly, he just wants to finish his lifes work. Sometimes I wish I had never started it, he says. But I was always good at puzzles and when I set my mind to doing something, I do it. kim.christensen@latimes.com Uber was the indisputable No. 1 player in the domestic on-demand transportation industry. And by its workforce size, passenger count and capital raised, it still is. But reports on Thursday from Bloomberg and Axios that Googles parent company, Alphabet, is mulling over a $1-billion investment in Ubers archrival, Lyft, suggests that Ubers ongoing dominance isnt a sure thing, and that recent scandals that led to change in the companys leadership may have dealt a greater blow to the companys brand than originally expected. It reflects Ubers changing status, said Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigans Ross School of Business. Advertisement Once upon a time, venture capital firms stumbled over each other to invest in Uber, with many believing that its eventual success could rival or even beat Facebooks. Googles venture capital arm, now called GV, was an early investor in Uber. But Ubers recent string of scandals including a lawsuit from the Alphabet-owned Waymo over alleged theft and use of trade secrets, allegations of a culture of harassment and bullying and law enforcement probes into its efforts to circumvent regulators has knocked the company from its perch. Both Lyft and Google declined to comment on reports of investment talks. If such a deal goes through, though, it could be a major boost for Lyft, which has long been a distant No. 2 to Uber in size and in war chest. Uber has raised more than $15 billion compared with Lyfts more than $2 billion. Lyft has always been the stepchild now theyre getting a bit more attention from Daddy, so maybe they wont be thought of so much as the second choice or the second player, said Gregory Sichenzia, a partner at securities law firm Sichenzia Ross Ference Kesner. If Google were to invest in both ride-hailing companies, it wouldnt be the first time an investor has diversified investments across multiple companies in the same category. Chinas Didi Chuxing, which bought the China arm of Uber, is also an investor in Ubers rivals in Asia. Before working with Uber, Didi also had a partnership with Lyft that allowed Lyft customers to hail Didi rides from the Lyft app when they were in China, and vice versa. Japanese telecom giant Softbank is reportedly in talks to invest in Uber. In Asia, it is also an investor in every one of Ubers major rivals. Decades ago, this sort of investment across competitors was less common, Sichenzia said, because companies were more likely to pull out of a deal if they knew a backer was considering betting on the competition. In the old days there were conflicts in the advertising world, so you couldnt be the agency for two competing brands because youd lose one or the other, Sichenzia said. Or if a bank were to bank on Mobil, they couldnt bank on the next oil company because theyd lose that business. These days? Theres no recourse. What is Uber going to do if Google invests in Lyft? Say: We dont want your money well give it back? Sichenzia said. More and more, its just a matter of economics. As Uber begins to address its cultural issues under the leadership of new Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi, business experts said now is also a good time for the company to ask itself why an existing investor might consider its competitor, because something has clearly changed. You used to jump at the chance of doing an alliance with Uber, Gordon said. Now you think thrice. tracey.lien@latimes.com Twitter: @traceylien Mike Cagney, the co-founder and chief executive of financial services start-up SoFi, stepped down Friday amid allegations that he fostered a company culture that enabled sexual harassment. Tom Hutton, executive chairman of the San Francisco company, will become interim CEO. The business is strong, stable and well-positioned, Hutton said in a statement. For now, there is no more important work than paving the way for future success by building a transparent, respectful and accountable culture. Advertisement Cagney, who co-founded the company also known as Social Finance Inc. in 2011, also left the board. SoFi declined to comment further on the matter, which came following a brutal week for the company. Cagney had written a memo to SoFi employees on Monday saying, HR-related litigation and negative press related to an August lawsuit had become a distraction from the companys core mission. In the memo, he announced he was stepping down as chairman but would stay on as chief executive until the end of the year to help find his replacement and facilitate a transition of power. The following day, the New York Times published a story in which current and former SoFi employees detailed a frat house culture at the firm and accused Cagney of flirting with employees and using questionable tactics to grow the company. In the wake of that story and amid heightened sensitivity in Silicon Valley around sexual harassment Cagneys sudden resignation was not surprising. In June, Ubers co-founder and former CEO Travis Kalanick who was not personally implicated in sexual harassment allegations but was blamed by former employees for creating a culture that allowed it to happen initially went on an indefinite leave of absence before being pressured to resign a week later. The same month, Binary Capital co-founder and investor Justin Caldbeck took a leave of absence after he was accused of sexually harassing female tech entrepreneurs. He resigned days later. Around the same time, Dave McClure, a general partner at 500 Startups, faced similar allegations of inappropriate advances toward female entrepreneurs. McClure admitted to and apologized for being a creep and announced that he would be moving to a limited role at the company. He resigned shortly thereafter. Although sexual harassment allegations have become a thorn in the side of many tech companies, they could be particularly damaging for SoFi, which is trying to persuade regulators to let it open a bank. The company offers mortgages and student loan refinancing but wants to expand into providing credit cards and checking accounts. To do that, the company needs regulators to grant it a state bank charter and federal deposit insurance. The allegations of sexual harassment and other problems could be factors in that process. Bank analyst Bert Ely said regulators will look at, among other things, potential reputational risks at SoFi when deciding whether to sign off on its plans. Getting rid of Cagney could smooth out that process. Theres the reputation of the institution, and the reputation of the people who run it, he said. Equifax has a very serious reputation problem, but its a problem of the company. SoFi seems to have a problem with its now-departed CEO. Still, the resignation is also likely to mean delays for SoFis charter and insurance applications, meaning the company may have to hold off on its planned expansion into banking, said Brian Knight, a senior research fellow at George Mason Universitys Mercatus Center. Part of the application is, Who is your leadership team, and do regulators feel comfortable that this leadership team can maintain safety and soundness at the bank? Knight said. Theyre going to need to figure who that leadership team will be, and then have regulators look at them. Cagneys resignation was spurred by a lawsuit filed Aug. 11 by former employee Brandon Charles, who was hired as a manager at the companys office in Healdsburg in Sonoma County. He alleged SoFi had fired him for trying to report bad practices at the company, including sexual harassment by a manager at the Healdsburg office and the mishandling of loan applications at another office in Salt Lake City. On Aug. 31, Charles amended the suit to include Cagney as a named defendant, alleging the CEO made sexual comments about female employees and fostered a culture that allowed sexual harassment to continue unabated. Times staff writer James Rufus Koren contributed to this report. tracey.lien@latimes.com Twitter: @traceylien UPDATES: 11:15 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details and comments from bank analyst Bert Ely and researcher Brian Knight. This article was originally published at 7:05 a.m. Students are back in their seats, and so are theater audiences. To fill out your fall schedule, consider these offerings at L.A.s 99-seat and other smaller venues. The Times theater team offers recommendations every Friday, a bookend to our comprehensive theater listings posted every Sunday at latimes.com/arts. Some shows that caught our attention for their timely themes and for the talents involved: 1. In a Word at Chance Theater The essentials: Rising playwright Lauren Yee, whose work is everywhere this year, evokes a mothers damaged sense of self after her second-grader goes missing. Kidnappers introduce themselves at the supermarket, and the moms language dissolves along with her perception of reality. Puns and bad jokes become the language of grief. Why this?: Though just 32, the San Francisco-raised Yee, who earned a masters in playwriting at UC San Diego, is racking up awards and commissions. Her King of the Yees, a kaleidoscopic yarn inspired by her dad, played at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City in July. In March, South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa will present the world premiere of Cambodian Rock Band, a jam-session-like exploration of a familys and a countrys past that uses music by the Los Angeles band Dengue Fever. Her tie to the Chance: She was its resident playwright in 2015, when the theater presented her Samsara. In a Word, presented off-Broadway this summer, is a Southern California premiere. Details: Chance Theater, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim. Final preview Friday; runs Saturday-Oct. 8. 7:45 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:45 p.m. Sundays. $35. (888) 455-4212, www.ChanceTheater.com. 2. Walking to Buchenwald by Open Fist The essentials: Inspired by a European trip that he took with his aging parents, Los Angeles playwright Tom Jacobson delivers a comic jaunt that takes a worrisome turn when the distracted travelers catch wind of disturbing actions back home in America. Why this?: There is very little that is made up in this play, Jacobson says a remarkable statement, given his reputation as one of L.A.s most wildly inventive writers. Think: Bunbury or Ouroboros. The story does have a fanciful twist, however. The characters modeled on the 56-year-old Jacobson and his partner are portrayed at alternating performances by two men or two women, with a couple of heterosexual pairings in the mix. Bonus: The news that jolts the travelers so closely parallels recent events that theatergoers are bound to pour out the door in a buzz of conversation. Details: Open Fist at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., L.A. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays; ends Oct. 21. $30. (323) 882-6912, www.openfist.org. One of the Walking to Buchenwald casts, with (from left), Justin Huen, Laura James, Christopher Cappiello and Ben Martin. (Darrett Sanders) (Darrett Sanders /) 3. Daytona by Rogue Machine The essentials: One random day in 1986, the past knocks at a door in Brooklyn. This is the home of Holocaust survivors childhood friends who found each other after the war and married. In their 70s, they ballroom dance to their hearts content. The visitor at their door upsets everything. Why this?: Oliver Cottons play transferred from Londons fringe to West End in 2014. Reviews were mixed, but the praise was typified by Charles Spencer, writing for the Telegraph, who admired the plays sturdy, well-made strength and manifest humanity. The Rogue production is in the hands of L.A. directing stalwart Elina de Santos, and its cast includes Richard Fancy, who may have achieved immortality as Mr. Muffin Tops Lippman on Seinfeld, and George Wyner, who did the same in Spaceballs as evil Col. Sandurz. Details: Rogue Machine at the Met Theatre, 1089 N. Oxford Ave., L.A. 8:30 p.m. Saturdays and Mondays, 3 p.m. Sundays; ends Oct. 30. $40. (855) 585-5185, www.roguemachinetheatre.com. George Wyner, left, and Richard Fancy in Daytona. (John Perrin Flynn) 4. Aladdin dual-language edition at LATC The essentials: In this bilingual version of the musical Disney favorite, Princess Jazmin and the other royals speak only Spanish, Aladdin and the townspeople speak English. You can bet that Jafar is at the root of this divide. Fortunately, there are translators on hand, furry and otherwise, to break down language barriers for characters and audience alike. Why this?: This 80-minute version of the tale played at the small Casa 0101 Theatre in Boyle Heights early this year. Now in a 300-plus-seat house at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, the bright, bouncy production is reaching more people in a brief run that ends this weekend. The young people in your life already know and love this story, so why not use it as the gateway to live theater? Cue: A Whole New World. Details: Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles. 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday. $39-$79. (866) 811-4111, www.thelatc.org/events. The Aladdin cast includes, from left, Rosa Navarrete as Rajah, Valeria Maldonado as Jazmin, Daniel Sugimoto as Aladdin and Sebastian Gonzalez as Abu. (Ed Krieger) daryl.miller@latimes.com Twitter: @darylhmiller MORE THEATER COVERAGE: Last week on the 99-Seat Beat Review: Blackbird at GTC Burbank When the playwright becomes the star: How one writer is jumping from her script onto the stage 'Scandal' actor Joe Morton on Charlottesville and reviving the activism of Dick Gregory Remembering Royal Shakespeare founder Peter Hall, who turned language into life Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcome ceremony for Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah here on Wednesday. They agreed to promote cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative, and work for stronger bilateral ties. China appreciates Brunei's efforts in strengthening China-ASEAN relations, and hopes to align China's Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN's development plan, Xi said. BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah here on Wednesday, with the two agreeing to promote cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative, and work for stronger bilateral ties. "China appreciates Brunei's efforts in strengthening China-ASEAN relations, and hopes to align the Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN's development plan," Xi said. Calling the two countries close neighbors across the sea, mutually reliable friends and partners, Xi said the two countries have established strategic cooperative ties, cemented political mutual trust, and achieved fruitful cooperation over the years. This year marks the start of the second 25 years of China-Brunei diplomatic relations. China-Brunei ties are at a key stage of development, Xi said, adding China is ready to share governance experience with Brunei, synergize their development strategies, and promote closer cooperation in various areas. He called on both sides to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen political mutual trust and support each other on issues concerning respective core interests and major concerns. Xi appreciated Brunei's support for the Belt and Road Initiative. The two leaders agreed to boost closer cooperation in such areas as infrastructure, energy, halal food, agriculture, fishery, and the digital economy. He asked the two countries to cement defense and law-enforcement cooperation, as well as exchanges in education, sports, public health, tourism, media and other areas. The two countries should enhance cooperation in regional and international affairs, and coordination in frameworks such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Xi said. Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, Xi said it has stabilized and showed positive momentum. "China hopes to work with Brunei and parties concerned to make the South China Sea the sea of peace, friendship and cooperation." The Sultan congratulated on China's achievements, and expressed support for the Belt and Road Initiative. He hailed the progress of China-Brunei ties since the forging of diplomatic relations, inviting more Chinese enterprises to invest in his country. Brunei is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with China, expand cultural exchanges, jointly safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea, and boost stronger ASEAN-China relations, the Sultan said. The two heads of state witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents regarding the Belt and Road Initiative, infrastructure and health. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met with the Sultan earlier on Wednesday. Li said China regards ASEAN as a diplomatic priority and will continue to support the ASEAN Community building and its centrality in regional cooperation. China will work with Brunei to promote the East Asian Leaders' meetings on cooperation later this year to produce more outcomes that contribute to regional stability, cooperation and prosperity, he said. Zhang said the National People's Congress of China eyes stronger exchanges and cooperation with Brunei's State Legislative Council, to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and contribute to stronger bilateral strategic cooperative ties. As anyone from a large family can attest, its a wonder how so many wildly different individuals can spring from the same genetic pool. In Daniel MacIvors Marion Bridge, a guest production at Son of Semele theater, three sisters are radically distinctive characters written with brilliant specificity. Agnes (Amy DeBourget) is a failed actress from Toronto who has spent the better part of 20 years in an alcoholic stupor. Theresa (Carolyn Reese Crotty) is a farmer and nun who does her best to hide the erosion of her faith. Louise (Sarah Boughton) is an admittedly strange young woman who has never wandered far from home but whose naif persona conceals surprising depths. Advertisement The three have returned to Cape Breton, their Canadian island home, to be with their (offstage) dying mother during her final days. Initially, the atmosphere simmers with old resentments as these long-estranged sisters struggle to find common ground while awaiting the inevitable. The mood thickens as Agnes seeks out the daughter she was forced to give up when she was just a girl a crushing loss that continues to define her life. Its a simple premise that offers little in the way of plot. However, MacIvors lovely, deeply humanistic comedy-drama, which was made into a film in 2002, builds inevitably toward the transcendent. This is a well cast production, and director Don Boughton (father of Sarah) augments the plays comic opportunities while wisely keeping its emotionalism on a slow simmer, only occasionally allowing it to boil into authentic, wrenching pain. Sarah Boughton is strong as the boyish Louise, whose unvarnished simplicity effectively contrasts with the faux sophistication of DeBourgets emotionally battered Agnes. Ironically named, Crottys beautifully realized Theresa is not the mystic her name implies but a matter-of-fact saint, a woman of the earth whose shining goodness is the metaphoric bridge that may link this fractured family at last. Marion Bridge Where: Son of Semele, 3301 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles When: 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through Sept. 24; also 7 p.m. Monday Tickets: $20 Info: (213) 351-3507, www.sonofsemele.org Running time: 2 hours SIGN UP for the free Essential Arts & Culture newsletter Support coverage of the arts. Share this article. MORE THEATER NEWS AND REVIEWS: Review: A Funnt Thing Happened at the Geffen Playhouse Review: Carmen Disruption at City Garage The 99-Seat Beat: Promising shows in the small-theater scene Why live theater needs movie-style trailers Artistic director departing from South Coast Rep Movie recommendations from critics Kenneth Turan, Justin Chang and other reviewers. Baby Driver Edgar Wrights exuberant, one-of-a-kind vehicular-action-thriller-musical-romance stars Ansel Elgort as a tinnitus-afflicted, music-loving getaway driver alongside a superb supporting cast that includes Kevin Spacey, Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm and Eiza Gonzalez. (Justin Chang) R. Beach Rats Eliza Hittmans moving and moodily evocative coming-of-age drama follows the emotional and sexual confusion of a Brooklyn teenager (brilliantly played by Harris Dickinson) over the course of a long, hot summer. (Justin Chang) R. 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See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies The Arab prince sat straight in his blue suit jacket, red tie and charcoal gray slacks as he listened to an audio reenactment of Anne Frank and her familys attempt to hide from the Nazi Gestapo during World War II. There have been ups and downs in their relationship, but Bahrain is one of dozens of nations that does not recognize the state of Israel. The Gulf state has participated in an Arab League boycott of the Jewish state in an effort to help Palestinians extract territorial concessions from Israel. But this week, Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa, the son of Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, and a large entourage, jostled their way through a rushed tour of the Museum of Tolerance. It was led by the museums founder, Rabbi Marvin Hier, who also founded the Simon Wiesenthal Center, named after the famed Nazi hunter. Hier highlighted the story of Frank and applauded Bahrains efforts to fight religious extremism as well. Advertisement Gulf countries such as Bahrain have been opening channels with Israel whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, opposed the nuclear deal the Obama administration brokered with their rival Iran. These countries, like Israel, are worried about Irans nuclear ambitions. The princes visit also comes as Bahrain confronts growing criticism from the United States and international human rights organizations about the treatment of its Shiite majority, which is regularly disenfranchised by the Sunni-led government. That the prince would come to the Museum of Tolerance an unabashedly pro-Israel institution highlights the shifting sands of Middle Eastern politics in an era in which common enemies and concerns can create strange bedfellows. Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain, left, tours the Anne Frank exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance with Simon Wiesenthal Center founder Rabbi Marvin Hier, right. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) The day concluded with a dinner, attended by hundreds of interfaith leaders, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and the release of a declaration by Bahrains king calling for religious freedom. Every individual has the freedom to practice their religion, providing they do no harm to others, respect the laws of the land, and accept responsibility, spiritually and materially, for their choices, the Bahraini declaration reads. Part of the goal of this trip is for Bahrain to highlight on its own terms how tolerant of a country it can be. Jews, Hindus and Christians are encouraged to practice freely even as their Shiite counterparts struggle to get an equal footing in society. This visit and the declaration prompted criticism from human rights activists. They say Bahrain regularly and often violently suppresses the Shiite majority while crushing political dissent. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson castigated the Bahraini government. Members of the Shia community there continue to report ongoing discrimination in government employment, education, and the justice system, Tillerson said. Bahrain must stop discriminating against the Shia communities. Hier, who delivered a benediction at President Trumps inauguration, said he visited the kings palace in February. The two bonded over a shared appreciation of Frank Sinatra, and Hier said he was heartened by the kings warming stance toward Israel. He said that while staying at the Four Seasons hotel, he wore his yarmulke and people did not bat an eye. People didnt give us a second look, he said. That impressed me because that says they expect to see scenes like that. Of the allegations of human rights abuses in Bahrain, he said: Im not going to tell you that they are the perfect specimen of a state. I dont think any state is. Human beings are not perfect. But when it comes to Israeli-Arab relations, Hier said he sensed that change was in the air. If I had to predict, I would tell you that the Arab worlds relationship with the state of Israel is going to dramatically change, he said. The king is ahead of the pack and smart. It is the way to go, and hes smart. This is a dinner tonight thats hosted by a Jewish organization that no one will say is not so pro-Israel. A projection of concentration camp survivors is on a screen as Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain tours the Museum of Tolerance. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) In Bahrain, unlike the other Gulf states, which are predominantly Sunni, Shiites make up roughly two-thirds of the population not counting migrant workers. But they are disenfranchised by the Sunni royal family, which controls the country, said Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Middle East and North Africa division. I think its fair to say that there is a good deal of discrimination against the Shia, he said. The bigger issue is the zero tolerance for any kind of political dissent. Stork cited the imprisonment of Sheikh Ali Salman, the countrys main Shiite opposition leader, as one of many examples of political repression. An assortment of religious leaders from various faiths accompanied the princes tour of the Museum of Tolerance. Some snapped selfies together and maneuvered to be closer to the prince. At one point a man wearing a yarmulke whispered to his Muslim counterpart: So much thats wrong with America today is because we pushed God out of the picture. Brian Dooley, a senior advisor for Human Rights First, said that these types of events are a regular part of the repertoire of countries that dont necessarily have the best human rights records. Bahrain talks a very good game about being pluralistic on some levels. They have a very large Catholic church in Bahrain, said Dooley, who has been prevented from traveling there for the last five years. Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain tours the Museum of Tolerance. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) There are other faiths that are encouraged to practice freely, he said. I think the trap that Bahrain wants us to fall into is: Isnt this so much better than Saudi Arabia? Dooley said he thinks its good to invite people like the prince and call them out on their countrys behavior. He pointed out that Prince Nasser has been accused of abuses during Bahrains brutal crackdown in the aftermath of protests inspired by the Arab Spring in 2011. The Trump administration, partially in its efforts to take a far tougher stance toward Iran, has relaxed restrictions on arms sales to Bahrain. Last week, Tillerson approved a $3.8-billion arms deal to the country that includes F-16 jets, missiles and patrol boats. When the tour came to a close, Hier introduced Nasser, who gave a short set of remarks before leaving the building. He said it was his first time in Los Angeles but would not be his last. That evening, the prince announced a new center named after his father for interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence, according to the Bahrain News Agency. This day is a reminder to all of us of what we have achieved in promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding, as well as another reminder of the work we must complete, in combating hate speech and bigotry. @boreskes benjamin.oreskes@latimes.com 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 The California State Board of Education had been focused for hours on how to meet requirements to help its lowest performing schools and districts. But after long, jargon-laden discussions about building capacity and creating new systems, board member Feliza Ortiz-Licon took a step back and apologized to civil rights groups. Ortiz-Licon, who runs K-16 education programs for the Latino advocacy group Unidos US, said she felt heartbreak because, in all the talk, she felt the board had missed an important opportunity to improve its commitment to educational equity. Advertisement We havent addressed, not even in a minimum way the notion of achievement gaps, she said. Im sorry, I really apologize to folks that looked to me to help move this along. I wasnt able to. There was a brief pause, and then board president Mike Kirst said, Yeah, OK, well move to public comment. A little bit later, the board officially approved the states draft plan to satisfy the Every Students Succeeds Act, a major federal education law. The plan is due with Gov. Jerry Browns signature to Education secretary Betsy DeVos by Monday, Sept. 18. Brown signed the plan and the state submitted it to the federal government Wednesday. Whereas the No Child Left Behind Act was reviled for being too prescriptive about how states should identify and sanction failing schools, ESSA gives states more agency but mandates that they find and help such schools. ESSA requires states to identify the lowest-performing 5% of their high-poverty schools, as well as high schools with persistently low graduation rates, and help them improve. Californias plan for satisfying the law uses the California School Dashboard, the new color-coded school grading report, to define low-performing schools but the state is submitting its plan without a methodology that fully identifies all schools in that bottom 5%. The plan gives low-performing schools seven years to reach the two colors on the Dashboard that represent the highest achievement or improvement. The state also hopes to combine the federal guidelines and state ones to create a more integrated approach. Critics have alleged that the states ESSA plan is thin on detail and doesnt set good goals for the progress of disadvantaged students. This August, a group of East Coast education experts released a report skewering the plan which seemed to strike a nerve even though it got a few details wrong. Barbara Murchison, who runs ESSA implementation for the state education department, said people think the plan is something other than it is, but really it is just a state application for funds from the federal government and doesnt discuss how school districts are doing. Im woke, as I warned you a couple of months ago, and Im telling you, Im going to help you wake up, too. California State Board of Education member Patricia Rucker Kirst and other board members also said the plan was deliberately minimal, as it is essentially a grant application for federal money and anything written down amounts to a contractual agreement with the federal government. State officials expect to get $2.6 billion through ESSA a relatively small sum given the $8 billion it gets from the federal government overall and the states own $92.5 billion K-12 budget. But Ortiz-Licon, as well as several advocacy groups such as Children Now and the Education Trust West, insist that this minimalist approach, sometimes dubbed The California Way, misses the point. I dont see this only as a contract, only as a grant, Ortiz-Licon said. We need to acknowledge that this [federal effort] is rooted in civil rights, because already the rest of the country is forgetting civil rights. The board also discussed how counties are supposed to help underperforming school districts in a process that starts this fall under the states LCFF, or Local Control Funding Formula. In designing this process, the board is looking to other states. In Ohio, failing districts get extra technology, training and administrative services. In Texas, they can ask for specific things, such as discipline codes and special-education guidelines. California Department of Education and county education staffers talked about setting up systems, meetings, opportunities for collaboration and professional learning communities. Board Member Patricia Rucker, a legislative advocate for the California Teachers Association union, said the discussion missed the mark. What is the plan, she asked, for making sure youre not just going from meeting to meeting to meeting? In the same vein as Ortiz-Licon, Rucker said that the LCFF discussion didnt address the fact that many schools are failing minority students. It is going to be possible that we will continue to fail the students we have always failed if we do not identify what the hard conversations are, she said. Im woke, as I warned you a couple of months ago, and Im telling you, Im going to help you wake up, too. Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com @Joy_Resmovits UPDATES: 7:05 p.m.: This article was updated with news that Gov. Jerry Brown signed the federal plan and the state submitted it to Betsy DeVos on Wednesday. This article was originally published at 5:55 p.m. Three advocacy groups sued the federal government Thursday to block construction of a border wall with Mexico, alleging that the Trump administration overstepped its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws. The Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Legal Defense Fund seek to prevent construction of wall prototypes in San Diego and halt plans for replacement barriers in San Diego and Calexico. The complaint largely mirrors a lawsuit filed by another advocacy group, the Center for Biological Diversity, but the three organizations each say they have hundreds of thousands of members, bringing more attention and resources to a legal fight over one of President Trumps key campaign pledges. Advertisement The government has waived reviews seven times under a 2005 law to speed construction of border barriers, including twice under Trump. The law allows the government to waive dozens of laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires extensive reviews of environmental impacts. The lawsuit contends the waiver authority expired in 2008, when the government met congressional requirements for additional border barriers. An impenetrable border wall would divide wildlife and their habitat as well as families and communities across the border, said Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of Defenders of Wildlife. It would bisect and isolate important Southwestern landscapes, pushing borderland wildlife like peninsular bighorn sheep, jaguars and ocelots to the brink of extinction. U.S. Customs and Border Protection doesnt comment on pending litigation, said spokesman Carlos Diaz. The government recently awarded eight contracts to build prototypes of what Trump has called a big, beautiful wall, each one up to 30 feet high. It plans to start construction this fall. Last month, the administration issued a waiver of environmental reviews on a 15-mile stretch of border in San Diego, which encompasses the construction site for the prototypes and areas targeted for replacement fencing on one of the most fortified areas on the 1,954-mile border. On Tuesday, it issued a waiver extending three miles west from a downtown border crossing in Calexico, a desert city of 40,000 people. An investigation into residents allegations that police officers set off illegal fireworks over a Huntington Beach neighborhood early July 5 has contributed to ongoing tensions between the citys police chief and the police officers union, according to city officials. In an Aug. 25 letter, city leaders said police were conducting an internal affairs investigation of a citizens complaint of officer misconduct that occurred outside a union facility. The letter did not elaborate on the allegations but said that at a July 20 meeting, members of the police unions leadership unprofessionally and profanely demanded that Chief Robert Handy terminate the investigation. Advertisement Councilman Erik Peterson confirmed Thursday that the internal investigation centers on complaints that a group of officers set off fireworks in front of their club near Gothard Street and Prodan Drive. Residents in the adjacent neighborhood, east of Central Park, said they were jolted awake between 2 and 3 a.m. July 5 by large fireworks explosions that sounded like they were being set off above their homes. Huntington Beach allows residents to discharge legal safe and sane fireworks from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 4. It is a misdemeanor under state law to possess, store, use or transport illegal fireworks. Doing so is punishable by a $1,000 fine and jail time. The Huntington Beach Police Officers Assn. criticized Handy in an Aug. 23 news release for being vague about the allegations the department was investigating. We take our position of public trust seriously and only ask that we are treated fairly and our constitutional rights and human dignity are protected, association President Dave Humphreys wrote. The union added that there is no discord over being held to account for our actions, including to be disciplined, terminated or prosecuted. Handy, who has led the Police Department since 2013, is widely supported by the City Council, despite strained relations with rank-and-file officers over community policing, his efforts to modernize the department with equipment such as body cameras and his handling of internal investigations, according to city officials. Tension between Handy and the Police Officers Assn. boiled over last month when union officials announced that officers had taken a 207-11 vote of no confidence in the chief. Humphreys could not be reached for comment Thursday, and Handy did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment. Bill Cuppy said his family and dogs were awakened by the explosions early July 5. The fireworks continued for about 40 minutes, he said. I dont mean little bottle rocket booms, I mean big booms, he said. These were Disneyland-level fireworks. Huntington Beach police responded to Gothard Street and Prodan Drive at 3:23 a.m. after someone called to report fireworks being set off in the area. The police log states the incident reported was GOA, or gone on arrival. About a week later, officers showed up at Cuppys door to ask him what had happened that morning. They asked questions and I answered them, Cuppy said. A woman who died after her car went off the road and overturned in the California Aqueduct in Hesperia managed to call her mother and tell her she loved her before she died, her family said at a news conference Friday. The family of Xanthel Linares, 24, said she was the driver of a car that authorities say plunged into the aqueduct about 2:30 a.m. near Main Street and Escondido Avenue. After landing in the aqueduct, Linares called her mother, Patricia Linares, the mother, told reporters at an emotional news conference hours after the crash. Advertisement Mommy, Mommy, I jumped in the water, Linares recalled her daughter saying. Mommy, the car, I went in the water, she said. I go, like, What water? She goes, The aqueduct, Mommy. She was screaming desperately, Linares said before becoming overcome with emotion and stepping away from the media. According to the victims sister, the last thing Linares told her mother was, I love you. Members of the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department dive team were unable to recover Linares in time. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and the cause of the crash is ongoing. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. A teacher at the elite Brentwood School was charged Friday with repeatedly having unlawful sex with a 17-year-old male student this summer, prosecutors said. Aimee Palmitessa, 45, pleaded not guilty Friday to seven counts of unlawful sexual intercourse, two counts each of sodomy and sexual penetration by foreign object of a person under 18 and one count of oral copulation of a person under 18, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. She is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 16. If Palmitessa is convicted, she faces up to 10 years and four months in state prison. Advertisement Palmitessa, who worked for nine years at the private school, was arrested Aug. 18 after the teen reported the alleged assaults to authorities, the district attorneys office said. She was released on bail hours afterward. Prosecutors allege that Palmitessa sexually assaulted the teen, a former student of hers, between June 12 and Aug. 11, the district attorneys office said in a statement. Palmitessa is a biology teacher at the private school, one of Los Angeles most expensive schools, sources told The Times. She has a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology and previously taught at Penn State Abington university in Montgomery County, Pa. After Palmitessas arrest, Mike Riera, head of Brentwood School, said in a statement that administrators were taking the incident seriously. The school offered counseling services to students and parents who needed support. We also remain in close touch with our families, offering them resources to draw from as they help their children navigate this difficult time, he said. In a newsletter to parents, Riera said Palmitessa was placed on administrative leave. veronica.rocha@latimes.com Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA UPDATES: 1:45 p.m.: This article was updated with Palmitessa pleading not guilty and the students age. 11:20 a.m.: This article was updated with specific charges filed against Aimee Palmitessa. This article was originally published at 10:55 a.m. California may once again scrape foie gras off restaurant plates, after judges ruled in favor of a ban on the delicacy made by force feeding ducks and geese. The decision Friday by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals removes a roadblock to enforcing a 2004 ban that has been idled for more than half the time it has been on the books. Animal rights groups applauded the action, while chefs who serve the dish reacted with anger and confusion. Advertisement Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said in a statement that the Champagne corks are popping. PETA has protested against this practice for years, showing videos of geese being force-fed that no one but the most callous chefs could stomach and revealing that foie gras is torture on toast and unimaginably cruel, Newkirk said. As of Friday night, the foie gras torchon was staying on the tasting menu at Melisse in Santa Monica, said owner and two-star Michelin chef Josiah Citrin. I didnt really know it was coming; well just see what happens, he said. I enjoy eating foie gras, but its not going to end what I do. I just dont like being told what we can and cant use. The Legislature passed the law in 2004 after finding that forced feeding was cruel and inhumane. But it delayed enforcement for seven years so producers could come up with a new method of making the delicacy. The typical method involves placing a 10- to 12-inch metal or plastic tube down a birds esophagus to deliver large amounts of concentrated food. When the birds are force fed, their livers grow to 10 times their normal size. The process is so hard on the birds that they would die from the pathological damage it inflicts if they werent slaughtered first, Californias legislative analyst wrote when the bill banning foie gras was introduced. Producers and a restaurant that serves foie gras filed suit to overturn the ban on sales. A district judge ruled in 2015 that the state ban illegally interfered with federal law. Because federal law contemplates extensive state involvement, Congress clearly did not intend to occupy the field of poultry products, the 9th Circuit said. The court noted Friday that Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, India, Luxembourg, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, Israel, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and the United Kingdom have some form of a ban on forced feeding or on foie gras products. Marcus Henley, the manager at Hudson Valley Foie Gras in New York, said in an email to The Times, We will appeal. This process may take months. Until this appeal is completed, the law and the ban are not implemented and foie gras is legal to sell and serve in California. The challengers will have two weeks to ask a larger 9th Circuit panel to review Fridays ruling, after which the 9th Circuit must decide whether to consider it. That process could take weeks, if not months, attorneys said. If the challengers lose again in the 9th Circuit, they can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Until then, at least, restaurants may still serve the dish. Nobody needs to take foie gras off the menu tonight and we certainly arent, said Ken Frank, chef at La Toque French restaurant in Napa Valley, which serves two dishes that feature foie gras. Frank, whose advocacy for foie gras has attracted a lawsuit from animal rights activists, said the court decision would serve to bring in more gourmands to restaurants such as La Toque. What will happen is, foie gras sales are going to go back through the roof now, he said. Food Network personality and Los Angeles chef Eric Greenspan described the ruling as just crazy. Nobody likes to get held from cooking things that they usually love and not only that, but this is something customers love, too, Greenspan said. Dont eat it if you dont want to, but dont impede on anyones rights to do what they want to do. Foie gras is one of those things to me that connects classic food to modern food and its been going on for so long and such a part of so many great classic cuisines that it will be missed. Lets ban assault rifles before we ban foie gras if you want to talk about cruelty, he said. At Neal Frasers downtown L.A. restaurant Redbird, foie gras torchon is one of the most popular items on the menu. Dont we have anything better to do than attack foie gras? Fraser said in an email to The Times. Like ending childhood hunger, cleaning up Houston or getting a step up on homelessness. Foie gras is not the problem. Paul Shapiro, a spokesman for the Humane Society of the U.S., which pushed the original ban, said a broad spectrum of consumers in many countries have expressed revulsion at the practice of force-feeding poultry to satisfy the palates of a niche group of gourmands. If you can get Arnold Schwarzenegger, the former pope and the Israeli Supreme Court to agree that foie gras is inhumane, then there must be something to it, Shapiro said. California never has been shy about garnishing its food with politics. Voters passed a proposition nine years ago that requires more liberty for egg-laying hens, and activists are trying to put an even stricter measure on the 2018 ballot. The state has edged sugary food off school lunch plates, and prohibited genetically modified salmon from being raised in California waters. Efforts to require labels for food containing any genetically modified ingredients, meanwhile, have gained momentum. The restaurant and food industry, chefs and diners have pushed back, insisting that the market, not politicians or voters, should dictate what is put on plates. If California gets away with this, whats next? Bacon? said chef Sean Chaney, of Hots Kitchen in Hermosa Beach, one of the plaintiffs in the case. Vegans and die-hard animal rights activists would cheer the end of bacon and any other meat. And even as the rest of the public continues to eat animal flesh beef consumption rose last year after a decade of decline consumers have pushed for more humane treatment of farm animals and less use of chemicals, hormones and drugs to raise them. With the spectrum shifting in that direction, banning an expensive delicacy served to very few diners has been an easy sell, and not just in California. Dolan reported from San Francisco and Harris and Mohan from Los Angeles. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO Anaheims emergency declaration sets stage for removal of huge homeless encampment U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says Whittier Narrows Dam is unsafe and could trigger catastrophic flooding Stephen Bannon, Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos will headline far-right Berkeley festival UPDATES: 4:20 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and context. 2 p.m.: This article was updated with chefs expressing opposition to a foie gras ban and details on how the case may progress in court. 12:40 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from chefs Eric Greenspan and Neal Fraser and the Humane Society. 12:20 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from chef Josiah Citrin and more details about the appeal process. 11:20 a.m.: This article was updated with a statement from Hudson Valley Foie Gras and PETA. This article was originally published at 10:45 a.m. Law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County stepped up security on trains and buses Friday in the wake of a bombing attack on a London subway. The Los Angeles Police Department said that while there is no evidence of a nexus between the attack in London and Los Angeles, officers were not taking any chances. As a precaution, additional officers were assigned to Metro stations, trains and buses. Police also planned to tighten security at major tourist venues in Los Angeles. Advertisement The recent attack in London has once again reminded us of the threat of terrorism against innocent people throughout the world, the LAPD said in a statement. The hearts of the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department go out to those injured by todays senseless act and the many people affected by this tragic incident. In London, a massive manhunt was underway for the person who left a homemade bomb on the crowded subway, the Associated Press reported. Police said more than two dozen people were injured in the attack. Clearly, this was a device that was intended to cause significant harm, Prime Minister Theresa May said. The police and security services are obviously doing all the work to discover the full circumstances of this cowardly attack and to identify those responsible. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Transit Services Bureau is also monitoring any developments surrounding the London attack, said Ramon Montenegro, the bureaus spokesman. Currently, we believe that our daily robust deployment, with Metros multiagency policing model, is keeping our patrons safe, he said. However, we are always monitoring world events and assessing possible threats to adjust our deployment if necessary. We are always at a heightened state of readiness on the Metro transit system. Law enforcement urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. veronica.rocha@latimes.com Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA ALSO CHP begins reopening lanes on southbound 5 Freeway after fatal, multi-car crash in Sun Valley 9 arrested as protesters gather at UC Berkeley for talk by conservative speaker Ben Shapiro UCLA pharmacy closed after state finds it sent out drugs with expired, potentially dangerous ingredients Three children, one a baby, were killed inside an apartment here by their father following an altercation with his wife, authorities said Thursday. California Highway Patrol officers arrested Robert Hodges, 33, on Interstate 80 in neighboring Sacramento early Thursday, said West Sacramento police Sgt. Roger Kinney. The children were killed at the familys apartment after 9 p.m. Wednesday. Police and first responders tried lifesaving measures, but all three were pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement Yolo County Chief Deputy Coroner Gina Moya said they are 11-year-old Kelvin Hodges, 9-year-old Julie Hodges and Lucas Hodges, who was born in January. Police have not revealed how the children were killed. Moya said the results of autopsies are expected to be released Friday. West Sacramento police Sgt. Roger Kinney said the mother was a victim of domestic violence but that he didnt know the extent of her injuries. He said she was close by when the killings occurred but didnt witness them. Hodges is being held without bail for a Monday court appearance, with charges likely to be announced that morning, said Yolo County Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Jonathan Raven. The mother is Mai Hodges, who works as a cashier at Thunder Valley Casino northeast of Sacramento, said casino spokesman Doug Elmets. The casino was offering grief counseling for employees, who Elmets said are shocked by the senselessness of the tragedy. The childrens great-grandmother said relatives were unaware of any previous marital disputes. The couple had been married more than a dozen years, said Irene Aiello of West Sacramento. We dont understand what happened, we really dont, she said. Everything appeared to be OK between the couple. She said the grandparents have yet to speak to Hodges or his wife. Obviously, shes traumatized, and its going to take some time to find out whats going on, Kinney said of the mother. Neighbors called 911 to report a domestic violence incident, and as police were on the way to the apartment, someone called again to report the children were possibly dead, he said. A makeshift memorial sprouted outside the familys second-floor apartment in a quiet, neatly maintained apartment complex with a gated driveway. Simon Morales came by to light three candles, one for each of the children. He said he and his family, who live nearby, saw and heard the lights, sirens and circling helicopter as police rushed to the scene late Wednesday, and later learned that one of the victims was a friend of his daughter. I know the mom is going through a lot herself, he said. Washington Unified School District said in a statement that a candlelight vigil was planned for Thursday night at Southport Elementary School, where two of the children were enrolled. Counselors had been brought in to assist students and teachers, and Thursdays regularly scheduled school board meeting was canceled because of what the district called the senseless tragedy. William Crawford had a friendly relationship with his neighbors across the hall the entire time they lived there, about seven years, he said Thursday. Its just unbelievable. I mean, whats the explanation? He must have went crazy. Youd have to be crazy to do something like that, Crawford said. He recalled clowning around for the children, and said their father was initially friendly but grew distant and didnt respond to his friendly greetings for about the last two years. The kids seemed jolly most of the time, seemed happy. I never saw any child abuse or parents fighting or anything like that, Crawford said. He added: I got the impression he loved his kids, got the impression the kids loved their dad. A message left at a telephone number linked to Hodges parents was not immediately returned. They were beautiful great-grandbabies, Aiello said. A state pharmacy inspector made a surprising discovery last year while conducting a routine records review at a Westside facility that compounded drugs for patients at UCLA medical centers. More than 1,000 IV bags of sterile medications for heart patients and others with serious health issues had been made with expired and potentially dangerous ingredients, according to state Board of Pharmacy records. At least 350 bags of the adulterated medications were delivered to patients in the sprawling UCLA Health system, which includes Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, the records show. Advertisement Whether any patients were harmed is unknown, and UCLA, which owned and operated the compounding pharmacy, refused for months to comment or say if it attempted to warn patients who might be at risk. UCLA quietly closed the pharmacy within days of the inspection. By then, pharmacist-in-charge Richard C. Graul had already abruptly quit his $173,000-a-year job and declared his license inactive. The inspection triggered an investigation by the pharmacy board, which in July filed an accusation, a formal action seeking disciplinary sanctions against Graul and the off-campus facility, UCLA Medical Center Pharmaceutical Technology. Possible sanctions include license revocation, suspension or further action as deemed necessary and proper, according to the board. The accusation, which is pending, alleges that the pharmacy lacked the proper licensing, used expired drugs in compounding sterile medications, and failed to meet state standards for quality assurance and product testing. Graul, who had been the pharmacist-in-charge since 2005, declined to comment on the inspection results when contacted at his home in Arcadia earlier this year. No thanks, he said, then closed his front door. He has not responded to repeated telephone and email messages since then. Compounding pharmacies combine, mix or alter ingredients of a drug to create prescription medication suited to individual patients. The UCLA facility compounded large quantities of antibiotics, intravenous nutritional products and sterile solutions administered during heart surgeries and other procedures. The expired drugs cited by regulators in the UCLA case include monosodium glutamate monohydrate (MSG) and monosodium aspartate monohydrate (MSA), both of which are used in cardiac surgery and other surgical procedures; clopidogrel, which is used to prevent blood clotting; mexiletine, used to treat arrhythmia; and the hormone estradiol, which in intravenous solutions is sometimes used to treat heavy uterine bleeding. The expiration dates on those drugs ranged from November 2015 to September 2016, a month before the inspection. Using expired ingredients is potentially dangerous because they can become tainted, lose their potency or change the efficacy of the compounded medication. Virginia Herold, the pharmacy boards executive officer who signed the accusation, declined to comment on it, citing pending legal action. A hearing before an administrative law judge has yet to be scheduled. For the last six months, UCLA officials had refused to answer any questions about the boards findings or release inspection reports and other public records. The Times this week submitted written questions about UCLAs responses to the findings, including whether patients or their doctors were notified and whether any of the adulterated medications sent out by the pharmacy were recalled, as often happens in such cases. Only when drugs are recalled are compounding pharmacies required by state law to notify patients or doctors who received them. UCLA responded Tuesday with a brief statement that acknowledged it closed the pharmacy after the inspection in October, but it did not address the boards allegations or answer any of the questions. It was a business decision that does not affect UCLA Healths other pharmacies or ability to provide exceptional patient care, it said of the closure. UCLA Health is committed to compliance with pharmacy board regulations designed to ensure high-quality care. On Friday, after The Times posted its story online, UCLA spokeswoman Tami Dennis sent an email stating that a retrospective review had revealed no evidence of outdated compounds being administered to patients and that no adulterated ingredients were identified. In a second email Friday, she said that the outdated medications that inspectors found at the pharmacy in October were removed and destroyed; products that had been made there are now purchased from outside suppliers. The Times has asked for inspection reports or other documentation of the retrospective review, in addition to previous inspection reports and other documents related to the pharmacy requested last spring. Eric Kastango, a New Jersey pharmacist who testified as an expert for the prosecution in a federal criminal case against a Massachusetts compounding pharmacy charged in a fatal meningitis outbreak in 2012, said the California boards action raises two major issues. The first, he said, is that the UCLA pharmacy provided compounded sterile medications to other pharmacies without the appropriate license to do that. The second is that it produced misbranded and adulterated drugs by using expired ingredients. The boards allegations represent major violations of pharmacy regulations and patient safety principles, said Kastango, who reviewed the accusation at The Times request. Herold, the state pharmacy board executive, did address one of the causes for discipline that the pharmacy lacked the proper license to manufacture and distribute compounded medications throughout the UCLA system. A specialty license is required to operate as a centralized hospital packaging pharmacy, which [UCLA and Graul] failed to obtain from the board, the accusation states. Although last years inspection revealed the lack of a specialty license, the requirement to have one had been in place since 2013, Herold said. She could not explain why inspectors had missed the deficiency in previous inspections but said they should have caught it. kim.christensen@latimes.com | @kchristensenLAT ALSO UC Berkeley faculty call for campus boycott of Milo Yiannopoulos during Free Speech Week Coroners officials investigating death of 26-year-old UCLA graduate student Charges against school board president stun L.A.'s education world Settlement will send $151 million to 50 L.A. schools over the next three years UPDATES: 3:35 p.m.: Updated with comments from UCLA. This article was originally published at 10:05 a.m. More than 200 UC Berkeley instructors and faculty members are calling for a shutdown of classes and activities when right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and other conservative speakers visit campus this month. In a letter sent to the campus community this week, the faculty members said that a boycott of Yiannopoulos Free Speech Week would protect their students from potentially deadly violence. The letter cited shootings, stabbings and beatings during confrontations between the right and left in Seattle, Portland, Ore., Charlottesville, Va., Maryland and Virginia. As faculty we cannot ask students and staff to choose between risking their physical and mental safety in order to attend class or come to work in an environment of harassment, intimidation, violence, and militarized policing, the letter said. The reality is that particularly vulnerable populations (DACA students, non-white, gender queer, Muslims, disabled, feminists, and others) have already been harmed, and are reporting increased levels of fear and anxiety about the upcoming events, the increased police presence on our campus, and how all this will impact their lives and their studies. Advertisement The Berkeley Patriot student group, which invited the speakers, has not yet provided needed information or signed the required contracts for the event, said campus spokesman Dan Mogulof. He said the group has reserved the Sproul Plaza steps, however. Berkeley, home of the free speech movement, has become the national staging ground for confrontations between the right and left. To try to avoid violence at the appearance Thursday of conservative writer Ben Shapiro, the campus took unprecedented security precautions, including erecting a perimeter fence around six buildings, shutting down main streets and deploying bomb-sniffing dogs. The letter, signed by faculty, lecturers and graduate student instructors, urges colleagues to cancel all classes and tell their students to stay home. If they choose to hold classes, they should not penalize their students for not attending, the letter says, adding that all buildings and departments also should be closed to protect staff. Some professors said they will offer online instruction during Free Speech Week, which starts Sept. 24. The fewer classes taught by the lunatics in the Berkeley asylum the better, Yiannopoulos said. If all it takes to stop left-wing indoctrination on campus is me showing up, Ill happily move into a tent on Sproul Plaza full time. He added that students face more danger from the left than the right. The only danger to students is from the far left that Berkeley has enabled and nurtured, he said, adding that his speaker list had been leaked to give left-wing groups such as Antifa, or anti-fascists, a heads-up on who would be attending. Yiannopoulos posted on Facebook that he intends a fabulous, and peaceful, celebration of free speech including more than 20 speakers from diverse viewpoints.In a text Thursday, Yiannopoulos said he was happy to hear that faculty might stay away from campus during his appearance. But Michael Mark Cohen, an associate teaching professor of American studies and African American studies who helped draft the letter, said the danger was real. After he recently criticized Yiannopoulos on Twitter, he said, emails and tweets threatened to shoot his students and set him on fire. He arrived on campus Thursday to find what he said were frightening security measures for the Shapiro event, including bomb-sniffing dogs in his building, main streets shut down and barricades throughout the university grounds. This is not a safe place to work or teach, he said. This campus is an armed military camp. He criticized Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ for allowing the events to go forward. Shes the one endangering the campus by letting this circus go on, he said. In an interview Wednesday, Christ defended the free speech rights of all people. Our belief in free speech is most tested when it is speech thats odious or abhorrent, she said. I wish our community could not only hold that value but also understand that its by showing it up for what it is that we move forward. Christ took no position on the faculty boycott but said she was troubled that it would allow Yiannopoulos the occasion of compromising our main mission, which is instruction research and teaching. teresa.watanabe@latimes.com Twitter: @teresawatanabe The acquittal Friday of a former St. Louis police officer, who is white, in the killing of a black man sparked protests in the city, and several large businesses including Wells Fargo chose to close early. Missouri Circuit Court Judge Timothy Wilson found Jason Stockley not guilty of first-degree murder in a 30-page decision that outlined the December 2011 incident, which began in the parking lot of a Churchs Fried Chicken when the officer and his partner approached Anthony Lamar Smith in his car. Smith, a 24-year-old suspected drug dealer, fled. He crashed into the police car as he drove away, leading officers on a three-minute chase at speeds of up to nearly 90 mph. When both cars came to a stop, Stockley fired into Smiths car and killed him. Advertisement Stockley has maintained that he was shooting in self-defense because he believed Smith was armed. A gun was discovered in Smiths car, but prosecutors argued that the officers had put it there. In his ruling, Wilson said the court had agonizingly gone over the evidence again and again, concluding that the state hadnt proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Stockley was guilty of murder. No one promised a rose garden, and this surely is not one, the judge wrote. The requirement that the state meet its burden of proof is not a mere technicality and the case is not decided on a technicality. By midmorning Friday, protesters had gathered and were marching east along Washington Avenue from 14th Street. Local news reports said the Missouri National Guard had been deployed to the city. The protest remained peaceful for much of the day, but in the afternoon St. Louis police reported that protesters had smashed the window of a patrol car, four officers had been assaulted and 13 people had been arrested. For the most part, demonstrations have been peaceful, the police department tweeted. Anger over the verdict stemmed in part from a statement that Stockley made while pursuing Smith. Were killing this person, he said, using an expletive, dont you know. Prosecutors argued that the statement, which was recorded by a dashboard camera, showed that the officer intended to kill. But Wilson disagreed. People say all kinds of things in the heat of the moment or while in stressful situations, he wrote, ruling that it was unclear whether the statement constituted a real threat of action or was a means of releasing tension has to be judged by his subsequent conduct. The court does not believe Stockleys conduct immediately following the end of the pursuit is consistent with the conduct of a person intentionally killing another person unlawfully. Wilson also didnt accept the states contention that Stockley had planted a weapon on Wilson, noting that the gun was too big to not be seen by cameras that had recorded the incident. Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri, issued a statement shortly after the verdict condemning the decision. Anthony Lamar Smith died unnecessarily, another casualty of excessive and deadly force by police against people of color, he said. We extend our sympathies to Mr. Smiths family and loved ones. This region and our country as a whole have seen too many deaths caused by police, with little accountability for the officers or department involved. Kimberly Gardner, one of the prosecutors, said in a statement that she was disappointed with the judges decision. While officer-involved cases are extremely difficult to prevail in court, I believe we offered sufficient evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jason Stockley intended to kill Mr. Smith, she said. The case has been closely watched by advocacy groups across the country tracking incidents of black men killed by police, including the high-profile shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, a St. Louis suburb, three years ago. Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was unarmed at the time he was shot by Officer Darren Wilson. The shooting led to violent protests and became a rallying point for social justice groups. Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens urged calm Friday after the judge issued his ruling. We know this verdict causes pain for many people, he said in a statement. Im committed to protecting everyones constitutional right to protest peacefully, while also protecting peoples lives, homes and communities. For anyone who protests, please do so peacefully. St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson was critical of the judges decision, even as she urged for calm. I am appalled at what happened to Anthony Lamar Smith, she said. I am sobered by this outcome. Frustration, anger, hurt, pain, hope and love all intermingle. I encourage St. Louisans to show each other compassion, to recognize that we all have different experiences and backgrounds and that we all come to this with real feelings and experiences. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the mayors comment didnt sit well with Stockleys attorney, Neil Bruntrager. How do you promote all those things by creating distrust in a system that clearly worked under these circumstances? Bruntrager said. It is irresponsible and a disservice to the community to make statements like that. Its an insult to Judge Wilson to make statements like that. And it falsely encourages the belief that an injustice was done here when in fact justice was done. ALSO She bet on the future of print news and bought Alaskas largest daily paper. Now shes lost it in a bankruptcy fire sale Utah police officer lost control when he arrested nurse, review board finds The incredible stories of the die-hards who looked Irma in the face and stayed UPDATES: 3:55 p.m.: This article has been updated with information about the protests, reaction to the verdict and background about the case. This article was originally published at 7:55 a.m. If theres anything more famous about educator Rafe Esquith than his bestsellers on pedagogy and the way he instilled a love of Shakespeare in his students, its his dismissal from the classroom for allegedly inappropriate behavior with current and former students, followed by his termination. His many supporters, including actor Ian McKellen, vilified Los Angeles Unified School District for what they called vengeful resentment of Esquiths unwillingness to conform. Early reports were that Esquith came under suspicion because of a mild joke about nudity to his students, making his abrupt departure from the classroom look like an overreaction. But later, many recoiled when the district released excerpts of some of Esquiths emails to students and former students, especially teenage girls. He used terms like hottie and sexy and wrote about maybe trying out his spanking skills on a 14-year-old whom he was looking forward to seeing. The passages certainly didnt look savory, but with both sides giving out information selectively, there was no way to know what was really going on. It would take the full facts for the public to unravel an enigma that roiled the district for months. Advertisement And now, it appears those facts and that understanding will never be forthcoming. The district has settled the lawsuits Esquith brought against it, making minor concessions such as restoring his retiree health benefits and agreeing to provide accused teachers with counseling and written information about their legal rights. Had the district run amok with its investigations of teachers after the Miramonte Elementary School case, in which district employees ignored repeated and justified complaints about a teachers sexual abuse of students? Thats not an idle question. After all, the district has been too quick on occasion to remove teachers from the classroom who represented no threat to students. Just this week, an arbitration panel ruled that officials had wrongly reprimanded a teacher at the Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts, whod been pulled from the classroom in 2014 over science-fair projects that they deemed too weapon-like. Both were common science-project fare. The teacher was returned to the classroom two months later but had to go to arbitration to have the reprimand scrubbed from his record. In Esquiths case, there is no satisfying resolution for the public. Its unclear whether students unfairly lost one of the most inspiring teachers in the nation or were protected from a possible predator. More important, what are the lessons learned here, and how should the district change its policies or should it retain them? Both Esquiths supporters and detractors deserve to know, but chances are they never will. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook UPDATES: 2:34 p.m.: One paragraph in this editorial was re-edited for clarity. Sixty years ago, U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Brennan gave a wise answer to a fraught question. Brennan, who was Catholic, was asked at his confirmation hearing which would prevail in guiding him as a judge: his Catholic faith, or the law of the United States. He replied that he would be controlled by the oath that I took to support the Constitution and laws of the United States and that alone. His answer has long stood as a gold standard for the judiciary. Today, Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor and Trump nominee for a federal judgeship, challenges that standard. Barrett wrote a law review article in 1998 entitled Catholic Judges in Capital Cases. In it, she and her co-author, John Garvey, took issue with Brennans famous statement, saying, We do not defend this position as the proper response for a Catholic judge to take with respect to abortion or the death penalty. Its a provocative position, and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee notably the ranking member, Californias Sen. Dianne Feinstein questioned her closely on her views about faith and the law in her confirmation hearing last week. Although that line of questioning has drawn heated criticism, the senators had every right to pursue it: Barretts statements suggest that she believes a judge may put obligation to her faith ahead of her obligation to carry out all of her judicial duties. In fact, there were moments in the hearing when senators should have pressed harder. Advertisement Barrett is nominated for a lifetime federal court seat. If she is confirmed, her rulings will affect millions of people for decades. In their article, Barrett and Garvey suggest that the solution for a judge who anticipates a religious conflict with the law of the land is recusal to simply withdraw from hearing the case she was assigned. But in one specific way that is the very definition of putting faith ahead of ones duties as a judge. A judges job is to hear cases and apply the law, and the argument by a nominee that she may often be unavailable to fulfill these duties lays the groundwork for precisely the line of questioning Feinstein and others pursued. Some critics of the senators who questioned Barrett have pointed out that there would be outrage if a Jewish nominee had been asked if her position on Israel would affect her work, or if a nominee of one race were asked if she could be fair to parties of another race. These examples of knee-jerk prejudice were provided, it appears, to imply that the questions put to Barrett were of the same ilk. But they were not. Barrett herself once forcefully advanced an argument that a judges faith plays an instrumental role in determining how she does her job. It is entirely fair for a nominee to be questioned about her own relevant writings. That questioning should have become even more pointed when Barretts hearing took an unexpected turn. Having established that she believes recusal is the answer for a religious judge in a moral quandary, Barrett claimed in response to senators questions that she couldnt imagine any class of cases where faith would force her recusal. But Barrett has commented extensively about that very thing: cases that are morally difficult for a Catholic judge. The Judiciary Committee could have insisted on hearing how the same person who wrote that for Catholics the prohibitions against abortion and euthanasia are absolute and that Catholic judges are morally precluded from enforcing the death penalty could suddenly be at a loss for examples of cases she would avoid. Instead, the nominee was allowed to send mixed signals: Maybe shed recuse, but more likely she wouldnt. Meanwhile, Feinsteins and other Democrats concerns about Barrett have generated a response from the far right that is both cynical and wholly predictable: bash progressives as anti-Catholic and anti-religion. That playbook was also on display in 2003 during the nomination of William Pryor, who currently sits on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pryors record was anti-civil rights, anti-voting rights, anti-reproductive rights and anti-environment. He was also Catholic, so his supporters bought ads blasting senators who opposed him and featuring a painful phrase from Americas past: Catholics Need Not Apply. The ads ran in strategically chosen states to tar key senators as anti-Catholic bigots if they didnt confirm Pryor. It was outrageous, and Feinstein was correct to call the attacks tawdry at the time. Barrett is nominated for a lifetime federal court seat. If she is confirmed, her rulings will affect millions of people for decades. Everything she has written and said about the law, including faith and the law, is relevant to her confirmation. Brennans wise approach to personal belief and professional duty, so well stated, comports with American democracy and justice. Barretts view based on the evidence is different and not entirely clear. The Senate and the American people have a right to know about it. Nan Aron is the president and founder of Alliance for Justice and the author of Liberty and Justice for All: Public Interest Law in the 1980s and Beyond. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Lets salute the hardy reporters who spent the week camped out at the state Capitol for the annual end of the legislative session, serving as the only conduit between 39 million Californians and their legislators. According to The Times John Myers, on Monday there were 623 pieces of legislation on the calendar, all of which reached some resolution by the Sept. 15 deadline for bills to advance out of both chambers. Those five days, punctuated by rapid-fire hearings and all-night floor sessions, represent the culmination of a years worth of work. Why in Gods name does the state do things this way? It makes sense to have a deadline to pass an annual budget; spending targets need to be renewed every year. It makes no sense to have rigid, artificial bottlenecks that lead to lawmakers sorting through 120 bills a day in the final week. Monumental decisions affecting the future of millions are given about as much time as a Taylor Swift song. Ive been asking people in the know about this for years, and the best explanation Ive heard is that its just always been done that way. But Ill go with the more likely one: The system makes it nearly impossible for either constituents or for lawmakers themselves to know whats going on. This confusion enables legislative leaders to consolidate power and special interests to thrive. And we shouldnt stand for it. Advertisement Most voters are blissfully unaware that the laws they abide by are mostly passed in all-nighter sessions once a year. According to Californias legislative calendar, bills must pass out of initial committees in April and May, out of the house of origin by June 2, out of committees in the other chamber by July, and be completed by Sept. 15. Theoretically, nothing has to wait until the deadline; important legislation this year funding infrastructure improvements and extending the cap-and-trade program became law well before September. But in reality, most bills dont see action until that final whirlwind. You know theres something really off about this, because the Legislature always takes a four-week recess in August, just before the mad scramble to finalize bills, and a 3-month break after the deadline. Thats over one-third of the calendar that could be put to use. In other words, theres no need to treat legislation in the nations largest state the way I treated all my term papers in college. You have to conclude that somebody wants this setup to continue. Maybe its the lobbyists, famously known as Sacramentos third house, who line the hallways collecting political intelligence and twisting the arms of key lawmakers. Dragging out legislation until the final days makes it easier for special interests to kill what they dont like and sneak through what they do. Maybe its every lawmaker who doesnt want activists to focus a pressure campaign against them. Its impossible to keep track of whats happening in the chaos of the final week. The schedule for hearings and floor votes is so haphazard that lawmakers need printed files to stay informed. Sessions routinely last long into the night, and surprise votes are common. Big issues like housing, immigration, healthcare and the environment all face simultaneous reckonings, making it hard to hammer in on one message. And maybe its the legislative leadership, which uses this high drama to maximum advantage by keeping everyone off balance. Because only the Senate president and Assembly speaker truly know what will be voted on and when, they can play lawmakers off one another, horse trade behind the scenes, and make sure their donors are as happy as their caucuses. Individual lawmakers can also show muscle. They perpetually engage in whats known as hostage taking, refusing to vote for a colleagues legislation unless their bills pass. One particularly egregious example this year came from Assemblyman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena), chairman of the Utilities and Energy Committee, who tried to force through a complete overhaul of the states electricity market in the final week, without hearings or public scrutiny. In order to get leverage for his two bills, which would have regionalized the energy grid, returned Enron-style electricity trading to California and blocked community solar arrangements, Holden wouldnt let SB 100, a bill that would require 100% of Californias electricity to come from renewable sources by 2045, out of his committee. By Wednesday, Holden had backed down, but still would not give SB 100 a committee hearing, claiming it lacked support to pass, which clean-energy advocates dispute. Clearly, pairing a renewable-energy bill advocates desperately want with a regional grid proposal they oppose served Holdens needs and the major utilities as well. Californians know intuitively that this is no way to run a railroad. Last year, voters demanded 72 hours of public notice online of all legislation before anything gets a final vote. That measure, Proposition 54, passed with more than 65% support, and moved the effective deadline for last-minute amendments from the last Friday of the session to the last Tuesday. It has muted some dead-of-night tactics, like amending a bill minutes before passage. But nobody in Sacramento took the hint that the public wanted a little more input. Thats because lawmakers like the status quo. It provides a shroud for them and special interests to conduct the sausage-making of politics without pesky interference from the people they represent. Most voters are blissfully unaware that the laws they abide by are mostly passed in all-nighter sessions once a year. But if they were, they would probably question the terrible design of our political structure, and wonder whom it serves. David Dayen contributes to the Nation, the Intercept and the New Republic. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders pounced on ESPN anchor Jemele Hills tweet calling President Trump a white supremacist. The tweet, she said, was a fireable offense. While outrage is surging on all sides, Sanders intemperate use of her White House podium should not come as a big surprise. The kind of harsh private punishment for speech that Sanders called for is now commonplace. Days ago, the University of Oregon fired Matthew Halls, the director of its Bach Festival. Though the university denies it, a festival performer claims that Halls was dismissed for a joke, told privately, that was misunderstood as racist. This summer, media commentator Lisa Durden was fired by Essex College in New Jersey for defending a black-only event on Fox News, saying you couldnt use your white privilege card to get in. At Harvard University, 10 incoming freshman saw their acceptances revoked after they shared offensive memes in a closed Facebook group. In June, CNNs series The Believer was abruptly canceled after its host, religion expert Reza Aslan, fired off a foul-mouthed tweet criticizing Trump. Most of those terminated were stunned. The red lines they crossed were less red than gray unarticulated and indistinct until after the fact. In several cases, the outcomes were far in excess of sanctions imposed in similar past instances. Recent harsh punishments for speech can only inspire college students, television commentators and all of us to think twice before saying something that might offend, jeopardizing our culture of free expression. Advertisement Dont get me wrong: Conscientiousness is a good thing. After television host Bill Maher got into hot water for using the n-word on-air, rapper Ice-T dubbed the incident a teachable moment. Harvard students should avoid promoting racist and sexist jokes and television hosts should eschew slurs. The rise of hate groups, due to divisive rhetoric and Trump administration policies, has made it more important than ever to avoid language that can fan animosity. Opaque and selective enforcement of ill-defined limitations on speech is a mainstay in authoritarian settings. But when indeterminate gray lines govern speech subject to draconian sanctions, they can deter more than menacing rhetoric. Nowadays opining on a wide range of subjects the president, race, gender, privilege can trigger alarm bells and outrage. Prudence may counsel avoiding sensitive terrain entirely, leading to a soft form of self-censorship that narrows our discourse and prevents necessary conversations on tough topics. Opaque and selective enforcement of ill-defined limitations on speech is a mainstay in authoritarian settings. China scholar Perry Link has said, Clarity serves the purpose of the censoring state only when it wants to curb a very specific kind of behavior; when it wants to intimidate a large group, vagueness works much better. Russian columnist Maria Snegovaya describes repression implemented on a selective basis, targeting certain media outlets or individuals in order to motivate self-censorship among the rest. There are, of course, essential differences between a states deliberate capriciousness aimed to chill speech writ large, and numerous independent entities with varied motivations making case-by-case decisions. Private universities and media organizations are not subject to 1st Amendment prohibitions on censoring speech. They are, however, among the institutions in civil life that profess the values of free expression and the exchange of ideas; harsh punishments for expression that does not violate laws against harassment, threats or incitement to violence must be weighed against this commitment. Private institutions should at the very least be up front about what they expect and from whom. But neither Harvard nor CNN have explained their decisions to punish speech, while Essex College allegedly told Durden she was fired because she had improperly identified herself as an Essex professor on the show (she didnt). When the statements in question are out in the open, obscuring the logic behind their consequences can have perverse results. In the case of CNN, particularly since Aslan quickly apologized for his indiscretions, some supporters opined that his swift ouster could only be explained by racism or anti-Muslim sentiment. Others chalked up the result to virulent conservative outcry, accusing the network of bowing to pressure. Openness about the reasoning and analysis behind institutional decisions would help bring clarity, avoid nefarious inferences and help people understand the rules at play. At a time when offensive speech goes viral and society seems to revel in seeing powerful personalities and organizations laid low, leaders may feel inclined to cauterize controversies through decisive, even scorching action. But harsh, irreversible punishments for speech cause collateral damage, instilling fear in all of us that saying the wrong thing even in jest or in private may be our undoing. This zero-tolerance approach to offense, where one strike may mean youre out, fosters a culture of caution and gotcha attacks that are inimical to open discourse. When particular words reflect a pervasive pattern of offensive views evinced by a speaker, thats one thing. When someone strays across hard-to-discern gray lines just once, institutions would do well to consider whether remorse, recompense and remediation are viable alternatives to expulsion. While greater leniency toward expression may mean that an institution takes more heat in the short term, it can also avoid casting a lasting chill on speech. Suzanne Nossel is the executive director of Pen America. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Harvards decision to invite and then disinvite Chelsea Manning to be a visiting fellow at its Kennedy Schools Institute of Politics isnt the worst PR disaster in the eminent universitys history. Its not as embarrassing as the revelation that the Unabomber turned out to be a Harvard graduate. Still, the university deserves the criticism its getting both for the original decision and the way in which it was rolled back. Even if you sympathize with Manning and I wrote a piece defending President Obamas commutation of her sentence its puzzling that Harvard would choose her for a position that would be widely viewed as honorific. Advertisement First there is the matter of her having been convicted of espionage, an offense mitigated somewhat by the fact that some of the confidential information she turned over to WikiLeaks arguably amounted to whistle blowing (for example, the 2007 video of an Apache helicopter attack that killed 12 civilians in Baghdad). Second, the idea that she is a penetrating thinker about national security topics is questionable, especially if youre familiar with her emoji-heavy posts on Twitter. (Shes no Ed Snowden in that regard.) Granted, you dont have to be a political philosopher to be invited to mix and mingle with students at the Kennedy School. There is a high celebrity quotient in the current crop of visiting fellows, which includes former Trump campaign official Corey Lewandowski, short-lived White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and the Morning Joe team of Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Of course, none of the other fellows has been convicted of espionage and been on the receiving end of presidential clemency. (Wheres Joe Arpaio?) So when it was announced that Manning had been chosen, there was a backlash. Former acting CIA Director Michael J. Morell resigned as a senior fellow of the institutes Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, complaining that the Manning fellowship honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information. Current CIA Director Mike Pompeo canceled his participation in a forum at Harvard, attributing his decision to Mannings identity as a traitor to the United States of America and my loyalty to the officers of the CIA. (Manning actually wasnt convicted of treason.) The Kennedy School developed second thoughts. Shortly after midnight Friday the schools dean, Douglas W. Elmendorf, issued a statement rescinding the offer of a fellowship, though he indicated that Manning was still welcome to visit Harvard to meet with students. I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility, Elmendorf said. But he added insult to injury by belittling the notion that being a fellow at Harvard was that big a deal. In general across the school, we do not view the title of fellow as conveying a special honor, he wrote. Rather, it is a way to describe some people who spend more than a few hours at the school. (I guess that means janitors and cafeteria workers also are fellows.) Manning, not surprisingly, was displeased by the demotion. On Twitter she complained (Im omitting the emojis): this is what a military/police/intel state looks like; the @cia determines what is and is not taught at @harvard. So Harvard now has compounded its initial misjudgment by allowing itself to be portrayed as a stooge of the Deep State, while diminishing the value of the fellowships it has awarded to other recipients. They must be enjoying this in New Haven. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Good news for ducks and geese and people who believe in their humane treatment: The ban on selling foie gras in restaurants and stores in California will soon be restored. A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the California law banning the sale of foie gras and overturned an injunction on the ban that had been imposed by a U.S. district judge. This is all about stopping the inhumane practice of stuffing foot-long tubes down the birds gullets and feeding them until their livers swell to 10 times the normal size. Its cruel, its vile, and its unnecessary. We can all live without foie gras. Im repulsed when I pick up the menu at a fine restaurant and see foie gras listed just as I was when I read about talented chefs, whom Id otherwise admired, rejoicing at the injunction a federal district judge issued against the states ban two and a half years ago. Now, theyre all whining about the ban being reinstated. They wax on about the joys and cultural importance of foie gras and the indignity of being told what they can serve or not serve. Advertisement Chefs are creative people who can concoct dozens of other fabulous delicacies that dont require this degree of animal cruelty. Well, get over it. Youre all creative people who can concoct dozens of other fabulous delicacies that dont require this degree of animal cruelty. And youve had years to figure out how to live without foie gras. The state Legislature agreed in 2004 to ban the sale of foie gras but delayed the effective date until 2012, specifically so that restaurateurs and producers had time to prepare for it. Restaurateurs and producers have been suing ever since. The 2015 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Steven V. Wilson said that the state law interfered with a federal law regulating poultry products. The appellate court panel disagreed. Ninth Circuit Judge Jacqueline Nguyen wrote, Nothing in the federal law or its implementing regulations limits a states ability to regulate the types of poultry that may be sold for human consumption. The foie gras ban is one of an increasing number of reasonable and humane measures for raising animals for food with less cruelty. More and more, people wont stand for farm animals including the ones they eat to be raised under horrible conditions. Im not a vegan, Im not even a vegetarian. But just because I eat animal products doesnt mean that I will tolerate them being tortured before they are killed for food. And we Californians are not alone in this concern. As the court decision noted, numerous countries including Italy, Germany, Britain and Switzerland have bans on forced-feeding or foie gras products. Lets stop selling foie gras and move on. Follow Carla Hall on Twitter @latCarlaHall To the editor: I did not vote for President Trump, but when the media consistently pile on him, sometimes unfairly, he starts looking like the underdog and attracts sympathy from fair-minded people, even from those who dont like him. (California colleges vow to press on against sexual assault despite any federal rollback in protections, Sept. 7) This article reports that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos criticized universities for staging kangaroo courts when it comes to protecting the rights of the accused in campus sexual assault cases. DeVos said that accused people are denied the right to cross-examine witnesses. University of California officials contend that they already provide the safeguards raised by DeVos. Kathleen Salvaty, UCs Title IX coordinator, conceded that the accused is denied cross-examination because the hearings are not criminal proceedings. Advertisement Cross examination should be a basic right in any accusatory proceeding, a principle I believe you would agree with if said by anyone not associated with Trump. Walt Lewis, La Canada Flintridge The writer is a retired Los Angeles County deputy district attorney. .. To the editor: Contrary to self-promoting remarks by the university representatives reported in your article, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Educations September 2017 report Spotlight on Due Process, which assesses the sexual misconduct procedures of the 50 top-ranked higher educational institutions nationwide, paints a less rosy picture. The group gives a grade of D for the current sexual misconduct procedures at UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego. USC receives a C, and UC Berkeley earns a B. There appears to be room for improvement. Velma Montoya, Hollywood The writer is a former member of the UC Board of Regents. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook 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 ( California lawmakers advanced key housing legislation late Thursday, clearing the most substantial hurdle for a package of bills aimed at addressing the states housing affordability crisis. Legislators in the Assembly passed Senate Bill 2, a $75 fee on mortgage refinances and other real estate transactions except for home and commercial property sales. The measure is expected to raise $250 million a year to help finance new and rehabilitated developments for low-income residents a key step, lawmakers said, in beginning to get housing costs under control. We are living during the worst housing crisis our state has ever experienced, said Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco). Advertisement The bill required two-thirds support from Assembly members, a threshold that the bills author, Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), and legislative leaders had been struggling to meet. Assembly Democrats, who hold exactly a supermajority, have been wary of backing a measure that would increase fees. The lack of a decision on SB 2 had been holding up votes on potentially more than a dozen housing bills in the Legislature. Thursday night, that struggle became clear. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) held the roll call vote open for nearly an hour, two votes shy of the 54 it needed to pass. Three Democrats were holdouts: Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes of Riverside, Assemblyman Marc Levine of San Rafael and Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian of North Hollywood. Cervantes, who is one of the Democrats most at risk of losing her seat in the 2018 elections, stood calmly by her desk while Rendon and other legislators lobbied Levine and Nazarian. The room where it happened. pic.twitter.com/R5NMy4HtRd Marc Levine (@MarcLevine) September 15, 2017 One of the three was able to hold off supporting the bill because Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschien of San Diego voted in favor. His support allowed Cervantes to vote no. In his speech on the floor, Maienschien cited growing homelessness concerns in his city and his history working for a nonprofit on homelessness issues. To do nothing, to me, isnt an option, Maienschien said. All smiles after housing vote tonight @Rendon63rd pic.twitter.com/VqsvBzVChz Liam Dillon (@dillonliam) September 15, 2017 After the vote, Rendon hailed the decision as a first in a generation move to create a new, ongoing source of funding for low-income housing developments. This is a tremendous accomplishment, he said. Rendon also denied that Levine and Nazarian received any promises in exchange for their votes on SB 2. He said the lobbying efforts simply consisted of him answering questions the two had about the bill. There were no side deals in this at all, he said. This was about the housing crisis that Californians have experienced for over a generation. Alongside SB 2, the Assembly passed five other housing bills Thursday night, including two others considered the primary parts of the package of housing bills. Senate Bill 3 would place a $4-billion bond on the 2018 statewide ballot to finance low-income home building and provide home loans for military veterans. Senate Bill 35 would ease some local development restrictions in an effort to spur more home building. SB 3 also required a two-thirds vote and received exactly that, with Maienschien and Republican Assemblywoman Catharine Baker of Dublin in favor, and Nazarian and Democrat Adam Gray of Merced holding out. All measures that passed Thursday night face votes in the Senate before lawmakers adjourn for the year on Friday. But similar versions of the bills have passed the Senate previously, and Thursdays decisions were considered the most difficult. Were making huge strides tonight, said Assemblyman Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto). Gov. Jerry Brown has said he supports SB 2, 3 and 35, and has indicated his broader backing for other housing legislation still pending in both chambers. liam.dillon@latimes.com @dillonliam ALSO State Senate bills aim to make homes more affordable, but they wont spur nearly enough construction California lawmakers have tried for 50 years to fix the states housing crisis. Heres why theyve failed Key California housing legislation still lacks votes Updates on California politics UPDATES: 11:52 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and quotes from Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. This article was originally published at 11:15 p.m. Artificial intelligence (AI) [File Photo: sina.com] BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- More than 120 graduate students at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, known as Beihang University, began attending classes on artificial intelligence (AI) Thursday. As China's first group of graduate students majoring in AI, they will receive joint training from both the university and AI-related companies. The curriculum includes cognitive science, visual perception, unmanned systems and robotics. Some courses will be taught in company labs and beside production lines. Students are also required to intern and take part in project research and development for at least one year in one of the participating companies. According to the university, 30 percent of the teachers are leading industry experts, and another 30 percent are renowned scholars. Over 90 percent of the teachers have overseas work or education experience related to AI. A new reality or a passing moment? For a second week, President Trump has cut deals with Democratic leaders, this time spurning some of his most ardent supporters to back legislation that would provide legal status to roughly 800,000 young immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as children, the so-called Dreamers. The moves have left many in Washington including on Trumps White House staff guessing about the mercurial presidents intentions and plans. Good afternoon, Im David Lauter, Washington bureau chief. Welcome to the Friday edition of our Essential Politics newsletter, in which we look at the events of the week in Washington and elsewhere in national politics and highlight some particularly insightful stories. Advertisement WHATS HIS MOTIVATION? He likes us. He likes me anyway, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the chambers Democratic leader, said Thursday, in a comment caught inadvertently by a C-Span microphone in the Senate. Thats one explanation for Trumps sudden shift to bipartisan deal making: Hes tired of dealing with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, with whom he never forged much of a relationship. In recent weeks, hes openly criticized McConnell, in particular. By contrast, Trump seems to enjoy talking with Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, and perhaps House Democratic leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, as well. Heres another explanation, from Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), one of Trumps earliest congressional supporters: Hes very frustrated in how things are not getting done, and hes talking with the Democrats.He didnt come here to do nothing. Trump, as hes often said, likes action. He clearly loves the theater of signing bills into law. Whats in the bills matters less to him than the fact that something has gotten done. Obviously, hes not a guy who dots the Is and crosses the Ts, said Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax and a longtime Trump friend. He does things by trial and error, and he finds what works. As the president told reporters Thursday: We have to get things passed. If we cant get things passed, then we have to go a different route. A third explanation focuses on Trumps love for being the center of attention and speculation. The sudden spate of bipartisanship may simply be his latest way to upset the status quo in Washington. Trumps true motivation likely is a mix. The larger question is how long this lasts and how far it goes. As Noah Bierman wrote, the turn to bipartisanship has upset the calculations of both sides. On the left, many Democrats trust nothing Trump says. On the right, many Republicans fear that hell sell out core principles. On both sides, partisan divisions among voters have grown deeper in the past year, new polling data show. In the weeks after the election, Trump swung hard to the right, stocking his administration with figures from the most conservative wing of the Republican Party, including Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, budget director Mick Mulvaney and EPA administrator Scott Pruitt. Trumps now departed strategist, Steve Bannon, long argued that the president needed to govern from the right. Voters in the center and left would never back him, Bannon said; his path to reelection would depend on intense support from his conservative base. If Trump has decided to test a different approach, these two weeks could prove truly consequential. In the past, however, predictions that Trump was about to pivot to some new, more moderate, version of himself have always proved wrong. DREAMERS STEP TOWARD LEGALIZATION Even if the bipartisan moment proves fleeting, it could last long enough to break the nearly two-decade stalemate over legalizing the young immigrants known as Dreamers. If so, the irony would be deep: The president who ran on the most nativist platform since Calvin Coolidge would be signing the largest immigration-liberalization measure in more than 30 years. If thats to happen, well know soon. When Trump announced the end of the Obama administrations DACA program, which shielded the Dreamers from deportation, he gave Congress six months to act. Now, the White House has sided with Pelosi in calling for action before Congress goes on recess in early October. Moving fast would be smart: The longer the potential deal sits, the more it will be a target. Trump may not care about the details of immigration policy, but advocates on both sides care deeply, and negotiations over what border security measures Congress will approve as part of the package could bog down. Trump already, however, has agreed that the deal wont include money for his proposed wall along the southern border. One issue Trump raised Friday in a Twitter message is whether Dreamers in the future would be able to sponsor relatives for green cards. On Thursday, some of Trumps most prominent supporters were calling the deal a betrayal. In an interview on CBS 60 Minutes on Sunday, Bannon predicted civil war inside the GOP if Congress moved to legalize the Dreamers. Inside the administration, opponents of legalization, including Sessions and his former aide, Stephen Miller, now the White House domestic policy director, could seek ways to undermine an agreement. Many DACA recipients are skeptical. But the reality is that even among Trump voters, many see the Dreamers as more sympathetic than other immigrants in the country illegally. And even those who doubt the policy may worry about the political consequences of the alternative no action, leading to a midterm election shadowed by hundreds of thousands of attractive young people losing their jobs and being threatened with deportation to countries they have almost no memory of. Trumps backing for legalization gives cover to Republicans who in the past have voted against versions of the Dream Act. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) first introduced the proposal to legalize Dreamers in 2001. Its time may finally have come. Meanwhile state lawmakers today will vote on a plan to declare California a sanctuary state from federal immigration policies before adjourning for the year. Our Sacramento bureau will cover that debate live on Essential Politics before the Legislature leaves town. HEALTHCARE BATTLES, PRESENT AND FUTURE The bipartisan effort to stabilize health insurance markets, pushed by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the chair of the Senate Health Committee, and the panels senior Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), is heading to the final, crucial stage, Noam Levey wrote. Because insurance companies are making final decisions on their premiums for 2018, Congress needs to act by the end of this month to prevent rates from rising sharply in some states. A compromise bill likely would be coupled with a separate measure, sponsored by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee, that would extend for five years the popular Children Health Insurance Program. The program insures almost 9 million children nationwide. The current authorization for CHIP expires Sept. 30. Some conservative Republicans are readying one last shot at trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The move, by Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), also faces a Sept. 30 deadline because a procedural measure designed to avoid a Senate filibuster expires at the end of the month. As the fight over Obamacare continues, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, introduced the latest version of his bill for a single, government-run insurance program for all Americans. Cathy Decker looked at the risks involved in the rush by many prominent Democrats, including most of the partys 2020 presidential aspirants, to embrace Sanders plan. OTHER NOTABLE STORIES Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin already has stumbled a couple of times over the clash between his life as an extremely wealthy investor and his role as a public official. Now, the departments inspector general has begun examining Mnuchins request to use a military jet when he traveled on his honeymoon. As Jim Puzzanghera wrote, Mnuchin in the end didnt use the jet. But the request, alone, has created problems for the secretary. The Supreme Court gave Trump a partial victory on one aspect of his travel ban, David Savage wrote. The justices put on hold a lower court ruling that would have exempted thousands of refugees from the ban. But the administration has given up on another part of its policy, conceding that grandparents and other relatives of American residents should be exempt from the ban on travel from several majority-Muslim countries. The current ban expires later this month. The FBI is investigating two Russian government media organizations accused of spreading propaganda in the U.S., David Cloud, Tracy Wilkinson and Joe Tanfani wrote. Investigators are questioning whether RT and Sputnik should be required to register as foreign agents. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has devoted much of his time to developing a plan to trim the State Department staff and make diplomacy more efficient. This week, he began unveiling the details, Wilkinson wrote. Trump has made a number of promises to historically black colleges, but as Lauren Rosenblatt wrote, black leaders say those pledges have gone unfulfilled, and some want a White House conference scheduled for next week to be postponed. An American who fought for Islamic State has been captured and is being held in custody overseas, the Pentagon said. The Senate, 61-36, rejected a move by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky) to end the legal authorization for the use of military force in Afghanistan and Iraq. Hillary Clinton is out with her new book, rehashing her loss. As Mark Barabak and Barbara Demick wrote, the reviews are mixed. TRACK KEY CONTESTS FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS The outcome of a handful of congressional races in California could determine which party controls the House after next years midterm elections. Our newly unveiled race tracker allows you to keep tabs on 13 races that could make the difference. ALL THE PRESIDENTS TWEETS Twitter has long been Trumps favored means of pushing his message. Were compiling all of Trumps tweets. Its a great resource. Take a look. LOGISTICS That wraps up this week. My colleague Christina Bellantoni will be back Monday with the weekday edition of Essential Politics. Until then, keep track of all the developments in national politics and the Trump administration with our Essential Washington blog, at our Politics page and on Twitter @latimespolitics. Send your comments, suggestions and news tips to politics@latimes.com. If you like this newsletter, tell your friends to sign up. David.lauter@latimes.com @davidlauter Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52 Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants known as Dreamers who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many if any of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday. Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance you know, some of them called it a performance I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18 On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017 the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m. reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost They clapped, though they didnt smile. But what did you expect? Cassini, their beloved spacecraft, was dead. Confirmation that the explorer had indeed vaporized as planned in the cloud tops of Saturn was received at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory just before 5 a.m. Friday morning. The signal from the spacecraft is gone, and in the next 45 seconds, so will be the spacecraft, Earl Maize, Cassinis program manager, told the two dozen people in the mission control room in La Canada Flintridge. Congratulations to all of you. It has been an incredible mission, an incredible spacecraft, and you have been an incredible team. Advertisement Full coverage of Cassinis Grand Finale He looked around at his colleagues, all wearing matching purple polo shirts embroidered with pictures of Cassini and Saturn. Now Im going to call this end of mission, he said. Project manager off the net. And just like that, Cassinis 20-year voyage of exploration was over. There was hugging, of course, and some tears. Though people came prepared with boxes of tissues, they mostly went unused. It was like being at a funeral for someone who had lived a long, full life and died peacefully in their sleep at the age of 103. I thought I was going to be more sad about the spacecraft, but Im not, said Julie Webster, who has worked on Cassini for more than 20 years and served as the missions chief engineer. It did everything we asked of it right until the very end. Thats all you could ever ask of anyone. It was perfect. Cassini spent 13 years making jaw-dropping discoveries in the Saturn system, including the first confirmation that the moon Titan had seas of liquid methane on its surface and the revelation that geysers of water ice shoot off the moon Enceladus. These findings have revolutionized scientists understanding of how and where to look for life in the solar system and beyond. NASA extended Cassinis original four-year mission twice. And even in the final seconds before it burned up like a shooting star, the spacecraft gallantly sent back new data from deeper in Saturns atmosphere than it had ever been before. It was a superb machine in an amazing place, doing everything it possibly could to reveal the mysteries and secrets of our solar system, Maize said. It was a superb machine in an amazing place, doing everything it possibly could to reveal the mysteries and secrets of our solar system. Cassini program manager Earl Maize More than 5,000 scientists, engineers and support staff from 17 countries worked on the Cassini mission in some capacity since its earliest stages of development in the 1980s. Members of this large extended family congregated on the Caltech campus in Pasadena early Friday morning to celebrate and mourn Cassinis final moments together. On the lawn outside Beckman Auditorium, researchers greeted colleagues they hadnt seen in years and reminisced about the mission. Michael Flasar, the principal investigator of Cassinis Composite Infrared Spectrometer team at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., poured glass after glass of Champagne. He has been working on Cassini for nearly three decades and has watched the team grow and change as the years have passed. I like to say this is our claim to immortality, he said of the mission. We inspired a new generation, and theyre going to carry on. John Barbara, who works on Cassinis image science subsystem team at NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City, said its the daily presence of the spacecraft that will leave the biggest hole. Im going to miss my morning routine of checking my email, drinking my coffee and seeing what Cassinis been up to, he said. Its been such a part of my life. And although Cassini is gone, he knows its discoveries will be part of his 6-month old son Leos life, too. As Leo gets older and sees images in his astronomy books, theyre going to be from Cassini, he said. Based on models of Saturns atmosphere, the Cassini team expected that Earth would lose its connection with the spacecraft at 4:55:16 a.m. Pacific time. In reality, they were able to stay in contact until 4:55:39. The goal of the engineering team was to make the spacecraft last, and I think you saw this morning that we did, Webster said. We got almost 30 seconds longer than predicted. Linda Spilker, project scientist for the mission at JPL, said that Cassini made Saturn as familiar to us as our own neighborhoods. Now its a small, little world in a telescope again, she said. Those details of the rings, those tiny moons struggling to survive those are all gone, until we go back. Now its a small little world in a telescope again. Those details of the rings, those tiny moons struggling to survive those are all gone, until we go back. Cassini project scientist Linda Spilker Both Michael Watkins, JPLs director, and Thomas Zurbuchen, head of NASAs science million directorate, pledged to return to the Saturn system. Titan and Enceladus have emerged as prime candidates in the search for life beyond Earth. Indeed, thats why NASA engineers steered Cassini into Saturn, where it was guaranteed to disintegrate without contaminating the moons. With todays end of the mission, we know that these worlds will remain pristine, Zurbuchen. Not only did we do science here at the very end, but we protected science to be done in the future. Maize said part of him can intellectualize that Cassini was a robot at the end of its serviceable life. But, of course, there is more to it than that. It has been our companion and our dutiful servant for several decades, he said. He finished his comments to the Cassini team and the world with this eulogy for the spacecraft. This morning a lone explorer, a machine made by humankind, finished its mission 900 million miles away, he said, choking up just a little. Thanks and farewell, little explorer. deborah.netburn@latimes.com Twitter: @DeborahNetburn hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson MORE ON THE CASSINI MISSION Cassini, the NASA spacecraft that expanded the search for life beyond Earth, dies in Saturns sky OK. Lets do it! An oral history of how NASAs Cassini mission to Saturn came to be See Enceladus set behind Saturn and Cassinis last view of the ringed planet Epic storms, new moons and worlds that might host life: Here are Cassinis greatest discoveries Check out Cassinis jaw-dropping discoveries of Saturns moons UPDATES: 3:05 p.m.: This story has been updated throughout with additional information, including reporting from Caltech in Pasadena. This story was originally published at 7:15 a.m. Cassini, the NASA spacecraft whose breakthrough discoveries about Saturn and its many moons revolutionized the search for life beyond Earth, disintegrated Friday morning in the skies above the ringed planet. It was one month shy of its 20th anniversary in space. The explorers death was swift and deliberate. Traveling at 76,000 mph, it hurtled into the planets atmosphere shortly after 3:30 a.m. Pacific time and stopped communicating with Earth one minute later, according to NASAs carefully choreographed plan. Within three more minutes, Cassinis 12 scientific instruments were torn apart. Then they melted. Then they vaporized. An investigator to the end, the spacecraft transmitted scientific data about Saturns atmosphere and the planets interior structure throughout its final descent. Advertisement Cassinis last signal to Earth was received at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge shortly before 5 a.m. We left the world informed, but still wondering, Earl Maize, program manager for the mission at JPL, said before Cassinis fateful descent. I couldnt ask for more. As NASAs Cassini mission flames out over Saturn, scientists mark bittersweet end of mission 1 / 12 Flight director Julie Webster gets emotional in Mission Control at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory after confirmation of Cassinis demise. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press) 2 / 12 Project manager Earl Maize packs up his workspace in Mission Control after the end of the Cassini mission at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Joel Kowsky / Associated Press) 3 / 12 Engineer Mar Vaquero monitors the status of NASAs Cassini spacecraft as it enters the atmosphere of Saturn. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press) 4 / 12 Engineer Nancy Vandermay, left, wipes away tears inside Mission Control at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory after confirmation of Cassinis demise. (Jae C. Hong / Associated Press) 5 / 12 Cassini team members Scott Eddington, left, and Nora Alonge embrace after Cassini burned up in Saturns atmosphere. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 12 Cassini team members gather with a 1/2-scale model of the Cassini spacecraft to watch the final minutes of the Cassini mission to Saturn on a screen at the Jet Propulsion Lab auditorium. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 12 Atmospheric scientist Andrew Ingersoll gathers with team members at JPL to watch the final minutes before Cassini burns up in Saturns atmosphere. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 12 Cassini team members Richard French and Colleen McGhee-French shed tears as the Cassini mission to Saturn ends. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 12 Scott Brachman and 12-year-old son Ben watch the screen at Caltech, where people involved in JPLs Cassini mission celebrated its grand finale. Brachmans wife works in the main control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where the JPL-managed Cassini spacecraft ended its mission to Saturn. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 12 People at Caltech in Pasadena watch a video feed from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge. The two parties were watching the JPL-based Cassini mission to Saturn come to an end. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 12 Kelsey Nannini, a Cal State Fullerton marine biology student, takes a selfie at Caltech, where people involved in JPLs Cassini mission celebrated the spacecrafts ending of its mission to Saturn. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 12 Alana Buckley, right, and sister Mariya Buckley grab posters at Caltech. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Designed and built at JPL, the spacecraft was equipped with a suite of spectrometers, imaging radar and other scientific instruments. It was initially intended to spend four years studying the Saturnian system. However, Cassini was so robust and the science it collected so startling that NASA extended the mission. Twice. During its 13 years at Saturn, it observed the birth of mini-moonlets in the dynamic rings and spotted massive hurricanes on the planets poles. It also found six new confirmed moons and a number of faint rings. Among its most dazzling discoveries was the presence of hydrocarbon lakes and seas on Saturns largest moon, Titan, the only other body besides Earth in the solar system known to have standing liquid on its surface. Full coverage of Cassinis Grand Finale Even more stunningly, Cassini was the first to see great plumes of water ice particles gushing from fissures in the moon Enceladus a find no one saw coming. After flying Cassini directly through the plumes, investigators worked out that the moons frozen surface concealed a global, salty ocean probably warmed by hydrothermal vents at the seafloor, another parallel to Earth. Scientists now believe that Titan and Enceladus are two of the most promising candidates for hosting extraterrestrial life in the solar system. Thanks in part to Cassini, the habitable zone has been extended, said Andy Ingersoll, a planetary scientist at Caltech. Its not just a band between Mars and Venus; rather, it includes an archipelago out into the outer solar system. In April, as Cassinis demise grew increasingly imminent, the spacecraft began a series of 22 daring orbits that took it through the previously unexplored gap between the planet and its innermost ring. These observations are already challenging the conventional wisdom about Saturns magnetic field, atmosphere and internal structure. Many of the things we thought we knew about Saturn have turned out to be more complicated than we had first imagined, said Linda Spilker, project scientist for the mission at JPL. This motion graphic shows highlights of Cassinis missions from 2004-2017. Cassini was the last of NASAs big missions to the outer solar system. It followed in the footsteps of Voyagers 1 and 2, which visited Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and of Galileo, which set off for a deeper study of Jupiter and its moons in 1989. Maize said the spacecrafts success was due in part to the experienced team that put it together. These are the folks who built the Voyagers and participated in a whole line of missions, he said. They had a tremendous amount of experience in interplanetary spaceflight. Of particular interest to Cassinis architects was Titan, the only body in the solar system besides Earth with a nitrogen-rich atmosphere. Voyager 1 flew by Titan in 1980, but its instruments couldnt see beneath the moons thick orange haze. It did, however, detect organic molecules in the heavy fog. This suggested that a complex chemistry was occurring somewhere in the moons atmosphere that could mirror the early days of Earth before it had life. The late Toby Owen, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaii and a passionate advocate for the Cassini mission, described Titan as a Peter Pan world potentially like Earth, but with its development frozen in an early stage. To better explore this mysterious moon, NASA teamed up with the European Space Agency in the late 1980s. ESA built a Titan lander called Huygens that hitched a ride aboard Cassini and became the first spacecraft to touch down on a body in the outer solar system. In the 72 minutes it was operational on Titans surface in January 2005, Huygens beamed back images of what looked like riverbeds and a shoreline the first evidence that the moons topography had been carved by flowing liquid. All in all, more than 5,000 people from 17 countries worked on the Cassini-Huygens mission in some capacity. Cassini has logged 4.9 billion miles, captured 453,048 images and resulted in the publication of 3,948 research papers. Though Cassini became one of NASAs most successful exploratory projects, it almost didnt happen. On at least two occasions, NASA officials came close to pulling the plug over concerns about its budget, which rose to about $2.5 billion before launch and totaled $3.9 billion over the entire mission. In 1991 and again in 1994, an international outcry spearheaded by ESA officials who had already sunk large amounts of time and money into Huygens saved the mission from the chopping block. (Cassinis planned twin, known as Comet Rendezvous and Asteroid Flyby, was canceled in 1992.) Now everybody looks back at the spectacular success, but there were some really dark days in the early 90s, said Julie Webster, Cassinis chief engineer at JPL. The mission faced other hurdles as well. Six years before launch, severe budget cuts stripped the spacecraft of its scan platform, a revolving arm that allows instruments to be pointed in any direction no matter which way the spacecraft is facing. In addition, the scope of many instruments had to be scaled back to meet new budgetary requirements. Some mission scientists complained that the cost-cutting deprived them of valuable data. But most ultimately agreed that Cassini surpassed their expectations. Cassini had such great capability, and it was there for so long that you really could do everything, Ingersoll said. NASA engineers said Cassinis instruments were still functioning at the time of its demise. The problem was that it had run out of propellant. If we were a car, the gas light would have come on years ago, and the needle is most definitely sitting on E, said Todd Barber, Cassinis lead propulsion engineer at JPL. Mission planners decided the spacecrafts complete destruction was necessary to prevent it and any of its remaining radioactive plutonium from ever crashing into and perhaps contaminating Titan or Enceladus. (The same decision was made with Galileo, which was deliberately crashed into Jupiter to eliminate the risk of contaminating the moon Europa.) If any plutonium were to survive a crash landing, its heat could melt a moons water ice. In addition, fragments of the spacecraft might carry spores from Earth. Mix them all together in a life-friendly environment, and youd have a nice little concoction to get things going, said Hunter Waite, director of planetary mass spectrometry at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. There is no fear of that happening on Saturn. In this case, everything will eventually be sucked into the interior of Saturn and reprocessed, Waite said. Although Cassinis journey has come to an end, scientists say they have only begun to scratch the surface of all the observations it made. Weve had this fire hose of data for 13 years, and weve only skimmed the cream off it, Spilker said. Researchers will be working on it for decades, and Im sure there are new discoveries that we havent made yet. Proposals to return are already under consideration as part of NASAs New Frontiers program, including a Saturn probe and separate missions to Titan and to Enceladus. Already, Saturn is beckoning us to go back, said Jim Green director of planetary science at NASA. deborah.netburn@latimes.com Do you love science? I do! Follow me @DeborahNetburn and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE ON THE CASSINI MISSION OK. Lets do it! An oral history of how NASAs Cassini mission to Saturn came to be Epic storms, new moons and worlds that might host life: Here are Cassinis greatest discoveries Check out Cassinis jaw-dropping discoveries of Saturns moons The sky was dark and cloudy, the temperature chilly, and the mood bittersweet as hundreds of scientists and their families gathered at Caltech in the wee hours Friday morning to bid farewell to Cassini, the NASA spacecraft that spent the last 13 years exploring Saturn. Full coverage of Cassini's Grand Finale There were rows upon rows of white chairs on the lawn outside the Beckman Auditorium, and a large crowd inside too.A live feed from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was projected onto multiple screens, documenting the missions final moments. People held up their cellphones to record it. There were hugs and tears. Researchers from around the world greeted colleagues they hadnt seen in years. Young children napped in their seats, while their elders drank coffee and champagne. Growing up with Cassini Peter Kollmann, 33, said he began the week excitedly anticipating Cassinis final data. But as Friday drew near, his mood changed. I started being a scientist with Cassini, said Kollman, who wrote his Ph.D. thesis on the spacecraft. He now works at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., where his focus is a Cassini instrument that measures radiation belts. Knowing it will be over, it makes me sad, he said. But well continue working with it because theres still so much data. Carrie Nugent, 33, a self-described asteroid hunter and scientist at Caltechs Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, worked on the spacecrafts Composite Infrared Spectrometer while she was a graduate student at UCLA. At 3:33 a.m., just after Cassini hurtled into the planets atmosphere but before JPL received its final signal, she said she was wondering if it already died. Personally, Im pretty sad, she said. Its a good little space robot, and Ill miss it. John Barbara, 40, works on Cassinis Image Science Subsystem team at NASAs Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. He came aboard in 2000, when the spacecraft was still traveling to Saturn. On Friday morning, he and his wife posed for photos with their 6-month-old son, Leo, in front of a large comic-book-style backdrop showing Cassini speeding past Saturn with the word, WHOOSH! If someone had told him years ago that the spacecraft would last this long, he would have been shocked, he said. He clearly remembers Cassinis first Saturn flyby in 2004. He was at JPL when it happened. It hit me I was surrounded by modern-day explorers, he said. Ken Clark and his wife, Dotty, take a celebratory selfie at Caltech, where people involved in JPLs Cassini mission celebrated. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Just before 4 a.m., Ken Clark and his wife, Dotty, took a selfie in front of a screen on a Caltech lawn that showed images of the spacecraft. Clark said Cassini represented his first work in deep space. He was involved from 1993, when the spacecraft was still being built, to 1997, when it launched. His specialty was the attitude and articulation control system, which positions and points the spacecraft. Twenty-five years later, its closure, he said Friday. Everything has worked pretty much perfectly. It indicates all our work was worth it. A life-changing mission, in more ways than one Freia Weisner can thank Cassini for her marriage proposal. It came in 1997, before Cassini launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Weisner was part of a team that would be spending several months in Florida, preparing for liftoff. She had been dating Mark Weisner for about a year at that point. The situation made him nervous: What if Freia met another man in Florida? He knew he had to act fast. I didnt want to lose her, so I proposed, Mark said Friday. She said yes. They now have two sons, ages 18 and 16, who were with them at Caltech. Freia Weisner, center, who works on NASAs Deep Space Network at JPL, wears the original shirt from the 1997 launch. So do husband Mark and son Erik. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) Cassini feels like part of their family too, said Freia, who works with the Deep Space Network that communicates with NASAs far-flung spacecraft. Its bittersweet, she said. Its the first mission I supported. Mark added: Its where we started from, and I was always fascinated by her work. I wanted to be part of that. A final goodbye Sitting on rows of white folding chairs in the pre-dawn darkness, the crowd turned its attention to oversized screens broadcasting a live feed from JPL. Some viewers gasped at 4:49 a.m. when they heard Todd Barber, Cassinis lead propulsion engineer at JPL, say, Six minutes to go until were six feet under. They watched as a pair of squiggly green lines with a spike in the middle danced across a grid. After a few minutes, the spike disappeared. The announcement came from mission control at 4:55: We have loss of signal. The people in the white chairs were silent. Then, slowly, they started clapping. hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson MORE ON THE CASSINI MISSION Cassini, the NASA spacecraft that expanded the search for life beyond Earth, dies in Saturns sky As NASAs Cassini mission flames out over Saturn, scientists mark bittersweet end of mission OK. Lets do it! An oral history of how NASAs Cassini mission to Saturn came to be See Enceladus set behind Saturn and Cassini's last view of the ringed planet Bowers Museum in Santa Ana was able to fit dozens of trees in its John M. Lee Court earlier this month. They were all tiny trees bonsai trees to be exact. For years, the Kofu Bonsai Kai club based in Orange County has made moves to keep the art of bonsai alive through educational programs and exhibiting trees at different events. The organizations president, Carol Upston, said there are plenty of myths to dispel about the modestly-sized trees. Someone may be fascinated with bonsai and we dont want that person to not know what they can do with it, Upston said. One of the misconceptions is that bonsai trees are a dwarf species. But theyre really the same as any tree. Bonsai a Japanese art form that involves miniaturized trees potted in containers historically has its roots in the mountains of China, according to the club. The mountain trees were found to be stunted and twisted by bitter weather conditions, inspiring individuals to create trees with a similar natural beauty. As visitors perused the bonsai trees in the Bowers exhibit that took place Aug. 30 through Sept. 3, Upston brought in one of her most recent projects she began tending to a shrub-like tree that was removed from her neighbors yard during a plumbing project. Other club members said they purchased trees from Home Depot for their bonsai projects. Upstons tree had round leaves with wires coiled around its branches. Its all about refinement once you get to this point of the process refining its silhouette so the leaves become smaller and the foliage more dense, said Upston, who also led tours of the Bowers exhibit for visitors. Itll be about two years until it eventually matures. Kofu Bonsai Kai has come to Bowers for the past several years to exhibit trees from its club members private collections. The show earlier this month featured 28 trees. The plants boasted leaves of almost every size, from large and lush to bushy and needle-like. Some trees had trunks that cascaded downward from the pot. Others had grown upright, looking like miniature jungles and forest trees. One tree had its trunks grow long enough to surround the leaves. A few others had flowers among the greenery. Many stood tall and twisted from their pots. Others were planted in containers capable of fitting into the palm of ones hand. There are many different kinds of designs and shapes it all depends on what you saw in it in the first place, said the clubs former president Manuel Martinez. Thats something that automatically occurs in the collection process. Martinez noted that maintaining the trees can involve a mix of trimming, pruning and wiring. It takes a bit of discipline, but thats the beauty and the challenge of it, Martinez said. While the trees may be humble in size, stature does not make them strictly indoor plants, a common misunderstanding Upston said plenty of people have about bonsai. Club members said another typical misconception is that all bonsai trees are ancient, when really its the illusion of age that is popular for the art form. The impression were trying to create is something that kind of makes you feel a sense of awe, something that has struggled in nature and has a great deal of dignity, Upston said. Those characteristics and qualities in trees like the texture of the bark and complexity of the branches tell our mind that something is old. The club participates in other events throughout the year such as the Golden State Bonsai Federations Convention held in different regions of California annually and The Huntington Librarys Bonsai-a-Thon, an event that includes exhibits and workshops. During the rest of the year, monthly meetings at the Anaheim United Methodist Church, 1000 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim, are held for the club, which was established by bonsai master Harry Hirao and bonsai enthusiasts Larry Ragle and Marybel Balendonck. Its a very relaxing art form and certainly a nice escape, Martinez said. It helped me slow down and kept my sanity and thats the point to sit down and concentrate. For more information about the organization, visit kofukai.org. Alexandra.Chan@latimes.com Twitter: @AlexandraChan10 For some Huntington Beach residents, a barrage of airplane noise is becoming all too familiar since the Federal Aviation Administration rolled out new air traffic procedures over the past year. You can hear it through the house, even when all the doors and windows are closed, said Kent Farnsworth, 75, who has lived in the same home on Tomas Lane for more than 50 years. His wife, Rita, 74, said the planes flying over have become more frequent and seem to fly lower. They also appear to be flying at later times, around 9 and 10 p.m., she said. You cant hear the television, you cant carry on a conversation, she added. Residents contend that what they see as a rise in airplane frequency and noise over the city is a symptom of the FAAs implementation of the Southern California Metroplex project. The FAA says the new air traffic system covering the regions airports, including Long Beach and John Wayne, will shore up inefficiencies, saving fuel and reducing carbon emissions and flight delays. Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Orange County have sued the FAA over the system, claiming inadequacy in the projects environmental review, which determined there would be no significant effects. The plan shows new routes over Huntington Beach en route to Long Beach Airport. FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said in an email Thursday that more than two dozen air routes have historically passed over Huntington Beach. He said the environmental findings are final and will not be revisited. He also provided a video that clarifies the new flight paths in the Metroplex project: faa.gov/nextgen/communityengagement/socal. The Plane Finder app shows an Airbus A320 jet at 1,450 feet after flying above Mario Tabernigs home in the 16100 block of Tomas Lane in Huntington Beach as it heads toward Long Beach Airport on Thursday. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) Mario Tabernig, 66, also takes umbrage at the environmental assessment. Tabernig, who has lived in his home on Tomas Lane for decades, said the noise issue arose with the Metroplex program. He said he began organizing people after hundreds of comments were posted about the issue on the social networking website Nextdoor.com. Connie Betz, 70, who is part of Tabernigs group, said theyve been writing letters to the FAA but received a response that they should have brought up the issue months ago when the agency was holding sessions for the public to learn about the program. Tabernig got in touch with Mayor Barbara Delgleize in early August to seek help from the city. Delgleize said Thursday that shes also noticed a tremendous increase in plane noise. She decided to do something about this problem, Tabernig said. A Southwest Airlines jet passes over Mario Tabernigs home in Huntington Beach on Thursday. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) Delgleize and Councilman Patrick Brenden took up the issue at the Aug. 7 City Council meeting, where they proposed organizing a community meeting where residents could voice their concerns to FAA and Long Beach Airport representatives. The idea was ultimately pulled because FAA representatives couldnt attend due to pending litigation. Delgleize has been trying to organize another meeting, possibly with the office of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) or with airline experts. She said it will probably be a few more weeks before a date can be set. benjamin.brazil@latimes.com Twitter:@benbrazilpilot Faced with continuing issues with the local homeless population, officials in Costa Mesa have again floated the idea of installing new public restrooms that would provide a hygienic and safe place for people to relieve themselves. City Councilman John Stephens broached the topic during Fridays meeting of a liaison committee made up of representatives from the city, Costa Mesa Sanitary, Mesa Water and Newport-Mesa Unified School districts. The agencies, he said, could consider a pilot project to install one or two new restrooms away from parks where families gather. The idea would be to improve the sanitary problem we have and also to draw people out of places where children are, he said. While no specific locations were mentioned during the meeting, Sanitary District board Vice President Jim Ferryman said he thinks the agencies could evaluate potential sites on a case-by-case basis and come up with a plan that would make sense for particular areas. I think we need to review different types of these facilities and come up with the one thats going to fit, said Ferryman, who first pitched the idea to his colleagues in January. Such restrooms could cost upward of $100,000 apiece to purchase and install, depending on the model and location. Additional resources would also likely have to be dedicated for maintenance and enforcement, should issues arise. In Ferrymans mind, the goal would be to have fixtures that are functional, but dont lend themselves to loiterers or illegal activity. Its got to be a Spartan-type of thing that gets the job done, and thats it, he said. Costa Mesa city officials have grappled for years with drug use and other illegal activities taking place in public restrooms. Public toilets historically have had an issue in Costa Mesa, where the places theyve been and the way that theyve been constructed have been attractants for crime, Stephens said. He pointed to the restrooms at Lions and Wilson parks, which were closed in 2015, due to public safety and health concerns. If you could create a public toilet that would be the absolute worst design, that would be it, he said of Wilsons restroom. Its dark. Cinder block walls go all the way up to the sky. There were a lot of problems in there. Last month, the city reopened restrooms in Lions Park to provide access during work on a series of projects that include construction of a new 22,860-square-foot library. That only lasted about two weeks, as the area quickly became a gathering point for people using drugs, City Manager Tom Hatch told the citys Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 24. The restrooms were again shuttered shortly thereafter. Given what happened at Lions Park, Stephens said he thinks now is a good time to revisit the public restroom concept. As officials noted Friday, locking up restrooms doesnt eliminate the need for people to go to the bathroom. Without access to facilities, some homeless individuals have been going in public instead. Sanitary District board President Mike Scheafer pointed out that closing restrooms in parks also impacts residents particularly those with children. You know what its like when a 4-year-old has to go and theres no place to go, he said. Theres going to be a challenge, there, because we do need restrooms in some parks for kids. The liaison committee previously discussed the idea of installing additional free-standing public restrooms during a meeting in January. Attendees then said the concept was intriguing but required further study and should be part of an overarching look at local homelessness. Councilman Allan Mansoor said the city and districts should approach the issue from the perspective of, Is there any way to do this in a manner that helps people up and out of homelessness? If this is seen as enabling or encouraging or bringing more [homeless] to Costa Mesa, I think it backfires, he said. Newport-Mesa board member Charlene Metoyer questioned whether putting in new restrooms would simply shift where homeless people congregate. The elephant in the room is, if you build it, will they come? she said. Thats the dilemma, she added later, but I dont know anyone that wouldnt want someone to have a bathroom available for them if they need it. Its tough. Mesa Water board President Jim Atkinson suggested discussing the topic with the Assn. of California Cities-Orange County. I worry about becoming a magnet if were the only ones doing it, he said. Thats potentially an issue. Sanitary District General Manager Scott Carroll proposed involving Costa Mesas Network for Homeless Solutions a team made up of city staff, community churches, volunteers, nonprofits and other private organizations. Stephens agreed and said hell work to put the matter on that teams agenda to get additional feedback. After that, Stephens said hell circulate those comments so the districts can have that information handy if and when they take the idea up themselves. Its something we want to make sure we hear from everybody on and take our time, he said. luke.money@latimes.com Twitter @LukeMMoney The Huntington Beach City Council on Monday will consider approving an update to the citys general plan, which will guide development decisions through 2040. The updated general plan, and an associated environmental analysis, has been winding its way through the Planning Commission for several months and was unanimously recommended by commissioners on Aug. 15. The update has been in the making since the City Council voted in 2013 to hire planning consulting firm Michael Baker International to assist. California cities are required to have general plans and update them at regular intervals. Huntington Beachs general plan hasnt been comprehensively updated since 1996, according to a city staff report. The 1996 general plans forecast buildout through 2040 was for 86,499 residential units. The updated general plan projects 85,403 units through 2040, according to a previous city presentation. The update also includes a new land-use designation research and technology to help fuel job and economic growth, the report says. The designation would allow for industrial and commercial uses that arent accommodated in the current commercial or industrial areas. The accompanying environmental impact report looks at potential adverse environmental effects as part of the plan implementation. It delves into air quality, biological and cultural resources and noise, among other issues. According to a city staff report, most of the areas that could be negatively affected in the general plan update can be mitigated through proposed policies in the plan. But, there are changes that would impact air quality, cultural resources, the water supply, noise and greenhouse gas emissions deemed significant and unavoidable, the report says. Mondays council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St. benjamin.brazil@latimes.com Twitter:@benbrazilpilot An investigation into residents allegations that police officers set off illegal fireworks over a Huntington Beach neighborhood early July 5 has contributed to ongoing tensions between the citys police chief and the police officers union, according to city officials. In an Aug. 25 letter, city leaders said police were conducting an internal affairs investigation of a citizens complaint of officer misconduct that occurred outside a union facility. The letter did not elaborate about the alleged misconduct but noted that at a July 20 meeting, members of the police unions leadership unprofessionally and profanely demanded that Chief Robert Handy terminate the investigation. Councilman Erik Peterson confirmed Thursday that the internal investigation centers on complaints that a group of officers set off fireworks in front of their club near Gothard Street and Prodan Drive. Residents in the adjacent neighborhood, east of Central Park, said they were jolted awake between 2 and 3 a.m. July 5 by large fireworks explosions that sounded like they were being set off above their homes. Huntington Beach allows residents to discharge legal safe and sane fireworks from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 4. It is a misdemeanor under state law to possess, store, use or transport illegal fireworks. Doing so is punishable by a $1,000 fine and jail time. The Huntington Beach Police Officers Assn. criticized Handy in an Aug. 23 news release for being vague about the allegations the department was investigating. We take our position of public trust seriously and only ask that we are treated fairly and our constitutional rights and human dignity are protected, association President Dave Humphreys wrote. The union added that there is no discord over being held to account for our actions, including to be disciplined, terminated or prosecuted. Handy, who has led the Police Department since 2013, is widely supported by the City Council, despite strained relations with rank-and-file officers over community policing, his efforts to modernize the department with equipment like body cameras and his handling of internal investigations, according to city officials. Tension between Handy and the Police Officers Assn. boiled over last month when union officials announced that officers had taken a 207-11 vote of no confidence in the chief. Humphreys could not be reached for comment Thursday, and Handy did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment. Resident Bill Cuppy said his family and dogs were awakened by the explosions early July 5. The fireworks continued for about 40 minutes, he said. I dont mean little bottle rocket booms, I mean big booms, he said. These were Disneyland-level fireworks. Huntington Beach police responded to Gothard Street and Prodan Drive at 3:23 a.m. after someone called to report fireworks being set off in the area. The police log states the incident reported was GOA, or gone on arrival. About a week later, officers showed up at Cuppys door to ask him what had happened that morning. They asked questions and I answered them, Cuppy said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN Hovering tall over the Irvine Spectrum retail and business area, near the convergence of the I-5 and the I-405 freeways, stands Irvines newest office building, 400 Spectrum Center. Built by the Irvine Co. in only 19 months, the shimmering blue and gray structure had its grand opening on Wednesday. The 323-foot high, 21-story edifice, gleaming with floor-to-ceiling Viracon glass and wrapped in linen-finish stainless steel, is now Orange Countys tallest office building. Its sister structure, 200 Spectrum Center, which opened in February 2016, is just a few inches shorter. Designed by New York-based firm Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, the office tower at 400 Spectrum Center Drive is 44% leased, according to Steve Case, executive vice president at Irvine Co. Office Properties. Cybersecurity company Cylance has already signed a six-floor lease, and will have its name at the top of the building. Id like to call this the Irvine Companys version of the iPhone 10, joked Case during the grand opening, referring to another huge announcement made on Tuesday from Apple. The Irvine Spectrum has helped us achieve this vision of being the economic engine for Orange County. Ten years ago, Case said, the grand openings of Irvine Co. properties 20 and 40 Pacifica, which are in the same Spectrum neighborhood, welcomed offices for 600 regulators from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Its nice to see the innovators come and replace the regulators, Case said. In addition to Cylance, an artificial intelligence-driven company that works on projects similar to the massive Equifax hack, other new tenants include SendGrid, Purple Bricks, Case One, Cross Country Mortgage and KS & Co., Case said. SendGrid, a Denver-based communications platform for transactional and marketing email, is leasing 22,00 square feet of office space, according to information provided by the Irvine Co. The building features 428,000 square feet of modern office space, 360-degree views of Orange County, smart elevators that, with the assistance of lobby ambassadors, provide the quickest route to a floor, and an electronic touch-screen building directory. The tower offers several Ready Now offices, which are fully wired suites that allow for fast move-in and limited disruption for growing or established businesses. The building was built with environmental sustainability in mind; its powered by Teslas advanced energy storage system and received an Energy Star recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A fitness center and yoga studio, dubbed Kinetic, are located on the second floor. Outside the tower, an area called the Commons provides for open-air gathering, with a fire pit, plush soft seating, free WiFi and a dining area. The parking structure includes showers and lockers, bicycle storage and EV charging stations. Coming soon inside 400 Spectrum Center will be a cafe where employees can order specialty menu items, grab-and-go snacks and, of course, crafted coffee concoctions. The Irvine Co. reportedly got ideas for contemporary office design from working with companies such as Google and Facebook. This is a marvelous addition to the Irvine community, Irvine Mayor Don Wagner said. Not just the view, but the opportunity to bring into our city a great diverse mix of young companies, established companies, growing companies, folks that are contributing not just to our vibrant community, but indeed making transformational changes around the country. Councilwoman Lynn Schott said shes heard some residents complain about congestion, but insisted that both 200 and 400 Spectrum Center are helping to change Irvine for the better. What I see is a testament to the success of the city, to the success of the Irvine Co., to the success of our business community, Schott said. What I see is opportunity; what I see is a vision for the future a vibrant economy, and families who are going to be served, business owners that are going to be successful. We see nothing but positive. RICHARD CHANG is a contributor to Times Community News. Re. Ex-OCC student facing charges over disturbances is arrested again after failing to appear in court: That Orange Coast College has to expend so much time to defend its handling of what appears to be a very troubled former student lasers on the problem with our education system. Imagine how much time his chemistry instructor would have to spend were she to grant every single student dissatisfied with his grade a special exam? Imagine how much disruption he has already inflicted on the instructors classroom? And why should this student be qualified for college admission if what his attorney said about him is true, that he is unable to comprehend the significance of a restraining order. The major problem with our education system is that our teachers are forced to spend more and more time defending their actions at the expense of real teaching. Coddling our students creates only more problems for them in the real world. John T. Chiu Newport Beach Voters need more details on health plans Now that Sens. Bernie Sanders and Lindsey Graham have each submitted a new health insurance plan, why do we voters not have the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score for each new plan? It would stand to reason that any newspaper that printed an article about the two plans would include a comparison of relative CBO scores. How can anyone see the difference between the two plans if all we hear are phony-baloney, bumper-sticker, talking-points like: Death Panels and Big Government Takeover, which, though proven false, are still bandied about today? Mike Kelly Huntington Beach Sept. 11 attacks remain a painful memory Mondays 16th anniversary of 9/11 is as painful today as it was in 2001. Not only did we lose nearly 3,000 people that fateful day, the nation lost its sense of security. Who could have guessed our shores were such easy targets for terrorists? Certainly not my mom and dad or two older brothers. The sad truth is, my three children, ages 37, 25 and 22, hardly have known a time when U.S. forces werent fighting somewhere. This includes sending troops into battle during the 1991 and 2003 Gulf Wars, as well as separately into Iraq and Afghanistan. Coupled with the ongoing deteriorating relations with Iran, these later wars were the launching pads for the terrorists who attacked us 16 years ago. Their successors, known today simply as ISIS, still want to inflict grave harm to America. Life as we knew it changed forever on 9/11. Its our duty to honor those who died that terrible day in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania. We must never forget their sacrifice. At my age, I know how lucky I am to live in America. I hope and pray my daughter and her two older brothers will be able to say the same thing 30 years from now. Denny Freidenrich Laguna Beach How to get published: Email us at dailypilot@latimes.com. All correspondence must include full name, hometown and phone number (for verification purposes). The Pilot reserves the right to edit all submissions for clarity and length. Kimeng Hilton Ndukong talked on lessons learnt from the Ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen by journalists. Photo: CAPC The Ninth BRICS economic bloc summit, which held in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen from September 3-5, 2017, is now history. History not because the experiences garnered, discussions held and decisions reached at the gathering have already been forgotten. Rather, it was an enriching experience full of discoveries and challenges especially for journalists. Glance at Xiamen Summit The Xiamen summit of 10 world leaders five from BRICS and five other guests - offered yet another opportunity for journalists to meet colleagues, make friends, share thoughts on a number of professional issues, be interviewed by other media practitioners, discover Xiamen, its cuisine, etc. Though only 10 world leaders were present in Xiamen, compared to almost 30 at the May 14-15, 2017 Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation in Beijing, it was no less important as the summit was covered by 3,000 journalists from across the globe. Good Media Facilities Again, unlike last Mays Belt and Road Forum, the BRICS summit in Xiamen had better equipped Media Centre with enough desktop computers and super high-speed Internet connection. Moreover, journalists had unfettered access to the Google search engine and other New Media platforms not often permitted in China. This greatly facilitated their work. Volunteers, including telecommunications experts, were always present to offer a helping hand when requested. There was abundant food, tea and coffee throughout the summit at the Media Centre. So, everyone ate and drank to their fill. Simultaneous translations of Chinese President Xi Jinpings live speeches were available through headsets from journalists tables. The special BRICS Xiamen Summit website and the abundant printed literature provided by organizers on the economic bloc were of great help. Media Coverage Hiccups However, there were a number of challenges in getting information. Journalists at the media centre found it difficult to know what other leaders be they BRICS members said at the summit and various sideline fora. This is because their speeches were not aired on the giant projector screens in the Media Centre. The official website, to my knowledge, did not promptly publish such information. Even President Xi Jinpings speeches often took too long to be published or released to the press. Moreover, most of the information on the BRICS special website had to do with activities leading up to the summit in Xiamen. The statement issued by BRICS leaders at the end of the summit also took too long to be published on the official website. I do not remember if it was available online by midday of the closing day on September 5, 2017. Again, to my knowledge, the few pictures available on the website were those illustrating articles. Journalists who counted on getting many pictures of onsite summit activities were disappointed. Consequently, most of the pictures I used were taken on the giant projector screens whenever an event was aired. Participants at the media salon on Xiamen BRICS summit at Renmin University of China, Beijing. Photo: CAPC Personal Coverage Plan Before leaving for Xiamen, I planned to write at least three stories, given that the event was to last three days and my paper, Cameroon Tribune, is a daily. The first story naturally had to with the opening ceremony and any important announcements made. The second article was to be on events of the second day of the summit, depending on what would be most striking. Finally, my plan was to do the third story on the content of the final communique or the concluding press conference. Implementation Challenges At the end, things worked out according to plan. I was able to get information either from live projections on the giant screen in the Media Centre, sideline press conferences, BRICS official website, and the Internet in general. This was because speeches of African and other world leaders were not aired in the Media Centre, neither was the information available on the official website. The situation became even more frustrating when we filed our stories only to be informed late in the evening that an African leader spoke at an event during the day! Imagine your story being published back at home the following day without any mention of what the African leader said. Yet, the international media and presidential press teams of the countries concerned reported this abundantly. Writing The Final Story The story on the end of the summit was the most difficult to write and send. This was because we left Xiamen immediately after President Xi Jinpings press briefing. In the mad rush, I forgot my notebook in the hall where the briefing held. We travelled that afternoon to Yinchuan in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region after a transit flight through Xian in Shaanxi Province. I had started writing the article at the venue of the presidential press briefing while waiting for the event to begin. This part of the story concerned what the African Union Chair, President Alpha Conde of Guinea and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa said on the second day of the summit. The information was only available on Guinean and South African websites. The article was completed at night during the flight from Xiamen to Xian. It was while we waited at Xian Airport for the connecting flight to Yinchuan that I sent the article at about 10 pm. Fortunately for me, the seven-hour differential between China and my country, Cameroon, played to my advantage as the story arrived on time to be published in the following days issue. Looking Into The Future In order to offer greater visibility to BRICS in Africa, China should in future consider inviting many journalists from the continent to cover summits no matter where they are held. BRICS is fairly young and not well known in Africa. Because most African media cannot afford to send reporters to cover BRICS summits, the need for Chinas assistance becomes pressing. Prof. Zhong Xin of the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China, Beijing, moderated discussions at the media salon. Photo: CAPC As the 10th BRICS leaders summit holds in South Africa in 2018, African media coverage of the event will largely concern invited countries. Apart from us 27 African journalists from 27 countries taking part in the 2017 China-Africa Press Centre, CAPC fellowship programme the only other journalists from Africa who covered the Xiamen BRICS summit were those accompanying President Jacob Zuma of South Africa as member country of the economic bloc. The others came with the Egyptian and Guinea leaders who were invited to the summit. In Conclusion In spite of the foregoing challenges, it could safely be said again that coverage of the Ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen was an enriching experience for many journalists. They came, saw and reported BRICS transition into its second golden decade thereby enabling readers and audiences across the world to be kept abreast of what the economic bloc is doing and intends to do in the near future. This information will for long remain fresh in the minds who research on BRICS. *This evaluation lecture was presented at a media salon on the Ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China, at Renmin University, Beijing, on September 13, 2017. Kimeng Hilton Ndukong 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. Immigration is a national issue with implications for our local communities. The Trump administration recently announced its intention to reverse the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, leaving the fate of 800,000 immigrants in jeopardy. The League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank supports DACA and immigration reform that protects, not deports, the 800,000 young people who were brought to the United States as children. Using innocent young people as pawns to advance a legislative agenda is shameful and reinforces the administrations reputation as a bully. As a country of immigrants, we are made stronger by our diversity. Reversing the DACA policy undermines the trust and confidence in the fairness of our government institutions. The League of Women Voters is opposed to deportation of non-criminal undocumented immigrants and we urge Congress to pass a clean Dream Act to protect these young immigrants. Mary L. Dickson President League of Women Voters-Glendale/Burbank .. Once upon a time the Glendale News-Press was delivered seven days a week, then five, then four, and now its down to two days a week. The Weekend Edition is a mere four pages, which includes a page of advertising. One by one, columns are eliminated entirely or at least from the print edition. A crossword puzzle runs only on Wednesday. People subscribe to newspapers because they want to read a print copy, not be referred to a website for a sound bite to be read on a teeny screen. All The Los Angeles Times local newspaper offices were eliminated and their historic print copies are gone. Where will it end? Sadly, it is only a matter of time before the News-Press will be eliminated in its entirety. Jo Anne Sadler Glendale It was a little more than four years since my husband passed away and I had yet to dive into the world of dating. Up to that point, the whole idea of 21st century dating terrified me. I mean, I hadnt gone out with a man who wasnt my husband since 1994. With the prompting of my therapist, I decided that it was time. I thought online would be the quickest way to get started. I had been told by my divorced friends that Bumble had the cuter men, but that site requires the woman to initiate contact. I decided that I was going to be a dating traditionalist though, which meant the guy was going to have to make the first move. So I went with Match.com. I got a wide array of emails ranging from the super-generic hi, to the more formal, If you could invite four people over for dinner living or not, fictional or nonfictional, who would they be and why? I think I fell asleep reading that one. Actually, if that man had been relatively attractive I might have responded, but he wasnt so I didnt. There was a man whom I was emailing back and forth who led with, what is your love language? I only emailed with him because I was sure he was drunk emailing his messages got progressively crazier and I was amused. The emails were good for a few laughs, but nothing more. Advertisement I was starting to get discouraged about my dating prospects, when I woke up one morning around 1 a.m. Once awake, I figured I might as well look through some more photos of prospective dates. That is when I saw him. He was handsome and the same age as me. At 44, a lot of the men who had been reaching out to me were pushing 60. I was working on keeping an open mind, but 60 seemed like a bit of a stretch. This guy also had all of his hair still. (In the online dating world, hair after 40 is kind of a big deal.) Even crazier, he was from the Netherlands like my parents and had kids that were the same age as mine. In print I seemed to have so much in common with a stranger. Going against the traditionalist rule I set for myself (it was clearly not working out for me thus far anyhow), I sent him a message that led with, I dont usually reach out to strange guys in the middle of the night ... More L.A. Affairs columns He responded immediately. Turns out, J. was up late packing for a trip. He came across as smart, warm and funny. We spent the week he was traveling exchanging daily emails; at first generic but fun, and then getting a little deeper and a bit more meaningful. This was all an experiment for me so I was going into the whole experience blindly, and not really knowing what I should or shouldnt do or how much I should or shouldnt share. At one point, J. asked me why I was on Match.com. An innocent enough question, right? Not so much for me. I was a widow and up to that point, I had never written my story down. I responded with what looked like a novel. I told him all about my late husband, our life together, how he passed away, and the emotional journey I had been on up to that point. Writing it all down made me feel sick to my stomach, but it didnt stop me from hitting send. My premature oversharing did not send him running for the woods as one might think. Quite the opposite actually. It opened the door for him to do his own version. Turns out he too had been married for 20 years and that I was also his first attempt at fortysomething dating. Are you a veteran of L.A.'s current dating scene? We want to publish your story After that major oversharing episode, we decided to exchange phone numbers. We would spend our days texting each other and our nights talking on the phone often until 2 a.m. My brain was telling me to slow down, but I couldnt because I was having too much fun and with each passing day I was loosening up a little more. I started to think, Maybe this could really work and Did I just meet the perfect guy for me on Match.com? The fact that we had not yet met in person was starting to get ridiculous with all of the texting, talking and sharing. He kept saying its all your fault that we havent met yet. And he was right. I kept postponing because I was terrified. Terrified that this could work. Terrified that this could end. I finally committed to a time and date, even though I was still feeling nervous about the whole thing. I was having some irrational fears. Like, what if he was a serial killer? When we finally met for the first time at Bestia in downtown Los Angeles, we both had big smiles and shared a long hug. It felt like I was meeting my long-lost friend. There was an instant comfort. But as the night proceeded and we talked and laughed together, I wasnt feeling any chemistry or electricity. How could this be happening? I wondered. J. was super smiley and touchy throughout the night so I dont think he was experiencing the same letdown that I was. He would stare at me for long periods of time and say, You are so beautiful, just so so beautiful. When a man gives you a compliment, it would usually make your heart flutter a bit or at least feel good. I didnt feel that way. I was feeling like it was too much. After a long dinner, the night was winding down and our first and only date was coming to an end. When we arrived at my car, we made some nervous small talk knowing what had to come next. Did I want him to kiss me? I had felt no pull toward him throughout the night, but maybe that was just my nerves. And we had shared so much over the past two months, there had to be some sort of chemistry between us, right? Then, it was happening. He reached down to kiss me. Slow at first, and then with a little more urgency. I waited for that connection, that spark. It didnt happen. Nothing. I felt nothing. It had been the first kiss for both of us outside of our 20-year marriages. For him I think it was a release from the unhappiness of a bad marriage. For me there was a twinge of sadness that I was kissing a man that wasnt my husband. We didnt talk about any of that though. Instead, after our kiss ended, we shared a long hug in the parking lot, said our final goodbyes and agreed to talk in the morning. As I drove home, I knew that we wouldnt talk again. J. texted that night to say what a great time hed had, he texted in the morning again and then texted for a few days after that. I just couldnt bring myself to respond. I finally did send J. an email apologizing and told him how wonderful I thought he was, but that I just didnt think he was the one for me. He thanked me for not ghosting him. I had to look up what ghosting even meant. In the month since my Match.com dating adventure ended Ive thought a lot about why it didnt work for me and why I was so quick to cut J. off. I dont have all of the answers and am still in the midst of some soul searching. But I know this: J. was like a little gift from the universe. The experience taught me that I can open my heart up again. And I realized that companionship and a nice person isnt enough. For the man I spend the second half of my life with, I want it all. I want the best friend, the confidant and the person I have crazy chemistry with. I do think that my dating encounter with J. was exactly what it needed to be for me, and I was exactly how I needed to be. I think that maybe J. was exactly how he needed to be too, for his first time out. And I hope he feels the same. The author lives in Laguna Niguel and is working on a new career as a writer. L.A. Affairs chronicles the current dating scene in and around Los Angeles. If you have comments or a true story to tell, email us at LAAffairs@latimes.com. To read the article in Spanish, click here MORE L.A. LOVE STORIES She ghosted me. Twice. The best advice I ever got for dating a guy with kids We had a one-night stand. I wish it had stayed that way home@latimes.com CroisiEurope on Saturday will launch its newest riverboat on the Mekong River in Cambodia. Indochine II, which holds 62 passengers, joins four other ships in the cruise lines fleet dedicated to sailing the Southeast Asian river that flows through six countries. Rver cruises in Asia are hot right now, particularly among longtime passengers who crave new and exotic itineraries. Advertisement The Mekong River has a lot to offer. Floating markets, colorful fishing villages, landscapes filled with rice fields and pagodas, and islands to explore are some of the highlights on the Cambodia-Vietnam cruises. The three-deck Indochine II has the look of a low, wide riverboat outside and French Colonial-inspired decor inside, the companys news release says. It was custom-made for the Mekong River by Stirling Design International in Nantes, France, and a Vietnamese shipyard. The design allows it to maneuver through narrow canals around Ho Chi Minh City and to spend more time on Tonle Sap Lake. The ship has a sun deck with pool and bar, a restaurant, a lounge, an area for massages and free on-board Wi-Fi. It will sail both directions between Cambodia and Vietnam from August to April. Passengers on the Indochine IIs 11- to 15-day sailings will spend their first night in Siem Reap, the gateway to the ancient and historic Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia. Then they sail to villages in Tonle Sap Lake and Phnom Penh on the way to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Prices start at $2,412 per person, based on double occupancy, and include hotel stays in Siem Reap, all on-board meals and drinks, excursions, guides, tips, taxes and port fees. Info: CroisiEurope travel@latimes.com Twitter: @latimestravel ALSO Your next Holland America cruise will end with a chocolate surprise dessert parade Many cruise ships shifting itineraries to Cozumel, Mexico, and the western Caribbean, post-Irma Who needs a cruise to eat well? Food festival comes to San Diegos port Aspen Snowmass ski resort in Aspen, Colo., is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a gift for all: $6.50 single-day lift tickets on Dec. 15, the same price the resort charged when it opened in 1967. Its all part of a Snowmass 50th Anniversary weekend that will feature a retro party and fireworks too. The deal: You can purchase the $6.50 lift tickets online at the Aspen Snowmass website. How much do you save? For the upcoming winter season, a single-day lift ticket starts at $155 for adults, according to the resorts website. Advertisement When: Discounted lift tickets are good Dec. 15 only, subject to availability. Details: Snowmass-at-Aspen, as it was called, opened Dec. 17, 1967, with five chairlifts and 50 miles of trails. Now its part of a series of resorts that includes Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk and Aspen Highlands. Snowmass also plans a new Base Village and a roller coaster slated to open in December. But back to the past. Other 50th anniversary events Dec. 15 include a retro party at the Elk Camp restaurant and fireworks over Fanny Hill. The resort will hold a gala and film premiere of Snowmass: 50 Years of Mountain Spirit on Dec. 16, and jumps, rail jams and races on Dec. 17. Info: Aspen Snowmass, (800) 525-6200 ALSO Watch the 2018 Australian Open on a tennis excursion Down Under Highway 1 south of Big Sur now wont be completely reopened until late summer 2018 Do you have enough time to make that connecting flight? Maybe, but dont count on it This motorcycle adventure up to 12,000 feet is only open twice a year. Could these riders complete it? travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Courts in China and Taiwan, rivals for 70 years, each took a criminal state-security case this week involving a suspect from the other side, and outcomes so far are baring schisms between the political systems that will complicate already strained relations. A court in Chinas Hunan province heard the case Monday against Lee Ming-che, a Taiwanese activist charged with subversion of state power. He faces 10 years in a Chinese prison if convicted of using social media since 2012 to advocate multiparty democracy for the Communist country. On Friday, the district court in Taipei sentenced Chinese national Zhou Hongxu to 14 months in prison for endangering state security. The 29-year-old MBA holder tried to bribe a government worker to pass information to China, a court statement says. Advertisement These cases are reminders of the festering divide between Taiwan with its 30-year democracy and Chinas Communist rule. In Taiwan, it raises support for its autonomy from Beijing and frustrates Chinas goal of uniting the two lands. China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan. These cases will remind people Chinas not a free country ruled by law maybe politically motivated and people will ask the government here how to handle that, said Gratiana Jung, senior political researcher with the Taipei think tank Yuanta-Polaris Research Institute. Lee, a 42-year-old philosophy major who went missing on a trip to China in March, would not face prosecution in Taiwan for advocating a different type of government. China, however, regards vocal democracy advocates as threats to Communist rule. This is an issue about which the [Communist] Party is hyper-sensitive and maximally heavy-handed, said Denny Roy, senior fellow at the East-West Center think tank in Honolulu. Mr. Lee unfortunately walked into a merciless buzz saw. The hearing, which produced video footage shown outside court, could worry Taiwanese tourists in China as well as the 1 million to 3 million people who live there long term, usually for business, said Shane Lee, political scientist with Chang Jung Christian University in Taiwan. I think its getting harder and harder to see why these things happen, he said. The Chinese spy case, though hardly a first for the two sides, could stir concern that Beijing is trying to undermine Taiwan further during a low point in overall relations. China resents Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen for rejecting Beijings condition for dialogue. That condition holds that both sides belong to a single country called China. China sees dialogue, which happened regularly from 2008 to 2015, as a conduit to eventual unification. The two sides have been ruled separately since Chiang Kai-sheks Nationalists rebased in Taiwan after losing the Chinese civil war in the 1940s. The biggest thing people will take away this week is awareness of the legal process, Taiwan lawmaker Lee Chun-yi said. The Taiwanese activists hearing will be regarded as a show rather than a legal process, he said, and theyll trust China less. The bribery case, he said, raises questions about how many more people like the man sentenced Friday are still operating in Taiwan. Most Taiwanese have said in government surveys over the past two years they oppose unification with China. Many prefer their democratic freedoms, which China cannot offer. Washington-based advocacy group Freedom House gave China a score of 15 and Taiwan a 91 in this years rankings of the strongest political rights and civil liberties. Since Tsai took office in May 2016, Beijing has sent an aircraft carrier near the island about 100 miles away, persuaded two allies to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan and scaled back Taiwan-bound tourism. The Taiwan governments Mainland Affairs Council, a China policymaking body, anticipated the Lee case would affect relations with China. The Mainland Affairs Council appeals to mainland China after todays court hearing to respond appropriately to the common hope from all circles and carefully act in accordance with universal values as well as trends in the just handling of human rights, it said in a statement Monday. The Chinese nationals sentence, about a quarter of the maximum for his crime, will show that Taiwan is not using the case to punish China, analysts say. The Tsai government has avoided directly offending Beijing even as talks have ended in a stalemate. Its a very funny period of time to watch cross-Strait relations, Shane Lee said, referring to China-Taiwan ties. Weve been trying to show goodwill toward China. Jennings is a special correspondent. Raul Castro seemed rattled. The Cuban president sent for the top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic sonic attacks and the subtle threat of repercussions by the United States, until recently Cubas sworn enemy. The way Castro responded surprised Washington, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told the Associated Press. In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro told U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis that he was equally baffled and concerned. Predictably, Castro denied any responsibility. But U.S. officials were caught off guard by the way he addressed the matter, devoid of the indignant, how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude the U.S. had come to expect from Cubas leaders. Advertisement The Cubans even offered to let the FBI come down to Havana to investigate. While U.S.-Cuban cooperation on law enforcement has improved, this level of access was extraordinary. Some countries dont want any more FBI agents in their country than they have to and that number could be zero, said Leo Taddeo, a retired FBI supervisor who served abroad. Cuba is in that group. The list of confirmed American victims was much shorter on Feb. 17, when the U.S. first complained to Cuba. Today, the number of medically confirmed cases stands at 21 plus several Canadians. Some Americans have permanent hearing loss or mild brain injury. The developments have frightened Havanas tight-knit diplomatic community. At least one other nation, France, has tested embassy staff for potential sonic-induced injuries, the AP has learned. But several U.S. officials say there are real reasons to question whether Cuba perpetrated a clandestine campaign of aggression. The officials werent authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and demanded anonymity. When the U.S. has accused Cuba in the past of misbehavior, such as harassing diplomats or cracking down on dissidents, Havana has often accused Washington of making it up. This time, although Castro denied involvement, his government didnt dispute that something troubling may have gone down on Cuban soil. Perhaps the picture was more complex? Investigators considered whether a rogue faction of Cubas security forces had acted, possibly in combination with another country such as Russia or North Korea. Nevertheless, anger is rising in Washington. On Friday, five Republican senators wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging him to kick all Cuban diplomats out of the United States and close Americas newly reestablished embassy in Havana. Cubas neglect of its duty to protect our diplomats and their families cannot go unchallenged, said the lawmakers, who included Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a prominent Cuban American, and the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas. Surge of international asylum seekers arriving in Canada from the United States Canada has set up tents at the border and converted an Olympic stadium into a shelter to cope with the unprecedented surge of international asylum seekers arriving from the United States. Sgt. Michael Harvey, center, of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, stops a group of Haitians before they attempt to cross the border illegally. If they cross here, he tells them, they will be arrested. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Every hour or so, a taxi pulls up at the end of a remote country road in upstate New York and deposits another load of anxious and weary passengers. From here, it is steps across a gully to the Canadian province of Quebec, where police stand ready to arrest anyone who enters illegally. Undeterred, the travelers drag their suitcases across a makeshift dirt bridge, past a sign that declares in French and in English, No pedestrians, and surrender to the waiting officers. They are part of a surge of asylum seekers from Haiti, Sudan, Turkey, Eritrea and beyond who have been streaming into Canada in recent months, hoping for refuge they believe will be denied them in the United States. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police intercepted nearly 3,000 of the asylum seekers at this one illicit crossing in July, nearly four times the number apprehended in June. In the first two weeks of August, 3,700 more were taken into custody. Weve never seen such numbers coming in, Claude Castonguay, a spokesman for the force, told reporters. Theyre unprecedented. Though the numbers have dropped in the last few weeks, the influx has strained Canadas immigration and refugee services, leaving officials scrambling to find places to shelter them all and causing months-long delays in the processing of asylum claims. Canadian authorities set up tents at the border and installed rows of cots at the Montreal Olympic stadium a jarring sight for many Canadians, who say the scenes are reminiscent of a war zone. Schools, conference halls and an abandoned hospital were also converted into temporary shelters for the migrants. Left: Day and night, taxis pull up at the end of a remote country road in upstate New York and deposit passengers hoping for asylum in Canada. This family said they were from Sudan. Right: Claudette Louis has been living in the United States for 28 years. She decided to leave for Canada because she is afraid that the Trump administration will end her temporary protected status, and she will be sent back to Haiti. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The rush poses a political problem for the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , who faces a backlash from opposition parties and anti-immigrant groups because of his welcoming stance toward refugees. Were giving our country away to other people, said Buddy Hampton, an 80-year-old drummer from Hemmingford, the community on the Canadian side of the border where most of the migrants are arriving. He said that he sympathized with those seeking a better life but that Canadians too were struggling. Government officials have taken to the press and social media in recent weeks to try to dispel the notion common among the migrants that anyone who requests asylum in Canada will automatically receive permanent residence. You will not be at an advantage if you choose to enter Canada irregularly, Trudeau said at a news conference. You must follow the rules, and there are many. Police say they first noticed an increase in illegal crossings around the time of the U.S. election in November, and many of the asylum seekers say they have lost hope that America will accept them as long as President Trump remains in office. The surge of international asylum seekers arriving in Canada from the United States. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Some are from the six predominantly Muslim countries Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen subject to a U.S. travel ban imposed by Trump. But they also include many other foreign nationals who are frightened by his crackdown on illegal immigration and vows to slash the number of immigrants admitted to the U.S. lawfully. The largest share about 85% of those currently arriving are Haitians who lacked visas to enter the U.S. or overstayed the ones they had and now fear being sent home. We went through an epic journey to reach the United States people died on the way, said Louina St. Juste, a 42-year-old father of five from Haiti who passed through 11 countries, braving vast rainforests and treacherous rivers on a three-month trek from Brazil to San Diego last year. And now they want to deport us? He said he cant return to Haiti, a country assailed by natural disasters, political turbulence, violent crime and a deadly cholera outbreak. So he flew to New York and caught a Greyhound bus to Plattsburgh, about six hours to the north. From there, it was a 20-minute taxi ride past cornfields and apple orchards to Roxham Road, the now-well-known spot in the town of Champlain where he entered Canada. Clockwise from top left: Georges Dade Joseph, an 11-year-old from Haiti, waits to be searched after entering Canada illegally with his family. Members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police inform a group of Haitians of their rights after they are arrested. A young boy is searched by police at the unofficial border crossing. An officer searches a young girl's stroller. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) So many people are using this spot that the Canadian police set up tents on their side of the frontier to search the migrants and verify they dont pose a threat. The tents are staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the nights started getting cooler, heating was added. If the influx continues, there are plans to replace the tents with trailers. From there, the migrants are loaded into minivans for the 10-minute drive to the nearest official port of entry at St. Bernard de Lacolle, where the army set up more tents to house them while they wait to file asylum claims a process that was taking up to four days at the height of the influx. Eventually they are bused to shelters in Montreal, where they complete the application process and are given help finding more permanent housing. Although crossing at Roxham Road is illegal, the exchanges that take place there between police and migrants have the feeling of a well-rehearsed script. A man from Haiti who looks to be in his 20s hops out of a taxi on the U.S. side of the border carrying only what he can fit into a small backpack. A Canadian officer calls out to him in French and in English. The legal port of entry is three miles away, the officer says. This is an illegal crossing point. If he crosses here, he will be arrested. I prefer to go to prison, the man tells the officer. Others seem confused by the officers warning and hesitate. But eventually, almost everyone crosses, some with their hands in the air. The migrants know that if they request asylum at an official port of entry, they will be turned back and told to apply in the U.S. Top: Hundreds of asylum seekers were being temporarily housed at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal while they searched for more permanent accommodations. Left: Migrants who entered Canada illegally from the United States board a bus that will take them from St. Bernard de Lacolle to Montreal. Right: A Haitian woman and her child sit outside the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The rules, enshrined in a 2002 agreement between the U.S. and Canada, are based on the principle that those fleeing war and persecution should petition for protection in the first safe country they reach. But in a quirk of international law, once the migrants set foot on Canadian soil, legally or not, they can apply for designation as refugees there. Migrant rights advocates oppose the agreement, arguing that it encourages people to make dangerous illegal crossings. Two men from Ghana lost most of their fingers to frostbite last winter after getting lost in waist-deep snow while negotiating the icy prairies along the U.S. border with the Canadian province of Manitoba. Its a mystery how people from as far away as Africa and the Middle East first discovered Roxham Road, which cuts through thick forest and is lined with a handful of trailer homes. But once they did, word spread quickly on social media about how easy it is to enter Canada here. The numbers crossing here ramped up dramatically after the Trump administration said in May that it plans to withdraw the temporary protected status that has allowed some 58,000 previously undocumented Haitians to live legally in the U.S. since an earthquake devastated their island in 2010. Then-Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly extended this special reprieve through Jan. 22, 2018, but urged beneficiaries to use the time to prepare to go home. The announcement spread panic among Haitians in the U.S. who are concentrated on the East Coast, within easy reach of the Quebec border. You have to understand, these are people who were already well established in another country, said Chantal Isme, who serves on the board of directors for the Maison dHaiti, a community center in Montreal that has been helping new arrivals complete immigration paperwork, rent apartments and enroll their children in school. Most of these people were working, and some of them were doing very well, she said. There were children who were born over there and have no roots in Haiti. So its a big human drama. What many dont realize, however, is that Canada ended its own temporary protection for Haitians in 2014, and only those who can show they face a risk of persecution or torture will be allowed to remain. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada accepted about 50% of the refugee claims made last year by Haitians. More than 500 Haitian nationals have been deported since January, most of them to the U.S. where they still had at least temporary legal status. Because of the summer surge, the wait time for a hearing to determine whether an asylum claim is eligible for consideration has stretched from days to months. A final decision could take a year or longer. St. Juste, who had been living in San Diego, is keeping his hopes up. When he presented himself to officials at the U.S.-Mexico border, he was placed in detention for six days, then released with no idea where to go. He said he has been treated far better in Canada. Here, they welcome us. They give us food, a place to stay. I want to spend the rest of my life here! he said outside the Montreal Olympic Stadium, where he was living with about 400 other asylum seekers, down from 900. Members of the Canadian armed forces set up a tent village to house migrants while they wait to file asylum applications at the official port of entry in St. Bernard de Lacolle. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) In a few days, St. Juste was expecting to collect his first government assistance check typically about $670 a month for a single person or $1,200 for a family of four and move into an apartment. Now that the influx has slowed, Canadian authorities are no longer housing people at the stadium. But they say as many as 100 asylum seekers still show up every day at the Quebec border. Not long ago, a black SUV pulled up to the orange traffic cones at the end of the Roxham Road. Abubaker Ahmed, an Uber driver from New York City, said he had friends with him who had run into political difficulties in Sudan and wanted to cross into Canada. There was a time when Ahmed would have advised the friends a couple and their two children, aged 4 and 7 to apply for asylum in the U.S. But not anymore, Ahmed said as he unloaded their luggage. America has changed. The husband, who said he would be returning to Sudan to tend to business interests there, scooped up the children for a farewell squeeze, then wiped tears from his face as he watched them walk to the border with their mother. alexandra.zavis@latimes.com Twitter: @alexzavis All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. The Peoples Republic of China continues to adhere to the principle of ethnic equality when naming ethnic groups and insists that the status of an ethnic group should be recognized as long as it meets certain conditions, regardless of population size or level of social development. Therefore, even a few thousand people can be recognized as an ethnic group. The Chinese Government, Communist Party of China (CPC) and Central Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), have as a priority ethnic harmony and development, which has led to a brighter example of peace and national development fostered by ethnic groups in the country. The government continues to provide support to local Ethnic autonomous administrations and have given them ethnic autonomous powers, so that they have the right to use and preserve their own spoken languages and perform their culture at all times. Mrs. Jin Chunzi, Deputy Director General, Department of Policies and Laws at the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, told African Journalists recently that the Commission was established in 1949 and has enjoyed a good long history in operating in a multi-ethnic group country. The Commission, she said has 15 Departments, 220 staff, 50% of which are from ethnic minorities. Some of its key tasks are to do research on ethnic affairs, suggest to government on policies and ethnic development and handle the day to day operations of ethnic affairs, Mrs. Jin said, and further added that the responsibility of the Chinese Government is to ensure that all ethnic groups stay in unity as a global philosophy and in accordance with United Nations regulations. Deputy Director General, Mrs. Jin Chunzi and Lu Wexiang addressing African Journalists China is a large united multi-ethnic nation with 56 ethnic groups, which when put together is collectively called the Chinese nation. The Han people account for approximately 91% of the overall Chinese population, while the other 55 make up the remaining 9%, with a total population of more than 100 million. As the combined population of these other ethnic groups is far smaller than that of the Han, they are called ethnic minorities. The State Ethnic Affairs Commission is working closely with the ethnic autonomous administration and has been encouraging locals to embark on economic development activities for their own prosperity. We have given them the right to draft their own plans on education and culture, physical priorities and preservation of their culture and tradition. We are happy that the laws of ethnic minorities have contributed to their unity and protection in China, says the Deputy Director General. Lu Wexiang, Director in Department of Economic Affairs described China as a peaceful country and a multi-ethnic united country that ensures that no ethnic group or region is left out in the development of the whole nation. The Commission, he said is working in line with governments poverty elimination strategy, which targets 2020 for poverty eradication. We are using the rich helping the poor approach. Lots of achievements have been made over the years due to the good policies put in place by the CPC, the current government and the peoples willingness to embrace unity at all times, he said, and noted that uniting with the government paves the way for greater opportunities and prosperity ahead. Abu Bakarr Kargbo is a Senior Staff Writer of Standard Times Newspaper in Sierra Leone and an Intern at Peoples Daily Online. BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has decided to extend anti-subsidy duties levied on potato starch imported from the EU for another five years, starting Saturday. Potato starch imports from the EU are subject to anti-subsidy duties ranging from 7.5 to 12.4 percent, according to an MOC ruling on Sept. 17, 2011. The latest decision followed a review launched a year ago that found the domestic industry could be harmed if anti-dumping duties were discontinued. Potato starch is widely used in the food industry. The MOC data showed China's apparent consumption of potato starch rose from 330,000 tonnes in 2012 to 400,000 tonnes in 2015. A controversial rap duo, whose fans have been classified by the FBI as gang members, will perform in Easton next month. Pennsylvania is one of four states that has designated Juggalos as members of a hybrid gang. Fans of the Michigan-based rap duo Insane Clown Posse call themselves Juggalos, a term coined by Posse member Violent J. Fans of the bizarre clown-makeup-clad rappers earned the gang designation in 2011 when they were listed in the National Gang Intelligence Center's National Gang Threat Assessment. "A small number of Juggalos are forming more organized subsets and engaging in gang-like criminal activity such as felony assaults, thefts, robberies and drug sales," the report says. The rap duo pushed the gang controversy back into the headlines with a protest march on Washington, D.C., scheduled this Saturday. "It is mad foul to say Juggalos are a gang," Violent J told Howard Stern on SiriusXM radio on Wednesday. Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said Thursday he never heard of Insane Clown Posse, which will perform Oct. 26 at the relatively new downtown venue One Centre Square. "I do know that the staff does a thorough search of everyone who goes on the facility and our police are hired by them for larger concerts," Panto said. "To date we have had no issues with the facility." Venue co-owner Billy Cornish said Insane Clown Posse was booked months ago, well in advance of the controversial march. They've been around for decades and have performed around the area at venues such as the now-shuttered Crocodile Rock without incident. He said he doesn't expect any trouble, but if that changes "we will take any measures we have to." Most of the violence the group raps about is tongue-in-cheek, he said. "What they rap about I think is kind of comical. They're clowns," Cornish said. It wasn't long ago that the FBI sent a letter to rappers NWA condemning their lyrics. Now that group is more accepted in the mainstream, Cornish said. "I don't see much threat in something that's been out for 20 years," he said. "Personally, I feel it's a publicity stunt for the band." Violent J told Howard Stern the gang designation means the Juggalos can get stiffer penalties for drug possession, can lose custody of their children or have probation revoked just for listening to Insane Clown Posse. Jessica Bonometti told NBC News she lost her job as a probation officer in Virginia because she is a Juggalo. "If they can get away with this, if they can do this, what's next?" Violent J asked Howard Stern on his show. "You're saying you're insane clowns but not violent clowns," Stern said later. "We're saying we're not gang-banging clowns," Violent J said. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A 16-year-old male student at Wilson Area High School was arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot staff there, officials revealed Thursday. "No weapons were recovered," Wilson Borough police Chief Steven Parkansky Jr. said in a statement. "There was not anyone else involved. "The police department does not believe that there is any danger to the school district staff or students." Police received information about the threat on Tuesday evening and alerted school officials Wednesday morning, according to a statement on the district website from Wilson Area schools Superintendent Douglas Wagner. Investigators with the borough police department identified the teen as the suspect and took him into custody, Parkansky said. "Through their investigation, the police determined that there is no credible threat to the safety of our students and staff at Wilson Area High School," Wagner stated. The teen, who has not been publicly identified by authorities, is charged with aggravated assault and terroristic threats, according to police. He was committed Wednesday morning to Northampton County juvenile detention. The boy's parents have fully cooperated with authorities since the allegations surfaced, Wagner said. "Please know, these types of situations are taken very seriously by our police department and school district," Wagner stated. "This situation has always been under control. ... "As always, the safety of our students and staff is most important and at no time has that been compromised." The incident follows threats made last Friday by a 14-year-old student at West Chester East High School in West Goshen Township, Chester County, according to The Associated Press. That teen is also charged through juvenile court, and accused of threatening violence on Monday at the school, the AP says. Also this week, authorities in Bucks County investigated threatened violence on Monday at a high school. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The Dublin Husky Rescue Centre, which is based on the edge of the Curragh, has issued a desperate appeal as it faces closure. We are based in Friarstown, the Curragh. Co Kildare and we need support before we're forced to close our doors after three years and after saving the lives of up to 450 Huskies that we taken from the pounds throughout Ireland, said Andy Cullen, who runs the centre. Andy issued the appeal as he made his way to the vets today with three of the centres dogs as they get ready to head off to their new homes, including one in Sweden. The centre currently has 40 dogs with some waiting to come from the pound and a surrender list a mile long. The volunteers get 15-20 surrender requests a week. SEE ALSO: Kildare-based Husky Rescue Centre in crisis On its facebook page Andy wrote: DHR does NOT want to close down, but we are getting close to having no choice. Our auction over the weekend done fantastic and will be paid off the vet bill, but we're still 11,000 in debt. We hate begging but it's come to the stage that we've no choice. We need help and we need it now. We know people are stuck for money but whether it's 5 or 500 it will go an awful long way. Please help us, help them, it said. You can find out more about how to help by going onto the DHR facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/dublinhuskyrescue/ Three men, believed to be from Romania, have been refused bail after a District Court in Kildare heard one of them say they would leave the State for Germany on the first flight immediately after leaving Court. The men appeared before Naas District Court on September 14. One of them, Alin Iosub (24) with no fixed address is charged with theft of Manuka honey from SuperValu in Trim on September 13 last, as well as theft of petrol priced at 87.39, also in Trim. He was also charged with being in a stolen car at Kildare Village Outlet and driving without insurance on the same date. A companion, Andrei Horju, also of no fixed address, is charged with the honey theft in Trim and being in the stolen car. Another man, Damian Costel Nutu (20), with an address given as 3D Isaacs Hostel, Frenchmans Lane, Dublin 1, is charged with the honey and fuel thefts and being in a stolen car. Detective Garda Seamus Doyle said that when arrested at Ballymany, Newbridge, the previous day to the court hearing (September 13), and cautioned, Mr Horju said: I dont give a f**k what you say. I didnt do any of this. Garda Doyle said Gardai were objecting to bail under the OCallaghan rules. The men had been allegedly caught in the stolen car at the Kildare Village outlet. The car in question was alleged to have been stolen in Galway on September 7. He also said Mr Costel Nutu had been heard to say that he would be on the first plane to Germany after this Court. Garda Inspector Oliver Henry said Germany was more open when it came to transit in the European Union. Garda Doyle said the car theft offence was a serious one and he believed there was a flight risk. Damian Costel Nutu had said to them that he was in trouble in Germany and Italy. Judge Desmond Zaidan was told that Gardai believed that Mr Iosub had been in Ireland for only a week and the other two men for just a month. Gardai were not happy to accept the hostel as an address. They were not happy with the mens documentation but believed they may have access to documents to leave the country. They said there were further charges pending. David Powderly, solicitor, sought bail on behalf of the men. Judge Zaidan refused bail and remanded them in custody for a week. The hunt for All-Ireland tickets is never easy and this year it seems to be harder than ever as eager fans are trying to locate an elusive ticket. If, like most of us, you have been unable to source a ticket then there remains a unique way in which to watch what promises to be a match to remember. As part of St Mary's Kiltogherts ongoing fundraising activities the big match between Mayo and Dublin will be screened live on Sunday, with doors open from 3pm ahead of the throw-in at 3.30pm. The never-ending 66 year wait for Mayo to lift the Sam Maguire trophy hasn't dampened the enthusiasm of the Mayo supporters who have enjoyed a scenic route to the final, having been narrowly defeated by Galway in the Connacht semi-final. Dublin on the other hand have been the team to beat in recent years and will be hoping to lift the famous Sam Maguire trophy for a third successive year and for the fifth time since 2011. This report relates to the meeting of the Federal Policy Committee which took place on 13th September 2017. The committee had not met for a few months. Its last meeting, which was scheduled for 12th July 2017, had been cancelled. There was therefore quite a lot to catch up on. Vince Cable Update on Priorities It hardly needs saying but, since the last meeting, a new Leader has taken over. Vince Cable attended the meeting to update the committee on his priorities. Vince said that he had been to eighteen meetings around the country as a substitute for leadership hustings. He had also spent some time setting up his office. Sarah Olney is the new Chief of Staff, Mark Leftly, Head of Media and Alex Davies has also been recruited to the Leaders Office. The main political focus of policy development is Brexit and will be for some time. That said, the party needs to be active on other issues; we cannot be a UKIP in reverse. Vince said that he had made a speech on inequality at the Resolution Foundation and that had been well received. There were other pieces of work underway in a number of policy areas. The first is the fairness of taxation. The second is a legacy from Tim Farrons leadership and related to corporate taxation. The third is on tuition fees. It is plain that some policy development is required in that area and David Howarth has been asked to consider the question and report back. He is likely to attend a subsequent meeting of the Federal Policy Committee to talk about that work. The fourth is the area of housing where there is clearly a distinctive space available for us to fill. There were a number of questions to Vince about a range of policy areas. They included universities, housing and communities, Brexit and the sense of despair and hopelessness that exists in parts of the country, continued austerity, international issues including North Korea and Burma and inequalities. Policy Unit Staffing It was reported that Rachael Clarke has sadly left the Policy Unit. A replacement has been recruited but he is not able to start for some weeks yet. In the meantime, Christian Moon has dealing with the work of the committee. Education Working Group Update As those who follow the work of the Federal Policy Committee will know, the committee had a number of policy working groups in train at the start of the year. Some of them were to report to this upcoming conference but they were knocked off kilter by the snap General Election that was called. One of those affected was the Education Working Group. Its chair, Lucy Nethsingha attended the meeting to update the committee on the work of the group and how it is to be taken forward. Lucy said that the group had been making good progress and was going to be ready for conference before the election was called. There had been a consultation in the Spring. The work that had been done so far had been very useful and there had been some good evidence sessions and effective liaison with the Lib Dem Education Association. There did need to be some more work on 16-18 education including apprenticeships. There were a very large number of questions and comments. They related to academies and local authorities, whether a failing school might transfer back to local authority control, Regional Schools Commissioners, exam entries, school strategies, availability of subjects, sport in schools, technology in the classroom, charitable status and the liberal idea that education is about personal development and not just preparing people for the world of work. The group will now get on with producing its paper. Federal Conference in Bournemouth Federal Policy Committee put five motions to Federal Conference Committee and all of them were selected. The motions were; F8 The Impact of Brexit on Public Services (one amendment and some lines drafted in) F21 Safe Building Standards for Homes (two amendments) F24 Defeating Terrorism, Protecting Liberties F26 Employment in 21st Century (some lines drafted in and one amendment) F28 Encouraging Companies to be Responsible Corporate Citizens(one amendment) F29 Manifesto Feedback Consultation The committee spent some time going through the amendments that had been submitted to those motions for debate at conference and considered whether it wished to take a view on those amendments. It also considered an emergency question that had been put in to its report. The answer to that question was discussed. The committee also submitted an amendment to F17A, Opposing Brexit. That item is not on the agenda although it will be included should conference decide to suspend its Standing Orders when the Federal Conference Committee report is considered. * Geoff Payne is the Chair of Federal Conference Committee. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates Television legend David Attenborough has provided the voiceover for an innovative app to help patients at St Giles Hospice near Lichfield. The world-renowned naturalist and presenter must possess one of the UKs most recognisable voices - and that's what he has donated for an innovative app to help patients manage pain using virtual reality. Hospice medical director Sheila Popert, who is leading the pioneering project, was "absolutely delighted" when Sir David agreed to supply the narration for the app, which is inspired by nature and is scheduled to launch in September. When we started work on creating an app I knew the voice of the narrator would be the key to its success and the first person I thought of was Sir David, she said. I was amazed and delighted when he agreed and within weeks he had recorded the narration for us and it surpasses expectation. We are now working on the visuals to accompany the narration and look forward to launching the app across the Oculus and Steam platforms in the autumn. Work on the Virtual Reality Guided Meditation app started after the hospice, at Fisherwick, Whittington, used virtual reality as part of its pain management programme and saw the relief from pain it provided for patients. Pain is one of the most feared symptoms for people living with a palliative condition and the treatment is usually drug related, said Sheila. But the drugs are not always effective and often have side effects which can stop patients making the most of the time they have. One of the elements of the pain management programme that participants found particularly beneficial was mindfulness but because some patients have so many distressing thoughts whirring about in their head they can find it difficult to relax enough to enter a meditative state. We decided to test whether using Virtual Reality might enable patients to relax and enter a meditative state more easily. The results were amazing, it is wonderful to observe patients body language as they become immersed in a virtual world where they can forget their pain. One patient with intractable pain from mesothelioma was asked about his pain following a VR session said What pain? For the first time in six months I completely forgot that I had any pain. The St Giles team is working with Birmingham-based VR developers Holosphere to create the app, which will be available to download from the Oculus Rift and XX platforms for a small fee. TEN of Thomond Community Colleges brightest sparks were honoured with the schools very first 10,000 scholarships, presented by former student and Boston businessman David Greaney earlier this week. At the ceremony in a crowded PE hall on the Moylish campus, 650 students, staff and guests celebrated the inaugural Greaney Family Scholarships on Monday afternoon. Five scholarships, worth 500, were awarded to the best-performing 1st years, and five 1,500 scholarships were awarded to the top 5th years, who now start their Leaving Cert preparations. Mr Greaney, a native of Limerick, is now founder and president of Boston-based real estate investment company Synergy, and was in his hometown to present the new awards. The school said that the initiative encourages every student in Thomond Community College to strive to achieve their very best, academically. Delighted principal Eugene OBrien said that the event marked a very positive day. I think this is unique, and the reason I think that is because I dont know of any other school in the country that would have something similar. A lot of schools would have scholarships when students are in the 6th year and going onto the third level. But what David was interested in doing was trying to encourage students, from a very young age, to aspire to going to third level. He said that he would like to have a scaled ladder of progression as they go through 1st year, into 2nd, 3rd, etcetera, and to try and generate a bit of competition from the academic side. And to give reward to those students for the good work that they have been doing. Next year, the scholarship will extend to all years, and will expand its fund by 17,500. A 500 scholarship will be given to 1st years and 2nd years; 750 for the best performing Junior Cert students; 1,500 for 5th years; and 2,000 for the highest-scoring Leaving Cert students. Mr OBrien said that the scholarship will provide a boost to students leaving secondary school and into third level. Also if youre a parent, you are constantly trying to make provisions for your children so that they can go to college, and when you get something like this, it is really a boost to parents. The principal said that 10 students who were honoured on Monday are very bright and very driven, who are heavily-involved in extracurricular activities. He added: It all comes from the home because they are getting their support there. And it also comes from the primary schools as well, as they are instilling that ethos of striving to do well. And it pays off when they come in. We continue that baton in second level. DOCTOR Jane OMeara Sanders the wife and senior political advisor of former US presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders is to attend a new festival in Limerick celebrating the relationship between Ireland and New York. I.NY has announced details of the line-up for the festival programme, which will also include dancer Jean Butler, author Joseph OConnor, film producer Maura Kelly, Disney executive Trish Long, and much-loved broadcaster Micheal O'Muircheartaigh. I.NY is about the personal and individual stories that create this enormous relationship between Ireland and New York, said festival director David ODonovan. Its from a fascination with and love for both the history and modernity of the Ireland-New York relationship that I.NY is built. The intention is to uncover the stories that are the fabric of that relationship, to tell them to a wide audience, encourage that audience to share their own, and once a year, through these stories, bring that relationship to life in an Irish city, he added. Mr ODonovan said Dr Sanders story is fascinating and that festival organisers are delighted shes coming, as we are to welcome all the artists and speakers and participants who have responded so positively to the idea and to the invitation. Developed over a two-year period, the ambition is that the project will become a key place of exchange and engagement between Irish and New York audiences and communities. Marian Leydon of Failte Ireland said they are delighted to support the festival in its inaugural year. The I.NY festival, which will run for 11 days next month, is supported Failte Ireland, Creative Ireland, Limerick City and County Council and the JP McManus Benevolent Fund. Dr OMeara Sanders is appearing as part of the I.NY Annie Moore Talks series. She will be in conversation with Joseph OConnor, the award-winning novelist and Frank McCourt Chair of Creative Writing at the University of Limerick. On the night, she will discuss the 2016 US Presidential election, the Sanders campaign and Institute, and the current political climate in America, as well as her own Irish heritage, and upbringing in 1950s Brooklyn in an Irish-American home. The event takes place in the University Concert Hall on Thursday, October 12. On Wednesday, October 11, Joseph O'Connor will join Glen Hansard at The Lime Tree Theatre to discuss the impact that New York has had on their personal, professional and creative lives. They will also perform the songs and readings which reflect that influence. See www.thisisiny.com for the full festival line-up and booking details. SINN Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan says he does not believe that his former party colleague Cllr Lisa Marie Sheehy was bullied prior to her shock resignation from the party, and he claims, she has exaggerated what happened. The Limerick city-based deputy told the Leader this week that he maintains 100% that there isnt a culture of bullying within the Sinn Fein party. I wouldnt say I was shocked. I was surprised that she did it without, you know... I actually dont believe that she was bullied. I dont believe there is a culture of bullying going on and I believe she has exaggerated what happened, he said. Cllr Sheehy who sensationally quit Sinn Fein last week says she was broken down by certain members of the party to the point that she fled a meeting in tears due to disgusting behaviour. The Glenroe-based councillor said there was an alarming increase of intimidation within the party which amounts to nothing short of bullying. She made a complaint about one specific issue, that was investigated and the party believe there was no case at the time and it was fully investigated. Eight people turned up to that meeting, they were interviewed individually in a hotel in Charleville and they all had a different version to what Lisa Marie had, said Deputy Quinlivan this week. I dont know what else we were supposed to do. She said it was a joke. I think that is an absolutely disgraceful thing to say because eight different people were at that meeting where it seems all her problem comes from - that one meeting. She claims she was bullied, there was an investigation and the party found no grounds in relation to that. I thought that was put to bed at the time. In relation to Cllr Sheehys comments which she made in last weeks Leader in which she claimed that she was put under pressure to maintain a workload while doing her final year exams in UCC, Deputy Quinlivan said: If that happened, it shouldnt have happened. Lisa Marie was elected in 2014 on the basis that during her first full year she would basically be at college and we had absolutely no problem with that. She then went on to do a Masters in Cork and I did a reference for her for that. She has left the party now so there is not an awful lot we can do about it. Obviously, I dont condone any bullying but I dont believe there was bullying going on. I believe maybe she misinterpreted things or whatever - I have no idea. Deputy Quinlivan said he hasnt made any contact with Cllr Sheehy since she announced her resignation. I wish her well and the door is always open to her if she wants to come back. When asked if he will be contacting her to wish her well, he said: I think its up to Lisa Marie if she wants to make contact with me - she is the one who has left the party. I would be very careful about what I say to Lisa Marie from now on. In response to Deputy Quinlivans remarks, Cllr Sheehy said she was disgusted that a colleague I once held in high regard is suggesting I cannot be trusted because I chose to speak out and highlight this issue within the party. I am disappointed that Deputy Quinlivan is dismissing my genuine concerns without having the full picture. There are two sides to every story and I would have thought someone I worked well with for three years would have contacted me and heard my side before commenting on something that he knows nothing about." Cllr Sheehy said her issues were not treated seriously by the investigation process and stating I exaggerated my complaints is an example of more of the same attitude I have been fighting against for the last year and that is why I made the decision to leave. The 23-year-old who is now serving as an Independent and has no intention of joining another party, said that as far as she is concerned this matter is now closed. U.S. Christmas Carols set of four to be issued Oct. 5 at ASDA show in New York City Sep 15, 2017, 5 AM The first Christmas stamp to illustrate a popular holiday carol was issued in 1971. Jamie Wyeths design shows a partridge in a pear tree and lyrics from The Twelve Days of Christmas. The first appearance of Santa Claus on a U.S. stamp came in 1972, illustrated by Stevan Dohanos. The new stamp for Jolly Old Saint Nicholas is the latest to feature the holiday favorite. A snowman cookie appears on the new stamp for the song Deck the Halls. This earlier stamp from 2005 showed similar decorated cookies. Four Christmas carols are featured on the four forever stamps to be issued Oct. 5. The songs illustrated on the stamps are Deck the Halls, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. Santa Claus is featured on the Jolly Old Saint Nicholas forever stamp, one of four Christmas Carols stamps to be issued Oct. 5 in a double-sided pane of 20. By Michael Baadke The United States Postal Service will issue a four-stamp set celebrating popular Christmas carols on the opening day of the American Stamp Dealers Associations Fall Postage Stamp Show in New York City. The nondenominated (49) forever stamps each depict a scene and a phrase evoking one of four Christmas songs: Deck the Halls, Silent Night, Jingle Bells, and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The self-adhesive stamps will be issued in a double-sided pane of 20, which the Postal Service describes as a booklet. A first-day ceremony has been scheduled for noon Oct. 5 at the New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue and W. 53rd Street). The issue date is the first day of the ASDA Fall Postage Stamp Show, taking place at the hotel Oct. 5-7. Admission to the show and the Thursday first-day ceremony is free. Among those participating in the ceremony will be USPS director of Stamp Services Mary-Anne Penner, USPS brand marketing executive director Christopher Karpenko, and American Philatelist editor Jay Bigalke, who is leaving the American Philatelic Society staff in October to begin work as Linns Stamp News editor-in-chief. The four stamps in the new set feature original artwork by Steve McCracken, whose previous stamp projects include the 1993 Circus set of four 29 stamps (Scott 2750-2753), the 44 Snowboarder stamp for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games (4436), and the 34 Community Colleges stamped envelope issued in 2001 (U648). The shades of blue in the backgrounds of the stamps evoke the evening scenes from the four carols, the Postal Service said about the new set. The stamp art is designed so the stamps are as graphically pleasing in a group as they are individually. Familiar lyrics from each song highlight the individual stamps. The artist first sketched the artwork in pencil and then rendered it as a digital illustration. Howard E. Paine, who died in 2014, was art director for this issue. The first Christmas carol featured on a U.S. stamp was The Twelve Days of Christmas, on a Christmas stamp for the 1971 season (Scott 1445). The illustration by Jamie Wyeth shows a partridge in a pear tree, and the first line of the song. The four songs immortalized on this new set include two with origins from other countries. Deck the Halls is derived from a Welsh tune published in the late 18th century, according to the Postal Service. New lyrics were created and published in 1862 by Scottish poet and musician Thomas Oliphant (1799-1873). The stamp design includes holiday lights and a plate of Christmas cookies. A decorated snowman cookie on the plate is reminiscent of the 37 Snowmen Cookies stamp issued in 2005 as part of the Christmas Cookies set (Scott 3950, plus varieties 3954 and 3958). The lyric printed on the new stamp is the songs simple chorus, fa la la la la, la la la la. The only song among these four to relate the Christian story of Christmas is Silent Night, created in 1818 when Austrian church organist Franz Xaver Gruber put music to a poem written a few years earlier by an Austrian priest, Joseph Mohr. Mohrs poem describing the Nativity was translated into English in 1859 by Episcopal priest John F. Young. The stamp depicts a sleeping lamb and the star of Bethlehem, a design that also reflects the lyrics printed on the stamp: all is calm, all is bright. Jingle Bells is represented on a stamp with a sleigh horse wearing blinders and a collar of jingle bells. White snowflakes are seen against the blue background, and the lyrics read, one-horse open sleigh. The song was written by James L. Pierpont, then music director of a Unitarian church in Savannah, Ga., where snow accumulation is almost nonexistent. Pierpont obtained a copyright under the title One Horse Open Sleigh in 1857, but renamed the song soon after. Though it is one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time, the lyrics never even mention the holiday. According to the Postal Service, the lyrics for Jolly Old Saint Nicholas were adapted from the poem Lillys Secret, written by childrens author Emily Huntington Miller. The poems first known publication was in the December 1865 issue of The Little Corporal, a childrens magazine. The song was first published in the 1870s, but the tunes composer is unknown. The stamp design shows a traditional rendition of Santa Claus the modern-day alter ego of Saint Nicholas and the face of a youngster gazing upon him. The lyrics read, simply enough, jolly old St. Nicholas. Santa Claus has been a popular subject on U.S. Christmas stamps, with at least two dozen appearances since the first an illustration by Stevan Dohanos on an 8 stamp in 1972 (Scott 1472). Along with the double-sided panes sold in post offices, the Postal Service is offering an undisclosed number of press sheets for sale consisting of eight panes of 20, or 160 stamps, at the face value of $78.40. Although the four stamps in the Christmas Carols set are the only Christmas stamps being issued by the Postal Service in 2017, USPS officials told Linns Stamp News that the agency has additional holiday stamp inventory on-hand. The online USPS Stamp Store shows all of the 2016 Christmas stamps available, including a Madonna and Child forever stamp and a Nativity forever stamp, plus 2016 issues for Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Technical details and first-day cancel ordering information for the Christmas Carols stamps can be found below: Nondenominated (49) Christmas Carols forever stamps FIRST DAY Oct. 5, 2017; city New York, N.Y., and nationwide. DESIGN: artist Steve McCracken, Winchester, Va.; art director, designer, and typographer Howard E. Paine; modelers Sandra Lane and Michelle Finn. PRINTING: process offset; printer and processor Banknote Corporation of America, Browns Summit, N.C.; press Alprinta 74; inks cyan, magenta, yellow, black; paper phosphor tagged, block tagging; gum self-adhesive; issue quantity 900 million stamps; format four designs in double-sided pane of 20, from 800-subject cylinders; size 1.05 inches by 0.77 inches (image); 1.19 inches by 0.91 inches (overall); 2.375 inches by 5.743 inches (full pane); 9.5 inches by 11.486 inches (press sheet); plate numbers B followed by four single digits; marginal markings Christmas Carols, 20 First-Class Forever Stamps, bar code, plate numbers, 2016 USPS; USPS item No. 677304. First-day cancel ordering information Standard ordering instructions apply. Collectors requesting first-day cancels are encouraged to purchase their own stamps and affix them to envelopes. The first-day cover envelopes should be addressed for return (a removable label may be used), and mailed in a larger envelope addressed to Christmas Carols Stamps, USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services, Cancellation Services, 8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64144-9900. Requests for first-day cancels must be postmarked by Dec. 5. The Postal Services set of four uncacheted first-day covers for the Christmas Carols stamps is item 677316 at $3.72. USPS item numbers for stamps and FDCs also appear in Linns 2017 U.S. Stamp Program. Sep 15, 2017, 7 AM Among the splendid content awaiting you in the Oct. 2 issue of Linns Stamp News is Christer Brunstroms fascinating look at the stamps of South Kasai. Now called Kasai-Central (one of 26 provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo), the break-away enti By Charles Snee Whispers of fall are in the air, as the heat of summer dissipates and streaks of color emerge on tree leaves. While it may be getting cooler outside, the Linns editorial staff kept running hot to get the Oct. 2 issue of Linns Stamp News to the press. Our leadoff issue for October will go in the mail to subscribers Monday, Sept. 18. If you subscribe to Linns in electrons, be of good cheer because you get early access Saturday, Sept. 16. To whet your philatelic appetite, we offer three glimpses of what lies between the pages. Happy collecting! Touring the stamps of an obscure state long torn asunder by conflict and violence Christer Brunstrom pulls the curtain back on South Kasai, a break-away province that declared itself an autonomous state in 1960. That bold declaration precipitated the issuance of 28 stamps and one souvenir sheet during South Kasais short brief existence. It is saddening that the Kasai region has returned to the limelight because of its bloody conflicts, concludes Brunstrom in this potent feature. Try this trio of suggestions for adding stamp images to an Excel spreadsheet William F. Sharpe, Linns Computers and Stamps columnist, takes us through several handy ways to add pictures of stamps to a spreadsheet using the popular Excel program. As Sharpe aptly observes, The advantage of using a spreadsheet over a dedicated stamp inventory program is that you can track exactly what you want to know about each stamp. A particular $5 stamp was issued in 1994; you can still buy it from the USPS Its not unusual for definitive (regular-issue) stamps to remain on sale for long periods of time. They are the workhorse stamps tasked with moving vast quantities of ordinary (mostly first-class) mail. Charles Snee, in Dollar-Sign Stamps, recalls how a Priority Mail parcel franked with one of his favorite stamps led him to discover that this stamp is still available from the United States Postal Service more than two decades after it was issued. Want to subscribe? Get access to all of these articles, and so much more, with a Linns Stamp News print or digital edition subscription! Sign up and start reading now! Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Sep 15, 2017, 4 AM France celebrated the International Olympic Committees decision to award the 2024 Olympic Games to Paris with an overprinted stamp. The overprinted stamp is sold only in sheets of 24 stamps and se-tenant labels. By Denise McCarty Almost immediately after Paris was selected as the host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Frances La Poste issued an overprinted sheet of stamps in celebration. In May, La Poste had issued a 73 stamp with a se-tenant label promoting its bid to host the 2024 Games. On Sept. 13, the day the International Olympic Committees decision was announced in Lima, Peru, La Poste released the overprinted version of this stamp in a sheet of 24 stamps and labels. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The basic stamp shows a Parisian scene with the Grand Palais in the foreground and the Eiffel Tower in the background. The slogan of the Olympic bid, Venez partage (Made for Sharing), appears above the skyline. The overprint includes the date the IOC made its decision, 13/09/2017, and the place, Lima (the IOC met in Lima), and outline images of the Eiffel Tower and the Basilica Cathedral of Lima. La Poste reports that only 10,000 sheets of 24 stamps each were overprinted. For ordering information, email La Poste. The non-overprinted version of the stamp can be ordered from La Postes online shop. Also at the Sept. 13 IOC meeting in Lima, Los Angeles was announced as the host city of the 2028 Summer Games. 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. (Xinhua) 19:19, September 15, 2017 NAY PYI TAW, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi met with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at the Presidential Office in Nay Pyi Taw Friday. The two sides discussed the promotion of education, health, investment and trade. Lam arrived in Myanmar Thursday to attend the 14th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) scheduled in Yangon Saturday. She also met with Myanmar's Vice President U Myint Swe and visited the Maniyadana Jade Hall in the capital. Held in various cities once every two years since 1991, the WCEC aims to provide a platform for Chinese entrepreneurs and the business and industrial sector from around the world to enhance economic cooperation and understanding. HKSAR and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) had earlier announced the conclusion of negotiations on a free trade agreement and a related investment agreement. Following her visits to Singapore and Thailand in early August, Myanmar is the third ASEAN country that the chief executive visited. Anant Goenka: Capital preservation with an element of risk Anant Goenka likes to consistently update and hone his skills, and implement the lessons learnt on the shop floor. A cautious investor, the Ceat MD is a believer in fast prototyping and exposure to innovation across countries /news/talking-point/anant-goenka-capital-preservation-with-an-element-of-risk-111646979610651.html 111646979610651 story Enjoy what you do, do your best and keep learning," writes Anant Goenka, son of Harsh Goenka, chairman, RPG Group, a $3.1 billion (around Rs19,840 crore) company in revenue, in his bio on the Ceat website. And, the 36-year-old managing director (MD) of the tyre maker, with a market capitalization of over Rs7,000 crore, lives by this motto. When it comes to business, he incorporates everything he has learntfrom Japanese philosophy to technology from Silicon Valley. But when it comes to money management, he is conservative. He believes in capital preservation. Educational influences Goenka studied business administration at the Kellogg School of Management and economics at The Wharton School in the US. He often travels to various institutes across the world to attend new programmes. Over the years, he says, he has tried out much of what he has learnt at Ceat Ltd. His current management process, for instance, is based on Japanese philosophy. I attended a 10-day programme in 2006-07 in Tokyo by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (Juse). It had an impact on me. We started to try it out in Ceat with some degree of scepticism in 2008-09. But we managed to get some good successes out of it." One area where we have incorporated the philosophy is on the shop floor. There was always some amount of conflict between the workers and the management. However, everyone has the same goal of working towards improvement in the organization. If everyones goal is the same, why should there be conflict? We first worked on building trust. Then we did programmes to tell them that spending time with their families will make them happier in life. We did basic investment in infrastructure, improving the way they lived, and safetywe took it to a higher level," Goenka explains. When I joined KEC, I was much younger. I had just finished my graduation and was doing a smaller role... I got into a role which was possibly of discomfort for me immediately because I had limited experience (working on the ground).- Constant learning Goenka believes in constantly updating his skills. I try and travel sometimes for education. Last year, for example, I spent three days at Silicon Valley just to understand what is going on there. That is where I saw some things in the automotive world. Similarly, possibly in the next six-eight months, I would like to make another visit to see what is happening in China. That is how I have been able to keep myself updated." This exercise, he says, opens the mind to new possibilities. For example, I recently visited Stanford Design School. I spent just a few hours there. They spoke about fast innovation and prototyping. We are working on something to bring that to Ceat as well. Fast innovation means you do something very quickly. In an hour, you can create a broad prototype and get feedback from customers on what are the areas of improvement and then work on improvements and come up with versions. And in a very short time you have a very low-cost prototype ready which you can launch in the market. That is one business tool that I learnt there." Since RPG Group is a diversified conglomerate, Goenka has multiple options to choose from apart from Ceat, be it software outfit Zensar Technologies or the transmission business KEC International, where he worked as executive director, supply chain, from 2007-2010. But he was always attracted to Ceat, though he took the MD role in year 2012 because it fit his credentials. It was the only product that was visible and understandable from a basic consumer point of view. Attachment with Ceat was always there. But joining Ceat was from a fit perspective, based on the skills I had got from past experiences." Goenka says he is used to working in discomfort", first with KEC and now Ceat. When I joined KEC, I was much younger. I had just finished my graduation and was doing a smaller role. I was looking at the supply-chain business." He joined Ceat as deputy MD. Both times, I got into a role which was possibly of discomfort for me immediately because I had limited experience (working on the ground)." Money management The Goenkas have a family office to take care of their finances. As a family, he says, they look at investing in new businesses. We have RPG Ventures, which invests in some amount of start-ups, and new emerging businesses such as healthcare and IT companies." When it comes to money, I would say my strategy is more towards capital preservation with an element of risk so that there is an upside as well. But the larger philosophy is towards preservation," he says. Goenka has been investing in new businesses too. But, with abundant caution. There is so much change happening in the digital world. I think sometimes valuations can get extreme when you look at multiples of sales. I would say go by your simple old-fashioned methodology of doing discounted cash flow and making sure that over time the road to profitability is there." Like his father Harsh, he too is fond of art, but doesnt invest. Since my father buys, I critique it." Helping hand Goenka tries to give back to society. We have the RPG Foundation, where we look at two-three areas. Our biggest initiative is on blindness. India has the highest level of blindness in the world. We work with truck drivers to prevent accidents." The foundation also has a programme on English teaching for schoolchildren and empowers women by training them to drive. In the last five years at Ceat, Goenka says he has been able to create a niche for the brand in the two-wheeler segment. We are among the top players in the two-wheeler segment, with a very strong distribution network." Goenka says the market capitalization of Ceat has gone up 20 times in the last five years. Our market cap was Rs300 crore in 2012. We are now at about Rs7,000 crore." Harsh Goenka. Photo: Aniruddha Chowdhury/Mint Name: Anant Goenka Age: 36 Designation: Managing director, Ceat Ltd Education: Bachelors in economics from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and MBA from Kellogg School of Management. Source: Bloomberg What is your money mantra? When it comes to money, I would say it is more towards capital preservation with an element of risk so that there is an upside as well. But the larger philosophy is towards preservation. Name: Harsh Goenka Age: 59 Net worth: $2.3 billion Source of wealth: Diversified Education: Master of business administration, International Institute for Management Development, Switzerland Brief: Harsh Goenka, fifth generation of a storied Indian business clan, chairs the $3.1 billion (revenue) RPG Group, named after his late father who divided the family empire between him and his younger sibling Sanjiv. Key companies in the diversified conglomerate include tyre maker Ceat, run by son Anant, and software outfit Zensar Technologies. Keen to back start-ups, Goenka has set up RPG Ventures and encourages staff to become entrepreneurs. One new venture is an online store for senior citizens. Goenka is an avid art collector. Source: Forbes Rich List NEW DELHI : I hate numbers. I have never thought about financial planning. I am privileged enough to not be motivated by money, says George M. George, scion of the Muthoot family that runs the Kochi-headquartered Muthoot Finance, a non-banking finance company, about his money management strategy. That explains his choice of hospitality industry over financial services. His father M.G. Muthoot and the rest of the family, with a net worth of $1.9 billion (around Rs12,151 crore, according to Forbes), are largely focused on financial services, while George, as the managing director of The Muthoot Group, handles the leisure and hospitality division. The journey When your flagship company is into financial services, the journey away from finance is never going to be smooth. Born and brought up in New Delhi, George says he always wanted to do something in hospitality in Kerala, his home state. I secretly applied for hotel management in Manipal University. My dad, he is right now my greatest supporter, at that time said, Do you want to be a glorified waiter? Even after George enrolled for a hotel management course in Manipal, his father thought it was a passing fancy. But after college, I started working in the hospitality industry. I worked with the Oberoi, InterContinental, and Radisson groups as well as single- owner hotelsI worked in Kochi with Avenue Regent. I wanted exposure in both Indian as well as international hotel chains. My father was patient, he says. The jobs may sound exotic but they werent. I had to scrub the toilets with a toothbrush when I was in housekeeping. The glamour suddenly disappeared.... You are a nobody and they step all over you. All my privileges went out of the window. I realized the realities of life. They make you do all the menial tasks as an intern. That experience taught me a lot. I was a bit disillusioned as well. It was not inspiring me. Hospitality had become commoditized. I hated to admit that my dad was right, says George. After working for four years in the hospitality industry, George moved to Paris to do his MBA in international hospitality management from Cornell-ESSEC Business School. While I was doing my MBA, I took a class in sustainable tourism. My professor showed us projects he did across the worldCentral America, Africa, Eastern Europe, says George. Hospitality industry In 2000-01, while he was studying in Paris, the hospitality industry in India was booming. By that time my fathers mindset had changed about hospitality. He also had a fear that he would lose me and that I wouldnt come back if I took a job there. He ensured that I came back, he invested in a resort (in Thekkady, Kerela) and asked me to manage it. Whose father gives you a resort? I hate to sound like a privileged rich brat. But that is not how it was. It was thrust upon me, says George. Today, under Georges leadership, The Muthoot Group runs four resorts in Kerala and one in Costa Rica. The business, focused on sustainable tourism, took off in 2001 with a four-star resort in Thekkady followed by houseboats at Alleppey, in Kerala, in 2006. While we were developing the heritage zone and beach resort in Kerala, we acquired a property in Costa Rica called Xandari in 2013. After we acquired Xandari, we changed the name of all our properties to Xandari. The last resort (in Fort Kochi) was launched in 2015. The company is looking to expand in India as well as Africa. Africa is our next destinationGhana and Ethiopia. Within India we are looking at MaharashtraSawantwadi. It is a tiny project, not more than 30 cottages. I had to scrub the toilets with a toothbrush when I was in housekeeping. The glamour suddenly disappeared.... You are a nobody and they step all over you. All my privileges went out of the window.- George M George oney management When it comes to business, he is not afraid of taking risks. I wont call myself conservative. I would say I take risks. I have taken a big risk by deviating from our core business. The brand Xandari doesnt have the Muthoot backing at all. And it can be challenging to grow the business on your own. However, when it comes to personal wealth, George has little involvement. The family wealth office invests our money. I have no idea about my holding. The Muthoot family has put in place a family constitution, which means without board approval no money can be moved. All our wealth is locked up. We have a family constitution. If we have to invest in start-ups or new businesses, it has to be a group decision. I cant even partner with my friend. I will have to resign from my family business as director, let go of everything and then go do that business. It is a joint family business. If we have proposals, we can present them. If it is an investment, then everybody is invested. George sees himself as privileged enough to not be motivated by money. I don Name: George Muthoot George Age: 42 Designation: Managing director, Muthoot Leisure & Hospitality Services Education: MBA in international hospitality management from Cornell-ESSEC Business School, Paris Source: Bloomberg What is your money mantra? I dont understand finance at all. I get scared of numbers and everything is left to the family office. M.G. George Muthoot. Photo: Priyanka Parashar/Mint Name: M.G. George Muthoot Age: 67 Net worth: $1.9 billion (family) Source of wealth: Financial services Education: Engineering degree from the Manipal Institute of Technology Brief: M.G. George Muthoot, along with his three brothers, runs the Muthoot Group, leading lender against gold, founded by his grandfather in 1887. Muthoot Finance has more than 4,200 retail branches and six million customers. Last year, it was investigated by the income-tax authorities. The company said it was a routine check and that Muthoot Finance was the top corporate taxpayer in its home state of Kerala. Muthoot enjoys listening to south Indian classical music. Source: Forbes Rich List (Xinhua) 19:21, September 15, 2017 BEIJING, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang said Friday that China would go further on innovation-driven development and entrepreneurship. Ahead of National Mass Innovation Entrepreneurship Week, Li issued an instruction saying that mass entrepreneurship and innovation had effectively invigorated the market and stimulated social creativity, accelerated the transition between traditional and new growth engines, promoted equality of opportunities, and increased employment. "Authorities should continue to implement the new development concept, press ahead with the supply-side structural reform, create a syncretic, collaborative and sharing business environment, maintain fair competition in the market, improve the system of inclusive and prudential supervision,establish a new pattern of development for all enterprises, and promote the development of digital economy and platform economy," the instruction said. "New industries, growth drivers and human resources will provide strong support for the economic transformation and upgrading," it said. Simran Lal: Your employees are the best brand ambassadors The chief executive officer of Good Earth talks about crafting a business strategy, building and contemporizing the Good Earth brand and finding her feet from one family business to anotheras the creative director of Nicobar /news/talking-point/simran-lal-your-employees-are-the-best-brand-ambassadors-111646979567399.html 111646979567399 story She begins with a disclaimer: Managing my money isnt my strongest point. I consult a bunch of wealth managers to manage my money." Yet Simran Lals one-point agenda to grow my business" shows a talent for tactical and thoughtful moves. In the 15 years during which she has been chief executive of Good Earth, a company her mother Anita Lal started 21 years ago, Simran Lal, 46, has added layers of branding, expansion and strategic collaborations. The company closed the financial year 2016 with revenue of Rs150 crore. Good Earths brand equity lies in high-end, high-quality products across the fashion, interiors and lifestyle space that contemporize the crafts heritage of India. Lal, who grew up in New Delhi in what was not a conventional business family", recalls regular visits to the Crafts Museum, the state emporia, potters villages and Delhi Blue Pottery studios, and cultural centres. My interests lay in a combination of archaeology, Indology, languages, art history and architecture," says Lal, who studied art history at Bangalore University, and went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York before taking over the reins of Good Earth in 2002. When I joined Good Earth full-time, I found my mothers passion lay in the design aspect of things. The company itself spent a lot of time dwelling over the look, feel, shape of things, researching historical sources for authentic narratives, and rightly so," says Lal. The logical move then was to look at the business side of things. Starting out, I didnt think it was my forte, but I thought, its our company and this is my challenge. Let me throw myself behind it," she says. In the years that followed, Good Earth gradually expanded from two storesKemps Corner, Mumbai; and Ambawatta Complex, Mehrauli, New Delhito 12 across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Istanbul in Turkey, in the process creating a distinct identity as a luxury retailer of Indian craft and design. In 2005, Good Earth opened its flagship store in Raghuvanshi Mills, Mumbaia 20,000 sq. ft space spread over two levels with experiential settings. It really catapulted us into the luxury space," says Lal. In 2007, Lal spearheaded the opening of the store in Delhis Khan Market, a smaller, intimate space with a lot of character. Lals timing was flawlessKhan Market was emerging as the window to the world, a market that was visited by everyone who visited India or New Delhi". When I joined Good Earth, the digital space was just picking up, yet it was so fast-paced, and I must admit, I struggled quite a bit to get that right.- Simran Lal Lal was quick to realize the need for an online presence. When I joined Good Earth, the digital space was just picking up, yet it was so fast-paced, and I must admit, I struggled quite a bit to get that right." After two half-successful, nascent website versions, the Good Earth web boutique" was launched in 2013. Considering how much of the stories behind Good Earths products is based in the visual and material culture of India, Lal sensed a scope for the brand to move in a knowledge-based museum space. In 2015, Lal collaborated with the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, to put together an exhibition titled The Fabric of India. Led by curators Rosemary Crill and Divia Patel, it showcased the textile history of India. Good Earth partly sponsored the show, its products were retailed there, and it continues to have a space in the museum shop, enabling international exposure through a prestigious channel. It was our 19th year, going into the 20th, and this opportunity came our way. I could take it or leave it. But I felt it was a step towards building up Good Earth as a thought leader," says Lal. In 2016, Lal along with her husband, Raul Rai, set up Nicobar, an interiors and clothing design brand with a pared-down, casual-chic aesthetica contrast to the more ornate and opulent aesthetic of Good Earth. As if our lives werent hectic enough," says the mother of two boys, aged 8 and 9. What is it like to work with family? Lal admits to being lucky" that all three of themshe, her mother and her husbandare in sync when it comes to their vision for the brand. Of course, we have different working styles, but the values are the same," she says, values that include a passion for Indian heritage, the need for authenticity" in their products and branding, and creating a supportive work culture for their employees. She believes in hiring good people and taking care of them because employees are ambassadors. They are simply the best brand ambassadors of our company," she says. At the Good Earth headquarters studio in Delhis Mehrauli, a beautiful leafy complex, one is likely to spot people working on an outdoor patio, sketching motifs and patterns inspired by, for instance, the era of Tipu Sultan (a Good Earth dinner set titled Golkonda" drew from the history of Mysuru). Consider the amount of time your companys employees spend at work every single day. It is their life, it defines them too. This is where they earn, learn and make friends," says Lal. Growing your business includes taking people along with you as you grow. That is possibly my biggest learning." *** Name: Simran Lal Age: 46 Designation: Chief executive officer, Good Earth, and creative director, Nicobar Education: Product design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York What is your money mantra? Though managing money isnt her strongest point, her one-point agenda is to grow her business. Name: Vikram Lal Age: 75 Net worth: $7.3 billion Source of wealth: Motorcycle manufacturing Education: Engineering from Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Germany Brief: In 1966, Vikram Lal, the patriarch at Eicher Motors Ltd, started working in Eicher, then a tractor-maker founded by his father Man Mohan Lal. Last year, Eicher opened its flagship Royal Enfield store in Milwaukee, US, the home of rival Harley-Davidson. It launched the much-anticipated Himalayan adventure bike in 2016 and followed it with its first Australian exclusive brand store in Melbourne, among other stores. Son Siddhartha, who runs Eicher, is overseeing the companys global expansion from London. Vikrams father founded a tractor shop called Goodearth Co. in 1948; a decade later he partnered with German firm Eicher, renaming the business Eicher Tractor. Source: Forbes Rich List Put a framework in place for transfer of wealth Succession planning gives a framework for transfer of assets to businesses and individuals /news/talking-point/put-a-framework-in-place-for-transfer-of-wealth-111646979489889.html 111646979489889 story Businesses getting entangled in family war is not new. To add to the list is also the tussle that surfaces between the promoters and professionals who are now handed the power to run the company. This year we saw both. In August, Raymond Groups Singhania family made headlines when Vijaypat Singhania, 78, chairman emeritus, Raymond, took his younger son Gautam and others to court over a real estate dispute. Gautam is the current chairman and managing director of Raymond. In 2015, Vijaypat had transferred his 37% stake in Raymond worth over Rs1,000 crore to Gautam. Raymond was part of JK Group founded by Lala Juggilal Singhania and Lala Kamlapat Singhania in 1918. It split into three, headed by Gaur Hari Singhania in Kanpur, Hari Shankar Singhania in Delhi and Vijaypat leading Raymond in Mumbai. When Vijaypat transferred his stake to Gautam as a gift, his grandchildren from his elder son sued him and Raymond, saying he had no authority to sign away their ancestral rights. In the same month, Infosys Ltd, a bluechip company, saw its managing director and chief executive Vishal Sikka exit, bringing the focus on promoter versus outsider debate. Experts blame the differences between the top management and some founders for Sikkas exit. There are more such examples in billionaire as well as millionaire families. Last year, Priya Vandrevala, daughter of Niranjan Hiranandani, took her father and brother Darshan Hiranandani to court over the breach of a business agreement. Niranjan is chairman and managing director of Mumbai-based real estate company Hiranandani Group. Even the Reliance, Tata and Bajaj families have had feuds. For instance, when one of the brothers of the Bajaj family wanted to go his separate way in 2001, the resultant tiff in the family lasted till 2008. The reason for such tussles is simple: not putting in place a proper succession plan. Transfer of wealth to the next generation has been an uncomfortable journey for many. In most cases, it is also a problem of transfer of power. Succession planning gives a framework for transfer of assets for businesses and individuals. Most of the businesses in India are owned by family and the founder keeps running the business till the age of 70-75. By that time their children are in their mid-40s and there may be multiple families or siblings. Hence, leading to multiple claimants to the chair," says Mahesh Singhi, managing director, Singhi Advisors, a investment banking firm. Experts says that ultra-high-net-worth individuals (ultra HNIs) are now taking more interest in succession planning. We see a vast change from 2005 to 2017. As years have passed, we see a big difference in the clients we meet. They want to proactively do structuring and put wills in place. There have been situations of large families where disputes have happened and estates have got stuck for the want of appropriate probate. They have seen tax implications coming up. In view of these situations, the clients have become aware of these situations and want to create trust structure. Ultra HNIs and HNIs want to put in place a succession-planning vehicle or at least, have a will in place if not anything else," says Gautami Gavankar, executive director at Kotak Mahindra Trusteeship Services Ltd. For business families, succession planning is a complex process. For ultra HNIs, it is not just one immovable property and some financial assets. If it is a business family, there are business assets, shareholding of companies, among others," says Gavankar. More and more businesses are realizing the importance of succession planning during the lifetime of the patriarch and are doing it proactively. Awareness has increased and there has been discussion and deliberation on whether estate duty will be reintroduced in Indian context. All such news make clients look at these aspects proactively," says Gavankar. Estate duty is a tax on assets left behind by a person upon his death. In India, it was introduced in 1953 and abolished in 1985. Does that mean that families should discuss succession planning together? Wealth managers say they have come across situations where clients sit together with their next generation to look at the kind of structures they want to put in place. As the complexities have increased, it has led to the process of family business succession plan. Nowadays a lot of business familiesalready second or third generationare involved in business. Hence, companies are also looking at adopting family business succession. Here you sit with the children, their spouses and grandchildren," says Gavankar. To being with, succession planning starts with a will, which can be challenged in certain cases. Then there are trust vehicles that can be adopted by the family. Disclaimer: Reliance Group companies have sued HT Media Ltd, Mints publisher, and nine others in the Bombay high court over a 2 October 2014 front-page story that they have disputed. HT Media is contesting the case. Karan Virwani: Gearing up for the non-traditional workplace Unlike most other inheritors, Karan Virwani pushes the boundaries, be it a joint venture with an overseas start-up or investing in cryptocurrencyhe's a risk taker. He links the future demand in co-working spaces to the country's young workforce /news/talking-point/karan-virwani-gearing-up-for-the-non-traditional-workplace-111646979684910.html 111646979684910 story When nobody believed in the concept of shared office spaces and bitcoins, 25-year-old Karan Virwani, son of Bengaluru-based real estate developer Jitendra Virwani, who, according to Forbes Rich List 2016, has a net worth of $2.2 billion (around Rs14,080 crore), had a different take. In August, Japans SoftBank invested $4.4 billion in WeWork, a US-based shared-workspace company that is promoted by Virwani in India. In the same month, bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, crossed $4,000 for the first time to touch an all-time highVirwani is a bitcoin investor. You can call him the poster boy of the next generation who could connect an emerging business idea and an emergency currency to his investment portfolio. The older of the two siblings, Virwani clearly has a big appetite for risk. Though his father is the biggest real estate developer in Bengaluru, Virwani decided to form a new joint venture in India with WeWork. The US-based company caters to about 150,000 members in co-working spaces across 15 countries. Considering he is the heir to the real-estate company Embassy Group, which has developed 40 million sq. ft of commercial, residential, retail, hospitality and industrial warehouse spaces, he had often thought of starting a co-working space on his own. My father insisted that we should do it on our own, and that there is no need for WeWork. But I convinced him finally," says Virwani. Why did he opt for a joint venture with WeWork? It all started when I was in college. I was interested in investing in smaller businesses. I used to watch a couple of shows focused on entrepreneurship on TV. The idea really sprouted when I spent two years (2013-14) working in the family business, along with my father, in the Embassy Group. When I was training and shadowing him, and understanding the business, I started to see there was a real gap in providing quality space for smaller companies and smaller businesses in India," says Virwani. In India, usually smaller companies and start-ups are seen working out of small apartments and coffee shops. We were building and leasing out space to large companies with nice tech parks, food courts and buildings with all kinds of facilities. I wanted to do something for the smaller companies. During our research, we came across WeWork. And it took off from there." He says he chose the company because of its design, concept and business model. I was bullish that we have to do a partnership with WeWork even if it cost extra." In India, if you look at the demographic, we have about 800-900 million people below the age of 35. In the next 15-20 years, there is going to be this large influx of a young workforce and they wont want to work in a traditional environment.- Virwani believes that the shared office space concept will have massive demand in future. Initially, WeWork started off for creative and smaller companies. Now even large companies such as Microsoft, HSBC and IBM are considering shared office space," says Virwani. He links the future demand to the countrys demography. In India, if you look at the demographic, we have about 800-900 million people below the age of 35. In the next 15-20 years, there is going to be this large influx of a young workforce and they wont want to work in a traditional environment," says Virwani. I believe there will be a rise in gig economy and digital nomads." In India, WeWork plans to have 10,000 members across Mumbai and Bengaluru by December and open in six more locations by January. The company is looking to expand in Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune and later enter Ahmedabad, Indore and Bhopal. How does real estate work for WeWork? We are not tied to any developer or partnership. We dont have any exclusive partnership across the country. We rent space just like any other tenant. We are trying to do management deals, straight leases or rent-share deals, which we havent done in India yet." Virwani is currently focused on WeWork and runs it as a separate entity from Embassy Group. However, he keeps tabs on his family business too. I am in touch with what is happening in each vertical. I have help set up the hospitality vertical in Embassy that takes care of some of these luxury club houses, the F&B arm and managing food courts within tech parks. That part of the business I still look at. Apart from that, it is just general strategy about what is happening in commercial business. I am away from any serious hands-on involvement. My brother (Aditya) is in training and he is working with my dad, so they are managing that part of the business." Though WeWork takes up a large part of Virwanis day, he finds time to hit the gym early in the morning, play with his dog in the evening and watch TV. He also finds time to take care of his personal finance. Mostly, I take care of my personal finances. However, I havent been at the best of it because of lack of time and focus right now. We manage things from the family side. Luckily, I have generated enough to be able to play with. That is my personal thing which my family doesnt get involved with." Virwani is a risk-taker when it comes to investments. I invest in equity. I have started in a very small wayjust playing with it. I do invest in mutual funds, but it is really non-interesting to me. The banker is trying to show me 6% return, which is nothing. My brother and I have an interest in cryptocurrency. I bought a bitcoin when I was in the university when it was 60 (around Rs5,000). Now it is $3,000. Technology, in general, is very interesting to me. I am a geek that way. I am always watching it. I kind of know the price of bitcoin and ethereum. I keep checking it every two days. I hold a little bit (of cryptocurrency)." He also has an interest in start-ups. It excites me. I havent made investments in start-ups yet. I have my own start-upa food delivery start-up, Entree. But I havent invested in anything external yet." He collects artwork, a trait he gets from his mother, who is an art fanatic, he says. I do have a really nice paintingtwo of them. It is street art by (Los Angeles-based) Mr Brainwash." How does he pick art? One, I need to like it. My taste in art is young. It is not really traditional art. I look at more street artsy, very quirky and unique stuff. I like a lot of murals and street artists." You will see him driving an Audi on regular days, but on a holiday I would like to drive something nice (such as a Ferrari)." His holidays include a lot of food and adventure sports. The last adventure trip was a trek to the Himalayas. We also went to Prague recently for skydiving." He has already decided what he wants to do next. Cooking is something I want to learn. I want to do some kind of a professional course even if it is for a couple of weeks. I would also love to learn how to (be a) DJ. Those are the two things." Jitendra Virwani. Photo: Aniruddha Chowdhury/Mint Name: Karan Virwani Age: 25 Designation: Owner-promoter-director at WeWork (India) Education: Bachelors in business administration, University of Kent Source: Bloomberg What is your money mantra? I am not a conservative investor. I have invested in equity. I have started in a very small wayjust playing with it. I do invest in mutual funds but it is really non-interesting to me. My brother and I have an interest in cryptocurrency. Name: Jitendra Virwani Age: 51 Net worth: $2.2 billion Source of wealth: Real estate Education: Bachelor of arts/ science, Bangalore University Brief: Jitendra Virwanis Embassy Group is Bengalurus biggest developer of sprawling office parks with partners such as private equity firms Blackstone and Warburg Pincus. Embassy has a roster of multinational clients, such as Wells Fargo, Yahoo and Burberry, as well as home-grown e-retailer Flipkart. The developers forthcoming project in its home city is Embassy Springs, a 300-acre township near the airport. Next up is a REIT listing of Embassys office assets. Passionate about horses, Virwani owns a riding school. Source: Forbes Rich List Gen-next, building their own identity Gen-next's involvement in the family business can leverage their skills in unique ways and result in independent, entrepreneurial growth /news/talking-point/gennext-building-their-own-identity-111646979667537.html 111646979667537 story For the inheritors, getting into the family business may come with its own challenges but deciding to branch out on their own is also not an easy task. To begin with, you will be compared with your parents at every stage of the journey. And, you have pretty large shoes to fill. But this has not stopped the next generation from venturing into uncharted territories and building their own identity. Take, for instance, Kavin Bharti Mittal, 29, son of Sunil Bharti Mittal, who, along with his family, has a net worth of $8.4 billion (around Rs53,760 crore). He is more interested in building products for mobile internet rather than joining his fathers telecom business, Bharti Airtel Ltd. Bitten by the technology bug when while in his final year of college in the UK, Kavin, along with his classmate, founded AppSpark and later launched Movies Now (for booking movie tickets), and Foodster (a food recommendation app). In 2012, he launched messaging app Hike Messenger. Currently, there are no synergies between Hike and Bharti Airtel. Many families encourage their children to try new things. According to Anshu Kapoor, head, private wealth management, Edelweiss Global Wealth Management, many families, while inducting the next generation into the business, have a compulsory stint for Gen-Next outside the group business. These experiences provide the Gen-Next with an opportunity to learn and opens them up to other business models that exist outside the group. Also, once the next generation enters the business, many families encourage them to come up with their own business ideas, which can propel the growth of the group business. Such practices act as motivational triggers to the next generation: an opportunity to prove their mantle within the family," says Kapoor. The concept of working outside the business holds true for Mittal toohe interned at McLaren Racing, Google and Goldman Sachs while at college. Another example is Shruti Shibulal who moved back to India after working as a chartered accountant with Merrill Lynch in New York. Director of strategy and development at The Tamara. Daughter of Infosys co-founder S.D. Shibulal, she ventured into the hospitality business in 2012 with fine-dining restaurants Caperberry and Fava in Bengaluru. The Tamara, which runs 10 properties in south India and Germany, including those under construction, recently launched its affordable hotel chain Lilac. Tamara Coorg, its flagship property launched in 2012, has won several awards. According to Bernard Fung, managing director, head of wealth planning services, Asia Pacific, Private Banking, Credit Suisse, Generally, we observe that business families encourage their next generation to be involved in the family business not just to further a legacy, but also to develop their entrepreneurial spirit in taking the family business to new areas, which could be in lateral markets where their existing strengths can be leveraged in new ways, or to other verticals. Most of the time, the founder patriarch or matriarch who has built a business from almost nothing and who continues to see growth opportunities in his greying years usually has every incentive to encourage the next generation to continue the familys business legacy," says Fung. However, sometimes, family businesses can evolve and take a different direction. In our experience, it also depends on what one means by the family business. In the context of one or even two generations, a family business evolves and can become something quite different from what the founders started with. An example might be a family that began as a plantation business in the first generation may morph into a property development business as the second generation seeks to capitalize on the scarcity of housing and urbanization trends. Another example might be that of a family business that began as an original equipment manufacturer for a foreign multinational, morphing into a branded consumer goods company," says Fung. Other than entering new businesses, there are companies that are looking to buy out stressed assets and making investments in technology firms. Technology is one area where the next generation is very open to exploringthese initiatives may include financial investments in tech companies or strategic investments with a view to drive the business. Also, in some of the new families that we have interacted with, they are increasingly looking at buying out stressed assets/businesses (at discounted valuation) from banks or asset reconstruction companies," says Kapoor. According to a Credit Suisse Research Institute 2015 report, The Family Business Model", which analysed more than 900 family-owned publicly listed companies of at least $1 billion globally, compared to non-family-owned businesses, family business growth is largely organic rather than acquisition-led. However, where they do grow via acquisitions, family-businesses make better and cheaper acquisitions as they drive better growth and returns in the three-year period post-acquisition. (Xinhua) 19:25, September 15, 2017 BANJUL, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Gambian President Adama Barrow has laid the foundation stone on Thursday to mark the official commencement of the construction of the Chinese funded International Conference Center at a tune of 50 million US dollars. Barrow said the bond of friendship and cooperation between The Gambia and China is growing stronger within the framework of South-South Cooperation, and that the strategic partnership between the two countries is based on mutual respect and common interest. "The construction of the Center comes at the right time, to showcase the new Gambia, as a viable and peaceful destination, and as a place of democracy, good governance, rule of law, and freedom of speech," he said. The Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia Zhang Jiming said The Gambia International Conference Center is the very first major bilateral cooperation project between China and The Gambia since the resumption of the diplomatic ties. He said it is so far the biggest grant project in terms of finance scale in the history of the bilateral relations. "The project demonstrates China's resolve to closely combine its own development with assisting the development of The Gambia and Africa as a whole so as to realize win-win cooperation for common development," he said. Bai Lamin Jobe, The Gambia's Infrastructure Minister said the building will have a conference hall which will have a capacity of 1,021 persons. According to him, it will have four thematic rooms each with a 200-person capacity, and it will also have fourteen bilateral meeting rooms, four press rooms, banquet halls and offices. He said the contractor is China Jiangsu Provincial Construction Company Ltd and it will last for two years. The two countries established formal diplomatic links in 1974, but China suspended relations in 1995 when Gambia resumed so-called "diplomatic" ties with Taiwan. Gambia severed ties with Taiwan in 2013. China and Gambia resumed diplomatic ties in March 2016. ADS ADS Horloger de la Marine, watchmaker to the French Navy. Among the many honors bestowed upon Breguets founder, Abraham-Louis Breguet during his lifetime, the title of Horloger de la Marine, arguably, is the most prestigious. This is not to diminish in the slightest the distinction of his election to the Academy of Sciences, the most celebrated scientific society in France. How- ever, when he was nominated by King Louis XVIII as Horloger de la Marine, there could be but a single watchmaker elevated to and occupying that position, whereas the Academy of Sciences admitted numerous academicians. To appreciate the importance of the title, keep in mind the pivotal role that timekeeping played in marine navigation. During this period, the principal method for sea going vessels to determine their longitudinal position required an accurate chronometer. Precision in timekeeping was vital. An error of but one second with a sextant sighting, would equal 15 seconds of longitudinal error, or approximately .25 miles at the equator. With the wealth and security of the nation linked to sea power, the contribution of the Horloger de la Marine in the supply of robust and accurate ships clocks was considerable. So important, in fact, that the title was conferred by the King himself. In its recommendation to Louis XVIII for Breguet to replace the previous Horloger de la Marine, Louis Berthoud, the Navy observed M. Breguet, who presents himself to succeed M. Berthoud, is the only watchmaker recognized by public opinion. Naturally, this fame reflected in the Navys report was boosted still further with the Kings decision in 1815 to appoint him. No one can doubt the enhancement of his renown flowing from the Royal appointment, but there was an important obligation which accompanied it. As the Horloger de la Marine, Breguet was required to supply the states orders for his marine chronometers in preference to his other orders and activities. Abraham-Louis Breguet took his position seriously not only in the design and construction of his chronometers, but, as well, in offering instructions in their use. For example, in 1817 he published a 23 page pamphlet entitled Instructions sur lusage des Montres marine (Instructions for the usage of marine clocks). This manual not only set out detailed instructions on how to use a chronometer for navigation but, in addition, guidance on how to verify that the timepiece was running as it should. Many marine chronometers were produced by Breguet and, thereafter, by his son. To meet the stringent demands for precision, these clocks abounded with technical innovations. A good example is No. 3196 sold to the French Navy in 1822. Housed in a wooden box, traditional for marine chronometers, and equipped with a suspension system for the clock, this timepiece featured two barrels and a detente escapement. This history lies behind and furnishes the inspiration for Breguets modern Marine Collection, which was first introduced in 1990. Of course today, Breguet offers wristwatches rather than wooden boxed ships clocks. But the core notions of robustness and purposeful design endure. All of the models feature reinforced cases, and, except for the chronographs, crown protectors. As is suggested by the word marine, many models in the collection boast enhanced water resistance, 10 bar or 100 meters. One departure from the past, however, is the diversity of complications found in the collection. The first Marine wristwatch collection, which debuted in 1990, was modest in its expanse featuring but two automatic winding watches of different diameters, both with large seconds hands and a date indication. A few years later complications arrived with the introduction of a self-winding three register chronograph and with the debut of the world time Hora Mundi. A significant aesthetic change occurred in 2005 with the introduction of the style found in the current collection. The Marine collection became far sportier with a purposeful design for the case and a bolder interpretation of the crown protectors. Debuting the new style was the automatic winding, large seconds, grand date, reference 5817. This timepiece brought with it three significant introductions: the first large date display offered by Breguet; a rubber strap, likewise a first for the house; and the option of a steel case, which had not been previously offered in the Marine line. The dial, as well, set itself apart from Breguets other timepieces as its chapter ring featured applied numerals. In the current collection there are nine different variations of the 5817 which are offered. The trend which began with the original Marine wristwatches of bringing complications to the collection has not only been continued but greatly expanded. Included in todays line up are chronographs for both men and women (references 5827 and 5823 for men, and 8827 and 8828 for women); a two time zone GMT complication (reference 5857), and an alarm watch (reference 5847). Each of these models is available in a wide variety of case materials and dial colors. The most complicated piece in the collection is the Marine Tourbillon Chronograph (reference 5837) which, as the name suggests, boasts a tourbillon and a column wheel controlled horizontal clutch chronograph. The chronograph portion of the movement is based upon Breguets legendary 2320/533.1 movement. The tourbillon position is unusual for Breguet as it is located at 12 oclock. Except for the Tradition Tourbillon and the rotating Double Tourbillon, Breguet places its other tourbillons at 6 oclock. Most importantly, the Marine Tourbillon Chronograph is the only timepiece in all of Breguets collections to offer this combination of complications. Breguets Marine Collection bridges two centuries. Its name resonates with history, while its style and complications connect with today. Enrichened by its now broad range of complications, this refined collection with its spirit of sport is expanded still further with its available choices of case materials, straps, bracelets, dials, and precious stone settings. ADS ADS This year, Chopard is enriching its range with a form chronometer in 18-carat rose gold featuring pronounced curves conceived in the same manner as an exceptional wine and relying on the finest watchmaking skills cultivated by Chopard. Ultra-slim, beautifully rounded and supremely elegant, the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru is the only tonneau shape watch wound by an automatic movement. Its a nod to the pocket watches created by Louis-Ulysse Chopard. Just as a Grand Cru wine is classified and certified, its excellent craftsmanship is attested by the Poincon de Geneve quality hallmark. Unique in many respects, the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru is intended for distinguished men who collect both great wines and exceptional pieces: the ultimate modern epicurean. Form follows function (Louis Sullivan) Elegance implies the peak of refinement, an ideal match between form and function. This demanding approach picked up in the design of the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru makes this watch a perfect fit on the wrist. It was conceptualised by Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele in the same way as a great vintage showcasing the finest expertise Chopard has to offer. In lign with the first L.U.C Tonneau watch released in 2001, its the only tonneau shape watch to be equipped tih an automatic movement with micro-rotor winding. The understated elegance of its dial, its nicely balanced proportions, the finishing of its case and movement, make it a must-have for the modern epicurean gentleman. The L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru by Chopard Chopard An elegant legacy Four years after the launch of the L.U.C 1963, Chopard presents a fresh interpretation following this signature line. The L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru pays tribute to the historical pocket watches that forged the renown of the Maison founded by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in 1860. It is thus endowed with authentic emotionally charged elements. It picks up the pure white porcelain type dial bearing black Roman numerals. Its minute track follows the central part of the dial and the small seconds at 6 oclock compose an ensemble distinguished by a sense of nuance and equilibrium. This noble lineage makes the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru an authentic vintage Haute Horlogerie creation that has been treated with all due respect by Chopard Manufacture. Poincon de Geneve certified, this chronometer is a symbol of respect for the fine craftsmanship and the fundamentals of traditional watchmaking as exercised by the Geneva-based Maison. It is in this spirit that Chopard has designed this watch with its highly distinctive shape reminiscent of the oak barrels from the forests of Bertrange, Jupille and Troncais, which transform great vintages into exceptional wines. The L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru with the Poincon de Geneve Chopard The result of watchmaking mastery The tonneau is a traditional shape of watch case that requires particular mastery. Part rectangle, part circle, the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru is less strict than the former and every bit as gentle as the latter. The maximum width of the case is almost equivalent to its height, thus ensuring a generously ample dial. The remarkable care lavished on the design ensures that the L.U.C Heritage Grand Gru exudes authentic masculine sensuality. The case and crystal of the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru are domed, while the case is ultra-thin with a maximum thickness of 7.75 mm close to that of the L.U.C XPS models. Its curves procure authentic comfort on the wrist. The 97.01-L calibre: a worldwide exclusivity This slenderness begins inside the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru, which houses the 3.3 mm thick calibre 97.01-L. It is one of the rare form movements to be housed in a form case. It is adorned with the most advanced finishing performed in the Manufacture: the bevelling, polishing, circular graining and Cotes de Geneve meet the high demands of the Poincon de Geneve criteria. Automatic winding is accomplished by an engraved 22-carat gold micro-rotor, driving two stacked barrels based on Chopards patented Twin technology. Together, they guarantee 65 hours of running time and supply sufficiently constant energy to enable calibre 97.01-L to beat with chronometer-worthy precision. In accordance with the choice of Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) has certified the operation of all the 97.01-L calibres equipping the L.U.C Heritage Grand Cru. Elegance is also a commitment to technical and aesthetic quality: an intrinsic quality of the watches in the L.U.C collection. A man was arrested shortly after undercover deputies from Marin County learned of his drug operation while chatting in a hotel hot tub, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The aforementioned events were described in a search warrant affidavit obtained by the newspaper last week. According to the affidavit, the initial encounter played out as follows: A women and two men were relaxing in a hot tub at a Courtyard by Marriott in San Diego. They struck up a conversation with a fellow hotel guest, Andrew James Harris. When Harris asked the reason for their stay, one jokingly replied their crack lab had blown up. But Harris apparently didn't get the jest; he admitted that he, too, was in the drug business. US companies are keen to increase investments in Egypt, Investment and International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr said. According to a ministry statement released on Thursday, Nasr met several representatives from US companies, including conglomerate General Electric, Johnson, food provider Cargill, pharmaceutical company Merck & Co, oil and gas giant ExxonMobil, and food manufacturing company Kelloggs. Nasr also met with representatives from JPMorgan Chase and MasterCard. According to the statement, the representatives "showed a wish to increase investments to Egypt in the coming period." "Cargills regional director in Egypt, Melvin Minke, said that his companys investments in Egypt have reached $200 million, with the company planning to add an extra $150 million in investments in the future," the statement added. Others have praised the investment atmosphere in the country. Merck & Cos Noha Selim has praised investment opportunities, expressing her hope for boosting cooperation between Cairo and the company in the pharmaceutical sector, according to the ministry statement. Egypts net foreign direct investment (FDI) rose by 14.5 percent to $7.9 billion in the 2016-2017 fiscal year that ended on 30 June, the central bank said on Tuesday. There was a $2.3 billion rise in net inflows for oil sector investments to $4 billion, the bank said in a statement. Search Keywords: Short link: Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro delivered his speech at the UC Berkeley campus under extraordinary security that required attendees to pass through metal detectors and police barricades that held back hundreds of protesters. The event at Zellerbach Hall appeared to do what UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ has said she hoped for when she declared a free speech year on campus: provide an open exchange of ideas. Shapiros speech included a question-and-answer session in which audience members respectfully challenged his opinions. Security cost the university an estimated $600,000. Police from all nine Bay Area counties were brought in to keep order on and off campus and to secure Zellerbach and the surrounding area, which was off-limits to anyone without a ticket to the event. The large contingent of law enforcement was a deterrent, said Margo Bennett of the UC Berkeley police. For the most part it was an orderly event, attended by respectful, orderly people, she said. The crowd in the street was loud, but not violent. The evening stood in stark contrast to the Feb. 1 fiery chaos that shut down an appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and resulted in $100,000 worth of damage to the schools student union and smashed windows at downtown businesses. At that event, black-clad protesters infiltrated police barriers. None of those so-called antifa protesters showed up for Shapiro. Still, UC Berkeley officials said they went to unprecedented lengths and used extraordinary measures to prevent a similar result. There was a general sense of relief that it was peaceful, said UC spokesman Dan Mogulof, . Even after the event ended, hundreds of protesters remained on the streets chanting for fascists to go home. Shapiro took the stage at Zellerbach with several hundred in the audience. While there were 1,000 tickets issued to the free event, not all the seats were filled in areas of the venue that organizers had described as being sold out. Shapiro lamented that the university cut off the number of people allowed in and blocked off the balcony over concerns by police that agitators would throw things from above. The audience included people who said they agreed with Shapiro and some who challenged his views on abortion, sexism and other hot-button issues. In a free country, if you fail, it is probably your own fault, he said to chuckles and a smattering of applause. Alla Kushnir, 30, traveled from Sacramento with five friends to hear Shapiro. I thought it was great, she said. I love this guy. Michael Vancea, 18, and a student at Ohlone College in Fremont also thought the event was entertaining. There were people of all backgrounds, with people disagreeing, he said. I really liked that. Shapiros speaking engagement, sponsored by the Young Americas Foundation, was seen as a test case for UC and Berkeley police, given the possibility of even more controversial speakers appearing on campus in two weeks, including Yiannopoulos, conservative author Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, President Trumps former adviser. While no official appearances are scheduled, Bennett said the university will nonetheless prepare for the possibility. Now well look for lessons learned and gather to plan, she said. This is where our work on that begins. Shapiro noted how times had changed and that only 18 months ago he had spoken at UC Berkeley and that there had been only two security guards. He noted the significant security and thanked Berkeley, saying the city did something amazing. Berkeley has actually achieved building a wall before Donald Trump did, he said. Shapiros speech focused on criticism of the antifa, or so-called antifascist movement, saying, America is watching because you guys are so stupid, he said. You can all go to hell you pathetic, lying, stupid, jackasses. Hundreds of protesters participating in a Refuse Fascism rally, were kept off campus just outside the south gate, where there were at least nine arrests, including Hannah Benjamin, 20, of Fremont, was arrested for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon, and Sarah Roark, 44, of San Francisco, as well as Michael Paul Sullivan, 29, of Hayward, were also arrested for carrying a banned weapon, police said. At times the rally erupted in a few shouting matches, but no major violence. Xochitl Johnson, 42, of Oakland, one of the Refuse Fascism organizers, said Shapiro and other speakers make students rethink their beliefs and tamp down their activism. People come out of his speeches and they think he made sense, Johnson said. Theyre wrapping themselves in the veil of free speech to bludgeon these young people on these campuses with white supremacy, xenophobia, racism and hatred. Shapiro, 33, graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007, and from UCLA in 2004. Hes the author of about a dozen books, most condemning the political left and accusing universities of indoctrinating youth. He opposes President Trump and aligns more with libertarian views. He edits the Daily Wire, a conservative blog, and hosts the online Ben Shapiro Show, where hes called women who have abortions baby killers and said that a man and a woman do a better job of raising a child than two men or two women. Ray Sullivan, a freshman, had looked forward to the appearance and was among those who got a ticket. I personally agree with a lot of what Ben Shapiro has to say, he said. I was very concerned about personal safety..., but once I got here I felt a lot more comfortable after I saw the police. Kimberly Veklerov, Lizzie Johnson, Nanette Asimov and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, nasimov@sfchronicle, jtucker@sfchronicle.com. Families of victims in the lethal Ghost Ship fire can sue Pacific Gas and Electric Co. for allegedly failing to monitor or shut down dangerous electric facilities in the Oakland warehouse, a Superior Court judge has ruled. Thirty-six people died from smoke inhalation after being trapped in a blaze that erupted in December during an electronic music concert in a section of the Fruitvale District building that had been illegally converted into an artist collective. PG&E supplied electricity to the warehouse but said it couldnt be held responsible for any power that had been redirected from a neighboring auto body shop, a registered tenant of the building, to the Ghost Ship. But Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman refused to dismiss PG&E from the victims lawsuit Tuesday and said the utility could be liable if the plaintiffs can prove that company inspectors ignored signs of danger in electric supplies to the Ghost Ship. The suit alleges that PG&E knew or should have known when its employees examined smart meters and sub-meters for the entire warehouse that electrical supply and distribution systems were dangerous, Seligman said. He said the victims families can try to prove, as they have claimed, that PG&E knew or should have known about a life-threatening condition on the property and had shown a conscious disregard for the safety of the occupants. Frank Pitre, a lawyer for the families, said Thursday the ruling means PG&E can be held responsible for electrical hazards that contributed to the fire even if, as the utility contends, it did not supply transformers or any other electrical equipment to the Ghost Ship portion of the warehouse. When PG&E inspectors went to the building and looked at the meters, Pitre said, if they knew or should have known of electrical hazards, they had a duty to report them and to stop service until those electrical hazards were eliminated. In a statement, PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said, Weve seen no evidence to believe that our facilities were the cause of the fire. Weve reviewed our records and over the last 10-plus years we have no reports of electric theft from this location or the adjacent premises. Were fully cooperating with authorities as they investigate this tragic event. Victims families and survivors of the fire added PG&E in June to a damage suit against the building owner, manager and others connected to the property. They have also filed legal claims, precursors to a possible lawsuit, against Oakland, Alameda County and the state of California. Prosecutors have filed involuntary-manslaughter charges against Derick Almena, the Ghost Ships founder and master tenant, and Max Harris, an assistant alleged to have planned the concert. Federal investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, which started in a kitchen area in the first floor of the warehouse. A tangle of electrical cords had brought power into the Ghost Ship through assorted holes and channels in the building. The lawsuit alleged that Almena told Kai Ng, one of the buildings owners, in February 2015 that the electric supply system to the Ghost Ship was in dire need of a total and immediate upgrade. In October 2016, the suit said, Harris told Ng that the system was terminal and was getting worse. At the same time, the suit said, PG&E was in a position to learn that the power delivery system was dangerous, defective, out-of-code compliance, and an imminent threat to the health, safety and lives of everyone in the building but had failed to do anything about it. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko Laura Murillo, president and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, has called on Gov. Greg Abbott to tap into the state's Rainy Day Fund for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. "Gov. Abbott, we need that Rainy Day Fund in Houston," Murillo said. "We need FEMA. We need it now." Abbott has not committed to tapping the nearly $10 billion fund. He has said there is no need for a special session to spend the emergency money, but legislative leaders caution against tapping the fund without one. Harvey recovery and the economic consequences of ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program dominated the conversation at the chamber's second annual Hispanic Impact Summit. The Thursday night event offered updated findings on the consumer and entrepreneurial strength of the local Hispanic community - a demographic researchers call vital to Houston's rebuilding. Murillo, joined on stage at the Asia Society Texas Center by Mayor Sylvester Turner, kicked off the evening talking about recovery costs. Turner pitched his proposed one-time 8.9 percent property tax hike to the room full of executives and entrepreneurs as a means to cover expenses, including the estimated $230 million in debris removal costs. "I am going to expend what I need to expend to get this debris out," Turner said. He invited attendees to partake in a series of public hearings on the tax proposal scheduled for later this month. Keynote speaker and executive director of the Center for Opportunity Urbanism Joel Kotkin noted that as Harris County and Houston's Hispanic population continues to grow, it will play a vital role in getting the region back on its feet. "The people who are going to rebuild Houston will largely be Hispanic," Kotkin said. In his statistical presentation, Cesar Espinoza, vice president of research for Telemundo, said Hispanics make up 36 percent of the Houston population and 42 percent of the total Harris County population. As more Hispanics in Harris County age 25 and older report having at least a bachelor's degree (a growth of 88 percent between 2005 and 2015), so too has the local number of Hispanic small business owners grown (an 85 percent increase since 2013), Espinoza said. Hispanic consumer spending in Houston is more than $50 billion annually and is projected to exceed $77 billion in 2022. Hispanics account for 24 percent of all auto sales in Houston this far this year, as well as 24 percent of the local mortgage and rental market. Citing research from the Migration Policy Institute and the Center for American Progress, the Hispanic Chamber put together its own white paper on the economic impact of losing DACA, including noting DACA recipients' purchasing power. The DACA program, launched by executive order by former President Barack Obama, grants qualifying individuals who were brought to the U.S. at a young age a reprieve from detention and deportation, a two-year renewable work permit and the ability to apply for a driver's license. Nationally, 800,000 young adults are estimated to be living and working under the program. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced the program would be rescinded in the coming months, leaving it up to Congress to legislate a permanent version. According to the Hispanic Chamber's report, 65 percent of surveyed DACA recipients reported purchasing their first car when under the program, with an average cost paid of $16,469. Sixteen percent of respondents said that after receiving DACA they purchased their first home. The study identified DACA recipients as one of the fast-growing groups in home ownership. The study also found that 72 percent of the top 25 Fortune 500 companies employ DACA recipients including Apple, General Motors, Amazon and Wells Fargo to name a few. Murillo called on attendees to urge contact their legislators to save DACA and stressed the importance of voting in the 2018 national midterm election. "If you don't believe voting makes a difference, look at the political climate we're in," she said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Lidl, a German discount supermarket chain known as a disruptor in the U.S. grocery industry, has more than doubled its land holdings in San Antonio this month, property records show. The German grocer bought 5.3 acres near the intersection of Alamo Ranch and Lone Star parkways on the city's far West Side from a limited partnership called Abiso Alamo Ranch on Sept. 7, according to Bexar County deed records. The land is within spitting distance of an H-E-B store slated to open in November at the intersection of Alamo and Alamo Ranch parkways. Lidl spokesman William Harwood did not immediately return an email requesting comment. The food retailer purchased 4.2 acres at the intersection of Seguin Road and Wood Glen Drive on the citys East Side in August. A separate document filed with the county shows a site plan for a proposed 36,982-square-foot grocery store on that land. Lidl, known for bare-bones stores and low prices on generic items, and its German counterpart Aldi have launched aggressive expansion plans into the $669 billion U.S. grocery market. Lidl with U.S. operations based in Arlington, Virginia opened its first round of U.S. stores this summer comprising of 20 locations along the East Coast. The grocer plans to have 100 stores in operation by summer 2018. In Texas, Lidl is spending at least $83 million to build 14 stores in the Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas, according to estimated construction costs filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Aldi announced plans in June to boost its 1,600-store portfolio in the U.S. to 2,500 with $3.4 billion capital investment. The company has 103 stores in Texas but none in the San Antonio area, according to its website. jfechter@express-news.net A man convicted of kidnapping and killing South Bay teenager Sierra LaMar could receive a new trial if defense attorneys are granted a motion arguing that the judge who presided over the trial should have recused herself because she previously represented the lead investigator for the prosecution. Defense attorneys for 26-year-old Antolin Garcia-Torres filed a motion for disqualification during a sentencing hearing Thursday in Santa Clara County Superior Court. The move brought the sentencing hearing to an abrupt halt until the motion is resolved. A jury convicted Garcia-Torres in the high-profile capital murder case, but voted in June to give him life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty. The defense motion seeks to get Garcia-Torres conviction tossed, arguing that Judge Vanessa Zecher should have never presided over the trial. Before becoming a judge, Zecher represented the lead investigator, Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Herman Leon, in a wrongful death lawsuit involving a mentally ill inmate in 1990 while she was a deputy county counsel in Santa Clara County, according to Garcia-Torres attorneys and court officials. While researching allegations of misconduct in previous investigations involving Leon, defense attorneys learned Wednesday, the day before the sentencing hearing, that Zecher had represented Leon in the civil case. In the wrongful death case, the family of inmate Jeffrey Leonti charged that he died in 1989 while in custody at the Santa Clara County Main Jail when guards used stun guns to subdue him. The lawsuit named Leon as one of the guards involved in Leontis death. The county ended up paying Leontis family $650,000 to settle the case, attorneys said. Defense attorneys argued Zechers involvement was substantial, stating within the course of her representation of Sergeant Leon as his attorney she was required to develop a duty of loyalty to him and his interest, including protecting him from allegations in the killing of Jeffrey Leonti ... had such a disclosure been made, defense counsel would have insisted on Judge Zecher disqualifying herself from the case. Leon, who later became a Santa Clara County Sheriffs Office sergeant, had been involved in the LaMar case since she disappeared near her Morgan Hill home on March 16, 2012, while walking to catch a bus to school. In May 2012, after Garcia-Torres had been charged in the case, court records show Leon outlined why the suspect was arrested on suspicion of LaMars murder despite no body being recovered. Sierra LaMar has no independent means of support, he wrote in a statement on the grounds for Garcia-Torres arrest. All of her known personal belongings, including her asthma inhaler, her money, her house keys and the clothing she was wearing the morning of her disappearance, have been located. The strongest piece of evidence uncovered in the investigation and highlighted by prosecutors throughout the trial was Sierras hair found on a rope in Garcia-Torres car. But the defense sought to cast doubt on the evidence when shortly after Garcia-Torres conviction, a Santa Clara County court found Leon falsely testified in another murder trial. The defense began probing into past misconduct by Leon, which led them to discover that Zecher represented him decades ago. Defense attorneys now say Leons earlier misconduct is grounds for making the argument that he tampered with evidence in the LaMar case and possibly planted the hair evidence. But before a motion is heard on Leons integrity as a witness, a judge must decide whether Zecher should be disqualified from the case. Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Patricia Lucas, the presiding Santa Clara County Superior Court judge, is expected to send the disqualification motion to the Judicial Council of California. The organization will probably assign a retired judge to hear arguments to reach a decision. The Santa Clara County district attorneys office declined to comment on the motion. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno Why Poetry By Matthew Zapruder Ecco. 256 pp. $24.99 --- English teachers and students know they will have to deal, at some point, with the dreaded P-word: poetry. Too often those classroom discussions begin with two pained questions: "Why do we have to read it?" "Why doesn't this stuff make sense?" In his new book, "Why Poetry," Matthew Zapruder makes the bold assertion that understanding poetry requires "forgetting many incorrect things we have learned in school" and accepting "what is right before us on the page." Any reader can do that, he says, because "we are all experts in words; we have been for a long time. And any word we don't know we can look up." Those claims may surprise students - and teachers - who have long assumed that each poem harbors one correct meaning that poets try to hide from hapless readers. Zapruder, an award-winning poet and a professor in the MFA program at St. Mary's College of California, understands their suspicion. He, too, disliked poetry as a high school senior who was forced to take "the dreaded poetry unit." Yet when he stumbled upon "Musee des Beaux Arts" by W.H. Auden, he realized that the more he read the opening lines, the more they resonated for him. He also admired how those lines said what they said. His reaction eventually led to the insight that he "could be in direct contact with poetry, without any kind of intermediary." Zapruder, who didn't consider himself a poet until he was well into his 20s, soon tackles another question people frequently ask: "What is the purpose of poetry, and what should we be looking for?" He agrees with the early-20th-century French poet Paul Valery, who famously said, "A poem is really a kind of machine for producing the poetic state of mind by means of words." A poem is a machine? Yes, says Zapruder: "The poem makes poetry happen in the mind of the reader or listener. It happens first to the poet, and in the course of writing, the poet eventually makes something, a little machine, one that for the reader produces discoveries, connections, glimmers of expression." As the book continues, Zapruder, a former poetry editor for the New York Times Magazine, reveals more and more about how that machine functions, moving "through contradictions, connecting previously unlike elements so we understand in new ways." He also leads readers through many famous and challenging poems, including T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land," Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" and John Ashbery's "The One Thing That Can Save America." And he provides a wealth of revelatory yet practical statements on subjects as diverse as metaphor and symbolism, negative capability, and associative movement. The result is a consistently surprising work that shows novices how they can navigate poetry while providing a wonderful re-education for anyone who was taught to dissect a poem as if it were a dead frog. Even serious writers will find fresh inspiration here as Zapruder, an astute teacher and writer, reminds us to seek "words that shine forth, are activated, light up, almost as if plugged in." --- Lund reviews poetry each month for The Washington Post. KTRK-TV's Kaitlin McCulley has wrapped up her Hurricane Harvey coverage and, coincidentally, her time with ABC 13, MikeMcGuff.com reports. McCulley told the TV blogger she's headed to Boston's WHDH-TV. It's not clear what exactly the next reporter's specific job will entail. Egypt has condemned an attempted terrorist attack on a London subway train that injured at least 22 people on Friday morning. An improvised explosive device detonated on a train this morning, Scotland Yard have said, and 22 people are being treated in hospital with injuries from the incident, which police said was a terrorist incident. None of the injured are suspected to have sustained serious injuries, according to the ambulance service. In an official statement, Egypts foreign ministry stressed "Egypts full solidarity with the government and people of Britain in combating terrorism and its wishes for a speedy recovery of those injured. "Such an incident reiterates the necessity of bringing together international efforts to eliminate terrorism," the statement added. Egypt cited the importance of dealing with terrorism with a comprehensive vision, to ensure that terrorist organisations are besieged in terms of intellectual, monetary, and organisational aspects. Search Keywords: Short link: U.S. Border Patrol said they have arrested a convicted murderer and a child molester as they tried to enter the country illegally. Agents said they arrested Miguel Angel Flores-Jimenez and Miguel Castro-Santiago, both from Mexico, as they tried crossing the Rio Grande on Thursday, authorities said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Mexican national received a 20-year prison sentence after pleading guilty Thursday to beating his 1-year-old stepdaughter to death in a north Laredo home. A grand jury indicted Jose Aguilar in 2014 on a first-degree felony murder charge in connection with the death of Mirene Moreno. Aguilar, 28, pleaded guilty in the 49th District Court to a lesser offense of manslaughter, a second-degree felony, after reaching a plea agreement with the District Attorney's Office. A second case, in which Aguilar was indicted for injury to a child causing serious bodily injury, a third-degree felony, was dismissed as part of the agreement. His plea comes less than a month after the Fourth Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling that granted the suppression of a videotape that contained incriminating statements Aguilar made to a Child Protective Services investigator during an interview at police headquarters. Assistant District Attorney Joaquin Rodriguez said the prosecution evaluated the facts, looked at the strengths and weaknesses of the case and determined the 20-year sentence to be in the interest of justice. READ MORE: Border Patrol: Murderer, child molester arrested as they tried crossing Rio Grande into Laredo Aguilar was arrested Jan. 22, 2014 after LPD said it found signs of physical abuse on Moreno. Police and paramedics responded to the 100 block of Grove Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. Jan 22, 2014 for a report of an ill child. The child was found on a mattress in a room located in the rear of the home. Moreno was found severely beaten, authorities said. Moments after Moreno was discovered dead by authorities in the home, police issued a lookout for a gray Volkswagen Beetle driven by Aguilar. He was later apprehended by police. Police said Aguilar was not at the home when the child was found lifeless. Ramona Lydia Moreno, the baby's biological mother, was charged with injury to a child by omission because she let the abuse happen, police said. Court records show Moreno was indicted April 11, 2014. Her case remains active, with a status hearing set for Nov. 11 in the 49th District Court. Motion to suppress Aguilar's case was scheduled for trial late last year but was postponed after the District Attorney's Office filed an appeal of 49th District Court Judge Jose A. Lopez's ruling that granted the defense's motion to suppress. The issue of whether the CPS investigator interviewing Aguilar was working alone or in conjunction with law enforcement was a main argument among the prosecution and defense. Assistant Public Defender Fred Trevino argued Aguilar was not read his Miranda rights by CPS Special Investigator Joe Gonzalez, who was working in tandem with LPD, before the investigator elicited incriminating statements from Aguilar. RELATED: Man detained after barricading self in south Laredo home following fatal shooting, police say The appellate court sided with Lopez's ruling, finding that although Gonzalez identified himself as a special investigator for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a reasonable person would have perceived Gonzalez as an agent of law enforcement. When looking at the case, the court determined Gonzalez's "unfettered access" to LPD's investigative unit is different from the access of investigators in cases which the courts found the CPS investigator was not acting as law enforcement. "Aguilar was held in custody for approximately 12 hours prior to the interview with (Special Investigator) Gonzalez, he was interviewed for hours by the LPD detectives, SI Gonzalez showed him a badge, and the interview took place in the same room where the LPD detectives interviewed him," the opinion states. The issue of whether LPD and CPS conduct parallel investigations or work in tandem has been raised more than once in the past year, with defense attorneys arguing the need for CPS investigators to read their clients their Miranda rights before proceeding with an interview. The Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas has previously held that "only when a CPS investigator, or other non-law enforcement state agent, is acting in tandem with police to investigate and gather evidence for a criminal prosecution are such warnings required." When granting the trial's postponement, Lopez said the appellate court's decision will help many cases, not only in Webb County but in surrounding areas as well. A member of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide was deported Thursday, according to federal authorities. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations said that Romario Antonio Barahona-Garmendia, 19, was briefly detained in Laredo. Then, he boarded a charter flight to El Salvador that was coordinated by ICE's Air Operations unit. He was turned over to officials from El Salvador's Civilian National Police. More Information TRANSCRIPT OF SPEECH BY FORMER FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH (After recognizing elected officials in attendance, including State Senator Robert Nichols and State Rep. Ernest Bailes) Thanks to everyone gathered here. Thank you for your warm welcome. Thank you for joining us today. Over the last 18 days, we've witnessed a force of nature like nothing we've experienced before in our lifetimes. Hurricane Harvey delivered over 50 inches of rain, inundating parts of 11 counties, resulting in the loss of over 60 lives. Some of you may have friends and family who lost everything, and some of you may have lost your own homes. Yet in the midst of the devastation, and this is what makes me so proud of our state, people came together from every walk of life to help their neighbors in need. The spirit of Texas is alive and well, and our communities will rebuild and become stronger than ever. A fine example of a community working together is right here at Lake Livingston. Seventy percent of the water in this reservoir is owned by the City of Houston. Your restoration efforts help restore water quality to the lake and they provide health benefits to the people of the Greater Houston Area. Conservation upstream is valuable for downstream users, especially now in their time of need. So I thank you for your tireless efforts to restore the lake, to serve the people of your community and to conserve our natural resources. You're ensuring the resilience and longterm health of our lands, and for that I am grateful. I thought before we got started you might want a report on some of my family members. We just spent a few weeks in Maine with my mother[-in-law] and father-in-law, President George H.W. Bush and Barbara, and they are doing very well. They are in Maine until October when they will return to Houston. Reports confirm that their office did flood but their home did not, and we are very grateful for that. You may have heard that they were both in the hospital earlier this year. Then just a few days later, we saw them all flip the coin at the Super Bowl in Houston. President Bush, at age 93, and Barbara, at 92, are both happy and in good spirits. George and I believe they are showing us the way to age with grace. In May, my mother-in-law Barbara walked her dogs on the beach every day. There are two times of the day -- early morning and late afternoon -- when you can bring your dog to the Kennebunkport Beach. Then, summer before last, she would walk on the beach with her walker and now she can't walk on the beach. So she wildly drives her golf cart with her little dogs running behind her. From both of them, George and I have learned that all we have is now. So take advantage of your life as it is and walk on the beach every chance you get. My George has been working on his golf game and is painting. Did you know that he has become an artist in retirement? He's painted portraits of 98 wounded warriors that he met through the Bush Institute's Warrior Open Golf Tournament and the W100 Bike Ride that we host at our ranch. The portraits, along with the stories he wrote about the warriors, have been published in a book titled "Portraits of Courage," and the paintings are on display now at the Bush Library on the campus of SMU in Dallas. This gives me the chance to invite you all to come up there, visit us at the Bush Center, come see this exhibit and then have lunch at Cafe 43. We've landscaped the acreage around the Bush Library in a total native Texas prairie. This morning I got an email from one of the people who worked on the library with Monarch [butterflies] flying through and settling on the milkweed that we planted there for the Monarch migration. George and I are devoting a lot of our time to our work with the Bush Presidential Center. We are happy to be back home in Texas living what I call "The Afterlife" in a state George calls "The Promised Land." When George and I moved back to Texas from Washington, I helped found Texan By Nature with a group of friends and committed conservationists, and Tina [Buford, board president of Texan By Nature] obviously was one of them. Tina grew up on a south Texas ranch. Reagan (last name unknown) who is here with me grew up with me in Midland in the dessert. We have every type of landscape in Texas and Texans are proud of their landscapes. We want our state to be what it is -- to be native and look like itself. That's what you are doing here with the restoration of this area around Lake Livingston. Our mission in Texan By Nature is to spur conservation that produces tangible benefits for people, prosperity and natural resources. To do this, I encourage a new investment in conservation that is Texan-led, community-organized and science-based. Texan By Nature has three core program offerings that engage Texans into stewardship by conserving our natural resources. Our Monarch Wrangler program is a statewide initiative providing solutions to reverse the decline of this iconic butterfly. George and I are Monarch Wranglers at our ranch outside of Crawford because we planted so much milkweed and propagated the native plants the Monarchs like. We are also Monarch Wranglers at the Bush Center and I am getting ready to designate a park in Dallas, a park that was built over a freeway -- Klyde Warren Park -- as a Monarch Wrangler. Our symposium series that is part of Texan By Nature connects scholars, policy makers and experts to discuss key topics in natural resource conservation. In our Conservation Wrangler program, which is what you are today, features the very best Texan-led conservation projects like this Lake Livingston restoration. The Conservation Wrangler program supports innovative and transformative projects in the field of conservation with tailored resources and visibility. Lake Livingston Friends of Reservoirs is our new Conservation Wrangler partner. Congratulations. We've seen today firsthand what collaborative partnerships for conservation yield and that is great benefits for our natural landscapes, our native plants and wildlife, and for all Texans. We heard earlier from Tom McDonough [founder of Lake Livingston Friends of Reservoirs] who first came to Livingston soon after it was completed in the 1970s. When Tom began fishing at Lake Livingston, it was a healthy body of water with abundant aquatic habitat supporting a large fish population that attracted numerous fishing tournaments every year. Over time, Lake Livingston began to lose its aquatic habitat as is typical of many reservoir lakes as they age. The once abundant vegetation on the bottom and shores of the lake have declined. In 2013, the Trinity River Authority and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department approved a plan to foster natural habitat around this 85,000-acre Lake Livingston, the second largest lake in Texas. The plan developed by Texas White Bass Unlimited and the Piney Woods Lake Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists created Lake Livingston Friends of Reservoirs with a clear vision in mind to reestablish Lake Livingston as a prime destination for anglers and water enthusiasts by restoring aquatic habitat. In 2014, Lake Livingston Friends of Reservoirs began restoring the habitat for fish and wildlife populations, improve fishing and water quality, and reduce erosion by regularly planting American water willow. We just saw students do that out here at the park. So far, Lake Livingston Friends has planted 10,000 American water willows at 18 sites, mostly here in the southern portion. These plants are non-invasive, fast-growing, hardy and known for colonizing up to 10 square feet. Many of the students who volunteered to help are here with us today. I am so happy to have high school students involved. Lee College also is such an important part of this. Thank you, all, at Lee College. At Texan By Nature, we believe that our state's prosperity and quality of life are strongly linked to conservation of our natural resources. The Trinity River watershed is one of the most important natural resources in the state. I am thrilled to be here today to celebrate this event. Stories of "honor killings" in Pakistan most often come from the country's far reaches where tribal customs prevail. But the latest "atrocity," as it was called by Zia Ur Rehman, the journalist who broke the chilling, heartbreaking story, "was in Karachi, the largest urban centre of Pakistan, where the laws of the country apply in full force." All so-called honor killings are gruesome, burnings, beatings, stonings. This one appears uniquely horrific. A boy, 17, and a girl, 16, were neighbors in a suburb of Karachi. The girl ran away from home. The boy reportedly waited for her. After they were tracked down, they were accused of plotting to elope. Ultimately, by order of the council of elders in their community and for the honor of that community, members of their own families executed them by electrocution. "The boy and the girl had fallen in love and finally they ran," an advocacy group worker, Kamal Shah, who has spoken with members of the community told The Washington Post through an interpreter. As a result, they paid the heaviest price. The details come largely from Rehman's story in Pakistan's "The News International," an English language paper, and from police accounts there and in other Pakistani media. Both the boy, Rehman Afzal, and the girl, Bakht Taj, lived in Ali Brohi Goth outside of Karachi, Pakistan's most populous city, a hub of commerce and industry situated on the Arabian Sea. Their families come from Pakistan's Pashtun community which, in rural areas in particular, is heavily influenced by tribal councils called jirgas, which mediate and sometimes settle disputes, often in cruel ways. In defiance of the long-standing practice of arranged marriage, the two got to know each other. Whether they were really planning on eloping remains to be established. Clearly they had something planned but perhaps only they knew for sure what it was. In August, The News reported, the girl disappeared from her home with some cash and jewelry, headed for a house in a nearby area where she was planning on hiding out. The boy remained in his own home so as not to "arouse suspicion." When she went missing, the girl's parents searched her bedroom and discovered a mobile phone SIM card that belonged to the boy. They used that information to track the girl down and brought her home. The families weren't on good terms to begin with, Kamal Shah said. "They didn't like each other." Both families were enraged, police told Dawn, an English-language newspaper in Pakistan. According to The News the two families met to discuss the situation. The young man's father, Muhammad Afzal, fearing "violent retribution" from the girl's family, offered a marriage proposal between the two runaways, The News said, to settle the score. He also offered up, for good measure his other two daughters, "to pacify Taj's parents," as Zia Ur Rehman reported. The practice, by which girls are forced into marriage to resolve disputes or offenses committed by their male relatives, is called "vani" or "swara." The agreement went to elders of the community, the jirga, on Aug. 15. The head of the council objected to the settlement, however. The teenagers needed to be punished to set an example and to uphold the honor of the community. The punishment, death, would have to be meted out by the families, they determined, police said. About 11 p.m. on Aug. 15, police told reporters that the girl was sedated, tied down to a rope and wood cot called a charpoy and electrocuted by her father and uncle. She was "buried that night in secrecy by five tribesmen," The News reported. At 3 a.m. on the 16th, the boy met the same fate, police told Dawn. Hundreds of honor killings are reported each year in Pakistan, as The Post's Pamela Constable has reported. Many more killings, almost all of them of women, occur but are never reported, according to the country's independent Human Rights Commission. In this case, someone, an "informer," went to police, the local chief, Rao Anwaar told the media. The police staged a raid, conducted an investigation and have taken at least four people into custody, including the two fathers, according to the BBC. They are reportedly looking for the head of the jirga. But there was another investigative task awaiting authorities, verification of the horrific cause of the deaths of Bakht Taj and Rehman Afzal. A team of doctors, a magistrate and police want to the graveyard and exhumed the bodies this week. And on Wednesday, a police surgeon who examined the bodies, Qarar Ahmed Abbasi, provided the confirmation. "There were visible signs of electric shock and torture on both bodies," he said. Formal pleas have yet to come from those accused. A police spokesman told Dawn that they had all confessed, saying they acted under pressure from the jirga to protect the honor of the tribe. The News reports that friends of the young man's father claim that he was threatened with retribution from the Taliban if he refused to carry out the jirga's decision. But stories like this emerge with some regularity. And activists against honor killings expressed deep frustration. The case, as Reuters' Zoffeen T. Ebrahim wrote, "highlights the influence of tribal councils and social pressures in Pakistan, which are often more powerful than the law." This was a situation, Maliha Zia Lari, associate director of the country's Legal Aid Society told Reuters, where the young man's father felt he would get no protection from the government. And the jirga members feared no reprisals. In such circumstances, Lari said, "laws seem useless." The death toll among Egyptians on the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year has reached 101, Egypt's health ministry announced on Friday, state run news agency MENA reported. 9 Egyptian pilgrims have died on Friday, the deputy-head of Egypt's hajj medical commission Mohamed Shawky said. An 67-year-old woman from Qaliubiya, an 65 -year-old woman from Beni Sueif, an 62 -year-old woman from Giza governorate, an 69 -year-old woman from Assiut, an 49 -year-old woman from Dakahliya, an 62 -year-old man from Alexandria, an 75 -year-old man from Damietta, and an 51 -year-old woman from Gharbeiya governorate all died from cardiac arrest and travel fatigue on their way back to Egypt, in Jordan's Akaba. A ninth case of a woman from Gharbiya died from cardiac arrest while in hospital in Mecca, Shawky added. Deaths from heat exhaustion, fatigue and other natural causes are a common occurrence among pilgrims on the hajj in Saudi Arabia. This year's number of deaths among Egyptians are much higher than before, in 2016, 43 Egyptians died of natural causes during the pilgrimage. 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 required by Islam to perform the hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, at least once in their lifetime. Search Keywords: Short link: Iceland is facing its second snap election in about a year after the Independence Party-led government collapsed over a scandal involving grants of clemency to convicted child molesters. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson on Friday said he would consult with parliament to seek a new election as soon as possible, maybe already in November. The move comes after he was abandoned by his coalition partners, the four-lawmaker Bright Future and the Reform Party, which has eight legislators. "We should trust the people in this country to put together a new Parliament and then form a strong government from strong political parties that are able to stand by the people through thick and thin, through storms and rain, no matter what happens," the premier said at a press conference in Reykjavik. The coalition that collapsed had only a one-seat majority in parliament, and was cobbled together earlier this year after long negotiations. Iceland's previous government unraveled when then Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson became the most high-profile casualty of the so-called Panama Papers. The Bright Future party accused the premier of committing a "breach of trust" after failing to inform the rest of the government that his father had written a letter vouching for the character of a convicted child molester so he could apply for a legal "clean slate." The issue has been much in the news in Iceland, where convicted pedophiles can apply to have their record expunged. "That goes against our policies here at Bright Future on transparency and a good way of working," said Ottarr Proppe, head of the Bright Future party. Calls for a snap election were made by most of the other parties in parliament, including the Pirate Party which also demanded a vote on constitutional changes and called the Independence Party "unfit for government." Protests were called for Friday in Reykjavik, the site of major street demonstrations both after the country's economic collapse in 2008 and last year following the revelations of the Panama Papers. Benediktsson's name also surfaced in connection with that scandal, but he said he had previously disclosed his offshore holdings. The premier said on Friday that he was "shocked" to hear of his father's letter, never tried to conceal anything and was never part of the decision process in the cases in question. "Iceland's Jimmy Savile case: Our PM, who was in the Panama Papers, has hidden for two months his father's support for a pedophiles clemency," Smari McCarthy, a Pirate Party member of parliament, said on Twitter. The turmoil has surfaced just as the coalition was presenting the budget to parliament and meetings were canceled in the legislature on Friday. Iceland's economy is booming after the government earlier this year dismantled the last of the capital controls that had been in place since 2008. The krona slid about 1.5 percent to 127.14 per euro as of 5:10 p.m. local time. The current coalition was formed in January after two months of negotiations as the Independence Party, which resisted a challenge from the populist Pirate Party to win the most votes in an Oct. 29 snap elections, replaced its traditional coalition party, the Progressive Party, with the two new junior allies. It controls 32 seats in the 63-member parliament. The PM's father, Benedikt Sveinsson, on Thursday released a statement apologizing for signing the "restored honor" letter. "What was supposed to be a small gesture of good will towards a convicted criminal has instead turned into a continuation of the tragedy for his victim. For this I again apologize," he said in an emailed statement. For three years, Troy Turner held out hope his children were alive - a belief he knew ran counter to logic. Jacob, 2, and Sarah, 3, hadn't been seen since they disappeared from Montgomery County, Maryland, in September 2014. The last person known to be with them - their mother and Turner's then-girlfriend, Catherine Hoggle - suffered from deep mental illness. Detectives quickly viewed her as responsible for the children's deaths. "There has always been a faint hope," Turner said Friday. "And I know now, with the passage of time, that Catherine killed my babies." Turner spoke to reporters after a hearing in Montgomery County Circuit Court, a proceeding prompted by an indictment the day before charging Hoggle, 30, with two counts of murder. Those charges confirmed repeated indications from police and prosecutors during the long-running case of the children's fate. "I know that they are right," Turner said. "And I fully support the charges." Since 2014, Hoggle has been locked in a state psychiatric hospital, held on misdemeanor charges of neglect, abduction and hindering in connection with Jacob and Sarah's disappearances. Doctors have said she is not mentally fit to participate in a trial. The murder charges prompted a review of her bond conditions and on Thursday, Hoggle was driven by law enforcement from the maximum-security Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, in Jessup, Maryland, to the Montgomery County Detention Center in Rockville, Maryland. For Friday's hearing, she appeared via a video feed from the jail. She said little, and stared blankly from the screen into the courtroom. Her attorney, David Felsen, and the county's lead prosecutor, John McCarthy, agreed that Hoggle should be sent back to Perkins for further evaluation and treatment. "They're trying to look for that cocktail of medications that will create synthetic competency, so that we can move forward on these matters," McCarthy said. "There is no question that she belongs in a hospital," Felsen said after the hearing and also said Hoggle deserves a vigorous defense. "We're not aware of any evidence linking Ms. Hoggle with any homicide." A former waitress with an IQ once tested at 135, Hoggle has refused to tell detectives and family members what might have happened to Jacob and Sarah. It is difficult to say when, or if, she would be found well enough to go to trial. Hoggle's mother, Lindsey Hoggle, also attended the court hearing Friday. After, she said she believes that her two grandchildren are still alive, and that her daughter worked with others under a plan to flee the area with her children. "I don't think she's guilty of murder," Lindsey Hoggle said. She has not been able to visit her daughter at Perkins, she said, because Catherine Hoggle has not put her on a visitor list. Lindsey Hoggle said she last spoke to her daughter by phone during a six-month stretch in 2016. "This needs to be resolved," Lindsey Hoggle recalled telling her, adding that when she asked about the children, Catherine would say simply: "They're safe." The case of the Hoggle children burst into the open in the fall of 2014, when Montgomery police officials held a news conference asking for the public's help in a harrowing hunt they'd just started: three people were missing, a mother and her two young children. At the time, Turner was desperately trying to find all three. Several days later, police spotted Hoggle walking alone along a street in Germantown, Maryland. She tried to run but was quickly taken into custody. Hoggle wouldn't tell police where the children were, according to arrest records. She was charged with the misdemeanor counts, placed in the county jail, and later transferred to Perkins. Once she was hospitalized, the legal case against her slowed. Prosecutors also weren't in a hurry, given that they probably would face the challenge of proving a murder case with absent bodies. Experts on such "no-body" murder trials say the more time that passes without the victims being found alive, the easier it can be for prosecutors to convince a jury that the victims must have been killed. The murder charges Thursday against Hoggle were prompted by a looming legal deadline. Her original misdemeanor charges carried a three-year limit on how long someone can be held while designated as mentally unfit for trial, McCarthy said. The new charges - much more serious felonies - mean Hoggle can be held for an additional five years while being designated mentally incompetent, according to McCarthy. He said he hoped that with the right treatment and medication, Hoggle could be restored to competency and taken to trial on the murder counts. The issue of competency is one of two large areas of criminal law and mental health in Maryland. The second is the insanity defense, which holds that if a person was so mentally impaired during the commission of crime that he or she didn't know they were breaking the law, the suspect can be declared not criminally responsible. For such defendants, being found not criminally responsible can mean the difference between staying in a psychiatric hospital rather than a prison. Felsen said no decision has been made about whether to pursue a "not criminally responsible" defense. "The issues of criminal responsibility - whether for misdemeanors or felonies in this case - are certainly on the table," Felsen said. From the time Laura Wallen went missing 11 days ago, her family had suspicions about Tyler Tessier, her longtime on-again, off-again boyfriend. They knew he was the last person seen with the well-liked high school teacher. They believed that a series of text messages sent from Wallen's phone were actually written by Tessier in an attempt to cover his tracks. So several days ago, when Montgomery County, Maryland, detectives asked the family about having Tessier, 32, come to a planned news conference on the case - a tactic designed in part to see what he might say in front of TV cameras - the family was more than willing to go along. Even, they knew, if it meant sitting next to him and feigning that everyone was pulling together. "It was all we could do to be seen as a unified family with him," Wallen's father, Mark, said Thursday. "And it was absolutely the hardest thing that my wife could do would be to sit next to him and hold his hand. And she had to hold his hand with two hands because she was shaking so badly." On Wednesday, two days after the news conference, police found Wallen's body - in a shallow grave in the northern part of the county. Hours later, Tessier was under arrest, charged with first-degree murder. "He is a monster, and he is liar," Mark Wallen said. An autopsy found that Laura Wallen, 31, had been shot in the back of her head, Montgomery police said late Thursday. Since his daughter, 31, was reported missing on Sept. 4, her case has received widespread attention. Laura Wallen was four months pregnant, lived in the D.C. suburb of Olney, Maryland, and had taught social studies at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia,Maryland, since 2014. She was excited about the school year starting and didn't seem at all like a person who would take off on her own, family and friends said. Behind the scenes, detectives were in constant contact with Tessier, a landscaper believed to be the father of Wallen's unborn child. They said he couldn't keep his story straight, was slow to reveal he had recently become engaged to another woman, and was making unexplained trips to a wooded area in the northern part of the county. A police search team, with cadaver-sniffing dogs, scoured the area Wednesday. They found recent tire tracks, followed them and came across a freshly dug area, according to police. That's where they found Wallen's body, they said. In court Thursday - Tessier's first appearance in the case - an attorney representing him, Victoria Kawecki, did not comment on the police allegations. But she noted that Tessier had no criminal record and had an extended family who supported him. She asked the judge to set a bond that would allow him to be released from custody pending further court proceedings. Prosecutor Donna Fenton laid out the state's case against Tessier, saying he had admitted sending the fake text messages from Wallen's phone, tried to hide Wallen's car and gave detectives "hundreds of inconsistencies." District Judge Zuberi Williams ordered Tessier held without bond. "I do think that you are a danger to the community," Williams said. In court papers, detectives said Wallen and Tessier's new fiancee "both believed he was dating them exclusively." The detectives said that may point to a motive for Tessier to kill Wallen. The two women apparently were in contact recently, the court papers show. On Aug. 28, about a week before Wallen disappeared, she sent a text to the fiancee, stating: "It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well. By no means is this an attempt at confrontation, just looking for an explanation . . . woman to woman." At Tessier's bond hearing, Wallen's family sat in the front row. Afterward, they talked about their support for the detectives' efforts, including the news conference that helped draw more attention to the case. "We were pretty sure it was Tyler, but we didn't know where she was," Mark Wallen said of his daughter. He said detectives worked the case "with supreme precision and during this whole process kept us as updated as they possibly could. . . . We were praying for a good, old-fashioned miracle. God did not give us the miracle that I asked for, but he did give us a miracle nonetheless. We have our daughter back." On Wednesday night, Montgomery Police Chief Tom Manger said investigators made "a calculated decision" to allow Tessier to attend the news conference. When Tessier spoke, he pleaded for Wallen to contact her family and asked for her safe return, saying: "Laura, if you're listening, it doesn't matter what's happened. It doesn't matter what type of trouble. There's nothing we can't fix together." In Olney, a neighbor of Laura Wallen's, Beth Clay, said in the days after Wallen's disappearance that boxes from Old Navy and Bed Bath & Beyond began piling up at Wallen's door. Clay, 56, who has lived beside Wallen for five years, took them inside for safekeeping and alerted Wallen's family, all the while thinking that "this is not a girl that was going to hurt herself." The two had talked regularly, and over the summer Wallen often would be on her second-floor patio making jewelry, sometimes scurrying down to Clay's patio below to retrieve a bead she had dropped. Throughout Alicia Waxman's five-year friendship with Wallen, they would discuss her relationship with Tessier, Waxman said Thursday. Her eldest son is a former student of Wallen's. Waxman said the couple had been "off and on" for about 10 years, and Wallen had talked about his reluctance to propose or make a commitment to her. In Waxman's mind. the pair were a "strange, mismatched couple," with Tessier "very cold" and Wallen an "angel who literally spread light and love." At Wilde Lake High on Thursday, Wallen was recalled as gregarious, encouraging and supportive. One student recalled how she would open wide her arms, wiggling them as a greeting. "Come here, give me the jellyfish hug," Wallen would tell her students in Howard County, according to a former student, Aiyanah Moore. The almost daily hugs had students referring to her as "Wallaby with the jellyfish hugs," said Moore, 18, who took Wallen's world history class as a senior last year. Moore said Wallen paid equal attention to students who needed more help and those who, like her, quietly did their work. Wallen encouraged Moore to pursue her goal of becoming a Navy pilot, even when the student doubted she could do it. "She just had the personality that kind of draws your attention," Moore said. "Ms. Wallen, she actually cares about her students." Another former student, Hamad Wasti, remembered his first day of class as a junior at Wilde Lake in 2015. When Wallen conducted attendance, Wasti jokingly told her he wanted to be called "OG" - shorthand for "original gangster." Wasti, now at Howard County Community College, said Wallen used the nickname the rest of the school year. "She called me OG every day and only referred to me as OG to make me happy," Wasti wrote in a message on Twitter. "It would put a smile on my face every time. She was such an amazing lady. She did whatever she could to make us happy." Tessier worked for Ruppert Landscape for about 2 1/2 years, leaving the company in 2011, said Amy Snyder, a spokeswoman for Ruppert, a business that has been in Montgomery County for about 45 years. She declined to say more about Tessier. "We're just sorry this happened," Snyder said. "Our hearts go out to the Wallen family and everyone in the community who has been affected by this." On Sept. 7, police found Wallen's car unoccupied and parked in an apartment complex in the 10600 block of Gramercy Place in Columbia, a five-minute drive from the school. Police said Tessier brought the car there after removing the front license plate. Manger said there were no signs on Wallen's remains to suggest how she was killed. Police said they believe Wallen was killed Sept. 3, a day after a surveillance video at a grocery store showed her and Tessier together. Wallen's sister received several texts from Wallen's phone on Sept. 4, stating that the child she was carrying probably was not Tessier's but might be that of a previous boyfriend, Manger said. The chief said police determined those texts had been sent by Tessier. --- VIDEO: Montgomery County Police charged Tyler Tessier, 32, in the murder of his girlfriend, Laura Wallen, who was reported missing on Sept. 4. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) --http://wapo.st/2eY6Unr -- SEOUL - North Korea fired another missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning, just a day after Pyongyang said that Japan "should be sunken into the sea" with a nuclear bomb and that the United States should be "beaten to death" with a stick "fit for a rabid dog." This was the second time in less than three weeks that North Korea sent a ballistic missile over Japan, and the launch came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what is widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb. The latest launch immediately sparked angry reactions from Tokyo and Seoul. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the international community had to unite to punish Kim Jong Un's regime, calling this week's U.N. Security Council sanctions "the floor, not the ceiling." "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor," Tillerson said in a statement, singling out the two veto-wielding members of the Security Council, who are also the closest thing to allies that North Korea has. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," he said. The missile was launched from the Sunan airfield just north of Pyongyang about 6:30 a.m. local time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It flew 2,300 miles over 17 minutes, passing over Hokkaido and landing some 1,200 miles to the east in the Pacific Ocean. The launch immediately triggered emergency alerts in Japan, with text messages and loud speakers telling residents beneath the missile's potential flight path to seek shelter. The Japanese government warned people not to approach any debris or other suspicious-looking material, a reflection of the fact that North Korean missiles sometimes break up in flight. Echoing Tillerson, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the international community must "firmly unite to send out a clear message" to Pyongyang. "We need to have North Korea understand that they will have no bright future if they keep going this way," he said. But Japan did not try to shoot down the missile. South Korea, however, immediately fired two of its Hyunmoo-II missiles 155 miles into the sea - the same distance it would have had to travel to reach the Sunan airfield. In Seoul, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has been staunchly in favor of engagement with North Korea, said that dialogue was "impossible in a situation like this." In Washington, the White House said President Donald Trump was briefed on the latest North Korean missile launch by his chief of staff, John Kelly. The missile did not pose a threat to North America or to the U.S. territory of Guam, the U.S. Pacific Command said. The Pacific island of Guam is home to large Air Force and Navy bases and was the target of recent rhetorical threats from North Korea. "We continue to monitor North Korea's actions closely," the Pacific Command said in a statement. David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the latest missile launch was worrying. "The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile," he said, although he noted it is not known if the missile was carrying a payload, something that influences range. Guam lies 2,100 miles from North Korea, well within technical reach of the intermediate-range missile. Friday's launch appeared similar to the previous launch, on Aug. 29. On that day, North Korea fired a Hwasong-12 - an intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 3,000 miles, enough to reach Guam - from the Sunan airfield. But it also flew to the east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean, rather than on a southward path toward Guam. Analysts said that after testing its missiles by firing them straight up and having them crash into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, North Korea was apparently testing its missiles' flight on a normal trajectory without crossing a "red line" of aiming at the United States. On Thursday, a North Korean state agency had issued an alarming threat to what it offensively called the "wicked Japs." "The four islands of the [Japanese] archipelago should be sunken into the sea by [our] nuclear bomb," a spokesman for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement carried by the official news agency. Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. "Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee spokesman said. This is the first missile launch since North Korea conducted a huge nuclear test Sept. 3, which analysts say appeared to live up to Pyongyang's claim that the device involved was a hydrogen bomb, exponentially more powerful than a normal atomic device. That test, combined with the rapid pace of missile launches and North Korea's stated goal of wanting to be able to strike the mainland United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, has caused alarm around the world. The U.N. Security Council imposed its toughest sanctions ever against North Korea on Monday, setting limits on its oil imports and banning its textile exports. But the new sanctions were a compromise. To win the support of China and Russia, the United States had to tone down its demands, which included a total oil embargo and a global travel ban on Kim. Tillerson's statement reflected the Trump administration's frustration with the reluctance of Beijing and Moscow to inflict real pain on Pyongyang. The North Korean statement that hit out at Japan on Thursday also displayed Pyongyang's anger at what it called the "heinous sanctions resolution." The North Korean people and military wanted "the Yankees, chief culprit in cooking up the 'sanctions resolution,' [to] be beaten to death as a stick is fit for a rabid dog," said the committee statement delivered through the spokesman. The Sept. 3 nuclear test, North Korea's sixth, is now widely assumed to have been a test of a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang claimed in its state propaganda. The Japanese government estimates that the force of that explosion was 160 kilotons - more than 10 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 - but some analysts have said its yield could have been as much as 250 kilotons. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, traveling from Washington to view U.S. nuclear weapons at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, said Wednesday that the North Korean nuclear test appeared to be "100 kilotons or more." "It's a large one," he said. Earlier, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, the chief of U.S. Strategic Command, said that he "had to assume" that North Korea had probably tested a hydrogen bomb, judging by the size of the explosion. Speaking just before the North's latest missile launch, Hyten, who oversees U.S. nuclear forces and monitors North Korea, told reporters that the size, yield and other indications in North Korea's most recent nuclear test "equates to a hydrogen bomb." He said he could not confirm that a hydrogen bomb was tested but said the test was significant "because of the sheer destruction and damage you can use and create with a weapon of that size." "The change from the original atomic bomb to the hydrogen [bomb] changed our entire deterrent relationship with the Soviet Union," Hyten said. "It is significantly of concern not just to Strategic Command but to everybody in the free world. It should be of concern to people in the neighborhood, which is Japan and Korea, as well as China and Russia." Hyten said that if North Korea can mount a bomb of that power on a missile, it could potentially destroy a city. The United States has the ability to deter a nuclear attack on itself or its allies because of the nuclear weapons it maintains, Hyten said, but it's a "different question" whether the United States can stop North Korea from building nuclear weapons. Hyten said that the United States still has not seen North Korea "put everything together" with a nuclear warhead mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile but that it is only a matter of time before the North Koreans do so. "Whether they have the ability, I don't have any insight into that," Hyten said. "I can just look at historic examples and say that it could be within months or it could be within years." --- Lamothe reported from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. David Nakamura in Washington contributed to this report. As the U.S. and its allies look to impose even stricter measures against North Korea, leader Kim Jong Un could find inspiration from oppressive regimes of yesteryear in Nazi Germany and Apartheid-era South Africa. Both managed to survive oil blockades with the help of liquefying coal, a technology that dates back to the 1920s. North Korea has ample reserves of the fuel, at one point leading the world in anthracite coal exports. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson raised the prospect of cutting off North Korea's oil supply less than two hours after North Korea fired another missile over Japan on Friday. In a statement, he called on authorities in Beijing and Moscow to take new measures against Kim's regime, noting that China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. "The trouble is that North Korea does not, strictly speaking, need oil from China," Pierre Noel, a senior fellow for economic and energy security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said by phone. "The idea that an oil embargo would be so drastically painful that they will say, 'Sorry, we're back the negotiating table,' is just totally not credible." North Korea would need to liquefy about 6 million tons of coal in order to cover an amount equal to its 2015 oil imports, according Noel's calculations in an IISS report published this month, which were based on output statistics from U.S. and Chinese coal liquefaction plants. In 2015, North Korea shipped 25 million tons of coal to China, and is restricted to exporting 7.5 million tons a year under UN sanctions in 2016 -- leaving plenty left for fuel conversion. China and Russia resisted a full oil embargo in UN sanctions announced this week following North Korea's most powerful nuclear test, instead only agreeing to limits on fuel sales. Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week rebuffed a request from South Korea's President Moon Jae-in for an oil ban, saying it would probably hurt the ordinary people more than the regime's leaders. China strictly implements UN resolutions, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing on Thursday in rebuffing Tillerson's call for more action. "China is not the key to the North Korean problem," she said. "It's irresponsible and unhelpful to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form." While coal liquefaction is possible, it's also expensive. A 2012 study led by Christodoulos Floudas, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University, concluded it would cost the U.S. on average about $95 a barrel to use a combination of coal, natural gas and non-food crops to make synthetic fuel to replace crude oil -- which is now trading around $55 a barrel. "That's a steep price, but it's a far more attractive deal than going without oil altogether," Paul Musgrave, assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, said by email. "It's the economics that usually make this process unfeasible." North Korea can also order its compliant citizenry to cut down on energy consumption, energy analysts Peter Hayes and David von Hippel wrote in a report this month for the Berkeley-based Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability. They estimated that North Korea would be able to reduce its non-military oil consumption by about 40 percent of its annual use via substitution or simply using less. "These sanctions are likely to be counterproductive immediately," Hayes said by email of the latest UN measures. "And in the long term -- tactically and strategically stupid, which is quite an achievement." To be sure, it's unclear whether North Korea can totally replace oil with coal, according to William Brown, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, who served as a senior Asia adviser in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The country already makes fertilizer and chemical fibers from coal, he said. "To do more really stretches them at the margin into less efficient activities," Brown said. China supplies North Korea with 10,000 barrels a day of crude oil, according to the Energy Information Administration, equivalent to less than one percent of daily consumption in the U.S. North Korea had reserves of about 600 million metric tons of coal in 2014, according to BP Plc, compared to recoverable reserves of 251 billion tons for the U.S. and 244 billion for China. While it's unclear whether North Korea has the facilities to immediately start liquefying coal, it's probable that Kim's regime has mastered the technology, according to Noel from IISS. In 2006, North Korea built a coal gasification plant as part of an upgrade of the Namhung Youth Chemical Complex. Noel expressed skepticism that Tillerson wouldn't be aware of North Korea's ability to withstand a cut-off in oil supplies, given his past experience as chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's biggest publicly traded oil company. "It is not credible to believe people like Tillerson are not intelligent enough not to draw the conclusions," Noel said. "It is just impossible that they truly believe in this oil embargo thing." --- Tweed is based in Hong Kong; Stapczynski in Tokyo. In this third and last column on Dementia and Alzheimers disease, I will focus on just a few of the communication challenges that law enforcement officers have when dealing with Alzheimers patients. There is a test at the end! As I am fond of repeating, dispatchers are the first responders to most crises and a critical link between the caller and the field officer. With Alzheimers disease, communication becomes more difficult as the disease progresses through its various stages, so its important to give the dispatcher a best guess about what stage of the disease process the individual is experiencing so that responding officers can be better prepared. You may also be asked such things as: Is there a legal guardian that needs to be contacted or are they on site? Is the person being assaultive and if so, are weapons involved? How old is the individual and is it a man or a woman? Are there known medical issues? Is this a problem that has occurred before with a known solution or is it something new? Changes in communication abilities vary by individual. The Alzheimers Association has some great suggestions about communicating with those who suffer from this disease and they point out some of the common communication issues. Ill summarize below. Communication problems you can expect to see throughout the progression of the disease include: --Difficulty finding the right words. --Using familiar words repeatedly. --Describing familiar objects rather than calling them by name. --Easily losing a train of thought. --Difficulty organizing words logically. --Reverting to speaking a native language. --Speaking less often. --Relying on gestures more than speaking. During the early stage of Alzheimers disease, sometimes referred to as mild Alzheimers, an individual is still able to participate in meaningful conversation and engage in social activities. Some suggested dos and donts include: --Dont exclude the person from conversations with others. --Speak directly to the person --Take time to listen to how the person is feeling, what he or she is thinking or may need. --Give the person time to respond. --Dont interrupt or finish sentences unless he or she asks for help finding a word or finishing a sentence. --Talk with the person about what he or she is still comfortable doing and what they may need help with. --Explore which method of communication is most comfortable for the person. This could include face-to-face conversations, email or phone calls. --Its OK to laugh. --Be honest and frank about your feelings. --Dont pull away; your friendship and support are important to the person. As the disease progresses to the middle stage, slow it down and remember to: --Allow time for responses. --Engage the person in one-on-one conversation in a quiet space that has minimal distractions. --Be patient and supportive. --Maintain eye contact. --Avoid criticizing or correcting. --Try to find the meaning in what is being said. --Repeat what was said to clarify. --Avoid arguing. --Offer clear, step-by-step instructions for tasks. --Speak slowly and clearly. --Ask yes or no questions. For example, Would you like some coffee? rather than What would you like to drink? --Ask one question at a time. --Give visual cues -- point or touch the item you want the individual to use. --Begin the task for the person if they cant initiate it. --Write notes when a spoken word seems confusing. The late stage of Alzheimers disease, known as severe Alzheimers presents significantly more challenges. It becomes more important to: --Treat the person with dignity and respect. --Avoid talking down to the person or as if he or she isnt there. --Approach the person from the front and identify yourself. --If you dont understand what is being said, ask the person to point or gesture. --Sometimes the emotions being expressed are more important than what is being said. --Look for the feelings behind words or sounds. --Use touch, sights, sounds, smells and tastes as a form of communication with the person. OK, before your test, I want to give you the phone number for caregiver support services at the Alzheimers Association. Being a caregiver is so stressful at times that talking to someone who has been there and done that is really helpful. Here is the number: 800-272-3900 Now for your test! So, lets pretend for a minute that youre out on patrol and you just got a call about a 70-year-old male veteran helicopter pilot from the war in Vietnam who is threatening his female caretaker with a fireplace tool after she told him he needed to take his medications before he went to bed. No assault has occurred yet, just a lot of yelling. The disease is in the middle stages, and he is hard of hearing to boot. Using some of the communications tools just listed, how are you going to approach this situation? Is he going to jail? Is he going to the hospital? Is he going to bed? Challenge each other with your answers! Remember, as the responding officer, you can make the situation worse if you hesitate or if you act too quickly. Good luck! Our crisis hotline at Central Plains Center is: 800-687-1300. Paul Sawayer is a Master Peace Officer with more than 22 years of law enforcement experience and a Licensed Professional Counselor who serves as the Mental Health Peace Officer for Hale, Swisher, Lamb, Castro, Bailey, Parmer, Floyd, Briscoe and Motley counties. He can be reached by email at PaulS@CLPLAINS.org or by calling 806-685-1587. More than a decade after airborne drones took flight over battlefields, the world's biggest defense manufacturers are eyeing a new market below the ocean's surface. The Navy recently opened up a competition for unmanned submarines that can navigate autonomously. Chicago-based Boeing has taken an early lead in the fledgling market: The company has developed a 51-foot-long vessel called the Echo Voyager to compete for the contract, and last year it bought a company called Liquid Robotics that focuses on smaller unmanned subs. Bethesda, Maryland-based competitor Lockheed Martin is also competing for the contract, a company spokeswoman said Thursday, and it, too, is now ramping up its efforts by investing in another company specializing in the autonomous watercraft. The company's technology investment unit, Lockheed Martin Ventures, announced Friday that it is backing a San Diego-based company called Ocean Aero, which makes various classes of seafaring drones, termed unmanned underwater vehicles, or UUVs. The size and terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The venture unit typically makes investments of $1 million to $5 million. "This just speaks to how big the unmanned systems market has become, that you have Boeing and Lockheed going at this full speed," Ocean Aero Chief Executive Eric Patten said. Ocean Aero makes a 13-foot-long, battery-powered submarine called the Submaran S10. The S10 can loiter on the surface or dive to a relatively shallow 30 feet. It can navigate autonomously based on preprogrammed waypoints and outfitted to scout for and hide from threats completely on its own. It can recharge its battery on the surface using tiny solar panels or raise a sail to harness the wind for propulsion, which the manufacturer calls "energy scavenging." The S10 has already been sold to two undisclosed customers. The company plans to introduce a larger model called the S200 next year that can travel faster and dive deeper. It is about to start testing a 39-foot-long model it calls the Silent Arrow that aims to dive to about 650 feet and navigate with the help of an electronic thruster. Patten says the Silent Arrow sub positions the company for future Navy competitions. "When the competition started in January we weren't in a position to compete," he said. "Now we're in a position to compete for that." Ocean Aero is part of a nascent yet crowded field of start-ups that has emerged in tandem with smaller, more failsafe lithium-ion batteries. The industry is responding to a new school of thought in the upper echelons of the U.S. military. Agencies are looking to use advances in robotics and artificial intelligence as "force multipliers," with the idea that combat-capable robots will augment but not replace humans in the wars of the future. The Air Force is working on robotic drones that would fly alongside fighter jets, scout ahead and absorb enemy fire. The Army is experimenting with small-scale reconnaissance robots. Even U.S. law enforcement officers are buying in: Last year Dallas police used a robot outfitted with C-4 explosives to remotely kill a gunman who had killed five police officers. Some worry that involving robots in military operations could imperil human lives and inflame conflict. Last month, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk and 115 robotics and artificial intelligence experts wrote an open letter to the United Nations urging the body to "protect us all" from autonomous weaponry, describing it as a dangerous escalation in military technology. "Once deployed, they will permit armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever, and at time scales faster than humans can comprehend," they wrote. "These are weapons of terror, weapons that despots and terrorists use against innocent populations, and weapons hacked to behave in unexpected ways." Lockheed and Boeing argue that the robotic subs could one day become the Navy's robotic scouts, augmenting the efforts of the Navy's limited and aging fleet of manned submarines. "My main challenge in the Navy was there were many demands for what people wanted a submarine to do and you couldn't come close to meeting all of them," said Mike Connor, a retired Navy vice admiral and submarine force commander who now runs a company called ThayerMahan. Autonomous watercraft "could make each one of those submarines and destroyers that much more powerful and impactful by orders of magnitude," he said. Ocean Aero's robotic subs are likely to be priced in the hundreds of thousands of dollars each, and in the tens of millions for the larger models. That's significantly cheaper than the manned nuclear submarines that now patrol the waters. Ocean Aero's robotic subs "can't do everything a normal submarine can do, and we would probably never want them to," Patten said. "But they can be tasked with things that might waste a normal submarine's time. It would free up the more capable submarines." For now, the small subs are being pitched mainly as a surveillance tool. Officials at Lockheed Martin say Ocean Aero's subs are most likely to be used to map maritime threats, similar to how U.S. military and intelligence agencies already use satellites and aerial drones to collect information from above. "We'll be putting eyes and ears more distant from the force to collect information," said Chris Moran, executive director of Lockheed Martin Ventures. But more dangerous missions could soon follow for the Navy's robots. The Navy has actively tested unmanned underwater drones' ability to find and disable mines, hoping they will one day protect aircraft carriers in hostile territory. It's not out of the question that the robotic subs could be used to actively attack enemy submarines. Ocean Aero's Silent Arrow, its largest submarine at 39 feet long, can carry up to 2,000 pounds worth of equipment, meaning it theoretically could be outfitted with advanced weaponry. "It can carry a pretty large payload," Lockheed's Moran said. "That was one of the big attractions for us." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's effort to strike an immigration deal with Democrats attracted cautious support from lawmakers of both parties Thursday even as it prompted a swift backlash from scattered conservatives and an attempt by irritated Republican leaders to reassert their authority. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., dismissed the potential deal negotiated late Wednesday over dinner at the White House between Trump and Capitol Hill's top two Democrats as little more than a preliminary discussion - and insisted that any agreement must have buy-in from GOP leaders. Yet Ryan agreed in broad terms with the president's goal of protecting hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants while postponing talk of a border wall but toughening U.S. border security in other ways. "If we have the support of President Trump - that, I believe, will get a majority of our members, because our members support President Trump," he said. Ryan and his Senate counterpart, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have been in limbo since Trump turned to Democrats last week, brokering a deal to raise the debt ceiling and fund the government - and effectively forcing GOP leaders to the sidelines. Their uncomfortable position was obvious Thursday, when Ryan confirmed that he didn't learn of the potential deal with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., until Thursday morning, when Trump and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly confirmed it in phone conversations from Air Force One more than 12 hours after the dinner meeting. Ryan stated that any discussion of a "Dream Act" to protect undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children must originate with House Republicans. "There is no agreement," he said at a news conference on Capitol Hill. "The president understands he has to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution," he added. McConnell remained noncommittal about a possible deal - and put the onus on the White House to come up with a proposal. "We look forward to receiving the Trump administration's legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues," he said in a statement. Now Playing: A top democratic lawmaker is concerned Trumps golf buddies may be looking to influence the president. Nathan Rousseau Smith (@FantasticMrNate) explains. Video: Buzz60 Despite these comments, many rank-and-file Republicans indicated that they are open to whatever the president supports, particularly if it includes stronger border controls and interior enforcement. "I know there's a hue and cry from around the country as relates to what happened last night - I'm sorry," said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. "I've been here 10 years and eight months now, there's been way, way too much gridlock here, and if the president can sit down with leaders of the other party and bring consensus on an issue like he did last night, I'm all for it." Yet Trump's unpredictability remained a constant throughout the day, as he repeatedly stated that he wasn't considering allowing "dreamers" - undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children - to become citizens. This stance put him at odds with Schumer and Pelosi, who believed he supported the idea. "We're not looking at citizenship," Trump told reporters on an airport tarmac in Florida, where he toured relief efforts following Hurricane Irma. "We're not looking at amnesty. We're looking at allowing people to stay here. . . . We're talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who've done a good job." Schumer said that was not his understanding from the White House dinner the previous evening. "There was no debate about that. We discussed the ramifications of the bill and there was no dissent, no 'oh, we can't support this part or that part.' That hasn't changed. No one has said that won't happen," Schumer said. A path to citizenship could complicate the debate for many Republicans, said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. But most GOP members seemed to adopt a wait-and-see attitude as the White House hammered out its plan. Some Democrats expressed concern about trusting Trump. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., spoke for many Democrats when he urged leaders to proceed with caution. READ MORE: Border security provisions eyed amid President Donald Trump's DACA ruling "I've no idea how Donald Trump's brain works. All I know is, he's caused a lot of concern and anxiety among 800,000 people, and we've got to find a way to fix this," McGovern said. "I know where his heart is, and it's not where mine is. So we're all a little bit skeptical because of who he is. When it comes to immigrants, he's not a very nice person." Schumer and Pelosi, however, appeared encouraged by their new position of influence at a time when Republicans control the White House and both houses of Congress. On Thursday morning, an energetic Schumer was caught on a hot mic on the Senate floor reflecting on the previous night's dinner. "He likes us," Schumer appeared to say about the president. "He likes me, anyway. . . . Here's what I told him: 'Mr. President, you're much better off if you do one step right, and one step left. If you just step in one direction, you're boxed.' He gets that." Schumer said that Democrats should trust that in this case Trump is negotiating in good faith. "He said he would do this and I take him at his word that he will," the senator said, adding later: "We thought we had an opportunity to get something good and let's see what happens. We're very hopeful that they will keep their word." Specific talks on border security are expected to begin in the coming days, Schumer said. He and Pelosi said border security measures in the final agreement could include drones, sensor technology, road repairs and other strategies that were included in a bipartisan bill in 2013 that instructed federal officials to draft a plan ensuring apprehension of 90 percent of all illegal border-crossers within five years. RELATED: Students in Laredo, South Texas at risk after President Donald Trump ends DACA program Some Republicans want tougher immigration enforcement and mandatory use of the E-Verify employment eligibility system as part of a final deal. But even immigration hard-liners such as Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., seemed open to hearing what the White House comes up with. "We want to have compassion for these children. At the same time, the American people need to be brought into this too. What will they get?" Barletta asked. He said he's not disappointed in Trump. "He's kept his promises on the campaign trail. I have no reason to believe he's not going to," Barletta said. Hard-line conservatives had initially reacted to Trump's agreement with shock and outrage. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, tweeted Wednesday night that the deal would ensure that Trump's base is "blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair." King elaborated Thursday. "He hasn't had enough voices reminding him of his campaign promises, and I want to remind him," King said, acknowledging that "it's harder to resist the president of your own party." Trump said Thursday that he would agree to a deal only if it includes "extreme security." "We want to get massive border security. And I think that both Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, I think they agree with it," Trump said on the Florida tarmac. "Look, 92 percent of the people agree on DACA, but what we want is very, very powerful border security, OK?" No matter where the negotiations go in the coming weeks, they will not include serious consideration of a GOP plan to limit legal immigration. The Raise Act, proposed by Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and David Perdue, R-Ga., would halve legal immigration levels over the next decade and cap annual refugee admissions at 50,000. While the bill is popular with Trump's most ardent supporters and conservative lawmakers, it is widely opposed by Democrats and many Republicans, who see it as potentially harmful to the economy and a break with decades of American tradition. Trump supports the measure, but he agreed Wednesday not to include it as part of any Dream Act agreement, according to multiple people familiar with the meeting who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about it. Regardless, the path ahead could be perilous for Democrats. Rep. Raul Grijalva, vice chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said he worries that the White House is sending mixed messages about Trump's true intentions on immigration. The discussion of border security appears to be drifting away, Grijalva said, from investing in new border-monitoring technology and toward more aggressive enforcement tactics. The Arizona Democrat said many members are worried that pairing border security with protections for immigrants in a single bill could put Democrats in the difficult position of deciding whether to vote for a Dream Act that includes security measures they oppose. "I really believe that every one of us is going to face a crucible where there is going to be something in the security package that we have opposed," Grijalva said. In the House, these concerns led members of the minority to discuss working with GOP leaders to allow separate votes on proposals to protect young immigrants and bolster border security. But those familiar with the idea, who asked for anonymity to speak frankly about the talks, stressed that it is in the preliminary stages and may ultimately not be feasible. --- The Washington Post's Paul Kane, Kelsey Snell and Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. --- Video coding Trump's plan to strike an immigration deal with Democrats roils the GOP --- Trump: "We're not talking about amnesty." Egypts new ambassador to Italy, Hesham Badr, left Cairo for Rome on Friday morning, state news agency MENA said. On Wednesday, the new Italian ambassador to Egypt, Giampaolo Cantini, assumed his duties in Cairo. On Thursday, Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Italy's Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano met in London, and stressed the importance of the strengthening the two countries' cooperation in political, economic, and regional security areas. Cantini would be filling a position that had been vacant since April 2016, when the Italian foreign ministry recalled the ambassador citing concerns over transparency from Egyptian investigators looking into the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Egypt earlier that year. Last week, Alfano told his country's parliament that "Egypt is an inextricable partner of Italy, and also Italy is an inextricable partner of Egypt, therefore, it is impossible for our countries not to have high-level political and diplomatic dialogue." Alfano also said that sending Cantini to Cairo is intended to consolidate the political and ethical obligations of the Italian government regarding the search for the truth about the murder of Regeni. Egyptian authorities have been conducting an investigation to determine who killed Regeni and is regularly updating Rome on developments. Egypt's top prosecutor has visited Rome more than once since April 2016 to share information related to the ongoing inquiry with his Italian counterpart. Italy is the fifth-largest foreign investor in Egypt. The two countries also closely cooperate on finding a peaceful resolution for the conflict in Libya, as well as combatting irregular migration from north Africa to European shores. Search Keywords: Short link: In the fishing grounds where the Yalu River opens up to the Yellow Sea, Chinese and North Korean trawlers intermingle as they search for crabs, conch and yellow clams. Drifting among them are Chinese boats called "mother ships" that act as floating middlemen, offering dollars, renminbi and even goods like cigarettes for the latest catch, according to traders who have been aboard the vessels. One of them, who called himself Mr. Du, said the seafood is then taken ashore to China and sold in wholesale markets, where it all gets mixed together. The practice is just one form of smuggling along China's 1,350-kilometer (840-mile) border with North Korea, roughly the distance from Paris to Rome. Locals use boats, cars, trucks and several rail lines to carry everything from diesel fuel to silkworms to cell phones back and forth across the Yalu. The informal border trade shows the difficulties that authorities in Beijing face in fully implementing United Nations sanctions against Kim Jong Un's regime. As North Korea's biggest trading partner, China has come under attack from President Donald Trump for preserving an economic lifeline for Kim while he pushes for the ability to strike the U.S. with a nuclear weapon. On Friday, North Korea fired another ballistic missile over Japan. For China, implementing sanctions is a tricky balance. It wants North Korea to stop doing anything that leads the U.S. to bolster regional defenses that could also be used against China. At the same time, authorities have long feared that a collapse of the regime in Pyongyang could destabilize China's northeastern region and bring U.S. troops to the banks of the Yalu. This week China voted in favor of UN Security Council sanctions to ban North Korean exports of textiles, limit the amount of oil and refined petroleum products sold to the country and strengthen inspections of ships suspected to contain prohibited items. Together with previous sanctions on goods like coal, iron and seafood, the U.S. says about 90 percent of North Korea's exports last year are now off limits. While the latest penalties will take effect from Oct. 1, a ban on North Korean seafood passed a month ago -- taking away roughly $300 million in revenue each year -- came fully into force only on Sept. 5. Interviews along the border last week with dozens of traders, wholesalers, smugglers, former local officials and foreign diplomats showed that fresh North Korean seafood was still available even as China visibly stepped up enforcement. China's border with North Korea stretches from the industrial town of Dandong north to the town of Hunchun, near where the countries converge with Russia. Along the route, police and military have increased patrols and set up checkpoints to inspect vehicles. Foreign affairs offices for the Dandong and Hunchun city governments didn't respond to faxes seeking comment on efforts to stop smuggling. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing on Friday that China was opposed to North Korean violations of sanctions and would continue to strictly implement UN resolutions. In Hunchun, dozens of seafood wholesalers had closed after the earlier sanctions took effect. Chinese authorities seized shipments of North Korean squid at the border, according to Shi Haiyan, a shopkeeper at Quanhe Port, which sits on a river linked with the Sea of Japan. "The sanctions are strict now -- seafood can't come through at all," the 34-year-old said last week. Even so, restaurants in Hunchun were still selling North Korean crabs and conch. The goods are harder to find but still available, according to a shop owner who asked to be identified only by his family name, Lyu. The situation was similar in Dandong, the biggest Chinese city along the border and the center of the country's trade with Kim's regime. Dandong is home to a pipeline that regularly supplies oil to North Korea -- a crucial supply source that was exempted from the new sanctions. The city of 2.4 million people has several bridges that cross the Yalu, one of which is inoperable because North Korea hasn't built a road linking to it. Another one bombed out during the Korean War attracted Chinese tourists singing Communist songs about defeating America. Hundreds of cars and trucks traverse the main Friendship Bridge each day, including many North Korean drivers looking to fill up with petrol. Getting across has become harder after the latest round of sanctions came into effect, according to Wang Lisheng, 64, a former county official from nearby Hekou village who used to trade metals with North Korea. At Dong Sheng, Dandong's main seafood market, four traders said last week they could still source the city's signature yellow clams from North Korea even though supplies had dropped. Ha Wei, 38, said the price of dried clams had risen 20 percent to 30 yuan ($4.6) per half kilogram (1.1 pound) since the sanctions took effect. About 40 kilometers away at the Yellow Sea Seafood Products Market, a larger complex where hundreds of workers sift through freshly unloaded seafood that is then shipped throughout China, multiple traders told Bloomberg they also were still able to procure goods from North Korea. "We still have North Korean goods but much less in the last week after sanctions," said Xu E, 44, a conch trader. Mr. Du, who described how smugglers bring North Korean seafood into China, has been running goods across the China-North Korea border for the past 20 years. He's been detained in North Korea several times, including once when he was fed only carrots for three days before being released. In the 1990s, he said, border smugglers regularly dealt everything from coal to diesel to North Korean brides. He avoided trading guns, drugs or people -- things that could earn him a prison sentence instead of a fine. Despite the risk of violating sanctions, he said, the easy money will continue to attract smugglers on the border. "As long as there's demand, smugglers will keep coming," Du said. "No matter how hard Beijing tries." For generations, the United States military has fought its wars on land, in the air and on the seas, from the Ardennes forest, to skies over Vietnam to the Persian Gulf. Now the Pentagon is increasingly focused on extending its prowess out to the cosmos, where many believe the wars of the future will be won and lost. But even as military leaders have taken steps to prepare for conflict in space, some in Congress fear those measures haven't gone far enough. Now, as the Senate debates the Defense Department's spending plan, it is considering how best to hold and defend the ultimate high ground. Earlier this year, the House took a radical step, proposing the creation of a Space Corps by 2019, a new military branch that would be dedicated to space the way the Navy is to ocean. The move comes as Russia and China have taken giant leaps in beefing up their national security space systems, officials have said. China has demonstrated the ability to hit a satellite in low Earth orbit with a missile. And it also has developed the capability to hit a target in a further orbit, where the United States has many of its most crucial military and spy satellites. "It is disturbing the rate at which China and Russia are pursuing these capabilities," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., at a recent event at the policy-oriented Center for Strategic and International Studies. "We have lost a dramatic lead in space that we should have never let get away from us. So that's what gave us the sense of urgency to get after this." His proposal, crafted with Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., would keep the Space Corps within the Air Force, much as the Marine Corps is a part of the Navy. But while part of the Air Force, the Space Corps would have its own funding, procurement programs and staff made up of service members trained specifically in space issues - creating a potentially lucrative new opportunity for the thriving commercial space industry. "The Air Force culturally is structured around air dominance. And it should be. It's the Air Force," said Rogers, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee's Strategic Forces subcommittee. "Problem is space has become so critical to our ability to fight and win wars, it can no longer be a subordinate mission." The size and scope of the Space Corps would be left up to leaders in the Pentagon. They'd decide how big it would be and what the bureaucracy would look like. They would have a "clean slate from which to start," Rogers said. Making any change in a bureaucracy as vast as the Pentagon is difficult, especially one that calls for the creation of what would become the first new military service branch since the Air Force was stood up independently from the Army following World War II. The White House and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis have spoken out against it. In a letter to Congress, Mattis wrote, according to CNN, "I do not wish to add a separate service that would likely present a narrower and even parochial approach to space operations." The addition of a new service "would be the biggest change in the Defense Department since 1947," said Todd Harrison, a defense analyst at CSIS. "You're talking a new rank system, new uniforms, a whole new culture." While the proposal is in the House's version of the Pentagon's spending plan, which was approved over the summer, it is not included in the Senate bill. And it has attracted some high-profile criticism from within the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill. In an op-ed for the website Defense One, Gen. John Raymond, head of the Air Force Space Command, argued the steps the service is taking obviate the need for a new branch of the service. "Our approach is to normalize, elevate and integrate space as a war-fighting domain," he wrote. "It's an approach that's already paying dividends." Former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said the Air Force has already established a new National Space Defense Center, and it is giving more priority to space issues, including training what she called "space warfighters." Such disruptive change within the Pentagon would "create enormous upheaval," she said. "Sometimes the juice is not worth the squeeze." While not embracing a full Space Corps, the Senate version of the Pentagon spending plan calls for a high-level Chief Information Warfare Officer who would be responsible for space as well as cyberspace and electronic warfare. While there may not be support for the House's proposal, the Senate is also pushing to augment the way the Pentagon fights in space. "This space threat has developed with alarming speed," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, wrote in a report. "Over the next five years, space must be a priority for additional funding to ensure that the United States maintains its space superiority and has the capabilities and capacity to deter and defend our critical space assets." It's not just missiles taking out satellites that officials are worried about. Adversaries are also developing technology to "dazzle" the sensors on satellites or jam them. That would leave troops on the ground without ways to communicate. It could disable guidance mechanisms on weapons, or leave intelligence agencies unable to track terrorists on the ground. "Russia and China want to take our eyes and ears out," Rogers said at the CSIS event. "That's what's up there and that's why they are spending an inordinate amount on space-based capabilities." And that's why many think that even if the Space Corp proposal doesn't pass this time around, it's day will eventually come. "In 30, 40, 50 years most people agree that we'll eventually need an independent space service," Harrison said. A San Francisco resident was arrested in the fatal shooting of a 42-year-old man in the citys Tenderloin neighborhood in July, and court records show the killing occurred after the suspect completed a lengthy jail term for his role in a Southern California ATM theft ring. Jahmal Winston, 30, was booked into San Francisco County Jail this week on suspicion of murder stemming from the slaying of Oakland resident Robert Pleasant, authorities said Friday. IRBIL, Iraq - Iraqi security forces have freed most of northern Iraq from the grip of the Islamic State. But U.S. and Iraqi officials warn that thousands of militants remain in the country and are ready to wage a ferocious fight in a desert region bordering Syria. The bulk of the war against the Islamic State was finished when Iraqi security forces reclaimed the cities of Mosul and Tal Afar this summer. But the battle looming in western Anbar province is expected to be one of the most complex to date. The vast region will be difficult to surround, and clearing it will probably involve coordination among the U.S.-backed forces and the Syrian regime, Russia and Iran. U.S. officials also believe that the Islamic State's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is hiding there. Iraqi forces retook Tal Afar in just eight days, but officials say that was an anomaly and not a new rule. Shiite militias encircled the city for eight months while U.S.-led airstrikes pounded weapons facilities and targeted groups of fighters and their commanders before the ground operation began late last month. "While I'd like to say that we would see this elsewhere in Iraq and Syria, we're not really planning for that," said Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who until last week was the commander of coalition forces in Iraq and Syria. "We're planning for tough fights ahead." Those fights also will include the battle for the city of Hawija, whose location in north-central Iraq has made it an ISIS launchpad for small but deadly raids in nearby cities. But the coming fight for Hawija has been complicated by a political dispute. Kirkuk, the province in which Hawija lies, historically has been claimed by both Kurds and Arabs. In 2014, Kurdish peshmerga fighters secured the city of Kirkuk against the Islamic State advance and have remained there since then. Last month, the Kirkuk provincial council voted to participate in a referendum on Kurdish independence planned later this month, raising the possibility that Kirkuk would become part of a fully autonomous Kurdish nation. Iraq's central government, along with the United States, Iran and Turkey, strongly oppose the referendum. Securing Hawija would go a long way toward preventing the Islamic State from staging attacks, said Najmaldin Karim, who has served as the governor of Kirkuk but on Thursday was voted out by Iraq's parliament because of his support for the Kurdish referendum. He has vowed to stay in his position. "They can do significant damage to other places from Hawija," he said of the Islamic State, adding that waiting until now to retake the city was "illogical." Once home to a majority Sunni population of about 100,000, the city has been mostly cleared of civilians. Military planes recently began dropping leaflets promising the estimated 20,000 still in the city that their liberation is near and advising them to avoid gatherings of Islamic State militants. An American counterterrorism official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified battlefield assessments, said some 1,000 Islamic State fighters still in Hawija maintain networks of Sunni tribal sympathizers as well as supply lines running from Anbar into Syria. "Does Tal Afar indicate anything that these battles are going to be easy? I don't think so," the official said. "There is a lot of fighting left to do." ISIS controlled about one-third of Iraq in 2014, but its territory has shrunk dramatically since Iraq's military regrouped under U.S. supervision and Iranian-backed Shiite militias mobilized to reclaim towns and villages. Today, the Islamic State holds only about 10 percent of its self-declared caliphate in Iraq. Hawija has been largely encircled for a year, by Kurdish peshmerga fighters to the north and Shiite militias and regular Iraqi army forces from the south. Iraq's prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, faces the task of deciding which force will take the lead - a decision likely colored by the Kurdish desire to include Kirkuk in their future state. "The issue of delaying the Hawija battle has been too related to who will do it and who can claim credit for it, while the people of Hawija suffer," Karim said. Though their forces are near Hawija, peshmerga officials say they have not received any orders to prepare for the fight. "We have forces ready for Hawija, but so far there are no orders, and we don't know if we will participate," said Brig. Gen. Halgurd Hikmet, a Peshmerga spokesman. Peshmerga soldiers played secondary roles in the fight for Tal Afar and the much longer battle for Mosul, securing areas around both to prevent militants from escaping or staging incursions into reclaimed lands. Townsend said one of the keys to the rapid success in Tal Afar was that several Iraqi military branches attacked from five fronts, quickly collapsing the Islamic State's lines of defense and forcing the militants into a scattered resistance. During the halting three-year campaign to clear Iraq of the Islamic State, Abadi has opted to retake major cities one at a time, giving a military that collapsed in the face of the Islamic State onslaught in 2014 time to rebuild. A senior Iraqi counterterrorism service officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military planning, said some commanders are urging Abadi to launch Hawija in tandem with the effort to retake the Anbar towns of Qaim, Ana and Rawa - a chain of Sunni enclaves in the Euphrates River Valley. It is largely seen as the Islamic State's last stand in both countries. A spokesman for Iraq's military declined to discuss force composition for Hawija but said there are enough troops to stage the battle for the city and for Anbar concurrently. That fight took on new urgency when the Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced a deal last week to move some 300 Islamic State fighters and their families from western Syria to the Islamic State-controlled town of Bukamal on Iraq's border. Abadi and U.S. officials recoiled at the deal, saying it reinforced the Islamic State's presence in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zour and undermines Iraq's security. The United States launched airstrikes to halt the advance of a column of buses to Bukamal by cratering roads and a small bridge. Last week, Iraqi officials from Anbar and Syrian activists said part of the convoy had made it over the border to the Iraqi towns in the Euphrates River Valley, confirming the worst fears of Iraq's leadership and its U.S. military allies. "We are considering changing the plans for western Anbar based on these developments," said Saeed al-Jayashi, a government adviser to the Iraqi joint operations command. On Monday, armored units from Iraq's army began to deploy to military bases in Anbar. Bukamal is just across the border with Qaim, and senior Islamic State leaders are believed to be in both towns. Townsend said he believes that Islamic State leader Baghdadi is moving between hideouts in the Euphrates valley, contradicting Russian claims that he is probably dead. The battle on the Iraqi side of the border is also likely to be complicated by the convergence of interests in the area. Forces that are part of a Syrian-Iranian-Russian alliance have begun advancing on Deir al-Zour province and could push Islamic State militants into Iraq. The close-quarter fighting also will require the United States and Russia to ensure that the forces they are backing don't come into conflict. According to a Pentagon assessment, between 5,000 and 10,000 militants are in the area. U.S.-backed Syrian forces announced their offensive in the oil-rich province Sept. 9, heightening fears of clashes among forces supported by countries with divergent views over its future. The close-quarter fighting also will require the United States and Russia to ensure that the forces they are backing don't come into conflict. "I'm reasonably confident that we'll be able to work through this," Townsend said, adding that there have already been conversations with the Russians to delineate sectors for the coming battle. "Everyone that's converging down there is trying to defeat ISIS as a first priority, and we'll use that to our advantage to work through it." A day after the World Anti-Doping Agency dismissed 95 cases of suspected Russian doping, citing lack of evidence, 16 national anti-doping organizations, including the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, demanded Russia still be banned from next year's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. "A country's sport leaders and organizations should not be given credentials to the Olympics when they intentionally violate the rules and rob clean athletes. This is especially unfair when athletes are punished when they violate the rules," the 17 organizations, collectively called the National Anti-Doping Organization, said Thursday in a statement following two days of meetings in Colorado. "The IOC needs to stop kicking the can down the road and immediately issue meaningful consequences," NADO's statement continued. "The failure to expeditiously investigate individual Russian athlete doping poses a clear and present danger for clean athletes worldwide and at the 2018 Winter Games. We have serious doubts that the 2018 Games will be clean due to the incomplete investigation of massive evidence of individual doping by Russians athletes at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games and given the inadequate testing evidence of Russian athletes over the past four years." NADO, which consists of anti-doping leaders from the United States, Austria, Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Sweden, as well as the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organization, said it supported allowing Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag if they could be properly cleared. But the organization underlined Russia as a whole should remain banned until the findings of the McLaren report could be thoroughly investigated by WADA. NADO leaders also said Russia shouldn't be cleared to participate unless the country either proved it could refute or took full responsibility for the report's findings, which allege Russia ran a state-sponsored doping program for years. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin continued to deny the allegations, stating on national television (via NBC News), "We never had, don't have, and I hope won't have a state-sponsored doping program." Putin added: "On the contrary, there will only be a fight against doping." According to NADO leaders, however, Russia has yet to turn over key electronic data that might shed more light on the case, including servers, testing instrument data files, computer files, and email and text message archives from 2011 to 2016, the time span the McLaren report said the alleged state-sponsored program operated. "A full account and justice for clean athletes cannot be achieved without this information," NADO leaders said Thursday. "The mishandling of this Russia doping crisis has left the athletes of the world wondering if global anti-doping regulations have teeth and whether their fundamental right to clean sport matters." The International Olympic Committee gets final say in whether Russia or individual Russian athletes get to participate, just as it did last summer before the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Olympic leaders are expected to take their cues from WADA, which is in charge of investigating Russian doping cases. "My guess - and it is an informed guess - is that there will be a very, very intense pre-Games testing program before Pyeongchang," WADA President Sir Craig Reedie said in March (via the Guardian). "And the IOC, I'm sure, will be hugely supportive of that and that will allow them to make a reasoned decision." Speaking on Friday, however, Russian Olympic Committee President Alexander Zhukov rejected the idea that they'd be banned from the Olympics next year. He answered, "Yes, sure," when asked whether Russia would field a team in Pyeongchang, noting (via the BBC), "It's very important that [NADO's position is] not the position of WADA." Zhukov said it's also not the position of IOC, of which he said several members had already criticized NADO's stance. The 2018 Winter Olympics are set to kick off on Feb. 9 and run through Feb. 25. US President Donald Trump will meet with the leaders of a number of Arab states, including Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, in New York on Wednesday, while both are attending the UN General Assembly, Reuters reported Trump is also set to meet King Abdullah of Jordan, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to the White House. The theme of this year's general assembly is Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. The US president, who took office in January, has recently sent two special diplomatic envoys to the area to jump start negotiations between Palestinians and Israeli to reach a lasting solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict. Search Keywords: Short link: The United Nations said Friday that its first aid convoy in three years had reached Syria's Deir Ezzor city via road after government troops broke a jihadist siege last week. Trucks carrying "life-saving items" like wheat flour, canned foods and nutrition and maternal health items for 15,000 families reached Deir Ezzor on Thursday, UN humanitarian agency spokesman Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva. "This is the first UN aid delivered by road to Deir Ezzor since the city was retaken," he told reporters in Geneva. While the first from the UN, the convoy was not the first to reach the city since the siege was broken on September 5, with trucks carrying in food aid from the Syrian Trade Association last week. And the some 100,000 people who were estimated to be trapped in the government-held area during the siege that began in 2014 were not completely cut off from aid before then. The UN carried out 309 successful airdrops of aid during the siege, Laerke said Friday. The Syrian government was also able to periodically bring in supplies by helicopter. The UN refugee agency said Friday that it had sent in five trucks carrying shelter materials, plastic sheeting and solar lamps for 30,000 people. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests before spiralling into a bloody civil war. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate School days will grow longer for students at 11 Houston Independent School District campuses after the Board of Education voted Thursday night to extend school days to stay in compliance with state law. The next step is for the Texas Education Agency to grant Houston ISD nine disaster waivers for classes missed from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 due to Hurricane Harvey. If okayed by TEA, HISD students will likely not have to make up those days during the coming school year, but a handful of schools opening in the coming two weeks will need to make up time. Superintendent Richard Carranza said the district had three options to comply with the state law: cut short already planned holidays, tack days on to the end of the school year or lengthen the school day. RECAPTURE: HISD may have found Harvey's silver lining "There is no perfect situation," Carranza said. "But we are also very committed to make sure the additional time required for students won't just be seat time. We're going to have enrichment activities and teachers informed in trauma pedagogy." The lengthened school days will only be in effect for the fall semester. Students at all schools will be on regular schedules beginning in 2018. The item, which was approved on a 7-1 vote with one abstention, will also eliminate five early-release days for all Houston ISD campuses and allow the district to send the missed-day waivers to the state. It also provided $2 million to pay teachers and school support staff at the 11 schools for the extra time they'll spend at work. That $2 million will come out of the districts reserve funds, which held about $308 million at the end of the 2016-2017 fiscal year for emergencies. BACK IN CLASS: Students returning to school, even if that means a move Texas statute mandates students receive 75,600 minutes of instruction per year. To comply, students attending four schools scheduled to open on Sept. 18 will attend class for an additional 25 minutes. Those schools are Mitchell Elementary; Key Middle; and Bellaire and Northside high schools. Students attending seven schools set to resume classes on Sept. 25 will have 55 minutes added to their day. Those schools are Braeburn, Hilliard, Kolter, Roland P. Harris and Scarborough elementary; Forest Brook Middle; and Liberty High. Trustee Mike Lunceford, the only trustee to vote against elongating the school year, put forward an amendment that would allow the six elementary schools that will have longer school days to spread those extra minutes out over the entire school year rather than just during the first semester. District staff said spreading those minutes out throughout the year would cost the district and additional $800,000 in extra teacher and staff pay. Congressman Joaquin Castro's people had no comment about a potential run for Texas governor Thursday afternoon after a Democratic party representative told the Dallas Morning News he was considering it. When asked if the San Antonio Democrat was thinking about running for governor against Republican Greg Abbott, Castro's political director Matt Jones said: "No comment." Russia, Iran and Turkey struck a deal Friday to jointly police a fourth safe zone around Syria's Idlib province as part of a Moscow-led plan to ease the six-year conflict. In a joint statement after two days of talks in Kazakhstan, the three powers said they agreed "to allocate" their forces to patrol the zone covering rebel-held Idlib province and parts of the neighbouring Latakia, Hama and Aleppo regions. The talks in Astana, the Kazakh capital, are the sixth round of negotiations Moscow has spearheaded since the start of the year as it seeks to pacify Syria after its game-changing intervention on the side of leader Bashar al-Assad. Regime backers Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey agreed in May to set four "de-escalation zones" in rebel-held territory around Syria to halt fighting between the government and moderate opposition. Since then Russia has forged ahead with establishing three of the zones on the ground by deploying military police to patrol the boundaries of safe areas in the south of Syria, in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, and in part of the central Homs province. However, the three powers had struggled to agree the details of the final zone around Idlib on the border with Turkey, as Ankara and Tehran vied to expand their influence. Idlib was captured in 2015 by an alliance of Islamist militants and rebels and remains beyond the control of the government. The statement Friday said Russian, Iranian and Turkish forces would be deployed according to maps agreed earlier this month in Ankara, the Turkish capital, but gave no further details of their exact positions or the timing. A joint Russia-Turkish-Iranian coordination centre will be set up "aimed at coordinating the activities of de-escalation forces", the joint declaration said. Russia's chief negotiator Alexander Lavrentyev hailed the deal as the "final stage" in the creation of the four safe zones, insisting it would "create a real path to the cessation of bloodshed" and offer hope for "a return to peaceful life". Nevertheless, Lavrentyev, acknowledged there remains a "long journey ahead to strengthen trust" between Assad's government and the armed opposition, both of whom sent delegations to the negotiations. Regime representative Bashar al-Jaafari said Damascus "supports any initiative in Syria that stops the shedding of Syrian blood and decreases suffering". A statement on its Facebook page said that the armed opposition noted that no "monitoring mechanism" had been agreed for the new zone in Idlib. "Assad's forces or militias will not be present in any area or part of the de-escalation zones and will not have a role in our liberated zones," the statement said. On the ground the "de-escalation zones" have already seen fighting drop and allowed Damascus and Moscow to turn more of their firepower against militants from the Islamic State (IS) group. The participants agreed to a fresh round of talks in Astana in October. The United Nations envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura called to "bring the momentum of Astana" to broader talks on finding a political solution to the war that the UN has hosted without much success in Geneva. "No de-escalation can be sustained without a comprehensive political process, and that is based in Geneva," he said. Some observers have viewed the Astana process as a means for Russia, Iran and Turkey to keep the West on the sidelines of any resolution to the Syrian conflict that has already led to the loss of over 330,000 lives. Search Keywords: Short link: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Evan Vucci/STF Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Eric Gay/STF Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WASHINGTON Three Republican lawmakers from Texas will be included in an informal working group being convened by House Speaker Paul Ryan to resolve differences over protecting hundreds of thousands of undocumented "Dreamers" from deportation. Ryan's group, formed as President Donald Trump and top Democratic leaders have agreed to work out a deal for the so-called Dreamers, is intended to bring immigration hard-liners and moderates together to find a plan House Republicans can support. AUSTIN -- Houston Independent School District won't have to hand millions of dollars to the state to spend at other schools if HISD needs that money to recover from Hurricane Harvey, but the district will have to apply for that money, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Friday. The same goes for any of the roughly 250 school districts in declared disaster areas that are required to pay so-called recapture payments to the state as part of the "Robin Hood" program that siphons money from property wealthy school districts to give to property poor ones. Morath, who leads the Texas Education Agency, said school districts will need to apply for the funds with the state and pay any recapture money not need for Harvey recovery. First, districts will have to exhaust their insurance and federal aid before trying to tap that money, he said. "They have to have exhausted all their other funding sources first," said Morath. One in five school districts affected by Hurricane Harvey pay into the Robin Hood program, the TEA estimates. HISD officials said Thursday they discovered a state law that allows school districts to keep their recapture money in the event of a disaster, written into law in 2009 following Hurricane Ike. The school system, responsible for 210,000 students, has been reluctant to hand over recapture money to the state, saying it may be in a property-wealthy area but most students it teaches are low-income. After two public referendums, the district and voters ultimately agreed earlier this year to pay the recapture money, but that was before Hurricane Harvey dumped 50 inches of rain in some areas of Houston, flooding major parts of the city. Texas already paid the TEA $77.5 million in recapture fees this year and could owe $60 million more for the 2016-17 school year. Other property-wealthy school districts in disaster areas will also be able to apply to keep some or all of their recapture money to help pay for expenses related to storm recovery, although the TEA was unsure how many districts that would include. As of Friday, 52 schools remained closed due to catastrophic damages, according to Gov. Greg Abbott's office. Another 234 schools have significant damage and 678 have some damage. Morath said he hopes to have a plan within three weeks to help cover costs for districts hit by the storm. Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com. Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers on Friday voted to hold an independence referendum set in motion by regional president Massud Barzani, who has kept open the option of postponing it under American pressure. In the face of bitter opposition from Baghdad, 65 out of 68 lawmakers present voted in favour of the September 25 poll as opposition members boycotted the parliament's first session in two years. After the show of hands, lawmakers stood to sing the Kurdish anthem while others raised flags to the sound of applause. The vote was to give a legal framework to the referendum that has also stirred protests from neighbouring states, especially Turkey. Washington opposes the referendum on the grounds that it would weaken Arab-Kurdish joint military operations which have helped send the Islamic State (IS) militant group into retreat in both Iraq and war-torn Syria. The United States has proposed unspecified "alternatives" to which Barzani has pledged to give a rapid response. "If they have a stronger alternative to the referendum, the Kurdish leadership will look at it, but if they want (us) to postpone the vote with no alternatives, we won't," Barzani, who set the referendum date in June, said Thursday. The session was the regional parliament's first in two years, and Barzani's mandate as president of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq officially expired in 2015. The Kurdish leadership, made up of Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) of Iraq's former president Jalal Talabani, have maintained that the three-year-old battle to drive back IS has made it impossible to hold fresh elections. Two opposition parties -- the independent Goran, which has 24 seats in the 111-seat parliament, and Jamaa Islamiya, which is close to Iran and holds six seats -- said they would boycott the session. Friday's session in Arbil followed two anti-referendum votes which passed earlier this week in the national parliament in Baghdad, both of which were boycotted by Kurdish legislators. Analysts say the referendum plan, which has stirred Arab-Kurdish ethnic tensions, could mark the end of an era of cooperation during which Baghdad and Arbil battled IS together after it seized swathes of northern and western Iraq in the summer of 2014. Turkey and Iran fear the referendum could stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. Ankara has warned of the "cost" to the Iraqi Kurds, whose economy is heavily dependent on oil exports via a pipeline running through Turkey to the Mediterranean. On Thursday, the Baghdad parliament fired the governor of the northern province of Kirkuk, Najm Eddine Karim, over his provincial council's decision to take part in the non-binding Kurdish referendum. The oil-rich province is disputed by Baghdad and Arbil and home to diverse communities including Arabs and Turkmens who oppose the vote. Mixed regions such as Kirkuk are a highly sensitive issue in ethnically fragmented Iraq, with its Shia-dominated government in Baghdad and large Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities. In Kirkuk province, the different communities have been arming themselves while numerous paramilitary forces have taken up positions north and west of Baghdad as joint units advance against the retreating IS militants. In the city of Kirkuk, Kurdish peshmerga fighters have taken charge of security, while Shia paramilitary units have been deployed on the outskirts. Hadi al-Ameri, head of the powerful Iranian-backed Badr organisation, has vowed to defend the unity of Iraq and warned that the Kurdish referendum could lead to partition and civil war. Iraqi Kurdistan, whose people were brutally repressed under Saddam Hussein, won autonomy in 2005 following the dictator's ouster in a US-led invasion under a constitution which set up a federal republic in Iraq. The referendum would "not necessarily lead to (an) immediate declaration of statehood, but rather to know the will and opinion of the people of Kurdistan about their future", Barzani said in February. Kurdish leaders have since reiterated that a "yes" vote would pave the way for the start of "serious negotiations" with the Baghdad government. Search Keywords: Short link: President Donald Trump is calling a fire at a London subway station another attack "by a loser terrorist" and suggesting police there may have missed an opportunity to prevent it. He also says the government should cut off Internet access to extremist groups. Trump tweeted Friday: "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist. These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" He later added: "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! The London Ambulance Service says 18 people have been taken to hospitals with injuries, thought to be life-threatening. Scotland Yard said it would not be commenting on Trump's suggestion that police had known of the attacker. Trump also used the incident to defend his travel ban targeting six mostly Muslim nations. He tweeted: "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" Search Keywords: Short link: Local News, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: September 15 2017 Order Protects Immigrants in New York From Fear and Intimidation; Action Also Forbids Law Enforcement Officers from Inquiring About or Disclosing Immigration Status Unless Investigating Illegal Criminal Activity. Albany, NY - September 15, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today issued Executive Order 170 that prohibits state agencies and officers from inquiring about or disclosing an individual's immigration status unless required by law or necessary to determine eligibility for a benefit or service. Law enforcement officers will also be prohibited from inquiring about immigration status unless investigating illegal criminal activity. This prohibition against inquiring into status includes, but is not limited to, when an individual approaches a law enforcement officer seeking assistance, is the victim of a crime, or is witness to a crime. "As Washington squabbles over rolling back sensible immigration policy, we are taking action to help protect all New Yorkers from unwarranted targeting by government," Governor Cuomo said. "New York became the Empire State due to the contributions of immigrants from every corner of the globe and we will not let the politics of fear and intimidation divide us." The Executive Order builds on Governor Cuomo's commitment to ensure full protections for all immigrants in New York. In March, Governor Cuomo launched the Liberty Defense Project, the nation's first public-private immigrant legal defense initiative, to respond to the surge in demand for help that is overwhelming nonprofit organizations serving immigrants. The partnership is supported by more than $10 million in funding to offer legal assistance and representation to immigrants in New York, regardless of their status, through a statewide network of attorneys and advocacy organizations. Protecting New York's Immigrants New York State has and continues to serve as a beacon for immigrants. For the past five years, New York State, through the Office for New Americans, has helped immigrants fully participate in New York State civic and economic life through a network of 27 community-based centers around the state that provide English classes, civic education, guidance on how to start / grow a business, and naturalization assistance. ONA also has a hotline, a toll-free, multi-lingual information center, as well as a dedicated website that guides New Americans to available resources. The hotline number is 800-566-7636 (operating 9AM-8PM (ET), Monday through Friday) and the website is www.newamericans.ny.gov Since taking office, the Governor has taken aggressive steps to provide assistance to immigrant communities. In 2011, he signed a wide-reaching Executive Order to ensure language access across state agencies, suspended the State's participation in a federal program that required local law enforcement to help identify deportable individuals, signed legislation holding entities that defraud immigrants accountable, and established the Office for New Americans. He launched NaturalizeNY, the first public-private partnership of its kind to encourage and assist eligible immigrants in New York State with becoming U.S. citizens. As Attorney General, Governor Cuomo also worked to combat immigration fraud, having utilized general civil rights laws to successfully investigate and prosecute companies for defrauding immigrants. He also secured court judgments and settlements in excess of $23 million dollars on behalf of the state's immigrant population. The signed executive order can be viewed here , and its text is available below: No. 170 EXECUTIVE ORDER STATE POLICY CONCERNING IMMIGRANT ACCESS TO STATE SERVICES WHEREAS, New York State will remain true to the ideals that founded this country, and will continue to welcome immigrants as a source of energy, and celebrate them as a source of revitalization for our State; and WHEREAS, New York State's residents make up one of the nation's most diverse communities, as over 4.3 million immigrants reside within the State and over twenty percent of the State's population is foreign-born; and WHEREAS, immigrants residing in New York State are an essential part of the economic fabric of this State, as over 29% of all business owners in New York are foreign-born, such businesses generate millions of dollars in total net income, and the combined purchasing power of immigrant communities exceeds $165 billion dollars; and WHEREAS, the reporting of unlawful activity by immigrant witnesses and victims is critical to strengthening ties between immigrants and law enforcement, reducing crime, and enhancing the State's ability to protect the safety of all of its residents; and WHEREAS, the New York State Constitution and the New York State Human Rights Law protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of national origin in the areas of education, benefits, employment, housing, and public accommodation, and the State is committed to enforcing those protections to the fullest extent of the law; and WHEREAS, State government has a responsibility to ensure that services are provided equally, and consistent with civil rights laws, to all individuals eligible to receive them; and WHEREAS, access to State services is critical to the vitality and well-being of immigrant communities and their continued integration into the State's economic, civil, and cultural life; and WHEREAS, providing State services to immigrant communities is necessary to meet the needs of the State's diverse population, to maintain public confidence in State government and its agencies, and to comply with State and Federal civil rights laws; and NOW, THEREFORE, I, ANDREW M. CUOMO, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of New York, do hereby order as follows: Definitions "State entity" shall mean (i) all agencies and departments over which the Governor has executive authority, and (ii) all public benefit corporations, public authorities, boards, and commissions, for which the Governor appoints the Chair, the Chief Executive, or the majority of Board members, except for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. "Alien" shall mean any person who is not a citizen or national of the United States. "Illegal activity" shall mean any unlawful activity that constitutes a crime under state or federal law. However, an individual's status as an undocumented alien does not constitute unlawful activity. Agency and Authority Responsibilities Respecting the Privacy of Personal Information No State officers or employees, other than law enforcement officers as provided in B.3 infra, shall inquire about an individual's immigration status unless: The status of such individual is necessary to determine his or her eligibility for a program, benefit, or the provision of a service; or The State officer or employee is required by law to inquire about such individual's status. No State officers or employees, including law enforcement officers, shall disclose information to federal immigration authorities for the purpose of federal civil immigration enforcement, unless required by law. Notwithstanding such prohibition, this Order does not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any state employee from sending to, or receiving from, federal immigration authorities, information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual, as required by law. No law enforcement officers shall inquire about an individual's immigration status unless investigating such individual's illegal activity, provided however that such inquiry is relevant to the illegal activity under investigation. Nothing in this section shall restrict law enforcement officers from seeking documents for the purpose of identification following arrest. This prohibition against inquiring into status includes, but is not limited to, when an individual approaches a law enforcement officer seeking assistance, is the victim of a crime, or is witness to a crime. Law enforcement officers may not use resources, equipment or personnel for the purpose of detecting and apprehending any individual suspected or wanted only for violating a civil immigration offense. Law enforcement officers have no authority to take any police action solely because the person is an undocumented alien. This includes identifying, questioning, detaining, or demanding to inspect federal immigration documents. GIVEN under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State in the City of Albany this fifteenth day of September in the year two thousand seventeen. BY THE GOVERNOR Nature & Weather, Local News, National & World News, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: September 15 2017 Governor Cuomo Pledges New York's Continued Support for Irma & Harvey Impacted Areas. Albany, NY - September 15, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo will travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands on Friday, September 15 to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Irma. The assessment tour and recovery mission comes after Governor Mapp requested that Governor Cuomo travel to the region to survey the damage. Governor Cuomo pledged to identify how New York can best provide additional assistance to the impacted area as they begin the recovery process. Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. Virgin Islands on September 6th, leaving St. Thomas and St. John heavily damaged after powerful winds at speeds greater than 150 miles per hour. Much of St. Thomas and St. John has been devastated and still remains without power as residents struggle to recover from the storm. "New Yorkers stand with the U.S. Virgin Islands in their time of need, and it's important to understand the full scope of the destruction in order to provide the kind of targeted assistance that will help the victims of this storm get back on their feet," said Governor Cuomo. "We not only have assets, but valuable experience on how to rebuild and recover following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, and we are going to help in any way we can." Governor Mapp said, "In the wake of Hurricane Irma, I invited Governor Cuomo to the US Virgin Islands to tour the damage and assist in our recovery effort. I want to thank the Governor, who has extensive experience in post storm recovery both from his time as HUD Secretary and as New York State Governor in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, for partnering with us in the immense task we have ahead. We have a special connection with New York, as more US Virgin Islands residents list their place of birth as New York than any other state in the nation. As someone who was born in Brooklyn and served in the 83rd precinct on Wilson avenue, I understand the resiliency and can-do attitude of New Yorkers, and we appreciate Governor Cuomo's promise of assistance as we work together in our effort to build back better and stronger." Governor Cuomo will be traveling with "an assessment team" from the administration to survey the damage and advise on deploying assets. New York and the U.S. Virgin Islands share a special connection. More US Virgin Islands residents list their place of birth as New York than any other state in the nation. Governor Mapp was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended both New York City Community College and the City University of New York. This trip is not the first assistance offered by New York to the U.S. Virgin Islands in the wake of Hurricane Irma. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, Governor Cuomo deployed 130 Airmen from the New York Air National Guard's106th Rescue Wing, three HH-60 Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, and two HC-130 search and rescue aircraft and three Zodiac inflatable rescue boats to assist with initial search and rescue efforts. This initial mission concluded earlier this week. Hamza bin Laden, the son and heir of al Qaedas founder, stresses the importance of the war in Syria for the jihadists cause in a newly released message titled, The Cause of al-Sham is the Cause of Islam. Al Qaedas propaganda arm, As Sahab, posted the message online earlier today. Hamza seeks to boost the morale of the Sunni jihadists fighting multiple enemies inside Syria, praising their patience and endurance. The mujahideen in Syria are writing a golden chapter in the contemporary history of the Muslim Ummah (worldwide community of Muslims), Hamza says. The junior bin Laden portrays the war as part of a global conflict against Islam itself. Addressing Sunni jihadists in Syria, he says the International System and the states of the West and the East that are fighting against you do so because you seek to establish a true Islamic government. We want al-Sham to emerge victorious over the tyrants and to be ruled by the noble Shariah, Hamza says. We wish to see the armies of Mujahideen setting out from Sham to liberate al-Quds (with the permission of Allah)instead of Sham itself turning into another Palestine, God Forbid. (Hamza has said in the past that Syria is the key to liberate Palestine.) The enemy does not want to see Islam be established in any form, Hamza claims, alleging that the West and Iran are jointly opposed to Sunni Muslims throughout the region. The Crusader enemy along with its Rafidhi [Shiite] allies are occupying our Islamic lands bit by bit, Hamza claims. He points to Iraq and Yemen to support his argument, as Iranian-backed forces have advanced in both countries. This same claim has been made by other al Qaeda figures in the past. Hamza alleges that the enemies eyes are firmly set on the occupation of the Land of the Two Sanctuaries in Saudi Arabia. There is more than a hint of worry in Hamzas words, as the jihadists face multiple enemies, all of whom threaten the Taliban-style state that is slowly being built in the northwestern province of Idlib. Hamza surely knows this. To enable the Muslims of Sham to stop this International Crusader-Rafidhi aggression, Muslims all Muslims must stand shoulder to shoulder with them, and offer all kinds of help, support and encouragement, Hamza tells listeners. The body of the Muslim Ummah specifically its Syrian wound has severely deteriorated, and is in need of urgent treatment, he warns. If we are able to treat this wound, we should be able to treat the other wounds as well. And if we ignore this wound, the injury will only spread and we will be left unable to treat the whole body. Hamza calls for [e]xtreme vigilance and urgent, organized, serious actionto support the people of Sham before its too late, as the cause of al-Sham must be the cause of the entire Ummah. Hamza addresses his Mujahid brothers in our beloved Sham multiple times, but he does not name any specific groups or individuals. In Aug. 2015, Hamza lauded Abu Muhammad al Julani, the emir of Al Nusrah Front, as the bold commander and he praised Julanis organization. Al Nusrah was a public branch of al Qaeda until July 2016, when it was rebranded as Jabhat Fath al Sham. The group then merged with other organizations to form Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) in January 2016. HTS has suffered from internal rivalries and heated ideological disagreements since its founding, with a few of Julanis detractors claiming that he had overstepped his bounds and left al Qaedas ranks without permission. Al Qaedas senior leadership has not leveled that grave charge against Julani, at least not publicly. Hamza neither criticizes, nor praises Julani in his new message. And while HTS has its share of problems, including some high-profile recent defections, the group is still the largest in northwestern Syria. Hamza does not address any of the specific problems the jihadists have encountered. Instead, he offers general advice, some of which may refer to the debates that have taken place within the jihadists ranks and the problems they have faced. For instance, Hamza encourages the jihadists to stay united, because their enemies are exceptionally cunning, scheming to divide your ranks, disperse your strength and sow discord and disputes amongst you to completely uproot you. Hamza warns that the enemy picks on each one of you separately. This demands from you extreme vigilance, deliberation, holding tightly together to the rope of Allah, to His Book and the Sunnah, and sidestepping the initiatives launched by the enemy, for these are nothing but conspiracies. Some jihadists have been especially concerned about being designated as terrorists by the US and other nations. Hamza says this shouldnt be a concern. Let us be proud of the Wests profiling of us as terrorists, for this is no allegation; it is a badge of honor, Hamza says. We must be proud of our enmity of America and Russia, for they are the Pharaohs of this age, Hamza claims. Anyone who stands up to them has a right to be proud; anyone who tries to appease them must be ashamed of himself. So let us be proud of the anger of the West and its hatred for us. Osamas heir also advises the jihadists to [s]tick to the guidance of scholars and the Shuyukh of Jihad who want the best for you. The comment is interesting, given that a few senior ideologues have recently resigned from HTS. Hamza ends his message with a call to arms for the Muslim youth. Your participation in the Jihad of al-Sham will be a source of blessing for you. Everything in Jihad in al-Sham assumes a heavenly dimension. A young Muslim, Hamza claims, even if he is among those who have transgressedbecomes a Mujahid, Muhajir [immigrant] and a hero merely by reaching the land of Shamperhaps to be chosen by Allah as a martyr eventually. Hamza adds that every word spoken in support of the cause of Sham is not an ordinary word, but instead a source of reward in the Hereafter. Even a truthful tweet could lead one down this divine path, according to Osamas son. Hamza has been given a prominent role in al Qaedas propaganda since Aug. 2015. His messages are usually distributed in Arabic with an English translation, thereby guaranteeing a wider audience. His latest statement was no exception, as both Arabic and English transcripts were posted online. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. An Afghan Shia jihadist plants the flag of the Fatemiyoun Division near the entrance of the Al Sanaiyah neighborhood of Deir Ezzor. Afghan Shiite fighters in the Iranian-led Fatemiyoun Division have entered the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor, according to both a report and photos posted by Fars News Agency, a media outlet affiliated with Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Assad regime, along with its Iranian and Russian allies, broke the Islamic States multi-year siege of Deir Ezzor earlier this month. The photos show Afghan jihadists placing Fatemiyoun Division flags at the entrance of the Al Sanaiyah neighborhood and on a powerline somewhere in the city. Fars News claims that a fighter who hoisted a flag yelled, Oh sons of Yazid [note: the caliph who killed Imam Husayn, now refers to the Islamic State] where are you? We have pursued you here, and know that if you go to your home of origin, Tel Aviv, well follow you there and destroy your houses upon your heads. IRGC propaganda regularly claims that the US and Israel directly support the Islamic State. In addition, Fars News claims that all the fighters and people began yelling labayk ya zeynab and labeyk ya Husayn. The first part (labayk ya zeynab) means we are at your service, o Zaynab, a reference to the sister of the third Imam Husayn, who is buried near Damascus. This cannot be independently confirmed by FDDs Long War Journal. Deir Ezzor is a predominantly Sunni city. The Fatemiyoun Division joined Hezbollah, the Quds Brigade, and other Iranian-backed militias in the offensive that broke the Islamic States siege of the city. Forces belonging to Hezbollah and the Quds Brigade, a Palestinian group, were seen parading and celebrating near the entrance of Deir Ezzor. Al Manar, a Hezbollah television station, interviewed the commander of Syrian forces in the city, Issam Zahreddine, who sent his thanks to Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah for their role in the offensive. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, Hezbollah and allies parade in Deir Ezzor, Syria.] Russia has also promoted its role in the battle for Deir Ezzor. Videos released by the Russian Ministry of Defense purportedly show ships targeting Islamic State forces in Deir Ezzor with Kalibr missiles. Both Iran and Russia have provided crucial assistance to the Assad regime as it has advanced in eastern Syria. Amir Toumaj is a Research Analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Caleb Weiss is a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. This improvised explosive device was placed on a London tube train earlier today. It failed to fully detonate, but caused a fire that injured twenty-nine people. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the bombing on a London tube train this morning. The groups Amaq News Agency first released a short statement claiming that a detachment carried out the attack. The Islamic State then released a longer statement saying that soldiers of the caliphate had placed several bombs and exploded one of them. The jihadists did not provide any specific details about the perpetrator(s). British authorities have not yet publicly identified any suspects, nor have they confirmed that multiple bombs were placed throughout London. British authorities say they are still hunting those responsible and it remains to be determined what connections, if any, there are to the self-declared caliphate. Hundreds of police officers are pursuing numerous lines of enquiry, trawling through hours of CCTV footage and speaking to witnesses, Mark Rowley, the Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, told the press. The bombing occurred just after 8am local time at the Parsons Green Underground Station. An improvised explosive device (IED) was placed on the train, but apparently did not completely detonate. Photos released by authorities show the remains of the IED, which was placed in a large white bucket. Wires can be seen sticking out and there are other identifiable elements as well. Had the bomb fully exploded, it is unlikely that any such details would be visible. The IED did cause a fire, which injured more than two dozen people. The fact that much of the bomb remained intact means that authorities likely have more forensic clues. The device and remnants left at the scene have been taken away and are being examined by forensic experts, Rowley said. While this work is ongoing, there is no doubt in my mind that those responsible intended to cause great harm and injury. The Metropolitan Police (UK) quickly deemed the incident a terrorist attack, saying that 18 people had been hospitalized mainly due to the burns they suffered. The number of wounded climbed throughout the day, however, with 29 people receiving some form of medical attention. The London Ambulance Service reported that none of the victims were thought to be in a serious or life-threatening condition. The UK has been struck by jihadists several times this year. On Mar. 22, a man drove his vehicle into pedestrians outside of the British Parliament and then assaulted others with a blade. On May 22, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive device outside of the Manchester Arena, where an Ariana Grande concert had just concluded. Twenty-two people were killed and dozens more injured. It is possible that Islamic State operatives in Libya or elsewhere played a role in the bombing. On June 3, three terrorists attacked London Bridge and the nearby Borough Market, first by ramming their vehicle into pedestrians and then wildly stabbing at people dining or drinking at local establishments. UK officials report surge in terror-related arrests While several attacks have now killed or wounded dozens of victims, UK authorities say they have stopped even more from being launched through terror-related arrests and other measures. The UK Home Office reported this month that there were 379 arrests for terrorism-related offenses for the year ending June 2017. This was an increase of 68% compared with the 226 arrests in the previous year and the highest number of arrests in a year since the data collection began in 2001. Fifty-six of the 379 arrests were conducted in connection with the aforementioned attacks on Mar. 22, May 22, and June 3 all three of which were claimed by the Islamic State. Not all of the arrests resulted in terrorism charges being brought. Suspects were released without charge in half the cases. In 123 cases a charge was brought and 105 of these involved terrorism-related offenses. As of June 30, according to the UK Home Office, there were 204 persons in custody in Great Britain for terrorism-related [offenses], an increase of 35% on the 151 persons in custody as at the previous year. This continues the upward trend seen in terrorist prisoners over the last few years. Of the 204 people in custody, the majority (91%) held Islamist extremist views. A further 5% held far right-wing ideologies, and 4% other ideologies. In its report earlier this month, the UK Home Office published the bar chart below showing the number of people in custody due to suspected terrorism-related offenses since June 2015: Earlier this year, British officials said they were investigating 500 possible plots involving 3,000 people on the top list of suspects at any given time. In addition, 20,000 other people are on the counterterrorism radar for one reason or another and are still considered potentially problematic. The British government previously warned that the Islamic State has created an unprecedented level of threats, both in terms of range and pace. [See FDDs Long War Journal report, Why the UK launched its first targeted drone strike ever.] Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. The US targeted jihadists based in Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Agencies earlier today in the first recorded drone strike in the country since mid-June. The US is likely to step up strikes in Pakistan after President Trump accused Pakistan of harboring and supporting jihadist groups last month. The strike was confirmed by Baseer Khan Wazir, the senior government official for the Kurram agency, where todays strike took place, Reuters reported. According to Wazir, two drones fired a pair of missiles at the home of Maulavi Mohib and killed three people. The exact target of todays strike has not been disclosed. The US government has not commented on the operation, and jihadists based in Pakistan have not confirmed the death of any senior or mid-level operatives or leaders. Todays airstrike is the first recorded since an attack on June 14, in which the US killed Abu Bakar Haqqani and two close aides in a strike on a compound in the district of Hangu in the northeastern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Abu Bakar was a leader in the Haqqani Network, which is an integral part of the Taliban, and is closely allied with both al Qaeda and Pakistans Inter-Service Intelligence Directorate. The networks leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is also one of two deputy emirs of the Afghan Taliban. Haqqani Network leadership has been targeted numerous times during the US drone campaign in Pakistan, which began in 2004 but was ramped up in 2008 under President George W. Bush. The US has killed 13 Haqqani Commanders, according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal. Among those killed were Badruddin Haqqani, Sirajuddins brother and a top deputy; Jan Baz Zadran, the groups third in command; Mullah Sangeen Zadran, a senior military commander who was the Talibans shadow governor of Paktika; and Abdullah Haqqani, who coordinated and trained the groups suicide bombers. Fifth strike reported in Pakistan this year Todays strike in Kurram is the fifth of its kind reported in Pakistan this year. It is also only the fifth since the US killed Afghan Taliban emir Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour in an airstrike in Baluchistan province in May 2016. In a May 24 airstrike, the US killed Abdullah, who was identified by the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan as a great master in electronics. Abdullah was associated with Akhtar Muhammad Khalil, the Talibans emir for North Waziristan. On March 2, US drones reportedly killed two jihadists as they rode on a motorcycle in the tribal agency of Kurram. An Afghan Taliban commander known as Qari Abdullah Subari is believed to have been killed in the strike, according to Reuters. And on Apr. 29, US drones reportedly killed al Qaeda commander Abdul Raheem. Drone strikes in Pakistan have tapered off significantly since the peak of operations against al Qaedas leadership and allied jihadist groups in 2010, when 117 strikes were recorded. In 2015, the US launched only 11 drone attacks. In 2016, there were only three more, including the one targeting Mansour in May 2016, which was the final one for the year, the last of President Obamas second term. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Alexandra Gutowski is a military affairs analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Egypt "has succeeded in initial talks with Mercedes-Benz officials to bring the international automobile manufacturer back to Egypt following a two-year halt, the head of the Suez Canal Economic Zone announced on Friday. According to an official statement from the general authority of the SCEZ, Mohab Mamish and a delegation from the zone met in Germany this week with Mercedes-Benz representatives. At the meeting, both sides "agreed that the company would return to Egypt through the establishment of a centre for logistics, distribution and redistribution in Egypts Ain El-Sokhna, in the Suez Canal Economic Zone." The meeting was held during the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. Mamish is currently on a four-day trip to Germany to promote investments in Egypt. He is also head of the Suez Canal Zone Authority. He hailed the meetings results as important in supporting automobile manufacturing in Egypt. Mercedes-Benz announced it was suspending its relationship with the Egyptian-German Automotive company, which assembles vehicles inside Egypt, two years ago. The decision came after the company foresaw no economic benefits following the cut of customs on imported cars from the European Union (EU), which will reach zero by 2019. Search Keywords: Short link: MARTINSVILLEThe welding program at Patrick Henry Community College looks a little different this semester not because of the building, the course structure or even the students. After devoting 38 years of service to Patrick Henry Community Colleges welding classes, recent retiree Dwight Bower is now spending time with his grandchildren and riding his motorcycle. When Bower was 25 and fresh out of the military, he worked as a diesel mechanic in a Nashville garage. Nearly 40 years later, Bower is well-recognized and well-respected among welders throughout the southeast region. When he took his first welding class, Bower did it simply to learn a new skill. Two weeks in, Bower told his wife that he had found his calling and promptly sold his share of the garage. Confident that welding would be his future, he worked his way through welding school with two jobs. Sometimes you have to make decisions with your heart not your head, Bower said. By leaving the garage, Bower took a drop in pay and doubled his hours. By adding school to that schedule, he hardly had time to sleep. Bower says he knew the career would be worth the effort and the risk. The class had a podium at the back that students could use as a desk, Bower said. Coming right off of working the night shift, the only way I would stay awake for class would be to stand at the podium. If I sat down, Id fall asleep. His career took off quickly. Within two months of completing the welding program, the welding school asked him to return as an instructor for the night classes. In the day, he worked as a welder at a shipyard. At night, he taught welding at the school until he moved to Virginia two years later to be closer to his family. Reaching out In 1980, after Bower had been in Virginia for three years, a different school contacted him. PHCC wanted to start a welding program and Bower, who already had five years of welding experience and five years of teaching experience, was the man for the job. At the beginning, Bower was the only instructor and classes were only offered a few nights a week, but the program started strong. In fact, the college was not prepared for the amount of interest the new program had that first semester. Bower had to improvise when he did not have enough equipment or space for all the students. If we didnt have a classroom, I taught them from the back of my pick-up truck, Bower said. As the welding program became more established and new students continued to join, the college realized they needed to hire a full-time instructor. Bower knew that if he applied he had a good shot at the position. He also knew he made better money in his day job as a welder for a large company. However, he saw an opportunity. Bower went to his boss to negotiate a raise. He knew his boss would not want to lose an experienced welder he was only partly right.Bower left the meeting without a job. His boss didnt want to lose an experienced welder, but he knew something Bower did not know yet. He told me that teaching would be the best move I would ever make, then he said goodbye, Bower said. Years later, the same boss offered Bower a full-time position making five-times an instructors salary. To the unsolicited offer, Bower said, Remember when you said teaching would be the best move I would ever make? You were right. For Bower, welding was his occupation something he was good at but teaching was his calling. We are all put on this earth for a reason. My reason was to teach to help people. As a teacher, you can make so many peoples lives better. Students have come to the welding program fresh out of high school with no idea what they could do or what sort of future they might have. Then only a few months later, they get a job making $22 an hour with their welding certifications. Others have turned to welding after being laid off. Then, they get jobs making double their previous salaries. They come scared to death. They leave with confidence, Bower said. Its fun to see my students excitement as they learn to believe in themselves. Bower said that he has worked from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. many times. If students wanted to stay late into the evening to rework a weld over and over, he stayed late with them. If a piece of equipment needed maintenance or the weld shop needed cleaning, he stayed over to do it. You stay because the students need it, Bower said. His passion for helping students extended beyond seeing his students complete the program and land jobs. After encountering student after student whose hunger, transportation issues or life situation threatened to put an end to their education, Bower started a scholarship fund. If they need money, food, welding supplies, I just tell them, People helped me out when I was starting. I just expect you to pay it forward one day too. Sometimes the help his students needed wasnt extra time in the welding lab or a little money to make the rent. They would start acting distracted or sloppy in the lab, and Id take them aside, and it would turn out their girlfriend had just left them or something like that, Bower said. Bower did not mind making time in his schedule to listen and counsel any of his students no matter the subject. In fact, he gave every student his cellphone number so they could ask him for welding, career or life advice any time, even years after they graduated. The biggest highlight of teaching for me is seeing a student whose life has been turned around completely, Bower said. A life-changing business For Bower, the extra work, the extra time and the extra cost was just part of his life-changing business. From 1982 to 1999, Bower ran the welding program by himself even though almost every year from the programs inception the classes had a waiting list. Eventually, the college decided it was time to grow the program again and PHCC announced it would hire a part-time welding instructor. The man for the job was Randy Smith. The similarities between Smith and Bower were almost uncanny. Just like Bower, Smith was a military veteran who had never tried welding before his company sent him to get the certification. When Smith took welding from Bower in 1993, he learned to weld like him. When he got the job as an adjunct professor, he learned to teach like him. I paid close attention to the way he taught his classes. I wanted my classes to be like his because I knew his style worked, Smith said. His welding shop is like the workplace. When students leave his shop, theyre ready to walk in and start welding no matter where they land their job. Smith began as Bower began, teaching part time in the evenings and welding for a company during the day. But, like Bower, he discovered a passion and a calling he could not ignore. Every semester I see why Dwight chose to teach and why he has the passion for it that he does, Smith said. Its about taking a student from having no idea what hes doing to making $40-thousand a year. Its a great feeling to change a life. Over the past two decades, Bower and Smith have worked side by side to create one of the most productive programs in the college. Together the two instructors would teach around 80 students every week. This past year, their students earned over 160 welding certifications. Graduates have gotten jobs all over the country. The teachers discussed the future of the program and anticipate it will continue to grow at the same rate and direction under Smiths leadership as it did under Bowers. From teaching Smith to weld to training him to become a program leader, Bower said he was preparing Smith to take over the program from day one. This whole time I knew this day would come and I wanted someone who could continue the program at the same level of success, Bower said. For more than 20 years, Ive been mentoring him. Now, weve got exactly the same welding style and teaching methods. Ive been teaching for more than three decades, and leaving is bitter sweet, but I can leave confident that the welding program and these students are in good hands. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Reports say Boston Police are planning to increase surveillance and security measures on Boston Common after a 19-year-old was shot and injured in the public park this week. On Tuesday night, a Hyde Park teen suffered serious injuries after being shot near the Boston Common bandstand, a focal point in the city's historic park. The shooting occurred around 7 p.m. Three teenage suspects were questioned before being released without charges Wednesday morning. Earlier this week, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh told Boston Herald Radio "bullets were flying, that area was loaded with people coming from work, with students now coming back from Emerson...there were people walking, tourists walking on Tremont Street." In response to the shooting, Boston Police say they are taking steps to improve security in the 50-acre park downtown. Boston Police Lieutenant Detective Michael McCarthy told the Boston Globe that officers will be assigned beats inside the park, surveillance cameras will be installed and the MBTA Transit Police will increase visibility on the Common as well. There are currently no cameras in Boston Common, only on adjacent streets. McCarthy reportedly said the cameras that will be installed will be similar portable cameras that were used during the massive "Boston Free Speech" rally last month. The cameras are anticipated to go up in the next few days. McCarthy also told the Boston Herald that the department will also have a "zero-tolerance" approach to drug use and sales, including the use of marijuana, which visitors often complain of smelling in the park. Harvard Kennedy School announced Friday morning that the school would withdraw a fellowship invitation for Chelsea Manning, a former whistleblower convicted of espionage four years ago for leaking classified information to WikiLeaks. Manning, the transgender soldier formerly known as Bradley Manning, was one of 10 visiting fellows welcomed to the school's Institute of Politics on Wednesday. Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was also among the visiting fellows. "We invited Chelsea Manning because the Kennedy School's longstanding approach to visiting speakers is to invite some people who have significantly influenced events in the world even if they do not share our values," read a statement from Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas W. Elmendorf. "However, I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake," Elmendorf said in the statement. In 2010, Manning released more than 700,000 classified State Department and military documents to WikiLeaks, an organization that provides a web platform for secret information by anonymous leakers. In 2013, Manning was convicted of espionage. The conviction sent Manning to an all-male prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where she spent seven of her 35-year sentence before it was commuted by President Barack Obama during the final days of his presidency. In January, President Donald Trump referred to Manning as "a traitor" while citing a Guardian opinion piece in which she said Obama had "very few permanent accomplishments." Ungrateful TRAITOR Chelsea Manning, who should never have been released from prison, is now calling President Obama a weak leader. Terrible! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2017 Many expressed disapproval of Harvard's government school inviting Manning as a fellow, including Michael J. Morell, a deputy director at the intelligence agency during the Obama administration. Morell penned a letter to Elmendorf announcing his resignation on Thursday. In the letter, picked up by CBS News where Morell is a national security contributor, Morell wrote that though he supports Manning's rights as a transgender person, and the rights of transgender people to serve in the U.S. military, it is "his duty" to protest the school's invitation to Manning. "It is my right, indeed my duty, to argue that the school's decision is wholly inappropriate and to protest it by resigning from the Kennedy School," Morell wrote. Former CIA Deputy Director @MichaelJMorell resigns as Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy school over their hiring of Chelsea Manning pic.twitter.com/JORdp4ysHR Mosheh Oinounou (@Mosheh) September 14, 2017 Shortly after midnight, Chelsea Manning took to Twitter in response to dean's announcement. so @harvard says @seanspicer & @Clewandowski_ bring something to the table and add something to the conversation and not me #WeGotThis Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 this is what a military/police/intel state looks like the @cia determines what is and is not taught at @harvard #WeGotThis https://t.co/09xIJGlhgf Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 honored to be 1st disinvited trans woman visiting @harvard fellow they chill marginalized voices under @cia pressure #WeGotThis https://t.co/7ViF3GaSec Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) September 15, 2017 In his statement, Elmendorf said the title of Visiting Fellow implies honor, and that the school must "weigh that consideration" when inviting fellows. He also suggested the actions of Manning do not fulfill "the values of public service" to which the members of the Harvard Kennedy School aspire. "I apologize to [Manning] and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard today for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation," Elmendorf wrote. After an 8-year-old boy was left with rope burns on his neck, officials are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime. Teenagers in Claremont, New Hampshire allegedly taunted the biracial child with racial epithets then pushed him off a picnic table with a rope around his neck. "They walked away and left him there hanging," his mother, Cassandra Merlin, told the online publication The Root. The young boy swung back and forth by his neck before he was able to loosen the rope, authorities say. No adults were witness to the alleged incident. It was reported to police after the boy returned home and family became aware of his injuries. If the attack is deemed a hate crime, authorities are "prepared to take any and all appropriate action," New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald said in a statement. "I know what is being reported has caused not just my community to ask questions but the entire nation wants to know more," Claremont Police Chief Mark Chase said in a statement. "We have taken this incident serious since it was reported and continue to take it serious." AMHERST - Police are still looking for anyone with information about an unarmed robbery late Monday morning outside Watroba's Market and liquor store on Sunderland Road in North Amherst. Police reported that a victim was allegedly assaulted at about 11:15 a.m. by a six-foot-tall black male, wearing dark running pants, a dark-colored jacket and blue ball cap. The suspect approached the victim in the parking lot and demanded the victim's handbag, according to police. After a brief struggle, the suspect fled the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. Anyone with information is asked to call the Amherst Police Department at 413-259-3000. SPRINGFIELD -- A Hampden Superior Court judge on Friday reduced bail from $25,000 to $1,000 for one of three New York men charged with trafficking a large amount of heroin in Springfield. Judge Richard J. Carey, after hearing arguments from prosecution and defense, reduced the bail for Felix Cerrategil, 20, of the Bronx. Assistant District Attorney Katharine Johnston asked Carey to keep the bail at $25,000, saying the three men were bringing 13 pounds of heroin into an area where drug addiction is a serious problem. Defense lawyer Alejandro Ramos asked for the $1,000 bail amount, citing a recent state Supreme Judicial Court decision about bail. The SJC in late August ruled that, in setting bail for a defendant, a judge must consider the defendant's financial resources. The judge is not required to set bail in an amount the defendant can afford if other relevant considerations weigh more heavily than the defendant's ability to prove the necessary security for his appearance at trial, the decision said. "A bail that is set without any regard to whether a defendant is a pauper or a plutocrat runs the risk of being excessive and unfair," recently retired Supreme Judicial Court Judge Geraldine S. Hines wrote for the court. Arrested July 11 were driver Erik Batista-Reyes and passengers Cerrategil and Gesler Echavarria, all 20 years old. Each is charged with trafficking heroin in the amount of over 200 grams, meaning each faces a 12-year minimum mandatory sentence. Carey a week ago set bail at $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety for Batista-Reyes and $1,000 cash for Echavarria. According to Johnston, Batista-Reyes told police he was delivering the heroin to Holyoke and his two passengers were unaware the heroin was in the vehicle. Johnston told Carey the heroin was in a plastic trash bag in the back seat with Cerrategil. Ramos said the police report did not say where in the back seat the bag was located. The arrest began with a traffic stop on Interstate 391 shortly after midnight, Johnston said. She said the vehicle was speeding and the driver slowed suddenly when a trooper passed it. Batista-Reyes did not have a valid driver's license. The trooper ordered the three men out of the car. A search of the car found 20,000 individual baggies of heroin totaling 5.9 kilograms. Johnston said troopers involved in the case estimated the heroin is worth between $200,000 and $300,000. She said the value of the heroin showed "someone in the vehicle had the ability to get their hands on large amounts of money." Ramos said Cerrategil has no criminal record. The defendant has no ties to Western Massachusetts but has friends in Hartford with whom he can stay, Ramos said. The defense attorney said there are grounds for a motion to suppress evidence challenging the trooper's order to exit the vehicle. CHICOPEE - Chicopee police recruit Matt Comtois, who is midway through the Western Massachusetts Police Academy, is being praised for saving someone from choking this week in a West Springfield restaurant. According to Chicopee police spokesman Mike Wilk, Comtiois was out to dinner on Sunday when he noticed a man in a party of around 10 people who appeared to be in distress from choking on some food. "Recruit Comtois, without hesitation, got up and told people he was first-responder trained. He was able to perform the Heimlich maneuver (on the man) and after three or four thrusts, the piece of food was dislodged," Wilk said. The man was able to breathe again was was out of danger, Wilk said. As work of the incident spread, instructors at the academy including Chicopee staff instructor Jeff Couture, and Chicopee Police Chief William Jebb offered their congratulations and told him they were proud of him. Wilk said among the first classes taught at the police academy are first-responder and CPR training. "It's important for the recruits to learn these skills immediately, for not only assisting with the public but also if needed with other recruits during training," he said. Wilk said that even before Comtois has graduated from the academy and started his first shift as a police officer "he's already saved a life." As talk of national tax reform efforts heat up at the federal level, the fate of a federal tax credit program that has played a crucial role in several large economic development projects in Missoula is up in the air. The head of a local community development finance institution is even headed to Washington, D.C., to try to convince Congress that Montana has benefited greatly from the program. Dave Glaser, president of the nonprofit Montana Idaho Community Development Corp. (MICDC) in Missoula, said that the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2017 is supported by both of Montanas U.S. senators Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Steve Daines and is especially important for rural states. DAVID ERICKSON [email protected] http://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-senators-nonprofits-urge-support-for-new-markets-tax-credit/article_da1ad00f-9b2e-5d2c-bf91-1f42201b6533.html Many of us consistently clock in eight hours or more per day on the job. But theres evidence suggesting we may want to collectively scale back. Maurie Backman, The Motley Fool https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/careers/employment-trends/2017/09/14/is-it-time-to-rethink-the-8hour-workday/105526086/ The Montana Department of Commerce works with statewide and local partners, private industry and small businesses to enhance and sustain economic prosperity in Montana. - Montana Is On The Move Artists contribute much creativity to society, but business acumen may not be their forte. Paying for health care and business insurance, saving for retirement and recovering from disasters can be tough to handle for artists without traditional jobs. To gain insight into new financial models for them, [email protected] tapped two experts: Jenifer Simon, director of programs and outreach at CERF+, a nonprofit that helps provide artists with a financial safety net; and Gizem Saka, an artist who is also a senior lecturer at Wharton. They offered their thoughts on the [email protected] show, which airs on Wharton Business Radio on SiriusXM channel 111, as part of a content collaboration with Orangenius, a firm that helps artists develop business skills. Theyre trying to build technology that will ultimately automate that work and replace some of the human beings who are doing it. By Elizabeth Dwoskin https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innovations/wp/2017/09/14/this-silicon-valley-startup-wants-to-replace-lawyers-with-robots/?hpid=hp_hp-cards_hp-card-technology%3Ahomepage%2Fcard&utm_term=.7a10d4f3dc1a Missoula-based Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation http://www.rmef.org is searching for a replacement for president and CEO David Allen, whose contract expires in August 2018. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, with more than 222,000 members, 146 employees, $93 million in assets, and programs and services that touch virtually every state in the country, is one of the largest conservation organizations in the United States. Further information about RMEF and its mission, programs, and membership can be found online at http://www.rmef.org. http://ravallirepublic.com/lifestyles/recreation/article_d7b4e191-718d-5f61-a7ac-14b02efdb687.html Les membres du gouvernement ont pris note que le paud av signer un Exchange Note de Rs 174 millions de roupies avec le Gouvernement du Japon afin dextendre les subsides pour les hopitaux du pays aini que pour le Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care-Cardiac Centre, que plusieurs regulations seont promulge concernant la douane, de celle de la (Historic Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2022 pour creer un musee historique de la voiture, de lorganisation de trois divali shows dans le pays du 14 au 16 octobre 2022 entre autres. 1. Cabinet has agreed to the accession of the Republic of Mauritius to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The Treaty which is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization, makes it possible to seek patent protection for an invention simultaneously in a large number of countries by filing an international application. Such an application may be filed by anyone who is a national or resident of a PCT Contracting State. There are currently 156 countries which are party to the PCT. The accession to the PCT would, inter alia, offer more visibility to the country on the international Intellectual Property arena and increase the attractiveness of the Mauritian jurisdiction for the filing of patent applications, especially in the emerging sectors such as Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Research on Sea Sponge. 2. Cabinet has agreed to the Government of Mauritius signing an Exchange of Notes with the Government of Japan for a Grant Aid of JPY550 million (approx. Rs174 million). The Government of Japan has agreed to extend the grant for the procurement of the medical equipment for the five regional hospitals of Mauritius and the Trust Fund for Specialised Medical Care-Cardiac Centre at Pamplemousses under its Economic and Social Development Programme. 3. Cabinet has taken note that the following regulations would be promulgated: (a) the Customs (Amendment) Regulations 2022; (b) the Customs Tariff (Amendment of Schedule) (No. 5) Regulations 2022; (c) the Excise (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2022; (d) the Excise (Amendment of Schedule) (No. 4) Regulations 2022; and (e) the Excise (Amendment) Regulations 2022. These Regulations provide for the implementation of measures mentioned in the Annex to Budget Speech 2022 23 relating to customs laws as well as other policy and technical measures. 4. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Road Traffic (Historic Motor Vehicles) Regulations 2022, in the context of the setting up of a Historic Motor Vehicle Museum in Mauritius for showcasing a car collection of at least 150 originals, vintage and classic cars of 40 years or more. These cars are unique and would be exhibited under their unique registration marks. 5. Cabinet has taken note that the Ombudsperson for Financial Services (Sworn Statement) (Revocation) Regulations 2022 would be promulgated. The Ombudsperson for Financial Services (Sworn Statement) Regulations 2019 have now become obsolete. 6. Cabinet has agreed to the submission of the National Report on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to the United Nations Environment Programme as one of the deliverables of the Global Monitoring Plan under the Stockholm Convention on POPs, which has been ratified by the Republic of Mauritius. The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods, also known as POPs. Parties to the Convention are required to comply with provisions of the Convention, take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs in the environment and provide background data on POPs in ambient air and human milk under the Global Monitoring Plan. 7. Cabinet has taken note that the Department of Civil Aviation would host the fourth African-Indian Ocean Free Route Airspace Project Management Team (AFI FRA PMT) Meeting in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organisation, from 25 to 28 October 2022 in Mauritius. The objective of the meeting is to provide the AFI FRA PMT with a forum to develop a road map for the regional Free Route Airspace project as well as to gain insight of the challenges and lessons learnt by Mauritius during the implementation of the project within the Flight Information Region. Some 60 participants from among the 48 Member States are expected to attend the meeting, along with some 10 participants from the key aviation stakeholders in Mauritius. 8. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage organising three Divali Shows at national level from 14 to 16 October 2022, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, and with the participation of local and international artists. These three live performances would equally form part of the 12 Fetes Nationales being organised throughout the island in the context of the 55th Anniversary of the Independence of Mauritius which would be celebrated next year. 9. Cabinet has taken note of the activities being organised by the Mauritius Post Ltd, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, to mark the 250th Anniversary of the postal services in Mauritius. The event would coincide with World Post Day to be celebrated on 09 October 2022 under the theme Post for Planet. An official function would be organised on 08 October 2022 at Caudan Arts Centre, Port Louis and the event would include: (a) the opening of a Philatelic Exhibition to be organised in collaboration with the Association Philatelique de lOcean Indien and an exhibition on the historical journey of the Mauritius Post Ltd; (b) the launching of two stamps and two First Day Covers on the 250th Anniversary of Postal Services in Mauritius and 175th anniversary of Blue and Red Penny stamps; (c) the unveiling of a Commemorative Plate as well as a stele, depicting the 250th Anniversary of the postal services in Mauritius; (d) the recognition of six employees having the longest years of service in the postal sector, including one from Rodrigues; and (e) the launching of a new logo for the Mauritius Post Ltd. In addition, the Mauritius Post Ltd has also planned other side activities. These activities would also be extended to Rodrigues in the coming month. 10. Cabinet has taken note of the status of road capital projects being implemented by the Road Development Authority as at 31 August 2022. For the current financial year, seven projects have been completed, 10 are under construction, contracts have been awarded for two projects, five projects are at procurement stage and six others are at preparation stage. 11. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world. Some 618.7 million cases have been reported globally, of which 598.6 million persons have been successfully treated. With regard to Mauritius, as at 21 September 2022, there were 57 active cases of COVID-19, out of which 10 were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. 12. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance in the 22nd Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) Council of Ministers Meeting and the 5th Sub-Saharan Africa Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Public/Private Sector Dialogue held recently in Zambia as well as his official mission to South Africa. A delegation from Mauritius attended the 44th ESAAMLG Task Force of Senior Officials Meeting, whereby the Enhanced Follow-up Report of Mauritius which included a request for technical compliance re-rating of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendation 15 on New Technologies was considered. It was the only outstanding recommendation where Mauritius had a rating of Partially Compliant. On the basis of the progress made by Mauritius in addressing the deficiencies relating thereto, the ESAAMLG Task Force approved the upgrading of that Recommendation to Largely Compliant. With this technical compliance upgrade, Mauritius is, now, Compliant or Largely Compliant to all of the 40 FATF Recommendations. The Council of Ministers approved the appointment of Mrs Fikile Zitha from South Africa, as the new Executive Secretary of ESAAMLG. The 5th Sub-Saharan Africa AML/CFT Public/Private Sector Dialogue was launched immediately after the Council of Ministers Meeting with the theme Virtual Assets and the Implementation of the AML/CFT Programmes in the ESAAMLG Region. During the mission of the Minister to Johannesburg, South Africa, he participated in various meetings with potential investors and prospective operators for the Mauritius International Financial Centre in order to explore the interest of the investor community in South Africa to invest and operate in the Mauritian jurisdiction. 13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security in the African Green Revolution Forum and the First-In-Person Regional Dialogue with African Food Systems National Convenors organised by the African Union Development Agency, the United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, the Food Workstream of the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group on Food Energy and Finance and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa held recently in Rwanda. The theme of the Forum was Grow, Nourish, Reward Bold Actions for Resilient Food Systems. The Forum was organised following the Food Systems Summit, a United Nations initiative, preceding the National Dialogue on Food System. The African Green Revolution Forum was a platform to encourage African Food Systems Convenors to engage in the implementation of strategies related to the recent food, energy and finance crisis on the African continent. In the margins of the African Green Revolution Forum, a National Convenors Meeting was held and the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security made a presentation on the National Pathway. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires If you find yourself wearing shorts on most days in summer, you've definitely worn the linen suit at least once in your life. City or lounge shorts get too casual after a point and chinos/trousers choke you in the heat. Enter linen trousers, that could easily eliminate all the mentioned woes. Now throw in the concept of tailored dressing and you'd find that a linen suit too, exists. Basically, the breathe-free fabric is a style uniform today. Come summer, high temperatures or maybe just a humid evening in Mumbai, linen simply becomes a winning choice. Actor, mad hatter and chill-AF clothing kingRajkummar Rao knows exactly what we're talking about here. Case in point: Last evening, the man was out and about promoting his film 'Newton', in an off-white H&M linen suit, with a Selected Homme floral shirt and West Coast leather sandals to complete the outfit. Viral Bhayani If we may, this is also what summer-meets-fall looks likeespecially where the colour palette is concerned. The floral shirt, reminding of a cold, dark winter day, also stands for why 'monotone companions' are ingredients to a style win. While the suit possesses a hue of its own, the rest of the accompaniments are of a monotone palette. Just a tone here and there maybe, but they almost belong to each other here. But that's not the award we're giving away here. Mr. Rao's sartorial ability of turning a summer outfit into a transitional weather uniform is what's most commendable here. Which brings us to the conclusion: this man too, has started out-dressing himself. He has, now, joined the rare fleet of Bollywood actors who're absolutely in-sync with the biggest trends in the west. Viral Bhayani If this outfit is any indication, we hope we're not seeing rain wear in the months of December. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, will head the Greek delegation during the High-Level Week of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly, from Monday, 18 September, to Friday, 22 September 2017. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will be meeting with a number of foreign counterparts and representatives of international and regional organizations. In addition, he will participate in the Meeting of EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, as well as in several High-Level meetings, where he will have the opportunity to present Greeces positions. He will also be co-chairing, along with his Chinese counterpart, the Ministerial Meeting of the Ancient Civilizations Forum, which was launched last April in Athens, on Greeces initiative. The Minister's programme also includes the Quadrilateral Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, as well as the Trilateral Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign of Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. Finally, the Minister will attend events hosted in his honour by the World Jewish Congress and the Federation of Cypriot American Organizations, where he will be awarded for his contribution to the promotion of peace in the Middle East and his efforts towards the settlement of the Cyprus issue. His visit to New York will conclude on the afternoon of 22 September with his address to the UN General Assembly. Greece unequivocally condemns the new launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, which is repeatedly violating international law, ignoring the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. Todays incident is yet another serious provocation undermining international peace and security. We call on Pyongyang to comply with its international obligations and to enter into meaningful dialogue with the international community for the promotion of peace and stability in the wider region. We remind of the obligation of the competent international and european organizations to reveal the countries who supply Pyongyang with technology and materials for its ballistic programme. BAD AXE -- The last MARSP meeting of 2017 is scheduled for later this month. The meeting will take place at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at the Bad Axe First Presbyterian Church. A speaker from Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield will be at the meeting. There will be no collection at this meeting, but members are encouraged to donate to the scholarship fund. A Thanksgiving dinner will follow the meeting. MARSP is open to all retired school personnel in Michigan. Membership and attendance at meetings provides up to date information and changes regarding retirement. All retired school personnel in Huron County are encouraged to attend. If you are not a current member, or you would like more information on attending this meeting, contact Lynette at huronmarsp@comcast.net or call Dave or Marie at 989-658-2133. Russia kicked off huge air, sea and land military exercises on NATO's flanks Thursday that Russian generals said were not invasion rehearsals as feared by the West. Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, told Army Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, NATO's Supreme Commander and commander of U.S. European Command, that the war games called Zapad (West) 2017 were purely defensive in nature, Russia's RIA news agency reported. "I can calm our dear neighbors straightaway," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Alexander Fomin told the Deutsche Welle German news agency in an interview. "Certainly not -- I can assure you there are no plans for any sort of invasion into the territory of neighboring countries," Zomin said of the Zapad (West) 2017 war games in Russia and Belarus near the borders of the Baltic States, Poland and Ukraine. The "West" designator for the joint exercises with Belarus should not be seen as threatening to NATO states, Zomin said. "In this case, the 'West' isn't to be taken in the broad, political sense of the geographic term as the countries of the West, or the European Union or the members of NATO," Zomin said. Zomin also denied charges by Western officials that upwards of 100,000 troops would be involved in Zapad 2017 scheduled to run from Sept. 14-20. "There certainly aren't 100,000 troops taking part. All in all, around 12,700 people will take part in the exercises," Zomin said. More than 12,700 troops would require the presence of NATO observers under international agreements. The exercises are scheduled for land and sea training areas in Russia, Belarus, the Baltic Sea and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the exercises will involve about 12,700 service members, about 70 warplanes and helicopters, up to 680 units of military hardware, including about 250 tanks, up to 200 artillery pieces and multiple missile launchers, and 10 warships. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the exercises will be "the biggest army training event in the current year." The drills will give Russian and Belarusian troops "an opportunity to train their skills in planning military events and managing troops based on the experience received during modern armed conflicts," the Russian Defense Ministry said. The Zapad exercises have rattled the NATO member Baltic states, which were once occupied by the former Soviet Union. Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis told Reuters that "We can't be totally calm. There is a large foreign army massed next to Lithuanian territory." The Zapad exercises have raised concerns among NATO member states since Russia first gave notice in the spring that they would take place. In a visit to the Baltic states in May, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said he had no immediate concerns about Russia conducting exercises on NATO's borders so long as "it stays routine," but "any buildup like that is simply destabilizing." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go. Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune... President Donald Trump on Friday stood before the U.S. Air Force's most advanced stealth aircraft and vowed confidence in the country's ability to respond to North Korean threats. Speaking at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, D.C., at an event marking the service's 70th anniversary, the president said the regime of Kim Jong-un, in launching another intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan, has shown "utter contempt for its neighbors and for the entire world community." To a crowd of largely military personnel, Trump said, "After seeing your capabilities and commitment here today, I am more confident than ever that our options in addressing this threat are both effective and overwhelming." Earlier in the day, National Security Adviser Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley during a briefing with reporters at the White House responded to North Korea's longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile. "What's different about this approach is that we're out of time," McMaster said. "We've been kicking the can down the road and we're out of road. ... There is a military option. Now, it's not what we prefer to do." Neither Trump nor McMaster described what a military response would look like. The risks for such action have heightened since North Korea this month claimed to have detonated a hydrogen bomb, or thermonuclear weapon, for the first time. During the ceremony at Andrews, which hosts an airshow this weekend, the president stood in front of airmen, as well as three aircraft: the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the B-2 Spirit bomber and the F-22 Raptor fighter jet. Trump said he spoke to British Prime Minister Theresa May about Friday's suspected terrorist attack in London, in which a bucket caught fire on a packed London subway train and sent commuters fleeing in panic. The attempted bombing was the fifth and latest terrorist attack in England this year -- incidents that have left three dozen people dead, CNN reported. Trump said during the call he underscored America's "absolute commitment to eradicating the terrorists from our planet. Radical Islamic terrorism, it will be eradicated. Believe me." The commander-in-chief also thanked the Air Force for participating in relief efforts this month in the wake of hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida, and he singled out the few hundred medical personnel who flew into the Sunshine State to care for residents impacted by the storm. The president took time to honor the service's history and abilities. "For seven decades, the United States Air Force has pushed the boundaries of science and technology, helped restore peace and stability to trouble land, and kept America safe from those who threaten our very way of life," he said. "Nothing inspires more confidence in our friends or strikes more fear in the hearts of our enemies than the sight of American warplanes on the horizon," he said. "You patrol the sky, protect the homeland and deliver American justice to anyone who dares to threaten our people, from the earliest wooden biplanes, to the high-tech [unmanned aerial vehicles], to the awesome power and stunning beauty of the F-35, the B-2, F-22, and I saw a lot of them today -- the F-15, F-16, F-18 -- I don't know which one I like the best." Trump said, "Now, when our enemies hear the F-35 engines, when they're roaring overhead, their souls will tremble, and they'll know a day of reckoning is alive. That is the way it's been since the Air Force was born in 1947." The president recalled the words of Robin Olds, the fighter pilot with aces in World War II and Vietnam and later brigadier general, who said, "Fighter pilot is an attitude." Trump added, "I just met a lot of these folks. They're better looking than Tom Cruise, and we know they can fight better and we know they can fly better -- they better be able to. Great people." Trump also praised and recalled meeting earlier this year Richard "Dick" Cole, the World War II veteran, retired lieutenant colonel and last surviving member of the famous Doolittle Raiders, who turned 102 last week. "His place in the pages of history might have seemed unlikely prior to that fateful mission -- he had never seen the ocean before," Trump said. "He knew what his country needed and what his duty required." The president closed his remarks, saying, "I am always on your wing. Happy 70th birthday to the United States Air Force." -- Brendan McGarry can be reached at brendan.mcgarry@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Brendan_McGarry. Captain Paul Lobo holds a U.S. Masters License and Unlimited First Class Pilotage for San Francisco and Humboldt Bay, CA. He was appointed a San Francisco Bar Pilot in February, 1977, retiring in 2008. His first book, Crossing the Bar: The Adventures of a San Francisco Bay Bar Pilot, published by Skyhorse Press, was voted one of the top five nautical non-fiction books for 2016. This article originally appeared on The Maritime Executive. As a retired lieutenant-commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve and a San Francisco bar pilot with 31 years' experience, I find the recent collisions of U.S. Navy vessels and the resulting loss of life disheartening and incomprehensible. Much to my dismay, these incidents could have been prevented -- that is, if the Navy would change the way it operates. As a bar pilot, my job was bringing all vessels, great and small, into San Francisco Bay. That meant coming aboard and taking navigational control of the ship. During my career, I piloted 155 naval vessels, some foreign but most belonging to the U.S. Navy. I have seen first-hand the Navy's expertise in military operations, but I have to conclude from the recent vessel collisions that the service appears to be becoming complacent. Within two months, in peace time, two Navy ships had accidents with multiple loss of life, and we've learned that training and certifications were lacking on both vessels. Related content: Today's Navy seems to have ignored the need to learn the basics of seamanship. One of the first rules of going to sea is relatively simple: if another ship is getting closer and their bearing stays the same, it will hit you. In admiralty law, a ship only has the right-of-way until she reaches extremis, and then she must get out of the way or will be found partially to blame. There is no excuse for a modern destroyer not to get out of the way even if it has the right-of-way. Large commercial vessels take miles to stop, but the Navy's guided missile destroyers can maneuver on a dime. I know, because I piloted them. Getting hit on your starboard side is a sure sign of not knowing the rules -- and what have been the consequences, given the fatalities? In 2007, one of my partners crashed a ship and spilled fuel oil into San Francisco Bay. He went to federal prison for 10 months for killing migratory birds. What is the punishment for officers whose shipmates die due to their lack of knowledge? Did these watch officers get drug tested? Did they go to simulator school? Did they memorize the Rules of the Road? In addition, there are far too many personnel on Navy ships, which is not only costly, but can be distracting when cruising at 25 knots. Consider that a modern 1,200-foot commercial container ship operates with only about 20 seafarers aboard, and the ship owners are talking about unmanned ships as we speak. A destroyer like the USS McCain has 281 men and women aboard. I have piloted several carriers and counted as many as 40 people on the bridge while we were entering port, and it makes for a distracting work environment. The Navy culture relies on the use of many assistants. There are advantages to the system, to be sure, but aboard ship, without one individual "running the show, the potential for confusion and error increases exponentially. Yet, still, the Navy way continues. My training at New York Maritime College and decades of experience as a Navy Reserve officer and bar pilot tell me that any investigation into the recent collisions should focus on the basics. Hopefully, any investigative commission will include recommendations that the Navy look to commercial fleets for ways to improve seagoing operations in the future. Less redundancy in terms of personnel, a greater emphasis on basic seamanship, and a willingness to streamline operations may well avoid future disasters. Navy traditions are near and dear to this old sailor's heart, but rethinking the "Navy way" is critical if we are to avoid more tragedy. As we have sadly seen, lives hang in the balance. The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. -- If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. The special operations soldier killed Thursday in a training exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, involving demolitions was attending the Special Forces Qualification Course. Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida was killed and seven others were injured in the incident. Dalida, 32, of Dunstable, Massachusetts, was a student in the Special Forces Engineer Course, which is the military occupational specialty phase of the Special Forces Qualification Course, according to an Army Special Operations Command press release. He was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. The cause of death is under investigation. "Our primary focus right now is to care for his loved ones," said Col. Michael Kornburger, commander of 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne). "We will honor Staff Sgt. Dalida and help his family in their time of need." The injured soldiers were taken to the base's Womack Army Medical Center for treatment, said Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the Army SoCom, which is based at Fort Bragg. Bockholt said he could not describe the extent of the injuries or what caused them. "There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges," he said, adding that the command is investigating. "We're looking into exactly what happened." Dalida enlisted in the Army in September 2006, and attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Following Advanced Individual Training at Fort Eustis, Virginia, he served the remainder of his time assigned to aviation units, prior to attending Special Forces Assessment and Selection. His military education included Combatives Level 1, Enlisted Combat Skills, MH-60 Maintainer, MH-60 Nonrated Crew Member, Basic Leader Course, Air Movement Operations, SOC Equipment Preparation, Airborne training, Advanced Leaders Course, Air Assault and SERE School. Dalida's awards and decorations include the Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with one oak-leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with oak-leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct medal (third award), the Combat Action Badge, Aviation Badge, Parachutist's Badge and Air Assault Badge. The special operations community is a close-knit family, said Maj. Gen. Kurt Sonntag, commander of the Special Warfare Center and School. "We consider every student who enters our institution a part of our SWCS family," Sonntag said. "Staff Sgt. Dalida's death is a reminder that a soldier's job is inherently dangerous. Our thoughts and prayers are with Staff Sgt. Dalida's family and friends." The incident at Bragg is the latest training accident to result in injured military personnel. Five Marines are in critical condition and 10 more are receiving medical care for burns after an amphibious assault vehicle erupted into fire during training at Camp Pendleton, California, on Wednesday morning. Officials with 1st Marine Division said Wednesday evening that eight of the 15 Marines aboard the vehicle were medically evacuated to the Burn Center at University of California San Diego Health, with three Marines there in critical condition, and five Marines in serious condition. Another four Marines were taken to University of California Irvine's Medical Center, where two remain in critical condition and the other two are receiving treatment, their condition unknown, officials said. One Marine is in stable condition and being treated at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, and two more are being treated on base at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton with minor injuries. The cause of Wednesday's AAV fire is not yet clear. Marine officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Fort Bragg is home to about 57,000 military personnel. It is the largest Army installation by population and covers about 161,000 acres. Special Operations Command has about 23,000 soldiers spread over several sites. -- Staff writer Hope Hodge Seck and The Associated Press contributed to this report. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Hell on Earth. Overwhelming odds. Mountains of razor-sharp coral. And a nearly invisible enemy bunkered inside impenetrable, hidden caves and tunnels. That was the battle of Peleliu, where Marines landed 73 years ago this month. With a higher death toll than any other amphibious assault in U.S. history, the Battle of Peleliu shows that Marines never give up. Success on this battleground was measured in yards and bodies. Here are a few of their stories. 1. The most decorated Marine in history. Despite an infection in his leg from shrapnel, Col. Chesty Puller, commander of the 1st Marine Regiment, led from the front, giving life to the motto, "Lead like a Marine." Blood and guts are how he earned his reputation as the Marine's Marine, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his men against a ferocious enemy. Puller favored junior enlisted men who did the majority of the sacrificing and dying, and utter contempt for all staff pogues of whatever rank. During his four wars, he was the only Marine to win the Navy Cross five times for extraordinary heroism in combat. His unit lost more than half its Marines on the first day of the fight. It was a miracle he survived. 2. Wounded by bayonet, but he didn't give in. Sgt. Patrick A. McGinn served with A Company, 1st Pioneers, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, as well as K Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines. As a demolitions expert, his job was to take Bangalore torpedoes and satchel charges to blow up caves where Japanese troops had hunkered down -- a place known as "Bloody Nose Ridge." During fierce rifle fighting and hand-to-hand combat, he was seriously wounded by a Japanese bayonet. Later, McGinn went on to fight Kamikaze attacks in Okinawa despite complications from his previous wounds. He never gave up. In addition to three Purple Heart medals, he received the Navy Cross for numerous acts of uncommon valor. 3. He gave his life to defend others. 1st Lieutenant John Gravitt -- 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division -- commanded a rifle unit, which suffered a vicious attack from two Japanese units that had flanked and threatened to overtake them. Gravitt grabbed a machine gun and went into the open space between his men and the Japanese. He ordered his men to get out and covered their escape. His men recounted that after he expended his ammunition, he engaged in hand-to-hand combat before succumbing to a shot in the head. For saving all of the men in the unit that day at the expense of his own life, he received the Navy Cross for "extreme valor." 4. He neutralized a Japanese machine-gunner -- alone. Pfc. Stanley Parks served with L Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Up against a fortified cave and in the face of superior firepower, Parks singlehandedly took out a Japanese machine-gunner, as well as all of the enemy soldiers in the cave. "They had a Nambu machine gun -- the fastest-firing weapon the Japanese had -- in front of the cave. I got the machine-gunner with the flamethrower. He was one guy who wasn't going to go back and tell any stories," Parks said. As one Japanese soldier tried to escape, Parks let loose and "made sure he was dead." By taking out this strategic position, Parks saved the lives of many Marines that day, and was given the Navy Cross for his acts of valor. 5. No time for being scared. Lcpl Manuel "Berk" Berkowitz served with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and went ashore under enemy fire with the third wave. Berkowitz later said he simply didn't have time to be scared. "The Marine Corps taught us, if you were scared, you never showed it, plus we didn't have the time," he said. He received the Distinguished Service Cross and numerous other awards for acts of valor, in part for going out under heavy enemy fire and saving a fellow Marine who was trapped on barbed wire. -- Sean Mclain Brown can be reached at sean.brown@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @seanmclainbrown. You Are Not Forgotten -- that's the central phrase behind the POW/MIA remembrance movement that honors America's prisoners of war, those who are still missing in action and their families. Many of our service members suffered as prisoners of war during several decades of varying conflicts. While some of them made it home, tens of thousands more never did. Here are four things to know about how this important movement got started, what it means and how you can help recognize it. POW/MIA Recognition Day POW/MIA Recognition Day is commemorated on the third Friday of every September, a date that's not associated with any particular war. In 1979, Congress and the president passed resolutions making it official after the families of the more than 2,500 Vietnam War POW/MIAs pushed for full accountability. During the first POW/MIA Recognition Day commemoration, a ceremony was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., while the 1st Tactical Squadron from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia flew the missing man formation. Most ceremonies since then have been held at the Pentagon, and many smaller observances have cropped up across the nation and around the world on military installations. Related: A Missing ID Card Spent 50 Years in Vietnam. Now It's Coming Home The point of POW/MIA Recognition Day is to ensure that American remembers to stand behind those who serve and to make sure we do everything we can to account for those who have never returned. POW/MIA Numbers In order to comprehend the importance of this movement, all you need to do is look at the sheer number of Americans who have been listed as POW/MIAs. American POW Numbers According to a Congressional Research Service report on POWs: 130,201 World War II service members were imprisoned; 14,072 them died. 7,140 Korean War service members were imprisoned; 2,701 of them died. 725 Vietnam War service members were imprisoned; 64 of them died. 37 service members were imprisoned during conflicts since 1991, including both Gulf wars; none is still in captivity American MIA Numbers According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, 83,114 Americans who fought in those wars are still missing, including: 73,515 from World War II (an approximate number due to limited or conflicting data) 7,841 from the Korean War 1,626 from Vietnam 126 from the Cold War 6 from conflicts since 1991 The DPAA said about 75% of those missing Americans are somewhere in the Asia-Pacific. More than 41,000 have been presumed lost at sea. Efforts to find those men, identify them and bring them home are constant. For example, the DPAA said that in the past year, it has accounted for 41 men missing during the Korean War: 10 had been previously buried as unknowns, 26 were from remains turned over by North Korea in the 1990s, one was from a recovery operation, and four were combinations of remains and recovery operations. The POW/MIA Flag The traditional POW/MIA flag that's well-known across America was actually created many years before the remembrance day became official. In 1971, Mary Hoff contacted a flag company near her home to see whether a flag reminding people of POWs and the missing could be made. She was one of the many waiting to see whether her husband, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Michael Hoff, would ever return home after his plane had been shot down over Laos. World War II pilot Newt Heisley designed the now-famous flag, which was made in black and white to represent the sorrow, anxiety and hope symbolized by the image of the gaunt man featured on it. For every POW/MIA Recognition Day since 1982, the flag has flown just below the stars and stripes at the White House the only other flag to ever do so. In 1998, Congress ordered it to also be displayed on Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. Bracelets Help Continue the Support While the POW/MIA flag reminds us to never forget our prisoners of war and missing in action, bracelets also became a popular personal form of remembrance in the 1970s. They're still worn and purchased by families and veterans, who are also wearing bracelets for those who were killed in action in more recent wars. If you don't feel the need to buy a flag or bracelet, it's still important to remember the extreme sacrifices of our POW/MIAs and America's pact to them: That we will take care of them, and no matter how much time has passed, they will make it back home. Stay on Top of Your Veteran Benefits Military benefits are always changing. Keep up with everything from pay to health care by signing up for a free Military.com membership, which will send all the latest benefits straight to your inbox while giving you access to up-to-date pay charts and more. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The proceedings of the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 15th September, 2017 are given.The following resolutions were approved in the 99th Annual general Meeting:-1. Adoption of the audited financial statements of the Company for the financial year ended March 31, 2017, together with the Report of the Board of Directors, Auditors and Comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) thereon.2. Declaration of dividend on Equity Shares for the Financial Year ended March 31, 2017.3. Fixation of remuneration of M/s Nandy Halder & Ganguli (firm registration number: CA0136 ) appointed by CAG as the Statutory Auditors of the Company, for the financial year 2017-2018 under provision of Section 142 of the Companies Act, 2013.4. Appointment of Smt. Pally Kundu (DIN- 07871558) as Director of the Company.5. Appointment of Shri V. V. Venu Gopal Rao (DIN- 02950920) as Director of the CompanySource : BSE Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Dear Sir,In terms of provisions of Regulation 44(3) of SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015, we enclose herewith Voting Results in the prescribed format in respect of 19th Annual General Meeting held on 15th September, 2017 at Manekshaw Centre, Khyber Lines, Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi - 110010 .We trust you will find the same in order.Source : BSE Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In terms of the Provisions of the Regulation 30 read with Part A, Para A (13) OF SCHEDULE III to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulation'2015, we enclose the herewith the proceedings of 35th Annual General Meeting of the Company schedule was held on Friday, September 15, 2017 at 10:30 A.M. at the Ground Floor, Auditorium of Birla Academy of Art & Culture, 108, Southern Avenue, Kolkata-700 029.The same is displayed on the website of the Company viz. www.zenithexportslimited.com.Source : BSE Read More Call rate firmed up to 5.95 per cent on fresh demand from borrowing back amidst tight liquidity position while government bonds dropped further on persistent selling pressure from banks and corporates. The overnight call money rate finished higher at 5.95 per cent from yesterday's closing level of 5.78 per cent after moving in a range of 6.10 per cent and 5.90 per cent. The 3-day call money rate ended at 6.10 per cent. The 6.79 per cent government security maturing in 2027 fell to Rs 101.34 from Rs 101.40 while its yield inched up to 6.60 per cent. The 6.79 per cent government security maturing in 2029 moved down to Rs 99.25 from Rs 99.41 while its yield looked up to 6.88 pct from 6.86 pct. The 6.68 per cent government security maturing in 2031, the 7.72 per cent government security maturing in 2025 , the 7.16 per cent government security matuirng in 2023 and the 7.68 pct government security maturing in 2023 ended at Rs 99.60, Rs 104.98, Rs 102.03 and Rs 104.90 respectively. Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of India, under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility, purchased securities worth Rs 102.14 billion in 33 bids at the 3 days repo operation at a fixed rate of 6.00 per cent today, while it sold securities worth Rs 178.32 billion in 41 bids at the overnight reverse repo auction at a fixed rate of 5.75 per cent as on September 14. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More In another major insolvency filing, Standard Chartered Bank has filed a bankruptcy case against Ruchi Soya Industries with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). "We understand that an application has been filed by Standard Chartered Bank with the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench, Mumbai to initiate CIRP (corporate insolvency resolution process) for Ruchi Soya Industries Limited under IBC" the company informed the stock exchanges in a filing on Friday afternoon. Ruchi Soya is among the 30-40 defaulters in the second list the Reserve Bank of India sent to banks, asking them to conclude a debt resolution process by December 13 this year. Last week, the board of edible oil maker Ruchi Soya Industries had set up a committee to explore business restructuring options including creating subsidiaries for individual businesses within the company and separating businesses into individual entities. IDBI bank, with an exposure of Rs 200 crore, is the lead banker of those who have lent loans to the company and Ruchi Soya has successfully fought the winding up petition filed by the public sector lender. Ruchi Soyas primary lines of business include selling packaged edible oils and soyabean chunks, oilseed extraction, edible oil refining, and wind power generation. During FY16-17, 74 percent of the companys revenue came from its edible oils business, according to its latest annual report. Its total borrowings stood at Rs 12,232.22 crore for FY16-17. The draft pharma policy seeks to dilute some of the powers currently with the National Pharma Pricing Authority (NPPA). In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18's Archana Shukla, the Chairman of the NPPA Bhupendra Singh said there is no reason for any structural changes to the regulator. The regulator also slammed pharma companies saying their fears over wide-spread price control are unfounded. He also went on to say that India should never give up its powers to impose price caps on drugs with patents. Below is the transcript of the interview. Q: Price control, affordability is something that this government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi keeps talking about. NPPA moves on those lines but is most often than not criticized by the industry. A: Our pricing policy is a market based pricing and we dont look into the cost of production of the industry. In no case because of our pricing any industry margin or industry profitability gets affected. We focus on the trade margins which are found to be exorbitant and we slash the trade margins. So, I dont think any of the drugs which we have put under price cap, there the industry margins have been adversely affected. So, the criticism on the part of the industry is not fair. Q: They say that most part of the industry is now slowly moving under price control? A: It is not like that. We have about 830 formulations which are in the national list of essential medicines and many of those formulations were already under price control. So, if we include the dosages and forms of different drugs, the impact is not that much. If you go into the logic of including all dosages and all forms, that is very important, the reason is that if say Paracetamol 500mg or 600mg is essential, so how come a 700mg is not essential? Or if a tablet is essential then the injection is not essential? We cannot say that. Paracetamol if it is essential, then all forms and dosages should be essential. Industry has been launching different dosages mostly because they want to go out of the price control. That is precisely the reason the government has proposed that in all cases, all dosages and forms should be under price control. Q: NPPA has recently used Para 19 in certain circumstances to very effectively bring about price control orthopaedic knee implants where part of it was under Para 19 and in certain instances as well. Do you think it is still relevant right now considering lots of concerns being raised both from Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) as well as the industry around Para 19 and the use of it? A: Para 19 is not a new provision. It was in earlier pricing policies also. Since 2013 NPPA has exercised Para 19 only on two occasions. One was in the year 2014 and now in case of knee implants. Para 19 is given to the regulator to meet out the extraordinary circumstances. Regulator has also been assigned the responsibility of not only affordability but also the availability of drugs, accessibility and all other responsibilities. In that case I think it has rightly been given this power under Para 19 because regulator is the best judge. Regulator has the data, regulator has the experience to exercise these powers. It is very necessary that it should not be diluted in any manner. Q: Last time when you had used it in 2014, it was vehemently opposed. There was a legal litigation filed which eventually was ruled in favour of NPPA but in the meantime DoP had overturned a few provisions of Para 19. So, is it still relevant is what I want to understand? A: When you are saying that it was used and it was used effectively and because of which more than 100 medicines the prices came down and this decision of NPPA was validated in the Supreme Court, that shows it is important and it is relevant for the public. Q: In the very latest move, DoP has written to the minister of chemicals and fertilisers Ananth Kumar to move some of the operational clauses of Para 19 to DoP from NPPA, how do you see this move? A: I dont think that is correct. At least it is not in my knowledge. In the new pharma policy there is some kind of proposal which dilutes Para 19 and which we have written to government that this will not be in public interest. Q: What are the changes that the policy is proposing which you think is not in favour? Is it similar to moving powers to DoP on Para 19? A: It is not only question of Para 19. Pharma policy covers lots of aspects of the sector. Pricing is just one part of that. Within pricing we have raised this issue that instead of government reviewing the orders of NPPA, there should be an independent affiliate authority and which is there in other sectors also and that is how the modern system works. Q: The other point which you had raised in your proposal on August 30, one of them was setting up an appellate tribunal to review the orders of the NPPA and if there is a dispute on that. We dont have a mechanism like that. Right now the review goes to the government. In your assessment what are the best practices that you want to communicate when you say an appellate tribunal should be in place? A: Once the NPPA decision is reviewed by the government then NPPA cannot go to the court against the order of the government. If NPPA is not satisfied and feels that it has gone against the public interest, if there is a tribunal and industry is not satisfied with NPPA orders they can go to tribunal. If there is an adverse decision by the tribunal against the NPPA then NPPA can go to court against the decision of the tribunal. So, that should be the way the whole price control should be there. Q: In the draft pharma policy it completely vests the responsibility and the controls of price control to DoP. Who would decide which drugs would go under price control when and the entire mechanism? That shifts the entire bit from NPPA, from the regulator back to the government. So, is this not against or contrary to what the policy itself said and would be in consonance to you? A: It is not like that. Under the present system of price control it is the ministry of health and family welfare which decides the drugs under the national list of essential medicines. DoP doesnt alter that and all those drugs come under the price control of NPPA. So, there is nothing wrong in the system. I feel NPPA should have some flexibility to add or subtract drugs from that list. Essentiality of the drug is decided by the health ministry, that is good, fair enough but affordability part is to be taken care off by the regulator. iPhone X Apple smashed all price records in India when it announced details of the iPhone X which is set for a November launch. The top-of-the-line 256GB model of the phone will cost Rs 102,000 while the 64GB variants will cost Rs 89,000. The US tech giant also showcased four variants of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus a few days ago with prices starting at Rs 64,000, making India the most expensive market in the world for the new handset. But those who wonder what that amount could buy from the automotive space, here is the brief compilation of the list. All prices are ex-showroom, Mumbai. The Pulsar 220F, one the fastest bikes from Bajaj, is priced at Rs 90,445 well below the top-end variant of iPhone X. The latest addition to the Pulsar line-up, the NS 160, priced at Rs 80,648. All the three Avengers Street 150, Street 220 and Cruise 220 can be yours for less than Rs 1 lakh. The Apache RTR 200 is the most expensive and the most powerful motorcycle from TVS Motors. Yet the bike is still cheaper than the iPhone X at Rs 92,800. All the other models under the Apache brand fall well under Rs 1 lakh. Formerly, Yamahas flagship models FZ and Fazer can be bought for Rs 81,040 and Rs 88,143, respectively. These 150cc bikes are the most expensive in their segment. With a little stretch of the budget even premium bikes such as Bajaj Dominar, Yamaha FZ 25 and Fazer 25 could be under the reach. Indias two-wheeler growth story has been driving on scooters for the past several quarters. They now command one-third share of the two-wheeler market. For the price of the top-end iPhone X, one can buy not one but two scooters. For instance, Indias largest selling scooter Honda Activa is priced at Rs 52,461 while the second best-seller TVS Jupiter is available for Rs 51,562. Together with dealer and company discounts two units of both scooters can be had for below Rs 1 lakh. Premium scooters like the Aprilia SR 150 priced at Rs 68,463 and the Vespa priced at Rs 70,273 is well below Rs 1 lakh. Even the top-of-the-line Vespa SXL 150 Matt Red variant is priced at Rs 94,046. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Private insurance company, HDFC Life Insurance, which has filed its draft prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO), may soon be listed on the stock exchanges as the third life insurer. In an interview to M Saraswathy, Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, HDFC Life talks about their listing plan and business strategies. Edited excerpts: The valuations that have been commanded in recent IPO proposals by insurers have been huge. What do you think drives that? Here, we are talking about global investors who understand insurance and increasingly domestic investors are savvy enough to understand the valuations of the insurance company should be and they are willing to pay the value. The big change that has happened is that, and that insurers have sustained the growth. There is confidence on the part of the investors on the business models. They see a huge runway for growth. But they have seen a significant jump compared to the earlier transactions? In the previous transactions, the risk was higher. It was a private transaction and the equity that was sold was lower. The past transactions were done at a discount because the people were taking higher risk. India is quite underpenetrated in protection. We, at HDFC Life, have shown a clear sign and strategy that there is much more possible in protection. Overall, the quality of business has improved and insurers are ensuring that right kind of policies are sold. Also, the comfort level around consistency of performance going forward has improved. This is reflected in the valuations. We want to deliver on the expectations consistently. For us, there is valuation but more important is that we have to sustain that. Unlike other players, your business mix has also been balanced. Is that a conscious strategy? We have worked very hard to build a balanced business mix. Our growth is consistent and we have a balanced product mix and channel mix. If you compare the sensitivity metrics of HDFC Life with our peers, the volatility in our business is much lower in terms of impact on embedded value (EV) and Value of New Business (VNB). This was also seen in your product strategy as well. What is your view? We were the first to go online, bring out a cancer care product and even in terms of bancassurance, we have 120 relationships as on June 30, 2017. We are investing technology in a big way. We are the largest seller of unit-linked insurance products (Ulip) online. Further, we have also launched a combi product with Apollo Munich and we are trying to bring a different customer experience there on buying a joint term and life policy. We have a different business model which brings less volatility and more margins and a bit of a conservative approach. We believe that it has worked for us. Your bancassurance partner HDFC Bank is not your exclusive partner. Do you see it as a risk? The insurance regulator had earlier said that every board (of banks) should adopt an open architecture policy. HDFC Bank has embraced that. From our perspective, the risk is out in the open and we are competing in the marketplace. Yes, the group bank (HDFC Bank) has opened up. For me, there is a huge headroom for growth because they have toned down their growth rate to ensure that the whole process of selling works and misselling is reduced. It allows me to go and have a clear story with the other banks when they open up and the risk was always there and it is playing out. We will continue to have a large number of people deployed there and will continue to get the lions share of the business. Is the IPO also a positive signal for your subsidiary, HDFC Pension which is a pension fund manager? While we were late to the party, on the pension side, too, we have been growing well. We are catching up with the number one player very fast. We see this as a huge opportunity for growth. They have not yet opened up the government sector to the private players yet but that will happen soon. When that happens, we will get access to the bigger pie. What is the timing that you are looking at for the IPO? With a slew of insurance IPOs, that seems to be the most crucial factor. We are working towards it. We are working on the process of the IPO and after the regulatory approvals, we will decide on the timing. There is a time that is needed to get all the approvals. Shareholders will do the IPO when the market is doing well and this being the biggest market event for us, the new shareholders should also feel good for that. Was the break-off of the deal with Max Financial and Max Life for the merger with HDFC Life, a huge setback? We wanted it to happen. But, we could not come up with a structure that could satisfy the regulatory authorities. However, we had intended to do an IPO and moving in the direction. Do you see your IPO being a trigger for mid-size insurers to go public? The mid-size players will struggle in comparison. They have not been very profitable and growth is restricted. The crucial factor is what story you are selling to the investors. However, if they can build the story then maybe in the future it will. But right now I do not see it happening in large numbers. Will Standard Life continue to be a joint venture partner? Standard Life intends to be a promoter for the longest period and is committed to the business. They were involved in the proposed merger with Max Life as also the current IPO process. We dont see an iota of a decrease in interest in the business from them. Do you see a risk in the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) business? The PMJJBY portfolio has been performing well for us. We believe that it is a good initiative and is a great first step. Also, persistency has been good for us in that space. Is there a business opportunity for you overseas? We are the only company to formally go and set up a subsidiary in Dubai. We can write insurance and also reinsurance there. We are operating in the UAE market and doing reinsurance and intend to look at reinsurance as an opportunity seriously. But a lot of what we do in the future in terms of overseas expansion will depend on what strategy we come up with and what is approved by the board. Suresh Prabhu The newly-appointed Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu, who was earlier the Railways Minister for three years, is likely to face many challenges in his new list of duties. Commerce Ministry handles the major component in developing the country. This is the government department entitled to represent India at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), enter into international trade deals, keep a check on all the sectors' growth of India and, in turn, contribute a major chunk to the country's GDP. Here are 3 major challenges lined up for Suresh Prabhu WTO WTO is the world's largest trade forums where the countries who are a part of this forum take major decisions which revolve around building trade relations by either making new ones or resolving old ones. The trade-related matters are supervised by the WTO body. The WTO conference is around the corner and Suresh Prabhu seems to be preparing himself by taking advice from his predecessors, according to Indian Express. According to the report, he is taking inputs so that he is able to learn from their experiences. Trade India is an import-extensive country, making it one of the biggest challenges for the Commerce Ministry. The Ministry has to boost India's exports and lower the country's imports for the country to become more independent. If India is made export-extensive, it will not have to be dependent on other countries for its growth and development. In the recent data released by the Commerce Ministry, it states that India already has an import share of 79.17 percent as against the export share of 69.54 percent among the top 25 countries it trades with. This data accounts for the trade of April and June this year, making a 10 percent imbalance in trade prevalent in two months itself. Higher imports cause a trade imbalance as the country will have to first pay off its import bills and then see its overall growth. More import bills mean a rise in the government's expenditure and more export bills mean a rise in the government revenue. As of now, India's trade balance is negative, showing that the imports are much higher than the exports. To tackle this situation, the Commerce Ministry has to boost domestic manufacturing, tap the resources within the country and make sure that the products are at par with the international standards. Trade deals With trade on one side, one can not deny that international relations for every economy are vital. These international relations become stronger with trade deals which can result in helping the economies to grow. Suresh Prabhu has a long list of trade deals which he has to look after. He has to prepare himself to negotiate free trade deals with China, Japan and Australia and negotiate thoroughly for bilateral free trade deals with Canada and the European Union. With US President Donald Trump turning hostile towards free trade deals , it will be even more challenging for Prabhu to strike these deals with WTO's tougher norms. Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leaving no stone unturned to make India corruption free. In his latest attempt, Modi plans to go after companies helping in hiding black money, reports Mint. Centre is planning to take stringent actions against such firms in an effort to lay a roadmap for New India by 2022. While addressing the foundation day function of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) on Saturday, Modi said, Government has cancelled registration of over 1 lakh companies and more than 37,000 shell firms have been identified for strong action If you know anyone with black money, warn them that they would not be spared. Stepping up its fight against shell companies, government cancelled registration of around 210,000 companies. Besides, banks have been asked to restrict operations of these companies' bank accounts by their directors or their authorised representatives. The impact of our steps to check black money is clear from the latest figures of Swiss Banks, where Indians money has dipped to record low.there has been 45 percent fall whereas according to their 2013 reports, there was 42 percent rise, Modi said. While addressing an Indian diaspora in Myanmar, Modi justified demonetisation which has come in for criticism, asserting that his government was not afraid of taking 'big' and 'tough' decisions in the interest of the country. As per the available data post demonetisation, over 3 lakh registered companies indulged in suspected dealings, he added. Referring to the note ban, the prime minister said the step was taken to curb black money and that it had helped to identify lakhs of people who had crores of rupees in bank accounts but never paid income tax. On the Goods & Services Tax (GST), Modi said that an atmosphere of doing business with honesty had been created in the country within a span of two months after its launch. Modi said over the last three years, his government had initiated massive changes and rules were being eased to unshackle the potential of the country. Now, the people of the country have begun believing that India can move forward. The shackles can be broken, he said. Representative image Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present a "big gift" to Delhiites by inaugurating several highways in the next six months, to free the city from traffic jams and pollution, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said. In the last two years, the Modi government has provided Rs 40,000 crore for infrastructure development in Delhi, Gadkari said while addressing the Delhi BJP's two-day executive meeting. "Six months from now on, Modi will give a big gift to the people of Delhi by inaugurating several highways that will free the city from traffic jams and pollution," the Union Road Transport and Highways minister was quoted as saying in a Delhi BJP statement. The expansion of NH-24 heading towards Meerut with an expenditure of Rs 6,000 crore will use the waste dumped at Ghazipur landfill site providing a big relief to the locals, he said. Earlier this month, a portion of the mountain of garbage at the landfill had collapsed killing two people. "The Modi government has also sanctioned thousands of crores of rupees for Dhaulakuan-Jaipur, Mukarba Chowk-Panipat roads, Dwarka Expressway and North-West corridor," he said. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari praised the prime minister citing Dokalam issue, Triple Talaq and action against separatists in Kashmir. He also hit out against the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi accusing it of indulging in "scams". "While the Modi government is not only ruling but also endeavouring for social transformation, the Kejriwal government in Delhi is indulging in scams whose fresh example is Mohalla Clinic," Tiwari said. The party workers and leaders were also addressed by national general secretaries Anil Jain and Ramlal. "The next two years are crucial for strengthening people's faith in the Modi government," Ramlal said. A political resolution passed by the executive of the Delhi unit, "condemned" the Kejriwal government on 21 issues and also hit out at the Congress for allegedly "misguiding" Delhi people on various issues. Union minister Vijay Goel, national vice president Shyam Jaju, senior party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra, BJP MPs Minkashi Lekhi, Ramesh Bidhuri, and Maheish Girri, and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, were present among others in the meeting. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Rs 5,700-crore public issue ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company has been subscribed 97 percent on second day. The IPO has received bids for 6 crore equity shares against issue size of 6.16 crore shares (excluding anchor investors' portion). The issue is set to close on September 19. The subsidiary of ICICI Bank offered up to 8,62,47,187 equity shares for subscription on September 15. Its promoter entities ICICI Bank and Farifax Holdings will dilute their holdings by close to 19 percent through a public offer. DSP Merrill Lynch Limited, ICICI Securities and IIFL Holdings are global co-ordinators and book running lead managers to the issue. Meanwhile, CLSA India Private Limited, Edelweiss Financial Services and JM Financial Institutional Securities are book running lead managers to the issue. The merchant bankers have fixed a price-band in the range of Rs 651-661 for the issue. Leading brokerage houses highlight the expensive valuations of the issue, but believe that under-penetration of insurance, focus on profitability, along with growth potential of the sector make it a long term investment option. Brokerage: Centrum Broking Centrum Broking observed that at the higher end of the price band of Rs 661, the issue is priced at 8.1 times FY17 book value and 46.8 times FY17 earnings per share (EPS). At this valuation the issue seems expensive considering a RoE of 17.2 percent for FY17, loss ratio of 80.6 percent and combined ratio of 104 percent compared to average of private peers as per RHP 20.4 percent RoE, 76.3 percent loss ratio and 101.7 percent combined ratio, the brokerage house said in its report. Having said that, the brokerage said, it could attract adequate investor interest being the first insurance listing along with other factors such as under-penetration in the sector and its healthy financials. If so, the stock may list at premium to the issue price. If that does not happen, than investors should be ready to expect returns only in the long term. Brokerage: SMC Research SMC Research too highlighted the company being the first insurer to list. Additionally, a strong distribution channel, it said, enables the company to expand its customer base. The companys financial performance has been strong and it is the first player to go public from the insurance segment. Considering all these aspects, investment for long term may be considered, the brokerage house said in a report. Brokerage: Way2Wealth The brokerage house said that the sector can witness high growth as awareness of risk cover as well as shift of savings to financial assets accelerates over the next decade. Being a leader in the space & having superior operating metrics we believe the company is well poised to take up the opportunity of increase in penetration over the next few years, it said in its report. It asks investors with a long term view to subscribe to the issue. Motilal Oswal Motilal Oswal is positive on the issue as the sector provides opportunities for growth on the back of significantly lower penetration and lower insurance density compared to other developed and emerging economies. Further the company has delivered strong ROEs in excess of 16 percent consistently for last 5 years, it added. While the valuation is on the higher side, the brokerage house said that the premium is justified due to growth potentials of non-life segment, leadership positioning and strong solvency margins. It recommends subscribing with a long term view. KR Choksey KR Choksey said that the insurer maintained its aggressive stance on leveraging technology in internal and external processes to enhance productivity of its employees. As a result of this, the brokerage said, the company has been able to increase overall business efficiency. Further, it highlighted that the company is valued at Rs 30,000 crore, which translates into a P/E ratio of 48x FY17 earnings and 2.7x FY17 GWP. Based on the multiples, it said, that the issue is expensive against some of the multiples at which deals have taken place recently. But, the growth potential and focus on improving profitability makes it positive on the issue and recommends subscribing for the long term. Brokerage: Nirmal Bang The brokerage house said that though there is no comparable listed peer of ICICI Lombard but as compared to other consumer facing NBFC peer like Bajaj Finance, Gruh Finance, ICICI prudential and PNB Housing finance the share is offered at lower valuation. We recommend to Subscribe with long term perspective considering the market opportunity, number one positioning and strong financial of company, the report added. Ajcon Global The brokerage house too recommends subscribing the issue based on certain parameters: a) India being the 4th largest non life insurance market in Asia b) Leadership position in non life insurance industry c) Largest private sector non life insurer d) Comprehensive product portfolio e) Consistently ranked number one among private non life insurance companies, f) Company growing faster than the industry, g) Strong capital position with a solvency ratio of 2.13x as on June 30, 2017 (IRDA prescribed solvency ratio 1.5x h) Consistent investment performance i) Strong investment leverage j) Loss and combined ratios improving k) Paying healthy dividends to shareholders l) Strong parentage m) Consistently delivered profit since FY13 and healthy ROE above 15 percent enjoyed since FY15 n) Superb response from anchor investors like Nomura Trust, Kuwait Investment Authority, Blackrock, Societe General, Citigroup, BNP Paribas etc. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Moneycontrol Research With its growing population and a large proportion thereof in the working age bracket, India remains a lucrative yet under-penetrated market for insurance products. In this backdrop, the initial public offer (IPO) of the countrys largest private non-life insurer ICICI Lombard assumes importance. While the companys past growth has been impressive, the future holds promise. Hence, despite the optically heady valuations, long-term investors willing to participate in this consistent growth theme shouldnt ignore this offer. Background ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Ltd (ICICIL), is joint venture between ICICI Bank Limited and Fairfax Financial Holdings. It is a multi-product general insurance player and has a market share (based on GDPI - gross direct premium income) of 8.4 percent among all non-life insurers and 18 percent among private-sector non-life insurers. The company enjoys leadership position in domains such as motor, health, crop, fire, marine, and engineering insurance. The Issue The issue size of Rs 5,700.9 crore is an offer for sale from the promoter ICICI Bank (Rs 2,099 crore) and Fairfax (Rs 3,601 crore). The price band is Rs 651-Rs 661 per share and will remain open for subscription from September 15 to 19. Why should one look at the offer? Industry tailwinds Indias non-life insurance penetration, currently at 0.77 percent, is one-fourth of the global average and considerably lower than peers like China (1.81 percent), Brazil (1.76 percent) and Thailand (1.70 percent). Indias per capita non-life insurance premium, at USD 13, is also one of the lowest among its peer group and much lower than the global average of USD 285.3. Hence, the opportunity size is large. Furthermore, Indias insurance industry seems to be growing at a healthy pace. The size of the Indian non-life insurance sector was Rs 1.28 lakh crore on a GDPI basis as on March 31, 2017. Indian non-life insurance sector GDPI grew at a CAGR of 17.4 percent between fiscal 2001 and 2017. The demographic dividend Currently, Indias population is among the youngest globally, with a median age of 28 years. 90 percent Indians are likely to be below the age of 60 by 2020. A high share of working population, coupled with rapid urbanisation, nuclearisation of families, labour mobility, and rising affluence is expected to propel Indias non-life insurance sector to a whole new level. Leadership premium - ICICIL is the largest private-sector non-life insurer in India by GDPI in fiscal 2017, a position they have maintained since 2004. The company has grown faster than the industry, with its GDPI growing at a CAGR of 26.7 percent from fiscal 2015 to 2017 compared to a CAGR of 22.8 percent for the industry. The company has a diversified range of product offerings and operates as a one-stop insurer for various customer requirements in fields such as motor, health and personal accident, crop/weather, fire, marine, and engineering insurance. Strength of the distribution channel - The company adopts multiple distribution channels including direct sales, individual agents, bank partners, other corporate agents, brokers, and digital platforms. This multi-channel network has enabled it to offer products to customers with varied requirements/expectations across geographies. Over the years, ICICIL has moved from a largely corporate focused business to a more retail-oriented one. In fiscal 2017, retail (including SME), corporate and government business groups contributed 60.4 percent, 17.5 percent, and 22.1 percent of GDPI, respectively. Effective leveraging of technology - ICICIL has been at the forefront of adopting technology to improve reach and penetration. In fiscal 2017, 87.5 percent of their new policies were initiated online, either by distributors or customers. Consequently, employee productivity, measured in terms of GDPI per employee, has increased. Moreover, claim settlement and grievance redressal processes have been effected at a quicker pace too despite the increase in number of policies written over the years. Adept management of the investment book ICICILs investment assets increased from Rs 10,200 crore on March 31, 2015 to Rs 15,079 crore on March 31, 2017, thus making it the private-sector non-life insurer with the largest total investment assets in India. Since fiscal 2004, the companys listed equity portfolios annualised return stood at 30.8 percent, compared to 17.5 percent of the S&P NIFTY index. Healthy financials - ICICIL has a strong capital position with a solvency ratio (size of its capital relative to all the risk the company has taken, which is all liabilities subtracted from total assets) of 2.10x as on March 31, 2017, as against the regulatory requirement of 1.50x. The companys Combined Ratio (sum of loss ratio and net expense ratio) has been generally stable, improving from 104.9 percent in fiscal 2015 to 104.1 percent in fiscal 2017. During the same period, the loss ratio has improved from 81.4 percent to 80.6 percent. The company has managed to clock healthy returns on equity (ROE) in excess of 15.5 percent for each fiscal year since FY15. For the year ended March 31, 2017, the ROE was at 16.7 percent. In the past four years, while the premiums have grown at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 11 percent, profitability grew by 16 percent. Nevertheless, ICICILs business could be impacted by regulatory changes, macro challenges, and natural calamities, among others. However, despite the strong moats stated above, a valuation multiple of 34.7x FY18 earnings (annualised) and 7.6x book value may not result in substantial short-term gains. The company but definitely worth a look for long-term investors. Follow @krishnakarwa152 For more research articles, visit our Moneycontrol Research Page. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company will become India's first general insurer to sell shares in an initial public offering that opens today. CNBC-TV18's Yash Jain caught up with Bhargav Dasgupta, MD & CEO of the company and asked him about the IPO and individual stake dilution by the two partners -- ICICI Bank and Fairfax. Saw excellent response from sovereign wealth funds, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) & foreign institutional investors (FIIs), said Bhargav. Have anchor investors like BlackRock, Nomura, Templeton, he added. He said that Fairfax will bring its stake down to 9.9 percent via offer-for-sale route. ICICI Bank will sell 7 percent to bring its stake down to 56 percent, he added. IPO live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. (ILGI) is the largest private-sector non-life insurer in India based on gross direct premium income and company has maintained this position 2004. Company offers a comprehensive and well-diversified range of products, including motor, health, crop/weather, fire, personal accident, marine, engineering and liability insurance, through multiple distribution channels. The distribution channels are direct sales, individual agents, bank partners, other corporate agents, brokers, and online which help it to reach to customers in 618 out of 716 districts across India. Company was farmed as joint venture between ICICI Bank Limited and Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. Valuation and Recommendation: ICICI Lombard enjoy strong financial with operating profit CAGR growth of 21.8% and PAT CAGR growth of 16.1% between FY13 to FY17. Though the combined ratio (Loss Ratio + Expense Ratio) is higher among its private peers at 104% but because of higher return on investment with higher share of Equity investment, company was able generate ROE of 20% in FY17. Even the Combined Ratio has improved from 107.1% in FY16 to 104% in FY17 and further to 102.4% in Q1FY18. Though we do not have comparable listed peer of ICICI Lombard but as compared to other consumer facing NBFC peer like Bajaj Finance, Gruh Finance, ICICI prudential and PNB Housing finance the share is offered at lower valuation of PE of 41.2 and P/BV of 7.6 with ROE of 18.6% on training basis. We recommend to Subscribe with long term perspective considering the market opportunity, number one positioning and strong financial of company. For all IPO stories, click here The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More SpiceJet said it has deposited Rs 250 crore with the Registrar General of High Court of Delhi in connection with a share transfer dispute with its previous owner Kalanithi Maran and his KAL Airways. The Ajay Singh-promoted budget carrier said it has done so in compliance with court orders. "This refers to judgement and final order dated July 29, 2016 passed by the learned single judge of the honble High Court of Delhi... further modified by the order of the honble Supreme Court of India dated July 31, 2017... inter- alia directing the company to deposit Rs 250 crore to the Registrar General of High Court of Delhi on or before September 14, 2017. "In this regard, we wish to inform you the company has deposited Rs 250 crore with the Registrar General of High Court of Delhi on September 14, 2017, in compliance with the above said orders," SpiceJet said in a regulatory filing. The Supreme Court on July 28 dismissed the appeals of SpiceJet challenging the Delhi High Court verdict asking it to deposit Rs 579 crore in connection with a share transfer dispute with its previous owner Kalanithi Maran. A division bench of the HC had asked SpiceJet to deposit the money, saying, "there is nothing worthwhile" in the petitions to show its finances were precarious or that its cash position was so stretched that it could not comply with its single judge order asking it to deposit the amount. However, the bench had provided it some relief by allowing it to deposit the amount in two parts. It had said part of the amount could be secured by a cash deposit of Rs 250 crore and the balance by a bank guarantee of Rs 329 crore. "With the deposit of above said Rs 250 crore and furnishing of bank guarantee of Rs 329 crore on August 14, 2017 with the Registrar General of High Court of Delhi, the company has complied with the above said orders," the airline informed the market regulator. SpiceJet and Singh had challenged before the division bench the July 2016 interim order passed by a single judge alleging the court did not have the jurisdiction over the matter. The single judge's order had come on a civil suit by Sun TV group's chief Kalanithi Maran and his Kal Airways. In their suit, Maran and his airline company had sought issuance of stock warrants in SpiceJet to them as per a sale purchase agreement (SPA) of 2015 which had led to the transfer of ownership of the budget carrier to Singh. Maran and Kal Airways had alleged before the single judge that despite giving Rs 579 crore to SpiceJet, the carrier had failed to issue them the warrants or allot tranche one and two of convertible redeemable preference shares and that the amount was not utilised for paying statutory dues for which they were also facing prosecution. SpiceJet, in the BSE filing today, said, "Accordingly, the interim order dated May 18, 2016 and May 27, 2016 restraining the company and Ajay Singh (promoter) from allotting/ transferring/issuing/alienating and/or creating any third party interest and/or encumbrance on any shares of Ajay Singh, stands vacated.... 3:30 pm Market at Close: Gripped by volatility through the day on the back of escalating tensions on the North Korean front, benchmark indices ended the week on a flat note, with the Nifty ending above 10,050. The Sensex closed up 30.68 points at 32272.61, while the Nifty ended down by 1.20 points at 10085.40. The market breadth was negative as 1099 shares advanced against a decline of 1466 shares, while 154 shares were unchanged. Midcaps ended on a flat note, while other Nifty sectoral indices ended in the red, barring Nifty IT. The index closed almost a percent higher. Among stocks, ONGC and Bajaj Auto were the top gainers on both indices, while BHEL, Dr Reddys Laboratories and IndusInd Bank were the top losers. 3:28 pm EIR from USFDA: Sources told CNBC-TV18 that the Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) from US Food and Drug Administration for Lupin's Goa unit is expected soon. EIR is a closure report for recent inspections. Lupin management had told CNBC-TV18 on August August 22 that Pithampur & Goa units may be cleared in few weeks. Goa plant was audited by US FDA in April 2017 & received 3 observations. In prior inspection approval on July 24, Goa cleared with zero observations. 3:25 pm Market Check: The recovery seen in equity benchmarks was short lived as the Sensex was down 11.19 points at 32,230.74. The Nifty also fell below 10,100 level, down 9.40 points at 10,077.20. Reliance Industries wiped out its gains while ITC extended losses. Banks remained under pressure. About three shares declined for every two shares rising on the BSE. 3:24 pm Insolvency filing: Standard Chartered Bank has filed a bankruptcy case against Ruchi Soya Industries with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). "We understand that an application has been filed by Standard Chartered Bank with the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench, Mumbai to initiate CIRP (corporate insolvency resolution process) for Ruchi Soya Industries Limited under IBC" the company informed the stock exchanges in a filing on Friday afternoon. Ruchi Soya is among the approximately 30-40 defaulters in the second list that the Reserve Bank of India sent to banks, asking them to conclude a debt resolution process by December 13 this year. Last week, the board of edible oil maker Ruchi Soya Industries had set up a committee to explore business restructuring options including creating subsidiaries for individual businesses within the company and separating businesses into individual entities. 3:18 pm Housing projects launch: Hubtown through its subsidiaries, associates, partnerships and joint ventures is planning to launch affordable housing projects in Mumbai in the next six months. 3:15 pm USFDA nod: The US Food and Drug Administration has given approval to the Vizag unit-II of Laurus Labs, reports CNBC-TV18 quoting Cogencis. 3:10 pm Bankruptcy: Aircel is likely to file for bankruptcy under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, reports CNBC-TV18. As Ericsson has moved the National Company Law Tribunal against Reliance Communications, the Aircel-RComm merger is unlikely to occur. The Supreme Court has already banned Aircel from trading/sharing spectrum. Even the Department of Telecom has opposed the merger of RComm and Aircel citing the apex court order. Reliance Communications share price fell nearly 5 percent. 3:02 pm Coal imports decline: Coal import in August declined 24 percent on a yearly basis as Indian buyers preferred not to buy any fresh fossil fuel and instead wait and watch ahead of an upcoming auction for the power sector. The drop in coal import comes as the stocks at power plants have thinned due to short supply and higher power generation. "Coal import (all types of coals) in August 2017 stood at 14.97 million tonnes (mt) (provisional), against 19.75 mt in August 2016," said Mjunction Services, an e-auction joint venture between Tata Steel and SAIL. 2:55 pm Wind power auction: The government has decided to postpone second wind power auction for 1 GW capacities which was scheduled for September 19 to October 4 in view of some issues about transmission connectivity between states, an industry source said today. Certain bidders and developers are grappling with the issue of inter state transmission connectivity. "The government is waiting for a Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) clarification on inter state power transmission connectivity," the source said. "Therefore, the wind power auction for 1 GW scheduled on September 19, has been postponed to October 4," he said. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), which is nodal agency for conducting this auction, has informed developers about this decision. 2:50 pm Market Check: Equity benchmarks rebounded in last hour of trade, with the Nifty reclaiming 10,100 level, supported by index heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Infosys. The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 73.44 points at 32,315.37 and the 50-share NSE Nifty rose 17.85 points to 10,104.45. 2:40 pm CLSA on ICICI Pru: CLSA has maintained a buy call on ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company with a target price of Rs 560 per share as the company has been focussing on growth with better profitability. "ICICI Prudential is among our top picks in the financial sector," it said. The research house sees healthy growth in premiums at 24 percent CAGR for FY17-20. Cut in dividend payout will improve embedded value growth, it feels. CLSA feels India offers strong macro growth drivers for life insurance business. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance rallied nearly 27 percent since its listing in September 2016. 2:30 pm IPO Subscription: The public issue of Capacit'e Infraprojects has received a whopping oversubscription of 47.23 times on final day, as per latest data available on NSE. The IPO received bids for 53.97 crore equity shares against issue size of 1.14 crore shares (excluding anchor investors' portion). 2:20 pm Market Check: Equity benchmarks trimmed losses in afternoon, with the Nifty clawing back above 10,050 level, backed by Infosys and HDFC Bank. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 10.86 points at 32,231.07 and the 50-share NSE Nifty declined 17.70 points to 10,068.90. The Nifty Bank also cut its losses to 53 points from more than 100 points in morning trade. The Nifty IT was only gainer among sectoral indices, rising half a percent as Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and HCL Technologies gained 0.2-1 percent. About 1,456 shares declined against 984 advancing shares on the BSE. 2:05 pm Bullet train project to create jobs: As India takes a giant leap with plans to have a bullet train, it is estimated that about 20,000 jobs will be created from it, according to a State Bank of India research note. India's first bullet train project was inaugurated on Thursday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. The project, which will connect Ahmedabad and Mumbai, is expected to be completed by 2022. "After the commissioning of the project, direct employment of 4,000 employees will be created for the operation and maintenance. Further the project is likely to generate about 16,000 indirect employment opportunities," said the note. 1:48 pm Rupee view: The group of ministers set up to look into the technical issues faced by GST Network, headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, will hold its first meeting tomorrow. The GST Council, the highest decision-making body of the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, had on Saturday decided to form a five-member panel to look into the technical glitches facing GST Network (GSTN). The GoM was constituted on September 12 and its first meeting is convened within a week as the government looks at fast ironing out the issues faced by businesses 1:32 pm Market Check: Equity benchmark indices continued to trade weak, with the Nifty holding on to 10,050-mark. The Sensex was down 37.52 points at 32204.41, while the Nifty was down 25.20 points at 10061.40. The market breadth was negative as 944 shares advanced against a decline of 1438 shares, while 131 shares were unchanged. Midcaps witnessed a correction, falling around 0.4 percent. Major Nifty sectoral indices were trading in the red zone, barring Nifty IT, which outperformed frontline indices. 1:15 pm GDP Growth: India's GDP growth is likely to face near-term headwinds and might slip below 7 percent mark to a three-year low this financial year, says a DBS report. According to the global financial services major, two recent policy measures -- demonetisation in November 2016 and GST rollout in July 2017 had a short term impact on economic activity and aggravated the already slowing momentum. "These amplified the already weak trends in manufacturing and investment growth slowing first half growth to 5.9 per cent from 7.9 per cent in 2016," DBS said. "For 2017-18, a weak June quarter and the likelihood of only a modest improvement in July-September, prompts us to temper our full year expectations. We expect real GDP to average 6.8 per cent year-on-year in 2017-18 (as against 7.3 previously)," DBS said in a research note. 1:07 pm Listing: Consumer electronics manufacturer Dixon Technologies and road BOT company Bharat Road Network are set to make a debut on bourses on September 18. The former has fixed issue price at Rs 1,766 per share and the later has set it at Rs 205 per share, the higher end of price band. Both IPOs closed on September 8. 12:59 pm Buzzing: Shares of Indiabulls Ventures traded in the red after gaining around 4 percent intraday Friday after CLSA initiated a coverage with 3 percent investment in it. The global broking firm said that the investment in the firm will be paid for by shaving investments in HDFC Bank by 1 percentage point, along with Indiabulls Housing and Bajaj Finance by 1 percentage point. CLSAs popular report, Greed & Fear, also shared an upbeat mood towards Chinese & Indian equities. The stock has risen 50 percent in the past one month, while its three-day movement was seen at 12 percent. At 12:46 hrs Indiabulls Ventures was quoting at Rs 282.60, down Rs 1.45, or 0.51 percent, on the BSE. It touched a 52-week high of Rs 295.05. 12:47 pm Pledged shares released: Gayatri Projects' promoter has released its pledge of 42.5 lakh equity shares on September 12. The stock gained nearly a percent. 12:44 pm NCLT order: National Company Law Tribunal has cleared decks for Rs 500 crore investment by Religare Enterprises into Religare Cap. The tribunal refused to stay shareholder approval with respect to Rs 500 crore investment into Religare Cap. 12:38 pm Europe trade: European stocks opened lower after North Korea sent another missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was 0.14 percent lower with most sectors moving south. Most Asian indexes were moderately lower and US stock futures dipped as concerns over North Korea took center stage. Pyongyang's most recent nuclear test missile landed in the Pacific, about 2000 Km from Japan. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called on the United Nations to act. 12:30 pm IPO subscription: The Rs 5,700-crore IPO of ICICI Prudential General Insurance Company, the subsidiary of India's largest private sector lender ICICI Bank, has been subscribed only 5 percent. The issue received bids for 28.76 lakh equity shares against IPO size of 6.16 crore shares (excluding anchor investors' portion), as per latest data available on NSE. 12:21 pm Stocks that are buzzing at this hour: Wipro,Vedanta, Ujaas Energy. 12:17 pm Jungle Book promotion: DQ Entertainment International rallied 13 percent after the company announced the appointment of new licensing agents for its popular brand The Jungle Book. "The series will be represented for licensing & merchandising by The Licensing Group (TLG) in North America, CPL for Latin America & Mexico and CIMCA in Central America," the producer and distributor of childrens animated content said. While Sinecast, Turkey has been appointed as promotional partners for the brand in Turkey, he added. The first two seasons of The Jungle Book series were telecast on Discovery Kids USA, receiving excellent reviews and high viewership from children and families, it said. The popular TV show airs in over 160 territories around the world and has more than 300 active licensees. Season 3 is currently in production for broadcast on Discovery Kids in early 2018. 12:10 pm Buzzing: Shares of Voltas fell around 2 percent intraday following brokerage recommendations, which were largely mixed around the stock. Post an analysts call by the firm, brokerages highlighted the weak industry trends, but also said that the stocks peak multiples could sustain as well. Last month, broking firm Motilal Oswal had retained a sell call on Tata Group firm Voltas with a 20 percent downside from the current level. The research house maintained a cautious view on the stock given threat to margins driven by increasing competition in the room air conditioner segment, industry convergence to inverters where Voltas has weak share and rating change in January 2018. In Q1 FY18, Voltas reported 17.68 percent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 187.91 crore for the quarter ended June 30, on account of higher income which was inline with estimates. 12:05 pm Former oil minister on fuel price hike: With spike in the petrol and diesel prices, former oil minister S Jaipal Reddy on Thursday said bringing them under the GST is "desirable", but not feasible as the states would oppose it, but the Centre can certainly cut excise duty on them. The policy of keeping excise duty high when prices of international crude oil are low is wrong, he said. Saying that many states have drastically increased VAT (value-added tax), Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said on Wednesday: "It is high time the GST Council considered bringing petroleum products under the ambit of GST." Asked for his comment on Pradhan's statement, Reddy said, "They (the NDA government) knew that GST Council would never include this (petroleum products). The Government of India never insisted on it. State governments would not agree." For the central and state governments, petroleum products have become the "first resort" for raising revenues, the former minister said. 12:00 pm Healthcare stocks: Pharma stocks corrected after a rally in previous session. The Nifty Pharma index fell over a percent. 11:52 am Japan manufacturers' mood: Japanese manufacturers' confidence worsened for the first time in four months in September from the previous month's decade-high level and was expected to fall further, weighed by global uncertainty, a Reuters poll showed. The monthly poll - which tracks the Bank of Japan's closely watched quarterly tankan - found the service-sector mood had its best reading in more than two years, adding to recent signs of recovery in private consumption. Compared with three months ago, the Reuters Tankan's sentiment indexes for manufacturers and service sector firms held largely unchanged, pointing to a steady reading in the central bank's upcoming tankan due on October 2. 11:42 am Rupee recovers: The rupee recovered from early losses to trade at 64.09 against the dollar, up by 3 paise, in late morning deals today as the greenback turned weak in global markets. The rupee resumed marginally lower at 64.14 per dollar against Thursday's closing level of 64.12 per dollar at the interbank foreign exchange market. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies was trading down 0.02 per cent at 92.108. The greenback fell against safe-haven yen after North Korea's latest missile launch fueled geopolitical tensions. 11:32 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks extended losses in late morning trade, with the Sensex falling 78.46 points to 32,163.47 and the Nifty declining 37.20 points to 10,049.40. Geopolitical tensions surrounding around North Korea hit global markets sentiment. North Korea has launched its intermediate range ballistic missile today that flew over Japan. Back home, the broader markets also remained under pressure as the BSE Midcap index was down 0.66 percent. About two shares declined for every share rising on the BSE. 11:10 am Buzzing: Shares of Hyderabad-based tech firm Cyient was up more than 1 percent intraday as global research firm Morgan Stanley kept an overweight rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 565 per share. The research house believes that InfoTech Aerospace Services Inc (IASI) divestment transaction has no implications on company's existing relationship with respect to United Technologies Corporation (UTC). IASI, a 51:49 joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Cyient, was set up in 2013. It provides aerospace defence design, development and related services, primarily to United Technologies and its business units. On Thursday, the company said that it will divest its 49 percent equity ownership in joint venture firm Infotech Aerospace Services to its partner Pratt & Whitney. 10:56 am BHEL Corrects: State-run power equipment maker BHEL fell 3 percent as analysts retained their negative stance on the company despite bullet train contract. "We have been negative on BHEL. We dont see significant uptick in power segment," Sanjeev Zarbade, analyst at Kotak Securities said in an interview to CNBC-TV18. He expects Rs 3,000 crore worth of ordering in FY20-22 for BHEL. According to him, bullet train is a very minor opportunity for the company and he doesn't see bullet train as a re-rating trigger. 10:45 am Advance tax: Sources told CNBC-TV18 that private sector lender Yes Bank is likely to have paid advance tax of Rs 590 crore for the quarter ended September 2017. In September quarter 2016, it had paid advance tax of Rs 435 crore. 10:40 am Management Interview: As spot prices of power zoomed to over Rs 9 per unit on September 12, the entire power sector along with stocks like PTC India were in focus. The merchant power went up to Rs 3-4 per unit. Deepak Amitabh, CMD, PTC India said there has been an imbalance in demand and supply of power that led to tariff movement. The reason for fall in supply was due to various factors, said Amitabh. One was due to temporary shutdown of 1000 MW of thermal power plant due to technical issue leading to non-supply of power in bilateral or the exchange market. Two, was lack of rain in the central states for eg Madhya Pradesh which uses 5000 MW of hydro power plant during monsoon and thermal plants on shutdown but since lack of rains, their hydro plants were not running to full capacity and therefore thermal plants were utilisied and so demand for power rose, he said. However, according to him, average merchant power of Rs 3-4 per unit of power rate is sustainable but not beyond that and it should ease out. 10:20 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks as well as broader markets continued to fall in morning as fresh missile launch by North Korea weighed. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 45.66 points at 32196.27 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 24 points to 10,062.60. The BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices underperformed benchmarks, falling over half a percent on weak breadth. About two shares declined for every share rising on the BSE. 10:05 am FII View: A sense of nervousness is existing in the Asian markets today after North Korea fired yet another missile over Japan. Something like this should make global markets very concerned, Seth Freeman of EM Capital Management said in an interview to CNBC-TV18. On Indian markets, he said that if you are a trader then there are still opportunities to invest. Indian market and Indian economy is finally at relatively stable upward trajectory point, he added. Ken Peng, Asia Pacific Investment Strategist at Citi Private Bank said that the latest developments from North Korea will be a headline risk for quite some time to come. The market is getting used to the launches of missiles by North Korea and more and more investors understand that there is an insurmountable risk for any military action, he added. 9:58 am Buzzing: Share price of Ujaas Energy advanced 10 percent in early trade today on the back orders win. The company has received letter of award of contract from WBREDA (West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency) for installation and commissioning of 150 rooftop grid connected solar PV power plants each in array capacity of 10Kwp at various locations of West Bengal. The company also received letter of award from Oil India for EPC contract for solar energy generation project of 500 KW at pump station of Oil India at Jorhat in the state of Assam. It has received letter of allocation from SECI for an aggregate capacity of 20.03 MW for implementation of grid connected rooftop solar PV system scheme for government building in different states/union territory of India. 9:55 am FII View: Christopher Wood of CLSA said the sentiment for Asian equities has been distinctly upbeat at this year's 24th CLSA Investors' Forum. It is always nice to be a contrarian, he added. Still Greed & Fear shares the upbeat mood, most particularly towards China and Indian equities, he said. Wood said a 3 percent investment will be initiated in Indian consumer finance play, Indiabulls Ventures. This will be paid for by shaving the existing investments in HDFC Bank, Indiabulls Housing Finance and Bajaj Finance by 1 percent each, he added. 9:45 am IPO: ICICI Lombard General Insurance's Rs 5,700-crore IPO opened for subscription today, with a price band of Rs 651-661 per share. The company raised Rs 1,624.77 crore by allotting 2.45 crore shares to 64 anchor investors at the upper band of Rs 661 apiece. The issue will close on September 19. ICICI Lombard General Insurance is a joint venture between ICICI Bank and Canadian NRI Prem Watsa-promoted Fairfax Financial Holdings. The company's initial public offer (IPO) involves dilution of up to 86,247,187 equity shares by promoters ICICI Bank and Fairfax. The initial share-sale offer would close on September 19. 9:35 am Buzzing: Shares of Vedanta slipped further today, on top of 2 percent correction in previous session after Odisha pollution board asked company to shut down plant. The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) in Jharsuguda has ordered temporary shut-down of its five units following a breach in its ash pond dyke wall in August. The firm has been asked to close three units of 135MW of the 1215MW power plant and two units of 600mw each of the 2400MW power plant. 9:25 am Block deal: Shares of Max Financial Services gained around five percent in early trade today on the back of a block deal. Around 74 lakh shares of the company were traded in five blocks on the BSE at an average price of Rs 602 per share. Interestingly, Xenok and GS Mace were reportedly looking to sell 11.8 million shares at a floor price of Rs 595 per share today. 9:15 am Market Check: Equity benchmarks started off last day of the week on a negative note, tracking weakness in Asia post North Korea launched a missile that flew over Japan. The 30-share BSE Sensex was down 28.52 points at 32,213.41 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 13.70 points to 10,072.90. Tata Steel, Vedanta, Sun Pharma, Lupin and Indiabulls Housing were under pressure. BHEL gave up yesterday's gains, down nearly 3 percent. In broader space, Indiabulls Venturs, Sunil Hitech, Max Financial, SpiceJet, Bombay Dyeing, Liberty Shoes, Container Corporation, Avenue Supermarts and Future Retail rallied up to 6 percent. Bajaj Finance, Indiabulls Real and Voltas were under pressure. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Patanjali Ayurved will enter a 11th category with the launch of apparel and dairy products this year, the company's founder Baba Ramdev was quoted as saying by Mint. The total market size (of these two categories) will be Rs 20 lakh crore. We will enter both within this year, Baba Ramdev said this at Globoil India 2017, an edible oil conclave. Not only is Patanjali entering the apparel and dairy categories but the company is also launching their packaged drinking water 'Divya Jal', nationwide, this Diwali. Ramdev also chose to target Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL). We are number one in trust and we will be No. 1 in turnover in a year, he said. We have done shirshasan (turning upside down) of many large companies. Only Unilever is left. The ongoing ad controversy case may have prompted Ramdev to make those comments. HUL earlier took Patanjali to the Bombay High Court for airing an ad which supposedly targeted their firm. Baba Ramdev also took aim at foreign companies. What are foreign companies doing for India? What has Hindustan Unilever done for Hindustan, what gate has Colgate opened, and what birds has Nestle given flight to? he said. HUL is the maker of many popular brands including Lux, Surf Excel, etc. Their annual turnover stood at Rs 34,487 crore in FY17 while Patanjali recorded Rs 10,561 crore. Many leading firms such as Colgate have acknowledged the threat posed by Patanjali's Ayurvedic products, which have gained prominence in the market in quick time. I have the trust of over 100 crore people of India, and I am converting this trust, faith, loyalty into a brand with no personal wealth, said Ramdev. To meet the spurt in demand for Central assistance for various urban schemes, the government is considering to set up a special pool of funds that will hasten implementation of projects across states and cities. This fund will be created primarily through raising money from the market. The funds from this pool will be released in a staggered manner over the next three to five years that will enable early completion of projects ranging from affordable housing to smart city development. To overcome the severe infrastructure deficit that got accumulated over long years, a huge order of investments is required. Central assistance committed under the new urban missions has increased manifold over what has been committed during the earlier 10 years. To meet various contingencies and to ensure fund availability to meet the targets under the new urban missions, we are thinking of mobilizing resources from the market. We have undertaken an assessment of fund requirements till 2022 and the likely availability of funds, said Hardeep Singh Puri, in his first address after taking over as housing and urban affairs minister. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the 2017 India Public Affairs Forum. To ensure assured fund flow, setting up of a special purpose vehicle to tap the market is under examination. Once the idea is firmed up, we will take it forward in an appropriate manner, he said. The Central government is committed to extend Central assistance of Rs 50,000 crore under the Atal Mission and Rs 48,000 crore under the Smart City Mission until 2019-2020 and in the range of Rs 1 lakh to over Rs 2.5 lakh per each affordable house to be built until 2022. Even with the conservative projection of requiring to build over over one crore houses by 2022 under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), internal assessment is that Central assistance to the tune of about Rs 1.80 lakh crore will be required to be provided, Puri noted, adding Central assistance released so far is about Rs 11,000 crore under the housing mission and about Rs 10,000 crore each under the Smart City Mission and Atal Mission. Visible impact of urban schemes being felt ahead of timelines He said that the new urban missions were doing well and their visible impact was being felt ahead of the timelines and that these missions are bold, transformative and can change the landscape of the country. The new missions, as part of the vision of our prime minister for a new urban India, are bold, audacious in scope and taken together will be truly transformative. The architecture and operational guidelines of these new initiatives for the urban sector will involve a paradigm shift from the one adopted earlier, he said. He said that Indian cities were moving towards adopting new urban planning tools like transit oriented development, value capture financing, land pooling, innovative financing of metro rail projects. This is a quantum break from the past. With so much happening, our countrys urban landscape is set for a steady overhaul. India to shed the rural tag by 2050 The minister also said that India will shed the rural tag by 2050. As per the 2011 census, the urban population of our country was 37 crore. Now it is almost 40 crore. By 2030, the urban population will be 60 crore. It is projected that by 2050, India will shed the tag of rural. Also, by 2050, the population of India will be 75 crore and more than 50 per cent people will be living in urban areas, he said. Garbage issues of Delhi to be addressed The minister that on the second day of his taking over the office, he referred to the garbage issue in the national capital during a discussion on Swachh Bharat Mission and emphasised to his team that something must be done. The result of which is a Rs 300 crore plan for better garbage collection, storage and processing in Delhi. We have approved a Rs 300 crore plan for visible improvement in solid waste management in Delhi, he said. Under the plan, North, South and East Municipal Corporations of Delhi will be assisted from the urban development fund of the ministry for procuring machines for collection, transport and storage of solid waste, procurement of decentralised treatment plans and special machines for the upkeep of drains and sewers. He also said that the three MCDs will spend Rs 100 crore under this plan. All vehicles and mechanical equipment will be procured and commissioned by end of December this year. Accelerated composters and bio methanation plans procured under this plan will add a waste treatment capacity of 670 metric tonnes per day, he said. Equipment and machines to be procured include battery mounted and automated litter pickers, compactors, underground bins, mechanical road sweepers, accelerated composters, bio methanation plants and super sucker recycler machines for drains and sewers will be deployed. This should bring some relief in the national capital, the minister said. Smart cities The minister said that the smart city development is not at all elitist but is the need of the hour, adding our design for smart city development is founded on the principles of inclusivity and sustainability. The first batch of 20 smart cities was announced on January 28 in 2016. A total of 90 cities have since been announced for financing implementation of smart city plans with a total investment of Rs 1.91 lakh crore. The last set of 30 smart cities was announced in June this year. The minister said that within a year-and-a-half of the announcement of the first batch of 20 smart cities, 2700 projects are at various stages of implementation involving an investment of about Rs 1.30 lakh crore. This is a stupendous achievement made possible by the unprecedented enthusiasm and resilience demonstrated by city and state governments to make a difference. I would like to assure you that tangible gains on the ground will be seen in the next few months, he said. AMRUT scheme The minister announced that under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), elaborate action plans for 500 mission cities have been approved three years ahead of time, a first of its kind. As many as 1.39 crore urban households will be provided with water connections, sewerage networks will be improved from the present 30 per cent to 60 per cent, besides developing 1,900 open spaces and green parks. He noted that under the Mission, projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore are already under implementation and tenders have been floated for another Rs 25,000 crore worth of projects. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) Puri said that about 37 lakh individual household toilets have already been built in less than three years since the launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) in October 2014. As many as 1286 cities have declared themselves Open Defecation Free and claims of most of them have been certified through independent verification. He also said that Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Chandigarh have become ODF in respect of urban areas and that nine states will become soon. PMAY (Urban) The minister noted that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) is a transformative initiative in changing the disorderly and often chaotic way in which the majority of citizens moving to cities are forced to live. He said that over 26 lakh affordable houses have already been sanctioned in over two years since the launch of the mission in June 2015 and that within this period, over 1.76 lakh houses have been built under the scheme and another 11 lakh units are under construction. Credit rating of urban local bodies The minister said that so far 400 cities have completed the exercise of acquiring credit ratings and about 340 of them have got credit ratings so far. This is a major shift in the attitudes of our cities which is quite positive, he said. He noted that Pune has already mobilized Rs 200 crore through municipal bonds and a few more cities are set to follow. Sandeep Wagle of powermywealth.com told CNBC-TV18, "I am seeing momentum in Andhra Bank. See some more upside but I dont know the reason; Rs 54 could be the stop loss and with target of Rs 61." "I would go with a sell in Vedanta intraday, Rs 317 is the stop loss and target is Rs 309," he added. At 11:21 hrs Vedanta was quoting at Rs 314.80, down Rs 4.80, or 1.50 percent. It has touched an intraday high of Rs 316.15 and an intraday low of Rs 313.35. British designer brand Simon Carter on Friday announced its foray into the India market through an exclusive partnership with Aditya Birla Fashion Retail. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL) had in May last year signed a licensing agreement to bring the London- based designer brand to India. The brand, which launched its store in Mumbai, plans to open 10 more outlets in cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Chandigarh by the end of FY'18. "ABFRL will be investing about Rs 20 crore for brand building, manufacturing and product development besides about half a crore which would be the per store opening cost," ABFRL CEO Vishak Kumar told PTI. He further said the collection will be a mix of imports from UK and merchandise created by the company in India. Simon Carter's product range comprises of suits, jackets, shirts, blazers, jewellery and accesories for men, among others. "This is a very interesting segment as there is no other established player in areas like jewellery and accesories for men and we see this at a about Rs 250-300 crore brand in the next three years," Kumar said. Simon Carter retails his collections in 40 countries around the world. ABFRL has a portfolio of fashion brands with about 8,000 points of sale across the country which include more than 2,000 exclusive ABFRL brand outlets. Kumar said in the next two months around three stores will be opened in Delhi followed by Bengaluru and others. Simon Carter brand is also available online for sale on Myntra and on www.simoncarter.in. While the current BJP government claims to be focusing on the digitisation with initiatives such as demonetisation and Digital India programme, the opposition led by Congress Party feels that most of the initiatives are just optics which in reality have hurt the countrys small businesses. In an exclusive interaction Priyank Kharge, the information technology minister of Karnataka, talks about the negative impact demonetisation and GST has had on the Indian small businesses. He also shares how Karnatakas Startup program is much more ahead in its strategy compared to the Centres own program. He speaks about the online army of BJP and shares how the Congress Party is working on using artificial intelligence and big data to get a better picture of the perception about a candidate before giving him a ticket for the 2019 General Elections. Edited excerpts: On BJPs social media strategy It is a strategy of theirs which worked for the 2014 elections but you cannot fool people all the time. All their sanskriti (culture) goes for a toss when they are attacking women journalists online. Their social media talk is backed up by their offline rules that is again backed up by a certain section of media. So it is a nice vicious circle that they are running, he tells Moneycontrol. Social media is a very dangerous tool when it comes to propagating the wrong things. But yes it is important as well. So we are also quite keen on that and both parties the Congress or BJP are trying to leverage that. Whether it is us or anyone else, the narrative matters. The narrative that the Congress government tried to give is a very balanced and a positive one. The BJP uses social media extensively. It is curated and it is also very dangerously used. For example, in the Kaveri riots, they started sending messages that some Kannadiga got hit by some Chennai guy. After journalist Gauri Lankesh's murder, they took only a piece of her Facebook post on free sex and posted that. And then asked, "do we have to mourn her death? On Startup India Programme Apparently, they have come up with a new definition. My information is that out of Rs 10,000 crore only Rs 15 crore is being taken out only for operational expenses, salaries etc. I haven't heard a success story from them (Startup India). We are a little ahead of the curve I would say. Politically speaking, I think the Government of India has great slogans and great acronyms. But I don't see it reaching anywhere. If you see the champions of change programme which they had recently, it was more of great optics, great campaign, great traction, great social media traction but at the end of the day, you are only talking to established champions. It was a great photo op with the PM. They gave Ideas for India, but I as a citizen still don't know when and how it will be implemented. But what we did with Elevate, or what we are doing with our ecosystem, is we're teaching them how to fish, not giving them a fish. We're trying to ensure they succeed. On collaboration of the Startup India program with Elevate Elevate was an experimental thing but we have something (since past few years) called the Startup Cell where we have relationship managers. Close to around 4,000 startups are registered with us. Elevate 100 was a programme which we tried and did on an experimental basis to identify 100 most innovative companies, in Karnataka, and for the first time we went outside Bengaluru - we went to tier 2 towns, we went to villages, we got their innovation showcased. Out of 1,700 registered companies, we had around from 350 a rural background. We had over 300 women entrepreneurs in the program. I think Startup India programme can learn a lot from us. On demonetisation impact on Indian economy The govt's own policies like the GST or demonetisation adversely impacted the SMEs and startups... Demonetisation had a larger impact, a more negative impact than what was thought - whether it was for SMEs, startups and other industries as well. So there was a dip in investments, in employment. And by their own admission, they saw more than 94 percent or 98 percent of the money come back. The black money myth was blown, the counterfeiting myth was blown, the terrorism myth was blown, so they've been shifting goalposts. Now we kind of see that whole focus on digital transactions also coming down. At that time they didn't have a choice. That time you didn't have money. so you saw Paytm everywhere, all the digital transactions were on a high, but now it has come back to what it was before demonetisation. We are talking (about this scenario in) less than a year. The rhetoric around it has also come down. You would see full page ads of these digital payment gateways, now I dont even see a quarter page. In Bangalore, the people who use Swiggy, Zomato, Uber or Ola, so basically it (digital payments) was used for the ease of things (payments). And because we have a very high population of the services industry, so maybe the transactions were higher in that time, but yes, in digital, we are way forward. Karnataka is also ahead of the curve, whether it is farmer incentives, subsidies, we directly link it to their bank accounts. Day before yesterday (Tuesday) we paid 10 lakh farmers within two minutes we gave their entire crop loss insurance right to their bank account. So digitally we are ahead of Digital India. On shifting goal posts regarding demonetisation They have been shifting goalposts. First, they said black money, then they said counterfeiting, then terrorism. Later, they started talking about digital wallets. The first narrative they gave was not of digitisation. It was an afterthought and everything they have said after that has only been a knee-jerk reaction. PM contradicts FM, Mr Jaitley contradicts RBI Governor, after that the central bank goes back and has to defend some kind of numbers which he (RBI Governor) himself is not aware of. When was the last time you had a RBI Governor run from the back door? On Optics of Digital India & Aadhaar The Digital India campaign is nothing but the NOFN (National Optical Fiber Network) campaign that we ran under UPA regime to ensure the last mile connectivity for all. They've just made a brand out of it. This has also divided the IT community as such, like Aadhaar. Some people are pro, some are opposing it, so what is your view? Aadhaar was something that we conceptualized for people who wanted to take incentives and subsidies and trying to eliminate the middlemen. For that time we had great security which was headed by Nandan Nilekani who had great experience. But off late what we are seeing is that they have drawn up a larger net and it becoming an issue of privacy is something that we are always against. Aadhaar was by choice before. So you tell me, even before your mother knows, they know what you're doing. Lets say you want to buy a government subsidy, you think it is compulsory (to give Aadhaar) and you give. You want to buy Airtel SIM card, why does the govt want to know which plan you want to take? That will be linked to your retail. It should be by choice, if I want to give my number it should be my choice, but forcing you to give it looks malafide. On controlling evasion of taxes through Unique ID There are multiple modes- your GST, PT, everything is linked to that. If you know how to evade taxes you will evade them, but linking everything to Aadhaar is a privacy issue. I am not saying you should not be linked to your income tax or properties. there are multiple ways to figure that out. But making everything- what you eat, what you talk, what you think- it is nothing but(the book) 1984 that George Orwell had written. On need for Cyber Security So there is a policy in place, but no policy is as fast evolving as a technology. Technology keeps changing everyday. Cybersecurity is a big cause of concern for everyone. Now all offences have moved online. Before you had eve teasers now you have cyber stalkers, they go on social media like Facebook and stalk you. Earlier, as soon as there was a bomb blast, somebody would call and take responsibility not they send you an email. There is a lot of money transfer that happens after that. So hacking, phishing all these things are happening now and we are not equipped for that. and that is why the government of Karnataka is building a centre of excellence for this with a two pronged strategy of building internal skill set capacity for e-governance and the department of home number one, number two build skills at large. So even today when a corporate is hacked they go to a lawyer and not a digital forensic expert, so we are building on that. And that will be done in the next couple of months. On impact of GST So any project Modi is inaugurating now is a foundation laid by Dr Manmohan Singh. They blocked the GST for 11 years. They got country completely into an economic standstill. But the way they did it, was as if we got economic independence at 12 o clock mid night. We had capped GST at 12-14 percent, this is 28 percent. Tourism is being affected. So even if I have a room of Rs 3000-5000, I have to pay luxury GST that is 18-22 percent. We are competing against South Asian countries where 7 percent is the highest. On Centre fudging GDP figures The narrative is given from one office and they are trying to fudge the figure, they are trying to conceal the data, all these have never been heard of. They are trying to do a complete mask over this Acche Din. What is the Gujarat model of development, they have forgotten, what is Acche Din they have forgotten, Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas they have forgotten, Skill India they have forgotten. Thing is that these are nice slogans, great looking brands. Yes of course. It is like Rs 7,000 doesn't really categorise yourself as a luxury category. Hopefully, we will get some data by December on the actual impact. On organising a Bangalore IT Global Summit this year Since the past 19 years, we always had this annual event called BangaloreIT.com, then .in was brought in then it became BangaloreIT.biz, so it was constantly evolving because the technologies kept changing so when we first had the IT event, there was only IT services, then slowly biotech came, and we had a separate Bengaluru Biotech event. Then slowly then Electronics gathering a lot of steam so we had to put ITe, and from "Dot com" it became "Dot in", and from there it became "Dot biz" and the whole new perspective on these technologies kept changing. Now in its 20th edition, we'll just call it the Bengaluru Technology Summit. Brand Bengaluru or the identity of Bengaluru has grown multifold in the last couple of decades. The agenda of the event is to determine how do we position as a region which is giving an environment or an ecosystem for emerging technologies. Our sessions will have subjects like AI, blockchain, aerospace, space, so all these things will be discussed and debated. The Government of Karnataka is clear that we want to have, to provide an environment for ideation because if there is ideation, there is innovation and if there is invention, it will lead to investments. Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest. Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well. This week, 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 HCC with a stoploss at Rs 37 and target of Rs 43 Buy EID Parry with a stoploss at Rs 341 and target of Rs 377 Buy Tata Investment with a stoploss at Rs 895 and target of Rs 954 Buy Thermax with a stoploss at Rs 841 and target of Rs 1010 Vijay Chopra of enochventures.com Buy Bank of India with a stoploss at Rs 150 and target of Rs 160 Buy Patel Engineering with a stoploss at Rs 77 and target of Rs 87 Buy HCC with a stoploss at Rs 35 and target of Rs 42 Buy Tata Sponge Iron with a stoploss at Rs 910 and target of Rs 975 Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking Buy IDFC with a stoploss at Rs 58.50 and target of Rs 66 Buy Mirza International with a stoploss at Rs 164 and target of Rs 188 Buy PTC India with a stoploss at Rs 120 and target of Rs 130 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More ICICI Pru Brokerage: CLSA | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 560 The global research firm said that ICICI Pru was among its top picks in the financials space. Further, it said that the firm was focusing on growth with better profitability and said that India offered strong macro growth drivers for life insurance. Going forward, it sees healthy growth premiums and a cut in dividend payout will improve EV growth. Cyient Brokerage: Morgan Stanley | Rating: Overweight | Target: Rs 565 Morgan Stanley said that IASI divestment transaction has no implications on the companys existing relationship with UTC. Further, it added that the companys exit signals risk to its estimates, but is not material to overall earnings. Voltas Brokerage: BofAML | Rating: Neutral | Target: Bank of America Merrill Lynch said that domestic presents growth opportunity on current base with rural electrification. It also said that the company expects MEP margins to trend up to 7%; may take 3-5 years in their view. Brokerage: UBS | Rating: Buy | Target: Rs 660 With legacy projects behind, the management expects 5-6% EBIT in the near term. It further said that the stock was trading near its peak multiple which may sustain. BHEL Brokerage: UBS | Rating: Sell | Target: Rs 73 The brokerage house said that Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train opportunity is too small and too far. The contract implies Rs 10-11 billion annual revenue 3% of FY18 revenue estimates. Idea Brokerage: HSBC | Rating: Reduce | Target: Rs 77 HSBC said that the companys standalone tower assets sale could be at a discount. While leverage remains a concern, it sees net debt/EBITDA for 2018 at 6.4 times. It also said that benefits of synergy from merger with Vodafone is a key medium-term catalyst for the firm. Power Grid Brokerage: Jefferies | Rating: Hold | Target: Rs 200 Jefferies said that the companys weak bid pipeline points to medium-term risk and believes that the company is a gradual re-rating case. Tata Communications Brokerage: Morgan Stanley | Rating: Overweight | Target: Rs 790 Minority shareholders will benefit if VSNL land is demerged, the report added. Further, the land parcel is valued at Rs 189 per share and the target will be hiked to Rs 1,071 if the land demerger goes through. IT Brokerage: Macquarie The global research firm said that the sectors FY18 dollar revenue growth may be same or below FY17. It likes Hexaware and L&T infotech from midcap space. Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Tata Communications advanced nearly 3 percent intraday Friday as global research firm Morgan Stanley maintained overweight rating with a target price of Rs 790 on the stock. The firm believes that the minority shareholders will benefit if VSNL land is demerged. The VSNL land is valued at Rs 189 per share. The target will be hiked to Rs 1,071 if the land demerger goes through, report added. VK Sharma, Head of Business, Private Client Group at HDFC Securities told CNBC-TV18, "I am buying Tata Communications 720 Call at around Rs 14." "Yesterday, it closed around Rs 16, so I am tempering my buying. I am buying slightly dipper when it dips at Rs 14, stoploss at Rs 14 and a target of around Rs 25." At 11:21 hrs Tata Communications was quoting at Rs 714, up Rs 8.70, or 1.23 percent on the BSE. The share price has increased by 41 percent in the last one year. The share touched its 52-week high Rs 784 and 52-week low Rs 493 on 17 March, 2017 and 14 September, 2016, respectively. The company's trailing 12-month (TTM) EPS was at Rs 19.91 per share. (Jun, 2017). The stock's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio was 35.87. Posted by Rakesh Patil Retail investors are not leaving any opportunity to miss out on the big bull market which India is witnessing and this is now started reflecting in the massive flows which pushed asset under management (AUM) to a record high of Rs 20 lakh crore last month. The total category wise AUM of the mutual fund industry increased by 3.1 percent (Rs 62,384 Cr) to Rs 20.59 lakh crore in August 2017. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, total AUM of Mutual Fund increased by 31.7 percent, said an IDBI Capital report. Liquid Fund saw the highest rise on a month-on-month (MoM) basis & fund of funds (FOF) Overseas saw the highest fall in AUM. FOF, Gold ETF witnessed net outflow, while others witnessed net inflows, said the report. AUM of equity funds increased by 2.6 percent to Rs 5.74 lakh crore in August 2017 over July 2017. On YoY basis, AUM of equity fund increased by 37.7 percent. Domestic mutual funds turned out to be net buyers in equity markets in the month of August 2017. The report further added that mutual funds were net buyers of equities in 21 trading session worth Rs 17,941 Cr, as against net buying of Rs 11,799 Cr in July 2017. Massive flows from domestic MFs got pumped in newly listed stocks on the bourses which saw maximum traction. There are about nine stocks which fund managers added in their respective funds for the first time in the month of August. In August, 9,82,000 new SIP accounts were added, taking the total SIP accounts to 15.9 million. The total amount collected through SIP during the month of August was Rs52.1 billion, up 50 percent on a YoY basis. Stocks which MFs added for the first time include names like Cochin Shipyard, Apex Frozen Foods, BLS International Services, Centrum Capital, HEG, Gravita India, Avadh Sugar, and Shipping Corporation of India, said the IDBI Capital report. Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), which comes under the Ministry of Shipping, was listed on the BSE and the National Stock Exchange in the month of August. The company has raised Rs 1,442 crore from the IPO. Apex Frozen Foods which listed on stock exchanges on September 4 was oversubscribed 6.14 times, receiving bids for 3.8 crore equity shares against the IPO size of 62.1 lakh shares (excluding anchor investors' portion). The month also saw a notable change in the sector and stock allocation of funds. In August, MFs showed interest in Oil & Gas, Utilities, Metals, NBFCs, Consumer, and Retailthese sectors saw a MoM increase in weight, Motilal Oswal said in a report. Banks (PSU and Private), Autos, Capital Goods, Technology, Healthcare, and Infrastructure saw a MoM decrease in weight. Private Banks (17.4%) had the top sector holding in August, followed by Auto (9.7%), Capital Goods (8.1%) and NBFC (8.1%), it said. In August, four of the top-10 stocks that saw maximum change in value was from Oil & Gas. NTPC, HDFC, IOCL, HPCL and Tata Steel saw maximum value change on a MoM basis. SBI, Tata Motors, BOB, Tube Investments and Tata Motors-DVR saw a maximum decline in value. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Vedanta slipped further on Friday, on top of 2 percent correction in previous session after Odisha pollution board asked company to shut down its plant. The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) in Jharsuguda has ordered temporary shut-down of its five units following a breach in its ash pond dyke wall in August. The firm has been asked to close three units of 135MW of the 1215MW power plant and two units of 600mw each of the 2400MW power plant. The remaining units of the 1215MW plant have been allowed to operate untill October 12, 2017 and remaining units of the 2400MW have been allowed to operate untill September 20, 2017. "The OSPCB has asked the company for compliance of certain conditions with a concrete plan within 5 days. The company is complying with the order along with request for revoking the said closure orders," company said in release. "The action may require a temporary power purchase of up to 200 MW and hence a marginal impact on cost of production of aluminium. The company expects to be able to sustain the smelter capacity without affecting its production volume." "The company is working towards the lifting of the OSPCB closure orders at the earliest, to ensure that production of aluminium is not affected," it added. Gaurang Shah of Geojit Financial Services told CNBC-TV18 that the management will try to resolve the issue without impacting the activity at manufacturing facilities. And in case the plants do shut down then the management could have a plan B in place. So as now its wait and watch. In Vedanta again some intraday breakdowns are there, so sell with a stop loss at Rs 325.50 for target of Rs 306, said Mitessh Thakkar of miteshthacker.com/ At 09:16 hrs Vedanta was quoting at Rs 314.80, down Rs 4.80, or 1.50 percent on the BSE. Posted by Rakesh Patil Perhaps, there is an answer for one of the frequently asked questions in the business sphere Who will succeed Warren Buffett as chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.? JPMorgans Sarah DeWitt said in a note on Thursday, reported by Bloomberg, The most likely successor in our view, who Warren Buffett regularly praises, is Greg Abel. The 55-year-old head of Berkshires utility businesses, Greg Abel along with reinsurance executive Ajit Jain, are often praised by Warren Buffett as well as Berkshires vice chairman Charles Munger. Though Ajit Jains age of 66 years might be a hurdle for his appointment. Also Read: Warren Buffett: The legendary investor whom even money seems to follow Buffett had once said that next CEO should run the company for at least ten years, implying the person should be of lesser age. However, it is not the time to discount Warren Buffett yet. He could be at the helm of his company for more years. The 87-year-old Oracle of Omaha shows no signs of slowing and could possibly be at the helm for another decade in our view, DeWitt wrote. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More India's third largest software services firm Wipro today said it has bagged a seven-year contract from European energy company, innogy SE. The financial details of the contract, which will see Wipro managing the data centre and cloud services for innogy SE, were not disclosed. As part of the agreement signed in November 2016, "innogy transferred its twin data centres in Neurath and Niederaussen in Germany to Wipro on February 1, 2017," Wipro said in a BSE filing today. "This engagement is strategic to our IT operations....we have not only signed a contract in Germany but also have extended our contract with Wipro in the UK till 2024," innogy SE CIO Marcus Schaper said. Arun Krishnamurthi, Vice President and Global Head (Utilities) at Wipro, said the company will invest in and maintain the twin data centres in Germany "so as to future proof them". "This will ensure business agility and drive efficiencies for innogy and other customers in the region," he added. Wipro has 11 delivery centres in the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) region. Over the last three years, Wipro has strengthened its digital and infrastructure services through both organic growth and investments in the region. It works with customers across sectors like retail, healthcare, banking, energy and utilities among others in the DACH region. Representative image Moneycontrol News Girls in North Delhis Municipal Corporation will now be allowed to use washrooms in pairs only, a new circular by the Delhi's civic body North Delhi Municipal Corporation says. As per a report in Hindustan Times, Preety Agarwal of North Delhi Municipal Corporation said: We have asked school principals to send at least two girls to the washroom at a time, so that in case of an emergency, one of them can raise an alarm. The students in primary school (till Class V) are very young and we dont want them to be left alone anywhere. The civic bodys decision comes in the wake of the infamous murder case of an eight-year old boy in the washroom of Ryan International School. Experts believe that the new rules should be applicable for all students, irrespective of their genders. The initiative is good and has already been implemented by some private schools in Delhi. But seeing the series of incidents reported in the past few days, we think that young boys are equally vulnerable. So the rule should cover boys as well, said S K Bhattacharya, President of School Action Committee, an umbrella body for private schools in Delhi. Toilets for the adult staff and for the children have also been strictly segregated so that no students will have to use the toilets meant for the school children. The school principals have been ordered to ensure that no student is left alone with any outsider, even members of the non-government organisations. Also, a register will now be maintained for recording movement of all outsiders. The entry of guards and sanitation workers in the school premises should be banned post-duty hours and they must not be given any residency in the school premises. The circular issued also advises to keep the gates closed, locking classes not being used, maintaining transport records and mandatory checking of all classes before and after the closing of the school. The deputy commissioners of all the schools will also ensure that all guidelines are adhered to. Mayor Agarwal stated that she shall be doing a periodic check of two schools in a week as well. The circular surprisingly does not mention anything about the need to install a CCTV camera in the premises. Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju has repeatedly said that Rohingyas are illegal immigrants who should face deportation regardless of their registration with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. India has accommodated refugees such as Sri Lankan Tamils, Tibetan Buddhists, Afghans, and Bangladeshis over the years. But Rohingyas have not been as fortunate as the Centre has directed the state governments to start identifying them for deportation. Rohingya deportation and SC case The Supreme Court has asked the government to explain why it wanted to deport Rohingya Muslim refugees who flew to Bangladesh and India after violence erupted in Myanmars Rakhine state over the last fortnight. A recent draft submission of the governments reply stated that Rohingyas were a threat to national security as they were vulnerable to be recruited by terrorist groups and thus, stand to be deported. The final reply is likely to be filed next week. Around 14,000 Rohingyas in India are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) while over 40,000 are said to be staying illegally. The United Nations has declared Rohingyas as "the most persecuted minority in the world". Myanmar does not grant Rohingyas citizenship because it considers them as immigrants from Bangladesh, even though the community has lived in Myanmar for generations. Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan has filed a petition representing two Rohingya refugees who challlenged the Centres decision to deport them back to Myanmar. Both UN and human rights activists argue that despite India not being a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention, it is bound by international principles of non-refoulement which holds that no nation should deport a refugee to territories where his life or freedom would be under threat based on his race, religion, nationality, or membership of a social or political group. Why are Rohingyas a threat? The draft reply of the government has cited intelligence reports saying some groups among the Rohingyas are in touch with terrorist groups and they could be used by ISIS to turn against India and breach national security, NDTV reported. The government claimed these groups to be operating in Jammu, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mewat in north India. The draft also mentions Rohingyas have involvement in illegal/anti-national activities i.e mobilisation of funds through hundi/hawala channels, procuring fake/fabricated Indian identity documents for other Rohingyas/Bangladeshis, and also indulging in human trafficking, as per the Hindustan Times. Recently, PM Narendra Modi, on his bilateral visit to Myanmar, expressed solidarity with the country following attacks on police posts near Rakhine. The attacks were carried out by a little known militant group called Arakan Salavation Army. They have been linked with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and Jamaat-ud Daw by security agencies, media reports say. But they have to distance themselves from terror outfits. ARSA feels that it is necessary to make it clear that it has no links with Al Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Lashkar-e-Taiba or any transnational terrorist group, the group said in a statement posted on its Twitter account. The Jammu question The thousands of Rohingyas living in Jammu have previously faced the threats of being thrown out by some groups, such as The Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party and the traders of Jammu Chamber, before the government decided to deport them. Following this, advocate Hunar Gupta, a member of the state BJPs legal cell, filed a PIL in the High Court asking for deportation of Rohingya and Bangladeshi refugees from Jammu and Kashmir. During the case, concerns were also raised about the refugees staying in a sensitive border state that is prone to terrorist activities. The matter is still sub-judice. Mohammad Yusuf, the head of a Rohingya refugee camp in Jammu told PTI that they were staying in the region out of compulsion and they did not know they were going to Jammu when they fled and entered India. Rohingya refugees living in Kelambakkam of Kanchipuram district in Tamil Nadu told Moneycontrol that they were previously living in Jammu where life was harder as there were less opportunities to earn a living and moreoever, they had to pay rent for they shanties they spent days in. In Kelambakkam, UNHCR had given them a two-story building to live in without rent. This group of refugees had reached India through Bangladesh, and then entered India through border area of West Bengal, finally ending up in Jammu. They had been told that more Rohingyas were already living there. Earlier this year, the Jammu and Kashmir government disclosed that they have not found any Rohingya involved in militancy-related incidents. Although, 17 FIRs had been registered against 38 of them, the offences are mostly related t0 illegal border crossings, the New Indian Express reported Representative Image live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More As India takes a giant leap with plans to have a bullet train, it is estimated that about 20,000 jobs will be created from it, according to a State Bank of India research note. India's first bullet train project was inaugurated on Thursday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. The project, which will connect Ahmedabad and Mumbai, is expected to be completed by 2022. "After the commissioning of the project, direct employment of 4,000 employees will be created for the operation and maintenance. Further the project is likely to generate about 16,000 indirect employment opportunities," said the note. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project in Ahmedabad today, joining the list of around 20 countries. This project will herald a new era of safety, speed and service for the people and help Indian Railways (with its third longest network) to become an international leader in scale, speed and skill, the SBI note said. Besides job creation, the project will bring skills in the field of ballast-less track construction, installation of communications and signalling equipment, power distribution system. Modern and world-class practices will be adopted for maintenance of the railway system, which is expected to bring a paradigm shift in the maintenance practices currently being followed in Indian Railways, the note said. Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Chief Economic Adviser of SBI, in the report, said that the introduction of the Japanese bullet train technology should not just be seen from the prism of economic opportunities. It will also have immense social and psychological benefits by bringing elite technology to the masses or bridging the gap between the elite and masses. The state-of-the-art railway project that is being implemented is estimated to cost Rs 88,000 crore and the project is being funded by Japan at a nominal cost of only 0.1 percent (comparable rates are of 5 -7 percent) with a much larger repayment period. With the commissioning of the bullet train project, around 40,000 passengers per day are expected to travel through this mode. Representative image Following the death of a 7-year old at Ryan International School in Gurugram, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Wednesday sent a circular to all its affiliated schools, directing them to conduct psychometric evaluation of all staffteachers, students, non-teaching persons, and others includedwithin next two months. The circular, named Safety of Children and sent to over 19,000 schools affiliated with CBSE, asserted the school authorities are solely responsible for keeping a student safe within school campus, the Times of India reported. The step taken by the central board came in response to the Supreme Court's query. The apex court had directed the CBSE, along with the central government and Haryana state government, to respond in the Ryan Schools murder case. The apex court took up the matter after the father of the murdered child filed a petition seeking a CBI probe. The petition wanted the framing of guidelines to fix responsibility of school managements in case of such incidents and also regarding the safety and security of children. The Psychometric test, to be conducted by professional psychologists, is designed to evaluate a subject's personality, behavioral orientation and aptitude. The board has also directed the affiliated schools to get a security and safety audit done on the premises and all the employees with the help of the schools' respective police stations within two months. The CBSE deputy secretary Jaiprakash Chaturvedi asked the schools to oversee that the employees understand the importance of students safety and security and their obligation towards maintaining it, as per the Times of India. The schools are ought to follow the guidelines laid down by CBSE and the Human Resource Development ministry, he underlined. In case of violation of guidelines or any act of harm to children, the circular has asked for "immediate remedial and punitive action" by the school. Ram Nath Kovind, nominated presidential candidate of Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), delivers a speech during a welcoming ceremony as part of his nation-wide tour, in Ahmedabad, India, July 15, 2017. REUTERS/Amit Dave - RTX3BL0Y President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday asked Hindi-speaking people to give more respect and space to regional languages and their speakers in a bid to make Hindi more popular across the country. Addressing a function on the occasion of 'Hindi Divas' here, the President said Hindi continued to face opposition in some parts of the country even though it became an official language many decades ago. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present at the function organised by his ministry, said in his address that Hindi could be enriched further if its speakers also used words from other languages. Referring to recent incidents on the Bangalore Metro, where a pro-Kannada group opposed Hindi signboards in the train service, and earlier agitations against Hindi in Tamil Nadu, President Kovind said there was a feeling among some people that Hindi was being imposed on them. "Non-Hindi speaking people desire that we (Hindi-speaking people) give attention to their languages. Those who speak Hindi should give space to other languages. We all have the responsibility to give respect to non-Hindi speaking people and regional languages," he said. Kovind suggested that those who speak Hindi should greet a Tamilian with a 'vanakkam', a Sikh with 'Sat Sri Akal' and a Muslim with an 'Adaab'words of greeting in Tamil, among Sikhs and in Urdu respectively. They should use the word 'Garu' (sir) while addressing a Telugu-speaking person, he said. The adoption of other languages and cultures will help unite the people and the country, he said. The president said he had used the Russian word 'spasiba' (thank you) while ending his speech at a state banquet during the recent visit of Belarus President A G Lukashenko. The guest was so delighted that he spontaneously responded with a 'Jai Hind'. The Belarus president also announced that Hindi would be taught in that country's state university from this month. Kovind also asked lawyers and doctors to use Hindi and other regional languages at work. "In India people don't understand the language of lawyers and doctors. In courts, now, gradually Hindi and other languages are being spoken. Similarly, if the doctors start giving prescriptions in Devanagari and other languages, the doctor-patient distance will be reduced," he said. In his address, the home minister said Hindi was the unifying language for the country and had helped bring people of different regions together during India's freedom struggle. "We (Hindi-speaking people) should accept and use popular words of regional languages. If we do that, it will enrich the language," he said. Singh said the contribution of non-Hindi speaking people such as Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak was immense in making Hindi an official language of the country. He also questioned those who said English was required for India to become an economic power. "I want to ask those who say that without English India can't be an economic power, how come China has become an economic power by speaking Mandarin," he said. In his welcome speech, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said even though Hindi was not his mother tongue, he felt immense pride while speaking the language. "In my native state (Arunachal Pradesh), Hindi is widely spoken and used by common people from all walks of life," he said. All the speakers spoke in Hindi at the function. Hindi is the mother tongue of the president and the Union home minister. NEW DELHI, INDIA JUNE 26: Night life at Hauz Khas Village in New Delhi. The Hauz Khas Village in south Delhi is "a ticking time bomb", the Delhi High Court has said. It also observed that neither the government agencies, nor the restaurant owners of the area have responded to its queries on safety and other issues. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal warned the associations of restaurants owners that they will not be allowed escape civil and criminal liability in case any unfortunate incident takes place, as there was virtually no space for emergency vehicles to enter the area. The bench which also comprised Justice C Hari Shankar was worried about how the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services and other agencies, had allowed commercialisation of the village which had led to public nuisance and health hazards. "The reports of Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, SDMC and the Delhi Jal Board illustrate that the Hauz Khas village is a ticking time bomb without essential civic and emergency services. "Our repeated queries regarding quantum of solid waste (garbage) and sewage generated by these restaurants (pubs,bars and cafes in Hauz Khas village) evoked no response from either the authorities or the restaurant owners," it observed. The court's observation came during hearing of PILs filed by social activist Pankaj Sharma and advocate Anuja Kapur, who alleged that over 120 restaurants and pubs were running in the Hauz Khas Village without any approved building plans or no objection certificate (NOC) from the authorities including the fire department. They also alleged that the streets in the village were not wide enough for a fire tender to move easily in case of an emergency and only five restaurants had fire clearance. This prompted the bench to say that the licences for the pubs and restaurants at the village, which is in the heart of a densely populated residential area, were granted by the civic bodies without checking the ground realities. The sewage system, the bench noted, was also not robust enough to take the load from the kitchen and bathrooms of various restaurants and pubs. "The adverse impact on the hygiene and environment so far as the citizenry is concerned thereby, would be insurmountable and irreversible," it said, adding that "more worrying" fact was that in case of an emergency, it would be impossible to reach the buildings inside the Hauz Khas Village. "This position is also highlighted from the affidavit of the Deputy Commissioner of Police pointing out that during a mock-drill for a terrorist attack, the NSG commandos could not reach the destination within the village," the order said. The bench observed that the plea entail the examination of the rights of the restaurant owners as against the rights of the members of the public. The bench further said that the restaurant owners "have been put to full notice of the dangers involved in the activities which are being run and also of the fact that in case of any unfortunate eventuality, emergency vehicles would not be able to reach the place of the incident. "In the circumstances and the reports placed before us, whatever be the final decision, we have no manner of doubt that in case there is a mishap or any loss of life or limb in the present case, the restaurant owners will not be permitted or allowed to escape the liability, civil and criminal for the same," the bench said. It was critical of how the repeated queries regarding quantum of solid waste and sewage generated by these restaurants, evoked no response from either the authorities or the restaurant owners. "It appears from the material place that no comprehensive solid waste management and sewage disposal evaluation has even entered the minds of the concerned experts or the municipal authorities while permitting such activities or granting licence," it said. The bench asked Delhi Jal Board to inspect each premises in Hauz Khas village with regard to water supply (including whether it is commercial / residential) as well as borewells, which may have been dug in these properties within three days. "To our mind, the situation and the issues are of serious nature and need immediate action," the bench said and listed the matter for September 26. Kulbhushan Jadhav Pakistan today accused India of trying to highlight the "humanitarian" aspect of Kulbhushan Jadhav case in the International Court of Justice to cover up its alleged "subversive activities" in the country. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that India submitted its memorial on Jadhav case in the ICJ yesterday while Pakistan will submit its counter memorial by December 13. "India is trying to bring out the humanitarian aspect of a person who has made a public confession on how he was launched by India to carry out subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he alleged. Zakaria said Jadhav, 46, has confessed many terrorist attacks within Pakistan and India is trying to divert international communitys attention from the real issue. He said Jadhav and his accomplices have caused immense sufferings to the Pakistani nation and "we must be mindful of this fact while talking about him." Jadhav was sentenced to death by a military court for "espionage and sabotage activities" in a "farce" trial early this year. Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa approved his execution. Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy. (Representational image) CNBC-TV18 Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who is also the state's Urban Development Minister is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the state outshines others when it comes to ease of doing business. In a bid to appease the real estate industry, who have been crying for a single window clearance mechanism to be put in place, the state's UDD (Urban Development Department) has made it mandatory to grant permissions in a time-bound manner. "Once the applications are made online, everyone will be able to check the status and this will put the onus on the approving authorities to grant permissions accordingly," said a senior BMC offical, as it will be upon the local civic bodies to implement these orders. To ensure timely delivery the government has made amendments to The Maharashtra Right To Public Services Act, 2015, under which permissions for activities like felling trees will have to be given within 45 days. Also, online submission of an inspection report in case of building permission, plinth-checking, occupation certificates etc will have to be delivered within 48 hours from the time of inspection on site. All this is said to cut down time in getting approvals ensuring that OCs can be delivered within 8 days; Plinth checking certificate within 7 days and building completion certificates within 30 days. In a recent event Durga Shankar Mishra, the secretary of the ministry of Housing and Urban Development empasised that "most major cities with over 1 lakh population should aim to put together an online building permission system latest by March 31, 2018'. If this target is to be achieved developers will not have to enter municipal offices seeking permissions ever again. But developers still have their reservations."Eight days on paper looks very great, but in effect it takes 1.5 to 2 months because there are a number of unnecessary permissions that are required," says Dhaval Ajmera, Director Ajmera Realty and Infra. He believes that If the government is really serious about ease of doing business then they should cut down on the number of permissions required as that would smoothen the overall process. Even industry expert says that for orders like these to become a reality, implementation is key. According to Gulam Zia, ED, Kinght Frank, "If the government plans on achieving this target it will have to engage in better machinery; with the existing infrastructure, this will remain a challenge". According to a world bank report, India is still placed at the 130th position when it comes to ease of doing business. Accountability from the government is still a major cause of concern. But moves like this can surely change the fortunes of the real estate industry which has been in a slumber. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate India's highest dam - the Sardar Sarovar dam - on Sunday, 56 years after its foundation stone was laid down by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The inauguration coincides with the prime minister's birthday. On June 16, the Narmada Control Authority had ordered the gates of the dam to be shut. The height of the dam was then increased to 138 metres raising its storage capacity to 4.73 million cubic metres from the earlier 1.27 million cubic metres. The dam is nearly 1.2-km-long and is 163 metres deep. The dam's original height was 121.92 metres. Also called the Narmada dam, it will be the second biggest dam in the world after the Grand Coulee Dam in the United States of America. The dam is also the biggest in terms of concrete used for construction. The inauguration of the dam is expected to irrigate over 18 lakh hectares of land in Gujarat as the river water will flow into 9,000 villages through canal network. The dam is a part of the Narmada Valley Project - a hydraulic engineering project under which multi-purpose dams are built on the Narmada river. Irrigation and hydroelectricity are the two essential areas under the project. The Sardar Sarovar dam produces 4,141 crore units of electricity via its two power houses - river bed powerhouse and canal head powerhouse. The power generated by the dam will be reportedly used by three states - Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra. Gujarat is expected to get 16 percent share, Madhya Pradesh 27 percent and the remaining 57 percent will go to Maharashtra. Besides this, the dam will irrigate lands in Rajasthan's Barmer and Jolore regions and some parts of Maharashtra. Also, 0.86 million cubic feet of water will be used to provide drinking water to 131 urban centres and 9,633 villages. The Delhi High Court today sought the response of a chartered accountant, accused in a money laundering case and alleged to having links with RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Misha Bharti, on Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking cancellation of his bail. Justice A K Pathak issued notice to CA Rajesh Agarwal on ED's plea seeking to set aside a trial court order granting him bail, saying he is allegedly involved in several money laundering matters. The court listed the matter for further proceedings on January 8, 2018. Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the ED, argued that Agarwal was laundering money for various other persons and his track record was different. He also told the court that the ED was probing a separate graft case regarding the alleged role of Misha Bharti, with whom Agarwal is suspected to have had links. The agency sought to set aside the trial court's bail order by challenged its legality. The ED has claimed that Agarwal was associated with some transactions involving a firm, allegedly linked to Misha Bharti, which is under the scanner for suspected tax evasion. Agarwal, who was arrested on May 23 in connection with a Rs 8,000 crore money laundering racket allegedly involving two Delhi-based brothers, was granted bail by the trial court here on September 4, noting that no purpose would be served by keeping him in custody. The case had emerged after the ED had filed a criminal complaint in February this year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It was based on a charge sheet filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office against certain individuals and firms "for providing accommodation entries by accepting funds from their beneficiaries through mediators and converting the same into share premium transactions in the beneficiary company". The ED claimed that the entire racket could be worth about Rs 8,000 crore of slush funds. In July, ED has filed a charge sheet in the case against various accused including Agarwal but it does not make Lalu's daughter an accused. However, the document contains her name. The ED had recently raided the farmhouses of Bharti and her husband in Delhi in relation to the case being probed against Agarwal, two Delhi-based businessmen brothers -- Surendra Kumar Jain and Virendra Jain -- and others, who are alleged to have laundered money using over 90 shell companies. Besides Agarwal and Jain brothers, the charge sheet includes the names of around 35 people and the firms as accused. ED had also claimed that Agarwal was instrumental in providing accommodation entries to many high-profile people and political entities to help launder their funds. These include those being probed by the Income Tax Department in a Rs 1,000 crore dubious land deal case. Agarwal was allegedly involved in routing funds for the Jain brothers, arrested by the agency in the Rs 8,000 crore money laundering racket allegedly being run through shell companies, the agency has said. The ED had in May filed a charge sheet against the Jain brothers. It had also attached agricultural land worth Rs 1.12 crore belonging to them in Bhatti village in the National Capital Region. With this, the total amount of property attached so far in the case amounts to Rs 65.82 crore. The ED claimed it has identified at least 90 shell firms in this case, including 26 of them for allegedly laundering about Rs 62.20 crore. Shell companies are non-trading firms, often listed on a stock exchange, as a vehicle either to raise funds before starting operations or attempt a takeover or to act as a front for illegal business, as per the Business Dictionary. After Apple's big ticket iPhone launch, search giant Google is now going to unveil the next Google Pixel phone and it has already started spinning up the marketing machine for its next flagship phone. Google has sent press invites for its event which will begin on October 4 at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET in San Francisco. Google has also launched a teaser site and a video asking dissatisfied smartphone users to stay tuned for October 4. In its new marketing campaign, the website tells viewers to ask more, and poses a question: Thinking about changing phones? The company has also put up billboards about the upcoming launch. A billboard teasing Google's next Pixel phone (Courtesy: Twitter) The upcoming Pixel 2 smartphone, is the much-awaited sequel to the Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones. Several tech enthusiasts made predictions last year that the Pixel 2 will come packed with the new Snapdragon 836 SoC processor. However, this may be true, but even if it is not, the new Pixel is expected to have at least Snapdragon 835 SoC like other high-end Android phones. There is expected to be a dual-device launch, with something on the lines of Pixel 2 and a possible Pixel 2 XL keeping in tune with the previous Pixel generations nomenclature. Google is expected to hand over the OEM to LG and HTC, with LG expected to handle the larger phone and HTC doing the smaller one. Heres Googles teaser video: The phones are also expected to borrow the squeezable side button from the HTC U 11, that could be assigned to launch Google Assistant. Google has not given in to the industry trend of dual rear cameras yet. However, tech insiders and speculations say that it may drop the headphone jack this time around. A report from The Verge states that the question of blurry photos in the company's promotional teaser video could also possibly mean that Google is adding Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) to the upcoming Pixel. Considering that most latest smartphones, like the iPhone X have OIS on both of its cameras. Also, HTC, one of the manufacturers of Pixel, owns one of the best OIS technologies in the phone market at present. Googles software package is expected to be the highlight this year, with a new always-on display mode coming to Android along with Google Lens, a visual search app. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg speaks during the opening of the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany September 14, 2017. - UP1ED9E0OEU8R Were the only company in Silicon Valley thats not building a car, announced Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg addressing an audience comprising Germanys powerful automakers on Thursday. Speaking during the opening ceremony of Frankfurt Motor Show Sandberg declared the good news amidst laughter. At the show, she also met German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Many companies from Silicon Valley such as Google, Apple among others are developing autonomous cars either alone or in collaboration with others. Facebook is sponsoring a new mobility world at the Frankfurt show that brings together carmakers, tech companies and start-ups in areas such as autonomous driving and electric cars, reported Reuters. Facebook, this week, tightened its advertising rules regarding its target audience and to ensure that no hateful messages are displayed. This step was prompted after journalists inquired about ads which targeted Jew haters. ProPublica, a nonprofit outlet based in New York, said it found the topics such as Jew haters and how to burn Jews in Facebooks self-service ad-buying platform. The anti-Semitic categories were created by an algorithm rather than by people. Some 2,300 people had expressed interest in them. These steps by Facebook were taken at the same time when its COO was in Germany attending a marketing conference. Incidentally, Germany in June enacted a law which makes social media networks responsible if they fail to remove hateful postings promptly. The law has a provision of fines up to USD 59 million. (With inputs from Reuters) India Pakistan India and Pakistan are holding high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty here, a senior World Bank official has said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. India Pakistan India and Pakistan today started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty here, a senior World Bank official said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. 21:32 Increased security for weekend's Premier League match Chelsea will increase security at the Stamford Bridge stadium for Sundays Premier League match against Arsenal, following the terrorist incident today, the Independent has reported. 21:12 Eight patients have been discharged All eight patients treated at the Guy's and St Thomas Hospital after today's incident at Parsons Green have been treated and safely discharged, Prime Minister Theresa May: "I've chaired a meeting of COBR following the cowardly attack at #ParsonsGreen." pic.twitter.com/uHmBdEkMyQ UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) September 15, 2017 the hospital said. 20:40 Statement from AC Mark Rowley following incident at #ParsonsGreen tube station https://t.co/32iXTs1X2w Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 15, 2017 20:00 What has happened so far: > An explosion happened onboard a District line train bound for central London around 8:20 am (local time), at the Parsons Green station.> The London Metropolitan Police declared it a "terror incident".> The probe which was being handled by the British transport police (BTP), was taken over by the Scotland Yard's counter terrorism command.> The police asked for more information from eyewitnesses and said probe was still on.> PM Theresa May to chaired a high-level COBRA meeting.> 22 people were injured and were being treated at various hospitals. However, none are thought to be in life-threatening or serious condition. > Media reports suggest that the attacker has been identified of using CCTV footage and that a manhunt is underway. 19:53 Terror suspect identified? British media reports suggest that the police have identified the terror suspect from the Parsons Green terror incident this morning, after inspecting the CCTV footage. The official statement has been issued yet. 19:51 PM Theresa May has decided not to increase the security threat level from 'severe' to 'critical'. 19:49 Police evacuate Parsons Green station surroundings The police have evacuated an area 50 meters in radius around the Parsons Green station, as a precautions in case the bomb left on the train remains unstable. "The evacuation has been necessary whilst specialist officers secure the remnants of the improvised device and ensure it is stable," the statement said. "A small number of residents will be affected by the evacuation, which encompasses an area approximately 50 meters in radius. Parsons Green tube remains closed and the public are advised to continue to avoid the area," it added. 19:17 London Underground train services remain affected Part of London's busy underground train system was closed on Friday following a bomb attack which police are treating as a terrorist incident. Trains between Wimbledon and Edgware Road in west London on the District line were suspended swiftly after the incident. A further stretch of the District line between High St Kensington and Edgware Road which had reopened was closed again due to the attack which injured 22 people. "It is related to the Parsons Green incident," a spokesman for Transport for London said. 19:03 Train services have been suspended between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road stations London Underground has said there is no service between High Street Kensington and Edgware Road stations as police respond to an incident, Irish Times is reporting. However, it is unclear if the incident is related to today's Parsons Green terror incident. 18:42 COBRA meeting underway PM Theresa May is currently chairing a COBRA meeting at her residence - 10 Downing Street. Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBRA) refers to a crisis response committees set up to co-ordinate actions of government bodies in response to instances of national or regional crisis. Thoughts with those injured in Parsons Green terrorist incident, and thanks to police, ambulance staff and firefighters who are responding. Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) September 15, 2017 18:23 Kings Cross station has reopened after a brief security alert. pic.twitter.com/TdjJ65ErGU Dylan Hayward (@DylanHayward94) September 15, 2017 18:16 Kings Cross scare Meanwhile, police carried out a brief search operation at Kings Cross, London after an abandoned car was found along with a suspicious item, some eyewitness accounts suggested on social media. The police had cordoned off the area for a while, eyewitnesses claimed. There has been no official statement on this development yet. 17:43 London Metropolitan Police says that no arrest has been made yet Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, from the head of national counter-terrorism policing, said: "There are many urgent inquiries ongoing with hundreds of detectives involved, looking at CCTV, carrying out forensic work and speaking to witnesses." "Detectives from the Counter Terrorism Command, part of the national counter-terrorism police network, are making fast-time inquiries to establish who was responsible and are working closely with the security services. So far there have been no arrests," a statement from the metropolitan police has said. "We believe the fire was caused by the detonation of an improvised device, which is being forensically examined," the statement has added. 17:38 London mayor confirms that a manhunt is underway Speaking to LBC Radio, London's mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed that "a manhunt underway as we speak. He also said that he was not allowed to say whether that meant a specific suspect was being sought. 17:27 Amber Rudd, UK's Home Secretary has condemned the attack. The statement said, "Once more people going about their everyday lives have been targeted in a callous and indiscriminate way. My thoughts are with all those injured and affected." "The police and emergency services were quickly on the scene and I would like to pay tribute again to their professionalism and tireless commitment. I am receiving regular updates on what is an ongoing and active investigation. I would urge Londoners to remain alert and assist the police and emergency services as much as they can," it added. 17:23 UK Home Office's support for affected people The UK Home Office has launched support for people affected by the attack at Parsons Green. Here are the details. 17:12 Manhunt launched The Guardian has reported that a "massive manhunt" is underway for "whoever planted the home-made device" on the tube carriage at Parsons Green station. The newspaper also said that detectives were examining CCTV footage from the London underground network. Strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack in London. My thoughts with the injured and their families Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) September 15, 2017 17:06 National Health Service confirm 22 injured The National Heath Service (NHS) has confirmed that 22 people were injured in the terror incident. The statement issued by the service said that the injured were being treated at four hospitals in London - Imperial (3), Chelsea and Westminster (8), Guy's and St Thomas' (8) and Central London Community Healthcare Urgent Care Centre in Parsons Green (3). The London Ambulance had taken 18 people to various hospitals. However, another four had self-presented. 16:58 Londoners to see more police: Mayor Sadiq Khan London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said that Londoners will see more police on the streets of the city after what officers said was a "terrorist incident." "They will see over the course of today and the next few days an enhanced police presence, not simply on the public transport network but also across London," Khan told LBC Radio. 16:55 News agency AFP is reporting that 22 people have been injured. An official update is still awaited. #BREAKING 22 people injured in London Underground terror attack: health service #ParsonsGreen AFP news agency (@AFP) September 15, 2017 16:48 'Device had an attached timer' Police sources have told Sky News that a timer was attached to the improvised explosive device (IED). The significant development is likely to help the police investigate. 16:32 Donald Trump reacts to the terror incident United States President Donald Trump has reacted to the London train terror incident. "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist.These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" he said via Twitter. "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner.The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!" he said. "The travel ban into the United States should be far larger, tougher and more specific-but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" he added. 16:18 London to witness heightened police presence through the day Mark Rowley, Assistant Commissioner for Specialist Operations of the Metropolitan Police Service has confirmed that an improvised explosive device (IED) was used. He also said that the 18 people who had been taken to various hospitals mostly suffered from flash burns. While addressing the press, Rowley said that the operation after the incident was led by the London Metropolitan Police and was still being investigated by them along with national counter terrorism agencies. He also said that London will witness more police presence through the day, especially on transport systems. 16:09 The device 'partially exploded'? Met police sources have said that the device only 'partially exploded', The Guardian has reported. 15:58 London Ambulance Service has given more details: We were called at 8:20 am today, with the first ambulance crew arriving within five minutes. We have sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, officers and our Hazardous Area Response Team," the service said in a statement. We are working closely with our colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police and London Fire Brigade at the scene; ensuring patients receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible," the statement further said. As we are very busy dealing with this incident, we would ask the public to only call us in a genuine emergency, it added. 15:52 London Ambulance Service: 18 people taken to hospital The London Ambulance Service has said that they have taken "18 patients to a number of London hospitals." The service also said that none of them are thought to be in a serious or life-threatening condition. 15:46 Device did not fully detonate? Sky News has reported citing unnamed sources that the device used during the terror incident, did not fully detonate. 15:31 Here's what we know so far: > An explosion happened onboard a District line train bound for central London around 8:20 am (local time), at the Parsons Green station.> As many as six fire engines were rushed to the spot and 50 fire crew were tackling the situation.> The probe which was being handled by the British transport police (BTP), was taken over by the Scotland Yard's counter terrorism command.> The London Metropolitan Police declared it a "terror incident".> The police asked for more information from eyewitnesses and said probe was still on. > PM Theresa May to chair high-level COBRA meeting. The @metpoliceuk have confirmed that the explosion on a train at Parsons Green Station is being treated as terrorism https://t.co/4jRHedcBXt pic.twitter.com/Vbt5uCFpih Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) September 15, 2017 15:20 London police responds to images of alleged 'explosives' that went viral on social media After the incident, several passengers and eyewitnesses tweeted out pictures of the alleged 'explosive'. Talking about the alleged explosive, the London Metropolitan Police has tweeted, "We are aware of reports on social media RE #ParsonsGreen. We will release facts when we can - our info must be accurate". 15:16 PM Theresa May to chair high-level 'Cobra' meeting Prime Minister Theresa May is to chair a meeting of the governments Cobra, The Guardian has reported.emergency committee this afternoon to discuss the terrorist incident at Parsons Green, Downing Street announced. The Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBRA) is referred to crisis response committees set up to co-ordinate actions of in response to instances of national or regional crisis. 15:10 Prime Minister Theresa May's statement: My thoughts are with those injured at Parsons Green and the emergency services who, once again, are responding swiftly and bravely to a suspected terrorist incident, British Prime Minister Theresa May said. 15:07 .@metpoliceuk have now declared this a terror incident. Officers remain at the scene and continue to work with emergency service colleagues pic.twitter.com/RUQ4RJQfYs BTP (@BTP) September 15, 2017 15:03 London Metropolitan police has asked people to share information "Anyone who has information that would assist detectives is urged to contact the hotline 0800 789 321; if it's an emergency always call 999," a statement by the Metropolitan police has said. 15:00 London police investigating the terror incident, asking people to "avoid the area" Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national coordinator for CT policing, has declared it a terrorist incident. "It is too early to confirm the cause of the fire, which will be subject to the investigation that is now underway by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command," a statement by the command said. "The station remains cordoned off and we are advising people to avoid the area." The Mets Counter Terrorism Command are investigating after the incident at #ParsonsGreen tube station is declared a terrorist incident Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 15, 2017 14:49 Injuries and facial burns The Metro newspaper has reported that some passengers had suffered from facial burns from the blast and some others had been hurt in a subsequent stampede. 14:44 Counter terrorism command probing 'major incident' The Guardian is reporting that Scotland Yards counter terrorism command called "S0 15" has taken lead in the investigation. The probe into the incident was initially started by the British transport police (BTP). A police source told the newspaper that BTP had declared it a major incident. 14:34 PM Theresa May receiving 'regular updates' British media reports suggest that Prime Minister Theresa May was receiving regular updates about the Parsons Green situation. 14:30 Emergency Services are still at Parsons Green tube station. We continue to ask Londoners to avoid the area. More info as and when verified Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 15, 2017 14:29 London Fire Brigade responds London Fire Brigade has said that it has dispatched six fire engines and as many as 50 firefighters to the location. Crews from Fulham, Wandsworth, Chelsea, Hammersmith and other fire stations nearby are in attendance, the department said in a statement. 14:24 Boris Johnson, Britain's Foreign Secretary has appealed for calm. "Im afraid my information is limited and it really is important not to speculate at the moment. Everybody should keep calm and go about their lives in as normal a way as they possibly can. The British Transport Police, TFL are on it. And they will be updating their websites as and when we get more information," he said while speaking to Sky News. 14:17 Eyewitness account of the 'sudden panic' Another eyewitness, Richard Aylmer-Hall (53), told The Guardian that he was sitting on the District line train bound for central London when panic unfolded around him at around 8:20 am (local time). Suddenly there was panic, lots of people shouting, screaming, lots of screaming, he told the news organisation. Adding that There was a woman on the platform who said she had seen a bag, a flash and a bang, so obviously something had gone off. He further added: I saw crying women, there was lots of shouting and screaming, there was a bit of a crush on the stairs going down to the streets. Some people got pushed over and trampled on. I saw two women being treated by ambulance crews. 14:11 Eyewitness account An eyewitness, speaking to the BBC said that the explosion was "A wall of flame coming down a carriage after a bang". 14:08 Bomb squad and armed police have arrived A bomb squad and armed police have all been seen arriving at the station following the blast which happened in a white bucket inside a Lidl carrier bag, UK's Metro news is reporting. .@sophieraworth saw woman taken to ambulance with burns "from top to toe" after explosion on train at Parsons Green https://t.co/bCKuWdNiZj pic.twitter.com/RvTnHq0T7E BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) September 15, 2017 14:00 We have a number of resources on scene at #ParsonsGreen including @LAS_HART. More information will follow https://t.co/TciNtAa8dO pic.twitter.com/ZUWpHz7CTn London Ambulance (@Ldn_Ambulance) September 15, 2017 14:00 Police said they were aware of reports on social media and would release facts regarding the incident once they could be sure of their accuracy. Transport for London said on Twitter that there was no service between Earls Court and Wimbledon on the District Line which runs through Parsons Green. 13:59 London underground blast A blast on a London underground train left some passengers with facial burns, Londons Metro newspaper has reported on its website. Police said they are aware of an incident at Parsons Green station in West London and that officers are in attendance. Images posted on Twitter showed a women being attended to by emergency services sitting on a pavement. Nepal has signed an agreement with the US government' Millennium Challenge Corporation to receive a grant worth USD 500 million in next five years to spur private investment and economic growth to reduce poverty in the country. Nepal would contribute another USD 130 million to support the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Nepalese Minister of Finance Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and MCC Acting CEO Jonathan Nash signed the agreement in this regard at the State Department. The ceremony was joined by Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice Wells, and Lis Curtis who heads the South Asia division of the National Security Council, the White House. Describing it as a historic occasion, Sullivan said the signing of an MCC grant agreement is not only a milestone for development, but also serves as a mark of great distinction for Nepal. "The compact recognizes Nepal's vast progress and ongoing efforts to establish the rule of law and implement democratic institutions. The Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation first selected Nepal for a compact in December of 2014," he said. Sullivan said Nepal's progress over the past few years, both politically and economically, represents a vital turning point for the country. By holding its first elections under a new constitution, Nepal has signaled the beginning of a new democratic age. "This compact will enable support for Nepal's greater economic security and help to transform lives for the better. As Acting CEO Nash mentioned, with the signing of this USD 500 million compact, we are committing to tackle the greatest constraints to growth in Nepal's energy and transportation sectors," he added. "But this is more than just a grant. It's a plan for investment jointly developed to address the inadequate supply of electricity in Nepal and the high cost of transportation in that country. Together, we will work to improve the availability of electricity and make road transportation safer and more affordable," the top American diplomat said. Karki said this compact of USD 500 million, combined with the Government of Nepal's commitment of USD 130 million, will surely create a lasting impact on Nepal's sustainable development for generations to come. Recognising the several decades of cooperation between two countries in socioeconomic development programs, the Finance Minister said over the years, America has supported Nepal in building peaceful, prosperous, and a democratic society. "Today's signing ceremony is the epitome of the US' continued encouragement towards democratic development and a lasting peace in Nepal, he said. According to Nash, the programme will tackle two of Nepal's most binding constraints to economic growth: low energy supply and high transportation cost. This includes the construction of high-voltage power lines the equivalent length of one-third the length of Nepal. It will also facilitate increased electricity trade with India, a strategic partner, and activities that will strengthen sector governance, increasing transparency, efficiency and competition in Nepal's power sector. In the transportation sector, the compact includes investments that will strengthen the road maintenance regime, which is particularly important to the movement of goods and people in a landlocked mountainous country such as Nepal, he said. According to MCC, the Electricity Transmission Project is designed to transform Nepal's power sector by expanding and strengthening the high voltage electricity transmission network to support new investments in generation. The project includes the construction of approximately 300 km of high voltage power lines, equivalent to one-third the length of Nepal; the addition of a second cross-border transmission line to facilitate greater electricity trade with India; and activities to improve sector governance to increase private investment. "MCC's Nepal Compact is designed to spur private investment and economic growth to reduce poverty. MCCs investments will also support regional energy connectivity in South Asia by strengthening Nepal's power sector and facilitating electricity trade with India," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference. "A stable and economically growing Nepal is in the best interest of not just the people of Nepal, but also the region and the US. MCC's work to support stability and strengthen institutions also helps countries withstand global threats such as conflict and natural disasters," she said. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif looks out the window of his plane after attending a ceremony to inaugurate the M9 motorway between Karachi and Hyderabad, Pakistan February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Caren Firouz - RTX2ZI70 Pakistan's Supreme Court today dismissed the review petitions filed by the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, challenging his disqualification in the Panama Papers scandal. Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had filed separate petitions challenging the apex court's landmark verdict on July 28 in which the 67-year-old leader was disqualified from continuing in office. It was also ordered that corruption cases be filed against him and his children -- Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz -- son-in-law Mohammad Safdar and Dar. A five-member bench of the court headed by justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa heard the review petitions. It was the same panel which had disqualified Sharif. "All these review petitions are dismissed," said justice Khosa, who oversaw the five-member review panel. With the rejection of the petitions, Sharif has exhausted all legal options to challenge his disqualification, jeopardising his chances to stage a political comeback. However, politically, if his Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) party wins next year's elections with a two- thirds majority in Parliament, it can amend the Constitution to change the life-time disqualification to a limited period of time. Today's ruling comes ahead of Sunday's by-election to fill Sharif's parliamentary seat in Lahore that is being contested by his ailing wife Kulsoom, who is being treated for throat cancer in London. The Sharif family and Dar will now face four corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the accountability court. During the hearing, Sharif's advocate Khawaja Harris argued that how could the former premier be disqualified for not declaring a salary which he never received. But the court rejected the pleas. Harris also argued that Sharif could not be disqualified for not declaring his assets and only his election could be declared null and void but the court rejected that argument as well. Several other technical objections by the petitioners were also overruled and the apex court maintained its decision of July 28. Talking to reporters outside the court, PML-N leader and Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rahman said the court's decision to dismiss the review petitions was a cause of "disappointment" for her party. She said the court should have reconsidered its verdict to disqualify Sharif for not disclosing the salary he was entitled to receive from Capital FZE, a firm run by Sharif's son in the UAE. She expressed the fear that Sharif family will not get a fair trial in accountability court if a Supreme Court monitoring judge oversees the trial proceedings. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan thanked the Supreme Court for ending what he referred to as the "rule of the mafia". He said the Sharifs had attempted to get the monitoring judge removed during court proceedings to delay the cases against them, but their efforts have failed with the Supreme Court's dismissal of review petitions. The Panama Papers case in Pakistan is based on leaks that the Sharif children owned offshore companies to manage their properties in London, which opposition alleges were bought with unaccounted money. Russian S-400 Triumph medium-range and long-range surface-to-air missile systems drive during the Victory Day parade, marking the 71st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at Red Square in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2016. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor - LR1EC590MOQ22 Russia and Belarus kicked off their joint military exercise on Thursday to keep efforts of the West in check. The week-long war exercise has raised concerns among Western observers, who feel that the military game will be used by Russia to strengthen its grip over the Baltic region. Though the officials in Russia claimed that only 12700 troops, 138 tanks, 40 jets and helicopters will be involved in the exercise, Western experts believe that close to one lakh troops will be in action. There is also concern that the exercise will be used as an excuse to permanently deploy Russian troops in Belarus. The military exercise is called Zapad 2017, which means west in Russian, and it has been used earlier for military drills conducted by the eastern giant in 1981 and 1999. According to The Washington Post, the drill involves action against three imaginary enemy states i.e. Lubenia, Vesbaria and Veishnoria. Many assert that this indirectly denotes NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Some analysts say that the action is a clear response to attempts by the US and allies trying to make inroads into Eastern Europe - considered as Russias backyard. The Russians, according to experts want to demonstrate their capability to seal off Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and deny access to NATO forces to in the Baltic Sea. Observers also concur that the drill is aimed at ensuring that Belarus, which is under the rule of President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, stays within the sphere of Russias influence. Russian officials have countered all allegations by saying that western military drills in Russian borders have also increased in recent times. "The main goals are to improve interoperability among the military staff, harmonize troops management systems and provide commanders of various levels of importance with an opportunity to train their skills in planning military events and managing troops based on the experience received during modern armed conflicts," said the Russian defence ministry. 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 US has asked China and Russia to take direct action against North Korea to "indicate their intolerance" to the provocative missile tests carried out by the Communist-nation. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement after Pyongyang carried out another missile test today that flew over Japan. "North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the US have been directly threatened in recent weeks," he said. These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation, he added. "United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime," Tillerson said. I have a guy who needs convincing. Him: No, no way, nope. Me: Oh, come on. Well get up at 4 a.m., sunrise already in some parts of the world. Well throw our coats over our pajamas and take a... Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity In July 2017, the president of the United States announced a ban on transgender people serving in the military. This hasty decision, announced on Twitter, outlined no details in regards to what would happen to current active trans servicemembers. The announcement came amid a disagreement around a $790 billion defense and security spending package scheduled to vote on. The disagreement threatened the bills ability to pass. In the same week, lawmakers argued whether or not taxpayers should pay for gender transition and hormone therapy despite its infinitesimal cost. And thats how the president tweeted his solution and shut down support for 15,000 active-duty members of our military without a concrete policy in place. Since then, groups of House Democrats, a bipartisan group of senators, retired generals and admirals, and many others have requested, advised, and written letters to the president in order to urge him to reject this unconstitutional directive. Many trans veterans have tweeted their disappointment, and others are suing. But there are also those who agree with the presidents planned policy. The military is already a hard place to be for a trans person. In one series of tweets, the president further alienated countless active-duty soldiers some currently overseas. Trans soldiers sacrifice Im a transgender veteran and gave my entire youth (19-26) to the service of my country. Its all I know. This is outrageous and so wrong. Tomi Kay, transgender Army veteran Every person who fights for our country reserves, active, veteran sacrifices part of themselves to their country. They sacrifice time with family, the normalcy of a civilian job, their safety, their food choices, and where they live, among so many other things. They sacrifice what their purpose is for the entirety of their active duty. Being in the military has a way of defining who you are, and its a sacrifice to give your identity to the government in order to fight for freedom. For a servicemember, no matter your race, gender, sexuality, age, level of education, rank, or religion, youre a soldier and youre sacrificing so much to be a soldier. Many transgender service members sacrifice so much more than the average soldier. For one, while transgender soldiers make up a small percentage of military members, they serve at a higher rate than most other demographics. Its also a scary job to have as a trans person, so many stay quiet to avoid backlash. The general view of LGBTQ service members has been leaning in a positive direction, and Trumps announcement pushed this issue the other way. Mental health issues in transgender people are largely triggered by stigma and inequality, so his comments were highly damaging. What is it like being a trans soldier? Its about sacrifice, just like any other soldier. Trans soldiers experience trauma Dont talk about my service [Donald Trump]. You will never be as good as me and thousands of servicemembers. No matter how hard you try. Rachel Lauren Clark, transgender Marine Corps veteran A soldiers life is something that they agree to sacrifice when putting on their uniform and vowing to protect their country. The same flag lies over their coffin regardless of their gender or orientation. They can be shot, injured, wounded, or left with a life deeply affected by PTSD. They may lose fellow soldiers, have lasting mental health problems as a result of war, or experience mental health issues while overseas. Soldiers may battle the grief of losing a loved one back home while they continue to battle overseas or the grief of losing another soldier. They may experience anxiety or depression as a result of missing the birth of children, the declining health of a parent, or other family emergencies. Trauma comes in all forms, and those in service can experience it in so many different ways while serving their country. Some are lasting, others are short-term, some are physical. Some new recruits experienced trauma within training, in dealing with other recruits, or in unfair treatment from higher ranking officers. In a world where LGBTQ soldiers are just gaining equality within the military world within the last five years, its extremely damaging for the president to encourage the viewpoint that they are not welcome. The world of military interaction and training is a harsh, gruelling, and demanding environment; youre transformed, both inside and out. The most self-assured recruit is stripped down, and for the marginalized recruit the difficulties are multiplied. What is it like being a trans soldier? Its accepting the possibility of experiencing trauma, just like any other soldier. Trans soldiers battle life as a civilian When you attack transgender military members you are attacking Americas war fighters. [Donald Trump] once again shows his apathy for service. Shane Ortega, transgender Marine Corps and Army veteran Military service members join up, go through the riguors of basic training, serve their country in whichever capacity, and come home a completely different person. A soldiers experiences no longer relate to the average civilian. If soldiers experienced trauma as a result of serving, they come home with that battle. Transgender men and women who serve are handling the transition from soldier to civilian as well as their potentially handling their own gender transitions in some capacity. Mental health can be a concern, finding the right career path can be hard, and adapting into a world they used to be a part of are all a battle for military members going from one extreme to another. Some military members can find fulfilling careers in military social work where they can feel at home, and at peace helping others. Others find education programs designed for veterans to help them move forward in their civilian life. No matter what their military career looked like, its difficult to go from living life as a soldier to living life as a civilian. They miss home, and then they miss the battlefield. They miss freedom, and then miss structure. They connect with family, and then connect with fellow service members. They have to integrate back into a job, a home, a life that seems foreign. The transition is easier for some, harder for others. What is it like being a trans soldier? Its battling the transition back to being a civilian, just like any other soldier. Trans soldiers do it for your country As a trans vet I am disgusted!! My being trans was never a deterrent nor a distraction from my duty to serve. Being validated made me better. Toni Miller, transgender veteran Theres a great deal of pride that comes with serving your country. If you ask a vet which branch of the military they served in, they straighten up a bit before telling you. Theres pride there, and each branch tells their soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, and guardsmen how proud they should be to be a part of their branch. Rightfully so, because it takes a hell of a lot to commit to a life in the military. Words like bravery, gumption, leadership, and heroism dont just apply to a certain type of service member it applies to all of them, including transgender service members. Transgender military members join despite possible backlash and harassment, because they are proud to serve their country. Freedom comes at a price, and transgender soldiers fight for their countrys right to hate them. They fight for their right to be who they are. What is it like being a trans soldier? Trans soldiers fight for your country, just like any other soldier. A ban on transgender military service men and women is an attack against all people who fight for this country. Being a trans soldier is just being a soldier, because they are a soldier, pilot, sailor, and a marine before they are anything else. The military is a group of siblings. They protect each other, they are a unit, and they sacrifice everything for our country. When the president, or anyone else, separates transgender service members from the rest of their community, they are promoting a dangerous dialogue. Backlash against transgender service men and women isnt solely backlash against someone whos trans, which is in itself horrific. Its backlash against a soldier, the same soldier we celebrate and the same soldier we mourn. What is it like to be a trans soldier? Its a lot like being a soldier. September 15, 2017 Afghanistan - U.S. Resolved To Repeat Failures The U.S. military and political leadership is so devoid of learning capability that it does not fight multiyear long wars. Instead it fights one disconnected campaign after the other on the very same battlefield. Each of these campaigns will repeat the mistakes that previous ones made and will have the same outcome. Thus we have seen several increases in troop numbers in Afghanistan. Each time such a surge happened under Bush, under Obama and now under Trump, the result was an increase in Taliban activity and success. We have seen the use of local militia forces fail under Obama when these were called Afghan Local Police. The 20,000 men strong ALP was supposedly "trained" to hold land against the Taliban. But the local police groups turned out to be local gangs who, thanks to their "official" status, could rob, rap and kill people without fear of retaliation. The suppressed population then turned to the Taliban for relief. The idea to create such a local force was so bad that it is time to repeat it: The American military has turned to the [idea of a local militia] force as a potential model for how to maintain the Afghan governments waning control without too high a cost in difficult parts of Afghanistan at a time when the Taliban are resurgent. ... The size of the new force is yet to be finalized, but it could number more than 20,000, according to a senior Afghan official ... While the senior Afghan official insisted that only the conceptual framework of the force has been agreed to, and that details were still being sorted out, several Western officials said that preparations were already underway to pilot the new force in southern districts of Nangarhar Province. We can predict with confidence that a year from now those very same districts of Nangarhar province will again staunchly support the Taliban. In 2001 the CIA and U.S. special forces kicking out the Taliban with the support of northern alliance war-criminals. Arial bombing based on partisan information continued for years. After their defeat the Taliban had given up on ruling the country. They offered to dissolve in exchange for amnesty and an end of the war. But the bombing, often on direction of some local wannabe strongman, continued. Many people not involved with the Taliban or any resistance were killed and maimed. Their communities called out for help. The Taliban revived and came back to fight the invaders. For a while the indiscriminate, unaccountable bombing seemed to calm down. But the insurgency, once revived, continued. Time then to repeat and expand the scheme - if only under a different logo and in more countries: The C.I.A. is pushing for expanded powers to carry out covert drone strikes in Afghanistan and other active war zones, a proposal that the White House appears to favor despite the misgivings of some at the Pentagon, according to current and former intelligence and military officials. More indiscriminate bombing will obviously lead to more resistance and more war. An argument can be made that the U.S. military and intelligence complex is willfully and systematically creating new enemies in Afghanistan and elsewhere to justify the continuation of its campaigns. But that argument presume that there is sufficient intellectual capacity in the Pentagon and CIA to develop and follow such a design. Arrogance, bureaucratic inertia and lack of curiosity are the simpler and maybe more likely explanations. Posted by b on September 15, 2017 at 14:33 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Nearly half of North Carolina residents may have had their personal information exposed during a large-scale cyber security breach, according to a statement from North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. Equifax, one of Americas three largest consumer credit reporting agencies, announced last week that a breach may have compromised the personal information of 143 million Americans. Of those impacted, an estimated 5 million live in North Carolina, Stein said. The information includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and drivers license numbers. Credit card numbers of more than 200,000 consumers and dispute documents of 182,000 consumers were accessed in the breach, according to a company statement. Unauthorized activity on Equifaxs databases was discovered by the company July 29. The company used an independent cyber security firm to conduct a forensic review to determine the scale of the breach before making the announcement, the statement said. This is clearly a disappointing event for our company and one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do, Equifax Chairman Richard Smith said in the statement. I apologize to consumers and our business customers for the concern and frustration this causes. The unauthorized access happened between mid-May and July 2017 and has been reported to law enforcement officers, who are working with Equifax during an ongoing investigation, the statement said. The Federal Trade Commission is encouraging people to visit equifaxsecurity2017.com to see if their information could have been compromised. After clicking on the potential impact tab, users are asked to enter the last six digits of their Social Security number. The FTC says users need to be on a secure computer and connected to an encrypted network any time the information is entered. Once the information is entered, the site will show whether or not the users information was affected by the breach. Consumers can receive a year of free credit monitoring and other services due to the breach, whether or not their information was affected. Instructions on how to enroll is at the top of the main Equifax security webpage. The FTC is also encouraging everyone to check their credit reports and consider placing a credit freeze on their files. A credit freeze wont prevent someone from altering existing accounts but makes it harder for someone to open up a new account in another persons name. Equifax has dropped the fees for credit freezes until Nov. 21, causing technical issues due to the high volume of requests, according to the companys website. However, North Carolina is one of seven states that does not charge fees for freezing credit. The FTC suggests that those who decide against a credit freeze place a fraud alert on their files. This warns creditors that they may be a victim of identity theft and that anyone seeking credit in their name needs to be verified. The final FTC suggestion is filing taxes as soon as possible to avoid tax identify theft, which is done by using someones Social Security number. Since making the announcement about the breach, Equifax has been under fire from multiple citizens and politicians calling for increased action. We need to get to the bottom of this the murky bottom, the dirty bottom, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday. Schumer called for Senate hearings on the breach and listed five things that Equifax needs to make happen to begin fixing the damage that has been done. The list includes notifying everyone affected by the breach about what information was compromised and providing both credit monitoring and theft monitoring to those affected for 10 years. He also called for Equifax to offer free credit freezes for 10 years to impacted consumers, remove arbitration provisions for agreement of terms that prevent legal action, testify before the Senate and FCC and cooperate in an investigation. Schumer also cited his frustration with executives who sold stock shares worth around $1.8 million in the days after the breach was discovered while customers were in the dark. They claim they had no knowledge of the breach, Schumer said. If they did, it could be one of the most brazen and shameful attempts of insider trading that I can recall. According to the Frequently Asked Questions section of Equifaxs security website, the (breach) has been contained. However, cyber security experts are calling the breach one of the largest hacks ever disclosed. Ryan Wilusz is a staff writer and can be reached at rwilusz@morganton.com or 828-432-8941. Emma Wall: Hello, and welcome to Morningstar. I'm Emma Wall and joining me today to give his three stock picks is Ed Legget, Manager of the Artemis UK Select Fund. Hello, Ed. Edward Legget: Hi. Wall: So, what's the first stock you'd like to highlight today? Legget: First stock is our largest holding in the fund, which is Prudential (PRU). Prudential is a life assurance company with significant operations in Asia, the U.S. and the U.K. We like Prudential as we see it amongst the large companies in the U.K., so those top 20 companies in the U.K., as to one actually with by far the best growth prospects. So, if you look at their track record, they are doubling the size of the business, primarily driven by Asia and to a lesser extent, the U.S. every six, seven years organically and at the same time, the returns they generate from both of those businesses are high enough to fund the growth of the businesses as well as provide dividends to shareholders. Wall: And I suppose that global remit is the thing which keeps it being enticing. Because I remember a couple of years ago with pension freedoms annuities being scraped. People were very worried about the future of life assurance. But you are saying actually the Pru will do OK? Legget: We think the Pru will do well, increasingly, the onus is on individuals to sort out their savings for the future and pension and healthcare provision as the states steps back across the world and as companies step back across the world and companies in that sector that have distribution, have scale, can manufacture the products efficiently, we think, will be winners and Pru certainly fits in that box. Wall: And what's the second stock? Legget: Second stock is IAG, International Airlines Group, (IAG) which owns Iberia, Aer Lingus and British Airways amongst other airlines in Europe. Clearly, people have differing views about the products itself and what they are doing strategically. But for us, the most interesting thing about IAG is actually, you know, London airports are full and it's their positioning, both Heathrow and to a lesser extent Gatwick, that provides them, we think, with a material barrier to entry in an airlines industry which historically has suffered from capital coming in and overcapacity. Wall: And how do you grow as a company like that? Because obviously well, there are some conversations about there being an extra runway in London. But you're not going to get a new huge hub in a central city, are you? Legget: You're not, no. And so, that's I mean, the great thing is having an airline that can't grow for us is attractive. So, it gives them pricing power. It's a capital-intensive business, i.e., I've got to spend a little money to buy the planes and then make a return on that. And for us, the interesting thing about IAG is actually the cash flows of their companies, valued on the very low rating because people look back at the past and say, well, airlines historically have been a difficult place to make money. They have very volatile earnings streams through time. But we see today the cash flows from IAG today are enough to basically give us the whole value of the company back on a six to seven-year view and we'd still own the company at the end of it. And so, that for us is attractive and the reason it's attractive is, as I say, is that capacity constraint in the London airports. Wall: And what's the third and final stock? Legget: The third and final stock is probably a stock that most of your listeners haven't heard of, which is a company called David S. Smith (SMDS). It's a company we've owned for a long time. It's the second-largest carboard box manufacturer in Europe. And for us, it's two aspects to the story. One is, cardboard is actually being used increasingly more. And if you think about eRetail, Amazon, how much cardboard you're getting through your house every day is going up, exponentially, in my case, through time as my family and young kids will start buying more and more products online. But over time, that's driving a volume story and at the same time, it has been a very fragmented market which is consolidating. So, there's top-line growth coming from FMCG and online retail and then there's consolidation which is driving returns as those very large players in that industry require a pan-European solution. Wall: Ed, thank you very much. Legget: Thank you. Wall: This is Emma Wall for Morningstar. Thank you for watching. The remarkable success story of Key Media International (KMI) keeps gathering pace. After a spectacular five-year revenue growth rate of 169%, KMI has been included on the 2017 PROFIT 500 ranking of Canadas fastest growing companies by Canadian Business. Now in its 29th year, PROFIT 500 is a joint venture between Canadas premier business and current affairs media brands, aiming to profile the nations most successful growth companies. KMI a global publishing and events company with a huge stable of influential industry publications has now made the list for five consecutive years. Were massively excited once again to be part of the PROFIT 500 line-up, says Tim Duce, CEO, KMI. To be included among such powerhouse contemporaries is proof that KMI is fast becoming one of the biggest names in the business. Ive no doubt that this is down to our great range of products, our wonderful readers, our roster of valued clients, and of course the hard work of our dedicated team. As we go from strength to strength, heres to celebrating our PROFIT 500 inclusion next year! Its never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this years applicant pool was the most competitive yet, explains Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. This years winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canadaand the worldneeds more entrepreneurial success stories like these. KMI ranked at number 335 on this years list, which is published in the October issue of Macleans magazine and online at CanadianBusiness.com. For more information on the PROFIT 500 ranking process visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. Hello Everyone, Im starting to slow down. A bit exhausted and a little sore (eyes, butt, etc.), it was time to scale back to four screenings today. Tomorrow will be my last day, and Ill see even fewer because I have a big event on the books. Dayton-based producer Karri OReilly (who has worked on numerous feature-length films around the world including BLUE CAR and CAROL) has a film premiering tomorrow night MY DAYS OF MERCY (which shot in Cincinnati) and she has invited me to be part of the festivities. Youll get all the latest before I head out of town on Saturday afternoon. My first film for today was FILM STARS DONT DIE IN LIVERPOOL, directed by Paul McGuigan. Starring Annette Bening and Jamie Bell, this is the story of movie star Gloria Grahame and the last of her May-December romances. At first, I found Benings accent and whispy delivery a little hard to take, but I eventually accepted it and fell for the chemistry of her and Jamie Bell (who is absolutely darling in this film). The film has a jumpy structure, and I fear that some of our regulars (who prefer linear storylines) might get a little confused regarding the timeline. Regardless, I think this is a film that could do well for us especially if Bening gets an Oscar nomination. MUDBOUND, directed by Dee Rees (PARIAH), was my second film of the day. This film will get a very limited release (NYC and LA) and then go straight to streaming service on Netflixwhich is too bad because it works really well on a big screen. That said, I think it will still be a big award contender this year. With multiple protagonists/narrators, this is the story of two families in the deep South during World War II. The racial tensions are heavy, and the stories are so well developed a white family and a black family are trying to do the best they can for their families as they farm their land and try to encourage their children to excel. This film, though set 80 years ago, is very timelyand it will break your heart. DARKEST HOUR, directed by Joe Wright, has a lot of Oscar buzz for Gary Oldman playing Winston Churchill. This is a film about the weeks leading up to Dunkirkwhich has been a very popular theme this year (CHURCHILL, THEIR FINEST, DUNKIRK, and some television too). This film is very polished and has some really wonderful moments, but I dont completely agree with the Oscar buzz. Is it a complete transformation? Absolutely! But I think his performance borders on camp as some of his choices are very hammy and singsongy. So Im guessing Ill be in the minority on this one. MARROWBONE, directed by Sergio Sanchez (THE ORPHANAGE), was my final film of the day. This ghost story/thriller is in the vein of THE OTHERS and SIXTH SENSE but is clearly made for a more tweenage crowd. Its the story of a group of kids who lock themselves away from the world after the death of their mother. With lovely photography and successful moments intended to make your jump, it works on a certain levelbut the story too conveniently leaves out important plot points so it can reveal them later which feels like cheating. I also felt like some of the revelations were trite while others were genuinely fresh. Only one day of screenings left. In some respects, those first movies I saw exactly a week ago seem so far awaybut it also seems like I just got here yesterday. Im going to try and get a good night of sleep so I dont scare people with bloodshot eyes tomorrow. Thanks for reading, Jonathan More than 250 additional students this school year are earning both college and high school credit through an expanded career and technology partnership. While Midland College has long partnered with Midland ISD, an announcement on Thursday introduced the Next Generation Career Partnership. Support for the career pathways program came from the Midland Development Corp. and the Abell-Hanger Foundation. Jeff Horner, executive director of secondary education at MISD, said the partnership allows more students to receive instruction that isnt available on high school campuses. Our mission is graduating college- and career-ready students, Horner said. The advantage of working with Midland College is these career credit classes have the trainers that have that expertise. This school year, 575 students are enrolled in career dual-credit programs, a jump from 295 students in 2016-17. This years number represents about 9 percent of MISD students in grades 9-12, according to a document about the partnership. Horner said MISD students have always shown interest in career dual-credit programs, but they were previously at capacity. They see this as a way to get skills, Horner said. They see career dual-credit courses as something they want to put their hands into. The program estimates an enrollment of 690 students for next school year and 730 students for future years. Current career dual-credit options are in the fields of petroleum, health sciences and information technology. Additional pathways are being developed for 2018-19. Horner said the focus areas were selected after considering industry data and community input. He said the school district started working with MC last year to redesign the dual-credit model. The advantage is theyre getting dual credit in high school where it will save them time in college, Horner said. The second part is if they dont choose to go onto a two-year or four-year university afterwards, then they leave high school with skills that employers are needing out there in the community. Last month, MDC approved a contract with the Midland Community College District for $1.35 million over five years. MDC funds will be used for training and hiring faculty, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram report. The Abell-Hanger Foundation will give $25,000 each year to upgrade technology at the MC Advanced Technology Center, according to the report. Their help for this particular program has been very beneficial to us being able to purchase additional technology, upgrade some labs, MC President Steve Thomas said. And then when the Midland Development Corp. pitched in with their contribution, that enabled us to even do more so we could serve even more students. U.S. President Donald Trump is considering the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea after North Korea's latest nuclear test, breaking away from the doctrine of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. NBC on Friday said the U.S. is considering the deployment of tactical nukes and cyber attacks against North Korea. But it said those options would be aimed more at pressuring China to lean more aggressively on its ally to give up its nuclear and missile programs. The administration "is not ruling out moving tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea should Seoul request them, a White House official said" according to NBC. Officially both Seoul and Washington say the move is not being considered. White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster said it would be "bad news" to break the nuclear non-proliferation pact in Northeast Asia. The magazine Politico reported the Trump administration is also minded to build "smaller, more tactical nuclear weapons that would cause less damage than traditional thermonuclear bombs -- a move that would give military commanders more options but could also make the use of atomic arms more likely." "A high-level panel created by... Trump to evaluate the nuclear arsenal is reviewing various options for adding a more modern 'low-yield' bomb." GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. "Too many Rohingya have arrived, so there is not enough room of us in the camps," said Noor Mohammed, a Rohingya refugee. "We do not know where else to go so we are sleeping on the side of the road. It is very miserable." With refugee camps at full capacity and insufficient support from aid agencies, Bangladesh makes for an inhospitable home. Around 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have now sought refuge in the country's southern state of Chitagong, with the UNs top human rights official saying Myanmar is carrying out "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing" against the Rohingya. Overwhelmed and underfunded, aid agencies in Bangladesh are at a breaking point. But nearly three weeks into Rakhine State's bloody conflict and the humanitarian crisis shows no signs of relenting. New arrivals are clearing hectares of forest to make space for the spontaneous settlements that are springing up across the country's southern border. Rumors of a new camp quickly spreads among the roadside population, sparking a desperate scramble for the limited space. With little or no access to basic humanitarian services, conditions in these makeshift camps are dire, with some unable to access the life saving assistance required after days walking through the Myanmar jungle. "I have been in the camp for three days with my five children, the youngest one is very ill and suffering from malnutrition," said Ansar Begum, while holding her baby in her arms. "I am worried that my child will die if I stay in the camp because we are not getting any support or medical aid." Save for a few tarpaulin sheets, an official humanitarian response is difficult to find among the new Rohingya settlements.With a shortfall of $77 million, the United Nations admits it is unprepared to meet the demands of the growing refugee population. A water delivery draws a large crowd. Despite lining up for hours, some of the men in line will go home empty handed. "We are struggling," said Azmat Ulla of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent. "I believe like many other agencies here, we are struggling for resources. We need resources fast." While the aid organizations wait for their funding to trickle in, it has fallen on the people of Bangladesh to meet the needs of the desperate Rohingya population. Every day, hundreds of citizens rally together to distribute food, water and clothing bought from the local market. But their generosity will not sustain a refugee population that is growing day by day. Unless the official response is scaled up soon, this humanitarian crisis might turn into another humanitarian disaster. Amid intensifying finger-pointing over the deaths of eight seniors confined to a sweltering South Florida nursing home, state lawmakers on Thursday called for a criminal investigation, accompanied by a reversal of years of industry deregulation under Gov. Rick Scott and the legislature's Republican leaders. Reports say facility did not contact AHCA after loss of A/C Gov. Scott: Officials in close contact with ALFs, nursing homes day before Democrats call for restructuring of rules governing state nursing homes Initial reports indicate the South Florida facility, The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, didn't contact officials at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) after Hurricane Irma knocked out a transformer powering the nursing home's air conditioning. In a Thursday letter, three South Florida Democratic legislators called on the governor to direct the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to "open a formal investigation into what appears to be the unnecessary and possibly criminal loss of eight elderly lives." The Scott administration contends that, because AHCA wasn't informed, there was nothing the agency could have done to intervene. The day before the deaths, however, the governor told reporters at the State Emergency Operations Center that officials were in close contact with each of Florida's assisted living facilities. "We're talking to all of our nursing homes, our ALFs, because they're trying to make sure they have the power to take care of their citizens," Scott said Tuesday. It is now clear communication about the lack of air conditioning at The Rehabilitation Center was, at best, lacking. "It is one of the most avoidable tragedies in the overall tragedy," Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said during a Thursday press conference in Tallahassee. Putnam, a Republican candidate for governor, called on the Scott administration to conduct an interagency review of the failures that led to the deaths. He stopped short, however, of endorsing a wholesale reversal of the deregulatory actions - ranging from limits on punitive damages in lawsuits against nursing homes to a reduction in the number of caregivers facilities are required to employ - that have occurred during two decades of Republican rule in Tallahassee. "I think it's too early to speculate on policy shifts to avoid that in the future, but I know that that's going to happen and it should happen," Putnam said. Democrats and some consumer advocates, though, are demanding a dramatic restructuring of the rules governing the state's nursing homes. Some pointed to Scott's 2011 ouster of Long-term Care Ombudsman Brian Lee - an official widely viewed as having been tough on the industry while standing up for the interests of patients - as the start of a relatively hands-off era of treatment of nursing homes by the Scott administration. "The state, the regulators, do they know what's going on, is the mandatory reporting that's required going on, what's the punishment?" asked Rep. Sean Shaw (D-Tampa). "If you don't report it, is it severe enough? Certainly, a lot of us in the House, and the Senate, I imagine, are thinking about filing some bills to make sure there's some teeth in the regulations." There are also indications the nursing home debacle could play a role in next year's U.S. Senate contest, a race Scott is expected to enter. On Thursday, the incumbent, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, secured approval from the Veterans Administration to move seniors in other power outage-afflicted nursing homes to VA hospitals. And in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, Nelson criticized the handling of the situation in South Florida. "Seniors in nursing homes are among the most vulnerable and depend on facility staff for care and protection," Nelson wrote. "Failure to transfer them to a hospital some fifty yards away is unforgivable." Crews continue to make progress to restore power five days since Hurricane Irma. Its the largest power restoration effort ever for a single state. DeLand Municipal Airport is operating as a base camp for utility workers. Linemen are resting up before a long day ahead of them. This is where they sleep, eat and clean up, before heading out to restore power. From here theyll be dispatched to neighborhoods throughout Central Florida, hit hard by Hurricane Irma. Duke Energy says 12,000 workers are helping them turn back the lights on at Central Florida homes and businesses. More than 7,000 of them are from out of state. Theyve been working through the week, starting with restoring power to hospitals, police stations and other critical need areas first. Then they attack spots where there are a large number of outages, and work their way down. Its why some residents may be without power but everyone else in your neighborhood has it. Two big utility companies in Central Florida, Duke and Florida Power and Light, both hope to restore power to all of their customers here by the end of the weekend. Percentage of Customers without Power Brevard 23% Flagler 25% Lake 8% Marion 15% Orange 8% Osceola 2% Seminole 12% Sumter 10% Volusia 15% Duke Energy Power Outage Map &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; Florida Power and Light Power Outage Map &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; Ocala Power Outage Map &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; Orlando Utilities Commission Power Outage Map &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;nbsp; Area Emergency Operations Centers' Twitter Feeds A Twitter List by MyNews13 State wildlife officials and SeaWorld worked to rescue six manatees Friday that became trapped in a Melbourne pond when Hurricane Irma floodwaters receded. Crane Creek flooded its banks, allowing the manatees to make their way into the pond. But when the waters receded, the mammals were trapped. Like a well-oiled machine, workers from the Florida Fresh and Wildlife Conservation Commission, SeaWorld and the Brevard Zoo pulled one of the manatees out with a net. "I saw some manatees going back and forth, because it was very easy to do so," says Rene Alvarez, who owns creek-front property. Right after Irma, the creek flooded over into his backyard pond. He spotted the group of manatees, including a calf, very close to his home. "After the water receded to the point we didn't think they could make it out, we called FWC," Alvarez said. Friday was the first day after the storm that the rescue effort could get underway. Dozens of people working together, pulled them out one by one. There were six in all, not knowing they needed help. "Days like this, seeing the public support, making it worth it and very rewarding," Bill Greer of FWC said. Each manatee was checked out by the medical staff, and one by one, they were put back into the creek. The manatees had ample food where they were, but FWC said after winter comes, they will need to head to warmer waters. None of the manatees appeared to be hurt. I am very pleased to announce my intent to run for re-election, subject to the Republican primary in March. I was first elected County Judge in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. It has been my great privilege to serve the citizens of Hale County in this capacity for almost seven years. A lot has been accomplished but a lot remains to be done. I have never been more excited about what we are doing and I would like continue serving. The commissioners and I have worked together to plan and prepare for the future and make wise investments in our community. Despite the devastating impact of a four-year drought that would have crippled many communities, we have remained committed to a positive vision for our county. We have completed numerous capital improvement projects to our buildings and grounds. I am especially proud of the many upgrades at the Ollie Liner Center and the R.V. park. Our collective vision for a bright future required that we form positive and lasting partnerships with other entities who share our vision. We have joined with St. Josephs and Covenant Health in expansion of our local hospital. Covenant has recruited skilled medical staff and invested $30 million with a $10 million local match to improve and expand the facilities. The dividends of this investment will be high quality health care available to this area without tax support. Together with the City of Plainview and the Texas Department of Transportation, we completed a $4.6 million airport improvement project. As a result of these improvements and the outstanding management provided by Tim and Stacie Hardage, your airport was recognized as Most Improved out of more than 300 local airports in the State of Texas! We have partnered with the City of Plainview and the Economic Development Corporation to build a business park equipped to attract new businesses making capital investment and creating new jobs. Most of the preliminary plans are complete and ground breaking will begin early next year. Because of the cooperative efforts displayed by the City and County, we were awarded $1 million in grant funds from the Texas Department of Agriculture to help fund utility construction. A lot has been accomplished but much is left to be done. More than ever I want to be a part of the team that works to build for the future of our county. That is why I am asking for your support in my bid for re-election as Hale County Judge. The School Night for Scouting, an opportunity for boys in the 1st through 5th grade to become a part of the Cub Scout program, is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the First Presbyterian Church, 2101 Utica St. Cub Scouts is a great way for boys to learn life skills, meet new friends and make a difference in the community. Cub Scouts is a program of the Boy Scouts of America specifically designed to serve boys in the 1st through 5th grade. South Korea will hold an event for Armed Forces Day later this month to commemorate the nation's veterans and active-duty servicemen and women. It will be held on Sept. 28, three days earlier than usual, because the long Chuseok holiday already crowds the schedule in early October. Armed Forces Day is officially observed on Oct. 1, the day in 1950 when South Korean forces broke through the 38th parallel during the Korean War. This year's ceremony will take place at the headquarters of the Navy's Second Fleet in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, close to the sea border where the two Koreas have engaged in several deadly clashes in the past. It is the first event of its kind to be held at a Navy facility. The military plans to display several strategic weapons such as Hyunmu ballistic missiles as a show of force against North Korea. Hale County Friends of the NRA Chairman Dennis Burton (left) helps State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) the items he brought for the fundraising benefit banquet on Thursda at the Ollie Liner Center in Plainview. King donated a limited edition numbered and signed print showing a historic view of the Texas Capitol that he received as a freshman member of the Texas House. King also hold a framed letter of authenticity for the rug behind them. It was crafted from the carpet that covered the floor of the Texas House Chambers from 1994-2016, and a reproduction of the handwoven carpet that covered the floor of the Texas House from 1902-1917. Proceeds from Thursday's event and similar National Rifle Association activities are used toward grants for youth programs, law enforcement agencies, gun ranges and other local and area projects. LUBBOCK Brian Landon Brown, 32, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 240 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. Brown pleaded guilty in June 2017 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute furanyl fentanyl. He has been in custody since his arrest in May 2017. Fentanyl and its analogues are extremely potent synthetic opioids that can be 30 to 40 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times more powerful than morphine, said U.S. Attorney Parker. As sadly proved to be the case here, it is also extremely deadly and failure to stop those who sell it is simply not an option. According to plea documents filed in the case, in the Summer of 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Lubbock Police Department began receiving information about a large-scale drug ring distributing Fentanyl and Fentanyl analogues in the Lubbock area. Law enforcement learned that Brown was one of the largest distributors for the group, selling up to 10 grams of Furanyl Fentanyl per day. On Oct. 6, 2016, at 2:30 p.m. Brown met a 26-year-old male and sold Furanyl Fentanyl to that individual. Around 4:15-4:30 a.m. Oct. 7, 2016, that same individual was discovered unconscious at his residence. At approximately 5:05 a.m. that same day, the individual was pronounced dead. The Lubbock County Medical Examiner (LCME) did an autopsy and determined that the cause of death was drug toxicity from Furanyl Fentanyl. An investigation into the cause of death led law enforcement to Brown, who when confronted by law enforcement, admitted to selling Furanyl Fentanyl to the 26-year-old male the night of his death. On Oct. 17, 2016, Brown was arrested in Lubbock, Texas, on an unrelated arrest warrant. At the time of his arrest, Brown possessed a vial of .291 net grams of Furanyl Fentanyl. Brown admitted that he typically sold several grams of Furanyl Fentanyl per day. Besides analgesia, Fentanyl produces a variety of pharmacological effects, including alteration in mood, euphoria, drowsiness, respiratory depression, suppression of cough reflex, constriction of pupils, and impaired gastrointestinal mobility. Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance. Furanyl Fentanyl is a controlled substance analogue that has a chemical structure substantially similar to Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, and has a stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic effect on the central nervous system that is substantially similar to or greater than the stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic effect on the central nervous system of Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. A lethal dose of furanyl fentanyl is the equivalent of a single grain of salt. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Haag and Russell Lorfing prosecuted. A large collection of classic automobiles stored inside a former cotton gin building in Hale Center was vandalized sometime during the past two weeks. The vintage cars belong for former Texas House Speaker James A. Pete Laney. Theres probably $100,000 in damage, Hale Center Police Chief Brandon Richardson said Thursday. Every windshield was broken out and the ragtops on each convertible was ripped apart. Nothing was stolen, but every vehicle in the building sustained some degree of damage. Its just a sickening sight. Since many of the vintage automobiles stored in the building have long been out of production, including many from manufacturers who no longer exist, replacement windshields and side windows will be costly if even available. The old gin is located at 400 E. Stevenson, and is 50 and 75 yards off of Farm-to-Market Road 1914 on Hale Centers east side. It was a forced entry, through the back of the building, Richardson said. The area is fenced and gated, so you couldnt see where they got in from the street. Richardson is asking anyone with information about the crime to contact the Hale Center Police Department at 806-839-4450. Callers can remain anonymous. The department is enlisting the help of the Plainview-Hale County Crime Stoppers Committee to gather tips. President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ruled out the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea. In an interview with CNN on the eve of his trip to the UN General Assembly in New York, Moon warned the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons here could lead to a nuclear arms race in Northeast Asia. He said his government will continue to make thorough preparations for North Korean provocations until Pyongyang freezes its nuclear and missile programs and reiterated that the North is developing such weapons to guarantee the safety of the regime. "I do not agree that South Korea needs to develop our own nuclear weapons or relocate tactical nuclear weapons in the face of North Korea's nuclear threat," he said. Cheong Wa Dae has repeatedly said it is not considering their redeployment here even as senior voices in the U.S. said the option should be on the table. The Connecticut Hospital Association has backed a proposed increase in the hospital tax, changing their stance on the the hike and saying it could benefit both their members and the state with increased federal reimbursements. More important, according to CHA and Gov. Dannel P. Malloys office, is that the agreement shows progress in a relationship that has often been contentious. This agreement represents real, structural change and will build on the states relationship with hospitals, which will in turn benefit patients and our entire healthcare system, Office of Policy and Management Secretary Benjamin Barnes said about the proposed hike, which was in a budget deal slated for a vote Thursday. The budget, if approved, would increase the hospital tax from 6 percent to 8 percent, with the state reimbursing the state for its tax payments. The hospital association initially opposed the proposal, raising concerns that it would just be a repeat of what happened when the tax was first instituted in 2011. The CHA accepted the tax on an assurance that the state would reimburse hospitals for the payments. The tax levies, meanwhile, also the state to receive larger medicaid reimbursements, which it shared with hospitals. The state stopped making those initial payments back to the hospitals in subsequent years, though, instead keeping the tax revenues to balance the budget. The legislature has also approved an increase from the initial tax rate since that time. This years budget proposal includes assurances that the hospitals would receive a full reimbursement for their tax payments, although the details were not released publicly Thursday. This afternoon, we reached an agreement that will provide much-needed funding to care for Connecticut Medicaid patients, CHA CEO Jennifer Jackson said. It will help preserve critical healthcare jobs, and it recognizes that hospitals are foundational to our states economic health. Under the budget, hospitals would see an additional $550 million in revenue each year. That includes receiving two-thirds of the $360 million in federal health care funding that the state could get because of the plan. The state would then reduce the tax after the biennium. The agreement comes while a lawsuit from the CHA remains pending challenging the the legality of the hospital tax, saying the increased costs and poor Medicaid reimbursements have forced them to reduce their staff. The initially made its case to the Department of Social Services, but DSS upheld the tax. Malloy, meanwhile, has criticized hospitals for their spending, particularly executive compensation, while the CHA has often clashed with Malloy of mid-year cuts to other funding streams in response to budget deficits. msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino HARTFORD Along with the spending plan, the 914-page bill set for vote today in the legislature includes a number of policy changes. Policy changes often become part of the budget negotiations, becoming fodder for the so-called budget implementer that puts into place the language that dictates how funds get spent according to the budget. This year, lawmakers combined the budget and implementer into one large bill in hopes of holding just one debate and vote. Here are some of the policy changes that would be enacted as part of the budget: A new Connecticut Transportation Finance Authority would assume responsibility for the funding of the states infrastructure, including the authority to take on debt and seek revenues. The authority specifically would have the ability to implement electronic tolling without oversight from the legislature. A bill this past session sought allow the Department of Transportation to implement tolls, but it received opposition from both lawmakers who wanted more oversight and those outright opposed to tolls. Republicans have criticized the proposal, saying the legislature shouldnt give the authority to implement tolls to an entity outside the legislature. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said Connecticut needs to upgrade its infrastructure, and tolls will provide the necessary revenues. We cannot be viewing the long term of the state of Connecticut if we are constantly slapping bandaids and duct tape on transportation, Duff said. A transportation will look to the long term and take the politics out of transportation decisions. Other changes would include a requirement that the State Elections Enforcement Commission, beginning Jan. 1, conclude its investigation within a year of receiving a complaint. The SEEC can get extensions on that requirement should the commission grant a continuance prior to issuing a ruling; investigators must issue subpoenas; the complaint become subject of court action; or the attorney general, chief states attorney, or U.S. Department of Justice launch its own investigation. The SEEC currently has no such mandate for concluding investigations, and a similar bill died during the regular session after the Office of Fiscal Analysis said the change would also require additional staffing for the agency. If the intent of the bill is to get cases resolved faster, then the answer is to stop cutting our resources, said SEEC Executive Director Mike Brandi. We are down three enforcement positions already. This bill will end up getting less cases resolved, period. But maybe thats the point. The bill also includes requirements for the SEEC to determine within the first 14 days whether substantial evidence of wrongdoing exists, and Senate President Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, said the changes are about getting the agency to work more efficiently. We need them to work more efficiently with the directions that we give them, he said. The bill also includes changes to the Citizens Election Program that would award smaller public campaign financing grants to those who qualify later in the election cycle. Looney said that alteration is aimed at encouraging candidates to apply earlier. Additionally, the budget bill would greatly expand the Family Medical Leave Act, including allowing state and federal employees to qualify for excused absences under the act. It also would expand the relationships eligible under the act and permit time off to care for sick siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. The change does not create a paid family medical leave program, however, leaving that policy up to the discretion of individual employers. msavino@record-journal.com 203-317-2266 Twitter: @reporter_savino North Korea launched another ballistic missile from Pyongyang on Friday that flew over Japan and came down in the sea about 3,700 km away. The Joint Chiefs of Staff here said the missile was launched from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport at around 7 o'clock on Friday morning and soared to some 770 km. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN Texas' successful shift to prison treatment and rehabilitation programs to transition felons back into society were a focus of a White House round-table conference on Thursday about how to reform the federal prison system. A bi-partisan group of about two dozen elected officials, religious and business leaders and representatives from the Justice Department and other federal agencies joined President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, as a first step to shift the federal corrections system from its punitive crime-fighting focus to improved reentry programs that have been proven to lower recidivism in several states. OUT OF HARM'S WAY: Three prisons evacuated for Harvey Among the attendees in the session held by Kushner's Office of American Innovation were Texas U.S. Sen. John Cornyn; Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston; Dallas investor Doug Deason; and Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the conservative Austin-based Texas Public Policy Foundation that has endorsed many of the reforms in Texas as a step in the right direction. Also present were Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback -- both Republicans -- and Georgia officials. All are from states where prison reform initiatives have yielded positive results. A decade ago Texas decided to try treatment and rehabilitation programs for some imprisoned felons rather than building three new state prisons. The result has since reduced the crime rates and the population of Texas prisons, the largest state corrections system in the United States. The so-called Texas model has been adopted with success by many other states. "Texas has been the leader in this area, by far," Deason told the Chronicle after leaving the meeting. "We got some ideas from other states, and they got some from Texas ... Texas saved millions of dollars as a result of its reforms, and I think the federal prison system could be changed for the better in the same way. "The left loves these ideas. The right loves them.It's a matter of bringing in the squishy middle now," he said. Kushner's office in recent months has explored ways to make government more efficient by bringing technology executives together in a similar round table. And Kushner and other White House officials have said in recent days that the justice-reform initiative has much the same goal. While Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have pushed for more aggressive prosecution of some federal laws such as drug offenders and illegal immigrants, in a move that promised to boost the federal prison population, conservatives nationally have pushed for more treatment and rehabilitation programs, along with better reentry initiatives, to ensure that ex-convicts can succeed once they complete their prison time rather than falling back into a life of crime. HEATED TOPIC: Texas transfers prisoners to cooler cells Those groups -- who support much of Trump's political base -- have criticized the federal mandatory-minimum sentences that have resulted in longer prison sentences for some federal crimes. Mandatory-minimum sentences have recently been jettisoned in several Republican-controlled states, where officials and lawmakers have found their prison systems cost taxpayers too much with high recidivism rates. States such as Texas that have adopted alternative strategies have been able to save money and reduce crime. In recent months, press reports have detailed private discussions that Kuchner has had with members of congress and outside groups about sentencing reform and other changes. Officials said Thursday's meeting focused on reentry, including drug and mental health treatment programs, vocational training and mentoring programs that have proven successful in several states. While prison populations in several states have been dropping in recent years, the number of convicts in federal prisons is expected to grow by 2 percent in the coming year, to about 191,000 prisoners. That would reverse a four-year downturn, officials have said. The Justice Department has requested an additional $10 million to care for the additional inmates. Deason said Thursday's meeting was the first of several expected in coming months to sharpen the ideas into workable policy that could change the nation's criminal justice system for the better. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A popular San Antonio Mexican restaurant that was the subject of an environmental lawsuit with the state landed in hot water this week after officials found a number of health code violations during a recent inspection. Pollos Asados Los Notenos, where residents once complained that smoke coming from the business was "thick" and "unbearable," received demerits for not having thermometers in its cold room and damaged food storage containers in use. Meanwhile, Super Pollos Asados Los Primos on Culebra Road was cited after an inspector spotted flies on avocado halves on a food-prep table and found two sinks in the establishment shut off because employees said the water coming from it was "too hot." LAST WEEK'S RESTAURANT VIOLATIONS: San Antonio restaurant inspections: Sept. 8, 2017 Now Playing: Bodegas are a staple of New Yorks City street corners, but two former Google employees are threatening to take them down. Video: FortuneTime A total of 40 San Antonio establishments landed on this week's list of dirtiest restaurants, according to reports. To make the Express-News' list of dirtiest restaurants, an establishment must earn a score of 89 or below or anything less than an "A" during a random city health inspection. Elsewhere this week, an inspector saw "evidence of rodent activity" on a shelf of pre-packaged chips at a convenience store on Castroville Road. One bag of hot Cheetos had "gnaw markings" on it and was immediately discarded, according to reports. At a different store on Austin Highway, an inspector observed "grey drainage water" overflowing into a case of raw chicken. See the other restaurants that landed on this week's list and their violations in the gallery above. The San Antonio Express-News examines hundreds of restaurant inspections each week conducted by the San Antonio Food and Environmental Health Services division to bring you the eateries with scores of 89 or below. Restaurants are graded on a 100-point system, where "100" is a perfect score, and demerits are based upon the number of violations found during a regular food establishment inspection. There are three categories of demerits and each are assigned a demerit score of 3, 2 or 1 points, according to the health division. Scores and demerits listed are only representative of the state of the restaurant at the time of inspection and are surveyed at random. erobinson@mysa.com | Twitter: @eeelizzzabeth J: Where are you from? D: I'm from Dominican Republic. I came to this country in 1961. J: What brought you here? D: Well, I really left for political reasons. We had a dictator in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and I had just lost a brother. He was a dentist, the first born of my father, and so we were all in danger. So we had a sister, half-sister here in New York City, and so that's how we came. J: Oh, I'm sorry about your brother. D: Yeah, we never knew how he was killed. My brother was in an organization And then he was discovered. There were a lot of spies, so when he was discovered he was taken into custody and he disappeared. J: How old were you? D: I was probably 19 or 20. J: And what was it like growing up? D: Oh, it was hard because you know you have to say Viva Trujillo! Trujillo, he was the dictator. In school, you cannot even say you believe anything -- you have to believe in him. but anybody that was against him there were thousands and thousands. I also had a younger brother that was also in jail. He was only 20 because he was in a separate group. And they were discovered and they were put in jail in solitary cells. J: Oh my gosh. Did you end up reuniting? D: Well fortunately, the Catholic Church became involved in trying to rescue those kids, but that was one of the few (groups) who were able to escape. J: So ... when you got here? D: When I got here... I had a half-sister; I was living with her. I came when I was 22 in 1961 I became a bilingual secretary in New York City. J: What was it like in the 60s in New York City? D: It was very interesting. It was the beginning of drugs and all that. I was very blessed I was never exposed to any of that. I remember one time, I went to a beauty salon with one of our friends from the Dominican Republic, and she said, Be careful, they are giving cookies! I said, So what! Ha ha. She said, Don't take them, they have marijuana in them. And that was the first time I learned about it, because I didnt know anything about drugs. J: Did you go out dancing? D: Yes, we are a dancing culture we danced since little girls and boys and I went to dance but I never got involved in alcohol or drugs or anything like that. ..So I married at 26. I married a Cuban man and it was a horrible marriage. I had a daughter from him He was very handsome, but he was not responsible; he was a bad choice. So I divorced him after 13 years I call it 13 years of loneliness. J: So you started a new chapter. D: I tried to divorce him twice, but to no avail. So I finally divorced him without his signature. I got my daughter in 1968, I divorced my husband in 1977, and then in 1978 I was having lunch with one of my friends we were complaining about this (dentist) on Park Avenue. and then there was a lady friend from England, Linda, and she looked at us and said, Why dont you go to Dr. Miller? And I said, Whos Dr. Miller? She said, He's a doctor on Fifth Avenue. He's very expensive, but he is very good So I went to Dr. Miller in 1978 I never knew he was a single doctor; he was never married before. I didnt even know it. I didnt know but he liked me from the beginning and he was shy and never told me. J: And what did you think in the beginning? D: I thought nothing. Dentists give you pain! You hate them! Ha ha. You really hate them ... So I went to him for four years without even knowing that from 1978 to 82 and in 1982 I decided to go back to my country, and so I was cleaning my apartment and I got a card from the dentist that said I was due for cleaning. I didnt know that he liked me or anything like that. So I took the card and threw it in the garbage. This is a true story of the spirit: So I threw it in the garbage, I said, I have dentists and lawyers and doctors in my own family. I dont need a doctor here. Im going to go there. Ha ha! ... But then when I was leaving, something told me to go back and take that card ... Just like that, a voice ... J: Oh, wow. D: I'm very talkative as you can see, so I was very friendly with his hygienists and the other girls, and the voice said, You're not going to say goodbye to those girls? So I went back. I took the card and called for an appointment to say goodbye to Susan and Mary When it was my turn to go back to the chair, he said, Whats that, Ms. Cabral that you're saying? That youre leaving the country? I said, Yes, you're not going to congratulate me? I'm going back to my family. So when he finished working on me, the girls left. I had the last hour, five oclock. He said, Ms. Cabral, would you like to walk with me to the train? I have something to tell you. ... So we got in the elevator and he said, So youre leaving me Ms. Cabral? And I said, No I'm leaving everybody, but I said, Youre such a good doctor, I'm probably going to come back just for you. I said it as a joke. He was gonna get in a taxi and I was going to the subway don't forget, I was a subway girl he said, How would you like to do something before you leave? I said.. OK,and he said, Dinner it is; I will call your office next week and Ill tell you the time I'm picking you up. So thats how the whole thing started. J: Did you already have a flight? D: Not a flight, but I had already sent my furniture, all the things I'm going to use, my daughter was already there. I sent my daughter in the summer. So everything was ready, so I wasnt going to stop for anybody. I didnt want to get involved. So we had a good time and ... for two months we dated platonically; nothing happened. Don't forget, I didnt want to get involved. Not even a kiss. But before we went the last luncheon that we had to say goodbye, he asked me for my phone number, he said, Maybe one day Ill visit you, maybe, ... and everything was very casual. He never even said, I like you. He never said nothing. J: So he was really shy. D: Yes. I think he was very cautious. So when I left in December and he started calling me... The girls, they told me later in life Mary and Susan that he didnt even pay attention. He couldnt even work. So he was calling me, and he never found me because I was like a butterfly, everywhere... and my sister-in-law said, Dulce, what is Dr. Miller doing, calling you? I said, Who? She said, This guy is calling you all the time. Your dentist, he said he's your dentist. And my daughter was behind my sister and was like don't forget, she was 14 she knew him, I used to take her. She said, Mommy, why is Dr. Miller calling you? J: (laughs) D: I said, Well, he did work on me and he wanted to know how it was going. I couldnt say really! So ... he called me, called me, called me. And finally in January he called and he said that he was going to take a vacation in February, that he would like to come and visit And finally he convinced me ... after many, many calls... so the only thing I could do was talk to my sister-in-law. I said, What am I going to do? This guy is going to come visit me. She said, Take a chance! You never take a chance, I said, What am I going to tell... my daughter... my brother? She said, Don't worry Ill take care of them So you want to hear the ending? J: Yes! D: I came back with him. I still get goose pimples when I think of it, even 32 years later. We had a beautiful love affair. It was beautiful. He treated me like a princess, and after all the loving and things, he said, What am I going to do now? And I, like a little girl, said I dont know. What are you going to do now? And he said, Do you want to come back with me? And I said, Yes. Isnt that something. Isnt that a beautiful love story? E: jturiano@greenwichtime.com T: @jturianoGT; IG: @greenwichgreen A meeting on inter-Korean cooperation next Thursday is expected to finalize the decision. Ministry spokesman Baek Tae-hyun said the aid would consist of $4.5 million to help the World Food Programme provide nutritional support to North Korea's children and pregnant women and $3.5 million worth of medicine and vaccines through UNICEF. The Unification Ministry on Thursday said the government is eying a US$8 million humanitarian aid package for North Korea through international organizations. The Park Geun-hye administration also gave aid to North Korea through international organizations but halted it after the North's fourth nuclear test in January 2016. The last time South Korea gave indirect aid to North Korea was $800,000 through the UN Population Fund in December 2015. A Cheong Wa Dae official said the aid was part of Moon's policy of pursuing humanitarian assistance to North Korea separately from political concerns. But the decision is awkwardly timed since it comes just two days after the UN Security Council unanimously agreed tougher sanctions against North Korea as the regime launched yet another missile over Japan early Friday morning. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga expressed dismay, saying that this is not the time to provide aid, but to increase pressure. "A resolution that carries strict sanctions against the communist regime has been adopted unanimously at the UN Security Council meeting. It is important to keep away from actions that can weaken the international efforts," he said. Former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio was exuberant last month when President Trump made the controversial decision to pardon him before he was sentenced in his criminal-contempt case. "Thank you @realdonaldtrump for seeing my conviction for what it is: a political witch hunt by holdovers in the Obama justice department!" the disgraced lawman tweeted. But Arpaio may be in for a rude awakening. A presidential pardon does not mean a conviction automatically gets thrown out. A judge has to rule on that - and the one handling Arpaio's federal court case has some hesitations. In a filing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton wrote she wasn't convinced that she could scrub the guilty verdict from Arpaio's record. Instead, she signaled she was considering simply dropping the criminal case but letting the conviction stand - unless the government can persuade her otherwise. Bolton found Arpaio, 85, guilty of criminal contempt of court in July after he deliberately defied another judge's order to stop detaining people he suspected of being undocumented immigrants, a practice that violated the U.S. Constitution. Arpaio was scheduled to be sentenced in October, at which point Bolton would have entered a final judgment. Trump's pardon upended that. Because he made the decision before Arpaio was sentenced, no final judgment was ever rendered. Following the pardon, Arpaio's attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the case and vacate his conviction, which is protocol in such circumstances. Department of Justice attorneys joined them, writing in court papers this week that Trump's pardon made the entire case moot because Arpaio "will face no consequences that result from the guilty verdict." But Bolton said it wasn't that simple. Vacating the conviction didn't seem to be an option because no judgment had been entered, she wrote in her order. On top of that, the order read, attorneys for Arpaio and the government didn't cite any cases that supported their request to toss out the conviction, technically called a "motion for vacatur." In the judge's words: "The Government appears to agree with the Defendant, but furnishes no authority conferring so broad a scope to orders of vacatur issued under similar circumstances." Bolton went on to quote from U.S. Supreme Court and appeals court cases suggesting that presidential pardons leave the recipient's "underlying record of conviction" intact. One case, Nixon v. United States (involving a judge named Walter Nixon, not President Richard Nixon) seemed to put the issue in plain terms. "The granting of a pardon is in no sense an overturning of a judgment of conviction by some other tribunal," the excerpt read, "it is an executive action that mitigates or sets aside punishment for a crime." Bolton said the government hadn't sufficiently addressed that case and others. She gave the Department of Justice until Sept. 21 to file a response as to whether she should vacate Arpaio's conviction. Arpaio's hardline stance on immigration and his harsh treatment of prisoners in Arizona's Maricopa County made him a household name and earned him scores of fans on the political right, Trump among them. In 2011, a federal judge found that he and his deputies had racially profiled Latino drivers in traffic stops, violating their constitutional rights, and ordered him to halt the practice. When he refused, the Department of Justice filed a contempt-of-court case against him. Arpaio consistently denied that he intentionally violated the court's order. Bolton was unsparing toward Arpaio when she handed down her guilty verdict after a bench trial in July. Arpaio showed "flagrant disregard" for the court's command and had attempted to pin blame on his deputies, she wrote. "Not only did Defendant abdicate responsibility," Bolton wrote, "he announced to the world and to his subordinates that he was going to continue business as usual no matter who said otherwise." Arpaio was scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 5 and faced up to six months in prison. Trump announced his pardon in a Friday night statement on Aug. 25, released as Hurricane Harvey was about to make landfall in southeast Texas. The president made no mention of Arpaio's crime but praised his military and law enforcement service. "Throughout his time as Sheriff, Arpaio continued his life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration," Trump said. "Sheriff Joe Arpaio is now eighty-five years old, and after more than fifty years of admirable service to our Nation, he is worthy candidate for a Presidential pardon." An array of civil rights organizations and legal scholars have jumped into Arpaio's court case urging Bolton not to vacate the conviction. Several parties, including the Protect Democracy Project, have asked the judge to invalidate the pardon itself, arguing it prevented the court from protecting people's constitutional rights. That would be an extraordinary act as the president's pardon power for federal offenses is explicitly granted in the Constitution. Arpaio's attorneys have opposed the motions. "Our system of criminal justice is premised on lenity, and the defendant's presumption of innocence," they wrote in a filing Thursday. "A conviction that will never be confirmed by appeal, cannot stand." The Environmental Protection Agency plans to reconsider parts of an Obama-era effort to regulate potentially toxic waste known as coal ash, again siding with energy-industry efforts to slow or reverse standards put in place in recent years. Federal regulators have struggled for several decades with how to address coal ash, the substance that remains when coal is burned in power plants to generate electricity. Containing a toxic mix of mercury, cadmium, arsenic and heavy metals, it can pollute waterways, poison wildlife and cause respiratory illness among those living near the massive storage pits plant operators use to contain it. A rule finalized in 2015 by the Obama administration imposed new standards on coal ash disposal sites by ramping up inspection and monitoring levels and requiring measures such as liners in new waste pits to prevent leaking that could threaten adjacent drinking water supplies. In May, however, industry officials petitioned the EPA to ask that the new administration revisit the rule. The existing regulation, they wrote, "affects both the utility and coal industries and also affects the large and small businesses that support and rely upon those industries. It is causing significant adverse impacts on coal-fired generation in this country due to the excessive costs of compliance - even EPA acknowledges the costs of the rule outweigh its benefits." Their pleas found a sympathetic ear in EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who in a letter dated Wednesday replied that it was "appropriate and in the public interest" for the agency to rethink the regulation. "It is important that we give the existing rule a hard look and consider improvements that may help states tailor their permit programs to the needs of their states, in a way that provides greater regulatory certainty, while also ensuring that human health and the environment remain protected," Pruitt said in a statement Thursday. The agency stressed that it had not committed to changes or that it necessarily agrees with the merits of the industry's petition. If the EPA ultimately decides to roll back the coal ash standards, it will go through the usual rulemaking procedure, which could take years. Environmental groups were quick to blast Pruitt's latest decision as another give to special interests. "Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt are continuing their capitulation to the coal industry at the expense of the health of our families," Mary Anne Hitt, director of Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign, said in a statement. "This is another example of Pruitt not caring about science, working families, or clean water, and instead bending over backwards for polluters eager to avoid accountability to the laws that keep our communities and families healthy." Ken Kopocis, the former top official in EPA's water office under President Barack Obama, said the original rule had taken industry concerns into account, and rolling it back would endanger public health. "We bent over backwards for industry both in terms of the substance of the rule and in terms of the timing," Kopocis said. He noted the dangers coal ash pits pose, particularly in light of the severe storms the country has experienced in recent weeks. "These things are ticking time bombs." Calls to strengthen safeguards for coal ash waste intensified after a massive December 2008 spill. A dike failed at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant, allowing 5.4 million cubic yards of ash to flow into nearby rivers. Another accident at a Duke Energy facility in North Carolina in February 2014 resulted in thousands of tons of coal ash pouring into the Dan River. Utility operators produce more than 110 million tons of coal ash annually, according to EPA, and a rule the agency finalized in December 2014 established stricter guidelines for how to construct and maintain coal ash storage pits. The regulations said new pits had to be lined - to prevent the waste from seeping out - and companies must conduct local water quality tests as well as disclose more information about their operations on a publicly available website. The regulation did not classify coal ash as hazardous waste, as environmentalists have sought unsuccessfully for more than 35 years. More than 40 percent of coal ash is recycled to help make concrete, gypsum wallboard and pavement, and a broad industry coalition has said identifying it as hazardous would raise the cost of handling the material. Then-EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy described the Obama administration's standards as "a pragmatic step forward," and key industry players said they viewed them as acceptable. Washington An influential industry committee recommended Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration eliminate or scale back dozens of safety rules, including one on airline pilot qualifications. The FAA's Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee said the recommendations are a response to an effort by the agency to comply with President Donald Trump's directives to cut government regulations. The committee approved a report containing the recommendations by a vote of 14 to 4 with one abstention. Regional airlines have been trying to roll back the pilot qualifications rule since it was adopted by the FAA in response to a sweeping aviation safety law passed by Congress after the last fatal crash of a U.S. passenger airliner. Lawmakers said at the time that they were concerned about reports in the wake of the crash of Colgan Flight 3407 in February 2009 near Buffalo that some rapidly growing regional airlines were hiring first officers with far less experience than pilots at major airlines. All 49 people on board and a man on the ground were killed after the captain responded incorrectly to safety systems, causing the plane to stall. After the crash, lawmakers increased the minimum number of flight hours first officers must have to obtain a license to fly commercial passenger airliners to 1,500 hours, the same as captains. Before that, airlines were allowed to hire first officers with as few as 250 hours of flying experience. The report recommends permitting pilots with less than 1,500 hours to qualify for an "air transport" license if they receive academic training from their airline. Airlines say the current rule is acerbating a pilot shortage that has caused some regional carriers to cancel flights. The problem, they say, is that it can cost prospective pilots as much as they might pay for a four-year college education to acquire the greater flying hours they now need to qualify for an air transport license. As a result, fewer people are willing to pursue careers as pilots. Airline pilot unions and safety advocates, however, say the problem is regional airlines don't pay high enough entry-level salaries to attract as many pilots as they need. The Air Line Pilots Association International also opposes the change, saying in its dissenting opinion that the pilot supply in the United States remains strong. Chad Balentine, an ALPA representative and member of the committee, said reducing the required entry-level flight hours would "jeopardize safety." A group representing the families of victims of the Colgan crash said in a statement that regional airlines have taken their case to the advisory panel "to bypass the legislative process where they have run into considerable resistance." The report also recommends 53 other changes to safety rules, including regulations governing the strength of hinges, emergency exit markings and whether ashtrays should be required in restrooms since smoking isn't allowed on planes. Chelsea Manning, an Army veteran who spent seven years in prison for leaking classified government secrets, will join Harvard's Kennedy School this fall as a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics, an announcement that's generated escalating backlash from within the intelligence community and beyond. Calling Manning "a traitor," CIA Director Mike Pompeo on Thursday canceled his participation in the school's John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum. In a letter to organizers, Pompeo, who holds a law degree from Harvard, said Manning "stands against everything the brave men and women I serve alongside stand for." Earlier Thursday, in a stern five-paragraph letter of his own, Michael Morell, a former acting CIA director who spent more than three decades at the agency, resigned from Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, where he'd been a fellow since September 2013. The school's invitation to Manning all but endorses her decision to break the law, he said. "The Kennedy School's decision will assist Ms. Manning in her long-standing effort to legitimize the criminal path that she took to prominence, an attempt that may encourage others to leak classified information as well," Morell's letter says. "I have an obligation to my conscience - and I believe to the country - to stand up against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information." Morell, 59, twice served as the CIA's acting director, retiring in 2013 as the agency's No. 2. Manning, 29, is transgender. As an Army intelligence analyst named Bradley Manning, she was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 35 years in prison for providing thousands of classified documents to Wikileaks, which Pompeo and Morell characterized as "an adversarial foreign intelligence service." Supporters of the site's founder, Julian Assange, consider him a champion for transparency whose public disclosures of sensitive information are in protest against government overreach. Manning's sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama before he left office, and she was freed in May from the military's supermax prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Since then, she's been a prominent voice for LGBT rights and routinely writes about "the social, technological and economic ramifications of Artificial Intelligence," as Harvard's announcement notes. Manning's website generates an automatic response to media requests and indicates she's not giving interviews. On Twitter, however, she posted a brief endorsement of Morell's decision to resign, "saying, "good" and we got this. She also wrote, "no more secrecy, surveillance, torture, murder, and genocide" as well as "abolish the CIA." Manning has said "a responsibility to the public" compelled her to leak government secrets. But her harshest critics describe those actions as traitorous, having put deployed U.S. troops at risk. President Donald Trump and lawmakers from both political parties have questioned Obama's decision to commute her prison sentence, which he called disproportionate when measured against the punishment meted out to other whistle-blowers. Both administrations have struggled to curtail information leaks. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster issued a memo this month to leaders throughout the federal government, imploring them to conduct an hour-long training session next week. Manning is one of four visiting fellows announced by the institute Wednesday. The others are Kansas City Mayor Sylvester James Jr., former Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook and Trump's ex-press secretary, Sean Spicer. As part of the visiting fellows program, Manning and others will occasionally appear on Harvard's campus for speaking engagements and events, interacting with undergraduate students on "topical issues of today," the school's announcement says. In Manning's case, those discussions could focus on the social challenges associated with being transgender in the military, the announcement says. At Trump's direction, the Pentagon is studying how to implement his ban on transgender men and women in the armed forces. In their letters, Pompeo and Morell specifically sought to distance themselves from any suggestion their decisions were motivated by Manning's choice to become a woman or publicly discuss her crimes. "But it is my right," Morell added, "indeed my duty, to argue that the School's decision is wholly inappropriate and to protest it by resigning from the Kennedy School - in order to make the point that leaking classified information is disgraceful and damaging to our nation." President Moon Jae-in on Thursday ruled out the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea. In an interview with CNN on the eve of his trip to the U.S. he said, "I do not agree that South Korea needs to develop our own nuclear weapons or relocate tactical nuclear weapons in the face of North Korea's nuclear threat." "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in Northeast Asia," he added. Moon's comments seem surprisingly oblivious to the grave threat we face from North Korea. It has become common logic that the best deterrent to a nuclear threat is a nuclear defense. Seoul relies on the U.S.' protective nuclear umbrella because this logic still holds true, and it needs some kind of nuclear deterrent to uphold peace. But the president feels that would in fact harm efforts to maintain peace. What peace? North Korea is on the brink of perfecting a nuclear weapon that can be mounted on an intercontinental missile. His comments sound more like a plea to 50 million South Koreans to accept their fate as hostages. China and Russia are all nuclear powers already, and North Korea is on the brink, so what nuclear arms race is he referring to that could be triggered now? The president must at least maintain an air of strategic ambiguity, leaving open the possibility of South Korea acquiring its own nuclear deterrent. That sends a strong message to North Korea that we will not hesitate to bite if cornered. If he rules it out completely, what leverage does he have left? He said himself recently that South Korea faces its biggest crisis. On top of that comes the frankly baffling decision to send US$8 million in aid to North Korea. Nobody can oppose efforts to help children and expecting mothers in the impoverished state in principle. But it has only been two days since the UN Security Council unanimously approved tougher sanctions against North Korea in response to its latest nuclear test. There is a proper time for everything. The U.S. is considering sanctions against 12 Chinese banks suspected of dealing with North Koreans, while Europe is looking into additional sanctions as well. The international community is trying desperately to plug the gaps in the flow of money and oil to the North, and at this very moment South Korea blithely approves a massive infusion of aid. The Japanese government was quick to condemn the plans, and nobody in their right mind can object to its reasoning. The Motel 6 budget lodging chain is commonly associated with its longtime slogan of welcoming hospitality: "We'll leave the light on." But for immigration attorneys in the Phoenix area, the motel chain has become the site of a troubling string of immigration arrests. And according to a report published Wednesday by the Phoenix New Times, employees at two Motel 6 locations may have been sending guest information directly to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After the story published, Motel 6 released a statement Wednesday saying the practice was "implemented at the local level without the knowledge of senior management." "When we became aware of it last week, it was discontinued," Motel 6 wrote in the statement posted on Twitter and Facebook. On Thursday, following criticism of its vague initial statement, Motel 6 said it would be issuing a directive to each of its more than 1,400 locations nationwide, "making clear that they are prohibited from voluntarily providing daily guest lists to ICE." The chain apologized for the incident and said it would be undertaking a comprehensive review of its current practices. Immigration agents arrested at least 20 people at two Motel 6 locations between February and August, dropping by about every two weeks, the New Times reported. The actual number is likely to be even higher, the publication reported, because several court documents contained ambiguous information about arrest locations. The two Motel 6 locations are in predominantly Latino neighborhoods, not far from Mexican bakeries and restaurants. Both locations are corporate-owned - neither are franchises. Phoenix Police department spokesman Jonathan Howard confirmed to the New Times that "on occasion and through informal contacts," a number of hotels and motels have shared guest lists with law enforcement officers. A spokeswoman for ICE's Phoenix division told the New Times that she was unable to confirm whether the agency routinely reviews hotel guest lists or investigates tips from Motel 6 employees. "Those are investigative techniques that we wouldn't be able to talk about," she said. But, she added: "If hypothetically we were somewhere - if we did administratively arrest some folks - that happens all the time. We conduct targeted enforcement operations every day." Employees at the two respective Phoenix locations told the New Times that reporting guest lists to ICE was standard practice. "We send a report every morning to ICE - all the names of everybody that comes in," one front-desk clerk told the New Times. "Every morning at about 5 o'clock, we do the audit and we push a button and it sends it to ICE." In about a third of the arrest records reviewed by the New Times, ICE agents entered the motel without a search warrant, in what the newspaper described as a "knock and talk." Officers simply knocked on the motel room door and asked to go inside. In one instance, immigration officials arrested Mexican native Manuel Rodriguez-Juarez, 33, six hours after he checked into a Motel 6. When he had reserved the room, Rodriguez-Juarez had shown the front-desk clerk his only form of identification, his Mexican voter ID card. Arrest records did not indicate how ICE had nabbed him, only that officers were "following a lead." Immigration officials had "received information that Rodriguez-Juarez was checked into room #214," according to Department of Homeland Security records cited by the New Times. Rodriguez-Juarez's lawyer still wonders how officials found that "lead," and whether someone at Motel 6 may have reported him. Rodriguez-Juarez is being held at an immigration detention center while his attorney pursues his asylum case. The revelations in the New Times article prompted ire from immigration advocates across social media, and praise from some supporters of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. It also stirred a debate over privacy concerns, and left many wondering: If some Motel 6 locations are tipping off ICE, could other motels or lodges nationwide be following suit? Others suggested the report could indicate racial profiling on behalf of motel employees who report certain guests to ICE. On Twitter, many people condemned Motel 6, decrying the chain's vague response and calling for a more detailed explanation. The hashtag #BoycottMotel6 began circulating Wednesday night. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona tweeted: "Will new policy reflect this "discountined" practice, @motel6? We look forward to reading it." The national ACLU account also tweeted at Motel 6 asking for its company policy. Tom Bodett has been the brand spokesman for the Motel 6 chain for over 25 years, according to his website. He is the voice behind the slogan, "We'll leave the light on for you." On Wednesday, Bodett tweeted: "If you've been vexed by the situation with @motel6 in Phoenix. Here is the response from their HQ. I had faith this was the case." Some of his followers called on him to condemn the chain. This is not the first time Motel 6 has come under scrutiny for providing police with guest lists. In Rhode Island in 2015, police implemented new protocol in which the hotel agreed to fax them a daily guest list, for authorities to check it for known criminals or suspects. The agreement came after a string of high-profile police calls to the hotel, including a prostitution arrest and a meth lab raid, according to the Providence Journal. At the time, the Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU said it was troubled by the agreement between police and the motel, calling it "hardly the sort of 'hospitality' one anticipates from such an establishment." "When visitors go to a hotel for the night, they expect to be treated like guests, not potential criminals," the ACLU of Rhode Island wrote. "A family on vacation should not be fearful that police may come knocking on the door in the middle of the night, courtesy of the motel, because Dad has an outstanding parking ticket he never paid." Concerned about the legal ramifications of the protocol, the Warwick Police chief stopped the practice 16 days later, the Providence Journal reported. The following month, in June 2015, the Supreme Court struck down a Los Angeles ordinance that allowed police to inspect hotel guest records on demand. The Los Angeles city attorney's office had argued police needed the authority to prevent motels from becoming havens for criminal activity. But after a group of motel owners sued, the Supreme Court said the ordinance was unconstitutional because a hotel owner who refuses could get arrested. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said motel owners deserve the chance to go to a judge and object a search. James "Trey" Trainor, the conservative Texas lawyer nominated by President Donald Trump this week to serve on the Federal Election Commission, has challenged the principle that the public benefits from the disclosure of political donors, arguing that voters could be distracted from the content of political messages if they focus on who is financing ads. Trainor's stance on disclosure is counter to the position that Trump himself took during the 2016 presidential campaign, when he called for more transparency of donors behind big-money groups. "I don't mind the money coming in," the then-candidate told Time magazine in August 2015. "Let it be transparent. Let them talk, but let there be total transparency." In media appearances and public forums, Trainor has made the case that the Federalist Papers succeeded in promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution because Founding Fathers Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay wrote them under the pseudonym Publius. And he appeared to erroneously suggest that the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision endorsed anonymous political contributions. "The reason [the Federalist Papers] were published anonymously is because they wanted the effectiveness of their ideas to win, not who was saying it to win the arguments," Trainor said during a March appearance on a conservative webcast. "And ultimately that's what Citizens United has decided and why it's just such a terrible idea to have that rolled back." In fact, the Supreme Court upheld the concept of donor disclosure in Citizens United v. FEC, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited sums on independent political activity. "This transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages," the majority wrote. James Gardner, a professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law who specializes in election law, said that "the court has said repeatedly that disclosure of the identity of donors improves the quality of electoral decision-making by informing voters who supports candidates, and thus to whom they may be beholden." Nathaniel Persily, a constitutional law professor at Stanford Law School, noted that even the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia supported disclosure requirements. He said the court has recognized an exception for groups that might fear retaliation, such as the NAACP in the 1950s. "But requiring some disclosure is seen as the minimum necessary to prevent outright bribery," Persily added. Brendan Fischer, who directs the federal regulatory work of the advocacy group Campaign Legal Center, said the U.S. Senate should press Trainor on his interpretation of Citizens United when considering his nomination. "It is incredibly concerning that an individual nominated to the Federal Election Commission either doesn't understand or is willfully ignoring the fact that the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld and endorsed campaign finance disclosure," said Fischer, whose group flagged Trainor's past statements for The Washington Post. White House spokeswoman Natalie Strom said in a statement that Trainor "is an expert in campaign finance law -- particularly in the field of state election law -- who comes from outside of the Washington swamp." "The president looks forward to having him join the FEC in this key role," she added. Trainor, who was nominated to replace GOP Commissioner Matthew Petersen, declined to comment. But David Warrington, a friend and longtime legal colleague, said that he is confident that Trainor will be committed to enforcing the law, including current disclosure rules. "He is a law and order kind of guy," said Warrington, who heads LeClairRyan's political law group. "Certainly, donor disclosure is appropriate in certain circumstances, and those circumstances have been defined by courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States. His personal views of whether the courts have gone too far or not far enough are really immaterial to the position of a FEC commissioner." During a January policy forum hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Trainor elaborated on his views, saying regulation should focus on lobbying activities, not political spending. "I mean, we cannot imagine what would have happened had Alexander Hamilton and John Jay . . . had to put on every issue of the Federalist that it was paid for by them," he said. "The reason that they used the Publius name was because they were concerned that their influence in the process would become an issue. They wanted the weight of their argument to be what won, and they looked at it from that perspective: 'If we do it anonymously, the people will read this and they will understand.' And so I can't imagine a world where they would have had to disclose with the state of New York that they had spent all of the money they'd spent." Trainor noted that the retailer L.L. Bean was in the midst of a consumer backlash because Linda Bean, a granddaughter of the company's founder, gave money to support Trump. "Did Donald Trump need her $1,000? Probably not," he said. "She didn't even give the maximum amount that she's allowed to give to a federal candidate." (In fact, Bean contributed $25,000 to a pro-Trump PAC, FEC filings show.) "But what we have seen is a concerted, focused effort to make it about personalities in politics and to focus on retribution towards her company because she made a $1,000 contribution to somebody that she believed in and thought was an appropriate message for the country," Trainor added. The fire that engulfed a Marine armored vehicle Wednesday, injuring 14 Marines and one sailor during a training exercise in California, appears to have been caused by an exposed gas line, a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the investigation said Friday. The Marine Armored Amphibious Vehicle, or AAV, was carrying a squad of infantrymen and had pulled off the road in what is known as a "herring-bone" formation during a combat qualification exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. During the maneuver, the roughly 30-ton vehicle appears to have run over a gas line, severing it with its treads, and the line then somehow ignited. Fox News first reported that a ruptured gas line may have triggered the fire. Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro delivered his speech at the UC Berkeley campus under extraordinary security that required attendees to pass through metal detectors and police barricades that held back hundreds of protesters. The event at Zellerbach Hall appeared to do what UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ has said she hoped for when she declared a free speech year on campus: provide an open exchange of ideas. Shapiros speech included a question-and-answer session in which audience members respectfully challenged his opinions. Security cost the university an estimated $600,000. Police from all nine Bay Area counties were brought in to keep order on and off campus and to secure Zellerbach and the surrounding area, which was off-limits to anyone without a ticket to the event. The large contingent of law enforcement was a deterrent, said Margo Bennett of the UC Berkeley police. For the most part it was an orderly event, attended by respectful, orderly people, she said. The crowd in the street was loud, but not violent. The evening stood in stark contrast to the Feb. 1 fiery chaos that shut down an appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and resulted in $100,000 worth of damage to the schools student union and smashed windows at downtown businesses. At that event, black-clad protesters infiltrated police barriers. None of those so-called antifa protesters showed up for Shapiro. Still, UC Berkeley officials said they went to unprecedented lengths and used extraordinary measures to prevent a similar result. There was a general sense of relief that it was peaceful, said UC spokesman Dan Mogulof, . Even after the event ended, hundreds of protesters remained on the streets chanting for fascists to go home. Shapiro took the stage at Zellerbach with several hundred in the audience. While there were 1,000 tickets issued to the free event, not all the seats were filled in areas of the venue that organizers had described as being sold out. Shapiro lamented that the university cut off the number of people allowed in and blocked off the balcony over concerns by police that agitators would throw things from above. The audience included people who said they agreed with Shapiro and some who challenged his views on abortion, sexism and other hot-button issues. In a free country, if you fail, it is probably your own fault, he said to chuckles and a smattering of applause. Alla Kushnir, 30, traveled from Sacramento with five friends to hear Shapiro. I thought it was great, she said. I love this guy. Michael Vancea, 18, and a student at Ohlone College in Fremont also thought the event was entertaining. There were people of all backgrounds, with people disagreeing, he said. I really liked that. Shapiros speaking engagement, sponsored by the Young Americas Foundation, was seen as a test case for UC and Berkeley police, given the possibility of even more controversial speakers appearing on campus in two weeks, including Yiannopoulos, conservative author Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, President Trumps former adviser. While no official appearances are scheduled, Bennett said the university will nonetheless prepare for the possibility. Now well look for lessons learned and gather to plan, she said. This is where our work on that begins. Shapiro noted how times had changed and that only 18 months ago he had spoken at UC Berkeley and that there had been only two security guards. He noted the significant security and thanked Berkeley, saying the city did something amazing. Berkeley has actually achieved building a wall before Donald Trump did, he said. Shapiros speech focused on criticism of the antifa, or so-called antifascist movement, saying, America is watching because you guys are so stupid, he said. You can all go to hell you pathetic, lying, stupid, jackasses. Hundreds of protesters participating in a Refuse Fascism rally, were kept off campus just outside the south gate, where there were at least nine arrests, including Hannah Benjamin, 20, of Fremont, was arrested for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon, and Sarah Roark, 44, of San Francisco, as well as Michael Paul Sullivan, 29, of Hayward, were also arrested for carrying a banned weapon, police said. At times the rally erupted in a few shouting matches, but no major violence. Xochitl Johnson, 42, of Oakland, one of the Refuse Fascism organizers, said Shapiro and other speakers make students rethink their beliefs and tamp down their activism. People come out of his speeches and they think he made sense, Johnson said. Theyre wrapping themselves in the veil of free speech to bludgeon these young people on these campuses with white supremacy, xenophobia, racism and hatred. Shapiro, 33, graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007, and from UCLA in 2004. Hes the author of about a dozen books, most condemning the political left and accusing universities of indoctrinating youth. He opposes President Trump and aligns more with libertarian views. He edits the Daily Wire, a conservative blog, and hosts the online Ben Shapiro Show, where hes called women who have abortions baby killers and said that a man and a woman do a better job of raising a child than two men or two women. Ray Sullivan, a freshman, had looked forward to the appearance and was among those who got a ticket. I personally agree with a lot of what Ben Shapiro has to say, he said. I was very concerned about personal safety..., but once I got here I felt a lot more comfortable after I saw the police. Kimberly Veklerov, Lizzie Johnson, Nanette Asimov and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, nasimov@sfchronicle, jtucker@sfchronicle.com The Plainview/Hale County Crime Stoppers Committee will pay a reward of up to $350 to anyone with information that will lead to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for the following crimes: --On Sept. 11, someone entered 1301 Nassau and took a Sony PlayStation, 2001 white colored Cadillac 4-door, bearing Texas FDZ-9225, and three televisions. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate More than a dozen businesses across Texas have been busted for substituting alcohol or refilling bottles so far this year. The county with the most offenders was Harris, with six, according to data obtained by Chron.com from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). The Houston strip club Moments, on North Freeway, received the largest fine, $1,800 in January for refilling. The business also received a suspension or civil penalty, which usually happens to businesses that have committed the same offense more than once within a few years, TABC spokesman Chris Porter told Chron.com. TOO YOUNG: Houston businesses busted by TABC this summer for selling alcohol to minors Refilling is the illegal practice of refilling a bottle of alcohol with that same or a different type of drink, Porter said. Twelve businesses in Texas were cited for refilling in 2017. Two other businesses were penalized for brand substitution, which is when a patron is served a different type of alcohol than they ordered, Porter said. It is unclear how each business was found to be refilling or substituting, though Porter added that it's not uncommon for employees and customers to call TABC with information. Competing businesses have also called TABC to alert them to both offenses. Whiskey Cake had two of its locations cited by TABC this summer because they were repurposing empty whiskey bottles for water and tea service, vice president of operations Scott Sharrer told Chron.com Thursday morning. This was a common practice at all six Whiskey Cake locations for years in its effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Despite previous visits from TABC at Whiskey Cake locations, the commission only decided to cite the restaurants this summer, Sharrer said. Whiskey Cake no longer repurposes whiskey bottles. Swipe through the slideshow above to see what Texas businesses were cited by TABC for substituting or refilling this year. The Bexar County sheriff traveled to Aransas County on Thursday to survey the damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. Sheriff Javier Salazar flew in DPS Chopper 107 to the coast, where he met with Aransas County Sheriff William Mills and Bexar County deputies who were dispatched to the area to help safeguard the community. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, will have one fewer Papa Noel (Santa Claus) this year. James Earl Bailey, 69, a self-proclaimed hippie who had been on the lam for 14 years, pleaded guilty Thursday in San Antonio to charges of manufacturing more than 100 marijuana plants. Since skipping bail in 2003, hed settled in the northern Mexico town that borders Laredo and lived in a modest home there with the earnings he got from playing ol St. Nick. Everybody knew him as Santa Claus in Nuevo Laredo, said his lawyer, Tom McHugh. Hed go into shops there and charge to take pictures with people and kids. Hed use that (money) to survive the year. Though his skin color would make him stand out in Mexico, Bailey drew little attention and was embraced as Papa Noel how Santa Claus is referred to in many Latin American countries. He spoke some Spanish, volunteered at an orphanage, and lost weight. His secret life came to an end earlier this year. A federal warrant remained pending, and in March, U.S. Marshals contacted Assistant U.S. Attorney Priscilla Garcia to inform her that federales in Mexico had helped them track Bailey down. They asked me if I wanted to extradite him, Garcia said. I said, No, hes a U.S. citizen, he can be deported here. They approached him, and he agreed to be turned over, so they walked him over the bridge and handed him over. He was returned to the Alamo City to answer to charges that began after detectives with the San Antonio Police Department raided his home in the 3200 block of West Glenview Drive on Oct. 16, 2002. Investigators found his marijuana-grow operation, including 40 pounds of marijuana and 230 marijuana plants. McHugh said his client began using pot as he followed the hippie lifestyle; he was in California in 1967 during the Summer of Love but moved to Texas. Had he remained there, Bailey could have legally grown marijuana albeit fewer plants in recent years when laws there changed, McHugh said. The pot was for himself, and he got good, McHugh said. He had a good product. People began buying it from him. But Bailey is no big-time dealer, and hes not violent, McHugh argued. Indeed, Bailey stood out among the much younger, heavily tattooed, mean-mugging drug defendants in federal court. Dressed in a blue jail jumpsuit, Baileys locks were gray, he had to use glasses to read his court documents and he was given amplified headphones so he could hear U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad. The judge asked him if everything was correct in his plea documents, which contain a portion that says Bailey is a hippie. Yes your honor, Baily replied. The only thing thats different is Im an older hippie. Bailey faces up to 40 years in prison when Chief U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia sentences him on Dec. 14. He hopes the court isnt going to be a grinch, McHugh said. gcontreras@express-news.net Twitter: @gmaninfedland Police have identified the driver they say swerved across oncoming traffic lanes, drove into a sidewalk and fatally struck a pedestrian early Thursday on the Northeast Side. Paul Steven Jones, 26, hit the victim, a man in his late 50s who has not been identified, around midnight in the 9300 block of Perrin Beitel, officials said. RELATED: Driver struck man in front of North Side Whataburger, moved his body before fleeing, witness says After striking the pedestrian, Jones swerved back onto the road, lost control and crashed into a VIA bus stop, according to police. Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at 12:03 a.m. Police evaluated Jones and arrested him on a charge of intoxication manslaughter. He was booked into jail Thursday morning and faces two additional drug charges. His bond was set at $78,000. RELATED: Man dodges two cars on West Side street before being struck, hospitalized by third This was the second pedestrian struck and killed by a vehicle in San Antonio this week. The other incident incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. Monday in the 10000 block of San Pedro Avenue. The driver reportedly got out of their Toyota pickup truck to move the victim's body before fleeing the scene. The victim was a man in his 60s. He has yet to be identified, and the driver has not been located. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns A group of masked suspects shot a man in his thighs Thursday night on the Northeast Side. Police said three masked suspects shot the man, who is in his 30s, around 9:50 p.m. near Eisenhower Road and Harlow Drive. RELATED: Man who killed San Antonio police officer had a sinister tattoo The victim fled toward a nearby Shell gas station for help after he was shot, and the suspects ran into an apartment complex. Paramedics took the victim to San Antonio Military Medical Center for treatment. He is expected to be okay. The suspects were not found Thursday night. San Antonio police detectives are investigating the incident. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns There was a welcome development recently in the bizarre world of gerrymandering. In an ideal world, all parties as in Democrats and Republicans would be on board with the notion that the every-10-year exercise of redistricting should be devoid of imposing partisan advantage. In other words, states should be drawing state legislative and congressional districts without the intent of keeping a controlling party in power. That redistricting task constitutionally lies with the states. Both parties have used that power to maintain control. Its just that now, since theyve captured a majority of state legislatures, Republicans when they arent enacting voter ID laws for similar motives are the more egregious abusers. And this is particularly true in rosey red Texas. But recently, some prominent Republicans have broken from the party line. They have filed briefs urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rule against extreme political gerrymandering. Among those signing the briefs: Arizona Sen. John McCain; Ohio Gov. John Kasich; former Senate Majority Leader and presidential candidate Bob Dole; former Sens. John Danforth of Missouri, Richard Lugar of Indiana and Alan Simpson of Wyoming; and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The court will hear arguments from a Wisconsin case on political gerrymandering on Oct. 3. At stake is whether quite apart from racial gerrymandering to deny representation to minorities it is unconstitutional to draw these lines in extreme fashion for partisan advantage. This is done by packing people who vote predictably or seldom, if at all into certain districts to engineer party control. In Wisconsin, this was done in such a way that Republicans got political wins that did not conform to how many more Democrats voted in state legislative races. Texas redistricting maps are likely headed to the Supreme Court, challenges occurring because of racial gerrymandering. But, in Texas, partisan and racial gerrymandering are indistinguishable because minorities generally and Latinos in particular tend to vote Democratic. A federal court has labeled the states maps as intentionally discriminatory. But because partisan and racial gerrymandering are distinctions without a difference, a high court ruling against partisan gerrymandering would still have a seismic effect on Texas. These maverick Republicans are acting commendably, arguing for simple justice and true representative democracy. Our hope is that the court agrees. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The National Hurricane Center on Friday morning put Connecticut in the possible path of Tropical Storm Jose. Jose's maximum sustained winds early Friday were near 70 mph and it's forecast to become a hurricane again later in the day. Connecticut could see some effects from Jose on Tuesday or Wednesday when the storm is off the New Jersey coast. Jose could produce direct impacts next week along portions of the East Coast of the United States from North Carolina northward to New England, but it is too soon to determine what those impacts might be or where they could occur. Interests along East Coast from North Carolina northward to New England should monitor the progress of Jose during the next several days, the NHC says. Jose is centered about 360 miles northeast of the southeastern Bahamas and is moving west-northwest near 8 mph. Swells generated by Jose are already affecting Bermuda, the Bahamas, the northern coasts of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico and the U.S. southeast coast. Jose is showing signs of becoming better organized, the NHC said Friday morning. It has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. Its too early to say how strong the winds could be from Jose or how much rain could fall. The National Weather Service says the south shore of Long Island has an increasing threat from Jose. Although there is still considerable uncertainty with the forecast track at this time, we are expecting beach hazards in advance of the storm as long period swells increase the risk of rip currents and allow surf to build. for high surf, dune erosion, localized wash overs and dangerous rip currents along the ocean beachfront this weekend through early next week. A new tropical depression has formed far out over the Atlantic and is expected to become a tropical storm. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says the depression's maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph and it's forecast to strengthen to a tropical storm later in the day or on Saturday. For now, the weather is looking good for the weekend. The forecast Today: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 82. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Tonight: Patchy fog after 11 p.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Light and variable wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the morning. Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon. Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Tuesday: Tropical storm conditions possible. A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story. Speaking at a Children's Day event organised by Kannur DCC, Sudhakaran said Nehru was ready to enter into a truce even with 'communal fascists' for the sake of democracy. A POLICE boss in Bulawayo has been arrested after he allegedly muscled his way into Ross Camp impound yard and stole a commuter omnibus that had been impounded by his colleagues for flouting Covid-19 regulations. Chief Inspector Nkosilathi Nyathi (45) who is the officer-in-charge of ZRP Nkulumane, was arrested together with Lionel Kersha (31), the driver of the kombi after the two grabbed the vehicle from the yard before it was cleared and drove it movie style out of the gate and fled. Even efforts to stop Nyathi and Kersha at the gate proved futile as they sped away with the vehicle soon after it was unclamped by a Bulawayo City Council employee. The details emerged after the duo appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza last Wednesday to answer to allegations of theft as defined in Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9.23. They also face an additional charge of defeating or obstructing the course of justice. The duo pleaded not guilty and Mr Mabeza remanded them out of custody to Tuesday for trial. Prosecuting, Mr Jeremiah Mutsindikwa told the court that on 6 February a team from Bulawayo Central Traffic, Vehicle Examination Department and Bulawayo City Council were on a joint operation named Undingani eTown Phase 2, when they arrested Kersha and impounded the vehicle he was driving for various offences. The court heard that an Assistant Inspector Munsaka booked the kombi and handed it over to Constable Mandla Moyo for safe keeping at the camp. It was also clamped by council traffic officers because it had outstanding parking tickets. However, the same day in the afternoon, Nyathi approached Cst Moyo and advised him that he wanted to see the impounded kombi. After seeing the kombi, Nyathi and Kersha proceeded to Bulawayo City Council where the offences related to council were cleared. The court heard that the duo came back and handed over a receipt that showed that they had paid the fine at city council and wanted to collect the vehicle. However, Cst Moyo advised the duo to also clear the vehicle with the officer in charge at Drill Hall. Instead of clearing the vehicle with the police, the duo went back to city council offices and came back accompanied by a city council vehicle. The court heard that the driver of the city council vehicle unclamped the kombi and the two jumped in and drove away. Cst Moyo tried to stop the duo but they sped off, disregarding pleas from police officers who were manning the yard and the gate to stop. The court heard that a report was immediately made at Mzilikazi police station and a manhunt was launched resulting in the vehicle being recovered at a house in Pumula North leading to the arrest of the duo. The stolen vehicle was valued at US$3 000. Sunday News Breaking News via Email Taccident with a haulage truck along the Gweru-Kwekwe Highway last week. Eyewitnesses said the Ford Ranger driver lost control of the vehicle after its prop-shaft broke and encroached into the lane of the haulage truck. Midlands Provincial Police Assistant Spokesperson Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the accident. Mirror Breaking News via Email Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwes military played a key role in cementing Robert Mugabes rule. That was until last month, when the army turned on the 93-year-old president. Under military house arrest, he was first fired as leader of the ruling Zanu-PF party, before caving in to mounting pressure from parliament and announcing his resignation. After 37 years at the helm, Mugabe was replaced by a former close ally, Emmerson Mnangagwa, a protege of the veteran leader and an ex-intelligence and defence chief. Observers say Mnangagwa, much like his predecessor, appears to be consolidating his power by awarding the key military generals who supported his rise to power with important party and state cabinet positions. Most recently, Constantino Chiwenga, the army chief who led the operation that resulted in Mugabes resignation, was appointed as a Zanu-PF deputy. He is tipped to become one of the two national vice presidents. Other key military personnel around Mnangagwa include Retired Major General Sibusiso Moyo, the current Minister of Foreign Affairs who announced Mugabes detention on state television; and Chief Air Marshall Perrence Shiri who participated in negotiations for Mugabe to step down and now serves as Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement. Al Jazeera spoke to Peirs Pigou, senior consultant for southern Africa for International Crisis Group (ICG), to discuss the possible role Zimbabwes security elite could play in the countrys post-Mugabe future. ICG recently published a report on Zimbabwes military-assisted transition and its prospects for governance reform and economic recovery. Al Jazeera: Why do Zimbabwes leaders previously Mugabe and now Mnangagwa appear to depend on the armys support to cement their rule? Peirs Pigou: This is largely a product of an entrenched historical relationship. Zanu-PFs political trajectory into an independent Zimbabwe was predicated on its armed struggle Although not a homogenous entity, the military and war veterans have been key mobilisers and enforcers of political hegemony and central in internal and factional dynamics within the party. Al Jazeera: Could the militarys role in Zimbabwes post-Mugabe transition be a help or hindrance to Mnangagwas inaugural promises of a new democratic era? Pigou: On the one hand, the military can bring command management and discipline into a corrupt and venal political and economic environment, although numerous unanswered questions and unresolved allegations remain about the involvement of senior military and other security sector figures in corruption, self enrichment and other violations. The jury is out on whether the new political configuration can deepen or further deviate from the democratic project. Comparative experience does not inspire confidence and the blatant partisanship of Zimbabwes military has yet to be addressed by the new leadership. Mnangagwa and the new administration should take an unambiguous public position on ensuring the security sector is excised from the political playing field. It is, however, difficult to see how this will happen given that the new power configuration is predicated on an attempt to legitimise military interference. Al Jazeera: Does Mnangagwa risk being beholden to those who helped him to rise to power, like Chiwenga, at the expense of creating a more democratic environment in Zimbabwe? Pigou: This is an important question. Where does power really lie, especially with the shift of military leaders into the politics hierarchy under the rubric of defending Zimbabwes revolution? Why did Chiwengas appointment as vice president [of ZANU-PF] take so long to finalise? It raises all sorts of questions about the content of backroom deals and internal power dynamics within the new administration that remain shrouded in mystery. How do these developments strengthen prospects for constitutionalism and the rule of law which appear to remain elastic and selectively engaged concepts, a hallmark of the Mugabe dispensation? Al Jazeera: In the past, the militarys partisanship and Mnangagwas own role, as a ZANU-PF chief campaign election agent, have been accused of compromising the outcome of elections, especially in the 2000s. If former, and recently retired, military figures continue to play a role within ZANU-PF and the governments electoral structures, what hope is there that Zimbabwe can hold credible elections in 2018? Pigou: Credible elections are possible with the implementation of appropriate electoral reforms, a more even political playing field and a thorough and impartial election observer process. An independent verification of Zimbabwes new biometric voters roll is critical and an extension of the vote to the diaspora, underwritten by international support, would help ensure a solid and credible outcome. Al Jazeera: Is there a risk that ousted figures linked to the pro-Mugabe G40 faction both in the security services could pose a threat to Mnangagwas presidency? Pigou: Hes called for no vengeful retribution, but there may be those who feel bitter about how the Lacoste [pro-Mnangagwa] faction came to power, so what threat if any, could they pose to the transitional administration now or in future? Their removal from the levers of power and resource manipulation reduces any ability to pose a serious risk to the new government. Their efforts to delegitimise the new order, arguing it is the product of a coup, rightly or wrongly, is struggling to gain traction. The African Union (AU) and South African Development Community (SADC) have accepted the new order, as have the international community. The 2018 elections will determine the extent of its domestic credibility. The old order may well be able to expose complicity in past violations, but as with others purged from ZANU-PF in the past, they will not be able to do so convincingly without taking their share of responsibility. In terms of immediate electoral politics, they are likely to complicate an already messy oppositional political environment. Al Jazeera: What role could the political opposition, as well as SADC and the AU, play in monitoring the post-Mugabe transition to ensure Zimbabwe does not end up being a country run by and for the security elites? Pigou: Their role is an essential component for the building of a solid foundation for a credible, accountable and inclusive political dispensation, critical for facilitation of a sustainable and broad based economic recovery. Al Jazeera: Apart from avoiding labeling the military operation a coup, has the greater international community shown willingness to be patient and start anew with Mnangagwa as he has asked? Pigou: The international community is not a homogenous entity. In general, there is significant goodwill and there will be patience with the Mnangagwa government. Expectations vary, as do approaches to calibrating further support. Mnangagwas administration must be seen to deliver determining how and for who in a flexible and transparent way would provide a helpful framework for assessment and augment the credibility of such constructive engagement. Al Jazeera News Breaking News via Email President Mnangagwa yesterday said no decision will be made on the funeral arrangements of former President Robert Mugabe against the wishes of his family, and assured former First Lady Grace Mugabe that she has the full support of Government. He said Government will not renege on the recognition of the former leader as the founding President, Commander-in-chief and torch-bearer of the country. President Mnangagwa said this at Cde Mugabes residence in Borrowdale Brooke where he led Zanu-PF Politburo members in conveying their condolences on the passing on of the countrys founding father. Amai (former First Lady Grace Mugabe), you have the full support of the Government under me, those who talk will do so, but as Government there is nothing that we will do against your wishes, he said. On where and how he will be buried, we have not made an announcement until we met Amai so that we share with each other. When my mother died, the former President came to my residence and stayed for quite some time. We will try to make all the provisions. I want the family to know that the Zanu-PF-led Government will not forget that we have our leader, it is something that we do as a matter of tradition. Let us have a spirit of unity and love. As long as Zanu-PF is in power and as long as I am leading, no one will deviate from that; he will remain our icon and commander, we cannot change this. President Mnangagwa said since he took over as Head of State and Government, he had striven to fulfil all the requirements that the former First Family wanted. From the day that I assumed office, there was no request that I turned down in terms of providing assistance, even the travelling to Singapore by our leader for treatment, he said. President Mnangagwa paid tribute to Cde Mugabe, whom he worked with for a long time. I worked with him for more than 54 years, from 1962, he said. In 1963 when I was imprisoned he helped to make arrangements that I be released. We have never had problems with him, except what happened that which you all know, but when I returned (back in the country) I said let bygones be bygones, that is the spirit that I have. The President castigated some sections of the media for exaggerating the number of Heads of State and Government that had confirmed attendance for the funeral service to be held tomorrow at the National Sports Stadium. Daily News yesterday listed 49 world leaders which it claimed had confirmed attendance. That did not come from us, said President Mnangagwa. Traditional leaders from Zvimba District also came to see me and we held talks with them but the media said I bribed them, yet no one had even a single drink from me. President Mnangagwa later requested a meeting with close family members led by Amai Mugabe, saying he wanted to exchange views with them. Family representative, Mr Walter Chidhakwa paid tribute to the Government for the support it rendered during the time of bereavement. We have been taught by our founding father to remain united and to forgive each other and help each other in times of trouble, he said. Our father played a significant role, it is not the kind of history that Your Excellency, President Mnangagwa would want to be told about, you know it better than me. You know the work that he carried out, the circumstances in which you worked under, how difficult it was. So, I say this man, who is our father, deserves a heroes welcome that you gave us yesterday. We want to provide a big send off, we cannot fail to do it that which he used to do for others. Speaking after a briefing with President Mnangagwa, Mr Chidhakwa said it was agreed that yesterday and today, the body would be at Rufaro Stadium where Zimbabweans would be given an opportunity to bid him farewell. On Saturday, people will gather at the National Sports Stadium where Heads of State and government from other countries will attend. Herald Breaking News via Email FREE State police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an eight-year-old boy after he was mauled to death by a pitbull. The incident occurred in Vista Park, Bloemfontein on Saturday, 12 November. Police spokesman Thabo Covane said the dog allegedly escaped its enclosure and jumped over the fence into the neighbours premises and attacked the child who was playing alone, biting him several times on the neck and chest. The boy was declared dead by Emergency Medical Services officials on the scene. An inquest docket was opened at Mangaung Police Station. The police and paramedics were summoned to the scene and the boy was declared dead on the scene. The beast has been shot and killed by police officials in attempt to rescue the victim, said Covane. Daily Sun Breaking News via Email 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. A judge condemned an illegal charity collection operated by a Galway man in Carrick-on-Suir as a "particularly nasty, insidious offence" when he appeared before him at Carrick-on-Suir District Court. Judge John King said charities were already getting hammered and this type of offence affected the contributions towards charities in general as people approached on the street for donations wondered whether the collectors were genuine. He was speaking after hearing the evidence in the case against Brian Ward, aged 23, from 28 Parkmore, Tuam, who pleaded guilty at the court to operating an illegal collection outside Lidl in Carrick-on-Suir on June 3, 2015. Gda. Sgt. Ian Barrett gave evidence that Gda. Paul Cronin was called out to a collection outside the supermarket where he met the defendant and another person, who both admitted it was an illegal collection. "They inserted names on a card to fool people into thinking they had got money but they hadn't got money," the sergeant explained. Ward had five previous convictions. They included a conviction imposed at Cork District Court for operating a collection without a permit, a conviction at Tuam District Court for promoting an unlawful lottery and convictions for burglary and criminal damage. Defence solicitor Michael Quirk said his client was married with two children and dependent on a social welfare payment. He pointed out that there was loss to other people in this case and requested the court to consider an alternative penalty to a custodial sentence. Judge John King responded that this was the third time Ward committed this type of offence and noted he committed this offence six months after his last conviction for holding a collection without a permit. The Judge adjourned the case to Carrick-on-Suir District Court sitting of December 7 for the production of a Probation Officer's report examining Ward's suitability to do community service . "You had better not come to adverse attention (of the gardai) in the meantime," he warned. A Clonmel-based company has been awarded 1.52 million by the European Commission to develop a green alternative to the toxic chemicals necessary to coat metals. The work of Gortnafleur-based Enbio, which also has a facility in Dublin, will be focused initially on the space sector but has wide-ranging applications in aerospace, automotive and general industry, as well as public infrastructure and civilian applications. The company opened its 1.5 million space technology centre in Clonmel two and-a-half years ago. The facility operated by Enbio at Gortnafleur was funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is the company's centre of excellence for the development and production of thermal management treatments, which has also been described as sunscreen technology for satellites. European environmental legislation (REACH) is reducing the use of hazardous chemical treatments widely used to prepare metal surfaces for bonding or coating in the space sector. However it is not just the space sector that needs a replacement but any European industry using wet hazardous metal pre-treatments such as chromate conversion processes, which is important to the aerospace, automotive and industries in general. John Halligan, Minister of State for Training, Skills and Innovation congratulated the company on its success. He stated, Enbio is an excellent example of the large numbers of SMEs (Small Medium Enterprises) successfully applying to Horizon 2020 (for European Commission funding), giving Ireland the second highest success rate in Europe for the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument with a 13% success rate, compared to a European average of 5.5%. Enbio has developed a proven alternative coating process their patented CoBlast process. The European Commission funding will enable the company to accelerate their development and launch of a chemical replacement metal treatment. Enbios alternative uses no hazardous chemicals and meets or exceeds existing industry standards and performance requirements. Enbio has already gained significant experience in the space sector with the European Space Agency. The company has provided two protective coatings for the space agency's most advanced spacecraft, Solar Orbiter, one of which will become the closest man-made object to sun. The company is supported in this work by Enterprise Ireland, who have been pivotal in helping Enbio to position themselves in the space sector. Once the company has proven its process in the space sector, they plan to extend the technology to applications on earth and help clean up the coatings sector across numerous industries, and the thousands of acres of metal requiring protection from the elements. A Clonmel woman is featured in a television documentary tracking the daily lives, struggles and triumphs of some young Irish people living with schizophrenia. Rita Bourke appears in 'Schizophrenia: The Voices in My Head', which will be shown on RTE 2 at 10pm next Tuesday night, September 19th. For the first time on Irish television these young people will speak openly about what its like to live with such a severe mental health disorder, and their struggle with delusional thoughts and the internal voices that are so associated with schizophrenia. 34 year-old Rita Bourke is from Powerstown. Daughter of Evelyn Bourke, she was educated at the Loreto Secondary School in Clonmel and Villers Secondary School in Limerick. Rita trained as a general nurse in UCD in Dublin in 2007 and worked in St Vincent's University Hospital. From 2008 to 2010 she worked as a registered nurse in Sydney, Australia. She now works as a personal assistant to people in their homes in Clonmel and is actively involved in several community events in the town including Festival Cluain Meala, the St. Patrick's Day celebrations, Clonmel Dance Festival (which will be featured in the programme) and the South Tipperary Positive Mental Health Festival. She is also an ambassador for See Change, an alliance of organisations working together through the National Stigma Reduction Partnership to bring about positive change in public attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems. RTE's promo for next week's programme says "even though Irish people are becoming much more willing to talk about mental health, so far those conversations have been around depression and anxiety. Other conditions are still pretty much taboo, in particular schizophrenia. "In Schizophrenia: The Voices in My Head we step inside the worlds of young people who are living with the condition. "They struggle socially and are prone to anxiety and depression. But the extraordinary thing is how they are managing to whatever extent to control the condition rather than let it control them. We will see these young people at their happiest and darkest moments. "As one put it Thirty years ago I would have been locked up, medicated up to my eyeballs and abandoned in some institution, but that is changing". The Minister for Health, Simon Harris, will make an announcement this morning that South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel, is to get a new 40-bed modular build extension to deal with chronic overcrowding. It is expected that the new unit will be in place at some stage in 2018 , depending on planning matters, in a hospital which has experienced one of the highest rates of overcrowding in the country for the last few years with medical bed capacity running at 150%. This week consultant Paud O Regan hit out at the dangers and indignities patients at the hospital had to endure.Almost a year ago Minister Harris visited the Clonmel hospital and said the conditions were utterly unacceptable. It is understood that Minister Harris will announce today that the unit is part of a package of measures which aim to substantially expand the hospitals capacity to treat patients. He will confirm that the HSE has completed the fitting out of additional space for 11 trolley bays on the first floor of the hospital, the recruitment of staff to operate the new area is underway and its anticipated that this vital additional space will open next month. Minister Harris will also outline specific supports for this hospital this winter: increased home care packages, increased access to diagnostics, aids and appliances to help patients who are well enough to return home or to a community setting to do so and improved patient flow in the ED.The Minister will also say that he is progressing plans for a day hospital in Cashel. Minister Harris will visit St.Thereass Hospital in Clogheen this afternoon as well as visiting Circle of Friends in Tipperary before meeting hospital consultants and Oireachtas members in Tipperary Town. Principals of five Tipperary Town primary schools have vowed to keep up their campaign for funding for extra resources under the DEIS programme. After an hour long meeting with Minister Richard Bruton in Clonmel the school principals said they appreciated the opportunity to make their case and said their campaign would continue. A powerful case was made for the inclusion of the Tipperary schools in the DEIS programme on the basis that Tipperary was a RAPID Town with a deprivation index of -12. Schools around the country that did not come near such deprivation levels were included in the DEIS programme.One school in Galway urban wiht a deprivation index of -1% was included in the DEIS programe. At themeeting the school principals made a detailed presentation outlining their concerns about the identification process used to select new schools for the DEIS programme. The Minister listened with great interest, discussed at length the processes used and committed to investigating the issues raised said St.Josephs Principal Louise Tobin. We serve a disadvantaged community and we need the extra resources to remove the barriers and obstacles faced in releation to access to education.Clearly investment is needed in primary education in Tipperary Town to break the cycle to give children the access and the opportunities they deserve said Louise Tobin. After the meeting the school principals expressed the hope that through further discussions with the local councillors over the coming days in Clonmel that both Minister Bruton and the Taoiseach will be further briefed on the urgent needs in the schools in Tipperary Town. The school principals said they appreciated the input of councillors Michael Fitzgerald, Mary Hanna Hourigan, John Crosse and Michael Murphy in organising the meeting on their behalf and look forward to their continued support in further discussions. Minister Bruton met with Eoghan Breathnach, Gaelscoil Tiobraid Arann; Ide Mooney, St. Michaels G.N.S.;Pat O Halloran, The Monastery CBS; Louise Tobin, St. Josephs Primary and Siobhan Verdon, St. Michaels JBNS. NBC Bay Area has learned that one of the three men charged with carrying out a murder with a police officer's off-duty revolver was wearing an electronic monitor issued by United States immigration officials. Data from that monitor confirms that the 18-year-old suspect was at the murder scene at the time of the slaying. Erick Garcia-Pineda entered a not guilty plea Thursday to a litany of charges, including allegations that he murdered 23-year-old Abel Ezquivel on the street in the San Francisco's Mission District early in the morning of Aug. 15. Two other defendants also denied the allegations, which include an allegation of murder during the commission of a robbery, which would trigger a term of life in prison without parole. NBC Bay Area has learned that one of the three men charged with carrying out a murder with a police officer's off-duty revolver was wearing an electronic monitor issued by United States immigration officials. Sergio Quintana reports. NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit has learned that Garcia-Pineda is an undocumented immigrant and was wearing an ICE-issued electronic monitoring bracelet at the time of the slaying. Immigration officials did not immediately respond to NBC Bay Area's requests for comment. It is not clear why. Sources tell NBC Bay Area Garcia-Pineda was claiming asylum in the United States -- claiming he was being hounded by MS-13 gang members. Following the homicide, Garcia-Pineda was later arrested for unrelated battery charges in another alleged attack. That's when San Francisco Sheriff's deputies removed the electronic bracelet and kept it as evidence. The sheriff's office declined to comment about what may have occurred, other than to say that such bracelets are not always identifiable and it is standard practice to remove them as an inmate safety precaution. Prosecutors did not file charges for the alleged battery, pending further investigation. But during the investigation police seized a gun, that they ultimately determined was registered to an SFPD officer and had likely been stolen. According to a statement by the San Francisco police union, the decorated officer did not realize his gun was taken as there was no sign of a break-in of his car. NBC Bay Area has learned a holster, clothing and other valuables were taken from the vehicle at the same time: the night of Aug. 11. The murder of Ezquivel happened four days later. They also began using data from the tracking bracelet to attempt link Garcia-Pineda to several crimes. On Thursday, Garcia-Pineda and two other defendants pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, along with charges linked to five robberies and two other shootings. Friends of Esquivel were still trying to come to grips with his killing. Lariza Dugan Quadra said Esquivel had recently started working with youth at the Central American Recourse Center in the Mission District. "Its been a very painful process, not only for his family of course, but also as an organization he was profoundly affiliated with," she said. Asked if the officer should be disciplined, police Chief William Scott said an internal investigation is in its earliest stages. "Well, we have to investigate," he said. "I mean it would be very, very irresponsible and premature for me to say whats going to happen with the officer until we have the facts." NBC Bay Area's Sergio Quintana contributed to this report. The California Legislature has moved one step closer to requiring presidential candidates to release their tax returns to appear on the California ballot. After clearing the Assembly on Thursday, the measure needs final approval from the Senate before going to Gov. Jerry Brown. If he signs it, California would be the only state to pass such a measure after a flurry of bills introduced in nearly 30 states earlier this year failed to gain traction. President Donald Trump's refusal to release his tax returns during the 2016 campaign prompted the efforts. Tax returns show income sources, charitable donations and other financial information. Major presidential candidates typically release them. California's bill would make candidates share five years of returns to get on the ballot. The returns would be made public online. In New Jersey, Republican Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a similar bill. Another suspect among the trio charged with carrying out a murder with a San Francisco police officers stolen gun was believed not to be in the country legally, immigration authorities announced late Friday. Earlier Friday, U.S. immigration officials confirmed a report by NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit that one of the men accused in the Aug. 15 murder, 18-year-old Erick Garcia-Pineda, was facing deportation and had been under GPS monitoring since April. The tracking information confirms he was at the scene of the slaying and other crimes, sources said. Later Friday, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency announced separately that 24-year-old Jesus Perez-Araujo, also held in the slaying of 23-year-old Abel Enrique Esquivel, Jr., had been jailed in May and that immigration officials had lodged a detainer on him. Perez-Araujo was arrested for marijuana sales charges and misdemeanor possession of brass knuckles. That weapons case is a misdemeanor and is still pending, prosecutors say. The retainer against Perez-Araujo was not honored, immigration officials said. He apparently did not meet the felony history required by the city administrative code established to determine when such holds could be honored under the citys sanctuary city policy. Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan, in a statement, said any failure to honor its holds undermines ICEs ability to protect the public safety and carry out its mission. That news came as NBC Bay Area had reported Thursday that Garcia-Pineda had been in ICE custody since he turned 18 in December 2016. In April, a judge ordered that he be released with a GPS tracking bracelet. According to the agencys statement, Garcia-Pineda was released with the requirement that he wear a GPS monitoring bracelet and report to ICE in-person on a regular basis. Based on the tracking information, it appeared Garcia-Pineda was complying with terms of his release until August when he failed to appear for his scheduled appointment with ICE. Authorities say that on June 18, he was stopped for driving without a vehicle registration and arrested, but the case was not pursued. But on the night of Aug. 11, a .38 caliber revolver off-duty weapon and was taken from a San Francisco police officers car parked out front of his San Francisco home. The officer maintains that he did not know it was stolen because there was no sign of a break-in, police union officials have said. Court documents show, however, that a speed loader, jacket and holster were taken from his car at the time the gun was stolen. ICE spokesman James Schwab could not say whether the gun theft and subsequent homicide occurred before or after Garcia-Pineda failed to check in with ICE officials. But he acknowledged the agency could have picked him up for failing to check in. Schwab stressed agents have many such cases and ICE has to prioritize among them. Meanwhile, sources have told NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit that the data from that tracking device confirms that Garcia-Pineda was at the scene of the slaying, two other shootings and a total of five robberies. Garcia-Pineda was arrested on Aug. 18 in connection with one of them that occurred in the hours after the homicide. He was arrested for assault, firing into an occupied dwelling and receiving stolen property, but no charges were filed pending further investigation. It is not clear whether immigration officials asked that he be held in that case, but his monitoring bracelet was cut off by deputies as of Aug. 19, Schwab said. It is standard to remove such trackers because they pose an inmate safety risk, officials say. That removal triggered a tamper alert and a failed effort to locate Garcia-Pineda, Schwab said. His attorney said he would report, but he never did. Only after his release did police seize the stolen revolver during a search warrant and tied it to the officer. Meanwhile, Garcia-Pineda was arrested again in September on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge. Federal officials said they sought a detainer that he be held on their behalf at the jail in that incident. He was again released, however, as prosecutors did not pursue the case. Despite the detainer, local authorities released him back into the community without providing any notification to ICE, federal authorities said of that incident. San Francisco sheriffs spokeswoman Eileen Hirst said Friday that Garcia-Pineda didnt fit the profile for being held under the sanctuary city provisions of the city administrative code. She did not comment as to why, but the code specifies a court order or a history of serious and violent felonies be established for an ICE detainer be honored. At a court appearance on Thursday, Garcia-Pineda, Perez-Araujo, and Daniel Cruz, 18, all from San Francisco, denied a long list of charges. The stolen gun murder case comes after a state law as enacted last year. It requires all weapons must be locked in a frame mounted box or secured inside the trunk of any unattended car. Police Chief William Scott acknowledged late Thursday that police have to investigate the circumstances of how the officers gun was stolen and thats an internal investigation thats ongoing, but the loss of life is really a tragedy. Police Union President Martin Halloran has said that the officer identified in court records as Marvin Cabuntala -- was devastated by the news his gun had been used in a slaying and was cooperating fully with the investigation. A police officer shot and killed a 15-year-old boy in front of his home in Haymarket, Virginia, on Friday after he threatened officers with a crowbar, Prince William County police said. The officer fired multiple shots, killing the teen after receiving a report that he "had a bomb strapped to his chest" and was holding a family member hostage, police said. Officers responded to the house on the 6800 block of Hartzell Hill Lane about 10:25 a.m. to investigate a possible hostage situation. As they arrived on the scene, they learned that the teen had what was described as a bomb, and that the person he was holding hostage was a family member. Outside the house, the teen -- whose name police did not release -- "brandished a crowbar and began walking toward the officers in a threatening manner," police said. The officers ordered him to drop the crowbar, but he refused. Then, an officer opened fire, shooting the teen in the upper body about 10:45 a.m. Officers provided first aid until medics arrived. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were hurt. Police determined that the teen did not have a bomb. No details were released immediately on who told them that he did. Neighbors said the teen went to Battlefield High School in Haymarket. Nasir Gorham said he went to school with him. "He kept to himself a lot. He was pretty quiet. I would see him at the pool a lot, with some friends," Gorham said. "I would never think something like this would happen." The officer who fired is on administrative leave, per standard police procedure. Police body cameras are not in use in Prince William County, but a pilot program to put them onto streets is underway. Images taken from Chopper4 on Friday afternoon showed many officers in the Northern Virginia neighborhood of brick townhouses. The Chicago Cubs came out flat in their last big series against a National League Central a week ago, and theyll be looking to avoid a similar fate against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, who currently hold a three game lead over both the Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers in the division race, have lowered their magic number to 14 thanks to a sweep of the New York Mets this week, and theyll have an opportunity to make even more progress as they welcome their most hated rivals to the North Side. The series is full of quality pitching matchups, players rounding into form, and playoff implications, and the entire three-game set should provide fireworks. Friday: Carlos Martinez (11-10) vs. John Lackey (11-11) The Cubs scored 39 runs in three games against the Mets, and theyll hope to keep their offense going against Martinez on Friday. Key to that effort will be Anthony Rizzo, who has quietly put together a strong MVP-caliber season for the Cubs. In the last three games, Rizzo racked up four hits and three runs scored, and he drove in four RBI as he came within a triple of the cycle on Thursday night at Wrigley. Meanwhile, Lackey will look to continue his strong pitching as he faces his former club. The hurler has given up just two earned runs in his last two starts, going 14 innings and scattering just seven hits in those outings. Watch Kris Bryant Literally Catch Fire Saturday: Michael Wacha (12-7) vs. Kyle Hendricks (6-5) Even though the Brewers soundly thumped the Cubs in their recent weekend sweep at Wrigley Field, Hendricks did a decent job on the mound, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. He also struck out seven batters in the outing. Hell hope to continue that strong play, and so will Kyle Schwarber. He went 5-for-10 in the Mets series with three runs scored and a home run, and he is slowly lifting his batting average as he finds his groove at the plate in September. 2017 Chicago Sports Yearbook: History-Making Moments Sunday: Lance Lynn (11-7) vs. Jose Quintana (10-11) Since being shelled by the Phillies in a late August start, Quintana has seemingly found his touch, putting up three consecutive quality starts, including a seven-inning performance against the Mets that saw him strike out seven batters and walk just one in an 8-3 victory. Meanwhile, the Cubs have been looking for a consistent lead-off hitter all season, and Jon Jay may be the guy they turn to in October if things keep progressing the way they are. He has a very strong .372 on-base percentage and a .284 batting average, and his ability to put the bat on the ball was on full display Thursday as he picked up two hits and two runs as the lead-off hitter in a lineup that thumped the Mets 14-6. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent was convicted Wednesday of lifting $5,000 in cash from an international traveler as she passed through a screening station at OHare International Airport. Salvatore Picardi, 38, of Park Ridge, was convicted of embezzlement by a federal officer under color of law. A female passenger who landed at OHare on a flight from China in February noticed her cash was missing after a customs inspection, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Other officers began searching for the money with her when Pacardi stuffed the bills back into the womans jacket pocket and acted as if hed just discovered it, prosecutors said. Unbeknownst to Pacardi, prosecutors said, the jacket had already been searched multiple times before his purported discovery. Pacardi faces up to 10 years in federal prison and will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin in December. His attorney did not immediately respond to request for comment. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe," a CBP spokesperson said in an email. "We do not tolerate corruption or abuse within our ranks, nor acts which tarnish our agencys reputation. We fully cooperate with any criminal or administrative investigations of alleged misconduct by any of our personnel, on or off duty." CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility was involved in the investigation and Picardi has been on indefinite unpaid suspension for over a year, the spokesperson confirmed. President Donald Trump's suggestion that London police could have done more to prevent Friday's homemade bomb explosion drew a quick rejoinder from British Prime Minister Theresa May, who said it's never helpful "to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." Trump turned the London subway bomb explosion into an opportunity to highlight his tough talk on terror and promote his travel ban. The president's series of early-morning tweets about the still-unfolding investigation stood in contrast to his delay last month in firmly condemning Neo-Nazis and white supremacists after racial violence broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia, and left one person dead. At the time, he said: "When I make a statement, I like to be correct. I want the facts. ... I don't want to rush into a statement." The London bomb exploded on a packed train during morning rush hour Friday, leaving at least 29 people injured but no one with life-threatening injuries. Police said the explosion was a terrorist attack, the fifth in Britain this year. On Twitter, Trump called the explosion another attack "by a loser terrorist." He also offered implied criticism of law enforcement, saying "these are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Asked about Trump's comments, May said, "I never think it's helpful for anybody to speculate on what is an ongoing investigation." Trump told reporters Friday morning that he had been briefed on the explosion, but did not provide further details. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster suggested later that Trump was speaking generally. Noting that law enforcement has been working to combat terrorism for years, McMaster said, "If there was a terrorist attack here, God forbid, that we would say that they were in the sights of the FBI." "I think he means generally that this kind of activity is what we are trying to prevent," McMaster said. The White House said Trump and May spoke Friday. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump's tweet "may have come up" but gave no further detail. At an event at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Trump said he offered prayers for London and said "radical Islamic terrorism it will be eradicated, believe me." As a candidate, Trump routinely railed against President Barack Obama and Democratic campaign rival Hillary Clinton for failing to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism." He has used the phrase more sparingly since taking office, avoiding it during his remarks on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Trump also used the moment to argue on Twitter that his travel ban targeting six mostly Muslim nations should be "far larger, tougher and more specific - but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" And Trump promoted his handling of extremist militants, saying the government should cut off internet access for such groups. "Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better!" he wrote on Twitter. He argued that his administration has "made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years." Trump concluded, "Must be proactive & nasty!" The president has used attacks before to argue for his ban and to lob trans-Atlantic criticism. After attacks in the London Bridge in June that claimed seven lives, he said on Twitter: "We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!" The president also has had dust-ups with allies over the use of intelligence. May protested to Trump after U.S. officials leaked information about a deadly bombing in Manchester in May. Photos showing crime scene evidence appeared in U.S. media; the bombing suspect's name was revealed while British officials were still withholding it. Trump said May was "very angry" over the leaks. Around that time, the president himself came under fire for reportedly disclosing classified material gathered by close ally Israel. Trump shared the information with Russian officials in an Oval Office meeting. A couple weeks ago we saw a bear but that's not too unusual, Tim Lynch said. As a long time runner at the West Harford Reservoir, Lynch has seen his share of surprises but what he and his friend Mike came across early Thursday morning beat them all. It looked like he was there for a while, his shirt was ripped, his glasses were in one place, his cell phone was in one place and his helmet was in another place," said Lynch. Lynch and his friend approached the bloody and banged up bicyclist who had taken a serious tumble off the Red Loop. Lynch said he knew the bicyclist was in rough shape. He was incoherent as to where he was, he knew who he was but he didn't know where he was so we kept on having to repeat that, Lynch said. Lynch soon realized the man had spent the night injured at the reservoir he and his friend then raced to the man's dying cell phone to call 911. We called and in a half an hour or 45 minutes later they were able to get up there. It's somewhat remote so we heard the sirens and it's not the easiest place to get to but they got there they took care of them quite quickly, Lynch said. Emergency workers rushed the man to Hartford hospital. His identity has not been released. Terrible, what a horrifying experience, Adrienne Gallagher said. Adrienne Gallagher among those now praising the efforts of Lynch and his friend. I hope that anyone would do the same and that as humans are supposed to be taking care of each other, Lynch said. But if you ask Lynch, he will tell you he's no hero, just a human helping another. No I think I did what anyone would do in that situation, he was vulnerable and hurt so I just hope he's ok," Lynch said. The biker's condition is still unknown but Lynch says he is thankful he and his friend were in the right place at the right time. People who live along Connecticuts coastline are keeping a close eye on the path of Jose in the Atlantic Ocean. Many know first-hand how devastating a tropical storm of hurricane can be for the shoreline. This was our 38th summer, said Wayne Capone, owner of Stowes Seafood in West Haven. Capone remembers the storm surge from Irene, Sandy and Hurricane Gloria in 1985. All three of them, he said, I got three feet of water where were standing right now, we got three feet of water, but when the tide went out, the water went out, I never had to pump the water out. For his business, Capone said the bigger issue is the possibility of losing power for an extended period of time. One of the hurricanes we didnt lose power at all, the second hurricane Sandy we lost power for 7 days, he said, thats when its a pain. With Jose heading toward the east coast, Capone said he will be checking the forecast. Absolutely, if it hits us in the middle of the week the way I look at that, thats better, Capone said, it will leave my weekends alone. In Milford, the neighborhood on East Broadway by the Silver Sands beach was hit hard by both storms in 2011 and 2012. I remember just walking down here, a lot of the homes were damaged after Sandy and Irene, Sally Whelan told NBC Connecticut. Whelan lives a little further inland, but she still worries what could happen if Jose reaches the Milford shoreline. That the people down here would have a lot of flooding and damage and all these beautiful homes might be wrecked, she said. Superstorm Sandy wrecked Dawn Theodorsens summer beach home that was built in the 1920s, she said. It was very, very emotional coming down here after that storm, Theodorsen said. I mean it looked like a warzone down here. When they rebuilt their house, they had it raised 13 feet off the ground. Other homeowners on the street chose not to do the same. I think were in good position this time, Theodorsen said. We built it so that it could withstand a storm. A storm surge from Jose next week could push water under her home. I think well have to move the boat and we will probably have to move all of our kayaks and paddle boards and our beach chairs and everything underneath, Theodorsen said, and well probably have to take the cars and park them somewhere else. For Whelan and her family, the main concern is a possible power outage from strong winds. So will you be tracking Jose the next couple of days? NBC Connecticut asked Whelan. I will now, she said, because you just informed me. I wasnt even aware of it, so I definitely will now thank you. With more sunshine in the forecast for this weekend, Capone said owning a shoreline business is worth the risk, even during hurricane season. You want to work or live on the water, he said, this is what you got to put up with, I mean its a tradeoff.People who live along Connecticuts coastline are keeping a close eye on the path of Jose in the Atlantic Ocean. Many know first-hand how devastating a tropical storm of hurricane can be for the shoreline. This was our 38th summer, said Wayne Capone, owner of Stowes Seafood in West Haven. Capone remembers the storm surge from Irene, Sandy and Hurricane Gloria in 1985. All three of them, he said, I got three feet of water where were standing right now, we got three feet of water, but when the tide went out, the water went out, I never had to pump the water out. For his business, Capone said the bigger issue is the possibility of losing power for an extended period of time. One of the hurricanes we didnt lose power at all, the second hurricane Sandy we lost power for 7 days, he said, thats when its a pain. With Jose heading toward the east coast, Capone said he will be checking the forecast. Absolutely, if it hits us in the middle of the week the way I look at that, thats better, Capone said, it will leave my weekends alone. In Milford, the neighborhood on East Broadway by the Silver Sands beach was hit hard by both storms in 2011 and 2012. I remember just walking down here, a lot of the homes were damaged after Sandy and Irene, Sally Whelan told NBC Connecticut. Whelan lives a little further inland, but she still worries what could happen if Jose reaches the Milford shoreline. That the people down here would have a lot of flooding and damage and all these beautiful homes might be wrecked, she said. Superstorm Sandy wrecked Dawn Theodorsens summer beach home that was built in the 1920s, she said. It was very, very emotional coming down here after that storm, Theodorsen said. I mean it looked like a warzone down here. When they rebuilt their house, they had it raised 13 feet off the ground. Other homeowners on the street chose not to do the same. I think were in good position this time, Theodorsen said. We built it so that it could withstand a storm. A storm surge from Jose next week could push water under her home. I think well have to move the boat and we will probably have to move all of our kayaks and paddle boards and our beach chairs and everything underneath, Theodorsen said, and well probably have to take the cars and park them somewhere else. For Whelan and her family, the main concern is a possible power outage from strong winds. So will you be tracking Jose the next couple of days? NBC Connecticut asked Whelan. I will now, she said, because you just informed me. I wasnt even aware of it, so I definitely will now thank you. With more sunshine in the forecast for this weekend, Capone said owning a shoreline business is worth the risk, even during hurricane season. You want to work or live on the water, he said, this is what you got to put up with, I mean its a tradeoff. Google compiled a list for NBC Connecticut on the top searches in the state with its most recent data. The data was split into two categories: top questions and top searches. Google was able to provide information with analytics from 2014, 2015 and 2016. This year's data has not been released yet. Questions over the three-year span ranged from "What is my IP address?" to "What time is it?" Searches included Facebook, YouTube and Google. The West Haven City Council has approved an ordinance aimed at curtailing dangerous bike riding by youth in the city. After complaints about teens doing dangerous bike stunts on city streets, the councils new ordinance is meant to curb that kind of behavior by seizing the bicycles of teenagers who behave badly. The ordinance states that minors under the age of 18 who are caught doing things like popping wheelies and trick riding in traffic might have their bikes seized by any member of The West Haven Police Department and impounded. A bicycle or motorized bicycle so impounded shall be surrendered to the owner, or if the owner is a minor, to the parents or guardians of such minor.There shall be a storage charge of twenty five dollars $25.00 per day for each impounded bicycle or motorized bicycle. West Haven residents tell NBC Connecticut they support the city doing something to stop kids from endangering their lives and the lives of others on city streets. West Haven resident Lorraine Davis hopes that teens who are issued fines will learn a lesson on their first offense. She also believes the city should offer classes to teens who are caught riding dangerously. To them, a bicycle is like owning a car. So they get out in the street and try to act like theyre driving a car. They just need to be taught some safety classes, she said. Levi Jordan, a stylist at Golden Bladez barbershop on Campbell Avenue, sometimes sees the dangerous bike riding thats the subject of the new ordinance. He said that while the new fines could work, hed rather see more places for youth to ride their bikes safely without endangering themselves or impeding traffic. Kids are kids and they love to ride. f they dont got a place, then theyre going to find a place. Create more environments for them to ride up and down in West Haven he said. Under the terms of the ordinance, the police department can hold seized bicycles for 30 days. If the bikes are not claimed within that period, they become property of the city. Police said they are looking for five people after a mattress was used to conceal the theft of $43,000 worth of new cellphones from an East Texas Sam's Club Sunday. Tyler police said four women and a man loaded a mattress and other merchandise onto a flat cart to hide them from view while they cut the lock off a storage unit to access the phones. Police said the women then hid the cellphones inside compartments of their clothing and walked out. Security video shows four women and one man driving away in a dark SUV. Tyler police asked anyone with information about this offense to call them at 903-531-1000 or Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833 (CUFF). A 20-year-old Texas sailor killed when his ship, the USS John McCain, collided with an oil tanker one day before he was to be promoted last month has been buried with full military honors. Electronics Technician 3rd Class John Henry Hoagland III was buried Thursday in the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen after a funeral service. The Killeen Daily Herald reports Hoagland's commanding officer, Capt. Victor Granados, and at least 30 sailors attended the funeral. Hoagland is one of 10 sailors who died Aug. 21 when the McCain and an oil tanker collided near Singapore. Granados says Hoagland was to be promoted the next day from petty officer 3rd class to petty officer 2nd class. Hoagland was promoted posthumously Thursday in a ceremony before his funeral. A charge has been filed against a Central Texas student on allegations he urinated in a teacher's drinking cup in April. The Waco Tribune-Herald reports that McLennan County juvenile prosecutors this week filed a harassment of a public servant charge against the Moody High School student. A hearing has been set for Oct. 2 in state district court. His attorney, Chadrick Henderson, says his client says he's not guilty. Moody police investigated the April incident and he was detained for two weeks in a juvenile justice center before being released in May. Moody Independent School District Superintendent Gary Martel said the boy, who remains a Moody student, was disciplined by the district in accordance with the student code of conduct. Hyperloop One announced ten winners of their Global Challenge that searched for the best routes to improve transportation between major cities around the world, and one of those winners features a Texas Hyperloop. More than 2,600 teams registered and in January the field was narrowed to the 35 strongest teams. "Hours of judging, interviews, and analysis by our engineers and business strategy teams yielded the ten winners of the Challenge," Hyperloop CEO Rob Lloyd wrote on a company blog. "The winning teams will get our support and resources to move their projects toward commercial readiness. The concept was envisioned by Tesla founder Elon Musk. It would feel a lot like flying in a plane, but you won't be in the air, you'd be traveling in a closed vacuum tube on the ground. It reaches speeds up to 700 miles per hour and has passengers riding in pods similar to high-speed rail trains, but since you'd be traveling in a tube, there would be no windows. The proposal for a Hyperloop in Texas, comes from company AECOM. Its proposal is for a 640-mile Texas corridor that would connect five of the top eight fastest growing cities in America Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and Houston. "These cities make up an area the size of Georgia, with a population expected to reach 33 million by 2030, about the current population of Australia," wrote Hyperloop One VP Strategic Communications Bruce Upbin on the company website. "A Hyperloop One system can connect them all with vehicle speeds of up to 700 mph." Another key feature of the proposal is combining the passenger system with a cargo hyperloop to the border city of Laredo, which is home to North America's busiest inland freight port. "The port of Laredo is arguably one of the most important economic assets to the country. Close to $300 billion in annual trade flows through it from Mexico, China, Japan, and Malaysia," wrote Upbin. "The combination of freight and passenger volumes, coupled with the efficiency of connections between so many economic hot spots, would maximize the potential of Hyperloop Ones fast, packetized transport system." A full-scale hyperloop is being tested in the Nevada desert. The company is hoping to have one in service by 2021. The chancellor of the University of California, Irvine, says the school has readmitted most of the 500 students whose admission offers were rescinded last month. Chancellor Howard Gillman apologized Wednesday for the "unacceptable distress" caused to students after the campus abruptly pulled the offers for the current fall semester. The Los Angeles Times reports Gillman said he could not fully explain what went wrong or craft a corrective plan until an internal audit is completed. He said the campus has readmitted all but about 50 students. Gillman made the comments during a meeting of University of California regents in San Diego. UC Irvine, one of ten schools in the state university system, has about 25,000 students at the campus in Orange County south of Los Angeles. A South Florida millionaire opened the doors of his Boca Raton mansion to dozens of foster kids who had nowhere to go after Hurricane Irma pummeled the area. "We got the call on noon Monday that the Sheriff threw out 70+ kids and their chaperones from their shelter after it lost power and had no place to go," Marc Bell wrote in a Facebook post describing the deed. Bell, a member of the SOS Children's Villages board of directors, received a call from the foster care organization asking for help. Without thinking twice, he and his wife, Jennifer, agreed to let the kids into their home, he said. The Bells' family and friends rallied to ensure that the children and their chaperones were comfortable and well accommodated. "Over 72 hours we served over 800 meals, entertained amazing kids who had no home, arranged for medical care, and most importantly an abundance of love," Bell wrote. The kids stayed at the Bells' lush home until power was restored at their homes. Bell created a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds to make the foster community habitable again. As of Thursday, the campaign had collected more than $50,000. The foster organization is also reaching out to the South Florida community for donations to support the more than 100 kids in its program in the wake of Irma. "Our children need your help," SOS said in a press release. The collected donations would go toward food and therapy for the programs kids affected by the storm. To learn more about the foster organization or to donate, click here. Amtrak is set to launch its popular window-covered Great Dome Car on the Adironack route in upstate New York in time for leaf-peeping season. Dubbed the "the prettiest fall train trip in the U.S." by Country Living, the Adirondack train, which travels from New York City all the way up to Montreal, offers spectacular views of changing tree colors and Lake Champlain vistas. People can board at New York Penn Station, but the Great Dome Car is only attached to the train at the Albany stop -- and then seats are first-come, first serve. The historic train car is virtually all window, allowing travelers to soak in all the gorgeous autumnal views. The trip from New York City to Montreal takes about 11 hours, and one-way tickets start at $69. The Great Dome Car will be available on the Adirondack route on select days from Thursday, Sept. 28 through Sunday, Oct. 29. Find more information at amtrak.com. The Great Dome Car is the only remaining dome car in Amtrak service. Built in 1955, it was previously used on the Chicago-Seattle Empire Builder route when the train was operated by the Great Northern Railway and the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad. 11 Places to Go Apple Picking With the Family in the Tri-State An improvised explosive device detonated aboard a subway in London during the Friday rush, sending British police on a manhunt in what was being investigated as a terrorist incident, NBC News reported. At least 29 people were injured in the blast at Parsons Green Tube station in the southwestern part of Britain's capital, though authorities said that none were serious and life-threatening. On Friday evening, the prime minister raised the threat level from international terrorism from severe to critical the highest level and an indicator that "an attack is expected imminently." The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bombing, according to the Associated Press. No arrests have been made, and police would not comment on the manhunt. A flaming bucket was seen with what appeared to be wires protruding from the bag holding it was seen in a photo shared on social media. The train did not appear extensively damaged. The explosion triggered a stampede as people fled. Emma Stevie, a 27-year-old makeup artist, was confronted with a "human crush of people" at the station. "Within five seconds my whole day had changed, I thought maybe my life had changed. I just had this feeling, 'Was I going to die?'" she said. Lafayette College freshman McCrae Williams attended a party off-campus the night before he was found unconscious at his dormitory last Sunday afternoon, sources have told NBC10. He apparently made it back to his room, the sources said, adding that a woman accompanied him from the party Saturday night to his dorm. They are the first details to emerge from an investigation that still leaves much unknown about what led up to Williams being found Sunday afternoon at Ruef Hall North on campus. He died Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital, officials said. Local police have begun talking with Lafayette students about the hours leading up to a call for medical help by fellow students Sunday, sources said. Police believe "a chain of events" led to his death. An autopsy released Wednesday by the Lehigh County coroner revealed that Williams died from blunt force trauma to his head. The coroner did not, however, release a manner of death, saying that may come after toxicology test results are finalized. Authorities told NBC10 that more details from the ongoing investigation could be released next week. Williams was set to play lacrosse at the Patriot League school. Family Photo Authorities in Easton, Pennsylvania, say the 19-year-old from Weston, Massachusetts, died with his parents at his side at Lehigh Valley Hospital around 5 p.m. Monday. Lafayette public safety officers responded to a medical emergency outside Ruef Hall North a dorm where about 150 first-year students live around 4:20 p.m. Sunday, Easton police said. "Investigators believe the chain of events leading to the medical emergency call started on Saturday in the late afternoon into the evening hours," police said in a news release. Dr. Catherine Hall, the head of school at Noble and Greenough School, where Williams played lacrosse in high school, announced that he died after falling and suffering a head injury. "McCrae fell over the weekend and suffered a major head injury," she wrote in a letter sent to parents. "Our hearts ache for McCrae's parents, Dianne and Chris, and his brother, Chase, as they face this unfathomable loss." Questions continue to surround the death of a Lafayette College student and lacrosse recruit who died after suffering a head injury from a fall. NBC10s Brandon Hudson shows us how the campus community showed their support Tuesday as the investigation into the 19-year-old students death continues. Easton Police, Lafayette College Public Safety, the Northampton County District Attorney's Office and the Lehigh County Coroner's Office are investigating Williams's death. "We extend our deepest sympathies to McCraes family and friends," Lafayette President Alison Byerly said in a letter sent to the college community. "We will share information about memorial plans when it becomes available." A vigil for Williams was held Tuesday night and counselors are available to students, the university said. Gov. Tom Wolf is delaying more than $1.7 billion in Medicaid and public pension payments that were due Friday and this upcoming Monday because the state government's main account has hit zero. The Medicaid payment was due Friday while the pension payment is due Monday. All week, state officials warned that bills would not be paid in full because of a nearly $2.2 billion hole in the budget that the General Assembly has not filled. NBC10 first reported that the state Treasurer would not bail out lawmakers by issuing another short-term loan. A House package passed Wednesday, but the Senate still needs to conference with the bill. That chamber is not scheduled to convene until Monday. "Without a completed budget, the commonwealths Treasurer and Auditor General have said they are not currently inclined to authorize the normal short-term lending that would typically allow for seasonal cashflow interruption," Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott said. "Delayed payments will remain stalled until funding exists to meet commitments." He said the treasury delayed $1.169 billion in payments to managed care providers for medical assistance services as well as $581 million in the state's share of pension obligations to the Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System (PSERS). Treasurer Joe Torsella warned state lawmakers that the general fund would run out of money Sept. 15. He previously issued a short-term loan to allow the government to meet its financial obligations through August. But he said more recently he would not issue another loan through what is called the Short-Term Investment Program (STIP). Torsella seemed inclined earlier in the week to issue another loan if the General Assembly approved a funding package that balances the 2017-2018 budget. The $32 billion budget was approved in June by the Republican-controlled General Assembly even though lawmakers knew of the revenue shortfall. The House did narrowly approve a funding package late Wednesday night. It relies on transfers of money from funds dedicated to transportation, environmental protection and numerous other state programs as well as future expected revenue. But Wolf expressed dissatisfaction with the House package. Abbott had told PennLive.com that it "fails the basic test of solving the fiscal problems." Here's a detailed look at what immediately happens when the general fund goes to zero. A former Pennsylvania state trooper who caused the deaths of his pregnant wife and their newborn daughter in what he characterized as a gun-cleaning accident at their home has pleaded guilty to criminal charges. Joseph Paul Miller pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter for causing the March 2014 deaths of JoAnna Miller and the baby she was carrying. The baby girl was delivered but died soon after. Miller, of Horsham, initially said the gun was about 10 feet away from his wife when it accidentally went off, but he later revised that distance to about 2 feet away. Prosecutors in suburban Philadelphia, however, said ballistics and forensics tests showed the gun was only 3 to 6 inches from his wife's head when it fired, and they charged him. Miller, who's 36, faces up to five to 10 years in prison when sentenced in the coming months. He has resigned from the state police and maintains custody of the couple's other children, said his attorney, Tim Woodward. "He's devastated, and not a day goes by that he doesn't miss his wife," Woodward said in a phone interview. "This is an unspeakable tragedy, the consequences of which will remain with Joe the rest of his life." JoAnna Miller, who was 34, had been 24 weeks pregnant when she was shot in the head in their family room while going through children's clothes to donate them. She delivered the baby, named Gillian, through an emergency C-section. Mother and daughter died soon after. Joseph Miller told investigators he had been taking apart a gun he owned in the family room to clean it when it discharged. In a 911 call he said: "I, ah, was cleaning. I was about to clean my gun, and I didn't realize there was a round ... I shot my wife." Miller remains out on bail while he waits to be sentenced in Montgomery County. Autopsy results show the missing pregnant Maryland teacher who was found dead was shot in the back of her head, police said. Laura Wallen, an Olney, Maryland, resident who was four months pregnant, had been missing for nine days. A search and rescue team found the 31-year-old's body about noon Wednesday in Damascus, Maryland, Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger said in a news conference Wednesday night. Wallen's boyfriend, Tyler Tessier, 32, was arrested hours later and charged with first-degree murder. On Monday, he spoke at a news conference with Wallen's family, holding his girlfriend's mother's hand. Police said Tessier was the father of Wallen's baby and had asked Wallen's father for permission to marry her despite being engaged to another woman. Wallen's father said she was expecting a baby boy. "He has been deceiving and lying their entire existence and their relationship was the only thing that Laura and her family ever fought about," Wallen's father, Mark Wallen, said after a judge ordered Tessier held without bond Thursday afternoon. Police said both women knew about their past relationships with Tessier, but both believed he was dating them exclusively. According to charging documents, Wallen sent Tessier's fiance a text message on Aug. 28 asking if the two could meet. "It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well. By no means is this an attempt at confrontation, just looking for an explanation," the text message read. A pregnant woman who had been missing for more than a week was found dead and her boyfriend has been charged in her murder. Police described a troubling text Laura Wallen sent before her death. News4's Shomari Stone reports. She was reported missing a week later. Tessier told police he last saw Wallen alive Sept. 4, but her family said they hadn't seen her since Sept. 1. Investigators have interviewed Tessier's fiancee, but police have not said whether they believe she was involved. Tessier, of Damascus, pleaded for his girlfriend's safe return. "If somebody has her, please understand that you've taken away a huge person in so many people's life," Tessier said Monday. "I don't know where she is. I don't know. I pray that she's safe and that she comes back. That's all I care about." Police had suspected Tessier's "involvement" since the investigation began, and allowed him to speak at the family's news conference as an investigation strategy, Manger said. "The decision to allow him to participate in that news conference was a calculated decision made by the detectives in this case for the express purpose of hearing what he had to say. It was done with the approval and knowledge of the victim's family," the police chief said. "He is a monster and he is a liar," Mark Wallen said. "And it was absolutely the hardest thing my wife could do would be to sit next to him and hold his hand." The investigation is ongoing. It could not immediately be determined if Tessier had an attorney. In addition to murder, he was charged with altering evidence and making a false statement to an officer. Grief counselors were available at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, on Thursday after missing teacher Laura Wallen was found dead Wednesday. "She was exemplary," district superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano said. "She led with her heart, care and compassion." News4's Justin Finch reports. Manger said Tessier was the last person known to have seen Wallen. Surveillance video shows the two together on Saturday, Sept. 2, at a grocery store near Wallen's home. Later that day, Wallen texted her sister and said Tessier had taken her on an "adventure" to a farm. "Tyler has me on an adventure in the country ... don't know why I'm here but it's for something," she wrote, court records say. "Really where are you?" her sister replied. "I'm waiting in a field," Wallen wrote. "Take a picture," her sister said. Wallen sent a photo of a large field with a tree line, police said. Her body was found in a shallow grave in what appears to be that same field. The property, near Prices Distillery Road, belongs to a close friend of Tessier, according to charging documents. Manger said the property owner was found not to have any involvement with her murder. Two days later, Wallen's sister received a "troubling" text message from Wallen's phone on Monday, Sept. 4, that "were not consistent with the writing style she has come to know," police said. Manger said Tessier is believed to have sent the text, which read, "The baby isn't Tyler's." The text went on to claim the baby belonged to an ex-boyfriend, a man police say she hadn't seen in two years. According to charging documents, the name of the ex-boyfriend was misspelled in the text, which Wallen's sister found odd. Police said Tessier gave conflicting statements about his last interactions with Wallen. According to charging documents, Tessier initially told police he last saw her on Monday, Sept. 4. During that meeting, Tessier said Wallen was "crying hysterically" and asked him to give her back the key to her home. Tessier claimed he later asked her to meet him at Columbia Mall, but she never showed up. Tessier said he then went back to her home but didn't go inside because he no longer had a key, according to police. But a neighbor later told police Tessier was seen walking Wallen's dog that afternoon. Wallen's family found the dog inside her locked home that evening. During his last interview with police, Tessier claimed Wallen had said he was not the father of her child, adding that she needed to tell her ex-boyfriend he was the father, charging documents state. Manger said Tessier then drove Wallen's Ford Escape to the Columbia area, and he admitted to getting rid of the front tag. Tessier also admitted to throwing out Wallen's driver's license and iPhone, Manger said. Tessier told police he got rid of the items to "buy her time," charging documents say. When police asked him to spell the name of the ex-boyfriend, investigators say he misspelled it the same distinctive way it was misspelled in the text message to Wallen's sister. A vigil for a missing Maryland woman's safe return became a gathering to grieve after news of her murder. News4's Jackie Bensen reports some students who knew Laura Wallen are angered and upset. Wallen was a beloved social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High, and students and coworkers worried when she failed to show up for the first day of school on Sept. 5. Wallen's Ford Escape was then found Sept. 7 at an apartment complex in Howard County. The SUV was not far from Wilde Lake High and was across the street from the Columbia Mall, according to investigators. Tessier also texted an acquaintance Sept. 3 asking for a ride to Baltimore and their help "to clean up a mess," Manger said. That person declined to help. Wallen's body was finally found on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Members of a search team saw a freshly dug area on a large farm in Damascus, and cadaver-sniffing dogs found Wallen's shallow grave. A purple piece of fabric was in plain view, police said. Tessier was living in three different locations, Manger said, adding that police have interviewed everyone who he lived with. "Laura is in the loving arms of God now," Mark Wallen told a News4 reporter via text message on Wednesday. Wallen was a beloved social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland. Her students and coworkers worried when she failed to show up for the first day of school on Sept. 5. "She was exemplary," district superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano said early Thursday. "She led with her heart, care and compassion." Grief counselors were available at the school. "She was exemplary," district superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano said early Thursday. "She led with her heart, care and compassion." Wallen's family said she was excited about her pregnancy and posted her sonogram on her refrigerator. Friends said she spent the days before her death preparing her classroom for the new school year. Grief counselors were available at the school. "We were praying for a good, old fashioned miracle. God did not give us the miracle that I asked for, but he did give us a miracle nonetheless. We have our daughter back," Mark Wallen said. Laura Wallen's family said Friday her funeral will be held on Sept. 30 at Lutheran Church of St. Andrew in Silver Spring, Maryland. The family is asking for people to donate to one of two organizations in lieu of flowers: Dream Outside the Box, which is a nonprofit that teaches science to underpriveleged kids, and In Honor of Her, a domestic violence nonprofit. The Trump administration is poised to extend sanctions relief to Iran, avoiding imminent action that could implode the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, even as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday accused Tehran of not respecting the entire agreement. The administration's next move in its monthslong review of its Iran policy was expected later Thursday, when President Donald Trump faced a deadline to decide on extending waivers that allow Iran to conduct much of its international commerce. The waivers were first issued by the Obama administration and are America's part of the deal's central bargain. In exchange for Tehran rolling back its nuclear program, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to suspend wide-ranging oil, trade and financial penalties that had choked the Iranian economy. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the deal, but has yet to pull out of it. The White House is seeking ways to find that Tehran is not complying with the agreement. "The Trump administration is continuing to review and develop its policy on Iran," Tillerson said at a news conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in London. Trump has made clear that "we must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just its nuclear capabilities," the top U.S. diplomat said, citing obligations to uphold regional and international security. "Iran is clearly in defiance of these obligations," Tillerson said, pointing to its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, cyber activity and testing of ballistic missiles. Iran rejects that it has broken the agreement. And it can point to a U.N. report this week showing that Iran was meeting the conditions on its nuclear program set out in the accord. The July 2015 deal was reached by Iran, the U.S., Britain, France, China, Germany and Russia. Trump faces a couple of deadlines. Under U.S. law, the president must certify to Congress every 90 days whether Iran is adhering to the agreement. If the president doesn't certify compliance, Congress has 60 days to decide whether to re-impose sanctions lifted under the agreement. The next certification deadline is Oct. 15. But first Trump must decide to extend sanctions relief to Iran under a separate clock. Administration officials say Trump was ready to do so and that no serious alternatives have been presented with the caveat that Trump could still change his mind. The bigger question they and people outside government are pointing to is the one in a month's time. Several officials and people close to the matter have described Trump as determined to "decertify" Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal at that point a finding that would jeopardize the entire agreement. The officials weren't authorized to discuss such internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Tillerson said talks continue with the president and his senior advisers, but "no decision has been made." Trump, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, said he is inclined not to certify Iranian compliance after having twice found it compliant at earlier deadlines. Iran deal opponents inside and outside the administration argue that Tehran's full compliance is unproven, particularly on allowing nuclear inspections at military sites. They argue that at the very least Iran is violating the spirit of the agreement with its ballistic missile tests. Those, however, aren't specifically covered in the nuclear agreement. Whatever step by the Trump administration on Thursday, it will set the stage for talks on the agreement's future with European allies and others during next week's U.N. General Assembly. Standing beside Tillerson, Britain's Johnson compared the tensions over North Korea's nuclear advance with the relative certitude that the Iran deal has provided. Johnson said there are two sides to the deal: The Islamic Republic behaving itself, and the U.S. and the others ensuring Iran enjoys economic benefits. Iran, with its young population, "could be won over to a new way of thinking," Johnson said, adding that he has pushed that argument with Tillerson and other Americans. Associated Press writer Bradley Klapper contributed to this report. Eater San Diego shares the top stories of the week from our local food and drink scene, including another Shake Shack restaurant coming to San Diego this time to Mission Valley plus, a look inside Little Italy's grand new steakhouse. Mission Valley Scores Second Local Shake Shack The global burger company's expansion plans now extend to Mission Valley. Shake Shack confirmed to Eater that it would be opening a stand-alone eatery in The Millennium Mission Valley development before the end of the year. It will follow the brand's San Diego debut in Westfield UTC. Stunning Luxury Steakhouse Opens in Little Italy CH Projects (Ironside, Polite Provisions) reveals one of the biggest openings of the year in Little Italy: Born & Raised, a two-story steakhouse in India Street. The swanky restaurant is a nearly three-year, $6.5 million project that features a no-expense-spared design and a menu that brings back the classics of steakhouses. Liberty Public Market Adds RakiRaki Ramen and Pokirrito With popular eateries in Kearny Mesa and Little Italy, RakiRaki Ramen and Pokirrito have popped up as new tenants at Liberty Public Market. The food stalls, which launched this week, offer an array of menu signatures ranging from ramen and sushi burritos to salads, poke bowls and more. Where to Eat and Drink in Oceanside Oceanside is one of North County's fast-growing food destinations. Eater navigates the neighborhood's best dining options, offering a map of 15 local restaurants to try right now that specialize in everything from ramen and sushi to pizza, craft beer, farm-to-table and more. Craft Brewery and Casual Eatery Entering Barrio Logan Attitude Brewing Company is headed to the heart of Barrio Logan with a craft brewery that's aiming to draw beer enthusiasts from both sides of the border. When it opens later this year, it will also include an eatery offering gourmet wraps, burgers, and salads. Candice Woo is the founding editor of Eater San Diego, a leading source for news about San Diegos restaurant and bar scene. Keep up with the latest Eater San Diego content via Facebook or Twitter, and sign up for Eater San Diegos newsletter here. Investigators Friday arrested a United States Marine on suspicion of fatally shooting his estranged wife in her Laguna Hills apartment. Deputies conducting a welfare check at the apartment building in the 25000 block of Via Lomas about 2:30 p.m. Thursday found the 23-year-old woman dead, Jaimee Blashaw of the Orange County Sheriff's Department said. The woman's name was being withheld today, pending notification of family. "Jerel Boykins, a United States Marine, was detained by Marine Corps NCIS at Camp Pendleton a short time after deputies found the deceased," Blashaw said. "He subsequently was arrested early (today) by Orange County Sheriff's Department investigators on suspicion of murder." Boykins, 26, of Laguna Hills, was booked into the Orange County Jail, and was being held on $1 million bail. He is expected to appear in court on Monday. A spokesman for Camp Pendleton told NBC San Diego that Marine Corps Base Camp enforcement assisted with the arrest, "which took place off base in Orange County, Calif.," a statement read. "Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident at this time." Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the sheriff's department at (714) 647-7000. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS. The United States military has in its custody an American person who surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces after fighting for ISIS in Syria, NBC News reported. U.S. officials have previously said that roughly 250 people left the U.S. to join ISIS. It's not clear how many remain. The American who surrendered Tuesday hasn't been publicly identified. He was taken into custody during a battle in the Deir-al-Zour region, which the Daily Beast first reported. "The U.S. citizen is being legally detained by Department of Defense personnel as a known enemy combatant," Pentagon spokesman Maj. Adrian J.T. Rankine-Galloway said. A Carroll County middle school teacher who won a teacher of the year award was arrested Wednesday on child sex charges, police said. Kenneth Brian Fischer, 39, of Westminster, Maryland, is charged in Virginia for four counts of solicitation of a minor, police said. Fairfax County police say they identified Fischer through an online chat investigation that began Aug. 31. A detective posing as a 14-year-old boy used an unidentified phone app that pings people nearby to talk or socialize. The suspect started a conversation with the detective and asked for sexual contact -- even though police said the suspect believed he was in contact with a minor. Fischer also allegedly sent explicit images to the detective. Police say the images presumably were pictures of Fischer. An investigation ensued, and detectives learned that Fischer lived in Maryland. At this point, Virginia police contacted Maryland police for assistance. Units from the Maryland State Police, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and Westminster County Police cooperated to serve Fischer a search warrant for his home 5:40 a.m. Wednesday. Fischer was arrested as police searched his home. Electronic and digital devices were seized from his home and will be analyzed by digital forensic investigators in Virginia. Fischer was detained at the Carroll County Detention Center Wednesday morning, awaiting extradition to Virginia. He is only charged in Virginia while the investigation continues, police said. Fischer was a teacher at Westminster West Middle School when he was arrested. The school told WBAL that he was suspended without pay. Fischer has worked in schools as a teacher and administrator since 2000. He has worked in multiple other Carroll County schools, including North Carroll High School, Winters Mill High School Francis Scott Key High School, Manchester Valley High School, Sykesville Middle School and Mt. Airy Middle School. Police believe there may be other victims in Northern Virginia and Maryland, and set up a hotline where victims can report information and seek assisstance. Call (443) 373-1684 or email crimeline@ccg.carr.org to contact law enforcement. Hundreds of pro-Trump demonstrators gathered in Washington, D.C. Saturday donning "Make America Great Again" garb in support of the president's "America First" agenda. A short distance away, about two dozen counter-protesters gathered in Lafayette Square park across from the White House to demand that President Donald Trump take stronger action against Russia in response to Moscow's interference in the 2016 election. At the Lincoln Memorial, about 1,500 so-called juggalos supporters of the rap group Insane Clown Posse convened to demand that the FBI rescind its classification of juggalos as a "loosely organized hybrid gang." The National Parks Service braced for crowds in the thousands, but as the events opened there were sparse groups of people gathered on the north end of the mall near the Washington Monument. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More The Mother of All Rallies Patriots Unification Gathering on the National Mall began at 10 a.m. ET and was scheduled to end at 5 p.m. ET. The Juggalos March began at noon at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and was slated to close with a concert at the memorials plaza. Organizers of the MOAR event said the purpose of their demonstration was to seek "protection of traditional American culture while they express their love for the United States and the America First agenda," a message on the groups website says. Although far fewer people turned out than the organizers expected, perhaps not surprising in Washington, an overwhelmingly Democratic town, the demonstrators were determined to show their support for the president. "We are here to tell the world, the media and the Congress, not just the Democrats but the Republicans as well, that President Trump has our full support and that it's time to drain this swamp," one of the speakers said from the stage as the crowd applauded. Trump was not in town to appreciate his supporters. He was spending the weekend at his golf club in New Jersey before attending the U.N. General Assembly next week. At one point during the rally, a group of Black Lives Matter activists appeared near the stage. But the momentary tension was defused when one of the Trump rally organizers invited them onstage and offered one of them a microphone. "It's your right to say whatever you believe, and it's their (the crowd's) right to let you know what they think about what you're saying,'' the rally organizer said. "The important thing is that everybody has a right to speak their mind." The Insane Clown Posse and its fans marched against what they say is discriminatory treatment by law enforcement. A 2011 report by the Justice Department's Gang Task Force placed the juggalos, who favor extensive tattoos and outlandish face paint, in the same classification as overtly violent gangs like the Bloods and the Crips. The report said juggalos are "forming more organized subsets and engaging in more gang-like criminal activity." The Insane Clown Posse is suing the Justice Department over a 2011 FBI report that describes the rap-metal duos devoted fans, the Juggalos, as a dangerous gang. The group claims to be a nonviolent community subject to largely class-based discrimination by law enforcement. Jason Webber, an organizer of the Juggalo march and publicst for the ICP's record label Psychopathic Records, alleges the characterization "exposed law-abiding Juggalos to harassment and discrimination by police, employers and others," NBC News reported. The band, along with the ACLU, sued the FBI in 2014 seeking to change the classification but with little success so far. While both events have explicitly urged participants in their codes of conduct to not use violence during their respective gatherings, many feared the possibility of clashes in the wake of the violent Charlottesville, Virginia, demonstrations where a young woman was killed when a car plowed into a group of people protesting a white nationalist rally. Photos posted on social media Friday ahead of the events showed Juggalos and Trump supporters coming together, united over what they claim is a free speech issue. "Juggalos and Trump supporters unite chanting "USA USA" #MOAR #JuggaloMarch, Twitter user Jack Posobiec captioned a photo of the two groups gathered. https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/909096707593572352 Webber says the group is apolitical, but added that many of the bands songs speak out against racism and bigotry. And though organizers of MOAR say they "condemn racists of all colors and supremacy of all colors" in their mission statement, Peter Boykin, president of Gays for Trump and a speaker at the conservative rally, said in an interview with The Washington Post ahead of the event that he will speak out against what he calls "Sharia law, transgender men and women in the military and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program" in his speech. Wrapping around those events will be the annual Fiesta D.C. parade celebrating Latino culture. The annual parade is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. along Constitution Avenue NW. Earlier Saturday, runners participated in the Race To Beat Cancer 5K. The event benefiting cancer research celebrates survivors, and honors those who have lost their battles with cancer. Inside the bride-to-be's pre-nuptial diet and fitness plan Overall, the NPS said it has issued permits for more than 35 events, including a wedding, making Saturday one of the busiest days of the year for the Metropolitan Police Department. D.C. police said it plans to be "out in full force" to help manage the gridlock conditions brought on by several planned road closures. A full list of planned road closures can be found here. Police say they were ready for the protests, which are nothing new in the nation's capital. "Right now, there's a demonstration of some sort happening at the White house. I guarantee you," Jeffery Carroll, assistant chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, said Friday. "It's part of D.C. It's in the fabric of the city." The average Dominion residential electric customer in Virginia is billed an excess of $68 per year, according to one groups calculations, but dont expect to see a refund anytime soon. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled 6-1 on Thursday that the General Assembly is within its constitutional authority to temporarily suspend state regulators' ability to adjust a portion of electric rates if a company produces excess profits. This upholds a state law that has blocked millions of dollars in refunds to electric customers. The 2015 law, which was shepherded through the General Assembly by Dominion Energy and passed with broad bipartisan support, was touted by proponents as a way to prevent rate spikes because of uncertainty on carbon regulations. "We are pleased the court affirmed the constitutional and statutory authority of the General Assembly to make policy decisions for the Commonwealth," said Dominion spokesman David Botkins. The law shields companies from having to give refunds or lower their rates for several years, even if regulators have found their base rates -- which make up a majority of customers' bills -- are too high. During the same period, it also bars utilities from raising their base rates if they aren't enough to cover their costs. The legal challenge was brought by a group of large industrial electric customers and advocates for the poor. They and other critics of the law said it guts the State Corporation Commission, which is tasked with setting electric rates and was established more than a century ago as a bulwark against the politically powerful railroad companies. Dominion, the largest corporate donor to state lawmakers, is now the top power broker at the Capitol. There is little dispute the law has helped the utilities' profits. Using Dominion's own figures, state regulators calculated in a recent report that the company's customers would be due about a $130 million refund on bills paid in 2015 and 2016. Appalachian Power, the state's other large regulated monopoly, had overearnings of more than $20 million in 2016, according to the report. The investment bank Goldman Sachs issued a report in June saying that the legal challenge to the law presented a "downside risk" to Dominion's bottom line. But Dominion has said its rates are fair and the law is needed because of the continued risk that pricey new regulations will be implemented for carbon-emitting power plants. Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced plans earlier this year to regulate emissions from power plants, saying Virginia "cannot afford to sit idly by" as President Donald Trump rolls back his predecessor's efforts to battle climate change. Democratic state Sen. Chap Petersen, a critic of the 2015 law, said the court's ruling was disappointing. He plans to try to overturn the law during next year's legislative session. "There's a lot more public scrutiny on these laws and on these votes," Petersen said. "Now people are seeing exactly what they voted on in 2015." U.S. Virgin Islands officials on Thursday confirmed dock security in hurricane-ravaged St. Thomas prevented more than two dozen stranded people from boarding a ferry last week set to carry 600 Marriott customers to Puerto Rico. "What occurred with the non-Marriott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," said Beverly Nicholson-Doty, commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. "Marriott acted quickly to secure their ferry because they already had a list of names from the hotels for their manifest. So they were able to move a lot quicker. We had visitor centers opened to register guests and have them evacuated." "We know people were anxious to leave but we still had to follow protocol," she said. Social media erupted with outrage over the incident and some stranded visitors said Marriott had left them behind despite having room for hundreds of people. Marriott International said they did not the authority to allow non-Marriott guests onto their chartered ferry. One of the stranded visitors documented the ferry leaving behind victims of Hurricane Irma in a Facebook video, saying she was being denied access by the Marriott crew. Another stranded visitor wrote in a Facebook post that the company denied "humanitarian aid to women, elderly people and children." Nicholson-Doty with the U.S. Virgin Islands said other cruise ships were set up to have as many people as possible evacuated before another storm hit. Stranded visitors were required to go to a 24-hour visitor center and register for evacuation. A second storm, Hurricane Jose, was unpredictable and Marriott had a short window of time to get visitors on their way, Tim Sheldon, president of Caribbean and Latin America for Marriott International, earlier said in a detailed interview with Forbes. The company also was prevented from taking others by dock security, he said. Marriot International released a statement giving details of the incident: "On Friday, Marriott was able to secure a ferry to transport about 600 of our guests from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico. These were guests who had to stay behind after the airport closed in advance of Hurricane Irma. The ferry departed St. Thomas Friday, September 8, with the Marriott guests onboard. There were a number of additional people gathered at the dock who were not our guests who also expressed a desire to leave St. Thomas. We very much wanted to assist these other travelers to Puerto Rico, however, the Marriott team on-the-ground was told they had no authorization to board additional passengers who were not on the manifest. This was enforced by dock security. With Hurricane Jose on a path to St. Thomas, the ferry had a tight window to pick up passengers and safely depart. As a company, Marriott places a priority on the safety and security of our guests, but we also have a long tradition of looking out for the greater community. In this case, we werent able to help and as grateful as we are that we were able to transport our guests, we are saddened that we were not able to do the same for more people. We continue to work with local authorities in St. Thomas to help support the relief efforts there." According to FEMA, since Sept. 11, nearly 443,000 meals and 146,000 liters of water have been transferred to St. Thomas and St. John. "We recognize the damage. We are working on relief and recovery. We have a journey ahead of us," Nicholson-Doty said. The alleged gunman in two separate homicides in Boston on Sunday has been arrested. Lance Holloman was charged Friday in connection with a shooting death on Interstate 93 as well as another fatal shooting in Dorchester on Sunday night. Holloman, 30, of Dorchester, had previously been considered a person of interest in both shootings. He was arrested Monday morning in Franklin on three unrelated warrants but was not charged in connection with the Boston homicides until Friday morning. He now stands charged with murder, armed assault with intent to murder and other offenses for allegedly shooting 32-year-old Scott M. Stevens Jr. of Taunton and his 54-year-old father as they rode their motorcycles southbound on I-93 near the Neponset Avenue exit in Dorchester around 5 p.m. Sunday. Stevens died of his injuries on Wednesday; his father is expected to survive. Holloman is also charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 24-year-old Michaela Gingras of Manchester, New Hampshire, inside a residence on Santuit Street in Dorchester. She was pronounced dead at the scene late Sunday night. Holloman is currently being held without bail at Suffolk County Jail and is expected to be arraigned at a later date. It's unclear if he has an attorney. Police are investigating a possible assault at the Boys and Girls Club in Dudley, Massachusetts. According to police, a staff member is accused of assaulting students. The phone call came from inside this building. The call from a 12-year-old her voice full of panic. When a 12-year-old girl called her grandmother Tuesday, Stacey Lundy-Teixeira was shocked at what she heard. Her granddaughter says a staff member, smelling of alcohol, walked up to her. "He pulled her hair, told her he was going to smack the braces off her face," Lundy-Teixeira said. The girl went on, telling her grandmother the staff member also told several children, aged 6 and 7, they had to give him a hug and a kiss if they wanted a cookie. "My heart breaks for all the children that have been there," Lundy-Teixeira said. In a statement, the Boys and Girls Club says it fired the staffer and called Dudley Police, who are investigating and conducting interviews. They didn't know the victim was there. But as the Plymouth County Technical Rescue Team rounded a devastating mound of rubble, they found him trapped under a slab of concrete. The team scrambled to stabilize him and figure out how to get the concrete off without injuring him further. "We just need an inch," said Steve Silva who doubles as a paramedic for the fire department in Middleboro, Massachusetts. "We only need an inch." The team was responding to a fictional terrorist attack a car bomb outside a town hall meeting. The drill is one of the largest the state has seen, with 700 first responders training for mass casualty events at Camp Edwards. Half are Massachusetts National Guard troops, half are members of the state's elite regional technical rescue teams. "Tech rescue teams are called in when the local fire department can't handle they don't have the resources, they don't have the manpower or they don't have the equipment," said PCTRT member and Hingham Firefighter Mark Durling. This day, the teams test their equipment and skills in situations that once seemed impossibilities. "It is real for us," said First Lieutenant Tiffany Medeiros with the Massachusetts National Guard. "We are a no-notice mission. We get the call and we move out. It's not if. It's when." The real world leaked into the drill as news of Friday morning's London subway bomb spread. Pat Travers calls it a sign of the times. The Whitman firefighter says his department was just issued bulletproof vests. "As a firefighter-paramedic, I never thought that I would have to wear a ballistic vest on a call," he said. "But we do. It's a different world." A yellow lab and her handler scuttle across the parking lot. Pak and firefighter Andrew Solden are with the Norfolk County Technical Rescue Team. The pair recently joined the state FEMA team, as well. "This training lets her work with people around her," said Solden. "All the noises real life experience." Pak's job is to sniff out victims who are still alive. She alerts, and two survivors crawl out of dusty crevices in the collapsed building. "Two for two," said Solden. "That's a good day." In this 72-hour drill that started Friday night, teams have no idea what their assignment will be and are thrown curveballs the radio failed, victims are belligerent, the structure's failing a storm is moving in. "We're thinking on the run," said Silva. "There are time delays. There are challenges." "It helps us step up our game," added Travers. That game is not only for terrorist attacks or natural disasters. These firefighters and their training pivot to the more mundane, but no less devastating, such as car crashes, trench collapses or construction accidents, on a dime. "It gives the public a great advantage [to survive], as well," Silva said. The drill is funded largely by federal homeland security grants. It continues through Saturday. A "magical" ice castle is coming back to New England this winter. Ice Castles, which builds the popular castles across the United States and Canada, announced in a Facebook post it is returning to Lincoln, New Hampshire. The ice castles are built by hand using icicles harvested by the company. In the past, the castles have featured archways, tunnels, ice slides and glacial waterfalls that light up at night. In addition to the New Hampshire location, ice castles will be built in Utah, Minnesota, and Colorado; as well as locations in Canada. Massachusetts fire and building officials have joined those in Boston in reviewing safety and fire prevention requirements on construction sites of large wood-frame buildings, the state fire marshal said Thursday. Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said his office, along with the two state commissions charged with overseeing state codes, is reviewing the building code and an upcoming fire code update for ways to prevent construction site fires. Ostroskey told NBC Boston about this review in the wake of a third wood-frame building fire, early Thursday morning in Weymouth. "Within the context of these recent incidents, we've undertaken some additional scrutiny with respect to these incidents and what code implications there might be," he said. A fire burned through the top floors of an apartment building in the Ashmont section of Dorchester in June, and another fire destroyed a large apartment complex under construction in Waltham in July. The fire marshal's office does not review or enact building or fire code. But Ostroskey said his office is reviewing existing code with the state Board of Building Regulations and Standards, which oversees the Massachusetts building code, and the Board of Fire Prevention Regulations, which oversees the fire code. "I think we have to take a look at the fires, the causes of these fires, and the significance of them with respect to the codes and how they work," he said. Those buildings were not completed and inspected at the time of the fires. In Dorchester, the walls were up, but the sprinklers were off. In Waltham, parts of the complex were still open and without sprinkler systems. The cause of the Weymouth fire is still under investigation, but the building was in various stages of completion. None of the buildings were occupied at the times of the fires. No one was injured in Weymouth, and firefighters suffered minor injuries in Waltham and Dorchester. Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph E. Finn and Inspectional Services Commissioner William Christopher in July announced that they would review the citys regulations. "During construction, when the building is the most vulnerable, is where Joe and our teams are going to look together for things we can improve so this situation doesn't repeat itself," Christopher said then. The NBC Boston Investigators began digging into wood frame construction after the June Dorchester fire. Many wood frame buildings, including the one in Dorchester, use lightweight engineered wood, which is comprised of pressed wood chips to form either a solid beam or an I-beam. Those materials are used in floor and ceiling systems to allow for larger rooms and higher ceilings. Finn said that while the Ashmont building still smoldered behind him in June, the I-beams in the ceiling of the building began to fail shortly after his crews arrived. He immediately called them off the roof as machinery and equipment began to fall through. "Lightweight construction has some hazards to firefighters," Ostroskey said Thursday. "Certainly they're sound practice prior to introducing a fire to the building, but those components will change the way the tactics and strategies the fire departments use." According to studies and fire and construction experts, the I-beams in particular can fail quickly if the pressed wood chips in the middle burn, meaning people and objects can fall through floors. But officials and experts emphasized that once the drywall is up, and smoke detectors and sprinkler systems are operational, the risks associated with those materials, and wood materials in general, drop significantly. "Once these buildings are constructed and are in operation, they are fully closed and have working systems, they are safe buildings to occupy," Ostroskey said. A revision to the International Building Code, which Massachusetts and most states base their codes on, allowed for larger and taller wood-frame construction. Builders like it because it is quicker and easier to work with, and cheaper than concrete and steel. Officials determined the Dorchester fire started because an exhaust pipe from a generator in the basement was just inches from combustible materials in the wall near the ceiling. The building code requires such exhaust pipes to be at least 12 inches on all sides from combustible materials. That building was finished, but the sprinkler system was turned off. It was due for a final inspection, when the sprinklers would have been pressurized and tested, the day after the fire. The Waltham fire, which started early on a Sunday morning, was ruled arson. The fire marshal's office is still looking for the public's help to solve that crime. Anyone with information should call the states arson hotline at 800-682-9229. The state is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that helps to solve the crime of arson. And the contractor, Callahan Construction, is offering up to $100,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Police in Salem, New Hampshire, are searching for four missing children believed to have been taken by their father in a case of custodial interference across state lines. The children's mother filed a police report Monday saying that her ex-husband had driven their four children to Colorado and was refusing to bring them home. The mother has full custodial rights and made an agreement for their father to take the children for a short time while she got situated. Police said the father is now refusing to bring the children back to New Hampshire. They range in age from 3 to 9. The father, 30-year-old Matthew Giovanditto, has a last known address in Taunton, Massachusetts, according to police. He is believed to be driving a white 2015 Chevrolet Traverse with New Hampshire disabled veterans plate 2559. He is believed to be hauling a white 2000 Jayco Eagle pop-up camper with New Hampshire registration T400759. Police said they believe Giovanditto and the four children have been staying in campgrounds and parking lots in the Denver-Colorado Springs area, but that has not been confirmed. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Giovanditto and his children is urged to contact Salem police Detective Mike Geha at 603-890-2321. Dogs and cats that survived Hurricane Irma in Miami arrived in New Hampshire Thursday afternoon in hopes of finding a new family to love them. A private plane carrying the animals landed safely on drier ground at Portsmouth International Airport. "It's great to know we are doing something good while we are doing our job," said one of the pilots, Jennifer Perez. The 10 dogs and 16 cats were homeless before Irma and rode out the storm in various shelters in the Miami area. "It is heart wrenching," said NHSPCA Executive Director Lisa Dennison. "I was told there were dogs swimming in water and a shelter that lost its roof." The animals are being moved out of those shelters down south, to make room for pets that were left behind during the floods. "We learned after Katrina, it was so important to keep animals locally displaced, local," Dennison said. She says that way when families come back home, they have a better chance of finding their animals. "It's so vital to have that relationship maintained if possible," Dennison said. These 26 pets will join 16 other Irma cats already settled in at the NHSPCA. And we're told they'll be getting plenty of familiar company from Florida as the cleanup there continues. "We just want to help however we can," Dennison said. "It's the beginning of what will be many more flights." The NHSPCA plans to take in as many Irma pets as possible in the coming months. This first group will be up for adoption by next week. Check with NHSPCA website for updates on which hurricane animals are available and ready for their new home. FILM REVIEW: Kathryn Bigelow directs one of the darkest chapters in American history in Detroit Detroit (15) Running time 2hr 23min Rating: **** FOR all the awards pizazz, the recent films of Kathryn Bigelow remain problematic cases Zero Dark Thirty has been dogged by readings as a pro-torture tract, while its far from clear if The Hurt Locker was able to capitalise upon its billing as a realistic Iraq War movie. The announcement of Detroit, the directors take on one of the murkiest episodes in US racial history, was met, therefore, with uneasy rumblings in many quarters though Bigelows reputation as an unrepentant Bushie is probably undeserved, there was always the prospect that a current of conservatism could poison her latest venture, producing a distasteful, even revisionist, narrative. Happily, Detroit is not only a movie that largely lives up to its docudrama aspirations, but a piece of ruthlessly activist cinema that is never afraid to startle and polarise and provoke, encasing the viewer in a paranoid cocoon from which they are unlikely to emerge completely intact. Theres more than a hint of Dunkirk about the films unrelenting anxiety, but whereas Christopher Nolans masterful contribution to the summer zeitgeist was a strictly historical work, the struggle depicted herein, between black youth and the white state, is one definitive of the modern American psyche, that grinds endlessly on at an incalculable cost. Theres nothing in the way of a resolution, let alone a final-reel, punch-the-air triumph; its a cold, angry document, possessed of a palpable sense of indignation. In case you missed the buzz: in 1967, the city of Detroit, in the grip of a racially-charged riot from which it has never recovered, witnessed the deaths of three black teenagers in an apparent act of gross police overreach. On the scene was a security guard (played here by John Boyega) who, Bigelow credibly alleges, has been wrongly implicated in the killings, in the interest of protecting a gang of racist cops (embodied by a sneering, sadistic Will Poulter). The shocking events are pieced together with journalistic precision and shot with a technical aptitude that might, in less accomplished hands, have diminished the raw brutality of the subject matter, but which actually enhances it, every blow and volley landing as sickeningly hard as it should. Much like Nolan, Bigelow takes a deliciously paradoxical approach to her characters, allowing us into the most private of spaces and setting us in the middle of the direst of situations while maintaining an uncompromising distance. Detroits success is anchored in this stylistic quirk, which steers an explosive premise clear of tactlessness without resorting to censorship. Even the casting choices are bound to raise eyebrows baby-faced Will Poulter, a London native, is in decidedly foreign territory here, and his loathsome part was an undoubtedly difficult act to carry off, but the performances are striking and believable. If, in this post-Schindlers List age, there remained any question of what CANNOT be dramatised, Detroit should silence the pessimists, taking a flagrant true-life injustice (one indicative of black Americas plight today, in the eyes of many) and converting it into a searing, unabatingly vicious vision. Ms Bunting steps down from role to focus on her career as a TV producer Judith Bunting - Liberal Democrat JUDITH Bunting, who was the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Newbury in the 2015 and 2017 general elections, has resigned to return to her career as a producer of TV documentaries. She is therefore stepping down as parliamentary spokesperson, although she will remain politically active locally. Newbury & West Berkshire Lib Dem chairman, Tony Vickers, said: Judith has given us five of the best years of her life and a considerable boost in political fortunes. "She has been an outstanding candidate, as the results of the 2015 and 2017 elections show when compared with other similar constituencies. We wish her well in her career and are very glad she will continue to be based in Newbury. Ms Bunting said: It has been a real pleasure to work with members and supporters of the Liberal Democrats across our district. "I have met some wonderful people and made a number of very good friends. "For now, I must pay attention to earning a living again, but I look forward to supporting our local team in the future and to continue supporting local groups where I can. Ms Bunting will be among a record large group of local Lib Dems attending the Party Conference in Bournemouth, which starts this Saturday. At least 17 members from West Berkshire will be among what is expected to be the largest number ever seen from across the UK. By PTI HYDERABAD: If refugees from Tibet, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka can stay in India, why not the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has said. He also cited the case of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who has taken shelter in India for over a decade now following threats from Islamic fundamentalists in her country. WATCH VIDEO | If Taslima Nasreen can stay, why not Rohingyas, asks Asaduddin Owaisi Attacking the NDA government over its stance on Rohingyas, who are fleeing Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state, he said, "Is it humane that you want to send back those who have lost everything. This is wrong." If Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen can take shelter in India, why not the Rohingya Muslims? he asked while addressing a gathering here late last night. "When Taslima Nasreen became your sister, can't Rohingya become your brother, Mr Modi," Owaisi, the Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad, said. The BJP government at the centre should not see the Rohingyas as Muslims but as refugees, he maintained. "We want to tell the BJP government, don't look at them as Muslims. They are refugees," he said. "India gave shelter to refugees from Tibet, those from Sri Lanka and Chakma refugees from Bangladesh," Owaisi said. "When it was told that they (Lankan refugees) are taking part in terror, what was done? They were shifted from one camp to another," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader alleged. The Constitution of India gives right to equality and that applies to refugees as well, Owaisi said. "The BJP government says we will send all Rohingyas back. We want to ask the Indian prime minister, under which law you will send them back, which law?" he asked. HYDERABAD: If refugees from Tibet, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka can stay in India, why not the Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi has said. He also cited the case of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who has taken shelter in India for over a decade now following threats from Islamic fundamentalists in her country. WATCH VIDEO | If Taslima Nasreen can stay, why not Rohingyas, asks Asaduddin Owaisi Attacking the NDA government over its stance on Rohingyas, who are fleeing Myanmar's violence-hit Rakhine state, he said, "Is it humane that you want to send back those who have lost everything. This is wrong." If Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen can take shelter in India, why not the Rohingya Muslims? he asked while addressing a gathering here late last night. "When Taslima Nasreen became your sister, can't Rohingya become your brother, Mr Modi," Owaisi, the Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad, said. The BJP government at the centre should not see the Rohingyas as Muslims but as refugees, he maintained. "We want to tell the BJP government, don't look at them as Muslims. They are refugees," he said. "India gave shelter to refugees from Tibet, those from Sri Lanka and Chakma refugees from Bangladesh," Owaisi said. "When it was told that they (Lankan refugees) are taking part in terror, what was done? They were shifted from one camp to another," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader alleged. The Constitution of India gives right to equality and that applies to refugees as well, Owaisi said. "The BJP government says we will send all Rohingyas back. We want to ask the Indian prime minister, under which law you will send them back, which law?" he asked. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Hours after the joint inauguration of work on Indias first bullet train, India and Japan Thursday strongly pitched for a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba. The two countries signed 15 agreements in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. Modi and Abe emphasised the need for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through increased sharing of information and intelligence. They called for enhanced bilateral cooperation in this regard. The two Prime Ministers also called on Pakistan to bring to justice, the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those of the November 2008 attack in Mumbai and the 2016 terrorist attack in Pathankot. They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lakshar-e-Toiba, and their affiliates, according to the joint statement issued after the summit meet. The two leaders condemned in the strongest terms the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. The two prime ministers also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financial channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. The statement also said Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities. Without mentioning China or South China Sea, the two leaders deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. The leaders also noted progress in cooperation on defence equipment and technology, including the commencement of technical discussion for research collaboration in the area of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics. NEW DELHI: Hours after the joint inauguration of work on Indias first bullet train, India and Japan Thursday strongly pitched for a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba. The two countries signed 15 agreements in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. Modi and Abe emphasised the need for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through increased sharing of information and intelligence. They called for enhanced bilateral cooperation in this regard. The two Prime Ministers also called on Pakistan to bring to justice, the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those of the November 2008 attack in Mumbai and the 2016 terrorist attack in Pathankot. They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lakshar-e-Toiba, and their affiliates, according to the joint statement issued after the summit meet. The two leaders condemned in the strongest terms the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. The two prime ministers also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financial channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. The statement also said Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities. Without mentioning China or South China Sea, the two leaders deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. The leaders also noted progress in cooperation on defence equipment and technology, including the commencement of technical discussion for research collaboration in the area of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics. By Express News Service MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Friday extended by a week the deadline for online filing of loan waiver applications. The earlier deadline was September 15. Now it is September 22. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the decision on Twitter. An officer in the chief minister's office said that as of Sept. 14, some 44 lakh farmers had not yet submitted their applications. While the total number of registrations until now is 98 lakh, some 50 lakh applications have been received. The leader of the opposition in the state's Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said the deadline extension is just eyewash. "It appears as if the government wants to delay the disbursement of money to farmers. It's been more than three months since the government announced the scheme, but no money has reached the farmers. We have been raising several issues right from the beginning and the government should have corrected the flaws in the system rather than just giving a deadline extension," he said. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said the government has had to extend the deadline because online filing of loan waiver applications has proved to be a dud move. "We saw how online publishing of Mumbai University results failed. The complete results are still not out. The decision to invite loan waiver applications online too has failed. That's why the deadline has been extended," said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik. MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Friday extended by a week the deadline for online filing of loan waiver applications. The earlier deadline was September 15. Now it is September 22. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the decision on Twitter. An officer in the chief minister's office said that as of Sept. 14, some 44 lakh farmers had not yet submitted their applications. While the total number of registrations until now is 98 lakh, some 50 lakh applications have been received. The leader of the opposition in the state's Assembly, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said the deadline extension is just eyewash. "It appears as if the government wants to delay the disbursement of money to farmers. It's been more than three months since the government announced the scheme, but no money has reached the farmers. We have been raising several issues right from the beginning and the government should have corrected the flaws in the system rather than just giving a deadline extension," he said. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said the government has had to extend the deadline because online filing of loan waiver applications has proved to be a dud move. "We saw how online publishing of Mumbai University results failed. The complete results are still not out. The decision to invite loan waiver applications online too has failed. That's why the deadline has been extended," said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik. By PTI JAMMU: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire for the third consecutive day today along the International Border (IB) in Jammu district. Constable Bijender Bahadur was on duty at forward point along the fence in Arnia sector along the IB when Pakistani Rangers resorted to mortar shelling and small arms fire at about 0020 hours today. A bullet hit the jawan on the left side of his abdomen and he succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital, a BSF officer said. "BSF troops retaliated strongly and gave befitting reply," he said. "Intermittent fire continued from both side from mid night till morning," the officer said. Bahadur, 32, hailed from Vidya Bhawan Naraypur village in Uttar Pradesh's Balia district. He is survived by his wife Sushmita Singh. There have been continuous ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops for the past three days. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF yesterday while three Indian jawans were injured in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts on Wednesday. Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. Till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures by the Indian Army. JAMMU: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire for the third consecutive day today along the International Border (IB) in Jammu district. Constable Bijender Bahadur was on duty at forward point along the fence in Arnia sector along the IB when Pakistani Rangers resorted to mortar shelling and small arms fire at about 0020 hours today. A bullet hit the jawan on the left side of his abdomen and he succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital, a BSF officer said. "BSF troops retaliated strongly and gave befitting reply," he said. "Intermittent fire continued from both side from mid night till morning," the officer said. Bahadur, 32, hailed from Vidya Bhawan Naraypur village in Uttar Pradesh's Balia district. He is survived by his wife Sushmita Singh. There have been continuous ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops for the past three days. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF yesterday while three Indian jawans were injured in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts on Wednesday. Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. Till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures by the Indian Army. By ANI MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Friday continued its attack on India and Japans joint venture of bullet train. In the editorial of its mouthpiece, Saamna, the party said that if Indian railways had taken lessons from Japan on the safety formula of its railway system, the country would have been happier. The latest attack comes in the wake of derailment of the Jammu Rajdhani Express, one of Indias premiere trains. The incident happened on Thursday, the same day when the foundation was laid for the bullet train by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Juxtaposing the introduction of a bullet train with the derailment of the Rajdhani Express, the Shiv Sena drew the point of Indian railways misplaced priority. "Japan has been running bullet trains since 1964, and that too at the speed of 500 to 600 km per hour," said the editorial and added that the important point here is that why there have been no accidents in Japan despite trains running at such speed. The bullet trains in Japan get cleaned in mere seven minutes, and it gets ready to run again. Moreover, a delay of even one minute is questioned, claimed Saamna. On the other hand, the party said that the Indian trains already running at low speed get derailed, but no one is held answerable for the same. Hence, the major question is why shouldnt the strategy of Japans guarantee of rail safety be learned, and why shouldnt its formula of clean and safe travel be adopted? the editorial questioned. Today, if the government had instead learned the technology of Japans rail safety measures, then the country would have been happier, it further said. The editorial concluded by adding, The Rajdhani Express is Indias current bullet train. At least, save it. MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena on Friday continued its attack on India and Japans joint venture of bullet train. In the editorial of its mouthpiece, Saamna, the party said that if Indian railways had taken lessons from Japan on the safety formula of its railway system, the country would have been happier. The latest attack comes in the wake of derailment of the Jammu Rajdhani Express, one of Indias premiere trains. The incident happened on Thursday, the same day when the foundation was laid for the bullet train by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Juxtaposing the introduction of a bullet train with the derailment of the Rajdhani Express, the Shiv Sena drew the point of Indian railways misplaced priority. "Japan has been running bullet trains since 1964, and that too at the speed of 500 to 600 km per hour," said the editorial and added that the important point here is that why there have been no accidents in Japan despite trains running at such speed. The bullet trains in Japan get cleaned in mere seven minutes, and it gets ready to run again. Moreover, a delay of even one minute is questioned, claimed Saamna. On the other hand, the party said that the Indian trains already running at low speed get derailed, but no one is held answerable for the same. Hence, the major question is why shouldnt the strategy of Japans guarantee of rail safety be learned, and why shouldnt its formula of clean and safe travel be adopted? the editorial questioned. Today, if the government had instead learned the technology of Japans rail safety measures, then the country would have been happier, it further said. The editorial concluded by adding, The Rajdhani Express is Indias current bullet train. At least, save it. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today asked all high courts to register a suo motu petition to identify kin of prisoners who admittedly died an unnatural death after 2012 and award suitable compensation to them. Passing a slew of directions on prison reforms, the apex court directed all state governments to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. It also directed all states to study the availability of medical assistance to prisoners and take remedial steps wherever necessary. "We request the Chief Justice of the high court to register a suo motu public interest litigation with a view to identify the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the NCRB during the period between 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter and awards suitable compensation, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded," a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. The bench asked the Secretary General of the apex court to sent the copy of its verdict to the Registrar General of every high court within a week. "The state governments are directed to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. In this regard the services of recognised NGOs can be taken and encouraged,"the bench said. The top court also directed the Ministry of Woman and Child Development to discuss with the official concerned of the state governments "and formulate procedures for tabulating the number of children (if any) who suffer an unnatural death in child care institutions where they are kept in custody either because they are in conflict with law or because they need care and protection". The bench is hearing a 2013 PIL on prevailing inhuman conditions prevailing in 1,382 prisons across the country. NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today asked all high courts to register a suo motu petition to identify kin of prisoners who admittedly died an unnatural death after 2012 and award suitable compensation to them. Passing a slew of directions on prison reforms, the apex court directed all state governments to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. It also directed all states to study the availability of medical assistance to prisoners and take remedial steps wherever necessary. "We request the Chief Justice of the high court to register a suo motu public interest litigation with a view to identify the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the NCRB during the period between 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter and awards suitable compensation, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded," a bench of Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. The bench asked the Secretary General of the apex court to sent the copy of its verdict to the Registrar General of every high court within a week. "The state governments are directed to appoint counsellors and support persons for counselling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. In this regard the services of recognised NGOs can be taken and encouraged,"the bench said. The top court also directed the Ministry of Woman and Child Development to discuss with the official concerned of the state governments "and formulate procedures for tabulating the number of children (if any) who suffer an unnatural death in child care institutions where they are kept in custody either because they are in conflict with law or because they need care and protection". The bench is hearing a 2013 PIL on prevailing inhuman conditions prevailing in 1,382 prisons across the country. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: To ensure that quality of food on trains is top notch, railways has now decided to introduce on the spot feedback system where passengers will be selected randomly and asked to give response on a tablet. The idea is this system will ensure a tamper proof feedback system. The service to get online feedback will be initially started in premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto Express. The on-board service supervisors on 100 trains will be provided with tabs and they can approach any passengers requesting them to give feedback on meals provided in trains. The trials started on Ahmedabad-Delhi Rajdhani Express on September 14 and will soon be expanded to other premium trains. At Present, feedback on services provided in trains including catering is taken through paper form, suggestion book and feedback number 139. Through online feedback system, the passenger will get to register their suggestions directly and these will be circulated to senior officials in the catering division. This also rules out chances of any manipulation of the response which can be done in written format, said a senior railway board official. Quality of food continues to remain an area of concern with railways receiving hundreds of complaints from passengers about unhygienic, poor quality food served on trains. A Comptroller and Auditor General audit report in July had observed that food served in trains are unsuitable for human consumption and packaged food items surpassing their shelf life were served to passengers. The passenger will be asked to fill a format rating quality of food on scale of 1-5 and areas which get less than 3, passenger will be asked to share specific details. According to railways, this will help in improving the quality of food and understanding areas that need urgent attention. Railway early this year came out with new catering policy focusing on unbundling of catering services by creating a distinction between food preparation and food distribution. Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been given the charge of food preparation in mechanized kitchens to ensure quality. NEW DELHI: To ensure that quality of food on trains is top notch, railways has now decided to introduce on the spot feedback system where passengers will be selected randomly and asked to give response on a tablet. The idea is this system will ensure a tamper proof feedback system. The service to get online feedback will be initially started in premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto Express. The on-board service supervisors on 100 trains will be provided with tabs and they can approach any passengers requesting them to give feedback on meals provided in trains. The trials started on Ahmedabad-Delhi Rajdhani Express on September 14 and will soon be expanded to other premium trains. At Present, feedback on services provided in trains including catering is taken through paper form, suggestion book and feedback number 139. Through online feedback system, the passenger will get to register their suggestions directly and these will be circulated to senior officials in the catering division. This also rules out chances of any manipulation of the response which can be done in written format, said a senior railway board official. Quality of food continues to remain an area of concern with railways receiving hundreds of complaints from passengers about unhygienic, poor quality food served on trains. A Comptroller and Auditor General audit report in July had observed that food served in trains are unsuitable for human consumption and packaged food items surpassing their shelf life were served to passengers. The passenger will be asked to fill a format rating quality of food on scale of 1-5 and areas which get less than 3, passenger will be asked to share specific details. According to railways, this will help in improving the quality of food and understanding areas that need urgent attention. Railway early this year came out with new catering policy focusing on unbundling of catering services by creating a distinction between food preparation and food distribution. Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has been given the charge of food preparation in mechanized kitchens to ensure quality. Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: A 30-year-old married woman was beaten to death and acid was poured into the eyes and mouth of a man she was accused of committing adultery with in a village in Bihars Araria district. Police said on Friday that Ghanshyam Singh, 35, who suffered acid injuries on his eyes and mouth, is under treatment at a hospital in Forbesganj. He was also beaten up badly before being attacked with acid by a group of some 15 people. He is out of danger, said Forbesganj sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Ajit Kumar Singh. Singh was attacked when he was allegedly seen in the company of Parasmani Devi, the wife of Jahra Yadav, in her house at Madhura Uttar under Narpatganj police station on Tuesday night. Parasmani died on the spot after the villagers beat her up mercilessly, said sources. By the time police reached her house after someone tipped them off, her family and the villagers had cremated her body. Police took a badly battered Singh, wounded and gasping for breath, to a local primary healthcare centre, from where he was sent to a private hospital in Forbesganj. We are investigating the whole matter. Although Ghanshyam Singh, who is a neighbour of Jahra Yadav, claims that he was attacked in a dispute over tying cattle for grazing, several people said the dispute stemmed from an adulterous relation, said the SDPO. Although four people have been named as accused in the case, nobody was arrested till Friday evening. The SDPO did not confirm whether Parasmani was murdered or whether she was dead yet. It (murder allegation) is yet to be ascertained. We are looking into the matter, said Singh. Mahesh Kumar, the station-house officer of Narpatganj police station who is probing the case, did not receive several calls made to his mobile phone. This is the second incident of acid being used to attack people in Bihar in a week. PATNA: A 30-year-old married woman was beaten to death and acid was poured into the eyes and mouth of a man she was accused of committing adultery with in a village in Bihars Araria district. Police said on Friday that Ghanshyam Singh, 35, who suffered acid injuries on his eyes and mouth, is under treatment at a hospital in Forbesganj. He was also beaten up badly before being attacked with acid by a group of some 15 people. He is out of danger, said Forbesganj sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Ajit Kumar Singh. Singh was attacked when he was allegedly seen in the company of Parasmani Devi, the wife of Jahra Yadav, in her house at Madhura Uttar under Narpatganj police station on Tuesday night. Parasmani died on the spot after the villagers beat her up mercilessly, said sources. By the time police reached her house after someone tipped them off, her family and the villagers had cremated her body. Police took a badly battered Singh, wounded and gasping for breath, to a local primary healthcare centre, from where he was sent to a private hospital in Forbesganj. We are investigating the whole matter. Although Ghanshyam Singh, who is a neighbour of Jahra Yadav, claims that he was attacked in a dispute over tying cattle for grazing, several people said the dispute stemmed from an adulterous relation, said the SDPO. Although four people have been named as accused in the case, nobody was arrested till Friday evening. The SDPO did not confirm whether Parasmani was murdered or whether she was dead yet. It (murder allegation) is yet to be ascertained. We are looking into the matter, said Singh. Mahesh Kumar, the station-house officer of Narpatganj police station who is probing the case, did not receive several calls made to his mobile phone. This is the second incident of acid being used to attack people in Bihar in a week. By Express News Service BHAWANIPATNA: Over 150 students from five different schools fell sick after consuming mid-day meals in Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district in the state on Thursday. These schools are situated at Bandhpari, Luma, Kubri, Dangri and Rajendrapur villages. As per reports, the students suffered from vomiting, head reeling and stomach pain after taking mid-day meals in the schools. The affected students were brought to Government hospital at Biswanathpur. Two students were referred to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital after their condition worsened. Sources said cooked food is being provided to 13,820 students of 176 schools in Lanjigarh block. The meals are sent to different schools through hired vehicles. The mid-day meal is prepared, managed and supplied by Mana Trust with financial assistance from Vedanta. Meanwhile, District Education Officer (DEO) Pradip Kumar Naik rushed to Biswanathpur to take stock of the situation. He said though mid-day meals were sent to all 176 schools, students of only five schools have been affected. The cooked food was brought to these five affected schools by the same hired vehicle. It is difficult to determine whether the food was contaminated or was adulterated in the vehicle en route to the schools before conducting an enquiry, he said. Naik further said that the condition of the affected students has improved and the situation is under control. Except 11 students, all others have been discharged from the hospital after treatment, he added. Kalahandi Collector Anjan Kumar Manik said the DEO, Sub-Collector and local Tehsildar are monitoring the situation closely. A probe has been ordered into the incident and the exact cause of the students falling sick can be ascertained after the enquiry report is out, he added. (With ANI inputs) BHAWANIPATNA: Over 150 students from five different schools fell sick after consuming mid-day meals in Lanjigarh block of Kalahandi district in the state on Thursday. These schools are situated at Bandhpari, Luma, Kubri, Dangri and Rajendrapur villages. As per reports, the students suffered from vomiting, head reeling and stomach pain after taking mid-day meals in the schools. The affected students were brought to Government hospital at Biswanathpur. Two students were referred to Bhawanipatna Government Hospital after their condition worsened. Sources said cooked food is being provided to 13,820 students of 176 schools in Lanjigarh block. The meals are sent to different schools through hired vehicles. The mid-day meal is prepared, managed and supplied by Mana Trust with financial assistance from Vedanta. Meanwhile, District Education Officer (DEO) Pradip Kumar Naik rushed to Biswanathpur to take stock of the situation. He said though mid-day meals were sent to all 176 schools, students of only five schools have been affected. The cooked food was brought to these five affected schools by the same hired vehicle. It is difficult to determine whether the food was contaminated or was adulterated in the vehicle en route to the schools before conducting an enquiry, he said. Naik further said that the condition of the affected students has improved and the situation is under control. Except 11 students, all others have been discharged from the hospital after treatment, he added. Kalahandi Collector Anjan Kumar Manik said the DEO, Sub-Collector and local Tehsildar are monitoring the situation closely. A probe has been ordered into the incident and the exact cause of the students falling sick can be ascertained after the enquiry report is out, he added. (With ANI inputs) By PTI CHENNAI: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran today launched a fresh attack on his rival, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and vowed to "end this rule of betrayal" within a week. The 'sacked' party deputy chief also ruled out his faction having any direct or indirect pact with M K Stalin-led DMK, saying that party "is our primary rival." Speaking to reporters here, the combative leader also alleged that Palaniswami had tried to "adopt short-cut" method of facing a floor test of his government on Monday by disqualifying 18 MLAs supporting him. "The short-cut adopted by Palaniswami is he tried to have the floor test by Monday (apparently September 18) after disqualification (of his supporting MLAs)," he alleged. By doing so, Palaniswami may not require to garner the required support of 117 MLAs to win the trust vote, he said. In the 234-member state Assembly, AIADMK has 134 MLAs including the Speaker. The RK Nagar seat is vacant following the death of then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa last year. The Madras High Court had yesterday directed that no floor test be held in the state Assembly till September 20. Following the revolt of 19 party MLAs against Palaniswami, they were all initially put up at a resort in Puducherry.They later shifted to a resort in Coorg in Karnataka and are since staying there. One of them shifted camps to support Palaniswami later. Dhinakaran also slammed Palaniswami for "aligning" with former rebel leader O Panneerselvam, now Deputy Chief Minister. Dhinakaran has escalated his attack against Palaniswami since the August 21 merger of the two camps. "There is no history of adharma and betrayal having triumphed. In one week we will end this rule of betrayal in the Assembly," he said, apparently indicating at a possible floor test of the government. The Madras High Court yesterday directed that no floor test should be held in the state Assembly till September 20. Dhinakaran claimed 21 AIADMK MLAs were now against the chief minister and wanted his removal, a demand raised with the Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao. "The Governor delayed (on directing floor test), but DMK won't keep quiet. They want elections to happen and so they moved the court (for floor test)," he said. The DMK, which has more than once petitioned Rao to direct the Palaniswami government to prove its numbers, had moved the court on the matter recently. On his rival AIADMK camp's criticism that he has joined hands with DMK in his tussle against Palaniswami, Dhinakaran said "there is no direct or indirect alliance with that party." "I repeatedly say that DMK is our primary rival. There is no direct or indirect alliance with that party," he asserted. His faction had moved the court against a possible disqualification of its MLAs after "sensing" such possible action," from Speaker P Dhanapal, he said. "You should question me if only I align with DMK after this government goes," he said. Palaniswami, who had "betrayed" AIADMK chief V K Sasikala, will not be "forgiven" by God, Dhinakaran said. He also faulted the Chief Minister for convening the party General Council to remove her as interim general secretary. Dhinakaran had earlier dismissed the September 12 General Council as a "public meeting", saying the court could have the final say on the matter. CHENNAI: Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran today launched a fresh attack on his rival, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and vowed to "end this rule of betrayal" within a week. The 'sacked' party deputy chief also ruled out his faction having any direct or indirect pact with M K Stalin-led DMK, saying that party "is our primary rival." Speaking to reporters here, the combative leader also alleged that Palaniswami had tried to "adopt short-cut" method of facing a floor test of his government on Monday by disqualifying 18 MLAs supporting him. "The short-cut adopted by Palaniswami is he tried to have the floor test by Monday (apparently September 18) after disqualification (of his supporting MLAs)," he alleged. By doing so, Palaniswami may not require to garner the required support of 117 MLAs to win the trust vote, he said. In the 234-member state Assembly, AIADMK has 134 MLAs including the Speaker. The RK Nagar seat is vacant following the death of then Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa last year. The Madras High Court had yesterday directed that no floor test be held in the state Assembly till September 20. Following the revolt of 19 party MLAs against Palaniswami, they were all initially put up at a resort in Puducherry.They later shifted to a resort in Coorg in Karnataka and are since staying there. One of them shifted camps to support Palaniswami later. Dhinakaran also slammed Palaniswami for "aligning" with former rebel leader O Panneerselvam, now Deputy Chief Minister. Dhinakaran has escalated his attack against Palaniswami since the August 21 merger of the two camps. "There is no history of adharma and betrayal having triumphed. In one week we will end this rule of betrayal in the Assembly," he said, apparently indicating at a possible floor test of the government. The Madras High Court yesterday directed that no floor test should be held in the state Assembly till September 20. Dhinakaran claimed 21 AIADMK MLAs were now against the chief minister and wanted his removal, a demand raised with the Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao. "The Governor delayed (on directing floor test), but DMK won't keep quiet. They want elections to happen and so they moved the court (for floor test)," he said. The DMK, which has more than once petitioned Rao to direct the Palaniswami government to prove its numbers, had moved the court on the matter recently. On his rival AIADMK camp's criticism that he has joined hands with DMK in his tussle against Palaniswami, Dhinakaran said "there is no direct or indirect alliance with that party." "I repeatedly say that DMK is our primary rival. There is no direct or indirect alliance with that party," he asserted. His faction had moved the court against a possible disqualification of its MLAs after "sensing" such possible action," from Speaker P Dhanapal, he said. "You should question me if only I align with DMK after this government goes," he said. Palaniswami, who had "betrayed" AIADMK chief V K Sasikala, will not be "forgiven" by God, Dhinakaran said. He also faulted the Chief Minister for convening the party General Council to remove her as interim general secretary. Dhinakaran had earlier dismissed the September 12 General Council as a "public meeting", saying the court could have the final say on the matter. By PTI DHAKA: India today sent 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who poured into this country following the ethnic violence in the neighbouring Buddhist-majority nation. The first consignment of India's assistance comes days after Dhaka briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of these refugees. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said in a statement. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc, it said. "Operation Insaniyat:High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh," the mission tweeted. "1st consignment of #Indian humanitarian assistance of 53 MT for #Bangladeshi arrives under Operation #Insaniyat @SushmaSwaraj," it said. India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Bangladeshs Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader received the materials from Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. The mission said Quader likened the aid to India's assistance to Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. DHAKA: India today sent 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who poured into this country following the ethnic violence in the neighbouring Buddhist-majority nation. The first consignment of India's assistance comes days after Dhaka briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of these refugees. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said in a statement. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc, it said. "Operation Insaniyat:High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh," the mission tweeted. "1st consignment of #Indian humanitarian assistance of 53 MT for #Bangladeshi arrives under Operation #Insaniyat @SushmaSwaraj," it said. India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Bangladeshs Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader received the materials from Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. The mission said Quader likened the aid to India's assistance to Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. By PTI KARACHI: A Christian man in Pakistan was today sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a WhatsApp message to a friend that insulted Islam, his lawyer said. Nadeem James Masih was charged in July after his friend Yasir Bashir told the police that he sent him a poem on the messaging service that was insulting to Islam. Following the incident, Masih fled from his home in Sara-e-Alamgir town in Punjab province to escape an angry mob that had gathered there, but later surrendered to the police. Lawyer Anjum Wakeel said his client Masih was "innocent". "My client will appeal in the High Court as he has been framed for having an affair with a Muslim girl," he claimed. Wakeel said the case against his client was heard inside prison due to security reasons, and today the judge found him guilty and sentenced him to death. A police official said the family of Masih had been taken into protective custody and moved to an undisclosed but safer location. Pakistan, a Muslim-majority state, has a population of nearly two million Christians. The minority community has previously been targeted by hardline religious groups and militants for blasphemy in Pakistan. In 2015, a Christian couple was burned in a brick kiln for desecrating the Quran. Two years before that, a mob had burnt down nearly 125 homes of Christians in Lahore for alleged blasphemy by a Christian man. The controversial blasphemy laws were introduced by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq in the 1980s and anyone charged under them becomes an easy target for extremists. Civil rights groups argue that some Muslims use the laws to settle personal disputes with the minorities. Former Punjab governor and liberal politician Salman Taseer was gunned down by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, in January 2011 in Islamabad when he spoke about the need to review the blasphemy laws. Qadri was hanged to death last year. KARACHI: A Christian man in Pakistan was today sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a WhatsApp message to a friend that insulted Islam, his lawyer said. Nadeem James Masih was charged in July after his friend Yasir Bashir told the police that he sent him a poem on the messaging service that was insulting to Islam. Following the incident, Masih fled from his home in Sara-e-Alamgir town in Punjab province to escape an angry mob that had gathered there, but later surrendered to the police. Lawyer Anjum Wakeel said his client Masih was "innocent". "My client will appeal in the High Court as he has been framed for having an affair with a Muslim girl," he claimed. Wakeel said the case against his client was heard inside prison due to security reasons, and today the judge found him guilty and sentenced him to death. A police official said the family of Masih had been taken into protective custody and moved to an undisclosed but safer location. Pakistan, a Muslim-majority state, has a population of nearly two million Christians. The minority community has previously been targeted by hardline religious groups and militants for blasphemy in Pakistan. In 2015, a Christian couple was burned in a brick kiln for desecrating the Quran. Two years before that, a mob had burnt down nearly 125 homes of Christians in Lahore for alleged blasphemy by a Christian man. The controversial blasphemy laws were introduced by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq in the 1980s and anyone charged under them becomes an easy target for extremists. Civil rights groups argue that some Muslims use the laws to settle personal disputes with the minorities. Former Punjab governor and liberal politician Salman Taseer was gunned down by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, in January 2011 in Islamabad when he spoke about the need to review the blasphemy laws. Qadri was hanged to death last year. By Associated Press HAVANA: Raul Castro seemed rattled. The Cuban president sent for the top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic "sonic attacks" and the subtle threat of repercussions by the United States, until recently Cuba's sworn enemy. The way Castro responded surprised Washington, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told The Associated Press. In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro told U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis that he was equally baffled, and concerned. Predictably, Castro denied any responsibility. But U.S. officials were caught off guard by the way he addressed the matter, devoid of the indignant, how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude the U.S. had come to expect from Cuba's leaders. The Cubans even offered to let the FBI come down to Havana to investigate. While U.S.-Cuban cooperation on law enforcement has improved, this level of access was extraordinary. "Some countries don't want any more FBI agents in their country than they have to and that number could be zero," said Leo Taddeo, a retired FBI supervisor who served abroad. Cuba is in that group. The list of confirmed American victims was much shorter on Feb. 17, when the U.S. first complained to Cuba. Today, the number of "medically confirmed" cases stands at 21 plus several Canadians. Some Americans have permanent hearing loss or mild brain injury. The developments have frightened Havana's tight-knit diplomatic community. At least one other nation, France, has tested embassy staff for potential sonic-induced injuries, the AP has learned. But several U.S. officials say there are real reasons to question whether Cuba perpetrated a clandestine campaign of aggression. The officials weren't authorised to discuss the ongoing investigation and demanded anonymity. When the U.S. has accused Cuba in the past of misbehaviour, such as harassing diplomats or cracking down on local dissidents, Havana has often accused Washington of making it up. This time, although Castro denied involvement, his government didn't dispute that something troubling may have gone down on Cuban soil. Perhaps the picture was more complex? Investigators considered whether a rogue faction of Cuba's security forces had acted, possibly in combination with another country like Russia or North Korea. Nevertheless, anger is rising in Washington. On Friday, five Republican senators wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging him to kick all Cuban diplomats out of the United States and close America's newly re-established embassy in Havana. "Cuba's neglect of its duty to protect our diplomats and their families cannot go unchallenged," said the lawmakers, who included Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a prominent Cuban-American, and the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas. ___ For decades, Cuba and the U.S. harassed each other's diplomats. The Cubans might break into homes to rearrange furniture or leave feces unflushed in a toilet. The Americans might conduct obvious break-ins and traffic stops, puncture tires or break headlights. Yet those pranks were primarily to pester, not to harm. What U.S. diplomats started reporting last November was altogether different. Diplomats and their families were getting sick. Some described bizarre, unexplained sounds, including grinding and high-pitched ringing. Victims even recounted how they could walk in and out of what seemed like powerful beams of sound that hit only certain rooms or even only parts of rooms, the AP reported this week. At the time, Washington and Havana were in cooperation mode, working feverishly to lock in progress on everything from internet access to immigration rules before Barack Obama's presidency ended. Donald Trump's surprise election win on Nov. 8 meant the U.S. would soon be led by a president who'd threatened to reverse the rapprochement. As America awaited an unpredictable new administration, Cuba faced a pivotal moment, too. Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25. The revolutionary had reigned for nearly a half-century before ceding power to his brother, Raul, in his ailing last years. It was no secret in Cuba that Fidel, along with some supporters in the government, were uneasy about Raul Castro's opening with the U.S. "There is a struggle going on for the soul of their revolution," said Michael Parmly, who headed the U.S. diplomatic post in Havana from 2005 to 2008. "It's entirely possible there are rogue elements." ___ When the first diplomats came forward with their inexplicable episodes and symptoms, the U.S. didn't connect the dots. It took weeks before embassy officials pieced together "clusters" of incidents, and multiple victims with confirmed health damage. By the time Obama left the White House on Jan. 20, talk of mysterious maladies had reached some officials in Washington. Word of sonic attacks hadn't reached the top echelons of the White House or U.S. State Department, three former U.S. officials told the AP. As Trump took office, a clearer picture started to emerge. On Feb. 17, the U.S. complained to Cuba's embassy in Washington and its foreign ministry in Havana. Soon came Castro, seeking out DeLaurentis directly. The attacks halted for a time. But several U.S. officials said it wasn't clear why. It wasn't long before the incidents started again, as mysteriously as they'd stopped. ___ Then the Canadians got hit. Between March and May, several households were hit with symptoms including nausea, headaches and nosebleeds, said a Canadian official with knowledge of his country's investigation. Then those attacks, too, ended. What culprit would want to attack both the U.S. and its northern neighbor? Cuba has no obvious grievances with Canada. The two countries have close ties. But perhaps Canadians were targeted to muddle the motive and throw investigators off the trail, another possibility U.S. authorities haven't eliminated. The Canadians tested some of their staff in Havana and recalled others home temporarily, the Canadian official said. Searching for its own answers, the U.S. Embassy conducted medical tests on staffers. Many were sent to the University of Miami for further examination. The State Department consulted with doctors at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania. The U.S. encouraged those institutions to keep what they knew private. ___ In Havana's diplomatic circles, anxiety spread. The French Embassy tested employees after a staff member raised health concerns, according to a French diplomat familiar with the matter. False alarm; the tests turned up no signs of damage consistent with a sonic attack. The FBI travelled to Havana and swept some of the rooms where attacks were reported a list that included homes and at least one hotel: the Spanish-run Hotel Capri, where visiting U.S. officials occasionally stay. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police flew down, too. Neither law enforcement agency found any sonic device, several officials told the AP. By May 23, the U.S. still had no answers. But something had to be done. The Trump administration expelled two Cuban diplomats from Washington to protest the communist government's failure to protect the safety of American diplomats. Neither country disclosed the expulsion at the time. Cuba didn't retaliate. The next month, Trump imposed some barriers to travel between the former Cold War foes. But there was no hint it was to punish Castro's government for the attacks. Trump left much of Obama's broader detente intact, including the two nations' re-opened embassies. ___ The diplomats suffered in private, until Aug. 9. News reports finally prompted the State Department to publicly acknowledge "incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms" and were still under investigation. The AP learned they included concentration problems and even trouble recalling commonplace words. Two weeks later, the U.S. announced at least 16 Americans showed symptoms. At that point, the State Department said the incidents were "not ongoing." Still, the tally continued to rise first to 19 victims, and then this week to 21. In the meantime, the State Department had to withdraw its assurance the attacks had long ceased. There had been another incident, on Aug. 21. "The reality is, we don't know who or what has caused this," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Thursday. "And that's why the investigation is underway." HAVANA: Raul Castro seemed rattled. The Cuban president sent for the top American envoy in the country to address grave concerns about a spate of U.S. diplomats harmed in Havana. There was talk of futuristic "sonic attacks" and the subtle threat of repercussions by the United States, until recently Cuba's sworn enemy. The way Castro responded surprised Washington, several U.S. officials familiar with the exchange told The Associated Press. In a rare face-to-face conversation, Castro told U.S. diplomat Jeffrey DeLaurentis that he was equally baffled, and concerned. Predictably, Castro denied any responsibility. But U.S. officials were caught off guard by the way he addressed the matter, devoid of the indignant, how-dare-you-accuse-us attitude the U.S. had come to expect from Cuba's leaders. The Cubans even offered to let the FBI come down to Havana to investigate. While U.S.-Cuban cooperation on law enforcement has improved, this level of access was extraordinary. "Some countries don't want any more FBI agents in their country than they have to and that number could be zero," said Leo Taddeo, a retired FBI supervisor who served abroad. Cuba is in that group. The list of confirmed American victims was much shorter on Feb. 17, when the U.S. first complained to Cuba. Today, the number of "medically confirmed" cases stands at 21 plus several Canadians. Some Americans have permanent hearing loss or mild brain injury. The developments have frightened Havana's tight-knit diplomatic community. At least one other nation, France, has tested embassy staff for potential sonic-induced injuries, the AP has learned. But several U.S. officials say there are real reasons to question whether Cuba perpetrated a clandestine campaign of aggression. The officials weren't authorised to discuss the ongoing investigation and demanded anonymity. When the U.S. has accused Cuba in the past of misbehaviour, such as harassing diplomats or cracking down on local dissidents, Havana has often accused Washington of making it up. This time, although Castro denied involvement, his government didn't dispute that something troubling may have gone down on Cuban soil. Perhaps the picture was more complex? Investigators considered whether a rogue faction of Cuba's security forces had acted, possibly in combination with another country like Russia or North Korea. Nevertheless, anger is rising in Washington. On Friday, five Republican senators wrote to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urging him to kick all Cuban diplomats out of the United States and close America's newly re-established embassy in Havana. "Cuba's neglect of its duty to protect our diplomats and their families cannot go unchallenged," said the lawmakers, who included Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a prominent Cuban-American, and the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas. ___ For decades, Cuba and the U.S. harassed each other's diplomats. The Cubans might break into homes to rearrange furniture or leave feces unflushed in a toilet. The Americans might conduct obvious break-ins and traffic stops, puncture tires or break headlights. Yet those pranks were primarily to pester, not to harm. What U.S. diplomats started reporting last November was altogether different. Diplomats and their families were getting sick. Some described bizarre, unexplained sounds, including grinding and high-pitched ringing. Victims even recounted how they could walk in and out of what seemed like powerful beams of sound that hit only certain rooms or even only parts of rooms, the AP reported this week. At the time, Washington and Havana were in cooperation mode, working feverishly to lock in progress on everything from internet access to immigration rules before Barack Obama's presidency ended. Donald Trump's surprise election win on Nov. 8 meant the U.S. would soon be led by a president who'd threatened to reverse the rapprochement. As America awaited an unpredictable new administration, Cuba faced a pivotal moment, too. Fidel Castro died on Nov. 25. The revolutionary had reigned for nearly a half-century before ceding power to his brother, Raul, in his ailing last years. It was no secret in Cuba that Fidel, along with some supporters in the government, were uneasy about Raul Castro's opening with the U.S. "There is a struggle going on for the soul of their revolution," said Michael Parmly, who headed the U.S. diplomatic post in Havana from 2005 to 2008. "It's entirely possible there are rogue elements." ___ When the first diplomats came forward with their inexplicable episodes and symptoms, the U.S. didn't connect the dots. It took weeks before embassy officials pieced together "clusters" of incidents, and multiple victims with confirmed health damage. By the time Obama left the White House on Jan. 20, talk of mysterious maladies had reached some officials in Washington. Word of sonic attacks hadn't reached the top echelons of the White House or U.S. State Department, three former U.S. officials told the AP. As Trump took office, a clearer picture started to emerge. On Feb. 17, the U.S. complained to Cuba's embassy in Washington and its foreign ministry in Havana. Soon came Castro, seeking out DeLaurentis directly. The attacks halted for a time. But several U.S. officials said it wasn't clear why. It wasn't long before the incidents started again, as mysteriously as they'd stopped. ___ Then the Canadians got hit. Between March and May, several households were hit with symptoms including nausea, headaches and nosebleeds, said a Canadian official with knowledge of his country's investigation. Then those attacks, too, ended. What culprit would want to attack both the U.S. and its northern neighbor? Cuba has no obvious grievances with Canada. The two countries have close ties. But perhaps Canadians were targeted to muddle the motive and throw investigators off the trail, another possibility U.S. authorities haven't eliminated. The Canadians tested some of their staff in Havana and recalled others home temporarily, the Canadian official said. Searching for its own answers, the U.S. Embassy conducted medical tests on staffers. Many were sent to the University of Miami for further examination. The State Department consulted with doctors at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Pennsylvania. The U.S. encouraged those institutions to keep what they knew private. ___ In Havana's diplomatic circles, anxiety spread. The French Embassy tested employees after a staff member raised health concerns, according to a French diplomat familiar with the matter. False alarm; the tests turned up no signs of damage consistent with a sonic attack. The FBI travelled to Havana and swept some of the rooms where attacks were reported a list that included homes and at least one hotel: the Spanish-run Hotel Capri, where visiting U.S. officials occasionally stay. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police flew down, too. Neither law enforcement agency found any sonic device, several officials told the AP. By May 23, the U.S. still had no answers. But something had to be done. The Trump administration expelled two Cuban diplomats from Washington to protest the communist government's failure to protect the safety of American diplomats. Neither country disclosed the expulsion at the time. Cuba didn't retaliate. The next month, Trump imposed some barriers to travel between the former Cold War foes. But there was no hint it was to punish Castro's government for the attacks. Trump left much of Obama's broader detente intact, including the two nations' re-opened embassies. ___ The diplomats suffered in private, until Aug. 9. News reports finally prompted the State Department to publicly acknowledge "incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms" and were still under investigation. The AP learned they included concentration problems and even trouble recalling commonplace words. Two weeks later, the U.S. announced at least 16 Americans showed symptoms. At that point, the State Department said the incidents were "not ongoing." Still, the tally continued to rise first to 19 victims, and then this week to 21. In the meantime, the State Department had to withdraw its assurance the attacks had long ceased. There had been another incident, on Aug. 21. "The reality is, we don't know who or what has caused this," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Thursday. "And that's why the investigation is underway." By AFP PARIS: A young French reporter who has been held on terror charges in Turkey for the last seven weeks is set to be freed on Friday, his lawyers said. The news came a day after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had pressed Turkish leaders on a visit to Ankara to free 27-year-old journalism student, Loup Bureau. Bureau's lawyers said "we have the satisfaction to announce that he is being freed" while Christophe Deloire, of Reporters Without Borders, said on Twitter than Bureau's release was "imminent" and he would return to Paris on Saturday. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously sought to secure the reporter's release in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also met Le Drian on Thursday. Bureau, a journalism student who has worked with French channel TV5, was detained in late July at Habur border post in southeastern Sirnak province on the Iraqi-Turkish frontier. He was charged with membership of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group Ankara says is a terrorist organisation. Washington, however, sees the group as the main force leading the fight against Islamic State jihadists on the ground in Syria. His arrest has further heightened alarm over press freedom in Turkey under Erdogan, with foreign reporters also caught up in a massive crackdown following a failed coup in July 2016. Turkey ranks 155 on the latest world press freedom index put together by Reporters Without Borders, falling below Belarus and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In June, Ankara released and deported French photojournalist Mathias Depardon who was held for a month on charges of supporting terror groups. He was also detained in Turkey's restive southeast. Bureau is also expected to be deported. Germany's Die Welt correspondent Deniz Yucel was imprisoned in February and has been personally accused by Erdogan of working as a "terror agent". According to the P24 press freedom website, there are 171 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were detained under the state of emergency imposed after last year's coup attempt. PARIS: A young French reporter who has been held on terror charges in Turkey for the last seven weeks is set to be freed on Friday, his lawyers said. The news came a day after French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had pressed Turkish leaders on a visit to Ankara to free 27-year-old journalism student, Loup Bureau. Bureau's lawyers said "we have the satisfaction to announce that he is being freed" while Christophe Deloire, of Reporters Without Borders, said on Twitter than Bureau's release was "imminent" and he would return to Paris on Saturday. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously sought to secure the reporter's release in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also met Le Drian on Thursday. Bureau, a journalism student who has worked with French channel TV5, was detained in late July at Habur border post in southeastern Sirnak province on the Iraqi-Turkish frontier. He was charged with membership of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a group Ankara says is a terrorist organisation. Washington, however, sees the group as the main force leading the fight against Islamic State jihadists on the ground in Syria. His arrest has further heightened alarm over press freedom in Turkey under Erdogan, with foreign reporters also caught up in a massive crackdown following a failed coup in July 2016. Turkey ranks 155 on the latest world press freedom index put together by Reporters Without Borders, falling below Belarus and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In June, Ankara released and deported French photojournalist Mathias Depardon who was held for a month on charges of supporting terror groups. He was also detained in Turkey's restive southeast. Bureau is also expected to be deported. Germany's Die Welt correspondent Deniz Yucel was imprisoned in February and has been personally accused by Erdogan of working as a "terror agent". According to the P24 press freedom website, there are 171 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were detained under the state of emergency imposed after last year's coup attempt. By IANS WASHINGTON: Harvard University on Friday rescinded a visiting fellowship offered to Chelsea Manning, the transgender US soldier convicted of espionage for leaking national security secrets, after it faced strong backlash. "I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility," Douglas W. Elmendorf, the Kennedy school's dean, wrote in a 700-word statement released earlier on Friday. The Kennedy School's Institute of Politics on Wednesday announced the offer to Manning, 29, along with three others, The Washington Post reported. As part of the programme, visiting fellows appear on Harvard's campus for speaking engagements and events, interacting with undergraduate students on "topical issues of today", the school's initial announcement explained. Elmendorf decided to withdraw the invitation after realising that "many people view a Visiting Fellow title as an honourific", though the school had not intended to "honour (Manning) in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds". She is still welcome to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak at the school's John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, the dean said. "I apologize to her and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard today for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation." In response, Manning accused the school of suppressing "marginalized voices" and caving to pressure from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The Washington Post reported. "This is what a military/police/intel state looks like. The CIA determines what is and is not taught at Harvard," she tweeted. The dean's decision came hours after CIA Director Mike Pompeo withdrew from a planned appearance on Thursday at the Kennedy School and chastised the institution for calling attention to Manning. In a etter to the event's organizers, Pompeo, who earned a law degree from Harvard, branded Manning an "American traitor" whose actions and ethos contradict the intelligence agency's most basic and sacred values. "Harvard's actions implicitly tell its students that you too can be a fellow at Harvard and a felon under United States law... I believe it is shameful for Harvard to place its stamp of approval upon her treasonous actions." In 2007, while on leave from service in Iraq, Manning sent hundreds of thousands of classified and sensitive documents to WikiLeaks, including the video known as "Collateral Murder" that showed US military killing dozens of unarmed Iraqi citizens. After six years behind bars, she was released from Fort Leavenworth prison on May 17 when, in one of his final acts as US President, Barack Obama commuted her sentence, saying "justice has been served". WASHINGTON: Harvard University on Friday rescinded a visiting fellowship offered to Chelsea Manning, the transgender US soldier convicted of espionage for leaking national security secrets, after it faced strong backlash. "I now think that designating Chelsea Manning as a Visiting Fellow was a mistake, for which I accept responsibility," Douglas W. Elmendorf, the Kennedy school's dean, wrote in a 700-word statement released earlier on Friday. The Kennedy School's Institute of Politics on Wednesday announced the offer to Manning, 29, along with three others, The Washington Post reported. As part of the programme, visiting fellows appear on Harvard's campus for speaking engagements and events, interacting with undergraduate students on "topical issues of today", the school's initial announcement explained. Elmendorf decided to withdraw the invitation after realising that "many people view a Visiting Fellow title as an honourific", though the school had not intended to "honour (Manning) in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds". She is still welcome to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak at the school's John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum, the dean said. "I apologize to her and to the many concerned people from whom I have heard today for not recognizing upfront the full implications of our original invitation." In response, Manning accused the school of suppressing "marginalized voices" and caving to pressure from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The Washington Post reported. "This is what a military/police/intel state looks like. The CIA determines what is and is not taught at Harvard," she tweeted. The dean's decision came hours after CIA Director Mike Pompeo withdrew from a planned appearance on Thursday at the Kennedy School and chastised the institution for calling attention to Manning. In a etter to the event's organizers, Pompeo, who earned a law degree from Harvard, branded Manning an "American traitor" whose actions and ethos contradict the intelligence agency's most basic and sacred values. "Harvard's actions implicitly tell its students that you too can be a fellow at Harvard and a felon under United States law... I believe it is shameful for Harvard to place its stamp of approval upon her treasonous actions." In 2007, while on leave from service in Iraq, Manning sent hundreds of thousands of classified and sensitive documents to WikiLeaks, including the video known as "Collateral Murder" that showed US military killing dozens of unarmed Iraqi citizens. After six years behind bars, she was released from Fort Leavenworth prison on May 17 when, in one of his final acts as US President, Barack Obama commuted her sentence, saying "justice has been served". By AFP DUBAI: Human Rights Watch on Friday condemned a "coordinated crackdown on dissent" by Saudi authorities who have arrested dozens of people including prominent clerics in the ultra-conservative kingdom. The New York-based watchdog described the detentions as politically motivated, noting that since 2014 Saudi Arabia has tried nearly all peaceful dissidents in its terrorism tribunal, the Specialised Criminal Court. "Outlandish sentences against peaceful activists and dissidents demonstrate Saudi Arabia's complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform," said HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. According to activists, at least 20 people including prominent clerics Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni have been arrested by the Saudi authorities since September 9. HRW has said that the arrests could be connected to efforts by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to consolidate power. Awdah and Qarni, who have millions of followers on social media, were among Saudi clerics who opposed the presence of US troops in the kingdom during the 1991 Gulf war. They have both been accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia has blacklisted as a "terror group". Before his arrest, Awdah had welcomed the first contact between Prince Mohammed and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tameem bin Hamad Al-Thani after a three-month boycott. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed all ties on June 5 and imposed economic sanctions on Qatar, accusing it of links to extremist groups and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Saudi authorities have not commented on the campaign of arrests. But at the start of the week the attorney general warned that any attack on "national unity" or the "image of the state" was a "terrorist crime". DUBAI: Human Rights Watch on Friday condemned a "coordinated crackdown on dissent" by Saudi authorities who have arrested dozens of people including prominent clerics in the ultra-conservative kingdom. The New York-based watchdog described the detentions as politically motivated, noting that since 2014 Saudi Arabia has tried nearly all peaceful dissidents in its terrorism tribunal, the Specialised Criminal Court. "Outlandish sentences against peaceful activists and dissidents demonstrate Saudi Arabia's complete intolerance toward citizens who speak out for human rights and reform," said HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson. According to activists, at least 20 people including prominent clerics Salman al-Awdah and Awad al-Qarni have been arrested by the Saudi authorities since September 9. HRW has said that the arrests could be connected to efforts by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to consolidate power. Awdah and Qarni, who have millions of followers on social media, were among Saudi clerics who opposed the presence of US troops in the kingdom during the 1991 Gulf war. They have both been accused of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, which Saudi Arabia has blacklisted as a "terror group". Before his arrest, Awdah had welcomed the first contact between Prince Mohammed and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tameem bin Hamad Al-Thani after a three-month boycott. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed all ties on June 5 and imposed economic sanctions on Qatar, accusing it of links to extremist groups and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Saudi authorities have not commented on the campaign of arrests. But at the start of the week the attorney general warned that any attack on "national unity" or the "image of the state" was a "terrorist crime". By PTI WASHINGTON: India and Pakistan today started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty here, a senior World Bank official said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. WASHINGTON: India and Pakistan today started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty here, a senior World Bank official said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. By AFP ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Supreme Court Friday dismissed an appeal from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif against his disqualification from the premiership over corruption allegations tied to the Panama Papers leak. The Supreme Court removed Sharif in late July following an investigation into the allegations against him and his family, making him the 15th premier in Pakistan's 70-year history to be ousted before completing a full term. The case against the prime minister stemmed from the Panama Papers leak last year, which spurred a media frenzy over the extravagant lifestyles and high-end London property portfolio of the Sharif dynasty. "All these review petitions are dismissed," said Supreme Court justice Asif Saeed Khosa who oversaw the five-member review panel. In a long-winded appeal demanding that his case be reviewed, Sharif's legal team presented 19 points challenging the court's judgement, saying the ruling suffered "from errors floating on the surface". The Supreme Court has also ordered the country's anti-corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau, to open a criminal case against Sharif, his sons -- Hussain and Hassan -- and his daughter Maryam. Last month Sharif led legions of supporters from the capital Islamabad to his hometown, Lahore, in a days-long procession that brought thousands into the streets in a show of force. During the trip Sharif repeatedly blasted the court's actions, saying the decision was an "insult" to Pakistanis. The latest ruling comes days ahead of a by-election to fill Sharif's parliamentary seat in Lahore that is being contested by his wife Kalsum, who is being treated for throat cancer in London. The seat has long been controlled by Sharif and his allies who consider Lahore to be their political stronghold. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Supreme Court Friday dismissed an appeal from former prime minister Nawaz Sharif against his disqualification from the premiership over corruption allegations tied to the Panama Papers leak. The Supreme Court removed Sharif in late July following an investigation into the allegations against him and his family, making him the 15th premier in Pakistan's 70-year history to be ousted before completing a full term. The case against the prime minister stemmed from the Panama Papers leak last year, which spurred a media frenzy over the extravagant lifestyles and high-end London property portfolio of the Sharif dynasty. "All these review petitions are dismissed," said Supreme Court justice Asif Saeed Khosa who oversaw the five-member review panel. In a long-winded appeal demanding that his case be reviewed, Sharif's legal team presented 19 points challenging the court's judgement, saying the ruling suffered "from errors floating on the surface". The Supreme Court has also ordered the country's anti-corruption watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau, to open a criminal case against Sharif, his sons -- Hussain and Hassan -- and his daughter Maryam. Last month Sharif led legions of supporters from the capital Islamabad to his hometown, Lahore, in a days-long procession that brought thousands into the streets in a show of force. During the trip Sharif repeatedly blasted the court's actions, saying the decision was an "insult" to Pakistanis. The latest ruling comes days ahead of a by-election to fill Sharif's parliamentary seat in Lahore that is being contested by his wife Kalsum, who is being treated for throat cancer in London. The seat has long been controlled by Sharif and his allies who consider Lahore to be their political stronghold. By Associated Press ST. LOUIS: A judge acquitted a white former St. Louis police officer on Friday in the death of a black man who was fatally shot following a high-speed chase in 2011. The acquittal of Jason Stockley in the death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith came amid concerns of significant unrest, but St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson wrote that he was bound by the Code of Judicial Conduct to not be swayed by "partisan interests, public clamour or fear of criticism." About 100 protesters were marching in downtown St. Louis within hours of the verdict being released. Stockley, who shot Smith five times, was charged with first-degree murder. The officer said he saw Smith holding a gun and felt he was in imminent danger, but prosecutors said Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. "This court, in conscience, cannot say that the State has proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt or that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense," Wilson wrote. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said she was disappointed. "While officer-involved shooting cases are extremely difficult to prevail in court, I believe we offered sufficient evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jason Stockley intended to kill Mr. Smith," Gardner said in a written statement. Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial last month that police dashcam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was "going to kill this (expletive), don't you know it." Less than a minute later, the officer fatally shot Smith. Stockley's lawyer dismissed the comment as "human emotions" amid a dangerous police pursuit. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole. He left St. Louis' police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. It is unusual for officers to be charged with killing suspects while on duty, and few officers have been convicted in such deaths. Stockley requested that the case be heard by a judge rather than a jury despite objections from prosecutors. Ahead of the verdict, activists in St. Louis threatened civil disobedience if Stockley were acquitted, including possible efforts to shut down highways. Amid the growing uneasiness, the mayor and an attorney for Smith's fiance called for calm. Gov. Eric Greitens met with and assured black faith leaders that peaceful protesters' rights would be protected, but later stressed that violence wouldn't be tolerated. Barricades went up on Aug. 28 around police headquarters, the courthouse where the trial was held, and other sites of recent or potential protests. Police said they were being proactive to ensure safety "due to recent events around the country." The St. Louis area has a history of unrest in such cases, including after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014. Protests, some of them violent, erupted after the black 18-year-old, who was unarmed, was killed by a white police officer. The officer wasn't charged but later resigned. In Smith's case, the encounter began when Stockley and his partner tried to corner Smith in a fast-food restaurant parking lot after seeing what appeared to be a drug deal. Stockley testified that he saw what he believed was a gun, and his partner yelled "gun!" as Smith backed into the police SUV twice to get away. Stockley's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, argued that Smith, a parole violator with previous convictions for gun and drug crimes, tried to run over the two officers. Stockley fired seven shots as Smith sped away. A chase ensued. At the end of the chase, Stockley opened fire only when Smith, still in his car, refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat "in the area where the gun was," Bruntrager said. Stockley said he climbed into Smith's car and found a revolver stuffed between the center console and passenger seat. But prosecutors questioned why Stockley dug into a bag in the back seat of the police SUV before returning to Smith's car. The gun found in Smith's car didn't have his DNA on it, but it did have Stockley's. "The gun was a plant," Steele said. The case was among several in recent years in which a white officer killed a black suspect. Officers were acquitted in recent police shooting trials in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. A case in Ohio twice ended with hung juries, and prosecutors have decided not to seek a third trial. ST. LOUIS: A judge acquitted a white former St. Louis police officer on Friday in the death of a black man who was fatally shot following a high-speed chase in 2011. The acquittal of Jason Stockley in the death of 24-year-old Anthony Lamar Smith came amid concerns of significant unrest, but St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson wrote that he was bound by the Code of Judicial Conduct to not be swayed by "partisan interests, public clamour or fear of criticism." About 100 protesters were marching in downtown St. Louis within hours of the verdict being released. Stockley, who shot Smith five times, was charged with first-degree murder. The officer said he saw Smith holding a gun and felt he was in imminent danger, but prosecutors said Stockley planted a gun in Smith's car after he shot him. "This court, in conscience, cannot say that the State has proven every element of murder beyond a reasonable doubt or that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense," Wilson wrote. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said she was disappointed. "While officer-involved shooting cases are extremely difficult to prevail in court, I believe we offered sufficient evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jason Stockley intended to kill Mr. Smith," Gardner said in a written statement. Assistant Circuit Attorney Robert Steele emphasized during the trial last month that police dashcam video of the chase captured Stockley saying he was "going to kill this (expletive), don't you know it." Less than a minute later, the officer fatally shot Smith. Stockley's lawyer dismissed the comment as "human emotions" amid a dangerous police pursuit. Stockley, 36, could have been sentenced to up to life in prison without parole. He left St. Louis' police force in 2013 and moved to Houston. It is unusual for officers to be charged with killing suspects while on duty, and few officers have been convicted in such deaths. Stockley requested that the case be heard by a judge rather than a jury despite objections from prosecutors. Ahead of the verdict, activists in St. Louis threatened civil disobedience if Stockley were acquitted, including possible efforts to shut down highways. Amid the growing uneasiness, the mayor and an attorney for Smith's fiance called for calm. Gov. Eric Greitens met with and assured black faith leaders that peaceful protesters' rights would be protected, but later stressed that violence wouldn't be tolerated. Barricades went up on Aug. 28 around police headquarters, the courthouse where the trial was held, and other sites of recent or potential protests. Police said they were being proactive to ensure safety "due to recent events around the country." The St. Louis area has a history of unrest in such cases, including after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014. Protests, some of them violent, erupted after the black 18-year-old, who was unarmed, was killed by a white police officer. The officer wasn't charged but later resigned. In Smith's case, the encounter began when Stockley and his partner tried to corner Smith in a fast-food restaurant parking lot after seeing what appeared to be a drug deal. Stockley testified that he saw what he believed was a gun, and his partner yelled "gun!" as Smith backed into the police SUV twice to get away. Stockley's attorney, Neil Bruntrager, argued that Smith, a parole violator with previous convictions for gun and drug crimes, tried to run over the two officers. Stockley fired seven shots as Smith sped away. A chase ensued. At the end of the chase, Stockley opened fire only when Smith, still in his car, refused commands to put up his hands and reached along the seat "in the area where the gun was," Bruntrager said. Stockley said he climbed into Smith's car and found a revolver stuffed between the center console and passenger seat. But prosecutors questioned why Stockley dug into a bag in the back seat of the police SUV before returning to Smith's car. The gun found in Smith's car didn't have his DNA on it, but it did have Stockley's. "The gun was a plant," Steele said. The case was among several in recent years in which a white officer killed a black suspect. Officers were acquitted in recent police shooting trials in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. A case in Ohio twice ended with hung juries, and prosecutors have decided not to seek a third trial. By AFP UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" launch of a missile that flew over Japan and demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt such actions. In a unanimous statement backed by China, the council said the launch was carried out just three weeks after a first missile overflew Japan and less than two weeks after Pyongyang's sixth and biggest nuclear test. The council "strongly condemned these launches, condemned further the DPRK for its outrageous actions, and demanded that the DPRK immediately cease all such actions." The statement however did not threaten further sanctions. North Korea fired the intermediate ballistic missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific, responding to new UN sanctions with its furthest-ever missile flight. The US Pacific Command confirmed Friday's rocket was an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) and said it did not pose a threat to North America or to the US Pacific territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has threatened to bracket with "enveloping fire." UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" launch of a missile that flew over Japan and demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt such actions. In a unanimous statement backed by China, the council said the launch was carried out just three weeks after a first missile overflew Japan and less than two weeks after Pyongyang's sixth and biggest nuclear test. The council "strongly condemned these launches, condemned further the DPRK for its outrageous actions, and demanded that the DPRK immediately cease all such actions." The statement however did not threaten further sanctions. North Korea fired the intermediate ballistic missile over Japan that landed in the Pacific, responding to new UN sanctions with its furthest-ever missile flight. The US Pacific Command confirmed Friday's rocket was an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) and said it did not pose a threat to North America or to the US Pacific territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has threatened to bracket with "enveloping fire." Top vote-getter appears to secure role as Newport mayor The new council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 15 to vote on who will be mayor and vice chair for the next two years. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 43F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies with late-night snow showers. Low around 30F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. 2018 Suzuki Swift Sport unveiled at Frankfurt Motorshow. (Image: Suzuki) Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and PM Narendra Modi, press a button to launch a high speed rail project in Ahmadabad. (AP Photo) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was on India visit to inaugurate various projects, famous among which is the PM Narendra Modis pet Bullet train project. The project, which was inaugurated by both the PMs, will run from Ahemdabad in Gujarat till Mumbai, cutting the running time to 2 hours only.Apart from Bullet train, PM Modi and Shinzo Abe also inaugurated Suzuki Motors new units in Gujarat. Also present was Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) Chairman Osamu Suzuki, who announced fresh investments of around Rs 3,800 crore in its Gujarat plant and will be adding a third car production plant.The company along with its partners Toshiba and Denso will also invest around Rs 1,150 crore for a new manufacturing unit to produce lithium ion batteries. These investments will lead to the enhanced capacity of the Hansalpur plant and will take Suzukis total investment in the facility to around Rs 13,400 crore.Chairman Osamu Suzuki also informed that the new investment on the third plant will increase the production capacity by 2.5 lakh units annually. When the third plant starts functioning fully, the companys total capacity in Gujarat will increase to 7.5 lakh units annually.The total production capacity of SMC along with Maruti Suzuki's two plants in Haryana will now increase to 22.5 lakh units annually. The Hansalpur plant currently manufactures premium hatchback Baleno. As for the Li-Ion batteries, they will be used for "hybrid vehicles manufactured in India and export these genuinely manufactured in India vehicles to international market", Suzuki said.The plant is expected to be operational from 2020, "We plan to continue with our efforts to promote make-in-India program further". Federal Bank PO Clerk Call Letter for Online Assessment 2017 has been released by the Federal Bank on its official website - federalbank.co.in.Federal Bank will be conducting the Online Assessment Test on 24th September for Scale-I Probationary Officers posts and on 26th September for Clerk vacancies for candidates who had successfully registered for the same on or before 4th September 2017. Candidates who had applied for the Federal Bank PO Clerk Online Assessment 2017 and paid the fee can download their Call Letter by following the instructions given below:Federal Bank PO Clerk Call Letter for Online Assessment 2017?Step 1: Visit the Official website - federalbank.co.in Step 2: Click on Careers, it will take you to https://www.federalbank.co.in/careerStep 3: Click on Download Online Assessment Call Letter - Officers / ClerksStep 4: Login using your credentialsStep 5: Download the Call Letter and take a Print OutThe candidates need to download the call letter or admit card on or before the exam day and need to present it at the time of exam alongwith any Govt. Approved ID photo id proof like Aadhaar Card, PAN Card, etc. Candidates also need to take a photocopy of the ID proof which needs to be submitted at the time of examination. The Call Letter will have your name, address of the exam centre, date and time of exam.Federal Bank is a Private Sector Bank with 1252 branches across India. Founded in 1931 pre-Independence, Federal Bank was formerly known as Travancore Federal Bank with its headquarters in Kochi, Kerala. Washington: A bipartisan group of nine top American Senators has urged the Trump administration to take action on removing barriers to the export of tree nuts especially pecans from the US to India. India's current high tariffs on pecans are affecting American pecan farmers, and have created a disparate trade barrier compared to some other tree nut producers, the Senators wrote in a letter to US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer. The letter is also signed by Senators Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, James Inhofe, Johnny Isakson, Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich, David Perdue, Luther Strange and John McCain. "There are fewer nations in the world that hold greater potential for economic cooperation and trade partnership with the US than India. Our shared democratic values and common commitment to free markets present American businesses with tremendous possibilities in South Asia," the Senators wrote in the letter dated September 12, which was released to the press on Thursday. "As you and the administration continue to explore new opportunities to grow the economy through trade and promote American agriculture, it is imperative that a key part of strengthening our trade relationship with India is reducing the tariffs that are impeding US agricultural exports," the Senators told Lighthizer. The current tariff on US pecans entering India is approximately 36 per cent, while the tariff for other similar products, such as pistachios and almonds, is much lower at 10 per cent, the letter said. "Reducing the tariff on all tree nuts will encourage increased imports of a type of commodity that enjoys popularity in India and will generate greater revenue for the country," it said. For pecans in particular, any increase in imports from the US would not impact domestic pecan production in India because the country currently produces very little, if any, pecans, they argued. Additionally, increasing US pecans imports to India presents an opportunity to advance issues important to rural America. The pecan industry contributes over USD 3.75 billion to the rural economies of the 15 pecan-producing southern states stretching from the Carolinas to California, and exports alone over the last 10 years added an additional USD 1.25 billion in economic activity in rural America. New Delhi: A day after Rajasthan police gave a clean chit to six people accused of lynching dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in April, Khan's family demanded that the case be shifted to Delhi or Haryana. Addressing a press conference at Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's house in Delhi on Friday, Khans elder son Irshad said his family was facing threats at the local court in Behror, Rajasthan. We have been getting threats and are being pressured to drop the case. Besides, we have seen how Rajasthan police is acting under pressure. The six people who have been given a clean chit by the cops are the very same people who killed my father, Irshad, who is also an eyewitness in the case, said. The 24-year-old further said that they have lost faith in the police and in Rajasthan government. We will now approach the Supreme Court and request them to shift the case to either Delhi or Haryana. We cannot continue going to Rajasthan, he said. Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer from Nuh in Haryana, was attacked by cow vigilantes near Behror in Alwar district on April 1 while he was coming back from a cattle fair in Jaipur. He had succumbed to his injuries later. Irshad said that his father had named the men who attacked him in his dying declaration. Why would a dying man lie? he asked. Not only has the entire police investigation been compromised, the cops are telling outright lies. When the men were assaulting us, they were referring to each other by name. We carefully heard their names and my father told that to the cops," he added. Digvijaya Singh, meanwhile, accused the BJP government in Rajasthan of trying to cover up the case. The BJP government is trying to protect the accused and is denying justice to the victims. This has become a pattern across India where the victims are left hapless and the accused, mostly with links from Sangh Parivar and affiliated groups, are protected. Look at the trend in almost every case, he said. It is utterly shameful that the police under Vasundhara Raje government has given a clean chit to those named by Pehlu Khan. Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria accused Khan's family of being cattle smugglers, when they were dairy farmers with all the papers and documents in place, he said. He said that local courts had also cleared the Khan family of such baseless allegations that were thrown around with the intention to shift the blame on the victim. Such justifications were given in Akhlaq's case in Dadri too, the Congress leader said. Activist Tehseen Poonawalla, who has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking regulation of cow vigilante groups, said he would also apprise the apex court of the massive cover-up in the Pehlu Khan case. The SC in has issued notices to the Centre and six state governments, including Rajasthan, and has also asked for strict action on cow vigilantism. The court has also ordered the appointment of senior police officers as nodal officers in every district to crackdown on such cases," he said. A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was martyred early on Friday when Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire along the International Border in Arnia area of RS Pura sector in Jammu district."One BSF trooper has been killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan rangers. They are using mortars, automatics and small arms to target nine BSF posts in Arnia. BSF troopers are retaliating strongly and effectively, IANS news agency quoted BSF sources as saying. "Heavy firing exchanges are now going on in these areas."The jawan martyred was identified as Constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh.Constable Brijendra Bahadur SinghConstable Bijender Bahadur was on duty at forward point along the fence in Arnia sector along the IB when Pakistani Rangers resorted to mortar shelling and small arms fire at about 0020 hours on Friday.A bullet hit the jawan on the left side of his abdomen and he succumbed to injuries on the way to hospital, a BSF officer told PTI.Bahadur, 32, hailed from Vidya Bhawan Naraypur village in Uttar Pradesh's Balia district. He is survived by his wife Sushmita Singh.One civilian was also reported to have been injured in the ceasefire violation.Authorities have reportedly kept emergency services on alert to meet any eventuality.(With agency inputs) Abu Bakar had done it many times before. He was running towards something that everyone else was running away from. He was going to do his job: to document a street protest in North Kashmirs Sopore. Scores of students had come on streets this summer in Bakars own backyard.The 21-year-old freelance photojournalist packed his camera and crossed the narrow alleys of his hometown to reach to the spot. Students armed with stones and shouldering their school bags were engaged in a pitched battle with the security forces. Bakar started clicking photographs like every other day.Minutes later, he heard someone shouting his name and abusing him.It was a senior police officer. He screamed that he would kill me in an encounter if I didnt stop taking the photos. He didnt want me to take the pictures of his men teargassing the youths in school uniform, Bakar told News18.Photo Credit: Mohammad Abu BakarOn September 4, Kamran Yusuf, a freelance photojournalist working in South Kashmir, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and flown to Delhi. Kamran is a regular contributor to Kashmirs largest circulated English daily Greater Kashmir. His work has been published in other local newspapers as well, including some television channels.It has been a week since Kamran has been in NIA custody. We have booked him under stone pelting charges. He will soon be produced before a court, said Alok Mittal, spokesperson of NIA.Kamrans family and colleagues, however, have denied the charges. The 20-year-old photojournalist lives in Pulwamas Tahab village and was raised by his mother after she got divorced when Kamran was two. Rubeena said her son was carrying out his professional duties and that he has no links with stone throwing.Journalists across Kashmir have protested the detention and asked the NIA to explain the charges against him. On September 12, The Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) asked authorities to immediately release the photojournalist.Same day, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international NGO for press freedom, said, Indian authorities should immediately release freelance photojournalist Kamran Yousuf who has been held without charge.Many in Kashmirs media fraternity, however, believe that Kamran was arrested because he reported stories nobody else used to.Shah Irshad, who works as a photojournalist for a Delhi-based organization and is a close friend of Kamran said, He [Kamran] used to report from the ground and told stories about human right violations and police excesses.Another journalist from South Kashmir, while wishing to remain anonymous, said Kamran was framed because he had become an eye sore for some politicians in the area and they didnt like the work he was doing.On March 4 this year, Kamran was beaten up. Greater Kashmir in its story about the incident quoted him saying, As the clashes erupted in the town, I rushed to the spot to cover the incident. However, policemen present there pounced on me and beat me. They threatened to break my camera. Somehow I regained my composure and managed to escape from the spot.The story titled Cops thrash GK lensman has since been deleted from the Greater Kashmir website after Kamrans arrest by the NIA.However, Greater Kashmir editor-in-chief Fayaz Ahmad Kaloo, in an interview with The Hoot, a media watchdog, said that Yousuf was not on the payroll. I would have owned him if he had worked with us. He was not a staffer and did not carry our I-card. He would send photos to all news organisations in 2016 and his photos were used. I would not have unnecessarily made it an issue, he said.Kamrans friend and mentor Irshad shrugs off Greater Kashmirs position on the matter. The organization owned him when he was beaten in May this year. Why did they remove the story from their website which said he was beaten up by cops? he questioned.But for journalists who have known Kamran closely, his arrest by the NIA is not only an issue of gagging the press, but also to make sure other journalists keep it in mind while covering the Kashmir conflict.Photo Credit: Mohammad Abu BakarHe (Kamran) covered almost every encounter and militant funeral in South Kashmir. His pictures used to go viral and the authorities didnt like that. His arrest is a message to all of us, a journalist from South Kashmir said.Caught in the line of fire when they are covering the violence, these photojournalists young and experienced alike feel duty-bound to report the stories. But one cant ignore the harsh reality that has come to fore: how the authorities in Kashmir are treating the local photojournalists the first-responders to the news.The recent example of one such case is a 30-year-old freelance photojournalist Zuhaib Maqbool. Zuhaib is a victim of the pellet guns used by the police against the protestors in Kashmir. On September 4, 2016, he was hit in the face by the pellets fired by the cops while covering protests in the Rainawari locality of Srinagar.I saw a masked cop pointing his gun towards me and I immediately stood up. As he was about to press the trigger, I showed my camera shouting I am from the press. Within few seconds, I heard a loud bang with some hot metal objects hitting my body and eyes, Zuhaib said.After he was hit by pellets, Freelance photojournalist Zuhaib Maqbool lost partial eyesight in his left eye. (Getty Images)Zuhaib and his colleagues, who were with him that day, say there was no provocation. They knew we were from the media, and yet they fired at Zuhaib from close range. No action has been taken against the cop who fired at him, said one of Zuhaibs colleagues.Zuhaibs isnt the only such case. The cops had beaten up many photojournalists during the 2016 unrest as well. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in September 2016, its statement condemned these attacks and expressed concerns over press freedom in Kashmir. We demand that the government not only allows journalists to report freely but also to ensure their protection, the statement read.However, in most of these cases, police and the authorities have blamed the photojournalists for being at a wrong place or even instigating the trouble.But photojournalists in Kashmir havent only borne the brunt from one side. Those who cover protests and militant funerals are facing heat from protesters as well.Syed Shehriyar, a young photojournalist who has been covering Kashmir for 6 years, has experienced hostility from both sides. There were times when the police harassed him as he was taking pictures and other times when he was threatened by protesters.We face the stick from both the parties. Police say we glorify the civilian protesters and protesters say we sell our photos to the security agencies. We have been living with all this, Shehriyar said.Javed Dar, an award-winning journalist from Kashmir who works with a foreign publication and has been covering Kashmir for 15 years, says photojournalists are not to be blamed for the crises.We are only doing our job. The problem occurs when the authorities and people at large presume photojournalists are instigators of the crises, and with that the friction starts and photojournalists become a target. Clashes between protesters and security forces happen even in our absence, Dar said.Dar pointed out that photojournalists have not only documented funerals of militants and police excesses, the heart-rending picture of wailing Zohra, the daughter of police officer who was killed by the militants, was also clicked by us.A journalist who was on a recent reporting trip to Kashmir shared an interesting anecdote that sums up how journalists and photojournalists in Kashmir have to live with threats almost on a daily basis. I was sitting in the office of a senior police officer for an interview. A local journalist called him for a quote and the officer responded back saying, Aisa mat samjhiye ki main aap ki stories nahi dekh raha hoon. Thoda sambhal ke kaam kijiye (Dont presume I dont know what stories you have been doing. Do watch what you write), he said.Altaf Qadri, a senior photojournalist from Kashmir who works with Associated Press, advocated the need of an independent photojournalists association in Kashmir. Giving an example of NIAs arrest of Kamran, he said, The criminal silence of the organization he [Kamran] worked for is unfortunate. If we had a strong association of photojournalists in Kashmir, things would have turned out differently.Many young photojournalists News18 spoke to said news organizations prefer not to hire them and instead use them as freelancers, leaving them to fend for themselves in this turbulence. We shouldnt allow ourselves to be exploited so that in times of crises we arent disowned by the organizations that we work for, Dar said.Qadri says freelance photojournalists live off whatever they are able to sell. We have no insurance coverage; journalist bodies speak for full-timers, ignoring the freelancers.Beyond physical violence and frequent threats, photojournalists in the valley are also exposed to mental trauma after witnessing blood and gore on a daily basis. A photojournalist from North Kashmir said, After spending days on work, you become so cold, so distant from reality that its hard to come out of the shock and the trauma. But we continue to tell the stories.(Part 3 of 12-part #KashmirBeyondCliches series) Gurugram: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday announced that the probe into the murder of Ryan International School student Praduyman Thakur will be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation. Khattar also said that the management of the schools Gurugram branch will be taken over by the Haryana school board for a period of three months. The district collector will be made in charge of the school management, he said. The Haryana CM met the family members of Pradyuman, whose throat was slit in the schools washroom on September 8. Calling what happened in the school an extremely condemnable incident, he said that a letter would be written immediately to the CBI, asking it to take over the investigation. The transfer of the investigation to CBI would have implications on the pace of proceedings in the case. Firstly, Gurugram polices self-imposed seven-day deadline for filing the chargesheet is no longer relevant. Sources said that CBI would file a fresh case and seek details of the probe from the police. The central agency would also seek fresh custody of the accused, bus conductor Ashok Kumar, and question all the stakeholders, including the school management once again. The boys father, Barun Thakur, said he has full faith in the police and judiciary and was glad that the sensitivity this case deserved is being shown by the authorities. He demanded that responsibility for the murder should be fixed on the school management. The transfer of the probe and the action against Ryan International School came on the same day that reports said the school authorities may have wasted critical time in taking Pradyuman to the hospital. The 7-year-old boy was found in the schools washroom in a pool of blood but was first taken to three ill-equipped hospitals. He died before he could receive medical treatment. With pressure to act against the school management growing, the police had arrested two senior officials the schools legal head and human resources head - on Monday. The pre-arrest bail plea of the trustees of Ryan group was also rejected by the Bombay High Court on Thursday. Augustine Francis Pinto, founder, his wife Grace Pinto, managing director of the group, and their son Ryan Pinto, CEO of the group, surrendered their passports at the Mumbai police commissioners office late on Thursday. Beijing: China has expressed displeasure over any foreign investments, including that from Japan, in what it referred to as "disputed areas" in the North East region. A day after Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unveiled his plans to invest in the North Eastern region, Chinese foreign ministry said that one must be clear that "the boundary of India and China border area has not been totally delimited. We have disputes on the eastern section of the boundary". "We are now trying to seek a solution through negotiations that is acceptable to both sides. Under such circumstances, various parties should respect such aspects and any third party should not be involved in our efforts to resolve the disputes," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told media on Friday. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as southern Tibet. Hua said there was no mention of China anywhere in the India-Japan joint statement nor she has seen any "innuendoes" referred to Beijing as stated by the media. "To be frank we are also closely following the Japanese Prime Ministers visit to India. I read the joint statement carefully but I have not found the statement mentioned the term China at all," she said. About the references to Indo-Pacific, which included South China Sea in the joint statement and calls for the countries to resolve the disputes peacefully, she said the statement mentioned disputes to be resolved through dialogue. "We know that to resolve the disputes the directly concerned parties have to uphold the rights to freedom of navigation, over flights entitled to countries under international law. This is Chinas position," she said. In indirect reference to Japan, she said, We also hope various parties can uphold the rights to freedom of navigation of over flights by countries in various waters." China and Japan have dispute over the uninhabited islands called Senkakus by Japan and Diaoyu islands by China in the East China Sea where naval ships of both the countries aggressively patrol the waters around the islands. About the connectivity projects, and implicit criticism of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Hua said, "I havent seen any innuendoes. I have not seen that". Hua hoped that close ties between India and Japan is conducive to the regional peace and stability. "I should also add that the India and Japan are important countries in Asia. We hope the normal development of the relationship can be conducive to regional, peace and development and play a constructive role in this process," she said. (With PTI inputs) Hyderabad An Indian doctor from Telangana was stabbed to death in an alley behind his holistic practice in Kansas and a man identified as one of his patients has been arrested in the killing, police said on Thursday. Achutha Reddy, 57, was killed in the attack on Wednesday evening at the Holistic Psychiatry Services clinic in Wichita. Police Lt. Todd Ojile said the suspect in custody was Reddy's client, but that authorities do not know what prompted the attack. One of his patients, 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt, also an Indian-American, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder. The accused man was found at a country club after a security guard reported a suspicious person sitting in a car in the parking lot with blood on his clothes. "During the investigation, we learned that the 21-year- old suspect was a client of Dr Reddy and had been at the office. The suspect was in the business for a short time. He left and then later came back with Dr Reddy and they went into an office there, Ojile said. "After going to an office, a disturbance was heard. An office manager entered into the office and observed the suspect assaulting Dr ready. She attempted to stop the assault which allowed the doctor to flee the office, he said. Umar chased the doctor out of his office, and stabbed him multiple times, Ojile said, adding that the reason for the murder has not been ascertained yet. Umar has been held on USD one million bond. According to Wichita State University, he was a former student and was last enrolled in the spring of 2015. "His tragic loss will be felt by many. In today's world mental health resources are stretched thin. Many looked toward Dr Reddy for help in their times of crisis. As many providers in the mental health profession, he offered hope to many suffering from mental illness, Wichita Police Department said in a statement. Reddy graduated from a medical school at Osmania University in India in 1986 and did his residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1998. He specialised in psychiatry. Holistic Psychiatric Services psychotherapist Brenda Trammel described it as a great loss. "Dr Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and everyone of us needed and gave it freely," she said. "He would often tell me you have to have freedom to live life to the fullest and this is how he lived his life. He thought of himself as our father and his job was to guide us to do well in our lives. He expected the best from all of us and we gave it to him with the same abandon he gave to us," Trammel said. The Indian American community in Wichita has expressed shock over incident. "With a heavy heart, we regret to inform our community, that a member of our Wichita Indian Community has lost his life last night. We will provide more information as it becomes available," Cultural Association of India-Wichita said. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Making a clear distinction between Semitic and non-Semitic religions RSS ideologue K N Govindacharya has said only 'Hindu Rohingyas' should be considered for asylum in India since they have no other place to go. The RSS leader was responding to latest reports from the Rakhine state in Myanmar where the ethnic violence has led to the displacement of not just Rohingya Muslims, but also Rohingya Hindus. Govindacharya had last week impleaded before the Supreme Court seeking deportation of Rohingya Muslim refugees, claiming that allowing them to stay in India may lead to another partition. Hindus have no other place to go. The 'Hindu Rohingyas' are philosophically and ideologically in sync with the land. They cant be treated the same way as others, Govindacharya told News18. When asked to elaborate on Indias stand in context to 'Hindu Rohingyas', he said, I will take my ideological stand on this question. We cannot equate the Semitic and non-Semitic religions. The Semitic religions have exclusive Judaic thinking, believing in global brotherhood and we can ignore it at our own peril. He added, How can we see the two (Rohingya Hindus and Muslims) the same way? There should be an investigation on how the Muslim Rohingyas reached Jammu and Kashmir. Around nine districts of Bengal have been converted into Muslim majority region. Look at the way religion affects event the mundane aspects of our lives. Referring to the ethic Tamil conflict in Sri Lanka, Govindacharya said the global scene has altered over the past three decades with Islamic terrorism emerging as a global threat. This issue cannot be seen simplistically it cannot be seen only on humanitarian grounds, or in the light of human rights. We also have some responsibility towards national security, he added. On the other hand, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has also joined the Rohingya debate, seeking asylum for Muslims on humanitarian grounds. If Taslima Nasreen could be allowed to stay in India, then why not Rohingyas? Nasreen became your sister, why cant Rohingyas become your brother? Owaisi said at a public rally last evening. Washington: India and Pakistan are holding high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty in Washington, a senior World Bank official has said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Thursday announced the schedule for its entrance examination for the 2018-19 academic year. According to a release issued by the administration, the entrance examination will be conducted on four days from December 27 to December 30. The prestigious university is offering 720 seats for M.Phil/PhD courses, 459 for BA programmes and 1,118 seats for MA, M.Sc, M.Tech and MPH courses. The administration had in May announced that the entrance exams for all courses would be shifted from the usual period between May and June to December, starting this year. The decision was taken two years after it was put forward at a meeting of the varsity's Academic Council (AC) and approved at a Standing Committee meeting. It had been put on hold to study its feasibility. "Part-time programmes (diploma and certificate courses) will have 240 seats open," according to the statement, signed by the Registrar. Soon after the announcement of the decision, the JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) had raised objections about the short notice in announcing the decision and demanded more time to discuss the central university's move to shift its entrance examination from May to December. Reduction in number of seats for M.Phil and PhD courses has been the bone of contention between the administration on one hand and teachers and students on the other. The newly elected JNU students' union office-bearers have taken up fight against seat cuts as one of the major issues. New Delhi: Ahmedabad and Mumbai get a bullet train. What will Delhi get? This is a big question on the minds of several residents in the national capital. Well, in the next six months, Delhi will get a big gift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi new highways to free the city from traffic jams and pollution. "Six months from now on, Modi will give a big gift to the people of Delhi by inaugurating several highways that will free the city from traffic jams and pollution," Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday at Delhi BJPs two-day executive meeting. Gadkari added that the Modi government has provided Rs 40,000 crore for infrastructure development in Delhi. The expansion of NH-24 heading towards Meerut with an expenditure of Rs 6,000 crore will use the waste dumped at Ghazipur landfill site providing a big relief to the locals, he said. Earlier this month, a portion of the mountain of garbage at the landfill had collapsed killing two people. "The Modi government has also sanctioned thousands of crores of rupees for Dhaulakuan-Jaipur, Mukarba Chowk-Panipat roads, Dwarka Expressway and North-West corridor," he said. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari praised the prime minister citing Dokalam issue, Triple Talaq, and action against separatists in Kashmir. He also hit out at the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi accusing it of indulging in "scams". "While the Modi government is not only ruling but also endeavouring for social transformation, the Kejriwal government in Delhi is indulging in scams whose fresh example is Mohalla Clinic," Tiwari said. The party workers and leaders were also addressed by national general secretaries Anil Jain and Ramlal. "The next two years are crucial for strengthening peoples faith in the Modi government," Ramlal said. A political resolution passed by the executive of the Delhi unit, "condemned" the Kejriwal government on 21 issues and also hit out at the Congress for allegedly "misguiding" Delhi people on various issues. Union minister Vijay Goel, national vice president Shyam Jaju, senior party leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra, BJP MPs Minkashi Lekhi, Ramesh Bidhuri, and Maheish Girri, and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta were present among others at the meeting. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday urged the state governments to establish "open prisons" as a measure to usher in reforms for inmates and to also prevent overcrowding. Open prisons are jails with minimal supervision and physical control over inmates. Prisoners are allowed to take up regular employments; they can walk out of jail campus in morning and come back in evening after their work hours. While issuing a slew of directions relating to prison reforms, a bench led by Justice Madan B Lokur said the timing was right for the states to experiment with the open prison system. It found merit in the suggestion given by advocate Gaurav Agrawal, amicus curiae in the PIL, who suggested that the concept of open prisons should be encouraged in India. This, Agrawal had said, will be a positive step towards giving prisoners an opportunity to reform themselves by assimilating with the society once again. "The suggestion was given by the learned amicus of encouraging the establishment of open jails or open prisons is certainly worth considering," noted the Court. Agrawal also brought to the Court's notice that the experiment in Shimla and the semi-open prison in Delhi have been extremely successful and their models need to be carefully studied. "Perhaps there might be equally successful experiments carried out in other States as well and, if so, they require being documented, studied and emulated," said the bench, urging the states to do needful. It also said that prison officials should consider extending the time or frequency of visits to prison by the family of a prisoner. "They should and also explore the possibility of using phones and video conferencing for communications not only between a prisoner and family members of that prisoner but also between a prisoner and the lawyer, whether appointed by the State Legal Services Authority or otherwise," the Court further held. Among other directions, the bench asked 24 high courts across the country to register suo motu PILs on unnatural deaths of prisoners since 2012 and award suitable compensation to their families. It also directed the state governments to appoint counselors and support persons for counseling prisoners, particularly first-time offenders. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been directed to formulate procedures tabulating the number of children who suffer unnatural death in child care institutions. The bench was hearing a PIL registered suo motu in connection with unsatisfactory conditions in 1382 jails across the country. Not fine, says a senior police officer, when we ask him how he is. He is part of the 21-member crack team the Special Investigation Team (SIT) -- set up to solve the cold-blooded murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.This is one whodunnit, though, that is no mean mystery thats the only thing that the core team has realised in the past ten days since Gauri was downed by four bullets just as she landed home on the night of September 5.For, in these ten days, the team has tracked down many blank leads, many theories, spoken to (and taken statements from) over a hundred people, put their best minds from tech to forensics to ballistics into the job, and yet, not put their finger on an actual killer of course, none of this has been aided by the huge amount of media speculation that the incident has seen.The other reason that the trail has not made much headway is because lets face it -- it is a mammoth task. It requires a huge amount of data analysis, collation and interpretation. It requires painstaking coordination between different forces, different viewpoints, and diverse data. This is one case the police cannot afford to mess up considering that the hit-men in three other similar murders are yet to be brought to book -- the murders of Dabholkar and Pansare in Maharashtra and Kalburgi in Karnataka.So, how does one crack a case like this? What happens behind the scenes of an investigation like this is quite a making-of-the... story in itself.Lets take it one at a time:On the night of the murder, though the police had cordoned off the entry to the home, there were quite a few journalists, activists, locals who were trampling around the home, the empty plots of land next door, the car in which Gauri had just arrived. What fingerprints can be taken from the outside of the car, how much of the evidence is material, how much is not, takes its own time. Even today, police officers are at the scene of crime, trying to see if they missed something. A thoroughly-wet cellphone covered in mud, for instance, was recovered days after the crime, less than 200 metres from the home. Though it is now not yielding any further leads (considering it has seen two spells of very heavy rainfall), it has to be checked by forensic experts for any clues.There were four CCTV cameras around Gauris house, two of which were focussed on the porch outside where she was killed. The key footage that the police found shows Gauri driving home just after 8 pm, getting off her car, entering the small gate into the compound of her duplex home, turning around to open the larger gate so that she could drive herself in. It was at this moment that she found herself facing her killer. Two shots were fired, she tries to move away, startled and aware of the danger, the attacker goes around, shoots twice more. One hits a wall, another her chest. She falls, he goes away, presumably to a getaway vehicle with a rider outside. He is seen wearing a white shirt, a black helmet. The entire episode took less than ten seconds. She was a brave woman, says an officer who has seen the video.Police have taken up another massive task trying to see if Gauri was followed. How did they know she would enter her home at that exact time? Obviously, someone was lying in wait, but was there someone else who was following her? Theories have emerged on a two-wheeler following her, but in Bengalurus peak hour traffic, there is no conclusive evidence so far. This however involves the long process of scrutinising many hours of videos from traffic surveillance cameras along the route Gauri took that night. But one team is working on this, as the police cannot afford to miss anything at this stage.There were likely two reconnaissance (recce) attempts by the killer first at around 3 pm, when a biker in a white shirt and black helmet went along the same road, did a U-turn and went back; a second time around 7 pm, when he just rode down that road. The residents of an apartment opposite Gauris home had raised an alarm and called the police. The second bike-rider was just a cable operator, out to address a complaint by a resident on that street. Had he arrived a minute earlier, the killers may have abandoned their plans.From what is known so far, all four bullets shot that day have been recovered either from the body or the crime scene. It confirms that a 7.65 mm-bore country-made pistol was used to fire all four bullets. The bullets were fired from a distance of 2 to 7 meters. These are facts.Are these from the same kind of weapon used in the murders of Kalburgi, Dabholkar and Pansare? Yes. Are these from the same exact gun? Well, thats not clear yet. A detailed comparison with the striations of the bullets recovered from those crime scenes needs to be done. That requires court permission in some cases, it requires coordination with three other investigating agencies four murders are being probed by four completely different agencies the CBI, the Maharashtra police, the Karnataka CID and the Karnataka SIT.The second question that arises when it comes to the weapon where was it accessed from? These are not factory-made, which come with serial numbers, and are given to licensed holders. Police are interrogating known culprits in different jails in Karnataka, looking for leads on where the pistol came from.While, broadly, the police believe it was her ideology that was the motive, whether there was a specific column or campaign of Gauris that led to her being targeted is being probed. Police have been questioning her family members, her colleagues, her activist-friends. If it was a murder for personal revenge, or some property dispute, it would have been solved by now. This is a case where there is complete anonymity. And there were a large number of causes she espoused, it was not one or two, says a senior officer.Two months back, she had written about the demand for a separate Lingayat religion. Her latest column was about fake news propaganda. Before that, she has worked to rehabilitate Naxals into the mainstream. Gauri spearheaded campaigns for Dalit rights against discrimination, for rights of the landles1s.The video of the murder is grainy, the attacker was wearing a helmet. Yet, digital enhancement of that video is being done by experts, to see if a workable sketch can be made out. This, again, will take time.Doubtless, the going is going to be slow and arduous. Gauri, the meshtru magalu as she was known the daughter of English teacher (meshtru in Kannada) P Lankesh, may not be resting in peace. Nor is the police team thats chasing her killer. Bengaluru: Two foreign nationals were arrested by the Cyber Crime Police of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) here on Tuesday while they were trying to remove a skimming device that they had fixed in an ATM. The accused, 40-year-old Dan Sabin Cristian from Romania and 44-year-old Mare Janos from Hungary, fixed skimming devices in five ATMs in different parts of the city. They used high-tech gadgets like pinhole camera, motion detector sensors to capture every detail of the card. The skimming device installed in the ATM would get details such as card number and the pinhole camera would get the PIN. According to police the duo came to Bangalore on 1st September and hired a room before installing such devices in the next few days. Every day, they would take out the devices and retrieve the data collected before inserting them back again. The accused confessed to police that they are part of an organised criminal gang and their associates were living in the United Kingdom. They travelled to India on a tourist visit and had booked their return ticket on 19th September. Police found laptop, hard disk and more skimming devices in the hotel where the foreign nationals were living in. As of now, police found skimming devices installed by the duo in ATMs if Kotak Mahindra Bank at Kempegowda International Airport, MG Road and Brigade Road, Citi Bank at Garuda Mall, Canara Bank on MG Road. We are yet to confirm if the data was transferred to United Kingdom. We have found encrypted data and out technical team is trying decode it, said Pratap Reddy, Additional Director General of Police, CID. In preliminary investigation it is found that the accused have travelled around the world for this and a case was filed against Christian in Jamaica. Hungary and Romania Embassies in India have been informed about the arrest. We have not seen such cases, where they used spray paint on the skimming devices to match the colour of the parts of ATM, so that no one doubts that the ATM is rigged. We urge people to cover the keypad while punching in the PIN in ATM to be on a safer side henceforth, said Kishore Chandra, Director General of Police, CID. New Delhi: Uttarakhand education minister Arvind Pandey's arithmetic theory at a government school recently turned the Mathematics and Chemistry upside down. The minister in the BJP-led state government paid a surprise visit to Dehradun's Mahila Inter College on Monday this week. Pandey entered a class in which a female teacher was teaching science. Since the minister was in the college to inspect the quality of education in government-run schools, he thought of asking a question or two of the teacher. He picked up chalk and duster, walked up to the board, and wrote (-) + (-) = 'what'. The teacher said the answer was (-). But the minister was in no mood to concede grounds, claiming that the answer to his question was (+), adding, "I have also studied science". According to Pandey, (-) + (-)= (+) in mathematics but (-) in Chemistry, a theory he seems to have propounded on his own. Another official, accompanying the minister, maintained a strategic silence, though perhaps realizing minister's folly. However, Pandey was least bothered by the correct response of the teacher. He sat in a chair, raised his finger, and endeavoured to draw his point once again home. Before leaving the classroom, he warned the teacher, "I am sparing you because you are a woman." Pandey was taken to task by the social media audience when his video made its way to Twitter and Facebook. The minister, in his defence, said that he didn't wish to "disrespect" any teacher. Pandey said: "Neither the teacher nor the students were carrying any book. The teacher was teaching with the help of a "key", a book with questions and their solutions." Arvind Pandey also asserted that he didn't have any affection for the minister's post and was willing to resign if he was proven wrong. Kolkata: Following criticism, the West Bengal government told the Calcutta High Court on Friday that idol immersion during Durga Puja can happen till 10 pm. This is a rollback from the state governments earlier decision that till 6 pm on September 30 which is Vijaya Dashami. Advocate-General Kishore Dutta told the bench of acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty about the governments decision. The petitioner, Smarajit Roy Chowdhury, however, insisted in the court that the time should be extended till 1.30 am instead of 10 pm. The division bench will now decide whether to allow immersion on Muharram day (October 1) on Monday. On August 24, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that there will be no idol immersion on October 1 due to the Muharram procession and on September 30, immersion would happen till 6 pm. It was learnt that the division bench referred to Ganesh idol immersion in Maharashtra and said that if Muharram and Ganesh idol immersion can happen together (there are instances) in Maharashtra, than why cant it happen in Bengal. Recently, a petition has been filed in the Calcutta High Court against Banerjees decision to ban idol immersion on the day of Muharram on October 1 and immersion restriction timing on Vijaya Dashami. The petition was filed by a city based lawyer Smarajit Roy Chowdhury. Roy Choudhury is the same petitioner who claimed that Job Charnock was not the founder of Calcutta (now Kolkata). Speaking to News18, Choudhury said, Durga puja is one of the biggest festivals in Bengal and we follow rituals based on panjika. Whether it is puja timing, Anjali, immersion everything is based on auspicious timings. We felt that there is an attempt to suppress right to religion and activity based on religion. Therefore, we filed a petition at Calcutta High Court on last Wednesday against governments move to ban immersion on Muharram. We are hopeful that we will get some positive news in Monday during the next hearing, he added. This is not for the first time when immersion day was rescheduled due to Muharram in Bengal. Last year, on October 6, a single-member bench of Justice Dipankar Dutta said that there should not be any decision which could pit one community against another, and that intolerance would rise in the event of such arbitrary decision of the government. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala priest Tom Uzhunnalil, recently freed after being abducted by Islamic militants 18 months ago, has said what he went through "definitely had a purpose" as he thanked all those who helped in his release. In his first video message after being released on September 12, Father Uzhunnalil said he was "happy, strong in mind and soul" though he needed to recuperate. "I am sure God will put me back to whatever mission he wants...He has a purpose in our life," the Salesian priest is heard saying in the message from the Vatican, where he is recovering after being freed. "What I went through definitely had a purpose. I have received the prayers and love of you all. He has ultimately answered. I am free," he said in the video being telecast by local news channels. He said he was fine and had no major illnesses, other than diabetes. "I have been happy, strong in mind and soul. Still I need a little more recuperation from my physical weaknesses...No major illness, other than my diabetes," he said. He said he was grateful to God and to everybody for their love, concern and prayers. "God is great. His love is everlasting and his mercy definite. May God bless each of you and all those involved in making this day possible," he said. The Catholic Church, political leaders and family members of Father Uzhunnalil had earlier thanked the governments of India and Oman for the efforts taken to secure his release. Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) President and Major Archbishop of Syro Malankara church Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos and Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, CBCI Secretary General, said the church was grateful to the government of India and all concerned for the steps taken to secure his release. Father Uzhunnalil, who belongs to Bharananganam in Pala in Kottayam, was abducted from the port city of Aden after the terror group attacked a care home run by Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. There were several video messages from him after the incident, asking for help. He was rescued from captivity in Yemen on September 12 and then flown to the Vatican. Would you wear a pair of Crocs with a traditional Kanjeevaram sari? This new fashion trend and more will be showcased at the fourth edition of the Mysore Fashion Week, which begins here on Friday. Being held in association with the brand Crocs at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel here, the three-day gala will also feature a collection dedicated to the Paris attack victims as well as one with India's national flower lotus as an inspiration. Jayanti Ballal, the event's Director and also a fashion designer, is excited to showcase her unique collection where the models will flaunt rich Kanjeevaram saris with Crocs footwear. As an ode to the rich cultural heritage of Mysuru, Ballal has come up with a line of designs that will feature heritage jewelry designs created on saris. As for the event, she says the attempt is always to try and implement something different every time. "The models walking the ramp are new faces because we believe in giving opportunities to new people. The only criteria we have when looking for a model is the minimum height which should be 5 ft 7 inches and this year we have a transgender model named Anjali as well," Ballal told IANS. Crocs Mysore Fashion Week will have more than 50 models, and 10 of these will be men. The showstoppers at the extravaganza include actress Chitrangada Singh for Rebecca Dewan, Adah Sharma for Ballal and acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi for Jaheena. Dewan has worked up creations using Chantilly. Her festive pop collection titled 'Belle ame' is her way to pay tribute to the Paris attack victims. "Paris has always been a welcoming city for fashion and it should remain so. I started my brand's journey with Chantilly and hence I felt it fitting to feature it in my latest collection. This collection is for the discerning bride who dares to be exceptional, pushes boundaries and values individuality," said Rebecca. The event will also feature the works of designers and brands like Vijaylakshmi Silks, Trinetra by Raja Pandit, Krishna Dembla by Ramesh Dembla, Reshma Kunhi, Posh Affair by Roshan and Dinendra, Maanay by Ashok Maanay, Zubhe by Kanchan Sabharwal, Shravan Kumar, Crocs Exclusive Showcase, Asif Merchant, and the grand finale by Archana Kochhar. It will be a riot of different inspirations ranging from an Indo-western line inspired by the lotus flower, where the silhouettes will be traditional in fusion for the modern woman to a celebration of brides and grooms, clothes reflecting the moods and emotions of humans who are looking for a ray of hope, the classic Gingham (medium-weight balanced plain-woven fabric made from dyed cotton or cotton-blend yarn) weave and more. As for the Crocs showcase, it will have sequinned to embellished styles in bright colors. There will be a variety of comfortable clogs, sneakers, heels and wedges, stylish sandals and slides. The backstage team for this fashion event is from the Queens Fashion Designing School. An average of 40 students from the Institute is going to be a part of the show. Toronto/Gangtok: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who has produced a Sikkimese film, came under attack after calling the hill state insurgency-troubled. She has apologised to the Sikkim government, which sought another apology in more "clear-cut terms". Netizens on Thursday slammed Priyanka for being "politically illiterate" after she spoke about Sikkim in an interview on the sidelines of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She was discussing Pahuna: The Little Visitors, her Sikkimese production which premiered at the gala. Sikkim Tourism Minister Ugen T. Gyatso termed Priyanka's statements as "unfortunate". "I have received an apology letter. We have to be satisfied with it," said Gyatso, adding: "She must have thought Sikkim is like other northeastern states. It's a very peaceful state." The state government has sought another letter of apology from the actress. Sikkim Tourism Secretary C. Zangpo Bhutia said: "We have received an apology note from Priyanka Chopra for her comments, where she has written 'I tender an apology'. But we are not satisfied. We have asked her to send us another letter in more clear-cut terms." Asked what the Sikkim government felt about Priyanka's comments, he said: "Whatever she said is totally unacceptable. This has tarnished the image of our state. So we asked her to take back her statement and apologise to us. But as we are not satisfied with her first letter. We are waiting for a fresh note from her." Priyanka, who now divides her time between the US and India, is yet to issue an official statement. Sikkim MP Prem Das Rai said her comment was a mistake and there was no need to sensationalise the issue. "She definitely doesn't have her facts correct. Sikkim has been an insurgency-free state for three decades but she didn't know that," he said. "She is a star in her own right and Sikkim is a star in its own right. We should bury this issue." Priyanka's film "Pahuna..." is about three Nepalese children who get separated from their parents, escape the Maoists in Nepal and flee to Sikkim. Talking about the movie to ET Canada, Priyanka said: "This is a Sikkimese film. Sikkim is a small state in the northeast of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from there. And this is the first film ever that's come out of that region because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations." This remark was widely slammed. "Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states, dear Priyanka. We don't have any insurgency here. Please comment responsibly," tweeted Santosh Subban from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. Tawqeer Hussain added: "Celebs like her are 'politically illiterate'. Earlier, many celebs (didn't) know the name of the President of India. So don't expect them to be politically correct." Biswatosh Sinha, a scriptwriter from Assam, wrote: "Dear Priyanka Chopra, Sikkim is a peaceful place and Pahuna is not the first film from the region. Plz get the facts right." Incidentally, Priyanka is the tourism ambassador of BJP-ruled Assam. Directed by first-timer Paakhi A. Tyrewala, Pahuna... was launched as an association between Priyanka and her mother Madhu Chopra's banner Purple Pebble Pictures and Sikkim's Ministry of Tourism. The National Award-winning actress, a former Miss World, is a known face globally courtesy American television show Quantico. Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Sohum Shah, Mark Justice, Hiten Kumar, Kishori ShahaneDirector: Hansal MehtaHansal Mehta's cleverly titled new film Simran, starring Kangana Ranaut, has that rarest of things thats practically gone missing from the movies lately a compelling story at its core. Inspired by true events, the film is a fascinating account of an NRI woman who comes undone by her addiction to gambling. Its an interesting premise, and the film delivers despite glaring contrivances.Praful Patel is thirty, divorced, and lives in Atlanta with her parents, although its clear they dont agree on anything. The scenes at home are some of the films best and most authentic; a Gujarati family routinely at each others throats. Praful works in housekeeping at an upscale hotel, scrubbing toilets and dusting surfaces while trying desperately to cobble together the funds she needs to buy her own place so she can get out of their hair.Kangana sinks her teeth into the part, and makes a meal of it. Praful is a flawed, complex woman, and Kangana plays her as alternately childlike and selfish, all the while walking a tightrope to ensure that the character never comes off as entirely unlikeableeven when shes robbing banks to pay off a Vegas loan shark for a gambling debt.The apparent ease with which she holds up banks by slipping a piece of paper on which a bomb threat has been scribbled with lipstick is intended as a comment on post-9/11 paranoia and racial prejudices, but these scenes look way too convenient, depicting both bank staff and the cops as complete idiots. Mehta explores some dark themes but adopts a bittersweet approach in doing so. Through the character of Prafuls father, a desperate, impatient man constantly complaining about money or his stubborn daughter, the film holds a mirror to what is often the harsh reality of immigrants and the hollowness of the American Dream.But its also true that the film has very little interest in anything other than celebrating its leading lady. Frankly Simran is the Kangana Ranaut show, and boy, what a show she puts on. The first hour coasts along nicely, giving the actress every opportunity to flex her comic chops. She befriends a bartender, flirts with a handsome fella, and mimics being shocked at the price of a dress. Its breezy stuff, and deliberately evocative of her goofy character Rani from Queen.Except that Praful is no Rani. And this is not a breezy, lighthearted ride. Sandeep Kaur, aka the Bombshell Bandit, from whose true story this film is inspired, was arrested after a long car chase and sentenced to imprisonment for 66 months. The makers of Simran make the bold decision to sunny up this decidedly dark tale, employing broad humor to blunt the edges. The result is hit and miss.Another problem with Simran, and a problem with focusing so heavily on a single character, is that the rest of the parts often end up being underdeveloped. None of the supporting players except perhaps Sohum Shah as Prafuls determined suitor Sameer get the scope to register their presence.Theres ample meat in the story, yet the writing itself is weak. The films second half feels particularly sloppy, and dont even get me started on the caricaturish villains. But its a testament to Kanganas full-blooded performance that Simran works despite these complaints. Shes in excellent form, an artiste at the top of her game, as she gives us another indelible character in the perplexing Praful Patel.Come to think of it, the movies no slog. Mehta keeps the pace going, and delivers some terrific moments thatll make you smile. Im going with three out of five for Simran.Rating: 3 / 5What's your reaction to Simran?Write your review of Simran? New Delhi: Actor Kamal Haasan has ended the speculation over his political entry, saying he will form his own political party as none of the existing ones can provide a platform for his "reformatory" ideology. In a recent interview to The Quint, the actor said he was thinking of launching a political party, out of compulsion and not choice. "Yes, I am thinking on those lines, not out of choice but compulsion. Which existent political party can provide me with a platform or an ideology that will match my reformatory goals in politics?" the actor told the website. In the interview, the actor also took issue with the media linking him to any political party whose leader he happens to be meeting. "The other day, I met the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and I was supposed to have developed a penchant for communism...A political party is about an ideology. And I don't think my goals in politics can match the ideology of any political party," he told The Quint. Commenting on the current political situation in Tamil Nadu, Kamal Haasan said the sacking of VK Sasikala as the general secretary of the ruling AIAMDK was a "solid step forward". "I was extremely vocal about getting rid of her. Now that it has happened I feel a little more encouraged in my belief that the politics of Tamil Nadu can change. And I want to bring about that change, no matter how slowly it may be," he said. Following his meeting with Vijayan, speculation had been rife that he would join the CPI(M). The buzz was fuelled by his recent criticism of the AIADMK and DMK working president MK Stalin. Kamal Haasan, who is currently hosting the Tamil edition of reality show Bigg Boss, had also recently said that "saffron" was not his colour, a veiled reference to the BJP and the RSS. "My colour is definitely not saffron. That much I can say now," he had told reporters, in response to questions whether he would swing to the Left or Right. A source from Kamal's fan club association said: "We still are in the planning phase and discussing ideas. He is keen to enter politics but is currently looking at starting a movement of sorts to gauge public support before taking the final plunge." Another close friend of Kamal welcomes Kamal's statement but agrees that the finances for floating a party would be a challenge for the Superstar. R. K. Radhakrishnan, Associate Editor, Frontline, said: "Kamal has been making noises on floating a party. If he does due diligence, he will realise that this is a mammoth task - starting a party and running it across Tamil Nadu. If it's raw emotion that's guiding him, he should seek the counsel of wise leaders such as Su. Thirunavukkarasar, who disbanded his rather successful party." His entry into politics comes at a time when superstar Raajinikanth too said he is holding discussions but will take a decision when the time is right. His mentor and RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy said Rajini will float his own party and later form an alliance with the BJP. So the two superstars have been making headlines as the State Govt remains mute spectators and the DMK says both are welcome to join the party. So only time will if both will make political debuts and float their own parties. Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the central government to connect the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Andal with Kolkata to make it economically viable and convenient for passengers. Mamata, at the secretariat, addressed media, saying, "I have proposed to the Union Railway Ministry for a bullet train service from Andal in Burdwan district to Sealdah or Dum Dum in Kolkata." The chief minister added that the bullet train service will make the Andal airport more effective. It will also help fliers reach Kolkata within 40-45 minutes. On Thursday, the state government decided to pump around Rs 270 crore to bail out Andal airport, India's first greenfield facility. The airport was set up for better connectivity and infrastructure in Burdwan district's industrial. But people still prefer to travel from the Kolkata airport. Mamatas proposal to the centre for Bullet train in Bengal came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone of Indias first bullet train service between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The Andal Airport is part of the country's first private sector Aerotropolis, developed by Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Limited (BAPL). The airport was officially inaugurated on September 19, 2013. Presently, the Bengal government holds 11 % stake in BAPL, but now, after an additional investment of Rs 120 crore, its stake will go up to 26 %. Changi Airports India Pte Ltd - a subsidiary of Changi Airports International Pte Ltd (CAI) Singapore is the major stakeholder with an equity of 31 % in the project. Thiruvananthapuram: A nine-year-old girl suffering from leukaemia has tested positive for HIV after undergoing blood transfusion at the Regional Cancer Centre in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram. The opposition on Friday demanded strong action against the erring RCC officials. Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala spoke to the media soon after meeting the child and her parents at the RCC. "The need of the hour is a detailed probe into the incident and strict action against those responsible for this costly goof up," the Congress leader said. "The girl came for cancer treatment and now is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) positive. I have spoken to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and told him about what has happened," said Chennithala. He added that the state government should come forward to help the child and her family. The girl has been under treatment at the RCC for leukaemia since March and it was in August that she tested positive for HIV during routine blood tests. The Kerala government has formed an expert team to enquire into the incident. Over the years, the premier Cancer centre in the state capital has been involved in various controversies including one on drug trials, besides allegations of corruption in appointments and running of the centre. A top employee at the RCC earlier this year just before he retired from service, had sent a detailed letter to Vijayan and top officials of the state highlighting the various ills that plague the institute. Minor Cancer Patient Found HIV+ After Blood Transfusion, Kerala Oppn Demands Action New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday termed the Congress scions latest observation on dynasty politics in India a "national disgrace". "Rahul Gandhi's statement (in the US) is a national disgrace and an onslaught on the wisdom of the Indian people. It is about time the real potential of the Indian democracy is realised. And that can be done only when merit, and merit alone, the ability to lead and the ability to deliver will really determine the leadership," Jaitley told Times Now news channel. Speaking at an event at the University of California, Berkeley, on September 11, Rahul Gandhi had said that most Indian political parties were dynastic and Indian politics functioned like that. Jaitley said that at a time when India was producing world leaders in various fields, including science and technology, medicine and economics, it was a national disgrace to tie up the country's politics to dynasties. "It is national disgrace for somebody to say as far as politics is concerned we can only depend on a few families. Please don't forget politics influences policy. Therefore, politics deserves much better. It deserves the best. "When you become prisoners to a dynasty, or a political system becomes crowd around a family, then at least in the 21st century you can't get the best out of that system. I think India deserves much better than a leadership based only on dynasty," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said. No work no pay only for Govt. Employees?. How about horse trading politicians languishing in resorts? Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) September 15, 2017 The honourable court warns teachers on strike. I beseech the court to issue similar warnings to those MLAs who desist from attending work Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) September 15, 2017 After announcing plans of launching his own political party, veteran actor Kamal Haasan took potshots at elected representatives, saying they should also be covered under the "no work, no pay" formula.The actor's comments came in the wake of a section of government employees and teachers striking work, with the Madras High Court pulling up the teachers for doing so."No work no pay only for Govt. Employees?. How about horse trading politicians languishing in resorts?," the actor said in a tweet without naming anyone.The 'resort' remark was apparently a reference to a section of the ruling AIADMK MLAs owing allegiance to 'sacked' leader TTV Dinakran shifting resorts. Following the revolt of 19 party MLAs against Chief Minister K Palaniswami, they were all initially accommodated at a resort in Puducherry. They later shifted to a resort in Coorg in Karnataka and are since staying there. One of them shifted camps to support Palaniswami later.Incidentally, AIADMK MLAs were earlier lodged at a resort at nearby Kuvathur in February, following a split in the party when then rebel leader O Panneerselvam revolted against VK Sasikala.In another tweet, Haasan also pleaded with the court to warn legislators "who desist from attending work." "The honourable court warns teachers on strike. I beseech the court to issue similar warnings to those MLAs who desist from attending work," he said.On September 13, the Madras High Court had pulled up a section of Tamil Nadu government teachers who are on strike, saying it affected students.Kamal Haasan has ended the speculation over his political entry, saying he will form his own political party as none of the existing ones can provide a platform for his "reformatory" ideology. In a recent interview to The Quint, the actor said he was thinking of launching a political party, out of compulsion and not choice."Yes, I am thinking on those lines, not out of choice but compulsion. Which existent political party can provide me with a platform or an ideology that will match my reformatory goals in politics?" the actor told the website. Although invented with the aim of making life easier and convenient, the increasing use of smartphones and the internet by schoolgoing children and teenagers is slowly exposing them to less important and more addictive things like cyber bullying and online pornography, mental health experts have warned. Reports suggest that an increasing number of teenagers are being trapped into the deadly Internet game Blue Whale Challenge. A Google Trends report of the past 12 months shows a sharp spike in the number of searches related to the Blue Whale Challenge in India. "Smartphones are addictive in nature and the Internet can be misused for games such as Blue Whale Challenge, pornography, etc," Deepti Kukreja, Consultant Psychiatrist, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai, told IANS.The recent death of the 17-year-old teenager, Satvik Pandey, who killed himself by jumping in front of a running train in Damoh in Madhya Pradesh, has been linked to the Blue Whale Challenge. According to some friends of Pandey, he was "quite absorbed in the Blue Whale game for the past few days". A CCTV camera installed at a house near the railway tracks recorded the episode. "The terror of Blue Whale has been a wake-up call for all the parents and teachers. We as modern and educated adults need to monitor, educate and sensitise children to the judicious use of smartphones in order to avoid negative experiences," psychiatrist Mrinmay Das from Jaypee Hospital, Noida, told IANS.So widespread has been the impact of the Blue Whale Challenge that Fortis Healthcare recently launched a 24x7 helpline to provide psychological support to teenagers getting trapped in the macabre online game. The helpline -- 8376804102 -- is available for anyone who is directly undergoing undue mental stress and anxiety as a participant in the challenge. This deadly game operates on the basis of a one-on-one interaction between the curator and the player with the use of certain 'code' hashtags to find each other. "Also, the use of smartphones distracts children not only from studies but also from extra-curricular activities such as sports, cultural activities," Kukreja said."It eats into the normal social interaction that young children should have and limits their social and emotional development," she added. The other cons of mobile phones being used by schoolchildren may also lead to problems such as lower academic performance, fear of missing out, weak eyesight, disturbed sleep cycle, headaches and fatigue. Taking note of the ill effects of smartphone use, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in August issued an 18-point guideline for the safe and effective use of the internet and digital technologies in schools and school buses.Schools need to promote a safe and secure educational environment for effective teaching and learning and to discourage students from actions detrimental to themselves, their peers and the value system, the CBSE stated. "Not only Blue Whale Challenge but numerous other internet and mobile phone games develop a sense of fierce competition, frustration and addiction among school children," psychologist Bhavna Barmi of Fortis ESCORTS Heart Institute in New Delhi pointed out. Barmi even advocated banning mobile phone use by schoolgoing children. Such a measure, according to her, would help them better concentrate on academics, develop self-control and intrinsic will power."It will foster better interpersonal development among students and will act as a preventive measure against full-blown Internet or smartphone addiction," Barmi added. It is important for parents to place themselves in the shoes of their children to understand their perspective better, and after forming the appropriate rapport, engage in effective guidance and vigilance about the usage of mobile phones. Those parents who feel that they may need mobile phones to contact their children during emergencies, should keep in mind that the school authorities generally provide the contact services in case of any emergency or absence from the school."Supporting them by talking to them, spending more time with them, making them understand the pros and cons can help kids to develop a better understanding about smartphone usage," psychiatrist Manish Jain of BLK Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi said. NASAs Cassini Spacecraft is set to end its 13-year long inspection of Saturn today with a final dive into the planets day side. The series of dives by the NASA spacecraft into the heart of the planet began back in April, as Cassini made its way through Saturns rings in a 22-week long Grand Finale. Though the instruments on the spacecraft are still in a perfect working condition, the death plunge comes as it runs out of rocket fuel after venturing an approximate of 5 Billion miles. The final calculations by the NASA team forecast a loss of contact with the satellite at 7:55 pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) and the speed of the spacecraft at the time of the death dive to be around 113,000 kms per hour. NASA also predicts that Cassini will lose contact with Earth at around 1,500 kilometres above the surface of Saturn, as the spacecrafts altitude control thrusters will fire at their maximum capacity before that in order to keep the antennas pointed towards the Earth for transmitting the data acquired at the final moments. The radio signals transmitted at the final moments will take around 83 minutes to reach Earth.Though the final death plunge is yet to take place (around 5:30 pm IST today), Cassini has already started relaying its final images of the ringed planet as it empties the data on its onboard solid-state recorder. This is done in order to recalibrate the spacecraft for the near-real-time data relay at the time of the final plunge. "The spacecraft's final signal will be like an echo. It will radiate across the solar system for nearly an hour and a half after Cassini itself has gone," Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California was quoted as saying.As per NASA, The final plunge of the Cassini spacecraft is necessary to ensure that Saturns moons, Titan and Enceladus in particular as they harbour sub-surface oceans, remain pristine for any future explorations. Over its 13-years long mission, Cassini has transmitted monumental data of the planet, its famous rings and its moons. With its death dive, Cassini will become a prestigious part of space exploration history as no other spacecraft has ever orbited and ventured so close to the ringed planet till date.NASA will be airing live mission commentary and video of the Cassini death dive on the NASA Television and its online website from 7 to 8.30 a.m. EDT on Friday.(With inputs from IANS) Islamabad: In a setback to Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by that countrys deposed prime minister and his children against the Panama Papers judgment of July 28. The court had reserved its verdict on the review petitions after the lawyers for all petitioners completed their arguments earlier in the day, Dawn online reported. A five-judge bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa had taken up the petitions seeking review of the court's July 28 judgment which disqualified Nawaz Sharif and ordered the filing of corruption references against the former premier, his children Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz, son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The dismissal of the review petition came a day after Pakistan's Supreme Court judges said that documents submitted by a probe team in the Panama Papers case showed that Nawaz Sharif received a salary in August 2013 from the UAE-based company owned by his son. Sharif, 67, was disqualified under Article 62(1)(f) for failing to declare unclaimed wages earned as an executive of a Dubai-based company owned by his son in the assets statement he filed alongside his nomination papers for NA-120 (Lahore) seat in the 2013 general elections. The three-time premier said he never received the income that investigators said he did not declare. Sharif has said there was a conspiracy against him but did not identify anyone. Instead, he named long-time loyalist Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as his replacement as prime minister until the next election, expected in mid-2018. Pakistan has for decades been plagued by pervasive graft, as well as by rivalry between the military and civilian politicians. Beijing: China condemned North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile over Japan on Friday but said it was "irresponsible" to blame Beijing for regional tensions after Washington urged it to rein in its ally. After the North's latest test, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on China to use the oil it supplies to North Korea as leverage to pressure the isolated nation into reconsidering its nuclear programme. But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing had made "enormous sacrifices at a great price" by implementing UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. "The core lies in a conflict between the DPRK and the US. The focal point of the contradiction is not China," Hua told a regular news briefing, using the acronym for the North's official name. "China is not the driver behind the escalation of the tensions. China also does not hold the key to the Korean peninsula issue. The initiators of a trouble should end it," she said. "It's irresponsible and unhelpful for the settlement of the issue to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form." China on Monday backed the eighth set of sanctions against North Korea at the UN Security Council after Pyongyang's latest and largest the nuclear test, banning it from trading in textiles and restricting oil imports. Washington had called for an oil embargo, but it softened its stance in order to secure the backing of China and Russia. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour," Tillerson said. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own." In New York, the Security Council called an emergency meeting for later Friday after Pyongyang conducted its furthest-ever missile flight over Japan and into the Pacific. "The Chinese side opposes the DPRK's violation of the resolution of the Security Council, and its use of ballistic missile technology for launch activities," Hua said. "The concerned parties should exercise restraint. They should not take any further action that could aggravate the situation on the peninsula and in the region," Hua added. Asked if Beijing would change its approach, Hua said China will "continue to comprehensively and completely implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council". She said UN resolutions should be implemented in a "balanced and comprehensive way". "That means, on the one hand, we should maintain the pressure to prevent the development of the nuclear and ballistic activities from the DPRK," Hua said. "But on the other hand, all parties should take concrete, effective and reasonable actions to create favourable conditions for the early resumption of peace talks, in order to push forward a peaceful resolution of the nuclear issue. Lahore: A Christian man in Pakistan was sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a WhatsApp message to a friend that insulted Islam, his lawyer said on Friday. Nadeem James Masih was charged in July after his friend Yasir Bashir told the police that he sent him a poem on the messaging service that was insulting to Islam. Following the incident, Masih fled from his home in Sara-e-Alamgir town in Punjab province to escape an angry mob that had gathered there, but later surrendered to the police. His trial continued for more than a year at the Gujrat Jail, about 200 kilometres from the provincial capital Lahore. Besides the death sentence, Masih has been fined Rs 300,000, a court official told PTI. Masih's lawyer Anjum Wakeel said his client was "innocent". "My client will appeal in the Lahore High Court as he has been framed for having an affair with a Muslim girl." Wakeel said the case against Masih was heard inside the prison due to security reasons. A police official said the family of Masih had been taken into protective custody and moved to an undisclosed but safer location. Pakistan, a Muslim-majority state, has a population of nearly two million Christians. The minority community has previously been targeted by hardline religious groups and militants for blasphemy in Pakistan. In 2015, a Christian couple was burned in a brick kiln for desecrating the Quran. Two years before that, a mob had burnt down nearly 125 homes of Christians in Lahore for alleged blasphemy by a Christian man. The controversial blasphemy laws were introduced by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq in the 1980s and anyone charged under them becomes an easy target for extremists. Civil rights groups argue that some Muslims use the laws to settle personal disputes with the minorities. Former Punjab governor and liberal politician Salman Taseer was gunned down by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, in January 2011 in Islamabad when he spoke about the need to review the blasphemy laws. Qadri was hanged to death last year. Washington: US President Donald Trump called Friday for a tougher and more specific US travel ban after a homemade bomb exploded on a London train. In a flurry of early-morning tweets, Trump called the explosion another attack "by a loser terrorist" and suggested London police missed an opportunity to prevent it. He added that his travel ban targeting six mostly Muslim nations should be "far larger, tougher and more specific - but stupidly, that would not be politically correct!" The bomb exploded on a packed train during rush hour on Friday, leaving at least 22 people injured but no one seriously hurt. Police said the explosion was a terrorist attack, the fifth in Britain this year. "Another attack in London by a loser terrorist," Trump tweeted. "These are sick and demented people who were in the sights of Scotland Yard. Must be proactive!" Scotland Yard said it would not comment on Trump's suggestion that police could have prevented the attack. The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether the president had been briefed on the incident. Trump's tough talk came a day after he drew conservative criticism for pursuing an agreement with Democrats on young immigrants who had been living in the country illegally that would delay funding for his long-promised border wall. Trump said Thursday he was "fairly close" to an agreement that could protect the "dreamers" while also adding border security, as long as his wall with Mexico was also separately addressed. He has repeatedly criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the British capital's first Muslim leader. In June, after attacks in the London Bridge area that claimed seven lives, Khan warned locals not to be alarmed by the large presence of armed officers on the capital's streets. Trump accused the mayor on Twitter of suggesting there was "no reason to be alarmed" by the attack itself. On Friday, Trump again jumped into the fray, promoting his record against extremist militants and saying the government should cut of the internet to such groups. Loser terrorists must be dealt with in a much tougher manner. The internet is their main recruitment tool which we must cut off & use better! And he argued that his administration has "made more progress in the last nine months against ISIS than the Obama Administration has made in 8 years." Trump concluded: "Must be proactive & nasty!" The travel ban has been ensnared in the courts since Trump's first attempt to enact the policy in January. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 10 on the legality of the bans on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries and refugees anywhere in the world. It's unclear, though, what will be left for the court to decide. The 90-day travel ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen lapses in late September, and the 120-day refugee ban will expire a month later. The administration has yet to say whether it will seek to renew the bans, make them permanent or expand the travel ban to other countries. Helsinki: A Finnish woman who was kidnapped in an attack on an international guest house in Afghanistan has been freed, the foreign ministry in Helsinki said today. A German aid worker and an Afghan guard were killed and the Finnish woman was abducted as gunmen stormed the guest house in Kabul in May. "Kidnapped Finnish national in Afghanistan has been released and is safe," the ministry said on Twitter. Foreign Minister Timo Soini later said that "Finland did not pay a ransom and never will". "If we do, it will only incite new kidnappings," he told a news conference. National Bureau of Investigation chief inspector Thomas Elfgren said she was "in good health". No group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the guest house run by Swedish charity Operation Mercy in the heart of the Afghan capital. Operation Mercy works with local Afghan communities in areas such as reducing infant mortality and women's empowerment. "It is with great joy that we confirm the release of our Finnish colleague who was abducted on 20 May," Operation Mercy said in a statement. The kidnapping of foreigners has been on the rise, but the threat of abductions is even greater for Afghans. The Finnish woman's identity was not disclosed and authorities have called for respecting her and her family's privacy. An explosion on a London underground train at Parson Green station is being treated as an incident of terrorism, say police. The explosion, which left several passengers with facial burns, occurred when a white container towards the rear of the train went off. Stay tuned for live updates: Read all the Latest News , Breaking News , watch Top Videos and Live TV here. Seoul/Tokyo: North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan and into the Pacific Friday, responding to new UN sanctions with what appeared to be its furthest-ever missile flight amid high tensions over its weapons programmes. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of measures on the isolated country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programmes. That followed its sixth nuclear test -- by far its largest yet -- earlier this month, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. In New York, the Security Council called an emergency meeting for later Friday. The US Pacific Command confirmed Friday's rocket was an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) and said it did not pose a threat to North America, or to the US Pacific territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has threatened to bracket with "enveloping fire". Seoul's defence ministry, however, said the missile reached an altitude of about 770 km (480 miles) and flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 3,700 km (2,300 miles), which is far enough to reach Guam. It was "the furthest overground any of their ballistic missiles has ever travelled", Joseph Dempsey of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said on Twitter. It was a "clear indication North Korea has range - not necessarily accuracy - to follow through (the) Guam plan", he added. The North has raised global tensions with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. The North's last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 IRBM just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan's main islands and was the first to do so for years. But when Pyongyang tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range, it fired them on lofted trajectories that avoided passing over the archipelago nation. "The North is sending a message which is, 'we are not cowering before any sanctions and our warnings are not empty threats'," Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul told AFP. "It has vowed the US would face 'pain and suffering' in retaliation for the UN sanctions." 'Missile launch!' Millions of Japanese were jolted awake by blaring sirens and emergency text message alerts after the missile was fired. "Missile launch! missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea," loudspeakers blared on Cape Erimo, on Hokkaido's southern tip. Breakfast television programmes, which usually broadcast a light-hearted diet of children's shows and gadget features, instead flashed up the warning: "Flee into a building or a basement." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tokyo could "never tolerate" what he called a "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace". "If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future," he told reporters. "We must make North Korea understand this." Tokyo had protested to Pyongyang in the "strongest words possible", chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga added. The missile overflew Japan for around two minutes, reports said, but there were no immediate indications of objects falling onto Japanese territory. The launch came a day after a North Korean organisation warned of a "telling blow" against Japan, accusing it of "dancing to the tune of the US" for supporting fresh UN sanctions. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche," the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC) said in a statement, referring to the North's national philosophy of "Juche" or self-reliance. Oil shipments In response, South Korea's military immediately carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own on Friday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the defence ministry said. The Hyunmu missile travelled 250 kilometres -- a trajectory intentionally chosen to represent the distance to the launch site at Sunan, near Pyongyang's airport, it added. President Moon Jae-In called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council, a standard procedure after the North fires a missile or tests a nuclear device. The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures. But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US. Earlier this year US President Donald Trump threatened it with "fire and fury", heightening fears of conflict. Berlin: Qatar is ready to sit at the negotiating table to try to end a dispute with its Gulf Arab neighbours, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Friday in Berlin. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5, accusing the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas of financing terrorism and cozying up to their arch-rival Iran. Doha denies the charges. Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone with Sheikh Tamim a week ago in what looked like a breakthrough. But Riyadh promptly suspended any dialogue with Doha, accusing it of distorting facts in its news agencys report of the interaction. As you know we have had a siege of more than 100 days against Qatar, Sheikh Tamim told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. We spoke about Qatars readiness to sit at the table to solve this issue. For her part, Merkel said she was concerned that there was still no solution to the crisis, adding she supported efforts by Kuwait and the United States to mediate an end to the dispute. Sheikh Tamim also said he retained confidence in German firms and will hold on to stakes in Deutsche Bank and Volkswagen. Separately, Qatars foreign ministry warned its citizens against travelling to Egypt, because it said the authorities there had imposed security measures on Qataris entering the country. It did not provide details in a statement. : A military campaign to wipe out Rohingya insurgents has rained violence down on Myanmar's Rakhine state, sending nearly 390,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees fleeing for sanctuary in Bangladesh.Around 30,000 Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced, as ethnic and religious hatreds carve through the western state.Access to the epicentre of unrest -- the northern wedge of Rakhine -- has been blocked by the government as the crisis unfolds.But the weary and wounded Rohingya arriving in Bangladesh have told consistent but unverifiable accounts of village massacres, with soldiers and vigilante mobs teaming up to empty out communities and burn them to the ground.The UN has accused Myanmar of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya, a stateless group that the Buddhist-majority country refuses to recognise as citizens.The government refutes the accusations, instead saying the army has carried out targeted operations to snuff out the militant group, whose attacks on police posts in late August unleashed the massive military response.Here is what we know about who is left in violence-ravaged Rakhine, where tens of thousands of people are believed to still be on the move.A census published in 2015 said three million people lived in Rakhine, including an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya.Rakhine's northernmost Maungdaw district was home to around three quarters of that population, according to government figures.But nearly forty percent of its Rohingya villages have been completely abandoned in the past three weeks, said government spokesman Zaw Htay."There are 176 villages where the whole village fled," he told reporters Wednesday night, out of 471 Rohingya communities in total.The recent refugee arrivals in Bangladesh amount to more than a third of the total number of Rohingya once based in Myanmar.Tens of thousands of ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been driven from their homes since late August, saying they were targeted by the Rohingya militants.On Thursday Myanmar's government said some 4,000 people had started trickling back to their villages in Maungdaw as clashes between the army and militants ebbed, without specifying their ethnicity.A Rohingya refugee man cries as he holds his 40-day-old son, who died as a boat capsized in the shore of Shah Porir Dwip while crossing Bangladesh-Myanmar border, in Teknaf, Bangladesh, on September 14, 2017. (Myanmar's Information Committee has said over 7,000 homes have been destroyed by fire across at least 59 villages -- the vast majority belonging to "Bengalis" as the government pejoratively calls the Rohingya.New satellite images released by Amnesty International on Friday showed that more than two dozen villages in the Rohingya-majority area had been set alight since August 25, with patches of grey ash marking the area where structures had stood.AFP reporters on government-steered press trips have seen abandoned villages and homes reduced to ashes.Columns of smoke from the gutted villages have also been visible almost daily from across the Naf river in Bangladesh, where the Rohingya refugees are massing in ramshackle camps.Rohingya refugees say Myanmar officers and Buddhist vigilantes started the fires after driving them out of their homes with gunshots and other threats, a tactic that Amnesty has described as an "orchestrated campaign" of ethnic cleansing.Myanmar authorities deny that, saying the militants have torched the villages in a bid to attract global sympathy.Tens of thousands of Rohingya are believed to still be trekking through the monsoon-soaked area.For those fleeing fire-hit areas further south, it may take weeks to cross over difficult terrain, blanketed by security forces, to reach the Bangladesh border.Aid groups have been unable to access northern Rakhine since the violence erupted in late August, compounding the humanitarian crisis."Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, may be trapped in remote areas far from the border with limited food and medical supplies and are unable to reach safety," said Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.Rohingya who have stayed in their villages are living in fear and struggling to survive without the food deliveries that have supported their impoverished communities for years, said Laura Haigh from Amnesty International."They are essentially locked in and markets are not functioning," she told AFP.Myanmar has said it will establish camps in Rohingya-majority areas of Maungdaw to provide relief, but details of the project are scant.On Thursday the Information Committee said shelters will be set up for Muslims "who can guarantee they are no way connected to the terrorists".Government spokesman Zaw Htay has also said the country would not allow all of those who crossed into Bangladesh to return -- comments likely to fuel allegations Myanmar is intentionally ejecting the Rohingya, whose presence in Myanmar has incensed powerful Buddhist nationalists for years."Some reached the other side of border. If they come back, we cannot accept all of them," Zaw Htay said, adding that returnees would need to be "scrutinised". Ankara: Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Thursday held talks in Turkey with the emirate's chief ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia. Erdogan hosted the emir for the talks at his presidential palace in the capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Both leaders emphasised the importance of solving the crisis in the Gulf diplomatically and vowed to further bolster relations between Ankara and Doha, said Turkish presidential sources, cited by the state-run Anadolu news agency. They were also joined in the two-and-half hour meeting by Energy Minister and Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, images showed. Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that has seen Qatar left diplomatically and economically isolated. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha, however, denies the claims and Ankara has insisted there is absolutely no evidence to back the allegations. Erdogan has strongly spoken out against the sanctions applied by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Doha. In a show of solidarity, Turkey has also sent cargo ships and hundreds of planes loaded with food products to break the embargo on Doha. After visiting Turkey, the emir is due to visit Berlin on Friday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his first trip to a western capital since the crisis began. Erdogan in July embarked on a regional tour of the Gulf countries, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in a bid to defuse the crisis. But his visit ended without any sign of a breakthrough and Ankara has shown signs of preferring to leave mediation efforts to Kuwait. On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah met with Erdogan in Ankara. Over the last years, Qatar has emerged as Turkey's number one ally in the Middle East, with Ankara and Doha closely coordinating their positions on a number of issues including the Syria conflict where both are staunch foes of President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara has built a military base in Qatar and reportedly already deployed around 200 troops there. The closure of the base was one of the conditions laid by the Saudi-led bloc for the lifting of the sanctions, which was rejected by Doha. But Turkey also does not want to wreck its own relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia and its hugely powerful new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Erdogan has carefully worked to improve Ankara's relations with Riyadh which took a blow over the 2013 ousting of president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, a close ally of Ankara. Dhaka: The United Nations appealed on Thursday for massive help for nearly 400,000 Muslims from Myanmar who have fled to Bangladesh, with concern growing that the number could keep rising, unless Myanmar ends what critics denounce as "ethnic cleansing". The Rohingya are fleeing from a Myanmar military offensive in the western state of Rakhine that was triggered by a series of guerrilla attacks on Aug. 25 on security posts and an army camp in which about a dozen people were killed. The United Nations has called for a massive intensification of relief operations to help the refugees and a much bigger response from the international community. "We urge the international community to step up humanitarian support and come up with help," Mohammed Abdiker, director of operations and emergencies for the International Organisation for Migration, told a news conference in the Bangladeshi capital. The need was "massive", he added. The violence in Rakhine and the exodus of refugees is the most pressing problem Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced since becoming a national leader last year. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday urged Myanmar to end the violence, which he said was best described as ethnic cleansing. The government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar rejects such accusations, saying it is targeting "terrorists". Numerous Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine have been torched but authorities have denied that security forces or Buddhist civilians set the fires. They blame the insurgents and say 30,000 non-Muslim villagers were also displaced. Smoke was rising from at least five places on the Myanmar side of the border on Thursday, a Reuters reporter in Bangladesh said. It was not clear what was burning or who set the fires. "Ethnic cleansing" is not recognised as an independent crime under international law, the U.N. Office on Genocide Prevention says, but it has been used in U.N. resolutions and acknowledged in judgments and indictments of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. A U.N. panel of experts defined it as "rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups". The crisis has raised questions about Suu Kyi's commitment to human rights and could strain relations with Western backers supporting her leadership of Myanmar's transition from decades of strict military rule and economic isolation. Critics have called for her to be stripped of her Nobel prize for failing to do more to halt the strife, though national security remains firmly in the hands of the military. Suu Kyi is due to address the nation on Tuesday. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday he had spoken with Suu Kyi and that she said she was working to get aid to areas affected by violence. Suu Kyi "agreed with the need for immediate and improved access of humanitarian assistance to the region, particularly by the International Red Cross, and she conveyed that she is working toward that end", McConnell said on the Senate floor. 'INTERNAL AFFAIR' China, which competes with the United States for influence in Myanmar, endorses the offensive against the insurgents and deemed it an "internal affair", Myanmar state media said. "The counterattacks of Myanmar security forces against extremist terrorists and the governments undertakings to provide assistance to the people are strongly welcomed," the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper quoted China's ambassador, Hong Liang, as telling government officials. But at the United Nations in New York, China set a different tone, joining a Security Council expression of concern about reports of violence and urging steps to end it. The Security Council met on Wednesday to discuss the crisis and later "expressed concern about reports of excessive violence ... and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians ... and resolve the refugee problem". This week, the Trump administration called for protection of civilians. Bangladesh says the refugees will have to go home and has called for safe zones in Myanmar. Myanmar says safe zones are unacceptable. The IOM's Abdiker declined to say how many refugees he thought might end up in Bangladesh. "The number may rise to 600,000, 700,000, even one million if the situation in Myanmar does not improve," he said. The most important thing was that the refugees be able to go home safely, said George William Okoth-Obbo, assistant high commissioner for operations at the UN refugee agency. "The international community has to support to ensure their return ... peacefully and with safety," he told the news conference. On Wednesday, the Myanmar government said 45 places had been burned. It did not provide details, but a spokesman said out of 471 villages in the north of Rakhine, 176 had been deserted and at least some people had left 34 more. The spokesman, Zaw Htay, said the people going to Bangladesh were either linked to the insurgents, or women and children fleeing conflict. Government figures show 432 people have been killed, most of them insurgents, since Aug. 25. There are also fears of a humanitarian crisis on the Myanmar side of the border. The government has accused some aid groups of helping the insurgents and has restricted access. The power of a book the printed word on a piece of paper is inestimable. A book can spur a revolution and a fight for freedom and liberty. A book can transport a person to another world, provide a perspective on life from the shoes of a person radically different from the reader and open the human mind to possibilities and hopes and dreams never imagined. And libraries, our temples of knowledge and learning, are institutions that are fundamental to democracy, helping create and foster an educated citizenry capable of governing itself. Lynn Dodge knew that books were her raison detre ... well, books, people and the folks of Lynchburg and Central Virginia. Dodge, who died Sept. 12 at the age of 71 after a brief battle with brain cancer, served as head of the Lynchburg Public Library for almost 40 years. In the decades following her appointment to the job in August 1974, she witnessed tremendous changes in her profession, in her hometown of Lynchburg and in America. When Dodge graduated from E.C. Glass High School in the mid-1960s, there was no truly public library. Jones Memorial Library, per the wishes of donor in the late 1890s, was only for white Lynchburg residents. (There was a branch for African-Americans at Dunbar High School, but the books were threadbare castoffs from Jones.) Glass had only integrated two years before Dodges graduation, but it wouldnt be until 1966 when a group of progressive civic leaders cut the ribbon to officially open the Lynchburg Public Library. After college, graduate school and a brief stint with the Henrico County Public Library system, Dodge returned home to Lynchburg, devoting the rest of her life to all the people of her city. Education, learning, intellectual curiosity Dodge believed thats how any individual could improve his or her lot in life. Civil rights was a deeply felt passion of hers. It was during her time as director that the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Human Rights opened in the main library branch and that the segregationist legacy of the old Jones library was negated through years of outreach to and work with all the residents of Lynchburg. Thats why her death is such a loss to this city and its people. Lynchburg Museum Director Doug Harvey perhaps said it best: [S]he loved people, and she was concerned about all people, and not any particular creed or color. She loved Lynchburg and spent most of her life trying to improve the quality of life for the people of Lynchburg. Her legacy will be a multifaceted one. Every time a child opens a book for the first time, when a person without a job finds one using the librarys computers, when a community group needs a place to meet ... that is Lynn Dodge still at work in her home of Lynchburg. Anthem announced Friday that it would re-enter the individual health insurance market in Virginia for a price. Anthem filed a rate request with the State Corporation Commission asking it to approve premium increases of between 42.5 percent and 64.1 percent. The average annual policy premium is expected to increase from $7,884 to $12,326. Without Anthems re-entry, 70,000 Virginians, 40,000 of them in the Roanoke and New River valleys, would be unable to buy insurance next year at any price. Since learning that 63 counties and cities would not have access to individual health plans, Anthem has been engaged in further evaluation and discussion with regulators to ensure that no bare counties or cities exist in Virginia, company spokesman Scott Golden said in a news release. Anthem in mid-August announced that it would no longer participate in the individual market except for three small localities. This left parts of Western Virginia without a provider. Two weeks later, Optima, the only insurer left in some of the localities, said that it could not cover the region. The SCC Bureau of Insurance and Virginia Secretary of Health Dr. Bill Hazel were attempting this week to talk with insurance carriers to bring coverage to what were called bare areas. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine were also meeting with the insurers. This is all driven by the instability of the Trump administration, said Massey Whorley, a senior policy adviser to Gov. Terry McAuliffe. All the national insurers pulled out of the market in Virginia. Anthem initially stayed in but pulled back in August when President Donald Trump refused to guarantee cost-sharing subsidies that help people afford high deductibles. Without the subsidies, the insurers said, healthy people will not purchase insurance and they will lose those premiums and be paying costs for the sickest people. Golden said in the news release that the ongoing discussions resulted with Anthem revising its plans, but that the company would offer no comment beyond its statement. We are certainly relieved, Carilion Clinic spokesman Chris Turnbull said of Anthems decision. Carilion, which offered $120 million in charitable care last year, was anticipating that it would be treating more patients without an ability to pay next year. Anthem did not discuss the rates in its statement. Nor did any of the elected officials lauding its decision. McAuliffe said in a statement that he was grateful Anthem has stepped forward to continue to serve Virginia in this time of federal uncertainty. However, this decision does not change the fact that President Trump and Republicans in Congress are actively working to undermine the Affordable Care Act, to the detriment of states like Virginia. It is imperative that leaders in Washington take quick action to make sure the marketplace in Virginia and those across the country are sustainable for years to come. Warner and Kaine reiterated their earlier pledge to work with Senate committees to stabilize the individual health care marketplace and lower premiums. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, whose district was widely affected, said, I am appreciative that Anthem re-entered the market, ensuring that Southwest Virginians will have an option to purchase health insurance in 2018. Moving forward, I will continue to work towards a rational health insurance system that offers consumers affordability and choice. The SCC Bureau of Insurance will need to act on Anthems filing soon as information needs to be forwarded to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in time to meet Sept. 27 contract deadlines. Plan affordability remains a concern that will likely continue until factors contributing to the volatility in the health insurance market are resolved, Virginia Commissioner of Insurance Jacqueline Cunningham said. She said she was pleased that people throughout Virginia will have access to the health insurance market. It is important to remember that 2018 plans and the areas of the state in which they will be offered will likely not be final until later this month when insurance companies sign contracts with the federal marketplace, she said. Roget: Govt planned mass retrenchment And I can tell you they had quite a lot planned, Roget said. In response to a question about what would be the unions response if Government broke the moratorium, he said it would be most unfortunate. And theres a phrase, All hell will break loose! he added. Speaking with journalists outside the Prime Ministers office in St Clair following several hours of talks, Roget announced that the trade union movement had agreed to return to the tripartite consultative process in exchange for a promise from Rowley that there would be no more retrenchment of Government workers until the end of the year. He said this included workers in all entities controlled by Government and any new plan to retrench workers after the moratorium expired would be brought to the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) for discussion, giving the trade unions an opportunity to put forward suggestions for avoiding the planned retrenchment. Yesterday, the trade unions also complained to the Prime Minister about the refusal of ministers to meet with them. Their commitment just was not there, Roget said. And, therefore, we got a commitment from the Prime Minister and information that those ministers were communicated to and instructed that they should meet with the labour movement.. and have discussions aimed at treating with all of the issues within the respective line ministries. On the issue of the alleged fake oil fraud at Petrotrin, Roget said the matter was not discussed at the meeting and declined to make a statement. He added, however, the union had their own views on the scandal. I can assure you that issue is far from over, Roget said. Asked if he was more satisfied Wednesday than their previous meeting with Rowley on August 23, Roget said, We will hold our breath on that. Let us see how the thing will work going forward. Rudy: Floodgates will open in 2018 Member of Parliament for Couva South Rudy Indarsingh yesterday accused Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley of speaking with a forked tongue when he met with the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) for several hours at his St Clair office in Port of Spain, on Wednesday. The announcement was made by JTUMs president Ancel Roget and comes weeks before Government announces its budget for fiscal 2017/2018. Yesterday, Indarsingh a former trade union leader and government minister, questioned what would happen to workers in the new year. What would happen after January 1, 2018? Indarsingh questioned. You tell the labour movement there will be no retrenchment for the public service workers for the rest of the year, but the big question is: will the floodgates be reopened after the first? He surmised that without economic growth the numbers could not be sustained. If the economy does not grow, and based on the Governments performance after two budget presentations, two mid-term reviews, draw down from the Heritage and Stabilisation Fund and so on, I dont foresee any growth and job creation, Indarsingh said. If they cannot raise revenue to fund whatever budget they have to bring, then there will be overall cuts across the board in all of the ministries. And that could only signal further job losses. Govt brings Irma victim home Addressing the post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young said, Today we would like to announce that the Government of TT has heard the plea for help in bringing the body back home. Young said communication would be made with the Antigua and Barbuda government to assist in transporting Salvary Doyles body from St Martin to Antigua and then to TT. He said that efforts to bring home other TT nationals stranded in islands affected by the passage of Irma were ongoing. Young said a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) ATR plane was able to fly to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and evacuate 35 TT nationals there. He said that was made possible through collaboration with the British government as only military and humanitarian aid flights were being allowed in. Reminding reporters that a National Helicopter Services Limited helicopter was made available to the Antigua and Barbuda government to assist in relief efforts in Barbuda, Young said the local private sector had approached Government about providing relief to islands affected by Irmas passage. While no decision had, yet, been made, Young said there was a possibility of a Coast Guard vessel delivering relief supplies. He said more TT nationals were due to return home last night. Later in the briefing, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley indicated that whistleblower legislation would be laid in Parliament when its new session began. The current session is due to end on September 21. Rowley was hopeful campaign finance legislation would be laid in Parliament soon. He also disclosed that Cabinet yesterday advised Finance Minister Colm Imbert to review the way in which contracts were evaluated. Rowley said that would help create a level playing field for small contractors and shift away from dominance by large contractors. The argument in the judicial circles is that none of the interviewed candidates are suitable to be appointed PG because none of them managed to perform to maximum satisfaction and that their points were low. Goba, Hogwe and Manase scored below 60 marks. Their marks were between 50 and 59, yet the required score should be something above 70 marks, a judicial source said. After all, I am not involved in mining. I dont have any rights at Globe and Phoenix Gold mine, neither was I interested in it. I am into farming. I am a farmer. So there is totally nothing like that. It is all lies. You are actually the fifth person to call me since last year over this issue and I have always said its lies. You are welcome to visit this side and see for yourself what is happening on the ground. Install the Newser News app in two easy steps: 1. Tap in your navigation bar. 2. Tap to Add to Home Screen. In 1921, the Ku Klux Klan pledged $1,000 to the University of Virginia. That amount, in today's dollars, would be about $12,400, and with that in mind, the university is allocating an equivalent amount, $12,500, to the Charlottesville Patient Support Fund, which will be used to pay medical expenses for those injured in the rally on campus last month when white supremacists clashed with protesters. "In other words, we are allocating that century-old pledge from white supremacists to heal the wounds inflicted by the dying vestiges of white supremacy that struck Charlottesville last month," said U-Va. President Teresa A. Sullivan to the school's Board of Visitors Thursday, per the Washington Post. "I hope any remaining members of the KKK will appreciate the irony." Sullivan noted that though U.Va.'s president at the time did acknowledge the pledge, she found no evidence it was paid. Sullivan, however, has been the subject of some controversy in the wake of the violence on campus, some of which was centered around a statue of the school's founder, Thomas Jefferson. To mark the one-month anniversary of the violence, some anti-white supremacist protesters shrouded the statue Tuesday night, and in an email to the campus community, Sullivan said she disagreed with the covering of the statue by protesters and also noted that a person was arrested for public intoxication during the proceedings. It was a Charlottesville resident, not a student demonstrator, who was arrested, and critics say Sullivan's responseshe also told alumni that protesters "desecrated ground that many of us consider sacred"made it seem as if she thinks student protesters, not white supremacists, are the bigger problem. During her speech to the Board of Visitors, Sullivan did denounce white supremacism, NBC 4 reports. (Read more University of Virginia stories.) South Korea's military says North Korea fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan on Friday before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean, the AP reports. It was the second aggressive test-flight over Japan in less than a month, and it followed North Korea's sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled about 2,300 miles. The joint chiefs say the missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport. The airport also was used to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over northern Japan in what it declared a "meaningful prelude" to containing the US Pacific island territory of Guam and the start of more ballistic missile launches. (Read more North Korea stories.) In what Foreign Policy says could be a "startling development in naval warfare," the US Navy is looking into whether last month's crash of the USS John S. McCain, which killed 10 sailors, may have been the handiwork of hackers. Per the Washington Free Beacon, the Navy has dispatched its Cyber Command 10th Fleet to Singaporeits first time overseaswhere the team will "look for and assess any anomalous activity that may exist onboard," Vice Adm. Jan Tighe said Thursday. That investigation could take months. The Navy is taking the possibility of its computers being compromised so seriously, in fact, that looking into cyberattacks will now be standard protocol after accidents, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran told Congress last week, per USNI News. Hacking isn't, however, what investigators are looking into in the crash of the USS Fitzgerald, which ran into a container ship on June 17, killing seven sailors. In fact, no evidence of a cyberattack has emerged for the McCain crash, eitherMoran says "just about every three letter agency in DC" has looked into it. There's also the possibility the McCain wasn't the vessel hackedit could've been the Alnic MC, the merchant ship it collided with, per Breaking Defense. The Navy simply wants to cover all its bases. What's worrisome is that both Navy ships are considered top of the linemeaning if there are problems with those two vessels, questions are now arising about the fleet's ability in general to face down a litany of possible threats in the Asia region. Tighe noted Thursday that the Navy has allotted $1.5 billion to bolster its defenses. (Read more USS John S. McCain stories.) Harvard University has withdrawn a fellowship invitation to Chelsea Manning after outrage from intelligence officials, including CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who canceled a Thursday speaking engagement and called her an "American traitor." Douglas Elmendorf, dean of Harvard Kennedy School, says Manning is still invited to speak at the school, but he now sees the fellowship offer as a mistake, reports Reuters. "I see more clearly now that many people view a visiting fellow title as an honorific, so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations," Elmendorf said in a statement early Friday. Manning was one of four visiting fellows the school's Institute of Politics announced Wednesday. Elmendorf apologized to Manning and the "many concerned people" he'd heard from, reports the Washington Post. After the invitation, former Acting CIA Director Mike Morell resigned as a senior fellow at the Kennedy School, calling Manning "a convicted felon and leaker of classified information," NBC News reports. He stressed, however, that he fully supports "Ms. Manning's rights as a transgender American, including the right to serve our country in the US military." Manning, whose 35-year-sentence was commuted by then-President Obama in January, tweeted that she was "honored to be 1st disinvited trans woman visiting @harvard fellow." They "chill marginalized voices under @cia pressure," she added. (Read more Chelsea Manning stories.) President Trump treated his own attorney general as harshly as any failed Apprentice contestant in a heated Oval Office meeting earlier this year, White House insiders say. The New York Times, citing multiple anonymous sources, reports that Trump, angered by the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to lead the Russia investigation, called Sessions an "idiot" and told him he should resign. During the May 17 meeting, Trump blamed Sessions for Mueller's appointment and accused him of disloyalty because he had recused himself from the investigation, the insiders say. Sessionswho told associates the episode had been the most humiliating moment of his lifesubmitted a resignation letter, but Trump rejected it after being advised that yet another high-level departure would make matters worse, the Times' sources say. Since May, Trump has publicly berated Sessions on multiple occasions, CNN notes. In July, he said he felt he had been treated "extremely unfairly" and regretted choosing Sessions as attorney general. Earlier this month, the announcement of the phasing out of DACA was seen as a major victory for Sessions, who described the program as an "executive amnesty," but his position was soon contradicted by Trump's softer stance on Dreamers. (Read more Jeff Sessions stories.) Three children, one a baby, were killed inside a California apartment by their father following an altercation with his wife, authorities say. California Highway Patrol officers arrested Robert Hodges, 33, on Interstate 80 in Sacramento around midnight Thursday, the AP reports. He is being held without bail. The children were killed at the family's West Sacramento apartment after 9pm Wednesday. Police and first responders tried life-saving measures on the children, but all three were pronounced dead at the scene. Yolo County Chief Deputy Coroner Gina Moya says they are 11-year-old Kelvin Hodges, 9-year-old Julie Hodges, and Lucas Hodges, who was born in January and was nearly 8 months old. Police have not revealed how the children were killed. Moya says the results of autopsies are expected to be released Friday. West Sacramento Police Sgt. Roger Kinney says the mother was a victim of domestic violence, but he didn't know the extent of her injuries. He says the mother was close by when the killings occurred but didn't witness them. William Crawford says he had a friendly relationship with his neighbors across the hall the entire time they lived there, about seven years. "It's just unbelievable. I mean, what's the explanation? He must have went crazy," says Crawford. He says he never saw signs of child abuse or heard the parents fight. (Read more child murder stories.) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday his request for use of a government plane for his European honeymoon earlier this summer was about national security and not his own personal convenience. Mnuchin said as a member of the president's National Security Council, he needed a secure communications link with Washington, and so his staff put in a request for use of an Air Force jet for his trip with his wife, Louise Linton, to Scotland, France, and Italy. But he said once it became clear he could obtain secure communications links without a government plane, the request was withdrawn, the AP reports. "This had nothing to do with convenience," he said. "This was purely about national security." Mnuchin also denied reports that he and his wife used a government plane to travel to Kentucky so they could view last month's solar eclipse. He said the trip had originally been scheduled for a different time and he wasn't very interested in the celestial spectaclewhich he watched from Fort Knoxin the first place. "You know, people in Kentucky took this stuff very serious," he said. "Being a New Yorker ... I was like, the eclipse? Really? I don't have any interest in watching the eclipse." President Trump said Thursday he had "total confidence" in Mnuchin. The Treasury's Office of Inspector General, however, confirmed it's looking into "all requests for and use of government aircraft." (Read more Steven Mnuchin stories.) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for "direct actions" against North Korea from oil suppliers China and Russia after the country launched another missile over Japan early Friday. China and Russia "must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," Tillerson said, per the Guardian. South Korea's military says the intermediate-range missile flew higher and faster than the one North Korea fired over Japan last month, landing in the sea of Hokkaido after traveling around 2,300 miles, far enough that Guam is now in range, the BBC reports. Minutes after the launch, South Korea carried out a simulated strike on the North, firing two missiles into the sea. "The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile," the Union of Concerned Scientists said, per Reuters. The group added, however, that the targeting didn't appear to be accurate enough to put US bases at risk. Defense Secretary James Mattis said the "reckless" launch "put millions of Japanese in duck and cover." He told reporters President Trump was briefed on the launch, but that it was too early to discuss a possible military response. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe warned that his country would "never tolerate" the "provocative action," which came soon after Pyongyang threatened to "sink" Japan. (Read more North Korea stories.) A twist in the case of the pregnant Maryland high school teacher allegedly murdered by her boyfriend: He was already engaged to someone else, say police. Per the Baltimore Sun, cops say both Laura Wallen, 31, and the unnamed other woman initially thought they were dating 32-year-old Tyler Tessier exclusively, though that ruse appears to have started to unravel. Police documents say the four-months-pregnant Wallen, whose body was found Wednesday in a shallow grave in Damascus, sent a text message to the other woman in the days before her death, saying that "by no means is this an attempt at confrontation" and that she was "just looking for an explanation ... woman to woman." "It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well," she added. Cops say Tessier also confessed to sending texts posing as Wallen to her sister, with "Wallen" saying she was "like 95 percent sure" Tessier wasn't the father of her babyan ex was, though police say the person named in the text hadn't seen Wallen in two years. One "calculated," but legal, step taken by law enforcement: allowing Tessier, already a person of interest to cops, to speak at a Monday press conference pleading for Wallen's safe return. Experts say that's a technique sometimes used to see if suspects act odd or overly emotional or mistakenly refer to missing persons in the past tense. "He is a monster and he is a liar," Wallen's father, Mark, told reporters about having to act united at that presser, noting it was the "hardest thing" for his wife, whose hands Tessier gripped throughout, per the Washington Post. Tessier is being held without bond until his next court date on Oct. 13. (Read more Maryland stories.) Tensions ran high in St. Louis Friday, with barricades surrounding a federal courthouse and the Missouri National Guard on standby, as the city awaited a verdict in the murder trial of a white cop who shot a 24-year-old black motorist in 2011, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatchand that verdict just came in as an acquittal. The officer, Jason Stockley, had maintained he shot at Anthony Lamar Smith five times because he thought Smith was reaching for a gun, but prosecutors argued Stockley planted the gun in Smith's Buick after it crashed. The decision by Judge Timothy Wilson was announced by a circuit attorney press release, per the Riverfront Times, after previous remarks by activists there would be "mass disruption" if Stockley was acquitted. "It's going to look a lot like Ferguson. It's going to be three hundred-plus days of direct action," the Post-Dispatch previously quoted an activist as saying if Stockley wasn't convicted. The Chicago Tribune looks back at the case, which started when Stockley and his partner witnessed what looked like a drug transaction on Dec. 20, 2011, in a fast-food restaurant parking lot. Smith, one of the parties present, drove away as the officers neared, and the shooting took place after the cops rammed their SUV into Smith's vehicle. "Of course, I'm disappointed with the court's decision," Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said in the release, adding: "I remain committed to holding people accountable for violating the law, regardless of their race, gender, occupation, or station in life." St. Louis-area police will be working 12-hour shifts Friday, while Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens prepped the state National Guard Friday as a "necessary precaution," he said in a statement, per the Post-Dispatch. Smith's fiancee joined Greitens at a Thursday presser, noting: "However it goes, I ask for peace." (Read more Anthony Smith stories.) The Florida nun who became an internet sensation when video emerged of herdressed in full habitwielding a chainsaw to clear downed trees after Hurricane Irma says she had to look up instructions on how to start the tool. "I actually had to Google it to find out how to start it because I'd forgotten how," she said. "The students have told me, 'Everything is online, sister.'" An off-duty Miami-Dade police officer posted the video of Sister Margaret Ann, principal of Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School in Miami, on social media Monday, with the Miami-Dade PD praising her efforts: "Thank you Sister and all of our neighbors that are working together to get through this!" The video was picked up by media outlets, including the AP, and quickly became a global sensation. Sister Margaret Ann noted her mechanical education didn't stop with Google. "Some people have sent me videos on how to use a chainsaw because apparently I wasn't using it correctly or as safe as I should've been," she told the AP via Skype. People posted warnings online that the nun's loose habit could get caught in the saw. She laughed off the attention, saying her students are enjoying watching her on social media. She also said she was glad the video gave the public a different view of nuns. "The students ... are saying, 'Sister, you're no wimp. You'll get out there and work with us.' And ... that's the way sisters really are. We are not just sitting back praying, or asking other people, or begging for money or anything like that." She said she didn't even mind that she'd become known worldwide as the "chainsaw sister," but that the new moniker did make her laugh. (Read more Hurricane Irma stories.) A phalanx of police and a campus on virtual lockdown Thursday accomplished the University of California, Berkeley, administration's goal of allowing a conservative to speak at the famously liberal university, one that has become known more recently for its violent demonstrations between those with opposing viewpoints. Outside, hundreds of protesters were also allowed to voice their displeasure over the speech by former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro, chanting "no Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA." Others held signs objecting to the university hosting Shapiro, the AP reports. "For the most part it was an orderly event," UC Police Chief Margo Bennett said. "The crowd in the street was loud, but not violent." Berkeley police tweeted that nine people had been arrested. "We had a successful event tonight," UC spokesman Dan Mogulof said, adding that the university is committed to hosting speakers like Shapiro in the future. Streets were closed and concrete barriers were erected in what many saw as the latest polarizing event to raise concerns about violence in the city. Xochitl Johnson, an organizer with Refuse Fascism, a group protesting Shapiro's speech, attacked the university for deploying police for what she said was the creation of a safe space for fascists. She said it was wrong for the school to shut down the campus to let him speak. Shapiro was invited to speak by campus Republicans, who say the liberal university stifles the voice of conservative speakers. UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof estimated security costs could hit $600,000 for the event. (Read more UC Berkeley stories.) Han was allegedly not so Solo while making Star Wars in the mid-'70s with Carrie Fisher: The late actress, who played Princess Leia, revealed in her 2016 memoir, The Princess Diarist, that she had a three-month affair with Harrison Ford, who played Solo, during the making of the movie. Ford didn't say much at the time of these revelations about the extramarital fling Fisher said she carried on with him when she was 19 and he was a 33-year-old dad with two kids and married to first wife Mary Marquardt, per CNN. But in a new interview for GQ, the notoriously grumpy actor is finally addressing the mattersort of. "It was strange. For me," he said about the time period when Fisher's news broke last year, just weeks before she died at the end of December. When asked if he had "advance warning" about the affair allegations being printed, he replied, "Um, to a degree. Yes." But when pressed about how he felt about it, Ford, who says he never read the book, demurred. "Oh, I don't know. You know, with Carrie's untimely passing, I don't really feel that it's a subject that I want to discuss." Interviewer Chris Heath tried one more time to elicit some reaction, asking Ford: "Can I ask you whether you'd prefer that [Fisher's book] hadn't been written?" To which Ford replied, "Yes, you can ask me." "Do you want to answer?" Heath wondered. "No," Ford concluded. Check out the rest of Ford's interview, which is a bit more forthcoming, in GQ. (Read more Harrison Ford stories.) A high-ranking priest working in the Vatican's embassy in Washington has been recalled after US prosecutors asked for him to be charged there and face trial in a child pornography investigation, the AP reports. The diplomat was suspected of possessing child pornography including images of pre-pubescent children, a US source familiar with the case said. The Vatican declined to identify the priest, but said he was currently in Vatican City and that Vatican prosecutors had launched their own probe and sought evidence from the US. If the accusations pan out, the case would be a major embarrassment for the Vatican and Pope Francis, who has pledged "zero tolerance" for sexual abuse. The diplomat would be the second from the Vatican's diplomatic corps to face possible criminal charges for such crimes during Francis' papacy. The State Department said it had asked the Vatican to lift the official's diplomatic immunity on Aug. 21. It said that request was denied three days later. For the State Department to make such a request, its lawyers would have needed to be convinced that there was reasonable cause for criminal prosecution. The circumstances that prompted prosecutors to make the request, however, weren't clear. In a statement, the Vatican said the State Department had notified the Vatican on Aug. 21 of a "possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images" by one of its diplomats in Washington. The Vatican said recalling the priest was consistent with diplomatic practice of sovereign states. In declining to identify him, the Vatican said the case was subject to confidentiality while still under investigation. (Read more child pornography stories.) Activists say authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested at least 40 peopleincluding clerics, scholars, and political commentatorsin the past week, the Wall Street Journal reports. Saudi authorities, who won't name or quantify the arrested, say they were working against the government on behalf of foreign powers, according to the New York Times, which adds a poet, journalist, and prince to the tally of arrested individuals. An unidentified Saudi official says the arrested were receiving funding from two foreign countries. And authorities say many of them have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, which is banned in Saudi Arabia. They say the arrested were in the early stages of planning a coup against the government. But critics of the government don't believe that to be the case, with rights groups characterizing the arrests as a "coordinated crackdown on dissent," Al Jazeera reports. They say it's possibly a result of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman consolidating power as he prepares to take over. Bin Salman became heir to the throne in June, and Amnesty International says things have "deteriorated" since then. "In recent years we cannot recall a week in which so many prominent Saudi Arabian figures have been targeted in such a short space of time, says the Middle East director of campaigns for the organization. He says the message is clear: "Freedom of expression will not be tolerated" under the new ruler. In addition, many of the arrested had been critical of the Saudi government's decision to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. (Read more Saudi Arabia stories.) A soldier killed in an apparent demolition accident was training to become a Green Beret experienced in handling explosives. Staff Sgt. Alexander Dalida of Dunstable, Massachusetts, died Thursday at Fort Bragg during training exercises involving demolitions, the AP reports. Investigators haven't said whether an explosion caused his death, US Army Special Operations Command Lt. Col. Robert Bockholt said Friday. Seven other soldiers were injured. Four remained hospitalized Friday, while three others were treated and released, Bockholt said in an email. All of the soldiers were students from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, which is based at Fort Bragg, Army officials said. Dalida, 32, was enrolled in an approximately yearlong course to become part of the US Army Special Forces, also known as Green Berets. He was learning engineering skills as part of the course in which students are trained in occupational specialties. Special Forces engineers are specialists in demolitions, and also have skills necessary for building field fortifications and bridges, according to the Army's recruiting website. His previous military training included working with MH-60 helicopters, airborne operations, and learning how to survive while evading capture. Dalida was a crew chief aboard Blackhawk and other helicopters and deployed twice to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq with aviation units, Bockholt said. (Read more Fort Bragg stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Occasional snow showers. High 28F. WSW winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Chance of snow 90%. About one inch of snow expected.. Tonight A few snow showers around this evening, otherwise mostly cloudy. Low 6F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%. New Delhi: After creating much of the buzz over her personal life, Kangana Ranaut is now catching the headlines for her recent release Simran. Simran has been mired with a lot of controverises so far, be it the tussle between Hansal Mehta, Kangana Ranaut and Apurva Asrani or lead actress Kangana Ranaut's explosive interview about her alleged relationships that was touted to be a publicity stunt for the movie. Well, looks like the controversies did manage to bring the audience to the theatres for this Hansal Mehta directorial. Talking about Simran, the movie revolves around a Gujju housekeeping girl played by Kangana Ranaut who is an ambitious girl settled in US. However, the lady has some 'character-flaws' as she is a kleptomaniac, a gambler, addicted to alcoholism and divorced. Indeed, such interesting traits, impressive trailer and with Kangana Ranaut in the lead had left the audience with high hopes for Simran. So, if you are planning to grab a ticket of the movie, here's a quick review of the Kangana Ranaut starrer by leading dailies: India Today: The good part about Simran is that the narrative is in place early on in the film and whatever comes after it is pretty much via (il)logical progression. Simran touches upon the issue of racism in the US but never quite delves deep into it. Everything else in the film suffers the same fate. The story is dealt with with adequate humour. But it soon veers towards darker territories. Simran starts faltering. It was touted as a thriller. But Simran comes across as neither taut, edge-of-the-seat stuff, nor does it pass off as a light comic caper a la Queen. The performance of the lead actor in Simran is top notch. The film rests on Kangana's shoulders and she doesn't disappoint. She is in form from the word go. But the same cannot be said about the rest of the cast. Everyone else in the film is overshadowed by Kangana, the way director Hansal Mehta might have willed it. Simran is a Kangana film, understood. But it suffers from the lack of a strong supporting cast. Sohum Shah is barely passable as Praful's could-be husband Sameer. He tries hard but cannot hold a frame with Kangana in it. India TV: The film start on a run-of-the-mill note with a divorced housemaid trying to catch pace with her life which is contained of her job and nagging father. With the very first scene, Kangana Ranaut is looking promising, ready to deliver her another realistic acting performance. The part where the inception of gambling addiction is portrayed is rational and as simply put as it can be. The course in which Kangana Ranaut is drawn towards the murky world is undeniably the most winsome part of the movie, as the rest of the movie sways gradually away from its logical connotations. The first half of Simran amplifies our adrenaline level to some extent, but its the second half which brings the entire Hansal Mehta-creation down. Spooling the entire movie back in our minds, we can spot the loop holes. Lets talk about them one at a time. Looking back at Hansal Mehtas previous films, sample Aligarh, Citylights and not to forget Shahid, which won him the National Film Award for Best Direction. If youve been a witness to the artistry of this popular filmmaker, you will instantly find Simran a lacklustre as a matter-of-fact it is a Hansal Mehta film. The filmmaker has helmed the films which were firmly based around a solid topic which seemed lacking in Simran. This film, was in fact, based on a more lighter note, which wasnt expected by the audience. Hindustan Times: With Simran, Hansal Mehta took a detour from his own style of cinema - dark, real tales of mostly marginalised people. Perhaps, he wanted to make a happy, light-hearted film that celebrates an independent-minded woman. However, what we get to see onscreen is a messy mocktail of a star and a well-written, strong character gone wrong in a narrative that fails to keep things from falling apart. Simran, at best, is a celebration of Kangana Ranaut - the star. Looks like someone is trying to further glorify her public image, as her character is the embodiment of everything we have seen in her interviews and public statements over the past few years. She is vulnerable, blunt, brave and honest. Kangana mostly does a fine job of bringing the character to life but at times goes overboard while portraying the antics of Praful. Pinkvilla: The film rides entirely on the brave shoulders of its leading lady Kangana Ranaut. She is impressive, rendering more meat to her part than the written word calls for. She is goofy, adorable, reckless, aimless and yet utterly charming. The films most enjoyable scenes is where she raises a toast to Las Vegas, a city that calls for you to live life on the edge. She gets into the very skin of Praful Patel a 30-year-old Gujarati housekeeper at a hotel, whose few wrong choices lands her at the mercy of money lenders. To cough up a large sum she gambles at a Vegas casino. To pay off the debt, the only option for Praful is that she must rob banks without thinking about the consequences. Kangana, thankfully, finds a dependable cast to bank on. Starting with the unusual Sohum Shah, it is safe to say that the supporting cast was cleverly chosen. Together, Ranaut and him make for a well-paced, punchy first half. By intermission, youll find yourself invested in the story which usually for film critics is a risky zone. Like always, the feeling is a mere prelude to a disappointing second hour. The pace falls, the choppy editing is glaring at our faces and its hard to wrap your head around how conveniently the story is finished off. In fact, one of the major problems in the film is that none of the robberies seem believable. They are conveniently done. It is difficult to believe that an amateur robber does a good job of easily scraping through each of them without many hiccups. Indian Express: In Simran, Kangana Ranaut drives from the front seat, keeping her feet firmly on the accelerator, and everyone else in the cast follows. While that is an entirely wonderful thing because Ranaut is in top form, it also becomes a failing, and ultimately prevents the film from becoming a stand-out. And thats because theres altogether too much of Ranaut without adequate support from the plot, which runs off in all directions in order to keep her in every frame (ironically, the leading lady has a script-and-additional-dialogues credit), and it all becomes too much of a good thing. The story of an Atlanta-based, divorced-at-30, searching-for- self Praful Patel gives Ranaut enough to do in the first half, and we are fully absorbed. A highly-entertaining what-happens-in-Vegas-doesnt-quite-stay-in Vegas episode, leads Ms Patel and the film into slushy territory. New Delhi: A Ludhiana man sold his 22-year-old wife to his friends to buy drugs and other contrabands in Punjabs Ludhiana. The mans friend gangraped the woman and clicked nude photographs. The incident came to surface after the rape survivor lodged a complaint with the Ludhiana senior superintendent of police (SSP) on Friday. The victim informed the media that for the first time she was sold by her husband to his friends without her consent in June. My husbands friend started blackmailing me with the pictures they had clicked, she added. Ludhiana Police said that the women fed up with the regular sexual assault lodged complaint against her husband and his friends. Punjab Police has lodged FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 120B and the husbands friend have been booked under IPC section 376. Police in their course of investigation have learnt that the womans husband and the seven other accused are drug addicts. A special team has been formed to nab the womans husband and seven other accused. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin OwaisiA slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the deportation of Rohingya Muslims who have taken shelter in the country. While addressing a gathering, Owaisi said if Taslima Nasreen can be allowed to stay in the country as a sister then why the Prime Minister cannot accept Rohingyas as his brothers. A aIs this humanity? People were killed and looted and the government wants to deport them,a he said. aWhen Tibetan refugees can be accommodated in the country then why canat be 40,000 Rohingyas,aOwaisi questioned. He also raised the issue of Chakma refugees who are staying parts of Arunachal Pradesh.A #WATCH: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi speaks on Rohingya refugees in India pic.twitter.com/OXUgqq4eq7 a ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Friday detected one live round at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI Airport). Assistant Sub-Inspector Yadagiri M of CISF detected a live round of 0.22 caliber inside the wallet of a passenger namely Praveen Kumar on Friday morning. Praveen was bound to travel to Mumbai. He was not able to produce any valid documents while security personnel were inquiring him. Later, Praveen was offloaded by the concerned airlines. He was taken to the IGI Police Station by the CISF and handed over to the Delhi Police for further legal action. In another incident, a passenger carrying kitchen knife sneaked through the security checks at the New Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport. The passenger carried knife till the time he boarded aircraft. After boarding the Goa-bound Spicejet aircraft, the man himself informed crew members that he was carrying knife. The incident took place on Thursday. He was immediately deboarded off the plane. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: India and Japan on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. Briefing the media after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at Gandhinagar, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the recent Dokalam stand-off between India and China was not discussed specifically by the two leaders. They also stressed on holding accountable all parties supporting the reclusive nations nuclear ambitions, in a veiled reference to Pakistan. Though there was no direct reference to Pakistan in the joint statement released after the delegation-level talks, there were reports that Pyongyang had clandestinely received nuclear enrichment technology from Islamabad. A joint statement was issued after the talks.Dokalam was not specifically mentioned in the statement. But all important regional and global issues were discussed, Jaishankar said. Japan was the only country which openly supported India during the Dokalam crisis. The two leaders condemned, in the strongest terms, North Koreas continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, the foreign secretary said. On the recent developments in North Korea, Japan and India stand firm on their resolve to force the country to change its course of action and fully comply with the UNSC resolution (calling for a halt to nuclear weapons and missile programmes), the statement said. Modi and Abe affirmed a strong commitment for a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. However, there was no mention of the South China Sea in the document, unlike last years joint statement. When we talk of the Indo-Pacific region, the South China Sea is a part of it. This is not a position specific to any geography, this is our principled position regarding any part of the world, Jaishankar said when asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned in the statement. He said the two leaders decided to continue with the talks on Japans sale of US-2 amphibian aircraft to India, adding that New Delhi and Tokyo also decided to increase the cooperation between the Indian Army and Indian Air Force and their Japanese counterparts. Till now, defence cooperation between the two countries was largely restricted to their naval forces.These are serious discussions (going on). I am not in the know of what the issues are as I am not one of the negotiators, Jaishankar said, in reply to a question on the delay in sealing the US-2 amphibian aircraft deal. At his briefing, the Director General of Press and Public Diplomacy of Japan, Norio Maruyama, when asked about Dokalam, said, Important strategic issues concerning India were discussed, but I will not name them. Asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned in the joint statement, he said, What is important is the spirit of the statement." Maruyama said the two countries proposed to improve the connectivity between Asia and Africa and promote the stability and prosperity of the region as a whole. Japan had agreed to push for development in Indias north-east and signed an agreement for road connectivity improvement in the region, Jaishankar said. With PTI inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Indian Army is prepared for any situation. She said the nation is not walking on the war path but the Indian Army is ready to deal with all kinds of situations. A "Not walking on the path of war but at the same time I would like to add that our army is prepared for any situation,a the defence minister said. Sitharaman said she is focusing to handle border related matters in a comprehensive way, ensuring that there is no harm to the nation. Not walking on the path of war but at the same time I would like to add that our army is prepared for any situation: Defence Minister a ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 While speaking at an event organised by the Cantonment Board at the Banaras Hindu University's (BHU) Swatantrata Bhawan on Thursday, she had said the armed forces were fully alert and prepared to deal with "any situation" and added that action would be taken on repeated ceasefire violation. Not walking on the path of war but at the same time I would like to add that our army is prepared for any situation: Defence Minister a ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday arrested one of the most wanted criminals of the national capital. The miscreant was involved in a shootout in which three persons, including an assistant sub-inspector and an alleged gangster were killed in April. The Delhi police informed that Sonu Dariyapur, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh, was arrested this morning from Narela. In a shootout on April 30, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers, Delhi Police ASI Vijay Kumar and Constable Kuldeep, and two others, Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhis Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men had fired at their car leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri and injuring the other two. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapurs gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu married Sonus cousin, due to which the latter decided to kill him. In 2006, Sonu along with his other associates had also fired at the car carrying Monu and his wife. In this firing, driver of the car was killed and the two critically injured. After that incident, they were provided security by the Delhi Police. Sonu had hatched a conspiracy with his gang members to kill Monu and they succeeded in killing him on April 30. (With PTI Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Sacked AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikalaas nephew TTV Dhinakaran on Friday said that they will approach court if the Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly disqualifies the MLAs who are supporting him. Around 19 rebel MLAs withdrew their support from E Palaniswami government demanding floor test from the Governor. On Wednesday, Dhinakaran questioned the legality of the general council meeting that was convened on Tuesday. He said his party will never join hands with DMK. Dhinakaran had said no legal approval was taken for the meeting and claimed that those who had attended, were not the members of the general council. Let him (TN speaker) disqualify our MLAs, we will face it legally: TTV Dhinakaran pic.twitter.com/5Ka3RNaGmR a ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 He had said all 21 MLAs are backing Saiskala and they have told the Governor to ask Edappadi Palaniswami to prove his majority in the Assembly. He said he will go to any extent to protect the party. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Every year Engineers' day is celebrated on September 15 all over India to mark the birth anniversary of legendary civil engineer Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, better known as Sir MV. This year too Engineers Forum, Nagpur is all set to commemorate the day and around 1,800 engineers have alrady been appointed to conduct a special programme at Rani Kothi, Civil Lines, on Monday evening. The day will be celebrated on the theme 'Clean energy, a solution to global warming' and former director Anil Palamwar will preside the same. Ravi Grover, Homi Bhabha Chair and member of Atomic Energy Commission, Mumbai has a significant contribution in the field of development of atomic energy and will be honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award, president SD Shinde informed on Thursday while addressing a press conference along with secretary KC Tayade and treasurer SR Gandhewar. Also Read | Union Budget 2017: FM proposes massive cuts in excise and customs duties for clean energy equipment "The topic is significant in the present context and we need to come up with innovative ideas revolving around renewable sources to produce electricity," Shinde was quoted in the conference. "The enlightening interaction session during the event helps in exchange of ideas and nurtures creativity," he added further. According to Shinde, the aim of the agenda is to focus on the daily life problems of people and solve those issues utilising the knowledge and proficiency of engineers across the country. Also Read | India, other emerging economies investing more in clean energy: John Kerry For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Scotland Yard officials have been roped in to assist the investigation of murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, Bangalore police officials said. The officials will work along with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Karnataka government to crack the case. According to sources in the Bangalore police, two officials of the Scotland Yard are assisting the SIT. The duo officials have expertise in technical investigation, said a senior Banglore police official not willing to be named. The senior official also added that the Scotland Yard team not satisfied with the response given by Gauris brother Indrajit Lankesh will be questioned again. Also Read| Gauri Lankesh murder: This is how Bollywood reacts to senior journalist's murder According to sources the Scotland Yard along with SIT will question former Naxal leaders Sirimane Nagaraj and Noor Sridhar. The two CPI-Maoist leaders were brought to mainstream by Gauri. Another senior police official not willing to be quoted said that the SIT and Scotland Yard together will question history-sheeter Kunigal Giri currently in judicial custody. Also Read| Gauri Lankesh murder: Writing against RSS might have been the reason for her death, says BJP MLA The joint investigating team will be visiting Vijayapura. According to sources the team plans to visit the place as Vijaypura supplies illegal weapons to the state. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A BSF jawan was killed in firing by Pakistan in Arnia area of RS Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. The Pakistanias troops violated ceasefire by resorting to firing on Indian posts in morning. The BSF jawan constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh succumbed to injuries. A civilian also got injured in the incident. On Thursday, two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF, A after three Indian jawans were injured in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the international border (IB) and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts of J&K on Wednesday. BSF jawan killed in firing by Pakistan in Arnia area of J&K's RS Pura, identified as Ct Brijendra Bahadur Singh. One civilian also injured. a ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 "Unprovoked firing by Pak forces on BSF posts across Jammu IB injured 3 BSF troopers (in Poonch & Jammu districts yesterday)," the Border Security Force (BSF) had said in a tweet. #Visual of BSF Constable Brijendra Bahadur Singh killed in firing by Pakistan in Arnia area of Jammu and Kashmir's RS Pura pic.twitter.com/fhVCJNvJBV a ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his ambitious bullet train project, insisting it would bring convenience and safety, employment and speed, he was bombarded with criticism by friends and foes alike. The main opposition Congress called the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train an election bullet train project launched with an eye on the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls. BJPs ally Shiv Sena said it might be a dream project of Modi but not for the common man.Its not the time to move forward slowly as time doesnt wait. The bullet train will bring in convenience and safety, employment and speed, he said as he launched the Rs 1.10 lakh crore venture with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. However, ally Shiv Sena was far from impressed.We are getting a bullet train without asking for it. We do not know exactly which problem will this problem solve, the Sena said in an editorial in the partys mouthpiece Saamana. Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru laid the foundation of several projects, from Bhakra Nangal to Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, to ensure the country advances in technology and science. All these projects were needed for the nation, it said. Does this bullet train fit into the needs of the country? it asked and raked up the issue of agrarian distress in some states.It said the demand for waiver of farm loans was being made for the last several years and that nobody sought a bullet train. The demand for loan waiver of farmers was being made for the last several years. Nobody sought a bullet train. Modis dream is not of the common man but of the rich and industrialists, the Sena, which shares power with BJP both in Maharashtra and at the Centre, said. The opposition Congress, too, mounted a scalding offensive against Modi, saying the launch of the venture ahead of the Gujarat election followed a pattern of the prime minister announcing economic packages and projects before state polls. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of completely abdicating its responsibility towards the safety of passengers. He also claimed that the project was conceptualised by the previous UPA government. It is a matter of deep concern that while the prime minister once again adopted a UPA (government) project, it took him three-and-a-half years to come to this stage of laying the foundation stone. It is only timed with the Gujarat elections in mind...This is nothing but a chunavi bullet train, Kharge told reporters in New Delhi. He claimed the government had allocated only five per cent of the Rs 1.1 lakh crore required for railway safety despite horrific train accidents taking place in the last couple of years. Congress spokesperson RPN Singh alleged that the BJP government was ignoring railway safety even though 259 passengers have been killed and 973 injured in 29 major railway accidents since the Modi dispensation assumed office. They (the government) is unable to set right the faults which are causing ordinary trains to jump the tracks. Imagine what would happen if a bullet train gets off the rails, another Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said. However, Abe lauded Modi for being a farsighted leader in thinking of bringing the high-speed train to India.My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a farsighted leader. He took a decision two years ago to bring a high-speed train in India and to create a new India, he said.In his speech after the launch of the project, Modi took on those who were criticising him over it. When earlier I talked about bringing bullet train, they (opposition) used to say when will it be done. Now that we are bringing it, they are asking Why, he said.Our stress is now on high-speed connectivity which will improve speed, reduce distance and ensure economic progress, he added. He termed as a big gift from friend Japan theproject, which when completed, would see the train covering the distance of 500 km between the two cities in less thanthree hours instead of the usual seven now. With PTI inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: India is yet to come out from shock of the brutal murder of Pradyuman Thakur within school campus in Haryana, a class two student was tied to a table in a classroom and gangraped in Rajasthan. The incident came to surface after doctors of a local hospital in Rajasthans Barmer suspected sexual assault with the class two student and informed the police on Friday. The victim is getting medical treatment in the local hospital and is stable, doctors said. According to a senior police officer of Rajasthan, the victim was rushed for medical attention after she complained severe pain in her stomach and private parts on Friday morning. The doctors of the hospital on examination suspected sexual assault. The girl narrated her ordeal to her mother on enquiring. The minor told her mother that she tied to a table in a room near the school toilet and gangraped on Thursday. The Barmer police have lodged a complaint on the basis of the victims fathers statement. Police have lodged an FIR under the IPC section 376(D), 376-2(I) and the anti-child sexual abuse act. District Collector Shivprasad Nakate and Superintendent of Police Gagandeep Singla on learning the incident first rushed to the hospital and then inspected the school premises and questioned the authorities. A special team led by deputy SP rank officer is investigating the case, said Singla. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The murder of Class II student Pradyuman Thakur at Ryan International School is ending up in ambiguity with each passing day as Gurugram police seeks more time to file a chargesheet before district and session court. Earlier a day after the murder, the police claimed to submit the the chargesheet within a week. However, now Gurugram police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar on Thursday said the police need seven working days. "We will be filing the chargesheet very soon. We have set strict deadlines for ourselves and hope to keep this. However, we will not reveal the exact date", Khirwar said. In order to find more leads in the case, the police called upon the teaching and non-teaching staff on questioning. "The statements of school staff will be recorded separately and if required thier statements will be corroborated and teachers can be cross-questioned. The purpose of the cross-questioning is to know the location and role of each and every staff member who was present inside the school on the day when Pradyuman was murdered", a senior police officer said. Read more: Pradyumans father welcomes rejection of CEO, MD anticipatory bail "The teachers' statements are important for filing the chargesheet", the police officer added. According to Mail Today, a senior SIT official said that whoever slit the throat had attacked Pradyuman from behind while he was carrying a school on bag on his back. That could be the reason the attackers' footprint did not appear on the floor. The official added that the timing of blood coming from the neck is also important and hence police are awaiting forensic reports to know the timing. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In order to probe the murder of 7-year-old child Pradyuman Thakur, Haryana police handed over 8-page long questionnaire to the Pintos who hold different positions in the Ryan International School. Haryana police has left no stone unturned and the questions also include details about different trusts and donations that the trust has received over the years. "If answered, the replies to the questions will run into 4000 pages. Each question has to be examined. How much information can be parted with, and how much, all that has to be seen, so it is taking time," said Pintos advocate Niteen Pradhan to Mail Today. Pradhan questioned the feasibility of questions by saying that how details of donations are going to help the murder investigation. He said that this is absolutely impermissible and unfair. Questions were also raised about the questions about the other trusts run by Pintos apart from the Saint Xavier's Trust, which runs the Ryan International Schools. Pradhan raised questions on the investigation by saying that Pintos personal income should not be scrutinised. He said that it is job of the income tax department. However, Pintos are preparing their reply which is to be submitted to Haryana Police. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: September 15, 2017 the death date of NASAs Cassini spacecraft finally arrived. The spacecraft crashed into Saturns atmosphere in a dramatic event that marked the end of the 20-year long journey. Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco, head of imaging science for the Cassini spacecraft, said in an interview that "Major Cassini mission achievements are legion". "Technologically, it's the most daring and elaborate orbital tour of a planetary system yet executed, with vastly more flybys of planetary bodies, and the closest ever conducted, than any other mission we've ever flown. In fact, it may very well be that Cassini has conducted more close flyby manoeuvres over 100 than have ever been conducted in the entire planetary program." However, Cassini, which was running low on fuel, will technically continue to probe Saturn for many years. In order to prevent Cassini from colliding with one of the two moons of Saturn, NASA decided to kill the USD 4 billion spacecraft. "Its inspiring, adventurous and romantic a fitting end to this thrilling story of discovery," NASA writes. So thrilling, in fact, they created this animated video that "tells the story of Cassini's final, daring assignment and looks back at what the mission has accomplished." As we say goodbye to NASAs Cassini, here are some incredible discoveries made by the spacecraft during its mission Saturn. 1. Landing of Huygens probe on Saturn moon Titan A four-foot wide atmospheric entry probe Huygens separated from Cassini on December 25, 2004 to start its 22-day journey on the surface of Titan. Saturn has 62 moons and Titan is the largest among them and it happens to be the only celestial body in space beside Earth to feature stable bodies of surface liquid. Huygens landed on Titan on January 14, 2005 and discovered the world quite similar to what Earth witnessed before the evolution of life. Lakes, dunes, rainstorms, drainage channels appear to constantly shape and impact the surface of Titan. However, the major difference is that much of the liquid found on Titan is composed of methane and ethane, with a frigid surface temperature recorded by Huygens of -290.83 F. Apart from the surface liquid, Cassini later found the presence of a subsurface ocean likely as salty as the Earths own Dead Sea. "This is an extremely salty ocean by Earth standards," Giuseppe Mitri of the University of Nantes in France told NASA. "Knowing this may change the way we view this ocean as a possible abode for present-day life, but conditions might have been very different there in the past." 2. Most detailed close-up of Jupiter ever Cassini, apart from probing Saturn, also got an opportunity to make flybys of Earth, Venus, and Jupiter. The spacecraft produced the most detailed true colour pictures of Jupiter ever recorded. "Everything visible on the planet is a cloud," NASA explained in a blog post. "The parallel reddish-brown and white bands, the white ovals, and the large Great Red Spot persist over many years despite the intense turbulence visible in the atmosphere. These clouds grow and disappear over a few days and generate lightning. Streaks form as clouds are sheared apart by Jupiter's intense jet streams that run parallel to the colored bands." 3. Discovering hidden moons of Saturn Cassini picked out seven moons that were previously unknown and were present in the orbit within Saturns rings. The seven moons include Methone, Pallene, Polydeuces, Daphnis, Anthe, and Aegaeon. The seventh moon was discovered in 2009 and is named S/2009 S 1. It is only 984 feet in diameter. Daphnis has in particular caught NASAs attention. The image clicked on January 16 offers the clearest view of the tiny moon yet. Daphnis is also called the wave breaker moon as it creates waves in the rings around it. Having a couple of narrow ridges, Daphnis also consists of a relatively smooth mantle of surface material. NASA says it is the result of fine particles gathered from the rings. Also Read: RIP: NASAs Cassini spacecraft embraces death, makes plunge into Saturns atmosphere 4. The subterranean habitable zone of Saturns icy moon Enceladus There may be a subterranean ocean filled with extraterrestrial life hidden in Enceladus, the icy moon of Saturn. Saturn's icy moon of Enceladus may be hiding a subterranean ocean filled with extraterrestrial life. Frequent Cassini flybys of the moon, which measures roughly 310 miles in diameter, have found conditions favorable for microbes. "It has liquid water, organic carbon, nitrogen [in the form of ammonia], and an energy source," Chris McKay, an astrobiologist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, told Daily Galaxy. "Besides Earth, there is no other environment in the solar system where we can make all those claims." Before Cassini reached to Enceladus, scientists baffled over why the moon possessed the brightest world in the solar system. On closer look, they were astonished to see massive geysers, related to ice volcanoes, emitting liquid water to create a smooth, frozen white surface. Enceladus, it seems, is an active moon which has a global ocean of warm liquid salty water underneath its crust. As we continue to learn more about Enceladus, and compare data from different instruments, we are finding more and more evidence for a habitable ocean world, Linda Spilker, Cassini Project Scientist, told NASA. If life is eventually discovered in Enceladus ocean by a mission after Cassini, then our Enceladus discoveries will have been among the top discoveries for all planetary missions. 5. Saturn's giant hurricane Cassini also discovered a massive hurricane churning away at its north pole. Notably, it was outside the Earth and it is the first time that the weather phenomenon had been observed on another planet. You will be astonished to know this is not an ordinary hurricane. It is 50 times the size of an average hurricane on Earth (its eye alone is 1,250 miles wide) with winds four times as fast, but it is also same time completely stationary. It is also interesting to note that without access to large quantities of water vapor it formed. "We did a double take when we saw this vortex because it looks so much like a hurricane on Earth," said Andrew Ingersoll, a Cassini imaging team member at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, said in a release. "But there it is at Saturn, on a much larger scale, and it is somehow getting by on the small amounts of water vapor in Saturn's hydrogen atmosphere." Also Read: NASA Cassini Saturn probe Grand Finale: Some spectacular images captured by the spacecraft 6. 'The Day the Earth Smiled' Cassini positioned itself in the shadow of Saturn and turned its camera back towards its host on July 19, 2013. The spacecraft has also managed to spy own blue dot in the bottom left. The picture named as "The Day the Earth Smiled" and it was unique because it marked the first time that humanity was given an advanced notice that a picture of Earth would be taken from deep space. Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco helped to organize the event, telling people to go outside "look up, think about our cosmic place, think about our planet, how unusual it is, how lush and life-giving it is, think about your own existence, think about the magnitude of the accomplishment that this picture-taking session entails. We have a spacecraft at Saturn. We are truly interplanetary explorers. Think about all that, and smile." 7. View from the top of Cassini In the November end, Cassini started the first of 20 orbital maneuvers designed to position the spacecraft for its final death plunge on September 17, 2017. NASA also got pictures from the spacecraft, which showed the unbeleivable detail of the hurricane that continues to spin and rage at the north pole. "This is it, the beginning of the end of our historic exploration of Saturn. Let these images and those to come remind you that weve lived a bold and daring adventure around the solar systems most magnificent planet," said Carolyn Porco. As Cassini closer to the subject, NASA will receive back unprecedented details of the planet. During final plunge, Cassini will record valuable information about Saturn's hydrogen atmosphere until it lost its signal. 8. Between Saturn and its rings Scientists were expecting to find or rather hear the sounds of dust particles when Cassini made its first dive between the planet and its rings. But all they ended up hearing was celestial white noise. "The region between the rings and Saturn is 'the big empty,' apparently," said Cassini Project Manager Earl Maize of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, in a statement. "Cassini will stay the course, while the scientists work on the mystery of why the dust level is much lower than expected." The silence was unexpected because when Cassini swooped around the fringes of Saturn's main rings back in December 2016, the Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument picked up on a number of particles, represented in the audio below as pops and crackles. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In an interesting finding, India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft has created the first map of water trapped in the uppermost layer of the Moons soil. According to scientists, India's own Moon Impact Probe (MIP) on board the country's maiden unmanned lunar craft had also detected evidence of water on the moon in a finding confirmed by US space agency Nasa which too had an instrument onboard Chandrayaan-I. Earlier, in 2009 scientists revealed traces of water in the lunar soil but Now, scientists from Brown University have used data gathered from NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper instrument to construct a detailed map of where water can be found on the Moon and it turns out it's more widespread than previously thought. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, builds on the initial discovery in 2009 of water and a related molecule hydroxyl, which consists of one atom each of hydrogen and oxygen in lunar soil. Also, Nasa thanked Isro for enabling the discovery of water on moon through Chandrayaan-I. "We want to thank Isro for making the discovery possible. The moon till now was thought to be a very dry surface with lot of rocks," NASA director Jim Green told reporters in Washington. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, builds on the initial discovery in 2009 of water and a related molecule - hydroxyl, which consists of one atom each of hydrogen and oxygen - in the lunar soil. Scientists from Brown University in the US used a new calibration of data taken from NASAs Moon Mineralogy Mapper, which flew aboard Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft in 2008, to quantify how much water is present on a global scale. The signature of water is present nearly everywhere on the lunar surface, not limited to the polar regions as previously reported, said Shuai Li, former PhD student at Brown University. The amount of water increases toward the poles and does not show significant difference among distinct compositional terrains, said Li, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii. Nair said "while the moon impact probe landed, it took nearly 25 minutes. It took some pictures that indicated these water molecules. Another instrument HYS1 to map minerals also helped Nasa's M3 in finding water." Apart from India's MIP, the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) of Nasa on board Chandrayaan-I also confirmed the presence of water, he said. The "quantity found is much larger than what was expected which is a real finding", he added. Also, the newly-minted map reveals a few things about the Moon's moisture. At its peak concentration around the poles, water can be found at around 500 to 750 parts per million. Intriguingly, close to the equator water levels can fluctuate wildly on a daily basis, with the Moon having some 200 parts per million more water overnight than it does at noon. This map can be proved as a useful resource for future lunar explorers, with places showing the highest concentrations of water being the best targets for missions, if we can develop ways to efficiently extract the stuff. "This is a roadmap to where water exists on the surface of the Moon," says Milliken. "Now that we have these quantitative maps showing where the water is and in what amounts, we can start thinking about whether or not it could be worthwhile to extract, either as drinking water for astronauts or to produce fuel." How much water is there on moon? The new study has suggested that water is abundant on the moon, however the quantity of it still remains a mystery. Studies carried out in 2011 suggested that volcanic beads contained similar amounts of water as volcanic basalts on Earth. There is probably more water than all of the surface oceans, lakes, and rivers combined deep beneath the Earth. This new finding could mean that at least part of the moons mantle might have as much water as Earths. (Read more about how Saturn's largest moon could have the components needed for life.) What do the new findings mean for the future? The glass beads contain only 0.05% of water, however, the sheer amount of them offers an exciting opportunity for future moonwalkers. Astronauts could be one day able extract the water from the volcanic rocks spread across the moon that could save the hassle of bringing their own water from the Earth. This is actually very useful, says Colaprete. We can actually now have a better handle on these deposits as a potential lunar resource going forward and can be compared to future studies of polar resources. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Paul McClean, a 24-year-old journalist was dragged into a river and killed by a crocodile while spending time in Sri Lanka. Paul McClean worked in London for the Financial Times, had been on vacation in the Sri Lanka when the crocodile killed him. His body was found on Friday. According to the eyewitness, local people had heard him screaming for help as he was pulled into the river. McClean was graduated with a first-class degree in French and joined Financial Times as a graduate trainee two years ago and worked most recently for the fastFT news service. McClean is a talented, energetic and dedicated young journalist, who had a great career ahead of him, said FT's managing editor James Lamont. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones", he added. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Nasiriyah (Iraq): Gunmen and suicide car bombers killed at least 74 people on Thursday near the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in the deadliest attack claimed by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent on the spot said. The attack was quickly claimed by the Islamic State group, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. The Sunni extremists have been sliding from defeat to defeat in Iraq and Syria, three years after declaring a cross-border "caliphate". The attack killed at least 74 people, including seven Iranians, and left another 93 wounded, said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against IS in northern Iraq. Rescue workers and members of the security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Nearby shelters built of corrugated metal were reduced to scraps of metal, twisted by heat. The area targeted is on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Tal Afar and the surrounding region from IS on August 31, adding to the pressure on the jihadists. Today's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters closed in one of the last IS bastions in the country: the Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent in that area saw several artillery units positioned around the towns of Rawa and Anna, 100 kilometres from the border with Syria. The group's only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 kilometres north of Baghdad. But despite these setbacks, the extremist group still has hundreds of fighters ready to carry out suicide attacks. In addition, any military offensive in Hawija is expected to be postponed due to a planned referendum on Kurdish independence on September 25. Acting at the request of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi parliament sacked the governor of Kirkuk on Thursday over his decision for the northern province to also take part in the Kurdish referendum. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A 57-year-old Indian-American doctor has been stabbed to death allegedly by an Indian-origin patient near his clinic in the Wichita city of Kansas. Psychiatrist Achutha Reddy, who hailed from Telangana, was found dead with multiple knife wounds in an alley behind his clinic in East Wichita on Wednesday, police said. One of his patients, 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt, also an Indian-American, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Reddy was pronounced dead on the spot by the police, Lt Todd Ojile, section commander of the homicide division at the Wichita Police Department, told reporters at a news conference yesterday. The incident happened on Wednesday evening. The police received the call around 7.20 pm. The accused man was found at a country club after a security guard reported a suspicious person sitting in a car in the parking lot with blood on his clothes. During the investigation, we learned that the 21-year- old suspect was a client of Dr Reddy and had been at the office. The suspect was in the business for a short time. He left and then later came back with Dr Reddy and they went into an office there, Ojile said. After going to an office, a disturbance was heard. An office manager entered into the office and observed the suspect assaulting Dr ready. She attempted to stop the assault which allowed the doctor to flee the office, he said. Umar chased the doctor out of his office, and stabbed him multiple times, Ojile said, adding that the reason for the murder has not been ascertained yet. Also Read | North Korea fires missile over Japan; Tokyo issues alerts to citizens Umar has been held on USD one million bond. According to Wichita State University, he was a former student and was last enrolled in the spring of 2015. His tragic loss will be felt by many. In todays world mental health resources are stretched thin. Many looked toward Dr Reddy for help in their times of crisis. As many providers in the mental health profession, he offered hope to many suffering from mental illness, Wichita Police Department said in a statement. Reddy graduated from a medical school at Osmania University in India in 1986 and did his residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1998. He specialised in psychiatry. Holistic Psychiatric Services psychotherapist Brenda Trammel described it as a great loss. Dr Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and every one of us needed and gave it freely, she said. He would often tell me you have to have freedom to live life to the fullest and this is how he lived his life. He thought of himself as our father and his job was to guide us to do well in our lives. He expected the best from all of us and we gave it to him with the same abandon he gave to us, Trammel said. The Indian American community in Wichita has expressed shock over the incident. With a heavy heart, we regret to inform our community, that a member of our Wichita Indian Community has lost his life last night. We will provide more information as it becomes available, Cultural Association of India-Wichita said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: Nepal has signed an agreement with the US government' Millennium Challenge Corporation to receive a grant worth USD 500 million in next five years to spur private investment and economic growth to reduce poverty in the country. Nepal would contribute another USD 130 million to support the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Nepalese Minister of Finance Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and MCC Acting CEO Jonathan Nash signed the agreement in this regard at the State Department. The ceremony was joined by Deputy Secretary of State John J Sullivan, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Alice Wells, and Lis Curtis who heads the South Asia division of the National Security Council, the White House. Describing it as a historic occasion, Sullivan said the signing of an MCC grant agreement is not only a milestone for development, but also serves as a mark of great distinction for Nepal. "The compact recognizes Nepal's vast progress and ongoing efforts to establish the rule of law and implement democratic institutions. The Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation first selected Nepal for a compact in December of 2014", he said. Read more: No restrictions in place on H-1B visas: Senior US official Sullivan said Nepal's progress over the past few years, both politically and economically, represents a vital turning point for the country. By holding its first elections under a new constitution, Nepal has signaled the beginning of a new democratic age. "This compact will enable support for Nepal's greater economic security and help to transform lives for the better. As Acting CEO Nash mentioned, with the signing of this USD 500 million compact, we are committing to tackle the greatest constraints to growth in Nepal's energy and transportation sectors", he added. "But this is more than just a grant. It's a plan for investment jointly developed to address the inadequate supply of electricity in Nepal and the high cost of transportation in that country. Together, we will work to improve the availability of electricity and make road transportation saferand more affordable", the top American diplomat said. Karki said this compact of USD 500 million, combined with the Government of Nepal's commitment of USD 130 million, will surely create a lasting impact on Nepal's sustainable development for generations to come. Recognising the several decades of cooperation between two countries in socio-economic development programs, the Finance Minister said over the years, America has supported Nepal in building peaceful, prosperous, and a democratic society. "Today's signing ceremony is the epitome of the US' continued encouragement towards democratic development and a lasting peace in Nepal", he said. According to Nash, the programme will tackle two of Nepal's most binding constraints to economic growth: low energy supply and high transportation cost. This includes the construction of high-voltage power lines the equivalent length of one-third the length of Nepal. It will also facilitate increased electricity trade with India, a strategic partner, and activities that will strengthen sector governance, increasing transparency, efficiency and competition in Nepal's power sector. In the transportation sector, the compact includes investments that will strengthen the road maintenance regime, which is particularly important to the movement of goods and people in a landlocked mountainous country such as Nepal, he said. According to MCC, the Electricity Transmission Project is designed to transform Nepal's power sector by expanding and strengthening the high voltage electricity transmission network to support new investments in generation. The project includes the construction of approximately 300 km of high voltage power lines, equivalent to one-third the length of Nepal; the addition of a second cross-border transmission line to facilitate greater electricity trade with India; and activities to improve sector governance to increase private investment. "MCC's Nepal Compact is designed to spur private investment and economic growth to reduce poverty. MCC's investments will also support regional energy connectivity in South Asia by strengthening Nepal's power sector and facilitating electricity trade with India", State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily news conference. "A stable and economically growing Nepal is in the best interest of not just the people of Nepal, but also the region and the US. MCC's work to support stability and strengthen institutions also helps countries withstand global threats such as conflict and natural disasters", she said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: North Korea fired an unidentified missile from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang, with the missile passing over Japan. The Japanese government said the missile had passed over Hokkaido and the country's military did not try to shoot it down. Japan is all set to hold emergency national security council session due to the missile launch. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the country can 'never tolerate' North Korea's 'provocative' acts. Further, the country has also issued alerts to its citizens in the northern region to stay put inside. The UN Security Council has decided to hold an emergency meeting on Friday regarding North Korea's missile launch. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its banned missile and nuclear programmes. That was in response to its sixth nuclear test -- by far its largest yet -- earlier this month, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. The North has raised tensions in the region with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. Its last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan -- its first to do so for years -- sparking emergency sirens and text alerts, before coming down in the Pacific Ocean. Today's missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan "at around 07:06 am (local time) towards the Pacific Ocean", Japan's J-Alert system said, with reports saying it came down around 2,000 kilometres east of Hokkaido. Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 770kilometres -- both higher and further than the previous device. It was fired from a similar location near the capital's airport, it added. With PTI inputs For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates has announced relaxation for more categories of visa for Indians on arrival. The UAE Ambassador to India, Mohammed Albanna, said that the government will now grant visas on arrival to Indians who hold a valid residence visa of the United Kingdom and the European Union. However, the move will encourage more tourists in the country as the UAE is seen as a major transit hub for Indian travelling from India to the US and Europe. The US Border Immigration has also set up a facility in UAE allowing foreigners travelling to the US complete all formalities in UAE itself. These visa holders have been added to earlier decision to grant visa on arrival to Indians whose passports contain a valid US visa or have a Green Card. Ambassador Albania said the decision was taken by the UAE Cabinet on Wednesday and is in pursuance of agreements signed to facilitate people to people contacts during the visit of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India last year.Diplomats and government officials are issued visa at no cost as per existing protocols. The relationship between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India is "strengthening further" and a major step in that direction is the relaxation of visa rules by the Gulf country for Indian nationals, its envoy said. Ambassador of the UAE to India Ahmed Albanna said the decision of the "UAE cabinet to grant visa-on-arrival to Indian passport holders with residence visa from the UK and the European Union" would be a key facilitator of people-to- people bilateral ties. The first step towards having a simplified visa process was the signing of an MoU between India and the UAE on mutualexemption of entry visa requirements to the holders of diplomatic, special and official passports. "The agreement signed during the second visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as Chief Guest for India's Republic Day celebrations this year, allows holders of diplomatic, special and official passports visa free travel between the two countries," Albanna said in a statement issued by the UAE Embassy. Earlier this year, the UAE government also had announced that Indian passport holders with a valid American visa or aGreen Card, will be eligible to obtain a UAE visa on arrival, he said. Hopefully, there would be more measures in days to come to further improve the long-term strategic partnership between the two countries, the envoy said. With PTI Input For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A 21-year-old suspected was arrested on charges of stabbing an Indian-origin doctor to death in the US state of Kansas on Thursday. The 21-year-old is charged with first-degree murder. The Indian-origin doctor, Achutha Reddy, was a psychiatrist by profession. He belonged to Nalgonda in Telangana. The doctors body was found with multiple knife wounds near the Holistic Psychiatric Services building on Carriage Parkway in Wichita on Wednesday. The 21-year-old suspect is said to be Reddys patient. Reddy was pronounced dead at the scene by the police, Lt Todd Ojile, section commander of the homicide division at the Wichita Police Department, told reporters at a news conference on Thursday. During the investigation, we learned that the 21-year- old suspect was a client of Dr Reddy and had been at the office. The suspect was in the business for a short time. He left and then later came back with Dr Reddy and they went into an office there, Ojile told Hindustan Times. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The name boards of two unmanned stations in Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, that are popular among railway enthusiasts as secluded stations, have been stolen. The host town of Horonobe in northern Hokkaido has used the two stations--Onoppunai and Toikanbetsu on the Soya Line of Hokkaido Railway Co., or JR Hokkaido--for regional revitalization. "It's a shame since the station signs are precious and valuable," a town official said, urging the culprit to return them "even if in secret." JR Hokkaido has reported the theft to the prefectural police. The station signs, which are 20 centimeters wide and one meter long, were secured to utility poles on the platforms of the stations with screws, according to the police. Japan's space agency has unveiled a new observation satellite designed to allow more accurate predictions of global climate change. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, showed the completed Shikisai satellite to reporters at its Tsukuba Space Center, north of Tokyo, on Thursday. The satellite is about 2.6 meters wide and 4.7 meters high. It is equipped with 2 sophisticated optical sensors to monitor aerosol particles in the atmosphere, as well as vegetation and temperatures, on a long-term basis. Researchers hope the data will improve their understanding of the mechanisms behind climate change. Global warming is thought to be a cause of the recent increase in extreme weather, including flash floods and sudden, localized downpours. But researchers say they do not have sufficient satellite observation data at the moment to predict long-term temperature increases or the frequency of extreme weather events. Sep 15 (ANNnewsCH) - JAXAiaaecc cecYiaaaaaaaeeYaaaaaaaYaaa eeaaeaaaaYa Japan is working itself to death. The frequently recurring term karoshi (death from overwork) suggests as much. It's an indirect rather than a direct cause of death, which makes statistical precision difficult, but, as a rough standard, 80 hours a month of overtime work in the months leading up to a victim's death from a heart attack or stroke or suicide will back a claim for karoshi compensation. Karoshi is generally associated with the private sector and its ruthlessly exploitative "black companies," but among workers lately toiling "borderline karoshi" overtime hours are, says Shukan Toyo Keizai (Sept. 16), professionals you might not expect to find in such a plight: public school teachers. Not all of them, but significant percentages: Nearly 60% of junior high school teachers, and 30% of their elementary school counterparts, work 60 hours or more a week, education ministry figures show. It's a relatively new development, brought on by aging teachers whose retiring ranks cannot be replaced rapidly enough, and by social change, of which more in a moment. Teachers today work on average 4.5 hours a week more than they did 10 years ago a "not counting work done at home," one teacher is quick to point out a and though only one case of officially recognized karoshi among teachers is mentioned, teachers regularly complain of endless working days and no time off. "At this rate," says one, "I'll surely break down physically." The one who succumbed a in June 2011 a was a 26-year-old Osaka-area junior high school teacher. It was his second year on the job and he was highly dedicated, maybe too much so. To teach good lessons requires preparation. He prepared. There's after-school club activity to supervise. He threw himself into that too, and into keeping in touch with parents. He was working 60-70 hours a month overtime, but actually more than that because test grading and lesson preparation are not counted as "work." One day he collapsed in his apartment. Three years later his death was officially recognized as karoshi. Public school teachers are supposed to work 38 hours, 45 minutes a week, but "I'm lucky when I get out at 8 p.m.," says one Tokyo-area teacher in her 40s who typically starts work at 8 a.m. The day begins with supervised free classroom activity, followed by the first period starting at 8:45. Lunchtime is spent wolfing down something while providing guidance or preparing. After the last class at 3:25, there's cleanup, then meetings, then club supervision and so on. By the time that's over, it's 6:30. Home? Only if she takes her remaining work home with her a more test grading, more lesson planning. Or else a parent will call, requesting, if not demanding, a consultation. Weekends are as likely as not taken up with club activities. 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("GMI"), a subsidiary of Peruvian engineering and construction firm Grana y Montero Group, has provided the Company with the results of the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering work at the Corani silver-lead-zinc project in Peru that commenced in November 2016 (see Bear Creek news release dated November 14, 2016). The Phase 1 Detailed Engineering incorporates further optimizations and trade-offs to the Corani mine plan described in the feasibility study entitled "Optimized and Final Feasibility Study, Corani Project, Puno, Peru, Form 43-101F1 Technical Report" dated effective May 30, 2015 (the "2015 Corani Feasibility Study") and filed on SEDAR on July 17, 2015. Specifically, it establishes final processing flow sheets and equipment lists, optimizes mine sequencing, and refines capital expenditure ("CapEx") and operational expenditure ("OpEx") cost estimates for the Corani project. GMI's Phase 1 Detailed Engineering report will form the backbone of the Company's application for a Construction Permit for the Corani project, submission of which is anticipated during Q4 2017. Approval of the Construction Permit is expected during Q1 2018. With the completion of the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering, Bear Creek's evolution toward becoming an emerging producer is progressing. In order that this corporate transition be steered at the executive level by an experienced and successful mine builder, Andrew Swarthout has elected to step down from his position as President and CEO of Bear Creek to assume the role of Executive Chairman, effective October 1, 2017. Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, current Chairman of the Company, will continue to serve as a director. A warm welcome is extended to Mr. Anthony Hawkshaw, who was selected by the Company's Board of Directors to replace Mr. Swarthout in the position of President and CEO of Bear Creek Mining. Mr. Hawkshaw has over 30 years' senior executive experience in the mining industry and a proven track record of successfully executing the transformation of a mineral exploration company into a mid-tier producer. Additional details are provided below. Key Updates and Project Metrics (all dollar amounts are expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted) The Phase 1 Detailed Engineering utilizes a contract mining fleet to operate the Corani mine, rather than an owner-operated fleet as provided for in the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study. As a result, initial CapEx is reduced to $585 million and sustaining CapEx is reduced to $0.4 million (from $625 million and $39 million , respectively, as estimated in the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study). While this trade-off transfers capital to operating expenses, the Company believes it is an improved approach at this time as it mitigates the level of project financing risk associated with the Corani project and provides the project with immediate skilled mining operators and staff. However, the decision to use a contract mining fleet for all or part of the anticipated Corani mine life is fluid and subject to future reconsideration if warranted by ongoing economic analysis or other factors. and sustaining CapEx is reduced to (from and , respectively, as estimated in the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study). While this trade-off transfers capital to operating expenses, the Company believes it is an improved approach at this time as it mitigates the level of project financing risk associated with the Corani project and provides the project with immediate skilled mining operators and staff. However, the decision to use a contract mining fleet for all or part of the anticipated Corani mine life is fluid and subject to future reconsideration if warranted by ongoing economic analysis or other factors. Treatment and refining charges, tailings disposal costs, electrical power costs, administrative expenses, labor costs, working capital, and corporate tax rate were updated in alignment with current estimates and rates. Metal prices used to calculate the Corani project economics were revised in accordance with NI 43-101 guidelines to $18.00 /oz silver, $0.95 /lb lead and $1.10 /lb zinc. /oz silver, /lb lead and /lb zinc. At the metal prices quoted above, the optimizations, tradeoffs and revised cost inputs considered in the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering result in an after-tax net present value ("NPV") (at a 5% discount rate) of $402 million , an internal rate of return ("IRR") of 15.4% and a payback period of 3.5 years. , an internal rate of return ("IRR") of 15.4% and a payback period of 3.5 years. The key factors affecting the NPV and IRR are: the shift from an owner-operated mining fleet to contract mining; revised metal prices; increased labor, maintenance and mobile equipment costs; a decrease in zinc and lead treatment charges and refining charges offset by a significant increase in per ounce silver refining charges; a roughly 10% increase in projected power costs; and, an increase in the Peruvian income tax rate from 26% to 29.5%. The Corani project retains its exceptional leverage to metal prices, with an approximate $112 million difference in Corani NPV (after tax, at a 5% discount rate) for every $1 movement in the silver price, with proportional changes in lead and zinc prices. difference in Corani NPV (after tax, at a 5% discount rate) for every movement in the silver price, with proportional changes in lead and zinc prices. At recent metal prices of $17.81 /oz silver, $1.02 /lb lead and $1.40 /lb zinc, the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering optimizations result in an NPV (after-tax, at a 5% discount rate) of $540 million , an IRR (after tax) of 18.0% and a payback period of 3.1 years, highlighting Corani's leverage to increasing zinc and lead prices in addition to silver. /oz silver, /lb lead and /lb zinc, the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering optimizations result in an NPV (after-tax, at a 5% discount rate) of , an IRR (after tax) of 18.0% and a payback period of 3.1 years, highlighting Corani's leverage to increasing zinc and lead prices in addition to silver. Utilizing contract mining and current cost estimates as noted above increases the estimated all-in sustaining cost ("AISC") per ounce of silver (net of by-products) to $1.80 in the first six years of operation and $5.00 life of mine (from $0.36 and $4.09 , respectively, as estimated in the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study). in the first six years of operation and life of mine (from and , respectively, as estimated in the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study). Recovery rates for silver, lead and zinc were revised as a result of a new mine sequence plan. In comparison to the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study, the recovery rates for silver and lead decreased 2% each, while the recovery rate for zinc increased 7%. Revisions to the design of the Corani open pits result in a decrease in the stripping ratio to 1.49:1 from 1.68:1 in the 2015 Corani Feasibility. Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves are substantially unchanged from the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study. KEY CORANI PROJECT METRICS 2017 PHASE 1 DETAILED ENGINEERING 2015 CORANI FEASIBILITY STUDY CAPITAL Initial Capital $585 M $625 M Sustaining Capital $0.4 M $39 M Total Capital $586 M $664 M PROCESSING Ore Milled (k t) 139,073 137,698 Silver Recovery 69.9% 71.9% Lead Recovery 61.1% 62.8% Zinc Recovery 67.1% 60.1% Payable Silver (from zinc concentrate) (k oz) 7,096 5,473 Payable Silver (from lead concentrate) (k oz) 137,343 145,575 Payable Lead (k lbs) 1,578,154 1,651,849 Payable Zinc (k lbs) 1,030,503 909,579 OPERATING Total Production Costs (1) $3,347 M $3,050 M AISC (2) per oz Silver (by-product basis) Years 1-6 $1.80 $0.36 AISC (2) per oz Silver (by-product basis) Life of Mine $5.00 $4.09 AISC (2) per oz Silver (co-product basis) Life of Mine $11.54 $11.26 Avg. Annual Silver Production Years 1-6 12.0 M oz/year 12.9 M oz/year Avg. Annual Silver Production Life of Mine 8.0 M oz/year 8.4 M oz/year Stripping Ratio 1.49 1.68 Mine Life (extraction) 18 years 18 years Mine Life (processing) 18 years 18 years Mill Capacity 22,500 tpd 22,500 tpd ECONOMICS (after tax) Net Present Value $402 M (3) $544 M (4) $643 M (5) Internal Rate of Return 15.4% (3) 18.5% (4) 20.9% (5) Payback period (years) 3.5 (3) 3.8 (4) 3.6 (5) (1) Total Production Costs are calculated as total cash operating costs + sustaining capital costs + reclamation and closure costs + social costs (2) AISC are per payable oz, and are calculated as cash operating costs + sustaining capital costs + reclamation and closure costs + social costs (3) NPV (at 5% discount rate, after tax), IRR (after tax) and payback period using 2017 Detailed Engineering report base case metal prices ($18/ounce silver, $0.95/pound lead and $1.10/pound zinc) (4) NPV (at 5% discount rate, after tax), IRR (after tax) and payback period using 2017 Detailed Engineering report base case metal prices ($18/ounce silver, $0.95/pound lead and $1.10/pound zinc) applied to 2015 Corani Feasibility Study (5) NPV (at 5% discount rate, after tax), IRR (after tax) and payback period per 2015 Corani Feasibility Study using base case metal prices used therein ($20/ounce silver, $0.95/pound lead and $1.00/pound zinc) Andrew Swarthout, President and CEO of Bear Creek Mining states "The modifications, optimizations and tradeoffs to the Corani mine plan envisioned in GMI's Phase 1 Detailed Engineering report substantially de-risk the Corani mine plan and provide a current and more detailed picture of the scope of the project and the costs of constructing and operating the proposed Corani mine. The use of a contract mining fleet rather than an owner-operated fleet to operate the Corani mine is more closely aligned with conventional practices in Peru and mitigates the financing risk by decreasing the upfront capital required to build the project. Furthermore, as is typical when undertaking detailed engineering-level work, GMI utilized current and project-specific cost quotes that are accurate to +/- 10% (compared to the +/- 20% accuracy standard as used in the 2015 Corani Feasibility Study). The net result of this rigorous work is a realistic, economically robust project that remains highly leveraged to rising metal prices." Leverage to Metal Prices The Corani project remains highly leveraged to metal prices, with a difference in NPV of $112 million for every $1 movement in silver price (with proportional changes in lead and zinc prices). The following table shows the NPV, IRR and payback period at recent spot metal prices. Base Case (3) Recent Metal Prices (4) NPV (1) $402 M $540 M IRR (2) $15.4% 18.0% Payback period (years) 3.5 3.1 (1) After tax, at a 5% discount rate (2) After tax (3) $18.00/oz silver, $0.95/lb lead and $1.10/lb zinc (4) $17.81/oz silver, $1.02/lb lead and $1.40/lb zinc (spot prices at September 11, 2017) Management Changes As announced above, in order that Bear Creek's future evolution be steered at the executive level by an experienced and successful mine builder, Andrew Swarthout has elected to step down from his position as President and CEO to assume the role of Executive Chairman. Bear Creek's Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Anthony Hawkshaw to the position of President and CEO and as a director of the Company. Both appointments will be effective October 1, 2017. Mr. Swarthout co-founded Bear Creek Mining in 2003 and was a critical and integral contributor to the acquisition, discovery and development of the Corani deposit and the architect of the Company's exceptional technical and management teams. He will continue to lend his expertise and oversight to Bear Creek as he guides the Company's vision and execution of its goals in his new role as Executive Chairman. Mr. Hawkshaw has over 30 years' global experience in the mining sector. He was a founding shareholder, director and CFO of Rio Alto Mining from 2007 to 2014. Tony was a key contributor to the vision, strategy and growth of Rio Alto, which under his tenure grew from a TSXV-listed exploration company to a TSX- and NYSE-listed intermediate gold producer on the basis of its acquisition, development and successful execution of the La Arena project and subsequent acquisition and development of the Shahuindo deposit, both of which are located in Peru. Rio Alto Mining was acquired for these outstanding assets by Tahoe Resources Inc. in 2015 in a deal worth US $1.12 billion. Prior to Rio Alto, Tony held senior executive positions at numerous resource firms including Pan American Silver, Chariot Resources and Grove Energy. In addition to his track record of successfully executing the transformation of a mineral exploration company into a mid-tier producer, Mr. Hawkshaw has arranged numerous debt, equity and convertible debt financings with institutional investors, commercial banks and multilateral lending agencies, and has experience in the concentrate off-take and metals trading markets. Mr. Hawkshaw is currently a director of Regulus Resources Inc. Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, Chairman of Bear Creek Mining, states, "Tony Hawkshaw is an extremely talented mining executive with a proven track record of creating shareholder value by successfully steering Latin America-focused mining companies through the transition from developer to profitable multi-mine producer. Tony is a leader with the experience, technical proficiency, and ability to communicate with and inspire the financial markets and represent the Company to its many stakeholders. We feel privileged that Tony has agreed to lead our company through this next very exciting phase." Andrew Swarthout adds. "I have known Tony for seven years and had the opportunity to follow his involvement as he played a crucial role taking Rio Alto from exploration through development and production. Tony's Peruvian experience, contacts and track record will benefit our Company as we turn the corner towards project execution. I look forward to joining Tony in assuming our new roles at Bear Creek as we work with our extremely capable Peruvian team headed by Elsiario Antunez de Mayolo, who will continue in his role as Chief Operating Officer of Bear Creek and General Manager, Peruvian subsidiaries. Elsiario's hands-on technical expertise in developing and operating large mines in Peru coupled with Tony's leadership and financial experience will create a remarkably strong team with the right balance of proficiencies to advance Corani through to production." "I am excited to be joining Bear Creek and the superb team they have in place to advance the Corani deposit to development," states Anthony Hawkshaw. "Peruvian legislation regulating mine development and operation is clearly defined and impartial, and the Corani deposit is located near infrastructure and mining friendly communities. Combined, these factors make the path to realizing value predictable and achievable. The opportunity to be involved in the development of a world-class mine is a rare privilege that I am looking forward to." Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, current Chairman of the Company, will continue her role as a director of the Company upon Mr. Swarthout's appointment to Executive Chairman and will continue to provide Bear Creek and its Board of Directors with her unparalleled market savvy and experience garnered from shepherding companies from infancy through to maturity. Next Steps An updated feasibility-level technical report for the Corani project (the "2017 Corani Feasibility Study") that incorporates the results of the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering and reflects the impact of these mine plan modifications and revised metal prices on the project economics, will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of the date of this news release. GMI's final report on the Corani Phase 1 Detailed Engineering results will form the basis of the Company's application for a Construction Permit for the Corani project, submission of which is anticipated to occur during Q4 2017. Additional permits underlying the Construction Permit include the Environmental Permit, which the Company received in 2013, the Water Permit, which is currently in process, and a number of secondary, prescriptive permits that are either in hand or in process. Concurrent with completion of the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering and ongoing permitting, the Company has engaged financial consultants to assess project financing alternatives and gauge interest amongst prospective participants in a project finance structure for the Corani mine. Feedback received by the Company and its consultants during this assessment phase has been positive and with the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering now completed, the Company expects these efforts to escalate in the coming months. Pending receipt of the Construction Permit, Bear Creek's Board of Directors anticipates consideration of a production decision for the Corani project in H1 2018, which decision will be dependent on favorable market conditions and firm interest from project finance participants. Since discovering the Corani deposit a decade ago, Bear Creek has worked hard to establish the trust and support of the communities in the project vicinity and the individuals who call this area home. As a result of conducting itself in an open, honest, and transparent manner and adopting a community-driven and culturally-respectful approach to community initiatives, the Company enjoys an unrivaled level of community support. As the Corani project advances, the full impacts and benefits of development and construction initiatives will be more keenly felt by neighboring communities. Bear Creek recognizes this evolving dynamic and is continuing to work hard to maintain its social licence throughout the life of the project. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Andrew Swarthout President and CEO NI 43-101 Disclosure Bear Creek's exploration programs are overseen by, and pertinent disclosure of a technical or scientific nature has been reviewed and approved by, Andrew Swarthout, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, President and CEO of the Company and a Qualified Person ("QP") as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Swarthout has read, verified and approves such information disclosed in this release. The Corani Phase 1 Detailed Engineering work was conducted by GMI SA Ingenieros Consultores. GMI's final Phase 1 Detailed Engineering report and the information therefrom included in this news release will be incorporated in the 2017 Corani Feasibility Study, which is being prepared by a team of independent engineering consultants and will be filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) within 45 days of the date of this news release. Kevin Gunesch, PE, Principal Mining Engineer of GRE, is the QP responsible for the Project Description and History, Market Studies and Mining Methods. Juan Carlos Tapia, ChE, IMCh is the QP for the Recovery Methods and Conclusions and Recommendations. Deepak Malhotra, PhD, MMSA, Independent Consultant, and Rick Moritz, Principal Mining Engineer of GRE are the QPs for Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing. Terre Lane, MMSA, Principal Mining Engineer of GRE, is the QP responsible for the Resource and Reserve Estimations and Economic Analysis. Larry Breckenridge, PE, Principal Environmental Engineer of GRE, is the QP for Environmental and Permitting and Social Community Impact sections. Denys Parra, PE, Independent Consultant, is the QP for responsible for Geotechnical studies. Jennifer Brown, PG, SME-RM, an associate of GRE, is the QP for Geological Setting and Mineralization, Exploration, Drilling and Data Verification sections of the study. Each of these individuals has read and approves the respective scientific and technical disclosure pertaining to the Corani Phase 1 Detailed Engineering contained in this news release. The 2015 Corani Feasibility Study was prepared by a team of independent engineering consultants. Daniel Neff, PE, of M3 acted as the Independent QP as defined by NI 43-101 and additionally is the QP responsible for the market studies, infrastructure, process plant capital and operating costs, economic analysis, conclusions and recommendations portions of the study. Tom Shouldice, PEng, independent consultant, is the QP for the metal recoveries and metallurgical testing sections. Rick Moritz, MMSA, Principal Mining and Process Engineer, of GRE is the QP for portions of the metallurgical analysis. Terre Lane, MMSA, Principal Mining Engineer, of GRE is the QP for the resource and reserve estimation and mining methods and mine capital and operating cost portions of the study. Laurie Tahija, PE, of M3 is the QP for the plant process engineering portion of the study. Chris Chapman, PE of GRE is the QP for the geotechnical, environmental, infrastructure, waste stockpile and tailings designs were prepared by. Christian Rios, CPG, independent consultant, is the QP responsible for geology and mineralization, exploration, drilling, sample preparation, analyses and security, data verification, mineral resource estimates and adjacent properties in the study. Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements related to: the Company's application for the Corani Construction Permit; the proposed Corani mine plan; economic valuation metrics and metal price sensitivities regarding the Corani project; the pace and potential outcome of Corani project financing efforts; the timing, content and authorship of an updated technical report for the Corani project; and the timing of a possible Corani Project construction decision. Certain of these forward-looking statements are contingent upon various assumptions, including that the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering results will provide sufficient information for the Construction Permit application; that cost estimates used in the Phase 1 Detailed Engineering are reasonably accurate; that all necessary permits will be secured in a timely manner; that adequate project financing for the Corani project will be secured at the appropriate time(s) and on reasonable terms; that all necessary regulatory approvals and third party consents will be obtained without undue delay; and, the continuity of the price of silver, lead, zinc and other metals, as well as economic and political conditions and operations. This forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this news release and reflects current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and is based on the Company's or its consultants' beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and estimates used to make such forward-looking statements do not occur and the additional risks described in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form. When relying on our forward-looking statements, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Bear Creek Mining Corporation For further information: Barbara Henderson, Director of Investor Relations, Direct: 604-628-1111, E-mail: [email protected], Or visit www.bearcreekmining.com Related Links http://www.bearcreekmining.com OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - Supported by the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers (CCFM), Canada's forest industries play a central role in combatting climate change, risk of forest fires, driving innovation, expanding trade, supporting biodiversity and creating jobs. The CCFM agreed today to address the future forest bioeconomy, climate change, innovation and opportunities to support the management of caribou habitat a top priority for the forest sector. Ministers also received an update from Minister Freeland on the softwood lumber dispute and reinforced the need for governments and industry to work together on this important file. Chaired by the Honourable Jim Carr, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Council unanimously endorsed A Forest Bioeconomy Framework for Canada. The Framework outlines a bold new vision for the future of the forest sector and the role for biomass in the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy. It is a non-binding commitment among CCFM partners and specific pathways may be endorsed, adopted and mobilized by jurisdictions accordingly. Leveraging this forest bio-based advantage will help spur innovation, investment, research, and partnerships. Ministers discussed the need to work with Indigenous peoples, stakeholders and industry to protect and recover woodland caribou populations. They agreed on the importance of taking a collaborative, science-based approach and sharing best practices to help support conservation agreements while considering the socio-economic benefits of the forest sector for communities. The Council endorsed the Forest Ministerial Progress Report to First Ministers on the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, which highlights progress made on the path to Canada's low-carbon future. As well, Ministers and Indigenous leaders had the opportunity to discuss important forest sector issues with industry representatives and forest sector stakeholders during the Forum of Canadian Forests. Ministers heard various perspectives on a range of issues and discussed how to increase collaboration to meet common goals. Given that 70 percent of Indigenous communities in Canada are located in forested areas, participants outlined opportunities for greater collaboration with Indigenous peoples in environmental monitoring and assessment activities, as well as approaches for fostering Indigenous youth participation in the forest sector. Ministers also recognized the hard work and sustained efforts by personnel combatting this summer's intense forest fires and agreed to advance the implementation of the Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy a key commitment from the 2016 CCFM meeting in Dawson City, Yukon, and that outlines actions to prepare for and mitigate wildland fire risks across Canada. At the conclusion of the Meeting, Minister Carr passed the rotating chair of the Council to his colleague, Nova Scotia Minister Margaret Miller. Quotes "During the past two days, governments, Indigenous leaders, industry and stakeholders have demonstrated that Canada's forests creators of jobs and drivers of innovation are a common priority. While challenges lie ahead, I have no doubt that working together we can address them to ensure the strength of Canada's forest industry for generations to come." Jim Carr Canada's Minister of Natural Resources. "Nova Scotia is delighted and honoured to be hosting the 2018 Canadian Council of Forest Ministers. As incoming chair, I look forward to continuing our productive and meaningful discussions on the sustainable management of our forests." Margaret Miller Nova Scotia's Minister of Natural Resources. Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca. SOURCE Natural Resources Canada For further information: Media may contact: Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 343-292-6100, [email protected] Related Links https://www.canada.ca WATERLOO, ON, Sept. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to making its procurement process simpler and less burdensome for small businesses. The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board, and the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced Wednesday the awarding of a contract to improve the user experience of the government's Open by Default portal, a pilot initiative of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS). The Open by Default pilot is an experiment in further opening up government business to the public. Through the Open by Default portal, participating departments are opening up their contributions to scientific and cultural research to public researchers, businesses and interested citizens. Following an innovative and rigorous, challenge-based procurement process that saw qualified businesses pitch their ideas to a panel of evaluators, Digital Echidna was awarded a contract for its successful proposal. Evaluators were selected for their diverse skill sets and perspectives. Three of the evaluators were representatives of Open Government, TBS, providing necessary technical, strategic and policy perspectives, and two were external evaluators, chosen to provide their experience and skills in evaluating cutting-edge technology and small businesses. The Call for Proposals was launched on July 26, 2017. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) was able to coordinate the competitive procurement process and award a contract within two months of the launch date, which is much faster than a traditional procurement process. Accelerating government procurement increases value for taxpayers and decreases burden for small businesses, while maintaining openness, fairness and transparency. If successful, this simplified procurement could be adapted and extended to larger procurement processes in the future and represents a step forward in both simplified procurement and government transparency. Digital Echidna's solution will enhance and improve the user experience in finding and retrieving information housed on the Open by Default pilot portal. Results are expected in the coming months. Launched by TBS on July 6, 2017, the portal is a ground-breaking effort in government openness and transparency, offering a look into working documents from four federal departments: Canadian Heritage, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and TBS. It contains a diverse selection of reports, field notes, project plans, documentation, meeting minutes and more. Quotes "All Canadians benefit when government information is made easier to access. The introduction of a collaborative, simplified process for procuring government services, including accessibility to stored documents, demonstrates our commitment to openness, transparency and service delivery." - The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board "Our government is actively modernizing and simplifying our procurement processes, by implementing innovative solutions to increase our procurement agility and our ability to work in partnership with the private sector. Through this pilot procurement, we asked industry for ideas and solutions, which allowed us to award a contract in record time." - The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement "Digital Echidna is excited to be working with Treasury Board to enhance the user experience on the Open by Default pilot portal. As a provider of essential digital services, we found the simplified procurement process a promising development in working with government and a valuable experience for our business." - Michael Grant, Vice President of Strategic Solutions, Digital Echidna Quick Facts Digital Echidna is a digital solutions team, specializing in Drupal. Digital Echidna is headquartered in London, Ontario , and has been in business since 1999, with 65 employees. , and has been in business since 1999, with 65 employees. The contract is valued at over $83,000 including HST. including HST. A Letter of Interest was released on July 14, 2017 , to inform industry of the upcoming contracting opportunities and to outline the procurement process. , to inform industry of the upcoming contracting opportunities and to outline the procurement process. A Call for Proposals was posted on Buyansell.gc.ca on July 26, 2017 , closed on August 16, 2017 , and included a webinar on August 9, 2017 . , closed on , and included a webinar on . In collaboration with TBS, PSPC, through this challenge-based procurement process, invited industry to solve a specific problem rather than respond to a lengthy Request for Proposals. This approach allows for effective engagement with creative developers and technologists as well as streamlined and shortened procurement processes, which provides short turnaround to award a contract. Based on its results, this simplified procurement pilot project could be adapted to other procurement processes. The evaluators for the process included: Jaimie Boyd , Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), responsible for coordinating and enabling open Government across the Government of Canada . , Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), responsible for coordinating and enabling open Government across the Government of . Alannah Hilt , TBS, responsible for maintaining open.canada.ca and working with departments throughout the Government of Canada to release data and information. , TBS, responsible for maintaining open.canada.ca and working with departments throughout the Government of to release data and information. Gareth Keane , investment manager at Qualcomm Ventures. , investment manager at Qualcomm Ventures. Melanie Robert , TBS, Executive Director of Service and Open Government , TBS, Executive Director of Service and Open Government Nicole Verkindt , Founder and CEO of OMX, an online platform to connect, manage and track economic impacts. Nicole is also a former member of the Dragon's Den Show. Associated Links Stay connected Follow TBS on Twitter Follow TBS on Facebook Follow PSPC on Twitter Follow PSPC on Facebook SOURCE Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat For further information: Contacts (media): Jean-Luc Ferland, Press Secretary, Office of the President of the Treasury Board, 613-369-3163; Mary-Rose Brown, Office of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Telephone: 819-997-5421; Media Relations, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, Telephone: 613-369-9400, Toll-free: 1-855-TBS-9-SCT (1-855-827-9728), TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired): 613-369-9371, Email: [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Telephone: 819-420-5501, [email protected] Related Links http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca RED ROCK, ON, Sept. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to investing in projects that support trade and promote economic prosperity, while ensuring Canadians can travel safer and more efficiently. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in the expansion of Highway 11/17, a strategic link in the Trans-Canada Highway system connecting Northern and Southern Ontario. As the primary link to Western Canada, these improvements to Highway 11/17 will improve the flow of goods across the country and contribute to development in the region. The upgrades will also make the route safer and significantly reduce traffic delays resulting from collisions or other stoppages on this stretch of highway where there are currently no alternate detour routes. The Honourable Patricia A. Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay Superior North, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines and Member of Provincial Parliament for Thunder BaySuperior North, on behalf of the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure, were in Red Rock today to announce joint funding for the three projects. The Government of Canada is contributing more than $83 million. Almost 26 kilometres along Highway 11/17 will be widened from two lanes to four lanes from Coughlin Road westerly to Highway 582, from Coughlin Road easterly to Red Rock Road 9, and from Highway 587 to Pearl Creek. Quotes "The Government of Canada is making strategic investments in transportation infrastructure that will help improve safety and address congestion on Northern Ontario's highways. These infrastructure investments contribute to growing the middle-class, promoting sustainable development and increasing public safety. The three projects announced today will support trade and tourism across the region, improve safety and mobility for drivers, and foster long-term prosperity for years to come." The Honourable Patricia A. Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay Superior North, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities "Ontario is committed to supporting critical projects to generate more economic development in our communities. These three highway improvements will speed the movement of goods on our roads, and increase mobility for Ontarians and tourists alike, while improving trade links from Western Canada to Eastern Canada, down to the southern part of our province." The Honourable Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines and Member of Provincial Parliament for Thunder BaySuperior North Quick facts The Government of Canada is contributing more than $83 million to these three projects, and the Government of Ontario is responsible for the remaining costs of the projects. is contributing more than to these three projects, and the Government of is responsible for the remaining costs of the projects. The Government of Canada will provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada's rural and northern communities. will provide more than in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and rural and northern communities. Budget 2017 proposes over $10.1 billion in trade and transportation projects across Canada . This amount includes $5 billion that will be available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank. in trade and transportation projects across . This amount includes that will be available for investment through the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province's history. To learn more about what's happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON. is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, public transit, roads and bridges in the province's history. To learn more about what's happening in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON. In 2017-18, Ontario is committing over $2.5 billion to repair and expand provincial highways and bridges across the province. is committing over to repair and expand provincial highways and bridges across the province. Approximately 5,300 vehicles drive this stretch of highway every day, including about 1,600 commercial vehicles Related documents Backgrounder: Governments of Canada and Ontario invest in three projects to improve traffic flow and safety in Northwest Ontario Highway 11/17 Coughlin Road Westerly to Highway 582 Expansion Project This project will expand the existing two-lane section of Highway 11/17 from Coughlin Road westerly to Highway 582, to four lanes over a 6.5-km stretch. Two new structural culverts will also be installed at Valley Creek. The Government of Canada is contributing up to $26,972,980 to this project through the Major Infrastructure Component of the Building Canada Fund. The Government of Ontario is responsible for the remaining costs of the project. Highway 11/17 Coughlin Road Easterly to Red Rock Road 9 Expansion Project The project will expand the existing two-lane section of Highway 11/17 from Coughlin Road easterly to Red Rock Road 9 to four lanes over a 5-km stretch. Two new bridges will also be constructed over the Black Sturgeon River. The Government of Canada is contributing up to $26,050,000 to this project through the New Building Canada Fund Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component National and Regional Projects. The Government of Ontario is responsible for the remaining costs of the project. Highway 11/17 from Highway 587 to Pearl Creek Expansion Project The existing two-lane section of Highway 11/17 from Highway 587 to Pearl Creek will be expanded from two-lanes to four, over a distance of 14.8 km. The Government of Canada is contributing up to $30,000,000 to this project through the New Building Canada Fund Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component National and Regional Projects. The Government of Ontario is responsible for the remaining costs of the project. Associated links Government of Canada's $180-billion+ infrastructure plan in Budget 2017: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/chap-02-en.html#Toc477707375 Building Canada Fund-Major Infrastructure Component (MIC): http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/prog/bcf-fcc-eng.html Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/index-eng.html. New Building Canada Plan: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/nbcp-npcc-eng.html. Build ON 2017 Infrastructure Update: https://www.ontario.ca/page/buildon-2017-infrastructure-update https://www.ontario.ca/page/building-ontario Twitter: @INFC_eng Web: Infrastructure Canada SOURCE Infrastructure Canada For further information: Brook Simpson, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-219-0149, [email protected]; Alex Benac, Minister's Office, Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure, 416-326-2137, [email protected]; Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, [email protected]; Related Links http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/ OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2017 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement to mark the International Day of Democracy: "Today, we join our partners in the United Nations to celebrate the International Day of Democracy. We take the opportunity to recognize the freedoms that democracy affords us and remind ourselves of the responsibility we all share to keep our democracy strong. "This year's theme Democracy and Conflict Prevention highlights the indivisible links between peace and democracy. Canada recognizes the critical need to strengthen democratic norms and institutions around the world to promote peace and stability. In order to endure, both peace and democracy must be built through inclusive approaches that respect human rights and diversity and promote gender equality. Women and girls' leadership and participation in political, social, and peacebuilding processes are essential to creating political systems that truly represent the voices of all members of society. "Equality is vital to a thriving democracy, and Canada reaffirms the need to work to change the severe disparities that exist in our world. To address these gaps, Canada and all UN member states adopted the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda provides a framework to eradicate poverty, protect our environment, and promote human rights. Our countries and our world are stronger and more peaceful when all people can make their voices heard, and when everyone's rights are protected. "Today is also the launch of Elections Canada's Canada's Democracy Week, a time for all Canadians, especially young people, to get engaged in the democratic process and talk about what democracy means to them and their communities. "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I call on all Canadians to get informed and involved. By using our voices as forces for positive change, we can strengthen democratic norms and institutions in Canada and help make democracy a reality for all people around the world." This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: 613-957-5555 Related Links http://pm.gc.ca/ This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A convicted killer being sued by the mother of a teenage girl he stabbed to death at their Milford high school after she rejected his prom invitation plans to have a psychiatrist testify he was mentally ill and couldnt control himself, if the civil case goes to trial. Atlanta psychiatrist Peter Ash would testify about Christopher Plaskons mental illness if the case isnt settled or dismissed, according to a court document filed by Plaskons lawyer earlier this month that disclosed Ash as an expert witness for the defense. The document did not identify the illness, but Plaskons parents told authorities that he had possible depression, suicidal tendencies, self-mutilating behavior and mood swings. Other court documents said Plaskon heard voices in his head that made him kill the girl. Prosecutors said Plaskon fatally stabbed 16-year-old classmate Maren Sanchez in a hallway at Jonathan Law High School in Milford on April 25, 2014. Plaskon told a friend he was upset that Sanchez had rejected his invitation to the junior prom, according to court documents. The prom was to be held hours later on the day of the killing but was postponed. Plaskon, now 20, pleaded no contest to murder last year and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. His criminal case lawyer had considered an insanity defense before he took the plea deal, saying he showed signs of psychosis. Sanchezs mother, Donna Cimarelli-Sanchez, filed a wrongful death lawsuit last year against Plaskon, his parents and the city of Milford. The lawsuit alleges Plaskons parents and school officials could have prevented the killing by taking appropriate steps to address his mental illness. Plaskons parents and school officials deny wrongdoing. Ash, the psychiatrist, would testify if the lawsuit goes to trial. Dr. Ash will testify that at the time of the incident ... this defendant, as a result of mental disease, lacked substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct, Plaskons lawyer, Peter Ponziani, wrote in the expert witness disclosure. He will further opine that at the time of the incident, as a result of mental illness, this defendant lacked substantial capacity to control his conduct within the requirements of the law. Ponziani did not return messages seeking comment. He said in the court document that Ash had evaluated Plaskon, reviewed his medical records and interviewed his doctors and relatives. David Golub, a lawyer for Cimarelli-Sanchez, did not respond to a message seeking comment about Ash on Friday. Sanchez was a member of the National Honor Society and was active in drama and other school activities. She had posted on Facebook a photograph of herself wearing a prom dress and was looking forward to attending with a new boyfriend. The attack happened in a first-floor hallway at about 7:15 a.m. Students described an emotional scene where people were crying as police and paramedics swarmed the school. A witness tried to pull Plaskon off Sanchez during the attack, and another saw Plaskon discard a bloody knife, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. Plaskon was taken to the principals office in bloody clothing and told police, I did it. Just arrest me, according to the affidavit. Staff members and paramedics performed life-saving measures on Sanchez, but she was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly afterward. The medical examiners office said she was stabbed in the torso and neck. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Livingston Taylor looked out at the crowd in Edgerton Park last Saturday night and told us, What a joy it is to come to New Haven and play for you guys! Ive been waiting all summer for a lovely evening like this. And then Taylor, introducing his final song, urged us to think of those in the path of Hurricane Irma. Join me in a lullaby for the people who are afraid tonight of what the storm might bring, he said. And he sang Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz. We sang along with him on that soft summer night. Magic moments such as this have occurred in the park on the New Haven-Hamden line over the past 25 years or so during a series of September folk festivals. Originally it was called the Eli Whitney Folk Festival, a fitting name for a site so close to Whitneys old factory. Later it became the New Haven Folk Festival and in more recent years has been called the Connecticut Folk Festival & Green Expo. But always there was sweet music. Through the years funding became a challenge, as is common for arts organizations. The big names who played at the festival: Judy Collins in 1992, Odetta and Dar Williams in 1999, Tom Rush in 2002, Steve Earle in 2008, have generally been replaced by lesser-known acts (sorry, Livingston). As an East Rock neighborhood resident, I live close enough to that park to walk over there, which I have done for many of those festivals. The event runs all day long, so you can check out live music throughout the afternoon along with the many booths for environmental causes or products and kids activities, then come back at night. I remember one fine afternoon in mid-September 2000 when Tom Paxton, the headliner for the evening, was hanging out during the afternoon, talking with everybody and autographing his albums. On another sunny day in 2008, Ronny Cox performed Dueling Banjos, the song he played with a country boy in the movie Deliverance. The most memorable and emotional time for the festival was on Sept. 16, 2001 five days after the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon. We were all numb, in shock and mourning. Boy, did we need some soothing music. Nanci Griffith and Dave Van Rock provided it for us. There was another year, 1999, when people in the neighborhood needed to come together. James Van Pelt, who was key in organizing the festival, wanted to re-start the tradition after it had gone dark for several years. In the previous December, Yale student Suzanne Jovin had been murdered a few blocks away from the park. Some of the funds raised at the festival in 1999 were donated to the Suzanne Jovin Foundation. You always have to worry about the weather when it comes to outdoor concerts in New Haven. Two years ago the skies erupted mid-evening and we headed into the parks small carriage house, where the group Della Mae performed. It was hot and intimate in there. For the first time this year, besides the usual assortment of food trucks, the organizers offered a beer tent, perhaps a nod to the exploding craft beer trend. I took advantage of it; I paid $5 for a delicious can of Voodoo Ranger IPA. Have I mentioned that the music for this festival is offered for free? The volunteers maintain plastic buckets at the parks entry points. The suggested donation is just $5. The band that played just before headliner Taylor was the Ballroom Thieves, a neo-folk trio who went beyond the usual mellow songs. After the Thieves left the stage, a gray-bearded folkie sat down next to me and asked me what I thought of that band. I replied that I had found them interesting and different and many of their songs enjoyable. Im a folk purist, he informed me. He didnt like the sounds they were making. I remarked that his reaction reminded me of the time at the Newport Folk Festival when Pete Seeger allegedly tried to take an ax to the wires being used by Bob Dylans band the famous night he went electric. The bearded man nodded. And then this folk purist spent at least the first half-hour of Taylors set looking at his cellphone, checking messages or whatever he thought he needed to do. It was so distracting that I finally had to move away from him. Taylor held that stage on his own for about 90 minutes, a pure entertainer. Making fun of the fact he was unable to make the charts the way his brother James did for years, Taylor joked between songs: Thats right! The hits just keep on coming! He said that when he told his brother he was coming to New Haven to do a show, James said: Oh! New Haven! Play them a song of mine. And so Livingston did; he chose Carolina In My Mind. The festival often features political statements, and this year carried at least one such moment during Taylors performance. In an obvious reference to the Trump administration, he said, We are living in tumultuous times. But the engine of hope cranks up again. Then he played Never Lose Hope. Come on out next year and drink in the music. Ill see you there. Contact Randall Beach at rbeach@nhregister.com or 203-680-9345. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN >> Were lucky in Connecticut to have a few Rock & Roll Hall of Famers in our midst but only a few. Hilton Valentine is one of them and hes playing at Cafe Nine on Sept. 23. Dont be asking Hilton who? Just pull out one of your old Animals albums. Put it on the turntable (or in the CD player or just punch it up on your mp3 player, iTunes or YouTube.) Now turn up the volume and blast Its My Life or The House of the Rising Sun. Those first guitar notes you hear? THATS Hilton Valentine. Valentine, who lives a stones throw from New Haven, recently took a skiffle band of locals, dubbed Skiffledog, back to his native England on tour. But now hes back along with Skiffledog and theyll perform at Cafe Nine (250 State St.) on Saturday. Showtime is 9 p.m. Big Fat Combo will follow Valentine to close the show. Tickets are $15, available at cafenine.com. What should you expect? According to Skiffledog drummer Tom Smith, its a combination of the rock and roll skiffle stuff that he used to play in his days before The Animals including songs by Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and some of their contemporaries and a set of electric Animals stuff. Skiffledog is Valentine, Smith, Brian Martin and David Hurd. Born Hilton Stewart Paterson Valentine on May 21, 1943 in North Shields, Northumberland, England, Valentine was recruited to play in The Animals destined to become one of the leading voices of the British Invasion while playing in a band called The Wildcats in 1963. He played with The Animals until their initial breakup in September 1966. He has reunited with the original lineup of Animals three times since then, including a benefit in Newcastle in 1968, in 1977 for the Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted album and in 1983 for a studio album, ARK, a world tour and a Greatest Hits Live album, also known as Rip It To Shreds. The Animals, including Valentine, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2001, they were inducted into Hollywoods Rock Walk of Fame and had a two-night reunion concert at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Valentine also toured with Animals front man Eric Burdon from February 2007 to December 2008. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Considering the host is CBS Late Shows topical pundit Stephen Colbert, whose audience has multiplied in both San Antonio and across the nation since Donald Trump took office, expect this years Emmy Awards telecast to be rife with humorous pokes at our volatile president. Also lending provocative support are some of the nominees, including Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon, who are up for supporting actor and actress in a comedy for their hilarious turns as election rivals Trump and Hillary Clinton on Saturday Night Live. In short, its shaping up to be the most political TV awards show in history. Colbert certainly isnt trying to convince anyone otherwise. Asked by the Associated Press how political the show could get, he said the Emmys are about honoring television, and the biggest television star of the last year was Donald Trump. The fact that he's not nominated, it's a crime, he added. It's a high crime and a misdemeanor that you are not nominated, sir. Where's the investigation of that? Where was James Comey on that? But thats it for predictions about the tone of the awards show, which airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on CBS. Lets move on to Emmys main focus, the nominees which shows and actors will get the statuette, and which ones actually should win. My biggest beef this year? Michael McKean whose performance as Jimmys afflicted, maddeningly holier-than-thou sibling Chuck in Better Call Saul pushed all the emotional buttons wasnt nominated for supporting actor-drama. That said, on to those that were: Best Drama Nominees: Better Call Saul, The Crown, The Handmaids Tale, House of Cards, Stranger Things, This Is Us, Westworld Will win: This Is Us (NBC). Despite being surrounded by so many cable and streaming heavyweights, the family drama will shine for being the one broadcast network show that not only resonated with the masses and critics but also delivered a much-needed gift of sweet solidarity in a world so full of angst. Should win: Handmaids Tale (Hulu). Its cautionary tale sadly is scarily familiar today. That relevance, coupled with stunning visuals, engaging character studies and suspense that kept viewers on edge hour after hour should get rewarded. However, I wouldnt be opposed to the highly entertaining horror-sci-fi throwback Stranger Things (Netflix), reminiscent of such 80s maestros as Stephen King, Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter. Best Actor-Drama Nominees: Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us; Anthony Hopkins,Westworld; Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul; Matthew Rhys, The Americans; Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards; Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us. Will win: Sterling K. Browns performance was too engaging, not to mention moving, for Emmy to ignore, particularly in the standout father-son road trip episode with supporting actor nominee Ron Cephas Jones. Should win: Bob Odenkirk delivered his most powerful season yet as Sauls conflicted lawyer/con man, making every scene memorable, whether with McKean as his insufferable lawyer brother or Rhea Seehorn as fellow attorney and love interest Kim Wexler. Best Actress-Drama Nominees: Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder; Claire Foy, The Crown; Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale; Keri Russell, The Americans; Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld; Robin Wright, House of Cards. Will win: Claire Foy. She already took home the Golden Globe for her nuanced portrait of young Queen Elizabeth II, and will repeat here for showing how excruciatingly torn the currently reigning English monarch must have been between her royal duty and her oft-slighted husband, Prince Philip (Matt Smith). Should win: Elisabeth Moss, Elisabeth Moss, Elisabeth Moss! Her multifaceted portrayal of Offred whose ferocious determination to survive overrode the all-consuming fear and pain she felt as captive sex partner and procreational prisoner has no equal in this contest. Best Comedy Nominees: Atlanta, Black-ish, Master of None, Modern Family, Silicon Valley, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Veep Will win: Veep (HBO). No one can dispute that this comedy dominates the entries in terms of laugh-out-loud humor, timely parody and an ensemble with no comic rival but the fact that its won so many years in a row makes the choice a yawner. Should win: Master of None (Netflix). The sophomore outing of Aziz Ansaris comical drama was a beginning-to-end masterpiece, with its captivating character nuggets, heartbreaking central love story and astonishing visuals that often resembled a vintage Vittorio De Sica film. However, I wouldnt be unhappy if FXs fiercely fresh Atlanta about three very different guys bent on making a sizable dent in the titular citys rap scene bagged the prize. Woe to my TV set if tired ABC sitcomModern Family takes the statuette. Best Actor-Comedy Nominees: Anthony Anderson, Black-ish; Aziz Ansari, Master of None; Zach Galifianakis, Baskets; Donald Glover, Atlanta; William H. Macy, Shameless; Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent Will win: Donald Glover, whose portrayal of wild-haired, uphill-climbing, visionary Earn was flawlessly genuine. Should win: Glover. However, if Ansaris name were called out, my smile certainly wouldnt fade. Best Actress-Comedy Nominees: Pamela Adlon, Better Things; Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie; Allison Janney, Mom; Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie. Will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a TV comedy treasure who maintains her satiric sparkle year after year. Should win: Pamela Adlon, if only for the sake of shaking up the category a bit. She brings major attitude to the role of a harried single mom of three daughters on this distinctly different FX series. Best Limited Series Nominees: Big Little Lies (HBO), Fargo (FX), Feud: Bette and Joan (FX), Genius (National Geographic Channel), The Night Of (HBO) Will Win: Its a toss-up between Big Little Lies and Feud for delightful drama, addictive storylines and sheer star power. Fargo and The Night Of, however, were far from slouches in terms of sly suspense and colorful characterization. Should win: Big Little Lies for never disappointing and delivering unnerving twists in every episode. Best Actor-Limited Series/Movie Nominees: Riz Ahmed, The Night Of; Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Lying Detective; Robert DeNiro, The Wizard of Lies; Ewan McGregor, Fargo; Geoffrey Rush, Genius; John Turturro, The Night Of Will win: Robert DeNiro, just because hes, well, DeNiro, and was able to add needed heft to the role of swindling sleazebag Bernie Madoff. Should win: Riz Ahmed, whose expressive performance as the accused in a grisly murder of a young woman kept the viewer transfixed throughout this racially charged thriller. Almost as good was Ewan McGregor in the dual role of two warring siblings in Fargo. Best Actress-Limited Series/Movie Nominees: Carrie Coon, Fargo; Felicity Huffman, American Crime; Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies; Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan; Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan; Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies Will win: Nicole Kidman, whose Lies portrayal of an abused wife and mother whos stubbornly in denial is mesmerizing. Should win: Its a coin toss between Kidman and Jessica Lange, who, as Joan Crawford, delivered the more complicated and ultimately heartrending portrayal of the two Feud divas. However, this category brims with so much female talent that it would be anything but tragic if Sarandon, Witherspoon or Coon were to take the actress honors instead. Jeanne Jakles column appears Thursdays and Sundays in mySA. jjakle@express-news.net Currently Reading Photos of the Peace Love & Music Festival for Maren Sanchez Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has described the alleged mal-treatment and killing of people of the Southeast Nigerian who are agitating for the state of Biafra as ethnic cleansing.He said that he had forewarned that President Muhammadu Buharis second coming would be like the dark days of the military government in 1984 when the nation quaked under heavy militarization.He said: I have said it before now that it is only God that can help th e Ibo people. What I see going on the is ethnic cleansing when you see the video clips of that occupation the behaviour of the soldiers leaves much to be desired but they cannot act like that without a whistle blower, somebody is behind them telling them go and cleanse the people.Reckless human rights violation in Nigeria today is second to none. And I hope the international community would not be quiet on this. It is unfortunate.The Governor, who made the remarks while receiving the Peoples Democratic Peoples Elders caucus in the state led by ex-deputy governor Paul Alabi, who paid him a visit to register their endorsement of his deputy, Olusola Kolapo as prefered candidate for 2018 governorship poll, lamented the fate of those allegedly militarised recently in the Southeast.He said: I have said it earlier that this is beyond Kanu. That region entirely is embattled and challenged. But you know politics, time will tell. The wind blowing away your wife will blow you away one day. The wind blowing away your enemy today may blow you say one day. It is unfortunate that the Ibo people are suffering this kind of fate, he said.The herdsmen wrecking havoc all over, and killing, what has the military done to deal with them? Has any of the herdsmen been prosecuted, let alone giving them this kind of treatment?You went to court to revoke Kanus bail but you cant even wait for the court to take decision before occupying his house. Nigeria is in trouble except the Lord helps us.When the wicked are in authority, the people suffer; when the righteous are in power, the people rejoice.We are in a major dilemma. Buhari coming back to power as I have said before is like returning to the dark days of the 1984, because they want to gag Nigerians; they came up with law against hate speech, they threatened to deal with people.Glory be to ago who can take both life here and life beyond, these ones can only go for life and cant do more than that. Let me assure you, Nigeria is a country where God knows how to rearrange thing, Fayose said.Meanwhile, elder statesman, founder and President of Afe Babalola university, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, has escribed Fayoses endorsement of Olusola as fulfilment of their desire.We are glad that governor Fayose has endorded Professor Olusola for next governor and also support his stand that this does not foreclose the chances of other aspirants to contest and be part of the forthcoming primaries.There is no doubt that Olusola has been endorsed to continue the good governance.We urge governor Fayose to support to bring together aggrieved members so the forthcoming 2018 poll would be won by the PDP.We support and align fully with the endorsement and have written a letter of congratulations to the Olusola on this development. The South-East Governors Forum today held a meeting at the Government House in Enugu over the increased tension in the region after Sundays clash between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra.At the end of the meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo John Nwodo, they arrived at 11 resolutions.This included a ban on IPOB activities and an appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw soldiers from the region.See the resolutions, which were read by the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State Dave Umahi, below:In view of the prevailing situation in the South East and its attendant consequences, the South-East governors hereby resolve as follows:1. All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed. IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the committee of Governors of South East, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and National Assembly members from South-East zone through the Chairman of South-East Governors Forum.2. All governors of South East are expected to ensure compliance in their respective states.3. The South-East Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members do hereby reinforce their commitment to one united and indivisible Nigeria.4. We also reinforce our desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all national issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian.5. We reiterate our earlier position that the November 18, 2017, Gubernatorial election in Anambra State must hold.6. Accordingly, we appeal to our President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to, please, withdraw the military in the South-East Zone while the police perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order within this period.7. South-East governors have taken concrete steps to protect the lives and properties of non-indigenes in the South East and, of course, including the lives and properties of indigenes in the South-East as well.8. We are in touch with the Northern Governors Forum and they have assured us of the safety of all our people living in the North and we have also planned for exchange of visits between the governors. This is to reinforce the confidence of Nigerians in this regard.9. In keeping with our earlier position, we wish to assure Nigerians that full investigation is ongoing and all allegations of killings, maiming and other unlawful conduct in the South-East Zone within this period. The governors and the security agencies are in agreement that appropriate action will be taken against anyone culpable.10. We advise all residents of the South East to go about their normal businesses as the government of each state is committed to protecting everybody.11. Finally, we advise our people in the South East to, please, be law abiding. As global sales of palm oil dwindle, Indonesia, the worlds largest producer of palm oil said it will look to do barter trades to increase sales of the commodity. The country is looking at exchanging palm oil for crude oil with countries such as Nigeria and even airplanes with EU countries for its national carriers. Indonesias Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said in a statement issued to Reuters that it has signed a preliminary deal last month with Russias Rostec to exchange commodities, including palm, as part of a $1.14 billion payment for 11 Sukhoi jets. The major cause of the waning demand has been attributed to the fall in demand from European Union countries. According to Reuters report, the European Union is the second-largest palm oil export destination after India for both Malaysia and Indonesia, which dominate production in a global market worth at least $40 billion. Unfortunately for Indonesia and Malaysia, two of the worlds largest producers; palm oil has come under increasing fire in Europe over its impact on forest destruction, encouraging producers to look at new markets ranging from Africa to Myanmar. To further push its agenda, Indonesias Vegetable Oil Association executive director Sahat Sinaga said palm oil producers will open a marketing and research company in Russia, aiming to increase exports of 920,000 tonnes in 2016 by 4-5 percent per year up to 2023. The group is also planning to open a storage facility in Pakistan, which imports 1-2 million tonnes of palm from Indonesia a year, anticipating further growth in demand. Malaysia, the worlds second largest producer is said to be more vulnerable. Malaysia is said to be looking at exploring trade opportunities within its region with countries such as Myanmar, the Philippines, and West Africa. Malaysia has not stated its approach. However, Reuters data shows that Malaysia is more reliant on palm oil exports than Indonesia, shipping out more than 90 percent of its palm oil last year, compared to about 70 percent in Indonesia. It is not clear if Nigeria is disposed to the deal as the countrys palm oil production has increased since a Forex crisis precipitated by the recession discouraged palm oil importers from increasing their volume. As a reality check, Presco and Okomu Oil, two of Nigerias largest palm oil producers. Presco in its 2016 third quarter result said its net profit surged by 49% year on year. Prescos Revenue for the third quarter of the year rose to NGN11,9 billion. Last year, the company only reported NGN8 billion. Okomu Oil also witnessed a significant increase in its result. However, Nigerias local production which has been estimated at 970 million metric tonnes according to data collected by Index Mundi, the countrys consumption far exceeds the local production. For a country which used to be the largest exporter of the commodity, analysts who spoke to PageOne.ng said going cap in hand to exchange crude oil for palm oil will further hurt the local economy especially local producers who are regaining their production strength. The Nigerian man said he is ready to die for Biafra A member of the Indigenous People of Biafra has revealed that he is ready to give his life for Biafra. A Biafran man has taken to Facebook to declare his readiness to die while fighting the Nigerian Army for Biafra. The Nigerian man identified as Odum Eje Eje shared photos with fetish marks in anticipated readiness. He wrote: Getting ready for today battle between us and the zoo army. If I die today I die for you people to live .. remember no Biafra no peace. President Buhari will on Sunday, September 17th, depart Nigeria for New York, to join other world leaders at the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 72).According to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, part of the high point of President Buharis visit will be his participation in the General Debate during which he will deliver the countrys National Statement.The theme for this years Debate is: Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. President Buhari will join other world leaders at the welcoming reception to be hosted by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and also hold a bilateral meeting with the UN scribe. He will also hold a lunch meeting with President Donald Trump of the United States of America, along with other world leaders.During the General Assembly, Nigeria will participate in high level meetings on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: Building Momentum for Change, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, a High Level Event organized by the African Union under its Theme of the Year: Roadmap on the Demographic Dividend: from Commitment to Action, among others.At the events, President Buhari and members of his delegation will strive to project Nigeria as a strong moral force and responsible member of the international community.Nigerias commitment to global peace, security and development will also be reaffirmed and where necessary, the need for increased international cooperation in the fight against corruption.Other priorities for the Nigerian delegation at UNGA 72 include strengthening human rights institutions; the rule of law; support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of terrorist acts and recent flooding, and mitigating the effects of Climate Change.The Nigerian delegation will also canvass the support of UN member states for the Buhari Administrations efforts towards combatting illicit financial flows in order to foster sustainable development.The President will be accompanied by the governors of Zamfara, Ebonyi and Ondo States, and key cabinet ministers.President Buhari will transit through London on his way back to the country. The U.S. Mission to Nigeria joins the calls of Nigerian leaders and citizens across the country for an end to violence. #OutofManyOne September 15, 2017 United States Mission to Nigeria said in a tweet on Friday that it is joining well-meaning Nigerians to sue for peace, calling for an end to violence in the country.The #OutOfManyOne is a Strength in Unity Video Contest sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, United States Embassy Abuja Nigeria.The call by the U.S. Mission comes the same day South East governors held an emergency meeting in Enugu to a ddress issues of security in the zone, especially the recent clash between members of IPOB and the military in Abia state.The military has earlier started an operation code-named Operation Python Dance in the South East with the aim of ridding the region of criminals and other activities threatening the security of the area.This has lead to an altercation among many with fear of communal clashes. State Governors including Simon Lalong of Plateau, Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina, among others have assured residents of peace in order to douse the tension.Also, the Defence Headquarters on Friday declared the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a militant terrorist organisation with the Director, Defence Information, Major-General John Enenche calling on parents to dissuade their wards from joining the group. Abia State Government has extended the curfew it imposed on Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state following the face-off between th... Abia State Government has extended the curfew it imposed on Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state following the face-off between the Indigenous People of Biafra, led by Nnamdi Kanu, and the Nigerian Army. The initial order was for the curfew to last till Thursday (yesterday) before it was extended till Friday (today). But the latest announcement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Enyinnaya Appolos, said the curfew has been extended till Sunday 6pm to 6am. Meanwhile, resumption of schools has been moved from September 18 to September 25. The statement by Appolos, with the title: Further extension of curfew in Aba, reads in full: Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, wishes to express his appreciation to Abians and residents, particularly those living and doing business at Aba, for their support and cooperation during this trying period. For a commercial city that is also the economic hub of the state and the South East region, the effect of the socio-economic disruption at Aba is too massive to measure at this time and the Government fully appreciates all the sacrifices made to ensure early restoration of normalcy. We also wish to commend the efforts of the men and women of the security services currently working round the clock to restore law and order and safeguard lives and properties of law abiding citizens and residents. After a profound review of the security situation across the state, we are compelled to extend the current curfew imposed on Aba to enable us consolidate the peace and normalcy that is gradually returning to the city. The government is therefore seeking your continuing support and understanding for the further extension of the dusk to dawn (6pm to 6am) curfew at Aba to Sunday 17th of September 2017. Furthermore, in order to ensure the safety of our children and wards who were billed to resume school on the 18th of September 2017, we hereby direct that the resumption be postponed till the 25th of September 2017 across the state. It is our hope that all the measures taken so far will help to rapidly restore full normalcy to all areas of the state. The composer of Biafra Anthem, All Hail Biafra, Chief Charles Okereke, has disagreed with Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB over their call on the peopl... The composer of Biafra Anthem, All Hail Biafra, Chief Charles Okereke, has disagreed with Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB over their call on the people of Anambra to boycott the November 18 governorship. The Biafra agitators should realize they should be lawful till Biafra comes, he told journalists in Umuahia weekend. I have no issues with the way agitators like IPOB are going about their agitation but I feel that discussing it through seeking opinion is better. For me, I dont think that the UN will come to conduct referendum with the approval of the Federal Government and the National Assembly. Even if they approve it, members of the National Assembly will have to talk to the people they represent. Our leaders will not be interested because they may lose. To me, I have a different way to correct things like bad governance, and that is by being involved in elections to elect good leaders. Okereke however said that he was not involved in Biafran activities. Meanwhile, the presidency has warned the co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Group, Oby Ezekwesili, should watch her comments over ongoing military campaign against Biafra agitators. A Turkish diplomat, Abdulkadir Erkahraman, has faulted the deployment of soldiers to the South East by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led F... A Turkish diplomat, Abdulkadir Erkahraman, has faulted the deployment of soldiers to the South East by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government. Erkahraman, who took to his Facebook page, described Buhari as an idiot for allegedly killing members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. The Diplomat, who recently visited Kanu at his country home in Afarau Ukwu in Umuahia, the Abia State capital warned that Buhari will be killed soon by Biafran Army. According to Erkahraman, Buhari, I am calling you from Istanbul, Turkey. Stop killing the people. Are you crazy? You idiot, crazy man. What are you doing? What kind of religion do you believe in? Is there any chapter in the Quran that says you should kill the people? You have to stop killing the people or how are you going to stand in front of your God in the hereafter? Im telling you on behalf of Biafra, stop killing the people, Im also a Muslim its not allowed, 500 hundred Biafrans killed and you said they are your nation. Let me tell you the Boko Haram terrorist will come and kill you too one day. You are eating and drinking the blood of your national, you are an idiot. The Army of the Biafrans are coming and they will fight you. The Biafrans are saying they dont want to fight, they want to negotiate but you are killing them, how old are you now, you will die very soon, you crazy man. I will say it again stop killing the Biafrans, they are also humans. You idiot, why are you afraid to talk to this people? Why cant you sit with this people at a roundtable and negotiate peacefully? Buhari, tell your dogs to stop, when you die how will you face your God? Im saying it again, stop killing the people sit and negotiate, you are a human being with father, mother, children and so on. If you were them how will you feel, they dont have weapons, aircrafts, tanks in their hands yet you are killing them with your guns, open your eyes you will die very soon, they have their lives, they are suffering. We will show you very soon you idiot man, Im telling you on behalf of Biafrans worldwide you will die soon and face punishment, this group will kill you one day. They are human being like. You will see what will happen to you and your dogs very soon, its not enough for you to go to criminal court, you will die very soon, you think we are playing this is not a children game you will see what will happen to you very soon, you are not killing cows, they are human beings. Watch video here: North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile early on Friday from the capital Pyongyang that flew over northern Japan. The projectile was launched at 6:57am (21:57GMT Thursday) and flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean - 2,000km east of Cape Erimo, said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga."Japan protests the latest launch in the strongest terms and will take appropriate and timely action at the United Nations and elsewhere, staying in close contact with the United States and South Korea," Suga told reporters.South Korea's defence ministry said the missile travelled about 3,700km and reached a maximum altitude of 770km - both higher and further than previous tests.The ministry said the South's military conducted a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response to the North's launch.The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Korea's presidential Blue House called an urgent National Security Council meeting.The North's launch comes a day after Pyongyang threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its September 3 nuclear test.The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan near the capital on August 29, which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters.Fridays launch came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its banned missile and nuclear programmes.The North has raised tensions in the region with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. Following their emergency meeting with the Nigerian armys GOC, 82 Division, Enugu, Major General, Abubakar Adamu, the South-East governo... The statement read thus: In view of the prevailing security situation in the South East and its attendant consequences, the South East Governors hereby resolves as follows: All activities of IPOB are hereby proscribed. IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are advised to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the Committee of Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members from the South-East Zone, through their chairman, South-East Governors Forum. All Governors of South-East Zone are to ensure compliance in their respective States. South-East Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly Members do hereby reinforce their commitment to a united and indivisible Nigeria. We also reinforce our desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all national issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian. We reiterate our earlier position that the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra must hold. Accordingly, we appeal to Mr. President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammads Buhari GCFR to please, withdraw the military in the Southeast zone, while police perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order. South East Governors have taken concrete steps to protect lives and properties of indigenes and non indigenes in the south east. Following their emergency meeting with the Nigerian armys GOC, 82 Division, Enugu, Major General, Abubakar Adamu, the South-East governors have, Friday evening, proscribed the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in the region. The governors also appealed with President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the military personnel on Operation Python Dance II in the region so that the police can perform their constitutional duty of securing lives and property within states.South-East govs in emergency meeting with army over IPOB, Op Python Dance The decision was taken at an emergency meeting held at the Enugu Government House.The meeting was attended by Governors Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Willie Obiano of Anambra and the Deputy Governor of Imo State. South-East govs in emergency meeting with army over IPOB, Op Python Dance Also in attendance were the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu and the President General of the Igbo apex socio-political organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo South-East govs in emergency meeting with army over IPOB, Op Python Dance The Governors, in their resolution, declared that henceforth, IPOB should channel its grievances on all national issues and submit to the Committee of Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and National Assembly members from the South-East Zone, through their chairman, South-East Governors Forum.The governors also said that the governorship election billed for November in Anambra state must hold. The BringBackOurGirls coalition said it would resume street marches in October if the Federal Government failed to take immediate steps to rescue the remaining 113 Chibok girls in Boko Haram captivity.It also asked the government to send a strong and high-powered Federal Government team to Chibok to reassure their parents, noting that the lack of empathy for the Chibok parents has to end.The group, in a statement by Co-coordinators, Florence Ozor and Oby Ezekwesili, on Thursday in Abuja equally demanded accurate details on the missing police women and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation oil exploration team abducted by Boko Haram.The BBOG group also asked the government to invite the families of the abducted victims to demonstrate that it had taken full ownership of the tragedy and presented them with persuasive plans for their immediate rescue.It explained that some family members of the victims had reached out to the movement for support, stressing that provision of support to them should be the government responsibility.The coalition further demanded investigation into the demolition of a market in Imo State which resulted in the death of a boy.It admonished the government to address what it called the growing inequality of the poor nationwide and the disposition of the Presidency.The group said, Our movement will monitor for tangible outcomes in the next 30 days, and if the inaction prevails, we will commence our 72-hourly marches from October 14, and replicate same in November and December.We commend the Federal Government for results achieved so far as a total of 106 of our missing 219 #Chibok Girls are back.We also acknowledge the two reunions so far with their parents, and actions taken for their rehabilitation and education. A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, remanded 30 suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra in prison custody.The suspected IPOB members were arrested on Tuesday by the operatives of the Rivers State Police Command for allegedly engaging in violent acts that breached the peace in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.Nine out of the 30 persons arraigned in court were accused of killing a police sergeant identified as Steven Daniel on Wednesday during the crisis at Oyigbo.In Suit No. PMC/1936c/2017 and PMC/1935c/2017, the accused persons were charged with murder, treason, armed robbery, felony, unlawful assembly, unlawful protest and other sundry crimes.The court, however, did not take the plea of the accused persons as it declared lack of jurisdiction on the matter brought before it.The Chief Magistrate, Amadi Amadi-Nna, further directed the court registrar to remit the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice and adjourned the matter indefinitely.The prosecution counsel, Mr. Enoch George, a Superintendent of Police, said the police would leave no stone unturned in making sure that the suspects were prosecuted according to the law.George explained that they were in court for the first time for remand and proceedings, saying, Naturally, the defendants have their lawyers and they also raised legal issues that the court does not have jurisdiction over.They (defendants) also said that the court should strike out the charges and discharge them. But we, the prosecutors, decided that the charge on which they were brought to court was very heavy and weighty.Some of the accused persons were charged under Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Justice Law in Rivers State, which is murder, while some were charged under Section 69, 70, which is unlawful assembly, procession and others and some of them were charged with treasonable felony.However, the counsel for the suspects, Mr. Donald Loho, maintained that he would explore the necessary options to ensure the suspects were freed. Nigerian Government and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the non-teaching staff of Nigerian Universities have reached an agreement over ... Nigerian Government and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the non-teaching staff of Nigerian Universities have reached an agreement over the ongoing strike by the workers. The meeting ended Friday morning in Abuja JAC comprises National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU) The demands of the unions included the payment of earned allowances, a review of the governance system in universities and improved funding in line with UNESCO recommendations. Other demands included provision of infrastructure in universities and payment of salary shortfall being owed members, implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment on university staff schools and registration of NUPEMCO, the Pension Fund Administrator proposed for university workers. Ngige, however, said agreements had been reached on all the issues raised by the workers. We held discussions on all these areas and we reached agreement on all of them; government has already approved and released some N23 billion for earned allowances in the universities, he said. This is for teaching and non-teaching staff of the various universities in Nigeria. We agreed on this that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is to expedite action on mandate for this payment. We have the issue of shortfall; the issue is already being addressed and some universities are already credited with some amount of money for their short falls. He also said the Salaries and Wages Income Commission had initiated the process of ensuring compliance with the NIC judgment, expressing the hope that this would be completed within four weeks. On non-registration of NUPEMCO as Pension Fund Administrator, he said that the process had begun and a consultant would be handling this on behalf of the unions. We have also reiterated our commitment that the appropriate filled forms and particulars be submitted within one week while the Federal Ministry of Education will expedite action to bringing out the certificates. Also on the negotiation of the 2009 agreement, we realised that Babalakin Committee is handling that and has collected memorandum from the various unions, he added. Ngige, who also reacted to the issue of inadequate infrastructure and poor funding of universities, said the Ministry of Education was in the process of inaugurating a nine-man committee that would develop an alternative means of sourcing for funds. He also said that the meeting jointly agreed that government should intensify efforts to checkmate the excesses of corrupt officials in the university system. The meeting further agreed that universities should also operate the Treasury Single Account and that the office of the Accountant General of the Federation should investigate cases of those operating multiple accounts. We also agreed that government should expedite action and send visitation panels to federal universities that have not been visited and revisit the previous visitation panels for the purpose of implementation of their recommendations. Again on whistle blowing which is the new anti-corruption policy of this administration, government agreed with the unions that whistle blowers should be protected On the issue of CONTISS 14 and CONTISS 15 for technologists, the technologists union, NAAT, is to provide the Federal Ministry of Education with information that would assist the ministry to develop appropriate scheme of service for the new cadres among others. The Federal Government, yesterday, warned promoters of United Labour Congress, ULC, that it would not fold its arms and allow an unrecognised group to hold the country hostage.The government in a statement signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Bolaji Adebiyi, said the strike threat issued by the group amounted to economic sabotage.The ULC, a factionalised body of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, had threatened to commence nationwide strike today unless government addressed its demands, ranging from payment of salary arrears to provision of infrastructure, especially roads.The statement read: The attention of the Federal Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Nwabueze Ngige has been drawn to several media publications and statements signed by Mr. Didi Adodo on behalf of the association, the United Labour Congress, ULC, as its Secretary General.The statements gave the false impression that this association is a government recognised federation of trade union. The statement and letters issued in the last few weeks include those that gave the Federal Government a 14- day ultimatum stating that some trade unions it claims as affiliates will go on strike over some issues, which are of national importance.The Trade Unions Act, CAP T14, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, is explicitly clear on how a group of trade unions can coalesce to form a Federation of Trade Unions.Section 35(1)(b) states inter alia: A Federation of Trade Unions may be registered by the Registrar if it is made up of 12 or more Trade Unions none of which SHALL have been a member of another registered Federation of Trade Unions.The promoters of ULC should fulfill this requirement to qualify to be registered. To call out workers on essential services for a national strike without any major trade dispute with their direct employers will be tantamount to blatant violation of our extant labour laws and international labour standards.For the avoidance of doubt, the government will not fold its arms and allow any group of persons take the law into its hands by brazenly threatening to commit economic sabotage by shutting down essential services in the oil and gas, power, and aviation sectors as threatened by the promoters of ULC.Members of the trade unions who are sympathetic to the ULC mentioned in the press statement are advised to go about their duties in the interest of peaceful industrial relations environment and for the good of our national economy. The governor commended the people of Bauchi State, security agencies and all other stakeholders for maintaining peace and urge religious and community leaders to preach peace, tolerance and mutual understanding among people. Bauchi State governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has described the crisis in the South East and other parts of the country as an attempt by forces of darkness to plunge Nigeria into civil war.The governor stated this in a signed statement saying that individuals and groups who felt aggrieved should channel their grievances through lawful means instead of taking the law into their hands."I note with deep concern the needless disturbances in some parts of the South East causing fear and uncertainty especially in the affected areas. I therefore condemn strongly these callous acts and sue for calm, especially among those who feel aggrieved and may therefore be tempted to take the law into their hands,"he said.He calls on relevant security agencies to deal with the perpetrators of the crisis and their sponsors in order to prevent further escalation of the crisis.He also advised Nigerians to refrain from spreading hate and falsehood against any individual or group especially on the social media which may further inflame the crisis."Nigeria belongs to us all. We have no other country. Therefore, no single individual or group is greater than the nation. I recommend that the genuine grievances should be addressed and redressed through legitimate channels like the law courts or the legislature,"he added.Governor Abubakar noted that the crisis is coming at a time when Nigeria needs collective effort to consolidate it's economic gains as it came out of recession. The Plateau State Government on Thursday imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Jos Metropolis following rumoured skirmishes, tension and con... The Plateau State Government on Thursday imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Jos Metropolis following rumoured skirmishes, tension and confusion over the situation in South-East.The government, in a statement signed by Mr Emmanuel Nanle, Director of Press Affairs, said that the action was to avert a further breakdown of law and order.It said that security personnel had been deployed to flash points to ensure compliance with the order, and advised miscreants to avoid a clash with the law.The statement quoted Governor Simon Lalong as expressing shock and dismay over the sudden build up of tension in Jos, while warning that government would not allow disgruntled elements to disrupt the peace.I am surprised that some disgruntled elements claiming to be reacting to agitations by the Independent Peoples of Biafra in the South-East, decided to throw Jos metropolis into confusion. Let everyone be clear about this we shall not allow it, Lalong was quoted as saying.It further quoted the governor as assuring all Plateau residents of protection, while appealing to religious and community leaders to promptly report anyone seeking to take advantage of the situation to engage in criminality.Lalong also declared that Plateau was home to all Nigerians irrespective of religious or ethnic differences.Mr Tyopev Terna, Public Relations Officer of the Plateau Police Command, who spoke on the confusion in the city, said that it was caused by rumours that some hoodlums were attacking some people over developments in the South-East.We have deployed our men to all parts of the city, but nothing has been reported.Outside the rumour, there is no particular incident that took place, he said.Terna said that the situation got tense when Igbo shop owners quickly locked their shops and started moving home in droves.Immediately people saw the frenzy with which the shops were being locked, they started running; they all started scurrying to safety in various directions because they suspected that trouble was looming.With everybody running at the same time, confusion enveloped the city, especially the market area. Many people sustained injuries in the stampede, he said.He urged Plateau residents to be calm and assured them of protection against any attack by miscreants.Terna also advised miscreants to leave Plateau as security agents had been deployed to all corners to deal with them.Tension and confusion enveloped the city beginning from around 5 p.m. following rumours that youths were attacking people over the situation in the South-East.Areas worst affected by the confusion included Akpata, Teminus, Gada-biyu and Yan-trailer. Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has decried the maltreatment and killing of people of the Southeast Nigerian who are agitating f... Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has decried the maltreatment and killing of people of the Southeast Nigerian who are agitating for the state of Biafra, saying that he has forewarned that President Mohammadu Buharis second coming would be like the dark days of the military government in 1984 when the nation quaked under heavy militarization.He said: I have said it before now that it is only God that can help the Igbo people. What I see going when you see the video clips of that occupation the behaviour of the soldiers leaves much to be desired but they cannot act like that without a whistle blower, somebody is behind them telling them go and cleanse the people. That is recklessness human rights violation in Nigeria today is second to none.And I hope the the international community would not be quiet on this. It is unfortunate. Governor who made the remarks while receiving Peoples Democratic Peoples Elders caucus in the state led by ex-deputy governor Paul Alabi, who paid him a visit to register their endorsement of his deputy, Olusola Kolapo as prefered candidate for 2018 governorship poll, lamented the fate of those allegedly militarised recently in the Southeast, saying: I have said it earlier that this is beyond Kanu.That region entirely is embattled and challenged. But you know politics, time will tell. The wind blowing away your wife will blow you away one day. The wind blowing away your enemy today may blow, you say one day. It is unfortunate that the Ibo people are suffering this kind of fate, he said. The herdsmen wrecking havoc all over, and killing, what has the military done to deal with them. Has anyone of the herdsmen been prosecuted, let alone giving them this kind of treatment?. You went to court to revoke Kanus bail but you cant even wait for the court to take decision before occupying his house.Nigeria is in trouble except the Lord helps us. When the wicked are in authority, the people suffer, when the righteous are there the people rejoice.We are in a major dilemma. Buharis coming back to power, as I have said before is like returning to the dark days of the 1984 in no time, because they want to gag Nigerians they came up with a law against hate speech, they threatened to deal with people, arrest and all who cares.Glory be to God who can take both life and life beyond, these ones can only go for life and cant do more than that.. Let me assure you, Nigeria is a country where God knows how to rearrange thing. Fayose said.Meanwhile, elder statesman and founder and President of Afe Babalola university, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola has said he was proud that Ekiti has come tops again in the recently concluded National Examination Council (NECO), saying: I feel very proud that my state has come tops again as the best in NECO out of the thirty six states excluding the FCT to me it is a renaissance in education in Ekiti. We are witnessing revival of the lost glory in education in Ekiti.Every Ekiti indigene were proud to be associated with the philosiphy of the fountain of knowledge. Time it was when Christie School, Ado-Ekiti was the best in West Africa. Time it was when Obafemi Awolowo University of was full of Ekiti professors. Time it was when in Ibadan, all the doctors were Ekiti people. So I congratulate the government of Ekiti for the Renaissance and I am proud of govenor Fayose for doing so well and I think every Ekiti man should support this vision.Describing Fayoses endorsement of Olusola as fulfilment of their desire and request for a South Senatorial candidate from the govenor a year ago, the PDP elders said: we are glad that governor Fayose has endorded Professor Olusola for next governor and also support his stand that this does not foreclose the chances of other aspirants to contest and be part of the forthcoming primaries. There is no doubt that Olusola has been endorsed to continue the good governance.We urge governor Fayose to support to bring together aggrieved members so the forthcoming 2018 poll would be won by the PDP. We support and align fully with the endorsement and have written a letter of congratulations to the Olusola on this development. Amnesty International (AI) has said that it is investigating the clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Indigenous People of... Amnesty International (AI) has said that it is investigating the clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Umuahia, Abia state from last weeks Sunday. The organization, in a statement signed by its Director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said it is deeply concerned with the reports of cases of violence and illegal loss of lives following the clashes, cautioning the Nigerian army on the use of force on what it called armless civilians.Amnesty International said in November 2016, it published details of an investigation discovering mass extrajudicial executions and other serious violations by the Nigerian security forces during peaceful demonstrations by Biafran activists and other gatherings.It said IPOB emerged in 2012 and campaigned for an Independent Biafran state almost 50 years ago and continuing, with an attempt to establish a Biafran state that, however, led to a civil war from 1967 to 1970. It therefore said, with the recent reports of rights abuses in Abia, it is calling for the prioritization of the protection of the lives of the people by the Nigerian government.It also said the Nigerian authorities should rein in on the security forces and ensure accountability after reports of violence. We are deeply concerned by reports of violence and alleged loss of lives across Nigeria following clashes between the Nigerian military and supporters of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Umuahia, Abia state. We are calling on the authorities to ensure the security forces prioritize the protection of people and avoid excessive force.We are investigating all allegations of human rights violations and urge the authorities to investigate and quickly bring those suspected of unlawful killings and other serious violations to justice, Ojigho said. The lawyer to leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has released names of the missing members detained by the Nige... The lawyer to leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has released names of the missing members detained by the Nigerian soldiers. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in a statement, alleged that the IPOB members were being held hostage by soldiers at a location in Aba, Abia state. He gave the names of the detained IPOB members as: Chukwuemaka Umelo (Ejima); Eze Monday; Chibueke Eke; Sunday Isaiah; Gabriel Isaiah; Gentle Odu. Kanus lawyer noted that the six members of the IPOB are a few of the list of numerous members of the group whom their whereabouts are yet to be ascertained. It is important that this development is made public to avoid them being killed in mysterious circumstance, akin to the style of operation in the south east, Ejiofor said. The situation is very serious. We are appealing for prompt intervention of international community before things get out of hands. Ngwa High School Aba is the same place, Nigeria Military personnel attacked and massacred over 100 IPOB members last year, while praying for my client on a day he was scheduled to appear in court. You can check the Amnesty Internationals report that hugely indicted the Nigeria soldiers on the mindless killing of unarmed members of indigenous people of Biafra, last year at Ngwa High school, where they have now turned to their base, he added. Former governor of Abia State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu has called on the members of the In... Former governor of Abia State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu has called on the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to remain calm and law abiding as he consults with the federal authorities towards finding a lasting panacea to the brewing crisis in Abia State. Kalu spoke in response to the military presence in the state and the South East and confrontations between the IPOB youths and the federal security forces. In a statement issued yesterday from Abuja, the business mogul said he has been briefed about the crisis and has swiftly begun consultations with federal authorities and leaders of the IPOB towards bringing calm back to the region. He described the unfolding events as very unfortunate to have degenerated to this level happening in not just the South East region but in his own state which he once governed for eight years. The former governor recalled that, in democracy every group has its fundamental right to express their grievances but such action must follow due process in line with the constitution of the country to avoid breakdown of law and order. However, in this case dialogue remains the best solution to solving grievances. Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, has questioned the integrity of Oby Ezekwesili, co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement (BBOG... Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, has questioned the integrity of Oby Ezekwesili, co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement (BBOG), as a social crusader and rights activist. In a statement issued on Thursday, Shehu wondered why Ezekwesilii was timidly silent over the lawlessness of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) but found the voice to condemn the activities of the army in Abia state. He was speaking in reaction to Ezekwesilis warning to President Muhammadu Buhari not to alienate the entire Igbo race through the ongoing Operation Python Dance II in the region. He told the former minister that she has a moral and patriotic duty not to back any group that seems determined to pursue its separatist agitation through reckless and destructive methods. He said: While it is convenient for the civil society activist to condemn the military and the government of President Buhari, Mrs Ezekwesili didnt find it appropriate, even once, to criticise the dangerous and violent propaganda being propagated by the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Oby, as they call her, tweets on everything. Why was she silent on this one? Shehu wondered why Ezekwesili retreated to the background or lost her voice while IPOB supporters were violently molesting, attacking and jeopardising the lives of indigenes and non-indigenes. Her hypocritical and timid silence, while Kanus IPOB supporters were engaged in lawlessness and recklessness in violation of his bail conditions, is a burden on her credibility as a national crusader who should be courageous to condemn criminality. This art of using a raincoat while taking a bath is nothing short of self-deceit. Seeking to make political capital out of a chaotic situation is highly unbecoming of her and of the reputation she has worked hard to build over the years. He added that it is ridiculous to accuse the president of sending soldiers to the south-east because he hates the Igbo, saying the Buhari-led administration respects all citizens and will ensure that they are safe and secure wherever they reside. While condemning reported indefensible and reckless attack on soldiers and policemen by IPOB members, Shehu urged Ezekwesili not to elevate mobs to the status of rock stars for the sake of playing to the gallery. He said: There is a deliberate sinister agenda by IPOB to provoke the soldiers into killing innocent people in retaliation so that Nnamdi Kanu would use the pictures of the victims for international propaganda by accusing the government of ethnic cleansing against the Igbos with the sole purpose of gaining sympathy. The Presidency on Friday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari, will on Sunday jet out of Nigeria for New York, to attend the 72nd Sess... The Presidency on Friday disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari, will on Sunday jet out of Nigeria for New York, to attend the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA 72. Buhari is expected to participate in the General Debate during which he will deliver the countrys National Statement. The theme for this years Debate is: Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. A statement signed by the Presidents Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says the President will join other world leaders at the, welcoming reception to be hosted by the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, and also hold a bilateral meeting with the UN scribe. Buhari is also expected to hold a lunch meeting with his counterpart from the United States, President Donald Trump along with other world leaders. The statement said during the General Assembly, Nigeria will participate in high level meetings on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: Building Momentum for Change, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, a High Level Event organized by the African Union under its Theme of the Year: Roadmap on the Demographic Dividend: from Commitment to Action, among others. At the events, Buhari and members of his delegation will strive to project Nigeria as a strong moral force and responsible member of the international community. The statement added, Nigerias commitment to global peace, security and development will also be reaffirmed and where necessary, the need for increased international cooperation in the fight against corruption. Other priorities for the Nigerian delegation at UNGA 72 include strengthening human rights institutions; the rule of law; support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as a result of terrorist acts and recent flooding, and mitigating the effects of Climate Change. The Nigerian delegation will also canvass the support of UN member states for the Buhari Administrations efforts towards combating illicit financial flows in order to foster sustainable development. In the entourage of the President is the Governors of Zamfara, Ebonyi and Ondo States, and key cabinet ministers, the statement disclosed. President Buhari will transit through London on his way back to the country, Adesina said. Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met behind closed with the visiting Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.The Ugandan President was received on arrival by President Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, at about 2.25p.m.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Ugandas president is on a friendly visit to Nigeria.NAN reports that the Ugandan president has been showing interest and concerns over the activities of the deadly Boko Haram sect operating in Nigeria.Museveni was quoted in 2014, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, as warning the Nigerian government against negotiating with the Boko Haram insurgents.It would be a mistake for the government of Nigeria to negotiate with these people.The most important thing is to defeat them, then negotiations can come after that, Museveni told a local Ugandan newspaper in an interview in May 2014. As reactions continue to greet the deployment of military forces under the name, Operation Python Dance 11 (Egwu Eke Ebo) to south-eastern ... As reactions continue to greet the deployment of military forces under the name, Operation Python Dance 11 (Egwu Eke Ebo) to south-eastern part of Nigeria, youths from the south-south region of the country have called for the immediate proscription of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB before it gets too late. IPOB is a group under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu agitating for the rebirth of the defunct Republic of Biafra. The group, under the aegis of Youths of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers, while welcoming the launch of the military operation in the region, observed that if Kanu and his group are not urgently tamed, Nigeria might be witnessing another heavy bloodbath. Speaking at a press conference held in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital on Friday, the National Co-coordinator of the ebullient youth group, Augustine Adeh said the recent attacks on innocent Nigerians in Rivers State by hoodlums identified as IPOB members was a clear indication that a military operation is needed to contain extreme tendencies set in motion by IPOBs campaign of hatred which is spreading to some states in the South-south. According to the youth leader, the group strongly warned Kanu to be ready to face the consequences if his group continues to prevent soldiers from carrying out their legitimate functions in the region. Adeh said, To us this launch of the operation is not unconnected with the success recorded by Operation Python Dance of 2016, which was widely credited for reducing crimes in the region before the Christmas festivities of that year. It is for this reason that those of us in Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers remain elated at the launch of Operation Python Dance II. The operation is well received in our states and it is not for nothing that it is so. We are therefore concerned that Operation Python Dance II is at the risk of becoming the casualty of politics and criminality in the South-east . While the operation is well received in Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers but being rejected only in some selected states of the south east, whose peoples interest it is meant to serve. It is most disappointing that all the wrong reasons are being adduced for maligning this operation. These include allegations that the soldiers were deployed because of the secession bid of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Movement for the Actualization of a Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Biafra Zionists Movement and other groups that are campaigning for the balkanization of Nigeria. There have also been the false claim that the military exercise is an invasion. The attacks on innocent Nigerians in Rivers state by hoodlums that identified as IPOB members is proof that a military operation is needed to contain extreme tendencies set in motion by IPOBs campaign of hatred. The attacks justify our call for IPOBs criminality to be dealt with at its birthplace before it spread to other parts of the country same way that Boko Haram terrorism did. The youth group also lauded the Nigerian Army for its timely intervention towards tackling kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities in the region. Adeh added, We are concerned that the Igbos, particularly those under the influence of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanus hazy state of mind must have something up their sleeves to attract the vehement rejection of the military exercise to the extent of using it to incite nationwide crisis. While we had anticipated that criminals would kick against the operation, we did not envisage that they will attempt to stand truth on its head by purveying fake news. Of particular note is Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who goofed by describing his client and IPOB as innocent, unarmed and defenceless. Such assertion is blasphemous to say the least. Such falsehood could only have been peddled by someone addicted to twisting facts for a living. Ejiofor manufactures lies and hate and churns them out at pace meant to unsettle the general public, he added. He appealed to the Nigerian Army not to be swayed by the campaign of calumny and blackmail against its operation. We similarly appeal to Nigerians in other states to please understand the severity of the issue under consideration. The IPOB fanatics are courting public sympathy, including staging attacks to provoke soldiers on their mission and it is a trick that well-meaning Nigerians must not fall for. In fact, we expect that anyone apprehended in connection with attacks on soldiers should be matched with existing Police crime database as they would be proven to be the same people behind the spate of kidnapping, armed robberies and drug dealing in the region. We call on the police to immediately arrest and prosecute Nnamdi Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, for conspiracy to breach the peace through the misrepresentation of fact. The police should also heighten its state of alertness in other states of the federation to arrest any person or group of persons that try to disrupt the peace. You bathed in the blood of Biafrans, you crushed their bones and stripped away their dignity and self-respect just to keep Nigeria one. You bathed in the blood of Biafrans, you crushed their bones and stripped away their dignity and self-respect just to keep Nigeria one. Now you say their children have no right to ask for self-determination simply because you killed their fathers and mothers during the war and shattered their dreams. Shame on you. If Nigeria was a normal country by now you would have been at the International Criminal Court (ICC) answering charges of genocide and crimes against humanity at the Hague instead of being President. If you want the Igbo or any other southerner to stay and if you want Nigeria to remain one then treat us all as equals, offer our children and our people equal opportunities and a public apology and pay full compensation for all the atrocities that you, your people and your forefathers have committed against the people of the south and the northern minorities over the last two hundred years. In addition to that you must defeat, destroy and dismantle Boko Haram, decommission your Fulani militias and herdsmen and put a stop to the marginalisation, threats, genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass murder of our people. It is after you have done all these things that you can make an appeal to us for the continued unity of Nigeria. Outside of that the Nigerian baby you are carrying and saying that you killed and died for during the civil war is already dead. It is only waiting to be buried. These words, written one year ago, remain relevant and true till today. What we are witnessing in the east in the name of Operation Python is barbaric and unacceptable. It ought to be condemned by every self-respecting person. The behaviour of the military against a defenceless and unarmed civilian population in Abia state particularly is simply reprehensible. What has Nnamdi Kanu or indeed the Igbo people done to warrant this primitive show of barbarism and force? We are on the brink of a total breakdown of law and order and a prolonged and bloody armed conflict. I urge restraint on all sides and I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the army from the east and leave Nnamdi Kanu alone. Terrorising your own people with soldiers is not the act of a courageous man but rather the act of a tyrant, a coward and a bully. We call on the international community to bear witness to what is unfolding in eastern Nigeria and we hold Buhari responsible and accountable for the premeditated and tragic loss of life. The slaughter of innocent civilians by soldiers must stop. Yesterday it was the Shiite Muslims. Today it is the Igbo. Tomorrow it could be you. Anyone that believes that a separatist movement or the quest for self-determination can be stopped by the force of arms alone has no knowledge of world history. The more people you torture and kill, the more the agitation will blossom and grow. The shedding of innocent blood energises, spreads and fortifies the cause for which it was shed. This is a spiritual principle with practical consequences. It is a deep and mystical truism. The blood of martyrs is never shed in vain. It cries to God in heaven for vengeance and it haunts and torments those that shed it from generation to generation. The following questions must be answered. Who is fanning embers of hate if not the Buhari administration? Who is killing and locking up innocent people if not them? Who hates Christians, Middle Belters and southerners if not them? And nothing reflects the murderous and homicidal disposition of those in power today more than the words of President Buharis spokesman, Mr. Shehu Garba, who in response to Mrs. Oby Ezekwesilis laudable though belated observation that Buhari is nothing but a tribal leader who has been unfair to the people of the east, said the following: there is a deliberate sinister agenda by IPOB to provoke the soldiers into killing innocent people in retaliation so that Nnamdi Kanu would use the pictures of the victims for international propaganda by accusing the government of ethnic cleansing against the Igbos with the sole purpose of gaining sympathy. The question is this: why should the Buhari government feel provoked to murder anyone simply because they say that they want a referendum to determine their own future and simply because they want their own country? Is Nigeria a giant prison that no-one must question or dare to break out of? Did the British Army slaughter the Scots when they asked for a referendum? Did the Spanish army butcher the people of Catalan for asking for their own country? What is wrong with our President and our government? Why should we be saddled with a murderous regime who are shamelesss enough to admit that they are easily provoked to slaughtering their own citizens? I do not think it is right or proper for innocent souls to be killed simply because they are exercising their right of free speech. No sane or civilised person should remain silent when such wickedness is unleashed on others. When our soldiers force young men to bury their faces in pools of muddy water and drink it we know that we are dealing with animals and barbarians. When they shoot these young men in the back of the head and line up their bodies on the side of the road we know that this is not OUR army but rather Buharis army of occupation which seeks to dehumanise, humiliate, murder, subjugate and enslave our people. I watched that horrific video and I cried for Nigeria. And after the tears came rage. Is this what our nation has been turned into in the last two years by this ailing tyrant and his murderous security forces? What a shame and what a tragedy. If it had been your child that was subjected to such indignity and treated in this way how would you have felt? There is only one side to this ugly story. Torture is torture. Murder is murder. Children are children. Blood is blood. And it is Gods will that we condemn evil and refuse to tolerate it. Permit me to conclude this contribution with the following observations about the abomination called the python dance from a handful of insightful and courageous commentators. Adetilewa Adetomiwa wrote: You see young Igbo men standing in front of military tanks with stone, bottle and sticks. You are calling them stupid people because they are not afraid. They are not stupid, you just dont know what is going on. When u see human standing firm in front of a greater power, its not stupidity, but a psychological state of mind that is very dangerous to any society. Its a state of mind that represent hopelessness and all or nothing attitude. It is the same state of mind that ensured there is no peace in Middle East today. Its a fanatical state of mind than cant be conquered by any amount of military operations. As it is today, only dialogue can settle the war created by buhari in Igbo land. Else the rest of Nigeria will not have peace. The earlier we prevent total breakdown of law and order with restructuring, the better. Again Chika Udenkwo wrote: A Countrys Unity is not determined by guns, sticks, wires, hate speech or restructuring. It is determined by a collective will of the people to forge a future that is beneficial to ALL. Again Aniefom Udoabasi wrote: Boko haram is deadly. They are armed to the teeth. They have killed military men in their hundreds. They have killed civilians in their tens of thousands. They have burned down houses and villages. They have burned down churches and mosques. They have threatened to blow up Nigeria. They even blew up the United Nations building in Abuja. Yet northern elders/leaders, including Buhari, opposed any attempt by the military to invade any Northern community as a result of Boko Harams presence. Northern elders,again and again, asked the government to withdraw the army from Borno ,the headquarters of Boko Haram. In fact, Buhari publicly said that it was wrong for the military to move against Boko Haram. He specifically said that any attack against Boko Haram should be viewed as an attack against the North as a whole. Im not talking about a century or even a decade ago. I am talking about a few years ago. Also Lai Mohammed, speaking for APC, Buharis party, said that it was wrong for the government to label Boko Haram as an unlawful organisation. This was immediately after the Nigerian government had declared boko haram an unlawful organization. APC said that declaring boko haram an unlawful organization in Nigeria is unconstitutional. I also remember that when the United States government wanted to declare Boko Haram a terrorist organisation, the North vehemently opposed it. The Sultan of Sokoto led the opposition. He openly canvassed that the USA should not label Boko Haram a terrorist organisation. Only CAN ,as led by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor ,canvassed for the United States to pencil Boko haram down as a terrorist organisation. I remember that when pastor Ayo traveled to the United States to lobby its government to declare Boko Haram a terrorist organisation, he was ridiculed by Northern leaders for daring to cause their boko haram to be called a terrorist organisation. The point is this: if an organization as murderous and satanic like boko haram could have northern leaders and APC leaders, including Buhari, as open supporters, why should the unarmed and harmless civilians in the south East not be supported and protected? Why are southern leaders acting dumb? Why are south East governors behaving like house boys? Nnamdi Kanu, hate him or love him, has not killed a single soul. You may be irritated by the conduct of some of his followers ,but the fact remains that they are not armed. They have not burned communities, have not blown up mosques or churches. They are just a group armed with social media and a radio station. And yet you say that the army should clamp down ,attack and kill them. Same you who said that Boko Haram should not be attacked because that would mean an attack against the North! Same you who said that Boko Haram should not be declared an unlawful organization by the Nigerian government! Same you who pleaded that Boko Haram should not be declared a terrorist organisation by the United States government! Shame on you! Finally Jude Ndukwe wrote: Boko Haram killed UNIMAID lecturers, NNPC Geologists, soldiers, students, market men and women recently; just last week, Fulani herdsmen killed about 30 people in Plateau State with their killing of farmers and raping of even old women causing demonstrations in Ondo State, you said nothing, there was no outrage from you. But your preoccupation is an IPOB that has never killed or kidnapped or taken up arms against anyone except that their only weapon is their usual massive PEACEFUL rallies which makes you convulse out of jealousy. While you are busy clapping for the military for their misplaced priority in the so called show of force against Nnamdi Kanu, the herdsmen are busy killing your fathers and raping your mothers freely, unchallenged and unhindered over two years or more now. Common sense should tell you to focus your energy on telling the military to leave the peaceful south east alone and focus on your real enemies. I could not have put it better than any of these distinguished and respected individuals and I commend them for their courage, foresight, compassion, humanity and sense of decency. They have spoken the minds of millions. Finally let me end with the words of two of the greatest writers and literary icons that have ever lived. Professor Wole Soyinka wrote, the man dies in all who keep silent in the face of tyranny whilst Franz Fanon wrote: The future will have no pity for those men who, possessing the exceptional privilege of being able to speak words of truth to their oppressors, have instead, taken refuge in an attitude of passivity, of mute indifference, and sometimes, of cold complicity. We are nothing on earth if we are not slaves to a cause, the cause of the people and the cause of justice, liberty and free ideas that are made available to all. Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it. The Nigerian people have much to learn from these famous words. May the souls of all those that were ruthlessly butchered and martyred by the army in Abia state rest in peace. CAMDEN -- A 31-year-old Camden man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to selling crack cocaine and firearms charges, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Preston J. "Boo" Thomas admitted to an effort to distribute 28 grams of cocaine base and a criminal weapons charge. He also admitted he sold, and directed others to sell, crack cocaine near the 1100 block of Lansdowne Avenue in Camden. He also admitted he provided crack cocaine, collected money from the sales and conspired others to get firearms. Thomas, along with brothers Jason "Fatboy" Boyd, 37 and Joseph "Breet" Boyd, 32, Tony "Tone" Wilson, 25, Derek "AK" Stallworth, 21, Jeffrey "Jay Black" Whitaker, 33, Nafeez Griffin, 31, and Julian "Juelz" Dickerson, 30, all from Camden, were originally charged in 2016, following a long-term investigation by the FBI's South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force. Wilson and Jason Boyd were each sentenced to 96 months in jail. Thomas faces up to five years for the drug charge and 20 for the gun charge, officials said. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- When Zabdiel R. Vargas-Soto was released ahead of trial with an electronic monitoring device for allegedly attacking a woman, he had no record of criminal convictions, and was found to be a low risk for future violent crime. But months later, Vargas-Soto stands accused of fatally shooting two brothers in Newark, slayings that he allegedly committed while awaiting trial for the earlier alleged assault. Now city's public safety director is once again blaming bail reform for allowing a defendant to go free and commit crime. Zabdiel R. Vargas-Soto (Photo: ECPO) Vargas-Soto, 22, was charged with the murders of Jose Castillo-Granados, 25, and Francisco Castillo-Granados, 22, near Adams and Walnut streets in Newark's Ironbound section in an Aug. 27 attack authorities say stemmed from an unspecified dispute. The murder case was his second run-in with police in the city, according to law enforcement and court records. The Newark man was arrested earlier this year on aggravated assault and weapons charges, which stemmed from a Jan. 28 incident where he allegedly stabbed a woman he knew in an argument outside an East Ward bar, a police report stated. Under state reforms that eliminated monetary bail for most defendants, a judge ordered Vargas-Soto to be released from custody at a Feb. 8 hearing after a computer algorithm, called a Public Safety Assessment, did not flag him for being likely to commit future violent crime. Police records show Vargas-Soto was released from the city lockup Feb. 10. After his arrest in the fatal shootings, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose issued a sharp rebuke of bail reform, and called for state judiciary officials to revamp the system. "A serious review of bail reform is needed," he said. Ambrose and other police executives have criticized the changes as allowing criminals who should be behind bars to be released based on faulty public safety assessments. "I keep asking people responsible for bail reform to come up with solutions to a flawed system," Ambrose said in an interview. "There has to be a better solution. We have two young lives that were lost." Officials confirmed the electronic monitoring data for Vargas-Soto was turned over to investigators. It was not immediately clear how the device factored into the probe. "The Homicide Task Force did a great investigation," Ambrose said. "Within 48 hours they had him arrested." Under the Public Safety Assessment, Vargas-Soto was not flagged for being a risk of future violent crime, according to an Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman. Court officials said he had no prior convictions for indictable or disorderly persons offenses, and no record of failing to appear in court. "We did not seek pretrial detention based on the PSA and the information available to us at that time," prosecutor's office spokeswoman Katherine Carter said of the January case. An assistant prosecutor asked for Vargas-Soto to be barred from contact with the alleged victim of the assault, subject to weekly reporting to authorities, home detention and electronic monitoring, according to the spokeswoman. A judge, however, denied the prosecutor's request for home detention and instead ordered electronic monitoring, reporting every other week and barred Vargas-Soto from contacting the woman. An Essex County grand jury on May 2 indicted Vargas-Soto on lesser offenses, including third degree aggravated assault. Using electronic monitoring, Vargas-Soto was barred from going within 500 feet of his alleged victim from the assault, according to Pete McAleer, spokesman for the Administrative Office of the Courts. Prosecutors and the defense agreed that he be allowed to go to work. "While on pretrial release, Mr. Vargas made all of his scheduled court appearances and all of his scheduled probation appearances. At no time did he enter the excluded zone," McAleer said. "No alerts were sent because Mr. Vargas had not violated the terms of his electronic monitoring." Vargas-Soto also went to have his electronic monitoring bracelet fixed after pretrial services officials told him the device was losing its battery charge, according to the judiciary spokesman. "What followed on Aug. 27 was a horrible tragedy," he said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the family of the two young men who were killed." Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Sellitti said she could not comment on a specific case, but noted the state's criminal justice reforms now take into account public safety risk while not simply jailing people who can't afford bail. "Under our old system a judge was not allowed to consider whether or not somebody posed a danger to the community," Sellitti said. With bail reform, judges consider a range of factors, including the Public Safety Assessments, arguments from attorneys, charges and a defendant's history of showing up for court, she said. "We are giving judges more information to make better decisions and to treat people equally whether they have money or they don't," she added. Sellitti said there will always be outlier cases, but no system of pretrial release could guarantee a defendant would not commit a crime while awaiting trial. "There's no system that will be able to tell us, this person with 100 percent accuracy, will not or will commit another crime," Sellitti added. "The previous system didn't do that either." 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 Mayor LaToya Cantrell headed to Hawaii late last month for a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and a discussion on climate change. 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. U2 welcomes both the left and the right to the Superdome in epic night #suitcase murder suspect Justice minister orders extradition of 'suitcase' murder suspect to New Zealand South Korea's justice minister on Monday ordered the extradition of a woman believed to be the mother of two children whose bodies were found in suitcases in New Zealand in August,... #KBO KBO sets salary cap for 1st time In an unprecedented move designed to ensure a level playing field, the top South Korean baseball league announced Monday it has set a salary cap for the next three seasons. The ... 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. CASCADE (AP) The number of organic farms in Iowa is growing rapidly, but they still constitute only a small percentage of farms in the state. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show that Iowa has seen a 42 percent increase in organic farms from 2008 to 2015. The state had more than 670 organic farms in 2015, which was less than 1 percent of the farms in the state. Iowa Organic Association Managing Director Kate Mendenhall told The Telegraph Herald that a growing demand for organic products is driving the increase in organic farms. Consumers are definitely driving the market, she said. Theres a huge demand for organic products, and were not filling that demand locally. Kim and Marvin Lynch had their Cascade dairy farm certified as organic in 2009. The couple had to stop using fertilizers, insecticides and synthetic herbicides for three years before becoming certified. Kim Lynch said it was worth the effort despite the challenging transition. Its definitely more labor-intensive. Its also more financially stable, she said. Our only regret is that we didnt do it earlier. Organic farms must also be evaluated yearly in order to maintain their certification, Mendenhall said. Dubuque resident Joseph Ross transitioned his farm to organic in 2007. He said financial reasons as well as organics reputation as being healthy and environmentally friendly spurred the switch. Its a type of farming that you feel good about doing, he said. You know that youre delivering a good product. Other states in the region have also seen a growing number of organic farms. Organic farms in Wisconsin have increased by 38 percent from 2008 to 2015, according to federal data. Illinois, meanwhile, saw a 20 percent increase in that time frame. OAKLAND About 10 protesters temporarily disrupted a presentation on Islamic terrorism Thursday evening at a community center in Oakland. The Global Faith Institutes event, which included speeches from former FBI agent John Guandolo and author Chris Gaubatz, focused on what the men described as threats from Muslim groups in the United States. A flyer for the event invited attendees to learn about the Muslim Brotherhoods secret strategies for the USA and how to identify, understand and thwart local community threats. The institute sponsored a similar event in Omaha on Wednesday. Thursdays presentation continued after deputies from the Pottawattamie County Sheriffs Office asked the handful of protesters inside to stop their disruptions, which included holding up newspapers and shaking them. Pottawattamie County GOP chair Jeff Jorgensen organized the event, but the Pottawattamie County Republican Party distanced itself from it. The event was sponsored by the Omaha-based Global Faith Institute and 88 Tactical Elite Training Organization. Jorgensen called deputies to respond to the protesters at the event. Among the 90 or so attendees was Iowa State Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, who left after about 25 minutes. About 35 protesters stood outside the community center holding signs, including one that said Muslims are welcome here. A representative of U.S. Rep. Steve King posted an animated computer graphic of a dolphin moving its jaw with the suggestion jus b chill to a comment Thursday calling out the congressman for having a fit about President Donald Trumps detente with Democrats over immigration. Letting supporters know where he stands on an extremely important issue is not exactly having a fit, replied a post from Kings account, signed Team King, to a comment on a post Kings account shared from Breitbart News on the trending hashtag Amnesty Don on Twitter. Earlier in the day Thursday, tweets that King sent late Wednesday drew national attention for criticizing a reported deal by Trump with Democratic leaders to protect immigrants previously shielded by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, which the Trump administration is unwinding over the next six month. Reports of a compromise on DACA, which supposedly would include border security funding but not money for building a wall along the Mexican border, came out of a dinner meeting Trump had with the top Democrats in Congress. Trump later said money for the wall wasnt negotiable, and its unclear where the deal stands. The Associated Press described the fate of 800,000 young immigrants as hanging in the balance Thursday as top lawmakers, White House officials and the president squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them and, if so, exactly what it was. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Senate Republican, said there was a deal to make a deal. Trump himself said he was fairly close to an agreement that could protect the young Dreamers while also adding border security, the AP reported Thursday evening. King said Wednesday night that, if a story from The Associated Press describing the deal was correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. The congressman then retweeted an Aug. 31, 2016, CNN video from Trump that shows the president, in the run-up to his election, saying he wouldnt support amnesty for undocumented immigrants. King tweeted at Trump saying, Mr. President, I support your agenda, especially your no amnesty agenda. MAGA! (MAGA stands for Make America Great Again, the presidents election slogan.) King called into CNNs New Day program Thursday morning to offer a take on the possibility of a deal on immigration and Trumps pledge to build a wall. I mean, this was just a straight-up promise all the way through his campaign, King said. I dont think its unclear to anybody what those campaign promises were, but it looks to me like hes preparing to keep Hillary Clintons campaign promise rather than his own. Later in the day, King posted on Twitter and on Facebook that Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama each led with Amnesty and that those policies All failed so ... Trump leads with DACA Amnesty 2017. Those posts and TV remarks brought a barrage of comments online as well as from reporters and pundits not an uncommon phenomenon for the outspoken Iowa Republican, whose 4th Congressional District includes Harrison County in southwest Iowa. CNN analyst Gregory Krieg wrote that Rep. Steve King, the outspoken nativist Republican from Iowa has all but declared Trumps presidency a lost cause. A host of outlets, from Breitbart to The Washington Post, shared stories based on Kings remarks to CNN and his tweets, using his remarks to illustrate the opposition from immigration hardliners to any compromise on DACA or other immigration issues. In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine published online Thursday, King said amnesty is the lone issue that will cause certain members of Trumps base to leave him after theyve stood by the president through other controversial decisions. This has been about, for me for more than 30 years about restoring the respect for the rule of law, and were on the cusp of being able to do that, and then this gets thrown out into the middle of the mix, King told Rolling Stone. And all he had to do was just keep his campaign promise, which we all expected would happen January 20th. The Missouri Valley City Council has fired the citys longtime top administrator. The council voted unanimously to fire Rita Miller, Missouri Valleys city administrator and city clerk, at its Sept. 5 meeting. We felt it was time for a change of direction, said Councilman Bob Thompson, who made the motion to dismiss Miller. We told her we wanted to make a change of direction. Asked for further reasoning on the firing, Thompson said: Its a personnel matter, Im not going to disclose that. After Thompsons motion was seconded by Councilman John Tiffey, but prior to the vote, Missouri Valley Mayor Clint Sargent informed the council that, if they fired Miller, the city would not be able to pay its bills, because it would not have two authorized signers, according to official meeting minutes from the Sept. 5 session. Sargent and Miller were the only authorized signers on city accounts. At the meeting, Miller asked for the reason she was being fired, according to the minutes. Thompson told her it was time for a change in direction. Miller was fired on a 5-0 vote. I think it is pretty pathetic that I dont even get an explanation of why, after 30 years of service and dedication to the city, and there is no reason behind it, Miller said after the vote, according to The Missouri Valley Times. Thats pretty poor. And, thats all I choose to say on that. Attempts by The Nonpareil to reach Miller on Thursday were unsuccessful. The Times noted that Miller mentioned her two-year contract during the meeting. On Thursday, Thompson told The Nonpareil there is an exit clause in the contract, and the council did not violate the contract in terminating Millers employment. Thompson said a lawsuit by Miller against the city is pending. As of Thursday afternoon, there was no record of a lawsuit on Iowa online court records. As part of the fallout from the firing, The Times reported that the city has hired Eric McCurdy of Hamilton Associates to serve as interim city clerk and to be an authorized signer at a cost of $120 per billable hour, plus mileage. The city has also entered into an agreement with the Southwest Iowa Planning Council to provide temporary assistance during the transition, with former Dunlap City Clerk Nancy Baker filling the role at $50 per hour plus mileage, according to The Times. With the prospect of a lawsuit pending, the council also voted 3-1 with Thompson voting no and Tiffey absent to retain James Hanks of Ahlers & Cooney law firm for employment law representation at $300 per hour, in addition to the hourly rate of any other attorneys at the law firm that assist with the matter. Those moves were made at a special meeting on Sept. 11. When reached Thursday by The Nonpareil, Missouri Valley City Council members Tiffey and Leonard Johnson declined to comment. Attempts to reach council members Sherman Struble and Roger Gunderson were unsuccessful. The firing comes on the heels of another conflict between Miller and the council. In June, the council reprimanded Miller for accepting gifts from the coffee company the city buys from and also required proof of reimbursements of those gifts, according to the meeting minutes. The coffee maker was purchased in 2013 for myself and staff use. I will be providing council with proof of reimbursement, Miller said at the time. I made a mistake by accepting gifts with vendor purchase some years ago. I have apologized for this and received a reprimand. The council requested that Miller provide new purchasing procedures within 60 days. The Nonpareils interview with Thompson, along with the minutes of the Sept. 5 meeting and The Missouri Valley Times reporting, did not indicate whether the firing was related to the June reprimand. Two cabinet members were in the Omaha metro area Thursday, working on issues that have drawn attention from President Donald Trump in recent weeks and months rethinking education policy and maintaining a strong arsenal of nuclear weapons. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos stopped by a few Omaha Public School classroom, and Defense Secretary James Mattis had classified briefings at U.S. Strategic Command, which is headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska. Neither official stopped by Iowa, but both were on multi-state trips this week. On Wednesday, Mattis was at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, which has a bomber wing with B-52s capable of carrying nuclear weapons. DeVos visited Omahas Midlands University campus Wednesday after starting her Rethink School tour in Wyoming and Colorado. Her tour will also include destinations in Kansas, Missouri and Indiana. DeVos visits with OPS students DeVos watched children sort blocks, learn to sound out words and play violin Thursday at Nelson Mandela Elementary School. Youre making beautiful music, she told students in Jess Davis violin class. All Mandela students learn to play violin through a partnership with the Omaha Conservatory of Music String Sprouts violin program. Mandela was one of three Nebraska schools she visited in Omaha and Lincoln on Thursday for the Nebraska stretch of her Rethink School tour. She visited the Midland University Code Academy at the universitys west Omaha location Wednesday night. Nelson Mandela Elementary School in north Omaha enrolls 181 students in grades K-3. Roughly 85 percent of students come from low-income families, and the school offers free tuition, year-round schooling and recess every 90 minutes. Parents need to log 20 hours of engagement each year, through volunteering or attending different events. Several state and local officials accompanied DeVos on her tour of Mandela, including Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Mark Evans, Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt, two members of the Nebraska State Board of Education and Dianne Seeman Lozier, founder of Nelson Mandela Elementary. They met with DeVos in a private roundtable discussion. DeVos arrived in time for the morning assembly at Mandela, where she was greeted by students in purple polo uniforms who said, in unison, Good morning, Secretary DeVos. They practiced their breathing to relax and get focused for the school day ahead. She visited a kindergarten classroom learning math, a third-grade language arts lesson where students practiced phonograms letter combinations that represent a sound by flash card. Mandela uses the phonics-based Spalding Method as part of its curriculum. DeVos also dropped in on a violin lesson where students practiced a tango. Several teachers and students wore NE Public Schools stickers from Nebraska Loves Public Schools, a nonprofit-backed project that advocates for public education. While Mandela is a private school funded by the Lozier Foundation and William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation, Lozier said in a release that school officials do not support charter schools, which DeVos has championed. The school has a strong cooperative relationship with OPS, she said. We agree with Secretary DeVos on rethinking how schools engage and teach students, however, we want to be clear that we are not advocates for charter schools, Lozier said. We dont think taking money away from public schools is the right decision and are adamant that public school systems need those dollars to educate all students. Mattis meets StratCom officials Mattis arrived Thursday morning at Offutt Air Force Base for a day of meetings with senior leaders at StratCom, his first visit to the unit charged with preparing for nuclear war and other large-scale threats. Mattis greeted StratCom Commander Gen. John Hyten with a warm handshake in the circular drive in front of StratCom headquarters. The two posed briefly for a photo with the units giant logo inside the entrance. Neither took questions from reporters. No agenda for Mattis meetings at StratCom was released, but the growing threat of North Korean nuclear missiles is expected to be a major topic. So is the modernization of the militarys nuclear arsenal. Its ballistic-missile submarines, nuclear-capable bombers, ICBMs and gravity bombs are nearly all 30 to 60 years old. Nonpareil Assistant Managing Editor Scott Stewart along with Erin Duffy and Steve Liewer of the BH News Service as well as The Associated Press contributed to this report. The facts, locally, in the aftermath of the massive security breach at credit reporting company Equifax: Nearly 1.1 million Iowans had their personal information exposed because of the breach. Another 700,000 Nebraskans were affected. The Omaha World-Herald noted that Equifax announced to the public on Thursday that a cybersecurity incident had exposed the personal information of approximately 143 million Americans. The company said it became aware of the breach on July 29. The information includes Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some cases, drivers license and credit card numbers. The company has promised free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services for only one year. So that means Equifax, which provides credit monitoring as a paid service, stands to profit from its security breakdown. Nebraska State Sen. Adam Morfeld called for the company to provide free credit monitoring for life, not one year. The senator is right. Equifax shouldnt profit off of a data breach that it failed to prevent. Iowa Attorney Tom Miller and Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson issued a list of steps to take, especially if youre an affected consumer: Closely monitor your credit report for suspicious activity. Visit annualcreditreport.com to get your free credit reports. Actively monitor your financial statements. Promptly dispute any unauthorized charges. Be wary of breach-related scams. Do not provide or confirm personal information to a caller who claims the call is related to the data breach. Be wary of emails, which can be fake but look authentic. Consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit report. That prohibits a credit reporting agency from releasing any information from your credit report without written authorization and makes it harder for an identity thief to access credit in your name. Fees may be applied for placing, temporarily lifting or removing a security freeze. This last one is something Equifax should address, too. There should be no cost to put a freeze on your credit report with the company in particular when the reason for the freeze is Equifax. We encourage Equifax to continue to work with attorneys general across the country to right this wrong for the millions of people they put at risk. And that help shouldnt come with a price tag. CROWN POINT A retired Gary police officer and former federal investigator is now tossing his hat into the ring for Lake County sheriff. Wally DeRose, 79, of Schererville, retired three years ago from the Homeland Security Federal Protective Services, but some friends suggested he try for the spot vacated last month by John Buncich after he was convicted of bribery, wire fraud and honest services wire fraud charges. "Some of my friends, they said, 'Your training, and your experience is something (the department needs).' It's a pretty good department but it could use some super-improving," DeRose said Thursday. DeRose said he's the man for the job, having spent six years in the U.S. Army, including three years active duty, and seven years with the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. DeRose said he wants to run the county jail more efficiently while still meeting federal DOJ mandates, improve the department's operations and staff vetting and increase use-of-force and other training for Lake County officers. DeRose joins Lake County police Sgt. Oscar Martinez, Schererville Police Chief David Dowling, retired federal law enforcement agent Richard Ligon, Lake County Deputy Police Chief Daniel Murchek, Gary landlord Jim Nowacki, retired San Diego Harbor police Lt. Todd Rakos, of Munster, former Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub and Lake County sheriff's Cpl. Maria Trajkovich among the list of candidates. Each candidate has filed paperwork with the Democratic Party to appear at Saturday's caucus of precinct committee members and ask for their votes to fill the vacancy. GARY U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos put Gary on the map in a big way Friday when she visited local charter schools, complimenting the students' education and the ability of parents to make a choice in their children's education. DeVos visited Gary Middle College and 21st Century Charter School as part of her 2017 Rethink School Tour. DeVos concluded her tour in Missouri and Indiana Friday. Throughout the week, DeVos has highlighted the unique ways in which educators across the country are meeting the needs of individual students. The two charter schools are operated by Indianapolis-based GEO Foundation. The foundation's CEO/founder Kevin Teasley, along with dignitaries, politicians and educators from across Northwest Indiana and the state, were on hand to greet DeVos and listen in on a panel discussion where several 21st Century Charter school students talked about the number of credits they have earned on the road to a associate and bachelor's degree. DeVos, who is a well known advocate for charter schools and using taxpayer dollars to support private schools, went into classrooms and stopped to talk with teachers and students in both school buildings. Junior DeAngello Davis said he is working on a robotics project as part of a class through Vincennes University. "It was an honor to meet Secretary DeVos. She seemed really nice. It's good to meet one of the higher-ups," he said after talking to her. Sophomore Teresa Maciel said she was inspired to attend 21st Century Charter School after meeting Raven Osborne in May. Osborne, who graduated from the charter school in May, may be the lone student in the state who earned her bachelor's degree a few weeks before she earned her high school diploma drawing attention across the country. Maciel said she wants to be a mechatronics engineer. She currently has three college credits, and is working towards the associate degree. "I got a chance to meet Raven and Mr. Cherry and the minute I saw this school, I knew it was where I wanted to be," Maciel said. "The programs here allow us to get a step ahead." Senior James Kelley said his family moved from Chicago to the Region, and he said he found 21st Century Charter School. "This school is one of the best educational facilities that I've ever gone to. They really prepare you for college. I intend to be an engineer," he said. Felecia Day, a student at Gary Middle College which is designed for the non-traditional student who wants to earn a high school diploma, said she came to the school with the credits that qualified her to be a high school sophomore. She said she will have enough to graduate by January. DeVos said on Friday, day four of her tour that started in Wyoming, there is one common theme. "That is that every student, every child, every young adult is, indeed, an individual and is unique and different. There is no one size fits all way to meet their needs," she said. "It's been a particular joy to meet and talk to the students this week." When some of the low test scores at local charter schools were brought to DeVos' attention, she said, "Parents need to have information and will do what is in the best interest of their children. We're hearing from these students today that this is a good fit for them and that's what we hope for." DeVos said she has visited traditional public schools as well as charter schools, and would be happy to come back. She said she would use the information she's gained on the tour to develop creative and innovative approaches to meet the needs of each individual student. A half a dozen people stood on Eighth Avenue and Adams Street in Gary behind 21st Century Charter School holding signs in protest of DeVos' visit and stance on traditional public school education. Anthony Weiner is asking a judge to keep him out of prison. Attorneys for the disgraced former city Congressman say Weiner should be spared from prison because of a "deep sickness." Weiner pleaded guilty back in May to sexting with a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. His lawyers also pinned blame on the girl, who told investigators she wanted to influence last year's Presidential election. Weiner's estranged wife Huma Abedin was a top aide to Hillary Clinton. The two also appeared at divorce hearing on Wednesday. In a letter to the judge, Weiner said he regrets his actions. He was registered as a sex offender earlier this year. He faces more than two years in prison when he's sentenced later this month. A memorial service is held honoring LGBTQ activist Edith Windsor. Mourners gathered at Temple Emanuel on the Upper East Side. Windsor and her wife were part of the landmark Supreme Court case that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act four years ago. That decision gave federal recognition to married same-sex couples for the first time in the U.S. Two years later the right to marry was extended in all 50 states. Her influence was remembered by those gathered for the service. "How could you not say anything about Edie Windsor? She was an extraordinary person, this short, little, I'm going to take on the United States of America," said one mourner. "How many people could really, really imagine doing such a thing." "I never knew her, I just knew her by example," said another. "I'm here to just be a part of the broader cloud of witnesses to be here in support of her memory." Windsor died earlier this week in Manhattan at the age of 88. NEW YORK - A group of business owners in Upper Manhattan say they are the targets of police harassment and are now looking into suing their local precinct. More than a dozen bars and restaurants in Inwood and Washington Heights say police are imposing thousands of dollars in tickets for bogus complaints of noise, being over capacity, or selling alcohol illegally. Business owners say the constant raids are driving out customers, and have since met with attorneys who will consider if a civil rights case could be made against the 34th precinct. "We've had enough of it. We employ thousands of people. And you know what? This precinct has not treated us with the respect that they deserve," said Fernando Mateo of the Northern Manhattan Restaurant and Lounge Association. "It's about to kill us as a business. And we're here to protect about that, because we have to protect our family, to protect our employees, and to protect our employees families. That's the most important thing," said Inwood Bar and Grill Co-owner Eddy Perez. The State Liquor Authority has vowed to mediate with police and business owners. A meeting with senior NYPD members is planned for next week. Record Number of Black Candidates Seeking History During Midterm Elections While some already are household names like Stacey Abrams in Georgia, Val Demings in Florida, and Anthony Brown in Maryland, others like Natalie James in Arkansas, Will Boyd in Alabama,... Tell the Supreme Court: We Still Need Affirmative Action One of the great joys of my life is teaching. Im fortunate to teach classes on social justice at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most respected schools in... The national housing market is slowing down, especially for listed properties in Auckland and Christchurch, new data from TradeMe Property revealed. Autumn figures showed that houses in Auckland were on the market for an average of 41 days this year compared to an average of 28 days for the same period in 2016 and in 2015. Houses in Christchurch were on the market for an average of 45 days compared to an average of 39 days in 2016, a report from the NZ Herald said. Wellington was the only city to buck the trend with sales times dropping from an average of 50 days in 2014 to an average of 28 days this year. The NZ Herald said these figures only reflected the wait time for properties listed on TradeMe Property and did not include previous listing the properties might have been on. TradeMe head of property Nigel Jeffries warned that the warmer weather would not necessarily reverse the wait time. Jeffries said spring was a competitive time for vendors to sell. Spring is a great time because everything is starting to look greener and more inviting, but from what we've seen you shouldn't hang your hat on the 'only sell in spring' mantra, he said. AA Insurance AMI FMG NZI Vero Asteron Life Fidelity Life AMP Financial Services NZI Construction Cost Consultants CoreLogic Gallagher Bassett JB HiFi Smith&Smith Cunningham Lindsey DLA Piper Duncan Cotterill Finity Consulting Hesketh Henry AA Insurance Cigna New Zealand Gallagher Bassett Runacres Insurance AA Insurance ANZ (including OnePath Life) IAG New Zealand Suncorp New Zealand Amanda Cooper, IAG New Zealand Charlotte Langridge, Runacres Insurance Sophie Riddle, NZI Tony Seto, Willis Towers Watson Jonathan Winstone, Pearce Financial Services Kim Matthews, Rothbury Insurance Brokers Hayden Ryan, Crombie Lockwood The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF) is pleased to announce the finalists of the 2017 New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards.Now in their sixth year, the Awards recognise excellence and achievement by the top performing individuals and businesses from across the industry.The New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards provide us the opportunity to celebrate our industry achievements and recognise those high achievers from within the industry. These Awards also work to celebrate and highlight the great contribution those in insurance make to the community, says Prue Willsford, CEO, ANZIIF.The finalists for each category are:DIRECT GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE YEARINTERMEDIATED INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE YEARLIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE YEARINNOVATION OF THE YEARSERVICE PROVIDER TO THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY OF THE YEARPROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM OF THE YEARYOUNG INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS EMPLOYER OF THE YEARWOMEN'S EMPLOYER OF THE YEARYOUNG INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEARBROKING PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEARThis years awards are sponsored by platinum sponsors Asteron Life, DLA Piper New Zealand, Fidelity Life, JB HiFi NZ, NZI, Vero New Zealand and gold sponsor, Stelvio.With additional categories announced on the night, the Awards will be held at the SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland on Thursday 16 November 2017.Press Release The Opelika School Board voted to give Superintendent Mark Neighbors a 6 percent salary increase at its Thursday meeting. Effective Oct. 1, Neighbors salary will increase to $169,600 per year, $9,600 more than his current salary. The school board also approved a proposed $54 million budget for Fiscal Year 2018. The starting equity balance for Oct. 1 is $11.91 million. The 2018 fiscal year total revenue and other fund sources are expected to be $54.71 million, with total expenditures and other fund uses of $56.11 million, equaling a combined total equity ending balance of $10.51 million. I think we should be well positioned, said Chris Harrison, chief school finance officer for Opelika City Schools. The general funds projected ending fund balance is $8.14 million, which equals a 2.33-month reserve in the general fund. The Alabama State Department of Education requires systems to have at least a one-month reserve. As for general fund expenditures, the system expects to spend 79.27 percent of its money on instructional services and support. Operation and maintenance will receive 10.73 percent of funding; auxiliary services will take up 4.09 percent; general administrative services will amount to 4.88 percent; and other expenses take up 1.03 percent. Expenditures and other fund uses in the general fund are $41.9 million, up from 2017s $39.8 million. State revenues make up $23.6 million of the general fund revenue Local revenues make up $16 million. State revenues make up 59.19 percent of general fund revenues, and local revenues account for 40.70 percent. The U.S. Department of Education, the Alabama Department of Education and other government entities have set requirements and restrictions on how money is to be used by school systems. The Opelika City Schools System has the most control over local funds. Before it comes to perform Tuesday as part of the East Alabama Arts 2017-18 Performance Series in Opelika, Ballet Hispanico, a premier Latino dance company in the United States, can be seen on Alabama Public Television tonight at 9 and Saturday at 1:30 a.m. The television program was filmed originally as part of the Lincoln Center at the Movies: Great American Dance series. The dance company will present two of its iconic works during its television performance. Those works are entitled CARMEN.maquia, a modern take on Bizets passionate opera, and Club Havana, a virtuosic reimagining of a sizzling nightclub by Cuban-born choreographer Pedro Ruiz, according to a press release from IMG Artists. For ticket information for Ballet Hispanico at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., call East Alabama Arts at 334.749.8105 or visit eastalabamaarts.org Lindy Oller Edward Felsenthal The editorial merry-go-round continues to spin at several major magazine publishers. Edward Felsenthal is taking over for Nancy Gibbs as editor-in-chief at Time. Gibbs announced her resignation on Tuesday. Felsenthal has been with Time since 2013, first as editor of Time Digital and then as group digital director, news and lifestyle for Time Inc. Before coming to Time, he was co-founder and executive editor of digital news site The Daily Beast and spent 15 years at the Wall Street Journal. Conde Nast has seen its second editor-in-chief leave in the past two weeks as Cindi Leive announced her departure from Glamour. Leive has run the title since 2001, and has been with Conde Nast for 29 years. She will remain with the company until the end of the year. Hope Hicks Hope Hicks, who has served as interim White House communications director since August 16, will now assume the position on a permanent basis. Before taking the interim position, Hicks was the Presidents director of strategic communications. She will be the Trump administrations third full-time communications director, replacing Anthony Scaramucci, who was fired in July. Her working relationship with Trump started when she was employed by Hiltzik Strategies. She left that job to work for the Trump Organization. The White House has also appointed Republican strategist and commentator Mercedes Schlapp as a senior communications adviser, in addition to promoting Raj Shah to principal deputy for press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Steven Cheung to head of strategic response. Russia Today, which is funded by the Russian government, is being investigated for possibly violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. It says on its website that the company that supplies all services for RT America channel, including TV production and operations, in the US, has received a letter from the US Department of Justice, claiming that the company is obligated to register under FARA due to the work it does for RT. The name of that company, however, was not disclosed. This comes on the heels of an FBI investigation of Sputnik, another Russian-based news service. In both cases, it is claimed that the news service in question runs as a propaganda arm of the Russian government. According to The Hill, a January report from the U.S. intelligence community called RT America a state-run propaganda machine that has positioned itself as a domestic U.S channel and has deliberately sought to obscure any legal ties to the Russian Government. The Calif. Brain Tumor Assn. condemned passage of a bill Sept. 14 that allows proliferation of cell towers for the new 4G and 5G cellphone transmitting devices. The Calif. Assembly voted 46-16 with 17 abstentions and the Senate voted 22-10 with 18 abstentions for a bill that forces local communities to lease their land to telecom companies for the new generation of cell towers that are needed every 5-10 houses according to some estimates. It now goes before Gov. Jerry Brown who could veto or not veto it. CBTA said, "The burning question Gov. Brown should be asking himself as he makes a decision that could change California forever is this: If we exempt fire stations to protect firefighters, why are we allowing cell towers throughout neighborhoods, in front of preschools, schools, hidden in church steeples, on lampposts, utility poles and on most public buildings if these are too dangerous for fire stations?" Ellen Marks, Executive Director, California Brain Tumor Association CBTA noted that the League of California Cities said the bill unnecessarily and unconstitutionally strips local authority over public property and shuts out public input and local discretion by eliminating consideration of the aesthetic and environmental impacts of small cells. The bill, the League said, represents a major shift in telecommunications policy and law by requiring local governments to lease out the publics property, cap how much cities can lease this space out for, eliminate the ability for cities to negotiate public benefits, the publics input and full discretionary review in all communities of the state except for areas in coastal zones and historic districts, for the installation of small cell wireless equipment. Equipment Is Not Small It further said, Despite the wireless industrys claim that the equipment would be small in their attempt to justify this special permitting and price arrangement solely for their industry, the bill would allow for antennas as large as six cubic feet, equipment boxes totaling 35 cubic feet (larger than previous bill version of 21 cubic feet), with no size or quantity limitations for the following equipment: electric meters, pedestals, concealment elements, demarcation boxes, grounding equipment, power transfer switches, and cutoff switches. Senator Ben Hueso CBTA said 300 state cities have expressed strong opposition to SB 649, a bill designed to fast track the permitting of wireless and small cell telecommunications facilities in local communities. Mayors of six of California's largest cities have sent the AT&T-initiated bills sponsor, Senator Ben Hueso, a letter opposing the measure, said CBTA. Said CBTA: In spite of the telecom industry and SB 649s sponsors selling this bill to underserved communities as a way to provide them the needed access to better wireless capabilities, The Greenlining Institute http://greenlining.org has come out in opposition stating, Under SB 649, it is likely that providers will focus any service improvements on high-income areas. SB 649 in no way guarantees that low-income communities and communities of color will gain increased access to advanced communications services. CBTA Cites Studies CBTA, headed by executive director Ellen Marks, issued a press release that cited several studies pointing to the dangers of pulsed, electro-magnetic radiation. DNA damage in those living close to a cell tower was documented in a new study by Electromagnetic Biol Med. 2017 Aug 4:1-11: Impact of radiofrequency radiation on DNA damage and antioxidants in peripheral blood lymphocytes of humans residing in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations. Source: Zothansiama, Zosangzuali M, Lalramdinpuii M, Jagetia GC.: Department of Zoology, Cancer and Radiation Biology Laboratory , Mizoram University, India. All of the recorded radiofrequency radiation (RFR) power density values in this study were well below the Federal Communication Commissions maximum permissible exposure limits in the U.S. for the general population, said Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D., University of Calif. Berkeley School of Public Health. The study, said CBTA, follows on the heels of the major $25 million study recently released by the U.S. National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health that found increased incidences of brain cancer, malignant tumors of the heart and DNA damage in laboratory animals from exposure levels the FCC considers "safe. The American Cancer Societys statement on the significance of this new study was cited: The NTP report linking radiofrequency radiation (RFR) to two types of cancer marks a paradigm shift in our understanding of radiation and cancer risk. The findings are unexpected; we wouldnt reasonably expect non-ionizing radiation to cause these tumors. Firefighters Exempted on Health Grounds" Firefighters received an exemption in SB 649 based upon potential harm to firefighters as evidenced by a 17-year history, beginning in 2000, when a small fire dept. sued Nextel for health damages related to neurological impairment after towers were activated next to their stations. The Intl Assn. of Firefighters in 2004 called for an extensive study of the effects that cell towers have on those in firehouses. Link: health grounds. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS DIVISION OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH, SAFETY AND MEDICINE Position on the Health Effects from Radio Frequency/Microwave (RF/MW) Radiation in Fire Department Facilities from Base Stations for Antennas and Towers for the Conduction of Cell Phone Transmissions The International Association of Fire Fighters position on locating cell towers commercial wireless infrastructure on fire department facilities, as adopted by its membership in August 2004 (1), is that the IAFF oppose the use of fire stations as base stations for towers and/or antennas for the conduction of cell phone transmissions until a study with the highest scientific merit and integrity on health effects of exposure to low-intensity RF/MW radiation is conducted and it is proven that such sitings are not hazardous to the health of our members. Study Showed Health Effects Medical writer Susan Foster described the symptoms suffered by these firefighters, some beginning the day the tower was activated just sevden feet from their living quarters. The men suffered from headache, insomnia, brain fog, getting lost in the same town they grew up in, sometimes forgetting protocol in routine medical procedures, mood swings and infertility. In 2004 a SPECT brain pilot study was conducted on California firefighters who had lived in the shadow of a tower for over five years. SPECT is an imaging process that uncovers brain patterns. The study, conducted by Gunnar Heuser, MD, PhD, found brain abnormalities in all six men, including delayed reaction time, lack of impulse control, and cognitive impairment. IAFF Demanded Moratorium As a result, Resolution 15, a collaborative expert/firefighter effort calling for further study and a moratorium on placing cell towers on fire stations throughout the US and Canada, was passed by the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) in Boston in 2004 by 80 percent. Cell tower health concerns were posted on the IAFF website. Said CBTA: Through an exemption in the bill, California legislators accept the need to protect the health of firefighters, some of whom have measurable brain abnormalities following years of exposure to cell towers near their stations. SB 649 is in effect admitting that the devices that will be located in close proximity to homes and schools are likely dangerous. Calif. Finance Dept. Opposes Bill The Calif. State Department of Finance has publicly declared opposition to the bill, says CBTA, quoting the Dept. While the extent of the potential mandate is unknown, Finance believes it can easily approach $1 million per year. Finance opposes this bill. While statewide uniform rules can help the expansion of new technologies, this bill goes too far by usurping city and county zoning authority for infrastructure development, and it potentially imposes reimbursable, state-mandated costs on cities and counties. Senator Elizabeth Warren today launched an investigation into Equifax's data breach, which exposed the personal information of 143M Americans to criminal hackers. The embattled Atlanta-based company hired Edelman to handle its data breach crisis. Edelman representatives declined to comment about its work. In a letter to Equifax CEO Richard Smith, Warren said she was "troubled" by what is described as "one of the largest risks to personally sensitive information in recent years and by the fact that it represents the third recent instance of a data breach of Equifax or its subsidiaries that has endangered America's personal information." The Massachusetts Democrat also expressed "deep concerns" about the initial response by Equifax, which occurred 40 days after the breach. Warren is introducing legislation to provide consumers with free credit freezes and plans to gather information to determine if broader federal laws are required to further protect consumers. Michigan Teacher Assaults 6th-Grader For Not Standing During Pledge Of Allegiance Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When A sixth-grade student was snatched out of his chair by a teacher for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. In a report from Click On Detroit, Stone Chaney, a student at East Middle School in Farmington Hills, Michigan, says that he was pulled out of his chair by a homeroom teacher after refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. The teacher consultant comes up behind me and snatches me out of my chair violently, Stone said. I was so confused. I didnt know what was going on. READ: Cleveland Browns Ride Out For Colin Kaepernick By Kneeling During National Anthem The alleged incident took place on September 7. The following day, a similar occurrence took place when another teacher yelled at Stone for sitting during the Pledge. I dont stand because I dont pledge to a flag, Stone said. I pledge to God and family. I dont feel safe going to that school anymore because I dont know what theyre going to do next, Stone added. Stones father, Brian Chaney, addressed the school district directly during their last board meeting. Its his choice to sit, Chaney said. I dont make him sit. And they should respect that. Following the incident, the superintendent of Farmington Public Schools released the following statement: The District fully supports the right of each student to participate or not in the daily Pledge. The teacher allegedly involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave. At this time, the District cannot speculate about the outcome of the pending investigation. Stone has not returned to the school, with the family saying theyre probably going to leave the district. Source: clickondetroit.com Agricultural News El Reno and Kingfisher FFA Chapters Claim Top Honors at 2017 State Fair of Oklahoma Livestock Judging Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers hosted more than 1,000 agriculture students during their annual State Fair livestock judging contest Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Oklahoma City. FFA and 4-H members in junior and senior categories judged eight categories of livestock with two classes of questions. "Our YF&R committee loves providing this chance for our state's agriculture students to hone their livestock judging skills," said Travis Schnaithman, OKFB state YF&R Chairman. "Many of our committee members grew up judging livestock, and we know the decision-making and reasoning skills students learn through the contest." High individual overall was the top Senior FFA Indivl- Jacob Bedell of El Reno FFA. The El Reno FFA and Kingfisher FFA teams in the Senior Division were tied in most total points of the 2017 contest, with El Reno winning the tie breaker to claim first place in the Senior FFA Division. The top-placing teams in the contest were: Senior FFA Division First Place: El Reno FFA Second Place: Kingfisher FFA Third Place: Prague FFA Gold Team Senior 4-H Division First Place: Alex/Grady County Second Place: Kay County Third Place: Stephens County Junior FFA Division First Place: Cherokee FFA Second Place: Indianola FFA Team 1 Third Place: Moss FFA Junior 4-H Division First Place: Amber-Pocasset Team 1 Second Place: Indianola Third Place: Alex/Grady County The top-placing individuals in the contest were: Senior FFA Division First Place: Jacob Bedell of El Reno FFA Second Place: Gage Cantrell of Prague FFA Gold Team Third Place: Rylyn Thompson of Adair FFA Senior 4-H Division First Place: Dustin Tolson of Alex/Grady County Second Place: Brycen Otey of Alex/Grady County Third Place: Riley Scott of Stephens County Junior FFA Division First Place: Braylon Spears of Hartshorne FFA Team 1 Second Place: Allison Shropshire of Indianola FFA Team 1 Third Place: Kynlee Dailey of Kingston FFA Junior 4-H Division First Place: Dax Delozier of Adair 4-H Second Place: Blake Janssen of Amber-Pocasset Team 1 Third Place: Wyatt Jensen of Jackson County Team 1 You can view details of the contest and how each team did at the 2017 State Fair of Oklahoma Contest by clicking here. WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News Agricultural News Anita Van der Laan of Frederick, Okla. Named a Significant Woman in Agriculture by OK Dept. of Ag As part of a continuing series of stories on Significant Women in Oklahoma Agriculture, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry and Oklahoma State University are recognizing and honoring the impact of countless women across all 77 counties of the state, from all aspects and areas of the agricultural industry. The honorees were nominated by their peers and selected by a committee of 14 industry professionals. This week Anita Van der Laan of Frederick, Okla. is featured this week as a Significant Woman in Oklahoma Agriculture. Growing up in the Holland province Fryslan, Anita Van der Laan never imagined she would one day have an 8,000 head dairy in Oklahoma. Van der Laan's love for dairy began at a very young age on her family's 90-head Holstein dairy back in Holland. She is a 5th generation dairy farmer, with farmers on both sides of her family. A defining moment in Van der Laan's life occurred when she was graduating high school. Because she was a woman, the family dairy went to her brother, and her father told her it was time for her to find somewhere else to work. "It really hurt," Van der Laan recalled. "It still hurts 30 years later. But it made me want to encourage other women to go into the dairy industry." Van der Laan made the decision to move to the United States and start dairying here. Her life took another twist when she attended a Thanksgiving dinner in Texas with neighboring dairy farmers. A young man named Pieter Van der Laan had a birthday on Black Friday, so the friends decided to decorate his house for his birthday while he was out milking. Little did Van der Laan know, Pieter grew up about 30 miles down the road from her in Holland, also on a dairy farm, though the two had never met before coming to Texas. "I met him that day and the rest is history," said Van der Laan. "We've been married 27 years, 7 months and 8 weeks. I'm still counting the days because we are still in love. Can't help it." After the two were married on January 26, 1990, they combined their small herds, got a loan from the bank and started their dairy with 40 cows. Both kept their other jobs to pay off the loans so they could buy more cows. Their herd slowly and steadily began to grow. Today, they have grown to 8,000 head of dairy cattle. "We never imagined in our wildest dreams we would milk this many cows," laughs Van der Laan. "Our kids call us cow hoarders." They have two dairies in Frederick, Okla., Van der Laan Dairy, milking 2,900 cows and Sunshine Dairy LLC, milking 1,500 cows. Van der Laan is proud to say they are 100 percent owned by her and Pieter. Sunshine Dairy LLC sells their milk to Lonestar Milk Producers, and Van der Laan Dairy sells their milk to Select, which sells milk to Hiland Dairy, a popular brand seen in grocery stores across Oklahoma and surrounding states. But no success story is without its trials. Sometimes many. One morning when Van der Laan was out feeding calves, one particular Brown Swiss calf named Gemma butted during feeding, causing the bottle to painfully bump Van der Laan in the chest. A very tender lump appeared within days, and after several weeks of no improvement, she finally went to see a doctor. Her fears were confirmed when the doctor diagnosed her with breast cancer. Van der Laan says if it had not been for Gemma, the cancer would not have been found. "I had never even held a bottle that way," Van der Laan said, "It was just meant to be. "I really believe that God doesn't send angels in the way that we think of them," Van der Laan said, "He sends them in the way we need them. I really believe she was my angel." Though Gemma sadly passed away during Van der Laan's chemotherapy treatments, Gemma's bloodline lives on at the dairy. She has three siblings on the farm-Gloria, which means glory to God, Gertrud, which means glory to God in Dutch, and Grietje, which means pearl of God in Dutch. "Her mama is still around too," said Van der Laan. "Every time I talk to her I tell her she's the mama of an angel." Van der Laan will forever hold a special place for Gemma in her heart. "She saved my life," Van der Laan said. "In all the dairy farming, you would never imagine God would send you an angel like that-but He did." Difficult times did not stop with Van der Laan's fight with Breast Cancer. 2011 proved to be a very challenging year, bringing severe weather such as extreme heat, drought, and tornadoes. In June 2011, their dairy was hit by a small tornado. The contractor had just completed the remodeling and repair work in October when an EF-4 tornado devastated their dairy on November 7, 2011. They lost over half of their baby calves, 450, and many more cattle were injured. "People we didn't even know came to help," Van der Laan recalled. "They took our injured calves that I couldn't care for and took care of them, we got them all back in December." A farm they frequently did business with came with a large trailer and took the remaining healthy cattle back to their farm to allow the Van der Laans to rebuild and recover. "We still to this day have cows that limp or have scars," Van der Laan said. "They are our tornado victims, but they are still here." Van der Laan says despite the hard times, Oklahoma has been good to them, and she can't imagine dairying anywhere else, especially because of the way their neighbors came to their aide in the time of need. "Oklahoma is home to us now," Van der Laan said. Today dairies across the country are selling out and going out of business, so one can't help but wonder what makes the Van der Laans continue to dairy. It is certainly not an easy life. Dairying is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year- it never stops. But Van der Laan simply laughs and says she understands it is not for everyone. "I love the industry, I love the people, I love promoting our wonderful product," she said. "That's just what I love to do. It doesn't matter where you are-in the grocery store, talking to a stranger, we have to promote our product. When someone finds out I'm a dairy farmer and they tell me they drink the other types of milk, I love to tell them why they have to drink the real McCoy." The Van der Laans have three children, Eric, Wilma and Liza, who have all come back to work and help with the family dairy. Most recently, Wilma and her new husband have joined the family's operation. Wilma's husband is an engineer and now heavily involved in their 6,000 acre crop farming, and Wilma continues to help out with the dairy. "I wanted to raise my daughters to know there is no difference between them and brother-they can dairy too," Van der Laan said, "Especially because of what happened to me. I'm so proud of her (Wilma) for saying she wanted to go back to the family farm and dairy." Van der Laan says working with their three children is very special, and describes it as a beautiful life. "I don't know what I would do without it," she said. "I have 25 heifers in the back yard right now, just because I can. I have plenty on the dairy, but I love to bring some home. These are my pets." Source - Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News Agricultural News ODAFF's Made in Oklahoma Program Gets New 3,600 Sq. Ft. Store Front Location at OK State Fair One word goes a long way in telling the story of the new Made in Oklahoma Store at the Oklahoma State Fair - growing. Naturally, growing is a part of agriculture, but there has also been significant growth in the Made in Oklahoma program and in the Made in Oklahoma Store itself. The Made in Oklahoma Store began as a 300-square foot store/exhibit space in 2014 then grew to 600 square feet in 2015 and 900 square feet in 2016. This week, through the efforts of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture (ODAFF) and the Oklahoma State Fair, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the opening of a more than 3,600-square foot Made in Oklahoma Store, located within the State Fairground's new Bennett Event Center. Tandy Kidd, an ODAFF marketing coordinator for the Made in Oklahoma program, joined Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays in studio this week, to discuss this new outlet for MIO members to promote their products. "We have anything that you can imagine," Kidd said. "Everything from skincare products, soap, lotion, foods - all the way down to home decor, furniture- really anything you can just imagine, is made and processed here in Oklahoma." The Made in Oklahoma Store is open to companies throughout the state that produce, grow or manufacture products of any kind. The sales have increased due to the number of Made in Oklahoma products that have been added to the store each year. The membership of the Made in Oklahoma program, which began in the late 1980s, has a long-standing tradition of producing quality handmade items that Oklahomans can be proud to support. Kidd says the Made in Oklahoma program itself has continued to grow throughout the years. "There is no cost to be in the Made in Oklahoma program," Kidd said. "Currently, we have about 400 different companies that are within the Made in Oklahoma program. The Made in Oklahoma Store, was kind of the brainchild of Secretary Jim Reese and (Oklahoma State Fair President and CEO) Mr. Tim O'Toole. Our first year, we had a little over 100 sq. ft. in 2014, and each year we kind of progressively went forward. Last year we had a little over 900 sq. ft. and then this year we really made a large leap and we have over 3,600 sq. ft. of solely Made in Oklahoma products for consumers to purchase." The Made in Oklahoma Store has strengthened the partnership between the Made in Oklahoma Program and the Oklahoma State Fair. The Oklahoma State Fair has offered hundreds of Made in Oklahoma companies the opportunity to showcase and sell their products to an audience they have previously been unable to reach. Kidd says he believes the Made in Oklahoma program has a bright future ahead as it continues to grow. "There's really a demand and a need for products that are grown locally and produced here in the state," Kidd said. "I really see the Made in Oklahoma program going really far in the future." There are close to 50 Made in Oklahoma vendors in the store this year. The store hours are the same as the Bennett Event Center, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Oklahoma State Fair continues through Sunday, September 24. Kidd will join Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays for his weekly In the Field segment on KWTV News9 in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m. Be sure to catch their visit then. In the meantime, you can listen to Hays' complete off-camera interview with Kidd, by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below. Listen to Ron Hays and Tandy Kidd speak off-camera about the new Made in Oklahoma Store, below WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News A film about two people talking about architecture while walking around a small Indiana town might not be the kind of thing that gets moviegoers lining up round the block. But know this: For a certain kind of viewer, the new film Columbus will be an extremely absorbing and affecting experience, regardless of your interest in architecture or indie cinema, or, for that matter, Indiana. Like the buildings its characters tour and dissect, Columbus (the debut feature from the visual artist Kogonada) is a thing of exquisite symmetry sharp, clean lines, every piece serving a purpose, an elegant aesthetic that doesnt overshadow the demands of function. Films and buildings alike fulfill the same primary role, after all: You put people in them. Ideally, interesting people. And Columbus gives us two tremendous characters in Casey and Jin. Casey (Haley Lu Richardson) is a young woman caring for her hot-mess mother (Michelle Forbes). She dreams of skipping her titular hometown to become an architect, her career path influenced by Columbus, Indiana, itself a real-life mecca of modern architecture. Jin (John Cho) is an American living in Korea who gets stuck in Columbus when his father, a famous architect, falls into a coma while visiting the town. Casey and Jin are both teetering on the brink of a new life, and each will be the key to getting the other to finally take the leap. Their paths cross in a sort of meet-cute though this isnt exactly a romance and they become fast friends. They take long afternoon walks and late-night drives to see Caseys favorite local designs. They talk about art but mostly about each others lives and problems. Writer/director Kogonada a video essayist known before this only in academic circles and cinematographer Elisha Christian shoot the actors in wide shots and long takes, letting scenes play out patiently against the backdrop of Columbus many beautiful sights. The themes that emerge in the talks are juxtaposed with cleverly corresponding visuals. Casey and Jin first really connect, for instance, while talking in front of a bridge. They offer each other emotional support as two huge pillars lean against each other right behind them. Beyond its pleasing visuals, Columbus offers a rich, ceaseless stream of intellectual dialogue that feels neither alienating nor overwrought. Casey and Jins problems are just as approachable as the words they use to express them. Their circumstances never tip into melodrama, and their ground-level troubles (dying parents, dead-end careers, needy family members) make them eminently relatable. The eminently likable lead performances dont hurt. Cho is terrific. But Richardson is a revelation. The actress (so great in last years Edge of Seventeen) makes Casey at once knowingly wry and quietly heartbreaking. She can turn on a dime from comedy to drama, and in a better world, where movies like Columbus got more attention she would be a front-runner in the best-actress race. For now, just know that Haley Lu Richardson is the real deal. Through her character, Columbus does something I cant remember any recent film doing (let alone doing well): It makes the fine arts exciting and unpretentious. In one scene, Jin asks Casey why she loves this particular building. She starts repeating lines shes gleaned from so much tour-guide spiel before Jin stops her. No, he says. What do YOU like about it? Like Jin, Columbus is committed to asking us why we like what we like. It removes art from the airless confines of academic discourse and seeks to spotlight that fascinating chasm that exists between the formal intent of the creator and the personal response of the beholder. The result is a work of art you may respond strongly to about why we respond strongly to works of art. "Columbus" Grade: A Cast: Haley Lu Richardson, John Cho, Parker Posey, Michelle Forbes Director: Kogonada Rating: Unrated, but it contains a little profanity Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Theater: Film Streams LINCOLN A day after an annual report revealed little progress in Nebraskas beleaguered prison system, a debate erupted Friday at the State Capitol over how mandatory minimum prison sentences may affect inmate overcrowding. No firm data emerged to suggest that mandatory minimums severely overburden Nebraskas prisons, because they are reserved for serious felonies that generally warrant prison terms. But prosecutors and police lined up on the side that favors keeping the sentencing laws, while defense attorneys argued that mandatory minimums only prevent judges from making sure the punishment fits the criminal. The animated discussion during an interim study hearing by the Legislatures Judiciary Committee likely foreshadowed whats to come next year when lawmakers resume debate on a carryover bill that would eliminate mandatory minimums for drug offenses in Nebraska. After the hearing, several Judiciary Committee members reacted with concern about Thursdays 100-page report showing Nebraskas ongoing approaches to solve the prison crisis have made little or no headway. I think its highly distressing, said State Sen. Patty Pansing-Brooks of Lincoln. This is not the trend were seeking. Sen. Laura Ebke of Crete, chairwoman of the committee, expressed similar concerns. At some point you have to see some measurable differences, she said. At some point you have to stop the bleeding. Ebke said she wants to see all three branches of state government continue to meet to figure out the next steps. The governor, the chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court and state senators had been meeting with a national prison reform council, but the last of those meetings took place in August. Gov. Pete Ricketts recently said he does not see the need for a large committee, and said he would continue to meet regularly to discuss the issues with the speaker of the Legislature and the chief justice. The report by Doug Koebernick, inspector general of the Corrections Department, said Nebraskas prisons hold 62 percent more inmates than they were designed to house, which makes the states system the second-most-crowded in the nation. In addition, the Department of Correctional Services continues to struggle with high rates of staffing vacancies, mandatory overtime, restrictive housing use and inmate-on-staff assaults. Scott Frakes, director of the Corrections Department, said he has launched several initiatives to address challenges his staff has identified, which include those highlighted by the inspector general. Under current law, the governor must declare a prison emergency in 2020 if overcrowding has not been reduced to 40 percent above design capacity. Such a declaration would require the state to parole enough inmates to reduce the population to match full design capacity. Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said he will introduce legislation next session to require an emergency declaration in 2018. Krist formally announced earlier this week that he will mount a third-party campaign to run against Ricketts for governor. We need to take some extraordinary steps moving forward or build a new prison. Thats where were at, Krist said. Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage on Friday said, Working together the last three sessions, the governor and Legislature have made significant investments in our Corrections facilities, team members and security measures. We will not respond to political attacks. The Governors Office does not comment on potential legislation, Gage said, but declaring an emergency would let violent criminals out of prison and threaten public safety. On Friday, the committee heard strong support for mandatory minimum sentences from the police who arrest offenders and the attorneys who prosecute them. Capt. Scott Gray, who serves in the northeast precinct of the Omaha Police Department, said many criminals are well aware of the crimes that carry mandatory minimums and try to avoid being charged with them. Deterring these individuals with hard minimum punishments is likely to save citizens from injury or death and prevent further psychological damage to the community, he said. Of the nearly 5,300 inmates currently in state prisons, a total of 1,015 or 19 percent are serving mandatory minimum sentences, said Corey OBrien, criminal bureau chief for the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. The majority are repeat felons who were convicted of firearm offenses, OBrien said. Others are serving mandatory sentences for sexual assault of a child, homicide, robbery and assault. Only 87 were convicted of drug offenses, primarily for trafficking heroin, methamphetamine or cocaine. These are not first-time, nonviolent offenders, he said. These are repeat offenders who pose a danger to our society. Spike Eickholt, a defense attorney who testified on behalf of the ACLU of Nebraska, said the problem with mandatory minimums is they prevent judges from using lighter prison terms or probation if thats what best serves the offender and society. Serious crimes will always warrant serious punishment, even without mandatory minimums, he argued. This is a component of the solution ... to avoid unnecessary and lengthly incarcerations, he said. The Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources Districts board of directors has voted to approve the 2018 fiscal year operating budget. The vote was Thursday night at the boards meeting in Dakota City, Nebraska. Under the budget, the district will spend $66.7 million next year, with about $23.7 million of that coming from property taxes. The overall budget is down a bit from the 2017 budget, which was $70.5 million. But the proportion that comes from property taxes will be slightly higher last year, it was $22.8 million. The districts levy will drop to 3.78 cents per $100 of valuation. That means that the owner of a home valued at $150,000 would pay $56.70 per year for the NRD. A subcommittee gave its OK to the budget Tuesday night at a meeting in Omaha. The 2018 budget runs from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. The district covers Douglas, Sarpy and Washington Counties and parts of Burt, Thurston and Dakota Counties. WASHINGTON (AP) The fate of 800,000 young immigrants hung in the balance Thursday as top lawmakers, White House officials and President Donald Trump squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them and if so, exactly what the deal was. Facing intense backlash from conservatives inside the Capitol and out, Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republican House members adamantly insisted that there was no agreement to enshrine protections for the immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and now here illegally. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, put it this way: There was a deal to make a deal. Trump said he was fairly close to an agreement that could protect the young Dreamers who had been covered under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA while also adding border security, as long as his long-promised wall along the Mexican border was also separately addressed. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer whose dinner with Trump Wednesday night was at the heart of the controversy insisted that there was discussion and even agreement on legislation that would offer eventual citizenship to the immigrants in question. We agreed it would be the DREAM Act, Schumer told reporters, referring to a bipartisan bill that would allow immigrants brought here as children and now in the U.S. illegally to work their way to citizenship in as little as five years if they meet certain requirements. What was clear was that the outcome for the young immigrants themselves was still unresolved and subject to much further debate and negotiation and that the politics of immigration, which has defeated Congress for years, remained as tricky and explosive as ever. After winning the White House on a campaign that was remarkably harsh toward immigrants and revolved around construction of a wall along the entire border with Mexico, Trumps sudden pivot infuriated some of his closest allies and seemed to contain more potential to alienate his base than any of his other unconventional moves. He was so explicit during the campaign on the issue of the border wall and border security that if he were to backtrack on that promise, I dont think hed have a single friend left in the country. Democrats arent going to support him and he would lose the entire Republican base, said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. Administration officials quickly recognized the danger in the backlash, and the White House shifted into damage control mode, with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denying that a deal had been struck or the wall excluded from it. Some also wondered aloud Thursday whether the president was aware of the minutiae of the DREAM Act legislation discussed on Wednesday, including the fact that it includes an eventual path to citizenship. Were not looking at citizenship, were not looking at amnesty. Were looking at allowing people to stay here, Trump told reporters as he traveled to view hurricane damage in Florida. And were working with everybody. Republican. Were working with Democrat. But very importantly, what we want: We have to have a wall, Trump said. If we dont have a wall, were doing nothing. Despite Trumps denial, two people briefed on Wednesday nights proceedings said that citizenship was explicitly mentioned when Democrats raised the DREAM Act. Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, who was among the group Wednesday, spoke up that the bill does include citizenship, according to the people briefed. Whether or how Trump digested Mulvaneys statement was unclear. But the posture struck by Ryan and others on Capitol Hill seemed designed to protect the president from a backlash from his conservative base. Ryan energetically disputed the idea that any deal had been struck, though his argument seemed to turn largely on semantic distinctions. These were discussions, not negotiations; there isnt an agreement, Ryan said. The president wasnt negotiating a deal last night. The president was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspective. I think the president understands that hes going to have to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution. The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released a statement Thursday that offered lukewarm support for the emerging deal. We look forward to receiving the Trump administrations legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues, it said. Among Democrats, several, especially on the partys left, expressed skepticism that Trump would actually follow through. Pelosi, at a press conference, sought to quiet fears on her side. I trust the president, in that regard. Some of Trumps supporters in Congress who have opposed immigration legislation in the past seemed resigned to a deal. This is an opportunity for all of us, said Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., an early Trump backer. A perfect trade. Trump is frustrated with gridlock in Congress, and you cant blame him, Barletta added. Immigrant advocates and Latino lawmakers reacted cautiously, with several saying that any celebration would be premature. This report includes material from the Tribune Washington Bureau. LINCOLN State Sen. Merv Riepe formally announced Thursday that he will seek re-election in 2018, setting up what looks to be one of the most competitive races in the Nebraska Legislature. The conservative Republican senator from Ralston made it official about two weeks after Omaha attorney Steve Lathrop, a prominent Democrat, announced he was running for his old seat in the Legislature. Lathrop, 60, served from 2007 to 2014, when term limits prevented him from running again. Riepe, 75, a retired hospital administrator, was elected this year as chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee. Among the bills he has sponsored is one that allowed direct primary care, a system in which patients pay their providers a flat, monthly fee rather than paying through insurance. In addition to health care reforms, Riepe said his priorities during a second, four-year term would be to support job creation policies and reduce taxes. Illegal drugs continue to make their way into prisons. Theyre hard to keep out, even in heavily monitored, controlled environments. The most effective prisons gather solid intelligence about inmate drug dealers and use prison guards to sweep cells and common areas to find and confiscate drugs. Nebraska prison officials appear to be ramping up their disruptions of such contraband, which could deter some prison drug dealing. In 2016, state prison employees filed 2,348 intoxicant abuse write-ups, up 37 percent from 2015, when they filed 1,714. The states prison in Tecumseh, where an inmate died in June after overdosing on illegal drugs, recorded 700 write-ups in 2016, a 239 percent increase from the year before. These deterrence efforts might be working. Random drug tests found fewer inmates with drugs in their systems in 2016 than in 2015. State prisons director Scott Frakes says the prison system is rebuilding units that gather intelligence. This work, with beefed-up sweeps, helped find an unusual and significant drug cache recently at the Nebraska State Penitentiary in Lincoln. Its disturbing to find an inmate hiding weapons, a cell phone and enough drugs and alcohol to serve as a prison distributor. But its important for prison officials to keep trying to make it harder to sell drugs behind bars. The Nebraska State Patrol is still investigating how the weapons, cell phone, drugs and alcohol got into the prison. Once they have answers, Frakes and his staff can address any staff shortcomings, adjust their tactics and keep up the good fight. 17 terrorists at an average have been killed every month in J&K India oi-Vicky By Vicky Security forces have killed an average 17 terrorists every month in the Valley. The record number of killings in 2017 has surpassed the earlier records of 2008 and 2010 when there was unrest in the Valley. The killings this year are significant since the targets have all been the leaders of the groups. Area commanders are the ones who have been targeted the most. Security officials completed yet another successful encounter on Thursday when they killed Abu Ismail, the mastermind of the Amarnath yatra attack along with his associate Chhota Qasim. The high number of killings are also a result of the period of the unrest. This is the longest unrest period when compared to 2008 and 2010. While in the past the government decided to appoint interlocutors for peace, this time around it has decided to take a tough approach. The security forces say that the success is due to precise intelligence. There is rock solid intelligence on the ground which have led to precise killings of top terrorists. The number has already crossed 150 this year. With terrorists having nowhere to run, the security forces have advised them to take surrender route. The Armed Forces have been telling terrorists to surrender. As per the surrender policy, a terrorist would get Rs 1.5 lakh from the government. An additional amount would be paid depending the kind of weapon they give up. If a terrorist gives up his pistol, then he gets an additional Rs 2,000. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 5:58 [IST] UP ATS picks up two more accused in Al-Qaeda radicalisation case 2 shot dead in Meerut over parking; police deployed to prevent communal violence India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar A dispute over car parking led to the murder of two people in Meerut's Phalauda on Thursday evening. The victims had parked their vehicle in front of accused's house which led to a fight. However, political rivalry is the main reason behind the killings, alleged the relatives of the victims. Two people killed in firing over vehicle parking issue in Meerut's Phalauda yesterday, murder case being registered: SSP Manzil Saini pic.twitter.com/ld7JFNPI63 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 15, 2017 Manzil Saini, SSP Meerut, said two persons have been detained in connection with the incident. A case of murder has been registered. As per Times of India, since the victims belong to a particular community, heavy police force was deployed in the area to prevent a communal flare-up; though both police and the relatives of the victims say that political rivalry is the main reason behind the killings. "The incident is not of communal nature as political enmity had been simmering between the two groups for quite some time. In fact, Dariyao Singh [accused] was being supported by a few members from another community. It is a case of double murder," Saini was quoted by TOI as saying. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 8:45 [IST] 7th Pay Commission: No arrears for CG employees on minimum pay India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Central Government who are waiting for a hike in minimum pay under the 7th Pay Commission, however are unlikely to get arrears. The government which will hike the minimum pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 21,000 has however not decided to give arrears on the same. In June the Ministry had fixed the minimum pay at Rs 18,000. While the fitment factor considered at that time was 2.57, with the increase minimum pay it would have to be at 3. The Finance Ministry says that it is eager to hike the minimum pay. However the arrears would not be paid. Once hiked it would be effective from January 1 2018. Moreover the matter will be placed before the Cabinet in the month of January. The decision was taken after it was felt that the minimum pay was not good enough for CG employees. The employees have however been demanding that the minimum pay be raised to Rs 26,000 which means the fitment factor would have to be at 3.68. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 16:14 [IST] Big challenge ahead Government sources say that a committee is looking into the grievances of the CG employees. It will need to be done sooner or later. We are not speaking about a few thousand people here. There are lakhs of employees and the minimum pay hike as recommended by the pay panel is not sufficient for them. The government is taking into consideration various factors and problems of the Central Government employees. Important for 2019 The government would also bear in mind the 2019 elections. If the CG employees are given a good pay hike then they would back the government. Moreover if the financial stress on the employees is high, they may not perform well. The next two years is very crucial for the government. In order to roll out reforms, the government needs the backing of the employees. If the employees are unhappy and continue to suffer financial stress, then they will not be able to work which would then directly affect the government's functioning. Trying to implement before 2018 Government officials part of the process say that they are trying to implement the basic minimum pay hike by January 2018. There is a lot of work on the background to ensure that the same is implemented and effective from January 2018. While some union leaders have said that nothing has been communicated to them, sources said that the same would be done once everything is ready. It would be improper to reveal the details when the process is underway, the source also said. 7th Pay Commission recommendations The 7th Pay Commission had recommended a pay hike of Rs 18,000 from Rs 7,000. However the CG employees had demanded that it be hiked to Rs 26,000. The government would look into the issue and could finally fix the basic minimum pay at Rs 21,000. It must be noted that the government had made it clear that the basic pay of Rs 18,000 is not fixed and is variable. Amarnath yatra attack avenged: How the terrorists were taken down one by one Abu Ismail down: The five Grade A++ terrorists, Army would kill next India oi-Vicky By Vicky The security forces had recently released a list of Grade A++ terrorists in the Valley. The past few months saw many of them fall like nine pins in the Valley. Adding to the list of dead Grade A++ terrorists was Abu Ismail, gunned down in a 3 minute encounter at Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. He was the mastermind of the Amarnath yatra attack. With the likes of Sabzar Bhat, Abu Dujana and Bashir Ahmed Wani being killed, let us look at the remaining Grade A++ terrorists remaining in the Valley. Riyaz Naikoo: He is the new chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen. Armed and dangerous, the security forces are on the lookout for him. He is 20 years old and took over following the death of Yasin Ittoo in an encounter last month. Recommended Video Pakistan violates ceasefire in Arnia, RS Pura near Jammu, one jawan killed | Oneindia News Zakir Musa: He broke away from the Hizbul Mujahideen and launched the Kashmir chapter of the al-Qaeda. He has been in the news for the statements that he issues regarding the setting up of a Caliphate in Kashmir. He is popular among the locals. Salim Paddar: Salim alias Zaid is the Hizbul Mujahideen's district commander in Shopian. He is a resident of Shrimal in Shopian and was recruited into the outfit on September 25 2015. He was part of the Burhan Wani camp. Zeenat-ul-Islam: He is the one who will take over from Abu Ismail as the commander of the Lashkar in the Valley. The 28 year old resident of Shopian he joined the outfit in 2015. A former member of the al-Badr terror group, he is an expert bomb maker, police files on him reveal. Khalid: A resident of Pakistan, the police suspect that Khalid could be Abu Hamas. He is the divisional commander of the Jaish and has been active in the Valley since 2016. He is the one who was behind the attack on the District Police Lines in South Kashmir in which 8 security personnel including four policemen were killed. OneIndia News Amarnath yatra attack: How security forces tracked and killed Ismail India oi-Vicky By Vicky Following the horrific Amarnath yatra attack, security forces have been on the trail of Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist. Ismail the mastermind of the attack was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. Intelligence Bureau officials say that since the attack, there had been a manhunt for Ismail. At times we came close to trapping him and there were a couple of misses as well. By Wednesday evening, we had zeroed down on his location and after making sure that the terrorist was really him, operations were launched on Wednesday. In fact the intelligence that was picked up on him suggested that he was planning a major strike on the outskirts of Srinagar. He was killed in the nick of time, the officer also said. While Ismail had associates in the attack, the security forces wanted to gun down the top boss first. Officials say that this year the focus has been on the commanders or the leaders of the outfit. When the top boss is shot dead, the cronies below him shake and hence this strategy was adopted, the officer also noted. In July terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba opened fired on a bus from Gujarat carrying pilgrims. 8 yatris were killed in the attack. Detailed investigations showed that Ismail was involved in the attack. The police said that he had masterminded the attack and was also present at the crime scene. He was the first to open fire on the bus, the police also said. The killing of Ismail is a major success. He is the fourth A++ terrorist to be killed in Kashmir in recent months after Abu Dujana, Sabzar Bhat and Burhan Wani. Ismail in his mid 30s had been part of the Lashkar for the past seven years. He was part of a camp comprising 200 terrorists who had been training to launch attacks in India. He recently took over as the Lashkar chief in Kashmir from Abu Dujana who was killed in an encounter. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 6:05 [IST] Only those from political families can eye a CMs post in Congress: Amit Shah Amit Shah urges BJP party workers to strengthen Jharkhand unit India pti-PTI Ranchi, Sept 15: BJP president Amit Shah called upon party workers to strengthen the party's Jharkhand unit. Addressing party men at the party office here, Shah said in his 110 days of journey across the country, Jharkhand is the 22nd state. The aim is expansion of organisational works, a party release quoting him said here. Shah said that the BJP has been getting support from the people as seen in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, but the party has to reach its peak. He also said there is no need for over enthusiasm, the release said. He said constructive results are being seen and there is enthusiasm among the workers, the release added. PTI On camera: Varanasi folks in panic as 'ghost in white' goes for a walk on rooftops Varanasi to light up for Deep Deepavali, a festival of lights that is not Diwali Army is prepared for any situation: Sitharaman India oi-Vikas By Vikas Asserting that border related matters are being handled in a comprehensive way to ensure there is no harm to the nation, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the Indian Army is prepared for any situation. Speaking at the Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi, Sitharaman said, "We are handling border related matters in a comprehensive way ensuring there is no harm to the nation...Not walking on the path of war but at the same time I would like to add that our army is prepared for any situation." The Defence Minister also said that she has been visiting camps of the air force and the navy since assuming the post. She said that even the Prime Minister has asked her to go to different camps and meet the officials. Sitharaman, who earlier held the Commerce and Industries portfolio in the Narendra Modi-led government, on September 7 took charge as the country's new defence minister. She was welcomed by outgoing defence minister Arun Jaitley. Sitharaman was given charge of the ministry after the reshuffle on September 3 where she was elevated to cabinet rank. Sitharaman is the country's first full-time woman defence minister. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 11:09 [IST] At monsoon's fag end, why is there so much rain in Delhi-NCR now? Bad road condition due to monsoon, not negligence, says Mizoram CM India pti-PTI Aizawl, Sep 15: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla said bad road conditions in the state were a result of heavy monsoon, refuting charges by the Opposition that it was due to negligence on part of the government. Addressing Congress party workers during a session here, Thanhawla said the early advent of the monsoon season and heavy rains caused severe hardships for farmers in the state. The chief minister said heavy rains this year had caused 984 incidents of road blocks, 81 incidents of road collapse, along with damage to 92 retaining walls and 83 culverts. The state government would need around Rs 30 crore for repair of the roads, retaining walls and culverts, Thanhawla added. Opposition Mizo National Front had recently called for a 12-hour bandh in protest against inferior road conditions in the state. MZF senior vice-president Tawnluia had alleged that the bad road conditions in the state were due to corruption. Truck operators in Mizoram had also called for a three-day strike earlier in the week against poor road conditions. PTI UP ATS picks up two more accused in Al-Qaeda radicalisation case Baghpat boat tragedy: Case filed against sailor, 50 others India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar A case has been registered against the sailor and 50 others on Firday in connection with Baghpat boat capsize incident that claimed 22 lives. At least 22 people died after a boat carrying 60 people capsized on Thursday in river Yamuna in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. Twelve people were rescued. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. The boat was supposed to carry only 10-15, but due to the number of passengers being boarded, the boat turned turtle in the middle of the river. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for next of kin of those dead in the incident. District Magistrate Bhawani Singh said Police and PAC personnel have fished out 22 bodies so far. "The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity," he said. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized," the district magistrate said. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 10:19 [IST] Places of Worship Act: SC gives more time to Centre to file affidavit by Dec 12 Blue Whale Challenge ban: SC issues notice to Centre India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to Centre on a plea seeking complete ban on Blue Whale Challenge game. The apex court sought detailed reply within three weeks. Blue Whale Challenge has claimed lives across the country. The Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in which the player is given certain tasks to complete for a period of 50 days and the final task leads to committing suicide. The player is also asked to share photos after finishing the challenge. Last month a PIL was moved in Delhi High Court seeking directions to internet companies like Google, Facebook and Yahoo to take down the links of 'Blue Whale', a challenge-based suicide game that has been allegedly linked to deaths of several children worldwide. Recommended Video Blue Whale Game Challenge : Assam student tries to end life, jumps off the building | Oneindia News Citing deaths of children in India and abroad, advocate Gurmeet Singh, who filed the petition, sought immediate directions to restrain the internet majors from uploading any material pertaining to the Blue Whale Challenge. He also sought direction to the Delhi Police to appoint a special team comprising at least five members to oversee whether the internet companies comply with the court's direction. (With agency inputs) FM Nirmala Sitharaman hints at possibility of Centre considering restoration of state status to J&K BSF jawan martyred in cease fire violation by Pakistan India oi-Vicky By Vicky Recommended Video Pakistan violates ceasefire in Arnia, RS Pura near Jammu, one jawan killed | Oneindia News One jawan has been martyred in Pakistan firing at the Arnia sector in Jammu and Kashmir. There was a cease fire violation reported early this morning. While Indian forces retaliated, one jawan of the Border Security Force sustained severe injuries. He however succumbed to injuries. The jawan has been identified as Brijendra Bahadur. One civilian too has been injured in the incident. Pakistan has been resorting to cease fire violations. Intelligence Bureau officials have warned there would be more such instances as the winter sets in. Most of these incidents take place to provide cover fire to terrorists so that they could infiltrate into the Valley. OneIndia News More than 7,000 Indians sought asylum in US in 2017: UN report Wont rest until every refugee from Pak is given citizenship: Shah Is the Refugee Convention living up to the times? Govt set to grant citizenship to Chakmas, Hajong refugees India oi-PTI Amidst the uproar over Rohingya Muslims, nearly one lakh Chakma and Hajong refugees, who came from the erstwhile East Pakistan five decades ago, currently living in camps in the Northeast are set to get Indian citizenship. The Chakma-Hajong refugee issue was discussed threadbare on Wednesday at a high-level meeting convened by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval among others. In 2015, the Supreme Court had directed the Central government to grant citizenship to the Chakma and Hajong refugees, mostly staying in Arunachal Pradesh. "The Supreme Court order on Chakmas and Hajongs was discussed in the meeting. We need to implement the order as early as possible," a home ministry official said. Several organisations and civil society in Arunachal Pradesh have been opposing citizenship to the refugees saying it would change the demography of the state. The Centre is trying to find a workable solution to the issue by proposing that Chakma and Hajong refugees will not be given rights, including ownership of land, enjoyed by Scheduled Tribes in Arunachal Pradesh, the official said. However, they may be given Inner Line permits, required for non-locals in Arunachal Pradesh to travel and work. Chakmas and Hajongs were originally residents of Chittagong Hill Tracts in the erstwhile East Pakistan. They left their homeland when it was submerged by the Kaptai dam project in the 1960s. The Chakmas, who are Buddhists, and the Hajongs, who are Hindus, also allegedly faced religious persecution and entered India through the then Lushai Hills district of Assam (now Mizoram). The Centre moved the majority of them to the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA), which is now Arunachal Pradesh. According to officials, their numbers have gone up from about 5,000 in 1964-69 to one lakh. At present, they don't have citizenship and land rights but are provided basic amenities by the state government. The Arunachal Pradesh government approached the apex court to review its 2015 order but in vain. After the Supreme Court's rejection, both the Central and state governments started consultations to find a solution to the issue. The initiative on the Chakma and Hajong refugees comes amid the ongoing row over the Central government's plans to deport Rohingya Muslims, who came to India due to alleged persecution in Myanmar. Rijiju, who belongs to Arunachal Pradesh, has said Rohingyas were illegal immigrants. He also said that India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world. On Monday, a top UN official Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein slammed India on the Rohingya Muslim issue. India had said that it would deport those Rohingya Muslims living illegally in India as they posed a security threat. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, September 13, 2017, 15:00 [IST] Decide who should get AIADMK symbol before Oct 31: Madras HC tells ECI India oi-Anusha The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday asked the Election Commission of India to decide on the AIADMK symbol row. The court has given the ECI till October 31 to decide which faction of the AIADMK should get the party's two-leaves symbol. The ECI had frozen the AIADMK party's name and symbol in March earlier this year after two factions of the AIADMK led by Sasikala Natarajan and O Panneerlsevam staked claim to it. While the two factions have now merged, making way for a new rebel group under TTV Dinakaran, the symbol and name of the party continue to be frozen. The Madurai Bench of the Madras High court on Friday set a deadline for the election commission to dispose of the case and decide on which faction the symbol belongs to, in other words, which faction is the real AIADMK. The task is difficult for the now considering that the Palanisamy and Panneerselvam factions have now united and have made fresh representations to the election commission to withdraw their pleas. Meanwhile, TTV Dinakaran's rebel group has now staked claim to the symbol as well. Speaking to the media on Friday, TTV Dinakaran said that he was bent upon reviving the party, its name and the symbol. "We are seeking legal help over the AIADMK symbol row. All attempts are being made to disqualify the MLAs supporting me. If they are disqualified, we will fight it legally," said TTV Dinakaran. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 13:35 [IST] Former Maha CMs son Nitesh Rane pours mud over engineer, ties him up during inspection How an Engineer Turned into a Seasoned Entrepreneur: The Inspiring Story of Rohit Ajmani Happy Engineer's Day 2017: Remembering Sir M Visvesvarayya India oi-Vikas By Vikas The nation will on Friday celebrate Engineer's Day to mark the 156th birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya, one of the greatest engineers India has produced and a person behind many iconic constructions in India. Year 2017 will mark the 49th anniversary of the Engineers Day in India. It is a significant occation considering the fact that India produces close to 20 lakh engineers in a year. Who was Sir Visvesvarayya? Sir Visvesvarayya was an acclaimed engineer recognized for his mastermind in harnessing water resources. He had successfully designed and constructed several river dams, bridges and revolutionized the irrigation system in India by implementing irrigation and drinking water system. Sir Visvesvarayya was born on September 15, 1861, to Srinivasa Sastry and Venkachamma at Muddenahalli village in Kolar district of Karnataka. He completed BA with distinction from Central College of Bangalore and Civil Engineering from College of Engineering, Pune, in 1881 and 1883, respectively. He began his career as an Assistant Engineer with Public Works Department (PWD) at Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1884 and was later requested to join the Indian Irrigation Commission. As a Public Works Department engineer, he accomplished several projects related to maintenance of public buildings, road construction and laying out city developments plans in several important towns. He worked with complete dedication and perseverance and got promoted as Chief Engineer in Mysore State in 1909. His notable accomplished by was the system of automatic water floodgates first installed in the year 1903 at Khadakvasla reservoir near Pune, designed and patented by him. These gates were first used to control the floods of the Mootha Canal flowing through Pune. Similar gates were later used in the Krishnasagar dam in Mysore, Tigra Dam in Gwalior and other large storage dams. He is the chief engineer is responsible for constructing Krishna Raja Sagara dam in Mandya district.He was also a scholar, statesman and Diwan of princely state of Mysore for seven years from 1912 to 1919. Visvesvaraya received the prestigious Bharat Ratna in 1955. OneIndia News How Centre bungled on the affidavit on Rohingya Muslims in SC India oi-Vicky By Vicky Recommended Video Rohingya Crisis: No affidavit filed by Centre in SC over deportation of refugees | Oneindia News There was a great deal of confusion on whether the Centre filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court on the Rohingya Muslim issue or not. As per the submission of the Centre on a plea against deportation, it was said that the Rohingyas posed a security threat and could be lured by the Islamic State. Hours later, Minister of State for Home Kirren Rijiju said that the Centre had not filed any affidavit in court. However it came to light that it was a draft affidavit that was served and that became public. The Centre will now file a fresh affidavit in which some details would be fine tuned. The lawyer on whom the affidavit was served also said that it was a mistake. Now with the Centre deciding to file a fresh affidavit, the question is will its stand on the Rohingyas change? The Ministry for Home Affairs is clear that they would have to be deported. It would continue to maintain that they pose a security risk and terror groups are tapping them. In the fresh affidavit likely to be filed on Monday, the Centre would stick to it point. However it would add fresh inputs into the affidavit. Moreover the Centre would also suggest measures and recourse for the Rohingyas outside the country. It would make it clear that illegal immigrants cannot continue to live in India as they would be exploited by terrorists. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 6:48 [IST] How did Rohingya Muslims reach India India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Rohingya Muslims have been described as one of the most ethic groups in the world. Today the crisis looms large and India and Bangladesh the two nations which has seen a large influx of Rohingya Muslims is trying to find a way to deal with the crisis. The question is how did they land in India, in the first place. While the Myanmar government had de-recognised them in 1982 itself, thousands of them started leaving the country only in 2012. The same year they were being evicted from their homes and their land was being confiscated by the military. Tensions escalated following a gang rape of a Buddhist woman. Soon riots erupted in the entire Arakan region. The response by the Myanmar government was a strong. It drove the Rohingyas into concentration camps. While food was supplied, it always fell short and many died of starvation. On the other hand, Rohingyas started fleeing from the country. As they speak Bengali, they headed in large numbers to Bangladesh. While at first they were given humanitarian aid, later on Dhaka decided to stop the same. The Rohingyas who were called as the boat people by the international press then headed to Thailand. While Thailand offered food and other aid, it did not allow them to land on its territory. This then turned them towards Malaysia. But despite being a Muslim majority country, Malaysia did not allow to enter the country. They then turned towards Indonesia. Out there they were rescued by the fishermen. However the government did not welcome them and ordered fishermen to stop rescuing the Rohingyas. By this time, Bangladesh and other countries had blocked access to the Rohingyas. This is when in 2013 they turned towards India. They found entry points along the Indo-Myanmar border and also the India-Bangladesh tri-junction. While they avoided staying in areas close to the Myanmar border, they found other places to stay. They have their camps in Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 14:24 [IST] Is Asaram Bapu a donkey? Fake godman claims so India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Recommended Video Asaram categories himself as 'Donkey' after being listed in Fake baba's list | Oneindia News Jaipur, Sep 15: Times are not 'good' for godmen and gurus of India. Since the time self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was sentenced for 20 years for raping two of his former followers by a court in Haryana, the entire world of "babas" are going through a turbulent period. In order to keep their "fiefdom" intact, recently a group of godmen under the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (an apex organisation of Hindu sants (saints) and sadhus (ascetics) in India) came up with a list of "fake" babas to help devotees identify between a real one and a fraud. On Thursday, during a court appearance in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, when self-proclaimed godman Asaram Bapu, who is currently facing charge of raping a minor, was asked by a reporter to give his opinion on being listed as one of the fake babas, he angrily replied that he belonged to the category of "donkeys". The reporter wanted to know that since the parishad had made it clear that Asaram was neither a "saint" nor a "preacher", which category did he belong to. "The category of donkeys," the self-styled godman said while climbing the stairs of the trial court, where he is being produced on a daily basis in connection with the case. Asaram had not been talking to the media during his court appearances of late in the wake of a petition filed in the high court, objecting to the presence of his devotees on the court premises. The parishad has recently come up with a list of "fake babas", cautioning the countrymen against them. The names of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai feature in it Now, do we need one more list to further categorise our "fake" babas as "donkey" babas too? However, all the while we were thinking that the babas were the ones who were making "donkeys" (fools) out of the devotees. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 9:05 [IST] Burqa clad woman who hurled bomb at CRPF camp is member of rabid Asiya Andrabi headed Dukhtaran-e-Milat X, Y, Z, Z+ and SPG: The whys and hows of security categories in India In a first, CRPF appoints 2 women cadre officers as IG of RAF, Bihar sector Maharashtra: CRPF constable commits suicide India pti-PTI Gadchiroli (Maha), Sep 15: A 29-year-old jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, on Friday morning. Constable Amit Kumar was on sentry duty since 7 am today at the headquarters of the CRPF's battalion no. 37 in Aheri taluka, about 120 kms from here. While on duty, he allegedly fired two shots at himself with his service rifle, a senior CRPF official told PTI. Kumar's colleagues rushed him to a nearby hospital but he succumbed to the injuries on the way, he said. The constable, hailing from Haryana, was transferred to the CRPF's headquarters in Aheri from Arunachal Pradesh around seven months ago, the official said. Sometime back he had gone to his hometown on a vacation and resumed services last month, he said. The district police have lodged an accidental death report and initiated an investigation, the official said. PT PM Modi remembers Abe as 'phenomenal' as he offers tribute in Japan PM Modi arrives in New Delhi after attending State Funeral of Shinzo Abe in Tokyo Mention of South China Sea conspicuously missing from Modi-Abe joint statement India oi-Vikas By Vikas Among host of issues and collaborations mentioned in the India-Japan joint statement during Shinzo Abe's visit, the issue of South China sea was conspicuously missing. There was, however, a passing reference to it in terms of peace, stability and development in the Indo-Pacific region. India has in the past maintained that the China-Japan dispute over the South China Sea should be resolved in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). When asked about the matter, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said that South China Sea issue was part of both nation's commitement on Indo-Pacific region and did did not dwell too much on it. Reports say that the UNCLOS was mentioned atleast four time in the 2016 joint statement between the two countries. In matters related to China, both sides opposed the OBOR initiative. India and Japan also condemned terrorism emanating from Pakistan and urged Islamabad to bring perpetrators of terror to justice. India-Japan signed on 15 agreements/MoUs to increase cooperation in various fields. Modi and Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone of 508 kms long bullet train service between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Oneindia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 12:56 [IST] Centre should not go against federal structure of Constitution: Kerala CM Niti Aayog invites application for 'Mentor India' initiative India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), the government's flagship programme to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, is inviting applications for 'Mentor India' initiative. Possible areas of contribution could be, but not limited to: Technical Knowhow: building prototypes, Innovation and Design: inculcating solution oriented approach, Inspirational: leadership and self-motivation, and Business and Entrepreneurship: encouraging ideas and team building Sounding board / guide, break stereotypes and bias to bring about mind set and behavioral change The 'Mentor India' initiative is looking for leaders who can guide and mentor schools students in 900+ Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) established by AIM in schools across India. Through Mentor India, AIM is looking to engage leaders who can dedicate 1-2 hours every week in one or more such labs and enable school students to experience, learn and practice future skills such as design and computational thinking. The applicants have to fill the online application to apply for the programme. Deadline to submit application is 30 Sep 2017. (With agency inputs) Whatever happened is wrong, Law will take its course: Rakesh Tikait on Singhu lynching Pehlu Khan murdered twice, 1st by gau rakshaks, 2nd by politicisation of police force India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Jaipur, Sep 15: Like most other barbaric murders, we once again comfortably forgot about the horrific mob lynching of 55-year-old dairy farmer Pehlu Khan from Haryana, who was brutally beaten to death by gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) on suspicion of cow smuggling in Rajasthan on April 1. On our television screens we saw a mad crowd possessed by the idea of protecting cow (considered holier than human lives by a section of Hindus) mercilessly beating Pehlu, his two sons and two others on a highway in Alwar, Rajasthan, which ultimately led to his death two days later in a hospital. Before his death, Pehlu mentioned the names of six persons who were mainly involved in his killing as a part of his dying declaration. In fact, the Rajasthan police mentioned the names of the six main accused in the First Information Report (FIR) related to Pehlu's murder case. However, none were arrested as they went into "hiding". Now, after the passage of more than five months since Pehlu was mercilessly killed, the Rajasthan police have given clean chit to the six main accused of the murder. The police came to the decision based on statements of the staff of a cow shelter and mobile phone records, Hindustan Times reported. The staff of the cow shelter said the six accused--Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24)--were present at the Rath Gaushala at the time of the incident. "Based on the findings of the investigating officer, it is recommended that the names of the six accused be removed from the case," the investigation report said. However, according to media reports, the investigation will continue against nine other persons who have been identified as those who had beaten Pehlu to death. The police are also trying to find out more people who are said to be a part of the lynching episode. The family of Pehlu, who has been demanding justice for the deceased, got a second blow when they learnt that the six main accused named by the victim himself was given clean chit. Pehlu's son Irshad, who was also injured in the incident, told Scroll.in that the six main accused managed to get clean chit as they were politically influential. "This is part of a political conspiracy. If they were not involved, why would their names randomly emerge in my father's dying declaration? They were identified from the spot. Many people who had gathered around but my father clearly remembered six names. They were all calling out to each other," Irshad was quoted as saying by Scroll.in. The chilling murder of Pehlu reminded the nation of 2015 Dadri (in Uttar Pradesh) mob lynching where Mohammad Akhlaq was killed for allegedly storing beef in his refrigerator. The family of Akhlaq is still waiting for justice. The dairy farmer and others, including his two sons, were attacked by a group of gau rakshaks in Behror area of Alwar, Rajasthan on April 1 on suspicion of smuggling cows for slaughter. While others survived, Pehlu succumbed to his injuries after the brutal attack. The accused attacked the victims on suspicion of cow smuggling which is illegal in Rajasthan. According to a report published by The Indian Express, Irshad claimed that they were attacked in spite of showing the "legal" receipt -- having the stamp of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (serial number 89942 dated April 1, 2017) -- of purchase of a milch cow to the cow vigilantes. Actually, Pehlu, his two sons and others went to Rajasthan from Haryana to buy a milch buffalo, but the deceased ended up buying a cow, as the cow seller extracted 12 litres of milk in front of Pehlu and offered him a good deal. "That was the worst decision ever. It took my father's life," Pehlu's son Irshad told The Indian Express. Pehlu's other son, Aarif, also accompanied him in his 'last journey' to Rajasthan. "My father was in a pickup truck with a Rajasthan number plate, along with Azmat, who is also from our village. There were two cows and two calves in the truck. Irshad, I and another villager were in the other pickup truck which had three cows and three calves," Aarif added. Pehlu, his two sons and other two men were dragged out from their vehicles and were mercilessly beaten by the cow vigilantes. The worst part is that the Rajasthan police registered an FIR against Pehlu, his two sons and two others for illegally transporting cattle for slaughter after a complaint was filed against them by cow vigilantes. The FIR was lodged against Pehlu and his associates before his killers were nabbed. #WATCH: 5 men beaten up & their vehicle vandalised by cow vigilantes in Rajasthan's Alwar; later 1 man succumbed to injuries (01.04.2017) pic.twitter.com/almfW9W954 ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2017 Moreover, it took several days for Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia to condemn the incident of mob lynching. Before that, Scindia's colleague and state home minister GC Kataria in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan said that both parties were to be blamed for Pehlu's death because cow smuggling was illegal in the state. Dono side se hai jab malum hai ki Rajasthan se gau taskari nhi ho sakti kanoon bana hua hai-GC Kataria on if cow vigilates took law in hands pic.twitter.com/yGJjE2Tfbz ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2017 1 died due to being beaten; Police registered case against people smuggling cows & also over death of the man-Rajasthan HM on Alwar incident pic.twitter.com/osK3scZ0UI ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2017 Unfortunately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi never individually condemned Pehlu's murder. However, Modi during his three years in power has three times criticised those who used violence in the name of cow protection. But it seems Modi's words failed to stop the gau rakshaks from carrying out their "dance of death" in the name of cow protection which also led to the death of 15-year-old Junaid Khan who was stabbed to death by a group of 15-20 men while he was travelling in a local train in Haryana in July. The attackers called Junaid and his brothers "beef eaters" and "anti-nationals". While a group of politicians belonging to the saffron party maintain silence and indulge in blaming the victims, right-wing groups directly support and eulogise those who kill people to protect cows. Days after Pehlu's death, a leader of the Rashtriya Mahila Gau Rakshak Dal, saffron-robed Sadhvi Kamal, visited 19-year-old Bipin Yadav, one of the lynchers of Pehlu under arrest, and applauded him by saying that he's the Bhagat Singh of modern day India. If murderers in India have tactical support of the ruling dispensation and their associates, then the police (which mostly follow the diktats of politicians from ruling parties) fail to perform its duty without any fear and bias which exactly what has happened in the investigation of Pehlu's murder case. So, when the Rajasthan police gave clean chit to the main accused in the mob lynching case, activists called it "travesty of justice". "It is totally absurd for the police to give a clean chit to persons named by the victim in his statement before death," said lawyer and civil rights activist Prashant Bhushan. "It clearly shows that the police investigation is biased and it raises concerns about the functioning of the police system in a state led by the BJP which is visibly protecting murderers," he added. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 11:58 [IST] If Cong is elected in HP, decision on 1 lakh govt jobs, pension scheme in 1st cabinet meet: Rahul 'Rahul, Akhilesh are on same boat': BJP on 'dynasty politics' India oi-Vikas By Vikas The row over Rahul Gandhi's 'dynasty politics' remark is just refusing to end, with the BJP now training guns at former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for defending the Congress vice president. Akhilesh Yadav had on Thursday said world history was replete with examples of people taking a plunge into politics due to their family background. [Akhilesh Yadav defends Rahul Gandhi's dynasty remarks] BJP's GVL Narasimha Rao told news agency ANI that Congress and Samajwadi Party were functioning like" private limited companies". "Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi are on the same boat. Neither of them deserve to be the leaders of their political parties as they have been given leadership on a platter by their parents," he told ANI. Roa said people of India have taught both Rahul and Akhilesh a serious lesson, adding that both got what they deserved. The Congress vice president, while addressing students at the University of California, Berkeley, cited examples of the SP, the DMK and even Bollywood to buttress his point that several prominent Indians were born into famous families. Rahul also drew flak from different quarters especially from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party which called him a "failed dynast". Union Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday said, "A failed dynast spoke on a failed political journey in the US...Fact that he says that dynasts and dynasties are the very fulcrum of India in itself is an anomaly." [Don't 'b*****it' on dynasty, you have to earn respect: Rishi Kapoor tells Rahul Gandhi] Rahul had earlier said, "Dynastic politics is a problem in all political parties. Akhilesh (Yadav son of Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party), (MK) Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi in DMK), Abhishek Bachchan (son of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan) -- are all examples of dynastic legacy, also (Mukesh and Anil) Ambani (son of Dhirubhai Ambani), that's how the entire country is running." OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 10:43 [IST] Sporadic clashes in the Hills the day after Gurung asks bandh to be imposed vigorously India oi-Amitava By Amitava Darjeeling, September 15, 2017: Sporadic violence was reported from Kalimpong and Mirik, the day after Gurung had released a threat laced audio tape appealing to impose the bandh with greater vigor. With the Government threatening service break for teachers in Government and Government aided schools, teachers had started attending school. On the other hand the government has also announced a one month interest free salary advance loan for Government and GTA employees who attend office before September 15 had resulted in GTA and Government offices opening up. A cornered Gurung in a threat laced audio clip from an undisclosed location asked his supporters to clamp the bandh stringently from Friday and foil any attempt by the Government to open up offices and schools. "People should come out on the streets and oppose all attempts by the Government to open up. For this if required people have to face baton charge by the police also. Do not open up until tripartite talks for Gorkhaland commence" stated Gurung. He stated that the Government should understand the situation. "Youths are frustrated. I am afraid that there could be a rerun of the bloody agitation of the 80s. Till now I have managed to pacify them. But for how long?" questioned Gurung. "Let us not have to force the offices shut. The Government of West Bengal will be to blame for any untoward incident" threatened Gurung. The day after Gurung's directive to his supporters, in Kalimpong a vehicle carrying school students stopped and attacked by picketers. Police intervened. Picketers then allegedly started pelting stones at the police. A clash ensued. Police resorted to baton charge. Tear gas shells were burst. The protestors burnt tires on the street. 15 protestors including Bimla Chettri, Municipal Councillor of ward 7 were arrested by the police. Chettri was allegedly leading the protests. However the protestors continued shouting slogans in Dambar Chowk. At around 4pm police forced the protestors to empty the Dambar Chowk area. Two State buses plied from Siliguri to Kalimpong and back with police escort. Picketers tried to stop the buses but were not successful. In Mirik protestors took out a rally and blocked the main thoroughfare. When a vehicle carrying a patient tried to pass, the vehicle was allegedly stopped by the protestors. Police resorted to bhaton charge to clear the thoroughfare. 30 protestors were rounded up. Darjeeling and Kurseong remained peaceful on Friday with no untoward incident being reported. Government and GTA offices saw employees attending. The Darjeeling and Kurseong Municipalities also opened up after 92 days of the indefinite bandh. "However from Saturday the employees will not attend office. On one side the Government has ruled out service break for employees who attend by September 15; on the other hand they are asking for joining letters from the employees. It is a clear pointer for break in service. Employees of the GTA will not attend office" stated Dipak Sharma of the Janmukti Asthahi Karmachari Sangh (JAKS.) "We have recorded nearly 100 percentage attendance in the Government offices" claimed Joyoshi Dasgpta, District Magistrate, Darjeeling. In Darjeeling, Kurseong and Mirik roadside vendors sold food grains, vegetables, fish and chicken thereby projecting a scene of normality. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 22:00 [IST] Sushil Kumar Modi-led GoM to meet in B'luru tomorrow on GST Network glitches India pti-PTI Hyderabad, Sep 15: A group of ministers headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi appointed to look into the glitches of GST Network will hold its first meeting in Bengaluru on Friday. The GST Council, the highest decision-making body of the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, had last week decided to form a five-member panel to look into the technical glitches facing GST-Network (GSTN). "The first meeting of the group of ministers will be held in Bengaluru tomorrow. Telangana Minister for Finance E Rajender who is a member in the Committee will be attending it," the official told PTI. Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, Amar Agarwal, Minister for Commercial Taxes, Chhattisgarh and Krishna Byregowda, Minister for Agriculture, Karnataka are the other members. The GSTN, the information technology (IT) backbone and portal for real-time taxpayer registration, migration, and tax return filings under the GST, had faced downtime when the first deadline for filing of returns approached, forcing the government to extend the last date. PTI Traders outburst on gst may turn into agitation India oi-Oneindia By Vijyender Sharma SHIMLA: The failure of GST portal, absence of adequate knowledge about compliance procedures, continued confusion on levy of tax rates on different items and inclusion of mass usage items under 28% tax slab has generated gross dissatisfaction among trading community on the issue of GST and has resulted into great disillusionment for the traders across country. "75 days of GST implementation in the country has turned out in a situation of complete nightmare coupled with great hustle and bustle for the traders who are bound to follow different compliance formalities under GST. On the other hand they have to wind up taxation formalities of erstwhile VAT tax regime,"said the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) while reacting sharply on the so far fall out of GST. No direct dialogue and lack of coordination with Trade bodies by Central Government, State Governments or even by GST Council has further aggravated the situation. Consequently the traders feel grossly neglected in the whole process of GST implementation in the Country. Prompted by such a worst scenario and having extreme pressure from across Country, the CAIT has convened a two days meeting of trade leaders from all over the Country on 18-19 September, 2017 at Surat to take stock of the current situation and to discuss impact of GST on businesses of the traders. While chalking out future course of action, the possibility of a national agitation on GST can not be ruled out as it is one of the core agenda of the meeting. More than 100 prominent trade leaders across Country are likely to attend the two days meeting. The CAIT is the only apex body of trading community having the backing of more than 40 thousand Trade Associations across the Country thereby representing more than 6 crore small businesses. CAIT National President Mr B C Bhartia & Secretary General Mr Praveen Khandelwal said, "Traders all over the Country support GST and it is evident from the fact that there was no resistance from the traders with regard to introduction of GST and in fact CAIT is in lead role demanding early implementation of GST in the Country since last more than 5 years. However, the dismal performance of GSTN portal and lukewarm attitude of State Governments towards traders both before and after GST has brutally shattered hopes of the traders of having a simplified & rationalised taxation system in the Country. Neither the GST Council or Union Government or State Governments have bothered to consult traders who are the major stakeholders of GST." Irrational classification of items under different tax slabs, introduction of complicated Reverse Charge mechanism, overlapping of other laws with GST law and absence of clarity pertaining to provisions of Act and procedure has led to a situation of utter chaos & confusion across Country, said CAIT. Further to its woes, the utter failure of GSTN portal has added more miseries to the daily life of traders. No attention or facilitation of the State Governments towards equipping with computer technology to those traders who have so far not adopted computerisation in their existing business format is yet another big issue in GST compliance. Nearly 60% small businesses across the Country have yet to adopt computerisation. No mass awareness campaign was launched by either Government to aware both traders and consumers about basic fundamentals of GST and its compliance thereof. Both Mr Bhartia & Mr Khandelwal added that traders are very much inclined to join hands with the Government in smooth transformation of GST but for that onus lies on the Government to take traders into consultation process and extend its hand towards resolving the core & critical issues. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 17:55 [IST] Sabarimala: Vehicle parking will not be permitted on roadside from Nilackal to Pamba, says Kerala HC Vehicle carrying school kids vandalised: Child Rights' Commission summons Bimal Gurung India oi-Amitava By Amitava Darjeeling, September 15, 2017: The Bimal Gurung led agitation hit a new crescendo with a vehicle carrying school children vandalized in Kalimpong on Friday. The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken suo-moto cognizance of the incident and has summoned Gurung on October 10 to be present before the Commission in Kolkata. The notice bearing Memo No. 1245/WBCPCR/IIC-C/S/DJ-95/2017 dated Sept 15, 2017 to Gurung stated that on Friday a television channel telecasted the incident which shows that GJM supporters were ransacking the school-children-carrying-car which is a repeat offence by the GJM. "It is gross violation of child rights. This is a repeat offence since you have violated the rights of children earlier. Hence you are hereby asked to be present in person before the bench on October 10, 2017 at 2pm." The notice stated that if he fails to comply then he will be liable to all legal consequences of ignoring directions of a Lawful Authority of competent jurisdiction. The notice is signed by Chairperson, WBCPCR. The notice also mentions that earlier on 29.6.2017 and on 3.7.2017 the GJM had organized political rallies using children during school hours for which the commission had summoned Gurung. As Gurung had not appeared on the previous date, on 17.08.17 the Commission had issued a recommendation to the Director General of Police, West Bengal; Secretary, School Education Department; Secretary, Department of Women Development, Child development and Social Welfare Department, to draw criminal proceedings against him. Gurung has recently gone underground. The West Bengal CID has issued a lookout notice for him. Incidentally on Thursday, a cornered Gurung, in a threat laced audio clip from an undisclosed location had asked his supporters to clamp the ongoing indefinite bandh stringently from Friday and foil any attempt by the Government to open up offices and schools. Gurung's message was that one year of loss in education in lieu of a better future is worth the sacrifice. "Let us not have to force the schools and offices shut. The Government of West Bengal will be to blame for any untoward incident" threatened Gurung. The day after Gurung's directive to his supporters, in Kalimpong a vehicle carrying school students stopped and attacked by picketers. A group of students of a renowned school in Kalimpong were being taken to the Hospital for check up when the vehicle was stopped by picketers in Dambar Chowk. Stones were pelted on the vehicle smashing a window. A large police contingent arrived at the scene. The traumatized students were asked to come out of the vehicle and escorted to a safer location. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Jaynarayan Patel and Justice Ashim Kumar Roy of the Calcutta High Court in September 2011 had stated that students as well as children are being used as "captive audience" in the political rallies. "So not only the students, all children should be protected under the legal provisions of Juvenile Justice Act... They should not be allowed to be roped in for any political rallies even during the holidays or Saturdays and Sundays" the bench had stated. A similar directive has been given by the NCPCR also. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 23:50 [IST] Why the culture of rewarding hate speech is more dangerous India oi-Anusha In the first week of September, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) inducted Ananth Kumar Hegde, the Lok Sabha member of Parliament from Uttara Kannada, into the union cabinet. Hegde's induction into the cabinet was followed by a video of a provocative speech made by the parliamentarian in May last year. The video shows Hegde accusing one community of being the bane of humankind, instantly allowing opposition political parties, secular thinkers, and netizens to term it hate speech and build on the narrative that people who monger hatred were being rewarded instead of being pulled up, or booked. Not a rarity. At least in recent times. But what is a hate speech? Online resources state that any speech that attacks, threatens or insults a person/group on the basis of national origin, ethnicity, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation or disability as hate speech. "Hate speeches create an identity of 'us' and 'them', clearly creating a differentiation. An appeal, most times emotional, is made to the audience to choose 'us' and reject 'them," said Dr Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst. However, leaving nothing to vague interpretations, the Law Commission of India in March (on the directions of the Supreme Court) made some recommendations which included suggesting the inclusion of new provisions on 'Prohibiting incitement to hatred' and 'Causing fear, alarm, or provocation of violence in certain cases' to existing laws. However, little has been achieved in this regard. Instead, more have been rewarded and further polarising the society. A March 2016 analysis by India Spend, a data journalism platform, points out that candidates with hate-speech cases against them were three times more successful in elections compared to those without a criminal record. Shastri says that it's part of political theatrics that stems from ideology, emboldening those who identify with the thinking as many do not pay for their crimes. "Low conviction rates only result in a lack of fear of the law. The political outcome only comes second, first is impression creation," a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi said, requesting not to be named. Politicians like Nalin Kumar Kateel, the BJP MP from Karnataka terms his recent speech--termed by many as inciteful-- in communally sensitive Mangaluru city as an "emotional outburst." To be sure, Kateel is seen threatening to burn down his home district if police failed to nab the culprits in the murder case of a Sangh Parivar worker. Ananth Kumar Hegde could not be reached for comments. But the culture of hate speeches is not just the BJP's problems. Three years ago, Congress candidate from Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) Imran Masood was captured on camera, abusing his opposition and abusing then BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi and saying that he will "chop Modi into small pieces." according to news reports. The Congress, that leaves no opportunity to pounce on the BJP, was left red-faced. "If some leaders do (make hate speeches) then we dissociate from the statement, so people know that we do not ascribe to it," he says, cleverly slipping in the personal versus party view argument. Many other politicians have been caught on camera making similar speeches, and (in many cases) egged on by a susceptible crowd. Many speeches have resulted in riots, attacks and violence. Experts and observers believe that political patronage is the major problem which makes it harder to convict the provocateurs. Roopa D Moudgil, a senior police official in Karnataka was made to run pillar to post and appear before various constitutional authorities after she ordered the filing of a case against a legislator for allegedly making provocative statements. The legislator did not face the same problem though. Analysts say that hate speech is not uncommon, at least in recent times. But that rewarding the behavior is more dangerous. OneIndia News With no leads in Gauri Lankesh murder case, cops look to arms dealers India oi-Vicky By Vicky The police have started questioning an arms smuggler in connection with the Gauri Lankesh murder case. The police are checking for leads from the arms dealer to find out the trail behind the procurement of the pistol that was used in the murder. Kunigal Giri and his associates who are in judicial custody were questioned about the arms trade in the city. The police have so far made no breakthrough in the case. The only major lead that the police have got is that the weapon used in the murders of Gauri and M M Kalburgi are similar. There are other aspects that are under probe. The police suspect that the killer was not a local. Hence he may have used local support for logistics. CCTV grabs show that he had visited the area where the murder took place thrice. His last visit was at around 7.30 pm following which the murder took place. The SIT has also asked the police in Belgavi to question arms dealer. The police are not ruling out the possibility of the killer being from the border district. Police officials say that all angles are under probe and they are piecing together the evidence. The ballistic signature of the bullets used in the Gauri and Kalburgi case suggest that the murder weapon was similar. OneIndia News 'Enduring defeat of IS must be the goal' Trump enters US state department for first time as his favourite Mike Pompeo takes over as secy China, Russia must act against N Korea: Tillerson International pti-PTI Washington, Sep 15: Following North Korea's latest missile test, the US has asked China and Russia to take direct action against Pyongyang to "indicate their intolerance" to the provocative missile tests carried out by the Communist-nation. "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement after Pyongyang carried out another missile test today that flew over Japan. "North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the US have been directly threatened in recent weeks," he said. These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation, he added. Recommended Video North Korea fires missile over Japan, land in the Pacific | Oneindia News "United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime," Tillerson said. North Korea fired an unidentified missile over Japan from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang. The missile landed in the ocean, 2,000 km off the east coast of Hokkaido. The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The missile flew over Japan, Japan's NHK television said. The Japanese Government warned people to stay away from anything that could be debris and said the missile landed in the Pacific Ocean. PTI The Western bias and why it cannot digest Indias success Explained: Why has US removed India from its currency monitoring list India, Pak begin high-level talks on technical issues of Indus Waters Treaty International oi-PTI Washington, September 14: India and Pakistan on Thursday started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Washington, a senior World Bank official said. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The fact sheet says the role of World Bank in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 8:40 [IST] Indian origin doctor stabbed to death in US International oi-Vicky By Vicky A doctor of Indian origin was stabbed to death in the US state of Kansas. A 21 year old suspect has been arrested on charges of first degree murder. The motive is however unclear. Police identified the victim as Achutha N Reddy, a 57-year-old psychiatrist hailing from Nalgonda, who died after being stabbed multiple times near the Holistic Psychiatric Services building on Carriage Parkway in Wichita at 7.22 pm local time on Wednesday. The alleged assailant was identified Umar Rashid Dutt who, the name suggested, could be from South Asia. When police arrived on the scene, they found Reddy in an alley behind the building. "A short time after officers arrived, at approximately 7:40, they were dispatched to a suspicious character call at the Wichita Country Club," said Lt Todd Ojile of the Wichita police department. "The security guard at the country club observed an individual sitting in the car in the parking lot with blood on (him)." Officers took the suspect, who was subsequently identified as Dutt, into custody. He is being held on charges of first-degree murder. The police have said Dutt was a patient of the doctor and had been seen entering the premises. Dutt and Reddy were seen going into the building together, Ojile was quoted as saying by The Wichita Eagle. Dutt then left and came back. The officer manager told police she heard a disturbance and found Dutt assaulting Reddy. Reddy tried to leave but Dutt followed him and allegedly stabbed him numerous times in the alley. Reddy was an alumni of Osmania Medical College, from which he graduated in 1986. He later moved to the US and completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita, and then began practising in 1989. He was running the Holistic Psychiatric Services in Wichita, apart from being affiliated to several hospitals in the area. He is survived by his wife Beena and their three children Radha, Lakshmi and Vishnu, besides his parents Bhadra and Parijata Reddy. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 6:25 [IST] Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Pakistan receives India's written pleadings to ICJ International pti-PTI Islamabad, Sep 15: Pakistan said that it has received India's written pleadings to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is hearing the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian navy officer sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged espionage. India on Wednesday submitted its Memorial (written pleadings) to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ has suspended the death sentence of Jadhav pending final judgement by it after India moved the court in May, requesting immediate suspension of the sentence. "Pakistan has received the Memorial (written pleadings) from the International Court of Justice, submitted by the Government of India" in Jadhav's case, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement. It said that the Memorial is under consideration by a team of lawyers and experts, led by the Attorney General of Pakistan. The Foreign Office said that the position of Pakistan, "especially highlighting the acts of espionage, terrorism and sabotage committed" by Jadhav in Pakistan, "which resulted in the loss of many lives of Pakistanis", would be submitted to the ICJ soon. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said yesterday that Pakistan would submit its response by December 13. Pakistan claims to have arrested Jadhav from restive Balochistan in March last. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had legal business interests after retiring from the Navy. On May 8, India moved the ICJ for instituting proceedings against Pakistan for violations of the Vienna Convention "in the matter of the detention and trial of an Indian National, Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav", sentenced to death in Pakistan and requested immediate suspension of the sentence of death awarded to the accused. After discussing with both India and Pakistan, President of the ICJ Ronny Abraham asked India to make its submission by September 13. He had also asked Islamabad to make its counter-submission by December 13 before the UN court starts hearing the matter. PTI North Korea fires missile over Japan: UNSC emergency meet convened International oi-Vicky By Vicky Recommended Video North Korea Missile Launch: UN Security Council calls emergency meeting | Oneindia News North Korea has fired an unidentified missile over Japan from the Sunan district in its capital, Pyongyang. The missile landed in the ocean, 2,000 km off the east coast of Hokkaido. The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The missile flew over Japan, Japan's NHK television said. The Japanese Government warned people to stay away from anything that could be debris and said the missile landed in the Pacific Ocean. South Korea's presidential Blue House called an urgent National Security Council meeting. The North's launch comes a day after the North threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its September 3 nuclear test. Friday's missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan "at around 07:06 am (2206 GMT) towards the Pacific Ocean", Japan's J-Alert system said, with reports saying it came down around 2,000 kilometres east of Hokkaido. Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached amaximum altitude of 770 kilometres- both higher and further than the previous device. It was fired from a similar location near the capital's airport, it added. "Initial assessment indicates the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM)," the US Pacific Command said in a statement. "The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America," it said. "US Pacific Command determined this ballistic missile did not pose a threat to Guam." The United Nations Security Council will meet at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Friday on the latest North Korea missile test, diplomats said, at the request of the United States and Japan. OneIndia News Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how Panama Paper case: Sharif's review plea against disqualification dismissed International oi-PTI Islamabad, September 15: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the review petitions filed by the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family, challenging his disqualification in the Panama Papers scandal. Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had filed separate petitions challenging the apex court's landmark verdict on July 28 in which the 67-year-old leader was disqualified from continuing in office. It was also ordered that corruption cases be filed against him and his children -- Hussain, Hassan and Maryam Nawaz -- son-in-law Mohammad Safdar and Dar. A five-member bench of the court headed by justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa heard the review petitions. It was the same panel which had disqualified Sharif. "All these review petitions are dismissed," said justice Khosa, who oversaw the five-member review panel. With the rejection of the petitions, Sharif has exhausted all legal options to challenge his disqualification, jeopardising his chances to stage a political comeback. However, politically, if his Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) party wins next year's elections with a two- thirds majority in Parliament, it can amend the Constitution to change the life-time disqualification to a limited period of time. Today's ruling comes ahead of Sunday's by-election to fill Sharif's parliamentary seat in Lahore that is being contested by his ailing wife Kulsoom, who is being treated for throat cancer in London. The Sharif family and Dar will now face four corruption cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the accountability court. During the hearing, Sharif's advocate Khawaja Harris argued that how could the former premier be disqualified for not declaring a salary which he never received. But the court rejected the pleas. Harris also argued that Sharif could not be disqualified for not declaring his assets and only his election could be declared null and void but the court rejected that argument as well. Several other technical objections by the petitioners were also overruled and the apex court maintained its decision of July 28. Talking to reporters outside the court, PML-N leader and Minister for Information Technology Anusha Rahman said the court's decision to dismiss the review petitions was a cause of "disappointment" for her party. She said the court should have reconsidered its verdict to disqualify Sharif for not disclosing the salary he was entitled to receive from Capital FZE, a firm run by Sharif's son in the UAE. She expressed the fear that Sharif family will not get a fair trial in accountability court if a Supreme Court monitoring judge oversees the trial proceedings. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan thanked the Supreme Court for ending what he referred to as the "rule of the mafia". He said the Sharifs had attempted to get the monitoring judge removed during court proceedings to delay the cases against them, but their efforts have failed with the Supreme Court's dismissal of review petitions. The Panama Papers case in Pakistan is based on leaks that the Sharif children owned offshore companies to manage their properties in London, which opposition alleges were bought with unaccounted money. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, September 15, 2017, 19:12 [IST] by Graham Pierrepoint Im sixty-f***ing five, veteran actor Liam Neeson advised at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this week. Audiences are eventually going to go 'Come on'. His statement marks an announcement that will surprise many as Neeson confirmed his intention to refrain from making any more action movies. Its the end of what is, on paper, a fairly bizarre era as the actor was hardly known for big action roles two decades ago, and was already a household name across the world but it was with the Taken franchise that the star found himself launched into a weird new world of popularity. While younger viewers will likely know him best for his particular set of skills in the aforementioned Taken movies big, brassy action thriller focused around kidnapping and vengeance he of course came to fame through cult roles such as Darkman and Michael Collins though he would make his career breakthrough as part of Steven Spielbergs award-winning Schindlers List in 1993. His move from Hollywood blockbusters into cult B-movies was an odd one but it is one that has served him well for the good part of a decade. An actor celebrated for bringing a certain kind of tortured soul to his performances, watching the star take vengeance on kidnappers and shooting down bad guys was a rather odd spectacle for a while. Now, however, it seems that Neeson is ready to get back to doing what he always, arguably, did best acting beyond a few shoot outs and explosions. To many, too, he is Qui-Gon Jinn from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace but again, this appears to be the sort of movie that the versatile actor is set to be putting behind him. Big, daft action movies will always have a draw and for Neeson, moving into them was a lucrative move that has certainly kept his name fresh in the minds of moviegoers. Neeson hasnt always done big, serious drama he bizarrely brought Hannibal Smith back to life in the movie adaptation of The A-Team, and ducked off-screen to voice Good Cop/Bad Cop in riotous family animation The Lego Movie. Therefore, it can hardly be said that the actor has had a typical movie his is an IMDb page full of weird and wonderful pictures that perhaps illustrate quite how versatile he is. While he may not be keen to focus on explosions and shoot-outs for future projects, we certainly hope hell stick around and give us some more award-winning performances in the years to come. 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Generic Drugs Market Outlook Patent Expiries to Drive Future Growth https://www.researchonindia.com/generic-drugs-market-in-india-2017.html www.netscribes.com Netscribes, Inc. launches a report on Generic Drugs Market in India 2017 covering a market with strong growth potential. It is a part of Netscribes Healthcare Industry Series.Mumbai, India September 13, 2017 Global market intelligence firm, Netscribes, Inc. released its latest report on the Generic Drugs Market in India 2017 () . The report states that the large number of drug patents slated to expire in the next few years will lead to the introduction of several new generics in the market.Netscribes latest market research report titled Generic Drugs Market in India 2017 covers the current and future state of the generics market in the country. Demand for generics is expected to increase as patients shift from the more expensive branded drugs to the lower priced generics. Various initiatives from the government to increase the usage of generics instead of branded drugs, wherever possible, are also helping in the growth of the market. Setting up of a large number of Jan Aushadhi stores is making generics more accessible. Moreover, governments proposal in Jul 2016 whereby physicians would have to mention generic names of drugs instead of names of branded drugs is expected to further boost the market.Generic drug manufacturers operating in India have a distinct cost advantage when it comes to manufacturing. The low manufacturing costs in the country enable Indian companies to manufacture generic drugs at costs lower than the cost at which companies operating in regulated markets manufacture. Consequently, this has created a huge export opportunity for Indian companies. The US is one of the largest importers of generic drugs from India. Recently, regulatory warnings from foreign regulatory bodies such as the USFDA regarding lapses in product quality and for not adhering to stipulated manufacturing standards have led to a negative perception of generics manufactured in India. The industry, however, realizes the importance of these export markets and is taking remedial steps to ensure that such negative perceptions are removed.Customizations AvailableWith the given market data, Research on India offers customizations according to specific needs. Write to us at support@researchonindia.comFor more details on the content of each report and ordering information please contact:Phone: +91 33 4027 6243/6222; +91 33 4027 6200/6207; +91 22 4098 7600E-Mail: support@researchonindia.com ; info@netscribes.comAbout NetscribesNetscribes () is a global market intelligence and content management firm with services across the research and information value chain. Venture-funded by US and Singapore private equity firms, the company provides tactical and actionable insights to its clients and enables effective decision-making and strategic implementation.For more information please write to info@netscribes.com- Netscribes (India) Pvt Ltd.- Office No. 504, 5th Floor, Lodha SupremusSenapati Bapat Marg, Railway Colony, Lower Parel, Mumbai - 400 013, Maharashtra, India- Alina Lewis- marketing@netscribes.com GCC Generic Drug Market Boosted by Government Support http://www.imarcgroup.com/request?type=report&id=821&flag=B http://www.imarcgroup.com/gcc-generic-drug-market http://www.imarcgroup.com/generic-injectables-market http://www.imarcgroup.com/canada-generic-drug-market www.imarcgroup.com The GCC generic drug market has been witnessing a positive growth over the past few years. The market is further expected to grow due to the cost-effectiveness of generic drugs and an emphasis on their domestic production.Request sample report @The latest report by IMARC Group, titled GCC Generic Drug Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2017-2022, finds that the generic drug market in the GCC region reached a value of nearly US$ 1,550 Million in 2016, exhibiting a CAGR of 15% during 2009-2016. Generic drugs are low-cost versions of the off-patent branded drugs with similar dosage, intended use, risks, effects, strength and side-effects. The growing affluence and ageing population in the GCC region has resulted in an increased prevalence of lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, asthma, depression, cardiovascular diseases, etc. This has resulted in an unsustainably high healthcare expenditure which has prompted the governments in the GCC region to shift towards the use of generic drugs, thereby boosting their demand.Highlights of the GCC generic drug market:Initiatives taken by the governments in the GCC region have created an awareness towards the use of generic drugs.The demand for generic drugs is expected to be supported by the low-income and emigrant population.Saudi Arabia is the largest market, accounting more than a half of the total market share.One of the major drivers which is expected to boost the market is the emphasis by the governments on the production of generic drugs within the GCC region. Reduction in the usage of imported drugs will further help in stimulating the domestic manufacturing capacity of these drugs. Additionally, the governments of Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE have initiated campaigns which aim at increasing awareness towards the replacement of branded drugs by their generic counterparts. However, a significant affluent population which prefers branded drugs can hamper the market growth. Despite this, the low-income and emigrant population is expected to encourage the demand for generic drugs. According to the report, the market is projected to continue its growth, reaching a value of more than US$ 3,300 Million by 2022.The market has been segregated on the basis of country, covering Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. Amongst these, Saudi Arabia is the largest market, accounting for more than a half of the total market share. Owing to the rapid economic development and gradual rise in the prevalence of lifestyle diseases in the country, the market of generic drugs has seen a positive growth. After analysing the competitive landscape of the market, it is found that the key players are SPIMACO, Pfizer, TPMC, Novartis and Hikma.Read full report with TOC @The report by IMARC Group has examined the GCC generic drug market on the basis of:Country:Saudi ArabiaUAEKuwaitQatarBahrainOmanKey Players:SPIMACOPfizerNovartisTPMCHikmaBrowse related reports :Generic Injectables Market @Canada Generic Drug Market @About usIMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.IMARCs information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the companys expertise.Contact usIMARC Group309 2nd St, Brooklyn, NY 11215, USAWebsite:Email: sales@imarcgroup.comUSA: +1-631-791-1145Follow us on twitter: @imarcglobal Global Waste to Energy (WTE) Market - Opportunity and Forecast, 2016 - 2025 https://www.progressivemarkets.com/industry-research/global-waste-to-energy-market https://www.progressivemarkets.com/enquiry-about-report/global-waste-to-energy-market https://www.progressivemarkets.com Rapid urbanization, industrialization, and high power consumption, and the rise in environmental concerns have catalyzed the demand to the shift of preference toward renewable energy sources. Waste to energy is an innovative way to tackle this issue and many organizations are investing significantly and endeavoring to obtain energy from waste. Energy is generated in terms of heat or electricity by treatment of waste. Governments are funding projects to improve waste management systems and focus on alternative sources of energy. The WTE plants have witnessed a rise primarily across North America and Europe.Request Sample At:Thus, supportive government initiatives, growth in need to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, and proliferation in energy needs drive the global waste to energy market, whereas, high investment costs and lack of awareness could hamper its growth. However, favorable regulatory norms such as tax incentives present opportunities in the market.The global waste to energy market is segmented on the basis of technology and geography. Technologies covered in the study are thermal and biological. Thermal technology is sub-segmented into incineration and pyrolysis & gasification. Geographical analysis is offered for North America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and LAMEA.Prominent vendors operating in the global waste to energy market are C&G Environmental Protection Holdings Ltd., China Everbright International Ltd., Covanta Ltd., Foster Wheeler AG, Keppel Seghers, Plasco Energy Group Inc., Green Conversion Systems LLC, and others. These leading manufacturers have implemented expansion, merger & acquisition, new product launch, partnerships, collaborations, joint ventures, and other strategies to sustain in the industry.Enquire About Report At:Progressive Markets is the answer to every possible business query. It is a market research and business consulting firm, headquartered in India with an aim to deliver up-to-date executive support to foster overall growth of an organization in its domain. Progressive Markets was found with an initiative to bridge the gap between enterprises and global opportunities.Contact Us:Asia Pacific Intelligence CentreUnited StatesEAST COAST U.S.Direct: +1-646-564-2246Toll Free + 1-888-906-9222Email: help@progressivemarkets.comWeb: Golds Gym banks on BPO, corporates for expansion GOLD'S GYM logo https://goldsgym.com.ph Manila, Philippines, September 2017: Golds Gym, the leading fitness gym in the Philippines when it comes to health and wellness, recognized that their expansion relies on business process outsourcing (BPO) and corporates in the next decade or so.According to an interview by ANC, Golds Gym President and CEO, Mylene Dayrit, predicted that theyll be opening 30 more fitness clubs to help employees in BPOs and corporations with their transformation. Currently, Golds Gym has 400 companies in their corporate program. Thats 40% of their total membership population.Dayrit mentioned further that their customers keep coming back because of Golds Gyms loyalty to their role in assisting people in losing weight, toning up and building muscles.In line with that, Golds Gym will adjust to the sign of the times. With competitors tweaking their gym time to match with the customers, Golds Gym looks in the idea of opening earlier to attract a new set of market. Dayrit noticed that they need to be more in tune to what the community needs.On top of this, Golds Gym is partnering with local municipalities to launch fitness programs for government employees like what they did in Marikina. Dayrit added that its a part of their advocacy to bring fitness and nutrition to communities and schools.Golds Gym is available in various platforms to attend to its customers needs at any time of the day. They are on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. Customers can also pay a visit to Golds Gyms official website for gym membership, workout classes, and trainers information.Golds Gym started at their humble home of Venice Beach, California 45 years ago. It grew to 700 locations all over the world coming from the seed of commitment, passion, and dedication. With the latest cardio and strength equipment, they aim to help people realize their goals. Also, Golds Gym wants the people to know their own strength assisted by their trainers and instructors.GOLD'S GYM PHAddress: Gold's Gym Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Makati City 1224Tel No: +63 2 7528283Website: Oscilloscope Market - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast | 2019 Oscilloscope Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oscilloscope-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2188 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://marketresearchreports2017.blogspot.in Oscilloscope is an electronic instrument used for observing constant varying voltage. The observation is done usually as two dimensional plot of one or more than one signal which is represented as function of time. It is commonly used for displaying and analyzing the waveform of electric signals. Oscilloscope has various applications including time and voltage measurement, differential measurement, bandwidth measurement, phase and rise time and others. Oscilloscopes are used for special purposes also as analyzing automotive ignition system. It is widely used in medical for displaying the heartbeat waveform.Obtain Report Details @Oscilloscope is one of the major product in test and measurement industries. The Oscilloscope market across the globe is expected to show a substantial growth with a double digit increase in CAGR by the year 2019. The key drivers in oscilloscope market includes product efficiency and reliability with capability of digital oscilloscope to store more number of signals. Limited screen display is one of the factor restraining the market growth. The market is having opportunity in industries such as consumer electronics and life sciences.Make an Enquiry @The developers for the instrument are looking for innovations on the existing specification of the device and an instrument with more bandwidth is expected to be designed. The market for oscilloscope can be segmented on the basis of type, end users and geography. By type the market can be segmented as traditional oscilloscope, software defined oscilloscope, cathode ray oscilloscope (CRO), Dual beam oscilloscope, analog storage oscilloscope, Digital oscilloscope and others. By end users the market can be segmented as medicines, science, telecommunication, engineering and others. By geography the market can be segmented as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Rest of World.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: Global New Research Document Imaging Market Forecast 2017 - 2025 Document Imaging http://www.mrrse.com/sample/3203 http://www.mrrse.com/document-imaging-market http://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/3203 http://www.mrrse.com/ Document imaging services continue to gain popularity across all areas of business as it provides better security and confidentiality of critical information. Document imaging is an information technology solution which uses advanced and modern equipment such as scanners, software, and camera. Document imaging also helps to control large volumes of documents. The document imaging market is segmented on the bases of three categories: by service, component, and end use. In terms of service, the market for document imaging is segmented into cloud and on-premises. By component, the market is segmented into software and hardware. Hardware component segment can be further bifurcated into scanners, printers, microfilm, readers and others. In terms of end use, the document imaging market is segmented into government organizations, law firms, physician practice, and educational institutions among others. Document imaging solutions are becoming an integral part of a business entity for big data handling or analytics. The document imaging market is anticipated to witness significant growth during the forecast period owing to the rising demand for big data handing and analytics in many organizations. Big data technology is a new potential revenue generating source of an organization.Request For Sample Report:Therefore, the demand for document imaging is booming in recent times and is anticipated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Currently, the impact of this factor has been analyzed to be high, and can be expected to remain high during the forecast period. However, advanced technology such as IT and manufacturing hubs are facing challenges from short supply of skilled operators. Document imaging solutions are complex to handle and require skilled operators. Advanced scanners come with software that makes scanning and saving documents possible. Operators not only require having knowledge about how to operate the equipment, but also know how to operate associated programs in order to modify and store electronic files. These operators usually lack technical education and skills, and hence require specialized training which is time consuming. Rising demand for document imaging due to its benefits, organizations are ready to invest in training the operators. The impact of this restraint is medium in recent times and is expected to be low during the forecast period.By Service the global document imagingmarket has been segmented into cloud and on-premises. On-premises service is initially dominating the global document imaging market. However, cloud service is expected a robust growth during the forecast period and is anticipated to be the largest market share holder in document imaging market. Cloud helps to accommodate large scale information and scanning and printing online data. In addition, cloud deployment better structured than centralized systems to process large constant data streaming produced across the value chain.By region the global document imagingmarket has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America which includes U.S. and Rest of North America (Canada and Mexico) captured the largest market share in 2016 due to growth in production facilities and rising demand of digitalized documentation. Europe which includes countries such as Germany, U.K., France, Italy and Rest of Europe captured the second largest market share in 2016. Asia Pacificshowed the fastest growth in 2016 due to its high penetration rateand coupled more high adoption rate of digitalization in document management solutionover the years.The global market of document imagingreport provides company market share analysis of the various key participants. Key players have also been profiled on the basis of company overview. Global key participants of the document imaging market include Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), Hewlett-Packard Company (California, U.S.), Canon Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), Kodak Alaris (Hemel Hempstead, U.K.), Xerox Corporation (Connecticut, U.S.), Qorus Software (Pty) Ltd (Cape Town, South Africa), CBSL Group (Delhi, India), Epson America (California, U.S.), Aramex (Dubai, U.A.E) and Newgen Software Technologies Ltd (Delhi, India) among others.Document imaging solutions use tools such as scanners, printers, software, and camerato digitize a document. It is a key feature for any business entity as the document imaging process is used for better speed and agility in work stations. Improved and advanced efficiencies lead to a competitive improvement and better customer satisfaction.The document imaging market is gaining popularity due to several benefits to organizations such as cost effectiveness, increasing efficiency, risk reduction of losing documents in transit.Browse Full Report With TOC:The document imaging market is segmented on the bases of three categories: by service, component, and end use. In terms of service, the market for document imaging is segmented into cloud and on-premises. By component, the market is segmented into software and hardware. Hardware component segment can be further bifurcated into scanners, printers, microfilm, readers and others. In terms of end use, the document imaging market is segmented into government organizations, law firms, physician practice, and educational institutions among others.The installation of document imaging has dramatically changed due to the rising installation of cloud based document imaging solutions. Cloud deployment is becoming a critical and flexible part of an organization, for storing data and to expedite workflows. Information technology departments are expanding their cloud budgets for its numerous benefits. Quality document-management systems are available on the cloud since the last few years. Almost every business entity has started installing cloud as the most modern deployment solution to store important data. Organizations are always very careful about storing critical documents in a cloud environment, and recently increasing importance of cloud deployment is fueling growth of the document imaging market which is expected to see significant growth during the forecast period.The impact of this driver is medium in recent times and is expected to be high during the forecast period. However, Core printing companies are looking for diversification for higher profit generation. Many dealers are trying to expand their business by offering new products and services. In addition, rising competition in the MPS (managed printing service) industry is encouraging dealers to diversify or invest in other business entities. Although, cost cutting and decreasing price trends are attracting existing dealers and new entities to invest in this industry. Therefore, demand for documents imaging is expected to be high during the forecast period.The impact of this restraint is medium in the current phase and is expected to be high during the forecast period.Additionally, considering the growth in population and rapid urbanization in several emerging economies, there is an increased demand for digitalized documents. The growth of document imaging is strongly correlated to urbanization, which is compelling government organization, law firms, educational institutions and industries to emphasize on this technology.Such demand for document imaging can be expected to offer good growth opportunities for this market. In addition, there are various research initiatives undertaken by different companies worldwide to develop document imaging into more versatile products. More advanced products and awareness among target customers are expected to drive future opportunities in the document imaging market both in developed and developing nations. Hence, the customer base is expected to grow, creating a larger market for future businesses.Currently, people are more focused on print and less on digitalized paper. Paper work or printing work is more time consuming; therefore, most SMBs (small medium business) pay interest on digitalized paper scanning technology. Growing trend of document scanning or photocopying in recent times is predicted to be an opportunity for the document imaging market.The global market of document imaging report provides company market share analysis of the various key participants. Key players have also been profiled on the basis of company overview. Global key participants of the document imaging market include Fujitsu Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), Hewlett-Packard Company (California, U.S.), Canon Inc. (Tokyo, Japan), Kodak Alaris (Hemel Hempstead, U.K.), Xerox Corporation (Connecticut, U.S.), Qorus Software (Pty) Ltd (Cape Town, South Africa), CBSL Group (Delhi, India), Epson America (California, U.S.), Aramex (Dubai, U.A.E) and Newgen Software Technologies Ltd (Delhi, India) among others.Global Smart Grid Security market can be segmented as follows;-Global Document Imaging Market, by ServiceCloudOn-PremisesGlobal Document Imaging Market, by ComponentSoftwareHardwareScanningPrintingMicrofilm ReadersOthersGlobal Document Imaging Market, by End UseGovernment OrganizationLaw FirmsPhysician PracticesEducational InstitutionOthersGlobal Document Imaging Market, by Geography: The market is broadly segmented on the basis of geography into:North AmericaS.Rest of North AmericaEuropeGermanyFranceItalyRest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaIndiaJapanRest of APACMiddle East and AfricaSouth AfricaRest of Middle East & AfricaLatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaSend An Enquiry:About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Download Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market Outlook 2020 Report https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-Global-Cancer-Immunotherapy-Market-Outlook-2020.php Immune system is an intricate network of various tissues, organs and cell that prevents the attack by infectious agents. It prevents the growth and development of pathogens in body that may cause disease development. Wide array of potential disease causing microorganism like bacteria, fungus and virus are identified and eliminated in the body. Immune system also has ability to identify self from foreign cells due to which transplant rejection is observed. It has capability to generate memory that helps in providing long-term memory. Dead and abnormal cell are removed from the body that may hinder the normal functioning of cellular processes. It could also be trained to identify and eliminate particular cells from the body by giving suitable cues. Investigators have utilized this property of immune system to treat diseases by modulating immune responses. Investigators have extended this modality for preventing cancer progression and proliferation by stimulating patients immune system.Cancer immunotherapies have evolved significantly and numerous products have been introduced in the market. Many cancer immunotherapies are being tested in clinical trials for identification of their pharmacological and commercialization potential. Novel cancer immunotherapies are at different stages of clinical trials which would be introduced in coming years in global market. They could be broadly divided in two classes: specific and non-specific cancer immunotherapy. Basis of this classification is their ability to identify specific antigen related to particular malignancy. Modality used for developing them may be different but all of them will involve the activation of immune system for elimination of cancer. In some cases, overlapping boundaries may be found which is quite possible because single cancer immunotherapy may have multiple effects.Cancer immunotherapeutics segment seems to be quite dynamic as it has received highly developed products which are absent in other cancer therapeutic category. This category has large number of products belonging to different categories resulting in myriad choices for patients to choose suitable products according to their necessities. They have been able to create dominance in cancer market segment of pharmaceutical industry which is expected to be continued for several years. Some of the products belonging to cancer immunotherapy were introduced few decades ago, while others have received marketing approval in past few years.Versatility of these cancer immunotherapies allow them to be administrated for different cancer indications due to which their market share is increasing. Different cancer immunotherapy products have different pharmacological profiles due to which some products shows more acceptance rates as compared to other cancer immunotherapies. However, they have superior pharmacological capabilities as compared to their conventional counterparts.Cancer immunotherapies harbor targeted therapeutics for the treatment of some malignancies. They have been made to target few antigens putatively linked to the cancerous cells. As a result, they have been introduced for limited malignancies due which large unmet medical necessities are observed in this segment. This fact was recognized by pharmaceutical companies and they started to lay emphasis on identification of new biomarkers. Biomarker identification followed by their development is a complex process and requires lots of time. This issue was solved by using knowledge from bioinformatics and allied fields which has been able to save time, investments and precious resources. However, pharmacological and commercialization potential of cancer therapeutics based on novel biomarkers would be known by clinical data.New modalities, biomarkers and underlying principles are expected to be introduced in global market in coming years. These changes are expected to be propelled by increased fundings and technological advancement in the field of cancer immunotherapeutics. This scenario shows that they are going to play an important role in the treatment of various malignancies. All these facts show that cancer immunotherapies are going to have an optimistic future.Cancer Immunotherapies Included in Report:Adoptive Cell Transfer , GM-CSF, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Immunomodulators, Interleukins, Interferon, Monoclonal Antibodies, Vaccines"Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market Outlook 2020" Report Highlight:* Introduction & Classification of Cancer Immunotherapy* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Pipeline by Company, Indication & Phase* Marketed Cancer Immunotherapies Clinical Insight & Patent Analysis by Company & Indication* Global Cancer Immunotherapy Pipeline: 1834 Drugs* Marketed Cancer Immunotherapies: 113 Drugs* Cancer Monoclonal Antibodies Pipeline: 622 Cancer mAb* Cancer Vaccines Pipeline: 312 Vaccines* Marketed Cancer mAb: 36 mAb* Marketed Cancer Vaccines: 12 VaccinesFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.comReport Weblink:1. Introduction to Cancer Immunotherapy2. Classification of Cancer Immunotherapy2.1 Specific Cancer Immunotherapy2.2 Non-Specific Cancer Immunotherapy3. Cancer Immunotherapy by Vaccines3.1 Introduction3.2 Mechanism of Vaccines in Cancer Immunotherapy3.2.1 Idiotype Cancer Vaccine Mechanism3.2.2 Cellular Cancer Vaccines Mechanism3.2.3 Ganglioside Antigens based Cancer Vaccines Mechanism3.2.4 Peptide Cancer Vaccine Mechanism3.2.5 Tumor Host Interaction Cancer Vaccine Mechanism4. Cancer Immunotherapy by Monoclonal Antibodies4.1 Introduction4.2 Mechanism of Monoclonal Antibodies in Cancer Immunotherapy5. Cancer Immunotherapy by Adoptive Cell Transfer5.1 Introduction5.2 Mechanism of Adoptive Cell Transfer Cancer Immunotherapy6. Cancer Immunotherapy by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors6.1 Introduction6.2 Mechanism of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Immunotherapy7. Cancer Immunotherapy by Immunomodulators7.1 Introduction7.2 Mechanism of Immunomodulators in Cancer Immunotherapy8. Cancer Immunotherapy by Cytokines8.1 Introduction8.2 Mechanism of Cytokines Cancer Immunotherapy9. Cancer Immunotherapy by Interleukins9.1 Introduction9.2 Mechanism of Interleukinsin Cancer Immunotherapy10. Cancer Immunotherapy by Interferon10.1 Introduction10.2 Mechanism of Interferon Cancer Immunotherapy11. Cancer Immunotherapy by GM-CSF11.1 Introduction11.2 Mechanism of GM-CSF Cancer Immunotherapy12. Cancer Immunotherapy Market Overview12.1 Current Market Scenario12.2 Cancer Immunotherapy Pipeline Overview13. Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market Dynamics13.1 Favorable Market Parameters13.2 Commercialization Challenges14. Global Cancer Immunotherapy Market Future Prospects15. Cancer Cell Therapies Clinical Pipeline by Company, Indication & Phase15.1 Unknown15.2 Research15.3 Preclinical15.4 Clinical15.5 Phase-I15.6 Phase-I/II15.7 Phase-II15.8 Phase-III15.9 Preregistration16. Marketed Cancer Cell Therapies Drugs Clinical Insight16.1 Sipuleucel-T (Provenge)16.2 T-Lymphocyte Cell Therapy(Immuncell-LC)17. Cancer Cytokines Clinical Pipeline by Company, Indication & Phase17.1 Unknown17.2 Research17.3 Preclinical17.4 Clinical17.5 Phase-I17.6 Phase-I/II17.7 Phase-II17.8 Phase-III18. Marketed Cancer Cytokines Drugs Clinical Insight18.1 Aldesleukin (Proleukin)18.2 Denileukin Diftitox (ONTAK)18.3 Interferon Alpha (Multiferon)18.4 Interferon Alpha-2a (Roferon-A)18.5 Interferon Alpha-2a (Veldona)18.6 Interferon Alpha-2a Biosimilar(Inferon/Inmutag)18.7 Interferon Alpha-2b(Intron A)18.8 Interferon Alpha-2b Biosimilar(Bioferon)18.9 Interferon Alpha-2b Biosimilar (Intalfa)18.10 Interferon Alpha-2b Biosimilar18.11 Interferon-Alpha-n3 (Alferon N)18.12 Interferon-Beta-1b (Feron)18.13 Interferon-Gamma (Ogamma)18.14 Interleukin-2 Biosimilar (Ilcass)18.15 Teceleukin (Imunace)19. Cancer Immunomodulators Clinical Pipeline By Company, Indication & Phase19.1 Unknown19.2 Research19.3 Preclinical19.4 Clinical19.5 Phase-I19.6 Phase-I/II19.7 Phase-II19.8 Phase-II/III19.9 Phase-III19.10 Preregistration19.11 Registered20. Marketed Cancer Immunomodulators Clinical Insight21. Cancer Vaccine Clinical Pipeline By Company, Indication & Phase21.1 Research21.2 Preclinical21.3 Clinical21.4 Phase-I21.5 Phase-I/II21.6 Phase-II21.7 Phase-II/III21.8 Phase-III21.9 Preregistration21.10 Registered22. Marketed Cancer Vaccines Clinical Insight22.1 Bladder Cancer Vaccine (PACIS)22.2 Bladder Cancer Vaccine22.3 BV NSCLC 00122.4 Dendritic Cell Vaccine (CreaVax-HCC, CreaVax-PC & CreaVax-RCC)22.5 Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Quadrivalent (Gardasil/Silgard)22.6 Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Recombinant Bivalent (Cervarix)22.7 Melanoma Vaccine (MVax)22.8 Melanoma Vaccine (Melacine)22.9 Racotumomab (Vaxira)22.10 Sipuleucel-T (Provenge)22.11 Tertomotide (LucaVax)22.12 Vitespen (Oncophage)23. Cancer Monoclonal Antibodies Clinical Pipeline by Company, Indication & Phase23.1 Unknown23.2 Research23.3 Preclinical23.4 Clinical23.5 Phase-I23.6 Phase-I/II23.7 Phase-II23.8 Phase-II/III23.9 Phase-III23.10 Preregistration23.11 Registered24. Marketed Cancer Monoclonal Antibodies Drugs Clinical Insight25. Competitive Landscape25.1 Abbvie25.2 Advaxis25.3 Altor BioScience25.4 Amgen25.5 Biogen Idec25.6 Biogenomics25.7 Celldex Therapeutics25.8 Dendreon Corporation25.9 Eli Lilly25.10 Expression Genetics25.11 Galena Biopharma25.12 Genmab25.13 Gilead Sciences25.14 GlaxoSmithKline25.15 ImmunoCellular Therapeutics25.16 ImmunoGen25.17 Inovio Pharmaceuticals25.18 IRX Therapeutics25.19 Merck25.20 NeoStem Oncology25.21 NewLink Genetics25.22 Northwest Biotherapeutics25.23 Novartis25.24 Peregrine Pharmaceuticals25.25 Pfizer25.26 Philogen25.27 Regulon25.28 Roche25.29 Seattle Genetics25.30 ZymoGeneticsKuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Kuick ResearchNew Delhi - 110001India+91-11-47067990 Biomass Gasifier Market - Industrial applications witness fastest growth up to 2019 Biomass Gasifier Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/biomass-gasifier-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2193 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://marketresearchreports2017.blogspot.in Gasification in gradually delivering new value in traditional fuels such as coal, wood and oil. A biomass gasifier is an equipment that converts biomass into clean gaseous fuel which is commonly referred to as producer gas. These gasifiers provide a way of optimally utilizing biomass for generation of electricity. These gasifiers go a long way in harnessing the useful energy from both industrial as well as household wastes.Obtain Report Details @There are multiple drivers for this form of technology. Primarily among them is the fact that gasifiers provide a method of easily harnessing energy from biomass and directly combusting it for electricity generation. Decentralized electricity generation requirements, especially for remote rural areas and households can be very efficiently met using such gasifier technology. These gasifiers are essentially a form of clean technology, which would attract policy incentives for them in the future. The economies of biomass based gasifier systems are very attractive with lower installation costs compared to other technologies such as solar photovoltaic, micro-hydel and wind power.There are numerous kinds of gasifiers which may utilize biomass as the fuel base. The different types can be broadly segmented as up-draught (counter current) gasifier, down-draught (co-current) gasifier, cross-draught gasifier and fluidized bed gasifier. Certain types of biomass gasifier systems currently under development include double fired gasifier, entrained bed gasifier and molten bath gasifier. These technologies are still in nascent stages of development but are likely to be commercially available in the near future.Make an Enquiry @Countries vastly employing biomass power generation are likely to be attractive markets for such gasifiers in the future. Europe forms the majority segment for biogas generation in the world with countries like Germany & Sweden occupying major share in said region. Emerging economies like India and China where rural electrification is the need of the hour may switch to biomass gasifier based generation in the near future. Some of the key players in the market include Biomass Engineering Ltd., PRM Energy Systems Inc., Bellwether Gasification Technologies Limited and Flex Technologies Limited 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: Release Liner Market to Perceive Substantial Growth During 2015 to 2021 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3531 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3531 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Release liner is a carrier web material made up of paper or plastic. Release liners are coated on one or both the sides with release agent (chemical used to prevent one material from bonding to surfaces of another material). These releasing agents provide a releasing effect when kept in contact with any kind of stick materials. Adhesive (substance when applied to the surfaces of any materials binds them together and resists separation) and mastic (kind of gum) are of the stick material used for releasing agents. Release liners are available in different colors in the market; it can be a printed or non-printed release liner. Commercial coating companies are engaged in the manufacturing of release agent, providing unique solutions to their clients, based on a wide variety of substrates used to manufacture releasing agents. Commonly used releasing agents for release liner are cross linkable silicone and other coating materials that have low surface energy.On the bases of materials used to manufacture release liner, global release liner market can be fragmented into paper release liner (super calandered kraft paper, clay coated kraft paper, machine finished kraft paper and machine glazed paper), plastic film release liner and others (poly coated kraft papers and poly coated BO-PET film). Release liner can be used as pressure-sensitive labels and pressure-sensitive tape. Release liners have major application in label stocks industry and packaging industry. Other major application of release liners are in the field of graphic arts, envelopes, medical, tapes and hygiene.A sample of this report is available upon request @North America has the largest market share for release liner products, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The U.S. and China are the largest markets for release liner in the global market owing to increased food and pharmaceutical business in these countries. North America is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecasted period with Europe showing marginal growth. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to witness highest growth in the coming future owing to increasing domestic demand by the food and pharmaceutical industry in the developing countries such as India and China.Increasing demand from the end-user industry for better labeling is driving the global release liner market. Additionally, with increasing investment in the food and pharmaceutical industry, demand for better quality packaging is expected to increase, in turn demand for release liner is expected to increase. Also, with increasing population paired with rising international trade, demand for quality packaging and labeling is expected to increase, further increasing the demand for release liner products in the global market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Owing to increasing demand from the food and pharmaceutical companies paired with increasing demand from the other end-user industry for better packaging and labeling. The multinational players operating in the market are influenced to invest in the emerging markets of Asia-Pacific. Also, the regional players have increased their production to some extent to compete in the market. Global release liner market is dominated by multinational companies. However, there are some companies operating in the market, but at niche level. Some of the major companies operating in the global release liner market are Gascogne Laminates, 3M Company, Rayven Inc and Sil TechAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Vendor Neutral Archive Market and PACS Market - Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2019 Vendor Neutral Archive Market and PACS Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vendor-neutral-archive-pacs-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2201 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://marketresearchreports2017.blogspot.in Vendor Neutrality Archive (VNA) is a step further of PACS (picture archiving and communication systems) and the concern of vendor neutrality (freedom from vendor imposed limits) is of prime importance in VNA. Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) is a medical imaging technology which enables easy storage and access to images in a digital way. PACS has a capability to handle images from different medical imaging equipment such as positron emission tomography (PET), endoscopy (ES), ultrasound, magnetic resonance, radiography, mammograms, etc.Browse Market Research Report @Based on the mode of delivery, the global VNA market has been segmented into on-premise VNA, hybrid VNA and complete cloud-hosted VNA. On-premise VNA segment is a leading segment among the market owing to its enhanced data control and security. However, high expenditure cost and availability of an alternate economical option of cloud-based VNA are expected to impede the global market growth for on-premise VNA.The global PACS market can be segmented by components which include, hardware (access devices, peripherals, servers, storage devices and network devices), software and services (consulting, implementation services, post sales & maintenance and training services). The PACS market can be also segmented on the types of imaging instruments such as X--ray, computed tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, nuclear imaging, ultrasound and others.The global VNA market is witnessing rapid growth owing to its inherent advantages over PACS in terms of vendor flexibility and accessibility along with reforms in the healthcare information technology. Although, some factors such as complexity of technology and lack of harmonization in the industry may impede the growth of market to some extent. These inhibiting factors are expected to be resolved in the near future, surgingglobal VNA market. The recent development in the PACS market is Cloud based PACS solutions which is expected to revive the global market in the coming years.Make an Enquiry @Geographically, the globalvendor neutral archive and PACS market is segmented into four major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia - Pacific and Rest of the World. Although, North America and Europe are the major market share holders for these technologies, the emerging economies such as BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are also witnessing rapid growth at present owing to the increase adoption of information technology.Emerging countries being very populous, with large patient base, requirement for the VNA and PACS technologies hereis more than rest of the world.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: Asia Pacific Flexible Glass Market to Witness Exponential CAGR of 36.5% Growth by 2020 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/apac-flexible-glass-market/toc https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb--60 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/60 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights (FMI) announces the release of its latest report titled, Asia Pacific Flexible Glass, Market Opportunity; 2014 to 2020 Forecast." According to the report, the Asia Pacific flexible glass market is expected to account for $612.7 Mn by 2020, registering a CAGR of 36.5% during the forecast period. Incorporation of flexibility threshold in displays is expected to contribute to the growth of the Asia Pacific flexible glass market over the forecast period.In terms of application, Asia Pacific flexible glass market is mainly segmented into display and solar PV (photovoltaic). Currently, display application segment dominates the Asia Pacific flexible glass market. The display segment was valued at US$ 74.2 Mn in 2013, and is expected to reach US$ 417.3 Mn by 2020, exhibiting a CAGR of 33.4% for the forecast period. Moreover, the development of Roll2Roll process is expected to create a demand for flexible glass in solar PV application. As a result, solar PV is projected to be the fastest growing application segment for the forecast period.View and Download TOC of Asia Pacific Flexible Glass Market Research Report@The display application is further sub-segmented as smartphones and tablets, curved TV, building mounted displays and, wearables. Among all the aforementioned sub-segments, smartphones & tablets segment is expected to dominate the market with 50.1% of the total revenue share by 2020. However, curved TV is anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR of 37.1% during the forecast period. Additionally, influx of new entrants is predicted to fuel the growth of curved TV application segment over the forecast period.Country-wise, the Asia Pacific flexible glass market is segmented into Japan, China, South Korea and others. Japan is the most lucrative market, followed by South Korea and China. Moreover, Japan is expected to contribute 40.0% market share to the Asia Pacific flexible glass market by 2020. The growth of South Korea market is supported by the strong presence of smartphone & TV manufacturers along with growing number of R&D centres in South Korea.Request and Download Sample Report@Assessing the various factors driving this market, FMI lead analyst, Abhishek S. said, Incorporation of flexibility threshold in displays, development of Roll2Roll process for flexible PV and growing R&D investments in flexible glass by key glass manufacturers are expected to fuel the demand for Asia Pacific flexible glass market.Key players in the Asia Pacific flexible glass market are Asahi Glass Co., Ltd., Corning Inc., Schott AG and Nippon Electric Glass Company Ltd.Buy Full Asia Pacific Flexible Glass Market Report@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 : New Report Examine Smart Parking Systems Market Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2022 Smart Parking Systems http://www.mrrse.com/sample/293 http://www.mrrse.com/smart-parking-systems-market http://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/293 http://www.mrrse.com/ The staggering amount of vehicles coming on to roads around the world calls for advanced methods for parking. Traffic and parking problems are on the rise and people are finding lesser space for either. This is creating a high level of discomfort, fuel wastage, and high levels of emissions. Urban and city parking has therefore become a major concern for both developed and emerging nations, forming the primary driver leading most entities towards seeking smart parking system solutions. Smart parking systems provide a highly flexible, scalable, and efficient way for buildings and locations of all sizes and types, thus ensuring a smoother flow of traffic and a considerable drop in emissions. The latter forms a high concern issue as the growing emission levels are creating multiple complications in climate change and human health. The leading employers of smart parking systems in most countries are their municipalities. Their interest and involvement allows for the development of better smart parking systems through an upwards scaling of parking fees that can directly be used for advancing smart parking technologies.Request For Sample Report:The global market revenue for smart parking systems is therefore expected to show an exceptionally positive CAGR of 20.2% from 2015 to 2022. This revenue is expected to be valued at US$59.7 mn by the end of 2016 and reach US$177.1 mn by 2022.North America Shows High Demand for Smart Parking SystemsNorth America is expected to generate a revenue of US$34.6 mn for the global market for smart parking systems by 2022, due to the presence of dense traffic in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and others. These cities are also showing a higher level of awareness towards modern solutions for traffic control and parking, thereby becoming an optimized region for the large-scale adoption of smart parking systems.Various smart parking systems have already been implemented in North America, such as the SFpark program implemented in San Francisco. Areas in the city equipped with SFpark systems have sped up parking of vehicle by five minutes on average when compared to conventional parking methods. Programs such as these are proof that the smart parking systems can bring about a successful change in traffic and parking conditions across the world.Off-street Parking Demand SoarsIn terms of the site of parking, the smart parking systems can be classified into off-street and on-street parking solutions. At the moment, off-street smart parking systems are in high demand due to the ease with which they can be implemented and fine-tuned. Additionally, they can be privately owned, while almost all on-street parking spaces are owned by the government. Therefore, while the need for smart parking systems is extremely high in both sites, it is being implemented on a larger scale in off-street sites. Most off-street parking areas are made of commercial parking lots and garages. On the other hand, on-street smart parking systems have to prepare for permit timers, passenger zones, loading zones, bus and truck zones, and street cleaning vehicles.Off-street parking spots are the easier place to implement effective smart parking systems in tandem with robot-assisted or automated parking services. These systems help increase the comfort and safety of all passengers. On the other hand, on-street smart parking systems are gathering steam. This parking site segment is expected to progress at a CAGR of 23.6% from 2015 to 2022.The key providers of smart parking systems on a global front include Streetline, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., ParkMe, Inc., Urbiotica, Skidata AG, Amano McGann, Inc., Swarco AG, Smart Parking Ltd, Nedap N.V., and Parkmobile, LLC.Browse Full Report With TOC:Smart parking system provides real-time information about the availability of parking space in a particular location, thereby enabling hassle-free vehicle parking while saving on time, cost, and fuel. It consists of low-cost sensors, real-time data collection and analytics, and automated payment systems that allow people to find parking in desired locations and pay for it in advance.Once deployed, the smart parking system helps in reducing exhaust emissions from cars in urban cities by reducing the needless circling of city blocks in the search of parking space. It also efficiently manages the availability of parking space for cities and controls illegal parking. The rapid growth in the number of vehicles worldwide is increasing the scarcity of parking space, which is further magnifying the need for smart and innovative parking systems. Whether at airports or shopping centers, parking issues are a regular occurrence, in turn hurting the local business and affecting the quality of life of the city residents. These intelligent parking management systems provide high levels of convenience to the drivers while simplifying and automating the parking site operations. Deploying smart parking systems in cities requires data collection and management, integration with mobile phones, and various software and hardware innovations. Furthermore, there is a need for cooperation among various parking stakeholders such as off and on-street parking operators, transport authorities, municipalities, as well as customers. The smart parking market is growing significantly with numerous advanced solutions being adopted by major global cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Stockholm, Shanghai, Beijing, and Sao Paulo. In the long run, smart parking can significantly transform these and other cities by making them friendlier to citizens. Smart parking systems are expected to open up opportunities for the reuse of commercial as well as municipal parking garages Hence, smart parking systems contribute toward making urban cities cleaner, greener, compact, and thereby more freely walkable and drivable.This research report provides in-depth analysis of the global smart parking systems market based on parking site types, components, application areas, and geography. In terms of geographical regions, the report segments the global smart parking systems market into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America; these are analyzed in terms of revenue generation. North America is further segmented into the U.S. and Rest of North America, while Europe is divided into EU7, CIS, and Rest of Europe. Moreover, the analysis for Asia Pacific is subdivided into Japan, China, South Asia, Australasia, and Rest of Asia Pacific. Likewise, MEA is further segmented into GCC countries, South Africa, and Rest of MEA, while Latin America is subdivided into Brazil and Rest of Latin America.The report analyzes the factors that drive and restrain the growth of the smart parking systems market. The report also identifies prospective growth opportunities, prevailing market trends, and major strategies enhancing the popularity of smart parking systems. It also provides market estimates and forecasts for all the segments in terms of revenue. The global smart parking systems market is categorized based on parking site types as on-street parking and off-street parking. The market is also segmented on the basis of components that include sensor and network hardware, software, and services. The report further subdivides the smart parking services market into system integration and installation, parking management, and maintenance. This research report provides complete insight into different application areas of the smart parking systems market including airports, government and municipalities, and corporate and commercial institutions. The report also includes profiles of major players engaged in providing these smart parking systems. Key business strategies adopted by the major players, their market positioning, and various recent developments have also been identified in the research report. Besides, market positioning of key players in the smart parking systems market has also been provided. The major players in the smart parking systems market include Streetline, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., ParkMe, Inc., Urbiotica, Skidata AG, Amano McGann, Inc., Swarco AG, Smart Parking Ltd, Nedap N.V., and Parkmobile, LLC.The global smart parking systems market is segmented as below:Smart Parking Systems MarketBy Parking Site TypeOn-Street ParkingOn-Street ParkingBy ComponentSensor and Network HardwareSoftware (Management and Analytics Software and Mobile Applications)ServicesSystem Integration and InstallationParking ManagementMaintenanceBy End-use IndustryAirportsGovernment and MunicipalitiesCorporate and Commercial InstitutionsBy GeographyNorth AmericaEuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East and AfricaSend An Enquiry:About UsMarket Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of market intelligence reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.ContactState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite: Fiber Cement Market Challenges, Key Players, Industry Segments, Development, Opportunities, Forecast Report 2027 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/874 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/fiber-cement-market Market Synopsis of Fiber Cement MarketMarket ScenarioThe major growth drivers which has pushed the global Fiber Cement Market are increasing construction activities across the globe along with rapid industrialization has also pushed the overall demand. Rising construction in Asia-Pacific is one of the major growth factor and also it has created largest share in the same market. The high investment and setting up cost are creating hurdles to the growth of this market.Key PlayersThe prominent market players in this market are Cembrit Holding, Plycem Corporation, Nichiha Corporation, The Siam Cement Public Company Limited, CSR Limited, Toray Industries Inc, Compagnie De Saint Gobain, Evonik Industries, James Hardie Industries, Etex Group othersRequest a Sample Copy @SegmentsThe Global Fiber Cement Market is segmented into applications, materials and end-users.On the basis of application the market is segmented into Siding, Roofing, Molding & Trim and others.On the basis of materials the market is segmented into Cellulosic Material, Sand, Portland Cement and otherson the basis of end-users it is Residential and Non-Residential, industrial, commercial and others.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 110 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Fiber Cement Market Research Report - Forecast to 2027Study Objectives of Fiber Cement 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 Fiber Cement Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To Analyze the Global Fiber Cement Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW) To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by applications, materials and end-users 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 Fiber Cement MarketIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.For further information on this report, visit @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Acetone Market to Undertake Strapping Growth CAGR of 5.0% During 2016 - 2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/acetone-market/toc https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-276 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/276 www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights delivers key insights on the global acetone market in a new publication titled, Acetone Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016 - 2026. The global consumption of acetone was estimated to be approximately 6.1 million tons in 2015 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.0%, reaching a market value of US$ 7.3 Bn by the end of the forecast period (2016-2026). In this report, Future Market Insights analyses the factors and trends impacting the growth of the global acetone market.Acetone is primarily used as a precursor to methyl methacrylate (MMA), for the production of acetone cyanohydrin (chemical intermediate). Around 80% of the worlds MMA is consumed by the automotive industry, construction activity, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). 50%-60% of MMA production capacity is consumed to manufacture PMMA polymethyl methacrylate resins or surface coatings. There is a huge market demand for PMMA in the production of electronics items such as mobile phone screens, monitors and LCD screens, TV and video equipment etc. The use of acetone in the production of MMA in the automotive and electronics industries is the main driving factor for the growth of the global acetone market. Acetone is also used as a raw material, chemical intermediate, and as a solvent in various end-use industries including rubber and polymer, adhesives, metal cleaning, electronics, printing inks, paints and coatings, automotive, pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, etc. Increasing use of polycarbonate is one of the major growth drivers of the global acetone market.View and Download TOC of Acetone Market Research Report@However, due to rising environmental concerns, development of green solvents and bio based solvents are emerging as an attractive replacement for acetone and increasing use of water based solvent in paints and coatings may hamper the growth of the global acetone market.Segmentation highlightsThe global acetone market is segmented on the basis of Application (Methyl Methacrylate, Bisphenol-A, Solvents, Others (Aldol Chemicals, etc.)) and End-use industry (Chemical & Allied Products, Pharmaceutical Drugs, Cosmetics & Personal Care Use).The Solvents application segment is estimated to increase at a value CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period, creating a total incremental opportunity of US$ 1,169.3 Mn between 2016 and 2026The Chemical and allied products end-use segment is projected to register a growth rate of 5.1% in terms of value over the forecast period. This segment is also expected to hold disproportionately large shares in the global acetone market throughout the forecast period, accounting for 80.4% of the total incremental opportunity created between 2016 and 2026.Request and Download Sample Report@Regional market projectionsThe global acetone market is segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, APEJ, Japan, and Middle East and Africa. APEJ is expected to register the fastest growth among all regions in the global acetone market. The region is anticipated to strengthen its market value share from 39.9% in 2016 to 43.4% by 2026 end. With APEJ (led by China) becoming the major market for acetone end-use industries, demand is expected to remain high throughout the forecast period. North America and Western Europe are witnessing a steady improvement in the acetone market, registering a CAGR of 4.7% and 4.3% respectively during the forecast period.Vendor insightsThe global acetone market report covers detailed profiles of key players operating in the global acetone market. The report presents key strategies, key developments, product offerings, and market performance of leading companies. Major players reported in this study of the global acetone market include INEOS Phenol, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Sasol, The Dow Chemical Company, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited, Domo Chemicals, Honeywell International, Inc., Formosa Chemicals and Fiber Corporation, and CEPSA Quimica.Buy Full Acetone Market Report@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 Geocells Market to Register a CAGR Growth of 8.8% and Forecast between 2016 and 2025 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/geocells-market/toc https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12952 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/geocells-market.asp https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/12952 www.persistencemarketresearch.com Persistence Market Research in its recent report titled, Geocells Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast; 20162025, projected global geocells market to exhibit CAGR of 8.8% during 2016 to 2025. Consumption of geocells is projected to reach 428.2 million square meter by 2025 reflecting a CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period.Geocells, also known as cellular confinement systems, are three dimensional mats resembling honeycomb structure usually made of high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester or other polymeric alloys. These are used in construction sector primarily for earth reinforcement, slope protection, channel protection, load support and tree root protection. Geocells are subset of geosynthetics market and are estimated to represent around 5.6% share in terms of volume consumption in overall geosynthetics market.Request to view table of content @The report analyses the global geocells market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) and volume (Million Square Meter) by applications, region, and material type and provides information regarding market dynamics, value chain, competitive landscape, current trends, market estimations and forecast.Drivers and trends impacting the marketInfrastructure development activities, construction sector output and a growing urbanisation trend are some of the macro-economic drivers of the market. Developed economies have formulated regulations concerning erosion control and sustainable infrastructure development. Such regulations and initiatives are identified as underlying driving factors of the market. On the flipside, low awareness of geocells amongst infrastructure developers in emerging economies and competition from substitute products, such as geogrids and geomembranes are identified as minor restraints in the global geocells market.A sample of this report is available upon request @From materials perspective, high density polyethylene (HDPE) is extensively used across the globe for geocells manufacturing followed by polypropylene, polyester and other polymeric alloys. HDPE commanded around 68.6% share by value in 2014 and is projected to remain the largest market segment by 2025 with a share of around 64%. Prices for these materials are anticipated to increase over the forecast period owing to increasing energy costs, crude oil prices and complex manufacturing processes.From application perspective, earth reinforcement, channel protection and slope protection are the prominent applications of geocells which constituted around 86% of market value in 2014 and are collectively projected to exhibit value CAGR of 8.8% over the forecast period. Other applications including load support and tree root protection are collectively projected to exhibit a value CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period.From regional perspective, North America and Asia Pacific represented prominent markets for geocells globally in 2014. In terms of market value, geocells market in developing countries is collectively projected to grow at CAGR of 10.2% while geocells market in developed countries is collectively projected to grow at CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific region is expected to be the largest geocells market in terms of value by 2025, followed by North America, Western Europe, and other regions.Browse Complete Report @Competitive landscapeKey market participants covered in the report, include Presto Geosystems, Polymer Group Inc., TMP Geosynthetics, Armtec Infrastructure Inc., Strata Systems Inc., PRS Mediterranean Ltd., Maccaferri S.p.A, ACE Geosynthetics, MiakomGroup of Companies, Wall Tag Pte Ltd., Tensar International Ltd., Tencate Geosynthetics, Admir Technologies, Polyfabrics Australia Pty Ltd., Bonar, ABG Geosynthetics, Huifeng Geosynthetics, SABK International, Wrekin Products, Ltd., CeTeau Group.Global Market Study on Geocells is available at $4900 @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: Mobile Printing Market - Key Growth Factors and Industry Analysis 2019 Mobile Printing Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/mobile-printing-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=2211 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://marketresearchreports2017.blogspot.in Mobile printing let end-users print documents when they are in traditional network of away from it The mobile printing enables end-users to print from their devices to any mobile printing application enabled printer located in the office, public print location or at home. Mobile printing is wireless and provides high degree of efficiency to its end-users. It uses 802.11 networking or Bluetooth to communicate and can be used on both local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN).Obtain Report Details @Thermal based technology is being used in mobile printing to provide high quality output. There are two types of thermal printing methods which are uses in mobile printing namely direct thermal and thermal transfer. With the help of mobile printing technology the security of the device and system will be enhanced, as an individual is able to set password to prevent unauthorized access, in case of remote printing over internet.. Furthermore, mobile printing reduces need for individual printers on every desk. Thus, helps in reducing overall cost of installing network points and fitting cables.Now a day increase in use of tablet, smartphone or other mobile device is being seen in business operations, which in turn is increasing the demand for mobile printing. Mobile printers are designed for multitasking skills and to improve customer experience, as more products and services are becoming commoditized. These features promote the use of mobile printing solutions and applications. Mobile printing applications and solutions let end-user wirelessly print documents, web pages, photos etc. Printout information is securely sent over the internet when end-user uses phone to print any document or photo, through mobile printing applications, to the target printerMake an Enquiry @The mobile printing market can be segmented into major end-users type. The end-user segment includes retail, offices, hospitality, healthcare, warehousing & distribution and residential. The mobile printing market across the globe is expected to show a substantial growth in CAGR, from 2013 to 2019. There is a significant increase in the mobile printing market due to increased adoption of smart phones and related devices which uses mobile printing applications and solutions.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: Medical Cameras and Microscopes Market Research Report by Geographical Analysis and Forecast to 2023 Medical Cameras and Microscopes Market http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1619 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/1619 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=1619